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Sunday, April 26, 1998 Page:
SAYSO
The other day on TNT there was a good movie on the murder of Abraham
LincolnAnd the other day there was a good show on the History Channel about
the Spanish-American War. I watched these with my sons who are seniors in high
school and they knew absolutely nothing about these events, even though they
are going to graduate in a few months. I don’t know what we’re paying these
$50,000-a-year teachers for in our public schools. I was taught these things
in school. I also think these historical movies, which are very accurate, I
believe, could be a valuable teaching thing that the students may relate to
better in school. I wonder how many of our schools are using these
documentaries in the history classes to make the things more realistic to the
students.
I’m calling about sexual preferences of politicians. Who cares if they’re
gay, straight or whatever? As long as they can do the job, it doesn’t matter
who they go to bed with. What they do privately doesn’t affect how they serve
publicly. We need more gay politicians. Most gays tend to keep an open mind,
which is more than I can say for most close-minded residents of the Wyoming
Valley.
The money changers have an old saying: War is hell but it shouldn’t
interfere with business. That’s the attitude of millions of Americans who want
30 to 50 percent return on their investments. And the end profit doesn’t
matter about the means. So profits obtained in illegal gambling activities,
drug money funneled into financial institutions for laundering, HMOs
committing massive Medicare fraud and paying dividends to stockholders,
millions of Americans filing bankruptcy making others pay the tab. Money is
king and no matter where it comes from, it’s all that counts.
My hat is off to Carolee Medico. If we only had more people in the
courthouse and all the offices as she is, they could show what is going on
over there. Now is our time, when it’s time to vote, is to get all these
people out of there because they are ripping the taxpayer like you wouldn’t
believe.
You opened up a can of worms and I’m going to get my 2 cents worth in. I do
not believe that we should have any homosexuals, gays, lesbians involved in
politics unless it be made known to the voters out there and they vote them
into office. Let it be known first and then let the people decide whether they
want them in there.
I hunt in Bradford County. The Game Commission almost doubled the doe
licenses for that county this year. And there isn’t near the number of deer up
there as there was 10 or 15 years ago. Has this Game Commission absolutely
lost its senses? Something needs to be done and we should all contact our
elected senators and representatives to do something about it. This is nothing
short of insane.
I’m calling about the call that said the deer is stupid. He’s the one
that’s stupid. Since man has taken over much of the animal’s territory, they
all can cross roadways and sometimes become confused. Try to have a little
compassion and please don’t use that rifle. You sound dangerous.
I’d just like to know if there are other women out there who, like me, are
sick and tired of seeing and hearing about breast cancer. Every time you turn
the TV on. Now, it’s even on commercials. Give us women a break already.
I’m calling in regards to your article in the newspaper about do we feel
that people that are running for a political place or office should reveal
their sex preference. As a lesbian myself, I think that they should. They
should be proud of what they’re representing. If they’re going to represent
the state, why can’t they represent themselves to let people know who they
are?
I’m calling about the SAYSO in Monday’s paper regarding how can people call
African-Americans blacks? My comment is, first of all, there is no politically
correct term anymore. It’s called educated term. Why don’t you start by
calling us human beings? What do you mean by reverse discrimination? Do you
ever hear of any blacks deciding on whether we should call you whites,
Caucasian, Irish, Welsh, Polish, Germans, etc.? We are all equal. Get over it.
Please explain how white people are getting the shaft.
I see the (other paper) is starting up their own SAYSO line. Why don’t they
come up with their own idea instead of copying you?
Please. Let’s get rid of this SAYSO. These columns are absolutely
ridiculous. People calling in with stupid questions and arguments over such
little things. We can do more in our paper than this stupid SAYSO. It’s a
waste of time and a waste of paper.
I like the SAYSO. I’m calling to say how much my family and friends
appreciate the investigative articles by Dave Ralis. It’s a pleasure to have
such a dedicated and honest investigative reporter. He has the guts to expose
the misuse of taxpayers’ funds, he’s a great watchdog and we look forward to
his continued reporting.
Editor’s note: So do we.
I have a quick comment for all the (motorcyclists) riding up and down the
Rolling Mill Hill section of Wilkes-Barre, especially Hazle Street. Hey
geniuses, there’s a lot of people in that neighborhood that have young
children that are going to bed early. How about keeping it down? If you want
respect, you have to give respect.
This is to the caller who wants a Western party on the square and for the
editor of SAYSO that asks what kind of party would they plan on the square and
any suggestions. What about $5 apiece for as many as can fit on the streets
and on the buildings, windows, and any spot with a good view to bear witness
to a jamboree of two politicians to each street lamp overhanging arm, being
hung by the (bleepers), and a grand finale with fireworks and a 21-gun salute
from the armory of any murderer or rapist to be dropped from a portable
scaffold.
