Those red-light cameras in Waukegan and soon to be in Gurnee and other county locales may enlighten, so to speak, motorists if a central Florida study is any indication.
The town of Apopka, near Orlando, installed red-light cameras in July 2007 at two highly traveled intersections, according to the report The Hound saw. That first month recorded 289 infractions. In August 2007, there were 262 ticket issued.
Fast forward to January 2008 and the number of tickets dropped to 26. As of March, 21 tickets --- at two intersections --- were given out.
So much for a revenue maker. That is if those figures translate up North. Remember, most drivers in the South think they can compete on the NASCAR circuit. They respect that caution flag.
The Hound was off his feed on Sunday. It was the first Sunday in more than a month that HBO's "John Adams" wasn't on. Who knew one could be enthralled by our second president? Just think what HBO can do with Franklin Pierce!
Mr. Miller's history class certainly didn't spend much time on John Adams, but if the cast and program doesn't sweep the Emmys and Golden Globes next year in the miniseries category, there is no justice. If that doesn't happen, the Alien and Sedition Act should be reintroduced. Wait, isn't that what the Patriot Act is all about?
Whatever. While hoping there was more to the Adams legacy, The Hound stumbled upon The History Channel's latest offering, "Ax Men." This program has legs, unless the housing market really goes South. Much better than "Ice Road Truckers." At least it's filmed in Oregon and not Canada, where the loonie is doing much better than the greenback.
Perhaps there is a lesson in "John Adams". After all, John Adams begat John Quincy Adams. George H.W. Bush begat George W. Bush. Not all sons of presidents leave a legacy.
It's good to know that when we flatlanders cross the Cheddar Curtain starting next month on vacation that we do so in danger. That also includes all you folks who commute daily to work in the businesses that have been lured north of the border into Wisconsin.
That's because, according to a government study, Wisconsin leads the nation in drunk-driving rates. Let's see, there's 50 states and the Cheeseheads are No. 1 in something besides raising unhappy cows for cheese and walleye fishing.
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than a quarter --- that's 25 percent --- of Wisconsin adult drivers have driven a motor vehicle while under the influence. That is under the influence of alcohol, not Jane Austen.
Isn't this the same state whose lawmakers want to lower the drinking age back to 18? After this survey, that's really going to happen.
Oh, besides those in the Badger State leading the nation in driving a vehicle while drunk, the other top five included North Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota.
And where was Illinois? Same place, except when it comes to financing education: Somewhere in the middle.
The Hound believes the statute of limitations is past or these tales wouldn't be told. Like the Zion-Benton High students suspended for pulling a senior prank, The Hound took part in several.
Let's see, there was the firecracker incident the night of senior prom and the liberation of a piglet in the halls of a certain central Lake County high school. Boy, do little pigs have a lot of pig doo-doo in them.
The Hound isn't admitting anything, but there was that early ignition of a certain homecoming bonfire. "Long live cool", as a certain motorcyclist screamed wild to be wreckage, as a Molotov cocktail was flung on a pile of logs, old furniture and aging fence posts.
What those Zee-Bees did the other day seem tame in comparison to what The Hound undertook on several covert missions. Let's see, these guys spent a few bucks on banana outfits and a gorilla suit and got chased around the Zee-Bee campus. Hmm, hasn't poly sci teacher Bruce Hansen brought scarier people to the school?
Looks like these merry pranksters have been suspended for a few days.
Guess that will be on their permanent record. Guys, this will follow you the rest of your lives. And, they will still talk about you at the 10th class reunion in 2018.
Perhaps they were aping that favorite program of Gen Xers', "The Banana Splits". Then again, maybe not.
But, remember what The Boss, aka, Bruce Springsteen, said:
"We busted out of class, had to get away from those fools
"We learned more from a three-minute record than we ever learned in school."
Hey guys, no retreat, no surrender. Especially in this era of No Child Left Behind and six-figure teacher and adminstrators' salaries.
The Hound used to think the Illinois Legislature was moronic. Now in first place in that dubious contest are Florida lawmakers. Legislators in the Sunshine State have approved a measure outlawing replicas of bull testicles on private vehicles in Florida.
The Hound's Daytona Beach correspondent is just giddy over this waste of taxpayer-paid time and money down South, especially when Florida is right about where Illinois is when it comes to funding public education, infrastructure and a huge deficit.
