Chicago Tribune news : Print Edition - Sunday Perspective

Chicago Tribune news : Print Edition - Sunday Perspective

This is one issue that has been around for a couple of decades now. It not only involves the concerns of parents who are worried about the mercury in vaccines, but also about the mercury in dental fillings. "It is only a trace amount," "There are no conclusive studies to prove it," are just a couple of the refrains that are often heard. Our special needs daughter began having seizures within six weeks of exposure to mercury through breastmilk. We have no way of knowing for sure whether this was the causative factor. No doctor would consider this as a cause. It is much easier to say that a condition is of unkown origin than to consider the possibility that a know toxin could lead to a life-altering condition, including brain damage and seizure disorder.

We know that the rate of autism has increased drastically in the past couple of decades and that as mandatory immunizations are forced on children there has continued to be a manifold increase in autism and autistic-like conditions. It is like swimming upstream, though, to find physicians who will even consider the possibility that mercury, even in trace amounts, can have deliterious effects on the developing brain. There is most likely something to it, at least to those children that may be more susceptible to mercury. Is there an adequate way to screen for those children? Not that is known to date. And there won't be as long as the major medical groups continue to promote the immunizations at all costs... even though the parents are the ones that have to live with it on a day to day basis.

Chicago Tribune news: Daughter's murder puts focus on toll of autism

The strains of parenting a special needs child go much deeper than most people realize. It is almost impossible to find qualified help in order to give the parents a break. It is often all-consuming of time, energy and patience. There is no way to condone what the mother did in Morton, Illinois. There are definitely mitigating factors, though, that explain the stresses that parents of special needs children are under and the overall lack of support and understanding that they deal with in trying to help their own children.

I think most people who are dealing with children with autism or autistic-type conditions have felt the stress, strain and despair of feeling as if there is little hope in coping with a child whose brain does not process social cues, does not reason, and has self-destructive or oppositional tendencies and behavior.

There is no need to jump on the advocate bandwagon and hitch a cause to the trauma of a little girl's death at the hands of her mother. There is a great need, however, for people to realize that there are thousands of mothers, fathers, siblings, and other family members who are struggling daily just to keep our own sanity.


By Meg McSherry Breslin
Tribune staff reporter

June 9, 2006

MORTON, Ill. -- For several weeks, Karen McCarron had been making teary phone calls, despairing over her 3-year-old autistic daughter's future.

Unable to get Katie to settle down for a nap on a Saturday afternoon, McCarron took her for a drive. Police say the respected Peoria-area physician and advocate for autistic children parked, put a plastic bag over the little girl's head and smothered her to death in about two minutes.

McCarron, 37, is alleged to have confessed to the crime a day later--Mother's Day--telling police she 'just wanted to end her pain and Katie's pain.' On Thursday afternoon in a Pekin courtroom, McCarron bowed her head and remained silent as her lawyer entered a plea of not guilty on first-degree murder charges.

In the last month, Katie's death has sparked a heated discussion among advocates for Illinois' disabled. Many argue that the tragedy demonstrates just how underserved the rapidly growing community of autistic families is.

'Whatever comes out of the McCarron case, it is already clear that many, many people in our community have seen something of themselves in it,' said Christopher Kennedy, legislative director for the Autism Society of Illinois and the parent of an autistic child. Concerned parents 'have communicated the feelings of despair and isolation so many of us have felt at different times in our lives with autism. ... We cannot ignore the bigger picture and the context within which this and other such acts occur.'

Yet others complain that some are exploiting Katie's death to further their agenda of expanding funding for autistic "

For the full story click on the following link:

Chicago Tribune news: Daughter's murder puts focus on toll of autism: "chicagotribune.com

Not a Day Goes By

I finally had the chance to see "United 93" last week. It was a very inspirational movie, which was done in such a way that it felt like I was watching a documentary. The real-life type depiction of the events of that day were not played for effect with the overbearing crescendo of music to let us know that a plot turn was about to take place or that the monster was lurking in the swamp. No it was played out as if the events were taking place, in real-time, right in front of our eyes. It was emotional to hear the final calls of the passengers or see the Todd Beamer character saying the Lord's Prayer with the telecommunications operator.

