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Our “Maybe I’m Amazed” logo.MAYBE I'M AMAZED
MAYBE I’M AMAZED……….at the problems the installation of Kronos system at the Courthouse is causing. Kronos is a time card keeping system that is used by most of modern civilization without incident. It’s very simple, hourly employees sign in and out and are paid that way. Kronos keeps track of their breaks and lunches. Salaried people also can access the system by swiping their card when they enter the office and leave. Presumably if they return, they re swipe in. Managers keep track of the data to make sure people are getting paid for the hours they work. What exactly is soooooooo hard about that except that it is Luzerne County and every movement into the 21st century is a struggle. MAYBE I’M AMAZED……..that the city of Scranton owes Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania 2 million bucks. The money is for health care of the retirees, their families, and current city workers. BCNEPA had to sue them to get the city’s attention. All health insurance agencies like BC are in business to primarily pay claims. Can you imagine if the company didn’t pay a claim for an employee? A deal is a deal. And for the city to not pay an employee’s health insurance, especially if they are contributing to it is a disgrace. Blue Cross has taken many hits for its huge surplus. The more than 150 people they laid off pretty much have nothing good to say about them. But they are a local entity tuned to the local community. I wonder how long Scranton’s credit would be extended if the insurer was an out of town corporation that had no idea where “The Electric” aka “Deadbeat” city was on the map? If you ask me, BCNEPA has been more than patient. MAYBE I’M AMAZED…….that airports in eastern Pennsylvania are under fire for lack of federal funding come 2013. When you see stories like this, you can thanks Fox TV screamers like Anne Coulter who screams “We don’t want government programs! Get rid of them”. Yeah, next time Coulter decides to have an epicurean feast, (having two glasses of water with mint instead of just one!) I hope her water is clean and pure. Yeah the government she despises so much takes care of that too! MAYBE I’M AMAZED……at the number of people who are saying they will vote for President Obama. His lead in battle ground states is at least to me suspect. In the 80s, in Los Angeles former Police Commissioner Tom Bradley , a black man ran for Mayor. He lost. Then he ran for Governor. He lost again too. But he was way ahead in the polls. Turns out white voters were telling pollsters they’d vote for him because they didn’t want to be considered racist. In Philadelphia, numerous white voters told pollsters that they would never vote for Frank Rizzo for Mayor of Philadelphia. They were afraid of being branded bigots if they supported Rizzo. He won big twice. The Obama people have to be concerned about the accuracy of some of these polls. I know I would be if I was in their shoes. MAYBE I’M AMAZED…………..that the Baltimore Orioles are making a solid run at first place in the American League East. Baltimore has been down for so long it comes As a surprise to many people that Buck Showalter’s charges are doing so well. Meantime, my Indians after a good start are plummeting as the dog days of summer commence. I’m hopeful on the Pirates though.. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a 70s style match up against the Birds in the Bucs in the fall? MAYBE I’M AMAZED……that Mitt Romney’s internal polling says he should take the hits for not releasing his tax returns. They are standing firm on this and I have to think it has to do with the Mormon Church, his business dealings within it and the huge amount of money he as amassed. Even Wall Street wizards are amazed at his 100 million dollar IRA. MAYBE I’M AMAZED…….at the number of awards and entertainment kudos the late Marvin Hamlisch received in his life. Hamlisch received the following, those who have been awarded an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony. He was also one of only two people to have won those four prizes and also a Pulitzer Prize. Hamlisch also won two Golden Globes. MAYBE I’M AMAZED…..that major companies decided to drop their advertising for Penn State football. Big companies advertising budgets are the lifeblood of not only football programs but the way to promote them. At least for the first year, Penn State will take a big hit. But if there is fan support and these underdogs win a few, the clients will be back. MAYBE I’M AMAZED……that the other night, Mrs. LuLac and I realized that “The Big Chill” was still as overrated a movie in this century as it was in the last. This ponderous, naval gazing tribute to baby boomers was and is still plain awful. We switched it off when the movie’s director shot a bunch of scenes about what each boomer was carrying their respective suitcases. Yes, hippest of the 60ps bought hair dryers in the 80s. No need to dwell on that as if it was the my artery of life. MAYBE I’M AMAZED…….that there could be no more unappealing way of trying to sell something than what the powers that be at the minor league ballpark stadium did last week. They sold seats from the old PNC/Lackawanna County Stadium. Most people would have loved just one but the deal was you had to buy four. Any married man bringing those home Saturday would no longer be married by Labor Day. Plus the seats were all piled in a heap that looked like nothing but debris I’m shocked they made over $8,000. Imagine if they put a little work into it. 
