Orland Park Mall continues to have security problems ... and no one seems to care

This letter was sent to me -- and has been published in some local newspapers. It's pathetic how this woman was apparently mistreated when her wallet was stolen from the Children's Play Area near Penny's in the Orland Park Shopping Mall. (One of the advantages of all the huge retail magnets we have here that NO ONE in government is willing ot talk about. But why should they. We're a "Happy Talk" community and rated among -- dropping almost off -- the top 100 communities according to Money Magazine. Doesn't everyone read Money Magazine?

LETTER:

On April 30, my wallet was stolen from the children's play area of Orland Square Mall.

I contacted mall security and they told me I had to contact Orland Park police to file a report. I asked if the area was under video surveillance and security told me no.

Once OP police arrived I was given a report number. I told the officer that the girl walked through JC Penny's, and I could identify her. He told me there was nothing he could do, and that I should check the women's restroom garbage cans for my wallet. Then I proceeded to beg a manager in Penny's to let me view their video cameras so I could identify the girl and see what car she got into. The manager said it happened on mall property and not in their store, so the camera can't be reviewed -- even though the play area is just outside Penny's.

So, basically, video cameras are for the benefit of the store and not ours, the shoppers' sake. At almost 38 weeks pregnant, I felt totally violated and helpless because nobody was willing to help.

I write this letter to inform all of you that we are not safe or protected at Orland Mall and probably at most stores we frequent. This will happen again, and I'm sure these crimes go unreported. The children's area should also be under video surveillance. What if a child is abducted????

Please pass this around to ANYONE you know that shops there. Thanks for helping spread the word!!

Eileen

Obama rose on the ashes of Jack Ryan's political career

A look back at recent history. How luck and chance plays a major role in individual's careers:

The rise of Barack Obama to become the Democratic candidate for United States President has a direct local angle that today touches on the Orland Park area that goes far beyond his political upbringing on Chicago's South Side. It has a lot to do with an individual who today plays an enormous role in forging the public opinions of the people of Orland Park through his weekly newspaper, the Orland Park Prairie. And it all happened in a very short period of time.

By all measures, Jack Ryan should have won the November 2004 election for the U.S. Senate to succeed retiring Senator Peter Fitzgerald.

In March 2004, Ryan won the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate. Barack Obama, an Illinois State Senator with a controversial career -- he won his state senate seat by successfully removing his more popular rival, incumbent Alice Palmer from the ballot -- won the Democratic primary, defeating State Comptroller Dan Hynes, the son of 19th Ward Chicago powerhouse Tom Hynes.

Ryan, Harvard LAW graduate and MBA who went into medical mal-pacrtice and a partnership at the prestigious Goldmann Sachs investment firm, used his money and his political clout with the backing of the then ruling Republican National organization, to position himself for a sure win in the fall election. But three months later, Ryan was forced to resign when details of his messy divorce from Hollywood actress Jeri Ryan splashed across the front pages of newspapers across the country. The role the media played inf orcing the disclosure of the details of his divorce, and the impact of the hugely negative media coverage is believed to be one reason why Ryan expanded from law and finance to include launching a new community newspaper that he promised area politicians would not focus on controversial issues and instead would focus on positive community news.

Ironically, it was the persistance of the news media that sunk Ryan's candidacy. (Ryan had argued he would not release details of his divorce saying it would injure his son, Alex. But later, when the details were released, the focus was not on Alex but rather on the sensational side of a collapsing relationship with his ex-wife.) Had they not sued, Ryan might still be in politics and not newspaper publishing.

It took Ryan several more weeks to formally withdraw and by the end of July. With only 86 days left to the November election, the Illinois GOP could not find a credible replacement. They reached out to many high profile name candidates, including former Chicago Bear's Coach Mike Ditka, whos aid no. And they settled on the bombastic Alan Keyes, a carpertbagger who had not lived in Illinois at all, but who had a strong Republican dimplomatic career.

