United States Becomes United Fruit

In the early 1900's, the United Fruit Company installed a president in Honduras, and the phrase Banana Republic came into fruition. We now have a president in the United States who is telling the Western Hemisphere what the new rules are.

Apparently, all natural resources are ours for the taking. Considering Trump thinks that climate change is a hoax, those indigenous people in the Amazon better move out of the way. The new White House ballroom wants a mahogany ceiling.

My pro Trump readers at Molovinsky On Allentown are in an uproar. They tell me that my sources are leftist propaganda, while they have a direct line to the truth. Their Trump is the best thing that has happened to America since baseball and hot dogs.

General Trump

From the photos released from the Situation Room at Mar-a- Lago, you would have thought that Trump was directing the invasion of Normandy in 1944. At any rate, he's quite taken with his new chops as Commander-In-Chief.

Less than a day later, he's talking that we need Greenland, and Cuba was told that they're next. He is braying about a Don-roe Doctrine. Here's a man who already had four star delusions of grandeur, being toasted by his appointed and anointed sycophants.

Although we will certainly profit from pilfering Venezuela's oil, his aggression will not play well on the world stage. Although we may have the most powerful military in the world, our long term economy is dependent on international stability. 

the SOON meme shown above was posted by the wife of Trump Homeland Security advisor Stephen Miller.

A Congressional Test

Trump just came off a big weekend with the Venezuela snatching of Maduro. MAGA and the Republican hierarchy are basking in a perceived accomplishment. While momentous for the American oil industry, time will weight the real results for everyone else, including the Venezuelans.

Meanwhile, last week Trump had vetoed a Colorado clean water bill for political reasons. Trump claimed people are leaving Colorado anyway, because one politician is bad and another is scum. Only in Trump's mind is that relevant to a veto. The bill had passed both houses of Congress unanimously.

When the Venezuelan chest beating subsides, and the slur against congressional leaks is considered along with the Colorado veto, we'll see what Congress is made of. If there was ever a veto which demanded an override, it is the Colorado Clean Water Act. With Republican incumbents facing the midterms, and the veto so egregious, I think that the Republicans will have to finally assert themselves.

Colorado National Monument Park

Trading Bananas For Oil

A century ago we managed Central and South America for bananas and rubber. Trump has now decided that he and the oil industry can have Venezuela. For months we heard pretenses about drugs, but at Saturday's press conference Trump wasn't hiding his cards, we're there for the oil.

When Trump and Hegseth bragged on about the military operation, you might have thought that they had extracted Putin from the Kremlin. Caracas isn't Moscow or Peking, but China has invested in Venezuelan oil production, over a $billion. While Hegseth and Rubio fell over each other praising their boss, they would be better serving their country gauging world reaction, which doesn't share their pride.

We also heard that Congress couldn't be trusted to be in the loop, they leak too much. If congress has been passive about Trump's unilateral decisions, now is the time to speak out. Perhaps Fetterman is correct wearing sweatshirts, at least you can't call him an empty suit.

In 1912 we were satisfied with bananas

An Identity Crisis In 2026

Yesterday, I claimed that I was going to become more fashionable, but little did I know that I was only a few hours away from an identity crisis. 

Long time readers of this blog have been recently accusing me of TDS. Seems like my questioning of Trump, and especially his cabinet picks, didn't resonate well with them. I always labeled myself as an independent, so this new criticism of me was almost complimentary. In addition to the blog, I'm also an administrator of a Facebook group. A member there accused me of pushing my rightwing politics when I posted a link to the Amanda Seyfried post. He said my explanation that she was an Allentonian was a BS excuse, and he left the group. So by noon, I was a liberal here, and a Trumper there...But, it got more confusing. I commented on a national site, and a reader stated that I was a Democratic Socialist, using a fake Russian sounding name for emphasis. Who am I?

Meanwhile, back here in the blogosphere, I was again changing the name of my other blog back to its original title. I'm always annoyed by the verification process all the offices use now. I get an email that I have a message from LVHN. I go to their site, and I have to get another email with a verification number to read the message. The message is wishing me a calm year...We'll see.

A Progressive Fashion

New York new Mayor Mamdani is taking the oath of office in an abandoned Manhattan subway station. New Lehigh County Executive Josh Siegel is taking his at a public housing development. 

