Month: August 2015

Life Starts Somewhere

Life Starts SomewhereOn the Aug. 3  “The O’Reilly Factor” commentator Charles Krauthammer weighed in on the question about the public money Planned Parenthood gets and why some people are OK with abortion.

“There is a difference between a fetus and a born adult or child human being,” Krauthammer said, “I think there is an honest division of opinion in the country between people who believe . . . that life and personhood begins at conception and others who believe it’s a gradual process”

Here is a reality that can’t be denied. Life starts somewhere. It is obviously not a gradual process. Can you kill an adolescent? Adolescents are not fully developed.

Further, the claim that life  starts at conception is not religion-based  but reason-based . Religion tells you, you may not kill i.e. murder which is what one does when one purposely take the life of a helpless, innocent human being. Reason tells you that life starts somewhere.

So where does Krauthammer think it starts? That life starts at conception is something for which one can make a rational case. One can’t do that for the claim that it starts when the head leaves the birth canal.

So where does Krauthammer and the Planned Parenthood defenders think it starts? Viability outside the womb? This is contingent upon technology. The standard based on that can significantly change in a generation or two hence viability outside the womb can’t be considered the start of life as the point at which life starts will never change.

So where does Krauthammer think it starts?

Life does not start at point A for believing Catholics and point B for atheists. Where life starts is where life starts for everyone. So Planned Parenthood defenders make your case.

Life Starts Somewhere

Union Kiss Of Death In Delco

Union Kiss Of Death
Paul Mullen (right) working at his union job.

Considering that union boss John Kane handily fell to Tom McGarrigle last November while running as a Democrat, and considering that union boss Paul Mullen lost yesterday in what should have been a Republican gimmee  while running as a Republican, and considering that John Kane endorsed Paul Mullen this race, maybe the leaderships of both parties should figure a union connection is the kiss of death in Delaware County, Pa.

Mullen, FWIW, was not just endorsed by the trades but by the PSEA which is the public teachers union.

The winner of the race Leanne Krueger-Braneky did get the endorsements of  United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1776 which represents the state store workers, and the SEIU so don’t expect her to back the necessary reforms anymore than Mullen would have.

She will take the side of the Gary Schultzes of the world rather than the widow on Social Security or the married couple with two kids who just bought a home. She will fight against privatizing the State Store system.

So she is neither a friend of common sense or compassion and will have to be fought herself.

But those of the 161st District can only blame the county and state Republicans that she is their representative.

Union Kiss Of Death In Delco

 

Lisa Esler Sans Regrets

By Joseph B. Dychala Lisa Esler Sans Regrets

No regrets.

The past month has been tumultuous, the past two days a blur. One lesson I learned a long time ago was significantly reinforced today: no matter how much money, power and influence you may possess, unless you are true to who you are, none of that matters. At all.

I would like to congratulate Leanne Krueger-Braneky on her election to represent the good people of the 161st District. Most importantly her team ran a solid campaign, she was true to her beliefs and ultimately triumphed because she remained true to herself. Politically, philosophically, I would say she and I are polar opposites but at the end of the day we are who we are.

Lisa Esler did something for me that no other person running for office has done in the 25 years I have voted. She gave me the opportunity to cast a ballot for a true conservative. Unwavering in her beliefs, unflinching in her resolve Lisa spoke Truth to power and has given a wayward Republican party a very necessary wake up call. The base didn’t leave the party, the party turned it’s back on the base.

Some pundits will categorize Lisa as the “spoiler”. I fully reject that notion. People would have simply stayed home. I say this with confidence because history shows this to be true. The presidential election of 2012 is but one example that supports this. Personally, if Lisa didn’t throw her hat into the ring Leanne would have had my vote. I would rather vote for someone who I disagree with but is frank about their positions and honest about who they are. Leanne still would have won but with a higher margin, the voters just want someone who says what they mean and mean what they say.

Throughout this election I met some incredible people too numerous to list. Lisa’s volunteers were passionate, well informed, articulate and sincere. I feel I met some people that I will potentially be friends with for a lifetime. I learned a lot, I especially learned a lot about myself and what I truly believe.

I want to thank everyone who helped Lisa by volunteering their time, treasure and talents and especially the folks who voted for her.

Mr. Dychala was active in Mrs. Esler’s campaign.

Lisa Esler Sans Regrets

Leanne Krueger-Braneky Wins 161st Race

Leanne Krueger-Braneky Wins 161st RaceDemocrat Leanne Krueger-Braneky has won today’s (Aug. 4) election for the  vacant 161st District Seat in the Pennsylvania House.

