Read This Book - Dan Senor's "A Start-Up Nation"

My uncles always said, " They got oranges growing in the desert - they'll beat any crumbs that attack them" Bart, Donny, Sy, Bud, Mike, Jack and my Dad were always Pro-Israel. I remember that strategic and tactical assessment of Israel at the time of the Six Day War back in 1967. As they were all WWII and Korea veterans they understood the State of Israel.

Israel has gone from the Up-Start Nation (Holocaust Survivors and children of the Diaspora Building a Home Nation)of 1948 to the Start-Up Nation of 2009. They still grow oranges in the desert.

American Dan Senor has written a book about Israel's remarkable economic leadership in developing more start-up NASDAQ industries than China, India, Europe, Japan and Korea combined. Dan Senor offered this analysis to the Matzoh Marvel.

Our book dives into many interacting factors, but one of the most important is the training and battlefield experience that most Israelis receive in the military. The military is where many Israelis learn to lead and manage people, improvise, become mission-oriented, work in teams, and contribute to their country. They tend to come out of their years of service (three for men, two for women) more mature and directed than their peers in other countries. They learn “the value of five minutes,” as one general told us. They even learn something more uniquely Israeli: to speak up — regardless of ranks and hierarchy — if they think things can be done better.

Click my post title for more.

This will be an important study for all Americans.

Greeks, Germans, and Gaels Commemorate Gallantry in 1939 Ireland.

More than 200 people attended various celebratory events in Ventry on Saturday, October 17 2009 to mark the rescue and landing of the Greek seamen.

The occasion was organised by the newly formed Ventry Historical Society.

The main ceremony was held on the green in front of Quinn's Pub, where an inscribed commemorative stone has been erected.

Guests included the German Ambassador Dr. Busso von Alvensleben and the Mayor of the Oinousses Islands in the Aegean, Evangelos Elias Angelakos who unveiled the memorial stone.

Other guests included descendants of Panagos Pateras, the captain and owner of the ill-fated Diamantis, officers of the Southern Command, members of the Irish Coast Guard, the crew of the Valentia lifeboat and a troop of Sea Scouts from Tralee.

The secretary of the historical society, Dr Breandán Ó Ciobháin, delivered a welcoming address in Irish, English, Greek and German and invited the German ambassador to address the gathering.

"I'm deeply moved about this gererous gesture of erecting this memorial. In that terrible war, which we all remember very well, it was indeed an exceptional action that we are going to honour today. I'm more than happy that nowadays our three countries are united in the European Union and that we can be sure that anything like that will never occur again. The only thing that should survive is the sense of magnanimity and of courage that will serve as an example for all of us," he said.

Mayor Angelakos said it was a great honour to attend the Ventry ceremony 70 years after the incident.

"I would like to remind you of the magnanimous stance of Werner Lott*, the commander of the U-35,
The Kerryman Newspaper

* Kptlt. Werner Lott was commander of U-35 from 15 August 1937 until 29 November 1939.
He was born on 03 December 1907 in Willenberg, East Prussia. He entered the Navy in 1926 (Crew 1926). He was promoted to the rank of Kapitänleutnant (Lietenant Commander) on 01 October 1934 (10th in the class). From September 1936 - 31 March 1937, he was commander of U-21. During April 1937, he participated in ship construction lessons at Germaniawerft, Kiel. From 15 April 1937 to 15 August 1937, he was commander of U-32. [1,3,15]
"I was named as commander of U-35 by Dönitz personally on 15 August 1937. Thereupon I gave up command of U-32 to Paul Büchel


"On board HMS KINGSTON after the sinking of U-35, Werner Lott entered the following note in the wardroom visitor's book: "Wishing you the best of luck except against German U-Boats" .
He was assigned POW Number 37421.

Morning Joe - Mika is as Dumb as a Box of Rocks and Mark Halperin Squirts Tears.

I got struck with MSNBC for morning news this A.M. - the cable was wacky. No wackier than the Zoo Crew of Morning Joe.

Mika Brzezinski is a busty babe and daughter of Henry Kissinger Never Could Be -Zbigniew Brzezinksi.

Mika is UmmmmDay - lacking in the old thought fuel - nine cents short of a dime - not the fullest can in the cold-case -bereft of original synapse pop.

A really smart kid who's married to CNN Harpy Campbell Brown commanded the show -Dan Senor. His new book Start Up Nation touts Israel's growing power as an economic force.

Anyway, Dan Senor said he agreed with Cheney's assessment that the Obama White House is 'Dithering' on Afghanistan in order to help keep New Jersey and Virginia in the control of the Democrats - the Good Taliban. Pop went the Weasels!

Mika went Third Grade - "Are You Kidding? You Really say you agree with Cheney? How can you say that?" Well, maybe not Third Grade but Graduate School Progressive - For Sure! Repeatedly! and with Prejudice - Extreme Prejudice.

Someone makes a statement. It is good grace to accept that statement.

"Hickey, you are putting on weight."

"Do you believe that? How Can you say that? Who told you to say that, Blind Man?"

The correct response would be - "Why how nice of you to point that out! #$%^ You!"

Mika went all 40 Watt Interrogative on Dan Senor. Indicative of a really challenged intellectual capacity, that gambit ( very Progressive).

Not to be outdone, Obama White House Cheerleader Mark Halperin looked like Dan Senor had taken his Raleigh Hot Rod 20" Big Guy Bike when Senor thumped Halperin repeatedly on the molasses like decision making of the Commander in Chief and a complete unwillingness to play in the "Bush Fault" Jungle Gym.


Halperin is 'so' in the tank that even the Obama people laugh at him - Davis Plouffe once said, "If Politico and Halperin say we’re winning, we’re losing." That does not stop MSNBC from tossing Halperin who writes for Time Magazine - also deep in the propaganda MINITRU of the the Obama White House.

