Blog Burst and coverage in newspapers

P-G coverage of a blogging trend.

Tech Briefly: 5/6/06 The Web sites of dozens of newspapers are starting to feature outside blog postings on travel, health and other topics in a further blurring of the line separating traditional and new media.

The travel section of the San Francisco Chronicle's site, for instance, had a box in the middle Wednesday with such posts as 'The Intricate Architecture of Barcelona' from the RealTravel blog.

The posts supplement the Web journals, or blogs, maintained by the newspapers' staffs and come from Pluck Corp.'s new BlogBurst service, which collects postings from about 1,000 blogs and distributes them to newspapers, mostly for online use.

Ride of Silence - might get started in Pittsburgh

Back wheel of my 3 wheeled bike.

::Ride of Silence:: Join cyclists worldwide in a silent slow-paced ride (max. 12 mph/20 kph) in honor of those who have been injured or killed while cycling on public roadways.

Why does this site exist?

To HONOR those who have been injured or killed

To RAISE AWARENESS that we are here

To ask that we all SHARE THE ROAD

THE RIDE OF SILENCE WILL NOT BE QUIET
On May 17 at 7:00 PM, the Ride of Silence will begin in North America and roll across the globe. Cyclists will take to the roads in a silent procession to honor cyclists who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roadways. Although cyclists have a legal right to share the road with motorists, the motoring public often isn't aware of these rights, and sometimes not aware of the cyclists themselves.

In 2003, Chris Phelan organized the first Ride Of Silence in Dallas after endurance cyclist Larry Schwartz was hit by the mirror of a passing bus and was killed.

The Ride Of Silence is a free ride that asks its cyclists to ride no faster than 12 mph and remain silent during the ride. There is no brochure, no sponsors, no registration fees and no t-shirt. The ride, which is being held during Bike Safety month, aims to raise the awareness of motorists, police and city officials that cyclists have a legal right to the public roadways. The ride is also a chance to show respect for those who have been killed or injured.

I think it would be great to have a local silent ride. I hope a lead organizer goes for it. The weather is going to be perfect for a bike ride on the 17th.

Can a few "local connections" be made in terms of fallen ones -- injured or hurt -- on our roads on bikes?

Shame on Preston, the Paygrabber. Vote for Gainey

24th district challengers hope for clean sweep of incumbent - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Preston, 58, of East Liberty, voted for the pay raise July 7 and accepted the money early as unvouchered expenses. The General Assembly voted to repeal the pay raise in November, but Preston acknowledged he has not returned the money he collected.

With role models like this, it is no wonder we get others who spend public money in private ways.

Fort Pitt Museum strategic planning

The Fort Pitt Museum (a state museum) is engaged in a strategic planning exercise in which it is gathering information about the museum and its environment, how it is perceived, and how it can do a better job serving the community. The Museum wishes to convene a one-hour "focus group" composed mainly of 5 to 10 downtown residents and others who might be considered among its "neighbors."

This meeting will be held from 7:30 to 8:30 pm on Thursday, May 11.

Individuals who are interested in volunteering should send an email to donnneal -at- yahoo -dot- com as soon as possible but no later than Wednesday, May 10.

Feeding fish.

5th and Forbes and a modern folk tale from fellow blogger

Nice modern folk tale.

The Three Rivers Post & Standard - 5th and Forbes Redux Imagine that you as an individual didn’t want to invest in these schemes, but you had to. You see, you all live in the same apartment building. Everyone in the apartment building got together and decided through a democratic vote that each resident should invest a percentage of their income into more of these programs. No matter how hard you tried to explain to people that doing so was a bad idea, they didn’t seem to listen.

The lessons is.... people don't want to subsidize PNC nor other downtown developments.
Downtown living won't get this grand in Pittsburgh, but it should.

PNC subsidy OK'd

PNC subsidy OK'd: "Proposed subsidies for a new PNC Financial Services Group tower on Fifth Avenue won Pittsburgh City Council's initial OK yesterday.

The vote was 7-1 to join with Allegheny County and the Pittsburgh Public Schools in using future tax dollars to finance $18 million in aid. Councilman William Peduto voted no.

In addition, $30 million in state aid is going to the $169.5 million office, hotel and condominium development.

Mr. Peduto argued that PNC, which made $1.3 billion in profits last year, did not need the help. Other council members countered that the project would add $1.1 million a year in new city, school and county property taxes, even after $1.7 million a year is diverted to pay off the subsidy.

Council's final vote is set for Tuesday. Construction would be done in late 2008."

Froth Slosh B'Gosh calls for a picnic for Chuck for Senate

Sunday!

Froth Slosh B'Gosh Let's have a picnic! Chuck will be there, we'll have live music, food, good friends. Bring everyone you know to meet the next Senator from Pennsylvania. Bring the kids and let's have some fun!

Mike Stout will play and sing for us. We'll have food - hoagies and soft drinks are covered - everyone else please something picnicky - chips, juice, cookies, whatever. I don't know if there are grilling facilities there.

We'll have a 50/50 raffle! 50 cents of every dollar goes to Chuck's campaign. The lucky winner walks home with half the loot!

The yard signs are here! Come to the picnic to get some to take home!

RIVERVIEW PARK - VALLEY REFUGE SHELTER - SUNDAY, MAY 7th 2 - 6 PM

I might try to attend.

Newest member of our family: Sarah. Stay tuned for "Revenge of the Cat Blogging!

Kitten....

