Grant gets a day of "Lump Camp"

We've made "Lump Camp" a regular part of our summers. That's when you sit around like a lump. Generally it is an all-day thing. But, we've been moving more and more to half-day lump camps.

Grant gets a full day of lump camp tomorrow, Saturday. Erik is in a two day meet. But Grant is only in events on Sunday. So, Grant has Saturday 'off.'

The summer schedule for Mondays to Fridays includes a swim practice from 7 to 9 am at Carlynton High School (indoor, 25 yards). Then there is a short drive and another swim practice, outdoors, 25 yards, at Crafton Swim Pool, from 9:30 to 11:30.

On some days the boys take a run and then swim in the second practice. Or, they'll do some sculling, reverse swimming, and other skills/drills with a script in the diving well for a good part of the second practice. But, Mike has been doing a lot of work on turns in that outdoor practice. I've been trying to teach lots of fly and breast in the first couple weeks. Almost all of the younger swimmers have mastered breast.

48 hour film event in Pittsburgh in August

Hello, my name is Rick Frisco and I am the local producer for the 48 Hour Film Project coming to Pittsburgh for the first time this year.

I am contacting you or your company to spark interest for Pittsburgh’s first annual 48 Hour Film Project.

Here is a little about how the festivities will be produced:

Write - Produce - Shoot - Edit ... All in 48 hours. That's the mantra behind this unique project.

The 48 Hour Film Project will be kicking off at The Star City Theatre in Bridgeville, PA, on August 3rd at 5:00 P.M. At 7:00 P.M., more than 40 Teams of filmmakers will be rushing off with their blind picks of; Genres, Characters, Props and Line of Dialogue to Write, Produce and Edit their films which are to be returned within 48 Hours.

We are expecting more than 40 teams of filmmakers to produce a 3-5 minute video for their entry. Our expectance is to have 3 screenings of 14 films at each screening, starting on the Tuesday, August 7th 2007 at The Star City Theatre and ending on Thursday August 9th.

Our Awards Ceremony will be held once again at the Star City Theatre on Saturday August 11th at 4:00 P.M. We are expecting to show 14 different films with the winning titles such as “Best use of Prop”, “Best use of Character”, "Audience Choice Winner” and also crowning “The best short film in Pittsburgh 2007” which will move on for a chance to face other cities in their quest for the Grand Prize. That team of filmmakers will have the chance to win the Showdown and win an HD camera and $10,000 from Visa.

More than 66 cities across the nation have promoted this project with spectacular results and sell out crowds at their screenings. Please take the time to review the projects website and see all the other happenings with this international phenomenon http://www.48hourfilm.com/Pittsburgh

We would like to extend the invitation not only to attend the screening of the films but to spend the weekend on set with any of the local film teams. Please let me know if you would like more information or to speak to me, or any of the local filmmakers competing in the weekend.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely yours,

Rick Frisco, “Local Producer”, 48 Hour Film Project
Email: rfrisco -at- remnsproductions -dot- com

Rick Frisco, RemNS Productions, 85 Williams Street, Brownsville, PA 15417
Email: rfrisco -at- remnsproductions -dot- com
Web: remnsproductions.com
Sign up for Pittsburgh's 48 Hour Film Festival August 2007!
http://www.48hourfilm.com/pittsburgh

I nuked the guy's cell phone number. But it was sent to me in his invite.

Saturday, June 30 -- parade in Crafton

I'm going to be in the Crafton Parade on Saturday, June 30 to represent the Crafton Crocodiles swim team.

We will meet at First United Presbyterian Church on Bradford Ave. @ 3:30 p.m. Parade Starts @ 4:00 p.m.

Ron Paul -- swim dad

Ron Paul's son was a nationally-ranked butterflier as an age group swimmer when he was in high school in Texas.

Hat tip to fellow swim coach, George Block, from Texas for that insight.

Water Polo Opportunities: July 1, 2, 3 -- and for 3 weeks in August in the mornings

I'm organizing two different water polo experiences. Anyone who can swim 4 lengths of the pool is welcome. Boys, girls, and adults. Rookies to the sport are encouraged to give it a go as well.

Our Crafton water polo team is still undefeated. That's right, we've never lost. (giggle)

We always have a good time and a great workout.

