South Whitehall's Scandal

Although the massive concrete Wehr's Dam has stood for 110 years, a hired consulting firm just told the South Whitehall Commissioners that it would take almost a $million dollars to repair it. By luck, the group that hired them to reach that conclusion, will save the day and remove the dam at no expense to the taxpayer, how convenient. To accept that paid for conclusion, the commissioners will have to ignore the state's assessment that the dam is in remarkably good condition. Only the narrowest portion of the dam is visible. The dam is actually a wide wedge, which sits firmly on a large concrete platform. If nothing was done to the dam, it would sit there another century. The commissioners have hired an independent engineer to review the study, but how independent he truly is remains to be seen. In Pennsylvania, the bread seems to be buttered on the dam removal side of the equation. It's not that we're environmentally progressive, hydraulic fracking proves otherwise, but Harrisburg is pliable to influence. The Wildlands Conservancy has made harvesting dam removal grants their business. The engineering firm hired by the Conservancy was paid almost $250,000 in taxpayer grants to reach their conclusion. The dilemma facing the South Whitehall Commissioners is nothing less than truth and justice. Over 7,000 people have signed petitions at the dam itself, to save the historic icon. These people know that the dam is solid, how about their leadership?

Paid For By The Friends Of Ed Pawlowski

A mayor being behind the scenes in a city council election is nothing new in Allentown. Doing it so openly, as Mr. Ed now does, suggests that he has faith that Allentown knows or cares little about democracy. Shut up you hicks, and enjoy your hockey.

Schlossberg, A Confession And The Measles

Michael Schlossberg has not been treated particularly well on this page. I have complained more than once that he occupies a state house seat that he has never won against an opponent. I have a confession, I wanted to be that opponent. My neighborhood, District 5 of South Whitehall, was originally scheduled to be included with his State House District 132 in the redistricting. Although that made geographic sense, after the map was challenged, the neighborhood ended up being assigned to District 183, with Harhart in Northampton and Slatington. I decided that I would run anyway, although it meant challenging a 10 term incumbent, in a large geographic area where I was unknown. Anywho, this post was also meant as a compliment, not just a confessional.

Although I may once again annoy my conservative confederates, I support Schlossberg's proposed legislation against philosophical exemptions to immunization. Our children, while sitting side by side in schools, deserve to be protected from unnecessary disease. The proposal would still allow exemptions for religious and medical reasons. I suppose some parents, very philosophically opposed, may change religion, but at least in the process they might become more familiar with the benefit they seek to deny their child.

Israel Defense Forces

Benny Gantz, Chief of Staff for the IDF, stood on the tracks at the station in Berlin on Saturday, from which Jews were deported to the death camps.

Today too, we are required to deal with hostile states and organizations that seek to harm us, but unlike the past, we face our enemies from a position of strength – stronger than ever before.We won’t allow the horrors of the past to return, we will not allow those who seek our harm to raise their heads. We won’t be helpless when facing our enemies. The nation of Israel will always have the most protective and skilled force. Against any threat, from any distance, we will be fortified and independent in our abilities to defend ourselves. We won’t bow our head before any danger that threatens the Jewish people in its land. The IDF is the Jewish people’s answer to the incinerators, gas chambers, the pits and the killings.

Gantz is the son of a Hungarian Holocaust survivor,  who began his military career as a paratrooper.

reprinted from November 2013

UPDATE: Yesterday, Benny Gantz's commission expired. He is being replaced by Gadi Eizenkot, like all Israeli generals, a veteran and hero of many battles in the defense of Israel.  "I can tell you now, Gadi, I can guarantee that there won't be an easy day. Israel faces many challenges. The Middle East is falling apart," Prime Minister Netanyahu said. "Only the strong survive."

The Obama Jew

Yesterday's post on Netanyahu addressing Congress received the following comment;

Anonymous said... Please explain to me why American Jews continue to support Obama. Are they blind, or do they just not care about Israel? February 12, 2015 at 9:35 PM

The Jewish support for Obama has exasperated me for years, but I am a minority member of the clan. Obama received 78% of the Jewish vote in his first election, and despite several snubs of Israel, still received 69% of their support in 2012. The Jewish alliance with the Democratic Party goes back to the Roosevelt era. Some sociologists believe that contemporary Judaism has metamorphosed more into social liberalism than traditional religion.  Obama was a liberal's dream candidate.

Netanyahu's Upcoming Speech

Netanyahu's speech to Congress, scheduled for early March, has become a point of multiple controversy. Did Boehner invite Netanyahu as a partisan to embarrass Obama? Did Netanyahu accept for political purpose back in Israel? Is the invitation and speech so diplomatically uncomfortable as to constitute disrespect to United States? One thing for sure is that there is much more consequence for Israel than United States with any nuclear deal made with Iran. As the United States becomes involved in the ever changing dynamics of the Middle East conflicts, it is Israel which is in the cross-hair of Iranian produced missiles, not America.  According to Netanyahu, “Iran continues to forge ahead through the rubble of the new Middle East; it has already taken over four capitals, Damascus, Beirut, Baghdad and now Sana’a. Now it wants to open a third front from the Golan Heights.” Netanyahu said that if that was the way Iran acted without nuclear arms, “Imagine what it will do when it has nuclear weapons.”

Under the dire circumstances facing Israel, I do not find Netanyahu's speech either political or undiplomatic. However, I believe that those terms apply to our Congress members who choose not to attend.