As reported in today's paper, a neighbor dispute over barking dogs in Mokena has the village reviewing its barking dog ordinance, which prohibits animals from "disturb(ing) the peace by loud noises at any time of the day or night.".
And that has Tony Dina, the owner of a downtown barber shop and the recipient of a barking dog ticket, asking, probably a bit facetiously: "Does that mean if your dog goes 'arf' or 'arf, arf' or 'arf, arf, arf' that that's disturbing the peace?"
The Wife and I can't seem to escape barking dogs. In Chicago, it was the Rottweilers with their deep barks and ground-thumping charging to the fence when somebody walked by. In Crete, it's the subdued yet constant din of the yapping dogs down the street confined to a small ex-pen, their owner probably too lazy or old to give them real exercise.
Does anybody know a mechanic that can install a spotlight on the back of my car?
When the idiot behind me has his brights on, I'll turn the spotlight on and blind the you know what outta him. See if he likes it when the tables are turned.
And why the heck is everybody driving around with their brights on anyway these days?
Bill Gates is not going to send you $250 for each person you forward an e-mail to. No leprechaun will ever come out of your hard drive and wee on your computer. And your love life has nothing to do with how many people you forward boring e-mail to.
Now, tell all your friends about this blog. Trust me. I saw it on CNN. This is not a hoax. Send it on and something good will happen to you tonight. This is not a joke. Someone will either call you or talk to you online and say that they love you. Do not break this chain. Send this to 13 people in the next 15 minutes. Go.
And be sure to send this back to me, otherwise I'll know you won't care.
I know it's true because I have a friend who is a cop. He checked it out.
If you don't forward this, a very bad thing will happen to a puppy and possibly a kitten.
Remember you must pass this page on to at least 5 people.
0-4 People: We know you have no friends, don't look for anything good in your life
5-10: Your life will take a sudden turn for good in the next 2 weeks
11-20: Your love life will get better in the next year.
20 or more: Your life is guaranteed to get much better in the next week or less!
Lawyers for George Ryan are pulling the ultimate four-year-old who wants an ice cream cone: If dad says no, go ask mom.
The U.S. Supreme Court today rejected an appeal by the former Illinois Governor for a new trial on the racketeering and fraud charges he was found guilty of last year. (Read more here.)
You'll remember Ryan's trial was a circus, with the judge dismissing two jurors mid-deliberation after finding out the jurors lied about their arrest records. But, appeals courts and the Illinois Supreme Court have consistently said Ryan's trial was fair.
Now, Ryan's high-profile legal team, which includes former Gov. Jim Thompson, will ask President George Bush for a clemency and waive the rest of his 6 1/2 year sentence.
Do I think Ryan got a fair trial? No. (I've always seemed to like the guy, for some reason. The Wife says he's "grandfatherly." Maybe that's it.) But, I also firmly believe in the justice system.
What Ryan and his lawyers are trying to do now simply gives people more reason to hate politicians.
I say this to Old George: Serve your prison sentence like a man, not like a cry baby spoiled rotten brat. It's the grandfatherly thing to do, and people might like you more because of it.
A car dealer in Missouri believes has found the solution to a "gasoline and crime problem in America."
Max Motors, a new and used car dealership located outside of Kansas City, is offering customers who purchase a car before the end of the month the option of a gun or a $250 gas card. In addition to offering "the best damn deals," his Web site proclaims, "Buy a Car, Get a Gun or Gas! Your Choice America!"
This is no joke, people. This guy is serious. Read the BBC's account here.
Why would somebody purchase a car in order to get a gun? Perhaps as a deterrent to those who will undoubtedly begin siphoning gas from their neighbors as the stuff gets even more expensive?
The good news is the owner says everybody who purchases a gun must undergo a background check.
His Web site also claims nationwide delivery, so you too can get in on the action. Any takers?
Kids birthday parties at schools in Plainfield might not look the same next school year.
The district is in the midst of finalizing a policy that appears to to outlaw food items brought in celebration of birthdays. Additionally, food items for other celebrations such as holiday parties must meet certain nutritional guidelines, according to the policy.
In the coming weeks, the rules might be tightened even more and could disallow students from selling candy bars or other non-healthy snacks as fundraisers during school time.
The fact is children are larger than ever before, and their activity levels are as low as ever, minus the slight activity that the Wii gives them.
From a story I penned last year:
Between 1980 and 2000 the rate of overweight children has tripled, said Dr. Douglas Bierma, the chair of pediatrics at Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet. Additionally, he said, an overweight 13-year-old has a 50 percent greater probability of being an obese adult.
