"Hog with the big nuts" goes commando: Ex-Chicago alderman freed from prison

Beavers

William Beavers, the former Chicago alderman and Cook County commissioner who once boasted that he was "the hog with big nuts," was released from federal prison yesterday.

Beavers is one of the 33 Chicago alderman convicted of crimes since 1973--there are only 50 members of the City Council. The South Side Democrat spent six months in the federal pen for tax evasion.

The Beavers family feuded for many years with the Jesse Jackson clan. "Junior," a former congressmen, is still in prison; his wife, Sandi, will check into the house with many doors after he is released.

The feud is over--attrition was the victor.

Technorati tags: politics Democrats Illinois Politics Cook County chicago chicago politics

(Photo) Deer eating tree leaves

I got close to the deer in the photograph--but not close enough to ascertain what kind of tree leaves it was eating.

Black walnut?

I took this picture yesterday afternoon at Morton Grove's Miami Woods.

Related posts:

• Ten point buck in Morton Grove
• Fawn nursing in Morton Grove
• My running partner this afternoon: A buck
• Morton Grove buck

Technorati tags: Chicago illinois Morton Grove nature photography photos outdoors deer

(Classic car) 1970 Plymouth Valiant Signet

The first vehicle I owned was a 1970 Dodge Dart. Pictured here is its sister vehicle, a Plymouth Valiant Signet.

Both were great automobiles that seemingly ran forever.

The green finish goes well with the trees.

This car was photographed at the Morton Grove Moose Lodge.

Technorati tags:  Chicago illinois photography photos automobiles cars big three Morton Grove

Little boy wearing dad's suit: Jay Carney quitting as White House press secretary

White House press secretary Jay Carney, who House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) once called "a paid liar," announced his resignation today.

Carney, in addition to his, shall I call them obfuscations, has always been a little boy wearing his dad's suit.

Technorati tags: Politics democrats news Obama Barack Obama

Obama Winter: Consumer spending dropped in April

On top of yesterday's release of revised first quarter figures that there was negative growth for the first quarter of the year, the Commerce Department announced that consumer spending dropped in April--and that hasn't happened for a year.

Obama Winter continues. Actually, things are getting worse.

Related post:

Obama Winter: GDP down 1 percent in first quarter

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Finally: Shinseki quitting as VA secretary

In a press briefing this morning, President Obama announced the resignation of inept VA Secretary Eric Shinseki.

Veterans such as this one are smiling across America.

However, the VA Waiting List Scandal portends what we will face under ObamaCare.

Technorati tags: government politics Democrats Obama Barack Obama

ILL-inois: $12 million paid in medical benefits to 3,000 dead persons

When I travel I get asked about the tradition of dead people voting in Chicago elections. I tell them, truthfully, the problem isn't as bad as it used to be.

Statewide, there is a new problem: dead people receiving medical benefits. And no, I'm not talking about bill incurred before people die.

From the Quad City Times:

Illinois paid $12 million in medical costs last year for nearly 3,000 people who were actually dead, Auditor General William Holland reported Thursday.

In an audit of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, Holland said workers at the agency failed to match up death records with the lists of people receiving taxpayer-funded medical benefits, resulting in millions of dollars being paid out to insure people who had been dead for more than two months.

"We recommended the Department improve its system of controls to ensure death dates for current enrollees are entered into its eligibility system and ensure that deceased individuals are not enrolled in managed care," Holland wrote.

Although the agency said it has taken action to correct the problems, auditors could not verify whether the state has recovered any of the money, the report said.

Who has been fired? Who has been prosecuted?

No one!

Illinois, by the way, is burdened by $5.6 billion in unpaid bills.

And the libs here say there is no room for budget cuts...

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