The LuLac Edition #4,388, August 31st, 2020

MONDAY MEMES 

The LuLac Edition #4,387, August 27th, 2020

NBA BOYCOTT PUT GOP IN BOX

The boycott of playoff games by the NBA has put the Republican party in a box if they have ay hope of attracting minority voters. With Trump set to talk about disorder in the country and a war on police, he will be hard pressed to talk about rioters when one of his supporters gunned down peaceful protesters in Kenosha.
For thinking people, his argument of law and order will ring hollow. Plus, by the NBA boycotting playoffs, it takes away the stage Diaper Don so desperately craves.

WTF??? OUR JOE GETS REALLY MAD

OR THE ORIGINAL TITLE HE INTENDED WHICH IS BETTER THAN MINE

"CLANDESTINE CHANGE TO CDC TESTING GUIDELINES”

Editor’s Note: It is our pleasure to print this bit of logic from our good friend Dr. Joe Leonardi. His concerns about the way the pandemic has been handled are real. Take a look:

When are we going to say enough is enough?
This pandemic is not over. It continues to INFECT, it continues to KILL,, it continues to DISABLE, and continues to DESTROY!
Someone needs to stop playing ostrich and act like a functioning adult, not a draft dodging child who is so emotionally fragile that he thinks the world is out to get him. A person who gives credence to conspiracies. Who has no medical or scientific education or background but pretends to be an expert. Who likens his press briefings to brain-dead reality television shows. The person who thinks we have a shared border with China, and claims closing it slowed the spread, when all the science shows the majority of the infection in this country came via Europe. A continent from which travel he was slow to take action to curtail.
The time to wake up and live in the real world is now!
COVID-19 did not miraculously go away.
The heat and sun of summer didn't stop its spread.
No one discovered how to jam a magic UV light internally.
No one could figure out how to inject disinfectant into the body.
We are losing the equivalent of a 9/11 every four days.
And yet, we have NO national plan, NO nationally coordinated mass testing, NO nationwide contact tracing plan.
Why?
Because ONE man thinks a global pandemic is out to get him and not the people it is infecting and killing.
Our fellow citizens in Texas are deciding between not evacuating and dying, or going to a shelter and possibly contracting COVID-19.
How is this possible in a country in which the richest man's worth just hit 200 BILLION DOLLARS?
Are there any republicans in power who have the courage to stand up to the President and put American lives and people over the ego of one man?????
I doubt it, because the cowards waited until the one person, the actual expert, who has the guts to speak up and would have stopped this inane and insane change was under general anesthesia.

POMPEO SPEECH UNLAWFUL AND UNETHICAL

POMPEO FACES INVESTIGATION FOLLOWING BRAZEN RNC SPEECH

Secretary Pompeo (Photo: AP)

What the Trump administration’s legacy will be, whether it will be one term or two is that norms that were sacred and ethical are now being shattered. If this were just politics, that can be expected. But when the very fabric of government gets torn to shreds and becomes acceptable, then that’s a bad thing. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s speech was political and unprecedented. If Hillary Clinton or John Kerry did this, the right wing crybabies would be having fits.
Under normal circumstances, political speeches should be judged on their content. And by this metric, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's remarks to the Republican National Convention were a mess.
Under normal circumstances, political speeches should be judged on their content. And by this metric, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's remarks to the Republican National Convention were a mess.
Mike Pompeo standing in front of a tree: Republican National Convention from Israel on a TV at the White House in Washington
The Kansas Republican claimed Donald Trump had strengthened NATO, which was the opposite of the truth. Pompeo insisted Trump's failed policy toward North Korea was a success, which was pitifully untrue. The cabinet secretary said the president "held China accountable for covering up the China virus," which was amusing, given Trump's praise for China's "transparency" on the matter.
Perhaps my personal favorite was Pompeo's willingness to boast that Ukraine now has "defensive weapon systems" -- systems Trump was impeached over after the president tried to leverage the supplies as part of an illegal extortion scheme.
But as important as these errors of fact and judgment were, the content of the secretary's speech was only a small part of a much larger problem. NBC News reported late yesterday that the Republican's convention speech is now under investigation on Capitol Hill -- and for good reason..
The House Foreign Affairs Committee's subpanel on oversight informed the State Department of the inquiry in a letter obtained by NBC News after the committee obtained internal State Department legal guidance that explicitly prohibited Senate-confirmed presidential appointees from even attending political conventions. The subcommittee's chairman, Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, says that the speech is not only "highly unusual and likely unprecedented" but that "it appears that it may also be illegal."
This doesn't even seem to be in a murky gray area: federal ethics laws prevent the secretary of State from using his position -- during a foreign diplomatic trip, no less -- for partisan political purposes. Pompeo is supposed to be the chief diplomat of the United States, representing all of us in international affairs, not a GOP operative working on Trump's re-election bid. (NBC News, LuLac)

BOGNET’S COMPLAINT BASELESS

Jim Bognet (Bognet campaign)

An independent congressional ethics panel has recommended dismissing a conflict of interest complaint filed last September against U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright.
However, the Moosic Democrat amended seven years of financial disclosure forms after the complaint’s filing. A Cartwright spokesman said the amendments had nothing to do with the complaint.
The amendments show Cartwright’s ownership of an airplane and part ownership of a Lake George, New York, home that has been in the family for generations.
Republican Jim Bognet, who wants to unseat Cartwright in the Nov. 3 election, accused him of “a pattern of deception,” a charge Cartwright’s spokesman denied.
The Board of the Office of Congressional Ethics, a nonpartisan panel, recommended dismissing the complaint filed in September by the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust. The foundation, a nonprofit watchdog group based in Washington, D.C., was founded by Matthew Whitaker, who briefly served as acting attorney general under President Donald Trump.
Meanwhile, Bognet is running an ad against Cartwrioght which is a TOTAL LIE. In the cleverly edited ad, Boggie Boy's minions say that Cartwright said he wanted to defund police. THAT NEVER HAPPENED. I wa on that Zoom call and the man NEVER SAID HE'D DEFUND POLICE. 
But this is wht desperate apostles of old Diaper Don do: LIE just like him. Bognet is not up to Trump's 18,00 0whoppers so far but he's trying. 
 (Times Shamrock, LuLac)

