Thursday, April 30, 2009
GREAT
Playing For Change | Song Around The World "Stand By Me" from Concord Music Group on Vimeo.
wouldn't this sort of thing be great downtown?
what do you think?
SPRING
Spring is like a perhaps hand
by E. E. Cummings
III
Spring is like a perhaps hand
(which comes carefully
out of Nowhere)arranging
a window,into which people look(while
people stare
arranging and changing placing
carefully there a strange
thing and a known thing here)and
changing everything carefully
spring is like a perhaps
Hand in a window
(carefully to
and fro moving New and
Old things,while
people stare carefully
moving a perhaps
fraction of flower here placing
an inch of air there)and
without breaking anything.
by E. E. Cummings
III
Spring is like a perhaps hand
(which comes carefully
out of Nowhere)arranging
a window,into which people look(while
people stare
arranging and changing placing
carefully there a strange
thing and a known thing here)and
changing everything carefully
spring is like a perhaps
Hand in a window
(carefully to
and fro moving New and
Old things,while
people stare carefully
moving a perhaps
fraction of flower here placing
an inch of air there)and
without breaking anything.
Monday, April 27, 2009
County to "study" wage disparity.
Onorato/County to "study" wage disparity.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09117/965901-455.stm
The ever-rockin' Heather Arnet, executive director of the Women and Girls Foundation, said Pittsburgh women make less than 70 cents for every $1 a man makes. She also stated that nationally women make 81 cents per $1 made by men.
Why do we still need to study this?
Facts are facts. If local government isn't enforcing equal pay, then get on the stick & make it happen. If local gov't IS enforcing equal pay, then thank you very much. End of story.
Tomorrow's the Equal Pay Rally at noon at Mellon Square downtown. Please come out & show your support, enjoy a little sun, use your vocal chords.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09117/965901-455.stm
The ever-rockin' Heather Arnet, executive director of the Women and Girls Foundation, said Pittsburgh women make less than 70 cents for every $1 a man makes. She also stated that nationally women make 81 cents per $1 made by men.
Why do we still need to study this?
Facts are facts. If local government isn't enforcing equal pay, then get on the stick & make it happen. If local gov't IS enforcing equal pay, then thank you very much. End of story.
Tomorrow's the Equal Pay Rally at noon at Mellon Square downtown. Please come out & show your support, enjoy a little sun, use your vocal chords.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Susan Boyle: A Dream
This is a way to lift up your morning. Embedding has been disabled, but please follow this link to watch Susan Boyle's performance on Britain's Got Talent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk
I dreamed the dream that would not die.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxPZh4AnWyk
I dreamed the dream that would not die.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Gov. Rendell r u feeling the heat?
Call for Balance on Stimulus Oversight Committee
Action Alert Update!
WGF will be taking part in a press conference on Thursday April 16th @ 1:45pm at the United Steelworker's Building, hosted by State Rep. Chelsa Wagner and Representative Jake Wheatley, to insist on geographic, racial and gender balance on the Stimulus Oversight Commission created by Governor Rendell to monitor stimulus spending.
Last week, we asked you to take action and contact Governor Rendell about the lack of gender diversity on the committee. Composed of 14 appointees of the Governor, the Commission currently includes one minority member and one female member.
Speakers addressing these important issues include:
* State Rep. Jake Wheatley, 19th District
* Fred Redmond, United Steelworkers
* Heather Arnet, Women and Girls Foundation
* Celeste Taylor, Racial Equity Monitoring Project
* Joanne Tosti-Vasey, Pennsylvania NOW
* Tim Stevens, Black Political Empowerment Project
"Women and racial minorities-groups that have been disproportionately affected by the recession-are woefully underrepresented on this Commission. Business and civic leaders from these groups need a voice in this process, and I am happy they will be joining me to address this vital matter," Rep. Wagner said.
Rep. Wagner and these community leaders will urge groups with appointments to the Commission either change their representatives to reflect Pennsylvania's diversity, or that Governor Rendell expands the Commission to include a greater diversity of members.
Action Alert Update!
WGF will be taking part in a press conference on Thursday April 16th @ 1:45pm at the United Steelworker's Building, hosted by State Rep. Chelsa Wagner and Representative Jake Wheatley, to insist on geographic, racial and gender balance on the Stimulus Oversight Commission created by Governor Rendell to monitor stimulus spending.
Last week, we asked you to take action and contact Governor Rendell about the lack of gender diversity on the committee. Composed of 14 appointees of the Governor, the Commission currently includes one minority member and one female member.
