In the interest of preserving my blood pressure, I decided to skip watching the Chicago Fire play DC United. Results here.
I hadn't heard the Grant Park Orchestra & Chorus play in a zillion years. Since our church choir director is one of the basses, I thought I'd see what the fuss was about.
I don't know Mendelssohn from Mussorgsky, but I thought I'd give Elijah a try.
(Actually I do know Mussorgsky. I listened to Pictures at an Exhibition, and NO I don't mean the Emerson, Lake and Palmer version!)
Memo to me: go find a CD of Elijah. This was a great concert.
There were some interesting ironies during the night. I got caught in a rain squall. The rain let up before the performance. The irony? Elijah starts with Israel stricken with a drought.
Near the end of part one the Elijah, whom you may have discerned is an Old Testament figure,
beeches God to bring rain.
I found myself looking up at the sky and thinking,
"Don't get any ideas, Big Guy. This is just a performance."
The night was cool and dry.
Oh yes, and another thing: Elijah starts out with a drought, but all is well in the end. We here how he ascends to heaven on a flaming chariot.
As for the Chicago Fire, they are in a victory drought. The heavens are brass and the earth is iron. Rain?
"He that shall endure to the end shall be saved." Matthew 10:22
But tonight, I chose music, sweetly performed.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Friday, June 15, 2007
More on MAPLight
The Nation posted an article on MAPLight.org.
The site is a good starting point for tracking Federal Legislation, and the interest groups that support and oppose bills as they pass through Congress. Watch MAPLight's introduction video here.
The site is a good starting point for tracking Federal Legislation, and the interest groups that support and oppose bills as they pass through Congress. Watch MAPLight's introduction video here.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
We Need Something Like This For the Illinois Legislature
One of my colleagues heard about Maplight when she went to the Special Libraries Association Convention in Denver.
Maplight not only tracks federal legislation, but the interest groups lined up for and against them. A user can search by Bills in Congress or the California Legislature. Other choices allow you to search Congresspersons, and get a basic idea of who has contributed to them.
Here are two
Click on the Top Organizations tab for Jan Schakowsky, and you’ll see
| Organization of contributor | Contributions |
| RETIRED | $43,300 |
| SELF-EMPLOYED | $30,700 |
| ATTORNEY | $26,925 |
| AMERICAN FEDN OF ST/CNTY/MUNIC EMPLOYEES | $10,200 |
| TEAMSTERS | $10,000 |
| MACHINISTS/AEROSPACE WORKERS | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS | $10,000 |
| UNITED AUTO WORKERS | $10,000 |
| COLUMBIA COLLEGE/CHICAGO | $9,200 |
| SIDLEY | $8,200 |
Columbia College? Somebody please explain.
For Mark Kirk, the results would be:
| Organization of contributor | Contributions |
| RETIRED | $404,054 |
| LAKEWOOD HOMES | $39,600 |
| ATTORNEY | $33,250 |
| PHYSICIAN | $24,000 |
| MEDLINE INDUSTRIES | $23,050 |
| INVESTOR | $21,200 |
| WINSTON & STRAWN | $20,850 |
| QUICKSET INTERNATIONAL | $20,050 |
| BUSINESSMAN | $19,400 |
| EXELON CORP | $18,100 |
A user can search by Interest groups. However, the categorization isn’t organization-specific. I tried searching for Service Employees International Union. The closest category I could find was:
“Commercial Service
This category will list the top recipients of contributions.
I’d say this is a good place to START your research, and then move on to other sites such as Open Secrets or the Federal Election Commission.
Note: I haven’t forgotten the Illinois State Board of Elections disclosure site . However, when I went to check for statements from Kirk & Schakowsky, I didn’t find any.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
SICK TRANSIT....one big piss in a wet suit?
Finally, after various mass transit delays. I got to room 302 of UIC's student center, where Monday's CTA Public hearing was being held.I don't know if Ron Huberman or any of the other officials made opening statements. If so I was too late to hear that.I did arrive in time for the Ron Huberman Roast, a/k/a the Public comment period.People were allowed to step up to the microphone, and in a two minute(?) period, allowed to voice their concerns.The list of questions & comments included:
1. How did the CTA arrive at it's cuts, and will the phase in of cuts be gradual?
2. A National Federation of the blind spokesperson who reminded us of the many blind people on fixed incomes who would be hurt by fare raises.
3. CTA board salaries: why so high?
4. Lost revenue due to broken fare boxes. Get a clue, huh?
5. 30 day pass increase to $122.00 could force people to ride METRA.
---CAVEAT: This assumes that METRA doesn't cry poor and raise fares.
---Well, duh! CAVEAT not everyone who uses bus routes, such as the #1 bus lives near a Metra line. That routes, the Indiana/Hyde Park is targeted for a cut. See the rest here.
6.Why pay more for an unsafe ride? One 20 year old female college student tearfully talked about being harassed on CTA trains, and not getting any help from security. She was ready to take METRA.
