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Chemical signaling among social insects, such as bees, ants and wasps, is more complex than previously thought, according to researchers at Penn State and Tel Aviv University, whose results refute the idea that a single group of chemicals controls reproduction across numerous species. “While the hypothesis that many social insect lineages all use the same chemical signals -- known as pheromones -- was fascinating, we were skeptical that such complex behaviors could be regulated by a simple, common mechanism across such very different species,” said Etya Amsalem, postdoctoral fellow in entomology, Penn State. “It seems more likely that pheromones evolved uniquely in different species, as these species experienced different environments and different social pressures.” The results appear in today’s (Oct 21) issue of the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. According to Amsalem, in January 2014, a study was published suggesting that the chemical signals produced by queens from a variety of species, including bumblebees, ants and wasps, are very similar. The paper posited that this common group of chemicals is responsible for inhibiting reproduction in workers across these different species.
The Valley, November 2015
“One of the most fascinating leagues -- which include Christina long it took for workers to lay behaviors in social insects is that Grozinger, professor and direceggs. most of the females in a colony “We found no effect of tor of the Center for Pollinator (the workers) do not lay their own Research, Penn State -- decided exposure to any of the chemicals eggs, and instead help rear the to conduct their own study to see on the size of the developing eggs, eggs produced by their mother if c25 and two closely related the number of eggs laid or how (the queen),” said Amsalem. “In long it took for the bees to lay chemicals, c23 and c27, inhibit some species, it is known that the worker reproduction using a North eggs,” Grozinger said. “Interestqueen produces pheromones, to ingly, we did find that all three American species of bumblebee inhibit the workers from reprochemicals increased the rates of -- Bombus impatiens. They examducing.” ovary regression. However, ovary ined the workers’ ovaries, evalu The previous study examined regression was positively correated the size of the developing the ovaries of worker bumblelated with time to egg laying. The eggs in the ovaries to determine bees in the presence of putative earlier the workers laid eggs, the if they were mature and ready to queen pheromones to see if they lay, and monitored the numbers of more bees showed ovary regression by the end of the experiwere active -- producing eggs eggs laid by the workers and how ment. We -- inactive, or conclude regressed. Rethat ovary gressed ovaries regression are those in is likely which the demore a veloping eggs measure of have absorbed back into the active egg tissue. production than evi The dence for researchers inhibition found that of egg proexposure to a duction.” putative queen pheromone, Acc25, caused cording to increased levels Grozinger, of ovary regresoverall sion, but had no the results other effects,” demonsaid Amsalem. The researchers maintained their bumblebee colonies in nest boxes in the laboratory. strate Amsalem They supplied the insects with a sugar solution and fresh pollen collected from honey that these and her colchemicals bee colonies.
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do not inhibit ovarian activation in workers. The researchers said that their team’s study contributes to a larger debate concerning how pheromonal signals might evolve and how social behavior is maintained. It also contributes to the debate about which measures should be used to investigate queen bee effects on worker reproduction. “We have learned that pheromone biology is not as simple as was once believed,” Grozinger said. “It is not accurate to conclude that worker reproduction is regulated by a simple, common mechanism across different species. Instead, these pheromones likely evolved uniquely in different species. Beyond these chemicals, there may be many more complex and species-specific signals being used by social insects that are yet to be discovered.” Margarita Orlova of Tel Aviv University, Israel, also worked on this project. The United States - Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund, a Vaadia - BARD Postdoctoral Fellowship Award and the United States-Israel Binational Science Foundation supported this work. a Story courtesy of Penn State Public Information
The Valley, November 2015
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Editor’s Corner Wayne Stottlar My goodness, it doesn’t seem possible that 6 years ago we were putting together our first publication of The Valley. So much has transpired since then, but it only seems like last week. I suppose I am constantly reminded that if you love what you do, it doesn’t seem like work. But none of this would even be necessary without all of you loyal readers and our wonderful advertisers who keep this publication afloat. This holiday season, go out of your way to spend your money at those that advertise here, they will appreciate it, and they are your neighbors after all. Even if you don’t need to purchase anything at this time, tell them you appreciate them making The Valley possible. By this time, the local election should be over as well, thank goodness. Change is always
tough, but hopefully now, regardless of the outcome, we can move on. Most people do everything they can to avoid conflict, even to the point of allowing their voice to be silenced by a few outspoken members of the “herd.” There’s that group of people that think if they speak louder, or have this person or that person behind them, they can force their will on everyone else. Times like we have just gone through highlight who are the “go-along to get-along” types and it sure does shine a light on those who use some kind of force in order to push their agenda. You find that people you thought were friends were just one more member of the collective herd who decided that if you didn’t agree with them, they would try to destroy you. The fact that they
do not possess the intelligence or the ambition to bring about their own desires is lost on them. I mentioned several years back that there are things happening all around us for a reason, and we miss most of the signs, but every once in a while our eyes are open and we are aware, such was the case during this past month when during the turmoil of the local election and my views on the two major political parties in general, a quote from Nikola Tesla popped up on my Facebook feed, “Anti-social behavior is a trait of intelligence in a world full of conformists.” Wow! Talk about an epiphany! At that moment, I just smiled to myself and gave thanks, and made a mental note to be much more careful about picking friends or acquaintances in the future. Friends can disagree, it is whether either can respect that others are allowed to think differently that make an acquaintance a friend over time. It seems in this world today your conformity is required or you are constantly under attack, no matter how subtle. I guess that is what drove me to become a Libertarian, or rather register that way and proclaim it—for looking back, I have always thought the way I do now, but allowed myself to be
pigeon-holed by a party, or (gasp) the “herd.” Once you realize that your way may be improved upon by others and that you can actually be friends with someone who isn’t lock step in your ideology you become FREE! Being Libertarian isn’t easy, especially to someone who selfidentified as a conservative Republican for 35 years. Call me a slow learner, or perhaps someone who just woke up, but I began to realize that I was allowing myself to have my ideals co-opted by the party, the herd, in order to be part of the group. Being a true Libertarian requires you to accept people and ideas that don’t necessarily jive with what you always believed. Being Libertarian is living life your way as long as you are not interfering with someone else living life their way. That may be a very simplistic definition, but it does cover it. Our current political climate requires sides, with many factions within each side. There is a premeditated reason for this. When the people are broken into small collectives, it is easy for the strong arm of the government to control them. The government is more scared of the citizens uniting behind a cause than it is of any foreign power. Even George Washington, our first president, warned of this when he said “Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.” I contend that there has been
over 150 years of irresponsible action, starting with Lincoln centralizing power in Washington and taking away the Constitutional rights of each state for self governance. There are some places more free than others in the US, unfortunately, Pennsylvania isn’t one of them. Sad that the birthplace if Liberty has allowed itself to become so maligned that it was recently voted one of the top five most corrupt states in the country, beating out even New York, much to my horror. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t dislike the state, I have often said that if I couldn’t be home in New Hampshire, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania was a close second. But you can look at election results and find every time, that the majority of the rest of the state does not vote with us. If you want to see how it could be different, take an hour and view the video advertised on page 5 called “101 Reasons Liberty Lives in NH.” It highlights the way it could be here with organization. I find a lot of the same kind of “salt-of-the-Earth” type people here as in NH, but here they are governed by “good ole boy networks” or sadly, “The Herd.” With all of that garbage going on, November is a chance to move away from the negativity and focus on what is really important, family and friends. Don’t be too tired or too stressed out to get together. People are the power, the more we sink into the electronic crack of instant connectivity and a world where everyone conforms the easier it is to divide us. Think about it, Happy Thanksgiving! a
Contact Info Editor/Publisher Wayne Stottlar Graphic Artist/ Co-Publisher Lynn Persing Associate Editor Colleen Swetland The Valley PO Box 41 Yeagertown, PA 17099 (717) 363-1550 E-mail: thevalleynewspaper@gmail.com Web: www.thevalleynewspaper.com ©The Valley. All Rights Reserved.
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The Valley, November 2015
Back Talk by Dr. Joseph Kauffman
Ignorance Isn’t Always Bliss
I heard it just today. A patient came in and brought in her young daughter to get adjusted with her. The patient stated, “She’s a bit fussy and had a fever last night. She just got her four month shots yesterday.” I asked her which shots she had received. “I dunno, whichever ones are due on the fourth month. She got three shots and did one orally. She took the shots okay, but didn’t like the oral one.” I, once again, asked if she knew which shots were given. “No, but I think it’s the second doses of whatever she was given at two months of age.” This is the blind trust that I try to educate about all the time. She has no idea which shots were injected and administered to her daughter. No clue at all. I wonder all of the time how parents just go with the flow. Why do the masses just go along with whatever is recommended? Of course, they are recommended, but,what is the motive? Is the
motive strictly for “health and wellbeing” of the patient and the masses in general? Or, does the motive also involve finances— kickbacks, incentives and bonuses? After getting my list of vaccinations and the schedule to which they are given, I showed her that her daughter was inoculated with a total of 15 vaccinations, given in the three shots and the oral dose. That’s a lot of offenses jammed into a little body at one time. I simply do not understand how it makes sense to shove all of these doses into a baby all at once. It seems that in many cases medical doctors target women and prey on their care, love, and concern for their child and use the best tactic in order to persuade them to get vaccines. The best tactic is fear. Fear is the tactic and money is the motivator. This is what they do to the mothers who show a concern or question vaccinations. Most mothers just come to
blindly accept the recommendations of the pediatrician. I hope the mothers who read this column or even those who don’t read, will pass it on to other mothers and at least get a spoonful of education enough to ask questions and at least learn what is being injected into your child. And, be prepared that when you do question and show concern, this is how they operate... “The vaccine industry’s war on women Thursday, October 29, 2015 by: Jonathan Benson, staff writer Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/051758_war_on_ women_vaccines_Big_Pharma. html#ixzz3q0f3SNDa (NaturalNews) Much of the success of the vaccine industry hinges upon vulnerable women succumbing to the fear tactics of their doctors and public health authorities. If you don’t get your
Home Nursing Agency Lights of Love Honors and Memorializes Loved Ones, Community Invited to Tree Lighting Ceremony Nov. 23 During the holiday season, many times our thoughts turn to those we love – our family and friends who celebrate the joy of the season with us and those who are no longer here but whose memory burns brightly in our hearts. Home Nursing Agency Foundation is excited to once again host “Lights of Love,” a special tribute event that invites you to “shine your own special light” in honor or memory of someone dear to you. Selected trees at Home Nursing Agency’s Lewistown Office will be lit with bright lights. White lights represent the Hospice program, and blue lights represent Grief Services for children, adults and families. Lights of Love 2015
is supported by ABC 23, FOX8, THISTV Network and Antenna TV. The community is invited to attend the Lights of Love tree lighting ceremony on Mon., Nov. 23 at 5:30 p.m. at the Lewistown office, 129 South Main St. This special tribute event features the lighting of our trees and a time for light refreshments, holiday carols and fellowship. Additionally, trees will be lit in all counties served by Agency services and will remain lit through Jan. 8, 2016. The tree was donated by Tuckaway Tree Farm. Donations of any amount can be given to honor or memorialize your loved one. All proceeds from Lights of Love will benefit
the Agency’s Hospice and Grief Services. Donations can be made by calling 1-855-GIVE-HNA (448-3462) or visiting Home Nursing Agency’s website at www.homenursingagency.com. New this year, donors can write a personal dedication in memory or honor of their loved ones. The dedication will be featured on interactive trees on the Agency’s website. The Home Nursing Agency Foundation welcomes all private and public donations, which are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. For more information about Lights of Love, please contact Pam Seasoltz, director of development, at 814.946.5411, ext. 2565. a
Happy Thanksgiving!
