illinois dmv: Ocak 2013

3 Ocak 2013 Perşembe

Bobby's Burger Palace - College Park, MD

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What a storm! I hope everyone is safe because Sandy was quite destructive, but thankfully our part of Rockville wasn't affected much. Just a few hours without power.

So we haven't started our 'wedding' diet yet, so I'll just continue to write about fattie places like Bobby's Burger Palace. The Fi (I guess that's his new name? Let's test it out.) visited the University of Maryland location. We met at UMCP, and things have changed. We never had nice buildings and restaurants like this when we were there! I'm not that bitter though...

The name is self-explanatory - they serve burgers. Gourmet ones created by Celebrity Chef Bobby Flay to be exact. The interior is bright with warm lighting. It's filled with bar seating/communal tables and very comfortable chairs that spin! It's a casual place where you order/pay at a register, they give you a number, and they bring food out to wherever you are sitting.

Many of the burgers are named after cities and characterized by a food that represents them. For example: The Fi ordered The Philadelphia Burger is topped with Provolone Cheese, Griddled Onions and Hot Peppers ($7.75). He thought it was good, but nothing out of the ordinary.

If you're not in the mood for a burger, they offer sandwiches, salads, sides, milkshakes and other beverages. Also, if you don't eat beef, you can substitute the beef patty with turkey or chicken breast.

I wanted a flavor explosion so I ordered the Bobby Blue Burger with Blue Cheese, Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato $7.75), and it wasn't as pungent as I was hoping. Again, it was an ok burger, but nothing particularly special. Ray's Hell Burger's equivalent is much better.

I love Sweet Potato Fries ($3) and these came with a Honey Mustard Horseradish Sauce which was awesome.

If you like dipping sauces, they have a variety including JalapeÃƒ±o Hot Sauce, Chipotle Ketchup, Burger Sauce, and Barbecue. Sadly none of them really stuck out for me.

Overall, we weren't wowed. So if we were visiting our Alma Matar again, we'd probably stop by Cluck U. However, I will say their service was impressive. We weren't there for long, but 3 different times someone would check on us. Pretty nice!

8150 Baltimore Avenue
College Park, MD 20740
240-542-4702
www.bobbysburgerpalace.com
Bobby's Burger Palace on Urbanspoon

Mark's Duck House - Falls Church, VA

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Ah dim sum. I don't get to have it often because the bf doesn't like small dishes...pshhh! Well that's what friends are for! One of my friends took me to Mark's Duck House - her favorite spot for Sunday dim sum. The restaurant has been around for over 20 years serving Hong Kong-style cuisine. As their name suggests, they are known for their Peking Duck. However, we didn't get a chance to try it.
Located in a shopping center, there is plenty of free parking, but it can get crowded.

This place is smaller than other restaurants that offer dim sum, so it was PACKED! We took a number when we got through the crowd waiting by the door.

They offered many of the same dishes I'm used to seeing as well as some different items. Sorry guys, but I don't have prices for any of these items because they were in Chinese. All dishes are between $2.50 - $7.50 though.

1. Pan-Fried Chives Dumpling - Out of all the dumplings, this was my favorite.
2. Shrimp and Pork Dumpling (Shiu Mai)
3. Shrimp and Pork Dumpling
4. Shrimp Dumpling (Har Gao)

5. Fried Taro Dumpling - One of my favorite dishes when I have dim sum.
6. Shrimp Noodle Crepe - Best noodle crepe I've tried.
7. Lemongrass and Ginger Oyster - Oyster by itself was the size of my palm.
8. Stuffed Crab Claw - I broke my chopstick trying to cut this. It was massive!

Service was very fast with the carts, they constantly filled our water glasses, replaced my broken chopstick and reminded me that I forgot my leftovers. I thought they were great! Food was on point. Now I just need more dim sum buddies!