But that's how lawmakers spend their time, whether in the Prairie State or the Sunshine State. The proposal would ban the display of "reproductive glands" on vehicles. Truckers and bikers could face fines of $60 if they keep these replicas on their vehicles.
Let's not get into a debate over why someone would want to put such things on the back end of their Tahoe hybrid, but apparently they do. The Hound has seen such things, mainly on tricked-out Harleys.
Opponents argue that approving the measure would lead to cracking down on bumper stickers and those mud flaps on some trucks which feature the silver outlines of nekkid women. Here's something else to consider: Don't Florida state troopers have more than enough to do besides writing tickets for a vehicle transporting a fake bull's package? They do in Illinois.
One last thought: Aren't bull testicles considered a culinary treat in some parts of this great land? Seems like there's other things to attack than fake glands on one's vehicle. But then again, it is Florida.
What to make of the Pennsylvannia Democratic primary, eh? Let's see, Hillary was the projected winner by CNN with less than double-digit numbers over our own Barack Obama. Does The Hound see a brokered convention in Denver come August?
You betchum, Red Ryder!
Which would be the best thing to happen to the body politic and the Democratic Party. Caucuses, committee meetings, floor fights over Michigan and Florida delegates. It might make for the most interesting Dem convention since Chicago in '68 --- sans the riots.
And, it would be great TV --- not that "American Idol", "Dancing with the Stars" and "Axmen" --- aren't worthy of watching. A Democratic convention fight might actually ignite the electorate to pay attention to the future of the republic.
So, for all you Democratic leaders sputtering about "End the drama, vote Obama" --- let the cards fall where they may. Onward to Indiana and North Carolina and, to paraphrase the cry at the Battle of Mobile: Damn the superdelegates, full speed ahead!
Are you looking for a way to do your part to protect the environment?
Learn more about Lake County Going Green by watching the "Going Green" video at http://www.co.lake.il.us/green/. The Web site highlights what the county is doing for the environment and gives pointers to families and kids on what they can do.
You can be a member of the Lake County Green Team. If you have a great story about how you are Going Green, send an email to communications@co.lake.il.us. Your story may be featured on LCTV.
One thing you can do right away to go green at home is to buy a rain barrel from the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission. A rain barrel connected to your downspout is a great way to cut down your water bill and do something for the environment, and because you are collecting water right off the roof, it has few contaminants and is perfect for watering the garden. Order forms are available at www.co.lake.il.us.
Forget the tax rebate from Uncle Sam. What are you going to do with the money-saving credit that will appear on your May gas bill?
Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas announced this week that the credit will be shown on customers' bills as something called a Volume Balancing Adjustment.
North Shore Gas serves 158,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in 54 communities in Northeastern Illinois. Peoples Gas serves 840,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers, mostly in the city of Chicago.
The total amount of the credit is $1 million. Divided by 998,000 customers, your credit will probably amount to a buck.
Spend it wisely.
Did you feel the earthquake? That's what everyone was asking Friday morning. Residents across the Midwest said they were awakened by a 5.2 magnitude earthquake that rattled skyscrapers in Chicago's Loop and homes in Cincinnati. Centered six miles from West Salem, Ill., the quake was felt as far away as Atlanta and Ontario.
The Hound's embarassed he slept right through it. Is this some kind of warning? Maybe it's time to get earthquake insurance, just to be on the safe side. Did you feel the earthquake?
On at least one issue, The Hound and the Libertarian Party are barking up the same tree. The Libertarians are hailing a new piece of legislation introduced by Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) that would protect the coterie of Internet "pajama journalists" known as "bloggers" from FEC restrictions. H.R. 5699, called the "Blogger Protection Act of 2008," would give bloggers permanent protection from FEC campaign laws when linking to campaign Web sites or editorializing about candidates.
"These guys really don't get the credit they deserve for all the work they've done to create accountability and transparency in American politics," says Andrew Davis, national media coordinator for the Libertarian Party. "Often, bloggers are the first to expose politicians for lying and corruption, and hold all politicians to a new level of accountability that would have been impossible only a few years ago. They fully deserve the same protection from government interference that is given to traditional media outlets."
Bloggers were granted protection two years ago from FEC regulations that would have potentially considered linking to a campaign Web site or editorializing about a candidate a contribution or expenditure when blogging. However, those protections were only regulatory, and could be changed without Congressional approval. H.R. 5699 seeks to make those protections a statute.
