Monday, July 02, 2012

Creative Tips from the Kids at Mental Floss



Creativity separates the weird of us from the the rest of us.  Creativity is often hard work and often misconstrued by the round haircuts to be doping off.  Most creative people are not necessarily geniuses, but have moments of merged  illumination and productivity that make our world happier and human.

Thus!



Rene Descartes, the Jesuit trained math-whiz, soldier and philosopher, hated the cold and climbed into a stove while on winter campaign - it was while warming his pelt in a Bavarian stove that DeCartes developed his Meditations and developed his patented Cogito Ergo Sum- "I think; therefore, I am." Jimmy "Frosties" McGourty, who began every day with a 16 oz, Schlitz went one better  Bibam ergo sum - " I Drink, Therefore, I am."

Creativity has its quirks.  Here, from a great website Mental Floss, comes examples of such oddities found in creative people:

 There are plenty of competing theories for how to boost your creativity: paint your room blue, work someplace noisy and distracting, complete a bunch of silly sentences Mad-Libs-style. But there’s no better source for creativity advice than a creative genius. Here are 11 tactics practiced by big thinkers, artists and innovators.1. Hold your breath
Nobel Prize-winner and Japanese inventor Yoshiro Nakamatsu, who has more than 3000 patents to his name, has a Plexiglas board installed in his pool. He thinks underwater and takes notes on his board, a process he calls “creative swimming.” And while it seems silly to take notes underwater when there are perfectly serviceable desks available, Nakamatsu swears by it, saying “oxygen is the enemy of the brain.”
2. Embrace insomnia
Leonardo da Vinci had a lot going for him, what with the still-unmatched talent and cultural importance and, you know. Mona Lisa. But he was a weird mix of perfectionist and procrastinator, and sometimes he’d work for hours on one minuscule detail while leaving the larger scope of a project untouched. To keep himself going for as long as possible, he practiced polyphasic sleep — short naps every four hours, for a total of around two hours of sleep per day. Probably not for everyone.
3. Or just take a nap
Thomas Edison was a fan of the power nap. He gave it a good twist, though, which he claimed was integral to some of his best ideas. Edison would sleep sitting upright in his chair, elbow propped on the arm with a handful of marbles. He would think about his problem until he fell asleep, and soon enough he would drop the marbles on the floor. When the racket woke him up, Edison wrote down whatever was in his head, regardless of what it was—creative solutions, new ideas, a reminder to pick up milk on the way home.
4. Save yourself for science (or what-have-you)
Though he’s been called the greatest geek of all time, Nikola Tesla was a reasonably handsome guy, and the ladies liked him. But he attributed much of his success as an inventor to his strict celibacy, and no evidence exists that in his 86 years he ever had an affair with anyone. Ever. But rumor has it he recreated ball lightning in his lab, so it was probably worth it.
5. Find the bad apple
There’s no reason to believe it’ll work for anyone else, but Johann Wolfgang von Goethe insisted that a rotten apple on his desk helped him write effectively.
6. Engage hermit mode
Artist Jasper Johns worked three full months of each year in total solitude, painting and hanging out in a cottage in St. Martin from Christmas through March. Before he defiantly flew to Yugoslavia to reclaim his international chess champion title, Bobby Fischer lived for nearly 20 years in undisclosed locations. Add to the list J.D. Salinger, Harper Lee, Howard Hughes, Emily Dickinson… the list is long, but it’s clear that for some people, hiding from the public eye is the key to thinking differently. (With mixed results, obviously.)
7. Chill out for a while
When Cervantes has deep thoughts to think, he filled a tub with frigid water and sat with his feet and calves submerged until he had an epiphany.
8. Head north
Charles Dickens was a quirky guy. One of his required writing-time necessities was a desk that faced due north, and even when he slept he took every precaution to ensure that his body was aligned with the poles—head at the northern end, feet toward the south.
9. Get a little macabre
In addition to his bizarre directional work and sleep arrangements, Dickens also liked to hang out at the morgue, where he watched people work on incoming bodies. He followed his “attraction to repulsion” to crime scenes, too, where he’d try to analyze the locations to solve murders. Whether any of this was helpful to his literary plots is second to the regular practice of thinking creatively to solve hard problems. (That said, there’s no report that Dickens ever solved a murder.)
10. Invest in that Clover machine
Just about everyone loves coffee, but almost no one loves coffee in the way Honore de Balzac did. He worked 16 hours a day, tossing back cup after cup of specially blended Parisian java (some sources say he could down 50 cups in a day). To overcome caffeine tolerance, he ate dry grounds, and on an empty stomach, no less, famously saying that after a mouthful of coffee beans, “sparks shoot all the way up to the brain. Ideas quick-march into motion like battalions of a grand army….”
11. Booze!
Alcoholism and artistry go way back, and everyone has a favorite drinky singer or writer because there’s no shortage of them, really. But it seems science is siding with Hemingway and Winehouse on this one: a recent study shows that a few drinks can release your verbal inhibitions (obviously) and allow your mind to wander just far enough to come up with novel solutions to complicated problems. At a blood alcohol level of .075, the study’s volunteers were able to solve word association puzzles faster and better than the control group of sober peers.