The Truth Has No Agenda
children vaccinated, they’re constantly being told, then your progeny could fall seriously ill or die, and then how will you feel? It’s an age-old marketing ruse, and it’s one that’s had considerable success in the U.S. context, where women are routinely hounded to not only get their children jabbed, but also to get jabbed themselves. It appears to be working, as legislators continue to successfully chip away at vaccine exemption laws with little-to-no formidable resistance other than a few isolated protests. Women appear to be the primary targets of vaccine industry propaganda, which often depicts young, vulnerable children and babies as “victims” of the so-called “anti-vax” movement. Nothing pulls at the heartstrings more than sad stories and pictures of innocents suffering because they weren’t injected with attenuated live viruses and heavy metals. One popular billboard campaign promoting vaccines shows a child in a raincoat peering into a travel suitcase. The caption reads “Vaccine-preventable diseases are just a plane ride away,” with a website link urging women to vaccinate their babies. The implication here is that if you don’t vaccinate your child, he’ll probably pick up some illness on your next family vacation that could have been prevented if you had just taken your child in for his shots. Another vaccine advertising campaign for the K-mart pharmacy plays on some women’s fear of predators. A smiling, attractive young woman with a bandage on her upper arm, the site where she was recently vaccinated for influenza, instructs all women to “Don’t Let the Flu Get You,” likening flu infection to a rapist or serial killer. Medical system sees women as suckers in great vaccine hoax Women are aggressively proselytized into joining the cult of vaccines immediately after giving birth as well. In some cases, women are even threatened with having their children taken away from them if they refuse to abide by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) guidelines for childhood vaccination. A Pennsylvania family experienced this firsthand when the Hershey Medical Center abducted their child immediately after birth. Jodi and Scott Ferris say the hospital took charge of their newborn daughter Annie and mother Jodi after a home birth didn’t go quite as planned. In short, the hospital
and a state social worker pressured Jodi into consenting to all sorts of vaccines for her child with which she wasn’t comfortable. In a more recent case, a worker from Rochester General Hospital in New York told a mother via voicemail that the hospital has a policy of assuming “medical custody” of children in cases where their mothers refuse to have their children injected with vitamin K vaccines or given the potentially deadly antibiotic erythromycin. Women are also taken advantage of specifically with vaccines like Gardasil for human papillomavirus. Based on false claims that HPV vaccines help prevent cervical cancer, millions of women both young and old are being suckered into taking this dangerous injection, which is associated with tens of thousands of adverse effects, including permanent injury and death. While vaccines have been shown to harm both men and women, investigative research by Christina England of VacTruth. com has found that women are often the targets of vaccine campaigns that are later exposed as covert sterilization programs. One such program took place at the instruction of the World Health Organization (WHO), which administered tainted tetanus vaccines containing a birth control drug to women in developing countries. Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/051758_war_on_ women_vaccines_Big_Pharma. html#ixzz3q0erolTL” To all of the mothers, and fathers for that matter (fathers: please stop letting this decision and responsibility fall solely on the shoulders of your wife), please read up on what is being pushed onto your child. Your baby gets scheduled visits routinely with the pediatrician on a schedule that is based on vaccinations. So, at every visit, especially in the first two years of life, shots are going to be administered to your child. So, please, learn what is going to be put into your child at each visit. Even if you educate yourself and still decide to vaccinate, so be it. I just want people to learn that there is an option and that it is ok to question and have concerns and to at least know what is going on. Dr. Joseph Kauffman Kauffman-Hummel Chiropractic Clinic a
The Valley, November 2015
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night’s sleep. The concept is that if you hold a two pound weight in your hand with the arm outward for more than two hours your muscles will fatigue and be painful and
sore the next two days. This concept also applies to your spine when you are forced to sleep with little or no support! The best beds are Sealy, Serta, Simmons, and Bemco. a
Dr. John Mainiero Patients often complain that a hard bed soft, but impossible to they wake up with a stiff or sore make a soft bed firm. sleep toward the center, you will lower back. It usually takes them Avoid pillow top beds: eventually sink into the crater! an hour of so to get moving. Pillow tops deflate or make a bed Avoid a pillow top at all costs! The common denominator in this sink even more than a non pillow situation is usually a bed that is too soft. Most beds look firm until you rest your midsection for 7 hours. This weight causes the bed to sink and stretch ligaments and muscles which leads to fatigue and pain. When asked what type of bed The proper mattress will support your spine in the proper position relieving stress on ligaments, to buy, I always resulting in a more restful sleep and less back pain. explain the biomechanics of beds. Specialty beds will not The best beds are extra firm top. or extra extra firm in support. If you and your partner weigh make a difference: Let me explain. It’s easier to make a total of 200 lbs or more and both Infomercials are great for embellishing the facts of comfort and support. The majority of space age foams and air by number mattresses are not as comfortable as promised, and are way over-rated and over-priced. The test to find out if your bed is too soft: Get 6 bath towels and fold them in 4 folds. Line three from your mid waist, buttock and thighs. Then place the 4th and 5th over the three and the last one on top just like a pyramid Now place your fitted sheet over the towels on your side of the bed. This will fill the void when you sleep. You should wake up with less pain and a have had a good
CBD oil – how does it help with Chronic pain? CBD is hemp oil manufactured from industrial hemp for its oils not the THC compound. The cannabis compound is the beneficial part of the oil, it is a sublingual, meaning it can be dropped under the tongue and used for its health benefits. Hemp products are legal in all 50 states and do not require a prescription. With the use of CBD oils there is no “HIGH” associated with its use. Anyone can use CBD oil. www.pubmed.gov has articles on its uses and benefits.
“Liberty and Government are Opposing Forces”
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The Valley, November 2015
I believe that all government is evil, and that trying to improve it is largely a waste of time H. L. Mencken
The Truth Has No Agenda
Mail Pouch Books Reader Shares her love of Books Hi Carleen: Since you always share with us what you read, I wanted to let you know about a book I just finished reading: Growing Up in Coal Country, by Susan Bartoletti, sheds light on the coal mining industry and workers and their families that lived through it in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Since my grandfather worked in the coal mines along with his father and brothers, I was very interested in the subject. A lot of the accompanying pictures in the book are from resources in Pennsylvania. This book is cataloged as a teen, non-fiction book, but I feel it was very well researched and is appropriate for adults, too. The author, who currently lives in Moscow, PA (my other grandparents lived near there) had heard a lot of stories about the coal mines from her father-inlaw, and wanted to know more. She researched the topic and also interviewed people who lived through it. Interestingly, my great-aunt took my husband and me to the coal mine tour in Scranton many years ago, and you really get a feel for what it might have been like down in the mines. I
don’t want to go through the tour again, honestly, but it was very good to do it once, so you have an understanding of what conditions were like at the time. I still have the coal mining hat that my grandfather used, and this book brought back memories for me of him telling us stories about it. If you ever get a chance, I would recommend reading the book. The tour is totally up to you—I’m not even sure if they still do it today. I think when we went to Scranton (which is where my parents grew up, by the way) it was around 1995 or 1996. Have a nice week, Michele Michele Happel Instructor and Research Specialist Miller Branch, Howard County Library System michele.happel@hclibrary.org a
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Encouragement from the Book of Revelation by Pastor J. C. Reese Man has always struggled to find peace and contentment and many have failed. Ponce de Leon sought in vain a “fountain of youth,” Voltaire boasted he’d destroy with his pen what Christ and His apostles built in the Church, yet that French atheist died a very frightened and miserable wretch. Yet, there have also been many who have been blessed to have experienced a life of true joy and their lives have been a true testament to us of the grace of God at work in them! As we approach yet another Thanksgiving this month, let us also be thankful that truly accepting Christ as Savior assures us of an eternity of peace and contentment on a level unparalleled here. This is what we see in the final chapter of Revelation! There are two especially encouraging ideas presented in the first five verses of the twenty second chapter of Revelation. The first is that we will enjoy life in it’s fullest sense in verses 1-2. John sees a river emanating from the very throne of God the Father. It’s entirely free from any pollutants and is dubbed “water of life,” meaning it is eternally sustaining. The water we enjoy now quenches temporally and though needful to sustain life, can sometimes kill. Floods, hurricanes, typhoons and drownings show us the downside of water, but this water will
have no negative effects! It will promote and sustain life in its greatest degree. Situated by this wonderful river will be something mentioned at the beginning of the Bible in Genesis, in the middle of the Bible in Proverbs, and now here at the final book and last chapter: the “tree of life!” It will not only provide us with eternally lifesustaining food, but will also be unique amongst other trees in that it will bear differing fruits (twelve in all) producing constantly! Today we are only beginning to tap into the secrets of plants that our wonderful Creator has designed in them and their significant power to promote health and ward off diseases. But this tree will be for the “healing of the nations.” The word healing is a medical word we use today: therapeutic! So, its leaves promote the enjoyment of life to its fullest, but not for the correcting of ills, for such sickness will no longer exist at this time. The second encouraging idea presented in verses 3-5 is that we’ll enjoy service to its fullest because as verse three starts, “And there shall be no more curse.” In the Millenium, the curse will be “lifted,” but not entirely, for the snake will still crawl, man will still sin, and consequently, death will still occur. But here, the
curse will be GONE! What this means as to service or work is that no longer will such endeavors be futile or frustrating. Murphy’s law will be passé! Work will be a sheer delight and our true devotion to a seen and loving God will be our motive. We will fully realize the pleasure to be had with a job completely well done FOR Him for then we “shall see His FACE” (vs.4)! John ends this first section of Chapter 22 stating that there will no longer at this time be the need for the lights in the heavens we see today, for His glory will illuminate the universe as we reign WITH, yes WITH, Him and serve Him forever. This reigning with the Lord will start during the Millenial reign of Christ, but won’t be isolated to that great time. The word “reign” in verse 5 speaks of serving and ruling alongside royalty. What will you be doing throughout all eternity? Playing a harp on a cloud? Nope! You will have important and completely fulfilling work to do running the new heavens and earth alongside of royalty (Him and others who have trusted in Him, for we are a “royal priesthood” [1 Pt.2:9] ). So be thankful no matter what is going on in your life or world now, there is coming a time when you will know life and service in all its fullness! Join us for Sunday services at 10:45 a.m. at the log cabin church between Milroy and State College on Rt.322 (one mile west of the Eutaw House). Our website is nittanybaptist.org a
The Big Valley Brethren In Christ Church will be showing the latest Billy Graham movie in their My Hope series entitled “Value of a Soul” on Sunday evening November 8th at 7:00 pm. This is a movie that follows the life of three people who search for worth as their worlds crumble. Franklin Graham addresses the real value of a soul. There is no charge for this movie, the public is cordially invited. The church is located at 81 Wagner St., Belleville, PA. For information or directions please call 717-436-8010
UNCLE FRED’S THANKSGIVING PRAYER by Robert Zorn “Fred, would you ask our prayer?” Never were there words which filled an eight-year-old boy’s heart with so much fear and apprehension. “Fred” was our Uncle Fred, our father’s older brother who lived with his wife Amelia on a farm not far from our own. They were members of the Hickory Square Methodist Church that was located on Dry Hill. Inevitably, Daddy would ask him to pray. From past mealtime experiences, we knew that our uncle’s prayers could rival a presidential State of the Union address in both scope and length. It was not that my brothers and I were irreverent or ungrateful for our many blessings, but we wondered why that particular prayer at noon on Thanksgiving Day had to be so all inclusive and specific. Yes, we should be thankful that our country was still at peace, even when rumblings of the approach of World War II were being heard from Europe. We should be relieved and grateful that our farms had been spared from storms, floods, and drought through the past summer. We were happy that our silos and corn cribs were bountifully filled, and that our granaries were bursting with barley, wheat and oats, that pantry shelves were crowded with ample canned goods, and that there was meat hanging in the smokehouse. Uncle Fred was especially thankful that when a lightening strike had destroyed his barn this recent August, he had lost no animals, and nobody was injured in the disaster. He urged us to rejoice that the minster of their church seemed to be improving in health. Moreover, it should be gratefully acknowledged that the Methodist, Presbyterian, United Brethren, and Nazarene Churches were still proclaiming glory to God and salvation through Jesus Christ twice on Sundays and once through the week. Credit was to be given for our kind and generous neighbors who helped each other as several needs arose. Blessings were invoked upon all other families gathered in settings such as we were enjoying on that day. And thanks for all the food (at last),
prepared and set before us by loving hands, (also blessed), for our nourishment and strengthening in body and spirit……A_A_Amen ! Meanwhile, on the dining room table, the platters of roast beef and chicken had stopped steaming. The dumplings, swimming in a bowl of sauerkraut were getting heavy and soggy. The mashed potatoes were getting gummy, the gravy was thickening, and all of the cinnamon had dissolved into the applesauce. And who was to know what was to become of the pies—apple mince, and pumpkin waiting on the warming shelf of the kitchen stove. Maybe someone would suggest that the pies should be served later. LATER? I may starve before later would come. I didn’t. Had I been more thankful and thoughtful then, I would have been glad that Uncle Ellis had come, and brought us a “Powerhouse” candy bar (1/4 lb.) that we seven kids could divide and share. I should have been glad that our bachelor neighbor, Joe, brought us a basket of brown eggs. (Daddy always raised Leghorn chickens.) Joe also brought me a couple of Bull Durham tobacco sacks in which I could store my marbles and treasures. I could have listened more closely to Aunt Amelia tell about life in, and customs of, Sweden, her native home. I should have realized that there would always be food in abundance on the dining room table every day of my life as long as that house was my home. If there is one lesson that I have learned from the memories of Thanksgiving Day on the farm, it would be this: “We should pray more…. And eat less.” Uncle Fred’s Prayer: “For as the rain and snow comes down from heaven and return not hither but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10,11 a
Next Issue of The Valley: December 2nd
“Liberty and Government are Opposing Forces”
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The Valley, November 2015
Dave Wilson
Everyone wants to live at the expense of the state. They forget that the state lives at the expense of everyone
Coins, Precious Metal and a Little of this and That
Frederic Bastiat
Has the “Big One” started? For years, we have been told about how much US Treasury debt is held by other sovereign nations. It amounts to many trillions of dollars, with more than 2 1/2 trillion held by China alone. These countries earned these “reserves” by sending us (the US) their ready-made hard “products,” always at bargain-basement prices, and have accepted US dollars in full payment. As the dollar has been the World’s “Reserve Currency” for nearly 50 years, it was a way for outsiders to save (supposedly) for a rainy day, and a terrific way for the United States to export it’s inflation (as those trade-based-new-dollars would stay outside the country) and provide its citizens with fabulously cheap merchandise for nearly 30 years. The system worked wonderfully, until the Federal Reserve began creating trillions of new dollars (out of thin air, as they say) for the purpose of inexpensively and painlessly funding annual budget deficits, and, in 2008-2009, for bailing out
our banks (and European banks) that were choking to death from massive amounts of bad loans (referred to as “Toxic Assets”). During that time, we have been continuously told (warned, if you will) that if, for any reason, those sovereign nations began selling their treasury bonds back to us, therefore bringing all that cash back to our shores, that it would likely cause massive inflation, likely even hyper-inflation. Well, goodness gracious and gosh-almighty, guess what has been happening for the past several months? Most other countries around the world are experiencing terrible drops in the values of their local currencies. Many South American countries have seen their currencies decrease in value by almost 85 to 90 percent. China has devalued it’s currency several times, and has been forced to sell (that we know of) nearly 700 billion dollars in US Treasuries just to support their floundering currency. India, Russia, Mexico, Canada, and now even
Saudi Arabia, have been selling US treasuries too. So, where does the money to buy these treasuries come from? Well, since it is pretty obvious that nobody is left in the world that can buy them, the money must be coming from the Federal Reserve in the form of newly created cash. This is a whole lot of “not good.” All of this, coupled with the newly raised US National Debt Ceiling (to almost 20 trillion dollars) is pretty much proof positive that the end game is upon us. The average person on the street knows nothing about what we have just written here, and that is exactly what the “Powers-ThatAre” are counting on. Unfortunately for them (the uninformed), when they do figure out what is happening, it will be far too late for them to make any needed and necessary lifestyle-changing preparations. a
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can be made into jelly or wine. You can steep the plant’s roots in hot water for tea, or boil them to make sarsaparilla tonic. But why do that when you can make a natural carbonated soft drink?
