Stop With the Hitler Already Department...

Well, again today I heard another reference to Hitler made by a politician.  On MSNBC this morning, Joe whatever his name is, (sounds like a cigarette, Marlboro) asked an ex Israeli prime minister (sounds like Bent in ya hoo) about the current war being raged on the Gaza Strip (not to be confused with Route 8 from Farmington Rd. to Kings Park in Peoria) but the little piece of land that borders Egypt and Israel.

Point after point was being made by this Israeli gentleman on why they must bomb the shit out of these people and unless it interferes with my cable Internet, they can blow each other to the other side of hell for all I care.  They have been doing that since Christ walked the planet.

At any rate, Joe says to this guy something like; "They elected the Hamas as their government in a free election.  He replied; "They elected Hitler too!"

That got me to thinking about how some have compared our dear President, Dubya, to Hitler for starting and un-necessary war in Iraq and then ignoring the wishes of a majority of Americans and damn the torpedoes like attitude.

Friends, George Bush is no Hitler and if you want to be taken seriously, then you can't compare people.living or dead, to Hitler and especially to Bush.

Hitler was a decorated frontline combat veteran.  The election Hitler won in 1933 was because he got more votes than his opponent.

There.  George Bush is no Hitler. 

I Am Serious Department...

Ya know, why do people click on a pop up on their computer that says "You are infected.  Click Here to fix."  ?  I mean, if you look at the window carefully you can tell it didn't come from your anti-virus software or from WinXP so why would one click on it?

This nasty little virus has made me enough money over the last few months, that I have to finally tell as many people, Please!  READ.  Don't click on anything you're not sure of.  Once you do, you're fucked as it will quietly download and that will mean the end of your system as you know it, except so far for Vista.  Oh yeah, you won't believe me and think you have a good anti-virus and then you'll go ahead and click the link that says: Buy me.  You'll type in all your credit card info and think that $29.99 is worth getting rid of this and bam! Nothing happens except that you just sent your credit card number and code with expiration date to a hacker.

Please stop clicking things!  This nasty little bug will almost guarantee you'll have to backup you data and reformat.  It comes in through "players" like from Adobe Flash Player and all the other internet players out there.  You'll stop at a web page, and a little ad may play (that is using one of those players) and the thing slips in as an ad would only it looks official.  It is not!  Simply close the window using the X that closes all windows in Windows.  Do not click HERE, or No Thanks, or Buy.  Then empty your complete Internet temp Folder.  A restore won't help as this virus over writes the boot sector.  MBR (Master Boot Record)

I have formatted more computers in the last few months than I care to see and the look on people's faces when I tell them to call their bank and cancel their credit card and their data is gone.  The newest variant to this even has an official looking XP boot screen and even a fake blue screen of death.  Update all those flash players. Go to Windows Update and make sure you have all the proper updates, go to Adobe and get the newest software, go to Quicktime, Real Player, etc etc.  That is the best defense.

So, you have been warned......

 

UPDATE:  Since some people aren't sure about how to update the software they use (not Windows) like Adobe, this FREE little utility will do a scan and find updates for you.  It is simple to use but use it in the "Simple interface Mode". It will provide authentic links to the software you have on your system that is not up to date.  It is called Secunia PSI and you can get it HERE.

Note: After using it, make sure you go into options and disable Start on Startup.  

From the Rumors Department...

Rumor #1:  Johnnie's at the Grand Prairie is closing.

Rumor #2:  The Flattop Grill in the same mall is closing.

Rumor #3:  CJ is going to submit his street clearing/snow plan.

Another Tree Story...

Merry Christmas.....

We all have stories and some of us blog them.  I read two interesting stories that related to an experience I had last Saturday right after the ice storm.  You can read MAHKNO's story here and you can read East Bluff Barbie's story here both relating to trees and the effects of the last ice storm.  Funny and sad stories really.  I think I can add to theirs....

