Bridge looks like an optical illusion.. #earthquake on Twitpic

Bridge looks like an optical illusion.. #earthquake on Twitpic: "Bridge looks like an optical illusion"

Johnny Howard ousted from Frogtown Football - Page 1 - News - Minneapolis - City Pages

Johnny Howard ousted from Frogtown Football - Page 1 - News - Minneapolis - City Pages: "Twenty years ago, the Frogtown neighborhood of St. Paul was a very different place than it is today. Thinly disguised brothels and crack dens brought down the value of entire blocks. Gangs patrolled the streets, charging kids a toll to walk on sidewalks they claimed as their turf, remembers Tony Schmitz, former editor of the Frogtown Times Newspaper.
'That was kind of the height of the crack epidemic around here,' says Schmitz. 'Your kid's school bus would show up and there'd be kids selling crack on the corner.'
Howard was among the loudest voices for change. He organized the Thomas-Dale Block Club, an aggressive version of a neighborhood watch program. Hundreds of community members protested the known brothels and crack houses until the city could no longer ignore them.
'That was really a critical time for how this neighborhood was going to go,' says Schmitz, an original member of the block club. 'It finally got to the point where we could go to the cops and say we need more policing there, and they would listen.'
It was Howard's idea to create a place for kids to go after school. He merged two dwindling community football teams into one program, which he called the Frogtown Football program. He poured thousands of dollars of his own money into equipment and jerseys.
The program was an immediate draw to kids around the neighborhood. Within the first few years, more than 150 kids played for Frogtown Football. For many who joined, playing football with Howard after school was an alternative to the streets, says District 7 Planning Council executive director Tait Danielson-Castillo.

Soccer Fields and Community Pressure

A case story from another community about soccer fields.

By Boa Lee,



Community Outreach and Information Leader, Greater Frogtown Neighbors Forum


A post appeared on the Minneapolis citywide issues forum in mid-March 2009. The poster, Jay Clark, the director of the Minnesota Center for Neighborhood Organizing and a well-known community organizer in the North Minneapolis and Hmong communities, told forum members about a recent Minneapolis Park Board meeting. At that meeting, Clark wrote, Latino kids and their parents were separated from the wider audience – and eventually removed from the premises – without having been given a fair opportunity to air their concerns. The Latino community members had attended the meeting to advocate for soccer fields at Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis; the meeting was taking place in another part of the city. Even before attending the park board meeting, the Latinos who were extracted from the meeting – with Clark’s help – had began a large awareness campaign to put pressure on the park board and city leaders to create soccer fields for the Latino kids already playing soccer in Powderhorn. The group had also been distributing hundreds of postcards to residents, asking the residents to send the notice of support to decision-makers like the mayor of Minneapolis.






Soccer at Powderhorn - Photo by Gayla Ellis for Powderhorn 365Meeting organizers saw Clark’s post and one park commissioner responded the next day, explaining that park commissioners were aware of the group’s campaign to get the soccer fields. Neighbors responded to the topic.


My mid-April 2009, the topic had moved to the Powderhorn Neighbors Forum, where dozens more posts from residents both in support of and against the soccer fields shared their thoughts. One Latino teen who played soccer at Powderhorn logged on to the forum using Clark’s name (but signing his own at the end of post). The teen invited neighbors to come watch a game. By this time, the issue was also receiving wide media attention and several neighborhood newspapers picked up the story and/or published Letters to the Editor written by the Latino teens asking for the soccer fields.


The best success indicator of the community’s campaign to get the soccer fields was not necessarily that the soccer fields actually came to be or even that a public official responded to Clark’s original post; rather, it was the ability to reach many more people – neighbors – through the forum and garnering a wider and more diverse base of supporters that Clark would later note in an interview with me as the most positive part of the project. Clark said he has used the forum to help highlight other campaigns – for example a campaign spearheaded by Hmong teens to get more Hmong-speaking officers to work the day shift in North Minneapolis – and intends to continue using the E-Democracy forums as another tool in his community organizer’s toolbox.


While community organizing is not E-Democracy’s direct mission, the organization’s desire to increase civic engagement by providing an online space for neighbors to meet and discuss issues lends well to also aiding in, or perhaps inciting, organizing work. Giving neighbors and organizers a venue in which to share information can complement traditional community organizing. At the same time, this raises the question of how E-Democracy might enhance community organizing and social change in the 21st century.


