Penn Lines December 2012 by American MainStreet Publications

Adams Electric Cooperative, Inc.

DECEMBER 2012

Cooperation

Nation Members support community empowerment in global cooperative celebration

PLUS For changes of address, please contact your local electric cooperative.

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DECEMBER Vol. 47 • No. 12 Peter A. Fitzgerald EDITOR

Katherine Hackleman S E N I OR E D I T O R / W R I T E R

James Dulley Janette Hess Barbara Martin Marcus Schneck

FIRST WORD Confidence in cooperatives

KEEPING CURRENT News items from across the Commonwealth

C ON T R I B U T I N G C O L U M N I S TS

W. Douglas Shirk L AYOU T & DESI GN

Vonnie Kloss

Cooperation Nation

A D V E R T I S I N G & CI R C U L A T I O N

Members support community empowerment in global cooperative celebration

Michelle M. Smith M E D I A & M A R K E T I N G S P E CI A L I S T

Penn Lines (USPS 929-700), the newsmagazine of Pennsylvania’s electric cooperatives, is published monthly by the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, 212 Locust Street, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266. Penn Lines helps 165,800 households of co-op consumermembers understand issues that affect the electric cooperative program, their local coops, and their quality of life. Electric co-ops are not-for-profit, consumer-owned, locally directed, and taxpaying electric utilities. Penn Lines is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. The opinions expressed in Penn Lines do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, or local electric distribution cooperatives. Subscriptions: Electric co-op members, $5.42 per year through their local electric distribution cooperative. Preferred Periodicals postage paid at Harrisburg, PA 17107 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes with mailing label to Penn Lines, 212 Locust Street, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266. Advertising: Display ad deadline is six weeks prior to month of issue. Ad rates upon request. Acceptance of advertising by Penn Lines does not imply endorsement of the product or services by the publisher or any electric cooperative. If you encounter a problem with any product or service advertised in Penn Lines, please contact: Advertising, Penn Lines, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Penn Lines reserves the right to refuse any advertising.

F E AT U R E

TIME LINES Your newsmagazine through the years

12A C O O P E R AT I V E

CO N N ECT I O N

Information and advice from your local electric cooperative

E N E R G Y M AT T E R S

Entertaining can be draining 16

COUNTRY KITCHEN

Holiday hand-me-downs 17

POWER PLANTS

Winter’s gifts 18

O U T D O O R A DV E N T U R ES

Pennsylvania after dark 19

SMART CIRCUITS

Soundproof for peace, quiet, efficiency 20

CLASSIFIEDS

PUNCH LINES

Thoughts from Earl Pitts– Uhmerikun! Board officers and staff, Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association: Chairman, Kevin Barrett; Vice Chairman, Leroy Walls; Secretary, Lanny Rodgers; Treasurer, Rick Shope; President & CEO, Frank M. Betley © 2012 Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

Visit with us at Penn Lines Online, located at: www.prea.com/Content/ pennlines.asp. Penn Lines Online provides an email link to Penn Lines editorial staff, information on advertising rates, contributor’s guidelines, and an archive of past issues.

Earl believes in the right to sneak food into the movie theater

RURAL REFLECTIONS

Winter wonderland

O N T H E COV E R This limited edition print, “Lineman’s Journey,” is available for $60 each unframed ($275 framed), plus $15 shipping and handling, from: The Renfroe Collection of Fine Art, 916 Holly Hills Road, P. O. Box 867, Hartwell, GA 30643-0867. You can also reach the gallery by phone at 706/376-5707 or email, renfroeart@comcast.net. Website is www.pamelarenfroe.com. All prints are fully guaranteed and major credit cards are accepted.

DECEMBER 2012 • PENN

LINES

FIRSTword

By Sheldon C. Petersen

Confidence in cooperatives

CEO of the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC).

SHELDON C. PETERSEN

PENN

THE LAST several years have seen erosion in the confidence Americans have in many of our institutions. According to Gallup’s annual “Confidence in Institutions” survey released in June, Americans are giving increasingly low marks to institutions such as public schools, big business, the media, banks and government. Only the military, small business and the police — out of 16 institutions tested — registered higher than 50 percent confidence levels. This year’s poll found record-low confidence in banks, television news and public schools, with scores ranging from 21 percent for banks to 29 percent for public schools. Congress ranked dead last, at a confidence level of just 13 percent. Gallup has been polling Americans about their confidence in institutions since 1973, and over the past five years more than half of the institutions Gallup measures have registered record-low confidence ratings — indicating that declining confidence seems to be part of a broad pattern, rather than a product of isolated issues facing individual institutions. What’s going on with the public psyche? Surely the banking crisis and weak economy have had a huge impact. But I think there’s more to it. There’s an increasing disconnect between the expectations of

LINES • DECEMBER 2012

Americans and what they’re getting from their institutions. That’s because, in many cases, the interests of institutions and those they serve are no longer aligned. When that happens, satisfaction levels drop, and you get an erosion of trust. Cooperatives on the other hand — including electric co-ops, according to Touchstone Energy surveys conducted in recent years — still enjoy high levels of satisfaction. I believe it has a lot to do with the business model. Cooperatives are not-for-profit businesses that focus on providing quality service at the lowest possible cost. Cooperatives allocate margins to members when revenue exceeds costs. Cooperatives embrace democratic governance. Cooperatives focus on operating in the best interests of members. In essence, the cooperative business model is designed to align cooperative interests with those of our owner-members. That’s something very rare in today’s society, and I think it’s a key reason why satisfaction with cooperatives has stayed high, while satisfaction with other institutions has been declining. I believe a key to sustaining member satisfaction is to encourage member engagement. And the key to member engagement is member identification as a cooperative owner. Cooperative owners appreciate the member/

cooperative relationship. They understand it’s a twoway relationship, and they recognize that with ownership comes responsibility. Engaged cooperative owners know that their actions impact the cooperative and, by extension, the benefits they derive from the cooperative. Owners have greater trust in the cooperative, and a stronger belief that the cooperative is looking out for their interests. Benjamin Graham, the father of value investing, was fond of saying: “Price is what you pay. Value is what you get.” A cooperative’s relationship with its owner-members is based on a belief in the considerable value jointly created during the course of the long relationship — 70 or more years old in many cases — between a cooperative and its owners. The value a cooperative delivers is derived from a shared history, aligned interests and mutual trust. That’s where confidence comes from. l Sheldon C. Petersen is CEO of the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC), a nonprofit finance cooperative created and owned by America’s electric cooperative network. With approximately $20 billion in assets, CFC is committed to providing unparalleled industry expertise, flexibility and responsiveness to serve the needs of its memberowners. CFC can be found online at www.nrucfc.coop.