I have this rather old and large Chinese elm in my front hard.  CILCO's tree boys come along every year or so and do their usual butcher job on it and to be truthful, I have done some rather irregular trimming of my own after the various storms. 

Last Friday's ice storm didn't do any damage to the tree but a rather thick limb, covered with ice was laying ever so lightly on my power lines to the house.  The weather people were saying the winds would get to 30mph and higher and I was concerned that if the limb snapped, down would come my power line and I would play hell getting an electrician to put it up before July.

So, I decided I would troll the old yellow pages for tree people.  I knew what I'd get when I called.  Like; "We are booked until 2011" or "You have to be kidding? We have trees down that need to be removed first."  and on and on.

Well, after the first 3 calls that is what I got and I understood.  After all, I wasn't having a problem per se and I just want a little preventive cutting if you will.  I am sure people much worse off were more important.  That was until I called Cook Tree Service out of Bartonville.  I got a very gruff voice that answered; "Hello"  No business name or nothing and after explaining my problem he seemed less than enthused to even show up.  I assured him that with someone with the right tools, this would take less than 30 minutes and I would really like to get it done before those high winds set in.

OK, he agreed and asked for my address. He said $100 an hour.  I said OK, no problem.  They, there were two of them, arrived in about 30 minutes.  I watched as a rather old and junky looking pickup truck tried to back into my front lawn. One guy gets out and immediately falls on his ass and the driver damn near runs him over with the truck. I ran outside just in time to see them get into a fist fight.  I yelled, they stopped and looked, and I told them get the fuck off my lawn.  The biggest guy said they were from Cook Tree Service (nothing on the truck) and he was obliviously drunk as was his buddy.

Before I knew what was going on, he was standing on the cab of his pick up with a 17 foot pole saw sawing at the limb.  Just as the limb fell, he fell, saw, still running, comes down on my power line feed.  I think the steel ground cable stopped the saw otherwise that too would have been cut in half.  Is there an irony here?

The branch was off, the ice was off my power line feed now, and the guy didn't seem hurt as he got right up and looked at me and said; "100 bucks!"  I paid him $100 and said' "Go"

I went inside, my wife asked what the hell happened.  I looked her in the eye and said I just got screwed, paid 100 bucks for it and didn't get any lipstick on me.  Limb is gone. 

Moral? I don't think there is one here.  Well, maybe there is.  It is cheaper to pay the drunks with the chainsaw, then it is to fight them.  In the future, I'll take my chances with the weather and with that tree. 

Laughter, the Best Medicine Department...

 

Peoria County Board says 48 percent surveyed approve of a tax for the "Build the Block". Really??  

They then say that figure jumps to 57% if the tax were to be temporary.  No kidding?

Think about this folks.  They, the Peoria County Board are trying to pull an old Jedi mind trick on us.  They are waving their hand in front of our faces and saying; "Pay no attention to the deficit.  This tax will be temporary.  These Build the Block people can go on their way."

The fact of the matter is that the deadline for raising the funds to build this museum privately has come and gone many times.  It seems that the public in general around here has no interest in donating to this museum.  I wonder why? 

Now they want to say that we will make this tax temporary.  Oh boy! Is that like the temporary HRA tax?  The Garbage Fee?  The flush tax? The flush tax was only $2 a household when it was implemented years ago and was only to fund upgrades to the treatment plant.  We now know that has grown into huge Sewer Fee.

Name one tax that has gone away?  Just one.  Come on, there must be one tax that was done away with.  Hmmmm.  Any?  The Garbage Fee!  er, nope. That was going away last election cycle for city council but after those that promised it's demise were elected, well, that didn't happen.  Gee, a politician that lied.

So, what's to be done.  I got the phone call last week asking me about the museum tax.  I voted No, No, and No. I know of 3 others that got the same call and they too voted the same way.  So what's a Peoria County Board to do? Simple, another Jedi mind trick.  They will simply tie this tax to the Belwood Nursing Home which is county owned and in need of a major update and expansion.  That way, if you vote NO to the museum tax, then you'll also be voting NO against the sick and aged.  Bastards! Who would vote to oust the sick and aged? 

