A Bad Night For Trump

When Trump campaigned for Dr. Oz in Pennsylvania, I hoped that Oz could prevail in spite of it...He could not.  Although Oz was a markedly more qualified candidate, Trump proved to be a liability, not an asset...In Pennsylvania no less, a supposed Trump stronghold.

For some of us who supported Oz, Trump's apparently waning influence was the only consolation.  If Trump couldn't push Oz into the Senate, there's no way he can again push himself into the White House.  If Trump cared about the Republican Party, he would turn his focus to a library, not another run for office. However, nobody, even his supporters, believes that he cares about party above himself. If his supporters, his base, could not elect Oz, neither can Trump be re-elected in Pennsylvania, or enough other key states.

While Tuesday was a bad night for Trump, it was a good night for the conservative movement. Now perhaps a candidate will emerge who can win in 2024.

photocredit:Red Bokeh Society

My Vote For Oz

I'm not much for making endorsements. When I do so, I usually limit it to one person. For yesterday's election, I promoted Mehmet Oz. Besides for those inflicted with partisanship, there was little to really compare between the two candidates.  

Fetterman's government experience was nominal, with mayorship of a small town of only 1,700 people, and a lieutenant governorship, where he was known mostly as a no-show. His hoodie sweatshirt image garnered him many more followers than his actual experience.

While Democrats tried to besmirch Oz for his television show, he was previously a renowned heart surgeon, especially qualified to understand our country's health care issues. His family's middle eastern background has familiarized him with many issues in foreign policy. 

Although the polls had the race neck and neck, partisanship and the hooded sweatshirt seems to have carried the day for Fetterman. Besides reinforcing Pennsylvania's blue image, the result provides no encouragement to Trump...That's the up side to this unfortunate result.

photocredit:Red Bokeh Society

Cry For The New York Times

There was a time when the NYT was synonymous with journalism...When people repeated the slogan All The News That's Fit To Print.  On the Sunday before the election, when the Times now leads off with the headline that the future of democracy itself is at sake this election (if the Republicans win), their days of journalism are over, and they have become just another tabloid.  Perhaps more sophisticated than most, but a tabloid nevertheless.

In today's world of Twitter and paywalls, headlines have much more significance. For many, they are the news. In fairness to the Times, quality old school journalism may be an extinct commodity. 

Once the ultra wealthy bought sports teams, now they buy newspapers and social media. Apparently, new gauges are needed to measure the quality of today's journalism. 

The Patheticness Of Partisanship

Oprah Winfrey's endorsement of John Fetterman caught my attention.  Partisan Democrats will say that she knew Oz, he was on her show 55 times, so with that insight she chose Fetterman. However, a little research reveals that she helped produce his recent Dr. Oz show, all 1000 plus episodes. Truth be told it was just another partisan endorsement, perhaps an accommodation to Obama.

I find all partisanship pathetic. For the rank and file party soldiers, I suppose it's in the line of duty. For a celebrity like Winfrey, it only compromises her reputation and credibility.

As a blogger who accommodates comments, I must host some partisan appeals, or practice censorship...That is a difficult choice.

A $Million, After The $Billion

Those who listen and read such things, have learned that the new owners of the former Banana Joe's repurposed train station, received a grant for $One Million of our tax dollars.  The former station will be used for a not yet determined use, beyond subsidizing another chosen developer.  There are no handouts like handouts in Pennsylvania, when an administration is going out the door.

What caught the attention of this cynical blogger was the myth that we were told about the NIZ. We were told that, rest assure, after the tax funded redevelopment starts, private money will start pouring in for private development. So here's the reality...A $million in public money for a private developer with no tenant in sight.

I don't know the developer, but I do know that he/she has friends in the right places. Welcome to Pennsylvania.

While other media will show you the Hamilton Street front view, I choose to show the back view of the train station (New Jersey Central), long before it was renovated into Banana Joe's. Likewise, I choose to tell you the back stories.

The Fairfax Diary

In around 1968 I purchased a old piece of furniture in Fairfax, Virginia. Tucked in back of a drawer was a daily memorandum calendar from 1920, written by an unidentified young man. At the time, I thought it would be interesting to track down the man who would be 70 or so years old then, and return his memories. I never did, and now another 40 years have passed. It's too late to find him, and I suppose the information is now too old to ring any bells. What grandchild, or great grandchild, would recognize that there was an Helen, Mary and Whit in their family, which lived in the Virginia area in the 1920's? Never the less, in this age of Google searches, I will type in the days of this man's life in 1920. The booklet, which I hadn't touched for many years, is literally disintegrating as I flip the days.

