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Top headlines for Friday, April 18, 2025In this episode, we explore United States Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s recent call to investigate environmental factors potentially contributing to the rise in autism rates. Next, we examine a new report revealing an unexpected trend: the number of abortions in the U.S. is on the rise despite legal restrictions in several states. Finally, we highlight some of the must-watch films and series airing or streaming as we approach Easter 2025, offering a variety of viewing options for the holiday season.00:11 Robert F. Kennedy Jr. rings alarm on rising autism01:22 Christian mother of woman slain by illegal prays at White House02:09 Fertility preservation for trans youth raises concerns: study03:08 Singer breaks out in prayer after baby born with no pulse04:05 Overturning Roe v. Wade didn't decrease abortions, study claims04:54 Chicago's Daley Plaza to host 18th annual 'Cross on the Plaza'05:45 From ‘The Chosen' to ‘Journey to You': What to watch this EasterSubscribe to this PodcastApple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PodcastsOvercast⠀Follow Us on Social Media@ChristianPost on TwitterChristian Post on Facebook@ChristianPostIntl on InstagramSubscribe on YouTube⠀Get the Edifi AppDownload for iPhoneDownload for Android⠀Subscribe to Our NewsletterSubscribe to the Freedom Post, delivered every Monday and ThursdayClick here to get the top headlines delivered to your inbox every morning!⠀Links to the NewsRobert F. Kennedy Jr. rings alarm on rising autism | U.S.Christian mother of woman slain by illegal prays at White House | PoliticsFertility preservation for trans youth raises concerns: study | U.S.Singer breaks out in prayer after baby born with no pulse | LivingOverturning Roe v. Wade didn't decrease abortions, study claims | PoliticsChicago's Daley Plaza to host 18th annual 'Cross on the Plaza' | U.S.From ‘The Chosen' to ‘Journey to You': What to watch this Easter | Entertainment
Christkindlmarket Is Back In November — But Skipping Wrigleyville: The annual holiday market will return to Daley Plaza with a collection of holiday souvenirs including boot-shaped mugs, ornaments and gift boxes. O'Hare Is Adding Over 100 Concessions Spaces. Here's How Local Businesses Can Submit A Bid: Selected restaurants and shops will open in phases, with […]
Also in the news: Two Evanston schools put on lockdown after disturbance outside; Taco Throwdown winner to be announced at Daley Plaza; Funeral for late gymnast from Plainfield will be held today and more.
Also in the news: Two Evanston schools put on lockdown after disturbance outside; Taco Throwdown winner to be announced at Daley Plaza; Funeral for late gymnast from Plainfield will be held today and more.
Also in the news: Two Evanston schools put on lockdown after disturbance outside; Taco Throwdown winner to be announced at Daley Plaza; Funeral for late gymnast from Plainfield will be held today and more.
Anna Davlantes, WGN Radio's investigative correspondent, joins Wendy Snyder, in for Bob Sirott, to share what happened this week in Chicago history. The Buckinghams’ Carl Giammarese celebrates a birthday and we celebrate the origins of Tootsie Roll and the once infamous Picasso sculpture in Daley Plaza.
Also in the news: Illegal dumping suspected as cause of two slicks on Fox River; Former veteran Chicago alderman going back to jail; Pangolin born at Brookfield Zoo and more.
Also in the news: Illegal dumping suspected as cause of two slicks on Fox River; Former veteran Chicago alderman going back to jail; Pangolin born at Brookfield Zoo and more.
Also in the news: Illegal dumping suspected as cause of two slicks on Fox River; Former veteran Chicago alderman going back to jail; Pangolin born at Brookfield Zoo and more.
Welcome to the Instant Trivia podcast episode 1255, where we ask the best trivia on the Internet. Round 1. Category: Oh Ph. With Ph in quotes 1: For the record, Thomas Edison invented the first practical one of these in 1877. the phonograph. 2: The mortar and pestle is a symbol of this profession. a pharmacist. 3: In days gone by this game bird was popularly served "under glass". a pheasant. 4: A finger bone, or a group of heavily armed infantry with overlapping weapons. a phalanx. 5: In mythology, after Hippolytus rejects her, this wife of Theseus hangs herself. Phaedra. Round 2. Category: Wallaces 1: Lurleen Burns married this man when she was 16 and later succeeded him as governor of Alabama. George Wallace. 2: Before "Braveheart" his story was told in the 15th century by Henry the Minstrel. William Wallace. 3: (Hi, I'm Wallace Langham) Mike's son, this broadcaster became NBC News White House Correspondent in 1982. Chris Wallace. 4: He and his wife Lila launched Reader's Digest in 1922 with a press run of 5,000. DeWitt Wallace. 5: "The Emperor of Ice-Cream" is a famous work by this poet whose day job was VP of an insurance company. Wallace Stevens. Round 3. Category: Chicago 1: Remove 1 letter from the name of a plaza in Dallas and you get this plaza in Chicago's Loop. Daley Plaza. 2: Nearly 250,000 gathered to see Obama's 2008 victory speech in Chicago's front yard, this park named for another president. Grant Park. 3: Scandalous highlight of the 1893 Columbian Exposition and title of the following:"She had a ruby on her tummy and / A diamond big as Texas on her toe, whoa whoa / She let her hair down and / She did the hoochie coochie real slow, whoa whoa". "Little Egypt". 4: Untouchable Tours visits such sanguineous spots as the site of this February 1929 event. the Valentine's Day Massacre. 5: Some attribute this nickname of the city to its proud, boasting citizens, not its breeziness. "The Windy City". Round 4. Category: 20Th Century Thinkers 1: Called the Russian Revolution's most brilliant thinker, he lost a power struggle with Stalin and was killed in Mexico. Trotsky. 