Saudi Arabia

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Pennsylvania's nationally recognized veterinary laboratory is preparing more than 6,000 cattle for export to Saudi Arabia and Turkey in the next two months, Ag Secretary Dennis Wolff said. All of the cattle were blood tested for diseases through the lab to meet rigid export requirements and to ensure animal and human safety. "We commend the efforts of those working in the vet laboratory who efficiently and accurately conducted the testing on such a large number of animals," Wolff said.

Hagerstown Community College will offer "Introduction to Arabic" as a 15-week course beginning Aug. 27. The class will meet Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 to 7:40 p.m. on the HCC campus. This course introduces students to the fundamentals of Modern Standard Arabic, with some introduction to the Egyptian dialect. It includes grammar, writing Arabic script, sentence structure, and incorporates the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Arabic customs and culture will be emphasized.

bonnieb@herald-mail.com CHAMBERSBURG, PA. - Seventy-eight thousand American service personnel who served in World War II are unaccounted for. From the Korean War, 8,000. From the Vietnam War, 1,800. From the Cold War, 200, some of whom are civilians. From Desert Storm, 1. The families of these men and women need closure, said Chaplain and Pastor Emeritus Theodore E. Bowers, who currently is serving as national chaplain of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.

chambersburg@herald-mail.com CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - There is a world of difference between Chambersburg and Jidda, Saudi Arabia, but a Wilson College student embarking on a five-month stay at a Saudi women's college expects to adapt well to the culture. Women cannot drive in Saudi Arabia, but Ihsan Abdur-Rahman said Thursday before her departure that will not be a problem. "I don't drive anyway," said Abdur-Rahman, a biology major from Baltimore. The language barrier may prove more daunting, she said.

charlestown@herald-mail.com MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - West Virginia Sen. John Unger may have received some criticism this summer for missing a special legislative session to deal with the debt-ridden Workers' Compensation program, but he figures that pales in comparison to what could be facing state residents. Unger, D-Berkeley, returned from Iraq in late July. While in that country working for a humanitarian aid organization, he got a close-up view of what is at stake in the Middle East, and how it could affect people in this country.

So why are we fighting for such an 'unpeaceful' nation? To the editor: Ann Corcoran and Judy Warner were "Going to protest the protestors," according to a feature article in the March 13 newspaper. I hope they had a good trip. Corcoran has written in The Herald-Mail that "Islam is not a religion of peace" and she has a lengthy letter on that subject in the Latest Letters of the Week for Feb. 23 on the Opinion Page of the electronic paper at www.herald-mail.

"I want to tell the senior citizens that there is help available for people who feel that their driving skills deteriorating. The MVA offers voluntary free testing and all or most of the driving schools have refresher courses. " "I was wondering if anyone ever located the whirlpool over at the Board of Education while the plumbing was being installed?" "I want to make a response to a letter written by Larry Lorshbaugh in the letters to the editor in talking about children with no manners.

SEPT. 13, 1927-APRIL 16, 2009 WAYNESBORO, Pa. -- J. Edward "Ed" Beck, 81, formerly of 40 Eastland Circle, Waynesboro, died at 2:30 a.m. Thursday, April 16, 2009, at Quincy United Methodist Home. Born Sept. 13, 1927, in Waynesboro, he was the only child of Lester E. and Margaret (Anders) Beck. He was a lifelong resident of the Waynesboro area. He attended Waynesboro schools, graduating from Waynesboro High School in 1945. Following training at Sheepshead Bay Maritime Training Center, New York, Beck served with the U.S. Merchant Marine, escorting returning soldiers home from Europe following World War II, traveling to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Algeria, France and the Panama Canal.

SEPT. 13, 1927-APRIL 16, 2009 WAYNESBORO, Pa. -- J. Edward "Ed" Beck, 81, formerly of 40 Eastland Circle, Waynesboro, died at 2:30 a.m. Thursday, April 16, 2009, at Quincy United Methodist Home. Born Sept. 13, 1927, in Waynesboro, he was the only child of Lester E. and Margaret (Anders) Beck. He was a lifelong resident of the Waynesboro area. He attended Waynesboro schools, graduating from Waynesboro High School in 1945. Following training at Sheepshead Bay Maritime Training Center, New York, Beck served with the U.S. Merchant Marine, escorting returning soldiers home from Europe following World War II, traveling to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Algeria, France and the Panama Canal.

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Pennsylvania's nationally recognized veterinary laboratory is preparing more than 6,000 cattle for export to Saudi Arabia and Turkey in the next two months, Ag Secretary Dennis Wolff said. All of the cattle were blood tested for diseases through the lab to meet rigid export requirements and to ensure animal and human safety. "We commend the efforts of those working in the vet laboratory who efficiently and accurately conducted the testing on such a large number of animals," Wolff said.

Hagerstown Community College will offer "Introduction to Arabic" as a 15-week course beginning Aug. 27. The class will meet Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 to 7:40 p.m. on the HCC campus. This course introduces students to the fundamentals of Modern Standard Arabic, with some introduction to the Egyptian dialect. It includes grammar, writing Arabic script, sentence structure, and incorporates the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Arabic customs and culture will be emphasized.

So why are we fighting for such an 'unpeaceful' nation? To the editor: Ann Corcoran and Judy Warner were "Going to protest the protestors," according to a feature article in the March 13 newspaper. I hope they had a good trip. Corcoran has written in The Herald-Mail that "Islam is not a religion of peace" and she has a lengthy letter on that subject in the Latest Letters of the Week for Feb. 23 on the Opinion Page of the electronic paper at www.herald-mail.

Here are some of the calls we have received lately: "In response to the person whose handicapped brother has to pay for health insurance. Rest assured, unless you are an illegal, refugee, or a nonworking citizen of the USA, you are going to have pay for health insurance, rent, food, etc., etc., etc. Isn't it nice to be employed. " - Hagerstown "After voting, something dawned on me, and it was the fact that I saw no kind of religious things when I went in to vote, which I found nice, since religion and politics are becoming more intertwined these days.

bonnieb@herald-mail.com CHAMBERSBURG, PA. - Seventy-eight thousand American service personnel who served in World War II are unaccounted for. From the Korean War, 8,000. From the Vietnam War, 1,800. From the Cold War, 200, some of whom are civilians. From Desert Storm, 1. The families of these men and women need closure, said Chaplain and Pastor Emeritus Theodore E. Bowers, who currently is serving as national chaplain of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.

Editor's note - Please be as brief as possible when calling Mail Call, The Daily Mail's reader call-in line.Mail Call is not staffed on weekends or holidays so it is best to call Mail Call during the week. The Mail Call number is 301-791-6236. You are welcome to leave a recorded message on any subject, but some calls will be screened out. Here are some of the calls we have received lately: "I really wish people who call Mail Call would get their facts straight.

chambersburg@herald-mail.com CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - There is a world of difference between Chambersburg and Jidda, Saudi Arabia, but a Wilson College student embarking on a five-month stay at a Saudi women's college expects to adapt well to the culture. Women cannot drive in Saudi Arabia, but Ihsan Abdur-Rahman said Thursday before her departure that will not be a problem. "I don't drive anyway," said Abdur-Rahman, a biology major from Baltimore. The language barrier may prove more daunting, she said.