Alex Jones, Dirty Wad of Gum

In an editorial published in today's edition of the Scranton Times-Tribune, radio personality Alex Jones is described as a "provocateur".  You can find that editorial HERE (warning, paywall).  The "provocateur" is in the news over his latest court loss.  One of the many related story links posted is below.

https://www.reuters.com/markets/rates-bonds/alex-jones-faces-long-odds-hiding-assets-after-1-billion-sandy-hook-verdict-2022-10-14/

As a side note, the Howard Stern Show has made some of the best parodies of the "provocateur".  Here's a sample:

 

Anyway, in case my response to this editorial is removed, I've decided to capture it here.  Now in fairness to the Scranton Times-Tribune, I've rarely, if ever, had a story comment taken down.  Just in case though, and for the sheer joy of noting again just how horrible of a human being the "provocateur" really is, I've included my editorial comment below.

A "provocateur"? Wow, that's rich. How about this instead: Remember that time when you stepped in gum that was laying on the ground, and hours later, after taking your shoes off, discovered the flattened wad with all matter of detritus stuck to it? That dirty wad of flattened gum has more value than "provocateur" Alex Jones.
Yes, by all means, Mr. Gum Wad has a "right" to say what he wants. That includes, as horrid as it sounds, literally tormenting parents who had their LITTLE CHILDREN MURDERED. What he doesn't have though is the "right" to be from the consequences of his words. As a parent, I want this "provocateur" to have no wealth...and no peace...no shelter...until the day when he truly feels, if that's even possible for a wad of dirty gum stuck to the bottom of a shoe, a 10th of the horror experienced by these parents.

What the Elections Results Mean

The United States presidential election effectively ended today, with media outlets (including the conservative FoxNews) declaring Scranton native Joe Biden to be the next President.  There will be court challenges by the current president, but (so far) they are based on accusations, not facts.  To those that claim "fraud!", I will say this:

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence"

I personally think the chances of a change in the election results are minimal, at best.  However, if the courts do intervene on the side of the president by changing the election results, it will amount to a judicial coup and this nation will no longer exist as a democracy.  As it stands, the current (for now) administration is leaving this nation stained; let's hope most of that stain can eventually be washed away.

As for how I personally feel about the results, I can think of no one who has said it better than CNN commentator Van Jones.

This is an opportunity.  I hope that the nation can seize it and rise up to our promise.  We're better than what we've been in the past four years.  We need, at a very basic level, to get back to basic human decency, including caring for the least of our brothers and sisters.  We need to move back to a government that serves all of us, not existing simply to serve one man (and his family) in power.  We need the era of the presidential rage-tweet to end and the era of Presidential compassion and service to others to begin.

Coronavirus - Ignore the Talking Heads, Listen to the Scientists & Medical Professionals

(What some would have you believe; note that it apparently stinks to be Hawaii & Alaska)

Preface:  Right off the bat I will confess to the fact that I have a conflict of interest when it comes to this topic.  Specifically, I have a daughter, Dr. Albert, who is a real-life scientist.  This is in addition to my bias against bull$hit, especially as spread by politicians and the opinion media.  On to the post.

* * * * * *

We live in an interesting age, one where truth can attempt to be re-written by a Sharpie and science marginalized because it provides truths that some voters may just as soon not want to hear.  As if ignoring a fact somehow changes it into a fiction.  Anyway, you can find some rational, non-politicized advice from scientists and medical professionals about the coronavirus HERE.   A key point or two is noted directly below.

"A mask that you have never used before and wear all day long, that gets damp, is not going to help you. You may touch it a lot because it is uncomfortable, lowering its effectiveness.

Quite simply, good hand hygiene and face hygiene will protect you from a lot of illnesses, including Covid-19.

Risk is dependent on exposure. Some people will have an increased risk of infection, such as health care workers caring for patients with Covid-19 and other close contacts. For the general public in the US, who are unlikely to be exposed to this virus, the immediate health risk from Covid-19 is considered low at this time."

This is a serious, nasty business.  As someone with asthma, I dread just getting a cold, as it takes forever for me to kick and inevitably ends up with me taking steroids that make me both bouncy and greasy (which, admittedly, is better than not actually breathing).  Needless to say, I want to limit my exposure to the virus, and quite frankly, you should too, especially if you or a family member is at heightened risk for infection.  Please take this seriously!

For the record, you will not get good information about the virus from talk radio or any single source, including (unfortunately) the United States government.  I just want to put that out there, in case anyone wants to believe that coronavirus is no worse than the common cold.

Here are some additional sources of information that are not tainted by the political lens.

World Health Organization (WHO) Facebook Page

WHO Webpage

Coronavirus Live Map (New York Times)

BBC Coronavirus Tracking (BBC)

Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Information

Wall Street Journal, What We Know...

Center for Disease Control (CDC)*


Again, please take this seriously by staying informed.  Spend less time listening to politicians and more time listening to scientists and medical professionals.  Have a plan for how you will manage your affairs if, for example, schools and other public places are closed.  Stock up on medications.  Have plenty of extra non-perishable food on hand.  Avoid traveling if at all possible, especially by airplane.

Mostly though, be careful out there.

