Plainly as an American Farmer

Wisdom from China as reported by the AP:
“[Former President George W. Bush] couldn’t speak with flowery language and even made grammatical mistakes but spoke as plainly as an American farmer. [President Barack Obama speaks] “with sweet but empty words.” - Chinese blogger Zhao “Hecaitou” Dezhu

“Learn English from Obama: Instead of saying ‘I want to eat,’ say ‘I am a big supporter of non-hunger.’” – Chinese writer Wang Pei

And have you seen this video of world leaders greeting the Emperor of Japan?

Meeks, Proft Seek Educational Reform

About 14 months ago I wrote on Rev. James Meeks' visit to New Trier High School, including the cute picture at the left. To me it typifies how Chicago's inner city children start school wide-eyed and serious in both demeanor and dress, and in 12 or 10 years the "system"--including schools, community leaders, and teachers--will have utterly failed them. They will end their schooling with minimal skills, poor educations, and little hope for the future, despite vast sums of money spent.

Monday, Dan Proft, endorsed for Illinois Governor just Saturday by the New Trier Republican Organization, met with Reverend Meeks, who also is a state senator and also serves as Chairman of the Illinois State Senate Education Committee, to talk about educating Illinois children. Proft and Meeks found a number of areas of agreement, and I thought you might like to see the statement released by Proft just yesterday.

Fall of the Berlin Wall IV: Visiting Dresden

Located deep in the heart of East Germany, before the fall of the Berlin Wall tourists from the West were unable to visit Dresden, the capital of Saxony.

One of the most exciting-looking cities I have ever seen, Dresden was destroyed three times: in the Seven Years War by the Prussians, by Napoleon in the Battle of Dresden,by the Allies in World War II, each time it has rebuilt.

Dresden engaged in a great deal of beautification for its 800th bithday in 2006, including finishing the rebuilding of the Fruenkirche. Dresen is one of the ten fastest growing cities in Germany.

While there is a fair amount of evidence that there are still bad feelings about the US in Dresden based on World War II, that does not translate into any problems for tourists. The skinheads, who can be freely viewed out and about, may make for an uncomfortable moment of realization that old views die hard.

Free speech, however, has not suffered. If you look carefully at the picture above (click to enlarge), you can see a communist flag and a bicycyle, whose nearby rider was enthusiastically chatting up a potential convert, nearby. Down the mall comprised completely of squarish, post-war Communist style buildings, a group of evangelical Christians was busy preaching and handing out Christian coloring books for children. Twenty-one years ago, not only would it have been impossible to visit Dresden, the idea of that city becoming a center for free speech was simply unthinkable.

Fall of the Berlin Wall III: Compelling Video Images from the Archives of History

As President Obama chooses to turn his back to the West and face the East, we are posting this excellent video from the Competitive Enterprise Institute about the Berlin Wall in honor of the thousands of ordinary Europeans who never gave up thinking about and working for freedom for themselves and their families. The leaders--local, national, and international--who believed in what seemed impossible at the time, never gave up their hope for change. What would have ended up as a week or two of news and celebration on the 20th anniverary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, was almost immediately overshadowed by the most unfortunate timing of President Obama's trip to Asia.

This film reminds us of the sorrow of divided families when the wall was built, the increasingly desperate attempts to escape East Germany over time, and the joy when the wall was torn down. The filmaker, Drew Tidwell, took all the footage from video freely available at Yoube. Tidwell--who boasts a long line of film credits from the fun-loving Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian to the more serious Law and Order: Special Victims Unit--did a meticulous search of existing footage, remarking "I went to German news feeds from that day, US news feeds and the doc footage was gathered from searching Berlin wall and escapes, Berlin Wall reagan, Berlin Wall Building, etc." Further explaining the video, Tidwell added, "We made this video because it was one of the biggest moments for freedom in the world. It needs to be celebrated and never forgotten."

