Saturday, July 03, 2010
Some quotes
Teach things we don't understand. Don't teach what you understand.
Don't give to God that is nothing.
Take a leap of faith, a step of faith.
For leaders, putting your head in the sand is a fumbling of duties.
Pittsburghers care about our kids. If we knew it would help, we'd cut off our arms to help our children. But, coming to the understanding of what is best seems to be much of the problem. And, when we don't try hard enough -- we all are defeated.
Pittsburgh would like to be "Knowledge Town." We need places that spark our imaginations. We don't aspire to be 'Rote Memorization Town." We should be wise, full of knowledge, insightful, and full of imagination and capacity to fix.
I do not want to see all of our science crammed into the Science Center. I don't want all of the cultural aspects of our city confined to the Cultural District. I don't want the History Center to be the lone keeper of every historical artifact.
I want diversity. I want an urban, unique, mixed use place that has spaces and relationships that work to fire up our intergerational wonder.
Talking about the stars and heavens is rich. And, when we had this mentality, and capacity as part of the Buhl Science Center and its star theater, Pittsburgh was growing.
Now, Pittsburghers often leave the city.
On a number of occasions, I've spoken at the public podium and have pointed out that the former Lazarus Department store in Pittsburgh, with its downtown TIFFs (tax breaks) and Corporate Subsidies -- and because of its low sales price of the property from the URA and with hair-brained deal from the Mayor's planners -- Lazarus paid less per year than the rent for the Old Post Office on the North Side that was a reuse and home to the Children's Museum.
When a stadium deal or a convention center deal or a new arena deal is pondered, we as citizens, as parents, as taxpayers, are going to get beat up badly. We are going to pay the brunt of the costs.
For the kids sake, we have a serious desire to hold out the highest of hopes. We want splendid opportunities for the next generation.
We don't want to cobble together rinky-dink solutions for our kids. And, we know that it takes great perspectives to find elegant, uplifting solutions.
This place should not deplete you. Rather nourish.
A feather of an ostrich is kept in my office. The feather gives a reminder for an approach to politics from a softer approach. The feather comes from one of the biggest birds, but it can't fly a lick. The ostrich fame comes from its act of putting its head in the sand. That is not a good place to be. This is a bad habit. It is terrible for building perspectives. When your head is in the sand, it is a by-gone conclusion that you can't see the stars.
In youth, every event looks unique.
How do you deal with the moment? How do you look forward? How to react to the anticipation of the future?
We can choose what we bring to tomorrow. We can't know what tomorrow brings.
A tiny action is stronger than a lifetime of worry.
Expect a challenging life. Why think not?
As we face a troubled and puzzled world, let us not build troubled and puzzled solutions.
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Spirit of confirmation is in the air. Undeterred. Persistent.
Do not absolve the institutions for responsibility. There is institutional racism.
They've got buckets full of money. But we've got oceans full of good ideas. They do not have a monopoly on good ideas. When they think they've got a monopoly on the ideas, then we've got a de-facto monopoly on principles, because they've sold out. They are closed minded. There is nothing worse.
It is not for the slaves to talk about freedom.
Politics is complicated. Democracy is messy. Voting is simple.
The best we can hope for is for full knowledge of who is paying for campaigns. That's timely disclosure for direct and supplemental campaigns.
Afghanistan Water Polo's July 2010 Newsletter
Afghanistan Water Polo's July 2010 Newsletter: "It is amazing to think that my recent visit to Helmand Province, Afghanistan would result in the creation of another provincial swim and water polo team in Afghanistan. Lieutenant Joshua Pogue, a Marine who I worked with was the one who identified a pool aboard the Shorabak Garrisson. After many weeks of meetings and dissappointment, a team finally formed. What started with no water in the pool has now turned to five days a week of athletes practicing. Athletes are learning basic fundamentals of swimming and water polo,"
Friday, July 02, 2010
PA Budget insight fro EPLC Notebook of July 2, 2010
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®
The Education Policy and Leadership Center
800 North Third Street, Suite 408, Harrisburg, PA 17102
717-260-9900 - www.eplc.org
_________________________________________________________________
EPLC EDUCATION NOTEBOOK
Friday, July 2, 2010
SPECIAL 2010-2011 BUDGET UPDATE
The EPLC Education Notebook (current and past editions) also is available by visiting the EPLC website at www.eplc.org/ednotebook.html.
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Senate approved a budget for 2010-2011 on Wednesday, June 30, after reaching an agreement with Governor Rendell. However, the Governor said he would not sign the budget bill until a package of legislation related to budget issues also was approved.