Here is quote from today's PJS:

"Though he isn't against the museum project itself and favors taking a referendum to the public, board member Bob Baietto said the county should not get too closely involved with the project.

"I want the least restrictive involvement of this county Board with the museum. I do not want to run the museum, I do not want to tell them what to build and how to build," Baietto said."

Well Bob, if you want to tax all of us for it, then we should have input into it's building and running it. After all, it is OUR money you dolt. Geez, he wants to tax us for it but we shouldn't get "too closely involved" with the project.  Let's see...we get in bed with the museum people but no touchy feely huh?  Well before you put lipstick on me, I want a kiss at least. As long as I'm getting screwed, I want to look good huh Bob?

I'll tell you what.  If the County Board will get together with the City Council and they remove the HRA tax and or the Garbage Fee, which by the way, they pay their arch enemy, Illinois American Water Co $80,000 a year to collect for them, then I might change my mind and vote up this new tax, otherwise, without a precedent for removing any tax, their claim of "temporary" is bullshit.

Oh, and another mind bending Jedi trick is; "CAT will move away if it can't build it's visitor center.  More bullshit.  So much bullshit here that they could fill in that lifetime hole known as the Sears block.  Let's see, CAT is laying off over 800 workers, put a freeze on new hires, cut their white collar force almost in half and people will visit the place?  I doubt that seriously and in fact I wonder if CAT, which claims that they need the capital and have to make drastic cuts will even want to build a visitor center now.

Here is the reality of all this.  People don't want any more taxes.  People don't want to fund this museum. The deadline extensions prove that and lack of donations.   People don't believe that there is a temporary tax.  It was a nice idea but when it comes to the public paying for it, well here in Peoria, we have seen to much of this.  The public wants to pay for police, fire, streets, decent schools, but not for fancy offices for executives and useless buildings for bronze plaques.  Examples: RexPlex, new addition for the Civic Center, Gateway Building, the "Pad" on the Riverfront, a ballpark, numerous TIFs that have spurned nothing, like RenPark, Cubs Foods or MidTown Plaza on Knoxville, Campustown, and now Sheridan Village. (if they ever build there at all)

In Chicago, or any other big city, if they left a hole in the middle of their downtown district for over 20 years, they would be a laughing stock.  Yet, some here, who feel Peoria should be a "big" city have just that.  A hole for over 20 years in the middle of downtown and counting. Maybe instead of "Build the Block!" it should be called "We the Blockheads"  Get a realtor and sell the damn lot.  If it is such a prize property, then realtor's will be tripping over their high heels to grab their commission from the line of buyers.  Sans Adam Merrick, he doesn't wear heels, I think.

Standby folks, the spin is coming. Beware of local politicians bearing promises of temporary taxes. It is laughable at best and in these economic tough times, we need some laughter, but bear this in mind,  these nuts are serious.  Just say NO.  Only the weak minded are affected by the old Jedi Mind Trick.  Like most of our county board members. If this wasn't so damn funny I'd cry. LMAOROTF.

(For you older un hip folks: LMAOROTF = Laughing My Ass Off Rolling On The Floor.)

Santa's Lament Department...

Kris Kringle aka, Santa Claus who visited Peoria on November 28th has decided to move his North Pole toy making facility and his reindeer co-hab to one of our TIF District warehouses.

He was impressed with the grand old 8 story warehouse on Washington Street and will demolish the old warehouses across Washington Street from this building located at 802 S W Washington, to make room for a 500 room facility to house the working elves that will re-locate with him as well as a new facility to handle his reindeer and their families.

