The LuLac Edition #879, July 17th, 2009

PHOTO INDEX: OUR 1964 LOGO, OUR HEALTH CARE REFORM LOGO AND SENATOR PRO TEM/LTN. GOVERNOR JOSEPH SCARNATI.

HEALTH CARE COUPLE BACK!

Harry and Louise are coming back to television screens across the country to talk about overhauling health care. This time, they've switched sides. TV ads featuring the fictional couple played a big role in derailing President Bill Clinton's effort to revamp the medical system in the 1990s. Back then, actors Louise Caire Clark and Harry Johnson played a middle-class couple worrying about the changes, and the ads were sponsored by the insurance industry, which was fighting Clinton's plan. Now, they will appear in a $4 million TV campaign supporting a reshaping of health care, sponsored by Families USA, which champions affordable health care for families, and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. Here's the ad:


BUDGET IMPASSE

The Pa. house proposed amendments to a budget bill, although Democrats and Republicans seem no closer to hammering out a deal. The floor action is expected to focus on a Republican alternative to a Democrat-sponsored budget bill. A third option passed the Republican-controlled state Senate more than two months ago. The chamber could have a vote on final passage as early as Friday. Republicans are holding firm against any broad-based tax increases, while Gov. Ed Rendell and the Democrats are arguing for a mixture of cuts and new or expanded taxes. On the budget impasse, consider this. The Legislature and the Governor have had since February 1st to make this budget happen. They essentially did nothing until the end of June. The budget crisis is now in its 17th day. Rank and file members get a $158.00 per diem for being in Harrisburg. In Luzerne County we paid $21,488 in per diem money to reps who are in town doing busy work. In Lackawanna County taxpayers paid $10,744 in per diem money. (I’ve excluded Senator Mellow and Representative Eachus because they are part of the Leadership). It’s nice to hear Kevin Murphy make a speech about the Scranton School for the Deaf and great to hear Eddie Day Pashinski read a speech on people with disabilities who need home care. But what they are doing there has nothing to do with solving the budget crisis. They don’t need to be there! By the way, that $158 per day is in addition to their $70,000 plus salaries. State workers have no pay, funding streams that provide good services to Pennsylvanians are most likely going to be cut. Those cuts will increase unemployment because let’s face it, it is someone’s job to read a library book to children, carry medicine to a home bound disabled person or do an intake form for a mentally challenged person. But the overpaid lawmakers keep going on and on. They continue to be a disgrace. Not one of them has said anything that is long term for their constituents. All they care about is the next election and the next paycheck.

JOE GOES WITH MEMO

Senate President Pro Tempore Joseph Scarnati sent a formal memo to the 49 other senators asking them to declare if they have rental leases for district offices where such an arrangement exists. It didn’t take Sarnati more than a New York minute to go after this issue handed him on a silver platter by Bob Mellow. He said that information may be difficult to obtain otherwise because leases could be held by private firms whose corporate or investor structure is not fully apparent. The missive is in response to revelations earlier this week that Sen. Robert Mellow directed more than $200,000 in state-funded rental payments since 2001 for his office in Peckville, to a company co-owned by his then-wife Diane Mellow. Mr. Mellow obtained her 50 percent ownership stake following the couple's divorce in 2007. The building where the office is located was sold to Ibis Realty in September. Scarnati will introduce a resolution to rescind a current Senate rule that says if a senator or immediate family member has an equity interest in a district office, the Senate chief clerk will get an independent appraisal of the office rental cost. While Scarnati is a Republican, this is truly a bi partisan issue on the face of it. However you can bet that any candidate running on the GOP ticket will point to Mellow’s actions as a misstep that could certainly be exploited politically.

2012 ROUND UP

We’re just ust a thousand days until the first 2012 Presidential primary and a new Gallup poll shows Mitt Romney is leading the potential Republican field. But not by much. Former Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin is in striking distance. He gets the backing of 26% Republicans and GOP-leaning independents, followed by Sarah Palin at 21%, Mike Huckabee at 19%, Newt Gingrich at 14%, Tim Pawlenty at 3%, and Haley Barbour at 2%.Romney's political action committee reported raising $1.6 million in the first part of this year. On the other hand, Sarah Palin’s take was around $700,000. However 60% of the donations to SarahPAC came in the form of contributions less than $200. Experts say that is a high percentage and indicates a very big groundswell of support indicative of the type of contributions that came to both Barack Obama and Ron Paul respectively. And the race is on….

1964

At the Republican National Conventionin San Francisco, U.S. presidential nominee Barry Goldwater declares that "extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice", and "moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue".

The convention was the first since CBS and NBC had expanded their nightly newscasts from 15 minutes to 30 minutes, and the first since the assassination and funeral of President John F. Kennedy redefined the bond between television and politics. In 1960, there were about as many journalists, both print and broadcast, as delegates. In 1964 broadcasters alone outnumbered delegates two to one. Paranoia permeated the convention on the part of the GOP right wing. Conservatives from the West, the South and the Midwest were convinced that the only way moderate "Wall Street Republicans" had been able to run away with the presidential nomination every four years was that "a few secret kingmakers in New York" conspired to steal it, as Illinois activist Phyllis Schlafly put it in a self-published book, A Choice Not an Echo, several hundred thousand copies of which were distributed in the summer of 1964. (Some convention delegates reported receiving more than 60 copies in the mail.) They weren't going to let it be stolen this time.

