Drive-Bys

When Chicago's Hull House announced that it was closing, there was a great hue and cry about it being such an icon and providing vital human services.  But, as Dennis Byrne says,

Wait, let me start again. No one more deserves sympathy in these troubled times than the clients these charities serve — the starving, sick, homeless, addicted, despairing and destitute.

I rephrased that because I'm not so sure that the various charities, nonprofits and tax-exempt organizations should escape scrutiny for how well or poorly they do their jobs. The popular assumption is that they are the epitome of goodness and kindness, so just lay off with the scrutiny stuff.

I disagree. They spend our money, whether our contributions (in cash and in kind) or our taxes. They have an obligation, to their clients and us, to operate effectively and efficiently, and not in the shadows created by cloaked financial reporting and apathetic or overly trusting boards of directors, all while blessing themselves with munificent salaries and benefits.

As one who sits on the Board of a 501(c)(3) organization, I completely agree with him.  Go read the whole thing, then be asking questions before you donate your time, goods or money to any philanthropic organization.  Even mine.
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Jimbo of the farookin' great hair and rockin' guitar gets the willies from crocs and gators.  I get the willies at just the description alone of Krokodil:

It is a drug for the poor, and its effects are horrific. It was given its reptilian name because its poisonous ingredients quickly turn the skin scaly. Worse follows. Oleg and Sasha have not been using for long, but Oleg has rotting sores on the back of his neck.

"If you miss the vein, that's an abscess straight away," says Sasha. Essentially, they are injecting poison directly into their flesh. One of their friends, in a neighbouring apartment block, is further down the line.

"She won't go to hospital, she just keeps injecting. Her flesh is falling off and she can hardly move anymore," says Sasha. Photographs of late-stage krokodil addicts are disturbing in the extreme. Flesh goes grey and peels away to leave bones exposed. People literally rot to death.

If that doesn't make your skin crawl, nothing will.
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While I'm on the subject of things that'll give me nightmares for days, there's this news:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Jewish Health in Colorado both have issued a warning about nasal washes after two people have died from using tap water to do their sinus rinse.

Health experts say it’s safe to use nasal washes. It’s not about the rinse, it’s about the water. They warn that a mixture from a faucet could be fatal.

And just what kind of fatal?

Fornof says not to use tap water. It’s because of a brain-eating amoeba called Naegleria fowleri. It’s common in warm rivers and lakes, but if it travels up the nose to the brain it’s usually deadly

.Ooooo! Squicky, squicky, squicky!
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Not only does Siri have problems with thick Scottish accents, apparently she also struggles with Engrish:



And Siri is not the only iPhone app with language issues:

An autocorrected text message, accidentally sent to the wrong number, was the catalyst to a lockdown Wednesday at West Hall middle and high schools.

Just before noon, law enforcement and school officials issued the lockdown after a West Hall community member reported a threatening text message.

The text, saying "gunman be at west hall today," was received and reported to police around 11:30 a.m. But after police tracked the number, they learned the autocorrect feature on the new cellphone changed "gunna" to "gunman."

Yeesh!
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Quote of the Day:

There was no damage to the building, the spokeswoman added.

Thank goodness for small blessings, eh?
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According to Glenn Reynolds, today is "Blogger Appreciation Day."  To all my blogging pals out there, I do appreciate you.  I really do!

Saturday Ramblings

Now I've heard everything:

Winner's attorneys argued that punishment was too harsh, according to court papers.

Winner's attorneys also asked that his emotional problems and difficult childhood, including physical and psychological abuse at his father's hands, be taken into consideration, court papers show.

And what exactly is he guilty of?

An Illinois man was sentenced Friday by a federal judge in Rhode Island to more than three years in prison for shipping unwanted penis enlargers to diabetes patients as part of a larger fraud scheme that prosecutors say bilked $2.2 million from Medicare over four years.

He's a real winner all right.
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Looking for another place to get designer-looking prescription specs at a fantastic price?  Try Warby Parker. Not only will you be getting a great value, you'll be doing a good deed, as well.

(I like the look of these, and at only $95 for frames and lenses, I just might have to get them!)
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6 tips for avoiding speeding tickets -- besides not speeding in the first place, that is.
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An unexpected consequence of the current economy?  The ruin of the current generation.
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Giggle of the Day:

Drive-Bys

Why, ultimately, will Occupy Chicago not work?

“Are you here to occupy?” asks Tyler, 20, a young man from Tennessee with whimsical facial tattoos. I tell him no, I’m the media, and ask why he is here, standing in the rain.

“First of all, we’re changing things,” he says. “The people in this bank right here have to listen to the drums every day and have to see us every day, and sooner or later they’ll get real tired of it. We’re going to be here until something happens. Sooner or later, everybody’s going to get sick of it.”

No doubt, though when it comes to real change, I put my chips on “later.” I can’t see the economic order crumbling because those in power get tired of the drumming. Those who have in our society do not generally give up what they have unless forced, and when they do give, it’s symbolic — the bags of cash being handed out by the Federal Reserve at its lobby money museum are shredded, of course, and thus worthless. There is no free money.

Ah, yes! The bank will cease to do business, pack up its marbles and go home because the powers-that-be are sick of the drumming!

Then again, maybe this explains all behind that kind of magical thinking:



And then there's the brilliance of Occupy DC:

You could say they haven't harmed anyone here downtown, except that they have. In McPherson Square, where some two or three dozen of them have been camping out for the last week, they have already ruined a few newly sodded sections of the park.

