Have Blog, Will Travel

In the television series from the late 50's, you could hire a sophisticated gunslinger named Paladin, provided you were on the righteous side of an issue. Here in the valley blogosphere, Bernie O'Hare is the bodyguard of choice. In the last week he has taken John Callahan to task six times to promote Charles Dent, and defended the Stoffa/Angle Gracedale Nursing Home sellout five times. Ramblings sort of sounds like a western.

The Landed Gentry

One of the popular misconceptions in our granola society is that our open space is threatened. Consequently, in addition to welfare and corporate welfare, we now have landed gentry welfare. We purchase land, at almost market value, and even allow the owner to keep it. Although there is a deed restriction prohibiting development, who can guarantee it will be enforced in future generations? In every case I'm personally familiar with, the owner never had any intention of development; In one instance, the owners were compensated over $1million.

In some cases the owners are working farmers, in many, just gentlemen farmers with country homes. An article in Sunday's Morning Call laments the reduction in the farmland preservation funds. Nothing in the land preservation compensation really guarantees continued farming, that would be somewhere between indentured servitude and slavery. In 2006, Pennsylvania spent $102 million in Growing Greener handouts. Although the program has been cut back in recent years, there is a long list of applicants hoping to get some of this handout. The granola eaters should drive across Pennsylvania. There is a lot of open space even in this heavily populated state, over 8 million farm acres. While we close mental hospitals and sell nursing homes, we pay yuppies playing weekend farmer, development rights on land they never intended on subdividing anyway.

One more Purse

In August of 1951, thirteen years after energizing the country's morale by knocking out Germany's Max Schmeling, an aging Joe Louis was fighting again to pay back taxes. The Brown Bomber had first retired as undefeated champion in 1949, after winning 61 fights starting in 1934. In two more months, on October 26, 1951, Rocky Marciano would knock him out and threw the robes. It would be the last time Joe Louis would fight.

Photo: fighting Cesar Brion, Louis wins in 10 round decision.

Saving the Spring Pond

As a small boy growing up in the twin homes above Lehigh Parkway, I would go down the steep wooded ravine and cross the Robin Hood Bridge. The stone lined spring pond and miniature bridge was just the first in a series of wonderful WPA constructions to explore. Last year, when I organized the reclamation of the Boat Landing, my memory turned to the pond. Although overgrown with several inches of sod, I knew the treasure was still savable.

On May 23, Andrew Kleiner conducted a tour of Lehigh Parkway, there I met Mike Gilbert of the Park Department and pitched the idea of a partial restoration. On May 26th, I posted A Modest Proposal, which outlined my hopes for the pond. On July 24, Kleiner posted Lehigh Parkway:Molovinsky gets his wish. I had no idea my modest proposal was implemented.

Park Director Greg Weitzel has indicated to me that the pond features uncovered will be maintained. Any further clearing will be at the discretion of Mike Gilbert. In our conversation he also stated that there are virtually no funds available for the preservation of the WPA icons.







I will attempt to organize a group and contributions for this most worthy cause. Between the Spring Pond and The Boat Landing there was once a bridge to the island. Wouldn't it be nice if a small boy could go exploring.

The Disgrace of Gracedale

Northampton County Executive Stoffa, and Council President Angle, are advocating that Northampton County exit the nursing home business as soon as possible. They cite the benefit and legacy cost of the employee's as the unaffordable factor, yet claim they will protect both the employee's and patients in any sale or lease; perhaps they will include the tolls from the Brooklyn Bridge with the deal.

Lehigh County isn't far behind Northampton in this dereliction of duty. Donny Cunningham's first act as County Executive in 2006 was to unionize Cedarbrook nursing home.

I've known people who have ended up in the County Nursing Home. It was never something they planned, but they were provided with good care when they needed it the most, but could afford it the least. It is a service that we as residents of these Counties could take pride in.

Both Easton and Allentown plan on fining private property owners for vacant real estate. Both Northampton and Lehigh County have handed out tax incentives, at our expense, to certain favored businesses. Our bureaucrats seem to know how we should run our business, yet cannot maintain the historical institutions with which they were entrusted.

Grooming and Litter

Years ago in downtown Allentown there were about a dozen barbershops and virtually no litter. Today, with the same population, there are about 60 shops and tons of litter. Apparently there is no longer a correlation between nice appearance and good manners. In the past men would wait their turn. Many of the new shops seemingly have an express system. A doorman with a walkie talkie informs the "barber" who is coming, and the patron can receive his service in less than a minute. Over the years I photographed most of the shops now gone. Although I'm sure many of the new proprietors are hardworking honest people who would not tolerate any criminal behavior, the days of taking my camera into barbershops has passed.

photocredit: molovinsky

Today's Morning Call has a feature story on the barbershops of Allentown; I thought it might be an appropriate time to republish this post from Jan. 7, 2009.