It seemed that Mark Halperin squirted Real Tears, because a tough independent thinker would not cave in or play ball with cheerleaders. Mika is still having things explained to her through visuals and treats.

MSNBC - More Tools Than True Value!


http://twitter.com/morningjoeguest

Judge H. :Stinky" Lee Sarokin Calls Cook County States Attorney's Request a Gestapo Move

Old Judge H. "Stinky" Lee Sarokin a rock-ribbed Civil Rights Activist Judge who was overruled by an Appellate Court that a homeless gent 'did in fact stink' and could be asked to leave a Public Library - going without soap and water (at minimum) is not - it seems - a 1st Amendment right - free speech by stinking out loud and on ice.

Old Judge H. "Stinky" Lee Sarokin resigned after 17 years of Judicial Activism, which included opening the cell door for Ruben Hurricane Carter, because he was called names by Bob Dole - get this :

Federal judges granted the protection of lifetime tenure by the Constitution should be made of sterner stuff, even if it means having to endure public scorn and ostracism. Judges, of course, are only human. It is understandable that Judge Sarokin does not like being counted among those who have been singled out by Senator Bob Dole as excessively sympathetic to the constitutional rights of criminals. Nor does he relish the prospect of remaining a campaign issue until the Presidential election.

It is also easy to understand his frustration that a few controversial decisions in a generally energetic and honorable judicial career -- including a misguided 1991 ruling refusing to bar a homeless man from a New Jersey town library for his annoying behavior and bad odor -- have been used as grist by Republicans to paint Democratic judges as soft on crime.

But the right response to what Judge Sarokin has called attempts to "Willie Hortonize the Federal judiciary" is not to contribute to the demonetization of the institution he reveres, which is what he has effectively done by surrendering to judge-bashing politicians.

There is a question, too, of candor. President Clinton, who nominated Judge Sarokin to the appellate bench, supported him through bruising confirmation hearings in 1994 -- something the President might not have been willing to do had he known that just 22 months later the judge would surprise everyone by deciding to move to part-time senior status. Just weeks before Judge Sarokin's resignation, colleagues on the bench correctly rejected a nervy request by the judge to transfer his offices from Newark to California. That has led at least some judges to question whether political attacks are the real reason Judge Sarokin decided to resign.

http://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/07/opinion/judge-sarokin-s-retreat.html

And that is the New York Times all but pulling down Stinky's Britches.

The Northwestern University Innocense Project has called in all its chips against the Cook County States Attorney, Anita Alvarez in her attempt to get the entitled and endowed University lambs to offer up the requested documents.

The Headline Club of which I am a member ( I think I paid the last dues) sent a letter of protest.

Now Huffington Post has trotted out Old Judge H. "Stinky" Lee Sarokin to roundly harrumph that this is Gestapo Stuff!! Click my post title for Stinky's howl - it's a good 'un!

Thus, ""the grades, grading criteria, class syllabus, expense reports and e-mail messages of their journalism students themselves" at Northwestern University warrants and deserves the Gestapo label.

It is a flagrant attempt to intimidate the Medill Innocence Project and other similar projects which have been so successful in overturning wrongful convictions."

Oh, Stinky. Non Sibi sed Patriae Not California Country/Beach Houses!

Jesus, Stinky, it's not like Ms. Alvarez is asking them to relocate to California?

Skinny & Houli Show on WNTD Radio 950AM - Wednesdays from 6-8 PM Starting 11/11/09

Coming Wednesday Night November 11th

The Premiere of the Skinny & Houli Show!

And none too soon! Voices made for Relevant Radio, James "Skinny" Sheahan and Mike "Houli" Houlihan will be heard - loud and clear - these gents are no NPR Hush Talkers. Skinny and Houli have something to say and invite people to share in what they have to say.

On WNTD Radio 950AMStarring Skinny Sheahan & Mike Houlihan

Join us from 6-8PM for two hours of rollicking fun as we chew the fat and shoot the breeze with Chicago's All-Stars, the real heroes, 'da people of our city! Featuring our special guest spotlight, listener call-ins, and OUR recap of the week in the windy city.

The Skinny & Houli Show
Every Wednesday from 6-8PM
WNTD 950 AM
Don't Miss It

I have WOW Cable - 88 channels and there ain't nothing on TV! Let's get back to real radio days!

Finally, Radio you can actually hear!

Blind Bartimaeus in All of Us. Well, me anyway.

Then they came to Jericho And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road.
When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

This Gospel passage from Sunday's Mass is interesting for two things:

1. The blind guy's name Bar -Timaeus is Jewish/Greek hybrid - and the author tosses in "the son of Timaeus" for all of us helots.

2. The blind guy calls out "Jesus, Son of David" which was a real messianic apellation. Unlike King David - the Son of David is a healer and savior.

King David was a thug in many ways. As King he abused his authority - or maybe that is actually what kings are supposed to do - by tossing Uriah into the front ranks and ensure that poor slob gets killed. Old Dave gets Uriah's Missus. Bathsheba.

Jesus appears - not to the bling guy of course -in Jerico and the bling Bartimaeus begs Jesus for sight.

He is given sight.

Father Gallagher, at Sacred Heart Church 8:30 A.M. yesterday, explained how the story of Bartimaeus was used in the early Christiam Church to enhance the beauty of Baptism - we are blind like Bartimaeus until the sight of saving Grace restores us to true vision.

Then we get so damn busy and making excuses and walking right past people who really suffer. We have vision, but are blind as bats.

Hell, I'm nearly as blind as Old Barty.


Son David, let me see.

To Lt. Colonel Brian Quirk, USMC - Navy Commissions USS Makin Island - The Atoll You Raided

South Sider Lt. Col. Brian Quirk is a wonderful man. At 86, he is slipping a bit but hanging onto to the command of his life with all the grit, spit and heart of the kid he was in 1942, when he took a rubber boat off of the USS Nautilus into the surf of the reef around Makin Atoll and onto that Japanese held base.