Info at these URLs (PDFs):

Three-weeks of clinics in August (from July 30 to August 17) from 9:30 to 11:30 am. Just $5 per week. More details.

With Crafton Celebrates, we'll do an intro clinic and a 'shoot-out' in the evenings of July 1, 2, and 3. Come to the park's swim pool and then go eat a hot dog or funnel cake without any guilt. Cost, again, is just $5 for one, two or three nights. I'll give away some fun gifts to those in the shootout. More details in PDF.

Feel free to pass the word about these events. You could take these one page posters, print them and display them at your local swim pool, library, school, or church. Feel free to give them out to neighbors too.

Biathlon: 5 K run + 1 K swim, July 4, 2007

Details, in PDF, about the Biathlon with Crafton Celebrates on the morning of July 4.

This is a brand new event. It is not expected to be large.

Want some free fatherhood info for your organization?

National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI) just released two RFPs for bundles of resources that community-based organizations can apply to receive at no charge. All that is required to potentially receive these resources is a little time and effort to write a brief proposal.

Please spread the word among your contacts. I have attached an announcement about the resources.

www.fatherhood.org

National Fatherhood Initiative Announces Two Request for Proposals (RFPs): We are currently offering quality resources FREE to eligible organizations.

DADDY PACK™ DISTRIBUTION GRANT Through this great opportunity, we're offering the Daddy Pack™, our BEST SELLING product, to organizations working with new and expectant dads! Up to 100 Organizations will receive $2500 worth of Daddy Packs™! Filled with important information about child health and safety, child development and more, this innovative resource has what new dads need to know to get involved with their little ones right from the start. Learn more about the Daddy Pack™ here FATHERHOOD RESOURCE CENTER DISTRIBUTION GRANT Complete with curricula, interactive resources, brochures, and posters, these resource centers have what you need to get dads involved! There are 145 fully-stocked resource centers available - each with $3,000 of resources! You can apply for the custom option which best suits your needs: 24/7 Dad Package New and Expectant Dad Package Comprehensive Fatherhood Package

For more information about the Daddy Pack™ opportunity, or to apply, click here Questions? Email us For more information about the Fatherhood Resource Center opportunity, or to apply, click here Questions? Email us *organizations may apply for, and possibly receive, both sets of resources* To learn more about the National Fatherhood Initiative visit www.fatherhood.org

Visit FatherSOURCE Learn more about our programs

Part time job

Environmental work in the city

The Pennsylvania Resources Council is currently searching for four to six part-time contract project assistants to support PRC staff in implementing a neighborhood recycling awareness campaign in the City of Pittsburgh. Interested individuals should send a cover letter and resume to David Mazza, Western Regional Director, via fax (412-488-7492) or email davem@ccicenter.org ASAP.

Invite: You can visit with us on the 4th of July

We are having our annual party / open house. Last year, Russ Diamond came to mingle and socialize.

Schedule: 6 pm badminton in the park by our house, 12th and Sarah Street. If you don’t want to play or watch badminton, plan to show up at the house (108 S. 12th Street) any time after 7 pm.

We’ll have the usual arts and crafts and some “water” games.

We supply napkins, plates, utensils, cups and lemonade and chips. If you want something more exciting (and we hope you do), please bring some to share (food or beverage).

You’ll be viewing the downtown fire works from our NEW deck just after dark. Yes, it is NEW. The deck is higher, larger, and really, really nice.

Plus, the room on the third floor where heads were often hit on the ceiling has changed as well. Come see the new room with 3 meter tall walls. We invite you to write a message on the unfinished inside walls (This year only!) that will be preserved with the house when we put up the final walls.

Everyone is welcome – please feel free to bring friends, relatives, etc.

If you need to reach us, email at mark@rauterkus.com.

Hope to see you. You can check out some of our New Zealand scrapbooks too.

Mark, Catherine, Erik, and Grant (plus our two cats)

PS: We're playing three evenings of coached water polo (any level) on July 1, 2 and 3 at the Crafton pool. Email for more information – it will be lots of fun.