On the National Radar: Mark Kirk's Senate Run

How sweet would it be to return Barack Obama's old seat back to the Republican column? Very. Those of us who well remember what Barack Obama did to claw his way into the US Senate just to use it as a springboard to run for President would love nothing better. And with a link to today's Sun-Times article by Lynn Sweet from the Drudge Report, local Congressman Mark Kirk's (IL-10th) Senate run may soon be on the national radar.

The seat, once filled by Everett Dirksen, will be vacated by Roland Burris. Burris, who was appointed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich when Barak Obama resigned, and is being investigated about how he obtained his appointment, is presently America's only African-American Senator. He is retiring.

While the Democrats have been working to foment dissention aboout Kirk's candidacy among various factions in the Illinois Republican party, they have been largely unsuccessful.

O Tempora! O Mores! O No!

Ok, so maybe by now this Obama bowing in Japan has been done to death, but it's worth the comparison with the past once again. Let's face it, plenty of Americans are beyond distressed. It certainly is clear that the Japanese require nothing more than a handshake and that they enjoy meeting American presidents. Some are terming the current incumbent, the groveler-in-chief, and it's a pretty apt description. Do the leftists eat this stuff up? I wonder.

The Los Angeles Times has 65 pages of comments after the "bow wow" story, and as the White House would be Happy to explain to you on Monday, since it was linked by the Drudge Report, only a few are favorable. One of my favorites: "Obama acts less like a head of state and more like an 'exchange student' who is trying to understand a country through a tourist's handbook."

H/t to a local political operative via status message.

New Trier Republican Organization Endosement

In an early morning meeting on November 14, 2009, the New Trier Republican Organization endorsed the following candidates for the Illinois Primary:

For the US Senate: Mark Kirk;

For the Governor of Illinois: tie on final ballot resulted in dual endorsement of Andy McKenna and Dan Proft;

For Lieutenant Governor: Jason Plummer;

For the Representative to Congress from Illinois 10th Congressional District: Bob Dold;

For Comptroller: Jim Dodge.

For Illinois Representative - 17th District: Hamilton Chang.

These are all candidates with long-time party ties, but there are some interesting choices, different than would have been expected. Eva, over at The conservativeBrand blog has details, and Jeff Berkowitz covered the NTRO event with some interviews.

Gag Me: Obama Bows to a Foreign Power (yet again)

Somehow this horrifying picture of President Obama bowing to the Emperor of Japan reminds me that it is 23 days to Pearl Harbor Day.

UPDATE: And, from a comment at the LA Times sent to me this morning (Sunday), "Bowing to another foreign leader! First it was the King of Saudi Arabia, now the Emperor of Japanese. Why does he keep doing this? If it's respect, then why didn't he bow to the Queen of England? Was it because the Queen is a) white, b) a woman, or c) both?" Of course, the answer is that American Presidents, primus inter pares, bow to no one. I used the Latin for those readers who like to wander suggest that I forgot to finish my education, but mostly because the great blogger, Pat Hickey, who uses it so easily, also has a fabulous set of pro-American photos in his post about the Japanese bowing.

We won't even mention the miserable bowing form; maybe it's an Indonesian thing. We do not wish to cast asperion upon the Japanese. Upon assuming office, the current Emperor of Japan made substantial apologies for the excesses of his father, and peaceful and friendly relations have existed between the US and Japan nations for many years. Nevertheless, there are many in both countries who stilll smart from family losses, and opening old wounds is always bad politics. Certainly, Mr. Obama opened many of his fellow countrymen.

Armistice - 11 AM 11/11/1918

It was the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 when the Armistice took effect, and the Great War in Europe officially ended. People celebrated in the streets and President Wilson of the United States declared that all draft calls were cancelled.

Even today, on the day now known as Veteran's Day, some will be standing at attention at 11am, facing East, to remember.

