What if the City League Sports Teams merged into the WPIAL?

The City of Pittsburgh school district has sports teams that form its own league, often called the City League, also known at PIAA District 8. In Roman Numerals, VIII. Isn't sports jargon something?

The City League plays various sports, but, all the teams from all the schools play in the same league but also play in the same "classification" for the regular season. The big schools are mixed in with the little schools. Every week there are games between the Davids and the Goliaths. When little Westinghouse plays Brashear or Allderdice, it is Westinghouse with the slingshot and the much larger student body on the other side of the pitch.

Meanwhile, in the WPIAL, the little schools play against the little schools. The middle sized schools play against the middle sized schools. And, guess what, the biggest schools play against the other big schools. This happens all the time, with the exception of a few exhibition games.

Competitive balance matters greatly in sports. In the city, there is none of that. In the rest of thw world, it is one of the most important features for competitions.

In some sports, such as soccer, there are three classifications. In other sports, such as basketball, there are presently four. The smallest schools are Single A. The largest are Quad A.

If the city sports teams merge into the WPIAL, a splendid benefit will be the on-going embrace of the classifications and an awareness of competitive balance. The soccer teams would play in one of three classifications based upon the student population of that school.

To be exact, the students of each gender in grades 9, 10 and 11 are counted, not grade 12. This counting happens every two years.

In the charts below various options are presented based upon the suggestion from some that the PPS schools should enter into "co-ops" as the teams migrate to the WPIAL. For example, with a co-op, the students of Pgh Sci-Tech might play on the same teams as the students of Pgh U-Prep. That's just one possible co-op example. With this example, every day after school the U-Prep students who wanted to play basketball would need to finish their school day at U-Prep and then get onto a bus and go to the gym at Pgh Sci-Tech, put on the Sci-Tech uniforms, and so on. Of course they'd need to try out and make the team first. Sci-Tech's team would have players from both Sci-Tech and U-Prep. Furthermore, the student population from both Sci-Tech and U-Prep would be counted as one unit so as to determine the team's classification.

The smallest schools are listed at the top of the list. The largest schools at the bottom. 

Pittsburgh Allderdice and Pittsburgh Brashear are big schools. No matter what, those teams from those schools would play in the 3A classification against the other giant schools in Western PA: Norwin, North Hills, Mt. Lebo.

But Pittsburgh has a number of smaller schools. Unlike the present city league, the teams at Langley, Oliver, Westinghouse would NOT need to play against the soccer powerhouse Allderdice and the over-reaching Schenley. Unless, of course, the ugly plan of coops is put into place. Then the kids at Langley would play with Brashear and face off with the big schools. And if Westinghouse joins with Allderdice, as one of the plans option reads, they would be playing against the bigger schools as well.

Kids from Pgh Westinghouse and Pgh Langley don't want to play all their soccer games against teams from Hempfield and Seneca Valley. Those kids play soccer year round. Those kids play with their soccer mates for years as they grow and develop in their respective soccer programs and reach varsity status in their high school teams.

For sure, the smaller schools have some talented players. But, the smaller schools don't have a full bench of year-round cup players. Often, varsity athletes at smaller schools get to play two or three sports per year where the players at the larger schools are often more devoted to a single sport and play year-round in that sport with camps, club programs and specific conditioning.

Pittsburgh Obama, in the chart below, given the assumptions of school enrollment, is posted as the second smallest school in the middle classification, Double A. But, if Pgh Obama should contract every so slightly, it would be one of the larger schools in Single A. That's a big difference. Playing Vincentian Academy, with 84 boys students, and playing against Hampton, West Mifflin and Montour means a great deal in terms of competitive balance.

What is worse is if Pgh Obama is forced to hook up in a boys coop with Pgh Sci-Tech and Pgh U-Prep. Then the side goes against Plum, Penn Hills and North Allegheny in every match. Getting a single win might be impossible.

This week those same kids, playing under the banner of Schenley, played against Norwin and Hampton and the combined scores for boys and girls games was 13 to 2.


Example 1: boys, soccer, 3 classifications in PIAA.

Boys Soccer Classifications:
Single A
Aquinas Academy of Pittsburgh, 20
Beaver County Christian, 33
Trinity Christian School, 38
Eden Christian Academy, 49
Geibel Catholic, 67
Quigley Catholic, 68
Saint Joseph, 72
Vincentian Academy, 84
Elderton, 91
North Catholic, 98
Winchester Thurston, 102
Monessen, 106
Sewickley Academy, 108
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, 115
Serra Catholic, 128
Pgh CAPA boys, 128
Bentworth, 136
Springdale, 141
Chartiers Houston, 148
Bethlehem Center, 149
Avonworth, 150
Neshannock, 150
Pgh Sci Tech, 150
Brentwood, 162
Riverview, 165
South Side, 171
Pgh Westinghouse, 171
Bishop Canevin, 175
Carlynton, 176
Pgh Oliver, 183
Pgh Langley, 188
Greensburg Central Catholic, 190
Pgh U-Prep, 190
Seton LaSalle, 199
Mohawk, 207
Shady Side Academy, 213
West Shamokin, 218
Riverside, 219
Freedom, 225

