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COLUMNS: BROOKLYN: Alice Lee, who has taken a trip to the gold districts of Wyoming, has arrived safely. She had a ride of 80 miles by stage after she left the railroad. FRANKLIN FORKS: The annual reunion of the Stockholm family was held in this place at the home of A.E. Stockholm last Saturday. Over 80 relatives partook of the bountiful dinner, which was served under a large tent on the lawn. A delightful time was enjoyed by those present. William J. Stockholm, formerly of the Philippine Islands but now of Cleveland, Ohio, made the long trip to spend the day with his relatives, returning to his western home on Sunday. Relatives were present from Binghamton, Paterson, N.J., Hallstead and other places. GREAT BEND: Master Russell Dowling was playing with a pistol Sunday morning, having the barrel filled with chunks of coal, dirt, pins and almost any other substance he could poke down the barrel. It unexpectedly went off when his hand was over the muzzle. Dr. Treat extracted the charge and unless blood poisoning develops the youngster will experience no serious consequences. UNIONDALE: E. Feldman & Co., of Forest City, are soon to open a store in the building owned by Mrs. A. E. Ellis. SOUTH GIBSON: We were the glad recipient of a beautiful bouquet of asters and gladiolas from the extensive flowerbeds on Eldridge Snyder’s lawn, which is the admiration of all who see it. Mr. Snyder intends to add to his already flourishing business, flowering plants and roses, which will be appreciated by all lovers of flowers. LAKESIDE: Some person maliciously bent entered the schoolhouse Saturday night and stole all the pencils and tablets and disarranged things in general. SOUTH MONTROSE: A. H. Conklin exhibited his Elwood flock of registered Shropshire sheep at our County fair last week, winning every first prize in class, together with all specials on sheep. This demonstrates that Mr. Conklin has the best flock of Shropshires in the county. NEW MILFORD: A project is now on foot, which bids are to be realized. It is the connecting of the cities of Scranton and Binghamton by a model roadway and will traverse the county. Colonel Charles C. Pratt, New Milford, originated the idea and together with Civil Engineer A. B. Dunning, Scranton, Highway Commissioner Hunter, also of that city, and F. D. Lyons, Binghamton, examiner of highways, they went over the proposed route this week. It is thought the promoters of the project will be confronted by a pretty formidable task when it comes to getting anything like a level road between New Milford and Kingsley. Between Alford and New Milford are some of the steepest hills to be found in this section, but there are many automobile enthusiasts interested and consequently plenty of energy and sufficient funds to shove it through. FRIENDSVILLE: Register and Recorder B. B. Buffam’s store and dwelling house were destroyed by fire Wednesday night. The fire was discovered at about 12 o’clock by Mrs. Harry McMahon, who lives nearby. The flames had gathered such headway by the time the residents were aroused that little could be done in the way of saving the store building or contents. Owing to the limited facilities at hand it was impossible to keep the flames from leaping the intervening distance to the house. Some of the furnishings were saved from the house and [fortunately] Mr. Buffam had not moved all his household goods to Friendsville from Montrose. How the fire originated remains unsolved. The building had been in use for a number of years and as is often the case with old buildings, the theory of rodents gnawing matches, etc., has been advanced. MONTROSE: A. W. Lyons made a business trip to Binghamton yesterday for the purpose of purchasing a dynamo. It is Mr. Lyons’ intention to place the dynamo in his store building, using a gasoline engine located in the basement to furnish power and thus generate the electricity for lighting his business place and residence. EAST LENOX: The West Lenox correspondent must have been misinformed in regard to the scores between the Gunn Hill and West Lenox base ball team, or the players counted their scores before playing, as the game stood 6 to 10 in favor of the Gunn Hill boys, instead of 9 to 0 in favor of the West Lenox boys as printed in last week’s items. FLYNN, Middletown Twp.: Mrs. Wells is dressmaking at Mrs. John Murphy’s. AND: James Conboy visited on the creek over Sunday. AND: Henry McInerny is wearing a broad smile, the cause is a young boy at their house. THOMPSON: Thompson’s undertaker, A. H. Crosier, who was so seriously sick a few weeks ago, and who went to Chenango county, N.Y. to recuperate, if so he did not die, then and there, is home again and his many friends will be glad to know that he seems to be well on the way to recovery. SUSQUEHANNA: Last Saturday morning the Erie depot at Susquehanna was damaged by fire to the extent of about $1000. The fire was discovered by Erie employees and was extinguished with difficulty. Freight bills, records and other valuable papers were destroyed. LITTLE MEADOWS: The marriage of Miss Lucinda A. Bowen, of Little Meadows, to Charles K. DeWitt, of Binghamton, occurred at the home of A.D. Brown at Little Meadows on Sept. 13, 1905, Rev. F. A. King officiating. SILVER LAKE: A sadness followed the Hill reunion. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Newton Rogers, of Silver Lake, was the youngest attending and was taken ill on her return home and died Sept. 10, 1905, aged 6 months. WEST AUBURN: Elmer B. Lacey, manufacturer of the famous Lacey round silos, has already sold about 50 silos this season and is prepared to fill all orders on short notice, either silo complete or doors or hoops separately. Every hoop or silo sold by Mr. Lacey is thoroughly guaranteed and protected by letters of patent, which insures the buyer perfect protection.
