President Obama - Mr. Christian or Richard III? Two props of virtue for a Christian

President Barack Obama is either as lame a President as any Tom Clancy novel could conceive, or he is the most densely saturated egoist alive.

The Mosque Flap was a further indication of his gossamer epidermis and narrow ethical compass.

When confronted by hostile critics who howled that he was a Communist, FDR damned their eyes with " I am a Christian and a Democrat."

When confronted by any question, Barack Obama sets his purse puppies who controlled the Campaign of 2008- the Journolists/MSNBC/E.J. Dionne/Mo Dowd and other fatuous cheerleaders - unleashed to howl, explain, excoriate and compellingly illustrate that President Obama's troubles begin and end with the American People. He wants to enjoy his waffles!

Thus, Crazy Aunt Maureen Dowd -

The country is having some weird mass nervous breakdown, with the right spreading fear and disinformation that is amplified by the poisonous echo chamber that is the modern media environment.

The dispute over the Islamic center has tripped some deep national lunacy. The unbottled anger and suspicion concerning ground zero show that many Americans haven’t flushed the trauma of 9/11 out of their systems — making them easy prey for fearmongers.

Many people still have a confused view of Muslims, and the president seems unable to help navigate the country through its Islamophobia.

It is a prejudice stoked by Rush Limbaugh, who mocks “Imam Obama” as “America’s first Muslim president,” and by the evangelist Franklin Graham, who bizarrely told CNN’s John King: “I think the president’s problem is that he was born a Muslim. His father was a Muslim. The seed of Islam is passed through the father, like the seed of Judaism is passed through the mother.”

Really? I talk to Americans every day black, white, Christian, Jew and the odd Muslim. All are disappointed in President Obama. There is no "They" are out to get him. Universally, I hear, "Jesus, he had good PR, what a lame ass."

Is He Christian? The ONLY loudmouths questioning whether he is or not were and are the media cheerleaders poisoning the well long before any draught was quaffed.

Is He Muslim? Americans are only aping Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and . . .? Really?

Here in Chicago a few years back when I helped out Obama's run for Congress, Bobby Rush ran the dozens on weepy Barry by asking -

Is He Black Enough? The answer was a resounding no, in that race for Congress.

Is he a cry baby - Oh, hell yes! If the President actually owned a pair, he'd man up and shove his birth certificate where the sun never shines on Glenn Beck; take all of his grades from K-Graduate School and make Hannity eat them; drag Rush Limbaugh to morning prayer with him; and tell Bill O'Reilly face-to-face that his book is duller than Robert Gibbs - it is.

President Obama is a 46 year old, wildly ambitious cry-baby with far too many retainers around him. Goatee'd Chuck Todd on MSNBC proclaimed that not only is Barack Hussein Obama a Christian, but 'the most religious' President in modern history. Yip,Yip, Chuckie! Maureen Dowd screamed that Americans are a Herd. Maureen Dowd is a Shower.

Obama might be Mr. Christian. I think that he is really Richard III - Thus, Obama as Gloucester and the Media as Buckinham?Mayor/Catesby from Act III, sc vii -

Enter GLOUCESTER, in a gallery above, between
two Bishops. CATESBY returns.
May. See, where his Grace stands 'tween two
clergymen!
Buck. Two props of virtue for a Christian
prince,
To stay him from the fall of vanity;
And, see, a book of prayer in his hand;
True ornament to know a holy man.
Famous Plantagenet, most gracious prince,
Lend favourable ear to our requests,
And pardon us the interruption
Of thy devotion, and right Christian zeal.
Glo. My lord, there needs no such apology;
I do beseech your Grace to pardon me,
Who, earnest in the service of my God,
Deferr'd the visitation of my friends.
But, leaving this, what is your Grace's pleasure?
Buck. Even that, I hope, which pleaseth God
above,
And all good men of this ungovern'd isle.
Glo. I do suspect I have done some offence
That seems disgracious in the city's eye;
And that you come to reprehend my ignorance.
Buck. You have, my lord: would it might
please your Grace,
On our entreaties to amend your fault.
Glo. Else wherefore breathe I in a Christian
land?

One thing is for sure, Barack Obama is no American President.

Woman -Why Boys Never Understand and Girls Can Not Be

The Bible ( Old and New Testaments), the Word of God that we Christians and Jews pay lip-service to, tells these truths wrapped in mystery -

WEAKNESS IS THE PATH TO STRENGTH

SACRIFICE IS THE PATH TO GAINING

GIVING IS THE ONLY WAY TO HAVE

DOING BAD TO DO GOOD IS FORBIDDEN

SURRENDER IS THE ONLY MEANS OF VICTORY


These are headscratchers, Bretheran and Sisteran, to be sure. Yesterday, I received this comment on my tease about President Obama playing at being Italian by flashing the Corna - The Horn sign with the hand.

wow you have alot of time on your hands! how bout helping me with something ? i need help! i read your blog about how mothers are the Divine plan...i truly believe this with all my heart. that is why I've always wanted to be a full time mom. i was. for more than 15 years. the courts awarded my x with sole custody with my three children because he has higher education and the finances. i was thrown away and my children just started today at st caj. i was only informed 24 hours ago. the courts in the city are selling our children please help us

I do have time on my hands, thanks be to God, from 4Am to just before 6AM when I pound the keys to practice my writing. More so I have had time to think about the sadness of the note. I know nothing of the situation other than the words above.

I can only imagine the sense of loss, because I have lost my wife to brain cancer. My three children have been without a mother since January 17, 1998. A great woman went home to Christ.

It took me years of courtship, remonstrances and litanies of 'What, are you just Stupid? Yeah, going to Prairie Tavern is a great way to get ready for that job interview tomorrow morning. You are going to iron your shirt and go the bed before 10, Bub! Go read and think great thoughts . . .Move it!' Got the job.

However, witnessing the power, courage, tenacity, and superhuman love from a woman in three very difficult childbirths grew some whiskers on this Boy Male.

To learn that I was in the company of a woman and not a girl was a Blessing from God. We boys, if we are to become men, must learn that the center-folds in Playboy are air-brushed conceits - two-dimensional images. Women are flesh and blood embodiments of God's Divine Plan, without whom males would wallow in filth and end up eating one another.

Women are the most powerful force for good, because they constantly renew humanity. They pick us husbands up off of the sidewalk, more than their little boys who fall off the Schwins when Mother let's go of the guiding fender. Women are our training wheels.

They nurture our better selves and introduce us to better interests, foods, habiliments and inclinations.

Boys believe in fairy princesses, as much as little girls, who will wave magic wands and make the dishes disappear from the sink, clean the toilet-in, out, and behind, make groceries appear out of nowhere, and provide a balance in the checking account at the end of the two week pay cycle, bathe the kids, check homework, call the appliance man, cut the grass and make love to them, while they play fantasy football and blow off steam at the local gin-mill.

Women spark the creative will in males to be better than they were the day before and salve the self-loathing impulse when we fail miserably to overcome our inclination for grandiose and usually very public self-pity.

Girls believe that being a two-dimensional image is the path to happiness. Happiness is hard work. Boys and Girls hate hard work, shoot they hate easy work. Spending, acquiring and ingesting are no paths to happiness.

Boys and Girls make one another wildly unhappy.

Men and Women are happy because they mutually sweat and labor until each task is complete - love making, bill paying, and child rearing.

I prayed that the poor woman who wrote the note works her way to happiness, last night and this morning; more so, I prayed that I can avoid being a boy.

Here are two Catholic Prayers - One for Couples, which is pretty safe and dull

Married Couples: Gracious God, you joined couples together in the Sacrament of Matrimony. Your Son, Jesus sanctified the married state by his miracle at Cana. Bless with your loving grace the married couples of this parish that they may see you in each other, raise their children to love and serve you, and in the fullness of time live forever with you in the joys of eternal life. AMEN.

One for the Divorced, which is more compelling and powerful . . .and needs to be so.

Separated and Divorced: Gracious God, for some among us, dreams and hopes have died. Marriages have ended. Promises and hearts have been broken. Heal those broken hearts, we pray. Help those persons whose marriages have failed to know that the one never failing love can be found in you. When they feel lonely, make them aware of your Spirit. When they feel guilty, help them to know your forgiveness. When there is anger, send them your peace. We pray for these gifts in the name of your Son, Jesus. AMEN

Happiness is not easy, but it is possible. Pray, it can't hurt.

Governor Pat Quinn Could Get Back on Track - Study Congressman Dan Lipinski

Illinois is very much like the 3rd Congressional District* - Democrat but very conservative.

Congressman Dan Lipisnski learned when he got burned by voting for the idiotic Markey Waxman Cap and Trade Bill and stepped out into the national spotlight as the only Congressional Democrat to vote NAY on the equally dangerous Obama Care Legislation, which makes abortion and euthanasia a real choice for Progressives. Dan Lipisnki stayed true to his religious and civic convictions and enjoys powerful support -

In the 2006 primary, Lipinski was able to garner 55% of the vote against two Democratic opponents, he was re-elected in November with 79% of the vote. In the 2008 primary, Lipinski defeated three opponents, effectively clinching a third term.

Governor Pat Quinn recently jettisoned Dave Axelrod's AKPD Media. That is a good start. Say goodbye to Planned Parenthood, while you are at it, Governor. Being a woman does not mean aborting your child.

Governor Pat Quinn should model his campaign after the will of the voters of Dan Lipinski's 2rd Congressional District, rather than to continue his unrequited love affair with Progressives. Pat Quinn already has Progressive knives in his ribs - just read Capitol Fax Blog and SEIU's Progress Illinois.

Stay with the folks, Governor. Retired Illinois Represenattive Kevin Joyce enjoyed
wild support, as does Senator Ed Maloney. These guys listened to people who vote and not Pie Chart Pirates like Ralph Martire or Policy Punks from every agenda.

Queer Centric Congressman Mike Quigley** can get away with that due to the fact that most of Illinois's homosexual community resides in his District and LGBTQ Activistas are thick in the Progressive Machine -not so Braidwood, Utica, Mendota, Cobden, or Macomb.

Progressives get good, smarmy and downright unctuous press, but that has a very short realistic shelf life. Ask Barack Obama. Turn to the helots, whom the Progressives always depend upon and then turn on. Skip the middle man. Send the Progressives to the Kiddie Table from whence they came - make sure that the megaphones are without batteries - Hey, it's a tough economy!

Tell the Progressives " Hey, thanks! Can get you a drink? Six Pack to Go?"