To know a little of the families that these people left behind made it even mor heart-wrenching when the pilots were slain or when the flight attendants were talking about their plans for the week ahead. It appeared at first just like most of the flights that I have been on that were headed to California. People sleeping, talking, working, or just lost in thought. And then within seconds there routine flight to San Francisco became a nightmare or epic proportions.

I don't know if you have seen the movie or if you even plan to. I do know that it was time well spent and that it made me proud of my fellow Americans, who took matters into their own hands, when there was no government to look to for help.

To read a follow-up, look for The Journal-Standard on Thursday, June 8, 2006 in the Pulse section.

Two Week Update

It used to be that on Saturday Night Live the Weekend Update was just one of the best parts of the show. The past several years it has been the lone consistent bright spot. I feel like I am only getting to the sight about every two weeks for an update. Any readers out there may think that that is more than enough. Others may think that it too often. And a few of you may actually like to read more frequent updates.

The news recently caught my attention. Of course, I'm talking about the big news! The Runaway Bride, Jennifer Wilbanks, has called off her engagement to... what'shisname. I know, that's not as big of a deal as say Iran's nuke capabilities, or a new government in Iraq or even making English the national language, but hey! who could have seen it coming?!

Well, here is the text of the column that first appeared on May 5, 2005. I hope it brings some laughs and enjoyment.

The Runaway Bride from The Journal-Standard

A woman seldom asks advice before she has bought her wedding clothes.
~~Joseph Addison, 1771

For the Love of Community sent forth our esteemed colleague and seeker of truth, Al Bebach, to obtain the first interview with "The Runaway Bride" ...no not Julia Roberts, but real-life runaway, Jennifer Wilbanks. As most of you have most likely read by now, Jennifer left the week of her wedding and called a few days later from New Mexico claiming she had been kidnapped. The following is a partial transcript of her first interview.

Al Bebach (A.B.): Jennifer, you were expecting 600 guests and had 14 bridesmaids. Are you sure you weren’t heading toward Roswell, New Mexico?

Jennifer Wilbanks: Excuse me. Where is Roswell?

A.B.: It’s in New Mexico, you know, where we keep all of the UFO’s and alien stuff. Anyways, what did your fiancé say when you told him the truth?

Jennifer: First, he asked me if I was okay. Then he said, what the #*!! were you thinking or something like that.

A.B.: What happened next?

Jennifer: I just started crying and told him I wanted to come home. I didn’t tell him at first. I said that I was abducted by a couple in their forties, who were driving a blue van, when I went out for a jog. How could I tell him that I ran away? What else could I do?

A.B.: Who else did you talk to?

Jennifer: Well, I called 911 to tell them that I had been released by the kidnappers. Of course, then I had to tell the police the truth. I told them that I needed some time alone. The pressure of the wedding was just too much.

A.B.: Let me get this straight. You expected over 600 wedding guests and had 14 bridesmaids and groomsmen. You caused more than 100 police officers to search for you in addition to hundreds of friends and relatives. I know you are stressed, but what about all of those people?

Jennifer: I wasn’t thinking straight. I just wanted to run away and hide. Unfortunately, I ran out of money and couldn’t call my dad and say, "Could you forward me a little more money so I can keep running away from all of this?" I mean, he had just offered a $100,000 reward for information about my whereabouts. Everyone in Duluth was so concerned for me.

A.B.: I thought you were from Georgia?

Jennifer: That is in Georgia.

A.B.: I thought it was in Minnesota?

Jennifer: Where’s Minnesota?

A.B.: Never mind. You realize that there are a lot of people that are pretty upset with you. Ryan Kelly down at the Park Café said that it was one of the most selfish and self-centered acts he had ever seen.

Jennifer: Aw, he’s just upset ‘cause he had rented a tux and he hardly ever gets out of the café. Everyone’ll get over it.

A.B.: When did you think about running away? Did you plan it out and think up the whole story?

Jennifer: No. I just put on my jogging clothes and went out for a run and well, I just kept running. I took a bus to Las Vegas and then it took me down to Albuquerque. Like I said, then I ran out of money.

A.B.: How is your fiancé taking all of this?

Jennifer: His name is John Mason and he has been very strong about it. Sure, he’s a little, okay a lot embarrassed, as are my parents and my friends and the wedding party and most of the town of Duluth, but I’m sure he still loves me.

