I was content while turning in last night, content in the knowledge that the democrats had done the unthinkable and lost control of “Ted Kennedy’s “ seat in the U.S. Senate.
I was content because I figured that with the Dem’s 60-seat filibuster-proof majority gone up in smoke, perhaps the business community could start seeing some light at the end of the tunnel that is this economic depression.
The democrats have now lost the governorships of both New Jersey and Virginia, lost the Kennedy family’s favorite family heirloom, had two long-entrenched high profile senators walk away from reelection bids, and have even had first-term Blue Dogs say ‘the hell with this.’
And, again, I went to bed thinking that the under-fire private sector has had more and more reasons of late to be optimistic about our future. More and more reasons to believe that investments, production, hiring and profits may be possible yet again, now that the undeniably necessary correction of the gross overreaction of November 2008 is finally afoot.
Without the looming threat of a health care reform fiasco, without economically hamstringing nonsense such as Cap & Trade, and with Democrats suddenly feeling like an endangered species in mid-term 2010, perhaps an end could be in sight to the massive economic downturn. Perhaps the writing is now on the wall, that anti-capitalist rhetoric and confiscatory levels of taxation does not make for a vibrant economy.
But today, all I’ve heard and read from the democrats and their faithful minions was crude smugness, unearned arrogance, name-calling, and unbelievably, finger-pointing at the other side of the political aisle at the thought of the loss of the health care reform push.
They had a 60-vote filibuster-proof majority and couldn’t pass a reform bill. And now with Scott Brown’s unexpected ascendance to the Senate, the blame for a lack of health care reform legislation lies with the republicans?
Um, that’s patently absurd. That’s what they call denial. And denial would be bad enough if it were not for the fact that the leftist types are also lying to themselves as well as the electorate.
Sorry, lefties, but your arrogance belies your inherent stupidity.
How can you dare blame your perceived political paralysis on anyone but yourselves while in possession of that previously mentioned 60-seat filibuster-proof majority? The republicans did it? The republicans need to embrace bipartisanship? That’s all you’ve got while staring a possible political tsunami straight in the face? Face it. You had it within your reach and you blew it.
Whoever had it last broke it. Right?
This following excerpt I snagged from a local blog pretty much sums up everything I’ve heard today.
I’ll not link to said banal blog, but do not believe that to be any reluctance on my part to engage in a pissing match gone electronic brawl, because no such reluctance exists.
Anyway, this excerpt sums it all up very concisely. All of the spin, the name-calling and the utter arrogance on parade designed to deflect blame for the mounting and staggering losses of the party that had the super majority, that supposedly had a surplus of political capitol--the party that blew it all--the democrats.
And that’s what happened in Massachusetts yesterday, when Democrats spat on Ted Kennedy’s grave by losing his seat to a Playgirl Bunny, Teabagging, Right-wing half-wit. So what does that say about the Democratic party? The Democratic Party is the party of complacent, null-singing, hand-holding, cowards who find it easier to capitulate to a never-ending stream of absurd Republican and conservative demands rather than stand up for what’s right, what they believe in, and what’s better for the poor people duped into believing the opposite.
Catch that rubbish?
If you believe the opposite of what the hard-core leftists believe…you are a poor, poor duped person. You know, you are a stupid fu>k.
Nothing arrogant about any of that, is there? Your either with us, or you’re a stupid fu>k. That’s the message the left-leaning keep putting out. That’s one hell of an example of being oooooooh sooooooo bipartisan.
And yet, the left-leaning are now stunned by their suddenly mounting losses at the ballot box. Gee whiz, they just can’t imagine why the “poor…duped” voters are rejecting them when they come baring enormous gifts direct from the federal teat that can never be paid for.
Even while the systematic wake-up calls are being delivered, they remain arrogantly self-assured in their steadfast tone-deafness.
There’s obviously no shortage or poor, duped people running loose right about now. But despite the media template, despite the blogs singing to their respective choirs, despite the arrogance, and despite the overreach--they ain’t republicans.
Sez me.
Later
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Corey O'Brien e-mail
This just in...
Dear Mark:
Tuesday, January 19, 2010 -- Earlier today, Paul Kanjorski was quoted in The Times-Tribune as saying that “[i]t is vitally important now that we show the American people that we are having success on Main Street as well as Wall Street.”
Paul Kanjorski continues to demonstrate just how out of touch he is with his district. People in PA-11 continue to struggle through the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. People are afraid of losing their jobs, small business profits are down, unemployment is up and Paul Kanjorski continues to focus on protecting his Wall Street friends.
When it comes to legislation, the devils are in the details. Paul Kanjorski would like us to believe that he is fighting Wall Street, but don’t take the bait. He has raised more money from Wall Street than any other member of Congress. Wall Street doesn’t fund its enemies, they fund their friends. Don’t be fooled.
Support Corey O’Brien for Congress. If you want to end our commitment to Wall Street and replace it with a commitment to rebuilding Main Street, visit www.obrien2010.com.
Sincerely,
Justin F. Carroll
Campaign Manager
My turn...
I'll take no issue with any of that.
And I see Uncle Paulie Kanjo thinks it's a marvelous idea to villainize, I mean, punish Wall Street and the TARP banks by way of extra taxation. Meanwhile, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the institutions that more or less caused the near economic collapse by way of sub-prime mortgages continue their pre-crash practices unabated.
And the message?
Private sector bad, public sector good.
In other words, yet another unavoidable signal to the private sector to batten down the hatches and wait out the economic storm of uncertainty that is the Obama Administraion. It's become patently obvious that Obama should have taken Economics 101 back in the day when he was studying the works of anti-capitalist radicals.
Later
P.S.--It's the economy, stupid.
Dear Mark:
Tuesday, January 19, 2010 -- Earlier today, Paul Kanjorski was quoted in The Times-Tribune as saying that “[i]t is vitally important now that we show the American people that we are having success on Main Street as well as Wall Street.”
Paul Kanjorski continues to demonstrate just how out of touch he is with his district. People in PA-11 continue to struggle through the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. People are afraid of losing their jobs, small business profits are down, unemployment is up and Paul Kanjorski continues to focus on protecting his Wall Street friends.
When it comes to legislation, the devils are in the details. Paul Kanjorski would like us to believe that he is fighting Wall Street, but don’t take the bait. He has raised more money from Wall Street than any other member of Congress. Wall Street doesn’t fund its enemies, they fund their friends. Don’t be fooled.
Support Corey O’Brien for Congress. If you want to end our commitment to Wall Street and replace it with a commitment to rebuilding Main Street, visit www.obrien2010.com.
