Mark Rauterkus & Running Mates ponder current events

Friday, July 30, 2010

Fw: Ron Morris' Weekly Article

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-----Original Message-----
From: "The American Entrepreneur" <brittany@taeradio.com>
Sender: "The American Entrepreneur" <brittany=taeradio.com@mcsv116.net>
Date: Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:00:30
To: Mark<mark@rauterkus.com>
Reply-To: "The American Entrepreneur" <brittany@taeradio.com>
Subject: Ron Morris' Weekly Article

July 30, 2010 Issue 478

"How Do I Measure Thee? ... Let Me Count The Ways"

The other day, I was listening to the General Manager of the Pittsburgh
Pirates' baseball team. He was describing the club's philosophy as it
related to player development.

This guy was mostly talking about his Minor League organization, not the
"Big Club" that resides right here in Pittsburgh. "We really don't care much
about winning," he said, "We really only care about seeing improvements at
all levels of our Minor League operations."

Up until I heard that, I was only casually listening. But when I heard the
phrase, "We don't care about winning," my head immediately jerked in the
direction of the radio. Could he really have said what I just heard?

This GM went on to explain, "the organization's philosophy was essentially
to use hard, and measurable criteria to produce an individual pre- and
post-assessment of each player, at each Minor League level. (Note: For those
not familiar, professional baseball, unlike any other professional sport,
has what is known as a "Farm System." The "levels" in these Farm Systems
become increasingly more difficult as you move up from "Class A," to "Class
AA," and then ultimately up to "Class AAA.")

"Measurement of hard criteria so that pre- and post-assessments can be
performed," I mumbled to myself. "Not a thing in there about winning," I
mumbled on.

So, when my wife asked what I was mumbling about, I yelled out, "Honey, I
just figured out why the Pirates stink. Apparently, they're measuring
everything but the one and only thing that really pays off --- winning."

I'm a teacher. And, as a teacher, I am obligated to regularly report both
progress and lack thereof to parents and students alike.

Over the years, I have probably ruminated over this ... the "grading
question" ... more than any other topic. I have asked myself, "So, do I
measure them on absolute knowledge? Or, do I measure them based on what they
knew the first night of class, and then compare that knowledge to what they
know on the last night of class?"

Furthermore, do I measure them on overall classroom contributions, i.e.,
"thinking on their feet," (the one talent that they_will_ need when they
become business people/entrepreneurs); or, do I measure them on their
answers to written tests? (I've been in business almost 40 years ... not
once has a customer, supplier, or employee asked me to "take a written test"
prior to: a.) buying something from me, b.) selling something to me, or,
c.) coming to work for me!)

The problem I have is that, and no matter how you cut it, you can only
measure hard, quantifiable knowledge. Everything else is just a guess.

But "everything else" is what is important! In the real world, we "pay off"
on the winning and losing that only comes as a result of the character
make-up of the individual, and not necessarily his or her talent.

So, the problem, Dear Brutus, lies not in knowledge or speed or talent.
Instead, it lies in attitude and tenacity and will. All of which are
unmeasurable.

And here's the major disconnect:

In academia, we pay off on activity --- while in the real world, we pay off
on results.

[2]Continue reading | [3]Post A Comment
Links:
2. http://www.taeradio.com/articles/1350/how-do-i-measure-thee-let-me-count-the-ways
3. http://www.taeradio.com/articles/1350/how-do-i-measure-thee-let-me-count-the-ways/#comments

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Today On The American Entrepreneur

"The American Entrepreneur" Ron Morris gets the lowdown on the latest
happenings in Pennsylvania's State Legislature, as he talks with
Pennsylvania State Representative Mike Turzai. With a new Governor taking
office come November, whoever he may be, what changes does Mike see in store
for the Keystone State? Plus, Ron talks with two of his colleagues at the
Palumbo-Donahue School of Business at Duquesne University, Valerie
Trott-Williams and Bob Kollar, about the idea of fraud in business, and the
steps that he is taking to help smarten business owners up to this growing
concern. And John Lee of International Investigative Services talks to Ron
about the growing epidemic of copper theft in the world of business.

