i») ) wi 4 pe "ee The Dallas Post Dallas, PA Wednesday, May 17, 1995 isE John W. Johnson I attended an Earth Day cele- bration recently at my daughter's school. It was wonderful to see both young and old interest in the ®t. But as the euphoria of Earth Day is shunted away in our video tape mentality — we can recall that we were concerned about it; just roll the tape—what is needed is continuing grass roots involve- ment in the real world fact that we cannot continue to mortgage our environmental future. And we have been doing so @hroughout history. Some back- Scholars tell us that civiliza- tion began with grain growers in Mesopotamia, ending up today as what is now desert in the country of Iraq. How did it become desert? Our forebears developed irri- gation systems which could not be sustained in that part of the orld. The parallels today are “continued rain forest destruc- tions, and acid rain, both caused by our economic activities. Our basis for these economic decisions begins with our assign- ment of a higher value of a dollar of income we receive today than a dollar promised for delivery ayear from now. We have a tendency to ‘discount’ the future dollar to a wer present value. In the same way, we also dis- count future costs. The further into the future a cost is delayed, the lower its current value. We as a nation must convince our gov- ernments and our economic en- gines to stop discounting the fu- ture. We have only one planet, and we're only renters. Put another way, the vinyl sid- ng-salesmen are doing a land office business in Pennsylvania for one, simple reason: Pennsyl- vania is the epicenter for acid rain, whereby our homes now must be painted every three years, ourwater heaters replaced in 2-4 years, etc. ete, ad nauseam...back to the economy. The net cash value of caring for environment The 1977 Clean Air Act was supposed to take giant strides forward in the elimination of air pollution, the chief culprit of which is fossil fuel burning power plants and automobiles. However, the law permitted existing plants to continue opera- tions without making pollution updates. Pollution control equip- ment was only required on new plants. And the auto makers continued to beg off efficient pol- lution control by lobbying Con- gress for delays. In short, corporate America has simply instituted what it usually does when asked to spend some of its own money: that is, delay the process as long as possible so the quarterly reports will look good. This has been accomplished by the traditional ‘back and fill method since 1977, with corpo- rate America repairing and con- tinuing to operate outdated plants to delay the purchase of pollution control equipment, while continu- ing to lobby Congress for delays in, i.e., auto pollution controls. Again, the basis for these eco- nomic decisions by corporate America begins with the assign- ment of a higher value to a dollar of income we receive today than to a dollar promised for delivery a year from now. Why does corpo- rate America do this? Because we are currently functioning with not- of-the-real-world corporate man- agement. Accountants, trained in classi- cal ‘count-the-beans’ thinking, do little to provide meaningful and realistic financial data tools for corporate managers, i.e., classi- cal financial management de- mands earnings per share num- bers—the bottom line—when such numbers are a misleading assess- ment of a company’s underlying economic activity or its current and potential value. Left out of the accountant’s equation, for example, is the people asset, and that only one measurement of current or future value. Senior corporate management, on the other hand, and with compensation plans for them- selves tied to (guess what) earn- ings-per-share numbers, are re- luctant to seek or apply relevant financial data. Instead, near maniacal methods of achieving short-term quarterly earnings per share growth are used, i.e., ship- ping unordered goods to compa- nies, even private citizens. The objective in doing so is to then be able to report increased quarterly sales-income/profits. The last time I knew, paper income has little to do with actual cash, and cash is all that will ultimately satisfy bankers, the IRS, little old ladies who go grocery shopping, and your children who want the latest offered by corporate Amer- ica. Many American corporations are gorging themselves on a diet of antique and manipulative fi- nancial tools, cooked in a literally rusting corporate infrastructure— average age of U.S. plant and equipment is 20 years; average in Japan is 10 years—while drink- ing the lifeblood of its economy with even smaller concentric circles of short-term thinking and methodology. Looking at the local economy, and the question of acid rain, there couldn't be a more penny- wise and pound-foolish perspec- tive because the single most valu- able resource in this corner of the state is water. Without water, what happens to the water intensive dairy in- dustry? Our hunting? Our fishing? Our boating? Our swimming? And our second home indus- try, all of which together are, in fact, the local economy. We seem to understand the value of water when protesting the proposed stealing of that water by the Delaware River Basin . Commission. Or when the Na- tional Park Service wants to take future water rights away from us by establishing strict guidelines foractivities along the upper Dela- ware River. Or when the Army Corps of Engineers wants to en- large Prompton Dam. Bu we can't seem to compre- hend that if we don't mount a grass roots effort to stop acid rain, then the water will become unus- able. : Not really complicated, is it? It won't be cheap, but it must be done. _ e Library news Celebrating 50 years of community service By NANCY KOZEMCHAK The Back Mountain Memorial Library is celebrating its 50th year