Fireball lights up skies over Ohio, Pennsylvania and Toronto - YouTube - Space.com - planetary science

The American Meteor Society recieved several reports of a fireball in the skies over Ohio,Pennsylvania and Ontario on 21 OCT 2024.Credit:Space.com | footage courtesy Ryan Conner,North Royalton,Ohio;John Oelschager,West Mifflin,Pennsylvania;Walter White,Lancaster Pennsylvania;Brad Hague,Toronto,Ontario*Hopefully fragments of the fireball will be recovered for analysis.*Text by Space.com and edited by Andrew Taylor

New images from Odysseus moon lander released - CBS News

Derrick Pitts is chief astronomer at The Franklin Institute,a science museum in Philadelphia.*Intuitive Machines Inc (LUNR)

WATCH LIVE: Biden marks Jan. 6 anniversary with campaign speech on democracy - near Valley Forge,Pennsylvania

‘It’s not polling, it’s real’: Dems overperform in 24 of 30 special elections

Public Utility Commission:Prepare Now For Winter

It's best to take proactive steps now to manage your energy usage this winter,says the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.Turn down the thermostat to 68 degrees F.Change dirty filters that restrict air flow.Seal leaks around your home.Turn down the hot water heater setting.It's never too early to prepare.Remember Hurricane Sandy two years ago and the rare October snowfall called "Snowtober."*
After last year's Polar Vortex,the PUC changed its regulations.They now require more transparency from electric suppliers.The contract has to be in plain English;must state when the contract ends;any variability in the rate.As of December 15,the ability to quickly change from one electric or natural gas supplier to another will change from up to 60 days now,to three business days.
Make sure there is no cancelation fee;whether it is a monthly or a yearly product;if there is a cap.Never be afraid to call and ask the PUC.Many utilities have a full time weather forecaster to help them make power trades.Natural gas is now in the 3.50-4.20 range,which is very good for customers.Fifty percent of Pennsylvanians now have gas heat.The payback from switching to it may now come in less than two years.Unfortunately,there is now a lack of infrastructure for natural gas in many rural areas-and even in some urban ones.The cost to run a gas line to your home can be in the thousands of dollars.It may be possible for a community to make a joint request for gas service to a utility,thus lowering the cost per household.*
We have fined a number of suppliers for false marketing and bait and switch practices.We have assessed multi-million dollar fines against them.The ultimate penalty is to pull their license and put them out of business,the PUC explains.*
Two-thirds of a bill is in the generation supply charge.Now more than ever,it's critical for customers to shop around.Don't pay the bulk rate when you can get a good deal.*
Other remedies for high utility bills include air-sealing in attics and basements;3M window covering,which is considered the best cost-saving in the industry;and weather-stripping doors,the PUC points out.

Tropical Storm Lee Costs Mount

Already cash-strapped and tired states now find themselves dealing with further multiple costs as the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee beleaguered the Mid-Atlantic region.Hurricane Irene had tested the area severely,which now must battle record flooding from Lee's five days of nearly continuous rainfall.
At least two people were swept away to their deaths by high water in Virginia,one of them a twelve year-old boy.Pennsylvania's death toll rose to five by Friday as the Susquehanna River closed at least 178 roads in the worst flooding since Hurricane Agnes in 1972.
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett described a clear public health emergency in his state as sewage plants were swamped and rendered inoperable.The flood waters could contain all sorts of dangers,from the raw sewage to manifold debris and diesel fuel.
The Susquehanna River drains lands from New York state to Maryland,flowing eventually into the Chesapeake Bay.It is estimated that T.S. Lee has dropped some 2.4 trillion gallons of rain water on the Susquehanna basin.
Other states have also recorded various difficulties on account of the endless rain.Pompton Lakes,New Jersey had to condemn 22 homes that have been inundated repeatedly by Hurricane Irene and T.S. Lee.A car dealer in Upper Marlboro,Maryland counted a loss of five million dollars of inventory ruined by chaotic waters.
The sun has not been seen for so long,the region's residents may not recognize it when it finally does return.
Update:As of Saturday,September 10,the long-gone sun had indeed returned to the Mid-Atlantic skies.All the same,it should be noted that some of T.S. Lee's energy is still present in the atmosphere.This may result in isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms for the next several days.In consequence,flash flooding could result,even though the region's waterways have begun the receding process.Setbacks may occur,given the historic drenching that has been sustained.
Towards the middle and end of the new week,the jet stream is expected to dip dramatically,bringing the possibility of a record-breaking cold front to the lower 48.Colorado already has seen the first snow of the season,a dusting that fell on the Arapahoe basin.

