Observations From An Old Allentown Meat Market

Card carrying members of this blog know that in addition to being a son of a bitch, i'm also the son of a butcher. Because my father had a meat market, I was impressed when Wegmans opened about 15 years ago. They raised the bar for local supermarket chains. Getting on their parking lot the day before Thanksgiving was a fool's errand, until this year. On Wednesday there were plenty of spaces, I couldn't even describe the store as very crowded. What happen? The simple answer would be more competition, with Hamilton Crossings and their new offerings. I actually think that  something else was also in play.

For the last several years, Wegmans had indulged in one remodeling project after another. Although new, changing and different might appeal to their clientele in upstate New York, I don't think that they understood local Pennsylvania Dutch thinking. Make it do, wear it out, use it up, do without has been the mentality here for generations. I found the continuous remodeling annoying, and with each improvement there seemed to be less customers.

This blog has received some complaints, mostly from my distressed Democratic readers, about straying too far from the valley with my recent election posts. I wouldn't expect to hear that beef about this entry.

Allentown As The Little Apple

Before we start, if you're looking for some nice holiday sentiment, click away now, it's not here. I've called Allentown the Little Apple, but that's unfair to New York City. The comparison gives Allentown too much credit, even with the Revitalization. Understand, that the entire revitalized area is primarily owned by just one person, and that's just too freakish for anywhere, even here. Understand, that we have a newspaper that not only doesn't question that, it promotes it. Understand, that we have a mayor who is the center of a FBI investigation, who goes around like nothing's wrong. Talk about an elephant, or hippo in the room.

 reprinted from November 2015

Obama Rewards Trump Bashers

Yesterday, President Obama bestowed the Metal of Freedom upon those celebrities who bashed Trump on Hillary's behalf during the recent presidential campaign. Among those being rewarded was Robert DeNiro, who wanted to punch Trump in the face. Others who met the criterion included Tom Hanks and Bruce Springsteen.

By now, some of you may realize that I'm using this post title as a teaser and introduction to a few other issues. The hot media topic, besides the election, is fake news. With declining hard copy newspaper sales, many readers are reducing themselves to just the titles of articles that appear on their mobile devices. Although the liberal left had declared Trump voters as low information people, that description crosses party lines.

Last, but not least, allow me to mention blogging and this site. Yesterday, I noticed that a few local readers believed that an associate broke an important story. Although, that particular blogger has indeed broken many stories, yesterday's post wasn't one of them, nor did he claim that it was. That false assumption was made by some of his readers, who apparently rely on a blog for local news. Although, I imply on my sidebar to have extra-terrestrial sources, it may not be totally true. Any insight I have about this valley is gleaned from every local news source that I can find, plus conversations with those few officials who still talk to me. Lastly, several readers have reprimanded me for posting on topics beyond the Lehigh Valley. As Steve Martin would say, EXCUSE ME.

The Alt-Left In America

Since Trump's election and Bannon's appointment, we hear of the Alt-right. Although this element is supposed to be the radical right, they were so quiet that nobody even expected Trump to win the election. They were so undemonstrative that nobody saw his victory coming. However, since Tuesday November 8th, what do we call those now acting out? The media has politely designated them protestors.

Vice President Pence went to a popular broadway show last week. The actors apparently couldn't resist the temptation to reprimand him from the stage after the show. Never mind that the new administration is still about 7 weeks away from assuming office, and at least months more from any policy change in this country. College presidents, including local ones from the Lehigh Valley, have signed a letter to Trump asking him to repudiate hatred against minorities. I didn't know that Trump invented bigotry or prejudice, but is apparently now responsible when it appears. I do know that nobody ever expected President Obama to address anti-Semitism on American campuses.

According to the left, everybody Trump considers for appointment is a racist. They have been using that derogatory term very loosely. Allow me to annoy my liberal readers a bit more. It wouldn't surprise me to find that some of the intolerant incidents being attributed to Trump supporters are in fact dirty tricks.    I suspect that most Trump supporters are content enough by the election results to relax. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about the other side.