Fall of the Berlin Wall II: St. Nicholas Church, Leipzig

Pictured above is the St. Nicholas Church in Leipzig, the physical heart and soul of the citizens movement for freedom in East Germany. Here, Johannes Sebastian Bach spent most of his career overseeing the musical life of the church, playing the organ, and composing most of his glorious music. It's a Protestant church, plain inside, mostly shades of white. It is small but beautiful. Its feel isn't terribly different than that important symbol of our own American Revolution, the Old North Church in Boston. During the waning days of East Germany the citizens met here every Monday night at 5 pm , and then as November, 1989 approached the meetings became nightly.

In speaking of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Koch, Editor-in Chief of German media giant Deutsche Welle World, said

"[T]wenty years later, it is important to remember that it was neither the West nor politicians who made this day possible. It was citizens of the GDR who, on the dismal streets of their walled-in state, asked for nothing more than their rights.

"The fact that weeks of peaceful protest led to the collapse of the concrete and barbed wire barrier affirms the place of democratic constitutional history, and the values upon which it rests."

When George Bush the Elder started talking about the reunification of Germany I thought he had lost his mind. Wasn't a unified Germany the fiercest enemy of the US and its allies in both World War I and II? Didn't it represent a peril that no sane person would ever embrace? What I didn't factor in was the human desire for freedom, and how that works on the hearts and minds of people who seek it.

For a comprehensive coverage on the fall of the Berlin wall, click here to go to the English language version of Deutsche Welle, with photos, stories, editorials, and even a story about how the Stasi, the old East German secret police, tried to recruit young Angela Merkel as a spy.

Do you love the picture of the Nikolaikirche? I do. I was so delighted by my photo skills when I found it in my Leipzig travel photos, I knew I had to share it with you. Unfortunately, I now seem to remember that I copied the travel photos of another family member and put them on my little computer, leading me to believe that this wonderful photo wasn't taken by me at all.

Fall of the Berlin Wall I: "Tear Down This Wall!"

In 1961, following years of East German population loss to West Germany equaling perhaps 20% of its population, a wall was erected through Berlin, Germany, sealing the East from the West. Two years later, US President John F. Kennedy delivered his famous speech in Berlin, saying, "All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin," concluding, "And therefor, as a free man, I take pride in the words, "Ich bin ein Berliner." Twenty-four years later, on June 12, 1987, President Ronald Reagan traveled to Berlin and addressed Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in his "Tear down this wall!" speech, which received and enthusiastic news coverage. Reagan knew that what he said would be well received in the West, and the similarity in his delivery style to Kennedy's is remarkable. In their reporting, pundits used this opportunity to re-introduce and discuss President Kennedy's earlier speech to an earlier generation.

Today, November 9, 2009, is the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall, much of which was torn down, brick by brick by average citizens. The representatives of old enemies have gathered in friendship in Berlin, now the restored capital of a unified Germany. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who grew up in East Germany; Gordon Brown, of England; Nicholas Sarkozy of France, who as a young legislator travelled to Berlin and helped the citizens take down the wall; Mikhail Gorbachev, himself; and Lech Walesa, whose Solidarity movement gave courage and strength to East Germans in the days before the wall fell, have been joined by the leaders of all 27 European Union countries as well as Vladimir Putin and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. While Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in attendance, US President Barack Obama--seeking to separate himself from America's past-- has stayed in Washington, finding himself "too busy" to attend the most important celebration of freedom in this century. While as Americans we may be ashamed of what is transpiring in Washington, America's role in encouraging and supporting a free Europe cannot be underestimated. Today, all Americans can can be proud that in our hearts we, too, are also Berliners.

Today Chancellor Merkel delivered remarks which well may prove as famous and enduring as those by Presidents Kennedy and Reagan. Addressing Michael Gorbachev, and underscoring his importance to history, she simply said, "You made this possible — you courageously let things happen, and that was much more than we could expect."

International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church

Indian Summer, at last! A wonderful day to wake up early, be lazy, think about when (or if) to go to church, enjoy some football or some last-minute yard work, a great day to be alive! Today also is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, a special day set aside to pray for persecuted Christians.