Bill Scranton, whose patrician family ran the Pennsylvania coal town that bore his name, seemed to comedian Dick Gregory like "the guy who runs to John Wayne for help." (Goldwater looked like a cowboy.) Scranton had entered the race as a last-minute act of noblesse oblige. "Today the nation—and indeed the world—waits to see if another proud political banner will falter, grow limp and collapse in the dust," he had said as he announced his candidacy just four weeks before the convention. "Lincoln would cry out in pain if we sold out our principles."According to a Harris Poll taken late that June, 62 percent of rank and file Republicans preferred Scranton to Goldwater, but the supposed Wall Street kingmakers were in dithering disarray. ("What in God's name has happened to the Republican Party!" muttered Henry Cabot Lodge —the party's 1960 vice presidential nominee—as he paged through the delegate list in his hotel room. "I hardly know any of these people!") The moderates' strategy was to put the Goldwaterites' perceived extremism on televised display, hoping delegates would flock to Scranton after being flooded by telegrams from outraged voters watching at home. That did not happen, Goldwater won the nomination with Barry Goldwater’s 883 to William Scranton’s 214. Nelson Rockefeller, George Romney, Margaret Chase Smith, Congressman Walter Judd, Senator Hiram Fong and former Ambassador to Vietnam and Richard Nixon’s Veep in 1960 got less than 120 respectively. Congressman William Miller of New York was named Goldwater’s Vice President without opposition. The Pennsylvania delegation, disheartened but not sad took the loss in stride knowing full well Scranton’s effort was a political “Hail Mary”. Scranton entered the race because of his revulsion at Goldwater’s vote against the 1964 Civil rights act. Senator Hugh Scott, up for re-election in 1964 was upset by the prospect of a Goldwater nomination and wondered aloud on network TV whether he could carry Pennsylvania. Goldwater did not but in true ticket splitting form, Hugh Scott won a second term from Pennsylvania voters……meanwhile the ’64 Phillies came back from the All Star break in sole possession of first place. They do lose 3 out of 5 to the Reds facing the likes of Joey Jay, Joe Nuxhall and Billl McCool. Chris Short did increase his record to 8-5 during this series and rookie call up Costen Shockley did a passable job at first base……………….In Scranton the role of Mayor William Schmidt is debated by City Council. Councilman Jim Doherty defined the role of as a “strong mayor form of government” and said the chief executive should be like a President or CEO and the Council should act as legislators….Wilkes Barre officials were upset with a New York Times article that was headlined “Pennsylvania’s Scenic Susquehanna”. The article was datelined Wyalusing and city officials were miffed that there was no mention of Wilkes Barre anywhere in the piece…….and in LuLac land, the number 1 song this week was “Under the Boardwalk” by the Drifters.

The LuLac Edition #878, July 16th, 2009

PHOTO INDEX: THE BLOG EDITOR WITH JOHN "TWIG" TWARDZIK AND PATRICK J. "PAT" FADDEN, GOP LOGO AND TWARDZIK ON END SHOT OF WBRE TV NEWSCAST.

NEPAtism CONTINUES?

The Wilkes Barre Area School Board hired the wife of School Board member James Fisher. He was absent and did not vote for her appointment. WBRE TV reports that Mrs. Fisher just received her qualifications for the job. Gee, I wonder how many people out there had their credentials long before Mrs. Fisher did? New board member says she’s (Mrs. Fisher) is a “good fit”. And maybe she is. But with the Wilkes Barre Area School Board under scrutiny and two indicted members this year alone, Height and Dunn, well this just looks bad. Except I guess to the friends of the Fishers. Two additional notes: the Hazleton Area School District has taken the hiring entirely out of the hands of the school board there. Others might want to try that. Looking at my records of the past, it’s ironic that Height and Dunn ran as a team for election. How ironic they seem to be exiting that way.

GIVING “THE OFFICE” PROPS

My friend John Twardzik comes up from Florida every summer. We had lost touch from our days at WRKC FM Radio at King’s College but through the miracle of the Internet, we connected again. Monday night, “Twig”, my friend Pat Fadden and myself went out to Abe’s on South Main then Senunas' on North Main Street. “Twig” had mentioned that he was going to go to Scranton to drop off a prop from Mrs. T’s Pierogies. (His family is associated with that company). I don’t think he realized what a media event it would be. Anyway, our friend was featured in the Times Leader as well as on WBRE TV news. From the Times Leader:
Dropped off by John Twardzik, a Mountain Top native who now resides in Tampa, Fla., the stuffed pierogi bearing a Mrs. T’s Pierogies logo was deemed the best of the bunch by Potis, who’s been doing this for show producers since the show’s inception a half-dozen years ago. “I guarantee this will get on the set. It would not be a prop; it will have permanent placement,” she said holding the stuffed pierogi that wore glasses and a ball cap with the letter “O” for Oliver Onion, the character’s name. Twardzik was visiting his father in Mountain Top when he read about the chamber event. He headed to Mrs. T’s in Shenandoah, Schuylkill County, and grabbed a box of logo items. Though he doesn’t work for the company, it’s owned by relatives. It was his grandmother Mary Twardzik’s recipe that’s used for the pierogies, and she’s the Mrs. T. He said he’s keeping his fingers crossed the item ends up on the show, which he watches religiously. The reaction he got from Potis made him feel good about his decision.
“I think we hit the nail on the head,” Twardzik said.