Sarsaparilla Part 2 I just have not been able to find the time to type out this article. It always seems like there is something that needs to be picked, planted, stored for winter, or brewed. That is the life I lead and I do love it, so finally—the second part of making a homemade Sarsaparilla. A couple of months ago I wrote about making the Gingerbug for the drink. This month I will be writing about the recipe for the beverage. First, a little background info on the main ingredient for the concoction, Indian Sarsaparilla Root. Sarsaparilla was known by the Native Americans. They introduced the plant to the Spaniards, who took the plant back to Europe. The sarsaparilla plant is a small, deciduous woody vine that grows well in hot areas. It
has glossy leaves and produces small berries. There are several species of true sarsaparilla that can be used to make the beverage, but they are all from the Smilax family of plants. The sarsaparilla you buy is usually made from the most common species, which include S. regeii, S. officinalis, S. papyracea and S. medica. Another type of plant, commonly called wild sarsaparilla, is a member of the Aralia family and is related to ginseng. You can use it as a substitute for sarsaparilla. Wild sarsaparilla was used by Native Americans. Wild sarsaparilla can help relieve the symptoms of respiratory diseases and stomach aches. It was made into a tonic and used as a cough syrup. The wild sarsaparilla plant is nutritious; you can cook and eat the young leaves, and the fruit
Ingredients • ½ cup Sassafras Root Bark • ½ teaspoon wintergreen leaf (or more—try this to taste, but start with a little as it has a very strong flavor) • 1 cup unrefined organic cane sugar like rapadura • ¼ cup molasses • 1 cinnamon stick or 1 tiny dash of ground cinnamon (optional) • dash each of coriander and allspice (optional) • 2 teaspoons of natural vanilla extract • 3 quarts filtered water • ¼ cup lime juice (optional, but good for flavor) • ¾ cup homemade ginger bug or other starter culture like whey or vegetable starter Instructions 1. Put the sassafras root bark and wintergreen leaf in a large pot. Add cinnamon, coriander and allspice if using. 2. Add 3 quarts of filtered water and turn on high heat.
3. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 1520 minutes. 4. Strain through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove herbs. 5. While still warm, add the sugar and molasses and stir until dissolved. 6. Let cool until warm, but not hot, and add the lime juice and then then ginger Refreshing!! bug or other culture and stir well. 7. Transfer to grolsch style bottles or jars with tight fitting lids and allow to ferment for several days at room temperature. 8. Check after two days for carbonation and when desired carbonation is reached, transfer to refrigerator and store until use.
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9. Enjoy! It turned out great. My kids loved it and it was quite refreshing after working in the garden. So brew it up and enjoy a traditional soda that was available before soda went mainstream. a
The Valley, November 2015
The Golden Paste
I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the cooler weather and the beautiful fall colors. My Facebook feed has been lighting up with jaw-dropping fall foliage pictures from New Hampshire and I found myself longing to be there to enjoy those gorgeous scenes firsthand. Ah, but there is this thing called work that ALWAYS seems to come before vacation and play. I sure wish we could fix that! New Hampshire is gorgeous in the fall, but hey, Pennsylvania isn’t so bad itself. My commute over Seven Mountains this fall has been bursting with bright yellows, oranges, and reds and it reminds me to thank God every day for so much beauty to enjoy. It’s one of the few times of the year that my commute is really enjoyable. Speaking of oranges, I’ve found myself intrigued by some information I’ve been reading on the Internet about a natural remedy for pain. Many dog owners are swearing by a concoction they call “Golden Paste” to relive arthritis and other inflammatory diseases in their dogs. At first I thought this was some sort of fad and didn’t pay much attention. But as time went on, it seemed like more an more people were talking about the amazing results they were getting from this “paste,” so I had to learn more. What is “Golden Paste?” It’s a tumeric paste made from tumeric, olive or coconut oil, and freshly ground black pepper. I joined the Tumeric User Group on Facebook to learn more. This group is full of first hand ac-
counts of people trying this paste for themselves or giving it to their pets with amazing results. Many are able to go off pain killers like Advil, Tylenol, or stronger medications and no longer have terrible pain in their joints, back, or other areas causing them trouble. I couldn’t stand it anymore, and I had to try it for myself. I’ve been bothered by a very painful heel lately, which is now sometimes causing pain up my calf a bit when I walk. I also often have pain in my knees. I do not recommend that anyone try the “paste” without consulting their doctor or other health professional as the tumeric may cause interactions with certain medications. I’ve listed the paste instructions and dosage below, taken from: http://www.turmericlife. com.au/start-here/three-basicingredients-turmeric-benefits/ Ingredients: Tumeric Oil Fresh Ground Black Pepper —1/2 Cup Tumeric (Curcumin is the yellow pigment found in the spice turmeric and is its key active constituent. Curcumin holds the key to many of Turmeric’s health benefits, but despite its power, is not easily absorbed by the body without assistance. Don’t go cheap, make sure the Curcumin hasn’t been removed from the Tumeric you buy.) —1 Cup of Water —1/3 Cup Coconut, Olive or Flax Oil (It MUST be COLD PRESSED, also known as Virgin, or Extra Virgin. You can use Micronised Linseed, or Powdered
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The Valley, November 2015
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Just HOW do Essential Oils help us fight bacteria & virus and should we “keep up our immune system?”
As I am doing my research for this column, my head spins as I read about anti-quorum sensing, sensitivity of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria towards essential oils, bacterial resistance to essential oils, and gut flora. I am doing my very best at due diligence, BUT, the internet is...well...a web that just keeps branching out and out. There’s SOOO much information to try to sort out, but in this article I include what I find to be the gist of it all from the internet and several books I own. As flu and cold season is upon us, I thought it would be helpful to talk about virus, bacteria, our immune system and of course, how essential oils (EOs) can help! Bacteria is…. good and bad Bacteria is alive! They are microscopic single-celled organisms that thrive in diverse environments. They can live within soil, in the ocean, and inside the
human gut. A human’s relationship with bacteria is complex. Sometimes bacteria lends a helping hand, by curdling milk into yogurt, helping in the development of the immune system, and helping with our digestion. At other times, they are destructive, causing diseases like pneumonia and MRSA. Of those that live in or on the human body, 99% are good or helpful. Unfortunately, the remaining one percent can cause a number of uncomfortable or serious health concerns.
Viruses are…just bad Viruses, on the other hand, are not alive and cannot exist on their own. Viruses grow and reproduce only after they’ve invaded other living cells. The body’s immune system can fight off some viruses before they cause illness, but others (like colds, for example) must simply run their course. Antibiotics do not work against viruses. Vaccinations are viruses that are prevented.
Currently, vaccinations exist for polio, measles, mumps, rubella, and smallpox among others. Immune System The job of your immune system is to protect your body from viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi. The immune system protects you in three different ways: 1. It creates a barrier that prevents bacteria and viruses from entering your body. 2. If bacteria or a virus does get into the body, the immune system tries to detect and eliminate it before it can make itself at home and reproduce. 3. If the virus or bacteria is able to reproduce and start causing problems, your immune system is in charge of eliminating it. Sometimes, due to emotional stress, physical stress, medications, etc. the immune system is “down” and we end up with a bacterial infection or virus. Yes, essential oils may help! Continue to read!
How have we, and show should we continue to fight bacteria? Bacterial infections conventionally have been treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics can be used to kill bacteria or prevent bacterial growth. But, are they overused? Frequent and inappropriate use of antibiotics can cause bacteria or other microbes to change so antibiotics don’t work against them. This is called bacterial resistance or antibiotic resistance. Treating these resistant bacteria requires higher doses of medicine or stronger antibiotics. Because of antibiotic overuse, certain bacteria have become resistant to even the most powerful antibiotics available today. In addition to antibiotic resistance, overusing antibiotics can lead to other problems. Antibiotics kill many different bacteria, even the good ones that help keep the body healthy. Sometimes taking antibiotics can cause a person to develop diarrhea due to a lack of good bacteria that help to digest food properly. According to the CDC, each year in the United States, at least 2 million people are infected with antibiotic resistant bacteria, leading to the death of at least 23,000 each year. Essential oils to the rescue—read on! Essential oils are antimicrobial, antifungal, and antibacterial! Simply put, essential oils are to a plant as what blood is to a mammal. They carry nutrients, oxygen and life giving energy to all areas of a plant, just as
our blood does for us. They are ESSENTIAL! They have many uses. They are to protect the plant, serve as pollinators, and guard the plant against disease by their antifungal and antibacterial nature. EOs are subdivided into groups of chemical constituents. These constituents are what make the EO effective. Complex combinations (terpenes) are released by some plants and trees, such as evergreens, to act as antimicrobial, antifungal, and antibacterial agents. This protects the plant against a wide range of organisms that may threaten the survival of the plants. Other compounds (sesquiterpenes) found in some plants have been found to play a strong antimicrobial role as well as a protective role from herbivores. Our bodies are biologically programmed to react to essential oil constituents, which interact with a variety of receptor sites, neurochemicals and enzymes, giving them potential for therapeutic activity. Essential oils do not create resistance because… In nature, essential oils play an important role in the protection of plants. Essential oils contain a wide variety of secondary metabolites that are capable of inhibiting or slowing the growth of bacteria, yeasts and molds. One reason why essential oils cannot create resistant strains is that they are so complex, contain-
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The Valley, November 2015
PACleanways of Mifflin County Keep PA Beautiful During our recent tire Recycle Challenge, Huntingdon County came in first, winning the Gold Rim Award for the most tires collected. Perry County came in 2nd place, Mifflin County came in 3rd place, and Juniata County came in last, thus winning the Flat Tire Award. Several other counties also held a Tire Recycle that same week and I do not have everyone’s totals at this time. While we didn’t have as many collected as last year, we still have collected nearly 4000 tires to be successfully recycled. All tires went to Mahantango Enterprises in Liverpool where they are made into mulch or pellets and reused for playgrounds and other things. These collections are a way for residents to recycle unwanted tires that may be laying around on their property. It is illegal to burn tires due to all the toxins they would put into the air. If you missed this year’s collection, you can take them to the Mifflin County Solid Waste Authority just off SR 522 North about a mile outside of Lewistown. If you go
to their website, you will find how much it costs to dispose of your tires. They also take electronics and you can do all your recycling there, or check with your township office to see if they have recycle bins; many township do. Most of the bins in or around your township have bins for 1 and 2 plastic, metal cans, and aluminum cans, cardboard, mixed paper, and cardboard. Do you know what the burning ordinance in your township is? It is illegal to burn all your trash due to the toxins that go into the air. If you see someone burning and the smoke looks black they are most likely burning something they shouldn’t. If you don’t care what you are breathing, think of your neighbors who probably do not like it. In Wayne Township, the ordinance states that you cannot burn on Sundays, holidays and from sunset to sunrise. You can burn paper, leaves, brush, etc. On October 10th our volunteers did an International Coastal Cleanup along Newton Road from Newton Hamilton to SR22/522.
We collected 28 bags of trash and 5 tires. It has been around 5 years since I had some teenagers and parents clean that road. By cleaning up the trash, it keeps it from running down the hill to Long Hollow Run and from there to the Juniata River. It’s sad that so much trash can accumulate along the road side when everyone needs gas and most gas stations have a garbage can at the station, or when they can take it home and throw it in their own trash. We will be doing more cleanups this fall, but we have not finalized a date when we will have all volunteers available. If you would like to get involved, check out the www.keeppennsylvaniabeautiful.org web site to see where we might be. Just click on events and look for Mifflin County. If you would like to cleanup your own roadside, you can do so by contacting me through the same web site, or send me an email at pammiff@verizon.net.