*

The 3rd District has been described as "ancestrally Democratic, culturally conservative, multiethnic and viscerally patriotic."[15] It earned a reputation as being home to Reagan Democrats when in the 1980 presidential election it was one of only two Chicago districts (out of nine) to be won by Republican Ronald Reagan, along with the 6th District (an almost entirely suburban district which also included Chicago's O'Hare Airport); the district simultaneously reelected Democratic congressman Marty Russo with nearly 69% of the vote.[16] The Reagan Democrat description became even more appropriate when Reagan received 65% of the vote here in 1984, as Russo again won with 64%.[17] Redistricting for the 1990s shifted the district into more reliably Democratic territory, but Bill Clinton won the district in 1992 by just a 41%-39% margin despite receiving at least 65% of the vote in four other south side districts; he won the district with 53% in 1996 although his totals in the other south side districts were all between 80-85%. George W. Bush received 41% of the vote here in both 2000 and 2004 despite not exceeding 21% in any of the other four south side districts; it was his best performance in any district located primarily within Cook County. Much of the district's current suburban territory was in the 4th District from the 1950s to the 1970s, when that was a solidly Republican suburban district represented by Ed Derwinski; more recently, Lyons, Palos and Riverside Townships, which together approximately correspond with the district's western half, all voted for Bush in 2000.[18] Over the last eight presidential elections, the Democratic nominee for Congress has run an average of 20 points ahead of the party's nominee for president in the district.[19]
Redistricting which took effect for the 1992 elections kept only 40% of the district's previous area, and pitted nine-term incumbent Russo – who changed his residence rather than run in the 2nd District, which now included his previous home – against five-term incumbent Bill Lipinski, who had previously represented the 5th District, in the Democratic primary. Lipinski ran close to Russo in the suburbs but easily won the Chicago areas, and won the primary 58%-37%.[20] Lipinski was decidedly the most conservative Democrat in the Illinois delegation,[15] opposing abortion and gays in the military, supporting school prayer, tuition vouchers, the Defense of Marriage Act and the death penalty, and helping to write a proposed constitutional amendment in 1997 prohibiting flag desecration.[21][22] A member of the Blue Dog Democrats,[22] he was one of just 30 Democrats to vote for the Republican welfare reform plan.[6] He clashed often with the Clinton administration, opposing the president's position over half the time in the 1997-98 Congress.[23] He was one of 31 Democrats to vote in favor of a Judiciary Committee inquiry during the leadup to Clinton's impeachment; he eventually voted against impeachment, but simultaneously called on Clinton to resign.[24] In 1999, Lipinski stated that Clinton "doesn't have credibility on military issues," adding that "the American people feel Clinton is unsure."[22] He was a consistent opponent of U.S. free trade agreements, arguing that they were disastrous for American manufacturing.[22][6] Lipinski received higher approval ratings from the American Conservative Union than from the ACLU in 12 of his last 13 years in office, though his highest ratings generally came from labor and consumer groups[23][21] and the Christian Coalition.[25] He received a 0 rating from the ACLU for the 1997-98 term,[23] and also compiled an overall 0 rating from the National Abortion Rights Action League.[25] His policies enabled him to work easily with Republicans; he was a candidate to become Transportation Secretary in the Bush administration, and collaborated with House Speaker Dennis Hastert of the 14th District to design the state's redistricting plan following the 2000 Census.[24] Lipinski's positions were generally in line with those of district residents,[24] and after surviving with a 54%-46% win amid the Republican gains of 1994 he was reelected by increasing margins in each succeeding election; in 2002 he became the first unopposed candidate in the history of the District.[26]

**Chicagoist:

Per a recent interview with Gay Chicago Magazine, staunch LGBT ally U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Chicago) is reportedly "hopeful" for progress on a number of pieces of queer-centric legislation in Congress yet this year, but has admitted it's unlikely LGBT issues will see much movement prior to this fall's midterm elections.

N.B.
"It might be more accurate to state that Quigley behaves as if all of the city's gay population resides in the 5th Congressional district. Arguably, more of these individuals live in the 9th, home of Jan Schakowsky, but Quigley behaves as if the eastern-most precincts in the district are the only ones that matter. There are plenty of bungalow owners here who have nothing in common with Quigley and his LBQT agenda." Dedicated Reader
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illinois's_3rd_congressional_district

Prezzee-dent! How’ya Doin? Eeeyyyy, Warda Le Cachunka, I'm Justasayin!

During my coffee break at Leo ( roughly 8AM-3PM), I read an article about President Obama's problems with his Lefty base. I saw this photo attached to the article and thought - the President is a CheeseKnife? No. Could he be a Mason? The poor man has enough problems with that whole Muslim thing.

Then, I remembered a recent poll that showed Italian American New Jersey Governor Chris Christie ( Fuggedaboudid!) to be much more popular than our current POTUS. Governor Christie is the Fiorllo La Guardia of our age. He is a good guy who looks like Bobby Baccala on The Sopranos. Janet Napolitano looks like Paulie Walnuts, but Hey Fuggedaboudid! Perhaps, Dave Axelrod decided to spin the Compelling Narrative President with some real “Gabbagul” Italian. You didn't hear it from me! I'm just sayin'.

Here ( above) is the President doing the mano cornuta to ward off the Malocchio - Hey, I'm just sayin' . . .no disrespect.

Next, we may hear any combinations of the following coming from Caporegime Obama, which would open the gates to regular guys from the Heart of Italy in Chicago ( 24th & Oakley) to Cherry Street in Manhattan.


aduzipach/aduzipazz – you’re crazy (ma tu sei pazzo) [aa-DOO-zee-PAACH]/[aa-DOO-zee-PAATS]

afanabola!/vafanabola!/a fa napule – go to hell! – Note: Literally means “go to Naples” (a fa Napoli!) [aa-faa-NAA-boe-laa]

agita – heartburn/indigestion (aciditá) [AA-jih-tuh]

ammonini! – let’s go! (andiamo!) [aa-moe-NEE-nee]

andosh – nickname for “Anthony” (Antonio) [aan-DOESH]

awunda? – where? (awundi?) [aa-WOON-duh]

awunda ciunca? – where does it hurt? (awundi ciunca?) [aa-WOON-duh-CHOON-kuh?]

assai – a lot (molto) [aah-SYE]

bacous’/bacouz – bathroom (backhouse) [buh-KOWZ]

bash/basc’ – down/downstairs (bascia) [BAASH]

bada bing! – bam!; Note: Popularized in the 1970s by The Godfather character Santino Corleone

biangolin’ – bleach (bianco lino) [byaan-GO-leen]

bicuridu – my little boy/my little baby (piccolo bambino) [BEECH-oo-REE-doo]

boombots – nickname for an idiot; Note: As in “Vinnie Boombots” [boom-BAATS]

boxugeddu – box (box per oggetti) ["box"-oo-JED-oo]
braggiol’ – meat and sauce/male anatomy (bracciole) [BRAAJH-oel]

brosciutt’/prosciutt’ – italian ham (prosciutto) [BRAAJH-oot]/[PRAAJH-oot]

buttagots/buttagats – annoying idiot (buttana u’ cazzo) [boo-taa-GAATS]

buttann’/puttann’ – bitch/whore (putanna); Note: more mild than “shockwadell” [boo-TAAN]

calabres’ – Calabrian (calabrese); Note: can refer to people, objects, customs, etc. [caal-uh-BRAYZ]

calamad’ – fried squid (calamari) [caal-uh-MAAD]

capidan/capitan – captain (capitano/capitan) [caap-ee-DAAN]

cendann’/centann’ – a hundred years (cento anni); Note: said before a toast [chen-DAAN]

che cozz’? – what the f—- are you doing? (che cazzo fai?) [KAY-kaatz]

chefai? – what are you doing? (che cosa fai?) [ke-FYE]

chepreca! – what a shame! (che peccato!) [kay-preh-KAA]

chiove – raining (fa piove) [KYOH-vay]

chiove tropp’assai – it’s raining very hard (fa piove molto) [KYOH-vay-TROAP-aa-SAI]

chooch – jackass (ciuccio) [CHOOCH]

chunka – injured (ciunca) [CHOON-kuh]

cing-u-bezz/cingubezz – five dollars apiece (cinque u pezzo) [cheeng-oo-BETZ]

ciuri – flowers (fiori) [CHOO-ree]

colghioni/cogliones/gulgliones – balls (colghioni) [coal-YOANZ]/[gool-YOANZ]

cornuto – unfaithful husband [coar-NOO-toe]

cuore stuppau – heart stopped [KWOAW-ray-staa-POW]

dzapp’ – gardening hoe (zappa) [DZAAP]

edi-conosc’? – do you know me?/do you know who I am? (e mi conosci?) [EE-dee-GAA-noesh]

facciabrutt’ – ugly face (faccia brutta) [FA-chuh-broot]

faccia di katzo – ball face (faccia di cazzo) [FAA-chaa-dee-KAA-tsoe]

facciu fridda – it’s cold (fa freddo) [FAA-choo-FREE-daa]

fugeddaboudit – forget about it; Note: English in origin

fanabola! – shit! (a fa Napoli) [faa-NAA-boe-laa]

fatti gatti due!/vatoli vatoli due! – mind your own f___ing business! (fa ti cazzi tuoi) [FAA-tee-GAA-tee-doo-yay]

fattu napiridu – I farted [FAA-too-naa-pee-REE-doo] (ho fatto napiridu)

‘ffangul’! – go f___ yourself! (vai a fare in culo) – [faan-GOOL]

finoicc’/fenucc’ – fennel (finocchio) [fin-OIK]

fraggiol’ – beans (fraggiole) [FRAA-joal]

fratu – brother (fratello) [FRAA-too]

fugazi/fagazi – fake; Note: likely English in origin

fuidi dogu! – get down from there! [FWEE-dee-DOW-goo]

gab’ – head (capo) [GAAB]

gabbadost’ – - hardhead (capa dura/capa tosta)

gabbagul/gabagul – type of italian meat/food/idiot/fool (capicola/capocollo/capacolla) – [gaa-baa-GOOL]

gabbaruss’/gab’ russ’ – redhead (capo rosso) [gaa-baa-ROOS]

gabbadeegats – ballface (capo di cazzo) [gaa-baa-dee-GATS]

gabish’?/capish’? – (do you) understand? (capisci?) [gaa-PEESH]

gaguzz’ – muscles/idiot/money/pumpkin (cucuzza) [gaa-GOOTS]

gaguzzalonga – big muscles (cucuzza lunga) [ga-GOOTS-aa-LOWN-gaa]

ganol’ – cannoli [gaa-NOAWL]

gavadeel’ – italian pasta (cavatelli) [gaa-vaa-DEEL]

gavone – gluttonous eater (cafone) [gaa-VOAN]

giambott’ – Italian stew (giambotta) [jaam-BAUWT]

giamoke – idiot (giamope) [jaam-OAK]

gibude – onion (cipolla) [jaa-BOOD]

gomesegiam’?/comesegiam’? – how do you say?/whatchamacallit? (come si chiama?) [go-maa-say-GYAM]

goombah – countryman/fellow comrade/godfather (compare) [goom-BAA]

gopp’ – up/top (coppa/capo) [GAAP]

guacarunno – someone (qualcuno) [gwaa-kaa-ROO-no]

gul’/cul’ – ass (culo) [GOOL]

gumad – mistress/girlfriend (cumare) [goo-MAAD]

guppin – ladle (coppino) [goo-PEEN]

guyasabbu? – who knows? (chissa?) [goo-yaa-ZAA-boo]

giacchieron’ – blabbermouth (chiacchierone) [gyaa-kyaa-ROAN]

gidrul’ – stupid person (cetriolo) [jih-DROOL]

gistu/chistu – this (questo) [GEE-stoo]

haicapid – do you understand? (hai capito) [eye-kaa-PEED]

how’ya doin? – how are you doing?; Note: English in origin

‘iamo – let’s go! (andiamo) [YAA-moe]

idu – he (lui) [EE-doo]

imalano-miau! – I can’t believe it! (che malanova mi hai) [EE-maa-laa-no-mee-auw]

issu – she (lei) [EE-soo]

cazzo – balls [KAA-tso]

lascialui! – leave him alone! (lascilo!) [laa-shaa-LOO-ee]

