Concepts by Michelle

Aftermath of the Chicago Mayoral Election

Posted on May 1, 2023 by Michelle M. Ryan / 4 Comments

Do old-school ideals just represent nostalgia now?/Pfuderi, Pixabay

As I recently sat at the traffic light at 119^th & Ashland, a red and white “Willie Wilson for Mayor” sign was still displayed on the bridge over the I-57 from Round One. It was not in a place where I could easily snatch it as a souvenir. The election was over and a resounding question was “Did Paul Vallas lose it or did Brandon Johnson win it?” Although certainly not a landslide, the final numbers of 49 to 51% respectively, Johnson won it. I wondered about the old-school ideals of Vallas versus a progressive movement by Johnson.

Public safety was the number one issue of the campaign as residents, businesses, visitors, etc., were all affected by crime. Old-school ideals of Vallas were only dashed dreams now. His comprehensive plan to slow the exodus of police included a normal schedule for them, promote from within under rank and file, add another police academy, restore beat integrity, and return to community-based policing. I wondered about Vallas’s claim that many retired police officers would come back to fill vacancies. Why would they want to come back when they actually made it to retirement?

Vallas said that 26% of vacancies of the Magnificent Mile were because neither customers nor workers wanted to come, especially on public transportation because of crime. A perfect example was on April 15^th when hundreds of young people took over the downtown area by attacking people, jumping on cars, damaging property, blocking traffic, and a couple people were shot. The incident made national news. One witness who helped a tourist couple who were beaten and robbed said the police drove right past them as she flagged them down.

Only 15 people were arrested as we saw police standing by. The police seemed to have no plan. Perhaps they just didn’t want to get involved. If they get involved, they could get hurt. If they have to arrest people, it could escalate. If they get forceful, they could get sued. They’re damned if they do and damned if they don’t. News reports stated some officers said to expect more of this behavior because of Johnson’s win. Regardless of the election outcome, police still need to fulfill their mission.

Mayor-elect Johnson said that though he “does not condone the destructive activity that took place downtown [April 15], it was not constructive to demonize youth who have been starved of opportunities in their own communities.” Throughout the debates and interviews, Johnson was understanding about Black Lives Matter’s destructive actions. Regarding the George Floyd riots, he said looters were acting out of desperation.

Johnson refused three times in one forum to answer the question about his quoted statement of defunding the police. He emphasized prevention – invest in youth with jobs and mental health facilities. His plan of having mental healthcare and social workers handle many police calls will allow them to deal with more violent crimes. During one debate, a moderator pointed out that nation-wide studies showed such workers were also at a shortage. Johnson admitted that healthcare professionals would not necessarily respond. Instead, everyday people who have experienced trauma would qualify.

The concept of “Treatment Not Trauma” regarding mental health responders instead of police is not new nation-wide but less so in Chicago. We will likely be hearing more about it once Johnson takes office. Many who hoped for Vallas to win with his public safety plan of more police may feel like depressed dinosaurs. The same can be said for Willie Wilson supporters who wanted the old-school approach. Wilson and other former mayoral candidate, Ald. Sophia King, both wanted to re-open mental health facilities and were pro-police, also endorsed Vallas.

Extinct Tyrannosaurus/Ignacio DG, Pixabay

Many undecided voters are swayed by endorsements when they like qualities and values of the endorser. The endorsements for Vallas by 27-year-old activist and former mayoral candidate, Ja’mal Green, and 76-year-old former Ald. Bobby Rush were unexpected. Green was expected to draw young voters while Rush was a controversial figure who could unite blacks with a white candidate.

Race is always a factor in elections. Chicago is a diverse city and the candidate needs to represent all. An important factor with Vallas was he always had black people in his commercials, but more importantly, standing near him in gatherings. Hispanics seemed divided with Vallas getting former CPS Board President, Gery Chico’s support and Johnson getting Jesus “Chuy” Garcia’s. I saw no Asians in commercials or gatherings for either candidate. Also missing was the infamous slogan “Let’s Go Brandon” as part of Johnson’s campaign.

Johnson claimed his vision was multi-generational and multi-cultural. All I saw around him were blacks. When Anjanette Young, the victim of a 2019 botched police raid, endorsed Johnson, he literally looked like he had stars in his eyes. Hopefully, he gets his head out of the clouds and his feet on the ground, as his dream has come true. Despite concerns about how beholden Johnson will be to the Teacher’s Union who put him in position, the People have spoken.

ChicagoLand/Political

Chicago Mayoral Election Also Affects Suburbs

Posted on April 30, 2023 by Michelle M. Ryan / 2 Comments

The Chicago mayoral election is of interest (and should be) to many suburbs, especially those who are separated from the city by a mere street. We see and hear Chicago’s mayor almost daily through media and often grumble hoping for a change. A change is certainly on the way. Big city issues that can affect all of us include crime, taxes, parking, red-light and speed cameras, juveniles, and general expenses.

Going back over four years ago, a major concern for suburbs was when Mayor Rahm Emmanuel planned to raise water rates to suburbs that relied on city-supplied Lake Michigan water to help balance Chicago’s budget. A trickle-down effect was an understatement as suburban officials looked for other options and braced for a flood in water rate hikes. This is only one example where the buck is passed to suburbs but they have no vote on the matter.

Currently, crime is the number one issue throughout the whole Chicago mayoral campaign. Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson have very different opinions. It was national news in 2019 when suburban police chiefs issued a “vote of no confidence” against Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, especially regarding her strategy to de-criminalize non-violent crimes.

