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PHILADELPHIA, PA — When I first volunteered for the “Matties Grand ‘Ol Hoo Hoo Hootenany” benefit, I had no idea as to the purpose. It was the line-up of top Southeastern Pennsylvania bands that caught my attention: The Whiskeyhickon Boys, Native Maze, Philadelphia Funk Hustle (PFH), Montoj, Catullus and The Happy Dog featuring Bernie Worrel.

So, I set off on assignment for Headspace magazine to the World Cafe Live in University City, Philadelphia. There I was greeted by not only the best local musicians, but also many of the major concert promoters from Montgomery County, including Who Hill, Opple Topple and Stir Fry.

Part of the assignment was to interview the bands about the benefit for Mattie Cassady. “What is this benefit about?” Much to my surprise, there was a reluctance from many of the artists to talk “on the record”… until I explained my dilemma to Jesse Wagner of The Happy Dog. “I’ll talk to you,” said Jesse. “We’re living 20 years in the past. It’s time we moved up to at least only 5 years.”

Thinking to myself, “Isn’t that the truth,” I headed back in to listen to the music. It was like having the best festival bands of 2013 at your own private concert — mind blowing. Then, I started to notice that quite a few of the song selections were the bands way of getting the message across. Many of the song titles and lyrics had been chosen to help the musicians communicate Mattie’s plight.  What a way to  give proof to the proverb “When words fail, music speaks.”

That is when it hit me. If it’s difficult to talk about a taboo subject, find a way to express yourself. Then, it hit me again. How ironic to have a Halloween Hootenany for the benefit. What other time of the year are you allowed to dress-up and be whatever you want to be?

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PHILADELPHIA, PA — On a monthly basis, the Panic Hour and Philly Norml hold a protest at the Liberty Bell in Old City Philadelphia. Each time there is a varying degree of police presence with agencies, such as, the US Park Service, Fish and Wildlife, the Philadelphia Police Department, SEPTA Police, Homeland Security and ICE.

At the most recent protest, a disturbing development was observed — US Park Service Rangers wearing video and audio recording devices to surreptitiously monitor protesters.

Illegal Recording Device

Holiday Harp Concert
Glen Foerd on the Delaware
Featuring Ellen Tepper

Friday, November 29 at 7:00 PM

Glen Foerd is kicking off the holiday season with a concert by talented harpist, Ellen Tepper. Ms. Tepper is an authority on the early harp and will be performing selections from her newest recording Winter Cycles. The concert will be held in the Art Gallery, so seats are limited and reservations are required. Please note that the Art Gallery is located on the second floor, where there is no disability access.

Reservations must be made by Wednesday, November 27.
$8 Members, $10 non-members
For more information you can call the business office at Glen Foerd 215 632 5330

Glen Foerd on the Delaware
5001 Grant Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19114

PHILADELPHIA, PA — The FBI issued a statement saying Christopher Stehm, 51, of Mason, Ohio, was charged with defrauding his employer, Berwyn-based Ametek Inc., of at least $659,731, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. According to the information, Stehm was the chief accounting officer at two different offices of the company when he submitted phony claims for expense reimbursements, many of which he supported with doctored receipts. Stehm is charged with two counts of wire fraud and two counts of filing false tax returns.

Stehm was the controller for Ametek’s Chandler division in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, from about January 2006 through March 2010. In April 2010, Ametek promoted Stehm to be the vice president of finance at its HCC division in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Stehm held that position until November 2012. In both positions, Stehm was his office’s chief accounting officer. According to the information, throughout his employment at Ametek, Stehm used a variety of methods to obtain “reimbursements” for expenses that he either never incurred or that were wholly personal in nature. These methods allegedly included cutting off the tops of receipts or “whiting out” portions of receipts that Stehm submitted with his expense reimbursement claims to make them appear to be business-related. Stehm also allegedly used copies of the same receipts to support multiple expense reimbursement claims.

Ametek is a publicly traded company (symbol AME on the New York Stock Exchange) that manufactures electronic instruments and electromechanical devices for sale in numerous countries. The company is headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, but it has offices in numerous locations in the U.S. and overseas.

