GREEN SUPER BOWL 08

NFL to Offset Super Bowl's Carbon Footprint!

The National Football League's Environmental Program Director Jack Groh was a guest on NPR, where he discussed the league's plans for making the Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona a carbon neutral event. Groh estimates that the Super Bowl annually produces approximately 500 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, primarily from energy use and transportation of NFL staff to and from the game.

University of Phoenix Stadium and the adjacent NFL theme park will be powered with wind, solar and geothermal energy, and the NFL will be planting thousands of trees to replace Northern Arizona forests blackened by wildfires. University of Phoenix Stadium already has an extensive recycling program set up for fans.

The NFL began offsetting carbon output at 2005's Super Bowl XXXIX in Jacksonville, making this the fourth year that offsets will be purchased. This plan currently only takes into account the NFL's footprint, and does not address the impact of fans traveling to the game.

Do your part—recycle bottles and cans—it all adds up!

Wearing Red Friday 2/1/08 ?

The PA COMMISSION FOR WOMEN ENCOURAGES
OBSERVANCE OF NATIONAL WEAR RED DAY

Campaign Helps Raise Awareness About Number 1 Killer of Women

HARRISBURG -- Hoping to have all of Pennsylvania seeing red on Friday, the
Pennsylvania Commission for Women is encouraging the commonwealth to
participate in the American Heart Association’s National Wear Red Day.
Red is the signature color of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for
Women campaign, which aims to raise awareness about heart disease, the number
one killer of women. “Fashionably speaking, red is considered a power color,” commission Executive Director Leslie Stiles said, “but by wearing it on Friday, red will be an
empower color, and a simple way to remind women that for all they do to care
for others, they need to take care of themselves, too.”

For more information about cardiovascular health and how the PA Commission for
Women is helping to combat heart disease, visit http://www.pcw.state.pa.us/
or call the commission’s hotline at 1-888-615-7477.

The Pennsylvania Commission for Women is committed to identifying and
advancing the diverse needs and interests of Pennsylvania women and girls; to
inform, educate and advocate for its constituents; and to provide
opportunities to empower women and girls to reach their highest potential.

Happy Birthday LEGO

http://shop.lego.com/Default.aspx

Recession/depression

Darker Days Ahead?
Robert Reich warns a recession, or worse, could be coming.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/101108/page/1

Think the last few days have been bad for Wall Street and the rest of the world's markets? Hang on, things are probably going to get worse, says Robert Reich, President Clinton's former secretary of Labor and author of the recent book "Supercapitalism: The Transformation of Business, Democracy and Everyday Life." According to Reich, who currently teaches public policy at the University of California, Berkeley, the United States might even be headed toward a depression. Check out the above link to read a very interesting article from Newsweek with Robert Reich.

Think about what you are going to do with that Tax Rebate check once it arrives...and think hard about it.

Esquire's March Issue with David Simon Essay

From an email I received promoting Esquire's web site and their upcoming March ISSUE...

A Newspaper Can’t Love You Back
The new season of The Wire tackles the world of media, specifically The Baltimore Sun, generating a firestorm of controversy around series' creator David Simon. In this sneak peek at his essay from Esquire's March 2008 issue, Simon offers a tribute to the newsroom he once loved.
By David Simon

I can't wait!!

What? Heath Ledger is dead? Sad but True

I was shocked to hear on my local evening newscast that Heath Ledger is dead....so I jumped on the WWW to find out what is up...I called T, who was just as shocked as I was...we both suspected drugs...

and I am wondering about the new Batman movie, where I had seen some photos of Heath as a the Joker...is the Filmed in the can? The Batman Film is THE DARK KNIGHT...(http://www.batman-on-film.com/)

Breaking news
MSNBC News Services
updated 5 minutes ago...

NEW YORK - Heath Ledger was found dead Tuesday at a downtown Manhattan residence in a possible drug-related death, police said. He was 28.
According to WNBC, Ledger was found with pills strewn all around him.

NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said Ledger had an appointment for a massage at the Manhattan apartment believed to be his home. The housekeeper, who went to let Ledger know the masseuse was there, found him unconscious at approximately 3:30 p.m. ET, according to the New York Times.

Lancaster Science Factory set to OPEN

Opening Day set for January 22, 2008.

HOOOOOray! The Lancaster Science Factory has scheduled Opening Day for Tuesday, January 22, 2008: from 10:00am to 5:00pm. Over 40 interactive exhibits have been installed in the 11,000 sq. ft. main exhibit hall which was once an old factory building. Exhibits are arranged in ten exhibit “clusters” including: Structural Engineering, Air Power, Conductors and Insulators, Electricity, Light and Vision, Newton’s Laws, and Fluid Dynamics.

