Helicopter War Commemoration

Carris Kocher informs us that The Vietnam War: A 50th Year Commemoration of “The Helicopter War” will take place Nov. 12 at West Chester University and American Helicopter Museum and Education Center in West Chester.

The event is to honor “Vietnam War veterans and their families, underlying the unique contributions to the war effort made by helicopters, and highlighting the Delaware Valley’s ongoing contributions to rotary craft aviation” according to the event organizers. It will   feature “a series of prominent speakers, both scholars and practitioners, who will situate the use of rotary wing craft within the American Way of War.”

The agenda is:

An Exhibit of Vietnam era artifacts curated by West Chester University Special Collections Director
10 a.m. – Opening Ceremony
11 a.m. – Rotary Wing Pioneers, Design and Engineering
1 p.m. – Opening Keynote Address Professor John Bonin, US Army War College
2 p.m. – Helicopters in Vietnam
3 p.m. – Post-Vietnam:  Legacy of the “Helicopter War”
4 p.m. – Veterans’ Round Table discussion
6 p.m. – Evening Reception at AHM&EC

The museum is at 1220 American Blvd., West Chester, Pa., 19380.

For prices and other information, contact info@americanhelicopter.museum or rkodosky@wcupa.edu

Helicopter War Commemoration

Helicopter War Commemoration

William Lawrence Sr Omnibit 11-6-14

William Lawrence Sr Omnibit 11-6-14

 

Happy day-late 79th birthday to the game of Monopoly. On Nov. 5, 1935, Parker Brothers brought it into  the world

Airline Obligations Concerning Bad Flights

Airlines are required to compensate customers when they’re bumped from an oversold flight, generally, giving 200 percent of one-way fare up to $650 for those who are two hours and 400 percent up to $1,300 for those four hours late.

Most customers don’t know this hence fail to get what they are owed according to OutsideOnline.com

What the airlines offer generally fall far short of what they are required to give.

For what it’s worth, airlines are not obligated to make up for other bad flight experiences such as weather delays.

Airline Obligations Concerning Bad Flights

Airline Obligations Concerning Bad Flights

Operation Homefront Freedom Walk Is Saturday

Operation Homefront, the national non-profit that provides emergency financial and other assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors will have its annual Freedom Walk for 2014 in Pennsylvania, starting 9 a.m., Nov. 8 at Deep Meadow Park, 1020 Horsham Road, Horsham.

Day-of registration opens at 7:30 a.m., with opening ceremonies at 8:30 a.m.

“We are honored to continue the tradition of the Freedom Walk here in Pennsylvania,” said PA/DE/NJ Executive Director Peter Stinson. “This is a great way to reflect on the lives lost in the attacks on 9/11 and to remember the sacrifices that our military has made to keep us free.”

Opening ceremonies will include local State Representative Tom Murt. State Rep. Murt, who is a retired Staff Sergeant in the Army, will conclude the ceremony with a few words of reflection before kicking off the run.

For those avid runners, there will be a professional timing service on hand to record runners’ times for the 5k component with awards given out to those who place in the top 3 of each age group with the fastest times. For those who chose to walk, there will path that will take walkers on a 1 mile long stroll through beautiful Deep Meadow Park.

Runners and walkers are encouraged to register for the event ahead of time. Registration can be done online at https://www.pretzelcitysports.com/onlineform1.php?id=270. Only those who register early will be guaranteed a t-shirt in their size.

 

Operation Homefront Freedom Walk Is Saturday

Operation Homefront Freedom Walk Is Saturday

Wolf, Saylor Same Donors

The victory last night means the fight has just started. It’s not the beginning of the end, as Churchill said, but the end of the beginning.

Stan Saylor, the Pennsylvania House Republican Whip, who represents the 94th District, has much in common with Democrat Gov-Elect Tom Wolf,  namely the same big donors.

Louis J. Appell Jr., chairman of Susquehanna Real Estate LP, gave Citizens for Stan Saylor $126,000 between Sept. 24 and Nov. 3 with $100,000 coming on Oct. 3.

M. Thomas Grumbacher, chairman of The Bon-Ton Stores, gave $225,000 to Citizens for Stan Saylor with $200,000, interestingly, coming on Oct. 3 and the rest on Nov. 3.

Grumbacher has given Wolf $1,450,100 while Appell has given our governor-to-be $475,000.

Saylor is campaigning to be Majority Leader of the House Republicans which has a commanding majority of 119 to 84.

Guys like Grumbacher and Appell are not you and don’t have your interest at heart. Guys like Wolf and Saylor are far more likely to listen to them than you.

Hat tip Bob Guzzardi

Wolf, Saylor Same Donors

Wolf, Saylor Same Donors

GOP Wave Misses Corbett But Not PA

The GOP wave missed Pennsylvania  at the gubernatorial level but that was just about it.  Pennsylvania’s congressional breakdown remains 13-5 in favor of the Republicans and the GOP actually expanded its majority in the State House and Senate with districts 46, 52, 83, 115, 120 and 146 appearing to have flipped to the GOP in the House and districts 32 and 46 in the Senate as per the Keystone Report.

This would give the Republicans a 117 to 86 advantage in the House come January and a 29-21 advantage in the Senate.

One particular election of note is that of Russ Diamond to the 102nd District seat vacated by Republican RoseMarie Swanger. Diamond, a truck driver, created a political earthquake in 2006 when he organized PACleanSweep after the legislature voted itself a pay raise in 2005. Thirty-five CleanSweep candidates won their primaries knocking out seven long-term incumbents.

