Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Fwd: Twofer

---------- Forwarded message
From: John H


Attached are two articles, one serious and one seriously accurate.  The first deals with the endless atrocity of American corporate greed imposed by military force on Afghanistan.  This is not a war.  And, like Iraq and others we have precipitated, it does not exist in search of victory.  Rather, it exists to enrich contractors and their sponsors and to ensure that Americans continue to live in fear of terrorism which we endlessly recreate.  This is, in short, a horrific criminal enterprise with no redeeming value whatsoever.  But don't take my word for it, check out the Ann Jones article.


John

Links



Fwd: FW: McResistance | https://medium.com/@caityjohnstone/silence-from-theresistance-as-senate-votes-to-maintain-trumps-war-powers-d71de2a7b73a

Fwd: WordCamp Pittsburgh Wrap-up


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: WordCamp Pittsburgh, PA

WordPress

WordCamp Pittsburgh, PA 2017

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Can you believe it's been a little over a week since the fabulous WordCamp Pittsburgh?

Our team had a great time planning the event and we hope you had a great experience.

Some updates and additional info for you....

PHOTOS!

Thanks to our fabulous Volunteer Photographers, Miranda Knee and Marta Greca, we have some great photos from throughout the day. You can check them out at:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Fz2Wuld4YSSrPPoe2

https://photos.app.goo.gl/4UBCcnXxcCcTC5AI3

SLIDES!

We're still collecting slides from some of the speakers, but the ones we have collected are available on the session page. (Look for the Slides link under each session description.)

MEETUP!

If you're not a member of our WordPress meetup group, join now! https://www.meetup.com/preview/Pittsburgh-WordPress-Developers-Designers. Our next meetups will be in early October, so check it out soon.

SPONSORS!

Another heart-felt thank you to our sponsors - BoldGrid, WooCommerce, JetPack, Bluehost, Pair Networks, A2 Hosting, GoDaddy Pro, Pantheon, Libsyn, SiteLock, WPML, DreamHost, SiteGround, GiveWP, and Sticker Giant. WordCamp Pittsburgh would not be possible without you.

VOLUNTEERS!

To all of the volunteers that helped to make the day run smoothly - thank you for your time, your skill, your patience, and mostly for being you! You were all amazing!

Thank you all - attendees, volunteers, sponsors - for making WordCamp Pittsburgh 2017 a very special event!

Cheers!
The WordCamp Pittsburgh Team



Manchester neighborhood, Come Live Over Here

The City of Pittsburgh, via the City Planning Department and after receiving feedback from the Manchester Citizens Corporation and residents in Manchester, hired OHM Advisors as the consultant group to lead efforts to draft a Manchester/Chateau neighborhood plan. A Steering Committee, comprised of members from the Manchester/Chateau community, representatives from the City of Pittsburgh, and representatives from Manchester community organization, will assist by providing guidance on the direction of the plan.
The first meeting of the Steering Committee was held in the last week of August. It was an opportunity for members to meet the consultant team and provide them with initial thoughts on the goals the plan should aim for and the issues in the community that need to be addressed. Based on these discussions, it became clear that stakeholders want to reconnect Manchester to Chateau, spur economic development, reduce blight, and ensure the provision of affordable housing.

Public meetings to update and receive feedback from the community on the development of the plan will be held in October and November of this year. The goal is to have a neighborhood plan drafted by the first quarter of 2018. Regular updates will also be posted on the website: www.manchesterchateauplan.com


Friday, September 15, 2017

Come Live Over Here -- via a container ship



Ten minutes

If you don't have 10 minutes to watch the whole thing, JeffHK made a handy little viewer's guide for you, complete wth timestamps:
0:32 Milky Way 
0:53 Sirius Star (I think) Correction: Jupiter the planet according to some viewers 
1:17 Approaching Port of Colombo 
1:45 Cargo Operation 
2:08 Departure Colombo with Rainstorm 
2:29 Beautiful Sunrise 
3:13 Lightning Storm at Malacca Strait and Singapore Strait 
3:29 Clear night sky Milky Way with lightning storm 
4:01 Camera getting soaked 
5:09 Arrival Singapore 
5:56 Departure Singapore 
6:20 Moon-lit night sky 
6:48 Another Sunrise 
8:30 Headed due north and you can see Ursa Major rotating neatly around Polaris. 
8:36 Squid Boats 
8:54 Chaotic Traffic 
9:15 Arrival Hong Kong 

Monday, September 11, 2017

Fwd: 10 Timeless Books Every Entrepreneur Should Read



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Darius Foroux

Read this article on DariusForoux.com

Do you want to start a new business or grow your existing business? Being an entrepreneur is a lonely job.

