Illinois

First things first. I know I promised my column in today’s print edition would be about the Oscars. But we had too many good stories and too little space, so I decided to hold my column until next week. Look at that as kind of a bonus. Or not. But it is written, and it will run. There Will Be Blood.

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Traffic here has been up a little bit this week, and part of that, I’d guess, is because I was quoted a couple of times in The Associated Press’ story about people live-blogging the Oscars.

I wish I could act jaded and pretend I don’t think that’s pretty cool. But I’m sorry. I think it’s pretty cool.

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Think you can name all the U.S.

(Read the full post about ‘Friday link dump’…)

OK, it wasn’t my intention to keep writing about the Academy Awards (which I do in my column in tomorrow’s print edition as well – it will end soon, I promise), and I suppose I can argue this isn’t really about the Academy Awards, and besides, I just saw it this morning because I’ve been sick for five days and just returned to the office.

In a release from the Web site Movieguide, the group – which “is dedicated to redeeming the values of the entertainment industry by influencing industry executives and informing the public about the influence of the entertainment media” – listed the “Worst Movies of 2007.”

I wasn’t really sure I understood what they were looking for in films, so I went to their Web site to see if I could figure out what their mission was.

(Read the full post about ‘Worst of 2007?’…)

CHAMPAIGN – Local residents can express their views tonight about Ameren’s request for electric and natural gas rate increases at a public hearing.

The hearing begins at 7 p.m. in council chambers at the Champaign City Building, 102 N. Neil St. Public comments will be transcribed by a stenographer and provided to the Illinois Commerce Commission. The hearing will last for as long as the public has something to say, according to Beth Bosch, a spokeswoman for the commerce commission.

Before the public comment period begins, an Ameren official will explain what they are asking for and why the utility believes the rate increases are necessary.

AmerenIP, which serves Champaign-Urbana, is asking for a 13.6 percent overall increase in electric rates, and a 11.2 percent increase for natural gas.

(Read the full post about ‘Public invited to offer input on power rate increases’…)

In a few months, we will go to the polls and choose the direction we want the nation to go in the future.  Before we make that choice, we should know as much about the choices we have as possible.  One choice that has been gaining in popularity over the past few decades is socialism and is part and parcel of the debate about health care.

Socialism is based on two fundamental principles which its adherents describe as “social justice” and “economic equality”.   These principles are based on the idealistic assumption that everyone is “entitled” to the necessities of life such as, ample food, adequate housing, and health care.  No one possessing a sense of morality could argue with this assumption.  However, socialism takes it one-step further.  Socialism also assumes it is the responsibility of society to guarantee these “entitlements“ and it contends that the major impediment to realizing this utopian goal is free market capitalism.

In socialists countries the government (people) own and control the means of production.  In countries with capitalists systems, where the means of production is privately owned, socialists adapt to the system using its institutions to replace capitalism gradually over time with socialism.  The clearest example of this process is the American health care system.  The gradual takeover by socialism of our health care accounts for the crisis we currently face and provides the impetus for the possible choice of a socialist candidate for President in our upcoming elections.

According to an article February 26 in Health Day News the total expenditure on health care in America during 2006 was $2.1 trillion.  That’s 16% of our gross domestic product and a per capita expenditure of almost $6,000.  However, health care costs are not paid on a per capita basis.  Children, retired persons and the unemployed do not share in the cost which is born entirely by those who are working.  The number of employed persons in the U.S.

(Read the full post about ‘The Coming Collapse in Health Care’…)

From Saturday’s Southtown-Star "Always Right" column:

The list of offended constituents will grow in the days ahead as the ERA debacle raises the debate once again. The state of Illinois settled this decades ago when our state capitol was plagued by out-of-control feminists who wrote anti-ERA legislators’ names in pig’s blood on the floor of the Capitol rotunda and chained themselves to the Senate doors.

One has to ask: Why now? Why must the state of Illinois go through this again? How will this make our lives so much better if the ERA becomes law?

(Read the full post about ‘How will passing the ERA better Illinois?’…)

With the rebuke of Ridge Chrysler Jeep and Dodge by the 7th U.S. District Court of Appeals judge the other day, there are calls for Cook County GOP chairwoman Liz Gorman to step down from her position.

Chris Robling wrote here on IR:

[IllinoisReview.com has posted the ruling here: Download united_states_court_of_appeals.pdf]

time for a bath

if anyone would like a copy of the u.s. circuit court of appeals for the seventh circuit chief judge frank easterbrook’s extraordinary holding for the unanimous three judge panel, please email me.

(Read the full post about ‘Feedback on the Gorman Case’…)

On Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly Factor Friday night, correspondent Geraldo Rivera called for ousting Will County’s four term Democratic coroner Patrick O’Neil in his November bid for re-election. 

Retired Bolingbrook policeman Drew Peterson’ s third wife Kathleen Savio was declared the victim of a 2004 bathtub drowning homocide Thursday, not the result of an accident as O’Neil originally determined four years ago.

Rivera referred to Coroner O’Neil as a "big wig in local Democratic politics" and described O’Neil’s findings of the cause of Kathleen Savio’s death as "incompetent."

Peterson has been a person of suspicion for his fourth wife Stacy Peterson, who has been missing since last October.

by John Ruskin

If you haven’t read Coulter’s latest, it is well worth the time. You can find it here. Long and short: Reagan is dead. And some have ensured he will never rise again.

Chatham County Line have made a great record. It’s one I wasn’t going to mention just because I assumed so many other music blogs would have written about it by now. But so far nothing. Out on March 4 on Yep Roc, IV continues the bluegrass based americana that the band is known for except that on the single “Chip Of A Star” the band sounds more like the roots pop of The Avett Brothers than the traditional bluegrass of Bill Monroe, Ralph Stanley et al.

It’s a beautiful song that wouldn’t be out of place on an Avett Brothers record or an acoustic side project by Wilco.

(Read the full post about ‘SXSW Preview Pt. 5 - New Record From Chatham County Line (Yep Roc, March 4)’…)

You know, I’ve spent a lot of time defending Paula Abdul’s music. I liked the “Forever Your Girl” album a lot, and I think it was more than a one-shot thing. “Rush Rush” is my favorite song of hers, and is one of my favorite songs ever.

(It’s also one of my favorite videos. It might contain Keanu Reeves’ best acting performance, although it’s not like there’s a lot of competition.)

Not only did I gladly buy the albums - all of which decreased in quality, but even that was OK, because “Forever Your Girl” set the bar pretty high - I went to see her in concert in Peoria.

(Read the full post about ‘Paula Abdul’…)