Public Health:A Region Faces Cancer Together

An innovative medical/media partnership has formed in central Pennsylvania.Its goal is to educate the public about cancer,bringing in-depth information and resources to bear on this chronic disease.
Facing Cancer Together launched this month.It is an interactive,community education partnership of WellSpan Health,PinnacleHealth,Lancaster General Health and WITF Public Media,Harrisburg.Research-based,the project aims to improve knowledge and change behaviors about cancer.
Through original productions for television,radio and print,as well as interactive web resources,the project will inspire and guide honest conversations about the many aspects of the illness for patients,caregivers and survivors.
Facing Cancer Together will also invite other regional cancer care organizations to participate.It is designed to evolve over the nine months of the initiative based on audience needs and feedback.
Dr.Ronald Hempling,M.D.,director of oncology services for WellSpan Health,said they are excited to be a partner in this project which will highlight the depth of services available in the region.
WellSpan Health is an integrated health care system for the people of southcentral Pennsylvania and northern Maryland.Anchored by York and Gettysburg Hospitals,it includes many physician practices and outpatient facilities.Pinnacle Health and Lancaster General Health are similar organizations in greater Harrisburg and Lancaster,respectively.
The project's comprehensive website is at facingcancertogether.witf.org/ It takes a few minutes to load.There is also a Facebook page for it.

Bryn Mawr Trust:2011 Market Outlook

Bryn Mawr Trust is looking at double digit stock market returns in 2011.They like small to mid-cap stocks.They like the emerging markets also.
Bryn Mawr likes the exchange-traded funds VWO,IWM and IJH.Those are areas that they think are gonna do very,very well as we see capital flow into those areas of the stock market.
Eric Thorne is a Vice-President at Bryn Mawr Trust.Founded in 1889,the bank has branches in Chester,Delaware and Montgomery Counties,Pennsylvania.It is focused on helping individuals,affluent families,businesses and organizations create,manage,preserve and transfer wealth,building lasting relationships with them.
Bryn Mawr Bank Corporation(BMTC)

Quebecor World Emerges

Quebecor World,the Montreal-based printing concern,has emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy.The firm entered bankruptcy in January,2008.Having restructured its business,it will be known as World Color Press,Inc.During restructuring,the company continued to be an important employer at its plants in Fairfield,Pennsylvania and elsewhere.Quebecor,Inc. owns World Color Press,and is led by CEO Pierre Paladeau.R.F. Donnelley and Sons Co.,a Chicago-based commercial printing rival,had made a bid of 700 million dollars in cash and 394 million in stock for the troubled Quebecor World in May,2009.
Jacques Mallette,President and CEO of Quebecor World,said it was an important and exciting day for the Company,its customers,suppliers and employees.The restructuring and reorganizing process has made us financially healthier and allowed us to start fresh with a strong balance sheet and a leaner cost structure.We believe the Company is now better positioned to meet the present and future competition in the industry and to create value for our stakeholders,Mr.Mallette stated.
World Color Press will continue to produce advertising inserts and circulars,catalogs,magazines,books,directories,digital premedia and other products.It has about 20,000 employees in some 90 facilities in theU.S.,Canada,Argentina,Chile,Brazil,Mexico,Colombia and Peru.Its parent,Quebecor,Inc.,trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Health Uncle:Orthopaedic Project Resumes

Wellspan Health,a nonprofit,integrated health system for Southcentral Pennsylvania and Northern Maryland,is resuming its Rehabilitation and Specialty Hospital project.The project was halted when economic conditions deteriorated.The hospital will be located in York County,Pennsylvania's Apple Hill medical campus.It will offer 73 beds and four orthopaedic operating rooms.With the graying of the population,such a facility will be increasingly useful in the years ahead.Joint replacement is one of the most common surgeries among the elderly.It is often minimally invasive,and the quality of the replacement joints is significantly better than in the past.They can last for up to 20 years now.In osteoarthritis,the cartilage between the joints wears away,and the bones then rub against each other,causing debilitating pain and stiffness.Knees,hips and shoulders affected by it are replaced by the hundreds of thousands each year.Athletes of every age are also turning to orthopaedic procedures to extend their careers.
Some 450,000 people live in Wellspan Health's service area.The health system is anchored by York and Gettysburg Hospitals.