A.B.: I’m sure he does. I know a friend whose wife left him waiting at the altar for 30 minutes, but he knew her family and figured she was right on time based on their history. He's a podiatrist and may have a prescription you can take for those "cold feet." Anyways, I should ask what’s a few days away and a concocted story about kidnapping and a blue van among loved ones and an entire nation? So, have you heard of counseling? You know, the pre-marriage kind, as well as the stress reduction kind. We had anxiety awareness last week with free screenings. Something you might want to consider.

Jennifer: We don’t do that kind of thing down here in Duluth, Georgia. We just run and hide or hide our feelings. What is that pre-marriage counseling stuff you were mentioning?

A.B.: Just something that people do when they actually want to focus more on the marriage than the wedding. You know, the plan is supposed to be that a couple plans to stay married for their lifetime together, not just spend all of their energy on the wedding day. It is only the first day of someone’s marriage. Now that you're in hot water, which should help your "cold feet", and may face charges for your actions, has your father given you any advice about how to handle this?

Jennifer: Well, he did say that if I ever again consider gettin’ married he had one word of advice for me.

A.B.: What was that?

Jennifer: He told me that I should think about "eloping."

May your wedding day be the worst day of your marriage. Father Mike Miles, stated at our wedding in June, 1984, which meant that may each day be better than the previous one. So far, I think he’s been right.

If we can offer any advise to Mr. Mason...there are plenty more fish in the sea and not all of them are suckers.

Having Trouble Understanding Myself

There are days when I just don't understand myself. I am usually unabashedly conservative. I believe in social justice, but also that people do better with a hand up than a "handout." I support life in all forms, from conception to the final breath. I don't understand how people can be "pro-life" on the issue of abortion, but for the death penalty.

While I support the rights for hunting guns and collections, I don't understand how assault rifles, AK-47's, machine guns and other guns of mass destruction should be allowed. I find that the idea of "if they take away one liberty (gun) they'll take away all gun rights." I was an avid hunter many years ago and have no problem with hunting for sport. I took the requisite gun safety courses and enjoyed target shooting, skeet shooting, and hunting. I don't recall a time when a machine gun would have been necessary.

That leads me to my current confusion and dilemma. It seems that many of my favorite musicians tend to skew much farther left than I'll ever be. When I think about my favorite singer-songwriters, from Harry Chapin (God rest his soul), to Bruce Springsteen, Steve Earle, Jackson Browne, and Neil Young, I have to ask myself, am I being hypocritical? Do I just like the music, or am I a closet social liberal? Or is there something much deeper than just labeling myself?

I don't think that President Bush is a "bad person" like so many hard-core liberals believe. I conjecture that he did what he thought was necessary based on information available. I do think, however, that he has been grossly mislead by his higher-ranking advisors, notably his Secretary of Defense (Why didn't we send in adequate numbers of soldiers to get the job done quickly? How could we so grossly underestimate the insurgencies that ensued? What half-truths and outright lies are we being fed? among other questions) and Vice-President Dick Cheney (How many hands in the pot do you have? Are there still financial interests in Halliburton and why are they involved in everything that even smells of Iraq?)

So now, Mr. Young has his new song "Let's Impeach the President" that has come out on the heels of his "Prairie Wind" album that was life-affirming and soul-searching about how precious life is. Neil brazenly sang "Let's Roll" about United Flight 93 shortly after the tragedy of 9/11, but now he is calling the President on the carpet. Bruce sang his melancholy and deeply personal accounts of 9/11 and its aftermath on "The Rising" but now takes pot-shots at the President any time he is in front of an audience.

I don't know, perhaps as I become older, I am less jaded on some issues and more on others. Life has a way of changing our perspective and maybe I have a certain allegiance to the musicians that shaped some of my life's journey. I do know that the last Springsteen concert I saw in Madison, was my least favorite of his. Way too much politics without offering solutions. At least when I went to the U2 concert I knew where Bono stood and there were some potential solutions offered.

So gentlemen, sing your songs, raise up the chorus, and along the way offer more than just diatribe. I'll still listen to the music, but I don't have to agree with the lyrics or the banter that offers venom, but no antidote.

Beyond the Shadow of a Doubt

It is National Poetry Month, so here is my attempt at some Poetic Justice. For the prose version on this topic see this week's Journal-Standard's Pulse section (For the Love of Community).

Elections belong to the people. It is their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters. –Abraham Lincoln

The charges were starting to mount,
Found guilty on each and every count;
Friends, buddies, cronies, and lies,
We’re the ones who pay, that’s no surprise.