(*) Note that increasingly, it seems that attempts are being made to politicize information coming out of the CDC, including placing Vice President Mike Pence in charge of coronavirus communications (reference HERE). I am not suggesting that CDC information is unreliable, but I am stating that I would not solely rely on medical/scientific communications coming through someone who doesn't have a great track record when it comes to actual science (reference HERE).

Radio Personalities/Imus Retirement

In his Tuesday (April 3rd) blog entry, WNEP's Andy Palumbo writes about the retirement of Don Imus (see HERE).  He also shares his listing of top 5 radio personalities.

quack quack

It's a topic I can't resist, although I'll preface what I'm about to write by noting that my opinions are completely those of a listener.  Put another way, I don't know much about the media business, and at age 53(1), that's not likely to change.  So if you want a professional's opinion, find another blog.  On to the amateur hour.

moby worm, coming to get ya

My list isn't in any order, other than the first one listed.  I'll also note that I've only listed broadcasters that I've actually listened to over the years.

Howard Stern
I've written about Howard Stern before on this blog over the years.  I first heard his show during the summer of 1986 while I was living in York, PA.  I've been a fan ever since.  I don't find everything he does funny; in fact, I find some of his bits to be cringe worthy.  However, when all is said and done, Stern will go down in history as someone who basically re-invented radio and who could be wildly entertaining.  His sound effects guy, Fred Norris, deserves special recognition for his ability to drop just the right sounds at just the right time. 

Rush Limbaugh
I hate what comes out of Rush Limbaugh's mouth, but I admire how it comes out.  If that makes sense.  He's entertaining and engaging.  What I find fascinating about Limbaugh is the fact that, deep-down, I don't think he believes half of what he says, in spite of the fact that his legions of "ditto-heads" take it as gospel.  I also admire the fact that he's not above making fun of his "character".



Art Bell
I've read where Bell was notoriously difficult to work with, but man, he could keep an audience mesmerized.  I know 98% of the stuff coming out of his mouth was outlandish, unmitigated nonsense, but man, it sounded good (and convincing).  He was kind of like an odd uncle that would tell you incredible stories.  "From the Kingdom of Nye..."

quack quack

Garrison Keillor
The only person on this list I've ever actually seen in person(2).  I was an occasional listener of A Prairie Home Companion.  The music for me was so-so, but I always enjoyed Keillor's ability to tell a story.  There was always something very comforting about hearing him on the radio.

Michael Feldman
I doubt many have heard of Michael Feldman(3).  His show, Whad'Ya Know?, was a companion for me as I made many trips back and forth to college in the mid-1980's.  Think of him as being Wisconsin's answer to Garrison Keillor, and his show as being basically "A Dairy Home Companion".  Back then it was fun and entertaining for a young man (me) who really had no clue what he was doing and was lonely as he cruised down I81 in a 1974 Chrysler.

(my actual college car)

how's your donkey kong?(4)

Papa Joe Chevalier
The only sports commentator that I ever found even remotely funny or engaging.  I loved his show when it was on locally.  He had the best theme song ever.  He also managed to talk about sports in a way such that you really didn't need to be a sports fanatic to "get it".  May he rest in peace.


So, what about Imus?

Don Imus was cranky and mean, be it to his listeners, to his staff, and some of his guests.  While many top-tier radio personalities have healthy egos, Imus has one that seems outsized by comparison.  Towards the end of his career, he was also unlistenable, mumbling his way through rants.  While I've listened to Imus over the years, I never found him to be entertaining.  He needed to retire years ago.




(1) Soon to be 54, for the record.
(2) Twice, for the record.
(3) More about him HERE.
(4) The stupid phrases were all things a listener would hear on the Imus in the Morning Show.

Fringe County Commissioner Objects to Fringe Festival

Point of reference HERE.

People on the extreme ends of the political spectrum...be they far right or left...typically (at least in my experience) have no sense for the ironic. 

Seriously, how many unwashed, bun-headed hipsters gladly complain about the nebulous "system" via Tweeting on their practically-made-by-Chinese-prisoners(1) iPhones, all while financially contributing to one of the largest corporations in the world?

On the other end of the political and social spectrum, Lackawanna County has a commissioner who holds more than a few fringe views, yet objects to something called the "Fringe Festival".  Doubly ironic?  The fact that his same commissioner objects to funding the Fringe Festival in part because of it's "R-Rated shows", but yet she is apparently is fine with R-rated content from President Trump?  Case in point THIS LINK (Warning:  Suggestive, but censored, content). 

Now Commissioner Cummings actually does, all be it accidentally, touch on a larger, less irony-fueled series of issues:  Should the government be funding the arts at all?  Just what constitutes "art" anyway?  I'm actually on the fence about government funding the arts.  Yes, I do see the benefit that art and arts education brings to society at large.  I also understand though that government resources for such things are limited, and decisions about what can get funding...and what can't...are sometimes inherently subjective(2) in nature.  What's more, should an artist actually want a government, any government for that matter, involved in his/her artistic expression on any level?  It's a slippery slope, to be sure.

Here's to Lackawanna County's fringe commissioner having a relatively short tenure.



(1) See Foxconn.
(2) Again, just what constitutes art anyway?

