Mark Knows It All

Have you ever read a travel magazine? There are several of them around from local mags like Pittsburgh or Cleveland Magazine to those dealing with world travel such as Conde Nast Magazine and Travel and Leisure Magazine. They are filled with wonderful photographs, timely tips, site seeing and restaurant recommendations, and all sorts of things to make your travel experience more enjoyable. Even the advertisements are spectacular including ads for exotic airlines that offer sleeping quarters, gourmet meals on trains, hotels with penthouse suites, and $10,000 watches and $75,000.00 cars all demonstrated by beautiful people the likes of which I will never see at the Elmton in Struthers. I used to subscribe to several of these literary gems and daydream about what it would be like to travel to exotic places, go on a luxe safari with servants scurrying about catering to your every whim, staying at the Ritz in Paris or experiencing a private audience with the Pope in Rome, or dancing a...

Okay. So it’s 4 AM. I am awake with my eyeballs on my cheeks and can’t go back to sleep. I turn on the television and what to my wondering eyes does appear but a PBS show showing me how grow things green…nevermind that green is exactly how I am going to look come noon. Notwithstanding, I dutifully poured myself a cup of coffee and watched the show to find out everything they are so willingly ready to tell me I am doing wrong. I get tired of these lecture wag the finger kind of shows. These folks are all alike. They all have that “peace of God” expression on their face because they have insights into life I must be lacking. Everything will be alright if only we are green, environmentally sensitive about every aspect of our lives. Just do this or do that…it only takes a minute…and all the world’s problems will be solved. Today, they showed me how Thomas Jefferson grew his green garden. I didn’t know gardens were any other color. Most things that grow are green. It’s called ...

Call me suspicious. But the Democrats have opened the Pandora’s Box of speculation with an awesome display of party disunity. This past week important Dems like Diane Feinstein, Cory Booker, Ed Rendell, Mark Halperin of Time Magazine, the Huffington Post…and last but not least…Bill Clinton have opened a barrage of pokes and jabs at Barack Obama. Starting with Cory Booker who defended Bain Capital and then moving to Bill Clinton who called Mitt Romney’s business background “sterling” and then undercutting Obama on the Bush tax cuts saying they should be extended…well…this type of stuff just doesn’t happen. The fact that all of this occurred within the space of 10 days should give one pause, or at least a raised eyebrow. Why would they do this? This is a party that has been in lockstep with the Obama administration for the past three years. Barack has used the bully pulpit to bully his party members into submission. So what’s with the dissention in the ranks? Something is askew...

I have been warning about the erosion of freedom in our country for several years now. We as Americans have been too willing to accept the crap handed out by government official do-gooders with agendas. The most dangerous of these governmental whack jobs is Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York. It is clear that he has a food fetish, and he ought to check himself into a mental institution to find look for an explanation as to his pre-occupation with what you put into your mouth. Mayor Bloomberg, who is obsessive compulsive about weight, has now proposed a ban on Big Gulp drinks in New York City. This goes with his ban on trans fats, his ban on salt (he actually tried to make it illegal for restaurants to put salt shakers on tables); his calorie display on restaurant menus…ad nauseum…no pun intended. What is NOT funny is that there will be no end to his desire to determine what you are allowed, or not allowed, to eat. If he can Big Gulp drinks, he can begin to issue edicts as t...

Today is Memorial Day. It has been gratifying over the years to see the importance of this day re-emerge in American priorities. This year in particular, with the winding down of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, it takes on special meeting as the nation remembers its fallen heroes defending our nation in a post 9/11 world. I didn’t serve in the military. My draft number was so high that ‘Tricia Nixon would have been drafted before me during the Vietnam War. Those were horrible days. We are now several generations away from the Vietnam War in which Americans suffered 45,000 casualties. Those returning from the war were scorned and spit upon. It was disgraceful. It was heartening to hear President Obama apologize for those actions today. Whether you agreed with the war or not, those returning deserved better than this nation gave them. We are also seeing the Greatest Generation, those that fought in World War II, shrink in numbers as they leave this life hopefully for a better p...

I watched a movie on the Hallmark Channel tonight. Of course I watch the Hallmark Channel.  I watch Lifetime too. I curl up on my chair with my Kleenex and Makers Mark. Can life get any better?  Haven't you heard about us compassionate conservatives?  Don't mess with us. At any rate, tonight Hallmark showed a movie about Barry Watson kissing some girl at a summer camp called Pine Lake. The movie was set somewhere in America’s northwest, fluttering a nondescript state flag because the movie was actually filmed in Canada to skirt union rules. The story line involved young Luke who is a "philanthropic entrepreneur" (is that like a white Hispanic?) who buys the summer camp of his youth from his uncle only to find it sinking, literally and figuratively, under heavy expenses and safety code violations. While walking through this muck filled dilemma in an uber picturesque setting with lots of rain, he reunites with his childhood sweetheart Zoe (wo...