This is a year in the life of a 20 year old man in 1920. Although I don't know his name, we learn things about him. During the year he worked at two different insurance companies in Washington D.C. He loses the first job the day after his 21st. birthday, which is on Labor Day. He commuted during the summer from the family vocation house in Garrett Park, Maryland. He and his father were excited that Harding was elected President.

I have added question marks where I have difficulty with the handwriting. There are a number of heartfelt notations which I will highlight in bold type. I will present January in its entirety to give the feel, then only the more interesting days for the remainder of the year.

Jan.1,Aunt Helen, Mary and uncle Whit came up to dinner, 2, Received $1.50 com. on fire insurance. 3, Worked half day being Saturday. 4,Went to church came home and stayed in house in afternoon because it is very cold. 5,Collected $1.55 today Went back to school ?for 1st time in two week 6 worked pretty hard today 7Went to school tonight 8,went around to Moreland(?) to night 9, Went to school tonight. O.W &R Kowens(?) agree to give me 1/2% on every cust(?) I get for them to sell the house (?) them. 10,Went around to office tonight 11. Went to church and in the afternoon went to Garrett Park(?) 12. Went to school13.Virginna's(?) finger is not doing so well today. Dr. Davidson is going to bring Dr. White tomorrow. 14.Dr. White did not come today. did not go to school tonight.15. Virginnias finger is pretty bad off 16. Went to school tonight 17.fixed up back porch today Virginna's finger is better18. Stayed home in morning but went down to see uncle whit this afternoon19went to school tonight20. Went to see the Moreland tonight21. stayed home from school22.very bad day snowing and sleeting all day23did not go to school tonight24read this afternoon. Mr. G. Fred Thompson funeral was today at 2p.m. from his home 57 21(?) St. N.W. He was a man of few words but was kind to everyone. He was our neighbor in the summer time at Garrett Park.25. Papa is home sick with a cold. I went to church today. Doctor(?) is still coming to see Virginia.26.stayed at home27.Went to see the Moreland28. Went to school tonight29Worked pretty hard today30Went to school tonight31went around to office
February 7, Went around to office tonight. H.R. Howenstein is going to give $70 per month and pay twice month.12, Today is Lincoln's birthday. The man who loved and help weeked(?) and who keeped the U.S. from being divided.18 Papa has been in the Pension office 57 years today20admiral Perry the one who discovered the north (?) died today 21 Maj.Pulman head of police in D.C. is very sick might die 22 Today is the birthday of that great man who loved his fellow man and his country more then himself. George Washington will live in the love and mine(?)forever 23. Maj. R.W. Pulman chief of police died at his home 55 Ivy St. S.E. at 8:05 P.M. Feb.22 He was a square(?) man in every way. went to moreland 29 went to church went to see uncle Whit
March4, Virginia thumb is not so well today Dr. Davison is going to bring Dr. Whit here tomorrow 5, Virginia thumb is better It is snow and blowing very hard 7, Virginia is going up to have exra(?) taken of her finger tomorrow.13, snowed hard today15, every thing gone wrong17, did not go to school. everybody that lives in this world is more or less a fool 21, Mr. Kadn(?) the preacher at Kinsington(?)church is go to leave after next sunday so I went out to hear him and then after service went to garrett park 28, Papa and I went to hear Mr. Kady(?) preach his last sermon at Kingsinton(?)
April 1, walked all day motor broken down 3, went out to garrett park with mama(?) 4, went to church. 25 people gonen(?) 6, going to hospital to have eye fixt(?) No entries from April 7 through 21 22, came home from hospital today 23, went to moreland tonight 26, went up to N.E. office, main office hospital and Emmerson institute 27, collected to rents(?) today 28,Mama is sick tonight Dr. Davidson came to see her
May 1, went to office at night 3, going back to work tomorrow 5, went back to work today, made 40 call 7, went up to see David Clark(?) tonight he brought me home 11, went to Dr. Wilman(?) at 5P.M. 22, went out in country 28, took a long ride this evening on my motorcycle
June 4, Motor broke down 6, went out to garrett park on 9:25 and took long walk about 8 mile and came back on troly(?) 19, went out to G.P. and painted back porch. 23, We moved out to garrett park Md. cost $10
July 3, My vocation starts today at 1:P.M. and back until July 13 , July 4th. (There is a drawing of a flag) 5, had fire work about 3:30 I went over to Kensington to see the army tank and other things 6, This day is the start of my leave. sent motorcycle in by express to have repaired 10, Went to town to get motor cost $10 to repair 11, stayed on front porch and read most of day 13, went to eye Dr. 14,worked 17, road to work on motor 18, Uncle Whit came out to see us 26, Smith motor broke down
August 3, road into Wash and am back 5, road Smith lost top to gas tank cost 1.25 for new one 9, Papa was notified that he would be drop(?) from office on the 20 19, worked 20,Papa's retirement from office starts today 22, went to church at chevy chase start vocation 23, Went to town on business saw one dubasir(?) about making(?) office move 25, repair on wagon, repair on walking beam
Sept. 4, took a ride Papa Mama Virginia in auto up to gatherburg 5, Mr. Dubore came out to see me on 1:37 train and went back on 6:19 6, This is labor day and my birthday I am 21 years of age now 7, Ralph and Owen Howenstein told me that they did not want me after the 15 day of Sept. 1920 8. Owen and Ralph Howenstein or not worth working for (there is another sentence crossed out) 14, tomorrow is my last day with Mr. Howenstein 15, left howenstein today 652 H N.E. 17, am going to take it Mr. Terry got it for me his office. I will be insurance reppre(?) 18, I stayed at home all day will start on new job Sept. 20 19, stayed at home took papa over to church mama went to see Dr. Jones for cold 20 started to work for Barr and Phelps in insurance department 23, made 15 calls 29, we are going to move back to city tomorrow but papa and i are going to stay a few day longer

