We must ask "WHY?"

We must ask "WHY?"



Saturday, July 30, 2011

USS Indianapolis

USS Indianapolis (CA-35) was a Portland-class cruiser. She holds a place in history due to the circumstances surrounding her sinking, which led to the greatest single loss of life at sea in the history of the U.S. Navy. After delivering critical parts for the first atomic bomb to be used in combat to Tinian, the ship was hit by two torpedoes from the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine I-58. Twelve minutes later, she capsized (turned over) and went down.

Of 1,196 crewmen aboard, approximately 300 went down with the ship. The remaining crew of 880 men faced exposure, dehydration and shark attacks as they waited to be saved, while floating with few lifeboats and almost no food or water.

The Navy had no knowledge of the sinking (the failure of the ship to arrive at her destination not having been noticed) and learned of the sinking when survivors were spotted (four days later) by the crew of a PV-1 Ventura aircraft on routine patrol. Only 316 sailors survived.

The Ventura aircraft immediately dropped a life raft and a radio transmitter. All air and surface units capable of rescue operations were dispatched to the scene at once. A PBY Catalina seaplane (commanded by Lieutenant R. Adrian Marks) was dispatched to lend assistance and report. En route to the scene, Marks overflew the USS Cecil J. Doyle and alerted her captain (future U.S. Secretary of the Navy W. Graham Claytor, Jr.) of the emergency. On his own authority, Claytor decided to divert to the scene.

Arriving hours ahead of Doyle, Marks' crew began dropping rubber rafts and supplies. Having seen men being attacked by sharks, Marks disobeyed standard orders and landed on the open sea. He began taxiing to pick up the stragglers and lone swimmers who were at the greatest risk of shark attack.

The Indianapolis was the last capitol ship sunk by enemy action in World War II.

As of 2010, there were 52 living survivors.

The Indianapolis is, perhaps, best known from the movie 'Jaws'. Quint (portrayed by Robert Shaw) was an Indianapolis survivor.
"Japanese submarine slammed two torpedoes into our side, Chief. We was comin' back from the island of Tinian to Leyte. We'd just delivered the bomb. The Hiroshima bomb. Eleven hundred men went into the water. Vessel went down in 12 minutes. Didn't see the first shark for about a half-hour. Tiger. 13-footer. You know how you know that in the water, Chief? You can tell by lookin' from the dorsal to the tail. What we didn't know, was that our bomb mission was so secret, no distress signal had been sent. They didn't even list us overdue for a week. Very first light, Chief, sharks come cruisin', so we formed ourselves into tight groups. You know it was kinda like old squares in a battle, like you see on a calendar, like you see in the Battle of Waterloo. And the idea was the shark come to the nearest man, that man he starts poundin' and hollerin' and sometimes that shark he go away... but sometimes he wouldn't go away. Sometimes that shark looks right into ya. Right into your eyes. And the thing about a shark is he's got lifeless eyes. Black eyes. Like a doll's eyes. When he comes at ya, he doesn't even seem to be livin'... until he bites ya, and those black eyes roll over white and then... ah then you hear that terrible high-pitched screamin'. The ocean turns red, and despite all the poundin' and the hollerin' those sharks come in and... they rip you to pieces. You know by the end of that first dawn, lost a hundred men. I don't know how many sharks, maybe a thousand. I do know how many men, they averaged six an hour. Thursday mornin', Chief, I bumped into a friend of mine, Herbie Robinson from Cleveland. Baseball player. Boatswain's mate. I thought he was asleep. I reached over to wake him up. He bobbed up, down in the water, he was like a kinda top. Upended. Well, he'd been bitten in half below the waist. At noon on the fifth day, a Lockheed Ventura swung in low and he saw us, a young pilot, a lot younger than Mr. Hooper here. Anyway he saw us and a few hours later a big fat PBY come down and started to pick us up. You know that was the time I was most frightened. Waitin' for my turn. I'll never put on a lifejacket again. So, 1,100 men went into the water, 316 men come out, the sharks took the rest, June the 29th, 1945. Anyway, we delivered the bomb." ~ Quint

She was lost 66 years ago today.
Dan Emplit WBFD
USN 1986 - 1992

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Where to begin?

Ten years ago:
The Twin Towers were still standing

The submarine USS Greeneville accidentally strikes and sinks the Japanese fishing vessel Ehime-Maru near Hawaii.