The re-sodding of the park was completed this year as part of a $419,000 stimulus project to refurbish the square. The park, which is across from the Examiner Building in downtown D.C., was shut down for months during the project.

You could say they're stimulating the economy, because now taxpayers will have to cough up a few thousand more to fix the damage.

Wonderful strategy, eh?

Krauthammer sums it up beautifully:

To the villainy-of-the-rich theme emanating from Washington, a child is born: Occupy Wall Street. Starbucks-sipping, Levi's-clad, iPhone-clutching protesters denounce corporate America even as they weep for Steve Jobs, corporate titan, billionaire eight times over.

These indignant indolents saddled with their $50,000 student loans and English degrees have decided that their lack of gainful employment is rooted in the malice of the millionaires on whose homes they are now marching — to the applause of Democrats suffering acute tea party envy and now salivating at the energy these big-government anarchists will presumably give their cause.

Except that the real tea party actually had a program — less government, less regulation, less taxation, less debt. What's the Occupy Wall Street program? Eat the rich.

And then what? Haven't gotten that far.

Too right.
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But maybe I was wrong about that free money thing after all:

Like many homeowners these days, Victor and Yvonne Delia stood to lose a lot — about $90,000 — when they sold their townhouse near Midway Airport five months ago.

Instead, the two retired Chicago police officers managed to walk away with a 23 percent profit — thanks to property taxes collected from 61,145 of their fellow Southwest Side homeowners.

Ah! That's the Illinois way. And there's more:

Scanlan — a neighbor of Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan, who helped enact the home-equity law — used the program to more than double his investment on the West Lawn bungalow at 6430 S. Keeler that he bought for $105,000 on Dec. 20, 2003.

He enrolled in the program and was given a guaranteed value of $263,000, according to an Aug. 31, 2005, appraisal.

He sold the home for $182,000 on Sept. 8, 2010, then got $81,000 more from the association on Sept. 20, 2010 — for a total of $263,000.

Scanlan moved to a two-story home in Burbank that he bought for $200,000.

And this:

The Suarezes bought their ranch house at 6221 S. Karlov in West Lawn for $135,000 on Sept. 22, 1998, enrolled in the program and were given a guaranteed value of $248,000, according to a March 2, 2005, appraisal.

They sold the house for $164,000 on April 8, 2011, then got $84,000 more from the association on April 20, 2011 — for a total of $248,000.

The Suarezes now live in a bilevel home they bought for $332,500 in the Garfield Ridge neighborhood.

The magic money machine strikes again. That is what you pay taxes for, isn't it?
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Here's an article on how to fix some of the privacy issues with the new Facebook features. (If I hadn't just friended someone who I haven't seen or heard from in a very long time, I'd have deleted my page with this last round of changes. And I may do it yet. Ugh.)
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This could almost turn me into a Katy Perry fan:


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Drive-Bys

Sez Who?

"There Is Nobody In This Country Who Got Rich On His Own"

Right. I wish Darling Daddy was still alive to hear that one. As it is, I imagine his urn is spinning like a top...
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Liar, liar, pants on fire:

Commissioners Joan Patricia Murphy and Deborah Sims said Wednesday they never had any intention of abiding by a budget deal that called on most of the 23,000 county employees to take five floating furlough days and abide by five government shutdown days without pay this year.

Their fellow Democratic Commissioners William Beavers and Earlean Collins also have said in recent days that they’re not taking the time off without pay, calling the furlough and shutdown days illegal pay cuts....

The commissioners referred to the Illinois Constitution, which doesn’t allow for an increase or decrease in pay during the term of an elected leader serving in local government. That doesn’t prevent commissioners, who earn $85,000 annually, from voluntarily electing to give up some of their pay. [emphasis mine]

Pay attention, people. You elected these lying sacks of excrement. You can vote them out as well.
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Simon Cowell is an idiot for swapping out Cheryl Cole, a staple of the UK version who mentored several winners of that show and who was quite charming on the first episode of the US version of The X Factor, for Nicole Scherzinger, who didn't bring nearly enough experience and backbone to the table.

He must not have any faith that those of us on this side of the pond can actually comprehend the King's English. Or have any taste whatsoever. Thanks a lot, Simon.

Drive-Bys

Giggle of the Day:

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Funniest newspaper "Corrections and Clarifications" ever:

In a Page 2 column on Wednesday, John Kass incorrectly asserted that by raising the federal debt ceiling by $2.4 trillion, President Barack Obama had grabbed "reality by the hair" and kicked it repeatedly "in the behind." But Thursday's stock-market plunge of more than 500 points proves that reality remains immune to the president's charms. The Tribune regrets the error.

Gotta love John Kass!
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I'm stunned:

Durbin said “Democrats have to be prepared to talk about entitlement reform and Republicans have to be prepared to talk about revenue if we’re both serious about meaningful deficit reduction. It’s tough politically on both sides. I mean, it’s as volatile as can be.”

Yeah. I actually agree with Dick Durbin, who is making sense for once.
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Seems Obama will never run out of groups or people or events to blame for the lousy state of the economy. Here's the latest:

"We've weathered the Arab Springs effect on oil and gas prices. The Japanese earthquake and tsunami's effect on supply chains. The extraordinary economic uncertainty in Europe and recently markets around the globe have taken a bumpy ride," Obama said this morning.

That's four finger-points in two sentences. (He did, however, leave out Bush, Republicans and the Tea Party... for once.)