Sincerely,
Justin F. Carroll
Campaign Manager
My turn...
I'll take no issue with any of that.
And I see Uncle Paulie Kanjo thinks it's a marvelous idea to villainize, I mean, punish Wall Street and the TARP banks by way of extra taxation. Meanwhile, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the institutions that more or less caused the near economic collapse by way of sub-prime mortgages continue their pre-crash practices unabated.
And the message?
Private sector bad, public sector good.
In other words, yet another unavoidable signal to the private sector to batten down the hatches and wait out the economic storm of uncertainty that is the Obama Administraion. It's become patently obvious that Obama should have taken Economics 101 back in the day when he was studying the works of anti-capitalist radicals.
Later
P.S.--It's the economy, stupid.
Breaking News on WILK: Boredom at Penn Place
So now we’ve got a temporary judge on loan from another county charged by the state police with assaulting his wife.
His name is not important to me. I had never heard of him before Luzerne County judges started lining up en masse for all-expense paid trips to federal prisons. And there’s a better than average chance I’ll never hear his name again after his case is adjudicated.
Well, that‘s assuming, of course, that this assault charge is not merely the beginning of a lengthy crime spree on his part. In this county, whereas the conduct of judges goes, all bets are off.
All of which makes me wonder what’s in the gin & tonic over at the courthouse. I’m sorry. A senior moment there.
I meant, I wonder what’s in the water over at the courthouse.
My bad.
Breaking news (5:52 PM): Boredom at Penn Place
According to WILK’s Steve Corbett (as of this very moment), our voter services director, Len Piazza, posted the following on his Facebook page earlier today:
(Paraphrasing): ‘I’m bored. Lots to do. But I’m procrastinating.’
Predictably, Corbett has gone all apoplectic on this one, and he is calling for an investigation of county policy whereas playing around on the internet on county time is concerned. Er, that is, playing around on taxpayer-funded time.
I’ll betcha a 40 ounce Utica Club that the county code (that expansive gray area bigger than the universe itself) does not speak directly to county department heads tossing off on county time.
Remember, department heads are not even required to work the ‘norm…a 40-hour week. So who’s to say they can’t dilly dally on the internet, enjoy a mid-morning dalliance with twin girls and then down a cocktail or three during their 2-hour lunch?
What say you, commissioners? Care to address that one via Twitter?
Um, ah, well, the county personnel policies don’t seem to cover any of that.
So, while we find that behavior wholly inappropriate, the taxpayers can go fu>k themselves with lubed spindles. Uh, again, that is.
Thank you for your interest in county government, and thank you for interrupting the boredom.
This one is, how do you say? Oh yeah, it’s complete bullspit!
From today's Times Leader:
W-B, code officer see suit over property
SCRANTON – The owner of a Wilkes-Barre rental property has filed a federal lawsuit against Wilkes-Barre and city Code Enforcement Officer Frank Kratz, alleging Kratz shut down the property based on his personal animosity and disdain for the owner.
The suit, filed by attorney William Abraham, claims Kratz improperly entered a four-unit rental building owned by Kiran Patel at 82-84 Laurel St. on Jan. 17, 2008, and condemned the structure, forcing the tenants to vacate the premises.
The suit, filed Friday in federal court, is the second lawsuit Patel has filed against the city in relation to actions it has taken against properties owned by Patel.
Patel currently has a suit pending in federal court that alleges Kratz failed to provide Patel proper notification before he shut down the former Red Carpet Inn in 2008. The city and Patel recently filed court documents asking a judge to rule in their favor regarding that lawsuit. No decision has yet been made.
I know absolutely nothing about this property on Laurel Street, nor do I want or need to. But the Red Carpet Inn is a whole other story. Because of confidentiality concerns, I cannot provide any insights at this time.
But know this. Not only was I inside the entirety of the Red Carpet Inn on official company business (guess why) only days before it was finally put out of it’s abject misery by the City of Wilkes-Barre, so was my trusty camera. And as we all know full well, pictures do not lie. Or in this particular case, 54 pictures do not lie.
This, the Red Carpet nonsense, is a frivolous lawsuit. And I have every possible confidence that the latest suit is nonsense as well.
And if you want some corroborating testimony on the conditions inside that shuttered dump, ask any Wilkes-Barre fireman or police officer.
The New York Football Giants have hired Buffalo’s recently fired interim coach as their new defensive coordinator.
Gee, I feel better already.
NOT!!!
Buh-bye
His name is not important to me. I had never heard of him before Luzerne County judges started lining up en masse for all-expense paid trips to federal prisons. And there’s a better than average chance I’ll never hear his name again after his case is adjudicated.
Well, that‘s assuming, of course, that this assault charge is not merely the beginning of a lengthy crime spree on his part. In this county, whereas the conduct of judges goes, all bets are off.
All of which makes me wonder what’s in the gin & tonic over at the courthouse. I’m sorry. A senior moment there.
I meant, I wonder what’s in the water over at the courthouse.
My bad.
Breaking news (5:52 PM): Boredom at Penn Place
According to WILK’s Steve Corbett (as of this very moment), our voter services director, Len Piazza, posted the following on his Facebook page earlier today:
(Paraphrasing): ‘I’m bored. Lots to do. But I’m procrastinating.’
Predictably, Corbett has gone all apoplectic on this one, and he is calling for an investigation of county policy whereas playing around on the internet on county time is concerned. Er, that is, playing around on taxpayer-funded time.
I’ll betcha a 40 ounce Utica Club that the county code (that expansive gray area bigger than the universe itself) does not speak directly to county department heads tossing off on county time.
Remember, department heads are not even required to work the ‘norm…a 40-hour week. So who’s to say they can’t dilly dally on the internet, enjoy a mid-morning dalliance with twin girls and then down a cocktail or three during their 2-hour lunch?
What say you, commissioners? Care to address that one via Twitter?
Um, ah, well, the county personnel policies don’t seem to cover any of that.
So, while we find that behavior wholly inappropriate, the taxpayers can go fu>k themselves with lubed spindles. Uh, again, that is.
Thank you for your interest in county government, and thank you for interrupting the boredom.
This one is, how do you say? Oh yeah, it’s complete bullspit!
From today's Times Leader:
W-B, code officer see suit over property
SCRANTON – The owner of a Wilkes-Barre rental property has filed a federal lawsuit against Wilkes-Barre and city Code Enforcement Officer Frank Kratz, alleging Kratz shut down the property based on his personal animosity and disdain for the owner.