The 'Burgh Works, A Pittsburgh Jobs Blog: Pennsylvania State Police Unveil New Cadet Recruitment Website

We have a problem with the recruitment of officers in the city and state. Perhaps one way to deal with the problem is to have fewer police forces. New Zealand has one police force for the entire nation. I don't advocate that solution, but it is interesting to study it. Today I talked to the Chief of the Pgh School District Police about that concept as we both were getting lunch at the Pickle Barrel.

The 'Burgh Works, A Pittsburgh Jobs Blog: Pennsylvania State Police Unveil New Cadet Recruitment Website We were notified recently that the State Police have unveiled a new cadet recruitment site at www.patrooper.com. The intent of the website is to make it easier to obtain information on becoming a Trooper as well as testing schedules and what current requirements are in effect. We found the new site very easy to navigate and well designed from a graphics standpoint. Information was easy to find and the overall effect is very web 2.0 (audio and video). State Police recruiters will be in attendance at our next big job fair on July 25th at Mellon Arena.

CollegeSwimming.com reports on White House visit: Brief - Body Suit? Bush Ops For Jammer

CollegeSwimming.com::Brief? Body Suit? Bush Ops For Jammer Auburn, which has won five consecutive men's national titles and five of the last six NCAA women's championships, presented the President with a beach towel with his name embroidered on it and both men's and women's Auburn swimsuits.

Blog Rankings:

This blog, Mark Rauterkus & Running Mates, was ranked #7 in the original rankings of the most influential political blogs in Pennsylvania.

Blue Flu Alert: Mayor wants 10 city officials to resign by Friday - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Insanity looks like this:

The mayor wants 10 city officials to resign by Friday - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Say 10 guys resign on Friday. And, say they walk off the job too. Hell might begin to freeze over.

I think this 'resignation request' might be the straw that breaks the back of a few of these guys. But, what about all ten? Solidarity could be very interesting.

Meanwhile, city residents get the shaft.

I know how hard it is to get good people to agree to run for public office. Getting great people to work in the public sector for goofy leadership, without being elected, is going to be much harder.

People vote with their feet. When things are not right, they notice. They walk. They don't subject themselves to crazy situations. People leave the city to live elsewhere. And, people will not have a great attraction to come to the city as residents nor as directors.

Rudy missing in action for Iraq panel - Newsday.com

Rudy missing in action for Iraq panel - Newsday.com WASHINGTON -- Rudolph Giuliani's membership on an elite Iraq study panel came to an abrupt end last spring after he failed to show up for a single official meeting of the group, causing the panel's top Republican to give him a stark choice: either attend the meetings or quit, several sources said.

Giuliani left the Iraq Study Group last May after just two months, walking away from a chance to make up for his lack of foreign policy credentials on the top issue in the 2008 race, the Iraq war.

Iowa -- let it rain let it rain let it reign

Ron Paul Excluded in Iowa

Iowans for Tax Relief and Iowa Christian Alliance will host a presidential candidates forum on Saturday, June 30th in Des Moines. Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney, Sam Brownback, Jim Gilmore, Mike Huckabee, Tommy Thompson, and Tom Tancredo will participate.

Ron Paul, however, will not participate. Why? Because he wasn’t invited.

We heard about this forum from numerous supporters in Iowa who asked why Dr. Paul was not going to participate. Those supporters assumed that Dr. Paul was invited.

The campaign office had not received an invitation so we called this morning; thinking we might have misplaced the invitation or simply overlooked it. Lew Moore, our campaign manager, called Mr. Edward Failor, an officer of Iowans for Tax Relief, to ask about it. To our shock, Mr. Failor told us Dr. Paul was not invited; he was not going to be invited; and he would not be allowed to participate. And when asked why, Mr. Failor refused to explain. The call ended.

Lew then called Mr. Steve Sheffler, president of the Iowa Christian Alliance, to talk with him. Mr. Sheffler did not answer so Lew left a message. He has yet to respond.

Why are the Iowans for Tax Relief and the Iowa Christian Alliance excluding the one Republican candidate who scored at the top of every online poll taken after the MSNBC, Fox News, and CNN debates? Why are they denying Iowans the opportunity to hear from the Republican presidential candidate whose popularity is growing by the day?

We couldn’t get answers to these questions from Messrs. Failor and Sheffler. Maybe you’ll have better luck. Their contact information is below.

