Chatting With Mimmo

I stopped into Mimmo's pizza on Public Square the other day to chow down on a few cuts.  While waiting for my slices I engaged in a conversation with the owner Mark Bronsburg.  After a few seconds of idle chit chat, the talk turned to why the city of Wilkes-Barre was cutting down all of the trees on the north side of the Square and down E. Market St.?  Mark informed me that the city is replacing all of the sidewalks like they did on the opposite side of the Square.  The only difference is that the jug heads from the city are not going to configure the parking the same way.  You see, on the West side of Public Square the parking is facing the businesses which allows for more spots.  On the Mimmo's Pizza side they are not going to do that.  This has business owners like Bronsburg are baffled and ticked off.  "It doesn't make and sense at all.  By changing the parking to the way it is across the way will allow for more parking which means more business.  I guess the city doesn't care about us business owners on this side!"

Mark, you are so right!  The cement heads in Wilkes-Barre's City Hall only care about one thing, lining their greasy pockets with cha-ching.  These idiots couldn't plan a one man Chinese Fire Drill on a dead end street.  As both Mark and I noticed, there is plenty of room to change the parking set up to accommodate more spots.  Why they don't do it is way beyond me.  However, I have a guess.  The other side of Pubic Square (not a typo) has all of the bars and night clubs.  These businesses the city cares about because they can rake in the tax dollars.  Also, politically connected Frankie Rodano has his pizza place there.  Don't get me wrong here, I am friends with Frankie and I am not bashing him.  All I am saying is the squeaky wheel gets all of the grease.  Politics as usual here in NEPA.  Anyway, it looks like Wilkes-Barre got some casino money to fix the sidewalks which is a long time coming.  I give them a one thumb up for that, but another thumb down for not using their pea sized brains to do it right.       

A Griper is Replused

I got a message of Facebook from one of our Gripers and I felt compelled to post it here and of course respond to it.  This comes from Chris "Strawberry" Fields Forever.  A little background on Chris, he is a faithful Griper who can complain with the best of them.  Believe me, we have Griped together for hours on end.  However, he is a dedicated Republican who worships Ronald Reagan and the Bush family.  His response is to the picture to the left that he saw on Facebook.



THIS is FUCKIN' REPULSIVE,SHOWS where HER priorities ARE!  Some obscure QUEEN comes out of the closet & is VENERATED, while a WAR HERO is SIMPLY IGNORED...REPUGNANT,DISGUSTING & DISGRACEFUL!

Not sure why the President would call this guy or why Michelle Obama would tweet this player, but I guess that is their business and not anybody else's.  Maybe they actually knows this guy.  The fact that NBA player Jason Collins came out of the closet is huge.  He is the first professional athlete to publicly announce that he is gay.  It was a monumental moment in sports.  As for the wars, just remember one thing, your hero's the Bush Whackers started these useless wars in the first place. What is repulsive to me is their decision to send our troops in harms way for absolutely NOTHING!  Also, I'm sure the Obama family has acknowledged our war hero's thousands of times.  Unfortunately they cannot contact this hero because he is no longer with us.  Chris Kyle was killed at a shooting range by a fellow soldier who suffered from post war traumatic stress syndrome.  Thanks go out to "W" and his pappy. 

The bottom line here is this, was Chris Kyle a war hero?  He was a sniper in the Navy Seals who is single handily responsible for killing dozens of enemy soldiers.  I would venture to guess if you had asked him he would say he was just doing his job.  Most of the Navy Seals would utter those same words if asked.  However, he was not killed in battle and therefore was not sent a condolence letter from Obama.  Just an FYI, the White House sends out a condolence letter to the families of all of our slain military members.  Each letter is personally signed by President Obama.  The question here is should President Obama have acknowledged this veterans death and the death of any veterans who are now in the private sector?  You can answer that question yourself.    