Grant, my second son, got a kitten! He picked it up with my wife from the new and beautiful Animal Shelter. She is named Sarah and is doing very well. Very social. Bunking down with Grant, 8.

So far so good.

Our other cat, Cigi, almost 19 (human years), is still doing her hissing. But by the second day they have turned more to walk-by hisses.

Dad and boys.

Last Summer, Erik and I did the 140 mile round trip, two day event called, "That Dam Ride." This summer, I've got to get back in shape. The ride is in September. Running mates, care to join us?

Last summer's memory.

Frankel and Frankel

STAND UP and STAND OUT! (Or, how to make your elected representatives actually LISTEN to you)

Monday, May 8, 2006, at 7 pm at Squirrel Hill Library

Representative Dan Frankel, PA House of Representatives - Allegheny County, and Larry Frankel, Legislative Director, ACLU of Pennsylvania.

* Find out how to make your letter/email/phone call Stand Out and Really Matter to your elected officials

* Learn more about current legislative issues: the PA Marriage Protection Amendment, the PA CARE Act Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies), NSA Spying, Immigration, and what your representatives Need To Hear

* Find out what you can do to Make a Difference, even if you live in an area where your elected official already supports your position

* Discover effective tips for writing Letters To The Editor that will increase the chances of getting them published

This event is free and open to the public.

For more information, please visit www.aclupa.org.

Property Tax Relief -- another joker in the cards

Property tax relief bill stalls - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review However, Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Cranberry, termed the legislation 'an illusion of property tax reform.' And Rep. Michael Diven, R-Brookline, called the bill 'three-card monte.'

Diven is using those academic terms again. What the heck is 'Three Card Monte?'

List: of 1,000 Top U.S. Schools - Newsweek America's Best High Schools - MSNBC.com

The Complete List: 1,000 Top U.S. Schools - Newsweek America's Best High Schools - MSNBC.com 968 Fox Chapel Pittsburgh Pa. 1.175 10.0 23.1

So, Pennyslvania gets 1 in the top 396. Two in the top 400.

The Foxes, USC, and Mt. Lebo all squeek into the top 1,000 on the last page.

What do you make of this?

USOC makes domestic travel plans for bid coordination for 2016

SI.com - Olympics - USOC makes travel plans to potential Olympic cities - Wednesday May 3, 2006 2:19PM U.S. Olympic Committee representatives will visit Houston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco over the next two weeks to begin scouting out cities for a possible bid to host the 2016 Olympics.

Chicago skyline -- from a Navy Pier perspective. (Click image for larger view. My photos are all put into the public domain.)

Windy City -- one of my former hometowns.

My wife is on TV tonight - PCNC's Night Talk

Ann Devlin and Catherine Palmer, Ph.D., to talk about hearing health -- TONIGHT!
From a past show.

Get to high ground!

Tsunami warnings issued for Fiji and New Zealand after earthquake measuring a magnitude of about 8.0 shakes southern Pacific Ocean.

Good HEALTH to another blogger.

Don't eat too much fiber.

Chloe Rules! - Zap! Thud! � Nuclear Stress Test Results: Good News, More or Less Anyway, if you'll excuse me, I have to go grocery shopping at Office Max for some cardboard for dinner….

Dr. R got a new gig in the school system

Dr. R, the Phillips Principal, talks to a parent and student (Catherine and Erik) outside of school one day in a past year.

It is being reported in the P-G that our favorite school principal, the one who is the principal where my sons attend public school, Dr. Barbara Rudiak, is getting a new job within the PPS system. Seems she is 'moving up' with her new position.

Barbara Rudiak -- from principal, Phillips Elementary, to executive director of school management, elementary schools.

This is a good-news and bad-news thing for us as we've been so spoiled with her devotion to the students and operational skills at Phillips.

By the way, Phillips Elementary School is on the South Side. We walk to school each day. Half of the school is a "Spanish magnet" and the other half is a "Neighborhood" school. There are two classes of each grade, K to 5.

I call this year our last as a "gravy year" in that both boys are attending the same school. Next year our oldest goes to 6th grade and will be in a different building (Frick Middle School).

By the way, welcome Rodney Necciai -- from principal, Knoxville Elementary, to principal, Phillips Elementary.

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My kids are on track to attend Schenley High School. That school is getting a new pricipal too. Plus, Tonight OnQ: it's the end of an era at Schenley High School in Oakland. Roger Babusci - the school's popular english teacher and director of school musicals -- is retiring. We'll look back on his impressive tenure ... and talk with the students he inspired.

Lincoln Blog by Lowman Henry, CEO of Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion

Lincoln Blog by Lowman Henry, CEO of Lincoln Institute of Public Opinion If you were walking down the street and someone came up behind you, stuck a gun in your back and demanded all you money - but then turned around and gave you a couple of your own dollars back while keeping the rest for himself - you would still consider yourself to have been mugged. The fact the criminal gave you some of your own money back doesn't change the fact that you were robbed.

And so it is with the 'tax reform' bill currently on the fast track through the Pennsylvania legislature on its way to a political commercial near you. Pennsylvania's system of real property taxation has been viewed as draconian and inequitable for decades. Now, with voters hopping mad over last year's legislative pay jacking, 'tax reform' is suddenly about to happen.

I'm not too fond of the robbing saga, but whatever works.

Magic tricks.

I'm more in tune to level headed reason. These folks in Harrisburg are do-nothing types. They don't have the determination nor the moxie nor creativity to do much. But, they do want to make themselves look good as voters are headed to the polls. They save what they can muster so as to pull a rabbit out of a hat in the final push of an election cycle.