Those of you who know me know that my political persuasion is somewhere between Goldwater Conservatism and Libertarianism. The government should stick to those things that it is supposed to be good at, like building roads, sewers, and water lines and national defense. I am an anti-tax guy. So why am I an advocate of public financing for the arts? Today the Mahoning Valley Power of the Arts initiative is having its Call to Action rally at the Butler Institute of America Art. The Ohio Revised Code provides for the establishment of Arts and Culture Districts in each of the counties. These districts are self taxing entities akin to Boardman Park, Mill Creek Metro Parks, and the county library. They are established by the County Commissioners when presented with a governance code, and operated by a Board of Trustees appointed by the Commissioners with certain qualifications, or the operational duties can be assigned to an existing arts organization in the county so ...

Whether we like or not, money makes the world go around. There are a number of ways to say it. He who pays the piper picks the tune. Then there is the “Golden Rule”: He with the gold, rules. How about: “Money isn’t everything. It’s just most everything.” Then there is Sophie Tucker’s “I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor. Rich is better!” And let’s not forget John Rockefeller’s answer to the question “How much money is enough?” He replied “A little bit more!” Those among us who spew platitudes argue that money isn’t everything, that money can’t buy happiness. Actually a recent study at the University of Kansas determined that it does buy happiness...at least to a degree. A generic family income of $75,000.00/year seems to be the magic number. People are happier above that number than below that number. BUT, there is also a leveling off. The happiness quotient seems to top at $75,000.00/year which leads me to believe what they actually were measuring was contentment ra...

I have been fortunate in my life to have come from a rather large maternal and paternal extended family living the gambit of the American economic experience. Within the confines of my aunts and uncles and cousins you will find those who are the wealthiest of Americans, those who sold shoes at Strouss’, folks who worked in the steel mills, folks who worked at General Motors. You will find a notorious and nationally known Congressman. You will find doctors and lawyers and teachers and social workers and grocers. You will find Mafia types. You will find inter racial marriages. You will find those who have and had a tough way to go coping with welfare and food stamps. I have seen all of America’s economic classes up close and personal. What I haven’t seen among this wide ranging group of people is class hatred and envy because all of us…and I mean all of us…came from Italian immigrant grandparents who literally did not have a pot to pee in when they came to America. They c...

Forty years ago this month my wife and I got engaged.  We were marrying young by today’s standards.  She was barely 20 and I was 21.  We met at Ohio State where we were both on blind dates with other people.  Back in the day, the dormitories were still sex segregated.  Guys were only allowed in the lobby of the women’s dorms.  Women had to be out of the guy’s dorms by midnight and the doors were locked.  There may have been rioting in the street, but Ohio State was still operating under 1940 rules.  The dorms still had maid service.  Can you imagine that today? Tracey Winbush is a friend of mine, and this past week she asked me to be a guest on her radio talk show Tracey and Friends (WSOM AM600 M-F 12:00-3:00).  We were talking about fracking, and I learned that this fat white guy can talk for three hours about a subject I know nothing about.  That’s why I am a lawyer and in politics.  At any rate, the stud...

This spring, in addition to the outstanding weather, northeast Ohio has been treated to some boffo night time planetary shows.   If you missed the conjunction of Jupiter and Venus several weeks ago, you should be ashamed.  Look up every now and then.  I am not an astronomer, but I know spectacular when I see it.  You can do it!!!  Put that smart phone away and treat yourself to the best free show in town.  The almost month long display ended with both planets lining up next to a crescent moon, mother nature taking her well deserved curtain call. Tonight we got another sky show.  My wife and were driving home from Cleveland just a little past dusk.  As we got onto the Ohio Turnpike from Route 44, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky and the sunset was one of the most beautiful I have ever seen.  Cars slowed down on the on ramp…talk about distracted driving; which was upstaged as we turned east on the turnpike proper. Behind the trees...

