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 -




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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.

Dennis Byrne's Common Sense on the Mosque at Ground Zero

One of the best lines of dialogue in James T. Farrell's Chicago masterpiece -Studs Lonigan occurred in the first book of the trilogy Young Lonigan.

In one of the pool hall scenes Lonigan and the Hoods hanging out at Bathseller's Pool Hall are razzing one of the younger guys. The kid has had enough and he pathetically commands, "Keep Your Old Pool Hall."

Barney Keefe wags back, " No. Take it with you!"

Similarly, Dennis Byrne offers a very nuanced suggestion with regard to President Obama's favorite Mosque - The Cordoba House at Ground Zero.

The Constitution, law and tradition prohibit government from dictating where a denomination can build its house of worship. It's so enshrined in the law that the Supreme Court has decreed that government can't prohibit American Indians from smoking hallucinogenic peyote as part of a religious rite. Thankfully. We've already had enough of government prohibitions on expressions of faith, from the presence of a cross on isolated, public property, to public schools erasing references to religious holidays.

Yes, houses of worship located even on private property are not exempt from zoning laws. And government can take property owned by religious dominations if it serves a clear and compelling public interest and a no "less burdensome" alternative to achieve this public good is available.

But the Cordoba House has passed those tests. It doesn't violate local zoning or landmark ordinances. And being insensitive — as the imam surely is — is hardly sufficient legal grounds for blocking the construction of a house of worship. Let's be honest: the opposition to the mosque is fueled by discrimination against this religion. It's so obvious that any attempt by any government to stop the mosque surely is a loser. If Catholics, Protestants or Jews wanted to build there, we wouldn't be having this debate.

So, conservatives, let's leave the wailing about the imam's insensitivity to liberals, for whom it is the highest of offenses. Let's not waste our breath hoping that a government you believe should be limited would step in and do something about it. Such an expansion of government powers would eventually and surely turn against you in unforeseen ways.

Give Rauf his victory, if he must have it. It'll be hollow because the mosque's presence will stand as a concrete reminder of our devotion to liberty and acceptance of its costs. Erect a plaque outside proclaiming, "This mosque brought to you courtesy of America's dedication to freedom." The mosque will stand for all to see as testimony to Rauf's rigid and Procrustean version of Islam. Certainly, he and Islam will be the losers.

Absolutely! All of the Obama Cheerleaders, like Jonathon Alter and Mark Halperin, have been churning out Harper Lee Heart-tugging appeals to the Founding Fathers' Writ since President Gaffe-o-Matic Obama uttered his warm embrace of New York Mayor Bloomberg's Hagia Sophia West . . .and began the long walk back.

Have a Mosque, Rauf, by all means.

Great thoughts, Mr. Byrne!

President Mosque Backer Obama Falls to New Low - He'll Go Much Lower BTW

President Obama is now at the lowest approval rating of his young Administration - he has been One Gaffe, One Bow, One America Apology, One Race Baiting Teaching Teachable Moment, One Waffling, Multi-Vacation Disaster after the next - there will be many more to come.

Barack Obama was an Illinois and US Senate back-bencher crafted by Hype and Spin Merchants. He could have been a statesman had he stayed home, run for governor and actually really accomplished something. Rather, he ate up the flattering and transformed it into very sad hubris.

The poor man is so inept, that his Progressive base has already turned on him. They were going to do so anyway, but even a Progressive waits until the last legislated morsel has been gobbled up . . .until now. They are already attempting 2012 damage control.

Fact -

In the United States, politics pivots around the allegiance of the middle class, even as its identity has changed from yeoman farmers and mechanics to store clerks, office workers, x-ray technicians, and small business owners. They are, in Bill Clinton’s words, “those who work hard and play by the rules.” They are the central characters in a populist rhetoric that goes back to the early republic. It depicts the middle class as embattled and threatened either from forces below (impoverished immigrants, welfare cheaters, ghetto rioters) or above (Wall Street speculators, state bureaucrats, K Street lobbyists). Populism can be embraced by Glenn Beck or Tom Harkin. It is intrinsically neither left-wing nor right-wing.

President Obama allied himself with Progressives who have hated the American middle class from the get-go, ( Sinclair Lewis e.g.) especially ACLU, SEIU and Planned Parenthood. These are your base, Mr. President, and they are coming after you.

Tea Party People, disenchanted Democrats like me and Republicans are not your enemies, Mr. President. You are your own worst enemy, Sir, as well as the folks who crafted your compelling narrative and biography.

