AUGUST 22 - AUGUST 28, 1998
AUGUST 28, 1998
Food & politics
The e-mail I continue to get!
"Bud, you forgot the restaurant where we all went together, Scolio's I think the
name was. Did you catch Cardamone's lawyer's statements in The Era today after
the charges were dropped. Duke said he felt the charges were politically motivated and
that he hated to see the criminal justice system missed in that manner. Interesting, we'll
see if anyone points that out to the people at The Era."
Getting old business out of the way first, if some people were in their offices
occasionally, I would not have left Scolio's out! This is a fine
restaurant located near the point just across the street from the old Joseph Horne's
department store. It is on the second floor of a new walk through style building and the
food there was worthy of four stars in my book. Most of us at that dinner (four of the
seven) had Spotz. "What are spotz?" you ask. They are small fish similar to
smelt and supposedly come from the Atlantic just off the coast of Virginia. I guess about
right now it is every spotz for itself in the midst of Hurricane Bonnie.
They were breaded and pan fried and came in a variety of ways. Cajun and garlic were
two of the ways, but there were others and seeing how I got into Manhattans before dinner,
my memory does fail me a bit. Nevertheless, Scolio's was a fine dining experience
and the dinner accompaniments: Caesar salad, pasta, and the calamari I had as an
appetizer, were all excellent. As for the spotz, I loved them! This is a restaurant I
definitely would return to again and again. Also, just in passing, I gained back three of
the eighteen pounds that I had lost during my four day stay in Pittsburgh. They are gone
now and I am back to where I was.
Now, on to what the fine Christian attorney Charles Jeffery Duke calls
"politically motivated charges." If anyone could identify them, he could because
he wrote the book on them! All that is missing is the alleged, non-existent
"Pyle Report," of which a copy that is alleged to be just that, seems to
have finally come into my hands. (Keep in mind that Mr. Duke and Mrs. Alfieri both
testified, under oath, that no such report ever existed.) Anyway, back to that
later. I will put that issue in the parking lot for now. On to those "politically
motivated charges."
I like Mike Cardamone. He's a nice enough guy. I have no axe to grind with him;
however, there is a question here. Did he, or did he not, take salvageable materials,
allegedly worth thousands of dollars, from a site owned by the borough? If he did, was the
borough compensated? The matter of permission, which formed the crux of
the Attorney General's refusal to go forward, is not valid. If I want to take a CYS
vehicle on a personal vacation across the United States and visit national parks and the
like and I get permission from Jim Weaver to do just that, does that make it right? Of
course it doesn't!
The fact of the matter is that public property is alleged to have been
taken for personal use and the public was never reimbursed or made whole as a
result of that taking. If Mike Holtz, the Borough Manager, gave
permission, then Mike Holtz would be Cardamone's accomplice and fellow conspirator. What
did Mike Holtz say about this?
The Bradford Era reported "...that Holtz expressed surprise when
told that vonGeis thought he had given Cardamone permission to take anything from the
burned building."
"(Cardamone) came to me and talked to me about salvaging the building." Holtz
said, referring to a conversation that took place last year when Cardamone was president
of borough council. "I had some knowledge that he was considering doing this,"
Holtz said. "Did he ever gain permission from me? No. That's where I stand."
Last evening at the McKean County Bar Association Clam Bake, Holtz once more insisted
that he never gave Cardamone permission to salvage the building for his own personal use.
Keep in mind that the Attorney General's Office has used the alleged permission
given by Holtz for its reasoning not to pursue the matter. If Governor Ridge gives
Attorney General Mike Fisher permission to take computers, owned by the State, and
then resell them and keep the money for himself, does that make it right? You and I would
say no; however, Mr. vonGeis would say that it was using that reasoning.
Where did this impression that Holtz gave Cardamone permission come from in the
first place? Holtz insists that he didn't. Is this a politically motivated lie
that is being told by the Attorney General's Office to get out of trying this case?
Is this the Attorney General doing his old buddy, Jeff Duke a
favor? I say that it is!
I point to vonGeis' convenient twisting of what Holtz said. I further point to his
failure to want to protect the public from what appears to be an elected official taking
public property for his own use and his own personal gain. Never forget that it was Jeff
Duke who first introduced Mike Fisher to McKean County at a little luncheon with all the
party brass at Carnegie's Restaurant.
People like Kane resident, Peggy Chapman, who has held all along that she watched
Cardamone remove materials and wants him held accountable, should keep in mind that this
is not the first time that something like this has happened. She should realize that the
Attorney General refused to try Warren County District Attorney Joseph Massa, State
Investigator Herzog, and Michael Ruben Brown for conspiring to lie and send Jay William
Buckley to the electric chair in the Kathy Wilson Murder Case. In that instance,
attorney Barry Lee Smith filed a private criminal complaint to force the matter to trial.
