Archive for April, 2010

Adverse Effects of Unemployment on a Community

by , posted on Monday, April 26th, 2010 at 9:01 am

By Geraldine Solomon and Timothy Beushausen

There are many negative effects of unemployment on both personal and social levels. In the realm of the former, the person who loses his or her job can feel a depreciated sense of self worth. On a social level, the entire structure of society can disintegrate, as we can see clearly in the city of Juarez, Mexico. The policies of so-called “Big Government” were designed to stimulate production and ameliorate the effects of unemployment. The problem is, they no longer work. To see why, we have to look at the economy itself.

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File Under: Yikes, crazy

by , posted on Wednesday, April 21st, 2010 at 10:02 pm

Catherina Wojtowicz sent me a message on Facebook today ..

Whoa! Harsh.

Obviously not a progressive. Wonder why I friended her? Wonder what I posted that set her off?

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On Homosexuality

by , posted on Sunday, April 11th, 2010 at 12:00 pm

by Timothy Beushausen

I recently contacted an ex-classmate from high school on Facebook (who had amazingly wished me a happy 60th birthday), and chatted with him for a few minutes, more than we ever talked to each other in four years of school. He had hit dotage a few months before I did, and wanted to know if I still look as young as my avatar from 15 years ago. Not. Like Alice and the Walrus, we spoke of many things, and at one point he mentioned his musical talent, which in me is merely a passion rather than a talent. He plays the viol, quite beautifully, which caused me to have one of the very few, full-blown aesthetic reactions I have ever had in my life. He brought up that he was persecuted in high school by the perceived association of piano talent with being gay, which brought back painful memories of being called such names since long before I had any idea what they mean. If that was the genesis of my becoming a commie-pinko-fag {in fact, my true sexual identity is that of a young, black lesbian stuck in an old, white man’s body (you don’t believe me? Then prove I am lying!)}, then it was basically the best thing that could have happened to me. I wouldn’t trade my life experiences for those of anyone else in the world.

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Rats Found at Buona Beef in Montgomery

by , posted on Wednesday, April 7th, 2010 at 7:19 pm

I stopped by the Montgomery Menard’s (I boycott anti-union Home Depot for their CEO’s effort to kill the Employee Free Choice Act) to pick up some drill bits last week and saw a picket in front of a Buona Beef that was going up in front of the Menard’s.

As I walked over to the

picket line, I found several Fox Valley labor leaders and friends holding signs in front of about 10 inflatable rats.  When I asked what was going on, my friends informed me that the owner of Buona Beef was out for an inspection and they were sending a message. 

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Pack the House to Send Corinne Pierog to the State Senate!

by , posted on Wednesday, April 7th, 2010 at 3:00 pm

Democratic candidate for the 28th District State Senate, Corinne Pierog, invites all to attend her friend and fun-raiser on Sunday, April 25, 2010, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the incomparable John Barleycorn’s, located at 1100 American Lane in Schaumburg. Whether you live in the 28th District or not, please support Corinne as she makes history as the first Democrat to take this Senate seat in 130 years!

“As I meet more and more people in State Senate District 28, as I listen to the heartfelt stories they share, one common theme emerges: the status quo is unacceptable. People want real change. And they want it now!” explains Corinne.

Live entertainment, complimentary appetizers and a free libation are included with ticket price, which is $50 each or two for $80. Also available are $100 tickets, which include a free raffle entry for two tickets to the up-coming Art of Leadership event at the Chicago Photography Center on May 14.

Join Corinne at John Barleycorn’s on April 25 to see what a fresh perspective can do to re-build Illinois now. Please R.S.V.P. by calling 630 251-1538 or via e-mail at cmpstatesenate@sbcglobal.net.

Jobs, real opportunity, quality education and an open, transparent government that demonstrates fiscal integrity with your hard-earned tax dollars, while serving everyone are the cornerstone of Corinne’s historic campaign.

Various sponsorship levels are still available; for additional information, please call 630 251-1538. Please join Corinne for this very special event. Even if you are unable to attend, please support Corinne’s candidacy for Illinois State Senate 28th District with your maximum support! And don’t forget to spread the word – it’s going to take all of us working together now to create a better Illinois tomorrow.

For additional information, please call 630 251-1538 or sign up for campaign updates at www.ElectCorinnePierog.com.

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Union Blood Drive in Ottawa

by , posted on Wednesday, April 7th, 2010 at 6:12 am

Mallory Gaspar

and her brother, Mark Gaspar, donated blood at the Carpenters Local 195 union hall in Ottawa, Illinois yesterday.

For the last eight years, retired Local 195 member/organizer, Fred Nimke, has been coordinating a blood drive at the Carpenters hall.  Nimke said that this was the 49th blood drive with the American Red Cross and that they have collected over 1200 pints of blood plus today’s collection of at least 48 pints.

The blood drive was started after the 9-11 tragedy.  “We wanted to do something and the soonest the Red Cross could schedule a drive was February 2002,” said Nimke. Since then, Fred has been actively promoting the blood drives and showing up six times a year to coordinate the effort for Illinois Valley residents. 

According to Nimke, each pint can save up to three lives; “potentially we have saved over to 3,600 lives,” he added. 

One of the things that makes America great is volunteerism and citizen responses to things like 9-11 or Katrina.  It felt good donating my pint of blood today and I am glad that there are people out there like Fred Nimke to lead these efforts.  I snapped some photos with my phone camera and saved readers from the “needle shot.”

The next blood drive in the Illinois Valley will be Tuesday, June 1st from 12:00 – 5:00 p.m. at Carpenters Hall Local 195 (1001 Boyce Memorial Drive, Ottawa, IL).  All donors are welcome.  Appointments are preferred (call 815.257.5433), but not necessary.

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Separation of Corporation and State: Healthcare

by , posted on Saturday, April 3rd, 2010 at 7:59 am

My political career began on a cold evening in the dimly lit labor hall of Laborers Local 362 on Cabin Town Road, in Bloomington, IL.  It was the monthly Democratic Party meeting and I had no intention of speaking. After representatives from other campaigns spoke, I felt the need to represent my 2004 presidential pick.  The words fell out of my mouth with no cadence or inspiration and I’m confident that nothing I said was remembered by the 20-25 attendees who were being pressured by party leaders to send Rod Blagojevich another $500 contribution. But there it was: the 12 words that have somehow come to define my political activism: “The task of my generation is the separation of corporation and state.”

Perhaps the biggest abuse of taxpayer money to bail out a gang of undeserving corporations was the bank bailout. Like many people, I was outraged and nearly driven to put my name back on the ballot when the Democratic-controlled U.S. Congress passed a $700 billion bank bailout to help Bush put the finishing touches on his corporate-state presidency.  But I sat back and waited, overlooking the first year of Obama’s presidency that featured the more bailouts, more blank-check spending on Bush’s wars for profit, a wholesale attack on public education, and now, a healthcare bill written by corporations for corporations.

And so, I have come full circle as my next political steps take me back to the beginning and those first 12 words.  This piece on healthcare aims to show how the will of the people was replaced by the will of America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) while support for Newt Gingrich’s Contract on America grows.  Among those following the health care reform process, it is commonly known that AHIP, the voice of insurance companies on capital hill, has played a significant role in drafting the bill.

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Found Objects for a Friday Afternoon: Billy Bragg

by , posted on Friday, April 2nd, 2010 at 3:32 pm

To view in full screen mode, click on the little box with the four arrows in the lower right hand corner of the screen. To escape full screen mode, press your “Esc” button.

Everything about Billy Bragg

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