Speakers addressing these important issues include:
* State Rep. Jake Wheatley, 19th District
* Fred Redmond, United Steelworkers
* Heather Arnet, Women and Girls Foundation
* Celeste Taylor, Racial Equity Monitoring Project
* Joanne Tosti-Vasey, Pennsylvania NOW
* Tim Stevens, Black Political Empowerment Project
"Women and racial minorities-groups that have been disproportionately affected by the recession-are woefully underrepresented on this Commission. Business and civic leaders from these groups need a voice in this process, and I am happy they will be joining me to address this vital matter," Rep. Wagner said.
Rep. Wagner and these community leaders will urge groups with appointments to the Commission either change their representatives to reflect Pennsylvania's diversity, or that Governor Rendell expands the Commission to include a greater diversity of members.
yes, I am a union baby...
born and bred!
The Union Edge Talk Radio Show
Labor's Own Talk Radio 770 AM WKFB
Pittsburgh, PA
Studio: 412 829-7100
INFORMATION RELEASE
Contact:Charles Showalter
Phone: 412 855-6664 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 14, 2009
The Union Edge Talk Radio Show
Labor's Own Talk Radio
Fellow Union Brothers and Sisters:
Are radio shock jocks like Rush Limbaugh, Fred Honsberger, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, Michael Savage, Bill O'Reilly, and Glenn Beck who you want talking to your members everyday? Do you want conservative shock jocks to be the only option your members have to listen to on the radio? Or do you want an option?
More importantly, are you willing to support an option for your members?
I am writing to let you know about an exciting opportunity for the labor movement to reach the public in ways like never before—The Union Edge Talk Radio Show. (www.TheUnionEdge.Com)
The Union Edge Talk Radio Show is a four month old grassroots radio program that reaches up to 15,000 listeners daily from Monday thru Friday 12pm-1pm on KFB 770 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (We will be streaming soon)
The Union Edge Talk Radio Show is proactively educating the public on The Employee Free Choice Act in Senator Arlen Specter’s second largest district, to a potential audience of two million listeners in the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania market. The Union Edge Talk Radio Show is in the right place at the right time to educate and motivate the public on labor’s issues.
Sen. Specter’s Pittsburgh office gets calls every day from The Union Edge Talk Radio Show listeners about the Employee Free Choice Act and other labor issues.
Why do The Union Edge Talk Radio Show listeners to call Sen. Specter’s office? Because we ask them to do it! As a result…Senator Specter is scheduled to be on The Union Edge Talk Radio Show April 16th and he will be asked very specifically about the Employee Free Choice Act.
In addition, the program is using the social networking site Facebook and currently has over 2,750 Facebook fans. We also have over 14,500 people that are signed up and receiving regular alerts via email. We plan to launch the program worldwide within the next few weeks with the addition of streaming radio but this can not happen without your union’s support.
To be more effective, we must expand the show from one hour to three hours daily, so we can reach even more people for a longer period of time every day. Once we have moved into the afternoon “Drive Time” slot we will be able to mobilize more union and “Not Yet” union families and get them engaged in collective action. With your help, we can make this needed change.
The Union Edge Talk Radio Show needs your help to stay on the air and to expand the program’s format. The Union Edge Talk Radio Show will continue to counter the poisonous message of local and national anti-union shock jocks, rally our members and educate the public.
We have been supported in the past by, and wish to thank the following Labor Organizations:
Indiana University of Pennsylvania Labor Center
Brooke-Hancock Central Labor Council WV
IBEW local 29
AFGE local 1916
United Union of Roofers
Steamfitters Local 449
Int. Union of Operating Engineers Local 66
Plumbers Local Union No. 27
Construction & General Laborers Local 286
Letter Carriers Branch # 84
IBEW Local # 5
United Electrical International
Laborers' District Council of Western PA
Insulators Local # 2
Today, I am asking for your support to keep The Union Edge Talk Radio Show on the air and to help us expand into new areas. We are actively seeking stations in Ohio and west Virginia to expand the show. Our show is fully booked until mid June and we must expand our hours to meet the demand for this imporant labor news outlet!
Now is the time to support Labor's Own Talk Radio Show!
All grant money goes directly to buying airtime on WKFB 770 AM, streaming radio services, newsletter distribution, program marketing, and the expansion into new stations across Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia and other operational expenses. Without your support, we will not be able to expand The Union Edge Talk Radio show, or even remain on the air after June 15th.