Lessons Applied in Frogtown


In June 2010, I seeded a topic asking the Greater Frogtown Neighbors Forum members where they got their hyper-local (neighborhood) news. No one responded to that thread. But one person did start a new related thread that same day in response, stating that Frogtown was at a disadvantage by not having a dedicated newspaper and asking for creative ideas to get community news distributed to neighbors. The following day and just eight posts later (the thread ballooned to 19 posts), Tony Schmitz – a Frogtown resident and the former owner of the now defunct Frogtown Times newspaper – offered to take the online discussion offline. Schmitz offered to host a brainstorming session at his house.


Seven days after the thread started, Tony and two other residents (one of whom was Tony’s wife), Mary Turck from the Twin Cities Daily Planet (an online news site) and I discussed the idea of starting a Frogtown neighborhood newspaper. By the time the meeting ended, those in attendance had each volunteered to do more research or outreach about the idea. The neighbors become their own community organizers.


The two stories shared above represent the convergence of new technologies with old organizing models. What we know of traditional community organizing is that results are met when a group of people can come together to push for a common benefit. To build a foundation of support requires outreach, strategic planning and, oftentimes, good timing. Organizers will need to determine whether and when E-Democracy is the proper venue in which to share information and receive input. As community organizing takes greater advantage of social media and the Internet, adding a new tool like posting on the E-Democracy online forums can become part of the strategic outreach method that capitalizes on changing technology and a growing and attentive audience.


Editor’s Note: The soccer field story is ongoing with some Powderhorn Park changes and a permanent artificial turf field being built in next door in the Phillips neighborhood (after making this post, I received a telephone call from an elected official crediting in large part the campaign described above even if the permanent field will be in a nearby park).

Fw: Hey Southside dads (and moms too!), I need your help please

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

---

From: Ted Williams <twilliams@dymun.com>

Date: Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:54:59 -0400

To: <kautzabc@upmc.edu>; <donnenbergad@upmc.edu>; <patrickfilip@gmail.com>; <steve@gototheworks.com>; <choffman@da.allegheny.pa.us>; <nikiivanov@hotmail.com>; <drewhine@hotmail.com>; <argentursa@hotmail.com>; <Dan@cwpress.com>; <pete@coachstobl.com>; <cdinunzio@medline.com>; <john@winnets.com>; <randy.tracht@gmail.com>; <peter@margittai.com>; <gquinlan@citytheatrecompany.org>; <jeff@hotmetalbridge.com>; <douglas@city-net.com>; <richard@richardkelly.com>; <bill.murphy@princeton1.com>; <alang@oxforddevelopment.com>; <mikehealey@city-net.com>; <mark@rauterkus.com>; <carmon@carmon.net>; <rnecciai1@pghboe.net>; <chawk07@gmail.com>; <jigims1@pghboe.net>; <underiner@verizon.net>; <weavej1@comcast.net>; <dpilarski1@pghboe.net>; <mvarlotta1@pghboe.net>; <kylel@xactix.com>; <sanpitt@msn.com>

Cc: <lawforkids@aol.com>; Griffin, Deborah<griffindl@upmc.edu>

Subject: Hey Southside dads (and moms too!), I need your help please

The Ad Agency where I work, Dymun + Co, is the agency for the Pittsburgh Promise.
We have a meeting coming up next Thurs (sept 9th) and we are looking to get some
Input from PPS students about the Promise.

This is the question we would like as many Pittsburgh Public School students as possible to answer:
 
IF EVERY PITTSBURGH KID HAD THE CHANCE TO LIVE UP TO THEIR POTENTIAL, WHAT WOULD PITTSBURGH BE LIKE?

If you would please pass along their response and their First Name, Age, Grade and School.
If I could have your responses by tues or wd of next week, that would be AWESOME and a huge
Help to the Pittsburgh Promise.

Also please pass along the above request to any other parents that might able to help and have
Their kids contribute.

Thank you in advance for your help.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Thanks so much!

---ted williams




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

Ted Williams
Art Director


The Waterfront Building
200 First Avenue
Pittsburgh PA  15222
p: 412-281-2345
f: 412-281-3493
c: 412-277-6708
e: twilliams@dymun.com
w: dymun.com

Brand Development l Strategic Counsel l Advertising l Public Relations l Design

News from New Zealand, posted on a public list, about a campaign with closed debates

Rik Tindall may have posted:

Kia ora taatou,

Everyone should try running for Mayor at least once in their life. There
are lessons to be learned from this process as nowhere else.

