It's been a while since I've posted, but not since I've done any similar writing. That statement makes sense through the lens of Storyworth, a kind of project that will take most of this year to complete. You can learn more about Storyworth HERE. This was part of a Christmas gift from my youngest daughter, and I have to confess, I am enjoying it. The premise is this:
Family members ask a weekly question
I write a response
At the end of the year the whole thing is turned into a book
This week's question, which I haven't started answering, is...
My answers to these questions generally run in the 600-900 word range. Anyway, if you have someone in your life that enjoys writing, this makes a memorable gift...for both the writer and the people that get a copy of the book.
In other news:
Eclipse/Rapture...I was not raptured on Monday. Hell, I didn't even get light-headed. Thankfully, no one else did either (the rapture part, that is). On a more serious note, maybe, just maybe, the idiots that spout this stuff should be publicly humiliated. That would make a great website...tracking the stupid stuff public figures predict that never come true.
Earthquake...I was working from home on Tuesday when we had an earthquake. Details HERE. I didn't feel a thing. Ms. Rivers did, but then again I was in the work-zone, a not-so-magical place where I probably miss a lot of things happening around me.
Florida...Ms. Rivers and I spent a few days in St. Augustine, Florida, a week or two ago. I enjoyed having time off in a warmer place, and going to Buc-ees is always a blast. The place is definitely a bucket-list kind of thing, which sounds like an almost comically American stereotype (think "I aspire one day to visit the world's largest gas station"). Also on the docket was a trip to the self-identified Fountain of Youth. I did drink water from the actual fountain, but I don't think that is going to stop my 60th birthday from coming in a few weeks. As for the fountain water, the taste could best be described as being liquid scrambled eggs. Finally on the Florida side of things, you can mark that as being one of the places I have no plans to ever live in, now or in retirement. The winter weather is nice, but the one advantage we have up north is the exhilaration felt when Spring finally arrives. It's as close to a legal high as I have ever experienced.
Scranton Times Death Spiral...The Scranton Times, a local newspaper, shut down reader comments a few days ago. There was no article written about the change, just an email sent to those who partook of the seeming privilege. I did, with some regularity, comment on articles, but only under my own name. That was a rarity for the comments section, which was dominated by anonymous dog whistling keyboard komandos, spewing not-so-subtle racism and sports team politics. Not the best presentation of Northeastern Pennsylvania residents, but then again this is what you get when you don't hold folks accountable for what they write. A better solution would have been to require anyone commenting on an article to actually post using their real name. This would make sense if the function was killed for reasons of common decency, but then again the actual reason was far more cost-cutting than anything else. Yet another victim of the Scranton Times sale.
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.
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.
The Scranton Times posted an editorial on August 29th regarding the legalization of recreational marijuana use in Pennsylvania. You can read the editorial at the following link:
If the link doesn't work/is behind a paywall, well don't worry, as you're actually not missing much. Basically, the newspaper makes the point that Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf's proposal for the legalized recreational use of marijuana should be debated by the legislature.
What definitely can't you read on-line? That would be my comment regarding the editorial because The Scranton Times would not publish it. I'm not sure why; my best guess is that they are using some kind of AI to screen postings based on keywords, and I must have flipped the switch. That facet of this story is more interesting from a process/technology perspective than anything else. Part of me can almost envision the Asian technology services company selling the newspaper's leaders on this incredibly smart AI cloud-based comment screening software that would be "foolproof" and save them money. Based on my comment, well, it may not be so foolproof after all. In any event, that ball-o-thought is noted below.
* * * * * *
Two thoughts:
(1) Personally, I think using marijuana is pretty damn stupid unless you have glaucoma or your chemotherapy causes you to lose weight (and you actually need a case or three of the "munchies"). Again, just my opinion, but intentionally getting high is a sign of personal weakness and an inability to deal with the real world. I'll note though that I feel the same way about those who constantly get drunk, something for which NEPA has a well-earned reputation. Simply put, it seems to me that marijuana use probably isn't all that worse than drinking alcohol (and for the record, I don't do either).
(2) The editor(s) mention tax revenue when comparing to the legalization of marijuana to gambling, but they miss a central point: Gambling revenue was supposed to measurably reduce property taxes. Instead what actually happened was that gambling revenue more or less became a kind of slush fund that allowed politicians to sponsor local projects, etc. Granted that some of this work was needed, but gambling wasn't sold to the population as a way to fund parks...it was sold as a way to reduce taxes. I'm not going to touch the issue of property tax rebates, as while getting a rebate is great, in reality, it's just a cynical ploy for politicians to say that property taxes are being reduced when in fact they are not*.
* * * * * * (*) Think of a property tax rebate as being a 10% off sale at Boscov's. That shirt still costs $25, but for now, you get it for $22.50. The price though is still $25, and at any time Boscov's can end the sale and charge you the full $25.
* * * * * *
I do worry about the recreational use of marijuana. As noted above, I get that it's probably not worse than alcohol, but that's a thin argument to make for legalization. There is also an admittedly selfish component to my thoughts about legalization: Honestly, I find the smell of it repulsive. I can see the day when just walking down the street my nose might be assaulted by the rancid stench.
A bit more seriously, I had (emphasis on "had", as in past-tense) a brother who suffered greatly from substance abuse issues, which ultimately cost him his life. Now I don't necessarily buy into the gateway drug argument against marijuana, as by that logic, smoking cigarettes could also fall under that category. What I do wholeheartedly believe though is that substances designed to do nothing other than temporarily alter reality actually serve no useful purpose in life. You see, that's the thing about altered realities: They always lose to, as referenced in the play Rent, "actual reality". For some, that notion of a temporary-but-altered reality is good enough. The problem though is when the altered reality becomes so much more preferable than the real thing. Having yet one more roadway into the temporary realm of unreality doesn't help society.
