The Phillips Elementary School Swim Team is ready for another season. Last year's squad is show here, stretching before its meet. The leader -- a big sister -- is now in the US Coast Guard Academy.

The Tartan Online : University to debut newly redesigned website

This is fodder for a humor bit from the judge and C.S. blog. CMU launches new sitw with threaded smoke signals, or some such spin. The Tartan Online : University to debut newly redesigned website Nationally recognized as a leader in computer engineering, computer science, and all things technology, Carnegie Mellon has left its own website unchanged for years. Now, www.cmu.edu is getting a facelift.

Designed with feedback from the campus community and other visitors, the new site is hoped to improve the Carnegie Mellon web experience. Carnegie Mellon students have long complained about the current website. “The website is not very intuitive, and the design is not attractive,” said Robin Chen, a first-year in H&SS.

Some say the season is over. It might not be the time for a wide-screen TV. But it might be okay for an iPod.

The BEAST and a view from Rachel Lea Hunter, candidate and Pitt Law Grad

I've followed the campaign cycles and emails from a Pitt Law Grad who now lives in the South (near DUKE, BTW). She is a Republican and a real anti-establishment reformer who cares about constitutional leadership.

...; Several months ago, I wrote about "the beast" which pervades our politics, government and community life. Some were upset by the use of the term and the referral to the beast in the Book of Revelation. Regardless of what you call it, no matter how much you want to pretend that it doesn't exist, I am here to tell you that "the beast" does exist and is here among us.

Part of this campaign has been about exposure of the beast. We see it in Washington with the Mark Foley scandal. We see it here in North Carolina with the guilty plea of Republican attorney Sam Currin for tax fraud. Both men were held up as paragons worthy of our respect while all the time their true natures were concealed. However, the veneer of respectability is beginning to crumble. The beast has been exposed by these and other scandals and by me. We now see it for what it is in all of its hideous ugliness.

SPOUSE CALLS FOR LENGTHY INVESTIGATION OF NCGOP
CHAIRMAN FOLEY BASHING FOR JUSTICE MARTIN

You think we have a constitutional government any more in America? Think again. We are living in nothing more than a sophisticated police state. The country is controlled by an oligarchy of "haves." The oligarchy is made up of very wealthy and powerful people. They control the money, they control the economics and they control our foreign and domestic policy. Most of all, they control us. Oh sure, they give us the illusion of freedom, but we are not really free. All it takes if is for "The Great Decider" to label us as an "enemy combatant" and we can be whisked off to prison, held incommunicado indefinitely and now tortured. That is what happened to José Padilla, an American citizen. It can happen to any one of us.

And so it is with Connie Mack Berry, Jr. What is occurring is nothing more than the beast flexing its muscle, desperately trying to hang onto power, using its manipulation of the mainstream media, the NC GOP and the legal Establishment. As I earlier wrote, what was done in Connie's past has been done. I cannot change that. He received a letter from Georgia stating that he was clear and that he could vote. Why would I have reason to look further? After all, he is a grown man in control of his own life. But the beast not only wants to dredge up the past but it wants to get Connie. Why? If elected, I will only be one vote on the court. Even if the justices all agree except for me, virtually all decisions will be 6-1. So it can't be that.

What the beast really fears is the loss of power and you people who are controlled waking up. And that the beast fears awesomely. You see, if I am permitted to be victorious, I will inspire a thousand more like me. The beast cannot risk this loss in power. Because if you do run and see the ugliness of the beast as I have, you will be incensed. You will throw the beast out. This it cannot have at all costs.

This is the real reason why the beast is attacking so fearsomely. Tell me, what has Connie done that is so terrible? Has he killed? Raped? Robbed? No. He has done nothing more than exercise his constitutional right to vote. As stated, he got a letter clearing him. In Georgia, someone formerly convicted need not do anything once their rights are restored. Connie moved here and thought it was okay. But no, now the beast has launched an investigation by the SBI and is looking to file a criminal indictment. What a waste of taxpayer dollars. I'm glad that we have resolved all the problems in the world, in our country and in our state that we are so concerned that the system will collapse if one man is allowed to exercise his right to vote. Felons have voted throughout the United States, some legally, others perhaps not, depending on their state. How many of these individuals have been prosecuted I wonder? I have not seen a prosecution ever. Except this one.