7.One person who spoke before me didn't have enough time to get to her point. She used most of her time telling the board how many "Chapter 1" -elementary & high school students parents she represented. Which makes me wonder if those Chapter 1 parents could organize a...
8.Boycott??? Someone in the back kept yelling that.
But can you imagine the logistics of organizing van and carpools to get people to their destinations?
And yet....oh what the heck....suppose a half of the CTA's ridership boycotted, and had car & van pools for a month.Make it two months for a symbolic walkout. Nah, it would have to be three, plus informational picketing.You think CTA would clean up its financial act then?Shades of Montgomery, back in the 50's.
"Do you think they're going to listen to us?" someone asked me afterwords, as we waited
(and waited) at the UIC Halsted blue line. I facetiously suggested that we should steal the board member's cars and force all of them to take public transit.I don't know. I think we attendees were allowed to blow off steam. This was our piss in a wetsuit. It made us feel good to get our frustrations with the CTA out of us.But like a piss in a wet suit, it gave us a warm feeling, but will anyone at CTA notice?
1. How did the CTA arrive at it's cuts, and will the phase in of cuts be gradual?
2. A National Federation of the blind spokesperson who reminded us of the many blind people on fixed incomes who would be hurt by fare raises.
3. CTA board salaries: why so high?
4. Lost revenue due to broken fare boxes. Get a clue, huh?
5. 30 day pass increase to $122.00 could force people to ride METRA.
---CAVEAT: This assumes that METRA doesn't cry poor and raise fares.
---Well, duh! CAVEAT not everyone who uses bus routes, such as the #1 bus lives near a Metra line. That routes, the Indiana/Hyde Park is targeted for a cut. See the rest here.
6.Why pay more for an unsafe ride? One 20 year old female college student tearfully talked about being harassed on CTA trains, and not getting any help from security. She was ready to take METRA.
7.One person who spoke before me didn't have enough time to get to her point. She used most of her time telling the board how many "Chapter 1" -elementary & high school students parents she represented. Which makes me wonder if those Chapter 1 parents could organize a...
8.Boycott??? Someone in the back kept yelling that.
But can you imagine the logistics of organizing van and carpools to get people to their destinations?
And yet....oh what the heck....suppose a half of the CTA's ridership boycotted, and had car & van pools for a month.Make it two months for a symbolic walkout. Nah, it would have to be three, plus informational picketing.You think CTA would clean up its financial act then?Shades of Montgomery, back in the 50's.
"Do you think they're going to listen to us?" someone asked me afterwords, as we waited
(and waited) at the UIC Halsted blue line. I facetiously suggested that we should steal the board member's cars and force all of them to take public transit.I don't know. I think we attendees were allowed to blow off steam. This was our piss in a wetsuit. It made us feel good to get our frustrations with the CTA out of us.But like a piss in a wet suit, it gave us a warm feeling, but will anyone at CTA notice?
Monday, June 11, 2007
Sick Transit, Part 3. CTA, are your trying to lose me to METRA?
I ask this assumption based on two possibilities.
1.The CTA raises its monthly pass to $122.00
2. METRA doesn't raise it's mothly passes.
Heck,it be easy for me to tell my employer to stop paying for the monthly CTA card and switch it to METRA.
Looking at the list of routes to be cut, it appears that CTA is conceding passengers to METRA.
I see they are cutting Evanston routes such as the 201, and the 206.
Not everyone can afford that switch.
How many Evanston Hosptial workers can afford a ten ride Metra ticket to Central street?
How may domestics who ride the Pace 213, after connecting through the purple line can afford a ten-ride Metra ticket to Winnetka from downtown Chicago?
We are many, we reverse commuters. Suburbs, you need us. You need CTA service as much as we city folk do.
More after I've had a night's sleep.
1.The CTA raises its monthly pass to $122.00
2. METRA doesn't raise it's mothly passes.
Heck,it be easy for me to tell my employer to stop paying for the monthly CTA card and switch it to METRA.
Looking at the list of routes to be cut, it appears that CTA is conceding passengers to METRA.
I see they are cutting Evanston routes such as the 201, and the 206.
Not everyone can afford that switch.
How many Evanston Hosptial workers can afford a ten ride Metra ticket to Central street?
How may domestics who ride the Pace 213, after connecting through the purple line can afford a ten-ride Metra ticket to Winnetka from downtown Chicago?
We are many, we reverse commuters. Suburbs, you need us. You need CTA service as much as we city folk do.
More after I've had a night's sleep.
SICK TRANSIT Part 2 STOP, LOOK and LISTEN, DAMNIT!
I was going to write something about the CTA hearingat UIC Monday night. I'll get to it. I was delayed traveling there because my long commute from the work in the Northwest Suburbs was made even longer because 1) The Milwaukee North Line train was delayed due to freight traffic. 2.) We were delayed because of this accident.
If you're driving in the 'burbs or you're just crossing the tracks, don't forget the fundamentals.
