Made In The Lehigh Valley

The other day I was self checking out of the grocery store, and across the aisle was Bethlehem Steel T-Shirts.  They were made to look retro, with pre-faded logo and copy, which said MADE IN USA.  Although, I knew the phrase referred to the steel,  I couldn't resist looking at the shirt's label.  Needless to say, it was made in China. Ironically, Bethlehem Steel was a self sufficient company, which even  produced ships with its own steel.

When I was a boy I worked in my father's meat market located at the foot of Union Street, where the Hamilton Street Bridge crossed over the Lehigh River.  Saturday was busy, with many customers who worked at the Steel, Lehigh Structural, Black and Decker, Western Electric, Mack and dozens of sewing factories.  A couple of guys who worked during the week at Arbogast & Bastian helped my dad out on Saturdays.  Both Swift and Wilson meat packers had wholesale branches near by.  They would be supplied by rail sidings,  which  criss-crossed that area of the city.  At that time everything was made in America, except for cheap novelty junk.  Now, in addition to losing our manufacturing,  we're even losing our retail,  as everything comes directly from online ordering and warehouses.    I suppose that soon the cashiers at the supermarket will be a relic of the past.

Trump Inspired Anti-Semitism Debunked

In recent weeks the liberals were convinced that the bomb threats against Jewish institutions was the result of Trump exciting the neo Nazi types during the campaign.  Those liberals of course included most Jews.  I always felt, and blogged, that the connection to those incitements was fabricated by the media and his distractors.  I also defended Steve Bannon.  Well, lo and behold, the phoned threats originated from a emotionally disturbed Jewish boy in Israel.

The media of course has nothing to say about their erred speculation.  They are now concentrating exclusively on Trump's defeat with repealing Obama Care.  However, if you don't mind, I want to stay on this error for a few more sentences.  We are constantly reminded that Trump lost the popular vote. Never the less, slightly less than half the votes were cast for Trump.  Was not the media's presumption about the source of the phone threats somewhat insulting to this large portion of the population?

Now,  I'm just a small town pizza blogger,  but I know when there is a disconnect between elitism and populism.  Those smirks on the condescending liberal pundits faces returned, less than a week after the election. Must be grand to be so self-righteous.

St. Matthew's Monastery

St. Matthew's Monastery in Kurdish Iraq, one of the oldest Christian Institutions in the world, was built by Christians fleeing persecution in 363 AD. Today, 16 centuries later, Christians are once again seeking shelter there. In the last decade it has been estimated that half the Christians have left Iraq. Since the Baghdad Church bombing in October, some Christians are afraid to be seen wearing a cross; Others have fled with little more than the clothes on their back. Pray for them.

St. Matthew's is part of the Syriac Orthodox Church

reprinted from December 2010. Things have only gotten worse for the Christians in Iraq, many more have fled.

reprinted from May 2013.   The situation in Iraq has become even more perilous. Those Christians unable to leave Iraq have mostly taken shelter in north section of the country, under control of the Kurds. 

UPDATE: I started posting about the plight of Christians in Iraq and the greater Middle East in 2010. The next reprint was in May of 2013, and conditions had only gotten worse.  Now, in 2014,  they are outright victims of genocide.  The Monastery is still be used for protection.

The Sabaean Mandeans of Iraq

I'm glad that the plight of Christians in Iraq is starting to attract main stream media attention, but there is another persecuted group you may not hear about. The Mandeans predate Christianity, do not believe in Christ, and are believed to have been followers of John the Baptist. Accepting no converts, their numbers have always been small. Apparently, they migrated to the swamps south of current Baghdad after the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Their writings are in Aramaic, the language of the Bible in the time of Jesus. Their rules and ethics are similar to Jewish tradition. Baptism is their central ritual; they call the water Jordan.

reprinted from 2010,2013 and 2014

While Liberal America Laments The Travel Ban

The UK has banned me from speaking because of my work opposing jihad terror and supporting Israel, but Prime Minister Theresa May allows these devout Islamic hate preachers to spew their venomous poison anywhere and everywhere. You can avoid reality, Ms. May, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality. Pamela Geller 3/22/17


Terror attacks are part of living in big city, said London Mayor Sadiq Khan last year.
"You have to be kidding me?!" Response to Khan by Donald Trump Jr. yesterday. 


Trump Jr. is being criticized for insensitivity because he juxtapositions a response to Khan a year later, after the London attack yesterday. Meanwhile, back in yesteryear, Khan's remark was made after the bombing incident in NYC and elsewhere in the USA, which injured 26 people. Liberals are more upset by Jr's statement than the terrorist attacks. I suppose it's better to be politically correct than safe.

Pawlowski Swims In Denial

In a taped interview with The Morning Call on corruption at City Hall, Pawlowski stated that it would be ludicrous to modify the system because a few people acted improperly. What he failed to mention is that those people pleaded guilty to illegal acts for his benefit, and allegedly under his direct or indirect control.

That he remains a favorite to win, or even viable, bodes poorly for Allentown. As I have reported before, and as revealed on his Facebook page, he has been courting selected small minority groups and businesses, as opposed to the more established among them.  The fact that they would even consider voting for him is a problem in itself.  If he prevails on May 16th, Allentown has officially turned the wrong corner.

UPDATE: Francis Dougherty, former Managing Director of Allentown, and Pawlowski's #2 person, has pleaded guilty in federal court this morning to tying city contracts with donations to Pawlowski, under Pawlowski's direction.  Pawlowski is scheduled to debate the other mayoral candidates this afternoon.

UPDATE: State Representative Michael Schlossberg has joined the chorus asking for Pawlowski's resignation

photo by The Morning Call, showing candidates being asked how they would counter potential corruption in city hall.

Allentown's Republican Primary

Local Republican Jews and Republican Hispanics have something in common, they can fit their meetings into small rooms.  Because of Obama's attitude toward Israel,  the Jews now need a slightly larger room than they did before,  but this post is about Hispanics.

I wasn't surprised when Luiz Garcia announced his candidacy.  I had mentioned his interest on this blog before he made it official.  Although Luiz survived the challenge yesterday in court,  the real hurdle will be on primary day.  There are very few registered Hispanic Republicans in Allentown. Those readers afflicted with political correctness may take some umbrage with this post. They might ask me to clarify if I believe that Republicans won't vote for a Hispanic,  at least in Allentown.  Frankly dear,  I don't give a damn about political correctness. My point is that whatever cache Garcia might have with Hispanics, it won't help him in the primary.  He's on the wrong ticket for that benefit.

Nat Hyman is strongest in the deep West End, where the party faithful largely reside.  If Garcia would happen to prevail in May, he might well be a stronger candidate in the general election next fall.  In the meantime, the publicity from Garcia surviving the challenge can only help his candidacy.

Molovinsky Staff Photographer

Regular readers of this blog know that I had to replace my entire staff because of a mass resignation after the Women's March. One position which I didn't have to refill was staff photographer, because I have always assumed that role myself.

All candidates for mayor should understand that my advocacy for the traditional park system will continue as a important component of this blog.

photocredit: molovinsky