Kringle is expected to make a $140 million dollar investment into this depressed section of downtown Peoria which will include some new sidewalks and some landscaping.  He will also seek a permit for an open roof arena so he can stage his sleigh for take offs and landings something he wasn't able to do without traveling 3 miles from his current building at the North Pole.  He said the weather here, while sometimes the same as the North Pole's, is still better and the warm summers will allow him to keep production going year round and allow for vacations to be taken locally by the elves, something they couldn't do at his old place.  The savings on travel for his elves alone will be in the millions.

The plan awaits city council approval on zoning and financing.  GULP.

UPDATE!!

The Peoria Historical Society has stepped in and wants Historical status granted to 802 S W Washington Street.  It seems the building built circa 1942 used wood beams instead of steel because of the war when steel was scarce.  Kringle has objected as this will add millions to his refurbishing the building to hold the various equipment needed for his operations.   PHS believes these wooden beams need to be preserved for future generations to watch rot.

Zoning has stepped in with a recommendation to deny Kringle's new reindeer facility and elves quarters.  This is because of current live stock laws within city limits of Peoria and Kringle will have to spend millions on a cess pool pond and treatment building for these reindeers.  The elves quarters do not meet C-1 zoning requirements.

The local NAACP plans on picketing the building as they have noticed there aren't very many black elves.  In fact, there are none and this policy has to change.  Kringle has said he would hire any minority elf but elves are elves.

The Greater Peoria Airport Authority has filed a complaint with the FAA on future flights that may take place out of Kringle's open air arena.  Until permits are issued, flights will be banned from Kringle's new arena. 

The City Council has deferred approving Mr. Kringle's plans yet for a 3rd time last Tuesday.  An argument broke out about how the massive loading docks for the trucks into the new toy factory could be seen from Washington Street.  The city wants Kringle to landscape in such a way that these docks are hidden from view and so that the main entrance looks like the loading area entrance.  Kringle said this would add additional costs for architectural drawings to be changed and isn't really needed.  It is a warehouse after all.  The council wants many new trees planted and a wrought iron decorative fence installed around the completed facilities.

The recently disbanded Heart of Peoria Commission met at council chambers also demanding that Kringle's new facility doesn't meet walker friendly conditions of new urbanism.  "There needs to be more pedestrian friendly space and green area around this plant." one member noted.  They also noted there wasn't any space provide for private retail such as Wicks N Things or a Starbucks.   Kringle again stated it was a frickin factory and retail was not needed. Most HOP members thought that main design of the building was too glassy and not in the best interests of graphic design for new urbanism. Whatever that is.

UPDATE #2:

Kris Kringle announced this afternoon that he is pulling the project completely from Peoria.  The additional costs from zoning requirements and the fight from the PHS has left him drained.  As he was leaving city hall, Kringle could be heard saying;  "Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas and fuck it!  I'm outta here!"

From the Tidings of Comfort and Joy Department...

God Rest Ye Merry "Illinoisan's"

To the tune of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"

Get packin', Rod Blagojevich

The state's in disarray

The Tribune wants you unemployed

At least by Christmas Day.

The TV pundits want your head

Could there be pay to play?

Oh, tidings of comfort and joy

Save Illinois!

Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.

Good riddance Rod Blagojevich

Your Elvis look's inane,

The Senate's mad, so's Lisa's dad.

You drive us all insane.

Our transit's broke, the state's a joke, The Tollway's one big pain.

Oh, tidings of comfort and joy

Save Illinois!

Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.

Good luck old Rod Blagojevich

The feds have quite a place.

Fitzgerald's poked his nose around

And if he has a case,

George Ryan's moving stuff around

Creating extra space.

Oh, tidings of comfort and joy

Save Illinois!

Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.

 

Author unknown...

Random Thoughts & Blows Department...

Yes indeed it blows.  First off, the roads this afternoon.  I know this, we got snow but not enough for the roads to suck like they do.  Maybe the city plows could DROP A BLADE!!!!!!  They are shutting down one of the bridges!  Christ!  Is salt that rare of a commodity?  The city needs to know that you plow, then salt.  If you just salt, then you get 2 inches of slush which freezes and makes driving worse. And somebody, anybody please fix the timing of these traffic lights so at least the traffic that is waiting gets through before the thing cycles red again?