If wild cougars have taken up residence in the Chicago area, what's next? Could a black bear be our next visitor, scavanging for scraps in our garbage cans? How about a wolf? According to the Illinois Natural History Survey, there has been a steady influx of nine-banded armadillos in southern and western Illinois. We already know skunks are here to stay -- witness the investation of them in Gurnee. Perhaps we should put a bounty out for their pelts.
Once upon a time, a Democrat presidential candidate squared off against a military hero put up by the Republican Party. The Democrat was from Illinois. There was a war going on.
By the time of the November election, the Republican won --- against all odds. That was because Adlai Stevenson was dubbed an "egghead" --- the 1952 equivalent of being "elitist". Or at least that's what The Hound has been told.
Which is what Illinois Sen. Barack Obama is being labeled by both his Democratic rival, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, and Republican standard bearer, Arizona Sen. John McCain, a Navy pilot and Vietnam War POW.
What touched off this latest name calling, was Obama's pronouncement in San Francisco, of all places for a son of the Illinois prairie to fess up his liberal elitism, that small-town America was "bitter" because of the economy and what we can expect in 2009, once President Bush leaves office.
The freshman Illinois senator noted that because of what's happening with the economy --- is it really the economy, stupid? --- small-town Americans shrink back into an isolationist shell and rally around their religion, guns and xenophobia.
Talk like that won't get one re-elected to the Senate in some parts of Illinois, let alone the rest of the nation.
Which is what happened to Stevenson --- the man from Libertyville, as some dubbed him. Or at least that's what The Hound was told by somebody who knows a lot about stuff like this. The Stevenson mansion, which the County of Lake owns, is just south of Route 60 in Mettawa and Vernon Township --- not even Libertyville Township.
In the end, Stevenson was dubbed an egghead, because he complained his message couldn't get across to American voters. Political advertising in TV spots just didn't fit his message. He tried again four years later, with the same result.
The lesson here? Once an egghead, always an egghead.
Isn't it about time Waukegan 2nd Ward Ald. John Balen turn in his spurs and resign from the City Council? His latest antic about stopping people from discussing issues of the day at City Council sessions proves one thing: One doesn't get wiser with age.
At one time, The Hound has been told, Balen was a rebel rouser. Whether on the shop floor at the old U.S. Steel wire mill or the Lake County Board, of which he was a chairman, he was for freedom of speech. Matter of fact, Balen, a World War II veteran fought for freedom speech in this country.
In the past week, though, he decided that audience time at City Council sessions have become a "soapbox for activists." Seconding his motion to seek input from his constituents was another geezer alderman, Larry Ten Pas of the 6th Ward. Wonder what his one-time fellow union brothers and sisters (Ten Pas was a teacher, Waukeganites should remember) think about that.
The Hound hears Balen was, in fact, an activist when he was a member of the United Steelworkers of America, at one time one of the strongest labor organizations in this nation. Perhaps when one drives a Mercedes-Benz, which the last time The Hound checked, wasn't made by union workers in America, one forgets one's roots in the American labor movement.
The Hound began this with calling for Balen to move on to retirement. Perhaps Ten Pas should follow suit. Waukeganites should expect more from two aldermen who fought for the right to veer from the path of the maddening crowd.
Somewhere, Joe Hill is turning over in his grave --- once again.
There are a few people who think the Illinois Legislature has gone cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. They haven't met members of the Florida Legislature.
Lawmakers in the Sunshine State this week approved the taking of your guns to work, as long as they're kept in the trunk of your car. This applies to the 5,000 or so Floridians who have concealed carry permits.
Now what kind of law is that? Who says you need a law to transport your weapons in the trunk of your car, especially if you have an FOID card? The Hound knows a number of Floridians and they're pretty excited about getting to take their weapons to work. None of them work at the post office, by the way.
Apparently, the only complaints about the bill, expected to be signed into law by Gov. Charlie Christ, named prominently as a possible vice presidential candidate with John McCain, are coming from the business community who not only are afraid, but maintain they should be able to set rules banning guns from the work place in an attempt to protect employees or customers.
How unconstitutional is that? Even Gov. Christ notes, "The Second Amendment is very important. I understand there are competing interests...but people being protected is most important to me." Especially, if that protection is locked in the trunk of one's car. Unlock those trunks, Gov. Christ.
You think that defense of the Second Amendment is going to get you votes in Wyoming? Sen. McCain should dump this tanned boy from his short list.