Read the full text here: http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/132151#ixzz1zT9QmYoy
--brought to you by mental_floss! 

 

Sunday, July 01, 2012

Talitha Koum - Womans Health Care Without the Murder


Usura slayeth the child in the womb 
It stayeth the young man's courting
It hath brought palsey to bed, lyeth
between the young bride and her bridegroom
                                        CONTRA NATURAM. Ezra Pound -Canto "45"

Following enactment of ACA, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has not joined in efforts to repeal the law in its entirety, and we do not do so today.The decision of the Supreme Court neither diminishes the moral imperative to ensure decent health care for all, nor eliminates the need to correct the fundamental flaws described above.We therefore continue to urge Congress to pass, and the Administration to sign, legislation to fix those flaws. -USCCB Statement on Supreme Court Ruling of Affordable Care Act


I tend to re-read.  I ain't that bright.  The more something is explained to me the more clear the nature and the necessity of instruction cuts through my brain-fog.  Given my all too human limitations, it is often best to clarify instructions before proceeding - e.g. shut off all electrical circuits before placing the pliers in direct contact with the wires.  No room for a quibble there. Will do. Authority speaks.  "Eat not of the Tree."  Simple.  "Yeah, but . . .however, the Snake said 'the fruit is mighty tasty' and, after all, we are God's BFsF!  What could happen? "

Original thought begat Original Sin.

An Original thought, impulse, show of will, or test of outcomes ( John Dewey) is and has been historically stupid. Disobedience and not lust or greed is  result of origin of evil - have not all of us Banished Children of Eve stuck our tongues on Arctic-ly chilled flag pole?

Ignoring authority is the one sure path to pain - " Hold my beer and watch this" is often the prelude to disaster.  I imagine a pale young Caucasian chap well versed in Hip-hop libretti *deciding to tell a corner full Gangster Disciples -wats up wit to all my folks imma “GD” AND ALWAAYS WILL BE TILL DA DAY I GET BARRIED SIX FEET UNDA TO ALL MY LADIES THATS UNDA DA SIX STAY UP AND TO ALL MY GANGSTA’S ONE LOVE.

A very unsalubrious outcome that -if not mortal.

Therefore, I read and re-read Authority . . .the Gospel, if you will. I have read Confederacy of Dunces as often as Gargantua and Pantagruel and Rape of the Lock much more often than I have Bridges of Madison County. In case of the former the rules of comic genius merge nicely, in the case of the latter Pope has more to say on love, vanity and heart-break than What's His Name? - Judgment works only when authority is obeyed. I might be a tad vague in this matter; therefore, do ask questions.

Feminism is a goofy comic-strip attitude.  It is wildly confused and confusing.  The only real authority on Woman in the last sixty years is Camille Paglia. Ms. Paglia makes sense and sound argument for her gender that runs counter to sexist arrested adolescent boys like myself and Frank Sinatra, but also the Amazon Gorgons like Katha Pollitt or Naomi Wolf.  More on that at another time.

Feminists, like most Progressives, believe that Trees have Souls and a Fetus is merely Tissue.  In the most recent paste-up for The Nation, Katha Pollitt decries the incarceration of a pregnant woman whose 'attempted suicide' ended in the murder of her unborn child , with the Medusan sneer for those who defend fetal personhood. These clowns must spend every waking hour crafting goofier memes for their tribe than Chester Gould drew villains for Dick Tracy. Feminism, as well as every Progressive Advocacy Meme, are Original Thoughts with the volume turned up most high.

Feminism, as well as every other Progressive Advocacy Meme (Eco-Pantheism, Marital Ambiguity, Mad Secularism, Classism & etc.), are Original Thoughts with the volume turned up most high.
America turned the corner on itself with Roe V. Wade and will only get better once American return to Authority and burnish its dulled judgment.


Womans Health has come to mean the murder of children for the sake of cosmetics - baby bumps.  The dead heart wants.  The living heart protects, provides and promotes the precious.


Great Gospel today and a great start for the month of July - America's Liberty Month. This is woman's health care - Jesus, heals and defeats death.  No Medusa here.



When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, "My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live."He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him. There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured."Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?" But his disciples said to him, "You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, 'Who touched me?'" And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction." While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official's house arrived and said, "Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?"Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, "Do not be afraid; just have faith." He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, "Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep."And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child's father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum," which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!"The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. (At that) they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.
Yep, came home and re-read the instructions. Ignore the ridicule; grab on to the garments; Arise when told; keep your trap shut on the details ( Jesus did the masterminding, there and Pete, Jimmy and John were along for post-operative reports); feed the kid.

I better read this one again and again and again. Talitha Koum!  Old Saint Augustine wrote in his Confessions about his departure from thinking purely on his own, or without reference to a solid Authority that he heard a voice cammand him - Tolle Lege!  Take up and read“The repentance that accompanies salvation is a continued act, a repentance never to be repented of (2 Cor. 7:10).  That seemed to work pretty good for him and Old Augie didn't have an IPad.  How about that?  Read it and read it again. Got it?  Not yet. I'll get there.