I attended an open house for the science factory last Thursday. I hope it does well and more exhibits will be added but I am glad the open house was free is all I am going to say at this point....Admission :$5.00 Children 12 and under, accompanied by an adult.$7.00 for adults.

Good Living

Vodka shots were Stalin's drink of choice at the 1945 Yalta conference (despite FDR's offer of gin Martini). Although vodka was virtually unheard of in the US at the time, post-conference sales of the spirit soared.

In Medieval Europe, lovers gave each other sprigs of Yarrow at the beginning of Valentine's Day dinner. If they wilted by the end of the meal, the love affair was doomed.

The Roving Eye

I recently read a great bio about LEE MILLER, artist and muse in The New Yorker:http://www.newyorker.com/online/2008/01/21/slideshow_080121_miller

Lee Miller, the playgirl, model, photographer, muse, and war correspondent whose work is featured in a retrospective, “The Art of Lee Miller,” which opens on January 26th at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. I found the article about Miller's life fascinating and will definitely head to Philly to see this retrospective.

Baltic Porter Now On TAP @ LBC

I have heard but not yet confirmed that every one's favorite Baltic Porter is now on tap @ LBC....I ran into a waitress at a Retirement Party on Saturday and she told me that YES, Baltic Porter is available now! BALTIC PORTER is ....A traditional lager-style beer, with its dark color and medium body, has a defined hop flavor balanced by the smoothness of extra special roasted malt. This healthy dose of over six malt flavors makes this beer perfect for the transition from winter into spring.

Kimberton Whole Foods coming to Lancaster @ College Row

Kimberton Whole Foods is coming to Lancaster, PA @ College Row this summer. KWF will open a 5,000 sq. foot location and bring 13 jobs to the city. The store will cost $500,000 to open in the $35 million residential and retail complex on Harrisburg Ave. across from F&M College. KFW will carry organic and natural foods, along with books, cards, magazines and other items. Check out there web site:http://www.kimbertonwholefoods.com/retailer/store_templates/shell_id_1.asp?storeID=Q1713TLHS9S92J2200AKHMCCQJG14HSB

Their Mission Statement: We care for the earth by promoting organic & bio-dynamic farming methods. We conduct our business in a respectful & ethical manner while building strong cooperative ties within our larger community.In a more personal way, we support each individuals quest to learn more about healthy choices in diet & lifestyle. Finally, we are committed to honoring each customer with outstanding service.Kimberton Whole Foods markets to the local community and supports Organic Farmers and Local Businesses in the Health Industry.

Renovations @ Victory Brewing Company

RENOVATIONS OF THE RESTAURANT @ VICTORY BREWING COMPANY

From the owners of Victory brewing:

In just under twelve years, the walls of Victory Brewing Company have been filled completely with many, many memories. We relish the times we have played host to our guests’ birthdays, anniversaries and post-game celebrations. It’s nothing less than a thrill to see this old shell of a bakery plant brought to life by the folks that have come to enjoy it so much.

As you might imagine, we have countless memories of our own captured within this space. Prior to opening, it was just a few of us, namely myself, Ron, my father, and a host of trusted contractors that had just five months and an impossibly small budget gathered from friends and family to transform this abandoned building into a place that you enjoy socializing in. For those of you who have never done it, I would not recommend the experience of project management on a tight budget, especially when you had never built a brewery or restaurant before.

But some of these great memories are about to be physically removed. The hearth ovens, victims of constant heat, need be replaced and so, block by block, they will go away come February, just shy of their 12th birthday. No one stands to lose more, in terms of sentimental value, than Ron and I as we embark on building a bigger and better Victory. Things that cost us our precious pennies back then are simply worn out and we have to acknowledge and deal with that reality. Allowing sentimentality to command our actions while our beloved place slips into dysfunctional disrepair is simply not an option. You deserve better than that.
So permit us a few months and a few private tears as we revitalize our kitchen facility, expand with new dining areas and build the better, more durable Victory that our budget could not have permitted twelve years ago.

Trust us. Behind the scenes of our restaurant we have constantly upgraded the brewing facilities, to the tune of nearly $6 million, to bring you ever more delicious Victory beer. It’s time the restaurant benefited from some renovation, too. All the while, we remain focused on stepping into the future, without obliterating the precious past.
Onward to Victory!

Berwick PA Brewing News

This is a repost from...a blog called...PUB CRAWLIN.

