Illinois Review

Science Proves Problem With Liberals

Recently found 10,000 year old remains of an early Liberal confirms what we have always suspected.

DC news commentator blames absentee fathers

Nationally-renowned news commentator and radio talk show host Armstrong Williams is convinced a key problem in America today is the disintegration of the family and absentee fathers, he told a crowd in south suburban Matteson Friday night.

"Mothers are doing their best, but when their sons get to age 14 or 15, they begin apologizing for not having a father role in the home," Williams said.  "They soften their discipline, and our young men don't know how to act, and they get into trouble." Williams'  comment follows a theme other black newsmakers such as Bill Cosby have been recently repeating.  With 10 percent of the black male population in prison, and more black males in prison than in colleges, accentuating the need for good male role models has become an emphasis among black leaders.

The Shame of former Rep. Mark Foley

By Mark Rhoads

Rep. Mark Foley (R-Florida), chair of an informal House caucus on missing and exploited children, resigned from Congress late Friday for conduct that amounts to exploiting children. No matter how much his resignation might negatively affect fellow Republicans in Congress, there must be no hint of other Republicans who believe in moral behavior of soft-pedaling the shameful conduct of Foley in any way at all. A policy by both parties of zero tolerance for such conduct is called for.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Sears and Roebuck

By Mark Rhoads

Richard W. Sears, pictured at right, was the first president and co-founder of Sears, Roebuck and Company. Sears was born on Dec. 7, 1863 in Stewartville, Minnesota. His father was a blacksmith and wagon maker. Richard had to help support his family at an early age. He worked as a telegraph operator for the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railroad.

In 1886 at the age of 22, Sears was a station agent in North Redwood, Minnesota. When a local jeweler refused a consignment of watches, Sears asked the watch company for permission to sell the consignment. They said yes and he sold all the watches to fellow agents. Sears quit his job to work full time selling watches by mail to people in rural areas. In 1887 Sears moved to Chicago to expand his business.

Alvah C. Roebuck was born on Jan. 9, 1864 on a farm near LaFayette, Indiana.  Alvah loved all things mechanical and by the age of 16 he taught himself how to be a watchmaker. At age 22 Alvah was working for a jeweler in Hammond but wanted advancement and like many Hoosiers he saw Chicago as the city of new opportunities. On April 1, 1887 Roebuck answered a help-wanted ad placed in The Chicago Daily News by Richard Sears. Two days later Sears hired Roebuck to help with the watch business. In 1893, the two men incorporated Sears, Roebuck and Company in Chicago. That is still the legal name of the company in 2006. But the retail stores are just referred to as Sears stores. The corporate headquarters is now located in Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

From the Roskam campaign...

DUCKWORTH DUCKS TWO MORE DEBATES
Duckworth Chooses Hollywood Fundraiser Over 6th District Residents 

WHEATON – After turning down an invitation to join Senator Peter Roskam to address students from Jay Stream Middle School in Bloomingdale, liberal Democrat Tammy Duckworth can add school children to the list of residents she refuses to speak to.  Duckworth has also refused to attend a debate hosted by Our Savior Lutheran Church in Carol Stream this Saturday, September 28, 2006, in favor of raising money with Hollywood liberal Burt Bacharach.   

Candidate for LT Governor answers Vote Values 06 Survey

Here's where Republican candidate for Lt Governor Joe Birkett stands on social issues:

Homeschoolers, are you out there?

by Fran Eaton

Homeschoolers, are you out there?

I've had a couple of good candidates tell me that when they're out knocking on doors, folks are asking them their opinion on home schooling. 

This is a hot topic in many districts.   I hope you all are out there, helping the good guys (and gals) whose names are on the ballot. 

Illinois Hall of Fame: Joseph Medill

By Mark Rhoads

Joseph Medill was editor and publisher of The Chicago Tribune for most of the years from 1855 until his death in 1899. He was a founder of the Republican Party in 1854, a friend and booster of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, and he served as mayor of Chicago from 1871 to 1873 during the aftermath of the Great Chicago Fire and the start of reconstruction.

Marriages a Problem for Melissa Bean?

