The LuLac Edition #4,176, November 30th, 2019

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING TIPS

Check out Dr. Joe's books on Amazon.
https://www.shortstoryscribe.com/amazon-author-page

The LuLac Edition #4,175, November 28th, 2019

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2019 

THANKSGIVING WEEKEND TIPS IF YOU’RE IN THE COMPANY OF TRUMP-ITES

We’ve all faced the situation. Our relatives and in some cases friends are ardent Trump supporters who despite the recent revelations think their man, old Diaper Don (always crying and full of it) is getting a raw deal. Hey, you’re a guest in their home and the best thing to do is just avoid the topic. It can be easy if you just don’t engage. Here are a few tips if the subject of the orange one comes up.
1. Can anyone please tell me if that’s a bear outside the window?
2. Is there a recall on turkey breasts that are sold separately? So glad you got an entire bird.
3. Did (spouse) fill in name tell you she heard McCartney might come to The Arena?
4. My buddy told me he’s renting to a stripper from Teasters and his wife is okay with that. 5. What’s the score of the Bills and Cowboys?
6. This is optional. “I love the Cowboys”. Or “The Cowboys have always sucked”.
7. I overheard (niece’s name, if no niece then nephew’s wife or girlfriend” I heard she’s pregnant and taking hormones for multiple births.
8. How much do you think a wooden leg would cost if I needed one?
9. Would it be safe to make seafood chowder when the kid’s goldfish die?
10. I hear there is a new weight loss plan where they put you in a coma for a year. Do you think I should try that after this fabulous meal you prepared?
Ten tips to deflect the conversation. You’ll enjoy your meal, keep your friends and family just that. Then you’ll have the satisfaction that in the middle of the night, you’re Trump friends will think, “Wow, your guest made a departure from the real conversation. And in their deepest heart of hearts, they’ll be very proud that you used a tool perfected by old Diaper himself.

”WATCH OUT RUDY: HERE COMES THAT BUS!!!!!"

TRUMP SAYS HE DIDN'T DIRECT GIULIANI'S UKRAINE EFFORTS. WITNESSES SAY OTHERWISE.

Your blog editor with Rudy before he went nuts!!! (Photo: LuLac archives)

President Donald Trump claimed on Tuesday that he did not direct his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani to have Ukraine dig up dirt on his political rivals, contradicting testimony from several witnesses in the House impeachment inquiry.
"No, I didn't direct him but he's a warrior, Rudy's a warrior. Rudy went, he possibly saw something,” Trump told former Fox News host Bill O’Reilly in an interview.
Asked by O’Reilly what Giuliani was doing in Ukraine on Trump's behalf, the president said: "You have to ask that to Rudy, but Rudy, I don't, I don't even know. I know he was going to go to Ukraine and I think he canceled a trip. But, you know, Rudy has other clients other than me. I'm one person.
Here’s the thing. Only Trump is saying one thing and multiple witnesses are saying another. Who you going to believe? The guys with 12,000 documented lies under his belt or them? (LuLac, AOL News)

HELP CARTWRIGHT FIGHT TRUMP ON CLIMATE CHANGE

Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives)

Well, it’s official. The administration has begun the process of withdrawing the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement – a global framework for reducing emissions agreed to by nearly 200 countries.
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time — you can see its devastating effects in every corner of the United States as extreme weather events become more severe and temperatures rise.
Matt Cartwright voted to pass H.R. 9, the Climate Action Now Act, which would require the U.S. to uphold the agreed-upon emissions standards laid out in the Paris Climate Agreement. However, a truly global effort is the only way we can help our planet avoid the devastating impacts of climate change
Check out thius link to stop the Trump administration from ruining the future of our climate. https://www.paction.us/paris-agreement/cartwright?emci=ee5db551-b907-ea11-828b-2818784d6d68&emdi=ea53f084-8209-ea11-828b-2818784d6d68&ceid=6343037

CALLING OUT TRUMP CASEY, BENNET URGE ADMINISTRATION TO STOP OBSTRUCTING EFFORTS TO DELIVER BENEFITS TO VETERANS EXPOSED TO AGENT ORANGE.

Senator Robert Casey (Photo: LuLac archives)

U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Michael Bennet (D-CO) sent a letter to Trump Administration officials urging them to stop obstructing access to health benefits and disability compensation for approximately 83,000 veterans, some from Pennsylvania and Colorado.
Following a federally-mandated National Academies of Medicine (NAM) study on the health effects of exposure to Agent Orange, Office of Management and Budget Director (OMB) Mick Mulvaney declined to include illnesses determined by the NAM study to be linked to exposure to Agent Orange and other chemicals used during the Vietnam War as presumptive conditions.
“By refusing to include these illnesses on the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) list of Agent Orange presumptive benefits, OMB is acting in direct opposition to the NAM’s analysis of peer-reviewed reports that suggest otherwise,” wrote Casey and Bennet in their letter to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert Wilkie and OMB Director Mulvaney. “We encourage you to acknowledge the scientific based evidence and the recommendation of the previous VA Secretary David Shulkin, and designate these conditions to the presumptive list for Agent Orange exposure.”
The senators also expressed concern over the delay in implementation of new legislation to expand Agent Orange benefits to Navy Vietnam veterans, demanding the administration prioritize and process their claims as soon as possible.
“These veterans and their families have waited long enough for access to the benefits for which they are eligible and desperately need,” wrote the senators. “Our nation must live up to the promises it has made to the men and women who have sacrificed much by serving in uniform.”