*Insecure white people that feel they must act "Black" to fit into society. Wat they  dont know is that they are further outcastinq themselves & will never fit in with blacks or actually be black. May use words like: Niqqa, Homey....etc. We weep for these types of people .Dexter: Yo wats qood mah niqqa ?
Riley: Nm mah niqqa just chyllin bout to qet sum druqz and then later qo to this rap concert.
Dexter: Word, word. -Urban Dictionary
http://www.thenation.com/article/166664/protect-pregnant-women-free-bei-bei-shuai#
http://dailygospel.org/main.php?language=AM
 http://news.investors.com/article/616718/201206291848/obamacare-threatens-religious-liberty.htm
http://www.reclusland.com/compass/2009/08/10/laws-of-gangster-disciples/

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Rahm's "Start-Up" City Plan for Chicago - Fresh Air in a Can?

Mayor Emanuel with the electoral losers on Carol Marin's Crone Circle WTTW-Chicago. I mean Chicago Tonight . . .and every night.

So, Mayor Emanuel is making Chicago Start Up City?  What is that?  A Real 'fix-er-up' for first time home buyers? Nope.  We have enough Stans, Cliffords, Ignatios, Mikes, Stellas, Beullas, Dotties, Gerts, and Kareems and it seems Rahm and the Smart-Sized Set of Urban planners want them the Hell out of the City limits between the hours of 7 P.M. and 5 A.M. and welcome scores of  Calis, Hadleys, Khloe's, Myas' Paisleys, Chens, Daxes, Jaxes. Kians, Kylans and Lennons with math and techn-dweeb credentials to make non toxic, expensive, digitally non-essential services and goods for disposable incomes.

Last year, 50 outstanding seniors from schools in Illinois and seven Midwest state were invited to Chicago for an action-packed weekend that mixed business and fun.
They visited Chicago businesses and firms with offices here, such as Groupon, Google, Grubhub, Microsoft and Accenture, to learn about job opportunities.
They attended panel discussions with industry leaders on topics ranging from innovation and tech entrepreneurship to how to start a career in Chicago.
The seniors even sampled Chicago’s rich cultural institutions and pulsating night life and got passes to Chicago Ideas Week, a seven-day event featuring marquee speakers and interactive sessions that Emanuel and Groupon co-founder Brad Keywell hope will someday take its place among the best known idea symposiums in the nation.
Kewell!  I mean Cool, I mean Brad Keywell. Group on!!!!!!!!!  At what cost and to whom? This dramatic and historical boondoggle was announced at 1871 -Remember?  Chicago Fire? Random Big Blaze the Micks started?  Dying Embers and all that? Of Course one might, if of course one is not graduate of Chicago Public Schools.

1871—(1) catalyzing moment in Chicago history, when the most brilliantengineers,
architects and inventors came together to build a new city; (2)where Chicago’s brightest digital designers, engineers and entrepreneursare shaping new technologies, disrupting old business models
andresetting the boundaries of what’s possible 

This year, ThinkChicago will double—to 100 students—with half the slots reserved for outstanding juniors and seniors from the University of Illinois.Emanuel made the announcement at 1871, a new start-up center at the Merchandise Mart that helps connect entrepreneurs to would-be investors, mentors, partners and peers.He noted that there is “an energy” in Chicago today that “did not exist” when Groupon was starting out.“Remember You Tube? Pay Pal? They started here, but they thought they had to get to the coast. If those companies were around today in this type of venture position, they would not have to go to the coast.They would have all the pieces: talent, capital and innovation,” Emanuel said.“We have over a thousand digital tech companies now in the city of Chicago. 128 start-ups launched in Chicago last year alone. Our venture capital--$1 billion—is up 50 percent. That’s in just a year. There is a new energy. The Second City is becoming the Start-Up City. That’s our goal.” 

Who is the WE in that OUR?  Let's begin with thinkchicago.org/. Click the old mouse-eroo and . . .

The page you were looking for doesn't exist.

                           You may have mistyped the address or the page may have moved.


Shucks, you can not find any information on that source launched August 3, 2011.  Totally . . . expunged.  You can find Congressman Jesse Jackson easier than info on ThinkChicago.org.
A digital Solyndra Mayhaps?


Groupon's site is Oooops, Down! as well.

http://www.groupon.com/chicago

By Gad those kids are smart fellers! or is it the other way around? Random Irony, Dude.


Ironically enough, and the Smart-sized Urban Center Chicago denizens of the future like Kali and Dax love irony, Chicago's owned Crone Columnist Carol Marin has another heart-tugging-Where-in-the Hell -is  Carol- Going -with-this-One, yarn about laid-off janitors and the smart sizing of Chicago.  