In the end, I suspect it is inevitable that marijuana use will become legal in Pennsylvania (and eventually the entire country). Fast forward a few years after that and the campaigns against buzzed driving will start in earnest, along with additional resources to deal with the psychologically addicted. It will be a movie we've already seen time and time again under the title of alcoholism. This is basically a slow-moving train to nowhere, with the only real beneficiaries being those who find a way to legally monetize temporary excursions into the land of make-believe.
The big news coming out of Scranton...well make that one of several pieces of big news coming out of Scranton (considering the fact that the FBI recently searched the home of the Mayor)...is the fact that the state Departmartment of Education (DoE) has appointed a recovery officer that will be assigned on a full-time basis to the Scranton School District (SSD). This is one step shy of the Pennsylvania DoE actually assuming full control the SSD. A related article can be found HERE.
Yes, the man is coming around.
No one will be happy with what happens next:
Teachers will be paid less.
SSD employees will be laid off.
Taxes will increase.
Children will lose the benefit of a neighborhood school.
Some programs will be eliminated.
Basically, less will be delivered and it will cost more.
Who is to blame? That's surprisingly easy to answer: Registered voters in Scranton.
It was a majority of the 30% or so of registered Scranton voters who routinely voted for grotesquely incompetent candidates for the SSD board. How "grotesquely" you may ask? Well, ponder the fact that, over the past few years, two former SSD board presidents didn't even graduate from high school, That's how grotesque. The SSD board operated like a sailor on leave in Bangkok for decades, and now no one is "clapping".
Scranton taxpayers got the successive SSD boards that they wanted.
This is also a board that twice...not just once, but twice...voted for a no-bid busing contract that just happens to be with a significant campaign contributor and influential local businessman. For the record, I don't blame the businessman; if anything, he's guilty of out-smarting a bunch of amateur politicians (again noting that two recent SSD board presidents didn't even graduate from high school, so how difficult could that have been?).
District teachers don't escape blame here either. The Scranton Federation of Teachers (SFT) routinely endorsed many of these grotesquely incompetent board members, time and time again. Why? Well, like the busing contractor, I suspect that they knew who they could out-smart. They were successful, but like the kid that eats too much candy, the inevitable rotten teeth now must be pulled. Look for the SFT to complain loudly about the actions that "the man" will recommend, while conveniently forgetting their active role in SSD mismanagement. Their excuse/refrain will be that it was the "administration" that is to blame here, and they are right...but again forgetting that they helped elect many of the "administration".
Detecting a pattern here yet?
My heart genuinely goes out to those teachers, maintenance workers and others who will lose their jobs. I've lost a job through no fault of my own, so I know the difficult road they will travel. Many of these people just want to work hard and earn a decent living. But like the bystanders in a drive-by shooting (decades in the making), they had little choice in the matter.
I'd like to tell you that this will all work out in the end and that there will be momentary pain followed by a better tomorrow, but that's a lie. There will be years of pain ahead. Scranton voters will learn the hard way that you reap what you sow by either voting for the incompetent or not voting at all.
1. The view may not always worth the hike.
In 2018 I earned a Master of Science degree as well as a senior Human Resources professional designation. Yet try as I might to have some sense of pride or at least comfort in both, for the most part, what comes to mind is a kind of tired feeling. I think about how draining the process of earning the degree was for me. I sometimes now look back and wonder just how in the heck I managed, and whether or not I'd be able to do that again. That's not a happy thought.
The silver lining: I actually did it. And did it very well. There have been a few times when I've walked past my diploma and thought to myself "you've done well". Maybe over time the "tired muscle memory" will fade.
2. Sometimes the view really is worth the hike.
Especially when that hike is in Scandinavia.
(Bergen, Norway; July 2018)
See #5, below.
3. We are all fully human.
All of us struggle. I've experienced co-workers and family members struggle with stress and anxiety in 2018, more so than in prior years. In fact, from a professional perspective, I don't ever recall seeing so many co-workers feeling so stressed in all of my working life. There is no immunity for me when it comes to working struggles either, and as I reflect on the year, I've come to the conclusion that all of this may be for a reason. Maybe 2018 is the ending act of something that started on October 13, 2016, for me (see THIS posting), a closing of a chapter that has to occur before a new chapter can begin. Maybe this a transition time, a kind bridge between old and new lands. Time will tell.
For my co-workers and family that are struggling at the moment, well, I know better days await them. We all just need to keep moving forward, and remember the advice of the world's most famous fictional boxer:
"It ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward"
4. Progress comes, but sometimes at a cost.
Smoking has been a big topic in the news this year, and there is really good "news": The adult rate of smoking in the United States has continued to decrease, and I hope that it continues to drop. Look, I realize that we all make bad choices, but those choices shouldn't result in a long, painful death (from, for example, lung cancer).
Dying of lung cancer is a horrible, horrible thing. No one should have to experience such a thing, especially when it is the result of a personal choice...a choice that, in fact, has no real value.
Simply put, I really and truly wish that no one smoked. While smoking rates have declined, 2018 saw the rise of a disturbing trend: The surging use of electronic cigarettes and related devices among teenagers.
There is nothing redeeming about the use of nicotine, and while vaping is likely less damaging than smoking, it's just a higher tech way of addiction maintenance. To me, it seems like a poor trade-off.
If you smoke, please stop. If you vape, please at least wean yourself off of nicotine, which really is nothing more than a poison that also gets you high.
