Well NASA announced the contractors for Project Orion, the new way we are going to go to space and go to the moon again. I kind of realized this is going to be to my kids what Apollo and a bigger extent the Space Shuttle was, 'wow cool' technology.

I hope early in the process someone (like NASA or Lockheed Martin) commissions an inexpensive PC, PS2, PS3, XBOX, XBOX360 etc game that lets kids of all ages and skill levels run missions to the ISS and the Moon using the components of Orion, Ares and Constellation. I think it would be a good way to get kids into math and science and be fun. I think from Lockheed Martin's perspective it would be a brilliant marketing move.

OneMan

Well first the setup, a building that is used by the Aurora Hosing Authority for primarily the elderly and the mentally and physically disabled had a serious fire on August 18th that left 1 person dead and 6 people with minor injuries.

On the two floors below the fire the residents were told they could (and might have been told they had to) move back in. The fire department and the housing authority say it is safe, the residents have some complaints. You can read the full Beacon story here.

Now this is the surreal part (from the Beacon ) , the phones are not working so.....

Each resident was given an air horn and one person on the floor has a cell-phone who is supposed to call 911 if they hear an air horn...

Let me repeat that

Each resident was given an air horn and one person on the floor has a cell-phone who is supposed to call 911 if they hear an air horn...

Only in Aurora.

So basically you have to hope that they cell phone guy on your floor can hear you fire the air horn, otherwise you could quite literally end up dead. I pray that nothing bad happens during this time, if it does I don't think it will take Clarence Darrow or Gerry Spence to get a decent settlement out of the housing authority if something bad does happen.

Seriously, do you think they would let this fly in Naperville? Heck no.

OneMan

Channel 11 is re-running the Frontline about Katrina tonight. The PBS web site also has it on-line. If you get a chance, watch it. It is really eye opening about the failures at all levels.

OneMan

Last night on The Late Show With David Letterman they had a timeline of the day of the Emmy awards. This occurred at 10:00 AM


"Joe Lieberman announces that he plans to win an Emmy even though he wasn't nominated"

OneMan

Rick has an interesting post (what's new) about Nicco Mele and the impacts of him announcing that he was supporting John McCain in 2008. You know I have to admit that right now McCain is my preferred candidate for president so I am going to reveal that bias.

That being said, I have to give this guy props for saying what he thinks at this point, knowing it was going to cause him some issues. I have to admit, I don't know if I would be willing to give up my influence in the process to publicly come out and support someone from the other party.

For example if a Democratic blogger were to run for congress or something some day, someone I consider a friend and someone who's judgment I would be comfortable with. I don't know if I would give up my limited role in the Repbulican party to publicly support them. I am not real proud of that, but I am willing to admit it. Would I be part of some attack on him, no. If asked would that make by public support decision a bit easier, yes.

I think by giving this guy a hard time, it makes some folks look a bit hypocritical at the least. The issues that motivated him to support Dean may not be the issues that lead other to support Dean. Nothing wrong with that.

In politics we tend to think of the issues that make us feel the way we do about candidates and parties are the same issues that motivate others and have a hard time sometimes understanding why others don't get upset about them. For example fund sweeps, it is the biggest issue that makes me want to see the governor not win a second term other people see the fund sweeps as no big deal, and I don't get that. His views on social issues my not jibe with mine but that doesn't get me motivated to help Judy win (or even the green candidate ). We seem (both parties) to look a people who have different issues than we do as not being real, RINOs or DINOs, etc. because they feel differently than we might on any one of a host of issues.

By the way Team Judy some banners, buttons or news feeds bloggers could use their sites would be a good idea.

OneMan

Well there hasn't been one in a while so here is a quick Natural Golf Update. When we were up in the Northwoods I played nine holes at a par 3, first 'round' I had played in about 12 months. It went OK, better than It would have in the past, not great but I wasn't looking for my ball which is a step in the right direction.

I got the new 'custom' clubs I purchased on e-bay and have started using them a bit, they are a bit longer than my old clubs and that seems to help some too. I am still topping (hitting thin) more often that I should, it seems to be cause by me setting up to close to the ball and releasing a bit early (trying to scoop). When I remember to stay down I do OK.

OneMan

1.2 Billion for an energy program, why the heck not? It's not like we have budget issues or something?

Oh wait we do.....

At this point I am starting to think the Governor thinks he is Santa.

OneMan

Sen. Obama is featured on Sep/Oct cover of Men's Vogue, no I don't have a subscription I think I got it when I got Wired or something.

The issue has story about him inside, assuming you can find it among all of the adds for stuff that does not come in big and tall sizes. The story also features photographs of the Senator and his family by Annie Liebovitz. Actaully the story is fairly good. Just kind of a strange venue for it.