GOP PICNIC

Renita Fennick, GOP Party Executive Director for OLuzerne County reports that all are invited to a "GOP Family Picnic" on Saturday, August 1 at 1:00pm.
Event: GOP Family Picnic featuring "Food, fun, music and lots of conservatives"
What: Barbecue
Host: CLUB GOP of Luzerne County
Start Time: Saturday, August 1 at 1:00pm
End Time: Saturday, August 1 at 6:00pm
Where: Harteis Farm

BLOG OF NOTE

Check out this blog regarding politics in the land of the Lac, known to others as Lackawanna County and Scranton.
http://thescrantonguardian.blogspot.com/.

The LuLac Edition #877, July 15th, 2009

PHOTO INDEX: RUTH BIELSKI EHHRICH, STAN MUSIAL, AND SENATOR VINCE FUMO IN HAPPIER (LOVE THE COAT, BUT I'D LOSE THE HAT!) TIMES.

FUMO GETS A BREAK

Dawn Timminey, former WBRE TV co-anchor and now working for KYQ in Philadelphia reported Vince Fumo’s sentence with the words “gets a break”. And did he ever!!! The former State Senate powerhouse received only 55 months in jail after being found guilty of more than 130 counts of corruption. Former U.S. Attorney Pat Meehan says Vince Fumo's 55-month prison sentence sends a "disparate message" across the Commonwealth to those in public service who break the law. Meehan vowed to crack down on government corruption while he was chief federal prosecutor; Fumo was one of his targets. Fumo was sentenced yesterday in Philadelphia. The Judge told Fumo “that he was unlike other politicians charged with a crime”. The Judge said he was taking Fumo’s “good works” into consideration giving him less time than his co conspirators who testified against him. To be sure, Fumo had a wonderful career. He was eloquent and very persuasive. His defense of same sex marriage on the Senate floor before he left office was a spell binding, inspirational speech worthy of a modern day Daniel Webster. But Fumo was also known as a person who kept score on even the slightest criticism. His legacy is a bit dubious if you are not a fan of Casino gambling either. The sentencing of the powerful State Senator was closely watched in LuLac land mainly because of the expected rulings on hold against disgraced Judges Ciavarella and Conahan. Patrick Meehan, the chief prosecutor in the Fumo case, as indicated at the top of this story was disappointed.

WHY I LOVE BASEBALL!

Baseball put on a great show last night with the All Star Game. The opening ceremonies focused on the fans of St. Louis as well as the great history there. Until 1958, St. Louis was the western most city in the Majors. President Obama threw out the first pitch, resplendent in his White Sox jacket. His toss did reach the plate. Hall of Famer Stan Musial handed the ball to the Chief Executive.

Other Hall of Fame Cardinals attending were Lou Brock, Bruce Sutter, Ozzie Smith, Bob Gibson and Red Schoendienst. Both “Red” and “Stan the Man” were my dad’s favorite players so I grew up knowing all about them. Watching the All Star game this year in a vertical position was a real treat. One year ago today, I had my cancer surgery. The morphine wore off about 830PM and my hospital room mate (who was in for the same type surgery) woke up at 9:30PM. We both wound up watching the extra inning game until after 2AM. When one of the nurses came in to turn Tony’s TV off, he growled, “Leave it alone, it’s the (expletive deleted) All Star Game.” When she made a move for my part of the room, he said, “Leave his TV be too!”. She did and I dare say that at least in the 50 plus demographic that morning between 12:30AM and 2AM, Fox had a very good cume.
Definition: Cume Rating: The estimated number of different persons who watch at least once during a specified period. Cume rating is expressed as a percentage of the entire metro population.

DEFINING “DEFIANCE”

The Jewish Community Center of Wilkes Barre had an outstanding program on Tuesday night. Ruth Bielski Ehhrich of Florida gave a lecture regarding her family’s role in fighting back the Nazis in World War II. Their struggle was made into a film called “Defiance”. Ehhrich is the daughter of Tuvia Bielski, one of three brothers who formed a type of resistance/shelter for oppressed and attacked Jews more than a half century ago. Bielski-Ehhrich pointed out that she and her family go anywhere they are asked to tell the story of her family and their exploits. On the run and hiding in the deep forests of the then German occupied Poland and Belorussia (World War II), the three Bielski brothers find the impossible task of foraging for food and weapons for their survival. They live, not only with the fear of discovery, contending with neighboring Soviet partisans and knowing whom to trust but also take the responsibility of looking after a large mass of fleeing Polish Jews from the German war machine. Women, men, children, the elderly and the young alike are all hiding in makeshift homes in the dark, cold and unforgiving forests in the darkest times of German occupied Eastern Europe.
Film makers and critics have praised the film as one of the few in motion picture history that view Jewish people as fighting back with a vengeance against the Nazi atrocities instead of being portrayed as victims. The speaker was part of “The Summer Experience” program at the JCC. Here’s a trailer on the film.