British and U.S. forces carry out bombing raids, attempting to disable Iraq's air defense network

The Russian space station Mir re-enters the atmosphere near Nadi, Fiji, and falls into the Pacific Ocean.

A Hamas suicide bomber kills 21, mostly teenagers, in the Dolphinarium disco in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Enron files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection

The residents of Coal street were 'notified' of the parking situation by Certified letter, sent by then Mayor McGroarty.

The Coal Street Realignment project
Yet more proof that dictator Leighton cares more about getting his name on something than the welfare of our citizens. He certainly doesn't give a damn about the home values that will plummet.
12 parking spaces for ALL of Coal St? Wow, that will help. I mean how many houses are on Coal St. that don't have off street parking? 40 or 50? Those 12 spaces will certainly be popular.

And the Old River Road Bakery is back in the news..... AGAIN.
Let's look at the qoutes in the Citizens Voice today.

"Only a few people know what's going on," Leighton said about the pending deal between the city and Leo A. Glodzik III, the owner of LAG Towing.
The mayor is one of them, and he's refused to reveal much about the future of property at 250 Old River Road. When Leighton has talked about the pending sale, his answers have ranged from odd to inconclusive to seemingly contradictory.
Why the secrecy? Unless you got caught doing something wrong. AGAIN.

"I'm not saying he's getting it," Leighton said Wednesday. "And I'm not saying he's not getting it."
Can you make a more ARROGANT response? Answer the damn question. I bet answering it would risk selling it to a campaign contributor.

The city, citing assessment discrepancies, argues the taxes are not owed.
Then why has the dictator asked for tax forgiveness? More than once. More lies.

Leighton's statements this week only have added to the intrigue surrounding the bakery, which the city sold to Glodzik for $38,000 - far below the county-assessed value of $478,300. Glodzik pays the city $50,050 annually for an exclusive towing project and has donated more than $10,000 to Leighton's political campaigns.
Leighton has a habit of selling property to LAG towings owner at a loss for the city coffers.

While Leighton pointed out Glodzik has a signed sales agreement and is "definitely in the running" to buy the bakery, he said "there's always a chance" the city could reopen the bidding on the property to other parties.
There's a chance I'll win the lottery (probably a better chance that I will).

"Then you know something you shouldn't know," he said.
Bet he was mad when he said that.

Pure Bunkum has a similar post, That's For Me To Know And For You To Find Out

By the way, what is with Leightons 'evil Spock' look?


Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Retired Chief Norm Davis passed away today

Today we lost a hero. Chief Norm Davis.
Chief Norm Davis retired saturday
Norm Davis for City Council

Retired Wilkes-Barre Assistant Fire Chief Norm Davis dead

WILKES-BARRE - Retired city assistant fire chief Norm Davis died overnight inside his house on Kirkendall Avenue in South Wilkes-Barre.

Davis retired from the fire department in February after 36 years of service. He was a candidate for city council District A in the primary election, receiving 27 percent of the vote.

"Today is a sad day for the City of Wilkes-Barre as the community has lost retired Wilkes-Barre Assistant Fire Chief Norm Davis. He dedicated his life and 36-year career to serve the people of Wilkes-Barre and even in retirement, his commitment to improve this city and the lives of the people could not be questioned," Mayor Thomas Leighton said in a statement. "My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends but he will not be forgotten. His memory will live-on in the fire department that he served and the people that he touched."

His retirement left a hole in our dept.
His passing left a hole in our souls.
The Marine Corp motto is 'Semper Fidelis' ("always faithful" in Latin) for the dedication and loyalty that individual Marines have for "Corps and Country", even after leaving service. Marines frequently shorten the motto to "Semper Fi".

Semper Fi, Norm.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Saturday, July 23, 2011

The Walking Dead (TV series)

I was just texting a friend who is a big fan of this show. And the release of a trailer for season two got us 'talking' about the show. Now I enjoy it as well, but there are just some things that, with a little thought or research or experience, are annoyingly wrong.
So here is a list (I make a lot of lists...)

