Saturday, January 18, 2014

The LuLac Edition #2586, January 18th, 2014

VOTING LAW STRUCK DOWN
(Photo: Pa Local Civics blog).
Friday Pennsylvania,  Commonwealth Court Judge Bernard L. McGinley struck down a bill passed by the Republican controlled State Legislature and signed by GOP Governor Tom Corbett. The bill will have an impact on the 8.2 million voters eligible to cast a a ballot in Pennsylvania. Here’s my take on it,
I think the Judge made a decision that made sense. The people who cling to the Constitution to make every political argument these days were told in essence that requiring Voter ID limited access to the right to vote, a basic tenant of freedom. Our state has the strictest voting law in the U.S. and I think this was push back to the legislative branch from the Judiciary.Checks and balances my friends, in the Constitution.
Personally I feel that there is no need for it because voting fraud has not been prevalent in this state for a very long . I think it dishonors those poll workers who are there every election day. Senator Bob Casey on Face book said this:
Today’s ruling is a victory for the fundamental voting right of every Pennsylvanian. Implementing Voter ID would prevent tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians from exercising their right to vote, including elderly Pennsylvanians who've fought in our wars and worked to make our country safe. Voter ID is crumbling under the weight of its own faulty premises and misguided reasoning.
If a compromise is needed, and you want voter ID, require it but if you don’t have it, you could still vote but then allow the person to get a voter ID if they have none. And then put a photo on every new voter registration card.
Politically, the left will say great and the right will howl. And it will be appealed. My inclination is to say that this would never have become an issue if there wasn’t such political polarization these days.


THE BABE, THE BLOGGER AND THE BOARD
Reality show contestant and former Miss Unico Elise Mosca. (Photo:Face Book).
So now Elise Mosca is getting press  from a blogger who specializes in spoiling the endings of reality shows. The blogger, Steve Carbone, author of the website “Reality Steve,”wondered out loud about the actions of the Wilkes Barre Area School Board and Mosca’s employment. He writes according to the Times Leader, why the Wilkes-Barre Area School District didn’t
hear about this video now for the first time, because I made it public when it took me two clicks on a Google know about Mosca’s background before it hired her to teach at Heights/Murray and then Dodson elementary schools.
“Do they even do background checks?” he asked on his website. “Why is the school search of ‘Elise Mosca’ to find it? Seems like the school district should have a little egg on their face for this, and not just Elise.”
Hey Reality Steve, get this. The Wilkes Barre Area School Board has no shame! The voters here elected the same old educational retiree flunkies who hire their friends. I don’t know how Mosca got her job. But it’s hers and the District gave it to her and now gave her leave.
But in the Wilkes Barre Area School district, my opinion is, given its past performances in hiring relatives, friends, brothers of Mayors, sons and daughters of politicos, cronies, having three board members carted away to prison in the span of a 18 months, if even a former stripper or porn star (which Mosca clearly is not!) applied for a job and were related to the members of the School Board majority, they’d have a job. Period. So my point here is it would be disingenuous for the Wilkes Barre Area School Board to now slap it’s forehead and say to Mosca “Oh hey wait a minute, maybe not”. The decision has been made to let Mosca pursue her career goal and if any criticism on this should come, it should, as Reality Steve pointed out come to the Wilkes Barre Area School Board for its lazy ass approach to things. By the way, Ms. Mosca is a contestant on a TV show I’ve seen once but we wish her well. And Reality Steve…love your stuff. You fall under the LuLac rule of “Wish I wrote that”.


BARLETTA AWARDS MEDALS

Congressman Lou Barletta with Davis Sturdevant, a U.S. Air Force veteran yesterday at ceremony in Barletta's office. (Photo: Times Leader).
Congressman Lou Barletta, PA-11, will awarded long overdue medals to area veterans of the United States military at a ceremony at his Hazleton district office Friday. Recipients include David Sturdevant of Tunkhannock, George W. Zeeb (deceased) of West Hazleton, and Joseph C. Heintz of Hazleton.
In other news, was named a member of a special panel of the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee to focus on the use of and opportunities for public-private partnerships (P3s) across all modes of transportation, economic development, public buildings, water, and maritime infrastructure and equipment. Barletta was named to the panel by T&I Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) and Ranking Member Nick J. Rahall (D-WV).
“This is a great opportunity to build upon the work that I’ve been doing as Chairman of the T&I Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management, where I’ve already been able to identify more than $700 million in savings to the taxpayers,” Barletta said. “The more we can do to link the private sector and public property, the better it is for the government, the taxpayers and the nation.”