Big Jim covered all of the legal bills,
Friendship can’t cover all of the political ills;
Mr. Warner, Mr. Ryan, and pockets of cash,
Vacations, gambling, do I need to rehash?

“I didn’t do it. I’m innocent,” he said,
Licenses for bribes and six children dead;
Cover-ups, scandals, silence the news,
If we knew the secrets, an election he’d lose.

All the good things like buildings and roads,
But how about the employees on whose backs he rode?
To an election victory with ill-gotten campaign funds,
Christmas gifts to the boss, so for governor he could run.

All of them are crooked, the public says,
Just some of them are caught on given days,
We can’t do better, there isn’t much choice,
We’re only citizens, we don’t have a voice.

But, that is where we so often go wrong,
We have the chance to stand and be strong;
We can say, “Enough is enough!”
We’re tired of putting up with your stuff.

There are good politicians, who go to serve,
There are others, who get what they deserve;
We can’t expect miracles from all of them,
We do seek those we can praise instead of condemn.

Another election will be upon us soon,
Are the choices ones to make us worry or swoon?
The campaign rhetoric will go to depths unknown,
The ads will make sure large sums of money are blown.

No real reform will occur, because people love power,
Once in office, many seek to remain in their ivory tower;
So often, the people who benefit, are the major donors,
And those trying to get by, are treated like wayward loners.

Three of the last six governors have been indicted,
Money, or love of money, has been the reason cited;
Money and power, in our land, go hand in hand,
For the top offices in the state and country are out of hand.

The playing field will never be leveled at our current rate,
Those without money are left at the starting gate;
Look at the campaign “war chest” of Governor Rod,
We know that candidate, Treasurer Judy, will be treated roughshod.

In Illinois, it is called politics as usual for our state,
We tend to accept that as our destiny, our fate;
While more jobs are lost in part for our failure to change,
I think that we let ourselves be shortchanged.

There are no easy answers to our political woes,
We’ll continue in this quandary, if we think that anything goes;
Of course, Mr. Ryan practiced those ideas for years,
Now, he continues to show no remorse, no tears.

A nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize for emptying death row,
He thought his legacy would be secured when it was time to go;
And now a jury of his peers found him guilty for all he’d done,
What does it all get for us in the long run?

A sad, old man who thought he was above the laws,
Whose fancy lawyers will fault the jurors instead of seeing the real cause;
The appeals will last for years, and he’ll appear weak and frail,
Most likely, he’ll never spend a day in jail.

I feel no pity for Mr. Ryan when I think of the Willis children who died,
All because of the cover-ups and the people who lied;
To save a man’s political career who appeared so proper and prim,
And I get disgusted every time I realize that... I voted for him.

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character,
give him power. –Abraham Lincoln

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety. –Benjamin Franklin

Christian Faith Under Attack, Again

It seems that something usually happens around Easter to try and shake the faith of those who believe that Christ really died and was resurrected. This year we have the ever-growing myth of the DaVinci Code. What with the coming movie starring our "everyman" Tom Hanks, how could we not believe that this novelization is based on truth? It may make for a thrilling read much like Celestine Prophecy did a few years ago, but they are both FICTION with real-life locations to add to their fauxthenticity.

Now, we also have the Judas Gospel, which all but exonerates Judas for his role in Christ's crucifixion. I don't think that is what people had in mind when the Aologists were formed. It wasn't intended to make excuses for every bad action that has taken place in the Bible. IF we are to believe that there is a good and evil, then isn't it quite possible, that Jesus knew his fate was not only preordained by the Father, but that Satan might play a role in Christ's death, as well. If Judas were to be a saint and working complicitly with Jesus, why was he found to have hung himself after his act of betrayal?

Each year, or so it seems, there is an assault on Christianity and each year Easter is celebrated as the high point of the Christian faith. This year we were also able to celebrate the 79th birhtday of Pope Benedict XVI on his first Easter as Pope. Will wonders never cease?

God Bless those who just celebrated Easter and to the Eastern Orthodoxy, wishing you a glorious Easter next Sunday. Let us all pray for peace in our lifetime no matter what our religion or belief.