2: This New Yorker wondered, "Can we actually 'know' the universe?... It's hard enough finding your way around Chinatown". Woody Allen. 3: The works of this woman on the left include 1965's "Normality and Pathology in Childhood". Anna Freud. 4: This 3-named economist was an architect of the International Monetary Fund and part of the Bloomsbury Group. Keynes. 5: This "in the machine" was Gilbert Ryle's term for the idea that the mind is apart from the body yet controls it. ghost in the machine. Round 5. Category: Written In Cyrillic 1: Some Tajik speakers call their language Zaboni Forsi, meaning this national tongue. Persian. 2: This carnivore associated with Russia is medved in Russian. a bear. 3: One way to say hello in Serbian is this, borrowed from Italian. ciao. 4: In Ukrainian, this winter month when Russia invaded in 2022 is Lyutyy, "cruel". February. 5: Belarussian took words like "pan", meaning "sir" or "mister" from this language spoken due west of Belarus. Polish. Thanks for listening! Come back tomorrow for more exciting trivia!Special thanks to https://blog.feedspot.com/trivia_podcasts/ AI Voices used
Chicago's Food Truck Festival is ongoing all summer at Daley Plaza — you can catch the next one Friday. But despite this annual summer fest, Chicago's food truck culture is severely lacking. Eater Chicago editor Ashok Selvam tells host Jacoby Cochran about why food trucks are so rare here and which ones you should check out if you can find them. If you enjoyed today's interview with Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Events Program Director of Performing Arts, Mariam Thiam, learn more here. Want some more City Cast Chicago news? Then make sure to sign up for our Hey Chicago newsletter. Follow us @citycastchicago You can also text us or leave a voicemail at: 773 780-0246 Learn more about the sponsors of this June 26 episode: Ravinia Festival Babbel Chicago Association of Realtors Become a member of City Cast Chicago. Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info HERE
0:00 - Happy Mothers Day to all those who celebrated 10:19 - Trump rally in Wildwood, NJ 27:39 - Daley Plaza liberated by Hamas (Chicago Chapter) 49:46 - Bidenomics 01:02:58 - Steven Bucci, visiting fellow in The Heritage Foundation's Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies, shares concerns over a Palestinian flag in Daley Plaza, and other actions from Brandon Johnson, 100 days out from the DNC 01:21:16 - Thomas W. Smith fellow at the Manhattan Institute, Heather MacDonald, analyzes why "young women been so prominent in the recent campus chaos" Check out Heather's most recent book When Race Trumps Merit: How the Pursuit of Equity Sacrifices Excellence, Destroys Beauty, and Threatens Lives 01:37:20 - Another “Scream” video in Chicago 01:58:36 - TJ University goes full Key & PeeleSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hosts: Fr. Greg Sakowicz. The Knights of Columbus are Catholic men who lead, serve, protect and defend. They share a desire to be better husbands, fathers, sons, neighbors and role models and to put charity and community first. The Knights of Columbus Council #12173 is made up of current and former police officers. Also known as "The God Squad", they assemble and maintain the Nativity Scene in Daley Plaza.
Also in the news: A wintry Halloween is coming to Chicago; Christkindlmarket has begun setting up in Daley Plaza; Des Plaines to host a pumpkin composting event and more.
Also in the news: A wintry Halloween is coming to Chicago; Christkindlmarket has begun setting up in Daley Plaza; Des Plaines to host a pumpkin composting event and more.
Also in the news: A wintry Halloween is coming to Chicago; Christkindlmarket has begun setting up in Daley Plaza; Des Plaines to host a pumpkin composting event and more.
In 2013, Michael spoke with Gerald Posner on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy - he's author of the 1993 book "Case Closed: Lee Harvey Oswald and the Assassination of JFK." Original air date 15 November 2023. The book was published in 1993 and republished in paperback on 9 September 2003.
Also in the news: Anti-violence groups demonstrate in Daley Plaza; Make-up Batavia 4th of July fireworks show rescheduled for August; CTA reports best numbers since the pandemic and more.
Also in the news: Anti-violence groups demonstrate in Daley Plaza; Make-up Batavia 4th of July fireworks show rescheduled for August; CTA reports best numbers since the pandemic and more.
Also in the news: Anti-violence groups demonstrate in Daley Plaza; Make-up Batavia 4th of July fireworks show rescheduled for August; CTA reports best numbers since the pandemic and more.
In other news: Colony of honeybees makes appearance at farmer's market in Daley Plaza; Body of woman pulled from Lake Michigan near Foster Beach; Metra to begin major renovations at south side stations, and much more
In other news: Colony of honeybees makes appearance at farmer's market in Daley Plaza; Body of woman pulled from Lake Michigan near Foster Beach; Metra to begin major renovations at south side stations, and much more
In other news: Colony of honeybees makes appearance at farmer's market in Daley Plaza; Body of woman pulled from Lake Michigan near Foster Beach; Metra to begin major renovations at south side stations, and much more
Also in the news: State police investigators are reportedly now handling the inquiry into a fatal shooting early this morning by police in south suburban Blue Island; Chicago's business community says it wants to commit resources and energy to lowering violent crime in Chicago; and Cook County leaders raise the "Progress Pride" flag above Daley Plaza.