Along the Way...With P. Jay
Some fine points were brought out at last week’s meeting of the Forest City Regional Board of Education by a rather large attendance but the directors acted as if their Duracells were running low. Of course, having covered board meetings in the Mile of Hospitality for some 15 or 16 years has taught me not to expect too much excitement from the directors. There is an occasional cough or a sneeze but the feeling here is that that is designed purposely to keep the directors on their toes. Not having had children attend Forest City Regional, I found some information rather unusual but I looked around and noticed the parents taking things in stride so I figure I must be the only one looking for the proverbial hair in the egg. For instance, I was surprised when one parent addressed the board about its purchase of used text books. I gathered from paying attention in between short naps that buying used books has been a standard practice in the school district for many years. In fact, I guess it is a common occurrence in school districts and as I think about it, I can recall that we had hand-me-down text books when I went to school and some of the art work, poetry and expletives in them would make The Fonze blush. The school board appears to offer time at the beginning and the end of each meeting for public input which is very democratic. And the public can also ask questions about a motion prior to a vote on it. Again, a nice gesture. But I was taken aback by Fred Garm, board president, when he arbitrarily announced he would only take one more question from the audience near the end of the meeting. I covered Boards of Education in some large school districts in New Jersey and it was the practice of these boards to afford everyone in the audience an opportunity to be heard. To sit and look at a large audience and suddenly have the board president declare that he will only entertain one more question seems so unfair to people who sat through a rather lengthy meeting and were not given an opportunity to vent their feelings. Sure doesn't smack of democracy in action. For the most part, people who address the board get feedback from the board president or from the school superintendent. Makes one wonder if the other directors are listening and just do not want to comment or are they asleep at the wheel. For the most part, the only ones who speak up are Board President Fred Garm and Director Henry Nebzydoski. I will comment on one good thing that I have been observing at recent meetings of the board. The directors occasionally speak. For quite some time I covered meetings in Forest City where the directors only read motions when the board president called upon them to do so and just sat there quietly unless someone directed a question at them. Now, directors like Al Dyno and Tom Heller are venting their feelings on issues and other directors are slowly beginning to follow suit. If someone asked me to find another fault with the Forest City Regional Board of Education, I would have to say it is its reluctance to install a public address system in the board’s meeting room. No matter how close people sit to the board, and I must commend it for moving the press table closer, School Superintendent Richard Vadella is difficult to hear, as are directors Hank Nebzydoski, Michael Sterchak, and Joseph Lucchesi. Ah, those unfunded mandates The Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit 19, which takes in all schools in Susquehanna County, is leading the fight to stop the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare from initiating a medical assistance premium for “loophole” families. I am not completely sure what it means but I do know that educators around the state are concerned and the biggest fear seems to be the premiums might be passed on to the school districts to pay giving them yet another unfunded state mandate. I will try to get some more information on this issue for a future column. In the meantime, it might not be a bad idea to contact your state representatives and pump them for some information. If the premiums are passed on to the local school districts, it will mean a tax increase. For example Forest City Regional could be assessed a sizeable chunk of dough to help pay this premium.