That’s right. Democrat Melissa Bean might lose to Republican David McSweeney because too many of her constituents are married. Here’s what USA Today said yesterday:

House districts held by Republicans are full of married people. Democratic districts are stacked with people who have never married. This "marriage gap" could play a role in the Nov. 7 congressional elections.

These are the comments on the 8th congressional district:

Of the five Republicans who have the lowest rates of married people in their districts, four are in tough battles with Democrats. On the other side, Rep. Melissa Bean, D-Ill., whose district has a high marriage rate, faces a strong GOP challenge.

This could just be another way to measure "family values."

Check out McHenry County Blog Friday and Saturday for legislative questionnaires from the Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times.  Learn about my being a latch key legislator on Sunday.

Who Measures Up on Health Care?

My latest compares the gubernatorial candidates on health care.

Misinformation

By Ralf Seiffe

In the last several days, the newspapers reported that Iva Toguri D’Aquino, 90, has died in Chicago.  In 1949, Mrs. D’Aquino was convicted of treason for allegedly giving aid and comfort to the Japanese as the infamous “Tokyo Rose” during World War II.  She was later pardoned by Gerald Ford when supporters raised enough evidence that she was coerced into becoming the radio propagandist.  But, whether she was or wasn’t the voice heard all over the Pacific, the incident shows that the United States once took such antics seriously. 

Gingrich in Chicago next Thursday

If you didn't get an invite like this one online this morning and would be willing to donate $600 to help six conservative Republican candidates get elected,  the United Republican Fund will be hosting an exclusive luncheon with former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich next Thursday in Rosemont.

While the price may seem steep, the independent political action committee says they're serious about helping their "Six in '06" featured candidates raise money.  Gingrich started a revolution twelve years ago, they say, and now he's helping launch another one in Illinois.

Just when you think you've seen it all . . .

An alert IR reader has just pointed out to us the newest fundraising idea to fight breast cancer.   And you thought you'd seen it all . . .

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, you can make a $50 donation to take a peek at, yes, well . . . photos of covered and uncovered boobies!  It's all at www.Boobiethon.com.

Our astute IR reader writes, "What's next?  Brothels for the Cure?"   I'm wondering what to expect when Prostate Cancer Awareness Month rolls around. 

Our IR reader then poignantly quips, "The vulgarity of this promotion is equal to the obscenity of covering up the Abortion Breast Cancer link."  How true.

Hat tip:  IR Reader

To be gay or not to be? That is the question

by Fran Eaton

It's incredibly fascinating to me exactly why "sexuality activist"* (note: not "sexually active") groups would be upset about researchers at Evanston Northwestern initiating a study to determine whether sexuality is genetically-based.

A piece in the NWTimes.com today is troubling.  It quotes Dr. Alan Sanders, the psychiatrist heading Northwestern's ongoing research, as speculating on what he expects to find with 100 pair of gay brothers: that sexual orientation is 60 percent environment and 40 percent genetic.

Not voting? Fine. . . IR Voter motivator #4

Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves—and the only way they could do this is by not voting.

Franklin D. Roosevelt, U.S. President

Grab your tea bags, Quinn says

For those who still are undecided about the governor's race, here's something to consider. . .

Let's say the feds continue to probe around Blago until they find something that sticks.   What would happen if -- for some strange reason -- he were re-elected and then forced to step aside? 

We would then have Governor Pat Quinn, right?  Most Illinoisans haven't heard much from Quinn over the past few years, except for a ceremonial, strictly scripted public appearance here or there.  Most don't remember his eccentricities in years past.

 

Illinois Hall of Fame: Dick Butkus

By Mark Rhoads

“When I went out on the field to warm up, I would manufacture things to make me mad,” he once said. “If someone on the other team was laughing, I'd pretend he was laughing at me or the Bears. It always worked for me."

- From Dick Butkus article on Pro Football Hall of Fame

The University of Illinois has only retired two jerseys. One was Number 77 in honor of Red Grange of Wheaton. See a previous Illinois Hall of Fame post for a profile of Red. The other was Number 50 in honor of Dick Butkus of Chicago. Both men were also outstanding stars for the Chicago Bears. Red is one of the greatest players of all time. Dick is almost certainly the greatest middle linebacker of all time.