MEDIA MATTERS

WALN TV

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM

This week's guest will be Diane Baldi, CEO of Hospice of the Sacred Heart.
Tune in Sunday morning at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on 1400-The Game, NEPA's Fox .Sports Radio and 106.7 fm; and at 7:30 on 105 The River.

ECTV LIVE

ECTV Live host welcomes Sabrina Herbert of the Newtown Township Recreation Committee to the program the week of December 2nd to unveil plans for its first annual Holiday tree lighting program, The Township is joining a host of other area communities that have or are developing special events to begin the Christmas holiday season. We'll find out what it takes to develop and stage community events like this one!
ECTV Live is seen three times daily on Comcast channel 19 and is also available on the electric city television YouTube page!

BUDDY RUMCHEK

Want to hear some great parodies on the news? Tune in to WILK Radio at 6:20 and 8:20 AM on Mondays. As Ralph Cramden used to say, “It’s a laugh riot!”

BOBBY V’S DOO WOP SOCK HOP

SUNDAY NIGHTS!

1969

Our 1969 logo.

The first nationwide teachers' strike in British history began as thousands of State Education Board schoolteachers walked off the job in protest of low wages. At the time, the gross wage for public education teachers ranged from £16 to £30 pounds ($39 to $74) per week . The initial walkouts of half a day or more were a warning in advance of the strike to being on December 1.
President Nixon signed into law a provision for the first "draft lottery", with random selection of "the dates of the year and then of the letters of the alphabet" to determine which young men would be picked first for military service, with the picks to be made on Monday…..
Israeli Aircraft Industries (IAI) unveiled the first airplane to be both designed and built in Israel, as the IAI Arava made its first test flight. A turboprop military transport aircraft, the Arava initially had room for a pilot, a co-pilot, and 19 passengers. A little more than 90 of the Arava models would be sold…Elections were held in New Zealand for the unicameral New Zealand Parliament. Keith Holyoake, Prime Minister since 1960, retained his office and his National Party gained one seat, holding 45 of the 84, slightly more than the 43 needed for a majority government. Norman Kirk's Labour Party won the other 39 seats, gaining four….

The Ottawa Rough Riders defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders, 29 to 11, to win the Grey Cup for the championship of the Canadian Football League. Ottawa's Russ Jackson, the game's Most Valuable Player, became the last Canadian citizen to throw a touchdown pass in the championship game, and it would take another 48 years before a Canadian quarterback even threw a touchdown in the CFL playoffs…..Charles Denton "Tex" Watson, who had carried out most of the shooting or killing of the seven victims of the Tate-La Bianca murders at the direction of Charles Manson, was arrested in McKinney, Texas after the Los Angeles Police Department identified his fingerprints from the crime scenes Watson would successfully resist extradition until his return to California on September 11, 1970, and would later be convicted on seven counts of first degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment…..In Moscow, thousands of Russian visitors packed into an exhibition hall to see the first moon rock to be brought to the Soviet Union. The rock was part of an exhibit of United States scientific achievements and included one of the samples of lunar soil brought back by the Apollo 11 mission.
And fifty year ago the number one song in LuLac land was “Something” by The Beatles. This song was penned by George Harrison.

The LuLac Edition #4, 174, November 27th, 2019

WRITE ON WEDNESDAY

Our “Write On Wednesday” logo.

This week’s Write On Wednesday features a topic that has been heavily discussed. When Joh Yudichak decided to bolt the Dems in favor of the Independents, it was shocking news. The Citizens’ Voice said the good Senator should put his money where his political mouth is, quit and run as an Independent. Here are their thoughts:

YUDICHAK SHOULD RESIGN, RERUN AS INDEPENDENT

State Sen. John Yudichak of Plymouth Twp. says his switch from Democrat to independent is unique, but it actually is typical of the fecklessness and relentless self-interest that so many people lament as the baseline characteristics of career politicians.
According to Yudichak, his switch has been a slow development over several years as he has become disenchanted with his party — or in classic political parlance, as the party “moved away from me” — but that didn’t stop him from running and winning his third term as a Democrat in 2018.
Politicians often flatter themselves by believing that the public voted for them as the person rather than the party. But for three elections to the Senate and six elections to the House before that, voters knew Yudichak the man as a Democrat.
There is nothing wrong with someone declaring as an independent, of course. But the time to do that is not less than one year into a new term, with three years before the next election. The time to do that is during an election year — it’s called being honest with voters.
The only way to do that 11 months into a new term is to resign and run under the newly declared affiliation, or lack of one.

The Lulac Edition #4,173, November 26th, 2019

LUZERNE COUNTY DEMS CHAIRMAN PEKAROVSKY

STEPS DOWN, BOZINSKI GOES TO TOP SPOT

John Pekarovsky (Photo: Times Leader) 

Kathy Bozinski (Photo: Times Leader)