OneMan

Last post tonight, I swear.

Go get a good podcast and perhaps win us both a video ipod or something.

Reguardless of if either of us win jack. It is a funny podcast, one of the best out of Naperville (just in case the Sun has someone googling again).

OneMan

Matt Drudge seems to be buggin because the Gates Foundation is helping finance a newspaper purchase (along with other outfits like General Electric).

Umm Matt, non-profits make investments all of the time. I suspect it is not a 'donation' but an investment.


OneMan

Well it appears that at least someone at the Naperville Sun has googled to my blog, since a post from July 17th, 2005 served as the basis (he did reference me) for Tim West's August 20th 2006 column.

Since he felt the need to comment on my points I will go ahead a comment on his (and I will be nice enough to offer up a link, would it have killed them to at least put the URL in the column since it quoted the post so much)....

My original comment

Fewer people who look like me and have my background in Aurora. White guys with a minivan and a technical degree are a dime a dozen in Naperville.

His Reponse

Our white guys with minivans and technical degrees are certainly not a dime a dozen. They are a lot more expensive than that.

My comment on his comment.

So we basically agree.

My original comment

I can go to the Super Mercado El Guero and get exposed to a different culture and get some really good meat. Same thing with the Wurst House

His Response.

2) You want really good meat? Try Casey's or the City Meat Market in Naperville. The culture's not different than the rest of Naperville, though. See 1) above.

My comment on his comment.

I have tried them both, sorry in my opinion Wurst Kitchen wins hands down. It sounds like he agrees with me about the Super Mercado thing. Also we have better bakeries.

My original comment

3) I can walk around downtown Aurora and feel like parts of it are actually old, not just made to look old.

His Response.

A lot of downtown Naperville is, indeed, genuinely old. If you're fooled by that, it is only because the buildings are nicely maintained.

My comment on his comment

I was thinking of where the Gap is (where the supermarket used to be) and where the bakery used to be as well as some other parts of downtown Naperville that are in fact 'new' but made to look old. The breakfast place that was on the corner of Washington and W. Jefferson that got replaced by Noodles and Company. The old bowling alley that got torn down for Barnes & Nobel. That newer development just west of the parking deck. But yes I realize that a lot of downtown Naperville is in fact old. However a bit of the old feeling is hard to come by when you see Willams of Sonoma.

My original comment

5) I seem to encounter more people (perhaps due to political stuff) that have a life-long bond to Aurora, I am hard pressed to think of a single person I know who lives in Naperville who has even been there 10 years.

His comment on my comment.

Funny, I know scads of people who have been in Naperville much more than 10 years. I've been here 38 myself, and many of the real old-timers would consider me a relative newcomer.

My comment on his comment

We know different people, wow that's surprising (I am being sarcastic) I suspect a 36 year old who has lived in the area for 14 years (me) will have a different social circle that a guy who has lived in the area for 38 years (Mr. West). I suspect that if we were to grab people within 10 years of the the median age of folks in town (35.9 years ). That more than half would have lived in town 10 years or less.

Mr. West if you want to confirm my identity please feel free to send me an e-mail .

OneMan

Mrs. OneMan got a letter (political this time) from Rep. Linda Chapa-LaVia talking about her positions on Nursing (health care) issues and asking for her vote.

Besides the fact Mrs. OneMan is as hard of an R as I am. So I was a bit surprised that Linda would send a letter to someone who has voted R is every primary in the last 12+ years, but the more money she spends trying to convince hard R's and the spouses of pct. Committeemen the less she has to spend on undecided voters the better. I started to wonder about something. Linda send my wife a non-political letter about Nursing things about 2 a year or so.

If I was a state rep and I had a list of every CPA in my district and I sent them letters about CPA issues, would I be able to share that list with my campaign or would my campaign have to buy it's own list. If my campaign had a list could it share it with my office?

I don't think Linda has done anything wrong, I think she is too smart for that (yes, OneMan can speak nicely of Democrats). But I am curious about the issues involved with lists like that.

OneMan

Starting reading the mail I got while I was gone and got something from the VFW's Operation Uplink asking for a donation. We have given in the past since we have a family friend over in Iraq and still remember how important his phone calls were to his wife when he was over on an erliery tour. So far so good.

However the letter mentions a that the Doral Communuity of Smokers (they seem to have given in the past). Yes Doral as in the RJR cigarette product. Will match my donation dollar for dollar.

I guess I feel a bit awkward helping a Doral get a PR hit by matching my donation to a cause I want to help out.

I think I am going to take a pass on giving to Operation Uplink this time around.

