Restaurant Pick: Peanut Butter Planet, Glen Ellyn, IL

Run, don't walk to Glen Ellyn's and possibly the nation's first restaurant devoted exclusively to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. That's no typo: peanut butter and jelly or skip. Mary and I ambled in on its Grand Opening after several preview days tweaking the creamy and crunchy menu. I conservatively selected old reliable: crunchy peanut ...butter on white bread with jelly and crusts. Mary splurged for peanut butter with nutella (chocolate) on marble rye. That garnered a $2 premium. We could have wolfed down the entrees in 30 seconds like we did when we were kids. Instead, we engaged the eclectic owner in conversation about all things peanut butter and jelly. Why, I asked, would anyone open a peanut butter and jelly sandwich restaurant? His sensible reply? No competition! Maybe Peanut Butter Planet will become the next Subway.

Breen last person I'd contact for First Amendment rights

A line in the Daily Herald article about the Illinois GOP House District 48 Primary race between incumbent Sandy Pihos and challenger Peter Breen caught my eye. Breen, current Lombard Village Trustee is also described as "Vice President and senior counsel for the Thomas More Society, which defends First Amendment rights." Given that the Tho...mas More Society has an ultra conservative agenda of preventing freedom of gays to marry, denying women reproductive freedom including the right to safely access abortion facilities, and injecting religion in public places, I found that statement both false and preposterous.

Let's restate the First Amendment:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Trying to prevent gays from marrying may satisfy a twisted religious notion of what constitutes moral conduct and marriage, but it has no more validity than arguing their imaginary GOD didn't intend for blacks and whites to marry, something phony Christians did for centuries. Working to prevent human beings from enjoying the fruits of American democracy is a mockery of First Amendment rights.

We know the Thomas More Society is a haven for Americans who promote government interference with women's reproductive health, including abortion services. Again, that has everything to do with religious fanaticism and nothing to do with the First Amendment. If a female Thomas More Society member doesn't want an abortion, she may exercise her right not to have one. But she should stay clear of other women's lady parts. Attorney Breen might argue that the First Amendment involves the right of protesters to picket abortion facilities. Of course, peaceful protest that respects rights of those entering such facilities is not in question. It's the buffer zone set up to protect the rights of already traumatized women Breen wants to abridge. Thomas More Society abortion clinic protesters have no more First Amendment rights to terrorize those women than they have First Amendment rights to yell "FIRE" in a crowded theater.

Let's not forget Breen and the Thomas More Society's obsession with allowing religious expression in public places. This non-theist is profoundly grateful the first item in the First Amendment is "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion". If Breen and his acolytes wish to pray in a public place, have at it. But for God's sake, keep you religious stuff out of my face and in your church where it belongs.

As one who exercises his First Amendment rights in the public forum on a daily basis, I fret about their possible abridgment. If I have an issue with my free speech rights, I won't reach out to VP and senior counsel of the Thomas More Society Peter Breen. I'll contact the premier First Amendment defender; one I've been a proud member of since 1967: The American Civil Liberties Union.

War criminal Rice poor choice for Judson University speaker

If its springtime, you can bet on evangelical Christian, Judson University, Elgin, IL, inviting another George W. Bush Iraq war crime powerhouse to their annual World Leaders Forum. This March 19, former Bush National Security Advisor and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will speak on "The United States in a changing world". Rice probably won't mention how she helped change the world by assisting Bush's decade long destruction of Iraq with her famous call to war "we don't want the smoking gun (of Iraq's fictional WMD program) to be a mushroom cloud." Maybe Rice can explain to the Judson faithful how her senseless Iraq war virtually wiped out the once proud and thriving Christian community in Iraq. Rice has never apologized or begged forgiveness for conduct that should have landed her in a prison cell rather than a fat speaker's fee at a Judson love-in event.

