A Super Bowl Victory That Was Baltimore To The Bone

English: (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

With a parade on Tuesday, the city will celebrate a world championship that was Baltimore to the bone — perfectly imperfect, an overachievement by an underdog and a surprise to sneering outsiders.

“I tell you what, we don’t make it easy,” said an uncharacteristically eloquent Joe Flacco as the Ravans quarterback held the Lombardi trophy, savored his selection as the Super Bowl’s most valuable player and, in this town, elevation to Johnny Unitas status.  “But that’s the way the city of Baltimore is, that’s the way we are.  We did this for them back home.

Though it started out that way, there was nothing easy about the Ravens’ win in the Big Easy.  Even the lights went out in the Superdome.

Read more:   http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-rodricks-0205-20130204,0,1206003.column

Tuned In: Super Bowl Ads Largely Disappoint

With no team to cheer for in the Super Bowl, sometimes it really can be the commercials that are the draw. But the spots during this year’s big game didn’t leave viewers with much to discuss.  Fortunately, the third-quarter blackout — and the game itself — should fill the void around workplace water coolers this morning.

This year’s ads cost about $3.8 million per 30-second spot, and even with all that money it’s unlikely a commercial from last night’s Super Bowl XLVII will emerge to stand the test of time.

The usual trends — animals, children, ads for big-budget movies — continued and were joined by spots that encouraged viewers to: Vote for a sequel ad online (Coke), sign up online to get a free soft drink (Pepsi Next) and visit online promo sites (many, many ads).  Viewers who don’t watch TV while on the computer simultaneously surely felt left out.

Although viewers may disagree on the best ad during the Super Bowl, it seems likely Americans will come together to declare the Bud Black Crown ads the worst.  The ads, set in a club with supposedly hip people — “the loud, the savvy, the famous” — made it look like anyone who consumes this beer will instantly be transformed into one of these pompous, poser jerks.  Who wants that?

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/ae/tv-radio/tuned-in-super-bowl-ads-largely-disappoint-673351/#ixzz2Jy5AFqpm

Fee For Pennsylvania State Troopers On The Radar

English: Pennsylvania county map (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A crash occurs on Route 183 in Penn Township.  State troopers who usually respond in that area are tied up elsewhere.

What’s a police chief in the small neighboring borough of Bernville going to do?

“As soon as I hear about an incident I’m going to respond,” Chief Brian Thumm said.

He won’t ignore a call nearby just because it’s outside his borough in state police territory.

While that’s the right thing to do, Thumm said, Bernville taxpayers are picking up the cost.

He’d like to see neighboring municipalities join with Bernville in providing local police coverage.  If that’s not an option, he’d at least like to see municipalities that rely only on state police pay for the service.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=450168

Reading Has Tossed 98 From Health Plan

In a move to save more than $1.3 million, the city so far this year has thrown 98 people off its self-funded health insurance policy, and plans to remove another 77 if arbitrators allow.

Carole B. Snyder, city managing director, said the total of 175 people includes 89 dependents of current city employees, nine nonpolice retirees, and 77 police retirees and/or their spouses, all of whom the city says are not eligible for city-paid insurance.

The Fraternal Order of Police has objected, and the city has agreed to wait on the police retiree purge until an arbitration panel rules. A hearing is slated for March.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=450169