Freediver Carlos Coste sets new world record with 150m swim through cave | Mail OnlineThis is a worthy read. Hat tip to ASCA.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Freediver Carlos Coste sets new world record with 150m swim through cave | Mail Online
Pittsburgh Public Schools -- THIS SUCKS!
Pittsburgh Public Schools shuffles reconfiguration plan - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
No way.
Pgh Obama is to stay at Reizenstein for the rest of this year (2010-2011) and for next year (2011-2012). Then the move to Peabody should occur for the start of the school year in September 2012.
Pittsburgh Public Schools is proposing two changes in its plans to reconfigure schools in the East End.
Administrators asked the school board Tuesday to make the single-gender academies at Westinghouse High School a magnet program open to all district students and move the Obama 6-12 International Baccalaureate program a year early to Peabody High School, which closes at the end of this school year. The program wasn't to move from Reizenstein until 2012-13.
The district could postpone an early college program at Oliver High School until 2012-13 because of ongoing community discussions about changes to North Side school configurations. The board is expected to vote on the plans later this month.
No way.
Pgh Obama is to stay at Reizenstein for the rest of this year (2010-2011) and for next year (2011-2012). Then the move to Peabody should occur for the start of the school year in September 2012.
Sports Reform aricle in the Trib
Future of City League uncertain - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "The public received its first look at the potential future of athletics within Pittsburgh Public Schools on Monday night -- a future that could see the end of the century-old City League."Let's get into this article.
At a community meeting at Oliver High School, Jake House, the leader of the school district's athletics overhaul committee, presented comprehensive working recommendations for athletic reform in the district. The idea for reform was born in part from an internal Title IX audit the district performed last year, but it also came from the City League's dwindling participation numbers and lack of success at the state level.Not really. The Title IX audit was unwelcomed by me. The Title IX audit told us what we already knew. The Title IX audit was a huge waste of time. It cost a little money, but it was a sink that delayed the reform efforts by more than two years.
The idea for reform of athletics has been put upon Mr. Roosevelt since he arrived in Pittsburgh -- by me and others. For years I told him that this needed to happen. Finally, in January 2010, I got an email from Mr. Roosevelt that he was going to take sports off the back burner.
Before Mark Roosevelt's arrival to Pittsburgh there was another effort at sports reform -- 2001 vintage. I was not on that exact committee but did attend four or five meetings at various locations (East Liberty Libary) to talk among other interested people about those efforts. Dr. John Thompson was in town then. Promises were made -- and then broken. Reminders were made -- and then those got broken too.
If there were 100 suggestions that were made back in 2001, less than five were done. One of the big victories -- middle school boys play fall baseball, not softball. That's nice. My son played baseball this year. Greenfield won the city middle school league. There were a few great teams and players. Allegheny, South Hills, Colfax and others were impressive. Pgh Obama had some good players and good innings too.
This is no "grassroots effort" to reform sports. This is a superintendent ordered effort with a newly hired, full-time employee.
In a grassroots effort to improve the school district's overall athletic program, the wide-ranging proposals have been spread across eight categories: coaching, wellness, connection to academics, sportsmanship, facilities and equipment, transportation and schedules, league structure and participation.
"I feel like we're moving in the right direction," said Derrick Lopez, the district's assistant superintendent for secondary schools. "It's not like we've gotten to these recommendations without a lot of conversation and disagreements. But I think we've gotten to the point right now where we want to make sure what's best for the kids participating in sports is what the recommendations will hold."
The aim is subject to personal opinion, but I'd say it isn't to improve the overall athletic program. Improvement and reform are close cousins. A booster group could make improvements. This is much more. This is more urgent.
Mr. Lopez feels that the moves are going in the right direction, but I don't. The talk might be buzzing around various directions -- some right and some wrong. But, the positive movement is yet to be seen by me. The low-hanging fruit for quick improvements has died on the vine this fall. Things are plugging along with each sport and each sport -- but -- the status quo is not the right direction. The system has been content to manage decline for years.
Good to see that there is mention of disagreements from Mr. Lopez. Those recomendations are not supported fully. Some are harmful in my not so humble opinion.
