Allentown resident Zee Weikel, age 75, may look harmless. She was even mugged outside her apartment on the 1100 block of Turner Street last year. But feel no pity. She's a desperate outlaw herself.Her crime?
Yard sales.
As she confessed during Saturday's "Allentown Speak Out" forum, she occasionally has yard sales when the weather is nice. "I'm on a limited income, and this gives me something extra so I can go out with my girlfriends every now and then."
Thanks to Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski, this criminal behavior has come to a screeching halt. While toolin' down Turner in his big ass municipal SUV, he spotted one of Zee's yard sales, and dispatched his minions to shut her down.
City officials surrounded her, demanding to see her papers, telling her she can only have a yard sale once every thirty years or something without a special dispensation that ensures the city gets a cut of the action.
Thank God for Mayor Pawlowski and his vigilant eye on street crime! Imagine if some of the beautiful people dining at Johnny Mañana's were forced to see some old lady - and a poor person no less - selling used underwear or something. One skidmark and they'd start hurling chunky salsa, quesadillas and margaritas all over the place. It might even make the gangs leave town.
By the way, that's Johnny Mañana's with a ñ, not an n, damn it!
61 comments:
I'll bet she rides buses, too. Off with her head!
It would be funny if it weren't so sad.
Thanks for bringing this to everyone's attention, Bernie. The mayor should be ashamed of himself.
I thank Zee for bringing oit to everyone's attention on Saturday and for allowing me to write about it. She has to live in the town run by that petty man.
Zee was very courageous for speaking out. I think she does ride the bus because she referred to the new Lanta bus terminal as the "port authority." I thought that was great!
Nice post Bernie, and nice pic.
Dottie,
Zee did say she rides the bus, and I have notes of her saying that she "loved" being able to ride the buss to do her shopping on Hamilton Street. Obviously, she is part of the customer base for the merchants there.
I take a bus from time to time from nazareth to the courthouse. The whole system is geared on getting people to the malls. From Nazareth, I cxan take a bus to the Palmer mall, and I can wait there to get buses to a number of different destinations. I think four different routes will stop at the mall. In the LV mall, I think it is much greater. And that's fine, too. But don't service the mall at the expense of merchants on Hamilton St. LANTA will be restoring some stops next month, not on Hamlton itself, but on streets that run perpendicular. That's great. But they will not be restoring the different routes that used to intersect there.
Barabadel, a well-spoken lady who also uses LANTA buses, complained to a LANTA worker about these changes. He told her these changes came at the instance of Mayor Pawlowski. That may or may not be true, but there's no question he did nothing to help the people who have suffered. There's no question it has hurt business that actually pays taxes. And there's no question that the lack of foot traffic has made those areas even more scary and unsafe.
We need to attract more middle class people to the Cities to give shots to the economy. This may be unpopular to say but only an infusion of cash from middle and upper class will the Cities be any better in the Valley.
Not popular to say but most people don't want to see this kind of thing when they go out for lunch or shopping. Also, if everyone held a yard sale all the time the City we be nothing but a huge junk mart all the time.
Ed is just trying to clean-up Allentown. Bernie, it seems the only people you really like in the area are on the take aka Don Cunningham; Pawlowski is a good leader who just wants to be Mayor and fix Allentown. He is not selling his soul to be Governor.
Well, thank God for Mayor Pawlowski! Those damn yard sales must be a real eyesore. It must be real disgusting to see that sort of thing, especially when you're trying to digest. I feel so bad for you. What the mayor should do is sell licenses so that people can pick 'em off as they whizz by in their SUVs. That way the gangs won't have to sell as much drugs and it would be great sport for those of you with disposable income. Kinda' like paintball or laser tag, except real. During the necxt Dancing in the Streets celebration, you could give trophies to the people who nailed the most yard sales.
Bernie, it seems the only people you really like in the area are on the take aka Don Cunningham; Pawlowski is a good leader who just wants to be Mayor and fix Allentown. He is not selling his soul to be Governor.
