The LuLac Edition #394, Jan. 13, 2008

PHOTO INDEX: "13 QUESTIONS" BY SEATRAIN 45 CIRCA EARLY '70s.

13 QUESTIONS

1. GIVEN YOUR CRITICISM OF GREG SKREPENAK, WOULD YOU EVER VOTE FOR HIM AGAIN, IF YOU DID AT ALL?

CERTAINLY. MY ONLY PROBLEM WITH SKREP HAS BEEN THE WAY HE HAS REACTED TO SOME OF THE CRITICISM AND SOME OF THE WINS AND LOSSES. I SAW HIM AT THE DEBATES AND THE GUY KNOWS THE INS AND OUT OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT. THE MAN HAS A HANDLE ON THINGS. SURE, I HAVE VOTED FOR HIM AND HOPE TO DO SO AGAIN.

2. YOU STATED IN ONE OF YOUR EDITIONS THAT KATHY BOZINKI HAS BEEN AROUND FOR THIRTY YEARS. THAT WOULD MAKE HER OVER 50, NO?

NO. KATHY IS YOUNGER THAN THAT. SHE IS A SPECIAL BREED OF PERSON THAT LIKE ME, AND COUNTLESS OTHERS GOT THE BROADCAST BUG IN HER TEENS. WHEN SHE STARTED AT WILK RADIO IN THE EIGHTIES AS A RADIO REPORTER, SHE WAS ALREADY A KNOWN COMMODITY. SAME WITH PEOPLE LIKE DAVE DECOSMO WHO IS STILL HURLING IN SOFTBALL GAMES BUT CUT HIS TEETH AS A TEENER ON HAZLETON RADIO. IT IS AN INSIDIOUS DISEASE THAT GRIPS YOU AND MAKES YOU DO STRANGE THINGS LIKE SHADOE STEELE DRIVING FROM DURYEA TO HAZETON TO DO THE OVERNIGHT WEATHER WHEN HE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, MYSELF WORKING AT A RADIO STATION WHEN I WAS 15, AND GUYS LIKE L.A. TARONE OF THE HAZLETON STANDARD SPEAKER WHO WAS WELL KNOWN AS A COLLEGE RADIO HOST, AS WAS BOZINSKI. NOW THERE IS NO WAY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO START OUT AT THAT TENDER AGE BUT SHE WAS ONE OF MANY WHO GRACED THE AIRWAVES BEFORE LEAVING HIGH SCHOOL.

3. GREAT STORY ON YOUR DAD. HOW OLD WAS HE WHEN HE DIED?

SIXTY SIX. LAST NIGHT IN CHURCH I WAS THINKING ABOUT TWO THINGS I LEFT OUT. HE HAD THIS ENORMOUS FAITH THAT HE ACCEPTED AT FACE VALUE. I ENVIED THAT BECAUSE HE NEVER QUESTIONED HIS RELIGION. HE’D TIP HIS HAT EVERYTIME HE PASSED A CHURCH AND EVERYTIME I’D QUESTION HIM. ANNOYED HE’D SAY, “BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT YOUR SUPPOSED TO DO!” WHEN I ASKED FOR MORE OF AN EXPLANATION, I GOT THE SAME ANSWER, SO I JUST SHUP UP AND LET IT BE. ON THE OTHER HAND, HIS FAITH WAS NOT SO BLIND THAT HE COULDN'T SEE A FAKER COMING A MILE AWAY. HE HATED PEOPLE WHO TOLD YOU HOW RELIGIOUS THEY WERE. HE USED TO SAY, AND I HAVE THIS IN MY BOOK, "26 RULES OF LIFE", (STILL ON SALE AT LOCAL BOOK STORES FOR UNDER SEVEN BUCKS!!!!) "IF SOMEONE TELLS YOU HOW MUCH THEY LOVE GOD, PUT YOUR HAND ON YOUR WALLET". AND HE WAS RIGHT. THROUGHOUT MY WORKING LIFE, THE PEOPLE WHO SCREWED ME CARRIED BIBLES AROUND WITH THEM AND TOLD ME HOW THEY WERE "SAVED".

4. FAVORITE BEATLE?

PAUL DEFINITELY. IF I HAD TO LOOK LIKE SOMEONE, I’D WANT TO LOOK LIKE HIM. AND YOU GOTTA LOVE HOW HE STAYED WITH HIS FIRST WIFE THROUGH HER ILLNESS AND ON ANOTHER LEVEL, YA HAVE TO LOVE HOW HE WAS OLDER THAN THE SECOND WIFE’S DAD. NOW THAT’S JUST PLAIN GREAT IN MY TWISTED BOOK. FROM YOU TUBE, HIS LATEST. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fPk5rfpFFU&feature=related.