5. My world got bigger.
See above; I don't think you can travel internationally and not be positively impacted by the experience. In 2018 I got to visit the following countries:
Norway
Demark
Germany
Poland
Estonia
Russia
Finland
Sweden
The phrase "life-changing" doesn't give it justice. You can read about my travels in a series of postings that start with THIS one. Where do I go from here? Well, likely we will be going to Scotland, maybe in 2020. We shall see. I wouldn't rule out a return trip to Norway or Sweden either.
6. The negativity is like a toxic fog.
There is a kind of general negativity in the United States today that's unlike anything I've ever experienced before. I'm not going to soil this blog by talking about national politics, but I will say this: The country would be better served if the President of the United States simply stopped tweeting.
7. Some take "servant" out of "public servants".
Some folks who are, in theory, public servants don't seem to understand what the combination of those two words actually means. Nowhere is that truer than in the Scranton School District (SSD). Case in point was the ridiculous decision on the part of the SSD Board to eliminate all of the district's librarians. I wrote about this, and my recollections of Mrs. Golden, in THIS posting. I'll note this for the record: The SSD Board is grossly incompetent. While I don't wish to create any bad juju, I do hope that, at some point in 2019, the board is disbanded, the state Department of Education takes over, and at least some Directors are indicted on corruption charges.
A more current view of the SSD Board's latest foray into incompetent can be found HERE.
8. The goodbyes may be coming more frequently.
The Bon Ton department store chain closed for good in 2018. Before the final death knell, many of the chain's stores were closed, including one that I worked at up until 1988. You can read about that experience HERE, and read about the final closing for the entire chain HERE. When you get older, these kinds of transitions become more and more common. To be blunt, you simply outlive people and things that have been a part of your life.
9. The emperor truly had no clothes.
The phrase "the wheels came off the bus" tends to be over-used, but I can think of few instances where it wasn't any truer than in the sexual abuse crisis facing the Catholic Church. It wrote about that in THIS posting. No one should be taking any glee out of the situation facing the Church, although there is something of a silver lining to the crisis in that even the most fervently conservative Catholics are now actively talking about how lay people need to take a larger leadership role in the Church. That's a good thing and long overdue.
There is a problem with the notion of larger lay participation in the Church though, in that the leadership (alone) of the Church gets to make up all of the rules. And arbitrarily change the rules if it wants. It truly is a case of a trial where the same person is the defendant, prosecutor, defense attorney, judge, and jury. Call me skeptical when it comes to most Church reforms, which is truly sad given the many wonderful religious I have met in my lifetime.
10. Some things you just don't get over.
THIS posting. Part of me feels, well, stupid. I should just stop thinking about my brother Chris and just "get over it". Another part of me, the smarter part of me (I think) knows that I wouldn't tell anyone else in a similar circumstance the same thing. So, I'm not "getting over it". I've given myself permission to embrace the grief.
Apparently, the individuals who are responsible for solving the Scranton School District's significant fiscal and educational issues had trouble even agreeing on who should be in charge. See THIS article.
"The annual reorganization meeting, where directors elect leaders for the following year, included five nominations for president. After directors tried to beat each other by shouting out nominations first..."
Yes, they can't even effectively organize themselves.
It's a mistake to minimize this story as being "that's just how these things go" or "you don't understand the process"; the Scranton School District is insolvent right at this very moment. This is an emergency, decades in the making. The Board doesn't have the luxury of, to be crude for a moment, "pissing contests" over who gets what title. This is akin to the officers of the Titanic arguing over who gets to wear what hat while the ship itself is sinking.
The taxpayers deserve better than this, but then again it's been the taxpayers who have elected successive and incredibly unqualified board members in the past. While there has been some hope that new members would bring a degree of professionalism to the board, I can't get over the whole "...tried to beat each other by shouting..." aspect of this circus. This is service to one's self...at the expense of the greater good...at it's very worst.
I have the utmost respect for the police. No one else in civilian life puts their life literally on the line every single day they go to work, and for that, they deserve our respect. It's with that in mind that stories such as this...
...are particularly troubling. It seems readily apparent, at least from the article, that the young lady in question was assaulted, in public, by an off-duty police officer. The fact that the assailant is a police officer, by the way, is very relevant in this case. We have to hold police officers to the highest possible standards of conduct precisely because of the respect they deserve. The badge is diminished, needlessly so, whenever an officer fails to live up to what are basic standards of conduct and decency, such as by punching a wall and grabbing your partner's arm so hard that it leaves a bruise (refer to this public social media posting by the victim).
Then we have the response by the officer's attorney (from the above-referenced article)
“These are mere allegations which he takes very seriously. [name] is presumed innocent and is looking to appropriately addressing these allegations in court.”
My hope is that "appropriately addressing these allegations" doesn't involve any kind of implication that the victim somehow "had it coming". While I'll give the defense attorney the benefit of the doubt, the reality is that far too often someone is victimized twice in cases such as this: Once during the original assault(s) and then in court.
No one "deserves" to be manhandled like a like a calf at a rodeo. No one deserves to live in fear that they will not be believed because of the fact that their abuser holds a position of public trust. No one is responsible for the (alleged) substance abuse and anger management issues of another.
My hope is that the young lady in question moves on with her life. Based on her posting (see above), she seems to be on track to do just that, at least for now. Life is far too short and far too precious to live in fear.
My hope for the officer in question is that he gets the help he deserves. Yes, that he deserves for all of those times he has put his life on the line in service of the public. Until then though, he shouldn't be wearing the badge that represents so very much, including the protection of others.
The Scranton Times had an opinion piece in its March 24th edition that talked about why so few women run for office in Lackawanna Country. This comes almost a week after the same newspaper glowing reported on the annual Friendly Sons banquet, an ALL MALE event held every year around St. Patrick's Day. That event is as much about establishment power brokers as it is local Irish Heritage. Apparently, the editors of the Scranton Times don't see the irony in their reporting/opinion pieces. I do.