The information alleges that among the numerous personal expenses Stehm submitted for reimbursement from Ametek were repairs to his personal cars, private meals, and the purchase of a family dog. Stehm also allegedly hid his illegal income from the Internal Revenue Service and claimed baseless deductions when he filed his tax forms for 2010 and 2011, thereby under-reporting his annual income by more than $100,000 in each of those tax years.

If convicted of all charges, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 46 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $1 million fine, and a $400 special assessment.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark B. Dubnoff.

An indictment or information is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

WEST CHESTER, PA — Students enrolled in the Department of Geology and Astronomy are now actually able to visualize what takes place below the Earth’s surface during events such as an earthquake or volcano, and what may have occurred billions of years ago in space.

This past summer, the University replaced its 44-year-old system of gears and mirrors with a 32-foot nanoseam dome and powerful digital planetarium projector, designed specifically for “full dome” education. Built by Spitz, the world leader in projection domes, and powered by “Starry Night” and “The Layered Earth,” the SciDome XD Touch system provides real time simulation for space and earth science teaching. Students can explore the layers of Earth in 3D detail, or immerse themselves in an interactive visual universe.

“In place of sky views seen only from the Earth, the new system allows students to look beyond the solar system and study star formations or clusters of galaxies and galactic mergers beyond our own Milky Way from any prospective,” says Karen Vandlandingham, associate professor and director of the planetarium.

“Students have the capability of standing on Mars, for example, and of having a view as if they’re next to the rover that was left there.”

“Geology students are taking advantage of this equipment as well,” says Vanlandingham. “The ‘Layered Earth’ program can project huge areas of the Earth onto the dome. Any data base of earthquakes, for example, can be projected – even the center of a quake. Students can also observe what’s happening under the Earth’s surface as a volcano develops.”

Located in the Schmucker Science Center link, the new facility is named after alumna and retired faculty member Dr. Sandra F. Pritchard Mather. In addition to enhancing the educational experience of WCU students, the new planetarium is expected to continue being an exceptional resource for the surrounding community. Each year, thousands of children, local community groups and individuals attend its weekly private presentations and hour-long monthly evening shows – all which begin again on October 18.

Map of Love Park, Philadelphia, PA

Love Park is the name locals have given to John F. Kennedy Plaza in center city Philadelphia. The famous Love sculpture was made by Robert Indiana. It “was first placed in the plaza in 1976 as part of the United States’ Bicentennial celebration. It was removed in 1978, but the sculpture was missed and the chairman of Philadelphia Art Commission, F. Eugene Dixon, Jr., bought the sculpture and permanently placed it in the plaza, in 1978.”

The park is open to the public and free to visit.

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   Love Park Philadelphia PA 2)

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   Love Park Concert Philadelphia PA

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   Trayvon Martin Candle Light March Love Park Philly 2

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   Philadelphia Prohibition Protest Love Park 2)

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   Backdoor Love Daniel Writes Music In Love Park

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   Philadelphia Prohibition Protest Love Park 1)

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   WorstDudesCom Skateboarders at Love Park Philadelphia

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   Greg Sover Ceaser Live Soul Love Park 1

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   Oh Lord Look At As Now Daniel Brouse Love Park

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    Dip Your Toe Into Backwards Love Daniel Brouse Love Park

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    Goodbye From Daniel In Love Park

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    Daniel In Love Park Philly Under Willy Penn

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    Daniel Brouse the Christmas Song Childish in Love Park

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    Greg Sover Ceaser Live Soul Love Park 5

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    Greg Sover Ceaser Live Soul Love Park 4

Although Philadelphia is located less than 100 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, its climate is predominantly influenced by air masses and prevailing winds from an inland direction. The weather is highly variable, characterized by a succession of alternate high and low pressure systems moving, in general, from west to east with average velocities of 30 to 35 miles per hour (mph) in winter and 20 to 25 mph in summer.

The normal paths of practically all low pressure systems affecting weather in the United States are toward the northeast corner of the nation. About 40 percent of the low centers pass very close to Philadelphia and most of the others approach closely enough to exert some influence on Philadelphia weather, resulting in a regular change in weather patterns without any consistent periods of stagnation. The movement of high pressure centers is slowest in summer and early fall and, because the lower edge of the prevailing westerlies aloft is farthest north at the same time, high pressure centers sometimes become stationary for periods of several days near the Philadelphia area. The result is increasing atmospheric stability at such times. This condition is frequently broken up diurnally in the summer because of the length and intensity of the sun’s heating during the day, but strongly stable conditions may persist for a number of successive days in almost any month. Persistent stability, lasting ten days or more, occurs infrequently: on the average, perhaps once in ten years, but it may possibly happen in successive years or more than once in the same year.

