Rocky Wirtz- He Didn't Step Over a Buck to Pick up a Penny

The Beverly Theater at 95th & Ashland had, what I believe, might have been the first 'pay-to-iew' operation in America.




In about 1968, Bill Wirtz set up infancy simulcast technologies that allowed the Blackhawk Home games to be broadcast on the movie screen of the old air-conditioned and regal Beverly Theatre. That must have been one of the first Big Screen Viewing operations as well.

Not only that, they sold beer.

My Dad and his brothers Bart, Sy and Donnie worked at the Beverly as engineers, sharing the hours to augment their regular jobs.

Local news and sports journalists Bill Gleason and Dave Condon were frequent attendees, as both could walk to Beverly from their homes.

Bill Wirtz was an interesting and nice man, as far as I could tell. He became known as Dollar Bill among Chicago sports know-it-alls. Like George Halas and Charlie Comiskey, Bill Wirtz was tar-brushed with the stain of being a cheap-skate. They were working-class guys who wanted to bring sport to working men and women at a reasonable price. They were like our fathers - the guys who told us what could and could not spend.

Rocky Wirtz and I are the same age - we are baby-boomers. Our Dad's told us that we did not understand the value of a buck. Dad's worry.

I went to Loyola (twice) on my own dime, became a teacher, bought homes, raised kids,and somehow made a living, because I guess I did get the message.

Rocky Wirtz, I am sure does not still have his 1st Communion money. When his Dad passed away, Rocky made the Blackhawks his own.

He paid for Patrick Kane*. That must have resurrected his Dad and given him a massive post-mortem and resurrection coronary and sent him back to the turf.

Last night, the lessons of value paid off. Rocky Wirtz brought the Stanley Cup back City of Chicago. His Dad helped give Chicago one in 1961. Bill Wirtz paid for Bobby Hull, I guess was not as much of a cheapskate after all. Rocky Wirtz reconnected Bobby Hall and Stan Mikita with the tough and heroic kids who are cold steel on ice.

Thank you, Rocky. You learned the value of buck and refused to step over a buck to pick up a penny.

Rocky Wirtz:

On October 22, 2007, Rocky announced that the team was in negotiations with Comcast SportsNet Chicago (of which he is part-owner) to begin televising home games. That season, they began to show a select amount of home games, with Wirtz citing pre-existing agreements Comcast had with other programming as a reason why not all of the remaining 2007-08 home schedule could be shown. Wirtz also hired John McDonough, formerly with the Chicago Cubs to become the new President of the team.[5] Many believe that McDonough's presence, along with the young talent on the Blackhawks team, will improve the team's marketing ability and reverse what has been a long drought in popularity. This is evident in the fact that the Blackhawks were tops in the NHL for attendance in 2008-09 [6] while making it to the Western Conference Finals.

Former players Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita, who were not on good terms with Bill Wirtz, have worked with the team in the role of "ambassadors," [7] another sign that Rocky Wirtz has been able to undo the damage to the franchise many attributed to his father. A big step showing that this damage had been coming undone came when the Chicago Blackhawks celebrated Hull and Mikita in a joint celebration at the United Center on Friday, March 7, 2008. Met with more mixed reaction was Wirtz's decision to lessen the use of the United Center's organ in favor of more prerecorded current music to attract new, younger fans. This ended up being a blessing in disguise as the goal song "Chelsea Dagger" became a song other teams loved to hate.[8]

The changes made by Rocky Wirtz and the improvement of the team have been remarkable. After missing the playoffs for six straight seasons, the Blackhawks finally broke through in 2009. With a young and inexperienced team, few predicted the Hawks to go very far but they defeated the Calgary Flames and the Vancouver Canucks in the first two rounds before bowing out to the defending Stanley Cup Champions, Detroit Red Wings, in the Western Conference Final. In the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Blackhawks have defeated the Nashville Predators, Vancouver Canucks and San Jose Sharks to advance to their first Stanley Cup Final since 1992. They went head to head with the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL final and won the Stanley Cup.

Marathon Pundit Goes All Street on Shorebank Scammers

My Man John Ruberry - Jack That Cat is Clean!

Hezbollah and Jan Schakowsky Think Helen Thomas "Awesome!"

Congresswoman and Illinois Nitwork Jan Schakowsky and the swell folks at Hezbollah will miss Helen Thomas:

Hezbollah stands by disgraced US reporter Helen Thomas
Published: 06.09.10, 21:09 / Israel News
Hezbollah on Wednesday saluted veteran US reporter Helen Thomas's "courage" for her controversial comments against Israel, which sparked a furor and forced her to retire.

"Respected American journalist Helen Thomas's answer shows ... a courageous, bold, honest and free opinion which expresses what people across the globe believe: that Israel is a racist state of murderers and thugs," Hezbollah MP Hussein Moussawi said in a statement. (AFP)

Having Elephant Man's Mother as her featured headliner* was inspired . . . by a 40 Watt Intellect, Room Temperature I.Q. and the personality of a dial tone.

Jan Schakowsky - she keeps giving and giving. Hey, what's up with Jan Schakowsky's Turkish intrigues these days - she never really answered thos equestion raised last Fall? Gotta ask. Carol Marin will not.


*

Thomas headlined Rep. Jan Schakowsky’s big campaign fundraiser, the “9th Annual Ultimate Women’s Power Lunch” in Chicago. The list of guests included all of the major Democratic candidates for federal office, including Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias and 10th district contender Dan Seals. Senator Dick Durbin was also there, as were representatives of J Street, the new lobby for left-wing policies on Israel.
Rep. Schakowsky and her guests were well aware of Thomas’s record of anti-Israel rhetoric, and were invited to distance themselves from her views. None did. Instead, Rep. Schakowsky declared proudly of Thomas: “She’s so awesome!”

