The LuLac Edition #477, May 13th, 2008

PHOTO INDEX: SEATRAIN 13 QUESTIONS.

13 QUESTIONS

1. NOW THAT THE PRIMARY SEASON IS WINDING DOWN, THOUGHTS ON RUNNING MATES?

I’M STILL STICKING WITH MY ORIGINAL PICKS, IF NOT OBAMA-CLINTON, CLINTON-OBAMA, I THINK AN OBAMA-BLOOMBERG TICKET FOR THE DEMS AND A McCAIN-BARBOUR TICKET WILL BE THE FINAL TEAMS FACING EACH OTHER.

2. DAVE, YOUR FAVORITE POLITICAL PARTY, THE GREENS HAVE OPENED UP CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS ON SOUTH MAIN STREET, ACROSS FROM THE FEDERAL COURTHOUSE. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?

I SAW THEIR BUILDING AND LIKE THOSE RAN PAUL SIGNS, MY REACTIONS ARE, “WHAT’S THE POINT?”, “WHO CARES” AND “SO WHAT!”

3. FAVORITE TABLOID NEW YORK NEWSPAPER, THE DAILY NEWS OR THE POST?

I GREW UP WITH THE DAILY NEWS. THE POST IS EVEN TOO LOW LEVEL FOR MY DOG. HAD A DALLIANCE WITH NEW YORK NEWSDAY IN THE NINETIES BUT THERE’S NOTHING LIKE THE DAILY NEWS.

4.IS HOME RULE STILL GOING TO BE AN OPTION IN LUZERNE COUNTY POLITICS?

COMMISSIONER PETRILLA HAS PERSUASIVELY TALKED THE PROPONENTS OF HOME RULE INTO A WAIT AND SEE BUT ANY MORE REVELATIONS WILL BE A MOTIVATING FACTOR TO CHANGE.

5. DID YOU HAVE ANY POLITICAL HEROES IN THE PITTSTON AREA GROWING UP?

NOT REALLY. THEY JUST WERE PART OF THE WOODWORK ALTHOUGH OUR NEIGHBOR AL KRIDLO WAS A LONG TIME COUNCILMAN. HE TOOK PRIDE IN MAKING SURE HIS WARD WAS TAKEN CARE OF BUT OTHER THAN HIM, NONE REALLY STOOD OUT. THIS WAS THE TIME WHEN MAYOR BOB LOFTUS, TREASURER SADIE COSGROVE AND CHIEF CLERK TONY FERARRO RAN THINGS VERY TIGHTLY. MY UNCLE TIMMY PRIBULA WAS A GOOD GUY TO LEARN FROM AND HE WAS A LONG TIME WYOMING AREA SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER.

6. HEY, WHO’S GOING TO BE THE NEW LUZERNE COUNTY CONTROLLER?

DON’T KNOW, GOVERNOR ED HAS AN APPOINTMENT IN PLACE BUT THE GUY’S NAME IS ON ABOUT 300 OTHER OFFICES STATEWIDE. WE’LL KNOW WHEN WE KNOW.

7. ANY REACTION TO THE CASEY FOR VEEP STORIES?

NO. IT’S A POLITICAL WAY OF SAYING THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT. THEN THE AFOREMENTIONED POSSIBLE CANDIDATE GETS A NEWS BOOST, PEOPLE ARE IMPRESSED AND THEN OB LA DI, OB LA DAH, LIFE GOES ON. I REMEMBER THE 1968 NIXON CAMPAIGN, EVERYTIME HE GOT AN ENDORSEMENT, OR NEEDED ONE, THEY’D FLOAT A NAME OUT THERE AS A POSSIBLE VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE. BY THE TIME HE GOT TO THE CONVENTION IN MIAMI, HALF THE PARTY SEEMED TO BE PROMISED THE JOB. IRONICALLY HE WOUND UP PICKING A GUY, SPIRO AGNEW WHO WAS A BIG ROCKEFELLER SUPPORTER.

8.DAVE, THE GLIDER DINER, WHY IS IT AN INSTITUTION?

