Sit your ass down Pittsburgh

Folly of Bruce Kraus -- on the same day

Yesterday I went to Pittsburgh City Council to stand with nearly 100 other men in advance of the special day, Take a Father to School, on May 18, 2012.

While I was there, I got to see another activist friend, Jennifer E, also a PPS parent. She was there to speak about the pending 'Will of Council.'

I heard some of that conversation and took note how my member of council, Bruce Kraus, was ranting about how this generation is not going to understand home ownership as did the folks in the past. So, he is all in favor of home ownership, it seems. 

But then later the same day, at a South Side meeting, he is silent on the proposed NID. The NID is a Neighborhood Improvement District that authorizes a new tax collected from the residents and business owners on the South Side Flats. We can be paying another $500 or so in taxes a year if this passes. But, it is a tax that does NOT go to the city. It goes to this wonky group of NID folks who are fully outside the reach of GOVERNMENT, but within the reach of FORCE by TAXES. 

To me, it seems CRAZY that Bruce Kraus would be silent on the NID proposal as the NID is going to be a NEW, HUGE hardship against home ownership. Kraus seems willing to bitch at President Obama and rant so that the bankers can go to jail for the home finance ills of the past. But, Kraus is not willing to shut down the new tax on home owners. 

Once again, he is making folly and talking (or not talking) out of both ends at the same time.

PAT LTE in Trib from Nick

As a Port Authority of Allegheny County patron who doesn't own a car and is also a libertarian, I can summarize the situation with the Port Authority as follows: All eyes and hopes are on state government to take money from other people throughout Pennsylvania and give it to the Port Authority so that we won't be forced to pay the true costs of transit in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County.

It's a balled-up mess for the following reasons:

• The unions have forced the Port Authority to pay its employees salaries that the transit agency does not want to pay and that could not be had in a situation without politicians forcing the agency to accept union demands.

• The Port Authority is expected to serve sparsely populated suburban areas, which cannot be done economically.

• The suburban and rural areas in the state could not survive without state and federal subsidies for their infrastructure and amenities, those subsidies being tax dollars coming from densely populated areas.

The only sustainable solution is stop all subsidies to everyone. All subsidies (taking money from one person and giving it to another) are immoral and must stop in a free society. Then we will see where people live and how they spend their own money. I guarantee that we would see a migration of people from suburbs to cities.

Nick Kyriazi, Deutschtown

International Water Safety Day is May 15

May 15, 2012 is the Inaugural International Water Safety Day (IWSD). Please tell us how many people you will spread the message of water safety to by filling out the "What's you Reach?" portion of the IWSD website. Anthony Ervin, US Olympic Swimming Gold Medalist, former World Record Holder & World Champion has become an official spokesperson for International Water Safety Day (IWSD).

Visit the website

Fwd: Joanie is in Chile!

Joanie's blog while she is in Chile!

 
http://joanieguyerchileplus3.blogspot.com/


--
--
Ta.
 
 
Mark Rauterkus       Mark.Rauterkus@gmail.com    
PPS Summer Dreamers' Swim and Water Polo Camp Head Coach with Neighborhood Learning Alliance

http://Rauterkus.blogspot.com
http://FixPA.wikia.com
http://CLOH.wikia.com
412 298 3432 = cell

Baseball. Brashear at Dice

Economic Liberty in Philly event with Public Banking push

Too long to post to the web here, but interesting economic moves and a movement forms.

Link to a google document.

The start of the document:

Economic Liberty From Philadelphia

By Scott Baker | OpEd News
May 4, 2012

The First Annual Meeting of the Public Banking Institute in Philadelphia provided a chance
for people to examine economic solutions, network, and just maybe, pave the way for a new
paradigm of economic justice and opportunity.

Public Banking Institute 2012 Conference by Public Banking Institute

The first annual Public Banking Institute meeting was held in Philadelphia (http://
www.publicbankinginamerica.org/home.htm) last weekend, April 26-28, 2012.

The pre-meeting get-together of about 22 State coordinators (like me – NY), was a chance to
see how far we’ve come – 17, soon to be 18, States now have some form of public banking
bills in active status, all introduced since 2010. This is testament not only to the depths of the
economic crisis, but also to the broad realization that the old solutions – taxing, borrowing, and
even Keynesian stimulus, simply don’t work anymore. It was clear from both the Coordinators’
meeting and from the larger conference that followed, that:

A. The debt-based money system is fundamentally unsound and unsustainable, and

B. That some form of Public Bank, state-wide, or even nationally, needs to be
established to return money to, as guest speaker and Libertarian presidential candidate
Bill Still put it, “We the People.”