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KEEPINGcurrent Gobbler’s Knob construction under way

AARON SILVERS FLICKR.COM

Gobbler’s Knob, the home of the annual Groundhog Day celebration featuring Punxsutawney Phil’s weather predictions, is being updated. Attendees at the next event on Feb. 2, 2013, will see a new entrance thanks to funds received from a $4,500 matching grant from Pennsylvania Wilds. Additional funding for construction of a new

entrance arch is being provided by the D.E. Limited Family Partnership, members of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club Inner Circle and individual donations. The arch is one of the planned additions on the grounds where several thousand people gather each year to see if the groundhog sees its shadow. The ceremony supposedly determines whether area residents are likely to see an early spring or if the winter weather will stick around for six more weeks.

New life jacket requirements in place Beginning Nov. 1, 2012, and lasting through April 30, 2013, Pennsylvania boaters are required to wear a life jacket while on the water or at anchor on boats less than 16 feet in length, or any canoe or kayak. The new state regulation was passed in September by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC). According to a PFBC official, almost 80 percent of all boating fatalities happen 6

PENN

LINES • DECEMBER 2012

to boaters who are not wearing a life jacket, and a disproportionate number of those fatalities occur during the winter months when boaters are at risk due to water temperature. When a person is unexpectedly plunged into cold water (below 70 degrees Fahrenheit) the body’s first response is usually an involuntary gasp. Without a life jacket, the victim may inhale while under water and drown without coming back to the surface. If the individual does make it to the surface, his or her ability is usually restricted because of shortness of breath or hyperventilation due to the water temperature. To learn more about life jacket wear and cold water survival, visit the PFBC website at fishandboat.com or the Safe Boating Campaign website at safeboatingcampaign.com.

PA Great Outdoors Visitors Bureau has mobile app The Pennsylvania Great Outdoors Visitors Bureau, which serves Cameron, Clarion, Elk, Forest and Jefferson counties, recently launched the first mobile app to promote tourism in the region. It is designed to help travelers navigate through the region while visiting businesses, lodging facilities, restaurants and attractions.

There is no charge to download the mobile app, which can be found at the App Store for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The Android app is available from the Google Play Store. The app is location-based, and turnby-turn directions are available so tourists can navigate to any location on the app. The navigation feature is satellite-driven so it can be used in areas without cell service.

East Coast earthquakes travel farther than previously thought U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists have found that East Coast earthquakes can travel much farther and do more damage over larger areas than previously thought. Studies show that 2011’s magnitude 5.8 earthquake in Virginia triggered landslides at distances four times farther — and over an area 20 times larger — than previous research had shown. “Scientists are confirming with empirical data what more than 50 million people in the eastern U.S. experienced firsthand: this was one powerful earthquake,” USGS Director Marcia McNutt reported in a USGS release. “Calibrating the distance over which landslides occur may also help us reach

TAKEnote

Penn Lines reader input needed Penn Lines is sending a four-page reader survey to a small sampling of randomly selected Penn Lines readers. In fact, you may have already received a copy of the survey. The questionnaire takes just minutes to complete and all responses are kept in strict confidence. The survey is one of the important ways in which Penn Lines’ magazine and advertising staff gauges reader’s likes and dislikes and assists them in determining editorial and advertising content for the publication. If you should receive a survey in the mail, please complete and return it in the provided postage-paid reply envelope. As an added bonus, all those members who return a completed survey will be entered for a chance to win an iPad Mini with Wi-Fi 16GB (retail value $329). Thank you in advance for your participation.

back into the geologic record to look for evidence of past history of major earthquakes from the Virginia seismic zone.” The recently released study found that the farthest landslide from the 2011 earthquake was 150 miles from the earthquake’s epicenter, which is the greatest landslide distance reported from any earthquake of similar magnitude (earlier studies put the farthest distance about 36 miles from the epicenter of a magnitude 5.8 earthquake). The USGS reported approximately one-third of the U.S. population could have felt the 2011 earthquake, more than any other earthquake in U.S. history. Reports of shaking came from Canada to Florida and as far west as Texas. According to the USGS, the difference between seismic shaking in the east versus the west is due in part to the geologic structure and rock properties that allow seismic waves to travel farther without weakening.

State launches free online tool for job seekers, students Pennsylvania has unveiled “Pennsylvania Career Coach,” a first-of-its-kind, statewide, free online tool designed to help Pennsylvania students and job seekers with career choices. Developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, Pennsylvania Career Coach will provide up-to-date local employment data such as current and projected job openings, recent job growth areas, estimated earnings and occupations that match with a user’s current skills and knowledge, as well as specific educational programs in the local area that will prepare an individual for a given occupation. “My No. 1 priority as governor is jobs; and today we take another step toward making sure Pennsylvanians are ready for the jobs that become available,” Gov. Tom Corbett said during the recent launch of the program. Pennsylvania Career Coach is part of a more comprehensive job-matching initiative that will be launched soon. For more information, visit www.pacareercoach.org. l

Farms are part of our electric cooperative.

I-TEC is a not-for-profit organization located in Montoursville, PA that provides high and low voltage electrical support for mission stations, hospitals, schools and orphanages worldwide. Your tax deductible contributions enable our volunteers to help meet the critical electrical needs for missionaries serving in Third World Countries.

Think Global Give Local For more information on VOLUNTEERING

Call 570-433-0777 Donate online at www.itec.org Visit us at 23 Green Hollow Road Montoursville, PA 17754

PENNlines

Cooperation

Nation Members support community empowerment in global cooperative celebration B y M e g a n M c K oy- N o e , C C C

AS EVERY craftsman knows, the right

VALLEY RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

tool can make or break a project. For more than 75 years, the electric cooperative business model — when wielded effectively by engaged members — has served as a handy instrument to improve the quality of life in rural areas. How can a community harness a business model to enact change? Cooperatives — democratically governed businesses operating on an at-cost, not-forprofit basis — are unique. While profitdriven utilities worry about Wall Street, electric cooperatives focus on Main Street. “At a time when folks are losing faith in big corporations, we have a great opportunity to showcase the many ways the local, consumer-owned and member-controlled cooperative form of business benefits communities across the country and the world,” noted National Rural Electric Cooperative Association

FunFACT Cooperative values These are a set of six ideals that underpin the seven cooperative principles, which form the basis for every cooperative enterprise in the world today. The cooperative values are: self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. The International Cooperative Alliance also separately lists cooperative “ethical values” of honesty, openness, social responsibility, and caring for others.

PENN

LINES • DECEMBER 2012

LET’S TALK ABOUT CO-OPS: Valley Rural Electric Cooperative employees, Gina Norris, Huntingdon district secretary, left, and Kim Kane, executive secretary, show off the cake they served at the January 2012 ‘Business After Hours’ event held for members of the Huntingdon Valley Chamber of Commerce. Employees talked to attendees about the International Year of Cooperatives and the cooperative business model.

(NRECA) CEO Glenn English. That holds true for all types of cooperatives. Agricultural cooperatives, for example, fight for fair prices for farmers, while marketing cooperatives pro-

vide nationally known branding for products. Credit unions lend at competitive rates, and grocery cooperatives give shoppers a say in what’s stocked on shelves.

proven themselves a resilient and viable business model that can prosper even during difficult times.”