The US Constitution says nothing about forfeiting rights to vote. It gives all people the right to vote. This is nothing more than an attempt to disqualify people from voting, especially African Americans. Who makes up the bulk of the prison population? African Americans. You see, we have a prison industry in this country that depends on building more prisons and having more prison jobs, as creating wealth through manufacturing has long ceased. So we need to keep the industry going. We pass ever more laws to make more people criminals. And we don't want African Americans to vote, especially not them. If they could vote, why they would put a stop to some of these nonsensical laws! How to control them and stop them? Disqualify felons and use the laws and tools and disinformation to keep them from voting. That is the Republican strategy, the strategy of the NC GOP and the strategy of the beast. It is because they are so bankrupt and drunk with their power and they have absolutely nothing to offer us.

The News & Observer wrote its story. Then it retracted is story. Now it is coming out with another at the behest of the NC GOP-Mafia, their operatives and the legal Establishment, all of which are heads or tentacles of the beast. Which version is true? And ask yourself, why is this relevant anyway? Is this just a salacious tidbit to keep us distracted from the real actions and motives of the beast? Will this be like the movie "Absence of Malice" where the reporter comes around to the side of the maligned hero? Probably not.

For "Real" Justice

Rachel Lea Hunter

Rape, Justice, and the ‘Times’ -- New York Magazine

Sports & Society. Blogger to the rescue. A race story with political ramifications. And, media mix of with "blindered oafishness." Jackpot for Running Mates fodder.

This is a must read. It comes in three pages.

Rape, Justice, and the ‘Times’ -- New York Magazine He usually posts at least once a day—not standard autoblog rim shots, but carefully argued, deeply researched essays running 1,000 words or more.

50 Years

My mom and dad.
Audrey and Leo have been married for 50 years! They are doing well. We'll have a special year. And, its my dad's birthday season.

Mom & Dad in the middle.

I'm the oldest and am luck to have five younger sisters. All of us are married. L to R: John, Geri Ann, Mary Lee, Phil, my dad (Leo), my mom (Audrey), Bill, Margie, Catherine, me (Mark), Michele, Kevin. (Photo was taken in eastern PA, August 7, 2004.) Another photo / view. (Click for larger image.)

Olympics - Pound tells China to tighten doping efforts - Monday October 9, 2006 12:12PM

SI.com - Olympics - Pound tells China to tighten doping efforts - Monday October 9, 2006 12:12PM: "Dick Pound, the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency, encouraged China to step up its anti-doping controls ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

China has a special responsibility as Olympic host to tighten its anti-doping efforts, Pound said Monday.

'Much of my visit here in China will be for the purpose of encouraging the proper authorities, in both sport and government, to increase the effort to bring China to the forefront of the fight against doping in sport,' Pound said in a speech at Beijing's Sport University.

China is trying to shake a reputation for doping among its athletes, a drive that has gained urgency ahead of the 2008 Olympics.

China cracked down on doping following a string of scandals in the 1990s, when 32 swimmers were caught for drug offenses, two of them twice. It introduced tough new testing regimes and penalties, and 17 athletes were punished in 2004 with fines and competition bans of up to two years.

'An Olympic host country has the special responsibility, both at home and around the world, to demonstrate its commitment to doping-free sport,' said Pound, who also visited the testing labs at the China Doping Control Center. 'Now is the time for all countries, including China, to make sure that they have put into place programs necessary to remove doping from sport.'

Pound was given an honorary degree by the university on Monday. He arrived in China on Sunday for a four-day visit.

Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Point State Park announcement

Dear Friend of Point State Park,

Please join the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the City of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, the Pittsburgh 250 Commission and the Riverlife Task Force as we make a major announcement about the future of Point State Park on Wednesday, October 11, at 1:00 p.m. on the lawn near the fountain in the park.

Point State Park is the most recognized symbol of Pittsburgh. Join us to hear how these organizations are working together to make the park a more valuable regional asset.

