Posts
I'm surprised Big Dan didn't pick up on this.
3 hours ago
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Blogger stuff
Adding Inside the Gulch to the blogroll but I'm not adding it to NEPA Blogs. because it's an aggregation of links to like minded thinking but has no original content from local people. Hopefully that will change in the near future as recent past Prez of the Luzerne County Young Republicans Bob Zaruta is a founder of the site. Right now it looks like a Drudge wannabe with a touch of Glenn Beck gold hawking.
In more important news
In more important news
Today Is the 10th Anniversary of Friday Cat Blogging
which led to
Thursday Night Basset Blogging
Please RSVP for Blogfest on April 19th
Saturday, March 16, 2013
YouTube Weekend
Papal edition
The election of the first Pope from the New World is a big deal and is getting good press because the guy took the bus to work. But there are questions about his role in the torture of 2 priests.
Whenever I hear about any Pope I'm reminded of a couple of songs I first heard on the Dr. Dimento radio show.
Congrats to Pope Frank
The Vatican Rag by Tom Lehrer
David Peel
The election of the first Pope from the New World is a big deal and is getting good press because the guy took the bus to work. But there are questions about his role in the torture of 2 priests.
Whenever I hear about any Pope I'm reminded of a couple of songs I first heard on the Dr. Dimento radio show.
Congrats to Pope Frank
The Vatican Rag by Tom Lehrer
David Peel
Kathy Dobash for Luzerne County Council.
From the inbox:
Kathy Dobash, 53, of Hazleton
is pleased to announce her candidacy for Luzerne County Council. She is
the daughter of the late Edward J. and Marie E. (Potter) Dobash. Her
father was a WWII veteran. Dobash is a graduate of the Pennsylvania
State University.
She has worked as an Art Educator and Therapeutic Staff Support Worker.
Currently Dobash is employed in the private sector as an inventory specialist and continues with her artistic endeavors.
" I have attended the majority
of Luzerne County Council meetings. I believe in full and open
transparency. All decisions made by the new Luzerne County Council must
be open and above board. The county council cannot tend to personal
agendas backed by inflated egos with giant political objectives. Luzerne County must heal first to move forward in the restoration of trust.
While taking calls on the hot
line during the flood crisis I received callers who were evacuated.
They returned to devastation and expressed anger about the waste and
greed in our government. I believe the public realizes the Luzerne
County Home Rule Charter does not contain consequences when it is not
followed. It must be more than a super-sized school board. It will take
time to build trust. Amendments can be made to improve Luzerne County
government. Steps must be taken to ensure elected officials follow the
Charter. Raising taxes is not an option. I will work to not raise
taxes and pay down the debt. We must look for the waste in all
departments and branches of government. I invite the Judicial Branch to work with Luzerne County Council to achieve that goal."
Kathy Dobash
Sunday, March 10, 2013
GDAC get together
A few candidates for the upcoming election showed up. Michele Bednar is running for Controller and was circulating petitions. Steve Urban is also is running but that is a big secret. Eileen Sorokas is running for Luzerne County Council and told me that she has already filed. Independent Rick Williams was a bit iffy but it sounds like he running again.
It was great to meet and dance with Dallas Twp. sup Liz Martin and Harvey's Lake Miche'lle Boice.
Things I learned tonight;
W-B Area School Board will have plenty of candidates but Luzerne County Council will not.
Christine Katsock is running for reelection but Lynn Evans is not. Genaway and a couple Thomas and Evans are in. Cafferfy from Plains is a candidate.
We will see Wednesday.
Friday, March 08, 2013
Sunday, March 03, 2013
Meet the candidate
Jim O'Meara is running for school board and has a kickoff event.
From the Facebook event page:
I'm kicking my campaign off at Norm's on Monday, March 4 from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
I am inviting anyone interested in voting for change on the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board to join me and learn how you can help support my campaign. Everyone is welcome. It's a "big tent" event. There's nothing I'd like better than to see Republicans, Democrats, Independents and Third Party voters all on hand to talk about bringing change to a district that needs it badly.
I am inviting anyone interested in voting for change on the Wilkes-Barre Area School Board to join me and learn how you can help support my campaign. Everyone is welcome. It's a "big tent" event. There's nothing I'd like better than to see Republicans, Democrats, Independents and Third Party voters all on hand to talk about bringing change to a district that needs it badly.
275 N Sherman St, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 18702
Guns make us all safer or shoot a beer out
TO HELL WITH GUN CONTROL!!!!!