Then Private First Class (PFC) Brian Quirk was a Marine Raider - one of Carlson's Raiders named for Evan Fordyce Carlson - the man who coined the phrase 'Gung Ho.' This was an exercise in will. Click my post title for the story of the Makin Raid and Lt. Col. Quirk's role in bringing back the last men off of Makin.

This Saturday, October 24, 2009, The United States Navy will Commission the USS Makin Atoll an attack helicopter carrier that will carry 2009 vintage Marines into combat.

COLORS: Dark blue alludes to the sea, the theater of Naval operations and gold is for excellence. Scarlet refers to the U.S. Marine Corps.

SHIELD: The shield border shape and thickness symbolize Makin Island, the atoll in the Gilbert Islands and honors the 30 Marine Raiders who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country there. The five stars commemorate the five battle stars awarded to CVE-93 during World War II. The USMC Raider Crest, a blue shield with skull and five stars in the shape of the Southern Cross commemorates Marine Raider Companies A and B, Second Raider Battalion. The trident, symbol of sea prowess, with its three tines represents the future contributions of USS MAKIN ISLAND (LHD 8), its associated Expeditionary Strike Group, and USMC main battery in the air, across the surface, and under the sea. The trident also symbolizes the contributions that were made in these areas of Sea Power by the Second Raider Battalion and USS MAKIN ISLAND (CVE 93).

CREST: The inverted blue star honors SSGT Thomason, who distinguished himself during the Makin Island Raid and was the first enlisted U.S. Marine to be awarded the Medal of Honor in World War II. The embedded stylized cross alludes to the Navy Cross and commemorates the 23 awarded to Carlson’s Raiders after Makin Island. The Phoenix is the symbol of transformation and new beginnings. It has two heads, one looking to the past and the other to the future representing MAKIN ISLAND’s role as the transformational bridge between the LHD class and the next generation of amphibious capital ships. The flames and lightning bolts below the Phoenix symbolize the rebirth of amphibious capital ships with Gas Turbines, Electric Drive and all-electric auxiliaries. In the wreath below the flames, Blue represents the US Navy and the United States. White represents integrity and loyalty. The two colors interwoven in the wreath represent how these two responsibilities are forever intertwined.

SUPPORTERS: A USN Officer’s Sword, 1917 Naval NCO Cutlass, USMC Officer’s Mameluke and a 1840 USMC NCO Sword were chosen to represent the teamwork required of Officer and Enlisted, Navy and Marine Corps for USS MAKIN ISLAND (LHD 8) to accomplish her mission

Thank you Colonel Quirk and thank you all who serve.

Hear Andy Shaw on WLS -"Cops Not Going 100%" Andy Must Have the Numbers

Listen to the WLS feed from this morning's Don Wade & Roma - slide the bar about 3/4 of way to the part where the Police Officer asks about no Contract for Two Years/Chicago's Thug Happy Violence Festival and BGA Andy's response.

Because, in Andy Shaw's BGA News Reader World View, Jody Weiss is Police Superintendent Chicago Police Officers are pooching the job.

The real mopes always get appointed positions.

BGA Andy Shaw on Don & Roma: "Cops Lying Down"

On the way into work, I heard Andy Shaw, Bed and Breakfast Magnate and Better Government Watch Pup, answer a Chicago Police Officer named Nicky's question as to why the Police and Fire Department memberships needed to go two years without contracts and remain 4,000 officers understrength given the swelling violence in the City.

Andy, with his usual aplomb replied (now, this is only what I heard mind you) to the effect that Cops always get their lump sums and the reason that violence is going MadDog in Chicago has more to do with police officers shirking their duties because they do not like Superintendent Weiss than it does to anything else -Chicago's Media Created Thug Comfort Zone, Lawsuit Lawyer Lotto Giveaways & etc..

Andy went on to praise the Chicago Reporter for real reporting.

Cops don't fight crime. Andy Shaw is a great intellect and a fine human being.
That is your Better Government Watchdog!

Click on to my title for the WLS site.

Vice President Biden Calms the Poles

"Did you hear about the million-dollar Polish Lottery?
You win a dollar a year for a million years. "

"How about the Polish car pool?
They meet at work. "

[Deafening Silence]

"“We appreciate Poland has stepped up and agreed to host an element of the previous missile defense plan, and we now appreciate that Poland’s government agrees with us that there is now a better way … with new technology and new information, to defend against emerging ballistic missile threats,” Biden said. . . . Continuing The Vice President offered, "Knock knock."

"Who's there?"
"Polish burglar."

[growing discomfort]

Discussing Cap & Trade and Global Warming, Vice President Biden then - Licks the cover of a book of matches, bends it back so the matches are exposed, and sticks it to His forehead.

The Vice President turned and Asked Polish President Donald Tusk "What am I?"

[Stoic silence]

"A Polish miner."

Re-turning to Foreign Policy and Afghanistahn Biden asked,

"What would you call a bunch of Polish guys wearing turbans?
A Pakistanleys. "

"Hey how bout the two biggest lies a Polak will tell? ' The Check is in your mouth . . . Hey, I better stop there! Goodnight Folks!"

Tribune Editorial Board's Hack Priority at University of Illinois

In the wake of the scandal, there's a lot of talk about building an impenetrable firewall around the U. of I.'s admissions system. One set of rules for everyone. No exceptions. But as long as the cheaters are able to hide, they'll always be looking for a way over, under or around that wall

Even You goofs? Sweet Suffering Sally! Can the Tribune add a little more hair to that shirt?

First off - The Chicago Tribune is blessed with great and talented working journalists. It is anchored by -not the looniest group of hypocrites, but they'll do -an Editorial Board that Warner Brothers Cartoonists could not have dreamed up.