Stagnating high pressure systems which result in winds of less than seven mph for a period of seven or more days occurs seldomly. Stagnation lasting four or more days occurred much more frequently and reached a maximum in fall.

During the spring, fall and winter, the weather is dominated by cold air masses of the continental Arctic or continental polar types. These air masses are extremely stable at their source, but are subjected to heating from below as they move across the land, thus generally becoming unstable in the lower few thousand feet by the time they reach Philadelphia. In the summer, the maritime tropical air mass plays as great a part in the weather as the continental air masses. Nocturnal cooling from below produces a high frequency of temperature inversions during the summer, but these are most often broken up or weakened by heating during the day, with ensuing turbulence and mixing at the atmosphere.

Philadelphia is located on the Atlantic Coastal Plain, some 50 miles or more from the nearest mountains (Appalachian) and large bodies of water (Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay). The land and sea breeze effect is practically never felt at Philadelphia and the mountain-valley circulation is non-existent.

Within the City itself there are very few marked extremes in topography. Elevations range from sea level at the southern and southwestern extremities of the City to 400 to 450 feet above sea level in the northwestern section (Chestnut Hill), about ten miles away. The Wissahickon Creek and the Schuylkill River flow through the north western part of the City, however, and along these two streams there are some rather sharp rises in elevation, as much as 100 to 200 feet in a horizontal distance of 500 feet. Such extremes are quite limited and would not influence the meteorological patterns which affect the City as a whole. They could, of course, contribute to 2013 – 2014 AMNP increased air pollution problems in a small local area within the City under certain circumstances.

In general, the topography of the City and the immediate surrounding area is such that it would make no significant contribution to increased air stagnation and stability over and above that produced by the meteorological pattern.

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Thousands of people are anticipated to take part in the World Food Day March Against Monsanto on Saturday, October 12 at 2:00PM at Independence Mall, Philadelphia, PA.

Organizers said:
Everyone Should Be Spreading The Word!

As, the World Food Day March Against Monsanto fast approaches we need everyone to help out in any way possible. First and foremost, everyone should be spreading the word to friends, family and co-workers to stand up for Food Freedom, protect our pollinators and secure our planet.

Join us this Saturday October 5th in Bardacino Park for a pre-march, sign making, potluck style event . We will also be silk screening shirt for the march with the Occupy Monsanto Logo O12, so please bring your own clothing for screening. We would encourage everyone to bring something to share with others like non GMO snacks or art supplies. Bring musical instruments and spend the day. We will have stickers and shirts available as well. Clink the link and r.s.v.p https://www.facebook.com/events/338522656294533/

We are proud to announce Senator Daylin Leach will be speaking again at the rally on Oct 12th about Pennsylvania’s “Right To Know” legislation SB 653. He has also expressed interest in joining us for the march as well !! This is Absolutely AMAZING NEWS !! Our Senator will be marching with us. Spread the word. We are also proud to announce author Jon McGoran will be joining us, as well as, COVVHA Founder Kelly Derricks.

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DOWNINGTOWN, PA — On October 5 at approximately 5 PM, the Pennsylvania State Police colluded with the Downingtown Police Department to commit crimes against a citizen. The incident started when the Pennsylvania State Police made an illegal stop of a vehicle headed westbound on Route 322 prior to Boot Road. The victim was forced to take field sobriety tests though he clearly was not under the influence.

After the victim successfully passed the tests, the State Police officer called in a unit from the Downingtown Police Department. For no apparent reason, the officer from Downingtown insisted on administering a breathalyzer test. The officer had trouble getting the unit to function properly; nevertheless, it was administered. Multiple attempts were made to obtain a reading. Then, the State Police officer said, “it registered way over the limit”. At that time, the officer assaulted and restrained the victim against his will.

Two more State Police officers arrived on the scene. The victim was administered yet another breathalyzer test from a different unit. It was determined that the victim was not driving under the influence, and he was released without being given a citation.

Anyone with information on Pennsylvania State Police or Downingtown Police Department corruption is asked to contact investigators: