The LuLac Edition #2388, April 4th, 2013

Vote Logo. (Logo: keepcalomatic.comuk) 

NOT CREDIBLE 

I have been engaging in political and civic debate since I was 9 years old. As a young boy, I’d hear the kitchen table discussions of my family’s friends and relatives regarding politics and how things should be in the world. All of my uncles and aunts on the Yonki/Pribula side had an opinion. I was told that I could join in at anytime and speak my mind but not to expect my opinion to carry full weight. I was told I’d get respect but not full entre into this select discussion circle. The reason I was told was because if you wanted to voice a political opinion, you had better be prepared to back that up with action. And that action was of course a Voter Registration card. “Complaining about something, and not having the ability to bolster that opinion is just a waste of everybody’s time” said my late Uncle Timmy Pribula. And he was right. 
The first thing I did after my 18th birthday was register to vote. I thought about all of that this morning as I looked at the newspapers and saw the controversy regarding a citizen/activist who was named to a Luzerne County Committee actually screening candidates for top level management jobs. Commissioner Ed Brominski brought up the fact that the individual Charles J. Olah, aka Therman Guamp had dual identities. BRominski thought that one name should suffice. BRomo also thought that since this citizen has put so much time and effort into his contributions to the county, that other residents should know just who this guy is. Rick Morelli went a step further and said that Olah/ Guamp should step down from the committee. 
I can understand their logic because truth be told when someone puts themselves out there in the public, you assume it is under their real name. When I first came across Olah’s pseudonym, my first reaction was “Wow, the guy has a name very close to one of my favorite baseball players”. That’s all I thought because even though people like Kathy Dobash and others put themselves in full public view and debate, I don’t believe they have ever been physically threatened for stating their opinion. 
My problem with all of this though has nothing to do with Charles J. Olah, aka Therman Guamp’s opinions or activities. Or even his choice of another name. What really bothers me is that he is not registered to vote under any name and has not voted on any of the issues he so passionately speaks to at public meetings. Then to be named to a committee by the County Council is just the icing on top of the cake. That is insult to people like Wil Toole, Mike Giamber, Eileen Sorokas, Kathy Dobash, and other past Council candidates who could easily have been prevailed upon to fill that vacancy. 
I know for a fact that a number of past candidates and even voting citizens have volunteered to help the County government in key posts only to be shooed away. And then we get a guy who hasn’t even bothered to vote endorsing a key administrative office? I hesitate to call any person’s volunteer commitments a waste of time. And gadflies in government are a good thing, if not a pain to some people. But I wonder how credible a person is who puts his time in, takes the time of Council with his pronouncements and never backed that up with a vote. It’s kind of like one of the Founding Fathers of America debating and discussing but never signing the document when it counted. 
Mr. OLah/ Guamp, please register to vote. You have done good civic work. More than most of us. You are to be commended…..to a certain point. But please back up your actions (if you haven’t already) with the ultimate civic duty: voting. I’m good with any name but just do it or else you’ll just be wasting all of our time.

 AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT

 

WB POLICE CHIEF RESPONDS 

The Times Leader reported that Wilkes Barre Police Chief Gerry Dessoye said that Wilkes Barre police could borrow or buy cars from the City Tower because there was a clause in the Union contract that did not prohibit it. Terrie Morgan Besecker reported that Dessoye said he has spoken about the issue with the police union officials, who advised him they did not believe he had the authority to dictate from whom they could purchase, or accept a loan of, a vehicle. After reviewing the union contract and city policies, he agreed with their interpretation. The Chief said that his hands were tied. Well then we shouldn’t blame the Chief nor the Police. But when a new contract is due, I’d revise it. Revise it plenty. And if the rank and file don’t like it, they could go elsewhere. There’s a lot of Law Enforcement candidates that would love to have a job with the Wilkes Barre Police without having “the opportunity” to borrow a car from a tower. It’s the union contracts and the interpretation of them that have gone mad. 