The suit, filed by attorney William Abraham, claims Kratz improperly entered a four-unit rental building owned by Kiran Patel at 82-84 Laurel St. on Jan. 17, 2008, and condemned the structure, forcing the tenants to vacate the premises.
The suit, filed Friday in federal court, is the second lawsuit Patel has filed against the city in relation to actions it has taken against properties owned by Patel.
Patel currently has a suit pending in federal court that alleges Kratz failed to provide Patel proper notification before he shut down the former Red Carpet Inn in 2008. The city and Patel recently filed court documents asking a judge to rule in their favor regarding that lawsuit. No decision has yet been made.
I know absolutely nothing about this property on Laurel Street, nor do I want or need to. But the Red Carpet Inn is a whole other story. Because of confidentiality concerns, I cannot provide any insights at this time.
But know this. Not only was I inside the entirety of the Red Carpet Inn on official company business (guess why) only days before it was finally put out of it’s abject misery by the City of Wilkes-Barre, so was my trusty camera. And as we all know full well, pictures do not lie. Or in this particular case, 54 pictures do not lie.
This, the Red Carpet nonsense, is a frivolous lawsuit. And I have every possible confidence that the latest suit is nonsense as well.
And if you want some corroborating testimony on the conditions inside that shuttered dump, ask any Wilkes-Barre fireman or police officer.
The New York Football Giants have hired Buffalo’s recently fired interim coach as their new defensive coordinator.
Gee, I feel better already.
NOT!!!
Buh-bye
Monday, January 18, 2010
March 17, 1962: Where is Markie?
My daughter Peace just keeps bringing to the surface this genealogy stuff that was buried fathoms deep in the internet. I swear, she is to genealogy what Eddie Van Halen is to playing flash-bang harmonics.
You might need a magnifying glass for this one.
My mom told me about this, how he, my dad, was supposed to communicate with my "custodian" by way of coded want ads and whatnot. Sounded pretty far-fetched to me. Like a plot line from an old Perry Mason episode or something. Turns out, it was all true.
And this is the first I've ever heard of my aunt supposedly "aiding" him. Although, after reading that news blurb, I'm not entirety sold on the idea that she was doing as much.
Whatever. The latest unearthing from my, from what seems like a previous life.
Later
Sunday, January 17, 2010
The post that almost was
In case you missed it, at the very end of 2009 Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton suffered some turnover amongst his executive staff. Most notably, City Administrator J.J. Murphy ended his tenure with the city to give the private sector a try.
We’ve got a newly promoted city administrator, as well as a newly hired executive assistant to the mayor. And since there’s been no official press release on any of that, I will not name names.
Since I figured he’d be available for comment, and since he’s never been reluctant to answer any of the many questions I’ve tossed his way over the years, I asked him to do an interview in which we would look forward at Wilkes-Barre’s immediate future, and dispense with the usual ‘year in review’ post so many bloggers feel the need to post upon the arrival of Amateur Night.
I forwarded to him a dozen questions about various city projects that are about to be completed, about to get underway, with a couple of inquiries about floundering properties thrown in for good measure. And since he so recently handed in his keys to City Hall, I figured we could do an informal exit interview.
He agreed to all of it, but the “Beer Summit” format I suggested would have to wait until after his current one-month deployment to Florida with the U.S. Air Force. So, the plan was, he’d send the textual stuff from Florida, I’d post all of that, and upon his return in very early February, we’d do the beer thing which would then turn into a follow-up post. Nifty.
But, I awoke this morning to find the following text message waiting on me:
I have been asked to deploy to Haiti to coordinate the search and rescue operations. I should be gone for approximately 45 days.
Thanks for your support.
J.J.
It figures.
As was always the case with J.J., if and when you gain his ear, you had better pepper him with questions because he doesn’t sit still for very long or very often. Actually, he doesn’t stay in the United States very long, but that’s totally dependent on what the U.S. military has on it’s enormous plate at any given time. In this case, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake and off he goes.
Here’s a short piece I snagged from the King’s College Web site that will fill in some of the blanks:
KING'S COLLEGE HONORS J. J. MURPHY FOR PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT
June 1, 2005- King’s College is honoring Wilkes-Barre City Administrator J. J. Murphy with the Leo Award during Reunion Weekend at the College’s Sheehy-Farmer Campus Center. The Leo Award is presented to an alumnus/alumna within fifteen years of graduation who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in his/her professional or community activities. The award is named for the King’s College mascot; it suggests the energy, pride and sense of purpose which the recipient personifies.
J.J. Murphy of Wilkes-Barre is a 1993 graduate of King’s College. He has distinguished himself in both military and civil service, while also spending many hours volunteering in the communities in which he has lived. As a military officer, Murphy volunteered over 3,000 hours and received the 2001 Volunteer of the Year award. He is the recipient of the Air Force Achievement Medal in 1998 as well as the Air Force Commendation Medal in 2000, 2003 and 2004. Murphy was also the primary public affairs representative for the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center in Virginia’s during the September 11 attacks.
In February 2003,J.J. Murphy was mobilized for 13 months as a reservist in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. In civilian life, he is currently the youngest city administrator in the history of Wilkes-Barre. As founder and president of GOALS Foundation, J.J. is dedicated to helping children afford youth sports programs. He has coached, tutored, refereed, trained hockey officials and coordinated visits to multiple Veterans Administration hospitals.
In addition, he was also deployed to Djibouti, Africa in very early 2008. That was a fairly lengthy AFRICOM-related forward-deployment, the duration of which escapes me now.
Here’s an e-mail exchange only hours old:
Outgoing...
No biggie. After seeing that utter devastation, I got to thinking...Gee, I guessthere's really something to be said for building codes and zoningordinances after all.
Freakin' bummer going on there.
Mark
Incoming...
You nailed that one. The coordination is immense. Looking forward tothat drink after Feb 1st.
J.J.
So, the exit interview and the look forward at Wilkes-Barre’s immediate future will obviously have to wait. And I guess the Beer Summit will have to be indefinitely postponed. Meanwhile, Major Murphy has himself another mission, and the Haitian people need all the help they can get.
Anyway, this was a little note about the post that almost was. And a shout out to one of Wilkes-Barre’s best and brightest…J.J. Murphy.
Haiti may be reduced to rubble as I type this, but help is on the way from Wilkes-Barre. He’ll be there, followed by more.*
Bye
Editor’s Note: I think he’s a Major. I always call him General Murphy so as to prove how completely juvenile I am. So I’m a bit up in the air about his actual military rank.