..... it continues

Vote for Your Favorite Grow Your Own Business Challenge Idea

Vote for Your Favorite Grow Your Own Business Challenge Idea
Your friend Mark Rauterkus has voted for a great business idea and wants you to help the best idea win! Meet the 5 finalists and the 3 team finalists: Your friend's message: You all need to rush to this site and vote for Aria, 12, and her quest to win a NATIONAL Biz Contest with her idea, Shine So Bright. Biz idea is a develop a crafter's kit for light up LED elements for clothing N@.
What's Next? Keep track of the Grow Your Own Business Challenge @

Sponsored By

Educational Partner

Secret Millionaires Club Created By

Produced By

| Produced by BKFK | 1177 High Ridge Road | Stamford, CT 06905 | www.bkfk.com |

 

Ride of silence.

Who: Cyclists -- road, recreation, commuter, race, triathlon. All who legally share the road.

What: The Pittsburgh arm of the worldwide Ride Of Silence™ bike rally. See http://rideofsilence.org

Why:

• to honor those cyclists injured or killed on public roadways

• to raise awareness of cyclists on the road

• to demonstrate responsible road sharing

• to show that cyclists are not going away

When: Wednesday, May 16, 2011, 7:00 PM. Gather at 6:45 PM (evening)

RAIN DATE: Monday, May 28, 2011, 6:45 AM (morning).

Check the WPW website (www.wpwbikeclub.org) for clarification if weather seems iffy.

Pittsburgh start location: Southside - 26th & Sidney (behind REI).

Route is 10 miles, roughly http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/34042598/

THE RIDE OF SILENCE WILL NOT BE QUIET

• On the third Wednesday of May around the world, cyclists will take to the roads in a silent protest of the carnage taking place on the streets.

• Chris Phelan organized the first Ride Of Silence in Dallas in

· 2003 after endurance cyclist Larry Schwartz was killed by a passing bus mirror on an empty road.

• The Ride Of Silence is a free ride that asks its cyclists to ride at a slow pace and remain silent during the ride.

• The ride hopes to raise cycling awareness during bike safety month to motorists, police, traffic engineers, insurance companies, and city officials. The ride is also a chance to mourn, in funeral procession style, those who have already been killed.

• The ride requests black arm bands be worn, red only if you have had a bike/motor vehicle accident. Helmets are required; bright clothing and lights are highly recommended for the ride home. There are no fees charged anyone to participate.

How we will ride in Pittsburgh:

• Double file, side by side, keeping to a single lane, and to the right of the yellow line where it exists. (Most of the roads we will use do not have lanes wide enough to safely share) Stop and wait at all red lights - we're a big group and will undoubtedly be breaking up and regrouping as we go along. If there is slower traffic in the lane, we'll just wait for it.

• Please bring bikes in good repair, as there will be no official mechanical support or transportation.

• Helmets are required. Ipods and the like are frowned upon.

• Children aged 12 and under should be in trailers, trail-a-bikes, tandems or the like, not riding independently.

• This ride takes place on city streets, with potholes, surface hazards, motor vehicles and other cyclists riding in close proximity.

• Participants must use their own judgment and be responsible for their own safety. If at any time, you feel that you can no longer participate safely, please pull off the route and wait until the rest of the ride has passed.

Pittsburgh Ride of Silence Contact for 2012: Jim Logan (jimlogan@verizon.net)

The Pittsburgh Ride of Silence is endorsed by Western Pennsylvania Wheelmen, Bike Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Major Taylor Cycling Club, and Flock of Cyclists.

The endorsers and organizer are bearing NO responsibility (financial or otherwise) for the ride. By endorsing it, we are simply stating we believe in the stated goals.

Best Attendance

This winter, I've been going to Westinghouse High School on Wednesdays to work with some of the kids who were interested in playing waterpolo. A dozen or so kids swam with me in the summer at PPS Summer Dreamers, and I wanted to keep them in the pool, even if only on a very limited basis.

They also had a chance to practice another three days a week with Coach Hosea for part of the winter. 

One of the swimmers, D.C., came to the pool more than the others. 

