The Taoiseach( P.M. Chief in Irish) and the Teleprompter- BIFFO Meets Barry

"I was reared in a pub – as a young fellow, serving in the pub I learnt far more there about human nature than I learnt in any university or school. I think it gave me a great insight into people." Taoiseach Brian Cowen

"Mr Obama joked about the free-flowing bar and warned his guests not to wear lampshades on their heads in front of the cameras." Sky News

Mr. President - The Irish Do Not Have a Tradition of Wearing Lampshades -sober or inebriated, but you'll get a pass from Tingle Thighs, OlberBloat and Butchie Maddow.

This Distraction . . . never mind.

One of the Irish 'Lampshade' Profiled by President TelePrompter is Irish Taoiseach Brian Cowen.

Mr. Brian Cowen has a wonderful singing voice and has no need of a teleprompter. He is a great guy - glib and welcoming.

On St. Paddy's Day the Taoiseach or Prime Minister Brian Cowen, a great fellow from County Offaly was horsed around by a Teleprompter.. In Ireland, Counties take on the very nature of PC humor so forbidden by tiny-brained and thin-hearted people - Polish Jokes translate to Kerryman Jokes and people from Offaly seem to attract the same affection from neighboring Counties as Illinois residents manage to do from Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan. Missouri, and Iowa populations where we are known as F.I.P.s ( F#$%^ing Illinois P#$%ks) - Offaly folks are known as BIFFO - Big Ignorant F#$%^ers from Offaly.

The BIFFO and the FIP in Chief made the news because of President Obama's addiction to the teleprompter. Taoiseach Cowen read the remarks read by President Obama only moments before - Yuck, Yuck, Yuck! BIFFO!

The Media are going apey on Brian Cowen because The Teleprompter-In-Chief Barack Obama can not and will not communicate without his Plexi-glass/Tri-Pane Fort Apache set.

I sang with Taoiseach Brian Cowen at the Beverly Art Center, following the 2006 South Side Irish Parade. Cousin Willie was the Grand Marshall in his final role as Director of Beverly Area Planning Association and Brian Cowen was serving as Ireland's Minister of Finance. In 2006, Ireland was the marvel of the world of economics and known as the Celtic Tiger - due in no small part to Brian Cowen.

Willie got me to sing with him at the party and we covered Rocky Road to Dublin, Beggarman, Follow Me Up to Carlow and the Minstrel Boy. Years ago Willie and I played with Terry McEldowney as the Sons of Reilly's Daughter: I played 5-string banjo and Willie guitar and Terry played the crowd.

Brian Cowen then stood up and sang the Fields of Athenry a song set in Famine Ireland. No Teleprompter; no hitch, slip or sour note - this Minister had a set of Pipes on Him!

By a lonely prison wall,
I heard a young girl call:
"Michael, they have taken you away,
For you stole Trevelyn's corn,
So the young might see the morn.
Now a prison ship lies waiting in the bay."

Low lie the fields of Athenry
Where once we watched the small free birds fly
Our love was on the wing
We had dreams and songs to sing
It's so lonely round the fields of Athenry.

By a lonely prison wall,
I heard a young man call
"Nothing matters, Mary, when you're free
Against the famine and the crown,
I rebelled, they cut me down.
Now you must raise our child with dignity."

Low lie the fields of Athenry
Where once we watched the small free birds fly
Our love was on the wing
We had dreams and songs to sing
It's so lonely round the fields of Athenry.

By a lonely harbor wall,
She watched the last star fall
As the prison ship sailed out against the sky
For she lived to hope and pray
For her love in Botany Bay
It's so lonely round the fields of Athenry.

Low lie the fields of Athenry
Where once we watched the small free birds fly
Our love was on the wing
We had dreams and songs to sing
It's so lonely round the fields of Athenry.


Brian Cowen is no empty suit.

Taoiseach Cowen, as a FIP, Chicagoan and American, I apologize for my President. He should have had more grace than he displayed. You were treated shabbily.

Gov. Pat Quinn -Either ( Daley/Madigan Barbed Wire Mattress Guy) OR ( The Next Progressive Moses) - He Ain't Nuts.

"It's much better to level with the people in a straightforward manner," Quinn told reporters. "The citizens of Illinois want honest leadership, and they need straight talk." Illinois Governor Pat Quinn

Click my post title for more on the Quinn Budget from the News Gazette
1. Pat Quinn will tell Illinois that he is the guy who dives on the Barbed Wire for Speaker Madigan ( clearing the way for Lisa Madigan) and Mayor Daley in his bid for the Olympics -'Oh, Yeah, we can afford them . . .honest!'

2.Pat Quinn is the Fiesty Progressive Dingbat Warrior Who Will Program His Way into History Books and Lose Every Election in his Path. The Peoples Populist and Fighting Something Or Other! Jesus, I hope not. I like Pat Quinn.

The Quinn/Martire Budget will crash and burn and Illinois will face another long,long, long hot summer in Legislative Session - getting Meeks Threats/Coalition Protests/Purple T-Shirt Visitors/Media Keening and essentially nothing much else.

Speaker Madigan will be villifed by the Boiled Beets Progressives because he is smart, effective and professional.

Pat, as a decent man who was no doubt asked to take a dreary overly plumb, sour faced, neighbor girl to some dance by your Mom and Dad, you can not really believe what you said, "It's much better to level with the people in a straightforward manner," Quinn told reporters. "The citizens of Illinois want honest leadership, and they need straight talk."