Persecuted Christians? Isn't that history, gone with the wind, mostly over by the end of the 100 Years War, finished up when the Pilgrims moved to Plymouth? The sad answer is no. Today, in many countries of the world, Christians not only live in fear of practicing their religion freely but suffer at the hands of their neighbors or governments who persecute them.

Christians living in free societies are largely unaware of this tragedy. Bolstered by our own strong religious freedoms, the plight of persecuted Christians is easy for Americans to ignore--if they know about it at all. As Article 18 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights states "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance." Unfortunately The Declaration hasn't made much of a difference in many countries that are UN members, who have either moved directly against their Christian citizens or have failed to stop the enemies of Christianity from wrongdoing against their Christian neighbors.

According to Open Doors, an evangelical ministry serving persecuted Christians worldwide, what persecuted Christians want most is your prayers. So do take some time on this fine Indian Summer day, to pray for those who seek to worship Christ in peace and truth, and remember them in the coming days. Many are suffering, some greatly. Take a few minutes to learn about the plight of persecuted Christians, and if you have a blog, consider doing a few posts for the cause.

Healthcare: Tyranny of the Majority (of Congress)

God help us. Nancy Pelosi's healthcare bill has passed the Congress.

"People have a grave concern about what Washington is doing to them, not for them." -Virginia Rep. Eric Cantor, the No. 2 House Republican

Beautiful Tram Run by Veolia, Wilmette's Garbage Contractor

Look at this beautiful method of public transport, as different from a CTA bus as day is from night! I came across the picture during a morning project, while searching for whether I could recycle those pesky CD cases. While I couldn't find an answer (no recycling number on the cases), I did find this fabulous looking tram in Nancy, France. The trams in Nancy are run by private corporation Veolia, Wilmette's garbage contractor. Beautiful, isn't it!

The Late, Great United States

I can't think of any scenario that sums up more fully what has happened to our country than the news of the last day. There was President Obama on TV yukking it up with conference attendees before reflecting on an act of domestic terrorism that would have seized the news endlessly if it had happened in enemy territory abroad; a member of the US Armed Forces who should have been separated from the service months or years ago, but likely kept due to political correctness; and news that liberal pressure group moveon.org is trying to blackmail members of Congress into voting for health care legislation against even the wishes of constituents.

By this afternoon it is possible we may have the first step by Congress in criminalizing Americans who fail to purchase what the Government mandates--healthcare insurance at a cost of thousands and thousands of dollars per year, and will surely generate millions in campaign contributions. Employment is at 10.5% or 17.5%, depending on how you look at it, and the news is filled with pictures of caskets of returning soldiers thanks to an Order by President Obama, in a dreamy propaganda coup for our enemies.

Is this the hope and change and vision for America celebrated just one year ago? I know it is not, and it is heart-breaking. I should imagine this week we will be treated to more let-them-eat-cake pictures of fashion choices from Michelle Obama's bottomless closet, parties for the First Children and visitors at the White House, and the glaring absence of President Obama--who had plenty of time to go to Berlin during his campaign and Copenhagen recently to pitch the Olympics--at the anniversary commemorations of the fall of the Berlin Wall.

The photo is that of President Obama bowing to the Saudi King, a defining moment for a "new" America.

November 2009: Big Victory for Democrats

Tuesday night was a night that celebrated the Democratic Party. Don't fall for that stuff you are hearing from a bunch of teabaggers! The Democrats are stronger than ever! Take it from one who knows, and that would be Nancy Pelosi. When the ballots were counted on Tuesday night, the Democrats definately won on November 3, 2009. It was a big victory. Just check out Fox News, which is, as usual, carrying on about it all the time and spinning the news in favor of the Republicans. Figures, doesn't it? Could there be bigger proof of the way Fox lies than you don't hear much of anything about the election on CNN Headline News?

No lesser light than Ruy Teixeira, from the Center for American Progress Action Fund, that knows about these things, has advised fellow Democrats to relax! Barack Obama remains the hero he is to his base. Don't you think if there was a problem he would have said something? Barack Obama wasn't even worried. The election was so in the bag, he didn't even bother watching the returns and his daughters took off for a mid-week Miley Cyrus concert. So about the last thing Democrats need to do is to over react to some stupid, made-up results promoted by Fox News.

