blognetnews.com
» Pennsylvania
edited by: Lisa Mossie, Pennsylvania Editor

Pamela Varkony's Perspectives

  • Sabbatical

    Number of comments: 5
    I should have posted this message sooner rather than simply disappearing for two weeks....

    I'm going to take a short "sabbatical" from blogging. Not sure how long I'll be gone but hopefully not longer than a month or so.

    Several wonderful projects have come my way that deserve [...]
    Posted: November 22, 2009, 10:35pm EST
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Mapping It Out...

    Number of comments: 13
    The Morning Call online has a new feature. No, it's not another blog, survey, or question of the day. It is instead an innovative community service designed to keep the public informed.

    What is this new wonder? Why it's the Lehigh Valley Crime Map.

    Now, [...]
    Posted: November 10, 2009, 11:07pm EST
    by Pamela Varkony
  • The Fall Of The Wall

    Number of comments: 8
    Between the recent passage by the House of the "Healthcare Reform Act", and what appears to be an unfolding story of terrorism at Ft. Hood, the 20 year anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall has not received much attention.

    But in this house, it brings back memories [...]
    Posted: November 09, 2009, 11:09pm EST
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Political Potpourri

    Number of comments: 10
    One of the definitions of the French word "potpourri" is a medley or collection, an accurate description for this post which is just that, a collection of recent political news and views...

    ** I have been told, from a reliable source, that Walt Felton is taking the loss of [...]
    Posted: November 08, 2009, 10:42pm EST
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Which Do You Want First....

    Number of comments: 18
    Okay, which do you want first, the good news or the bad news, with the interpretation of what constitutes good news and bad news being very subjective and totally from my point of view, and with somewhat limited information before all the numbers are in:

    Good news: Ron Manescu [...]
    Posted: November 03, 2009, 10:52pm EST
    by Pamela Varkony
  • My Hero...

    Number of comments: 14
    My husband was working 17-1 & 17-2 poll this morning at the Jewish Community Center when a Felton supporter wearing a huge sandwich board sign, like you see on the boardwalk, sauntered up on the JCC property.

    My husband was the only Republican among many Democrats, working the morning [...]
    Posted: November 03, 2009, 9:41am EST
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Write-in Instructions

    Number of comments: 8
    The days of hoping someone was standing outside a polling place handing out those little golf score card pencils, or having to remember to take one with you to the poll, is over. That's how it used to work if you wanted to do a write-in.' [...]
    Posted: November 02, 2009, 4:26pm EST
    by Pamela Varkony
  • My Two Cents...

    Number of comments: 20
    For some reason, this has seemed like a long campaign season. As much as I love politics, I have not been able to muster much enthusiasm for this cycle, with the exception of the District Justice race in 31-1-03 which encompasses my own neighborhood. Back to that one in a [...]
    Posted: November 02, 2009, 12:01am EST
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Fool Me Once...

    Number of comments: 18
    I've made my share of mistakes in life, most of them oversights of time or focus, so I try to not be too judgmental of others. I take a "walk a mile in their moccasins....living in glass houses" approach to life whenever possible. As a private citizen, I have the' [...]
    Posted: October 27, 2009, 12:01am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • A Word From Our Local Station

    Number of comments: 9
    One of our family's favorite traditions is the "annual pumpkin carving contest". Everyone gathers for dinner, after which the table is cleared and layered with newspaper. Each member is responsible for bringing their own pumpkin and carving utensils. Designs, often sketched out in advance, are closely' [...]
    Posted: October 26, 2009, 12:01am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • The Loss Of A Partner

    Number of comments: 16
    This afternoon, the unexpected illness of one of my pets took me to the offices of Lehigh Valley Animal Hospital on Old 22, out past Chris's Diner.

    As I pulled in, I saw two APD cars and several officers standing in the parking lot. I' [...]
    Posted: October 22, 2009, 9:52pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • A Necessary Hiatus...