In other news of the ironic, Lackawanna County Commissioner Laureen Cummings, self-styled "Tea Party Patriot", apparently is fine with a back-room Democratic party public job offering to someone who seems more connected than qualified(1). Yes, she who rails "against the system" is actually fine with the system, all the while managing to try and protect county residents from that scourge known as the bicycle(2). My personal feeling is that, with all due respect to Ms. Cummings and her personal achievements, the simple concept of irony seems beyond her capabilities.
What do these things have in common?
Well for starters, this isn't about some big-headed anonymous Internet commentator throwing stones. I will readily and publicly admit that I'm an idiot sometimes. However, I try to be a consistent idiot. What's more, I just write crap on the Internet. I don't pretend to have a big audience. I don't claim to be inspiring or smart. I can barely influence my own behaviors, let alone the behaviors of others. I just claim to be me. I'll leave the biting political commentary to Tom Borthwick(3). However, few things bother me more in life than hypocrisy.
No, these things are about something bigger. If there was a Grand Unified Theory(4) of NEPA, it would center around the notion that power is the antithesis of progress. It would be that change...
...be it to "cutting edge of 1950's" social norms
or
...to the notion of politics as usual no matter who you are
...is inherently something to be avoided at all costs. It's about "We've got ours, so screw yours!". NEPA is a small pond with a few big fish, a small number of aspiring to be big fish, and lots of guppies. And that's the way the big fish have always like it.
(1) Reference THIS story. (2) Reference THIS editorial. (3) You can find him HERE, although I do think fatherhood has mellowed him out quite a bit. (4) Just because I am also a science nerd; see THIS reference.
...(also known as the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick) will hold it's annual (men only) banquet this Saturday, March 17th.
The fact that most of the men (only) in the room are Democrats adds just a dash of irony to the whole event. If this were predominantly Republican event would there be moral outrage coming from all corners of NEPA? Call me crazy, but I'm thinking that the answer is a resounding yes.
Now does the organization in question do good work? I am sure that's the case.
Am I committing NEPA career suicide by event writing this post? Maybe.
Will this post change anything? A resounding no.
However, I do think this event speaks volumes about Northeastern Pennsylvania, particularly from the perspective of patriarchy, the over-sized influence of religion in the area, and a general resistance to change among local power brokers.
I'll be waiting with bated breath for the glowing coverage of the event that no doubt be found in the Sunday edition of The Scranton Times. Who knows? Maybe that same edition will feature an outstanding editorial on the importance of having more women run for elected office in NEPA.
For the benefit of the uninformed, every year around Saint Patrick's Day a group in Scranton holds a special event where the politically and socially connected get together, listen to speeches, eat a grand dinner and generally hobnob. It also happens to be a men-only event.
Yes, in 2018...nearly 100 years after women gained the right to vote via the 19th Amendment to the Constitution...Scranton has a dinner where those same women are not welcome. What's just as astounding is the fact that the local newspaper gushes over this event year after year.
This is a gathering where, by my estimation, these same politically and socially connected engage in some self-congratulations on how well they, and by extension, the communities they lead, are doing. Except for the fact that only the men can attend. And except for the fact that northeastern Pennsylvania continues to be an area where unemployment is high, wages are low and graft has reached Olympic Gold Medal levels.
For the record, I know there is another event for the womenfolk. There's even a phrase to describe such a thing. Now, what is it? Oh, "separate but equal". Yeah, that's it. A convenient excuse to continue a tradition that should have died 80 years ago.
Maybe at this year's event, the men can get together to talk about the ramifications of the #MeToo movement.
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?
What does the construction of a mountain made of New Jersey trash and the pending financial collapse of a school district have in common? I was pondering the above while commenting on two articles in the Sunday edition of the Scranton Times-Tribune and this is what came to me: Bread and Circuses(1). NEPA is the ultimate land of "Bread and Circuses". People will gladly be disinterested in what will harm their children (and their children's children)(2) just as long as they can get beer at the local quickie mart, nothing interferes with the local high school football game on Friday night, and they have politicians & well-off business people to admire (and name things after). We see it all around us...you don't need to look too far to see the lunar landscapes of culm banks that can be found all over NEPA. And in the countless buildings and things named for politicians and those wealthy few who greased politicians for years in exchange for favors that served narrow economic interests. That's okay though because those in power figured out generations ago that the residents of NEPA can be bought on the cheap. Just dangle the prospect of some trickle down power, money or influence and just about anything in the area can be overlooked. In the department of things overlooked, the Scranton School District (SSD) has been slowly sliding into receivership for years now, all while those who actually voted in the city continued to elect under or non-qualified leaders. Now that the warning signs of impending doom have nearly made sports score sized fonts in the local newspaper, the leaders of the SSD are considering a few drastic steps, such as the elimination of some under-utilized educational programs. To the best of my knowledge though, there have been no public discussions about tackling the costs of sports programs. Pun intended. Why? See above: Bread and Circuses. Speaking of high school sports in general and football in particular, let me clear up two misconceptions about that seem to abound when it comes to the local "gridiron": (1) High school football does not pay for itself. In fact, that's a fiscal impossibility. Game attendance couldn't even cover the cost of maintaining the stadium any school plays in, let alone the costs of insurance, transportation, equipment, manpower, etc. (2) Very, very few high school football players actually get college scholarships. How few? According to THIS ARTICLE, about 2%. So much for "but football is needed because it's the only way some kids can afford to go to college". I have nothing against high school sports as long as they don't impede the actual reason for high schools to exist in the first place, namely the education of every student. Finally, generations of NEPA residents have down-right admired the powerful and the connected. It's almost Stockholm Syndrome worthy if you ask me. I wonder what the local economy would be like if local politicians and other civic interests were as supportive of every private business as they are of those run, for example, by the landfill family? The economy would be booming, as opposed to perpetually sitting at the bottom of Pennsylvania. Thank god for Altoona. I have nothing against that particular family, by the way; I just wish they weren't trying to build a mountain of out-of-state trash. Yet there are supporters of the landfill expansion. That particular family has done a lot for the region, don't you know. Maybe, just maybe, things might be changing. Maybe a younger generation will see beyond the parochial interests of immediate gratification and understand that some things come at too high of a cost. Maybe a few brave souls will step up at the Scranton School Board and make truly difficult...and no doubt unpopular...choices to reduce the costs of non-educational activities. Maybe I'm dreaming, but hey, there's always hope.