President Obama Job Approval
Polling Data
Poll Date Sample Approve Disapprove Spread
RCP Average 8/5 - 8/15 -- 44.4 50.6 -6.2
Rasmussen Reports 8/13 - 8/15 1500 LV 43 56 -13
Gallup 8/12 - 8/14 1547 A 42 49 -7
FOX News 8/10 - 8/11 900 RV 43 49 -6
CNN/Opinion Research 8/6 - 8/10 1009 A 47 51 -4
NBC News/Wall St. Jrnl 8/5 - 8/9 1000 A 47 48 -1

This will go lower than Hollywood's standards for good taste and judgment.

My Zsa Zsa Moment - Ivan Kenessey's Wine Celler in Hotel Belmont 1981

I was saddened to learn that iconic Hungarian beauty ZsaZsa Gabor has asked for the last rites of the Catholic Church.

ZsaZsa and her sisters Eva and Magda took America by storm in the1950's and introduced the sobriquet 'Dah-Ling! ( Darling)' to public discourse.

The three Hungarian beauties sang , sort of, but were very easy on the eyes with robust physical constitutions that defied the assault of not just years but decades.

They were and remain eternal beauties.

Here in Chicago, another eternal beauty was Ivan Kenessey. Ivan Kenessey owned Kenessey's Wine Cellar in the Hotel Belmont at the corner of Belmont and Sheridan.
It was probably the last Hungarian restaurant in Chicago, though there remained some Mom and Pop operations in South Chicago along Exchange and 95th Street and few in Hegewisch. Kenessey's was magnificent - Veal Paprikash, Hungarian breaded schnitzels, pork loin topped with letcho ( a sweet pepper, onion, and sausage Hungarian bruchhetta, or salsa that was great on its own or larded onto Hungarian bread) and home made cheese spreads of every texture and range of spice. Kenessy's cheese spreads were gifts of the Holy Spirit. There was a wonderful imported beer selection as well. Ivan Kenessey was a beaut! Tall courtly, witty, generous, and the greatest host this side of Reilly's Daughter owner Boz O'Brien.

The Gabor sisters hit Kenesseys's hard every time they played the Drury Lane, Empire Room, Arie Crown Theatre, or Orchestra Hall. Victor Borge was also a frequent Kennessey guest.

My late wife Mary - then Mary Cleary -worked for Ivan. Mary and the two Oak Park Sisters Morrissey, Barb and Jaimie lived in an apartment run by Barry Management at Pine Grove and Belmont, from 1980-1982. Mary and I had been dating since 1978 and our Kismet-like meeting at Leo's Riverside Tap* on the mighty Kankakee River at Station Street. I fell madly in love and Mary tolerated my advances. Persistence pays off . . .well it worked out for me anyway.

Mary worked for Coldwell Banker in the Old Standard Oil Building and also for Ivan Kenessey. Mary was a superb waitress, which probably made her such a great Art teacher two years later. I was teaching and coaching at Bishop McNamara High School in Kankakee, Illinois. After my duties for the week, I would drive my 1967 Velveeta Cheese Box Yellow Plymouth Valiant to Chicago and scout out a free parking space near the apartment and pop over to the Hotel Belmont and wait for Mary's shift to end - usually about 11:00 PM on Friday's.

I always liked to get there early - if I am on time, I am fifteen minutes late - and shoot the breeze with Ivan, about Jane Byrne, Bobby Douglas and Joe Kapp as the greatest running quarterbacks, cooking, foreign beer, history, music, Georg Solti -a celebrated resident Magyar and Mary. On this Friday, Mary was absent. Mary cracked Ivan up. " Coach, Mary told me that she was hit by a car while riding her bike to work. I thought this strange as Mary lives one hundred yards from here, but? Her Mother called here and I told her that Mary had been hit riding her bike, 'That girl does not have a bike, Ivan. She was probably at a bar with her two pals.' Your girl is a delight!" Yep, a yarn-spinning, shift ditching, fun-drinks with the girls, delight. This time she was caught. Didn't seem to make no never mind to Ivan Kenessey.