Fifty Chicago janitors lost their jobs this week.. . .They all lost their jobs because the City of Chicago, which long ago privatized much of its janitorial work to outside firms, rebid its janitorial contracts. And 20 percent of the new contract, unlike the old one, went to a nonunion firm called Dayspring, a minority- and woman-owned company in South Holland.
Dayspring, while promising to pay the prevailing rates for janitorial work, is under no obligation to keep the current employees. And by hiring new workers at entry-level wages and turning some full-time work into part-time work, they can save money and charge the city less.
Is there a villain in this story? It’s not that simple.
In a wretched economy with state and local governments drowning in red ink, city procurement officer Jamie Rhee said, “As stewards of taxpayer money, we put out the bid to get the best price for the city. We keep it open and competitive. . . . [There are] tough choices . . . to make sure the city is on a sustainable financial track.”
The new, nonunion company that got the bid argues it shouldn’t be cast as a villain either.
“I know you have to report this story,” said Dayspring owner Anita Harris, “but this is a dream for us. Talk about small businesses growing. . . . We are not doing a bad thing, we are doing a good thing.”
SEIU contends that with this new contract, the city is trying to kill the union.

SEIU created the Union Busting, Carol!  Rahm is an SEIU, Dude! So is Forrest Claypool who times the pee-break for Rahm's CTA.  So is Pat Quinn. So is Jan Schakowsky. So is Wee Mike Quigley. So is President Obama.  SEIU will be fine - remember they are now "organizing the unemployed." This City layoff of janitors is only the itching sensation - the real bleeding is yet to Garbage Grid & etc. Carol's cynical Boo-Hoos for the laid off Chicago 50 rings way hollow, as there has not been a Progressive boon-doggle to come down the pike that she has not lapped up with gusto.


During the early days of WWII, Mayor Ed Kelly was as tight as a tick with FDR.  Rahm and President Obama more than likely exchange tighty whities they are that close.  Ed Kelly got General Motors to build a massive series of plants on the south west side to build engines and components for the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. Immediately, 17,000 people went to work.  General Electric owns a huge part of the Obama Regime, just saying.  President Obama made General Motors a part of the Obama Regime, while Mayor Rahm was Chief of Staff.  Now, get this - Boeing is headquartered in Chicago . . .honor bright!  Here is the beauty part - the CEO of Being is James McNereny.  Guess what?  Mr. McNereny is an Almnus of New Trier High School - the alma mater of Mayor Rahm. Not only that, but also this, James McNereny is reported to be a huge Obama and Rahm money dropper and a member of the Mayor's inner-circle.


Those nuggets plucked from the stream of consciousness - would one not venture a notion that were Rahm, or SEIU, or Carol, in any way, shape or form inclined to really, really, really make a difference to the people of Chicago by way  getting Boeing, GM, GE, or any huge, established captialist on-going concern, just might . . .might mind you . . .bend an interested ear or two and invest?  Hmmm?

Silly Goose Island goslings!  A corporate possiblity such as industrial opportunity for skilled, educated and work-ethical people is not in the Urban Center "Start-up" Plans of Rahm Regime.

Stan and Stella over by Ford City -pack your bags and call Mayflower,

Dax and Kia, down in Urbana - hook up the UHaul and get thee to Bucktown.  Rahm is calling the White House for some investment capital, Kids! Not only that, you can fire up some quality weed without a trip to the Bridewell.

Invest now has come to mean taxes, after all.

Naw, we have our supine Media doing hand-stands and Huzzahs over nothing in a sweet, random package.

FORD CITY* has space aplenty and Chicago is already packed with smart, practiced, skilled and willing workers. The problem is - one can point out the piles of horse-shit cast upon our ground, but it takes genuine human effort to refrain from rolling around in it.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/13489965-418/mayor-intent-on-making-chicago-a-start-up-city.html
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/10537450-418/rahms-inner-circle.html

http://www.suntimes.com/news/marin/13481481-452/delicate-balance-city-budget-workers-lives.html
http://www.1871.com/2012/05/opening-day-for-1871/


By the Way FORD CITY:

Construction started in 1942. The purpose for construction was to build a defense plant. Approximately 17,000 workers were employed. This caused the southwest side of the city to become more populated as more people were moving there for work. By October, Building No. 1 was finished. Testing of aircraft engines to be used for the B29 bomber began. Throughout the winter, they continued building. By the spring of 1943, 10 buildings, made of steel, concrete and wood, had been constructed. The building covered approximately 6,000,000 square feet (560,000 m2). The largest building was Building No. 4. It covered 62 acres (250,000 m2), and it was built out of reinforced concrete. The plant consisted of 7,000 miles (11,000 km) of underground piping and 15 miles (24 km) of cables and wires for water and power.
By December 1945, the building was left vacant due to the end of the war. The government attempted to sell it without success. It was later retrofitted for automobile production for Tucker Corporation and then Ford Motor Company.
The building remained a white elephant until the Korean War, when it was reopened to build airplane engines for the war effort, under contract from Ford Motor Company. The Ford company modernized everything inside the building, employing nearly 12,000 people. The building closed again in 1959.
In 1961, the government sold it to Harry F Chaddick, along with other Chicagoans. They had a vision for the greatest commerce center in Chicago. Some buildings were torn down to make room for parking lots. The buildings that remained were remodeled to attract retail tenants.[2]
Developers divided the building into a separate portion for the mall. The mall opened in 1965 as Ford City.[3] The mall consists of two halves - a strip mall and enclosed mall. The strip mall portion is connected to the enclosed mall by a tunnel called "The Connection". It utilizes the basement between the severed halves of the buildings directly below the parking lot. The Connection was originally called Peacock Alley from the late 60s through some time in the 1980s. Wieboldt's occupied the western-facing space until 1987 when Carson Pirie Scott moved in. The southern-facing space was last occupied by Montgomery Ward until that chain's bankruptcy. JCPenney occupies the eastern facing space.
Until February 2008, the mall was managed by General Growth Properties Inc. for a private investment company.[4] The Mall is now managed by Jones Lang LaSalle.
In 2009-2010, Ford City Mall began a multi-million dollar long term capital redevelopment program undertaking North Mall infrastructure work, Cicero Avenue frontage and North Mall parking lot resurfacing. During this time new tenants such as Conway’s, US Cellular, Rodeo, Amici, Star Diamond Jewelers, a new GNC, She Bar, Eldorado Fine Jewelers, Avon, China Max, US Sprint and others opened for business at Ford City Mall.
Early 2011 – Phase 2 of the long term capital redevelopment plan began with refurbishment of the Cicero Avenue Pylon signs enabling large square footage use tenants the ability to gain maximum store signage exposure along the heavily trafficked Cicero Avenue roadway.
As part of the 2011 capital redevelopment program, Ford City Mall is in the process of demolishing several small outparcel buildings and a former vacant anchor store, leading the way to future development options under discussion at this time.