First and foremost of the available insights is the specific nature of
the predetermination (interested bias) that tends to control New Zealand
politics, down to local level.

A version of the following statement was elicited and published in an
article by the Christchurch Star - thank you Star reporters:

"Candidates cry foul over debate snub" 20 August 2010
http://issuu.com/the.star/docs/110232cs?mode=embed&viewMode=presentation&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Fsoftlight%2Flayout.xml&backgroundColor=dddddd&showFlipBtn=true&proShowSidebar=false&logo=http://starnews.co.nz/images/MagicBox4.gif&logoOffsetX=0&logoOffsetY=0

However the letter on which my quoted statement was based did not make
it past The Press letters editor:

Dear Sir,

Duncan Cotterill Law's closed mayoral forum brought shame upon all participants [19Aug2010]. It insulted both rate-payers and democracy.

All business ideas should be welcome at the table, for resolving economic slump. But this tired cabal, encircled by their wagon-train, shows only fear of the unknown course that society is on and their lack of preparedness for it.

Until they demonstrate commitment to democratic principle and transparency, candidates Anderton and Parker cannot be trusted with the city key.

Rik Tindall, mayoral candidate


To conclude then:

Q: what is the next worse thing to a one-party state?

A: A two-party state, it seems (under Anglo-American tutelage).

Winners are picked ahead of time, and substantive issues intentionally avoided, by a watered-down 'combative' / adversarial 'personality contest' / 'presidential race' set up by not just the media moguls.

But the big question is, can this historic shared imperial Anglo-American 'soft fascism' actually survive, or is it now in terminal decline?

What have Australian voters just said, and need now to translate, other than 'there is no real choice in parliamentary politics' as the offerings are so very much the same?

Is there a third choice that is even available under Capital+Labour monopoly? (Duopoly; the interests of capital are variously titled "Liberal", "Conservative", "Tory", "National" etc.)

On the topic of political choice, The Press certainly is forming a view:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/opinion/perspective/4054218/Aust-poll-bad-for-two-party-system

- Open up the debate, the unlimited battle of ideas, and an inclusive future can start to unfold. Otherwise, we are drifting back in time.

Another oil rig explosion in the Gulf

Ron Paul on Obama’s Iraq Speech: Mission Not Accomplished

LAKE JACKSON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Congressman Ron Paul today released the following statement on President Obama’s speech from the Oval Office last night:

“The President’s announcement that all U.S. combat troops have left Iraq is no more believable than the 'Mission Accomplished' declaration was in 2003.”

.“The President’s announcement that all U.S. combat troops have left Iraq is no more believable than the 'Mission Accomplished' declaration was in 2003.

“Once again, we are being told the mission has been accomplished and our brave men and women are coming back home. Though the people are hopeful they remain skeptical, and rightfully so.

“The biggest problem is that success in Iraq is undefinable since the mission was never defined. The reasons given for the invasion were based on misinformation. Now, the war has cost us hundreds of billions of dollars and this has contributed significantly to our economic woes.

“Forty-four hundred Americans are dead, thirty thousand severely wounded, and more than a hundred thousand are suffering from serious health problems related to Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. This alone should tell us that it was not worth the investment and the needless sacrifice of our young people and the taxpayers.

“It is deceitful to imply we will avoid hostilities with this new policy. We still have to contend with:

•the 50,000 troops carrying weapons remain in Iraq
•the 100,000 contractors that remain with more expected to go to Iraq
•the 9,000 special ops personnel trained in assassinations that remain in Iraq
•a huge embassy, bigger than the Vatican, that will remain
•Dozens of military bases that will stay
•Al Qaeda organizations that did not exist before the war
•Muqtada al Sadr, a strong nationalist who has gained much political power
•The fact that Iran benefits tremendously with the Shiites now in power in Iraq and is a close ally of al Sadr

“Osama bin Laden wins by 'proving' that America has an agenda of occupation in the Middle East. And, we continue to walk into his trap and hand him up his best recruitment tool in his efforts to incite hatred and terrorism against the United States.

“What’s worse, President Obama made it clear last night that the troops and resources leaving Iraq will not come home to defend our country or ease our economic woes. They will instead be diverted to Afghanistan, perhaps also Pakistan and, I fear, even Iran.

“From my viewpoint we are the losers in this fool’s errand of endless war. Tragically, this new policy is not one of peace but merely a charade that will severely undermine our national security and continue us down the path to bankruptcy—a threat that we best not long ignore.”