Of course, Massa and Herzog were removed from the case by the courts, but still, that
avenue is open to anyone who still wants the case heard.
As for what Charlie (The Tuna) said, The Bradford Era reported that
Duke, referring to a meeting where the council voted 4-3 (Cardamone voted, too) to press
charges, said:
"Perhaps with that meeting in mind, Cardamone's attorney, Jeff Duke, said it was
clear to him that the charges were politically motivated. "I think they were false
and intended to harm Mike and force him out of office," Duke said. "It's
sad when the criminal justice system can be manipulated to seek political gain."
What a dirty little hypocrite! Did those words really come out of that mouth?
No doubt his eyes were blinking.
Actually, I am not surprised by much of what Charlie (The Tuna) does or says. This is a
man who refused to try a rapist. This is a man who plea bargained with child molesters.
This is a man who lies just to hear himself talk. This is the man who began the
politically motivated investigation of me and my campaign finances for reasons
".....intended to harm" and "...force him out of office."
Hey Charlie! "It's sad when the criminal justice system (and the courts)
can be manipulated to seek political gain."
I am going to the Supreme Court in the politically motivated case initiated by the
liar, Charles Jeffrey Duke. I have a question to ask and it will probably be the opening
sentence in my appeal.
Was the Supreme Court kidding when they handed down the Brunwasser decision in
1978 and said, with emphasis added: "The only vehicle for initiating charges of
campaign corruption, fraud, or bribery is the audit procedure"? The District
Attorney of McKean County, the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the
McKean County Court of Common Pleas, and the Commonwealth Court all believe the Supreme
Court of Pennsylvania was kidding. They all hold that a politically motivated
investigation, not only into my finances, but also an investigation into anyone or any
company close to me in that campaign, was entirely proper. I say it was not. We will see
what we will see. In the meantime, Jeff Duke is still a liar, lying under oath on the
witness stand is still Perjury, and helping another to lie under oath is still Subornation
of Perjury and Obstruction of Justice. Barry Lee Smith has lent me his format for filing a
Private Criminal Complaint and I still can write. See you soon!
AUGUST 27, 1998
Dining out in Pittsburgh
Living back in the woods like I do, I don't get to the big city too very often.
The recent County Commissioner's Convention gave me the opportunity to
return home and get to eat in some interesting places. Now keep in mind that was given the
order to lower my cholesterol and my blood pressure by the doctor. Now my doctor is an
understanding kind of guy and certainly has a feel for some of the pressure that I am
under. For that reason he gave me the choice of what I wanted to give up. He posed it to
me that I had to give up my alcohol or my meat and pork. I immediately informed him that
he was looking at a vegetarian-alcoholic!
Eliminating fat from my diet was the key. Don't kid yourself, it makes
a difference. Forget low fat and go no fat! You will never eliminate all the fat, but if
you make a conscious effort to not eat it at all, you will do a better job than by fooling
yourself with a lower intake. For me it meant eighteen pounds in a month and a half. The
plus for me was I like chicken, turkey, and fish; all the things I was allowed to eat.
That didn't even affect me when I went out of town.
I grew up in Pittsburgh and I knew the places like Tambellini's on Mt.
Washington. It's gone now but the memory of those deep fried shrimp on a Friday
evening with my parents still linger in my mind. Now there is Louis Tambellini's
Restaurant on saw Mill Run Blvd and F. Tambellini Restaurant on
Seventh Street. I didn't make them this trip but I understand that they are both great for
Italian and American food. I did get to dine on Mt. Washington at Pasquarelli's
Restaurant.
Pasquarelli's features Classic Italian Dining with a great view!
We were there on Sunday night and watched the air show over the three rivers. I had a
generous fish dish that was part of a 28 course meal. Six of the courses included
appetizers, soup, anti-pasta, pasta, the entree', and a delicious desert. The remaining
twenty-two were in liquid form, excellent cocktails from the bar. This was a great
restaurant and I would recommend it to anyone. The view, like other Mt. Washington
restaurants, was outstanding. This is a must to try.
Piccolo Piccolo Ristorante is another fine restaurant located on Wood
Street in Downtown Pittsburgh. They featured authentic Roman Style Italian
dining. That means that we all made pigs of ourselves that night and ate more than we
should have. I flat loved it and couldn't move after I left. It actually felt good to walk
back to the hotel that evening.
