THINGS IN GENERAL TO END THE YEAR

I think this is the last of the notes on my desk so let's give it a whirl.

Want to stop all the assaults of flight personnel on the airlines? Make it a forcible federal felony with a ten year MANDATORY sentence. "I was drunk and didn't realize what I was doing" "I had a tough day and didn't want to be told what to do" or my recent favorite "I know I'm supposed to have a mask on but I was tired of wearing it and she didn't have to treat me like a ten year old." This assault trend is absolutely ridiculous and endangers the safety of the entire flight and it should be treated in that nature. 

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Gotta love the one juror in the dirt bag Smollett case. "We did him a favor and threw him a bone with the one 'not guilty.' Total lack of credibility and no one story to back up his version. I've been told the penalty will be light but can you imagine his legal fees?"

I would pay serious money to watch him pick up garbage along the highway wearing a bright orange jump suit.

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And while we're talking about owing money, Smollett still owes the City of Chicago $130,000 for the police man hours used investigating his phony story. Hey Jussie, they're hiring at both Amazon and UPS.

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In a much safer time, I journeyed to a faraway place called downtown because I had tickets to see CRISTMAS CAROL at the Goodman Theatre which would be followed up with seasonal festivities at LAWRY'S PRIME RIB HOUSE which I figured would be the highlight of the afternoon/evening. (Never eat a big dinner BEFORE seeing a play) 

But I was dead wrong because I was treated to an acting masterpiece by WILLIAM J. NORRIS who played Ebenezer Scrooge like Stradivarius played the violin. Absolute perfection and he was so good in the role that I saw the play three more times in the 90's and was always amazed at how great he was. Mr. Norris passed away two weeks ago from heart disease at the age of 75.  Godspeed.

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Just got thru with History Channel's two part documentary on the rock group KISS and it is fascinating. I am not a fan of the group and only know a couple of their songs but watching the machinations of trying to hold a band together for FIFTY freaking years is absolutely amazing. Take the time to dial it up.

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Did ALEC BALDWIN pull the trigger?  He says no. How did the gun discharge?

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Ah, the needy and the greedy. Lee Price of Houston was sentenced 9 years in federal prison for misusing 1.6 million dollars in funding from the Paycheck Protection Program, a low interest loan program to protect a small business during covid. HOW DID MR. PRICE PROTECT HIMSELF??    Well, he purchased a Lamborghini Urus for $211,000, an $85,000 Ford F-350, paid off a loan on a residential property and of course, the mandatory misuse of funds at the local strip club which means he will owe the government $900,00 PLUS INTEREST when he is released in 2030. Good luck getting paid back, Uncle Sam, but at least you got the jerk and $700,000.

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DID YOU KNOW there is no parole if you're sentenced federally? You get 3 years, you serve 3 years unless you get credited with 'good time.'

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God bless the people who suffered thru the 6 states tornado path over the weekend. Mother Nature's power never ceases to amaze me. A photo was found in the driveway of a woman in Illinois on Sunday that up until the tornado, had been placed with other family photos in a living room 130 MILES AWAY in a small Kentucky town. incredible.

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C'mon, give it up for OJ SIMPSON who was released from parole after serving 9 years for armed robbery in Nevada and 3 years of parole. Still the luckiest man in the world after walking away from two murders and has a monthly NFL pension of $25,000 which can't be touched by criminal or civil actions.

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Just like you, I've been reading about the overflow and long waits in local emergency rooms but it's kind of a shoulder shrug because we don't spend a lot of time there. BUT HOLD ON A MINUTE, SUGARPLUM, because do I have a story for you.

My back and hip are really killing me so i get a ride to the ER and sign in at EXACTLY 1300 with my complaint of 24/7 pain with a pain scale of 10 on a 1-10 and within ten minutes, I'm signed in and have my official hospital bracelet that we all know and love. I'm looking for an x-ray and some stronger meds to help me sleep. simple.

I count 38 people as I take my seat but I mentally eliminate moms, dads and grandparents from the total count so I figure two hours for 20 people. WRONG, BATMAN. FIVE FREAKING HOURS LATER at 1800 due to a constant flow of new patients, there are still 33 people in the room and a guy in a wheelchair is rolled up to the check-in counter and says, "9 hours is long enough. I'm out of here." 

NINE HOURS??? So I lasso the guy and he tells me he got there at 0900 with super elevated blood pressure which kept climbing in the ER but he never saw a doctor. NEVER SAW A DOCTOR. They kept checking his vitals every 30 minutes but was never given and medicine or explanations.

So now Uncle Dan is curious and begins working the room. 16 year old who got his head slammed at school and reported headache, blurred vision and nausea. brought in at noon, still waiting at 1800. They gave him a vomit bag but no xrays.

 Middle age woman with 'super pressure' headache, vision issues and a very sore ear came in at 1000 after waking up with the stroke symptoms. tears rolling down her cheeks. 8 hours later---vitals but no x-rays or CAT scan. So what chance do I have with a sore hip?

Absolutely ridiculous. The only explanation was that the ER was a level 1 trauma center where incoming patients are constantly shuffled according to need BUT THEY WILL NOT LET YOU KNOW YOUR CURRENT POSITION IN LINE which is ridiculous. The way I got it figured was that a limb hanging by a thread or a happening heart attack or stroke might get you in pretty quick but other than that......good luck.

There is a strong need for new rules and regulations. Make it easier for the nurses, not harder and post LARGE SIGNS explaining the procedure for ranking patients. 

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Ah, the seasonal beauty of Chicago at Christmas time is somewhat tainted by the 800th murder which goes along with the 4300+ shootings. Talk about decking the halls!

STAY OUT OF CHICAGO! It's their problem....don't become part of it.

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Finally, this has been another difficult year for many of us but 2022 is just around the corner and hopefully, things will be much brighter!

HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HEALTHY NEW YEAR!!

THINGS IN GENERAL AND SPORTS

 It's been a while since I wrote because I've been fighting a bad back and it's tough to sit at the computer for any length of time but today is a better day so I'm combining general thoughts AND sports in the same blog so pour yourself a fresh cup and settle in and we'll clean off the desk!!

How happy was I with the GUILTY verdict on Jussie Smollett????????????????REAL FREAKING HAPPY!!! This sanctimonious prick did all sorts of damage to both blacks and members of the gay community with his ridiculous account of what happened to him that night and much to his surprise, the much maligned CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT stood up straight and eventually found the bad guy. He was the one with a noose around his neck on the night of the 'attack.'

Unfortunately, he has no criminal record and will probably just get public service but I would pay to see him wearing an orange jump suit and picking up garbage along the highway. And to what end? Over a half million in legal fees with a pending appeal (I'm thinking 'no' after the dust settles) plus a broken career so we have a 39 year old black man who can't get hired. He has been added to my '5 people I want to punch' list.