During a recent forum on Fox News Chicago, when asked about Foxx’s job performance, Vallas thinks she is not aggressive enough in keeping dangerous criminals off the streets, leading to repeat offenders. Johnson thinks she is a good leader with incredible integrity. His focus was on how many falsely imprisoned inmates she set free.

Living in one of those suburbs separated by one street, it was not uncommon to see Chicago police crossing jurisdictions. I was once caught in the middle of a high-speed police chase close to home. The Chicago police were pursuing suspects from an incident in the city that spread into my village. The suspects fled on foot and were shooting at police. The incident was on the news. However, I haven’t seen Chicago police in my area for several years. Mayor Lori Lightfoot took credit for overhauling and reforming police vehicle and foot pursuits, according to her website.

Vallas and Johnson also have very different approaches on solutions for public safety. Vallas wants to keep schools open on weekends, holidays and throughout the summer to keep juveniles off the streets and out of trouble. Johnson wants to invest in youth by training and employing to deter youth from a life of crime. Debates continue on restructuring the police department and either way, it comes down to money. Both candidates stated they would not add a financial burden to Chicagoans by raising property taxes. Where will the money come from?

Suburban commuters may already be contributing money (involuntarily), as Chicago issued “over 1 million parking tickets to drivers in the first six months of 2022,” according to the Illinois Policy Institute. Their investigation also found that Chicago’s speed cameras “have failed to deliver the promised safety improvements, and fatalities actually increased. The cameras did deliver a lot of cash: $36 million.” Red light cameras are another complaint and money source for Chicago affecting commuters.

Voluntary trips downtown may be curtailed because of crime but many suburbanites have to commute downtown for their jobs. Johnson’s $800 million business plan initially included a $40 million tax (a city surcharge) for suburbanites commuting to work via Metra. I remember that commercial prior to the runoff election and then never saw it again. According to Illinoispolicy.org, the idea caused a firestorm and Johnson no longer considered it, however, his website still shows $800 million.

Suburbanites who travel to the city on a regular basis are also likely helping with Chicago’s finances in other ways. Commuters who drive have to pay for parking, which is very expensive. Workers are likely patronizing food establishments regularly and may shop in Chicago as well. Taxes are likely higher than in suburbs, plus the seven cents per bag unless you bring your own. Is it fair to charge us some kind of head tax or should Chicago be grateful we’re coming there and spending our money?

Macy’s on State St., Downtown Chicago, December, 2017. Photo by Michelle M. Ryan

Despite all the issues, there is no question that Chicago is rich in beauty. There are diverse cultures and all the tourist attractions the city offers – entertainment venues, restaurants, museums, Lake Michigan, parades, stores, landmarks, architecture, the Christkindl market, Santa Claus, just to name a few. Hopefully, we will all see an improvement in Chicago over the next four years.

This article was submitted to and published by The Lansing Journal in March, 2023.

ChicagoLand/Political

Chicago Mayoral Election: 7 Down, 2 to Go

Posted on March 16, 2023 by Michelle M. Ryan / 4 Comments

Four years ago, when Lori Lightfoot ran against Toni Preckwinkle, both women stood to make history as the first black female mayor. Between the two, I favored Lightfoot based on her sensibility, fairness, and (seemingly) humility. With Lightfoot married to a white woman, it added a unifying effect of the gay community, plus racial harmony. What potential. It was thrilling enough that I enlisted a friend of mine to partake in an undercover caper of stealing one of her campaign signs for my suburban patio.

However, during Lightfoot’s reign, her potential quickly began to crumble. There was a major lack of humility with shouting, swearing, and insulting her colleagues. Lightfoot’s decision to exclude white reporters for her mid-term inauguration demonstrated racial division despite her reasoning about systemic racism. It did not seem logical to consider Lightfoot a racist, but I wondered if her wife had any influence over her to set her straight (no pun intended). The People spoke on election day and hopefully Lightfoot reflects and gets on the right foot herself. (Pun intended.)

Mayor Lightfoot’s bark was as bad as her bite. (Christel Sagniez/Pixabay)

It seemed that Jesus “Chuy” Garcia could be a natural bridge between black and white, however, his campaign seemed a bit lackluster and pundits claimed he entered the race too late. Personally, I thought Ald. Sophia King was like a breath of fresh air as the only other female candidate compared to Lightfoot, with sound plans. Ja’mal Green caused chuckles throughout one of the debates when he claimed the other candidates stole all his ideas and they were too old. Pundits predict he has a bright political future. Despite Ald. Roderick Sawyer and State Rep. Kam Buckner’s political ties, their connections didn’t surpass other candidates.

Why not Willie Wilson? A good commercial. All the candidates had plans on how to make Chicago safer and investing in youth, etc. The bigger question was “How are you going to pay for it?” Wilson is known for spending his own money and not about dumping a load on taxpayers. He wanted to run the government like a business and fire Lightfoot. She blasted him for the comment about letting police hunt criminals like rabbits. However, Wilson resonates with many. All of the defeated candidates still play a part in the election by their endorsements.

Willie Wilson’s comment about police chasing criminals like rabbits may have helped earn him a guest spot on Tucker Carlson’s show. (Julia Schwab/Pixabay)

The recent first mayoral runoff forum between Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson showed their different approaches on solutions for public safety, the number one issue throughout the whole campaign. The two candidates surprisingly have many opinions in common about many issues, however, their methods differ. Their campaign approaches, positive or negative, may also impact some voters after Lightfoot’s implosion.