I have always tried to separate my political views from my religious views. It is becoming more difficult to do as each day passes. This year is special because Easter and Passover are celebrated the same weekend. The Resurrection story takes on new meaning…events real time, so to speak. Minimally, it showcases Christianity’s common history with Judaism. Here in America, it highlights our Judeo-Christian culture’s roots. Whether we like it or not, on both the sacred and secular levels, Christians and Jews are forever bonded together here in America. But this year, something is amiss. There has been uneasiness in the nation. There is a pervasive discontent. People are angry. Scarier still, people are angry at each other. I’m not sure people know why they are angry and feel disjointed. But I have been writing about it for three years, and now America is beginning to wake up to what is happening here. People always operate in a box of their life experience. The Jews in Nazi Ger...

Okay. So I had to go to Panera’s in Canfield this morning to deliver some papers to a client. I dutifully packed my baliche and drove in the AM traffic and parked my car and strolled into the coffee shop. And what to my wondering eyes did appear but a whole bunch of people sitting around drinking coffee, eating bears claws, and having a good time. But was I drinking coffee? Was I eating bears claws? Was I having a good time? Nooooo. I was delivering papers to my whacked client who may or may not pay me. Then I had to go to work. I had to get my coffee to go…and all of the coffee urns were empty. The ladies who worked there had to confer about what to do. I think they must have exceeded the 8 – 9 AM quota. Where do I sign up for that life? When do I get to wile away the morning sipping java and eating pastries? What am I doing wrong? There are two phenomena in American culture that are a real hoot. The first is the mall walkers, of which I am one. That is a subject for anoth...

THE DAD' GUM GUV'MENT from the Tony Award Winning Musical BIG RIVER Query me this. Do you really think the government is good for you? Do you really believe # 3 of the three big lies: 1) The check is in the mail. 2) I will respect you in the morning. 3) I'm from the government and I am here to help you. Has the government made your life better? Forget whether you are right wing or left wing, or Tea Party or Occupy Wall Street. Look at the people that go into politics. There are folks who view it as a "job". Don't call them after 4 or ask them for anything.  Then there are the folks who have an axe to grind. They are dogmatic with a point of view that more likely than not is as whacky as they are. Case in point: the global warming brigade. Then there is the anti-salt brigade. Then there are the right to lifers and the pro choicers. It goes on and on. It's no wonder we are so messed up. Our political system is geared to bring out those who think the...

Simon and Garfunkel is among my favorite groups from the 1960’s. They take me back to the days when I took my date to see The Graduate while my parents were out of town. Scandalous!!! The soundtrack of my life was Scarborough Fair and the Sounds of Silence. The Beatles were going through their classical period, and styles of music melded together in ways that have yet to be replicated. It was a magical time. That was when I began to get passionate about things. Everybody around me oozed passion about everything from politics to love. Today, I am involved in a lot of activities. And I am passionate about all of them. Nothing is ever accomplished with apathy. Nothing is ever accomplished with ignorance. One of my favorite Simon and Garfunkel tunes, The Dangling Conversation, deals with apathetic relationships. And you read your Emily Dickinson, And I my Robert Frost, And we note our place with bookmarkers That measure what we've lost. Like a poem poorly written W...

When my grandmother arrived in the United States in 1905, they asked her where she was going. “I’m-a gonna Yoongs-a-town,” she replied. The industrial revolution in American paved our streets with gold. More than 100 years later, all roads are “gonna Yoongs-a-town” once again. In another stunning statistic, the Vindicator reported last week that Youngstown-Boardman-Warren leads the nation in percentage increase of exports…up 30%. The figures are staggering. Exports make up 15 % of the area’s economy, those exports equaling $2.9 billion (with a “B”). That makes the area 75th in exporting areas in the list of top 100 metropolitan areas in the United States, which is remarkable because media statistics dropped Youngstown out of the top 100 ranking on anything several years ago. The article pointed out metal products accounted for 27% of exported goods, and the bulk of those metal exports are due to RTI International Metals in Niles. The article failed to mention is that Youngstown is als...

Yet another of Barack Obama’s green initiatives has hit the skids with the production stoppage of the Chevy Volt. You remember, this is the “all electric”…no…sort of all electric car…that was supposed to revolutionize how we drive. In theory, it was supposed to get 40 miles on a 12 hour battery charge, unless you decided you needed some things like heat or a radio or a windshield wiper, in which case the mileage would drop dramatically. Let’s not forget the huge government subidy given by Obama to General Motors to make the car, and the even larger tax credits given to those that bought it. Notwithstanding rising gas prices, it’s an idea whose time is yet to come. An article in Business Week this past week has said conventional gasoline engines are more efficient than ever, with models like the Chevy Cruze getting better mileage per gallon than a Prius and other hybrids. Good for our valley!!!! And good for General Motors!!!!! This past week the Vindicator ran a story about...