*Adaptation of the lyrics of the Air Force fight song.
We’ve got a newly promoted city administrator, as well as a newly hired executive assistant to the mayor. And since there’s been no official press release on any of that, I will not name names.
Since I figured he’d be available for comment, and since he’s never been reluctant to answer any of the many questions I’ve tossed his way over the years, I asked him to do an interview in which we would look forward at Wilkes-Barre’s immediate future, and dispense with the usual ‘year in review’ post so many bloggers feel the need to post upon the arrival of Amateur Night.
I forwarded to him a dozen questions about various city projects that are about to be completed, about to get underway, with a couple of inquiries about floundering properties thrown in for good measure. And since he so recently handed in his keys to City Hall, I figured we could do an informal exit interview.
He agreed to all of it, but the “Beer Summit” format I suggested would have to wait until after his current one-month deployment to Florida with the U.S. Air Force. So, the plan was, he’d send the textual stuff from Florida, I’d post all of that, and upon his return in very early February, we’d do the beer thing which would then turn into a follow-up post. Nifty.
But, I awoke this morning to find the following text message waiting on me:
I have been asked to deploy to Haiti to coordinate the search and rescue operations. I should be gone for approximately 45 days.
Thanks for your support.
J.J.
It figures.
As was always the case with J.J., if and when you gain his ear, you had better pepper him with questions because he doesn’t sit still for very long or very often. Actually, he doesn’t stay in the United States very long, but that’s totally dependent on what the U.S. military has on it’s enormous plate at any given time. In this case, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake and off he goes.
Here’s a short piece I snagged from the King’s College Web site that will fill in some of the blanks:
KING'S COLLEGE HONORS J. J. MURPHY FOR PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT
June 1, 2005- King’s College is honoring Wilkes-Barre City Administrator J. J. Murphy with the Leo Award during Reunion Weekend at the College’s Sheehy-Farmer Campus Center. The Leo Award is presented to an alumnus/alumna within fifteen years of graduation who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in his/her professional or community activities. The award is named for the King’s College mascot; it suggests the energy, pride and sense of purpose which the recipient personifies.
J.J. Murphy of Wilkes-Barre is a 1993 graduate of King’s College. He has distinguished himself in both military and civil service, while also spending many hours volunteering in the communities in which he has lived. As a military officer, Murphy volunteered over 3,000 hours and received the 2001 Volunteer of the Year award. He is the recipient of the Air Force Achievement Medal in 1998 as well as the Air Force Commendation Medal in 2000, 2003 and 2004. Murphy was also the primary public affairs representative for the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center in Virginia’s during the September 11 attacks.
In February 2003,J.J. Murphy was mobilized for 13 months as a reservist in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. In civilian life, he is currently the youngest city administrator in the history of Wilkes-Barre. As founder and president of GOALS Foundation, J.J. is dedicated to helping children afford youth sports programs. He has coached, tutored, refereed, trained hockey officials and coordinated visits to multiple Veterans Administration hospitals.
In addition, he was also deployed to Djibouti, Africa in very early 2008. That was a fairly lengthy AFRICOM-related forward-deployment, the duration of which escapes me now.
Here’s an e-mail exchange only hours old:
Outgoing...
No biggie. After seeing that utter devastation, I got to thinking...Gee, I guessthere's really something to be said for building codes and zoningordinances after all.
Freakin' bummer going on there.
Mark
Incoming...
You nailed that one. The coordination is immense. Looking forward tothat drink after Feb 1st.
J.J.
So, the exit interview and the look forward at Wilkes-Barre’s immediate future will obviously have to wait. And I guess the Beer Summit will have to be indefinitely postponed. Meanwhile, Major Murphy has himself another mission, and the Haitian people need all the help they can get.
Anyway, this was a little note about the post that almost was. And a shout out to one of Wilkes-Barre’s best and brightest…J.J. Murphy.
Haiti may be reduced to rubble as I type this, but help is on the way from Wilkes-Barre. He’ll be there, followed by more.*
Bye
Editor’s Note: I think he’s a Major. I always call him General Murphy so as to prove how completely juvenile I am. So I’m a bit up in the air about his actual military rank.
*Adaptation of the lyrics of the Air Force fight song.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Aggravated assault by way of a cassette player? or: Kids today!
"Something happened a long time ago in Haiti, and people might not want to talk about it, They were under the heel of the French. You know, Napoleon III, or whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, we will serve you if you'll get us free from the French. True story. And so, the devil said, okay it's a deal. [...] Haiti is in desperate poverty. Same island. They need to have and we need to pray for them a great turning to god and out of this tragedy I'm optimistic something good may come."--Pat Robertson
Could be worse. They could be New York Jets fans.
A caller to Sue Henry’s talk show on WILK suggested that opponents of natural gas drilling in Northeastern Pennsylvania are foolish because, as he put it, “…they’ll work out the kinks.”
Sure, they, the companies doing the drilling, might eventually work out the kinks. Maybe. But, assuming they eventually…eventually figure out how to fracture the bedrock by pumping millions of gallons of water and hazardous chemicals into it without tainting the water supply, what is the end result for the folks who had their properties drilled early on? Uh, a tainted water supply.
What good is a hefty royalty check if your water table is rendered unsuitable for human consumption?
Answer me that.
From the Times Leader:
Man charged in high school burglaries
WILKES-BARRE - A man was charged by city police on Friday on allegations he burglarized two high schools in Wilkes-Barre.
Brandon M. Sack, 24, of North Main Street, Wilkes-Barre, was charged with forcing his way inside Wilkes-Barre Area's GAR High School on Jan. 3, and Holy Redeemer High School on Jan. 6.
Police allege once inside the two schools, he pried open vending machines stealing money.
Sack was previously charged with burglarizing GAR on Jan. 9.
Sack was arraigned by District Judge Martin Kane in Wilkes-Barre and was remanded to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility. He is jailed for lack of $60,000 total bail.
Make checks payable to: The Bail Out Markie’s Idiot Nephew Fund.
Sorry, but I’m all out of tough love. I know he was dealt a tough, tough hand by life, but it was no tougher than the hand I was dealt. In the end, despite the obstacles, the trials and the tribulations and the many frustrations that accompany them…there’s just no excuse for the tilt towards criminality.
I taught this kid exactly what I taught my kids. Get a job, work hard, work harder and try to do the right thing more often than not. But never did I suggest that an occasional arrest or two was acceptable. Whatever.
It is what it is. Or as Francis Vincent Zappa once said, “You are what you is, and that‘s all it is.”