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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA for winning the big game on Saturday and securing a spot in the FINAL FOUR of football but more importantly, their performance slammed the door on Notre Dame and now the Irish are on the outside looking in. Perfect holiday present.

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Casinos are FINALLY on the way to both north suburban WAUKEGAN and south side HOMEWOOD/HAZEL CREST after a two year process that was delayed by the pandemic and various legal issues. How long before it opens?? My source along the lakefront tells me they will be up and running by spring time but the final construction nail won't be pounded for a couple years. "Gamblers want to gamble and if it's tables and slots inside a pole barn to begin with, so be it." Job, jobs and more jobs are on the way. Will there be enough people to fill all the jobs??? We'll see but good for the Waukegan area.

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Okay, here's my current list of 5 people I want to punch. THIS IS A FIGURATIVE LIST WITH NO INTENT BECAUSE VIOLENCE OF ANY KIND IS BAD. After the aforementioned Smollett, add former Notre Dame coach BRIAN KELLY, Florida representative and suspected predator MATT GAETZ, tv guy TUCKER CARLSON and the only guy with a permanent spot on the list, the former president. Trust me, other than the final spot, this list changes all the time based on levels of frustration and stupidity.

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Here we go again in baseball. The owners have 'locked out' the players over a handful of issues in the Collective Bargaining Agreement which effectively freezes baseball in every way. This is not good for the fans so hopefully, cooler heads prevail before spring training.

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Price of foo-foo coffee going up?? After 50 years in business, STARBUCKS now has it's first union shop in Buffalo, NY. Good for the workers, bad for you.

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I understand the new documentary on the Beatles, "GET BACK," is a little short of 8 total hours in three segments but is remarkable and well worth the watch on DISNEY+ as the group readies for it's final show and the behind the scenes video gets down to the reality of how tough it is to stay on top. I haven't seen it but it's on my list.

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A nice Christmas story..........A semi-trailer containing $50,000 in donated toys disappeared from the storage facility but it was just a paperwork screw-up that was rectified and the trailer was returned with no charges. A large sigh of relief. Nice.

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The tragedy at the high school in Michigan is still experiencing fallout. After the initial arrests of the maggot and his parents, then the finger pointing began followed by lawsuits against the administration and a strong possibility of high school personnel being arrested. An ugly, ugly situation.

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As the end nears for BEARS COACH MATT NAGY, he has to head up north one more time and get his ass whipped one more time by Rodgers and company. I don't think NAGY is the worst coach ever for the Bears but he's in the top 5. And don't get me started on pretty boy RYAN PACE who has disappeared once again so he doesn't have to face the media. A strong candidate for the punch list.

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Finally, I want to wish everyone safe and warm holidays and if you can't see the people closest to you on the holiday, make sure you pick the phone up and say hello because I guarantee it will make their day brighter. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

THINGS IN GENERAL

All sorts of stuff to write about but just like you, I'm waiting for the Kenosha verdict before I publish.

KYLE RITTENHOUSE NOT GUILTY. I hope everyone has boarded up their windows. I hear that he's relocating to either arizona or texas which is probably a good thing for his personal well being. And I would like to nominate the prosecutors for "WORSE PROSECUTION OF THE YEAR". But it is what it is and now we go to the civil damages. Remember OJ was acquitted and then whacked 30 million in damages to the victim's family.

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So I'm fighting a bad cold last week and lying on the couch, like we all do, waiting for the misery to end and the PRICE IS RIGHT is not doing it for me on tv so i grab the remote and start looking for ANYTHING that will interest me, at least until I fall asleep again. LIFE BELOW ZERO pops up on the electronic guide so I hit the remote, put my head down on the pillow and watch these whack jobs living up by the artic circle trying to navigate everyday life when it's 30 BELOW outside. 

I thought I was hallucinating when I saw a husband/wife team jump on their snow machines (don't you dare call them snowmobiles!) when the temperature was -35 and travel SIXTY FREAKING MILES to look for an elk to shoot. no luck so head back to their 'house' which is a one room cabin with a wood burning stove. At no time did I see a shower or bathtub in ANY of the cabins. Ewwwww! It would be my idea of hell because you have to hunt and fish and know how to use tools and WE ALL KNOW HOW I DEAL WITH THOSE BUT I think I'm going to sneak a peek next time I find it on tv. These people are truly out of their minds. 

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Back to reality..................A ghetto rat kills the mother of a one year old in Wheeling and then kidnaps the child. Bad enough but then he throws the infant into a pond with obvious results. The irony is that they were living together BUT he WASN'T the father of the child. 'Tough guy" baby killer AHMEEL FOWLER was arrested in Missouri and is now part of the 'forever system' and will spend the rest of his life in prison on the tax payers dime. 

ARE YOU SURE you don't want the death penalty??? Putting the death of the mother on the side for a moment, what did this one year old baby do to anyone to deserve being tossed into a lagoon with zero chance of survival??? That lowlife deserves to fry. or be drowned. Even the bleeding heart liberals have to raise an eyebrow at this one.

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Chicago police officer JOHN CATANZARA has decided to retire rather than face over a dozen charges in front of a disciplinary board. Most of the charges are based on racism and prejudice, along with insubordination and filing false police reports. We all know that freedom of speech is part of our democracy BUT as a police officer, you're held to a higher standard and you CANNOT attack individual races and make PUBLIC statements like "they should get a bullet." And now you're going to respond to a problem in their neighborhood?

Catanzara is a staunch donald trump supporter and wrote that he supported the January 6 rioters and defended their actions. Even his attorneys conceded that his social media posts were 'vulgar' and 'unsettling' but they felt he was protected under his first amendment right to free speech. There is no doubt that cantanzara would have been fired had he continued with the hearing. The 27 year veteran also announced he is going to run for mayor. A racist running for mayor? Good luck with that in Chicago.

In case you think I'm being too hard on this loudmouth, in the 27 years he's been on the job, he's been the subject of more complaints than 96% of the department and he's been suspended a total of 131 days for those 50+ complaints which comes out to more than two verified complaints a year. In comparison, I had 9 complaints in 25 years.

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My winter getaway in Mexico was victimized by an F3 hurricane a few weeks ago and the damage was extensive. These people have had a very difficult two years with the pandemic, a lack of medical supplies and hospital rooms, limited hotel occupancies, restaurant closings and now this. And remember that building codes are basically non-existent in the residential sections which resulted in major damages such as corrugated sheet metal roofs being torn off and sent flying like frisbees in the middle of the night. No jobs and now this. Ugh.

