nonProfits work: 8 August 2004

13 August 2004

All Things San Diego

San Diego Local News
http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040813/13.html

Were garden's tiles done in by skateboarders?
http://echo.bluehornet.com/ct/ct.php?t=665827&c=371214602&m=m&type=3
Two historic fountains in Balboa Park's Alcazar Garden now sportgaping holes in the handmade tile, and park officials blameskateboarders who may have gotten their inspiration from apopular video game.

Desalination plant talks to resume http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040813/news_7m13desal.html

Pivotal campaign is one of new faces http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040813/news_7m13skulcon.html

S.D. County losing farmland, state report says http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040813/news_7m13farm.html

School campuses the consistent target of vandals
http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040813/news_7m13vandals.html

Professional Teaching Resources

New Beginnings
(Note: Inclusion does not constitute endorsement by EDUCATION WEEK.)
Back to School!
From Education World, August 2004.
A collection of articles for "new and not-so-new" teachers aims to help educators feel prepared for the new school year. Resources include articles on "Preparing for the First Day," "Ideas for all Year," and "The Homework Dilemma," as well as a series of "Ice Breaker" activities and classroom-management tips.
http://www.education-world.com/back_to_school/index.shtml

It's Back to School for Teachers, TooFrom the El Paso Times, July 14, 2004.This news story details the experiences of educators who have made the switch to new schools and districts, exploring the anxiety and hopefulness that accompany an educator's first day in a new, unfamiliar classroom.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/education/stories/072304teachers.html

Making a Good StartAssociation for Supervision and Curriculum Development, September 1997. Advice from three award-winning veteran teachers on how to set a positive tone in the classroom.
http://www.ascd.org/publications/ed_update/199709/sawatzky.html

Beginning of the School Year Tips From the Beginning Teacher's Toolbox.
A support site for new teachers offers inspiration and advice on starting the year off right. Includes a piece on "Helping Students with Back-to-School Issues."
http://www.inspiringteachers.com/tips/index/page3.html

Ask the Teacher Across the Hall
From PDK International's New Teacher Connection, March 2004.
This advice forum publishes veteran teachers' responses to questions from harried novices.
The site also includes a new teacher's journal. http://www.pdkintl.org/ntc/Qask.htm

Back-to-School Means Fashion Forward for Teens
From Reuters, July 18, 2004
Just so you know what to expect when your fashion-conscious students walk through the door this Fall.
This news article highlights the what's hot in the back-to-school clothing market. http://www.reuters.com/financeQuoteCompanyNewsArticle.jhtml?storyID=5698733&ric=FD.N&infotype=news&articletype=RTR

Book Review: 'Becoming a Teacher in America'

More information on "Ms. Moffett's First Year: Becoming a Teacher in America" is available
from the publisher:
http://www.you-click.net/GoNow/a15864a108853a188158105a2

New York City Teaching Fellows:
http://www.you-click.net/GoNow/a15864a108853a188158105a7

In "Ms. Moffett's First Year: Becoming a Teacher in America" (PublicAffairs, $ 25.00), Abby Goodnough chronicles the experiences of Donna Moffett, a former Manhattan legal secretary who was in the first crop of recruits from New York City's Teaching Fellows alternative-certification program...A central theme of Goodnough's book is the conflict between Moffett's idealistic notions of teaching and the harsh realities of an inner-city classroom. Goodnough captures the new teacher's uneasiness in dealing with children whose lives are far removed from anything she has known...Drawn to teaching partly by its promise of intellectual stimulation and creative play, she finds herself having to subject her students to a rigidly scripted reading program and adhere to a pressure-packed daily schedule structured mainly to drive up the school's test scores...More touchingly, she becomes fervently committed to her students, seeing their troubled lives as more and more intertwined with her own. She is bouyed by small signs both of their academic progress and their growing affection for her.

etc....

How Do You Spell 'Chaos' in German? Rechtschreibreformstau
Can the Germans ever make up their minds? The neverending public debate over the pros and cons of Rechtschreibreform just reached a fever pitch again with the recent surprise decision by several German newspapers to abandon the spelling reforms they introduced back in 1998. I know Germans are change-averse, but this is ridiculous! Is Germany headed for orthographic chaos? - Part of a series of articles on Rechtschreibreform

Simple Path To A Focused Mind
Breathing Meditation
In becoming aware of ourselves and the world around us, mediation can be a key to understanding. Often, we are controlled by our habits: it is easy to worry, to let the mind wander or become irritated.
Developing a clear, undistracted state of mind is as simple as breathing in and out. In breathing meditation, which begins with a few slow, deep breaths through the nose, the breath itself becomes the object of awareness. As you inhale and exhale, discover where you can most feel your breath (it may be just below your nostrils or even the rise and fall of your chest).
That feeling is the meditation's point of focus.