AA Classifications
Brownsville, 222
Pgh Obama, 225
South Allegheny, 230
Charleroi, 233
Steel Valley, 241
Ellwood City, 245
Quaker Valley, 246
Freeport, 250
New Brighton, 252
Burrell, 254
Southmoreland, 261
Washington, 263
South Fayette, 266
Deer Lakes, 267
Waynesburg Central, 267
Beaver, 279
East Allegheny, 282
Mount Pleasant, 285
Pgh CAPA girls, 285
Keystone Oaks, 296
Yough, 309
McGuffey, 317
Valley, 318
Blackhawk, 321
Derry, 321
South Park, 321
Highlands, 325
Kittanning, 325
Pgh Perry, 333
Indiana, 336
Belle Vernon, 346
Elizabeth Forward, 353
Pgh U-Prep + Pgh Sci-Tech, 340
Pgh CAPA (boys) + Pgh Obama, 353
Hopewell, 356
Thomas Jefferson, 358
Ambridge, 366
Uniontown, 375
Mars, 378
Knoch, 380
Greensburg Salem, 387
West Allegheny, 389
Pgh Carrick, 392
Pgh Obama + Pgh Westinghouse, 396
Hampton, 399
Montour, 403
West Mifflin, 406
Ringgold, 418

AAA Classification
Central Valley, 339
Trinity, 429
Chartiers Valley, 447
Moon, 465
Laurel Highlands, 481
Albert Gallatin, 482
Franklin Regional, 498
Pgh CAPA girls + Pgh Obama, 510
Pgh Perry + Pgh Oliver, 516
Peters Township, 541
Pgh Brashear, 558
Greater Latrobe, 560
Upper Saint Clair, 560
Kiski, 565
Woodland Hills, 565
Pgh Obama + Pgh Sci-Tech + U-Prep, 565
Plum, 568
Canon McMillan, 577
McKeesport, 578
Pine-Richland, 595
Gateway, 606
Fox Chapel, 610
Penn Trafford, 610
North Hills, 619
Pgh Allderdice, 625
Baldwin, 641
Connellsville, 643
Mount Lebanon, 658
Bethel Park, 665
Norwin, 666
Central Catholic, 670
Shaler, 677
Penn Hills, 686
Pgh Langley + Pgh Brashear, 746
Hempfield, 792
Pgh Allderdice + Pgh Westinghouse, 796
Seneca Valley, 899
North Allegheny, 984
Butler, 1107

Another look at the WPIAL merger with the city comes with a four classification sport. Soccer, as above, has three classifications. But boys basketball has four. Likewise, football has four classifications. But the PIAA wanted to make five for football a couple of years ago, and the WPIAL didn't want to do that as it would be impossible to have five games played at Heinz Field on one day.

Wilkinsburg does not filed a boys soccer team. But it does have a boys basektball team, in Double A.

Example 2: Boys Basketball Classifications (4 classes)
Single A
Trinity Christian, 38
Eden Christian, 49
Geibel Catholic, 67
Quigley Catholic, 68
Mapletown, 69
Saint Joseph, 72
Avella, 80
Vincentian, 84
Elderton, 91
North Catholic, 98
Western Beaver, 98
Cornell, 99
Winchester Thurston, 102
Jefferson Morgan, 104
Monessen, 106
Sewickley Academy, 108
Union, 112
West Greene, 112
Lincoln Park Charter, 113
OLSH, 115
Leechburg, 116
Clairton, 124
Carmichaels, 125
Rochester, 125
Serra Catholic, 128
Pgh CAPA boys, 128
Bentworth, 136

Double AA
California, 140
Springdale, 141
Aliquippa, 148
Chartiers Houston, 148
Bethlehem Center, 149
Avonworth, 150
Neshannock, 150
Pgh Sci Tech, 150
Wilkinsburg, 155
Frazier, 157
Jeannette, 158
Sto-Rox, 160
Brentwood, 162
Fort Cherry, 162
Riverview, 165
South Side, 171
Pgh Westinghouse, 171
Bishop Canevin, 175
Carlynton, 176
Northgate, 176
Shenango, 177
Pgh Oliver, 183
Burgettstown, 188
Pgh Langley, 188
Laurel, 189
Greensburg Central Catholic, 190
Pgh U-Prep, 190
Seton LaSalle, 199
Apollo Ridge, 202
Mohawk, 207
Shady Side Academy, 213
West Shamokin, 218
Riverside, 219
Brownsville, 222
Freedom, 225
Pgh Obama, 225
South Allegheny, 230
Charleroi, 233
Steel Valley, 241
Ellwood City, 245
Ford City, 245
Quaker Valley, 246
Beaver Falls, 247
Summit Academy, 248
Freeport, 250
New Brighton, 252

Triple A
Burrell, 254
Southmoreland, 261
Washington, 263
South Fayette, 266
Deer Lakes, 267
Waynesburg Central, 267
Beaver, 279
East Allegheny, 282
Mount Pleasant, 285
Pgh CAPA girls, 285
Keystone Oaks, 296
Yough, 309
McGuffey, 317
Valley, 318
Blackhawk, 321
Derry, 321
South Park, 321
Highlands, 325
Kittanning, 325
Pgh Perry, 333
Indiana, 336
Central Valley, 339
Pgh U-Prep + Pgh Sci-Tech, 340
Belle Vernon, 346
Elizabeth Forward, 353
Pgh CAPA boys + Pgh Obama, 353
Hopewell, 356
Thomas Jefferson, 358
New Castle, 360
Ambridge, 366
Uniontown, 375
Mars, 378
Knoch, 380
Greensburg Salem, 387
West Allegheny, 389
Pgh Carrick, 392
Pgh Obama + Pgh Westinghouse, 396
Hampton, 399
Montour, 403
West Mifflin, 406
Ringgold, 418
Trinity, 429