#MeToo

The #MeToo in the title doesn't refer to me personally.

I've been thinking a lot lately about the #MeToo movement (background HERE), which isn't all that difficlt a task, given the daily disclosures of sexual misconduct by those in the media, entertainment and politics, all resulting in a wave of quitting that would make Sarah Palin proud(1).  Some of these self-inflicted wounds make me cringe; think Garrison Keillor(2).  Others?  Well, let's just say that Matt Lauer is a special breed of scumbag.

It's worth noting that everyone as a right to due process, and there are always two sides to every story.  However, when several people who don't know each other tell similar stories of abuse, well, there's at least room for discussion.  What's more, no one is entitled to be a media powerbroker, Today Show host, politician, Senate Candidate, etc.  Those are privelidges, not rights.  If you want to make a living in the public eye, well, you have to take both the good and the bad that goes with the gig.

Anyway, here's the central point worth making:  The #MeToo movement, in my mind, isn't about...

...men

...patriarchy

...sex

...it's about power.  If you think otherwise, well, I think you're blinded to the real issue at hand.  

Folks engage in this kind of behavior because they can.  They have taken to believe that, by virtue of their awesomeness (as they have been told), they can pretty much do whatever they want.  The power to do whatever one wants is ultimately corruptable.  The fact that more men engage in this kind of behavior is simply a symptom of the fact that more men in our society are in positions of power than women.  

I'm not excusing bad behavior by men, for the record.  As the father of three young professonal women, well, I worry mightly about their well-being.  What I am saying though is that there plenty of men who never engage in this kind of behavior.  Even men in positions of power and authority.   Using #MeToo as a blunt instrument to talk about men in general steers an important debate into an area that will result in nothing productive.   

What's the solution?  Well there isn't one.  This isn't a "do this and it will get fixed" kind of thing.  A big part of this whole mess has to do with American celebrity culture:  We worship the famous and powerful, and thereby give them license to whatever they want.  You see the headlines all the time.  Excusing bad behavior in one area opens the door to the perception of excusable bad behavior in another.  And there's a long way to go:  Roman Polanski (see THIS posting from 2009) is still celebrated by Hollywood and living a good life in France.

While I don't think there is a solution to this problem, I do believe that #MeToo is ultimately a healthy exercise, provided that it isn't too broadly focused.        

(1) Famous Quitters should be a Jeopardy! category.

(2) Mr. Keillor maintains his innocence, as of this writing.  See THIS link for more information and THIS link for a statement from Mr Keillor.

Andy Palumbo's 08.09.2017 Blog Posting

You can read it HERE.

In this particular posting, Mr. Palumbo (Side note:  I'm 53 years old, so at what point can I stop calling other men "Mister"?  Still, "Andy" sounds so familiar...but so I digress.) shares another blog posting that talks about, well, blogs and blog posting from the perspective of another reporter.  So what's so special from my perspective?  Well, here's one of the several points made in the posting that I wholeheartedly agree with:

"So like I said, my blog is more for me than it is for my readers. Because, to be honest, I don't know if I actually have any in the first place."

In fact, here's a portion of my very first posting on sgalbert.com (dated October 27, 2008):

"So there you go. Now whether sixty people read this or six, it doesn't matter a bit to me. I don't generally write for anyone but myself. Now that might sound selfish, but so be it. As someone who at least tries to do for others (as a husband, father, friend, etc.), I think I'm entitled to at least this much of a selfish indulgence."

A bit of affirmation is good for the soul.

Speaking of goodness and affirmation, in about an hour or so a three or so day vacation to Vermont is about to commence.  I'm looking forward to it, if for no other reason than the fact that I can use a bit of rest.  Camera and laptop will be in tow, along with a new book on the Protestant Reformation (a bit of "light" reading).

Road Apples, #171

Irish People Eating [        ]...a brilliant series of videos on YouTube.  You can watch one HERE.  I've spent over an hour watching these clips, with no regrets.

News Boycott...I'm still mostly engaging in my national news boycott.  And I have no compelling reason to change.  Mind you, I'm staying informed, it's just that I have no use for the theatrics of the Trump Administration or the news media that's feeding it.  On both sides of the political spectrum by the way.  Donald Trump will go down in history as the worst president in this country's history, of that I am sure, but part of that story will be lost because of how the media has chosen to cover the man.  Here's a suggestion:  They are not "alternative facts"...if you or I did it they would be called "Lies".

In Nausea News...I had my first ever case of Norovirus.  I don't like to throw up (I know, who does?), and in fact, it takes me a lot to get to that point.  But last week, well, it happened about six times, in succession.  And other things happened as well.  A week and a half later there are still some things that I just can't be around, as the smell makes me want to gag.  I also can't seem to stomach diet cola for some reason.  Maybe there is a silver lining to this past storm after all.

Just to add a coda of sorts to the throwing up part, well, the cold I had before talking to Ralph has come back with a vengeance.  I'm shocked as to how much worse my asthma makes having a cold.  It's like a turbo-charger of suck.

What's I'm Listening To Now...A Flock of Seagulls.  Really take a moment to listen to the guitar parts in "I Ran" and "Space Age Love Song"...you'll be shocked as to how good of a player Paul Reynolds was, back in the day.