One evening we went on the Gateway Clipper Majestic for a cruise on
the Allegheny and the Ohio Rivers. Dinner was served buffet style as soon as we
left the dock. As far as a buffet went the food was very good. The service was excellent
and a waitress was always there if you needed coffee or another cocktail. It was a lovely
moonlight night and the rivers were a pleasure to be on. The entire trip lasted three
hours and it was a pleasant experience.
A place we hated was The Carlton Restaurant located at One Mellon
Center. They were not only rude, but very unprofessional. They claim to
be purveyors of Fine Meats and Fish and maybe they are most of the time. On the afternoon
we ate there, they were not. Their actions made them worthy of being in this article as a
place to definitely avoid.
Sharyn got a bad piece of fish and immediately sent it back. That could happen to
anyone and when it does, as long as it isn't more than half eaten, the customer is always
right! Remember that old saying? Well, the young woman who said she was the manager came
out to discuss the matter. She announced that the kitchen was in the process of
investigating to determine if the fish was indeed bad as Sharyn had said. Keep in mind
that Sharyn had taken only two bites and spit out the second. They never offered to make
her anything else. Instead, they were hot on this investigation and apparently nothing was
going to stand in their way, not even customer satisfaction.
Finally the manager returned. The spectacle that ensued was totally unforgiveable. This
was a business lunch and we were with a man we not only do business with, but hold in the
highest esteem and respect. This woman assured us that the fish was fine and while it
could have ended there, it did not. She continued a one sided argument to which we never
uttered a response. It it she said that Sharyn had eaten the dish wrong. (Perhaps
instructions should have been included.) She pointed out that Sharyn ate two mussels first
and then the fish. She informed us that they felt that the mussels had made the fish taste
funny. Really? If the mussels would do that to the fish included in the Daily Special, why
were they included in the first place? That was ignorant! This place is one that I would
never return to and I intend to tell as many people that I can about our dining
experience. I would avoid at all costs!
For everyone you hate, there has to be one you just love. That is the Grand
Concourse in the historic Station Square complex! I have never had a bad
meal there and I have never had bad service. The service is unmatched in the Pittsburgh
area. This time the lovely Liz was our server. We were there for lunch and it was the day
immediately following the unfortunate incident at that place that I hate.
Ironically, we had a fish dish with mussels similar to the one the previous day. This
time it was not only prepared properly, the quality and freshness of the fish was up to
normal standards. Even to say that about this preparation does not do it justice. It was
magnificent and a true delight to eat. That is exactly what I have found every time I have
dined at The Grand Concourse.
The Grand Concourse is in the old P&LE Railroad Station and I have fond
memories of meeting my grandparents and even my Aunt Rose when they traveled to Pittsburgh
from New York City. You can still see the ticket windows and can imagine the trains
arriving. It is not only a wonderful place to eat, it is a piece of our history that we
have fortunately saved.
My dining experiences in Pittsburgh were fun. Many of us up here in
the woods forget that Pittsburgh is a city that is revitalized and has interesting things
happening all of the time. The people are friendly and very gracious (except for the
manager at The Carlton Restaurant). Other places worthy of mention are: Chauncy's
, The Oyster House, Cafe Allegro, The Tin Angel, Mullaney's Harp & Fiddle,
The Steelhead Grill, and The Liberty Tavern. I would avoid The
Top of the Triangle as their quality has slipped dramatically. All of this, and
what's more, Pittsburgh has the Steelers. Go Steelers!
AUGUST 26, 1998
Atlas Shrugged?
Novelist and opponent of the creeping Socialism that has become our way of
life, Ayn Rand, wrote Atlas Shrugged in the late forties. It was the
story of brilliant humans who were drained of their talents by a government that was
dedicated to serve only itself. It was a story that was timeless even though the
dependence on railroads as the main source of transportation does date it. However, even
the dependence on the railroads and the stunning breakthroughs such as a train tunnel
through the Rocky Mountains, show her foresight and intuition.
She gives us powerful characters who fight the system. For a
time they are able to hold their ground and even make gains against a government set on
leveling the playing field for the lazy and the less talented. For a time, Dagney Taggart
and Henry Reardon are able to set the nation on a course that could have set
things straight. It was not to be. Certain individuals had already figured out that in the
chaos of a failed government there were fortunes to be made. Thus we
approach the year 2000!
Since 1982, when the federal government brought the American Computer Industry
together at MCC in Austin, Texas and they began to pool their discoveries, we
started down a road that may not be what we were told it really was. The idea was that the
computer industry would work together and take us farther faster. It has happened. Was
there a hidden agenda?