My New Year's resolution is to be more fashionable. For progressives like Mamdani and Siegel, there's always a new cause. This year it is affordable housing. I remember before I first started blogging, some Allentown non-profit did a building on 10th Street. Until they were done, it cost about $500k a unit, and that was thirty years ago! I was thinking at the time that for the same cost, they could have bought all those people a condo in a resort. Reilly's new affordable apartments construction at the old Morning Call site is framed out of wood, why not use cardboard?

Anywho, I will be more fashionable for 2026. New clothing and a new hair style is on the way. If you see an old man who looks like me, he just got my old clothing.

An Allentown Star's Controversy

There is probably nobody reading this who knows less about Amanda Seyfried and Charlie Kirk than me. I never saw a Amanda Seyfried movie, and I never heard a Charlie Kirk podcast. I actually never even heard of Kirk prior to his murder. 

I did however know that Seyfried grew up in Allentown, and attended William Allen High School. Although she has made it clear that she abhors anybody being the victim of violence, she has pushed back for not apologizing about saying that Kirk made hateful statements.

Kirk has been lionized by both Trump and Vance. Jimmie Kimmel was suspended from his show for not showing due reverence to the shooting. Likewise, Trump has been criticized for his reaction to the Reiner deaths. This post isn't to keep score regarding sensitivity, or lack thereof. Suffice to say that it is something which is hard to have too much of.

Amanda Seyfried at Allentown Farmers Market

Democratic Dustup In Allentown

There is a commotion in the Allentown Democratic Party over the  candidate for the special election to replace resigning Josh Siegel. Siegel is moving on to be Lehigh County Executive, having handily defeated Roger MacLean.

The above referenced commotion is that the selection process being utilized supposedly favors Julian Guridy. For the next regular election of District 22, Guridy will face Ce-Ce Gerlach in the primary.

While several other candidates, activist Lewis Shupe among them, wished to be considered for the special election appointment, there is an  irony not being discussed elsewhere. This old blogger remembers why the 22nd District was created in the first place...it was to represent the growing Hispanic Community. The first victor was the very un-Histpanic Pete Schweyer. After another redistricting, very un-Hispanic Josh Siegel won the spot.

It is assumed that the Republicans will be a no show for the special election (and the regular to follow), and that the appointee will have a heads up for the next regular primary in May.

shown above is Ce-Ce Gerlach welcoming a Buffalo Soldier Motorcycle Club member to a street fair she organized in 2013.

Warning of a "Bad President" Dominating Washington

Earlier this year when it became apparent that Trump's amateur cabinet was becoming detrimental to the nation's welfare, this blog began speaking out. As the damage added up, I felt compelled to call out our silent, local Washington representatives, first as compliant, then complicit with veering away from our nation's moral compass.

My conservative readership, Republican first and foremost, started accusing me of TDS, which is a poor excuse for deteriorating leadership. Partisans slowed down commenting in protest. When Mackenzie signed the Democratic petition, explanations mentioned that we're in a purple area.

We're in more than a purple area, we're in a condition red. I had posted that unless Mackenzie stood up, he wouldn't be re-elected. It is now becoming apparent that unless the Republicans forcibly act out, Trump  will be using our military on personal whims. Whether they can restrain him, remains to be seen.

Bill O'Reilly Drinks Trump Potion

As a blogger, I'm constantly accused of watching and listening to the wrong fake news, depending upon the persuasion of the reader I'm offending at the time.  I never reveal which news sources I read/watch, and never presume that any of those sources knows the whole story.

I hadn't heard of Bill O'Reilly in a long time. I always found his demeanor annoying. Recently, I heard him on a news type show, and it was alarming. Trump had given Bill a tour of the White House, and the old pontificator was very impressed. He raved about Trump's decorations, and said that it would give Trump an advantage with any visiting world leader.

Trump showed him his new presidential gallery, where he has replaced history with his uninformed opinions about previous presidents. O'Reilly should be restricted to hosting bingo parties in senior living faculties.

