PA in WSJ

For whatever reason, the Wall Street Journal has offered my household a year's subscription for an insanely low price, less than we spend per month on pizza, and we jumped at it. So now I will have steady access instead of the piecemeal freebies I've been getting by trading in unused frequent flier miles. I make it a point to read the Inquirer daily but the WSJ tends to pile up until the weekend when there's a little more time.

So, here are the Pennsylvania-related or other interesting tidbits from this past week. I probably missed some -- these are just what caught my eye.

PA Businesses

"Heinz Believes Pelta Failed to Win Five Board Seats," by Steven Gray and Christina Cheddar Berk (8/17/06, p. A3)

"Jones Apparel Pulls Itself off Auction Block," by Rachel Dodes, Teri Agins, and Dennis K. Berman (8/16/06, p. B10)


PA Politics

"A Test of Republican Resiliency," by Sarah Lueck (8/17/06 p. A5) On Santorum / Casey. nothing earth shattering, but interesting last paragraph:

Mr. Santorum dubbed his campaign trip through Pennsylvania in a recreational vehicle the "Keep Up the Fight" tour, and he gamely did, despite a series of symbolic setbacks. He smiled even as his canoe in Clear Creek State Park, with four children as passengers, got lodged on some rocks and had to be pulled in by a campaign aide. A flat tire on the RV also didn't seem to faze him. He left the RV by the side of the road, and its passengers piled into other vehicles on his motorcade. "I think it's going to be very close," Mr. Santorum told supporters at a picnic before the canoe trip. "It's going to be the people who want it the most" that win, he said.

Other PA

"Pennsylvania Drops Fee on '529' Plan," by Julian Mincer (8/16/06, p. C13)

"A Novel Way to Reduce Home Energy Bills," Sara Schaefer Munoz (8/15/06, P. D1)

While wind energy is commonly associated with massive turbines churning in desolate, windy areas, a new generation of smaller systems made for areas with moderate wind is hitting the market. The latest small turbines, which resemble a ship propeller on a pole, have three blades, are up to 24 feet in diameter and usually perched on stand-alone towers between 35 and 140 feet high. The systems have the potential to save consumers between 30% and 90% on their electric bills, manufacturers say, and promise to make no more noise than an air conditioner. But tapping so-called small wind using a high-tech windmill can be costly, and homeowners may find themselves battling zoning officials and annoyed neighbors who find the towering devices unsightly.

later

The systems aren't for city dewellers or residents of tightly packed suburbs. Those interested in small systems should have at least a half-acre of property, wind speeds of 10 mph and electric bills of $60 a month or more to make installing the system worthwhile, manufacturers say. It's helpful if they live in states with programs that can help offset the costs. California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Wisconsin are among the states offering incentives.

Other Things That Caught My Eye

One of our veteran state lawmakers has gotten some flak for saying that he and his fellow legislators make less that dairy workers and tattoo artists. This week the WSJ had items on professions that require more education than legislators are required to have and whose salaries are lower (in general), and who are often also on the public payroll. For example:

"Pay Grade / Shhh ... Making a Difference, Quietly," by Aja Carmichael (8/15/06 p. B5). Librarians are usually required to have a master's degree in library and information science. The average starting salary, nationwide, is $39,079. The median salary for an experienced librarian was $55,250. In large cities the work week is around 50-55 hours.

"Amid Shortage, States Scramble to Hire Teachers," by Anne Marie Chaker (8/17/06, p. D1). Several quotes by Richard Ingersoll at the University of Pennsylvania, including the statistic that 46% of new teachers leave the profession after only 5 years. A school district in Illinois gives its starting salary as $28,352.

One parting thought. A column by Jonathan Clements, "Money and Happiness: Here's Why You Won't Laugh All the Way to the Bank," (8/16/06, p. D1), points out that once the basic needs are met and families are in the lower middle class, significantly increasing their income does not significantly increase the sense of satisfaction with their lives.