Quad A Classification
Chartiers Valley, 447
Moon, 465
Laurel Highlands, 481
Albert Gallatin, 482
Franklin Regional, 498
Pgh Perry + Pgh Oliver, 516
Peters Township, 541
Pgh Brashear, 558
Greater Latrobe Senior, 560
Upper Saint Clair, 560
Kiski, 565
Woodland Hills, 565
Pgh Obama + Pgh Sci-Tech + Pgh U-Prep, 565
Plum, 568
Canon McMillan, 577
McKeesport, 578
Pine-Richland, 595
Gateway, 606
Fox Chapel, 610
Penn Trafford, 610
North Hills, 619
Pgh Allderdice, 625
Baldwin, 641
Connellsville, 643
Mount Lebanon, 658
Bethel Park, 665
Norwin, 666
Central Catholic, 670
Shaler, 677
Penn Hills, 686
Pgh Langley + Pgh Brashear, 746
Hempfield, 792
Pgh Allderdice + Pgh Westinghouse, 796
Seneca Valley, 899
North Allegheny, 984
Butler, 1107

Coops stink for PPS.

NCAA Division Swimming Rankings

Division III
Men's Team Rankings

1 Kenyon 425, 2 Denison 399, 3 Emory 347, 4 Kalamazoo 292, 5 Johns Hopkins 290, 6 Washington (Missouri) 267, 7 Stevens Institute 233, 8 MIT 214, 9 Williams 196, 10 Amherst 194, 11 TCNJ 177, 12 DePauw 158, 13 Carnegie Mellon 154, 14 Washington and Lee 143, 15 Hope 140, 16 Middlebury 137, 17 UW-Stevens Point 127, 18 Grove City 124, 19 Chicago 123, 20 Carthage 93, 21 St. Olaf 91, 22 Tufts 88, 23 Case Western Reserve 85, 24 St. Thomas (Mn) 79, 25 Olivet 78

Women's Team Rankings

1 Emory University 375, 2 Denison University 351, 3 Kenyon College 342, 4 Williams College 270, 5 C-M-S 214, 6 Johns Hopkins 205, 7 Amherst College 199, 8 MIT 169, 9 UW-Stevens Point 162, 10 WashU 146, 11 Carthage College 144, 12 Stevens Institute 118, 13 UW-LaCrosse 117, 14 Grove City College 99, 15 Chicago 87, 16 Carnegie Mellon 85, 17 Hope College 85, 18 Calvin College 83, 19 Ithaca College 82, 20 Mary Washington 82, 21 Kalamazoo 65, 22 Middlebury 62, 23 Gustavus Adolphus 60, 24 Keene State 59, 25 Springfield 58,

Division II Dual Meet Poll - AP Format

Women's Team Rankings
1 Grand Valley State 421,  2 Ashland 341,  3 UC-San Diego 328,  4 Drury 298,  5 Incarnate Word 293,  6 Ouachita Baptist 292,  7 California-PA 254,  8 Truman State 234,  9 Indianapolis 229,  10 Tampa 229,  11 CW Post 222,  12 Indiana -Pennsylvania 206,  13 Wingate 204,  14 West Chester 190,  15 Bridgeport 150,  16 Grand Canyon 136,  17 Clarion 130,  18 Nova Southeastern 123,  19 Henderson State 118,  20 Southern Connecticut 106,  21 Wayne State 104,  22 Saint Cloud State 98,  23 Pace 84,  24 Findlay 79,  25 Hillsdale 67

Men's Team Rankings  

1 Ashland 439,  2 Missouri S&T 385,  3 Grand Valley State 372,  4 Drury 357,  5 Incarnate Word 341,  6 Wayne State 327,  7 UC-San Diego 282,  8 Nova Southeastern 281,  9 Ouachita Baptist 275,  10 Wingate 273,  11 Florida Southern 252,  12 Indianapolis 198,  13 Queens University 197,  14 Grand Canyon 178,  15 Bridgeport 161,  16 Southern Connecticut 148,  17 Tampa 124,  18 Lewis 116,  19 Texas at Permian Basin 111,  20 West Chester 109,  21 Henderson State 107,  22 Limestone 104,  23 Mesa State College 98,  24 Bloomsburg 85,  25 Clarion 79

At first, plans put green in place of Igloo

At first, plans put green in place of Igloo

GRASS. Great.

Councilman protests South Side patrol cancellation

Councilman protests South Side patrol cancellation

Pittsburgh City Councilman Bruce Kraus today sent a letter to Mayor Luke Ravenstahl complaining about the abrupt cancellation of special police details last week in the South Side entertainment district.

The city had saturated the neighborhood with police on recent weekends amid complaints from Mr. Kraus and residents about illegal parking, public urination and other problems connected with weekend revelers.

Mr. Kraus said he was pleased with the progress being made and stunned when the city canceled the operation with little explanation last weekend. Even stranger, he said, the cancellation was announced just hours after the city said the special patrols would continue.


Read more: http://post-gazette.com/pg/10314/1102176-100.stm#ixzz14uH6jIrf

I think I did a post on this latest folly from Bruce. KDKA Radio was reporting that the sweeps were nixed after Bruce went to the mayor's office and had a melt down that began with some conversation about the loan that was promised but not delivered to the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.