In the aftermath of a drubbing by their Republican counterparts in this last election and the sudden departure of Senator John Yudichak who was essentially controlling the levers of power in the Democratic Party, its chair since only 2018 John Pekarovsky has resigned. Pekarovsky guided the Luzerne County Dems in the crucial 2018 election that saw the re-election of Tom Wolf, Bob Casey, the aforementioned Yuidichak and Eddie Day Pashinski. He held enthusiastic rallies and did his best to heal any rifts or issues within the party.
His reason for resigning was his friendship with Yudichak and his family’s employment relationship with the Senator. While praising Yudichak as a person who has done good things for the county, he felt his position would be questioned by those still angry at the 14th District Senator for his surprising exit  from the party.
Pekarovsky is succeeded by Vice Chair Kathy Bozinski a good friend of ours and always a supporters of this blog. She brings name recognition, the ability to communicate and a sense of purpose  to the job. Plus as a woman, her appointment accentuates the inclusiveness that has always been the hallmark of the Democratic party nationally and in the state. With the 2020 election looming, Bozinski’s media acumen, personality and presence will certainly get Luzerne County noticed by the myriad of Dems running for President. 
Her challenge in election 2020 will be to keep errant Dems from bolting from their nominee in favor of the current ball of sludge occupying the White House. She nor the Democratic party will change the minds of the ingrates who feed off Social Security and Medicare thinking that the Dems never did anything for them.  She needs to build a collation of all the others who know better. 
We wish Mr. Pekarovsky well and Kathy or K-Bo as some call her, the very best of luck.

The LuLac Edition #4, 172, November 25th, 2019

MONDAY MEMES

The LuLac Edition #4,171, November 24th, 2019

YUDICHAK ON FOX SATURDAY

Fox News came a calling when they found out State Senator John Yudichak switched his party from Democrat to Independent. If they're intent was to use him as a prop for their network and philosophy, they were over matched.
in the interview, Yudichak was sensible and kept control of the interview. Despite the host's efforts to trip him up, Yudichak just kept on going miking his points and did not let the interviewer have a chance to make his points.
Whatever you think of his decision, he knocked it out of the park today on national news and proved he can be in the big leagues.
Here's a link: https://video.foxnews.com/v/6108025491001/?fbclid=IwAR0Ghdo6kMtD54xr5yh_qt-BPm93SoiscCyR3mbU3qkm742oq75S2yToCTg#sp=show-clips

The LuLac Edition #4,170, November 22nd, 2019

JFK 56 YEARS GONE

Today marks the 56th anniversary of the death of President John F. Kennedy. It is a day seared into the minds of those who were of a certain generation. Here's what some of saw on that day.

The LuLac Edition #4, 169, November 21st, 2019

SENATOR YUDICHAK’S BOMBSHELL

Senator John Yudichak (Photo: LuLac archives)

Senator John Yudichak shocked the Pennsylvania political world Tuesday when he advised he was leaving the Democratic Party. Yudichak’s change will not affect the way his office does business but it does make an impact on the Pennsylvania Senate. Currently the Pa Senate is comprised of 27 Republicans, 21 Democrats and now one Independent. There is one seat vacant.
Yudichak on the Senate level has now become a free agent. While the Republicans hold a majority, the newly minted I, (not a D or an R) can navigate the choppy waters of Harrisburg. The decision to caucus with the Republicans  is very interesting. Will it enhance his stature as a Senator and help the 14th Senatorial district? Time will tell on that one.
Reaction from the local Democratic Party was shock. Then anger. I’m sure a lot of Dems will be going through all the stages of grief. Politicians have changed parties in Luzerne County for years. Ed Wideman was a Republican and turned Democrat in the 60s. Frank Trinisewski changed from a Republican to a Democrat. Tom Stish switched his allegiance as a State Representative in the 90s from Democratic to Republican. All but Wideman paid an immediate political price.
Trinisewski lost a bid for the State Senate seat held by Ray Musto in 1990 and shortly resigned as Commissioner. Stish was trounced in 1992 by Todd Eachus and has not been heard from since. Yudichak’s saving grace is that he did not turn to the other major party. Being an Independent frees him of any allegiance to party and can even elevate him to higher stature. Not quite that of statesman but pretty close.
The currency in politics is notoriety. Yudichak has gained instant name recognition across the state. That will come in handy since it is no secret Yudichak always wanted to be Governor. The guy might deny it but anyone involved in politics who has been successful always has their eye on the top job. 
Look at the benches for the Governor's race. The Dems have an embarrassment of riches with Josh Shapiro the Attorney General and Jon Fetterman.  You might want to throw Katie McGinty in there along with Joe Sestak. Who's occupying that GOP side as a possible candidate for Governor? You'd be hard pressed to name one at this point, right? Then there's the 8 year cycle for Gubernatorial races. Tom Wolf broke that in 2014 by upending Tom Corbett but I'm betting that was an anomaly. After eight years of a Democrat, might Pennsylvania voters be ready for an Independent Republican, non partisan guy like Yudichak? The only thing that might stop him is the extreme right wing of the party. He may not appear to be ideologically pure but maybe after 4 years of Trump and impotent GOP lapdogs in Washington, who knows that might reverse itself and be relegated to the dustbin of history.
2022 is a few years away but he has made himself a viable alternative to both parties. With Jon Fetterman looming large (no size jokes intended) Yudichak might be a perfect GOP nominee. That said, parties sometimes will not embrace what they deem as a turncoat or an opportunist.
Local Democrats are always saying that Yudichak was the cause of the tepid success of the Dems. Far from it. At every event I’ve been to, Yudichak has been supportive and rallied the troops. The lack of success by the Democrats comes from the dilution of party loyalty since the institution of the County Council system. No job, no foot soldiers. Plus that doesn’t mean much anymore. Even people who owe their jobs to a friend are protected by unions. With more transparency, some may not want to put themselves in a line of fire either.
Yudichak’s main focus is working for the average Pennsylvanians who have been squished by the economics of the state. Given the way Donald Trump appealed to working class voters and the migration of some to the Republicans and Independents, Yudichak has made himself “an every man fusion candidate. One wins an election in Pennsylvania not by ideology but by making themselves a reasonable alternative.
While this decision might seem crazy and unreasonable to some, Yudichak has always had the pulse of the people in his mind and heart. There will be hurdles to overcome but in a few years time, this might go down in Pennsylvania political history as a brilliant move. The old party structures have faded and Yudichak is getting out now while the getting is good. As a longtime admirer and political friend, Lulac wishes him well.