Joel Pollack

Cry Wolf Project - Marxist PACs like SEIU v. The Shrinking American Middle Class

How many academics does it take to screw in a light bulb ? Six: One to write the grant proposal, one to do the mathematical modelling, one to type the research paper, one to submit the paper for publishing, and one to hire a student to do the work, and the one to Cry Wolf - Racist Crisis Looming. Oh, you mean mean screw in a light bulb? Crew IN a light bulb, that's sexist or homophobic! Or do you mean 'screw the light bulb into the required light bulb socket? Light bulbs are a danger to a Green Planet!

American Academics want to be power players. They want solidarity with the working class.

Since the 1970's when the bow-tied Federal Judge Prentice Marshall put into motion the complete hand-cuffing and undermining of law enforcement, academic "Centers" for Justice have piled on the Chicago Police. Close on the heels of Prentice Marshall's short-sighted and 'touchy-feely' ruling that stripped the Chicago Police Department of the right to hire qualified candidates for the police academy and possible employment as police officers, race based hiring trumped everything.

In 1976, ruling in a discrimination suit, he ordered the Chicago Police Department to hire women as officers on the beat and to open its doors to more blacks and Hispanics. When the city failed to comply, Judge Marshall directed the United States Treasury to withhold federal money until the department changed its policies.

It did not matter that women are physically less robust than what law enforcement requires, nor did it matter that test scores on the entrance examination might be an indication of future qualification, a Federal judge knew more than the officers placing themselves in harm's way everyday.

Since Prentice Marshall academics and lawyers know more about police work and what it takes to protect citizens, because everything gets laundered by race, gender and feeling really good. Parents of dead teenagers, however, do not feel good and neither do police officers. G. Flint Taylor, Locke Bowman, and Jon Loevy feel great, as do the "Centers" for anything at Northwestern and University of Chicago.

American labor - real labor - skilled trades and industrial trade unions are going the way of law enforcement and American criminal justice, because Academics cry wolf.

SEIU and other Political Action Committees that the corporate media call Big Labor are focused on the elimination of the American Middle Class. In order to accomplish that end, SEIU and their paid helpers in the media and academia must undermine any and all confidence in American Labor - the skilled trade and industrial unions. The skilled trades and industrial unions built the American Middle Class as much as American business.

The middle class in America owes its once robust good health to labor.

Yesterday SEIU spent 10 million dollars to defeat one candidate in Arkansas - Blanche Lincoln. Blanche Lincoln won. SEIU spent millions of dollars to elect the President of the United States. Barack Obama won in 2008. Since then, Andy Stern was selected to serve on the Obama Deficit Reduction Commission, has been implicated in the Illinois Blagojevich corruption trial and has quickly resigned his position as head of SEIU.

Andy Stern came to SEIU via University of Pennsylvania. He is an academic.

Recently the active role of college academics in the work of SEIU to kill the American Middle Class have come to light.
It is no secret that progressives have created a self-cloning machine by hijacking our educational system. Their indoctrination efforts are well documented. But we rarely think of research institutions as propaganda factories. A Request for Proposal (RFP) — see document above — recently obtained by Big Journalism gives us a rare look at how progressives and labor unions attempt to manipulate the national media narrative.
And their process? you may ask. Use the credibility and resources of the American higher education system to create research prop – biased collegial research papers that serve as propaganda to support political policies.
Entitled Cry Wolf, the RFP proclaims a desire to look “for faculty and graduate students… interested in writing short (2,000 word) policy briefs” that “construct a counter narrative that demonstrates the falsity or exaggeration” of conservative claims. Writers of briefs selected by the project coordinators will receive 100,000 pennies for their thoughts.
Their hopes with this researchprop is for these papers to “become the basis for opinion pieces designed to run in the mainstream media, on line, on the air, or in the press,” with the end outcome of building the following narrative in the public consciousness: that conservative objections to their policies are just the old dirty tricks of the right-wing.
If executed successfully, the “first reaction of millions of people, as well as opinion leaders, will be, ‘there they go again’,” reads the RFP – a clear attempt to label any right-leaning objection to progressive policy as another case of crying wolf.

Distributed by Peter Dreier, Professor of Politics and Director of the Urban & Environmental Policy program at Occidental College, the request for proposal asks for help “in an important project in the battle with conservative ideas.” Drier is a frequent collaborator with the California AFL-CIO and the infamous ACORN.
The project’s union and progressive ties are seen throughout the bios of its coordinators and advisory board. It is sponsored by the Center on Policy Initiatives, a San Diego based non-profit headed by co-founder and Cry Wolf project coordinator Donald Cohen – a 25-year community organizing veteran and former Political Director for a division of San Diego’s AFL-CIO.
In fact, every person associated with this project has either spent a lifetime glorifying the work of labor unions through their writings, or has published work that supports the policies that further Big Labor’s agenda.
Labor historian Nelson Lichtenstein, Professor of History at UC Santa Barbara and Director of the Center for the Study of Work, Labor, and Democracy — and “America’s foremost Wal-Mart expert” — is also a Cry Wolf project coordinator. He is the author of numerous books designed to raise the awareness of the labor cause. While at the University of Virginia, Lichtenstein was involved in an organization known as Labor Action Group. “Our task was to insert and raise the labor question into the consciousness and politics of the university,” wrote Lichtenstein in the preface of his book State of the Union: A Century of American Labor.

Click my post title for more.

SEIU is thick in Illinois politics, as the Blagojevich trial will reveal.

Skilled Trades unions and industrial trade unions need to become aware of the wolves -academics and SEIU leadership -in their midst.

SEIU will, as it tried to do so in Illinois in 2004, to strip Trades of their apprenticeship admissions, schools and certifications and turn that right over to elected officials - they will cry wolf -race, social justice and high sounding cries in the night and the media.