[edit]Transportation

[edit]CTA Buses

  • #54B South Cicero
  • #67 67th/69th/71st
  • #79 79th

[edit]Pace Buses

  • #379 Midway-Orland Square
  • #382 Central/Clearing
  • #383 South Cicero
  • #384 Narragansett/Ridgeland
  • #385 87th/111th/127th

[edit]Orange Line Extension

Original plans for the Orange Line was called for the terminus to be at Ford City. Due to lack of funding the city decided to end the line at Midway with a layout allowing for future expansion.[5] The CTA recently undertook an Alternatives Analysis for the Orange Line extension to Ford City and determined that the project currently stands at an estimated $200 million.[6] On August 12, 2009, the CTA approved the extension plans.[7] The extension will open in 2016.






Friday, June 29, 2012

Chief Justice John Roberts Challenged America




“It is not our job, to protect the people from the consequences of their political choices.” Chief Justice John Roberts


The SCOTUS ObamaCare Ruling " allows use of federal funds to pay for elective abortions and for plans that cover such abortions, contradicting longstanding federal policy,"  Timothy Cardinal Dolan


How did Chief Justice John Robert's ruling on ObamaCare affect me?


About the same as my vote for Gery Chico in the last Chicago Mayoral Election and my vote for Pat Quinn as Governor.  One in the loss column and one elected but both extremely costly and most disappointing. The mayoral winner, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, increased Chicago property taxes by $ 41 Million, gave $1 Million to Gang-Banger Emeriti of CeaseFire, set the table for a CPS strike, made Blunts more accessible to the Soul Patched Knit Hat crowd, imposed the garbage collection grid in order to geld any remaining autonomy at the Ward level of Chicago Government and we have yet to see the bill for the swell NATO Tribute to Andy Thayer. Gov. Pat Quinn proved himself to be the Governor Le Pétomane to Illinois Abortion Trail-Boss Terry Cosgrove's Hedley Lamarr. Quinn does nothing without Boss Cosgrove's say-so. Both electoral experiences have been as pleasant as a vigorous, drug-free, gum scrapping by a periodontist in the late stages of Parkinson's Disease.


Hey, it's how we vote neighbors.   Sometimes you get the bear and most times the bears maul the Hell out you.


I happen to be Roman Catholic.  As far as I can tell, it will be a very tough couple of months. The only thing keeping me and my co-religionists from being outlaws is the ballot-box.  ObamaCare is all about Abortion, Contraception and Planned Parenthood; everything else is spoon vittles.


Chief Justice John Roberts took a tough path and upheld the Mandate/Tax for ObamaCare in a 5-4 decision, siding with the liberal half of the bench.  Immediately, the left of America laid palm branches and shouted Hosanna's and the right leaning Americans demanded Robert's pelt . . .for starters.  Personally, I believe that Chief Justice John Roberts proved himself to be wiser than Solomon and craftier than Richelieu.  President Obama won a huge jackpot yesterday on a low straight flush hand. The Springfield Illinois Poker Superstar is high-five-ing and knuckle-bumping.


Chief Justice Roberts called for a clean deck.


ObamaCare's Chip Leader, President Barack Obama now heads to the final table set for November 6th 2012.  He will be facing the American Voter.

Shuffle the Cards and Deal!


Thursday, June 28, 2012

Marilyn Katz, PR Maven for Chicago's Thug Comfort Zone Says "Violence is Bad"

The septuagenarian PR Maven, Marilyn Katz, graduated from the Weather Underground, where she made 'nail bombs' in 1968 to toss at Police Officers, to Marxist Plutocrat via the Hyde Park Progressive Mensa Chapter ( Abner Mikva, Dr. Quentin Young, Studs Terkel, Dawn Clark Netsch, Barbara Flynn-Curry, Dick Simpson et al,).  Regl'r Demacrat Ward cynics accepted the Progressive sunshine blown up their kilts and the wildly tax-wasted lucrative contracts for the likes of Marilyn Katz - politically sanitized, n'cest pas, and our endless cavalcade of Progressive dopes who now swell the ranks of Chicago, Cook County and State of Illinois and Federal elected officials - Forrest Claypool, Joe Moore, Deb Shore, Barack Obama, Pat Quinn. Toni Preckwinkle, Rahm Emanuel, Mike Quigley, the fatigued Jesse Jackson Junior and Illinois' MSNBC Congressional lunatic and Turkish spy Jan Schakowsky. La trahison des images!