Last night the police were in the South Side, in force, giving out tickets to those who ran the red light at 10th Street and East Carson Street. There were nearly a dozen motorcycle police and when I walked past -- three were giving out tickets a couple blocks away and another batch were on their motorcycles ready to swoop as any driver pushed the yellow light into red and dared to pass through the intersection.

Freediver Carlos Coste sets new world record with 150m swim through cave | Mail Online

Freediver Carlos Coste sets new world record with 150m swim through cave | Mail Online

This is a worthy read. Hat tip to ASCA.

Pittsburgh Public Schools -- THIS SUCKS!

Pittsburgh Public Schools shuffles reconfiguration plan - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

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.

"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.

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.

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.

Water Polo Streaming annoucement

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

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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 Live Need 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.

To unsubscribe from this email, click here

Fw: Faith in America Releases Ground-Breaking New Report

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

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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

Friends,   Today, Faith in America released its ground breaking new report calling upon LGBT organizations and individuals to adopt powerful new messaging and strategies designed to attack religion-based bigotry as the biggest obstacle to achieving full equality.   Get the report here:   This report is not the final word on this important topic, but it provides powerful and effective messages that will elevate this discussion in a significant way. We hope LGBT leaders and activists will take time to read the report, absorb it and use the tools and arguments we are providing to improve the intersection between religion and homosexuality.   The following are core messages from Faith in America's report. We encourage people, especially LGBT organizations to adopt this language when addressing those who espouse religion-based bigotry.   1.      Religion-based bigotry causes enormous harm to LGBT people, especially young, vulnerable teens.   More than a million LGBT teens are suffering debilitating depression because their families and religious institutions see them as deviants. Suicide rates amongst LGBT youth are four times higher than those of heterosexual youth.   LGBT people are victims of discrimination and bigotry, which are often justified and promoted by religious teachings that say homosexuality is immoral, sinful or an abomination. If we don't talk about it, no one will know how much hurt and suffering it causes. It is particularly important for those in the religious movable middle to hear this, because no concept is more antithetical to the faith values of love and compassion than causing harm to others.   2.    Sexual orientation is a natural part of a human's being whether heterosexual, bisexual or homosexual. Studies have shown that if a person believes sexual orientation is a choice, they are 70% more likely to be against LGBT equal rights (2007 Gallup's annual Values and Beliefs Survey). Conversely, if a person believes sexual orientation is part of how you are created, they are 70% more likely to be in favor of LGBT equal rights. We've learned there is something much deeper here that we need to address. The religious teachings that many people of faith embrace play an important role in whether people see being gay as a choice. Many people of faith believe the heterosexuality is the normal and natural expression of sexuality, while homosexuality is a conscious choice to deviate from this norm. We must educate Americans on the scientific facts about sexual orientation. Homosexuality is not a deliberate choice. It is innate to most people. One's sexual orientation is not a deliberate decision to act against God's will.   3.    Religion-based bigotry against LGBT people is wrong…just as it was wrong to use religious teachings to justify discrimination against Native Americans, African Americans, minority religious groups, woman and interracial couples.   Demonstrating a parallel between historical bigotry against other groups and the attitudes of some people today toward homosexuality is one of the most effective ways to educate people about the denial of equal rights to the LGBT community. Getting people to recognize religion-based bigotry as a common denominator in prejudice and discrimination toward minorities is not a shortcut for changing attitudes but Faith in America has found it to be an effective educational tool for bringing awareness and understanding.   Please take the time to read the full report and then share it with your friends and family. Please also consider a donation to help us with this important work. We can't do it without your help.   Thank you,   Steve Hildebrand Follow FIA on Facebook and Twitter

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!

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.

Have a good time.

---

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.

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.

###
 

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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?

Latest results and fixtures: African Women Championship 2010

Latest results and fixtures: African Women Championship 2010

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.

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.

City schools seeking input on athletics

City schools seeking input on athletics

PPS 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.

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

Announcing a new Meetup for The Ron Paul Revolution: Pittsburgh!

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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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.

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.

Yep, We saw some animals in our trip to South Africa.

Schenley High School Basketball at the Civic Arena in State Finals

Blast from the past:

Part 1:


Part 2:


Part 3:


Part 4:


Second Half:
Part 1:


Part 2:


Part 3:


Part 4:

East Pittsburgh Job Fair with more than 80 employers -- Please share out

Part time and full time positions are available. Please forward this information out to your contacts. Attached is copy of the flyer that has all the employers listed.

November 9^th East End Works JOB FAIR

The East End Works Collaborative, made up of more than 20 city-wide organizations, is hosting a Job Fair on Tuesday, Nov. 9 from 3:30-6:00pm at Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 250 N. Highland Avenue (across the street from Home Depot).

The Job Fair will feature more than 70 employers from banks, healthcare, education, retail, and more. Find a job or move up the ladder. Dress professionally and bring your updated resume. For more information, call the Eastside Neighborhood Employment Center at 412-362-8580.

Light Up Night in Pittsburgh with a Fireworks Paddle

Light-Up Night Fireworks Paddle

When: Friday, November 19, 2010 7:00 PM

Where: Newport Marina
929 W. North Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15233

Pittsburgh's Light-Up Night has changed a lot over the years. Originally a kickoff for the Downtown Christmas shopping season, it's becoming a real festival, with stage shows, parades, the lighting of Christmas light displays, a big party on the Clemente Bridge with food and music. And of course, since this is Pittsburgh, fireworks! Join us for a short November paddle up the Ohio River to Downtown to check out the festivities and watch the fireworks.

We'll put in at the ramp at Newport Marina on the North Side. It will be a short 1.5-mile paddle up to the Roberto Clemente Bridge. There will be lots of activity on the bridge, people all along the riverfront, and boats lit up with Christmas lights. Let's be part of the spectacle! I'm lighting up my kayak with one or two strings of battery-powered LED Christmas lights, $10 each at Target (among other places).

The water will be 50 degrees, so everyone should think a little about safety. PFD's are mandatory, as always. Wear a wet suit or dry suit if you have one. If not, you should at least bring a change of clothes in a dry bag, just in case you take an accidental swim. I'll have my marine radio on board, bring yours if you have one. Worst case, if one of us went in the cold water and had difficulty getting back in their boat, River Rescue would be a couple of minutes away.

Directions -

• Come across the Ft. Duquesne Bridge (or down I-279 from the North Hills) onto Rt. 65 North.
• Take the Chateau Street exit at the West End Bridge interchange.
• Follow Chateau St 1/2-mile.
• Stay to the left, and take the U-turn under the highway onto Beaver Avenue.
• Two blocks ahead, turn right onto North Avenue.
• Meet in the parking lot on the right, at the end of North Ave.
• The marina is across the parking lot, along the riverfront trail.

This is the last-chance paddling event of the year for all but the most hard-core kayakers. Last year, there were two dozen kayakers on the water, at night, late in November. This year, I'm sure there will be more. It's a fun event - hope you can make it!

RSVP to this Meetup:
http://www.meetup.com/kayaking-129/calendar/15305837/

We've been doing some traveling...

That's me with the camel back (filled with water) as we hiked out into the bush of South Africa on foot, single file, behind the guide / ranger who was armed with a rifle.

David Batzofin of Joberg was with us at Idube, part of the Sabi Sands section in central South Africa. Sabi Sands is connected to Kruger National Park in terms of how the animals walk. David is a great travel companion and he had a great camera with us on the walk and in the Landrover. He was on assignment as a travel photographer and journalist. See his blog at http://davidbatzofin.blogspot.com.

Blogging about Idube: http://davidbatzofin.blogspot.com/2010/11/idube-game-reserve.html

Fwd: Mt. Lebo school renovation

for your amusement...from Larry Evans:

Signage of the Times

At recent Mount Lebanon Commission and School Board meetings, exasperated residents have testified that they are practically going out of their minds over all the delaying tactics tossed at the Mount Lebanon High School renovation project.  Well, I'm already there – completely bonkers - over this controversial issue.  Not so much over whether we spend 75 or 113 million – either way we all know that we will get what we pay for. To me this ain't so much about the kids anymore.  It's coming way too late to benefit my two.  What's driving me nutty is a nitwit neighbor of mine trashing my "Save Our School" lawn signs - 3 times now and counting.  Could this sign stalking midnight marauder still be mired in that 70s tune "Signs, Signs, everywhere Signs, blocking up the scenery breaking my mind" (thank you 5 Man Electrical Band) or what?

Now I would argue that lawn signs define our civilization just as usefully as billboards and bumper stickers keep our attention focused on the road.  Sloganeering signage has probably put more dents in fenders than in voter opinion.  The most bold and amusing of bumper stickers I saw in Manhattan. It read "Can't you see I'm on the phone!"  I remember handing out a whole box of McGovern/Shriver buttons in '72 and somehow we still lost that election plus the Vietnam War to boot.  Heck, it was only with this recent Obama election that I morphed from signage challenged to signing on to Barrack's hopemobile. The idea of plopping America's global melting pot poster boy into the White House was just too delicious to pass up for a previously hopeless liberal such as I.

And I was proud enough of my Obama stickers to keep 'em on a whole year until 2010 census work made me cover up my left wing leanings.  I enjoyed my G-man work immensely by the way – wore an Elliot Ness overcoat covering my always at the ready imaginary tommy gun, parked anywhere I damn pleased and made census avoiders scurry like rats into their basements and defiant libertarians spew their bizarre conspiracy theories all over their front porches while peering ever so nervously up to the sky at my hovering black helicopter friends…but I digress.

Let me tell you what happened these last two weeks to my signs.

I placed 2 in my yard on Kurt Drive, another couple on a fellow soccer dad's lawn up the street facing Lakemont Drive, plus gave out two more to Tour de Lebo bikers to place on Folkstone and Sunrise Drives.  Had the neighborhood pretty much covered. So that's 6 signs times 3 thefts which equals 18 signs times $3 per which is a collective $50+ heist. Add my pain and suffering and it's really way over a hundred bucks of virtual visual vandal damage.

Dashed was my dream of that star spangled summer evening round about 3 years down the road when our town's July 4^th fireworks  would light up the sky and we Leboites would not have to lay our collective squint on some shoddy, moldy and last century oldie school building – but rather we would instead spy upon a glistening new Lebo High Spaceship lifting our kids and grand children to Emerald City educational bliss and Friday Night Football heights which would make Upper Saint Clair, Bethel and Peters town folk rue their days of excessive haggling over their meager school do-overs! 

When I surveyed the initial theft scene, my first impulse was to simply electrify my next pair of "save our school" signs.