Is anyone else ready for a little of Harry Truman's "The buck stops here!" mentality from the Oval Office for a change?
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And while we're at blame casting, "At Google, don't blame the technology when something goes wrong, blame the person behind the technology."

I hope they're right, though. The Princess Mom sure would have been a prime candidate for a robot car:


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Rules of the Road:

Do you live and drive in an urban area with lots of bicycle traffic? Then you should try this in order to prevent "dooring" accidents:

When you get out of your car on the driver’s side, open the door with your right hand. This will force you to twist your body and look back, allowing you to see if any cyclists or walkers are coming by.

Easy peasey lemon squeezy.
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After hearing about that awful story out of Australia where the young woman was collared with what was alleged to be a bomb this week, it brought back memories of a similar device that actually did what it was alleged it would do:

Suddenly, the device started to emit an accelerating beeping noise. Wells fidgeted. It looked like he was trying to scoot backward, to somehow escape the bomb strapped to his neck. Beep… Beep… Beep. Boom! The device detonated, blasting him violently onto his back and ripping a 5-inch gash in his chest. The pizza deliveryman took a few last gasps and died on the pavement. It was 3:18 pm. The bomb squad arrived three minutes later.

I'm so glad that Miss Pulver survived to tell her tale. And I hope they catch the sicko who dreamed that little stunt up. Let's hope karma catches up with the SOB.
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As my old pal Jihad Gene used to say, "It's Friday! Let's Dance!"


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Drive-Bys

All of a sudden Illinois Dems are acting like Republicans -- and they're leaving my head spinning. Behold:

Mayor Rahm Emanuel is proposing another round of ethics legislation — this time to try to “reign in the influence” of City Hall lobbyists and lift the veil on their influence-peddling activities.

During his first few hours in office, Emanuel signed a series of executive orders that, among other things, aimed to slam shut the “revolving door” that has allowed city employees and mayoral appointees to lobby City Hall. They are now banned from doing so for at least two years after leaving their jobs.

Emanuel also swore off campaign contributions from city lobbyists and insulated city employees from pressure they had felt to give gifts or make political contributions to the mayor, department heads or city supervisors.

More recently, the mayor also posted an unprecedented amount of information about city lobbyists on the internet.Now, he is prepared to go further. At Wednesday’s City Council meeting, the mayor will introduce an ordinance limiting — to $50 per gift and $100 per calendar year — the value of gifts lobbyists can give to city employees.

And good ol' Governor Giveaway is finally reining it in, too:

Gov. Pat Quinn said Tuesday he was prepared to go to court against the unions to defend his decision to cancel pay raises for nearly 30,000 state workers and he repeatedly blamed lawmakers for leaving him no choice by not setting aside the money.

“It’s very clear that the money wasn’t available for the raises and therefore there’s really nothing I could do to clear it up,” Quinn said after a Chicago press conference where he touted a $10 million program to give teens and young people internships and jobs in state parks, park districts and nature centers.

Quinn made the surprise announcement Friday that workers wouldn’t be getting the 2 percent increase they were expecting that day. The state’s largest employee union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said it had no idea Quinn was considering such action.

The raises will save the state about $75 million as it copes with a budget crisis.

And finally Governor Giveaway shocked me with this stunner:

The names of licensed gun owners in Illinois will remain private under a measure Gov. Pat Quinn signed into law today.

The governor approved legislation to prevent Illinois State Police from releasing the names of those who hold or have applied for a Firearm Owner’s Identification card.

Apparently they're listening to the tax paying public here in Illinois. Who knew?
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Quote of the Day #1:

"President Sparklefarts is seriously deranged." -- Second City Cop

(Yes, it made me giggle, although the subject matter did not.)
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Is buying organic produce really better? Apparently that's a yes and a no. Go here to check out which fruits and veggies contain higher levels of pesticides and which ones don't.
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Is it rude to text in at the movies, during a live concert or during a live theater performance?

Those little LED screens can break the spell in a darkened theater, and it doesn't matter that you're not making a sound. "Anything intrusive is a noise, and the light is intrusive," said Charles Coleman, who is the programmer at Facets Multimedia. "Using a phone in a darkened... theater is like lighting a road flare."

In a word -- YES. Turn 'em off, folks.
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Smoke belching from Asia's rapidly growing economies is largely responsible for a halt in global warming in the decade after 1998 because of sulphur's cooling effect, even though greenhouse gas emissions soared, a U.S. study said on Monday.

So we really don't have to go green? All we have to do is encourage Asia to pollute more and that'll stop global warming? Or we could simply burn more coal here in order to save the planet?

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahaha!!!
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Has anyone else out there gotten a bazillion emails of posts to Google+ from friends who are beta testing the site?

Jeepers Creepers! It's like having Facebook invade your email. Ugh.

If anyone knows how to opt out of receiving every brilliant thought that crosses someone's mind out of my gmail, please, please, please let me know.

(No. I will not be signing up for this one.)
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Quote of the Day #2:

"I'm really not a 'What Would Jesus Do?' kind of guy. I'm more of a 'Why Would Jesus Do That?' kind of person." -- My Baby Bro, 7/4/11

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Holy crap. I almost forgot that ADWD lands six days from now... or so they promise. Seems I'm not the only skeptic.

(Fingers crossed.)

Drive-Bys

What's the sweetest item not on the menu at Sweets & Savories?

A peek-a-boo playing Mr. Monkey Toes, of course! (Our brunch there was fantastic, by the way -- great food, lovely ambiance, very good value.)