Vallas wants to run a positive campaign but needs to defend himself promptly against attacks. On a recent episode of “Flannery Fired Up,” Johnson claimed that Vallas wants to remove black history from schools. Vallas explained that he expanded black history to be part of the school curriculum, not just one month. However, during a recent runoff forum, it was brought up twice by Johnson before Vallas finally defended himself. It’s unfortunate, but wise, that Vallas’s recent commercials are attacking Johnson, but we must remember that attack ads win over lots of voters.

Johnson’s continuous attacks on Vallas accusing him of being a Republican may backfire. Democrats in a blue state should not take that their home-court advantage for granted. There are many Republicans in Illinois that are looking for a hint of conservatism and a moderate Democrat is their likely choice. Moderate candidates show a willingness to work with the other side. Cooperation is what we need, not further division. Learn more about both candidates at paulvallas2023.com and brandonjohnsonforchicago.com.

Calumet Park Chronicles/ChicagoLand

The Not-so-Secret Playground

Posted on February 20, 2023 by Michelle M. Ryan / 4 Comments

Edward H. White School (1136 W. 122nd St.) smaller modern playground, January 2023/Michelle Ryan

It was a time when my friend, Sally, and I literally crossed a line that we didn’t know existed. It was one of those things that adults knew about but kids did not. Calumet Park is a small suburb, a little over a square mile, surrounded by Chicago on three sides – north, south, and east, with Blue Island on the west.

Sally and I lived on the northeast side of the village where most of the daily activity was west of us – schools, playgrounds, a recreation center, village hall, church, and stores. There was a public pool east of us. You had to buy a membership bond or something and that also allowed access to the recreation center. Neither of our families had a membership at the time. We used to hang out close to the house, however, once you knew how to ride a bike without training wheels, a whole new world opened up.

One summer day Sally and I ventured north on our bikes. Although just a few blocks away, it was uncharted territory for us. We came upon a playground and it was like we struck gold except there was a lot of silver. There was a swing-set with big poles for the frame, and long, thick, silver chains supporting the seat where you sat. It was glorious as Sally and I rode the swings, and there wasn’t another person in sight. It was like our own secret discovery.

As Sally and I peddled home, we couldn’t believe our good fortune. I was very proud of this discovery, as I thought I was really expanding my horizons. It wasn’t soon after that somehow, I foolishly hinted to my brother about the secret playground. I should have known better but I was too young to know about following gut instincts.

My brother was four years older and knew everything. He yelled something like, “If you went where I think you went, that was White school and you can’t go there! I better not find out you went there again!” It figured. I was often berated for my actions or choices of friends, etc. I don’t know why I thought this would be different. My heart sunk and my head hung low.

I don’t think I was the only one who let the cat out of the bag. Knowing our shared elation, Sally had sisters and they shared everything. Sally likely was also forbidden to return to the playground because neither one of us ever spoke of it again. We crossed the line. 123^rdSt. divided Calumet Park and Chicago. We were not yet versed on the unspoken racial divide.

I had never heard of (Edward H.) White School before and in an ironic twist, I found out that White School was for black children. Perhaps if Sally and I had seen black children playing there, we may have known we were out of our territory. But it’s not like I’d never been to Chicago before. My grandmother and friends of my parents lived in Roseland. However, parents were always there.

White School Tennis Court w/basketball hoops & baseball field in back. Michelle Ryan

There used to be a department store, Goodman’s, at 119^th and Halsted Street (west side). My mom didn’t drive, so she, my brother, and I would walk over there. I remember hot summers walking down Peoria and Green St., going northward and crossing railroad tracks. There was a lot of tall grass nearly the same height as me, with sounds of locusts buzzing and grasshoppers jumping by. The tall grass was on parkways between the sidewalk and streets of old abandoned factories. International Harvester had a large operation within a few blocks.

On a map this area is listed as West Pullman, which is usually affiliated with east of Halsted Street. The area had a lot of black people and it was the only time I saw them. There were no black children at Calumet Park schools then and there wasn’t much of an opportunity where we would mix with them. We lived so close to each other but in separate worlds. I wondered about them.

Sometimes when my mom, brother, and I were on the way home from Goodman’s, I saw black children sitting on their porches. I wondered what were they like? What kinds of things did they do? What did they think of us walking by? But something else got my attention back then that has stayed with me. I saw an old white man sitting on a front porch with a couple of black men drinking beer. My dad drank beer so I was familiar with the brown bottles. I was impressed with this friendliness because I had never seen it before.

By the time I reached junior high, there were three black girls in my class. It wasn’t until high school that I learned about Martin Luther King and read his “I Have a Dream” speech. A review of the speech at Marshall.edu cites a favorite line “…little black boys and little black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers…” I eventually learned that blacks left the south and came north for better opportunities, however, I wasn’t really seeing that. The Great White Flight of Calumet Park was in full swing.

Fast forward, I recently watched a (History network) documentary on Frederick Douglass. He lived on a plantation as a child until he was relocated and ASSIGNED a white mistress to serve. However, she taught him how to read and they practiced reading the Bible together. Unbeknownst to adults, white children were sharing homework and books with black children back then. It was an a-ha moment. The kids were after the same goal – learn to read. There was nothing wrong with that and should have been commended. But no. Once the adults found out, that was the end of it.

Black and white kids wanted to learn to read and they both wanted to ride swings. Perhaps blacks found more opportunities for work in northern states, however, there was still segregation. As an adult, it is no secret that many feel the racial balance is shifting in another direction. There was, however, a recent sighting that I think would have made Martin Luther King happy. I was sitting at a stop light on Vermont & Western Avenue in Blue Island heading westbound. Two little girls, black and white, were holding hands, smiling and skipping down the sidewalk. I also smiled at their not-so-secret friendship.

