June 2008 Archives

Kristin McQueary, a political columnist at one of our sister papers wrote a great column with accompanying video about Blagojevich the horse, who races at Balmoral Park.

Then, the more I got to know Blagojevich, the more I appreciated how aptly named he was -- this tall, dark and handsome creature born into a political family and groomed for great things but alas, disappointing to his keepers.

Now the local spin: A top official at a local community college once bet some money on this horse. It was the only bet this official had ever made on a horse. Needless to say, Blagojevich the horse didn't quite pay off.

Anybody else ever make a bet on Blago, either the horse or the guv, that they're still waiting to get paid on?

A 16-year-old Aurora teen caught Nick Swisher's wayward bat during Saturday's Cub/Sox game.

From the story:

Still, shortly after his good fortune, (the 16-year-old) was holding out hope for yet another memento.

The teen was wearing his baseball mitt in hopes of catching a foul ball.

At what age is it no longer appropriate for a young boy/man/teen to stop wearing his ball glove to the game?

I say once you graduate from the 8th grade, that ships sails on you.

It's taken me four days to admit it (take that stage 1: Denial) but, yes, the Sox did get swept this past weekend by the Cubs.

Even worse, the Magic 8 ball lied to me. As you'll remember, my favorite Web based clairvoyant predicted that the Sox will win more games than the Cubs. (Stage 2: Denial)

We now know that's a mathematical impossibility. Now, if the Sox could just win this weekend's series, all would be well. (Stage 3: Bargaining)

What am I thinking? We can barely sweep a barn floor with help from a stable mate. (Step 4: Depression)

Ah, whatever, at least we have 2005. (Stage 5: Acceptance)

Heard a report on WGN radio last week about year-round school. (Listen here. Read more here.)

Proponents of the year-round school (there are 73 in Illinois) say there's not as much content loss when students take frequent six-week breaks, as opposed to one long three month break.

For the sake of testing this argument, here's your education. Expect a test in late August/early September, when kids return to school:

This seemed to work for this blog:

Think of how stupid the average person is, and then realize half of 'em are stupider than that.

More on YouTube. (Language warning! It doesn't include all 7 words, but it comes close.)

If I were sentenced to live on a desert island for the rest of my life with only one food item to eat, I would definitely choose the hot dog.

Photo courtesy of Wimpy's, a hot dog place in Media, Penn., that describes its cheese dog as "Smothered in Whiz."

That fact is what made it so difficult to watch Grundy County's annual hot dog eating contest.

As a fat man who never shies away from an eating contest, I attended with Grundy County reporter Christina Chapman to size up the competition and determine whether to talk enough smack to get an invite for next year's contest.

As Christina explains in her blog, this was not a contest about eating hot dogs, per se, but rather about seeing how many hot dogs you can dip in water and slide down your throat.

In the world of hot dog lovers, that's akin to putting ketchup on the dog. I'll give Grundy a pass, though, since the event was for charity. For good causes, even I would put the tomato-y condiment on a Ball Park.

Now my questions for you, gentle readers:
*If you were stuck on a desert island, what would be your forever food of choice?
*What's your eating contest food of choice? I once placed second in a White Castle eating contest, so I would probably stick to that, since I've got some success.

From a press release published on our Web site:

Police will be out in force in Plainfield looking for people violating the village fireworks ordinance this holiday season, and those caught with fireworks can expect to get a citation for $250.

"The Plainfield Police Department takes fireworks enforcement very seriously," a release Monday said.

Riiiiight.

According to a recent poll, we're the most pessimistic we've ever been.

From an AP story:

The number of Americans who believe the country is moving in the wrong direction has risen sharply, to nearly eight in ten, amid soaring food and gas prices, falling home values and unending war. Just 17 percent say the country is going in the right direction, according to an AP-Ipsos poll.

The right-direction number is the lowest ever recorded by the survey, which began in 2003. When other surveys are taken into account, the general level of pessimism is the worst in almost 30 years.

And it's getting worse. The 17 percent positive reading was down from 24 percent just since April.

Question:
Why are we so pessimistic? What makes us unhappy concerning the direction of the country?

It's easy to say gas prices are high, home values are low, but I suspect there's some really great personal stories out there.

As I wrote about Sunday, a Joliet man is fighting to protect his daughter, who lives in Colorado, from her half-brother, a registered sex offender who was allowed to move back home with the family after serving his 6-year-prison sentence. (Full story here.)

In this case, the daughter was the boy's victim. It easy to see the father's pain, but there are some who also will understand the mother's love and that she doesn't want to turn her back on either child. And nothing in Colorado law allows the courts to control where this sex offender lives after he serves his sentence.

Even in our state -- where sex offender management laws are more strict -- all bets are off when the victim and offender are related. The over-arching ideal behind these laws is that keeping families together is important. (Victim's advocates recommend this only after treatment has taken place for all parties.)