Golden Paste from page 9
you have too much to use within two weeks. Use for Golden Milk, Smoothies, stir into Yogurt, add to your dinner plate as a condiment… AND don’t forget your pet’s dinner plate or your horse feed … run wild!
adjust – 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric paste or powder, 3 times a day, is a great starting point. Take note of how you feel, and if it is giving any benefit. Increase as you feel ready, but again go slowly – perhaps 1/2 teaspoon 3 times a day and so on. There is no exact dosage – it depends on the turmeric you have and also what you are trying to combat, and your body. You will have to be prepared to monitor and adjust. Turmeric does not stay in the body past several hours (it varies according to individual – 6-8 hours approx) so you are better off having small doses often throughout the day. Too large a dose of turmeric will not be utilized – what the body can’t use it will eliminate. Need help finding the ingredients? I’m sure that Nature’s Harmony (see Ad on page 29) can help you with a good quality Tumeric and Cold Pressed Coconut Oil, but Extra Virgin Olive Oil can be found at the grocery store. Be sure to visit the links I pasted above and join the Tumeric User Group before you decide to give it a try. Read and learn, but be responsible with its use! a
Coconut Oil.) — 1 1/2 teaspoons Coarsely Ground Black Peppercorns. (Peppercorns contain an enzyme called Piperine which goes to work in the stomach, slowing up the digestion of the turmeric. This allows time for the curcumin to be taken up into the blood stream.) Studies have shown that adding heat to the turmeric (ie. simmering it in water for 7-10 minutes) increases its solubility 12 fold (remember its solubility, not absorption). The verdict is still not out on how much it impacts the absorption, but this may be the reason why taking turmeric with warm milk (golden milk!) is considered great! Directions: Place turmeric and water in pan, stirring over gentle heat until you have a thick paste. This should take about 7-10 minutes and you may need to add additional water along the way. Add the freshly ground pepper and oil AT THE END of cooking. Stir well (a whisk is ideal) to incorporate the oil and allow to cool. The Golden Paste will keep for 2 weeks, refrigerated Freeze a portion if you think
Dosage: (Taken from: http://www.turmericlife.com.au/turmeric-for-humans/ turmeric-dosage/) SPECIAL NOTES AND WARNINGS: Those who are pregnant, have gallstones, or are susceptible to kidney stones may want to moderate their turmeric consumption. Also, Piperine, from fresh ground black pepper, will increase the absorbency of other substances in your stomach – so if you are on regular medications, you may experience a higher absorbency rate than intended for those drugs. Please check with your doctor or pharmacist. Turmeric is ALSO alcohol soluble, so if you don’t like taking it with warm milk, scrambled eggs, or yogurt, you can try taking it with tomato juice, some black pepper grinds, some sea salt grinds, a teaspoon of turmeric and a shot of vodka! So, how much should you take? It’s recommended that you start gently and let your body
Pam Sechrist Affiliate Coordinator
Having Your Own Energy Crisis? by Merry Matukonis
People need energy! If you think you are the only one who complains of a personal energy crisis, think again. Statistics show that nearly 50% of all Americans suffer from low energy. And, the other 50% were apparently too tired to answer the survey! How well you live depends, to a large degree, upon how well your adrenal glands function. They are the “stress handling” glands. The adrenal glands produce a variety of hormones that are released directly into the bloodstream, where they are carried to virtually all the cells of the body. Our fast-paced, stressful lifestyle sets us up for adrenal fatigue. Our bodies were designed to handle the normal mild stresses of life. But if the stressors are extreme for long periods of time, like most people’s constant, stressful lifestyle, that’s when the effect becomes chronic. Without adequate rest and nutrition to replenish the depleted vitamin and mineral stores, the adrenal stress just gets worse and the result is unrelenting fatigue. Now factor in that most Americans eat a lot of processed, convenient, junk food that robs the body of vital energy, the adrenal glands become even more stressed. Some people start their day with a coke and a candy bar! This stresses the adrenals for hours and they try to play catch up all day. Of course they never do catch up. In fact over time you enter into a prolonged stress response, which causes the thyroid to slow its function. If you answer ‘’yes’’ to any of the following conditions you may have Adrenal Fatigue. • Need colas or coffee to keep you going? • Can’t bounce back from illness or stress? • Have suffered from bronchitis or pneumonia more than once?
• • • • •
Feeling run down and stressed? Decreased sex drive? Having trouble getting up in the morning? Crave salty or sweet snacks? Struggling to keep up with life’s daily demands? Not having fun anymore?
• • Stress and High-Cortisol Levels The adrenal glands normally secrete hormones in a cycle, with the highest values in the morning and the lowest at night. Under prolonged stress, our adrenal glands secrete more of a hormone called cortisol, causing abnormally high levels that don’t return to normal cycle levels. This can cause sleep disturbances. There are literally millions of Americans unnecessarily living with Adrenal Fatigue. You complete a comprehensive system survey form and together we work towards better health and energy! During your visit with me, I perform a nutritional exam that includes specific tests for adrenal function as well as digestive health. At Optimal Wellness I provide an eating plan and the proper nutritional support, based on your needs to improve adrenal function and energy over time. The bottom line is we have to get back to eating whole foods, eliminating the processed foods. I like the 80%-20% rule. Eighty percent of the time we have to eat whole foods. Then there are the holidays, anniversaries, birthdays, etc. that take some of us away from nutritious foods. I will be offering a special 20% off, the months of November and December for the initial interview and second follow-up meeting for new clients. Please call Merry for more information at 814-933-9149. Contact: Merry Matukonis, RN, can, CGP at 814-933-9149 at Optimal Wellness. a
Anti-social behavior is a trait of intelligence in a world full of conformists. Nikola Tesla
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Wooded Lot Offers Privacy in South Hills by Kim Rickert Tucked away in the wooded neighborhood of South Hills, this 2700 plus square foot two-story would make a beautiful home for any buyer. Built in 1987, the home has many upgrades and additions that make it stand out from the competition. Entering the ceramic tiled foyer, a study or formal living room is conveniently to the right. The formal dining room to the left features hardwood flooring and crown molding, along with chair railing. The large eat-in kitchen is a cook’s delight with a large granite island and countertops, tile backsplash, recessed task lighting, generous pantry, built-in, lit china
cabinet, and warming oven. The stainless appliances were added with the kitchen remodel in 2010 and are included in the sale. The cabinetry features soft-close drawers, glass front accents, and slide out trash can drawer. The eat-in area is highlighted with a stacked stone accent wall and a sleek 50” propane gas fireplace to warm up the winter evenings. A first floor laundry room with ceramic tile floor and entry to the two car garage are next to the kitchen. A brick fireplace and book shelf wall highlights the family room with new carpet (August 2015) and a powder room. Just steps away is the impressive
sunroom with cathedral ceilings, skylights, and three walls of windows looking out to the wooded yard and waterfall with koi pond. How relaxing it would be to sit in the sunroom this winter with the propane stove warming you as you watch the snow fall! The large deck made of Tekdek is just off the sunroom and a patio area is beyond that. Plenty of room for entertaining when the weather is nice. The second floor of this home includes four generous sized bedrooms, including a master bedroom and bath, plus an additional full bath with double sink. All rooms are well maintained and have plenty of closet space. The master suite includes his and hers walk-in closets, a double sink vanity area, and a tub/shower. Walls of a subtle gray make this room a coveted retreat! The lower level of the home is finished with a large media room with new carpet and a stacked stone accent wall. A separate workout room is finished, and two unfinished areas cover your storage needs. The home has been updated with a new electric heat pump in October 2015. Other updates and main-
tenance include a 30 year roof installed in 2007 along with new gutters and gutter guards, new carpet throughout much of the home in August 2015, upgraded outdoor lights and lamp posts, a whole house fan, hard-wired security system, and touchpad entry for garage door. All interior doors are solid wood four panel doors
“Liberty and Government are Opposing Forces”
and there is crown molding and baseboard throughout the house. Finding a home that does not need any improvements is difficult at any price, but this home fits the bill! Updated and well maintained, the price is right for a discriminating buyer. Call Kim at Stone Arch Real Estate for your personal tour today! a
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The Valley, November 2015
Understanding the Constitution by David Molek
ANCHOR BABIES
BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP? Several years ago, I wrote a column about birthright citizenship. This birthright citizenship belief is shorthand for a claim in our 14th Amendment that persons born on American soil may claim U.S citizenship. The claim is currently based on conferring citizenship to anybody, regardless of the legal status of the parents, born on U.S. soil. Today, more than 20% of all children born in our United States are born to illegal aliens who have entered our country illegally. The overwhelming majority of the world’s countries do not offer automatic citizenship to everyone born within their borders. Many of us believe that the claim that the 14th Amendment confers citizenship on the children of visitors or illegal aliens is mistaken. Neither the text of our Constitution, nor the legislative history, supports
such an interpretation. Let’s look at Thomas Jefferson’s words: “Born in other countries, yet believing you could be happy in this, our laws acknowledge, as they should do, your right to join us in society, conforming, as I doubt not you will do, to our established rules.” This dates from 1801. Note Jefferson’s requirement that immigrants conform “to our established rules.” But Obama ignores “laws” and “rules” in favor of political expedience. Our Constitution references immigration only in Article II, section 1, noting “No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States, at the time of adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President.” I will ignore the birth issues of our current President for purposes of this column.
It was understood that “natural born” meant one born on U.S. soil prior to the enactment of our Constitution. In 1790, the Naturalization Law defined “natural born citizen.” That Law stipulated immigrants had to be legal residents for 2 years before applying for citizenship. The 2 years was increased to 5 years in 1795 and to 14 years in 1798. Then, in 1866, the Civil Rights Act affirmed citizenship for former slaves. Out of concern that some future legislature would revoke those rights, the Senate proposed the 14th Amendment. Section 1 of the 14th Amendment codified the full citizenship rights of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and stipulated, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” The plain language states that those born to parents who are le-
gally in the U.S. are thus, “subject to the jurisdiction thereof,” and have claim to birthright citizenship. Just as plain is the fact that the 14th Amendment would exclude those born to illegal aliens. The 14th Amendment did not, and has never, implied any legal standing for the children of illegal aliens. By itself, birth within the territorial limits of the United States does not make one automatically “subject to the jurisdiction “ of the United States. Granting citizenship to the children of illegal aliens is a completely arbitrary interpretation that has never been passed by statute or ruled on by the courts. The plain language cannot be any plainer. Many Americans are justifiably upset with a policy that has become standard practice without their approval. Conferring citizenship on those whose parents are here illegally is a policy that has developed almost by default
by the Executive branch, with no deliberation by Congress through the normal legislative process used to decide important public policy issues. Today, it cannot be denied that an illegal alien is, under law, a citizen of a foreign country and, therefore, subject to that country’s jurisdiction. An illegal alien owes at least some allegiance to their home country. They are not in any sense a citizen of our United States. Americans need to wake up to the disaster that is the arbitrary government policy of guaranteed automatic citizenship to the children of illegal aliens. Birthright citizenship creates a massive fiscal burden on the American taxpayer. There are now an estimated 11.5 million illegals in our country. Illegal immigration has surged largely unabated. There are enormous costs of providing taxpayer-subsidized services such as housing, schooling, medical care, cash assistance, incarceration and the like. One irrational aspect of Obama’s use of our legal system is when our laws provide that unauthorized entry into our country is a criminal offense and Obama simultaneously provides perhaps the greatest inducement to illegal
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Sara’s Dairy Journey by Sara Lucas
NOVEMBER 2015 Mifflin County Trivia The Halls of Justice – Part 2 This month’s trivia questions continue with questions based on Mifflin County’s several courthouses. The cost of things in bygone times is always of interest to us today. Here are some expenses, of a county nature, that involve past courthouses and the county “poor farm” taken from a popular 1886 local history. 1. On January 19, 1795, the county commissioners ordered the county treasurer to pay Robert Kinney the sum of ten pounds, four shillings, four pence and a half-penny for services rendered to the local court. What were Kinney’s services? [a] Guarding the prisoners when the sheriff transported a horse thief to Harrisburg [b] white washing the log courthouse and jail for one year, including providing the supplies [c] taking down and putting up the courthouse furniture for sessions held in a room rented in Kinney’s
own home [d] for cutting the timber and sawing the logs into boards for the courthouse floor 2. The original courthouse was a two story log structure built on “Lot No. 86” as designated by the trustees assigned to layout the town in 1790. In 1795, a log addition of fifteen by twenty was added to expand the jail portion of the structure. How much was the 1795 addition? [a] 22 pounds [b] 51 pounds, five shillings [c] seventy-four pounds [d] an even 100 pounds 3. In 1837, the Grand Jury recommended that a new county courthouse be constructed, but it took two more years for the local court to approve the jury’s report. A lot on the corner of North Main and Market Square was purchased for the purpose from R. C. Hale in 1842. In round figures, how much did it cost the county to acquire the lot? [a] $150 [b] $600 [c] $1,500 [d] $2,200
Plain Talk
Solar Explained by S. Yoder Hello to all of The Valley readers from Reedsville, PA. Brrrrrr, Old Man Winter is coming way too fast! What this means for those that use light operated by DC current is that the days will be shorter by Sunday, November 1st. This will mean that more dead batteries will need to be charged and old ones replaced. Remember, we sell and charge batteries. We only recommend Deka DC 24 or DC 27 for heavy uses such as lighting.
For a long period of time, Deka has stood the test and rigors of Central Pennsylvania. So, think of Steven Yoder for all of your deep cycle needs. We also make starter cables, and we are open 3:30 - 8:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and we are open Saturday as well. a
4. In April, 1850, Mifflin County decided to purchase a property for the poor farm from James Burns, one half mile east of Lewistown. The tract was two hundred two acres, with two brick buildings. (Ohesson Manor is located on a portion of the original Poor Farm.) What was the purchase price in 1850? [a] $1,000 [b] $1,600 [c] $2,000 [d] $2,800 5. The courthouse renovation that took place in 1878-79 originally did not include a new tower and vestibule. How much did these items add to the cost in 1878? [a] $950 [b] $1,250 [c] $1,500 [d] $1,850 ANSWERS: 1.C 2.C 3.C 4.B 5.D SOURCES: History of that Part of the Juniata and Susquehanna Valleys, Embraced in the Counties of Mifflin, Juniata, Perry, Union and Snyder in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 1886 by Ellis a
Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under H. L. Mencken Anchor Babies from page 13 entry of making a child born to that illegal entry an American citizen entitled to all the advantages of the American welfare state. According to the Obama administration, inconsistent with both the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the 14th Amendment, a child born to anyone who enters the U.S. illegally has a birthright entitlement to citizenship.