Molovinsky Christmas Tour

Recently I posted about Bill White's recommended Christmas Light tours.  I hope that caravans of  new SUV's are taking White's tours, because he publishes his recommendations every year.  Bill, after all these years,  has his job down almost on autopilot;  Christmas light tours,  Eating his way through Musikfest,  Cake contest at fair, Grammar columns,  Hall of Shame, Worst sentence writer. etc., etc.

Anyway, I recommend that nobody take my light tour,  it's in the hood in center city Allentown. Actually, the block shown has had its share of crime in recent years. The alley is narrow,  so there is no passing another car.  The double parkers get very annoyed if you beep your horn.  Best to stick with White's tours out in suburbia, with the inflated decorations that are flaccid during the day.  Personally,  I prefer the center city house decorations.  There is something so much more inspiring about decorating a low income house, many of which are rentals.  It makes me feel better and more hopeful about downtown.

reprinted from December of 2017

This blog has been published every weekday, including holidays, since 2007.

The American Dictatorship

With 60 Minutes killing its exposé on Venezuelans in the El Salvador prison, we have effectively entered an era of censorship. Between Trump privately filing lawsuits, and government approval needed for mergers, the price of speaking up is currently very expensive for corporate America.

A small time pizza blogger like myself can still speak the truth, but for how long? We have turned the Navy into pirates, and are going to build new Trump Class battleships. Trump campaigned against forever wars, but now we throw threats around the Western Hemisphere.

I do sense an awaking. I believe that the incumbent Republicans facing midterms are beginning to appreciate how out of control Trump has become. MAGA itself is starting to splinter on several issues. Between his ego and truth bending, each speech strains his credibility more and more.

Another Shift For Jared Isaacman

Isaacman's second appointment to lead NASA took, unlike the first. He obviously has whatever administrative skills are necessary to run an organization, having started and turned Shift4 payroll into a national success.

Jared, in conjunction with Elon Musk's SpaceX, was the first civilian to do a spacewalk. Isaacman is a local, living in Northampton County.

Although I'm pleased with Isaacman's appointment, and it is the only Trump appointment I can say that about, I have issues with the space industry at Cape Canaveral. As previously reported on this blog, the industry is the growth engine for Brevard County Florida, and questions about environmental pollution there are heresy.

However, there is an old snowbird blogger in a small office inland from Canaveral, concerned with both the frequency of the launches, which are about every ten minutes, and the environmental consequences.

A Question In Allentown

When Matt Tuerk talks about making Allentown bike friendly, he wasn't thinking about large group of teenage riders, often starting in the wards (1st and 6th). Matt was envisioning the middle class, west end spandex types seen in Trexler Park. In Matt's vision, they stay in those stenciled lanes, and use bike racks when stopping at Starbucks.

I've seen the real-life hordes in Allentown. They're often going the wrong way, and ignoring traffic lights and stop signs. I've seen them doing wheelies in the middle of Tilghman Street.

But the reason for this post isn't the hordes, but reaction to them. Local photographer Devin Ford posted a batch of photos on a recent ride, and they were shared on social media. He wrote...The point of these group rides is to create an outlet for inner-city kids as opposed to getting involved with guns, drugs, etc. Very fun to get out there. Good energy & a great cause. Commenters were describing these group rides as kids being kids in 2025. They were saying give them room, and allow them to stay together, even by ignoring the traffic lights. 

It appears that there has to be discretion about different groups of riders at different times. It appears in the photo above that Matt is exercising that judgement.

photocredit:Devin Ford

Playing With Trains In Lehigh Valley

When I read about the new train to NYC feasibility study, I looked like I needed that drug for drug induced involuntary motions. My head was shaking back and forth and I was snickering. This is at least the second time such a study is being conducted, at another $1/2mil dollars. 

The article mentions and credits Phillip Armstrong and Becky Bradley.. Armstrong, counting the days off for Christmas, only has 34 minutes left as County Executive. Becky's last brainchild was planting flowers along Rt. 22, so that rush hour traffic would have something pretty to look at while they're struck for an hour every day.

Last time they concluded that bus service was more cost effective, considering the remaining rails are heavily used by freight, and new rails would be cost prohibitive for the demand. Considering that the population hasn't grown significantly, and less demand for on site employees in NYC, I would bet the conclusion will be the same. But when I bet it's my money, Armstrong and Bradley bet with our taxes.

