Topic: Reading (Pennsylvania)

Groundhog Day: 5 things you need to know about Punxsutwney Phil

Every Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil makes the most celebrated weather forecast of the year, usually around the crack of dawn. But does he get it right? And who are those dapper guys in top hats? Here are answers to five famous Phil mysteries.

Top 7 dumb times to use a smartphone

Smartphones are great. Who would have ever thought that you could carry a telephone, address book, computer, camera, and all of your e-mail in just your pocket? However, as with any technology, it's liable to be misused. This isn’t just limited to talking on the phone at the wrong time; typing on the keyboard or sneaking a glance at the latest text messages can get us into a lot of trouble, too. Here are my Top 7 dumbest moments to use a smartphone:

Taylor Swift donates thousands of books to Pennsylvania library

Reps for the singer told the library she wants to help libraries going through tough times.

Five reasons the S&P downgrade isn’t so bad – and one word of caution

If the Standard & Poors downgrade of US debt from AAA to AA+ worries investors enough, the US may be forced to pay higher interest on its debt, which could affect interest rates across the economy, from mortgages to car loans. But for now, economists say, the economic impact of the downgrade will likely be minimal and US Treasury bonds will continue to be the investment vehicle of choice for American and overseas investors. “Despite the drop in the rating and the fact that the US economy is going through a fiscal crisis, it’s still one of the safest places to invest,” says Farhad Saboori, an economist at Albright College in Reading, Penn. Here are five reasons why the downgrade isn’t as bad as it seems, and a reminder not to take it too lightly:

E-mail overload? Three ways to tame your in box.

Could something as simple as e-mail really solve America’s current economic woes? Consider its drag on productivity: With more than 294 billion e-mails sent worldwide every day, office workers spend a quarter of their working hours on e-mail-related tasks. You can make a powerful improvement in your output – and boost American productivity in the process – by making a few adjustments to your in-box routine. Here are three ways to eliminate your e-mail overload:

Merit or mega-hits?

Have the most coveted music awards gone commercial? Domination by top 40 stars makes it look that way.

John Updike: A look back

Why more offices are going to the dogs

Pets can reduce stress, managers say. Yet most firms want Fido to stay at home.

Letters to the Editor

Readers write about election-race speeches, Huckabee and Evangelicals, and college tuition.