You gotta love 'em . . .

You gotta love the Roskam Family intro ad that's just come out, found online on You Tube.

The Roskam kids are great in real life, just like the commercial portrays. 

And it's li kely to be no accident the Roskams are standing outside their own Wheaton home which -- contrary to his 6th district Dem opponent -- is actually IN the 6th CD.

Maybe we'll get to meet wife Elizabeth in the next round of Roskam Family ads.  She's probably being held back as the Roskam campaign's secret weapon -- and one, the Duckworth campaign should be warned  -- is one to be feared.

Paper Ballots on Standby?

By Mark Rhoads

"Reform? Why do we want reform? Things are bad enough already."

A Member of Parliament, 1855.

How many of you saw the story in The Chicago Tribune reporting that the Illinois Supreme Court ordered the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners to have paper ballots on standby in case the new voting machines break down?  You did not see that story? Then you must have missed the issue for September 30, 1912.

How many of you read that excellent op/ed in the Tribune by Third Ward Alderman Charles Elling about the success of automatic voting machines in New York, Michigan, Iowa, and Indiana that should be purchased for Chicago?  If not, maybe you missed your copy for Nov. 25, 1900.

Congressional candidates answer 10-question social issue survey

To find out what Congressional candidates think about issues such as embryonic stem cell research, same sex marriage, gambling, immigration and other social issues, check Vote Values' 06 Congressional candidate page on the Vote Values '06 website.

Surveys were returned by both Democratic and Republican Congressional candidates.

Vote Values '06 made public statewide candidates' responses late last week.   You may be surprised with the answers Vote Values '06 received from Topinka, Umholtz and Pankau.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Oscar Mayer

By Mark Rhoads

Oscar F. Mayer was the founder of the Oscar Mayer meat products company. Mayer was born in Bavaria on March 29, 1859 and emigrated to Detroit, Michigan in 1873 at the age of 14 to work as a butcher's apprentice.

Oscar moved to Chicago in 1876 when he was 17 to work for Kohlhammer's Market and then worked six years for the Philip Armour & Company meatpackers at the Union Stock Yards. By 1883 his brother Gottfried Mayer had moved to Chicago from Nurnberg, Germany where he had established himself as a "wurstmacher" or sausage-maker and ham curer. Oscar had saved enough money to lease a failing business, the Kolling Meat Market, in a German neighborhood on the near north side.

How Powerful is the McHenry County Republican Party?

The song

Where did all the flowers go?
Long time passing.

is running through my head as I ask the question:

How Powerful is the McHenry County Republican Party?

The $18,000 McHenry County Conservation District 500-person survey taken the third week of May by American Viewpoint paints a sad picture for the Republican Party in McHenry County.

There are now more people who identify themselves as Independents than Republicans!

Blogs tell Bean mailing scandal MSM won't

Kudos to Cal Skinner for picking up on Illinois Review's posting on Bean's baseless and pathetic attacks against David McSweeney in a mailing which primarily cites a now-defunct news source three, if not four, times.

In "Lies, Damn lies," Cal picked up as a fellow outraged blogger who points out the false information Bean references in her latest mailing.

Is it possible that the MSM will pick up on what state political blogs are saying about this outrageous situation?  This is a story that would embarrass Bean if the MSM would begin to cover the blatant baseless attack. 

While many would say that's exactly why the MSM won't cover Bean's misinformation brochure, I have more respect for the Chicago media than that. Except for one or two I met while writing for Illinois Leader who clearly demonstrated their political agenda and journalistic bias, most take great pride in being fair and balanced in their reporting.  More important, they're under pressure to find stories that sell papers.

The Bean mailing story might sell a few. . .

Kids...errr...Politicians Say The Damndest Things

Judy Baar Topinka is saying she won't raise taxes, but won't take the pledge because a natural disaster or a terrorist attack might occur:

"Pledging to put “the grown-ups” in charge of state government, Republican governor candidate Judy Baar Topinka unveiled a detailed plan for the next four years that features no tax increase and an expansion of gambling to pay down the debt and finance new spending.