The NWS and all the local TV stations. Like, what's it take to get a Winter Storm WARNING?  The Winter Storm Advisory with this shit coming down 2 hours before it took effect is like blowing the building and then yelling "Get Out!" Whatever they are smoking down in Lincoln at the NWS, I want some.

It seems all those "know everything" people over on the Chronicle are dead on balls wrong when it comes to the new hotel and other developments.  I have heard the Mayor's new radio commercial all day long and Mayor Ardis says Peoria ranks right up there with other great cities doing well and having planned smart economic developments.  So, all those blow hard's on the Chronicle don't know what the fuck they are talking about. Except 11Bravo, this person appears to have done everything, voted on everything, scaled mountains, bought properties, computed property taxes and well, just about everything else.  Gee, I thought he (I assume he is a he) was sitting naked in a dark room in front of a monitor while Nazi marching music played in the background.  Gosh, how wrong could I be.

I wrote a tongue in cheek piece on this new hotel.  Apparently without racking my brain, I am more right than I knew.  This is gonna happen, and I hope it does.  Worse case, I sell my worthless property and move out. God knows there are enough realtors floating around here on the blogs.

I saw where Beth Akeson has filed to run for the 3rd District Council seat.  I could care less as I can't vote for her anyway.  Not my district but whatever you do, don't disagree with her as a candidate on CJ's site.  You'll feel the wrath of venom.   One poor poster is being raked over the coals for doing just that.  Maybe Akeson and CJ can get appointed to another committee, like the Stained Glass in Peoria Committee.  It seems that the golden rule on some sites when a person disagrees isn't to have a genuine debate, it's to attack and demean the person who just disagrees or it could be; Do on to others, then split.  Personally, I don't think Akeson has a chance in hell.

1st District, Gulley is running un-opposed.  DOH!  I should have filed anyway against my family wishes.  Still, I probably wouldn't have had a chance in hell either.  Considering the voter turn out in the 1st, Gulley's church could out vote what I would get.  It's a shame too, as we need better representation in the 1st.  Seen my new sidewalks lately?

Lastly, I want to thank all the idiot drivers who took my driving advice.  No headlights, let the rear defroster clear the snow off the back window, covered brake lights, no turn signals, speed, drive down the middle of the road, and my favorite.....pull out in front of you 10 ft before you get there.  Ahhhh Peoria in the winter.  It bows and winter doesn't start until next Sunday.  We're doomed.

Here is some Math Department...

Math.  Math is a funny thing sometimes.  You can take numbers, twist them and turn them and make almost anything add up.  If you have ever bought a new car, then you know what "funny" math is like.  I once tried to by a new car from a local dealer.  They wanted XX amount for the new car and I wanted XX amount for my car.  They, after hours of back and forth between some unseen person located in a "tower" finally agreed to give me what I asked for my car.  A deal!  No, when I looked at the paper work, they simply moved some numbers over to my side and added some to the new car side.  While it looked like I was getting what I asked, I was paying more for what I wanted, and so it goes...

Now take this new hotel deal here in the river city.  Promises are being made and our city leaders supposedly have gone through the numbers.  The Developer wants XX amount money from US and US wants XX amount of money and several promises.  That new hotel smell is almost in the air.  But wait, over HERE the supposedly real numbers are being bantered about and so is everything else from collapse to maybe this hotel is being setup by some of the same crooks that our dear boy Governor is associated with.  (You know our GOV, the Bob's Big Boy model??)

I refuse to jump in on the fray over THERE and comment (in fact I no longer comment on other blogs)  as I can not keep up with all the brain surgeons, rocket scientists, Nobel peace makers, and others who seem to spend the day in front of a computer screen and not at a...well, a job!  Sure, every once in a awhile a commenter shows up that isn't part of the usual 8 team comment pack and makes some sense but that is usually disagreed with by the group,  and so it goes...