1) Sit, comfortably but straight, in a position neither too rigid nor relaxed.
2) Bring your attention back to your point of focus and allow your eyes to rest, motionless. This will encourage your mind to rest as well.
3) Now, calm and focused, you are ready to begin the meditation. Concentrate on the place where you feel your breath and simply feel your inhalations and exhalations. Remember to breathe naturally and don't try to control the breath.
4) Your mind may begin to wander, curiosity getting the better of you. There are many distractions, both within ourselves and in our environments. Sounds, emotions, and sensations can all capture our thoughts. When this occurs, return to your point of focus: your breath as it gently flows in and out.

Each time you become distracted, once again give your own breathing your full attention. Breathing meditation, though simple, cultivates awareness through mindfulness of the breath. By continuing to bring our minds back to the moment through the simple act of breathing, we gradually inspire a mindful tranquility and content awareness.
Want more DailyOM? sign up for your free email, orcheck out the archives

Learning on Demand:
The Learning Center Option
Fast-paced business environments require companies learn, without employees being in the classroom all day. Susan Aaron, The Learning Coach

If you've had a project fall into your lap that required learning something new, you know the main hurdle is usually tracking down where and how to get the learning you need. Wouldn't it be great if someone could anticipate your learning needs and present you with the tools to get your job done? Well, Tamar Elkeles, vice president of learning at QUALCOMM, has created an award-winning Learning Center that does just that and serves up learning on demand. (more)

ALTERNET ROUNDUP

Drug Peddling

It's time to rein in the biggest drug peddler of themall -- the pharmaceutical
industry. Author Marcia Angell tackles the $200 billion collossus in her new
book, 'The Truth about the Drug Companies.' -->> Read Kelly Hearn's Q&A with Angell: http://www.alternet.org/envirohealth/19537/-->>

Read an excerpt from Angell's book: http://www.alternet.org/envirohealth/19540/

SEPTEMBER SURPRISE
Bob Harris, AlterNet
Tom Ridge has announced that September is NationalPreparedness Month -- and it's not political?
http://www.alternet.org/election04/19535/

THE WAR ON DEMOCRACY
Greg Palast, AlterNet
Will the gang that fixed Florida fix the vote in Venezuelawhere Hugo Chavez is expected to win this Sunday?http://www.alternet.org/story/19530/

PASS THE MIC
Mark Anthony Neal, Africana.com
Twenty years after the release of Roxanne Shante's"Roxanne's Revenge" and Salt & Pepa's "Showstopper," forthe most part women rappers and scholars are stillstruggling to be included in the cipher of hip hop culture.http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/19527/

READERS WRITE: CANADIANS DO IT BETTER
AlterNet Canadians weigh in on Molly Ivins' assessment of them. http://www.alternet.org/story/19543/

IRAQ, A BATTLEGROUND STATE
Michael Schwartz, tomdispatch.com
The Bush administration's decision to launch an all-outoffensive in Najaf is not motivated by military strategy but by electoral math. http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/19538/
*More in War on Iraq: http://www.alternet.org/waroniraq/

LOCKING UP NEW VOTERS
Dan Frosch, In These Times
Prison reform groups along with voting rights organizationsare working in unprecedented numbers across the country toregister ex-felons for 2004. http://www.alternet.org/election04/19528/

VICTORIA'S SECRETS
Noy Thrupkaew, The American Prospect
The daughter of Mafia boss John Gotti bares all in a newreality series - and she's every bit as deliciouslytrashy, immature, and colorful as expected. http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/19533/
*More in MediaCulture: http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/

FLAT-GROWTH BATTLEGROUNDS
Thomas Schaller, Gadflyer
Battleground states are among the U.S. economy's worstperformers. http://www.alternet.org/election04/19523/

BEYOND THE SUPER FREAK MASK
Adam Williams, PopMatters
The late Rick James was a brilliant innovator and artist -- one who will unfortunately forever be associatedwith the cliched trappings of sex, drugs and rock 'n roll. http://www.alternet.org/story/19548/

UNCOMMON BUFFALO AND THE BUFFALO COMMONS
Diane Dufva Quantic, Prairie Writers Circle
The notion of a 'Buffalo Commons' on the Great Plains reflects the hardiness of Plains people, who know how to survive on their own in blizzards and drought -- and economic downturns. http://www.alternet.org/envirohealth/19522/
*More in EnviroHealth: http://www.alternet.org/envirohealth/

These stories and more are available on AlterNet.http://www.alternet.org/

A quick introduction to my (Seb's) weblog

A quick introduction to my weblog:

"Welcome to my personal weblog. Not all people who visit here might be familiar with weblogs, so here's a quick explanation and a run-down of what you will find here.
This weblog primarily serves two purposes:

It is your interface to me, and my interface to you. By visiting it, you instantly learn what I'm interested in at the moment, and what I have been interested in in the past. The site gives you many more 'hooks' that you can use to start a conversation in which we hopefully will both learn something. If you want to start a public conversation with me, you can post comments (including hyperlinks) to the site.
Other readers may join in, if we're interesting enough. If you want to converse in private, use the email button at the bottom left to send me e-mail. In any case, don't hesitate to contact me. I'll write back.
It is a continually updated source of information. By reading a page's worth of news and ideas, you will probably be able to decide whether you find the content original and interesting enough to come back regularly."