But Topinka, the state treasurer, would not rule out raising taxes.

“I don’t believe in making pledges,” she told the Rockford Register Star’s editorial board Monday morning, citing unforeseen situations such as natural disasters or terrorist attacks."

So let me get this straight....  Terrorists attack inducing a mass casulty event, the economy is disrupted, and you lost your job.  JBT's answer is to raise your taxes.  Oh...that's helpful.  I feel better now.

Or about this.

The New Madrid fault goes.  It wreaks havoc from Cairo to Chicago.  Your house is gone, your business is gone, you have no job.  JBT's answer...raise your taxes. 

Now, tell me how raising our taxes in the event of a natural disaster or terrorist attack going to help us? Seems to me, hiking taxes after a disaster would be piling on. 

I'm not singling out JBT out of animosity or because I oppose her, or she ins't conservative or anything of the sort.  She is just the latest example of this phenomena.   I'm just wondering where pols get the idea that raising taxes on victims is going to do anyone any good and use raising taxes on victims of such incidents as a good reason not to take the pledge. 

Mind boggling.  And where the hell is the press on this one?

 

Link: Rockford Register Star | Web site of the Rock River Valley.

MEET THE CANDIDATE: Eric Wallace, 19th Senate

Frustrated by the lack of interest either gubernatorial candidate has in winning conservative votes, one independent political action committee has turned its efforts to winning back one of the Illinois General Assembly chambers in November.

Three seats away from the majority in the Senate and six short in the House, the United Republican Fund is placing its fundraising efforts into winning four Senate and two House races in its "Six in '06" campaign.

One of the toughest races the URF picked to engage in this cycle is the south suburban Cook County 19th District, where incumbent State Senator Maggie Crotty (D-Oak Forest) now wears two crowns -- one of being state senator and the other as Bremen Township Supervisor.

Crotty is being challenged by 47 year old Matteson college professor and minister Eric Wallace, an African-American conservative Republican.

Illinois Hall of Fame: John Mahoney

By Mark Rhoads

John Mahoney was born on June 20, 1940 in Blackpool, England. He was only three-weeks old at the start of the crucial Battle of Britain between the Royal Air Force and the German Luftwaffe in the skies over the south of England between July 10 and Oct. 30. His parents were Irish-Scottish Catholics and he was raised in Manchester and attended St. Joseph College in Blackpool. He first studied acting at the Stretford Youth Theatre.

John's sister Vera was a war bride who married an Illinois soldier and she was living near Quincy when she sponsored him to come to the U.S. in 1959 at the age of 19. In order to speed up his application for U.S. citizenship, John joined the U.S. Army where he worked on losing his English accent. John attended and graduated from Quincy College, now called Quincy University. After college, John earned his Master's degree at Western Illinois University at Macomb and he later also taught English at WIU.

18 Years Too Late the CDC Gets It

by Cal Skinner

I wonder how many thousand lives have been lost because the Centers for Disease Control has waited 18 years to follow the recommendations of President Ronald Reagan’s AIDS/HIV Commission. 

That's almost two decades of lost opportunity to inform those with the disease of their HIV-infected and HIV-infectious status!

Last week, the CDC, which I think could be more appropriately be called the Centers for the Spread of Disease, recommended routine testing for HIV for those from ages 13-64.

IN FOCUS: GOP candidate for 8th CD David McSweeney

For your reference, we've re-published the June 6-7, 2005 2-part Illinois Leader interview cited in Melissa Bean's attack piece on David McSweeney, which hit 8th CD mailboxes the weekend of September 23, 2006. . .

Bean's ad full of "outright lies"

by Fran Eaton

GOP candidate David McSweeney's campaign came out swinging Monday morning after a piece from incumbent Melissa Bean hit 8th Congressional District's mailboxes over the weekend. 

McSweeney says his opponent should refute false claims in the mail piece.  He says it is full of "outright lies."

Clinton's understandable outburst

by Fran Eaton

After watching the former president with Fox News' Chris Wallace this past weekend, I have to say it's the first time in my life I can empathize and sympathize with Bill Clinton.   

Once again, he's touched the hearts of American women.  This time, though, it's his Baby Boomer sisters.

