Archive for June, 2008
June 10th, 2008
My excuse for not running for Rockford mayor — that I don’t live in Rockford — is about to evaporate. City Hall must be looking for a challenger to Mayor Morrissey. I mean, somebody has to do it, and so far everybody seems too afraid.
But never fear. I was informed in a terse, legalistic letter from Patrick Hayes, legal director, that my neighbors and I were being forced into the city in July.(Really, the letter sounded like a lawsuit, as if I’ve been doing something wrong by living outside glorious Rockford. Remember, I advocated for the sales tax referendums because I know I drive on Rockford streets and should contribute to paying for them. I’m hardly a Rockford basher.)
Our subdivision is less than 60 acres, and the city had sneaked around and annexed around us to accomodate the rapid growth of the Wesley Willows retirement condos to our immediate north. There’s no use fighting it; I figure if the rich folks in Bradley Heights couldn’t beat City Hall, there’s no way we would win over here in proletariat land.
I expected annexation, but not for 5 years or so. So, City Hall will now get about $1,500 more per year out of us; they’ll probably use it to hire more consultants. I figure that taxes from our subdivision alone will pay for the fire chief hiring consultant, $37,000, and maybe even another consultant of their choice.
Now we’re going to be sophisticated city slickers, we’d like a real city street and curbs and gutters, but I’m told that’s not forthcoming, unless Ald. Bill Timm takes it out of his ward budget. And I don’t need the city water, my well works fine. We’re already connected to the sanitary sewer, so we don’t need that, either. We had good protection from the sheriff, and the Royal Northwest Mounted Fire Department did a good job, too. Rockford Township plowed the snow.
Well, at least I get a $1,500 library card.
Really, I’ll be happy to live in Rockford, where there’s excellence everywhere. Just one thing, Your excellencies, Lord Mayor and Esteemed Aldermen: Explain the logic of forcing people into the city while you allow the majority of police officers and firefighters to live in Stillman Valley, Roscoe, Rockton, ‘Bago, Pecatonica, Durand, Cherry Valley, Loves Park, Machesney Park and out in the Boonies.
In fact I’m so happy, I’m singing: Those little town blues, are melting away, I want to be a part of it, Rock-ford Rock-ford. If I can make it there, I can make it anywhere, it’s up to you, Rock-ford, Rock-ford.
June 9th, 2008
Air Fest 2008 was a great show as usual — and as usual they had to get it in between cloudbursts!
The RFD show is rapidly becoming one of the best in the country, and better than Chicago’s because at their show, the planes take off and land far away, so there’s no ground displays, no autograph sessions with the pilots, as there were Sunday at RFD.
I’m a Thunderbirds fan, so it was a real treat to seem the Air Force team do their “high show” when a window opened in the clouds at 3 pm Sunday. Saturday’s show was the low one, and it had to be ended early because of impending storms.
Last year’s featured attraction was the Navy’s Blue Angels, so my hunch is that they’ll be back in 2009. After that, RFD might be ready for something new: I suggested to Air Marshall Bob O’Brien that he try to secure the Royal Air Force Red Arrows for 2010. The Canadian Forces Snowbirds also put on a good show; they were at RFD in the 1980s.
One request: Can we please, please, please dispense with the jet-powered outhouse? That act’s getting really old.
The Budweiser Clydesdales were impressive, but what do you do for a non-aviation encore? The Johnsonville tanker truck/grill? It’s worth considering.
Saturday’s induction of area Air Force recruits by the Thunderbirds was impressive.
June 9th, 2008
Keith Creek update: It’s 12:05 a.m. Monday and I’ve just returned from checking the Keith Creek south channel — the one that flooded in 2006 and again in 2007. Here’s how it looked just before midnight:
* The creek was rolling swiftly past the Charles Street Logli’s parking lot, which flooded in 06 and 07. Water level was, in my estimation, about 2.5 feet below the lot, so the creek’s banks were containing the water.
* Cleaning out the creek channel in Churchill Park last year seems to have worked. The creek was well within its banks there. The only flooding I saw was on 7th Avenue, but it wasn’t because of teh creek. Rather, clogged drainage grates couldn’t handle the water. However, I was able to drive through the water.
* Water was beginning to fill the basin upstream of the “Alpine Dam” in Aldeen Park.
* There was quite a bit of debris in the water, including fishing bobbers, soft drink containers, twigs, grass clippings.
* Several areas on 11th Street had standing water, again because of clogged drainage grates. I suggest the city of Rockford launch a project to clean out those storm sewer grates.
