From news release:

"The Bank of New York Mellon has announced that it will contribute $3 million over a six-year period to Pittsburgh’s Hill District community through Pennsylvania’s Neighborhood Partnership Program (NPP). The program will focus on education, job training and community revitalization for residents of the Hill District, which is near the company’s downtown Pittsburgh campus.

Also supporting the One Hill Community Benefits Agreement are the Pittsburgh Penguins, the city’s champion ice hockey team. "We are deeply honored to invest in a neighborhood with a noble history and promising future," said Vince Sands, Chairman, BNY Mellon of Pennsylvania. "With more than 6,800 employees located within a mile of Centre Avenue and Crawford Street, and many of them volunteering in the Hill District and surrounding communities, we are both a corporate sponsor and an involved neighbor."

Hill House Association will serve as the NPP program administrator and will work with the One Hill Coalition, which represents more than 100 community groups assembled to identify and prioritize strategies for revitalizing Pittsburgh’s historic Hill District. The NPP funds will address community needs ranging from job training and education to community improvements and social services.

"BNY Mellon has a strong history of supporting Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods; but never more than today with this unprecedented commitment to the Hill District," said Carl Redwood, chairman of the One Hill Coalition. "The BNY Mellon commitment gives the One Hill community benefits agreement a strong early start in the efforts to revitalize the Hill."

"BNY Mellon’s initial commitment is for six years, but its impact will last for decades to come," said Evan Frazier, Hill House Association president and CEO. This is a great example of what’s possible when communities, companies and public officials come together for the collective good."

"Fundamentally, good business decisions are also good community decisions," said David Morehouse, Pittsburgh Penguins president. "The BNY Mellon commitment is a significant investment in the Hill District and a very positive local development."

"We are working together to make sure that the millions of dollars of new development under way translates into job opportunities and long-term neighborhood revitalization for the residents of the Hill," Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said. "Working with residents and committed businesses, a new, better city will be built on the Hill.""

You know I don’t do the political rant thing often.  I always have my ear against the door, but barely ever do I walk into that chaos on the other side.  The past week has been too much for me, and I’m falling in.  I’m interested from a banking/economy, a current government side, as well as a presidential campaign perspective.  Honestly, and this will probably be the first time I’ve ever said it, you should be too.  There’s a lot going on right now, and it’s hard to keep a check on all the pulses.

Presidential Campaign – This is the easy one.  John McCain is an idiot.  He’s either too old to multi-task, or he’s too stupid to think clearly.  This dude is obviously not fit to be president.  We already have someone that quits to go relax, do we really need another?  He doesn’t know what he’s doing, and it shows.  Last week he says the economy is still strong.  Saturday a 3 page proposal is released to congress to review as a solution for the financial crisis.  Monday, McCain says stuff is going to hit the fan.  Tuesday, Mccain says he hasn’t read the 3 page document yet.  Wednesday, he cancels his appearance on Letterman and says that he wants to postpone the debate and his campaign so he can focus on fixing the crisis.  Ego trip much?   He ends up staying in New York until Thursday anyway, and manages to fit in a stop to Katie Couric.  By the time he’s in DC, an approved solution is already announced.  Worthless.  Even Senator Charles Schumer has said Bush needs to, ""respectfully tell Sen. McCain to get out of town. He is not helping, he is harming. Before Sen. McCain made his announcement, we were making progress."  This dude is a train wreck, and he’s not even in office.  Let alone the circus around Palin.  He obviously picked her for her shock value.  She’s been completely absent since.  Worthless.  Smoke & mirrors.  Sham.

Current Government - We’re starting to see the true colors of what goes on in our nation’s capital.  These people have no accountability, and they slack off their whole careers, and when it comes time to get your crap together and do something, they don’t know how to work together.  Henry Paulson apparently begged on 1 knee to the democrats not to tell the presses how bad the meetings went.  Bush is actually doing something it seems, at least trying to get everyone to work together and encouraging discussion.  What we have though are people from 2 different sides of the fence.  You have people with big business and money backgrounds (who, in my opinion should not be allowed to be in politics) like Henry Paulson, and then you have people that have pure legislative backgrounds who know nothing about the market crisis, or how to appropriately manage it.  You know this $700 billion number that’s been tossed around?  Ask someone where they came up with that number.  A Treasury spokeswoman says:

“It’s not based on any particular data point,” a Treasury spokeswoman told Forbes.com Tuesday. “We just wanted to choose a really large number.”