Do you agree that schools should be supporting carrots instead of cupcakes, or grapes instead of brownies?
In discussing the policy, a district nurse last month basically paraphrased that kids will eat whatever you put in front of them, so they won't mind the change to healthier snacks.
No matter which side of the aisle you're on, or if you're on the left, no matter which presidential candidate you support, some pretty interesting numbers came out following Tuesday's primary: According to CNN:
Nearly half of Democratic voters in Kentucky polled Tuesday said they would either vote for Republican Sen. John McCain or not vote at all in November if Obama is the Democratic nominee. Among 1,278 people polled, 33 percent said they would pick McCain over Obama, and 16 percent said they would not vote at all.
By comparison, 76 percent said they would choose Clinton over McCain, with only 17 percent supporting the Republican and 6 percent not voting.
It's the second time in as many weeks that the Illinois senator has seen such troubling numbers. In last week's West Virginia primary, exit polls showed 27 percent of voters saying they'd choose McCain over Obama and 17 percent saying they wouldn't vote.
If you're a Democrat, either candidate is exciting yet flawed. Hillary would represent the first female candidate but comes from a family entrenched in politics. Obama would be the first black candidate and is convincing record numbers of previously disenfranchised voters to enter the process. But, he's a relative newbie to the national political scene and his "Change" slogan seems great in theory, but somewhat lacking in specifics or action.
There are many who hate Hillary and anything Clinton with a passion. But, there are many who are scared of Obama, or more naive yet, wouldn't vote for the man because of the color of his skin.
Consider this, a Daily Show video where one West Virginia voter says of Obama, "He is of another race, and I guess I am a little scared of his race, because we have so much conflict with 'em." Another voter naively points out Obama's middle name and exclaims: "I've had enough of Hussein."
If Obama is chosen as the Democratic candidate, can he reach this naive audience before November? Or would the Democrats be sending themselves on a suicide mission?
There's one on top of our vending machine here at work. There's probably one on somebody's desk at your work. I bet the secretary at your child's school has a collection bucket as well.
Somebody you know collects pop tabs, the small pieces of metal that allow you to open pop and beer cans. They're always collected for charity where, as the story goes, they help children suffering from cancer or kidney disease or some other horrible ailment.
The Ronald McDonald House is probably the largest charity that collects these tabs. While the tabs do raise some money for good causes, unlike some claims to the contrary, the pop tabs are not a magical cure-all. In fact, each is worth only a very small fraction of a cent.
And it's a pretty ineffective fundraiser as well. Considering that thousands of cans are tossed out after their tabs are ripped off instead of being recycled, people who think they're doing good are literally tossing out thousands of dollars that could otherwise be used for their charity. As one online Web site says about this pop tab myth, accumulating nothing but pull tabs is like eschewing quarters in order to collect pennies.
Three weird news stories I thought y'all would be interested in:
According to the AP, a Tennessee couple was charged with domestic assault after hitting each other with a frying pan.
I say: I know plenty of people who have committed domestic assault with a frying pan, but never actually hit anybody. (No worries, The Wife. It's not a smack against you.)
According to Reuters, a Japanese company has created "a solar-powered bra that can generate enough electric energy to charge a mobile phone or an iPod."
I say: (Nothing. My thoughts on this one will stay in my head.)
According to the LA Times, members of a Russian doomsday cult calls it quit, in their quest to await the end of the world.
You expect the car next to you to follow the same traffic laws that you do. Same probably goes for the truck a few cars back, right?
Now what about the Lance Armstrong-wanna be ferociously peddling about 100 yards in front of you?
Bikers want us to share the road. I'm on board with that; they have as much right to the public street as we do. But (now bikers, pay attention), I have as much right to insist that bikers follow the same traffic laws that I must.
An Aurora man this week set the Guinness World Record for “spinning.” (Spinning used to be something pre-schoolers did on a toy called a Sit-N-Spin Now it’s something that yuppies and soccer moms and guys who want to break records do in a health club.)
George Hood rode for nine days. ‘Holy cannoli!,’ you’re thinking. Only it’s not THAT impressive. At least, it’s not a record I’m impressed with. In my mind, records should go to people who ride until they fall asleep and their foot slips off the pedal, running their shin against metal, bloodying it, or until they crap themselves in their seat and, facing sheer embarrassment, give up.
A Michigan doctor has received a tax bill for 51 cents. It cost the city of Brighton, Mich., $5.21 to send him a certified letter indicating that his taxes were due.
so i just moved and int he move i lost pretty much all of my clothes. i have all my socks and boxers and pants. just no shirts or shorts or anything else. anything you have wuold be great.
