The LuLac Edition #1435, Jan. 13th, 2011

PHOTO INDEX: 13 QUESTIONS LOGO.

13 QUESTIONS

1.LAST WEEKEND WAS CERTAINLY A JOLT TO THE BODY POLITIC. ANY COMMENTS?

I LIVED THROUGH THE 60s WHEN BOTH LYNDON JOHNSON AND RICHARD NIXON WERE ROUTINELY VILIFIED BY BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT. ONE DECADE SAW FIVE POLITICAL ASSASSINATIONS SO THIS IS NOTHING NEW. BUT BACK THEN THE INFORMATION FLOW WAS LESS INTENSE. TODAY YOU CAN PUT UP A VIDEO IN MINUTES. WITH CABLE NEWS THEY WANT TO GET IT FAST INSTEAD OF GETTING IT RIGHT. THE RHETORIC NEEDS TO BE TONED DOWN ON BOTH SIDES. FACEBOOK PAGES WISHING SARAH PALIN DEAD ARE JUST AS DISTASTEFUL AND NON PRODUCTIVE AS THE ONES THAT VILIFY PRESIDENT OBAMA. WE NEED TO CALM DOWN AND START RESPECTING EACH OTHER.

2.IS THERE ANY TRUTH TO THE RUMOR THAT ONE OF THE LUZERNE COUNTY HOME RULE COMMISSION MEMBERS REFUSED TO ANSWER A REPORTER’S QUESTION AFTER A HOME RULE MEETING LAST WEEK?

YES. I RECEIVED A POST FROM A PERSON WHO WAS AT THE MEETING. THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT WAS THAT A TV NEWS REPORTER FOLLOWED A COMMISSION MEMBER OUT OF THE MEETING AND ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT PUBLIC CORRUPTION. THE REPORTER WAS ASKING A FOLLOW UP QUESTION FROM A CITIZEN THAT ASKED IT FROM THE FLOOR. APPARENTLY MR. HAGERTY AND THE REPORTER GOT INTO A DEBATE ABOUT WHY THE QUESTION WAS ASKED ABOUT TRANSPARENCY FROM ONE OF 30 PEOPLE AT THE MEETING. THE GIST OF THEIR DISCUSSION WAS THAT THE REPORTER WANTED TO DO A FOLLOW UP AND THE MAYOR FELT THERE WAS NO NEED FOR IT. END OF STORY.

3.THIS GROUP OUT OF HAZLETON THAT YOU WROTE ABOUT LAST WEEK, WHO ARE THEY ENDORSING FOR LUZERNE COUNTY JUDGE?

THE GROUP IS CALLED COPS (CITIZENS OPPOSED TO POLITICAL SUPPRESSION) WILL MOST LIKELY ENDORSE ATTORNEY VITO DELUCA AND PITTSTON AREA DISTRICT MAGISTRATE FRED PIERANTONI.

4.HOW ARE YOUR PACKERS GOING TO FARE THIS WEEKEND?

DON’T KNOW. I’M CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC BUT ATLANTA IS A GOOD TEAM. I’M HOPING THE EXPERIENCE OF THE PACK LAST YEAR AGAINST ARIZONA WILL HELP THEM GET OVER THE HUMP.

5.THERE IS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THE POLITICAL CONNECTIONS OF THE NEW CHARTER TRANSITION COMMITTEE. SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT?

LOOK EVERYBODY WHO IS INTERESTED IN POLITICS HAS SOME TYPE OF CONNECTION. SOME STRONGER THAN OTHERS. BUT THESE PEOPLE WERE DULY ELECTED. IF YOU DIDN’T LIKE THEIR POLITICS OR CONNECTIONS, YOU HAD TO GET THEM AT THE BALLOT BOX. THIS NEW FORM OF GOVERNMENT IS NOT GOING TO BE 100% PURE. NO GOVERNMENT IS, NOT EVEN OUR SAINTED DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. IF IT HAD BEEN, JEFFERSON WOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED THE SLAVERY PORTION TO BE STRICKEN. WE HAVE TO HOPE FOR THE BEST, KEEP A WATCHFUL EYE AND HOLD EVERYONE ACCOUNTABLE. AND IF THEY SCREW UP, HIRE THEIR RELATIVES OVER AND OVER AGAIN OR GET ARROGANT, WE VOTE THEM OUT. WITH THIS FORM OF GOVERNMENT, IT TEARS APART THE VARIOUS CLUBS THAT CONTROLLED PORTIONS OF THE COUNTY.