November is a month we always look forward to. Thanksgiving is a tradition looked forward to by many families. Everyone has the opportunity to share their thanks with family members and enjoy a delicious meal together. Celebrating the harvest of the fall season was the reason for the first Thanksgiving, which was celebrated 394 years ago in 1621. This continues to be one of the reasons, but has been joined by multiple others including fellowship and tradition. As we noted, Thanksgiving is a tradition, and so is dairy farming. 98% of all dairy farms in the United States are family owned and operated. Just like Thanksgiving, this tradition has come to mean even more as time has passed. The dairy industry’s roots allow it to continue to succeed today. Dairy farmers still have a great passion for their industry and strive to provide a safe nutritious product for the public. As your families come together this holiday season, take time to give thanks to the dairy farmer who provides the ingredients to many of your favorite dishes. We have included some of our family’s Thanksgiving recipes for you to try. I hope you enjoy! Centre County Dairy Promotion Committee Pumpkin Roll 3 eggs 1 cup sugar 2/3 cup pumpkin 1 tsp. lemon juice ¾ cup all-purpose flour 2 tsp. ground Cinnamon ½ tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. ground ginger 1 cup chopped pecans 1 cup confectioners’ sugar ½ tsp vanilla extract 4 TBSP butter Whatever happened to the rule of law? It has turned into the rule of Obama. Congress should act, but we know that won’t happen without some drastic changes in leadership. We need to secure our borders. As Ronald Reagan declared, “A nation without borders is not a nation.” We need to expel illegals. Our next President needs to take appropriate executive action. Our country has room for just one flag and one loyalty. a
“Liberty and Government are Opposing Forces”
8 oz cream cheese Directions Preheat oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Grease and flour a jellyroll pan (large cookie sheet with sides). In a mixing bowl, beat eggs on high for five minutes. Gradually add white sugar, pumpkin, and lemon juice. Add flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and ginger. Spread batter evenly in pan. Sprinkle pecans evenly on top, and press lightly into batter. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until it springs back when touched. Loosen edges with a knife. Turn out on two dishtowels that have been sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll up cake, and let cool for about 20 minutes. To Make Filling: Mix confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, butter or margarine, and cream cheese together till smooth. Unroll pumpkin cake when cool, and spread with filling. Re-roll, and push aside the dish towel. Unroll long sheet of waxed paper and put pumpkin roll on waxed paper. Dust pumpkin roll with powdered sugar. Twist ends of waxed paper like a piece of candy. Put pumpkin roll in refrigerator and chill overnight. Before slicing, dust with powdered sugar. Serve chilled. Below is a recipe that is a great way to use your leftover Thanksgiving Turkey. Turkey Lasagna 8 oz cooked lasagna noodles 2 to 3 cups of chopped Turkey 2 cans Mushroom Soup 1 cup Sour Cream 1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese 1 cup Olives, optional 1 cup chopped onion 1 tsp. onion salt 2 cups American or Cheddar Cheese Mix mushroom soup, sour cream, parmesan cheese, onion, olives and seasoning together. Then in a 9x13” pan layer the following: 3 noodles, one-third portion turkey, one-third soup/ sour cream mixture, and then one-third of cheese. Continue for three layers. Bake at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes. Serves 6 to 8. a
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The Valley, November 2015 Soon after getting on the Tussey Mountain Trail the trail turns to the right and parallels Bear Meadows Road as it makes a gradual climb to the top of the ridge. At 0.9 miles the trail starts a sweep around the southern edge of the ridge with a gradual
Bear Meadows
Bear Meadows is a unique natural area located within Rothrock State Forest. The best way to experience Bear Meadows is to hike the Bear Meadows Trail that circumvents the natural area. For this particular hike, we will visit trails near and on parts of the Bear Meadows Natural Area. It starts at the Bear Meadows parking area and uses the Jean Aron Path, Tussey Mountain Trail, Kettle Trail and Lonberger Path. The trailhead for this hike is rather easily reached. Coming from State College, you need to follow route US322 east and turn onto Bear Meadows Road at the entrance to the Tussey Mountain Ski Resort. Follow Bear Meadows Road for three miles and you will see a stone monument on your right with ample parking here. If coming from the east, follow route US322 until you are about 2 miles from Boalsburg. Look for the Mountain View Country Club on your right and turn onto Bear Meadows Road on your left. Start this hike by retracing your entry back Bear Meadows Road, heading north for about 300 feet where you will turn left onto Jean Aron Path. Jean Aron is well known in the hiking community
ascent. After another 0.4 miles of hiking, the trail reaches the top of the ridge where it begins a gentle descent. At 1.5 miles the descent becomes a little steeper, including a small switchback with some nice rock work on the rougher sections of the trail. One and three
and in Centre County. She was a major force in the Mid State Trail Association as well as writing the book The Short Hiker: Small Green Circles, which has a wealth of information on trails in and around State College. It is nice to see that she has a trail named for her, and as is appropriate, it is an easy-going, tranquil and short trail. After hiking on the Jean Aron Path for about 0.3 miles there is an un¬blazed trail that heads off to your right and up towards the Bear Meadows Road. Follow this unblazed trail and turn left once you reach the road. Follow the dirt road for another quarter of a mile where you will find the southern terminus of the Tussey Mountain Trail on the right. Turn off the road here and follow the Tussey Mountain Trail.
quarters of a mile into your hike you will reach the intersection of Tussey Mountain Trail and Kettle Trail. Turn left at the intersection onto Kettle Trail and descend quickly to Bear Meadows Road, crossing it at 1.9 miles. Continue on Kettle Trail until you come upon the intersection with Lonberger Path. Turning left here, follow¬ing Lonberger Path back towards Bear Meadows. At 2.6 miles you will emerge onto the gated North Meadows Road. Turn left following the road for about 200 feet, then turn right back onto Jean Aron Path. Hike the entire length of the Jean Aron Path and emerge onto Bear Meadows Road just north of the trailhead. Turn right here and fin-
ish up the hike at your car. This hike is about 3.3 miles in length and can be completed in 2 hours. The Bear Meadows Area is a great place to explore, offering plenty of opportunities to view flora and fauna. During the summer months, there are tons of blueberries to be sampled, along with an occasional raspberry, blackberry, and elderberry. This circuit hike gives you another option for exploring the Bear Meadows Area. You get to experience some elevation change as you climb the nearby ridge. The Lonberger Path and Jean Aron Path are great trails for cross country skiing in the winter, so you can experi¬ence Bear Meadows at any time during the year. a
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The Truth Has No Agenda
The Valley, November 2015
16
Another busy month in the Free State! This is my favorite time of year—beautiful fall foliage, pleasant weather, and exceptional outdoor activities like apple and pumpkin picking, hiking, and scenic drives. It’s a great time to come visit, to move (like dozens did!), or, if you can’t get here now, buy your tickets to Liberty Forum, February 18-21, 2016, and start planning your visit. A crew of Free Staters attended Liberty Fest NYC, where several of us spoke, caught up with friends and colleagues, and got two signers. The same weekend, New Hampshire played host to the Republican Liberty Caucus. According to FSP board member, Aaron Day, who helped organize the event: “There were 900 attendees (up from 120 previously), and 30 press outlets. Rand Paul won the straw poll. Gil Fulbright beat Jeb Bush. From the talks, it is clear New Hampshire is awesome, and an obvious choice as a destination for liberty lovers. FSP
founder, Jason Sorens spoke on secession, and FSP board member and Chairperson of Croydon’s school board, Jody Underwood talked about school choice efforts in that district. And... we got 14 signers!” This past Saturday, I also attended the Students for Liberty event at Harvard, where the volunteers manning the FSP table got two signers, from about 20 attendees, so kudos! New signer recruitment Facebook ads have launched thanks to the fundraising efforts of early movers Joël Valenzuela, founder of the Rights Brigade, and our new “Signer Czar,” Vince Perfetto, who produced the documentary 101 Reasons Liberty Lives in New Hampshire. Early results are very promising. See for yourself: Ad ran from October 9-13, 2015 Reach: 17,581 Website clicks: 232 Converted Signers: 11 Cost: $99.98 Cost/signer: $9.09/signer
Want to clinch the final signers and Trigger the Move? Donate today! On top of our events planning, the monthly New Movers Welcome Party, the PorcBuddy program, the Welcome Wagon, and weekly move-in parties, we now host a weekly “Doers” meeting in Manchester where folks volunteer their time helping the FSP, doing things like creating social media memes and stuffing welcome bags. Last week’s Liberty Forum planning meeting had about 30 volunteers. Last night, we worked on getting volunteers access to a new Wiki, Free State Chronicles, to make sure we capture our history. Interested in helping? Contact Alex for an account. Honestly, I get verklempt seeing the vision of the Free State Project turning into fruition! The end is in sight. The future is bright. Early movers’ quest for more liberty take many forms: From private charities like Shire Sharing (give today!), to continu-
ing to drive for Uber despite a ban, to creating a sword-fighting libertarian church pushing for tax exemption, there is never a dull moment! If you care about liberty, if you care about the future, if you care about living your principles, if you care about being part of a community of like-minded people who are committed to Liberty in Our Lifetime, come on home! Yours in peace and liberty,
“Liberty and Government are Opposing Forces”
Carla Gericke FSP President a
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The Valley, November 2015
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The Valley, November 2015
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“Liberty and Government are Opposing Forces�
19
The Valley, November 2015
R. O. F. F.
Savvy Cents & Sensibility by JoAnn Wills-Kline MBA
10 Tips to Savvy Thanksgiving Savings
As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, families often have “a lot on their plates” with holiday dinner shopping and the big meal preparation; and perhaps readying the home for houseguests. The goal of this article is to provide you, the reader, with ideas to simplify the holiday – financially, time-wise, and less stress. Let’s consider ways to curb financial outlay and the overall stress of the meal without reducing the quality of the special day: 1. Cook and carve the turkey the day before the actual holiday The downside is no picture-worthy bird on a platter. The upside, is less stress, slice the bird at your own pace – no audience. Place the carved slices in a baking dish with a bit of the roasting broth, and a few small pats of butter. Cover, place in the fridge, and then slowly heat in the oven prior to the meal. It saves clean up time too! 2. Create a natural tablescape. There are likely lots of colorful leaves and pinecones in your own
back yard – or your neighbors’ yards that would make beautiful natural holiday table décor. All you need is a plain tablecloth and a row of colorful leaves sprinkled down the middle to create a very festive setting. 3. Be creative with your Thanksgiving dinner leftovers. Share your leftovers by making a plate or two for neighborhood shut-ins. Place diced or chunks turkey in freezer bags measured in 2-3 cups per bag, freeze, and enjoy a nice hot turkey casserole or turkey rice soup deep into the winter months. 4. Round up when you estimate your shopping list AND your guest list. You want to be prepared when the grocery cashier gives you the total owed, plus you also want to be prepared in case more people show up to your meal than originally planned. 5. Shop wisely and frugally If possible, begin weeks early to grab a few items here or there to prevent one huge shopping order
Rescue Our Furry Friends for the holiday meal. Take time to search cookbooks, online recipes, and magazines for frugal tasty holiday side dishes. My holiday meal plan consists of providing the turkey (cooked the day before and heated in a baking dish), gravy & traditional green bean casserole – healthified, a huge salad with: leafy greens, dried cranberries, and feta cheese – easy and delish! My sister provides the mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and roasted Brussels sprouts. Of course, the traditional holiday pies also are served. I usually begin adding holiday meal extras to my shopping list about four weeks before the holiday. Each week I pick up a holiday item or two so that I don’t feel the financial crunch as hard as if I purchased everything all at once. 6. Try a potluck and perhaps make a new tradition. If family and guests are not coming from out of town, perhaps suggest a “potluck meal” by assigning a particular food to meal members. Just as my sister and I split meal/ food duties, consider having one person provide the pie(s), another person handle the potatoes, and yet another handle the veggies. Everybody gets to participate in the meal making, and have a dish they enjoy, plus it’s less stressful if the entire meal is not the responsibility of one person. 7. Supply veggie-tizers. Depending on the time of day your meal will be served, guests may be hungry before all the fix’ns are ready. Create a healthy veggie tray for guests to snack on as they socialize with each other, and while you place the finishing touches to the bountiful meal. I often stick with the basics like celery, baby carrots, grape tomatoes, and bell peppers. My reason for such is I always use the left over veggies to create a fabulous “broth-stock.” See below. 8. Save the bones. Place the bird carcass into a large freezer bag, place in the fridge for a day or two, and then place in a crockpot with any leftover veggies from veggie tray – even ends like carrot tops, celery ends, pepper tops, etc. can be used. Add just enough water to cover the bones and cook on low overnight – perfect for the weekend after Thanksgiving – then remove the bones and veggies (they go to the trash) from the broth. Place the broth in a freezer container and
The Truth Has No Agenda
by Patricia Lawson
Happy Holidays from ROFF! Here’s a perfect gift that benefits our homeless animals. “Bon-Ton Community Days Booklets” will be available on November 11-14. These booklets are only $5 and all proceeds go to ROFF. You may also go to www.bonton.com for additional information and to place your order. Just be sure to indicate ROFF as your choice of organization as you’re completing your check-out process. Sunday, December 6th provides two events you won’t want to miss out on: From 1-4 ROFF will be at the “Alternative Gift Fair” at the East Kish Church in Reedsville. We’re sure you’ll find a gift for that special person on your list or how about making a donation to ROFF in their honor? Fr0m 2-4 it’s the annual “Doggie Walk” and “Santa Pictures” with the Mifflin County Dog Training Club. This event will be at Kish Park in the old bumper car building. Have you heard about Phoebe? She is a beautiful 5 year old girl who is dealing with ALL, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. On Tuesday, December 22 there will be a blood drive at the Burnham Firehouse from 1-6:30 on her behalf. Now it’s time to introduce our furry friends of the month! Let’s meet Pixie and Tessa. “Hi everyone, I’m Pixie a mix of Blue Heeler and Spitz and I’m not even one year old yet. It’s been a tough few months for me. I was in three homes within just one week. Can you believe it? I was so scared and my future wasn’t looking very bright until use it in a soup recipe on a cold winter’s night. 9. Serve a “local” full-bodied wine. Local wines add a fantastic flare to the holiday meal. Pick a full-bodied wine that will nicely compliment your turkey meal. Perhaps, in addition, grab a spiced wine that would be tasty simmered (add a few cinnamon sticks) and warmed to enjoy post meal. An added benefit is that the house will smell festive. 10. Save recyclable containers for leftovers.
ROFF came to my rescue. Now I’m so happy and ready to find my forever home. I’ll love you to the moon and back.”