Mr. Monkey Toes and Mommy play with Ziggy the skunk and Dot the ladybug. Yes, I've started him out early on theatre, and he loved every second of it. Chicago Children's Theatre is terrific fun for kids of all ages.
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Why don't I try online dating?

Within minutes of filling out my profile, e-mails with comments such as "Hey cutie!" or "What-up?" flooded my inbox. One man even said "Send me some body pics babe! Wanna see if you're hot from the waist down too!"

As Hairboy would say, "Yeef!"

You'd think these does and don'ts would go without saying...

Don't have screen names like "Mommywarnedyou" or "HotstuffMike." "Write a profile name that will make someone smile, not that will scare someone off," says Gandhi.

Don't take pictures of yourself with no shirt on in your bedroom. Shirtless photos are already sketchy, but if you want to show off your physique, be doing something, like swimming or fishing or rock climbing. You sitting in your desk chair with no shirt on just brings out all sorts of bad images that you don't want anyone to have in a first impression.

Don't use acronyms in your profile description that might offend, such as WTF or BS.

Do use spell-check when writing your profile. "You are wooing someone with your words so the first impression matters," says Gandhi. "And use punctuation. In this cyber-world, people think they can type the way they would text, and that can come off as lazy."

Don't reach out to people half your age. I got asked out by an 87-year-old man. I'm not against older men — but I will not be dating someone who could be my great-grandfather.

Don't "wink" at people. This is quite possibly more annoying than a million "pokes" on Facebook. If you like someone, send them a note.

Do write them an e-mail. "Take the time to write a good e-mail based on something the target has written," says Gandhi. "It doesn't have to be long — just enough to make them smile. And use the subject line in your e-mail to stand out. Ninety-five percent of people will say 'Hi'. Say something that responds to a comment in their profile. It shows you've actually read what they put out there rather than just looked at the pictures."

Don't be sarcastic. When I was struggling to write my profile, I decided to ask my 5-year-old son to describe me. I thought it was hilarious. But Gandhi warned, "Sarcasm doesn't translate in writing as well. They need to get to know you first, and that may be off-putting."

Unfortunately some men really do need to be whapped upside the head with the stupid stick. (For what it's worth, there are a lot of ridiculously dense women who should learn a lesson or two as well.)

Life as a satisfied singleton life suits me better every day.
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WTF? of the Day:

A new Harvard University study finds that July 4th parades energize only Republicans, turn kids into Republicans, and help to boost the GOP turnout of adults on Election Day.

I don't know what they're smoking in that ivy-covered corner of Cambridge, but it's apparently got some very strange side effects.
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Roughly 530 colleges across the country will soon have to submit special reports to Uncle Sam, explaining why their tuition and student fees have recently surged.

All I have to say is WHAT TOOK SO LONG???
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Obama really should be taking tips from Chicago's new mayor:

Eager to avoid job cuts but more determined to solve a budget crisis, Mayor Rahm Emanuel posed a painful choice for organized labor: face 625 layoffs or sign off on $20 million in work-rule changes by midnight Thursday.

Emanuel said he has identified the 625 employees “as a precautionary measure,” but he refused to identify them, nor would he reveal what city services might be reduced, eliminated or privatized.

The mayor stressed that he does not want to pull the trigger on the layoffs. He insisted that job cuts will not be necessary if organized labor will “be my partner” on $20 million in work rule changes outlined for labor leaders this week that, Emanuel claimed, are already in place in union shops in the private sector.

But the new mayor said he is prepared to balance the city budget, without furlough days that have undermined employee morale and with or without union help.

He's doing a great job of keeping his promises so far.
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Ear Worm of the Day:



I've never been a fan of Rod Stewart... but... I've gotta admit I love the way he does the old standards!

Drive-Bys

Finally the folks down in Springfield have finally used their noggins:

The vast majority of the 440,000 senior citizens who registered to receive free transit rides over the last three years will lose the privilege on Sept. 1, officials said Wednesday.

That's when current senior free-rides permits on the CTA, Metra and Pace will be deactivated.

As a result, the revenue from fareboxes is expected to increase by a total of $30 million annually at the three transit agencies, officials estimated.

Only about 25,000 seniors enrolled in the current free-rides program are expected to still qualify for free transportation on mass transit when the changes implementing a financial means test take effect, according to the Regional Transportation Authority, which administers the program.

There's no reason that people who can afford to pay shouldn't pull their own weight, especially in these economic times.
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Bistro 110 is closing in August? I'll have to get up there before then! They've always had fantastic food.
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Require homeless shelter residents to pay for their night's stay? Before you blow your stack, consider this:

The policy has had some unexpected advantages.

Residents say the shelter is much calmer and cleaner since the fees started and paying guests seem more serious about getting their lives in order. There are fewer fights and emergency calls.

"Beforehand, it was like a madhouse," said Ronald Wells, who has been living at missions for a year. "People really weren't interested in doing anything for themselves."

Edward Bravo, who became homeless after being evicted from his apartment, said paying his way makes him feel better about himself. "When everything was free, it was okay," he said. "Now I feel inside of me, it's helped me."

Maybe it's not such a bad idea after all.
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Quick Stops

Father Mike is being a douche bag and a passive-aggressive hypocrite:

"...Pfleger insisted that the only way he will leave St. Sabina is if he is thrown out or if he believes God wants him to go."

Man up, Father Mike, and quit trying to gain martyrdom by forcing Cardinal George to fire your flaky butt because you can't even zip your lip when you're on suspension for not being able to keep your big yap shut.