Keyes had no chance, and Obama easily defeated him.

Obama's mentor is Illinois Senate President Emil Jones who helped him organize the support to run for the U.S. Senate seat when no one else at the time thought it possible for a Democrat to win. That summer, to strengthen his candidacy as Ryan's was embroiled in controversy and was characterized in negative media headlines that focused on the sex scandal involving his ex-wife, Obama was invited to give the keynote speech at the July 2004 Democratic Primary convention where John Kerry won the party's nomination for president.

The point is, Barack Obama is now the Democratic candidate for president in a large part because of Jack Ryan's personal political tragedy; and the Orland Park Prairie was created, also, in a large part because of Ryan's experience with the biased and negative mainstream mainly downtown news media (print, radio and TV) ... in a way, supporters of Obama should thank Ryan and Orland Park residents should thank him too. The OPP is a great Good News community newspaper. We don't have enough of them. (Does every paper have to expose government corruption, waste and mismanagement?)

-- Ray Hanania
www.TheMediaOasis.com

LongHorn Steakhouse: Highly recommended Orland Restaurant

I used to go to the Texas Roadhouse but the wait was always long, it was too far to drive, and sometimes the food was inconsistent. Now, there's a new cowboy in town, pardner ... Longhorn Steahouse at 15531 S. LaGrange Road, Orland Park (708) 403-2206. This is their second location, the other in at 95th and Pulaski in Oak Lawn, Orland Park's older community sibling. The Porterhouse was phenomenal, a bit pricey, but great. And best of all the wait-staff was very attentive. They didn't bother me but where there when I needed something which means they were monitoring their customers well and only coming up when it looked like they need something or they were doing routine check-ins. I hate checkins that happen too often and constantly interrupt the dinner, but I love it when they watch and can tell if a customer needs something. Kara was the best!

There are a lot of new restaurants in Orland. Not all are that great. But this one deserves your attention.

-- Ray Hanania
www.TheMediaOasis.com

Obama supporters gather in Orland Park Sunday Aug 31, 2008 1 PM Starbucks Coffee

The Obamanites are organizing a walk for Obama this Sunday August 31, at "Starbucks." If course, there are three starbucks between 131st and 159th on LaGrange Road ... so you might want to double check which one. Here's the info:

Ray Hanania
========= ========

"The change we need doesn't come from Washington. Change comes to Washington. Change happens because the American people demand it—because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time. America, this is one of those moments."
-- Barack Obama in last night's acceptance speech

Are you ready to take up Barack's challenge?

This weekend, the Obama campaign has organized a huge Weekend of Action to register and mobilize hundreds of thousands of voters. There's an event happening near you—can you join in?
What: Walk for Change in Orland Park! Where: Starbucks Coffee (in Orland Park)

When: Sunday, Aug. 31, 2008, at 1:00 PM

Click here to RSVP:
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=14360&id=13644-8592777-plt4v5x&t=15

Or, if that one doesn't work for you, click here to find another event (they're happening all weekend):

http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/?action_id=133&search_zip=60462&id=13644-8592777-plt4v5x&t=1

If we each spend some time this weekend talking to potential Obama voters about the opportunity we have to change America, we can make a huge difference.

If you haven't volunteered before, don't worry—it's as simple as knocking on a door or picking up a phone. And you'll get all the materials and help you need at your local Weekend of Action event.

If you've already signed up for an event, thank you. If not, can you be there to help kick off our campaign to elect Obama? Just click here to RSVP:
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=14360&id=13644-8592777-plt4v5x&t=17

Thanks for all you do.

–Adam, Anna, Patrick S., and the rest of the team
Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 3.2 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way.
Chip in here.

A Gold Medal Olympic Vacation Competition column

August 29, 2008 Southwest News-Herald - City & Suburban
A Gold Medal Olympic Vacation Competition

By RAY HANANIA

The competition for the Gold Medal was Olympic. Not in Beijing, but on the beaches of Punta Cana, where I spent a week researching Cuban cigars and teaching my son the basics of how to survive in the real world.