A Message of Tolerance by Mean Old Man
Well, it seems to happen every couple of years and here we go again. Once again, the puny commie liberals are trying to take away my constitutional right to bear arms. Why should I be surprised?? Damn!!!!! After the school shooting a few months ago all of the hippie, flower power, Chairman Mao worshipping heathens came out of their closets (following their success on the gay marriage issue) and figured they could really soak their agenda on good God-Fearing, patriotic Americans like me. No doubt, the shooting up there in Connecticut was a tragedy, but does anyone think like me, that maybe if some of the teachers were packing (and maybe some of the older students, too) there would have been a different result??? That clown who did the evil deed would have been pushing up daisies before he got a single shot into anyone! But, of course, it’s all the fault of the proud gun owners of America. There’s nothing more fun than growing up toting a gun.
My old man gave me my first gun when I was 6……a fine .22 caliber mini rifle. Gee, it was fun taking that out and picking off woodchucks and rabbits that were getting into Mom’s garden. And, I learned gun responsibility too.
One time I shot a little off target when trying to down a squirrel and the bullet went straight into the living room window, barely missing Pops (who was having his traditional bottle [s] of Ballantine). The bullet directly blew apart Pops brew as the bottle shattered all over the wall as well as the beer. I can still recall the beating Pops gave me, not particularly, because I nearly killed him, but because I wasted a good bottle of beer on a count of my carelessness. Sometimes I can still feel the shiners he gave me on both eyes on that afternoon. But after that, I always aimed with good focus and never forgot the wonderful lesson Pops taught me. For the rest of my life, I could never hoist a bottle of Ballantine beer out of guilt. My preference is a cold Stegmaier. Good ol’ Pops…..he was one in a million. What a great guy…..I miss him a lot
. But now we are raising kids to be such wussies that we won’t even allow them to enjoy a toy gun. I mean, what is wrong with a two, or a three year old toting a plastic tommy gun???? Not only is it good masculine fun, but great preparation for when you get older (around 6 or 8) and can handle the real deal.
Of course, my dumb grandson’s idea of a good toy is some dumb puppet or sissy doll. I don’t get it. And we wonder why this nation’s goin’ down the tubes!!!!! So, all you commies who want to ban firearms just remember there’s a thing called the fifth amendment to the constitution, or the first or third (I’m not sure which one but it’s there!!) that protects the rights of real Americans like me and my buddies Creep, Gummo and Skeets.
After all, we fought the big war for you all to be free to act like pansies. Take that!!!! As for me, tonight I’ll spend some time at the Legion with those heroes, then I’ll come back to my home, sit back and pop open a Gold Medal Steg, puff on a few Lucky’s and watch the great Richard Boone, a real actor (to hell with Ben Affleck) in Have Gun Will Travel. Now there’s a show!!!!
I hate you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A Message of Tolerance by Mean Old Man
Well, it seems to happen every couple of years and here we go again. Once again, the puny commie liberals are trying to take away my constitutional right to bear arms. Why should I be surprised?? Damn!!!!! After the school shooting a few months ago all of the hippie, flower power, Chairman Mao worshipping heathens came out of their closets (following their success on the gay marriage issue) and figured they could really soak their agenda on good God-Fearing, patriotic Americans like me. No doubt, the shooting up there in Connecticut was a tragedy, but does anyone think like me, that maybe if some of the teachers were packing (and maybe some of the older students, too) there would have been a different result??? That clown who did the evil deed would have been pushing up daisies before he got a single shot into anyone! But, of course, it’s all the fault of the proud gun owners of America. There’s nothing more fun than growing up toting a gun.
My old man gave me my first gun when I was 6……a fine .22 caliber mini rifle. Gee, it was fun taking that out and picking off woodchucks and rabbits that were getting into Mom’s garden. And, I learned gun responsibility too.
One time I shot a little off target when trying to down a squirrel and the bullet went straight into the living room window, barely missing Pops (who was having his traditional bottle [s] of Ballantine). The bullet directly blew apart Pops brew as the bottle shattered all over the wall as well as the beer. I can still recall the beating Pops gave me, not particularly, because I nearly killed him, but because I wasted a good bottle of beer on a count of my carelessness. Sometimes I can still feel the shiners he gave me on both eyes on that afternoon. But after that, I always aimed with good focus and never forgot the wonderful lesson Pops taught me. For the rest of my life, I could never hoist a bottle of Ballantine beer out of guilt. My preference is a cold Stegmaier. Good ol’ Pops…..he was one in a million. What a great guy…..I miss him a lot
. But now we are raising kids to be such wussies that we won’t even allow them to enjoy a toy gun. I mean, what is wrong with a two, or a three year old toting a plastic tommy gun???? Not only is it good masculine fun, but great preparation for when you get older (around 6 or 8) and can handle the real deal.