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Saturday On The American Entrepreneur

One of the most renowned business and management gurus in the world returns
to TAE. Henry Mintzberg, Professor of Management Studies at McGill
University in Montreal, joins Ron to discuss the most effective management
strategies for your company, as well as his groundbreaking Theory on
Organizational Forms. Plus, Ron reconnects with John Vechey, the founder of
Popcap Games and creator of "Bejeweled", the gold standard of online gaming
platforms. John tells his remarkable story, and how his creation grew to
become enjoyed by over 25 million users worldwide. And Phil Sabo of Wilke
and Associates CPA talks with Ron about the common problems relating to six
month reviews for the period ending on June 30.

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There is going to be a lot of Open Talk going on this weekend so be sure
to join in by using TalkShoe at TAEradio.com/talkshoe or by calling the show live at 333-1360.

As always, your dreams are 100% in your hands.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Live 6 times a week!

Weekdays from 3-6 PM and Saturday morning
from 9 - 12 PM on TAEradio.com

Exclusively on
Money Talk 1360 WMNY!

Ron Morris © 2010. All Rights Reserved.
==============================================

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Great Orators of the Democrat Party - from an email forward

"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." -   Franklin D. Roosevelt

"The buck stops here." - Harry S. Truman

"Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." - John F. Kennedy

And, from today's genius Democrats...

"It depends what your definition of 'Sex' is?'' - Bill Clinton

"That Obama ... I would like to cut his NUTS off." - Jesse Jackson

"Those rumors are false ... I believe in the sanctity of marriage." - John Edwards

"I invented the Internet." - Al Gore

"The next Person that tells me I'm not religious, I'm going to shove my rosary beads up their ASS." - Joe Biden

"America is ... is no longer, uh, what it ... it, uh, could be, uh, what it was once was ... uh, and I say to myself, 'uh, I don't want that future, uh, uh for my children." - Barack Obama

"I have campaigned in all 57 states." - Barack Obama (Quoted 2008)

"You don't need God anymore, you have us Democrats." -   Nancy Pelosi (Quoted 2006)

"Paying taxes is voluntary." - Sen. Harry Reid

"Bill is the greatest husband and father I know. No one is more faithful, true, and honest than he." - Hillary Clinton (Quoted 1998)

And the most recent gem of wisdom from the "Mother Moron":

"We just have to pass the Healthcare Bill to see what's in it."- Nancy Pelosi (Quoted March, 2010)

HOW LUCKY CAN WE BE - TO HAVE SUCH BRILLIANT MINDS IN CHARGE OF OUR ONCE GREAT COUNTRY?

''Life's tough ... it's even tougher if you're stupid.''
- John Wayne

Go green - recycle Congress in 2010!

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Fw: [wplug-announce] Reminder: WPLUG InstallFest, Sat. July 31, 10a - 3p,Northland Library

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-----Original Message-----
From: DK <wplug@curlynoodle.com>
Sender: wplug-announce-bounces+mark.rauterkus=gmail.com@wplug.org
Date: Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:27:09
To: mark.rauterkus@gmail.com<mark.rauterkus@gmail.com>
Reply-To: Announcements only <wplug-announce@wplug.org>
Subject: [wplug-announce] Reminder: WPLUG InstallFest, Sat. July 31, 10a - 3p,
Northland Library

Hello Folks,

Just a final reminder.

WPLUG is hosting an InstallFest on Saturday,
July 31 from 10a until 3p at the Northland Public Library in
McCandless Twp. The library is on Cumberland Rd, just off Route 19
and McKnight Rd. See the URL below for more detailed directions.

The InstallFest will be held in the first floor meeting rooms 148.
Happily, the space is climate controlled and should be comfortable if
the heat stays with us into next weekend.

The library has an access ramp to the first floor lobby, located on
the left side of the building. I will have a hand-truck and cart
available to haul in equipment, so please feel free to stop in first
if you need to use one.

In addition to the typical InstallFest activities, I will be
presenting demos of the Kiddix Platform from Kiddix Computing,
http://www.kiddix-computing.com/home/index.php, a Gentoo-based OS
designed specifically for kids. If you are a parent looking to
introduce Linux to your child(ren), please stop by to take a look.