    Number of comments: 5
    The good news is that my workload is about to go on overdrive including two keynote speeches before large audiences, who for some reason expect to get their money's worth by being well informed and entertained. Those presentations will be followed almost immediately by the Power Of Women [...]
    Posted: October 12, 2009, 2:13pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • No Wonder We're In Trouble

    Number of comments: 13
    I spent two hours this evening at the Allentown President's Council Mayoral & City Council Candidates Night. Normally after that length of time, exposed to the views of eight candidates, I would be editing pages of notes and putting together a long post that would take' [...]
    Posted: October 08, 2009, 11:43pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • The Political Price Of Admission

    Number of comments: 20
    It was a pleasant surprise to read in yesterday's Bill White column that the Maestro of Satire considers me a "prominent Allentown Republican", a title about which the local Republican Party might differ, but thanks anyway, Bill. What was even nicer was to have this blog referred to as' [...]
    Posted: October 07, 2009, 12:45am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • What Price Afghanistan ?

    Number of comments: 13
    Update: Secretaries Gates and Clinton gave an exclusive interview to CNN last night in which they both, but especially Gates, came across as being between a rock and a hard place. Gates said the US is definitely not leaving Afghanistan, but that there may be no need for more [...]
    Posted: October 05, 2009, 12:46am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Big Weekend In Allentown....

    Number of comments: 9
    After a grueling week, you'd think I would want to stay home with my feet up, but instead I'm figuring out how I'm going to fit in everything I want to do this Saturday in Allentown...

    Should I start at the 19th Street Oktoberfest which runs from 12:00' [...]
    Posted: October 02, 2009, 12:13am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • APD Response

    Number of comments: 16
    I have written several posts lately about the burglaries, home invasions, and general increase in crime that have occurred in the western section of the city and county: "Number 10" posted on Sept. 16, and "A Dog And A Gun" on Sept. 9, detailed [...]
    Posted: September 23, 2009, 12:01am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • For A Few Brief Shining Moments...

    Number of comments: 7
    One of my favorite songs from one of my favorite musicals, contains the line, "Don't let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief shining moment that was known as Camelot".

    For those of us who love Allentown, and especially for' [...]
    Posted: September 21, 2009, 12:01am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Dent Wastes No Time Going After ACORN

    Number of comments: 6
    Today, Congressman Charlie Dent, along with many other member of Congress, went after ACORN with both barrels. In a press statement, just released, he "issued a call to end all public funding for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), an organization that has engaged in illegal activity" [...]
    Posted: September 17, 2009, 4:30pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • From Little Acorns...

    Number of comments: 14
    14th century author Geoffrey Chaucer probably didn't have scandals and prostitution in mind when he wrote about mighty things growing from little acorns. Six hundred years later, one ACORN has sprouted a really big scandal, and a potentially big political problem for Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey.[...]
    Posted: September 17, 2009, 12:51am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Number Ten

    Number of comments: 19
    There was a small story in the police blotter section of Tuesday's Morning Call on page 8 about the latest murder in Allentown; number ten so far this year. The "good news" is that the city's murder rate to date is less than last year's. What' [...]
    Posted: September 16, 2009, 12:21am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • A Strong Pulse

    Number of comments: 15
    The reports of the demise of the Republican Party may have been premature: It seems the patient still has a pretty strong pulse after all.

    The Lehigh Valley Republican Convention was held Sunday at the Northampton Community Center. The place was packed. My layman's estimate' [...]
    Posted: September 14, 2009, 12:15am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • One Last Part Of The Story

    Number of comments: 22
    It's been a very long evening; the kind with three different events crammed in to the time it normally takes to have dinner and watch a little TV. But even with all the activity, including a speech to a local women's organization, I couldn't stop thinking about the conversation I' [...]
    Posted: September 10, 2009, 11:00pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • "Delores": The Clean Up Woman

    Number of comments: 20
    If you don't know about the "Tony Phillips situation"; that would be City Councilman & Republican Mayoral Candidate Tony Phillips, you've been living under a rock for the past eight hours. It's all anyone was talking about at the physcial therapy center, and at Wegman's, and the phone's been' [...]
    Posted: September 09, 2009, 4:41pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • A Dog Or A Gun

    Number of comments: 16
    As I dumped the larger than usual pile of mail on the kitchen table and started to sort it in to stacks of "his", "mine" "bills" and "recycle", the startling headline of a bright orange postcard mailer, which was addressed to my husband, caught my attention: [...]
    Posted: September 09, 2009, 12:04am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • A Few Additional Details

    Number of comments: 21
    The press conference unveiling the plans for the renovation of the former Shanty Restaurant into TC Salon Spa and an unnamed restaurant, was well covered by Tyrone Richardson's story in Saturday's Morning Call.

