Reframe Your Standards

“My lawn is full of weeds? No. You’re mistaken. I don’t have a lawn—that’s a Federally protected dandelion sanctuary.”

You Are From Chicago, if...

A friend sent me an email with some Jeff Foxworthy one liners about being from Chicago. Here are mine:

• If you hear people who visiting Chicago talk about the great Blues music here, and you think, "Really? Where?" you are from Chicago.
• If you give directions to named streets with Route numbers and highways by their name, you are from Chicago.
• If you wonder why the nickname "Big John" did not stick for the Hancock Building, you are from Chicago.
• If you drive slower in the left lane on the Highway than the traffic in the right lane, you are from Chicago.
• If you knew someone who was in The Blues Brothers movie, you are from Chicago.
• If you meet someone from a different neighborhood who asks you what Parish you are from, you tell them, even if you aren't Catholic, you are from Chicago.
• You are from Chicago if you go on vacation and tell someone where you are from and are glad they finally say, Michael Jordan and mimic a jump shot instead of say Al Capone and mimic a Tommy Gun.
• If you know the ethnic makeup of any neighborhood, park or Parish mentioned, you are from Chicago.
• If you call every rapid transit train The El, even if it is not elevated, you are from Chicago.
• If the Mets play the Yankees and the only good outcome you can imagine is a rain delay, you are from Chicago.
• If you swear your Dad knew Mike Royko, Ernie Banks, and Bill Veeck (and probably did), you are from Chicago.

Wall Street Reform

The news accounts about financial reform reminded me of this video I saw last year. Not sure why, but I am not that big a Glenn Beck fan. I can’t pinpoint what it is, but such is life.

To steal a line from Dennis Miller about Spike Lee and attach it to Beck: “The only thing more annoying than Glenn Beck, is Glenn Beck when he is right.”

This clip tossed me between laughing, shaking my head, and getting angry. Please take a look, it’s eye opening.

Do you really think President Obama, Sen. Christopher Dodd, the Dems or the Republicans will push for any real reform? No way. Besides, the next financial fiasco will be different than this one. For the sole fact that they will have new laws to skirt.

Facts & Stats: child birth

"The equivalent of five jumbo jets' worth of women die in labor each day." That's "one every minute."
Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, 2009, by Kristoff & WuDunn, p. 98.

Eaglets on the Nest

This is cool. We wasted some time this morning watching this. Now it is your turn to watch Mom and her kids. Click on this link to view the live stream.