Cunningham is on the take? No wonder he was selling so many things at his yard sale last week. Thanks for clearing that up.
Bernie,
I invite anyone who is interested to visit Mayor Ed Pawlowski’s neighborhood, it is a mess. Many may find it curious that the mayor would crack down on an occasional sidewalk vender while ignoring blatant building and health code violations that can be seen from his own front porch. Why hasn’t he used his influence and/or exercised his power as Community and Economic Development Director and now as mayor to direct city staff to address these immediate problems?
Several years ago in a “Call” article on a multi-alarm fire at a nearby notorious multi-unit Ed Pawlowski was quoted saying something along the lines of “that property has been a problem for years”. The obvious question that comment raised was, then why didn’t you do anything about it?
The truth is Ed Pawlowski has done almost nothing these past seven years to address the basic problems that plague Allentown’s (his) neighborhoods.
What a shame.
Scott Armstrong
how many times can an individual have yard sales?
when does a yard sale become a business? you rail against LANTA for hurting the merchants downtown. well if people shop at her yard sale they are not shopping at a downtown merchant that is paying business taxes. i see many people constantly selling their wares every weekend in front of their homes.
when there are yards sales in my neighborhood people start showing up at daylight. the sound of car doors slamming awakes me. i can only imagine the impact on the quality of life ,in a more densely populated area of center city.
so i can understand the theory behind the enforcement.
that being said ,it is a shame that this women must sell things to make ends meet.
Why that's terrible. The sound of a car door slamming awakens you? How horrible! Thank God they're clamping down on this in Allentown. Next, they should go after those little brats who sell lemonade.
Just another larcenous old lady! LOL. Let's see, Marge Szulborski steals millions, but won't be prosecuted further, because she is "sick."
Bangor mayor steals from her church, and possibly a clock restoration fund, and gets a wrist slap.
Elderly Allentown woman has a yard sale to eat?
Now there's a criminal!
Rudy Giuliani would be proud! Now that's being a mayor!
Good to see Ed out inspecting the city!
Bernie,
"Operative"? You give me more credit than my modest skills deserve. Really, if you have to rely on exageration...
Peter Wernsdorfer
okay I'm mostly playing devil's advocate here, but I at least can see the idea behind regulating yard sales. As one anon already pointed out, people don't pay taxes on money made from yard sales, and there's no regulation of quality of goods.
I'm not suggesting that Zee is trying to evade taxes and rip off customers wherever she can, but for every citizen who is sadly trying to make ends meet with yard sales, there are potentially dozens more who are really just trying to work a black market. Its really easy to sell batteries on the cheap if they are used, or to steal items and sell them for all profit, or to buy in bulk and sell for small profits still well below retail value - which is a legit way to make some money if you have a legit business, but its tax evasion if you are just doing it on your front lawn.
To me the question is how could the city work with citizens like Zee instead of against them. I'm not against "quality of life" regulations like this, even though for the most part I think they are stupid, but I think using them to target the poor residents of the city is an abuse of the intent behind the regulations.
Perhaps neighborhood parks or parking lots could be utilized for monthly "neighborhood markets?"
Yeah Chris, you're right. And you know, I'll bet a lot of the people having yard sales are black or Puerto Rican. How are people with disposable income going to invest in the city when they see things like that? "Ewwww. Mom, look! A black person." Thank God the mayor is looking out for Allentown.
Peter,
Sir, you are too modest, at least in this instance. While you're here, answer two questions: 1) Are you the Curmudgeon who rah rahs for A-town and bashes anyone with the slightest criticism? 2) Are you the dude who leaked the Phillips story to KP?
there are potentially dozens more who are really just trying to work a black market. Its really easy to sell batteries on the cheap if they are used, or to steal items and sell them for all profit,
Yeah, that's what Cunningham is doing. Did you hear he's on the take? I think he's selling courthouse furniture every other weekend. He's gotta' beef up that warchest.
