Style vs. Substance

Last night's Presidential Debate was clearly a case of style vs. substance. While Obama articulated theory about the world, McCain spoke from experience. While Obama danced around his comments about negotiating with Ahmadinejad, McCain clearly stated principles do count. While Obama strutted he would follow Bin Laden into Pakistan, POW survivor McCain reminded Barack to measure his words. Last week, commentators were scrambling to find undecided voters to evaluate the debate. There are no undecided voters whose opinion could possibly count, perhaps undeclared, but not undecided; the experience and philosophies of the two candidates are night and day. In 2004, the voters re-elected, arguably, the worst public speaker in history. Americans seem to look beyond style when filling the desk in the Oval Office.

The Hutch

Up to the mid 60's, students at Allen High could leave the building for lunch. Scattered in alley's around the the school, garages had been converted into lunch shops and hangouts. The Hutch was in the alley between 17th and West Streets, in the unit block between Hamilton and Linden. Suzy's was behind the Nurse's Dormitory, between Chew and Turner. Another was across Linden from the Annex. They all had the same basic decor, a few pinball machines, a few tables and a small lunch counter. Most of the business was during lunch period, and before and after school. It's my understanding that occasionally a kid or two would skip school and hangout all day. Today these garages, turned into luncheonettes, have long ago reverted back to garages. Most of the current residents of West Park probably don't even know about this commercial history right behind their houses. I missed photo day at Allen for my yearbook, but if anybody has a picture of the gang from the Hutch, I'd appreciate a copy.

Rendell, A Reluctant Jew

When Ed Rendell ran for Mayor of Philadelphia, he couldn't make himself an African American, but he sure wasn't a Jew. When Rendell ran for Governor, he was a city saving mayor and sportscaster, who downplayed the significance of his heritage on his outlooks. As a supporter of presumptive candidate Hillary Clinton, he did not have to be Jewish. Only now, with Barack as candidate with a background associated with known anti-Semites, has Ed Rendell become a Jew, who supports Obama.

Shame On Trexler Trust

The City of Allentown is embarking upon a $3.8 million dollar capital plan to change the nature of our parks, funded in large part by the Trexler Trust. Although a number of fads will be accommodated, not one dollar is earmarked to preserve the existing WPA treasures, shame on the Trexler Trust. General Trexler envisioned the parks as a reserve for the passive enjoyment of nature. Among the new Disney-World type plans are a wedding pavilion in the Rose Garden, and the largest playground in eastern Pennsylvania to be built in Cedar Park, shame on Trexler Trust. The trail through Cedar Creek Park will have lights installed, and the picnic area's will be expanded, shame on Trexler Trust. Anybody driving past Cedar Beach on a Monday morning sees the trash generated currently by only a few picnic tables. How many more park workers will be required to deal with the consequences of these new plans? The playground is being billed as a "Destination Playground", who will pay to keep that clean? Shame on the Trexler Trust. Allentown should build and monitor numerous playgrounds throughout center city, within walking distance for children and parents. Here's an idea; lets keep the parks as is, lets maintain what we have, and stop using the Trexler Trust as a political arm of the Administration.


photo info: the dedication stone is on the Union Street wall. The steps shown go through a tunnel in the wall and climb up to Spring Garden Street. They are in total disrepair.

Stairway To Shame

In the mid 1930's, Allentown, and especially it's park system, was endowed with magnificent stone edifices, courtesy of the WPA; Works Progress Administration. This was a new deal program designed to provide employment during the aftermath of the depression. Stone masons from all over the country converged on this city and built structures which are unreplaceable. The walls and step structures in Lehigh Parkway, as the Union Terrace amphitheater, are legacies which must be protected. Pictured above is the grand stairway from Lawrence Street (Martin Luther King Drive) up to Union Street, built in 1936. The steps are in a state of disrepair. They lead to the great Union Street Retaining Wall, fifty feet high and two blocks long, which was completed in 1937. I call upon the Trexler Trust and Allentownians of memory, to insist these steps are re-pointed and preserved. The current Administration knows nothing of our past, and really has no commitment to our future. Save the things in Allentown that matter.

Bloated Bureaucracy

This week Allentown City Council will decide if the new Managing Director must live in Allentown; a better question would be if Allentown needs a managing director. This new position was created by Mayor Pawlowski in 2006 to help him manage the city. Depending upon who you ask, anywhere from 30 to 44 new white collar positions have been created by this Administration, while at the same time police officers are retiring in mass, and the streets are strewn with litter. One of the positions the Manager would overseer is the Special Events Manager. Yesterday Hamilton Street was closed for CELEBRATE ALLENTOWN, nobody came.* Nobody coming was the good news, the bad news was what the street closure cost the merchants. This was the third saturday that Hamilton Street was recently closed to traffic. Matthew Tuerk told the reporter covering the event he was having a great time. Matt once again forgot to mention he's acting director of the Allentown Economic Development Corporation. In July a private promoter, Alfonso Todd, produced UPWARD BOUND, a Multi-Cultural Celebration on the 600 block of Hamilton Street. That event was reasonably well attended at no cost to the taxpayers. It required no full time director with benefits and pension to manage a full time coordinator with benefits and pension. I suspect the taxpayers could have sent the few people who attended on Saturday to DisneyWorld, for a week, and still saved money.

* http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-5celebrate.6588187sep14,0,3351563.story

Liberal Dilemma

Those of you who honor this blog with an occasional glance or two, will recognize this posting as my first foray outside of Lehigh Valley Politics. However, my motivation was local, today's Op Ed piece, entitled "Time will erode impact of Palin's rhetoric." * The piece was written by Nichola Gutgold, a local professor who is author of "Paving the Way for Madam President". Apparently when Ms. Gutgold wrote "Paving the Way..." she never had in mind a conservative, pro life, gun toting moose hunter. When Hillary Clinton spoke several weeks ago about cracking the glass ceiling, she didn't imagine a Sarah Palin. It seems democratic liberal women are more suited to govern than their conservative counterparts, who should apparently concentrate on motherhood. Nearby, democratic women had no problem electing Marjorie Margolies Mezvinsky to Congress with eleven children. I must give credit to Geraldine Ferraro. She acknowledges the accomplishments of Ms. Palin and warns Joe Biden not to underestimate her.

* http://www.mcall.com/news/opinion/anotherview/all-a.6584620sep12,0,3379296.story

CastleRock

CastleRock took place in the cavernous Dorney Park dance-hall, Castle Garden. The "Garden" was built in the early 20's and hosted all the famous big bands of that era. By the late fifties it was call CastleRock. The Philadelphia recording stars, such as Frankie Avalon and Freddy Cannon would routinely perform. By my teenage era, in the early mid 60's, it was mostly disc jockeys. The Park was free, no admission. Pay to park, and maybe a buck or so for the dance-hall. By then the nightclub tables shown in the photograph were gone, and sitting was around the sides. There were no shootings, and rowdiness was restricted to sneaking on a ride without buying a ticket. The dance-hall overlooked the lake, it was destroyed by a fire on Thanksgiving in 1985.