Well then! It turns out our state lawmakers went and chickened out whereas their midnight pay raise is concerned. I will admit to being very, very surprised by their sudden display of a lack of intestinal fortitude, but as far as I'm concerned--ths "unvouchered expenses" reversal means absolutely nothing. They displayed their obvious contempt for the tax paying residents and changed course only after the public furor made them feel somewhat vulnerable during the next election go-round. Plain and simple, they sh*t on us hayseeds and never dreamed for a moment that we would react the way we did.

The only thing left to do is to remember and savage the incumbents the next time around.

Do 'em all.

Oh, and, somebody tell John Yudichak to get his ass back down there to Plymouth and get that $5,000 back to the treasury. What was up with that move anyway? I won't take the raise, but I will give it away to someone else. (?)

Screw that! It's still an "unvouchered expense," isn't it? It's still spent and it's still unconstitutional.

Do him, too!

I have no idea how many of you read the business sections of the local newspapers, but this one sounds like a real shot in the arm for the theather complex, and the downtown in general.

Times Leader Posted on Wed, Nov. 02, 2005 Small Business of the Year winner plans W-B store By RON BARTIZEK rbartizek@leader.net PLAINS TWP. – One of the region’s most successful Internet businesses is planning to open a bricks-and-mortar store next summer. After accepting the award as Small Business of the Year at the 121st annual meeting of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce, Spencer Chesman, chief executive of igourmet.com, said the fast-growing West Pittston-based specialty food business is negotiating for space in the emerging downtown Wilkes-Barre theater complex. That move – and a 50 percent annual growth rate – will require adding nine full-time employees in the next 18 months, Chesman said. The company had seven employees when it moved here from New York in 2004. It now employs 16 at a 66,000-square-foot building that was formerly occupied by Pride Mobility. The family business has seen an explosion in growth in the past several years. “We’ve been in the mail-order business since the 1960s,” Chesman said. “In 1997 we moved the whole business online. It just took off with the Internet.” He said the company has annual volume of about $10 million and customers in all 50 states. Before choosing to move to the Wyoming Valley, Chesman looked at locations in four other states. The chamber dinner, held at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, was a sellout, with nearly 500 people attending and more than 100 member companies represented, said Stephanie Bombay, director of communications. Donna Sedor, the chamber’s executive vice president, said in opening remarks that 85 percent of members are considered small businesses. “This award is to recognize them.”

So, what's the latest count? The Wise Crackers comedy club is new to Penn Avenue. Ditto The Chill Grill. Farley's is set to open between the theater and the Labor & Industry building on South Washington Street. Oh, and there's that artsy-fartsy venture coming to South Franklin Street relatively soon. Sorry, but the name escapes me at this very moment and I'm too completely tired to care. And now the internet gourmet folks are looking at the downtown. You have to be encouraged. No?

And what do all of these businesses have in common versus what has gone on in Wilkes-Barre Township of late? Anybody? Yup. They are small business folks from right here in good 'ole NEPA, and their outfits are niche businesses when compared to the chains and the big box category killers that the hill is offering up. In effect, they are exactly what we need if our downtown is to thrive again.

Stay tuned. Oh, and think positive for a change. It won't hurt.

I received the following election material in my snail mail box today and it got me to wondering about what it is that the County Procthononotary does anyways? I mean, nothing against Jill Moran, I'm sure she's doing a fine job down there in Hazleton while the county courthouse is still situated in Wilkes-Barre, but why is it again that we need to vote on this position? It's like the Register of Wills position...who gives a flyin' farg who registers the wills and such?

Let's be serious. The county commissioners at any given juncture are basically allowed to hire, or appoint all of their dead and living relatives with our system of county government being built on varying shades of gray areas. Would we be in any more debt if these two positions were appointed rather than elected?

But, "Vote for me, I streamlined the prothonotary office." (?) Does anybody really care?

And would we be any better off by dispatching Moran back to Hazleton after voting Carolee Medico in again? I'm sure the reporters covering the courthouse would love it given Carolee's penchant for starting a well-publicized ruckus every other hour. But on a scale of one-to-ten (one being F>CK NO!), would we rather have Carolee fighting the Dems again on page one of the newspapers, or would we prefer to have Moran run her office from afar and enjoy the resulting peace and quiet? I'll tell ya, Skrep is a big boy, but I think Carolee would get him back on his heels right off the snap. She's proven to be pretty tough in the trenches.

One thing though, both Carolee Medico and Steve Flood went into that courthouse with very, very confrontational styles, and both were shown the door after one term. I can't see Moran losing this race no matter how many documents coming out of her office have been forged.

Kayak Dude sent me a copy of the "Canoe & Kayak" magazine issue that included the short piece about the proposed inflatable dam. He got permission to publish it, but I can claim I just copied it off of the internet. This particular issue also includes the "2006 Buyer's Guide," which has gobbled up my time both yesterday and today. Dude, are you trying to get wifey pissed off at me again?

She's finally gotten over that $499 primo enhancement to my DJing capabilities. And then there was that shock to her system that was the Hummer bicycle. And I failed to mention that I recently took possession of another 430 mint condition vinyl LPs that take up even more space in this here adobe. So, what do you do? You get me to shopping for a monster kayak in a serious way.

Iffin' I grab one of these Nimitz Class boats, you're gonna have to back me up when I tell her I got it used, from you, and for only a fraction of it's retail price. She'll believe it coming from you.

I think.

Is nothing sacred anymore?

Muslim fans say Giants Stadium security, FBI profiled them for praying By WAYNE PARRY Associated Press Writer November 1, 2005, 6:14 PM EST NEWARK, N.J. -- Several Muslim football fans claim they were profiled and unfairly detained by stadium security personnel and the FBI at Giants Stadium during a game in September when they were seen praying, alarming other fans who considered their behavior suspicious. Five fans attending the New York Giants-New Orleans Saints game at the Meadowlands on Sept. 19 were removed from their seats and questioned by security personnel after other fans saw them prostrating themselves on the ground as part of daily Muslim prayers, which must be performed five times each day, Sohail Mohammed, a lawyer for one of the men, said Tuesday. The men plan to detail their experience at a news conference Wednesday in New York designed to foster greater understanding of Islam and the religious practices of Muslims. "This is a classic example of `If you want to pray, you'll have to pay,' " Mohammed said. "These folks were exercising their fundamental right to practice their faith, and they wanted to enjoy, as Americans, their favorite sport."

There they go with the education bit again. Understand this!!! Listen to me tell it!

Nobody goes to Giants Stadium to be surrounded by prayers unless we're lining up for a game winning field goal with three ticks left on the clock. Okay?

We don't plop down big bucks to watch Christians, Buddhists, Hindus or Muslims do their thing in the closest available aisle. We go there to watch The Blue Wall--The New York Football Giants--whoop some ass. I can guarantee you this much, those converts are lucky they ran into stadium security and not my crazed brother. He openly threatens the lives of Eagles fans stupid enough to enter Giants Stadium. I can only imagine his lid flipping out of control after encountering some sort of blasphemous impromptu prayer circle in his sacred house of worship.

Fact is, there's a time and place for everything. And the last time I checked, Giants Stadium was not a mosque, or a f>cking church for that matter. If you can't go without your 2nd -century crutch for a measly three hours, watch the Giants on the freaking television. Pray yourselves silly if you must, but leave the serious football to us rowdy American drunkards.

Praise be to Eli!

I'm beat. Gotta go.

CYA