IMPEACHMENT DOES NOT OVER TURN THE ELECTION

Ohio scholastic accused molester and Congressman Jim Jordan kept yammering the other day that “Impeachment overturns the 20`16 election. IT DOES NOT. If Trump gets convicted by the Senate, Mike Pence becomes President. How the hell does that overturn an election? Jordan is not only spouting fears and lies but is a moron.

CASEY, COLLEAGUES INTRODUCE SENATE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN REAUTHORIZATION ACT

SENATE DEMOCRATS INTRODUCE BILL TO PROTECT AMERICANS AFFECTED BY INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE

United States Senator Bob Casey (Photo: LuLac archives)

U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and his Senate Democratic colleagues introduced a companion bill to the House-passed Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act. The bill, which would reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) through 2024, includes a number of additional improvements to the current law.

Passing the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act would help improve criminal justice and community-based responses to domestic violence and provide resources to crack down on sex trafficking. It would help to prevent intimate partner homicides by prohibiting individuals convicted of misdemeanor stalking from possessing firearms. Further, this legislation would preserve and expand housing protections for survivors and enhance judicial and law enforcement tools through reauthorization of the Justice Department’s STOP Violence Against Women Formula Program, known as the STOP Program.
“Congress must move swiftly to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, the cornerstone of federal law that provides support and protection for victims of intimate partner violence,” said Senator Casey. “The House passed its VAWA reauthorization bill on April 4, and I urge my colleagues across the aisle to support the Senate version of the bill. Every day we fail to renew VAWA, we fail to protect women from violence.”
“I’ve been working with Senator Ernst on a bipartisan path forward and plan to continue those negotiations. Given the overwhelming House vote and the strength of that bill, however, now is the right time to introduce it,” said Senator Feinstein. “Make no mistake, there’s a dire need for this legislation. A quarter of American women will be the victim of physical violence by an intimate partner during their lifetimes. More than a third of all women will be raped, assaulted or stalked. And the numbers are worse for Native American women, of whom some 84 percent will experience violence. Making VAWA stronger will help us lower those tragic numbers.”
Senator Casey cosponsored the 2013 Violence Against Women Act reauthorization, which expired in April. In Pennsylvania, an estimated 122 victims died from domestic violence incidents last year, 68 percent of whom were killed by a current or former intimate partner.

CARTWRIGHT REINTRODUCES BILL TO HELP AMERICANS FOLLOW THE POLITICAL DARK MONEY TRAIL

Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo; LuLac archives) 

Representative Matt Cartwright reintroduced legislation to make sure we all know where corporate political money is going.
The Openness in Political Expenditures Now (OPEN) Act would require corporations to disclose political spending in their regular reports to shareholders. This bill would also cap political spending by tax-exempt 501(c)(4) organizations—which currently do not have to disclose their donors—in order to prevent groups from using their tax-exempt status to funnel millions of dollars into our elections at the taxpayer’s expense.
“Voters should set the terms of political debate in this country, not large corporations or dark money special interest groups,” said Rep. Cartwright. “That’s why I believe it’s time to shine a light on corporate political spending. Americans deserve to know who is paying to influence our elections.”
In January 2010, the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision on Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, declared that the government may not prohibit political spending by corporations in candidate elections. However, then-Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy’s court opinion stated that “the Government may regulate corporate political speech through disclaimer and disclosure requirements.”
Specifically, the OPEN Act would amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 by:
Requiring corporations to disclose information on any significant political expenditure as part of their regular, periodic reports to their shareholders or members, and
Capping the amount of political spending a 501(c)(4) can engage in and still be considered an exclusively social welfare-focused organization at 10% of its annual spending or $10 million annually, whichever is lower.
The bill is supported by Public Citizen, a nonprofit consumer advocacy organization, and Common Cause, a nonpartisan government watchdog organization.
“With multi-national corporations spending millions of dollars in secret political money in recent years, all Americans deserve to know who is trying to influence our voices and our votes,” said Aaron Scherb, director of legislative affairs at Common Cause. “The OPEN Act would require much-needed transparency and accountability to ensure that corporations couldn’t hide the identities of those seeking to buy influence in Washington. From introducing the OPEN Act and the Time Off to Vote Act, as well as his strong support for H.R. 1 (the For thePeople Act), Common Cause commends Representative Cartwright for his longstanding leadership on democracy reform issues.”

MEDIA MATTERS

WALN TV

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM

Tune in Sunday morning at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on 1400-The Game, NEPA's Fox .Sports Radio and 106.7 fm; and at 7:30 on 105 The River.

ECTV LIVE

Lackawanna County's Director of Arts and Culture Maureen McGuigan joins ECTV Live host David DeCosmo during the week of November 25th to unveil plans for this year's downtown Marketplace and the annual Festival of Trees.
ECTV Live is seen three times daily on Comcast channel 19 and is also available on the electric city television YouTube page!

BUDDY RUMCHEK

Want to hear some great parodies on the news? Tune in to WILK Radio at 6:20 and 8:20 AM on Mondays. As Ralph Cramden used to say, “It’s a laugh riot!”

BOBBY V’S DOO WOP SOCK HOP

SUNDAY NIGHTS!

1969

Our 1969 logo.