I've misplaced by decoder ring, so if anyone can filter the following quote, please do so in the comments: "But I think we've gotten to the point right now where we want to make sure what's best for the kids participating in sports is what the recommendations will hold."
But the recommendations regarding league structure would mark a drastic change to the look of high school sports in the area. Under the proposal, the City League -- also known as PIAA District 8 -- would join with the WPIAL, District 7 of the PIAA. Also, on a sport-to-sport basis, several former City League schools may co-op their athletic programs if participation numbers in a certain sport are too low.When I first heard of the plan to consider joining the WPIAL, I was elated. Then my heart sank with the next suggestion of forming new coops, (or co-ops) among schools to form sports teams.
"Right now, in looking at all of things we've gathered to this point, we are looking at what it would look like for the City League to dissolve and to merge with the WPIAL," assistant superintendent for secondary schools Derrick Lopez said.
Coops are failing now in PPS in terms of sports participation. They stink. U-Prep is not getting its kids into sports teams as it should and could.
Citizen quote: It took the spirit away and killed it.
Well, to be sure, they (PPS) killed school spirit with a move of all the football games to Cupples Stadium on the South Side. They killed neighborhood spirit too. But, sports are still alive and not dead YET. PPS sports, on the whole, are sick, injured and in a deep slumber. The killing blow, however, could be sports coops.
It was 20 years ago today. Our 20th Anniversary
I like to say my dad taught me very well. He taught me how to "marry up."
This photo was taken on our deck at are home on the South Side in 2004. I think it was before a gala event hosted by the Depaul School. My wife is a board member there. We missed the event this year as we were in South Africa.
This photo was taken on our deck at are home on the South Side in 2004. I think it was before a gala event hosted by the Depaul School. My wife is a board member there. We missed the event this year as we were in South Africa.
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
Water Polo Streaming annoucement
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®
From: Dan Sharadin <commissioner@collegiatewaterpolo.org>
Date: Tue, 9 Nov 2010 20:25:11 -0500 (EST)
To: Mark@Rauterkus.com<Mark@Rauterkus.com>
Subject: Streaming annoucement
 |
November 9, 2010 CWPA to Stream Championships LiveNeed to get your water polo fix??? Looking to see some great collegiate competition??? Last week the Division III Collegiate Club Championship was held at Macalester College in Saint Paul, MN. All games were streamed live and archived as well. You may still access the games to watch the action. This weekend all of the competition at the Collegiate Club National Championship will be streamed live from Cedar City, Utah and will also be available for viewing following the weekend. Games begin Friday morning at 9 AM and continue until 11 PM Eastern time on Friday and Saturday. The championship round begins Sunday at 9 and concludes in the afternoon. The following weekend of November 19-21 features the top eight men's varsity teams in the conference competing for a chance to go to the NCAA Final Four. Games will be streamed live beginning Friday and will also be recorded and available following the tournament. For more information, check out the website at www.collegiatewaterpolo.org. |
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Fw: Faith in America Releases Ground-Breaking New Report
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From: "Steve Hildebrand" <steve@faithinamerica.org>
Date: Tue, 09 Nov 2010 11:10:40 -0600
To: <mark@rauterkus.com>
ReplyTo: steve@faithinamerica.org
Subject: Faith in America Releases Ground-Breaking New Report
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| Use this link to unsubscribe from this mailing list
Faith in America | P.O. Box 1176 | Hudson | NC | 27638 |
Roast Roosevelt in the $125 cheap seats, anyone?
You're Invited!Have a good time.
As Superintendent Mark Roosevelt and his family prepare to begin a new chapter, we as a community would like to celebrate Mark's remarkable accomplishments. In just five years time, Mark lead the Pittsburgh Public Schools on a journey that established The Pittsburgh Promise and instituted an agenda of school reform that attracted national attention, as well as almost $80 million in funding from outside the region. His leadership also inspired the confidence of Pittsburgh's foundation and corporate communities to again invest in our schools and students. Most importantly, Mark's work has equipped our students with the tools to achieve academic success and the reason to believe in a future full of promise.