And now, a private message for Gort. If you are not Gort, please scroll past this blurb. Don't you look. Don't do it.
Dude, if you’re interested, I happen to own a kick-ass stapler. It doesn’t hurt none too much, being stapled.
Don’t ask me how I know.
From the Times Leader:
Barrett: Set maximum towing prices in W-B
The City Council president has received complaints on rates some towers charge.
WILKES-BARRE – City Council President Bill Barrett said he’s moving forward with plans for an ordinance that would set maximum rates that towing companies could charge for removing vehicles from privately owned property within city boundaries.
Barrett said he has received several complaints regarding the fees some towers charge for removing unauthorized vehicles from private property, as well as the “predatory” practice by some towers who remove cars even if a complaint has not been lodged by the property owner.
The proposed ordinance would regulate rates and would also dictate the circumstances under which a car could be towed, he said.
Predatory towing practices?
Does anyone know which tower or towers he might be referring to? Gee whiz, I can’t figure it out. (Wink, wink)
Personally, I’ve never had the misfortune of having my vehicle towed, because I never park illegally.
Am I smart, or what?
Times Leader again:
Fears of fight prompt delay for basketball
The Wyoming Valley West vs. Coughlin game, originally set for Friday night, will instead tip off today in Plymouth.
PLYMOUTH – Citing concerns voiced by parents that an apparent tiff between some students at the two schools could spill into a basketball game slated for Friday night, Wyoming Valley West and Wilkes-Barre Area school districts postponed the WVW-Coughlin game to this afternoon, WVW Superintendent Chuck Suppon said.
“There is some tension between some students. I don’t think that it has been substantiated that it is based on race,” Suppon said, “And we want to make sure that anyone going to the game, and that the facility itself, is safe.”
The delay from a previously planned 7 p.m. tip-off Friday night to a 1:30 p.m. varsity tip-off today at WVW High School will help the district and Plymouth police arrange additional security.
At first glance, this kind of annoyed me.
But after further review, being that kids these days can’t limit themselves to trading punches and often opt to employ chains, knives and firearms, I have no qualms with any of this. Truth is, I prefer brawls that are sporadic, even spasmodic, over the planned-out variety.
I got caught up in one of these brawl events in the mid-70s. At the time, Coughlin flat-out sucked at basketball despite having the league’s leading scorer. Polacheck, I think his name was.
Anyway, we were going toe-to-toe with then powerhouse Nanticoke, and time was running out in our standing-room-only gym. Following orders from the bench, one of our players fouled a hard-charging Nanticoke player in possession of the ball, which caused him to tumble head-first into the bleachers. A hard, hard foul, no doubt. But I was there, and it did not look deliberate. It just seemed like momentum plus the added shove led to the violent tumble.
Here’s the incendiary part:
Being that Nanticoke was (and probably still is) Lilly white, and being that a very large black player (McGahee) from Coughlin added the shove, one of the Nanticoke parents stood up and shouted the “N” word. You know the word. The big one. The word you use if and when you want a fight with those folks sporting a permanent tan.
It started slow at first, the black kid yelled back at the parent, other fans stood up and chimed in, the Coughlin bench leapt to it’s feet, the Nanticoke bench did likewise, and finally, an adult from the Nanticoke side lurched out of the bleachers and took a swipe at the offending kid sporting that skin color that Nanticoke circa 1973 or so didn’t seem to care for. And all hell broke loose.
As for myself, I was sitting in the top of the pop-out bleachers with my back to Washington Street. And even though I had no particular beef with anyone from Nanticoke, I did what I always did. Smart or not, I followed my older cousin’s lead by racing down those bleachers at breakneck speeds and sucker-punching (sort of) the first sumbitch I encountered that did not appear to be a Coughlin supporter.
For all I know, he was a sportswriter. For all I knew, he was a Coughlin band parent. But the brawl was on, he was not wearing any red and blue, and he was setting off a proximity alert in my scrambled brain.
And just as soon as the agitated-looking police officers started filtering into the gym from across the street, it was Exit Stage Left right out of the door leading to the alley.
The difference being, these days, a gym brawl could easily lead to gunplay. But back in the good old days, about the worst you could expect was getting cold cocked by a portable Craig cassette player.
If I had it to do over, I would have never assaulted that guy as I did. Thing is, I rendered the cassette player completely inoperable. And I destroyed my beloved copy of Chicago II that Jeff Fox had taped for me. I can still see that skinny tape unwinding from the plastic reel as it flew away. Finances being what they were at that time--nonexistent--there’s a do-over I’d engage.
As for that guy lying stunned on the hardwoods with the bloodied face…screw ‘im. He was probably from Nanticoke anyways.
Probably.
Kids today, heh?
Later
Could be worse. They could be New York Jets fans.
A caller to Sue Henry’s talk show on WILK suggested that opponents of natural gas drilling in Northeastern Pennsylvania are foolish because, as he put it, “…they’ll work out the kinks.”
Sure, they, the companies doing the drilling, might eventually work out the kinks. Maybe. But, assuming they eventually…eventually figure out how to fracture the bedrock by pumping millions of gallons of water and hazardous chemicals into it without tainting the water supply, what is the end result for the folks who had their properties drilled early on? Uh, a tainted water supply.
What good is a hefty royalty check if your water table is rendered unsuitable for human consumption?
Answer me that.
From the Times Leader:
Man charged in high school burglaries
WILKES-BARRE - A man was charged by city police on Friday on allegations he burglarized two high schools in Wilkes-Barre.
Brandon M. Sack, 24, of North Main Street, Wilkes-Barre, was charged with forcing his way inside Wilkes-Barre Area's GAR High School on Jan. 3, and Holy Redeemer High School on Jan. 6.
Police allege once inside the two schools, he pried open vending machines stealing money.
Sack was previously charged with burglarizing GAR on Jan. 9.
Sack was arraigned by District Judge Martin Kane in Wilkes-Barre and was remanded to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility. He is jailed for lack of $60,000 total bail.
Make checks payable to: The Bail Out Markie’s Idiot Nephew Fund.
Sorry, but I’m all out of tough love. I know he was dealt a tough, tough hand by life, but it was no tougher than the hand I was dealt. In the end, despite the obstacles, the trials and the tribulations and the many frustrations that accompany them…there’s just no excuse for the tilt towards criminality.
I taught this kid exactly what I taught my kids. Get a job, work hard, work harder and try to do the right thing more often than not. But never did I suggest that an occasional arrest or two was acceptable. Whatever.
It is what it is. Or as Francis Vincent Zappa once said, “You are what you is, and that‘s all it is.”