Here he is doing a bit of freestyle and breastroke. This summer, he was going across the pool. Now he is looking strong in the water with nice strokes.

Ribbon cutting for a new YMCA in Pittsburgh's Hill District

I am keen on the new YMCA on Centre Ave as I'll be taking our Summer Dreamers there. We'll use the swim pool for our Swim and Water Polo Camp in July and August 2012.

I had the pleasure of meeting Thelma a few time back in the day. She was a person who shared her thoughts at public comments in public meetings, as I've done as well. She is now living in Arizona and looked great at the ribbon cutting for the new facility.

New NCAA Term: Academic Red Shirt

Those who are now sophomores and freshmen, and younger, you need to bump up your studies and performances in high school so you can play NCAA Division I sports in college. Take a good course load. Get good grades. The 2.0 GPA is NOT going to cut it. 

Where is this? Leave a reply in the comments if you know or want to guess.

Fw: Junior Golf Weekend

From: "Marc Field" <tftpittsburgh@clubmailer.memfirst.net>

Dear TFTP Families, Volunteers & Friends,

This is a reminder that Saturday, May 5th is our First Tee Junior Golf Weekend at The Bob O'Connor Golf Course in Schenley Park.  It is an ideal opportunity for you to see our participants in action firsthand or to introduce our program to a friend, family member or potential donor.  The schedule is:

10 AM - Noon    Bob Ford, head pro at Oakmont Country Club will lead a youth clinic with members of the Tri-State PGA.  This is free and open to all kids ages 7 - 18 years old.

Noon - 1 PM     Members of the Greater Pittsburgh Golf Course Superintendents Association will lead a care of the course workshop highlighting our theme of Responsibility.  They will showing our juniors the proper way to RAKE their bunker, REPLACE their divot, and REPAIR their ball mark (YES!  We will have the debut of sand at The Bob!!).

Please forward and share this email with your friends and we hope to see you here on Saturday.

-- 
Marc Field
The First Tee of Pittsburgh
5370 Schenley Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
mfield@thefirstteepittsburgh.org
www.thefirstteepittsburgh.org
412-682-2403
412-682-2405 (fax)

The mission of TFTP is To impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf.

The First Tee of Pittsburgh is a United Way Donor Choice Agency.  You may direct your United Way contribution to #1436656.  Please consider the environment before printing this email. 

Four students from Obama Academy who made the CONA list

Worry time begins again!

Take a Father to School Day is coming

Mark Brently, Senior, Pgh Public Schools Board Member, has earned a
big award for the Take a Father To School event. It is coming soon.

Fwd: No Hulu for You

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Josh Levy, FreePress.net <info@freepress.net>

This is how we watch TV in the 21st century: We fire up our laptops, our Roku boxes or our mobile devices. We open Hulu. We search for Parks and Recreation. Done. But Hulu's owners — Disney, News Corp. and Comcast, which respectively own ABC, Fox and NBC — are trying to ruin this experience.1 If they have their way, you'll need a cable subscription to watch any TV show on the Internet. Tell the Three Top Executives of the Companies Behind Hulu: You Can't Stop the Future of TV Back in the days before cable, people paid nothing to access network TV over the air. But cable programmers introduced a new model: You pay a lot of money to subscribe to a bundle of channels and then you get all the TV shows you want — and many more that you don't want. It turns out people don't want to pay exorbitant fees for hundreds of channels they'll never watch (Bruce Springsteen wrote "57 Channels and Nothin' On" even before the advent of DogTV). Enter Hulu. The Internet TV site makes it easy for you to watch the shows you want to watch, when you want to watch them, for free. If you want to view them on your mobile device or with an Internet-connected TV, you pay a small monthly fee. That fee, along with traditional commercials, generates revenue. Hulu now boasts 31 million subscribers who like it that way. It's how many of us watch TV, and an innovative model for the future of online entertainment. But Hulu's owners, including Brian Roberts, Bob Iger and Rupert Murdoch, are chucking all of that out the window. These gatekeepers at Comcast, Disney and News Corp are moving to an "authentication" system that would allow only cable TV subscribers to access Hulu. Tell Hulu's Owners: Don't Destroy the Future of TV. These guys are trying to put the Internet genie back in the bottle while destroying the concept of free television that dates back to the earliest days of the medium. It's up to us to tell them to stop. Thanks, Josh, Tim, Candace and the rest of the Free Press team  1. "TV in Real Dime," the New York Post, April 30, 2012: http://act2.freepress.net/go/10025?akid=3486.8833392.17z-pO&t=6 P.S. Like our work? The Free Press Action Fund is powered by donations from people like you. We don't take a single cent from business, government or political parties. Please keep us going strong with a gift of $10 — or more — today. Thank you!

