Quick hits
MODERN TIMES: It’s not quite the end of civilization as we know it, but the ratings for MTV’s trashy “Jersey Shore” should be cause for reflection. The show’s premiere drew 8.45 million viewers. That made it the cable channel’s most-watched program ever. In comparison, NBC’s primetime “Winter Classic” featuring the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitols had 4.5 million viewers in the United States. CHRISTMAS TIDINGS: A New Year’s suicide bombing of a Coptic church in Egypt killed 21 people. In addition to that, militant websites posted names and addresses of churches as potential targets, which led many to believe that similar attempts would take place on Orthodox Christmas. So Coptic Christians had a lot to worry about when they went to church on Christmas Eve, despite the heavy security. Instead of showing fear, though, they displayed their faith by packing worship sites.
TEXAS TOAST: Much has been made of the woeful mismanagement of spending in California, which is looking at a $25-plus billion hole in its budget. However, Texas, which is often held up as a paragon for fiscal virtue, isn’t far behind. It must overcome a $15 billion shortfall. One thing is certain: You don’t want to be poor in Texas, which, according to The Associated Press, spends as little as possible on state services.
Beaver County Times