At the time he was very, very young.  Sadly, he doesn't seem to play much these days.  As I understand it, he had something of a breakdown just two years or so into his time with AFOS.

9/10ths...In about a week or so I will be 9/10ths of the way done with my graduate degree coursework.  After completing my last class I need to pass an industry exam and then, well, I'll be a fully fledged Villanova graduate.  In an odd sort of way, the timing could not have been worse.  During my time working on the degree I've had more than a few major life events, but yet, the show (or in my case "the paper writing") must go on.  More than anything else though, I've promised myself and Ms Rivers that, after the final class, I'm going to start to throttle back my life a bit.  It's time to end doing things because I feel as if I have to, and it's time to start doing more things that I just plain and simple enjoy.  All of that is a just a few months away, and I'm very, very glad.

The Expanse...I don't watch much television, but I'm never the less intrigued by the SyFy channel's "The Expanse".  So much so that I'm going to buy the first season on DVD.

One Week (in the can)...Prior to Monday the 20th, the last time I was a new employee somewhere Ronald Reagan was still President.  I seem to have survived the week, although physically it was on the difficult side (see above).  My mantra, more than anything else, is that this time I'm doing it for me...not to climb some corporate ladder, not to impress anyone, not to somehow prove something to anyone other than myself.  One of the many blessings in my life has been that I am now at a place where I can actually think in those terms, although I will note that old (and bad) habits relating to competition (both real and imaginary) are hard to break.

Finally...I don't write much about dreams in this space, mainly because a) I usually don't recall them, and b) Ascribing meaning to them is about 6 degrees of new-age too much for me.  That noted, I had a dream last night that my brother Chris was talking to me.  I don't recall what he said.  I do recall that he looked well, full of color and full of life.  I'll gladly have that dream again.

Bad News on the Doorstep, I Couldn't Take One More Step

The title comes from the iconic song American Pie.

Like many folks, I suspect, I've been pretty burnt out by the news.  By "burnt out" I mean overexposed, bombarded, gun-shy.  Now normally I'm a ravenous consumer of news, mostly in writing, from a variety of sources.  But post-election I've been doing my best to stay away from it all.  No NPR Morning Edition (replaced by a local classic rock station) during my shower, no more news feeds in Facebook.  It's not that I want to be uninformed, it's just that I think I've felt over informed over the past few months.

The world will survive without my attention.

I'm sure that others will keep their eyes on things.  Part of this is due to, well, poor performance by the media over the past year.  The whole conglomeration of the news helped create the national pickle we are all in these days.  They were, in my estimation, "played" for free coverage by President-Elect Donald Trump (particularly in the Republican Primary) and had an unstated (but clearly obvious) desire to see Hilary Clinton elected.  If anything, one truism coming out of the election is how truly detached the national media was from the actual concerns of the American people.

This isn't a "liberal" vs. "conservative" thing either.  As I've said before, Donald Trump isn't really a conservative, political or otherwise.  He is his very own breed; if anything maybe "nationalist" or "corporatist" is a better description.  I'm sure a review of Trump's Tweets would show a fairly even amount of venom spat at both traditional liberals and conservatives.  Just ask Charles Krauthammer.

All of the above should be taken with the qualifier that I am not a media expert (see THIS GUY if you want that sort of thing).  Heck, outside of maybe Beatles trivia and what I do for a living, I'm pretty much not at expert at anything.  It's easy for me to say "the media failed", but when you think about it, we rely on the media to help guide us, so what happens when the guides seem just as lost as the rest of us?

Anyway, I'll be enjoying a hiatus from national news for a while.  As with the way most things go, I'll probably slip back into being a big news consumer sooner rather than later.  For now, though, I'll stick with listening to "Freebird" in the shower.

Melania Trump

Melania Trump is not running for President.  Arguably, she is a public person, but she isn't the one seeking elected office.  As I've written here numerous times before, I strongly believe that the family members of elected officials...and those who desire to be elected officials...need to be exempt from the very public scrutiny that befalls those in (and those seeking) public office.

It was true with Barbara Bush, and the myriad of negative comments directed towards her.  And her granddaughters, the children of George W. Bush.  And Chelsea Clinton (when drug addict Rush Limbaugh mocked her appearance on a national television show) as well.

I've seen numerous stories about Ms. Trump's biography, her immigration status, and the like.  I also understand the desire to paint her husband as a hypocrite on the issue of immigration.  But Melania Trump didn't ask to run for office.  I am sure that with Donald Trump's wealth and influence, she has received many forms of privilege, but that's an all too common perk of being wealthy in this country, regardless of political affiliation.  At best criticize his actions, but not hers.  This goes, especially so, for her former modeling career.

Was it fair to criticize her speech at the Republican National Convention?  Sure, because that was her speech.  She put herself out there, and with that, she opened herself up to the feedback that goes with taking that kind of chance.  Fair enough.  But this is far different than the notion of "attack via association" that's going on now.

By all means, let it rip against Donald Trump, even to the point of noting that he changes wives like some change cars (trading them in for a newer model every few years).  Criticizing Melania Trump just because she happens to be wife #3 for "The Donald"?  That's simply wrong.

