Friday, August 29, 2008

Sarah Palin.... You Have Got To Be Kidding?

This is the Best and Brightest star that the the GOP can find?
I'm sure she's a fine person, but how can anyone say that she is ready to "Step in" to the job of leader of the free world.
The entire state of Alaska has less than one twelfth the population of the Chicago Metro area. She has never met with world leaders, has zero foreign affairs experience, zero Washington experience. She has never ran a company, has no experience in international business.

I respect that other people have views different than my own on the critical issues facing our country. Many of my closest fiends are proud members of the GOP. (Truth be told, many of them would be far better choices than Sarah Palin)

Thanks to Wikipedia, we can learn some interesting biographical information on the presumptive number two:
1. In 1984, Palin was runner-up in the Ms. Alaska beauty pageant.
2. In an earlier pageant, Sarah played the flute and won "Miss Congeniality."
3. She has tried marijuana, but says she didn't like it.
4. She's a lifelong member of the NRA.
5. She eats moose burgers.
6. Her husband works for BP (the oil company).
7. She wants to drill in ANWAR.
8. She's "strongly pro-life."
9. Doesn't want the gays to marry, but likes them just the same.
10. People like her.
11. She is female.
12. She's 43 years old--28 years younger than McCain, 3 years younger than Obama.
13, She's a champion of ethics reform.
14. Her administration is under investigation. Accused of trying to get a former brother-in-law fired from his law enforcement gig.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Urban Insurance Awarded Honors

Is Proud to list Urban Insurance Agency as a Top Merchant






Editor's Review
Established car insurance business helps people in the Chicagoland compare and find deals.
The Extras Fill out an online application on their website. ... read more
Profile
Reviews
Website
Visit Urban Insurance Agency on Citysearch


MerchantCircle is led by an experienced team and funded by investors who share our vision and believe in the power of local businesses. Our backers include Rustic Canyon Partners, Scale Venture Partners and Disney's Steamboat Ventures, who each bring their specialized expertise to help us develop and improve your MerchantCircle experience.


© 2006 - 2008 MerchantCircle. All Rights Reserved




Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Olympic Games in Chicago?

How close is Chicago to getting the 2016 Olympics?

Urban Insurance Agency is based in Chicago and we would find it quite exciting to see the eyes of the world focused on Chicago. The additional attention will help bring more tourists as well as additional investment. Chicago would likely obtain an improved mass transit system and other basic infrastructure upgrades.
Below is a copy of a petition that seems to be working it's way across the internet.

Right now, the eyes of the world are on the Olympic Games in Beijing, China. But eight years from now, the world could be watching Chicago -- one of the last 4 cities still in the running to host the 2016 Olympics. So as we celebrate the Olympic spirit and watch athletes from around the world compete in Beijing, please join me in helping to bring the Games back to the U.S.A. and ensuring the Olympic flame burns brightly over the city of Chicago in 2016.

Chicago's beautiful parks, spectacular lakefront, top-notch sports venues, and wonderful people make it a world-class city that has what it takes to host the 2016 Olympics. That's why I've signed an online petition, spear headed by Senator Dick Durbin, to show the International Olympic the support for hosting the games here in Chicago is strong and enthusiastic -- and that thousands of people from all across America are speaking out.
Please join me by signing the petition as well!
http://www.PickChicago2016.com
Thank you for helping to make Chicago's dream of hosting the 2016 Games a reality!

Saturday, August 9, 2008

John Edwards is Toast!

John Edwards made a large sum of money as a PI lawyer.
His looks and perfect amount of southern twang, helped his rapid rise to senator then to vice presidential hopeful in 2004 and a leading presidential candidate in 2008. In fact there were many that felt Edwards was on the "Short List" of running mates for Obama.

Today any hopes he might have of "Higher Public office" ended in a fiery crash after he admitted he lied repeatedly about the affair with Rielle Hunter. He went on to deny fathering her child.