in 1995. The library cookbook, “ ‘Chefs and Artists’ is available for sale as the 50th anniversary copy of the cookbook for $12.95 at the front desk in the library. There are just 200 copies of the cook- book available for sale during this 50th year celebration. We are selling auction bells at the front desk for $1.00 each. These will be hung in the lobby of the library and the name of the @ person buying the bell can be written on the line on the bell. These will be the seed money for the 49th annual library auction which will be held on the auction grounds July 6, 7, 8 and 9. The 7th annual ‘Luncheon with a special Author/Artist’ sponsored by the Friends of the Library was a huge success with 190 people in attendance. The entire afternoon was a delightful experience. Sue Hand presented a very interesting program and painting. Our friendly library photogra- pher, Carol King, took pictures of the ‘creation ofa watercolor paint- ing’ during the luncheon and we have the 14 pictures showing the creation from start to finish. This is hanging on the bulletin boad in the library for everyone to enjoy. New books at the library: “Romance” by Ed McBain is nota mystery, it's a story of survival and triumph, so some people would say. It is a would-be hit play about an actress pursued by a knife-wielding stalker. Butisn't it romantic! Before the show can open, the leading lady is really attacked, outside the theater. And before the detectives of the 87th can solve that crime, the same actessis stabbed again. This time for keeps. “Thin Air” by Robert B. Parker is a taut, wily, and witty thriller. A beautiful woman vanishes, leav- ing Spenser to probe the myster- ies of her checkered past, in a masterful work of detection that leads him on a trail of obsession andviolence. This is a private-eye classic in the grand American tradition. It is a tale as haunting as a Coltrane solo, packing the wallop of a knockout punch. Spenser discovers all about Lisa and her past. “The Trial of Elizabeth Cree” by Peter Ackroyd takes place in the autumn of 1880, when a series of brutal murders shakes the im- poverished London neighborhood of Limehouse. : As the merchants, immigrants and prostitutes of Limehouse panic, the murders attract the attention of three remarkable men of the times. As the police inves- tigate, the popular press claims the killings are the work of a ‘go- lem’ a savage creature of Jewish folklore. “ : Joan, why haven't you written? Let the Back Mountain know what you think by writing a letter to the editor. Always include your name, address and a daytime phone number; “we don't publish anonymous letters. Send letters to: The Dallas Post, P.O. Box 366, Dallas, PA 18612 MOUNT OLIVET CEMETERY 612 MOUNT OLIVET ROAD (CARVERTON, PA) P.O. BOX 257 « WYOMING, PA 18644-0257 717-696-3636 « Fred Graham, Superintendent For A Limited Time Only Ask About Our Special Program Discounts BURLAL PLANNING MAKES SENSE The Catholic Cemetery is an important part of our faith. It bears witness to our belief in the resur- rection of the body and eternal life. Its importance makes it wise, and prudent, to make burial arrange- ments before the need arises. The staff of MT. OLIVET CEMETERY offers catholic families the opportunity for per- sonal contact concerning the pur- chase of burial spaces. We offer the traditional in- ground burial spaces, private mau- soleum lots as well as the above- ground garden crypt mausoleums. (3 Ochman's donates major auction item Ochman Coins and Jewelry of Dallas has donated a special item for the 49th annual Back Mountain Memorial Library auction. It is a Rhodolite garnet bracelet in 14K gold, a 7" strand with 15 stones. The bracelet is valued at $550. ing the bracelet at her store on Church Street in Dallas. ~~ ibrary ER BE For 49 summers, the people of the Back Mountain He : come together to donate their goods, services and time to the auction block of the Back Mountain Memorial Library. = The life of the library is a year-to-year proposition, and the : auction is crucial to its operation. Twenty-five percent of the annual budget comes from the auction. This year's 49th annual auction will be held July 6-9 at the library grounds on Huntsville Road in Dallas. iT Artie] Any and all donations of cash or saleable items can help assure. the continued fine service of the library to our communities. For more information, call the library at 675-1182. : I Support the:Back:-Mountain:Library ” | | One-fourth of the library's annual budget comes You can help. Your donation of an item or money L. from the auction. will help your library survive and prosper. July 6-7-8-9 I QI have an item to donate. Call me for details. I OQ Here's a cash donationof$ —_ to help the library. ty Mail or bring to: Back Mountain Memorial Library 5 : 96 Huntsville Road, Dallas PA 18612 1 ! Call 675-1182 if you have any questions. Donations are tax-deductible. 4; a This message donated as a public service by The Dallas Post : i LP ol I OQ Here's my donation to the Back Mountain Memorial Library of Name Phone “4 J] Address City/State Zip 1 all I EE Life Improvement Loans™ "Bia STITT They Had Twice As Many Reasons To Get A Loan. We Helped Them Find The Right One. ~~ + A title Ha Pog Plus A 100% Rebate Of Up To 30 Days Interest. When their family doubled in size, so did their borrowing needs. So we told them about Mellon loans and personal credit lines that offer a 100% rebate of up to 30 ; days of interest. We also showed them how to qualify for an even lower interest rate Te and savings on other bank services with our Smart Account: Visit a Mellon office Aas today or call 1800 MELLON-2 to apply for a loan that fits your growing needs. @) Mellon Bank : You're why we do our very best? 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Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers