Friday, May 27, 2016
Sunday, May 22, 2016
Friday, May 20, 2016
TMC article on Cleaner Rivers
April 13, 2016
The three rivers of Pittsburgh act as a symbol of Pittsburgh’s history, transformation, and future. During the steel boom, Pittsburgh’s rivers were heavily polluted with toxic discharge such as benzene, arsenic, and mercury. Forty-four years ago, the EPA implemented the federal Clean Water Act with the goal of cleaning American rivers, lakes, and streams as “fishable and swimmable” by 1983. However, the Ohio, Monongahela, and Allegheny rivers did not reach that goal and in the 21st century we are still transforming the polluted waters.
The Monongahela River stretches 130 miles until it flows into the mouth of the Ohio River at Pittsburgh’s Point. As recent as 2010, the Monongahela River failed the water quality assessment report of the Department of Environmental Protection and became listed as “impaired by sulfates”. Even though Monongahela was reported as cleaner in 2014 and no longer determined “degraded”, the 2014 Allegheny River assessment reported that the Allegheny was also “impaired”. Although these reports are not always positive results of river refurbishment, the Clean Water Act requires these biennial reports to restore impaired bodies of water. But what other means are taken to restore our rivers’ condition? Because the rivers are so vital to our city’s ecosystem, businesses, and identity, organizations such as the Clean Water Action and other federal legislation are crucial for their survival.
In 2015, the EPA finalized the Clean Water Rule which places protections on wetlands and high-water streams that form the foundation of America’s water sources, such as the Ohio River. Specifically Pennsylvania wetlands, streams, and millions of people who receive drinking water connected to these sources are protected under these new federal clean water regulations. The Clean Water Action of Pittsburgh supports the Clean Water Rule because it speaks to their campaign of restoring and protecting Pennsylvania water sources to prevent life harming and life threatening pollution. Not only does this ruling protect water sources and people’s health, it protects our future with water sources affected by climate change and builds a stronger economy. By ensuring that water regulation has federal consequences, smaller stream flows are protected for local drinking supplies. Protecting Pittsburgh’s rivers means protecting all waters of Pennsylvania and beyond.
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Fwd: Message to attendees of EdCamp at Pittsburgh SciTech
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Friday, May 06, 2016
Mothers Day Weekend Radio Show -- Catherine Palmer tells of her mom moments
My wife's photo is on the front page of The Moth, http://www.TheMoth.org.
Listen to her story. It blends parenting, school music concerts and swim meet cheering into her story when the theme was blundering.
Listen to her story. It blends parenting, school music concerts and swim meet cheering into her story when the theme was blundering.
Link to the entire NPR show. Catherine's story is second, in at a 6:05 mark.
Thursday, May 05, 2016
Wednesday, May 04, 2016
Fwd: WJ Water Polo turned to club program
Great news. They changed their decision. W&J water is tonremain a varsity sport. Three cheers for all involved.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Stephen Hilty
From: Stephen Hilty
Hi everyone,
I wanted to let everyone know that W&J decided to turn the water polo men's and women's programs into a club sport. While club sports are great at larger schools. turning a D3 sport into a club sport is a death sentence. Tiger Water Polo has grown exponentially since my time at NA and then to WJ. Keeping water polo in my area is in imperative, especially at such well respected institutions so close to home. As parents, former players, and active, I strongly ask that you sign the petition and please put comments forth so the president of WJ and Athletic Director understand how important and unique it is to have water polo alive and thriving in Western PA. https://www.change.org/p/you-save-our-water-polo-program/share?source_location=share_sponsor
Monday, May 02, 2016
Fwd: Beyond Trump v. Clinton
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Ralph Nader" <info@csrl.org>
Date: May 2, 2016 10:58 AM
Subject: Beyond Trump v. Clinton
To: <mark@rauterkus.com>
Cc:
From: "Ralph Nader" <info@csrl.org>
Date: May 2, 2016 10:58 AM
Subject: Beyond Trump v. Clinton
To: <mark@rauterkus.com>
Cc:
Looks like it's could be Trump v. Hillary in November.
What are you going to do about it?
Throw in the towel?
Or organize to take charge as befits "We the People"?
Join me, Phil Donahue, Jim Hightower and Patti Smith.
Plus scores of the top public interest organizers in America.
We're organizing a Left/Right Coalition to fight back against the
corporate state duopoly.
May 23-26, 2016
Constitution Hall, Washington DC.
We call it -- Breaking Through Power with Civic Action.
Get in on the ground floor with your fellow Americans.
Sign up now at Breaking Through Power.
See you at Constitution Hall.
Onward
Ralph Nader
If you would like to stop receiving these emails, please click here.
Friday, April 29, 2016
Call for Speakers for WordCamp
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: WordCamp Pittsburgh
Date: Friday, April 29, 2016
Subject: [New post] Call for Speakers
| |
--
--
Ta.
Mark Rauterkus Mark.Rauterkus@gmail.com
Swimming and Water Polo Coach, Schenley High School, Pittsburgh, PA
http://CLOH.wikia.com
412 298 3432 = cell
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Tulane: Every fall more than 1,600 freshmen from all around the world go to Tulane. I'm sending you one next.
Woops. The video was taken away.
Saturday, April 23, 2016
Swimming and Time
Years ago, I nearly published a book, Swimming: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. It featured a lot of content from 50-years prior by a great coach in his book, Swimming, by Kiputh from Yale. That whole perspective is important. And, kids can embark on setting their own world recrods -- and learn history -- be just turning back the decades. Perhaps we should make it an app instead of a book.
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Time to apply for Learn & Earn, City & County's Youth Summer Job Program
Learn-and-Earn sign-up page: https://summerjobs.force.com/CommunitiesSelfReg
Log in page, for those who have already created an account and signed in the past. https://summerjobs.force.com/login
Video hype:
Workforce Investment Board web site. http://www.trwib.org/learnandearn/
The second part of this video shows kids in a tech role, helping to make video games about "professional soft skills."
I'd love to see those outcomes. Where are the games? Can they be shared? Are they valuable?
Log in page, for those who have already created an account and signed in the past. https://summerjobs.force.com/login
Video hype:
Workforce Investment Board web site. http://www.trwib.org/learnandearn/
The second part of this video shows kids in a tech role, helping to make video games about "professional soft skills."
I'd love to see those outcomes. Where are the games? Can they be shared? Are they valuable?
There is fit. Then there is "Speedo fit." New ads show some of what we do.
Bravo to Speedo.
Those superstars are looking good too!
Article in Ad Week, http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/speedo-make-a-splash-aqua-fitness-push/303558/
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Re: Message from Camp Ak-O-Mak
On Wednesday February 10th I was lucky enough to see Diana Nyad speak about her book, her life and her drive.
Diana spent a summer swimming at Ak-O-Mak in preparation for her swim across Lake Ontario in 1970. Buck Dawson is credited with introducing Diana to marathon swimming. In her autobiography, Find a Way, she talks about a quote that she comes across and posts on her wall for years, "A diamond is a lump of coal that stuck with it."
Diana swam around Manhattan Island setting records in 1975. She then made two attempts to reach the Keys from Cuba in 1978 and 1979 and the latter was to be her last swim on her 30th birthday. Both were amazing swims from the standpoint of accomplishment but neither completed her mission. Life brought her back to Cuba and in 2013 at the age of 65. She successfully reached the Keys from Cuba after 53 hours of swimming, on her 5th attempt.
Diana's talk was amazing. She spoke of the playlist in her brain as she swam. The years and hours of training that resulted in timing and cadence so precise that albums playing in her head, lists of counting in various languages consistently corresponded to mileage and hours in the water. Time after time a complete album represented a certain number of miles, a certain number of minutes. I suspect that Diana is a metronome.
Her primary speech topic was...
"What will you do with your one precious life?"
She didn't interpret this in the traditional, athletic career time frame. She didn't speak to "what will you do with your college athletic career" or "what you will do when you fail to accomplish your life's goal the first few times."
Diana clearly emphasized a key to her success, her team...the scientist and doctors who helped to treat and eventually avoid the deadly box jelly fish that almost killed her during an attempt, her handlers and dear friends...the ones who made her eat when her mouth was raw from saltwater ulcers and when she was seasick. Those who navigated her seas, helped her to create a mask to protect her skin from the jelly venom. Diana is clearly an amazing athlete, a testament to the power of a stubborn, driven brain. But Diana's words and humility were that of a true leader, a gracious athlete who knew that her success did not belong just to herself and she communicated this so clearly to her audience.
After the speech, I was able to briefly speak to Diana. Her ability to pause and share our small overlap in the universe without making me feel rushed struck me. I showed her a picture of her name on the main house wall. Thank goodness it was in black marker and NOT in toothpaste! (I had taken the photo when visiting Ak-O-Mak after dropping my boys at Chikopi). We talked about Buck...(big smiles)... "he was my first open water coach." She had spoken of being an atheist during her talk in response to an audience question but she told me that "if there was a God, then swimming on Ahmic Lake was the closest (she) had ever been to God". She showed true smiles of fondness.
I walked back to my car with a new excitement about swimming and a refreshed attitude and outlook for a dreary cold February day. I have always held that Buck Dawson should have emphasized camp's role in the mission of athletics for life. Matt Mann's quote "a diamond is a lump of coal that stuck with it" isn't a metaphor for campers only. It is for counselors and owners, parents and alumni. To become that diamond takes longer that it takes to get a 5 year ring or 10 year watch at Ak-O-Mak or Chikopi. It occurs while doing what you plan with your one precious life. What an amazing night! I am so thankful to have been affected by her journey. I highly recommend her book, her speaking tour and her TED talk.
Libby Ernharth
Ak-O-Mak Alumni
Saturday, April 16, 2016
Neoliberalism in two articles
Email with links sent from John H.
Finally an excellent article on neoliberalism has been published in a mainstream newspaper. Unfortunately it had to be by a British journalist in a British newspaper. This sort of journalism is simply not permitted in this country unless the person writing it has his/her own blog or knows someone who does – and there are some very good ones out there but they simply don’t have the reach of mainstream media which primarily serves to entertain and anesthetize the American public with mindless drivel while intoxicating us with fear. As long as we’re afraid, we won’t bother to ask tough questions of our leaders nor, in most cases, tolerate those who do. It is so important for people to come to understand the kind of quasi-totalitarian system the U.S. has evolved into since 1980, but it is also important to understand that the U.S. has almost never been a humble and virtuous “knight” in the freedom, justice and the “American Way”. This nation has been a serial exploiter of third-world nations since at least the Spanish-American War, and little has changed since beyond the scope and frequency of our imperialist wars and plots. It is long past time for the American taxpayers (and you know who you are and who is not) paying for these atrocities and the profits for those who impose them to rise up and demand that it stop and stop now.
Friday, April 15, 2016
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