6184 Arlington Blvd
Falls Church, VA 22044
(703) 532-2125
marksduckhouse.com
Mark's Duck House on Urbanspoon

42. The Unofficial St. Patrick's day in Champaign Urbana

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If you have been anywhere near the campustown on certain Fridays in March, and come up with a huge throng of greenish looking leprechauns, don't start pinching yourself to see if you are dreaming or not. You have just stumbled into the "Unofficial Saint Patrick's Day" in Chambana.

Here is what UofI wiki has to say about it:

Unofficial Saint Patrick's Day, or commonly known as Unofficial, is a local event on the Urbana-Champaign campus, which aims to replace the celebration of the official Saint Patrick's Day holiday with excessive drinking of alcohol.
Champaign bar owner Scott Cochrane created the event to increase business because the week of spring break on the academic calendar usually includes Saint Patrick's Day, which leads students to celebrate away from the campus.
The event is celebrated usually the weekend before the official Saint Patrick's Day holiday. Bars might open as early as 7 a.m., and students wear T-shirts with slogans such as "Drink 'til you're Irish" or "Irish I were drunk." One T-shirt slogan read: "Tap the keg, forget the class... it's Unofficial, so fill my glass!"

Things are not really as rosey as the above note suggests. On this day, you'll find a lot of underage drinkers, passed out here and there, or coming to class drunk. The police (Champaign, Urbana, County, and of course UofI ones) have a field day ... and nab a lot of underage drinkers.

However, things can often get deadly ... a few years ago, a UofI alumnus died when the motor bike she was riding crashed into a pole on Wright street between Green and Springfield. So, be careful when you are driving through campustown , better avoid going through the area altogether.

There is of course, the "official" Saint Patrick's day, but the drinking frenzy is much less on that one.

Take-home cars - dead-end road?

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Indianapolis is waking up to the value of take-home cars for police officers. Or is it waking up to the expense and lack of real value.

Read this article in U.S.A. Today.

I was reminded today of one McHenry County Sheriff's Department employee who has a take-home car. She is not even a deputy; she's a paper-pusher working in the office.

Not only does she get a take-home car, she doesn't even live in McHenry County, as required by the County Vehicle Policy. Special permission can be sought and approved, but why?

And not only does she get a take-home car on top of her $90,000/year pay for her desk-jockey job, but she also gets $950/year "Clothing Allowance". Generally speaking, a clothing allowance is for deputies, who might have to chase fleeing suspects through muddy cornfields or down snowy embankments or through barbed-wire fences.

Why does a civilian employee get a 950/year clothing allowance? Could she snag her hosiery on her desk? Deputies get only $500/year clothing allowance. Why does a civilian employee get any clothing allowance???

Who approved the take-home car and eligibility for clothing allowance? Let's see; that would probably be Undersheriff Andy Zinke. Or maybe Sheriff Keith Nygren, if he is ever in town.

Why can't USA have a leader?

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Mychal Massie

Recently I came across Mychal Massie's piece on why he doesn't like Barack or Michelle Obama.

If a white man said all that stuff, he'd be pilloried.

His reason for not liking the Obamas? "I don’t like them because they are committed to the fundamental change of my/our country into what can only be regarded as a Communist state."

Massie uses some hard-hitting words to describe the Obamas:
"they are the worst kind of racialists"
"they are elitist Leninists"
"Michelle Obama’s raw contempt for white America"
"they comport themselves as emperor and empress"
"they both display bigotry overtly"

Read Massie's February 22, 2012 column here.

2 Ocak 2013 Çarşamba

42. The Unofficial St. Patrick's day in Champaign Urbana

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Here is what UofI wiki has to say about it:

Unofficial Saint Patrick's Day, or commonly known as Unofficial, is a local event on the Urbana-Champaign campus, which aims to replace the celebration of the official Saint Patrick's Day holiday with excessive drinking of alcohol.
Champaign bar owner Scott Cochrane created the event to increase business because the week of spring break on the academic calendar usually includes Saint Patrick's Day, which leads students to celebrate away from the campus.
The event is celebrated usually the weekend before the official Saint Patrick's Day holiday. Bars might open as early as 7 a.m., and students wear T-shirts with slogans such as "Drink 'til you're Irish" or "Irish I were drunk." One T-shirt slogan read: "Tap the keg, forget the class... it's Unofficial, so fill my glass!"