Our expenses are:
Radio airtime @ $200 per day $4000 per month
E-mail distribution server $109 per month
Streaming radio service $120 per month
All of the people involved with The Union Edge Talk Radio Show project are volunteer union members and no one involved has received any wages to date.
Advertising on The Union Edge Talk Radio Show:
Many union and allied organizations trying to reach the Pittsburgh market on our issues have been advertising on other area radio station, the largest talk radio station in Pittsburgh. While some other area radio stations are a “union station”, represented by the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the station format and talk show hosts are often highly anti-union and lean hard to the right.
Advertising dollars sent to other area radio stations only servers to undermine our long term collective efforts. Please contact your Pittsburgh local representatives about this, and ask them their opinion.
The Pittsburgh area has approximately 2 million potential listeners and 770 KFB has an Arbitron 0.5% market share in the Fall 08 book, or about 10-15 thousand listeners right now. Our program signal covers about 120-150 thousand union families. The program is rapidly growing in popularity.
We’ve had a large number of impressive guests to date including Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO Richard L. Trumka, International President of the United Steelworkers Leo W. Gerard, Kim Bobo of Interfaith Workers Justice, Kay Tillow with Single Payer Healthcare, Michael Peck of Gamesa USA, Kevin Surace, CEO Serious Materials, James Sinegal of Costco, Mike Brooks of Ardent Outdoors, Patricia Grace of Aging with Grace, Daniel Lozanzo of Helmets to Hardhats and many other timely guests.
The Union Edge Talk Radio Show has also established strong ties with Ron Moore of Examiner.Com and Doug Cunningham of Workers Independent News. Both Ron and Doug are now regular contributing guests on the show.
Our goal is to present a wide array of labor leaders and members to our listeners. We would love to have someone from your union to be a guest on our program. The Union Edge Talk Radio Show presents an opportunity for leaders to discuss current issues including strategic campaigns, organizing efforts, and other issues that their unions are facing. It is an excellent way to educate current members and the public at large in an unbiased way without fear of the corporate media spin.
Please review our website and past interviews at www.TheUnionEdge.Com and consider our request to support the program and our invitation to participate in the show. Also please include us in any press releases that you send. Charles@TheUnionEdge.com
The Union Edge Talk Radio Show has shown it has the ability to educate the masses about issues that are vital to all working people. We look forward to working with you to schedule someone from your organization to be part of our programming.
The choice is yours, Rush Limbaugh and crew or...
The Union Edge Talk Radio Show
Labor's Own Talk Radio
At the bottom of this page, you can remove yourself from this list or forward this e-mail to all your friends. Please forward this e-mail and help us take back the airwaves!
In Solidarity,
Charles Showalter
The Union Edge Talk Radio Show
WKFB 770 AM Pittsburgh
5135 Yale Drive
Aliquippa PA 15001
Call in line 412 829-7100
Cell Phone 412 855-6664
http://www.TheUnionEdge.com
(Our Radio Signal Coverage Area)
Pittsburgh Broadcast Audience: 1,985,000
Union Families in Broadcast Area: 120,000
Arbitron Rating for Station: 10-15,000
Mailing List Membership: 14,500
Facebook Following: 2,750
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Equal Pay Day Rally
From the Women & Girls Fdtn.:
The 2009 Equal Pay Day Rally will be held in Mellon Square in Downtown Pittsburgh on Tuesday, April 28, 2009 at noon. If you plan on attending the rally, please RSVP to info@wgfpa.org, and we'll reserve a "Will Work for Equality" sign for you.
For questions or information about volunteering, please contact Liz Waickman at info@wgfpa.org.
The 2009 Equal Pay Day Rally will be held in Mellon Square in Downtown Pittsburgh on Tuesday, April 28, 2009 at noon. If you plan on attending the rally, please RSVP to info@wgfpa.org, and we'll reserve a "Will Work for Equality" sign for you.
For questions or information about volunteering, please contact Liz Waickman at info@wgfpa.org.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Ch-ch-ch changes
(with apologies to Mr. Bowie, I've been under pressure)
Deadline for registering to vote, changing your party or your address on your voter registration is: April 20
If you’ll need an Absentee Ballot, apply now. They’ll send you the ballot in May.
For forms/info, go here: http://www.alleghenycounty.us/elect/index.aspx
or call them: 412.350.4500
Deadline for registering to vote, changing your party or your address on your voter registration is: April 20
If you’ll need an Absentee Ballot, apply now. They’ll send you the ballot in May.