Global model — local results

developing countries in delivering safe, reliable and affordable electricity. Several Pennsylvania cooperatives also take part in these programs, and have established training and equipment donation programs, as well as cooperative partnerships in other nations.

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATIVE ALLIANCE

CLAVERACK RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Powering Pennsylvania Great coffee offers a strong aroma, complex fla- communities Closer to home, Pennsylvania’s elecvors and a hint of cooperatric cooperatives partner closely with tion. While a cup of joe local communities to boost the economy may be a morning staple and improve the quality of life. From in the Western world, event sponsorships to economic developsome coffee growers providing that critical caffeine ment projects to grant programs for local infrastructure improvements, coopboost don’t enjoy simple eratives have had a long tradition of luxuries like electricity. A perfect case study of coop- active engagement in their communities. Recently, New Enterprise Rural Eleceratives powering a comtric Cooperative worked with the Tussey munity and empowering Mountain School District in Bedford members is in the Central County to bring improvements to the American nation of local high school. With the help of a loan Guatemala. For four weeks this fall, from the Rural Electric Community Assistance (RECA) fund, the school was the Indianapolis-based able to purchase updated computer Indiana Statewide AssociPICKUP LINE: At the Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative’s annual equipment and textbooks, as well as meeting in July, cooperative members watch a slideshow of historation of Rural Electric make improvements to the school’s athical photographs on a television placed in the bed of this 1955 Cooperatives sent 32 volChevy pickup truck owned by member Bob Wynd of Meshoppen. letic facilities. unteer linemen and supThe cooperative celebrated its 75th anniversary during 2012, the The low-interest loan program is faciliport staff from various 2012 International Year of Cooperatives. Hoosier State cooperatives tated by the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association (PREA), which represents to three small, coffee-prothe state’s 13 electric cooperatives (and one Member-owned cooperatives come in ducing villages in the mountainous in New Jersey). It is funded through the many shapes and sizes. But all boast a Guatemalan province of Huehuetnango Rural Economic Development Loan and common foundation of core principles (pronounced way-way-ten-nang-oh). that puts people first. After scaling ravines and climbing poles Grant program, a U.S. Department of The United Nations General Assemset on cliffs, the Indiana elecbly designated 2012 as International Year tric cooperative contingent of Cooperatives (IYC 2012), under the connected 170 families to lifebanner “Cooperative Enterprises Build a changing electricity. Better World.” The resolution recognizes “I want to make things the vital role cooperatives play in the better for those folks, and I economic and social well-being of feel really privileged to be nations around the globe and encourable to go,” said Stephen ages countries to foster cooperative Campbell, a line foreman development as a way to generate local with Martinsville-based wealth, employment, and marketplace South Central Indiana Rural competition. Electric Membership Corpo“Cooperatives are a reminder to the ration. international community that it is possiThe effort, nicknamed, ble to pursue both economic viability “Hoosiers Power the World,” and social responsibility,” observed was coordinated through FLY IT HIGH: The 2012 International Year of Cooperatives rose United Nations Secretary-General Ban NRECA International Proto a record high in May, when members of the Nepal Ki-moon. “Through their distinctive grams, a division of NRECA Information and Communication Central Cooperative Union focus on values, cooperatives have climbed the peak of Mount Everest to fly the celebration’s flag. created 50 years ago to assist DECEMBER 2012 • PENN

LINES

PENNlines members, period. … By putting people first, cooperatives build a better world.”

Commonwealth cooperation Cooperation thrives in the Commonwealth, with more than 800 cooperatives serving 3.6 million members, notes the University of Wisconsin’s Center for Cooperation. Pennsylvania’s cooperative economy employs 14,500 people, and cooperatives support more than 2.1 million jobs nationally. In addition to New Enterprise REC, several other Pennsylvania rural electric cooperatives joined in the yearlong international observation — with many organizations celebrating 75 years as cooperatives.

ADAMS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Agriculture initiative that provides funding to rural projects through local utility organizations. The program has brought improvements to health facilities, schools and fire departments in various cooperative communities in Pennsylvania. “Cooperatives are very much a part of their local communities,” said Russ Biggica, PREA director of government & regulatory affairs. “The RECA fund is a great example of how electric cooperatives support their communities.” At the New Enterprise REC annual meeting in June, the cooperative observed the International Year of Cooperatives, noting the importance of the organization’s community involvement. “We’re here today because we believe

Adams Electric Cooperative’s Member Advisory Committee member Bob Sentz, right, leads a quiz for committee members to help them learn about the role of cooperatives worldwide during the International Year of Cooperatives 2012.

IYC 2012 LESSON:

in the benefits of a community working together,” New Enterprise REC Board President Leroy Walls stated. “We know we’re stronger and can accomplish more when we’re united — that’s what makes our country great. When we cooperate with each other, pool our resources and focus on a goal, we can accomplish anything. … There are more than 1 billion co-op members around the world. We all share a common set of principles and values. Co-ops exist to meet the needs of our 10

PENN

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At its annual meeting in April, Bedford Rural Electric Cooperative (REC) kicked off its annual meeting with a nod to IYC 2012. “The International Year of Cooperatives is a chance for us to celebrate our legacy of innovation and to remind us of what’s important in business — putting people first,” stated Brooks Shoemaker, Bedford REC general manager. In April, Huntingdon-based Valley REC Board President James Stauffer

told annual meeting attendees that cooperatives are formed by people who have a personal interest in the areas where they live. “We employ hard-working people who care a great deal about the welfare of our communities,” Stauffer noted. “We’re leaders in the utility industry. And around the world, we form a global network of independent, local businesses owned by those they serve.” In January, Valley REC hosted “Business After Hours,” a social event for Huntingdon County Chamber of Commerce members, where attendees could learn more about the cooperative and its operation. The cake served at the chamber event was decorated with the IYC 2012 logo. Cambridge Springs-based Northwestern REC also spread the message about IYC 2012 with food. According to Mary Mulligan-Haines, vice president of communications, Northwestern REC held a “Serendipity Day” to observe the IYC 2012 event. “Serendipity Day is a day when we unexpectedly give gifts to our consumermembers,” she said. “We decided that the observance of International Year of Cooperatives deserved recognition, so we provided snacks for our members in honor of the event.”