It is being reported this Friday afternoon that the Governor and legislative leaders have now agreed to the particulars of that package of related legislation. The Governor’s Office has announce a tentative budget signing ceremony planned for Tuesday, July 6.
With the budget sent to the Governor on Wednesday, school districts would receive a basic education subsidy increase of $250 million, down from the $354.8 million increase that Gov. Rendell originally proposed. While basic education funding is not at the level proposed by the Governor, Rendell called the increase significant. He also noted that while support for the basic subsidy is increasing, the overall education budget was not held harmless and experienced significant cuts.
The new budget includes a total General Fund spending level of $28.05 billion. It also includes an agreement to enact a gas extraction tax by October 1, and is predicated on receiving $850 million in yet-to-be approved federal FMAP funds (Medicaid reimbursement to states). If FMAP is not extended at the federal level, additional line items in the state budget would have to be placed in reserve. This almost undoubtedly would mean a reduction in funds for basic education.
The budget agreement does not include revenue from four additional sources that were part of this year’s budget debate – a tax on cigars, a tax on smokeless tobacco, ending the discount for businesses that remit sales tax receipts on time, and revenue from closing the Delaware loophole for corporations.
For details on the education budget, please go to the House Appropriations Committee budget link below:
http://www.hacd.net/budget/201011/documents/Updated_HB2279PN3277_063010_9am.pdf
We’ll be sending more detailed analysis next week.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
EPLC Education Notebook is published by The Education Policy and Leadership Center (EPLC). Permission to reprint or electronically redistribute the Notebook in whole or in part is granted provided attribution to EPLC is provided.
The Education Policy and Leadership Center is an independent, non-partisan and not-for-profit organization. The Mission of EPLC is to encourage and support the enactment and implementation of effective state-level education policies in order to improve student learning in grades P-12, increase the effective operation of schools, and enhance educational opportunities for citizens of all ages.
Quote from: Way of the Peaceful Warrior
Pain is a relatively objective, physical phenomenon; suffering is our psychological resistance to what happens. Events may create physical pain, but they do not in themselves create suffering. Resistance creates suffering. Stress happens when your mind resists what is...The only problem in your life is your mind's resistance to life as it unfolds.
Dan Millman
In Blow to Bloomberg, City Must Keep 19 Failing Schools Open
In Blow to Bloomberg, City Must Keep 19 Failing Schools Open: "Because many eighth graders assumed the schools would be closed and the Education Department discouraged them from attending the schools, few applied. Some of the schools could begin September with just a few dozen freshmen. School officials said they expected enrollment to grow with students who move into the city, but the number will still likely be far smaller than in past years."This sounds like Peabody, a bit. The school is going to close in a year. So, why start at Peabody in the fall of 2010 only to find another school in the fall of 2011 as a sophomore?
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Fw: Article on ballot access intimidation
From: Henry Haller
To: Mark Rauterkus
To: Titus North
Subject: Article on ballot access intimidation
Sent: Jul 1, 2010 9:40 PM
My article on the consequences of failing a petition challenge is now posted on The Point website (www.thepointpress.com).
-- -- Henry
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®
Overboard Kraus
"We elected Bruce Kraus to be our city councilman because of his promises of 'Safe, Clean and Green.' Instead, Mr. Kraus has become our neighborhood dictator and is attempting to run the place into the ground."
Taxed Enough Already
Concpet Mapping in Physical Education. Bonnie did a book on it.
Concept MappingI like different software for concept maps. My favorite is a bit older, LifeMap. But, the free (gratis) utility is from Florida. Start reading: http://cmap.ihmc.us/publications/ResearchPapers/TheoryCmaps/TheoryUnderlyingConceptMaps.htm
Applications such as Kidspiration and Inspiration, both from Inspiration, help students to clarify, conceptualize, and communicate ideas through the development of graphic organizers. The programs allow users to structure their ideas either by creating an outline or using drawing tools. Either way a graphic is created that represents a concept or information. Students can use graphic organizers to demonstrate their understanding of physical education concepts. Some of the possible assessment ideas for graphic organizers include:
1. Depicting locomotor and nonlocomotor movements.
2. Depicting the components of health-related fitness.
3. Illustrating fundamental skills used in different sports.
Four popular types of graphic organizers include spider, hierarchy, relationship map, and systems map. The spider is organized by placing the central theme in the center of the map and then adding sub-themes around it. For example, the term Health-Related Fitness is placed in the center and the components of health-related fitness are added as the sub-themes. The venn diagram depicts similarities and differences. For example, it can show a comparison between offensive and defensive strategies, or a comparison between the sports of basketball and team handball. The relationship map links two or more concepts by words that describe their relationship. For example, volleyball is to team sports as badminton is to individual sports. This helps students learn in a more meaningful manner, taking in new information and integrating it into already known facts and concepts. The last category is the comparison map. This map also depicts similarities and differences. For example comparing practice for open and closed skills.
