The LuLac Edition #2198, September 16th, 2012

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Luzerne County Manager Bob Lawton, Pat Solano, and County Council member Edd Bromiski.

LUNCH AT THE COOL KID'S TABLE

I received a few reports last week that County Manager Bob Lawton sat down for a lunch meeting with County Council member Edd Brominski and Pat Solano, the long time power broker of the local GOP. A few of my Democratic friends were concerned because they didn’t want the County Council getting infected with partisan party politics and having the local GOP getting a leg up. (As if that can never happen!) Here are my thoughts: 
1. It’s a free country and anyone can have lunch with anybody anywhere. But given the past sins of Luzerne County government, all sins might have been forgiven but rarely forgotten. Any thing out of the ordinary is under a microscope. 
2. Edd Brominski having lunch with Lawton is one thing but having Solano there can be interpreted a few ways. Loyal Democrats will say that Solano’s presence there might be a signal that the more things change, the more they stay the same. But Brominski has always been a renegade Democrat who has always gone his own way. I mean that’s part of the charm of Edd Brominski. Remember, Brominski ran for County Controller in the 2009 primary in a field of five including the eventual winner Walter Griffith. So it is not unusual for Brominski to get Lawton and Solano together. In watching his career for over 35 years, I have observed that Brominski never really burned any bridges behind him. Although he did leave a few smoldering but still intact. 
3. Solano was lauded in Governor Corbett’s victory speech as someone who was his key to victory. If you ask me, Solano gets too much political credit for events that were already set in motion. I was struck this summer by a few lines in the late Senator Charles Lemmond’s obituary that said Solano was a responsible party in the Senator’s first election to the Senate. Although it was a tough primary fight, was anyone really going to vote against an ex Judge with sterling credentials over a Resort operator from the Poconos? Although during the 70s he kept the Republican party alive in Luzerne County by cutting deals for jobs with the late Senators Martin L. Murray and T. Newell Wood. If not for his intercession, the GOP might have folded up. And there are those who argue that any political clout that Solano brought to the area did not benefit the regular Joes but the party soldiers and relatives who regularly kissed his ring. And make no mistake, those who didn’t paid huge political consequences. 
All that said, with Tom Corbett in power and a GOP controlled House and Senate, it might have been a smart move to introduce Lawton to a “go to” guy in the power corridors of Harrisburg. As the old line about chicken soup goes, “it couldn’t hurt”. And who knows, maybe this was a social lunch. They might have been talking about football, a going away gift for Carolee Olenginski Medico or pointing out the best fall foliage tours for Lawton to take "The Mrs." on. But it is a development worth watching especially since Council members are urged to stay out of the Manager’s way in running the county. 

FALL BLOGFEST 2012 

2012 Blogest logo. Two of the people who cement the entire foundation of BlogFest are Harold Jenkins and Michelle Hryvnak Davies. Harold does the set up work for the event and handles the logistical details. Michelle Hryvnak Davies is responsible for setting up the social media accounts as well as the press releases with Radio, TV and newspapers. To be truthful , Blogfest would never happen without them. If you attend Blogfest, stop and say hello to Harold and Michelle. Although don’t ask Harold where to find cheap flights (he works for the on line pagan travel company) or for Michelle Rotello or Tom Clark’s phone number (she works as an IT person at WNEP TV). Blogfest is at Rooney’s in Pittston and starts at 6PM.

The LuLac Edition #2199, September 17th, 2012

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Tiffany Cloud with her book Sleeping with Dog Tags, A Book About The Military Family Experience During War. Tiffany even got the front page of the Times Leader today!!! Tarone and I are eating our hearts out!!!! But no one deserved it more than "Tiff".

A MUST READ 

It was the summer of 2011 and I was having my first ever meeting with Tiffany Cloud. She had just taken over the Sales Manager duties at WYLN TV 35 and we were going to meet to talk about the station. I had only set aside an hour because I figured what could two strangers talk about in more time than that. Well, three hours after we sat down, we were still going strong. The people at the Roadhouse eatery in Drums had changed shifts and thank heavens didn’t throw us out. After that meeting we became sales colleagues and friends on the Facebook machine. We also became co panelists on WYLN TV’s 3 hour Election Night coverage. Despite our political differences, Tiffany seemed to take to my Attila the Hun perspective on capital punishment and illegitimate births saying “You are not as liberal as you think you are”. Needless to say I was extremely excited when I heard that Tiffany had joined the stable of WYLN authors and wrote a book. (L.A. Tarone wrote a book a few years ago entitled “We Were Here Once”). I actually met her subject matter a few times at the TV station, her husband, Staff Sergeant Erik Olson. Her book is a story of the people who fight our wars and those they leave behind. It should be noted that only 1% of American families are involved in the war effort. I don’t know whether it is the proliferation of our “American Idol” culture or just the fact that people don’t realize it, but the burden of these modern day wars are not shared by the majority of U.S. citizens. And that fact makes the book that much more important to read. Here’s some more information about it: 
In 2011 while most were going about their normal daily routine, Tiffany Cloud Olson of Conyngham, PA was thinking of her husband, SSG Erik Olson, a decorated Special Operations combat veteran serving outside the wire in eastern Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush near Pakistan. Based upon insurgent activity in the region, a high probability existed that he would be injured or worse. Olson was not naive to battle, as prior to Afghanistan, he served two year-long tours with Special Operations in Iraq where he was awarded numerous commendations, among them, three bronze stars, including the bronze star for valor. But despite being a seasoned combat veteran, the risks for him were real, and the fears for her, palpable. As self-imposed therapy, Cloud Olson began to write about her experiences as a military spouse lacking sleep, worrying daily, checking the casualty report incessantly, & coping sometimes well (often horribly) while her husband was at war. Her writing evolved into a book entitled Sleeping with Dog Tags, which releases this week and will be available in major bookstores, Amazon.com, and Kindle/eBooks. Sleeping with Dog Tags tracks the emotional rollercoaster of a military spouse’s year at home while her husband is deployed in Afghanistan. Central to her narrative is the conviction that while war is hell for the soldiers, it is also hell for family members manning the home front, and there are few supports for those left behind. But the story is also a love story. A story about two people meeting later in life after divorces and discovering they are soul mates—despite their very different backgrounds. And it is the wisdom garnered from a life of experiences that feeds a very poignant, yet very self-aware reflection on the challenges of dealing with the ever-present specter of death, the “my way or the highway” nature of the military, and the missteps of a strong woman treading the unchartered path of the military spouse. But, her humor and passion elevate the narrative. This is not a bitter or whiny piece of writing—angry at times, yes, sad too, and funny as well—but her objective is not to complain. Rather, she strives to offer some perspective on her experiences in the hopes that other military spouses will take some courage and confidence from the heartfelt reminiscences of a woman who got really tired of saying “good-bye.” -Word Association Publishers She does not only wish to raise awareness of the military family experience with this book, she also wishes to raise money for an organization benefiting her community. Cloud Olson intends to donate a portion of the profits from Sleeping with Dog Tags to The Rolling Angels for Armed Forces, a motorcycle group that supports local military and their families in multiple ways—soldier send offs, return home celebrations, presence at military funerals, and gifts for military children during the holidays, among the many things they do. SSG Olson returned from his Afghanistan tour earlier this year, recipient of The Purple Heart. He is currently recovering from injuries at a military base near Washington D.C. where he is in The Wounded Warrior Program. 