Also in the news: State police investigators are reportedly now handling the inquiry into a fatal shooting early this morning by police in south suburban Blue Island; Chicago's business community says it wants to commit resources and energy to lowering violent crime in Chicago; and Cook County leaders raise the "Progress Pride" flag above Daley Plaza.
Also in the news: State police investigators are reportedly now handling the inquiry into a fatal shooting early this morning by police in south suburban Blue Island; Chicago's business community says it wants to commit resources and energy to lowering violent crime in Chicago; and Cook County leaders raise the "Progress Pride" flag above Daley Plaza.
In other news: Mayor Johnson announces his pick for deputy mayor in charge of public safety; CPD hosts gun turn-in events at five locations throughout city on Saturday; Daley Plaza's Food Truck Fridays starts; and much more.
In other news: Mayor Johnson announces his pick for deputy mayor in charge of public safety; CPD hosts gun turn-in events at five locations throughout city on Saturday; Daley Plaza's Food Truck Fridays starts; and much more.
In other news: Mayor Johnson announces his pick for deputy mayor in charge of public safety; CPD hosts gun turn-in events at five locations throughout city on Saturday; Daley Plaza's Food Truck Fridays starts; and much more.
Also in the news: Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot says a new surge of migrants being bused to Chicago from Texas has left the City strapped for resources and shelter; Dozens of students from Chicago schools help CPS welcome iconic Mexican figure to Daley Plaza; and cicadas will make an earlier-than-usual appearance in the Chicago area.
Also in the news: Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot says a new surge of migrants being bused to Chicago from Texas has left the City strapped for resources and shelter; Dozens of students from Chicago schools help CPS welcome iconic Mexican figure to Daley Plaza; and cicadas will make an earlier-than-usual appearance in the Chicago area.
Also in the news: Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot says a new surge of migrants being bused to Chicago from Texas has left the City strapped for resources and shelter; Dozens of students from Chicago schools help CPS welcome iconic Mexican figure to Daley Plaza; and cicadas will make an earlier-than-usual appearance in the Chicago area.
Whole Foods Prepares to Leave Englewood to Open New River North Store...Chicago food truck fest returning to Daley Plaza...Chicago Police Department memo cancels all officers' days off...HBCU PLAYERS GETTING DRAFTED VS ZERO LAST YEAR...Chappell attack...Kevin Samuels...BLACKEXCELLENCE(Karine Jean-Pierre Will Become the First Black and First Openly Gay White House Press Secretary) --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/amon-phillips/support
Whole Foods Prepares to Leave Englewood to Open New River North Store...Chicago food truck fest returning to Daley Plaza...Chicago Police Department memo cancels all officers' days off...HBCU PLAYERS GETTING DRAFTED VS ZERO LAST YEAR...Chappell attack...Kevin Samuels...BLACKEXCELLENCE(Karine Jean-Pierre Will Become the First Black and First Openly Gay White House Press Secretary) --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/amon-phillips/support
Also in the news: the Chicago Board of Education is expected to vote on a school calendar tomorrow that would have students returning to classes for the next school year on August 22nd; one of the richest women in the world is giving two-million dollars to a Chicago organization that works to improve the lives of some of the city's poorest families; advocates for "low income worker tax relief" gathered in Chicago's Daley Plaza yesterday; and much more.
Also in the news: the Chicago Board of Education is expected to vote on a school calendar tomorrow that would have students returning to classes for the next school year on August 22nd; one of the richest women in the world is giving two-million dollars to a Chicago organization that works to improve the lives of some of the city's poorest families; advocates for "low income worker tax relief" gathered in Chicago's Daley Plaza yesterday; and much more.
Also in the news: the Chicago Board of Education is expected to vote on a school calendar tomorrow that would have students returning to classes for the next school year on August 22nd; one of the richest women in the world is giving two-million dollars to a Chicago organization that works to improve the lives of some of the city's poorest families; advocates for "low income worker tax relief" gathered in Chicago's Daley Plaza yesterday; and much more.
Other top stories: a Ukrainian-born doctor took part in a rally on a mission to help her country, former CPS CEO Janice Jackson shows no interest in running for mayor, two southside shootings result in deaths on the southside, one person died after being struck by a vehicle in Westmont and more.
Other top stories: a Ukrainian-born doctor took part in a rally on a mission to help her country, former CPS CEO Janice Jackson shows no interest in running for mayor, two southside shootings result in deaths on the southside, one person died after being struck by a vehicle in Westmont and more.
Other top stories: a Ukrainian-born doctor took part in a rally on a mission to help her country, former CPS CEO Janice Jackson shows no interest in running for mayor, two southside shootings result in deaths on the southside, one person died after being struck by a vehicle in Westmont and more.
Members of the God Squad‚ a team of volunteers from Chicago-area parishes, assembled the Nativity at Daley Plaza on Nov. 27, 2021. The annual tradition, now in its 36th year, is the only traditional display of the Nativity Scene in downtown Chicago's public square. The group has launched a fundraising campaign to restore the statues and replace the major portions of the scene, some of which are over 30 years old. www.chicagocatholic.com
From cupcakes to BLTs, the Daley Plaza Food Truck Fest will offer a spread of local food each Friday between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. through Oct. 15. Reset talks to a food truck owner serving the fest this year.