An image Martin Luther King would have liked. Artem Podrez/Pexels

ChicagoLand/Political

Green Prevails in Keeping Illinois Blue

Posted on January 28, 2023 by Michelle M. Ryan / 4 Comments

Is it really just about the money?/Pixabay

In Illinois, Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker won re-election rather quickly. He got what he wanted in the primary with opposing candidate, Darren Bailey, instead of Richard Irvin. From the start, Bailey seemed like a mismatch for Chicago. As a farmer and senator from a downstate rural area, he seemed too far south to connect with northern Illinois. However, he did call Chicago a hellhole, upon which many agreed, as crime is a major issue and political platform.

Political commercials are supposed to be considered a crockpot full of malarkey. Yet, many base their vote solely on them, as they are pervasive. Bailey had a doozy working against him. In an interview, he responded that in the event of a rape or incest, a woman could still not have an abortion. He later stated (prior to the election) that he would not be able to enforce such a mandate because the “majority” would overrule. That statement needed to get more publicity; however, it would not likely have made a difference in the outcome.

Richard Irvin, on the other hand, had at least one commercial that made him sparkle. He emphasized that ALL Lives Matter. He served in the Gulf War, was a prosecuting attorney, was pro-police, etc. However, he was running as a Republican. A black Republican. Pritzker needed the black vote, which would likely be secured by eliminating Irvin. Meanwhile, Pritzker was holding the Trump Card. Bailey was endorsed by Donald Trump, which would make him ripe for the picking and would not include corn, soybeans, or wheat from his farm.

At one point, Irvin announced a press conference. He had an agenda but every time he was asked if he voted for Trump, he would not answer the question. He went off on a rehearsed tangent, as if no one would notice he was avoiding the lightning rod. Next, I was looking forward to the debates and dang burn it, Irvin did it again. No direct answer when asked who he voted for, just another tangent. Another disappointment. Irvin and his advisors needed a better strategy, as the conference did not serve him well.

There was something else that stood out for me about Irvin. In one of Irvin’s sparkling commercials, he was walking in slow motion wearing a business suit and a big smile. A white woman was walking near him, also with a business suit and smile. I thought she was a colleague but it may have been his wife. I cannot confirm if she was in the commercial, but he is indeed married to a white woman who looks similar.

My concern was that Irvin would be branded as an Uncle Tom, like Justice Clarence Thomas, another Republican with a white wife. It is not a secret that many black women resent their men with white women because their fishing pond is smaller. WTTW reports “There are far more black women than there are black men in this country, and that’s been for some time. From age 16 and forward, black women start outnumbering black men. For whites, that doesn’t happen until age 32,” said Cheryl Judice, a sociologist and adjunct faculty member in Northwestern University’s School of Education and Public Policy.

Furthermore, Governing.com reports that “gender imbalance [among blacks] reflects a number of factors, primarily mass incarceration and high mortality, and it’s present in hundreds of communities across the country. Nationally, the Census Bureau counts 88 black male adults for every 100 black women, while the ratio for whites is a more equal 97 men for every 100 women.” (I hope black women expand their own pond and consider dating outside of their race.)

Anyway, Irvin became the “first African American mayor of Illinois’ second-largest city, Aurora, where only 8 percent of the population was black in 2017,” as reported by CBS News. In 2021, Irvin won a second term with over 55% of the vote where the black population was at 10.5%. Clearly, he seemed to be doing an acceptable job and presented a refreshing threat. Pritzker and his allies launched a full assault of attack ads against Irvin to keep Illinois blue.

“Pritzker spent roughly $3.3 million on anti-Irvin ads since Memorial Day for the June primary election, while the Democratic Governors Association spent $9.1 million since the first week of May,” according to records reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon. Later, Pritzker spent “more than $167 million to defeat Republican Darren Bailey by nearly 13 percentage points in November,” according to newly released state and federal campaign records, reported by the Chicago Tribune on January 18.

While writing and researching this article, frankly, I’m disgusted. I came up with possibilities where Irvin may not have appealed to blacks, and I don’t know if I’m wrong. If it’s all about the green paying for smear commercials, are we that gullible that we blindly go along and base our vote on them? Just because we are inundated with them doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do some work on our own. We need to do our own research. Of course, candidates will be flawed. Most of us have skeletons in our closets. We need to consider the good and bad of a candidate and how their values coincide with ours. It’s really up to us.

Political

Red Wave Dissipated as it Passed the U.S.

Posted on December 31, 2022 by Michelle M. Ryan / 4 Comments

So, imagine yourself standing there on a shoreline with a surfboard waiting for the much-touted big red wave to arrive. It was expected to surge in the evening of November 8, 2002, across the whole nation. You’re ready. As the hours pass, there is no big red wave. A small wave seems to have rolled on by, heading south-eastward. Enough time has passed for Republicans to study what happened. Looking back, many issues churned up the big red wave.

In the short time that Joe Biden took office in January, 2021, droves of migrants were illegally crossing the U.S. southern border. In April, 2021, the New York Times reported that over 170,000 migrants crossed the border and by October, more than 700,000 migrants were arrested. The majority were from Mexico followed by El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Furthermore, these migrants were from countries with high infection rates and were not being tested for Covid-19 unless they had obvious symptoms.

In April, 2021, Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton issued a press release that he filed a federal lawsuit against the Biden Administration stating that President Biden was “encouraging the spread of COVID-19 at the border by allowing illegal aliens, potentially infected with COVID, to gather in a congregated care setting.”