lasordida!/asodida! – your sister!/your sister’s a _____! (la sorella!/tua sorella (è una putana)!) [laa-SA-dih-daa]

la vesa gazi – swear word [laa-VAY-zaa-gaa-ZEE]

ma che cozz’u fai?! – what the heck are you doing?! (ma che cozzo fai?!) [maa-KAY-kauwtz-oo-fai]

ma che bell’! – why, how beautiful! (ma che bella) [maa-KAY-bell]

ma che quest’? – what is this? (ma che cosa è questo?) [maa-KAY-quest]

maddiul’ – fool [maa-dee-OOL]

maliocch’ – the evil eye [maal-YOAK]

mamaluke – idiot/fool (mamalucco) [maa-maa-LOUK]

mannaggia – damn/cursing (male ne abbia/male ne aggia) [MAA-NAA-juh]

managgia dial – curse the devil (male ne aggia il diavolo) [MAA-NAA-juh-dee-owl]

mannaggia la mort’ – cursing death (male ne aggia la morta) [MAA-NAA-juh-dee-owl]

mannaggia la miseria – cursing misery (male ne aggia la miseria) [MAA-NAA-juh-MEE-seh-ree-uh]

manigott’ – italian pasta (manicotti) [maa-NEE-gauwt]

mappin’ – napkin/towel (moppina) [maa-PEEN]

maron’! – damnit (madonna) [maa-ROAN]

maronna mia! – oh my God! (madonna mia!) [maa-ROAWN-aa-MEE-uh]

menzamenz – half and half (mezza mezza) [mehnz-AA-mehnz]

mezzamort’ – half-dead (mezzo morto) [METZA-moart]

minch’ – wow! (minchia) [MEENK]

mortadell’ – Italian sausage/loser (mortadella) [moart-aa-DELL]

mortadafam’ – really hungy/starving (morta da fame) [moart-aa-daa-faam]

muccatori – tissue (fazzoletto) [moo-kaa-TOE-ree]

mudanz – pajamas [moo-DAANZ]

mulignan – eggplant (melanzana) [mool-in-YAAN]

murudda – without a brain [moo-ROO-daa]

musciad – mushy (musciata/ammosciato) [moo-SHYAAD]

moosh-miauw – very mushy (musciata miau) [moosh-meow]

muzzarell’/muzzadell’ – Italian cheese (mozzarella) [mootz-aa-DELL]

medigan’ – non-Italian american/Italian who has lost his roots (americano) [meh-dee-GAAN]

numu fai shcumbari! – don’t embarass me!/stop embarrasing me! [NOO-moo-FAI-shkoom-baa-REE]

oobatz’/patz’ – crazy person (un pazzo/u’ pazzu) [oo-BAATZ]

paesan’ – fellow Italian countryman (paesano) [pai-ZAAN]

panzagin’! – I’m full! [paan-zaa-GEEN]

pasta vasul’ – Italian soup (pasta fagioli) [pasta-faa-ZOOL]

pastin’ – small, star-shaped pasta (pastina) [paa-STEEN]

pizzagain’ – Italian meat pie (pizzagaina) [pizza-GAIN]

pizzolino – afternoon nap (pisolino) [peetz-o-LEE-no]

pucchiach’/bucchiach’ – b–ch (pucchiacha) [poo-KYAAK]

rigott’ – Italian cheese (ricotta) [ree-GAUWT]

salud’/salut’ – be in good health (salute) [saa-LOOD]

shape-la-tass’ – shape of a cup (shape of la tazza) [shape-aa-laa-taatz]

scharol’/scarol – escarole/money (scarola) [shkaa-ROAL]

schif’/shkeeve – to be disgusted by something (schifo) [SHKEE-fo]

schifozz’ – disgusting thing (schifosa) [shkee-VOATZ]

skorchamend’/scocciament’ – a pain in the ass (scocciamento) [scorch-aa-MEND]

scooch – pest/move over

scoochi-di-bandanz – a real pain [scooch-ee-dee-baan-DANZ]

scustumad’ – stupid person (scostumato) [skoo-stoo-MAAD]

sciumara – river (fiumara) [shoo-MAA-raa]

scoba – broom (scopa) [SKO-baa]

scobendo – to sweep the floor (scopare) [sko-BEN-doe]

scubata/scupata – get laid (scopato) [SKOO-baa-taa]

sculabast’ – pasta strainer (scola la pasta) [skoo-laa-BAAST]

scungill’/scongigl’ – cooked snail (sconciglio) [skoon-JEEL]

sedeti/sededi – sit down (sedeteti) [SEH-daa-dee]

sesenta fame? – do you feel hungry?/are you hungry? (sei senti fame?) [seh-SEHN-taa-FAA-may]

sfaccimme – bad person/sperm [SVAH-CHEEM] [svaa-CHEEM]

sfogliadell’ – italian pastry (sfogliatella) [SHVOHL-ya-dell]

shockwadell’ – whore (sciacquata) [shock-wa-DELL]

shcumbari – disheveled [shkoom-baa-REE]

sigilian’ – Sicilian (siciliano) [sih-jeel-YAAN]

sorda – money (soldi) [SOAL-dee]

sorda – sister (sorella) [SOAR-duh]

spasciad’/scasciad’ – not talking (to someone) (spasciau) [spaa-SHAAD]

strunz’ – sh_t (stronzo) [STROONZ]

stanna mabaych – son of a b____ (mispronounced “son of a b____”) [STAA-naa-maam-BAYCH]

statagitt’! -be quiet! (stai zitto) [stah-tuh-JEET]

stendinz – intestines/guts [stehn-DEENZ]

stugots/stugats – f___ it (questo cazzo/questu cazzu/’stu cazzu) [stoo-GAATS]

stunad – moron (stonato) [stoo-NAAD]

struppiau – extremely dimwitted (stupido) [stroo-pee-YAOW]

stuppiau – very dimwitted (stupido) [stoo-pee-YAOW]

stuppiad – dimwitted (stupido) [stoo-PEE-yaad]

stuppau – stopped [stoo-PAOW]

suscia – blow (soffia) [SOOSH-yaa]

te fugo! – f___ you! [tay-FOO-go]

ti voglio tropp’assai – I love you so much (ti voglio bene) [tee-VOAL-yo-TROAP-aa-SAI]

un ada oda – another time (un altra volta/un altra ora) [oon-AA-daa-O-daa]

ue, goombah! – hey, man! (ue, compare!) [way-goom-BAH]

ufratu – your brother (il fratello/tuo fratello) [oo-FRAA-too]

umbriag’/umbriacc’ – intoxicated (umbriago) [oom-bree-YAAG]

usorda – your sister (la sorella/tua sorella) [oo-SOAR-daa]

vaffangul’!/baffangul’!/ – fuck you! (vai a fare in culo); Note: Literally means “Go stick it up your ass!” [vaa-faan-GOOL]

vangopp’ – go up/go upstairs (fa in coppa) [vaan-GOAP]

veni ca/vieni qua – come (over) here (vieni qui) [veh-nee-KAA]

vidi cachunka! – watch out, you’re gonna get hurt! (vedi la ciunca?) [vee-dee-kaa-CHOON-kaa]

walyun/wayo – young man (vuaguone) [waal-YOON]

warda!/uarda - look! (guarda!) [WAAR-daa]

warda cachunka! – watch out, you’re gonna get hurt! (guarda la ciunca!) (WAAR-daa-laa-CHOON-kaa]

zutt’ – down/downstairs (sotto) [zoot]

zutt u’ basciament – down to the basement (sotto u’ basement) [zoot-oo-baa-shaa-MENT]

unknown:

shake-a-la-dots/scumanegats

gita schlamorta gita mort

fanabola te parida angula sord’

“Gabbagul-Italian,” or “Goombah Italian,” is an Italian-American dialect developed in the early 20th century by Italian immigrants settling in American cities. It is based on the Italian language, and it contains a mixture of Sicilian- and Neapolitan-inspired dialect words. The dialect was prominent in East-Coast US cities, such as Newark, Paterson, New York City (especially Manhattan and Brooklyn), and Boston. It was mostly spoken in tightly-knit Italian communities and neighborhoods, especially those with heavy Sicilian populations. “Gabbagul” isn’t the official name of this dialect; many names could signify it, including “American-Italian,” “New Jersey-Italian,” “New York-Italian,” “Calabrese-Siciliano-Italian,” etc. Many words are taken from other dialects, and different Italians in different areas spoke their dialects differently. For example, my great-grandmother spoke in Italian, with mixed in English, Sicilian, and Calabrese words. Some words, such as “awunda” and “cachuncka,” are completely made up words, sometimes with English-language origins.

I am attempting to recreate a dictionary of this Italian dialect. Much of this comes from memory and familial recollection. Putting this together in one succinct place was very fun, and I hope it is helpful. This dictionary will be updated, as it is an ongoing process.

In this dictionary you will find tons of Italian-American slang words and their Italiano/Calabrese/Siciliano origins.


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

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

No Title
Obama, Bromance, Bellig and fomo make latest slang dictionary

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 14th, 2009 at 10:02 PM and is filed under Italian and Italian American Slang. Tagged: agita, bensonhurst, brooklyn, butann, calabrese, capish, corleone, dialect, gabagul, gabbagul, godfather, goodfellas, goomba, goombah, guido, Italian, italian dialect, italiano, italy, made man, manhattan, neapolitan, pesci, sicilian, siciliano, slang, sopranos. You can feed this entry. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


Hey, Eye Wunner, if the Prez'll star' wearin' Wife Beaters?
Braggiol’ ? I think not.

Could be he's telling the deaf stugots " I Love you." - I'm just sayin'!
Labels:

AKPD media firm - Comb Over Dave Axelrod's Obama Camelot and Governor Pat Quinn

Ain't it Grand,Politics? Last Week, Governor Pat Quinn launched Comb Over Dave Axelrod's PR Firm -AKPD media firm - which sounds like a branch of the Soviet Secret Police. Today the governor accepted the resignation of his chief of staff Jerry Stermer who seems the victim of the Axelrod Machine.Governor Pat Quinn is a great guy and an honorable man.

Comb over Dave Axerod is a win or ruin kind of guy - that magic is what gives the Obama Camelot that Kiddie Jumping Jacks Castle appeal.

The first of Stermer’s alleged missteps came last Oct. 11 in a response to an e-mail sent a day earlier from the Quinn campaign’s media consultant, John Kupper. He wanted to formulate a response to an expected argument from Democratic gubernatorial rival Dan Hynes about Quinn being a “tax and spender,” the Wright report said.

Kupper, a senior partner with the AKPD media firm, told those to whom he’d sent the campaign e-mail that an effort was afoot to show the governor had “implemented more budget cuts than any other governor in Illinois history,” the report said.

Using his state e-mail account a day later, Stermer promised Kupper he would gather data from the governor’s budget office to prove that point. A few minutes after answering Kupper, Stermer e-mailed Budget Director David Vaught to inquire about “the total that Gov. Q has cut from the state budget since taking over,” the report said.

August 23, 2010

Dave Axerod is a divide and conquer moral high ground staker who, through deft application fo the well-worn race card, gets his candidates elected - Governor Deval Patrick ( D. Mass.) and President Barack H. Obama ( D. USA) both of whom have cork-screwing approval numbers. Governor Pat Quinn was ten points behind Rep. Bill Brady ( R. Bloomington)and launched the AKPD media firm.