Diamond is a Republican albeit the party bosses don’t particularly like him.

Also Republican Tom Quigley won his rematch with Democrat Mark Painter who unseated him two years ago in the 146th District Race.

Closer to home, kudos to Springfield GOP Chief Mike Puppio who pulled Tom McGarrigle over the line in the 26th District State Senate race for the seat being vacated by Ted Erickson.  Springfield gave McGarrigle a  3,419 majority (unofficially) over Democrat John Kane in a race he won by just 1,703 votes. Puppio was also instrumental in helping Jamie Santora beat Vince Rongione to keep the 163rd District  seat vacated by Nick Micozzie in Republican hands. The unofficial tally was 11,362 to 9,963.

And kudos to Megan Rath who took on Democrat power Bob Brady in the 1st District.  She ended up with 26,447 votes (unofficially) and hopefully she stays involved in politics. She was working on extremely unfriendly territory. For progress to happen, there must be people willing to do that.

No kudos, however, to Tom Corbett who managed to become the first Pennsylvania incumbent governor to lose an election since 1946  in a Republican wave year.

In a year even Illinois went Republican. In a year, that Maryland elected a Republican governor.

As of 12:20 a.m., the tally was Tom Wolf 1,851,462 to Corbett’s 1,526,595.

It should be noted that two governors who took on the unions in traditional union states —  Scott Walker of Wisconsin and Rick Snyder of Michigan — cruised to re-election.

Gov. Corbett, of course, notably did not take on the unions.

The other lesson, for Pennsylvania Republicans? Don’t twist arms to push through historic tax hikes.

And sell the dang liquor stores.

GOP Wave Misses Corbett But Not PA

GOP Wave Misses Corbett But Not PA

Unions Fund GOP State Senators

Pennsylvania Independent  reports that state senators Pat Browne (R-16), John Rafferty (R-44) and Tommy Tomlinson (R-6) received a massive union cash dump shortly before yesterday’s (Nov. 4) election with Browne getting $37,000 from 10 groups including $10,000 from the PSEA (public school teachers) and  $500 from 1776 PAC UFCW (state stores); Rafferty getting $7,000 broken down as $5,000 from the PSEA, $1,000 from the Professional Firefighters Association PAC and $1,000 from Steamfitters Local 420; and Tomlinson getting $22,000 from seven groups including $10,000 from PA SEIU (government workers) and $1,000 from 1776 PAC UFCW.

It’s a pretty good bet that this trio will vote with Democrats in opposing legislation such as selling the state stores, effective pension reform and making education more effective but less burdensome on the average Joe and Jill.

Hat tip Keystone Report

Unions Fund GOP State Senators

Unions Fund GOP State Senators

 

Act 156 Expands Tax Rebate Eligibility

HB 1067 is now Act 156 of 2014, and eligibility has been expanded for Pennsylvania’s popular Property Tax and Rent Rebate program says State Rep. Jim Cox.

The law benefits those who would otherwise be disqualified from participating due to a Social Security cost-of-living increase, Cox said.

He said any homeowner who received Social Security, received a rebate in 2013 for claim year 2012, and had annual income up to $35,298 last year is encouraged to apply for claim year 2013. Also, eligible renters who receive Social Security, received a rebate in 2013 for claim year 2012 and had annual incomes last year up to $15,128 are also encouraged to apply.

The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue is automatically reviewing previously denied applications where the rebate was denied for income in excess of $35,000 for homeowners and $15,000 for renters, Cox said. In cases where the overage is due solely to Social Security COLAs, the department will reopen, process and pay these claims.

Property Tax/Rent Rebate claim forms (PA-1000) and related information are available online here or by calling, toll-free, 1-888-222-9190.

The deadline to apply for a rebate on property taxes or rent paid in 2013 is Dec. 31. Claimants who already applied for rebates may check the status of claims online at www.revenue.state.pa.us or by calling, toll-free 1-888-PA-TAXES.

The 2014 program will open for applications early next year.
Act 156 Expands Tax Rebate Eligibility

 Act 156 Expands Tax Rebate Eligibility

Why Elections Are Held On Tuesdays William Lawrence Sr Omnibit 11-4-14

Why Elections Are Held On Tuesdays William Lawrence Sr Omnibit 11-4-14

Elections are held on Tuesdays because when the nation was founded most did not travel on Sundays for religious reasons so having it on Monday didn’t provide enough time to travel.

It’s held the first Tuesday on or after Nov. 2 because the Founders didn’t want it to fall on All Saints Day and the first of the month was when shopkeepers did their books.

They picked November because that’s when harvest was over.

Elections are held on Tuesdays because when the nation was founded most did not travel on Sundays

Thank You Obama From Corbett?

We suspect that Tom Corbett is not going to be getting a second term as Pennsylvania’s governor, but if he should manage to mount a bottom-of-the-ninth comeback, he ought to send Barack Obama a thank-you note.

The unpopular President campaigned for Corbett’s rival Tom Wolfe on Sunday at Temple University. He filled in less than a quarter of the seats at the Liacouras Center. The event manager estimated the crowd at 5,500.  Many think that was an exaggeration.

We, of course, are going to be voting for Corbett in a very short while. In any election between Karl Marx and Harpo Marx always go with Harpo.

Hat tip IJReview.com

Thank You Obama From Corbett?

Thank You Obama From Corbett?