Meanwhile, the first vaccines for Covid were authorized for Emergency Use Only, with full approval expected to be granted in December, 2021. However, given that a vaccine needs to go through proper testing that takes years, many people were hesitant. Others couldn’t get the vaccination fast enough and go back to a “normal life,” as if there was no pandemic.

When all Americans didn’t just dutifully take part in the experimental vaccine, Biden announced a vaccine mandate with a January, 2022, deadline. An upheaval among first responders, federal employees, and companies with more than 100 employees across the nation, led to mass resignations and lawsuits.

The Biden Administration also pressured the Food and Drug Administration to expedite full approval of the vaccine by August, 2021, failing to realize that only TIME was the true factor in safety and efficacy. When numerous healthcare professionals spoke out against the vaccines or spoke about other treatments, their posts and accounts were removed by social media. God forbid should there be dissenting opinions.

The United States was known for its freedom. The right to free speech was major. We no longer had it. This was no longer the land of the free. I sent a statement to a local newspaper on behalf of one of the “pioneers” of the mRNA technology who wanted all the facts about the vaccines to be published FIRST, so people could decide for themselves if they wanted to get the vaccine. My supporting statement was banned as well. If you didn’t go along with the Administration’s agenda, you were silenced. The Administration had become a dictatorship.

The red wave was cresting but wasn’t over. The next doozy came with the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in August, 2021. Although the withdrawal had been in progress for years, military experts interviewed were not pleased with the final handling of the situation. The scenes all over the news of Afghans crowding at the Kabul airport and trying to hang onto planes as they exited, were a disturbing memory.

Brad Bowman, a senior director with the military, told reporters, “The Pentagon should have made contingency plans to slow the Taliban’s advance and set up multiple evacuation points, especially ones NOT in the middle of Kabul.” USA Today confirmed there was “an apparent intelligence lapse with the primary focus on protecting U.S. troops over evacuating American citizens and Afghan allies, plus a lack of coordination with European allies, who felt betrayed by the speedy American exit.”

Sadly, veteran’s groups, refugee advocates and women’s rights organizations warned the White House of the threat by the Taliban. Democratic freedoms would be lost and Afghans who helped the U.S. military would be targeted and killed.

Furthermore, according to the Washington Free Beacon, the U.S. Department of State requires COVID tests before it allows foreign travelers to arrive in the United States, but it waived the requirement for over 100,000 who evacuated from Afghanistan because of the “extraordinary circumstances.” In November, 2021, as the Omicron variant was infecting many who were fully vaccinated, doubt over the vaccines was also spreading.

In February, 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, I felt that the U.S.’s mishandling of the Afghanistan situation sent a message that we were weak and fueled Vladimir Putin’s confidence. “In the first half of 2022, gas prices had surged by more than 50 percent, fueled in large part by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent surge in global oil prices,” according to Statista.com.

Next up, we have a quote from Politico.com, “The relentless spike in inflation has caused a steep drop in consumers’ confidence in the economy, sent President Joe Biden’s approval ratings tumbling and posed a major political threat to Democrats in the November congressional elections.” The last time inflation was this high was 1981.

It seems like Biden has been in office an awfully long time (pun intended). You would think that after all this, the Republican Party would have won both the House and Senate, and were expected to do so in a major sweep. They should have been a shoo-in. But then – the other shoe dropped – the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June, 2022. Once that happened, I knew the red wave would BEGIN to dissipate, as the Republicans remained overly confident. But I wasn’t expecting such a fizzle.

Florida, on the other hand, indeed experienced a red wave with Ron DeSantis and other Republicans, and not because it is considered a peninsula. Whatever they did, they did it right. Literally right. Has all the in-fighting among Republicans made them their own worst enemy? Will DeSantis jump on a surfboard of his own and ride the red wave while it’s here? Can he cause a red wave to spread north and west across the U.S.? Perhaps.

Animals/Wildlife

The Opossum (Part Two)

Posted on November 30, 2022 by Michelle M. Ryan / 4 Comments

A mother opossum carrying her young on her back. Also known as an Opossumobile./Pixabay

The first time I saw an opossum was years ago when I used to drive west down 151^st just off Harlem Avenue while en route to a job in Orland Park. There was road construction all over that street and unfortunately, a lot of opossum roadkill. It was literally a version of Death Row. Despite the circumstances, they were beautiful animals. White faces and bodies with dark ears and limbs. They reminded me of the novelty Mickey Mouse ice cream bars with vanilla and chocolate.

Then one night while entering my yard after work, I saw an animal the size of a cat walking through. The tail was furless and I realized it was an opossum. It was the first time I ever saw one in the yard. I hurried inside and told my parents. They got up quickly and went to the window hoping for a glimpse. It was exciting because we were all animal lovers and it was a rare sighting.

A closer encounter was when I had an opossum guest in the house for a couple days because of a cat situation. I was involved in a TNR (Trap, Neuter, Return) program years ago. One cat tested positive for FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus). He could not be released and I found a sanctuary in Michigan City, Indiana, willing to take him. In the meantime, he had the run of the basement and unfortunately, he escaped one night when someone let the dogs in.

Efforts to recapture the cat were fruitless when two nights in a row, I caught an opossum instead using up the trapping cage. Both times he was sound asleep, upside down in a ball position, and looked very comfortable. I brought him inside and transferred him to another cage.

The guest opossum was fed fruit, nuts, and dry kibble during his short stay. They are infamous for eating carrion (decaying flesh), which may sound revolting but it plays a part in our ecosystem. According to Wildlife-Education.com opossums are considered to be nature’s sanitation engineers as they also eat garbage, grass, leaves, insects, frogs, small birds, rodents, snakes, and earthworms. Berries, seeds, flowers, persimmons, apples, and corn are considered treats. Better yet, opossums kill and eat about 5,000 ticks (responsible for Lyme disease) per tick season, significantly more than any other mammal.