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A large smile crossed my face this week when it was announced that donald trump was selling his financially plagued 'trump international hotel' in Washington D.C. after losing $70 million dollars over 4 years. The hotel became a hangout for right wingers during his presidency but the place has become a 'ghost town' since he left office. The new owners will immediately remove the trump name. gee, wonder why?

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And as long as we're discussing trump, ANOTHER big smile crossed my face last week when a capitol rioter who punched a police officer was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison. why the smile? Because the poor defendant, WHO PLED GUILTY,  broke down in tears when the sentence was announced and said "he didn't mean to hurt anyone." WHAT? Having been in a few fights in my life, I can tell you that's EXACTLY why you throw a punch! To hurt the other person, plain and simple. This guy was the 100th rioter to be sentenced and while I personally think the sentences have universally been way too light, at least their futures are screwed with the federal convictions.

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And Texas loudmouth Jennifer Ryan, who flew to DC on a private plane and then bragged about her assault on the Capitol Building on social media was sentenced to 60 days in federal prison. She had previously stated on social media that there was 'no way' she would be sent to prison because she was white and blonde. OOPS. At her sentencing hearing, AT WHICH SHE PLED GUILTY, her statement was "This is not who I am." Well, sweetie, I tend to disagree. It's EXACTLY who you are .....someone who has a total disregard for this country and it's rules of law. 

And one more jerkoff from the Capitol uprising, the self proclaimed shaman got whacked with 41 months and what was his statement at sentencing??? "I'm a law abiding citizen......" WAIT! STOP RIGHT THERE!! Again, no you're not. Enjoy your 8 x 10 and weekly shower. 

Does anyone wonder why NONE OF THE RIOTERS have chosen to have a jury trial? They have ALL PLED GUILTY. 400 more defendants to go.

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The DREAD HEAD COWBOY is heading for trial on November 29 and representing himself in the courtroom despite having minimal education and absolutely no experience with the law, other than being arrested. ADAM HOLLINGSWORTH is charged with felony cruelty to animals when he rode his horse full gallop on the Dan Ryan expressway to raise awareness of violence against youth. This idiot tore up the horse by riding it almost 6 miles at a full gallop on the concrete despite being told by state police to exit the highway. The horse was taken to a safe haven for abused animals where it eventually recovered. Jail time would be nice.

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MOVING ON TO HAPPIER TIMES......A reader sent me an e-mail after the last blog when I mentioned the things that I missed and he brought up CHRISTMAS IN JULY and he was absolutely correct. Throwing a real tree under my deck for 6 months and then decorating it the third week of July with homemade ornaments set the stage for the wacky gift exchange later in the day. Add to that good food, bad karaoke and a whole bunch of laughs. GOOD TIMES!

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The Genesee theater in Waukegan is a hidden gem and if you get a chance to attend a concert there, please do it. Not a bad seat in the house and reasonably priced tickets and $10 parking right across the street. There's only 2400 seats in the entire place so it's a pretty intimate theater.  In the past few years, I've seen  JERRY SEINFELD,  THE TEMPTATIONS, WAYNE NEWTON, CHICAGO, BILL COSBY, GEORGE CARLIN, UNDER THE STREETLAMP, HAL HOLBROOK, STOMP, GARY PUCKETT AND THE UNION GAP, TERRY FATOR, THE ASSOCIATION, THE TURTLES and BRAD GARRETT and NEVER had a bad seat. geneseetheatre.com  

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The annual discussion/debate is on about what to serve along with the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. For me, a must have is cranberry sauce but for others it's green bean casserole 😝, sweet potatoes, dressing, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes and gravy, cheesy potatoes 😝😝😝, pecan pie and many other options. I'm in charge of cooking my world famous brined turkey for 4 people this year but they're in charge of all the sides. And the only non-negotiable is that dinner is served AFTER THE BEARS GAME, which starts at 11:30 so 4:30 seems to be dinner time!!

 Can't wait!!

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Again, get well wishes to the redhead who lives in the northwest suburbs. She's completed 3 rounds of a 12 round fight and according to insiders, she's ahead on all the scorecards. Give 'em hell, ASHLEY, and a SPECIAL HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you and your family.  And yes, you're still buying lunch in the spring as soon as the weather breaks.

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HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE and don't forget to give the special people in your life a nice hug when you see them. You don't even have to say anything when you hug them because they'll understand.

THINGS I MISS, THINGS I LIKE AND........

Cleaning off the top of my desk..........

Just got through with a delightful book, "THE BOYS," by ron howard who you might better remember on television as OPIE from the andy griffith show or RICHIE CUNNINGHAM on happy days. Co-authored with his younger brother Clint, the book follows the brothers from their very early days as actors in a 'blue collar' Hollywood family where dad and mom are also actors but not stars.

The book deals with the highs and lows of raising two boys on a bit actor's occasional paycheck and the nastiness of the entertainment world. Is he too old at 12? Is he too tall? Is he still using drugs? Drinking? Does he need a wig? Kids are kids, even in Hollywood and they like sports and girls and cars and experimenting just like you did. It's an easy read and I think you'll like it. Available on Kindle. I'd give it an 8.5.

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I miss the Kitchen Nazi's ham rolls....

and the Minnesota Mafia's beef stroganoff......

and Barb's cheesecake.......

and Aunt Lorraine's Hawaiian salad.....

and Gwen's Christmas morning biscuits & gravy........

and Donna Bartosz' corned beef......

and the Polock's cooking.......

absolutely ZERO calories in all of the above. I promise.

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Nothing beats the smell of movie theatre popcorn when you first walk into the lobby.

Except maybe the smell of a Thanksgiving turkey when you come in from the cold.

The new fangled recliner/rockers in the theatre make me fall asleep. 😴

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I'm very confused with alternative television and I don't understand streaming nor do I have a device to do that so the other day I asked the girl at the cable company about the options I might have.........boy, was that a mistake. I hear her take a deep breath and about 7 minutes later I had all the information I need about adding.............HULU, PEACOCK, AMAZON PRIME, NETFLIX, DISNEY +, APPLE + (apparently the + makes it real special....and more expensive) HBO MAX, PARAMOUNT + (THERE'S THAT + AGAIN---can you buy the service without the +?) and to finish with a flourish, DISCOVERY + . And that was just page 1 of her information sheet. The total cost of all those programs was $412.00 a month. Thanks and have a great day. I miss the days when it was just channels 2-5-7 & 9.

WHO AM I KIDDING??? I love all the cable channels and I am such a whore regarding sports, history and cop shows. Imagine if I had +++ television?😲

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Just talking the other day about all the annual tailgate trips we took to see the Bears starting with being picked up at 0500 and then eating breakfast by 0730 under the highway by Mccormick Place.......until the last few years when we improved our location on top of Waldron Deck overlooking Lake Michigan and actually having access to bathrooms with running water. Living the good life at that point! Although the porta-potties were definitely an adventure--especially AFTER the game.  EWWWWWWW!!!😩.