Whenever I need car parts, I just cruise up and down the yard sales of Allentown to find what I need. I get some swankly bling there, too.
Pawlowski's right! Cops should just shoot first and then ask questions. Crime problem solved. It's not gangs or drugs. Silly me. It's those damn yard sales that are creating the demand for stolenm property. Thank God the mayor has devil's advocates like you to make these astute observations.
Bernie,
Please reserve the "Sir" for Mr. Wernsdorfer (that'd be my Dad - the greatest man I've ever met). I just go by Peter or Pete.
As to your query - sorry, no on both counts.
Have I appeared as an Anon a time or two on your blog? Of course. We can leave when and where to other's imagination.
And really, I'm just a hobbyist - I can't imagine being like this full-time.
Peace out, dude,
Peter Wernsdorfer
And really, I'm just a hobbyist
Don't you mean lobbyist?
Bernie said:
Don't you mean lobbyist?
LOL - Good one!
No. Really. :)
Peter Wernsdorfer
You're hot today, BO.
I've definitely come accross people selling stolen goods at yard sales. You can ignore my point, but its not an invalid one. Part of the point of "quality of life" regulations is to prevent a small problem from getting worse. If, in a typical spring-time yard sale season, I come accross one "stolen goods" table out of every 15-20 yard sales i go to - does that mean that the problem should be ignored because its so small? All I'm trying to say is that there must be a way to NOT punish the people who are holding occasional yard sales while still regulating the potential for a nasty street-selling market to emerge.
Ah, Mr. O'Hare publishes one side of a story and then follows it with snide sarcasm when challenged by opposing views. How about the Mayor's side, Mr. O'Hare? Or are you intimating that there IS no other side, that citizens should be allowed to set up sidewalk sales any time they please? Of course, "the other side" might be helpful to assess the situtation. Like, is she setting up shop on city sidewalks?
To the other person talking about the mayor's neighborhood, maybe something IS being done behind the scenes and Mr. O'Hare just doesn't have a witty sarcastic way to blog about it. Oh wait, that would a positive entry concerning Allentown.
Words of wisdom: don't believe everything someone tells you as the only side of the story. Alarmist blog entries like this wouldn't be possible then.
the deleted comment above is mine, I said something not ladylike and I'm taking it back.
I think for you to dismiss someone's complaint that early and often yard sales disrupt a quiet time in their neighborhood is really rude. Your enthusiasm for standing up for the little guy has gotten in the way of seeing multiple sides of the story. What if the commenter above works a late-night shift to provide for his or her family and after working all night comes home on saturday morning, only to be woken repeatedly by the shoppers at a neighbor's yard sale? Why should that person's "quality of life" have to go DOWN in order for their neighbors to be able to make their ends meet.
Shouldn't the question really be WHY this woman has to sell her belongings in order to go out with the girls from time to time? To me, that's the problem to solve.
I'm sure the mayor can work something out with Zee,in fact, he might even see this as an opportunity to create a new city position! Yard Sale Inspector. Or, maybe the creation of a new city fee!
LOLV,
Wow! You come across one "stolen goods" table for every 15 you see! What, is the table marked "stolen goods"? And I presume that, good citizen as you are, you report these brigands to the police immediately they can be disemboweled. That must be why there have been so many arrests. I read about them every day. Thank goodness for citizens like you, keeping the world safe from predatory yard salesmen.
similarly, for you to dismiss someone's complaint that early and often yard sales disrupt a quiet time in their neighborhood is really rude.
You're absolutely right. What could I be thinking? People have every right in the world not to be disturbed by slamming car doors. I think you should just shoot them and that will reduce both the black market and the black population. We'll get rid of a few old people, too.
Your hard-on for standing up for the little guy has gotten in the way of seeing multiple sides of the story
This is what I see. I see an arrogant mayor who tools down Turner Street in a big ass SUV who spots some old lady selling a few items so she can live a little. She gets slammed by an arrogant bastard who would do better to double park his municipal vehicle and find out why she needs to do this. There's only one side to that story, sister. Next time you want to talk about hard ons, do it with the mayor. I'm sure he'll love it. Next time you play devil's advocate, don't try it with the devil.