The LuLac Edition #876, July 14th, 2009

PHOTO INDEX: TWO CAST MEMBERS OF "MONTY PYTHON". WE HERE IN LULAC LAND ARE NOW AT THAT LEVEL OF POLITICAL ABSURDITY. THE BLOG EDITOR AND GOVERNOR ED IN LESS STRESSFUL TIMES.

LEVELS OF ABSURDITY

If one were to look at this political year in LuLac land, a conclusion could be made that there exists a comedy of many errors. With the problems concerning the Luzerne County Judiciary, the Probation and Sheriff’s office, the PNC Field fiasco as well as the Yankee “deal”, if you couldn’t laugh, you’d be crying. But the recent revelation about Senator Mellow’s rent on a building he owned has put us into another ring of comedy hell. Through 2009, we’ve gone from a skit on Saturday Night Live to Mad Magazine to low rent satire. We are fast approaching another comic level, that of Monty Python. Like a merry go round out of control, where the laughing and surreal comedic events stop, no one can say.

THE GOV CAMPAIGNS

Ed Rendell is now in full campaign mode. Videos are circulating around the state stating his case for a tax increase. The state budget impasse is creating problems on all levels.
GOVERNING: On the governmental level, state employees will be having payless paydays. That means morale will be lower than usual, customer service will be virtually nonexistent and services will be cut. Every facet of state life will be affected from police protection to the distribution of welfare benefits. On PCN last Wednesday, the Governor fielded calls from state employees who were not happy. See, my take on this is that if you are a state worker, you have to know that upon taking the job, your livelihood and career will depend on lawmakers passing a budget on time. While I can sympathize with the missed paychecks, I also refer you to my previous point. The Governor didn’t help matters the other day when he said a statue should be erected to him in the homes of the state employees because he’s making interest free loans available. The problem is that many workers are being denied credit because of dings on their financial records. Now that’s not the Governor’s fault but he’s taking the heat for it.
STRATEGY: Ed Rendell might be a lot of things but a budget strategist, he is not. The Governor is the face of state government and therefore state workers take out their frustration on him. The Governor and the State House seem to be outmaneuvered by a small group of House Republicans and the GOP dominated State Senate. What is happening now is that interest groups are afraid that the House will introduce a budget bill with all of the slashes in funding but no tax increase. This will effectively be a defeat for the Democratic party. It will have a double edged, fatal sword too. Onerous cuts will be made in state funding and no tax increase will be in place to provide a balanced budget. The Dems and the Governor lose all around.
LONG TERM: The Governor is quick to be gracious in his assessment of the problem. While most likely tempted to do so, he does not blame the lawmakers but Wall Street greed instead. Rendell is saying in his latest message to the state that a long term solution must be reached. If services are cut, and they will be, people will suffer. Services the average Pennsylvanian takes for granted will be harder to come by. If there is no new tax increase, I am certain we will pay for it down the line. One must ask the question whether Pennsylvania wants to solve the budget with a short term jingoistic approach that will not raises taxes today. Or will they leave the future of children, senior citizens, environmental activists and basic service users more a legacy of greater costs in the future? The decisions are tough ones and separate the politicos from the statesmen. I’m not crazy about paying more taxes. But the alternative is to do nothing and let problems fester and services dwindle to the point of atrophy. Yesterday the House took a gamble and amended Gov. Ed Rendell's budget to set the level of spending for 2009-10 at $27.8 billion. But it carves out funding for higher education and proposes finding a separate revenue source to fill that $1.3 million need. Among the ideas that Committee Chairman Dwight Evans proposed include an increase in the state's 3.07 personal income tax, an increase in the state's 6 percent sales tax, an expansion of the items subject to sales tax, video poker or some other revenue source yet to be determined. The Higher Education Fund would support the State System of Higher Education, community colleges, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology and the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency's grants to colleges and private colleges. It provides a $300 million increase in funding for schools, which is less than the $418 million that Rendell had proposed. It restores funding for the Scotland School, the Scranton School for the Deaf, hospitals, and libraries. It also requires freezing the state's business assets tax, tapping the Rainy Day Fund, among other revenue sources. In the meantime, Governor Ed is in campaign mode. Take a look at this:

The LuLac Edition #875, July 13th, 2009

PHOTO INDEX: 13 QUESTIONS LOGO.

