Nazi Midwinter Holiday

The Nazis hated Christianity and Christmas posed a problem to them since it was Germany’s most popular holiday. Rather than ban it, they tried to replace it as described in this story at the TimesOnline, the website for the paper most of us in the U.S. know as The Times of London albeit in the U.K. it is simply the Times.

The Nazis replaced carols praising Jesus with secular songs about the season — winter wonderlands so to speak. They insisted Christmas trees be called fir trees, light trees or Jultrees.

They insisted the event, Julfest or Wintersonnenwende (Winter Solstice), be one  to remember Germanic ancestors and soldiers. Here is an example of how it was supposed to be done according to a popular women’s magazine at the time:

Nazi Midwinter Holiday Wintersonnenwende

Something like that could never happen in Pennsylvania or the United States, right?

As you enter a store during the next several weeks and are greeted for the season as attempts are made to sell you gifts for some undefined holiday; and if you see fir trees being sold for some unnameable event and if  you see displays of such  trees decorated with lights and called “festivals of light”, and if the local public school holds a “Winter Solstice” concert, well, just remember the tradition being followed.

Nazi Midwinter Holiday

You Don’t Need A Smerconish To Tell Which Way The Wind Blows

Today’s Philadelphia Inquirer column by Michael Smerconish was a textbook conservative complaint about the cowardice of political correctness.

It looks like someone wet his finger and put it in the air.

So, Michael, in your next interview with President Obama will you ask him if he thinks Mumia should be freed?

Sam Rohrer To Be Gov. Candidate

It looks like Attorney General Tom Corbett will have some competition in the GOP  gubernatorial candidacy, according to PaWaterCooler.com

State Rep. Samuel E. Rohrer (R-128) is expected to announce his candidacy, Nov. 17, at a town hall in West Lawn.

The 128th is in Berks County.

The primary is May 18.

Obama Bows Before Emperor Akihito

Obama Bows Before Emperor AkihitoObama Bows Before Emperor Akihito — President Barack Obama took a strangely deep bow before Japanese Emperor Akihito, Friday.

Perhaps, he thought he was Darth Vader who said he would not “bow before anyone but the Emperor”.

Nah, Obama took a similarly submissive bow before King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

Perhaps, he is just a humble man confident of his power.

Oh right. Can you see him bowing before Hillary Clinton? Sarah Palin? Rush Limbaugh?

Or perhaps he is not an natural born American after all.

Here Vice President Dick Cheney shows how a real American would have greeted Akhito: Obama Bows Before Emperor Akihito

Obama Bows Before Emperor

 

Specter Disses McNabb

Delaware County Daily Times columnist Gil Spencer, today, noted that Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) in editorial meeting opined that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb “doesn’t have a killer instinct” which is why “he’s always been a failure.”

Guess that means you think he’s overrated, Senator.

If you had ever hoped to be involved in the ownership of an NFL franchise, you can forget it.

Surprise (Not): Inky Mentions GOP In Scandal Story

The top story in today’s Philadelphia Inquirer involved the filing of corruption charges by Attorney General Tom Corbett against former Senate Majority Leader John Perzel and nine other Republicans.

And it was topest story I’ve seen in the Inky in a long time, with a four-column double-deck headline and a subhead and big three column picture and a big, bold pull out and a couple of sidebars.

And yes, as I predicted,  it mentioned that  those charged where Republicans several times – including in the pull out and in one of sidebar headlines.

I was wrong, though, that the Inky would fail to mention that Corbett was a Republican. One of the sidebars concerned how the rest of the party was going to take vengeance by not helping him in his bid for governor.

Frankly, I think Corbett is going to get all the help he wants and is now the front-runner. He is my choice right now.

One of the funniest aspect of the coverage is John Baer’s column about Perzel: The Fumo-ish fall of an unsubtle pol.

Baer, and the Inky, still couldn’t bring themselves to point out that Vince Fumo was a big-time Democrat.

If the Inquirer handled the far more common Democratic scandals and groups like ACORN in the same manner as they handled these charges, the state would be much better off.

Pa. Ponders The Wisdom Of Letting Public Workers Strike

The grasping and gratuitous strike by members of Transport Workers Union Local 234 bringing a stop to bus, trolley and subway service in Southeastern Pennsylvania for a week has Harrisburg considering whether the state should remain one of 10 that allows strikes by some public employees such as transit workers..

If the proposed strike prohibitions were extended to public school teachers, a very real easing of the property tax burden would begin as contracts began to expire.

Regarding SEPTA, I’m still wondering about that forensic audit of the pension plan that was a big issue for a day then disappeared. If I were a TWU rank and filer, I think I’d be a tad concerned about my retirement plans.

A Republican Scandal Looms, Will Inky Mention Party?

Yesterday, I said that GOP scandals are less in frequency and magnitude and lo and behold one looms according to Tony Phyrillas. 

Phyrillas reports that Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett has announced that 10 Republicans connected to the Pennsylvania Legislature, includingformer Speaker of the House John Perzel, have been charged in scheme masterminded by Perzel to funnel $10 million in tax dollars to political campaigns.

So, how is that different than state and federal grants to ACORN?

Seriously, kudos to Corbett.

And who wants to bet a dozen donuts that tomorrow’s Inky mentions the party? Two dozen says it’s in the headline. Three dozen says they don’t mention Corbett’s party affiliation. (Yes, he’s a Republican).

Here’s a link to Corbett’s website detailing names and charges.

Christie To Headline Meehan Fundraiser

New Jersey Governer-elect Chris Christie will headline a Dec. 2 fundraiser for congressional  candidate Pat Meehan who is seeking to swing the Pennsylvania 7th seat now held by Joe Sestak back to the GOP.

With Sestak running for senate, the front-runner to represent the Dems in the race is State Rep. Bryan Lentz (D-161) albeit it State Rep. Greg Vitali (D-166),  environmental  lawyer Gail Conner, and political consultant Teresa Touey have also expressed interest in the seat.

Inky Still Won’t Mention Party

In today’s lengthy front page story regarding the Luzerne County judicial scandal, the Philadelphia Inquirer again could not bring itself to mention that those involved were Democrats.

At least I didn’t see it.

I’m not a hardcore Republican and I certainly recognize the need for two parties.

And I certainly understand that a Republican can be dirty.

But the reason why Republican scandals are less — in frequency and magnitude — is because that party understands it will be held accountable by the still mainstream media for bad behavior by its members. The Democratic Party leaders understand they will get a pass.

The most recent major scandals in Republican Delaware County involved then Senate Majority Leader F. Joseph Loeper in 2000 and Congressman Curt Weldon in 2006. 

With regard to what Loeper did — take money from consultants in violation of Senate rules and lie about it on his income tax forms — it was kids stuff compared to what goes on in Philadelphia (see Vince Fumo, another story in which the Inquirer could not bring itself to cite party) or Luzerne County for that matter.

With regard to what Weldon did, as the above link indicates, nobody is exactly sure what it was he did. In fact the scandal appears to be more a matter of federal law enforcement interfering with an election on behalf of a liberal Democrat rather than any acts by the former congressman.

In a related Luzerne County matter Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta (R)  is reported to be ready to announce a rematch with Congressman Paul Kanjorski (D) to represent Pa. 11.