Of course, my dumb grandson’s idea of a good toy is some dumb puppet or sissy doll. I don’t get it. And we wonder why this nation’s goin’ down the tubes!!!!! So, all you commies who want to ban firearms just remember there’s a thing called the fifth amendment to the constitution, or the first or third (I’m not sure which one but it’s there!!) that protects the rights of real Americans like me and my buddies Creep, Gummo and Skeets.
After all, we fought the big war for you all to be free to act like pansies. Take that!!!! As for me, tonight I’ll spend some time at the Legion with those heroes, then I’ll come back to my home, sit back and pop open a Gold Medal Steg, puff on a few Lucky’s and watch the great Richard Boone, a real actor (to hell with Ben Affleck) in Have Gun Will Travel. Now there’s a show!!!!
I hate you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Idiot Watch
Usually a story about a volunteer firefighter involves one of them being an arsonist. This guy got his jollies by wasting the time of first responders. Good luck that a real emergency didn't happen at the same time.
CV: A former volunteer firefighter from Nanticoke was charged Wednesday with making prank phone calls that sent his one-time colleagues scrambling to find nonexistent people in distress, according to state police.
Lee Anthony Beatty, 50, is charged with reporting false alarms to a public safety agency and reckless endangerment, according to police.
Beatty is accused of calling three times to report false emergencies - in one case sending out boats and rescuers who searched the Susquehanna River for about 2½ hours before realizing no one was in danger.
Unindicted co-conspirator Michelle has an eye for idiots.
CV: A former volunteer firefighter from Nanticoke was charged Wednesday with making prank phone calls that sent his one-time colleagues scrambling to find nonexistent people in distress, according to state police.
Lee Anthony Beatty, 50, is charged with reporting false alarms to a public safety agency and reckless endangerment, according to police.
Beatty is accused of calling three times to report false emergencies - in one case sending out boats and rescuers who searched the Susquehanna River for about 2½ hours before realizing no one was in danger.
Unindicted co-conspirator Michelle has an eye for idiots.
Mark Singer for Magistrate
Mark A. Singer Announces Candidacy for District Judge
Pittston Attorney
Mark A. Singer,
Esquire
is
announcing his candidacy for District Judge of the Magisterial District Judge for District 11-‐1-‐04. The District
comprises
the municipalities of
Pittston and the greater Pittston area, Duryea, Avoca, DuPont, and Hughestown.
University of
Scranton where he
graduated Magna Cum Laude with a duel Bachelor of Science Degrees in 1984. He earned his Juris Doctorate in 1987 from Dickinson School of Law at Penn State
University. Singer was admitted into the Practice of Law in
1987 and in all courts in
the State of
Pennsylvania, the United States District Court for the Middle District, The United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.
He began his career after Law School
in
Lehigh
County as a
Public Defender
and Attorney Singer has
since served as
an Assistant District Attorney for Luzerne County, and First Assistant Liaison to
the Lower Lackawanna/Upper Luzerne County Drug Task Force.
In addition, Mark Singer has served the Municipal Police Officers Education and Training
Commission (M.P.O.E.T.C.) for nearly10 years, as
an Instructor. Mark was also Adjunct Instructor in
Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure at Luzerne County Community College. He has also been an advisor
to the Pittston Area Young Lawyers.
Deeply involved within the community, Mark A. Singer has been active in
the Pittston Area School District having been involved on the Board
of Directors and a Region 7 Director to The
Pennsylvania School Board Association.
As a member of Lions International Attorney Singer was awarded the prestigious Melvin Jones Fellow Award. He has also
served as President of the Hughestown Lions Club.
Mark is an elder in the Second Presbyterian Church of Pittston, a member of the Keystone Consistory and an Irem Temple Shriner.
Attorney Singer is
son to the late Francis Anthony Singer from Avoca and Amelia Lena (Foglia) of Hughestown. He is
married to the former Heidi Baldygo and they have one daughter Anjelica Nicola, a student at the Pittston Area Middle School.