This hypocritical howl on today's editorial page is just one more in the string of the Tribune Editorial Board's "We Want Stan Ikenberry" Campaign - you got him. You got him.

The Tribune Editorial Board launched a full-court press on Cook County Sheriff Mike Sheahan a few years ago with a wonderfully fabricated tale of Corrections Abuse at Cook County Jail that took less than twenty minutes for a jury to toss. Sheriff Sheahan mocked the rock-solid hypocrisy of the Bruce Dold Dolts.

Stan Ikenberry was trotted out during the Tribune Editorial Board Tsunami blown against the University of Illinois Trustees and Leadership - they all had to go in order to clear the way for Compliant Gov. Pat Quinn's selection of rocked-ribbed Illini Chris Kennedy - no dodgy carpetbagger he and all the other plum cupcakes for the Clean Board. Most of all the Tribune Editorial Board needed room for Stan Ikenberry.

Stan Ikenberry is their kind of hack. The kind who Clouted a Domestic Terrorist Billy Ayers -into a job at UIC and Laundered His History.

Stan has yet to divulge just how he minced along the path strewn with ComEd petals and danced a hearty jig for Thomas Ayers - giving "My Son Bill!" a no-cut contract at Cement City (UICC). Now that's Clout, Girls an Boys!

Nope - the tweedy goofs on the Tribune Editorial Board want to make war on common sense with Hegelian Hurricanos of Hypocrisy. Yes, yes ( in hushed tones and nods of puritanical assent).


State Legislators make recommendations for scholarships according to Illinois Law.

Congressmen make appointments to American Service Academies according to Federal Law.

The Chicago Tribune/Medill 501(c)3 Industries at Northwestern Law and School of Journalism practice 18th Century Hack politics. Nothing more and nothing less.

The Tribune Editorial Board recently hacked James Tyree, who had the purpose and resources to by the Sun Times.

The Tribune Editorial Board needs 'more' light shed on its practices.

Stan! Fess up on your hiring of Billy Ayers! Let's get that balloon head out of news.

MSNBC Smears Gen. Stanley McCrystal - Boudin Brained Chris Matthews -"It's Beau Geste!"

Beginning on Oct. 7th and continuing unabated fatuous forty-Watt flannel mouth Chris Matthews has outshouted every carbon-footprint to appear with him on Hardball with his latest shout-point -'Beau Geste' in order to smear President Obama's Commander in Afghanistan.

MATTHEWS: Let me ask you, what does the president need to know that he doesn't know now before he decides on whether to give General McChrystal his requested 40,000 more troops?

MITCHELL: Well, White House officials are saying to me that, in fact, go back to the Bruce Riedel report, which led to the decisions of last March. We've all been saying the conventional wisdom in Washington has been that March is now moot, that the initial Afghan strategy is now being supplanted because of the changes, the decisions on the ground, and perhaps the political realities, although they will deny that.

MATTHEWS: Yes.

MITCHELL: But in fact, if you go back to the original questions that Bruce Riedel, a former CIA and NSC official, answered-on loan to the White House-it was, How do we come up with a strategy that will disrupt and end al Qaeda's influence and protect the United States? What we want to do is get into Afghanistan and disrupt al Qaeda.

And so the questions that the president is asking, to get to your point, are, How will these various recommendations lead to our goal? That goal remains to disrupt al Qaeda, to protect the security of the United States, and to enhance regional security, as well. Those are the questions he's asking. And right now, what he's getting are answers. At least-we don't know whether he's accepting the answers, but he's getting an intelligence briefing on how it relates to Pakistan today, followed by a regional diplomatic briefing from the secretary of state and her advisers. Obviously, Richard Holbrooke and others would be part of that. And then Robert Gates would give the military's perspective.

And what has changed today is that the Pentagon announced-Geoff Morrell announced from the Pentagon today, Chris, that they've actually given the president, officially given him...

MATTHEWS: Right. I know.

MITCHELL: ... the troop recommendations.

MATTHEWS: My concern is, as an American watching this, learning that Americans are building outposts of-to be manned by 140 people, it begins to look like "Beau Geste," one of these old French Foreign Legion movies, where we're putting troops, Western troops, our guys and women, out in the middle of these outposts...

MITCHELL: Exactly.

Yeah, exactly Balloon Girl. Remeber when that genius was overpowered by balloons at the DNC?


However, Milky always re-roasts his favorite chestnuts - be they Birthers, Guys Carrying Guns at Teabag Parties & etc. - and Matthews last used Beau Geste on General Petreaus. Here was Milky Matthews in 2007 doing his schtik on the Surge:

RIECKHOFF: Absolutely, and that‘s exactly the type of work that we did when I was there in 2003 and 2004. And then we had this period where we pulled back, went into these giant forward operating bases, and didn‘t mingle within the community like we had been. Now we are going back to kind of where we were in late 2003 and 2004, and for our guys and girls on the ground, it is incredibly dangerous.

You do not know who your enemies are, who your friends are. You are greatly outnumbered. You‘re already probably there for a second and third tour. It is extremely dangerous. You‘ve been bringing it up all week. And I think you have to put yourself in the shoes of those soldiers, just for a few days. Imagine how dangerous it is to be in a remote downtown outpost, where you are surrounded by Iraqis, and you do not know who is trying to kill you or not. It‘s incredibly dangerous. And that‘s one of the things that I try to do, is just try to communicate that personal experience. Think about how tough this is for our American soldiers and Marines on the ground. It‘s incredibly difficult.