    I'd like to add a few more details and personal' [...]
    Posted: August 30, 2009, 10:35pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • The Flow of Oil...From Libya to Lockerbie

    Number of comments: 0
    One of the most widely read posts in the three years since this blog began was last week's "Justice Denied". Due to the extensive global network of my friend Jane Schultz, who lost her son Thomas in the bombing of Pan Am 103, Sitemeter recorded the visits of hundreds of [...]
    Posted: August 30, 2009, 10:06pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Send In The Goats...

    Number of comments: 2
    Several pieces of information came to me today, from very reliable sources, regarding the financial health of the City of Allentown. I'm going to be deliberately vague about details, but the core issue is clear.

    One long-term supplier of goods used for outdoor maintenance, has' [...]
    Posted: August 27, 2009, 12:02am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • The View From Now

    Number of comments: 21
    Sitting in the comfort of our living rooms...in our safe, secure, temperature controlled environments, sipping latte's and reading about the interrogation tactics the CIA used on suspected terrorists, it is so easy to pass judgment. The words, Inhuman; Degrading; Un-American, roll easily off the tongue to [...]
    Posted: August 25, 2009, 11:14pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Justice Denied

    Number of comments: 12
    An Additional Thought 8/26/09: In an effort to ensure that as many people as possible were aware of the injustice done to the families of the Pan Am 103 victims, Jane Schultz sent a link to this blog to her extensive network around the world. According [...]
    Posted: August 23, 2009, 1:40am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Lt. Gov. Candidate Aichele Visits Valley

    Number of comments: 6
    Carol Aichele was easy to spot in the lobby of the Best Western. She had a look of confidence and determination that immediately set her apart. She's going to need those traits over the next 9 months as she campaigns across the state to be [...]
    Posted: August 20, 2009, 9:08pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Health Care: Chills and Fever

    Number of comments: 33
    Over the weekend, President Obama sounded like he was stepping back from his oft-stated and seemingly entrenched position on a "government option" within his health care reform plan.

    The folks on the left are now in an uproar, including Speaker Pelosi who wasted no time [...]
    Posted: August 18, 2009, 12:06am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Weekend Wanderings - August 16, 2009

    Number of comments: 10
    There are moments that forever stay in our memory; some of them are markers of life's milestones, some are fleeting seconds in which we capture a glance or an idea. Images from those moments embed themselves in our brain becoming part of a personal photo album' [...]
    Posted: August 16, 2009, 11:27pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Weighing in on the Playground...

    Number of comments: 41
    I've not previously written about the proposed playground at Cedar Beach and the "upgrades" to the Rose Garden. Lacking the time and ability to do the research and attend the meetings, I didn't feel qualified to weigh in. And it wasn't necessary to do so: Michael Molivinsky in particular,' [...]
    Posted: August 06, 2009, 11:40pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • The Company We Keep

    Number of comments: 22
    There probably isn't one of us who hasn't heard the saying at some time in our life,"You're judged by the company you keep". It's true for teenagers and it's true for political appointees.

    If we were to judge the current Allentown administration by that standard' [...]
    Posted: August 03, 2009, 10:31pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • The Blue Dogs Bark But Don't Bite

    Number of comments: 14
    The Blue Dog Democrats caved today on the healthcare bill. According to CNN.com, the group presented Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Henry Waxman with a list of ten items they want to see changed in the legislation before it is voted on by the full [...]
    Posted: July 29, 2009, 2:04pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Recovery

    Number of comments: 29
    Several weeks ago I had a minor, but invasive, outpatient procedure. My assignment load is usually lighter in the summer so I allowed a few days of downtime in my schedule around the event and was looking at the whole thing as an excuse to lie around and read...a very [...]
    Posted: July 27, 2009, 10:36pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Discerning the Message

    Number of comments: 14
    Some things in life are predictable: The earth spins in 24 hour cycles, the sun rises each morning, and Siobhan Bennett always sounds like she's promoting herself even when she's supposedly trying to promote her new organization through a letter targeted to her own email distribution [...]
    Posted: July 16, 2009, 9:19pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Cap & Trade...It's A Winner

    Number of comments: 20
    American's love winners, and we love lists: Dave Letterman has made himself famous with his "Top Ten" of everything from why he loves New York to ways to know your spouse is having an affair.

    Maybe he'd like to take a shot at "Ten Reasons'" [...]
    Posted: July 09, 2009, 11:08pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Weekend Warnderings - July 5, 2009

    Number of comments: 19
    Every Independence Day is special; a time to remember what a miracle this country really is. When you think about the process and the people that produced our Declaration Of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights and the fact that those documents still are at the [...]
    Posted: July 05, 2009, 1:15pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Reassuring Leadership

    Number of comments: 11
    After a week off, this post may seem like ancient history, but I'm going to write it anyway because I think the story should be shared.

    On June 15 I wrote a post titled "No Fresh Air This Summer" about several break-ins in my neighborhood. The post also' [...]
    Posted: June 28, 2009, 11:16pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Numbers Don't Always Tell The Story

    Number of comments: 39
    The front page story in Sunday's Morning Call, titled "Many Allentown homicides unsolved", paints a discouraging, but not surprising picture of the effectiveness of the Allentown Police Department. Since the Afflerbach pension plan went in to effect, the APD has been the poster child for how to try to [...]
    Posted: June 22, 2009, 12:52am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • More Allentown Budget News...On Camera

    Number of comments: 17
    There's another frightening story by Jarrett Renshaw in today's Morning Call about the Allentown budget. Even the city's controller, Bill Hoffman, has stopped buying the administration's smoke and mirror routine. If you haven't read it, you're missing some valuable information about what could well be a $9 million shortfall.[...]
    Posted: June 18, 2009, 12:52pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Freedom Is Not Free...

    Number of comments: 6
    I'm headed out of town on business, but didn't want to leave without publicly stating my support for the people of Iran. Watching hundreds of thousands of them pour into the streets, defying the government and their thugs, is a stunning reminder that Freedom Is Not [...]
    Posted: June 16, 2009, 11:04pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • No Fresh Air This Summer....

    Number of comments: 26
    Just when we thought that summer meant lazy hazy days and warm soft evenings, we get reminded that it also means an increase in crime. Two homes in my neighborhood were robbed recently; the modus operandi was the same in both cases...the perpetrator crawled in an [...]
    Posted: June 15, 2009, 12:01am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • A Meeting Of The Minds

    Number of comments: 24
    Early this morning, a group of local Republicans, from Lehigh and Northampton Counties, gathered over coffee and bagels to discuss the future of the Grand Old Party from both a national and local perspective. As reported by Scott Krause in a story titled, "Lehigh Valley Effort: The definition of" [...]
    Posted: June 10, 2009, 9:30pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Farewell To A Friend...

    Number of comments: 13
    Today marks the last time that Glenn Kranzley will walk in to The Morning Call building on Sixth St., in Allentown, with the ability to influence the opinion of thousands of people across the region. Glenn, like so many others, has been caught in the gathering [...]
    Posted: June 05, 2009, 10:00am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Those Neon Lights Are Bright On Broadway

    Number of comments: 10
    There seems to be a musical theme running through this blog lately, from Country, "Beer for the Horses", to Oldies, "Up On The Roof", to R&B, "On Broadway"....

    And that's where I'm headed, to The Marriott Marquis on Times Square, where I will be serving [...]
    Posted: June 02, 2009, 11:13pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Up On The Roof....

    Number of comments: 7
    From the invitation that was forwarded to my mailbox today, it looks like one of The Drifters greatest hits is climbing the charts again in DC. Like the song says..."At night the stars put on a show for free, and darling, you can share it all" [...]
    Posted: June 01, 2009, 11:55pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • All Show/No Go

    Number of comments: 9
    The traffic on most blogs drops precipitously on the weekends, at least it does on this one. Before everyone heads home and doesn't check back in till Monday, I want to point out a very worthwhile post on Queen City Daily, written by Jarrett Renshaw.

    Sounds like the' [...]
    Posted: May 29, 2009, 4:27pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Somebody PLEASE Pass The Pitchforks...

