The LuLac Edition #2445, June 13th, 2013
13 QUESTIONS
1. Do you mind having your calls on a database somewhere so that they can be accessed?
If this were the 80s and 90s, I’d care But since I’m behaving, I’m semi okay with it. I think there has to be a pattern of behavior to warrant an investigation. I don’t think anyone who is aware of how vulnerable we are was surprised by the revelation. I mean technology right now is so invasive, with a little work you can find out anything about anyone. The legacy and victory of Bin Laden (as much as we’d hate to admit it) is that the after 911, America drastically changed the way it did business. Does this take away our freedoms? To a point but I agree with my friends L.A. Tarone who has stated time and again how local governments infringe more on basic freedoms. A recent poll said about 56% of Americans said they are okay with the NSA actions if it protects us from a terrorist attack.
2. I see you are highlighting 1963 as well as 1976. Reasons?
1963 was such a significant year with so many events, not the least being JFK’s death. Just this week, as stated in LuLac Edition #2443, there are three historic news events which shaped history.
3. Did you see President Carter the day after Memorial Day at the Monument in Wyoming?
I did not. I had work that day and virtually no time off available. (Unlike government workers, I have to earn my vacation time per day, just like most of the private sector). But a few friends went and gave me reports. I first met Carter in ’76 on the campaign trail, interviewed his wife and sons at WVIA TV and FM and saw Carter when he came to the Pittston Area High School during the 1980 campaign. But I understand he was great.
4. Are you an aficionado of the Chinese buffet?
Yes but not for the Chinese food. My top three places for Chinese are Peking Chef, Ho Yi and China Queen all in Luzerne County. But when I go to the Chinese buffet, I go for the big clams, raw seafood like mussels and clams on the half shell and Pepper Steak. Not a lot of carbs when I go to the buffets.
5. The fifth anniversary of the closing of St. John the Baptist Church is upon us? Are you going to cry us a river again?
You bet. It will be 5 years to the actual day in fact. And I’m working on something special. Monsignor Bendick of St. John the Evangelist is conducting a drive to put up a monument on the site of the school. That should be completed sometime this summer. Both my sister and I donated to the very worthy project.
6. Worthy of a Lulac mention, the death of Will Campbell. I became aware of him in Nashville
where he was a celebrity of a different kind. A giant in civil rights and a white guy preacher
in the South.
Thank you for bringing that to my attention. He was a fervent supporter of the Civil Rights movement in the 50s and 60s and took a lot of heat for it. Campbell was just one of four whites that escorted black students to Little Rock Schools in 1957. He even embraced racists saying they were misguided but still were God’s children. He avoided saying racists were made in the image of God though. He was a National Book Award runner up in 1978 for his autobiographical Brother to a Dragonfly. He died on June 3rd at 88.
7. The recent election has me depressed, especially in the Pittston Area. What in your estimation are the biggest mistakes qualified candidates make that enable them to get beat by lesser qualified people?
Three basic mistakes I see. They pick the wrong agencies. I have seen brilliant candidates go by the wayside because they never picked an agency that understood politics. I can name the agencies but I won’t. A lot of times, the ad agencies have no frame of reference to the political situation and really don’t understand how politics is played here in LuLac land. The second mistake I see is that some candidates think advertising is enough. It’s not. You need to have people on the ground for you getting out the vote. A case in point was the recent Scranton Mayoral race with Bill Courtright and Liz Randol. He had the votes counted on the ground so accurately he knew he had won shortly after the polls closed. Finally, the third is timing. Is it the right time to run? Are you a better candidate in a one to one race or a crowded race. Where is the candidate the best? And then of course there’s money too. But you have to know how to target it wisely and not waste it. Perfect examples of that were the candidacies of Tina Polachak Gartley in 2009 and Jennifer Rogers in 2011 for the Luzerne County Judge seats. Plus a candidate has to be everywhere.
8. I miss Carolee Olenginski as Pronothotary. Would Harry Truman been impressed by her?
Truman was impressed by very few local politicians especially Prothonotaries. When Harry Truman was on a barnstorming trip for the Presidency in Pittsburgh he met Dr. William McClelland who served as Alleghany County Prothonotary from 1944 to 1967. McClelland was a former Republican who was Pittsburgh Mayor and later Governor David Lawrence’s bane of existence. When Truman met him after the good doctor proclaimed his title, Truman asked , “What the hell is a Pronthonotary?” So I’m not sure how old “Give ‘em hell” would react to meeting up with you or Carolee.