OMG.  Are we serious???  We have no idea what we’re dealing with here.  Enter malfeasance probe.  We’re actually going back to the businesses that are in trouble and looking for fraud.  That won’t take long.

Back on track to progressive thinking though, is this really what we want to do?  These companies knew their loans were risky, but they went in anyway.  Preying on poor people to meet their self-serving pockets.  If the government buys all these loans, it doesn’t just end there either.  Now we’re looking at the government serving a role it’s never had.  It actually has potential to MAKE money in this deal…but is this a good thing?!?!  It’s like a whole form of backdoor taxation that I do not approve of.  If you need me to spell it out for you, the government will pay, we’ll say, 1 trillion, for debts that are worth more than 2.2 trillion fully matured.  Do we really want our government acting for a profit?  That money is coming from home owners and normal people.  That brings a whole new level of shadiness and potential for cover ups that I’m not comfortable with.

Economy/business – Cluster ****.  That’s pretty accurate.  Already in the shadows is the fact that we’re letting Morgan Stanley & Goldman Sachs change their status from investment banks to bank holding companies.  While I don’t disagree with this solution, it’s scary.  By changing their status, they become regulated by the Federal Reserve, but they also have more access to borrow more money.  These are the last and largest investment banks and brings them into the 4th and 6th largest bank holding companies.  I’m worried about their practices, or their problems, becoming contagious and bringing down the bank holding or asset management areas of banking.  By association alone, the market is cracking.  BNY Mellon has very limited exposure to any of the bad debt that is in the news, but our stock, with everyone else, is falling.  We’re even throwing $425 million to help out Lehman’s crash because they’re stock is falling below $1/share.  We’ve got Wamu going under and being bought out so that they don’t deplete FIDC funds.  That’s nuts!  We’re going to be left with a dozen or so big banks.  It’s like a survival of the fittest scenario, only with a global scale economy.  If these companies get the bailout they’re after from the government, no one pays but the American people.  Some heads need to roll for sure, and they better have CEO next to their names.

I’m starting to hear about a new government plan now to insure the debts instead of just buying their out right.  That might be a little better.  This has been something on Barack’s campaign since day one.  I think that about sums everything up. 

I’m not writing a paper here, so i don’t care to cite anything, but I’ll give you a few links and tell you to watch the Colbert Report, the Daily show, and CNN.  I’m curious to see what NPR has to say too.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08270/915335-68.stm?cmpid=generalbusiness.xml

http://video.newsweek.com/#?c=40211&l=1785302026&t=1818133680

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122230704116773989.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Raines

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Buffett

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08268/914648-100.stm

http://www.forbes.com/home/2008/09/23/bailout-paulson-congress-biz-beltway-cx_jz_bw_0923bailout.html

http://orlando.bizjournals.com/orlando/othercities/atlanta/stories/2008/09/22/daily4.html

you know, I should really make an effort to make personal updates what I have something to say instead of these dull posts that just fade into archives and the history of me never to be read again, as if they were a polaroid photo where everyone has red eye…

anyway.  Drove out to delaware this past saturday with mumsy to check out serah’s new house.  It’s actually pretty cute.  I like it.  small 1 floor house, but the basement is huge and unfinished, so they can easily double their living space and equity.  good stuff.  Kallie met us there then we headed down to DC together to hang out with friends.  Then up to Philly for some more friends and socializing.  basically the weekend was a lot of driving and a lot of people.

So…Kallie’s moving to pittsburgh…not entirely sure when, but it’s going to be great.  Gotta help her find a place, since we both think it’s probably not wise for her to move in.  Well…she needs to a find a job too…that would be helpful.  Thinks are in the works though.  Things go well on that front though.  I’m excited.

Training continues for the urbanathlon on sept 27th in new york.  I’m actually going to NY next week for work on the 9th, 10th, and 11th (great day to fly out of NY, right?)  and I plan to do a trail run of the course.  I’ll see if i can get into WTC 7, since it’s right across the office.  I hope they at least let me look at the stairwell to see what I’m up against.  crazy stuff.

Pittsburgh got a nice little write-up in the New York Times.   They got pretty nitty-gritty too, when i saw the mattress factory, I knew we we’re dealing with the average tourist here.  Looks like someone stopped to appreciate the underground and artsy side of the burgh without getting caught up in mass-consumer tourism guides.  This story reminds me of a story that ran in the city paper a while back about some guy from New York who ended up buying one of the buildings downtown because it was cheap and he liked pittsburgh enough to do it.  It’s good to see some New Yorkers escaping the BIG city and appreciating the finer things that a small city has to offer.