HAYSHAKER,
You got Zee Weikel's side of the story. Seventy-five year old poor women don't often have their side of the story told. If you want the mayor's side of the story, just look at the paper or read the puff blogs. Everything is wonderful. One of his minions has already commented. He can do so himself. I've called his minister of information a few times and get nothing but doublespeak and propaganda.
What you got was a 75 year old lady, singled out by the mayor, for selling used underwear. It has nothing to do with the goofy black market that LOLV pretends is rampant. It has everything to do with Allentown's image. Let's brush those poor folks out of the way so you don't have to see them. Whether it's Hamilton Street or yard sales, we don't want you to see poverty now, do we?
Hey LOLV, you're going to be an old lady one day, too. You claim to be poor, too. Bad girl, bad girl, what you gonna' do? What you gonna' do when they come for you?
If you chop down all the trees in the forest to get rid of the bad people, you'll have nowhere to hide when the devil comes for you. St. Thomas said something like that before the King's men murdered him.
you are looney toones bernie.
LOLV,
What an intelligent response!Reduced to name-calling? This is a devil's advocate? How original!
You claim there's a big black market for stolen goods in Allentown yard sales, and I guess it's being orchestrated by a few old ladies. And I'm looney tunes?
You brag about dancing in the streets while a block away, minority merchants are suffering? And I'm looney tunes?
Eating vegetarian meals or listening to Ed McMahon does not make you a liberal or a progressive.
Actually, what's wrong with LOLV's idea about designating an area (parking lot, church basement) for regular urban "yard sales"? That strikes me as prudent since all citizens should have the right to do this, all while keeping it organized to keep the city happy.
Can't really find fault with any community trying to control these events in some way.
''Not popular to say but most people don't want to see this kind of thing when they go out for lunch or shopping. Also, if everyone held a yard sale all the time the City we be nothing but a huge junk mart all the time.''
Yeah, that REALLY bothers me. Of course, the bullets flying past my head don't trouble me a bit. Just don't let me see an elderly woman doing what she can to make ends meet. I'd prefer not to see it and pretend that it doesn't exist.
Seriously, it's a matter of priorities. There may be valid reasons for enforcing rules regulating yard sales, but why would one choose to go after that when the city's resources are limited. I'd spend those limited resources on the real crimes being committed.
there are several neighborhood markets every-year, although basically neighborhood fund raisers. one at 16th and allen, another at 9th and tilghman. I am familiar with zee's occasional sidewalk sale, she lives in a rowhouse apartment has has no accessible, visible yard. i am also familiar with the famous broken window theory. in a city with allentown's crime and problems, for anybody to have bothered to sic code on her (which the mayor did) is ABSURD. last night i saw one of the new LED stoplights, 8th at lehigh or jefferson, i could barely make out the color, it is a JOKE. mayor pawlowski is fiddling while allentown burns. press conferences and outside studies have replaced action and common sense
I did not claim its being orchestrated by the old ladies - in fact, my point is that it is NOT being orchestrated by old ladies and that they should not be punished and singled out.
Such vitriol, Mr. O'Hare!
1. What does the mayor's vehicle have to do with anything?
2. You never answered the question on whether the ladies wares were strewn about the public sidewalks.
3. You seem to be a bit older than me. I've learned that elderly women often make mountains out of molehills and a good number of them are of the curmudgeonly type.
As a former citizen for nearly 40 years of Allentown, I have no problem with the mayor of anyone else cleaning this type of stuff up. Maybe the couches on the porches and the ridiculous parking-space holders will go too.
You make it out that its one or the other., Support the poor OR clean up the city's appearance. Allentown is a mess, its true. The constant haranguing of the city's leadership does not help - especially on pointless issues such as this.
