Downtown Grocery by 2007

European market? Would this fly in Pittsburgh?

Downtown grocery to open by 2007 Millcraft Industries Inc. announced yesterday that it plans to open a European-style gourmet market on Wood Street by the end of the year as part of its $40 million plus redevelopment of the former Lazarus-Macy's department store.

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Other than getting run over by a car....

Pittsburgh Business Times: Piatts to bring European market to Pittsburgh - 2006-04-13 A recent survey of young professionals' interest in Downtown living by Carnegie Mellon University's H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management showed that nearly 95 percent of the survey's participants ranked a grocery store as the most important service in an ideal residential neighborhood -- far higher than any other amenity.

Here is my second favorite clean sweeper guy. He works on a bike and sells tools for redding up.

Russ Diamond for Governor

When I ran for city council -- I kept some of the powder dry. I should be more clear. I really kept some of the 'tea' dry.

Russ Diamond for Governor HOST a Pennsylvania Tea Party!
No, you don't have to go down to the harbor. You don't have to wear costumes like the Sons of Liberty in Boston. And you don't even have to serve tea.

All you need to do is schedule and host an event to get people together and rally them behind the Russ Diamond for Governor campaign.

It can be ten neighbors in your home, 50 patriots at a block party, or 600 people at a rented hall. Your imagination is the only limit!

Please contact us today make or get suggestions and schedule your Pennsylvania tea party!"

See that brown bag on the shelf on the far right... It is on its side and only half visible. It is full of Jasmine Tea. We carried this home from Hong Kong on our recent trip. And, another batch of another flavor of tea (Pu erh) came home as well. The tea is measured in a unit called a catties. The bag has 5 catties.

We'll be hosting plenty of Pennsylvania Tea Parties this summer and fall. How about you? I could come there and BRING along the tea for your friends and neighbors.

A Pennsylvania Spoiler Joins Race for Governor - New York Times

It seems as if this IS official.

A Pennsylvania Spoiler Joins Race for Governor - New York Times A Pennsylvania Spoiler Joins Race for Governor

By IAN URBINA Published: April 13, 2006

ALTOONA, Pa., April 11 — In what was already proving a surprisingly tight contest, the race for governor of Pennsylvania has grown more complicated with the entry of an independent candidate who helped spearhead a grass-roots insurgency last year against the state legislature.

Mark Rauterkus and Russ Diamond in December, 2005.

Cruise Control Master, Coach Dick Bower, to lead clinics in swimming

AMS SPONSORED CLINIC for “B”/“BB” SWIMMERS ages 10-14 are going to be held with Coach Dick Bower.

Allegheny Mountain Swimming will sponsor a series of clinics the week of May 8th in an effort to help promote the progression of our developmental swimmers. There is no fee for the clinic as AMS will fund the clinic. The clinics will be hosted by Coach Dick Bower.

Coach Bower has been coaching for the past 50 years throughout the United States. He has coached at all levels, 8 and under, age group, senior, High school, college and several Olympic medalists! He has coached numerous National Champions and is currently involved with numerous top ranked swimmers in the United States. Coach Bower started his coaching career in this area and is now consulting, providing coaches workshops and holding numerous clinics throughout the world.

This clinic will try to provide the B/BB swimmers with information and motivation to move on to the next level!

There are 4 clinics scheduled at this time.

Monday, May 8, 6:30-8:30 PM Bethel Park High School
Tuesday, May 9, 6:30-8:30 PM Moon High School
Wednesday, May 10, 6:00-8:00 PM North Allegheny High School
Thursday, May, 11, 6:00-8:00 PM Fox Chapel High School

Registration: B/BB swimmers age 10-14

Swimmers must e-mail Bill Kennedy to register. Include Name, Age, Swim Club, and most important - Date and Location you would like to attend!

No swimmer is permitted to register if they have an “A” time. All swimmers must be registered USS!

Registered swimmers will get an e-mail confirmation of registration with a registration number. Please bring this confirmation to the clinic. We are limited to 42 swimmers per clinic on a first come first serve basis. You may specify a second choice location in the event that the clinic you want to attend is full.