1. If I awake from a coma to find the hospital wrecked and shot up, before venturing outside, remember to acquire pants.

2. Oh yeah, get shoes too. Before anyone asks, Raid the locker rooms.

3. The gun bag seems to weigh less than my laptop. That amount of weapons would weigh more than 80 pounds, add to that the 700 rounds of ammo (assorted) and you're talking more than half his body weight! In a sea bag!

4. Check those HMMWV's (Humvee's) or choppers for weapons and ammo.

5. Who holds an empty gas can in their gun hand when expecting trouble?

6. M1 Abrams (The Tank) do not have belly hatches (or a CB radio), that is a British Chieftain dolled up to look like an M1. Oh and the inside of a tank is CRAMPED. In the show it looked bigger than my living room.

7. You wouldn't be able to hear the pounding from inside either. Tanks are designed to take hits from OTHER TANKS. No way you could here pounding of fists, The armor is too thick.

8. The "Glock safety" mistake. The Glock safety is a small inner lever contained in the trigger. Put your finger on the trigger and the safety is OFF. What he flicked 'off' was the slide release. And what cop, on patrol, doesn't have a round in the chamber?

9. Spike strips are designed to NOT cause you to crash like that. They are hollow little spikes which cause the air to come out over a bit a time, making the car stop safely.

10. The whole department store thing, I mean, "Lets just stand here in plain sight and rile them up even more."

11. If you have to be where the zombies can see you. Why not do something productive, like IDK, put things in front of the doors to reinforce them or slow the zombies down?

12. Plus the camp in the woods, what is with that? Let's set up tents in the woods, that will keep them out. It's the woods, cut down some trees and make some barricades, some kind of defenses. And a strings of tin cans filled with rocks doesn't count as a defense.

13. Build a freaking fire pit that goes deep into the ground and has some sort of chimney type cover. That way it can generate heat and keep you warm without the light leaking out.

14. And why the hell go into Atlanta, anyway? it's only 1 month into zombie apocalypse, there are lots of smaller towns around to get supplies from first and they wouldn't have the massive number of undead.

15. As for the camp, have these people ever heard of having a 24/7 watch or the words 'defensive perimeter'?

16. The one handed shooting grips that these actors are using - have the guns canted to an angle that would assure a total miss. Despite what you see in movies, handguns for head shots? Not easy.

17. There are gun shops in Georgia, ones that are not in big cities and don't have endless numbers of zombies nearby.

18. Get a better hide out, one way in, means one way out.

19. Get better vehicles, Its only been a month or so, Steal a new RV.

20. 3 crossbow bolts in one deer? Really? I never heard of a deer that wasn't hit with a kill shot that just stood still for the hunter to hit it 2 more times, on the same flank and same side of the animal with a weapon as slow to reload as a crossbow.

21. You are surrounded and within proximity of a large mass of zombies. Everyone needs to be armed with something 24/7. Even if it is just a bat.

22. Instead of defense training - they did laundry.

23. And when the encounter happened - they had NO PLAN. Except - lets scream like an 8 year old girl and then go to the RV.

24. You are in DESPERATE need of fuel, ammo and food? Why don't they make any attempt to scavenge along the way? I don't understand. They have guns now. Can't the two deputies figure a way to work as a team and sweep/clear a simple structure so they can scavenge for supplies? Plus, there are plenty of abandoned cars on the way. Not all can be out of fuel.

25. They can't figure out how to get a 'decent' vehicle jump started?

26. The BIGGEST GLARING IMPOSSIBILITY.......... The FRENCH LASTED LONGEST!!!!!! Those cheese-eating surrender monkeys lasted longer than the U.S.!!!! Right. What did they do drop their rifles on the zombies heads?

27. At the CDC, once again they didn't forage for better weapons.

28. BTW, Grenades don't work that way.

29. What's with the muzzle of his revolver sticking out of his holster? That's a prescription for a failed draw when the front sight snags on the holster... not to mention the damage to the sight and crown.

30. Revolvers hold 6 shots (Most of them) and take a comparatively long time to reload. A Glock 17 holds 17 rounds in a magazine plus 1 in the chamber and take a second to reload. Which would you want to be carrying in a zombie apocalypse?

31. Shotguns hold 6 to 9 rounds and take FOREVER to reload. An AR-15 (civilian version of the M-16) holds 30 rounds in a magazine (most) and take a second to reload. Which would you want to be carrying in a zombie apocalypse?

I'm going with this kid. He has a better chance of survival.