Jerry Stermer is career advocate of children. It seems that in order to scratch the eyes out of Governor Quinn -AKPD media firm rolled over on Jerry Stermer.

Progressives! It's how they roll.

Make It For Mikey LaPorta! Benefit This Saturday for a Great Family at Bourbon Street!

This Saturday, August 28, 2010, come on out to Bourbon Street 3359 W. 115th Street in Merrionette Park , IL and help a great family.

Here is a note from neighborhood firefighter Jim McMahon -

"There is a benefit at Bourbon Street next Saturday for a young man from West Beverly that got shot in the head last January. I have worked with his uncle, Johnny LaPorta, from time to time over the years on the fire department and just got to know this kids parents recently. The father's a hard working guy and his wife is from my old neighborhood (St. Bede). They're just genuine down to earth people who got a real tough break. This is a real good family and we're trying to get every person we can to go to this benefit to help support this effort. The benefit committee has done their part, it's organized and ready to go, now we just need THE PEOPLE."

Here are the facts -

In the early morning hours of January 12, 2010, a native West Beverly man, Mike LaPorta, was involved in an incident that has changed his life, and his family’s life forever.

He had recently moved out to the town of Sandwich , but came into the city to celebrate his father’s birthday with him and the rest of their family. After a nice evening that included dinner and cake with his family, Mike went out to a neighborhood bar to meet up with some of his longtime friends for a few drinks, a few laughs and to play a few games of bean bags.

They ended up at his former college roommate’s home in Mount Greenwood when tragedy struck. Somehow, 29 year old Mike LaPorta got shot in the back of the head with his friend’s gun, leaving a bullet lodged in the back of his brain. The circumstances surrounding the shooting are unclear, and the Chicago Police Department are still investigating the incident. He remembers being at his friends house, but doesn’t recall the shooting at all, and his family has not shared the details of the incident with him.

Initially, his chances for survival were less than slim, but with our superior surgeons and medical facilities, and by the grace of God, Mike miraculously survived. He spent months in the hospital clinging to life and has undergone several major brain surgeries. Mike has been released from the hospital but still requires around the clock care, so his parents have taken him back to live with them in their West Beverly home, which they had to have extensively remodeled and altered to accommodate Mike’s wheelchair and other special needs.



LaPorta is getting rehabilitation therapy at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago [RIC] and is also going to Next Steps SCI, Rehab Center in Willow Springs, who are connected to the Christopher Reeves Foundation and specialize in teaching people with spinal cord injuries to walk again. Mike’s working very hard in therapy and is making great progress, both physically and mentally. Even though he cannot walk yet and has some difficulty initiating conversation, his long term memory and attitude are good. Mike’s a strong young guy and has a lot of support, so if he can continue to get the right rehabilitation, we’re all hoping and praying for him to achieve a substantial amount of recovery.

Mike LaPorta is a graduate of Brother Rice High School and has always loved the great outdoors. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, but also enjoyed mountain biking. He’d go on several hunting trips every year with another one of his close friends who is also an outdoorsman, Lance Metzger, who these days spends a lot of his time indoors with Mike, and is just grateful that he survived the shooting. Metzger says he is very optimistic now that his buddy has been making such great strides and has even begun to smile again. "I'll always be at his side," said Metzger.

Metzger keeps encouraging Mike's mother, Patti, by telling her “Be grateful for what you have, and you've got to move on and work with what you have." The support from LaPorta’s friends and family has been absolutely fantastic, but things of this nature can become overwhelming very quickly. The LaPorta family are in for a long uphill climb and they can’t do it alone. We’ve all gotta help them along.

As I’m sure you can imagine, the LaPorta family has incurred a significant amount of medical expenses since the shooting, and future costs are going to be astronomical. The emotional strain alone that something like this has on a family is impossible to even explain, not to mention adding the huge financial burden to the equation. When an unexpected and devastating event like this happens in our lives, it’s a complete “game changer.” It affects not only the victim, but every member of the family, their friends and anyone even casually associated with them. It is indescribable!

There’s absolutely nothing that anyone can do to change the past, but we do have a tiny bit of control over the future, at least when it comes to what we will do to help as individuals. So in the spirit of helping out our friends and neighbors, some of Mike LaPorta’s friends decided to run a benefit they’ve very aptly coined, "Miracles for Mikey," to help raise the much needed funds that it will take to help this family.

It will be held next Saturday afternoon, from 3 to 7 p.m. on August 28th at 115 Bourbon Street , located at 3359 W. 115th Street in Merrionette Park , IL .

Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for age 16 and younger. This event will feature food, beverages, raffles, silent auctions and entertainment. Nobody does benefits better than Bourbon Street , and it’s always nice to get out of the house and see some old friends again. This should be a real good time.

Monetary donations can also be sent to the “Miracles for Mikey” fund at Archer Bank, c/o Nancy Kuzma, 3435 W. 111th Street in Chicago , IL 60655 .

Mike LaPorta’s parents are Mike and Patti, he has a younger brother named Chris, and is also a nephew of the Chicago Fire Departments very own, Johnny LaPorta.

For additional information, please call Lance Metzger at (708) 717-3790 or go to: www.miraclesformikey.webs.com

The “Miracles for Mikey” benefit committee has worked tirelessly to organize this wonderful event, but if they don’t get the numbers turning out, it will not be successful.

This is why I’m asking each and every one of you; to please come out to Bourbon Street next Saturday afternoon, bring along your neighbors and family members, and let’s make it a day to remember. We all know that money is tight everywhere, so if you can’t afford to attend or just can’t make it for some other reason, then please consider opening up your heart and your checkbook and make a donation to the “Miracles for Mikey” fund at Archer Bank, for whatever amount you CAN afford. Because while some can still afford to give a lot, and others can only afford to give a little, every little bit will help…..a lot!

Let’s all join together as a community and support this fine neighborhood family.

Thanks………Jimmy McMahon

This benefit is just one week away from today, so please spread the word and FORWARD THIS INFORMATION TO EVERYONE THAT YOU CAN.

Even if you are tied up with Daddy-Do jobs and tasks, Mom-Car-Pooling to cheerleading, or out of town, click my post title and On Miracles for Mikey see where you can send a check.

This is Grassroots! That other nonsense is political . . .nonsense. Let's help each other. We always do! See you there!

25 year Anniversary of the Chicago Vietnam Veterans Welcome Home Parade that took place in June of 1986 - Jane Byrne Should Be Acknowlegded

"During the Vietnam War, you didn't come home with your buddies," said Tom Stack, chairman of the Chicago Vietnam Veterans Parade Committee. "You got off the plane, trashed your uniform and went home through the back alley. They are coming to this parade to reunite with the rest of America."
. . . Sitting in a chair in Grant Park, Steve Benson, 37, of Freeport, Ill., watched with his son, Mike, as the parade came to an end. "I wanted to show my son the closeness and friendships between the veterans," Benson said, "and I wanted him to meet guys that I fought with and know what we went through. . . . I think after today, I'll be able to talk about it a little more openly with him than in the past. I feel like I have had a ton of bricks taken off me. I've cried and I wasn't alone."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-chicagodays-vietnamvets-story,0,1630969.storyBy Ted Gregory -Chicago Tribune June 1986

America woke up for a bit. America remembered to remember the men and women who fought and bled for our country in Vietnam. Leo Alumnus and Chicagoan Tom Stack organized and Chaired the first Vietnam Veterans Welcome Home. The Parade was stunning in size scope and dignity.

I remember that Mayor Jane Byrne was instrumental in honoring Vietnam Veterans.

I went on line to verify this fact and really came up blank except for this one single item. It's very interesting.

The following information came from the VVAW (Viet Nam Vets. Against the War) of all places. It can be verified in the VVAW Spring issue, 2006, Vol.36, Number1. Authored by Ken Nielsen: (N.B. - I am not a Veteran or affiliated in any way - I became a high school teacher in 1975 -right out of Loyola University: I had decent a draft lottery number 118 and Selective Service status of 1-A - Fortunate Son of a . . .) At the time that Byrne dedicated the memorial, I was hot-blooded States Attorney Richie Daley partisan, but admired the gesture of Chicago's Mayor Byrne, who had lost her husband and the father of her daughter - a Marine pilot.

In 1982 mayor Jane Bryne and Cardinal Bernardin celebrated the completed construction of the first Viet Nam Memorial in the country in a large city. It was located in Chicago at the proximity of Wacker Dr. and Wabash. It included a time capsule...until 1998.

This event was held at various locations in the city over the years until 1982, when Mayor Jane Byrne and Cardinal Bernardin dedicated the first Vietnam War memorial in the country, at the intersection of Wacker and Wabash. The memorial contained a time capsule that listed all of the names of soldiers from Chicago who died in Vietnam. From that day forward, VVAW's ceremony was fittingly conducted at the memorial; that is, until the current mayor, Rich Daley, decided to reconstruct Wacker Drive in 1998 and proceeded to lose the nation's first Vietnam War memorial. Despite all of the city's excuses, let's just recall that Jane Byrne's name was on the memorial, not Daley's. The mayor's solution to this small reminder of his family's short lapse of control over Chicago was to destroy an important and historically significant memorial, and then build his own. In the words of Barry Romo, "Not only was this city the first city to have a city memorial to Vietnam vets, we were also the first city in the world to lose a memorial."

Mayor Daley (current) decided to reconstruct the memorial when he took office from Jane Byrne in 1998. At this time the capsule was "lost" and the name of Jane Bryne was removed from everywhere possible in the City of Chicago.

I am having trouble veryifing anything through "Google" and would like to read more about the history of this Memorial. I'd appreciate assistance on this if anyone has the time to search. I too shall continue and shall post anything I find to you.

I noticed that the City of Chicago is on the letterhead of the Parade Committee as is R. Daley a listed honoree.This seems rather inappropriate in consideration with the above information. Unless, of course, Jane Byrne is also credited for her veteran support and restored to the originating mayor responsible for the FIRST memorial in the U.S.A. , if it's veritable.


I hope that Jane Byrne is recognized at the 2011 Chicago Anniversary Parade.

Here is the plan thus far from the Chicago Vietnam Veterans Committee:

It will be a three Day event: June 11th Saturday, June 12th Sunday, June 13th Monday, 2011. These dates are not locked in.
This is what was planned or being talked about for those days, and not in any particular order:
1) Art Show – pictures taken by Vietnam Veterans and their families during
the June 13th, 1986 Parade in Chicago – they will be CD’s or 11 X 14 photos.
These displays will be at the Vietnam Veterans Art Museum 1801 S. Indiana,
and a very good possibility at other venues in the City of Chicago and
surrounding Suburbs. Example: Oak Park, IL. Library, The Chicago Cultural
Center at Randolph & Michigan, and other areas to yet be determined.
2) A Dinner to honor Tom Stack, Gene Connell, Col. Plummer – who have since
passed but were on the executive committee of the Welcome Parade. To be done
at a major hotel in downtown Chicago.
3) A Concert at Millienium Park – with bands such as Dennis DeYoung. Lt. Dan
Band, The Four Tops and others. This will be the Vietnam Veterans tying
together the Welcome Home of the Iraqi/Afghanistan Veterans, and passing the
torch to the next generation of Veterans, and the Never Again one Generation
forgetting the next Generation of Veterans.
*Now this might also take place at Navy Pier – it will depend on a lot of
things.