If you are interested in more information on using concept mapping in physical education, click here.
Fw: PodCorps.org is Closing
Mark R
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®
-----Original Message-----
From: Doug Kaye <doug@rds.com>
Date: Wed, 30 Jun 2010 23:00:57
To: <mark@rauterkus.com>
Subject: PodCorps.org is Closing
_______________________________________________________________
PodCorps.org is Closing
_______________________________________________________________
Sometime in the past three years you registered on our
PodCorps.org website, a place to match producers with audio and
video stringers around the world. Nearly 1,000 stringers have
joined PodCorps.org, but the website has not achieved the kind
of critical mass required to make it a success in anyone's book.
We have therefore decided to close the PodCorps.org website as
of July 5, 2010.
The reason we failed to reach that critical mass is rather
straightforward: We are spread too thin among multiple projects
and didn't commit the resources required for PodCorps.org's
success. The Conversations Network has a very small budget and
depends entirely on volunteers. And while you and others
supported the concept by registering on the website, we were not
able to recruit a volunteer team to manage and promote
PodCorps.org.
I want to personally thank you for your participation and
support of the PodCorps.org concept. I only wish we had the
resources to fulfill our side of the bargain. The Conversations
Network's other projects (SpokenWord.org and our proprietary
podcast channels) get all of our attention and are doing quite
well, but we need to accept our limitations in order to ensure
our successful projects continue without distraction.
_______________________________________________________________
MEDIAmobz: An Introduction
_______________________________________________________________
For those of you in the video world, I want to use this
opportunity to introduce a somehwat different alternative to
PodCorps.org. We have a long standing friendship with a
for-profit company called MEDIAmobz. They have a network of
producers that provide video production services for the
business market via partners such as Business Wire and Cisco. As
PodCorps.org is closing, we thought you might want to sign up
with MEDIAmobz as a way to find video production jobs around the
world.
Dave Toole, founder and CEO of MEDIAmobz passed along this note:
"Thanks for considering joining our producer community at
MEDIAmobz. We provide you free tools to post your video reels
and links to your work to help market your capabilities to the
business market. We have provided dozens of clients turn key
video solutions for business story telling. We do not charge
clients to post jobs and only charge a small fee when they have
agreed to hire a production resource. We hope that we are able
to help provide an easier way for clients to connect with
creative resources to help them tell their story. Please have a
look around and let us know what we can do to help you in
providing your services."
MEDIAmobz:
http://newsletters.conversationsnetwork.org/rd/9z1zeh9cbig5s3v2n6h1hoaeife00c0mqh3ijr8usd0
_______________________________________________________________
Public Media Opportunities
_______________________________________________________________
For those of you interested in public radio or TV in the U.S.,
here are some additional related sites you should check out:
Public Media Corps (PMC):
http://newsletters.conversationsnetwork.org/rd/9z1zglosumugqphqecpe3ncd1t58bi7s75km1js4vn0
Public Radio Exchange (PRX.org):
http://newsletters.conversationsnetwork.org/rd/9z1z53412grbqkdefmetui4ak67b9esel6ibrtrjubo
Association of Independents in Radio (AIR):
http://newsletters.conversationsnetwork.org/rd/9z1z7r8qq20l8na2h096iv0n4f4q91hemjqahbpa9sg
Transom.org:
http://newsletters.conversationsnetwork.org/rd/9z1zde4e6uedgjbmn8q06tag2lvauhhqkvvch8ouf1o
_______________________________________________________________
Thanks for listening.
...doug
Doug Kaye, Executive Director
The Conversations Network
_______________________________________________________________
Subscription and Contact Info
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter from The Conversations Network was sent to
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Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Macy's puts Downtown building on the market
Macy's puts Downtown building on the market: "Macy's joins a growing list of buildings for sale Downtown. They include the Gateway Center complex, the Oliver Building, the Regional Enterprise Tower, the EQT Tower, and the American Red Cross building."Put the Civic Arena on that list too. Also, PA wants to sell the State Office Building, right? The Downtown YMCA's old building went to Point Park recently too. Then there is the sale of the Ft. Pitt Museum.