But fortunately, you can always rely on books. Forget about going to networking events, meetups, or browsing the internet for useful advice.

To me, reading business books is the best use of my time. And in this article, you'll find a list of books that have helped me with 6 skills I think every entrepreneur can benefit from:

  1. Adopting the mindset of an entrepreneur. It might sound easy, but it's not. Succeeding as an entrepreneurship largely depends on your mindset, not your talents or resources.
  2. Productivity. I look at productivity as the vehicle to your goals and desires. Without a productivity system, you'll often end up working on unimportant things that will not bring you closer to your goals.
  3. Business writing. Even though media is getting more visual by the day, we communicate more with words than ever. Being an effective writer helps you to get people to act with your words.
  4. Persuasion. An entrepreneur is nothing more than a salesperson who sells their own products. So you better be good at persuading others.
  5. Public Speaking. You can quickly stand out from the crowd by adding public speaking to your arsenal of skills. And it's not only a skill that you can use for giving talks or presentations. Want to make better videos for YouTube or social media? Get better at public speaking.
  6. Marketing. How do you position, package, and develop products that people actually need? That's marketing. And that's a skill you need to be an effective entrepreneur.

You don't have to be an entrepreneur to benefit from these skills. Every person who works for a business can use these skills to advance their career.

Below, I mention at least one book for every skill I've listed above. I've spent a long time thinking about which books to mention here.

And I decided to focus on books I think will be relevant for decades to come. The last thing you want is to read a book that's useless next year. Let's get started.

1. The Magic of Thinking Big Paperback by David J. Schwartz

This timeless book, published in 1959, inspires you to think positively about your life and career. Schwartz has a very practical approach and shares ideas that work. Thinking big has nothing to do with having big dreams. It's about acting big.

2. The 10X Rule by Grant Cardone

Cardone is one of the biggest names in sales training. And rightfully so. His mindset and results are exceptional. He's not one those many fake idiots you often see bragging about their cars. Sure, Grant brags a lot. But he's also genuine. The book comes down to this: Want to reach 100K people with your products? Focus on 1.000.000 instead. Btw, get the audiobook, which is read by Grant himself. You'll laugh and learn.

3. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck

As an entrepreneur, you need a growth mindset to survive. Life is about solving problems and finding solutions. If you always look at the risks and consequences of everything, you might play it safe, but you'll also never grow. Carol Dweck's book is one of my favorite books about developing the mindset you need to succeed in life.

4. Essentialism by Greg McKeown

Productivity is about doing the right things. And this book helps you to focus better on what matters to you, personally. Once you know what you're after, it's easier to get there.

5. The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert

Gary Halbert was a successful copywriter. And today, he's still a legend in the marketing world. But this collection of letters goes beyond marketing. Halbert uses his copywriting skills to teach his son about direct response marketing, life, health, and being successful. He wrote these letters while he was serving time in a federal prison.

6. Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

The all-time classic book on persuasion is Influence by Robert Cialdini. I highly recommend reading that book. However, that book is very theoretic and broad. If you specifically want to read more about how you can persuade others of your ideas, Made to Stick is great. Telling persuasive stories is one of your key responsibilities as an entrepreneur.

7. The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking by Dale Carnegie

A book list without Dale Carnegie is never complete. I've read a bunch of books about public speaking. New and old. But this book is still the best book I've read on the topic. It really is a quick and easy way to effective speaking so that you can start spreading your ideas better than ever.

8. Perennial Seller by Ryan Holiday

I recently interviewed Ryan about this book on my podcast. In the book, he gives you a framework for creating a product/service that sells for decades. To me, that's the essence of marketing. In Perennial Seller, Ryan describes key marketing lessons he learned from successful authors and entrepreneurs. Also, he talks from experience. Ryan has written five best-selling books and helped market a bunch of other best sellers for other writers.

9. Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne

I have to confess that I've been familiar with the concept of 'blue oceans' and 'red oceans' in the marketing world for a few years. However, I haven't been applying it as much as I should. Too often, we try to compete with other businesses in red oceans. Why do we do it? Why do we always try to be better and not different? Blue Ocean Strategy provides valuable answers that help you create unique products that serve new markets.

10. Anything You Want by Derek Sivers

Almost all entrepreneurs I know are lazy. I'm the biggest example of that. Why do you think I'm so big on productivity? I don't want to waste my time on unnecessary things. Even though reading is one of the most necessary things to me as an entrepreneur, I understand that you might not have time to read all these books. Maybe you have a 9–5 job, run multiple businesses, or have a house full of kids. These are all legitimate reasons for lack of time.

In that case, I recommend reading Anything You Want, which is one of my favorite books from one of my favorite people. Derek Sivers built CD Baby and sold it later $22 million. And in this book, Derek shares "the biggest mistakes, keys to its success, and the philosophies behind the big decisions." You can read it in an hour (and if you don't even have an hour of free time, you want to rethink your life).

There you go. These books have taught me more about business than my master's degree. And the best thing? The books will cost you less than 150 bucks. What's the cost of a master's degree? Actually, don't get me started.

Just start reading. That's more than enough. In fact, if you read these books, you'll know more than 99% of all other entrepreneurs.

Now, you and I only need to act on the ideas we've learned.

 

 

Like books but don't have time to read them all?

Why not listen to some of these books instead?

Click here to get a FREE trial for Audible.

You'll even get 2 books for free to get started! It's the perfect way to learn while you're on the go. And you can immediately start listening today.

Have a great week!

- Darius



Sunday, September 10, 2017

Fwd: How the Pentagon sucks up your money . . . in search of global hegemony


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: John H
Subject: How the Pentagon sucks 

Ever wonder just how the Pentagon and its friends the military contractors spend the money which should be providing for your health care?  Well, wonder no more.  Alfred W. McCoy explains much of it in the attached article, but even this is just a drop in the proverbial bucket when the intelligence budget is added in.  Apparently losing successive military engagements (some would say faux wars) is no impediment to extravagance in the search for global dominance.

John

Saturday, September 09, 2017

Call to action from City Charter High Post High School Planning Team (PHSP Team)

To whom it may concern,

We recently received a grant through Partners for Work for 10 City Charter High School students will complete the Patient Care Technician training program at CCAC.

We are establishing a professional Roundtable of businesses and organizations to provide career resources and guidance to prepare our students for work as a Certified Nursing Assistant. We cordially invite you to be a part of this group and share best practices, professional workplace expectations and other pertinent information.

The goal of the Patient Care Roundtable is to engage local businesses in discussions of student preparation for careers, City High curriculum and business needs for a pipeline to employment.

The Patient Care Roundtable will take place on Friday, October 6th from 10:00 am - 11:30 am, at City Charter High School located at 201 Stanwix Street Suite 100, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. A wrap-up session will also be held on Friday, March 16th (same time and location).

If you are interested in participating, please reply to this email NO LATER THAN September 11, 2017 with the following information:
Organization Name
Attendee Names and emails
Organization Industry

We thank you in advance for your consideration.


*If this email should be forwarded to another person in your organization, please feel free to send it to them or reply to this email with their contact information.

Sincerely,
City Charter High Post High School Planning Team (PHSP Team)

Antonietta Riley
Transition Manager & Alumni Coordinator
City Charter High School
201 Stanwix Street
Pittsburgh PA 15222

Phone: 412-690-2489
Fax: 412-690-2420

Friday, September 08, 2017

Wanted: Running Mates and places to run to!

Time to hit the road to share insights about this ballot question for city voters in the 2017 general election.
Who wants to help spread the word?

Where and when are the meetings being held? 

Who can we talk to about getting an invite to speak to the audiences -- for only a couple of minutes.




Thursday, September 07, 2017

Fwd: Time to end the silence!



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: John H


This is an article worth reading, time to stop whining and to start networking groups together – this is the fight of our lifetimes and if we lose it all humanity loses.