(1) If you're unfamiliar with the concept of "bread and circuses", well, read HERE. (2) Even worse that culm banks, the proposed mountain of trash will exist forever.
Here's the least damning thing recently reported about the Scranton School District (SSD) by Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale: Scranton effectively has the most debt-ridden school district in Pennsylvania.
Again, that's the least damning thing noted in the A.G.'s recent performance audit of the SSD.
It get's worse from there; here's a telling quote from the A.G.:
“It is long past time for the dysfunctional Scranton School District board and the staff to start acting like responsible adults, and to be blunt, get their heads out of their asses and focus their energies on doing what is right for the district’s 10,000 students and thousands of taxpayers,”
You can read more about Auditor General's report on the Scranton Times website (link to the article HERE).
You can read the entire report produced by the A.G.'s office HERE.
There's nothing I need to embellish in this mess, as the facts stand out on their own. I do wonder if some of the accusations merit a further criminal investigation, such as over $600,000 paid to a mechanic...who was not a district employee...who also received SSD paid medical coverage (for himself and his spouse). Then there's the busing contract, which virtually everyone, including the A.G. but except a majority of the SSD Board, has known to be a fiscal version of a dumpster fire.
Regardless, there's one step the SSD Board should take, unanimously I will add: Resign.
The entire SSD Board should resign, effective immediately. All of them are complicit in regard to the SSD's perilous states, both fiscally and from a leadership perspective. All of them either knew or should have known what was happening in the SSD. All of them failed to appropriately raise the condition of the SSD to the crisis level that's described in the A.G.'s report. The fact that Pennsylvania's Auditor General has to shame the SSD's leaders into doing their jobs is more than sufficient justification for a mass resignation.
Speaking of complicit, the SSD's unions can't escape blame here, as they knowingly engaged in the politics of the board, routinely endorsing candidates that weren't qualified to count money in a second-rate Bingo Parlor, let alone manage a multi-million dollar budget. Yes, the objective of any union is to look out for its members, but educators and support professionals in education have an additional calling, namely the care and betterment of children given to them during school hours. Board politics and hiring practices over the years benefited union members...which is a fact that no sane person in Scranton would dispute...but these same practices will ultimately harm the SSD's students through the budget cuts that are coming.
Finally, the ultimate "buck stops here" moment in this hot mess lies with the voting age population of Scranton. As I noted in a related Facebook posting, institutionalized government graft is a part of Northeastern Pennsylvania's culture. It's effectively seen as okay...in an area with limited economic opportunities, connections to government graft became for many Scranton residents an accepted form of upward mobility. The problem though is that the greed driving the engine of government graft is unsustainable; eventually, so many pieces of the pie are taken that there are only crumbs left to educate students.
Friday's Travel...spilled into Saturday, technically speaking. The final toll was as follows: One completely canceled flight (Dallas to Philadelphia), two flight delays, two re-bookings, and a two-hour drive home from Harrisburg, arriving at 1:30 am. My luggage, by the way, didn't make it to Scranton until about 3 pm on Saturday. In the midst of the insanity, there were rays of light...the Avis counter person (Michelle) in Harrisburg, who found me a one-way rental, at 11:30 pm...the gate agent in Amarillo who got me re-routed, even if I ended up having to revise things further...the baggage staff in Harrisburg, who made sure my luggage got to me, even if it was a day late. As I've noted here from time to time, there is nothing glamorous about business travel.
Lawyering, Scranton Style...I've been reading the verbal grousing between a certain local lawyer, the Scranton Times, and a Scranton City councilman. Here's how I see it: Whenever you have $400,000 that is paid out to a person(s) or firm(s) without bidding OR detailed records to document the work performed OF COURSE there will be flags raised. There should be flags raised, by the way. The fact the lawyer/law firm in question also significantly contributed to Mayor Courtright's campaigns over the years only makes it smell worse. This is old-school Scranton back-room dealing at its finest. In the end, it's entirely possible that the legal expenses in question were justified, but this is public money at play, so there needs to be more...not less...transparency. Blaming the Scranton Times for continuing to raise this as an issue is SILLY (at best); what's the alternative? Simply take Mayor Courtright's word for it? Confederate Monuments...Apparently, there is all the rage over monuments to Confederate generals being moved and removed in places across the south. My blunt assessment? Why do we even have monuments to traitors in the first place?
The National Political News Blackout...continues on my end. I'm simply not interested in the latest Tweets or scandals...real or imaginary...that are in the national news. None of what's happening should be a surprise to anyone.
(the Catholic Church) It's Almost Official...There are practically two versions of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States today, at least as evidenced by competing books that deal with the LGBT community within the Church. There's a very good article that touches on that point HERE. As someone who does listen to militant right-wing Catholic radio (EWTN, Ave Maria Radio), it's pretty clear that the Church is suffering from an ideological split that fairly well mirrors the political split within the United States. In fact, just listening to discussions about secular issues on militant right-wing Catholic radio will make you think that you're listening to a stereotypical ring-wing talk-radio host. Just add a few references to the Magisterium and Mary and you've got the whole programming for militant right-wing Catholic radio fairly well locked down.
