Next Pennsylvania Governor Faces Challenges

This could get interesting over the next few years.

Pennsylvania voters elected a Democrat (Tom Wolf) to be governor. At the same time electors went with Republicans in both the state house and senate. Republicans next year will make up 59% of Pennsylvania's house (119-84). On the senate side 60% will be Republicans (30-20).

Insiders speculate Wolf may have a better relationship with Republicans then the former governor did because of Tom Corbett's somewhat lack of communication skills with them.

Although that may be, there's sure to be some serious challenges ahead. Especially over issues like pension funding, imposing fracking taxes and graduated state income tax to name three.

Can Wolf manage to get legislators to move ahead or will Pennsylvania find itself gridlocked similar to Washington D.C. and much like it has been under the Corbett administration?

Football: Utah Gifts Oregon In A Big Way

There's no doubt about. This had to be college football's big play of the day.

Saturday, Nov. 8, 2014

FINAL: Oregon 51 - Utah 27

Wonder if this is the kind of stuff that should get his football scholarship taken away :-)

Report Card On Lehigh Valley Schools

Lehigh Valley Live.com posted the results of Pennsylvania's rankings of Lehigh Valley Schools

Rather then post anything too negative let me just say this. Generally speaking suburban schools are doing a great deal better then urban districts. Out of the three major cities of Allentown, Bethlehem & Easton I'm not surprised by the rankings.

I find it a bit difficult to fault teachers or these districts. It's not because suburban schools are better. It's not just because they have more money either. Instead it should be obvious that parents who drove themselves to be able to afford a better life will drive their kids harder then those who did not.


People may not like that statement, but sometimes we have to be honest with ourselves. The fault doesn't lie with teachers and school districts. If parents want a better life for their kids, it's starts with driving themselves.

We all can blame the schools and teachers as the day is long but it boils down to taking personal responsibility for their success or failure. If parents lack this, so will their kids. It's just that simple.

Rosie O' On Immigration

I follow a number of vBlogs. One of them is Rosie O'Donnell's. People may not be aware Rosie has begun posting 'Ask Ro' videos on YouTube once again.

As you may or may not be aware immigration is now back on the front burner after Republicans took both sides of Congress. Before we slam the door I think what Rosie and her friend Sabi from Columbia said should make everyone think before we act too hastily. Rather then post the whole clip I've edited down a 2:44 minute portion of what they had to say...

How the United States treats immigrants in the days ahead will speak to what kind of country we become. Surely we can't swing the door wide open, but neither should we slam the door shut on each and every one depending on their situations and why they ended up coming here. I fear the latter is just what might happen if we do not carefully weigh all the extenuating circumstances carefully and create compassionate legislation against those of our need for security.

So too those sensible immigration reforms that will benefit us economically in the long run need to be considered judiciously as well.





(There are dozens of more videos like these)
There is no one size fits all. If conservatives take a hard line and shut down immigration it not only affects those seeking to come here, but all consumers and the agricultural industry. Sometimes conservatives tend to be simplistic. Let us hope over the coming months in their over zealousness to oppose everything President Obama does they don't screw this up.

LVT Trolley Video From 1953

April 26, 1953: The last Fan Trips on Lehigh Valley Transit's Northampton Line

Video Courtesy 1711and14
If anyone's further interested I have four other posts concerning Lehigh Valley Transit Trolleys. I have a post HERE. Another one HERE. A third one HERE. And yet another HERE

Two Headlines & Quick Comments On Them

Harvard Secretly Photographed Thousands Of Students As Part Of Study

Wow, what a surprise... NOT!

Harvard was practically the birthplace for our federal government's intelligence services. Each year the federal government actively recruits from this college. What.. the students thought they were immune?



US could delay troop withdrawal from Afghanistan

What's with this could delay?

Did anyone actually believe the missions in Afghanistan and Iraq were done?

Notice the teleprompter?
Maybe W. Just Used The Mirror To Straighten His Tie :-)

PennDOT Put Out This Video

PennDOT Winter Operations, Driving Safety-- "Safe travel during the winter season is a shared responsibility. This video highlights the department’s 5,400 operators and 2,250 trucks prepared to maintain more than 40,000 miles of state-maintained roadway or 96,000 snow-lane miles, enough miles to circle the globe nearly four times. It also explains what to expect from PennDOT during the winter season."