John

Article: The Silence of the Good People (PDF, 483K)

Pitt Women's Hoops -- an invite for its GAME DAY in a School Day

Hello Teachers and Administrators –

I hope you all had a wonderful summer and are excited about a new school year.

On behalf of Head Coach Suzie McConnell-Serio and the women’s basketball program here at the University of Pittsburgh, I want to invite you and your students to Pitt’s campus for the ninth annual women’s basketball “School Day” game. Pitt will face Cornell at 11 a.m. on Monday, November 13 in the Petersen Events Center.

Last season, the Panthers played in front of a School Day record crowd of nearly 10,000 fans when they defeated Youngstown State, making it the highest attended women’s basketball educational field trip in the country. You can visit www.PittsburghPanthers.com/schoolday to see pictures and videos from last year’s field trip.
 
SCHEDULE OF THE DAY
·        9:30 a.m. – Doors open, students complete educational workbooks, watch warmups, watch educational videos
·        11 a.m. – Tipoff, enjoy educational and fun in-game videos, t-shirt toss, music
·        Noon – Halftime: Speakers from our Life Skills Department and student-athletes
o   Lunch: Guests can visit the concession stands (School Day specials will be available including a $3 hot dog & soda combo or a $3 popcorn & soda combo) or pack their own lunches.
·        1 p.m. – Game concludes, schools depart

In order to support education beyond the School Day event, each school in attendance will be sent free game vouchers following School Day, which may be used to reward students throughout the school year for academic excellence. Students may redeem these vouchers at a women's basketball home game this season for free admission for themselves and up to three guests.

RESERVE YOUR SPOT!
All tickets are only $1. Visit www.PittsburghPanthers.com/schoolday to find the order form, flyer, and more information.To purchase tickets, contact Angela Hunter at tickets@athletics.pitt.edu or by calling 412-648-8270.

We look forward to setting another nation-wide attendance record with you! Please let me know if you have any questions.J

All the best,

Pitt Athletics Script for Whte Background

Tricia Adamczyk
MARKETING COORDINATOR
Petersen Events Center | 3719 Terrace St., Room 2098
Pittsburgh, PA 15261 | tadamczyk@athletics.pitt.edu
office: (412) 624-5038 | cell: (412) xxx-xxxx | fax: (412) 648-8248
INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN MAY INCLUDE PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION SUBJECT TO PROTECTION UNDER FEDERAL LAW. THIS INFORMATION SHOULD BE KEPT CONFIDENTIAL. RE-DISCLOSURE OF THIS INFORMATION IS PROHIBITED ABSENT SPECIFIC WRITTEN CONSENT OR AS OTHERWISE PERMITTED BY LAW OR REGULATION.

Wednesday, September 06, 2017

Fwd: Update and a Request!



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Martin 


Hey everybody!

I wanted to let you all know that settling into medical school in Erie has gone splendidly. I love being close enough to pop down to cranberry and seeing my family more frequently, and I'm learning tons of super interesting anatomy at school. I do miss the mountains and volleyball from Denver area, but it's been a happy transition nonetheless.

Last year in Denver I worked for an AmeriCorps program called City Year. I primarily worked in a 7th grade classroom as a near-peer mentor / tutor / coach, serving a population of largely underprivileged, mostly Hispanic families and children. My school was in it's second year of existence (now third), founded on the principle of developing our students into successful learners and leaders. Feel free to ask me more about it by email or next time we see each other!

The kiddos were undoubtedly a handful at times, but I saw echoes of my own middle school experience while helping them through theirs. I helped my partner teacher, Celine Wuarin, organize the beginnings of a field trip for the students to help them gain perspective on their community and world. Field trips were highlights of my time in middle school, and we unfortunately didn't have the budget to provide many similar opportunities last year. This trip is going to be a huge eye-opener for the students that attend, a completely off-the-grid excursion to Southern Arizona to learn how to live sustainably and work within local communities to make positive changes happen. 

My request is this: would you consider donating to support making this field trip a reality for these students? The kids have been fundraising non-stop since I left them in May, but any additional support would mean the world to them. I've included a link for a GoFundMe site that you can donate to, and there's a lot more information about what they'll be doing in that website too! And a video with my old homeroom students!


