In case there was ever any doubt ...

Former Gov. George Ryan definitively declares that God exists.

"And God damn, God is good to me!"

White House Fantasy

News Item: The gangsta rapper Ludacris was in town to promote AIDS awareness with local college students and U.S. Sen. Barack Obama.

Then, the two entertainment heavyweights joined forces to remix a Ludacris hit song.

"What's Your Fantasy" ("White House Fantasy" remix)
(feat. Obama)

[Ludacris]
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Give it to me now, give it to me now
Give it to me now, give it to me now

[Obama]
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Vote for me now, Vote for me now
Vote for me now.

[Chorus: Ludacris, then Obama *2X*]
I wanna, tr-tr-tr-trick you like a political pro
And I wanna, move from the Senate down to the down to the House flo'
Then I wanna, ahh ahh - you make D.C. so good I don't wanna leave
And I gotta, n-n-n-new White-White House fan-ta-ta-sy

[Obama]
I wanna get you in the Capitol Dome in between political lines
While the GOP kick for recovery
And if you like in the chambers we can do it
In the East Wing or in the back like a V.I.P.
Whipped cream with cherries and strawberries on top
Just vote don't stop, keep the door locked don't knock while the boat rock
We political robots so they gotta wait til the show stop
Or how 'bout on the Bench with this black man
Whatever you do don't call me a Republican
Insider job I'll give you a song and dance
The Rock to the Park to the Point to the Flatlands
That man Obama (woo) in a liberal costume
Take you back to the classroom
However you want it voter voter gonna pass some laws soon
See I cast 'em and I past 'em get a tight grip and I grasp 'em
I flash 'em and out last 'em
And if ain't good then I trash 'em while you stash 'em
I'll let 'em free
And I tell you my White House fantasy
Like up on the roof roof tell my constituents not to be mad at me

[Chorus]

Oh my God! Another new blog!

I'm trying to burn out in less than a week.

Read it while it's hot: Chicago Teacher Man, an attempt at inspiration, ala Frank McCourt. ForbiddenChicago is done, by the way, but may reappear from time to time on this page.

Blogger Reversals

On Sunday, the Chicago Tribune ran a series of "critical reversals," where some arts and entertainment hacks changed their minds about something they either panned or proclaimed the second coming of the Beatles. Or they simply admitted they were wrong.

Good idea. Hindsight is indeed 20/20, and so, starting today, I'd like to present a few opinions I'd like to clarify.

1. When Todd "the Stooge" Stroger was crowned his father's successor, I remember thinking, "Who gives a shit about the Cook County Board President anyway?" Just a couple of weeks after Stoger's election over Tony Peraica, every time I see that incompetent asshole renege on a campaign promise or say something stupid, I really really wish I hadn't turned on the news. I blame myself. No more local TV news for me.

Real estate boom whitens the city

As every 90-year-old three flat in Chicago is converting into a condo, the people paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for squeaky floors, cranky neighbors, and no parking are, for the most part, white. The international research organization FACT (fabrications andy created today) has released its newest gentrification map. The darker the color, the whiter the new residents.

Click to enlarge.

The next election

The public is invited to help choose the City of Chicago's 2007-08 vehicle sticker. Voters can decide which student-designed work should appear on 1.3 million vehicle windshields in the city.

The Daley Show Political Machine is joining forces with Todd Stroger in strongly endorsing this entry:

Designed by young Andy Planet

I'm bored

and too big of a wuss to cycle in the cold or rain ...
and so I will blog again
and see how long it lasts this time