today’s news and information gleanings from here and there! Today’s Weather!   Today in History!

Quote for today…”It is a strange form of democracy that produces political outcomes that reward the few and punish the many, despite the energetic protests of the many. Political scientists understand that US electoral outcomes are determined by powerful monied interests that finance the political campaigns and that the bills Congress passes and the President signs are written by these interest groups to serve their narrow interests. Such conclusions are dismissed as cynicism and do not alter the mindset.” – Dr. Paul Craig Roberts

• And …we like this responsible comment from State Representative Ryan Aument: http://www.repaument.com/NewsItem.aspx?NewsID=11353
• Posting at www.craigslist.org: “Lover’s Lane Street Sign (Red & White) (Columbia RR Tracks) – My Bride & Groom had wedding photos taken on Wednesday May 11 at the RR tracks at Walnut and Front Streets. The sign was left by the tracks and when we went back to get it, it was gone. This is a prop and I am unable to find another one for my clients. Please help me locate this item. It is red with white letters and reads “Lovers Lane” it is approx. 5 inches high by 36 inches long. Reward and no questions asked. Thank you, Sheri”and “Vendor -Craft Bazaar/benefit (Columbia Pa)
• And this one from Craigslist too: “Looking to have a craft bazaar to raise money for new direction signs for the Columbia Market House. The building was built in 1869 and restored to its orginally (sic) beauty. Vendor applicants can apply by sending an email. Vendor spots is 1/spot $15.00 2/spot $25.00. Both indoors/outdoors. On a first come basis with registration. Restrictions and regulations will apply. The Columbia Market House is also seeking regular vendors for Thursday/Fridays and seeking free entertainers for music. Must present demo or audtion (sic). Tenative (sic) date is June 30th with raindate (sic) being July 8th. Upon generated interest of 25 vendors. “
• Here’s your chance to grab up some of the bling and booty from the drug culture; from the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era: “According to John Burkhart, the supervisor of the task force, 17 cars will be on the auction block starting at noon. Auction attendees may find themselves driving home in a 2000 BMW Convertible, a 1999 Cadillac Escalade or a 2001 Volkswagen Passat. Burkhart pointed out that 70 pieces of jewelry will be up for bid as well. Various 14 carat gold rings and numerous watches will be presented, along with other jewelry items. There will be video game systems galore for the kids (or the adult gamer), including three Wii game systems, five Xbox 360s, four Play Station 3 consoles and a Sony PSP. Various comic books, DVDs and Play Station 3 video games also will be up for grabs. (Drug task force to hold annual auction). If you are in the market for drug culture bling or high mileage cars click here for the auction inventory.
• Also from the Intelligencer Journal/New Era: “Manheim Township School District eyes $60 annual activity fee” – from the POLICE LOG “MANOR TWP.: Michael Hagen, 39, of the 800 block of Walnut Street, Columbia, was charged as the result of an incident May 8 on Columbia Avenue. Hagen flagged down a police officer and said he locked his keys in his car. After the officer unlocked the vehicle and Hagen drove away, the officer determined Hagen didn’t have a valid license and stopped him a short distance away. Police later discovered Hagen is not eligible to get a license for 15 years because of numerous traffic violations.” – from Letters to the Editor: “Sewage overflow threatens Susquehanna” “Lancaster city received two inches of rain on the evening of May 16. City Public Works Director Charlotte Katzenmoyer recently admitted in this paper that an estimated 1 billion gallons of untreated raw human waste goes down the Conestoga River every year because the city has a combined sewer overflow, which collects stormwater and sewage together.”For every inch of rain that falls on the city, 23 million gallons of untreated sewage and industrial waste has to be dumped directly into the Conestoga River. So, 46 million gallons of raw sewage just hit the Susquehanna and the Chesapeake Bay from the Monday rain event.”And this is just Lancaster city. Many towns and cities have combined sewage overflow systems in the Susquehanna watershed which introduce billions of gallons of raw sewage into the river whenever it rains.”American Rivers and the Sierra Club announced this week that the Susquehanna River is the most endangered river in the nation, not because of raw sewage but because of natural gas extraction and the hydrofracking process. They quote, “The drinking water supply for 6 million people is threatened because of the limited facilities for treating drilling wastewater.””Josh Fox, producer of ‘Gasland,’ admitted at Alfred State University recently that the hydrofracking process used to fracture shale to release the gas is composed of 99.7 percent water and sand and .03 percent of chemicals, some of which are harmless. And American Rivers makes absolutely no mention of these combined sewage overflow systems in its report?”Somebody has an agenda, and it’s against the efficient and cleanest fuel that is right under our feet. They would rather rant about the minuscule amount of chemicals used in gas drilling instead of the billions of gallons of untreated human sewage and industrial waste pumped in the Susquehanna River every week. And we are made to believe that the gas drillers and farmers are the ones polluting the river and the bay. Guess again.” Rob Beiler Gap
• And from Jack Brubaker’s, “The Scribbler” column: “Tom Hermansader, the Columbia artist and strong man, met the late Joseph Greenstein, “the Mighty Atom,” at the Allentown Fair many years ago. His late father painted Greenstein’s portrait as the younger artist looked on. Hermansader came away from that meeting inspired not only to paint but to bend nails with his bare hands. On Saturday, Hermansader and Greenstein’s son, Mike, another strong man, will watch as the Mighty Atom is inducted into York Barbell’s Hall of Fame. Joseph Greenstein (1893-1977), once billed as the strongest man in the world, bent nails and horseshoes with his teeth, pulled trucks along with his hair and performed other amazing feats. ‘He used to perform at Root’s Country Market, the York Fair and the Green Dragon,’ notes Hermansader. ‘I know that several older people remember seeing the Mighty Atom at these places.’ Hermansader has physical characteristics similar to Greenstein’s. They are the same height: 5-feet, 5-inches. They are about the same weight: 150 pounds. And both learned to focus their bodies and minds on feats of strength that seem nearly impossible.”