Nonprofit Online News: The Email Newsletter Marketing Model

Nonprofit Online News: The Email Newsletter Marketing Model: "The Email Newsletter Marketing Model
by Michael C. Gilbert, August 2004
I recently had the privilege of developing an online marketing strategy for Talk to US, an innovative international public education campaign. As part of that work, they agreed to let me share my description of that approach with my readers. The following article has been edited so as to be more generically applicable to any nonprofit organization.
Many nonprofit organizations are now using an email newsletter as the backbone of their online campaigns. The key reason for this is that without a person's email address and permission to correspond with them, we are in a much more difficult position to ask them to do anything - make donations, take action, volunteer, forward information to friends, and so forth. I recommended this classic, email-centric approach to Talk to US.
The flow of communication can be represented roughly in two dimensions. "(more)

Athena Alliance

Athena Alliance: "Post Secondary Education and Training

Samuel Leiken, senior policy consultant to the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL)

Three major trends are converging on our education and training systems.
The first is demographic changes that include:
an aging workforce
� in 1978 the median age was 34.8 years, in 1998 it was 38.7 years;
a slowing of labor force growth
� peaking in the 70s at 2.6% and declining in the 90s to 1.2%;
and, finally,
the baby boom retirement which is costing the economy skilled workers at all levels.

According to Anthony Carnevale of the Educational Testing Service, if current trends continue, there will be a net deficit of about 12 million workers with at least some college by 2020.

Second is an increased demand for technologically skilled employees as technology spreads into all endeavors. This diffusion means that IT literacy will become as critical to employability as basic literacy is now. The ephemeral nature of technology skills will engender a growing demand for virtually all workers to regularly refresh their skills.

Last but not least is globalization, which allows business to utilize low-skilled, low-wage workers worldwide. As a result, the old road of unskilled jobs as steppingstones to upward mobility is closed. At the same time, competitiveness will be determined by the ability to produce high added value, which requires better-skilled workers.

The implications of these trends include workforce churning, whereby people will have many employers and multiple careers, and a growing contingent workforce. More and more people will be changing jobs and more and more will be on their own. The pending labor shortage will put low-skilled workers in higher demand, making their training more urgent. In addition, incumbent workers will be more important to the economy and will require continuous upgrading of skills"

OMB Watch

OMB Watch - Extending the Information Revolution: IT Utilization by Non-profits and Community Groups:
"Non-profits are more than just conduits through which information resources are distributed to individuals. They are also more than simply access points for connecting individuals to useful knowledge and information. These organizations' proximity to and experience with those they serve contributes to their valuable, yet often overlooked, roles as community facilitators. In that role, they serve in an important position of early adopters and arbiters of tools, resources, and practices most likely to succeed in addressing individual and community needs." (more)

12 August 2004

keepin' it on the DownLoad

Education Weekly

Critics Float‘No Child’ Revisions Hoping for amendments as early as next year, critics of the No Child Left Behind Act have begun to circulate proposals for fixing what they view as major flaws in the law's accountability provisions. (Education Week, Aug. 11, 2004.)

Court Rejects Seattle PolicyWeighing Race Legal experts see a federal appeals court decision striking down Seattle’s system for assigning students to high school as a significant development in the debate over what districts can voluntarily do to promote demographic diversity in the post-desegregation era.

PLUS... Kerry aiming for center on education ... AFT resolves Chicago election dispute ...Prayers at municipal meetings invalidated ... Urban districts combat dropout rates ... Texans wrangle over contraception in textbooks ... Digital games merge learning with fun ... Researchers
question federal clearinghouse choices ... Ed. dept. providing teacher training ... Southern states see progress toward goals ... and the culinary arts gain popularity.

our youth; our future!

Pittsburgh Area

PLEASE VISIT THIS SITE

Violence And Young People, Searching For Answers

Look at what our neighbors are saying:

ADD YOUR COMMENTS - newsroom@thepittsburghchannel.com.
"...This being a huge problem everywhere not just Pittsburgh. We have to look at the bigger problems. Why do children act these ways? Obviously children act by example or lack of..."(more)

"...I think that children are responsible for what they do. They make choices as well as an adult does. It’s up to the child to decide whether or not it wants to live a good life by good examples..." (more)

"...Much of the problem concerning teens and violence rests with the fact that people/adults don't believe in God or a higher power like they used to. There is no fear of anything or anyone. When I was a teen, I and almost everyone I knew had a fear of God..."(more)

"... Until parents start taking responsibility for their children, there is not much we can do without restricting the freedom of everyone in order to thwart the actions of a few..."(more)

"...Here we are at the same old question, who is responsible for the lives children lead? The answer, from anybody with common sense, is obviously and unmistakably the parents. I believe the time for parenting licenses has come..." (more)