That attack on LOLV was pretty sad too.
Oh and if you want to help the poor of this area and of the country, do not support Charles Dent for Congress as this blog does.
Hatshaker,
I launched no attack against LOLV. I did not call her looney toones. I did not accuse her of having hard ons. I did not presume, as she did, that she can play devil's advocate. I did point out that eating vegetarian meals and listening to Ed McMahon does not make her the liberal she claims to be. And the remarks made here reflect a disregard for the poor and elderly, something that is also inconsistent with those who claim to be progressive.
1) The mayor's big ass SUV makes a big difference. He's the one who dimed out Zee. Maybe he should have run her over instead.
2) You must have read MM's comment. Yep, the ladies' wares were covering up your sidewalk. And if she wanted to go to a community yard sale, she'd have to take a bus, and they only seem to go to the mall. Shoot her.
3) elderly women often make mountains out of molehills and a good number of them are of the curmudgeonly type What a nice little bigot you are! Talk about generalizations. Tell me, do all Jews have big noses, too? Do blacks really have rhythm? I remember why you call yourself Hayshaker. You look down your nose at your inferiors in the LV.
4) I'll support Charlie Dent over a faux liberal and bigot like you any day of the week.
to Hayshaker Bernie said:
One of his minions has already commented.
Bernie,
In reference to my earlier posts, I was questioning your sobriquet of "operative" as applied to me.
I reject your inference, intended or otherwise, that I have commented on anything other than that.
Further, to slur me with the epithet "minion" is laughable. I am not, nor have I ever been, a minion of anyone. I am not, and anyone you might actually ask who knows me will tell you, servile, obsequious, or a sycophant.
In case we get into deriviative semnatics here, I was at one time, his subordinate. By the way, in case it has escaped you, I returned to the private sector in November of last year. On that note, leaving the City was the toughest employment decision I've ever made. I loved the job and working for the Mayor.
Peter Wernsdorfer
I loved the job and working for the Mayor.
I'll bet. So much so that you were gone in a year.
I am not, and anyone you might actually ask who knows me will tell you, servile, obsequious, or a sycophant.
You worked Pawlowski's campaign. You were a good team player. Director of Public Works was your political reward. It certainly had nothing to do with qualifications. You're no engineer or city resident, and I believe the city home rule charter calls for both. Your refusal to move into the city as requiured is why you had to go.
I called you a minion, operative and lobbyist. Perhaps you'd prefer the term henchman or lackey. The simple fact is that, sycophant or not, you are a beneficiary of the political spoils system.
And gee, your writing style is a lot like the Curmudgeon. Why were you dropping hints to that effect on Saturday?
peter, may i impose on you with some sincere questions, , why would allentown, in this climate aspire to solar panels on the bridgework building. why switch to led stop lights with decreased visibility. i understand grants are available, but do not the pragmatic engineering facts of not being practical or efficient mean your just squandering the money regardless of whose it is? what exactly was your pride of city employment with pawlowski based on?
So let's recap. The SUV is meaningless to the discussion. You alone are the only one in the Lehigh Valley worthy of the title "progressive" AND you enjoy verbally attacking the people who do not agree with you. And apparently, you analogize (incorrectly BTW) my gentle and humorous observation of elderly women with racial stereotypes.
And from that, you label me as a faux progressive and a bigot. Job well done. You accuse more people of being bigots on this blog than anyone I've ever known, Get ye out of Nazareth.
Read your ridiculous post and consider my name once again, Mr. O'Hare.
Everyone CLAIMS to be a liberal except O'Hare. And he's a shill for Charlie Dent.
Ah, the bitter irony.
I wonder if Bernie would like Nazareth sidewalks covered in a permanent flea market. Methinks not. The bigot.
