Chicago.com
It’s a great time to be living in Chicago. Our boy Derrick Rose is “all grown’st up”. He is a superstar player who is totally unguardable. The way Derrick is playing right now puts him among an elite group of players. Some of the others I would count in the group are Kobe, Lebron, Wade, and let’s not forget the man that sets the bar for basketball, the miraculous Michael Jordan. That’s it.
Everyone else can be really hot for stretches (Durant), or demand a constant double-team (Carmello). These are the guys that can pretty much do what they want on the court and there’s just not a damn thing you can do about it. The Bulls have an all-star on their roster for the first time since the Jordan era. Having been born in the heart of Chicago, and being here for the 96 -98 seasons, I was old enough to enjoy the rally’s and parties that occurred when the Bulls and Jordan won their back to back championships. Everyone was going nuts! High fives in the streets from people I didn’t even know, and who cares the Bulls did it again. I also would like to thank my dad for the unbelievably expensive pair of “Air Jordan’s” he bought for me.
Rose is exciting to watch and he is a little young to compare to Jordan, but averaging 19.8 points per game and 5.9 assists this season for the Bulls is pretty friggen great. This team is going to be next dynasty, but without J.R. Ewing. I love Chicago!
Does this loincloth make my butt look big?
James Cameron is one lucky guy because he got me to see his movie AVATAR twice. I first saw it a couple weeks ago with my girlfriend in a regular, joe-shmo movie theater, and believe me, it was a mistake. I spent $14! FOURTEEN DOLLARS! And I got stuck in the front row because we were late. (Thanks Evanston cab drivers!) The good thing about assigned seating at the IMAX at Navy Pier is you can purchase your tickets in advance and walk in as the movie starts to great seats with your name on them (including the front row). For three bucks more I finally saw it the way James Cameron had really intended me to.
The only thing that I wished they had were the previews. But other than that, IMAX is a movie theater on steroids. The 3D effects are so realistic that every time an arrow or alien ponytail flew past the screen I ducked my head. The colors were so vibrant and exciting that it was like a box of crayons exploded on the screen. Every aspect of IMAX is ten times better than your conventional movie theater experience. The premium sound system, 60’ by 80’ screen and the quality of IMAX 3D blew my mind. The movie itself I have to describe as “alienriffic.” It reminded me of a cross between Dances with Wolves and Fern Gully, although you’d never catch me going to a movie with Kevin Costner wearing a loincloth.
I’ve heard how a lot of people feel depressed about watching AVATAR because it was so visually beautiful and how they wish life on Earth was like life on the alien planet Pandora. Um… I don’t know about you, but I’d hate having to wear a mask to breathe. I may want to grow my hair out though. That braid thing was awesome… if you know what I mean. I think my favorite part was that you needed huge 3D glasses that covered half your face to watch this flick, which was great because I was able to bust out my Harry Carey impression (my girlfriend really appreciated it when I pretended to walk around sloppy drunk with giant glasses on, screaming “Holy Cow!”) The next time you are in Chicago and want to treat yourself and your family to an awesome movie experience, please think Navy Pier IMAX.
London Parliament is slapping new laws on drinking games and drinking specials this year. For those of you that like to party a little harder than others, you’ll have to learn to say good-bye to “speed drinking competitions”, “beer pong” and “dentist’s chair.” Say ciao to “ladies’nights” girls, or “all you can drink for 10 pounds.” (That’s 16 bucks for those of you who only speak American). Home secretary Alan Johnson said he didn’t want to target responsible drinkers with low incomes, but that the government and the industry had a duty to act on booze-fueled promotions. “These practices have a real impact on society, not to mention the lives of those who just want to enjoy a good night out,” he said. The game that has stirred up the most controversy sparking concern with the nation’s drinking habits is the “dentist’s chair.” This is where drinks are poured directly into your mouth by somebody else. (Sounds like Friday night at Cagneys on Clyborn to me.)
Ireland, on the other hand is doing the exact opposite. Instead of drying people’s hopes for a brighter future, they are in fact hoping to stimulate their own handicapped economy. Finance Minister Brian Lenihan said about 400,000 state workers — a fifth of the country’s work force — will be suffering pay cuts ranging from 5 to 15 percent. Even Prime Minister Brian Cowen will cut his salary a full 20 percent. This is the biggest budget cut in Ireland’s history. In order to boost public morale, Lenihan is seeking to offer a significant tax cut on beer, wine and liquor sales. Smart move if you ask me. Despite Ireland having the highest rate of alcohol consumption among major European nations, sales in pubs and liquor stores represent an exceptionally high percentage of its economic activity.
