Crash !

Was just on the way to Dominick to pick up a few things and I see several police cars at the corner of Appaloosa & Mustang. As I got to the corner I saw this:


This guy managed to drive his car up onto a boulder in the parkway and almost balanced the car perfectly on the boulder.

I had to go back to the house to get the camera after shopping, so the police were just pulling out, leaving the two hapless young lads and their car (click pictures for full size image).


The one with the dark shirt was apparently the driver, he looked disgusted while the lad in the gray shirt seemed quite amused. The driver asked me "Yo, what's with the pictures?" to which I responded "I've never seen that done before, so I'd like to capture the event." I asked him if someone had cut him off and he said that "An animal came. I had to turn."

Kelsey says the lad in the gray shirt is a Junior at LTHS.

Police Blotter

8/21/07

Location: 17000 block of Parker Road Homer Glen

Summary: Christina Keasling, age 22, of 14706 Arboretum Drive in Homer Glen was cited for too fast for conditions after she was traveling at a high rate of speed, lost control, and struck another vehicle.

8/22/07

Location: Smith and 127^th Lockport

Summary: Sheriff's deputies were called to a non-injury accident after Domas Zastarskis, age 24, of Burr Ridge accidentally drove off 127^th Street into a ditch filled with water. Apparently the roadway had standing water and Zastarskis did not see the shoulder road construction. His vehicle filled with two feet of water while in the ditch.

8/23/07

Location: 16000 block of Hidden Valley Circle Homer Glen

Summary: Sheriff's deputies were called to a possible underage drinking party. Four 13-year olds were charged with illegal consumption by a minor and illegal possession of alcohol by a minor. They were taken to Sheriff's Laraway Road Station, processed and released to their parents.

Hedgehogs Adopt a Brush

Nothing to do with home, but everybody likes hedgehogs:


Four tiny orphaned hedgehogs are snuggling up to the bristles of a cleaning brush - because they think it's their mother.

Workers say Mary, Mungo, Midge and Slappy get comfort from playing with the centre's cleaning brush and enjoy rubbing against it.

Full story with more hedgehog pictures here.

Local Students in the News

The Chicago Tribune has an article about UIC today. Since they've built several new dorms over the past few years, this year is the first year that 50% of the freshman class are living on campus vs commuting.

They interviewed several new freshmen, among them a couple of local girls:

"They're making it more suburban," Melissa Niemann, 18, of Homer Glen said as she looked out Stukel Towers' 13th-floor windows to views of nearby Linens & Things, Dominick's and a DSW shoe store.

"Twenty years ago, it wouldn't have even been safe to live here," said her roommate, Crystal Rueck, 18, of Lockport.

Although not everyone seems to be welcoming the change:

"I guess it could turn into more of a typical university," said Rob Soltys, a senior who lives with his mother near Midway Airport. "I think we're going to see more of the Abercrombie & Fitch, Polo-wearing suburbanites. It's an OK thing. Our campus is so diverse that nobody is going to notice that kind of thing happening."

Back to School

I'm back in school as well, US History to 1877 at JJC on Wednesday nights. JJC has some interesting 200 level courses in the catalog, but they don't seem to be offered very often. I figured that since I already took US History II I might as well finish up with part I.

History has changed quite a bit since my high school/college days. The book has an amazing amount of multiculturalism...here are actual sub-chapter titles from the book:

• African Slavery on the Mainland
• The Web of Empire and the Atlantic Slave Trade
• Enslavement of Africans and Indians
• Population Growth and Ethnic Diversity
• The First Emancipation and the Growth of Racism
• Indians and African Americans at the End of the Century
• Haitian Refugees
• Native American Resistance and Removal
• Abolitionism and the Women's Movement
• Free People of Color
• White Fascination with and Appropriation of Black Culture
• Slave Life and Labor
• Slave Culture
• Slave Resistance and Rebellion
• Harmony and Tension in a Slave Society
• Reparations for Slavery
• Slavery and the Nation's Future
• Terrorist or Freedom Fighter ?

It's hard to see how they ever got anything done in those days, being so busy with constantly oppressing one group or another. The teacher is an older guy (same teacher I had last semester) and his lectures are pretty good at putting it all in context.

It turns out that the author of Kelsey's AP economics textbook is Michael's econ professor at UIUC, Fred Gottheil. I started reading the textbook as well, so I can help Kelsey without having to figure it out on the fly. We spent the evening looking at opportunity costs and comparative advantage.

Fall Out Boy

Fall Out Boy
with Gym Class Heroes, Plain White T's and Cute is What We Aim For

Saturday, October 20 at 7:00 pm
Allstate Arena

Looks like I'll be going to the Fall Out Boy show in October with the Three Musketeers V2 (Kelsey/Allison/Sam). I got a special pre-sale code that was only offered to 20 million other people, so we could buy tickets today before they go on sale to the riff-raff tomorrow. Seats are not bad, on the first level towards the back (I don't want to bring those three onto the main floor; they weigh maybe 200 pounds between the three of them. They'd be crushed like grapes before the end of the second band).

The Park

The park is gone. Drove by last night and all that's left is a hole with some sand in it. The Homer Homerian claims it will all be replaced with newer, better, safer stuff.

Blood

Donated another pint of blood today. Kelsey still thinks that it is both crazy and gross. I brought home an unopened pack of Animal Crackers and she wanted nothing to do with them, because of their origin.

Mom's friend at work is giving us her deluxe White Sox season tickets for Sept. 29th. Kelsey is excited, even though she may have to miss a cross country meet. "Who cares, it's the White Sox !"

New police blotter today:

8/15/07

Location: High Rd., north of Rt. 171

Summary: Jordan J. Christensen, age 17, of 17365 W. 135^th St. in Lockport was cited for driving while license suspended after his vehicle swerved off the road to avoid a vehicle which had crossed over the center line coming toward him. Christensen's vehicle then hit an electric pole head on. He suffered from a few bruises but refused to be transported to a hospital.

Lisa's Car

I cleaned out Lisa's car today. Contents included:

• Tent
• Scooter
• Rubbery stegosaurus MELTED ONTO THE REAR PARCEL SHELF !!!
  
• Pirate head for antenna
• Pirate keychain
• (1) moustache
• Salt and pepper shakers
• Plastic spinning flower
• (2) rechargeable AA batteries
  
• Numerous empty gum packs, gum wrappers, napkins, tissues (used & unused)

Local News

Well, there has been zero activity here because I really don't have anything to say that would interest the world at large (unlike 98% of bloggers I actually realize this).

I was thinking that with two kids off at college this could be a good way to keep in touch with what's going on at home, without having to make a lot of pestering phone calls.

I'll start off with the police blotter, always a popular item. I believe Lisa knows these lads:

8/10/07

Location: 159^th and Bell – Homer Glen Shell Gas Station

Summary: Sheriff’s deputies observed a male/white exit the Shell Gas Station with a case of beer. Nicholas J. Bonko, age 18, of 13306 Oak Ridge Lane in Homer Glen was charged with no rear registration plate light. Joseph B. Partoll, age 18, of 12014 Lancaster in Homer Glen was charged with possession of alcohol by a minor and unlawful use of a driver’s license. Austin M. Roth, age 18, of 12249 Thorn Apple in Homer Glen was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. Bonko was released on the scene. Partoll and Roth were transported to the Will County ADF.