MATTHEWS: This is “Beau Geste” all over again, fortresses out in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by Arabs who don‘t want you there. Anyway, thank you Paul Rieckhoff for joining us, and giving us this insight. We‘re going to come right back with the “Politico‘s” Roger Simon, one of the best columnists around. We‘ll talk about the debate coming up, also the Democrats and their big fight now with the president over the war funding issue, which is coming to a head tonight, as the president has vetoed the bill. It‘s all happening tonight, the big fight between the Democrats and the president over Iraq. We‘ll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18438589/

Milky Chris Matthews -The Whitest Guy on the Planet - a faux tough guy Dinny the Dimwit who attempts to toss off his altar boy Suscipiat* when he justifies abortion, is now doing his Masters' biddings by undermining the integrity and motives of the very man President Obama tasked with developing a strategy for the Graveyard of Empires.

Milky - the outpost was manned some time ago and the tribes are coming at the troops. Try not to get any more of our troops killed with that moronic maw of yours.

MSNBC - More Tools Than True Value!

* This is how the Suscipiat goes "Suscipiat Dominus sacrificium de manibus tuis, ad laudem et gloriam nominis sui, ad utilitatem quoque nostram, totiusque ecclesiae suae sanctae."

Pope Benedict Welcomes Anglicans - Epicopalians Who Woke Up.

There was a sociology of Protestantism that went: A Methodist is a Baptist with shoes. A Presbyterian is a Methodist who has been to college. An Episcopalian is a Presbyterian who is living off his investments. This has all changed now. Now an Episcopalian is, I suppose, someone heading a campaign against AIDS.

- Joseph Epstein 2003. Click my post title for a thoroughly charming and insightful interview with Joe Epstein.


When a south side Catholic got tired of going to Church he became a Unitarian. That way he could safely believe in anything without the moral and societal complications of explaining Atheism, or spelling Agnosticism.

The great American Master of the Essay, Northwestern University's Joseph Epstein - a guy who says, " Don't call me Professor; that's a guy who bangs on a piano in a Cathouse."- wrote a number of short stories grouped as Fabulous Small Jews.
This collection presented Jewish Chicagoans as witty, complex, bitter, confused and lovely people who are thoroughly American. None of the Phillip Roth angst, for Epstein, but rather people comfortable in their own skins - no polemical table thumping, or fiddling up on the garage roof at 6800 N. Campbell - he was replacing the loose shingles. I read Joseph Epstein's collection a few years ago. I need to go back to it, but I loaned the damn book to retired Detective Billy Higgins who in turn passed it on to Gene Callahan - an Armagh Carpenter who still has my back-up banjo. The Irish are the Bermuda's Triangle of loaned items.

Joseph Epstein writes about the relationship between people and the truth. Epstein - be it in Fiction or Essay -always nails it. We poor Chicago Irish have only Father Andy Greeley, who gets about as close to the truth as I do to the Confessional Box. Mea Culpa!

There is Hope! Pope Benedict XVI welcomes Anglicans ( Henry VIII's Theological children) back to the Faith.

The Apostolic Constitution approved by the Pope creates a new structure, which will allow Roman Catholic provinces such as England and Wales to have their own “Personal Ordinariate” for ex-Anglicans.

Parishes and individuals can go over to Rome en masse and join the Ordinariate. Although Catholic priests must be celibate, married former Anglican clergy who convert under the Apostolic Constitution could be ordained as Catholic priests although they would not be allowed to become bishops.

The Ordinariate could take the form of those created to care for Catholics serving in the Armed Forces and will be supervised by a senior cleric called an Ordinary, likely to be taken from the ranks of the former Anglican clergy.

It will provide spiritual care for the converts and they will be able to ask the Vatican to approve new liturgy based on their former Anglican readings, which they would hear at their own church services. They may be allowed to use Anglican prayer books.

However it is claimed there would be “formidable legal obstacles” to former Anglican parishes keeping hold of their old church buildings.

As many as 50 Anglican bishops worldwide are expected to convert under the new procedure and Cardinal Levada said the number of ordinary worshippers who had asked for such a provision was “in the hundreds”.

He added: "If there was a woman pastor in one of these groups, I would be surprised."

The leading Anglo-Catholic group in the Church of England, Forward in Faith, has warned repeatedly of a mass exodus to Rome if women are introduced to the episcopate without proper provision for those who object to the innovation.

While the group has so far remained within the Church of England to defend its place as the battle continues over women bishops, the landmark move by the Pope is likely to tempt many parishes away.

Forward in Faith said it “rejoiced” at the initiative, which it called a “decisive moment” in the history of the movement.

If Anglicans can start to see the intrinsic beauty and attraction of doctrinal and moral certainty, maybe we Catholics can become as comfortable in our skins as our Jewish neighbors reflected in the pages of Joseph Epstein's wonderful book of stories.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/6386833/Pope-Benedict-XVI-paves-way-for-thousands-of-disaffected-Anglicans-to-cross-over-to-Rome.html

"It Goes to Discovery" - Whether a Fatly Endowed, Tribune Bannered NU Law Project Whines or Not! Nice Job Ms. Alvarez!

The Medill Innocence Project begs the question - rather it beats all of us over the head with it - "Their Featured Victim is Innocent -Believe It!"

Maybe. Let's go to Discovery - as the earnest lawyers always shout on them Cop/Lawyer TV Shows.

Discovery in Law:

In American law, discovery is the pre-trial phase in a lawsuit in which each party through the law of civil procedure can request documents and other evidence from other parties and can compel the production of evidence by using a subpoena or through other discovery devices, such as requests for production of documents, and depositions. In other words, discovery includes (1) interrogatories; (2) motions or requests for production of documents; (3) requests for admissions; and (4) depositions.

"I don't think it's any of the state's business to know the state of mind of my students," Protess said. "Prosecutors should be more concerned with the wrongful conviction of Anthony McKinney than with my students' grades."

Professor Dave wants to deny the States Attorney Discovery? You have the Editorial Geniuses of the Trib with you Dave and they are always ready willing and able to bleed ink in their Pet Causes ( Smearing James Tyree, Smearing Sheriff Mike Sheehan & etc.). That is not Justice, Professor Dave.