Judson bills this event as an endeavor to educate "tomorrow's business leaders... who glorify God by the quality of their personal relationships, their work, and their citizenship within the community, the nation and the world".  Judson does this by mostly inviting Iraq war criminals with hundreds of thousands of deaths on their resume to teach impressionable young Christians about leadership. The Decider himself, George W. Bush, was their first World Leaders Forum speaker in 2011. With a break for a decent human being, former Russian President and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Mikhail Gorbachev in 2012, Judson got back on track with British war criminal and former Prime Minister Tony Blair last year. This year Rice will make it Iraq war criminals three out of four years.

Judson University is cordially invited to dis-invite former George W. Bush co-Iraq war criminal Condoleezza Rice from being featured speaker at this year's event. No institution of higher education should legitimize the deeds of a world leader responsible for such monstrous carnage. The print ad for the event boasts VIP access for a photo op with Rice. The only photo op we should be privileged to see is Rice being arrested for war crimes and frog marched off the Judson campus on her way to the Hague for trial.

If Judson University proceeds with Rice's appearance they should change their school motto to: "Judson University: where war criminals are welcome". 

Washington: a state to be proud of

 

Kudos to Washington governor Jay Inslee who suspended the practice of state sponsored murder, a.k.a. death penalty, in Washington for the duration of his term. Inslee is working with his constituents and the legislature to make the ban permanent prior to its expiration. That makes Washington the 21st of 50 states that have abolished or suspended the death penalty, which itself is now on a version of Death Row. Eight Washington men scheduled to walk the Green Mile some years hence, get a reprieve and possibly a long life to contemplate the heinousness of their crimes. Let's hope they achieve personal redemption and become positive forces within their lifetime prison community before Father Time, rather than the Hangman, takes them.

But Washington has much more to be proud of. It is the sole state that has abolished the death penalty, legalized gay marriage, and to promote personal happiness, authorized use of marijuana for recreational purposes. That's my kind of state! Illinois is not far behind with two out of three.

Come on Land of Lincoln. Let us adult Illinoisans exercise our human right to ingest, in the privacy of our castles, the residue of a plant that is not addictive, has no proven health hazards, has many medicinal purposes, and could help make Illinois financially sound once again to boot.

Meet with Gov. Christie? Fat chance!

"Big Bully" New Jersey Governor Chris Christie hits Chi Town this morning....and all four GOP gubernatorial candidates hit the road. Christie will be heading up several fundraisers for the GOP in his role as chairman of the Republican Governors' Association. The role was a dream gig for Christie as he could spread his New Jersey tough guy charisma around the nation as he earned chits from grateful Republican governors and governor wannabes to be cashed in during the 2016 presidential race. But when Christie booked his Chicago fundraising itinerary he was still the GOP Golden Boy. Now, more scandals are crashing down on him than junk pouring out of Fibber McGee's closet. The George Washington Bridge traffic study, overpaying for Hurricane Sandy commercials featuring the Christie family, extorting the sweet lady mayor of Hoboken for an endorsement. Let me count the ways.

During Tour Christie, Gov. Rick Scott of Florida caught the George Washington Bridge flu and missed Christie's pitch before super rich Florida money moguls. Texas Gov. Rick Perry and heir apparent Greg Abbott were out riding the range when Christie blew into the Texas plains.

Today was supposed to be Christie's star tour of the Land of Lincoln. But checking the Fab Four GOP gubernatorial candidates here's what we found:

Sen. Kirk Dillard's spokesman Wes Bleed advises, "No, we won't be attending any Christie events."

State Treasurer Dan Rutherford's spokesman Brian Sterling claims Rutherford "knows nothing about the Christie event and is not involved in any way."

Sen. Bill Brady's spokesman Dan Egler simply states, "Right now, no."

Mike Schrimpf, spokesman for billionaire Bruce Rauner's came the closest to not saying no with, "We don't have his (Rauner's) schedule completely finalized for next week yet." Don't hold you breath however, expecting the richest guy to ever run for Illiniois governor to appear with the most toxic office holder in America today.

Apparently, everyone wants to do a photo op with a Golden Boy; nobody wants to be seen with a Bully Boy.