There are a large number of things that should be ignored simply because of timing for a TV show (IE why wasn't the deputy covered with bed sores?). But come on, some of these things just don't make sense.

A lot of these points were made by friends of mine (like ZIPBAGS, MikeE, Bluto, Beamish & Dux to name a few) who have been helping me get back in the shooting groove. Thanks Dudes.

Add on Season 2 Here.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Friday, July 22, 2011

Duane L. Jones

Most people will not recognize the name, or even the name of the character he is best know for, Ben in the 1968 horror film Night of the Living Dead (NotLD).
His role in 1968 movie Night of the Living Dead marked the first time an African American actor was cast as the star of a horror film. He was executive director of the Black Theater Alliance, a federation of theater companies, from 1976 to 1981.

He taught acting styles at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. As executive director of the Richard Allen Center for Culture and Art, he promoted African-American theater. After leaving the American Academy of Dramatic Arts he taught a select group of students privately in Manhattan, by invitation only. His hand-selected students were of diverse ethnic backgrounds.

He died of cardiopulmonary arrest at Winthrop-University Hospital on July 22, 1988.

His most famous character, Ben, was originally to be a gruff, blue collar, rough speaking, determined to survive but not-to-bright Caucasian. Until well spoken, reserved, dignified Mr. Jones auditioned for the part. At that time, it was not typical for an African American man to be the hero of a film when the rest of the cast was composed entirely of white actors and actresses. Social commentators saw that casting as significant; on the other hand, George A. Romero (the director) said that Jones "simply gave the best audition".
Karl Hardman (one of the producers), “The script had been written with the character Ben as a rather simple truck driver. His dialogue was that of a lower class / uneducated person. Duane Jones was a very well educated man and simply refused to do the role as it was written. As I recall, I believe that Duane himself upgraded his own dialogue to reflect how he felt the character should present himself"

The first time I saw NotLD, I was about 10 or 11, it never occurred to me to think about an African American star in a black and white film. Mr. Jones simply embodied the resourceful hero role. I didn't know for years that he tore down preconceived barriers. I only knew that he was a great actor, and his character Ben was... well a bad ass everyman.

Duane Jones died 23 years ago today, He was 52.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Glodzik not living up to his contract?

Mark Robbins of Forty Fort has started a blog about Leo and his L.A.G. towing monopoly in Wilkes-Barre. You should check it out.
If you haven't been reading the papers, well here are the links.

Dessoye: LAG Towing’s profits not my business

Critical remarks target Wilkes-Barre's towing operator

Wilkes-Barre towing contract not enforced

W-B tower denies driver’s claims

City tower’s conduct blasted

Here is a short list of what Mr Robbins has claimed on his site:

1. L.A.G. towing has NOT fulfilled its contract by:
a. NOT keeping an accurate and running log of all vehicles currently in storage
b. Not giving Wilkes-Barre PD An accurate and running log of all vehicles currently in storage
2. NOT giving WBPD a list of the tows made by the Contractor under this contract for the preceding month
3. NOT giving WBPD a copy of all inventories held
And has failed to do this FOR 75 CONSECUTIVE MONTHS!!!

No matter how you feel about the circumstances that got Mr Robbins started in this investigation. The details he is digging up are showing even more corruption in city hall.

One final claim I would like to point out, (From his 'CARs for Cash' kickback Scam)
"SCRANTON FBI IS COMPROMISED No wonder why Mayor Leighton is so cocky that he taunts people at City Council meetings. The FBI is “in his hip pocket.” Scranton FBI Agent Joe Noone attended a “Leighton for Senate party” and Noone has been seen out to dinner with the W-B Police Chief Gerard Dessoye. Noone has effectively corrupted himself by taking part in these social events. These are the people he is supposed to investigate! The Scranton FBI is the entity to which I should report. It’s now compromised."
Scary. Now even the watchmen may be compromised.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? "Who watches the watchmen?"

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Thursday, July 21, 2011

What is wrong with the people that run this country?

From my Email in-box
Both Republicians & Democrats


In the last months we have provided aid to Haiti, Chile, Pakistan, Lybia, Egypt and Turkey .. And now Japan

Literally, BILLIONS of DOLLARS!!!




Sad isn't it?

99% of people won't have the guts to forward this.
I'm one of the 1% -- I Just Did

This is a sad truth. We need to start looking after our own, before anyone else.