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Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney.ROMNEY/RYAN
In the midst of the political dog days of August, Mitt Romney gave his party and America a Vice Presidential pick that was part surprise but also expected. Romney’s choice was U.S. Congressman Paul Ryan from Wisconsin. On the USS Wisconsin, Romney introduced Ryan saying that this move was the recasting of the GOP as the Grand Opportunity Party. Ryan, a seven term Congressman adds youth, ideology and fiscal vision (depending on your view) to the ticket. Here are the advantages: Ryan is young and makes a good case for what he believes in. He can articulate his plan well. Plus this pick plays to the Republican base, a segment of voters cool and distrusting of Romney as another McCain moderate not capable of winning a big national election. Ryan’s credentials will fire up the Tea Party as well as those Republicans who are trying to change the economic course of this country. In Ryan they have an unabashed supporter of fundamental change in the way the country is funded. There will be no mistaking the fiscal path the U.S, will take if these guys are elected. Vice President Joe Biden accuses the GOP of not hiding the ball in saying they will change social programs. Ryan not only holds the ball, he yells out the plays at the line of scrimmage. Wisconsin has been a Democratic state the last few times in a Presidential race. This changes that equation and puts those electoral votes in play during a close election. On the negative side, the Ryan pick does the following: It energizes the Democratic base who aren’t thrilled with the Obama Presidency. Progressives look at it as a lost opportunity for social change in this country. Even though they felt Obama let them down in some areas, the prospect of a Romney/Ryan pairing is downright scary. You’ll most likely see an upswing in party fundraising. The Democrat policy people will ramp up the Medicare machine. Right now seniors who will not be affected by any changes are still going to be targeted as anti GOP voters. For years the thoughts was there. The naming of Ryan will only reinforce that. The Ryan pick will also give the President the opportunity to outline what he plans to do in his next term. He can certainly say what the Ryan plan will do but he will be forced to really explain how he plans to change entitlements. He has made a few steps in that direction to the horror of the Democratic party stalwarts. But it would be ironic if this pick moved him further to the right. Finally the Ryan pick gives this election a firm and clear choice. If you think government should be in your life as a safety net, then you’re going to go with Obama/Biden. If you think that government should let you take care of yourself, even if you are down and out through no fault of your own, then you go Romney/Ryan. If you think that a true partnership between business and government is the way to go in building the economy, you’ll go with Obama/Biden. If you think corporations need more tax breaks to create jobs, then you’ll go with Romney/Ryan. If you think the middle class payroll tax cuts you have been receiving the last few years are the way to strengthen the middle class, you’ll go with Obama/Biden. If you think the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy in this country gave us a good economy where every person won and prospered equally, then you’ll go Romney/Ryan. If nothing else, this choice paints the picture of this election in very different shades and colors. It’s either black or white. Let the games begin. For real. 
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Paul Ryan and Children. He's worried about how they are going to have to pay for the deficits of big government. 