I did read THIS and found it very interesting but then got to thinking.  I remember the original planning for the Civic Center back when there wasn't any bloggers.  In fact, back then the home computer was a fantasy.  I remember the haggling and the property that had to be bought up and I remember people who said the numbers didn't add up.  I remember the arena was supposed to be much bigger than the one we have but it was scaled back due to costs.  This wouldn't fly.  Well history is history and we have this Civic Center and yes, we are still paying for it over 20 years later.  The I read the numbers at CJ's post and thought for a minute.  One could almost use the same numbers (adjusted of course) and the same arguments that everyone seems to be against the hotel for, and use it for the Civic Center.  Almost, and so it goes....

So folks who have read the "other" blog, here is some math for that new hotel and this is the math that will be enacted:

9 Yeas + 2 Nays = New Hotel   

Grab your ankles and pray because this will be enacted and it better work or while you're grabbing those ankles, kiss your financial ass goodbye if it doesn't. 

Politics in Peoria....How it works....How it always has worked.  The people that will make this big money decision most likely will be no where to be found if and when it fails.  On the other hand, this may be the shot in the arm downtown needs and then you'll need some Chapstick as ass kissing will be the order of the day.

My Two Cents Worth Department...

Some observations and opinions....

The new hotel being proposed downtown?  The biggest thing to happen downtown since they built the Becker Building and since a certain city manager ran his city owned car into a building drunk,  and some bloggers aren't happy.  Why?  The project will have a skywalk connecting the Civic Center to the new hotel for one thing. That just chaps the asses of those walk about folks.  You won't be able to shop at Scotch Tape N Candles on the street level.  Whoppdeedo!  We got a lot known as the Sears lot and I have grown children that have never known that hole in the ground as anything but.  Yet, the City is still trying to push development there, mostly as a year by year parking lot, Museum people keep looking in their piggy banks and keep saying "We will Build it" (exactly what depends on who you talk to) and now we have some serious development coming in a new hotel connected to the old Pere and CJ wants to lay out all the numbers and facts. Guess what?  The average Peorian doesn't give a rats ass about those numbers or bloggers opinions.  What most Peorians want is to pay their Garbage Fee and a bar that is open till 4am. Just ask any 2nd District Council person. This new hotel is a done deal and it will be built.  Big Al will whine and dine until someone else (us) pays for his new bar's improvements.  The little guy will be screwed, as usual, and council members will get their names added to yet another brass plaque. That is the way it has been done for years.  Don't like the skywalk?  Then hit the streets.  I'll bet when it's 15 below zero or 98 above with matching humidity, the skywalk will be a treat.  Besides, until the police can stop thugs from robbing old ladies in broad daylight, I think it's best our "Guests" use the skywalk while visiting.

The best Christmas present this year for all the people of Illinois seems to be the bust of our Governor.  Now if only Rod would do the right thing and resign, we could move on.  As it stands now, the media is trying it's hardest to connect this story to Obama.  They are both from Illinois so....?  On WMBD radio in the afternoons you can catch that true patriot Hannity spewing his vermin.  I thought his head would really explode when this story broke.  He has done everything but outright call Obama a crook too.  He feeds the simple minds that listen and hang on his every word spreading hate and discontent.  More so than any terrorist could do.  Obama hasn't even been sworn into office and Hannity has accused the man of just about everything from being a friend of terrorists to helping Rev. Wright write his sermons.  I have to ask, if this Bill Ayers guy was such a unrepentant terrorist (as Hannity calls him) then why after 9/11 didn't the Bush administration have him arrested?  I mean they arrested all kinds of people under the Homeland Security Act, why not Ayers?  He was known then, why all of a sudden is he a big deal? Because he is not the big terror Hannity would have you believe. In fact Mr. Hannity I would like to ask you a question; After almost seven years of Bush, where is the real terrorist, Bin Laden?   The real kick comes as news that Combs, Hannity's long time liberal kick around dummy on his TV show is leaving the program for good.  Allen Combs was the only real non douche bag on the whole show.  Smart move Combs.

