Wednesday, the mailbox contained:
Today, the gasoline prices at the Sheetz @ 1435 Apperson Dr in Salem, VA were:
| Grade | Price |
|---|---|
| Regular | $1.899 |
| Mid | $1.999 |
| Premium | $2.099 |
Gas prices were unchanged today.
[Valleydale Foods](http://www.valleydale.com “Valleydale home page”) in Salem is closing, and 344 people are losing their jobs. The pork processing plant, which has been in Salem since 1936, will shut down in two phases, with the first phase beginning in late January. Smithfield, the owner since 1992, said the plant is not profitable.
Read (Roanoke Times)
Since I’ve moved back to Salem, I’ve always tried to buy Valleydale (local) when buying bacon, sausage, and hot dogs. Whenever we drive near the plant, my youngest will start sniffing the air and say, “Hmmmm. Bacon!”
The Valleydale web site has an [archive of the commercials](http://www.valleydale.com/company/archive.html “Valleydale Commercial Archive”) they ran in the 50’s and 60’s. They are definitely worth checking out (Quicktime).
Thanksgiving was much better this year than [last year](/journal/archives/2004/11/26/151/thanksgiving-sucks-when-youre-away-from-your-family/ “Read the Story”). We, the immediate family, were all together, I cooked for 5 hours, and then we ate. The food was good, and we only had to deal with my mother-in-law for about 30 minutes.
A.E. Telling Us Why She’s Thankful
B. Showing and Telling About Thanksgiving
W. Pretending to Be a Turkey
Buddy hoping he’ll score some turkey
Tuesday, the mailbox contained:
UPS delivered a 200G hard drive that I bought from Staples for $33.44 after a $40 rebate.
Today, the gasoline prices at the Sheetz @ 1435 Apperson Dr in Salem, VA were:
| Grade | Price |
|---|---|
| Regular | $1.899 |
| Mid | $1.999 |
| Premium | $2.099 |
Gas prices were unchanged today.
Hampton Roads lagged only New Bedford, Mass., and Dutch Harbor, Alaska, in the value of its seafood haul in 2004. Commercial fishermen brought in $100.6 million worth of fish and shellfish at docks in Hampton Roads last year, which is up from $78 million in 2003 and more than triple the catch a decade ago. The commercial catch in 2004 for New Bedford was $206 million, and in Dutch Harbor, $155 million.
Read (AP via Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star)
I didn’t know that the Hampton Roads area’s commercial fishing business was that large.
When I hear “Dutch Harbor, Alaska”, I think of Dicovery Channel’s [Deadliest Catch](http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/deadliestcatch/deadliestcatch.html “Discovery Channel”).
Today, the gasoline prices at the Sheetz @ 1435 Apperson Dr in Salem, VA were:
| Grade | Price |
|---|---|
| Regular | $1.899 |
| Mid | $1.999 |
| Premium | $2.099 |
Gas prices were unchanged today.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the trades industry will need to add 100,000 jobs every year through 2012, while also filling an additional 90,000 openings annually for positions vacated by retiring baby boomers and those leaving for other reasons. The jobs are proving a tough sell – not only to young people, but also to their parents and school counselors, who don’t always see the trades as a desirable option.
Read (AP via the Philadelphia Inquirer)
When I got out of the Army in 1986, I worked as an electrician’s helper for several months. My plan at that time was to start the electricain’s apprenticeship program, but after observing the electricians who were making a career of the job, I changed my mind. It seemed like almost all of the career guys regretted their career choice, and I didn’t want to find myself in the same boat 15 years down the road.
Monday, the mailbox contained:
Flickr Photo originally uploaded by haikuluke.
Coyotes have spread to every county in Virginia, and they lack natural enemies here. They will eat whatever is easiest to find, including plants, sheep, cattle, dead animal carcasses, house cats, and even small dogs.
Read (Roanoke Times)
I haven’t seen any coyotes here in Salem, and I didn’t see any when we lived in rural Madison County, VA . I did have a coworker who had a photo on his desk of one he had killed while he was hunting for deer. With all of the cats in this neighborhood, a coyote could eat well here for a couple of months.
Saturday, the mailbox contained:
* December 2005/January 2006 issue of [National Geographic Adventure](http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure) (The Best of Adventure – Your Guide to 2006)
* December 2005/January 2006 issue of [National Wildlife](http://www.nwf.org) (Winners: Best Photos of 2005)
* February 2006 issue of [Backpacker](http://www.backpacker.com) (Readers’ Choice Awards)
* December 2005 issue of [Dance Magazine](http://www.dancemagazine.com) (The Producers The Movie)
* December 2005 issue of [Ode](http://www.odemagazine.com) (Life goes on)
* December 2005 issue of [Blender](http://www.blender.com) (206 Must-Hear Downloads)
* Holiday 2005 [Crutchfield](http://www.crutchfield.com) Catalog (Holiday cheer, guaranteed)
Today, the gasoline prices at the Sheetz @ 1435 Apperson Dr in Salem, VA were:
| Grade | Price |
|---|---|
| Regular | $1.899 |
| Mid | $1.999 |
| Premium | $2.099 |
Gas prices were unchanged today.
Flickr Photo originally uploaded by GirlReporter.
Some Baltimore streets are getting darker at night because thieves are stealing 30-foot light poles, presumably to sell as scrap metal. About 130 aluminum light poles have disappeared in the last several weeks.
Read (WTOP)
How do you steal a 30-foot light pole? I remember reading in The Corner that people would break into houses, steal the plumbing, and sell the plumbing for scrap metal.
A compound in cranberries may help prevent tooth decay and cavities. Scientists have found a compound in the fruit can stop bacteria from clinging to the teeth, blocking the formation of damaging plaque deposits.
Read (BBC)