    Number of comments: 18
    Even hundreds of years of ago, when kings ruled with life-and-death authority and a laissez-faire attitude, the peasants would eventually get disgusted enough, or hungry enough, that they would take to the streets and storm the castle gates, pitchforks and torches in hand. Sometimes the king [...]
    Posted: May 27, 2009, 10:53pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • No Beer For The Horses...Or Anyone Else

    Number of comments: 14
    Memorial Day weekend calls for the obligatory "first picnic of summer". Not wanting to disappoint family and friends, I headed to the Farmer's Market and Wegman's to stock up. Moving at my usual warp speed, I was really looking forward to being able to finally buy [...]
    Posted: May 26, 2009, 11:33pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Memorial Day 2009

    Number of comments: 7
    This long holiday weekend means much more to me than picnics and parades. Through my work and my life-experience, I have had the opportunity and the privilege to know many who have served and are serving. This is a special time to honor and remember them.[...]
    Posted: May 24, 2009, 9:38pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • BAM and then some...

    Number of comments: 16
    The old adage that it's nice to have friends in the right places certainly proved true tonight. One of my friends has been working with the Sands as a consultant, which is how my husband and I ended up in attendance on the second night' [...]
    Posted: May 21, 2009, 12:05am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Manescu Overall Winner in DJ Race

    Number of comments: 11
    With all wards reporting, APD Asst. Chief Ron Manescu was the top total vote getter in Allentown's 13-1 race for Magisterial District Justice.

    Manescu won big on the Republican ticket with 54% of the vote. Walter Felton, another law enforcement officer, won on the Democratic side, but not by' [...]
    Posted: May 20, 2009, 1:01am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Field Report from Allentown 17-2

    Number of comments: 0
    You know it's likely to be an early evening when there are more people outside a polling place than inside.

    That was the scene at 5:30 at the Jewish Community Center, where Allentown Wards 17-1 and 17-2 go to vote. It looked like this....
    [...]
    Posted: May 19, 2009, 5:59pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Home Just In Time To Vote

    Number of comments: 2
    I feel like singing one of those old country songs..."Eight Days on the road and I'm going to make it home tonight". There's nothing like a road trip to make one appreciate their own kitchen and their own bed.

    I started off in Tempe, Arizona, just in time to [...]
    Posted: May 18, 2009, 11:11pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • A New American

    Number of comments: 9
    Life is full of unexpected events, and when those surprises come along they usually require your immediate attention, and sometimes even a change of plans and priorities. Such was the case last week. I'd like to tell you the story. It is an extraordinary story of the tenacity and courage' [...]
    Posted: May 13, 2009, 11:26pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Return To Sender

    Number of comments: 6
    Where's Elvis when you need him?

    Sorting through today's mail I came upon an envelope that had the look of personal correspondence. The upper left corner read, "Arlen Specter 2010, Washington, DC".

    Inside was a simple one page letter that began:

    Dear [...]
    Posted: May 08, 2009, 12:04am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Tom Ridge Will Not Run....

    Number of comments: 7
    The hopes of many moderate Republicans were dashed this afternoon by an announcement that Tom Ridge will not run for Arlen Specter's Senate seat in 2010.

    "After careful consideration and many conversations with friends and family and the leadership of my party, I have decided'" [...]
    Posted: May 07, 2009, 3:45pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • APD Update: Moving,Training, and Dining

    Number of comments: 15
    The APD may be on the move, at least the Patrol Division may be. An email written by Nicholas Butterfield, an active member of the Library Area Neighborhood Association, and distributed by the Old Allentown Preservation Association, reads as follows:

    At this Wednesday evening's Allentown' [...]
    Posted: May 06, 2009, 12:10am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Change is hard: Good-bye is harder

    Number of comments: 15
    At this time last year, many of my female colleagues Normal false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} at The Morning Call were celebrating their victories in the [...]
    Posted: May 04, 2009, 12:16am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Big Brother is Watching...Your REAL big brother

    Number of comments: 6
    A story at the top of Wednesday's The Morning Call's Local Section, titled "Say cheese!", focused on a recent email sent by APD Chief Roger MacLean asking neighborhood and crime watch groups if any of their members would be interested in volunteering to monitor the [...]
    Posted: April 30, 2009, 12:55am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Will Tom Ridge Save the Republican Party?

    Number of comments: 26
    Any psychologist will tell you that when someone has "lost their way", they have to hit bottom before they can start to rebuild their lives. This principle is true for twelve-step programs or political parties.