Check it out...a really great blog...http://pubcrawlin.wordpress.com/

Since I grew up in Bloomsburg, Pa..I wanted to repost this since Berwick is right next door to Bloom...My Mom never tells me anything when I ask her what is new...

From Pub Crawlin'...

One Guy Brewing in Berwick had a soft opening yesterday (beer has been available at B.F. J’Eats since late December; grand opening TBA.) Probably the best information available is on Lew Bryson’s blog (http://lewbryson.blogspot.com/2008/01/one-guy-up-and-running.html )

(read the comments - it gets more and more interesting as the days pass.) Located at 328 W. Front St., Berwick, PA 18603.
A friend of ours made a visit yesterday, and learned the following:
There are four beers currently on tap. Number 1 (the first One Guy beer ever brewed; a golden lager), Dark Lager, Peach Wheat and Rauch Bock.
There are two glass sizes to choose from. A small glass (perhaps 10-oz?) ranged from $2.25-2.75. Shaker “pints” were $3-3.50. Growlers were $4.01+tax for the glass, and the fills were $7.50-10.
He reported that the beers were “spot on excellent,” so this sounds like a place that needs to get on our schedule!http://pubcrawlin.wordpress.com/

Where's Lancaster's Acid Vandal Been?

Police eye man in acid vandal case.....Matches description; lab results pending!

By BRETT HAMBRIGHT, Staff Intelligencer Journal
Published: Jan 10, 2008 2:24 AM EST

LANCASTER, Pa. - Lancaster city police said Wednesday they have identified a "person of interest" in the acid vandal case, and they hope items recovered from the man's home will lead to an arrest.

Police said they questioned a middle-aged man in November about the incidents, and he gave investigators permission to search his home.

Items seized from the home are being processed at a state police crime lab, Sgt. Michael Branner said Wednesday night. Police didn't elaborate on what was taken from the home and could not say when the lab results would be available.

"We don't have enough evidence to charge him now," Branner said. "Depending on the lab results, we may have enough."

Police officials Wednesday declined to identify the man or say where he lives.

Officials said there have been no acid vandalism incidents since the man was questioned.

"It hasn't happened for quite a while," Lancaster Mayor Rick Gray said Wednesday night. "So maybe there is a relationship between the contact (with this person)."

More than 400 vehicles in Lancaster city and township have been damaged by a corrosive substance since the attacks began two years ago, investigators said. Total damages are nearing $500,000.

Police declined to say what led them to the man. Branner said he matches a physical description given by a city woman who said she saw the vandal in action last August. The woman, who said she witnessed someone vandalizing her car, described the culprit as a thin white man in his 40s, clean shaven and about 5-feet-11-inches tall.

Branner said identifying the person of interest was not the result of a tip through Lancaster City-County Crime Stoppers, which is offering an $18,000 reward for information that leads to a conviction.

Making an arrest would be just one step in what officials said will be a tough case to prosecute.
"Needless to say, these (crimes) are difficult to prove," Gray said. "You don't have the exact time they happened or eyewitnesses."

The man police are investigating could face felony criminal mischief charges if police can tie him to all the incidents, Branner said.

"In this case, it would be a felony because of the dollar damage," Branner said. "There were over 400 (vehicles) damaged, but how many can we charge him with? Whether it's one vehicle or 400, they are all tough to prove."

Gray offered a solution: "The best thing would be to catch the guy in the act."
Despite Wednesday's development, city police continue to devote resources to apprehending the vandal. "It's a person of interest," Gray said. "At this point, it's speculation that this person would face any charges.

Beer Can Appreciation Day=January 24th

Beer Can Appreciation Day

When : Always January 24th
Now here's a day that I can really get into! Actually, I can "get into" the stuff inside even more.

Beer Can Appreciation Day celebrates that great day in 1935 when beer was first sold in cans.

Okay, laugh if you will. But, believe me when I say that Beer Can Appreciation Day is a big and important day to many people.

A lot of people do not know that there's a huge number of beer can collectors out there. Collectors meticulously open a beer can from the bottom, empty it (and drink the beer, of course), then wash and dry it. For beer can collectors, there is no shortage of types of beer, cans and bottles, and sizes. A beer can collector may have hundreds of cans and bottles.

News You Can Use: There's a market for beer cans. If you come across an old can, do not throw it out. Rather, check out the prices in a collector's catalog, or on Ebay.

Beer Can Appreciation Day provides us with the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the many different kinds of beer cans. Enjoy today by starting, or adding to your beer can collection. As you empty the new cans, drink the contents. Afterall, you don't want to be wasteful do you?