Additional information on Attorney Mark A. Singer may be found on
his website
###
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Guns
The solution to gun violence is simple but not attainable. The only firearms that should be allowed are shotguns and bolt action rifles. No one needs an assault rifle with a 30 round magazine or a handgun.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Another Chris Carney tease
PoliticsPA is reporting that the DCCC had a poll of former 10th CD Congressman Chris Carney vs. 11th CD Congressman Lou Barletta recently without any numbers. We went through this last time. Don't get your hopes up Carney fans as he is not running for Congress or Lt. Governor which is laughable.. He spent 2 terms in Congress and cashed in becoming as a lobbyist with a defense contractor in Virginia. Every time one of these stories pops up he can't be reached by reporters or bloggers which tells you something.
in government affairs for BAE systems
in government affairs for BAE systems
Tom Marino needs to read the Constitution
via Think Progress: Congressman Tom Marino wants to impeach Harry Reid because he is mad about the budget or something.
MARINO: I’ve made a suggestion that we should at least start talking about impeachment. I had my office staff do it. But we cannot find anything that permits the House to bring impeachment proceedings against Harry Reid. There’s nothing in the legislation we can find at this point to force him to vote or come up with a budget or anything like that. His membership in the Senate can call for a vote of “no confidence,” but we can’t even get a Republican senator to do that.
The reason his staff can't find anything is because it doesn't exist. The House can't remove a member of the Senate. Article I Section 5 of the Constitution says each house makes it own rules:
Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two thirds, expel a member.
Also there is nothing in the Constitution about a "no confidence vote." That can happen in the British Parliament but not the US Congress.
A few months ago 11th CD Congressman Lou Barletta stated that the President could veto a Constitutional amendment. Article V of the US Constitution says that an amendment must be passed by two thirds of the House and Senate then ratified by three fourths of the State Legislatures.
The President can not veto a Constitutional Amendment!
Barletta also wants to deny birthright citizenship guaranteed by the 14th amendment.
Keystone Politics:
H.R.140, the “Birthright Citizenship Act of 2013,” seeks to bar children of non-citizens born in the United States from gaining citizenship rights.
If this was applied retroactively I would not be an an American citizen as my grandparents were not American citizens when they came to the the USA . My Mother and Father would not be American citizens even they were born in this country to foreign born parents.
MARINO: I’ve made a suggestion that we should at least start talking about impeachment. I had my office staff do it. But we cannot find anything that permits the House to bring impeachment proceedings against Harry Reid. There’s nothing in the legislation we can find at this point to force him to vote or come up with a budget or anything like that. His membership in the Senate can call for a vote of “no confidence,” but we can’t even get a Republican senator to do that.
The reason his staff can't find anything is because it doesn't exist. The House can't remove a member of the Senate. Article I Section 5 of the Constitution says each house makes it own rules:
Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two thirds, expel a member.
Also there is nothing in the Constitution about a "no confidence vote." That can happen in the British Parliament but not the US Congress.
A few months ago 11th CD Congressman Lou Barletta stated that the President could veto a Constitutional amendment. Article V of the US Constitution says that an amendment must be passed by two thirds of the House and Senate then ratified by three fourths of the State Legislatures.
The President can not veto a Constitutional Amendment!
Barletta also wants to deny birthright citizenship guaranteed by the 14th amendment.
Keystone Politics:
H.R.140, the “Birthright Citizenship Act of 2013,” seeks to bar children of non-citizens born in the United States from gaining citizenship rights.
If this was applied retroactively I would not be an an American citizen as my grandparents were not American citizens when they came to the the USA . My Mother and Father would not be American citizens even they were born in this country to foreign born parents.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Be careful what you ask for
State Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Delaware)just won't give up. After his plan to award Pennsylvania's electoral votes by Congressional District went no where he is back with a plan to divvy them up proportionally. If this system was in place last year President Obama would have received 12 EV's to Govenor Romney's 8 instead of all 20 going to the Democrats.It's easy to see how this plan could backfire. Although PA has voted for the Dems in the last few elections it's not inconceivable that the GOP nominee could win the Commonwealth in 2016 but split the EV's with the Democrat and deny him/her the White House. The other danger is that the 2014 State Legislature races could be nationalized. If this bill passes I can see every Democratic interest group in the country getting involved pouring lot's of money into those races.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Happy Spring Training
Forget the groundhog or the equinox, the first sign of Spring is Baseball! Today there was the first game between the Phillies and Astros .
