only a few

Of our 50 aldermen, only a handful declined this year's pay raise. Ginger Rugai was not among them. How can she accept a raise in good conscience when hundreds of other city employees are facing layoffs, and the city faces a decline in city services?

framed

A bar in Old Town has an unusual new highlight.

free Sarah

I would love to see John McCain's handlers let Sarah Palin loose to speak more. If not now, then when will she get experience dealing with the media before election day? Such experience is essential to the office she seeks.

are you registered to vote?

If you're not registered, or you have moved since you last registered, click here. Note that the voter guides page gives deadlines and other info for specific states. If you are legally eligible to vote, please take the time to register, research the candidates, and vote. Your vote DOES matter.

solutions to our energy crisis

Someone sent me a link to this video clip - a testament to one legislator's inability to get his head out of his a$$, think outside the box, [or your metaphor here]. Contrary to what this jerk is spouting, riding a bicycle IS one viable solution to our energy crisis. And spending $1M per year on promoting bicycles as sustainable transportation is a drop in the bucket compared to the billions that are spent on highways and parking lots every year.

When I hear so many politicians talking about ways to generate more energy (almost always from non-renewable sources), I keep scratching my head wondering why our nation of energy hogs can't understand that the supply of non-renewable energy sources if NOT infinite and start to think about using LESS energy - turning off a few lights, using a drying rack or clothesline instead of a dryer, driving a smaller car or *GASP* not driving less or not at all, using bikes and public transportation instead.

If you're considering trying your commute by bicycle, there's an Intro to Bicycle Commuting workshop tomorrow afternoon (1:00 p.m.) at Northeastern Illinois University, University Commons (or inside the Student Union if it rains). This is on the Northwest side of Chicago along Bryn Mawr, between Kimball and Pulaski - sponsored by the Green Cycle Group and the NEIU College of Cycling.

BTW, if you feel inspired to write a letter to the jerk in the video telling him what you think about sustainable energy policies and bicycles, here's a link to his web site.

Barack Obama visits Appalachia

I'll be very curious to see how Barack Obama does in Appalachia in the general election. The New Yorker has some interesting insights on his campaign efforts there.

another winner

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler did it again - another great Sarah Palin send-up on Saturday Night Live.

a greener Sears Tower

I noticed this article in today's Sun-Times about new green amenities for tenants at the Sears Tower: loaner bikes for local trips, expanded indoor bike parking, and a few other improvements to reduce car trips and provide incentives for bike commuting. Not bad!

up next....

If you didn't catch Friday night's presidential candidate debate, the New York Times offers a well done interactive feature about the accuracy of the candidates' statements. (Click on the tab "check point" in the boxed-out area to the right of the video. As you scroll down in that box and click on the words "New York Times Check Point", it takes you to that part of the debate in the video.)

FactCheck.org, a non-partisan and nonprofit organization, did an analysis that is interesting on both sides.

Then we have Thursday night's VP candidate debate, which should be highly entertaining.

a bit of local humor

Cheers to King Richie! [hic]