I guess it’s time for one of these.  I didn’t post anything in may, so let’s see…

New job…is rough at times.  No the work itself, but the people I work with.  There’s some serious tension in the group, and I don’t see it getting any better until *something* gives.  It’s a little ridiculous and unprofessional at times.  Not to mention I didn’t get the raise I was looking for.  It’s work though, and it’s a good place to be to make a move when I decide the time is right.

I’ve decided to make a summer goal of getting in shape for the urbanathlon in new york on september 27th.  andy vargo did it last year in chicago, and it really piqued my interest.  It’s a 7.2 mile race, but throughout the course, there are obstacles like jumping over taxi hoods, and median barriers, and park walls and such, and then at the end you have to run up 52 flights of stairs at world trade tower 7, so it works out to some 8.5 miles.  Pretty intense, right?  I think it will be awesome.  I’m not trying to compete, just finish it.  If I can get myself in shape for this thing, I’m really curious to see how I’ll look and feel.  I really will be in the best shape I’ve ever been in.

I’ve also picked up fencing lessons in the past few weeks.  Chris Olivieri asked me how much of a geek I was when he called me one day, and I said high to moderate levels of geekiness were seen, and then he asked me if i wanted to take fencing lessons.  I busted out laughing.  It’s actually pretty intense and fun.  I do feel like I’m learning a new skill, and I’m definitely getting a leg work out.  I could definitely see myself keeping a set of foils and masks in my closet for some outdoors fencing with friends.  I’ve done 2 out of 8 classes, so next time I should have a better idea of how good I am.

As far as music goes, nothing formal done with the penguins games going on.  I’ll pick up some open mic shows next week and keep those going and I’d like to just have some jam sessions with redfield and see where things go from there.  We were asked to play the cornerstone kick off on sunday august 24th, and that will be awesome if everyone works out.  It would be right in the bellefield parking lot, right across from the towers in oakland, and our music would permeate all the dorms and such.  I’m hoping everything goes well.

Nothing too much planned for the summer, have some vacation time, but I don’t think I’ll go anywhere.  It’s time to save money, and I traveled way too much last year.  Time to work on the homestead and read some books and such.

i woke up at 9 o’clock for a 10am calculus recitation. just went about my normal business, nothing out of the norm. got to class about 9:55, and no one was there. then 2 people walked in. and all 3 of us were wondering where everyone was. then 1 guy walks in and sits down and says "did you guys hear what happenned in new york?" we just said no. he said that someone had flown a 747 into the world trade towers. i audibly laughed and said "dude, do you even know how big a 747 is?!?!? there is no way, those are the biggest commercial planes, that is just insane." and he said "well it was one of those planes anyway, maybe a 737 or something." so he lost all credability in my mind by not getting the facts straight. 10:10, our prof showed up, and she said, in her ukranian accent, "go back to your dorms, class is cancelled." and she confirmed that someone had indeed flown a plane into the towers. got back to my dorm, found out that another one had hit. filled my hard drive with 2 hours worth of footage from CNN.  Jackie Mattassa was going to Penn State and her and I were IM’ing back and forth and she said some kid had a heart attack in the commons and died. His parents worked in the towers.

Wee!  So, Trip is all set now.  Leaving pittsburgh may 16th headed for a quick stop in new york then over to rome.  Then, first class to london on wednesday may 23rd.  Back to rome on the 25th, then back to the states on saturday, the 26th.  Work is paying for my room & board while in london and i’ll get to meet everyone there in London.  Good times!  I ended up redeeming my credit card points to help with the flight to london, so that was pretty cool too.  Hopefully the whole trip will go on without problems.  So many of us going, all never having been there, depending on keren, trying to organize events and such.  I’ll admit, i’m a little worried.

Things with Rachel continue to go well.  Hung out with her family at her cousin’s wedding on saturday.  The reception was at the Carnegie museum inside the hall of architecture.  really classy!  lots of statues and columns and stuff around the room.  Acoustics left something to be desired, but still a cool event.  We do a lot of social activities, like with other people, but we don’t do too much just the two of us.  It has it’s a good thing and a bad thing, but i’ve told her that i want to have some date nights too.  Relationship builders for the win!

lots of city news going on.  Pittsburgh was rated most livable city.  In response to Pittsburgh having the 2nd highest population drop (1st was post-Katrina New Orleans)  Mayor Luke Ravenstaul (27 years old) announced the Propel Pittsburgh Commission, a group of 37 people, from ages 20-34, who will meet and talk about what they wantlikedislike in the city.  I threw in my application.  Hopefully I’ll hear something back soon!  I would really like to get more involved in the city, and the Hill District.  In unrelated city news, Pittsburgh eats more ho-hos than any other city.