I also miss CHILIFEST but not the work required to run it. Thanks again to the Nazi and the Garage Girl for their many years of help.

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REMEMBER WHEN............you went to the movies and an uniformed usher would shine his flashlight on you if you were talking too loud or god forbid, you had your feet on the chair in front of you. He would even lead you to your seat when you first arrived.

Television channels used to sign off at midnight and then play the national anthem?

Saturday mornings were THE morning for kids watching television.

Snow days happened because your town didn't have enough snow removal equipment.

The outdoor charged three bucks a person and you would hide 4 buddies in the trunk.

Nuns walking around with a ruler to make sure you didn't get too close at the school dance.

The mail being picked up and delivered TWICE A DAY to your house.

You only got a trophy if you won something.

VCR's with wired remotes. Top of the line, baby.

BETA? VHS?  you choose.

Pay phones. telephone booths.

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OK, I can see the top of my desk so I'll catch up to you later.

 

THINGS IN GENERAL

 Some of you already know this but I keep a running list of the 'FIVE PEOPLE WHO NEED A PUNCH IN THE MOUTH' and you make this list by being a total jerkwad.......and my most recent addition is actor JESSE SMOLLETT, who tried to pull a fast one in 2019 while in Chicago by setting up a fake attack on himself and claiming it was committed by Trump people.

Smollett, who is gay, said the attack was homophobic in nature and the two offenders put a noose around his neck and poured some type of liquid over his head but he fought them off with all of his 175 pounds.TOTAL BULLSHIT!  I hope Smollett gets smacked at his upcoming trial and is forced to pay for the hundreds of hours spent by the police department investigating the 'crime.'

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Still planning an evening in Chicago? THREE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SEVEN PEOPLE  have been shot to date inside the city limits, about 12 PER DAY.  3,567 people...... and about 10% of them were under the age of 18. Sure, let's drive to the city for dinner.

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Kudos to Cook County Sheriff TOM DART who surely lost votes the other day when he correctly pointed out that more than 90% of all car jackings take place in black neighborhoods. When flak came his way, he simply responded with "Hey, I don't make the statistics, I just read them." BRAVO.

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The Chicago Police Department has hung out a 'HELP WANTED' sign and when you clear the 18 month probation, you'll be making $80,000 per year. The exam is October 21-23. Sign up at CHICAGOPOLICE.ORG.

A sad goodbye to BARNEY FIFE'S girlfriend, THELMA LOU. 95 year old actress BETTY LYNN passed quietly in her sleep this week in Mount Airy, North Carolina where she had retired in 2007. I believe she was the last surviving adult lead from the Andy Griffith Show.

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Cops and firemen refusing to get vaccinated are being sent home WITHOUT PAY.  I'm 100% in favor of that discipline and disobeying a direct order is playing with fire. When you make $90,000+ and that $2,000 dollar weekly paycheck suddenly disappears, your life changes drastically. First responders come into contact with all sorts of diseased and compromised people so you have to protect yourself first. Do the smart thing because you cannot win this war with city hall.

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STAY SAFE and enjoy the bonus weather.

SPORTS OF ALL SORTS

 WOW! What a playoff game last night between the Dodgers and the Cardinals with the end coming on a walk-off home run by CHRIS TAYLOR who had been 9 for his last 72. And now on to San Francisco for DA BUMS.

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I make fun of them all the time because the optics of this league are just head scratching but CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CHICAGO SKY as they head to the WNBA finals for the second time in team history. They await the winner of the Phoenix-Las Vegas series and that will begin Sunday.

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I told you this would happen! ANDREW WIGGINS of the Golden State Warriors suddenly got vaccinated when he realized what he was about to lose in salary. I can imagine the conversation when the mother of his two kids heard about his refusal and said, "WHAAAAT? You get your black ass over to Walmart right now and get the shot! I ain't missing out on $450,000 every time you have a home game!" Wiggins, of course, is now pontificating that he "was forced" to get the shot. I imagine so.

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THE CHICAGO WHITE SOX return to the playoffs against the cheating garbage can banging HOUSTON ASTROS in a best of 5 series that begins THIS AFTERNOON at 3 p.m. and you know that most baseball fans will be rooting against the Astros, who screwed the Dodgers out of the championship in 2017 by cheating with a bizarre signaling system. How about we start it of by burying a fastball in Jose Altuve's ribs? just kidding? 😈

Let's take the SOX in 5. The Dodgers in 4. Tampa in 4. Atlanta upsets the Brewers.

LET'S PLAY SOME BASEBALL!

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Speaking of being forced to do something, I think VILLAGE IDIOT MATT NAGY got a phone call from the ivory tower and was instructed to 'cut the bullshit' if you want to stay employed and moments later, he changed his stance on who was the starting quarterback. Just 48 hours earlier, he had emphatically stated that ANDY DALTON is the #1 QB if healthy but mysteriously changed his mind Wednesday. Look for Dalton's bone bruise to last unless Fields is unable to play. Nagy is such a mutt. DEAD MAN WALKING.

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For those of you who are old enough, there was a time when Chicago's MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL was the 'run & gun' team for the ages and defense was something that happened by mistake as the COMMANDOS regularly ran people out of the gym. Well, it appears that BILLY DONOVAN'S CHICAGO BULLS are following that model in an effort to qualify for the NBA playoffs as they fly down the court and put up shots in less than 10 seconds. For you younger fans, think UNLV back in the 90's. A great way to play ball but somebody better rebound.....EVERY TIME.

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I heard a rumor that upcoming free agent COREY SEAGER of the Dodgers is looking at the CUBS. Why in the name of insanity would anyone want to go from the penthouse to a real smelly outhouse? It makes no sense to throw your career away by signing with a team that won't see .500 for the next 4 years. And on the flip side, the 27 year old Seager will be looking for at least 20 million a year and a four year deal. Makes no sense.

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Finally, a sad goodbye to comedian/sports bettor NORM MACDONALD who made me laugh so many times with his sardonic wit and deadpan looks directly into the camera, especially while working SNL. I met Norm at the sports book in Caesars when he sat down next to me in the gallery to make his college football picks. We exchanged gambling pleasantries and I figured once he bought his tickets, he would be out of there. Wrong, Uncle Dan. He returned to his seat and had a fistful of 'free drink' tickets and asked me if I wanted a bloody Mary. Si Senor!

We had a couple of those and he continued to buy for other gamblers and before long, there were 20 guys hanging around just listening to him make us laugh. The only rule he had was when you got your second 'free' drink, you tipped the waitress ten bucks. Needless to say, that was a very happy young lady who never strayed far from our table.