Hey, didn't John McCain copyright that one?

Are you really going to tell Illinois that 'we don't sweat much for Fat Girls'?

Pope Kiril Quinn - The Shoes of the Ninian Edwards

Kiril Lakota: [the shadow of the cross is on the Pope's empty chair during this exchange of dialog] Leone, how does a man ever know if his actions are for himself or for God?
Cardinal Leone: You don't know. You have a duty to act. But you have no right to expect approval, or even a successful outcome.
Kiril Lakota: So, in the end, my friend, we are alone?

The Shoes of the Fisherman

I had a great chat with veteran banker Steve Jordan, who worked in Boston, Singapore, New York and San Francisco for some of the leading banks in America. Mr. Jordan is disgusted by the destruction of banking in this country and most especially by the idiotic and gutless trend to nationalize our banks and lending institutions.

Steve Jordan reminded me of the novel by Australian Morris L. West - The Shoes of the Fisherman in which the Pope sells off all of the Vatican's assets to stop a World War sparked by famine in China.Pope Kiril I had been confined to a Soviet Gulag until he was named to replace the Pope. Jordan pointed out that this fictional Pope needed to do What Jesus Would Do, which makes for fine and inspirationally uplifting fiction, but bad economics and worse management -'What about the next Famine? Who's the next Vicar of Christ and what's he got left? Think Red China will buck up?' Nope.

Bankers quit being bankers and made themselves pawns to politicians - politicians are pawns to Programs and Programs come from Taxes. Taxes come from the Wealthier citizens and primarily from the Middle Class and also largely from businesses that pay the wages that can be taxed.

Here in Illinois, political semi-exile recluse, Governor Pat Quinn is playing Pope Kiril Quinn the First - filling the Shoes of Ninian Edwards 1826-1830( 1st Il.Guv). Ninian did one term - a full one though.

Here is Pope Quinn's Encyclical:

Quinn's proposal would raise the individual income tax rate from 3 percent to 4.5 percent and boost the corporate rate from 4.8 percent to 7.2 percent. At the same time, Quinn would shield lower-income families from the tax bite by increasing the personal exemption from the current $2,000 to $6,000. In all, the higher income taxes would generate about $3.1 billion.

He contended 5 million lower wage-earning residents would pay no increase in income taxes or get a tax cut due to the higher exemption.

Quinn also is considering doubling the $10 cost of a four-year driver's license, adding $20 to the $79 cost of a basic license plate fee and increasing vehicle title fees as part of his "Illinois Jobs Now!" proposal—a $26 billion public works program that he said would create 340,000 jobs over several years. The higher fees on motorists would fund $18.6 billion in transportation projects, including road repair and mass transit, and 10 percent of the new income-tax revenue would pay for school construction and unspecified "economic development" projects.

Additionally, the governor is backing a plan that would boost the current 98-cent per pack cigarette tax by 50 cents in the next budget year to help pay down a backlog of long-overdue bills from health-care providers to the poor. The tax could go up another 50 cents a pack the following year.

Quinn outlined his plans in a meeting Tuesday with Democratic lawmakers, who praised the new spirit of openness in contrast to their contentious budget battles with Blagojevich. Still, many lawmakers were warning that several of Quinn's plans were non-starters—including one concept which would deny cities and towns a share of new income-tax revenue.

This is Class Warfare - corporations will leave the State; Programs will bloat; More Taxes without Cuts. The Middle Class will bear more burden. Pope Quinn is not selling off State Assets to pay bills, meet debts, and cover expenses - that, Pope Quinn leaves to the Taxpayer -Pope Quinn loots the citizens and businesses that will leave Illinois.

In Morris L. West's novel the Bells Tolled for Joy - at noon today, Governor Quinn, the bells toll for Thee. Fiction and this Tax Scam are cousins.

Leo Lions Old Teeth Bite the Way Downstate! Go Lions

Leo High School is proof that God works miracles. Leo High School offers a solid college prep education to young guys from the Englewood, Grand Crossing, Brainard, and our home neighborhoods of Auburn/Gresham. These, by the way are all African American neighborhoods. Leo men go on to Boston College, Marquette, Loyola, DePaul, Purdue, Notre Dame and West Point, because guys send in a great deal of money from Zipcodes -60643, 60655, 60611,60453, 60462 and beyond - heavy white population Zipcodes

Leo High School is God's miracle - goodness without the guilt. Leo is not a PC haven - it is the Real Deal.

The Leo men pay back handsomely. Last night the Leo Basketball 3-A team took down CPS school Brooks 51-48 in well-fought battle pitting young guns against Old Lions at Chicago State University.

"They controlled the boards in the first half, but in the second half we let the sophomores know we were seniors," Gatewood said.

The Lions took their first lead (43-42) since the opening minutes on a bucket by Malcolm McFarland with 3:27 left and went ahead for good a minute later (46-45) on McFarland's putback.

. . .

Veteran composure trumped youthful exuberance in Leo's 51-48 win Tuesday night over upstart Brooks in the Class 3A supersectional at Chicago State.

The Lions, with three senior starters, rallied from nine points down late in the third quarter to overtake the Eagles, who featured five sophomores and a junior in their seven-man rotation.

The victory earns Leo the school's first trip Downstate since winning the 2004 Class A title and a matchup Friday in Peoria against Oswego.