Typhoon Kompasu hits South Korea

Typhoon Kompasu hits South Korea: "Typhoon Kompasu made landfall in northern South Korea early Thursday, leaving two dead and causing the worst disruption to power and transport networks in the capital for a decade, a report said.


Winds of over 100 km per hour knocked down trees and utility poles and blew out windows across Seoul, as the centre of the storm passed 80 km to the north of the capital after making landfall at 6.35 a.m. (2135 GMT Wednesday) on the west coast."

Wanted: A Libertarian Candidate for a Special Election for PA Senate

A special election for PA's 45th Senatorial District (a seat in the PA Senate) is slated for November 2, 2010, along with the general election.
The district is within both Allegheny and Westmoreland Counties. The deadline to file a nomination certificate is September 13, 2010. Allegheny County will do the nomination, with the LPPA executive committee acting at the request of any members from Westmoreland County.

The nominee must reside in the district, but can be registered to vote in any manner.

Dist. 45 ALLEGHENY and WESTMORELAND Counties includes:

Part of ALLEGHENY County consisting of the CITIES of Clairton, Duquesne and McKeesport and the TOWNSHIPS of East Deer, Elizabeth, Harmar, North Versailles, South Versailles and Springdale and the BOROUGHS of Brackenridge, Braddock, Cheswick, Dravosburg, East McKeesport, East Pittsburgh, Glassport, Liberty, Lincoln, Monroeville, North Braddock, Pitcairn, Plum, Port Vue, Rankin, Springdale, Tarentum, Trafford (Allegheny County Portion), Turtle Creek, Versailles, Wall, White Oak and Wilmerding and Part of WESTMORELAND County consisting of the CITIES of Arnold, Lower Burrell and New Kensington and the TOWNSHIPS of Upper Burrell and Washington and the BOROUGH of Trafford (Westmoreland County Portion).

Call me if you are intersted of know of anyone who would be a great candidate and interested.

Mark Rauterkus: 412 298 3423.

By the way, I live in PA Senate District 42, not 45.

Time for Fall! Or, perhaps we should just call it autumn.

Fall is here.



Let's be safe out there. Fall doesn't need to be full of flops.

Perhaps we should just call it autumn.

The Angry Drunk Bureaucrat has been AWOL since August 17

We've got a situation brewing in Pittsburgh's Blogger Land.

http://angrydrunkbureaucrat.blogspot.com/

August 17 was a long time ago and we're not getting any smarter.

Help! Go there and say something wise.

Getting To Pgh Obama High School

Some PAT Bus Route Links:

The 75 Bus Route, Ellsworth, goes to and from Pgh Obama and the South Side Works via the Birmingham Bridge.

http://www.portauthority.org/PAAC/apps/pdfs/tdp/75.pdf

The 74 goes to Squirrel Hill and Homewood.

http://www.portauthority.org/PAAC/apps/pdfs/tdp/74.pdf


The 81B also goes downtown after serving Bakery Square

The 77B (soon to be 77), 86 and 88 also are PAT buses in the area.
The rerouted 71C will visit Pgh Obama too: http://www.portauthority.org/paac/apps/maps/tdp/71C.pdf

The Moonlight Scribbler: 2010 City League Preview Week 1

The Moonlight Scribbler: 2010 City League Preview Week 1: "Monday, August 30, 2010
2010 City League Preview Week 1"

Phys Ed: Playing Music During Exercise - NYTimes.com

Phys Ed: Playing Music During Exercise - NYTimes.com: "Phys Ed: Does Music Make You Exercise Harder?"

Pittsburgh councilman seeks task force for South Side problems

Pittsburgh councilman seeks task force for South Side problems: "Pittsburgh City Councilman Bruce Kraus this morning called for a task force to bring order to the South Side's party scene."

There is a task force already, Mr. Kraus. It is called GOVERNMENT. There is the City of Pittsburgh Police. Then there is BBI, Breau of Building Inspection. Plus there is the PA State Police and even city council itself.

The South Side party scene isn't the place for 'order.' Rather, it is a party. It is organic. It is government that needs to be tamed and turned into something positive. Government needs to be ordered to do its duty for the sake of public safety.

The Mayor doesn't need to take a hands on role. Nor does Big Ben. The hands on role is that of the police, parking enforcement, the LCB and even bar owners and business owners and their hired entities for clean up and such.