Bernie,
Your responses to me today read like you fell off the wagon when you got out of bed this morning. For that I call you looney tunes. I took back the "hard on" remark, because it was rude and crass. Beyond that I make no apologies for disagreeing with your stance of MY WAY ONLY. For you to tell me that I "can't" or am "not allowed" to play devil's advocate to your extremely narrow perspective in this post is ridiculous. The conclusions you drew from my posts were completely out of line with what I was posting, and if anything they reveal your own biases that you would even assume that there were such nasty things in between the lines of what I wrote. My post was suggesting that there is a way that the city and the residents can work together, not against each other. Obviously Mayor Ed was not and is not able to see those possibilities, but the solution to that would be to suggest them to him, to show him how it can be accomplished. Attacking him for his bad decision is fine, but what is the point if you do not also take the next step? Nothing GOOD comes of it, not for you, not for Zee, not for the neighborhood and not for the city.
I also suggested that perhaps the elephant in the room is that seniors on a fixed income have such limited resources they have to sell their used underwear, and that doesn't speak very well for us as a society. I'll quote Hubert Humphrey, "The moral test of a government is how it treats those who are at the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the aged; and those who are in the shadow of life, the sick, the needy, and the handicapped."
let's put it another way. Someone paints a picture of an old woman selling her dirty underwear on her front sidewalk so that she can afford to go out with her friends once in a while. The police are there badgering her and giving her a hard time because she is in violation of the law. In the background, there are some drug dealers dealing drugs and the police aren't able to bust them because they are busy busting this other woman. The question "what is wrong with this picture" is raised. You respond "the police are targeting this woman and its unfair. The law is wrong and the priorities of the city are all messed up." I say "this woman needs to sell her used underwear to make ends meet." I don't disagree with your assessment that the city is wrong in this instance. However, I'm just as troubled by the fact that this woman has to - illegally - sell her underwear to get by as I am by the fact that the city is giving her a hard time about it.
Addressing your other attack on my progressive mindedness, being "progressive" does not mean just blindly taking the side of the "people." The idea behind the progressive politics I believe in is that issues affect entire communities, and that it is the role of government to do what is best for everyone, not just for the rich and the powerful - and similarly not just what is best for the poor and disenfranchised. Government should be about compromising and finding solutions. Just as Mayor Ed was unproductive, nasty, and callous in dealing with Zee, you are unproductive, nasty, and callous in dealing with the city or dealing with anyone who disagrees with you on this issue or any other. There is nothing "progressive" about standing on your soap box just to shout everyone else down. Being a vegetarian has nothing to do with being a progressive, and I've never said that it does (although obviously I think making informed personal decisions about what I consume is an important part of being a responsible and intelligent citizen, regardless of political affiliation). Listening to Ed McMahon speak does not make me a liberal or a progressive either, it simply makes me slightly more informed than I was before I listened to what he had to say. Your insistence on attacking me on those points is childish, petty, and overall doesn't advance your point in any way.
you analogize (incorrectly BTW) my gentle and humorous observation of elderly women with racial stereotypes.
There was nothing gentle or humorous about your denigration of older ladies. It was a bigoted remark made by a person who has previously described most LV residents as his intellectual inferiors. I only accuse bigots of being bigots. And that's what you are. Like most bigots, you don't see it. And I'm sure some of your best friends arew older ladies.
I wonder if Bernie would like Nazareth sidewalks covered in a permanent flea market. Methinks not. The bigot.
I visit both areas frequentyly, especially when the weather is warmer and outdoor sports are being played. Nazareth is loaded with yard sales, and we love them. Where do you think I get all my underwear? These are advertised in US, the Key and ET. I think there are even special rates. People slap signs on telephone poles, and I know some seniors who have them every weekend. Sometimes an entire block will have yard sales. It is not regarded as a nuisance or an annoyance. It's in fact a chance for members of the community to get together. I see the signs in A-town, too. We beat A-town, hands down. I guess we must sell more stolen goods up here.
There was nothing gentle or humorous about your denigration of older ladies. It was a bigoted remark made by a person who has previously described most LV residents as his intellectual inferiors. I only accuse bigots of being bigots. And that's what you are. Like most bigots, you don't see it. And I'm sure some of your best friends arew older ladies.