Another Water Rate Increase

Here we go again.  The Pennsylvania American Water Company has filed a request with the spineless PUC to increase their water rates.  The are requesting an overall increase of $58.6 million per year.  This works out to about $52 to $58 more per month for residential customers, $231 to $254 for commercial users and $3600 to $3850 for industrial customers.  The P.A.W. claims that they have invested about $112.3 million on systems improvements which include a newly constructed 1 million gallon water storage tank in Pittston Twp. and a new 400,000 gallon tank in Newton Twp.  Over the past several years they say that they have invested $731 million to improve service, water quality and environmental protection.  They also claim that they have replaced aging and undersized water mains, upgraded valves and pumping stations and installed new fire hydrants.  If the PUC passes this increase, it will take effect as of June 29, 2013.

To this I say, "WHAT, WHAT, ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME"!  I can't even drink the chemical laden water that comes out of my tap.  The liquid crap that spews from my faucet smells and tastes like pool water.  It is tainted with a variety of chemicals that either will kills us directly or riddle us with enough cancer to do the job.  Who the hell are these greedy clowns trying to kid.  What they are trying to do is line the pockets of their executives with more dough, re, me.  If the PUC or Pubic Useless Commission had enough guts they would throw the Pennsylvania American Water Company representatives right out of the hearing on their asses.  These greedy vultures claim that they have done all this work to improve our water quality.  Do they think we are stupid!  Every time I take a shower I have to lather up my entire body with lotion because their water turns my skin as dry as a desert.  I'm just about ready to join a freak show as the alligator man.  I can't even wear a black shirt because it looks like it snowed due to my dried out hide.

If this increase goers through we should all refuse to pay our bills.  We should storm the PA American Water Company office and rip the places apart.  I don't know if I can take any more increases in my utility bills.  I recommend that all of you contact the PUC by calling 1-800-692-7380.  You can also request an official complaint form by writing to the Pennsylvania Utility Commission, Post Office Box 3265, Harrisburg, PA 17105-3265 or by going to their web site at www.puc.state.pa.us.  GOOD LUCK!  You will need it.

People Suck

In the 30 plus years that I have spent in the customer service field, I have come to one definitive conclusion that cannot be debated.  PEOPLE SUCK!  No matter how hard you try or how good your service is, people are never satisfied.  You could wipe their asses after they shit on you and they still wouldn't be happy.  Case in point, where I work we just went through a computer program change and as with most upgrades, there were a few snafu's.  Along with this change, our company implemented several new policies that were much different than what we were used to. 

(New system + new policies)*all at once = trouble

This is a formula for problems.  In the past, our customer service has been very good when it came to answering customer calls.  However, with these new changes our phone lines have been overloaded and our customers are irate.  Some have stated that they have waited 10 to 20 minutes to get a service representative.  Our once happy customers have turned on us like rabid dogs on a dead carcass.  We have been screamed at, cursed at and threatened with bodily harm.  WHAT!  WHAT!  ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME!  You would swear that we are delivering bars of gold to their homes every day.  These morons have suddenly turned like Benedict Arnold on the Colonials.  Of course, our staff has been explaining the issues and apologizing left and right.  Even after getting on our knees and begging for forgiveness, these freaking Neanderthals are still not happy.  They continue to scream and threaten even after we take care of their problems.  These shit heads are even e-mail bombing our in boxes with crass and repulsive mail.   

The bottom line here is PEOPLE SUCK!  To all of these idiots I say, "YOU SUCK".  You make me so sick to my stomach so much that I want to vomit all over my computer.  If I could, I would come to your house and rip your sorry ass lungs out of your chests and feed them to my dogs.  In fact, I would not feed them to my dogs because they are too good to eat your filthy lungs.  Yes, in general PEOPLE SUCK!  They SUCK now and they will continue to SUCK more as time goes on.   

Congress - Spineless Jellyfish

I was disappointed and pissed off this past week when the news broke that our yellow bellied Senators in Congress sent the gun control bill down the proverbial crapper.  In a vote that went pretty much straight down party lines, the bill would have made background checks mandatory at all gun sale venues was shot down in a heap of flames by the gutless Republicans and a few turncoat Democrats.  Every bill that hits the Senate floor has what is called a "Statement Of Purpose".  Here is the actual "Statement Of Purpose" from the bill itself.

