The end is not even in sight yet

Since no one knows when this whole mess is going to end. The best policy is to lie, lie lie.




courtesy a new blog at: http://wellgrounded.blogspot.com/

Construction Update

Hey everyone. Haven't updated in a while. But that is changing. You should be able to see not only this update, but if everything goes well, two more updates today to make up for all of the lack of content recently.

As you can see, the construction near the corner of Bates and Coltart Streets is preceding apace. The workers have moved the cones from the outbound lane and have pushed their construction equipment to the side.

Traffic flows pretty freely around their site.

Now on 376 inbound, there is still tons of work. There is only one lane going in, and sometimes a traffic cop mediates the traffic disputes. At one point, but directions were sharing one lane, and traffic usually slows to a craw from 8 to 8:30.

Good luck driving.

Editorial: Why we need NASA funding

Just a day ago a senate panel decided to fund certain NASA programs above and beyond what was recommended by President George W. Bush. In fact, NASA will be receiving more than $1 billion worth of new funding to continue their non-manned space and earth exploration programs.

This is a great move by Senate Appropriations commerce, justice, science subcommittee despite the fact that naysayers have decried it as a waste of time and taxpayer money. After all, why should we spend money on looking at planets and galaxies instead of feeding the poor or helping to give everyone health care?

Well despite the inherent flaws in that argument, NASA has given more to this country than almost any single organization. They have been cash strapped for several years now, and it is time that the United States resumes its leadership position as the No. 1 country when it comes to the exploration of outer space. China and the European Union are creating extensive programs, and it is up to us to show that we can still provide innovative solutions and ideas, as well as have the drive and ambition to explore the heavens.

Throughout the decades, the space exploration program has given the American people so much. Faster computers and the ability to send information have both been born out of the attempts by NASA to launch and perfect all of the technology it has today.

A short list of innovations include:

-The Satellite Dish
-Medical Imaging Devices (Like the MRI Machine)
-The vision chart you see at the Eye Doctor's office
-The Ear Thermometer
-Fire Fighters' flame resistant gear
-Smoke detectors
-Superior Sunglasses (Blocking all harmful UV rays)
-A program developed by NASA determines how well cars perform
-The concept of cordless tools
-Thermal gloves/boots
-Invisible Braces
-Ski boots
-Shock-absorbing helmets
-Joysticks
-The plastic now used for most soda bottles

What we must realize as a nation is that it is never about the destination. It is about the journey that gets us there. In this case, planting a flag on the moon or landing a Mars rover might not yield financial windfalls, but what they invent along the way to make it all possible has revolutionized the way we live. Even the most basic of items could have been created in the mind of a NASA scientist.

So for the people that believe that this money could be better spent elsewhere, ask yourselves: Could there be any better way to revitalize our flagging international reputation than by resuming our place as the leader in cutting edge technology? Technology that could be manufactured here, with American know-how, and exported to nations around the world. When those countries begin to produce it cheaper, we will already be making the next great innovation. This concept works for any of the fields now opening up to us: Alternative fuels, biotechnology, nanotechnology, medical innovation and an infinite series of possibilities.

Remember, all it takes is one small step for man to create a giant leap for mankind.

New class to make fat professors better role models

Are your professors making you fat? Well, some people believe that overweight professors are poor role models for their students, and are offering a way to fix that. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for sports medicine is teaming up with the Point Park University Summer in the City program to offer a class on being healthy role models.

The class, called “Eat Right, Live Right: Secrets to Living and Teaching a Healthy Lifestyle,” will teach the teachers how to demonstrate healthy lifestyles and promote them in the classroom.

“Eating well is key to feeling your best in and out of the classroom,” said class instructor Leslie Bonci in a press release. “This class will teach you to feed your body right so that you can be your best and help your students to achieve their full potential as well.”