Obama Saves Planet Earth

You may recall that President Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize before beginning his first term. It was bestowed upon him in hope of the change he promised to bring. Now, in an equally inspiring gesture, he has instructed his contemporaries in Europe to continue cooperating with the United States, even with Donald Trump. He has in essence given the world permission to keep turning, even with his departure. Now, if Germany and the other European nations do continue cooperating with the most powerful nation on earth remains to be seen, but they surely would not have without Obama's recommendation. They had been looking forward to weaning themselves against America's money in supporting NATO, United Nations and every other institution mostly bankrolled by United States. Some conservatives thought Obama was just an easy smile, with virtually no foreign policy chops, but this last trip sure set the record straight.

A draft of this post was inadvertently published for several minutes this past weekend.

John Bolton, A Man For The Times

Recently, a king maker in New Hampshire looked over Rick Santorum, and said that he had the right look to run for President. Nobody is saying that about John Bolton, but he has the right stuff. Bolton, in addition to being a former United Nations Ambassador, was involved in national security positions with both Bush Administrations. He may well be the most informed candidate, on national security issues, the Republicans could hope to find. He believes that Obama's foreign policy emboldens our enemies, and the recent North Korean aggression seems to bear that out. Domestically, he favors repealing old laws, not passing new ones. Although Bolton feels that Obama has put world interests ahead of that of United States, he realizes that after three and half years in office, Obama will be very articulate about world affairs. Nobody would have more international expertise, to go toe to toe with the smooth talking Obama, than John Bolton.

ADDENDUM: The above post is reprinted from December of 2010. At the time, I was hoping that Bolton would be a candidate against Obama in 2012.  Likewise, I was hoping that he would be a candidate in 2016. He is by far the most qualified of those now being considered by Trump for Secretary of State. Consideration for Bolton is being opposed by Rand Paul.  It's interesting how those in Washington who were outright opposed to Donald Trump, would now like to be his trusted advisers.

A Zionist For Steve Bannon

A local antagonist has on occasion tried to smear me by referring to me as a Zionist. Although, he has used other slurs, I never took offense at Zionist. Steve Bannon is currently being smeared by being labeled as an anti-Semite and a white supremacist, he is neither. These smears are the residual resentment about Trump winning the election. In this internet era, facebook is now examining what is becoming called fake news. It's all too easy to create a fake title, and now thousands, if not millions of people, believe it. In regard to another Trump associate, Kellyanne Conway, I have seen opposite titles for the same youtube. One title says watch her destroy Whoopie Goldberg. Another title says watch Whoopie destroy Conway. Both segments contained the same youtube. Often people don't even bother to watch the youtube, or read the article. They accept the title as gospel.  Not only are newspaper articles becoming passé, but now people only have time to scroll titles on their mobile devices.

Some readers prefer when this blogger sticks to local issues, like the parks and the NIZ.  I generally do see that as the niche that I best fill.  However, as an informed citizen blogger,  it is occasionally necessary to step outside that box.  As a Jew who sees no shortage of anti-semitism,  and Israel bashing,  I will defend those falsely accused.

I inadvertently published a draft of this post yesterday morning, for a minute or so.

Allentown School District Color Lesson

Shown above is one of the three finalists for Allentown School Superintendent.  All three are minorities, two blacks and a hispanic.  Part of the selection process requires meeting the parents and community,  and answering their questions.  The gentleman shown,  if selected, indicated that he would spend three months interviewing parents, before he designed a program for Allentown.  For these public interviews, the cast of Russ Mayo critics were present.  Mayo was the previous white superintendent,  apparently a mistake of color, which will not be made again.  Although, the school board is making the final choice,  they designed this politically correct dog and pony show.  Because the majority minority of the district is Hispanic,  if he can present himself as well as the two blacks,  he should be the odds on favorite.  If you detect disdain in my description of the criterion being used,  please do not protest outside the headquarters of  molovinsky on allentown.

photocredit:The Morning Call