"We weren't panicking; we just started off slow," said Leo senior guard James Pointer, who scored a game-high 16 points. "Coach (Noah Cannon) told us in practice this week it was our time. They (Brooks) can wait."

The Old White Guys in the stand went to Leo in the 1940's, 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's and they have the Young Lions Backs - Always!


Go Lions

Martyr Quinn for Ralph Martire'sSake? Blago Budget Bonehead Backs Bloat Boost!

Progress Illinois which hands me more laughs than The Onion ( without meaning to do so and that is even funnier) is all Progressive and Pouffe *over Ralph Martire's** imprimatur on the Illinois Tax Boost. Today's giggle is from Josh Kalven again and he wants Illinois to know that Mike Madigan is very, very smart and Lisa Madigan has ambition!
http://progressillinois.com/2009/3/16/the-one-to-watch

Josh, Honor Bright?

Progress is all Quinnish and Daisy Happy! More Taxes Mean more slots for low skilled and unskilled SEIU placements in the State Budget! PI Loves PQ! They want Speaker Mike Madigan to be the bad guy. They can not go after Lisa Madigan for the obvious PC reasons - she's a Female Girl Woman, but they can get all Boiled Beet Progressive on Daddo.

Pat Quinn, the Governor, wants to increase Illinois taxes - Pat Quinn wants a dramatic increase. Really Huge! Quinn has Ralph Martire in his corner - 'Cut Me Ralph. I can go the Distance! This is a Long Distance Race? Boxing? I thought it was Cross-Country, Ralph! Ralph? Ralph! where's the water bottle? Taxed? That Too? Sponge Me! This is supposed to be Long Distance Cross Country Running! No?'

No; it's Boxing Guv and this is Round One! You might get to Round Two. Oh, thats right, Ralph is in your corner. The canvass is not all that comfortable. You will be hitting it hard, by the way.

Ralph Martire is a career know-it-all-screw-up - a Progressive Professor with his snout plunged in the public trough. From Dawn Clark Netsch to Rod Blagojevich, Ralph Martire's slide rule reads 'Taxes.' State Government Spendathons! Lefty Agit-Prop and Meeks Shall Inherit the Works Coalition Building! Pat Quinn is toast.

This from Peoria!

"What should the state do to balance the budget? Cut spending or raise taxes and maintain spending," Martire said.

In fact, Quinn said last week, he plans to do both. When he delivers his budget speech Wednesday, Quinn plans to ask for an increase in the state income tax, something that hasn't happened in Illinois since 1993, when the current 3 percent personal rate was made permanent. Quinn also said he will announce more than $800 million in cuts to the budget.

Quinn hasn't said how large a tax increase he will seek, although some reports have said he will ask for a new rate of 4.5 percent, a 50 percent increase. An increase of that magnitude would raise more than $4 billion in new revenue.

However, Quinn also will ask for the state personal income tax exemption to increase from $2,000 to $6,000 to offset the impact of the tax hike.

Martire thinks the income tax increase should be even larger. What's more, he thinks Quinn also should adjust the state sales tax while lawmakers are debating revenue increases.

Ralph Martire, who helped Blago give away the Illinois General Store to tax salaried SEIU pals and allies,as well as the usual Pork Eating Capitalists, warns that trimming the Budget Bloat through . . .TAX Cuts !!!! Hopi Indians, Mildred, think of the Children! . . .might . . . might mind you lead to rising unemployment figures.

Yeah???!!!!!!!!!!! Tax-salaried employees put in the State Budget by you and Blago Ralph!

Martire will be a Huge help in Pat Quinn's Martyrdom! You can set your watch by dopes like Martire . . . I mean Distinguished Professors on the Public Teat like Ralph Martire.

* footstool - SEIU's footstool, ottoman, place to put feet on & etc.

** Ralph Martire:Ralph Martire is executive director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability (“CTBA”). He also serves as a regular columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, the State Journal-Register and The Herald Newson issues involving government accountability, tax, fiscal and budget policies. Ralph served on the
budget advisory board to Governor Rod Blagojevich's transition team, where he acted as chairperson ofthe state revenue subcommittee. Ralph was the principal author of a study CTBA produced that identifiedrevenue enhancement proposals to address the 2002 fiscal crises in the state of Illinois. Five of the proposals identified in that study ultimately became law. Ralph also was a key member of the research
team that produced the groundbreaking "State of Working Illinois" report, which detailed industry,employment, wage and benefit trends in Illinois over the last 15 years. A joint project of CTBA andNorthern Illinois University, the State of Working Illinois has been featured in over 150 media (print andbroadcast) placements nationwide. ( emphasis my own)

http://www.ctbaonline.org/All%20Links%20to%20Press%20and%20Reports/Contact%20Us/Ralph%20Martire.pdf

Chicago Cops - Heroes Every Day, but Especially on Parade Days

Outnumbered. Out- Idioted. Out-Lawyered. Out-Politicianed. Out There. Chicago Police Officers are the real heroes.

They helped me look for a lost 4 year old.

They were loudly abused by drunks from early Sunday morning and well into the night.

World Class Scum Bag - G. Flint Taylor appeared on a Cable TV show called the Professors ( I caught this at about 1PM yesterday) who said that systemic racism and brutality is what Chicago Police Officers are all about -'They wield nightsticks on the backs of blacks, shrilled G. Flint. They have not used nightsticks in YEARS! None of the 'Professors' picked up on that fact however and most talked liked they were using words they learned that morning -'The Conflagration of the community rubrics are Tantamounted to the Proliferation of Police Powers on the Community.'