There is of course, the "official" Saint Patrick's day, but the drinking frenzy is much less on that one.

Bobby's Burger Palace - College Park, MD

I love Sweet Potato Fries ($3) and these came with a Honey Mustard Horseradish Sauce which was awesome.

If you like dipping sauces, they have a variety including JalapeÃƒ±o Hot Sauce, Chipotle Ketchup, Burger Sauce, and Barbecue. Sadly none of them really stuck out for me.

Mark's Duck House - Falls Church, VA

This place is smaller than other restaurants that offer dim sum, so it was PACKED! We took a number when we got through the crowd waiting by the door.

Illinois under gun-ban threat

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An additional message from the Illinois State Rifle Association follows. Sen. John J. Cullerton (D-6) is the President of the Illinois Senate. He is probably at least partially responsible for the failure of the House concealed carry bill (HB 0148) to pass on May 5, 2011. No doubt that his muscles were at work then,, along with Mike Madigan, to "persuade" borderline Democrat Representatives to withhold their support.

Want to call Cullerton on Wednesday? Call his Springfield office at (217) 782-2728 and/or his Chicago office at (773) 883-0770. More importantly, call your own elected Illinois Senator and Representative, and Gov. Quinn at 217-782-0244 (Springfield) and/or 312-814-2121 (Chicago).

CULLERTON TO INTRODUCE NEAR TOTAL GUN BAN ON JANUARY 2ND

The ISRA has learned from a credible source that Illinois Senate President John Cullerton will introduce a so called “assault weapons” ban on Wednesday when the legislature returns for its “lame duck” session. Cullerton hopes to ramrod the bill through and get it to Governor Quinn for signature by Friday. If he is successful at doing so, nearly every gun you currently own will be banned and will be subject to confiscation by the Illinois State Police.

Based on what we know about Cullerton’s bill, firearms that would be banned include all semiautomatic rifles, pistols, and shotguns. Pump action shotguns would be banned as well. This would be a very comprehensive ban that would include not only so-called “assault weapons” but also such classics as M1 Garands and 1911-based pistols. There would be no exemptions and no grandfathering. You would have a very short window to turn in your guns to the State Police to avoid prosecution.

HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO SAVE YOUR GUNS.

1.   Beginning Wednesday, call your State Senator and politely tell him or her that you are a law abiding firearm owner and that you strongly oppose Cullerton’s gun ban. Also, be sure to call your State Representative as well and politely deliver the same message. If you do not know who your State Representative please call the Illinois State Board of Elections at 217-782-4141.

2.   Forward this alert to all your gun owning friends and family members. Be sure to tell them to call their senators and representatives as well.

3.   Post this alert to any and all Internet bulletin boards and blogs to which you belong.

4.   Join or renew your membership in the ISRA. Encourage your friends and family to join as well.

5.   Make a generous donation to the ISRA by clicking the link below. We are in desperate need of your financial support to help beat back the onslaught of gun grab bills coming our way in 2013.

Go to www.isra.org for membership information.

What Rahm left with Obama

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Here is what is now leading Chicago!

Take a look at Rahm Emanuel saying, "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste."

This is exactly what Obama is doing, following the tragedy in Newtown, Conn. Obama is turning it into a political stand.

He may just find out why the Second Amendment is worded exactly the way that it is.

"A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

It seems to me that Obama and Feinstein and other gun-grabbers are threatening the security of the free state of our nation. They are attempting to infringe on our Constitutional right.

Be right back. Gotta check my ammo supply.

1 Ocak 2013 Salı

Best New Year's Eve arrest

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Every December 31st I remember my best-ever arrest, which happened on New Year's Eve in about 1978. I enjoyed working holidays and special nights, like Halloween and New Year's Eve.