CARTWRIGHT AND FRACKING

Congressman Matt Cartwright. (Photo: LuLac archives).
Cartwright Offers Amendment to Bring Transparency to Use of Chemicals in Fracking
Washington – Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright is offered an amendment during the House Committee on Natural Resources full committee business hearing. Although the amendment had bipartisan support it failed by a vote of 26-14.
Cartwright’s amendment would have ensured that the Natural Resources Committee would have the ability to subpoena all documents disclosing the composition and quantity of all chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing on public lands and Indian lands. The amendment is a basic oversight measure that is critical to millions of people’s health and safety.
“There is mounting evidence that these chemicals are impacting our environment, our drinking water, and creating additional hazards,” said Cartwright. “While the recent spill in West Virginia was not related to fracking, it is a good reminder of just how precious our drinking water is and that we should do whatever is in our power to protect it.”
According to the Interior Department, 90 percent of all new wells drilled on public lands now employ hydraulic fracturing. However, regardless of the familiarity or prevalence of fracking and industry claims that the process is safe, we are still not being told the composition and quantity of all chemicals being used in this process. Concealing this information not only prevents those harmed by the chemicals from knowing what they were exposed to, but also prevents comprehensive solutions to the dangers these chemicals present.
Additionally, the minimal disclosures contained on the website fracfocus.org are simply inadequate to fully understand what chemicals the fracking process involves. Much of the information on this site is redacted and it is nearly impossible to aggregate data using this tool.
Ensuring that the fracking process is performed in an environmentally safe manner has been a top priority for Cartwright since being elected to Congress. The first bill he introduced, the FRESHER Act, would close loopholes for oil and gas companies in the Clean Water Act, and has garnered 61 cosponsors. Cartwright also introduced the CLEANER Act, which would ensure that oil and gas companies test their waste to determine if it is hazardous and, if so, dispose of it using the safe methods that other industries already employ.

MEDIA MATTERS

ECTV

Viewers of ECTV Live may want to have paper and pencil ready when the program runs and re-runs during the week on January 20th. Representatives of the Voluntary Action Council will be on hand to discuss the free tax preparation
assistance their agency provides to the public. Hosts Judge Tom Munley and David DeCosmo will be on hand to conduct the interview. ECTV Live can be seen on Comcast Ch19 each day at Noon and Midnight.


SUNDAY MAGAZINE

This Week on Sunday Magazine
Brian Hughes speaks with Ron Davis from R.J. Financial Services about "Bowl Over Cancer", coming up next month at Chacko Lanes in Wilkes Barre.
Magic 93's Frankie in the Morning speaks with Brian Fisher about the Wilkes Barre Area Educational Improvement Foundation.
An encore of Brian's November interview with Dr. Michael Roizen, who discusses getting the right nutrients to protect your vision.
And Brian speaks with novelist and art historian Reba White Williams about her novel, "Restrike".
Sunday Magazine, Sunday morning at 5am on NASH-FM, 93.7, 5:30am on 97BHT, 6am on 97.9X, 6:25am on Magic 93 and 7am on True Oldies 590, WARM.


TARONE ON WILK

WILK Radio host L.A. Tarone (Photo: LuLac archives).
I know he’s a long time friend and yes we did show together on WYLN TV 35. BUT I have to tell you as an objective radio observer, it seems the response to Tarone’s nighttime show on WILK has been very good. I’ve tuned in at various times due to living my own life (love to listen for the whole two hours sometimes but I can’t) and he is not wanting for topics or for that matter callers. Let’s hope it translates into ratings.
Nighttime talk is very doable. I know this is ancient history but for years WBAX had a Nighttime Talk from 10pm to 1am and it was gangbusters. Hope history repeats itself. Looks like the Tarone Show is on good path to success.


BUDDY RUMCHEK

Want to hear some great parodies on the news? Tune in to WILK Radio at 6:40 and 8:40 AM on Mondays. As Ralph Cramden used to say, “It’s a laugh riot!”

Our 1974 logo.