OBAMA’S GIVEBACK 

President Obama is giving 5% of his salary back to the Federal government during the Sequester period. The President has been joined in this effort by Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. There are a lot of cynical people saying this is a stunt. Maybe. But you know what? At least he is doing something. At least he is recognizing that there is pain out there and wants to help. And anything from the Congress? Nothing. Enough said

Martin Luther King, Junior at Civil Rights Bill signing with President Johnson. (Photo: CNN.com) 

MLK 45 YEARS AGO 
 

It was a Thursday night. My parents were at the store and I was finishing Homework at the kitchen table. It wasn’t that heavy a lift and I had the TV on in the other room. Franklin D. Coslett was signing off the WBRE TV 6PM Newscast and then after a few commercials NBC News started with Chet Huntley. Huntley’s words were sharp and to the point, hitting me like a cold rag in the face. He reported that Martin Luther King Junior had been shot dead in Memphis. Shot dead. When my father came home and I told him, all he said was “Oh Boy”. King had been on the national scene for less than 15 years. He came to national prominence at the age of 26 and was in the news constantly for much of the 1960s. Since his death in 1968, his mission, thought defeated by many who hated him has thrived. King once said, I have a dream that one day little black boys and girls will be holding hands with little white boys and girls.” Maybe a more greater legacy is that today, little children of all ethnic persuasions find it inconceivable that there were separate facilities for lodging, eating, schooling and restrooms back in King’s day. In a strange sort of way, Dr. King might have embraced their incredulity.  

MEDIA MATTERS 

THE PARTY ZONE 

Catch the new extended 70s, 80s, 90s oldies show "The Party Zone" with Shadoe Steele beginning this Saturday from 6 - midnight on 50,000 watt powerhouse WAVT-FM - T-102. ... and on line at www.t102radio.com 

ECTV 

ECTV Live will feature information on two upcoming FREE Public events during the week of April 8th. Owen Worozbyt from the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority will join hosts Tom Munley and David DeCosmo to discuss the organization's "Great NEPA Cleanup campaign" and it's Bicycle Safety Event, both scheduled later this month. ECTVLive is a Public Affairs Program of Electric City Television and can be seen on Comcast Ch19 each day at approximately Noon and Midnight with selective showings at 6pm several days during the week. DeCosmo, who also produces ECTV Live, has also completed the latest edition of his "Travel Time" program which features scenes from the Outer Banks of North Carolina. A program schedule for Electric City Television is available on line by searching ectvschedule. 

SUNDAY MAGAZINE 

This Week on Sunday Magazine Brian Hughes speaks with Lytisha Burglum, National Director for the Keeping Kids Safe Project about a free Child safety Fair coming to Scranton April 12th & 13th. Great Country 93.7’s Chris Fox speaks with Navy veteran and Marywood University student Julia Caspar about “Operation Tails for Troops” coming up this Sunday at the Abington Dog Park in Clarks Summit. And highlights from the Senate Democratic Policy Committee roundtable discussion on crime in Northeast Pa, held earlier this week at King’s College in Wilkes Barre, featuring Senator John Yudichak, Attorney general Kathleen Kane , Luzerne County D.A. Stephanie Salavantis, and Wilkes Barre Police Chief Gerald Dessoye. Sunday Magazine, Sunday morning at 5am on Great Country 93.7, 5:30am on 97BHT, 6am on 97.9X, 6:25am on Magic 93, and 7am on True Oldies 590, WARM.

Our 1976 logo. 

1976 

Apple Computer Company is formed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak........................Conrail (Consolidated Rails Corporation) is formed by the U.S. government, to take control of 13 major Northeast Class-1 railroads that had filed for bankruptcy protection. Conrail takes control at midnight, as a government-owned and operated railroad until 1986, when it is sold to the public............The Jovian-Plutonian gravitational effect is first reported by astronomer Patrick Moore………in Presidential politics, Jimmy Carter barely wins the Wisconsin primary besting Congressman Morris Udall by 1 percentage point. Carter wins by 36.63 and Udall gets 35.62………

The Phillies Bicentennial logo for 1976. (Photo: Andy Palumbo blog)  In Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Phillies open up their season with a in new Bicentennial logo………….in Luzerne County incumbent State Representatives Ray Musto, Bernard O’Brien, Stanley Meholchick, Fred Shupnik , Bill Bachman and Frank J. O’Connell face very little opposition in their primary fights…..and thirty seven years ago the number one song in Lulac land and America was “Lonely Night” (Angel Face) by the Captain and Tennille.