    I'm not sure what "bottom" looks like, but I imagine after the defection of' [...]
    Posted: April 29, 2009, 12:01am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Spiteful Specter Turns Democrat

    Number of comments: 22
    Today Senator Arlen Specter took his moderate marbles and went home to the Democratic Party, leaving the folks he's been playing games with for the past 29 years in the lurch. Speaking for myself as a moderate Republican who has defended Specter many times against' [...]
    Posted: April 28, 2009, 12:56pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • The Greening of Allentown

    Number of comments: 3
    Sometimes, especially in these times, it's easier to be negative than positive. There just isn't a lot of good news these days.

    So my first reaction was surprise when I received an upbeat email from Mike Bruckner, V.P. of Community Relations at Muhlenberg College, asking [...]
    Posted: April 27, 2009, 12:14am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Christie Todd Whitman Visits the Valley

    Number of comments: 17
    Former New Jersey Governor and head of the EPA during Bush 43's first term, Christie Todd Whitman, spent two hours this evening in the Lehigh Valley, charming the supporters of Peg Ferraro, candidate for Northampton County Council, while exhorting the faithful to stay the course and' [...]
    Posted: April 23, 2009, 11:41pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Very Different Versions of the Same Story

    Number of comments: 12
    A previous post, titled, "An especially violent night" spoke to the murder and shooting that occurred this past weekend in Allentown. Within that context the points were made that the ongoing violence would never be solved without involvement by private citizens and neighborhood groups. It's a' [...]
    Posted: April 21, 2009, 10:28pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • An Especially Violent Night

    Number of comments: 17
    The Allentown Police Department had their hands full this past weekend. In what was described in The Morning Call story as "an especially violent night", two police officers shot and seriously wounded a man who had a gun. According to the report, he became involved [...]
    Posted: April 19, 2009, 11:10pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • A Virtual Reminder of Reality

    Number of comments: 10
    I'm knocking on wood and throwing salt over my shoulder as I write this: As someone who is self-employed, I have been very fortunate, so far, during this recession, to have been busy. It's not that my family hasn't been affected by the economic slide...my son-in-law' [...]
    Posted: April 16, 2009, 12:45am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • I'll Think About It Tomorrow

    Number of comments: 4
    The full length version of "Gone With The Wind" is on television tonight. I haven't seen it in years, so I'm taking the night off.

    Sometimes a girl just needs to spend an evening with a bowl of popcorn and Clark Gable.

    The real [...]
    Posted: April 14, 2009, 11:40pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Some Good News From Local Republicans

    Number of comments: 6
    It's not easy being a Republican these days: At a national level Party Chairman Michael Steele just can't seem to articulate his positions without ending up having to apologize to someone. Locally, the Grand Old Party has had a tough time fielding candidates; including three vacant [...]
    Posted: April 14, 2009, 12:01am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • A Time for Sacrifice...and Hope

    Number of comments: 5
    While Christians and Jews around the world celebrate two of their most solemn holidays, people of all faiths who knew her, mourn the assassination of Sitara Achikzai, one of only four women legislators to sit on the Kandahar Provincial Council in Afghanistan; provincial councils are [...]
    Posted: April 12, 2009, 1:20pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • You Should Have Seen The Other Guy...

    Number of comments: 13
    My father was a tough kid who worked his way through college and eventually became a successful businessman. He used to take great delight in regaling my refined mother and me with the exploits of his youth, even those in which he had come out on the short end. Whenever [...]
    Posted: April 09, 2009, 8:51pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Comments & Clarifications

    Number of comments: 6
    Comments:
    In the previous post to this one, titled, "Minding Thier Manners", I wrote that I had arrived late for a town hall meeting being conducted by State Rep. Jennifer Mann, missing her opening remarks, and therefore could not report whether or not she had addressed the story in the [...]
    Posted: April 08, 2009, 6:41pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Minding Their Manners

    Number of comments: 8
    State Representative Jennifer Mann held a town meeting tonight at the Lehigh County Senior Center. The fifty people who turned out on a very cold spring night were typical of their generation; attentive, polite and well-behaved.