This was a promising plan but then my wife reminded me of the many canines that tended to relieve themselves on our premises and the image of a pee line transforming into a doggie death ray led to her confiscation of my extension chords.

This imposed cease fire got me to thinking "What would Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction do in this situation?" That's right - I would "try real hard, Ringo, to be the Sheppard!"

So I re-set the new placards in the exact same spots but this time attached a brilliant red balloon to each figuring that this kind of guy just might need a balloon and knowing no-one would consciously abuse a red balloon – especially not one just like that kid's in that Red Balloon book we all have most assuredly read several times.

The next morning the sun again rose wondrously over our blue and gold skyline and I peeked out the window and saw that the SOB had run off with my second round of signs - plus savaged them all over the street, red balloons popped.  This was not good. Not good at all.

So I got out my magic markers, and quickly drew up a poster that read "hey (followed by a rough drawing of a screw and a ball)!  Quit stealing our signs!"  And scribbled below that "it's wabbit season" signed E Fudd. Heh, heh, heh.

Plus I got my sledge hammer out and pounded the steel spikes of this looney toon warning and 4 new "Save Our School" signs as far into the ground as they would go figuring that would hinder the next rip off attempt.

 At daybreak, after gathering my PPG and checking to see if Luke Hagy had scored his usual 3 Blue Devil TDs, I glanced towards my signage and there stood practically smoldering  - 4 naked, bent steel towers looking like ground zero. The sign stealer had somehow grasped that the signs actually slipped off very easily from their steel stems…

What was different this time from the earlier attacks was that there was no evidence lying about on the pavement, no chance for retrieval and proper burial. My signs were now hostages in the clutches of an anon nutcase.

The new sign reinforcements weren't in yet so my lawn was to remain a battleground lost for several days…unless I would muster the singular courage to go on the offensive.  So I drew up a second hand made placard showing Bugs Bunny proclaiming "This Means WAR!" (thank you Mel Blanc) and I email blasted a cry for help and found that indeed others had endured similar attacks on their signage as well as veiled threats to their very personhood.  The targets included school board members and mild mannered musicians… Police reports had been filed and suspected bad guys fingered.  Lo and behold two suspects lived right down on Lindendale!

This made me shudder since only a while back I unwittingly precipitated a runaway softball incident that rained down unmercifully on Lindendale folk and it occurred to me that maybe some lindendaleones might still harbor a grudge of some kind...

Are you still reading this?

Good.

Here's what happened…It was a dark and stormy evening when I parked my van heading up Kurt Drive so that my fastpitch softballing daughter Jen could run into the house to escape the rain. I got out my driver's side and opened the back hatch to fetch the equipment and was clobbered in the groin by a tumbling ball bag that Jen had hurriedly propped on top of the unstable bat bag and also neglected to zipper up and it plunged onto the street and a good two dozen greenish yellow softballs bounded to freedom past me and down our very steep incline.  Unfortunately coming up the hill were some cars. An elderly man drove the first, and having witnessed the entire episode, stopped in his tracks and pounded his steering wheel hysterically laughing at my pathetic attempt to run down a few of the escapees. A lady in the car behind him, fearing the worst, did a duck and cover.  A third car driven by a teenager tried to do a u-turn but only provided a tempting broadside target for the rapidly accelerating balls. Some of the balls made it clear to the Lindendale curb and bounded right, careening all the way down to Cedar Blvd, I guess to find a waterlogged resting place as close as possible to the softball fields. Others hung a hasty left and were unceremoniously gobbled up by a hungry sewer. Still others catapulted over the curb and into the several yards seemingly safely tucked away far below street level.  The crashing noises and the screaming subsided after only a few minutes and I wondered whether this softball debachle would ever come back to bite me…

So honorable commissioners, this is probably why these few isolated, scared neighbors of mine continue to haunt your chambers to oppose soccer fields, swimming pools and adequate police protection. They obviously detest sports and shiny new buildings and have taken to cannibalizing signage and now are ganging up on your "Commissioner's Parking Spaces"… something I and maybe you never even knew you had and I bet they just found out about as well...

Oh I so long for the daze when we just sipped our tea and acted civilily!

That's all folks!

Larry Evans

Water polo clinic and all stars

American Water Polo is proud to inform you of the 2010 Collegiate Water Polo Association's Eastern's Clinic and All-Star game hosted at Bucknell University on Saturday, November 20^th.

 The Eastern's Clinic will begin at 8:45 am and run until 11:15 am. Immediately following the clinic will be the all-star game, starting at 11:30 am. Once again, two-time Olympian Brad Schumacher will be making the trip from California to host the clinic. It is open to male and female athletes ages 10 to 18. We ask that your athletes register by November 5^th.

This year the Eastern's All-Star game will be between the Pennsylvania all- stars and the East Coast all-stars. The East Coast all-stars will be comprised of all athletes from all states other than Pennsylvania. The decision to make a Pennsylvania all-star team is based on the fact that the Eastern Championship is hosted in Pennsylvania. Each all-star team will have a roster of 14 players. In order to determine the top 14 players, we ask each coach to nominate 1 to 3 players, in order of rank, and have their nominations in by noon on Wednesday October, 27^th. We will be announcing the team by Friday October, 29^th. If your team is a public high school, your nominees must be seniors.

The Eastern's All-Star game and Clinic are both great opportunities for your athletes to be scene by college coaches. American Water Polo has specifically coordinated these two events to be held on the same weekend as the Men's Division I Eastern Championship. The top eight east coast programs will be competing to advance to the Men's Division I final four. Your athletes also have the opportunity to witness first hand some of the best water polo being played on the east coast.

