PA in the WSJ

It was another slow week for Pennsylvania related items in the Wall Street Journal, at least as far as I could tell. There were two intersections of Pennsylvania and chocolate. Those struck home in particular as I had a pan of brownies in the oven while reading.

PA Politicians

For those who missed it, former Sen. Rick Santorum as been hired as a consultant by law firm Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott “Noted…,” 3/20). The firm is based in Pittsburgh but Santorum will work out of the Washington office. [blogger note: sorry, couldn’t resist].

PA Businesses

Cadbury, the British candy behemoth, and personal favorite of mine, is currently Cadbury Schweppes but is splitting its candy and beverage operations. (When friends go to Britain or British friends come here I ask to see if they will bring me a Cadbury Caramel bar or two or three or four. The American version just doesn’t taste the same.) One possible outcome is to join the Cadbury part with our own beloved Hershey. If this will increase the odds of my getting more Cadbury Caramel bars more often I’ll all for it. (See “Sweet Deal in the Works?” by John Christ and John Foley 3/23)

Other PA

My thanks to Amy E. Griel, a postdoctoral dietetics intern at Penn State. In “We Thought We Knew Carob, But Carob is No Chocolate,” (3/20) she notes that carob usually has as much fat and calories as chocolate since production into chocolate substitutes takes as much milk and sugar. When I was in college the lefties I hung around with touted carob as a healthy alternative to the good stuff. I never tasted any similarity. Thank you, Dr. Griel, thank you. Let it be known, there is no substitute for chocolate, and carob is just as bad for you.

In Kevin Helliker’s Health Journal “Minorities and the Swimming Gap,” (3/20) he talks about the Philadelphia-based movie “Pride” as part of the larger picture of the discrepancy between the swimming abilities of whites and African Americans.

A thorny issue for colleges is the focus of “After a Suicide, Privacy on Trial” by Elizabeth Bernstein (3/24). The primary case discussed is that of an Allegheny College (Meadville, PA) student who hanged himself.

U Penn grad John T Gilbride’s obit (“Captain of Industry Steered Shipbuilder Through Tough Times,” by Stephen Miller) appeared on 3/24.

According to “Now Opening: 800 New Hotels” by Candace Jackson, Philadelphia is slated to get 17 new hotels this year (3/24).

Other Interesting Tidbits

“Internet Plays Widening Role in Race for President,” by Amy Schatz (3/19)