Chicago.com
Now I am not going to say that having Blagojevich speak at a Northwestern is a bad move. However I will say that having this guy speak on ethics in politics is utterly hysterical. The campus leader must think so after scheduling Blago. He probably called his friends saying, “You’ll never guess who I got to speak about ethics! Blah Ha ha!”
That is like asking Chris Brown to speak about loving households. The whole point to inviting people to speak at universities is “freedom of thought.” That means bringing in both the popular and unpopular folks. That means bringing in those that defend the truth and those that perpetuate lies. Blago’s appearance at Northwestern accomplished exactly what was intended; it stimulated discussion and thought. The unruly Northwestern students laughed and yelled stuff like “Shame”, and Blagojevich would raise his voice and say, “Why don’t you at least give me the benefit of the doubt and let me prove myself in a court of law?” He asked.
I suppose “poor ole Blago” deserves his day in court. It is the American way. He is a very cunning and sly speaker. I suppose one would have to be that way in order to be a governor of a tremendously busy state such as Illinois. However, there was no way he was going to tell these students about proper ethical behavior. The point was to inform students about a current state and national issue by allowing a forum for discussion. Students were not told to appreciate corruption. The arbitrator and panelists were very clear to make obvious all the problems with Blagojevich’s conduct and they held him completely accountable for his alleged actions.
Absolutely no one there was defending the man, except Blagojevich himself. Well if this trial doesn’t go in favor for Blago, at least he still has his hair. Cue in some Saturday Night Fever music (you can tell by the way use my walk, I’m a woman’s man, No time for talk). “Ma, I work hard on my hair and he hits my hair.” What do you think about Blago at Northwestern University? Comment and let me know!
February to me means that it’s time to eat as many wings as I can at Wingfest, which consequently is a lot of wings. This was Wingfest’s eleventh year and during that time they have raised over $112,000 for various charities. This is a win-wing situation. We get to feast on great wings and great charities are helped in the process. I told my parents that my big mouth would help people out someday. One of those charities is Chicago Neighbors United http://chicnu.org/, a community based organization which provides educational scholarships to inner city youth.
Pricing at this event is definitely reasonable. $24 gets you all the wings you can mangia, a live band, a raffle ticket, and tons more. Or you can do it VIP style for $50 and get all of the above and drink package, parking pass, goody bag, and access to the VIP area. My advice to the wise: if you can afford it, GET THE VIP. You will thank me. Sure it’s pricier, but you have a nice table and time to get away from the masses. If you can’t get VIP, then get your rear end there early and beat the crowds. Also get ready to stand in line if you have Will Call tickets but don’t worry it is handled in an orderly and courteous fashion. Parking is challenging, but not a major issue. You may have to walk a couple blocks, but that walk will be good for you after eating all of those wings. Make sure you have cash for the bar. They do not accept credit cards and the ATM in the building charges $4.50 (outrageous!). Last but not least use the buddy system. You man the table while your buddy grabs the wings and drinks or vice versa.
There are so many varieties of wings: hot, sweet and sour, smokey, orange flavored, and more. Leading us through this sloppy sauce covered event was the Master of Ceremonies WXRT’S Lin Brehmer. He did not come alone either. Along side him was his sidekick the Chicken Man, a 6-foot man dressed as, you guessed it, a chicken! He was hysterical and really got the crowd motivated. Besides drinking, eating delicious wings, and meeting great Chicago wing lovers, we listened to the live music of Cadillac Dave and the Chicago Redhots with special guests Peaches and Rico McFarland.
The point of Wingfest is that Chicago’s best chicken wing culinary artists compete for the coveted title of “Best of Fest”, and let’s not forget that they earn Chicago street cred and bragging rights for the whole year. Last year’s winner was Mahoneys Pub, which proudly showcased their “Best in Fest 2009″ t-shirts, complete with Rickey Bobby quotes. Awesome! The 2010 winner will be announced after the event. Please check back soon to see who won.
So here it goes!
Vinnie’s “Hot Wing, Hot List”
These were my four favorite wing joints in the fest.
So when you come to Chicago, check out these fine “wingeries”! For a complete listing of competitors go to wingfest.net. And stay posted to Chicago.com/videos to see the event via video with your favorite host, Chicago.com’s “Cousin Vinnie”.
Even if you aren’t Irish, St. Patrick’s Day is one of the best celebrations in Chicago. We dye the river emerald. We wear green. We host parades. We eat corned beef and cabbage for breakfast, and we eat fish and chips for lunch. We drink enough Irish stout to actually see a leprechaun (or at least act like one). We sing about sweet Molly Malone. We catch a game of hurling on TV or try to play it ourselves. Basically, unless you head to Dublin, Chicago is the number spot to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.
Click here for Chicago.com’s complete guide to St. Patrick’s Day 2010 in Chicago!
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.