And now, a private message for Gort. If you are not Gort, please scroll past this blurb. Don't you look. Don't do it.
Dude, if you’re interested, I happen to own a kick-ass stapler. It doesn’t hurt none too much, being stapled.
Don’t ask me how I know.
From the Times Leader:
Barrett: Set maximum towing prices in W-B
The City Council president has received complaints on rates some towers charge.
WILKES-BARRE – City Council President Bill Barrett said he’s moving forward with plans for an ordinance that would set maximum rates that towing companies could charge for removing vehicles from privately owned property within city boundaries.
Barrett said he has received several complaints regarding the fees some towers charge for removing unauthorized vehicles from private property, as well as the “predatory” practice by some towers who remove cars even if a complaint has not been lodged by the property owner.
The proposed ordinance would regulate rates and would also dictate the circumstances under which a car could be towed, he said.
Predatory towing practices?
Does anyone know which tower or towers he might be referring to? Gee whiz, I can’t figure it out. (Wink, wink)
Personally, I’ve never had the misfortune of having my vehicle towed, because I never park illegally.
Am I smart, or what?
Times Leader again:
Fears of fight prompt delay for basketball
The Wyoming Valley West vs. Coughlin game, originally set for Friday night, will instead tip off today in Plymouth.
PLYMOUTH – Citing concerns voiced by parents that an apparent tiff between some students at the two schools could spill into a basketball game slated for Friday night, Wyoming Valley West and Wilkes-Barre Area school districts postponed the WVW-Coughlin game to this afternoon, WVW Superintendent Chuck Suppon said.
“There is some tension between some students. I don’t think that it has been substantiated that it is based on race,” Suppon said, “And we want to make sure that anyone going to the game, and that the facility itself, is safe.”
The delay from a previously planned 7 p.m. tip-off Friday night to a 1:30 p.m. varsity tip-off today at WVW High School will help the district and Plymouth police arrange additional security.
At first glance, this kind of annoyed me.
But after further review, being that kids these days can’t limit themselves to trading punches and often opt to employ chains, knives and firearms, I have no qualms with any of this. Truth is, I prefer brawls that are sporadic, even spasmodic, over the planned-out variety.
I got caught up in one of these brawl events in the mid-70s. At the time, Coughlin flat-out sucked at basketball despite having the league’s leading scorer. Polacheck, I think his name was.
Anyway, we were going toe-to-toe with then powerhouse Nanticoke, and time was running out in our standing-room-only gym. Following orders from the bench, one of our players fouled a hard-charging Nanticoke player in possession of the ball, which caused him to tumble head-first into the bleachers. A hard, hard foul, no doubt. But I was there, and it did not look deliberate. It just seemed like momentum plus the added shove led to the violent tumble.
Here’s the incendiary part:
Being that Nanticoke was (and probably still is) Lilly white, and being that a very large black player (McGahee) from Coughlin added the shove, one of the Nanticoke parents stood up and shouted the “N” word. You know the word. The big one. The word you use if and when you want a fight with those folks sporting a permanent tan.
It started slow at first, the black kid yelled back at the parent, other fans stood up and chimed in, the Coughlin bench leapt to it’s feet, the Nanticoke bench did likewise, and finally, an adult from the Nanticoke side lurched out of the bleachers and took a swipe at the offending kid sporting that skin color that Nanticoke circa 1973 or so didn’t seem to care for. And all hell broke loose.
As for myself, I was sitting in the top of the pop-out bleachers with my back to Washington Street. And even though I had no particular beef with anyone from Nanticoke, I did what I always did. Smart or not, I followed my older cousin’s lead by racing down those bleachers at breakneck speeds and sucker-punching (sort of) the first sumbitch I encountered that did not appear to be a Coughlin supporter.
For all I know, he was a sportswriter. For all I knew, he was a Coughlin band parent. But the brawl was on, he was not wearing any red and blue, and he was setting off a proximity alert in my scrambled brain.
And just as soon as the agitated-looking police officers started filtering into the gym from across the street, it was Exit Stage Left right out of the door leading to the alley.
The difference being, these days, a gym brawl could easily lead to gunplay. But back in the good old days, about the worst you could expect was getting cold cocked by a portable Craig cassette player.
If I had it to do over, I would have never assaulted that guy as I did. Thing is, I rendered the cassette player completely inoperable. And I destroyed my beloved copy of Chicago II that Jeff Fox had taped for me. I can still see that skinny tape unwinding from the plastic reel as it flew away. Finances being what they were at that time--nonexistent--there’s a do-over I’d engage.
As for that guy lying stunned on the hardwoods with the bloodied face…screw ‘im. He was probably from Nanticoke anyways.
Probably.
Kids today, heh?
Later
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Coal Street Park pics
The following pics were taken from the 7th floor of the highrise at Sherman Hills.
I could tell you why I was there, but that would clearly violate a confidentiality agreement. Let's just say I was there to help ensure the public's health.
I could tell you why I was there, but that would clearly violate a confidentiality agreement. Let's just say I was there to help ensure the public's health.
I dunno about that picture above. Zoomed in a tad too much, I suppose. Looks like a lumber supply warehouse or something.
The new playground was moved much closer to Coal Street and towards the teener field. That old playground was a death trap. Why, with all of the rolling logs, the wooden pillars and the unusually low wooden overhangs, when I was a teenager and a park regular, I had seen enough people seriously injured there to fill a convoy of ambulances. See, back then we had no medic units. Only ambulances.
It pains me to think that the pool is going to replaced by a soccer field. Actually, the thought of kids playing soccer at what was once my second home pains me.
Ah, soccer. All that's required is a ball and a field. And the rules are as folows: Kick. Soccer, the game of choice for unimaginative Europeans and Third World folks too poor to play anything else. Oh well, I guess mediocrity should have it's place, too.
Later
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
GOP: Tom Ridge to speak in Wilkes-Barre
Luzerne County Republican Party
41 S. Main St. Ste. 14
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701
570-208-GOP1 or lcgop@luzernegop.org
http://www.luzernegop.org/
WILKES-BARRE (Jan. 12, 2010) – Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge will deliver the keynote speech at this year’s Lincoln Day Dinner hosted by the Luzerne County Republican Party. The event will be held at 6 p.m. Feb. 5 at the Ramada Hotel on Public Square.
Ridge, a two-term governor and first Secretary of Homeland Security, will present an award to Patrick J. Solano, a longtime party worker and former GOP County Chairman.
County Republican Chairman Terry Casey said the organization is “thrilled” that Ridge will join the group for its annual fundraiser. Republicans across the United States traditionally hold Lincoln Day events to honor the Feb. 12 birth of Abraham Lincoln, the first Republican president.
“We’re excited to be hosting Gov. Ridge who is a motivating speaker and we’re glad that he has accepted our invitation to honor his longtime friend Pat Solano,” Casey said.
The award will recognize Solano, 84, of Pittston Township, for his decades of service to the Republican Party, both on the local and state levels. Solano is a past chairman of the county GOP and worked with several governors including Ridge.
Ridge, 64, is president and CEO of Ridge Global LLC, a team of international experts that helps businesses and governments address a range of needs throughout their organizations including risk management and global trade security. He resigned as governor in January 2002 to accept the position of Secretary of Homeland Security under George W. Bush. He served until February 2005. A decorated Vietnam veteran, Ridge is an honors graduate of Harvard University and a graduate of Dickinson School of Law. He served in Congress before running for governor. He and his wife Michele have two children.
Tickets for the Lincoln Day Dinner cost $50 each. Reservations may be made by calling 208-4671 or e-mailing lcgop@luzernegop.org. Tables of 10 are available for sale. Guests are asked to specify an entrée choice of prime rib, chicken francaise or grilled salmon.
Contact: Renita Fennick 570-208-4671 or 570-239-8851
41 S. Main St. Ste. 14
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701
570-208-GOP1 or lcgop@luzernegop.org
http://www.luzernegop.org/
WILKES-BARRE (Jan. 12, 2010) – Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge will deliver the keynote speech at this year’s Lincoln Day Dinner hosted by the Luzerne County Republican Party. The event will be held at 6 p.m. Feb. 5 at the Ramada Hotel on Public Square.
Ridge, a two-term governor and first Secretary of Homeland Security, will present an award to Patrick J. Solano, a longtime party worker and former GOP County Chairman.
County Republican Chairman Terry Casey said the organization is “thrilled” that Ridge will join the group for its annual fundraiser. Republicans across the United States traditionally hold Lincoln Day events to honor the Feb. 12 birth of Abraham Lincoln, the first Republican president.
“We’re excited to be hosting Gov. Ridge who is a motivating speaker and we’re glad that he has accepted our invitation to honor his longtime friend Pat Solano,” Casey said.
The award will recognize Solano, 84, of Pittston Township, for his decades of service to the Republican Party, both on the local and state levels. Solano is a past chairman of the county GOP and worked with several governors including Ridge.
Ridge, 64, is president and CEO of Ridge Global LLC, a team of international experts that helps businesses and governments address a range of needs throughout their organizations including risk management and global trade security. He resigned as governor in January 2002 to accept the position of Secretary of Homeland Security under George W. Bush. He served until February 2005. A decorated Vietnam veteran, Ridge is an honors graduate of Harvard University and a graduate of Dickinson School of Law. He served in Congress before running for governor. He and his wife Michele have two children.
Tickets for the Lincoln Day Dinner cost $50 each. Reservations may be made by calling 208-4671 or e-mailing lcgop@luzernegop.org. Tables of 10 are available for sale. Guests are asked to specify an entrée choice of prime rib, chicken francaise or grilled salmon.
Contact: Renita Fennick 570-208-4671 or 570-239-8851
Monday, January 11, 2010
Public Urination 101
“Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son.”--Dean Wormer, Animal House
Before we go any further, I want to make it perfectly clear that I fully understand it is a crime to urinate in public. That is, to be caught urinating in public.
I was reading this Times Leader story about, Nathan Strawn, 22, a Kings College student who was, as the Leader put it, “…arrested and faces several charges after allegedly urinating on a religious Christmas display early Sunday morning.”
FULL STORY
Here’s an excerpt:
Nathan Strawn, 22, was arrested after “he was observed fully exposed urinating on the Nativity scene located on Public Square,” city police said in a press release.
The incident occurred at approximately 1:54 a.m., police said.
Strawn was charged with indecent exposure, desecration of venerated objects, open lewdness, public drunkenness and disorderly conduct.
City police said Strawn was taken to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility and was held there for arraignment, but a prison official said there was no record of Strawn being held for any length of time at the prison.
Police identified Strawn as “a King’s student” in the press release.
Mayor Tom Leighton did not return a message left on his cell phone seeking comment.
I heard this one on the police scanner, and the way I heard it there was a very brief foot chase. So I’m thinking he caught a break by not being charged with trying to elude the police.
I will say this, I’m amazed to read that the newspaper sought a comment of any sort from the mayor. Are we trying to over sensationalize a minor incident simply because a nativity scene was urinated on? One little tinkle and this becomes a major incident worthy of the mayor’s time? One wizz and the mayor needs to comment?
This part is all official sounding and whatnot. Sounds serious:
King’s College Public Relations Director John McAndrew issued an e-mailed statement on behalf of the college.
“King’s College, through the Dean of Students Office, reviews student behavior that takes place on and off campus. Such behavior that is described in the report not only is a criminal violation of the law but is an affront to the mission of King’s College and a violation of the Student Code of Conduct,” McAndrew wrote.
“Such behavior will be addressed swiftly by the Student Affairs Office in a manner that is fitting the seriousness of the offense to the College and Wilkes-Barre community,” the statement concluded.
So allow me to speculate. This kid is 22-years-old, so he’s probably in his junior or senior year. Most likely. So, if we go and blow this thing all out of proportion, will the college feel the need to bounce the kid, putting an abrupt end to his secondary education?
This is fun:
Wilkes-Barre Crime Watch Coalition President Charlotte Raup said she couldn’t believe the report of urination on the Nativity scene.
“Public drunkenness is one thing, but that’s just really sick,” Raup said.
Raup said public drunkenness is becoming an increasing problem downtown “because of all the bars.
“Our poor police, all they’re doing is responding to calls at all the downtown bars at night. It’s a shame. When you’re downtown all the time, the rest of the city is not being protected,” Raup said.
Ah, the neighborhoods are being ignored. I haven't heard that gambit in a while. Whatever.
It’s really sick? Why would that be, because an imported plastic replica of baby Jesus was peed on?
Cut me a freaking break!
The dirty little secret is (and there are plenty of Nord End residents that will confirm this) that just about every square foot of central Wilkes-Barre from Northampton Street to Butler Street has been pissed upon--repeatedly--by drunken Kings College students. They go in the bushes, they let it fly on the sidewalks, they’ve been known to squat in the parking lots and that’s a fact.
So let’s cool it with the feigned outrage.
