Month: December 2010

Chinese missile shifts power in Pacific

FINANCIAL TIMES:  A new Chinese anti-ship missile that will significantly alter the balance of military power in the Pacific is now operational, according to a senior US commander. Admiral Robert Willard, the top US commander in the Pacific, said the Chinese ballistic missile, which was designed to threaten US aircraft carriers in the region, had […]

Economy: Confidence Falls on Concern Over Jobs

  NEWSMAX:  Confidence among U.S. consumers unexpectedly fell in December, restrained by concern that jobs will remain scarce in 2011. The Conference Board’s confidence index unexpectedly fell to 52.5, lower than the most pessimistic forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg News, figures from the New York-based research group showed today. Another report showed home values […]

Canadian Dollar Passes U.S. Buck

CBC NEWS: The Canadian dollar hit and surpassed parity with the U.S. dollar on Tuesday, the first time in had accomplished the feat in more than a month. Early in the morning, the loonie surged to hit the $1 US level. That was the first time the Canadian currency had hit the benchmark since Nov. […]

THE FOG OF WAR; PART TWO

(Forty-eighth in a series) Different law firms represented the parties to the contracts among Penn Square Partners (PSP), the Redevelopment Authority of the County of Lancaster (RACL), and the Lancaster County Convention Center Authority (LCCCA), and it is not the intention of this article to question the integrity of the law firms.   However, consider that […]

Lancaster Public Library selects new officers

At the Annual meeting of the board of trustees of the Lancaster Public Library (Duke Street), Stacey Youcis was elected as president.  She served as vice-president in 2010.   Youcis is employed at Lancaster General Hospital as Vice President – Operations. Anna Ramos was chosen as vice-president and Jim Dougherty as secretary. Haley Field, who had resigned […]

How to keep families in their homes

Over the past two years, the Watchdog has repeatedly lamented the failure of the federal government to empower mortgage servicing agents to “cram down” the principle and interest owed on loans so that both reflected market conditions. This would allow families to remain in place and save lenders the huge expense of foreclosure, restoration of the premises, transaction costs, and sale at a big loss, aggregating as high as 30% to 35% of market value.

Methods altered in jobless statistics

USA TODAY:  So many Americans have been jobless for so long that the government is changing how it records long-term unemployment. Citing what it calls “an unprecedented rise” in long-term unemployment, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), beginning Saturday, will raise from two years to five years the upper limit on how long someone […]

Net neutrality: latest ruling brings FCC up to 1990s

PATRIOT-NEWS:  Any government ruling that has liberals griping about too much corporate control and the Wall Street Journal growling about a left-wing coup might not be a bad compromise. Considering that the Federal Communications Commission had few good options last week, its new rules affirming “Net neutrality” were at least a stab at fairness… As […]

Rendell gives Corbett voluminous info on Pa.

INQUIRER:   Gov. Rendell has presented his successor with the equivalent of a state government playbook, including details on the workings of dozens of agencies and even a lengthy cautionary note on the fiscal crisis ahead. In thousands of pages meant to smooth the transition for Republican Gov.-elect Tom Corbett, who takes office next month, Rendell […]

Does not believe media has reformed

Kudos to you Mr. Field. I do not share your views that anything has been changed or as you say “reformed” within the local monopoly print media but you have done more than enough. It is rare to see someone really put their money where their mouth is in matters that transcend personal benefit. For […]

Kind words for the Watchdog

A job well done! Thank you for being what the best of journalism has always been most proud of; to be nothing less than a guardian and champion of our wonderful American freedoms and democratic ideals. At this particular moment our celebration of Christmas focuses upon “a light in the darkness” and honest journalism is […]