Slots Approved For Valley Forge Convention Center

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Potts Vegas never materialized but it appears slot machines will be making their way into the Valley Forge Convention Center after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court approved their casino license.

Six-hundred slot machines and fifty gaming tables are planned for the convention center.  Upper Merion Township supervisors have already approved this plan.  No date for the completion of the project was announced but officials are looking to get this up and running ASAP.  

The addition of gambling will give the Valley Forge Convention Center another means to attract customers and make the convention center more of a destination.

Limerick Township turned down a casino but Upper Merion Township is certainly embracing it.

Energy Conservation/Education Program Saves School District $271,012

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This story is relevant for Pottstown School District because such a program was proposed here.  It nicely illustrates what energy conservation and education can accomplish.

The Troy Area School District, Bradford County Pennsylvania, covers 275 square miles, has 1,585 students, three elementary schools, a middle school and a high school.  With five buildings there are many opportunities for energy savings.  I believe their buildings are older as well.

Troy Area SD started their Energy Education Program in August of 2008.  Since implementing this program, the district has saved more than a quarter of a million dollars.  $271,012 equals twenty-two percent of the school district’s energy costs!

Doing things like turning down the temperature when buildings are unoccupied, turning off lights in rooms that are not in use and cleaning out/unplugging small staff refrigerators during breaks contributed.  These are common sense and easy things to do.  Look at the savings realized by this district!  A twenty-two percent energy savings was realized from behavior changes and education.

Two Roy’s Rants thumbs up to the Troy Area School District for saving taxpayers money!

2011 Top US Female Billionaires

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Since the top five billionaires are dudes, here is how the ladies stack up!

Christy Walton & family (Walmart) $26.5 billion comes in at 10^th on the world’s richest people list.

Alice Walton (Walmart) $21.2 billion takes 21^st place.

Anne Cox Chambers (Cox Enterprises) $13.4 billion is 53^rd.

Abigail Johnson (Fidelity Investments) $11.3 billion is 69^th.

Jacqueline Mars (Mars) $10 billion is 81^st.

Blair Parry-Okeden (Cox Enterprises) $6.7 billion is 145^th.

Marian MacMillan Pictet (Cargill Inc.) $4.7 billion came in at 223.

Whitney MacMillan (Cargill Inc.) $4.7 billion also 223^rd.

Pauline MacMillan Keinath (Cargill Inc.) $4.7 billion also 223^rd.

Ann Walton Kroenke (Walmart) $3.4 billion is 323^rd.

Everybody’s favorite afternoon talk show hostess, Oprah Winfrey is worth $2.7 billion and tied with Donald Trump for 420^th place.

2011 Forbes Billionaire List

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Even during a global economic downturn, the rich are getting richer.

Three of the top five billionaires are Americans.

Carlos Slim Helu, Chairman of Telemax in Mexico was the world’s richest man this year with a net worth of $74 billion.  His wealth increased from $53.5 billion last year to $74 billion this year!  He holds interests in Saks Fifth Avenue and The New York Times.

Bill Gates (Microsoft) came in at number two this year with a net worth of $54 billion.  Gates has already given $30 billion dollars to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  The foundation fights hunger and disease world-wide.

Warren Buffett (Berkshire Hathaway) is third on the list with a net worth of $50 billion.  Buffett saw his fortune increase by $3 billion over last year.

Bernard Arnault (Louis Vitton) of France is the wealthiest man in Europe.  His wealth increased $13.5 billion over last year to $41 billion.  Guess those handbags are selling well!

Larry Ellison (Oracle) saw his net wealth jump $11.5 billion to round out the top five at $39.5 billion.  Ellison won the America’s Cup in 2010 after spending $100 million to win the yachting competition.