There isn't a week that goes by when we aren't hit with another study on America's high obesity rate.
When it comes to children and teenagers, the statistics are especially alarming. Society has certainly changed in the way children manage their after-school time. Instead of spending time outdoors, more kids opt to stay inside, spending their waking hours in front of the television or computer.
From a theoretic standpoint, we need recycling. Landfills are filling, recycling saves trees and other natural resources, and going green is the only way to go.
However, if it costs more to recycle bottles, cans, and newspaper than disposing them in regular garbage, would you do it? Would you pay if a fee was imposed to put the recyclables in those large, blue bins?
Recycling has become expensive and in some areas, simply not affordable.
Carbon County is one location where recycling is in jeopardy.
In watching Fox and Friends on your favorite channel for the news, Fox News, this morning I learned the average salary for a Federal Government employee is $123,049 per year; while the average salary in the private sector for a comparable job is $61,051, a difference of $61,998. Hmm, wonder who earns the money to pay the taxes in order to pay these bloated government salaries? It's no wonder we're trillions of dollars in debt!
For 19 years, Franklin & Marshall College has been conducting a statewide poll in conjunction with various news agencies throughout the state, to determine how the people of Pennsylvania feel about events and decisions that are directly affecting their lives.
We felt that the results of that poll are worth sharing with our readers. They are:
1) The percentage of Pennsylvanians who say the state is headed in the right direction now stands at 30 percent – a 15 year low – while 58 percent believe it is off on the wrong track.
Especially since 9/11, the word "heroes" has been used a lot. Sometimes it arguably might be over-used. But not at two occurrences on Monday.
On MondaY afternoon, a ceremony in Tamaqua Borough Hall recognized six "heroes."
Monday night, two police officers and two citizens were honored at the meeting of the Mahoning Township Supervisors.
First, regarding the Tamaqua ceremony, the six individuals who were labeled "heroes" helped rescue a plumber who was suffocating when a wall collapsed on him.
If you're thinking of giving up eggs because of the salmonella outbreak that has caused a massive recall, give it some more thought. You don't need to; especially if you purchase eggs that come from Pennsylvania farms.
Most local food markets sell eggs from Pennsylvania farmers. These eggs are safe, assures Pa. Agricultual Secretary Russell C. Redding.
The source of the salmonella outbreak is a large farm in Iowa. Apparently not all safety precautions were taken, resulting in the outbreak.
No, we're not talking about universal health care.
We're talking about beer bottles. Yes, beer bottles.
For as long as we can remember, our neighbors to the north have not been a throw away society, at least not when it came to consuming their favorite malt beverage.
You see, there's no such thing as a throw-away bottle in Canada. If you choose to throw them away, it costs you money.
For every bottle returned (to a designated location), imbibers receive 10 cents per bottle, or $2.40 per case.
With some 20 million people now affected, Pakistan is now experiencing the worst flooding in recorded history. More than 1,600 people feared dead and up to 5 million homeless.
Anybody who doesn't think the area has a drug problem is fooling only themselves.
Drug arrests occur regularly throughout the region. Those arrested don't represent a specific income status or race or age group. They are from both rich and poor families. Those arrested include young people, teens, middle-aged individuals, and even senior citizens. Professionals are arrested as well as laborers and the unemployed.