He stayed two hours and all of us shared our stories about bad beats, last minute fumbles, bad calls by the referees, etc until he finally stood up and said VERY loudly, "WHAT A BUNCH OF LOSERS! I CAN'T HANG AROUND YOU ANY LONGER!!" The he gave us a quiet 'good luck' , smiling as he left the sports book.  A short footnote: The next time I ordered a drink and went to pay, the waitress informed me that Norm had left the group a HUNDRED free drink tickets but they were only good that Saturday. We did our best to use them all up but failed miserably. GOD SPEED, NORM MACDONALD.

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HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND AND ENJOY THE WEATHER!

NOTHING BUT SPORTS

 Boy, it doesn't get any better than this for my birthday! Notre Dame spits the bit and I have a money line bet on the team that beats them plus it basically eliminates the irish from post season glory. SWEEEEEEEEEET!

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The Bears beat one of the worst teams in football but we'll take it. Justin Fields showed signs of brilliance that you NEVER saw with that mutt, Mitch Trubisky.  Once the Bears replace the current administrative people, things will start looking up. Now on to Las Vegas!

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Enough of the bullshit from the pro athletes regarding the vaccine. Get it or get out! Cities are mandating vaccinations to attend a large indoor event and unvaccinated ghetto rats like Kyrie Irving and Andrew Wiggins cannot play in their home stadiums, which obviously eliminates their participation in at least 41 games as well as other cities that have the same rules. Kudos to the NBA who came out Friday with their own mandate: Unvaccinated players WILL NOT GET PAID for missing games, which means Kyrie loses about $475,000 PER GAME and Wiggins about $450,000. Good move, guys. We'll see how long this lasts when they start having cars repossessed and houses foreclosed. Your future is as a Wal-Mart greeter, you dumb asses.

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Classic one game wild cards in MLB. The Dodgers host the Cardinals and Boston hosts the Yankees. I like the Dodgers and the visiting Yankees.

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The WHITE SOX open the playoffs in Houston on Thursday and that should be a classic showdown, The ASTROS swept them in early summer but that was without LUIS ROBERT and ELOY JIMENEZ being available.  SHOWTIME BOYS!

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More later. gotta run.

THINGS IN GENERAL

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD! Rambling Ray would have been 99 years old today although he be bitching and moaning if he had watched the Bears game last Sunday. He's been gone for a while now but he was one of a kind, for better or worse.

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A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT to my good friend ASHLEY, who's recovering from surgery and obviously trying to duck out on the fact that it's her turn to buy lunch. Get well soon red!

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I don't normally hand out stock market advice but I'm pretty sure you should sell all of your R. Kelly shares. This maggot finally got caught and justice was served. Being 53 years old and with additional cases looming in Chicago and Minneapolis, this 'tough' guy' should die in prison. As an old friend of mine used to say. "good riddance to bad rubbish."

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Has Mayor Lori Lightfoot lost her mind? She's going to sue gang members??????????? Lori, just a heads up before you start the litigation. When a gang member starts making a lot of money, all of the houses and cars they buy are in grandma's name and unless you can prove that grandma is part of the gang, you can't punish an innocent third party. I think you have more important things with the violence climbing everyday. Over 2100 shootings and homicides approaching 400 for the year. The city has turned into a total cesspool and you are part of the problem because you've had the cops back off the poor little darlings and do you see the results? Shame on you.

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This particular column isn't about sports but HOORAY FOR THE CHICAGO BEARS for exercising the option to purchase the land in Arlington Heights and now I hope they follow through and build a state of the art RETRACTABLE DOME stadium that can be used year 'round for concerts, tractor pulls, tournaments, super bowls and anything else plus the trains, buses and interstates all lead to Arlington Heights so the location is perfect. Now if we can just have the McCaskey family stand down and just enjoy the ride until kickoff 2026!

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FINALLY, the Haitian problem at the Texas border has divided the country yet again. Some feel that we should welcome them all and others say ship them back and to be honest, I think I'm in favor of sending them back. How do you investigate these immigrants? Are they good people running from oppression or criminals on the run? But read on.....

 I'm reminded of one of the early scenes in 'SCARFACE' starring Al Pacino in which he tells a bald faced lie about his criminal past so he'll be admitted after escaping from Cuba. The actuality of that flotilla  in 1980 was that Castro emptied the prisons of all the undesirables and made them our problem PERMANENTLY by letting them "escape" to the U.S.

But now let's flip the coin. 32,000 Afghans have recently been embraced by this country and flown to America away from the danger of that country. How is that different? I really don't have the answer but I'm a little put off by 15,000 people trying to barge into our country and we don't know who the hell they are.

Mexico was helping by letting the immigrants camp on their side until their name was called but no more and that's the problem. I want to help those who need help but it has to be done in an orderly fashion so everyone can be protected in the long run.

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Stay safe and stay well. Enjoy this beautiful fall weather.

THINGS IN GENERAL

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL???

Man, it seems like it's been forever since we watched the BEARS and it's nice that they open up in prime time so I can watch it in the gazebo with my buddy Jim, smoke cigars and yell all we want because the graveyard citizens across the street never complain. Good neighbors.

Eventually, we'll get JUSTIN FIELDS at quarterback but with that offensive line, he better have his 'run fast' shoes on. I see the Bears at 7-10.  Very tough schedule.

NOW LET'S TAKE A RUN AROUND THE BLOCK WITH SPORTS IN CHICAGO.

Speaking of across the street, I'm whistling past the graveyard with the WHITE SOX because having three of your starting pitchers on the IL at the same freaking time is not a recipe for post-season success. They'll play HOUSTON in the first round and best record gets home field in the final game of the series. Sox currently trail the ASTROS by one game and have only played .500 baseball since the all-star break. Just a bad feeling.........

The BULLS have shaken up their roster with the hopes of being competitive for a playoff spot and have at least five new rostered players and apparently, if you've ever dribbled a basketball, they will sign you as a free agent. COACH BILLY DONOVAN got the most out of that dead weight roster last season so now let's see what happens with an energized team that can actually play defense.

I have no idea what the BLACKHAWKS are doing but with aging superstars and an average roster, times will stay tough. New goalie MARC-ANDRE FLEURY will face more rubber than a cat on the Dan Ryan if the Hawks don't find some more defensemen. Still a great game to watch in person.

The CHICAGO SKY have clinched a playoff spot........................

And you know things are bad when I put women's sports above your team. But for obvious reasons, the Cubs are last. Exactly what do you say about a team when they gut their roster over a 7 month period and then deny that it's a rebuild?? And before any of you boot licking sycophants start celebrating their recent winning streak, please note that they played the last place team in both central divisions for six of those wins....so slow your roll and try and remember the following regarding 'superstars' PATRICK WISDOM & FRANK SCHWINDEL.

