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PROMOTING AWARENESS, ARTS, CULTURE AND EDUCATION IN NORTH-CENTRAL PA
Are people like me who are speaking out against natural gas fracking just beings selfish, deluded NIMBY-types? The debate about gas drilling here in north central Pennsylvania, the place I call home, has prompted me to consider the usually derogatory label of NIMBY in a new light. I first remember hearing the term, which stands…
On February 4 Tom Ridge, in his new role as “strategic advisor” for the Marcellus Shale Coalition, visited Waterville, to unveil the gas industry’s “Commitment to the Community”, a promise to follow practices that will protect the people and the environment of Pennsylvania. Present at the event were representatives of Anadarko Petroleum, a company that…
E-mails leaked to Pro-Publica indicate that law enforcement action against criminal actions by corporations fracking in communities above the Marcellus Shale mustbe pre-approved by political appointees of the Governor. This, after news that the appointed head of the Department of Community and Economic Development will have monarchical authority to override agencies of the state that…
The gas drilling has only recently begun, but already we are seeing an increase in traffic congestion and accidents and an increase in crime. And no one seems to have fully thought through how to safely deal with the toxic waste coming out of these wells. If we don’t do something now, this will only…
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As winter fades in the Susquehanna Valley, one cannot help but notice the homeowners coming out of hibernation to tidy and spruce up their properties and homes. Lawns are mowed as branches are trimmed back. Leftover leaves, remnants of an autumn passed, are swept into the gutter to make way for the blossoms and buds…
Gourmet cupcakes delivered by AT&T to F.C.C .headquarters in Washington, D.C. last December as commissioners debated rules for Internet traffic… 1,500 Spending by AT&T to court T-Mobile for a merger, which requires F.C.C. approval… $39 billion Percent of the cellular market that would be controlled by just two companies, A.T.&T. and Verizon, if the merger…
Three days short of a year after appearing in Williamsport before a crowd of over 200 area residents to inform them of potential health-related problems with gas development, Calvin Tillman, former Mayor of Dish,Texas, is coming back with help for some who may be negatively impacted. Tillmanand fellow Texan Tim Ruggierro recently founded Shale Test,…
Compiled by Ralph Kisberg “[The Cheseapeake Bay Foundation is] looking forward to discussing topics involving shallow gas migration, the ultimate fate and risk of contamination from frack water, documentation and tracking of waste products,inadequate bonding laws, setbacks, fines,well pad siting issues, floodplain concerns,an exploration of alternative fracking methodologies that may have fewer environmental and health…
The debate rages on as to whether Marcellus Shale drillers should have to pay a severance fee to the government. The taxers say that the drillers are depleting the land and therefore ought to pay money representing a percentage of what they sever since the asset will one day be gone but the roads, infrastructure,…
THE MARCELLUS SHALE IS RADIOACTIVE! Does this mean there’s a monster deep underground that’s about to be awakened by humanity’s recklessness and greed? Godzilla beneath our feet? Read on and make your own judgment. Radioactivity becomes international news when a nuclear power plant melts down, as in Japan. What I’m going to talk about is…
Last fall’s election gave us a congressman who doesn’t know that Libya is in Africa; a governor who thinks everyone should pay taxes except the gas companies; and a senator who thinks 6 billion human beings have nothing to do with global warming. After that, it’s tough getting excited about the upcoming primary election. But…
Can you imagine growing up without books? Even though we live in a world where more of us read from a glowing screen than a paper page, books are still everywhere in our lives. But there are still many places in the world where books are rare or even nonexistent. My introduction to one such…
In 1864 after seeing photos of the majestic sequoia trees in California, President Abraham Lincoln saved them from the lumberjack’s axe by signing the Yosemite Land Grant. He was moved by the incredible images of the massive trees published by photographer Carleton Watkins. Images have an immediate and visceral effect on our emotions. Images are…
A couple of years ago, my friend Ellen died primarily because bureaucrats prevented her from seeing the doctors she needed to see. If you believe all the hype about government-run health care, you’ll probably jump to the conclusion that these were government bureaucrats. They weren’t. They were insurance company paper pushers trying to make sure…
When I recently asked a group of local youth if they thought of oral sex as sexual intercourse, the resounding response was “NO;” oral sex is not the same thing as vaginal or anal sex. When I asked why, they explained that “you can’t get pregnant from a blow job.” When I asked the same…
On Saturday night, April 2, Williamsport turned back the clock and recaptured the bawdy humor and titillating performances of the early 20th century with “A Night of Burlesque.” This spirited, high-energy show was delivered by the newly formed Williamsport Burlesque Troupe at Club Z downtown. The event was a fundraiser for WXPI Williamsport Community Radio.…
There is little better than eating out with friends, I say, and eat out with friends we did. Joy Thai, located at 15-17 W. 4th St. in downtown Williamsport, is the sort of establishment that can escape my notice when I pass it on foot. Somehow, the earthy reds and greens in the sign seem…
Pisces—You’ve been asking questions lately and here are the answers: Never. Maybe. 346. Only if you wear a hat. No twins. Tap dancing. Avoid blue drinks. Aries—Avoid drinks with little umbrellas. In fact, avoid all girlie drinks. You will get drenched so carry an umbrella everywhere, even inside, because your drenching may come in the…
In a last-ditch effort to maintain some kind of sanity in the wake of the horrible events in Japan, the uprising in Libya, the union-busting in Wisconsin, and the teacher-bashing everywhere, I’ve been watching The West Wing. Honestly? It’s not helping my sense of reality. Real life looks more like Independence Day, not A Few…