Celebrating 75 years of cooperation Coincidentally, several Pennsylvania cooperatives observed their 75th anniversary in 2012, so the international designation fit right into their celebration plans. DuBois-based United EC noted the coincidence of having two milestones to celebrate at its 75th annual meeting in May. “Today, we carry on what those first members began 75 years ago – and it’s a nice coincidence to have our anniversary the same year as the U.N. designation of 2012 as the International Year of Cooperatives,” noted United EC President & CEO Brenda Swartzlander. “It’s a chance to celebrate the legacy cooperatives across the country and around the world have of putting people’s needs first.” Wysox-based Claverack REC also cel-

County REC published a history book for members who attended the annual meeting in June. It featured an extensive history of the local cooperative, along with lots of photos and memories of former employees and longtime members. Craig Harting, CEO of Sullivan County REC, compiled the in-depth look at Penn-

NORTHWESTERN RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

ebrated its 75th anniversary this year. Cooperative management and staff organized a “Remember When” display at the cooperative’s annual meeting in July, with an old Claverack REC vehicle as the centerpiece of a display that included original equipment and newspaper articles telling about the opening of the cooperative. “The story of rural electric cooperatives is truly a story of a grassroots movement, and a story of personal commitment on the part of the founders to improve the quality of life for our area’s farms and rural residents,” noted Bobbi Kilmer, Claverack president & CEO, in her report at the annual meeting. Forksville-based Sullivan County REC also celebrated its 75th anniversary during the International Year of Cooperatives. In recognition of how the local cooperative was founded, Sullivan

CLAVERACK RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

CLAVERACK HISTORY: Claverack Rural Electric Cooperative member David Moore of Windham Township, grandson of Claverack founder Clarence Jakway, relaxes in the historical display area set up at the cooperative’s annual meeting to commemorate the co-op’s 75th anniversary. Moore donated a number of items for the display, including a copy of the Nov. 27, 1937, issue of The Towanda Daily Review that details the cooperative’s efforts to bring power to area farms.

SERENDIPITY DAY: Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative celebrated the International Year of Cooperatives in October with a ‘Serendipity Day,’ serving snacks to all members and guests who visited the office that day. Receptionist Brenda Dugan, left, serves member Kelly R. Amann, Union City.

sylvania rural electric cooperatives, noting Pennsylvanians were heavily involved in the beginning of the national rural electric cooperative movement. Setting the tone for the next 75 years, Herm Blakley, board president of Indiana-based REA Energy Cooperative, told attendees of the cooperative’s 75th annual meeting in October that sticking to core values has been the key to success. “One important thing that has not changed in all of these years is that the cooperative continues with the same mission today of providing reliable electric service to its members at a reasonable cost,” Blakley said. “It’s amazing how people working together (cooperating with each other) can accomplish so much and provide a better life for themselves and others.” l Sources: University of Wisconsin, NRECA International, National Cooperative Business Association Megan McKoy-Noe, CCC, writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Arlington, Va.-based service organization for the nation’s 900-plus consumerowned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives. Kathy Hackleman, Penn Lines senior editor, contributed to this story. DECEMBER 2012 • PENN

LINES

TIMElines

Yo u r N e w s m a g a z i n e T h r o u g h t h e Y e a r s

1992 TOY TRAINS are an enduring symbol of the holiday season. Many displays in homes, stores and malls feature miniature electric trains circling the base of a Christmas tree. Some of those toys are packed away in early January along with the other Christmas decorations. Many more, however, are not. Playing with trains — some prefer the term “model railroading” — is a large and growing hobby, one that encourages a wide range of talents and activities, but depends fully on none. Woodworking skills help when crafting the supporting benchwork or finishing an unused room to house a layout. Determination of a track configuration sharpens design and drafting abilities, while a quest for accuracy in modeling leads to enjoyable historical research or pleasant field trips. You can also add photography, painting and electronics to the list of hobbies it can include. Of course, fine craftsmanship abilities aren’t required to have an enjoyable model train layout. There are many quality kits and supplies available that practically ensure good results, even for the novice. Model trains come in several scales, which indicate their size relationship to the real world. “O” scale is the largest of the traditional electric train sizes and is 1/48 actual size. Next smallest is “S” scale, representing 1/64th actual size. “HO” replicas are 1/87th scale. Last on the size scale for popular models are the “N” models at 1/160th scale. Two other sizes are seldom seen — the “G” scale at 1/24th scale is a large set, while “Z” scale at 1/220th ensures that complete sets can be set up in a briefcase. l

1972 The National Rural Electric Cooperative

1982 The Pennsylvania Rural Electric

2002 Laura Carino, Carino Nurseries, Indiana

Association encourages all consumers to get involved in promoting a national fuels and energy policy.

Association’s annual meeting focuses on ‘Financing for the Future’ because interest rates charged to cooperatives affect members’ rates.

County, reports a tremendous amount of care over a span of nearly 10 years goes into producing a quality Christmas tree.

PENN

LINES • DECEMBER 2012

I have a family that gives me endless strength. At your electric cooperative, we get our strength from a family as well. Itâ€™s a family of over 600 cooperatives â€” who all work together. And together, we have strength. We have a greater ability to provide a reliable source of electricity. We also have greater purchasing power, which enables us to keep costs in check. Together, weâ€™ll always be looking out for you, your family, and your community.

ENERGYmatters Entertaining can be draining By B r i a n S l o b o da

Cooperative Research Network

the in-laws; parties at work and school; buying, wrapping, unwrapping, and cleaning up. While at the end of a long day this season it’s nice to fire up the big-screen TV and watch “It’s a Wonderful Life,” note that when you go to bed, your home entertainment system doesn’t really take a rest. Many of these devices, as well as your computer equipment, use energy even when turned off. For example, your HDTV could be remembering the last channel you viewed or the language you speak, or trying to turn on faster. This power draw is commonly called “phantom” or “vampire” load. According to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the average home attributes 8 percent of its monthly electricity consumption to these energy vampires. Fortunately, TVs and DVD players often have power-saving settings in the setup menu. Although altering the fac-

PENN

LINES • DECEMBER 2012

TOUCHSTONE ENERGY® COOPERATIVES

HOLIDAYS CAN be draining: dinner at

POWER UP A POWER STRIP: Regular power strips and ‘smart’ power strips can help cut down on ‘phantom power’ draws from many electronics.

tory settings usually means the unit will take a few more seconds to start, it’s worth taking a look if you want to trim your electric bill. If there’s no power-saving option, you can slay that energy vampire by using a smart power strip. This technology allows you to plug devices into a specially marked section of the strip to keep power flowing to them while letting you turn off other items. This way,

you can shut off your stereo, DVD player, or audio system without losing the ability to record programs to a DVR or VCR or having to reprogram the TV every time you want to watch a show. Of course, there’s always a catch. If you unplug your television or cable/satellite receiver box, it usually has to run its initial setup program when switched back on. Depending on the model, it could take up to 20 minutes for channels to be recognized, and you may have to reset preferences. Most of us aren’t willing to do that every day. The bottom line is that entertaining doesn’t have to drain your budget. In fact, the money you save by eliminating the energy vampires in your home may even be enough to go out to a movie. l Brian Sloboda is a program manger specializing in energy efficiency for the Cooperative Research Network, a service of the Arlington, Va.-based National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. The Cooperative Research Network monitors, evaluates, and applies technologies that help electric cooperatives control costs, increase productivity, and enhance service to their consumers.