Maryilyn Katz made her bones and nail bombs during Chicago's 1968 Convention and the subsequent Days of Rage with best buds -Billy Ayers, the Barney Google of Terror and his odious Old Lady - Bernadine Dohrn,  From Jane Byrne's tenure as mayor right up to Mayor Rahm 'Ceasefire, but Light a Jay' Emanuel.  The Hyde Park Mafia eclipsed the old Democratic Machine via 'Blue Ribbon' panels, University of Chicago studies, and the three decades long war on our Justice System by the Peoples Law Office and the less-lights of the Lawsuit Lotto Lawyer Coalition.

From Goose Guts to Ganja and Abortion to Ambiguous Marriage. the Illinois Progressive Power is taller than black Willis and more visible than Gangbangers on 79th Street.

Marilyn Katz did the PR work. It's here in bullet points: 

  • We believe public relations is a complex activity.
  •   PR is a broad-based strategic activity that goes far beyond interaction with the media, involving the use of organizational, political, and marketing skills to influence targeted audiences to change behavior or opinions.
  • We believe in the power of collaboration.
  •  We PR is an integral part of an institution’s organizational strategy, and that PR counsel should help in developing not only marketing campaigns, events and speeches, but also legislative campaigns, program development, community outreach strategies, etc.
  • We believe every client is unique.
  •  We practice individualized client services that reflect the entirety of our client. Our firm’s work does not begin at the media plan, but at the heart of the organization, garnering an understanding of our client’s goals and objectives and creating an appropriate public relations strategy.
  • We believe in information.
  •   We think that public relations work is best done when we have more access to information and people, not less.  We can serve you most effectively when we are included in the initial stages of planning and decision-making, to effectively create and seize maximum public relations opportunities.
  • We believe in developing relationships. 
  •  Our job as communicators goes beyond issuing news release and organizing events. We position our clients as experts who the media and opinion-makers will call upon to comment on the critical issues of the day.  Where appropriate, we aim to involve our clients in relevant emerging public debates that arise in the course of public life.
  • We believe in conserving and making efficient use of our clients’ resources.
  •   We enhance the value and impact of costly paid media with creative earned media, editorial coverage and direct marketing whenever possible.  When we use paid media, we coordinate with direct marketing and free press activities to ensure the greatest leverage for our dollars and the greatest impact for our work.
  • We believe in communication.
  •  Open, unfettered communication between our firm and our clients is central to success.  While we keep track of all hours worked, we prefer a set monthly fee so that client/firm contact is not impeded by concern about the cost of individual contact or projects. ( emphases my own)
This old broad has clients!  Name a City, County or State agency and Marilyn Katz draws a "monthly fee so that client/firm contact is not impeded by concern about the cost of individual contact or projects." 


"You say, YOU want a Revolution? Sorry. already grabbed."


One of Marilyn's clients* is CeaseFire which just drew a million dollar lump from the City of Chicago.  Less than 48 hours after Mayor Rahm announced this Gangbanger 401 K give-away, the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board gave Marilyn a swell perch to PR it up!


Today, the Nail-Bomb Mouthpiece tells all and sundry that Violence in Chicago is bad. Who told you, Marilyn?  Pain hurts, I hate it too.  Death stings. Murder is homicide. Marilyn handles CeaseFire and also Community Action Policing (CAPS) and other costly sinecures. This is Progressive Slow Pitch:


Marilyn, approaches the mound; grabs the ball with the metaphorical nails knocked into it


  -On the surface what we know — from the early, successful days of community policing, from the massive study sponsored by the MacArthur Foundation on decreasing crime and from anti-violence groups like CeaseFire — is that success in reducing crime requires good police practices, the removal of places for crime and the fancy term "collective efficacy," meaning neighbors sharing a set of good values and watching out for one another.
It would mean understanding that the police alone will not solve the problem. It would mean empowering and involving ordinary citizens in block clubs, churches and school-parent groups to embrace the community challenge as their own and forbid criminal and violent activities in their households and on the blocks where they live.
Here Comes the wind-up!
It would mean embracing groups like CeaseFire, which with its unorthodox methods has demonstrated that it can interrupt the retaliatory behavior of youth violence and change a culture that too easily uses the death of one's opponent as the way to settle disputes and scores.
These steps, however effective in the past, fall short today. We have to take bolder steps.

And now, the Pitch!

Not only should we invest in helping at-risk youths overcome the impediments that discourage them from learning and achieving, we need to assure a path to a sustainable future. While Chicago-based corporate headquarters are nice and make us feel good about our city, we need to create the conditions for manufacturing jobs and other less lofty jobs that are attainable by our youth. We need to encourage small and big businesses to hire inner-city youth — using the many tax credits that are available to businesses that hire the long-term unemployed.