According to unofficial numbers from Delaware County, Mrs. Krueger-Braneky has received 4,791 votes, while Paul Mullen, who for some unfathomable reason had been tapped by the GOP, got 4,268 votes. Mullen is the county’s AFL-CIO president and had been supporting Democrats until this election.

There were 988 write-in votes cast most of them likely going to Republican write-in candidate Lisa Esler.

Mrs. Krueger-Braneky beat Mullen by more than 1,000 votes in Swarthmore.

The seat was vacated April 30 by Joe Hackett who easily beat Mrs. Krueger-Braneky last fall 12,612 to 9,916. Hackett said he wanted to return to law enforcement.

Why the county Republicans would pick a candidate like Mullen who they should have known would absolutely outrage a substantial portion of the base is certainly a mystery. Why they would pick a man unwilling to face questions from the public is beyond comprehension.

More significantly, with a pension bomb looming and property taxes rising, they should have understood that it was necessary to take the appropriate stands on issues such as banning teacher strikes and ending prevailing wage rather than picking a candidate that would oppose reforms.

Hopefully, they learned a lesson. We are not sure.

Now, for some secrets from the campaign.

Lisa Esler did not want to run. When she heard Mullen was seeking the candidacy she made her own submission with the expectation that the GOP would pick a compromise candidate. If the party leadership, picked the toil-in-the-vineyard hack she expected them too — rather than a supporter of extreme liberal candidates and an opponent of the fiscal reforms  that she saw as a school director as being desperately needed — she would have shrugged her shoulders and maybe even worked to get him elected.

Further, she is certain the endorsement meeting May 28 was fixed despite the protestations of County GOP Chairman Andy Reilly. A Facebook posting  was made an hour before the meeting declaring  Mullen to be the nominee. No amount of spinning can change that.

Neither, can any amount of spinning change the reality that Mullen avoided explaining where he stood on anything.

Anyway, kudos Lisa Esler. You can only be proud of yourself.

And congratulations Leanne Krueger-Braneky

Leanne Krueger-Braneky Wins 161st Race

William Lawrence Sr Omnibit 8-4-15

William Lawrence Sr Omnibit 8-4-15

You’ve heard the media desribed as the “Fourth Estate” but what was the Second Estate? That was in, in the Estates-General of Medeval France, the nobles. The First Estate was the clergy and the Third Estate was the common people.

Bob Casey Supports Planned Parenthood

Bob Casey Supports Planned Parenthood
Sen. Bob Casey supports Planned Parenthood

The U.S. Senate, yesterday, Aug. 3, voted 53-46 to defund Planned Parenthood which unfortunately was short of the 60 required for the legislation to pass.

Planned Parenthood is the racist organization founded by a racist that has recently been caught selling the body parts of aborted babies for profit.

Among the senators who think this vile group should continue collected $500 million annually in tax dollars is Pennsylvania’s own “pro life” Little Bobby Casey.

He shames his father.

The only Republican who voted to keep shoveling the bucks at these monsters was Mark Kirk of Illinois.

Bob Casey Supports Planned Parenthood

 

10 Commandments Of Cooking

Former cook Jonas Mikka Luster has a great post on Quora concerning his 10 Commandments of Cooking. It’s worth repeating.

Honor what you use. For every piece of food, every ingredient, every vegetable, slice of meat, herb, or spice, someone had to work, an animal had to die, trucks, vans, trains, and boats had to move. Every celery stalk and every pork loin has made a permanent impression on this planet. Honor the men and women who worked for your food, the animals who had to die for it, by giving everything the best treatment, thinking about how you can make it better, and by not wasting or throwing away food items.
  • Don’t lose touch with your food. Tongs and other contraptions only serve to keep you away from it. Losing touch, figuratively and literally, yields worse dishes. Touch your steaks, your salad, everything. Learn how it feels, smells, looks, and tastes.
  • Try something new every month. Follow foreign cultures and preparations. Your life will be richer and your food better, even when you’re preparing common staples.
  • Before you use the tool learn to do it with your own hands. Buying a julienne peeler is nice and can save you hours over the course of a lifetime. But only by learning how to cut, mash, grind, sear, saute, and whisk with your hands will you keep touch with your food and get the best results.
  • Cook for others. Enough said.
  • Use fresh where possible, canned where necessary and frozen when desperate.
  • Taste everything. Repeatedly.
  • Let your food items come to room temperature before throwing them into pans.
  • Work clean and clean as you go.
  • When cooking, taste. When baking, measure.
 10 Commandments Of Cooking