The LuLac Edition #3227, June 9th, 2016

REMEMBERING “THE CHAMP”

Muhammad Ali (Photo: CNN)

Okay I’ll admit it. I was a Sonny Liston guy. Growing up in the early 1960s and attending Catholic school, it was drilled into us that bragging and boasting was bad. This Cassius Clay guy was everything we weren’t supposed to be. But even though I was for the plodding, almost inarticulate Liston, I was amazed by Clay’s verbal ability. It was entertaining. That confused me because I was brought up on the dour countenances of Danny Murtagh, Gene Mauch and Vince Lombardi. Sports weren’t entertainment. It was work resulting in achievement. Even Sandy Koufax showed up and worked.
When Clay beat Liston, boxing and sports changed. Not content to show off to the world, later in that year of 1964, Clay seemed to me to be tempting fate. He changed his name to Muhammad Ali and became a member of the nation of Islam. I’d hear about people changing their religion when one married into another's faith. The term used was “turning”. He “turned” Catholic for her you’d hear. Ali’s new religion was something foreign to me but I understood the principles behind it.
When my high school years came, I was a Joe Frazier guy. Strictly parochial on my part. Frazier was a Philly guy and I loved the music and the deejays from Philadelphia. I loved Ali’s interactions with Howard Cosell but the Delfonics and WIBG and WFIL held sway.
Those fights though with Frazier were ones for the ages. I felt as a young sports fan in the 70s privileged to see Ali and his opponents, great and small. I had wished he let it be when he retained his crown against Leon Spinks for the third time. But Ali still fought that last time against Larry Holmes. He lost but in a weird sort of way we all won. We saw him sans boxing. And there was a lot to see.
I never met Ali but my friend Rob Neyhard did as well as a buddy of mine who got his photo taken with him. My late Uncle Timmy Pribula planted himself in the cabin at Deer Lake and got to meet the Champ. By all their accounts he was fun, gracious and playful.
Young people may not realize the importance of Ali. He was an objector to the Vietnam War when most everyone went along with it. But he was on the right side of history.
Ali was brash and loud. He finished what Jackie Robinson started in sports and in the country. It is fitting that three black men of the 20th century, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jackie Robinson and Mohammad Ali are not only sports and societal icons but people of historical consequence.
Like many Americans, I never started out to be an Ali guy but eventually he not only stole my heart, but won it.He wasn't a superman like the song told us, but he was pretty damn close.
RIP Champ!

BERNIE MEETS THE PRESIDENT

Senator Sanders and the President (Photo: Zimbio)

Despite losing 4 out of 6 primaries Tuesday and having Hillary Clinton beat him in the delegate count, Bernie Sanders has vowed to stay in the Presidential race. Bernie had his meeting with the President and from all accounts he and the head of the Democratic party, the President got along well.
Though I criticized him, Sanders has put his  money where his progressive mouth was. He has done something that Howard Dean, Dennis Kucinich, Jerry Brown or Jesse Jackson couldn’t do in previous campaigns.
Sanders galvanized a network of supporters who are passionate, who funded his cause enormously and moved Hillary Clinton more to the left. That is an achievement worth noting.
Sanders started this campaign hoping to be more than a footnote in the 2016 race. His race exceeded all types of expectations. How he and his supporters reacts to the end game (the Presidential endorsement of Clinton) will determine if he becomes a “giant” in the annals of the Democratic party, a modern day Adlai Stevenson or Eugene McCarthy or the mere footnote he was predicted to be when this race began.

GOPers EXIT TRUMP

The establishment GOP has been “un-endorsing” Donald Trump. Senators Lindsay Graham, David Johnson and Mark Kirk made it clear that they are unhappy with Trump’s comments regarding a Federal Judge (Gonzalo Curiel) hearing his case.
The rebukes have been stinging. Plus the non comments made by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have been significant. McConnell has not stated the comments were racist but he has said Trump needs to think before he speaks.
There is even talk that Trump may not make it to the nomination. (Romney???) I think Trump will prevail not because his apologies or clarifications will save the day. What will help him in the short run is that 65% of the GOP party members believe what Trump said was just great. That is the issue the national GOP has to deal with. Their party elders are embarrassed but the Trump voters are immune to that emotion.

RIDGE REMAINS STEADFAST

Former Pa. Governor Tom Ridge (Photo: CNNs)

Former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge has doubled down on his lack of support for Donald Trump. In an interview with MSNBC’s Chuck Todd, Ridge said that just as he stated last December, he thought Trump would be a mistake for the party.
Ridge also said that Trump’s threat to run as a Third Party candidate should have been used by the GOP Party. Ridge said someone with guts should have shown Trump the door there and then.

