Silly Request to Increase PEPFAR Funding
The students urged politicians to spend $50 billion to fight "global AIDS." Some signs urged Democrats to reform PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief). Another urged the "next President" to reform it. According to one student, "reform" means spending more money to battle the deadly disease. AIDS is caused by HIV, a virus that is contracted when bodily fluids are exchanged. Examples of that can range from a mother's breast milk to a shared syringe to unprotected sexual contact.
"Our nation pledged $15 billion over five years for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care in many of the poorest nations on Earth...This investment has yielded the best possible return - saved lives," said President George W. Bush, as quoted at http://www.pepfar.gov/.
So how will spending 35 billion dollars more help? I don't know, and neither did the students. I asked several why they wanted $50 billion. One student said that "the more we spend the better chance we have to fight it." Okay, I said, then why stop at $50 billion? Why not ask for $60 billion or better yet, $100 billion? "Don't be ridiculous," she said. But what is magic about the number $50 billion, I persisted. "Well...," she said, and turned away from me. It's a serious question. Throwing gobs of money at problems is not always the cure that is needed.
No amount of money will educate the hundreds of millions of ignorant people in Africa who still believe that raping a 12 year old girl will cure them of AIDS. The nations of Africa have government controlled media that can pump that message out 24/7 for no more than they spend on their media currently. So, how will spending $50 billion U.S. dollars help?
No amount of money will convince African hospitals that they need to clean up their act, literally. Decades of urging and teaching by Western doctors has gone straight over the heads of many hospital administrators and nurses in many parts of Africa. Their poor hygiene practices contribute significantly to the spread of AIDS and of other diseases.
Another group of equally well-meaning and fresh faced naifs gathered at 5:00 p.m. in the same spot. This time, the group was World Vision. They were excited to be embarking on a walk of "6,000 steps tonight to commemorate the 6,000 children that die everyday of AIDS." But the literature says it's for 6,000 orphans. Whatever, the 6,000 steps would take them only up to Oak Street, roughly a mile north.
Wow, what sacrifice. What a hardship they were willing to endure. How brave. How futile.
Westgard's Transparent and Pathetic Move
Yesterday, Westgard wrote, "Beavers and Stroger must really be running out of political power, if they're reduced to such a transparent and pathetic move."
What a load of shit. No no, I agree with what Westgard wrote. But does Westgard really believe what he wrote? Westgard used exactly the same "transparent and pathetic move" himself, as the former campaign chair of the failed Ginderske 2007 aldermanic campaign. Ginderske lost to incumbent Moore in February, who went on to beat Don Gordon in the April run-off. That's when Westgard and others used their own Beavers-like race card.
While Ginderske was still in the race, Joe Moore's flunkies were telling voters - particularly black voters north of Howard Street - that progressive Democrat Jim Ginderske was a Republican who wanted to get rid of all the black people in Rogers Park. This was a complete lie. Westgard protested, of course. Meanwhile, Westgard told anybody who would listen that candidate Don Gordon was a Nazi and a racist.
After Ginderske lost, both he and Westgard jumped into bed with Moore and started telling voters - particularly black voters north of Howard Street - that the moderately liberal Don Gordon was a Republican who wanted to get rid of all the black people in Rogers Park. But it got even uglier.
Westgard repeatedly and viciously called Mr. Gordon a Nazi and a racist. Mr. Gordon is neither, and Westgard knew that. Westgard's ugly, intentional lies were hurtful. But that was his intention. Give Beavers some credit: Unlike Westgard, at least Beavers's lie was not a vicious personal attack intended to destroy an individual's reputation.
As another local blogger wrote at the time, we still await Mr. Westgard's apology. He should do so before hypocritically criticizing Beavers or anybody else for the same sins of which he is so publicly and unrepentantly guilty.
(SEE RELATED STORIES BELOW)
hy·poc·ri·sy /hɪˈpɒkrəsi/
Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[hi-pok-ruh-see] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun, plural -sies.
1. a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess.