Please contact myself or Tom Tracey as soon as possible. We will be selecting the all- star team in the afternoon of Wednesday October 27^th. Nominations that are received after 12 pm on the 27^th will not be considered for nomination.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you,

 

Alex Bond

American Water Polo, Membership Services

320 West 5^th Street, Bridgeport, PA 19405

610-277-6787 Office 610-277-7382 Fax

The death of an open water swimmer in a meet at UAE is so sad.

Wow. We are shocked at this news.

Fran Crippen, 26, died Saturday during the last leg of the Marathon Swimming World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

This is bad, bad news.

My wife and I went to the UAE in May of this year. We did visit a beach but didn't swim in open water -- but -- I wanted to do so. And, we even had a companion, a master swimmer from Omaha, that was about to join us. Swimming around The Palm was in our sights, but, the hours were pressing. We went to the pool instead.

UAE has some places that have great skin diving along a reef.

UAE's tradition also includes lots of pear diving where guys in boats worked with weights tied to their legs to easily get to the depths -- and then are pulled topside with bags while wearing gloves.

Ugh.

We are in South Africa now and did a little swim today at the resort pool. No open water is in our future here -- yet. Durbin would be the place to do it but we didn't have any time there. Just into the new airport and a drive to the Campagne Sports Resort at Drakensberg. Won't be interested in open water in Kruger either.

Our driver the other night told us of some folks who swim to South Africa from the neighbors to the north, fleeing border guards. They travel the width of the river with a chicken on a rope at the end of a stick on the back of a croc. No joke. They use the animal for a ride by climbing on its back.

I asked what about another joining in to grab the chicken before one had covered the width of the river. Then what.

This had been a rumor here, but, was confirmed by a journalist who went to find the area and witnessed such a crossing.

Later in South Africa there is a water polo match and it would be great to find its location and try to get there, but, we'll see.

Had a great talk yesterday with a ENT doctor from Cape Town who had been to Pittsburgh twice. He has two sons, like us, who are exactly the same ages as Erik and Grant. And he is a master swimmer. He would have been in the SA Masters Championships this weekend, but this conference is in the way.

We are at the 46th Congress for South African Society of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery in assocation with the South African Association of Audiologists and South Africa Head & Neck Oncology Society.

Got to run. Tennis under the lights is in ouer future. Played 18 holes of golf today. Grant is hitting par and often 1 over par by a foot. We are hitting the cup with the putt from 10-foot, and it rims out.

RIP Crippen. Peace to all.

Save the date: Nov 8, 9 and 18th at 6 pm

There are some public meetings slated for 6 pm to 8 pm on November 8, 9 and 18th at various Pittsburgh Public School buildings. Details later. Save the date. Your participation welcomed!

Fw: Urgent.. Are you attending the Lights On After School Event TODAY?

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

---

From: RFlanag@aol.com

Date: Thu, 21 Oct 2010 12:32:04 EDT

To: <rflanag@aol.com>

Subject: Urgent.. Are you attending the Lights On After School Event TODAY?

Show your support for After School Programming.  Attend today's event.

 

 

 

 

 

Contact: Stephen MacIsaac, Executive Director                    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tel. 412.363.1914 office - Tel. 412.519.6793 cell

macisaac@wireless-neighborhoods.org

 

'LIGHTS ON AFTERSCHOOL' EVENT CELEBRATES CITY-WIDE PROGRAMMING

After-school programs to be celebrated through national awareness campaign

 

(Pittsburgh, PA –October 20, 2010) – After-school programming, an essential function of the development of Pittsburgh's youth, will be celebrated tomorrow at the "Lights On Afterschool" event.

 

This event, one of 7,500 similar events nation-wide, is part of the Afterschool Alliance's effort to raise awareness about the importance of afterschool programming. It is an exciting chance to learn more about programs taking place in the community, and it a great opportunity this year to show support for American youth.

 

Afterschool programming plays a significant role in Pittsburgh's communities.

·         26 % of Pennsylvania's K-12 children are left unsupervised after school (American After 3 PM, 2009)

·         The hours between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. show the highest instance of juvenile crime and experimentation with drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and sex (Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, 2002)

·         32 % of PA Children not in an afterschool program would attend, were one available. (America After 3 PM, 2009)

 

Activities will include:

·         "Best Practices" Showcase: An opportunity to see afterschool programs in action!

·         Provider Fair: Meet the community partners who make afterschool programs possible

·         Youth Entertainment: Our kids aren't just smart, they're talented too!

·         Guest Speakers: Local leaders share how afterschool programs have affected their lives.

 

This event is hosted by Wireless Neighborhoods, Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation, Pittsburgh Public Schools and many valued community and faith partners. Attendees will send a strong message to lawmakers and community leaders that Pittsburgh's youth are valued and afterschool programming is recognized and plays in the growth and development of Pittsburgh's children.

 

                   Where:          Pittsburgh Peabody High School

                                      515 N. Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206

         

When:           Thursday, October 21, 2010

4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

         

 

For more information on Wireless Neighborhoods, please visit www.wireless-neighborhoods.org.

