Parts of the Schuylkill River West Trail as proposed would run awfully close to live freight train tracks. So it is worth mentioning the recent CSX train derailment in Philadelphia for that very reason. So next time the Noise Fume Pass AKA Ken Davis's baby comes up, remember this :

The single best reason to pass health-care reform

"I'll just tell you this," Rush Limbaugh says. "If this passes and it's five years from now and all that stuff gets implemented -- I am leaving the country. I'll go to Costa Rica."

You hear that, guys? Health-care reform will not only cover 30 million Americans and reduce the deficit, but it'll also get rid of Rush Limbaugh! This is, like, the best bill ever!

Uhhh...Rush, don't let the door hit ya' on the way out. (Best news I have heard all day)

CBS News: March 9, 2010 1:20 PM
Rush Limbaugh: I'll Leave Country Over Health Bill
Posted by Brian Montopoli

Racism in America will never be positively dealt with as long as people like Ru Freeman stoke the true fires of hate accidentally on purpose. And I am just going to say it: I think her comparing bloggers to KKK on her post on her blog titled ”Haters” was deliberately incendiary as well as racially charged. While she is entitled to her opinion, I think adding the KKK comment stokes other fires and flames and she should know better, or care to know better. After all, her post is called "Haters". But who "hates" more here I wonder?

She said:

I simply cannot imagine that such ignorance and idiocy can take root and flourish inside the minds of human beings. And yet, the evidence is all around - it can and it does. What does not surprise me, however, is that such people never have the guts to come out in the open. They are like the KKK, hiding behind masks, in their case, pseudonyms, taking their pot shots at their neighbors. Here are a few gems I’ve come across: Politeia, teadrinker, Stepford Wives, tea-for-two, Give Me A Break, Wynnewoodie, Haverford, Keep The Change, Ever Heard of the Bill of Rights and, a personal favorite, Get A Clue Ru.

On the one hand I have been accused of being everything from an “affluent entitled” Main Line parent, and a “Main Line frau,” to being someone who shares her politics with Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh

Methinks the lady is insecure about her social status on the Main Line? And who even cares about that or if she is liberal or conservative politically? I sure don’t. What I do care about is she is a professional writer, and someone under different circumstances, I would look up to in that role and in her “activist” role. I love to write and I love meeting writers living that dream. Ditto with activists. I look at the fabulous female activists I have had the privilege to meet: the late Rosemary Cubas who taught a lot of us so much, Mary Cortes of Cramer Hill and even Susette Kelo of New London, CT.

I get that we are all human. But as someone who embraced the spirit of change in this country, someone who is still touched by meeting Michelle Obama face to face and interacting with her, I find what Ru Freeman did with her blog post upsetting and a throw-back. She let women, activists, and writers down with her casual (or was it deliberate) parallel of bloggers on the Main Line equal KKK. And she is not the only one doing things like this in this country and I am tired of it.

For her to disagree is fine. We are not all cookie cutter images of one and other. But to deliberately invoke an image so racially charged as well as extremely hateful I have to ask: What is she teaching her children?

I responded to her blog post and it is posted below. My comment to her is still awaiting moderation.

Just got a call Rosemont Pharmacy was just robbed - came over a friend's police scanner. No reports of injuries thank goodness. that is why if you live near Lancaster you can hear sirens. Something came over about they may have gone up County Line Rd. Strong armed robbery in Lower Merion. Again.

Eye witness reports over Radnor border report cops are everywhere. Wonder if perps went up County Line and disappeared on Villanova's campus? From there they could choose P&W or R5, couldn't they?

From Scott Zelov this morning:

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Unfortunately, the Lower Merion Police are reporting a robbery last night at the Rosemont Pharmacy. Below is the report from police superintendent Mike McGrath.

Scott
V. Scott Zelov

Lower Merion Township Commissioner

Haverford & Bryn Mawr - Ward 10

-----Original Message-----
From: McGrath, Supt. Michael
Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2010 12:23 AM
Subject: Rosemont Pharmacy Robbery - 1149 E. Lancaster Ave., Rosemont

FYI - On Monday night, 3-8-10, just before 9:00 p.m. the Rosemont Pharmacy was robbed at gun point. The robbery was committed by a lone white male, wearing a ski mask. He was believed to be in his 20's, about 150 to 160 lbs. and average height. He requested OxyContin and left. No one was injured. Additional information may be provided later today. This is not believed to be related to the recent robbery of the Bryn Mawr News Agency. MJM

His name is Robert A. Zienkowski and he has just been approved. He is from Brunswick, OH and he came through the same search firm that almost brought Radnor Paul Jannsen (but don't hold it against him).

He is 49 years old and he actually made one trip here during the interview process on his own dime to check out the situation.

