PA in the WSJ

This is a list of articles regarding Pennsylvania in this week's Wall Street Journal. Chances are I missed something, but these are the articles that caught my eye.

It should be noted that I routinely do not read the editorials in the WSJ. So any discussions of the state, its elected officials, businesses, or citizens, in editorials will not be mentioned here.

PA Politicians

Rep. John Murtha (D-12) gets publicity he’d probably rather not have in “How lawmaker rebuilt hometown on earmarks,” by John R. Wilke (10/30). According to the article Murtha has brought more bacon home to his district than any other House member. It is a long article, taking up about one full page of the paper, very thorough and I have no reason to doubt its accuracy. The article does point out that under the Democratic congress this year the growth of earmarks has slowed and the total amount is about half of what it was last year.

PA Businesses

Again, no mention of Philly Car Share in “Car-sharing firms to merge,” by Darren Everson (11/01). It does mention that Flexcar, which is merging with Zipcar, does operate in Philadelphia.

Other PA

From “How access-free ruling may hit Verizon rivals,” by Corey Boles (10/29):

The Federal Communications Commission must vote by the end of the year on an attempt by Verizon to be excused from several FCC rules in the commercial telecommunications market, The company has argued there is sufficient compensation in the six East Coast markets in question and therefore it should be excused from the regulations. The markets are Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, R.I. and Virginia Beach, Va.

I have no idea what that means.

In World War I food prices soared and “diet clubs” were formed to prove that people could eat well on very little money. The University of Pennsylvania club managed to eat on 30 cents a day. Rutgers scrimped even more and ate off 27 cents a day. From “WWI ‘dieters’ had a lot on their plates, little in their wallets,” by Cynthai Crossen (10/30)

A mention of Cardinal O’Hara High School (Springfield, Pa) canceling it’s homecoming dance in “Some date: how homecoming is losing out to hanging out,” by Jeffrey Zaslow (11/01)

U Penn’s Kathleen Hall Jamison is quoted in “Talk is cheap in politics, but a deep voice helps,” by June Kronholz (11/03)

Other Interesting Tidbits

There are, apparently, professional pumpkin carvers. Who knew? (“For these sculptors, the medium if big, orange, and stinky,” by Susan Warren 10/31)

“Have a laptop? You, too, can sway New Hampshire race,” by Amy Schatz (11/01) provides an interesting look at the impact of local blogs on the second tier presidential campaigns.