Singer Janis Joplin was arrested at the Curtis Hixon Convention Center in Tampa, Florida and charged with obscenity for using profanity while addressing the police during a concert. Tampa police allowed her to finish her set of seven songs before arresting her backstage. She posted a $504 bond and was released [62]. Her hearing date in municipal court would be postponed four times. On March 4, 1970, she would be fined $200 and costs after failing to appear for a scheduled trial date . Joplin would die of a heroin dose exactly seven months later……..J002E3", which would return to Earth orbit 33 years later, began its journey during the "CSM-LM separation" phase of the Apollo 12 mission. The object had been the third and last stage of the Saturn V rocket that had brought the Apollo 12 crew to lunar orbit, and at 16:16 UTC, was separated from the command module Yankee Clipper and the lunar module Intrepid. The rocket stage engines were fired to send it away from the Moon, with the intention of putting it into orbit around the Sun. For decades, the third stage continued its heliocentric orbit until April, 2002, when its path took it near Earth’s L1 Lagrange point and entered Earth orbit. The object would be discovered by Canadian amateur astronomer Bill Yeung on September 3, 2002, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) would determine that J002E3, was "the first known case of an object being captured by the Earth" J002E3's orbital path was such that JPL calculated that it would leave Earth orbit again in June, 2003…..

Apollo 12 astronauts Pete Conrad and Alan Bean landed the lunar module Intrepid at the northern edge of the crater Mare Cognitum within the Oceanus Procellarum ("Ocean of Storms") area, at 0655 UTC (1:55 Florida time), becoming the third and fourth humans to reach the surface of the Moon Conrad became the third person to walk on the Moon, at 1145 UTC and Bean alighted almost half an hour later at 1214 UTC. Richard F. Gordon remained in orbit, piloting the mothership Yankee Clipper. The landing was made to come close to the Surveyor 3 lunar probe that had arrived on the Moon two years and seven months earlier, on April 19, 1967, and set down only 200 metres (660 ft) away. A plan to televise live color images from the Moon was ruined after Bean accidentally pointed the camera at the Sun, burning out the imaging tube…..Edson Arantes do Nascimento of Brazil, known worldwide as Pelé, became the first professional soccer football player to score 1,000 goals in a career. O Milésimo ("The Thousandth") came in the 77th minute of play during a penalty kick for his team, Santos, against CR Vasco da Gama at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro [71] and was made past goalkeeper Norberto Andrada. The milestone, anticipated around the globe, also proved to be the margin of victory in Santos' 2 to 1 win over Vasco da Gama ...All 14 people on board Mohawk Airlines Flight 411 were killed when the Fairchild FH-227B crashed in New York's Adirondack Mountains during a short flight from Albany to Glens Falls
.. Astronauts Pete Conrad and Alan Bean ascended from the Moon and docked with the orbiter Yankee Clipper. After re-entering the orbiter, the astronauts sent the lunar module Intrepid rocketing back toward the Moon, crashing it into the lunar surface at a speed of 3,700 miles per hour (6,000 km/h) in order to measure the impact of an object of known weight and speed to serve as a standard for evaluating future seismological readings. The Intrepid crash left a man-made elliptical lunar crater measuring 20 feet (6.1 m) by 40 feet (12 m), and roughly 20 inches (510 mm) deep

Haynesworth with Nixon 

Senator Joe Tydings of Maryland (Photo: wikipedia)

By a margin of 45 "yes" to 55 "no", the United States Senate rejected the nomination of Clement Haynsworth to be an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court All 100 U.S. Senators participated in a roll call vote, in alphabetical order, that took 11 minutes to complete. The "no" vote from Maryland senator Joe Tydings marked 51 against 44 "yes", ending the possibility of confirmation. Tydings paid a political price in the next election but this was when Senators had the courage of their convictions and the number one song in America and LuLacland was
“Smile A Little Smile For Me” by The Flying Machine.

The LuLac Edition #4,168, November 20th, 2019

WRITE ON WEDNESDAY

Our “Write On Wednesday” logo

This week we give you an editorial from Times Shamrock’s Citizens’ Voice which defends the free press against the assaults of President Trump and his crew of thugs.

NO APOLOGIES FOR REPORTING

American journalism has been under scrutiny as never before due largely to President Donald Trump’s relentless attacks on it.
Journalism and journalists are not perfect but they are not the unscrupulous enterprise and pack of rascals described by the president. Journalism largely has withstood the scrutiny because facts are facts, accountability is accountability and, well, Trump is Trump.
It is harmful to journalism, a constitutionally protected bulwark of U.S. democracy, when journalists themselves unnecessarily buy into the false narratives about the craft.
So it was recently when Troy Closson, editor-in-chief of The Daily Northwestern, the student newspaper at Northwestern University, published an apology to students because the paper’s reporters engaged in reporting.
The case is important because Closson and the reporters are students at Northwestern’s prestigious Medill School of Journalism, and it indicates deep confusion about what reporters are supposed to do in the field.
A large number of Northwestern students turned out recently to protest an appearance on the campus by Jeff Sessions, the former Alabama senator and U.S attorney general who has declared his candidacy to return to the Senate.
Closson apologized because his reporters used the modern tools of the trade, social media, to distribute photos from the event, including of protesters. Some of those demonstrators are members of what Closson described as “marginalized groups” and some of them received some blowback from critics about their participation in the protest.
Reporters’ duly reported on the event as it happened and did not manufacture any of the images that they distributed. Closson should have his reporters’ backs rather than apologizing to people who appeared at a newsworthy, public event yet sought anonymity.
Many professional journalists in the Chicago area admonished Closson for the apology. Unfortunately, Closson’s defenders did not defend his decision but noted simply that many of the pros who questioned him are white whereas Closson is black.
It is true that over generations, elements of the news media has been complicit in racial discrimination and bias. That is rare today, however, and in any case, it cannot be cured by apologizing for legitimate news coverage.