Or will the Ryan budget, during a Romney administration leave middle class and poor kids locked out of “The American Dream?”A POLITICAL TRUISM
When Republican politicians say that the deficit is going to be balanced on the backs of their children and grand children, keep this in mind. The programs they cut today will drastically affect your children’s future RIGHT NOW! Rest assured, Paul Ryan’s kids are going to be all right in the middle of this century. But if his plans are adopted, just how well will your kids fare in the next ten years? The Republicans can talk about the future in fifty year increments to achieve their goal of eliminating the middle class for good. Why should your children pay now with program cuts for 2 undeclared wars paid for with a credit card that ran up the deficit by 30 billion dollars a month? Should middle class kids be denied now so that the children and grandchildren of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan can pay less taxes? Will the kids of today have to go without so that the children of the wealthiest among us have less taxes? When they say it’s about the kids, it is. But yours! Now! Not theirs, tomorrow! 
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Our “13 Questions” logo. 13 QUESTIONS
1. Okay Yonk, the battle lines are drawn. Obama/Biden, Romney/Ryan. Final outcome? C’mon there’s many more miles to go on this election before we sleep. But if you want a wild ass prediction, I’ll give you one. Romney will win but he will be picked by the House of Representatives. This election will be so close that it will wind up in the House. Satisfied? 2. Many people have commented on your blog that you seem a lot meaner and very bitter. Care to defend yourself? No. But I will say this. A co worker asked me the other day if I was a Democrat or A Republican. I said that I had always been a Democrat but that many times I voted for more Republicans than I did Democrats. My father ribbed me mercilessly for months because I voted for (these are his words now, not mine) “Henry” Ford in the ’76 election. I always was a registered Democrat for most of my life (twice I turned Republican for a short time) but voted for the person. However the actions of the Republican party since this century started have made it virtually impossible for me to even voting for an “R”. The party has done so much damage to this country by ballooning the deficit (it kills me when I hear that Obama is the reason we are trillions in debt) not compromising and by just plain lying. So in a strange sort of way, the national GOP has done what even my father or my late uncle Timmy Pribula could do, and that was get me to vote straight Democratic. In the rear view mirror are my votes for Bob Dole, Arlen Specter, Bush 41, Tom Ridge and Dick Thornburgh. When a party is so hell bent on working against your interests, how could you trust them? So yes, to answer your question I have become more partisan as a strong national Democrat. On the local level, my anger is not directed at any individual county worker. It is the entire system that has almost become a new class. I’m told there are people working in that Courthouse that couldn’t pass a simple skills test that an entry level Vo Tech student has to take. I have worked for a few national companies and pass my observations along not to be bitter but to just give an opinion. Blogs and thoughts evolve. I always thought that as I got older, I’d be more conservative. Turns out I’m not. I’m more liberal and uncompromising than ever before. And the lack of compromise by the national GOP took me from being a swing voter to a firm Democrat. Plus I’m getting older and really don’t give a damn anymore. 3. Has anyone gone from the House of Representatives to President? One. James Garfield in the election of 1880. Gerald Ford was in the House but became Vice President before becoming President. 4. What do you think of that new show on USA called “Political Animals”? I think it really stinks. Predictable story lines, buffoonish characters. Horrible. 5. How are you getting along without minor league baseball this summer? Not even thinking about it. Tune in to a few games on the radio and going to see the new Coke A Cola park sometime this month. But not wanting to slit my wrists over it. 6. Any thoughts on the proposed new names for the team? The Blast, the Black Diamond Bears, The Fireflies, The Porcupines, The Railroaders and the Trolley Frogs are the picks. Only two are half decent, the Black Diamond Bears and the Railroaders. But the rest of them are really stupid. Mrs. LuLac came up with the ‘Nor’easters”, putting a regional touch on things. Watch, some overpaid flunky from the Wilkes Barre or Scranton Chamber is going to get a $150,000 grant to do a study on the feasibility of that name. Then we’ll still wind up with a stupid name like The Porcupines. 