Farmers’ Markets are nothing new but they’re becoming more common and more frequented and you voted this the Best Trend of 2012.
 

Survey Says

 
Chances are a good number of you deleted your Instagram accounts after casting your vote in its favor over Pinterest in our Readers’ Poll earlier this year. Oops. What’s a self-respecting photographer to do when the service he signed up for pulls the free carpet ride out from under his feet? While cynics insist they’re not surprised as they roll their eyes at the outraged, those who deleted their accounts can’t bear the thought of a billion dollar corporation making money off their creativity without sharing a red-eyed cent. Others just don’t want pics of their kids showing up in a commercial for bad parenting without their permission. At press time it looked like the mobile photo sharing site might be reconsidering its policy changes in light of the bad publicity. The only certainty is that we can’t be certain of anything — the rules change so fast in the digital age by the time you get done signing off on one set of terms and condition they’re asking you to accept a new one.
 
The lingering miserable state of the economy has left us a little sensitive about inequitable compensation. Statistics have shown those with the big bucks getting richer riding on the broken backs of increasingly productive workers whose stagnant wages can’t keep up with inflation. So yeah, people are getting cranky. Take the promise of that steaming cup of illusion away and they’re going to stop getting out of bed in the morning. Blame whoever you want, it doesn’t look like many of us are better off than we were four years ago.
 
The trends aren’t all bad. Farmers’ Markets are popping up all over The 570 these days. The increased visibility and accessibility is making it easier for you to support the local economy and help strengthen prospects for area farming families faced with keeping operations feasible for future generations. Many of these direct marketplaces are delivering not only with organically grown produce, dairy and meat products with a fraction of the carbon footprint of imported goods, but also handmade artisan breads, soaps, and other necessary consumables. The promise that such positive change is possible almost makes us feel bad about joking about the mythical apocalypse that might prevent you from reading this issue. Gasp! The horror!
When asked what you’ll be doing today assuming the world were to end tomorrow and you answered, “50 shades of …”
 
How mysterious. You are, of course, referring to E L James’s provocative Fifty Shades trilogy, but are we meant to take this literally or as a metaphor? We’ve seen plenty of parodies since the surprising success of the books. Do you mean Fifty Shades of Bacon or perhaps Fifty Shades of Marketing Bad Erotica? Whatever the ellipse might represent, with no walk of shame to hold you back, you are inspired to plunge into what ever you’re doing with desperate abandon a la Anastasia Steele’s willing consent to sensual experimentation. Or maybe you’re just going to hurry up and get your kinky on before the bell rings. In any case, it sounds a lot more invigorating than the binge boozing our Lackawanna County readers proposed.
 
 
American Idol, the X-Factor or the Voice? The Voice • Best Catchphrase of 2012 Suck it! • Best Community Volunteer Shannon Doyle • Best E-Reader Kindle • Best Headline in 2012 Sandusky Found Guilty • Best Local Politician Rep. Gerald Mullery • Best Local Trend Farmers’ markets • You Know You’re in NEPA When … Everyone’s drunk and attends LCCC • Worst Local Trend Economy • Worst Catchphrase of 2012 Are you better off now than you were four years ago? • The world ends tomorrow. What are you doing today? 50 shades of … • iPhone or Droid? iPhone • Instagram or Pinterest? Instagram • Bus, Bike or Buy Gas? Buy gas • Best Place to Work Heinz Wilkes-Barre Rehab Center (Allied Services) • Best Thing to Happen in 2012 Sandusky sent to prison