CARTWRIGHT, HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE ADVANCE BILL TO SUPPORT POLICE, JUSTICE, AND NEPA JOBS

Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives)

Representative Matt Cartwright voted in the House Appropriations Committee to advance the fiscal year 2021 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies funding bill to the House floor, where it will be considered later this month.
In total, the bill contains $71.473 billion, including funding boosts at the request of Cartwright for initiatives that support economic growth in northeastern Pennsylvania. It also includes two pieces of Cartwright-led legislation to support research on and preparation for climate change and extreme weather events. The bill contains funding increases to reform police practices throughout the country and to create jobs, fix the country’s infrastructure, support American manufacturing, protect civil rights, reform police practices, reduce gun violence, address the opioid crisis, and keep schools safe. Furthermore, the bill provides funding increases for science research, science education, and legal services for underserved communities.
“Investments in initiatives that support our historic coal communities and our manufacturers are so important as we work to get our economy safely running again,” said Cartwright, a member of the Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Subcommittee. “The funding increases to drive law enforcement reforms and accountability are also key to promoting public safety and justice. I look forward to getting these bills across the finish line and putting our fair share of these dollars to work in northeastern Pennsylvania.”
Cartwright also gave remarks in the committee markup in support of the bill. They can be viewed here.

The fiscal year 2021 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies funding bill includes strong funding increases to help improve police practices throughout the country, including:
More than $400 million for grants to carry out police reform initiatives, including pattern and practice investigations, implementing statutes providing for independent investigation of law enforcement, and community-based organizations aimed at improving law enforcement;
$50 million within Byrne JAG for training for state and local law enforcement on racial profiling, implicit bias, de-escalation, use of force, the duty to intervene when witnessing another officer using excessive force, and procedural justice;
$25 million for Federal investigation and prosecution support to address misconduct and systemic change in police organizations, and negates limits on such efforts begun by former Attorney General Sessions;
$500,000 for a National Police Misconduct Registry; and $5 million for a new National Task Force on Law Enforcement Oversight.
Wins in this legislation for northeastern Pennsylvania include:
$37 million for the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Assistance to Coal Communities program, which works to help communities affected by the decline of the coal industry. This is a 23 percent increase over last year’s allocation.
This legislation funds the EDA at $356 million, an increase of $23 million above the fiscal year 2020 level. These funds will help improve our nation’s infrastructure, boost economically recovering communities, and launch innovative community development efforts.
$412 million for grant programs to combat the opioid crisis authorized under the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, an increase of $34 million above the FY 2020 enacted level, to help stem abuse, including for drug courts, treatment, prescription drug monitoring and overdose-reversal drugs. The bill maintains Federal law enforcement resources to investigate and prosecute drug traffickers.
$153 million for the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), a public-private partnership that helps small- and medium-sized manufacturers across the U.S. grow. This is a 4.8 percent increase over last year’s allocation.
$35 million for the Economic Development Administration’s Regional Innovation Strategies program – a $2 million increase over last year’s allocation – which awards grants to help build new American businesses. The program has created more than 14,000 jobs and more than $1.6 billion in follow-on investment in American companies. This year’s White House budget proposed eliminating the program.

AOC CHECKS KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE'S IMMIGRANT STATUS

Today in "things I never thought I'd have to remind Americans ahead of the 2020 presidential election," we have this simple truth: Puerto Rico is absolutely part of the United States. The indisputable fact has come up as a result of a speech Kimberly Guilfoyle delivered at the Republican National Convention on Monday night. The former Fox News host and current girlfriend of Don Jr.'s gave a ridiculously loud pre-recorded speech, during which she claimed she is a first-generation American. But then, she went on to explain that her mother is from Puerto Rico.
As many people (including Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) know, Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, which means that Guilfoyle's mother isn't actually an immigrant. Since one cannot immigrate to a country that one is already a citizen of....
On Tuesday morning, AOC addressed Guilfoyle's claims on Twitter, writing "The woman the GOP picked as their 'proud' Latina to tout 'immigrant experience' didn't seem to know that Puerto Rico is already part of the United States." (AOL News, LuLac)

MEDIA MATTERS

WALN TV

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM

,
Tune in Sunday morning at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on The Mothership 1340/1400 am, 100.7 and 106.7 fm; and at 7:30 on The River 105 and 103.5.

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!

1980

Our 1980 logo.

The Broadway musical 42nd Street opened on Broadway. Its director, Gower Champion, died hours before opening night at the age of 61 from Waldenström's macroglobulinemia. Immediately after the final curtain at the Winter Garden Theater, producer David Merrick walked on stage and told the audience, "This is tragic. Gower Champion died today." With music by Harry Warren and lyrics by Al Dubin and Johnny Mercer, 42nd Street won the Tony Award for Best Musical and went on for 3,486 performances, closing on January 8, 1989…..