Nope. Cops are heroes.

During the Parade which brought 325,000 people together on the pavement around Western Ave., Chicago Cops put down two good sized brawls - the biggest at 111th and Western in the CVS parking lot the home to the Coach/Bus tourist louts from the fern bars up North and from suburbs who got boiled on booze early in the day and stayed hard at it until dark and the Metra Mopes from down-town, lofting cases of cheap domestic ( CHI-RISH MILLERS primarily) beers and smoking Weed Dude! One at 105th and Talman was put down with less violence, from what I heard.

Most of the outside revellers were great and respectful people. However, the ones who got all geezed-up to get their Irish Freak On - the sloppy drunk girls were the most sad and obnoxious of this variety - should be ashamed. Shame comes from the recognition of consequences for actions. These mopes do not understand consequences - they file lawsuits when they fall on someone's driveway and bust out a few teeth that have just passed the contents of their stomachs. Nice. These are the clowns who Bus It Down to the Parade. The Cops deal with them.

Granted we have enough of our own home grown dummies, but the Exodus from Look Down On The South Side Land of Oafs is too much.

Chicago Police Officers handled the situation with good humor, common sense and, when that failed, muscular application of Professional Standards. G. Flint Taylor was no doubt skulking about the drunks and Weed Citizens trolling for a lawsuit.

Well done, Officers! Mary Beth Sheehan and The South Side Parade Committee did a wonderful job as always in organizing a magnificent parade.

However, it is to the credit of the Chicago Police Officers who stood good for the South Side neighborhoods of Beverly, Morgan Park and Mount Greenwood in interdicting the imbeciles - Homegrown and Imported.

Thank you, Officers!

St. Joseph - How to Man -Up!

Yesterday was the South Side St. Paddy's Day Parade, but my thoughts were turned to St. Joseph*. Here's the deal - every year my cousin Willie opens up his bungalow over on Bell to about 200 people - mostly cousins and relatives and neighbors, but also Willie's endless parade of friends. Willie is one of the most genuine human beings and Christian gentleman to the steely backbone ( the anti-Hickey so to speak). Willie and Kerry and Bart, Maggie and Liam host a great Party that is often guested by the Great. President Barack Obama, Paul Vallas, Alderman Rugai,Tom Dart, Judge Tom Murphy, members of the Irish Government have all attended the Mass and Irish Breakfast with Willie before the Parade.

My role was to help cook bacon and Irish Bangers, but since the growth of this event exceeded the time and material needed to feed the folks, Willie has contracted the work out to Calabria. My job now is to help with the coffee. Nephew Bart and myself had to get the filled urns and pitchers and plastic vessels from Karim at Dunkin Donuts on 104th and Western.

I got to Willie's with the coffee and set things up, but then had to leave and get my car locked into the driveway at home. Anyone and everyone decides to make parking a personal entitlement. 'Park Here! Open Driveway! We won't have to walk a block or so - What's he going to do Tow Us? Flatten our Tires?' Well, it is a thought, Jasper. The Parade route on Western gets locked at 10 A.M. and it becomes impossible to cross Western Ave.

I got my car back home and started to walk the eight long and short blocks back to Willie's. A frantic woman had lost her little boy between 108th and 107th on Artesian. I asked her where and she said , 'I stopped to talk to a friend here on Artesian and turned around and he was gone! He's wearing a lime green T-shirt with dragons and Cubs hat- He's four years old - Oh, My God!.' Knowing the greatness of my neighbors, no little guy would go unnoticed and I tried to reassure her. I told her I would walk south on Artesian. It was still early and the thick crowds had yet to smother Western Ave. Down Artesian I went with a purpose and eyes wide open. Look, I am a gold-plated jerk about many things, but kids are not one of them - especially lost kids. I cut East on 109th and made my way back North on the west side of Western Ave, keeping an eye peeled for a solitary, crying four year old boy with a Lime Green Dragon t-shirt and a Cubs hat.

Nothing. I was getting as frantic as the poor Mom back on Artesian. I walked through the parking lot at County Fair and talked to two cops and they said no dice on the little guy. I crossed the parking lot to DiCola's and walked through that area and in back of the Quaker Meeting House. Nothing. I had lost Conor, Nora, and Clare for moments of pure anguish and self-loathing at museums, malls and marathons ( which I watch, but choose not to Run). There is nothing more horrific to a parent.

At 107th and Campbell I found the woman - girl really - talking to a tall bruiser who had a lime-green Buckeen with a CUBS hat perched on his shoulders. 'Thank you so much! This is my boy friend, Joe Petraikus and he chased Larry back to me.'

It turns out that Larry (4) went to pet a puppy and had ducked out of sight and followed the puppy and its owners west on 107th Street. The woman's boyfriend Joe the Loogan, a sobriquet I kept to myself by the way given the size and sinews of the lad, saw the wandering Larry and scooped him up.

It was too late to head back to Willie's and so I returned home to write an article for Chicago Daily Observer. I started thinking about Joe the Loogan, Larry and I never got Mom's name.

Joe, like the Patron of the Catholic Church, the patron of Fathers, the patron of workers, the patron Saint of Italians and Sicilians, was man who cared for the child who belonged to another. Joe found a little boy who had wandered off and agonized his mother, just like St. Joseph, the blue collar tradesman of Royal Blood, found his wife's little boy in a Temple full of wise men. Joe the Loogan found a little boy in waves of green costumes pushing strollers and wagons.