BILLIONAIRES ARE US!!!! 

Sheldon Adelson, the conservative billionaire Las Vegas casino owner, has pledged to give up to $100 million -- whatever it takes -- to defeat Barack Obama. We know it's not out of love for Mitt Romney, so why part with so much money? As President Clinton reminded us last week, sometimes the answer is as simple as arithmetic. So let's do the math: According to a new report from the Center for American Progress Action Fund, Adelson could see up to $2 billion in savings under Mitt Romney's tax plan versus the President's plan. That's how much Romney's policies would favor millionaires and billionaires. If Mitt Romney wins -- $2 billion more for Adelson. If Barack Obama wins, millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share. It's a highly cynical but straightforward calculation. Joe Biden was right about the Republicans on social and economic policy, “THEY ARE NOT HIDING THE BALL”. They are saying outright that the middle class will not have a place at the economic table! And Mitt Romney can’t articulate how middle class jobs will be created except for the trickle down policies that the GOP loves so much. Here's how it would work for Adelson in a Romney-Ryan administration: -- Romney would keep in place the Bush tax cuts, and cut Adelson's income taxes by an additional 20 percent. Adelson savings: $1.5 million per year on income he earns as CEO. -- Romney's plan eliminates taxes on foreign profits like the ones Adelson makes on his Asian casinos. Adelson savings: $1.2 billion. -- Romney's plan maintains the current low tax rate on dividends. Adelson savings: $120 million per year. -- Romney's plan removes the estate tax. Adelson heirs save: $8.9 billion.

The LuLac Edition #2200, September 18th, 2012

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The Luzerne County Courthouse 

THE UNIONS' OWN WORST ENEMY  

We’ve written here many times about the Luzerne County worker. There is no doubt some have sweet jobs with big salaries they usually don’t earn. But for the most part, most of the Luzerne County employees earn their money and do their job. But because of the mess this County is in financially there will be job cuts. Because the workers are County employees, even the smallest incident will usually lead to a bad perception. Those small perceptions become reality. For example if an office is not staffed intelligently or closes during lunch time, that’s a pretty bad indictment on all workers. Personally, I think the county rank and file workers have the intelligence and common sense to police themselves and make sure they are not lumped into the bad apples. But my sources are telling me that the Union Leadership is not serving any of the County workers well. As an example, County unions were contacted and asked for input. The Court professional union has agreed in principal to some give backs. Example, no pay raise for next year, give up one paid holiday, clothing allowance and no sell back of unused vacation .....a use it or lose it type situation. But, AFSCME’s Union Representative is more concerned about getting on TV instead of taking care of her membership. Other than that, according to people I’ve spoken to, she has done nothing to speak of. AFSCME members in the various departments have not had real meetings to discuss compromises and members are upset that union leadership is not taking the opportunity to work with management in an effort to save jobs. There is a rumor of de-certification because the union leadership does not seem to care, especially since union officers have super seniority and will be the lasts ones to go. That presents a problem within the court system because there is no such thing as seniority and the State Supreme Court has set it to writing that although Commissioners have the right to negotiate salary and benefits, they have no authority to take the operational authority away from the courts. All court employees are "at will" employees. They work according to the needs of the court. The state constitution is clear that the Courts run the Courts period. This will prove interesting as the AFSCME leadership continues down the road of "who cares". Clearly county workers are concerned. IT would be ironic that the people who are put in leadership roles to protect the rank and file are lighting a flame under certain individuals in the county who would only be too happy to start a move to decertify the union. Bob Lawton is the guy that can do this. He can get allies because I sense his patience is being tested by what he sees in County offices. It is no accident that Carolee Medico Olenginski was fired. Lawton gave her a warning. And now she’s gone. Plus he knew there had to be a lawsuit coming because Carolee is nothing if not litigious. I’m not saying Lawton or any Council member is going to go the “decertify” route, but the Union heads aren’t giving him any reason to believe that they are on the side of the County, or even their own workers who want input. Lawton is a dangerous man to play with. By the time his tenure here is over, he might have gained the nickname “One and done”. (One warning and then you get Caroleed). And the people who will pay will be the County Rank and File making under 30 grand while the head honchos will stay.

County Council member Rick Morelli.