The most hyperbolic thing I've ever read. Please, give it a rest. To you, everyone is a radical. Crass.
My mother is an old lady. My grandmother was an old lady. I love old ladies. My statement was as bigoted as saying old men are lousy drivers and wear funny hats.
Give your feigned outrage a rest.
BTW, you created this theory of superiority. I like to think of it as stubbornness and closed-mindedness. Read your posts as an example.
I visit both areas frequentyly, especially when the weather is warmer and outdoor sports are being played. Nazareth is loaded with yard sales, and we love them. Where do you think I get all my underwear? These are advertised in US, the Key and ET. I think there are even special rates. People slap signs on telephone poles, and I know some seniors who have them every weekend. Sometimes an entire block will have yard sales. It is not regarded as a nuisance or an annoyance. It's in fact a chance for members of the community to get together. I see the signs in A-town, too. We beat A-town, hands down. I guess we must sell more stolen goods up here.
He didn't say yard sales, he said "idewalks covered in a permanent flea market." There was nothing witty to answer the actual question so you made one. Is that called a 'straw man?'
LOLV,
You are the person who claimed she wanted to be devil's advocate. So let me explain how you screwed up. And yes, you really did screw up today.
The devil's advocate is never so foolish as to resort to name-calling, as you did ... three times. I did not call you looney tunes. I did not claim you fell out of bed and hit your head. I did not use a term like "hard on." When you talk about being unladylike, that's really the wrong word. The right word is respect, and you have none. That is probably your biggest deficiency, and it is evident in your writing. That instantly defeats you, even when you're making good points.
The devil's advocate never gets angry. Most of my comments about shooting people, etc., were in humor and were made to show this attempted regulation of a nonexistent problem is a silly exercise. You let anger, not passion, be your guide. If you are angry, time to walk away until you cool down. I occasionally make that mistake, too, and always regret it. Once again, instant defeat.
The devil's advocate is never so foolish as to make arguments that can be reduced to absurdity, as you did when you suggested one of every fifteen Allentown yard sales are sales of stolen goods. You tried ridiculously to pretend there is a problem that does not exist. Allentown yard sales are not a problem. Not even close. Especially when you think about Alentown's other problems. They in fact may bring the community together in many ways. But please, let's not go there any more.
You have tried to create "another side" that simply does not exist. You do this, not because you believe it (you yourself say you're playing devil's advocate), but because you are vainly trying to defend your city's very distorted sense of priorities. Why?
I get the one good point you were trying to make - why does a senior need to do this - but it became lost in all your other ridiculous assertions.
You are perfectly free to play devil's advocate with me any time you wish, but it is very unwise if today is any deomstration. And
As far as suggesting that you are a faux liberal, I stand by that charge. I'm very familiar with HHH's famous quote, and I've had the privilege of meeting and talking to him a few times. You have demonstrated to me, and very clearly, that you have no regard for A-town's downtrodden. At a time when they were suffering badly as a result of LANTA moves, you proudly proclaimed you would be dancing in the streets at a party only one block away. I was shocked at your insensitiivity but said nothing. You expressed absolutely no sympathy for this senior citizen who was harassed by city officials at the mayor's behest. You think Zee can particiapte in community yard sales? She has no transporation. Had you listened to her instead of Ed McMahon, you'd know that.
You do nothing to help the people who are suffering right under your nose, but brag about being a "gifted" student and eating vegetarian and think we all need to attend some gathering of big shots who have themselves caused many of the problems facing us. Do you honestly think HHH would want to burden A-town's elderly and poor with nusiance taxes on yard sales? Right now, MM is more of a liberal than you, if the HHH quote is an indication. Scott Armstrong is more of a liberal than you.
Very much unlike HHH, you really have no regard for the sick, the needy, the elderly, or the young. From a distance, you're all for it. But when it's up close and personal, you're dancing in the streets. And you look hard to find excuses to justify the necessity of their suffering.