It is our collective responsibility ( You Pay!) to say we are willing and able to connect our young people to a life that puts them — and us — out of harm's way.

 Marilynn Katz has once again killed the batters, the catchers, the umpires and the fans is Screamin'!!!!!!!!!


Read Marilyn Katz's full-screed.  It is chock-full of references to her Clients: Ceasefire, CAPs and Alternative School Network - and cites the Progressive cash cow for implementing every God awful agenda that comes down the pike -MacArthur Foundation.


If it is costly, makes absolutely no common sense whatsoever, offends people, assaults Faith, divides races, or destroys community at the governmental level, Marilyn handles it 

If you ever need an answer to question - "How did this idiotic ordinance, program, or candidate come about?" refer to Marilyn Katz. This stuff doesn't come about by osmosis; it takes the media, the creeps, the crooks and the complicit working with Marilyn Katz.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/ct-oped-0627-violence-20120627,0,5721163.story
http://www.mkcpr.com/marilyn-katz-pages-50.php

* Marilyn's Ooodles of Boodle in "Monthly Payments"


Accountability Council of the Chicago Public School System
Alternative Schools Network
Amalgamated Transit Union
American Civil Liberties Union
Amnesty International
Ascendance Partners
Atrium Village*
Auditorium Theatre
Bank of America Illinois
Banner Property Management, LLC*
Bethel New Life, Inc.
Bracero Justice Project
Brinshore Development*
The Brookings Institution- Mayor Daley Tribute Video
Business and Professional People In the Public Interest
California Equity Fund
Case of Javier Torres and Jose Ramirez et al v Terry Goddard
CeaseFire - The Campaign to Stop the Shooting
Center for Community Progress*
Center for Neighborhood Technology
Center for New Community
CEOs for Cities
Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) 
Chicago Children’s Museum
The Chicago Conservation Center
Chicago Housing Authority*
Chicago Metropolitan Housing Development Corporation (CMHDC)
Chicago Mutual Housing Network
Chicago Neighborhood Initiative
Chicago Panel on Public School Finances
Chicago Park District
Chicago Teacher’s Housing Resource Center
Chicago Teachers Union
Chicago Women in Trades
Chicagoans Against War and Injustice
Citizens for David Orr
City Colleges of Chicago 
City of Chicago Central Area Circulator Project
City of Chicago Corporation Counsel
City of Chicago Department of Aviation
City of Chicago Department of Environment
City of Chicago Department of Housing
City of Chicago Department of Housing
City of Chicago Department of Housing Campaign to End Homelessness
City of Chicago Department of Human Services
City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development
City of Chicago Department of Public Health--Hepatitis Prevention Program
City of Chicago Department of Public Health--Syphilis Elimination Campaign
City of Chicago Department of Public Works
City of Chicago Department of Streets & Sanitation
City of Chicago Department of Streets & Sanitation
City of Chicago Mayor's Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
City of Chicago Office of Special Events
City of East Chicago
City of Evanston
Coalition to Ban the Sale of Leaded Gas
Commission on the Future of Public Service
Committee to Elect Byrd Brown (Pittsburgh mayoral campaign Cook County Assessors’ Office)
Construction Industry Service – Corporation (CISCO)
Cook County Bureau of Health Services
Cook County Clerk’s Office
Cook County Democratic Women 
Cook County Department of Public Health – “Take it Outside” Campaign
Corporate Community School of America
Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH)
Council for Community Based Development
Council for Illinois Nonprofit Organizations (CINO)
Crane Construction Co.
Crosstown Corridor Group
CSA Group
CSO Legal Services
CVS Pharmacies
David Kahn (attorney)
The Davis Group LLC
Davis, Miner, Barnhill, and Galland (Attorneys)
Day Care Action Council
Designs For Change (DFC)
District Council of Carpenters
Early Childhood Network
Empowerment Zone
Evergreen Towers
Find Your Place in Chicago*
Fred Gerhard (attorney and author)
Fried, Schegan & Associates (Iowa Riverboats)
Futterman and Howard (Attorneys)
Gessler, Hughes, & Socol, Ltd. (Attorneys)
Greenberg Traurig, LLP*
The Habitat Company
Harold Washington 1983-1987 Mayoral Campaign
Hispania Capitol Partners
Hispanic Housing Development Corporation
Hispanic Housing Development Corporation (HHDC)
Historic Chicago Bungalow Association
History Makers
Housing Abandonment Task Force
The Housing Agenda
Hughes Socol Piers Resnick & Dym (Attorneys)
Human Rights Watch
Illinois Campaign for Choice
Illinois Coalition Against the Death Penalty
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR)
Illinois Facilities Fund
Illinois Women's Agenda
In These Times (Newspaper)
James Alter (author)
The Jazz Institute
Jewish Council on Urban Affairs (JCUA)
Joan Kaplan (author)
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Joyce Foundation
Krasnow and Cohen, (Attorneys)
Lakefront Supportive Housing
LaSalle Bank
Latino Chicago
Leadership for Quality Education
Living Cities: The National Community Development Initiative
Local Initiatives Support Corporation Chicago (LISC Chicago)*
Local Initiatives Support Corporation Chicago (LISC National)
Mayor's Commission on Women's Affairs
McBride, Baker and Coles (Attorneys)
Metropolitan Tenants Organization
Midwest Gaming
Miller, Shakman, Hamilton & Kurtzon (Attorneys)
Modalisque Boutique, "Crimes of Fashion" Show
National Equity Fund (NEF)
National Railway Equipment Company (NREC)
Near North Development CorporationParsons
New Markets Tax Credit Coalition- NMTC 10th Anniversary Report*
New York Equity Fund (NYEF)
Northwestern Law School International Law Center
O2Diesel
Oppenheimer Family Foundation*
Park National Bank
Perspectives Charter School
Peter Ascoli (author)
Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH)*
Project Vote
Providence Effect
Public Safety Policy Project (Living Cities: The National Community Development Initiative)*
Related Midwest*
Residential La LR Development
Residential Land Fund I L.P.
Rush-Presbyterian Hospital
Rush-Presbyterian Hospital
RW Ventures
Sanctuary Townhomes Residents
Sandz Development/Webster Square*
Siemens Building Technologies
Small Schools Workshop
St. Edmund’s Redevelopment Corporation
State Senator Lloyd Doggett (Texas U.S. Senate campaign)
Statewide Housing Action Coalition (SHAC)
StyleMaster
SWOP/Foreclosures*
System of Care Chicago (SOC-C)
The Thrush Companies
Travelers and Immigrants Aid (TIA)
UNICEF
Union of Concerned Scientists
United Auto Workers, Local 719
University of Chicago
University of Chicago - Employer Assisted Housing Program (EAHP)
University of Chicago - Future of the City Event & Mayoral Forum