MORELLI’S LETTER 

County Council member Rick Morelli recently sent an e mail regarding the Tax Collector issue. Here it is: 
Dear Luzerne County Tax Collector, As you maybe aware, the issue of whether to continue to use the Luzerne County Tax Collectors in the future to collect the county taxes has come up for debate. Certain members of Luzerne County Council have recently brought forth this issue as to whether to keep the Luzerne County Tax Collectors collecting the county taxes or to obtain an outside firm to collect the county taxes. On August 28th we on Luzerne County Council were given a brief overview by Jackson Twp Tax Collector Jackie Latosick and her husband. It was agreed upon at that meeting that both county council and the tax collectors need to have a separate meeting to discuss the issue in more length. At our council meeting on September 11th in Hazleton, Pa. I publicly asked when this meeting with the tax collectors would take place. It was stated by some council members that no meeting was now necessary and that the county should proceed with putting out RFP's in order to find a firm to collect the taxes. I publicly made a motion to set a meeting up with you the tax collectors so that you could have a voice on this matter along with working with us on council to help find ways to save the taxpayers money. The motion I made died with NO other council member even seconding it for a vote. I feel that this issue is a very important issue and the only way for us on council to come up with a right decision is to make sure that we have all the facts. I do believe that we need to hear your side of the story and find out more from you as to what we can do to save county tax dollars. I am open to all options at this point and have not made any decisions regarding this matter. I am however very much in favor of having you the tax collectors come before council at a special meeting to discuss your role and how we together can find ways to save more money along with collecting more taxes. If you agree that your voices need to be heard on this matter then I urge you to contact the other members of council and demand a public special meeting with us to discuss this matter in more detail. I appreciate your time and hope that we can work together in finding ways to help save the county tax dollars. 
Sincerely, 
Rick Morelli 
Luzerne County Council Member

The LuLac Edition #2211, September 29th, 2012

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Marino’s Mom Weighs In. (Click to enlarge).

MARINO AND MOM 

It only took one term for 10th Congressional District candidate and incumbent Tom Marino to trot out his mom in his campaign for re-election. Take a gander at that letter. It seems like Marino is the second coming of FDR when it comes to Social Security. Marino’s flyer refers to the cut in Medicare by the Obama administration. That “cut” was used to send checks to seniors who were getting screwed by the Medicare Donut hole. But don’t confuse the facts by the Congressman and his mom with the lie they want to tell over and over again. The pathetic part about this whole “mom” idea is that it isn’t even original. If Paul Ryan hadn’t rolled out his mom in the campaign, the Marino people wouldn’t have even thought about this gimmick.

Marino’s rundown of what he did in office. In this flyer Marino talks about those bad liberals who raised the deficit by so much in the last three years. He conveniently ignores the billions wasted by the previous administration.(Click photo/flyer to enlarge).
This says it all about the GOP War against the veterans they sent to combat.

The LuLac Edition #2112, September 30th, 2012

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Logo item from Richard Grayson Green Party blog. 

TIME TO GO…NOW 

2,000 LIVES TOO MANY

This morning while the rest of the world was waking up to the recaps of College Football scores, the pennant chase in Major League Baseball as well as the speculation of how the old NFL referees are going to do this Sunday, there was a news item that tore your heart out. Last night the 2,000th casualty of the war in Afghanistan was reported. Most of us know people who served, a few of us knew family members that lost a son or brother. Any type of wound like that is hard to heal. Any combat death is a tragedy. Since we have always been a nation that keeps score, (especially in late September and in the Fall on Sundays) the fact that this was the 2,000th death was another dagger to the heart. However what makes it worse is the fact that this latest casualty didn’t come at the hands of the enemy. This death didn’t come by a soldier’s actions saving his or her platoon. It wasn’t a heroic death you see in the movies where the soldier emerges from a firefight carrying two people under his arms and another to safety on his back. Nope. This death came because one of our soldiers, one of our Americans were killed by either an Afghan Army member we are training or an Afghan policeman that is supposed to protect the country. While I hesitate to say that any soldier’s death is senseless, this comes damn near close to that. It is time to leave Afghanistan. Screw the 2014 deadline. GET OUT NOW. Here’s why: 
1. It is unfair and unrealistic to ask an American soldier to put themselves in harm’s way when they are going to get killed by the people they are training to take over. What in the world are we fighting for? 
2. The Taliban is now back in action and instead of being a cooperative governing force, it is intimidating people they are supposed to work with. A diseased leopard can never change its spots. The Taliban is such an animal. By waiting until 2014, we are only strengthening the ammunition of the Taliban. Making them stronger. We’re giving cavemen who are very good at killing more expensive and complex weapons to do it faster. That has to stop. 
3. We should pack up all of our technology and equipment. If the sitting government wants asylum somewhere, we should give it to them. But surely they have to believe this is a lost cause. 
4. If we need to use Afghanistan for our protective interests in the Middle East, like say a terrorist network developing there, we should use drones to eliminate them. The Drone Technology is such that we can pinpoint the room where some target is staying. Maybe we should also put out the word that if the terrorist is a target, so too will be his family. Collateral damage. 
5. As a new country (we are closing in on 240 years,) we are still too idealistic and optimistic to understand the politics, religion and social truths of a second century society. It is a waste of time and lives of our fellow countrymen to concentrate on a country of savages. 
You can’t fight something you can’t understand. You can’t win the hearts and minds of the heartless and soulless. You can’t honestly say that whatever we did there was a success. It is time for the American military to leave. They should take their skills, their honor and their commitment to another conflict somewhere down the line. Preferably to a nation that thinks chopping off the hand that feeds them is an honorable practice. It’s time to let the bastards starve to death and rot in the desert hills they so cherish.

The LuLac Edition #2201, September 19th, 2012

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Our "Write On Wednesday" logo.  