Bears linebacker Khalil Mack listed his Glencoe mansion, while the site of Mr. T's 1987 “Lake Forest Chainsaw Massacre” sold for $5 million. Reporter Dennis Rodkin joins host Amy Guth to discuss and recap this week's real estate news. Plus: Illinois sees first bond rating upgrade in over two decades, Wilson Sporting Goods picks Gold Coast for its first-ever store, Ferrara debuts massive DeKalb facility and food trucks at Daley Plaza are coming back.
I am pumped to kick off the low back series with part 1, Physical Therapy. My guest host for this episode is fellow physical therapist, Matt Ventimiglia. Matt is the facility manager at the Athletico, Daley Plaza clinic, in downtown Chicago. He is a TPI certified medical professional, Certified Manual/Manipulative Physical Therapist, and candidate for Fellowship of the AAOMPT (American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists). You can find Matt on Instagram @matthew_ventimiglia_pt ...In this episode, we talk direct access physical therapy, what we look for in a physical therapy evaluation/examination, what a treatment session consists of, golf swing flaws that may contribute to back pain, and things you should work on to reduce your risk of injury. Thanks for tuning in to Episode 3. Please follow me on Instagram and Twitter @JoeEstesPT, or LinkedIn and Facebook by searching Joe Estes. Please subscribe to the podcast, and leave a rating and review. A big thanks to Matt for his time and I look forward to hearing from you about this episode. See you on Episode 4 with my next guest host. I hope this episode helps you get Back On Course.
Happening today; Michigan Avenue merchants and residents are concerned that the Magnificent Mile is losing it luster and may not get it back; A Chicago political figure charged with bribing a state lawmaker could be ready to make a deal; A financial dispute left a 72-year-old man dead and an auto dealership owner charged with his murder in the Grand Crossing neighborhood; and more. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information.
in this episode we talked to our special guest and friend, Amy Ricketts, as she takes us to school and educates us on a musical and personal level including her humble beginnings in Michigan, to her time LA, and back to the midwest. **In Loving Memory of Mike Huckaby** https://www.residentadvisor.net/news/72528 The Daley Plaza Lunch Hour House Music Returns to Daley Plaza in Downtown Chicago ...5mag.net › Calendar The Chosen Few Festival http://chosenfewdjs.com/ 420 Quarantine track by Dj Kitty https://www.soundcloud.com/djkitty86/420-quarantine-1 SEND US YOUR STORY ABOUT MUSIC, LIFE OR ART TO: thenightowlchicago@gmail.com --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/tnochicago/message
We're excited to introduce our listeners to Michelle Hartney, Chicago-based artist and activist who will be leading this month's discussion on Art & Morality. In this episode, Andrew speaks with Michelle about her ongoing project, Correct Art History, which calls attention to the art world's tendency to sweep the reprehensible behavior of art icons and heroes under the rug. Together they address the issue of morality when it comes to viewing art, whether or not institutions have a responsibility to inform audiences on the good, the bad & the ugly of the artists on their walls, the role of the #MeToo Movement and its influence in the art world, and why censorship is not the answer to the controversy of art and morality. Michelle also touches upon additional topics she will be addressing during her month-long takeover and introduces a few of the guests she has lined up to join the discussion of Art & Morality. -About Michelle Hartney-Michelle Hartney is a Chicago based artist whose work addresses a broad range of topics, from women’s health issues, to the concept of heroes, love, and the cosmos. She works in a variety of materials, including fiber, wood, found objects, installation, community based interactive performance, and the internet. Her interest in using art to address social issues began during her graduate studies in art therapy at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she was an Albert Schweitzer Fellow.In 2015 she became the Chicago rally coordinator for the non-profit organization Improving Birth's nationwide Labor Day rallies, and created a performance and installation at Daley Plaza called Mother’s Right, a piece about the United States’ high rates of maternal mortality, postpartum PTSD, and obstetric abuse. Hartney founded the Women's Health Collective in 2016, an organization dedicated to utilizing creative approaches to raise awareness about women's health issues by linking artists, designers, writers, musicians, technologists, healthcare providers, and activists to work collaboratively on socially engaged, community based projects. Their first project, Kimberly Said No, collaboration with five Chicago actors, included a public performance that addressed an obstetric assault that was captured on film.Since the 2016 election, Hartney has temporarily shifted the focus of her work away from maternal healthcare issues. She has been focusing on creating work to support the resistance, with a focus on peace and love, in addition to highlighting the misogyny, racism, and hatred embedded in Trump’s rhetoric.Hartney has two children and resides in Chicago.Learn more about Michelle Hartney at https://www.michellehartney.com/Follow her @MichelleHartneyArt
The Bluesmobile crashes through Daley Plaza before finally giving up the ghost, and Jake and Elwood make their way to the Office of the Cook County Assessor as a truckload of Chicago cops jumps around yelling HUT. Support the show at www.patreon.com/DitchDiggers www.bluesbrosminute.com Facebook: @bluesbrosminute Twitter: @BluesBrosMin
Jake frantically wipes away the motor oil that's getting all over the windshield, a Nazi car sails over and plummets into Chicago, and citizens scatter as the Bluesmobile races through Daley Plaza. Support the show at www.patreon.com/DitchDiggers www.bluesbrosminute.com Facebook: @bluesbrosminute Twitter: @BluesBrosMin