To protect Second Amendment rights, ensure that all individuals who should be prohibited from buying a firearm are listed in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, and provide a responsible and consistent background check process. The actual vote was 54 to 46 in favor of the bill however a 3/5ths majority rules in the Senate.  For the life of me I cannot understand why anyone would vote against stricter background checks for the purchase of a gun.  It is only common sense!  In no way does this bill conflict with the 2nd Amendment which provides for Americans "The Right To Bear Arms".  It doesn't make any sense to me and it really makes my head explode.  Why, why can Washington not use common sense government when dealing with these issues.  It's a fact that 90% of the American public is in favor of stricter background checks.  However, this does not translate into the correct votes in Congress.  Since I am a gun owner AND I approve of these stricter background checks, I believe that everyone should find out how their Senator voted and if you disagree, write them a letter or email them to let them know that you will be firing them from their position next election.  You read that right, FIRE THEIR ASSES!  They all work for us and it's time we remind them of that!  It's time for them to ignore the silly party politics and vote the way their constituents want them to vote.  Hell, I never got anything from my Senator asking how I think he or she should vote on an issue.  In reality, they don't give a rats ass what we think.  They are all trying to work their way up to the Senatorial ladder of monetary gain. Here is the listing of all U.S. Senators and how they voted. Alexander (R-TN), Nay Ayotte (R-NH), Nay Baldwin (D-WI), Yea Barrasso (R-WY), Nay Baucus (D-MT), Nay Begich (D-AK), Nay Bennet (D-CO), Yea Blumenthal (D-CT), Yea Blunt (R-MO), Nay Boozman (R-AR), Nay Boxer (D-CA), Yea Brown (D-OH), Yea Burr (R-NC), Nay Cantwell (D-WA), Yea Cardin (D-MD), Yea Carper (D-DE), Yea Casey (D-PA), Yea Chambliss (R-GA), Nay Coats (R-IN), Nay Coburn (R-OK), Nay Cochran (R-MS), Nay Collins (R-ME), Yea Coons (D-DE), Yea Corker (R-TN), Nay Cornyn (R-TX), Nay Cowan (D-MA), Yea Crapo (R-ID), Nay Cruz (R-TX), Nay Donnelly (D-IN), Yea Durbin (D-IL), Yea Enzi (R-WY), Nay Feinstein (D-CA), Yea Fischer (R-NE), Nay Flake (R-AZ), Nay Franken (D-MN), Yea Gillibrand (D-NY), Yea Graham (R-SC), Nay Grassley (R-IA), Nay Hagan (D-NC), Yea Harkin (D-IA), Yea Hatch (R-UT), Nay Heinrich (D-NM), Yea Heitkamp (D-ND), Nay Heller (R-NV), Nay Hirono (D-HI), Yea Hoeven (R-ND), Nay Inhofe (R-OK), Nay Isakson (R-GA), Nay Johanns (R-NE), Nay Johnson (D-SD), Yea Johnson (R-WI), Nay Kaine (D-VA), Yea King (I-ME), Yea Kirk (R-IL), Yea Klobuchar (D-MN), Yea Landrieu (D-LA), Yea Lautenberg (D-NJ), Yea Leahy (D-VT), Yea Lee (R-UT), Nay Levin (D-MI), Yea Manchin (D-WV), Yea McCain (R-AZ), Yea McCaskill (D-MO), Yea McConnell (R-KY), Nay Menendez (D-NJ), Yea Merkley (D-OR), Yea Mikulski (D-MD), Yea Moran (R-KS), Nay Murkowski (R-AK), Nay Murphy (D-CT), Yea Murray (D-WA), Yea Nelson (D-FL), Yea Paul (R-KY), Nay Portman (R-OH), Nay Pryor (D-AR), Nay Reed (D-RI), Yea Reid (D-NV), Nay Risch (R-ID), Nay Roberts (R-KS), Nay Rockefeller (D-WV), Yea Rubio (R-FL), Nay Sanders (I-VT), Yea Schatz (D-HI), Yea Schumer (D-NY), Yea Scott (R-SC), Nay Sessions (R-AL), Nay Shaheen (D-NH), Yea Shelby (R-AL), Nay Stabenow (D-MI), Yea Tester (D-MT), Yea Thune (R-SD), Nay Toomey (R-PA), Yea Udall (D-CO), Yea Udall (D-NM), Yea Vitter (R-LA), Nay Warner (D-VA), Yea Warren (D-MA), Yea Whitehouse (D-RI), Yea Wicker (R-MS), Nay Wyden (D-OR), Ye

WTF No 10 Commandments Tonight?