Every morning, I would get to the beach at 6:30 in a fierce race with teams representing Russia, China, Italy, France and Spain and a field of 130 others. There were only 10 perfect palm tree covered “cabanas” on the beach, and you had to get there early to claim one.

What’s the point of going to a beautiful paradise beach if you are going to schelp in at 11 and plop down on a towel in the sand?

I can report that I’ve won the competition every morning. Boo-rah for the American team! Well, I guess I’m considered about as American as Yao Ming. (OK. He’s an exception, a Chinese-born athlete who plays for the Houston Rockets basketball team. In the Olympics, he plays for China.) Did you ever notice that when mentioning American athletes of certain ethnic and racial backgrounds, they always mention their race but never the ethnicity of “Americans” like Michael Phelps?

Anyway, back to my own Olympic Gold Medal competition in Punta Cana at the Bavara Princess Beach.

There’s an art to securing lounge chairs and a cabana. It’s the same no matter where you go in the Caribbean, except that the world has changed. Dramatically. It used to be that places like this were filled with arrogant and obnoxious American tourists.

Well, that’s changed. Today, the resorts in the Caribbean are filled with Europeans, Russians and Asians enjoying the fact that President Bush screwed up our economy with the stupid Iraq war. (OK, that’s my last political reference. Just kidding.) Our dollar is worth less than a “peso” and I don’t care what Central American country you visit. It buys nothing.

But I wouldn’t let that deter me. I rushed out, research in hand, and made my way in a 3,600-foot dash for the beach. And every morning, beat the Russian by a nose (that’s where being Arab comes in handy, I guess). And the French, the Chinese and the guy with the full body tatoo.

They were right behind me and there was no courtesy “good mornings” or “hellos.” In any language. We were all there for one purpose. Keep our wives from screaming at us when we didn’t get the best spots.

There is an art to saving seats. You reserve them at 6:30 a.m. and don’t get back until around 11 after breakfast so you have a lot of faith that despite the tourists (any ethnicity), they will be there when you return.

You keep the towels from the day before and lay them on the lounge chair, stretched out and tucked in the niche in the back of the head rest and push that down to “lock it in.” 50 Points!

Then, you put a book you’ve either already read and don’t care if it’s stolen, or one no one will touch. I had Chelsea Handler’s book (Chelsea Lately) and made sure the cover faced out every morning. (Actually, Chelsea’s book is hilarious but none of the foreigners could figure out who she was, so it was a safe bet not to get stolen.) 25.35 points.

Then, to play to the sympathy of the crowd, I put my son’s little sand buckets and shovels on the chair. 19.15 points.

Boo-Rah.

This happened every morning like clockwork, and as I said, representing the American team, WE WON. 94.5 points. (If I can add right.)

No one said hi. Mainly because we couldn’t speak anyone else’s language, I think. But still. The first morning I tried and said, “Isn’t it like a vacation? Your wife makes you run out at 6:30 to grab a lounge chair, too?” And the guy walking fast next to me — 25 mph — just grunted with a Spanish accent. That’s when I knew the competition was real.

And all of the men sat out there looking at each other. Until exactly 7:22 a.m. when the tall, blond haired Swedish woman jogged past.

Topless.

Slowly.

Priceless!

-- Ray Hanania
http://www.themediaoasis.com/

T. Boone Pickens can go to HELL! And take his crappy energy plan with him

Many people may have forgotten that T. Boone Pickens, the billionaire oilman who made his fortune as a robber baron ripping of the public with his oil industry profiteering, was in fact the sleazy financier of the even sleazier Swift Boat attack ads against John Kerry, who should have won the 2004 presidential election, saving this country from four more years of George W. Bush.