13 QUESTIONS

1. WHY DO YOU THINK THERE’S LOW ATTENDANCE AT THE SWB YANKEE GAMES?

I HEARD JOE THOMAS AND ROB NYEHARD TALKING ABOUT THIS ON SATURDAY ON THEIR SPORTS SHOW. FIRST OFF, I THINK THE TICKET PRICES PLAY A BIG ROLE. WHEN THE YANKS CAME, THE FIRST YEAR THE PRICES FOR A WALK UP WAS $9.00. THEN THE NEXT YEAR THEY WENT TO I THINK $11.00. YANKEE DIEHARDS I TALKED TO SAID, “HEY, IT’S THE YANKEES”. THIS YEAR TO SIT IN THE LOWER DECK, IT’S $14.00. SO YOU TAKE A FAMILY OF 4 AND RIGHT OFF THE BAT THAT’S MORE THAN FIFTY BUCKS. THE BEAUTY OF THE BARONS WAS THAT IF YOU WERE AROUND THE KITCHEN TABLE ONE NIGHT AND AS A FAMILY DECIDED TO GO TO A GAME ON THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT, YOU COULD GET AWAY WITH PAYING UNDER $25.00 TO SEE THE GAME. IN THIS ECONOMY, FIFTY BUCKS IS FIFTY BUCKS. THE SECOND PROBLEM IS THERE ARE NO GIVEAWAYS TO GIVE TO THE WALK UP FAN. SURE WHEN THE BARONS GAVE AWAY STUFF LIKE BOBBLEHEADS YOU ALWAYS HAD THOSE COLLECTORS WHO TOOK AN ORPHANAGE WITH THEM TO GET THE ITEM AND RE-SELL IT. BUT PROMOTIONS, GIVEAWAYS LIKE UMBRELLAS AND COFFEE MUGS INCREASED THE GATE. AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO PROMOTE YOUR BRAND THAN GIVING “JOE FAN” AN ITEM THAT IS PRACTICAL AND PROMOTABLE. THIRDLY, I THINK THAT THE BARONS WERE “OUR” TEAM. A CONCEPTION OF TWO FORMER FRANCHISES OF OUR GRANDPARENTS, THE WILKES BARRE BARONS AND THE SCRANTON MINERS. I THINK IF THE METS, THE PIRATES OR THE ORIOLES MOVED HERE, THERE MIGHT BE THE SAME RESISTANCE FROM THOSE FANS WHO LOOK AT ANY OTHER TEAM OR ORGANIZATION LIKE THE YANKEES AS INTERLOPERS.

2. DO YOU BELIEVE SHERIFF MIKE SAVOKINAS’ CLAIM THAT HE IS BEING SET UP?

I DO BUT NOT BY PEOPLE HE THINKS. POLITICS IN THIS AREA WOULD MAKE THE WATERGATE CONSPIRATORS SEEM LIKE A BUNCH OF PUPPIES. THAT ELECTION WAS SO CLOSE THAT NOTHING WOULD SURPRISE ME. I GIVE HIM CREDIT FOR NOT HIDING LIKE OTHER ROW OFFICERS UNDER FIRE BUT IT’S BEEN ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER SINCE HE TOOK OFFICE. AND TO ME, THAT CAN’T BE A COINCIDENCE.

3. FAVORITE RIGHT WING TALK SHOW HOST?

LAURA INGRAM.

4. ON THE BASEBALL, DO WE NEED A NEW STADIUM?

NO. AND I DON’T BUY THE ARGUMENT THAT THE MODEL IS AN OLD ONE. IT WOULD BE JUST OUR LUCK IN LULAC LAND THAT WE SPEND MILLIONS ON A NEW BALLPARK THEMED STADIUM AND A YEAR AFTER WE BUILD IT, THE COOKIE CUTTER, MULTI PURPOSE ONES COME BACK IN VOGUE. FIX IT. THE ROMAN COLOSSEUM IS STILL STANDING!!!

5. WHAT GROUP WILL GIVE PRESIDENT OBAMA THE MOST TROUBLE WITH HIS HEALTH CARE REFORM BILL?

MEMBERS OF HIS OWN PARTY. I CAN SEE SOME SEGMENTS OF THE PARTY ALREADY WUSSING OUT. I AGREE WITH THE MANTRA, “GO BIG OR GO HOME.

6. AS A RECOVERING WOMANIZER, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE STEVE McNAIR INCIDENT? WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU HAVE GIVEN HIM?

I'D CERTAINLY TELL HIM NOT TO STRAY, ESPECIALLY WITH KIDS AT HOME. BUT IF HE INSISTED, HERE'S MY THOUGHTS. FIRST OFF, I’D TELL HIM TO STAY WITHIN HIS OWN SOCIAL STRATA. I’M SORRY, A HIGH SCHOOL DROP OUT IS NOT GOING TO HAVE THE EMOTIONAL CAPACITY TO DEAL WITH A MARRIED MAN. ESPECIALLY A FOOTBALL STAR. I MEAN IF THEY BREAK UP, WHERE’S SHE GOING TO GO AFTER THAT? HE'S THE BEST SHE'LL EVER DO. AND THAT'S A DUBIOUS CLAIM. SECOND, NEVER PUT THE FAMILY IN SECOND PLACE ON A HOLIDAY. THIRD, DON’T CHEAT ON THE GIRL FRIEND WITH ANOTHER GIRL FRIEND. IT’S HARD ENOUGH KEEPING YOUR STORIES STRAIGHT WITH THE WIFE. FOURTH, NEVER FALL ASLEEP WITH ANYONE YOU’VE KNOWN FOR LESS THAN 18 MONTHS.