Opossums are likely to be one of the most underrated animals out there in the wild based on what I’ve heard and what other aficionados say. If people were more educated about them, I would expect a better reaction. Many people compare them to rats because of their furless tail, however, rats are rodents – an entirely different species.

Somewhere along the way, I learned they were in the same genus as kangaroos, koala bears, and wombats, which are native to Australia. They are all marsupials, which have pouches to carry their young. The opossum is the only marsupial in the United States. If that isn’t enough to garner some interest, their skeletons date back to the days of the dinosaur. Ct.gov confirms the opossum has been around for at least 70 million years and is one of the earth’s oldest surviving mammal species.

Furthermore, I was also aware that an opossum’s low body temperature (94 – 97 degrees) does not allow it to be very susceptible to rabies. The Summit County Public Health Department confirms that any wild mammal can carry rabies, however, the rabies virus is fragile under most normal conditions. It is destroyed within a few minutes at temperatures greater than 122°F, and survives no more than a few hours at room temperature.

It is important that we understand the nature of animals including their defense mechanisms. Hissing, growling, or baring their 50 teeth is a scare tactic by opossums. They are generally loners, non-aggressive, non-destructive, and get along with raccoons and cats based on what I’ve observed in my yard.

Opossums are generally slow-moving, which makes them easy prey for dogs, foxes, coyotes, and raptors. (It was likely a dog attack that killed the opossum in Part One of this story.) However, many wildlife websites reiterate that humans and vehicles are the biggest threat to opossums.

According to SkedaddleWildlife.com, “playing opossum” or dead, is an involuntary shock-like state they go into when frightened. This natural defense mechanism consists of falling over, mouth hanging open, drooling, blank-staring eyes, and emitting a foul odor from their anus to ward off predators. This comatose state can last for hours.

A favorite book, America’s Favorite Wildlife (Kit & George Harrison), states that opossums build nests in tree hollows mostly using leaves and their tail carries materials. However, they will nest anywhere they find convenient such as brush piles, culverts, under porches, etc. They don’t have a regular den site they return to as they are transient by nature. A temporary exception to this is a new mom.

Opossums continue to be a big delight to me because I don’t see many in my area, but it doesn’t mean they aren’t there. They are nocturnal; however, I recently had a junior visitor in the daytime when the weather was much colder. This is not unusual with younger animals or if food is scarce. Finally, a-z-animals.com reports that the oldest opossum on record was four years and five months in captivity, while they only live a mere one-to-two years in the wild. When I’m lucky enough to see one walking, I will wish it the best as it ambles off on its short journey.

Animals/Wildlife

The Opossum (Part One)

Posted on October 7, 2022 by Michelle M. Ryan / 4 Comments

Baby opossum compared to a 7″ fork. (Photo by Michelle Ryan)

Warning: This article contains a graphic description that may be disturbing to some readers.

I noticed the dead animal, either a cat or an opossum, laying in the alley behind my yard just as I was heading for a walk. I was planning on clearing the alley abutment that day and was certainly not expecting what other plans were in store.

As I approached the animal, the fur was a golden brown, more suitable to a cat. However, the hairless curved tail was unmistakably an opossum. Although I don’t like removing roadkill, I’ve done it by my house. This cleanup was the worst I’ve done. Not only was there an adult opossum, but a few babies also dead within a few inches from mom. Worse yet, the opossum was disemboweled with intestines still attached but laying outside of the body.

It was getting hot and there is no shade on the outside in the alley, so I cut the foliage from the inside. I got on the ground clearing a bunch of weeds. And then …. I found it. There was a small animal moving around on the ground right outside my fence. I grabbed it and realized it was an opossum that obviously survived whatever happened to its family. It was a little over a few feet from mom but hidden.

I brought it near the garage and put it in the shade while looking for a proper box. It was making a chirping sound like a bird. Then I went back into the alley on hands and knees searching for any other survivors. I looked over and over but didn’t see anymore. This turned everything upside down. The rest of the yardwork was cancelled. The next several hours were spent doing research on how to care for it. As a rehabber, I’ve only dealt with raccoons.

I got a small cardboard box with cedar chip bedding and placed it on a heating pad in the bathtub. I added a nice baby blanket and two heated water bottles wrapped in blankets. (These were removed for the pictures.) As a general rule, the first 12 – 24 hours should focus on keeping the animal warm and hydrated. No food. Pedialyte is recommended, which I didn’t have. Wildlife-Education.com recommends three teaspoons of sugar, and one teaspoon of salt dissolved in one quart of very warm water.

The poor opossum was cold when I found it and I have no idea how long it was out there, so it wasn’t good. His heated box was good. There is an issue with opossums needing to be tube-fed because they don’t naturally suckle. That’s a big problem. I’ve never done it and am not comfortable with putting a tube down an animals’ throat. How far do you go? What if it goes in the wrong place?

I searched for a long time online. Instructions were not clear enough. Like, measure from the tip of the nose to the end of the stomach. Well, I can see the tip of the nose but how do you know where the stomach ends? Finally, I found someone (don’t recall the site) who said you go by the last rib.

I had a catheter/feeding tube from a vet, which some rehabbers use. Others warned against these because they have two holes at the end and fluid can get into the lungs. Finally, I found a video by Floyd Murray who had a baby opossum about the same size and used a syringe. I decided to try that.