5. WHO ARE YOU GOING TO VOTE FOR PRESIDENT?

EITHER SENATORS CLINTON OR McCAIN. OBAMA IS INSPIRING BUT THIS COUNTRY IS SO SCREWED UP, WE CAN’T AFFORD A GUY WITH FOUR YEARS EXPERIENCE. REMINDS ME OF THAT MOVIE “DAVE” WHERE THEY HAVE A GUY RUNNING THE COUNTRY WITH NO CLUE. CLINTON HAS THE DESIRE AND PASSION FOR HISTORICAL GLORY AND McCAIN IS A REASONABLE GUY. CLINTON’S GENDER AND NINETIES CONNECTIONS MIGHT HURT HER. McCAIN MIGHT BE HURT WITH THE AGE AND WASHINGTON INSIDER ISSUE TOO. BUT THOSE ARE THE TWO I COULD EASILY VOTE FOR IF THE ELECTION WERE HELD TODAY.

6. DO YOU PRAY?

NOT REALLY. NOT FORMALLY, BUT THE OLDER I GET, THE MORE I FIND MYSELF HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH GOD. HALF THE TIME I THINK I’M GONNA BE STRUCK DEAD BECAUSE GOD IS SAYING, “THIS PUTZ AGAIN!” BUT IN CHURCH, I FIND MYSELF COMMUNING WITH SOME ENTITY. AND INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, MANY OF MY WRITING IDEAS COME WHEN I’M IN CHURCH.

7. FAVORITE CARTOON OF ALL TIME?

NOT A BIG CARTOON BUFF ALTHOUGH I ENJOY “THE FAMILY GUY”. USED TO LIKE “SOUTH PARK” TOO BUT WHEN THEY STARTED MAKING FUN OF JOHN PAUL II'S MEDICAL CONDITION, THEY LOST ME. BUT, FROM 1936, HERE’S A LOONEY TUNES CARTOON THAT I FIND UPROARIOUSLY FUNNY. INVEST ABOUT 8 MINUTES (IMAGINE THE ATTENTION SPAN OF TODAY’S YOUTH TRYING TO SIT STILL FOR THAT LONG!) AND TAKE A LOOK. FROM YOU TUBE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28hk97-vZdQ.

8. FAVORITE TV WAR TIME COMEDY OF THE SIXTIES?

“McHALE’S NAVY” BECAUSE IT WAS JUST SO RIDICLOUS.

9. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF POLITICIANS WEARING RELIGION ON THEIR SLEEVE?

I HATE IT. THE FACT THAT MIKE HIUCKABEE IS RUNNING TOWARD HIS CHRISTIAN ROOTS AND MITT ROMNEY HAS TO DEFEND HIS RELIGION IS REALLY INCREDIBLE TO ME. IT SHOULD BE NO ONE’S BUSININESS. AND FOR RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO ISSUE A MORALITY LITMUS TEST IS IMMORAL IN AND OF ITSELF. I’D LOVE TO SEE ONE CANDIDATE HAVE THE GUTS TO SAY TO ANY HIGH AND MIGHTY RELIGIOUS LEADER, “GO STUFF YOURSELF”. AND AS FAR AS ROMAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS STOPPING PRO CHOICE CANDIDATES FROM HAVING COMMUNION IS ARROGANT AND JUDGEMENTAL. I DON’T THINK JESUS WOULD APPROVE OF THAT. MY PERSONAL FEELING OF MORAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR A LEADER IN THIS COUNTRY IS THIS: AS LONG AS THERE ARE NO DEAD BODIES IN THEIR BED AFTER SLEEP, SEX OR A NAP, THEY’RE FINE WITH ME.

10. LAST BOOK READ?

“SECOND ACTS” BY MARK UPDEGROVE, A HISTORY OF PRESIDENTS AFTER LEAVING OFFICE AND “THE GODFATHER RETURNS” BY MARK WINEGARDNER WITH MOST CHARACTERS BASED ON MARIO PUZO’S NOVELS. IT IS A CONTINUATION OF THE GODFATHER SAGA THAT BRIDGES THE GAP IN THE STORY FROM “GODFATHER 1” TO “GODFATHER 2”. I GOT BOTH OF THEM FOR CHRISTMAS LAST YEAR AND BARELY GOT THROUGH THEM BEFORE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. BUSY, BUSY.

11. FAVORITE WINE?

REISLING ANY TYPE BUT A FRIEND GAVE ME A FEW BOTTLES OF THE FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA WINE LAST CHRISTMAS AND THAT WAS VERY GOOD.

12. STRANGEST MOMENT OF 1968 FOR YOU AS A KID FOLLOWING THE NEWS?

WITH GREAT FANFARE, OUR SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER TOLD US THAT NEW YORK GOVERNOR NELSON ROCKEFELLER WAS ANNOUNCING FOR PRESIDENT AND THAT WE COULD WATCH IT ON TV. TURNS OUT HE DECIDED NOT TO RUN. ALL THREE NETWORKS CARRIED IT. TWO WEEKS LATER, ROCKEFELLER WAS ON TV AGAIN, THIS TIME SAYING HE WOULD RUN WITH ALL THREE NETWORKS COVERING IT. GIVES YOU AN INDICATION WHY HE NEVER HAD A PRAYER FOR THE GOP NOMINATION IN 1968.

13. DID YOU GO TO “THE VIEW-SCRANTON” FRIDAY NIGHT?

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO SOME OF THE GRACIOUS AND TALENTED PARTICIPANTS IN THE LOCAL HENFEST, “PLEASE!”