Dealing with Sky Rocketing Gas Prices - Improve Your Gas Mileage

In today’s Inquirer, Tony Gnoffo taps the issue on everyone’s mind – improving gas mileage. With Philadelphia region’s gas prices hitting new highs of $3.50 and in South Jersey $3.35, everyone is looking to cut costs and improve their gas mileage any way they can.

Gnoffo suggests trying techniques like hypermiling or ecodriving. According to Gnoffo, they both involve a radical approach to driving in a society that seems to view speed limits as minimums. The approach simply involves slowing down.

Gnoffo’s tips include:

- Taking your foot off the gas and coasting to red lights.
- When the light turns green, go easy on the gas pedal.
- On the highway set the cruise control to the speed limit or perhaps even lower.
- Observe the speed limit.
- Remove excess weight and roof racks when they are not being used.
- Keep tires fully inflated.

To see more gas mileage improving strategies, check out sites like cleanmpg.com, ecodrive.org, ecomodder.com, fueleconomy.gov, greenmpg.com and hypermiling.com.

Dick Polman Remembers Judge Lisa Richette - A Perfect Tribute

Dick Polman, a national political colomnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer tells the most brilliant story of the life of Judge Lisa Richette in Obit Magazine. He tells the story of Judge Richette who was a trailblazer for women, attorneys, jurists, Italian-Americans, Philadelphia Justinians, children and the homeless! She was truly one of the most brilliant and yet extremely flamboyant women I've had the pleasure to know. She embraced life and law.

I remember a particular homicide case more that a decade ago when I worked for the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Jude Conroy was the Philadelphia prosecutor. The case was against a couple who left their disabled young child in a crib inside their house - only heated by kerosene - to go out and sell crack and induldge themselves. The house caught on fire and by the time the child was rescued, he was burned over a large percentage of his body. The child lived for months (perhaps seven if my memory is right) in severe pain and then died. It was a bench trial (no jury) and the judge found the couple guilty of homicide. I remember crying in the back of the room for the child and knowing that the judge did the right thing. She came down so hard on those parents - her words stung deep - but she was right - she was brilliant - she was passionate - and she followed the letter of the law.

Judge Richette was the first woman judge in Philadelphia and an active member of The Justinian Society. As stated so nicely by Rudolph Garcia, Chancellor of The Justinian Society:

"Judge Richette epitomized the ideals of The Justinian Society and was an inspiration to all of us. In 1994, we selected her as the first recipient of the Beccaria Award. Since then, the award has been presented annually by the Justinian Society and the Criminal Justice Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association to a legal jurist, scholar or practitioner for outstanding contributions to the cause of justice and the advancement of legal education. Judge Richette also was the first recipient of The Justinian Society’s Outstanding Women in the Law Award, in June 2000."

Thank you to Dick Polman for remembering Judge Richette. She truly deserves the accolades.

Dan Cirucci on Life Celebrations - Philadelphia Inquirer

Daniel Cirucci contributes a brilliant commentary to The Philadelphia Inquirer titled Funerals needn't be so deathly. Dan is a PR guru, colleague and friend. He reflects on the trend toward "life celebrations." I like the idea of a life celebration personally. It makes mortality easier to digest. He says:

Death just ain't what it used to be.

So why not just forget about death altogether. Let's dwell on life and just party on - even in the presence of the corpse. Makes sense, right?

Dan - I love ya buddy! Yes, let's party on! Celebrate life!