Mayor Jane Byrne, I believe, should be a huge part of the 25th Anniversary of Vietnam Welcome Home Parade. What do you Vietnam Veterans and Heroes think of that?

Also from the Tribune in 2005 -someone else asked-

Where did Byrne's vet plaque go?
April 27, 2005|By From news services.
Work has begun on a new plaza near Wacker Drive and Wabash Avenue that will house a revamped Vietnam veterans' memorial, but the issue of the "Jane Byrne plaque" remains.

Byrne was mayor when the memorial was dedicated in 1982, and she has said that the plaque, which bore her name, was removed in 1996 in favor of a replacement inscribed with the name of Richard M. Daley, the current mayor and a longtime Byrne political foe.

The memorial, which sat in the middle of Wacker at Wabash, was disassembled and stored a few years ago in advance of the Wacker Drive reconstruction project and its future relocation to the new plaza bordering the Chicago River.

http://books.google.com/books?id=6LUuu6pJ-AcC&pg=PA353&lpg=PA353&dq=Jane+Byrne+and+Vietnam+Veterans+Memorial&source=b

Irish Daubers/Dabblers and American Goofs Love Hamas and Hate Israel

My Irish cousins in County Kerry have a deep and abiding respect and admiration for Israel. However, there are many more Irish who take the side of the bad guys against Israel. Not the first time, We Celts screwed up. I understand why many Irish and Irish Americans have a schizophrenic attitude toward Israel and the plight of the poor suffering Palestinians.

The Brits created the mess after WWI in their normally ham-handed approach to theft - "Egad, there's Balfour's own gallons of oil under the dunes, Albermarle! Let's do snatch it from the Wogs . . .what? What??!!! Haw, Haw, Haw!"

"Create the State of Palestine and promise Herzog that this shall be Zion, Old Fellator? EH, WHAT??!!!"

Blimey. The IRA tapped Hitler for help in WWII - bad bet that one. Forty years later, when Americans got wise to Terror and the IRA dough shrank, the 'RA found succor with the Marxists of the PLO and the Islamist nutbags of Hamas.

Here at home, Irish American half-wits embraced the Anti-semite in mutual Hokey-Pokey for the Palestinians. Israel is bad. But Jews live there. DEEEEE -Lema!

Now, the MSNBC mesmerized non-readers and thinkers hug the Hamas helping Commies and Jew Haters who want Israel wiped out. The United Nations is packed with such louses.

Another boatload of terrorists and their the moronic helpers from America (ISM in particular Kevin Clark et al) and Europe is heading to Gaza. Israel warned the UN -no dice.

"Israel reserves its right under international law to use all necessary means to prevent these ships from violating the aforementioned naval blockade,"

Good on you! Here is Kevin Myers of the Irish Independent with a solid study of the Irish mopes who support Hamas. The American Progressive does not read; therefore such a fine study would be redundant - like feeding strawberries to a jackass.

Critics of Israel deplore its origins within the Balfour Declaration of 1917, which committed the British to making a homeland for the Jews. So do I. It was not British land, and no British government had any right to make any promises about it. But I cannot revisit the past and restore the Hapsburg Empire, or overthrow Bolshevism. Many things resulted from that terrible time. One of those was the formal creation of a homeland in Palestine for Jews. The forces that erupted across Europe in the following decades produced an entirely new world order, in which Israel took its place, as thousands of Palestinians either fled, or were forced to flee, their homes.

But comparable things happened across the world around the same time, in the Punjab and Bengal, East Prussia and Sudetenland, the Baltic and Tartary. And so we must deal with the world that history has bequeathed us. We cannot endlessly undo events or 'return' people to the land their ancestors once inhabited -- either in Kashmir or in Kansas.

But this is where the world religio-cultures divide. For most Muslims do not accept that such historical processes are irreversible. They believe that once land is Dar al-Islam -- the abode of the faithful -- it can never be relinquished. If taken by non-believers, it then becomes Dar al-Harb: the abode of war, and shall remain so until it is restored to Islam. And so Israel has for the past 62 years been Dar al-Harb.

Indeed, neither the 'secular' PLO nor the Islamicist Hamas sees a long-term resolution in the Middle East that will genuinely include the state of Israel. Even for many 'moderate' Palestinians, the twin-state solution is the merely the stepping-stone to the status quo ante the Balfour Declaration. Palestine will thus be restored to the Dar al-Islam and the Caliphate.

Now, if you oppose the right of Israel to exist, that's clear enough: you want the Jews of Israel either dispersed or killed, so there's not much to discuss, other than train timetables, methodology (gas or gun?) and corpse-disposal. It's been done before; maybe this time, you'll get it right. (Emphasis my own)

But if you support the right of Israel to exist, but condemn Israeli methods for coping with Palestinian terrorism, then how do you propose to deal with the volleys of thousands of Hamas rockets into Israeli towns from Gaza? You want a proportionate response? Very well, tell us what is proportionate. If you are against suicide bombers, but are opposed to the wall that has successfully prevented suicide bombers from entering Israel from the West Bank, then what is your realistic and efficient alternative to the wall?

Emoting over the plight of the Palestinian refugees -- a fond pastime in this country -- begs the question: why are they still refugees? Why haven't they been absorbed by their Arab neighbours as the Muslims of the Indian Punjab have been in Pakistan; as the Hindus of Lahore have in Amritsar; as the Germans of Danzig have been in Hamburg?

Why? Because, quite simply, most of Israel's neighbours don't want a permanent, irreversible peace with the Jewish state. They want Dar al-Harb by terrorism and political instability until the day of jihad arrives, after which the Dar al-Islam will be restored. If this means keeping the people of the Gaza Strip confined in an open-air madhouse, so be it. Thus, Gaza is the paradise where Shariah law rules, where it is illegal for girls to ride bikes, where honour-killings are legitimate and where all the members of the 'secular' Fatah movement have been butchered by Hamas. And if Islamic fundamentalists do that to their fellow Palestinians, what have they in mind for the Jews, whom the Koran calls "pigs and monkeys"?

One-hundred-and-fifty Irish 'artists' have announced they are boycotting Israel. What, 150? That's about 140 more than I thought we had. Poor Israel! Being boycotted by Irish daubers it's never even heard of. Yet strangely enough, these 'artists' don't condemn the totalitarian Islamo-Nazism of Hamas, or the emerging Fourth Reich of Iran. No, instead, they obsess over the misdeeds of a democratic state the size of Munster in a democracy-free, Arab landmass as big as the US.

Ah well. Trying to argue Israel's case to the Irish people is no longer the bitter, futile burden of Zion Evonry. So, safe home, my friend, and God help your successor, in just about the worst assignment an Israeli diplomat can ever get. The only local consolation I can draw from this endless tragedy is that without it, the modernist composer Raymond Deane, who is also the leader of the Ireland-Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, might otherwise be writing even more of his 'music'. So thank you for that, Israel: and shalom, Zion.

kmyers@independent.ie

Governor Quinn and Comb Over Dave Axelrod Quits! Watch Quinn Overtake Brady in Two Weeks

I like Pat Quinn. The only thing keeping Pat Quinn from being a great Governor is his faith in the Easter Bunny, that Pie-Chart Pirate Ralph Martire has not helped loot Illinois more than Blago wanted to do, that Progressives will watch your back ( ask the President), and that Panjandrums like Chris Kennedy, Stan Ikenberry, Sheila Simon, Deb Mell and others matter one damn bit to anyone, other than career glue-sniffers.

Pat Quinn jettisoned AKPD - Comb Over Dave Axelrod's Progressive Sluice gate from the Federal Trough. Axelrod - though no long a partner -makes oodles of dough being socled away for his Post-White House Nest Egg somewhere off of AKPD ( sounds like a Soviet acronym don't it?).
Yet, Comb Over Dave's firm pumps out this example of parsed nonsense about Quinn's toe in their rump -

“We and the Quinn campaign agreed that our divergent approaches to disciplined, professional communications are incompatible. We wish Pat well.”

Not exactly Strunk and White.

Quinn just locked my vote! I was voting for Pat anyway. Rep. Bill Brady is a nice guy, anti abortion and everything, but he is an Illinois GOPer - a moss-back -and will lose.

Watch Quinn soar!

Matt O'Shea, 19th Ward Committeman and Aldermanic Candidate - The Real Deal.

O’Shea said his priority is to deliver city services at a time of severe budget cutbacks that are almost certain to get worse as the city copes with a record $654.7 million shortfall.

“We’re in tough times with a shortage of manpower. Everything is taking longer — from recycling to street light repairs and tree trims,’’ said O’Shea, 41.

“We’re still feeling the effect of the summer storms that left hundreds of flooded basements. We just have to work that much harder to stay on top of things, work with the 311 system and explain to residents that it’s gonna take longer to get things done, but we’re working on them.’’

Sun Timeshttp://www.suntimes.com/news/cityhall/2613356,rugai-resigns-081810.article

In 1905 William Riordan wrote a small political masterpiece that ranks second only to Aristotle's Politics -Plunkitt of Tammany Hall.

This book has been reconfigured many times and presented as case evidence of the glories or the calumnies of Ward Politics. I take the former point of view.

George Washington Plunkitt was a Tammany Hall Ward Healer under Boss Tweed and other Tammmany Tigers. Riordan was a newspaper writer who courted Plunkitt at a book black stand, the where the wily politician gave out lessons on practical politics.

Practical politics was and continues to be anathema to Progressives, who honor policy -theirs ( abortion, gay marriage, more taxes, less defense, fewer liberties- over necessity and good grace.

I am delighted to present this pasaage as a means of introducing Matt O'Shea who follows this template from diary of George Washington Plunkitt:

2 A.M.: Aroused from sleep by the ringing of his doorbell;
went to the door and found a bartender, who asked him to go to the
police station and bail out a saloonkeeper who had been arrested for
violating the excise law. Furnished bail and returned to bed at three
o’clock.
6 A.M.:Awakened by fire engines passing his house. Hastened
to the scene of the fire, according to the custom of the Tammany district
leaders, to give assistance to the fire sufferers, if needed. Met
several of his election district captains who are always under orders
to look out for fires, which are considered great vote-getters. Found
several tenants who had been burned out, took them to a hotel, supplied
them with clothes, fed them, and arranged temporary quarters
for them until they could rent and furnish new apartments.
8:30 A.M.:Went to the police court to look after his constituents.
Found six “drunks.” Secured the discharge of four by a timely word
with the judge, and paid the fines of two.
9 A.M.: Appeared in the Municipal District Court. Directed
one of his district captains to act as counsel for a widow against
whom dispossess proceedings had been instituted and obtained an
extension of time. Paid the rent of a poor family about to be dispossessed
and gave them a dollar for food.
11 A.M.: At home again. Found four men waiting for him. One
had been discharged by the Metropolitan Railway Company for
neglect of duty, and wanted the district leader to fix things. Another
wanted a job on the road. The third sought a place on the Subway
and the fourth, a plumber, was looking for work with the
Consolidated Gas Company. The district leader spent nearly three
hours fixing things for the four men, and succeeded in each case.
3 P.M.: Attended the funeral of an Italian as far as the ferry.
Hurried back to make his appearance at the funeral of a Hebrew
constituent. Went conspicuously to the front both in the Catholic
church and the synagogue, and later attended the Hebrew confirmation
ceremonies in the synagogue.
7 P.M.:Went to district headquarters and presided over a meeting
of election district captains. Each captain submitted a list of all
the voters in his district, reported on their attitude toward Tammany,
suggested who might be won over and how they could be won, told
who were in need, and who were in trouble of any kind and the best
way to reach them. District leader took notes and gave orders.
8 P.M.: Went to a church fair. Took chances on everything,
bought ice cream for the young girls and the children. Kissed the little
ones, flattered their mothers and took their fathers out for something
down at the corner.
9 P.M.: At the clubhouse again. Spent $10 on tickets for a
church excursion and promised a subscription for a new church bell.
Bought tickets for a baseball game to be played by two nines from
his district. Listened to the complaints of a dozen pushcart peddlers
who said they were persecuted by the police and assured them he
would go to Police Headquarters in the morning and see about it.
10:30 P.M.: Attended a Hebrew wedding reception and dance.
Had previously sent a handsome wedding present to the bride.
12 P.M.: In bed.