For forms/info, go here: http://www.alleghenycounty.us/elect/index.aspx
or call them: 412.350.4500
Monday, April 6, 2009
Gov. Rendell - we are not happy
Contact Governor Rendell.
Let him know what you think of his 14 member Stimulus Oversight Commission having only ONE woman on it. I’m wondering if our state’s minorities represented on the Commission?
It is the year 2009 – when will our elected representatives GET WITH THE PROGRAM?
Thank you to Jeanne Clark, Celeste Taylor and Joanne Tosti Vasey for providing information & getting the word out.
Please contact Gov. Rendell & ask your friends across PA to do the same.
Governor Rendell's Office
225 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120
Phone: (717) 787-2500
Fax: (717) 772-8284
http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Governor/govmail.html
Let him know what you think of his 14 member Stimulus Oversight Commission having only ONE woman on it. I’m wondering if our state’s minorities represented on the Commission?
It is the year 2009 – when will our elected representatives GET WITH THE PROGRAM?
Thank you to Jeanne Clark, Celeste Taylor and Joanne Tosti Vasey for providing information & getting the word out.
Please contact Gov. Rendell & ask your friends across PA to do the same.
Governor Rendell's Office
225 Main Capitol Building
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120
Phone: (717) 787-2500
Fax: (717) 772-8284
http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Governor/govmail.html
Governor Rendell - Stimulate THIS
A friend alerted me to this situation.
The article below lists members of PA's stimulus oversight commission.
Can it be true that there's only one woman on the 14 member commission?
Does it ever end?
http://pittsburgh.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2009/04/06/story4.html?b=1238990400^1804671
Friday, April 3, 2009
Spending the Stimulus: Meet the people who will be watching your money
Some of the $787 billion in federal funds has already left Washington, D.C. Here’s a look at some of the developments that could affect your business.
Pittsburgh Business Times - by Anya Litvak
In addition to Web surfers at Recovery.pa.us, the state’s stimulus information warehouse, 14 sets of eyes will narrow on how fair, appropriate and transparent Pennsylvania’s stimulus actions will be.
In creating a Stimulus Oversight Commission, Gov. Ed Rendell asked 13 people to join him in keeping a watchful eye on the state’s implementation of the Recovery Act and to meet twice a month to discuss it. The board’s first meeting was March 31, after the public appointment of Ron Naples as the body’s chief accountability officer.
Naples will receive $120,000 a year for his work in monitoring how the state doles out the approximate $16 billion chunk coming to it over the next three years.
“It won’t be long until you will see more and more people packing their lunch pails and heading back to work,” Rendell said.
The governor, who knows Naples from Philadelphia, said his credentials include a stint as chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, two Army tours, an MBA from Harvard and experience in energy policy, having served on a presidential task force on energy.
More recently, Naples was CEO at Quaker Chemical Corp. and, earlier, at Hunt Manufacturing.
If Naples is the stimulus’ top overseer in Pennsylvania, then James Creedon, the state’s secretary of the department of general services, is its head implementer.
In office since 2005, Creedon heads the state’s purchasing and contracting arm.
All non-highway state contracts resulting from the stimulus influx will flow through Creedon’s department.
Rendell, Creedon and Naples comprise the oversight commission’s administration board.
Its reports and videos of the meetings will be made available to the public on the state’s stimulus Web site.
On the lookout: These individuals make up the Stimulus Oversight Commission, which will track the flow of stimulus funds.
Ronald J. Naples - Chief Accountability Officer Chairman of Governor’s Working Group for Stimulus Accountability; former CEO of Quaker Chemical Corp.; former chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
James Creedon - Chief Implementation Officer; Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of General Services; former senior vice president for business development, North America, with United Water
Rep. Brian Ellis - R-PA, 11th Legislative District; member of appropriations, finance and tourism, and recreational development committees; member of House Republican policy committee’s task force on budget and economic policy
Tony Ross - President and CEO of the United Way of Pennsylvania; former executive director at the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Gene Barr - Vice president of government and public affairs at the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry; former government affairs associate director for BP America
Rep. Jennifer Mann - D-PA, 132nd Legislative District; majority caucus secretary; chairwoman of the Democratic Leadership Council’s State Legislative Advisory Board
Sen. Michael Waugh - Caucus chairman, R-PA, 28th; Senate District; former managing partner of Waugh Construction Co.; former assistant fire chief with the Shrewsbury Volunteer Fire Company
Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski - D - PA, 11th District; chairman of the House financial services subcommittee on capital markets, insurance and government sponsored enterprises; member of the committee on oversight and government reform
Sen. Robert Mellow - Leader, D-PA, 22nd District; Democratic Caucus leader; longest serving member of the Pennsylvania Senate
Phil English - Former Republican representative, 3rd District; former Erie City controller; former chief of staff for former Sen. Melissa Hart
Charles Battaglia - Security advisor for Sen. Arlen Specter; staff director of the Senate committee on veterans affairs; staff director of the Senate select committee on intelligence
J. Terry Kostoff - Former deputy state treasurer for fiscal operations; former deputy auditor general for audits; proxy for U.S. Senator Robert Casey
Donald C. Siegel - international vice president, District 3, IBEW, Pennsylvania AFL-CIO
The article below lists members of PA's stimulus oversight commission.