The Hound has always believed that golf is, as Mark Twain described it, "A good walk spoiled." The Hound has more friends than Britney Spears has right about now who have been seduced by the game of golf and all the folderol that goes with it.
You know who you are. The ones who believe a new set of clubs, a new driver, a new ball, a new wardrobe, will improve your scores. They don't. Only one thing improves scores. Ask the pros. It's playing time. Hour after grueling hour.
But, about Master's time, The Hound's ears perk up. It 's not every sport that gives out a green sport coat for winning a tournament. Super Bowl rings can be a bit ostentatious, but a green jacket? Well, who can't use one of those every day?
So, with everybody all of a sudden concerned about going green, The Hound wondered how many Lake County courses are actually, well, green.
Not many, according to the eco-friendly golf course Web site www.golfandenvironment.org.
Of course, Florida would have the most einvironmentally green golf courses, according to the site, which is operated by the Audubon Society. Surprisingly, Orchard Hills Golf Course, operated by the Waukegan Park District, failed to make the cut.
Courses in the county which made the list --- actually, lesser tiers of the list --- are mainly operated by the Lake County Forest Preserve District. Wonder what that costs county taxpayers?
But here's our green golf courses, according to the Audubon Society:
ThunderHawk in Beach Park, considered by some to be the county's premiere public course; Biltmore Country Club in North Barrington (is that near Honey Lake?); Brae Loch Golf Course, owned by the county, in Grayslake; Countryside west of Mundelein, also owned by the county; and Ivanhoe Club, the gated golf community west of Mundelein whose members don't want to look at a Super Wal-Mart.
The Audubon Society failed to rank the courses according to fish fries. Fore!
The Hound was having his usual Leinie's Honey Weiss (with lemon) on draw at a local watering hole on Monday. Lost in the golden taste and admiring the deep-grained mahogany bar --- which certainly could tell a tale or twelve --- when a grizzled senior citizen said: "Seventy-five years ago you would be drinking your first legal beer in 13 years."
Excuse The Hound, but paying attention to 75-year anniversaries isn't yet on my MySpace account. But the senior was right.
On April 7, 1933, the taps were reopened after our great social experiment (or failure depending if you were a wet or a dry) and beer flowed for everyone when Prohibition ended. For some in Lake County, such as the good citizens of Zion, which went wet just a few years ago, there were some holdouts to returning to selling booze. Beer was legalized first; then distilled spirits and wine a year later.
It was a dismal period, if watching "The Untouchables" on "ME TV" is any indication.
"And," the senior noted, "you can thank a Democrat for that. Now buy me a beer."
So cougars are again running amok in Lake County. If so, in which community will the next sighting occur? The Hound is taking bets. Place your money down and take your chances.
The Hound knows something about tracking and has a nose, as it were, for news. He has an edge on law enforcement and Illinois Department of Natural Resources conservation police who have once again been looking for the elusive mountain lions.
Chased unceremoniously from North Chicago, The Hound hears of reports of a sighting in the Round Lake area. So where will the lone cougar --- or perhaps there are multiple cougars --- surface?
If you are familiar with the high country, as The Hound is, mountain lions prefer the taste of prong-horned antelope. There are no prong-horned antelope in Lake County, so the next best thing are deer. Where are the most deer? Wadsworth, of course.
The Hound suggests IDNR folks set up observation posts in the Wadsworth area. Many may scoff at cougar sightings, but they said the same thing about the elusive Florida panthers. Of course, the panthers have been found across the State of Florida since naturalists first were convinced they were extinct.
The Hound's second site would be Wildwood or perhaps Prairie Crossing. They're out there and as The Hound's trackers in Steamboat Springs, Colo., report: If you're out walking, make sure you are prepared for cougar attacks.
Nearly two years into Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran's tenure as sheriff, we learn some mopes have smuggled weapons into the courts complex in downtown Waukegan. Well, thanks for that telegram. Considering this month is the anniversary of the Pony Express, it took less time for a letter telling us that than what the sheriff fessed up last week.
The Hound has prowled the courthouse during this apparent lack of security effort on behalf of the rent-a-cops the county has employed. That means The Hound's life has been in danger, along with hundreds of county employees, County Board members, elected officials and judges, not to mention attorneys.
What an outrage! That outrage would be The Hound's life being in danger. Who cares about the rest? Especially the attorneys.
Um, who exactly was the one who decided to hire Andy Frain ushers to supervise the possibility of terrorists, domestic or foreign, from circumventing security at the Lake County Building? The Hound would like to hear some answers from the County Board chairwoman or at least the County Board administrator.