WRITE ON WEDNESDAY

IN MITT'S WORDS

Today's "Write On Wednesday" is not a written piece, but rather a spoken piece from Presidential candidate Mitt Romney. These remarks came from a wide ranging discussion with supporters at a fundraiser. Most of the comments were boilerplate discussions on issues until he came to this commentary:  
Well, there are 47% of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right? There are 47% who are with him. Who are dependent upon government, who believe that-- that they are victims, who believe that government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they're entitled to healthcare, to food, to housing, to you name it. But that's-- it's an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what. And-- and-- I mean the president starts off with 48%, 49%, 40-- or he-- he starts off with a huge number. These are people who pay no income tax. 47% of Americans pay no income taxes. So our message of low taxes doesn't connect. And he'll be out there talking about tax cuts for the rich. I mean that's what they sell every-- every four years. And-- and so my job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them that they should take personal responsibility and care for for their lives. What I have to do is convince the 5% to 10% in the center that are independents, that are thoughtful, that look at voting one way or the other depending upon in some cases emotion. Whether they like the guy or not. What they-- what it looks like. I mean the-- it's the-- the-- when you ask those people-- we do all these polls. I find it amazing. We poll all these people, see where you stand in the polls. About 45% of the people will vote for the Republican and 48% or 49%.
If you listen to the tape, the amazing thing is Romney did not stumble. He had more articulation and cadence when he was addressing this issue than a Back Mountain Library auctioneer. 

The LuLac Edition #2207, September 25th, 2012

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The headline from the Citizen's Voice newspaper. 

OF AGNES, BANKS AND OUR HEART 

Today is the 30th anniversary of the George Banks rampage in the Wyoming Valley. If Agnes with its destruction of 1972 nearly broke our collective hearts, the actions of George Banks in 1982 exposed our collective soul to the modern world of madness and crime. Prior to the Banks massacre, we were a community that believed nothing horrific would happen in our little backyard. When there was a criminal action, like a crime of passion or random murder, my late mother in law was fond of saying “They’re not our people, they would never do anything like that”. And in a way, she was correct. There were crimes of passion and thuggery but nothing as wide scale as what happened with George Banks. He was one of us. He lived in the city. He had relationships and children with the daughters of people who lived here. Then he killed them. This act showed clearly that the madness finally came to the Valley With the Heart. We were exposed to the vagaries of the Mental Health system. How could they miss a guy like this? How could a guy like this get hired by the state of Pennsylvania twice? How could a man kill his own children and the women who bore them? Easy. His tee shirt said it, “Kill ‘em and let God sort them out”. Innocent bystanders died. 
As much as I hate to admit, George Banks changed this area’s soul. When all this happened, I worked for United Way. A guy that was one of the UW volunteers at the time was the late Ray McGarry. McGarry worked for Bell Telephone but also was a police official in Jenkins Township. He was about 6’5 and 320. This huge man was reduced to a mass of tears when he saw the bodies of those little children shot to death. Big men like Ray McGarry would never forget that scene. The anger in the Valley was evident. The social and religious leaders tried to justify it but many weren’t buying. People who were at once tolerant became less so. The Valley with the Heart became the land of reality and skeptical. Skeptical of anyone different coming to their neighborhoods. Then there was Banks himself. Going through the trial stoic and uncooperative. The Judge, Patrick Toole Senior did his best to get through the trial without incident. But publicly appointed defense attorneys have strung this out for three decades. Every legal battle became a reminder of George Banks and his madness. Even his deterioration and imprisonment hasn’t made him a sympathetic figure. He is still the champ when it comes to the death toll of innocent victims. Maybe that’s what he was aiming for. 
We are all changed because of this day thirty years ago. As we live our lives, the tragedy of it recedes. But on the days when Banks is in court and we are reminded that he is still nipping at our souls, the band aid on the wound opens up. There are many people commemorating the day. The newspapers ran special editions. People in the media talked about it. Some old enough to be around talked about it. The more righteous of us went to church to say a prayer for the dead. 
Those dead by the way all would be in their mid thirties or early forties. How many of those slaughtered might have contributed something meaningful to this area had they lived?It is for that reason that I’m still for the death penalty. I’m asked how can a liberal left winger socialist like me be for the death penalty? The answer is obvious. Those women (whatever your opinion of their moral choice) and innocent children are in cold dark graves. Dead. By the madness and hand of Mr. Tough Guy George Banks who the last thirty years has become as weak as a kitten. But George Banks still lives, sucking the life out of the Wyoming Valley’s soul. Just as he did three decades ago today.

The LuLac Edition #2208, September 26th, 2012

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Our “Write On Wednesday” logo. 

WRITE ON WEDNESDAY 

BRING US THE REAL REFS 

My brother in law is one of the biggest Dallas Cowboy fans in this area. He is very unhappy with the replacement referees in the NFL. He is even more outraged than I am from Monday night’s Seahawks/Packers game. A man of few words, here’s his take on what is happening. It's brief but provocative on today's Write On Wednesday. In all my years watching Pro Football I have NEVER seen a series of BAD, MISSED and WRONG CALLS in one game as was visible in last night’s game. The Owners and the League make so much money they can at least improve the contracts of the refs. My brother in law Owen is a big football fan who speaks the truth on this issue.

The LuLac Edition #2209, September 27th, 2012

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17th District Candidate Matt Cartwright. 

CARTWRIGHT EVENT 

The Matt Cartwright for Congress campaign is hosting its first annual Fall Festival this weekend at Nay Aug Park in Scranton. The event will take place on Saturday, September 29th from 1 – 3.30 PM. The family friendly event will feature live entertainment from the Jeanne Zano Band, a BBQ dinner featuring whole roast pork, as well as a moon bounce and pumpkin decoration for children. A suggested donation of $20 will be accepted in advance or at the door. Those looking to purchase tickets in advance can do so at www.cartwrightcongress.com , or by calling 570.371.3870. All proceeds will benefit Matt’s bid to become the 17th district’s next Congressman. 