Professor Dave!

Nice work Anita Alvarez. If Professor Dave and his Junior Future State Jackpot Lawyers' Innocent is innocent a court will decide - only after Full disclosure - Discovery, Professor Dave - Discovery.

God's Good Health to Max Weismann!

Today's Mass* and all my prayerful thoughts go with my friend and mentor Philosopher Max Weismann. Max heads the Center for the Study of Great Ideas and is one of the genuine stand-up guys in Chicago. Max stands in tall company with my Mom and Dad, Mary's Mom Alice & Chuck Holm, Nora, Conor, Clare, Willie & Kerry Winters & the Kids, Tom Mahoney, Bob Hylard, Nick Novich, Bart Winters, Charlie and Kate Olson, Jim Frogge, Tamara Holder, George Applegate, Mike McGill, Jack Higgins, Bernard Callahan, Chris and Mary Fogarty, Tommy Ward, Mike Holmes, Big Curtis Banks, Rich Lindberg, Rose Keefe, Thomas Hayes, Marquis Ball, Marty Tully, Tom Roeser,All my Cousins( in the hundreds), Mike Kennedy, Pat Buck, John B. Powers, Billy Higgins, Eddie Carroll, Boz O'Brien, Terry McEldowney, Mike Houlihan, Mike 'Pickle' Joyce, Mike and Anne Cullen, Steve Swerdeloff, Mike McQuade, Frank Nofsinger, Christine Flowers,Steve Rhodes, Mary Ann Roti, Rick Kogan, Rich Furlong, Jim Farrell, Dick Prendergast, and all the Leo Alumni, Patti Bidwill, Billy Helm, Lisa Hwang, Mel Cooney, Jim & Betsy Kennedy, La Lumiere School, The Kids at Leo, Sister Mary Paul McCaughey, Jim Durkin, Ed Maloney, Kevin Joyce, Skinney Sheehan, John Sheehan, Mary Terese and Steve Riordan, Elias Crim, Steve and Susan Jordan, Father Gallagher, Father, Gene Smith, Gino Ford, Cardinal George, Bishop Ray Goedert, Bishop Gorman, Joe Gorman, 6th District Chicago Police Department, Jack Quinn, Mary Pat McWalters, Mike Miller, Seb, Hasan, Tyrone, Tyrell, Mike, James ( all of 1440 N.Lake Shore Drive), Angel of the Pump Room, my Brother Kevin and Sister Joan, Jim and Gail Cleary, Mike and Shelby, My Nephews, Ollie and Martin McGarry, Joe Epstein, Gary Saul Morson, Kevin Baker, Dan Kelley, Anne Leary, John Rubery, Asher Fein, Sy Blitzstein,and the beautiful and elegant Terry Sullivan -to name a very few of the great people I am blessed to share my life on this earth. These people put the balm on Christ's wounds.

*Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 10:35-45.

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."
He replied, "What do you wish (me) to do for you?"
They answered him, "Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left."
Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"
They said to him, "We can." Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;
but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared."
When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John.
Jesus summoned them and said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.
For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Each of us prays in many different ways and I like to group all of the people I love into a bouquet of support and love for Max Weismann as he faces two tough surgeries this week.

Each of us has a Gethsemane, but they all should be prayers that merge as one.

God's Blessing and health to you, Max! From all of us!

James Tyree's Investment Group Get a Chicago Tribune Welcome! "Me and the Wife and Kids Set Your Garage on Fire! "

The Chicago Tribune welcomes the Investors in the Group that purchased the Flat-lined by Stupidity Chicago Sun Times with brimming bowls full of vitriol tossed right in the Lamps.

One of the best working journalists in the business Ray Gibson and a Tribune staff writer Michael Oneal seem to be doing the bidding of the same Editorial Band of geniuses who attempted to smear former Cook County Sheriff Mike Sheehan a few years ago. Sheriff Sheehan mocked the Tribune after a jury took less than twenty minutes to toss the case of Gang-Bangers/Lefty Lawyers and the Tribune's Full Court Press on a trumped up Cook County Jail Abuse Charge.

Mesirow Investment Chief James Tyree, a man with a sterling reputation for turning around businesses on life-support like the hapless Sun Times News Group ( STNG - the Progressive Independent Revolutionary Shining Path Cadre Mountain Molehill Heapers - Conrad Black's Children of the Corn and Banana Republic Payoff Mogul Cyrus Friedheim's Red Arm and Hammer Bangers*) has stepped up to save a Chicago newspaper.

Paper Hat Col. Bob McCormick's and No Popery Joe Medill's children led by Bruce 'Kenny G is Jazz' Dold seem to be following the Old Sun Times Playbook off the cliff - the one James Tyree kept The Obnoxious Oracle of Orleans Street from using.

In today's "Welcome to Progressive Journalism" oyster cracker, Gibson and Oneal squirt poison from the pens linking Tyree's Investors to a failed casino venture ( which Abner Mikva did his best to sink, it seemed to me, hearing no good word for the Emerald Investors in his Star Chamber treatment of the Casino License review - Emerald had the great Bob Clifford as counsel. BTW- I participated in one of the hearings and it sure seemed to me as though Abner Mikva had his mind set on swamping the Flynns, well before the testimony was given. The Mikva Challenge? Try and make your point.

The Tribune also attempts to toss the George Ryan Card freely at several investors as well as Al Capone. Gee why not link them to Moe Annenberg - too close to Billy Ayers I imagine. Thus!

In 2005, the Illinois Gaming Board revoked the license, citing a report by retired federal Judge Abner Mikva concluding that the owners had been deceptive and that the effort was tainted by mob influence. The Flynns have denied the charges.

Kevin Flynn, who runs an investment firm and is chairman of Renovo Services LLC, which repossesses cars and other assets, was unavailable for comment. Tyree said he knows Flynn through Mesirow's insurance arm.