7. What do you think of the fact that Mitt Romney refers to Paul Ryan sometimes as his sixth son? Kind of creeps me out to tell you the truth. Especially with Anne Romney standing by. 8. Do you think there is anything to the fact that a lot of Democrats are staying away from the National Convention in North Carolina? The state is a right to work state and any candidate that has union support will most likely take that into consideration. I don’t think its an anti Obama thing as much as a candidate just trying to get re-elected. Politicians understand that. It’s a type of code. But to be honest, Charlotte, North Carolina isn’t Chicago, New Orleans, Miami, Boston or San Diego. I mean, it’s just Charlotte for Pete’s sake. 9. Did you make it to the “Peach Fest?” No but my boss went and I know she thoroughly enjoyed it. The last concert I was at up the Mountain was for Tony Bennett and K.D. Lange. 10. Have you tried your hand at writing a children’s book yet? Interesting that you ask that. A few years back, I had a story outline and even had an illustrator who was interested. But the main character’s name of my children’s book was already taken and published. God knows I get accused of plagiarizing here by a few people taking potshots, can you imagine the outcry if I didn’t check that out? I’m trying to rework the story but the name was the key to the whole deal. 11. Were you/are you a big Penn State fan? My dad and I never really followed College Football that much. I mean we had a working knowledge of it but were more into the NFL. Maybe it had a lot to do with chores on Saturday and more free time on Sunday after church. But even as an adult, I’d follow the season, but only watch a Bowl Game or one that they said really counted. My brother in law Owen is a real die hard but I wasn’t. I had the shirts and the hats but never had the desire to go to Beaver Stadium. I hope they make a recovery from this disaster because the kids there now don’t deserve to be painted with the Sandusky brush of shame. 12. Do you think they should have taken the statue down and Joe Pa’s wins away from him?The statue proved that the Postal Service has it right. They don’t give anyone a stamp until their dead ten years. So that didn’t bother me but taking away the wins did. While the leadership at Penn State did nothing to stop Jerry Sandusky, (which was wrong), keep in mind that Jerry Sandusky was not part of the coaching staff for those wins that were eradicated. Those football players that spent hours practicing and risking injury to play in those now invisible games should not have their hard work expunged because of a pervert who had nothing to do with the wins and losses. If my kid were on the field for those seasons and his accomplishments were erased, I’d even be more upset. 13. Do you think Andy Reid should have come back to coach the Eagles the day after he buried his son for an Exhibition game? Tough call. Reid was there for his late son through the child’s tough times. Maybe football is good therapy. A parent can only do so much for an addicted child. I’m not sure whether Reid’s son’s death was a result of that but he was just 29. I once told a few people that if I had a choice between having my child (if I had one) be addicted to alcohol and drugs or have cancer (and I had cancer myself) I’d hope he or she had cancer. In my work at United Way as well as people I know personally, plus the work I saw my friend Edd Raineri do with kids addicted to drugs, along with Carmen Ambrosino’s work at Wyoming Valley Alcohol and Drug, I saw how first hand how insidious that disease is. With cancer, you have at least a chance of cutting it out. How do you cut an addiction from one’s mind and soul? No judgments here on whether Andy Reid did the right or wrong thing. 
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Our "Breaking News" logo. TOM WALSH DEAD
We learned this evening that Tom Walsh, the former Mayor of Pittston City died at the Gino Merli Home for Veterans in Scranton. Walsh became Mayor in 1982 after an election that swept the old politics of Pittston City out of office. Walsh succeeded the late Robert Loftus who was Chairman of the Democratic Party for many years. Walsh took over a city that was highly politicized due to the arrests and convictions of many city officials on vote fraud charges. Walsh lead the city in the 80s and the 90s with a steady, calm leadership that endeared him to most city residents. Walsh was open to new ideas to promote the city, such as the Pittston Tomato Festival as well as the preliminary move of a new Library for the town. He made sure the City ran without huge tax increases. Plus Walsh was the type of guy who hired people with qualifications and let them do their jobs. I met Walsh one night in the old Quality Inn. He sent a drink over to my table because he said he recognized me as a Pittston boy. When I told him I was out of Pittston for over a decade, he smiled and said, "No one really ever leaves Pittston". I'll remember that because I'm sure in his suffering the last few years in Scranton, Mayor Tom Walsh really never left the city he loved. 