October 3, going back to city tomorrow 17, Mama Papa Virginia and I went to garrett park on 9:25 train and came back on 6:19 22, painted front and back porch at garrett park 23 Papa and I went doror(?) so far for Harding 30 (Saturday) started to work for Singer sewing machine co. branch off 1630 14 N.W. Mr. Smith work on com
November 1, made 4.10 in fire insurance com 2, Papa and I went down to see come returns come in Harding is the next Pre 3, Harding is the next President Harding got 372 and Cox democrat 137 (written much neater than any other entry so far)
December 17, have not had time to write any been so busy working 23, took off today to shop 25, we had aunt Helen and Mary and Uncle Whit up to dinner. We are not rich but we are happy. God alone knows what is in store for us in the next year. we should take our happy days as may come

above reprinted from February 14,  2010

ADDENDUM NOVEMBER 3, 2022: The power of the internet is rather amazing. Four years after publishing the post above, the post received the following comment.

Anonymous June 6, 2014 at 9:58 AM

 I think the young man is Thomas W Sargent. He was the younger brother of Virginia Sargent, and their father was Theodore F. Sargent. Their mother was born Sarah Hyatt Whittlesey and two of her sisters were named Helen and Mary. http://www.garrettpark-md.gov/imap/224/10922-MONTROSE-AVE.html The first owner of the rebuilt house was Theodore Sargent who worked for the Pension Office. His daughter, Virginia Sargent was a colorful Garrett Park character who founded the Animal Protective Association, Inc. and was known to house on her property many stray animals. She was also fond of feeding the local raccoons peanut butter sandwiches made only with Skippy brand peanut butter. -

 Abigail Kabaker  Garrett Park Town Archivist

Secrets From The Blog

I publish one of the oldest blogs in the Lehigh Valley, and I might be the oldest blogger, a distinction I don't relish. Anywho, over the years I have been asked to keep many secrets, and I do.

Yesterday, I republished a post from 2012 about Arnold Fein's youth in Allentown. Back in 2012, he revealed to me that he was Madison Arnold, the actor known from Law & Order, among many other roles.   Recently I asked him if he would release me from our confidentiality understanding, and he agreed to do so. 

Although I kept the secret referred to above for over a decade, most are revealed by circumstance, much sooner...A politician makes an announcement, or the press gets wind of the story from some other source. 