SCOLLO NEWS 

Today, Phil Scollo's campaign manager released a memo complete with comparative polling data and other developing information regarding the current state of the race for Pennsylvania's 10th Congressional District. The entire memo can be viewed here: http://scollocongress.com/home/wp-content/uploads/STATE-OF-THE-RACE-MEMO-TO-MEDIA.pdf Businessman Phil Scollo said, "Nobody expected that we would out-raise the incumbent last quarter among individuals and think folks will be even more surprised to see how much momentum we have built on the ground. I am just thrilled with the support we are receiving all over the district. Republicans, Democrats and Independents everywhere are fed up with politicians who refuse to answers questions, who hide behind staff and who don't stand up for honest hard-working families who are simply trying to make ends meet. "I'll fight for families. I'll fight to save Medicare - not vote to essentially end it twice as the incumbent has and I will always fight to protect jobs in our region and keep Social Security as the cornerstone of dignified retirement for our workers. Those are things the people of Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania can count on and I am proud to be gaining ground in this race everyday and proud to be asking for their support." The Italian American Democratic Leadership Council (IADLC), the voice of Italian Americans in the Democratic Party, endorses Phil Scollo for Congress in Pennsylvania. Phil is a second generation Italian American. All four of his grandparents immigrated from Sicily at the turn of the 20th century, coming through Ellis Island. His paternal grandparents Giovanni and Gracia came from Taormina. His maternal grandparents, Fillippo and Angelina Sfraga lived in Marsala and Trapani, respectively. Giovanni fought with the United States Army in World War I and Fillippo was an artisan cabinet maker. Angelina became a charter member of the International Lady Garment Workers Union. Phil's mother, a homemaker, and father, a New York City Firefighter, raised Phil in New York City. Phil was the first in his family to attend college and paid for his education by working at the Macy’s loading dock in New York City. He graduated from St. John’s University and then entered the insurance industry where he worked his way up to a management role. In 1998, Phil moved his family to Pennsylvania and bases his business out of Milford. As a husband, father, and small business owner Phil understands the challenges many families are facing and will fight to protect jobs, Medicare, and Social Security. “We are happy to support yet another Italian American for Congress and hope that with this endorsement, Italian Americans in Pennsylvania will throw their support behind Phil Scollo,” said Bob Blancato, Chairman of the IADLC. Phil Scollo is challenging Congressman Tom Marino, who was elected in the 2010 Republican wave. Scollo’s campaign claims that Marino has not represented his constituents well; he voted for a $606 billion defense bill that would eviscerate funding for the Tobyhanna Army Depot - the largest employer not only in his district but in all of Northeast Pennsylvania, which has lead to hundreds of layoffs. Phil is a small business owner and advocate for jobs in his community. Visit www.scollocongress.com to learn more about Phil’s background and commitment to Pennsylvania. For almost twenty years, the Italian American Democratic Leadership Council has been the national voice of Italian Americans in the Democratic Party -- the national political action committee supporting candidates for Congress and major statewide offices, reaching out to Italian American voters for their presidential candidates, and promoting the appointment of Italian Americans at the national level. To learn more about the IADLC visit www.italianamericandemocrats.net. 
Phil Scollo left Wall Street to start a small business in Northeastern Pennsylvania. He learned hard work and public service early from a New York City Fire Fighter, his father. Hisbusiness, a management-consulting firm, has served all types of organizations from global corporations to small businesses and government agencies. Phil has lived in Dingman Township, Pennsylvania since 1998 with his wife, Karen. He is the proud father of three children. A summa cum laude graduate of St. John’s University, Phil holds a B.S. in Government and Politics. 22nd District State Senator John Blake. 

BLAKE ANNOUNCES FORUM  

Senator John Blake is pleased to announce that on Wednesday, October 10, I will host local government officials and transportation leaders from across the region for a transportation forum at Genetti’s Manor in Dickson City. Pennsylvania has nearly 8,500 miles of roads in poor condition; we have the 4th oldest bridge inventory in the nation; and, of our 25,000 bridges, over 5,000 are structurally deficient. In Lackawanna County alone, nearly 100 of our 480 bridges have structural problems; six have been forced to close; and 28 others have posted weight restrictions. The numbers are even worse for Luzerne and Monroe Counties with a combined 231 structurally deficient bridges. Transportation infrastructure, particularly here in Northeastern Pennsylvania, is need of an upgrade and we need to be mindful of how all modes of transportation – rail freight, airports and public mass transit – contribute to the economic vitality of our region. This forum will present a great opportunity to discuss the transportation needs of NEPA with local and regional stakeholders regarding the future of transportation infrastructure and services in our region. The Honorable Barry Schoch, P.E., Secretary of the PA Department of Transportation is scheduled to serve as the keynote speaker for this event.

Singer Andy Williams. 

ANDY WILLIAMS DIES 

Singer Andy Williams died yesterday at the age of 84. Williams went home to his house in Branson a few weeks ago to die from bladder cancer. If you a around in the mid 60s, one Christmas gift you always got was the Andy Williams sweater. You know the kind, a cardigan that the singer wore during his Christmas specials. His show was a must see every week but oh those Christmas specials. Coupled with Perry Como’s, if you didn’t have the Christmas spirit after watching them, well then you were just plain heartless. Mrs. LuLac and I saw Williams at the Kirby when he brought one of his Christmas specials to town. Like so many stars., Williams was discovered by Steve Allen landing a spot as a regular on Tonight Starring Steve Allen in 1954,[7] he was signed to a recording contract with Cadence Records, a small label in New York run by conductor Archie Bleyer. His third single, "Canadian Sunset" reached No. 7 in the Top Ten in August 1956, and was soon followed by his only Billboard No. 1 hit, in February 1957, "Butterfly" – a cover of a Charlie Gracie record on which Williams imitated Elvis Presley's style of singing. More hits followed, including "The Hawaiian Wedding Song" (U.S. #11), "Are You Sincere" (U.S. #3 in February 1958), "The Village of St. Bernadette" (U.S. #7 in December 1959), "Lonely Street" (U.S. #5 in September 1959), and "I Like Your Kind Of Love" with Peggy Powers (U.S. #8 in May 1957) before Williams moved to Columbia Records in 1961, having moved from New York to Los Angeles and gaining another hit with "Can't Get Used to Losing You" (U.S. #2). In terms of chart popularity, the Cadence era was Williams' peak although songs he introduced on Columbia became much bigger standards. Two top-ten hits from the Cadence era, "Butterfly" and "I Like Your Kind of Love", were apparently believed not to suit Williams' later style; they were not included on a Columbia reissue of his Cadence greatest hits of/from the 1960s Williams was a political activist supporting the campaigns of the late Robert Kennedy and George McGovern. It was Williams who sang “Ave Maria” at the assassinated Senator’s funeral in 1968. Williams is one of a passing parade of great solo singers that have left a legacy of great entertainment and great music. 