Democrats have friends in the precincts, and they can even speedily turn on a dime if a candidate needs help! Don't be misled by a bunch of claptrap mindlessly repeated by a bunch of sheeple right-wingers. Holiday time is coming soon, and it is time to put politics aside and to start planning your celebrations. Do make some shopping lists and mix up a few sample batches of holiday punch! The good news from Washington is that the corner has been turned and the recession is over. The last thing you would want to do is to not be prepared for the holidays or have some gifts that fail to recognize that by Christmas good times will be here again.

Election: Oh What a Beautiful Morning!

How do you feel this morning? On the radio, the weather is 41 and cloudy, but in my heart it's 70 and sunny! I am feeling much better than of late, thank you, dare I say hopeful? After yesterday's election, I decided that a picture of the elephant sign that I took at the Cologne Zoo would be just about perfect! One year ago, crowing Democrats told us that the Republican Party was finished, and they have spent the better part of a year repeating that. Not so fast!

At my work, everyone has been very crabby of late, but today I am going to leading the way with a much improved mood!

Foreclosures, the Caymans, and You

I still haven't really figured out exactly how the subprime meltdown really happened, even though I knew it had something do do with the Cayman Islands, which are not subject to U.S. tax law or regulation. What I didn't know, was that many of the mortgage backed securities ended up being owned by financially struggling governments in Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia and Slovenia. Anyway, you might want to read the article (more here) how Goldman Sachs dumped its really bad mortages into the market after arranging for them to be highly rated.

One thing I have learned in the past few days: if a house is about to go into foreclosure, it might be best for the homeowner to hang on tight and not give up too quickly. With so much trading of mortgages, apparently there are numerous instances where mortgage holders simply can't find the proper documents to establish a legal claim to property. While I would imagine those papers will show up eventually, it might provide homeowners enough breathing room to sort things out. Of course, if the homeowners give up too quickly, the banks may win even though their houses are not in order. What a mess we have on our hands!

Blago's Hair and Your Vote for IL Govenor

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

I can't think of anything better than how vigorously the Illinois Republican primary for governor is being waged already. There is a lot of really early activity. Individual campaigns are emerging from the smoke-filled room phase long ahead of schedule.

The above Andy McKenna video excerpt, posted above, is a great political ad from a visual standpoint, and is very clever. As far as I am concerned, the more the culture of corruption is discussed, the more likely it is that voters will at least spend a few minutes considering how it steals from the citizens of Illinois. Corruption is, of course, candidate Dan Proft's issue. He discusses that culture with great passion, conviction and breadth of knowledge. I don't think I've ever seen Andy McKenna passionate about anything, but that may be more personal style than anything else.

Proft's focus on corruption is already beneficial, having moved McKenna to move to take the wind out of Proft's sails and co-opt the issue that Proft hammers home daily. At the moment, that means that Proft has emerged as the man to beat. That will change. Candidate Jim Ryan is still pretty quiet. Ryan is battle tested, has the best name recognition, and traditionally rates an A (or possibly an A+) in working a crowd. While he has some baggage, he is a white knight, and in a rich field of good candidates, could emerge early as the clear front runner.

h/t to the Capitol Fax Blog for the heads-up on the video.

Happy Halloween 2009!

I am concerned that we won't have so many Trick or Treaters today because it is unseasonably cold here in Wilmette. We will be ready though, in the Halloween trick or treating hours. We bought candy as well as salty snacks to give away. Some children don't like candy or know their parents will take it away when they return home, so they are really happy to have a choice. Last year we bought some small presents also, but we found that food treats were the most popular. The best seller, ever, was little bags of Jay's plain popcorn. The children loved that! We would have bought popcorn, but unfortunately, we haven't been able to find that anywhere this year. We have some work to do to be all ready, so we will have a busy early afternoon!