More Senseless Violence

The video I watched on the news today...where the "news" was actually the news...was shocking and disheartening.

More violence.

More death.

More proclamations.

More searching for answers in the wrong places.

I do not believe that there are easy answers to this kind of violence.  Why?  Well to solve a problem, you first have to understand what the problem is, and quite frankly, we just haven't managed to tackle that yet in this country.

Ideologues on the political Left will tell you that this is another outcome of our failing to address the easy access to handguns.  Maybe there should be more restriction of handgun availability, but in the end just focusing on this is a bit like blaming the car when a drunk driver kills someone.

Ideologues on the political Right will use this to stoke fears of "now they will take away your guns", solely, pretty much, for purposes of raising money.  While part of American weeps, the NRA's money machine will be getting all greased up for another round of pandering.

Those of us in the Center will be left just shaking our heads in a mixture of confusion and disgust.

We, as a society, to look into why mental health issues are so rampant.  What drives people to such depths of despair and anger that they act on the worst of impulses? Maybe it's that we've managed to define things like "happiness" and "success" in terms such that they can never be achieved.  That's truly a recipe for disaster.  When Donald Trump's narcissism screams to the world that happiness and success means being a billionaire, despite the fact that Donal Trump seems like one of the most miserable men* on the planet, well then you've got a totem for modern United States that breeds this kind of thing.

The bottom line?  The real solution to rampant violence isn't going to come any time soon, pretty much because most of the country simply doesn't want to look for it.  Maybe we are too afraid of what we will find.




(*) While I am not a fan of the late President Reagan, I do miss his iconic "happy conservative warrior" attitude.  Happiness seems like one of the many things that Donald Trump can't buy.

Duggary

Yes, by now just about every sentient being on the planet has heard about the past exploits of Josh Duggar, one of the nearly two dozen children of Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar.  Here are a few of my not so random thoughts.

1.  Children Were Harmed
First and foremost, children were molested.  This pushes all other considerations to the back seat, and my genuine hope is that all of this new attention doesn't exacerbate what are likely already bad memories for the Duggar girls. For the record, it's likely already too late for my hope.

2.  We Helped Make This Mess
Yes, we Americans, with our obsession for freak-show television, helped create the Duggar monster.  Yes, they would still be breeding if they were not on television, and yes, these incidents would still have happened anyway, but now we have girls who, in addition to having been molested, now have the "honor" of being the "the girls on television who got molested".  Someone needs to start saving up for therapy now.

3.  The Duggar Parents Are Flaming Hypocrites
While decrying the lifestyle choices of others, Jim Bob and Michelle were quietly engaged in a decade long hush campaign regarding their own home-grown issues.  I guess they never learned that "people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones" business.  They also cry for compassion now, but Michelle wasn't quite so compassionate when she was recording those robocalls a few years ago, now was she?

4.  Josh Duggar Is Dangerous
I was a young teenage boy, quite normal by the way, and I never molested anyone or anything.  Josh Duggar did.  Based on my intimate knowledge of not being a child molester, I'd say that there may be some issues buried deep in his sexually repressed skull that need to be dealt with...and not just by getting a stern talking to by a convicted kiddie porn cop either.  The fact that he worked for a group called the Family Research Council is borderline funny now...funny if we weren't talking about child molestation that is.

5.  Children Raising Children
Having watched the Duggar television show, it's pretty clear that in this particular household...and given the population explosion...children end up being partially raised by other children.  How very sad.  While we can't blame the molestation on this fact, it certainly hasn't made matters any better.  It's also too much pressure for these children.  Here's a novel thought:  Children should be children first, BEFORE they have to be surrogate parents.

6.  The Duggar's Choice To Be Public People
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar made the decision to put their lives on display for the whole world to see.  Whether or not they anticipated Josh's child molesting to be part of the absurd parade is irrelevant, as they signed away their rights to privacy a long time ago.  That's harsh, but so be it, as they gladly accepted the "famous television family" money, so they get all that comes with it.  Blaming the "liberal media" or others for the current state of all things Duggary is yet another example of hypocrisy in action, as the media didn't force them to sign a television contract.


Two final bonus thoughts:

#7.  The End?
I doubt this is the end of the story.  Something tells me that there is more to this, and sadly, more for those children to deal with in the weeks to come.

#8.  Libido
When you boil the nearly two dozen children thing down to its most basic component part, it's this:  Jim Bob Duggar simply can't control his libido.

[Inset name of religion] Terrorist Group

"Catholic Terrorist Group the Irish Republican Army"

"Fundamentalist Christian Terrorist Group the Klu Klux Klan"

Now come on, both the above sounds down right silly.  But yet if you follow the logic of naming terrorist groups based on a religious affiliation, the above tags are at least consistent...if, all be it, not used.

Now in some circles, the President gets a lot of grief for refusing to refer to groups like ISIS/ISIL (or whatever the heck they are called) as "Islamic Terrorists".  His explanation for the refusal, as far as I have heard it, is a good one:  By using that tag, the implication is that potentially anyone who is an adherent of Islam is a terrorist.  The President is right, period.