The LuLa Edition #4, 167, November 20th, 2019

BOBBY KENNEDY @ 94

Today Robert Kennedy would have been 94 years old. He is frozen in time as a courageous fighter for the poor and under represented. But as we see a Justice Department being reduced to a partisan political rubble, it is instructive to remember Kennedy as one of the best Attorney Generals this country ever had.
It is a shame that there is such shenanigans going on in a building named in his memory.
The grief in Bobby's passing will never go away but his values of justice and equality will live on forever in history.

 

The LuLac Edition #4,166, November 19th, 2019

THE SADNESS THAT IS RON JOHNSON OR RON JOHNSON’S HARD ON FOR HILLARY!

Ron Johnson the two term Senator from Wisconsin has now gone down the Donald Trump shoot of people who have soiled their reputation for pretty much nothing. His second time on “Meet The Press” Johnson has once again made a total ass out of himself.
He sputtered and “what if-ed” himself to death. When challenged by host Chuck Todd (who must have known Johnson was an easy mark or just plainly constipated by the sludge he’s carrying on behalf of old Diaper Don (always crying and full of shit) Johnson went by the old stand by and brought up Hillary Clinton. He was on tape before the 2016 election saying Clinton had committed an impeachable offense with those e mails. When Todd said that the Senator was hypocritical, he whined like the baby slug he has become.
Take a look at this very foolish man with his head clearly up the President’s butt. Or maybe Johnson felt by bringing up HRC, he was telling her, "I still have the hots for you baby!" Either way, Ron Johnson is a disgrace and Wisconsin voters should relegate him to the sewer pipe of history. 

From this link, Crooks and Liars https://crooksandliars.com/2019/11/ron-johnson-met-truth-meet-press

ZEKE BRATKOWSKI

Zeke and Bart. (Photo: The New York Times)

Backup Quarterbacks rarely get the props they deserve in the NFL. Yet when the first string guy goes down, the second in command steps up and is expected to be at the very least an adequate replacement. He knows the plays, knows the system.
My affinity for backups started when I became a fan of the Green Bay Packers. Bart Starr and Vince Lombardi were the most recognizable but always right behind them, at the ready was Zeke Bratkowski.
Many times Bratkowski came into games in the third quarter with the score tied and engineered a win for the team. In a championship game against the Rams, he started when Starr went down and gave the Pack the win so they could go on to claim a title against The Browns.
After his years with the Packers, Bratkowski became an Offensive Coordinator for 7 teams. With his stats and 14 year career he had the tools and the skill to be a starting QB. But he was a team player that made quite an impression on me and ever since then, my favorite position on a football team is: back up QB. Doug Williams, once a backup for the Redskins won a Super Bowl doing that. I side with the Eagles most times because their Coach Doug Pederson was a back up to Brett Favre.
Zeke Bratkowski was 88.

NOTES ON BOOKS 

DR. JOE LEONARDI

The a gander at dr. Joe Leonardi’s collection that is quite appropriate for today. Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6v8WEGhuVnU

PETER TROYAN

Peter has just published a rather pithy and entertaining read.
AUTUMN ICE is now available only on Amazon in both formats: $15.99 book , $ 5.99 Kindle.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=autumn+ice+peter+troyan&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss

The LuLac Edition #4,165, November 18th, 2019

MONDAY MEMES 

The LuLac Edition #4, 164, November 14th, 2019

WHY THIS IMPEACHMENT IS DIFFERENT THAN WATERGATE, ANDREW JOHNSON AND BILL CLINTON 

I was around for Watergate. As a matter of fact, I cut my teeth at WVIA FM reading the Transcripts of those infamous tapes. The crime that brought Richard Nixon down was Obstruction of Justice. It was determined by the June 21st tape, released by the Supreme Court in a unanimous vote that Nixon engineered the cover up. That was it. He was done. His own party instructed him to quit.
As a matter of fact, you can’t compare the Andrew Johnson or Bill Clinton impeachment to this one as well. This time, an American President (and I use the latter term loosely) asked a foreign power to dig up dirt on an opponent to influence an election. He then acted through intermediaries like Rudy Gulianni to make sure that aid to that country (Ukraine) would be held up until he got his way.His own appointed diplomats were wondering what the hell was going on.
In fact, this American President admitted to it on TV. But the big difference here is that the three men prior to this President had qualities that seem to be lacking in this creature . Johnson, Nixon and Clinton were ready to admit the system was there to judge them. Edwin Ross saved Johnson from impeachment. Look him up in JFK’s book “Profiles In Courage”. Nixon acquiesced to the pleadings of his own party by quitting and as a lawyer knew he was caught red handed. Clinton addressed the nation and apologized. These men had a sense of dignify and shame.
Donald Trump does not. Additionally his party of cock eyed minions have no sense of history or shame either. It was okay for them to say “Lock Her Up” in regard to Hillary Clinton (I think most GOP Congressmen pretty much hate strong women) but when old Diaper Don (always crying and full of shit) instructs them on how bad they’re hurting his itty bitty feelings, they get on their self-righteous high horses and say “Where is the evidence?” Well it’s right where you’re boy admitted to it.
Finally, how can it be that civil servants with careers that were distinguished, Ambassadors and witnesses who listened to that call, how can all of them be lying and Trump is not? I’ll admit this one time he didn’t lie and admitted it. But how can so many people be wrong and one guy, Trump who has a record of telling 12,000 lies be the one with the true version?
No this is not about a botched burglary that was an unnecessary tool of a paranoid President, this was not about retribution for a policy that was rebuilding our country after a Civil War and no this was not about a blow job. It was about a calculated attempt to get a foreign government to screw an opponent. That is obstruction of justice and that is also treason. An impeachment is in the history books. It cannot be erased. Ask Bill Clinton and the survivors of the Nixon family. But it indicates that Trump, even though he will be acquitted in the Senate will stand as one of 4 men who had this harsh judgment. Fox News will not write the history books. But there will be defenders of this obtuse, ignorant man that was chosen by the American people. You hear them on local talk radio, in your neighborhoods, in your churches and even at your family gatherings. They are now and always will be on the wrong side of history.
Those who defend this action by Diaper Don have my disgust as well as my pity.

