Junior Achievement

Last month I wrote how the government was giving $millions of dollars to the poverty organizations to make mini-insulation contractors. I don't think much of this approach; I always thought we should give people fishing poles, not buy them a fish market. Here in the valley we have actually purchased new vans for these instant "contractors".

Enter an article in today's paper. There is a total of $360,000 available for manufacturers in a five county region. If they employ less than 500 people, they can loan up to $30,000. WOW, that should really get the manufacturing sector moving. That's not even enough to buy one of the caulkers a van.

The Charade Of Public Input

I've never been known as a diplomat. Bernie O'Hare says I kick them when their down (Tony Phillips), I kick them on their way out of town (Joyce Marin) and today when their not around (David Jones). One of things I have the least tolerance for is public input meetings; As if these wheeling, dealing bureaucrats care about what you think, you are merely the peanut gallery. Pennsylvania is going to hold a public input meeting on closing the Allentown State Hospital, after they have already made the decision. Perhaps that's more honest than implying that the public opinion matters. This post is actually about Johnny Callahan, who spoke yesterday at the public input meeting about whether to grant the Sands Casino an extension on their gambling license. Johnny took advantage of the situation to project his leadership skills; So we had a Congressional Candidate getting some face time at a meaningless meeting, as if the license renewal is in question. Johnny's babble was that the Sands Casino should provide a timetable for completing the Hotel. Johnny should be careful for what he wishes. If and when that hotel is completed, it will be at the expense of Hotel Bethlehem's occupancy rate. Oh well, that will be another press conference for another time. Perhaps they will allow public input.

Tasteless Trexler Trust

As I stood in Cedar Creek Park yesterday watching the carnage, it occurred to me that it really isn't Greg Weitzel's fault. He was hired as Park Director, with a background in recreation. He was handed an elaborate manual, designed by a Philadelphia firm, which outlined many possible renovations for a park system. It is not his fault that the Trexler Trust agreed to finance every item this young man picked from the catalog, and in one year no less.

I can't even blame Pawlowski. He is a professional advocate for low income housing, who was sweep into the mayorship by his predecessor's incompetence. May I add that he is very accomplished in the low income housing field. Between the brand new Hanover Acres, and many other projects, we may well lead the nation in newest low income housing available. I see a job at HUD in that man's future.

The hard packed cinder trail, which served a generation of runners, walkers, and lovers is being bulldozed away to make a full width, macadam road for two way high speed bike use. The charm and nature is gone. The roadbed is now completed from the Rose Garden to 30th Street, just awaiting the blacktop. Within three weeks(weather permitting) the entire road in the park should be completed. We should give this new street a name.

State Hospital Closing

Your View/ Feb. 1, 2010/Molovinsky

click here> STATE HOSPITAL CLOSING

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Games Of Shame

The United States Olympic Team threatened to boycott the 1936 games in Berlin if Jews were excluded. The spotlight focused on Gretel Bergmann, German high jump champion. She was a "Volljuden", a full (both parents) Jew. After the U.S. teams departed for Berlin, but before the games began, she was stripped of her championships and excluded from their track team. Ironically, the gold metal was won by a Jew anyway, Hungarian Ibolya Csak. Gretel emigrated to United States in 1937 and held the U.S. Championship several times. In 2009, when she was 95 years old, Germany restored her name (now Margaret Lambert) to the record books.

The Nazi's made several concessions to facilitate the games, which they saw as a platform to prove Aryan superiority. The "No Jews Allowed" signs were removed from the Olympic section of Berlin. Blogger and hockey historian Rolf Oeler introduced me to the strange story of Rudi Ball, considered Europe's leading ice hockey player at the time. Apparently the hockey coach realized that Germany could not win the medal without him, so his half Jewish blood was overlooked for the winter games in Bavaria. Another half Jew participated on the German fencing team. All together ten Jews, mostly Hungarian, would win medals. Hitler, realizing that some inpure people might win, had decided before the games that he would shake no hands.

HBO Documentary: Hitler's Pawn, The Margaret Lambert Story

Berlin '36 : New German Film

The Righteous

Last February, Miep Gies wrote: "I am 100 years old now. That is an admirable age, and I have even reached it in fairly good health. So then it's fair to say you've been fortunate, and being fortunate seems to be the red thread running through my life." She, here husband, and two other employees of Otto Frank had resettled in Holland in a vain attempt to avoid the Nazi's. When the Frank family was discovered, it was Miep who retrieved and saved the diaries, to return to Anne after the war.

Miep Gies, whenever praised for her heroism aiding the Franks, always reminded people about all the Dutch people who also hid Jews during that period. She spent her later years refuting Holocaust deniers, who claimed the diaries were forgeries. She passed away January 11, 2010. Vad Vashem and the State of Israel extended their condolences to the Queen of Holland.