2. a pretense of having some desirable or publicly approved attitude.
3. an act or instance of hypocrisy.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
RELATED:
We Await An Apology, Mr. Westgard
46th Ward blogger WhatTheHelen?! doesn't want to forget the recent spate of Westgardian slurs, in which Thomas J. Westgard cavalierly called people Nazis, the basest of slurs. Neither do I.During the past 49th Ward aldermanic campaign, some in the Joe Moore camp used very ugly tactics. They accused those with differing opinions of being "racists" and "Nazis," or stronly implied the same. Attorney Thomas J. Westgard was arguably the worst offender, blatanly drawing comparisons of candidate Don Gordon to Nazi dictator and mass murderer Adolf Hitler.
Final Solutions, Liberal Guilt and Candidate Don Gordon
Don Gordon faces Joe Moore in Chicago's 49th Ward aldermanic run-off election on April 17. Both Gordon and his campaign lieutenant Michael Harrington are being unfairly accused of intentionally using a Nazi phrase. The phrase is "final solution." In certain contexts, the phrase is incendiary. In others, it should not be.
Das Krankheit und Herr Thomas J. Westgard
I was attacked by Thomas J. Westgard in 1976. He called me a Nazi, he called me a fascist. Read on, and you will learn how Thomas J. Westgard attacked me 31 years ago.
Racists William Beavers Plays Race Card - Stupidly
If you have no valid argument, call your enemies "racists."
IF TODD STROGER WAS WHITE
One of the biggest racists in Cook County, Commissioner William Beavers, said yesterday that Cook County President Todd Stroger can't get his budget passed "because he's black." He added that a white man would not have the same problems that Stroger does.
WInter Parking Ban Saturday, Dec. 1st
FIGHT TO SAVE LINCOLN SQUARE
STOP THE "LEGAL" THEFT OF PRIVATE PROPERTY. THE CITY OF CHICAGO IS ATTEMPTING TO USE FASCISTIC METHODS TO APPROPRIATE PRIVATE PROPERTY!
TIFed Off:
HOW TO SAVE LINCOLN SQUARE
The City of Chicago is in the process of authorizing the acquisition of a block of thriving businesses in Lincoln Square in order to give the land to a private developer. The targeted block is located in the Western Avenue North Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District, and if the city approves the acquisition of our businesses, they can use eminent domain to seize our property if we don’t sell.
Eminent domain is supposed to be for public uses, things like roads and schools – not to give our successful small businesses to wealthy, politically-connected developers.
We are not blighted, and we are not for sale. Come to a community meeting at Chicago Soccer this Wednesday to hear why we’re TIFed off, how it affects you, and what you can do to help.
Wednesday, December 5th, @ 7pm Chicago Soccer ● 4839 N. Western Avenue ● Chicago, IL 60625 Free food and drinks will be served.
Speakers will include: Imre Hidvegi, Chicago Soccer David Smarinsky, The Dental Corner Tim Le, Decorium Furniture Christina Walsh, Castle Coalition Coordinator, Institute for Justice If you have any questions, please contact Imre at 773-271-2255. www.SaveLincolnSquare.com
HELP WANTED
GOPCHICAGO.COM, GOPILLINOIS.NET
IF TODD STROGER WAS WHITE
Racist William Beavers Plays Race Card - Stupidly
Insults in Evanston: Howard/Damen Meeting Gets Hot
Screwing Veterans
Spitting on Veterans
Rhymes With "Witch"
VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: CHICAGO SDS REUNION
The resulting video (below) is stunning, even with the boring segments. Just under 58 minutes long, it is worth watching every minute.
For those of you who may not know what SDS is: "Forming the core of the 1960s counter-cultural movement known collectively as the New Left, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) was a radical organization that aspired to overthrow America's democratic institutions, remake its government in a Marxist image, and help America's enemies defeat her sons on the battlefield in Vietnam. The group developed from the Student League for Industrial Democracy, the youth branch of the socialist League for Industrial Democracy." (Source) (More information and definitions at Answers.com.)
