A couple of rather big national tidbits:
On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker (a George H. W. Bush appointee) ruled in a 138-page opinion that California’s Proposition 8 is unconstitutional. Hello, appeal-o-rama. Smart money is on this case going all the way to the Supremes.
And while we’re on the subject of the Supremes, by a vote of 63-37, the Senate yesterday confirmed Elena Kagan as the 112th Supreme Court Justice, succeeding Justice John Paul Stevens.
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Still in the legal realm, but on a local level, Erie Attorney Tim Lucas plead guilty to tax evasion (to the tune of about $330,000) in a Pittsburgh federal court this past Wednesday. I’m guessing he didn’t spend much, if any, of that money on haircuts.
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According to ErieAlerts, the Erie Police were called to the Duskas Funeral Home yesterday afternoon around 3:30 p.m. for a report that members of the media were harassing people. Duskas Funeral Home is the location of the calling hours and services for little Elizabeth Neimeic. For the record, no one from ErieBlogs was there.
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I recently told you about some Erie eateries that got favorable mentions in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, including The Brewerie at Union Station, along with Erie Brewing Co. They were mentioned again yesterday in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in an article by Bob Batz, Jr. about western Pennsylvania beer destinations. Beer in a Train Station was mentioned along with Beer in a Coffin Company (North Country Brewing Co. in Slippery Rock), Beer in a Bank (Blue Canoe Brewery and Voodoo Brewery in Titusville), Beer in a Barn (Sprague Farm & Brew Works in Venango), and Beer in, of all things, a Brewery (Straub Beer in St. Mary’s).
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My parents found a dead skunk in front of their house yesterday. My mom called me to ask what she and my dad should do about it. I told her to call Fairview Township. She did. Fairview Township told her to call the Game Commission office. The person she spoke to at the Game Commission office told her to call Fairview Township. I then suggested she call one of the Fairview Supervisors to find out what she should do. Anyone know what you do in Fairview when there’s an expired skunk in the road… other than break into song:
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And speaking of skunks,It seems like every time I turn off the AC and open the windows this summer to try to save a few bucks, skunks decide to ruin my cool summer breeze. First it’s denial. Then it’s putting my nose on the screen saying I’m not quite sure if it’s a skunk…then it’s sounding the general alarm ”Pepe Le Pew!!” for all hands to close the windows. Grrr.
Do you think the skunks are planted by Penelec to make me (and you) keep the AC on?
Anyone know where I can get a fetching tinfoil beret?
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Eight thousand jobs and 31 billion to Northeast Ohio as a result of windfarms on Lake Erie?
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Aggressive coyotes in Erie County, Ohio chase a woman and her child. Unconfirmed reports had the same coyotes cutting lines and taunting Cleveland Cavaliers fans at Cedar Point.
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Did you see the so-called greatest catch ever?
Funny, I always thought Melinda Gates had the greatest catch ever.
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Preseason football starts its full schedule on August 12th with three games scheduled that evening. In other words, all items on honeydo lists must be completed this weekend. Not to be confused with the Carl Perkins classic, Honey Don’t.
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Mercury levels grow in Lake Erie fish according to Canadian research.
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Cybersecurity is becoming a hot term. Any crime, intelligence operation, or foreign-government attack involving a computer has become a “cyber threat.” Because of our reliance on computer networks and the important data attached to those networks there’s now broad agreement that electronic espionage, sabotage, and corruption of data belonging to Defense Department networks, military installations, government institutions, private businesses, and even home computer users is a serious problem.
Well-placed spy software not only opens a window for an adversary to look into critical information but that window can also be used to extract information. Everything from secret military information to business secrets to personal information such as tax forms, credit card numbers, dates of birth and social security numbers is vulnerable to cyber attacks. Attacks, by foreign cyber warriors and terrorists, on power grids, dams, water supplies, emergency 911 centers, highway management centers, courthouses, and other key private and government operations, are now possible .
The Northwest Regional Emergency Response Group (ERG) is preparing for the possibility of cyber attacks by training key personnel how to investigate, defend, and curtail cyber attacks upon key business and government networks in Northwest Pennsylvania. Allen Clark, chairman of the Northwest ERG, says, “Computers and computer networks contain data about every aspect of our lives. How we govern, and how we do business. To sit idle while terrorists or hostile governments attack our way of life is simply not an acceptable strategy. We need trained network administrators, law enforcement personnel, businesses, and even private individuals to be trained to help the rest of us deal with possible cyber attacks. The ERG, through the Cyber Terrorism Committee, is preparing and training to act in an emergency just as our law enforcement, medical, and emergency management committees prepare for physical world attacks and disasters.
Erie County District Attorney Jack Daneri agrees. “Computers and the information they contain have become one of our most valuable assets”, says Daneri. “To think we can continue to into the digital world without preparing for cyber attacks and cyber crimes is just not realistic. In the District Attorney’s office we see the effects of computer assisted or related crimes nearly every week. This is why my office is partnering with the ERG and Mercyhurst College Public Safety Institute to bring such valuable training to northwestern Pennsylvania.”
The training, which will be conducted at Mercyhurst College North East Campus on August 10th and 11th, 2010, involves setting up a special network where students will learn how to attack computer networks, mitigate or stop the attacks, and then learn how to investigate attacks and intrusions to successfully apprehend and prosecute suspects.
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The South East Erie Farmers Market runs every Saturday from 10 am until 2 pm on the corner of East 38th St. and Pine Ave. Fresh local produce, farm fresh eggs, and prepared foods from Ye Old Sweet Shoppe and Annette’s Kitchen are making this season our best ever, with attendance averaging approximately 300 people per weekend. The market is sponsored by the South East Hills Neighborhood Watch, Mercyhurst College, and County Fair through a grant from the Erie Community Foundation. For more information contact Robert Merski, Market Manager, at 825-7392.
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Young Erie Professionals 7th Annual Charity Kickball Tournament.
Young Erie Professionals will once again host a kickball tournament to benefit local charities. The charities chosen this year are: Salvation Army Kettle for Kids, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Therapeutic Riding Equestrian Center, United Way Young Leaders Club Adopt a Student Program and First Candle (Jillian Abbott SIDS Walk). Over $10,000 has been raised.
Date: August 7, 2010
Time: 8:00 am until 3:00 pm
Location: Harborcreek Community Park
Presenting Sponsors: Eriez Magnetics, Hamot, Plastic Services and Northwest Savings Bank
Young Erie Professionals is an organization comprised of young, active, civic-minded professionals committed to making Erie, PA a better place to live, work and play. Visit our website at www.yeperie.org and find us on Facebook.