A Federal Judge Prentice Marshall damaged forever the Chicago Police Department with help from academics and lawyers.

SEIU has forever damaged American Labor with help from academics, gutless politicians and of course lawyers - but it is not too late.

Look to Blanche Lincoln.

Planned Parenthood's Global Genocide -Names It's Cover Girl!

A Masters Degree i public administration from Harvard comes with a solid core belief that more children killed in the womb is a Global Imperative.

Planned Parenthood has ginned up a paeon to the Pill and stepped up its Abortion Mill work in Africa and Asia. With help of President Obama, Planned Parenthood's #1 President in American history, and his pal in Venezuela, Jefe Hugo, Planned Parenthood will be set to launch a full global genocide.

Actress Ashley Judd has been named Abortion's Cover Girl!

Thanks to her academic endeavors, Judd had a greater appreciation of Melody’s experience. “I wouldn’t have realized that Melody was hoping to make a transition from the informal to the formal economy without having taken Martha Chen’s class,” the actress said, giving a shout-out to her professor, an expert on women, poverty and employment.


Still, Judd said the program taught her as much about the power of emotions as that of policy.


“I learned that the greatest leadership must come from the heart,” she said.


In addition to talking about global maternal health during her days at the conference, Judd will tackle an issue closer to home while she’s in Washington, too: On Wednesday, the native Kentuckian will speak at the National Press Club against the practice of mountaintop-removal coal mining.

Judd has nice features I guess, but her brain pan? She's as baffled as Adam on Mothers Day!


Man! and you thought Helen Thomas was ugly!~ Ashley Judd is appealing a used and thoroughly squeezed colostomy bag.

http://psi.org/about-psi/board

Father (Lt.) Vincent R. Capodanno, USN, CMOH Cleared for Path to Sainthood

from The Lair of the Catholic Laymen

Father (Lt.) Vincent R. Capodanno, USN, CMOH, Servant of God
FINALLY, a Patron Saint for the Marine Corps?

Excellent article concerning the cause for Sainthood has formally been opened for Medal of Honor awarded "Grunt Padre". I know that my eldest brother will be happy to hear this... he was a 0331 (Marine Corps machine gunner) in Viet-Nam, who served more than one Mass for Fr. Capodanno.

The second posting I ever did on this blog was concerning Father Capodanno and his possible Canonization. Deo Gratis his cause has been officially opened. If you're curious, there I have posted his Medal of Honor citation.

Unfortunately, the news story from Catholic News Service has some errors. Father Capodanno wasn't killed by a sniper... he was killed by a communist North Viet-Namese machine gunner less than 5 feet away from him, as Fr. Capodanno was trying to save the life of a dying comrade. Also the writer committed a cardinal sin against Marines... he referred to Marines as "soldiers".

Anyhow, to read about Fr. Capodanno in the words of those who served with him, go here. Below is a bit of the recollection by Former Marine Ray Harton, Mike Company, 3/5 (3d Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment).

If this doesn't bring a tear to your eye, there's something wrong with you.

Sometime late afternoon we heard scattered fire, we had stopped close to a small hill. Sgt. Peters came running up and told us 1st Platoon had been hit hard and we were going to help them. We ran some, walked some and approached the top of the hill and the carnage started. All I can remember is Sgt. Peters screaming, "Get that Gun!" and I was hit in the left arm that spun me to the ground, another shot shattered my rifle. I was screaming, along with other members of my squad, we were being shot at every move we made.

The machine gun was close, 15 to 25 yards away, in a thicket, part way down the far slope of the small hill or knoll I called it. This very hard for me. I can remember seeing the North Vietnamese troops moving and coming toward me, there were Marines lying all around me, and I was calling for help, while with every beat of my fast pumping heart, my life blood was spurting on the ground. I could hear someone holler "Corpsman!" but every time I would move, that gun would shoot at me, and the other Marines. At a distance, I could see Doc Leal moving from Marine to Marine, and he was looking at me. I knew I was going to die, I was not able to defend myself, and the NVA were coming after me, that was my fear.

Through all the noise and hearing myself scream, someone touched me. I had rolled myself on my left side to put pressure on my left arm and elbow, and someone touched me, it was Fr. Vince. As I looked into his eyes, all things got silent. Not a sound could be heard. No screaming, nothing but the sound of his soft voice, and the look of compassion in his eyes. "Stay calm Marine, someone will be here to help, God is with all of us this day!"

I could see Sgt. Peters laying on the ground, blood coming from his mouth, Corpsman Leal moving in my direction, but I was not scared any longer. I was at peace. Fr. Vince was bare headed, blood on his face and neck, his right hand was mangled with a bloody compress hastily attached. He cupped the back of my head in an attempt to raise me off my arm, when all of a sudden I heard a scream, "my leg, my leg!" and I was back in the war. I glanced over and Corpsman Leal was sitting on the ground screaming about 25 feet from me. Fr. Vince blessed me with his good hand and leaped up and darted to Corpsman Leal. I had come to my senses and was ready to fight, the words "Get that gun!" were still ringing in my head. I made an attempt to move when that gun opened up once more, not at me, but had caught Fr. Vince and Corpsman Leal and ended their lives, a long burst killed my savior, and my friends. Fr. Vince was gone, that image remains foremost in my mind today. And the guilt of being the cause of this God-Like Soul's death haunts me today. I got mad at God and mad at the enemy. I will not go into what happened later between me and that gun [crew].
posted by Vir Speluncae Catholicus at 12:51 PM

Kalamazoo Thighs Not Tingling - "Make No Excuses," or " Find Some Ass to Kick!"

President Barack Obama is telling high school graduates in Michigan not to make excuses, and to take responsibility for failures as well as successes.

