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Tag Archives: current-events

Transportation and Trash In Springfield, ILlinois


I have watched and read the assorted stories and blurbs about trash pick up, rail line locations and where police and fireman  will live. All of this issues are important but let us look at them in order of importance.  There is no place in Springfield that cannot be gotten to in 20 minute or less. This is on the far end of normal emergency response time so any public servant in these two job areas would not be out of range of reporting for duty in an emergency. If any of these folks lived  any place beyond the range of Petersburg (for example) then there may be a problem but maybe only due to road and weather conditions (blizzard, tornado or the like). Trash collections, I live just outside the city limits but am still considered as living in Springfield  (except when local elections occur) and in my little area there are no less than 4 and as many as 6 trash haulers and if my neighbors are like me they pay monthly , quarterly or something similar. None of us have recycling (I  am not sure why not)  and we do OK. I would suggest that the city should if they need to assess a tax or what ever it is to be called on the trash issue , just do it and be done. The much talked about rail relocation is never going have a perfect solution but apparently Normal, IL.  was able to get it done (10 years in the making). Their solution seems to incorporate connections with the use of shuttles to the airport, on site parking for train and bus travelers. WE do not need much more than this and therefore need to resolve primarily the issue of train service rerouting. No doubt there will be some relocation but the solution is to decide and really have discussions with the folks who will be affected by the relocation. Town hall meetings are not the answer since the city really has no answers at this time, just guesses and by golly’s. My view is that these things need to be resolved and the city leaders should do what is required no matter how much screaming and yelling will come from the public, the public doesn’t trust you anyway so just get it done. Just remember NO ONE wants their status quo changed.

The Civil War – 150 Years Later.


The past 2 Presidential elections have brought out the best and worst in Americans. All of vituperative and laudatory comments have been couched in some cases by the underlying racism that some Americans harbor. The civil war was more about economics (slaves as chattel) than freedom but the widespread bias and hatred against non white (including Native Americans, Chinese and Hispanics to name a few) served to fuel a divisive war with a terrible loss of life and economic instability for half of the United States. This loss affected the entire country for many years after but the underlying prejudices were still festering in some areas including the North. To become what many consider the greatest country in the free world, residents must put aside the issue of race and move to strike a better understanding and cooperative tone. The first step in this is understanding that we all suffer under the same impotent legislative leaders. Do not think for a minute that the people you have elected have only your concerns in mind. The evil tone  in the last 2 major elections has been viral in the media with no substance as to what the cures for the economy would be. Now that the same man is in the Oval office, the tone has changed because it cannot be business as usual. This modern day “Civil War” has the same effects as the past one without the massive loss of life but the same disastrous economic effect. When the majority of Americans (all of Us) allows themselves to think beyond our personal biases we will begin to see  that we need to elect some new people to the Congress who will do what is required but first change the pay rates, benefits and pensions of the current Congress.  What if we had a Congress that reflected the American public instead of the one that seemingly reflects the troop of apes that shares the Name?

Does Willard Romney Really Care?


The recent weather disaster should give pause to folks who are considering voting for Mr. Romney. Under the guise of  suspending the politricking, he asked for food donations at his rally, this is to be distributed in the communities affected by the adverse weather. The real President suspended his election activities to do what Presidents do, guide and watch over the weather related problems. Any person who is on the fence should see that we already have a President who is doing the work  that is required up to and including the so called “OBamacare”. The health plan is named “The Affordable Health Care Act” and has afforded healthcare for millions of folks already. If Mr. Romney prevails all of that will be lost and the country’s health care will be in shambles. There are now people who are judging the actions of the President in this problem as politics but what should he have done? Remember Katrina?, its aftermath is still in evidence in the areas affected. I consider myself an independent voter but I spend a lot of time reading several papers and poring over  many websites to glean middle line information and facts yet I sometimes miss items. Consider what information the people who do not search for truth are getting and acting on. These are the folks that lean toward or are behind Mr. Romney. It does not matter to me who people vote for as long as they have done their due diligence in determining the facts.

Independent Business Done In BY The Chain Store


The upcoming new super  market scheduled for the MacArthur business area will have a convenience store and a gas station. At the corner of that site (which once was a Kmart) was a Shell gas station which had been in place for years. As I understand it the owner approached the grocery chain but never received any response. Of course this just an opinion on my part but if an established business exists and could be included in the new building plan, why not do it? The new company will still have a gas station and a convenience store however the 40 years of service and goodwill built up by the Town and Country Shell station (a full service facility) goes the way of the Dinosaur

October-Reason To Get Out Of Bed In The Morning


  Don’t want to wait for Halloween to celebrate a holiday? Don’t worry—this month has more to offer. Here are a few highlights to mark on your calendar: National Taco Day (October 4), Canadian Thanksgiving (October 8), National Dictionary Day (October 12), National No Beard Day (October 18), National Evaluate Your Life Day (October 19), and National Bologna Day (October 24).