On the night in question it was cold in the Denver area. I don't recall the temperature reading, but I do remember that it was very frosty - maybe 5-10Ã‚Âº F. About midnight I was dispatched on a "loud party" call.

Land in Arapahoe County (just south of Denver) isn't flat. Streets aren't necessarily straight. There are many cul-de-sacs. And I couldn't get to the party. I could hear it blocks away but, because of arroyos into which the cul-de-sacs dead-ended, I couldn't get to the party.

Then I spotted a panel van with a special carrier-rack on the back bumper. In the rack, vertically against the back doors of the van, were sheets of plywood. And the van had an out-of-county plate. At that time license plates were issued by county, and the van had a Denver County plate. That, with the plywood, attracted my attention.

The van turned into a cul-de-sac, went to the end and pulled up into a driveway. Instead of turning off the engine and lights, the driver backed out, returned to the main road and turned to drive away from my squad car.

I decided to stop him and he pulled right over. Let's just say I was very careful as I walked up toward the driver's door. The driver had rolled down the window before I got there and, before I could say anything, he said, "I didn't mean to take them. I'll take them back."

"What?" I asked.

And he repeated his statement. There was a fur coat on the passenger seat and I asked whose coat it was. When he said it was his wife's coat, I asked where she was, thinking she was probably dead in the back of the van. He said she had driven home separately. Yeah, sure.... without her coat.

I called for back-up and ordered him out. You should have heard him trying to talk his way back into the van so that he could leave.

Officers from the nearby town showed up, too, and they recognized the van as one they had been looking for for six months. This guy had been stealing sheets of plywood to finish his basement and build a dog house. The local cops had a partial description of the van and a partial license plate, but they hadn't been able to put the two together.

When the driver realized he was going to jail, he got unhappy, but there was plenty of "force" there by then. Nights like that made all the slow nights worthwhile.

County Compensation explained

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This morning I was directed to the source of the County employee pay information on McHenry County Blog.

Cal Skinner is doing a great job of putting out the numbers for all to see what is being paid to County employees. In addition to the name, he is publishing the Budgeted Salary and Total (Pay and certain benefits). For me (and for others) there were questions about what was included in Total.

Here's the answer. The County is obligated under state law to publish certain information within 30 days after it is approved. In McHenry County, official decided to publish the information for all employees, not just those making over $75,000 in pay and benefits.

First, the source. To view the published information, go to
www.co.mchenry.il.us
Click on Departments
Click on H
Click on Human Resources
Click on Employee Compensation Report (you may need to scroll down to it)

Notice the columns in the Report:
Name
Job Title
Budgeted Salary
County-share Health Insurance
County-share Dental Insurance
Vehicle Allowance
Stipend
Clothing Allowance
Sick Days
Vacation Days
Total

These figures are the ones that are budgeted. This is looking into the future of the year ahead. These are not figured that have already been paid or spent.

NOTE: Overtime is not included in the Total column. While overtime is estimated and budgeted elsewhere, it doesn't show up in these numbers. Also, note that pension or retirement plan contributions are not shown.

Many thanks for the phone call this morning.

Take away Obama's pen

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Pres. Obama signed an Executive Order granting pay raises to members of Congress and to Joe Biden, his go-fer. Maybe that's to toughen up Joe for his upcoming battle on gun control.

Somebody needs to destroy all those pens that Obama has for signing Executive Orders. A reader wrote recently that Congress has to approve raises; apparently not.

Is anyone else outraged at the procrastination by Congress to resolve the "financial cliff" mess? Here it is December 31 and there is no deal. Well, wasn't the deal made back when the cliff was first cut?

It's kind of like buying a house, getting a low mortgage payment, and knowing that there will be a balloon payment in five or ten years. Duhhhh.... how can you complain, when that balloon payment comes due? You liked the low payment, right?

Or buying term insurance, because you think Whole Life insurance is a rip-off and that you can "save" money better than by giving it to an insurance company. And then you have the unfortunate bad luck to outlive your term insurance policy. Guess what? If you don't die before the term insurance policy expires, then you WILL die after it expires. And then you will wish you had purchased Whole Life insurance.