JIM JORDAN: JERK

REP. CARTWRIGHT ANNOUNCES $50,000 GRANT TO ENHANCE DENTAL SERVICES IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA

Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives)

Congressman Matt Cartwright (PA-o8) announced a new federal grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission that will help expand dental services in Lackawanna County.
The grant totals $50,000 and will be awarded to AllOne Charities. It will be used to purchase dental equipment for a new, integrated dental service with mobile capacity at NEPA Community Health Care’s Andrew C. Mazza Memorial Health Center, which is located in Greenfield Township, in Lackawanna County.
“Dental health is a key aspect of overall health, and it’s important that our community has access to affordable dental services,” said Rep. Cartwright, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “This grant is an investment in the wellbeing of the wonderful people of Lackawanna County and our workforce in Northeastern Pennsylvania.”
“AllOne Charities was created to craft a bold and collaborative philanthropic approach to make a true and substantial impact on health care in our region,” said John W. Cosgrove, Executive Director of AllOne Charities. “We are deeply gratified to partner with NEPA Community Health Care and Congressman Cartwright to help meet the medical and dental needs of our neighbors.”
AllOne Charities works to enhance the health care delivery system in innovative, creative, and collaborative ways. NEPA Community Health Care is a federally qualified health center providing comprehensive primary care, OB/GYN, psychiatric and behavioral health services; these include health screenings, family planning services, immunizations, and child wellness services, as well as gynecological and prenatal care.
The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is an economic development agency that represents a partnership of federal, state, and local government. ARC awards grants from funds appropriated to annually by Congress for research on topics that directly impact economic development in the Appalachian Region. Projects must align with one or more of the five goals identified by ARC in its 2016–2020 strategic plan and demonstrate measurable results.

FOLLOWING SENATOR CASEY’S INVESTIGATIVE REPORT, GOOGLE TAKES STEPS TO PROTECT CONSUMERS FROM JUNK HEALTH PLANS

PA SENIOR SENATOR COMMENDS GOOGLE FOR REMOVING ONLINE ADVERTISEMENTS THAT FALSELY CLAIM TO BE HEALTHCARE.GOV

Senator Bob Casey (Photo: LuLac archives)

In response to U.S. Senator Bob Casey’s  recent release of an investigative report into online searches for health insurance, Google has removed false advertisements that aim to deceive consumers looking for affordable, comprehensive health insurance through HealthCare.gov. The online search engine has removed advertisements that falsely claim to be HealthCare.gov. This will help ensure individuals seeking health insurance coverage online are not diverted to websites that may be selling short-term, limited duration health plans, commonly referred to as ‘junk plans,’ that fail to offer basic consumer protections put in place as a result of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), like protections from discrimination against pre-existing conditions.
“With consumers able to shop for health insurance coverage through HealthCare.gov through December 15, I commend Google for removing advertisements that falsely claim to be the website, but may lead to junk health insurance,” said Senator Casey. “However, make no mistake, false and misleading online advertisements for health insurance have been allowed to flourish as a result of action by the Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress to weaken consumer protections. Until they drop their maniacal obsession with sabotaging health care for working families, I am warning consumers to make sure they are shopping for coverage at HealthCare.gov this Open Enrollment period.”
When short-term, limited duration plans could only be sold for up to three months, individuals and families could easily distinguish between health insurance plans that were in compliance with the protections afforded by the ACA and those that were not. That changed in 2018 when the Trump Administration began allowing junk plans to be sold for up to a full year – with an option to renew for up to three years. Now, it is easier for junk plans to be marketed to consumers. Senator Casey’s investigative report explains how individuals and families can avoid being lured into junk plans and calls for the Administration to reverse this harmful rule.

MEDIA MATTERS

WALN TV

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM

Tune in Sunday morning at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on 1400-The Game, NEPA's Fox .Sports Radio and 106.7 fm; and at 7:30 on 105 The River.

ECTV LIVE

ECTV Live is seen three times daily on Comcast channel 19 and is also available on the electric city television YouTube page!

BUDDY RUMCHEK

Want to hear some great parodies on the news? Tune in to WILK Radio at 6:20 and 8:20 AM on Mondays. As Ralph Cramden used to say, “It’s a laugh riot!”

BOBBY V’S DOO WOP SOCK HOP

SUNDAY NIGHTS!

1969

Our 1969 logo.

