Interesting: Bookeaters and The Long Winters

We went to a fundraiser concert for 826CHI on Thursday at Park West. Saw some amazing things:

1. Ira Glass of This American Life worked his magic, producing a brilliant audio piece right in front of our eyes and ears. Ira had an iPod in a big white DJ dock which he somehow used to mix interview clips, music, and his own voice. Sublime.

2. John Roderick of The Long Winters played a great acoustic set just 30 seconds after jumping out of a cab from O'Hare. The website has five free MP3 tracks; I highly recommend them all.

3. Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie played a nice mellow set on guitar and piano. He even played Cindy's favorite song from their new album.

Helpful: Framing the health insurance debate

Here's a tip: Lose the phrase "cover the uninsured."

Helpful and Scary: Katrina flood graphic

From nola.com

Interesting: One cartoon says it all

Helpful: Win by not fighting?

This post by Kevin Drum today is exactly what I have been thinking about lately. Does massive military retaliation actually achieve the goals we want it to?

Panic! on the Disco Ball

Panic! on the Disco Ball
Originally uploaded by kuzmatt9.

Indigo Steve at Lollapalooza.

Offensive does not equal offense

Just to clarify: delusional, unobjective support for the Iraq War is not the same thing as being "tough on the war on terror." Hear that, Joe Lieberman?

Helpful: Google Send to Phone for Firefox

No surprise that I love this new Firefox extension. It has:
1. Google
2. Firefox
3. Cell phone texting
4. Usefulness

What more could I want?

Interesting: Secret Radio Project!

My hometown NPR station, Chicago Public Radio, has a secret. Me likey.

IL-10: Is Mark Kirk a Republican?

Look at his website, and you tell me. Wonder what he's ashamed of.

I+H: Happ arrives

After years of anticipation, I can finally read Mike Happ's political writing at my leisure, thanks to his new blog. And you can too.

Interesting: The costs of war

$2 Trillion?

Helpful: Weather Underground

When I look for weather online I want two things: 1) a current radar map, and 2) a 5-day forecast. I've found a site that gives me that without having to click through a million links. Weather Underground does it. And for $10/year, it's ad-free. Animated Doppler!

Interesting: Latest from Fair Illinois

Just got this word from my friends at Fair Illinois, the campaign I helped run this summer. Good progress!

Interesting: Being Evangelical but not Republican

A fascinating story in the NY Times. I'm helping out a friend who is working on this exact issue. Be on the lookout...

Interesting: Bush is clueless

Where to begin?

Helpful: Back to the gym

After this long of a layoff, it's good to have a plan...

Helpful: Plastic Bag Empanadas

Justin from Too Many Chefs has a great trick for making the puffed pastries perfectly.

Interesting: Salmon Teriyaki at Mt. Fuji

Salmon Teriyaki at Mt. Fuji
Originally uploaded by kuzmatt9.

Since everybody's doing the Food Porn thing these days, I thought I would share this pic from our NC trip. Yummy!

Helpful! Google Notebook

Do you understand how helpful this is????

Google Notebook.

13. Can I access my notebooks from multiple computers?

Yes. That's one of the best parts about Google Notebook. You can access your notebooks from any computer at any time. Simply log in to your Google Notebook account from www.google.com/notebook. This will give you access to the full-page view of your notebooks. And if the notebook extension/add-on is installed on the computer you're using, you can use the features of the mini Google Notebook, too.

[Tear.]

Interesting: Dan Seals

I've been volunteering out in Wilmette for Dan Seals, the Democratic candidate for Congress in the tenth district. Throw a few bucks Dan's way. He would be a great representative.

Helpful: Courage!

A friend recently told me that she was afraid to take a next step in her career.  Then the next day I saw this quote from Ambrose Redmoon in a book I was reading:

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.

Go for it!

Interesting: The Coronation

I was at the Cook County Democratic Committee meeting today where Todd Stroger, son of County Board President John Stroger, was elected to succeed his father on the November ballot after President Stroger's stroke and withdrawl from office this spring.

There were about 80 voting members of the committee--50 ward committeemen from Chicago and 30 from the suburbs. There were also plenty of media and probably 60-80 public spectators.

The Players:
House Speaker Michael Madigan presided over the meeting. Two candidates were named: Stroger and U.S. Rep Danny Davis. (IL-7) Each candidate was given a few minutes to speak, then committeemen were invited to speak on their behalf.

Davis went first. Man was this guy good.  Ph.D. in Health Administration, 26 years in elected office, served on the County Board for 6 years, great speaker. On the nepotism of nominating Todd Stroger, Davis said, "We all have lineage, heritage, and ambition. But family ties  and pedigree should not trump experience."

Davis also alluded to some of the Cook Democratic Party shenanigans of the past, saying, " I don't want my children growing up, feeling that they have to move to another part of town in order to work in city government."

Finally, he hinted that he knew he would lose the battle, but warned the party that their actions were being watched. "I have a strong feeling that your decision today may not be with the people. You should listen to the beating of the not-too-distant drums. There are indeed rumblings."

The crowd in the gallery was nearly 100% for Davis -- he received great applause during and after his speech.

Alderman Stroger then spoke. Stroger seemed to say all of the right things, laying out all of his experience bit by bit. He took care to list every committee and task force he took place in while in the Illinois House, which seemed a little like resume padding, but not too objectionable. Stroger was not nearly as impressive a physical presence as Davis, but he didn't screw anything up. He left that to his supporters!

Davis' supporters spoke very well. Stroger's supporters made some dubious arguments. Especially bad was that of Ald. Burt Natarus, who said that when he talks to constituents about what's wrong with government, they say the Post Office, and since Danny Davis is on the subcommittee for the Postal Service, "Actions speak louder than words. He didn't deliver." Natarus then went on to say that "afro-Americans" have good jobs at the Post Office, and that "they can go ahead and have it - they're good jobs."

One suburban speaker made an interesting point: "Who better to carry on the Stroger legacy than Todd Stroger?" Kind of speaks for itself. Other speakers did their best to avoid giving any compelling reason to vote for Stroger, instead seeming more obsessed that electing Stroger was not part of some sort of "back-room deal," in a "smoke-filled room."

The final speaker on Stroger's behalf said it best, however.
"Todd Stroger has what it takes. He has the experience. As for acadmically, I don't even want to talk about that. We have elected a Board President before who only got it because he had the money!" What a compelling argument! LOL.

The final vote was 50-10.
Here are the committee members who voted for Davis:

Chicago Wards
7, 15, 16, 22, 24, 26, 28, 29, 33, 35, 37, and 48.
Peg Roth of 43 voted "present"

Suburbs: Evanston, New Trier, Northfield, Oak Park, Palatine, Proviso, and Wheeling voted for Davis. Riverside voted "present"

All others voted for Stroger. Find your committeeman at http://www.cookcountydems.com/

Helpful: Billy Returns!

Striding Lion will be running Billy the Mountain again for three shows only before heading out for the New York Fringe Festival. Come see the show!

Interesting: World Cup photo

Zidane
Originally uploaded by Kaptain Kobold.

The crucial moment from yesterday's World Cup final, captured in Lego form.