If you don't want to follow the doctrines of the Church you serve (and apparently you don't), just be honest and quit already.
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Well this is just scary:

At least four mail carriers have been robbed in Chatham and Englewood in the last month alone, two of them at gunpoint. Another was robbed at gunpoint in Englewood in February.

This follows a series of less violent thefts from mail carriers on the West and Northwest Sides last year.

Nobody can say whether the targeting of mailmen is just another sign of desperate measures in a bad economy or part of some criminal strategy, but it’s prompting the union that represents mailmen to appeal to the public for help in watching their backs.

The public may have a bigger stake in this than just receiving its mail on time. In at least two of the recent incidents, the robbers specifically targeted the carriers for their “arrow keys”—the master keys that not only give a mailman access to a bank of mailboxes or a collection box but also in some cases to the locked front doors of apartment buildings.

One arrow key could allow a criminal to get inside the front door of most apartment buildings in a given zip code — and inside all its mailboxes. But it’s the possibility of someone wanting inside a building for more sinister purposes than rifling through the mail that could be a real cause for concern.

Yikes.
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Those who do not learn from the past are apparently doomed to repeat it. Just what we need -- more credit to people who can't afford it.
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Knock, Knock...

... is this thing on?

Yes, I've been a bad blogger. But I've also been a busy girl. I'll try harder, m'kay?
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For a dear friend, Moonbeam McQueen's post here should speak straight to your heart. 2011 will be a good year for you, too.
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Photography and friendship -- no wonder I loved this story!

During his trip, Bieber took his own pictures. He took a few final shots with Roche and one of her brothers, and then they put the film canister outside the Café des Deux Moulins in Montmartre, the restaurant where Amelie works in the movie.

In the canister, they left a note that read, "It happened once, it can happen again. If you find me, I can buy you coffee and we'll become friends. It's the beginning of an adventure."

I love DSL, but you'll never find that creating this kind of story... unless the whole camera is lost and then found.

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Got an idea for a gadget, but no money to manufacture? Try this Quirky idea.
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Given that parts and cars out of Japan are going to be scarce for a good long time, it seems pretty stupid to have the tax paying public fund discounts for GM cars once again. Ford has managed to not only survive, but to thrive on its own. It's time for GM to do the same.
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Given that I found my own St. Paddy's Day hat, filled with Popeye's chicken nuggets, in the refrigerator it makes absolute sense to me to look for the remote in the freezer. (And, no -- don't ask.)
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Yes, I'm loving food trucks here in Chicago, but I find the idea of A Game of Thrones food truck more than a bit odd, even if Tom Colicchio is behind the menu.

The Buzz: Game of Thrones King's Landing Menu

More info on the food truck here and here. HBO really has gone nuts on promoting this series, as evidenced by the themed store it's opened in Manhattan.

Fantasy fiction lovers are the new cool. Who knew?

(A tip of the cap to Ray at Finish the Book, George.)
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Speaking of AGOT, 1600 pages into the next manuscript and it's still not done and turned in??? George'll never make the July deadline... but I've been saying that all along.
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DWTS -- I'm pretty sure the DJ is outta here tonight. Who do you think will be voted off?

Drive-Bys

Giggle of the Day:

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24 hours of Mexican food in Chicago? Sounds fabulous!
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Boozer and his former wife, Cindy, say the Osorios promised 1,000 percent returns from projects that benefitted disaster-stricken areas.

When you truly believe you're going to get returns like that, you might want to remember Bernie Madoff and how well promises like that worked out for his clients.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
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Quote of the Day:

You don't wait to find clarity a few days after you begin a war. You'd better have complete clarity before you ever give the order to fire in the first place.

Too right.
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They spent their whole lives together and their love was plain for all to see.

What a lovely love story! (And the photos are gorgeous.)

Drive-Bys

Giggle of the Day:

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Quote of the Day:

By way of summary, President Obama has developed a doctrinal approach to international affairs that differs not only from that of his immediate predecessor, but from any doctrine ever embraced by any major power. He eschews the notion of national interest, pays undue deference to international actors who may or may not mean us well, and deploys American troops without clear objectives or lines of command.

In short, he has delivered precisely the foreign policy that he promised to deliver. [Emphasis mine]

Go read the whole fascinating piece here.
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We're funding the Beeb?

Apparently so:Not only will your tax dollars fund NPR, now they’ll fund the BBC.

That's just... swell.
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30 things we need and 30 things we don't. Beautiful!
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While not much news from the Middle East is amusing these days, I am finding humor in the fact that no one seems to agree on the correct spelling of a certain Libyan leader's first or last name in English. I'd turn it into a drinking game -- you drink every time you spot a different spelling -- but I'd be passed out on the floor before I could get through the evening news or the headlines on the Drudge Report.
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Les Moonves is a douchebag.
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Here's another quote that I just loved:

These kids are bypassing all the tricky stuff. It's like teaching a young man to hunt by having him hold an arrow and then throwing the deer at his hand.

Too funny!
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Here's my early prediction for DWTS -- Kirstie Alley, Ralph Macchio and Chelsea Kane will be the final three.
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Ear Worm of the Day:



This was my nephew's favorite song as a little boy. It's been stuck in my head for two days now.

Drive-Bys

I admit it -- I have a girl-crush:

"We have to make county government more efficient. We have to figure out how to provide good service to people with fewer resources," Preckwinkle said. "We're clearly going to have to consolidate services. We're going to have to do more shared purchases and be more intelligent about our purchasing."

