If the truth doesn't save us, what does that say about us?--Lois McMaster Bujold

Check this pathetic SAYSO from today’s Leader:

If this is the best the double-dippers posing as average Joes can do, we’re in good shape folks. Will we be paying a full-time salary for a part-time mayor? Trust me phony teat sucker, Tom Leighton fully realizes that it’s going to be more than a full-time commitment attempting to undo the horrific damage our current mayor has done to this once proud city. Would he be out there 24/7 when it snows? Nope. Only a control freak and an incompetent manager would feel the need to micromanage everything right down to the tightening of bolts on rusted city plows. We pay the mayor to manage the city and not to personally plow the streets. Will he seek out grants and funds for the city? Well duh! What mayor wouldn’t? Duh! And then finally, I think we should have a full-time, committed, qualified mayor. There ya’ go! Me too! What we need is a full-time, committed, qualified mayor and we’ll finally have one on May 20th-Tom Leighton.

Check this link out. This is exactly what I’ve mentioned a few times. When the populace doesn’t attend government meetings and when the populace doesn’t bother to vote, the politicos castigate us and call us apathetic. When we do start paying close attention, they like us even less.

It’s usually referred to as free speech kiddies. Opinions are like election year yard signs. We’ve all got one. Some people prefer censorship and that should paint a big, red target on them as far as we are concerned. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the public debating the local issues of the day and offering their opinion of local events or, the people that drive them. When people participate in democracy, it only makes it stronger. It serves to protect it and ensure that it continues.

I like to think that my opinions are backed up with facts. They are often backed up by documentation. I am totally pleased that this web site has encouraged all sorts of people to get involved to some degree, or at least sound off on occasion. While it’s unfortunate that much of the anger that occasionally comes across on this site is usually directed at one man, it is in my mind totally deserved. It’s not simply the fact that our current mayor has made a complete and depressing mockery of our city that has him being called something short of an evil incarnate so often, it’s the fact that he treats people so poorly and thinks nothing of breaking the usual rules of engagement. If under-handedness and nonstop falsehoods deserved votes, he would be our king for life. Thankfully we, as the long suffering residents of Wilkes-Barre, prefer to remain above that slimy, filthy place where he and his hapless myrmidons are usually found. Opinions are fine and dandy, but the one thing that the McGroarty supporters are completely lacking in is hard facts to back up their ridiculous contentions that this man should not be tarred, feathered and shipped off to anywhere but here.

That’s my opinion. If it bothers you, find a way to deal with it.

The latest clutter campaign has turned the Nord End of the city into a landfill again. I came home from my Bike About today to find that wifey was trying to think of what else to throw out onto the sidewalk. Of course, she thought of a few things, they were all dreadfully heavy and I had to help to hump them out of the basement. I began to curse our mayor as I supported the weight of an oak desk on the cellar steps as wifey attempted to remove the kitchen door from it’s hinges. That desk has been sitting in the basement for years and it never bothered a soul residing here. We stored a lot of equally important, but never used stuff on it. But then the mayor put out his clarion call: Give me your tired, your worn-out and your obvious junk. The theater fell through, the call center is a disaster, but I will come to a sidewalk near you and collect your dusty junk. The Nord End of the city looks like sh*t and this is what we in Wilkes-Barre call progress? I just don’t see it.

No, I don’t enjoy having women that resemble Refrigerator Perry banging on my door and asking me if the pile next door is garbage and free for the taking. I can’t bear to watch the people with absolutely no dignity dig through the piles of useless cast offs. I have to stay indoors during this nonsense, rather than getting some air on the front porch. Today, a lady brought a rented cube van up the street to inspect this streets piles. She jumped on the desk that I didn’t want to get rid of. She was so tired from her hard day of picking through trash that she settled on the front steps for a smoke break and gabbed in wifey’s less than receptive ear. Eventually, wifey filed into the house and said “The scum pickers just left.” Scum pickers. We ask for increased police patrols, but instead we get scum pickers. We ask for a clean city and instead we get a temporary landfill. We ask for competent leadership and instead receive the overdone pet project of the garbage king.