Sadly Polly Peoria seems to have found herself (??) again and is blogging with the speed of a glacier.  What has brought her out?  Sarah Palin don't ya know. She thinks this woman was the best thing to happen to the McCain ticket since the Bush approval ratings dropped below 30%.  I didn't have the heart to tell her what a dolt this woman is as a VP candidate.  You just can't fix stupid.  Sure, she is a great mother (any mother can have a pregnant 17 year old un married daughter) and believe it or not, Alaska out does Illinois in corruption, but hey, you can see Russia from Alaska.  Well Polly, if that is why you started to blog again, stop.  It's too sad. I had always thought more of you than that back in the day as a blogger. Not anymore.  Palin has been tagged and released back into the Alaskan wilds,  Come back in 2012.  We'll need the laughs.

Bob Manning, 3rd District City Council has announced he isn't running.  He then went on a rant at a recent council meeting against the Build the Block campaign or the Museum project.  Manning is an excellent councilman and a good man.  I suspect after his rant he'll be getting a fewer less Christmas cards this year.  He'll be missed and the only problem I see with him is that since there are no more phone booths around, he can't change readily into his Superman suit.

Finally, Christmas is rapidly approaching and if there is a recession in Peoria, it didn't show at the mall yesterday.  The place was packed.  I made it home after a long day of store hopping and dodging traffic to sit down and watch the Porcelain Monkey Hour on QVC shopping channel.  I just love it when they tell you to hurry and call; "We only have a silo of these left!"  Well I guess Paula Abdul has a line of gaudy jewelry out and she was trying to sell this worthless crap, she went over to one of the models to show how a 17lb fake gold necklace could be worn as a belt, the stage broke and she almost fell on her ass.  Ahhh live TV.   Beats the time the guy fell off the ladder he was demonstrating and hit the stage with a thump.  The look on the hosts face was priceless.  Some of the best comedy is on these shopping channels and some is on Cable 17 on certain Tuesday nights. 

I want to add that Saturday, December 20th, at noon, my youngest son graduates with a BA from Bradley University.  He graduates with honors.  He doesn't drink on campus, he doesn't own a red plastic cup, he has never been arrested and I have never ever seen him drunk. He already has been hired by a firm (shall remain nameless but yellow is their favorite color) and will make very close to 6 figures inside of 3 years.  That is amazing to my wife and me and guess what?  He is a product of District 150 schools.  Lions and tigers, oh my!

Happy Holidays and keep the Faith!

December 7th...

Today is December 7th, Pearl Harbor Day.  On this day in 1941, our country was attacked by the Japanese.  Our involvement with WW II began.

No, I wasn't born but my dad served in the Pacific during WW II. It was truly a time when Americans pulled together in national crisis to support the efforts of our military.  Gasoline was rationed as was just about everything else including meat.  Could you imagine the outrage if that happened today? New cars were put on hold so that manufactures could start producing the items needed for war.  People held Bond drives, funding for the war and they gave scrap metal and grew victory gardens all for the effort of the war.

Sadly, you probably won't hear this day mentioned as you go about the activities of the day.  Hell, none of my calendars even has "Pearl Harbor Day" on them. 

That was a time when Americans pulled together to save our country unlike the Viet Nam conflict or, in my opinion, not even close for the Iraqi war both one and two.

Today, it seems as a society we are too consumed in material things and our own space.  People tend to judge other people on the car they drive or the size of house they own or the type of clothes one wears.  It's a "don't touch mine!" society.  Stay away from my car/truck.  You're not hip unless you drive a Lexus or for heaven's sake a Hummer.  I even saw a H2 Hummer the other day that had a custom made decal in the rear window that said; "Thanks Prius owner for saving gas so I can fill my hummer."  What a condescending prick but so typical of today's sacrificing American.