Thirty-six crewmen on board the Liberian-registered oil tanker Keo were killed after the vessel was cut in half and sank about 120 miles (190 km) from Nantucket Island in Massachusetts [8]. The Keo had departed Marion, Massachusetts with a cargo of 210,000 US gallons (790,000 l; 170,000 imp gal) of fuel oil, en route to Bermuda, when it encountered a storm in the Atlantic Ocean. The U.S. Coast Guard was able to rescue all seven people from a sinking yacht in the same area……..Three American prisoners of war walked into a South Vietnamese militia outpost near Tam Ky, a week after they had been freed from captivity by the Viet Cong. The three, all from the southeastern United States, had walked for a week through the jungle after being set free….. Production of the five cent Hershey bar was discontinued by America's largest chocolate manufacturer, as a result of the rising costs of cocoa beans. A statement by the Hershey Company said that the decision to discontinue the nickel bar had been made by its board of directors "only after much deliberation because of the important place these bars have held with its customers and the consumer throughout the history of the company The Presidential Citizens Medal, the second-highest civilian award in the United States (after the Presidential Medal of Freedom, created in 1963), was established by Executive Order 11494 from U.S. President Nixon, to recognize United States citizens "who have performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens". U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin and U.S. Representative Pete McCloskey of California announced in Washington that Wednesday, April 22, 1970, would be the day for the first "National Teach-In on the Crisis of the Environment" on American college campuses. Now observed annually on April 22 around the world, the event is better known as "Earth Day"……

At 11:22 in the morning local time (1622 UTC), NASA launched Apollo 12 from Cape Kennedy in Florida, with Pete Conrad, Richard Gordon and Alan Bean, making the second manned mission to a Moon landing  After being sent up during a rainstorm (in spite of Rule I-404 of the Manned Space Flight Center) the rocket was struck by lightning , 36 seconds into its ascent, and again 16 seconds later, experiencing electrical surges that shut down the computer for the fuel cells; fortunately, the main computer in the Instrument Unit "soldiered on without a hiccup" Inspections by the crew of the orbiter and the lunar module found no damage after the ship achieved Earth orbit. A little more than an hour after reaching parking orbit, Apollo 12 fired its third stage at 2:09 to begin its four-day travel toward the Moon…..

The first Wendy's "old fashioned" hamburger restaurant was opened, as businessman Dave Thomas began business at 257 East Broad Street in downtown Columbus, Ohio. "Wendy" was Thomas's eight year old daughter Melinda "Wendy" Thomas, who served also as the model for the smiling little girl" on the restaurant's sign and logo. Despite having a higher price for its freshly cooked, made-to-order, square hamburgers, the restaurant was so popular that it began making a profit by the end of the year ……In Washington, D.C., more than 500,000 protesters staged "the largest peace march on Washington in American history" [57] for the second "Moratorium to End the War in Vietnam". The event, which was also held on a smaller scale in other American cities, included a symbolic "March Against Death” and fifty years ago the number one song in LuLac land and America was “Come Together” by The Beatles.

The LuLac Edition #4,163, November 13th, 2019

13 QUESTIONS

Our 13 Questions logo.

1. Control of Luzerne county council to the GOP, as Dean Martin sang, ain’t that a kick in the head?

You bet, especially to the Luzerne County Democrats. A few factors went into the GOP win. Two of the 5 GOP candidates, Griffith and Urban had name recognition. Plus there was the auto fee Council passed. I have no issue with it at all but many voters did. Turnout for the GOP was key. You saw it in the Superior Court races where two of the Republicans, King and Peck carried the County. Plus, there was the usual bullet voting and cutting that goes on in multiple candidate races. It was a combination of factors that should give Democrats a wake up call regarding 2020.
With Trump at the top of the ticket, Luzerne County will once more go red. By how much is tough to determine. But if the local Republicans can get excited over a Superior Court race, look out when Trump comes to The Lu.

2. What time would John McCain say about Lindsay Graham?

He’d be very disappointed to see how far Trump’s butt his former partner in Senate arms is.

3. Three judges retained in Luzerne county, will there be complacency by all three?

I don’t know what you mean by complacency but I can tell you that the three retained, Burke, Amesbury and Gartley will continue to do honor to the Courts and do their jobs well.


4. Did you have the whopper without meat?

No missed it. The calorie count was higher than a regular Whopper and I thought what’s the point.

5. Best fall drink?

Brace’s Apple Cider in very small quantities. Still a Diet Coke, Diet Snapple guy.

6. How was your Halloween?

As readers of this blog know, I hate Halloween but this year was a tad different. The Health Department went to some of the Wilkes Barre neighborhoods this year and met the kids. Plus we had company at City Hall on Halloween when some kids came to visit. So it wasn’t bad.

7.What’s worse Halloween or Christmas songs?

I love Christmas songs and there is a paucity of Halloween songs anyway. “Monster Mash” for the 18th time? Uh no!

8. Will Trump be re-elected based on the recent election results?

Anything is possible. He will carry Luzerne County. Pennsylvania? I’m at 60% sure that he won’t. But it’s a year away and a lot can happen.

9. You seem to be a Biden guy but if he falters who will you follow?

I am a Biden guy. But to answer your question, Mayor Pete.

10. Nice speech at the NAACP gathering, any blowback on what you said regarding the political climate?

Thanks. We had a real good crowd and I got very nice comments on my speech. No blowback.

11. Have you ever had breakfast pizza?

Yep, not a fan.

12. One year in at wilkes Barre city hall, how’s it going?

Loving it. Working with a great group of people.

13. Best new show you’re watching?

Bluff City Law with Jimmy Smits.