The guy claims he doesn’t want to get in the sewers with the skunks, but he rarely if ever gets away from the curbs that drain into the sewers. If creating garbage year round is your pet peeve, this is the man for you. Me? I want a mayor that delegates the garbage pick-ups and concentrates on making Wilkes-Barre into a clean, prosperous and safe city. I don’t want a mayor that brings “scum pickers” to my front porch.

The Voice’ Party Animals reported today that our fire chiefie says he’s not going anywhere and it’s untrue that he’s shopping around.

Sure he is! As soon as we are allowed to vote, he’ll be shopping around rather frantically. He won’t be alone.

I did manage to ride from one end of the city to the other today and for the very first time, I did it without the dependable, aging Huffy. I actually felt guilty as I stripped her of her various watertight bags and accessories. She looked naked without them. I spent most of the morning working on the Rock Stomper. Yepper. That’s what it’s called. No more Huffy Scout. The new wheels are without doubt going to be a better ride after some riding and necessary adjustments, but as I rode down the street today I felt as if I was screwing over my most loyal friend. I guess I really was.

Check this out:

This is nuts. Our E.S.U. (Swat team) truck has been repainted and is now our E.M.A. (Terrorist attack response) truck. It’s actually our E.R.V. (emergency repaint vehicle), which we repaint every time some grant dollars can be had for nonsensical purposes.

And then we have what’s left of the Coke truck we purchased to respond to any biological, chemical, or radiological attacks perpetrated against Wilkes-Barre. If this contraption wasn’t so completely pathetic and inept, it would be hysterical. Does the presence of the Coke truck/trailer thingy allow you to sleep better at night?

I have it on good authority that the city is about to hire Baghdad Bob. Yep, THE Baghdad Bob. His exemplary performance at his previous job has so impressed the mayor and his sore-kneed underlings that he has been offered a position as the official press officer for the city of Wilkes-Barre.

Mr. Wilkes-Barre Bob. What is the mayor’s reaction to residents complaints of increasing crime and the lackadaisical attitude of the city’s top cop?

There is no crime in Wilkes-Barre. None. Why do you think the mayor tried to delete the entire police force during his two terms? Because Wilkes-Barre has no crime. The city did not refuse to release the crime statistics, the fact of the matter is, we had no statistics. We had none, because there has not been a single crime committed in this city since January 1, 1996. Not one. Zero.

Do not believe the lies of the imperialistic and obstructionist council dogs. They are lead by evil hoddog vendors and satanic bartenders, who wish to stain the reputation of our all-knowing god, The Honorable (?) Thomas D. McGroarty. All bow! The great one has willingly protected us from the lazy and greedy hordes of sleeping firemen and donut eating police officers, while keeping crime at bay with dump trucks and plow parades.

I repeat, there is no crime in Wilkes-Barre. Do not listen to the voices of the infidels. They make up lies to embarrass the rightful owner of Wilkes-Barre. There are no hookers, there are no shootings and the liars that claim that crime exists here are Zionists intent upon bringing democracy to this safe and silent oligarchy. The lies do not impress us, nor do they frighten us. We will expel the lying crusaders and bring that internet bastard to his knees. Next question?

Mr. Wilkes-Barre Bob. What is the current balance of the city’s general fund?

Check this out. I knew that most of the city’s fire trucks were getting older than hearing “It’s all politics,” but this is getting ridiculous. This vehicle was once used to deliver Eddie Day & The Nighttimer’s guitars and amps to the dancehall at Sandy Beach. You know she’d rather be with, you know she’d rather be with, you know she’d rather be with me!

Ah, The Turtles. Talk about harmonizing. I think I’m gonna’ have to crank some right now! God! I miss Sandy Beach.

Imagine me and you. I do. I think about you day and night....

TLFM