Movie Pick: Monument Men

I figured I'd like Monument Men since it combines two of my passions, art and WWII history; but was surprised how deeply it moved me. George Clooney directs and stars as real life hero Frank Stokes, who persuades FDR to allow him to form of squad of seven fellow art museum directors, curators and historians to enter Europe in the waning days of the war to salvage centuries of European art being plundered by the Nazi's. The aging seven struggle through basic training, pick up arms for the very first time; then set out with regular army support on this audacious and deadly mission. The men realize they are jeopardizing their lives simply for art, and what it represents to a culture being systematically destroyed by pure evil. The movie provides a nuanced answer. Kate Blanchet is haunting and steals the acting chops as a French functionary to an SS officer plundering the art on behalf of Hermann Goering. She's actually tipping off her Resistance fighter brother who's on their joint mission to rescue the purloined art. Jailed after the liberation of Paris, she's revealed a patriot, providing the art's hidden whereabouts to one of the Monument Men, and the race is on to prevent the fleeing Nazis from destroying it or the advancing Russians grabbing it as instant war reparations.

Initial reviews have been pretty hard. Industry Bible, Variety, called it an "exceedingly dull and dreary caper pic" while the New York Times panned Clooney's direction "stolid" and "pandering". Pay no attention to dolts behind the keyboard. Monument Men depicts the best of man amidst the worst in riveting style. A timeless aphorism states: "All things pass, only art endures". To that you can add the corollary: "thanks to the Monument Men".

After 'Untouchables' glory, Eliot Ness saga grim

In a rare display of bi-partisanship, Illinois' Democratic and Republican Senators, Dick Durbin and Mark Kirk have teamed up on a public project. Alas, its only for the dubious purpose of naming the new ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) building in Washington D.C. after famed Chicagoan and Prohibition crime fighter Eliot Ness. Chicago born, Unive...rsity of Chicago educated, Ness became a minor Chicago celebrity between 1927 and 1931 conducting highly publicized raids on Al Capone's liquor empire, leading a group of 11 men who couldn't be bribed; hence the moniker 'Untouchables'. Ness had virtually nothing to do with Capone's downfall and was long forgotten when his memoir 'The Untouchables' was published a month after his 1957 death from a heart attack at age 54. Then a twist of fate resurrected Ness from history's dustbin. The Lucille Ball, Desi Arnas TV studio cast handsomely rugged Bob Stack to portray Ness in a long running TV series that implanted Ness into historical legend. Kevin Costner reprised Ness in the 1987 movie setting up the strange bedfellows of Durbin and Kirk to put a hyped Chicago hero on a government edifice.

Sadly, Ness' first splurge of fame was his personal and career peak, beginning a quarter century tailspin into alcoholism and early death. After Prohibition he dabbled in busting moonshiners in Kentucky and shutting down prostitution near WWII training bases. Killjoy Ness did become Safety Director of Cleveland's police and fire departments from 1935 to 1941, but failed to catch the serial killer who terrorized the city for three years and had to quit when caught fleeing a car accident after a heavy night of social drinking which had already impeded his public image. He lost his race for Cleveland Mayor in 1947 and his executive business jobs mostly ended in failure due to lack of business acumen. He was married three times, got into debt and was reduced to selling frozen hamburger patties to restaurants and clerking in a bookstore; noble work to be sure, but a long way from the Big Time. As his fortunes declined his drinking increased. He spent much of his spare time regaling astonished bar patrons of his battles with Al Capone, including several assassination attempts and the successful one of a close friend.

All things considered, The Eliot Ness ATF Building may be appropriate for a land running on fumes celebrating phony heroes and dubious glory. And if Senators' Durbin and Kirk are to be strange bedfellows, it should to extend unemployment insurance to the 1.3 million unemployed folks at the end of their financial tether. The Junior Senator from Illinois rose from the bed of compassion he should be sharing with the Senior Senator to cast the deciding vote to filibuster that critical extension. When it comes to common sense and decency, Senator Kirk is...Untouchable.