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT 

MEDIA MATTERS 

ECTV 

ECTV Live hosts Tom Munley and David DeCosmo will begin their Fall season with a program that combines a bit of Halloween fun with area history! Their guest for the week of October 1st will be Julie Esty who will highlight plans for the annual Dunmore Cemetery Tour! The event, which is offered Free of charge to the public, will be held on October 7th and again on the 14th this year. ECTV Live is a Public Affairs presentation of Electric City Television and can be seen each day at Noon and Midnight with additional showings at 6PM on selected days. It is telecast on Comcast Ch 19. The Public Access Station is also producing a new edition of "People, Places, and Things" which will feature an exhibit of photographs about the September, 2011 flood and recovery efforts in the days immediately following the incident taken by photographer/artist Jamis Smith in West Pittston. The program is currently being edited and will be scheduled in the near future. Electric City Television's schedule is available by searching ectvschedule on the web. 

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE 

Tune in this week when Shadoe Steele hists “Saturday Night Live” at the Oldies. The show starts at 7pm and goes on until midnight with ABC News on the top of the hour. This week’s guest, the Glass Prism. 

SUNDAY MAGAZINE  

This Week on Sunday Magazine An encore of Brian Hughes interview with local anti bullying activist Monica Thomas about teen bullying, cyber bullies and bullycide, with updates about 4 teens who committed suicide in Luzerne County in the past week. Brian speaks with Mark Schwartz from the Life Foundation about the lack of life insurance coverage many Americans have. And Brian speaks with Dr. Maury Markman from the cancer Treatment Centers of America about the latest trends in cancer treatment. Sunday Magazine, Sunday morning at 5am on Great Country 93.7, 5:30am on 97BHT, 6am on 97.9X, 6:25am on Magic 93 and 7am on True Oldies 590, WARM.

Our "1967" logo. 

1967

An X-15 research aircraft with test pilot William J. Knight establishes an unofficial world fixed-wing speed record of Mach 6.7....Omar Ali Saifuddin III of Brunei abdicates in favour of his son, His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah………in Pennsylvania the Heinz Company continues its contributions to the redevelopment of downtown Pittsburgh. The money pumped in from the Heinz Family business, Pittsburgh’s biggest employer at the time turns the gray city into a more viable destination and American city……in Luzerne County, households are flooded with soft drink plastic bottle caps courtesy of the Republican party. Caps that are put on large soda bottles boost the fortunes of William Goss for Treasuer, Andrew Antolik for Clerk of Courts, George Gwilliam for Recorder of Deeds, and Joseph Mock for Sheriff. Out of all those candidates, only Mock won for Sheriff…….and 45 years ago this week the number 1 song in America and LuLac land was the Rascals “How Can I Be Sure?”

The LuLac Edition #2210, September 28th, 2012

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Our “Maybe I’m Amazed” logo. 

MAYBE I’M AMAZED 

MAYBE I’M AMAZED……….that the Romney camp seems to be putting all of its collective eggs in one basket. What is at stake is the Presidency. And the basket is the first debate this coming Wednesday. It has been reported that Romney has been preparing and sparring with Obama stand in Senator Rob Portman. In previous editions I’ve said that the people watching the debates have their minds pretty much made up. The President and Governor Romney will be fighting to sway the opinions or capture the opinions of less than 5% of the electorate. To both I say, good luck with that! 
MAYBE I’M AMAZED………that Tom Pisano left the Luzerne County in the lurch by “retiring” effective Monday October 1st. Talk about blind siding people!!! L.A. Tarone and I got into a heated debate this afternoon on Topic A. I felt that it was totally irresponsible for Pisano to book out when there is no Deputy Election Director and there is less than forty days before a national election. It was Pisano who had concerns about the batteries in the voting machines but I guess he decided to say “not my job!” If Pisano is annoyed because he is doing two jobs for one salary and is not getting considered for the New Elections Director position, then that is even more of a disgrace. Pisano took jobs in 2006 when he returned to county government knowing the salary and responsibilities. But maybe under the new charter, the responsibilities became more than he anticipated. Pisano has been a County employee for nearly twenty years. His salary was paid with tax dollars. He owed the County another month. Even in the private sector, if a big project is looming, a person who is retiring stays on. But unfortunately not in county government. When you take, take, take for years, it is hard to fathom that maybe you owe something to the entity, the people that have paid you for years. The Citizen’s Voice reported today that Pisano is putting on the bib overalls and going back to tend to the family farm. Cincinnatus this guy ain’t! 
 
