. . . as irritated, he gropes for words. Would you buy a used car from this man?

If you’re like me, you want to be healthy. Are you like me? God bless you.

You are what you eat, of course. So consider some wonderful eating ideas from my Icelandic friends who don’t know they are my friends, but so what?

. . . when they wrote about gods and religion, said this great man:

More Than Just a Witty Allegory

John Ruskin (1819-1900), Modern Painters, Vol. III, Part IV, Chapter XIII, § 4:

I do not think we ever [try hard enough] to enter into what a Greek’s real notion of a god was.

We are so accustomed to the modern mockeries of the classical religion, so accustomed to hear and see the Greek gods [written about] by men who believe neither in them nor in any other gods, that we seem to have infected the Greek ages themselves with the breath . . . of our hypocrisy; and are apt to think that Homer . . . was merely [a good story-teller];

nay, more than this, that all the nations of past time were [good story-tellers] also, to whom the universe was a lyrical drama, and . . . whatsoever was said about it was merely a witty allegory, or a graceful lie, of which the entire upshot and consummation was a pretty statue in the middle of the court, or at the end of the garden.

To which I make bold to add, they’d never have been such good story-tellers if they didn’t believe it. Which goes for the rest of us. When we don’t believe what we say, we head for a fall.

So true, so sad.

Chicago taxpayers aren’t getting the three things that matter most to city residents: a quality education for their children, safety for their families and good jobs. What’s worse, residents have to pay more than 30 city taxes worth more than $1,000 per household – for services that simply aren’t working.

The Illinois Policy Institute added up all the local taxes, fees and fines that Chicagoans pay to finance City Hall’s operations, including those from the city’s newly approved tax hikes, and compared the totals to Illinois’ other largest cities. When measured as a percentage of household income, Chicagoans now pay the highest effective tax rate in the state.

Congratulations, you’re Numero Uno.

A free-for-all between Christie, Rubio, Cruz and others, while Trump hovers above it all

Taking Trump Seriously

By JAMES FREEMAN

“I do not understand the inability or refusal of Republican leaders to take Mr. Trump seriously,” writes Peggy Noonan. He “touched an important nerve in opposing the political correctness that has angered the American people for a quarter century.
He changed the debate when he asked for a pause in Muslim immigration until America ‘can figure out what’s going on.’ In the age of terror, that looked suspiciously like common sense. Americans do not want America to become what Europe is becoming.”

Wow.

Like the cowboys and the farmers in “Oklahoma”

. . . coming to terms on what benefits all.

This fellow argues that he did.

Here is the scoop.

He took the children’s murders to heart. But there are many more children and others dying on his watch.

Announcing his executive actions on gun control at the White House . . . President Obama wiped away tears as he talked about the mass shooting of first-graders in Newtown, declaring, “Every time I think about those kids it gets me mad.”

No doubt the president’s emotion was genuine. [sic] When any of us think of first-graders being killed, our hearts break and our blood pressure rises.

But Obama’s tearful moment raises a question: Why doesn’t Obama show that same emotion when it comes to terror?

Why not?

. . . sometimes.

Consider George Washington High in southeast Chicago, “a soccer kick away from Indiana,” where a notably and verifiably successful principal faces the heave-ho from the Local School Council, the sort of Chicago Public School reform that’s supposed to promote good schools.

A month ago, a Lauren Fitzpatrick story in the Sun-Times told of the principal’s being opposed by a newly elected council president, Tina Perez, and her newly elected slate of allies, with a vote looming putting the principal’s tenure in the balance.

Today’s follow-up story revisits the scene with more chapter-and-verse information on how this principal succeeded.

Here he is:

 

Here’s Tina Perez, the council president who wants him out:

No photo available. Neither any comment, for either story. Too bad.

So there we are. Chicago school reform says let there be local school councils. Local school council is poised to block verifiable reform — see the two Sun-Times stories, especially today’s hard-copy story.

Sounds like politics, does it not?