Happy Belated Birthday Baby Brother!

My brother's birthday was January 18 but I got tied up with going wireless inside my home. This mesage is late. (i'm shamed)
My baby brother --who stands over six foot tall-- is a year older now. And he is still the baby. I used to change his dipies. Mom was old fashioned and used cloth diapers because the disposable ones back then left a rash. I was in charge of dunking the diapers up and down in the toilet before wringing them out and placing them in the diaper pail.
I did this with joy.
I was so happy to get a baby brother. No more would I be blamed for eating up all of the cupcakes and twinkies. Or breaking things in the house. I even got to share the blame of knocking over the Christmas tree with him one year. Oh glee!
Happy Birthday Grown. I hope you had a nice one but I don't care how tall and big you get, you will always be my baby brother.

1999 WBEZ

Interview with Leslie Jones McCloud on CPD. Things have changed since this interview.

1999 WBEZ

Interview with Leslie Jones McCloud on CPD. Things have changed since this interview.

Happy Birthday, Mommy!

Today is Mommy's birthday. She has a full day planned with her mother and sisters and we have been ringing her phone off of the hook all morning long.
My mother is such a blessing to me and she forgives me for my shortcomings. Daddy just yells a lot.
Anyway Happy Birthday to my Little Brother on the 18th of this month and of course, The Rev. Dr, Martin Luther King.
The anniversary of this blog passed us all by on December 5. Happy belated first birthday "yeah and--so what!"
(Thank You. Better late than never)
I hope everyone has enjoyed my ramblings here. Some have not. But then again that is why America is known as the land of free-enough speech (heee heee)
On my wish list still is Sirius Radio so that I can listen to Howard Stern. BF didn't want to get it for me for Christmas. Instead I got knives--the really good kind. He said I have some jewelry he bought but has yet to give.
I'm waiting.

Cigarettes in Chicago may get Costlier

NOTE TO READERS: WHAT YOU MAY PAY FOR A PACK OF CIGARETTES CAN VARY, DEPENDING ON THE RETAILER AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE ON SALE AT THE TIME, LIKE NEWPORT 100'S. SOME PACKS OF CIGARETTES MAY BE SOLD AT $6 AND SOME CHANGE, INCLUDING TAX. THE PROPOSED TAX WOULD SEE PRICES CLIMB TO $7 AND SOME CHANGE, IN THESE CASES.

12-20-05
copyright 2005
Contributing Writer

EDITOR'S NOTE --PULLOUT BOX:
Cook County residents are encouraged to voice their opinions about the proposed
2006 budget at an upcoming series of public hearings.
January 5, 6:30 p.m. at the Markham Courthouse; January 6, 10:00 a.m. at the
Cook County Building; January 9, 6:30 p.m. at the Skokie Courthouse; January 12,
6:30 p.m. at the Maywood Courthouse.

Subhead suggestion: Windy City smokers play a game of give and take

A proposed county cigarette tax increase could bring the price of cigarettes in
Chicago to $8 or more a pack.
However, according to the 2006 county budget proposal released Monday, property
taxes will not be raised.
Smokers at Chicago Legend, a South Loop bar, kept the proposed tax increase in
perspective and took it in stride.
Freddie Atkins, 40, said he would continue to purchase cigarettes because it is
only a $1 difference and because he intends to continue to smoke. His friend, a
woman who only wanted to be identified as Ms. Tina, had mixed feelings.
"It's more money out of my pocket but I don't need to do it anyway," she said,
adding that as a property holder in the county, "either way, I'll get it,' (in tax
increases).
She said she was glad the tax was placed on cigarettes rather than
her property but storeowners had a slightly different perspective.
Mustafa Muhammad, owner of a 7-11 in the 5200 block of North Western, said he
thinks his customers will stop buying so many cigarettes but wonders how many
more will express anger at him because they don't understand the tax increase. He said cigarettes at his store cost about $6 without tax included.
"Maybe they will stop smoking. Maybe they will buy them somewhere else. They
get mad at us when they are so expensive," Muhammad said.
In a blog dated Decmeber 22, 2005 Tim Zorn of the Chicago Tribune, said in "Burned: Cigarette taxes are unfair to smokers," that the taxes on cigarettes in the city could go as high as $4.02 per pack if the proposed tax increase is allowed. (so just tack that on to whatever the taxless price of smokes are and you will have an accurate description of what to hand the cashier).
A sign from cigarette manufacturer Phillip Morris was spotted in the cashier's
window in nearby Hammond, Ind., asking proprietors to limit the number of
cartons of cigarettes that customers could purchase at one time.
Reasons for the proposed cigarette tax increase are due to significant reductions in federal
health care reimbursements to the state, rising costs for employee benefits and other
increasing financial requests--all which resulted in a $307 million county budget shortfall, according
to a Cook County Board of Commissioners released statement.
The $1 tax increase on cigarettes, if approved, will bring $2 in taxes to
the county coffers, instead of the $1 the current tax structure now allows. It will yield $75 million for next yearÂ’s budget, making
sure public health services are not cut, Cook County Board President John H.
Stroger said.
Included in the proposed cuts are, "nearly 100 staff positions." Also, there
will be no new positions created.
"It's doubling the net profit the county will get. That money is plugging the
gap in federal Medicaid reimbursements (cuts)," John Gibson, a spokesman for
Stroger told the Defender.
Public safety is the largest part of the county's budget with funding levels in
excess of $1 billion. That budget funds the operations of the Sheriff, Chief
Judge, Clerk of the Court, State's Attorney, Public Defender, Judicial Advisory
Council and the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center.
The 2006 budget provides almost $830 million for the Bureau of Health, which
funds Stroger, Oak Forest and Provident Hospital operating costs, the Department
of Public Health, CORE and 28 ambulatory clinics.
"Prescriptions are probably the fastest increasing healthcare service we
provide. In 2003 we filled 2.2 million prescriptions. In 2005 we filled nearly
3.8 million," Stroger said.