MAYBE I'M AMAZED…………that no one has thought about asking deposed Elections Director Lenny Piazza to come back and serve in the position. Sure Piazza wanted to make his on hours, sure Piazza became an arrogant putz to his superiors. Sure some of those e mails were deranged and disrespectful. Sure he’s suing the County. But c’mon, this is Luzerne County, we can overlook a few things right? Like the fact that the County had no deputy for years in part because of Piazza’s tight control over the bureau and the previous board of Commissioners reluctance to pull the trigger on anything that would help the new Home Rule people succeed. 
MAYBE I’M AMAZED……………….that it took a blown call in a Monday Night Football game between a storied Super Bowl Champion team and the outcry of almost everyone in the nation to get those replacement referees out of there. The calls were comical. But also dangerous. If you tend to annoy bookies, illegal or legal, you make enemies. I’m sure the new/old referees will make some bad calls but nothing like this sad sack brigade they had on the field. 
MAYBE I’M AMAZED……..that the next 4 days are going to be the most pivotal in baseball’s stretch run. The national League seems sewed up but that American League race is going to be something. With two Wild Cards, this season’s ending will be once more a great reason to root and watch. By the way, since the Pirates and Indians are out of it, I’m rooting for the Washington Nationals. The last time they were in the Series was when FDR was President. And I lived in D.C. for a year after I got out of high school. 
MAYBE I’M AMAZED………that the fastest growing nail can be found on the middle finger. 
MAYBE I’M AMAZED…………..that there are one million estimated pieces of furniture you can buy from London’s Olympic Village. The organizers of the London games are having a clearance sale. But wait, there’s more, they are also selling fixtures and fittings from the Olympic games. Plus there are four piece athletic bedroom suites available too. Check it out at remains of thegames.co.uk. 
MAYBE I’M AMAZED….that the Healthy Eating campaign for kids started by First Lady Michelle Obama might be backfiring. School lunch programs are offering more healthy choices but the kids say they aren’t getting filled and are wasting the food. Tales of uneaten fruit in trash cans have become commonplace. To me the waste of any food is a shame because there are other places in the world that have nothing. Maybe it’s time for government to not impose a menu on anyone, let alone a kid. Make the comparison, radishes or fries? C’mon. 
MAYBE I’M AMAZED…….recycled paper is made with 40% less energy than regular non recycled paper. 
MAYBE I’M AMAZED…………….that in the race for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, Republican Tom Smith seems to be creeping up on incumbent Bob Casey. Smith, a multi millionaire has been running anti Casey commercials the entire summer. The Casey ads have been few and far between. Smith was considered a long shot but now is within 8 points. Once before, a Casey opponent ran ads against him early on in the contest. He defined Casey as a political heir instead of an individual who had his own record. That guy was 20 points behind Casey. That guy beat Casey in the Gubernatorial primary in 2002. That guy was Ed Rendell. My point here is, it’s been done before. 
MAYBE I’M AMAZED…….that on average, a laptop uses half as much energy as a desk top computer.

Common Parasites Carried by Cats Reduces Inhibitions–In the Cat Host and Also With Humans If Exposed to Cat Feces by Increasing Dopamine..

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This is an interesting journal publication and not sure if I’m in on this one as far as believing it but the video is kind of funny.  Clean out the litter box for your cat and get exposed and go out and have a good time:)  It has to do with increasing dopamine in the brain and hormones and it does the same for the cat too.  Sounds like this is an interesting parasite and what are the downsides here?  If the host is a rat then it loses is sense of fear from cats and thus gets eaten.  As I understand it the parasite needs to have a cat or a mouse around to host it so it sounds like as a human you need to be re-exposed as in cleaning out the litter boxes?  Watch the video and see what you think, I just think it is a bit strange.  BD



Pop culture rhetoric doesn't shine favorably on cat people, but new science might change some of those negative perceptions. 

Research into a parasite commonly carried by cats (or found in raw steak) shows it increases extroversion and makes humans less conscientious overall.

The parasite, called toxoplasma gondii, "manipulates the behavior of its animal host by increasing the concentration of dopamine and by changing levels of certain hormones," said a study in the European Journal of Personality.

http://news.discovery.com/animals/cat-parasite-improves-social-life-gotta-see-video-120926.html#mkcpgn=rssnws1

Maryland Insurance Contract Negotiations in Maryland At a Standstill as CareFirst BlueCross Blue Shield Objects to Private Insurers Paying a Higher Percentage on Hospital Bills Versus Medicare Discounted Rates

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When you think of Maryland and hospitals one that stands out of course is Johns Hopkins and would be included in the Maryland Hospital Association negotiations on rates.  Maryland is the only state that sets hospital prices for all payers to include Medicare.   Medicare rates though have to stay in balance with the the percentage in the rest of the country though to enable this practice to continue; however the state is nearing the breaking point and is looking for private insurers to help keep this balance with higher rates. 

So the solution here is to give Medicare and Medicaid discounts to keep HHS happy with costs there and raise it around 7 percent for commercial payers over 3 years.  Commercial carriers also pay far less of the hospital bills than does Medicare so a smaller exposure there.  It’s the same old story as far as the mix of commercial payers to Medicare and almost every hospital in the US is aware of how this works when all they need to do is look at their budgets.  As of now everyone has come to a stop.  In other states some Blue Cross groups have bowed out of covering some medical centers where they say the price is too high, like here in southern California where the city’s Blue Cross plan states UCLA and Cedars Sinai charge too much. 

Los Angeles City Blue Cross Employee Health Plan Kicks Out Cedars-Sinai and UCLA Medical Center in New Contract Says They are Too Expensive-Subsidiary Watch

HHS steps in and asks for cost controls all over the system and I’m sure there’s a lot of that going on already but they are kind of out of touch too as we had this story earlier this week with accusing hospitals of “gaming” the system, which I said is kind of a witch hunt as we are dealing with raw hard numbers now and it kind looked silly and then later another news announcement came out where the government said they are partially at fault..again folks who don’t know math and code and still look for a head to hang some of this on.  Outside of the obvious abuse cases which are criminal and should be investigated and prosecuted we have hospitals that have paid a lot of money on how to code properly and use consultants to help them do so and HHS doesn’t sound like they were ready for it.

HHS and DOJ Send Letters to Hospital Trade Associations Warning of Gaming Billing System Via Use of Electronic Medical Records–Hospitals Just Learned How to Bill Better & Hired Consultants–Case of Being Algo Duped With Numbers?

So for now everything is at a stand still.  Hospitals had to get better at billing and revenue cycling, as have you seen how many have gone out of business or gone bankrupt?  These contracts and rates are a bear for sure so what’s the next move on this one?  Do they with draw from Johns Hopkins and a few others they may determine charge to much?  One really needs to see the number split to talk further though to see what the spread is on Medicare/Medicaid to private insurers.  If insurers were at a small number and way below half it might not be that big but again need numbers to figure it out.  BD

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Negotiations to avert a breakdown in Maryland’s unique system of regulating hospital prices have deteriorated into a stalemate between the state’s largest insurer and the Maryland Hospital Association. CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield CEO Chet Burrell, speaking out for the first time about the talks, blames hospitals for their proposal to shift hundreds of millions in costs to CareFirst and other private insurers in an attempt to control rising Medicare spending.