You know ... insurance for the "whole" of your life???

If Obama wants to sign an Executive Order that I'll like, he'll sign one today stopping pay to Congress and himself for not solving the financial-cliff so-called crisis. And cutting off his taxpayer-funded vacations, like the $4,000,000 trip to Hawaii for a few days. Just give him a Netflix subscription and order some popcorn.

Is Nygren investigating Zinke?

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Is McHenry County Sheriff Nygren really investigating Undersheriff Andy Zinke for revealing a confidential DEA drug investigation to a "close friend" (as described by the Northwest Herald) and political contributor to both Zinke and Nygren?

Last summer Sgt. John Koziol was a member of a DEA Task Force out of Rockford, Ill. Koziol informed Zinke, as required under General Orders of the Sheriff's Department, that the DEA had discovered in Texas a truck containing illegal drugs that was headed for the RITA Corporation in Crystal Lake, Ill.

Zinke, of course, should have kept his mouth shut and let the chips fall where they might. If anyone at RITA Corporation was complicit, catch him. If no one was involved in anything illegal, that would be clear in the DEA investigation. Maybe the drugs would have been off-loaded before the truck reached Crystal Lake.

Instead, Zinke revealed the confidential investigation to RITA Corp. president Brian Goode, who is a heavy political fund contributor to Nygren, a contributor to Zinke's early election campaign for Sheriff in 2014, and member of the McHenry County Sheriff's Department Merit Commission, having been appointed by Nygren in 2004.

Is Nygren investigating Zinke? Will Nygren discipline Zinke? Will Zinke be demoted? Fired? Will the results of his investigation and any discipline be made public?

Is it in the public interest to know the results of the investigation into Zinke's releasing confidential information to a possible target of a DEA investigation?

Beth Bentley - gone 136 weeks

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As 2012 comes to a close, Beth Bentley has been missing for 136 weeks.

She vanished, probably on May 23, 2010, from southern Illinois. But only "probably". One person ought to know, for sure.

Two others ought to know, but no word from them has ever surfaced. Were they interviewed by Woodstock Police? By Mt. Vernon Police? By Jefferson County (Ill.) Sheriff's Department investigators?

Is there a strong chance that some people in Woodstock know what happened to Beth?

Who might know information that could help find her?

Her husband, Scott Bentley?
Her co-workers at Bentley's former law office location on Route 31 in McHenry?
Her buddies from Gus's Roadhouse?
Her party friends?
Her father?
Her brother, who works in Woodstock?

How can 2½ years pass and a missing-person investigation not be any further along that it apparently was at the end of the first week after she disappeared?

Have the cell phone records been analyzed in great detail by police detectives? Did they examine carefully the record of calls to and from all cell phones on the master account? Did they notice gaps? Absence of calls that should have been there?

Did they wonder why a 4:00PM Sunday call (the "last" call from Beth's phone) was so short? If Beth was calling from Mt. Vernon, and not from Wisconsin, did she not explain why she was not going to be in McHenry County for a birthday dinner with her father? Did police investigate when that dinner got canceled? And by whom?

Did Beth's phone really "ping" in McHenry County late on Sunday night, May 23?

Was there really a break-in at Scott Bentley's law office on the night of May 23? The McHenry Police Department has no report of it. If there was a break-in and if one of Beth's sons slept at the office, in case burglars returned, why don't the police know about it?

When was the last call from Beth to her children? If she was a "serial texter", did questions get answered about the infrequency of text messages after the time that her traveling friend and she reportedly left Woodstock on Thursday night? When is the last time that someone in Woodstock really heard her voice - live?

This case has now fallen off the radar of the Woodstock Police Department. It no longer reports monthly to the City Manager and City Council on its (in)activity. Out of sight, out of mind? The City Council has never demanded an answer about case progress.

Beth's disappearance is not gone from the minds of some in Woodstock!