The LuLac Edition #1669, July 7th, 2011

PHOTO INDEX: DEBT CEILING LOGO, FORMER COUNTY COMMISSIONER A.J. MUNCHAK AND OUR 1972 LOGO.

ARE WE DEADBEATS?

This problem with the debt ceiling has to be fixed. I hope and pray that President Obama doesn’t cave into the grandstanding national GOP. We owe this money. The Republicans and Tea Party people would have believe its all about the Stimulus spending from the Obama administration. It’s about all the debt we incurred the last 11 years. A lot of that debt came from the security concerns after 911 and the two wars that resulted in the Bush administration foreign policy. We owe this, we have to pay it off. We are in this predicament because you can’t cut taxes and keep on spending 30 billion dollars a month on a war. You have to do one or the other. If you do both you’ll have disastrous results. If Obama caves, his Presidency is pretty much over. The GOP which has fought him at every turn will never warm to him. And even though Democrats are a fractured bunch, the one thing we can’t stand is lack of guts. Repeat: we owe this money, we got to pay it.

CONDOLENCE LETTERS

President Obama announced that condolence letters will now be going out to veterans who committed suicide as a result of their activity in armed conflict. Here’s the change in policy:
As Commander in Chief, I am deeply grateful for the service of all our men and women in uniform, and grieve for the loss of those who suffer from the wounds of war - seen and unseen. Since taking office, I’ve been committed to removing the stigma associated with the unseen wounds of war, which is why I’ve worked to expand our mental health budgets, and ensure that all our men and women in uniform receive the care they need.
As a next step and in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the military chain of command, I have also decided to reverse a long-standing policy of not sending condolence letters to the families of service members who commit suicide while deployed to a combat zone. This decision was made after a difficult and exhaustive review of the former policy, and I did not make it lightly. This issue is emotional, painful, and complicated, but these Americans served our nation bravely. They didn’t die because they were weak. And the fact that they didn’t get the help they needed must change. Our men and women in uniform have borne the incredible burden of our wars, and we need to do everything in our power to honor their service, and to help them stay strong for themselves, for their families and for our nation.

RIGHT CHURCH, WRONG PEW

So I get this e mail spam which is decidedly on the adult side. Here’s what the message line said: “Party Like Casey Anderson”. The e mail went on to offer various and sundry toys and enhancements. But who the hell is Casey Anderson? You know I’d love to see their marketing department, 2 girls and a guy with a bong most likely. Spammed it but I just had to share.

PACKERS VS. OBAMA

I came across this funny e mail the other day. Being a Packer fan I just thought I’d pass it along.
After the Packers/Bills game, Buffalo released quarterback Trent Edwards.
During the Packers/Eagles game, the Packers injured Philadelphia quarterback Kevin Kolb. Philadelphia then had to play backup quarterback Michael Vick.
During a playoff game against the Eagles, the Packers injured Michael Vick and another backup was needed. After the Packers/Cowboys game, Dallas fired Wade Phillips. After the Packers/Vikings game, Minnesota fired Brad Childress.
Four weeks after losing to the Packers, the 49er's coach Mike Singletary was fired and replaced. During the Bears Playoff game, the Packers injured Jay Cutler and backup Todd Collins forcing the Bears to go with 3rd string quarterback Caleb Hanie.
Question :Is it just me or did the Packers create more jobs than Obama last year?

MUNCHAK SEEKS NEW TRIAL

Yesterday, former Lackawanna County Commissioner A.J. Munchak is seeking either a new trial or to have his conviction on bribery and extortion charges overturned.
Munchak was found guilty in federal court of eight of 21 charges, including conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery, conspiracy to commit extortion, extortion and tax evasion.
The former Commissioner’s attorney attorney, Christopher Powell contends Munchak was found guilty of three counts involving bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds and three counts of extortion, and that both sets of charges concerned exactly the same cash payments made by Don Kalina of Highland Associates in May and July 2005.
Matt Hughes from the Times Leader explains that the motion contends a person cannot commit bribery and extortion for the same payment unless the person took a bribe and then asked for more. Therefore, either the bribery or extortion charge should have been ruled inconsistent by U.S. District Court Judge A. Richard Caputo.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT


MEDIA MATTERS

STORM POLITICS

New episode of Storm Politics, WYLN TV airs this week. Tiffany Cloud interviews political newcomer Keith Bast who pulled off a huge upset victory in The Hazleton City Council race primary...and is now 1 of 3 candidates vying for the 2 open spots on council in the general election. Addtl airs: Th 9:30P, Sat 5P, Sun 11am, M 9P, Tues 4:30P.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

Shadoe Steele’s guest this week on Saturday Night Live At the Oldies will be Marc Avsec, singer/songwriter of Wild Cherry! Saturday Night Live At the Oldies can be heard on Saturday 7pm to midnight with ABC News on the top of the hour.

ECTV

ECTV is waiting for it's server to be returned after extensive repairs so all programming can be resumed. The unit failed last week after two years of 24/7 operation. ECTV Live will be returned to the air as soon as possible. Frank Andrews Shimkus will be co-hosting for two weeks with Judge Tom Munley while David DeCosmo is on vacation.

SUNDAY MAGAZINE

This Weekend on Sunday Magazine:
An airing of the documentary “Frack To The Future” produced by Scott Cannon and Video Innovations, featuring comments from State Representatives Phyllis Mundy and Eddie Day Pashinski, and Dr. Tom Jiunta talking about gas drilling in Luzerne County.
And an encore of Brian’s interview with travel expert and blogger Chris McGuiness on the best summer travel deals.
Sunday Magazine, Sunday morning at 5:30am on JR 93.7 & 97BHT, 6am on 97.9X, 6:30am on Magic 93, and 9:30am on WARM 590 AM.

1972

U.S. actress Jane Fonda tours North Vietnam, during which she is photographed sitting on a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms becomes independent from the IRS....The first Rainbow Gathering is held in Colorado.....The U.S. sells grain to the Soviet Union for $750 million………………….in Pennsylvania Lt. Governor Ernest Kline and Department of Community Affairs Secretary William Wilcox come up try to carve together a disaster plan for victims oof Agnes…….in the Wyoming Valley Congressman Dan Flood trades on his friendship with Secretsary of Defense Melvin Laird (a former Congressman) to get various heavy equipment and troops into the greater Wilkes Barre area to get the area back on its feet. Flood’s famous statement, “It’s one Flood against another” gives residents hope in their dark despair…..and 39 years ago the number 1 song in LuLac land and America was “Rocket Man” by Elton John.