The Swift Boat campaign was based on lies, exaggerations and a terrible disrespect to Kerry, a Vietnam era hero who served frontline in the heart of the Vietnam War when he was called to duty, while Chicken Goegre Bush hid in the ranks among the reserves, a place where many clout-heavy silver-spoon fed children hid to avoid frontline military service.

The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, an odious insidious campaign of lies, broadcast TV advertisements funded by Pickens to muddy up Kerry. The ads were pernicious because they distorted and confused the issues involving Kerry's heroic service in order to undermine his campaign, while they ignored the FACT that Bush was a coward who avoided frontline military service during the heat of the Vietnam War.

Ironically, Pickens NEVER served in the military defending this country, as far as my research shows. And -- the billionaire sleazebag oil tycoon won't answer any of my telephone calls to his companies.

So who do you think was schmoozing his way along the floor of the Democratic National Convention in Denver? T. Boone Pickens. the loser! And he had the gall to go up to Kerry and introduce himself.

Pickens vowed to give $1 million to anyone who could prove one thing inaccurate in the ads, credited in part with destroying Kerry's presidential quest. But the truth is you can take the truth and twist it around so badly that it can look bad ... to say that Kerry did not fight on the frontlines while the coward Bush hid -- he didn't even show up for much of his reserve service because he was tapped by daddie to campaign for another congressional pal. LOSER!

Now Pickens wants us to believe that he cares about America. That he has a plan to help save this country from the energy debacle that his industry helped create and is destroying today with outrageous oil prices.

We don't need you Pickens. If you have anything to say, the American people don't need to hear it. Your conduct during the campaign was disgraceful, pathetic and shameful. You are a disgrace. And anything you have to say is not worth hearing.

Obama-mania: Is it going a little too far? Author argues Babe Ruth was African American

CHICAGO Media Advisory: Omaha resident J. Anderson Cross Offers New Evidence Babe Ruth Was the First African-American Baseball Player in New Book to Be Released in September, In Time for Last Game at Yankee Stadium. ** Chicago event on schedule below in town Sep 10-15

WHO: J. Anderson Cross, author of The Bambino Secret, reveals Babe Ruth's biggest secret.

WHAT: Babe Ruth's legacy in Yankee Stadium will be celebrated for the last time in September 2008 as the famous baseball stadium closes its doors forever. It may come as a surprise, however, to learn that one of AmericaÕs greatest heroes carried a long-held secret. He was part blackÑthus invalidating Jackie Robinson as the first African-American major league baseball player. At least that's the theory behind J. Anderson CrossÕ upcoming The Bambino Secret (September 2008).

"Babe Ruth played baseball during a time when African-Americans were not allowed to play sports," says Cross. "There is no way the American public would have accepted him during that time period if they knew he was part black. The Yankee team businessmen knew this. They also knew they needed Babe Ruth and would have done anything to make sure that he continued to play the game."

"Considerable research was involved while writing this book," says Cross. "I traveled across the country to local historical societies, searched through numerous slave records and sought information from sources that I couldn"t have found in any library or through Internet research. I was in Abingdon, Virginia when I found the key link in a local handwritten journal entitled Colored Marriages from 1853 to 1859."

WHERE/ WHEN: Book launch events at the following Chicago venue:
Wednesday, September 10, 7 p.m.: The Book StallÑWinnetka, IL; 811 Elm Street; Winnetka, IL 60093; Contact: Jean, 847.446.8880

INTERVIEW IDEAS:
* Behind the Scenes: What led Cross to the theory that Babe Ruth was part African-American.
* The Art of Fiction: Why he chose to write a historical novel about his research.
* Yankee Stadium closes::What should go in the museum that it will become.
* All things baseball: Where baseball would be if the BambinoÕs secret had gotten out.

MEDIA OPPS:
* An advanced copy of the book
* A photocopy of the missing link: Why Cross thinks that Babe Ruth was part African-American.
For more information, visit www.thebambinosecret.com.To schedule an interview or to receive media information contact Jordan Bucher at 512.363.5756 or jordan@prbythebook.com.