Lenihan warned pub owners that they must cut their prices on pints of stout and whiskey shots, or suffer the consequences of renewed higher taxes.”I expect the drinks industry to play its part in making the cost of alcohol more competitive. If I find this reduction has not been passed on to the consumer, I will reverse today’s reduction,” he said. London has a lot to learn, take care of the people and the people will take care of you. Let’s hope it works.
Is it just me, or would this never fly in Chicago? Tell me your thoughts. We already have the highest sales tax in the country (10.25%), not to mention a tax on candy and bottled water? Do you think this could this happen here?
Read more about Irelands plan go to
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Deficit-hit+Ireland+slashes+salaries,+welfare+pay-a01612085011ut
English stout
It was called “The Roaring Twenties” for a good reason. America had recovered from the First World War and words like demobilization and urbanization graced the front pages of the newspapers. We entered a new era of musical, artistic, and technological development. It seemed like the perfect time to suppress the creative sparks that consuming massive amounts of alcohol brings, right?
Prohibition and the gangsters are a vital part of 1920s American history. The 18th Amendment banned the sale, transportation and manufacturing of alcohol. But anyone with any sort of common sense knew that millions of Americans neither wanted this law nor would respect it. Besides, with people making homemade gin in their bathtubs instead of taking baths, there was obviously a huge market for alcohol.
It was the gangsters who dominated various cities who provided this commodity. Each major city had its gangster element, but the most famous was Chicago with Al Capone. In 1931, the law finally caught up with Capone and some say it was with the help of E.J. O’Hare, Al Capone’s lawyer, had a son named Butch; with big dreams of being a pilot. He wanted to join the Naval Academy at Annapolis. But the government could not see the son of a lawyer who works for Alphonse Capone getting accepted to a prestigious school like that. Well, Capone did get convicted of income tax evasion in 1931 and he got slapped with 11 years in jail. In prison his health deteriorated, and when he was released he retired to his Florida mansion. He was no longer the feared man he was from 1925 to 1931.
A few years later, Butch did go to Annapolis, and graduated Class of 1937 (coincidence? I think not). In World War II he became a pilot and earned a Medal of Honor (the award, not the video game). He was later killed in another engagement. Today he is the reason our beloved O’Hare Airport is graced with such a nice name. In 1939, E.J. O’Hare was fatally gunned down on Nov. 8, 1939, while driving in his car on Ogden Avenue near Western Avenue
Alderman Ed Burke, a Chicago historian, has gotten the police department’s Cold Case Squad to take another look at E.J.’s murder. If you take a look at this new book by Jonathan Eig, Get Capone, it will shed new light on O’Hare’s role in Capone’s downfall. I want this book!
Forbes has nominated Chicago as one of the 10 most miserable cities in the United States of 2009.
Dear Mr. Forbes,
My mother always says if you don’t have something nice to say don’t say anything at all. In this trying economy, it’s easy to point out the negatives in life, like low real estate values, cold weather (it’s winter, we get it), unemployment, and long commutes. I realize it’s that time of year when we have those extra pounds we’re trying to get rid of, when work is slower than ever, and no matter how well I wipe my shoes on the mat, I always manage to track in salty snow and muck on my hardwood floors. Perhaps Forbes Magazine forgot to ask the locals what they think. What about the three other seasons in the year that I think are pretty freakin spectacular? What about our colleges like Northwestern and University of Chicago? What about the dozens and dozens of professional athletes like Michael Jordan, Carlton Fisk, and Mark Buehrle who give back to their communities and draw in the national spotlight? What about Second City, The Goodman Theatre, and Steppenwolf? What about Comiskey Park and Wrigley Field? What about the Bears and the Blackhawks, and the Fire? What about Rick Bayless, Charlie Trotter, and Alpana Singh? What about Harry Carey? One word. Oprah. The list goes on… and on…and on. It may just be me, but I ain’t miserable Mr. Forbes. I saw Avatar. I don’t need a horse/anteater or a giant lizard flying thing or a ten foot tall blue girlfriend with really great legs… Instead, I’ve got breaded steak sandwiches. I’ve got miles of beautiful coastline next to mile high skyscrapers. And if I’m late to work, most likely it’s my fault and not the Redline train or the buses. (Blame the breaded steaks. Or the deep dish pizza. Take your pick.)
This is where I call home Mr. Forbes and I have a lot to be thankful for.
And hey, Forbsey, you know you can always ask me, Cousin Vinnie, anything about what makes Chicago so great. It’s the people. Friends and family, who back each other up when times get rough. It’s Bridgeport, the neighborhood I grew up in. It’s my buddies the Tito boys. It’s a meal with my beautiful girl. It’s a walk in the Lincoln Park Zoo when it’s 20 degrees out. It’s coffee with the guys at work. In times like these, it’s important to remember the little things. And Chicago knows how to do the little things real big.