That kind of Revelation has leveled many a politician but when you add the fact that he was cheating on his wife between her bouts with inoperable cancer, I can't see any way back into the good graces of the American People.
I think it is time for him to just "Go away" for a while, then find another line of work.

Larry Lubell

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

That is one big Hole!


Scale of Chicago Spire In case any of you were thinking that hole in the ground looked like a big foundation (which is in actuality ONLY the core foundation), check out this composite from the past two weeks of work at the site. They're excavating the tops of the double 12-foot caissons that will be under each leg of the building in order to tie them together into "supercaissons." Look at the size of this thing's overall footprint now ...http://www.thechicagospire.com/

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Jack in the Box in Chicago

Do you remember when ordering your fast food involved talking to the "Jack in the Box"?


In this country, where each day, independent businesses loose ground to chains and franchises, it is surprising when you find a regional fast food franchise. While I hate the idea of dining in an up-scale seafood restaurant only to find they have 60 of them around the country each indistinguishable from the next. I'm upset when I find myself a thousand miles from home, exploring that city's "Hot" shopping district, and find that it has the same list of stores I can find in a 15 minute walk from my home.


But Fast Food franchises are exempt from my scorn. Just as I expect each city will carry the network's feeds, and my cell phone will work, my expectation is that the streets will be filled with a uniform list of fast-food joints. The fact is that simply is not true. Sure McDonald's and Burger King spots will be found, I think P.E.T.A. even found a method to franchise protesters to Stand in front of KFC restaurants, but In & Out burgers, are not to be found in Chicago.


Truth be told, I don't care about In & Out Burgers, comming from Chicago, the only thing I know about them is the Paris Hilton eat there one of the nights she got caught driving drunk. But Jack in the Box is a different story.

I grew up with "Jack in the Box" There were so many late nights, in a car filled too-full with friends, spent speaking to "Jack". Jack was my friend, he fed me those wonderful tacos. He got me hooked, I looked forward to those golden-brown, deep-fried, tasty treats. Then all at once, they were gone. Jack fled west of of the Mississippi, leaving me and so many like me, stranded, left with a craving we were unable to fill.



The other day, after a disappointing Y12 Epee contest, I brought my son over to a Jack in the Box, two blocks from the San Jose Convention Center, desperate to bring some happiness to an otherwise "Dark day". I put in my order for 6 tasty tacos, and from the first bite I was transported back to a happy memory-filled time of youth and grease, it was wonderful! O.K., I would have traded the taco for my son bringing home a medal, but that was not a choice offered.

Yes the tacos were just as I remembered them to be. Each time I find my self in a town that is lucky enough to still have Jack in the Box, I make a point of eating as many of these tacos as I can stuff down my throat. Jack never lets me down; though I am still mad at him for moving away.

Larry Lubell

Monday, July 7, 2008

Lebanon gives Hezbollah Veto Power

If Hezbollah has veto power over the Lebanese government, then aren't they the true power in the country?

So we have a Terrorist group in control of another country in the Mid-East.
From the inception of Hezbollah the elimination of the State of Israel has been one of Hezbollah's primary goals.
"If they go from Shebaa, we won't stop fighting them. ... Our goal is to liberate the 1948 borders of Palestine, ... The Jews who survive this war of liberation can go back to Germany or wherever they came from.
Hezbollah is a force behind the Palestinians suicide bomber's and scud missiles landing in Israel. The once beautiful Lebanon has been torn apart by years of war.

Afghanistan has seen its stability fall from increased Taliban power.

We have been unable to capture Osama bin Laden and destroy al-Qaeda. Over the past 5 years, their power has once again grown.

Iran's Ahmadinejad, who has stated his desire to wipe Israel off the map, is now warning it's enemies, that "Our finger will always be on the trigger and our missiles will always be ready to launch.“
With The price of gas in 2008 toping over $4.75 / gallon, and the world teetering on the sharp edge of a world recession, we are unable to challenge Ahmadinejad, and his threat to close the Strait of Hormuz

For some reason I'm not feeling all that "Safe" yet