A New York man is suing Jet Blue, saying the pilot made him sit on a toilet seat during part of a flight between California and New York.
Something's not adding up here: Why would a pilot violate federal law and allow a passenger to sit in the bathroom unbelted, but refuse to violate company policy by saying that since the man is not an employee, he can't sit in the jump seat.
As reported in a Monday story, a handful of crybaby smokers and their puffing lawyer wants a Will County judge to rule the state's smoking ban as unconstitutional.
Are you kidding me? A number of states have passed similar legislation, and none seems to have been knocked down. And earlier this month, a pipe smoking club and its attorney members were unsuccessful in getting a temporary reprieve from the state's smoking ban for their annual convention.
What makes a few smokers and their attorney think they can convince a Will County judge to overturn the law?
Smokers will argue about the government slowly eroding their rights. While that's a concern, that's not what's happening here.
Democratic party darling Barack Obama announced this week he's visiting Michigan and Florida, two states whose Democratic primaries didn't count because the states held their contests earlier than Democrats would have liked.
Is this evidence that Obama is moving onto the general election, or a tacit acknowledgment that the Democrats will probably seat the two states' delegates after all?
Your turn: Is print really dying? Should newspapers do anything to stop the trend of declining paper readership? Do I start looking for a new career now, or is there some type of future for us?
Remember when TV worked so easily and simply? Shows ended and began conveniently on either the top or the bottom of the hour.
The only complicating factor was the occasional sports game that ran a little longer, perhaps cutting into the 10 o'clock news or reruns of The Simpsons.
Now, it's a regular occurrence. Networks seem more and more to be ending shows at 8:31 or 9:02, or some other stupidly annoying similar time.
How am I supposed to watch the first two minutes of Law and Order SVU (perhaps the most crucial), while finding out who got booted from Dancing with the Stars (It's a sexy show, so shudd up) all while ensuring that the DVR properly catches Deadliest Catch (Why is each show more addicting than the last, even though they admittedly show the same thing)?
As has already been largely reported Debbie Halvorson was taken off as chairman of the state senate's rules committee.
The Crete Democrat, who is the state senate majority leader, is running against Martin Ozinga III for the 11th Congressional District seat. Obviosly, Ozinga's campaign is making lemonade with the news, arguing that for years Halvorson has followed the lead of Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Senate President Emil Jones. This removal is evidence that those relationships are hurting the campaign, according to Ozinga's folks.
Joliet fire department divers founds a car at the bottom of the river. Read the story here.
More importantly is what was inside the trunk: "a two-liter bottle of Squirt, a bottle of motor oil and a stack of white cardboard with a picture of a shish-kabob, which police officer Michelle Martorelli identified as a cookbook."
Assuming the Squirt was unopened, would you drink it? With enough smack-talking, I would try a sip of the tasty lymon beverage.
5/13/08 Update: Michael Schmidt, one of our photographers at the paper, took this excellent shot of the inside of the car.
According to Mike, the smell was horrible. But, I would still probably sip the Squirt... for a fee.
A former colleague and dear friend once joked that I was a “twenty-something stuck in the body of a 63-year-old man.” My friend even once got me a birthday card, showing a stodgy old man with an inscription along the lines of: another year closer to shaking your fist and yelling ‘Hey you damn kids, get off my lawn!’
That’s pretty much what this blog is about and why it’s named the way it is.
People who design bank drive-throughs are a far smarter lot than those who design the fast food counterparts. It's gotta be true, based on the following:
Twice today I found myself at a drive through waiting for food (I like to think it's because it was raining and I didn't want to get wet, but let's face it -- I was just lazy.) That's where I realized the designers of the buildings are morons.
Ever notice those cute little awnings that fast food restaurants have over their drive-up windows? Ever notice they stick out just enough to be immediately above your driver's side window?
Patrick Ferrell, is a staff reporter for The Herald News in Joliet. and the Sun Times News Group. Patrick covers education and politics. When he’s not ranting about something, Patrick can usually be found watching a race or careening down a ski slope. He resides in Will County with his wife, Laura, and the couple’s Portuguese water dog, Oscar, and bloodhound named Duke.
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About this Archive
This page is a archive of recent entries written by Patrick Ferrell in May 2008.
Patrick Ferrell, is a staff reporter for The Herald News in Joliet. and the Sun Times News Group. Patrick covers education and politics. When he’s not ranting about something, Patrick can usually be found watching a race or careening down a ski slope. He resides in Will County with his wife, Laura, and the couple’s Portuguese water dog, Oscar, and bloodhound named Duke.