Free Press is a national, nonpartisan organization working to reform the media. Learn more at www.freepress.net. Join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Fwd: You're Invited: EPLC Education Policy Forum - May 17 - Pittsburgh

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: The Education Policy and Leadership Center

The Education Policy and Leadership Center is pleased to invite you to attend the

PENNSYLVANIA EDUCATION POLICY FORUM
"Western Pennsylvania Breakfast Series"
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Continental Breakfast - 8:00 a.m.
Program - 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.


Holiday Inn Pittsburgh University Center
(100 Lytton Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213)


SUBJECT:
College Completion Agenda


SPEAKERS:


Gregg Fleisher

National AP Training and Incentives Program Director,
National Math+Science Initiative



Marcus S. Lingenfelter
Director, State Government Relations, The College Board

Dr. James Moran
Vice Chancellor for Academic & Student Affairs,
Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and
Acting President, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Lumina Foundation, The College Board, and Complete College America are among just a few of the nation's leading organizations calling for a dramatic increase in the percentage of young adults with a 2-year college degree or more to at least 55%. In the recently released College Completion Agenda 2011 Progress Report, Pennsylvania (43.4%) ranks just above the national average of 41.3%, while it trails far behind neighboring states New York (49.2%), New Jersey (46.2%), and Maryland (46.1%). With educated citizens as the basis for innovative, productive, and healthy economies, Pennsylvania currently stands at a disadvantage.

This session will discuss the degree attainment/completion agenda landscape nationally and locally. It will include discussion of best practice policies and programs being utilized around the country seeking to "fix the leaky P-16 pipeline." Also included are a host of resources, data, and policy initiatives from the College Board's Advocacy and Policy Center (http://advocacy.collegeboard.org/).

The College Board's College Completion Agenda Report is available at http://completionagenda.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/reports_pdf/Progress_Report_2011.pdf

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Please RSVP Today!

Registration is free, but everyone must RSVP at http://www.eplc.org/events-calendar/western-pennsylvania-breakfast-series/.  Please share this invitation with your friends and colleagues.

Thanks to our Sponsors:
AFT Pennsylvania
Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties
College of Education - The Pennsylvania State University
Center for Educational Leadership - University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education
Educational Testing Service (ETS)
OnHand Schools
Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals
Pennsylvania Association of Intermediate Units
Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools
Pennsylvania Association of Pupil Services Administrators
Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators
Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials
Pennsylvania Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Pennsylvania Council on the Arts
Pennsylvania School Boards Association
Pennsylvania State Education Association
The College Board

Fw: Olympic Football tickets on sale 30 April

Dear Mark, Olympic Football tickets on sale tomorrow Tickets for the London 2012 Olympic Football Tournament, will go on sale at 11am tomorrow, Monday 30 April until 11pm on Sunday 6 May 2012. The Tournament will take place at six iconic venues in cities across the UK including Cardiff, Coventry, Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester and London. View or download the full Olympic Football Tournament schedule and prices Full price tickets start at just £20 with special prices for young people aged 16 and under and seniors aged 60 and over. Tickets can be purchased at www.tickets.london2012.com and will be sold on a first come, first served basis. Please note: tickets will not be available for all sessions and in all price categories. Purchasing Olympic Football tickets in this phase will not affect your eligibility for future Olympic Games and Paralympic Games ticket sales. Don't be fooled by bogus websites and organisations claiming to sell tickets to the Games. To check whether a website is an official sales channel please use our website checker As a proud sponsor of London 2012, Visa (debit, credit, prepaid) is the only card accepted for online ticket sales. London2012.com     Recommend to a friend     Privacy policy Twitter     Facebook     Youtube This communication originated from The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Limited, a company registered in England and Wales with its registered office at One Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5LN and registered number 05267819. The official ticketing website of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games is www.tickets.london2012.com. Nothing in this message or its attachments entitles you to purchase tickets to London 2012. Remaining tickets for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Game will go on sale in April 2012.