There's a reason that 30 years old guys are making their debut in the majors right now. They are simply journeymen who have ridden the buses in the minors for ten years BUT the cubs needed players right now after gutting their roster so welcome to the show!

You think I'm just talking smack?  Read on, lemmings.

Schwindel had a total  of 43 appearances in the majors before this year and he's 29. A lifer in the bushes and why do think that is? You'll find out next season when 'the book' on Schwindel is in every dugout so enjoy the next couple weeks of schwindel-mania because he ain't hitting .350 next year. 

Patrick Wisdom is 30 years old and also a ten year minor leaguer and his early season magic has totally disappeared into a .238 batting average. Look for him to be part of a trade and NOT win rookie of the year. 

This team is going to be ashes for a few years but the betting window opened regarding their future yesterday when one of the north side sewer rats bet me fifty bucks that the cubs will be in the playoffs by 2023. I suffered a severe paper cut getting my money out before he changed his mind but I'm ok.  Anyone else?

That's a wrap. Enjoy this beautiful weather and GO BEARS!!

LARRY'S FINAL THOUGHTS

 First off, I'm sorry for the delay in posting Larry's final thoughts but incredibly, the night before we were supposed to do the final editing of this post, his cousin was shot and seriously wounded in Garfield Park on the west side of the city. It was touch & go for a while but he will recover in time. FYI--Larry's cousin is a church deacon and was walking his dog when he was shot along with two other members of the church.

"I've gone over our last two transcripts and I realize that some of the language was harsh but there will be no apology from me. If you live inside the city of Chicago, you live in a coward's world where the police are outnumbered 10 to 1 and they have about a 20% chance of solving any homicide or shootings committed on these streets and the fucking animals will eventually rule the city.  Recent news events indicate that it doesn't matter where you live, north, south, whatever. Even the Gold Coast and Michigan avenue are fertile hunting grounds for these jackals.

I was born and raised in Chicago and I have spent my entire life inside these boundaries but recent history has prompted a decision that will affect three generations of my family. As the de facto patriarch of the family since my father died years ago,  I have decided to leave the city and take my mom and grandmother with me to the western suburbs along with two sisters and their husband and kids and although grandma will leave her house kicking and screaming, it's best for her and everyone else plus we already have a solid offer for her house.

I was at gramma's house the other day and she had her usual stack of Sun Times sitting next to her recliner and while she was doing her in-home therapy with the nurse, (recovering from a minor stroke) I went thru 17 days worth and EACH DAY had a shooting story within the first five pages but the stories that really grabbed my attention were the ones where innocent people were shot at and wounded but not seriously. Those stories were on page 18 or 19 and consisted of two or three sentences because non-life threatening shootings apparently aren't important anymore. That's when I made the decision.

I called a family meeting and attendance is always MANDATORY for all concerned in our family because these meetings don't happen very often. The last one was 4 years ago when we met to help my sister, who was struggling to pick a college. Gramma was not happy at missing Wheel of Fortune but she knew it was serious after my cousin's shooting. 14 members attended and my cousin zoomed in from Ohio where he attends the seminary.

I quickly reviewed the incidents of the last two years and told them I was afraid for the safety of EVERYONE in our family and that I thought it was best to relocate out of the city. We took a vote and it was 12-3 to head west. Gramma snorted but understood the rules of a family meeting because she ran them for years.

 I have quit my job in the city and accepted a new position 5 minutes from our new house. My sister is a manager at a nation wide company and she is transferring to a suburban location. The nephews will transfer to a new high school and their mom has quit her nursing job at Stroger hospital and has already been hired at a suburban hospital. We'll be fine once we settle in.

My family has been in this city since 1909 when my great grandfather moved her from Alabama and we have always been proud to say 'we're from Chicago' when we were on vacation but after 112 years, I hate to say it but the bad guys have won.

My final thoughts are simple and to the point. The police aren't perfect but you have to let them do their jobs and convince the bad guys that their way of life has consequences. In my neighborhood, EVERYONE knew officer Murphy when we were growing up and when you got in trouble, he basically kicked you in the ass and made you do clean-up work at the local park as your penance. He didn't call your parents or make a report....he just adjusted your attitude right there in the alley and life went on. And you'd better show up on your assigned clean-up day.

But God forbid if you lay a hand on these gang-banging niggers or assign them clean up duty because you will have a lawsuit handed to you within 48 hours and be suspended from the force so as a result, the officers now have taken a hands-off attitude and the animals run crazy. 

I have loved Chicago my entire life but the it's time to say good-bye. I have tears in my eyes as I write this but it's better than tears of despair, anger or sorrow which I know will happen if we stay. God bless and thank you for listening.

LARRY PART 2

 Larry is a very proud black man and always honors his family and heritage but doesn't turn his back on history. "I talk to both black & white families all the time and most of them understand that history is exactly that.....history. You learn from it so as to not repeat the mistakes but you can't tear it down or ever change what happened by throwing a statue into the river. Those people, and believe me that they are a small fraction of respectable black people, are simply idiots. We don't need to change history, we need to change the future and the way you do that is by learning from the past."

Most of you have read about black on black violence and while the numbers seem to shift on a regular basis, about 80% of all homicides in black neighborhoods are committed by black thugs.

 "We all know for the most part that the niggers have no respect for human life and just fire away to end a dispute or to commit even the most petty theft because they don't have the intelligence to moderate a conflict. Last year, over two dozen people were shot to death by niggers 'making their bones' by shooting a victim after the victim PEACEFULLY surrendered his wallet, of which $24 was the most money taken from the victim.

These animals are the scum of the earth and I'm livid and humiliated every time I see one's picture on the news or in the paper. Another dirt bag who won't see 25 and then we'll have to listen to his mother wail on tv that 'he was a good boy and trying to straighten his life out' before he was gunned down by yet another scum sucker making his bones. NO, HE WASN'T! HE WAS A FREAKING ASSHOLE WHO'S BEEN A CRIMINAL SINCE HE WAS 10 AND DESERVED TO DIE. Simple as that. And the beat goes on."

As you can see, Larry is not happy and has a couple of suggestions but no solutions. "The easiest suggestion is that if you commit a crime with a handgun, THERE IS NO BAIL. You sit in jail until your court date and if convicted of a crime involving any type of gun, the sentence is a mandatory 20 years with no early parole, pandemic or not. You have to serve 85% of your sentence before being eligible for parole. If we do this, the niggers disappear from the streets IMMEDIATELY upon arrest."