I hear his contract is a lot more normal then Bashore's and oh yes, is it true he will have to use all his vacation time in the year it is allotted? If so, cross one Radnor employee off the vacationgate/compensation gate list, right?

Does that mean the rest of the employees will have to follow suit? Sure hope so.

Here is some stuff from his soon to be former job in Ohio:

I hear Liz Rogan brought up Earned Income Tax or E.I.T. again at the Ardmore Ad Hoc Meeting late last week? Why she brought it up there escapes me, but how many times now in 2010 has she brought this up? Is this like the 3rd time? I don't know why the hell residents should pay even more for Lower Merion's screw ups. Is this how Bruce, Liz, Mark, etc. want to make up for spending, spending, spending? With another tax? Remember the reception the E.I.T. had last time it was proposed?

LOL maybe it shouldn't be Lawyer Merion Township, but Taxer Merion Township?

Hi! Thanks to everyone who participated in Foodapalooza II as a restaurant or judge! Thank you to everyone who attended! Thank you Majestic Wine & Spirits for the tasting! Thank you Haverford Estates for being our host! Thank you Whole Foods for the fabulous hors d'oeuvres --- that brie was amazing!

For the second year in a row Primavera Pizza Kitchen took top chef honors and second place went to Haverford Estates - however - ALL the food was simply delicious and I think everyone had a great time! We spread out a bit this year, which made it easier for our guests to navigate the rooms and the food stations.

Scott Zelov was the sole Lower Merion Commissioner in attendance, but he will be able to tell the 13 who weren't there what fun it was! Main Line Media News was there to cover the event! Thanks Pete!

I received a call from Commissioner Cheryl Gelber. "Do you remember the Jamie Cockayne story?" or the equivalent was the lead in.

How could I forget. Jamie was the cousin of a friend of mine who was stabbed and murdered on a street in St. John outside where some bars were and left to die like an animal on the street. Jamie Cockayne didn't have to die and he did, and the travesty of justice which followed his death was crazy and heart breaking. I believe his family still suffers.

What Jamie's case showed all of us was the hell underneath the tropical heaven and the inadequacies in the criminal justice system and questionable governmental system.

Now St. Thomas is reputed to be a U.S. controlled paradise, but after last week for sisters Pauline Cavalli and Maria Cavalli, it will be forever known as hell on earth. So what will the U.S. Government do this time? I ask because I felt that their response to Jamie's murder was inadequate.

So some friends went for a mid-winter break to St. Thomas. A little relaxation and fun in the sun. Except right now an approximately 29 year old woman had her left eye removed at Wills Eye Hospital after falling victim to the attack of an enraged island resident.

Ok, here we go again: Ardmore residents vs. car dealerships. I will have to say that once again, although I support the Ardmore business district, in this case, I am siding with the neighbors and I will tell you why.

Why is simple: there is another car dealership that glows on residential and that is Ardmore Infiniti on Lancaster Avenue - and that glow despite "how wonderful" it was all supposed to be, does indeed (like a comment on Main Line Times website says) glow all the way to Woodside and Montgomery Avenue - I actually noticed it myself one night a few weeks ago at night when I was at the light on Woodside and Montgomery facing the Exxon Station. I couldn't believe how bright it was. Also like that comment says (and I hope that person will register and post here), Toyota should have bigger fish to fry right now making cars safe, right?

All of the car dealerships seem to be going to that "glow" effect. The dealerships across from Ardmore Worst Shopping Center are pretty bright too. But at least there while garish, it is not so bad as the car dealerships that start on the other side of the Bernicker Lot. Those car dealerships lot lights are so bright -- too bright.

While I can't dispute what Christine from Ardmore Initiative says in the article about trade-offs when residential is so close to business districts, it seems to me that the trade-offs are not fair. It seems to me when it comes to things like light pollution, that the residents tend to get the short end of the stick. And while it is true that Toyota has been very generous to the community with (for example) lending their space for non-profit events, and that I am pretty sure the Paul family are still amazingly generous in other charitable circles, that has nothing to do with what is being discussed.

Living near car dealerships is not easy, but these lights only make things more unpleasant. It makes me think again of the overpriced birdbath planned for Bryn Mawr Trust at Ardmore Ave and Lancaster: forget about the fact that I still think that is a waste of money unless Bryn Mawr Trust wants to pay for it (including maintenance), I wonder if we would have had to have that new gateway if both ends of Ardmore didn't represent an auto mall? And add the Ardmore Redevelopment Plan and all the other infill development proposed, what will the sum of ALL that extra lighting look like for the Ardmore of the future? Oh it'll be a "bright" future all right....

Also check this out:
http://strydehax.blogspot.com/2010/03/schools-systems-weigh-benefits-of-child.html