My Facebook Thoughts

Monday, August 31, 2009

You Want Caviar With That

An article in the Chicago Tribune caught my eye this morning, Northbrook finally getting its first drive-through restaurant, a McDonald's. Northbrook is a well to do suburb of Chicago and they used to have an ordinance against drive thru restaurants (I laugh when I call McDonald's a restaurant). Now Northbrook has no issues with McDonald's per se (1st time I've ever used per se in my blog), because as my research shows there are two "restaurants" in Northbrook. It's just those tacky drive thrus they objected to.

Maybe they didn't want THIS in their snooty town



Or worse yet THIS



HOW 'BOUT DIS NORTHBROOK!



Well, anyway. Welcome to the 1950's Northbrook. Celebrate your modern legislation.

Friday, August 28, 2009

I Didn't Know Kennedy

This weekend one of the most famous politicians will be buried, Ted Kennedy. I'll be honest, I really didn't know much about him until recently. I knew his brothers, I'm not that big of a moron. And I know about the history of the Kennedy family.

I know that some will bring up Chappaquiddick and his early years as a womanizer as a means to distract people for what Ted Kennedy stood for, those in need.

The entire Kennedy family stands for those in need. John and Robert were killed trying to help others. I find it ironic that Ted Kennedy died of an illness despite having the best medical coverage any American would love to have.

Ooops! Did I mention healthcare?

Truth is that many Americans would not have been able to survive the cancer Kennedy had because they don't have the same type of healthcare. That's what Kennedy had been fighting for for so many years. Give those in need good healthcare.

In Kennedy's case his illness killed him anyway. But, he fought and he fought hard. Our country stands at the door of a great opportunity. It seems, at times, that money is the only reason we don't walk through that door. When our country wanted to find WMD's, (still looking), money was no object at a billion dollars a day for six years. Why do we allow this?

When each of the former Kennedy brothers died the country went into reflection mode. Maybe during those moments of reflection the eyes of critics were opened to what the Kennedys were trying to accomplish. Maybe in the weeks to follow those who oppose healthcare reforms will open their eyes, open that door and walk in.

The following words are from Ted Kennedy's eulogy of his brother Robert. What an honor it would be for anybody to say such things about us.

My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it.
Those of us who loved him and who take him to his rest today, pray that what he was to us and what he wished for others will some day come to pass for all the world. As he said many times, in many parts of this nation, to those he touched and who sought to touch him: 'Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not.'

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Summer Is Over (when did it begin?)

Another summer vacation has come and gone. Despite a trip to Florida and too few weekends at the family's cottage in Bass Lake Indiana, this was a very weak summer. The famous Chicago heat and humidity was never really here. I live for the heat, but this year I was denied. Oh well, what can I do about it?

I'll tell ya what I can do, I can blog!

Now that my wife and son are back in school I have more time to focus on blogging. But, where should I start? Why not at the beginning?

Two years ago today I started writing this blog with Michael Vick as my topic. Well, just recently Mr. Vick had completed his legally required punishment for his crimes. Two years ago I called Vick a stupid man and said he'd never play in the NFL again. Well, I was half right. Vick is now in Philadelphia playing football.

Over the past two years I've written 248 blogs. My blog will go over 12,000 hits today, I hope, I'm at 11,998 right now. I've built a nice little community of readers that share their opinions with me. I have many supporters and many detractors. I thank all of you for giving me 5 to 10 minutes of your day.

My favorite blogs are the ones that draw the most comments. To date the champion would be;
Behold The Future, Dismiss The Past, this blog has 40 comments. It's probably the most popular because it contains the fewest words on my part.

I still dream that someday my blog will be read by somebody famous and it will launch a paid writing career for me. It happened for Diablo Cody (Juno fame) and Julie Powell (Julie & Julia).

So here's to two great years of thought ping-pong. I'll keep writing if you keep reading and commenting. I will concede that we will not all agree with each other if you all will concede that I am the sexiest blogger in all cyberspace.

Well how about Crestwood?

Monday, August 17, 2009

What It Feels Like

Over the years I've been asked what it feels like to be disabled. It is a difficult thing to put into words. I recently came across a video that comes close to expressing my feelings of being disabled.



Over the years I've been asked what it feels like to discuss baseball with a Cubs fan. It is a difficult thing to put into words. I recently came across a video that comes close to expressing my feelings of discussing baseball with a Cubs fan.



Over the years I've been asked what it feels like to discuss politics with Republicans. It is a difficult thing to put into words. I recently came across a video that comes close to expressing my feelings of discussing politics with Republicans.


Friday, August 14, 2009

Last Days Of Summer

Sorry my blog has been so infrequent of late. We've been busy doing all sorts of different things. Things will return back to normal in 12 days.

Until then, chew on this grist.

Gary to pay Joe Jackson for coming to son's memorial

The Post-Tribune of Northwest Indiana reports: Joe Jackson and an Illinois-based musical group charged the city of Gary $5,000 to attend a memorial last month for Jackson's son, the late pop star Michael Jackson, according to city records.

It isn't clear if Gary has paid the bill yet, but a preliminary account of the cost of a hometown memorial at the U.S. Steel Yard baseball stadium indicates costs exceeded income by about $3,000.


Almost brings tears to my eyes.

How about this;


Monday, August 10, 2009

The Results

I just wanted to give you all an update on how Donna's fund raiser went last week.

$76,000 was raised.

$76,000!

And because of your generosity Donna was the top fund raiser with $2576.

A little school teacher with lots of great family and friends topped them all, including two local mayors.

Thank You