A special commission was created by the Soviet Communist Party Politburo in Moscow to formulate the Soviet Union's response to the independent labor union movement in Poland. Referred to as the "Suslov Commission", the task force was headed by senior Communist Party ideologist Mikhail Suslov, and included future Soviet leaders Yuri Andropov and Konstantin Chernenko, Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko, and Defense Minister Dmitriy Ustinov.
Zimbabwe was admitted as the 153rd member of the United Nations.[95]
Independent presidential candidate and Republican U.S. Congressman John B. Anderson announced that his running mate would be a Democrat, former Wisconsin Governor Patrick J. Lucey…The missing first half of the diary of Arthur Bremer, who had stalked U.S. President Richard M. Nixon and Alabama Governor George C. Wallace before shooting Wallace in 1972, was located underneath a bridge in Bremer's home town of Milwaukee….Tex Avery (Frederick Bean Avery), 72, American animator and director who created most of the Looney Tunes characters for Warner Brothers….A three million dollar extortion attempt involving a time bomb delivered to Harrah's Casino in Stateline, Nevada, ended with a failed try at disarming and an explosion that caused extensive damage Harvey's Resort Hotel. The day before, two men wheeled "a box about the size of a desk" into the casino and said that they had been told to deliver a photocopying machine. The device had with it a letter demanding payment in exchange for the instructions on defusing the bomb, and a warning that it would detonate automatically if further attempts were made to move it. U.S. Army specialists attached a remote-controlled "shaker" device to the bomb "to determine if it could be safely tampered with" and at 3:43 in the evening, the bomb detonated, hurling debris four blocks away and severely damaging the first three floors of the 11-story Harvey's Resort Hotel….Sam Levenson, 68, American comedian and former game show host.

U.S. Representative Michael "Ozzie" Myers (D-Pennsylvania) became the first member of Congress to be convicted of accepting a bribe during the FBI's Abscam investigation. Myers, convicted along with three other defendants, was expelled on October 2 by his colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 376 to 30, becoming the first Congressman since the U.S. Civil War to receive expulsion…and forty years ago this week the number one song in LuLac land and America was “Fame - Irene Cara “.

The LuLac Edition #4,386, August 26th, 2020

WRITE ON WEDNESDAY

Our “Write on Wednesday” logo

This week’s opinion piece comes from someone who has attacked Vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris. It is the usual boiler plate complaint but what struck me was this paragraph.
Kamala Harris’s father, Donald Harris, a retired Stanford economics professor, wrote an essay titled, “Reflections of a Jamaican Father,” revealing that his paternal grandmother, Christiana Brown, is a descendant of Hamilton Brown, a large plantation owner in Jamaica who owned slaves.
Of course she would have been a descendant of a slave owner because………..WAIT FOR IT, it was typical of masters to have sex with female slaves. THAT’S WHAT THEY DID. Here is the rest of this vapid letter filled with justifications for what we all know this guy believes.
Perhaps this space is better served by critical thinking writers but I like to profile these thoughts from others so we can see them coming.

TROUBLING NEWS ABOUT KAMALA HARRIS

Editor: Move over Stonewall Jackson. Black Lives Matter and Antifa have another political icon to destroy: Kamala Harris. Liberals should sit down for this.
Kamala Harris’s father, Donald Harris, a retired Stanford economics professor, wrote an essay titled, “Reflections of a Jamaican Father,” revealing that his paternal grandmother, Christiana Brown, is a descendant of Hamilton Brown, a large plantation owner in Jamaica who owned slaves.
That’s bad news for Kamala. Any future statues of her will have to be knocked down. Black Lives Matter and Antifa may be doubly upset to discover that Harris has white European blood. Her father is Irish and Jamaican; her mother Indian.
Harris’ political views are more troubling than her slave-owner ancestry. She favors defunding the police, is a co-sponsor of the Green New Deal, is a proponent of Medicare for all, wants free health care for illegal aliens and is radically pro-abortion.
Harris is also accused of helping cover up clergy abuse as San Francisco’s District Attorney. Victims’ groups say Harris sat on abuse cases to curry favor with political donors.
By no means, though, should anyone think this most liberal of all U.S. senators is somehow friendly to good Catholics. In 2018, Harris opined that federal court nominee Brian Buescher should be disqualified from serving on the bench due to membership in the Catholic fraternal organization Knights of Columbus. Why? The Knights are pro-life and against same-sex marriage.
Fake Catholic Joe Biden needn’t worry, though; his radically progressive views fit like a glove with those of his vice president running mate.

Ken Skuba
Sugarloaf

The LuLac Edition #4,385, August 25th, 2020

MAYBE I’M AMAZED

Our “Maybe I’m Amazed” logo.

MAYBE I’M AMAZED…..that still another investigation is underway regarding Donald Trump’s properties. New York state's attorney general is investigating whether U.S. President Donald Trump improperly manipulated the value of his assets to secure loans and obtain economic and tax benefits, and accused his son Eric of being uncooperative in the probe. The disclosure was made in a filing on Monday with a New York state court in Manhattan, where Attorney General Letitia James wants the Trump Organization, Eric Trump and others to comply with subpoenas her office issued. (NY Daily News, LuLac)
MAYBE I’M AMAZED……that the Great Lakes have more than 30,000 islands.
MAYBE I’M AMAZED…..that the GOP lie machine is up and running. Lying about what Biden said about the police, what Michelle Obama said about demonstrations and the origin of Kamala Harris’ birth.
MAYBE I’M AMAZED…..that New York State is trying to dismantle the NRA NY attorney general accuses Wayne LaPierre, other execs in multi-million dollar fraud scheme
The leaders of the powerful National Rifle Association were accused Thursday of participating in a fraud scheme that contributed to $64 million in losses and financed lavish lifestyles featuring private jet travel to exclusive resorts, according to a lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who seeks to shut down the gun rights organization. The civil action, which names longtime NRA chief Wayne LaPierre and three other executives, details an array of alleged wrongdoing that severely weakened the nearly 150-year-old organization. “The NRA’s influence has been so powerful that the organization went unchecked for decades while top executives funneled millions into their own pockets,” James said. "The NRA is fraught with fraud and abuse, which is why we seek to dissolve the NRA, because no organization is above the law.
Holy smokes, these guys are shaking in their boots.(Yahoo News, LuLac)
MAYBE I’M AMAZED…..that bugs are attracted to people who eat bananas. We might have written this before but we’ll use any excuse to feature this song.