    I arrived 10 minutes late, missing the introductions including [...]
    Posted: April 07, 2009, 9:47pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Maybe I Have ESPN

    Number of comments: 4
    This has been the longest "short break" I've ever taken: Some times you get the bear and some times the bear gets you. The bear's been eating my socks, but I'm finally out of the woods and glad to be back, even if my blogging skills' [...]
    Posted: April 06, 2009, 10:26pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • We'll Be Back Shortly....

    Number of comments: 5
    I appreciate the high volume of traffic and comments this blog has enjoyed in recent weeks. Knowing you're reading and participating makes the effort worthwhile, which is one reason why I hesitated to post this message; I don't want to lose the momentum. But time waits for no man...or woman. [...]
    Posted: March 22, 2009, 10:48pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • A Little Less Conversation...A Little More Action

    Number of comments: 17
    Apologies to Elvis for borrowing the title of one of his songs, but since it's always been a favorite of mine I hope he won't mind. I thought it was an appropriate heading for this post which was supposed to be a report on tonight's' [...]
    Posted: March 19, 2009, 9:28pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Hitting Home

    Number of comments: 5
    A week ago I was sitting with a group of colleagues waiting for a meeting to start. As is the case everywhere these days, the conversation turned to the economy. One person asked if anyone around the table had a spouse or family member who had [...]
    Posted: March 18, 2009, 11:11pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Get Out Your Wallet: KOZ To Expand

    Number of comments: 16
    An email from the Allentown City Clerk's Office, which sends out meeting notices and agendas for city council, caught my eye today. I often just scan them, but this one said "KOZ Resolution Update".

    Knowing that the "Keystone Opportunity Zone" designation in downtown Allentown will' [...]
    Posted: March 17, 2009, 12:25am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • The Inside Story

    Number of comments: 2
    From the amount of interest shown, and number of comments posted, in response to a previous story about the conversion of the former Shanty Restaurant into the new location of TC Salon & Day Spa, you would think IBM was relocating their headquarters and a $100 [...]
    Posted: March 16, 2009, 12:05am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • The Other Tire Is About To Drop

    Number of comments: 23
    For some time, there have been questions regarding the validity of Allentown's budget numbers, numbers which included a supposed surplus that was created by borrowing money; violating every known accounting principle any of us ever learned.

    Like Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme, it looks like the [...]
    Posted: March 13, 2009, 12:12am EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • From The Peanut Gallery

    Number of comments: 1
    A few thoughts on a few subjects: Observations from the peanut gallery.

    Siobhan Bennett is moving up to "the show" as they say in baseball. According to the story in today's Morning Call, her new job as president of the Women's Campaign Forum [...]
    Posted: March 11, 2009, 10:25pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Cosmos at the Cosmopolitan...Really

    Number of comments: 15
    Being at the right place at the right time can be more than good luck; for a writer it can be the basis for a good story.

    Arriving at the Cedar College Board of Associates Luncheon, which this year honored philanthropist Linny Fowler, I worked [...]
    Posted: March 10, 2009, 11:23pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Mixing Politics, Science & Religion

    Number of comments: 8
    It would be hard to think of where three more volitile issues collide to form an explosive mixture than in the stem cell debate.

    President Obama's reversal of the Bush Executive Order restricting federal funding for stem cell research is sure to launch a' [...]
    Posted: March 09, 2009, 11:08pm EDT
    by Pamela Varkony
  • A Few Thoughts On A Previous Post

    Number of comments: 49
    Normal false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} Normal false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; [...]
    Posted: March 07, 2009, 4:39pm EST
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Beauty and the Beast

    Number of comments: 25
    The beauty of the $250,000 state grant that Allentown City Council authorized several months ago to lure the very successful TC Salon from South Whitehall Township to Allentown, is that it helped to motivate entrepreneur Frank Shipman to purchase the burned-out, water damaged hulk of [...]
    Posted: March 04, 2009, 8:11pm EST
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Paging All Foot Doctors...

    Number of comments: 21
    There's an emergency call out to podiatric surgeons across the country: So many Republicans are limping in to emergency rooms after having shot themselves in the foot, that it's been hard to meet the demand for medical care.