###

A Blog of Usefulness: CD Review

Merry Christmas. My kids are at their Dad's house visiting with him and Grammy and Stepma and the rest of the family so I got a bit of free time.
I want to see Jamie Foxx (nee mr bishop), sing live on the circuit of small clubs and then record or produce the best live tour of small venues.
I bought his CD "Unpredictable"--which is also a DVD--for myself for Christmas.
He has a smooth-as-silk voice that is out of this world. I just love the way he talks to his audience. I already liked him as a sitcom and film actor but damn--the man is cut! I feel like a little girl reading "Right On!" all over again (Remember Prince's poster in the 1999 album?)
No longer do I long for Jodeci or The Ton-i-e-y's because now I have Jamie/Eric and damn, is it good. He is sooo good.
His body is bangin (watch out 50) and his voice is sooo smooth.
He is my rhythm & Blues singer for the new millennium.
And we always knew he could sing but dang it--it wasn't until this CD that we got to hear at least some of his range and breadth. We all waited for this one!
As my Christmas dinner cooks (it smells heavenly) I sit and watch the DVD and listen to the harmonies that are The Foxx.
"Love Changes," is the classic remix that should hit the airwaves next. Who can beat Mary and Jamie's voices together?? He should also check out a duet with Sylena Johnson. Any cut they made together would be tight. They could release it as a street single.
But I want to hear all of Jamie without outside influences. I want him to put all of his original songs and arrangements on tracks. I want HIM in the RAW.
Just him. I know he can do it but there is something or someone holding him back.
"Unpredictable"--do something you've never done before.
What else can be said?
I thought he and Ye (Kanye West) sat down and collaborated on that song and added Luda. It wasn't until I heard him unplugged on the DVD side of the CD that I understood his genius.
"Warm Bed" is another one that I like--except the brief intro (might keep it off of the radio with the name chanting and all) but it makes good driving/bouncing music. He speaks to a time where I thought I was the center of the universe. It takes me back and I love it. I love the beats.
It is nice to listen to and you can do a little dance to it.
He even have a sorta-steppin' cut on there with "VIP"-- a little Cha Cha and all-- and you know that steppin' is important to the Chicago area listeners.
"'Cause everybody in my party is VIP. Won't you come and step with me?"
Everybody in my party is VIP-- ain't he the nicest man you've listened to lately?
I'm steppin' to "VIP" right now!
(i've been drinkin' apple vodka mixed with the twisted apple so 'scuse me. By the way alcohol and a hot ass oven don't mix!)
I'm taking this up to the Cave and the Three Gs. I gotta get my step on!
My man/bf/ xbf just walked in the door. I called frantic this morning because I forgot to layer the lasagna and couldn't tell if the ham was done. We stepped to "VIP" right quick when he walked through the door. Remember the apple vodka?
Note: The CD/DVD is a great idea but sometimes it doesn't like to play on first try unless you keep it in the same machine, ie dvd player or cd player. I moved mine around with me and it became temperamental.
-30-

Stop Screwin' with My Computer!!!

This message is to the computer wiz who screwed with my internet settings and changed my ip address. It took me and hour to redirect your fu** up mister. If you aren't sure the changes are okay across the board, why would you ass with my existing structure that works EVERYWHERE but where you are?
AS**0L*!

No More Blog Space for You!

Okay, bf/xbf is driving me to write about him.
I think he likes the attention. I know he must like reading his own press but all he is really doing is taking up unnecessary space on my blog.
In an effort to spare the reader every minute detail of my personal life, I will continue to write about my favorite holiday: Thanksgiving.
I like Thanksgiving because it is a no stress holiday. Alls ya gotta do is cook, serve, eat and watch the football game.
Momma and Dad had a pretty cool Thanksgiving. They were amazed I went to work but the day was basically over by 10:30 p.m. anyway. My Little Brother and my new Sister-N-Law came over. My Little Brother beat my dad in who hollers at the TV the most. I don't understand the hollering at the TV thing because the only players that hear them are already in the room with them! (And because I don't know when to cheer.)
But they always holler at the game. It's tradition and I like it.
The Kids ran amok throughout the house and then before ya know it, dessert was gobbled up and everyone laid down.
I went to sleep, happy and satisfied at another wonderful Thanksgiving.
(Take that bf/xbf! No more blog space for you!)