In excerpts of remarks to be delivered later Monday at Kalamazoo Central High School, Obama says that it's easy to blame others when problems arise. "We see it every day out in Washington, with folks calling each other names and making all sorts of accusations on TV," the president says.

As the President said Earlier,


"I don't sit around just talking to experts because this is a college seminar, we talk to these folks because they potentially have the best answers, so I know whose ass to kick."

What's that running up your leg? Chris Matthews? Not in Kalamazoo - it's irony.

Max Wesimann Happy Birthday - The Pump Room's "Most Interesting Man"

Happy Birthday to Max Weismann*, philosopher, classicist, architect, bon vivant, raconteur, discerning pintsman, and Director of The Center for the Study of Great Ideas.

Max Weismann is also the Commodore of Chicago's Ambassador East Pump Room. His Station is at the northeast corner of the elegant horse shoe bar and from his perch he dispenses good will and jambs his long athletic arm deeply into his pockets - to the elbows mind you - to bring coin of the Republic in saloon largess only matched by Boz O'Brien -owner of Midway Airport's Reilly's Daughter Pub.

Max makes Henry Kissinger go bashful

Brian Erlacher was sacked by Max

Jim Thome asks Max to watch him in the cage

Mayor Daley opens his mail

The Lincoln Park Zoo sings to Max at Christmas

The Black Hawks sing Chelsea Hammer whenever Max drops a cocktail napkin to catch the eye of a Swedish Stewardess

Max gets tips from bartenders

Max Weismann uses only the vowels he truly needs

Max never needs Tom Skilling - clouds part with his advent


When it is raining, it is because he is sad.

Even his parrot's advice is insightful.

If there were an interesting gland, his would be larger than most men's entire lower intestines.

His shirts never wrinkle.

He is left-handed. And right-handed.

Even if he forgets to put postage on his mail, it gets there.

He once knew a call was a wrong number, even though the person on the other end wouldn't admit it.

You can see his charisma from space.

Max Weismann is my friend - Happy Birthday, Max!


*

Max Weismann is an American philosopher and a long time friend and colleague of Mortimer Adler, with whom he co-founded the Center for the Study of the Great Ideas in Chicago. He is director and president of the Center and has dedicated his time and talents to promoting the philosophical and pedagogical ideas of Dr. Adler. He also compiled, edited and published, How To Think About the Great Ideas: From the Great Books of Western Civilization, a 600 page tome of never published work from Adler’s television series, The Great Ideas. Weismann serves as chairman of the Great Books Academy [over 3.000 students] and is professor of philosophy at Rushmore University.[1]

Prior to his career in philosophy and education with Dr. Adler, Mr. Weismann was a consultant in the field of architecture, construction management and exhibit design and fabrication. He worked on famous projects like the Century 21 Exposition, 1964 New York World's Fair and Expo 67, with such notables as Walt Disney, Frank Lloyd Wright, Buckminster Fuller, Mies van der Rohe, Louis I. Kahn, Paul Rudolph, Marcel Breur, José Luis Sert, Edward Durell Stone, Minoru Yamasaki, Harry Weese, Moshe Safdie, Jacques Yves Cousteau, Alexander Calder, and Edward L. Barnes. Mr. Weismann oversaw the development and construction of the Chicago Botanic Garden.

Weismann also invented a revolutionary color imaging system, that was used worldwide in the fields of color proofing and printing, graphic design, television and advertising.

italics - http://symbii.com/stories.php?sid=618

After Retirement, Helen Thomas Will Go Home

In the world of political journalism, it's the end of an era: Helen Thomas has retired just months shy of her 90th birthday.

The longtime White House journalist has covered every president since Dwight Eisenhower and broke several barriers for female journalists but stepped down from her latest role -- a columnist for Hearst Newspapers -- in the wake of controversial remarks made in late May about the need for Jews to "get the hell out of Palestine" and return to Poland and Germany.

"Helen Thomas announced Monday that she is retiring, effective immediately," read a statement from Hearst Newspapers on Monday. "Her decision came after her controversial comments about Israel and the Palestinians were captured on videotape and widely disseminated on the Internet."

Thomas said in a statement that, "I deeply regret my comments I made last week regarding the Israelis and the Palestinians. They do not reflect my heart-felt belief that peace will come to the Middle East only when all parties recognize the need for mutual respect and tolerance. May that day come soon.’’

A Tail of Old Erin's Isle

A rough and weathered Kerry farmer pulled the rope leash that harnessed a black faced sheep.

With razor rain pelting his weather- leathered sixty-five year old vissage, the rough rustic Moses pulled the baying and bleating Ovis Bovidae to and manfully through the green painted door of his one room cottage on the lee-ward side of the hill that crowned his farm. The last embers of turf glowed a gold-smoky hue to the spartan room with walls adorned with framed photos of JFK, RFK, MLK and Bono.

From the thick woolen blankets and home-spun covers of the queen-sized bed, came the voice of his bride of thirty-two years, " Pissed are ye?"

Pulling himself to the full 65" majesty of his agarian frame, our peat-digging yeoman retorted," This is the cow . . .that I am having sex with!"

There was somewhat of a pause. Had years of drink and labor destroyed the once careless and song-slinging swain who had charmed and conquered her heart with this revelation of madness?

"You've a skinfull of Poitín and porter - that's a sheep you amadaun!"

The woolly creature cowered and the sheep was taken aback, as well. After a pause of some seconds the Culchee villein spat back, " I was talking to the mutton, so!"

Ah, as Catullus lyred -Qvearis, quot mihi basiationes tuae, Lesbia, sint satis superque. . . .

From the file of Mr. Gerry O'Carroll

Here Come the Blackhawks - You 'Hawks Sing on Ice!