University of Chicago Graduate School of Business
University of Illinois at Chicago - Urban Education Leader Program
Voice of the People
Wall USA
The Woodstock Institute
Young Women’s Leadership Charter School of Chicago*
Youth Service Project, Inc

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Leo High School - Incubator of Wit



 

Tully eloquent in his glozes, yet vainglorious: Solomon wise, yet too wanton: David holy but yet an homicide: none more witty than Euphues, yet at the first none more wicked. The freshest colors soonest fade, the teenest razor soonest turneth his edge, the finest cloth is soonest eaten with moths, and the cambric sooner stained than the coarse canvas: which appeared well in this Euphues, whose wit being like wax apt to receive any impression, and having the bridle in his own hands, either to use the rein or the spur, disdaining counsel, leaving his country, loathing his old acquaintance, thought either by wit to obtain some conquest, or by shame to abide some conflict, and leaving the rule of reason, rashly ran unto destruction. Who preferring fancy before friends, and his present humor, before honor to come, laid reason in water being too salt for his taste, and followed unbridled affection, most pleasant for his tooth. When parents have more care how to leave their children wealthy than wise, and are more desirous to have them maintain the name, than the nature of a gentleman: when they put gold into the hands of youth, where they should put a rod under their girdle, when instead of awe they make them past grace, and leave them rich executors of goods, and poor executors of godliness, then it is no marvel, that the son being left rich by his father's will, become retchless by his own will. John Lyly:1579 
1578




I had occasion to quaff coffee with men of wit once again.  Nowhere on earth, it seems to me anyway, is there a habitat of the humanities so plush in periphrase, euphuistic circumanbages, prolixities, and piles of pleonasms as my south side Chicago neighborhood.  There be no terse Terrences on these Elysian urban arteries.

This is no home to thin and tight lip-ed cut-to-the-chasing merchant-pettifogers and gowned charlatans, who see time as money and words get in the way of both.  Hyde Park and Evanston stamp worth with coin in thy purse Puritanism and unitarian ambiguity of sound and sense.  Our rhetorical umbilical chords extend to Hibernian, Caledonian, Carpathian and Parnassan springs of generously honey'd word-waters.


In short, the guys can gab.

Of this breed of wags, none stands taller than a Leo High School Alumnus.  I say this with all requisite due diligence as to my attachment vocational to this academy of Faith, Scholarship and Deeds. Though I am an employee of this brainery of brawny stalwarts, I am not one myself.  I graduated from the now only remembered Little Flower High School.

I coffee at Dunkin Donuts operated by Moroccan born Kareem and attended by alumni of every Catholic parish and high school south of Madison Avenue with the odd sprinkling of Los Nortenos de Chicago, with an august parliament of worthies.  I was asked about enrollment for the coming school year and happily reported on the swelled ranks of young Lions, including seven young men from St. Gabriel's parish in Canaryville.

This segue'd to the looming Chicago Public Schools job action -voted on and set for strike.  I was told that marketing opportunities abound and all we needed was a snappy slogan.  A shower of shibboleths followed, all identifying rich niche tags; thus, Leo High School -Expect to Succeed & etc.


A Leo Man, Mike Regan '70,  stood tall and voiced the truth honeyed with periphrase, genius, wisdom and truth.


Leo High School - A success story from one end of the bar to the other!


Mike Regan, Citizens!  Un homme qui offre toujours le meilleur mot sur ​​n'importe quel objet donner!


Hey, that Motts Juice is mighty tasty!