"Also, we would need more MAXIMUM SECURITY prisons for these animals. Break up the gangs in prison and limit communication with other prisoners. Eliminate the weight rooms. Make sure they work every day and if they don't work, they don't eat. Same as you & I. There's no welfare in prison and they would learn that right away plus the new prisons would provide many new job opportunities for the good people in the area. And finally, we need the death penalty reinstated."

"Is there a solution to the gang problems? crime? guns? little kids dying in the streets? I don't think so but I do agree with you that people should avoid the city of Chicago at all costs. You can't become a victim of Chicago violence if you don't go to the city." 

"Am I bitter? Yes, I am. A family member was mugged in Grant Park a few years ago and they broke his jaw for fifteen dollars. My aunt's car was torched along with 5 others because the gang thought they had reported the gang for breaking into an abandoned house across the street. Ironically, none of the victims dropped the dime but they found out later it was a pissed off ex-girlfriend of one of the bangers. And then there was my deal which I still have nightmares about."

(Larry gave me permission to tell the story as long as he didn't have to answer any questions about the incident)

About two years ago, Larry was the victim of an attempted car jacking on the west side as he was distributing Christmas baskets to needy families. A ghetto rat pulled a gun and asked for his wallet and Larry said he'd get it out of the console and the rat said ok. Larry reached into the console and brought out his 'legal to carry' .45 caliber and never hesitated, promptly putting two in the chest of the bad guy from about 3 feet sending him straight to hell.

And even though he did take a righteous and totally legal defensive action, Larry is far from being at peace with that. "Taking a human life was much harder that I thought it would be even if the prick had it coming. I still remember that look on his face when I fired my weapon and I see it when I have trouble sleeping or I'm having a rocky dream where I wake up drenched in sweat. My counselor told me that although I survived, I'm still a victim of the violence in Chicago and I can't disagree."

Bringing this to a close, you can see the anger boiling in a very nice and principled black man who recognizes the issues in the ghetto but the sad part is that the bad guys are winning the battle day in, day out.  In the last week, two police officers shot in the head on a traffic stop, one dies and the other clinging to life, then two girls, 6 & 7 shot in broad daylight and one dies, and a 70 year old woman shot and killed while driving just today.

Larry wanted to tell his story and I wish him well.

THINGS IN GENERAL

I'm going to tell you a story about a good friend and his stories about the west/south sides of the city of Chicago. And it ain't pretty. This is part 1.

You've met my friend "LARRY" in previous posts with his quotes and insights but let me re-introduce him because he has a lot to say and I'm sure some of it has also been on your mind. Larry is not his real name and you'll realize why we use the alias as this column goes on.

Larry is black and has been my friend for over thirty years. He was born and raised in the slums of Chicago and fought his way to school every day and then again when he tried to make his way home. His mom ran a tight ship and Larry excelled academically before completing law school near the top of his class.

 He worked for a short time as a state's attorney before going into private practice where he defended...... (his quote) "The dregs of Chicago ghettos. Every dead-ass nigger who would never think of working a straight job walked in my office on monday morning with pockets full of hundred dollar bills to hire me to defend their drug dealing, attempted murders, rapes and all sorts of theft charges. My name got around quickly because I was black and fought hard for my clients. I charged $500 to retain my services which was a lot of money in those days but they never blinked as they dropped the cash on my desk."

Larry worked as a defense attorney and "most of these ghetto rat niggers made me sick with their attitudes toward human life. Every sexual assault victim was a 'whore who was lookin' for it' every assault with a deadly weapon was 'he had it coming' and anything involving firearms was always 'he started it. it was just self-defense.' AND THEY NEVER TOLD ME THE TRUTH. NEVER. Even when I explained that what they tell me stays confidential, all they would do is deny, deny, deny."

Larry was sick of the clientele after just a year and over the Christmas holidays, thought he'd figured out a way to rid himself of the scum.....by raising his retainer to $3000.00 from the paltry sum of $500. "The first Monday of January I changed the fee, I told the first drug dealer about the change and he just shrugged his shoulders and reached into his other pocket and paid the fee. I met with 14 clients the first day and only one didn't have enough to hire me......but he showed up bright and early the next day with his three thousand. 

"I made FORTY-TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS IN ONE DAY! I had never seen that much money in my life and by the end of the week, I had taken in $126,000 dollars in retainers. IN ONE WEEK. And the money just kept on coming week after week, month after month and I was lost in the vortex of buckets of cash and had to hire a full time accountant to keep track of everything. I grossed almost two million dollars the first year of new fees and I had conveniently forgotten my plan to get out but after five years of nothing but money, suddenly my world changed when a baggy assed gang banging nigger whom I had successfully defended against a rape charge threw the victim of that rape off a 5th story roof. "She had it coming."

Larry had a breakdown and left the law business, traveling for a year with his mom and visiting relatives living in other states and as his mind cleared, decided that he needed a place in government services to make the most of his background. He applied for and got a job working in and out of the worst neighborhoods in Chicago but this time, he was working for peanuts but he had a definite goal in mind.  MORE LATER.

CUBMAGEDDON!

CUB-MAGEDDON!! After just one year as the general manager, Jed Hoyer said "enough of this crap" and proceeded to castrate, eviscerate and thoroughly gut this group of overpaid and underperforming has-beens and use-to-bees and shipped them out to various points in the country where they immediately became someone else's problem. 

The frowns & tears around Wrigley are eerily similar to the night of the Bartman game.  😥😥😢😢😖😟😟😵😵😡 (which delighted me to no end because I was there for that one) Nephew Mark has yet to recover from that beautiful night.

I remember 2016 when they openly declared a "dynasty" and then continually failed to get back to the big dance despite having a super payroll and playing in front of a full house almost every day. Now let's see how the season ticket holders react when it's time to renew in 2022 and the invoice shows major league prices for this minor league roster. I suspect the boot lickers will believe the fortune tellers and return in droves but such is life on the north side.

I do wish Anthony Rizzo the best  because he is a class act both on and off the field and the only race he's going to eventually lose is to Father Time BUT he did start his Yankee career off with a bang last night with a homer, two hits and the game winning rbi. Good for him!

                                             *******

Now on the south side, fans are dancing in the street with the addition of ace reliever Craig Kimbrel, who was the leading relief pitcher in the National League and has been to the post season and has a ring so when you add Cesar Hernandez to fill the hole at second, the White Sox are suddenly right next to the Astros in Las Vegas betting parlors to win the World Series. Tough to do but we'll see.

The only downer was the addition of a second cub, Ryan Tepera, also from the north side and that violates the toxicity rule about having too many cubs on your team.

It's easy to pitch for a garbage team because there's hardly any pressure but when tossed into the pressure cooker last night, he gave up a homer, single and a walk before departing to a chorus of boos from Sox fans.....and rightfully so. He better straighten his act out quickly or he'll be moved rapidly to another bad team....where he might be more comfortable.