**The blog author now pauses and regains his composure, as he is getting somewhat cranky**
Blogs, #1...A former co-worker of mine writes a terrific blog that you can find HERE. Her latest posting, The Retiree, touched on a few raw nerves for me, which I so noted in a rather lengthy comment (sorry about the length Michele). I debated responding to the posting, but in the end, I am glad I did contribute my thoughts. I do get anxious whenever I post something that's critical, by the way, even given my tendency towards restraint. The fact is this though: We are all called to always be decent humans, first and foremost. We all fail at that from time to time (me too...well, especially me), but that failure is compounded when that it seems to be institutionalized, somehow a human failure of a planned sort. My final word on this: Always treat people the way you would like to be treated, be it in business or in your personal life. Period.
By the way, I actually interviewed the author the blog in April 2014. You can read that posting HERE.
Blogs, #2...Andy Palumbo recently commented in a blog posting about how disappointing it is that people don't stay with blogs they start (my words; his words can be found HERE). I concur with his sentiment, but with a qualifier, namely that I think sometimes blogs have a hidden purpose, and that purpose gets fulfilled in a time-frame that is all its own. There have been times when I wonder why I write this, but then I remember the purpose of NCFE, which is basically a way for me to help explore things, to help me make sense of the world (the world that mostly exists in my head). That need is not likely to go away anytime soon.
Ponder just how fishy the whole Scranton Sewer Authority deal has become, what with a sitting mayor being less than enthusiastic about a full disclosure of legal fees...legal fees that just happened to be paid to some law firms that also just happened to contribute to his re-election campaign. For example, the Scranton Times noted in its May 27th edition that an attorney whose law firm received about $200,000 in fees from the Scranton Sewer Authority sale also just happened to give $5,000 to Mayor Courtright's campaign just this year (citation HERE). As noted by the Scranton Times, this is in addition to the over $14,000 in contributions given to Mayor Courtright's campaign from this same attorney over the years.
This leads me to a perfectly reasonable question: Is it possible that the $5,000 in contributions were just recycled proceeds from the $200,000 in Sewer Authority sale legal fees?
Making matters even more maddening is the decision by the Sewer Authority board to not ask the State Auditor General's office to conduct an independent audit of the sale. Gee, now why would they not want such a thing done? Oh, and the audit itself is needed because of the Sewer Authority's refusal to provide full disclosure of just what the seven figures in legal fees incurred during the sale actually paid for; per the Scranton Times, the legal work records provided by the authority to the newspaper were so redacted as to be practically useless in terms of actual information provided. The official reason for the redactions is that the information in question involves attorney-client privilege.
Stop here for a moment and note that this was a sale of a public entity, where the sale proceeds went to public governments (Scranton and Dunmore). If anything, the public itself is a client in all of this mess. The legal fees, by the way, were in excess of three million dollars (citation HERE).
Another perfectly reasonable question to ask: Was any of the legal work in question related to lobbying efforts in support of the deal?
Scranton Mayor Bill Courtright is DEAD WRONG in defending a lack of transparency when it comes to the Sewer Authority sale. I challenge any supporter of the Mayor to provide a reasonable defense of LESS TRANSPARENCY in this deal (and I will gladly publish that defense, word for word, in this blog). When faced with legitimate questions about just what over three million dollars in legal fees paid for, well, Mayor Courtright's response is that the public just needs to understand the deal (citation HERE). Call me crazy, but perhaps the public would better understand the deal if there was a full disclosure of just what was received for all of the legal work performed.
The public has an absolute right to a 100% accounting of every penny associated with this sale; anything less simply screams the old-school, backroom, pay-to-play politics that have been typical of Scranton's municipal government for decades. The sale itself may, in fact, be a perfectly good idea, all be it one now tainted by a shameful lack of transparency.
Courtright Gets It Wrong...The Scranton Times pretty much nails it in an editorial published today (you can read it HERE), rightfully criticizing the Mayor of Scranton for this steadfast defense of secrecy and his defaulting to the tried and true Scranton politician line of "trust me I know what's best". I'm curious as to how anyone...really, seriously, ANYONE...can defend the lack of transparency related to lawyers fees associated with the Scranton Sewer Authority sale. Yes, I understand the concept of attorney-client privilege, but this is the sale of a PUBLIC ASSET, so every aspect of the deal should be fully transparent.
Truly bad phishing example...I do find it funny when phishing emails are actually written in broken English, of the sort that you'd hear spoken in some awful 30's era Charlie Chan movie. Here's a recent example...
"...just sign in from a new device, we just make sure that you are doing this activity."
Popcorn...I have a love-hate relationship with popcorn. In moderation, I am fine with it. In excess? Well, let's just say that the words "explosive abdominal decompression" come to mind. Of course, when I go to the movies, as I did on last Saturday to see Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, the word "moderation" isn't on my mind as I am chain-eating a bag full of the greasy stuff, courtesy of Movies 14 in downtown Wilkes-Boro. I will never learn.
Mother's Day...Last Sunday was mother's day and for all the mothers out there, well, a belated here's to you! There are few harder jobs in the known universe than being a (good) mother, and sadly it seems like the bad one's get all the press these days. My mother passed away in 2013, and while in retrospect I had a very difficult upbringing, it's never the less fitting and proper that she be appropriately acknowledged. Here's to you Mom, wherever you are...
