"Counter" Terrorism

Orson Welles, one of Hollywood's most enigmatic figures,  chose Elmyr de Hory as the subject of his final film, "F is for Fake".  Welles felt de Hory's story, told to him at a party over cocktails, was the stuff of legend, but not for the reason one might think.  Elmyr de Hory, you see, was a painter of counterfeits. And, for a period of...

Oh, Sarah. . .!

I was introduced to reading at a young age. There is no way of confirming this for certain, but the first book I can remember thumbing through was Alex Haley's 'The Autobiography of Malcolm X'. . .when I was 4 years old.I did not have the pleasure of growing up (initially) in a household that included the works of Theodor Geisel, like so many of you. Scholarship...

3 Good Holiday Gift Books

The Holidays are upon us. Lots of bad gifts get handed out every year. Yeah I know it's the thought that counts, but most of your relatives "thoughts" cannot be expressed around children after receiving another fruitcake or turtle-neck tank-top.I plan on posting gift idea I come across that seem interesting, unusual and unique. I hope you enjoy and all products...

Chopping Down A Trump

News of two units going into foreclosure at Chicago's Trump Tower comes this weekend. The bank action will be the first of it's kind in the long suffering project, though more than a few expect this to be only the beginning. Over 25% of the condo units and 36% of the hotel-condo units remain unsold. Those units (over 200 in total) remain in the possession and...

"Ghost" of Christmas Past

As we make the turn into Thanksgiving, all thoughts (in the Retail world) turn to the all-important Holiday Shopping Season. This year economist and retailers agree, there will be a rise in spending and moderate sales gains are expected in nearly every category. This outlook was confirmed and strengthened by the announcement of October's Retail Sales figures....

The Parkers

I was born in Chicago, grew up in Chicago and therefore, wherever it is I live, I still call Chicago home. The following post is about Chicago, but easily applies to anywhere in the Union.We can all agree, Chicago's parking situation is the worst in the country. How did we get here?When parking meters were invented in the 1930's, municipalities (Chicago included)...

The Good Things in Strife

An AP report released Friday about Consumer Spending in the United States found, that while the overwhelming majority of Americans are still making sacrifices (or holding back altoghter) in the retail habits, the wealthiest members of our society have returned to pre-(market) crash spending levels. The story can be read in it's entirety by clicking the headline...

What's in a Name?

Growing up with a name like mine was not easy. And while it provided (and to this day provides) ample fodder for idiots to mock, I never wanted out. Though it took me a while to love my name, I always fully embraced it.The idea of changing my name to John, or Bill, or Harry crossed my mind about as much as John, Bill and Harry pondered the idea of making the...

Three, 3, Three: Part I - Health

Three questions on the topic of: Health1. When you buy car insurance, or home owners insurance, do you look for the absolute "least expensive" policy on the market, or do you look for the policy with the maximum coverage you you can afford at the time?You, like I, choose to get the policy with the best coverage within your budget. The Great American Health CARE...

Hiding in the Sunshine

So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.- Ecclesiastes 2:17 A brutal series of killings. A community suffering from the trauma of living in the midst of a monster. 11 young women dead at the hands of a man that openly dared the authorities to discover his inner-fiend....