NO TIME LIKE THE PRESENT

It has been a time of reflection during this Lenten Season. I haven't had much time to write besides my weekly column and one health column. The past few weeks have taken me to Hollywood for the Global Diabetic Foot Conference and to Nashville to visit my oldest daughter, who is away at school.

Daily life leads to many challenges with children in school, work, writing, and finally fitting in a chance to exercise. Health has taken on new urgency with the onset of high blood pressure, which lead to some personal changes in habits and diet. No more sodas, no more caffeine, minimal white flower or white sugar, more fruits and vegetables and water. Exercise has again become a priority. In the last three months I've seen a drop in weight of almost 25 pounds, a reduction in body fat of 5% and 3" in waist size. The extra benefit has been a drop in blood pressure to normal levels without medication. I've been extolling the benefits of this combination for years, but then I "fell off of the wagon" for enough years to see the waistline expand, the breath become shorter, and the cholesterol and blood pressure go up.

Oddly enough, after watching the movie, "Super Size Me" and then the television show, "The Biggest Loser" in addition to having an antihypertensive suggested... well let's just say that it was the culmination of several things that lead to returning to a healthier lifestyle.

Back to the Global Diabetic Foot Conference: Diabetes is becoming a worldwide epidemic as more people abosrb the Western, fast-food diet. The increase in diabetes is leading to more diabetic-related foot problems and in that vein, we have a senator from Wyoming, Mike Enzi-R, who in his infinite shortsightedness, suggests making podiatric services less available to the general public as a means of reducing the budget. His sugar-coated description of making health care more affordable for small businesses doesn't tell the truth behind the deregulation of making services available. This is another case of our government reducing services under the guise of covering more people with insurance.

I urge readers to write their congressmen and congresswomen to vote against Senate Bill 1955 in order to preserve your state and federal rights to affordable and available foot care.

March Madness

It is that time of the year again when I stay up late to watch basketball, much to the chagrin of my wife. Indiana's fortunate 3 pointer, George Washington's miraculous comeback, Boston College's fortunate recovery, Adam Morrison bring Gonzaga back once again were all bracket savers. I picked 12 over 5 with UW-Milwaukee, but picked the wrong 12 over 5 with Utah State-Washington and didn't pick 12 over 5, Texas A&M over Syracuse. So much for the second round Syracuse win or for that matter, Marquette. Fortunately no money is on the line and 12 for 16 on the first day was okay. If they could all be the Minneapolis section I would have done great.

It is primary time in Illinois and next week we'll know who will face Governor of Great Hair Blagojevich. Most likely it will be JB Topinka, but wouldn't it be great if there were a major upset and Bill Brady from Bloomington gets the nod. I think it makes for fun alliteration to say Bill Brady from Bloomington. And besides, can we really rally behind an accordion player who isn't on the Lawrence Welk Show?

Let's see how today's tourney goes. Maybe a few of my upset picks will pan out.

Should he stay free or should he go?

The trial is over and the former pharmacist from Kankakee may find that justice is a bitter pill to swallow. Of course, prison food may be hard to swallow, too. Are Illinois' politicians running scared knowing that if Ryan can be convicted, then they are fair game? Or will we see that crime does pay, especially in the Illinois political game? U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitgerald seems like the no-nonsense kind of guy who won't stop with Ryan, or the middle-management cronies of Rich M. Daley.

Fitzgerald has shown a willingness to be bi-partisan when it comes to legal matters, see Valerie Plame and I. Lewis Libby. It would be intersting to see how he would proceed with the Cheney "quail hunting" incident. Is there more to the 24 hour lapse before the sheriff's office was allowed on the premises? Oh well, Atty. Fitzgerald has bigger fish to fry than checking out V.P. Cheney's hunting accident. Besides cocktails and hunting quails go hand-in-hand, don't they?

After the Awards

Well, it looks like the predictions were close. I should have qualified that The Squid and the Whale was my personal choice, but knew that it wouldn't beat out Crash. That's okay, though, because all of the hype for Brokeback Mountain ended up being just that... a lot of hype. The feeling that I would like to see Crash surprise Brokeback Mountain was justified after all.

Anyways, it has been a tough week for those in the acting business. Don Knotts, Dennis Weaver, Darren McGavin, Dana Reeve all within the past 10-14 days. It is strange that all four of their names begin with the letter "D". I'm sure it is just coincidental, but still kind of weird.