Deuteronomy 34:1-12 Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the Lord showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, and the Plain—that is, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees—as far as Zoar. The Lord said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants’; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.” Then Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, at the Lord’s command. He was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor, but no one knows his burial place to this day. Moses was one hundred twenty years old when he died; his sight was unimpaired and his vigor had not abated. The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses was ended. Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him; and the Israelites obeyed him, doing as the Lord had commanded Moses. Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face. He was unequaled for all the signs and wonders that the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel. I am sure many of us remember the horrific incidents in Charlottesville, Virginia a few months ago, when racists and skinheads converged onto the small city to voice their racism, and to protest the taking down the statutes of Confederate leaders. A counter protestor was killed when a racist plowed his car into the crowd and shots were fired, and fists and kicks were thrown, and it was an awful, awful moment in the life of our country. The Sunday after the events I joined a few thousand at the Daley Plaza downtown to express our stance against racism, and our support of those who were feeling under attack by the latest wave of vitriol hurled at black and brown people. After listening to a series of speakers a young man stood up and made a stark challenge to us: cut out of our lives our friends and family who continued to practice racism with their words and/or their lives. At first, oddly enough, I thought, well, of course, we shouldn’t tolerate messengers and practitioners of hate and discrimination in our lives – I mean, there is something to be said about the fact that who we hang out with, who we share our lives with, is ultimately a reflection on us and what we value as well – even the New Testament offers this idea to its readers. But almost immediately, I was struck by the impossibility of putting that challenge into action in my own life – I am a Southerner, despite my lack of an accent, and almost every relative and every white friend of mine has said or done something that is racist – and I am certainly not immune from that charge either. I am a recovering racist, still working on aspects of my thought and life that perpetuate racism in my own heart and in my surroundings. I think I’ve spent most of my adult trying to get “woke” as the young people say nowadays, to wake up from the parts of me that had been infected by the white privilege I bear within me that is all around me, and around most of my family and friends. But if I were to do what the speaker at that rally asked me to do, I would probably have no blood family left in my life, people that I do very much love and care about. My parents were good people, they were heroes of mine, loving and kind people for the most part, and still they harbored ideas and thoughts about African-Americans that sadden me, that are shameful to me and that besmirched the goodness they generally practiced in their lives. And what about me – how do I cut myself out of my own life, me who is still working on that places in my heart and soul that haven’t quite woken up yet, haven’t yet reached the Promise Land, so to speak, the land where we can greet each other in all of our racial, sexual, and political complexity and discriminate against each other, explicitly or implicitly? Most of us in this room are probably dealing with some part of this problem, this imperfection, this sin we see in ourselves and in the ones we love, and how to navigate our relationships with those who have no desire to wake up and think that we are foolish for questioning the assumptions they imparted to us years and years earlier, consciously or not. Of course, all of this has to do with the problem of how profoundly imperfect we all are, how despite our best hopes and wishes for ourselves and others, we rarely can live up to the goodness we desire to practice and hold within our hearts. There has been much criticism of original sin, perhaps rightfully so, that we are somehow born bad, or at least part of us is. Of course, the greater message of the Bible is that we are also born good – God said so at the beginning of creation, that God looked over the world, and us, and said it was good. But whether or not you buy the doctrine of original sin, what it does try to get at is something we all know is there, in each of us, in all of us, if we are honest with each other, and that is that there is shadow in us that doesn’t want to welcome the light, that doesn’t want to resist racism, that doesn’t want to wake up, that doesn’t want to give a damn about people I don’t know and don’t understand, a part of us that doesn’t want to do the right thing by the earth, that doesn’t want to give a damn about anything except ourselves and the people closest to us – and sometimes not even them. There is shadow even in a heart created within the light of God’s goodness, and it shouldn’t and doesn’t surprise many of us that despite the goodness and sometimes even greatness of our family or personal and public heroes, within them, as within us, there is shadow, some prejudice that surprises us, some bigotry that shows up unexpectedly, some unwillingness to do the right thing, at least in this part of our lives. I know this is true because it is true for me and everyone I know, and that desire for the perfect hero, the perfect politician, the perfect spouse, the perfect friend, the perfect parent, it all eventually crashes down, as we see them for who they are, and we see ourselves for who we are – people striving to do the right thing, but often failing to do so, sometimes even unaware that we have missed the mark, “missing the mark” being a common way we Christians speak of sin. All of this desire for the perfect hero came too fore this week when I was thinking of the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation, or at least the anniversary of Martin Luther’ posting of the 95 these against the practice of indulgences in the city of Wittenberg, Germany. In a recent issue of The Christian Century magazine (Oct 25, 2017), Rabbi Noam Marans reminded us Christians of the awful anti-Semitic legacy of Brother Martin Luther and how we Protestants were no better, in practice, than the Catholics we sought to correct during the Reformation. He points that early in his career, Martin Luther took a positive stance towards Judaism, writing an essay in 1523 called “That Jesus Christ Was Born a Jew,” in which he noted that our Lord Jesus was himself Jewish, and that we Christians and Jews are sisters and brothers because of that connection. And yet by 1543 Luther had changed his mind about the Jewish people because he felt they were not readily converting to Christianity as he had hoped, and he wrote a screed called “On the Jews and Their Lies,” which is just patently anti-Semitic, in which he says ”…thus when you see a real Jew you may with good conscience cross yourself, and boldly say, ‘There goes the Devil incarnate.’” Later the Nazis would use this essay and other of Luther’s writing as part of their justification for their campaign of genocide against the Jewish people. But of course those vile words weren’t the only words Luther wrote, and so much of what else he wrote was beautiful and joyful and true – listen to brother Luther, yes BROTHER Luther: The whole being of any Christian is faith and love. Faith brings the person to God, love brings the person to people. God does not need your