Matt O'Shea will run as the Democratic candidate for alderman of the 19th Ward. Matt O'Shea lives about four blocks north of my home, but I see Matt everywhere - all over the Ward. He is on foot many of these times. I was getting my oil changed at Jiffy Lube on Kedzie and saw Matt making the rounds of the flood damaged folks around 107th & Troy. Later, that day I saw Matt talking with firemen outside of the Fire Barn on 111th Street. The man is everywhere.

This is called Management by Walking Around, according to the Steve Covey crowd.

Matt O'Shea will take care of his neighbors and represent our Ward with courage, honesty, integrity and practical appilication of very practical politics.

Politics over Policy is Good Government.

Thank you, Matt!

Mayor Grace Daley - The Bitter Old Biddy Squeals at Bea Reyna-Hickey

Daley suspended Bea Reyna-Hickey: Who Directs the Budget That Daley Abuses:

"It's just stupid. Some bureaucrat sent that out," Daley said at an event on the Northwest Side. "This is a stupid e-mail. There will be appropriate discipline."

Yeah, in 1995, while Mayor Grace Daley, the little old woman from Wexford, was schmoozing Bubba Clinton and DNC, Chicago lost nearly 700 citizens* in a calamitous heat wave.

It was a Mexican- American girl married to a Mick who helped save Grace Daley's hairy bacon. That bureaucrat was Bea Reyna-Hickey who worked for the Mayor's Emergency Services at that time.

While Chicago elders died alone in July 1995, Buck-tooth Mayor Dave Orr was parsing left-wing ( Democratic Socialist Team Leader) non-sense, just as that fatuous and gutless and talentless phony chimed in with Mayor Grace in the Sun Times, and Bea Reyna-Hickey worked 24 per diem to save lives and open cooling shelters. Today that opportunistic lefty louse, David Orr, looks to be trolling for some new appointment -

Cook County Clerk David Orr and several aldermen said the memo sends the wrong message to the public. City Hall considers parking tickets a revenue-generating tool more than a public-safety tool, Orr said.
“I don’t think we put the citizens first enough in this town,” he said. “This is one indication of it. There’s been too much pressure [on officers] to write tickets.”

Dave, maybe people in the Progressive Media should take a very hard look at how your office handles real estate transactions on Tax-lien properties -particularly those owned by immigrants. You know some poor Busha or Abuela who get's socked for an alley assessment and owes a couple of hundred bucks that she does not understand to be her problem and finds that she must come to Buck Tooth Dave's fine helpers. " You must have a cashiers check in the exact amount and this is not enough as the assessment is compounded." Then Abuela finds her address in the community news paper as her property is now in the hands of Honorable Dorothy Brown!


Dave, citizens! Maybe, Buck Tooth Dave too will become a Disc Jockey like Jim Laski, Rod Blagojevich and Cliff Kelley!

How secure are those ledgers around whom the real estate tax sharks swim? I was up there a couple of months ago on Leo business and every dubious person in size 9s and above was going over the endangered properties! Are there kick-backs?/ Citizens come first, Dave. Gotta ask, You smarmy sneak. Worth a look-see, news hounds? Nah. too much like work, I suppose.

Daley is a bitter Old Woman. Tosses good people who helped make him a somebody all the time, when they or their actions make Daley answer questions . . .in English - Terry Teale, Pat Huels, & etc. Swallow your tongue, Old Woman, all the way to the tripes - you graceless, thankless, thoughtless, clueless hag.

Bea Reyna-Hickey is hardly a bureaucrat - she is and has been a public servant.

Full disclosure - Bea Reyna-Hickey is married to a cousin of mine ( there are hundreds of cousins) and is about the smartest woman in the LaSalle side of the City Hall.

*

Most of the heat wave victims were the elderly poor living in the heart of the city, who either had no working air conditioning or could not afford to turn it on. Many older citizens were also hesitant to open windows and doors at night for fear of crime.[6] Elderly women, who may have been more socially engaged, were less vulnerable than elderly men. By contrast, during the heat waves of the 1930s, many residents slept outside in the parks or along the shore of Lake Michigan.[2]

Because of the nature of the disaster, and the slow response of authorities to recognize it, no official "death toll" has been determined. However, figures show that 739 additional people died in that particular week above the usual weekly average.[7] Further epidemiologic analysis showed that blacks were more likely to die than whites, and that Hispanics had an unusually low death rate due to heat. At the time, many blacks lived in areas of sub-standard housing and less cohesive neighborhoods, while Hispanics at the time lived in places with higher population density, and more social cohesion.[2]

Mortality displacement refers to the deaths that occur during a heat wave that would have occurred anyway in a near future, but which were precipitated by the heat wave itself. In other words, people who are already very ill and close to death (expected to die, for instance, within days or a few weeks) might die sooner than they might have otherwise, because of the impact of the heat wave on their health. However, because their deaths have been hastened by the heat wave, in the months that follow the number of deaths becomes lower than average. This is also called a harvesting effect, in which part of the expected (future) mortality shifts forward a few weeks to the period of the heat wave. Initially some public officials suggested that the high death toll during the weeks of the heat wave was due to mortality displacement, an analysis of the data later found that mortality displacement during the heat wave was limited to about 26% of the estimated 692 excess deaths in the period between June 21 and August 10, 1995. Mortality risks affected Blacks disproportionally. Appropriately targeted interventions may have a tangible effect on life expectancy.[8]

No One is Happy Blago Walked - This Was Pooch Screwed at the Get-Go!

Tamara Holder says, " You boys have alot to talk about . . .keep it clean!"

Weeks after the cascade of tears dried up in Grant Park following the election of America's first black President who tingled thighs from 2007-2008, Patrick Fitzgerald ordered Governor Rod Blagojevich cuffed.

No one and I mean no one was stunned - Not Rod, Patty, Dick Mell, nor anyone else in Illinois.

What was stunning was the immediate White House dusting of mitts. "Oh, Heavens Sake! This is Unprecedented! Obama Involved? Ludicrous!"

However, Everyone was stunned that Patrick Fitzgerald appeared to be pull the trigger on Blago way too soon! What was he up to? The Craft Divil!

Then, the Indictment was re-crafted. Procrustes is Patrick Fitzgerald's Middle name -the man can make a jacket fit!

Then, everyone with an Obama button saved in the top drawer started howling about Congressman Jesse Jackson Junior*! The same people petted and cooed Roland Burris into the Obama Senate Seat.

It seemed that only Tamara Holder and me felt that Congressman Jackson was being staked out as a Judas Goat by the Feds and someone else's imprimatur and that Blago would walk.

He did. No one but a career glue-sniffer, or Edwin Yohnka of ACLU would be happy that Blago is avoiding a Trip to Terra Haute. Edwin believes that our prisons should be as empty as our wallets.

Tamara Holder proved herself to be a bit sharper than Chicago Street Monster John Kass of the Chicago Tribune, as wily and ethical a Greek as they make them, on the Blago case.

Last night, Chicago attorney Tamara Holder was on FOX with this summation -




Top News
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Poll: Obama at New Low for Handling Economy
Jurors Were Close to Convicting Blago
Dr. Laura Quits Show After N-Word Controversy

Obama, Reid Clash on Ground Zero Mosque

Arizona Shelves Idea of Changing Immigration Law
Sponsors
Is Your Fish Oil Supplement Slowly Killing You?
Athena Pheromones Win 19 of 20 Speed-Dating Tests
Male Enhancement Exposed - Pilot Tells His Secret
Term Life Coverage for less than $14/month
Colon Cleansing: Is it Helpful or Harmful?
5 Warning Signs The Rally Could Be Over
Flush Plaque from your Arteries Fast!
Social Security is heading for broke?
Shocking discovery for amazing joint relief
Home > Newsfront Print Page | Forward Page | E-mail Us
Analysis: Protecting Obama Cost Prosecution Blago Case
Tuesday, 17 Aug 2010 09:35 PM Article Font Size
By: David A. Patten

Federal prosecutors' decision to "protect" Obama administration officials by not calling them to testify against former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is "absolutely" responsible for the prosecution's stunning failure to get convictions on 23 of 24 counts, a Fox News legal analyst who closely followed the trial tells Newsmax.

Not obtaining a guilty verdict on any of the primary counts leveled against Blagojevich was viewed as a serious setback for prosecutors, especially given the federal conviction rate of over 95 percent.

"They should be so embarrassed," Fox news legal commentator Tamara Holder, a Chicago-area attorney, tells Newsmax.

Holder blamed the outcome on the lack of compelling testimony.

"I think that this is a very interesting issue, because I think that [White House Chief of Staff Rahm] Emanuel was not called [to testify], Axelrod, whomever else, Obama himself, in an effort to protect the administration," Holder says. "You know once you open the door and you put these guys on the stand, well, the cat's out of the bag and you open them to cross-examination and whatnot."

Holder characterized the verdict as "a great victory for the defense, because [U.S. Attorney] Patrick Fitzgerald promised us that Lincoln would be rolling over in his grave."

Holder adds: "He promised us that he stopped Gov. Blagojevich from his crime spree dead in his tracks, and today's decision was proof that that was a lie. The lie today was Fitzgerald lying to us, not Gov. Blagojevich lying to the FBI."

Blago played America like Trivial Pursuit! His defense team played Fitzy like Woody Hayes. The media? They generally play with themselves - closed club, doncha know?

No giggles out here among the helots, as we will be subjected to the Blago controlled media for years to come.

* With Both Hands September 22, 2009-

Congressman Jesse Jackson appears to be the only genuine victim of the Blagojevich Corruption Roller-coaster. Congressman Jesse L. Jackson who was named in the Criminal Complaint and subsequent indictment of Blago by the Federal Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has now been piled on out of the blue with an additional set charges.

One accusation at a time Fitzy; One person at a time, one allegation at a time, Fitzy." My attorney pal. Tamara Holder said to me "It looks like they veered off the yellow brick road. Just an opinion, but this was about BLAGO. How did the arrows all of a sudden turn to JR?!?!"


Well, Tamara, from my front porch way down here in the 19th Ward, there appears to be some wiggle enough room for Paddy Fitz to drive a semi-trailer towing a Wide Load slab house. Seems like everyone Blago touched is now subject to a probe by the G.

This marriage of true minds brought together two polar opposites - me and Tamara Holder.

Two of God’s Creatures – Ms. Tamara Holder an athletic 'twenty something and change' beauty and attorney, activist, and legal affairs spokesperson for Fox News and CNN and me, a runty, old south side school teacher, who sits on the porch with a quart of Green River ( at minimum) jawing about politics and ‘those damned kids’ with my 19th Ward helot neighbors – polar opposites have come to the same conclusion that Congressman Jackson seems being fitted to wear a jacket that he just might not deserve.