Another crucial factor was how much to feed. It’s based on their weight, measured in grams, and I only had an old oz/pound scale. It was 1 1/2 oz. I could barely get the opossum’s mouth open but managed to get a few drops of the makeshift Pedialyte every few hours. I slept in intervals. Everything fed had to be heated up. It was inconvenient but well worth the effort. The H&I network was playing the medical drama House from 1 – 3 a.m., which was a big help.

The next day I called the Morgan Park Animal Hospital, Bevlab Clinic, Beverly Hills Clinic, and PetSmart, in that order based on closest location, for Esbilac puppy milk replacement. There were disputes online about puppy milk versus goat milk. Well, only PetSmart had puppy milk. No one had goat milk.

The first stop was to Walgreens for the Pedialyte. Unfortunately, neither Walgreens nor PetSmart had gram scales. The opossum clung to the syringe with the Pedialyte and seemed to enjoy it. It was the best feeding, as he seemed to be getting the hang of it. I searched online for a gram scale and placed an order. Sometime between midnight and 3 a.m., the opossum passed away.

One of the first facts that wildlife rehabilitators learn is that half of the animals that go to rehab centers die or have to be euthanized. Furthermore, the Wildlife Rescue League states that an opossum’s life span ranges from 2 to 3 years with mortality particularly high during the first year of life. There is some sense of solace with this knowledge. However, it does not prevent the caregiver considerable sadness and tears when an animal dies.

I don’t believe in coincidences. There is always a message being sent that we can learn from. I’ve told others that when they have an animal encounter that alters their plans, gets their attention, causes them to do research, etc., they’ve been tapped. There is a need to help them. We really don’t know what could be going on in our own backyards. Had I not found it, he would have naturally decomposed and I never would have known. This was the first time I’ve ever touched an opossum but he touched me in more ways than one. The opossum, in general, deserves a follow-up article.

Animals/Wildlife

The Buzz Goes On

Posted on July 27, 2022 by Michelle M. Ryan / 4 Comments

It was mid-summer July when the gardening extends into the evenings. While coming out of the garage with my garden caddy, I noticed a large insect on the lid of a nearby garbage can. I needed the can and was sure that once I moved it, the insect would be on its way. Instead, it fell to the ground once I took the lid off. It was a bumblebee (I thought) and was moving around on the ground.

It’s never a good feeling when you expect something designed to fly away just falls down. After scooping up the bee onto a picnic table, the wings did not appear to be damaged. I carried on with nearby gardening but kept checking on the bee. It would soon be time to call it quits for the day, so now what?

Research revealed that plenty of others inquired about what to do if you find a bee that can’t fly. HoneybeeSuite.com recommends mixing a teaspoon of sugar to two teaspoons of water to help feed a struggling bee. Other sites recommended doing nothing because they don’t live that long anyway and let nature take its course. I decided to let the bee decide. I went ahead and mixed the sugar water. It was placed on several leaves with a syringe in a barrel planter with marigolds.

The barrel was moved onto the picnic table to secure it from the raccoons expected to arrive within a couple hours. The bee walked right through the leaves and chose a marigold to cling to. Its legs and antennae were still moving. If I was a bee in my final hours, I’d like to go out on a bed of marigolds. They’re soft and fluffy with an intoxicating scent.

As I gazed at the bee’s large head and legs, I had a flashback to the movie The Fly starring Jeff Goldblum. (I highly recommend this for the Halloween season. This version stayed with me for months. It was so creepy, it led to research about teleportation. Many before me had online discussions looking for closure with this movie.)

The next day I checked on the bee and there was no more movement. As life passed through its body, it still clung to the marigold. To my relief, I could hear nearby buzzing of another bee that has a nest above a privacy bench leaning against the garage. It was a message of “We will buzz on and carry our pollen.” Another message was “We are living in your garage.”

Yes, I’ve known about the nesting space for years and there have been different types of bees buzzing around it. There is a small piece of siding trim that fell off and the bees are in between the siding and the plywood wall of the garage. I never blocked the opening, even after a couple years of not noticing anymore bees. That would have been the time to do it.

Being wildlife-friendly, I never wanted to trap anyone inside. Put yourself in their position. They don’t see our property as ours. Perhaps our property is infringing on what was once all theirs. We need to work together. Once in a while, I’ll find a bee drowning in a birdbath and quickly scoop it out with a leaf or something. Once their wings dry, they fly on their way.

Bumblebees are fun. They’re big, fuzzy, pretty, and they make a cool buzzing sound. However, I discovered the bee I found was actually a carpenter bee. Similar to carpenter ants, carpenter bees like to make homes in wood. However, neither actually eat wood as termites do. According to the University of Kentucky (UKY), carpenter bees prefer unpainted, weathered wood, especially softer varieties such as redwood, cedar, cypress and pine.

Frankly, I’ve never heard of carpenter bees and they are often mistaken for bumblebees. The blurry picture above shows a couple yellow stripes and it felt furry. The lower portion of the bee’s body is a bit long, pointed, and shiny with no fur. Bumblebees are boxier in shape with more yellow stripes and fur covering their whole body. Other differences include bumblebees live in colonies while carpenter bees are solitary. Both are excellent pollinators.

Although carpenter bees can drill holes in wood, urbanwildlifecontrol.com states it is actually woodpeckers that can cause more damage to wood as they are after the sweet tasty larva of the bee. There is no shortage of information on how to kill bees and reasons why. However, there is also a wildlife-friendly population that supports how important they are for the environment. Some folks have actually made homes for carpenter bees with the wood they like as an alternative nesting site to keep them around.