I’m getting a little tired waiting for the newspapers or the news
commentators on television to tell the truth about the Social Security fund to
our young people. The politicians are trying to make the young people believe
that the Social Security fund has gone broke because of the elderly people
that are on it now. There’s one person that I heard tell the truth and it was
Bill Press on “Crossfire.”
Thank you for publishing the latter part of my comment. However, in order
to understand it, I would appreciate it if you would publish the beginning. In
April an article appeared regarding chain ownership of a private school in New
Jersey. This chain operates a private school much like the Wilkes-Barre
Academy operates theirs, except the academy is privately owned. It provided 12
hours of day care at the school and keeps its operating costs less so that is
affordable to the middle class. I’m a single parent, middle class, and that’s
exactly what I get. Cheap day care and education too. At the academy, the PTO
virtually pays for many of the educational needs. All of the good employees
drop like flies for better paying jobs.
I’m calling in regards to the noise on Market Street. Yes, I do agree that
the children should have some fun and enjoy life and I believe that walking in
nature, a good book, sports, these are the good things in life. But loud music
not only disturbs the neighbors, it disturbs their electrical systems and 15
percent of all children will have hearing problems in the future. God only
knows what suffering that they have to incur because of that loud music. It
will do no good for anyone. So if people would only study and read about
preventative medicine, maybe they would understand this.
It’s a shame the politically connected Mondlaks of Mondlak Printery would
overcharge the taxpayers several hundred percent in their printing for the
county. I hope they don’t expect any business from the public for doing that.
I’m calling in regards to the comments about the noise on Market Street in
Kingston. I’m sure that the nontaxpaying noise makers would not like it in
their neighborhood, the loud exhaust and the extremely loud radios. I don’t
know why they aren’t enforcing the cruising ban.
I just want to say that when the people call you and tell you that they get
a better education in a private school, it’s because a private school only
accepts qualified students. They don’t accept everybody like the public
schools do.
I don’t know who’s responsible for picking the headline stories on your
front page, but I pick up the paper today and I’m reading the top story is
about cigarettes, touting the storekeeper’s version of the law, which is
hardly worth front page, number one story. I think it’s ridiculous that you
tout a cigarette store over the public’s right to not smoke if they don’t want
to. That’s hardly the point. It’s a poor choice.
Joann Curley is a model prisoner. What else would you expect? She’s been an
actress for the last I don’t know how many years. She’s just working in her
profession.
Today is April 21st. I just had the biggest laugh reading an article in The
Times Leader about Mayor McGroarty and the Wilkes-Barre cops in a gunfight.
His quote was, “Where are we going to get the money to purchase the guns?” but
yet he found enough money, $20,000, to give the employees, namely Gerry
McGroarty, bonuses for the year. Unreal.
I’d like to respond to the person who complained about the deer in the Back
Mountain. Let’s not forget that we as human beings are forcing the deer into
residential areas by invading their territory and squeezing them out.
Threatening to shoot these defenseless animals is the kind of simple-minded
thinking of one of Pennsylvania’s most stupid residents. If your hatred is
that strong for these beautiful creatures, I think you should move to the
city.
I see in Sunday’s “Mailbag” that a Larksville Borough Police Department
officer thinks he should stop people and check them. I guess he wasn’t around
during World War II when the Nazis used to stop and check and see if you had
your papers, and then after they got used to stopping and checking, if they
didn’t like you, they put you in jail, and then after that if they didn’t like
you, they just put you up against the wall and shot you, so maybe that’s what
he’s driving at. This is America, that’s why we came here to get away from
that, not to be pestered by it.
This is to the SPCA. Now they have a lot of older dogs up there, say, 4, 5,
6, 7 years old, they want you to adopt them older dogs, right? But supposing
these dogs are sick and have something wrong with them. Whoever adopts the dog
has to pay for the veterinarian’s bill, and that’s a lot of money. I can’t see
why the SPCA can’t get in touch with some of the veterinarians and see if they
would donate an hour or so even a month, each one, and check these animals out
before people take these animals and adopt these animals.
Editor’s note: What do our local veterinarians think?
I used to drink beer, I’ve gotten sick so many times, that today the smell
and sight of beer makes me very nauseous. I’d like to attend the baseball
games, but what could I do about the smell and sight of beer?
I’m calling about the Irem Temple circus. I think it’s a shame to support
the abuse of these animals. How do you think they get elephants to stand on
their heads? Why can’t the Irem Temple look into a circus with only human
acts? It would be just as enjoyable with no abuse to the animals. I have a
5-year-old and a 3-year-old, and I won’t take them to support this disgusting
practice.