Getting Ready for Halloween

Halloween's growth in popularity grew in the USA , according to The Times, was due to large numbers of immigrants who embraced it as a non-religious festival in the 19th century. I thought you might enjoy this old Halloween greeting with a distinct ethnic Scottish flair, which is very different from a Halloween greeting you might see today.

Trick or Treating

Did you buy your Halloween treats yet? We did, but we still have to decorate. Somehow the dreary weather doesn't make it fun. It's wet out there! There were so many leaves on the streets in Wilmette this morning, it seemed a safety hazard. If you have teen drivers, you may want to ground them--or pick-up and deliver them to and from their destinations--until it all gets swept up! I was afraid that whenI braked I would skid on leaves. It all turned out fine but seemed very hazardous.

I am excited about Halloween; I love its happy atmosphere. Tonight we will carve pumpkins. Trick or Treating didn't really get going in the USA until the late 1940's, although there are some written references to it in the 1930's. The Dutch theme in the above Halloween greeting card from about 100 years ago may refer to Hollantide, the Feast of St. Martin of Tours, France, also called Martinmas, a popular celebration similar to Holloween since the Middle Ages in the British Isles.

Big Spending at New Trier Likely Not Necessary

This letter from Wes Baumann, former principal of New Trier High School, came via email. The Conservativebrand blog--which is sure to have continuing coverage--posted it several days ago, but I hadn't read it before.

Wes' Letter:

Open Letter to the Residents of New Trier Township

By now you should have received a four-page brochure from New Trier High School presenting their plans for replacing a significant portion of the Winnetka Campus. This letter is to give you one person’s perspective, that of a retired New Trier administrator and 28-year resident of the township, of the current plans being proposed by the New Trier Superintendent and Board of Education for major facility work on the Winnetka Campus. I will preface my remarks with the fact that I could support a much more modest plan to accommodate the needs of the district. However, the extent of the current proposal far exceeds the needs and is not a wise use of the taxpayers’ resources.

I spent 32 years working at NT – 23 years as an administrator and most of those dealing with facility utilization. When I retired in 2002 as Principal there were few who knew the building any better than I, and they were on the Physical Plant staff. I have a serious problem with the administration describing the Winnetka Campus as old, out-of-date, and nonfunctional in so many aspects.

It may be old but it is certainly still very functional and has been kept up-to-date.

Over the last 15 to 20 years New Trier has done much to upgrade the Winnetka facilities:
As recently as four years ago, all new PE and athletic locker rooms replaced the old ones for a cost of over $6 million, and these are schedule for demolition in the current plans.
The library underwent a major gutting and renovation several years ago for over $2 million, which the administration now wants to abandon and have rebuilt as part of the new facilities project.
Between $300,000 and $400,000 was spent on each of 11 science labs providing all new lab fixtures that are compatible for teaching any of the sciences -- all with complete computer accessibility; additionally 3 new science labs were added.
A new HVAC system has been installed that provides air conditioning to most of the building.
Almost all of the windows have been replaced with new windows that have double pane glazing.
The post-high school-counseling suite has been totally renovated.
A new state of the art Health Center has been added.
Additionally, the building now has wireless Internet accessibility.

I have conducted many tours of the campus for alumni who were here for reunions, classes dating back from the late 30s to the mid 70s. They have all remarked what great shape the building is in. Alums living in other parts of the country with kids or grandkids in high school have often expressed envy about NT’s facilities wishing as much for their children or grandchildren.

The school board is now moving toward spending around $180-$200 million to tear down most of the west side of the building (the student cafeteria, the Tech Arts building, and the Music building); and on the east side of the building the Gates gymnasium and the boiler plant would also be demolished. The replacements -- a three-story structure that will cover almost two-thirds of residential Woodland Avenue on the west side and a larger competition gym and a massive new field house will be built on the east side. The project will decrease campus green space and substantially increase the amount of impervious surface in a landlocked, residential neighborhood, besides drastically increasing the massing on the site. The New Trier campus is already very significantly overbuilt for the land it is on. Additionally, NT will lose a practice football field and a softball field at a time when field space is so precious.