Coaches are encouraged to attend! Coach Bower will meet with you 30 minutes before the session to provide you with information on the program. He would like you to then help out with the clinic if you would like to under his direction. He will stay after the clinic for any coach that has questions or would liker further information. This type of clinic works best if coaches attend and follow-up with their swimmers. Coaches please e-mail me if you plan on attending.

Any Questions: Bill Kennedy - bk1swim -at- adelphia.net

Province Swim Pool in Chengdu. This is a 50-meter pool, all deep water, 8 wide lanes. You can't see the seperate diving well in the photo. Now the large flag has been replaced by a modern scoreboard with video. Those are temporary bulkheads on the outside 2 lanes so a 50-meter course can be swum in the middle of the pool.

Western Pennsylvania, bring it home

AP Wire | 04/12/2006 | News in brief from western Pennsylvania
AP - PITTSBURGH - Pittsburgh-area leaders are supporting a campaign to bring more conferences, meetings and even family reunions to southwestern Pennsylvania in 2008.

The Reunion 2008 initiative promotes the campaign under the theme, 'Bring It Home to Pittsburgh.'

The campaign is part of the city's plans for its 250th anniversary celebrations in 2008.

'This is an opportunity to get creative and plan events that bring people back to Pittsburgh,' said James Rohr, chairman of the Pittsburgh 250 Commission and chief executive of PNC Financial Services Group.

The campaign offers a 'unique opportunity to reintroduce our region to the world,' said Andrew Masich, chief executive of the Sen. John Heinz Regional History Center.

A 'Bring it Home' campaign a few years ago generated the booking of 122 meetings in the city, according to the Greater Pittsburgh Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The bureau has created Reunion 2008 kits that contain reunion planning information.

Home -- Here is an idea. I think Pittsburgh could and should build a Time Share Building or Time Share Complex. Make them high rise apartments and sell them for week-long periods. I think that there are many people from around the world that would come to Pittsburgh for a week. I think that they'd be popular.

And, Michael Keaton might buy the first unit.

Pittsburgh getting All-Star makeover - PittsburghLIVE.com

I've had it up to here with this fixation on the All-Star Game. The wi-fi needs to be built by the All-Star Game. Eight officers get training in scuba for underwater work for the All-Star Game. New dogs and remote camera to peer on citizens are to be installed for the All Star Game. Red carpet to move ballplayers on convertables for the All-Star Game. And now, we get to shrink wrap and wall paper our empty buildings all around town for the All-Star Game. Redd up already -- but do it for something other than the Reds, White Sox, Red Sox and Royals -- as I'm getting a YANKed around feeling.

Pittsburgh getting All-Star makeover - PittsburghLIVE.com: "The city's facelift also could include wrapping abandoned buildings with the All-Star Game logo, Mayor Bob O'Connor said. Communities throughout a 10-county region will be encouraged to use the All-Star logo on shops and sidewalks.

'We don't just want Downtown,' O'Connor said.

But in a shift of the 'tone' from O'Connor, there is a great quote. This isn't just for 'downtown.' Right on Bob. Just as wi-fi should NOT be 'just for downtown.'
Obesity was less of a problem in 1944. And, look, the All-Star logo didn't JUST show downtown.

Got bikes -- but no kids. But, the roads are not safe. We don't have bike lanes. We don't have bike racks. We don't have drivers to share the road.

Number of Kids on Type 2 Diabetes Drugs Doubles

MedlinePlus: Number of Kids on Type 2 Diabetes Drugs Doubles
FRIDAY, April 7 (HealthDay News) -- In a four-year span, the number of U.S. children and teens taking prescription drugs to treat or prevent type 2 diabetes has increased two-fold, according to a new study.

'From 2002 to 2005, we found a doubling of type 2 diabetes medications,' said Emily Cox, the senior director of research at Express Scripts, a benefits management company that conducted the study.

So, this is what happens if you cut the Recreation Centers by more than half. We used to have 32 outdoor swim pools. Most of them, in the city, are vacant lots. Dormont's Pool is not going to open this year, without a miracle.