Important Note: Please drink responsibly. And, if you drink.......don't drive

Troegs Brewing Company Seasonal Release for 2/1/08

Seasonal (Feb.) Nugget Nectar Ale TMImperial Amber Ale

Alcohol by Volume: 7.5%

Hop Bitterness (IBU's) : 93ishColor (SRM) : Straw-Orange Availability: 1/2, 1/6 and Cask Conditioned kegs, 12 oz. bottles Malts: Pilsner, Vienna, Munich Hops: Nugget, Warrior, Tomahawk, Simcoe, Palisade Yeast: Ale Squeeze those hops for all they’re worth and prepare to pucker up: Nugget Nectar Ale, will take hop heads to nirvana with a heady collection of Nugget, Warrior and Tomahawk hops. Starting with the same base ingredients of our flagship Hop Back Amber Ale, Nugget Nectar intensifies the malt and hop flavors to create an explosive hop experience.

DUE to be released FEB 1st.

Parade Magazine from 1/6/2008

I don't usually read the Parade Magazine that comes with my local Sunday Paper but this weekend I sat it aside to read today. I was intrigued by the cover article on Benazir Bhutto. The article was subtitled: Is Benazir Bhutto America's best hope against al-Qaeda? 'I am what the terrorist most fear' An interview from Pakistan by Gail Sheehy. WOW....imagine my surprise when I read the article today, Jan. 7, 2008...NO, Mention that Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on December 27, 2008. The parade Magazine was delivered yesterday on 1/7/2008 and it must have been published before 12/7/2008, Duh. I can just imagine some kid reading this article and using it as an only source for a report and no knowing she was assassinated. The report also talks about tomorrows elections in Pakistan .....MEMO to Parade Magazine...the elections have been postponed.

Another Brewery for Lancaster County!

The Bar Fly Monthly reported that the SPRING HOUSE BREWING COMPANY is now open for business @ 2519 Main Street, Conestoga, PA and TIM MEKEEL, Staff writer, Lancaster New Era wrote the following article:

Spring House Brewing Co., in a renovated tobacco barn on his 2519 Main St. property, will begin by making his proprietary Seven Gates Pale Ale."It's been a rollercoaster, I'll tell you," said Keasey, 35, who left the security of a job at Lancaster Laboratories to be an entrepreneur. Keasey and several investors were going to open a brew-pub in downtown Lancaster, but that deal fell through. So Keasey and different investors decided to drop the restaurant component and develop just a micro-brewery. That's what will debut shortly, the culmination of a $350,000 investment. Keasey will be the only full-time employee initially, though his brother Greg, a Baltimore businessman, will help with sales. At first, Spring House Brewing will target restaurants, taverns and distributors in Lancaster County and parts of York County. Gradually, it hopes to expand its reach to the rest of southcentral Pennsylvania, then beyond. Next summer, it will begin selling cases and kegs to the public from its Main Street location. The tobacco barn is next to the farmhouse home of Keasey and his wife, Nicole, who is completing her doctorate in biochemistry at Penn State University. Both structures were built in 1794. Using the barn as a shell, Keasey built a two-level micro-brewery inside that totals 2,200 square feet and will produce 1,200 barrels a year, while retaining the structure's rustic charm."It's 100 times different now...," he said. "It's an incredible transformation."Keystone Restorations of Manchester, owned by Keasey's brother-in-law, Greg Hess, was the project's general contractor. The first product to be made at Spring House Brewing will be a pale ale that's less bitter and has a stronger hops flavor than the typical ale, said Keasey. Eventually, Spring House Brewing will have three or four brands of bottled beer and up to 12 brands of beer sold in kegs.

Keasey's passion for making beer began six years ago when he started home-brewing. As he perfected his recipes, he entered the National Homebrew Competition "to get an outside opinion," and won honors twice. He further honed his skills by working at Appalachian Brewing in Harrisburg for two years, while he also was a pharmaceutical chemist at Lancaster Laboratories. Keasey, who graduated from Penn State with a degree in biology after studying graphic design at Bradley Academy, finds that brewing beer is a way for him to pursue both of those interests. "What's great about it is there's a scientific aspect of brewing beer and an artistic, creative aspect," he said. Not to mention a hard-work aspect. Keasey said he's been working 12 to 18 hours a day to get his new business running. He's not complaining, though. With craft-brewing being a growth industry, Keasey is perfectly willing to put in the time needed to get involved." A lot of people told me that the only way a micro-brewery can fail is if people don't work hard at it," said Keasey. "I was told that if you work hard, it will take off."

Check out their web site: http://www.springhousebeer.com/index.htm