C A P I C O S T I A

Social Security Is Not The 'W' Word One thing that today's political arguements are doing for the general public, is to help us to understand just what Social Security is. Unfortunately, some of our Congress people still don't seem to understand what it means. Like me, an older woman in my social Security age range, You may remember seeing "FICA"(?) as a deduction on your pay stub. I learned years ago that FICA meant SS. I didn't have the understanding that it also covered payments into "Medicare." In more recent times this information has been spelled out more clearly on pay stubs. In other words folks, these are programs we have paid for, along with our employers who are required to match our contributions. So, double what you contribute is sured for you. ____________ that our money is somewhere earning interect, so there should be a lot. We receive reinbursements in the form of SS checks when we arrive at our _______________ age. In My case th...

Brangler Oppossum (above) is the only thing gathering in these hills, my friends. (Originally published, July 23rd, 2009) If it seems some Penn Branch folk are always bellyaching about the lack of quailty retail in our neighborhood, don’t judge us too harshly. It’s more than just bellyaching. Prior to the Reagan Era 80s and the Inflation that preceded it, this neighborhood had plenty! I remember drugstore diners with GREAT coffee, movies at the Hyland Theatre (at the Hyland Cinema , once located next to the Pope Funeral Home) and, with valet, at Coral Hill . There were even several restaurants, a cocktail lounge or two, a bowling alley, ..and all right here, in and around Penn Branch. I remember seeing my neighbors at these places and the feeling of relaxed belonging and protection it gave me. I remember hearing my father laugh about bumping into Mr. Such N. Such at that cocktail lounge, and how, after the encounter, he’d decided that Such N. Such probably wasn’t such a bad guy, after...