What the taxpayers will be asked to support, through increased property taxes, is meeting the desires and dreams of what the staff would like under ideal conditions, i.e., no financial restraints, not what is deemed necessary. Furthermore, I have talked to a number of veteran teachers, staff and mid-level administrators who do not view this plan as a necessity or as being a wise use of resources. They just don’t feel the “need” that is being portrayed to the community. The Board is currently aiming for a February tax rate referendum to support their plan. As the superintendent said over a year ago this will not result in better education as measured by test scores. Also looming on the horizon is the fact that the school board will need to come back to the residents and ask them to pass an education tax rate referendum that will be necessary to support teachers’ salaries and core educational programs.

I agree that the Winnetka Campus could use some additional space, as special education and technology have required much more space; and our students are taking more academic classes; for example, as New Trier has pointed out, enrollment in science classes has jumped from 42% to 95% in the past 40 years. However, most of the space needs could be accomplished in the current footprint of the school. Removing the two-story Tech Arts building and the single story cafeteria and replacing them with a three to four-story structure could satisfy virtually all of the space needs while addressing most of the handicap accessibility issues on the west side. This could all be accomplished without significantly increasing the footprint of the campus or reducing field space.

New Trier’s reputation has been built by it products, that is, its students, not the physical building. I have not met one North Shore parent who did not want their child to consider an Ivy League school because it had old buildings and old classrooms. Most people that I have talked to are far more concerned about maintaining our ability to draw and retain an outstanding faculty.

I do not want to see a failed referendum, but I also do not want to squander taxpayer’s money. The burden of high property taxes is straining many residents. I also fear that if this huge bricks and mortar referendum were to pass that the forthcoming referendum for an increase in the education fund rate, which supports teachers’ compensation and other critical parts of the educational program, will be jeopardized as our community is becoming taxed beyond reasonableness. I want our community to be proud of its school for the right reason, that is -- what is going on inside the walls not the walls themselves.

In 1950 Life Magazine featured New Trier and stated that it “exemplifies the U.S. public high school at its best.” The article further states, “unassuming New Trier does not look wealthy and does not act it … New Trier’s real lesson is that it is well to pay adequate school taxes and to use them intelligently.” I firmly believe that the current scope and scale of the proposed project is NOT a wise use of the community’s resources. As the Superintendent has previously stated this project will not improve education as measured by test scores. This is not the time to seek to build an edifice to the glory of the administration or the architects or even the community. Let us remember what has made New Trier great; it is the people – the students, the parents and the faculty, NOT the bricks and mortar.


If you have read this far I would like to thank you. The next question is, what to do? If you feel as I do, that the size and scope of the proposed project is too large and does not justify the large expenditures you should contact the Board of Education and let them know how you feel. Conversely, if you believe that the township should spend $180 - $200 million for the proposed upgrades contact the Board members and express your support.

Wesley A. Baumann

New Trier - Open Your Wallets!

Conservative Wilmette blogger, Eva Sorock, has been working on her blog, conservativeBrand, for some time, and it has really started to shape up and look good. While I don't think she's quite mastered the hyperlink yet, she mastered political comment long ago. Eva spent years taking the heat as an alternative viewpoint on the Wilmette school board, daring to question what needed to be questioned by any genuine representative of the people. While I sometimes (or often, depending on the tides, the weather, or the issue) don't agree with her as far as specifics, Eva's viewpoint is always thoughtful and worthwhile. With discussions of millions of dollars at stake in a planed spending spree at New Trier High School, I am adding her to my blogroll; her voice will be an important one.

For my part, I am seeing and hearing more local evidence of quiet but substantial discomfort as a result of the economy's gyrations. Some may be temporary, or more perceived than actual, but with many of the area's residents tightening their belts, it seems to be a terrible time to consider projects to increase taxes. Second half taxes in Cook County are really late this year. The word is that there will b a substantial increase. While there are other explanations, I imagine there is going to be a genuine collection problem, and that there was a great deal of pressure to wait to send out the tax bills until well after the decision of the Olympic Committee. I fear there is going to be a good amount of suffering, and by that I mean the taxpaper and not the government.