In walks the ZsaZsa Gabor! Ivan glides to the beauty and gives her regally jewelled and manicured digits a courtly kiss on the knuckles and sweeps the beauty wearing a blue raincoat and scarf to a table in the corner and joins her. They sit like teenagers cooing over one another in a 1950's malt shop. After about ten minutes, Ivan waves me over. I knot up the tie that I am still wearing from a Friday's classes at Mac and brush off the crumbs attendant to my meal time ministrations and try to summon up a bon mot, witty acknowledgement, or courtly blessing - I got nothing. I make my way over to their table without knocking over chairs, coat racks, or guests and stand there grinning like the yokel I be. " ZsaZsa, this is my very good friend a high school teacher, Mr. Pat Hickey." At seventy something ZsaZsa Gabor was a riveting beauty with the skin and clear eyes of seventeen year old. I drank in the whole package, but managed to say, " Miss Gabor, it is a genuine pleasure to meet you and you are more beautiful than . . ." Her mouth opened in genuine embarrassment and I was treated with " Why thank you Dah-Ling!"

That was something. I bowed my way back to my table and waited for Mary to show up and tell Ivan about the trauma of the bike accident. Ivan never even hinted that he had caught his feckless waitress in the act of blowing off her shift. I had that pleasure. God Bless Ivan Kenessey!

God Bless you and welcome you, ZsaZsa!

* I tended bar at Leo's Riverside Tap a gorgeous Limestone building with a magnificent red-polished wooden bar, during the summer months. One evening at closing-time an enchanting tall red-head in an SIU Saluki T-shirt and chinos made her way to me - " Ow have two Jackencokes ena beer." Pulling myself to my fullest height, I cocked an eye-brow and rejoined "You're Shut off Ducky! Closing time in ten, anyway."

"Ducky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. . .you . . ."

There followed a string of maledictions, threats, obscenities that won my heart forever!.

The People of The Book and Genuine Muslims Can Go to Hell - President Obama

President Obama drove the last nail into his Presidency. President Obama took the advice of the "principled left" - the loud, obnoxious, privileged, affluent, and villainous people who demand legislation on everything and do nothing good for any human person - from the womb to grave.

70% of the American people believe that the Cordoba Initiative triumphalist thumb in the eye of America is unethical ( should not be considered) and blasphemous.

Toad-eaters like Mayor Mike Bloomberg and the legion of Journolist hack writers and editors who greased President Obama's election with smarm think this is good,as do the Communists, Socialists and Anarchists whom President Obama traditionally protests too much - "They are not the folks I know" - believe this to be a wonderful thing. Giving America a hot-foot and a kick in the nuts is always a very Progressive hug-able moment.

Seven out of ten Americans -People of the Book ( Jews and Christians) and genuine Muslims, atheists, agnostics and the odd Wiccan believe that American values are not tested by a Wahabist Imam, whom Obama made legit with a State Department portfolio, and his Saudi bankers.

“This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable. The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in this country, and will not be treated differently by their government, is essential to who we are.” President Obama praising the Cordoba Initiative -the Mosque at Ground Zero.

Nonsequiturs abound!

Here is a balanced perspective from a Muslim -

I was born in pre-revolutionary Iran. My family led a largely secular existence -- I did not attend a religious school, I never wore a headscarf -- but for us, as for anyone there, Islam was part of our heritage, our culture, our entire lives. Though I have nothing but contempt for the fanaticism that propelled the terrorists to carry out their murderous attacks on Sept. 11, I still have great respect for the faith. Yet, I worry that the construction of the Cordoba House Islamic cultural center near the World Trade Center site would not promote tolerance or understanding; I fear it would become a symbol of victory for militant Muslims around the world.

Neda Bolourchi whose mother was murdered by Islamist terrorists on 9/11.

President Obama, an Illinois back-bencher, is athe worst President in American History - white, black, Gay, Breeder, Male, Female, Catholic, Protestant, Jew, Muslim or Mason. Barack Obama has nailed down the absolute last place in history as an American President, for history.

This is a good thing, Americans, because, when that Mayflower Van pulls up to the White House in 2013, not only will President Obama be packed up with the linens and knick-knacks, but the principled left as well.

As soon as GE and the other corporate weasels understand that American anger has wallet consequences, the tone will change. Again mean spirited, abortion-happy, Hegelian totalitarians will be ignored or least giggled upon once again. The batteries will be removed from the megahorns; Praise be to God.

May the principled left enjoy the quiet of the very, very, very private life.

The Principled Left . . .and other Oxymorons

While waiting to pick my daughter Clare up from this afternoon's Mother McAuley Sophomore Class Walk-thru, I thumbed through the pages of the Washington Post - honor bright.

I found this piece by the socialite Katrina Vanden Heuvel. That is a handle right out of Henry James or Gilligan's Island.

Ms. Vanden Heuvel is New York gadabout flitting from every fab event-to-MSNBC-to -Planned Parenthood do's and also is the owner, editor and publisher of the The Nation - the far left's magazine of note - founded by abolitionist and featuring every Hegelian bug-eyed shouter since 1865.