Even if you cannot attend, please help spread the word and mention
this event to family, friends and colleagues whom are users or might
have an interest in Free Open Source Software.

Event page with directions and more information:
http://www.wplug.org/wiki/Meeting-20100731

Thanks and hope to see you there,
David Kraus
_______________________________________________
wplug-announce mailing list
wplug-announce@wplug.org
http://www.wplug.org/mailman/listinfo/wplug-announce

Fw: mtlv games

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From: leifevans@comcast.net

Date: Thu, 8 Jul 2010 04:11:49 +0000 (UTC)

To: <mark.rauterkus@gmail.com>

Subject: mtlv games

To: Mount Lebanon Community Friends (and pals living elsewhere!)

From: Larry Evans

Hi Folks! As a semi-retired social and sports activist and rookie MLV Board member entering my 64th year on this planet and wondering if my wife will "still need me or feed me", I find true value in helping a good-hearted organization like Mount Lebanon Village shed its training wheels and become a force for promoting Lebo-quality longevity.

Please check out our Mount Lebanon Village Intergenerational Games set for Saturday, August 14^th in Mount Lebanon Park. The idea is to partner adults over 50 with someone under 50. For AARP certified geezers like me and Karen, this means we will be dragging along whippersnappers like Ducky (27) and Jenny (14) to the "show" and we hope you are tempted to do likewise! See details below!

The Mt. Lebanon Village Games are designed to bring together old friends and new acquaintances, pairing people of different ages and generations. The idea is to partner adults over 50 with someone under 50. The pairings could be with a son, daughter, grandchild, friend or neighbor – or maybe even some husband and wife teams! Partners will spend the day participating together in the activities of their choice. It will be a fun-packed day featuring a one mile fun run/walk around Mount Lebanon Park, gently competitive team sports including soccer, softball, volleyball, basketball, doubles tennis and bocce, athletic skills contests like free-throws and punt, pass and kick and old fashioned summer games like checkers, water balloon toss and a treasure hunt, followed by a barbeque picnic and banjo music. The event takes place in Mount Lebanon Park, 9am-2pm on Saturday, August 14^th, 2010. See flyer/registration forms below…

BTW, we are getting a tremendous response to the Games since being publicized last week in a Brian O'Neil PPG column and in Mount Lebanon Magazine so we are also in need of Volunteers to help make this event a success. Please let me know if you can possibly volunteer for the August 14^th Games. Teens can earn community service credit and all volunteers get a nifty t-shirt and free food at the picnic.

Larry Evans h 412-341-1486 c 412-445-2951

Mt. Lebanon Village Intergenerational Games

Saturday, August 14, 2010

9am-2pm at Mt. Lebanon Park and Tennis Center

Mt. Lebanon Village (MLV) is a community oriented, non-profit organization established in 2009 to give residents of Mt. Lebanon, age 50 and older, the practical means, confidence and peace of mind to enjoy life while residing in their own place of residence in the environment they value as they grow older, and to serve as a model and mentor to other such villages.

The Mt. Lebanon Village Games present a way to get to know our neighbors, to enjoy a day of playing together and to celebrate our common bonds. The Village Games are designed to bring together old friends and new acquaintances, pairing people of different ages and generations. The idea is to partner adults over 50 with someone under 50. The pairings could be with a son, daughter, grandchild, friend or neighbor – or maybe even some husband and wife teams! You can also come on your own and enjoy the festivities. Partners will spend the day participating together in the activities of their choice. It will be a fun-packed day of gently competitive team sports, individual pursuits and group games, followed by a picnic and prizes. Participants will be given a chance to win prizes for every event in which they partake.

START THE DAY WITH A FUN RUN OR WALK! At 9 a.m. the Village Games will open with a "Chase Your Elders" one mile fun run/walk in Mt. Lebanon Park where older folks start first, followed by a staggered progression by their younger partners so that all may finish at about the same time. A pre-race warm-up, led by fitness instructor Gurney Bolster, will begin at 8:45 a.m. at the Mt. Lebanon School District Entrance on Horsman Drive.

