The LuLac Edition #542, August 21st, 2008

PHOTO INDEX: THE FIRST TOMATO OUT OF MRS. LULAC'S GARDEN, THE FORMER MAYOR OF NEW YORK AND THIS BLOG EDITOR AND THE NEW WOMEN IN THE HOOD, COLLEGE GIRLS AS OPPOSED TO THE FODs.

GIRLS IN THE HOOD

A recent news story told us that College Presidents felt that the drinking age should be lowered to 18. Kind of strange since you would think these grand poobahs of learning would want kids to be bright eyed and bushy tailed when taking classes. My feeling is these college Presidents are not looking after the kids but their own interests. Here’s why:
1. It absolves them of legality issues.
2. No news stories about underage drinking to make the school look bad. (Remember the varsity knucklehead who was found swinging from a tree this spring on North Street in Wilkes Barre?)
3. Takes responsibility off of college personall in trying to enforce underage drinking.
In my neighborhood, we’ve been treated over the years to a whole legion of FOD’s. (Father O’Hara’s Drunks). We live in the northend and our old neighbors have passed away. Their homes went to absentee landlords who did some minor fixing up, then let a gang of young college guys crash, drink, trash the place and then study, all in that order. I’ve seen a young man fling himself off a roof onto North Main Street, shirtless young men in 20 degree weather have broom fights in the middle of the street and more fist fights than ever happened combined at the Club Lee/Glassbar and Whitehouse Café in their heyday. But last summer, something unique happened. A couple bought the house next door for their daughter to live in while attending school. A few women moved in with her. There were parties, beer, but a lot of Dasani and Pepsi mixed in with the Keystone Light. Wrap up time was 1am and the parties were downright genteel. This summer the house behind us was rented out to 5 college age women who went to work addressing the lawn and weeds. Today on North Street, there were two young students planting flowers in front of their new living quarters which I believe at one time was a crack house. Not anymore. I know the semester is brand new but I feel more comfortable with the ladies in the hood rather than the guys. Maybe the girls are more responsible than the mommy pampered guys who drop garbage wherever these please. (Hey Kelso, mom’s in New Jersey, not here!) So at the risk of sounding discriminatory, I say the college Presidents are half right. Let the women drink their Chablis and Lite Beers at the age of 18. As for the guys, let them earn that privilege. To the ladies of King’s College, “Welcome to the neighborhood but be wary of the FOD’s”.

OH YOU GUYS!!!!!

When Democrats gather in Denver next week to nominate Barack Obama for president, they'll be joined by such uninvited guests as Republicans Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney. Like two college guys crashing a debate team, both former candidates will make their presence known to the loyal opposition. What pranksters!
The two former presidential candidates will be among two dozen or so Republicans in the city hoping to get their party's message out during a week dominated by Democratic festivities.
Their slogan? "Not Ready '08: A Mile High and an Inch Deep," a play on the nickname for the high-altitude city in the western United States. Maybe they should've called my friend Gibson up so he could've put them up in his house! Naw, they're most likely using one of McCain's he forgot he had!

THE FESTIVAL

The Pittston Tomato Festival starts today. We wish them luck in the event. An event like this happens when politicians and volunteers make it possible. Through the years guys like Ken Scaz, Val Delia (who had the original idea) Wil Toole, Ed Walsh and Michael Lombardo used their talents to pull off this great event. And all these guys, who sometimes agreed to disagree had one thing in common: they ran in elections, and were into that awful game known as politics. But they got things done and I doubt the Tomato Festival would not be what it is today without their contributions.