Two other Sun-Times investors, William and Robert Parrillo, have deep business experience and come from a family with a long history in Chicago.

William founded Safeway Insurance Co, an auto insurer based in Westmont; his brother Robert is managing partner of Parrillo Weiss & O'Halloran, a Chicago law firm specializing in personal injury and insurance cases.

Their father did legal work for gangsters, including Al Capone. Their brother, Donald, a former 1st Ward alderman, once recounted that he was recruited to run for the post by then-Outfit chief Sam "Momo" Giancana.

Another brother, Richard, is a close friend of jailed former Republican Gov. George Ryan and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund Ryan's failed defense against corruption charges. He also has been a close associate and supporter of former 10th Ward Ald. Edward Vrdolyak.

William and Robert Parrillo weren't available for comment Friday, but a source close to them said they have worked over the years to distance themselves financially from their brothers.

Another Tyree investor, Edward Heil, made his fortune running a garbage business and a construction company that thrived on state contracts. He battled with DuPage County for years before selling a disputed landfill to Waste Management for $62.5 million in 1986.

More recently, Heil has invested in American Ecology Corp., which has a low-level nuclear waste site in Washington state.

Heil, 65, was one of Ryan's biggest financial supporters and a major donor to Gov. Jim Edgar. In 1993, Edgar canceled a potential $10 million state contract in which Heil had invested, saying he wanted to avoid the appearance that insiders might have gotten favored treatment.

Yep, the Tribune Editorial Board Mensa Chapter is sprinting to the same cliff that James Tyree stopped the Sun Times from trying out!

'Hi, I'm Col. Bob McCormick and this is my wife Joe Medill-McCormick! Welcome to the neighborhood! The wife, kids and I set your garage on fire! Here's a cold week old eggplant casserole with cauliflower sauce - we want the dish back tonight!'

*
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/01/AR2007080102601.html

Erroll Garner - 'Concert by the Sea' Will Set You Free!

I have six music discs in the console of my Malibu.

The Rascals Greatest Hits
Essential Frank Sinatra
The Best of Sam Cooke
John Roothaan and Terry Sullivan" (Acapulco Stomp)
Kinks - Vol.1 & 2
Errol Garner Concert by the Sea


Long road stretches get the Rascals and the Kinks. Traffic gets the sobering and soothing sounds of vocalists Cooke,Sinatra, Miss Terry Sullivan and especially the piano genius Errol Garner.

Unlike too many trendier jazz icons - e.g. perpetually pissed off black genius Miles Davis - Garner is welcoming, friendly, open and communal. Errol let's us squares in there.

Garner is complex, playful and astounding. From the initial hammering of chords on I'll Remember April Garner has you hooked ( click my post title)
Click my post title for this much too looked over genius. Wes Montgomery on guitar is Garner's parallel spirit.

This is from Paul Conley's great site

http://errollgarner.com/intro.html

Listen to any Erroll Garner recording and you realize, above all else, this man loved to play piano. If you were lucky enough to see him, you also know he loved to share that joy with his audience. As a result, Erroll Garner became one of the most popular pianists of all time. Such was not the case with many of his modem jazz colleagues, however. Consider Bud Powell, perhaps the most influential of all bebop pianists, whose pioneering approach attracted legions of fans within the jazz community but who alienated those casual listeners still struggling with the innovations of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Erroll Garner, on the other hand, was a favorite among jazz musicians, jazz fans and popular audiences alike. His style was far from "bebop," but he was a thoroughly modem player, whose explorations of melody, harmony and rhythm were totally unique. Still, he never lost that personal connection with the audience. He was one of those rare individuals capable of fusing unparalleled artistry with pure and honest emotion. Erroll Gamer's music was the embodiment of both joy and genius.

As the original host of "The Tonight Show" and of his own syndicated program, Steve Allen introduced television audiences to dozens of jazz greats. "There was always a rare kind of excitement when Erroll Garner played," explains Allen. "The audience first of all could be observed to be smiling, which they would not always do if say listening to Oscar Peterson. They might be open-mouthed in awe listening to Oscar, but the smiling thing would be unlikely to happen. But with Erroll there would be this happy look on the audience's faces and then an actual cheer when he finished. And sometimes cheers would happen during the performance, like at an athletic contest when somebody sinks a long basket to win the game. It was almost like that kind of outburst when the man would perform."

Richard Heene - Time's Man of the Year!

Balloon Boy's Dad - Richard Heene - is a walking metaphor of our times - Nobel's for nothing and Chick's for Free!

As adrift as the Obama Amatuer Hour White House( Cap'N Trade; Unstimulus Package, Good Taliban, Copenhagen Snuff-outs, Katrina Junkets, GITMO Weeger Giveaways to Tropical Islands, ACORN in My Shoes and 'SEIU and Raise You,' Janet Napolitano, Van Jones, Anita Dunn, and Nobel's for Nuthin' as well as Blago whack a mole updates), young Falcon Heene and his balloon-flight in the rafters of a garage stand as a metphor for Hope and Change.

TIME Magazine ?

Colorado native and Chicago Legal Expert Tamara Holder notes this about Young Icarus in the Rafters and his Old Dad:

The balloon boy story must go down in history as one of the most bizarre events EVER: Six-year old boy detaches homemade hovercraft "vehicle" slash helium balloon from back yard...climbs inside...takes off through the Colorado sky...stops all news on Obama, health care, Rush Limbaugh and the war in Afghanistan...only to find out boy is not inside the "craft" but is really in the family's attic! Fox News article here.

I called my dad after the boy had been found alive but before it was reported just where exactly Falcon Heene was found. My dad said, "I am sure the boy said to himself, 'Oh s**t, my dad is going to kick my a** once he finds out I let the balloon loose. I better go hide.'" Well, my padre knows best; moments later it was revealed that is exactly what happened: the boy hid in the attic because he knew his father would yell at him!