The city does not have a marathon, like it used to have. The city used to sponsor The Thrift Drug Classic -- bike race. And even the 84 Lumber PGA event is soon only to be a memory.

Participation sports have taken a big hit. We need to get fit and make fitness a part of our fabric again.

And, even in sports in this city, it is a major victory to be .500. The Penguins are the worst team in hockey (we think) and the team won't pledge to say in Pittsburgh, and there is a pep rally for the Pens next week. The Pens walked away from the only indoor ice rink in the city, other than the Civic Arena, which they want to hit with a wrecking ball anyway. The closed indoor ice rink is a dark hole in our city. And, the Pens even put Southpoint, its practice facility in Washington County, in a lurch with ownership.

How many hockey rinks came into the market in the wake of Mario's arrival here? Mt. Lebo, Plum, Bladerunners, Castle Shannon, B.Park, Island Sports, etc. And then ask how many of them are financially stable and viable?

Perhaps the Pens can hold some of the blame for that build out and resulting contractions too? Greed isn't hard to find.

Now, obesity in kids and adults is par for the course.

Interesting Questions on KQV poll in recent days

The Dormont Pool will be closed this summer because extensive renovations are needed to make it safe. Dormont is represented by State Senator Wayne Fontana and Representative Tom Petrone. They are asking Governor Rendell for help in funding the estimated 3-million dollar cost of repairing the pool, a cost they say the community can not afford.

The online voting was 51 to 49 percent. At one time, in the morning, the votes were heavy on the side of NOT funding the pool. Then I expect that the word got out to Dormont residents and they started to rack up the calls and clicks.

The other question of interest was about the payment for the expansion of new seats in the Steelers' venue, Heinz Field. The 700+ seats and new box / lounge area is going to be paid for, in part, by public money. The Steelers are getting an upgrade to what they already have and they don't need to pay the full freight of that upgrade.

That was turned into a KQV poll -- and when I tuned in, the bulk of the callers and clicks were to have the Steelers pay the entire amount.

Wayne Fontana, D., voted to have the public pay for the seat expansion at Heinz Field.

Walking in place in a park with exercise equipment.

Taking a long walk on a short -- err -- expensive pier. Go Lt. Gov Candidate Stilp

Source: Gene Stilp, Lt. Governor Reform Committee

Stilp to Protest Brightbill's Tens of Thousands of Dollars in Per Diems in
26.2-Mile Walk From the Senator's Home to His Capitol Office

Lieutenant Governor Candidate Says Brightbill Should Return Thousands in Wrongfully Pocketed Taxpayer Funds

On Wednesday, April 12 from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m., Democratic Lieutenant Governor candidate and anti-pay-raise activist Gene Stilp will take a break from the statewide campaign trail to embark on yet another trail. This time, Stilp will walk from Senator David "Chip" Brightbill's home in Mt. Gretna, Lebanon County to Brightbill's Capitol office. The distance: exactly 26.2 miles.

Stilp is staging the walk to demand that Brightbill return tens of thousands of dollars to Pennsylvania taxpayers taken in the form of per diem expenses, even though the Senate Majority Leader lives well within commuting distance of the Capitol.

"While the Pennsylvania House of representatives has a rule that no legislator can receive a per diem if the member lives within 50 miles of the Capitol, the Senate, where Senator Brightbill is the Majority Leader, allows the taking of a per diem no matter how close you live or if you actually use the money on expenses," Stilp explained. The Senate per diem rate is currently $143 per day. "Obviously, the rate was lower in the past, but as Majority Leader, Senator Brightbill makes the rules," Stilp said.

In recent years, Brightbill has collected as much as $8,000 to more than $10,000 per year in extra income from the per diems. "He does not stay in hotels in Harrisburg, he merely pockets the money," Stilp said.

Stilp is also asking Brightbill for a full accounting of his per diems while in office. "No one knows what the real amount is. It may well total more than $100,000 in extra income. Only an audit of Brightbill's per diems will tell," Stilp noted. Senator Brightbill is also holding up passage of Governor Rendell's Minimum Wage Bill in the Senate.

