The LuLac Edition #1507, March 13th, 2011

PHOTO INDEX: OUR "13 QUESTIONS" LOGO.

13 QUESTIONS

1. WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE OSCARS?

I WAS GLAD “THE KING’S SPEECH” WON FOR TWO REASONS, I WAS ALWAYS A BIG FAN OF KING GEORGE AND THE WAY HE HELPED GET BRITAIN THROUGH WORLD WAR II. PLUS IT WAS THE ONLY MOVIE I SAW IN THE LAST 3 YEARS IN A THEATRE.

2. THOUGHTS ON THE CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR COUNTY COUNCIL?

I’M UNDERWHELMED. THERE ARE SOME GOOD CANDIDATES BUT I SEE A LOT OF FLAKES IN THE BUNCH. I’M DISAPPOINTED THAT THE PARTIES DID NOT DO ENOUGH RECRUITMENT OF DECENT CANDIDATES. LULAC HAS MADE A POLICY NOT TO ENDORSE BUT I THINK IN THIS CASE I MIGHT MAKE AN EXCEPTION.

3. SINCE YOU LOVE PAYING TAXES SO MUCH, DID YOU FILE YET?

YES WE DID. LIKE I SAID, I DON’T MIND PAYING TAXES. I RESENT THOSE RICH CORPORATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS THAT USE LOOPHOLES TO NOT PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE OF TAXES. IT CRACKS ME UP TO HEAR TEA PARTY PEOPLE SAY “I’M TIRED OF PAYING TAXES” AND WE SHOULD GIVE TAX BREAKS TO THE MILLIONAIRES SO THEY CAN CREATE JOBS. LET’S SEE, LINDSAY LOHAN AND PARIS HILTON ARE MILLIONAIRES, HOW MANY JOBS HAVE THEY CREATED LATELY?

4. YOUR POLL ON TRUMP FOR PRESIDENT WAS VERY INTERESTING, DO YOU STILL WATCH HIS SHOW?

AGAINST MY BETTER JUDGEMENT, YES ON TAPE DELAY.

5. YOU COVERED THE CIAVARELLA TRIAL FOR WYLN TV 35. YOUR REPORTS WERE PRETTY CONCISE. DID YOU GET A CHANCE TO TALK TO THE DEFENDANT?

NO I DID NOT. I SAW HIM IN THE HALLWAYS AND I’M SURE HE SAW ME. I MEAN I’M HARD TO MISS WITH THE CANE AND THE SHATTERED GATE. UNLIKE SOME OF THE LOCAL TV REPORTERS I REALLY DIDN’T WANT TO ENGAGE HIM BECAUSE I WASN’T QUITE SURE WHAT TO SAY AND HOW WHAT I SAID WOULD IMPACT MY ROLE THERE. SO I JUST KEPT MY MOUTH SHUT.

6. HOW COME YOU’RE NOT CRUISING WITH NANCY AND WEBSTER?

MRS. LULAC AND I HAVE FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES THAT KEEP US CLOSE TO HOME. BUT A CRUISE, I DON’T KNOW. ROYAL CARIBBEAN AND NORWEGIAN ARE TWO OF THE ONES I WOULD RECOMMEND. WHEN I WORKED FOR THE ON LINE PAGAN TRAVEL COMPANY, I ALMOST WON A CRUISE AS PART OF A SALES INCENTIVE. BUT AGAIN WITH THE MOBILITY ISSUES, I’M NOT SURE. BUT IF I DID, I’D GO FOR A BALCONY ROOM GIVEN MY LOVE OF THE SEA.

7. WHY DO YOU THINK MAYOR TOM LEIGHTON HAS SO MANY OPPONENTS?

I THINK IT’S BECAUSE OF HIS PAST RUN AGAINST JOHN YUDICHAK FOR THE 14TH SENATORIAL DISTRICT SEAT AND THE FACT THAT WILKES BARRE MAYORS DON’T GET PAST A SECOND TERM. BUT I THINK LEIGHTON MAY BE THE EXCEPTION THIS TIME AROUND.

8. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SAYING THEY ARE GOING TO VOTE FOR NOTHING BUT WOMEN FOR LUZERNE COUNTY JUDGE. ARE YOU GOING TO BE ONE OF THEM?

NO, I’M NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR ALL OF THEM BECAUSE OF THEIR GENDER. THERE MIGHT BE ONE I MIGHT ELIMINATE FROM MY BALLOT.

9. YOU ARE ACCUSED OF BEING A LIBERAL BUT SOME OF YOUR STANCES THAT YOU TAKE AGAINST CRIMINALS, WELFARE PEOPLE AND UNWED MOTHERS ARE TO THE RIGHT OF ATTILA THE HUN. HOW CAN THIS BE?