"...I feel the problem is rooted in the laughable approach to parenting that this generation feels is "good enough." The very definition of being a parent needs to be openly discussed in communities where most of the delinquency is! ..." (more)

"...I read the news daily from several cities around the world. This problem appears to exist worldwide. Immediate research and action should, of course, begin "at home" in Pittsburgh, but it should be done from a world view perspective..." (more)

"...This goes back to two things, where are the parents and not strong enough deterrents. I would rather my tax money go to build more prisons then to midnight basketball games. I'm tired of the blame for these kids being put on everybody else except for were it belongs, on the kids themselves..." (more)

"... I feel that the parents/guardians need to be more involved. My children are in several activities and I always notice that over half of the parents do not attend these activities. Signing your children up for sports and other activities is not the answer to raising a better child. You need to be involved and active in your child's life..."(more)

"...It is time that the state of Pennsylvania puts some of the criminals that are on death row to death!! We can not keep these (people) locked up at the tax payers expense..."(more)

"...I foresaw this coming in the early 90's when I was employed at the Ursuline Center as a pre-school teacher in Garfield. Parents do not want to take responsibility for their children's actions. In this society, both parents must work so the children are left for babysitters, friends and relatives to raise..."(more)

"... Of course we need a slew of community programs that are directed toward children and not so many that are directed to the children's parents' recovery from drugs and/or alcohol. By the time the parents reach the point to where they seek recovery, their children are so far lost they can't be reached..."(more)

"...I am so glad someone is willing to look at the problems with our youth. However, please don't just focus on African-American youth. Please look at urban and suburban youth. It's a citywide and county problem. In the city of Pittsburgh, you don't hear of too many programs for the youth unless they are sponsored by neighborhood agencies..."(more)

absinthe is the best practice

In Condom Wars, Doug Ireland writes about how new government guidelines could affect 3800 nonprofits that do AIDS prevention work. I hardly know how to characterize this in terms that are remotely polite, but they essentiall gut HIV prevention. If you work for a nonprofit that depends upon any federal funding, I would fear for your independence. If you depend upon a free and responsible world of science, you're facing a potent enemy in the form of the current U.S. administration.

secret Asia

Indian police shoot flood-aid protesters (CBC)Police in eastern India opened fire on demonstrators demanding flood disaster relief Thursday, killing one person and wounding two others.

Thai human rights abuse on rise (The Age)Human rights abuses have worsened in Thailand over the past three years in an increasing "culture of authoritarianism" under Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a state panel said in a report issued yesterday.

Storm rages over HK radio host (The Age)Hong Kong's most popular radio program was taken off the air indefinitely on Tuesday after a bitter row over censorship and alleged threats from pro-Chinese Government forces.

the 'dark' continent

Violence in Zimbabwe makes free and fair elections 'difficult' (Mail & Guardian)A high level of violence and intimidation in Zimbabwe has made it "increasingly difficult" for citizens to participate freely and fairly in elections next year, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) said Wednesday.

mea culpa

Wal-Marts Cost State, Study Says (San Francisco Chronicle)Employment practices at Wal-Mart, the nation's largest employer with relatively lower labor costs in the retail sector, cost California taxpayers about $86 million annually in public assistance to company workers, according to a study.

Fertilisers blamed as marine life struggles in Gulf of Mexico (Sydney Morning Herald)A huge "dead zone" of water so devoid of oxygen that sea life cannot live in it has spread across 15,000 square kilometres of the Gulf of Mexico this northern summer in what has become an annual occurrence caused by pollution.

news from our Northern Neighbors

Wal-Mart 'very disappointed' by certification of union at store in Quebec (CP)Wal-Mart Canada says it's surprised and disappointed by a Quebec Labour Relations Board decision to certify a union at one of its stores, which now could become the first unionized Wal-Mart in North America.

Eco-fugitive's mother appeals to prison officials (CBC)The mother of an American man wanted by the FBI for alleged eco-terrorism has met with B.C. prison officials to try get him the raw food he says he needs.

kids will be kids!

Virus Season: 19-year-old Minneapolis man pleaded guilty Wednesday to unleashing part of the MSBlast worm attack that wreaked havoc on the Internet last summer.

Jeffrey Lee Parson admitted creating the "MSBlast.B" variant, also called "teekids," by modifying the original version of the worm and adding a backdoor that granted him control of infected computers, federal prosecutors said.

"Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 12 in Seattle before U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman. Parson could face between 18 and 37 months in prison on the charge of intentionally causing damage to a networked computer, plus possible restitution in the millions of dollars. "

11 August 2004

thank you Mon Valley Initiative!