Conservative group announces online effort to win GOP seats

by Fran Eaton

Today the party-independent United Republican Fund is officially rolling out its "Six in '06" online campaign to elect four Republicans to the State Senate and two to the House in the upcoming election.

Similar to the Club for Growth model to win federal candidates, the URF's "Six in '06" online campaign aims to gather in both small and large donations for selected state candidates.  The group has gathered over $22,000 thus far in the effort.  All of the funds coming in during the "Six in '06" drive will go directly to the candidates for their campaign use.

A Wet Kiss From New York Magazine

Read New York Magazine's puff piece on Barack H. Obama here.

The best part of this "over-the-top" piece is the final paragraph, which reads:

"So much hope and so much fuss. All over a man whose father was from Kenya and whose mother might be a distant relation of Jefferson Davis. Whose meals in Indonesia were served, for a time, by a male servant who sometimes liked to wear a dress. Whose first and last names inconveniently rhyme with 'Iraq Osama.' And whose middle name, taken from his Muslim grandfather, is, of all things, Hussein."

Gotta love the new messiah of the Democratic Party.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Lou Rawls

By Mark Rhoads

The mellow voice of Lou Rawls covered a range of musical styles including gospel, soul, jazz, do wop, and contemporary easy listening classics. One of his last albums was even a tribute to the songs of Frank Sinatra. Like fellow-Chicagoan Nat King Cole before him, Lou Rawls was a crossover artist before that term was invented, meaning simply that he had many fans in both black and white audiences. Some of his most memorable hits included You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine and Love is a Hurtin' Thing.

“Pox on Both of Your Houses” Candidate Scores with John Kass

by Cal Skinner

The “pox on both of your houses” candidate for Illinois governor got a huge boost Sunday where he needs it most—the Chicago metropolitan area.

This is the man whom the Chicago Tribune would not name when he got 1% on its first gubernatorial poll.

I guess I better name him—Randy Stufflebeam.

You remember, the guy who found me at the Gate 7 Beach part of my son’s 9th birthday party after taking part in McHenry’s Fiesta Days parade. 

He’s running as a write-in candidate, so he has no chance to win.

Live from New York with Hugo Chavez

Chicago Sun-Times' Jack Higgins' comments on Hugo Chavez' visit to America last week, when speaking to the U.N. the Venezuelan President dubbed America's President Bush "the devil."

"All the King's Men" simple for those from the Prairie State

by Fran Eaton

The biggest criticism about the newly-released remake of the 1949 political thriller "All the King's Men" is that it's difficult to follow, confusing and leaves too many loose ends.

It's obvious those pathetic, whiny critics don't live in Illinois.  If they did, following a screenplay plot based on greed, lust and graft would be a cinch. 

Illinois Hall of Fame: Charles R. Walgreen

By Mark Rhoads

Charles R. Walgreen, founder of Walgreen Drug Stores, was born on Oct. 9, 1873 on a farm near Galesburg, Illinois in Knox County. His parents Charles and Ellen Olson Walgreen were Swedish immigrants. The family moved to Dixon, Illinois in 1887 when Charles was 13. Charles wanted to play competitive sports but when he was 16 he had an accident while working the stitching machine at a local shoe factory and permanently injured his hand.

Charles attended the Dixon Business College and worked for druggist D.S. Horton in Dixon and became an apprentice pharmacist. At age 20 Charles moved to Chicago in 1893, the year of the Columbian Exposition. He worked at several different pharmacies in the city.

Must Citizens “Pay to See” What School Board Is Discussing?

by Cal Skinner

You've heard of "pay to play."

How about "pay to see?"

McHenry County Blog watches a couple of school districts.  One is Carpentersville School District 300. Last spring its tax hike committee spent about $136,000 to pass a 55-cent tax hike and a massive bond referendum.  The tax hikers' campaign was financed primarily by home builders and school vendors.  It has $41,000 in the bank for the next tax hike effort or, maybe, to make certain its school board candidates get elected next April.

So just how important IS a college degree?

by Fran Eaton

I'm a sworn advocate of non-traditional learning.  This week, a Forbes story confirmed my persuasion.