###

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fw: First Tee Mentor Program

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

---

From: Firstteepitt@aol.com

Date: Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:16:18 EDT

To: <firstteepitt@aol.com>

Subject: First Tee Mentor Program

Hi First Tee Friends,

 

The First Tee of Pittsburgh (TFTP) will be starting a mentor program with our friends at East End Cooperative Ministry (EECM) this fall and we are looking for male mentors, (our program for girls will begin in six months).

 

TFTP is a non profit youth development agency that uses golf instruction as a vehicle to teach kids life skills in four target areas: interpersonal communication, self-management, goal setting and resilience skills.

 

EECM is a faith based social service agency whose youth programs reach out to kids facing the challenges of delinquency, family dysfunction, social detachment, academic underachievement, and violence in their neighborhoods.

 

At this stage we are planning to hold our sessions on Thursday evenings from 5:30 - 7:30-ish every other week for a total of 32 sessions.

 

These sessions will include a First Tee Life Skills clinic, led by one of our coaches who will prepare a complete lesson plan, an informal dinner with the mentees, and opportunities for dinner speakers, mini-workshops, tutorials, and more.

 

In order to let potential mentors better understand the scope of the program and the commitment we are inviting everyone to attend an informational meeting at the Bob O'Connor Golf Course in Schenley Park on Thursday, November 4 at 7 PM.  At that time we will present all information and answer your questions.

 

We are very excited to be launching "Phase II" of our mentor program and to have EECM as a program partner.  This is a wonderful way to have a positive effect on a young person that will have life-long impact.

 

Please share this with any friends or fellow employees who may be interested. We look forward to seeing you on November 4.

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

The First Tee of Pittsburgh is a United Way Donor Choice Agency.
You may direct your United Way contribution to #1436656

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A Big Step for the Independent Sports Blogosphere

A Big Step for the Independent Sports Blogosphere

Want To Reduce Concussions NFL? Ditch The Helmets

Want To Reduce Concussions NFL? Ditch The Helmets

The foolish thing about all this is that the easiest way the NFL can actually prevent helmet to helmet hits is to do one very simple, yet controversial thing…get rid of the helmets.

That’s right, get rid of em. Ditch em. Forget about em. There have been a number of studies that show that the helmets themselves are probably the cause of a lot of these injuries, if you wanna read an excellent article on it, check this out from the Wall Street Journal last year.

NFL fines Steelers' Harrison $75,000; Harrison: 'It was a legal hit'

NFL fines Steelers' Harrison $75,000; Harrison: 'It was a legal hit'

Steelers linebacker James Harrison has been fined $75,000 by the NFL for his helmet-leading hit that caused Browns wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi to receive a concussion. Harrison was not suspended.

Read more: http://post-gazette.com/pg/10292/1096447-66.stm#ixzz12qMfRHmn

Ouch.

I told my sons that in 10 years, football will be dead. Boxing is. Football is next. Just a prediction. I don't really want to see that come to pass, but all this buzz about head injuries is not to be ignored.

Education Week: Gwinnett County, Ga., Wins $1M Broad Prize

Education Week: Gwinnett County, Ga., Wins $1M Broad Prize

The Gwinnett County, Ga., school district, located just outside Atlanta, has been awarded the prestigious Broad Prize for Urban Education for 2010. The annual award, announced today, honors large urban school systems that demonstrate the strongest student achievement and improvement while narrowing performance gaps between different groups based on family income and ethnicity.

Fw: [school-discuss] 21st Century Classroom and Slate's crowdsource project

Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

-----Original Message-----
From: Joel Kahn <jj2kk4@yahoo.com>
Sender: owner-schoolforge-discuss@schoolforge.net
Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2010 12:51:10
To: <schoolforge-discuss@schoolforge.net>
Reply-To: schoolforge-discuss@schoolforge.net
Subject: [school-discuss] 21st Century Classroom

Slate has launched what it calls "a crowdsourcing
project on the 21st-century classroom" here:

http://www.slate.com/id/2269307/

I saw one response already that pushed Linux, but
I think it is too limited and narrow. This should
be an important opportunity to connect FLOSS with
a wide range of different educational concepts.
What should terms like "free" and "open" really
imply when we are asking what the word "classroom"
ought to mean over the coming decades?

My own thoughts are very disorganized right now,
and I'm not sure if I'm going to have something
submitted by the October 29th deadline. But many
of you have much better credentials for this than
I do anyway. Some of the threads we've had on
this list lately might be relevant.

I look forward to seeing what happens.

Joel

Fw: Do you value after-school programming? Citywide Thursday Event/Job Fair Info

From: "Justin Davis" <justin@bloomfield-garfield.org>

Are you planning on attending the October 21st event that will communicate to all that you want to listen?

After School Programming Is Important!

Do you value after school programming as a way to keep kids safe, healthy, and well educated?

If so, attend the October 21^st Lights On Afterschool event and let the world know that you value after school programming.

SEND A CLEAR MESSAGE TO POLICY MAKERS AND FUNDERS THAT AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMMING SHOULD BE FULLY FUNDED BASED ON THE NEED FOR SERVICES!

Have fun at the event…   (See attached for more info)

Organizations: Wireless Neighborhoods, Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation, Pittsburgh Public School, and many valued community and fair partners

Encourage those who are seeking employment and those seeking a better job to attend the November 9^th job fair at Eastminster Presbyterian Church in East Liberty. Over 60 top employers will be recruiting workers that day.

>If the job seekers need help getting ready for the job fair call the Eastside Neighborhood Employment Center at 412-362-8580 and ask for Brittany.

Lead Organization: East End Works Collaborative