tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233039962009-09-15T13:47:34.768-05:00In the crazy world in which we live, a blog looking to make sense of it all.Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-57339216411020614762009-03-19T07:07:00.000-05:002009-03-19T08:15:36.589-05:00

If you're like me, you are probably tired of hearing about the federal government bailing out some financial institution that was going under due to its incompetence and/or greed. And while many blame these institutions along with George W. Bush for this mess, I believe much of the blame should be put on the folks in Washington DC as well.Earlier this year, Missouri Democratic senator Claire

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-24174122723215537832009-01-15T12:39:00.008-06:002009-01-16T10:10:17.294-06:00

The District 150 School Board yesterday discussed the possibility to close Woodruff High School as well as Tyng, Irving and Kingman primary schools. This measure is being considered to fix a gaping $9.2 million budget deficit projected for next year. I learned of this news this morning as I didn't catch the news last night. At lunch time today, I learn there is going to be a meeting to discuss

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-37717240751392222922009-01-14T19:19:00.002-06:002009-01-14T19:52:04.213-06:00

The recent announcement that Cubs Food is going to close its Midtown Plaza store offers yet more evidence to my prediction that Peoria is becoming another Detroit and will one day be one big ghetto.Nearly ten years ago, tax increment financing was used to bring Midtown Plaza to fruition. The Peoria City Council overwhelmingly voted for it, with the exception of one councilman to which we all know

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-39535761234051131112008-12-13T12:05:00.000-06:002008-12-13T13:21:58.610-06:00

This is a simple piece of advice I can give regarding the proposed downtown museum.Third District Councilman Bob Manning made some very strong comments and observations on the museum this week to which I agree 110%. So I won't try to restate or rehash anything he said here. You can listen to his comments over at The Peoria Chronicle.Some thoughts I'd like to point out are:1. How is all this

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-69180599336093009932008-12-09T19:35:00.003-06:002008-12-09T20:04:06.923-06:00

This past week has been a "two-for."  First we get the conviction of OJ Simpson.  And now, finally, Governor Rod Blagojevich is getting his.By now everyone has heard Blago was arrested early this morning at the Illinois executive mansion now located in Chicago.  The big charge, though I'm not really surprised about it, was the appointment of the state's vacated Senate office given to the highest

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-35749037690431891682008-11-03T21:01:00.000-06:002008-11-03T21:09:47.566-06:00

After a record setting 22-months, this hell called campaign season is about over.  I thought I'd take a few moments to leave some last minute election comments before the polls open tomorrow morning.Barack Obama - For months now we've heard Obama explain his tax plan which he claims that anyone or any small business making less than $250,000 will not see their taxes go up.  This must be the

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-91814107385650360912008-09-14T18:33:00.006-05:002008-09-14T19:11:23.117-05:00

Did anyone catch The Amy Poehler Show, er, I mean Saturday Night Live last night?  It opened with Poehler as Hillary R. Clinton and Tina Fey in a guest appearance as Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin. This did not come as a big surprise for me.  Ever since McCain picked Palin as his running mate, many in the media commented how Palin looks similar to Tina Fey (or the other way

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-44053698793998129012008-08-29T13:24:00.002-05:002008-08-29T13:57:30.077-05:00

I have to say, I'm surprised to hear this week that the Illinois Farm Bureau endorsed Republican Aaron Schock for the 18th Congressional District race.  I thought this endorsement would have easily went towards Colleen Callahan.  She's been working with them for 35 years.  She was raised and worked on a farm all her life.  She has more years worth of farming experience than Aaron Schock's been

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-26421506380304794922008-07-11T10:08:00.003-05:002008-07-11T10:29:56.696-05:00

It isn't uncommon for a sitting President to help campaign for other political candidates of the same party. I don't think there's anything wrong with an endorsement or some good words to say about someone from the leader of the free world. But President Bush's upcoming trip to help fundraise for Illinois representative Aaron Schock is sort of rubbing me the wrong way.For starters, how much are

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-63659711459616539202008-06-11T17:02:00.003-05:002008-06-11T17:39:00.477-05:00

For starters, I was against the library expansion from the start. It's not that I don't like libraries, it's just that I don't think our city is in sufficient financial health to take on an expansion such as this. There are just other more dire needs that should get priority. Not to mention, once our taxes go up for this expansion, they will stay there permanently; even after the expansion is

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-72783731446289006202008-05-09T10:09:00.002-05:002008-05-09T10:15:56.403-05:00

I’m sure the average American is by now tired of the presidential election. It’s been going on what now, a year, and we’re still 6 months away from the general election. The Democratic Party does not even know who their presumptive candidate will be (though it’s becoming clearer that it will probably be Obama).It seems to me that these presidential contests start earlier and earlier. Why? So

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-33389626919128984782008-04-29T12:58:00.003-05:002008-04-29T13:50:53.268-05:00

This past week, I received and opened up my real estate tax bill. Good Grief!! It was a steep increase from 2006 to 2007. If the money I pay in were to be used efficiently and for items truly needed in the community, I wouldn't mind paying more in taxes. But it really boils my blood thinking about what my hard earned dollar is going to support.A New Logo - The Peoria City Council voted

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-37590149619585626122008-02-11T10:31:00.001-06:002008-02-11T10:46:09.481-06:00