I’m a resident of the Rolling Mill Hill section of Wilkes-Barre, and I’d
just like to call up and tell Mayor McGroarty, thank you very much for the
recent Friday night saturation patrol. I think it went over marvelous, and we
love seeing you people up here. The only complaint I have is too bad you can’t
have them on Friday and Saturday night of the weekend. And also, don’t
announce where you’re going. Just show up, and surprise the criminal element.
Thanks a lot, Mayor Tom. We love you up here in Rolling Mill Hill.
This is to inform John Q. Public here, in and around this valley/county,
anyone who thinks retired federal employees receive megabucks in retirement.
You stand to be corrected. I worked for almost 24 years in the Social Security
division of the federal government and each paycheck they took a percentage of
my pay to put toward my retirement. I’m now retired, receiving my pension.
From my retirement check, they take health insurance, which you think I get
free, but I don’t, Medicare, and they also take out income tax.
I’m calling about this, “Peking Chef is closing” and it stuns the city. I
don’t know who it would stun over there. You have a city with no downtown. …
There’s certainly no environment conducive of going downtown. Therefore, I can
understand why Peking Chef, who I think was certainly one of the finer
restaurants you had downtown, that it’s nobody’s fault but the mayor. …
The localized and recent consideration of non-Catholics receiving Communion
in the Catholic Church to me seems totally ridiculous. However, as a
non-Catholic, some of the answers I have gotten from my Catholic friends and
indeed the Catholic Church have totally changed my aspect of how I should
behave toward Catholics in the future. Do I continue to help them when they
need it? Dare I give them a pint of blood? Can a member of my family give them
an organ transplant? Do I do anything at all that might benefit a Catholic, or
do I stick to my own religion so as not to offend Catholics?
How could Edwardsville council appoint a code enforcement officer, David
Hines, with no experience in the electrical, plumbing and carpentry? How could
he enforce the code when he knows nothing about the code? It’s only politics.
Editor’s note: Edwardsville Councilman Joe Tomasura said David Hines has
served more than a year as the borough’s code enforcement officer, treasurer
and administrator. Hines’ duties concern the management of those offices.
Henry O’Dell, the zoning officer, is responsible for detailed inspection work
and relays the information to Hines, Tomasura said.
It has to be evident to the people in this valley and all over this great
nation that the current mode of the people is, quite simply, that decency and
morality in your private life has no reflection on what you do if you’re
serving your government or any other organization. What puzzles me is, is this
simply the outlook of atheists, or are they actually Christians that believe
this?
I’m just calling to comment on the saturation patrol in the Rolling Mill
Hill area on Friday evening. You know, they look good, but any man dying of
thirst, a drink of water, even in a dirty glass will look good. Not that I’m
saying that the cops are dirty. That’s not my point. My point is this: what
about the other 364 days of the year. The saturation patrol is good for that
night. But you know what, the drug houses didn’t slow down. After midnight,
they picked up business like crazy, around here, anyway. We need more steady
patrols. You have to attack the small alleys where these drug houses are. They
like small back alleys, especially one-way alleys, because they’re harder to
get into. We need more patrols. Not just the one-night thing.
According to the article about what the county pays for printing costs,
case in point that we cannot trust our elected officials. Mondlak’s
overcharges the county for printing services. Do the commissioners care? Have
they sought the lower bid? No. Why? Because they love to fill the pockets of
their political cronies. I’m so sick of this. I hope you other taxpayers are.
I hope you all remember this and exercise your right to vote, because if you
sit back and complain but never vote, you my friends are the bigger problem
than our self-serving public officials.
I’m calling in regards to the article about the Peking Chef downtown
restaurant. Well, that’s a shame. It was one of the best restaurants in town.
Well, the comment I’d like to make is because of Mayor McGroarty. He says,
“Wilkes-Barre is making a comeback. Things are getting better downtown.” This
man must be blind.
Your editor’s note in Saturday’s SAYSO column made me chuckle a bit. You
told the caller, “There’s no bias against certain calls. Just be patient and
the calls will get in.” Well, my last five calls were not printed. Maybe
because they were critical of the great humanitarian, Joe Paterno, and his
tasteless Polish joke. The Nittany nuts must be getting to you.
I was just reading in the paper about the Peking Chef moving out of the
city, and I was just thinking that maybe you would have more night life in
this city if the mayor would get off his butt and get rid of some of the
people that are down there. You walk downtown, even in the daytime, and you’re
being followed by these people that don’t have any homes, and I think they
should enforce the people not to stand on the sidewalks and harassing people,
and maybe you would have more of a night life.
I’m calling in regard to an article in the April 18 SAYSO. It’s in regard
to the Dallas School District. They are not building fields for the Little
League. They are trying to build fields for themselves on their own property,
behind the high school. They are being held up because of attorney Bruce
Phillips, who is leading a group of people up