Just a few of Don Knotts famous scenes and quotes to end today's entry:

From Episode # 90, "Barney's First Car"
Barney: This is just about the biggest thing I ever bought.

Andy: It's a major step.

Barney: The last big buy I made was my mom's and dad's anniversary present.

Andy: What did you get them?

Barney: A septic tank.

Andy: For their anniversary?

Barney: Yeah, oh they're really hard to buy for. Besides it was something they could use. They were really thrilled. Two tons of concrete, all steel reinforced.

Andy: You're a fine son, Barn.

Barney: I try.


From Episode #91, "The Rivals"
Barney: Nice guys finish last. I know, I went through it. Little Vickie Harms. I wasn't no bigger than Opie. I met her over by the ice cream parlor. Stepped outside one day with my raspberry snow cone, there she was. She just stopped me cold. Head to foot, I was just clammy all over. I knew it was love. Icy chills just run all over me.

Andy: Sounds to me more like your show cone was leaking.

Barney: Boy I sure did like her.

Andy: She didn't like you back, huh?

Barney: Oh well no, it wasn't that so much. I don't know. It was mostly her stuck up attitude.

Andy: Yeah?

Barney: She used to walk around in long curls and print dresses and patented leather shoes and her nose up in the air. Boy she really thought she was hot stuff.

Andy: Why?

Barney: Oh her Daddy was in the civil service. Boy if I knew then what I know now. She used to do one thing that really used to burn me up.

Andy: What was that.

Barney: Well you know how I like snow cones...

Andy: Raspberry.

Barney: Right. Well there wasn't a day went by that I didn't offer that girl a bite of my snow cone. You know what she used to do every single time?

Andy: What?

Barney: She used to bite off the end, sip out all the syrup, and leave me with nothing but the ice.

Andy: The ice?

Barney: Yeah, the ice.

Andy: That's terrible.

Barney: Yeah.

Andy: Today you'd know different.

Barney: Oh are you kidding. Listen if I had a date with Vickie Harms today, and I got myself all shaved, and I went over to her house with my snow cone, you know what I'd do?

Andy: What?

Barney: The minute she opened that door, I bite off the end of the cone, sip out the syrup, and hand her the ice. What do you think of that?

Andy: Well I'll tell you the truth, Barn. If I was Vickie Harms and a thirty-five year old man come up to my house with a snow cone in his hand, I wouldn't even answer the door.


"It's not a whim anymore if you put on clean underwear." - Barney

"Like they always say...the quality of mercy is not strained, it droppeth like a gentle dew from Heaven...well, you're not talking to a jerk you know!" - Barney


"Do you have any idea how hard it is to work with someone who thinks he knows everything?" - Barney

We'll miss you, Mr. Knotts! Glad you never had to use your bullet on anyone. Now go and nip it in the bud. Yes, it is time for a little bud nipping in Mayberry in the sky!

Academy Awards 2006

It is that time of year again where the women wear dresses that are designed to stun, but often end up leaving us to say, "Huh?" The men typically wear their tuxes, except for the occasional incidence of "Duh?"

Last year we did okay with the predictions, but this year we are ready to rock and roll with our picks:

Best Actress: Reese Witherspoon, just because it was the only movie I saw with a best actress nominee and because my daughter lives in her hometown of Nashville.

Best Supporting Actress: Rachel Weisz. I don't know why, but I do like her accent.

Best Actor: Phillip Seymour Hoffman, because Truman Capote's In Cold Blood was the first creative non-fiction book that I read and couldn't put down.

Best Supporting Actor: William Hurt, still one of the best around.

Best Original Screenplay: The Squid and the Whale. I thought that Jeff Daniels should have been nominated, but this will have to do.

Best Adapted Screenplay: Brokeback Mountain just because it is going to win.

Best Foreign Film: Tsotsi. I like the way the letters rolllllll off of my tongue when I pronounce it.

Best Animated Film: Wallace and Gromit and the Curse of the Were-Rabbit because it was funny and fun to watch.

Best Documentary: March of the Penquins, though Murderball may surprise.

Best Song: It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp because somewhere Heidi Fleiss is laughing.

Best Director: Ang Lee. See Best Adapted Screenplay.

Best Feature Film: Brokeback Mountain, though wouldn't it be great if it didn't win. I mean if Shakespeare in Love can somehow beat out Saving Private Ryan ( a travesty in voting if there ever was one in the Academy Awards) then perhaps Crash can somehow pull a win out of the wreckage that is the culmination of this year's movies to choose from.