The class is billed in the press release to help instructors create healthy living patterns “that actually work” and to learn recipes that promote a healthier professor. They will also participate in “non-strenuous physical activities.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 29.3 percent of 18 to 24 year olds are overweight and almost 11 percent are obese. The average age of a tenured professor is a little over 40, where about 42 percent of people are overweight, and about 27 percent are are obese.

The average age for a retiring professor at Pitt is around 65 according to the American Association of University Professors, when 42 percent of Pennsylvanians are overweight and 21 percent are obese. The ratings don’t change significantly when factoring in gender.

For the original press release, go to http://www.upmc.com/communications/newsbureau

For CDC obesity information about Pennsylvanians, go to http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/brfss/page.asp?yr=2006&state=PA&cat=OB#OB

New Comic: Parkway West

CLICK TO ENLARGE.

Hello readers of WritePittsburgh. Today we have a special treat, a new comic. Titled: Parkway West, this will be a local strip of dubious artistic quality. Enjoy.

Researchers find ways to lower risk of type 2 diabetes

Researchers at UPMC decided to tackle the growing problem of people at risk for diabetes. And the results are promising. The study showed that regular healthy living and exercise can drastically lower the risks of contracting Type 2 diabetes according to a UPMC press release.

The study focused on people in communities traditionally underserved and with limited options to determine whether a complex lifestyle change could help curb the onset of type 2 diabetes.

Participants in the 12-week study were encouraged to eat healthy and lose 7 percent of their total body weight. According to the press release, about 46 percent lost 5 percent or more of their body mass. They were also encouraged to exercise for 150 minutes a week.

Researchers found that this sort of lifestyle change contributed to a 58 percent reduction in type 2 diabetes.

“Previous research has demonstrated that people in underserved urban communities have a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, but lifestyle interventions could help prevent diabetes and heart disease. However, there is very little research on the sustainability of improvements following lifestyle interventions designed to prevent diabetes and heart disease in these community settings.,“ said Mim Seidel , the diabetes program director at the Pitt’s Diabetes Institute in a press release.

According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly 21 million people have diabetes, and 95 percent of those cases are type 2. Also, more than 50 million people are considered at risk for contracting the chronic condition.

Type 1 diabetes affects 5 percent of the people with diabetes, and basically occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the insulin-producing pancreas. For both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, the is no cure, only a series of treatments and lifestyle choices that help make the chronic condition manageable.

Construction, or: Patches? We don't need no stinkin' patches!

Well there is a lot of construction going on right now in our backyard. So here are some photos and some updates for all of the loyal and disloyal readers (you know who you are!) of Write Pittsburgh.

Top: The construction at the Intersections of Bates and Coltart Streets proceeds apace. But it will lead to the inside lane being blocked off every so often as the bulldozers switch positions. Expect to navigate traffic cones and a person with a "slow sign" every so often.


Middle: The monumental efforts on the Boulevard of the allies to construct some sort of coherent pattern has yielded few "concrete" results (get it?). So far the vast amounts of machinery sitting on the construction site seems to be doing less than they should. Expect continuing delays and betweem about 8 a.m. and 8:20 a.m. expect to sit in traffic for 10 minutes or so until the man with the flag waves you through. But sometimes it is a traffic cop, and sometimes its a stop sign. So watch out.


Bottom: Work on the water main at the intersection of Forbes and Oakland Avenues finished, leaving the residents with a beautiful black scar running diagonally across the road. A large metal plate fixed into place with semi-temporary black tar is now holding space on the road. This sort of "patch" is common in the Oakland neighborhood and in others, but a lot of times it degrades before it should. But traffic patterns have been restored.

According to a press release from PennDOT earlier in the year there will be many attempts to improve the roads and highways in and around Pittsburgh. The Boulevard project is just one of the efforts that spans the county.

“This will be another robust construction season for PennDOT District 11 in Allegheny County,” said District Executive Dan Cessna, P.E. “All regional expressways will see dramatic improvements in ride quality. Thanks to the hard work of our employees and partners, District 11 will deliver many much needed transportation improvements in 2007.”