Carpenter bees hibernate for the winter (UKY). If I seal the opening, they will have no choice but to drill out through the plywood into the garage in the spring, which might be worse. If I keep the open-door policy, they can come and go as they please. There is no damage to the interior plywood in the garage at this point, as far as I know. This carpenter bee certainly raised my awareness and I have mixed feelings. As for now, I’m not going to do anything other than keep an eye on things.

Uncategorized

How I Heard of Amber Heard

Posted on June 17, 2022 by Michelle M. Ryan / 2 Comments

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is crown-Braid-Pexels-tiem-anh-mat-trang-8846537-2-700x467.jpg — A Crown Braid/Pexels

I never heard of Amber Heard until the trial between her and Johnny Depp. Now she’s quite well known but not in a good way. Rumors abound that she will not work in this town (Hollywood) again.

Once in a blue moon, I’ll think of an old favorite celebrity and look them up online. Depp is one such favorite. As a guest on talk shows, he was quite funny without trying to be. Years ago, he was on one such show that I don’t remember and was drinking wine. When the next guest came on, Depp was comically distracting when he kept refilling his glass. I was searching for that scene online and found other videos I wasn’t expecting.

One involved a woman filming Depp in a kitchen where he was cranky, drinking, and slamming cabinet doors. He was clearly not in a good mood. The placement of the cell phone and the way it was being hurriedly adjusted behind his back indicated he did not know he was being recorded. Why was someone doing this?

This reminded me of another disturbing video of actor David Hasselhoff. His daughter recorded him drunk on a bathroom floor eating a hamburger. She was pleading with him to promise to stop drinking. After the video was released publicly, Hasselhoff received treatment for his addiction. In contrast, the equally humiliating video of Depp seemed that someone was setting him up for a different reason. Of course, it was later realized that it was Heard making the recording that was played in court.

In summary, Heard wrote a leading article in a 2018 issue of the Washington Post where she claimed, “… two years ago, I became a public figure representing domestic abuse. I had the rare vantage point of seeing, in real time, how institutions protect men accused of abuse.” Although Depp is never mentioned by name,she was married to him from February 2015 – January 2017. Depp argued that the article clearly referred to their marriage.

Depp sued Heard for $50 million in a defamation case. She counterclaimed for $100 million. Depp prevailed with $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages because she “acted with actual malice.” (The punitive damages were reduced to $350,000 because of a statutory cap.) Heard was awarded $2 million by the jury in compensatory damages for her counterclaim but nothing in punitive damages.

Speculation among attorneys on Court TV pondered that the jury could come back with a verdict within a day… both could be awarded zero dollars because of their fame, etc. The jury did not come back with a slam dunk. They deliberated for 14 hours over the course of three days with both winning something monetary, but more was at stake.

Depp said the jury gave him his life back. The last movie that I was aware of with Depp was Murder on the Orient Express in 2017 with several other high-profile celebs. According to Vox.com, in “December 2016, it was announced that Depp would play a key role in the Harry Potter spinoff franchise Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” In 2018, Depp sued a British tabloid for libel after it referred to him as a “wife beater” in an article. The case went to trial in 2020 in London (with no jury) and “the judge accepted that ‘Mr. Depp put Heard in fear of her life.’ Soon after, Depp announced that he had been asked to resign from the Fantastic Beasts franchise.” Depp’s main goal was to get his name back in a favorable way.

On the other hand, it seems that Heard tried to jump on the bandwagon of the #MeToo movement but fell off. Unlike in the UK, she had to convince a jury and failed. The case was quite convoluted but there were some key factors that reassured me that gut instincts were sound.

When Heard testified, she was quite dramatic. However, there were no tears in her anguish. Wouldn’t a professional actress at least be able to conjure up some tears? I remember years ago a child actress was interviewed on how she was able to cry on cue. She said the director instructed her to think of a sad time and re-envision that time. The girl said she remembered when her pet died and how she felt and was able to cry for the camera.

Heard was heard on a recording taunting Depp that no one would believe that he was a victim of domestic violence following fights they had. Police responded to one such fight and testified there was no evidence to support Heard’s claim of being hit. While explaining another fight on a stairway involving her sister, herself, and Depp, she opened a can of worms. She mentioned that Depp’s ex-girlfriend, super-model Kate Moss, also fell down some stairs when with him. Enter Kate Moss.

Moss testified that she and Depp were leaving a vacation resort and she slipped down a few stairs following a heavy rain. She hurt her back and screamed, as it happened so fast. Depp came running and carried her back to her room and got medical attention. This was important to Depp’s character. At 58-years-old, he’s had lots of girlfriends. None have come forward on a bandwagon claiming abuse, not even to rekindle a fading star of their own.

Depp’s testimony was more believable in that he didn’t try to come across as an angel, that we know he’s not. He admitted to being violent toward the cabinets, etc., but not women. He made headlines in the 90s when he trashed a hotel room and paid nearly 10K for damages. Depp spoke slowly, very slowly, in court. I heard slurred words and wondered what was in his drink. I remember when he was engaged to Winona Ryder and had a tattoo “Winona Forever.” When they broke up, Depp had the last two letters removed, which left the words “Wino Forever.” Perhaps it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The six-week trial was like watching a reality show. Although Heard’s performance didn’t go well, she sure showcased some nice hairstyles. My favorite was the braided crown around her hairline. Another light moment was when a reporter stated that Depp was munching on gummy bears strewn on the table and shared with his legal team throughout the trial. This is not likely the last we’ve heard from Heard or Depp, especially regarding the threat to the #MeToo movement.