In the final analysis, i don't care whether someone is liberal or conservative. i don't care whether someone is Democrat or Republican. I like a respect people who care about their fellow man, especially those who are infirm, old, young, or needy. That's why I can like a Mike Molovinsky and masddy a the same time. That's why i can like John Stoffa or Ron Angle. That's why I can like Joe Brennan and Craig Dally.
You have the potential to go one way or the other. You might turn out to be someone who really does care, or you may turn out to be an elitist. I certainly did not like what I saw today.
Hayshaker,
I'm aware of what was said. A-town simply can't be described that way. And as I said, Nazareth has more yard sales on a per capita basis than anywhere else on earth. Now in addition to being a bigot and elitist, you're being a sophist.
you're just wrong, Bernie. But you're right, I am angry, so I'll walk away.
Bernie, Bernie, Bernie,
Where to start? If I leap in to defend myself against your inaccuracies I have to engage in an ongoing point-counterpoint. If I retreat and say I can't be bothered, you'll use your blog to impugne my character. Either way, you win - doesn't seem worthwhile to me.
Let's just say it would take too much time to try to refute the incorrect parts of what you've written today. But, should you truly be interested in getting the story, join me for a cup of coffee and we'll talk. I extend the same offer to Molovinsky. I'm in the book.
And, for the record, I am not the person you describe as the Curmudgeon. If he or she has a similar writing style to mine, I'd say that's just a good command of the written word.
Leter dude,
Looking forward to your call!
PW
Yard sale? We're talking about a yard sale????
We're talking about a yard sale.
-Allen
Peter,
I'll be happy to meet and speak to you in person over a cup of coffee. You can set me straight. If anything I have written is inaccurate, I will gladly correct it. I'll give you a ring tomorrow and will try to coordinate w/ MM so you can kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.
Peter,
Do you think Ed Pawlowski has been a good or efective mayor of Allentown? If so why?
Scott Armstrong
Scott,
Assemble your questions and email them to me or Mike and I'll pose them to Wernsdorfer when we meet. If you'd prefer, post them here. That will give Peter a heads up on what to expect. Ideally, I'd like the mayor to answer a few questions.
Bernie.
Let's be really clear about this - I do not speak for the Mayor.
Peter Wernsdorfer
Peter,
But I hope you do speak for yourself. Like I said, I'd like to ask the mayor a few questions, but don't expect you to answer for him.
My question for Peter is; In what ways is Ed Paw a better elected official than John Stoffa?
Wow. This is the last entry from your blog I'll ever read. Your words here given credence to those who deny blogging as a valid media outlet, with all the credibility that goes along with it.
April,
This is nothing. I'm usually a lot worse than this!
Allentown is in the midst of a renaissance while the mayor is busy building relationships with federal,state and local agencies to bring the city back from the brink of bankruptcy. The likes of Bernie,Molovinsky,Armstrong and Fuentes are a laughable cadre. Persistent contrarians with myopic views of government. These bellyachers have never done anything for the city other than provide opposition and criticism for those who are actually really doing something. Bernie is only known to his bellyaching companions and the leaders in business and commerce and government dont take him seriously as he is annoying and very small. Molovinsky was ridiculed and trounced when he took himself seriously and made a run for mayor, the city has spoken loudly that no one knows how his mind works nor cares. Scott Armstrong is ever present at city council meetings bitching about stuff that no one else seems to care about. He is a case study for bad style and has a pit bull mind on a french poodle face and a voice that makes God cringe. Lazaro's Hispanic Chamber may be down to 2 members soon, him and his wife , as he is a hispanic version of Scott. The chamber has no presence in the latino community or any where else, it has as much credibility as Lazaro's degree from Columbia University. What a joke the lot of you are. Allentown is coming back thanks to Ed and his partnerships. You guys are insignificant and comical but please keep it up you save me a lot of money on comic books. Find a way to contribute and stop acting like petulant children. Ed
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