St. Joseph is the best saint. He teaches us males what it means to be a man - how to love with unconditional courage and gentle toughness. Toughness means not what one can dish out - pain, abuse, terror - but how much one can endure - doubt,discomfort and sometimes disgrace. Italians and Poles celebrated the masculine St. Joseph who worked quietly with his hands and protected his wife and child from the idiot who governed them.

We Irish celebrate a loner who worked miracles with his words. We need to crowd in on St. Joseph more than we do - I know I could use some manning up,

St. Joseph teaches us to Man up. Celebrate St. Joseph - no goofy green hats, and Miller Brewing keeps their hands off him. March 19th - St. Joseph Watch Over Us Guys!



*Joseph was foster father to Jesus. There are many children separated from families and parents who need foster parents. Please consider contacting your local Catholic Charities or Division of Family Services about becoming a foster parent.

Prayer -Saint Joseph, patron of the universal Church, watch over the Church as carefully as you watched over Jesus, help protect it and guide it as you did with your adopted son. Amen

Embryonic Stem Cells Come from Dead Kids - End of Story

President Obama's stem-cell policy "one of those definitional 'change we can believe in' moments," said John Nichols in The Nation. By reversing George W. Bush's ban on federal funding for research using new embryonic stem-cell lines, Obama is making it clear that "science and morality can mix."

No, he's showing that science and politics can mix, said Robert P. George and Eric Cohen in The Wall Street Journal. "Bush's policy was one of moderation," because it permitted the science to continue without encouraging the destruction of human embryos. Obama is pretending to be calm and moderate while advancing radical policies that "will promote a whole new industry of embryo creation and destruction," funded by taxpayers.

"If you support this research, congratulations: You won," said William Saletan in Slate. But, remember, this wasn't a fight between ideology and science. "It was a fight between 5-day-olds and 50-year-olds." If you ignore the losing side's main point -- that "embryos are the beginnings of people" -- you could win the stem-cell debate but lose your soul.

The Gals of Planned Parenthood and the Geldings who play ball with them might opine -

'Can you weigh a soul? Can a Soul get reservations at Spiaggia? Soul? Oh, I'm voting for the Soul.'

Planned Parenthood needs a win. They had a huge political one in November with the election of President Obama, for whom Planned Parenthood the scions of Eugenics Warrior Princess Margaret Sanger spent millions of dollars to support.

Anyone can get elected, really. I'm from Illinois and we twice elected the Klepto-Governor Rod Blagojevich, who begat Senator Roland Burris, poster boy for political opportunism, who begat more nonsense than a Stooge-athon on Cable. All that politics requires is sticking to the crafted script, having willing idiots like Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann and Butch Maddow in your hip pocket to to vilify any and all opposition, and keeping the cat hair off of your top coat.

Planned Parenthood needs a philosophical win based upon the tactical application of science which uses numbers, graphs, charts and nuance
over morals and ethics that employs unmeasurables - human understanding, honesty, and good will, for the most part. The Politics of ABORTION allows Obama and Planned Parenthood to sacrifice infants on the altar of 'Research.' Just gush out 'Research will save lives and end disease' and gutless nitwits and bumper sticker junkies will nod with solemn conviction. Oppose the Abortion Industry (PP, Abortion Docs, DNC, MSNBC, Cell Research Companies, Agit-Prop Progressives & etc.) position and get called evil Mormons, close-knit ethnic Catholics Bigots, or Rural Religious Reactionary Rubes, like in the nuance Gay Debates in California. BTW - they ( The Gay Agit-Propers) conveniently forget the African American Churches in the vilification process in the Gay Debate, because they need some black coalition building once Jesse Jackson and Al Sahrapton bite off their morditas.

Stem Cell research demands that infants die - be murdered. Nuanced Abortion Rhetoric allows Planned Parenthood to euphemize euthanizing people - like 'partial birth abortion' which means jamming a probe into the skull of a full-term baby and then yanking the dead little critter out with a forceps.

Jesus, Can you imagine dating some Planned Parenthood harpy? Ilsa of the SS and Penelope of Planned Parenthood have about the same cache.

President Obama is scripted on the wrong side of this debate. He will come out looking like more of an opportunistic dope than some Hitlerian monster - that job's taken. President Obama's strident triumph of the will - 'science over morality' dodge will make him look dumber than Rod Blagojevich with a hangover.

I like this gent's point of view.

It was a fight between 5-day-olds and 50-year-olds." If you ignore the losing side's main point -- that "embryos are the beginnings of people" -- you could win the stem-cell debate but lose your soul.

Embryonic Stem Cell Research comes from Dead Kids - End of Story.

I expect not.

Friar Jack's Real St. Paddy! Better Than the One Goofs Puke To at Both Parades Here in Chicago

It is tough knowing who in Hell each of us happens to be, let alone 'knowing' what a Legendary Saint is all about.

Today and tomorrow the Youth of America will get over served.

They want to get their Chi-Rish On! Chi -Rish don't Ch-Ite about St. Patrick or Saint Patrick's day.

I hold that St. Paddy was an Italian whose folks worked in Wales.

He converted the Irish to Christianity after being a slave in the Emerald Isle for years, and years. Instead of asking the Pope for 'a Mule and Forty Acres' in County Kerry; the emancipated Patricius asked to speak Truth to Power.