Of the 37 initiatives Preckwinkle outlined after being sworn into office, 11 already have been completed, including the final rollback of predecessor Todd Stroger's unpopular sales tax increase, her office said. The county sales tax will drop by a quarter-cent in January 2012 and go down by another quarter-cent in January 2013.

Preckwinkle also has suspended all nonessential construction projects and purchasing, consolidated offices, and reduced payroll.

I heart her.
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The city of Chicago has finally allowed food trucks to do more than deliver more than pizza, coffee and danish pastries. Today I tried the empanadas from 5411 and they really rocked.

Next on the list? Meatyballs, Mac & Cheese, Tamales and Naan-wiches. Yum!
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Drive-Bys

Giggle of the Day:

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Aaarrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Of course I find this and this when I can't have any bacon, dammit!
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Lest you think that I think that all Democrats are profligate wasters... I luuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrvvvve me some Toni Preckwinkle:

"[I]f we don’t impose some discipline on the county now it just gets harder and harder going forward. We need to make our plans and figure out how we’re going to provide services in an environment in which resources are less. That’s just how it is."

Let her run for President and she'll have my vote. That woman's got balls of titanium and she ain't afraid to whip 'em out!
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Quote of the Day:

“Older people are not just wrinkly adults. They have totally different needs.”

Ain't that the truth?
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In honor of St. Paddy's Day, here's a little Irish earworm for you:

Late Night Ramblings

Where've I been? Busy, my friends -- very busy.

First of all, Seanachai Theatre Company's new show, "That Was Then," by Gerard Stembridge, opens this Saturday, but has preview performances available for $10/ticket this Thursday and Friday Nights.

It's a black comedy, and the early buzz is fantastic. Follow us on Twitter to get updates on meet-the-cast and dinner theatre availability. Join us at the IAHC, won't you?

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Yes, I'm now tweeting -- for Seanachai. Another "never" crossed off my list. (Tweeting, not Seanachai, that is!)

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Brian Jacques may be gone, but the world he created in Redwall lives on. My favorite characters were frequently to be found among the dibbuns. What's a dibbun? Behold:

Badger babies! How utterly adorable at this age!
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I just found this cool site where a page a day is posted from Jim Henson's "Red Book," and sometimes a good deal of historical information comes with it.

If you're a Muppets, Fraggle Rock, Dark Crystal fan like me, you'll love this!

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Via Pat Hickey, why I luuuuuuuuuuurve me some Col. Allen West:

“Over this past week I have watched and listened to members of the House of Representatives from across the aisle.

“I am appalled at their ignorance, belligerence, and dishonest rhetoric filled with empty emotional platitudes. Have they no shame in realizing that their inept, incompetent failures are the reason why we are debating this continuing resolution. They failed to pass a budget during the 111th Congress.

“Have they no honor in realizing that their fiscal irresponsibility over the past four years has resulted in our standing on the precipice of a fiscal canyon from which we may not recover.

“Also troubling are the events in the state of Wisconsin which mirror those that happened in Greece several months ago. We are witnessing the abject hostility of a unionized entitlement class that is being lauded by the liberal left, seemingly to include our President.

“It is such a critical time for our Republic, yet there seems no visionary leadership — it is as if America stopped producing adults. I have never seen a greater assembly of petulance and sophomoric behavior as what I have witnessed this week on the floor of the House of Representatives.

“To those across the aisle, please explain to the American people how your economic policies have created a better environment for long-term sustainable growth.

“This debate is about jobs and the economy.

“It begins with remedying the spending problem on Capitol Hill. It includes tackling the burdensome taxation and regulation policies strangling our country. It is the understanding that Keynesian tax and spend policies did not grow America’s economy, but the indomitable, entrepreneurial spirit of the American people.

“Government sets the conditions for job and economic growth, it does not create jobs."

I love a guy who'll call a spade a spade. Well done, sir.

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What else was I busy with? Well, I spent a good deal of the weekend up to my eyebrows in bridal photography websites.

Don't faint! It's not for me.

I now have not one, but two weddings to attend in September -- one in Houston and one in Las Vegas, and both of which make me very happy. I can't wait!

Saturday Ramblings

I'm now curious what the cost/benefit ratio turns out to be from this ad campaign:

I can't help but think this will be one of the few places that Christie actually wastes money, instead of saving it.

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You Are 30% Boyish and 70% Girlish

Even if you're not a girl, you're very feminine. You're in touch with your feelings, and your heart rules you. A bit of a emotional roller coaster, one moment you're up and the next you're down. But no matter what, you try to be as cute and perky as possible.

How Boyish or Girlish Are You?

Blogthings: If Quizzes Are Outlawed, Only Outlaws Will Take Quizzes

Yep -- perky. That's me alright. (*snort*)

Actually, this is more like it:

You Are Lucy

You are smart as a whip... maybe a little too smart for your own good! Other people tend to annoy you. You tell it like it is, and you're not about to spare anyone's feelings. You're very blunt. You are assertive to the point of being aggressive. You know what you want, and you're going to make sure you get it. Deep down, you're trying to be helpful. You give good advice, even if people don't want to hear it. You always shoot from the hip.

What Peanuts Character Are You?

Blogthings: Free Quizzes for Everyone

And I played that role in scenes from You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown when I was in High School, too!

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Found in my Blogger stats:

Moldova

11

I've never heard of it, but apparently I've had 11 visitors from there in one day!

Very, very cool!