WHY TRUMP IS AT A FINANCIAL DISADVANTAGE

(Photo: Money LuLac archives)

CNBC reports that Donald Trump may have a distinct financial disadvantage in the general election. Trump in the past has said he could raise about a billion dollars. But looking at a recent report, Trump may already face an organizational disadvantage to Clinton. He raised only about $12 million in individual contributions through the end of March, the most recent federal data available, instead loaning about $36 million to his campaign.
Outside groups supporting Trump have raised less than $3 million so far, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
Through the end of March, Clinton's campaign committee had taken in more than $180 million. Outside groups supporting Clinton, meanwhile, racked up another $76 million, the center said.

THE LIFE SAVER

A Life Preserver (Suicide Network)

During the election year of 2008, the economy was in a tailspin. When President Obama took office, there was no job growth. Then in 2009, things started slowly to turn around. It should be noted that during the last 18 months of the Bush administration, the U.S. lost jobs. In the 75 months since the spring of 2009, there has been monthly job creation. Some of it has been big, some small but JOBS were created. Now the GOP will tell you that those jobs are insignificant because more people stopped looking for work.
Shame on them. More Republicans tell me they can’t find enough people to hire. The fact is that with this administration, there have been 75 months of job growth. It’s a fact.
The Obama administration gave job seekers and the country a life preserver since 2009. The problem is this country of ingrates want an economic cabin cruiser. 
As if they got that under the previous latter stages of the GOP administration.

THE DUMBEST ECONOMIC COMMENT EVER

On Tuesday night California GOP politician Jerry Parsky said, that under the Obama administration, “This was the worst economic recovery in history”. The definition of recovery means, a return to a normal state of health, mind, or strength., the action or process of regaining possession or control of something stolen or lost. Something that was lost, like jobs?
What a statement. Breathtakingly amazing.

CARTWRIGHT LEGISLATION AIMED AT SAVING $4 BILLION A YEAR UNANIMOUSLY PASSES THE U.S. HOUSE

Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives)

U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright’sThe Making Electronic Government Accountable By Yielding Tangible Efficiencies (MEGABYTE) Act of 2016 passed the U.S. House 366-0. Similar legislation has been introduced in the Senate by U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy.
The bipartisan legislation, introduced by Rep. Cartwright and 28 colleagues in April, reforms the federal government’s management of information technology software licenses by codifying and strengthening current efforts by the administration that have been estimated to as much as $4 billion a year.
For the 2nd year in a row the Government Accountability Office (GAO) listed IT software license management as a top priority in its annual duplication report. A 2015 GAO report claimed that in fiscal year 2012, one major federal agency reported saving approximately $181 million by consolidating its enterprise license agreements even though its oversight process was ad hoc. The GAO believes that implementing oversight and management policies of federal software licenses will save up to $181 million tax dollars per agency per year.
“I want to thank Senator Cassidy for his leadership in the Senate and I look forward to working with him to ensure that this legislation makes its way to the President’s desk,” said Rep. Cartwright. “Of the twenty-four major federal agencies, only two have implemented policies of comprehensive and clear management of software licenses. The MEGABYTE Act is the first in a series of steps we can take to minimize wasteful software spending, and to promote efficient procurement of technology.”
The MEGABYTE Act requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to issue directives to executive branch agencies on developing comprehensive software licensing policies. It also requires the agencies to report cost savings associated with implementing these policies.
The MEGABYTE Act achieves these cost savings through the following actions:
Directs the OMB OMB Director to require executive agencies to identify clear roles, responsibilities, and central oversight authority within the agency for managing enterprise software license agreements and commercial software licenses.
• Agencies will also establish a comprehensive inventory, including 80 percent of software license spending and enterprise licenses in the agency.
• Agencies will regularly track and maintain software licenses to assist the executive agency in implementing decisions throughout the software license management life cycle.
• Agencies will analyze software usage and other data to make cost-effective decisions.
• Agencies will provide training relevant to software license management.
• Agencies will establish goals and objectives of the software license management program of the agency.
• Agencies will consider the software license management life cycle phases, including the requisition, reception, deployment and maintenance, retirement, and disposal phases, to implement effective decision making and incorporate existing standards, processes, and metrics.

MEDIA MATTERS

MYASTHENIA GRAVIS HIGHLIGHTED ON PUBLIC SERVICE PROGRAMS THIS WEEK

June is Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month. This week local Community broadcast programs interviewed a few regarding the disease as well as awareness for it. In addition, a free luncheon event on Thursday June 16th starting at 11:30 at Allied Services in Scranton was highlighted.