Eloi is back, Luis Robert will be here in two weeks and Yasmani is recovering.If the Sox have the lead after six innings, you have to face KOPECH, KIMBREL & HENDRICKS, not necessarily in that order.

Looking good, amigos!

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The Olympics?  no. I hate the 14 hour time difference and you can't help but hear the results during the day which ruins your prime time viewing and it's not going to get any better.

 The 2022 winter games are scheduled for China and a 13 hour difference and the 2024 summer festival is in Paris with a 7 hour time difference so the prime time events will happen at 2:00 p.m. our time.  PASS.

                                          *******

And now it's time for football!!!! GO BEARS. Because we have the stupidest offensive coach in the league, my 2021 prediction is 7-10. Book it!

ENJOY THE WEATHER FOR THE NEXT WEEK AND OPEN THOSE WINDOWS!

SHOT OR NO SHOT?

 Ok, let's cut right to the chase on the vaccines. It is ABSOLUTELY your right not to get vaccinated BUT it is also the right of every employer to set standards for the health and welfare of the company. Two quick examples:

The National Football League set a rule that all administrative personnel must be vaccinated and offensive line coach COLE POPOVICH walked away from his $175,000 salary rather than get the shots. Now I personally think he's an idiot BUT it's his right to do so. Enjoy bagging groceries.

Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge posted a notice in early spring that everyone had to be vaccinated by July 1. Nurse Gretchen Walkup refused and filed suit upon her termination, saying the hospital violated her rights but her lawsuit was quickly dismissed, with the judge stating EXACTLY what I said at the top. "Rules are rules and every workplace has them. If you don't abide by them, termination is the only recourse for the employer."  Perfectly stated.

We all know this is, for the most part, a political disagreement but after a little homework,  it's a matter of public record that Republicans Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell, Sean Hannity, Rick DeSantis, Marco Rubio, Mike Pence, and everyone's favorite parasite, Lindsey Graham HAVE ALL BEEN VACCINATED. Why would they bother if "there's nothing to this" and "it's been way overblown" and constantly fight bills that provide co-vid relief?

Easy answer. They don't want to die. They can shoot their mouths off as much as they want but they've seen the tragedy in their districts and states and once they saw the reality, it was time to cover their own asses health wise. Hypocrites.

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And back to the NFL for a moment.........the Commissioner has clearly stated that unlike last season, games will not be re-scheduled if a team has a co-vid breakout but instead, they will simply forfeit the game. He had no choice with this edict because four teams have less than 50% vaccinated. Read the following restrictions for unvaccinated players:

"Unvaccinated players must continue to get daily testing, wear masks and practice physical distancing. They won't be able to eat with teammates, can’t participate in media or marketing activities while traveling, aren’t permitted to use the sauna or steam room and  may not leave the team hotel or interact with people not associated with the team while traveling. Vaccinated players will not have any of those restrictions."

Being involved in athletics my entire life, I can tell you that this pot will begin to boil sooner rather than later. Guys breaking protocols will be suspended (and you know that will happen) and then a team will lose a key game, after which the finger pointing will start. I hope eventually the Commissioner orders the same protocol for the players that he did for the coaches. You don't like our rules, see you later. Seems pretty simple to me. I wonder how many players would get the shot after missing their first paycheck. As Red used to say on the 70's show......"DUMB ASS!"

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And speaking of dumb asses, more heads continue to roll in court rooms across the nation for both the rioting in Chicago and Minneapolis and the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6th and even more people are being arrested for that disgrace as they are ID'd by their media postings. CRIMINAL MASTERMINDS: commit a federal offense or two or three and then post your videos on-line. The FBI appreciates your stupidity and here are some of the results after 500 arrests:

3 years probation and pay for a new Chicago squad car. $58,000.

1 year federal lockup. Defendant cried and ask the judge for mercy because he had just started a landscaping company. Judge says sorry.

Plea bargain for 3 years federal prison if he rats out 8 other Capitol rioters.

An older woman gets three years probation and can never again enter a government building or property, including national parks.

A guy with no criminal record gets 8 months federal lockup after pleading guilty to breaking into the rotunda and waving a trump flag.

I think you get the picture and I think it's very interesting that ten other arrestees have agreed to plead guilty and testify against other trump supporters who also rioted at the same time.

(P.S.  Every person charged has admitted to being an avid trump supporter)

A good one is coming on August 10th when a moron who rioted in both Chicago & Minneapolis is due to be sentenced in federal court.. He has a lengthy criminal history and I think looking at some serious time. Wait until you meet 28 year old MATTHEW LEE RUPERT of Galesburg, Il. 

who faces a litany of charges including DISTRIBUTION OF DESTRUCTIVE DEVICES. That baby alone gets you twenty years. When you look at his mug shot, it just screams JERK FACE.

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Enjoy the upcoming weekend as the weather cools down.

JUST A BUNCH OF SPORTS STUFF

 I filed a theft report with the Chicago Police Department over the weekend because I noticed that the 'W' was missing from the flag at Wrigley field but it turned out that it had just simply been replaced by a white flag of surrender.

 TEN LOSSES IN A ROW!  BACK UP THE TRUCK!! The fire sale starts soon!

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The north side sewer rats are disappearing more and more each day but even they had to cringe when the National League All-Stars were announced last week and both KYLE SCHWARBER & YU DARVISH were front and center. Who needs them??

FUN FACT: The two players named to the team from the Cubs probably won't be here next month.

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Thank the Lord that the White Sox are playing in a division where two of the better teams decided to dump salary over the winter. Injuries have crushed the Sox but they still lead the race by 6 games.

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Here's two really bad contracts for you: 

MIGUEL CABRERA, who can barely walk after numerous foot and ankle surgeries, is still owed 30 million a year for the next 4 years from the Detroit Tigers.

And number two is JOSH DONALDSON of the Minnesota Twins, one of the most unlikeable players in MLB, as evidenced by 4 teams in 4 years. A loud-mouthed pain in the ass has spent a lot of time on the injured list since 2017 but he hits long home runs in return for 20 million a year. The Twins would like to trade him but three more years = sixty million and who wants that contract from a 36 yr. old player?

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Whodathunkit??? PHOENIX vs MILWAUKEE in the NBA Finals. Suns are a heavy favorite and rightfully so.

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TAMPA BAY should be hoisting their second consecutive STANLEY CUP this week. That team is really good.

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AARON RODGERS is sounding weirder every day. I won't bore you with the interview but just read it on some media outlet.

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TREVOR LAWRENCE, the #1 pick in this year's draft, signed a 4 year deal with the JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS and the quarterback gets 3 million a year PLUS a 24 million dollar signing bonus. yowsa.

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Ok, we're done for now. Stay cool.