June 5th, 2008
This cartoon appeared in the June 6 edition of the Nairobi, Kenya Standard. Kenya is Obama’s father’s home. His grandmother, Sarah Obama and many relatives still live there. (Click on the cartoon for a larger image.)
June 5th, 2008
Here’s what I received from Hillary Clinton’s campaign e-mail today (click on the letter for a larger image):
June 5th, 2008
PABLO FANQUE’S CIRCUS ROYAL
TOWN-MEADOWS, ROCHDALE Grandest Night of the Season!
AND POSITIVELY THE
LAST NIGHT BUT THREE!
BEING FOR THE
BENEFIT OF MR. KITE,
(LATE OF WELLS’S CIRCUS) AND
MR. J. HENDERSON,
THE CELEBRATED SOMERSET THROWER!
WIRE DANCER, VAULTER, RIDER, etc.
On TUESDAY Evening, February 14, 1843.
Mssrs. KITE and HENDERSON, in announcing the following Entertainments ensure the Public that this Night’s Production will be one of the most splendid ever produced in this Town, having been some days in preparation.
Mr. Kite will, for this night only,
introduce the
CELEBRATED
HORSE, ZANTHUS!
Well known to be one of the
best Broke Horses
IN THE WORLD!!!
Mr. HENDERSON will undertake the arduous Task of
THROWING TWENTY-ONE SOMERSETS,
ON THE SOLID GROUND.
Mr. KITE will appear, for the
first time this season,
On The Tight Rope,
When Two Gentlemen Amateurs
of this Town will
perform with him. |
|
Mr. HENDERSON will, for the first time
in Rochdale,
introduce his extraordinary
TRAMPOLINE LEAPS
AND
SOMERSETS!
Over Men & Horses, through Hoops,
over Garters and lastly through a
Hogshead of REAL FIRE!
In this branch of the profession Mr. H challenges THE WORLD!
For particulars see Bills of the day. |
June 5th, 2008
From now on, I’m deleting idiotic comments. Consider this fair warning.
June 4th, 2008
The brand-new U.S. senator looked directly at the Rockford Register Star’s “Young American” award winners at Cliffbreakers. He honored the 40 outstanding teens by challenging them to change the world:
“We are sitting here because in each of you, someone saw a spark. It’s a spark that goes deeper than tests, grades and service awards. It’s the spark that keeps each of you asking ‘why or why not?’ The one that keeps you always searching for answers to those questions. The one that makes you say ‘I don’t have to be content with the present, because I have a role in changing the future’.”
He warned them that the U.S. can’t continue to be a world leader unless it competes with the world:
““We can’t stop the process of globalization; it’s inevitable…it’s here to stay. What we can do is make sure that each and every one of you are prepared for it.”
And he told them to keep on learning for the rest of their lives.
“The days of lifetime employment are essentially over. What will be possible is lifetime employability. If you’re prepared and understand that you have to upgrade your skills and seek information, (then) no matter what happens in the economy, you’re going to be able to adapt.”
That was Barack Obama, on May 7, 2005. It still summed up his essential challenge to Americans, young and old, on Wednesday, when the still-first term senator spent his first day as the Democratic Party’s presumptive nominee for president.
June 4th, 2008
Obama’s victory over Clinton, although close, is remarkable in that a relatively unknown black man beat Team Billary, the most formidable political machine since Boss Tweed.
I remember when Obama launched his campaign in the winter of 2007, I asked a Chicago political writer and former colleague whether he thought Obama would gain traction. No, he said, Obama couldn’t withstand the expected onslaught from the Clintons. That was the common assumption,l that Obama had a bright future, but it wasn’t going to be in 2008. That year belonged to Hillary, the pundits agreed.
But Obama has defied the odds before. In 2004, I remember interviewing him when he stood at 3 percent in the polls during the Democratic primary campaign for U.S. Senate. He wasn’t even being seriosly covered by the press. Reporters were focused on other candidates, namely the millionaire Blair Hull and Dan Hynes, then as now the state comptroller. Obama surprised everyone by winning the eryone by winning the primary.
Then he gave that rousing speech at the Democratic convention in 2004. Meanwhile , the
Republican candidate, a guy named Ryan, imploded over a bizarre sex allegation made by his wife, actress Jerry Ryan, in their divorce proceedings. He quit the race, and Rockford’s own state senator, Dave Syverson, stepped up to the plate and recruited a candidate for his party — Alan Keyes, far-right talk show host from — Maryland! We all know how successful Mr. Keyes was. Obama cruised to victory.
And so, ladies and gentlemen, if Obama becomes president, and I think he will, we can look to our own Dave Syverson as the man who paved the march to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
He’ll be Famous Dave. Or Infamous Dave, depending on which side you’re on.
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