Tag Archives: Pennsylvania

Cleaning House

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[cleansweep.jpg]Go, PACleanSweep, go!

Pay raise backlash ousts top legislators
GOP’s Jubelirer, Brightbill lose; 10 incumbents in House out

"Two of the top legislative leaders in Harrisburg yesterday lost their party’s nominations for re-election, victims of voter anger over last summer’s aborted legislative pay raises."

[…]

"Across the state, at least 10 incumbent House members lost their party nominations, so they already know they will lose their jobs. Others face additional challenges in the general election in November."

2006 Race for the Cure 5K

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[2006 Race for the Cure 5K bib]It was naive of me to think that I could run a personal best at the Race for the Cure. There were far too many walkers clogging the route. The really annoying thing is that there shouldn’t have been any walkers on the race course at all. The walkers had their own course and were scheduled to start at a different time. Obviously a lot of people didn’t realize that or didn’t care. After all, rules apply to other people. *grumble* Next year I’ll definitely start close to the front of the pack. I’d rather be passed by the really fast people than have to pass the really slow people.

Anyhow, though my time of 27:30 wasn’t a personal best, it was still my best recorded race time. I figure I lost 2-3 minutes on the first mile alone. After that, though, I ran a hair over an 8-minute pace. Later in the day, I ran a training 5K in Schenley park with Edey and Father Michael Darcy (of the Oratory). My time on that was about 25:30.

My next race will be West Penn Track Club’s Pittsylvania Mile. I’m hoping for 7:30 or better. After that, I’ll be running the Father’s Days Us TOO 10K for prostate cancer research. My goal is to run it in 45 minutes or less. I’ve done sub-49:00 once in training, so I know it’s not impossible.

Bsp. Wuerl Goes to Washington

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Well, apparently the rumors were true this time. I guess you can’t refuse promotion forever.

"Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Bishop Donald W. Wuerl to succeed Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick as archbishop of Washington."

[…]

" Archbishop-designate Wuerl will continue to serve as bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh until his installation as archbishop of Washington on June 22, 2006."

Bishop Wuerl had the following to say about his promotion.

"The decision of our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, to transfer me to the Archdiocese of Washington, DC, is one I embrace in the context of faith in God’s providential care. Although I am greatly aware of my own limitations, I find strength in the Pope’s trust in me and also in the prayerful support I have always found from the Catholic faithful I have attempted to serve here in the Diocese of Pittsburgh."

Here’s a summary of his pastoral letters.

Here’s what St. Blog’s Parish has to say about him.

I wonder who’ll replace him. Will an auxilliary bishop be elevated? Will someone be transferred from another diocese? Will the replacement desire more indult masses? In a perfect world, Father Bryan Summers would be elevated, but this is not a perfect world. 😉

What are your thoughts on possible replacements?

Addendum: American Papist has links to more coverage than you can shake a crozier at.

Your Civic Duty ‘n’at

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Today are the Primary Elections for Pennsylvania. While the real fireworks won’t be till the General Election, we can still send a message to the fat cats in Harrisburg. You can always vote for Mickey Mouse or, better yet, Jack Bauer!

Alas, alack. While turnouts are low for local and state elections, making individual votes have higher impact, most people don’t know what their local politicians are like. Fear not.

The Post-Gazette has a How They Voted guide, showing how senators and reps voted for the gambling and pay raise bils. You can print it out and take it with you to the polls if you aren’t sure who’s your rep or senator. Operation Clean Sweep and LifePAC also have information you find handy.

2006 Fineview Step-A-Thon 5K

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The finish line was 400 ft higher than the starting line. I climbed 381 steps to get there. Needless to say, I wasn’t shooting for a personal record in this race. 😉

The temp was a little chilly at the start of the Fineview Step-A-Thon 5K (probably about 45), but it rose 10 or 15 degrees before the end. Physical exertion helped warm me up, too. I made a mistake at the beginning of the race that’ll correct next year. There was a flat stretch at the beginning that was intended to separate the pack before folks ascended the first set of stairs. I paced myself as I would have for any other 5K, which got me stuck behind people that walked up the steps instead of running up them. Next year I’ll sprint the beginning so people can be stuck behind me instead. 😉

I finished in 29:06 (9:23 pace), which is better than my Run With HAART time, but nothing to get excited about. I was 6th out of 7 20-29 males and 47th out of 56 runners. On May 14, I’ll be in the Run for the Cure 5K and I’m shooting for a sub-26:00 (8:23 pace) time. My goal is to run a sub-8:00 mile at the Pittsylvania Mile Run on June 3.