Please join us on Wednesday, December 1st at Carnegie Museums' Music Hall to celebrate and honor Mark Roosevelt for all he has given to the students and families of the Pittsburgh Public Schools. Food and drinks will be served in the music hall foyer from 5:30-6:45pm and the Roast and Sentiments of Gratitude will begin at 7pm in the auditorium. Tickets to the event are $250 each for reserved front of house seating and $125 each for regular seating. If you would like to purchase a ticket to this wonderful celebration or make a contribution to the Mark and Dorothy Roosevelt Excellence in Urban Education Fund, please contact Marsha Kolbe at marsha@pittsburghpromise.org.
PPS has been in a funk for decades that has been about the management of decline. That is what needs to break with the next superintendent. That character trait is what I think Pittsburgh needs in the search for a new superintendent. We need a person who is going to do much more than just manage decline.
The VERY BEST place for our rebirth in PPS is with sports, afterschool, play, community engagement, athletics and extra stuff. That's where we have fumbled most of all. It takes time and not much money to play with our kids. These activities are cheap. This is rewarding as well. That struggle and devotion is all about volunteers. Volunteers put on the Olympic Games. That's total engagement and where both cooperative and competitive spirit is kindled.
Mark Roosevelt made a semi-public apology to me and the others on the sports reform committee a month before he resigned. He said he had put sports on the back burner for the past five years. He was out to change that -- and then he quit.
Finally, we had a ray of hope.
Furthermore, and more presently, the suggestions from part of the athletic reform committee calls for widespread adoption of these sports' teams cooperatives where kids of different schools have to join another school's sport squad. That's more yanking of kids and families around town. That's more management of decline. Sports coops make a horrible solution for Pittsburgh Public Schools.
Monday, November 08, 2010
Fw: Pennsylvania voters support Libertarian Party candidates
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®
From: Media-Relations@lppa.org
Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2010 14:33:40 -0600
To: <mark@rauterkus.com>
Subject: Pennsylvania voters support Libertarian Party candidates
Election results for Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania candidates
Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania (LPPa)
3915 Union Deposit Road #223
Harrisburg, PA 17109
www.lppa.org
For Immediate Release: November 8, 2010
Contact: Doug Leard (Media Relations) at Media-Relations@lppa.org or
Michael Robertson (Chair) at 1-800-R-RIGHTS / chair@lppa.org
Harrisburg - The Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania is pleased to announce that many of our 2010 candidates received very strong voter support in the general elections despite our statewide candidates being challenged off the ballot this year.
- General Assembly 64th District Rep candidate Vance H. Mays (Venango County) received 15.8% of the votes in his district.
- General Assembly 28th District Senate candidate Ed Gately (York County) received 15.7% of the votes in his district.
- General Assembly 120th District Rep candidate Tim Mullen (Luzerne County) received 14.9% of the votes in his district.
- General Assembly 63rd District Rep candidate Michael J. Robertson (Clarion County) received 11.2% of the votes in his district.
- General Assembly 85th District Rep candidate Erik Viker (Snyder County) received 9.0% of the votes in his district.
Other Libertarian candidates throughout Pennsylvania generally received 5-6% of the votes in their districts.
Libertarian candidates did well despite being at a heavy disadvantage running against two old party machines that benefit from public funding and legal privileges. Despite this challenge, many voters recognized that these Libertarian candidates could improve the quality of government in Pennsylvania.
The Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania is grateful to these candidates for the time and effort they committed to running for office. We hope that more voters in the future will see the need for limited government.
The Libertarian Party is the third largest political party in Pennsylvania and the United States. More than 200,000 people across the country are registered Libertarians, and Libertarians serve in hundreds of elected offices. Please visit www.LP.org or www.LPPA.org for more information.
###
Summer Dreamers for 2011 is starting to fish for proposals
We are seeking activities providers than can provide students entering Grades 1-9 with unique summer activities in Summer 2011. I thought you might be able to help us spread the word to appropriate providers and/or organizations that may be interested in responding to this RFP by December 3, 2010.