MAYBE I’M AMAZED……that while the Luzerne County GOP has a lot of Trump signs up, just as many Dems and Republicans disgusted by Trump are asking for those Biden-Harris signs. 
MAYBE I’M AMAZED…..that the first VCR was made in 1956 and it was the size of a piano.
MAYBE I’M AMAZED….that after my appearances on WILK last week  a lady called The Comment Line and said, “He shouldn’t be allowed to speak on the radio or even at all!” Ah, fans!
MAYBE I’M AMAZED…..that Trump is against mail in voting and is setting the groundwork for people to think the election was rigged if he loses. The stupid SOB did that last time and won. But Trumpanzees have very short memories. 
MAYBE I'M AMAZED......that in 2016 the Republican party platform consisted of 66 pages. This year: 0.  That says all you need to know about the state of this party. Follow and enthusiastically support Diaper Don.

The LuLac Edition #4,384, August 24th, 2020

MONDAY MEMES 

The LuLac Edition #4,383, August 20th, 2020

BANNON ARRESTED

(Photo: Amazon Books)

Steve Bannon, former chief strategist to President Donald Trump, was arrested in New York Thursday on charges of using the viral “We Build the Wall” fundraising campaign to enrich himself. Hundreds of thousands of donors who gave a total of $25 million to the crowd sourced campaign were defrauded by Bannon and three associates, federal prosecutors in Manhattan said. Some of the money instead funded luxury cars, home renovations, cosmetic surgery, and a 2019 Jupiter Marine boat named Warfighter.
Wow!~ This is the guy who chanted, wait for it, “Lock Her Up””. How many Obama campaign aides and staff were hauled off a yacht and arrested? Uh NONE!
Then the Republicans hve the nerve to say the Democrats are corrupt. (Yahoo News, LuLac)

TRUMP VISITS OLD FORGE

SCORES SOME PIZZA 

(Photo: Inquirer.com)

President Donald Trump came to Moosic, a community that voted for him last time and never addressed the pandemic, the post office or how people were doing. He spoke a lot about why people shouldn't vote for his Democratic challenger. Gave a new nickname to Biden and spouted his usual nonsense. He got some Old Forge Pizza from Arcaro & Gennell's. Perhaps though the Fab Four can editorialize better on the trip and what he said.

FACTS ABOUT MAIL IN BALLOTS

First off, if YOU ARE NOT REGISTERED, you won’t receive a ballot. You have to be registered. Millions of ballots won’t be sent without a request.
If you are not registered, the final day to do that is October 17th.
The ballots are postage paid. That was written into the legislation. What was not written into the legislation was early counting. The ballots will be counted on Election Day and thereafter. If we get early counting, that would have to come from the Legislators who will have to amend the law.
You can request a ballot now. However, the ballots are still being developed at this point at the state level because the credential for third party candidates are still under review.
After requesting a ballot, and you get that ballot, you’ll get a notification that it was received. You can request a ballot online or by mail. When you mail in the ballot, you can track it’s whereabouts by going to www.VotesPa.com or your local election bureau.
Once the ballots are designed and ready, which might be by September, and you get yours, fill it out and send it back asap.
The deadline to do this is by October 27th. But my advice is if you get to that date and haven’t mailed it in, walk it to the Election Bureau and let them have it to make sure it is counted.
Two sites I’d recommend are www.Votes.pa.com or www.Vote411.org
 Vote 411 was developed by the League of Women Voters nationwide. I’m a member of the Wilkes Barre League and I’d urge anyone interested in this process to join that organization.

7 GOOD REASONS TO CONTINUE TO WEAR MASKS

(Photo: Matt Engel)

1. CDC recommends that people wear masks in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

2. You can murmur under your breath and mask when displeased with something or someone and when they ask you what you said, reply “nuthin’!”
3. Masks may help prevent people who have COVID-19 from spreading the virus to others.
4. You can eat all the raw garlic you please and not offend with bad breath.
5. Masks are most likely to reduce the spread of COVID-19 when they are widely used by people in public settings.
6. You can color coordinate with a tie, shirt or for the women dresses. (I’ve actually seen some matching dresses with masks. Stylish and stunning.
7. You can eat all the fried, boiled, broiled sautéed garlic you want and not offend.
There! You’re welcome.