We are to believe that this Year 2000 Crisis is something we just discovered. We
are to believe that all of the collective knowledge of all the collective "gear
heads" in the world just casually overlooked the fact that in the year 2000
computers will start believing it is 1826 and all of our records will be erased because
the computers, worldwide have you, won't believe that the transactions ever occurred. Do
you believe in the Easter Bunny, too?
Before 1982 and before the government put Admiral Bobby Inman (Ret) in charge
of the MCC Project, they knew about this Y2K bug. They allowed it to happen and
they enabled us to become so intertwined and dependent on computers with this deadly
implant that they are now in the driver's seat to do whatever they want
when the magic date arrives. Remember, it was the government that set up the information
highway, not private industry.
They set that in motion in 1984, again in Austin, when they buried the
University of Texas "monster computer" ten stories below the ground deep in bed
rock just off Burnet Road, behind security fences, and gave it a nuclear generator as an
uninterrupted power source. That was the beginning of the era of Big Brother and
all of our records going through one central clearing center. That was the beginning of
the Information Super Highway! That was also the beginning of the Year 2000 Crisis!
This is a man made crisis and it is a deliberate crisis. We can only
guess what might be the ultimate goal of those unnamed people who really call the shots.
Is it an opportunity to amass untold fortunes by holding on to enormous amounts of money
and just drawing interest for a month or two while the computers are put back on line and
we are all forced to show "hard proof" of what we really own and have in the
banks and investment houses? Is this where the government suspends the Constitution and
declares Martial Law in the nation? Who can say? Many are preparing for the worst possible
case. Many are preparing to defend themselves and their families. Many are stockpiling
food to make it through. Many are arming themselves to defend against a
government takeover.
Actually, I believe that insurance companies, banks, investment institutions
will allow this to happen. They stand to make a killing just on the interest
while the disorder is cleaned up. They stand to make interest on money that will sit idle
as the little person is forced to prove what is theirs really is. Most people will be so
happy that planes didn't fall out of the sky and the electricity didn't go off that they
will barely complain that the bankers and investment are cleaning up on their
investments. In the end there will be an investigation that will cost millions and no one
will be blamed except one man. "Who?" you ask. "John Galt," they will
answer. We all will appropriately then ask, " Who is John Galt?"
AUGUST 25, 1998
Congressional debate, or stupidity?
Bill Belitskus announced his candidacy as the Green Party candidate for
Representative in Pennsylvania's 5th Congressional District on August 13, 1998. Quoting
from his news release of the same date: "Belitskus told reporters that he had decided
to run for the Congressional seat after learning that U.S. Representative John Peterson
was running unopposed in the November elections. Belitskus asked, What kind of democracy
do we have in Pennsylvania when we have career, professional politicians like
Representative John Peterson and Representative Bud Shuster waltzing into office without
any debate or discussion about key issues?" Shortly, after the Belitskus
announcement, Representative Peterson, quoted in The Warren Times Observer, challenged
Belitskus to a debate. This is where I have serious questions. Why would he do that?
There are people who dismiss Bill Belitskus as a kook, an environmentalist, a
tree hugger, and even worse. I am not one of those people. Since taking office in
1996, I have been exposed to a healthy dose of Mr. Belitiskus at our weekly County
Commissioners' Meetings. He appealed to the commissioners to reverse the decision of the
former board and the Planning Commission regarding the chipper mill built in Lantz Corners
in 1994. Belitskus and many of his neighbors complained about the noise the mill produced
and the invasion of their peaceful rural settings by an industrial concern that was less
than a good neighbor. While I agreed that there were irregularities in the way the
approval was given, I also recognized that there was little that I could do to rectify the
situation. I pointed out to my fellow commissioners that I, personally, would not want to
live near that noisy process and I doubted that they would either.
Since that issue, there was the proposed outdoor country music venture. Once
more a project was being fast tracked. Once more a project was being rammed through that
would again disturb the peace and quiet of the local residents. Belitskus took his stand
and fought. To their embarrassment, the Planning Commission and Township Supervisor Bill
Kilmer, found out after the fact, proper PennDot permits had not been issued even though
they assured the Commissioners that they had. That set the project back months and insured
that there would be no concerts this year, anyway.
Then there was the low level nuclear waste dump that was sponsored by one
County Commissioner and several Township Supervisors, including Mr. Kilmer of Hamlin
Township. It was Bill Belitskus that discovered that the Planning Commission was
in fact aiding Chem Nuclear in picking a site here in McKean County. It was Bill Belitskus
who brought this issue to the fore front in the local media and help rally opposition. He
was successful. Now, Bill Belitskus is running for Congress.