7. WHENEVER THERE’S A NEW REVELATION IN THE LUZERNE COUNTY COURTHOUSE YOU PUT THAT VIDEO UP OF YOU ON WYOU TV ADVISING TO HAVE EVERYBODY QUIT AT THE COURTHOUSE. WHY DO YOU KEEP DOING IT? IT’S GETTING BORING.

ME? BORING? OH, COME NOW! I PUT IT UP TO MAKE A POINT. EVERY OTHER DAY IT SEEMS WE HEAR OF ANOTHER SCAM AT THE COURTHOUSE. YESTERDAY IT WAS A GUY CUTTING HAIR. THERE IS ZERO CONFIDENCE LEFT UNDER THE DOME EXCEPT FOR A FEW. AND UNFORTUNATELY FOR THOSE LEADERS, REFORMING ANYTHING IS LIKE PUSHING A BOULDER UP A MOUNTAIN.

8. FAVORITE SUMMER TIME BAZARR FOOD?

POTATO PANCAKES. ST. AL'S WAS THE BEST. SO WAS ST. CASMIR'S IN HANOVER TWP. TOO BEFORE THEY STOPPED DOING A SUMMER OUTING. SOUR CREAM ON THEM OF COURSE.

9. IN YOUR 1964 SEGMENT, YOU REFERRED TO PHILLIES LEFT FIELDER JOHNNY CALLISON. WHAT WAS HE LIKE?

CALLISON WAS THE RIGHT FIELDER, WES COVINGTON WAS IN LEFT. I MET HIM TWICE. THE FIRST TIME WAS IN 1984 AT THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PHILLIES ’64 SEASON. HE WAS VERY NICE, GAVE ME A NICE, BRIEF INTERVIEW TALKING ABOUT HIS ALL STAR GAME HEROICS. THE NEXT TIME I SAW HIM WAS AT A BOOK SIGNING (HIS) AND HE WAS GOING OFF ON HOW HE MISSED THE BIG MONEY OF BASEBALL FREE AGENCY. HE RETIRED IN 1973 A YEAR OR SO BEFORE PLAYERS STARTED GETTING THE BIG BUCKS AFTER THE ’75 SEASON. HE WAS PRETTY BITTER ABOUT IT BUT THEN AGAIN, I CAN’T FAULT HIM FOR THAT.

10. DO YOU THINK YOU SHOULD SHAMELESSLY PROMOTE PEOPLE YOU LIKE AS WELL AS YOUR OWN BOOKS ON YOUR SITE?

YES. BY THE WAY, HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BLOG SITE FROM DR. JOE?

http://www.fatthenfitnow.com/.

11. ANY WORD ON YOUR NEW NOVEL?

YES. I’M HAPPY TO SAY THAT IT HAS GONE THROUGH ANOTHER EDIT AND MIGHT BE READY BY THE END OF THE YEAR. THERE WERE WAY TOO MANY CHARACTERS, TOO MANY PAGES AND QUITE FRANKLY IT WAS A MESS. WE’RE STILL LOOKING FOR A WORKING TITLE TOO. THIS WAS MUCH HARDER TO PRODUCE THAN THE FIRST EFFORT “A RADIO STORY”. BUT WE’RE ALMOST FINISHED AND IN THE SHAMELESS PROMOTION STYLE THAT IS OUR WONT, WE’LL LET YOU KNOW.

12. YOUR 590 FOREVER BLOG SITE, HOW OFTEN DO YOU UPDATE THAT? IT’S A GREAT TRIBUTE TO WARM RADIO.

THANKS. I TRY TO UPDATE IT TWICE A WEEK. MY GOAL IS TO COME UP WITH 590 MIGHTY MEMORIES. WE’RE STILL IN THE 500s. AS A WARM FAN, EVEN NOW WITH WARM IN ITS CURRENT STATE, WRITING 590 FOREVER IS A LABOR OF LOVE.

13. HOW WOULD YOU GET BIN LADEN OUT OF HIS CAVE?

HAVEN’T RECEIVED THIS QUESTION IN A WHILE. I’D GET ME A BRILLIANT AUDIO/TV/BROADCAST ENGINEER, SOMEBODY LIKE WYLN TV’S BOB ADAMS. I’D ARRANGE TO HAVE BIG ASS SPEAKERS SURROUNDING WHERE HE IS AND A HUGE SCREEN THAT HE CAN’T AVOID. THEN I’D BLARE THIS VIDEO 24/7.

The LuLac Edition #874, July 11th, 2009

PHOTO INDEX: ALL FEMALE FLIGHT CREW, SENATOR ROBERT MELLOW AND ALLENTOWN MORNING CALL COLUMNIST AND CAPITOL IDEAS BLOGGER JOHN MICEK.

MELLOW’S PICNIC

State Senator Robert Mellow had his annual summertime outing at Montage Mountain this past Wednesday. According to my sources, the crowd was pretty big. However there was a lack of legislative star power because of sessions going on in Harrisburg and Washington, D.C. There were staff members from both Senator Casey’s and Specter’s office but the great men were otherwise occupied. However Auditor General Jack Wagner made an appearance as well as all of the candidates running for the statewide Judiciary. Local Judicial candidates for the Lac, Margie Moyle and Frankie Castellano were on hand as well as Evie Refalko McNulty. Senator Mellow did make an appearance later in the evening making the trek up from Harrisburg. You can bet that next year when the Governor’s race and a U.S. Senate re-election campaign is being run, you’ll see the stars at the event. Mellow is closing in on 40 years in the Senate having first won election in 1970 beating GOP incumbent Arthur Piasecki.