Dan Emplit WBFD

Friday, July 15, 2011

The City takes ANOTHER shot at our rights

I haven't posted in a while, I was going to take a week or so off to help with some family matters and take some time for myself. But when councils Queen Bee does something SO FAR from what is right.... Well Edmund Burke said, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

The Wilkes-Barre 'ruling class' has decided to look into enforcing an ordinance that will take away our right to free speech. Since you have probably read the articles this morning, I'll just do the 'quote thing'.

From the Citizens Voice
Proposed W-B ordinance bars 'impertinent' remarks at meetings
A person barred from addressing council by the chairperson can only speak again if a majority of the council members present agree to rescind the order
Yea, THAT'S gonna happen. I see it this way. If you beg and grovel, then maybe they will ALLOW you to speak in their presence. Bull, they will DENY you that right.

"This is just making sure people have the opportunity to speak to council and to exercise their free speech without being intimidated or concerned or scared," William Vinsko (assistant city attorney) said.
Isn't this the guy neck deep in Leightons attempt to silence Denise Carey? Yea I trust his take on the First Amendment. BTW, Mr. Vinsko, I STILL haven't received the copy of the home rule charter that YOU promised me back in August 2010.

Mary Catherine Roper, an ACLU attorney, said without complete knowledge of the city's ordinance, she can't say what conduct might warrant a speaking ban. Measures could be taken, though, if somebody purposefully holds up or disrupts every meeting, Roper said.
Get ready for the city to waste another HUNDRED THOUSAND + DOLLARS to fight ANOTHER lawsuit it can not win.

And the Times Leader
W-B Council seeks change in decorum at meetings
Kane said she couldn’t offer specific information on the planned changes, but she said she has become increasingly concerned about the way some people conduct themselves at meetings.
I hope she means Leighton and herself! They are the worse offenders! I've wrote about that HERE and HERE.

“But if somebody gets completely out of control to the point where it affects the ability of others to present their concerns to council, then there should be consequences,” Kane said.
Does this include our childish mayor? He is the one who instigated the 'disruption' that the article mentions.

I saw this in the online comments:
From Barry_W
"Maybe it's time to elect people to council who will listen, offer dialogue and solutions that will solve the city's challenges.
If Kathy wants to avoid future incidents why doesn't she set a standard of behavior for council and the mayor? It is the mayor, twice, and her, once, that started "incidents" when they called Bob "Cupcake."
Instead, they want to remove all of our rights to show our outrage with how this city is run and how they conduct themselves.
Her attitude proves that we do not want her as our City Controller. She will not provide the checks and balances that we need."

Two changes I would like to see is council PAYING ATTENTION to the speakers!! So stop talking to each other instead of listening!!
And doing something for the full benefits they get! Oh right, some don't take the benefits... they take the cash buy out.

I'd also like to know WHO decides who is being 'impertinent'? I fear I already know.

I've always viewed the First Amendment as the right to publicly question our government. Without censure or reprisal. Council is trying to restrict our right to voice our grievances

This seems to stem from council looking at itself as Nobility. They should know Nobility comes from an honorable soul and selfless action, not some delusional sense of misplaced superiority.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Captain Cupcake should be worried

It seems that the newspapers (even his Times Cheerleader) are taking a close look at the dictator.

Leighton: No golf for me
Isn't officially campaigning while on the clock illegal?
Oh and I would love to see a roster of who showed up (BEFORE he gets a chance to doctor it) to check his numbers. Since he can't tell the difference between $12 million and $27 million for the parking garage, sorry intermodel center.

City workers golf for boss
If this was put in motion MONTHS ago, why a Friday instead of a weekend? Then most of these people wouldn't have had to take time off?

Meet the mayor of Barney Farms
Some VERY good reporting here. Instead of just printing the obvious or regurgitating city hall press releases, They really did their homework.

"In 2009, 14 of those hired for 138 summer jobs through an executive order by the mayor, or about 10 percent, lived alongside Leighton in the riverside enclave of Barney Farms."
"Barney Farms has three streets and 69 homes, or less than one-half of 1 percent of the city's households."
"The vast majority of summer hires that year came from South Wilkes-Barre and the Leighton administration's approach toward filling summer jobs seems specifically designed to achieve that very outcome."