Funded by stimulus monies, this unique summer program will offer each student a comprehensive approach to literacy, life skills, high school and college readiness, and summer fun. We are determined to give students the ability to enhance their literacy skills and develop new and unique passions through this innovative camp. We are looking for partners with that same determination.
More About the Activities Providers
* We plan to partner with multiple organizations of varying sizes and experience in providing quality and fun extracurricular activities.
* Activities Providers submitting a proposal must demonstrate an outstanding commitment to children and have the interest and capacity to provide students with unique summer activities such as kayaking, ceramics, drama, debate, urban gardening, and more.
* Providers will be expected to offer activities to students almost every day during this exciting 23 day program.
More About the RFP Process:
* Proposals will be accepted through December 3, 2010 at 5 p.m.
* A second Pre-Bid Conference is slated for 4:30 to 6:30 pm on Nov. 17th.
* Organizations will be selected based on their ability to meet the criteria outlined in the Request for Proposal and possibly interviews.
Please visit our website (www.pps.k12.pa.us/summercamp) for additional information.
Reject the Welfare/Warfare State
Reject the Welfare/Warfare State
Real reductions in federal spending can be achieved only by getting to the meat of the federal budget, meaning expenditures in all areas. The annual budget soon will be $5 trillion unless Congress takes serious steps to reduce spending for entitlements, military, and debt service. Yet how many Tea Party candidates who campaigned on a platform of spending cuts talked about Social Security, Medicare, foreign wars, or bond debt?
Influence Tracker of Congress Critters at Wired
Ron Paul got 79 percent of the vote in his congressional area in his re-election in 2010.
Chuck ponders the funeral in PA of a swimmer, F.C.
ASCAOnline - Your Coaching Resource
Following the burial, a reception was held at Germantown Academy. There, many of us lingered in the hallowed space that is the swimming pool at GA and the place where Dick Shoulberg has shaped both swimmers and souls for decades. When you step in, you don’t want to leave and you know you are in a cocoon of passion, of heart, of commitment, of success and accomplishment. It is a sanctuary where the greatest of teaching takes place, and where young men and young women grow and emerge and blossom into adults ready to make a difference in the world.Thanks for the recap.
African Cam
Since our trip to Africa has ended, we've been hungry for more sounds, more sights, more stimulation. This URL goes to an internet camera set up at an African watering hole. It makes a great sound machine.
http://www.africam.com/wildlife/index.php
The audio experience in Africa, even outside our hotel room in Cape Town, was fantastic. The bird sounds are everywhere and quite different.
http://www.africam.com/wildlife/index.php
The audio experience in Africa, even outside our hotel room in Cape Town, was fantastic. The bird sounds are everywhere and quite different.
Diversity of thought, what's up with that?
I hear that this movie will be show on Pitt's campus soon. Be there at 8:30 PM on Wednesday, Nov 10, at 203 David Lawrence Hall, University of Pittsburgh.
Sunday, November 07, 2010
City schools seeking input on athletics
City schools seeking input on athleticsPPS has been in the a mode that seems to only try to "manage decline."
If sports are dropped, the decline would accelerate, for sure.
If sports reform brings less hope in terms of competitive balance, then the decline will continue too.
The outward migration needs to turn around -- and with sports (and all afterschool activities), IMNSHO, there is an opportunity to stop the decline and loss of student population.
Of course, its sports as well as INTRAMURALS, EXTRA-MURALS, and music, etc. that needs to be a part of the mix for the opportunities for the students, from HS on down to the wee ones.
If PPS cuts sports, the district would die quickly.
If PPS does sports reform poorly, the district dies.
If sports reform is done well, with that complete overhaul, with the Citiparks cooperation, with the volunteers energized, with the coaches hired by talent/skills and big accountability elements -- then PPS can begin to build spirit and rebound in many ways.
Frankly, playing with our kids is not that expensive.
City kids and their school sports teams can compete with the WPIAL schools if competitive balance is understood and implemented. Fifty other things have to happen too, but landing the programs in the right classifications is MANDATORY and should be a prime discussion point.