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COUNTRYkitchen

by Janette He ss

Holiday hand-me-downs HAND-ME-DOWNS usually are met with groans and grumbles, but in the case of holiday recipes, hand-medowns bring smiles and gratitude. Tried and true, hand-me-down recipes speak of family tradition and ethnic heritage. This holiday season, give family recipes a try — either your own or the ones featured on this page. Enjoy buttery-rich Spritz cookies, which are delicious right out of the oven but even better a day or two later. Try tiny, subtly spicy Peppernuts, which, contrary to their name, contain no pepper. (Note that a touch of anise oil gives them a distinctive flavor.) Or tackle traditional Swedish Rye Bread, a time-consuming treat that might make you wonder how GreatGrandma ever got anything else accomplished. As the year draws to a close, remember that holiday baking is a great way to celebrate the fact that 2012 is the “International Year of Cooperatives.” Butter, eggs and sugar — three mainstays of holiday baking — often are produced by cooperatives. In fact, 95 percent of eggs in the United States are produced and marketed by cooperatives. Indulge and enjoy! l

PEPPERNUTS 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1 egg 1/4 teaspoon anise oil 2 tablespoons white corn syrup 3 1/2 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon cloves 1 teaspoon ginger

Using heavy-duty mixer, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg, anise oil and corn syrup. Combine flour, baking soda and spices; gradua lly add to butter mixture. Dough will be very stiff. Using hands, form dough into thin ropes no bigger than 1/2 inch in diameter. Slice into pieces just under 1/2 inch thick. Arrange on lightly greased insulated cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 9 to 10 minutes. Makes approximately 12 cups bite-siz ed cookies.

A trained journalist, JANETTE HESS focuses her writing on interesting people and interesting foods. She is a Master Food Volunteer with her local extension service and enjoys collecting, testing and sharing recipes.

OLD-FASHIONED SWEDISH RYE BREAD SPRITZ COOKIES 1 1/2 cups butter 1 cup sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 egg, well beaten 4 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder Colored decorating sugars In large mixing bowl, cream butter, sugar and vanilla extract. Beat in egg. Add sifted dry ingredients in 3 or 4 portions. Mix until dough is smooth. Force dough through cook ie press onto insulated cookie sheets. (If one pan is being used repeatedly, cool between uses.) Sprinkle with colored sugars. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes, or until very lightly browned. Makes 4 dozen cookies.

PENN

LINES • DECEMBER 2012

3 cups warm water (100 to 110 degrees) 1 package dry yeast 1 cup rye flour 1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 cup molasses 1/2 cup vegetable shortening 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon salt 8 cups unbleached flour, plus more as needed

In large mixing bowl, combine warm water, yeast, rye flour and sugar. Let stand 10 minutes. Beat in molasses, shortening, brown sugar, salt and 3 cups flour to make a sponge. Let rise 1 hour. Mix in remaining flour — 5 cups or more — until dough loses stickiness. Knead well. Let rise until doubled in bulk, approximately 1 hour. Punch down and let rise again until doubled in bulk. Spray loaf pans with cooking spray. Divide dough and form into desired number of loaves. Place in prepared loaf pans. Let rise 1 hour. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, or until nicely browned. Makes 6 small loaves (5 1/2-by 3-inch) or 3 large loaves (9-by 5-inch). Baking time varies with size and type of pan.

POWERplants

Winter’s gifts WINTER’S garden demands we recognize the interplay between the designer’s intention, the gardener’s hand and the wild nature of the plants we hope to tame. Designers recommend reviewing photos taken during the growing season to document the progress your plantings made. Careful observation and planning help you fine tune your design, yes, but it can be just as instructive to look at what stands out now. Winter is a two-edged season: cold days with a predominantly brown landscape, and then snowy times. On a snowy day, the world appears like a black and white photo. We are drawn to the evergreens. First, the needled types with their individual textures. Look closely and you will notice the subtle differences between pine, spruce, cedar or fir. Then focus on the broad-leafed evergreens such as holly, rhododendron or boxwood. Some appear glossy and polished, some look stiff and starched. BARBARA MARTIN , who says she began gardening as a hobby “too many years ago to count,” currently works for the National Gardening Association as a horticulturist. A former member of Gettysburg-based Adams Electric Cooperative, her articles appear in magazines and on the internet.

by Barbara Martin

With practice, we can also distinguish plants through overall forms or shape and coloring. Certain evergreen trees such as pines tend to turn misshapen and craggy with age, while others such as the Colorado blue spruce maintain approximately the same pyramidal shape year after year. Look closely at how the blue spruce is a silvery blue in contrast to the darker green of a (healthy) pine. If you like golden foliage, savor the golden cypress and goldtipped junipers. Watch as certain arborvitae and Oregon grape hollies take on their signature purplish cast. The staunch but semievergreen leather leaf viburnums also change colors, darken, droop, and eventually may make good on the threat by dropping that foliage altogether in a series of diva-worthy changes. There is star quality to be found in the displays of fully deciduous woody plants, too. Winter reveals all — those whose structure swoops, those that cascade or weep, those that tangle or maintain a rigid symmetry, and those mutilated by topping. You may find exceptional beauty in these quiet months: the native persimmon bark patterned like a jigsaw puzzle, the many colors of sycamore bark, the oak leaf hydrangea bark peeling off in narrow strips. Look closely on a sunny day to delight in visions of richness: jewel tones of red and gold and emerald green. Look closely at

the branches and twigs on your blueberry bushes, your twiggy dogwoods, your native woodland dogwood trees, and more. And along the twigs, examine the buds sitting tight until spring when they will swell and burst open. And don’t miss the surprisingly sturdy, dried-inplace flowers of hydrangea, purple coneflower, marigold and zinnia. How delicately they catch the frosts and cradle the snow. Examine the socalled persistent fruits — the crabapples, rose hips, all the assorted berries and drupes that hold on the trees and shrubs to provide off-season food for the birds and other wild creatures. These will change as the season progresses, wrinkling and drying and eventually dropping to let loose their seeds. If you grow a winter-blooming plant in your yard, go and visit it. Depending on the weather and the micro-climate where it grows, you might find swelling buds on small trees like Hammamelis vernalis or

STARK BEAUTY: In the winter, nature lovers must look closely for the beauty in the landscape.

Cornus mas, or during a warm spell perhaps you’ll find flowers on a stalwart pot marigold or a viola, or emerging shoots of extra early bulbs like iris reticulata, snow crocus, glory of the snow, or winter aconite hinting at blooming before you know it. And if not, well, it’s still a ways to spring so we will welcome any and all signs of active plant life. And so we gardeners amuse ourselves, appreciating any gifts the landscape offers and waiting more or less patiently through the shortest day of the year at the solstice and then lumbering into serious winter when the catalogs will arrive to remind us there is more to the landscape than leafless branches and frozen ground. Although if you’ve been outdoors snooping around to round out your gardening year, and I sure hope you have been, you already know that. Happy Holidays! l

DECEMBER 2012 • PENN

LINES

OUTDOORadventures

Pennsylvania after dark BIGFOOT REPORTS almost certainly will skyrocket in Pennsylvania in 2013. Raw Footage Films has been shooting at “Squatchy” locations in the state, with some of Pennsylvania’s top bigfoot hunters, in preparation for the release of the film, “Mountain Devil: The Search for Frank Peterson,” early next year. And, the hit television show, “Finding Bigfoot,” which has yet to actually find a bigfoot, reportedly has a Pennsylvania episode or two in the can for its next season. With that kind of inspiration, the state’s booming community of bigfoot questers — it’s anybody’s guess as to how many crews are out there roaming the Keystone countryside on any given weekend — will have an active year. Tree limbs and trunks will be knocked, rocks will be thrown, yowls will be yelled and screams will slice through the dark of night. (To true believers, those are some of the bits of evidence they collect regularly on their forMARCUS SCHNECK is outdoor editor for The (Harrisburg, Pa.) PatriotNews and a contributor to many outdoor publications and websites, and author of more than two dozen books.. An ongoing guide to his writing and photography appears at www.marcusschneck.com.