“I’m Tessa. We girls don’t like to talk about age, but I’m about 2 years old. I’m in “purr”fect health, love my cat mates and even though I’m resting in this picture, I really enjoy playtime. Let’s meet and greet and I’ll give you endless enjoyment and affection.” Tessa To fill out an application for Pixie or Tessa or see other friendly faces, go to ROFF’s website www.roffrescue.com. If you don’t have access to the internet, call ROFF at 877-933-7633 for more information. Until they all have homes www.roffrescue.com; rescueourfurryfriends@yahoo.com; 1-877-933-ROFF (7633)
I begin saving food containers months before the holiday to place mini meals and leftovers in for guests. Doing so gives the container more useful life and the recipient is under no obligation to return the container. In closing, I leave you with a few links that may assist you with your holiday celebration – Enjoy! www.rachelray.com ; www.realsimple.com ; www.tasteofhome. com ; www.foodformyfamily. com. a
The Valley, November 2015
20
Rehab Worth the Drive
Stroke Survivor Comes Home for Therapy Bob Haller, 82, of Lewistown, was enjoying a family reunion in Chicago when a sensation in his left leg turned into a life-altering event. Bob woke up at 4:00 am to use the bathroom, and as he stood to get out of bed, he noticed that his left leg felt strange. “I thought it had fallen asleep, but I started walking to the bathroom anyway,” says Haller. “On my way back to bed, I was really wobbling, and my leg felt like rubber; it wasn’t moving the way I wanted it to move. It also felt weak. I sat down on the edge of the bed and I knew that something wasn’t right.” At that point Bob realized that his left arm was numb and he knew that he was having a stroke. His family called 911 and Bob was taken to the Emergency Department of a Chicago hospital, where he spent five days. He was not able to walk on his own and he did not have the full use of his left arm and hand. “I was trying to rehabilitate my left hand by using it for everything, including eating,” Bob adds. “It wasn’t always pretty, but I was determined.” From the hospital in Chicago, Bob told his doctor that he wanted to come back home and go to HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehabilitation Hospital for rehabilitation. “I knew I needed HealthSouth, because I had been there before to visit family. A rehabilitation hospital gives you more therapy and I needed that higher dose to get back to where I was before,” Bob explains. “Between the doctor in Chicago, my doctor in Reedsville, and the HealthSouth admissions team, my rehabilitation as HealthSouth was all coordinated before I was even discharged. “ Bob’s daughter, Betsy, drove to Chicago from Lewistown to bring her dad home. “We stopped every two hours, and I would talk on the phone to the HealthSouth admissions team, asking questions and getting reassurance as we made the long trip back,” Betsy explains. Rehabilitation Liaison Cathy Steffen, LPN, was one of the nurses who talked to Betsy as they made their way back to HealthSouth. “I felt like we were right there with them on the drive from Chicago, helping to make their journey home a little easier,” says Steffen. “Dad’s case manager, Kim
Germino, arranged everything for us, and eased any apprehensions we had about what was next,” says Betsy. “The rehabilitation is top-notch, and I would come back here just because of the good people who Bob Haller, of Lewistown, says goodbye to his physical therawork here. pist, Jenna Micsky, on his way home from HealthSouth Nittany “Bob Valley Rehabilitation Hospital. Bob was enjoying a family had three reunion in Chicago when he had a stroke, and he came home to hours of HealthSouth for rehabilitation. therapy a day, including physical and occupational therapy. “I got stronger, and I have better use of my hand, thanks to therapy,” Bob says. Once he was discharged from HealthSouth’s inpatient rehabilitation, he continued his therapy at the HealthSouth Outpatient Clinic in Burnham. Stroke patients can make gains in their rehabilitation long after their stroke, and Bob is still doing what he can to improve. Bob’s daughter Betsy adds, “We’re just glad that we could bring dad home for rehabilitation.” a
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“Liberty and Government are Opposing Forces”
21
The Valley, November 2015
Modern Energy and Alternative Heating with Curt Bierly Are you Planning to Purchase an Alternative Heating Appliance for this Winter? The previous two months wood and gas burners were discussed. What about pellet burners? Many people walk into our showroom asking for them. We heat our showroom with two pellet stoves. The first pellet burner that used compressed wood, sawdust waste for fuel was pioneered by Boeing Aircraft Engineer, Dr. Jerry Whitfield of Lynnwood, Washington. By using a compressed material that resembles rabbit food, a clean, renewable, carbon neutral heating alternative was born. He introduced a pellet stove at the Wood Heating Show
in Reno Nevada in 1983 and during the four day show, he logged orders for over 1000 stoves. That was 32 years ago and although the Whitfield Stove is no longer manufactured, the pellet burner is still going strong. The fuel is wood sawdust compressed into “wood pellets.” Under high pressure and elevated temperatures, the sawdust is cleaned, dried and extruded into a pellet somewhat like you make hamburger out of beef. The wood pellets are usually packaged in 40# plastic bags that are somewhat perforated so the bags can be easily filled. Fifty bags are then
packaged together to produce a one ton skid for shipping. The 40# bags need to be stored in a dry location. If the bags get wet, the pellets will return to sawdust. In Europe, bulk delivery of pellets is popular, but in the US, only isolated firms offer it, primarily due to the initial consumer and supplier investment required. Records show that our customers burn an average of three tons of pellets per year at a pre-buy market price of $230 per ton, which equals $690 per year. Check out how these prices compare to other fuels you may be using at www.pelletheat.org/ compare-fuel-costs. The pellet burner is manufactured in the form of a stove, shop heater (large capacity stove), fireplace insert, hot air furnace, hot water boiler, and grill (as in charcoal grill). In most cases, the pellets are auger-fed from the unit’s storage hopper into a burn pot where the pellets are ignited, infused with air, and burn at a controlled rate. The units have an adjustable feed control and a manual draft control, which are used to regulate the rate of burn and thus the heat output. The pellets are ignited with high temperature air produced by an electric element (similar to a hot air paint
stripper). All this is controlled by the logic contained in an electrical printed circuit board. The pellet burners can be controlled manually or by a wall thermostat. In the manual mode, you can select one of five heat levels. If you choose to use a wall thermostat, you can select a high/low mode or an off/on mode. If the thermostat is set for 70 degrees and the high/low mode is chosen, when the room reaches 70 degrees the burner will automatically lower the pellet fire to the lowest output. When the room once again calls for heat, the fire will be returned back to the higher feed rate selected. In the off/on mode, the fire goes out when the room temperature is reached and reignites when the room once again requires more heat. Using a wall thermostat ensures that the room won’t be over heated. Other stuff. Potential customers usually ask how long a hopper full of pellets will last. There are, of course, all sizes of stoves and hoppers; however, as a general rule, burned at the lowest heat setting, a hopper will last 24 hours. Also, it is important to consider that the pellet burner is an electrical appliance. No electricity means no heat—so, if you are purchasing the unit for heat
in an emergency, you’ll need a small generator to keep it running. There is very little ash produced. Depending on the unit you purchase, the ash pan may only need emptied once per month. The units are very easy to install. They vent thru an outside wall or into a chimney using an approved pellet venting system. They have very low emissions, so certainly can be considered environmentally friendly. They need to be cleaned periodically depending on how heavily they are used. Pellet stoves have two fans (combustion and convection) and an auger motor, so they can’t be considered real quiet. The glass will need cleaned once or twice a week, so bottom line, there is some “tending” to do, although, certainly not as much tending as a wood stove requires. Next month we’ll discuss coal burners. Be safe!! Curt Bierly is president of the bierly group incorporated of which Stanley C. Bierly (HVAC System Design and Installation) is a division. He graduated from Penn State with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and is chair of the Penn College HVAC Advisory Board. You can contact him at cbierly@bierlygroup.com. a
Bonnie Varner, Audiologist’s Assistant, invites you to visit Uhring’s Hearing Lewistown Office.
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The Truth Has No Agenda
The Valley, November 2015
22
LIbrary Lines Your Mifflin County Library
Giving Thanks by Trish Forshey
Sitting at my desk, enjoying the sunshine as it plays off of the beautiful red, yellow and orange leaves, I almost forget for a moment that warmer temperatures are moving out. It is time to prepare for frosty mornings, to pull out our jackets and to trade the flip flops in on furry boots. It’s very difficult to believe that summer is officially over. I mean, where in the world did it go?! Now, don’t misunderstand, I love autumn. It’s by far my favorite season. What I don’t love though is the realization of what comes after autumn. The snow, ice and bitterly cold winds are no doubt headed this direction, but I intend on distracting my mind from this reality by thinking about the gem of the fall season: Thanksgiving. I lovingly refer to this as one of the “eating holidays” at my
house because we literally spend days preparing food for this and weeks working said food off. We consume way more food than any one person could possibly need, but we indulge anyway because of tradition—because we only get some of these foods one or two times a year and because we need the extra calories to survive an afternoon full of football games on TV. I had never really given too much thought to any of these traditions until this past weekend. Where does one go to research such things? Why the library, of course! So I pulled a book off of the shelf at the Kish Branch and started reading. Between my reading and the Internet, I’ve learned several interesting facts about the origins of the holiday and how some of these traditions came to be. Here is a sampling:
Essential Oils from page 10
know from previous columns how I feel about ingesting?!), the EOs can actually destroy the microbes once they have entered the body. Another way EOs fight infection is to stimulate the production of white blood cells, which are part of the body’s immune defense. Still other essential oils encourage new cell growth to promote faster healing. Some essential oils increase the circulation and help with the efficient elimination of toxins. As an extra bonus, the regenerative properties of EOs improve the condition and tone of the skin! I like double benefits! Once a bacteria or viral infection has set in, treating it with essential oils can be a little more complex. The difficulty lies in finding the proper oil for one’s particular illness, as some infections can be the result of several strains of bacteria, viruses, etc. Also, one EO may be more potent than another against a particular strain. EOs can be combined (blended) to make up the most potent properties, hence when used together , will cover a much wider variety of potential strains.
ing hundreds of varying compounds and chemical structures, while antibiotics and other medicines created in the lab are usually composed of only one or two active elements. The other reason is that essential oils are changing all of the time, depending on growth cycles, weather, and soil, so the compounds and constituents vary from batch to batch. While essential oils are in the plant, they are constantly changing their chemical composition to help the plant to adapt to the ever-changing internal and external environment. Medicines do not vary. Bacteria cannot figure out what an essential oil is going to be like. Medicine is predictable, in that coming into contact with the same elements over and over, bacteria are able to learn the properties and develop resistances to medicine, but NOT to EOs! How EOs fight infection Essential oils encourage the body’s natural ability to heal itself and can kill microbes (disease causing organisms). If we diffuse the air around us, EOs help to keep those microbes away by killing them in the air and on surfaces that the EOs land on. When we inhale or use topically (you all
Should you use EOs to keep up the immune system or… not? One difference of opinion is this, “should you build up your immune system by regularly us-
A woman by the name of Sarah Josepha Hale (side note: she wrote “Mary Had a Little Lamb”), lobbied for almost 20 years to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. It wasn’t until September of 1863 that she was able to convince President Lincoln that this would be a good unification effort, and it would allow Americans to show their appreciation for all of the material and spiritual blessings that they had received over the course of the year. So it was decided that the last Thursday in November would be set aside as a national day for giving thanks. Even then, the day after Thanksgiving was marked as the beginning of the shopping season. In 1939, Franklin Roosevelt felt that we needed to boost the holiday shopping a bit so he decided to move Thanksgiving up a week to the third Thursday in November, as to lengthen the Christmas shopping season. The problem was that only about half of the states went along with the new date. Most stayed with the tradition of using the last Thursday of November, except Texas. Texas decided to make the most of the situation and to observe both as a holiday and have two Thanksgiving Days. After three years, Congress decided
to finally put an end to the debate and a compromise was reached as the official day is now the fourth Thursday. Sometimes it is the last Thursday and sometimes it is the next to last depending on the year. Hale is also responsible for deciding what we should eat to celebrate Thanksgiving. She hypothesized that turkey, potatoes, cranberry and pumpkin would have been readily available to our ancestors, and so our menus should include these items. (I just have to say that I agree with her vision, and appreciate the food combinations. Well done ma’am, well done.) The other twelve or so side dishes that most Thanksgiving tables contain have been added over time from regional and family favorites. --Here’s a little fun fact: 91% of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving, which adds up to 280 million birds sold or a total of 7 billion pounds! --Another fun fact, albeit unfathomable, is that The Guinness Book of Records states that the heaviest, dressed weight recorded for a turkey is 86 pounds, at the annual “heaviest turkey” competition held in London, England on December 12, 1989. I can’t imagine how long that would take to
roast or how many loaves of bread it would take to stuff that! So whether you decide to celebrate with the traditional turkey, pumpkin pie and football, or if you decide to start your own tradition and have Peking duck in your pajamas followed by a game of pin the feather on the turkey, enjoy the holiday. Get lots to eat and then have a nice afternoon nap to get you ready to shop all of the Black Friday and Thanksgiving Day specials. Christmas shopping can be mentally and physically exhausting and does take a certain level of preparation. But in all seriousness, as you head out to score those fantastic bargains, please stop to think about those less fortunate and to give thanks to those who can’t be at home celebrating with their families because they are serving our great nation. Because after all, that’s what this day was created for: giving thanks. Both branches of the Mifflin County Library will be closed on Thursday November 26th and Friday November 27th for the Thanksgiving holiday. Our normal hours will resume Saturday November 28th. Hope to see you then! a
ing EOs or let your body build a natural resistance and use EOs to fight infections only when sick?” Here, basically, are the two opposing views: Many natural medicine physicians believe it important to keep your own immune system in balance for the best protection. This can be done by daily infusing an EO into the air around you or using them topically. On the aromatherapy front, the essential oil of Niaouli has been considered by some to be the single most powerful supporter of the human immune system. On the flip side, here is a quote from Robert Tisserand who is one of the world’s leading experts in aromatherapy. He is highly articulate and published with worldwide lecturing experience. He says it better than I could! “The way I’m looking at it is if you’re sick, you take medicine and then you get well. That is the scenario that I’m picturing, so if you’ve strained a muscle then you apply a liniment, you apply a salve to that muscle, to that skin over that muscle and they often contain menthol and camphor and other essential oil constituents that goes through the skin to the muscle and it does what it does, but once the muscle ache is gone
you don’t need to keep applying it, and it’s similar to the way antibiotics are taken. You take antibiotics so long as you need to, you take the course of antibiotics and then you stop. I’m not suggesting that we should be taking antibiotics at all, but it’s the same situation with essential oils. If you have an infection, if you have a respiratory infection, then yes you can inhale essential oils, you can apply them to your chest, whatever, while you’re sick and then you stop. That’s the picture that I am trying to paint.”
of live pathogens you may be inhaling or touching at any time and reducing the load on your immune system. Second, most essential oils, and particularly the strong anti-microbial ones, have an uplifting effect on the psyche and a sharpening effect on the mind. Your space will smell nicer, and generally will be more pleasant to be in. This can be very pronounced in certain workspaces where the air can be heavy. Lastly, in many cases, essential oils will actually fortify your own immune system to prevent you from catching an illness in the first place – IF you decide to go this route instead of treating only when sick! Here is a great diffusing blend for the immune system: 3 parts clove bud oil, 5 parts lemon oil, 1 and a half parts Eucalyptus Radiata, 1 and a half parts Rosemary Cineol and 2 parts Cinnamon Bark oil. Diffuse these oils to your heart’s content—it’s a wonderful combination!