Could you argue "But, but, but Steve, Islamic clerics provide religious justification for groups like ISIS/ISIL, so the tag of Islamic Terrorist fits!" ?  Sure, you could, but that argument just doesn't hold water.  As proof, I offer the following:

Catholic Priests Played A Role In IRA Killings

IRA Bombing Priest

KKK:  We's a Christian Organization

...and that's just the first bit of the first page of the Google search.

Yes, many terrorist groups cloak themselves in Islam, but that doesn't mean that these terrorist groups are "Islamic"...no more so than Irish Catholic groups in, say, Boston are all supporters of the Irish Republican Army.  What's more, I know that the vast majority of Catholic clergy would never support the murderous activities of the IRA, just as the vast majority of Pentecostal and Baptist ministers would never support the actions of the KKK either.

Also, there is no central religious authority for Islam to condone or condemn terrorist actions.  The religion itself is split into various groups act sects, not unlike modern Christianity.  This is another reason why the labeling of terrorists as "Islamic" is simply wrong, because no one person can speak for Islam, just as Pope Francis can not speak for all of Christianity.  I do agree though that moderate Islamic voices have not nearly been loud enough in condemning the actions of these evil groups, which is a shame, as they have the most to lose (and in fact ISIS/ISIL has probably killed more "fellow" Muslims than members of any other group).

To the extent one chooses to judge others, and I'll note that is a risky endeavor right off the bat, it's important to at least attempt to be factually correct and consistent.  Throwing labels around like "Islamic Terrorist Group" fails both the "factually correct" and "consistent" tests.

The hens are walking down North Washington Avenue in Scranton

Ever hear the expression "the hens are coming home to roost?"?  Well when it comes to Scranton's financial situation, they are now just a few blocks away from city hall.

Scranton Pension Funds Will Be Broke in 3 to 5 Years

This is the end.  There aren't enough assets to sell.  The Auditor General is just confirming what many have been saying all along:  Scranton is functionally bankrupt.

When the pension plans run dry, which they will, retirees who were sold a bill of goods...namely pension benefits that city leaders knew (or should have known) were unsustainable...will take legal action that will lead to a bankruptcy declaration.

Will it happen in 3 years?  I'm not sure.  The city could find something else to sell, or lease back, or hold a hunkering large bake sale for that matter, forestalling the inevitable for a bit longer.  In the end though, the gravity of Scranton's finances, where far more is spent than which is taken in, will force this issue to come to a boil.

Gloom and doom?  Hardly.  More like a reality that successive city mayors and council members have patently ignored for decades.

Mark my words:  this will not end well.

Road Apples, #147

Redundancy in action...Ask a Canadian to say "About a boot".

Speaking of Canadians...I still keep wondering if the house prices you see listed on the various HGTV series are in dollars or loonies.  The latter may help to explain why they show janitors buying $300,000 homes.  I know I've pondered this before, but it just throws me for a loop, mainly because I watch so little TV I guess (and of what I do watch, 60%+ is the previously referenced HGTV).  The solution is to either watch more TV to balance things out or watch less.All the more reason to watch "Nicole Curtis: Rehab Addict", which is proudly made in the U.S. of A.  

Best logo, ever...from the Facebooks.

The Noah Movie...It's an interesting study in the way human being think to watch (and/or listen to) the reactions to the new Noah movie.  I've heard that some evangelical Christians are really incensed that the movie seems to take liberties with the biblical account of the flood.  Here's a sample, also from the Facebooks:

Now as I understand it, the biblical account of the flood isn't movie screenplay long, so of course any movie about Noah and the flood would need to take some liberties.  I'll also note that the "real" Noah didn't speak English with an Australian accent either, but I think the point is made.  Speaking of points, consider this:  from one perspective, this is an example of people getting upset at the fictional telling of a fictional story.  

Speaking of religion...I finished The Pope and Mussolini and am just about finished with another book that I put down in order to read the Pope book.  Next up?  Eternal Life: A New Vision:  Beyond Theism, Beyond Heaven and Hell by John Shelby Spong and The Protestant's Dilemma by Devin Rose.  It's a kind of yin-yang deal I have got going.  For someone who is not overly religious (although I do "confess" to praying), I do enjoy reading about religion and religious philosophies.  I wonder why?  Well part of it started back when I was in high school and I read every single book the Scranton Public Library had on the subject of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  I didn't read the books because I wanted to convert, but rather because I was simply fascinated with something so very different.  Going back before high school, I'm convinced that the fact that I was raised a strict Catholic and knowing nothing about other religious (well, other than the fact that I was told they were "wrong") made me all the more interested in other religions.  Anyway, I've probably read a hundred or so books that either directly or indirectly deal with religion, and I've yet to read anything that would even remotely cause a conversional stir in my bones...but I still find the subject matter to be interesting.

Glenn Beck...is being sued for defamation of character.  Story link HERE.  Ironic that someone who throws verbal bombs for a living is being sued for accusing someone else of being involved in a real bombing.  One does get the impression that Mr Beck really, truly wants to be taken seriously.  Of course it would help if he would stop acting like an ass-clown, but I suspect that he's no more capable of making that leap than my cat JeanLuc is capable of actually answering me when I talk to him.  Anyway, with Glenn Beck it's important to consider the source; Charles Krauthammer he is not.