    Okay, the injury is metaphorical, but it's' [...]
    Posted: March 03, 2009, 12:01am EST
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Well We're Living Here In Allentown

    Number of comments: 19
    Even after twenty seven years, Billy Joel's song "Allentown" is still mentioned when I tell people where I live. Written during a recession in the early 80's, the song, which was on the Billboard charts for weeks, gave the entire nation a glimpse as to what [...]
    Posted: March 02, 2009, 12:49am EST
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Personal vs. Professional Persona

    Number of comments: 5
    The past few days I've been watching the media frenzy over a NY Post cartoon drawn by Sean Delonas. Several years ago I interviewed Sean and his son Ryan for a magazine story, after the children's book they had written together, "Scuttles Big Wish", was published. [...]
    Posted: February 27, 2009, 10:02pm EST
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Double Disappointment

    Number of comments: 38
    Not since Ronald Reagan, (pictured here in 1983) has such a powerful communicator addressed a joint session of Congress. President Obama's delivery of his first major speech was flawless; at times soaring and inspirational. Lacking was the substance so many are waiting for.

    Granted, such' [...]
    Posted: February 25, 2009, 11:06pm EST
    by Pamela Varkony
  • A New Reality Show

    Number of comments: 9
    Last week, I spent time in the vicinity of the "Foreclosure Capital of the Country" as President Obama referred to Ft. Myers, Florida. Some friends had just retired there and we joined them to celebrate. Instead of the few days of downtime I had planned, I [...]
    Posted: February 24, 2009, 12:26am EST
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Manescu Announces for District Judge

    Number of comments: 2
    Fighting freezing cold and wind gusts on Hamilton Street that almost knocked me over, was even more difficult after a week in sunny Florida. But I managed to make my way to the Allentown Brewworks for tonight's kick-off of Allentown Assistant Chief of Police Ron Manescu's [...]
    Posted: February 19, 2009, 10:43pm EST
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Headed south...

    Number of comments: 6
    Every once in a while you get lucky: It's my turn. I have a business opportunity in Florida. Okay, it's not as good as a real, sit-on-the-beach vacation, and even though I'll be working most of the time, at least I'll be warm.

    I promise [...]
    Posted: February 11, 2009, 12:03am EST
    by Pamela Varkony
  • The Free Market At Work

    Number of comments: 6
    The great thing about a free market economy is that even tough times present opportunities for those who are energetic and savvy enough to seize the moment by creating a new business.

    Just such a venture has sprung up on MacArthur Road. All I've been' [...]
    Posted: February 08, 2009, 11:38am EST
    by Pamela Varkony
  • A Word From Your Tax Collector

    Number of comments: 5
    Anyone with a television has heard the financial pundit's warnings; from Suzie Orman to Larry Kudlow, the word is...in this economic downturn, be sure to protect your credit rating. Banks and credit card companies are just looking for an excuse to raise your rate or call' [...]
    Posted: February 04, 2009, 9:00pm EST
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Too Much Stimulation...

    Number of comments: 7
    Everyone over the age of 40 probably has at least one moment they can point to where a decision they made changed their life, forever; putting them on a path from which there was no return. Those seminal moments are more clear when looked at in [...]
    Posted: February 02, 2009, 10:30pm EST
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Keeping Our Kids Safe

    Number of comments: 13
    Feelings of safety and security are hard to come by these days: The economy is teetering on the brink and crime is a concern almost no matter where you live.

    But those are adult concerns. Childhood is supposed to be free of such worries, and [...]
    Posted: January 29, 2009, 10:48pm EST
    by Pamela Varkony
  • Let's Get A Grip...

    Number of comments: 41
    I've spent the past three days in Washington DC. I expected the city to show some signs of the two million people who had been there just days before; perhaps some of the barricades would still be up or there might be trash flying around. To' [...]
    Posted: January 26, 2009, 10:35pm EST
    by Pamela Varkony

Blog Info:
Pamela Varkony's Perspectives

» http://perspectives.pamelavarkony.net/

Categories

BNN Traffic Index

Alexa: 2,977,542
-398,968

Compete: No data
0

Quantcast: No data
0

BNN Traffic Index: -398,968

BNN Influence Index

Rank

This week: Not ranked this week.

Last week: Not ranked last week.

12-week Average:

BNN Authority Index

Technorati: 0

Google: 0

BNN Authority Index: No data

Author(s)

Pamela Varkony

» Subscribe to the Pamela Varkony's Perspectives feed