OneMan

Back from the Northwoods of WI. Managed to catch a Northern Pike, didn't have the digital camera so I will have to wait to scan the picture when I get the disposable camera developed.

Off the subject, anyone have an idea why adbrite is always so slow?

OneMan

Going to be taking a blog pause for a week, see you when I get back.

Get well soon Mayor Pradel. Not surprising he used a Naperville hospital. Then again Edward is a good place to get that done.

OneMan

They apparantly had some sort of chlorine incident at Splash Country a couple of days ago. OneMan back when he was a mere lad got gassed once at the pool he worked at when he was in high school. It was mild so I didn't have to go to the ER or anything. Sufice to say inhaling cholorine gas in a somewhat enclosed space does in fact produce a buring sensation.

We even had a Scott Air pack like Johnny Gage and Roy DeSoto to put on when a leak happened while we waited for the fire department (they were next door). Have to admit the air pack training was cool.

OneMan

For some better coverage on the UK aircraft bomb thing may I suggest the BBC. Their current story mentions.

The Home Office confirmed there had been meetings overnight and on Thursday morning of the Cabinet's emergency committee, Cobra, chaired by Home Secretary John Reid, to discuss the terror alert

I just think Cobra is a cool name for an emergency committee.

OneMan

Time for a Natural Golf update..
It's going ok, it isn't the quick fix I had dreamed but I am doing better than I was before and then some. I am slicing about 5% of my shots right now and toping about 10% ~ 15% again better than before. I got the Fault & Fixes DVD from Natural Golf and that seems to be helping. Again I am still doing this with just a 9-iron, the Natural Golf clubs I got on ebay should be showing up soon.

Reguardless of anything else I am having fun at the range, more than I did before.

OneMan

Sneed pops up and reports

• Translation: Sneed hears rumbles Levine -- a Republican insider who forged Democratic ties after Gov. Blagojevich took office -- reportedly wore a wire . . . for the past 11 months . . . and recorded everybody from Springfield lawmakers to a former Chicago alderman.

Please note the use of . . . is her's not mine, so I have no idea if she is using them in the classic sense of leaving something out or just for effect.

OneMan

Sneed pops up and reports

• Translation: Sneed hears rumbles Levine -- a Republican insider who forged Democratic ties after Gov. Blagojevich took office -- reportedly wore a wire . . . for the past 11 months . . . and recorded everybody from Springfield lawmakers to a former Chicago alderman.

Please note the use of . . . is her's not mine, so I have no idea if she is using them in the classic sense of leaving something out or just for effect.

OneMan

Yeah, changing the Intern program had nothing to do with the federal investigations and recent press revelations....

Spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said the latest memo merely reflects Blagojevich's efforts to make hiring procedures better.

"We've said from the beginning that we'll look for ways to change and improve the system, and we remain committed to doing that," Ottenhoff said in an e-mail message Monday. She would not respond to specific followup questions.

We want to make hiring better, it might take 3+ years, but hey 'Look George Ryan...'

OneMan

Rich Over a Cap-Fax points out that the Il GOP site is down due to a billing thing with Jake. Hope they get that figured out.

OneMan

You read the story and make up your own mind.

I am not some weirdo animal lover," DeYoung says. She just wanted something more memorable to set the tone for her big day. "I think people take weddings too seriously," she says.

In some ways, it's harder than having kids; the bride notes that you rarely have to walk your children at 10 p.m. in the middle of a Chicago winter.

Yeah, 10 PM walks are much harder than anything you have to deal with as a parent. Us folks with human children have it so much easier.


OneMan

Rich had a link to a story about Gov. Blagojevich vetoing the expansion of the Southwest Illinois Development Authority to include Bond County.
According to the story the issues were "technical in nature" and the directory of the authority says the veto puts the breaks on a couple of development projects.
This is the sort of stuff Judy can use to win the election, by pointing out local issues in local areas where actions of this type have real local impacts. I think one of the keys to her winning is going to be the ability to make the election as local as possible.

OneMan

So lets say you have spent about $722,000 with your law firm in the last 7 months.

That works out to a bit over 103,000 a month on legal bills. Lets say a partner bills at $500 an hour it appears Dan Webb may bill at $700 an hour. So on average about 206 partner hours a month or 6.8 hours a day for each day of a 31 day month. So basically 'double-checking and triple-checking' fund-raising would require at least a full time partner at a major Chicago law firm and then some.

Lets say he has raised about $10 Million since December 1, $6.5 million coming after Jan 1. About 7% of all money raised was spent on legal fees.

Looking at his expenses best I can tell after media the second biggest expense was legal fees. Also media in Chicago is very expensive compared to the rest of the state.

OneMan