6.SLEEPER STORY OF 2011 TO WATCH?

THAT ANTI DEFAMATION SUIT INVOLVING THE CITIZEN’S VOICE/SCRANTON TIMES AGAINST A PRIVATE BUSINESSMAN. THE TRIAL IS SET FOR MAY OF THIS YEAR AND THAT WILL BEAR WATCHING.

7.HOW IS THE NEW BOOK SELLING?

BRISKLY.

8.WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT HOMELESS RADIO GUY GETTING A GIG?

I HOPE HE DOES WELL AND TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITY. THAT SAID, LET’S HOPE THIS IS NOT A SCAM. THE CYNIC IN ME BASICALLY TELLS ME THIS WAS STAGED AND THAT THERE IS SOME TYPE OF CON GOING ON. THE FRANK CAPRA PART OF ME WANTS THIS TO BE ONE OF THOSE GREAT AMERICAN STORIES WHERE THERE IS A GOOD PLOT LINE AND A HAPPY ENDING FOR ALL. LET’S SEE WHERE WE ARE IN A YEAR WITH THIS THING.

9.NO COMMENTS ON THE DR. ROBERT CORCORAN MATTER?

HERE’S THE THING, SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT JOE MORAN HAD IT RIGHT WHEN HE TOLD WBRE TV’S JOE HOLDEN THAT THIS DID NOT AFFECT BOARD POLICY. DO YOU WANT THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR AS AN EXAMPLE? NO. THAT SAID, EVERY FAMILY HAS CONFLICT. AND EVERY FAMILY HAS A RIGHT TO PRIVACY. IT IS TRUE THAT MRS. CORCORAN POSTED THIS ON FACEBOOK BUT SHE THOUGHT IT WAS A PRIVATE MESSAGE. ALSO, WE WEREN’T THERE. WE DO NOT KNOW THE LEVEL OF EMPATHY OR LACK THEREOF THE DOCTOR EXHIBITED NOR DO WE KNOW THE LEVEL OF RAGE OR LACK THEREOF EXHIBITED BY HIS SON. I STRUGGLED WITH THIS BUT CONCLUDED THIS IS A PRIVATE FAMILY MATTER THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE HANDLED BY POLICE, SOCIAL WORKERS, OR THE FAMILY ITSELF. IT IS FOR THAT REASON THAT NONE OF THE COMMENTS I RECEIVED WERE PUBLISHED OR WHY THIS WAS NEVER ADDRESSED UNTIL TODAY.

10.YOUR YEAR END FEATURES WERE VERY, VERY GOOD. ONE OBSERVATION, YOU MISSED NBC’S EDWIN NEWMAN WHO DIED AT THE AGE OF 90 IN “MOVING ON”. SECOND, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING WITH THAT “WOMEN WE LOVE” PICK”? KIM ZBORAY? REAGAN MEDGIE?

DAMN, I ALWAYS MISS SOMEONE. EDWIN NEWMAN WAS ALWAYS ONE OF MY FAVORITES TOO. “THE WOMEN WE LOVE” HAD A LIST OF 50, WE PAIRED THEM DOWN TO WHO YOU SAW. NOT EVERYONE WAS HAPPY BUT THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE TO EDIT.

11.RAIN OR SNOW?

RAIN. I AGREE WITH JOE SNEDECKER, THE PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY LOVE SNOW AND THE COLD ARE EITHER LIARS OR FIRST CLASS IDIOTS.

12.WHO WAS YOUR FAVORITE ON “DANCING WITH THE STARS” THIS PAST SEASON? BRISTOL PALIN OR JENNIFER GRAY?

NEITHER. NEVER WATCHED THE SHOW ALTHOUGH MY COUSIN DEBBIE YONKI GUARNARI LOVES IT. THIS IS MORE MY SPEED.

13.CHEERIOS OR CORNFLAKES?

CORNFLAKES IN THE SUMMER WITH BERRIES, CHEERIOS AS A NIGHT TIME SNACK IN THE WINTER.