College kids drink to excess on a regular basis. Same as it always was. And when they gotta go, they gotta go. Just like when we were dumb-assed youths stumbling through the early morning hours.
Last I checked, it was not a hate crime to pee on a plastic Jesus. To micturate on a manger is not an offense perpetuated against God , or anyone’s religious beliefs. Taking a leak in public does constitute unacceptable behavior, but should this kid be judged more harshly because a religious symbol was involved?
Piss on that!
We don’t need the mayor, the crime watchers, or anyone else for that matter. The kid did what he did, an observant police officer nabbed him, and now the kid has a big problem on his hands.
Put him on probation, put him on double-secret academic probation, make him pay a stiff fine and have him spend a prohibitive number of hours doing community service as punishment. But don’t put a sudden halt to his education. I fail to see how that addresses anything.
Drunk, stupid and peeing in public is one thing. So smarten him up by way of punishment, and further smarter him up by way of his continuing education.
What he’s truly guilty of is carrying on a time-honored tradition amongst Kings College students--peeing in the hedges or somewhere thereabouts. So let’s not single him out for daring to be creative whilst relieving himself.
Here in the Nord End, we’re well aware of Public Urination 101, and this kid was not the first to take the course while at Kings.
Sez me.
If you follow this link, The Green Atheist, you can not only read the pissing bandit's purported Facebook apology, but see his picture as well. You know, dartboard fodder for you religious types.
Later
“Cut the horseshit, son. I've got their disciplinary files right here. Who dropped a whole truckload of fizzies into the swim meet? Who delivered the medical school cadavers to the alumni dinner? Every Halloween, the trees are filled with underwear. Every spring, the toilets explode.”--Dean Wormer again
Before we go any further, I want to make it perfectly clear that I fully understand it is a crime to urinate in public. That is, to be caught urinating in public.
I was reading this Times Leader story about, Nathan Strawn, 22, a Kings College student who was, as the Leader put it, “…arrested and faces several charges after allegedly urinating on a religious Christmas display early Sunday morning.”
FULL STORY
Here’s an excerpt:
Nathan Strawn, 22, was arrested after “he was observed fully exposed urinating on the Nativity scene located on Public Square,” city police said in a press release.
The incident occurred at approximately 1:54 a.m., police said.
Strawn was charged with indecent exposure, desecration of venerated objects, open lewdness, public drunkenness and disorderly conduct.
City police said Strawn was taken to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility and was held there for arraignment, but a prison official said there was no record of Strawn being held for any length of time at the prison.
Police identified Strawn as “a King’s student” in the press release.
Mayor Tom Leighton did not return a message left on his cell phone seeking comment.
I heard this one on the police scanner, and the way I heard it there was a very brief foot chase. So I’m thinking he caught a break by not being charged with trying to elude the police.
I will say this, I’m amazed to read that the newspaper sought a comment of any sort from the mayor. Are we trying to over sensationalize a minor incident simply because a nativity scene was urinated on? One little tinkle and this becomes a major incident worthy of the mayor’s time? One wizz and the mayor needs to comment?
This part is all official sounding and whatnot. Sounds serious:
King’s College Public Relations Director John McAndrew issued an e-mailed statement on behalf of the college.
“King’s College, through the Dean of Students Office, reviews student behavior that takes place on and off campus. Such behavior that is described in the report not only is a criminal violation of the law but is an affront to the mission of King’s College and a violation of the Student Code of Conduct,” McAndrew wrote.
“Such behavior will be addressed swiftly by the Student Affairs Office in a manner that is fitting the seriousness of the offense to the College and Wilkes-Barre community,” the statement concluded.
So allow me to speculate. This kid is 22-years-old, so he’s probably in his junior or senior year. Most likely. So, if we go and blow this thing all out of proportion, will the college feel the need to bounce the kid, putting an abrupt end to his secondary education?
This is fun:
Wilkes-Barre Crime Watch Coalition President Charlotte Raup said she couldn’t believe the report of urination on the Nativity scene.
“Public drunkenness is one thing, but that’s just really sick,” Raup said.
Raup said public drunkenness is becoming an increasing problem downtown “because of all the bars.
“Our poor police, all they’re doing is responding to calls at all the downtown bars at night. It’s a shame. When you’re downtown all the time, the rest of the city is not being protected,” Raup said.
Ah, the neighborhoods are being ignored. I haven't heard that gambit in a while. Whatever.
It’s really sick? Why would that be, because an imported plastic replica of baby Jesus was peed on?
Cut me a freaking break!
The dirty little secret is (and there are plenty of Nord End residents that will confirm this) that just about every square foot of central Wilkes-Barre from Northampton Street to Butler Street has been pissed upon--repeatedly--by drunken Kings College students. They go in the bushes, they let it fly on the sidewalks, they’ve been known to squat in the parking lots and that’s a fact.
So let’s cool it with the feigned outrage.
College kids drink to excess on a regular basis. Same as it always was. And when they gotta go, they gotta go. Just like when we were dumb-assed youths stumbling through the early morning hours.
Last I checked, it was not a hate crime to pee on a plastic Jesus. To micturate on a manger is not an offense perpetuated against God , or anyone’s religious beliefs. Taking a leak in public does constitute unacceptable behavior, but should this kid be judged more harshly because a religious symbol was involved?
Piss on that!
We don’t need the mayor, the crime watchers, or anyone else for that matter. The kid did what he did, an observant police officer nabbed him, and now the kid has a big problem on his hands.
Put him on probation, put him on double-secret academic probation, make him pay a stiff fine and have him spend a prohibitive number of hours doing community service as punishment. But don’t put a sudden halt to his education. I fail to see how that addresses anything.
Drunk, stupid and peeing in public is one thing. So smarten him up by way of punishment, and further smarter him up by way of his continuing education.
What he’s truly guilty of is carrying on a time-honored tradition amongst Kings College students--peeing in the hedges or somewhere thereabouts. So let’s not single him out for daring to be creative whilst relieving himself.
Here in the Nord End, we’re well aware of Public Urination 101, and this kid was not the first to take the course while at Kings.
Sez me.
If you follow this link, The Green Atheist, you can not only read the pissing bandit's purported Facebook apology, but see his picture as well. You know, dartboard fodder for you religious types.
Later
“Cut the horseshit, son. I've got their disciplinary files right here. Who dropped a whole truckload of fizzies into the swim meet? Who delivered the medical school cadavers to the alumni dinner? Every Halloween, the trees are filled with underwear. Every spring, the toilets explode.”--Dean Wormer again
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