I’M FOR FAIRNESS. LET ME TELL YOU A STORY. WHEN I WORKED FOR A SOCIAL SERVICE ENTITY IN THE 80S I WAS IN CHARGE OF WALK INS WHO WERE LOOKING FOR A HAND OUT. ONE DAY THIS GUY CAME IN AND GAVE ME A STORY AND I TOOK HIM AT HIS WORD. HE NEEDED FOOD. SO WHEN I BEGAN TO MAKE THE ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE VARIOUS SUPPORT GROUPS I FOUND OUT THAT THE GUY WAS MAKING THE ROUNDS AND USING THE SYSTEM. HE NEVER AGAIN GOT ANYTHING OUT OF ME OR THE AGENCY BECAUSE HE WAS ONE OF THOSE FEW THAT WERE SCAMMING THE SYSTEM. BEING COMPASSIONATE DOES NOT MEAN YOU HAVE YOUR HEAD IN THE CLOUDS. A FRIEND OF DOC LEONARDI AND MINE USED TO SAY “NEVER MISTAKE KINDNESS FOR WEAKNESS”. SO YEAH I’M A LIBERAL BUT I’M ALSO VERY AWARE THAT ARE STANDARDS HAVE GONE TO HELL IN A HAND BASKET AND I THINK THERE IS A LOT OF PHILOSOPHIES TO BLAME OTHER THAN THE LIBERAL DOCTRINES.

10. I UNDERSTAND FROM YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE THAT YOU TOOK A BAD TUMBLE?

YEAH, IT SUCKED. THE ENTIRE WINTER I HAVE BEEN VERY VIGILANT ABOUT WALKING IN THE SNOW OR THE ICE. EVEN WHEN MRS. LULAC AND I WOULD BE SHOVELING, I WAS REAL CAREFUL. ON THE FIRST THURSDAY IN MARCH I WAS GOING INTO A BEDROOM TO GET SOMETHING AND I TRIPPED ON THE RUG AND FELL ON MY HIP AND LEG. THE ENTIRE LEG LOOKS LIKE A BOTCHED TATTOO FROM THE HIP TO BELOW THE KNEE. SO WHAT I WAS WORRIED ABOUT DIDN’T HAPPEN, NEVER FELL OUTSIDE, BUT DID INSIDE. BUT IT’S HEALING SLOWLY. THEY GAVE ME MUSCLE RELAXERS AND I TOOK THEM FOR TWO DAYS AND THEN FLUSHED THEM. I CAN’T TOLERATE THAT STUFF. ONE DAY IT TOOK ME TWENTY MINUTES TO DECIDE WHAT PAIR OF SOCKS I SHOULD PUT ON. SORRY, LIFE AND I MOVE TOO FAST TO BE SLOWED DOWN BY THAT CRAP. I STILL HAVE A LOT OF SWELLING AND WE'RE STILL LOOKING INTO THAT.

11. YOUR EARLIEST ST. PATRICK’S DAY MEMORY AND YOUR FAVORITE ONE?

MY EARLIEST IS HAVING GIRL SCOUT COOKIES DOLED OUT TO US BY OUR KINDERGARTEN TEACHER AT JEFFERSON GRADE SCHOOL IN PITTSTON. MRS. GALLAGHER WAS HER NAME. SHE GAVE US THOSE SUGAR COOKIES WITH THE LOGO BECAUSE IT KIND OF LOOKED LIKE A SHAMROCK. I HAVE TWO FAVORITE MEMORIES OF ST. PATRICK’S DAY. I HAD MY VERY FIRST LUNCH DATE WITH MRS. LULAC AT ERIC LEE’S PEKING CHEF ON PUBLIC SQUARE ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY. MY OTHER FAVORITE MEMORY……WELL YOU’LL HAVE TO WAIT FOR THAT ONE WHEN WE DO OUR 1972 FEATURE LATER ON THIS WEEK.

12. DO YOU THINK RAY MUSTO WILL BE CONVICTED OF THE EVIDENCE AGAINST HIM?

THAT’S HARD TO SAY BUT LOOKING AT WHAT THE FEDS HAVE NOW, I’LL GO OUT ON A LIMB AND SAY NO.

13. DO YOU FOLLOW NCAA MARCH MADNESS?

NOT REALLY. I USED TO DUTIFULLY FILL OUT A BRACKET BUT IF I CATCH THE LAST TEN MINUTES OF THE FINAL 4 GAMES, I’M LUCKY. MY SPORTS ARE BASEBALL AND THE NFL IN THAT ORDER.