Diffusing is best When you inhale, breathe in, or diffuse into the air essential oils, they go directly to the lungs. There they are quickly absorbed into the blood stream as they cross the airway/capillary system. From there, the molecules of essential oils are transported throughout the body and into each and every cell. Since it only takes a few minutes for blood to circulate throughout the whole body, the essential oils you have just inhaled will be throughout your entire body within a few minutes. Diffusing essential oils into your environment provides three primary benefits: First, the oils are directly eliminating microbes in the air, thus reducing the concentration
“Liberty and Government are Opposing Forces”
In closing Conventional medicine has its place, and should absolutely be employed when it will provide the best results. However, EOs can provide excellent therapy. Please keep in mind all the safety rules
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The Valley, November 2015 $5.00 OFF Salt Room Session in November w/ coupon!
Grateful It is reported that the number one reason kids miss school is due to asthma. Asthma is one of the many health challenges that can so easily be improved by sitting in a Himalayan salt room. Sitting in our salt room for a 45 minute session on a relaxing lounge chair with low lights and quiet music is all natural and so effective for people of all ages. Himalayan salt is anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial. While the research emphasis has primarily been related to breathing conditions, salt therapy actually influences the entire human body. The detoxifying effects of this drug free, non invasive, natural healing method have the ability to greatly boost overall health. The whole micro-climate with the right air quality, humidity, and salt particles is effective for cleansing the respiratory tract, the skin, and the entire body as a
whole. The effectiveness of salt therapy has been measured at 85 to 90 percent effective in adults and 85 to 95 percent in children with the following conditions: • Bronchial asthma of varying severity • Pneumonia after acute stage • Chronic non-obstructive and obstructive bronchitis • Sinusitis, pharyngitis, stuffy nose, allergic rhinitis • Postoperative rehabilitation and recovery • Eczema, dermatitis, and • allergic dermatitis • Psoriasis • Hypertensive heart disease I and II-A stage • Neuroses and neurosis conditions in diseases of internal organs • Cardiovascular disease • Cough, chest congestion, sore throat • Diseases of the endocrine
system, immune system, hormonal problems • Chronic fatigue, insomnia • Depression • Allergies • Cleaning respiratory system of a smoker • Fungus problems (prevention and treatment) At Simply Health Salt Spa, we have created a room dedicated to kids. Please let us know if you will be bringing a child when making your appointment or if doing it online....request the Happiness Room. Asthma and all of these health challenges can be further helped by adding an AUTHENTIC Himalayan salt lamp in your bedroom and/or office. We have a large display of lamps of all sizes and shapes and guarantee our lamps to be AUTHENTIC. There are some “look a likes” on the market now. Another wonderful service that we recently added is our Mini BioMat during a Footbath.
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We have been offering the Ion Cleanse detoxing footbaths for over 9 years and have seen amazing results. We are subjected to literally thousands of toxins and chemicals daily in our air, food and water. Detoxing is one way of aiding our bodies in getting rid of excess toxins that can slow us down and sometimes even make us sick. This month we are offering a package called the BioCleanse, which includes both the detox footbath, and Mini BioMat. You enjoy 30 minutes of sitting on the Mini BioMat which has Infrared Rays that penetrates 6-8 inches into the innermost recesses of the body, stimulating healing and regeneration of nerves and muscle tissue layers. The BioMat also produces negative ions, nature’s energizer, which delivers a molecular level massage that accelerates and deepens all healing and cleansing processes. It balances pH by decreasing acidity and is considered the “Master Power Switch,” which activates the body’s entire cellular communication system, making every body function work better! • Improves Immune System • Reduces stress and fatigue • Eases joint pain and stiffness • Removes toxins • Promotes deep sleep • Balances pH
•
Strengthens the Cardiovascular System • Relieves pain from fibromyalgia • Provides deep tissue penetration • Purifies the blood • Reduces inflammation • Decreases Hyperactivity • Rejuvenates skin • Burns calories and controls weight • Relieves pain and much more! We feel blessed to be able to offer these all-natural choices to the community. So many people have seen improvements to their health and been able to eliminate prescription drugs (with their doctors approval) and have experienced better health. Call us today at 814-954-7731 to make an appointment to get on the road to better health and more energy. Check out all of our specials for November at www.simplyhealthcalm.com. We also have an amazing display of AUTHENTIC Himalayan Salt lamps and products. Save the date of December 5th for our Holiday Open House! Blessed Thanksgiving!
The Valley, November 2015
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Local Builders Embrace Energy Efficiency by Ben Block The adage “waste not, want not” is second nature for many Central Pennsylvania homeowners. We are often mindful of how we heat and cool our homes, power our appliances, and choose lighting, given that they each affect energy use. Yet, the most critical decisions affecting the energy efficiency of our homes are made before we move in. Newly built homes in Pennsylvania are required to follow the construction standards set by the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code®. In the six years since those standards were formed, much progress has been made in technologies and building practices that reduce energy use. To encourage builders to follow more energy-efficient construction practices, FirstEnergy’s Pennsylvania utilities are providing financial incentives to builders who qualify by exceeding 2009 building codes. Those in the market for a new-construction home would be wise to encourage their homebuilders to participate. More energy-efficient homes often have lower utility bills, greater comfort and long-lasting durability.
is a financial incentive program offered by FirstEnergy’s Pennsylvania utilities: Met-Ed, Penelec, Penn Power and West Penn Power. To date, 121 builders are participating in the program, including several in the Juniata Valley region. The program offers builders who achieve 30 percent energy savings over the 2009 building code a rebate of $350 plus 10¢ for each kilowatt hour (kWh) saved annually compared to a reference home built to standard code. Additional incentives are available for homes built to ENERGY STAR® standards, the same U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) program that promotes efficiency for home appliances.
homes with an average HERS score of 68 in natural gas communities and 77 in heat pump communities. With help from the Pennsylvania Energy Efficient New Homes Program, however, S&A lowered their scores to the mid-50s, according to Chaz Steffen, owner of Ideal Living Environments Inc, a Home Energy Rater who has inspected S&A Homes. For houses with a groundsource heat pump, S&A is scoring in the low 40s.
and doors of an average home, can lead to excessive wear and preventing cold winter air from tear on the equipment as well as uncomfortable living spaces. creeping in and warm air from “We often come across cusescaping. In addition to sealing tomers who have been told by an the gaps with foam or caulk, S&A hires an inspector to check that no openings are missed before dry wall and insulation are installed. An effective insulation sysA look into the energy efficiency tem is of S&A Homes important to S&A Homes is one lomaintain Photo courtesy S&A Homes With help from the Pennsylvania Energy Efficient New Homes Program, S&A Homes was able to cal builder participating in the even significantly improve the energy efficiency of their new construction homes. Pennsylvania Energy Efficient temperaNew Homes Program. The State tures Shoemaker said that FirstEnCollege-based company has throughout the house. S&A uses HVAC contractor that their equipergy incentives helped S&A cover more than a dozen new housing a triple layer of two-inch rigid ment should produce a ton of cool the cost of technologies such as developments currently under insulation and makes sure not to air for every 500 square feet,” way in areas such as Bellefonte, overlook vulnerable areas such as said Bob Shoemaker, S&A Homes more energy-efficient water heaters. “We apply the incentive to Huntingdon and Pleasant Gap, in the attic-access hatch. A thirdConstruction Manager. “But they researching and developing more addition to other properties across party inspection is performed to don’t realize how airtight our efficient products,” he said. “That FirstEnergy incentives for new Pennsylvania and West Virginia. ensure the insulation is installed houses are. The houses require a way, every year we can be doing home construction S&A Homes eliminates the without gaps or buckling. lot less air to heat and cool.” something a little bit better, a little half-mile of cracks and gaps that The energy efficiency of the bit more efficient.” The Pennsylvania Energy the ENERGY STAR program heating, ventilation and air condiNew rating system for home As the Juniata Valley housing Efficient New Homes Program estimates surround the windows tioning (HVAC) equipment is also energy efficiency market gains momentum — last imporyear Mifflin County issued the tant. In To participate in the Pennhighest number of building peraddition sylvania Energy Efficient New mits since 2010 — tools such as to installHomes Program, builders must the HERS Index play an important ing ENhire an independent auditor to role in helping homebuyers find a ERGY evaluate the energy efficiency of more energy-efficient home. STAR their homes. “Every builder is claiming equip A performance score of a to be more energy efficient,” said ment, home’s energy efficiency, known Chris Schoonmaker, President of S&A as the Home Energy Rating S&A Homes Housing Division. makes System (HERS) Index, is calcu“What we tell the customer is that sure the lated for each participating home. the proof is in the Home Energy equipGenerally, scores on the HERS Rating Score.” ment is Index range from 0 to 150, with For builders or homebuyers approa lower score indicating a more interested in learning more about priately energy-efficient home. the Pennsylvania Energy Efficient sized to Knowing the HERS score New Homes Program, visit www. fit the provides transparency to homeenergysavepa-newhomes.com or square buyers looking to understand contact Mike Arblaster, Program footage future energy use. The U.S. DeCoordinator, at (814)282-3689 of the partment of Energy reports that a or marblaster@psdconsulting. house. typical resale home scores 130 on com. More information about Impropthe HERS Index, while a standard the HERS Index can be found at Photo courtesy S&A Homes erly sized code-compliant home falls around With help from the Pennsylvania Energy Efficient New Homes Program, S&A Homes was able to www.resnet.us/hers-index. a HVAC 100. significantly improve the energy efficiency of their new construction homes. systems S&A Homes was building
“Liberty and Government are Opposing Forces”
The Valley, November 2015
PENNSYLVANIA PROUD Builders across Northwest Pennsylvania are showcasing their construction skills with more energy efficient homes. The Keystone State is built on innovation. Look no further than the advanced energy efficient techniques that are saving homeowners 30 percent or more on their energy bills. Builders of high-quality homes benefit through the Pennsylvania Energy Efficient New Homes Program. Eligible builders can receive thousands of dollars in financial incentives. To receive incentives for innovative home building practices, visit BuildersSaveEnergy.com
The Truth Has No Agenda
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The Valley, November 2015
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The Book Bench Project Occasionally an artist gets the opportunity to work on something really different. When it is for a public art project, it’s
especially fulfilling. I just finished work on one of the 25 fiberglass benches being hand-painted by various artists and community
The front and seat of the Grange Fair bench.
members for the Book Benches of Centre County project (http:// bookbenchescc.wix.com/bookbenchescc). This is a project being funded by a grant from the Centre Foundation through their Centre Inspires competition. This winning proposal was submitted by the Child Development and Family Council of Centre County. The theme of this bench is the Centre County Grange Encampment and Fair. Since I’ve been painting the fair for the last eight years or so as their Artist in Residence, it was a natural fit. I’ve actually recreated several of the larger painted scenes I’ve done of the fair over the years. The bench will be located either in downtown Centre Hall or on the Grange Fair grounds, or possibly move back and forth over the course of a year. I chose scenes that depict the fair both day and night, including the unique tent city, rides, and crowds of people moving through the concession stands along the midway. Other benches will be placed at various locations throughout the five county school districts, and will have themes chosen through a collaboration of each community and the artists. The painting of the benches is being overseen by Elody Gyekis, who has extensive experience
The back of the Grange Fair bench.
in organizing community mural projects. I’ll also be doing another bench, focusing on medicinal plants of the area, in collaboration with poet and artist Abby Minor. On a related note, Elody Gyekis and I will be holding a reception Friday evening, November 6, for our new display in the Mezzanine Gallery at the Green Drake of my full current collection of Grange Fair paintings as well as Elody’s recent work depicting wildflowers and floral arrangements. The reception will
“Liberty and Government are Opposing Forces”
be from 7-9 pm and will include live music and refreshments. Both artists will also give talks about their work. This show will remain up through November. You can find the Green Drake online at greendrakeart.com. a
When goods do not cross borders, soldiers will Frederic Bastiat
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The Valley, November 2015
Mail Pouch Books by Carleen B. Grossman I received an email from one of my male readers requesting some “man books.” Here are some NEW “man books” that I feel can be enjoyed by both males and females! All three are exciting reads! THE WILD INSIDE By Christine Carbo Copyright 2015 416 pages A modern crime novel set in Glacier National Park, it tells the story of a man who takes on a case in the wilderness and becomes involved with the dark heart of human nature. He is the lead investigator of a grizzly bear attack on a human, which looks like it may actually be a murder case set-up by humans. The man has experience in this area because when he was 14 years old, his father was attacked by a grizzly bear and dragged to death while the father and son were on a camping trip in a wilderness campground. Twenty years later, the man is a Special Agent for the
Department of the Interior. This is a gripping tale about trying to solve a murder that has been made to look solely like a grizzly bear attack. In an area of hazardous terrain, the main character tries to solve the crime while local residents are less than forthcoming! This is a gritty novel with a unique intersection between man and nature...nature both in the
MEDICINE WALK By Richard Wagamese Copyright 2015 246 pages
years of the Civil War. It deals with a horse thief who emigrated from Ireland as a young orphan. Now grown, and traveling in the worn and torn areas, he rescues a woman who has lost her family to the war. She is all alone and soldiers are scavenging nearby. The horse thief rescues her and together they gallop away on a remarkable horse. Pursued by an angry slave hunter, a pack of bloodhounds, and some meanspirited ex-partisan rangers, they ride through a war-battered landscape fighting for their lives!