Film That Was Robbed: Walk the Line. I'm biased toward this film. I admit it without reservation!

Thanks for the Memories

Today I want to thank the readers of my column, "For the Love of Community," that is found in The Journal-Standard each Thursday. This past week I have received numerous letters thanking me for the column on Father Norbert Richter (see previous post). Your kind words and remembrances of Father Richter were so heartfelt. The pleasure I have in sharing memories and thoughts of special people in our community is well worth the time and effort to write the column each week. Of course, there is a 700 word limit for the column, so it isn't possible to always convey all of my thoughts about a person or topic. I guess that is the beauty of having another outlet for writing.

To date there are no blog sites available online through The Journal-Standard, though a recent column by one of the editors did state that they are planning on updating the website to match current trends in online news availability. It would be nice to see the paper have some of the same format as many of the major newspapers, i.e. The Chicago Tribune, USA Today, The LA Times, WSJ, or New York Times. I know that there are other small town papers that are updating their websites on a regular basis to give other voices a chance to be read.

I do see some of these changes happening in the near future. So for now, enjoy Pretzel City Logic and keep reading the column. Thanks to all of you who respond either through the written word or in person. It gives the inspiration to keep writing.

Father Norbert Richter

Happy Anniversary, PCL

It is hard to believe that it has been over a year since I started Pretzel City Logic. We've added our publishing web site Kastle Publishing since then with a link to this site. I've rearranged this sites links several times since then and hope to continue to keep it current. I've realized that I do not have the time to write for this site every day, as I do have a wife and children, a full time job, a part time profession as a freelance writer, civic obligations and am rediscovering the joys of exercising daily (well, almost daily).

The first entry was about the loss of a dear friend and mentor, Reuben Baumgartner. Today I attended the memorial service for another Freeport leader, Reverend Robert Bush of Open Bible Church and School. He and his dear wife, Irene, have served thousands in the Freeport area for more than 45 years. His passing, while not unexpected, still leaves a void in our community.

Last week it was Father Norbert Richter who died after a prolonged illness. He, like Rev. Bush, continued to serve to the best of his capacity until his final months. These two men of God, while serving different denominations, nevertheless served the same God. Both men were good shepherds to their respective flocks and will be sorely missed.

I hope that in some way people realize in our community that they have a number of quiet leaders who care passionately about them and their well being. Whether people are Christian or are of another faith, they benefit from the dedication of servants like Pastor Bush and Father Richter. We, as citizens of the area, are the better for the efforts of men and women who strive to improve the lives of those they touch.

See last week's column "He Walked By Faith" for more on Father Norbert Richter.

The Demise of the Blog

So, the Tribune thinks that the Blog is already a thing of the past? With 25 million blogs out in cyberspace, it appears to me that perhaps the Trib is engaging in wishful thinking. It is evident (by the lack of comments at this site) that while most blogs may not be widely read there are a significant number that are. Most major newspapers now have columnists that contribute regularly to blog sites. Eric Zorn has a nice rebuttal to his paper's editorial in his blog "Change of Subject."

There are a number of sites that draw higher numbers of readers, then there are those of us who rejoice when someone actually leaves a comment. That is the about the only way we know that any of our writings are being read. I realize that many people do not even know what a blog is, yet. Then there are those that feel that it is something written only by computer geeks or people with an agenda. I have found interesting reading in sports blogs from the Winter Olympics, from friends who keep us informed from far away places, news blogs, and in many cases humorous (though often sad, but true) political tales.

I don't think that the "Blog" is going anywhere soon. There will most likely come a time when freedom fighters from third world countries or those in communist countries will let people know of their plights via blogs or internet communications. I know that it is already happening in some instances and with the ever-expanding web presence in China there is no way that that many people can be "kept in check" by the government forever. The letters that were snuck out of communist countries in the days of "gulags" or the books that were brought to America or England and translated telling the stories of those who were imprisoned or politically persecuted will one day be the stories that come across the internet or via chips with information about similar atrocities. This is where blogs will be useful in disseminating the information.

For now many blogs are basically online diaries, online personal commentary pages, or a way of informing readers of what's happening in the world with a ready source of links to traditional news sites. Hey, that's a pretty good start!