If you have any questions, feel free to email me at this address or ask next time we cross paths! Looking forward to seeing you all again soon! :)

Martin

p.s. feel free to pass that link along to anyone you know who might be looking for a meaningful donation opportunity, especially with the holidays just around the corner!! 

Fwd: Inaugural Lecture in the Hesselbein Series with Col. Diane Ryan!


---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: McShane, Lydia Frances <lfmcshane@ pitt.?


Inaugural Lecture of the Hesselbein Forum Lecture Series

 

"To Serve Is to Live: Honoring a Legacy - Inspiring the Future"

 

Influenced deeply by leadership expert Frances Hesselbein, Dr. Diane Ryan is focused on character-based leadership at all levels, in all sectors. Dr. Ryan will explore values-based leadership development as well as share research that demonstrates the importance of quality, character, mind-set, values and principles in today's rapidly evolving world.

 

Thursday, September 28, 2017

5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Twentieth Century Club, Lecture Room

4201 Bigelow Blvd

Pittsburgh, PA 15213

 

Please RSVP to lfmcshane@pitt.edu or call.

_______________________________________________
gspia-johnson-institute mailing list

--
--
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

Saturday, September 02, 2017

Fwd: If Hillary had won . . .


---------- Forwarded message
From John H.

Israel appears to have backed itself into a corner by supporting the wrong side in Syria.  Now will the U.S. resist Netanyahu's furious push to attack Iran?  And, Paul Street explains how things would have gone if Hillary had actually won the election.

 

John


Links
The reasons for Netanyahu's Panic
If Hillary had won

Fwd: Union Power


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "John H

These are particularly precarious times for all of us (save for the rulers and their sponsors), but they are dangerous times for unions.  At the same time, most of the advances in safety, stability and standards of living in the 20th century are tied to the work of unions and union organizers.  The inclination of many unions appears to be to pull-back and shelter in place.  If, however, we are not to witness a full takeover of our nation and much of the world by fascist corporate state (neoliberalism), unions and the rest of us will have to be willing to stand up fight.  Unions, in particular, have done this in the past.  And, in many cases, those standing up suffered grievous repercussions up to and including murder by thugs and government troops doing corporate bidding. 

 

It is always more comfortable to sit back and let others do the fighting, but now is not the time for unions to recuse themselves from the battle.  No job is any longer secure – even white-collar jobs.  Yet far too many of us seem willing to remain complacent in the face of a truly existential danger from the corporate right.  They, after all, own almost all of the media that matters and are constantly bombarding us with propaganda intended to disable and disarm us from questioning their motives and actions which daily serve to strip us of our rights and privileges as citizens – setting us at odds against one another fighting for the meager crumbs the billionaires deign to drop to us.

 

Unions can lead us in this fight by reaching back into their past to develop a spirit and willingness to once again standup to illegitimate authority and fight for the values we should all hope to share.  This will be difficult as many union leaders and rank and file have bought into the corporate mantra while hiding in dark corners afraid to do battle with a system intending to destroy them.  Fortunately, as the attached articles set out, there are unions and independent workers who are willing to stand and fight.  A major part of this be a shared program of education to bring the totality of the problem home to the many who are standing by thinking that nothing can be done.  And this must include not just unions and their members, but all of us.  This education must include an understanding of how our corporate rulers use the government and the military to spread 'their' empire across the globe.  What they do in far-flung countries across the globe will soon come to this nation if nothing is done to wake folks to this reality.  This will be a difficult and sometimes dangerous undertaking, but it must happen if neoliberal totalitarianism is not to finally dominate the world. 

 

I am not now nor, except for a brief period years ago, have I been a union member.  I do have a tremendous respect for what unions have gained for all of us.  I also understand that, in too many instances, unions have become their own worst enemies by falling into the trap of corruption on the part of leadership or cooptation by the corporate elite.  Nothing is ever perfect and that includes unions.  If, however, unions can adapt to the current situations and develop appropriate tactics – not just falling back on old standards – they can once again become a dynamic force for change that we all desperately need.

 

For those of you not familiar with In These Times and Working In These Times, I encourage you to check them out.  There is a description of Working In These Times at the end of the third article in the attachment.

 

John


A new bill of rights for workers article