My Philly Buddy Christine Flowers calls her Philly Flyers - The Icemen of the Apocalypse -

The Apocalypse Cometh - Meet the Real Icemen Christine Flowers' Flyers and these birds can sing:

Forwards
# NAME HEIGHT WEIGHT DATE OF BIRTH AGE BIRTH PLACE
12 KYLE BEACH 6' 3" 202 JAN 13, 1990 20 NORTH VANCOUVER, BC, CAN
29 BRYAN BICKELL 6' 4" 223 MAR 9, 1986 24 BOWMANVILLE, ON, CAN
36 DAVE BOLLAND 6' 0" 181 JUN 5, 1986 24 MIMICO, ON, CAN
22 TROY BROUWER 6' 2" 214 AUG 17, 1985 24 VANCOUVER, BC, CAN
37 ADAM BURISH 6' 0" 189 JAN 6, 1983 27 MADISON, WI, USA
33 DUSTIN BYFUGLIEN 6' 4" 257 MAR 27, 1985 25 MINNEAPOLIS, MN, USA
28 JAKE DOWELL 6' 0" 199 MAR 4, 1985 25 EAU CLAIRE, WI, USA
55 BEN EAGER 6' 2" 230 JAN 22, 1984 26 OTTAWA, ON, CAN
46 COLIN FRASER 6' 1" 190 JAN 28, 1985 25 SICAMOUS, BC, CAN
81 MARIAN HOSSA 6' 1" 210 JAN 12, 1979 31 STARÁ LUBOVNA, SVK
88 PATRICK KANE 5' 10" 178 NOV 19, 1988 21 BUFFALO, NY, USA
82 TOMAS KOPECKY 6' 3" 203 FEB 5, 1982 28 ILAVA, SVK
16 ANDREW LADD 6' 2" 200 DEC 12, 1985 24 MAPLE RIDGE, BC, CAN
11 JOHN MADDEN 5' 11" 190 MAY 4, 1973 37 TORONTO, ON, CAN
10 PATRICK SHARP "A" 6' 1" 199 DEC 27, 1981 28 WINNIPEG, MB, CAN
20 JACK SKILLE 6' 1" 215 MAY 19, 1987 23 MADISON, WI, USA
19 JONATHAN TOEWS "C" 6' 2" 210 APR 29, 1988 22 WINNIPEG, MB, CAN
32 KRIS VERSTEEG 5' 10" 182 MAY 13, 1986 24 LETHBRIDGE, AB, CANDefensemen
# NAME HEIGHT WEIGHT DATE OF BIRTH AGE BIRTH PLACE
24 NICK BOYNTON 6' 1" 218 JAN 14, 1979 31 NOBLETON, ON, CAN
51 BRIAN CAMPBELL 6' 0" 189 MAY 23, 1979 31 STRATHROY, ON, CAN
56 BRIAN CONNELLY 5' 10" 167 JUN 10, 1986 23 BLOOMINGTON, MN, USA
34 JASSEN CULLIMORE 6' 5" 235 DEC 4, 1972 37 SIMCOE, ON, CAN
6 JORDAN HENDRY 6' 0" 197 FEB 23, 1984 26 LANIGAN, SK, CAN
4 NIKLAS HJALMARSSON 6' 3" 205 JUN 6, 1987 23 EKSJO, SWE
8 KIM JOHNSSON 6' 1" 193 MAR 16, 1976 34 MALMO, SWE
2 DUNCAN KEITH "A" 6' 1" 196 JUL 16, 1983 26 WINNIPEG, MB, CAN
42 SHAWN LALONDE 6' 1" 192 MAR 10, 1990 20 OTTAWA, ON, CAN
44 DANNY RICHMOND 6' 0" 192 AUG 1, 1984 25 CHICAGO, IL, USA
7 BRENT SEABROOK 6' 3" 218 APR 20, 1985 25 RICHMOND, BC, CAN
5 BRENT SOPEL 6' 1" 201 JAN 7, 1977 33 CALGARY, AB, CANGoalies
# NAME HEIGHT WEIGHT DATE OF BIRTH AGE BIRTH PLACE
50 COREY CRAWFORD 6' 2" 200 DEC 31, 1984 25 MONTREAL, QC, CAN
39 CRISTOBAL HUET 6' 1" 205 SEP 3, 1975 34 ST-MARTIN-D'HÈRES, FRA
31 ANTTI NIEMI 6' 2" 210 AUG 29, 1983 26 VANTAA, FIN
30 HANNU TOIVONEN 6' 2" 200 MAY 18, 1984 26 KALVOLA, FIN

Super le truc, merci! From Max Weismann - Bon Vivant & Commodore de Pump Room

I tried this on a Blatz Tall Boy - to no avail.

Vous avez soif, pas de tire bouchon mais une paire de chaussure? Parfait ! vous pouvez ouvrir votre bouteille de vin !! REGARDEZ ;)

Local 399 Host Benefit for Natasha McShane

Here's another opprtunity to help coming up soon!




Stationary Engineer Local # 399 hosted an estimated 600 great people who attended Friday night's benefit for beating victim Natasha McShane. The event was put together by former Cook County Sheriff Michael Sheehan and his brother James "Skinny" Sheehan along with Chicago Sun Times owner James Tyree, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart and Mayor Daley. Chicago's great Skilled Trades Unions were thick in the giving especially Pipe Fitters Local 597. There is not a benefit in this City that is not aided by the Carpenters, Electricians, Hoisters, Cement Finishers, Plumbers, or Laborers Locals. I can see 597 Leader Tom Kotel dropping an envelop thick with 'Hundos.'

I could not attend but most of my large extended family were there - you can contribute to the Fund for Natasha McShane, as I did by clicking my post title.