For instance, the entire proceeding began with the Senators having the opportunity to offer opening statements – before the nominee was ever granted the opportunity to speak. If the hearing was intended to determine the qualifications of Judge Roberts, why did any Senator need to provide a diatribe on their personal views of the universe and the manner in which they believed that the constitutional constellation should be arrayed? Judge Roberts was forced to sit patiently and listen to the various views and opinions of each of the Senators – none of which, as far as I could discover, have ever sat in any judicial capacity whatsoever. Thus, one of the best legal minds of his generation was inundated by the mindless jabber of countless peacocks spreading the paltry wings of their collective constitutional wisdom, apparently, for the benefit of a sitting judge who had already been confirmed unanimously by the Senate a few years earlier because, one would assume, the same peacocks had already determined that he had the qualifications to be a good judge. If I sound the cynic, I suppose that I am. I believe strongly that the Senate must assure itself that a candidate for a lifetime position as a justice of the United States Supreme Court is exceptional and qualified. That having been said, it is the manner in which the inquisition occurs that offends my sensibilities – which may be only a result of my own legal training as well as knowledge of history. First, many of the Senators contend that Judge Roberts lacks a sufficient paper trail demonstrating his positions on various issues. Of course, the entire hearing focused upon all forms of writings covering several decades, which, to me, seems to be a rather large paper trail. In any event, the entire concept of needing a paper trail runs counter to the experience of history. For instance, two of the most esteemed chief justices never served a day as a judge prior to taking office – John Marshall and Earl Warren. Despite the lack of judicial experience and the absence of any trail of legal judicial writings, both justices served admirably. In other words, it would seem more important that a person with the right intellect, character, integrity, temperament, and abilities be selected and confirmed as opposed to finding the person with a sufficiently large paper trail. Second, the Senators seemed to be fixated and insistent upon forcing Judge Roberts to disclose his personal opinions concerning prior rulings of the Court – or even future hypothetical cases that might arise during his tenure. As to the first question, the personal opinion of any justice is really not relevant in the judging process as legal principles, such as stare decisis, govern the manner in which a case is determined. In other words, a justice is bound by the Constitution and prior precedent in making decisions and cannot simply impose his or her own personal views as a legitimate basis to establish the law of the land. As to the demands for answers to fantasy cases that may arise in the future, the entire judicial system is premised upon the concept that judges do not give advisory opinions – or opinions that arise in the abstract without an actual controversy and/or aggrieved parties. While politicians and pundits can debate rights and theories in the abstract, the judicial system generally will not do so, and we should not expect, nor encourage, judges to engage in such activity less we condone decisions made on abstract and personal beliefs. In short, the more important decision in selecting a justice is not the personal opinions and beliefs of a particular nominee, but finding a nominee who respects and reveres the Constitution, legal precedent, together with our history and traditions, and who has the integrity and character to set aside personal opinions when making judicial decisions. While the political nature of the appointment is apparent, it is impossible to anticipate how any particular person will react upon being appointed to the Supreme Court. For instance, President Eisenhower appointed both Earl Warren and William Brennan – both of whom he believed to be solid conservative choices. History proved differently, and Eisenhower is rumored to later have quipped that appointing Justice Brennan had been the worst mistake of his presidency. No one can contend that Justice Brennan lacked the characteristics to be a tremendous justice – and, based upon those characteristics alone, he deserved the appointment that Eisenhower entrusted in him – regardless of whether conservatives or liberals later disagreed with the end results. The same is true of Judge Roberts. I only wish that the hearings could focus upon the judicial character of the nominee; instead, we are treated to a circus designed to showcase a surprising variety of clowns, political acrobats, tight rope walkers, lion tamers, all attempting to seize their moment under the big top to satisfy their personal agenda. Ironic, one might say. Please submit any questions, concerns, or comments to Susquehanna County District Attorney’s Office, P.O. Box 218, Montrose, Pennsylvania 18801.