Grappling With The Bear

Financial advisors are busy grappling with the economic bear.Extreme volatility may occur this week as the markets react to the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision on Wednesday and the employment report on Friday,as well as other data.Jessica Paige of Paige Capital Management advises staying in cash.The debt market is in a crisis,and many companies will file for bankruptcy.One that has already done so is Quebecor World(QBRWF),a Montreal-based printing concern.The company,which prints textbooks,books of the month,catalogs and pamphlets,cites a need to restructure itself.Local management in Fairfield,Pennsylvania says they will not be reducing staff or cutting wages and benefits.The firm has secured one billion dollars U.S. in financing from Morgan Stanley(MS) and Credit Suisse(CS).Ms. Paige observes the market is going through a transition phase right now.Anything you want to buy will be cheaper in six months.The S and P 500 index will drop to 1200 within 6-12 months.Robert Hormats of Goldman Sachs(GS) notes that the economy is heavily in debt-much of it bad.Decoupling of other economies from the U.S. economy hasn't happened.The financial and goods markets of the U.S. are very important to other countries.It is hard for them to grow robustly without the U.S. markets.Economist Ben Stein feels the market was ridiculously oversold by hedge fund traders.They are making a fortune by shorting the market.Three hundred trillion has been knocked out of the market.Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke needs to fight them and be as ruthless as they are.Jim Awad of J.P. Stewart Asset Management says that it is the most volatile market in his forty years in the business.There is a fear of more write-downs,and it will take time to get over that.According to Joe Battipaglia of Stifel Nicolaus,the corrective process is well underway,but you still have to work through the credit mark-downs.We are one-third of the way through.The process has to unfold naturally.While this goes on,some investors are sheltering in tax-free money market funds such as Alpine Municipal MMF/Investor and Vanguard Tax-Exempt MMF.

Rite Aid Scores First

Rite Aid Corporation(RAD) is the first pharmacy chain to sell a DNA test.Rite Aid stores in California,Oregon and Washington are selling a DNA paternity test kit.The kit sells for about 20.00,and the lab results,which are obtained by mail,are about 120.00.The Camp Hill ,Pennsylvania firm is in the midst of its busy Christmas selling season.Rite Aid sells a complete line of Christmas decorations,bargain gifts and candy.A good assortment of gift cards is also available.The Rite Aid gift card is blank.The customer specifies the amount at the register.As well,you get a free 5.00 Rite Aid gift card with any purchase of 49.99 or more at 1-800-Flowers.com.You also get one with your first order of 50.00 or more at PetCareRx.The Single Check Rebate program gives Rite Aid shoppers 5.00 back for each 25-50 spent;10.00 for each 51-100;and 20.00 back for over 100 spent.Shopping at this dynamic store,you are almost sure to leave with more than you expected.The service sector,to which Rite Aid belongs,was recently charted by the Institute for Supply Management,a buyers' trade group in Tempe,Arizona.In November,the service sector fell to 54.1,from 55.8 in October.Readings above 50 indicate expansion.New orders plummeted to 51.1 from 55.7.The survey of purchasing managers noted a decline in employment and an increase in fuel prices.The manufacturing sector declined slightly,from 50.9 in October to 50.8 in November.This was slightly stronger than the 50.1 expected by analysts polled by Thomson/IFR Markets.There were gains in new orders and production,while employment declined.The gains were attributed to more export activity,on acccount of the weak dollar.The ISM surveys are important indicators to the Federal Reserve.Shares of Rite Aid were up this morning,at 4.10.Rite Aid reports earnings on Thursday,and rival Walgreens(WAG) reports on Friday.CEO of Rite Aid is Mary Sammons,who has been interviewed by CNBC's Jim Cramer.

Rite Aid On Right Track

Rite Aid Corporation(RAD) has closed on its acquisition of 1854 Eckerd and Brooks drugstores in 18 states,as well as 6 distribution centers.The pharmacy chain,based in Camp Hill,Pennsylvania,plans to open 1,000 new stores as well.Led by CEO Mary Sammons,whose photograph is sometimes featured in Rite Aid circulars,the firm's marketing is characterized by a rebate program,as well as "buy one get one free" promotions.Rite Aid's logo is a red,white and blue shield that is more striking than the logos of rivals CVS and Walgreens.Rite Aid is the third largest drugstore chain behind Walgreens and CVS.