Cousins, Mike Brennan, Hank Walsh, Brian, Mike, Red Pat, Sy, Marc Hickey and the many Winters Lads Willie, Bart, Mark, Vince, Brendan, Tim, Marty, Jack and Nat along with my brother-in-law Larry DiMateo scooped up cash for the poor Girl.

Old buddy and Pulitzer Prize Winning Cartoonist Jack Higgins and his beautiful bride Missy wondered ( and well they should) about my absence to which, Chicago Renaissance Man and Radio Legend Mike Houlihan replied, " I think it was Hickey's night to tape the Kardashian Saga on Cable." The burn on the treasured CD did not take, alas. Bernard Callaghan of Keegan's Pub no doubt nodded with dour and sober understanding of my absence from this throng of worthies.

No, I was not having a breast reduction, liposuction or any other elective cosmetic surgery . . .thank you very much.

High School pals Bobby Sheehy and Pat Byrne of the Mulliganeer's gave cousin John Winters a check in the amount of $ 2,500 to help Natasha McShane. The Mulliganeers are dedicated to helping Chicago families suffering from illness and unexpected financial tragedies of this kind and have presented hundreds of thousands of dollars to that mission.

Mark Konkol of the Chicago Sun Times must be credited with boosting the news on this great benefit! I am sure the Dooley Brothers, Terry McEldowney, Cathy O'Connell,John Williams and Liz Carroll provided music.

My Neighbors,Cops, Fireman and Catholic and Public Teachers larded the giving! I know Leo Men Jerry Schmitt, Chico Driscoll, Harry Valadez, Larry Lynch, Rich Doyle, Tom Lynch and so many others were on hand. State Sen. Ed Maloney, State Reps. Kevin Joyce, Mike Carberry, Rep. Elect Kelly Burke and her husband Terry were all there making this a full basket for Natasha. The Great Mike Doorhy a Master of throwing a benefit for aid was there! I can see the ghosts of John Hickey, Martin Ford, Johnny Neary, Jigs Donahue, Old Jack Reedy and my grandfather Lawrence, an old Local 399 Founder, tough guy and Kerry Bogman smiling with approval and wondering "Why the Hell, Patsheen was not there . . . Christ Jesus Almighty!!!?"

I am so proud of Chicago's great hearted people. Below is CBS 2's Krystin Hartman's fine report.

CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Natasha McShane
CBS

A young woman has a tough recovery, but she's not going it alone. Supporters packed a benefit Friday night in honor of Natasha McShane. She's one of two women who survived a vicious baseball bat beating in Bucktown in April.

CBS 2's Kristyn Hartman reports.

It was everything Irish for a young woman from Northern Ireland who came to the Windy City to study. Her name is Natasha McShane. She's fighting her way back to everyone who cares about her.

A young woman has a tough recovery, but she's not going it alone. Supporters packed a benefit tonight in honor of Natasha McShane. She's one of two women who survived a vicious baseball bat beating. CBS 2's Kristyn Hartman has the story.

Everything Irish in Chicago tonight for a young woman from Northern Ireland who came to the windy city to study. Her name is Natasha McShane. She's fighting her way back to everyone who cares about her.

"Natasha is slowly progressing every day, she's even beginning to talk," longtime family friend Mark Campbell said.

That's good news considering all that's happened.

"She was a victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time," said Campbell.

One early morning in April, Natasha was walking along a busy street with her friend, Stacy Starl Jurich, when police say Heriberto Viramontes attacked them with a bat in Bucktown. The injuries were serious. Mary Dunne read about it.

"How will I ever say I'm from Chicago?" she said. "I was so embarrassed. Then I thought, 'I can do something.'"

Dunne rallied her brothers Mike and James "Skinny" Sheahan and other local leaders to help Natasha and her parents, who traveled so far to be by their daughter's side.

The benefit to raise money for her considerable medical care was the result. Hundreds of people from the Irish community answered the call.

"Now I'm proud to go to Ireland because, quite frankly, everybody over there knows now how Natasha is loved in our city," Dunne said.

She says the McShanes are grateful for the outpouring. Natasha's father attended the benefit, but declined comment. A family friend said: "Keep the prayers going. Keep believing in this beautiful Irish girl, that she can get better 100 percent. "

One hundred percent of Friday's proceeds went to the McShane family. Everything from the food to the space, was donated.

On Friday, Heriberto Viramontes and his alleged accomplice, Marcy Cruz, both pleaded not guilty to several charges in connection with the Bucktown beatings. They will appear for a status hearing on July 7.

Cruz, 25, told her boyfriend, co-defendant Viramontes, to "look at all those drunk a------- coming out of the bar'' moments before Viramontes attacked the women, Asst. Cook County State's Atty. Erin Antonietti said during bond proceedings.

Jurich needed 15 staples to the outside of her head and McShane was initially in a drug-induced coma, the prosecutor said.

About 18 minutes after the robbery, Viramontes and Cruz were captured on surveillance video at a nearby gas station trying to use the victim's credit card, a source said.

Viramontes, a Spanish Cobras gang member, has been arrested more than 30 times and convicted of burglary, possession of a stolen vehicle and domestic battery, police said.

Cruz has a record of arrests for minor crimes but has never been convicted, police said.

McShane was transferred from Northwestern Memorial Hospital to the Rehab Institute on May 14, a spokeswoman for Northwestern Memorial said. She opened her eyes for the first time on April 30 as doctors slowly pulled her from a drug-induced coma. She also spoke her first words and now understands her condition.

Jurich is now receiving outpatient treatment.

Sun-Times Media Wire contritubed to this report.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Jan Schakowsky and Helen Thomas to Open a Turkish Bath?

Joel Pollak outs Schakowsky as a self-loathing Jew? Naw, Jan Schakowsky is dumber than hammered horse$hit, Joel.