In general, sensitivity to taste gradually decreases with age. But there are some whose taste isn’t affected by getting older. Who wins the bet? I won’t touch that one. The ability to taste food and beverages means a lot to seniors. Let’s face it; we lose a lot of the pleasures of our youth, but eating well isn’t usually one of them. Taste also has a major impact upon our physical and mental health. Our sense of taste is especially important if we have to stay on a diet. If food loses its appeal, we may eat improperly and put ourselves at risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Loss of taste can lead us to overeat, under eat, or add too much salt or sugar to our food. While taste is important, we recognize flavors largely through our sense of smell. Try holding your nose while eating. Smell and taste are closely linked in the brain. It is common for people who lose their sense of smell to say that food has lost its taste. This is incorrect; the food has lost its aroma, but taste remains. Loss of taste occurs less frequently than loss of smell in older people. When an older person has a problem with taste, it is often temporary and minor. True taste disorders are uncommon. When a problem with taste exists, it is usually caused by medications, disease, or injury. In some cases, loss of taste can accompany or signal a more serious condition, such as diabetes or some degenerative diseases of the central nervous system such as multiple sclerosis. There are several types of taste disorders You can have a persistent bad taste in the mouth. This is called a dysgeusia. Some people have hypogeusia, or the reduced ability to taste. Others can't detect taste at all, which is called ageusia. People with taste disorders experience a specific ageusia of one or more of the five taste categories: sweet, sour, bitter, salty and savory. The most common complaint is “phantom taste perception,” which is tasting something that isn’t there. If you think you have a taste disorder, see your doctor. Diagnosis of a taste disorder is important because once the cause is found, your doctor may be able to treat your taste disorder. Many types of taste disorders are reversible, but, if not, counseling and self-help techniques may help you cope. If you cannot regain your sense of taste, there are things you can do to ensure your safety. Take extra care to avoid food that may have spoiled. If you live with other people, ask them to smell and taste food to see if it is fresh. People who live alone should discard food if there is a chance it is spoiled. If you have a question, please write to fredcicetti@gmail.com.
Denise Purdy, via e-mail Wall-to-wall carpeting, while comfy on the feet, has long been the bane of those sensitive to pollutants. But the chemically sensitive can now rejoice, as carpets made from all-natural materials are now readily available. Companies such as Earth Weave and Natural Home manufacture attractive carpets that are entirely biodegradable and are made of wool, jute, hemp and rubber. Both companies pride themselves on making products free of toxic dyes and mothproofing or stain-repellant chemicals. These carpets are becoming more popular in part because there are, on average, 120 chemicals in each new piece of conventional synthetic carpeting, including the adhesive. Many of these chemicals are suspected or known carcinogens, such as formaldehyde. According to a spokesperson for Antibody Assay Laboratories, which provides services to health care providers, “These chemicals ‘off-gas' into the environment, polluting indoor air with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can create symptoms from itchy eyes to shortness of breath, headaches and nausea.” If you must install new synthetic carpet, make sure you air the carpet out well before putting it in place. And consider using less-toxic installation techniques such as that developed by the Ontario, Canada-based TacFast Systems International – a hoop-and-loop method similar to Velcro that eliminates the need for liquid adhesives. Another environmentally conscious backing choice is all-natural wool carpet padding from the Environmental Home Center in Seattle (they ship worldwide). The backing is made from a variety of wool fibers, without dyes or fire retardants, and is mechanically needled (not glued) to biodegradable jute backing. Getting carpets cleaned is another opportunity to introduce unwanted chemicals into your home. But again, alternatives do exist. Carpet cleaning companies that specialize in all-natural treatments – using enzymes and other natural cleaning agents to get rid of dirt, stains and odors – have sprung up from coast-to-coast. And those can-do folks who want to tackle it themselves can mix up a batch of all-natural carpet deodorizer (one cup baking soda, one cup dried lavender flowers, and 5-6 drops of essential lavender or cedar wood oil) to be sprinkled on offensive areas as needed. Other options include AFM Enterprises’ odorless carpet shampoo, which decreases carpet toxicity, and Carpet Guard, which minimizes off gassing. One additional way to live with traditional carpeting is to fill the room with plants that have been shown to absorb toxins, including aloes, philodendrons and spider plants. CONTACTS: Earth Weave, (706) 278-8200, www.earthweave.com; Natural Home, (707) 571-1229, www.naturalhomeproducts.com; TacFast Systems, (905) 886-0785, www.tacfastsystems.com; Environmental Home Center, www.environmentalhomecenter.com, (800) 281-9785; AFM Enterprises, (619) 239-0321, www.afmsafecoat.com. Dear EarthTalk: Is it true that computers and electronic devices contain arsenic and other toxins, and if so should I worry about using these products? Jen Deeds, McLean, VA As any murder mystery enthusiast knows, arsenic can be lethal if ingested in large amounts. Electronics