To Dennis,

from Eric

What does it tell you that, even though the economy is apparently stuck in the doldrums and President Barack Obama’s base is dispirited and his popularity ratings underwhelming, I still confidently predict he’ll be re-elected?…

It breaks my old man’s heart to see pictures of follow seniors being herded from one “protest” to another, sheepishly abetting an industry that makes a living by manipulating the gullible, employing the Saul Alkinsky playbook. Especially when it feeds their sense of victimization. When we elderly once were lads and lassies, we saw older Americans as defenders of hard work and critics of whiners. Perhaps that’s still true. But you can’t tell by watching Schakowsky’s cynical antics.
Read more at the Barbershop

Spectacularly vast stores of natural gas — by some estimates a staggering 837 trillion cubic feet — trapped in shale formations thousands of feet below our nation’s surface could endow America with decades of energy independence.

But the…

UPDATE: Quinn signs education reform law. Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is expected to sign today what’s called "sweeping" education reform, a step in the right direction in several regards: Longer school days and a provision allowing school to place competence…

  House Speaker Michael Madigan, center, Senate President John Cullerton, left, and other Illinois Democrats largly got their way with new legislative redistricting map. (Keri Wiginton, Chicago Tribune phptp / June 8, 2011)   It’s time to revive the idea…

  A group of young men who say they were attacked Tuesday evening stand with police at Chicago and Wabash avenues. (Nuccio DiNuzzo, Chicago Tribune)   Chicago media must identify the race of the aggressors and victims in "flash mob"…

    Noah picked the wrong slur Now that everyone has exhausted (I hope) all the handwringing over Joakim Noah’s slur, we have yet to see what will happen to that jerk of a Miami Heat fan who set off the…

Rahm Emanuel came up with a brilliant idea in his inauguration speech: Brand Chicago as America’s City. Here’s what he said: Look at the three of us being sworn in today. Treasurer Stephanie Neely and Clerk Susana Mendoza. Both are…

Already, Rahm Emanuel has taken over the mayor’s web page. Go there to view excerpts of his speech. …

I get the feeling by the (absence of) posts on ChicagoNow about the inauguration that not many people are interested. Too bad. You just missed a stirring rendition on the violin of America the Beautiful by a young student and…