So let's pretend we have Citizen X, and his wife Citizen Y. This couple is pregnant, but all is not well in pregnant world. Though Citizen x+y (the baby) is fine, Citizen Y is miserable. Swollen ankles, pain in the arms, nausea, etc. - all with four months to go!

Citizen X works for the local school district, who offers him standard health insurance that he declines on a yearly basis. The district's plan costs him twice as much as a private plan, and he rarely uses the doctor.

Citizen Y works for a local hospital, and is a member of their health plan, the "good one" in this area.

Due to Citizen Y's daily miserableness, Citizens X and Y would like Citizen Y to stay home for the rest of the pregnancy, instead of suffering through several more months of work, and a growing carpal tunnel problem. Citizen Y is pretty well educated about pregnancy and childbirth issues, and she is fairly certain that staying home would be better for the growing baby and for her overall health. Unfotunately, quitting her job would mean losing her health insurance after three months, one month before the baby is born.
In the United States of America, circa 2005, it would cost Citizen X approximately $600 a month to cover his wife and, eventually (hopefully!) his new baby. Though this couple is hardly extravagant with their consumption, with Citizen Y no longer working, this would not be an option.

For Citizen Y to "cobra" her insurance an extra couple of months would cost $800 per month. Again, with Citizen Y not working, this is not an option.

Question: How can this couple afford to allow Citizen Y to stop working and focus on her pregnancy and her health?

Answer: They can't. Which makes them eager for the day this finally gets rolling.

Moral of the story: Democrats are big, fat, disgusting liar politicians from Hell who, occasionally, do something of value for the working person. Republicans are big, fat, disgusting liar politicians from Hell who don't. There, I said it. 4 comments

What a beautiful day for skiing at Allerton.

Not a deer to be seen though. I reckon they've all figured out Allerton is in the middle of hunting season. Hopefully they'll be back after the new year.

Either way, another gorgeous Illinois day. 2 comments

I had no idea anyone would care much about the Noodles & Co. post below, but it seems to have touched a small nerve of a few of us, for better or for worse.

While there are many reasons to have a serious problem with the corporatization of our campustown, I originally began my dislike with the sober realization that corporate box restaurants are boring. No big political agenda point there. Just boring. A yawn, if you will.

It also struck me as odd that a local weekly, which prides itself on being a "connection to the community" would so blindly endorse this new wave of businesses owned and managed by people in far away places like Boulder, Colorado and Seattle, Washington. I guess that shouldn't surprise me much, since weeklies need to make money and all, but it is still disappointing. Especially considering the wonderful, progressive, and culturally engaged weeklies people in, say, Boulder and Seattle get to read.

But now I find, mainly from e-mails, that I am not alone. It turns out there are a lot of people out there who scratch their heads every time one of these boxes opens up. They probably ask themselves the same questions I ask myself. Mainly, "who said that was ok?" And, "what is that going to do to ________ business that I love so much?" (for the record, my concern with Noodles & Co. is the unfair competition they will create for Ar Ri Rang, and my concern with Chipotle is La Bamba. Starbucks will, I'm sure, have it's target on Paradiso, Kopi, and Espresso).

So what to do? Today during 2nd hour I taught the kids about the Stamp Act Riots. A seminal event in the lead up to the revolution, these riots crystalized dissent in the colonies over (essentially) the unfair business practices of the monarchy. As I showed the kids the paintings of the riots, the sacking of the Governor's house, and the propaganda that was created, it occurred to me that the word boycott is relevant even today.

We must do something to stop the flow of our money out of this town. Every burrito bought at Chipotle is $7.00 that travels back to Boulder. Every book bought at Borders is $20.00 sent back to Michigan.

So here's what I will do. I am taking this pledge:

1. When I buy a book, I will buy it from Pages for All Ages. No exceptions, anytime.

2. When I eat out, I will make every effort to only eat at locally owned restaurants (can't commit 100% since my wife has a say in this as well).

3. When I buy music, I will buy my music only from locally owned businesses, like Parasol, Record Swap, or ... uh, right the rest have been put out of business by Sam Goody. Sorry.

4. Coffee? I only get coffee at Strawberry Fields anyway, but I'll try to refrain from drinking Borders.

5. Groceries. Hard one. Holy crapoli. I guess I could start going to IGA, but that is all the way across town. Hmm. Oh - I will start using the private co-op again, and start getting my meat from local farms (it's better anyway).

6. Hardware supplies. Another tough one, but I've been better at this. For yard stuff I promise to go to FSA if at all possible. For tools I promise to go to True Value out by County Market on Philo. For wood and stuff I'll probably still have to go to Menards (damn!).

7. Cowboy boots and hats? Pards, baby. Pards!

8. Pet supplies? Animal Outfitters in Savoy. They're cheaper anyway.

Ok, I have to stop. You get the point.

For the record, I don't really care what anyone else does about corporatization. It's none of my business. Personally, I have prayerfully considered my options here and it does feel sinful to me to continue to patronize these businesses. Cities like Chicago, Seattle, or Boston (even Boise!) may be able to sustain independent businesses next door to big boxes. For our town, I am not convinced.

So this is what I shall do. It aint much, but it's my share. I'll shut up now. 30 comments

Well, that's why she went. I went along to see if I was wrong about the Hub (careful clicking - bad techno awaits!) article I dissed a few months ago. You remember, the one with this stellar quote:

...With a name sounding much like a cable-access children's show, one can just tell "Nooodles and Company" must be good.[...]

Right. So ... the verdict? Boring, tasteless cuisine designed (apparently) to be completely unoffensive. My wife's penne pasta tasted like it has taken directly from the strainer and laid on the plate - no flavor at all. My Pad Thai (w/tofu) was the modern day equivalent of vanilla pudding. Zero flavor, no spice. It was a little greasy, I suppose.

Having already eaten at a Chipotle in Chicago, and having determined it to be to the burrito what the Ford Pinto was to the automobile, I think we can safely assume that a wave of tan, or vanilla, has descended upon campustown. As the well scrubbed college students file back and forth from class they no longer have to be bothered with figuring out what is "ok" to eat in our town. They can rest assured that a subway club, a plate of Noodles & Company, or a Chipotles burrito is only $7.00 away. Not the tastiest of choices, but safe. Definitely safe.

Luckily, for the rest of us, Murphy's is still serving up the mushroom swiss burgers, Ari Ri Rang still has the best dolsot bi-bim-bop south of Chicago, and Zorba's still has jazz on Thursday evenings.

One would think these would be the kind of traditions a weekly like the Hub would want to promote. One would also think our town's weekly would at least be willing to foster a discussion on the future of our campustown, and our downtown. A discussion that would include voices against the increasing corporatization of our community, not just the voices of the investors who write the paper's checks.

I guess not. I have long claimed on this site that the "creative class" theory on economic development is, in fact, and attempt to suck the life out of a community. It is, in short, a convenient, modern excuse for a select number of investors and bankers to make a crapload of money while feeling good about themselves as "hipsters".

Well, if the "creative" targets have no taste in food, or in coffee, then they are on the right track. 15 comments