Maryland is the only state that sets hospital prices for all payers, including the federal Medicare program for seniors and the disabled. It’s allowed to do so only so long as Medicare costs per hospital admission rise no faster over time in Maryland than in the rest of the country. Because Maryland is close to breaking this speed limit for its Medicare “waiver,” medical providers and federal and state policymakers have been talking all summer about a redesign.

But the federal agency especially wants to rein in hospital Medicare spending. To address its concerns the hospital association has proposed giving Medicare and Medicaid sharp discounts while raising hospital rates for commercial insurers by 7 percent over three years — beyond normal health care inflation.

Once phased in, the plan would increase charges for companies such as CareFirst and their customers by about $350 million a year and boost their price for a typical hospital admission by $900.

http://capsules.kaiserhealthnews.org/index.php/2012/09/md-blues-chief-blasts-plan-to-shift-hospital-costs-to-insurers/?utm_campaign=dw_tweets&utm_medium=Argyle%2BSocial&utm_source=twitter&utm_term=2012-09-27-09-36-47

Sears and Darden Restaurants Will Begin Offering Employees Cash to Buy Their Own Health Plans Through Online “Private” Exchanges With Contracted Insurance Companies

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So here’s the first step of employer insurance going away.  Both of these companies are self insured so what a way to kick a lot of the administration out of human resources and save money.  Companies have used similar plans for years to where a dollar amount is give and employees choose from a number of plans with their budget allowed and if more is desired it is available but it comes out of the employee’s pocket to make up the difference with health insurance plans.  Sears and Darden restaurants are trying this out to become effective the first of the year. 

The employees will choose their selections through an “exchange” not to be confused with the “exchanges” that states are setting up.  It sounds like the difference here is that it will be done online versus how it has been run in the past and the companies will still have their contracted insurers listed as choices.  Back to the self insured side these are “group” plans so again it is a bit confusing here, but that’s what insurance plans do these days, confuse us.  UnitedHealthcare, Cigna and Health Care Service Corp., which operates Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans will be the choices and a couple others to bring this up to 5.  Interesting to see a subsidiary of Blue Cross in here instead of a direct contract. 

This is kind of a hybrid plan it seems to set up for actual exchanges maybe later on as time moves on.  Again this is not a new concept as companies have had multiple contracts with carriers for years and offered choices.  I had a plan like this 15 years ago with United Healthcare, so I wonder who’s brain child was this..one good guess:)  Now with both employers having been self insured how exactly does this work?  Is the employee now going to deal direct with the insurers they select or will the HR Departments still run the administration of the contracts, or better yet will they hire yet another insurance company to come in an administer for the HR department and could it be one of the companies on the selection list?  Big corporations have been doing that for years with bringing in an insurer to administer the company health insurance plans. 

Will competition help keep the prices down, I doubt it.  The big carriers are still going to go after the government contracts and you see United and Blue Cross duking those out all over the place and appealing decisions and so forth and with the Tri-Care Contract, United Healthcare sued to get that one, so does that always work.

Blue Cross Protesting Award of Texas Employee Retirement Health Plan to United Healthcare–Price Cut by $25 Million With Little or No Out of Network Coverage for Members

State of Louisiana Rejects United Healthcare’s Protest Over Awarding Blue Cross/Blue Shield Contract To Manage State Employee Health Insurance–Battle of the Insurance Algorithms Continues..

With the Tri-Care contract it will end up probably putting the one Blue Cross subsidiary out of business.

Tri-West Won’t Challenge Tri-Care Military Contract Loss To United Health - Legal Decisions & Contract Awards Allow Machines To Move Money for Profit As Company Will Likely Close Down-Subsidiary Watch

Sears also created a new subsidiary this year called Metascale  and they target customers with revenue over a billions such as healthcare to sell data services too.  Sears has been an open user of the Hadoop platform for a while now and sells it as well as server space so with all their data capabilities and what they have in resources they have to be cashing in at least making $1 billion a year on selling data as I compare them to Walgreens making just short of $800 million selling data in 2010.  Selling data too is one big reason corporate profits are up for a lot of companies. 

At a time like this with companies getting most data for nothing and huge profits for free with mining data it’s time for an excise tax as we keep paying more, premiums go up, NIH can’t get enough funds for valued research, FDA need money to get drugs and devices approved faster, and so on.  So new choices here and combined with big profits from data mining and selling, that’s how many of these companies are filling the pot of gold as we stand by and watch hospitals close and family practice doctors starting to become extinct.  It all about the business models and algorithms that are so complex that even the likes of Jamie Dimon can’t tell you how JP Morgan works, so this change represents some type of business model that will allow for greater profits and maybe we just can’t see it yet until it rolls out as we always have those unintentional consequences today with most business plans and their math.  BD

 

One More Good Reason to Tax the Data Sellers– Create Additional Funding for the NIH and FDA From Sources That Otherwise Are Too Greedy to Share & Contribute

The chat on CNBC video is interesting too in the fact that you have 2 financial experts talking about this and they both come right out and say they don’t understand their current plans, so right from the horse’s mouth about choice empowering employees…sounds to me like it’s more to deal with in this already overloaded data world.   BD

Sears and Darden restaurants offering cash to buy their own health plans. the company says it's not to save money. yeah, right. but do give workers more control. i always like that when they put it in there as a more controlled kind of thing. that's not the purpose of an employer, to give you more control. so you know at some level this is about saving money for the company. so what that means is over the long term health care costs are going to shift to employees. this is happening in a lot of big companies. they're considering -- here's what our yahoo.com poll says

http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000118807&play=1#eyJ2aWQiOiIzMDAwMTE4ODIwIiwiZW5jVmlkIjoia1VDUmJTY3lHRlZCeFBoeHQzUFJtQT09IiwidlRhYiI6InRyYW5zY3JpcHQiLCJ2UGFnZSI6IiIsImdOYXYiOlsiwqBMYXRlc3QgVmlkZW8iXSwiZ1NlY3QiOiJBTEwiLCJnUGFnZSI6IjEiLCJzeW0iOiIiLCJzZWFyY2giOiIifQ==