Another Shift For Jared Isaacman

Isaacman's second appointment to lead NASA took, unlike the first. He obviously has whatever administrative skills are necessary to run an organization, having started and turned Shift4 payroll into a national success.

Jared, in conjunction with Elon Musk's SpaceX, was the first civilian to do a spacewalk. Isaacman is a local, living in Northampton County.

Although I'm pleased with Isaacman's appointment, and it is the only Trump appointment I can say that about, I have issues with the space industry at Cape Canaveral. As previously reported on this blog, the industry is the growth engine for Brevard County Florida, and questions about environmental pollution there are heresy.

However, there is an old snowbird blogger in a small office inland from Canaveral, concerned with both the frequency of the launches, which are about every ten minutes, and the environmental consequences.

A Question In Allentown

When Matt Tuerk talks about making Allentown bike friendly, he wasn't thinking about large group of teenage riders, often starting in the wards (1st and 6th). Matt was envisioning the middle class, west end spandex types seen in Trexler Park. In Matt's vision, they stay in those stenciled lanes, and use bike racks when stopping at Starbucks.

I've seen the real-life hordes in Allentown. They're often going the wrong way, and ignoring traffic lights and stop signs. I've seen them doing wheelies in the middle of Tilghman Street.

But the reason for this post isn't the hordes, but reaction to them. Local photographer Devin Ford posted a batch of photos on a recent ride, and they were shared on social media. He wrote...The point of these group rides is to create an outlet for inner-city kids as opposed to getting involved with guns, drugs, etc. Very fun to get out there. Good energy & a great cause. Commenters were describing these group rides as kids being kids in 2025. They were saying give them room, and allow them to stay together, even by ignoring the traffic lights. 

It appears that there has to be discretion about different groups of riders at different times. It appears in the photo above that Matt is exercising that judgement.

photocredit:Devin Ford

Playing With Trains In Lehigh Valley

When I read about the new train to NYC feasibility study, I looked like I needed that drug for drug induced involuntary motions. My head was shaking back and forth and I was snickering. This is at least the second time such a study is being conducted, at another $1/2mil dollars. 

The article mentions and credits Phillip Armstrong and Becky Bradley.. Armstrong, counting the days off for Christmas, only has 34 minutes left as County Executive. Becky's last brainchild was planting flowers along Rt. 22, so that rush hour traffic would have something pretty to look at while they're struck for an hour every day.

Last time they concluded that bus service was more cost effective, considering the remaining rails are heavily used by freight, and new rails would be cost prohibitive for the demand. Considering that the population hasn't grown significantly, and less demand for on site employees in NYC, I would bet the conclusion will be the same. But when I bet it's my money, Armstrong and Bradley bet with our taxes.

Trump's Speech, Vanity Squared

I believe that Trump's address to the nation was conceived by Susan Wiles, to show that she is still in the co-pilot seat, despite her confessions to Vanity Fair Magazine. It was probably also intended as damage control in regard to Trump's crude remarks concerning the Reiner tragedy. It was very ill timed, considering that Trump had nothing substantial to say, and that he will have to repeat himself soon enough, for the State of the Union speech.

While none of his sycophants clued Trump in about why he was giving a speech, the media will inform him, again, soon enough. His speech was a ramble of factual errors and promises. Nothing you can put under the tree next week.

Wiles generally made the best of a hard case, an impulsive ego-maniac, her replacement won't fare as well. She had Trump's confidence, while her replacement will have Trump's doubt. I could care less about Trump, I do care about the country. If there was ever a president who needed a good manager, it is him. Let's hope that he picks this next apprentice well.

Ryan Mackenzie Stands Up

Ryan Mackenzie has stood up and signed on to a petition intended to extend the ACA subsidies. Although the petition was sponsored by Democrats, he joined several Republicans who joined the effort...The petition now has enough signatures to force a vote on the measure.

In the recent past, Trump and Company has referred to those who cross party lines as traitors, and has threatened to primary them. On that score, I can see no primary challenge coming Mackenzie's way.

I do believe, however, that his willingness to put his constituents ahead of a party agenda will help him in November. He has pretty much assured the vote of this old blogger.

Vance On The Midterm Caravan

It's no  surprise that Trump and Company is campaigning for the midterms with the polls predicting a blue tidal wave. As I peck away on this typewriter, Vance came today to give the valley another dose of the affordability tonic. Of course that would mean more if he handed out coupons at the supermarket. At the Uline warehouse, he fluently blamed any current problems on Biden, and future successes on Trump. After the speech, he and  freshman congressman Mackenzie served gruel at the Rescue Mission. I doubt that those homeless guys buy many groceries or vote, but it's a good photo op.

I know a little about affordability at the supermarket. My family ran a meat market between the tracks and the river. Nobody lived around that industrial area, but you drove there if you wanted three pounds of hamburger or sausage for a buck, and people did.

While little markets are pretty much a thing of the past, people still drive a distance to save a dollar. Food is competitive, with markups in the 5% or less range. Throw in the fact that the commodity is perishable, and there are no vocations from the grind. Maybe that's why I publish this blog (Molovinsky On Allentown) every weekday, including holidays.

photocredit:Monica Cabrera/TheMorningCall