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Saturday, December 22, 2012

From Lame to Crippled

Good morning, Blogolanders!   Well, the Honorable Mayor has moved from lame duck status to crippled duck status.  I cannot bring myself to gloat over Tony's problems (all of which he brought upon himself); I do, however, feel much pity for the poor sod.  Last Wednesday he was formerly charged in federal court - no surprises there.  Does the Honorable Mayor walk out and announce, "Ican't wait for the February trial where I will be found NOT guilty?"  No, he gets in a car to be driven across the street to city hall!  His lawyer hints he may ask for a continuence.  Nice way of saying, "postponement."  That tells me the Honorable Mayor knows he will be found guilty and wants to postpone the inevitiable as long as possible.  Hell, with a wife and four children, the Honorable Mayor not only needs the salary, but he also needs the medical insurance.  Do not be surprised if Mack & Company try to stall the trial for another year or so. 

As I've said before, the Honorable Mayor has a sweet personality; he's good with kids.  Too bad he didn't decide to become a physical education teacher and dabble in politics as a sideline.  Like so many others, the Honorable Mayor got caught in, HUBRIS."  I'm tempted to do a posting about hubris - what The Kid calls, "esoteric bullshit." 

As for the fundraiser held by the Honorable Mayor - talk about tacky.  It seems each day, the man makes more of a fool of himself. 

Friday, December 21, 2012

Just the Longest Night

Well, Blogolanders, December 21, 2012 has come and almost gone.  Despite all the Maya hype about the END, it was just a chilly, rainy December day.  This is also the longest night of the year; the sun begins to climb again tomorrow.  This is, I believe, 14 Bak'tun - Maya New Year in the long count?  That is one confusing calendar.  Until the next End-of-Days prophecy.

Book Review

Every now and again, I feel the urge to write about a book I've read.  Last week there was little I could do but read so I curled up David Nasaw's biography of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.  It was quite a page-turner; it was also rather sad.  Here's a guy who made millions; he was a real slick operator, but also very sad.  This guy had everything but peace, happiness, maybe even love.  I'm not sure he really loved Rose Fitzgerald; he probably considered her a business merger.  When he died, he was a vegetable unable to move or speak.  He had buried four of his children.  A fifth, Rosemary, was also a vegetable thanks to Joe who authorized the lobotomy.

Joe Kennedy was ahead of his time when it came to his daughters.  They all married, "late."  Eunice was thirty.  Kathleen married at the youngest age - 24.  But Joe wanted his daughters to be educated and to have careers.  And it happened.  Joe Kennedy was a fascinating guy; too bad we will never know what was going on his mind as he sat dying those last years. 

A Burger Bit

I was not at city hall last evening but reviewed the various postings very carefully.  The complaints about how The Burg has changed are true.  Even when the Stewart family moved to Trenton 27 years ago, The Burg was still the Italian neighborhood.  Today it is Central American, probably mostly Guatemalan, but I'm sure there are a few other Spanish speaking republics represented.  Before I continue, I admit that when I go into Italian Peoples and have trouble getting my point across because I do not speak Spanish, I get annoyed.  Yet, the changing face of The Burg is natural and to be expected and even celebrated. 

Blogolanders, how many of you know that 100 odd years ago, Chambersburg was a separate municipality and very WASP.  For various reasons, the WASPS relocated and the Italians moved in; they also built up a nice area.  Time goes by and the children and grandchildren of the original immigrants do very well for themselves.  They become doctors, lawyers, accountants, professors, and they move onward and upward!  These people live in Lawrence, Princeton, the Upper Eastside of Manhattan, Palm Beach and don't give diddly about Chambersburg.  So a new immigrant group moves in - in this case Central Americans.  In fifty years someone will be complaining that The Burg used to be such a nice Hispanic area and now it's crawling with immigrants from Mars (or somewhere).  In place of the Italian restaurants, Central American restaurants are opening (and many of them are damned good).

Even here in South Trenton there was a shift - the original residents were Englishmen who worked in the potteries; there was even an Anglican church down here.  The English moved out, Eastern Europeans moved in.  Most of them have moved out, and yes, Hispanics are moving in. 

So all of this shifting and changing is not only normal but also a good thing. 

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Not Gone Yet

Good morning, Blogolanders!  No, I have not tossed in the towel; I have not been around because I woke up Saturday morning with a bitch of  a sinus infection.  My head hurt so much I could barely think.  Saw my doctor who wrote a prescription and ORDERED me to go home and rest.  "Stay away from people," was what he said.  Too bad I missed the Honorable Mayor's Meet & Greet.  BUT....after checking the e-mail, I could not believe the Honorable Mayor would trim the municipal tree with pictures of his family.  What social mistake will the Honorable Mayor make next?  This ranks with, "Happy Pearl Harbor Day." 

Trenton Positive

Monday evening Trenton got a national shot in the arm.  Brian Williams of NBC had a segment about Danielle Gletow and her One Simple Wish group.  For those of you who missed the broadcast or do not know the group, One Simple Wish works with foster children.  If the kid has wish, Danielle's group works to fulfill it.  The wishes range from new sneakers to violin lessons.  Last May, The Kid drove the van around the country as Danielle's group fulfilled thirty wishes in thirty cities in thrity days.  It was made very plain that One Simple Wish is headquartered in TRENTON, New Jersey.  Not only did Trenton get good publicity but One Simple Wish also received lots of donations.  Way to go TRENTON!!

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Maybe the Glass is Half Full

On Friday evening the TCCA held the annual dinner over at the Trenton Country Club; it was a very pleasant evening.  The food was good.  The usual active Trentonians were there.  And a number of people, places, and things were given awards.  The most interesting award was given to Nicholas Cirillo for his work with the, AND GET THIS, Trenton Central High School Debating Team!!!  First, I admit I did not know there was such a thing and second, I most certainly did not know this team won against Princeton University!!!  Blogolanders, did you know that?  The TCHS debating team with good enough to beat Princeton!!!  This Friday, the team with take on the University of Pennsylvania right here in Trenton.  Yeah, the UPenn crowd is actually chugging up the river to Trenton.

My question is why has this info not been published in either newspaper?  Debating is not easy; and those, "failing students," beat Princeton!!  Blogolanders, this is something to advertise.  Let's see how the debate this Friday is covered on Saturday.    There are good things here in Trenton.  And good luck to the debating team!!