JUST A FEW OF THE GOOD SERVICE PROVIDERS FROM TODAY’S MON VALLEY INITIATIVE OPPORTUNITY FAIR – HOMESTEAD

Oh… I almost forgot, my hosts The Mon Valley Initiative:

"Working together to unite the communities and restore the economic vitality of the Mon Valley region. 303/305 E. 8th Ave. Homestead, PA 15120 412-464-4000"

and service providers, CCAC:

Center for Professional Development
Education and skills are essential for today’s changing economy. The competitive global environment rewards workers who possess sound general knowledge that enables them to adapt to changes in the workplace and continually learn new job skills. To build this region’s competitiveness, CCAC must be a key element in the value proposition to prospective investors and employers – a guarantor of a constant supply of highly skilled workers.
Toward this objective, the college is transforming its workforce training division into a quality-driven, sales-oriented enterprise that will work closely with the area’s employers and economic development officials. The Center for Professional development will become the trainer of choice for southwestern Pennsylvania. Contact Us

and Bidwell Training Center:
Academic and Vocational Training

"Bidwell Training Center's vision is to respond to employment markets in Southwestern Pennsylvania by offering programs providing career paths and opportunities in the high-tech, culinary and medical fields. Bidwell believes that education offered in an intelligent, planned and financially sound manner will bear real results for our students and the entire community. For more information, call (412) 323-4000 or toll free 1-800-516-1800 or E-mail us at admissions@mcg-btc.org..
Lost your job? Trying to change career paths? Entering the workforce?
Bidwell's Vocational Training Programs may be for you.
No diploma? No GED? Poor reading, math or typing skills?
Bidwell'sAcademicand Support Program can help you meet your goals.

Mon Valley Initiative - Opportunity Fair

JUST A FEW OF THE GOOD SERVICE PROVIDERS FROM TODAY’S MON VALLEY INITIATIVE OPPORTUNITY FAIR – HOMESTEAD

Jeff Jackson of Goodwill Industries, Pittsburgh, the Father's Collaborative Legal Clinic Program - jjackson@goodwillpitt.org

Career & Job Training Services
Goodwill Industries’ primary mission is to help people gain the skills they need to succeed in today’s workforce. More than 80 percent of people seeking Goodwill’s services are low-income or welfare-dependent individuals with limited education or employment skills, a criminal record or history of substance abuse. Some have lost their jobs due to changes in the local economy. Another 19 percent have disabilities or a medical condition and need to build their skills or stamina to maintain employment.
In some cases, people face a combination of barriers that make finding, keeping and advancing in a career seem impossible. Local Goodwill agencies offer programs and services to help individuals pursue their employment goals.
More information can be found on these services by following these links:
Assessment
Career and Soft Skills Training
Occupational Skills Training and Work Experience
Job Placement and Retention
Support Services

Mon Valley Initiative - Opportunity Fair

JUST A FEW OF THE GOOD SERVICE PROVIDERS FROM TODAY’S MON VALLEY INITIATIVE OPPORTUNITY FAIR – HOMESTEAD

Wendy Janowski, Office Manager from the Employment Guide - providing a wealth of employment and training opportunity information. Please visit their local site

"These are sites that EmploymentGuide.com believes are useful to jobseekers.
Although they are believed to be reputable, EmploymentGuide.com has no contol
over content on these websites."

EmploymentGuide.com Online Resume Builder Tool - Create a professional resume online in less than 30 minutes. Fill out a simple, step-by-step form and our online resume builder will automatically format your resume for printing, e-mailing, and posting online. EmploymentGuide.com's Online Resume Builder is the fastest way to a quality resume. $29.95 - $49.95

Career Advice and Job Hunting Resources
Check My Background
Let My Backgrounds Instantly add value to your resume. Stay one step ahead of the competition during your job interview. Use it again and again for up to four months!

Post My Resume on 115 Boards
Multiply your chances of landing a great job. Just fill out one simple form (about 10 to 15 minutes) and get immediately posted on up to 115 major career web sites. It'll save you several days of research and data entry!

ResumeBuilder.com
Present yourself to prospective employers in the best possible light. Write a professional resume quickly and easily through a step-by-step process, and make your accomplishments, experience and skills stand out.

Career Advice
Guide to Researching Companies Cover Letter Resources Networking Resources Salary Negotiation Resources Career Assessment Tests & Quizzes Job Hunting Do's and Don'ts

Job Hunting Resources
Job Search by State Career Articles

Pittsburgh PA
Browse jobs by selecting an industry, or click All PA - Pittsburgh area Ohio Jobs

Mon Valley Initiative - Opportunity Fair

JUST A FEW OF THE GOOD SERVICE PROVIDERS FROM TODAY’S MON VALLEY INITIATIVE OPPORTUNITY FAIR – HOMESTEAD

Scott Albert, Sr. Training Specialist, from the YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh – TRAINING INC. & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

The YWCA offers various services to the community and small businesses, including computer and business skills classes, customized computer instruction for your employees using our certified instructors, and fully equipped lab rentals.

OUR STATE-OF-THE-ART COMPUTER
TRAINING CENTER FEATURES:

High speed Internet with T1 connection
On-site support technician
Office 2000 products
Access to Multimedia Presentation
All workstations support: 98/NT/2000/XP
Printer (laser/color)

Customized Training

The YWCA offers various services to the community and small businesses, including computer and business skills classes, customized computer instruction for your employees using our certified instructors, and fully equipped lab rentals.

The YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh is a women’s membership movement committed to the economic empowerment of women and girls and the elimination of racism.

Mon Valley Initiative - Opportunity Fair

JUST A FEW OF THE GOOD SERVICE PROVIDERS FROM TODAY’S MON VALLEY INITIATIVE OPPORTUNITY FAIR – HOMESTEAD

Jackie Sheplar, Intensive Case Manager from: Lydia’s Place, Inc., a faith-based organization dedicated to helping female offenders and their dependent children to rebuild their lives and become productive members of society. Lydia's Place extends a caring, accepting, and empowering community to current and former female offenders and their children.

Lydia’s Place provides a continuum of caring services to women – from jail through transition to stability – as well as programs for the children of incarcerated women and their caregivers. Our programs begin while the women are still in the jail; then, building on relationships already established, we offer a comprehensive range of aftercare services to help the women rebuild their lives, reunite with their children, and learn to live crime-free.

Programs and Services

Parenting Classes
Life Skills Classes
Re-Entry Program

Sponsorships and Underwriting:

Lydia’s Place has a variety of programs that make a difference in the greater Pittsburgh community. For more information about how your company can underwrite one of our programs, please e-mail info@lydiasplace.org.

Mon Valley Initiative - Opportunity Fair

JUST A FEW OF THE GOOD SERVICE PROVIDERS FROM TODAY’S MON VALLEY INITIATIVE OPPORTUNITY FAIR – HOMESTEAD

JoAnn Harris, Educational Counselor from: EOC of SWPA

What is the Educational Opportunity Center (EOC)?
The Educational Opportunity Center is a Federal TRIO program. It is designed to provide information and counseling to adults who would like to go to college or other post secondary education institutions.
What are some of the EOC Services?

EOC provides educational assistance services for participants including workshops at various collaborating agencies and/or one-on-one sessions in the following areas:

Admissions assistance
Financial aid assistance
Career counseling
Referrals to GED programs/testing centers
Various related services
Where are the EOC Target Areas?

EOC serves 2,000 participants every year from the following 9 counties:

Allegheny
Armstrong
Beaver
Fayette
Greene
Indiana
Jefferson
Washington
Westmoreland

CONTACTS:

Penn State McKeesport

4000 University Drive McKeesport, PA - Contact Us

Penn State Fayette

One University Drive Uniontown, PA - Contact Us

Penn State Beaver

100 University Drive Monaca, PA - Contact Us

ALL THINGS SAN DIEGO

News - U.S. troops fight rebels on 2 fronts
Local News - Inmate is free after 21 years in prison
Business - Trump losing bulk of stake in casinos
Sports - Padres wake up at Wrigley, survive five homers to win
Quest - Tuna meltdown
Food - Greece is the word
Opinion - MWD consultants

NEWS -- http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/26.html
U.S. troops fight rebels on 2 fronts
http://echo.bluehornet.com/ct/ct.php?t=661913&c=368529503&m=m&type=3

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- U.S. troops fought simultaneous battles
yesterday with rebel Shiite militiamen in Najaf and the Baghdad
slum of Sadr City.

* Rep. Goss chosen to lead CIA
http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_1n11cia.html

* U.S. may be new sports doping giant

http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_1n11doping.html

* Qualcomm donates $14.5 million to SDSU
http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_1n11sdsu.html

* Expedited deportations loom for more illegal border crossers

http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_1n11border.html

LOCAL NEWS --
http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/13.html
Inmate is free after 21 years in prison
http://echo.bluehornet.com/ct/ct.php?t=661919&c=368529503&m=m&type=3

Smiling broadly through his tears, Kenneth Marsh tasted freedom
last night for the first time in 21 years.

* Council colleagues praise, remember Charles Lewis

http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_1m11lewis.html

* Navy search for crew of jet continues

http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_1m11plane.html

* El Cajon chase turns fatal

http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_2m11crash.html

* Signs of El Niño give hope for rainy winter

http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_2m11elnino.html

* Another county park to open

http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_1mi11park.html

OPINION -- http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/27.html
MWD consultants
http://echo.bluehornet.com/ct/ct.php?t=661926&c=368529503&m=m&type=3

We knew two years ago that the Metropolitan Water District had
been spending hundreds of thousands of dollars of ratepayers'
money -- including San Diego ratepayers' money -- on a public
relations campaign against San Diego ratepayers' interests.

* New CIA leadership

http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_lz1ed11bottom.html

* Another Texas-sized whopper

http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_lz1e11deerlin.html

BUSINESS -- http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/29.html
Trump losing bulk of stake in casinos
http://echo.bluehornet.com/ct/ct.php?t=661930&c=368529503&m=m&type=3

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- He made millions in real estate, built a
casino empire and conquered television with a reality show that
turned "You're fired" into a national catchphrase.