1974


Look at this score when the 24th NBA All-Star Game was played in this week 1974!!! West beats East 134-123 at Seattle……Expert panel reports 18½ minute gap in Watergate tape, 5 separate erasures….."Jaws" by Peter Benchley is published….. NY Yankees Mickey Mantle & Whitey Ford elected to Hall of Fame……"$6 Million Man" starring Lee Majors premieres on ABC TV…..in Pennsylvania businessman Drew Lewis announces his candidacy for Governor on the Republican side……in Luzerne County’s 14th Senatorial District Martin L. Murray makes it clear he’ll go for another and in the 20th T. Newell Wood announces he will run again. In the 22nd, Freshman Senator Bob Mellow gives a thumbs up to a second term….and 40 years ago this week the number one song in LuLac land and America was “ The Joker” by the Steve Miller Band.

17 Comments:

At 10:45 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think Elsie Mosca has to be kicking herself for going on that show. She had a great job and great security with super benefits and a nice pension waiting for her and now after this guy did such a good job of outing her, she is cooked meat. I don't agree with you about Wilkes Barre Area being the only district that hires those they know. I think if you do a serious check, the only school districts that are not run by politics are those located in big cities where teachers are in demand and armed guards are in the hallways. I wonder if you were on the Board and a qualified friend applied for a job if you would hire a stranger first? Interesting question that you need to do a little soul searching before throwing out an answer. I don't like what this logger did and in fact, I just don't like people who make a hobby out of destroying other people's lives.

 
At 12:07 PM, Anonymous Professor Milburn Cleaver, OPA said...

Good morning students,

Well, what a long and rough ride it has been! First off, I would like to thank all of those who sent cards, letters, and e mails wishing me well during my convalescence. These kind expressions of sentiment brought warmth to my heart, even in the coldest of winter days. I am willing to try to make myself available several days per week in class so long as you malcontents show up. One final note before beginning. Please Mr. Yonki, must we be reminded weekly of that horrific year of 1974? Perhaps 1984 would be much more acceptable.

The work of this classroom moves forward………..

Students, in my long absence there has been much to discuss which has “not” been discussed. I can go over a lengthy list of the failures and missteps of the Administration but I feel it appropriate to tackle the number one issue---Obamacare. For years I warned of its perils and its disastrous consequences if enacted. Well, the turncoat Chief Justice of the United States via his vote made Obamacare the reality of our land---a health insurance system that practically no contributing American citizen wants. Well, we have it and look where it has taken us.

“If you like your plan, you can keep it.” So harkened the President (even as far back as his first campaign for the office). Well, it appears either the leader of our nation was not even sure of what his health insurance program was comprised of or he was blatantly lying. And this is the man we now have as President of the United States???!!!!
I stated long ago that this entire plan (which I have read completely, several times) was a complete and fraudulent fiasco. Totally unworkable and unrealistic. For instance, the foundation of the plans livelihood (I am not saying success mind you) was that young people signed onto it in heavy numbers. I find it laughable that Mr. Obama actually believed that the “me first”, spoiled ingrates that make up the present young generation would part with even one cent of the money they are more likely using to purchase alcohol, drugs or a ticket to the newest rap concert. My suspicions were well founded as very few youngsters are signing up, and those who have are probably the last ones to do so. In effect, the entire ACA is now D.O.A. End of debate.
Where are we five years into this administration???? Congressional division w/the executive branch of historic proportions. Unemployment still rampant. The U.S. now the laughing stock of our allies and more importantly, our enemies of the world. Taxation through the roof. A ballooning federal debt. Great progress, right? Give me your answer!!!!!!!!
The most amusing chapter of this train wreck is that the Democrats actually believe that Hillary Clinton will be the next President. Really???? The Queen of Benghazi???? Equally, to be fair, I caution the GOP that New Jersey fatcat Chris Christie would be the poorest choice for the party standard bearer in 2016. The GOP has the best chance since 1980 of taking back the White House and Christie is simply unelectable and not a conservative. Not to mention his hardball tactics which would ultimately be exploited by the Democrats overshadowing Mrs. Clinton’s inadequacies.
The GOP needs to nominate a real conservative such as Senator Ted Cruz or Governor Walker of Wisconsin. Either one of these gentlemen would pulverize the Democrats in the electoral college.
We need common sense government in DC. Pay as you go. No more free rides. A strong defense for a stronger America. A return to the days of Reagan, when we were feared and respected around the globe. Simply, this government is big, fat and out of control. Kind of like Chris Christie.
Something to think about this morning…..
Class Dismissed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 
At 2:47 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Agree with everything you said on Mosca. Two questions, how come you didn't post the video from You Tube and what are your thoughts on her looks?