(circa 1977, in Atlantic City NJ; Mom, Chris, Joe & Steve)
Rubberbanding...I'm finally starting to get out of my rubberband feelings (see HERE), although I suspect that I'm going to have odd feelings about free time for a while yet to come. What helps is having a full slate of home projects to focus on; first up is some work on our kitchen, where wallpaper has been steamed off the walls and things are getting ready for some painting. For the record, if you have wallpaper in your house BUY A STEAMER! It dramatically reduces the time and effort required to remove old wallpaper and it doesn't smell like fermented urine either. After the kitchen is done I have a project for my home office in the wings, which fortunately involves a road trip to IKEA.
What's I'm Currently Reading...I pulled a few quotes from David Foster Wallace to use in some work I'm doing, so it's only natural that I'd want to read another of his books. I'm just starting to read Consider the Lobster and Other Essays. My only negative feedback? The type in the paperback edition is very, very small.
President Snowflake...A good read by Tony Schwartz (who wrote Art of the Deal) for the President, can be found HERE. Some of what Schwartz wrote mirrors comments by Howard Stern regarding how much the President must hate his job. The truly ironic part? It's Trump's ardent "Alt-Right" supporters that like to call liberals "Snowflakes", but yet is there a bigger, more delicate snowflake out there than Donald Trump?
I still follow politics (more or less) in Scranton, and of all the races out there, the most interesting, by far, are those for open positions on the Scranton School Board. With that in mind, here's a point of consideration for all you Scranton voters out there:
YOU ARE CRAZY IF YOU VOTE FOR ANY CANDIDATE THAT HAS A FAMILY MEMBER WHO WORKS FOR THE DISTRICT.
Granted that the mental health professionals out there (including my daughter Stinky) probably take offense to my use of the word "crazy" so how about "incredibly foolish" instead?
Here's my logic for the above: When these folks take office and they have to vote for either...
a) The fiscal health of the District
OR
b) The fiscal health of their family
...what do you think will win out in the end? I can tell you who will lose...the taxpayers. Yes, conflict of interest is a real thing, in spite of what many local politicians will have you believe. Granted that the local school board in my neck of the woods isn't much better, although I'm reasonably sure that the president of our school board at least graduated from high school. Now I know, the current Scranton School District board president Sheridan has a G.E.D., but just let that one sink in for a moment...the president of a school board failed to graduate from high school. How is that not like nominating someone who dropped out of basic training to be head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff?
(The U.S. Joint Chief's of Staff; all completed basic training)
For the record, having a G.E.D. doesn't speak to president Sheridan's intelligence...or the intelligence of anyone else with a G.E.D. for that matter. What it does speak to though is his (specific) commitment to life-long learning and fitness to lead an organization that is designed to deliver formal education to children. Call me crazy, but I somehow think that the folks running an educational system should have a vested interest in...and committment to...education.
Speaking of the President of the Scranton School Board, he too has a conflict of interest (in my opinion), namely that he is also President of the Scranton City Democratic Committee. Given the choice between doing what's right for taxpayers OR bolstering his political party, what will Mr. Sheridan do? I don't believe that these kinds of conflicts arise all the time, but consider this scenario: A less-qualified by highly loyal party operative is looking for employment in the district and finds an open position. The competition for that position is someone who lacks local political connections but is better qualified for the job. Who wins? Come on now, we all know that answer, and the Scranton School District is saddled with yet another life-long, politically connected employee. It's a perverse "Circle of Life" kind of thing, but this time featuring weasels instead of lions.
The Scranton School District is headed for a state takeover, and while painful, I also think it's necessary. Simply put, the Scranton School Board is incapable, mostly by virtue of competence (as in the lack of), of managing its way out of the current and long-simmering financial crisis that stands at more than $33.6 million. The current board did not create this crisis, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania contributed to it in a significant way*, but in the end, this same current board has continued a long history of mismanagement and nepotism that goes back decades in Scranton. They choose not to make tough choices so tough choices will be made for the next board.
* * * * * *
(*) There has been much written about Pennsylvania's public sector pension crisis, and I'll not add to that here, other than to say it's my opinion that the whole mess is a classic example of entrenched politics at it's very worst. Legislators wanted richer pensions, and to get them they basically bought off the politically powerful teacher unions. I don't blame teachers for getting better pensions; heck, who wouldn't want that? Instead, this is a textbook example of why there shouldn't be career politicians in the first place. Again, when personal interests of the elected compete with the public good, who usually loses?
You are coming home from getting a new kitten at the local shelter.
Your car gets struck from behind by someone driving a truck.
The truck driver comes out to see if you're okay and notices the kitten. He asks, "what's the kitten's name?".
The police arrive. The nice police officer sees the kitten. He also asks "what's the kitten's name?". The police officer and the truck driver get into a long debate about naming the kitten.
You stand there, wondering why no one seems to care about you or car that was carrying you (and the kitten).
* * * * * *
The City of Scranton is functionally bankrupt, meaning that its liabilities far, far exceed that of its assets. It can't substantially raise taxes anymore (see below), and its leaders lack the political will to demonstrably reduce the costs of providing city services. Even with the infusion of tens of millions of dollars from the sale of the city's last remaining major asset, municipal pensions will STILL be substantially underfunded, and at best all the city can do is to plan on making the required on-going* contributions.
To this backdrop we see local leaders engaged in a heated discussion about naming a bridge.
Call me crazy, call me insane, call me anything but late for supper, but Scranton is in crisis. All of its leaders (city council, mayor, state representatives, etc.) need to be focused on creating a fiscal plan that brings solvency without increasing taxes on...
Residents - Scranton already has the second highest wage tax in Pennsylvania.
Businesses - Scranton's business taxes are punitive and include, among other things, the taxation of gross receipts, so even a money-losing enterprise must still pay into the city.
Yes, it's that bad. But that's okay, as there's been a robust discussion about naming a bridge.