9. Are you a McDonald’s Dollar menu guy?
Oh yeah, You won’t see me paying $4.19 for a Big Mac. Your e mail stated that McDonald’s came up in sales because of the less expensive items. I can see that. And no I don’t own stock in the company.
10. Summertime TV viewing after Madmen goes off the air?
I like “Major Crimes” on TBS. Other than that, baseball and politics.
11. What kind of music did you listen to in high school?
When I was in High School, I wrote a Teen Record Column for the Pittston Sunday Dispatch. So I wrote for an audience that was between 12 and 17. The record companies at the time were heavily promoting the Partridge Family, Bobby Sherman, the Fifth Dimension and artists that skewed younger. So I listened to that. But our high school class was divided into two groups, the people who liked Led Zeppelin and the Stones and the people who were drawn to Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Carole King, James Taylor and the Beatles. Thinking back, it divided right down the line. I was part of the CSNY/Taylor/King/Beatles wing. Our class song was “Morning Has Broken” for church and our song for class night was Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released”. Pretty progressive for an IHM nun run school I’d say. My musical tastes grew more varied working at WRKC FM King’s College Radio and then when I worked at WVIA FM with George Graham.
12. Are you addicted to Twitter?
Hardly. I use it twice a week Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8PM to give LuLac a presence but that’s about it. When I’m on vacation, I don’t see the point of telling people where I am and especially bitching about things when I’m supposed to be relaxing and enjoying life. Twitter is good for breaking news but one of my followers is CBS News. Am I going to provide better insight them CBS? Now Facebook, I’ll check at least three times a day to see what my co workers are saying since I tend to shut up and just keep my head down at work.
13. Is the LuLac household draped in black bunting because of the death of the Dells’ Marvin Junior?
Glad you picked up on that. Things have been moving so fast, I missed that on the news. Junior was the lead singer of the Dells and died at age 77 from kidney disease. Junior was the lead singer of the DoWop group that was formed six decades ago. He was the lead singer on the two versions of their mega hit, “Oh What A Night”. I preferred the second version. The Dells had twenty five chart hits.
posted by David Yonki @ 4:34 PM
10 comments
10 Comments:
Dave to clear the air on your statement on vacation.(Unlike government workers, I have to earn my vacation time per day, just like most of the private sector).
Civil Service workers in the federal work force do not just get time off. Depending on how many years they are there they get so many hours of leave time and so many hours for sick leave per pay period(2 weeks). Please Dave there are some honest government workers out there yet.
Maybe if you were one of them your thoughts on all this may be different.
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Yonk, your comment on government workers is way over the edge. Time is earned and Luzerne County is a fine example. Sick time is earned per month, Employees hired in the past 10 years receive 12 sick days per year at one day per month. Vacation is given in January but if you use it and leave during the year, unearned time is deducted from your final pay. You're shooting from the hip is way off target and I'm not punning your handicap. You do seem to have an unfair impression of government workers and I have no doubt that you would enjoy and take part in employee benefits if given the chance. The first commenter said there are honest government employees and I think that comment is worthy of a slap in the mouth. Apparently that person thinks there are many dishonest government employees. Give it a break hot shot, most government employees are on the low salary scale but do enjoy decent benefits. It seems to me that you and Yonk would rather see the average guy with no benefits so you can all be miserable together. How do you benefit if your neighbor gets cut and reduced benefits? If we all stuck together, we would all enjoy a life with benefits but your so busy complaining about those who have that you keep the rest of us down. Shame on both of you.
Dave, thanks for doing something on the Dells. I love 13 questions, it's interactive like the news comments you did on WYOU. Love that song.
Your earlier edition referred to the death of Medgar Evers in the Civil Rights movement. There were many unsung heroes like a Will Campbell who took a chance in those racially charged times. JUdge Frank Johnson is another man who comes to mind.
The best chicken with broccoli is at China Queen on South Main Street in Wilkes Barre. That place has been there for years.
How fortunate you were in high school in terms of music. When I grew up, we had the 80s stuff. Some of it was good..but some of it....
There are candidates who put their faith in ad agencies and not the political pros. The ad agencies sell them a bill of goods. I'd take an Eddie Mitchell, Jim McNulty, Bob Harper or Bob Caruso any day of the week.
Harper seems to be on a hot streak. Why anyone would go with a regular agency with no political skills is beyond me.
With computers and tracking, we are all being watched. Bring it on, I have nothing to hide.
Well, Courtwright picked Bob Harper. Nuff said.
I wonder where that quote from Harry Truman came! To think it revolved around a Pennsylvania politico. Thanks for sharing that Yonk.
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