Also Pure Bunkum has somethings to say on the issue.
Mayor Leighton Works At City Hall And At The Golf Club

If you are thinking of supporting Leighton, Ask yourself these questions:

Your going to support him even with the $15 million cost over run on a $12 million dollar project?

Or the $17 million Riverfront that has no parking and no bathrooms?

Or the selling of city property (to his a campaign contributor) for 10% of it's value?

Or the Hiring of his relatives for summer jobs that were not advertised?

Or his campaigning on city time?

Add those to the list:
The Fountain, $75,000 dollars for repairing the fountain. Well after GIVING the ice rink a free (we the citizens paid for it) Zamboni, that cost around $80,000, there is no more money.

I guess after selling the Old River Road Bakery, for 8 cents on the dollar (the equivalent of selling a gallon of gas for under 24 cents a gallon), to a campaign contributor there isn't enough money for public safety.

Maybe it was because the city had to pay Denise Carey $67,000 when Mayor 'I Believe (in higher taxes)' Leighton violated her CONSTITUTIONAL Rights.

Maybe it was the $220,000 in legal fees Denise Careys lawyer is seeking from the city.

Maybe it's the $225,000 the city had to pay Bob Kadluboski (of City-Wide Towing) after violating his contract with the city.

Maybe it was the money that was spent on the city attorneys to fight the wrong fights

Maybe it was the MILLIONS spent on an ice rink that the public 'can use SOMETIMES'

Maybe it was the MILLIONS spent on the Big Brother Camera system that work occasionally (a cop told me only around 24 were working and they were blocked by trees)

Maybe it was the sidewalks downtown that didn't need to be replaced near as much as some of the ones away from downtown

Maybe it was the cost over runs on the Coal street 'get outta the city faster' project

Maybe it's time for a mayor that places the citizens safety before his pet projects

As for public safety,
Remember the Cities own study claimed 17 firefighters/shift was the MINIMUM, not the mayors 12! He's putting our loved ones at risk so he can fund HIS projects!!
Think about it when you vote, or when a meth lab explodes in Wilkes-Barre.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Pure Bunkum has a new post

Pure Bunkum has a post about the TL sucking up and minimizing Leightons nepotism.
At Least I Had The TL On My Side

Once again Betty Roccograndi makes so VERY good points.

I loved this one:
"What would have happened, we wonder, if Leighton’s human resources director had not recommended Courtney and Lauren Leighton for the city positions? Would the mayor have accepted that decision and told his daughter at the dinner table, Sorry, hon, by there were others more qualified?"

Captain Cupcake (Leighton) had to 'put this to rest'. With so many people looking at the favoritism to Leo Glodzik he can't afford to show his true colors.

And to answer an Email question about Leighton, Yes Clancey.

On Sunday, Oct. 20, 1997

Gonna keep this one short, My SIG Sauer is complaining I never take her out anymore.
Damn Swiss/Germans are so hard to please. Gonna have to give her a workout.

Oh and I hope everyone had a fun and safe 4th... Even this dachshund

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

10% or less Redux

I posted my thoughts about this previously.

I have been given around 40 pages of information about this transaction from a friend (Thanks, Dude). They don't mind if I call them by name, but I want to keep that private for now.

First off a little recap.
Captain U. Cupcake (Leighton) had the city buy the double-block at 86-88 Carlisle Street.
Cost $8500 and $1,500 to close out federal mortgages, So $10,000.
He then sold the property to Leo A. Glodzik III (a campaign contributor) for $7500.
That's a loss to the city of $2,500 right off the bat.

The city and Glodzik claim,
1. "one side of the property was completely gutted to the studs, and all the copper pipe and electrical wiring was removed. He said he couldn’t access the basement on that side because the stairs were missing."

2. “It was a shell. That’s all that was there,

3. “The whole kitchen was pretty much caved in on itself,

4. “There was mold throughout that side of the basement,

5. "duplex sold for $7,500 because of its deplorable condition"

YET, and here is the corruption. If this is true, and the city would have had to have known it to sell the property for $7,500, THEN WHY DID THEY LET GLODZIK GET AWAY WITH REMODELLING THE PROPERTY WITH 2 PERMITS, EACH WITH AN 'ESTIMATED COST OF BUILDING' OF $2,000!!! That is a total of $4,000! That's it. The ONLY 2 permits taken out.