State Speech Finals

It appears that if a competitor is from the norhtwest region of Illinois then you might as well count out the chance of finishing above 5th. That is if you even make the finals. I know that there isn't a conspiracy against the local schools, but out of 26 chances to get to the finals, only four made it from the Rock Island sectional. The highest finish was a fifth place for Anna Ruch in Dramatic Interpretation and a fifth for Kadie Threloff of DeKalb in Oratorical Declamation, as well as a 6th for Freeport's Kayla Kluck in the same category. Katie Quittschrieber in Radio Speaking. The three top team finishers from Rock Island scored a grand total of SIX points in the entire competition.

I would venture that either the sectional was very week, or that the Chicago suburban teams have much stronger programs or higher profile reputations that preceed them. I would say that from what I saw and heard at the Rock Island sectional the teams were very competitive.

We'll see what happens next year when many of the local seniors graduate. The area teams are to be congratulated on having such an outstanding season. Nine categories represented for Freeport and six for Eastland-Pearl City. That is still quite an accomplishment.

Sate Speech

The wait from afar is agonizing. So far the Freeport Pretzels have one finalist, Kayla Kluck, in Oratorical Declamation, out of four possibilities. I thought that Adam Moderow would definitely be in for Oratory, but alas it seems as if the suburban Chicago area is favored over other areas. So far, to the best of my knowledge, there have been only two competitors from the Rock Island sectional to make the finals and both were in the same category. There is definitely a disparity in awarding finalist positions. That may change, but it seems that if you are from Wheaton, Downers Grove, Thorton, Glenview or Orland Park you should plan on being in the finals.

This just in: Pearl City now has two in the finals, Katie Quittschreiber in Radio Speaking and Anna Ruch in Dramatic Interpretation. Freeport has three more chances to make it to the finals. One more event where a Rock Falls sectional winner is out of the mix. Nick Hoeft from Freeport did not make the finals as I thought he would. Two more categories for Freeport.... and then there was one category....and the results are taking forever.

He Said, She Said

There was an interesting response to this week's column about the state speech tournament. One grandparent, whose granddaughter lives in the Chicago area, decided to travel in to Oak Lawn to see her granddaughter perform in her category. I'm never quite sure how far-reaching the column is or how it affects people. Sometimes it is just one person, other times perhaps no one really cares about what is written.

I realize that the column is read by more people than are attracted to this site. Of course, the column is much more established going on 8 years. One person this past week said he appreciates that I write about issues that he feels are important. I know that others have said that I am pandering to the masses, but I think that the people who felt that way are often so much farther out of the mainstream that my writing appears to be centrist.

Oh well, I've gone throught my New Age phase, through the motivational stages, visited with Deepak Chopra, Tony Robbins, Marianne Williams, Joan Borysenko and many of the other people who have been integral parts of shaping lives in one way or another. I have found that all roads still lead home and into one's self. That, and for me, the foundation that God provides through faith, words, and deeds.

The lifestyles of the "rich and famous" often fall significantly short of the messages they are putting forth. It is one thing to speak eloquently and with great enthusiasm. It is quite another to actually lead by example, whereby a loving home environment is fostered through fidelity, love of one's children, community work, and giving of our selves through our times, talents and treasures. Yeah, I know it may sound old school, but it is through these actions that peace of mind is finally closer to reality.

I'm sure that some of the people I've met who are "leaders" in their respective fields have found that many of the same attributes guide their lives. It is often the biggest names, however, that preach success, while practicing excess. We all have our own daily challenges, but for me, at least, I couldn't handle these without a strong conviction to God, the love of family and the faith to know that without these there would be no inner strength and thus... nothing even close to peace of mind.

Global Warming...I'm Starting to Believe...No Wait, I'm Not

Okay, yesterday it was 60 degrees. Valentine's Day and it's 60 degrees! I'm starting to believe in the whole global warming premise. And then today...it's down to 30 and dropping. Winter weather watch and all of that. What gives? One day I'm out walking in shorts and the next day my cheeks look like I was hit in the face with red paint after my walk.

No one knows how to dress. Is it the effects of global warming? or is there another explanation? How does this account for 25 inches of snow in the northeast? Or the record cold weather across much of Europe? Do we pull out our parkas or put on our Bermudas?

If you live in the Midwestern United States, many days you'll be able to both. Well, gotta run and find my snow shovel or was that my sand shovel and pail?