Here is a fine account of the abused Saint.


What do we know about the life of St. Patrick?

Patrick was born Patricius somewhere in Roman Britain to a relatively wealthy family. He was not religious as a youth and, in fact, claims to have practically renounced the faith of his family.

While in his teens, Patrick was kidnapped in a raid and transported to Ireland, where he was enslaved to a local warlord and worked as a shepherd until he escaped six years later.

He returned home and eventually undertook studies for the priesthood with the intention of returning to Ireland as a missionary to his former captors. It is not clear when he actually made it back to Ireland, or for how long he ministered there, but it was definitely for a number of years.

By the time he wrote the Confession and the "Letter to Coroticus," Patrick was recognized by both Irish natives and the Church hierarchy as the bishop of Ireland. By this time, also, he had clearly made a permanent commitment to Ireland and intended to die there.

These two brief documents are the basis for all we know of the historical Patrick. The Confession, because its purpose was to recount his own call to convert the Irish and to justify his mission to an apparently unsympathetic audience in Britain, is not a traditional biography.

And the "Letter to Coroticus," apparently an Irish warlord whom Patrick was forced to excommunicate, is a wonderful illustration of Patrick's prowess as a preacher but doesn't tell us much by way of traditional biography either.


Adapted from St. Anthony Messenger.


How did Patrick decide to return to Ireland?

As recounted in the Confession, most of the major events in Patrick's life are preceded by a dream or vision. The visions were usually simple—almost self-explanatory—but they were also very vivid and carried enormous emotional impact with Patrick.

The first vision, which he received after six years of servitude in Ireland, came by way of a mysterious voice, heard in his sleep. "Your hungers are rewarded: You are going home," the voice said. "Look, your ship is ready." Indeed, some 200 miles away, there it was. (Patrick was nothing if not tenacious.)

The second vision—the one that came to him after he'd returned home and that called him back to Ireland—was equally straightforward. Victoricus, a man Patrick knew in Ireland, appeared to him in this dream, holding countless letters, one of which he handed to Patrick. The letter was entitled "The Voice of the Irish." Upon reading just the title, he heard a multitude of voices crying out to him: "Holy boy, we beg you to come and walk among us once more." He was so moved by this that he was unable to read further and woke up.

But the dream recurred again and again. Eventually Patrick told his dismayed family of his plans to return to evangelize Ireland and soon began his preparations for the priesthood. What is interesting about this dream calling Patrick to his lifelong mission to the Irish is that it came not as a directive from God, but as a plea from the Irish. According to his recollections decades later, Patrick wasn't commanded to bring civilization or salvation to the heathens. He was invited to live among them as Christ's witness.

When he finally returned to Ireland, he proceeded to treat the barbarians with the respect implicit in his dream. From the outset, Patrick felt humbled and honored that God had selected him to convert the Irish. Apparently he never doubted that he would be able to do so.


Adapted from St. Anthony Messenger.


What was life like during Patrick's time?

Patrick lived in the fifth century, a time of rapid change and transition. In many ways we might say that those times of turbulence and uncertainty were not unlike our own. The Roman Empire was beginning to break up, and Europe was about to enter the so-called Dark Ages. Rome fell to barbarian invaders in 410. Within 10 years of that time, the Roman forces began to leave Britain to return to Rome to defend positions back home. Life, once so orderly and predictable under Roman domination, now became chaotic and uncertain. Patrick entered the world of that time.

The British Church of Patrick's time was also intimately connected with the Roman Empire. Missionaries from the continent followed the development of Roman towns, travelling over the system of good Roman roads. This was an urban Church with bishops establishing their centers in these Roman towns. The great ecumenical councils, beginning with that in Nicea in 325, doctrinally solidified a developing and common faith throughout this Church.

As Ireland had not come under the Roman Empire, it was for the most part unnoticed and untended by the developing Church. There were some Irish Christians, mostly on the eastern and southeastern coast. Many of these were probably British slaves who had been taken into captivity by the Irish. There is a record of a Bishop Palladius being sent to Ireland before Patrick. But the mission of Patrick was unique. There had been, up to this time, no other organized or concerted missionary effort to convert any pagan peoples beyond the confines of the Roman Empire. Patrick's efforts to do this, in fact, were criticized as being a useless project.

Adapted from A Retreat With St. Patrick: Discovering God in All.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Friar Jack's Inbox

A note from Friar Jack: I want to take this opportunity to thank the hundreds of you that have taken the time to respond to me in recent months and offer your own thoughts about my musings or the Catechism Quiz. Often your thoughts are very profound and heartfelt and indeed illuminating to me, not to mention inspiring. They can also be challenging, even sharply so, causing me to reconsider and often to broaden my horizons. Many also include kind words of appreciation and touching pledges of prayerful and loving support. My most heartfelt thanks to all!!

It is my intention and that of my coworkers that each of you who sends me an e-mail response receives an automatic response indicating that I am very grateful for all communications from you, read each one of them and pray for all who write me, as well as for our entire online community. I want to confirm that all of this is true.

I am told, at the same time, that there can be glitches. After the newsletter goes out we must disengage the automatic response temporarily to avoid being bombarded by "out of the office" notices and other responses. Being technologically challenged I don't understand such things, but this problem has been mentioned to me more than once. So if you don't always receive a response from me, it's not that we don't have good intentions.