SENATE REPUBLICAN REPORT POINTS TO COUNTERINTELLIGENCE RISK FROM TIES BETWEEN TRUMP CAMPAIGN AND RUSSIA

Less than three months before the 2020 U.S. presidential election, the Senate Intelligence Committee published its fifth and final volume comprising over three and a half years of investigation, offering a rare bipartisan look at the sitting president’s exposure and vulnerability to compromise by foreign intelligence agencies through his campaign and connections.
The nearly 1,000-page report, based on hundreds of interviews and more than a million documents, is titled “Russian efforts to influence the Trump Campaign and the 2016 election.”
The Senate report, a subject of contention between the lawmakers and the White House, does not necessarily extend as far as the FBI investigation — and senators were not always able to get access to all the information they asked for, according to its authors. “The result is that the American people still do not, and may never, have all the facts necessary to determine the full extent of cooperation between Russia and the Trump campaign in 2016,” they write.
However, the Senate report does include several new and illuminating takeaways.
Perhaps most damaging is the conclusion by the Senate Intelligence Committee that Paul Manafort himself, President Trump’s former campaign chair, may have been directly connected to the hack-and-leak operations conducted by Russian hackers, which ultimately exposed large tranches of emails belonging to the Democratic National Committee (DNC). While the report is heavily redacted and doesn’t explain the “two pieces of information” that led to that conclusion, the authors went into further detail on Manafort’s longtime business associate Konstantin Kilimnik. The Intelligence Committee identifies Kilimnik as a Russian intelligence officer and concludes he may also have ties to the GRU operation to expose the DNC’s emails. Kilimnik, according to the committee, also “almost certainly helped arrange some of the first public messaging that Ukraine had interfered in the U.S. election” to distract from Russia’s involvement.
The Senate’s report also includes details about WikiLeaks, an online publisher founded by Julian Assange that first gained prominence after it published thousands of leaked documents about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in 2010. The summer before the 2016 election, WikiLeaks published a large trove of emails tied to the DNC, purporting not to know any details about the source that provided them — an assertion the committee has now contradicted.
The senators also reviewed the infamous Trump Tower meeting in June 2016, in which members of the Trump campaign sat down with several Russians, including lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya and lobbyist Rinat Akhmetshin. The committee said the campaign was seeking negative information about then Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton “that would be of benefit to the [Trump] campaign.” However, the committee “found no reliable evidence that information of benefit to the campaign was transmitted at the meeting, or that then-candidate Trump had foreknowledge of the meeting.”
Additionally, the committee dismissed the conclusion that the Trump campaign had significant contact with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak during an April foreign policy Trump speech held at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington.
All that said, the bottom line though is that Russia DID try to interfere in the election and that Trump and his acolytes are denying that and blaming the Democrats.
The bottom line here is that the investigation describes several episodes in which Trump and members of his campaign were keen to accept Russia’s help -- and in some instances goes further than even former special counsel Robert Mueller in detailing ties between the campaign and Russian individuals.(AOL News, ABC News, LuLac)

CARTWRIGHT ANNOUNCES $83,750 USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT GRANT TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES IN HAZLETON

Representative Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives)

U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright announced that CAN DO, Inc. will receive a $83,750 grant awarded through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Business Development Program. The Rural Business Development Grant program provides technical assistance and training for small rural businesses in Pennsylvania.
Located in a Federally Qualified Opportunity Zone, CAN DO, Inc. will use the funds to purchase equipment for their business incubator to assist 13 businesses in the Greater Hazleton Area. CAN DO has been a leading economic development agency in Greater Hazleton Area for over 60 years.
“We must not falter in our efforts to help start-ups and entrepreneurs overcome basic hurdles as they stabilize and grow,” said Cartwright, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “That’s why I will continue to fight for additional stimulus funding for our local small businesses in Congress. I applaud CAN DO for their work in support of our recovery as well as for their decades long commitment to creating healthy conditions where new businesses can thrive.”
CAN DO President and CEO Kevin O’Donnell said, “CAN DO is dedicated to supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs and to our continued efforts to grow the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Greater Hazleton. This grant from the USDA will help make it possible for us to complete our renovations at the CAN BE Innovation Center which will modernize its look and efficiency to the benefit the 13 small, start-up businesses currently in our business incubator as well as those yet to come.”
“It is truly an honor to give back to the communities and help those seeking family sustaining jobs throughout this remarkable region,” said Curt Coccodrilli, USDA Rural Development PA State Director.
The United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development works to improve the economy and quality of life in rural communities across America through grants, programs, and initiatives. The Rural Business Development Grant Program is currently accepting applications for projects that help eligible rural areas and towns reach their full potential.

BOGNET BUYS COMMERCIAL TIME IN OREGON URGING RESIDENTS TO MOVE TO NEPA

Boy does this have me scratching my head. Borys Krawczeniuk writes that Congressman Cartwright’s foe in the general bought a TV ad in Oregon. The campaign of Bognet’s Democratic opponent in the 8th Congressional District race, U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, ripped the ad for exploiting “a bad situation” for political purposes.
“Good evening, Portland! I’ve heard you’ve been having a few issues,” Bognet says in the ad that was scheduled to air last night on KOIN-TV.
As video of Portland unrest appears, Bognet, of Hazle Twp., said he’s heard “something about peaceful gatherings, interruptions to business, and local citizens dissatisfied with your leadership.”
Bognet introduces himself as a candidate for Congress here and says any Portland resident considering “leaving for whatever reason” should think about moving here.
“We’re all about made in America. We’re known for our mid-sized paper industry, and around here we love the police,” he said, alluding to the fictional paper company on the TV sit-com, “The Office.” “Well, maybe not our current Congressman. But, I’ll be taking care of him real soon. ... We won’t tolerate any of that (expletive deleted) around here. Give us a look Portland. Good-bye ... And good luck!”
The ad shows a picture of Cartwright with a graphic that claims he wants to “defund the police.” Cartwright has said repeatedly he does not want to defund police.
Bognet tweeted the commercial, along with a link to a fundraising website, GoodLuckPortland.com that says “Come to NEPA (and please don’t bring your crime problem).” The commercial is not airing in Northeast Pennsylvania, Bognet campaign spokeswoman Lauren Claffey said.
Cartwright campaign spokesman Matt Slavoski called the commercial “regrettable” and “tasteless.” He accused Bognet of “making light of a very bad situation out there.”
“It shows that Jim Bognet really just doesn’t get what people in Northeastern Pennsylvania are going through right now,” Slavoski said in an email. “They’re worried about attacks on their hard-earned benefits like Social Security and Medicare, staying financially stable during this public health and economic crisis, and whether the Postal Service will be able to deliver their medications on time. It also exposes what Jim Bognet would do in Congress: lie, stoke violence, and fan the flames of division instead of working towards solutions to the challenges we face as a nation.”
Slavoski said Cartwright has supported increasing police funding to implement reforms, supported local, peaceful protests and “disavowed violence.”
In an interview, Bognet accused Cartwright of refusing to denounce violent protests. He acknowledged the ad’s fundraising nature.
“We certainly want support from all over the country and we’re trying to make the point” that Cartwright and other prominent Democrats “side with protesters over law-abiding citizens,” Bognet said.
Scranton Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti, a native of Beaverton, Oregon, a Portland suburb, and a Democrat-turned-independent, said she would welcome more Oregonians to Scranton, but touted Cartwright for his “great representation.”
“So anyone moving here can look forward to being well-served in Congress through his continued leadership,” she said in a text.
A few take aways. One spot? This was a stunt, not a tourism or economic boost. It’s the same old Republican shit, saying Democrats want to defund police and are on the side of protestors. Sad, pathetic, impotent! (Borys Krawczeniuk, Times Tribune, LuLac).