What do you think? Is keeping a family together more important than protecting a victim from further harm? And, should this mother turn her back on her 19-year-old son in order to protect her 12-year-old daughter? Discuss.

Sonic -- the fast-food mecca, not the hedgehog -- is finally coming to Chicago. (Read our story here.)

This is huge news. There's even a Facebook group dedicated to "Bring Sonic to Chicago."

For years, us Chicagoans have been held hostage, having to watch hilarious commercials like the following on TV only to be teased by the fact that the closest Sonic is a two hour drive down I-57. (One and a half if you're really hungry.)

Now lets work on Waffle House.

This weekend and next, Chicago heads into the six-game Cubs vs. Sox Crosstown Classic.

Never before has the series meant so much, with each team leading their division and in serious contention for successful post-seasons. (The series is also tied up at 30-30 since interleague play started, so this year provides extra bragging rights.)

The assignment from my editors was simple: go out with a photographer and find six kids, take their pictures and ask them whether the Cubs or Sox will win.

I threw in the prediction of the Magic 8 ball for effect.

Sox fans rejoice. The Magic 8 ball is with us. (Q: Will the Sox win more games than the Cubs in the two upcoming weekend series? A: Definitely)

I should point out the Magic 8 ball hasn't steered me wrong before when it comes to clairvoyance in baseball.

From a story I wrote in September: When asked if the Cubs will make the playoffs, the Web-based clairvoyant responded, "Definitely." But, asked if the Cubs will win the World Series, warned, "Outlook not so good."

In case you forgot Cubs Nation, your team did make the playoffs but then promptly dropped three straight.

To prove my point, I just asked the Magic 8 ball: "Am I full of shi*?" (Only I used the T.) It's response: "My sources say no."

I rest my case.

From a co-worker:

Patrick if you believe 20 percent of what you say, you should be institutionalized.

Interesting e-mail from a reader:

Can some one tell the residence of Will County, why our elected officials are pushing so hard for this airport. Airlines are in a state of failure, cutting back on flights, raising prices, trying to find any way to cut costs, yet these elected officials want to spend state money, money that the state does not have. We need a third airport like another hole in our heads, and out in the middle of no where. How about we fill in part of Lake Michigan and re-open Meggs, kind of fill in Burnham Harbor and make that the third airport. Bet that doesn't fly.

A friend and sometimes contributor to this blog sent this, a quiz to determine whether you're more likely to support the Union or Confederacy in any upcoming Civil War reenactments.

It determines your score based on how you pronounce words like 'creek' or 'aunt' and whether or not you've ever heard of a drive-through liquor store.

My score: 44% (Yankee). Barely into the Yankee category. The Wife reports she's 48 percent Yankee and asks: Does that mean I am 52% Dixie?

What's your score?

Somebody local should create a north of 80/south of 80 quiz, with questions like
*Do you know what a township is? (Yes, south of 80; No, north of 80)
*Is your route to work mentioned on the traffic report for any station except JOL? (Yes, north; No, south)
*Have you ever attended a Civil War reenactment? (No, north; Yes, south)
*True or false: The Cubs/Cardinals rivalry is more important than that Cubs/Sox rivalry? (True, south; False, north.)

Any I'm missing?

The 'Jackson says Halvorson's airport bill has clear ties to Rezko, and Ozinga's camp is jumping all over it' story still is getting lots of talk in political blogs across the state today. (Read my entry from earlier in the week here. Two other interesting blogs here and here.)

A few updates:
*Jackson received $2,000 from Rezko in 2004. His response: "Our campaign divested itself of Rezko's contribution and gave the money to charity several months ago, as did many Illinois officials."
*Regarding Rezko, Halvorson said "I don't know Tony Rezko. I've never meet him. I've never been introduced to him, thank God." She also said her bill was about local control, not a pay-to-play scheme as Jackson's folks suggest.
*Sen. Christine Radogno, a Republican who also sponsored the bill, says virtually the same: "It contained elements that were supported by the people in the area that I represent." Asked whether it contained provisions for pay-to-play style politics, Radogno said, "Clearly, that was not my read on it."
*Rick Bryant, the Jackson staffer who first started the firestorm said it "was not our intent" to have Ozinga's camp latch onto the alleged Halvorson-Rezko angle. Asked whether he was surprised, Bryant responded, "No, not really."

Questions:
*Does Jackson's Rezko money mean anything?
*Do you think the bill was strictly about local control, as Halvorson and Radogno suggest?
*Was it kosher for Bryant to take a member of his own party to task for an issue that he's not surprised will impact her campaign?

Expect a comprehensive story on all these issues in tomorrow's paper.

6/12/2008 UPDATE: Read today's news story.

In the mail this weekend, I received a sales catalog from Phantom Fireworks. Not only am I the least likely person in the world to spend half a paycheck on things that sparkle, fizzle and pop into flames, but last I checked, I lived in Illinois, a state that for decades has banned fireworks.