Together we hope to raise some questions for our neighbors - Tamara's around Lincoln Park and my own around 108th & Rockwell -consider -

1. Why is Congressman Jackson being targeted with such vigor, while Blago goes on the Media Circuit, hawks an unreadable book and plays to his upcoming jury pool? And while Obama, Axelrod and Emanuel get to be tight-lipped too. "The Presidential Protection!"


2. Why are Feds Changing the Game? Are they dropping the Senate Shenanigans for Congressional mailings? Who benefits by Fitzy nailing Congressman Jackson's pelt to the shed?

3. Who's driving this railroad? Which Justice Department?

How's that?

4. As Ms. Holder mentioned to me -"How about we ask about how much money this is costing? Remember the Jesse Jackson investigation has been 5 months long with the Ethics Committee! TWO investigations, Fitzy's and Congresses. I wonder how much money Jackson used to allegedly have a staffer send a mass email to constituents regarding his desire for the Senate seat? All the while, the other leaders are flitting around in private jets and 1st class, reading his financials instead of the health care bill."

Fair questions in deed.

Full disclosure - I met Congressman Jackson on two occasions - back in 1993, Jesse Jackson, Junior was on the School Board for LeMans Academy in Rolling Prairie, Indiana along with Bulls Boss John Paxson. He impressed me as a well-read and very nice guy. Twelve or so years later, I met Congressman Jackson and his two adorable kids at Rainbow Cone, Ice Cream on Western Ave. and he did not seem bothered in the least that I had referred to him as Kid Staples - following his dramatic weight loss. I think his Old Man is a Race cottage industry stick-up artist, but, then again, my Dad is a gifted tradesman.

Watch Chicago Daily Observer for future thoughts on the Jackson issue from Beauty and the Beast.

http://hickeysite.blogspot.com/search?q=tamara+holder

Federal Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald - What You Want Ain't What You Get?

Poor Fitzy! I mean that.

Metaphorically speaking, Patrick Fitzgerald asked the brain numbingly spectacularly gorgeous Class Knockout to the Prom and weeks later ends up going with the bearded fat girl in the iron lung.

Here's the Butcher's Bill from the best Blago Reporter in Chicago Natasha Korecki, et al, of the Chicago Sun Times - Blago Blog,

The jury is finally in on Rod Blagojevich — and the verdict is decidedly mixed.

A federal jury of six men and six women just returned a split verdict against the former governor, convicting him on only one of the 24 criminal corruption counts he faced.

The governor was found guilty of giving a false statement to federal agents.

Click my post title if you must for more.

Mosque Que Nada -Sergio Obama and Donna Brazile '66

" Hi, This Sergio Obama!
MOSQUE Sh'Mosque! This is a Mosque Distraction* in the Summer of Recovery! Let's pump up some sub-Norte rhythms and let fly a Brazilian ( got that number of GW Bush as well as all my Sorrows, Lord) good feelings! On eight! I mean on Oito! Mosque Que Nada!!!! Speaking of Nada . . .One count out of twenty-four (24) on my pal Blago? Unprecedented! Break it!"

1 = um

2 = dois

3 = treiz

4 = cuatro

Not Yet!!!!
5 = cinco

6 = seiz

7 = sete (se-chi)

8 = oito

Mas Que Nada

O ari rai, O?
(Ohh, ahh ree AHH rye oh?)

Ob, Ob, Ob,
(Oh bahh, Oh bahh, Oh bahh)

O (o, o, o, o,) ari rai, O?
(Ohh, wohh--ohh--ohh-ohh-ohh, ahh ree AHH rye ohh?)

Ob, Ob, Ob...
(Oh bahh, Oh bahh, Oh bahh)

Chorus 1:

Mas que nada
(Mahsh kay nahdah)

Sai da minha frente eu quero passar
(Sigh dah minya frenche cue kay roo pahsah-hah)

Pois o samba est animado
(Poyss oo sahm-bah eshta-ani-mah-doo)

O que eu quero sambar
(Oo cue kay-roo ay sam-bar)

Este samba que misto de maracatu
(Eshte sahmbah kay mishto dje marah cah too)

samba de preto velho
(E sambah dje prehtoo vay-oo)

Samba de preto tu
(Sambah dje prehtoo doo)

Chorus 2:

Mas que nada
(Mahsh kay nahdah)

Um samba como esse do legal
(Oom sahmbah kohmoh esh-tay doh leh-gahl)

Voc no vai querer
(Voh-say nah vigh keh-rehr)

Que eu chegue no final
(Kay oo sheh-gee noo fee-nahl)

* In Brazilian Portuguese slang, mas que nada (literally, "but, that [is] nothing") means "come on" or "no way". This is sometimes confused with the Latin-American Spanish más que nada (literally "better than nothing"), meaning "mainly" or "principally"; though in more literary Spanish, "mas que nada" (note the omission of the accent, which changes "más" (more) to "mas" (but)) would have the same literal meaning as the Portuguese.

Blago Set to Walk in a Matter of Minutes!

"I think all that's left is to sign the verdict form," he said. "I think it's over." Attorney Michael Ettinger

Yep, Fitzy pulled the trigger on Blago way too quickly -changed the indictment - gave Blago all the wiggle room on the planet. Almost no testimony from the White House other than hearsay -Hey, was this not about President Obama's Senate Seat?

This will be a waltz from Justice like no other in American history. The smelt gets away from the whale hunter's harpoon - shocking.


http://obamacartoon.blogspot.com/2010/08/from-halo-to-blago.html

Common Sense from a Real Centurion - Chicago Police Officer

From Second City Cop comes this disturbing news -

Word coming in from a couple of sources (e-mails and such) that the lieutenant who wrote the essay "A City at War with Itself : Chicago - Fast Tracking to Anarchy" has himself been served with CR charges for bringing "discredit" to the department.

When the city is burning, when chaos reigns, when the whole thing is falling apart, the route of cowards and quislings is to attack the messenger rather than addressing the message.

Not only that, The City demands that cops write more tickets and that Police Commanders craft lists of 'Bad Cops.' Burying three officers in as many months is not enough? The man who wrote the following essay is a genuine Centurion*.

Please read this fine essay in full and vote accordingly.

A City at War with Itself : Chicago - Fast Tracking to Anarchy
Understanding the Organizational Paralysis of the CPD and the Mission to Recovery
(updated)


Everyone in Chicago knows it. Almost everyone in America knows it. In fact, a lot of people throughout the world know. Chicago is a city at war with itself - fast tracking to anarchy.


Leading us there have been two major root causes - public violence and public corruption. While Chicago has been under attack with its people fearful and hiding, its police department was twisted into paralysis by organizational decimation, incompetent leadership, self-serving politics and corruption.


After three dead cops in less than 60 days, the men and women of the Chicago Police Department are saying, "Enough!!!" We are sickened that our world-class police department has deteriorated into ruin in only a few short years. We are tired of a leaderless department. We are angry at an unsupportive mayor.

We must rise up together to take this city back from the thugs, gangs and rogues that infect our city. The good people of Chicago must also take a stand against the corrupt politicians and their cronies that have bled our city and police department dry.


We must not be stopped. We will not be deterred. We will not be corrupted. Our mission is clear. We must return Chicago to its peaceful, law-abiding citizens. We cannot fail!


Public Violence


Homicides, shootings and gang related crimes are sucking the life out of this city. Daily, people are shot and killed on our streets over conflicts with gangs and drugs. Our children are not immune from the victimization as they too are targets or suffer as collateral damage from stray gunfire.


Most horrific for Chicago is that in less than 60 days, Chicago has lost 3 of its police officers, killed by gunfire as victims of robberies. It seems no one is safe in our city anymore.


Chicago's homicide rate this year currently stands toe-to-toe with the total number of military forces killed in both Afghanistan and Iraq.


Thugs, gangs and renegade groups run the streets and neighborhoods, intimidating and victimizing the decent citizens of this city. They go mostly unchallenged and unchecked by a totally demoralized police force that is dangerously understaffed and still out-gunned on the streets.


Public Corruption


The continued participation in public corruption activities appears to be much more important to Chicago's power elite than addressing the public safety dilemmas of its citizens.


While public corruption has always been a problem in Chicago, it seems to have become more overt than ever. It is amazing how politicians and the "connected ones" can act so openly now and with such impunity.


Political Corruption within the Police Department


A recent example of alleged political corruption ties to top tier leadership in the Chicago Police Department.


While Superintendent Jody Weis recently appointed Lieutenant Anthony Carothers to Commander of the Englewood District, his appointment has been received by the rank & file with utter disdain. They and some city residents call the appointment of Carothers a true lack of ethical consideration by the Superintendent.


Interestingly, the newly appointed Commander Anthony Carothers is the brother of Isaac Carothers, the Chicago Alderman recently convicted on charges of public corruption in Federal Court. Ironically, their father, William Carothers, also served as a Chicago Alderman until his conviction on public corruption charges in 1983.


A simple Google search of Anthony Carothers revealed a Federal Court civil action judgment that was entered against him in 1985. Then a Cook County Deputy Sheriff, Anthony acted in concert with his brother Isaac, in activities of intimidation, physical violence and abuses of authority against Arthur Turner, who was campaigning against their imprisoned father's aide for Alderman.


Clout Rules Supreme


Anthony Carothers has reportedly never been promoted by competitive examination score to the ranks of sergeant or lieutenant in the CPD. Instead, those ranks were given to him as "meritorious appointments." Promotions, along with a career full of prestigious assignments, flowed freely while his brother Isaac served as the powerful chairman of the Chicago City Council Committee on Police and Fire.


Carothers is just one the numerous political aristocracies this city and this police department has been forced to endure. The incompetent political hacks that have been positioned to lead us have only poisoned us as a department. They are an embarrassment to be associated with the many honorable men and women of the Chicago Police Department who serve its citizens daily with dignity and distinction. His story is here only because it is the newest. There are others... many others.


Police Superintendent Within the Circle of Corruption?


Yet, in the first set of command staff changes at CPD after the conviction of Alderman Isaac Carothers, we see the gravy train has not stopped for his brother Anthony.


Superintendent Jody Weis promoted the convicted Alderman's brother to Commander of the Englewood District and then publicly boasted that once again he was promoting the "brightest and best" in the Chicago Police Department?


Does Weis really believe the men and women of the CPD will drink the kool-aid and respect or follow people like Anthony Carothers as their leaders?


What overt message was the Superintendent sending to the members of the Chicago Police Department?


• That public corruption is a good?
• That public corruption is to be accepted?
• That public corruption is to be rewarded?
• That leaders of city government and the police department act corrupt themselves by protecting the interests (taking care of family and friends) of corrupt public officials who have been convicted of VIOLATING THE PUBLIC TRUST ???


"This smells of a thousand hogs", as a Chicago newspaperman once wrote.


Was Jody Weis bought and paid for ($310,000/yr) the Chicago way? One might wonder...


Chicago Police: What Happened to Them?


As the spiral of violence in Chicago has increased, people have been asking when the police will be "turned loose" to do their job and restore the rule of law on the streets in Chicago. Many have been pleading with both the Mayor and Superintendent to open their eyes, wake up and do something... to little avail.