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Giggle of the Day:

Drive-Bys

My Magic Cheezburger and I have awesome predictive powers when I comes to Carol Mosley Braun's chances of landing her butt in the Mayor's chair here in the Windy City.

I'm giving her style points for her latest blooper:

At a debate on Sunday at Trinity United Church of Christ, Patricia Van Pelt-Watkins said Braun was returning to Chicago politics after having been “missing in action and lost somewhere” — and Braun responded by saying, “Patricia, the reason you didn’t know who I was for the last 20 years is because you were strung out on crack. I was not strung out on crack. I don’t have a record.”

Watkins, who has acknowledged using pot and coke as a teenager, says she’s been sober for 25 years and has demanded an apology.More comments from around the town on Braun's

“This says a lot about her character,” Watkins said.

Or lack thereof.

More comments from around the town on Mosely Braun and her big mouth:

• Approximately 20 percent of Chicago voters say they’re planning to vote for Braun. She’s still a huge long shot to upset Rahm Emanuel, but the fact that one of five of my fellow voting citizens believe she’s the best person for the job is more daunting than the Storm of the Century looming over us.
  
• The question, you said Jan. 14, is one of temperament. Thanks for displaying yours now, when voters see it implode.
  
• [T]here was nothing to be gained for Braun by responding with an attack on Van Pelt-Watkins, a minor candidate in all the polling so far. Braun's dwindling hopes depend on softening up and prying away Van Pelt-Watkins supporters, and are further eroded by antagonizing them.
  
• Is it too late to coin the terms "crackusation?"

P.S. -- I asked my Magic Cheezburger what were Mosley Braun's chances of beating out Emanuel and Chico in the mayoral race. Cheezburger sez, "SRY. I EATED IT." (I'll bet you the leaders of the black community that pushed so hard for her to be the "unity" candidate wish they had a Magic Cheezburger of their own and had consulted it a long time ago.)

Update: Ms. Mosley Braun offers up an apology to everyone but the one person she owes it to."

I want to apologize to her, to the congregations and members of Trinity United Church and of New Pilgrim Missionary Baptist church and all of the families and friends of those who are or who have been caught up in the tragedy of drug use. I meant no disrespect of the sanctuaries in which campaign tensions spilled over.

She gives the word "ungracious" a whole new face.
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One hundred and eighty degrees in the opposite direction of black women in Illinois politics is Toni Preckwinkle, on whom I am developing a tremendous girl crush:

“The proposed budget represents the first step of a restructuring of county finances for a long-term plan that will address the structural deficit and lay the groundwork for the rollback of the sales-tax increase,” Preckwinkle said. “We must break the habits that got us here. We must build a new foundation to stabilize our finances.”

You go, girl! (Can we clone her a couple of times and send one to Springfield and the other to the White House???)
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While this news is not good, it does not in the least take away from the fact that a toddler would not be dead if his mother hadn't left him alone to play in the hallway of a hotel while she fooled around with her boyfriend:

A switch used by a 2-year-old boy to open an elevator door before he fell down the shaft last week should have been locked up, Joliet’s chief building inspector said Monday.

David Mackley said the exposed switch in the Plaza Hotel elevator car was a code violation. He told a city council committee that the switch either should have been in a shielded case or the device should have required a key to operate.

This whole mess saddens and enrages me in equal parts.
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Cool Quotes of the Day:

• Roethlisberger is to role model what Snooki Polizzi is to classy.
  
• Sheriff’s Police are ruling out a phone malfunction for the disconnection.
  
• They’ve even narrowed down names for their twins. “They won’t be crazy names like Carburetor or something,” he says. “But they’re definitely unique.”
  
• What the hell is Whoopi wearing? It looks like a Snuggie.

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The last living WWI veteran, Frank Woodruff Buckles, turns 110 today. God bless him!
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In the middle of the biggest recession in a long time, Caterpillar's workers take this brilliant step:

Union members at Caterpillar Inc. facilities in Illinois and three other states have authorized the United Auto Workers to strike if necessary.

This is why it took my father-in-law 30 years to get fully vested in a 20 year pension/retirement benefit.
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I'm heading home. Wish me luck.

More later!
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Update: Strike that heading home thingie. I'm on the reception desk until 5:30 p.m. Yahoo.
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Anyone who thinks having the Muslim Brotherhood in charge in Egypt seriously needs to rearrange their thinking:

A leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt told the Arabic-language Iranian news network Al-Alam on Monday that he would like to see the Egyptian people prepare for war against Israel, according to the Hebrew-language business newspaper Calcalist.

There's your religion of peace for you.

And, by the way...

If Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak is toppled, Israel will lose one of its very few friends in a hostile neighborhood and President Barack Obama will bear a large share of the blame, Israeli pundits said on Monday.

This is unbelievably awful foreign policy on the part of the U.S.
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Saturday Ramblings

That's about right.

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This is a three-hankie love story:

Nine days later, Sabrina's grandparents knew the end was near. They called Matt. He held her hand through the night. Sabrina died in her sleep, with the boy who loved her with all his heart by her side.

Before her body was taken away, Matt kissed her gently on the head.

"Thank you for saving me," he told her.

If that doesn't get you, you have no heart.

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Sometimes Chicagoans have a funny definition of what makes up a "nice" neighborhood:

“It’s a quiet corner most of the time, other than the regular drug and gang activity,” said a worker at a nearby shop.

Sheesh.

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Text message blows up suicide bomber by accident

Karma -- it's a beautiful thing.