Proft Points Out Reform Can't Happen Without Reform

I hope you are following Dan Proft's campaign for Governor, because he is saying things that may not be popular among some Republicans, but need to be said. Sort of like your conscience, only different. Today, he pointed out that reform begins in the Republican party, and weighed in on the political adage, "When we're in, we're in, and when you're in, we're in. We're always in." Do have a look.

I Join the Trend: No Local Paper at our House

Newspaper circulation has declined, and I imagine my story isn't atypical. Our house was getting so burned out on the grizzly death-and-murder formula of the Sun-Times, we found about half the days we weren't even taking it out of its wrapper. Just as I was considering cancelling it for basically being worthless, it stopped arriving in the morning. Come to think of it, I couldn't remember paying a bill lately for it. I imagine I put it on the side of the table and never quite got around to it. The other day I bought a Tribune on the stand and remarked to a colleague that I might subscribe to it now that it had been reformatted and gotten small enough so that reading it would not be a whole day's work. She told me that if you subscribe, they still drop off a large-sized edition. So much for that idea. No one called from the Sun-Times to look for my renewal and I didn't bother looking for the bill.

So, for the first time since I was 20 years old, I am not subscribing to a local paper. While I feel out of the loop, there wasn't much loop left in the paper at all, so I imagine we will try this for a while. But it really feels strange.

The Dog Does Not Need to Wear A Costume for Halloween

No. No matter how bored you are today or how cute you think this Halloween costume is, don't even think of doing this to the dog. If you promise you won't get any smart ideas, you can click here for even more reasons why pets hate Halloween.

Time for Indian Summer?

I hope it isn't too late in the season, or maybe it happened already, but I am patiently awaiting the warm days of Indian Summer. Hope it doesn't forget to come! Above, the famous 1907 cartoons of Injun Summer by John T. McCutcheon, made famous by the Chicago Tribune.

Backroom Dealing: Healthcare In Washington and Other Thoughts

So much for involving the public on he healthcare debate; that didn't work out so well. Now, healthcare has moved behind closed doors in Washington. Could we just replace Congress with the Chicago City Council? They might work more comfortably with the Man from Chicago--or should I just say the Chicago Troika of Emanuel, Axelrod and Obama?

The Obama Team has now added France to its list of snubbed countries: nothing says change like shaking off the shackles of France and England, does it? Bye guys, most Americans loved being friends with you. Sorry; we'll still visit if we can.

America's still waiting to hear about Afghanistan. Come to think of it, so is Afghanistan. If the public had bothered looking at what was left of Obama's record in Springfield, after much of it simply disappeared, it should be no surprise at all.

Hula Hooping Should not End TV

Hula Hoop? Okay! We can get with the program! But that is a very bad belt to wear while hula-hooping and the untucked shirt is downright un-firstladylike. And frankly we are puzzled about Michelle's explanation that her family couldn't afford fast food when she was growing up. That's a complete fabrication. Michelle's dad's salary as a city worker was much more than ample; we know the numbers from local news stories. I bet her mom didn't like fast food. The "up from poverty" story that the Obamas peddle--which some of the world actually believes--can only relate to a world where lack of private chefs and personal jets is considered poor.

What does worry me, though, is Michelle's big focus on the idea that children shouldn't watch TV. That is just about totally mean. I loved TV as a child, and the younger family members loved TV when they were children. When you get older, TV gets more boring. If you have all your TV joy taken away as a child, you probably will never enjoy it at all. After I grew up, I used to love watching the evening news if I was home. Then the networks started carrying ads that featured pills for odd maladies with frightening side effects. After that, around the time they cast Katie Couric as a news anchor, they stopped covering what used to be news stories. Now I can't enjoy the evening news at all, and if it wasn't for such nice TV memories I might be really sad.