While Stilp is not a resident of Brightbill's district, and the Senator will likely point this out, the anti-pay-raise activist notes that taxpayers across the commonwealth pay for the per diems, not just Brightbill's constituents.

"These tens of thousands of dollars Brightbill owes the taxpayers are in addition to the tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions he just returned to gambling interests. Simply put, 'Chip's dip' into the taxpayers' pocketbook for per diems has got to stop," Stilp concluded.

Mr. Stilp is currently running against Catherine Baker Knoll in the Democratic primary for Lieutenant Governor. The election is May 16.

Citywide Wi-Fi to get public airing

Citywide Wi-Fi to get public airing council will hold an April 24 public hearing on the possibility of citywide Wi-Fi.

Saturday - Rogues and Pitt

The Rogues meet at 9 am in Saturday, April 15, 2006, at the Holiday Inn Select across
from South Hills Village, $13.00 per person. This month, all candidates for elective office get to speak on behalf their campaigns and the issues that they see important.

RSVP to Herb Ohliger, herb138 -at- fyi.net.

That afternoon Pitt's football team plays its blue-gold game at Heinz Field. Cost is $5.

Hope you enjoy your weekend.

Blog Fest Prom and Page Six Fiction and Social Interaction

Did you hear about how the one blogger's avatar went to the Duquesne Club and fell in love with the tourist in a tuxedo?

CMU/Pitt Nursebot Project Social interaction: A huge number of elderly people are forced to live alone, deprived of social contacts. The project seeks to explore whether robots can take over certain social functions.

Humm.... A nurse bot that tells you to take your meds, and injects a bit of blogging content into your veins as well.

Taken to the next level, perhaps we can agree that we can use technology to heal and be an interaction force to help people live longer. So, we should build bridges to social events in the tech world too.

I suggest that others in the Pgh Blogging Universe put together a PROM for May or June. I'll attend. But, sadly, I won't be able to organize it.

With a prom, there might be some newsworthy mentions in the local, if not statewide newspapers -- like who wore pink and who came in sneakers. And proms are one of those last chances to have a youthful fling, before hitting the 'real world.'

A bloggers prom event could be a milestone for maturity for the medium and the messengers' confab.

Another suggestion, if folks really wanted to play around like teens (and perhaps strive to re-caputure their youth) -- perhaps the ring-leaders should instigate a no-agenda, fiction filled, fun-only, interactive, project for scribes and creative types that aims to be a HYPE MACHINE --- like Page Six!

Page Six is the gossip page for an out-of-town newspaper. Recent reports of journalists and clebs pimping for PR and profit, (imagine that), adds fuel to the pay-ol-a fire.

Scandal, intrigue, escapades and brushes with the high-rollers (from boardroom to bedroom to nursing homes) could be cooked up -- as in fabricated -- into a 'soap opera' that plays among various sites. And, so as to not slander anyone, the characters could be movie stars and divas of an online origin for this drama.

Any D&D gamers on the scene in the Pgh Blog space? I bet some of the seniors would have a lot of spare time on their hands.

Fantasy games, clues, discovery, investigations, and more could happen -- just for the hell and thrill of it -- online and off. Then buzz and coverage would come -- with elusive behaviors expected.

Seneca Valley sells stadium naming rights

Way to go Mr. Caprara. Well done.

Seneca Valley sells stadium naming rights The Seneca Valley school board last night sold the naming rights of its football stadium to NexTier Bank in what may be the first transaction of its kind in Western Pennsylvania.

Raider Stadium will now be known as NexTier Stadium under a 10-year agreement whereby NexTier will pay the Butler County school district $50,000 over 10 years plus the expense of new signs.

Signage, including a NexTier Stadium name above the stadium entrance, the NexTier logo bar across visitors' side bleachers and NexTier logo flags on light posts, could be in place before the district's June 2 graduation at the stadium.

It is believed that this is the first partnership in Western Pennsylvania in which a high school stadium takes the name of a corporate sponsor, according to Greg Caprara, athletic director for the school district.

So, the Dormont Swim Pool naming rights should be the next on the auction block.