GRIFFITH VINDICATED

The opinion of the solicitor of the Home Rule Study Commission indicated Walter Griffith was right to ask for the commission to advertise according to the Sunshine Act. He made the recommendation and the commission voted to approve it. The solicitor's opinion was that he felt the commission was not an agency and wasn't required to follow the Sunshine Act. He felt that for the sake of open and transparent government it is better to follow the Sunshine Act and be safe. No one down the line can challenge the proceedings of the commission that would cost the people a significant amount of money in legal costs. Walter Griffith was saying exactly that! Some people on the commission said he was being "negative". In retrospect, he fought the good for the people of Luzerne County. No sabotage from this guy, only good intentions backed up by facts.

MICEK’S BLOG

Given the budget stalemate in Harrisburg, more information is better than less. To that end, I’m including a link to The Allentown Morning Call’s Harrisburg reporter John Micek's blog, "CAPITOL IDEAS". Micek came to my attention in the earlier part of this decade when I began watching PCN’s “Journalist’s Roundtable”. He is a frequent guest and his blog is essentially a blow by blow account of the inner workings of Harrisburg. With the budget crisis going on, "Capitol Ideas" is a must read. Here’s his link:
http://blogs.mcall.com/capitol_ideas/.

BONUS AGAIN?

Congressman Paul Kanjorski, Chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance, and Government Sponsored Enterprises, expressed his disappointment about recent reports that American International Group (AIG) is seeking to pay $2.4 million in retention bonuses to top executives from the company. “The federal government has now provided AIG with about $180 billion in taxpayer support,” said Kanjorski. “Recent reports that AIG continues to seek to pay out retention bonuses to its employees are extremely disappointing, especially considering that too many families are struggling financially, as a result of the economic crisis to which AIG’s collapse contributed. I have convened hearings on AIG within the Financial Services Committee to examine the company and federal oversight of AIG. Effectively monitoring AIG remains one of my top priorities in the Committee and I anticipate that we will further address this issue at a future hearing. Additionally, at the beginning of the year, Congressman Spencer Bachus, a Republican and I requested that the Government Accountability Office continuously monitor the government’s rescue of AIG and its impact on the U.S. insurance market, as well as other issues like compensation.”

FROM THE NET

A friend sent this from the internet the other day and while I don’t usually pass these on, I thought this was pretty good. (See photo index).
While the C-5 was turning over its engines, a female crewman gave the G.I.s on board the usual information regarding seat belts, emergency exits, etc . Finally, she said, 'Now sit back and enjoy your trip while your captain, Judith Campbell, and crew take you safely to Afghanistan”. An old Master/Sgt. sitting in the eighth row thought to himself, 'Did I hear her right? Is the captain a woman? 'When the attendant came by he said 'Did I understand you right? Is the Captain a woman?' 'Yes,' said the attendant, 'In fact, this entire crew is female.' 'My God,' he said, 'I wish I had two double scotch and sodas. I don't know what to think with only women up there in the cockpit.' 'That's another thing, Sergeant,' said the crew member, 'We No Longer Call It The Cockpit.'

The LuLac Edition #873, July 10th, 2009

PHOTO INDEX: OUR 1964 LOGO, WILK'S SUE HENRY, THIS BLOG EDITOR WITH THE LATE GREAT PHILLIE JOHNNY CALLISON ON THE 25th ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1964 SEASON.

FOUL BALLS???

Two Pioneers football players were arrested by Wilkes-Barre Police early Thursday morning. The Times Leader reported that Jason Prince Acquaye, 23, of South Empire Street, Wilkes-Barre and Justin Denmar Parrish, 25, whose addressed is listed as the Ramada Inn on Public Square, Wilkes-Barre, were arrested in connection to a large disturbance at Luna Lounge, South Main Street, early Thursday. Police said they responded to the bar on the report that a man was waiving a gun. After officers arrived, police found 60 people running out of Luna. While police were talking to Parrish, he ran after a man and jumped on his back and began punching him. Police said Nicole Allen tried to break up the fight involving Parrish when Parrish punched her in the face. Allen fell back four to five feet, hit her head on the pavement and was knocked unconscious. She was taken to Geisinger Medical Center, Plains Township, for head injuries. When you have athletes in a town with testosterone running high you’ll have this. But these guys crossed a line. They essentially attacked police officers who were trying to keep the peace and protect people. This was not your typical fight that ended with combatants shaking hands when it was over. This put people at risk. It’s nice to have a big time Arena team in the area, it’s nice to have them go undefeated. It’s not so nice to have thugs on the team. Here is a comment from a reader to the Times Leader that typifies the reaction of the people here:
i can almost gurantee that they are no not wilkes barre residents... thanks pioneer football league for having all the thugs on the team ... the franchise makes us all really proud, and by the way what a great role model for our children... we will never come back to the games....THANK YOU
And people, remember this rule from an old fart like myself; nothing good comes out of being in a bar after midnight.