SENATOR CASEY REPRESENTS PENNSYLVANIA AT CONVENTION

Senator Bob Casey made Scranton and Pennsylvania proud with his announcement of the delegates garnered by Joe Biden for the Democratic Presidential nomination. Although Biden was over the top when Casey made his announcement, it was nonetheless history making.

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Tune in Sunday morning at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on The Mothership 1340/1400 am, 100.7 and 106.7 fm; and at 7:30 on The River 105 and 103.5.

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!”

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1980

Our 1980 logo.

After the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in United States v. Sioux Nation of Indians on June 30, the representatives of nine Sioux tribes on the Black Hills Sioux Nation Treaty Council met in Eagle Butte, South Dakota and voted to reject the $106 million settlement offered by the U.S. government for the 7,300,000 acres (11,400 sq mi) Black Hills (Ȟe Sápa) in South Dakota, North Dakota, and Montana.[87] The decision of the entire Sioux nation (with 51,000 residents in was scheduled for a meeting of representatives of the nine United Sioux Tribes on September 28 at Pierre, South Dakota…. A team of archaeologists in Israel announced that they had unearthed a large "palace fortress" near the Temple Mount in Jerusalem that they believed was the palace of King David or King Solomon.[83] Excavation leader of Yigal Shiloh of Hebrew University told reporters "Until this day, no monumental construction such as this has been uncovered in Israel in any other Biblical city," and estimated that the five-story tall structure had been constructed sometime between the 13th century BCE and the 10th century BCE. At least 75 people drowned in the sinking of the Mexican ferry boat Campeche as a load of people, several cars and trucks, and a bus went down in the Laguna de Términos between Carmen Island and the mainland of the state of Campeche. With more than 100 people on board, only 26 survived.[84][85]
The United States and the African nation of Somalia reached an agreement for Somalia to receive $20 million in military support in return for allowing American military forces to use Somalia's seaports and airfields….. For the first time since 1973, the Soviet Union began the jamming of the radio frequencies of most western news broadcasts beamed at the Soviets, particularly the Voice of America and the BBC News. The decision was made to prevent Soviet citizens from learning news of the labor unrest in Poland.[79] Although English language and Georgian language programs continued without deliberate interference, broadcasts in Russian and six other languages in the U.S.S.R. were blocked by "static-like noise or buzz created by high-powered transmitters built for that purpose" or by "loud music".....The existence of the "Stealth Bomber" (officially, the B-2 Spirit), an experimental American aircraft that was "virtually invisible to Soviet radar", was publicly revealed for the first time by the U.S. Department of Defense.The B-2 bomber would be unveiled to the public in 1989 and forty years ago the number one song in Lulac land and America was .”One In a Million You” by Larry Graham.

The LuLac Edition #4, 382, August 19th, 2020

WRITE ON WEDNESDAY (part 2)

Our “Write On Wednesday” logo. 

 Our friend Dr Joe Leonardi weighs in on the comparison between 911 and how we as a country are taking care of our children in this pandemic.

WARNING SIGNS IGNORED IN THE PAST – WARNING SIGNS IGNORED IN THE PRESENT

On September 11, 2001 at 8:46am a jetliner crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Centers. At 9:03am another crashed into the South Tower. In those intervening minutes people were being evacuated from the South Tower, when someone made the decision that an evacuation was not necessary.
Why would it be?
At the time, no one believed it to be an attack. It was an accident and the South Tower was presumed safe. We later learned, there was intelligence that “hinted” at the possibility of a coordinated assault on The United States. Sadly, that information never made it to those who needed it.
Turns out there were warnings. Warnings which were ignored.
How many lives could have been saved?
How much suffering could have been avoided?
If only people knew – If only people paid attention.
That was in the past. In the present, potentially, a similar tragedy is bubbling beneath the surface. In this case, if those impacted follow current trajectories, the lives lost will be much greater, as will be the suffering.
In the United States, amid the still first wave of an uncontrolled pandemic, children are being shepherded back into schools, colleges, and universities. Even with information of outbreaks occurring in schools that have already re-opened, in which schools have already again shut down, where one university has already sent students home; others around our nation are turning eyes blind.
The warning signs are here, yet once again, few are paying attention.
With all the many alarm bells sounding, perhaps the greatest was in Israel. From an article which appeared in The New York Times regarding school re-opening,
“Within days, infections were reported at a Jerusalem high school, which quickly mushroomed into the largest outbreak in a single school in Israel, possibly the world.
The virus rippled out to the students’ homes and then to other schools and neighborhoods, ultimately infecting hundreds of students, teachers and relatives.”
Our region’s schools are, much like the nation has employed for this entire pandemic, taking a hodge-podge approach. Some are re-opening in-person. Some are re-opening with a hybrid of in-person and remote learning. While others, those led by people who are paying attention, are re-opening with only remote learning.
Do we not realize that this is the year 2020, not 1920? Technology exists to manage and protect our citizens. Why are we so reluctant to utilize it?
Northeast Pennsylvania is a place which former newspaper columnist and talk show host Steve Corbett affectionately called hard coal country. Back in the old days, when anthracite was king, miners would bring a canary with them into the coal mines. If there was dangerous gas, the canary would die, and the miners knew it was time to get out. It was a warning which they, those miners with little formal education, heeded with great haste and well-deserved seriousness.
It is sad to realize that those who work in and manage the field of education are not seeing, nor hearing, nor heeding the warnings which are blaring and blinking with screeching loudness and blinding brightness.