So what is the truth? It is one of 4 things.
1. The house was worth WAY more than $7,500 (HELL the land is worth more than that)
2. Glozdik did WAY more work than $4,000 (and got away with it because of political connections).
3. Someone dropped the ball appraising the property (because of incompetence or political pressure)
4. All of the above

I'd go with 4.

Don't forget Glodzik has a history of ignoring the law, he was caught doing work he is not licenced for, no permit, putting an apartment where he knew he couldn't and fined for it at 253 New Hancock St.
1. Complaints about work on property
2. W-B towing contractor fined for illegal apts.
3. Glodzik cited with zoning violations
4. W-B’s car tower gets fined again
5. W-B’s tower to appeal fines concerning permits, work on property
6. W-B reduces city tower’s fines

This is very fishy and something is wrong with this. I'm not done looking into this.
"One half of the property was inhabited up to the time it was sold to the city in an October 2007 back-tax sale, according to a relative of the prior owner. But Barrouk stressed the property was not occupied by the time the city acquired it."
Then why was it only a 'drive by' assessment?

“The land itself was assessed at $16,400, The 3,666-square-foot structure on a 0.11-acre lot is in an attractive neighborhood" Urban said.
Commissioner Urban, please don't let this go. This is what you promised to investigate. Follow the money and the paper trails. Do what you have to.
You can't fix corrupt, but you can bring it to the light!!!

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Someone else lets loose

One of our area papers has an article from someone who has had enough, It's a MUST read.

It's a relatively short article, so I'll copy it here

All in the family business

When it comes to government ethics, Tom Leighton is the Rip Van Winkle of local politics.

Leighton must have slumbered through the last 30 months.

He must have snored through that federal corruption sweep that netted more than 30 government officials and contractors.

He must have snoozed while outraged voters upended county government and approved a home-rule charter that will impose strict hiring, contracting and ethics rules. Well good morning, Mayor Tom. It's a new day and voters don't look kindly on politicians who use their positions to benefit their relatives.

As reported Friday by Citizens' Voice Staff Writer Andrew Staub, Leighton approved the hiring of his 20-year-old daughter and 20-year-old niece for $10-per-hour summer jobs with city government. More than 100 other people who applied for 76 summer positions with the city were turned away.

Leighton defended the hirings, arguing his daughter and niece "should be considered as everyone else in considered."

No, they shouldn't. Elected officials have a duty to avoid even the appearance of impropriety and to promote public confidence in government.

If Leighton wants to help his daughter and niece find work during their summer vacations from college, he should give them jobs in his real-estate firm. Or, if they are as dependable and hard-working as he says they are, they could find summer work on their own.

The city is full of disadvantaged young people who would love to have a summer job at City Hall to pay tuition, help with household expenses or build a resume that will help them become productive adults.

Two of them won't have that chance because Leighton decided to use the power granted to him by voters to help his own household.

The hirings, coupled with Leighton's letter to a federal judge on behalf of a former city official facing prison in a corruption case, show the mayor is clueless when it comes to the unraveling culture of corruption in Luzerne County.

That culture is a continuum that begins with ethically questionable acts like hiring your relatives and ends with out-and-out criminality.

It must be rooted out from start to finish.

Wake up, Mayor Leighton. Our city government is not your family business.

Once again parts just jumped out at me.

Sounds familiar.

This is SO TRUE!!! But then Captain U. Cupcake (Leighton) would have to pay them, instead of the city (Meaning the citizens of Wilkes-Barre).



Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Nepotism Part2 or How many scandals will there be in 4 weeks?

Leightons (Captain U. Cupcake) cheer leading rag has an article about his latest 'Shut up and pay my taxes' move. Mayor defends hiring kin as interns.

This REALLY jumped out at me.
She said hundreds of applications come in each year, so they feel there is no need to advertise. Jensen said she can recall only one year during the last three mayoral administrations – Leighton, Thomas McGroarty and Lee Namey – that the city needed to advertise to fill summer jobs.
Well if you only had 10 applicants, then you SHOULD have advertised!!!

“They shouldn’t be penalized just because they’re related to me,” Leighton said.
No one is saying that they should be penalized, we are saying they should not be REWARDED for it! And with the federal corruption probe on going ANY appearance of impropriety should be avoided AT ALL COSTS!