Getting back to age...  I still produce the blog every weekday,  and I still receive many complaints about various politicians and policies. However, I must confess that my enthusiasm for such issues is currently subdued... The current city administration is completely consumed with inclusion, with no apparent interest in quality of life issues. 

photo of Madison Arnold from Law&Order circa 1996

A CyberVisit To Allentown

The responses and comments to the political posts are usually within a day or two. The historical posts have a much longer shelf life. People using search engines find something of their youth often years after I wrote the post. I still occasionally get a comment from someone who worked at a Mohican Market, often somewhere in upstate New York. Yesterday, a former post on the 6th Ward received such a comment.

 Hello molovinsky, I found your blog today. I was born in the 6th ward in 1933. My grandfather, who died very young, long before I was born, was Emanuelle Markowitz and was, I believe, the first religious head of Aguda Achim. His wife was Ida Markowitz. We lived at 234 and then 244 Hamilton St. and went to Harrison Morton grade school before departing permanently to New York City. Arnold Fein (brother is Barry)

 My grandparents lived on Second Street in around 1900, and belonged to the Agudas Achim congregation. After Arnold and I exchanged a couple comments, I invited him to send me a note about Allentown via email.

  Yeah, Michael, I went back for a visit about 3 yrs. ago. All of lower Hamilton St,is part of a highway and the Jersey RR Station ,I was told, failed as a restaurant.The stores I remember on Hamilton between 2nd and 3rd were, Queenies Luncheonette, Bucky Boyle's Bar, Harry Gross Shoes,an A&P on the corner of 1st (Front?)and Hamilton, a "holy roller" storefront church, a travel agency with a large steamship model in the window,Taylors Plumbing Supply (now Weinstein's-I visited the place when I was there), a "Giant" supermarket on 5th and Hamilton across from the P.O., Francis the barber on the hill,the Colonial theatre,etc.Harrison Morton is still there and 2nd St.off Hamilton is still the same including the "A Treat" sign on the little store near HM, which I remember. Some friend's names from that time are: Stanley and Nancy Kulp (Culp?) who lived in an old wooden house next to the Lehigh Valley RR Freight terminal across from Taylor's. Michael Miller, Bobby Kressler, George Mevrides(sp?), Andrew Kent,Dickie Catalina(whom I'll never forget as the guy who came running out on Hamilton St. on 12/7/ shouting, "the Japs bombed Pearl Harbor"), the 4-5 Delaney kids,Dickie Gross who lived in a stone house on 2nd St.just off Hamilton where his father had his dental practice, Lucille Wiener, Phyllis Malatrott,Victoria Minner,Ronald DiLeo whose father was a Dr., (told me my first "off color" joke in the 1st grade while we were standing side by side at a HM urinal)), Marvin Karll, 2 HM footballers (who were not friends as such), Barney Garulla(sp?) and Albert Casium, whom I believe was Albanian.Other places were the slaughter house, Arbegast and Bastion (sp?). Couldn't miss that!, Riverfront Park, and a horse watering trough on the corner of Hamilton and Front(?)Lots of others. Something priceless about childhood, no matter where it's spent.

 Even in Allentown.

UPDATE: More memories from "Arnie" Fein
Also, my grand parents owned a store on 2nd St. around Tilghman, before I was born. My mother always remembered the few words she knew in Slavic because some of the customers spoke only "Slavisch".Another recollection was in 1943 when a lot of us went to the JerseyRR terminal to watch a train full of German POWs being transported west. Larry and Jimmy Whitman lived above the A&P on that picture you sent. Their name was anglicized from a Polish name their parents shortened.Harry and Jean Getz, friends of my mother, owned a small shoe store between 2nd and 3rd Sts.The name of the travel agency was, if I'm correct, something like Bortz. On Walnut St. around the corner from Weinstein's was the "Perkiomen Transfer Co." The local movie house was the Townie which I believe was in the 6th ward.Further up the hill were the Colonial, the Midway and the Transit.There was a trolley named the Liberty Bell which went from 8th St. to Philly and a trolley to Bethlehem along the "Bethlehem Minsi Trail". Other memories as they come from the distant past...

 photo supplied by Arnold Fein, showing him, brother and mother at Hamilton and the current American Parkway, next to the current Weinstein Supply Company.

reprinted from 2012