Archive for February, 2008
The Tossing of Nader’s Hat - Things Relevant & Irrelevant in Chicago
Ralph Nader Sunday left the wintry hole that I think he shares with Puxatawny Phil somewhere in the Pennsylvanian hinterland. Upon emerging he saw his shadow and evidently that proved to be the deciding factor as he declared his intention to throw his hat into the presidential ring. All 157 of his supporters across the [...]
Chicago-Style Good Fortune (Cookie)
A beautiful Saturday visited Chicago today, providing Chicagoans from Lincoln Park to Edgewater with a pleasant dose of sunshine to offset too many days of gray and cold. And while the thermometer didn’t hit the season norm here the fact that we were able to cast shadows was a wonderful diversion to our ongoing battle [...]
Debate # 19 - Looking for Hope on the tv in Chicago
My mind is made up. It has been for quite a while. But nonetheless I tuned into CNN tonight to watch the Democratic hopefuls square off as a prelude to the very important primaries next week in Texas and Ohio.
At the end of the night I don’t know that either of the candidates won. But by [...]
Single Digits - A Chicago Salute
Two-thirds of the way through February and here in Chicago we seem no closer to the end of the season.
Just two weeks ago the furry critter made famous in Bill Murray’s movie “Groundhog Day” popped out his hole, saw his shadow, and thereby inflicted upon us an additional six weeks of winter.
Oh Punxsutawney Phil , [...]
A New Way of Looking at Things (with New Pair of Glasses, that is)
I can’t remember the first time I walked in the little optical shop on Broadway near Belmont.
I had popped into the eye glass place across the street but they didn’t have what I wanted. But with unrequested kindness and unexpected candor the clerk nodded to the shop across the way and said I might find [...]
Home is Where the Heart is - Valentine’s Day 2008
Another Valentine’s Day has come and gone. And if the National Retail Federation had it right some $17 BILLION sluiced into the economy on items like cards, chocolates, candies and other sundries.
And to think, the namesake of this holiday died a martyr’s death at the hands of Claudius more than 1700 years ago for refusing [...]
Places to Insert One Thin Dime
There are any number of places where you might insert one thin dime. But one place I hadn’t considered is a gap in a hardwood floor.
Earlier today I met at one of my under contract new construction listings to meet with the buyer’s agent and my seller’s flooring guy before he started stripping and staining [...]
Stamp of approval - “Forever Stamp” Provides First Class Postage
When does 42 cents cost a penny less?
When you use a “Forever Stamp” you buy today to mail letters after May 12th.
The cost of sending a first class letter will climb by one cent this May to 42 cents. But the way to skirt this increase (and any others down the road) is to buy [...]
Baby it’s Cold Outside - Ready for the Chicago Winter to End
Cold? Yep.
It’s that time in the Chicago winter when the allure of snow has faded and been replaced by a simmering discontentedness.
As the mercury vacillated in the past several days above and below freezing, finally settling on the negative side of the freezing level, what we have here in Chicago is a mass of rigid [...]
Will the Federal Tax Rebate Have an Impact?
I read the news today, oh boy…
And with the dulcet tones of the boys from Liverpool serving as a backdrop, I’d like to draw your attention to the plan to stimulate the economy adopted yesterday by Congress and to be signed by President George Bush next week.
Evidently 137 million Americans, give or take a few [...]
