Political Gamesmanship In Harrisburg

Pennsylvania state budget goes into effect
Jim Vasil , Reporter WFMZ-TV

"Democratic Governor Tom Wolf will not be vetoing the budget bill before midnight on Monday, despite questions about how the state will fund all $31 billion of it... Senate Republican leaders... have pledged to put together a $1.3 billion revenue package. Governor Wolf is taking their word for it."

My Comments About The Article AboveThe Democratic governor seems to like the budget alright, but doesn't want to put his name to it. Instead he's leaving it up Republicans to figure out how to pay for it. So when inevitably taxes go up he'll say hey it wasn't me. Sounds like a future campaign strategy he might plan on using for himself in the next election.

One thing voters can always count on from either party after the elections is more of the same tomfoolery as was the last.

Yin Yang And Everything In-Between

The opposites of Yin/Yang could be defined in several ways. In science as electrons/protons. In politics conservatives/liberals. In biblical terms good/evil. The colors of black/white. However in this world nothing is simple. One force that does remain constant between the two is balance. Newton's 3rd law states "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." This is the premise I will build on.

Since the beginning evil or goodness has tried to overcome the other. For every steadfast believer in liberalism there is another who will match them on the conservative side. All mankind's problems begin when one becomes radicalized into disbelieving components can coexist in-between I'll give you a few examples.* None of our programs like Social Security, unemployment and labor laws could have never come about without the conservatives cooperation. Radical liberals constantly try to play conservatives as the boogiemen. When things go wrong or the programs have flaws radical conservatives paint a target on liberals.

* Radical Christians want to make war with Muslims. Radical Muslims the same against Christians & Jews.

* Some radical cops blame the public for the uptick in what we're seeing. Others believe cops are instigating it.What each have in common is intolerance of the other as if this world only consisted two dimensionally. All problems arise when one extreme force meets the other. Scientifically speaking if we took the electrical energy on one side of a generator and crossed it with the other the resultant force would create a damaging short circuit. However when passing the current through an intelligently designed device it then produces something useful. In other words by eliminating the extremes to either side a good outcome can be produced.

Unfortunately there will always extremists in this world. It's just the way this world is and always has been at it's core. The question we each need ask ourselves are we the Yin, the Yang or somewhere in-between composed of both? Do we want to live our lives as extremists or doing something useful in-between the two?

Nothing Is Just A or B
Not all cops or those interrogated are innocent.
Not all religious beliefs are righteous.
Neither political party can completely represent their members views..
There are women/men and those in between.

Ancient religion describes life's travel through karma as a circle (much like the Yin/Yang symbol you see here) . You leave at the top. Travel through the circle ending up on the opposite side from which you started. That religion is trying to tell people not to pick up too much karma (Yin or Yang) on the way back to the beginning of our journey. At the same time warning us if we cut our life short (because of extremism) along the way we've not completed life's journey. Whether someone wishes to believe or not, it's still good advice.


Maybe they were on to something. Ever notice how all the galaxies, planets and suns are all circular?

Should LC Water Users Be On The Hook?

Cost for fixing sewer overflows in
western Lehigh County to exceed $200 million
By Andrew Wagaman Contact Reporter Of The Morning Call

"The Environmental Protection Agency named the non-profit authority and its municipal signatories in a 2009 administrative order, forcing them to eliminate sewer overflows by the end of 2014 or face daily, five-figure fines."

My Comments About The Article AboveFirst off "them" is us. Secondly is it we the toilet flushers or the highly profitable corporate users of millions of gallons more water out at the industrial park who should be held accountable ?

Although we've been aware of this problem for years the powers that be still went ahead and approved 10's of thousands of gallons more water usage for various companies at the industrial park. It is for this reason residential water users shouldn't be on the hook for one thin dime. Of course that's not how things workout, is it?

Instead we'll blame downspouts and developments.

Since the low hanging fruit has neither the money or resources to oppose large increases I suspect us residential users will be left holding the short end of the stick.

What else is new !