good works, but your neighbor does. I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess. There are some of us who think to ourselves, 'If I had only been there! How quick I would have been to help the Baby. I would have washed His linen. How happy I would have been to go with the shepherds to see the Lord lying in the manger!' Why don't we do it now? We have Christ in our neighbor. Whoever drinks beer, he is quick to sleep; whoever sleeps long, does not sin; whoever does not sin, enters Heaven! Thus, let us drink beer! What we have with Luther is what we have with all those that we love, and with our very own selves – people of often great light and love who carry within them some deep shadows, some places within them, within us, that God has not broken into, because we will not Her into those spaces, those corners of our hearts, our minds, that we would rather keep free of love and grace and understanding, whether or not we are aware of it. But the ambiguity of people, especially the ambiguity of our heroes, shouldn’t surprise us, though of course, it still does, we who live in hope that people can actually live up to all their words, all their values, or that we can always live up to all of our own values. Look at brother Moses in our text today, he who stands high upon Mount Nebo, at the very cusp of his life’s work, which was leading his people into the Promised Land, and yet looking out onto a land he will never enter himself. God gives him only a glimpse of what must have seemed like Eden to him, after so many years of wandering in the desert because the people were stubborn and ungrateful and continued to try the patience of God. What brings Moses to this moment is the fact that he too was imperfect, that he too was sometimes often quick to anger and arrogance, and it showed up in an incident which is recounted in the book of Numbers, chapter 20. The people are thirsty, and they complain to Moses and Aaron, and they pray for water on the people’s behalf, and God grants this prayer, and Moses does as he is told – he strikes the rock and water pours forth. But what seemed to condemn Moses to die on Mount Nebo, and never be able to enter the Promise Land, are the words he said to the people – Listen, rebels, shall WE bring water for you out of this rock! We honestly don’t know for sure what angered God so deeply about Moses’ words, but most think that it was because he had deigned to take credit for the miracle – shall WE bring water for you, we Moses and Aaron. He had made it about him and not God, it became about the Messenger and not the Message, it became about Moses and not the Promised Land or about Moses and not God. Whether or not you or I think it fair, that is what seemed to prompt God to close the door to the Promised Land to both Moses and his brother in law Aaron, both who would die out with the first generation of Israelites because of their stubbornness. Joshua will lead the people into the Promised Land, not Moses, not Aaron, and so Moses dies on that high and holy mountain, buried by God’s own hands, and praised by the writer or writers of Deuteronomy as the greatest of the prophets of Israel. God seems to choose flawed human beings to do great things in this world, a truth you see being replicated over and over again in the Bible. Now, to be sure, not everyone is Moses, or Luther, or Calvin, or Martin Luther King Jr, people whose light was so great that we often ignore the darkness they carried within them. I want us to be clear that knowing that all of us are flawed, imperfect human beings capable of great wrong doesn’t mean that we simply dismiss the imperfections of our leaders, excusing them from the task of becoming better leaders, to become better human beings. I often say about brilliant and gifted people that with great light comes great shadow, but that doesn’t mean the shadow should be ignored or un-confronted. I’ll share with you a couple of ways how I think we can distinquish the great leaders, maybe even the prophets of our age, from those who simply took power or were given power by an electorate: first, good leaders rarely make the mistake of confusing the mission and the messenger, the mistake of confusing the word they’ve been given with the proclaimer of that word, the messenger. Moses made that mistake at that rock, striking in anger and frustration, taking credit for what he did not do, but he did such a thing very rarely – he was Israel’s greatest prophet because he almost never wavered from his mission, which was to lead God’s people into the Promised Land. You can tell a good leader by her unwillingness to make it about her, that the point is not Moses but the Promise Land, that the point is not Martin Luther but the hopeful transformation of the church for his time, that the point is not Martin Luther King, Jr. but the racial equality that must happen in this world. All of these flawed, imperfect souls, kept the point the point, even as they stumbled personally, writing vile words, not living up to their best values, or whatever. It was never about them, but the goal, the calling they had to be prophets of their age, and the tellers of great truth. But, you know, you could argue that even thieves and serial murders and narcissists have the same sort of focus, that they too keep the point the point, they too can dismiss themselves in favor of a laser focus on their vile mission. And that is why the mission itself matters, the calling matters, because it matters whether or not a person too points to a Promised Land of sorts, to a land of milk and honey. What I mean by this is that it isn’t good enough to just have a goal, a focus – I mean, one can have bad goals, a bad mission, a skewed conception of the Promised Land, that oddly includes only you and your own. But the Promised Land in the Biblical tradition is not just about me, it was never about Moses, but the Promised Land was always about us, about a world where there is plenty of milk and honey for the both of us, for all of us. From the laws that given to Moses were supposedly given by God to govern this land, you have important principles like the 50th year Jubilee, where all land bought and sold was returned to its original owner, so that there would never be a simple accumulation of land and money to a small few. And the courts of justice could not and would not be bought by the richest, and thus justice could be meted out fairly, and the widows and their children, the most vulnerable, would always be taken care of, and the very land itself would rest every 7 years, and the stranger who stumbled into land of Israel would be no stranger, for those in the Promised Land would remember that they too were once strangers in the land of Egypt, and all strangers would be treated with justice and compassion. A good leader doesn’t just have a clear mission – Pol Pot of Cambodia had a clear mission, as well – but the Mission itself must be a just and good one, a Promised Land not for the few but for all of us. Luther cast a vision