Fw: DR News: Accountability & Hypocrisy, Part 2 - Today's Budget
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®
Democracy Rising Pennsylvania | |||||
|
PA, you break my heart. Stroke, stroke, stroke.
Regular Session 2009-2010 House Bill 816 P.N. 3316 : "Establishing State funding for the Heart Disease and Stroke Program within the Department of Health."
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Starting to figure out the local bike race scene
There is more. One toe clip was never made tight, blah, blah, blah.
He did great.
In a season, he could own that race.
We have to upgrade our equipment. Only one of our bikes has drop bars and Grant's bike isn't legal with its staight and forward part extension.
I've got to get in shape and ride too.
Cassidy: Linux could ease schools' tech crunch - San Jose Mercury News
Cassidy: Linux could ease schools' tech crunch - San Jose Mercury News... The answer for local schools facing daunting technology challenges lies with the penguins.Furthermore, everyone should be using OpenOffice.org software and tossing out Microsoft Office.
You know, penguins — those who worship free and open-source software, including Linux and the operating system's mascot, a penguin named Tux.
I've been hearing from the penguins since I wrote recently that if Silicon Valley CEOs want the state to improve K-12 education, then they should take a bigger role in helping those schools deploy classroom technology from this century.
Here we go!
Fw: WAIVE THE JONES ACT -- SAVE THE GULF! Go Dutch!
-----Original Message-----
From: "Tom Schatz, President, CAGW" <cagwpresident@cagw.org>
Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:17:22
To: <mark@rauterkus.com>
Reply-To: "Tom Schatz, President, CAGW" <cagwpresident@cagw.org>
Subject: WAIVE THE JONES ACT -- SAVE THE GULF!
Citizens Against Government Waste
Dear Mark,
President Obama is refusing to allow the use
of state-of-the-art equipment that could dramatically help clean up
the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and save the fragile Gulf Coast
marshlands and beaches.
I need your help today to force him to
act. Let me explain.
Within days of the explosion on BP's
Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico, the Dutch, who have
worked in Louisiana since Hurricane Katrina, offered the services of
their high-tech oil skimming ships. The Dutch government has
particular expertise in cleaning up oil spills,and they require
oil rigs off their coast to respond to any leakage within 12 hours.
In addition, the Dutch, who are the most
experienced people on earth in building dikes, offered President Obama
assistance in building sand barriers to protect the pristine Gulf
coastline, sensitive marshlands, and wildlife.
However, in response to both offers,
President Obama said NO!
Why would he say no? Because it would
require him to waive the Jones Act.
The Jones Act is a 1920s-era law that
protects the U.S. domestic merchant marine industry -- and its unions
-- from competition by mandating that all cargo and passengers shipped
between U.S. seaports be carried on U.S.-flag vessels using U.S.
crews. Even without the spill, this protectionist measure costs
our economy an estimated $3.1 billion per year.
If President Obama would waive the Jones Act,
as President Bush did in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, millions
of gallons of oil and sludge could be swept from the sea and miles of
beaches and marshlands and their birds and fish could be protected,
ultimately helping preserve commerce and American jobs along the Gulf
Coast.
Yet, back in April when the spill occurred
and again on June 15 when President Obama delivered his Oval Office
address to the nation on the oil spill, he bowed to the wishes of his
union supporters and refused to even consider issuing an Executive
Order to suspend the Jones Act. Instead, the President exploited
the disaster to once again push for his job-killing cap-and-trade
energy tax that would devastate the economy and do NOTHING to solve
the immediate crisis in the Gulf.
In short, President Obama andBig
Labor's union bosses care more about protecting a few union maritime
jobs than the environment or the millions of Americans who are losing
their economic livelihoods due to this environmental disaster.
So the Gulf, its residents, environment, and
wildlife continue to suffer while President Obama cozies up in
Washington with his union boss buddies!
Mark, CAGW is launching a
national effort to shame the President into waiving the Jones Act to
dramatically accelerate the Gulf clean-up efforts, and I need to ask
you to make an Emergency Waive the Jones Act -- Save the Gulf
contribution to support this drive today
http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=rTKtknMXY4y8mQkJQduO5w..
.
I believe if hundreds of newspapers and radio
and television stations start running stories about how President
Obama is more concerned with protecting labor unions than he is with
preserving the environment and livelihoods of those living along the
Gulf, the pressure to waive the Jones Act will become
overwhelming.
Your contribution of $25
http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=sxTEH8QOwaLz_nwecZOiGA..
