Ever Clever Rahm: Emanuel Figures How to Use Non Profit Money for Political End

Count on Rahm Emanuel to cleverly figure how to use tax-exempt money for political efforts! Wilmette's own Emanuel, now mayor-elect of the city of Chicago, has applied for, and received grant money from a number of Chicago area tax-exempt foundations to fund his transition, according to today's Chicago Tribune. In addition, Emanuel formed a non-profit to help raise funds. I am sure Emanuel's political donor's are grateful for this opportunity to help his campaign while deducting contributions from their income tax, since political deductions are normally non-deductible.

While some might question whether Emanuel's actions  violate the intent of the law, if not the actual letter of the law, the IRS has come under increasing public scrutiny in the past years for turning a blind eye to  non-profits for their political involvement.

Song for a Free Libya

We haven't heard much if anything from the Transitional Committee people in Libya, but I thought I would share this song written and sung by Dr. Adel Idris Almsheeti, who was born Benghazi, Libya in 1973. He wrote this song in hopes of a free Libya. Dr. Almsheeti practices in the field of intensive care and anesthesia. The words are as follows:

We will remain here:
We will remain here till the pain vanish, we will live here, O my homeland, the land of resistance, you are inside me. Despite of the enemies’ plots, despite of the indignation (woes), we will aim to spread the grace, we will look forward to rise up our ambitions by walking to the
to the highest peaks, so let us all rise, holding our pens.

"Not Afraid to Die:" RIP Mohammad Nabbous

One month ago I introduced you to Bengazi, Libya's Mohammed Nabbous, who had a singular goal of taking the plight of Benghazi  under Muammar Gaddafi and the hope for a free Libya to the world. When I posted the original video, I did not give Mr. Nabbous' name or website, knowing his work was a danger to the Gaddafi regime.

 "Today we received the news that Mohammed Nabbous, a citizen media activist and one of the great figures of the February 17th youth revolutionary movement, was killed by a Qadaffi sniper while covering the first hours of fighting in Benghazi. His death represents a terrible loss for the movement and for the future of Libya." Read the entire story

Wilmette's District 39: Some Perspective on the School Funding Troubles

With the 2011 school tax hike referendum about to become the Big Topic in Wilmette's District 39, I thought this video about Teachers Unions extremely timely. Sorry, you will have to stay tuned until the end to find out why the schools don't spend much time teaching economics!

It's Mardi Gras, and Little Has Changed in Libya

Happy Mardi Gras; tomorrow Lent begins. The chances that the problems in Libya will be resolved any time in the near future seem limited.  A standoff has developed between the Free Libyan forces and the old government under Col. Gaddafi. Fighting continues, but the Libyan government has one of those "Internet Kill Switches" and web traffic in Libya has flatlined since March 3.  Limited updated information from Libya's citizens is now available.  Since the entire world is watching, we are hoping there is less chance of mass genocide, but the situation is not good. A recent offering from Twitter: Quite possibly the only public wifi hotspot in eastern Libya just lost electricity. Moans of agony from journalists."

Despite the lack of Internet, the chants of the protesters are leaking out, and dozens have been compiled at Wikipedia, including one that likely sounds better in the origin al, "To hell, hell with Gaddafi, oh Tripoli, Benghazi is calling," and the more pointed chant clearly designed for an English speaking audience: "Obama don't you care?! Libyan bodies everywhere!"