The LuLac Edition #2157, August 13th, 2012

Our “13 Questions” logo. 

13 QUESTIONS 

1. Okay Yonk, the battle lines are drawn. Obama/Biden, Romney/Ryan. Final outcome? 

C’mon there’s many more miles to go on this election before we sleep. But if you want a wild ass prediction, I’ll give you one. Romney will win but he will be picked by the House of Representatives. This election will be so close that it will wind up in the House. Satisfied? 

2. Many people have commented on your blog that you seem a lot meaner and very bitter. Care to defend yourself? 

No. But I will say this. A co worker asked me the other day if I was a Democrat or A Republican. I said that I had always been a Democrat but that many times I voted for more Republicans than I did Democrats. My father ribbed me mercilessly for months because I voted for (these are his words now, not mine) “Henry” Ford in the ’76 election. I always was a registered Democrat for most of my life (twice I turned Republican for a short time) but voted for the person. However the actions of the Republican party since this century started have made it virtually impossible for me to even voting for an “R”. The party has done so much damage to this country by ballooning the deficit (it kills me when I hear that Obama is the reason we are trillions in debt) not compromising and by just plain lying. So in a strange sort of way, the national GOP has done what even my father or my late uncle Timmy Pribula could do, and that was get me to vote straight Democratic. In the rear view mirror are my votes for Bob Dole, Arlen Specter, Bush 41, Tom Ridge and Dick Thornburgh. When a party is so hell bent on working against your interests, how could you trust them? So yes, to answer your question I have become more partisan as a strong national Democrat. On the local level, my anger is not directed at any individual county worker. It is the entire system that has almost become a new class. I’m told there are people working in that Courthouse that couldn’t pass a simple skills test that an entry level Vo Tech student has to take. I have worked for a few national companies and pass my observations along not to be bitter but to just give an opinion. Blogs and thoughts evolve. I always thought that as I got older, I’d be more conservative. Turns out I’m not. I’m more liberal and uncompromising than ever before. And the lack of compromise by the national GOP took me from being a swing voter to a firm Democrat. Plus I’m getting older and really don’t give a damn anymore. 

3. Has anyone gone from the House of Representatives to President? 

One. James Garfield in the election of 1880. Gerald Ford was in the House but became Vice President before becoming President. 

4. What do you think of that new show on USA called “Political Animals”? 

I think it really stinks. Predictable story lines, buffoonish characters. Horrible. 

5. How are you getting along without minor league baseball this summer? 

Not even thinking about it. Tune in to a few games on the radio and going to see the new Coke A Cola park sometime this month. But not wanting to slit my wrists over it. 

6. Any thoughts on the proposed new names for the team? 

The Blast, the Black Diamond Bears, The Fireflies, The Porcupines, The Railroaders and the Trolley Frogs are the picks. Only two are half decent, the Black Diamond Bears and the Railroaders. But the rest of them are really stupid. Mrs. LuLac came up with the ‘Nor’easters”, putting a regional touch on things. Watch, some overpaid flunky from the Wilkes Barre or Scranton Chamber is going to get a $150,000 grant to do a study on the feasibility of that name. Then we’ll still wind up with a stupid name like The Porcupines. 

7. What do you think of the fact that Mitt Romney refers to Paul Ryan sometimes as his sixth son? 

Kind of creeps me out to tell you the truth. Especially with Anne Romney standing by. 

8. Do you think there is anything to the fact that a lot of Democrats are staying away from the National Convention in North Carolina? 

The state is a right to work state and any candidate that has union support will most likely take that into consideration. I don’t think its an anti Obama thing as much as a candidate just trying to get re-elected. Politicians understand that. It’s a type of code. But to be honest, Charlotte, North Carolina isn’t Chicago, New Orleans, Miami, Boston or San Diego. I mean, it’s just Charlotte for Pete’s sake. 

9. Did you make it to the “Peach Fest?” 

No but my boss went and I know she thoroughly enjoyed it. The last concert I was at up the Mountain was for Tony Bennett and K.D. Lange. 

10. Have you tried your hand at writing a children’s book yet? 

Interesting that you ask that. A few years back, I had a story outline and even had an illustrator who was interested. But the main character’s name of my children’s book was already taken and published. God knows I get accused of plagiarizing here by a few people taking potshots, can you imagine the outcry if I didn’t check that out? I’m trying to rework the story but the name was the key to the whole deal. 

11. Were you/are you a big Penn State fan? 

My dad and I never really followed College Football that much. I mean we had a working knowledge of it but were more into the NFL. Maybe it had a lot to do with chores on Saturday and more free time on Sunday after church. But even as an adult, I’d follow the season, but only watch a Bowl Game or one that they said really counted. My brother in law Owen is a real die hard but I wasn’t. I had the shirts and the hats but never had the desire to go to Beaver Stadium. I hope they make a recovery from this disaster because the kids there now don’t deserve to be painted with the Sandusky brush of shame. 

12. Do you think they should have taken the statue down and Joe Pa’s wins away from him?

The statue proved that the Postal Service has it right. They don’t give anyone a stamp until their dead ten years. So that didn’t bother me but taking away the wins did. While the leadership at Penn State did nothing to stop Jerry Sandusky, (which was wrong), keep in mind that Jerry Sandusky was not part of the coaching staff for those wins that were eradicated. Those football players that spent hours practicing and risking injury to play in those now invisible games should not have their hard work expunged because of a pervert who had nothing to do with the wins and losses. If my kid were on the field for those seasons and his accomplishments were erased, I’d even be more upset. 

13. Do you think Andy Reid should have come back to coach the Eagles the day after he buried his son for an Exhibition game? 

Tough call. Reid was there for his late son through the child’s tough times. Maybe football is good therapy. A parent can only do so much for an addicted child. I’m not sure whether Reid’s son’s death was a result of that but he was just 29. I once told a few people that if I had a choice between having my child (if I had one) be addicted to alcohol and drugs or have cancer (and I had cancer myself) I’d hope he or she had cancer. In my work at United Way as well as people I know personally, plus the work I saw my friend Edd Raineri do with kids addicted to drugs, along with Carmen Ambrosino’s work at Wyoming Valley Alcohol and Drug, I saw how first hand how insidious that disease is. With cancer, you have at least a chance of cutting it out. How do you cut an addiction from one’s mind and soul? No judgments here on whether Andy Reid did the right or wrong thing.