, $35,
http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=i5mJBNxE6Qn-GXfgJtJmvg..
$50
http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=YhjOc1OvX15ISLxJasarIQ..
, or even$100
http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=kYvjMXhNblgSAjTGJg80uA..
today will enable us to feed the facts and figures to the media
about how waiving the Jones Act can dramatically help clean up the
Gulf. For example, Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen has stated
that more than 2,000 skimmers, including foreign-flag vessels,
are currently operating off the coasts of the United States and
could be used in the Gulf, yet Florida officials have reported that
just 32 skimmers are deployed off their coastline.
Further, your financial support will help us
publicize how President Obama is not doing all he can to help the
residents of the Gulf Coast and is putting the interests of his union
supporters first.
Mark, last week, millions of
more gallons of oil gushed into the Gulf of Mexico after an undersea
robot bumped a venting system and forced BP to remove a cap that had
been containing some of the crude. Still, President Obama never
once mentioned waiving the Jones Act!
Your contribution is vital if we are to
generate media interest and build the overwhelming public outcry
necessary to force the President to buck his union supporters and
waive the Jones Act. So please, make an Emergency Waive the
Jones Act -- Save the Gulf contribution today
http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=HvBZlGN_MasUj0thcSUbxw..
. With your help, we can win this all-out battle to save the
Gulf Coast. But the clock is ticking, the oil is flowing, and I
need to hear from you today.
Sincerely,
Thomas A. Schatz
President
P.S. Mark, CAGW is not the only
critic of President Obama's failure to waive the Jones
Act. A number of Gulf Coast lawmakers have publicly called for a
waiver, and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin recently told FOX
News' Bill O'Reilly: "The Dutch, they are
known, and the Norwegians, they are known for...dikes and for
cleanup water and for dealing with spills. They offered to help
and yet no, they...can't even get a phone call back, that is what
the Norwegians are telling us and the Dutch are telling us." To
generate massive media coverage and rally the millions of Americans it
will take to overcome the powerful unionsand force President
Obama to waive the Jones Act, I urge you to make an Emergency Waive
the Jones Act -- Save the Gulf contribution
http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=kBwmgB_9ij_cA07Gln5WzQ..
of $25
http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=Blrajc9vLnVZjgBP2cOG_w..
, $35,
http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=2QYQjTavUy-4SxZwCyaUxA..
$50
http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=uDuoEEkTA2Zwu32Pih9cAA..
, or even$100
http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=KxOoL-cCdhA5LVVeJ-nmVA..
today.
***
Citizens Against Government Waste is the nation's largest taxpayer
watchdog group with more than one million members and supporters
nationwide. It is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan, nonprofit
organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and
mismanagement in government. Contributions to CAGW are
tax-deductible as charitable contributions to the extent permitted by
law. For more information about CAGW, visit our website at
www.cagw.org
http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=9LOao8Vuf7ivJokv2i8I3Q..
. Makea contribution to help us force President Obama to
waive the Jones Act!
http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=gdDvHmQVF9PVpQGma1dCiA..
Please helpus spread the word about how suspending the Jones Act
could help clean up the oil spill in the Gulf and get residents that
depend on the Gulf back to work.Forward this message to a
friend.
http://membership.cagw.org/site/R?i=6nhQKeq6wfnksJPdfEhCtw..
Unsubscribe from receiving email, or change your email preferences.
http://membership.cagw.org/site/CO?i=Zqh3AcyO_3LV7J3sK8gOd3gK3Op1D3Ul&cid=0
Monday, June 28, 2010
Bicycle Sizing for Mark Rauterkus
Shoe: 10.5
Torso: 154.9 cm, 61.0"
Arm: 60.9cm 24.0"
Category: Mountain Bike Sport
Frame Size: 78.1cm or 30.7"
Top Tube: 58.0cm or 22.8"
Stem: 105.0mm - 130.0mm
Intial seat height: 34.6" - 35.4"
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Where do I sign up? I want to be a member of "The BEST Party."
Inspired political video.
The Saturday Profile - Icelander’s Campaign Is a Joke, Until He’s Elected - Biography - NYTimes.com: "Last month, in the depressed aftermath of the country’s financial collapse, the Best Party emerged as the biggest winner in Reykjavik’s elections, with 34.7 percent of the vote, and Mr. Gnarr — who also promised a classroom of kindergartners he would build a Disneyland at the airport — is now the fourth mayor in four years of a city that is home to more than a third of the island’s 320,000 people."
Do watch the video to the end and read the full article.