Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 80

Jan 12 2011 North Zone PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE 13, 2011 WWW.POST-GAZETTE.COM N-3 N-3 I not as if I sit here with a quill and parchment. I did write my college papers on an electric typewriter, but Macs were then the size of a toaster and about as versatile. I hate wasted paper, and I hate that so much of it is addressed to me. I hate the printed advertisements for things not going to buy, the charity solicitations not going to respond to (although they never, ever give up asking), the bulletins from politicians I will or will not vote for regardless of what they mail me, and of course the endless bills and statements. When my mother was ill and I started getting her mail, too, there were days when I had to muscle the front door open against the resistance of all the trash that had been stuffed through the mail slot.

Aside from the annoyance of having to put down my bags of groceries or laundry to deal with the avalanche of paper or risk slipping on it I am offended by the waste. a fan of trees. I go around hugging them, at least not ones I been introduced to, but I think there are nobler purposes for which they could give their lives than catalogs and address labels. (Please, for the love of all holy, STOP WITH THE ADDRESS LABELS. I need them.

First of all, hideous. Second, I send that much mail. NO ONE sends that much mail except, possibly, YOU.) Why the incessant barrage of paper in a digital cyberworld? like being pecked to death by ducks but found that being pecked to death by virtual ducks is just as maddening. Just about every envelope you get now taunts you with an invitation to go green, save trees and transact your business online. Hooray! But have you actually attempted to do this? Save yourself some time: Go out to a garden center and purchase some trees and a shovel.

Wait till spring, then plant them. This will be easier. And faster. Because when I sit down to pay bills, I have in front of me my checkbook, a pen and a sheet of stamps. When I sit down to register to pay online, I have in front of me my laptop, my checkbook, a credit card, my previous (paper) statement with my account number on it, my phone, my license, my tax returns from the past five years, my hat size, my VIN and a couple of Xanax.

Mind you, this is no guaran- tee of success. Security experts tell us that unless you generate and commit to memory a vast array of constantly changing and unique passwords for all online transactions, your identity will be stolen, and spend the next 10 years trying to pull your credit score out of single digits and fighting charges for porn you never got the chance to feel guilty about. But ever write your passwords down. No. That would be convenient.

So you end up using the same two or three passwords for everything, but that help you keep all your user IDs straight, which is really, really hard if you have a common last name. Which of my aliases am I on this site: samanthaben- nett, sambennett, sambennett1, sambennettpgh, sbennett412, sickofthis123 or aaaarrrggh666? Every site has a different length requirement. Guess just type them all in one after another until I give up and answer the about my favorite pet and the hospital where my best friend from high school was born. Then e-mail me the damn ID and passwords. Unless is not the e-mail address we have on record for this Fifteen seconds with the checkbook and the envelope provided.

Mission accomplished. Timberrrrr! Samantha Bennett, freelance writer: s.bennett520@yahoo.com. Internet, shminternet, the junk mail just keeps coming samantha bennett By Rita Michel Shaler commissioners gave unanimous approval Tuesday to a request by Shaler Associates to subdivide the site of the Giant Eagle on Route 8 that closed yesterday for a plan to be called Shaler Village. The site will include a combination store, gas station and carwash; an as-yet unidentified bank; and a ministrip mall. A timetable for construction was not provided.

A new Giant Eagle was slated to open this morning across the highway from the closed store. In other matters, commissioners appointed new and continuing volunteers to its various boards and committees. Conrad Wagner and Thaddeus Fields will start four-year terms as members of the plan- ning commission when the committee has its first 2011 meeting in February. Both terms will expire on Jan. 1, 2015.

Richard Schulz has been reappointed to serve a three-year term on the Shaler North Hills Library Board. He will be joined by new member Karen Cross, who will also serve for three years. The board will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday in the library. Sherri Martin, administrative assistant to Timothy Rogers, township manager, was appointed to the Educational Service Agency.

Mr. Rogers said the sole purpose of this position is to bill the Shaler Area School District for half the cost of employing crossing guards throughout the township. Shaler Second Ward commissioner Lori Mizgorski will join resident Jan Chirdon as township representatives on the Allegheny River Towns Enterprise Zone. Richard Schmitz will begin a serving a three-year term on the zoning hearing board at its February meeting. David Shutter, Third Ward commissioner, began a four-year term at the Shaler Emergency Management Services Rita Michel, freelance writer: com Officials OK subdivision for old Giant Eagle site AT A GLANCE Cranberry manager Jerry Andree will continue his periodic coffee klatches with the public this year.

and sessions are informal meetings without agenda that provide a chance to chat with township residents. The first was scheduled for Tuesday. Additional sessions are planned for 7:30 p.m. Feb. 22 at Cranberry Community United Presbyterian Church, 2662 Rochester Road; and 9:30 a.m.

April 6, Crazy Mocha Coffee Shop, Freedom Square, 1185 Freedom Road. No reservations are required, but for planning purposes, those who will attend are asked to call 724-776-4806. Cranberr Manager to share coffee with residents THE TH MS SCHOOLS Board opposes outside sales School board members are opposing a proposal by an Arkansas company to sell Mars Area School District logo clothing at local discount stores. Pel Industries Inc. asked for permission to sell clothing with the district logo at Wal-Mart and K-Mart for one year.

Superintendent William Pettigrew said 8 percent of sale proceeds would be given to the school district. But at the agenda meeting Jan. 6, members said outside sales would compete with district organizations that sell the clothing. The athletic department and some of the school parent- teacher organizations sell Mars Area goods for fundraisers, said board member J. Dayle Ferguson.

want to take away from school she said. would just prefer to support our own Dr. Pettigrew said many other companies and organizations sell Mars Area apparel without permission, and the money does not come back to the school district. have created their own lines of things that have nothing to do with the school he said. least this way, if they do do it, get something Sandy Trozzo Ross commissioners agreed Monday to talk with police Chief Ralph Freedman about staying on briefly as a police consultant after his Feb.

1 retirement. The board approved a resolution that would authorize an agreement with Mr. Freedman for four-month appointment. Mr. Freedman would be paid $2,500 per month and work at least 25 hours per week.

The resolution passed 5-4 with Dan DeMarco, Chris Rand Eyster, Peter Ferraro, David Mikec and Gerald voting for it. Daniel Kinross, Lana Mazur, Grant Montgomery and Grace Stanko voted against it. Mr. Montgomery and Mr. Ferraro participated in the meeting via telephone.

Mr. Montgomery was stuck in Atlanta because of the snow and Mr. Ferraro was on vacation in Florida. Sandy Trozzo OSS Board wants police chief as consultant HaM TO School district hires faculty Hampton Township school board hired several long-term substitute administrators and teachers Monday. Kathleen Good will serve as long-term substitute assistant principal at Hampton Middle School.

Jason Roos was hired as a long-term substitute technology education teacher at Hampton High School. And Melissa Maley will service as long-term substitute elementary guidance counselor at Central Elementary School. Rita Michel A tention: A People who are going places in life go here first. moreinformationandabranchnearyou. Startthenewyearright! changestoyourspendingandsavinghabitstoday.

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