Today's Word on the Street in the Peoria Journal Star covers the landslide win of Aaron Schock last week. Schock won the Republican primary for 18th Congressional District over John Morris and John McConoughey with over 70% of the vote.The article explains that Morris and McConoughey admit that they had to battle name recognition (especially McConoughey on that one), not to mention a larger

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-55364903965127783602008-01-24T09:35:00.000-06:002008-01-24T10:11:06.785-06:00

Over at PeoriaIllinoian, he recently reported that PollyPeoria has thrown in the towel on blogging. Before this, Scott Janz and a couple of others announced the same. Fortunately for us, Scott reneged and came back.In a previous post of mine, I mentioned how I enjoy to do it, though time and work constraints mixed with inspiration limit my blogging. I don't expect to hang up my blogging just yet

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-40059284817739140172008-01-09T13:24:00.001-06:002008-01-09T13:48:43.762-06:00

I'm not a big fan of Phil Luciano of the Peoria Journal Star. I don't read his features very often, but he does sometimes offer readers a good article with a good opinion on a valid issue. Today's was probably one of the best. While Mr. Luciano always has strong opinions, today's was right on with razor sharpness.Mr. Luciano goes on the explain that while it is now illegal to smoke in public

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-71538125578558413102008-01-02T21:25:00.000-06:002008-01-02T21:34:57.504-06:00

I have to hand it to other Peoria bloggers. They seem so dedicated and continue to do an excellent job at reporting and expressing well thought opinions (whether I agree or not). I am really amazed at how they can keep the pace.I surely don't have the time to put in a great blog like CJ Summers or Billy Dennis. And when I do have time, a few other bloggers have already beat me to the punch (I

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-82402167946956825262008-01-02T20:41:00.000-06:002008-01-02T21:21:52.824-06:00

Two-thousand eight has begun and despite the smoking ban in Illinois, the sun still rose in the east, the moon still shines at night and we all still pay taxes. But yet I still have the concern that freedoms were lost.Now I'm all for the smoking ban in places such as schools, churches, municipal buildings, libraries, retail shops, etc., but as for restaurants and bars there should have been some

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-19506033883642905722007-12-02T15:01:00.000-06:002007-12-02T15:27:55.449-06:00

Lately, I been reading in the news about the Peoria County Board taking under consideration in helping out the soon to be ill-faded downtown museum project. Museum supporters last hope to fill the $24 million shortfall is from Peoria county. All I have to say to the county board is this: "Just Say No!"The main reason this museum has not raised enough money to fund its construction is because it

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-89378453904005253472007-08-10T10:14:00.000-05:002007-08-10T10:39:48.430-05:00

According to a study conducted by USA Today, the higher state taxes on tobacco are placed, the more smokers kick the habit. USA Today claims from their study that the degree of decline of smoking is directly tied to the size of the tax increase. Examples include an 18 percent decline in cigarette sales after sales taxes were raised from 5 cents to 35 cents in North Carolina and in Connecticut, a

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-24596123745128298682007-07-14T11:36:00.000-05:002007-07-14T12:03:19.487-05:00

That seems to be the theme with government leaders, both state and federal, nowadays between Republicans and Democrats. And while the Republican side seems to move further and further to the right, the Democrats appear to moving more to the left. This is causing more hostility, little compromise and contempt between the two waring factions. The victims are taxpayers and US citizens. The

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-11152056432153146702007-07-08T19:08:00.000-05:002007-07-08T19:17:20.163-05:00

What does the state of Illinois have in common with the United States of America? A chief executive that will probably go down in history as the worst.From reporting featured in the last few days of the Peoria Journal Star, the madness continues in Springfield where our legislators need to develop a budget for the next fiscal year. And a major hurdle to completing one seems to be the Illinois

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-70757447804873065512007-06-20T21:38:00.000-05:002007-06-20T21:55:10.884-05:00

The Illinois legislature and Gov. Blagojevich have succeeded in moving up the state's primary election from March to February 5th next year. And they did so rather quickly I thought.For starters, I don't have any problem with an earlier primary. In the past, it seems that the primaries are over by the time it gets around to Illinois having their say. But I am bothered by two things with this

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-27836021561538683272007-06-20T21:33:00.000-05:002007-06-20T21:57:45.128-05:00

This story sort of made me feel old. Apparently, there are chat rooms out there where you can buy other peoples identities. And Herman Munster’s ID was up for sale. But the seller didn’t realize how big of a scam they were trying to pull.From the Associated Press:Crooks in an underground chat room for selling stolen credit card numbers and personal consumer information offered pilfered data

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-13986188648074767892007-05-20T11:10:00.001-05:002007-05-20T11:39:37.393-05:00

If things were not as serious, Springfield and one particular residence in the Chicago area would be a comedy of errors. I'm talking of course about our state leadership; or lack thereof.For starters, we have a governor who refuses to pay current state bills, though I don't know where they'd find the money anyway. This governor is hellbent on raising taxes through a gross receipts tax, a scheme

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23303996.post-47811267215722517502007-05-02T20:29:00.000-05:002007-05-02T20:31:32.897-05:00

Eight murders in Peoria in just the first trimester of 2007. At this rate we’ll have 24 murders by years end. When growing up in Peoria, a murder was somewhat rare. Now they are becoming all too commonplace. We need to ask ourselves why this is happening and what can be done about it. First, why is this happening.First and foremost, the reason this is happening can be summed up in one word;

Common Sense Dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04363976055817349916noreply@blogger.com1