Only last month, Thomas headlined Rep. Jan Schakowsky’s big campaign fundraiser, the “9th Annual Ultimate Women’s Power Lunch” in Chicago. The list of guests included all of the major Democratic candidates for federal office, including Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias and 10th district contender Dan Seals. Senator Dick Durbin was also there, as were representatives of J Street, the new lobby for left-wing policies on Israel.
Rep. Schakowsky and her guests were well aware of Thomas’s record of anti-Israel rhetoric, and were invited to distance themselves from her views. None did. Instead, Rep. Schakowsky declared proudly of Thomas: “She’s so awesome!”
Thomas’s comments are also problematic for Giannoulias, whose family foundation funds radical anti-Israel groups such as Electronic Intifada, which it honored at a benefit last year.n the days ahead, the media establishment will likely condemn Thomas’s explicit antisemitism, and distance itself from her views (with a few protestations, no doubt, about the supposed differences between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism). Yet for Democrats in Illinois and beyond, who have placed Thomas on a pedestal, Thomas is a problem that will not go away. Antisemitism is ascendant on the left. Voters are noticing.

Having Elephant Man's Mother as her featured headliner was inspired . . .by a 40 Watt Intellect, Room Temperature I.Q. and the personality of a dial tone.

Jan Schakowsky - she keeps giving and giving. Hey, what's up with Jan Schakowsky's Turkish intrigues these days - she never really answered thos equestion raised last Fall? Gotta ask. Carol Marin will not.

Rick K and the AllNighters -Future MSNBC Anchors ? - Might as Well - Love the Suits

Do watch the drummer - he makes MSNBC's Ed Schultz seem . . . what's the word? . . . involved?


Huge Hat Tip to Ed Driscoll.com

Vice President Joe Biden Stood Up for Israel - Watch Your Back, Sir!

Vice President Joe Biden told Charlie Rose immediately and without reservation, "Israel has an absolute right to deal with its security interests. They (Israel) have said, ‘Here you go. You’re in the Mediterranean. This ship — if you divert slightly north you can unload it and we’ll get the stuff into Gaza.” So what’s the big deal here?"

Spoken like a real Democrat ( Harry Truman and Daniel Patrick Moynihan) - well said, Sir! Now, watch your back.

The Media will belittle and ignore you. Andrew Breitbart's Big Journalism and Mike Opelka notes:

As noted above, Fox News put the story on the front page of their website. While every news organization’s website covers the latest from the oil spill, MSNBC, CNN must have been watching something else as their front pages are focused on other breaking news items like:
MSNBC:
A perfect mess: Blown call robs pitcher of rare feat
Groin-punch game harms more boys
Newsweek’s campaign for a black spiderman
CNN:
Would Fed Intervention Make US Liable?
More Urging Obama To Show Rage
Another Gaza Showdown Looks Likely
Is it just that the rest of the MSM doesn’t give the VP as much credibility as they do Spike Lee, who told Anderson Cooper that he would like the President to “go off”?
I find it a bit frightening when the Vice President, the second most powerful man in the country, makes a fairly well-defined statement about America’s position regarding one of our staunchest allies involved in an incident with global ramifications and it is dismissed or not reported at all.
But thanks to MSNBC, we’ll all be up to day on the dangers of groin-punching games that are (allegedly) all the rage among teen boys.

Catholics and Jews - people with solid belief systems - are anathema to the Progressive. Progressives control the media with dollars and threats. Progressives control the DNC with dollars and threats.

Joe Biden stood up and the White House sold Israel out to its enemies.

God Bless You Mr. Biden and God Bless Israel.

Schakowsky: Helen Thomas ‘is awesome’ – The Hill – MSMDC News (blog) - Jan Wants Israel Emptied of Jews Too?

Normally it’s White House correspondent Helen Thomas who asks all the questions. But the seasoned reporter traded places on Friday with Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) at the lawmaker’s annual Ultimate Women’s Power Lunch in Chicago, where Thomas was the guest of honor.
Schakowsky, who chairs the Congressional Women’s Caucus, interviewed Thomas before a crowd of more than 1,500 supporters. The lawmaker told ITK that the correspondent, who turns 90 later this year, “outlasted” her all day. Luckily, Thomas shared her secret.

“I asked her how she does it, what keeps her going every day,” Schakowsky said, “and she had the best answer: She told me, ‘Being angry keeps me strong.’ ”

Asked by Rabbi David Nesenoff of RabbiLive.com if she had “any comments on Israel,” Thomas replied, “Tell them to get the hell out of Palestine.”

Thomas went on to say that the Palestinian people “are occupied and it’s their land” and that Israelis should “go home” -- to Poland, Germany, America “and everywhere else.”

Awesome. This north shore nitwit just keeps giving, giving and giving!

Leftists - It's All About Power: ISM/Free Gaza Kevin Clark- The Preening Power Gobbler of Gaza

The Old south side joke that causes some to shudder ends, " . . .because he can.'

ISM and Free Gaza can do whatever crime they intend to commit because they can. The Media which no longer seems to be interested reporting news but in achieving goals ( Progressive/Leftist ) has shown no interest whatever in following up on any public terrorist. Bernardine Dohrn is a convicted felon and her Barney Google-like mate Billy Ayers has always hidden behind stacks of cash to whatever he pleases. The Media has laundered their actions and if actions have no consequences - as they do for working people and patriots -you can expect more consequences.

Kevin Clark, a suburban home-grown ersatz Franz Fanon, is spokesman for a network of radical groups - ISM and Free Gaza to name but two. He is a man who demands attention by his words and deeds - yet he expects no consequences.

I have spent thirty five years in education. I detest anyone who exploits kids. This is Kevin Clark's meat and gravy. Progressive Power grows from the root of Hegelian Marxism - not Hope and Change.