Below Average Jenny

 
At 3:32 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Professor, welcome back.
Yonk, great edition as always.
As far as all school boards hiring who they want, that is true but the Wilkes Barre Area School Board has brought it to a new and higher level.

 
At 4:05 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think the fact that more people care about the Bachelor program than who is running for Governor speaks volumes about where we live. Don't give me the facts, entertain me.

 
At 7:21 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

What's the taxpayers' tab up to now for the Republicans' shameful Voter ID law - 5 million? Yeah, sure, they're all for the Constitution and all against wasteful spending. If you believe that, I've got a bridge to sell you - in New Jersey!

 
At 10:23 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

have to tell you that with voter id, you made sense. i'm so sick of conservatives tell me how much they love the constitution and this country while they try to squeeze the middle class out of existence.

 
At 12:11 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mr. David,
I came across your blog recently and I must tell you it is most comprehensive and historical. Also topical.
I am so very glad you give us a program guide for radio public affairs shows over the weekend.
As far as Ms. Mosca, as the Beatles sang, "Let It Be".
Pm another note I read your tribute back in October to deejay Mo. Mike Onley. I am so glad the bar is shut down. I feel bad for someone losing their living but that's what happens when killers live among us.

 
At 10:55 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Good voter ID compromise.

Bottom line: voting is an important right and every citizen should recognize its importance and want that right protected enough to go to any CITIZEN.

Anyone not willing to assure the citizenry that they are who they are and indeed hold the right to vote shouldn't be upset if denied the opportunity to vote.

Welcome back Prof. Hope your book is progressing through the market.

 
At 11:10 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

So goes hope! I thought the professor actually stood by his word and went away after Obama won his second term. I for one didn't miss him one bit.

 
At 2:05 PM, Blogger David Yonki said...

IN RESPONSE
Two questions, how come you didn't post the video from You Tube and what are your thoughts on her looks?
NOT SEEN IT TO VET IT YET, BUT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW THE AGE OF PEOPLE READING THIS, I'LL NOT PUT IT UP.
HER LOOKS? SHE SEEMS VERY NICE. HAS AN EXOTIC ROMAN LIKE EUROPEAN QUALITY. BUT AS YOU KNOW, TALL IS BIG WITH ME. BUT YOU CAN BE THE MOST STUNNING WOMAN IN THE WORLD BUT IF YOU ARE NOT A PEOPLE PERSON OR HAVE A GREAT PERSONALITY, IT PRETTY MUCH CANCELS EVERYTHING ELSE OUT.

 
At 3:42 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am so glad they put Tarone on at night. He has a good way of seeing every side of the issue, gets lawmakers to appear and keeps the calls moving. I find myself setting up the old DVR to hear him week nights.

 
At 3:52 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

a nice gift this overturn of voter id in pa., just in time for martin luther king day, a man who along with lbj championed voting for EVERYONE with a face but not a piece of paper.
THE FACE HAS TO BE IN THE PLACE!
lord knows we have so many not willing to show up.

 
At 4:31 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree on Tarone. Like the show. I found myself listening on the way to one of mykid's games one night. Way better than Andy Dean.
And at work the guys love him with Joe Thomas on the Hub.

 
At 7:42 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Your Friend and Political Sparing Partner has left a new comment on your post "The LuLac Edition #2586, January 18th, 2014":

The entire Elise Mosca "issue" was trumped up. (edited)
This was the silliest, misdirected hatred ever spewed by the (edited)
Are we going to be critical of other's seeking attention to further her career?
Bullshit! The video is 9 years old, her clip doesn't reach any level of soft core definitions. Hell, you can see similarly clad women in Sunday circulars for women's undergarments.

 
At 7:43 PM, Blogger David Yonki said...

EDITOR’S NOTE: 7:42 PM:::You really didn’t think I was going to not edit this post. C’mon!!!! But thanks for your efforts.

 
At 7:13 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

...your friend and political sparring partner......

Actually, I was surprised you edited the comment, it was a very accurate analysis.





 

Post a Comment

<< Home