I am furious.  I am so angry the top of my skull just blew off and drilled a hole in the ceiling.  I am beside myself with a fury unknown to mankind itself.  Here it is, Easter night and the 10 Commandments and Ben Hur are not on TV.  What!  What!  ARE YOU FREAKIN' KIDDING ME!  Easter is now incomplete thanks to the lousy networks.  I can't believe neither of these Easter classics are being shown anywhere on the 300 plus channels that I have on Direct TV.  It is blasphemy at it's highest level.  The only Easter show that they are showing is that loser Charlie Brown and his lame Easter show.  How on gods green earth can these TV networks not show either of these shows.  I wait every year to sit down after a delicious meal and a few glasses of wine top watch the 10 Commandants.  It's not Easter unless Charlton Heston is on the boob tube in a biblical role of some sort.  What the hell is going on here?  Why?  Why are neither of these movies on?  I just don't get it?  These are the Easter movies everyone waits for and WHAM, we are bent over and screwed.  This is a travesty.  It's a crime against humanity.  It's against all of the rules.  Why?  Why have the TV stations forsaken us in such a way.       

Six Reasons Why The Easter Bunny is Terrifying

I have never been a big fan of the Easter Bunny.  I remember standing in line at The Boston Store, now Boscov's as kid after kid went screaming into the night after a minute or two on this long eared rat's lap.  As you stood in line with your parents your mind starting racing with thoughts of huge furry horror as you waited for your turn.  As you got closer to the giant rabbit your hold on your mothers hand got tighter and tighter as sheer terror overwhelmed every fiber of your little body.  You knew deep down that if you wanted all of that candy you HAD to sit on this large lepus' lap.  Your mind raced on ways to escape this varmints deadly grasp while still collecting the sugary booty that would be waiting there on Easter morning.  Reason after terrifying reason ripped through your brain as to why this enormous rodent was so scary.  In fact, I remember my reasons and here they are.

 

6.  Huge:  This was a huge rabbit.  Just the size of this thing was scary enough.  The sight of an enormous rabbit wearing a brightly colored outfit would scare even the bravest child.  The kid below is screaming in terror!



5.  Ears:  We all know that rabbits have long ears, but the Easter Bunny always had disproportionated hearing devices.  In fact there were times when his ears would be bent down like they were pointing your way.  In your mind you thought his ears were saying, "I'm coming for you on Easter Eve".


The Ears Are Pointing At You!

4.  Teeth:  The Easter Bunny always had big teeth.  All I can think of is "The better to eat you my dear".  With one bite he could have your guts all over the store.  The kid below does not suspect what may happen here.

Huge Teeth

3.  Aggressive:  This over sized vermin was always very aggressive when it came to getting small children on his lap.  He would reach over with his hairy paws to grab a hold of you.  When he got hold of you what was he going to do?  That thought was frightening. 

Known To Grab Children

2.  Hairy:  This super sized rodent was always way to furry.  In some cases the hair was dirty and matted like a varmint with rabies.  I have seen cases when this hair was pink in color which always reminded my of dried blood from his victims.

Way Too Hairy

1.  Those Eyes:  No matter what costume the bunny was in, his eyes were terrifying.  When he looked at you he was looking straight into your soul.  He was extracting all of those bad things that you did and calculating how much candy you would get.       

Look At Those Eyes

Even as a kid I knew early on that this over sized rodent was a fake, a shame, a forgery.  Hell, back in the day when you sat on this furry varmints lap you could see right into the eyes of the costume.  Instead of looking into the eyes of an egg toting holiday rabbit and seeing a fairy tale creature you saw an actual person.  When you questioned your parents with this obvious fact they always answered, "The real Easter Bunny can't be everywhere all at once, so this must be one of his helpers".  What a farce!  As you got a little bit older, common sense actually would kick in and your ever maturing brain finally came up with the correct conclusion.  If the Easter Bunny can't be everywhere then how the hell does he get all of that candy delivered in one night?  Yep, this can only be a big scary injustice for children all over the world.