ECTV

Well it's finally happened. David Yonki, the author of this very blog, joins Rusty Fender, me, and our Director Mark Migilore on ECTV Live during the week of June 13th.! 

But David, knowN for talking politics during most of his media appearances, will be sharing information about a little know disease that is finally beginning to get some attention. It's called Myasthenia gravis. ECTV Live is seen on Comcast channel 19 (61 in some areas) and is broadcast three times daily (Noon, 6pm, and Midnight) throughout the week on Electric City Television.

SUNDAY MAGAZINE

This Week on Sunday Magazine

Brian Hughes speaks with Peterlyn West, a co-ordinator for Cultural Homestay International, and Jessica Fountain from the Hoyt Library about hosting a foreign exchange student.
Brian speaks with Dr. Vivek Reddy about the "Stroke Zone", explaining how certain regions of the country are more prone to strokes than others.
And an encore of Brian's interview with Vera & Harry Krewson about Myastenia Gravis Awareness Month during the month of June, and a big MG event coming up at Allied Services in Scranton next week.
Sunday Magazine, Sunday morning at 5am on NASH-FM, 93.7, 5:30am on 97BHT, 6am on 97.9X and Sports Radio 590, WARM and 6:25am on Magic 93.

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM

This week's guest is Terry Justick, a woman with Myasthenia Gravis. She'll discuss the disease and an upcoming event at Allied Services. Tune in Sunday morning June 12 at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on The Game Sports Radio 1400/1440 am and 106.7 fm; and at 7:30 on 105 The River.

SUE HENRY’S SPECIAL EDITION

Tune in to Sue Henry's "Special Edition" this week as Sue recaps the week's news. Special Edition is heard Saturdays and Sunday on these Entercom stations, WILK FM Saturday at 2pm Sunday at 6 am on Froggy 101 Sunday at 7 am on 102.3 Sunday at 7 am on K R Z 98.5 and Sunday at noon on WILK FM 103.1. One of Sue's guest this week will be Terry Justick from the Myasthenia Gravis Support Group.

THE IRREGULARS THINK TANK BREAKFAST

Peterlyn West (Photo: Cultural Homestay International)

The Irregulars warmly welcome you to join us at The Irregulars Think Tank Breakfast this Saturday, June 11 at 9:00 a.m. at the Lakeside Skillet at Harveys Lake. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to get acquainted with others. Doors open at 8:30. Cost for the breakfast is $13.00 payable at the door. After breakfast take a ride around the lake and enjoy the wonderful scenery and pristine architecture.
Presenter will be our very good friend and Irregular Peterlyn Wezt, Area Coordinator, Cultural Homestay International (CHI). Her presentation “Sharing World Cultures – One Student at a Time” will call our attention to the CHI non-profit organization that promotes opening family homes and hearts to the world’s young people by hosting a Foreign Exchange Student.

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!”

KAREL ON THE STREET

Tune in Wednesdays on WILK Radio for Karel on the Street. Hear some of the funniest and heartwarming comments on the issues of the day on Webster and Nancy with Karel Zubris.

BOBBY V’S DOO WOP SOCK HOP!!!!!

The Doo-Wop Sock Hop can be heard every Sunday night from 6P to 9P on “105 The River (104.9 FM) Host is the incomparable Bobby V. www.105theriver.net www.doowopsockhop.net

1971

Our 1971 logo.

Soyuz program: Soyuz 11 (Vladislav Volkov, Georgi Dobrovolski, Viktor Patsayev) is launched…….A midair collision between Hughes Airwest Flight 706 Douglas DC-9 jetliner and a U.S. Marine Corps McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom jet fighter near Duarte, California, claims 50 lives. All 44 passengers and five crew members aboard the DC-9, which impacted into a remote canyon of Mt. Bliss approximately three miles N of the city of Duartem are killed, along with one of the two crew members of the F-4B fighter, whose wreckage is found in another canyon approximately .75 miles SE of the DC-9's crash site. The second crew member survives…..The Ed Sullivan Show ends its 23-year run on CBS television…..John Lennon and Yoko Ono record tracks for the Some Time in New York City album. Other musicians participating in the session include Aynsley Dunbar, Howard Kaylan, Jim Pons, Don Preston, Ian Underwood, Mark Volman, Klaus Voormann and Frank Zappa……in the Commonwealth Lt. Governor Ernie Kline works on Emergency Preparedness programs throughout the 67 counties, in Wilkes Barre the school board races heat up as the summer starts another election since the jointure looms and 45 years ago the number one song in LuLac land and America was “Rainy Days and Mondays “ by The Carpenters”.