PENN

by Marcus Schneck

ays into likely Yeti country, of which Pennsylvania apparently has an abundance.) Before you pooh-pooh the whole idea, consider its appeal. Tramping through a dark forest or swamp at night, with only the limited illumination offered by often small headlamps and spots. The sounds of the wild — many psychologically amplified and distorted into the frightening unknown by the darkness, the remoteness and the relative solitude — coming at you from all directions, unexpected and unpredictable. Think back to your childhood, maybe your first solo overnighter in some woodlot close to home. Remember the raw tension of that time in the darkness on your own. If that experience isn’t part of your personal history, it’s time to claim your birthright. On the next, not-too-coldand-wintery night, drag yourself out to some wooded spot where the sounds and lights of the familiar world begin to fade. Find a comfortable stump or log or rock, settle in and, if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, shut off your light source. As the sounds of the natural world slowly begin to dominate over the noise of your own heartbeat and breathing, you will hear much beyond your ability to fully explain it all. Twigs will snap. Leaves will rustle. Things will fall. Some of the animal noise will be as recognizable as it

LINES • DECEMBER 2012

would be during daylight hours. Some other sounds, not so much. Your adventure has begun. Your internal Shaggy and Scooby just might begin to push your Fred and Velma to the side. You’re ready to begin imposing interpretations on some of the sounds you can’t identify with any other certainty. Or maybe, by that point, you’re ready for it to be over. And, if you’re feeling it, here are some phobias that might apply. Nyctophobia, achluophobia, lygophobia and scotophobia describe different degrees of fear of darkness. Panphobia is a fear of the unknown; agoraphobia, fear of a lack of escape possibilities; agrizoophobia, fear of wild

2013 is expected to be a banner year for reported bigfoot sightings in Pennsylvania.

SEARCH IS ON:

animals; autophobia, fear of being alone or isolated; haphephobia, fear of being touched. A couple that might apply specifically to perceived encounters with bigfoot: olfactophobia, fear of bad odors (the big guy reportedly has a stink to him); chaetophobia, fear of hair (“Biggie” is nothing if not covered in long, dense hair); and utomatonophobia, fear of humanoid figures. So, scoff if you must at the Sasquatch afficiando. But, also consider for a moment, the thrill of the unknown on a dark night in some isolated spot. l

SMARTcircuits

by James Dulley

Soundproof for peace, quiet, efficiency ADDING wall insulation in an attempt to upgrade soundproofing can be an expensive project and above the skill level of most do-it-yourselfers. In many older houses, particularly ones with masonry walls, there is little space inside the walls for additional insulation. Any type of insulation you add to save energy will help somewhat to soundproof the walls, but you need additional improvements for significant noise dampening because sound travels mostly through the wall studs. If your windows are old, installing new ones makes the greatest improvement in saving energy and blocking outdoor noise. The airtight quality helps, but most new windows also use heavy inert gases in the gap between the panes that further reduces sound transmission. In fact, simply caulking and weather stripping your old windows can have a dramatic effect on reducing noise, and it improves the energy efficiency of your house by keeping heated or cooled air from leaking out and outside air from seeping in. In turn, your heating and cooling system won’t need to work as hard and use as much energy. When planning for a new addition to be a bedroom, do some research regarding the STC (sound transmission class) rating for various types of wall construction. A typical, uninsulated interior wall with drywall on each side of 2-foot-by-4foot framing has an STC of about 34. If there are common heating ducts and holes for electrical outlets and phone jacks, the STC of that interior wall may be only 25. Keep in mind that these openings are also culprits for drafty rooms, so using an

inexpensive outlet insulation kit is one more way to improve energy efficiency. Adding insulation inside the wall increases the STC by very little — normal conversation would still be easily heard. At the other extreme, with an STC of 66, yelling is barely audible in adjacent rooms. As with outdoor walls, your first step in soundproofing interior walls is to get out the caulk gun and seal any gaps in the walls and at joints. It won’t help energy efficiency much, but it does block the vibrations that create sound. Another consideration is the type of noise you want to block. If it’s normal household sounds and voices, many standard soundproofing methods are effective. If you want to block deep bass vibrations from music or a home theater, a thicker wall is best. You can create that by installing two layers of drywall or using a high-density wallboard. If using drywall, you can nail them tightly together or leave them slightly separated for the benefits of decoupling. Decoupling the two surfaces of a wall is critical to block sound transmission. That means drywall on one side is not

attached to the same wall studs as the drywall on the adjacent wall. One simple method is to install a second layer of drywall over the existing one. Make sure not to screw it into the wall studs or very tightly to the existing drywall so it stays decoupled. This method also increases the thickness of the wall for blocking bass vibrations. Another method is to stagger the studs on wider headers and footers in the wall cavity. The drywall on each wall is attached to every other stud so there is no direct path for the sound to travel. You can also try installing thin resilient metal strips over the studs. The new drywall is attached to these strips and not directly to the studs. Strong soundproofing board made of recycled materials installed over the studs is another option. Screw the drywall or resilient channels to this board. l Have a question for Jim? Send inquiries to JAMES DULLEY , Penn Lines, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com.

DECEMBER 2012 • PENN

LINES

PENNLINESclassified ISSUE MONTH: AD DEADLINE: Penn Lines classified advertisements reach more than 165,800 rural Pennsylvania households! February 2013 . . . December 14 Please note ads must be received by the due date to be included in the requested issue month. Ads March 2013 . . . . . . . January 15 received beyond the due date will run in the next available issue. Written notice of changes and cancellations must be received 30 days prior to the issue month. Classified ads will not be accepted April 2013 . . . . . . . . February 12 by phone, fax or email. For more information please contact Vonnie Kloss at 717/233-5704. CLASSIFIED AD SUBMISSION/RATES: Please use the form below or submit a separate sheet with required information. Electric co-op members: $20 per month for 30 words or less, plus 50¢ for each additional word. Non-members: $70 per month for 30 words or less, plus $1.50 for each additional word. Ad in all CAPITAL letters: Add 20 percent to total cost. Please print my ad in all CAPITAL letters. PLACE AD IN THE MONTHS OF: . WORD COUNT: I am an electric co-op member. Attached is my Penn Lines mailing label. Name/Address or Mailing Label Here: Enclosed is payment in the amount of $ . I am a non-member. Address is noted or attached at right. Enclosed is payment in the amount of $ . 1

Additional words; attach separate sheet if needed.