manufacturers use it as an efficient conductor of electricity; useful when periodic strong bursts are needed. But don't worry – the traces of the naturally occurring element that can be found inside your calculator, watch display, television set or computer are not ample enough to hurt you directly. However, the toxins in electronics do pose community-wide dangers if not disposed of properly. A recent University of Florida study found that many common electronic devices qualify as hazardous materials according to existing U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) definitions due to the arsenic, mercury and lead within. As such, they should only be discarded in permitted hazardous waste treatment facilities. Unfortunately, though, many of these discarded products will end up in landfills not equipped to handle hazardous waste, and their arsenic and other toxins can make their way into groundwater. The resulting drinking water contamination has been linked to a wide range of human ailments, including bronchitis, liver cirrhosis and even some cancers. In fact, the EPA considers arsenic to be a carcinogen. A Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition report predicts that 500 million computers – not to mention many more millions of televisions, calculators and MP3 players – will become obsolete by 2007. While there have been no studies on arsenic specifically, researchers have found that about 40 percent of the toxic lead found in U.S. landfills in recent decades originated with discarded electronics. Further, as much as 80 percent of U.S. electronic waste collected for recycling today is sent to China, India and Pakistan, so the computer you abandon today could end up contaminating the drinking water in a developing country tomorrow. The best alternative to adding to the waste stream is to upgrade or repair your old computer or TV to keep it humming along happily at home or office – and out of any landfill near or far. Ironically enough, then, by keeping your vintage electronics around, you help safeguard your community and others from toxic waste. But for those who still feel compelled to buy new and trash the old, the Seattle-based Basel Action Network lists electronics recycling companies by region that adhere to high standards with regard to both environmental and health considerations. In addition, American and Canadian consumers can look for products that are also sold in Europe, as manufacturers who sell there must by law avoid using toxins like arsenic and lead. And if your old model still works at all, it may be a candidate for a donation to a local school or through Gifts In Kind, a clearinghouse for usable used stuff. Lastly, some computer makers, including IBM and Hewlett-Packard, have programs to take back and recycle old models in-house. CONTACTS: U.S. EPA Arsenic Compounds Page, www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/arsenic.html; Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, www.svtc.org; Basel Action Network, www.ban.org/pledge/Locations.html; IBM PC Recycling, www.ibm.com/ibm/environment/products/pcrservice.shtml; Hewlett-Packard Recycling, www.hp.com/hpinfo/globalcitizenship/environment/recycle; Gifts in Kind, www.giftsinkind.org. GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php.
Last Sunday, at the Baptist Church was “Baby Day.” The children and grandchildren of Fred and Sharel Rhone assembled for the dedication of Kambrie Lizza Colwell, young daughter of Rex and Katrina Colwell, local. All the babies were beautiful and they had such expressible eyes. Just by chance I attended church there Sunday and was invited to stay for a delicious dinner. Charlie Levchak entertained his annual Labor Day dinner for family on Sunday, before the holiday. About twenty-five showed up, which was quite a bit less than former years, probably because of gas prices. Joy Mead and Marie Swartz made a trip to the Salvation Army in Scranton last week and took the leftovers from the “Attic Treasures” garage sale held at the festivities at Thompson Church, September 3. The History Club of Starrucca would like to complete their sales of their two Christmas ornaments of the new post office dated 2003 and eighteen of the school house, dated 2004. Contact Bridgett D’Agati at 727–2176. Roger and Barb Glover, Frank and Ruth Mroczka drove to Kennelon, NJ last Saturday to wish Bud and Dessie Fehr many more happy years together on their fiftieth wedding anniversary. They were weekenders for a good many years and always attended our church. Notice to the whole community: on September 27, 6 p.m., you are invited to a concert by The Musicmasters, Keith Albee and friend, at the Starrucca Baptist Church. They are great singers of gospel songs. There will be a covered dish supper. No more gallon jugs needed for luminaries. At a meeting of the Civic Association held last Thursday night, we had a full agenda. We discussed what to do about the light that shines on the flag in Memorial Park (but doesn’t), and the disabled fan in the hall. We are going to try and get the original signs made for Starrucca – four to be placed at the entrances to the town. We will again have the raffle for the Thanksgiving basket and Christmas for the community was discussed. Finally, we will contact “JustUs” for monthly dates for square dances all next summer. Donald Sheldon, a certified electrician, will handle the light and the fan. Miracles happen every day – a case in point. Early in the spring, I had three wrinkled up old potatoes that I was going to throw away and on the verge of doing just that, decided to plant them. Imagine my astonishment and delight when son, Dan dug them up last Saturday and I have close to a peck of good-sized ones. I just couldn’t believe it – from three old potatoes! I was reminded of the loaves and fishes. Cheerio!
