The LuLac Edition #459, April 13th, 2008

PHOTO INDEX: 13 QUESTIONS BY SEATRAIN LOGO.

13 QUESTIONS

1. HOW DO YOU FEEL THE MEDIA HAS TREATED SENATOR HILLARY CLINTON ON HER CAMPAIGN BID?

NATIONALLY, I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN CHALLENGES FOR THE CLINTON CAMPAIGN, SOME SELF INFLICTED. ON A LOCAL BASIS, THE CLINTON CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN VERY COOPERATIVE AND THE COVERAGE THEY HAVE RECIEVED IS VERY GOOD. HOWEVER, MANY LOCAL MEDIA PEOPLE HAVE SAID IT WAS EASIER DEALING WITH THE OBAMA PEOPLE THAN THE CLINTON STAFF. WHEN I WENT TO KING'S COLLEGE TO SEE HILLARY, I DID NOT FIND THAT TO BE THE CASE.

2. ONE OF YOUR FELLOW BLOGGERS, "WILKES BARRE ON LINE" WAS NOT HAPPY HE HAD TO PAY FOR A CAMPAIGN BUTTON FROM THE OBAMA CAMP. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

I THINK PAYING FOR A CAMPAIGN BUTTON VIOLATES THE SPIRIT OF VOLUNTEERISM IN A CAMPAIGN. I REMEMBER AS A LITTLE KID GETTING BUTTONS FROM ALL TYPE OF CANDIDATES. THE 1967 REPUBLICANS EVEN GAVE OUT SODA BOTTLE CAPS TO KEEP THOSE BIG 40 OZ. BOTTLES FRESH. I READ "THE WILKES BARRE ONLINE" ACCOUNT AND THOUGHT IT COULD'VE BEEN HANDLED BETTER BY THE OBAMA STAFF. ALL THAT SAID, I HAVE NO PROBLEMS THOUGH PAYING FOR CAMPAIGN ITEMS. IT HELPS FUND AND FUEL THE EFFORT. IN 2004, I BOUGHT A NUMBER OF KERRY YARD SIGNS (THEY KEPT ON GETTING STOLEN OR VANDALIZED) AS WELL AS CAMPAIGN GEAR. I ALSO BOUGHT A TON OF HOWARD DEAN STUFF THAT I HAD PLANNED TO WEAR IN THE SPRING, HAD A FEW YARD SIGNS TOO BUT THEN THERE WAS IOWA AND THE SCREAM AND THAT WAS THAT! WHEN DEAN CAME TO WILKES IN 2004, I DID WEAR THE SHIRT AND HE ENJOYED SEEING THAT POINTING AT MY ATTIRE. SO I HAVE NO PROBLEM PAYING FOR CAMPAIGN STUFF. I THINK THE SOLUTION IS TO OFFER ONE THING FOR FREE AND THEN CHARGE FOR THE MORE UPGRADED THINGS PEOPLE MAY DESIRE.

3. SQUARE CUT OR ROUND?

I LEAN TOWARD THE SQUARE CUTS GIVEN MY AFFINITY FOR "VICTORY PIG", "ALFREDO'S", AND "THE SANITARY BAKERY"PIZZA. MY LATE GODMOTHER, ANNE YONKI USED TO BRING ME PIZZA FROM REBECK'S CAFE IN THE JUNCTION AND THAT WAS SQUARE CUT. THE BEST SLICE I BELIEVE YOU CAN GET IS AT SERPICO'S AND THE GROTTO. THEY GO DOWN EASY. BUT I CAN EAT PIZZA ANY PLACE, ANY TIME.

4. WHEN YOU WERE IN RADIO, TELL ME YOUR FAVORITE ON AIR STAFF PEOPLE YOU DEALT WITH?

THERE WERE MANY BUT MY FAVORITES WERE DANIELS AND WEBSTER FROM ROCK 107. KIND, DECENT, DOWN TO EARTH AND NEVER INCLINED TO TAKE ANYTHING SERIOUSLY ON OR OFF THE AIR. REAL GOOD GUYS. TALENTED TOO.

5. HOW WILL THE SCRANTON/WILKES BARRE YANKEES DRAW THIS YEAR?

PRETTY WELL, BUT I THINK YOU'LL SEE A BIT OF A LETDOWN AFTER THE FIRST YEAR. I CAN BE WRONG BUT I THINK IT WON'T BE AS CRAZY AS LAST YEAR.

