I will never make fun of...

[Rev Rob]

I will never poke fun at Pennsylvanians again ~~ here's why...

Several years ago I had the opportunity to fish the fabled waters of the Little J and Spruce Creek. On the Little J I was shocked at the amount of garbage left of the banks of famous waters. I had looked forward to that experience for months ~~ only to be disappointed by the condition of the banks of the river.

Fast forward to Monday of this week...

I took my daughter and a friend to our denomination's camp in the Sequoia National Forest. While I was in the area I decided to take the afternoon and fish the Kern River. I had never really fished the Kern ~~ just looked at it as I drove by. When I stopped at a fishable spot in the river I was shocked at the amount of garbage left in the campgrounds. It was 100 times worse than the Little J. Bottles, broken chairs, dirty diapers, even a broken gas grill ~~ and not just in one area ~~ the mess was everywhere.

I repent of my sin and ask all Pennsylvanians to forgive me ~~ have mercy on me.

[Bamboozle]

Pennsylvania may have an exclusive on many things but slobs isn't one of them.

And IMHO it is only getting worse! The lessons are not being taught or learned by the current populace.

I was fishing yesterday in a stream with an exceptional wild trout population that unfortunately travels though some more populated areas. Beside the loads of wild trout I caught I observed:

• A lawn mower

• A bike

• Cans, bottles and assorted garbage

• A computer keyboard

• An air conditioner

But alas, no shopping carts...

...you get the idea.

I naively assumed that the lessons of littering I learned as a kid would be learned by future generations. But none of the garbage I observed yesterday looked as old as me.

It sorta makes me wonder why all the hoopala over saving stuff for future generations when those we saved it for don't seem to care.

You're forgiven BTW.

[modocdan]

'Bam......Hereabouts there's a bounty on shopping carts...I guess they cost big $$ to replace.....maybe that's why ya didn't see any a them..............ModocDan

[Gnu Bee Flyer]

When I went to a newly built school in 1951. The school-ground was a bare field without a playground or even grass. In the years from grade 1 to 6 the land was slowly cleared tree by tree . Grass was planted. Bear scares became fewer and fewer, The rattlers were mostly gone. We students planted a flower garden and even some tomatoes and cucumbers. We took care of that school-ground and were proud to do so.

I took a shortcut across that same school yard last year. 56 years later. The grounds we had kept so clean were littered with broken shards of glass, drinking cups, and god only knows what else.

This is where it starts. In our schools and in our homes. If respect for the land is not taught early on when our kids are young it will never be learned. I regret ever taking that shortcut.

PS I never gnu that it was Pennsylvania's fault though.

[raw69]

• A lawn mower

• A bike

• Cans, bottles and assorted garbage

• A computer keyboard

• An air conditioner

Man, that's what I call structure! There's nothin' better than a grocery cart AND 2 old used tires sitting in a hole.

[Big Bad Wulff]

Our Police seem to be doing everything but enforcing laws(my apologies to all Policemen and women on here) but I really am disappointed in them lately.
All it seems they are interested in is setting up radar and pulling people over(that may be driving safely...just too quickly) but they never seem to pull over the idiot that cuts a left-hand turn(effectively driving on the wrong side of the road).....and many other things like this.
I really feel our citizenry feels they can do whatever they wish with no reprisals from our Police.
Again I am sorry but.............

[jeffnles1]

Our Police seem to be doing everything but enforcing laws(my apologies to all Policemen and women on here) but I really am disappointed in them lately.
All it seems they are interested in is setting up radar and pulling people over(that may be driving safely...just too quickly) but they never seem to pull over the idiot that cuts a left-hand turn(effectively driving on the wrong side of the road).....and many other things like this.
I really feel our citizenry feels they can do whatever they wish with no reprisals from our Police.
Again I am sorry but.............

It's really not the individual police person, it's the management and elected politicians.

Speeding tickets are revenue for the city/county/state. Nothing else but a source of revenue. "court costs" are built into the ticket and most people do not take a speeding ticket to court, pure profit for the city.

Other criminal activities, including littering, consume more of the court's resources and any potential revenue from fines is offset by court dates, potential jail time, etc.

It's all a matter of how we fund our cities and police departments. They focus on the highest volume / lowest cost way to increase city revenue which typically is from speed traps.

'nuff said.

Jeff

[jeffnles1]

I will never poke fun at Pennsylvanians again

That's like saying you'll never make fun of Ohio again. I cannot believe my ears (or eyes in this case).

Jeff

[billknepp]

Hummm, I and many others (New Yorkers mostly) frequently refer to this state er... Commonwealth...as Penciltucky...Wonder where this term came into play!?!?..lol

There are sections on the Penn's that would make ya sick in the stomach...But those lie below the golden 23 miles,But, Then the bait containers festooning the banks of the Catch & Release Fly Fishing ONLY section also tend to do this as well...

[whichwayout]

Hummm, I and many others (New Yorkers mostly) frequently refer to this state er... Commonwealth...as Penciltucky...Wonder where this term came into play!?!?..lol

There are sections on the Penn's that would make ya sick in the stomach...But those lie below the golden 23 miles,But, Then the bait containers festooning the banks of the Catch & Release Fly Fishing ONLY section also tend to do this as well...

I just fished the High Sierra last weekend where you could never drive a car, truck or 4X4 to.(We went in on horses). We were able to drink the water straight from the lakes or creeks without getting sick. The water was cold snow melt above 10,000 feet. I have seen the places you guys are talking about and its always the weekend crowd with no manners or respect. They use the place Sat./Sun. and leave, then come back the next weekend and do in again. I was once a County Park Ranger with a small budget and a 2 man crew. We would get a few thousand people each weekend in the day use area where swimming was aloud. On monday the place looked like a concert had happen. With no money and or crew one week we were only able to empty the trash cans. This was the only trash that got picked up. The grounds were just the way the crowds had left it when they returned the next weekend, and the sad thing was not a single person complained how the park looked. They just went right into the mess and had another weekend of BBQ, Drinking and Swimming. Oh I didn't mention that the Health Dept. came by every monday to take water samples, and in a few hours we would get a phone call telling us that the water had to much of a certien bactiera in it and not to allow people to swim in the lake. This is a 135 ac. man made lake. By friday we would get the water tested again and most of the time the lake would have flushed out by then but not always. Try telling a angry crowd of thousands not to swim in the lake they just crapped in the last weekend not to swim when its over 100 degrees outside. I DON'T MISS THAT JOB AT ALL!!!
The moral of the story is; I hope they stay lazy and don't get horses.