That's right Glenn, "everybody have fun tonight, everybody Wang Chung tonight".

On Writing...I tend to write the Road Apples postings in chunks.  For example, this posting started with the first two points one evening, then a few were added this morning.  It's now Wednesday evening as I write this, and quite frankly, it's time to put this bad boy to bed.  But not without one more item.

Staff Meetings...Today and tomorrow are full team staff meetings in my little work corner.  That means folks from three other locations coming to Scranton for a day and a half of meetings and the like.  For me, it's a difficult time.  Simply put, it requires so much extroversion when these things occur. All the activities are designed around what gives extroverts energy.  It's a energy drain, such that by the time everything was done for today at about 7pm I was mentally and physically exhausted.  I have no more to give.  I really don't want to do much more talking.  I want to write, read, and maybe watch a bit of TV.  Tomorrow is a new day full of extroversion.  No doubt I'll be beat by the time it ends.  Maybe I should have become an engineer after all.

Let Fred Phelps die in peace

It's been widely reported that the (apparently former) head of the Westboro Baptist Church, Fred Phelps Sr., is near death.  You can read an article about it HERE.

As you probably already know, Phelps and his cabal are (in)famous for protesting at various funerals.  While the targets of their rantings were supposedly homosexuals, in reality they protested at the funerals of many straight folks as well, creating connections to homosexuality like little children create imaginary friends.  Mostly though, they seems to be less interested in "fighting" homosexuality as they were in promoting themselves and their twisted view of Christianity.

Now the temptation here would be for any number of groups (homosexuals, the military, bikers, college students, etc.) to want to protest at Phelps funeral, but I think that is a bad idea.  Instead, let the man die in whatever peace that may exist for his soul and make his funeral the non-event of the new century.  No signs, no protests, no cameras, no "I-team reporter coverage at 6" or anything of the sort.  Nothing, just the quiet of a deceased man and what family he has left.

Yes, what I am suggesting is, in the case of Fred Phelps, the ultimate example of Christianity at its finest:  turn the other cheek.  Let this bitter man face whatever judgement that awaits him in the obscurity that he and his family apparently so disliked.  Oh, and if you are so inclined, pray for his soul as well, as well as for the souls of all the departed.  We owe this not to the Fred Phelps' of this world but to ourselves.

10 Reasons Why "The Good Old Days" Weren't So Good (in NEPA)

Thinking back to when I was a kid in the late 60's and 70's, it's clear that the "good old days" weren't so good.  Here are ten reasons why.

1.  Black Lung.  Nothing like dying of  "coalworker's Pneumoconiosis" whereby you choke to death on coal dust embedded in your lungs.  This sounds like horrid way to go, and yet when I was a kid I heard a awful lot about it.  Sadly, you don't hear so much about it any more, mainly because those affected have probably been killed by it.

2.  The Neighborhood Beer Garden.  In the old days in NEPA you had "beer gardens".  Pleasant sounding, don't you think?  Conjures up images of little Irish Fairies floating around flowers and such, doesn't it?  I mean who wouldn't want to go to a garden?  Of course conjured up images are different than reality:  these were bars, all to numerous, where the over-worked would drink themselves into oblivion and then go home and either beat their spouses and/or children or simply sleep it off...until tomorrow, when they would do it all over again.

3.  Beating Children.  Speaking of beating children, I knew kids growing up who where were actually beaten by their parents.  Fists and all.  These days we call that "child abuse", but sadly, when I was younger, it seemed to be much more frequent.  For the record, while growing up I was s%#t scared of my mother, she never laid a hand on any of her children (to the best of my knowledge).

4.  Blind Obedience.  Be it to a church in general, clergy specifically, a labor union, an employer, or to a politician, back in the old days it seems that adults were much more likely to be blindly obedient.  Now I do understand that the opposite of that is equally troubling, namely rampant cynicism, but back then many simply believed everything told to them by certain figures in authority, and our area was all the worse for it.

5.  Disgustingly Polluted Rivers.  As a kid I remember walking down to the Lackawanna River and smelling just how awful it was; the smell was akin to diesel fuel.  It was wretched, and for the most part, that seemed to be okay.  I am glad that has (mostly) changed.  Now we actually give a crap about our rivers.

6.  4 Television Stations.  Growing up we had just four television stations:  16, 22, 28 & 44 (ABC, CBS, NBC & PBS).  Now I don't really watch that much television myself, but it is nice to have some choices.

7.  Shamelessly Corrupt Politicians.  In retrospect, everyone knew that the likes of Dan Flood and Joe McDade were crooks, but yet almost everyone was fine turning a blind eye, as if they were stealing for us.  Note to file:  they were actually stealing for themselves; we just got the crumbs that fell off the table.  Unlike the other items on this list, sadly this one still continues to a certain extent.

8.  City Steam Heat.  Back in the old days, many cities (such as Scranton; I'm not sure about Wilkes-Boro) had centralized heating systems, whereby steam would be pumped directly into homes and businesses for heating purposes.  Growing up we had this in a house we lived in on Pine Street.  Sounds like a great idea, huh?  In  theory yes, provided that steam was the only  thing that came in along with the pipes.  It wasn't.  These were basically cockroach (or as we would call them "waterbugs") superhighways.