But wait, the story gets better. The boy's father is a total wack job. He is a mad-scientist type...oh wait, I mean "psyientist" according to dad, Richard Heene, who has his own web page:

( click my post title for more from Tamara)

Never gets too weird for me.

Dem Bridgeport Boids Are in Beverly Well, Morgan Park Anyway

The Starling Flock has swarmed "from Bridgeport to Beverly" . . . like the song* says . . . . in search of perches for the South Side Irish Parade. These birds did not get the word - The Parade's Cancelled.

Me and my Police Detective neighbor just shoo-ed a couple of hundred off the cars, decks, bikes, baby-buggies and trees here on 108th Street. The place is lousy with winged warblers.

Which posed a head-scratcher - why they visiting in this time of Global Warming? Al?

I'll ask Mrs. Fields at the Department of Energy! Thus!

Question - Why do starlings flock in such large numbers in the
winter? Flocks never seem that big in the summer .
---------------------------------------
While some starlings do not migrate, many of them migrate from north to
south and back. This normally occurs in large numbers. When you see big
flocks of birds in colder weather, they are probably heading south (late
fall) or north(early spring). Once they reach a warm area they tend to
spread out into smaller groups. If the entire group stayed together it would
be difficult for them to find enough food, water, and shelter for each bird.
If small groups break off and spread out, then food, water, and shelter will
be available to each bird in the small flock. Flocks also help with safety,
as there are many eyes to be watching and with larger groups it provides
heat when they are all together. My guess is that the reason you see such
large flocks in winter compared to summer is that in the summer the smaller
groups have already dispersed.

Grace Fields

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/zoo00/zoo00763.htm

*

South Side Irish Song ( Click my post title for the sweet sounds of Terry McEldowney!)

Written by Tom Walsh, Tom Black and Terry McEldowney

We're the Windy City Irish-where the craic is always best
Where every day is Paddy's Day and everyone's a guest
If you're Irish on the North Side or Irish on the West
Welcome to the South Side come join our Irish Fest!

(Chorus) We're the South Side Irish as our fathers were before
We come from the Windy City and we're Irish to the core
From Bridgeport to Beverly from Midway to South Shore
We're the South Side Irish-Let's sing it out once more!
Our parents came from Mayo, from Cork and Donegal.
We come from Sabina, St. Kilian's and St. Gall
St. Leo, Visitation, Little Flower and the rest.
The South Side parishes are mighty-they're the best!

Chorus

We live on the South Side-Mayor Daley lived here too
The Greatest Irish Leader that Chicago ever knew
he was always proud of his South Side Irish roots!
So here's to Hizzonor to his memory we'll be true.

We sing the songs our fathers sang when they were growing up
Rebel songs of Erin's Isle in South Side Irish Pubs
and when it comes to baseball-we have two favorite clubs
The Go-Go White Sox... and whoever plays the Cubs!

Government Option in Health, or Anything - Check out this Historical Gem!

On the way into Leo, I listened to Better Government Association( BGA) Softball Andy Shaw toss Softballs to Congresswoman Jan 'I-Spy-The Turk' Schakowsky.

Forty Watt Jan bubbled and squeaked with delight about the Health Care Reform Snowe-Job yesterday. Jan and other really deep thinkers will continue to push a government health care option down American throats, until the upchuck of voter outrage changes Congress.

The Commies under Stalin ordered that a monster of a bomber be built - kind of like our Democratic Congress pushing a monstrosity of a Health Care Bill - in full breathless 'It's A EMERGENCY!!!!' mode.

Here is a fine example of the Government Option in History.

Second and final in our series of posts today about very big things is this Soviet K-7 bomber, which dates from 1930s, before jet propulsion. As you can see by the tiny little people in the bottom right, this thing is vast - 28 metres long and 53m wing-to-wing. It weighed 38 tonnes when loaded.

It carried 120 passengers within wings which were 2.3m thick. Melded from chrome-molybdenum steel, the design originally called for six engines, but when built, a seventh had to be added. It first flew in August 1933, but crashed that November, killing 15 people. Two more were ordered, but the project was cancelled before they could be delivered.

Click my post titke for more.


Built in Russia during the 1930s, it flew 11 times before crashing and
killing 15 people.

The designer, Konstantin Kalinin, wanted to build two more planes but the
project was scrapped.

Later, Stalin had Kalinin executed. Next time -Read the Job Description!

Evidently, it was not good to fail on an expensive project under Stalin. Evidently.

It's got ( it has, Ms. Sullivan, it has - I am in south side mode, thank you!) propellers on the back of the wings, too. You can count 12 engines
facing front.

The size would be equivalent to the Empire State Building on its side,
with cannons. Think Secretary Napolitano in a thong bikini.

And you think the 747 was big... not only a bunch of engines but check out
the cannons the thing was carrying. Can not have too many cannons.

In the 1930s the Russian army was obsessed by the idea of creating huge
planes and executing millions of people.

At that time of design, it was proposed to have as many propellers as possible to
help carrying those huge flying fortresses into the air, jet propulsion has
not been implemented yet.

Not many photos were saved from those times because of the high secrecy
levels of such projects and because a lot of time has already passed.

Still, on the attached photos you can see one such plane - a heavy bomber
K-7. Too big to fail? - Oh, I don't think so! Failed Hugely, Murial!

Imagine what these dopes could have done with a grammar school bake sale?


Can you imagine what it would be like sitting in this thing when those
cannons go off? It would be like being a guest on the Ed Schultz Show.

BTW - What is BGA Softball Andy Shaw doing on WLS? Andy grab some real crooks? How'd you miss ACORN, Genius?



Huge Hat Tip to my California Patriot Pal Mike McQuade! Updated link and Hat Tip to R. Torrence for more on this monstrosity of Government Design.
Here -
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/k/k7bomber.htm