Can it be true that there's only one woman on the 14 member commission?
Does it ever end?
http://pittsburgh.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/stories/2009/04/06/story4.html?b=1238990400^1804671
Friday, April 3, 2009
Spending the Stimulus: Meet the people who will be watching your money
Some of the $787 billion in federal funds has already left Washington, D.C. Here’s a look at some of the developments that could affect your business.
Pittsburgh Business Times - by Anya Litvak
In addition to Web surfers at Recovery.pa.us, the state’s stimulus information warehouse, 14 sets of eyes will narrow on how fair, appropriate and transparent Pennsylvania’s stimulus actions will be.
In creating a Stimulus Oversight Commission, Gov. Ed Rendell asked 13 people to join him in keeping a watchful eye on the state’s implementation of the Recovery Act and to meet twice a month to discuss it. The board’s first meeting was March 31, after the public appointment of Ron Naples as the body’s chief accountability officer.
Naples will receive $120,000 a year for his work in monitoring how the state doles out the approximate $16 billion chunk coming to it over the next three years.
“It won’t be long until you will see more and more people packing their lunch pails and heading back to work,” Rendell said.
The governor, who knows Naples from Philadelphia, said his credentials include a stint as chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, two Army tours, an MBA from Harvard and experience in energy policy, having served on a presidential task force on energy.
More recently, Naples was CEO at Quaker Chemical Corp. and, earlier, at Hunt Manufacturing.
If Naples is the stimulus’ top overseer in Pennsylvania, then James Creedon, the state’s secretary of the department of general services, is its head implementer.
In office since 2005, Creedon heads the state’s purchasing and contracting arm.
All non-highway state contracts resulting from the stimulus influx will flow through Creedon’s department.
Rendell, Creedon and Naples comprise the oversight commission’s administration board.
Its reports and videos of the meetings will be made available to the public on the state’s stimulus Web site.
On the lookout: These individuals make up the Stimulus Oversight Commission, which will track the flow of stimulus funds.
Ronald J. Naples - Chief Accountability Officer Chairman of Governor’s Working Group for Stimulus Accountability; former CEO of Quaker Chemical Corp.; former chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
James Creedon - Chief Implementation Officer; Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of General Services; former senior vice president for business development, North America, with United Water
Rep. Brian Ellis - R-PA, 11th Legislative District; member of appropriations, finance and tourism, and recreational development committees; member of House Republican policy committee’s task force on budget and economic policy
Tony Ross - President and CEO of the United Way of Pennsylvania; former executive director at the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Gene Barr - Vice president of government and public affairs at the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry; former government affairs associate director for BP America
Rep. Jennifer Mann - D-PA, 132nd Legislative District; majority caucus secretary; chairwoman of the Democratic Leadership Council’s State Legislative Advisory Board
Sen. Michael Waugh - Caucus chairman, R-PA, 28th; Senate District; former managing partner of Waugh Construction Co.; former assistant fire chief with the Shrewsbury Volunteer Fire Company
Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski - D - PA, 11th District; chairman of the House financial services subcommittee on capital markets, insurance and government sponsored enterprises; member of the committee on oversight and government reform
Sen. Robert Mellow - Leader, D-PA, 22nd District; Democratic Caucus leader; longest serving member of the Pennsylvania Senate
Phil English - Former Republican representative, 3rd District; former Erie City controller; former chief of staff for former Sen. Melissa Hart
Charles Battaglia - Security advisor for Sen. Arlen Specter; staff director of the Senate committee on veterans affairs; staff director of the Senate select committee on intelligence
J. Terry Kostoff - Former deputy state treasurer for fiscal operations; former deputy auditor general for audits; proxy for U.S. Senator Robert Casey
Donald C. Siegel - international vice president, District 3, IBEW, Pennsylvania AFL-CIO
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