* Fed raises key rate, hints of more to come
http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_1b11fed.html

* Governor's office airs criticism of energy bill

http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_1b11power.html

* Kyocera adding to operations in region

http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_1b11kyocera.html

* Cox, SBC speed up Internet services

http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_1b11cable.html

* Sharp faulted on nurse staffing at 3 S.D. hospitals

http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_1b11sharp.html

SPORTS -- http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/28.html
Padres wake up at Wrigley, survive five homers to win
http://echo.bluehornet.com/ct/ct.php?t=661937&c=368529503&m=m&type=3

CHICAGO -- When the Popgun Padres took batting practice at
Wrigley Field last night, they suddenly looked more like Bochy's
Blasters.

* Moores is a man with grand plan

http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_1s11canepa.html

* Photo Finish
http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_1s11dugo.html

* This season, Gates is in spotlight

http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_1s11chargers.html

* TV cooking up Olympic feast that'll be worthy of a glutton

http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_1s11olytv.html

* O'Connell's grasp of offense puts him squarely in picture

http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_1s11oconnell.html

QUEST -- http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/6.html
Tuna meltdown
http://echo.bluehornet.com/ct/ct.php?t=661944&c=368529503&m=m&type=3

IN THE PACIFIC OFF FUNAFUTI, Tuvalu -- Rocking in the ocean
swells, the fishermen held up empty hands when their rusting tub
of a tuna boat was hailed from a passing skiff.

* Not all tuna are created equal

http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_lz1c11tunabar.html

* Fat plays a big role in bodily functions
http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_1c11fat.html

* Recently discovered worms eat whale bones

http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_1c11worms.html

FOOD -- http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/49.html
Greece is the word
http://echo.bluehornet.com/ct/ct.php?t=661949&c=368529503&m=m&type=3

With the Olympic Games in Athens just around the corner,
consumer interest in anything Greek has been piqued.

* TV chef Alton Brown is a real whys guy

http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_lz1f11alton.html

* Matters of Taste

http://www.uniontrib.com/uniontrib/20040811/news_lz1f11taste.html

Career Fair- Today

Join me, today at the Homestead United Presbyterian Church Social Hall, between the hours of 10AM and 3PM to explore local career, employment and training opportunities.

We're located at the intersection of Ann St. and 9th Ave. in Homestead.

Bring lots of resumes and remember to dress for success!

jim

Call 412-464-4000 for additional information...............

"...it's off to work we go..."

Gregg Services is here to assist you!
"Do you know someone who needs a job? Please have them apply at the community-based Gregg Services office nearest to them: Greensburg, Cranberry, Canonsburg, or Downtown Pittsburgh. We are continuously recruiting for clerical, professional, light industrial, customer service, skilled tradespeople, and other commercial positions! Please feel free to forward [this announcement."]

10 August 2004

websites for girls and young women

websites for girls and young women: "

Last updated: July 29, 2004
Here are selected websites that focus on girls' interests and resources.
A red asterisk () indicates a site designed for girls and/or young women, rather than a site for adults about girls/young women. Also of interest, the extensive news coverage of women/girls and information technology available at the Center for Women and Information Technology."

this may be the least of my troubles...

Pass on the Salt
According to a recent Men's Health article, American men eat more than 4,000 mg of sodium a day - much higher than the government recommendation of 1,500 mg a day. Here in the US, sodium is put into processed foods, often as a preservative. As a result, sodium may be hiding in lots of foods you eat every day. Find out which foods have high sodium. :: more

real life

last evening i drove past the East End Food Co-op on Mead St. There was a late model Lincoln Continental parked in the on-coming lane, the driver's door wide open. on the sidewalk, the appearent male driver and a young woman were locked in serious combat. He was attempting to force her into the passenger side of the vehicle and she was equally determined not to let that happen.
i pulled my car over to the curb and watched the steady flow of traffic pull-up behind the Lincoln and squeeze past the opened door whenever on-coming traffic would allow. Several impatient drivers sounded their car-horns at the Lincoln road-block- and the domestic-looking scuffle raged on.
It appeared to me that the young man's attempts at forcing the young woman into the car were being hampered by the increased flow of traffic past their combat zone.
in a bizzare turn of events, a SUV driver passed the couple, sounded their horn and received a clenched-fist salute from the young-man-as if he was hauling groceries to the trunk of his car.
the young woman finally twisted free from his grasp, some words exchanged, each combatant probed their respective cuts and bruises and the she began to slowly walk away from the scene.
the pay-off was when, in a last ditch to draw the recall the young woman to the scene, he reaches into to car and deposits a shoeless toddler onto the very spot the young woman had just vacated.
She had walked too far away to assume custody of the child so he redeposited the child into the car and sped off towards Braddock Ave.
i passed her and wondered: what was that all about. what is going to happen to her and the child. should i have interceded in their dispute. what about the baby....jim

Women's Resource Sites

Women's Studies / Women's Issues Resource Sites

Women's Studies / Women's Issues Resource Sites is a selective, annotated, highly acclaimed listing of web sites containing resources and information about women's studies / women's issues, with an emphasis on sites of particular use to an academic women's studies program. If you're looking for sites on a specific women-focused topic, you may prefer to use the following subject sections rather than scroll through the all-inclusive alphabetical listing (the "last updated" sections are marked ):
Last updated: July 30, 2004
this is a very thorough resource site!