The LuLac Edition #4,381, August 19th, 2020

WRITE ON WEDNESDAY

Our “Write On Wednesday” logo. 

Attorney Vinsko with Vice President Biden. 

Attorney Bill Vinsko has been involved in politics for years. He is a very good friend to me and this site. The other night Bill shared his memories of going to the 1992 Democratic convention and how it shaped his idea of what it is to be an American. Bill outlines that time and how he, as most of us thinking people do, want a return to the way things were in the vocation of politics and government in America.
We have lost so much in these last four years, let’s hope we can get some of the good back.

CHICAGO IN ’92, ZOOM IN 2020….THE CONVENTIONS

24 years ago this month I had the opportunity to be a part of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. I was on the floor when Bill Clinton accepted the nomination. The best part of the week was having a conversation with JFK Jr and this nice young woman, Carolyn, whom he introduced me to, at his George Magazine party at the Chicago Art museum. That evening I had cocktails with Chris Rock, Oprah Winfrey, John McLaughlin, Jerry Springer, several Baldwin Brothers, Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen and memorable Chicago sports figures. I remember drinking Sam Adams beer for the first time because John Kennedy kept everything in his New England and New York roots. I stayed at the Palmer House Hilton with the PA Delegation. I walk in and see Joe Cosgrove. He was then my con law prof at Kings. The excitement and energy was something I had never witnessed before and never quite felt after. Everyone was excited to vote FOR someone and not AGAINST someone else. My conversations with Kennedy family members and others were about Wilkes-Barre and life in general. I remember flying out on the Friday after the convention ended thinking how strong our democracy was and how exciting it is to be a part of it.
Tonight the Democratic Convention starts. I just hope that the tone is more of a positive future rather than the demonization of the other side. I hope the same for the Republican Convention. I know several people that said they are for Trump in the Wyoming Valley but won’t put a sign in the yard because they are afraid of being treated bad. That’s not right or fair. I know several republicans that have an objection to Biden because he has “dimentia...”. They have no policy objection. That’s not right or fair either.
Let’s hear what both sides are going to DO and what they hope to ACCOMPLISH.
Let’s get back to the civility that was present 24 years ago. It’s not too late.

The LuLac Edition #4,380, August 18th, 2020

# 36 @ 100 YEARS AGO TODAY

AND WHAT IT MEANS TO US 

Thirty six. 
That number represents the 36th state to ratify the 19th Amendment to the Construction which gave women the right to vote. Tennessee was the state that put it over the top.
The Nineteenth Amendment's adoption was certified on August 26, 1920: the culmination of a decades-long movement for women's suffrage at both state and national levels.
The amendment states “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.”

The LuLac Edition #4,379, August 17th, 2020

MONDAY MEMES 

The LuLac Edition #4,378, August 14th, 2020

RUSTY FENDER’S DREAM JOB

Goddard Space Center in Maryland

Rusty and Barbara celebrating.   (Photos: Facebook)

I’ve known Rusty, Shadoe, Dale for a very long time. Through the years he has been an immense help to LuLac as well as my writing projects. I m proud to call him a loyal friend but because of our busy schedules, an unseen person as of late. However, I was thrilled to learn about his new endeavors.
Celebrating my new position(s) at NASA Goddard Space Center Greenbelt, Maryland in Galileo Ionospheric Navigation Engineering: TT&C Telemetry, Tracking & Command for the ‘Moon To Mars 2030’ (Earth Reliant Phase) project & also rejoining PennDOT Engineering Harrisburg‘s Transportation Division, both on September 8th.
As that great broadcaster Casey Kasem used to say, “Keep your feet on the ground but keep reaching for the stars.”

REPRESENTATIVES CARTWRIGHT AND DEAN INTRODUCE BILL TO PROVIDE RECURRING DIRECT PAYMENTS FOR FAMILIES TO BOOST THE ECONOMY

Congressman Matt Cartwright (Photo: LuLac archives)

U.S. Representatives Matt Cartwright and Madeleine Dean (PA-04) will introduce the Payments for the People Act, which would send quarterly payments to families until national unemployment is below 5.5 percent.
“Our economic outlook is still deeply uncertain, and struggling families need a steady source of income to get through it – one that can’t be interrupted by Senate Republican stonewalling of any House-passed relief legislation,” Rep. Cartwright said. “Millions of unemployed Americans will now see their income slashed thanks to Leader McConnell’s failed ‘wait and see’ approach to the pandemic response, so we should ensure a lapse in critical relief can’t happen again. This legislation will provide a lifeline for Americans going through hard times until the pandemic is under control and we can fully restart our economy.”
The one-time $1,200 payments in the CARES Act went to roughly 160 million households in just two months, and were spent by the lowest-income families just days after they were issued. And most of the people who received the payments spent them on basic necessities.
“American families are struggling during this pandemic and too many are out of work through no fault of their own – one-time payments are not enough, and they need smart recurring payments to keep them afloat for the duration of this economic crisis,” Rep. Dean said. “The Payments for the People Act is the continued support American families need – it is smart policy and economics that prioritizes America’s families.”
“While Congress debates the proposals for the next relief package, regular cash payments are a must-have. Direct cash gets money quickly to the people who need it most and are the most likely to spend it – but one check is not enough,” Adam Ruben, Director of Economic Security Project Action said. “The crisis we’re in is likely to last well into next year, if not longer – Congress and the White House have shown that passing even the most critical of legislation is challenging. We must pass regular cash payments that continue until the economy recovers, whether that’s in a couple of months or a couple of years. The Payments for the People Act would be a critical boost to families and to the economy as it begins to recover.”