See title of this post.
Let me add two other things.
1) Get off the cell phone and pay attention to your surroundings.
2) Remember, METRA will occasionally run its local trains as expresses. That was the case today. Be aware that a massive hunk of metal on wheels may come whooshing your way faster than you think. Adjust accordingly.
Thus endth my lesson.
Thus endeth a life.
If you're driving in the 'burbs or you're just crossing the tracks, don't forget the fundamentals.
See title of this post.
Let me add two other things.
1) Get off the cell phone and pay attention to your surroundings.
2) Remember, METRA will occasionally run its local trains as expresses. That was the case today. Be aware that a massive hunk of metal on wheels may come whooshing your way faster than you think. Adjust accordingly.
Thus endth my lesson.
Thus endeth a life.
SICK TRANSIT..inglorius hearings?
The PACE 626 bus I take to work had to pull over and restart a couple of times. Its dodgy condition, I am tempted to say, is a metaphor for mass transit in Northeastern Illinois. All of us who ride Metra, PACE, and the CTA will be affected by cutbacks to service.This morning, I heard State Sen. Julie Hamnos complaining about her suburban colleagues taking potshots at the CTA.
Read up, my suburban dear ones: We city folk work in your 'burbs, you need US and you need the mass transit that gets us to your office parks, your shopping malls, your factories, and your hospitals.If you don't believe me, then spend a day riding the yellow line, or PACE bus routes such as the 290, the 626 or the 386.You might be interested to know how far some city folks have to travel to get their jobs. I know people traveling from the South Side to get to Northbrook, for example. They need the L service to get up to the Skokie terminal on time for their bus.Ok.
Enough ranting. I'm going to a CTA public hearing tonight.More later.
Read up, my suburban dear ones: We city folk work in your 'burbs, you need US and you need the mass transit that gets us to your office parks, your shopping malls, your factories, and your hospitals.If you don't believe me, then spend a day riding the yellow line, or PACE bus routes such as the 290, the 626 or the 386.You might be interested to know how far some city folks have to travel to get their jobs. I know people traveling from the South Side to get to Northbrook, for example. They need the L service to get up to the Skokie terminal on time for their bus.Ok.
Enough ranting. I'm going to a CTA public hearing tonight.More later.
Sweeping Away Cobwebs....
....from this blog..and [COUGH] the dust.
The Chicago Fire's coach Dave Sarachan has a lineup depleted by injuries and national team callups. A couple of the fill-ins, Bakaray Soumarie, and Willian Oliveira have done well. Nevertheless the Fire is a team made of of folks not used to playing with each other.It showed Saturday night. Chivas's pass distribution was much better. Nevertheless, the Fire's defense had a good game until...until...oh go to the MLS Website and click on the highlights.of the Chicago-Chivas match.It's a cruel game. One slip up by Dasan Robinson and Chivas gets a goal. Read more here, if you must.
............
Hmmm...next Saturday....go to the Globe and watch DC United vs the Chicago Fire? Or go hear the Grant Park Chorus sing.
That used to be an easy choice. Watching soccer shouldered everything out of the way. On the other hand: how much disappointment can I bear? I have a sideline pass to FIRE games, and thus really can't express my emotions about the team's performance...although I have been muttering obscenities. Nevertheless, it's hard to shoot photos and yell WTF!!! at the same time.Nah. When I realize that the only choirs I've heard recently have been my church choir, and the mass that makes up Section 8, then I think it's time for some cultural enrichment. Blake Adams, our choir director, sings in the chorus. It's time to hear what he and his fellow choristers can do.Hearing Mendelssohn will not make me grind my teeth, the way an overhit crossing pass does.
The Chicago Fire's coach Dave Sarachan has a lineup depleted by injuries and national team callups. A couple of the fill-ins, Bakaray Soumarie, and Willian Oliveira have done well. Nevertheless the Fire is a team made of of folks not used to playing with each other.It showed Saturday night. Chivas's pass distribution was much better. Nevertheless, the Fire's defense had a good game until...until...oh go to the MLS Website and click on the highlights.of the Chicago-Chivas match.It's a cruel game. One slip up by Dasan Robinson and Chivas gets a goal. Read more here, if you must.
............
Hmmm...next Saturday....go to the Globe and watch DC United vs the Chicago Fire? Or go hear the Grant Park Chorus sing.
That used to be an easy choice. Watching soccer shouldered everything out of the way. On the other hand: how much disappointment can I bear? I have a sideline pass to FIRE games, and thus really can't express my emotions about the team's performance...although I have been muttering obscenities. Nevertheless, it's hard to shoot photos and yell WTF!!! at the same time.Nah. When I realize that the only choirs I've heard recently have been my church choir, and the mass that makes up Section 8, then I think it's time for some cultural enrichment. Blake Adams, our choir director, sings in the chorus. It's time to hear what he and his fellow choristers can do.Hearing Mendelssohn will not make me grind my teeth, the way an overhit crossing pass does.
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