9 August 2004

take your blog back to school

i was recently reminded of the importance of good manners and due diligence in relation to blogging. i plan to take several on-line courses to reinforce my writing skills and journalistic enthusiasm...jim.

any-who... you might check this site for ideas...

Training: It Still Matters

August 2004—Journalists, especially young journalists, are eager to get more training, and they're very open to the idea of e-learning, a Poynter Institute/NewsU training study reveals. Get the details here.

ONA Training Module Now Available

The Online News Association and News University are excited to present a new e-learning module based on four 2003 Online Journalism Award finalists. It breaks the projects down and examines the processes that four organizations—the Los Angeles Times, Beliefnet, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, and the 9/11 Sonic Memorial team—used to produce award-quality work.

And it's available here on NewsU.

About NewsU

News University is a project of The Poynter Institute and the Knight Foundation.
More questions? You'll find answers here.

i've grown accustomed to the old-school propaganda

“Because of the corporate scandals in the last few years, the nation's CEOs have suffered a huge loss of confidence with the public and, subsequently, have a newfound respect for PR.
At the same time, CEOs are grappling with myriad challenges, including new business regulations (SOX, Reg-FD), the growing clout among NGOs and pressure to create better, bona fide CSR programs.”

Developing Effective Corporate Social Responsibility Programs"
A virtual seminar from PR NEWS
Tuesday, August 10, from 1:30-3 p.m. (ET)
Right from your desktop or conference room.
Register Now

We've designed this 90-minute program to cover these critical CSR topics:
· How to implement the right CSR program for your company/client - budgeting and resource management

· Creating and gaining buy-in for a corporate vision for your CSR programs

· Link CSR messaging to your brand

· Determine which CSR programs bring the most value to you and your stakeholders

· Linking your company's business interest with community needs

· Best strategies for getting your employees involved in and inspired by CSR Senior management buy-in for existing and future program

· Creating a powerful CSR report that matches your organization's goals

· Best practices for measuring CSR results

· Identifying viable beneficiaries of your program

· Working with customers/clients to determine best CSR program for your company

· The laws and political pressures driving improved CSR

· Partnerships- do's and don'ts. with a focus on nonprofit, private and public partnerships

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from the local watering hole

OUT AND ABOUT the ‘BURGH

Check the DUQ Around Town Calendar and
the Pittsburgh Jazz Events Calendar for interesting things to do in the Pittsburgh area

Local Blogs
PittsburghLIVE.com's directory of Blogs. Submit your own blog and get noticed!.

City may donate landCity Council is expected to vote today on whether to give the Pittsburgh Housing Authority the land it needs to build a $13 million replacement for the aging Louis Mason Jr. senior citizens high-rise in the Hill District.

DUQ Music PlaylistPlaylists for most DUQ-produced music programs and the Online Jazz Channel are available on this web site.
Playlists are usually available by the next business day. During weekends and holidays, there may be delays due to limited staff resources.
(Playlists are subject to updates. At the time of posting, these were the most accurate listings available. Updates will be posted as soon as time permits.)After reviewing a playlist, if you can't find the information that you are looking for, send an email message to: music@wduq.org

A Literary Detective in Novel 'Something Rotten' from ALL THINGS CONSIDEREDAuthor Jasper Fforde's latest mystery is Something Rotten. It's set in a parallel universe where fictional characters like Hamlet come to life and detective Thursday Next tries to police them. Hear NPR's Linda Wertheimer and Fforde.

Technology helps victimsBattered women -- and men -- in central Westmoreland County soon will have an easier time getting protection from their abusers.

Big push for small businessesFirst came the idea. Andrew Jannot noticed self-serve dog washes while traveling the West Coast last summer and thought the concept might appeal to local pet owners.

Mike Seate: Group aids kids left parentless by violence

Educational Guide
Use PittsburghLIVE.com as a guide to your local school's and universities.

DaimlerChrysler - Company at a Glance: "DaimlerChrysler is unique in the automotive industry: our product portfolio ranges from small cars to sports cars and luxury sedans; and from versatile vans to heavy duty trucks or comfortable coaches.
DaimlerChryslers passenger car brands include Maybach, Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and smart. Commercial vehicle brands include Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner, Sterling, Western Star and Setra.
It offers financial and other automotive services through DaimlerChrysler Services."

the lot less traveled

(this includes daimler-chrysler products...jim)

NewsFlash: "The largest -- and most visible -- employee parking lot adjacent to the plant will be restricted to GM products only, the first move of its kind for a GM plant in Canada.
Workers driving other automakers' vehicles must park at a smaller lot in a less-traveled, residential area south of the plant.
Those with makes other than GM who park in the larger lot will be towed away, the company said Wednesday. "

13 August 2004

12 August 2004

11 August 2004

10 August 2004

9 August 2004

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