WESTINGHOUSE, for example, can play against SINGLE A teams in the WPIAL. Same too with LANGLEY. Likewise, Obama/Schenley's girls volleyball squad can play in AA in the WPIAL -- if there is NO "Coop".
But it all goes down the drain when they combine ("coop") the sports teams so athletes from 1 or 2 or even 3 schools are bussed into another schools for sports participation. Those teams are then playing against the 'big boys' of the WPIAL (NA, PH, WH, BP, USC, etc.) Then we'll have hooey multiple times every week until everyone quits.
Hope to see you all on Monday, November 9, 2010, at 6 pm at Oliver High School.
More chatter at Pure Reform blog.
Saturday, November 06, 2010
Meetup: Sheriff Mack in Westmoreland County
Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®
From: Gary <dragonflydreams2@hotmail.com>
Sender: ronpaul-1834-announce@meetup.com
Date: Sat, 6 Nov 2010 16:00:09 -0400
To: <ronpaul-1834-announce@meetup.com>
ReplyTo: ronpaul-1834@meetup.com
Subject: [ronpaul-1834] New Meetup: Sheriff Mack in Westmoreland County
What: Sheriff Mack in Westmoreland County
When: Saturday, November 13, 2010 6:00 PM
Where: Adamsburg Volunteer Fire Department
495 Edna Road (1/2 mile off of Rte 30)
Adamsburg, PA 15611
724-527-6250
During Richard Mack's tenure as sheriff of Graham County, Arizona, federal officers informed the sheriffs of the state that they would be required to enforce the so-called "Brady Bill" handgun control law and run background checks at their expense under the law. In 1994, Mack and six other sheriffs from across the country, challenged the constitutionality of the Brady Bill and ultimately fought it all the way to the United States Supreme Court. In a 5-4 decision, the Court sided with Mack and struck down portions of the Brady bill that violated the Tenth Amendment. Today, he tours the country lecturing and conducting seminars on constitutional issues relating to gun control, law enforcement, States' rights, the farce, otherwise known as the drug war, and as a member of Oath Keepers, the importance of remaining faithful to one's oath of office. He has also been a consultant for lawyers, and people in general helping them with cases of unlawful arrests and police misconduct and is the author of The County Sheriff, America's Last Hope
On Saturday, November 13th, Richard Mack will be speaking at Adamsburg Volunteer Fire Department, 495 Edna Road, Adamsburg, PA. Directions
For more info and to RSVP to this Meetup:
http://www.meetup.com/ronpaul-1834/calendar/15362210/
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Please Note: If you hit "REPLY", your message will be sent to everyone on this mailing list (ronpaul-1834@meetup.com)
This message was sent by Gary (dragonflydreams2@hotmail.com) from The Ron Paul Revolution: Pittsburgh.
To learn more about Gary, visit his/her member profile
Meetup, PO Box 4668 #37895 New York, New York 10163-4668 | support@meetup.com
Grant did survive the charge from this hippo
We (Catherine, Grant, Mark, Erik) are standing for a photo in front of a hippo at a water hole in South Africa. A few minutes later, Grant would be standing at the water's edge and be scared out of his shoes and need to outrun a hippo charge.
Yep. That's our story and we're going with it.
More people die each year by hippo attacks in Africa than all the other animals combined. Go figure.
Thanks to Dave, a fellow traveler, for the photo. Images and story of the brush with the leopard and Grant should be posted soon. Stay tuned.
Yep. That's our story and we're going with it.
More people die each year by hippo attacks in Africa than all the other animals combined. Go figure.
Thanks to Dave, a fellow traveler, for the photo. Images and story of the brush with the leopard and Grant should be posted soon. Stay tuned.
Panel debates merits of legalizing marijuana use
Way to go Duquesne. Offer an educational experience that is filled with a big blind spot.
Panel debates merits of legalizing marijuana use: "None of the panelists would go so far as to advocate legalizing recreational marijuana like Proposition 19 in California would have done had it not been defeated 54 to 46 percent at the polls this week."Talking about solutions to the War On Drugs but not talking about the legalization of pot is foolishness.
Friday, November 05, 2010
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