Trump's Speech, Vanity Squared

I believe that Trump's address to the nation was conceived by Susan Wiles, to show that she is still in the co-pilot seat, despite her confessions to Vanity Fair Magazine. It was probably also intended as damage control in regard to Trump's crude remarks concerning the Reiner tragedy. It was very ill timed, considering that Trump had nothing substantial to say, and that he will have to repeat himself soon enough, for the State of the Union speech.

While none of his sycophants clued Trump in about why he was giving a speech, the media will inform him, again, soon enough. His speech was a ramble of factual errors and promises. Nothing you can put under the tree next week.

Wiles generally made the best of a hard case, an impulsive ego-maniac, her replacement won't fare as well. She had Trump's confidence, while her replacement will have Trump's doubt. I could care less about Trump, I do care about the country. If there was ever a president who needed a good manager, it is him. Let's hope that he picks this next apprentice well.

Ryan Mackenzie Stands Up

Ryan Mackenzie has stood up and signed on to a petition intended to extend the ACA subsidies. Although the petition was sponsored by Democrats, he joined several Republicans who joined the effort...The petition now has enough signatures to force a vote on the measure.

In the recent past, Trump and Company has referred to those who cross party lines as traitors, and has threatened to primary them. On that score, I can see no primary challenge coming Mackenzie's way.

I do believe, however, that his willingness to put his constituents ahead of a party agenda will help him in November. He has pretty much assured the vote of this old blogger.

Vance On The Midterm Caravan

It's no  surprise that Trump and Company is campaigning for the midterms with the polls predicting a blue tidal wave. As I peck away on this typewriter, Vance came today to give the valley another dose of the affordability tonic. Of course that would mean more if he handed out coupons at the supermarket. At the Uline warehouse, he fluently blamed any current problems on Biden, and future successes on Trump. After the speech, he and  freshman congressman Mackenzie served gruel at the Rescue Mission. I doubt that those homeless guys buy many groceries or vote, but it's a good photo op.

I know a little about affordability at the supermarket. My family ran a meat market between the tracks and the river. Nobody lived around that industrial area, but you drove there if you wanted three pounds of hamburger or sausage for a buck, and people did.

While little markets are pretty much a thing of the past, people still drive a distance to save a dollar. Food is competitive, with markups in the 5% or less range. Throw in the fact that the commodity is perishable, and there are no vocations from the grind. Maybe that's why I publish this blog (Molovinsky On Allentown) every weekday, including holidays.

photocredit:Monica Cabrera/TheMorningCall

KTA Is Worse Than TDS

Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social: “A very sad thing happened last night in Hollywood. Rob Reiner, a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star, has passed away, together with his wife, Michele, reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, sometimes referred to as TDS.”

It's hard to know where to begin analyzing that statement, I suspect psychology students will be studying it for years to come. To a layman, it shows a complete lack of empathy, and being totally self-absorbed with himself. While I'm not surprised by his callousness, I'm interested to see the reaction of his supporters. Trump went on to say...

“He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump, with his obvious paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump Administration surpassed all goals and expectations of greatness,”

As my disillusionment with Trump began appearing on my blogs, my partisan Republican readers have been using the TDS slur against me. I'm sorry to tell them that their blind support of Trump may well be the real pathology...KTA, Kissing Trump's A--

Hispanics Speak Out In Miami

Post graduates students of this blog know that in addition to my Allentown base, I rent a small, low rent office inland from Cape Canaveral. While my desk shakes when the Brightline Death Train roars by, I can see the endless rockets take off from the Cape.

For Florida news, I have secured the services of a retiree on the west coast, and a college student in Miami. The Miami intern reports about the message sent Trump and the Republicans with the recent mayoral election there.

A Democrat won for the first time in thirty years, and with a large majority. While the Hispanic community is mostly Republican, and advocates for legal immigration, it is alarmed by the gestapo actions of ICE. The other issue propelling the Democrat's win was affordability. Trump can tell those geniuses with the red hats at his rallies that affordability is a Democratic myth, but that won't help any Republican get re-elected. Keep in mind that Miami was Trump country, where he plans on building his presidential library.

Blogger near Cape Canaveral