After the homicide of the third Chicago police officer within the past 60 days, a police captain posted on a social media site, " Do you think it's about time we take the kid gloves off?", inferring the lack of administrative leadership and fortitude in addressing Chicago's violent crime problems. Yes, the time to take off the kid gloves is well past "long overdue." Perhaps the police should have never put them on in the first place?


A lot has changed over the past several years. The Chicago Police Department is no longer that world class law enforcement agency it once was. In a few short years it has deteriorated into a totally demoralized, understaffed police department that criminals no longer fear.


Paralysis within the Police Department


Contributing factors that have led to the paralysis of the CPD:


• Decimation of existing top-tier leadership by incoming Superintendent
• Lack of leadership / Administrative incompetence
• Overt political corruption within the ranks
• Reductions in field strength levels that have left personnel in dangerous working conditions
• Reductions in field strength levels that have severely limited police effectiveness at protecting life and property or maintaining order on Chicago streets.


Based on the above and other contributing factors, the rank and file of the Chicago Police Department do not have confidence in their leadership. They perceive a number of current "bosses" as incompetent, politically corrupt, or both - beginning with the mayor and police superintendent.


Let's look at some of the conditions of CPD's organizational paralysis...


Fatal Flaws: Lost From the Beginning


When incoming Superintendent Jody Weis arrived on the scene in Chicago, the CPD was already suffering from very low morale, most notably from the Special Operations Section (SOS) and Abatte scandals that were highlighted repeatedly in the mass media. The hard working and honest police officers of this city were being unfairly painted with the broad brush of these two issues. With public perception of the CPD at a very low point, it made the job of serving as a Chicago police officer even harder.

Weis, a career FBI agent, never had experience as a police officer or in managing a local law enforcement agency - let alone the #2 police department in the United States. His earliest decisions and actions would mark his tenure as an unrecoverable failure.

Weis's first fatal flaw as Superintendent was to flex his muscles in a misguided demonstration of "Federal oversight" of the CPD in what has become "The Cozzi Incident." Without going into the well known details here, Weis facilitated a Federal prosecution of a police officer AFTER the officer already had been prosecuted at the State level and received severe administrative discipline from the CPD. Many believed that Cozzi had already been punished, both legally and administratively for his misconduct. Many also believed that while Cozzi's conduct in the incident was not acceptable, it did not rise to the level that warranted an additional Federal prosecution, as was the case with the Rodney King incident in Los Angeles. This single action by Weis was viewed by the rank & file of the department as excessive and draconian. The result was an instant and unrecoverable alienation of Weis from the members of the Chicago Police Department.

Weis's second fatal flaw was to almost immediately decimate the entire top-tier leadership of the department. Instead of working with the existing and experienced senior police managers to better understand how the CPD operated and ease organizational change over time (as Bratton had done when arriving as the new Chief at LAPD from NYPD), Weis summarily dismissed this trusted knowledge base and replaced it with inexperienced lower level command staff and some trusted FBI people that he brought in with him. This was a shock to the department's culture and operation that not only proved to be ineffective, it set the CPD into an immediate tail spin, from which it has not recovered.

The third fatal flaw of the Weis superintendency was really no fault of his own. Weis installed a trusted confidant he brought with him from the FBI as his chief of staff. In such a sensitive position, any smart police executive would have done the same. A chief of staff serves as the eyes and ears of the Superintendent, offering him additional insight and assumedly trusted guidance. Mayor Daley was to have none of that and instead forced Weis to remove his guy and install the Mayor's guy (Mike Masters) instead. It became instantly clear to Weis that he was not running the CPD - City Hall was. While there have been previous chiefs of staff at CPD (who were wired directly to City Hall), Masters has been perceived by the department as the "chief political officer" who has created extreme controversy and dissention within the department - most notably by back-dooring his way into obtaining the "sworn" status of a peace officer. While Weis has been forced to accept Masters and publicly states he has a great working relationship with him, the truth is that Masters keeps Weis on a tight leash, as you rarely see one without the other.


Police Officers Fear Reprisals From Performing Their Duties


With the apparent lack of support from the city or their own leadership, many police officers have reduced their proactive performance and now only contribute at minimum levels. When asked, most will freely tell you that they do not want to place themselves, their families and livelihoods at risk from a perceived Machiavellian police superintendent or other incompetent "bosses" that could lead them into legal trouble that would risk their liberty and freedom (jail).


Command Staff - Lost Leadership, Lost Passion, Lost Compensation, Lost Value


Even competent command staff members who have been looking for guidance and overall department direction when running their commands have frequently asked each other, "Who is steering the ship?"


Now, as "insanity relief" more and more command staff members are openly ridiculing what they call the "Weis-Masters Show" (superintendent and his chief of staff).


Command staff members are quickly losing their passion to lead. Being non-unionized management, the mayor has required they take 24 unpaid furlough days in 2010 (up from 12 unpaid days in 2009 and 6 unpaid days in 2008). Rumor is strong that Daley wants them to submit to 52 unpaid furlough days in 2011. They are questioning their de-valued status and consequently, their loyalty to the goals and objectives of the department.


It is an unrealistic expectation for a District Commander (knowing every Captain and Lieutenant working under them is making more money than they are) to remain loyal to the mission or continue to be positive contributors under these conditions. If 2011 brings 52 unpaid furlough days, most Sergeants will be making more than "the boss."


Who would want to assume or maintain a command leadership position under these circumstances?


It breeds more of "who is going to steer the ships?"


The Reduction of Police Staffing and the Corresponding Reduction of Police Effectiveness


Police field strength levels (especially during overnight hours) have long ago sunk to levels of ineffectiveness at maintaining public order in some Chicago neighborhoods. You can forget about proactive police patrols serving as a visible deterrence to crime. There are just not enough police officers on the street anymore.


Police officers, responding to calls, sometimes turn the corner into a hurricane of crap. Some incidents have required assistance from police officers FIVE DISTRICTS away before public order could be restored.


Law Breakers Have No Fear of the Police


As one sergeant working the midnight watch stated, "There are not enough of us out there. We respond to these out-of-control street parties and order the people to disperse. Now they just stare at us, daring us to do something about it. It's just insane out here. I can't wait to retire."


Extreme staffing reductions are not only dangerous for police officers, they further increase tensions on the street when police are required to take law enforcement actions.


Adversely, the thugs and gang bangers know this too and are now more aggressively and violently challenging police authority. This has resulted in an increase of injury-on-duty claims by police officers, which further contributes to the problems of inadequate field strength levels.


Lost Public Confidence in Public Safety = National Guard


Citizens have seen and felt the reduced police presence in their neighborhoods, along with the resulting epidemic rises of violent crime.


Frustrated and scared, they and some Illinois lawmakers have been calling for deployment of the army national guard on the streets of Chicago to help restore order, as the public is losing confidence in the capability of the Chicago Police Department to do so.


While the mayor has so far rejected such a need, weary and understaffed police officers and supervisors, working the midnight watch in many police districts are seeing things differently.


First Watch (Midnights): The Most Understaffed and Dangerous Watch of All


Complaints of inadequate staffing levels of police on the street continue to come from all watches, but most notably the first watch (midnights). They continue to report that there are not enough police officers assigned to effectively address the demands for police service (911 calls), let alone chronic neighborhood disorder incidents like illegal street and house parties.


It is common knowledge throughout the Chicago Police Department that multiple beat cars are routinely "downed" each day throughout the city, as there are no officers to staff the car for the shift . Many other beat cars are rolling in Chicago on the 3rd & 1st watches (afternoons and midnights) with only one officer instead of two, as is the standard staffing policy at night.


Exhausted and understaffed, officers and supervisors on these watches are now saying that if Chicago is not going to hire more police officers, they would welcome the national guard's assistance, especially on midnights.


Where We Stand Now: The Realities of Organizational Leadership at CPD


• We can no longer afford organizational or personal inaction as a consequence of the incompetent and/or politically corrupt "leaders" of our police department or our city.
• We cannot wait for competent, effective leadership to be delivered to us.


We must develop, identify and implement "bottom-up" leadership at every level of the Department. If you can and your superior can't or won't - then just do it. Don't wait any longer for someone else to do it. There just might not be anyone else.


From Paralysis to Productivity - Our Duty to Get There - No Matter What


What is needed at CPD today:


• Competent leaders empowered to lead the willing
• Sufficient field strength to effectively overcome resistance
• Restored trust and confidence in both the Department and city government


Our duty and responsibility today, as police managers and supervisors... and even as police officers... is to work at getting us there.


While dealing with resource scarcity and navigating the political land mines, we must...


• Ensure the display of positive and competent leadership daily, as an example to all, despite the limitations of some of our superiors.
• Continually identify, develop and empower truly competent leaders within the Department, recognizing the value of "informal leaders" of any rank - in every unit. When competent leaders are utilized, the willing shall follow.


These are critical and key first steps to turnaround and success. I cannot over state this enough. The sparks must be ignited NOW in every unit, on every watch, on every team. These new sparks must carefully be nurtured into a flame, grown into a fire, then fanned into a blaze.


Taking the High Road


We must remain focused on the mission and our purpose. We have taken a solumn oath to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Illinois. As law enforcers, we operate within the law.


Always the Hard Way - Perseverance


Understanding the reality that no organization is perfect (or ever will be), we still must rise to meet the challenges before us, despite the adversities and risks involved.


Sometimes we will have to work around obstacles (physical, political and organizational) to get the job done. I know this will not be easy. Some days may be better than others. From time to time, expect to encounter resistance, obstruction, or attempts at derailment from the personal or political agendas of others. Don't become discouraged - never give up.


Be vigilant. Stay committed.


The decent, law-abiding people of Chicago are depending on us.


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

*

During the Imperial era centurions gradually rose in seniority in their cohort, commanding centuries with higher precedence, until commanding the senior century and therefore the whole cohort. The very best centurions were then promoted to become centurions in the First Cohort, called Primi Ordines, commanding one of the ten centuries and also taking on a staff role. The most senior centurion of the legion was the Primus Pilus who commanded the first century. All centurions, however senior, had their own allocated century.

The Primus Pilus was so called because his own century was the first file (primus pilus) of the first (rightmost) cohort. Only eight officers in a fully officered legion outranked the Primus Pilus: The legate (legatus legionis), commanding the legion; the senior tribune (tribunus laticlavus), second-in-command of the legion; the Camp Prefect (praefectus castrorum); and the five other tribunes (tribuni angusticlavii) who apparently served as senior staff officers to the legate with a rank roughly equivalent to a modern colonel.

Many[who?] write comparisons between the centurion grades and modern officer ranks. This can lead to many incorrect assumptions. Centurions could be elected, appointed by the Senate, or promoted "from the ranks" for a variety of reasons.[4] Julius Caesar is said to have promoted his centurions for displays of valor. Other historians cite examples of them being the first over the enemies' wall or through the breach. If this case were strictly so, then there would be a lack of centurions in peacetime garrisons, which is where the Roman Army mostly spent its time.[3] Nonetheless, although not directly comparable to modern ranks, the various centurion grades may be loosely compared to modern junior and middle officer grades.[5][6]

Centurions often suffered heavy casualties in battle, generally fighting alongside the legionaries they commanded. They usually led from the front, occupying a position at the front right of the century formation. They led and inspired their men by example. They also sought to display the skill and courage that may have gotten them to their rank in the first place. It is for these reasons that they often suffered a disproportionate number of casualties.