Young Republicans have a new leader
Congrats to Frank Mazza who has been elected to succeed Bob Zaruta as Chairman of the Luzerne County Young Republicans. Bob has led the group in a conservative direction declining to endorse some Republican candidates. Bob tells me he is looking at starting an internet venture.
Dem candidate forum
The Luzerne County Democratic Committee will host a Candidate Forum on
Thursday February 28th, 6:30PM at Grotto Pizza outside the Wyoming
Valley Mall. Democratic candidates for County office are invited to meet
with members of the Executive Committee.
RSVP on the Facebook Event page
And the Young Dems will meet Wednesday at Rodano's on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre at 7PM.
Details on FB.
RSVP on the Facebook Event page
And the Young Dems will meet Wednesday at Rodano's on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre at 7PM.
Details on FB.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Mark Smith for Lieutenant Governor
Democratic Bradford County Commissioner Mark Smith Running for Lt. Governor
Towanda, PA - Second-term Bradford County Commissioner Mark Smith will seek the 2014 Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor. He announced his candidacy at The Weigh Station Cafe in downtown Towanda this afternoon.
In his remarks, Smith said, “I will take Pennsylvania and the office of Lt. Governor in a new direction. It’s time to re-write the job description of the Lt. Governor so it meets the needs of the people and Pennsylvania's future. The next Lt. Governor must be more than just a placeholder. As Lt. Governor I will work relentlessly as a public advocate to give a voice to those people and communities that are all too often left behind by the bureaucracy in Harrisburg.”
A full copy of his remarks as-prepared is available at:
From 2008 to 2011, Mark Smith served as Chairman of the Bradford County Board of Commissioners, overseeing enormous economic development and job growth, while leading important government modernization and reform initiatives. He was only the second Democrat ever to be elected Chairman.
Under Smith’s watch, Bradford county's private sector employment increased by 15%, while statewide and national employment decreased by 2% and 4%, respectively. During those years, Bradford County had the second-best employment growth in the state. As Bradford County became the number one county in the state for Marcellus Shale development, Smith became a recognized expert on the state, regional and local impacts of the natural gas industry.
He has been an outspoken critic of the Corbett administration and Department of Environmental Protection's failures to properly engage with county and local leaders on the oversight and regulation of the natural gas industry.
He was a strong supporter of a tax on natural gas, which was needed revenue for communities across the shale region to meet the increased demands from growth.
While serving as Commissioner, Smith cut taxes, passed four balanced budgets, refinanced the county's debt and revamped the county's energy usage and efficiency policies, saving taxpayers millions of dollars.
Before entering public service, Smith was an industrial design engineer. He grew up in Ridgebury Township in Bradford County and studied industrial design at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and then at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan. He is also continuing his education working toward a business degree. Smith is an accomplished musician who plays lead guitar in the rock band, One Floor Away. The band is currently signed with the studio New Vine Media where they are recording their first album.
Smith looks forward to a spirited campaign, but more importantly, he is looking forward to his June wedding when he will marry his fiancé, Wilkes-Barre native, Jane Clements.
From 2008 to 2011, Mark Smith served as Chairman of the Bradford County Board of Commissioners, overseeing enormous economic development and job growth, while leading important government modernization and reform initiatives. He was only the second Democrat ever to be elected Chairman.
Under Smith’s watch, Bradford county's private sector employment increased by 15%, while statewide and national employment decreased by 2% and 4%, respectively. During those years, Bradford County had the second-best employment growth in the state. As Bradford County became the number one county in the state for Marcellus Shale development, Smith became a recognized expert on the state, regional and local impacts of the natural gas industry.
He has been an outspoken critic of the Corbett administration and Department of Environmental Protection's failures to properly engage with county and local leaders on the oversight and regulation of the natural gas industry.
He was a strong supporter of a tax on natural gas, which was needed revenue for communities across the shale region to meet the increased demands from growth.
While serving as Commissioner, Smith cut taxes, passed four balanced budgets, refinanced the county's debt and revamped the county's energy usage and efficiency policies, saving taxpayers millions of dollars.
Before entering public service, Smith was an industrial design engineer. He grew up in Ridgebury Township in Bradford County and studied industrial design at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and then at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan. He is also continuing his education working toward a business degree. Smith is an accomplished musician who plays lead guitar in the rock band, One Floor Away. The band is currently signed with the studio New Vine Media where they are recording their first album.
Smith looks forward to a spirited campaign, but more importantly, he is looking forward to his June wedding when he will marry his fiancé, Wilkes-Barre native, Jane Clements.
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