'Chasing 3000' arrives in Pittsburgh Friday

'Chasing 3000' arrives in Pittsburgh Friday: "Pittsburgh Filmmakers will open 'Chasing 3000' at the Harris Theater, 809 Liberty Ave., on Friday. The movie is about a road trip two brothers take in 1972 to witness Roberto Clemente's 3000th hit."

This looks like a fun movie.

Also on Friday night, they are trying to get a game of water polo at Woodland Hills. Arrive at 2:30 pm.

Sold em down the river.

Announcing a new Meetup for Pittsburgh Kayakers (ka-"yack"-ers)!

What: Ohio River Paddle & LST Ship Tour

When: Saturday, September 4, 2010 8:00 AM

Where: Westhall Street launch
2030 Westhall Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15233

Come with us on Saturday for a rare opportunity to tour a World War II ship on the water in Pittsburgh! The LST (Landing Ship, Tank) was used to transport tanks, trucks and soldiers to beach landings in such battles as the D-Day invasion at Normandy and the battle for Okinawa. The 382'-long ship could hold 20 tanks. The ship is now a floating museum based in Evansville, Indiana, and is coming to Pittsburgh for a week.

Can a ship that big actually travel to Pittsburgh? Yes. more than 250 of the LST's were BUILT in Pittsburgh, at Dravo Corporation on Neville Island and American Bridge Company at Ambridge. They all sailed down the same river, and through the same locks, that LST-325 is sailing right now. The LST will dock at Clemente Park, between Heinz Field and the Ft. Duquesne Bridge.

We'll meet at the kayak launch at the end of Westhall Street on the North Side, next to Western Pentientiary. Please arrive a little early so we can get on the water at 8:00. A 3-mile paddle will take us up the Ohio to our landing spot at Heinz Field. We'll then carry our kayaks approx. 500', where we'll leave them in the grass adjacent to the ship. The cost of the tour is $10, which goes towards the ship's operation and restoration.

Yes, it's a holiday weekend, but we should be back before lunchtime. I hope many of you can squeeze this into your schedule!

RSVP to this Meetup:
http://www.meetup.com/kayaking-129/calendar/14600040/

Hot days -- no school!

It is wonderful to NOT have school as the days are so hot. They're talking 90-degrees out there. We're going to the siwm pool this evening.

Lump camp rocks!

Erik slept like he had jet lag or something.

I had a great meeting today. Welcome to Pittsburgh Jake House. He helped to lead a meeting among a task force to reform athletics in Pittsburgh Public Schools. It was a most productive meeting. Everyone was there, even the union rep.

I did ask that someone from either the Mayor's office or else Citiparks be put onto the committee. That's one everyone that is still not at the table. But, this is still a great time to get their engagement.

Last night we attended a great welcome part for the new graduate students. The old and the new are in town and getting ready for another big year.

Lifeguard shortage shuts Mt. Lebanon pool

Lifeguard shortage shuts Mt. Lebanon pool: "Mt. Lebanon's swimming pool was closed today because of a shortage of lifeguards.
The municipality announced season passes will be accepted at Dormont Pool."

Exclusive: Obama to widen sanctions on North Korea | Reuters

Exclusive: Obama to widen sanctions on North Korea | Reuters President Barack Obama on Monday plans to impose fresh financial sanctions on North Korea by blocking the assets of three North Korean state-owned entities and one North Korean citizen, a U.S. official said.

Thanks President Obama for doing this hostile act against another nation and its people after our son has returned from visiting South Korea.

But, the sactions are punishments for an event that happened on March 26, 2010. That's a half-year ago. Not so fresh. And, it is a good thing to not act more swiftly as a full review of the situation from March was conducted and it stated that the North Korean's are NOT to blame for the sinking of the South Korean war ship. Go figure. North Korea denies responsibility. They say they didn't do it. The US President is the bully now, even worse than it has been.

President Obama, don't escalate to war.

The U.S. official said Obama was expected to sign an executive order widening the scope of existing U.S. sanctions -- which can now be imposed on entities involved in Pyongyang's weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs

Under the order, the United States will now be able to target U.S. assets of entities that support North Korean trade in conventional arms and luxury goods, currency counterfeiting and narcotics trafficking, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity..

Perhaps, some defense contractor got in the mini sub and shot the torpedo so as to get additional contracts and get rich in the process. Some people make money off of war. Some people are bad.