(*) From what I gather, the city will be making current contributions, but will not be doing anything...other than dumping proceeds from the sewer system sale...to increase the pension funding percentages. Put another way, while sewer system sale will infuse cash into retirement investments, it comes far short of funding the pensions at 100%. Reference HERE. If this doesn't scare Scranton residents, well then nothing will.
The more I see, read, hear and experience in NEPA the more I am absolutely convinced, without a shadow of a doubt, that our single biggest problem is NOT:
Being in the technology dark ages (although we are...)
Poor primary and secondary educational systems (I think they are functionally okay...)
A lack of a safety net for the poorest (even though there are plenty of poor...)
...or even...
A lack of economic opportunities for young people (more on this in a second...)
It's not any of the above, and I'll debate this item with anyone, any time.
No, our single biggest problem lies in an inability to critically question authority in NEPA. We basically exist in some kind of bizarre herd mentality in NEPA whereby many willingly follow anyone in "authority". Now reading the anonymous comments to various newspaper articles may make you think differently, but it's very telling that, in order to be critical, many have to hide their identity. Where is the revolt at the ballot box? We elect and re-elect the same failed politicians in NEPA without so much as batting an eye.
Anyway, it's an inability to question authority...heck, there is a cottage industry in NEPA surrounding how some enable authority...that I think leads to many of the ills we face as an area.
Just what do we believe?
We BELIEVE that school boards exist not to oversee the education of children, but rather to hand out good jobs and business contract to deserving family members and political supporters.
See the lack of real nepotism policies in Scranton, Wyoming Area, Wilkes-Barre, etc. And let's not forget Scranton's no-bid, multi-million dollar bus contract.
We BELIEVE that political corruption is somehow bizarrely okay, as long as money is brought in to construct a building, add lights to a Little League field, renovate a theater, or any other kind of pork. If it makes us feel good, it must be okay, right?
See Bob Mellow. And Dan Flood. And Joe McDade. And Ray Musto.
We BELIEVE that big institutions are always right, no matter how often they prove it to the contrary.
See the Catholic Church*, public employee labor unions, utilities, Penn State and others.
We BELIEVE that athletes are heroes and are deserving of just about anything they want, no matter how incompetent they actually are off the playing field.
See "Skrep-Daddy". And Joe Paterno. And others.
We BELIEVE that local economic develop officials are doing a GREAT JOB, no matter how unsuccessful they are in getting the Scranton Wilkes-Barre MSA's unemployment rate out of last (or nearly last) place in Pennsylvania. Note that I've been to most parts of Pennsylvania, and having the highest unemployment rate in a state that boasts such garden spots as Altoona, Easton and Erie is quite a trick. The cynic in me thinks that some must actually work at keeping the area economically depressed.
See the local Chambers of Commerce, state economic development folks, county commissioners, etc.
We BELIEVE that entertainment is more important than attainment. This is why local newspaper sports sections are multiple pages longer than the business section. We wouldn't want people to be educated about our economy and how it actually works outside of the public sector.
See the Scranton Times, Citizen's Voice, the Times-Leader and others.
All isn't lost though, as the good work being done by Friends of Lackawanna is showing promise that perhaps some are willing to truly challenge the status quo. This is a good thing.
(*) I am drawing a distinction here between what one may chose to believe about the Catholic Faith vs. human-run institution of the Catholic Church. I admire the Faith, while I am dismayed at the institution.
From the February 26, 2016 edition of the Scranton Times:
"...giving him a raise from $97,000 to $130,000..."
The "him" in question is the executive director of the Scranton Sewer Authority. Another officer of the authority was also given a substantial raise. You can read the article HERE.
The solicitor of the sewer authority said that the raises "...are to compensate the officials for all of their additional work related to the proposed sewer authority sale.".
Now I have no doubt that engineering the sale of the sewer authority requires significant effort on the part of the salaried professionals that run that organization. But they are salaried for a reason: They are paid to do whatever the job entails, even when that job did not initially entail a sale of the authority.
I've been working in the private sector for almost 30 years. In none of that tenure I can't ever recall personally hearing of an executive, barring a promotion, receiving a 34% increase in base pay, not even for organizations without extensive bonus or other additional compensation arrangements. Welcome to the magical world of Scranton and the public sector.
As a side note, should a teacher who during the school year gets additional special needs students in his/her class also get a 34% increase in pay? I've known teachers and this kind of scenario happens. And it creates a lot of extra work.
Again, I am absolutely sure that the Executive Director is doing a lot of extra work. But that comes with the title of "Executive Director". Should he be entitled for some remuneration for that work? Of course. Heck, maybe he should get some kind of performance bonus when the authority sale has concluded (and Scranton sells yet another fixed asset to help pay for on-going financial obligations). Increasing a base salary by a third? That's simply ridiculous.
Want to know what else is ridiculous? The fact that no one seemed to notice or care about the 34% raise.
A few questions should have been asked in this case:
How does the executive director's base pay compare to peers in similar locations?
What other forms of compensation, both direct and indirect, does the executive director receive?
Who actually came up with the 34% increase number?
How was the 34% increase number determined?
Is the executive director covered under a defined benefit pension plan, in which benefits are determined largely based upon final years compensation?
Are there any other benefits provided to the executive director which are tied to compensation (such as life insurance)?
Look, it could be entirely reasonable to give the executive director this raise, but questions should have been asked. This isn't about the executive director as a person either. I'm all for anyone doing the best they can when it comes to being compensated well; I just think that heightened scrutiny is due when the public is forced to pay for that compensation (and the public has no choice but to pay this salary...it's not as if a Scranton resident can say "Well, I don't like this deal; I'm going to create my own sewer system".)
Scranton's authorities have long been shadowy, insider places. This recent news item proves that tradition continues, robustly and with vigor.