My Favorite Music Videos (Updated 07/09/2016)

I've updated my favorite YouTube music videos. Currently there's over 1,300 videos in my various playlists. Many are amateur musical performers. It's my hope you'll enjoy them as I do. Out of all I do on the internet this is one of my favorite things to do.

Feel free to visit ALL MY PLAYLISTS at anytime for my latest additions.

Previously I provided links to each list. Trouble was every time I added a video or changed the order of play the link would break & I needed to recode it. Instead it is much easier for me to ask anyone who's interested to simply click on the link above because I add videos to the lists every few days. Thanks.

South Whitehall Wehr's Dam Controversy

On July 7th, 2016 WFMZ reported Wehr's Dam could cost South Whitehall taxpayers at least $600K-- "The Nov. 8 referendum will ask voters to authorize borrowing up to $600,000 for the maintenance and preservation of the dam over a five-year period."



Looking At The Whole Picture
I fail to see why this is such a controversy. According to South Whitehall's own website-- "The proposed budget calls for $13.6 million in operating expenses and $15 million in revenue." in 2016 with a " Unappropriated Reserve $912,788."

If this is so the estimated $120,000 per year would represent less then 13.2% of the 2016 "Unappropriated Reserve" in of itself. Looking at those numbers the need for borrowing may not even be necessary,

According to the 2010 census 19,180 people live in South Whitehall Township. Instead of asking the question the way they plan, why not ask people if their willing to spend $6.26 apiece per year for the next 5 years to keep it?

Ya can't buy a pizza for that price!
If you study the 2016 budget $19,400 will be spent on park signage. Another $33,000 for kitchen upgrades at one firehouse and floor coating at another . Alongside $25,000 for police office renovations this adds up to $77,400. Should we put these up for a public referendum too?

To the average wage earner $120,000 annually sounds like a lot of money but when you're dealing with a $15 million annual budget .8% is minuscule.

If taxpayers wish to believe political officials are truly concerned about the financial welfare of constituents over the dam enjoy the half a pizza it will save you.

LVCI On The Shootings

* All it took was four or five bad cops to make it miserable as hell for innocent well intended cops trying to do their jobs everywhere else.

* There's not a doubt in my mind minorities are treated differently. There is a black trauma surgeon who left the Lehigh Valley recently who posted on Facebook his experiences. Over the past few of years he's been stopped while driving atleast 10 times questioning why he's driving such an expensive vehicle in his own upscale neighborhood. My stepdaughter's friend whose husband is Hispanic has been stopped two or three times a year and nearly 100% of the time at the airport when they go on trips. How can these people not become resentful?

* Far too many cops are being trained these days to escalate situations unnecessarily by screaming perhaps even shooting first. We need to train them to deescalate situations rather then escalate them. Citizens in foreign countries throughout history feared soldiers as they went about their daily lives. We are becoming all way too much like them.

* Forget about terrorists coming to get us. We are our own worst enemy. If I where to offer advice to our enemies it would be to stand down and wait.. we'll destroy ourselves without their foreign intervention if we don't wise up.

* Pray day and night as you will God himself isn't going to intervene nor some magic genie. Forget about it. No one can kill or lock up all the evil which exists in this world.

Wrapping this up in few words as possible let it be said I'm not too impressed with some of my fellow human beings at the present moment.

A Few Thoughts (07/07/2016)

Allentown's Lehigh Parkway Reopens
Allentown city officials held a ribbon cutting reopening ceremony Wow, maybe we should have one of these for every street reopening after a gas explosion and water pipe sinkhole collapse. I hardly think a celebration be held for things that should have been under constant repair.

Results Of The $1b+ Cost To Taxpayers For Allentown's NIZ
Return On Investment: Has anyone's state or local taxes gone down?
Have neighborhood, schools and family's quality of life improved over what they were 5 years ago?

Allentown Parks & Pools
More presentable and scenic then they were 20 years ago?

Allentown Housing
Is there more home ownership with less transient rental properties available then 10 years ago?

IN A NUTSHELLI believe if people were to confront reality (which I highly doubt they ever will) all these problems could be overcome. Most are too self absorbed or unwilling to make this a better world.

What say you?