It's ironic that on the same day we learned the Iowans for Tax Relief and the Iowa Christian Alliance excluded Dr. Paul from their candidates forum, we received a call from ABC News confirming Dr. Paul’s participation in its nationally broadcast August 5th debate to be held in Des Moines.

Kent Snyder, Chairman
Ron Paul 2008


Contact Information

Edward Failor
Iowans for Tax Relief
2610 Park Avenue
Muscatine, Iowa 52761
Phone: 563-288-3600 or 877-913-3600
Fax: 563-264-2413
E-mail: itr@taxrelief.org

Steve Sheffler, President
Iowa Christian Alliance
939 Office Park Road, Suite 115
West Des Moines, Iowa 50265
Phone: 515-225-1515
Fax: 515-225-1826
E-mail: slscheffler@iowachristian.com

Pittsburgh Pist-Gazette: Peduto Says Cool Hand Luke Out In Left Field

Pittsburgh Pist-Gazette: Peduto Says Cool Hand Luke Out In Left Field He Might As Well Ask For (Dan) Onorato's Resignation While He’s At It

During today’s City Council session, Councilman Bill Peduto read the City Charter rules as they pertain to the firings of department heads and directors. Something Mayor Lukey should have done prior to waving his hand, trying to get most of the 5th floor to disappear.

A couple of embarrassing points for an administration which is building its legacy on embarrassment ……

Great recap at the insanity that the rookie Mayor has caused.

I don't like to have an insult of being on some kind of meds, however. That is just silly and does not help the cause. There is plenty to be upset about for what it is without putting in some fictional boogie man causes.

Libertarians to gather on WED night this week.

Click here to check out
The Libertarian Party of Pittsburgh Meetup Group!

Working on a special event with Pirate game for end of summer for lifeguards and swimmers

Save the date: Sunday, September 30, 2007. That is the last game of the year for the Pittsburgh Pirates. We hope to pull together a special event with the game to honor and celebrate the end of the summer. And our special focus will be the swimmers, coaches, lifeguards and fitness participants and leaders who make the summer-time days safe and enoyable.

Ideas, co-organizers, volunetters are welcomed to join this effort.

Write to me via Mark -at- Rauterkus -dot- com or call my cell: 412 298 3432.

Nameless, faceless bloggers -- and why they occur withing and without the media

At another blog there is a thread about posting comments from those who don't sign their names.

One theory says that the anon postings are from those in the media. By and large, I don't agree.

Because one is in the media is not an excuse to use anon, UNLESS, you're media in Fiji. Fiji has had a military take over. The general / dictator has had a thing against bloggers and free press. So, anon bloggers and postings are needed, else one would be jailed or worse.

I venture that there are 100 or so that use, with monthly postings, the "Anon" handle. Perhaps 10% are media.

If there are anon posters in the media -- what the hell are they scared of? Are they chicken to stand by their words? Are they spineless?

For example, Jon Delano (KDKA) and Bob Mayo (WTAE) use their names, generally, I assume. Others in the media do as well.

The media has a job to do -- and that is to report. If the media people leverage influence to sway the news in ways they desire by using "anon" postings on blog comments, then there are concerns that should be pulled into the open. Does anyone want to pick a bone with media people posting in "anon" ways here?

My conclusion: I feel that they don't do that. It doesn't happen much.

Media posting in regular ways as anon is too bush-league for even the media around Pittsburgh.

Anon postings come from people who are citizens and fearful of powerful ones who are in government and in hiring capacities for other reasons. And, that fear is justified. And, those people are NOT generally 'media folks.'

Finally, I'm certain that the media folks READ blogs and do research. But, they'll be less engaged as people who 'post.'

Agree, or not? Use the comments and tell us why.

R.I.P. -- times NINE

Nine firefighters died in Charlestown, South Carolina, in a furnature warehouse blaze. Seems the roof fell on them.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/06/19/charleston.fire.ap/index.html

Life is precious. Let's end this theme on the blog now, shall we.

Update:

Terry Hoeppner, Big Ben's college coach, dies: "Indiana football coach Terry Hoeppner died today of complications from a brain tumor, a university spokesman said. He was 59."