We appreciate your enthusiasm for Point State Park and hope you can attend this important event.

This is exactly how I don't want to hear news about my parks.

How Demon Wife Became a Media Star And Other Tales of the 'Blook' in Japan - WSJ.com

Playing second fiddle again.

How Demon Wife Became a Media Star And Other Tales of the 'Blook' in Japan - WSJ.com Blogs are even more popular in Japan than in the U.S. It may be that they represent an appealing outlet in a culture that discourages public self-expression. Japan produced 8.7 million blogs at the end of March, and the U.S. an estimated 12 million blogs -- making blogging far more popular in Japan, taking the countries' relative populations into account. An estimated 25 million Japanese -- more than a fifth of the population -- are believed to read blogs.

Well, one could play second fiddle ot a demon wife -- or what I really meant -- USA is behind Japan in terms of its reach in blogging.

Speaking of quaterbacks

This week's NCAA leader in passing efficiency is Pittsburgh's Tyler Palko at 191.3.

Ad and Worthy Ads

Bill Ogden is one I'm excited about for the November election.

Furthermore, I've turned on Google Ads for the blog. I'd love to get a new computer this fall.

Onorato, Ravenstahl Push 'Plan B' For New Arena

Onorato, Ravenstahl Push 'Plan B' For New Arena The Pittsburgh area's top two politicians are backing Plan B funding for a new arena. Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato said that the plan - which will use gambling money and money ...

comment from another on a web forum:

pittsburgh is a waste and ravenstal and the rest of them are just new people with the same old dumb ideas about how to save pittsburgh. clean up the water in those rivers so people can use them and let developers build tall highrise apartment with good views which is one of pittsburgh's only permanent assets.

all the arpartments are dumps in the city. who would want to move back there there except overpaid teachers fleeing philadelphia and new jersey who are then on the public payroll

Build the highrises and stop building endless public housing!!!!

seattle guy

Tech test: Google's Writely mostly hits the mark, but it's no Word killer

The way to beat Microsoft's Word is to use OpenOffice.com.

Tech test: Google's Writely mostly hits the mark, but it's no Word killer As a reporter, I'm never sure when the muse will strike or an editor will call. That's why I send copious notes and drafts of stories to myself by e-mail. As long as I'm within range of a computer with an Internet connection, I know I'll be able to tweak the latest version or do a quick fact check.

But as projects undergo revisions, my inboxes overflow and I start to feel the pain.

Then I started using Writely, a free word processor that runs in a Web browser, built by a startup called Upstartle and acquired by Google Inc. in March.

Writely is to Microsoft Word what Gmail is to Outlook: A speedy online program that retains familiar features of traditional desktop software and isn't afraid to introduce new ways of taking advantage of the Web. Unlike a boxed program, Writely runs on a server somewhere on the Internet.

But will Writely dethrone Microsoft Corp., which ships more than 90 percent of word processors used by U.S. consumers and businesses? Writely -- even as a beta test -- has the right stuff, but it needs some polishing.

It took less than a minute to register at www.writely.com and get a blank document open on my screen.... (See the rest of the article by clicking the link above.)

The Ravenstahls: Just a couple of 20-somethings

Not the fish. Oh no. What phychological reasoning can be attribute to this tall-tell sign???

The Ravenstahls: Just a couple of 20-somethings 'We're getting rid of them,' Mrs. Ravenstahl said of the four freshwater fish in the aquarium that burbled away in their dining room. 'He wanted them, and I didn't. And now he doesn't have any time to take care of them.'

Picture yourself at 26. Now add responsibility for 3,200 employees, a $429 million budget and the image of a city of 317,000.

The obvious is so bad, we dare not go there as I love swimming and fish swim. And, another said, "That's the point of fish. You don't have to be there to take care of them." But, let's ponder the other visual ramifications.


Fish & jello like dish, from a meal we shared in China.


People like to fish with a small net in the ponds in the parks.


Live fish are being scooped out of this truck near the market place.


Could this be what those who walk past the four plastic jack-o-lanters will see when they go to trick-or-treat at Luke's house? They'll have a tray with dry fish...