Roommates are going well. Alex is cool.  I have someone coming in for may 5th-25th, and then from june 1st – august 6th.  Deirdre will probably move in shortly after that and then we’ll see where we can go.  I’ll admit, i’ve had good luck with finding people and such on craigslist.  hopefully i’ll be continued to be blessed there.

no more word on the merger yet.  2 summer classes, starting while i’ll be in london…oh well.  Dallas is coming back from Vegas, and flights were too expensive to go down to see him a second time.  bummer.  new songs recorded and posted.  estate is finally closed!  lots of stuff to do with figuring out how to pay for it now though.  We gotta start cutting the grass too, and the tractor is broken.  Bleh.  I’m a city boy, not a farmer! 

They say New York is the city that never sleeps.  There’s always somewhere to go and something to do no matter what time of day (or night) it is.  I believe this to be because new york has so many people living in it, and so many people on different work/sleep/life cycles that business and such can justify staying open so late.  Here in pittsburgh, dowtown shops and restaurants are closed by 6pm.  When i was in vegas, that city never sleeps either.  you can go anywhere anytime of night and gamble and drink.  There are a lot of people there too.   So, as a city become more and more populated, it starts adjusting it’s own day life to fit the needs of it’s inhabitants.  Now, think of it on a national scale instead of just with a city.  You have places like wendy’s leaving their drive thru window open until 1am, and some mcdonald’s staying open 24 hours a day, and you have walmart open 24 hours a day.  These are fairly new business schedules.  Is that because the nation is becoming populated enough that it can support the store being open those times?  Maybe that mixed in with business’ wanting to meet a higher demand for alternative lifestyles?  Perhaps more and more people are working different hours instead of the 9-5.  If this trend continues, I’m seeing movie theaters being open 24/7, malls open 24/7, and anything else you can think of.  And as society makes it easier and easier for people to live alternative schedules, perhaps you’ll have people, like myself, being less inclined to be awake during the day, to function as "normal people" do.  Maybe one day, the night crew will be so many, that there truly will be a nation of night crawlers and day walkers.  Completely separate in culture, thinking, social constructs, and skin tone.  What happens to a nation that doesn’t sleep?

Bank of New York “merging” with Mellon. This is going to impact me personally, financially, career wise, and impact the city as well. How? I have no idea. And if i did have an idea, i still would not be allowed to talk about it. Freedom of speech exists only in the free world, not in corporate america. I was glad to see and hear a lot of announcements related to the news, mellon financial foundation will increase charitable donations from 2 million to 4 million. that should help the area. it also sucks that they’re moving the HQ though. I was glad to see the stock jump almost $3 too. That’s good. Too early to tell with a lot of things. Not what I had been hoping for though. I had been hoping for Mellon to start buying other smaller businesses. I’ll keep you posted.

good night for cool dreams last night. I dreamt that I was living in new york, and it’s like 2010. I was going to london for a vacation, and my flight left late at night, and i got out of work early, like noon. So instead of going home and waiting around for my flight, I jumped on this tunnel/train thing. It had a name, but i forget what it was called. Basically, it was a train that went through the atlantic ocean and arrived in London in about an hour and a half. And it only cost like $20. The plan was to just hang out for a few hours there and then go back for my flight with all my stuff. So i got through and called my friend to meet me and i met up with other friends that were there.

now, the second part of the dream probably stems from reading about the philadelphia experiment. Apparently back in the 1940′s, a big navy ship was teleported from philadelphia to virginia, and when it got there, crew were embedded into the hull of the ship and stuff. It’s all about electronic camoflauge and stuff. So back to the dream, I dreamt that I was talking to a guy about me taking that train and how cool that was and how i never knew about it before. He then told me there was another way to travel, but I had to be sworn to secrecy. He was like a government guy, and said that i could never tell anyone about what I was going to see, atleast not for 9 years, because after that, it becomes declassified. So he takes me out with a few other people out in the middle of no where, and there’s this big circular stage like thing about 30 feet in diameter. he tells me to lie on it. after a few seconds, I start to float around, next thing i know, I’m going down a slide in new york, like i got teleported there and landed on this slide to help my fall. I’m hoping that it was a dream…I don’t want to break a promise to some government guy that knows how to teleport people…