MAINLY BECAUSE AS A FAMILY BUSINESS IT HAS SURVIVED THE RAVAGES OF TIME AND CHAIN RESTAURAUNTS. PLACES LIKE CHICK’S DINER, VICTORY PIG PIZZA, ABE’S, CONEY ISLAND ALL ARE LANDMARKS AND ARE TREATED AS SUCH BY THE LOCALS. FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, THEY’RE CALLED “JOINTS”. SOME OF MY BEST MEMORIES OF THE GLIDER ARE FROM MY DAYS AT ROCK 107 WHERE THE SALES REPS WOULD GATHER TO TALK ABOUT THEIR DAY OR LACK THEREOF.

9. I UNDERSTAND YOU’RE NOT A BIG DRINKER BUT HAVE YOU EVER HAD A BEER DRINKING SONG IN YOUR PAST?

YEAH, WHEN I WORKED AT THE CALL CENTER ON SOUTH MAIN STREET, ONCE IN A WHILE WE’D GO FOR A POP AND WIND UP SINGING THE JOE DOWELL HIT FROM 1961 “WOODEN HEART”. ONE TIME, WHEN WE WERE IN SALISBURY, MARYLAND (THE CALL CENTER AT THE START HAD AN OFFICE THERE TOO) WE SANG THAT SONG IN A BAR DRINKING CORONAS AND SOME GERMAN TOURISTS VISITING OCEAN CITY (THE TOWN NEXT DOOR TO SALISBURY) STARTED DOING THE GERMAN CHORUS. THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THE SONG IS THAT ELVIS WAS SET TO RECORD IT AFTER GETTING BACK FROM GERMANY BUT DOWELL’S PEOPLE HAD A FACTORY PRINT THOUSANDS OF THEM AND HIS SONG HIT FIRST, RELEGATING ELVIS AND COLONEL PARKER TO SECOND PLACE. IF YOU’D LIKE TO SING ALONG, HERE IT IS FROM YOU TUBE: http://youtube.com/watch?v=dsOTzv3nl18.

10.BEST SUNDAY NEWS SHOW?

I TAPE AND WATCH ALL OF THEM. MY FAVORITE THOUGH HAS TO BE ESPN’S “THE SPORTS REPORTERS” DURING THE WORLD SERIES AND THE NFL SEASON.

11. THE SCRANTON MAYORAL RACE NEXT YEAR, DOHERTY AGAIN?

MAYBE. ONLY TWO SCRANTON MAYORS HAVE WON THIRD TERMS, ONE OF THEM RECENTLY BEING JIMMY CONNORS. DOHERTY HAS A BASE BUT IF GARY DEBILIO TRIES AGAIN, WHO KNOWS. SCRANTON HAS A REPUTATION FOR NOT KEEPING MAYORS THAT LONG. 1961-1965, WILLIAM SCHMIDT, R, ONE TERM, 1965-1969, JAMES WALSH, D, ONE TERM, 1969-1977, EUGENE PETERS, R, TWO TERMS, 1977-1981, EUGENE HICKEY, D, ONE TERM, 1981-1985, JIM McNULTY, D, ONE TERM, AND 1985-1989, DAVID WENTZEL, R, ONE TERM. A LOT OF TURNOVER IF YOU ASK ME.

12.ANY FEELINGS ABOUT THE GAS PRICES?

WE ARE GETTING SCREWED, PLAIN AND SIMPLE. THE ONLY CONSOLATION I HAVE IS THAT PEOPLE DRIVING THOSE SUV’S AND TUV’S ARE PAYING WAY MORE THAN MY SEABRING RAGTOP TAKES. AND YOU GOTTA LOVE THOSE MORONS IN THOSE HUGE PICK UP TRUCKS PAYING A FRANKLIN FOR A FILL UP. YEAH, WE KNOW YOU’RE A MAN, DON’T NEED TO SEE YOUR TRUCK.

13. WHAT’S A TUV?

TOTALLY UNNECESSARY VEHICLE. A HUMMER IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA OR A 90 POUND WOMAN DRIVING A 10 SEATER ESCALADE. NOT NECESSARY.