And, I'd love to see a region wide sales effort. This was part of my position paper on parks a few years ago. Sell the naming rights to lots of assets -- but do so in a more ogananized and more profitable way.

Just as the high-end auction houses put together the big players for a bidding event -- the same could be organized for other efforts in a catalog and in person.

Heck, perhaps one of Terry Bradshaw's game-day jerseys would have been featured as a 'down-payment' to create the endowment.

FWIW, Greg Caprara, A.D., hired me as the varsity swim coach at Fox Chapel for the girls and boys teams a couple of years ago. We surfed through a transition season and this year, the (girl) Foxes got 2nd in the WPIALs. Greg is good for sports in the region as he is a 'think outside the box' leader.

Rocky Mountain News: Rocky Ride for Pirates: Tossing Rocks by Keaton

Sports and Journalism.... humm...

Rocky Mountain News: Columnists This is a pretty adept PR job by Major League Baseball, which has managed to make the question, 'If the press didn't know, how were we supposed to know?' Too bad Enron didn't think of that.

In fact, two reporters from the San Francisco Chronicle forced baseball to act, but critics point out these were not sportswriters but news-side guys.

As Mark Jurkowitz of The Phoenix in Boston wrote last week, sports have become a big seller for newspapers and other media, which are looking for sales drivers in a big way.

Nice article on the role of Journalist and Sports Coverage.

Major Leage Baseball lost me. I don't even want my kids to play baseball, sadly. I don't want to take them to PNC Park -- and I think it is way better to go to a high school baseball game. Perhaps my kids will go to PNC Park to watch high school baseball at the end of the year. I'd rather see High School Baseball every day in PNC Park -- and sidestep the Pirates. But, I'm going overboard a tad.

According to Jurkowitz, Buster Olney, formerly of The New York Times and now of ESPN, wrote this in The Times 10 days ago: "I had a role in baseball's institutional failure during what will be forever known as the Steroid Era." In my sport, swimming, we had an era of steroids. One time of serious concern was the 1976 Olympics. Time stamp that! And, we didn't ignore the issue. Baseball did.

And, now, baseball isn't welcome in the Olympic Village. Baseball has been given the boot and won't be a part of the London Olympics in 2012. It is too late to give them the cold-shoulder for 2008.

As for weightlifters and sports reporters -- well -- I've got some history there too. When I published books, we did a good bit of work on putting out some anti-doping materials.

And, I've not been publishing for more than 10 years -- so time stamp that too!

Baseball's reporters -- and the bulk (pun intended) of the mainstream reporters on sports are both naive -- and they do need to share the blame. Same too for the corporations that employ the scribes. The Post Gazette used to own part of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Other media companies (Cubs) have big interests in various teams too.

I don't care much about the 'conflict of interest' -- but I do care that the conflict was not revealed. Disney, ESPN, and the Mighty Ducks can all have stock owners with the same bank accounts. But shine a light on the news for goodness sakes.

Heads up to Lifeguard and EMS friends -- free offer for swap out

A special offer came to our attention concerning a Cervical Immobilization Device (CID). This would apply to swim pools, EMS crews, hospitals, firehouses, and such.

The company, Laerdal Medical, developed a SpeedBlocks Immobilizer. SpeedBlocks are the best device for, not only EMS field use, but for lifeguards and Water Rescue Technicians. SpeedBlocks are the very best head immobilizer system available.

Laerdal Medical is offering a Free Swap-out Program by which you can swap out your current head immobilizer for a Laerdal SpeedBlocks immobilizer. This program is available directly through the manufacturer.

Access the Laerdal Swap-out program at http://www.laerdal.com/3536/speedblocksform.htm.



For additional information on this product and skills, access the SPINAL IMMOBILIZATION SECTION of the Lifesaving Resources’ ONLINE CATALOG.

Cheer for a High School Team -- as the Pirates are, well, Mr. Mom said....

Go Langley Mustangs!

The kid from Montour had a good movie role in the past when he played the star of "Mr. Mom." .... snicker.....

Need another reason, sterioids are not such a factor in high school sports. And, when you go to a local high school baseball game, chances are, one of OUR teams is going to win. And, often, none of the kids are loosers.