The exercise of Power is what it it is all about. ISM tells the media what it is doing and they turn away or parse the 'high-moral-fiber' that coarses through the bowels and mouths of the Kevin Clarks, Billy Ayers and Bernardine Dohrns.

[T]he use of nonviolence is about control and power — those who maintain nonviolence and exploit the use of violence by the oppressor maintain control and power, which is something that can be manipulated to present a story, a case or an image.

... we accept that the Palestinians have a right to resist with arms ... Palestinian resistance must take on a variety of characteristics– both nonviolent and violent...

ISM founder Adam Shapiro.

The Israeli's boarded the Rachel Corrie and will tow it to and Israeli port for inspection. The damage was done on Monday because the corporate media wants in on the power wielded by terrorists and their engineers -like Kevin Clark.

According to the Palatine Countryside, Illinois resident and ISM activist Kevin Clark “stayed at the family home of Burak Khelfi, who carried out a Jan. 5 suicide bombing in Tel Aviv. Clark stayed in the home with other internationals to protect it from demolition by the Israeli Occupation Forces.”(Feb. 13, 2003)

Clark, on the Web site “Stop US Tax-funded Aid to Israel Now!” (SUSTAIN), a group of which he is a member, referred to the suicide bomber as a “martyr.” His article also highlights the type of irresponsible action ISM activists engage in:

Last evening, I along with two young "internationals", stayed at the home of one of the Tel Aviv Martyrs’ families to protect them should the IOF [sic] appear to demolish their home. This is the same home that I have stayed in several nights and have been honored by their warmth. This morning at approximately 4AM, I had a sense that something was wrong and a few seconds later the sound of a car motor prompted me to look out the window as 6 military vehicles pulled up in front of the home. We quickly awaken the family and got them away from windows that could be shattered by bullets. The three ISM (International Solidarity Movement) volunteers took our positions in windows and witnessed the soldiers with M16 rifles enter a home across the street to arrest a young man.

Two terrorists who carried out an attack may have been assisted by ISM. On April 30, 2003 Asif Muhammad Hanif murdered three people and wounded more than 50 in a suicide bombing at Mike’s Place, a Tel Aviv tavern. Five days earlier, he and his collaborator, Omar Khan Sharif, were among a group hosted by ISM members at their Gaza apartment. According to the May 2, 2003 Guardian, "the Britons who mounted the suicide attacks in Israel attempted to join the peace movement as cover for their activities." ISM claims they were unaware of the terrorists’ intent.

Unaware or not, ISM has made no effort to foil terrorist activity, while they expend great effort to interfere with Israeli counter-terrorist operations.

If ISM members and the ISM Web site are open about the group’s endorsement of violence — as opposed to its embrace of "peace"–journalists should consistently and clearly say so.

Kevin Clark goaded a dumb girl, Rachel Corrie, to toss herself in front of an Israeli bulldozer in Gaza in 2003 and then led the hand-wringing and International Martyr building. Kevin Clark got six very confused and easily gulled kids to be the Catholic School Girls Against the War and attack worshipers at Holy Name Cathedral on Easter Sunday in 2008. The six goofs went to jail and then to court and Kevin Clark went on the Gay Liberation Network to talk about Kevin Clark. Kevin Clark lives off of the martyrs he creates - he's Power Gobbler.

Then on Monday of this week, CBS's Mike Parker chatted with this cold blooded louse and presented Kevin Clark as a Humanitarian.

Gaza is living Hell because it has been controlled by Hamas since 2005. There are no Israeli's in Gaza, except the young kid that Hamas kidnapped.

Kevin Clark wields power so long as he and the other terrorist cockroaches who are protected by the corporate media enjoy no consequences for their words and deeds.

Hey, I want Kevin Clark to receive all of the attention he deserves . . .for starters.

Friday Night Noise - Great Big Sea!

If you are not out of a bum mood after this . . .well, Hell. . .stay that way.

Chicago Media -Kevin Clark of Hamas Dodge ISM- Just a Reminder

The last real Democrat on the national scene was Daniel Patrick Moynihan - fierce defender of America and Israel and he said, " Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts."

Get the facts. This louse Kevin Clark likes to play dress-up, mouth high-sounding rhetoric and dupe gullible kids to shed their blood. He was huge in getting Rachel Corrie killed; Clark organized the goofs who attacked worshippers at Holy Name Cathedral in 2008; worked with worst enemies of freedom to push the Terror Flotilla; and wants more blood.

Chicago's corporate media gives this louse a pass.

Oh, by the way -

Israel offered the ship to dock in Ashdod port and they would transfer the aid to Gaza. This offer was made again and again - they refused.

Israel has said that it will deliver any humanitarian aid that was in the boats to Gaza, as it does daily.

Israel left Gaza in hopes of peace in 2005 and in return received more than 10,000 rockets and terrorist attacks. Israel has sought peace and compromise with its neighbors for all of its 62 years and it will continue to do so.

Israel maintains a maritime blockade to ensure that weapons are not brought in by Hamas to use in attacks against Israel.

"We fully intend to go to Gaza regardless of any intimidation or threats of violence against us, they are going to have to forcefully stop us," said one of the flotilla’s organizers.

In the past, terrorist sympathizers have used aid deliveries to smuggle items like potassium nitrate in sugar sacks and used it to make bombs. Israel cannot afford to let goods get to Hamas unchecked.

Five boats were boarded, the protestors complied and they were safely let to shore.

One boat – the Mavi Marmara – did not comply. That is the boat where the violence took place.

This was meant to provoke – it was funded and organized by a Turkish Islamist organization (IHH) that has links to fundamentalist jihadi groups. The ship was flying under the Turkish flag.

http://www.flotillafacts.com/