for the renewal of the church, and though there were grave mistakes made on the way, including by Luther himself, the Promised Land for him was a church where freedom resided, where we understood that we were loved by God through our faith, and not because of what we do or don’t do, that the Scriptures were for the people, as dangerous as such an idea that might have sounded like 500 years ago. So much of that vision, that mission has come true, in every part of the church universal, and that is because it was a Promised Land that included all of us, each and every one of us. Before I end today’s sermon, I just want to remind us of something, or maybe I am simply reminding myself, in these less than heroic times, where the real prophets among us seemed to have been drowned out by the false prophets of this age, the false prophets who do not have a vision of the Promised Land that includes all of us, which means that what they offer is no Promised Land at all. But, in fact, there is a Promised Land, there is a world to come, a world that can be actualized, and for us Christians it is the Kingdom of God of which Jesus speaks, the realm of God, which mirrors the Promised Land of Jesus’ ancestors, a land of milk and honey for both friend and stranger alike, a place for all of us who have left the Egypts of this world and who seek freedom in a new land. Our work is surely to keep praying and working for this new world, to do works of justice, and to be present and aware of our own imperfections as we struggle the imperfections of others. We need new prophets, new leaders in this day and this age, ones who focus on the realm of God alone and not on themselves, at least not too much on themselves, and ones that can cast a vision that looks like the one that Moses cast, that Jesus cast over two thousand years ago. Now, whether or not those prophets will arise in this age, in all of their imperfections, I don’t know, but I do believe this – in the end, this Promised Land, this new world to come, the one where all are welcomed, where there is justice for everyone, all of it will come to pass one day, because it is simply what God wants, and what God wants, God eventually gets. We can hasten our collective entry into Promised Land by working with God and working beside each other, or we can delay our entry and entry of others into the Promised Land by doing nothing. But know this: in the end, the Promised Land will come with or without our help. For your sake and my sake, and the world’s sake, I’d rather be on the side of making the Kingdom of God a reality sooner rather than later – but make no mistake, it will come, it will surely come, this new world and it will include you and me, in all of our imperfections, alongside other flawed and beautiful human beings, friends and strangers, because, you see, it is a Land that has been promised to us, and God will keep that promise, the one that was made to all of us. Amen.
As the iconic Chicago Picasso sculpture in Daley Plaza celebrates its 50th anniversary, hear what its original unveiling was like back in 1967 according to Tim Samuelson, the City's official historian who was there, and Eric Keune, SOM Design Director.
An interview with art historian Patricia Stratton, author of "The Chicago Picasso: A Point of Departure," a book about the history of the famous sculpture in Daley Plaza, first erected in 1967,
Peter Singer, atheist, author and Princeton professor, who is considered the world’s leading ethicist, joins us for an illuminating discussion on his book, “The Most Good You Can Do: How Effective Altruism Is Changing Ideas About Living Ethically,” and his newest book, “Ethics in the Real World.” We celebrate FFRF's winter solstice “equal time” displays now up in the Wisconsin State Capitol and Daley Plaza (in conjunction with our Chicago chapter), and report on a state/church victory to remove an unconstitutional nativity display in Michigan. In honor of the 120th anniversary of the birth of lyricist Ira Gershwin, we play Ira’s irreverent classic about the bible, "It Ain’t Necessarily So.”
The Story of John F Kennedy At 12:20 p.m., in the basement of the Dallas police station, Lee Harvey Oswald, the alleged assassin of President John F. Kennedy, is shot to death by Jack Ruby, a Dallas nightclub owner. Here we present the original audio from the event. Lee Harvey Oswald (October 18, 1939 – November 24, 1963) was an American sniper who allegedly assassinated President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. According to five U.S. government investigations, Oswald shot and killed Kennedy as he traveled by motorcade through Daley Plaza in the city of Dallas, Texas. Oswald was a former U.S. Marine who defected to the Soviet Union in October 1959. He lived in the Belarusian city of Minsk until June 1962, at which time he returned to the United States with his Russian wife, eventually settling in Dallas. Following Kennedy's assassination, Oswald was initially arrested for the murder of police officer J. D. Tippit, who was killed on a Dallas street approximately 45 minutes after President Kennedy was shot. Oswald was later charged with the murder of Kennedy; he denied shooting anybody, saying that he was a patsy. Two days later, while being transferred from police headquarters to the county jail, Oswald was shot and mortally wounded by Dallas nightclub owner Jack Ruby in full view of television cameras broadcasting live. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Harvey_Oswald Jack Leon Ruby (born Jacob Leonard Rubenstein; March 25, 1911 – January 3, 1967) was a nightclub operator in Dallas, Texas. On November 24, 1963, A Dallas jury found Ruby guilty of murdering Oswald, and Ruby was sentenced to death. Later, Ruby appealed his conviction, had it overturned and was granted a new trial. As the date for his new trial was being set, Ruby became ill and died in prison of a pulmonary embolism due to lung cancer.. There was evidence given to the Warren Commission to say that Jack Ruby was involved in the typical underworld activities of gambling, narcotics and prostitution. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Ruby Elected in 1960 as the 35th president of the United States, 43-year-old John F. Kennedy became the youngest man and the first Roman Catholic to hold that office. He was born into one of America’s wealthiest families and parlayed an elite education and a reputation as a military hero into a successful run for Congress in 1946 and for the Senate in 1952. As president, Kennedy confronted mounting Cold War tensions in Cuba, Vietnam and elsewhere. He also led a renewed drive for public service and eventually provided federal support for the growing civil rights movement. His assassination on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas, sent shockwaves around the world and turned the all-too-human Kennedy into a larger-than-life heroic figure. To this day, historians continue to rank him among the best-loved presidents in American history.