FREE Headings (Select One): Around the House Business Opportunities Employment Opportunities Gift and Craft Ideas Livestock and Pets Miscellaneous Motor Vehicles and Boats Nursery and Garden Real Estate Recipes and Food Tools and Equipment Vacations and Campsites Wanted to Buy SPECIAL HEADING: . SPECIAL HEADING FEE: $5 for co-op members, $10 for non-members. Applies even if heading is already appearing in Penn Lines. Insertion of classified ad serves as proof of publication; no proofs supplied. SEND FORM TO: Penn Lines Classifieds, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Please make CHECK/MONEY ORDER payable to: PREA/Penn Lines.

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USED PORTABLE Sawmills and COMMERCIAL Sawmill Equipment! Buy/Sell. Call Sawmill Exchange 800-459-2148. USA and Canada. www.sawmillexchange.com.

LANDOWNER INCOME OPPORTUNITY

FREE SAMPLE Shaklee’s Energy Tea. Combination red, green and white teas that are natural, delicious, refreshing, safe. For sample or more information on tea or other Shaklee Nutrition/Weight Loss Products: 800-403-3381 or www.sbarton.myshaklee.com.

EARN TOP $$$ Leasing Hunting Rights. Call Base Camp Leasing for free quote & info packet. Hunting Leases done right since 1999. 866-309-1507. www.BaseCampLeasing.com.

SHAKLEE

TIMBER FRAME HOMES LAWN AND GARDEN EQUIPMENT HARRINGTONS EQUIPMENT COMPANY, 475 Orchard Rd., Fairfield, PA 17320. 717-642-6001 or 410-756-2506. Lawn & Garden equipment, Sales – Service - Parts. www.HarringtonsEquipment.com LEGAL SERVICES WORKERS’ COMPENSATION: Injured and want to know your rights? Call us at 877-291-9675 for FREE advice or visit our website for your FREE book at www.workinjuryinpa.com. LIVESTOCK AND PETS PEMBROKE WELSH CORGI Puppies — AKC, adorable, intelligent, highly trainable. Excellent family choice. Reputable licensed breeder guaranteed “Last breed you’ll ever own.” 814-5873449.

SETTLEMENT POST & BEAM BUILDING COMPANY uses timehonored mortise, tenon and peg construction paired with modern engineering standards. Master Craftsman and owner, Greg Sickler, brings over two decades of timber-framing experience to helping you create your dream. We use highquality timbers harvested from sustainable forests for all of our projects. Visit our model home, located on Historic Route 6, Sylvania, in North Central Pennsylvania. For more information phone 570-297-0164 or go to www.settlementpostandbeam.com or contact us at cggksick@epix.net. TRACTOR PARTS – REPAIR/RESTORATION ARTHURS TRACTORS, specializing in vintage Ford tractors, 30years experience, on-line parts catalog/prices, shipped via UPS. Contact us at 877-254-FORD (3673) or www.arthurstractors.com.

LOG CABIN RESTORATIONS

TREE TRIMMING/REMOVAL

VILLAGE RESTORATIONS & CONSULTING specializes in 17th and 18th century log, stone and timber structures. We dismantle, move, re-erect, restore, construct and consult all over the country. Period building materials available. Chestnut boards, hardware, etc. Thirty years experience, fully insured. Call 814696-1379. www.villagerestorations.com.

TOM’S TREE SERVICE – Tree Trimming/Removal – Storm Cleanup – Stump Grinding – Land Clearing – Bucket Truck and Chipper – Fully Insured – Free Estimates – Call 24/7 – 814-448-3052 – 814-627-0550 – 26 Years Experience.

MISCELLANEOUS BECOME AN ORDAINED MINISTER, Correspondence study. The harvest truly is great, the laborers are few, Luke 10:2. Free info. Ministers for Christ Outreach, 6630 West Cactus #B107-767, Glendale, AZ 85304. www.ordination.org. MOTORCYCLE-SNOWMOBILE INSURANCE For the best INSURANCE RATES call R & R Insurance Associates from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 800-442-6832 (PA). REAL ESTATE TWO ACRE CAMP for sale. Electric, septic tank. Adjacent to State Game Land/Forest. Fully furnished, wood stove, screened porch. Off of Route 337 Tidioute/Hearts Content. $60,000. 412-7349595. LAKE STONYCREEK, Somerset County — Three bedrooms, three baths, .9 acre, family room, spacious kitchen, living and dining room. Lakefront – must see. $399,900. 814-242-3406. Shinglehouse – POTTER COUNTY – country, cabin, camp, cottage, vacation home. Two bedroom, one bedroom w/multiple bunks, new windows, carpeting, linoleum, blinds, furnished. Five acres, mostly wooded near State Game Land. $55,000. Call 610-960-6754. Recreational LOG CABIN for sale, four years old. Raystown area, twelve miles from Snyder’s Run. 2.1 acres, pavilion, 12x16 shed. $172,000 negotiable. Call for details 717-930-0764 or 717-602-0950. RECIPES AND FOOD “COUNTRY COOKING,” Volume 2 — $8, including postage. “RECIPES REMEMBERED,” Volume 3 — $12, including postage. Both of these cookbooks are a collection of recipes from men and women of the electric co-ops of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Payable to: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, P. O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Write Attention: Cookbooks. Volume 1 of “Country Cooking” is SOLD OUT. *HOLIDAY SPECIAL — BOTH COOKBOOKS FOR $15.*

VACATIONS AND CAMPSITES LAKE RAYSTOWN Vacation House Rental. Sleeps 11, fireplace, four bedrooms, dining table for 12, central A/C, two Satellite TVs, two full baths, two half baths, linens/towels provided, large recreation room. Minimum two nights. Call 814-931-6562. Visit www.laurelwoodsretreat.com. DAYTONA BEACH Condo on the river, five minutes from beach. Third floor, two bedrooms, two baths. Beautiful view. Threemonth minimum rental. Discounts for more months. Call Belkis at 954-629-6966. Email btooz@aol.com. PENN OAKS CAMPGROUND — Now accepting reservations for next year’s camping season. Seasonal six-month sites, $750 plus electric. All utilities. Close to Cook Forest and Allegheny National Forest. $100 holds your spot. 800-634-2495. BLUE KNOB SKI area house rental. Sleeps two to six. One bedroom plus loft. Two baths, satellite TV, complete kitchen with large counter. Minimum two nights. 814-599-1605. WANTED TO BUY CARBIDE – Paying cash/lb. – Some examples of items that have carbide pieces at their tips for cutting or drilling are: coal mining machinery – roof bits – road bits – gas/oil/water well drill bits – machining inserts as well as many others. We will pick up your materials containing carbide pieces. We will extract the carbide item from the part in which it is held in most cases. 814395-0415. WANTED TO LEASE

Businesses are a growing part of our electric co-op.

FARM LAND for local grass fed beef grazing operation. Holistic approach and active grazing plan proven to enhance soil, wildlife, and land quality. Cambria and surrounding counties. McCormick Farm LLC. 814-472-7259.