Violent Religions?


An opinion in the local paper states that Islam is a violent religion. The writer opines that even if there are a few peaceful individuals within  the religion , it is still a violent religion. Going back millenia and less there were the crusades which was orchestrated by a Catholic Pope along with protestants and some nondenominational groups against the muslims (not all of them Islamists). War is violent and if a religion is involved, then it is violence. A religion cannot be violent as it is a belief, not an entity. The violence is issued from the individuals and their religious guides. There was a Catholic priest (Father Charles Coughlin) who was very antisemitic yet the entire Catholic Church was not. The idea that a religion in its self is violent is at best based on ignorance. Every religion has a basis in the same beliefs  no matter what the “Supreme” being is labeled.  To state that a religion is violent is the same as saying guns kill people. I would suggest that the writer read up on religions to understand that all of them have essentially the same basis and are divided only by  different methods of worship. The bottom line is no religion is violent only some of the followers who would have been violent if there were no religions.

The Uninformed


The Dupublican candidate for President has added to his already dubious ability to lead,  the factor of being uninformed. His recent blurb concerning the President’s meeting or not meeting the current Israeli leader upon his arrival in the U.S.  serves no purpose other than political theater. The Prime ministers purpose is to speak at the UN, his speech no doubt is regarding Iran and its nuclear aspirations. If the candidate thought a little more before he spoke, he would realize that the U.N. is where the prime minister needs to  go to first. The President has limited ability to assist without the U.N. and Congress on his side. The public information on what the President has done with and for Israel is available. The Candidate is particularly targeting the Jewish vote and if he won would not be able do any more than is being done right now. Given the current uprisings against all other embassies would it not be wiser for this candidate to take a more prudent approach to his campaign speeches?

Planned Uprising?


The recent uprisings in the middle East over a film distributed by an American(?)  has effectively played into the hands of  the extremists of those areas. The film which shows the prophet Mohamed in a bad way. This film released in Arabic at a time of mourning and observance for 911 and when  dissidents of several countries are waging war against their governments. The initial thought is the film was aired to create just such a response but what if it was released for political purposes here and abroad?  Could it be local or middle eastern in origin? The result of the films release has supplied  the radical dissidents with the fuel they need to  riot and destroy any diplomatic progress made to date. Their sole  purpose is only  to have extreme Islam in place , ignoring the rights and needs of the population. It appears that this film has assisted these extremists in the pursuit of their way or the highway attitude. Each country that has had an upheaval and removal of a dictatorial leader has condemned the actions in Libya and other areas. These reactionaries mirror the sects we have in America who often disguised as ethno religious in nature are not much different from the thugs who have attacked the U.S. and other foreign embassies. As the background on this film develops the person behind it is still hidden behind aliases and other covers much like any other subversive.  The rumors as to the identity of this person is still being investigated and we may find that this is yet another member or leader of a radical element.

BIG LIES


Using the Jewish people as the scapegoat, Hitler and his cronies orchestrated what they called “the big lie.” This theory states that no matter how big the lie is (or more precisely, because it’s so big), people will believe it if you repeat it enough. Everyone tells small lies, Hitler reasoned, but few have the guts to tell colossal lies. It appears that He was correct in that assessment of people, especially when their situations are dire. We have been spoon fed more big lies than Adolph could have imagined but it concerns a more diverse population than the one that existed  over 60 plus years ago. Once a lie is told it quickly become a pseudo truth as it grows in size and seems more believable due to the trauma of the  existing conditions (in our case, the economy). Our so called leaders have seen this bust coming for the past 10 or more years yet have done nothing in the hope that it will all work out. At the same time they have been busily pointing fingers at one another while accomplishing no more than a rush of hot air infused with half truths , no truths and untruths. We must remember that during this time the Legislators have drawn their same pay with increases along with the nice retirement and healthcare package. If the legend of Pinocchio were true there would be no room to stand in the Legislatures across the country.

Depart The Party’s


The past several election seasons of all types have given rise to the thought of “why do we need party’s to follow”?  As voters we have been handed choices of the two major party’s along with the many subsets and their assorted pieces. Initially the party’s represented more of the population than it does currently. The new subsets and derivative pieces appear to have more influence than we realize as they have organized to the point of having enough money to buy attention grabbing airtime and written coverage. These organizations have the tacit  “OK” of the major parties so they really act as the “guerilla fighters” of the parties. Many of these Guerilla fighters are funded by the same monies that flow into the major party’s coffers. We as voters are beset on all side by the Primary parties whether we realize it or not, the guerillas appeal to our underdog side and their real purpose escapes us as we cheer for them until they turn around and bite us. Every group, party and subset has an agenda that does not necessarily benefit all or any of us. Who are the beneficiaries of these activities? To be sure it is not the majority of the American voters even though we put them in play through our votes and indulgence. My solution is to depart the party’s and vote the issues not the candidate but first research the issues for our selves.