Four out of the top five of America's 400 richest are college dropouts.

Read about it here.   So just how important is a college degree?

I don't give a damn about teachers

by Bruno Behrend

Yet another piece describing the woefully inadequate class of teachers produced by the iron triangle of Teacher's Unions, "Education" Schools, and the absurd regulatory structure of "Public Education."

Most of the article highlights the utter vacuity of the "education curriculum."  However, the real problem lies with editorial's inability to get out of the current corrupt and unproductive paradigm.

See the excerpt and comment below.

Illinois Hall of Fame: William D. Boyce

By Mark Rhoads

Chicago newspaper publisher and multi-millionaire philanthropist William D. Boyce founded the Boy Scouts of America in 1910. He was born June 16, 1858 on a farm in Allegheny County near Plum, Pennsylvania. His family taught him to love the outdoors and his daily farm chores instilled in him a powerful work ethic. He attended Wooster Academy in Ohio in 1878 and then moved to Chicago to become a salesman.

In the 1880s, Boyce started newspapers in Manitoba, North Dakota, and Louisiana. By 1887, he started The Saturday Blade in Chicago which was a weekly illustrated newspaper for rural readers that was sold by thousands of newsboys.  He started W.D. Boyce Publishing in the late 1880s and acquired The Chicago Ledger in 1892. He also owned two other newspapers, Chicago World and Farming Business.

Pankau responds to social values' survey

by Fran Eaton

Vote Values '06 reports today that of the candidates for Comptroller, only GOP candidate Carole Pankau responded to their social issues survey. 

According to her answers, Senator Pankau holds these positions:

• Supports requiring parental consent before minors receive medical or surgical treatment, including abortions.
• Supports school choice.
• Supports amending the state constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman.
• Opposes screening children's mental health without parental permission.
• Supports limiting the power of eminent domain to public works.
• Opposes raising taxes and fees.
• Supports enforcing federal immigration laws.
• Opposes using state funds for embryonic stem cell research.
• Supports internet filtering in schools and libraries.

Democratic incumbent Comptroller Dan Hynes did not reply to the ten-question survey.

On Thursday through Illinois Review, Vote Values 06 rolled out the Republican and Democratic gubernatorial candidates' responses. 

The questions and survey answers are found at www.votevaluesillinois.com.

Rangel and Schumer Stand Up for Bush

By Mark Rhoads

Without a hint of irony, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called George Bush the devil at the UN and then showed up the next day at a church in Harlem wearing an all-red suit. Does Chavez have a sense of humor? No, but someone does. His staff must have left his horns and tail back at the hotel. Danny Glover, Castro's number one fan in Hollywood, showed up to cheer as Chavez slandered Mr. Bush again. Shame on Danny--again.

But liberal Democratic leaders Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Sen. Chuck Schumer, and Rep. Charles Rangel all did the right thing and blasted Chavez for his mindless attack on the American president.  Good for them!

Even in the heat of a partisan campaign, they realized how crazy it was for a guest in the US who is a head of state to launch such a personal and stupid attack against the president. The second attack was the same with more references to the devil and Noam Chomsky, only this time Chavez spoke in a Harlem church on US soil and not on the diplomatically neutral ground of the UN.  Closing ranks in a bipartisan way behind the president of our country when attacked by a foreign leader always was the right thing to do and the Democratic leaders in New York deserve credit for dusting off an old and honorable tradition.

This is the same Comrade Chavez who hinted broadly just a few weeks ago that his opinion of himself is so high that it would be just plain silly to hold any further elections in Venezuela now that he is president because it would be a waste of time and money.

See the remarks of Rep. Rangel and Sen. Schumer in the New York Daily News.

Jersey County group will appeal judge's ruling

The people of Jersey County are fighting an incredible battle in the courts over the insidious use of safety bonds to demolish repairable old school buildings to construct expensive new ones.

Despite the a two-to-one rejection of a school building referendum, Jersey County school district officials allegedly took safety bond funds, sought a matching state grant, and used that money to build two new schools, circumventing local citizens' opinions.