I guess if you have a yellow ribbon decal on the back of your Range Rover, then you are indeed supporting the troops.  I mean, they have a ribbon decal for everything you can think of.  It's so simple.  You pay a few bucks, probably cheaper than your Starbucks coffee, and you stick the sticker on your gas guzzling SUV that you need to make it across the Illinois tundra so you can shop at the Grand Prairie Mall where outdoors is in...well....as in freezing your balls off no matter how they candy ass it. But you support the troops.

I was checking out the local blogs this morning and found no mention of this "Day that'll live in infamy" anywhere to be found.  Nothing. Even the two local popular blogs, this and this had nothing on it except the usual stuff they always post. Nothing wrong with that you understand, it's just that the usual trolls that comment on these blogs seem to have all the answers and by God if you try to comment and express yourself just a little and it doesn't agree with a few trolls, then your just a fuck head. I'm getting to the point where I hate blogs and that means I have been looking at myself too.  I just don't feel like posting much to relieve the tensions that build up inside me which is what I thought the whole purpose of a blog was.

I am sure as hell sick of assholes who hide behind screen names and anonymous posts and berate people for just having an opinion.  I mean, if it's your blog, then yes, berate away.  I'm guilty too as I have picked on a few people for their opinions on other blogs.  I can do it here but I shouldn't do it else where.  I post comments under the name "Emtronics" which is linked to this site which pretty much tells you who exactly I am.  I do not blog too much about my family nor do I blog about my work.  My work supports my family and me and I refuse to bite the hand that feeds me. 

So, I am not commenting anymore on any blogs from this day forward.  (as of noon CDT) 11Bravo, anonymous, without malice, SD, peoriafan, mahkno, BeanCounter, and all the 4 or 5 others that are around commenting, you won't have my opinion to make fun of or to call me an idiot behind a screen name.  In fact, if someone came up to me face to face and called me some of the stuff I have been called by people posting under anonymous, I probably would have threw a punch. That is our society folks, send a text and apologize.  Eye contact?  What's eye contact?  That isn't the way to handle things in a civilized society so the best thing to do is shut up and withdraw.  If you say nothing, then people don't know what you are thinking and if you open your yap, then you might prove your stupidity.

Today is my day that will live in infamy.  Yes, I am sick of the shit on these other blogs by the same 5 or 6 people that take over every topic and by God they have the answers.  I then wonder why these same people aren't out there fixing the problems.  Why our city seems so screwed up or why District 150 can't do anything right yet we have a good 10 commenter's on any given day over at the Chronicle that can fix all this. They have all the answers and can see all the problems clearly. What are they waiting for?  I mean if you are on a ship and see a hole with water coming in and have the hole patch kit, do you stand around and discuss it or patch the frickin hole?  Nope, you blame everyone else for the hole and you go down with the ship.

You know, I put two boys  through District 150 schools (K-12) and they came through quite successful as did a lot of their school friends.  You don't hear about the success stories as a kid with a report card full of A's is not as juicy as a kid with a gun.

Both of my sons have careers and one makes almost double the money I make a year and he isn't even 23 yet.  I give District 150's teachers all the credit.  (For once, thank a teacher too) If I posted this fact on another blog site that rakes our school district daily, I would be called every name in the book.  Yep, what do I know.  I work with brain surgeons and rocket scientists all day.  Apparently these same type of people have nothing better to do than post under various names and solve all our problems, if only they were in charge.  Well, step up!  You know who you are. As for me, I'm outta here.

Remember a VET today, especially a WW II vet but all vets.  We Viet Nam era vets know what is like to be shit on because this country did not stand up when it needed to as it hasn't really for Iraqi veterans.  Too bad we can't go back to simpler time. They didn't have car magnets then.