Those Andy Frains can't even control a rowdy crowd in the upper deck at Wrigley Field. Not that The Hound was one of those who were asked to leave on opening day.
Replacing the Frains with deputies means more money for the county. Has anyone, besides the sheriff's deputies, noticed the deputies haven't had a raise for a while? Looks like the sheriff is going to bat for his people.
The Hound took the young pups on a tour of Illinois institutions of higher learning. We all agreed it was a long way to look at cornfields.
The drive from Lake County to Urbana-Champaign, where the University of Illinois is located is one of the world's worst drives, bar none. Once south of Kankakee, we in the Land of Lincoln understand why Wisconsinites call us flatlanders. Is it flat, or what?
For miles one sees farm fields, and with in this economy that probably means corn for ethanol. The Hound has only seen one thing flatter than that drive down Interstate 57. That would be a pool table and at least there was some green on it. No wonder Jon Scheyer opted for Duke over the Illini.
After a look at the U of I campus, our next stop was Carbondale and Southern Illinois University. Do you know they have oil wells in southern Illinois? The Hound has learned that Illinois is the nation's sixth largest producer of oil. Let's drop some cricket pumps in Lake County and see what type of Texas tea we come up with.
From there the convoy headed to Western Illlinois University. Talk about your land that time forgot. McDonough County? Argyle Lake? Outside of pig farms, what exactly is western Illinois good for. It, too, is flat.
What did the pups learn from this sojourn to scope out their future universities? Either go out of state or head to Northern Illinois University. DeKalb certainly is a shorter distance to look at cornfields.
You probably missed a milestone on Thursday. That's because you were driving while talking on your cell phone or maybe texting a loved one. The Hound celebrated with throwing his old Motorola brick phone into the recycling bin. Yes, brave new world warriors, it was the 35th anniversary of the first cellular telephone call.
The use of our cell phones are so ubiquitous that who remembers when cell phones weren't around? The Hound 's boss does. It was 1973 in New York City and it was made from a two-pound brick phone. Ten years later "mobile phones" were selling for $3,500 which included an hour's worth of talk time. This according to U.S. Cellular.
Since then, 243 million Americans have gone wireless. Millions more across the globe. Who knew we had to be in constant contact with each other? Indeed, 12 percent of U.S. households have dropped landlines and use cellular phones as their main telephone. Not exactly a party line, eh?
And what can we determine from this telecommunications revolution? Well, there's more bumper stickers that say "Hang up and drive." The pay phone industry has gone belly up and the next complaints of carpal tunnel syndrome will come from text messengers using their BlackBerrys, which The Hound understands are outstanding information technology tools.
So let's take a moment to salute the wireless telecommunications industry and remember where it will be in the next five years. Everywhere.
The Hound has a couple nephews who will be graduating from Lake County high schools this spring.
One will graduate May 25 from Warren Township High School. Graduation will be held on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston
Another will graduate June 5 from Libertyville High School. Graduation will be held -- you guessed it -- on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston.
What's wrong with this picture? It's a civic shame that Lake County does not have a facility to house special events such as these. Between concerts, conventions and graduations, a 10,000-seat arena would be in constant use.
We should push hard and do whatever it takes to get an arena in Lake County. There's no excuse for a county of 725,000 people to be without one.
When it comes to dogs on the run in Waukegan, city police use deadly force. Rusty, an 8-month-old boxer-shepherd mix, was killed after being shot three times by a police officer. Police arrived on the scene after someone called about two "pit bulls" fighting. The owner claims Rusty and his brother, Oliver, were actually playing.
The officer said Rusty started to move toward him. Rusty was shot three times. If the officer had waited in his car for animal control to arrive, perhaps this bloody incident could have been avoided. At least, perhaps police should consider Tasering aggressive animals instead of shooting them dead, dead, dead.
What's in a name? For dogs, more traditional names like Spot are Buster are out. According to a study conducted by Veterinary Pet Insurance, the top names among male dogs are Max, Buddy and Rocky. For females, Bella, Molly and Lucy head the list.
You don't have to stray far from the pages of the News-Sun to find that dog names have gone wild. In fact, the April winner of the Tuesday Pets drawing is named Gannymede. Tuesday's Pet of the Week is named Eppe. If dogs are truly man's best friend, why do we give them such silly names? Poor pooches.
