Saw Avatar in 3D. Wow. Seriously. Crazy.

Today is the winter solstice, and the shortest amount of daylight we’ll see all year. The good news is that while winter has officially begun, the days get longer from here on out. See, silver lining.

GE got an order for 100 locomotives to be sold in South Africa. 10 of them will be built locally, the rest shipped down there in pieces. Doesn’t sound like any of the workers laid off will be called back, but hopefully its a sign of a warming economy that will lead to more orders and more jobs here.

We received a note over the weekend, for those of you in sunny Florida:

For all the Erie area snowbirds. you can now watch Jennifer Mobilia on Wbbh news 2 ( NBC )in Fort Meyers Fl the vewing area is north to Punta Gorda , Fort Meyers, and south to Naples.

We won’t say who sent it, but Jennifer, we’re guessing your mother loves you.

The Country Fair Express on W. 26th was robbed Friday night. We drive by that all the time but can’t figure out why it’s called a Country Fair Express. It has gas and snacky items, right? Call it what it is: Country Fair. Or, if you want it to be robbed more often, call it Circle K.

While we’re at it, I’d like to pick a bone with Sheetz. Sheetz, you and I are cool. We really are, you’re my goto gas and food destination. Once, I had to visit your store in Meadville at 4 am on Christmas Day to get Motrin for my kid rocking a fever. For that, we’ll always be cool. But something’s been bothering me: cheese. I enjoy your meatball sub. It could use a bit more sauce, but it’s good. If I order a turkey sub or breakfast sandwich, I get american cheese for free. But if I order a meatball sub, I’ve got to pay for any kind of cheese. I’m not going to put american cheese on a meatball sub, but do you see where I’m going here? Why is it free on a turkey sub? On a meatball sub, I’m putting no other expensive condiments on it such as tomatoes. Tomatoes are expensive, dog. By getting a meatball sub, I’m actually saving you some money, so why not give me a break on the cheese. On a turkey or veggie sub, I’m putting all kinds of toppings that motherlover…lettuce, onion, tomatoes, pickles, bacon, kraut, mustard. Profit margins = stunned. That’s all. Carry on.

Cheese break.

The EPA raided the Tonawanda Coke Company last Thursday after management didn’t complete environmental tests that the EPA demanded. The same company owns Erie Coke which has had its own environmental problems and many fines. If they are polluting and not paying fines and not doing tests, can’t these places be shut down? Fines are fine, but the pollution is still going into the air.

Local Judge Michael Joyce is featured in this blog post over at WalletPop.com, talking about how to get caught committing insurance fraud.

Three Days Grace will be playing Erie at the Tullio Arena on February 4. Joining the bill are Chevelle and Flyleaf.

Sports

NFL
Pittsburgh 37 Green Bay 36
New England 17 Buffalo 10
Cleveland 41 Kansas City 34

Pittsburgh still has a glimmer of hope of making the playoffs.

Bad news for those of you who enjoyed catching the Pirates caravan that came to town every year. Erie has been dropped as one of the stops on the annual tour. Thanks, Pirates. You stink anyways and no one cares™. Enjoy another 100 loss season.

Gannon’s Jon Richardson (Warren, Ohio/Warren G. Harding) has been selected to play in the 2010 Valero Cactus Bowl scheduled for Friday, January 8 at Javelina Stadium on the campus of Texas A&M-Kingsville.

Events