AS GUN SALES AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURGE AMID PANDEMIC, CASEY & COLLEAGUES INTRODUCE BICAMERAL LEGISLATION TO CLOSE DANGEROUS LOOPHOLE TO PROTECT DOMESTIC ABUSE SURVIVORS

Senator Bob Casey (Photo: LuLac archives)

As gun sales spike and reports of domestic violence increase across the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Senator Bob Casey joined his Congressional colleagues in introducing strongly supported bicameral legislation to protect domestic violence survivors from gun violence. The Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act is narrowly crafted to close loopholes that allow domestic abusers to legally obtain weapons. The bill is named in memory of Lori Jackson, an Oxford, Connecticut mother of two who was tragically shot and killed by her estranged husband, who had legally obtained a handgun even though he was subject to a temporary restraining order.
“Family violence, domestic violence and dating violence are a public health crisis in this country, and the failure of Congress to pass commonsense gun violence prevention legislation has made such a crisis even deadlier. In Pennsylvania in 2018 alone, more than half of all domestic violence victims who died were killed by firearms,” said Senator Casey. “The Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act would prevent future tragedies by closing the fatal loophole allowing abusers to obtain weapons. We cannot afford to wait for another life to be lost before we take action. It’s time we hold our elected leaders accountable.”
The Lori Jackson Domestic Violence Survivor Protection Act would close dangerous loopholes in federal law, thereby protecting millions of Americans. Current federal law protects domestic violence survivors from gun violence by preventing their abusers from purchasing or possessing a firearm – but only once the court has issued a permanent restraining order. This leaves survivors unprotected exactly when they are in the most danger: when a domestic abuser first learns his or her victim has left and only a temporary restraining order is in place. Further, the current definition of ‘intimate partner’ used to prohibit individuals convicted of domestic violence from purchasing or possessing a firearm includes spouses, former spouses, people with a child in common, and cohabitants. However, there are many survivors of dating violence who were never married, do not live with their abuser, and have no children.
This bill would restrict those under temporary restraining order from purchasing or possessing a firearm, and would extend protections to domestic violence survivors who have been abused by their dating partners. This bill’s provisions are a component of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act, landmark legislation designed to support and protect survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, which continues to stall in the Republican-controlled Senate.
The legislation is supported by a number of advocacy and support groups, including Everytown for Gun Safety, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Newtown Action Alliance, Brady, Coalition to Stop Gun Violence and the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV).
Senator Casey joined U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ) in cosponsoring the bill in the Senate. U.S. Representatives Jim Himes (D-CT-4), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Kathleen Rice (D-NY-4) are cosponsoring the House version of this legislation.

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This week's show features the Scranton School Board and the reasoning for their vote to offer fully online education to start the 2020-21 school year.
Tune in Sunday morning at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on The Mothership 1340/1400 am, 100.7 and 106.7 fm; and at 7:30 on The River 105 and 103.5.

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!

1980

Our 1980 logo.

The premium cable network Cinemax was inaugurated in the U.S. as a movies-only channel operated by Home Box Office (HBO) The new service began at 10:00 in the morning Eastern Time….The wreck of the Dublin to Cork express train killed 18 people and injured more than 70, most of them teenagers who were on their way to Cork for a weekend vacation. Part of a group of 200 students, the victims were enjoying themselves in "two crowded restaurant cars located just behind the locomotive." At the railway station in the village of Buttevant in County Cork, only 30 miles (48 km) from their destination, the locomotive struck a faulty switch and derailed; the rear coaches then plowed into the back of the second dining car. The accident, at the time, was Ireland's deadliest crash….The presidential campaign of U.S. Senator Teddy Kennedy ended at the Democratic convention after Kennedy's supporters were unable to get a change of rules to permit an "open convention", where the would be allowed to vote for the candidate of their choice on the first ballot, regardless of whom they had been committed to represent. With 1,666 votes of 3,330 necessary to change the rules, less than 1,390 were in favor and 1,936 were against the change. After Speaker of the U.S. House and convention chairman Tip O'Neill announced the result at 8:42 in the evening, Kennedy quit the race….U.S. President Jimmy Carter defeated Senator Edward Kennedy to win renomination at the 1980 Democratic National Convention in New York City. With all delegates required to vote for the candidate to whom they were pledged, Carter won on the first ballot, with 2,129 delegate votes, compared to 1,146 for Kennedy. Kennedy then released a statement saying that he would support Carter's election to a second term. Kennedy barely kept that promise and showed Carter up with his “The Dream Will Never Die” speech…

Baseball's National League voted against adopting the designated hitter rule used in the American League, despite expectations that the rule change would be implemented. With the approval necessary of seven of the 12 NL club-owners, 4 approved, 5 rejected and 3 abstained…..Dorothy Stratten, the 1979 Playboy Playmate of the Year, was murdered by her estranged husband Paul Leslie Snider, who subsequently committed suicide…

Workers at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdańsk walked out on strike after the government of Poland announced a second rise in food prices. Two days later, shipyard electrician Lech Walesa, an activist with the WZZW trade union alliance, initially negotiated a settlement with the Polish government for his co-workers at the shipyard before being criticized by Anna Walentynowicz and other labor organizers for making a deal that only affected the Lenin Shipyard, and Walesa and she then rallied strikers elsewhere in Gdańsk….and forty years ago the number one song in LuLac land was “Emotional Rescue “ by The Rolling Stones.