Let me also explain that it is simply impossible for me to answer personally the large volume of e-mails that come in. This is painful to me, because I am often deeply touched by your comments, insights and sincere questions. This was especially true of many responses to my last musing, "God's World Is Holy." My heart wants to answer and engage in dialogue with you, but because of the many hats I wear here at St. Anthony Messenger Press and unrelenting deadlines, it is simply impossible for me to do so.

One thing that amazes me about your responses is that they come from all around the world and from people of different religious backgrounds. We are truly an international and "ecumenical" community. This is a good lead-in to this month's Inbox. Last month we printed an e-mail from a reader who said the Muslim majority in Malaysia persecutes Christians. Two readers from Malaysia wrote to take exception with that assertion. Here is one of the two e-mails:


Dear Friar Jack: I am a Chinese living in Malaysia. I am baptized as a Catholic in year 2002. Previously I was a Taoist. I write in response to the statement made by Miss Erina that "Christians in Malaysia are persecuted and imprisoned." The statement seems so general and misleading. I myself observe harmony, freedom and respect in whatever religion one chooses to embrace in the country. My family is staying in a neighborhood where the majority of the residents are Muslims. Though there are a lot of differences in cultures, beliefs and mindsets between Muslims and Christians, as far as my neighborhood is concerned we are able to live harmoniously and respectfully with each other. Diplomacy and peace will not come by themselves. They have to be developed. I believe we as Christians are always called by God to live peacefully with all people and to love everyone. Though it is hard to practice humility, it is the root to understand and accept people and their beliefs. "Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me..."—June

Dear Friar Jack: I sometimes cannot understand the difference between my human life and my life of GOD. I hope (and know that I will) stand face to face with him so to thank him for all he has given to me. I do understand that my GOD, Maker and Savior gives to me all I need to get through what we call life. Why is it that he looks to me with a love as if I am the only thing in this universe? My GOD is an awesome GOD and I tell him so each day.—Chester

Dear Chester: You express with great reverence and humility the mystery of God and the close relationship you seem to have with God. Jesus also spoke of this mystery from God's point of view: "I am the vine, you are the branches" (John 15:5).

Send your feedback to friarjack@americancatholic.org.

U2 at Keegan's Pub in Beverly - Nah, Not Really.

Singer Bono and his U2 bandmates were spotted hanging out at the Violet Hour lounge in Wicker Park on Tuesday night before exiting through the kitchen -- after their syndicated radio interview at the Metro rock venue, where they hawked their new album and upcoming tour, whose first U.S. stop is Sept. 12 at Soldier Field.

From Sneed 3/12/2009

Singer Bono and his anonymous U2 bandmates were ignored at Keegan's Pub at 10618 S. Western Ave., Chicago in the Beverly neighborhood on the south side, where no one asked about their new album and upcoming tour, whose first U.S. stop is Sept, 12 at Soldier Field. from me, if you don't mind.


Bernard - Irish born owner of Keegan's and Guinnesss tapster. - 'Soft day, lads. What's the craic?'

Bono - 'Four pints, please.'

Retired CPD hero - 'More of your extended family crowding into our country illegally, Bern?'

Bernard - 'They're Jackeens, Billy. Drink your Miller and don't scare off the trades . . . (soto voce) he's harmless lads . . .now. Dublin men'

Bono - 'We are that . . .more world men nowadays.'

CPD hero - 'Outta work, too? I thought most of you Pig$hit Irish #$%^ed off back to Paddyland in this, our troubled economy. Must be some brick work left out in Will County.'

Bono - 'Jaysus, We're U2, Yank.'

CPD - 'Were I what?'

Bono - 'No We're . . .We are . . .U2.'

CPD - 'No, I are retired'

Bono - 'I'm Bono'

CPD - 'I'm thirsty.'

Bono - 'There's four Tellies in here Have you not seen us?

CPD- You on Jeopardy?

Bernard - 'Enjoy your pints, Lads. ( Fade to black,or green,or pink or whatever . . .)

Out of such events events weaves the rich full tapestry of life in Morgan Park.

Jody Weiss - Learn from CPD Chief Francis O'Neill ( 1848-1936)

Click my post title for the MSNBC Bonfire of the Vanities celebration of Phil Rogers over his slanted report on The Judge Gettleman/G. Flint Taylor Law School Smack-down of Police Superintendent Jody Weiss.

Jody Weiss made a tepid attempt to 'do the right thing' for Police Officers but backed down.

There is a wonderful new book Chief O'Neill's Sketchy Recollections of an Eventful Life in Chicago, Edited by Ellen Skerrett and Mary Lesch. Chief O'Neill saved lives in the Iroquois Theatre Fire, Protected strikers in the Railway Strike, The 1904 Stockyard Strike, the great municipal and Teamster Strikes of 1905. fought with Progressive phonies and loudmouths like Emma Goldman, who was involved in the assassination of McKinley, and Dr. Cornelia DeBey 'a Mannish woman who was most aggressive,' Vice Lords Hinkey Dink Kenna, and Corporate monsters like Meat Packing Companies, and the thousands of vicious criminals. Chief O'Neill even had a cockroach lawyer like G. Flint Taylor - One Brode Bradford Davis, who tried to make some dough off of the police.

Chief O'Neill warned all persons who decide to be Chicago's Top-Cop.

Every head of the police in a large city, whether know as general superintendent, chief, or commissioner, is certain to encounter difficulties. The general public wants the law enforced. The leaders of the powers that be expect concessions and special favors. Between the two influences he is liable to get forced out before the term of his office expires.