9.  Ethnic Enclaves.  Forget the Serbs and the Croatians, for in Scranton you had the Irish and the Polish (or the Irish and the Slovaks, etc.).  As if where your parents or grandparents came from actually, really mattered all that much in the grand scheme of things.  These differences were petty and stupid, and actually helped politicians take advantage of dim-witted voters by appealing to ethnic sensibilities.

10. Cars.  This isn't specific to NEPA, but I'm going to mention it anyway.  I learned how to drive in a 1976 Chevy Nova.  My first "real" car was a 1974 Plymouth Duster.  Want to know what the worst car in the world is in the snow/ice?  That would be a 1974 Plymouth Duster.  Cars "back in the day" by and large were horrible in all but dry pavement, guzzled gas (I had a 1975 Chrysler Newport that got less than 10mpg city) and handled like tractor trailers.  These days most cars handle decently in bad weather (I have an AWD Nissan that can climb goat paths in the snow), have lots of options and are much more fun to drive.  Oh, and they get much, much better gas mileage.

The Grimm New York Congressman

The concept of bullying gets a lot of attention these days.  We have bully free zones in schools, for example, but maybe we need to extend that to governmental offices.  Reference the following:

New York Congressman Michael Grimm threatens to "break reporter in half"

The good Congressman reminds me of Biff from Back to the Future.

This one is pretty short and sweet, at least as far as I see it:  Congressman Michael Grimm is a disgrace to his party (whatever party that is, as it really doesn't matter), to the people he serves and to the United States Congress.  He should resign, like yesterday.  Think about it:  this guy is making threats to someone he doesn't know; what does he say to people he does know that upset him?

I know, I know, the "mean reporter"...blah, blah, blah.  Want to be a public servant?  Then get used to getting asked question on the spot by reporters.  It's a job requirement.  It comes with the territory. Grow "a pair" or step aside for folks who wear big-people pants.

Oh, and I'm not saying this from the standpoint of "think of the children..."; trust me, no children are interested in the antics of Congressman Grimm, or any other member of Congress for that matter.  This isn't about "the children", it's about a Congressman who is incapable of managing his emotions in a way that is even remotely acceptable this side of  civilized society.

Resign Congressman Grimm, resign.  Your apology isn't enough (but do check out the cartoon in the link).

Thoughts on Governor Chris Christie

(Photo from the State of New Jersey website)

In general, I like Governor Christie.  He comes across as a hard-nosed kind of guy, but we need more of that in elected officials.  Give me someone who is slightly gruff over someone slick any day.

Policies?  I don't know enough about the guy to judge his politics.  I do know that he makes some on the fringe Right nervous, which is a good thing.  Between that and upsetting those of the far Left, he must be doing something, well, "right".

I find the media's obsession with his weight to be shameful.  We get it.  He's heavy.  He's fat.  Heck, maybe he even smells like bacon fat.  Can we move on already?  When last I checked, waist size has no correlation to ability to govern.  In a media obsessed by looks, I find his looks refreshing, as imperfection is something we all can relate to.

Is he a bully?  Well when someone has to say publicly that "I am not a bully", it generally means that, well, they probably are a bully.  Bullies can be reformed though.  Maybe the butt-kicking he continues to endure from "bridgegate" will help in his reformation.

Speaking of "bridgegate", deflecting by talking about some other scandal involving Democrats is stupid.  Just deal with the issue at hand.  The George Washington bridge has nothing to do with an embassy attack in Libya.  Linking the two stinks of pathetic desperation.  If Governor Christie has been honest with the residents of New Jersey he has nothing to worry about.  If he did know about the bridge closing before all of this blew up then his goose is cooked.  American's only tolerate slick liars.  As noted above, Governor Christie isn't slick.

I hope Governor Christie weathers the storm.  I also hope he runs for President in 2016.

The 2012 GOP presidential roster was a loose connection of fringe candidates (see Rick Santorum) and a guy that mostly only Scrooge McDuck and C. Montgomery Burns could relate to; no wonder they lost to a man who really isn't qualified to be President...but is...and not only that, got elected twice.  That says more about the Republican candidates than it does Barack Obama.  The GOP needs Chris Christie as a presidential candidate, if for no other reason than to prove that most Republican voters really aren't either toothless hicks or aloof millionaires.  I can't relate to a sanctimonious Rick Santorum or a guy who owns dancing horses and a car elevator.  I think I can relate to Chris Christie, even if I ultimately don't vote for him.

LA Times: For Scranton residents, bankruptcy is an inviting option

Everyone but the politicians (and the municipal union officials) get this basic fact:  Scranton is already, functionally bankrupt; all that's left is the legal designation.

How widely known is this?  Well they know it Los Angeles.

LA Times Article:  Scranton & Bankruptcy.

Granted, this is not the most flattering picture of the city, and I don't think that the properties shown on the webpage are actually in Scranton.  However, the basic facts are true:

• The city's revenue comes no where near matching operating expenses.
• The city has to borrow to meet operating expenses.
• Basically no one (other than a union-owned bank) will lend the city money. 
• The city can not afford court judgments against it.

If the above isn't the very definition of "municipal bankruptcy", then what is?