Also Pure Bunkum has posted about this Where's The Outrage? again.

On to another point.
W-B officials remind residents about fireworks safety
This is a very important warning. With only 2 full time and 1 part time Engines, the Fire dept is stretched WAY to thin. If you didn't know, with EVERY traumatic injury, a Fire Engine is dispatched to assist the responding Medic unit.
"Fireworks and other devices pose a serious risk of injury or worse to an individual but also to personal property," said Wilkes-Barre Fire Chief Jay Delaney. "Over the course of my career, I have witnessed firsthand the tragic consequences of amateur fireworks use."
Chief Delaney was a Paramedic for 8 years (I think) before becoming a Fire Fighter. I have no doubt he has seen more fireworks injuries than anyone should.

I've been looking into something Fire Dept/Leighton related.
Isn't it convenient that the very first time the FD had overtime firefighters (manning the rescue boat) for Riverfest, is the time Leighton's boat capsized? Interesting.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote

Friday, July 1, 2011


Captain U. Cupcake (Leighton) is STILL at it.
Now he has hired his daughter and niece to do summer jobs. And we are to believe that out of over 400 applicants, his TWO relatives are the best qualified for the positions.

And I'm not the only blogger to think this is Luzerne county Nepotism at its normal over the top level.

The Buck Stops - Not With Mayor Leighton

EVERYBODY is not related to the mayor of a city that is in the middle of a MASSIVE corruption scandal.

Regardless of resumes - even if they include graduating at the top of the class at Harvard Law School - it's "best practice" for public officials to avoid hiring relatives, said Judy Nadler, the former mayor of Santa Clara, Calif., and current senior fellow at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University.
This is only true if the public official is a LEADER or has integrity.

Leighton's decision to hire relatives raises concerns he cannot act objectively and could sting a community still reeling from a public corruption probe, Nadler said. It also spurs questions of whether the mayor's relatives are qualified for the job or just the beneficiaries of their connections, she said.
No kidding Leighton is a bully and thinks he is untouchable. His cost overruns on his pet projects have been so HUGE that he has had to cut Public safety.

Leighton dismissed notions that his daughter and niece received favorable treatment and portrayed Christine Jensen, the city's human resources director, as the principal decision-maker regarding summer employment even though he signed executive orders approving the hires.
He ALWAYS blames someone else.

Jensen said she reviewed about 400 applications for summer employment, met with department heads to discuss their needs and forwarded a list of recommended hires to the mayor for approval.
Captain Cupcake claims Christine Jensen is "the principal decision-maker regarding summer employment", But Jensen claims she "forwarded a list of recommended hires to the mayor".
What do I get out of that. Leighton hired his relatives. No one else had a chance.
By blaming Jensen he shows, once again, He is a master at a lies through misdirection.

Add another one to the list.
1 Screwed up selling the Sterling hotel (costing us $325,000)
2 Bad faith moves
3 Back room deals
4 Tried to sell city property for 8 cents on the dollar to a campaign contributor
5 Lied to county officials to get tax forgiveness to a campaign contributor
6 Cut our safety to fund HIS pet projects
7 The whole Ice Rink, which was supposed to revitalize W-B, HOW?
8 The largely worthless camera system
9 Raised taxes and fees to an all time high.
10 Racked up MASSIVE lawsuit debts
11 Violated a contract (Citywide Towing's contract) so he could give it to a campaign contributor (that cost us $225,000)
12 Trying to sell W-B property (Tax Free) to a campaign contributor (Known for not paying his own taxes)
13 Outright lies to us (The citizens of Wilkes-Barre)
14 Blaming anyone and everyone for his failures (remember the 'I believe' campaign, "I wouldn't say I oversold it. I think maybe the media did," Mayor Leighton said. (WNEP June 10, 2005) AKA It's not my fault, it's the medias)
15 Ignoring the Lloyds Study (which states the minimum FD manning per shift is 17) and cutting manning to 12 per shift
16 VIOLATED CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, TWICE !!! (Denise Carey & the Hammonds). That's cost us over $275,000.
17 Nepotism

Add On; you should read this, Top 10 Reasons to Re-Elect Leighton as Mayor
Good points in a Letterman format.

Dan Emplit WBFD
AKA Don Quixote