Indeed, SDS was at the front of the line of those spitting on veterans returning from Vietnam. I have personally been criticized for calling people like Michael James a communist or a socialist. In fact, James and his comrades call themselves communists. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and calls itself a duck, it's a duck.
Some think SDS is dead. It is not. It may be lame and old, but it is working hard to revive itself. Speakers in the video make it clear that they are targeting students - high school and college - for their dreams of glorious communist revolution.
The panel of four speakers revealed more about themselves than they realized. Feeling comfortable amongst people of similar philosophies, they showed a side of themselves that they don't generally reveal to strangers. Of particular interest to Rogers Park residents is the Michael James segment. James, in practice a capitalist pig who pays low wages to his non-union employees, loves to pose a Vanguard of the Revolution. But all of these senior citizen subversives talk as though they are oppressed, as if The Man still holds them down. And each is an egoist, talking more about themselves than about SDS, in spite of the flier's promise to "tell all" about it.
Related:
Stray Shots
Clockwise from top left: (1) A truck with heavy grafitti sits at N. Glenwood and W. Morse, (2) a rose blooms during Thanksgiving Day snow flurries; (3) local lunatics poster the neighborhood in hopes of sparking a Bolshevik-style revolution here; (4) a last look at the White Hen Pantry, now a scummy 7-Eleven, at W. Pratt and N. Sheridan.
Butchered Remains Found in La Grange Park
Proposal for Howard/Damen Development
Fear No Art?
Bullying, Plain and Simple: Challenging the Thieves of City Hall
Religion of Peace Kills 13 in India
Would You Like Superfries With That?
Westgard's Puddle Freezes
As a result, a large body of water formed at the mouth of the canal, and the recent cold snap caused ice to form. That ice has stopped the flow of water into the canal, thus causing nearby residents to consider sand bagging and even possible evacuation to higher ground. The new body of water has been named Westgard's Puddle, after the namesake of the failed drainage project. Some scientists are already likening Westgard's Puddle to another large man-made body of water, the accidental Salton Sea in Southern California.
The enhanced photo to the right shows the coldest regions of the flood waters in blue and the warmest areas in red. Scientists have not been able to form a complete theory as to why the Westgard Drainage Canal has failed so completely, but some say it is simply a matter of poor engineering.
These photos, taken from above the canal, were obtained exclusively by The Bench. These aerial views of the Westgard Drainage Canal show what happens when humans try to fool Mother Nature, as the builders of the canal did.
Located in northern neighborhood of Rogers Park, the photography team endured frigid cold and unfriendly ruffians to get these photographs.
This Story Must Not Die
Garble Garble
Crime Down in Chicago? How Do You Know???
Ring in the Bells
Question for Alderboy Nathan Moore
Update on RP Shooting
Science Fiction
NASA: Global Warming is "Natural"
JPL: About Face on Arctic Ocean Oscillation Implications Yet another piece of global warming hysteria disappears. From JPL : "Our study confirms many changes seen in upper Arctic Ocean circulation in the 1990s were mostly decadal in nature, rather than trends caused by global warming."
NASA Study of Arctic Oscillation and Arctic Ocean..... "The events of the 1990s may well be a preview of how the Arctic will respond over longer periods of time in a warming world," he said.
Too Many Aldermen, Not Enough Inspectors
Obama: Right Wing Conspirator?
Remember, Crime Is "Down" In Chicago
Video: Al Qaeda Smashed In Baghdad
The Bench: Giving You the Finger
Moore was invited by the community advocacy group to serve as an honorary crossing guard but was unable to report to duty because of a weekend accident where he had nearly severed off a fingertip pruning a tree branch in his back yard.Okay, the entire finger did not come off. But it was breaking news, and like any news outlet, be it little ol' me or Fox News, developing stories are never complete and often slightly off. But some of you accused The Bench of fabricating the whole thing. Tsk tsk. Would you like cheese with your crow?