FALLEN LAND By Taylor Brown Copyright January 2016 288 pages I have news for you about an UPCOMING book being published in January of 2016! I hope you can enjoy this read. The novel is set in Georgia in the final
Ed’s Railroading News by Ed Forsythe
Here it is the beginning of November again and the start of ‘’Shining Light Through the Darkness’’ at Kish Park. The group has already begun setting up the decorations for this year’s month-long event beginning December 6th through January 2nd. Each night from 5:00 to 10:00 pm, Kish Park is all lit up for a FREE
outside environs and within the human spirit!
This novel journeys through rugged and beautiful back country, and delves into the past as a son, who is an American Indian and a master outdoorsman, sets upon a journey to help his father begin a death journey into the wilderness. He assists the father in his wishes to honor, or at least acknowledge, a life ill-lived as it enters its final bitter days. The story’s setting is in modern-day, mountainous western Canada. The author touches upon the idea of what, or who, constitutes a good man. The son agrees upon his father’s request, and as they journey deep into the mountains, the story presents a mixture of confession and family lore. You will navigate into the wilderness as the father’s health grows ever more precarious. You will definitely discover that this walk on the land has healing powers within it.
walking tour through the Christmas lights, fun entertainment, good foods, horse-pulled carriage rides, a Winter Village scene and a train layout to enjoy. Yes indeed, everything is FREE, just come on out and enjoy all the festivities. For those who need a ride through the displays, there are carts to assist you also. Anyone interested
in helping out with set-up, each Saturday from 9 to 5 and Sunday from 1 to 5, the volunteers will be at the park doing all that needs to be done for the grand event. So, please stop on by and lend a helping hand. Work always goes easier when many do it instead of just a few. There’s always something that anyone can do. If you need more information, just give Cathy or I a call at 717 248 4862. Also coming up soon will be the Festival of Ice in downtown Lewistown on December 3rd and 4th from 5:00 to 10:00 pm, followed the next day by the Christmas Parade on Saturday at 1:00 pm. The Mifflin County Model Railroad Club will also have our annual Open House so make plans to join us all in wonderful downtown Lewistown. The railroad club located on
The Truth Has No Agenda
Jewelry Trends from page 31 Nugz piece can be worn on any of the base jewelry collection, easily swapping from rings to pendants to bracelets to earrings, all with a simple snap. The producers of Forbes Living introduced Nugz Jewelry in 2012 and featured it in a segment in their “Fashion Forward” series. The show is hosted by Forbes Riley, an award-winning TV host in the D2C industry, author, entrepreneur, mother and one of the nation’s leading health and wellness experts. Forbes Riley, recently named “America’s Most Loved Health & Fitness Innovator,” is known for bringing affordable, high-quality the square at 3 West Monument Square, that’s just two doors to the left of the old court house, will be open on December 3rd and 4th from 5:00 to 9:00 pm, December 5th from 10:00 to 3:00 pm, and December 6th, 12th ,13th and 27th from 1:00 to 4:00 pm. All of these events are also FREE and we will be accepting donations and selling raffles tickets to assist us in offsetting our yearly
For another good read, please see a reader submitted letter on Page 5! a products to consumers worldwide. Ms. Riley motivates others by informing, educating, branding, and creating consumer awareness on a variety of products. Dutch Pantry Gifts is proud to offer such a highly recommended jewelry line. We invite you to stop by and experiment and create your own personal jewelry. This incredible line is also interchangeable with another great line, Gingersnaps. If you have already started a great Gingernsnap collection, this line will help you expand your selection. For more information about Nugz and about our gift shop visit us on Facebook at www.facebook. com/dutchpantry. a
expenses of rent, building materials, etc. At this time, we would like to say THANK YOU to all who donate time and resources to these great events. May you all enjoy all the upcoming holidays of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s as well as any others in the coming days. Happy railroading and may God be with you all. Ed and Cathy a
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Life in the East End by Rebecca Harrop The East End is a busy place. There are combines running in the fields harvesting corn and soybeans. Hunters are busy hunting for squirrels, rabbits and pheasants. The archery and muzzleloader hunters have been out in their tree stands looking for whitetails as well. We’ve been seeing a number of deer in our fields, so the hunters should be able to bag a few. Dad has taken Emily and Nicole spotting in our fields to see the deer. They get so excited seeing the deer standing in the spotlight. Spotting deer was always and still is one of my favorite fall activities. Fall is such a great time of year. To me it takes us back to our nation’s beginnings when we harvest our crops and prepare for winter. We will celebrate Thanksgiving this month and I always think about what it must have taken for the Pilgrims to come here to try to start a new life. I can’t even imagine leaving behind everything you know to cross an ocean to a land that you know nothing about. You don’t know what animals, or other humans, or crops and seasons, growing conditions, or foods are available. You not only have to build your housing, you have to clear
land to build it on and grow crops. Where do you live while you build it? It was November when they got here and they wouldn’t have had much time before winter set in. Can you imagine landing in the northeast in November? There was probably snow already on the ground. It’s amazing they didn’t just turn around and head back to merry old England. But, they persevered and stuck it out. If I remember my history, about half of those who came on the Mayflower died that first winter. They had to be pretty disheartened by the time spring rolled around. I’m sure some were torn when that ship headed back to England in the spring and they were still on shore. I’ll bet those that made it to the first Thanksgiving were just grateful to be alive. No wonder they celebrated for several days. This year when you are enjoying your Thanksgiving activities, take a minute and think about all that the Pilgrims endured and accomplished. What an amazing group of people. Well, I’ve been to more Turkey Shoots at the Bluerock Sportsman Club. I haven’t won a turkey yet, but I’m still trying. Dad says I need to take his gun. He says it shoots a wider pattern. It’s a bigger gun, so it might be a
little harder for me to handle, so I’m going to have to practice. November also means Election Day is coming up. By now we’ve heard a lot from the various candidates so we should have a pretty good idea who we want to vote for. If you don’t, you need to get busy researching the candidates. Remember your vote is your voice. Another sign of cooler weather is that the different churches around the community will be having Soup Sales. The Milroy Presbyterian Church will be having one on November 21st at the church. I’m not sure what kind of soup they will be making, but watch The Sentinel for their ad. The Siglerville Lutheran Church will be having one on Election Day also. Go vote, then stop at the church for some soup. Hot soup really hits the spot on a chilly fall day. My favorite soup is chicken noodle. I don’t know if you count it as a soup or not, but I also love ham potpie! It’s best made from our home country cured hams. Sometimes Mom makes it from a bought ham and it’s good, but you can’t beat home cured ham. Get out and vote on Election Day, enjoy your Thanksgiving! Well, that’s all from the East End for now. a
Live Free Or Die; Death Is Not The Worst Of Evils General John Stark
“Liberty and Government are Opposing Forces”
The Valley, November 2015
The Truth Has No Agenda
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The Valley, November 2015
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State Workers by Samuel Prescott The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results each time. Every year about this time of year it feels like the movie “Groundhog Day.” History repeats itself over and over again. What’s this all about? Well, it’s another year and another governor, but the same result…no passed budget. Our state is lacking money. It’s true that our country is lacking money too, but our state continues to keep sliding into a budget impasse and the state government threatens to shut down, and those who work for the state don’t get paid on time. I remember the last time this happened— state troopers were able to draw welfare. Are you kidding me? The starting salary for a trooper is over $57,000! And, if they have to go a bit of time without pay, they can draw welfare?! Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for supporting our state police, but to draw welfare for guys making over $1K per week is a bit crazy. My issue isn’t just with the troopers. It’s with
all of the people feeding on the state teat. No wonder our state has no money. Paying these state pensions is absolutely ridiculous. The two best ways to survive is to either be on the system or work for the system. Small business and working-class people have to absorb and take the brunt of all of these bureaucratic benefits and privileges. How crazy is it that for those working for the state system only have to work a total of 25 years and then retire with a statefunded pension?! These state troopers can start working at 25 years of age and work until they turn 50 and retire on their pension making each year almost equivalent to their last few years of employment. And, who pays for this? Small business and working-class people do. Who else is lumped in with the police? Teachers, professors, DOT workers, prison guards and all of the people working the offices in each of these departments are included in this and many more departments comprise 80,000 state government workers
in Pennsylvania. That’s a whole lot of money in salaries and pensions. While certain salaries might be debatable, the single best way to save the state a huge pile of money is to change the retirement programs and force the state’s dependents who are employees, to invest in their retirement like every other working-class and small business person has to do. Let the nice cushy salary and paid time off for vacations, holidays and sick time be sufficient compensation enough and save the state from $4 to 5.9 BILLION! Budgeting state funds to cover state pensions has been a burden to our state long enough. Instead of teachers and workers at facilities for mental health patients pointing the finger at a governor, how about pointing the finger at the pensions? Rendell promised to help property tax relief if we approved casinos in our state. Where has that money gone? Property taxes only seem to increase. And, locally, they get raised over the maximum legal amount without a referendum, yet nothing happens except our lack of choice to pay them. Corbett was blasted for cutting back spending on education, yet the same people who were blasting him were still reveling in the fact that their pension will still be there when they decide to retire after working only 25
years. Did they ever offer to take a decrease on pension or benefits in order to fund programs that depend on state monies? Certainly not. I really do not understand how the teachers, troopers, and everyone else living off the state system can sleep at night knowing that there are many people within our own county who are having a huge burden placed on them due to paying these property taxes that continue to rise in order to cover their pension directly or indirectly. Imagine all of the benefits, saving and decrease in taxes that would be achieved by freeing up 4 billion dollars in the budget! Is asking these employees to fund and invest in their own retirement, like everyone else has to do, too much? I don’t think it is. And, I hope that when the local newspaper publishes the list of people who are not up-to-date on their property taxes, instead of passing judgement on their inability to pay, how about realizing that the increase in prices, especially within the last few years, is to cover the nice pensions for people who are burdening our state the most. a
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Essential Oil from page 22
we talked about in the previous issue. Be aware of your own body’s sensitivity to any essential oil and adjust usage accordingly, and seek professional advice whenever necessary! During my research I came across a VERY interesting experiment and it can be viewed at: Stopthestomachflu.com. On the left column, under Dr. Annie’s experiments, click on the first one—“Do essential oils like thieves really kill germs?” Also, as always, I would like to thank you for reading my articles and personally invite you to Shade Mountain Naturals. We are a small family-owned business who LOVES company! We just expanded our building and would love to give you a tour. We create all of our products on site— FRESH! We make soaps, crèmes, lip balms, bath bombs, facial products, and more. We will give you a free sample and, of course, smells are unlimited and encouraged! At last count, we had over 70 EOs. Our hours are Tuesdays and Wednesdays 9-4, Thursdays and Fridays 9-6 and every Saturday 10-2. Our Christmas open house is November 13 & 14 and soon our shop will be brimming with LOTS of Christmas gifts in 12 new holiday scents. Hope to see you soon! a
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The Valley, November 2015
by Scott Keys A fad is popular because it’s popular. A fad gives us momentary joy, and part of the joy comes in knowing that it’s momentary. We enjoy a fad because our peers are into it as well. A trend, on the other hand, satisfies a different human need. A trend gains power over time, because it’s not merely part of a moment, it’s a tool, a connector that will become more valuable as other people commit to engaging in it. Confusion sets in because at the beginning, most trends gain energy with people who are happy to have fun with fads, and it’s only when the fad fans fade away (yes, I just wrote ‘fad fans fade’) that we get to see the underlying power of the trend that’s going on. Trends generally have identifiable and explainable rises, driven by consumers’ functional needs and
are consistent with other consumer lifestyle trends. By contrast, fads are driven by an emotional need to purchase, based on hype and idealistic product perceptions. The benefits are ill-conceived, and don’t deliver what was promised to consumers. At DP Gifts in Milroy, Pa, We see many things come and
go and we calculate the risks and watch the trends vs. fads so you don’t have to. From the return of the bangle charm bracelet and the embrace of fringe on just about everything, to the newest, hottest- design your own jewelry, we stand by our product line by putting up our own money before you do. Over the last three years
Make a Statement and make it personal with Nugz
The Truth Has No Agenda
More than a Fad, Nugz is “Trending”!
we have been watching a particular line of jewelry and have been slowly growing right along with a great new company called Nugz, and we can say with confidence that this trend is not going away anytime soon. Selecting the right fashion jewelry is essential to completing any look. Nugz Jewelry is a unique, high-quality, affordable, interchangeable jewelry and accessories line created by Billy Simon and Lindsey Auclair in 2012. The company enables consumers to create their own jewelry and change the designs with a simple snap. It starts with Nugz Jewelry’s base collection. Consumers can select from leather bracelets, weave bracelets, metal toggle
bracelets, rings, earrings, pendants, keychains, and headbands. Then, consumers can customize their jewelry and accessories by selecting from over 800 different individual Nugz — the interchangeable pieces that easily snap into the base jewelry collection. Nugz designs include hand-blown Murano glass, natural stones and shells, faceted crystals, Austrian crystals, alphabet and astrology glass pieces, and actual working timepieces. Some are adorned with CZ stones and others are emblazoned with enamel. Consumers can also upload their favorite photo to Dutch Pantry Gifts, and we will have the image put into a personalized Nugz piece. Each
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Valley, July 2015 The The Valley, November 2015
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Bubba’s would like to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! “Liberty and Government are Opposing Forces”