Belitskus stated his intent to run an aggressive campaign and to focus on
several key issues during the race - including restoring the
social security trust fund, maintaining high quality public education, establishing
affordable health care for all Americans, and promoting land use planning that protects
America's watersheds. Belitskus state his intent not to accept PAC monies for his
campaign, commenting that "Representative Peterson's war chests have always been
chock full of special interest Political Action Committee (PAC) receipts. I state today
that I will not accept any PAC monies and I challenge Mr. Peterson to do the same."
Bill Belitskus is no dummy. He will be and is a viable candidate for
Congress. More people than even John Peterson may realize are out there and agree with
many of the stances that Belitskus has taken. If Peterson isn't careful, he just might
have a race on his hands. Why in the world would Peterson challenge Belitskus to a debate?
Who was advising him about this guy? Belitskus might come in prepared and embarrass
Peterson. What then?
I believe that Peterson has made a serious mistake. He has opened the
door for Belitskus to be placed in the spotlight. If the debate or series of debates take
place when there is a slow news day and if Belitskus comes off as I believe that he can
(with the proper preparation), Peterson might find himself in a race for his seat that he
never imagined. More information about Bill Belitskus may be found at
http://www.penn.com/belitskus.
AUGUST 24, 1998
What it is really all about
.....is telling the truth. "When a President is caught lying to
the people of the United States of America, he should be removed from office."
William Jefferson Clinton; August, 1986, at the Democratic National Convention.
I wonder if President Clinton remembers saying that? It seems that he
has convenient lapses that allow him to pass over forgettable quotes like that one. Most
of us missed it the night that they just about had to drag Clinton away from the podium in
the middle of a forty minute diatribe. However, that quote was one thing he said that
night that did make sense.
No one really gives a damn about how many times he had sex with that girl or
any girl. Obviously his wife hasn't, or doesn't. Her seclusion act is just that.
She has to play the injured wife. They have to stay out of the public eye. It is expected
of her and him to assume the roles that they have even though it is nothing more than the
beginning of Act III in the drama of the Clinton Presidency. As they watch the news
programs and gauge our reaction to his admission and then deployment of the B-3 bomber
with the attack on Albania, they are no doubt very pleased with the results. Why
wouldn't they be? They have "wagged the dog."
How immoral are Hillary and Bill Clinton? Is there anything they would
not do to achieve their goals and maintain their power? Some would say no. I am inclined
to agree with them. The Clinton Body Count, assembled by Michael Rivero and
available on Warroom Classics from QUINN IN THE MORNING at the following
web site address: http://www.warroom.com/clinton.html.
we are given an itemized trail of deaths that are alleged to be linked to Bill
Clinton, his rise to power, and his battle to stay there. The most recent is that of Sandy
Hume, son of journalist Britt Hume on February 22 of this year. Nearly fifty people are
linked through their deaths, all since 1989, to Bill Clinton. Everyone of them had a
secret. Everyone of them took that secret with them to the grave. Only the ones who have
gone public in a big way like Paula Jones and Jennifer Flowers appear to be safe.
What is more boring than talking about Clinton's sex life, is hearing people
say they are tired of hearing about it. It was never about sex. It still is
not about sex. It is about honesty, integrity, and upholding the laws and the
Constitution of the United States of America. For some reason, Bill and Hillary Clinton
feel that those laws do not apply to them. It must be because they are so special and
apart from the rest of us. It must be because they are so much smarter. Evidently they are
because they have expertly diverted attention from the real issues and placed the
attention solely on the sex.
The biggest curve ball in history is now in the works. Vice President
Al Gore is at the plate. He is preparing to run for President in 2000. He is preparing to
run inspite of his problems with fund raising. He is kidding himself as he hopes it will
just go away. It won't and it will not be just the Republicans who will see to it. Hillary
Clinton will see that it doesn't. She will see to it because she has her own agenda.
As the damaged wife of Bill Clinton, Hillary will see to it that Gore is gored
by his involvement with the fund raising scandal. As the confidant of Bill
Clinton and one of the most popular women in the nation, Hillary will run for President
and attempt to succeed her husband and become the first woman President in history. She
has always wanted to be President even more than her husband. With Gore under fire by a
soon to be appointed Special Prosecutor, she is in the best position to make the move on
the party nomination and the Presidency.
It is about telling the truth - the whole darn thing! Hillary knew
about her husband for a real long time. She did not care. What has happened is not only
politically expedient for her, it plays directly into her hands. She has no problem
explaining this away to her daughter. "Men are dogs," she will say. "Your
father is a dirty dog. Don't trust men." She is now in the position to benefit
from what seems to be disaster. Perhaps all of this was planned. Many of us would not be
surprised if it was. Power for power sake has always been a prime motivator of human
beings. The Clintons are no different.
AUGUST 22-23, 1998
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