THEN PLAY BALL AND OTHER FUN STUFF! From 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. in Mt. Lebanon Park, choose from a wide variety of friendly coed, intergenerational team sports including volleyball, softball, soccer, basketball, tennis and bocce. Then measure your athletic skills in a 50 yard dash, punt, pass and kick, free throw, target toss, and radar gun stations. There will be old fashioned games like a treasure hunt, relay races, water balloon toss, horseshoes, shuffleboard, hula hoops, scrabble, checkers, and chess. You can also engage in creative activities such as an inter-active story-telling session led by the Wing & a Prayer Pittsburgh Players.

Throughout the day, be prepared to share your favorite Mt. Lebanon memories with a roving MLV volunteer camera crew.

DON'T MISS THE PICNIC! Beginning at noon, enjoy a delicious picnic provided by Pittsburgh Barbecue Company. Come to the Mt. Lebanon Tennis Center Founder's Room and Deck to share great food and listen to live banjo music provided by "The Entertainers". Ted Sohier of WQED will be our MC and prizes will be drawn. (Participants must be present at the picnic to receive prizes.)

REGISTER on line or by mail by August 9^th to guarantee receiving a nifty Mt. Lebanon Village Games commemorative T-shirt!

REGISTRATION FEES: Individual (over 50) $15. With Partner (under 50) $25. Family (up to 6 members) $40.

The Mt. Lebanon Village Games Registration Form

Individual (over 50) __________________________________________________________________

Age (as of August 14)_________________Gender_______________ T‐shirt size_________

Address___________________________________________________________Zip_________________

E‐Mail_________________________________________Phone__________________________________

Partner (under 50)____________________________________________________________________

Age (as of August 14)_________________Gender_______________ T‐shirt size_________

Address___________________________________________________________Zip_________________

E‐Mail_________________________________________Phone__________________________________

Additional Immediate or Extended Family Members (indicate pairing, any age mixture is ok)

3.________________________________________________Age______Gender______T‐shirt size_____

4.________________________________________________Age______Gender______T‐shirt size_____

5.________________________________________________Age______Gender______T‐shirt size_____

6.________________________________________________Age______Gender______T‐shirt size_____

Please check below the events in which you & your partner/family wish to participate

OPENING EVENT 9AM

___ Chase Your Elders One Mile Fun Run/Walk (8:45 a.m. group aerobic warm‐up at start line)

Onsite registration and Village Games packet pick‐up begins at 8AM at the Tennis Center Founder's Room off of Cedar Blvd

TEAM SPORTS 10AM – 1PM (select no more than 3 since games are scheduled on hourly intervals)

___ Soccer___ Softball___ Doubles Tennis___ Basketball___ Volleyball___ Doubles Bocce

___ ATHLETIC SKILLS 10AM – 1PM (come when you want)

Includes Free Throws (Basketball), Radar Gun (Softball & Soccer & Football), Target (Softball & Soccer & Football), Punt, Pass and Kick (Football & Soccer) and a 50 Yard Dash

___ OLD FASHIONED GAMES 10AM ‐ 1PM (come when you want)

Includes Relay Races, Treasure Hunt, Horseshoes, Shuffleboard, Water Balloon Toss, Chess, Checkers, Scrabble, Hula Hoops

___ INTERACTIVE STORY TELLING 11AM to Noon (with the Wing and a Prayer Pittsburgh Players)

Upon arrival at the Tennis Center's registration headquarters participants will receive a program mapping out the event locations and an individualized schedule of activities.

REGISTRATION FEES: Individual (over 50) $15. With Partner (under 50) $25. Family (up to 6 members) $40.

Send the Registration Form with a check payable to:

Mt. Lebanon Village, 710 Washington Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15228 info: 412‐343‐4054

www.mtlebanonvillage.org

WAIVER OF LIABILITY

In consideration of Mt. Lebanon Village ("Village") allowing me/us to participate in its activities and intending to be legally bound, I/we waive, release and forever discharge the Village, its successors, assigns, members, officers, employees and agents and shall indemnify and hold them harmless from any loss, claim, demand, liability or causes of action of whatever kind or nature, either in law or equity, which arise from my/our participation in any Village activities from this date forward in perpetuity (thereby releasing me/us from the chore of re-signing this release for all future Village activities.)

Date: _____________________ Signature________________________________________