Jack Wagner eyes mayoral bid? - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

No, it did not escape my attention. I've blogged about the fact that Wagner would have to be in the list of those who might run for mayor for some time. I put up a list at another site too.

Jack Wagner eyes mayoral bid? - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review It may have escaped your attention, but it didn't escape ours.

Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner said publicly he would not rule out running if Pittsburgh holds its next mayoral election next year.

Jeb Bush - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Big tent or big broom closet in a PAT T-stop?

Jeb Bush - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Bush's appeal to Florida's highly diverse group of voters, along with his groundbreaking second term and success in expanding the so-called 'big tent' of the Florida Republican Party, appear to have propelled him into a commanding political position.

Pittsburgh is all hacked off because a beautiful young women with a Brit's twang, while here for a movie we'll never see, yacks poorly about our city. Great to have Luke dish out forgiveness to the dish and her dad to visit from Meadville to show her around. We don't suck that bad, seems to be the message.

Then Jeb Bush comes around and has to hide out in a broom closet in a downtown T-stop to evade folks in his face screaming for him to 'go home.'

Meanwhile, two get to taste, first hand, what it feels like to catch a zap from PAT Police 'stun guns.' This is sure to raise concerns about brutality and freedom of speech.

So, if peace protesters spread the message, "Go HOME" and pitch a fit in a skirmish. Do you think we should worry if this is the type of behaviors we'll need to display so as to woo kind remarks from the the next glamor girl to come to town?

And, was that women with Jeb good looking too?

Jeb Bush gets rude welcome: "Mr. Bush, accompanied by a security guard and a female aide, made a slow retreat toward the T-station at Wood Street."

This gives me another chance to show a travel image of a transit stop in China.
Maglev stop. No broom closet here. Spotless too.

Fester's Place: Force Harrah and PITG to raise on their Coase bids

Fester's Place: Force Harrah and PITG to raise on their Coase bids

Sure. Now is the time to force a sell off of the Convention Center for the slots parlor too. It opens faster.

The Convention Center is a big sink of money, both with capital and operations. This is a lone opportunity to sell it and make it a private building.

City's credit rating upgraded - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

City's credit rating upgraded - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Yes. This is good news. It means the city officials can pave a few more roads so as to win critical votes and sway elections.

Nevermind. I'm just being skeptical and bombastic at the same time.

Call for Videos for contest

Open Source Shorts is a screening of short films released under Creative Commons licences.

Creative Commons licenses provide a flexible range of protections and freedoms for authors and artists and build on the "all rights reserved" concept of traditional copyright to offer a voluntary "some rights reserved" approach.

With Creative Commons licences people are free to copy distribute and remix creative works without the threat of being labelled pirates. The screening will be followed by a short discussion on Creative Commons.

Support creativity support the commons.

This event is presented by local artist Kevin Flanagan at the Nuns Island Arts Centre, Galway at 5 pm Saturday 2nd of December, 2006.

I am currently seeking submissions. The criteria are straight forward. The film should be at most 10 minutes in duration, published with a ceative commons copyright licence and freely available to download from the internet.

I'm looking for variety and am open to different styles. Documentary, Narative/Non-Narative, Art films, and Music Videos.

To submit a film simply email kev.flanagan@gmail.com your details and a description of your film and a link where I can view and download it from.

End date for submissions is the November 10th.

http://kevflanagan.wordpress.com

http://kevflanagan.wordpress.com/open-source-shorts/

For more information on CC licences see http://creativecommons.org

Language Help with a price tag

If you are interested in additional language instruction for your child(ren), you might want this contact. Instruction is available in French, German, Spanish, Italian, and Chinese.

Institute of International Art and Languages

A German class is starting next week in Highland Park and will be held every Tuesday from 4:00 to 5:30. The German instructor is a native speaker (a German women) with a PH D. in Art history and she will teach German through visual art and craft.

The fee for 9 weeks (1h 30m) is $202.50.

Original source: Christine Frechard-Harbison, Institute of Art and Languages, 1135 Mellon St., Pittsburgh PA 15206, 412 661 0177

Read the sign in an urban park in Chengdu with greenspace and water front treatments for pedestrians.