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It's bad enough I can play Mahjong on my laptop and waste hours at a time. I am NOT putting it on my Kindle, even if it is half price for a limited time...

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I swiped this from Amy Alkon, who freely swiped it from a regular commenter. I went to Spokeo, and by golly there was some very outdated information that I really would rather hadn't been out there. (And, thanks to Amy's timely posting, it's gone now.)

Go look yourself up. If you find yourself, click on the link, copy the URL, and then follow the steps outlined in Amy's post if you don't want your personal info out there on the interwebs for all to find.

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Belly Laugh of the Day:

I'll never hear the phrase, "I know what I'm doing" again without bursting into laughter without anyone within earshot having a clue why.

(A big ol' smooch to Matt G for that one!)

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Drive-Bys

Giggle of the Day:

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Facebook once again is rolling out something you should know about... and probably don't.

Check your settings, m'kay?
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You mean the glaciers aren't shrinking after all??? (Global warming. It's a beautiful thing.)
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Chocolate-Peanut Spread that not only looks delicious, but is incredibly easy to make.
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What complete idiocy is this?

Moviegoers planning to see “The King’s Speech” after the Oscars might see a different version than what has already been released.

Executive producer Harvey Weinstein is mulling an idea to re-edit the R-rated movie — which received 12 Oscar nominations Tuesday, more than any other film — to get a different rating, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Weinstein, who said he is discussing the idea with director Tom Hooper, is aiming for a PG-13 or even a PG. The move would be part of a marketing strategy intended to up the film’s appeal to a broader swath of moviegoers.

Puh-leeze! Go to the "R" rated version or you'll miss half the fun. (Just ask the Mad Minnesotan.)
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The most sensible (and conservative) article ever to grace the pages of the Chicago Tribune can be found here.

6. We can’t be dependent on the government.

Remember the immortal words of President Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you ... ” Plan for independence, because there is no way our country can take care of all of us as we age. Of course, America has always taken care of the neediest among us, and will always try to do so. But will we have the resources and the growth to provide for everyone? Or will we resort to debt and money printing? And how long will that work?

These past few years should have taught us that government, under both political parties, can’t solve all our problems or fix all our economic suffering. It can only provide the framework for growth that comes from people at every level of our society.

Who knew?
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When even a regular union guy doesn't back the Chicago Teachers Union, you know the public school system is broken:

Bryant Coulter is a firefighter who considers himself a pro-union guy, but prefers non-union charters schools. “I saw five fights while waiting to talk to an assistant principal at the CPS high school my son went to,” said Coulter. The difference was “night and day” after switching to charter schools, he said.

The current head of the teachers union is an asshat, BTW:

Charter schools are just a marketing scheme trying to sell a product that doesn’t work — just like a weight loss gimmick she once fell for. “Guess what?” said Lewis. “I’m still a fat girl.”

Guess what, Karen? Apparently you're half wrong -- you're still fat, I agree.
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The Rahm Emanuel Hokey Pokey is finally over: The Illinois Supreme Court says he can put is left foot in.

Ear Worm of the Day?



That's what it's all about!

Drive-Bys

Oooo! Add this to my birthday/Christmas/no-reason-whatsoever gift list, please! Moose and squirrel -- they're particular faves of mine.
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Giggle of the Day:

Dr Teddy Wu, who is currently working in the neurology department at Christchurch Hospital, said he believed it was the first time someone had been hospitalised by a "hickey".

I nearly wet myself laughing.

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Explosive Road? Sheesh! Naming it that was bad karma waiting to happen...
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Excuse my French, but where the f*ck were the parents here?

The boy and his sister, believed to be about 4 years old, were playing in the elevator when the incident occurred, according to residents at the Plaza Hotel, 26 W. Clinton St. in downtown Joliet.

The accident happened around 3:30 p.m Sunday. The toddler left his family's room on the second floor of the Hotel Plaza and got into an elevator, according to Joliet Police Lt. Jeff Allbert. The boy apparently started playing with the elevator's buttons, he said.

The elevator rose, then stopped, leaving a 10-inch gap between the elevator and shaft. The toddler slipped through the gap and fell about 30 feet to the basement, Allbert said.

This is inexcusable parenting.
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How do I feel after having a day to cogitate on the Bears' loss to the Packers?

Two words: Good. Lord.

Yep.

(Read the whole thing. Morrissey nails it.)
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Seems like the folks down in Springfield have finally gotten the message:

The new push is a crackdown on the rising cost of health care for retired state workers. The program costs the state nearly $500 million a year, and more than 90 percent of the retirees and survivors pay no premiums....
The idea is to start charging the retirees who can afford to pay for their health care. And new state research shows some of the 84,100 retirees and survivors appear to possess the ability to pay — the average annual household income for a retired state worker younger than 65 was nearly $78,000.

The sizable rocking-chair income is the result of waves of state workers taking advantage of sweet early retirement plans that allowed them to walk out of government jobs in their 50s, start collecting pension benefits and still have time to start a second career.

The retirees are responsible for co-payments, even if nine out of 10 of them don't pay premiums. The state's costs rose more than 10 percent to hit $488.2 million in the last budget year, and that doesn't even include dental and vision expenses. Some of the increase is attributed to workers who have left Illinois for warmer climates. The cost for their care can be higher because they can't always get the group rate discounts of a managed-care plan when they move to another state.

Yes! It's about time those who can afford to pay for this are held to account. I don't begrudge those who can't afford to pay, but I do begrudge those who can and don't. Especially those who retire on more than I make in any given year.
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