Progressives are the American Far Left - not liberals per say; rather, revolutionaries with trust funds.

My people could never afford to be radicals, as they were and are too busy working.

Katrina Vanden Heuvel offers this giggle -

When Barack Obama embarked on what most political insiders saw as an audacious campaign for the presidency, the question was whether a newly-elected senator from Illinois could entice Democrats to consider a contender other than a former first lady who proposed to be the first woman president and a former nominee for vice president who was saying important things about the growing economic divide in America. What ultimately won him the Democratic nomination in 2008 was a decision by the principled left -- professional and amateur -- that the one leading candidate who had expressed blunt opposition to the war in Iraq before it began had shown better judgment than Hillary Clinton or John Edwards.

( emphasis my own)

You see President Obama is being tossed under the wheels of the very bus that he so deftly pitched Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Billy Ayers, Van Jones, Desiree Rogers, General McCrystal, ad infinitum. President Obama has proven to be a very weak sister and feminists hate weak sisters. Well, last week, Robert Gibbs, Obama's Press Spokesman, said what every one in America already knows - Progressives will stab you in the back and never ever shut up. The sad fact of the matter remains that we the citizens allow America to become a mandarin operation. Progressive are the American mandarins -little powerful loudmouths and bullies. They don't lend a hand in a crisis they demand action and usually from lawyers. Progressives tend to be the Mandarin Policy wonks, academics, pie-chart hustlers and hereditary political icons ( be they an Illinois Simon, A Universal Kennedy, a Chicago Daley, A Racial Jackson, or an Andy Stern) and they have, with the help of a very supine media, become Our American Mandarins.

Clowns that used to be laughed out of the smoke filled rooms in better days, are now foisted on the voter.

Policy over politics has been the destruction of American government. When Americans have had enough they’ll let the mandarins know about it.

That is what the Principled Left is all about - maintaining the divisions and grabbing power.

The Principled Left is like German Humor,Cool Jazz,Simple Interest Loan, Progressive Thought, and such.

You see, I have yet to meet or experience the Principled Left. Would they be. . . John Edwards? Nancy Pelosi? Billy Ayers? Noam Chomsky? Maxine Waters? Planned Parenthood? ACLU? Principled like MSNBC? The Journolists? Ezra Klein? Jan Schakowsky? Rod Blagojevich? Daily Kos? Betray Us? Moveon.org? SEIU? Madarin Andy Stern?

Like I said Katrina Vanden Heuvel is a howl. Nice is have a hobby.

Friday Night Noise - Kinks: Set Me Free

Gotta love Ray Davies - Neil Young with a sense of humor.

God Send Grace to The Wheatley Family and All Firefighters- St. Florian Be With You!

Christopher Wheatley, 31, died early Monday after he fell several stories on the scene if a West Loop restaurant fire.

Wheatley's funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m. at St. John Fisher Church, 10234 S. Washtenaw Ave., Chicago. But first, friends, family and fellow firefighters will hold a prayer service and a procession, and then Wheatley's body will be taken to the church in a Chicago fire truck.

May St. Florian* Patron of Firefighters give you strength and the peace that comes with it.

Firefighter's Prayer of St. Florian

Dear God, Through the intercession of our patron, Saint Florian, have mercy on the souls of our comrades who have made the supreme sacrifice in the performance of their duty, and on all who have gone before us after years of faithful discharge of their responsibilities which now rest on ourselves. Give us Grace to prepare each day for our own summons to Thy tribunal of justice. Into Thy hands O Lord, I commend my spirit. Withersoever Thou callest me, I am ready to go. Merciful Father of all men, save me from all bodily harm, if it be Thy will, but above all, help me to be loyal and true, respectful and honorable, obedient and valiant. Thus fortified by virtue, I shall have no fear, for I shall then belong to Thee and shall never be separated from Thee.

Amen.

Florian lived in the time of the Roman emperors Diocletian and Maximian, and was commander of the imperial army in the Roman province of Noricum. In addition to his military duties, he was also responsible for organizing firefighting brigades.

The Roman regime sought to eradicate Christianity, and sent Aquilinus to persecute Christians. When Aquilinus ordered Florian to offer sacrifice to the pagan Roman gods in accordance with Roman religion, he refused, and cheerfully accepted the beatings of the soldiers, who used clubs, spikes and fire to torture him. He was executed by drowning in the Enns River with a stone tied around his neck.

Later a woman named Valeria had a vision in which she saw him; Florian, in this vision, declared his intent to be buried in a more appropriate location.