On difficulties not already mentioned, I had more than my share, all of them based on the desire of certain elements to force my resignation. As soon as Mayor Harrison had left the city on his midsummer vacation in 1901, investigators were set to work to dig up something to my discredit in past years. It was surmised that in the mayor's absence discipline would be relaxed and that I might incautiously become involved in questionable associations. As nothing came of this move, a scheme was evolved to indict me on the charge of attempting to violate the civil service law; in back of this scheme was the political leader most interested in my disgrace. It was rehearsed for one week in the home of a police lieutenant, When the time was ripe, the witness was seized on a [subpoena] duces tecum and hurried to the office of the state's attorney, where he lost his nerve, forgot his lines and blurted out the truth. Notwithstanding this, he was taken before a grand jury, where he denied knowing anything to my detriment. It appears that the lieutenant had been promised a captaincy in any police district of his selection if he succeeded in smirching me. Instead, he lost his job and his pension.

The publisher of an evening paper, now dead, had been subsidized to harass me daily, but it did not work, the final effort was to "frame" me. It was very alluring bait indeed if I would only bite, but as I could not be induced to visit 'the spot.' I escaped all conspiracies unscathed and continued as head of the Chicago Police Department until it suited me to retire from service.

Chief O'Neill knew the Progressive phonies, the corrupt politicians, the dangerous anarchists, the vicious strike breakers, the callous capitalists, and sneaks in his ranks. Most importantly O'Neill knew the respect he had earned as a 'flat-foot' who took a burglars bullet, who backed his men when a radical tossed a bomb that killed eleven at Hay Market Square, who treated strikers as dignified working men, and never trusted the Press.

Carlos Nelson and Greater Auburn/Gresham Development Corp. Getting Things Done on 79th Street

My pal Carlos Nelson, long-time director of the Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation invited me over to the offices at 79th and Racine to discuss a planned tour of the Auburn/ Gresham neighborhood. we are working with writer Chris Vogel to develop some historical context to the tour. Much fun!

Along with Cheryl Johnson, Linda Johnson Herb Newkirk and my buddy Ernest Sanders, Carlos Nelson has had his shoulders set to a huge wheel. This neighborhood is an architectural dream scape with fine examples of the Chicago bungalow and commercial Art Deco properties abounding.

The history and the fabric of these neighborhoods is rich soil indeed.

Carlos and his staff have worked very hard to bring about some positive changes on the landscape and in the hearts of people. The landscape part is easy its the work on the human pump that is trouble.

There is no denying that 79th Street between the Dan Ryan and Ashland Ave. has undergone dramatic changes some which Leo High School has had a big part.

Most significantly, Carlos Nelson and GAGDC has eliminated much of the blighted properties and attracted new businesses to the neighborhood. Stores and services that were nowhere to be found in 1995 - gas stations and drug stores were no existent. Now 79th Street has stores and social service providers including Catholic Charities.

Leo High School has remained as an institutional anchor and source of inspiration to our neighbors. Our partnership with Carlos Nelson is a great one.

Barbie's Fifty! Cougar Barbie, or Drive Three Kids to Four Different Sporting Events Barbie

Girl You'll be Woman Soon! Noooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not Neil Diamond! Where's Moose Gilmartin?

Moose Gilmartin, a critic with a discerning ear for quality music, would invariably treat a Neil Diamond offering with an abrupt and ripping swipe of the phonograph needle arm across the grooves of the record. CEEEEWRRRPPPPPPPPIIIIIIIIIPPFFFP. Followed by the deft Frizzbeeing of the tainted vinvyl against the wall and replacement of J.J. Jackson's recording of . . .

You don't know how I feel
You'll never know how I feel
When I needed you to come around
You always try to bring me down
Oh, but I know, girl, believe me when I say that
You are surely, surely gonna pay, girl
But it's all right all right girl
You can hurt me but it's all right
Hey now, one day ah, you will see
You'll never find a guy like me
Who'll love you right both day and night
You'll never have to worry 'cause it's all uptight
Oh, but I'm tellin' you girl and I know it's true
That I was made to love only you
But it's all right, all right girl
You can hurt me, but it's all right
Go on, yeah

Oh, oh, yeah
My my my baby, wow, yeah!
But it's all right all right girl
Hey, say it's all right all right girl
Now there's one thing I wanna say, hey, yeah
You'll meet a guy who'll make you pay
He'll treat you bad and make you sad
And you will lose the love you had
Oh, but I hate to say I told you so, but
Baby, you gotta gotta reap what you sow
But it's all right all right girl
You are payin' now, but it's all right
So goodbye, now, goodbye, girl
You're payin' now, say bye-bye
You hurt me once, you hurt me twice
Oh, but-a baby, that don't cut no ice
Hey, goodbye, baby

Much better for a fine come of age woman like Barbie!

Happy Birthday, Toots!

My two girls stripped hundreds of your clones 'Buck Nekid!' and one slept with Nekid Barbies under her feet as a nightime ritual - I kid you all not!


One German woman has the largest Barbie Collection in the World! Most American parents believe that their child held that honor.

Bettina Dorfmann to take a look at her record-breaking collection in Germany with an assortment of Squarehead Barbies or maybe even a Klaus Barbie? That was cruel.

J. J. Jackson is much more fitting a Queen Like Barbie, than goofy old Neil Diamond.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7929492.stm