THE STADIUM

It appears there is trouble in River City regarding the Yankees and the Stadium. The Scranton Times did a story on the fiasco and interviewed former County Commissioner Bob Cordaro. Cordaro said the grass was only a temporary fix because there were plans to build a new stadium. Too bad he never told anyone about those plans. Cordaro brought in the Yanks, plain and simple as a pre election ploy. He thought he’d be able to fix any misconceptions and concerns in a second term. The voters saw to it that he did not have that opportunity. Cordaro said today that the Stadium was the oldest one in the International League. Yeah, about 2 decades old. When it opened in 1989, every other stadium in the league was a dump. They were falling apart. Scranton Wilkes Barre’s field was something they aspired to be. The stadium does need repairs but they don’t need a new ball field. Sue Henry made the point that Fenway Park was built in 1912. It went through changes but didn’t need a new park. Neither do we. The Yankees will be gone by 2011 or sooner, gone to Newark. What we need to do now is repair what we have and try to get another team to root for. When the Yankees came, we scoffed at the Lehigh Valley stadium delay and that name The Iron Pigs. Guess who’s having the last laugh! And one more thing, someone should investigate that contract Cordaro negotiated and see if there are any other surprises he might have not mentioned.

HEALTH CARE UPDATE

House Democrats at work on health legislation are narrowing in on an income tax surcharge on the highest-paid wage earners to help pay the cost of subsidizing insurance for the 50 million who lack it. Pushing to complete a comprehensive health care bill by Friday and bring it up for committee votes next week, House Democrats abandoned earlier money-raising proposals, including a payroll tax. They planned to meet behind closed doors Thursday to fine-tune the details. The action in the House stood in contrast to the Senate, where Democrats edged away from their goal of passing health care legislation by early August amid heightening partisan controversy over tax increases and a proposed new government role in providing insurance to consumers. As discussed in the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, the surtax would apply to individuals with adjusted gross income of more than $200,000 and couples over $250,000, according to officials involved in the discussion. Most spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks were private. In addition, key lawmakers are expected to call for a tax or fee equal to a percentage of a worker's salary on employers who do not offer health benefits. The White House expressed its support Wednesday for the emerging House legislation, noting that the Congressional Budget Office had said planned changes to Medicare would save more than $500 billion over 10 years. A significant part of that money would come from the steep reduction in subsidies paid to insurance companies that offer private Medicare coverage.

HERE’S PAULIE!!!!!

Congressman Paul Kanjorski, chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets, Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises, will appear on CNBC’s Squawk Box for two hours on Monday to co-host the program. He will discuss a variety of issues including regulatory reform of the financial services industry. Kanjorski will co-host the show from 6 a.m. to 8 am. (He has to get up as early as Kristi Capel!!) The lawmaker will discuss a variety of issues including regulatory reform of the financial services industry.

PATIENCE PLEASE!!!

It's not just state workers who aren't getting paid until leaders pass a budget. The hard times are trickling down to the private sector, where businesses that depend on the state for contracted work are being told to wait patiently, and not to expect any checks anytime soon. Gov. Ed Rendell sent a letter to about 5,000 vendors, asking for understanding during the legislative squabble. Businesses with relationships to the state have much choice but to comply. Larger companies can swallow the pill by relying on other profits, while smaller businesses are digging into reserves.

1964

U.S. military personnel announce that U.S. casualties in Vietnam have risen to 1,387, including 399 dead and 17 MIA……..Big time lobbying is happening prior to the 1964 Republican convention in San Francisco. Challenger William Scranton of Pennsylvania and other GOP moderates work very hard to paint Senator Barry Goldwater as a candidate who cannot win in November. They point to his vote against the civil right act of 1964 as proof………………State Police Commissioner William Purdy urged more than 100 regional police officers to set aside their own personal prejudices when dealing with criminals. The meeting was held at Genetti’s in Wilkes Barre and focused in on social responsibility of racial matters in the Commonwealth…….Forty five years ago the All Star Game was played before a crowd of 50,000 people at Shea Stadium. Phillies outfielder Johnny Callison was the star. The 1964 All-Star Game has been described as one of the most exciting ever as the National League came from behind to win in a dramatic ninth-inning rally. Red Sox ace Dick Radatz was on the mound and had already thrown two hitless innings. Willie Mays, in a tough at-bat, got the walk and then stole second. Orlando Cepeda followed with a soft looper to right field scoring Mays due to a bad Joe Pepitone throw to the plate. Two quick outs and a walk later, Johnny Callison hammered a fast ball into the right field stands scoring three runs, giving the Nationals their sixth win in seven games and finally evening up the series……..Joseph McGowan, the secretary of the Scranton Chamber of Commerce hosted a tour of foreign businessmen to Scranton area industrial sites…….On local TV, on WDAU TV, every morning at 9:27AM you saw an advertisement for the U.S. Airforce. Here’s what it looked like:

and in LuLac Land and America the number 1 song was “Memphis” by Johnny Rivers.