Basic Search Engine Tips Google is the most popular search engine, so let’s use Google in this example. Go to www.google.com. Enter your keywords in the box. You can hit Enter on your keyboard or click on Search with your mouse. Sites that have paid Google for advertising will appear at the top and to the right. Notice at the top it lists how many sites were found for the keywords you typed in. Wow, that’s a big number! If you type in two keywords, first it lists the paid advertising sites, then all the sites containing all the keywords you type are listed. Then the sites with each individual keyword are listed. The count is the total of all the sites. You’ll see numbers for multiple pages if all of the results don’t fit on one page. If there are many pages, or if the pages listed aren’t what you’re looking for, then you might want to narrow your search. To narrow your search, add more specific words. In our example, you are looking for someone to teach you about computers. Typing computer training brings up over 110 million sites! If you want a local trainer, you’ll need to refine the search by adding keywords. If you want a local person, try adding keywords, like Susquehanna County, or consider using Google Local (more on that later). Now you’ll see fewer sites with more pertinent information. Sometimes you’re just using the wrong word and don’t realize it. For example, my husband was recently looking for a replacement part for his electric shaver. He had accidentally dropped the shaver and bent the screen that covers the vibrating blades. Surprisingly, using the term “screen” in his search did not produce a list of parts. It seems that the electric shaver industry calls that part a “foil”. Once he changed the search, he quickly found the replacement part. There are a few ways to find other words to use in a search. One way is to look in the text of some of the pages you have found and see if they use another phrase. Alternatively if you are looking for information on how to repair some item, look at the web pages that sell that item to see if different words are used. Finally you can use a thesaurus like the one found at www.thesaurus.com. Google Local is a great tool for finding goods or services in a specific geographical area. This might mean finding a woodstove dealer close to home or a museum in a town you plan on visiting. Go to the normal Google search screen and click on the word Local. Then you enter the location like “Oakland Pennsylvania” or “Miami Florida”. Then enter your search keywords like web site design. After the results show up, you can restrict the range (1, 5, 15, 45 miles) on the right side of the colored bar under your search terms. Your results include listings on the left of the web pages that match, and a map of the area on the right. The map has little balloons showing the location of each of the results. There are also buttons at the top left of the map that allow you to scroll in 4 directions or zoom out or in. If you click on the balloons it gives you a white box with the address and a link to directions. The letters in the balloons correspond to the results on the left. If you click on the results to the left you will be taken to the web page, just like normal Google results. Next time, we’ll explore using the advance search feature on Google. Lori Martin is the owner of Martin Works, Inc. (http://www.MartinWorks.com), Susquehanna, PA.
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Forest City Board Meetings
As I write this article, the three-day circus that was the confirmation hearing of Judge Roberts for Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court has just concluded. I cannot say that I watched the entire proceeding, but, thanks to C-SPAN, I was able to watch substantial portions during the evening hours – likely much to the chagrin of my wife, who may have discovered something she dislikes more than professional sports. The proceedings, however, fascinated me, not so much as to the answers propounded by Judge Roberts, but more so from the interrogation that he was forced to endure at the hands of the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The behavior of many of the Senators reminded me of peacocks preening themselves before the sunshine of the national media. It struck me that much of the hearing was not about Judge Roberts’ qualifications to serve as Chief Justice; rather, it provided a bully pulpit for the Senators to be heard concerning their own personal agendas.
Q. I have a bet with a friend that you start losing your sense of taste as you get older. She says that her taste is as strong as ever and thinks I’m wrong. Who wins the bet?
Dear EarthTalk: Where can I find carpeting without the strong odors and health concerns of conventional synthetic materials?