6. ANY THOUGHTS ON SENATOR OBAMA'S RECENT COMMENTS?

A FEW. (a). IT GIVES SENATOR CLINTON AN OPENING TO ATTACK IN THIS VERY TIGHT RACE. (b) THE REMARKS PUT THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN ON THE DEFENSIVE JUST AS HE WAS GAINING GROUND FAST IN PENNSYLVANIA. I THINK THE COMMENTS STOPPED HIM COLD. (c) HAD HE MADE THE SPEECH IN PENNSYLVANIA, I DON'T THINK THERE WOULD BE THAT MUCH DAMAGE BUT BECAUSE HE MADE THEM IN CALIFORNIA, IT GAVE THE PERCEPTION THAT HE WAS SAYING ONE THING SOMEPLACE ABOUT PEOPLE IN ANOTHER AREA.

7. ARE YOU A WEST COAST OR EAST COAST GUY?

I CAN BE BOTH. I HATE THE EAST AND ITS WINTER SEASON BUT LOVE BEING CLOSE TO EVERYTHING. HAVING BEEN TO CALIFORNIA A FEW TIMES, I CAN TELL YOU I LOVE THE PLACE, THE WEATHER, THE OCEAN, THE SUPERFICIALITY, ALL OF IT. PLUS I THINK BEING ABLE TO SEE A FOOTBALL GAME AT 9AM ON A SUNDAY MORNING MIGHT BE PRETTY COOL.

8. YOU HAVE A PRETTY PROLIFIC BLOG/SITE. ARE THERE DAYS WHEN YOU ARE EVER STUCK WITH SOMETHING TO SAY?

NOT MANY. THINGS IN LULAC LAND AND POLITICS ARE ALWAYS INTERESTING. THERE ARE DAYS WHEN YOU GET WRITER'S BLOCK, BUT YOU OVERCOME THEM. MOST OF MY IDEAS COME WHEN I'M EITHER IN CHURCH OR HAVING SOME QUIET TIME BY MYSELF. WHEN I DRIVE TOO, THAT STIRS THE THOUGHT PROCESS. SOMETIMES I'LL HEAR ONE THING AND THINK OF ANOTHER AND WRITE ABOUT THAT, SORT OF A STRANGE TYPE OF WORD ASSOCIATION.

9. HAVE YOU PUT YOUR TOP DOWN YET AND ANY INTEREST IN THE NEW CHRYSLER RAG TOPS?

I POP THE TOP WHEN IT HITS 75 DEGREES. NEVER BEFORE. AND AS FAR AS BUYING A BRAND NEW CAR, ARE YOU KIDDING ME? IF I HAD ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD AND LIVED HERE, THE LAST THING I WOULD BUY WOULD BE A NEW CAR. THE ROADS ARE DEPLORABLE. EVERYWHERE. SOUTH FRANKLIN STREET IS A MESS, SOME OF THE SIDE STREETS IN BOTH WILKES BARRE AND SCRANTON ARE FILLED WITH MOON CRATERS AND THE PARKING LOTS IN PLACES LIKE TARGET HAVE DEEP HOLES IN THEM EVERYTIME IT RAINS GIVEN THE FACT THAT THAT AREA WAS WETLANDS. NOPE, NO NEW CAR FOR ME IN THIS TOWN. AS SOON AS YOU HIT THE STREETS, IT DEVALUES THE CAR BY THOUSANDS, NOT TO SAY SCREWS UP THE ALLIGNMENTS.

10. DID YOU EVER HAVE A FAVORITE MONKEE?

LIKED THEIR MUSIC A LOT BUT THE ANSWER IS NO.

11. WHY ARE YOU GOING TO SEE THIS POPE?

MANY PEOPLE ASK THAT, THEY SAY "WHEN THE ROCK STAR POPE CAME TO AMERICA, YOU NEVER WENT. NOW THIS GUY COMES, WHY?" I GUESS THE ANSWER IS I THINK THE GUY HAS A TOUGH ACT TO FOLLOW AND I RESPECT HIM FOR TRYING TO OVERCOME THAT.

12. YOU SEEM TO GO OUT OF YOUR WAY TO DEFEND POLITICIANS LIKE GREG SKREPENAK AND OTHER DUBIOUS CHARACTERS. WHY?

I GUESS YOU NEVER SAW MY EDITIONS ON BOB CORDARO, DICK CHENEY OR GEORGE BUSH. LOOK, SKREP HAS HIS PROBLEMS, SELF IMPOSED BUT SO FAR THERE ARE NO LEGAL CONSEQUENCES HE HAS TO FACE FOR THEM. COULD HE HAVE DONE THINGS DIFFERENTLY? OF COURSE BUT I'M SURE HE KNOWS THAT AND DOESN'T NEED TO HEAR THAT FROM ME.

13. DO YOU EVER BLOG IN YOUR PAJAMAS?

BY CHOICE, I DON'T OWN ANY PAJAMAS.