Yesterday, Jersey County citizen Jeff Ferguson took the matter before a local court.  The judge dismissed the suit, saying the plaintiff waited too long to file the complaint.  During that "wait," Ferguson was tenaciously gathering documentation through FOIDs and financial records inspection.

An email from the Jersey County folks who filed the lawsuit is circulating Illinois loops this morning (see below), warning fellow Illinoisans as to how their money is being used to build unwanted new schools in Jersey County, and appealing to fellow taxpayers to wake up and hold our elected officials and their spending addictions in check.

Ferguson says he will appeal the judge's decision and move forward.  Good for him.  He's fighting a battle in Jersey County for all of us.

The Jersey County discovery should be all of our concerns.  What's happening there could very well be happening in Christian, Peoria, McLean or Cook.  It's our battle, too.

Illinois Hall of Fame: Bill Veeck, Jr.

By Mark Rhoads

Self-described hustler and promoter Bill Veeck, Jr., former owner of the St. Louis Browns, the Cleveland Indians, and twice owner of The Chicago White Sox, was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991. People often mispronounced Bill's last name so to clarify that point he wrote a 1962 autobiography titled Veeck as in Wreck.

Bill was born in Hinsdale, Illinois on Feb. 9, 1914 and was also raised in Hinsdale. Bill attended all eight grades at the old Garfield Grammar School in Hinsdale but attended three different high schools including three semesters at Hinsdale Central High School where he was active in team sports. In 1932, he graduated from Phillips Andover Academy in Massachusetts and enrolled at Kenyon College in Ohio the following fall.

Bill's father was William L. Veeck, Sr., a respected sports writer who was chosen by William Wrigley Jr. to be President and Treasurer of the Chicago Cubs from 1917 to 1933.  Veeck, Sr. had the duties of what is today called a general manager in addition to other duties.

Divorce, McHenry County Style

A spotlight has been pointed at divorce, McHenry County style. 

In a Union League press briefing held this morning, Chicago Crime Commission President Jim Wagner said that a report had been given the U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI, which included McHenry County's "family courts."

In a McHenry County Blog interview with Wagner, he said,

Family courts would determine in many cases custody rights, the proper treatment of the child in those situations, where the child could most properly be served.

That sounds like divorce court to me.

The pope was right

by Corey Miltimore

In his speech last week in Regensburg, Germany, Pope Benedict XVI set forth a bold agenda for the civilized world. Predictably, Muslim extremists seized upon a quotation from an exchange between a medieval Byzantine emperor and an Islamic scholar as justification for all sorts of mayhem – including the murder of a nun.

Writing in yesterday’s Los Angeles Times, George Weigel identifies three crucial points that are being overlooked due to the attacks by radical Muslims who appear to be convinced that if they shout loud enough, they can drown out the truth of the pope’s words.

"Big education" wins in court ruling

by Joyce Morrison

Boos and jeers followed Judge Lois Bell as she scurried from the Jersey County Court Room where in less than 25 minutes she made her decision to rule against the people in favor of "big education."

The court room was packed with taxpayers who had taken time off from their jobs and farmers who had left their fields hoping for justice. 

Apparently  courts do not know what the court process is about and statutes and laws mean nothing in their decisions.  Today,  justice was not served.
Missouri attorney Frank Duda, who represented Jeff Ferguson and the Coalition for Public Awareness, was in shock at the ruling by Judge Bell.  He said he was taken totally by surprise that she ruled so quickly without listening to further evidence.

What kind of judge refuses to hear the complete case before ruling?   Judge Bell reprimanded the citizens saying that each individual  had the opportunity to file a law suit at any time during the sale of the bonds and the construction of the building.   She also said there was nothing that could be done now the buildings have been built. 

Topinka responds to values voters survey

Unlike Governor Blagojevich, GOP gubernatorial candidate Judy Baar-Topinka chose to answer a ten-question survey released today by a non-partisan voter project called Vote Values '06.

Thoughts for the Undecided

by Cal Skinner

That includes me.

I don’t know which candidate to vote for for governor.  I can't remember that ever happening before.

Should it be Rod Blagojevich because he has promised not to raise income or sales taxes?

Would putting him back in office lead to a reformation of the Republican Party?