Touchstone Energy Cooperatives of Pennsylvania DECEMBER 2012 • PENN

LINES

PUNCHlines

Thoughts from Earl Pitts, UHMERIKUN! Earl believes in the right to sneak food into the movie theater

Social commentary from Earl Pitts —— a.k.a. GARY BUR BANK , a nationally syndicated radio personality —— can be heard on the following radio stations that cover electric cooperative service territories in Pennsylvania: WANB-FM 103.1 Pittsburgh; WARM-AM 590 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton; WIOO-AM 1000 Carlisle; WEEO-AM 1480 Shippensburg; WMTZ-FM 96.5 Johnstown; WQBR-FM 99.9/92.7 McElhattan; WLMI-FM 103.9 Kane; and WVNW-FM 96.7 Burnham-Lewistown.

PENN

LINES • DECEMBER 2012

I ain’t proud to say this, but me an’

I am here today to protest the per-

the wife have engaged in lawlessness. That’s right, we got caught — smugglin’. I might as well tell you what happened — it’s probably gonna be in all the papers anyhow. So anyways, what happened was they caught us smugglin’ snacks into the movie theater. Yeah, we got caught up in that big Twizzler sting this weekend. First of all — I disagree with the rules. I don’t know what freedom-lovin’, godfearin’ country on this planet would allow their movie theaters to be a police state. In America, you got the freedom a’ speech. You got the freedom a’ religion, the right to bear arms, the right to assemble. An’ yet — you can walk into a movie an’ you ain’t got the right to have a box a’ sno caps already in your pocket? How did the foundin’ fathers miss that one? An’ I won’t even lie to you. We didn’t sneak no box a’ sno caps into no movie. It was a bag a’ Doritos. OK, and a two-liter bottle a’ Dr Pepper. Maybe there was a bucket a’ chicken, some nachos an’ cheese, a couple a’ French bread pizzas, an’ two candy apples. An’ we’d a’ got away with it too — if that Nosy Nelly at the concession stand wouldn’t a’ asked to see the baby in our stroller. They must have some sort a’ panic button behind the concession stand there, ’cause they went into full snack lockdown. You know the ticket-taker at the door — Gramps? He flies into action an’ he grabs that stroller, screamin’, “Candy smuggler! Candy smuggler! Code Blue!” Pearl, my wife, she melted into the crowd in the confusion. Come to think of it, I never did see her again. Although I did give her up in the interrogation room at the police station. I ain’t goin’ down for this alone. Besides, she had the car keys, an’ my beef jerkey. Wake up, America! The way the Cineplex is pressin’ charges you’d a thunk we was the Bonnie an’ Clyde a’ Mike an’ Ike’s. They want to make an’ example out of us. Good luck findin’ a jury that will convict.

cent-ification of America. That’s right — we ain’t Americans anymore; we’re percents of Americans. Like last year, there was the 1 percent — an’ the 99 percent of Americans. That’s 1 percent rich people, an’ 99 percent everybody else. Then Mitt Romney got in on this, too. He said there was the 53 percent regular, hard-workin’, real Americans — an’ the 47 percent free-loadin’ Americans. Then you got the 8 percent unemployed Americans, the 11 percent unemployed-an’-gave-up Americans. The 65 percent Americans that think the country is headed in the wrong direction. An’ the 32 percent Americans settin’ on their thumbs watchin’ Honey Boo-Boo. In fact, get this — I heard this poll — 75 percent of Americans agreed with Mitt Romney that 47 percent of Americans were freeloaders. But here’s where it gets interestin’. They also had another poll — a poll on polls — that said only 9 percent of Americans will even answer telephone polls. So follow me on this, because this is gonna blow your mind. That means 75 percent of 9 percent agree with the 1 percent that the 47 percent aren’t giving it 100 percent. That is an absolute true statement — an’ I don’t even know what the heck I just said! An’ I just added that sentence up, an’ we’re at 232 percent of Americans. Which has got to be most of us! Here’s my thinkin’. The only percent I want to be — is 100 percent American. Kinda like U.S. Choice Prime Real Americans. I liked it when we were all just — Americans. But it looks like that 18wheeler has already left the truck stop. Besides, we wouldn’t want them pollsters to be out a’ work. Who am I gonna hang up on then? Wake up, America. Well — anyway, I hope at least 63 percent of you agree with me. So we can taunt the 37 percent that don’t. I’m Earl Pitts, (100 percent) American.l

RURALreflections Winter wonderland DECEMBER brings the first official day of winter, but most of us have already experienced the season’s first snowfall. The changing of the seasons brings with it new activities and new outdoor scenes, along with the opportunity to get creative and shoot some great photos of people, animals and landscapes. Our 2012 “Rural Reflections” photo contest has ended and the winning photos in the categories of most artistic, best landscape, best human subject, best animal and editor’s choice will be printed in next month’s issue of Penn Lines. Winners will receive a $75 prize. It’s time to submit your photos for the 2013 “Rural Reflections” contest. To be eligible, send photos (no digital files) to: Penn Lines Photos, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266. On the back of each photo, include your name, address, phone number and the name of the electric cooperative that serves your home, business or seasonal residence. The best way to include that information is by affixing an address label to the back of the photo (do not use ink gel or roller pens to write on the photo). Remember, our publication deadlines require that we work ahead, so send your seasonal photos in early. We need spring photos before mid-January, summer photos before mid-April, fall photos before mid-July and winter photos before mid-September. Photos that do not reflect any specific season may be sent at any time. Please note: 2012 photo entries will be returned in January if you provided a self-addressed, stamped envelope. l

Eileen Mack Claverack REC

Gary Martin Somerset REC

Rick Billet Adams EC

Flora Crowe United EC

DECEMBER 2012 • PENN

LINES

WATERFURNACE UNITS QUALIFY FOR A 30% FEDERAL TAX CREDIT

You may not realize it, but your home is sitting on a free and renewable supply of energy. A WaterFurnace geothermal comfort system taps into the stored solar energy in your own backyard to provide savings of up to 70% on heating, cooling and hot water. That’s money in the bank and a smart investment in your family’s comfort. Contact your local WaterFurnace dealer today to learn how to tap into your buried treasure. YOUR LOCAL WATERFURNACE DEALERS

Bedford Knisely & Sons, Inc. (814) 623-9086 kniselyandsons.com Bellwood Boyer Refrigeration (814) 942-2106 goboyergeothermal.com Carbondale T.E. Spall & Son (570) 282-3000 thecomfortdoctors.com

Cochranton Tiptons Electric HVACR (814) 425-7083 Hollidaysburg Knisely & Sons, Inc. (814) 693-8744 kniselyandsons.com Northern Cambria Kupetz Plumbing & Heating (814) 948-6460 gogeokupetz.com

York R.E. Sanders, Inc. (717) 843-7894 sandersgeothermal.com Central & Eastern Territory Manager Mike Fink (800) 934-5160 x2753 Western Territory Manager David Higgins (800) 934-5160 x2711