Of course, that never stops throngs of Illinois residents from traveling across the stateline each year to purchase packages with names like "Thunder Fest Fountain," "Phantom Fiesta," "Golden Pyro Fusion," and "Painter Galaxy."

A week after the conviction of Democratic fundraiser, Antoin "Tony" Rezko, (more here) politicos on both sides of the aisle are trying to link their enemies to Rezko to his pay-to-play schemes.

Our 11th Congressional District is not alone.

I was only 10 minutes from completing the hours-long installation of our new attic exhaust fan when the weather sirens started blaring (remember when these guys used to be called air-raid sirens?). Unfortunately, this meant sitting in the 100-plus degree attic wasn't the most appropriate place. So, I reluctantly accepted The Wife's advice and descended from my perch in order to retreat to the cool basement.

It was a tense couple of hours, with The Wife, The Dogs and The Cats huddled under the stairs, our cell phones constantly checking the forecast; our TV (unfortunately not hooked up to cable) tuned in to channel 7, the only channel we could pick up on the old-school antenna; and my scanner tuned to the weather channel for the latest updates.

It first looked like we might be in danger, with tornadoes hitting in Monee and Richton Park, the towns immediately to our southwest and northwest. Mother Nature, however, had a different plan: the tornadoes moved a bit further north, and it never stopped being sunny outside our windows.

And now that it seems there were no deaths nor major injuries, it's time for a rant:

Sitting at the curb in front of a home on garbage day in Crete:

I could understand a homeowner, in a moment of blissful ignorance during the late 1980s (or was it as early as the '50s?), getting inspired to install one of these bad boys in their homes. But two of them? What's the explanation behind that?

Pity I didn't grab these guys. A co-worker tells me that retro toilets are actually becoming a bit more nowtro and may have actually been worth something.

And no, even though they were found in Crete, these were not out in front of Debbie Halvorson's house, for those who are wondering.

While being a politician is perhaps one of America's dirtiest jobs, you're not likely to see Mike Rowe don a suit and flag pin and start attempting to write laws. It just doesn't offer the particular type of slop that the Discovery Channel show is used to airing.

So, since Rowe's not likely to show up at the state house any time soon, someone should broadcast a local version of the show, only with the roles reversed. Put politicians and candidates in other jobs and see how they fare.

Marty Ozinga III, the Republican candidate for the 11th Congressional District, served as inspiration, when he showed up at a Mokena Gas City Wednesday and began pumping gas for customers while discussing his energy policy.

Here's some of the tasks I think our would-be politicians should try out:

Ed Christensen, a union representative who lives in Bridgeport, where the Chicago Democratic Machine was created and blue-blood still runs through people's veins, on congressional candidate Marty Ozinga III:

He won't do me any good. He's Republican.

Is there one stoplight on your way to work that you absolutely dread getting stopped by? If you do, does it ruin your day?

Mine is on Sauk Trail, right near Rich East High School. Disjointed intersection with two lights... very frustrating.

Candidates aside, there's some interesting (and somewhat funny) comments in the memo regarding 11th Congressional District poll numbers released by state Sen. Debbie Halvorson's campaign. (Read the memo here, and related post detailing the numbers here.)

According to the memo:

Bush has tarnished the Republican brand, ... and by wide margins voters trust Democrats more on the issues that matter most.

Democratic state Sen. Debbie Halvorson's campaign released its first round of poll numbers for the 11th Congressional District seat.

According to the memo released by Halvorson's campaign, she leads Republican challenger Marty Ozinga by 11 percentage points. (43 percent for Halvorson, 32 percent for Ozinga and 6 percent for Green Party candidate Jason Wallace.)

Did you wander your way here from our print edition and now find yourself looking for the tasty cupcake entry? Click here.

Back in eighth grade, I flipped off a bus load of peers as they rode by. I always thought the detention -- the only one I ever received -- was unwarranted because the kids flipped me off first. But, the bus driver only saw me do it, so I was the only one in trouble. My parents' response was something along the lines of: "You're an idiot. Serve your detention and don't flip off a bus."

That's just how things worked at that time. Nine times out of ten, parents sided with your teachers and administrators. And usually, the punishment dished out by parents paled in comparison to anything the principal could dish out.

Now comes word that 20 of 35 eighth graders at Fairmont Elementary School won't graduate because they haven't met the school's academic graduation standards. (Read the full story here.)

According to the story, parents called The Herald News to say their students are victims of poor teaching in math. They also say they weren't told their students were failing, despite receiving report card scores with Ds and Fs.

Something is wrong here. Of course, there's the fact that more than half of the class isn't passing. Many a teacher -- especially the best ones -- will tell you that if half the class is failing, it has something to do with how they're being taught. Great teachers take it personally when a majority of their students are failing.

But, great teachers will also tell you there's no substitute for good old fashioned parental involvement. And this doesn't mean the type of involvement where parents refuse to admit their child's faults at all expenses.

Do you think archaeologists like older women?