Dr. K. and Darren grab a quick interview with some women who were at the rally for Bernie Sanders at Daley Plaza in Chicago on January 23rd. Afterwards as Darren headed north on the Red Line train, he grabbed a great conversation with a few more Sanders fans. Topics included the way social media works its magic, hopes that Hillary's $2,700 per person lunches at least include some good food, and how MATH and the power of exponential growth could help the Bernie fire spread far and wide. Information on the podcast is supported by the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/whatwouldberniesandersdo/. Find out about phone banking for Bernie at www.berniesanders.com. Find us on Twitter @wwbsdpodcast. Music by Robin Bienemann http://robinb.org/music.html.
Gary and Roscoe are in full Halloween mode as they pay tribute to the holiday with some last-minute costume ideas. Check out Sam Apple's hilarious suggestions for ways to be the talk of the party here. We begin with a heartwarming (yes!) story about a shark in Florida who may have saved Eugene Finney's life. Finally, a friendly shark tale! full story Gary talks about Carly Fiorina's declining poll numbers and wonders how much longer she will remain relevant enough to keep the "Keys to the Carly" segment topical. Roscoe thinks "not much longer." Unless she starts spending her money on something other than very questionable hair styling. see up to date polling numbers here Further developments in the case against former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert and the money laundering case against him. Could it be that his recent guilty plea will provide the means to cover up his alleged child sexual abuse crimes? Sounds like a betrayal of the public trust to us. Ross reminds us that his sister, who lives near Yorkville, may have a theory about the identity of Individual A. read more After 46 years, the Chicago Christmas Tree will not be in the Daley Plaza but on a specially built platform in Millennium Park. Maybe not a big deal to some, but a huge deal to born-and-raised Chicago-ans. Roscoe and Gary agree that this could be a marvelous new beginning for a great holiday tradition. Gary gets Roscoe's reaction to reviews of The Humans review and Therese Raquin review on Broadway. Having seen both and commented on them in a previous episode, we'll find out how the critics' opinions stack up to Roscoe's. Gary reviews Marjorie Prime, the very last production to be held at the famous Books on Vernon bookstore in Glencoe, IL, home to Writer's Theatre. read more about the play Roscoe has a Booth One experience at local piano bar and cabaret club Davenport's when he went to see the immensely talented Karen Mason read more here. Roscoe shares some stories about Ms. Mason over the years and recounts his encounter with her at Davenports. Gary stuns Roscoe with the news that the never-revived, seldom seen musical Funny Girl is to get a new production at the Savoy Theatre in London's West End. We're saving our frequent flyer miles!! Gary gives a shout out to to the Therapy Players, a group of psychologists who perform Second City-like improvisation around the Chicago area. We have heard they are hilarious! Will give a full report in an upcoming episode. get more info here Kiss of Death We briefly pay our respects to one of the last film legends of Hollywood's Gold Age, the strikingly beautiful Ms. Maureen O'Hara. Gary plans to binge watch The Quiet Man, McClintock, and How Green Was My Valley immediately after the podcast. MO MagazineOur featured KOD this week is Marty Ingels - comedian, actor, and celebrity advertising booker. Friend of the show, Margalit Fox details Marty's outrageous antics were famous in Hollywood, and he was a source of constant consternation and joy to his long-time wife, actress Shirley Jones. Roscoe tells of a personal encounter he had with Mr. Ingels and Ms. Jones at Cinecon some years ago. June Allyson and "Depends" feature prominently in Mr. Ingels' story. read full obit
IN THE NEWS: Dan Barker and substitute co-host Andrew Seidel discuss FFRF's freethought display in Daley Plaza and proselytizing Clemson University coach Dabo Swinney. We announce a major FFRF legal victory stopping prayer at city council meetings in Pismo Beach, California. Then we talk with scientist and author Steven Pinker about why he has agreed to become FFRF's first Honorary President. IN THE NEWS: Dan Barker and substitute co-host Andrew Seidel discuss FFRF's freethought display in Daley Plaza and proselytizing Clemson University coach Dabo Swinney. We announce a major FFRF legal victory stopping prayer at city council meetings in Pismo Beach, California. Then we talk with scientist and author Steven Pinker about why he has agreed to become FFRF's first Honorary President. - See more at: http://direct.ffrf.org/news/radio#sthash.xZ7XWqzN.dpuf IN THE NEWS: Dan Barker and substitute co-host Andrew Seidel discuss FFRF's freethought display in Daley Plaza and proselytizing Clemson University coach Dabo Swinney. We announce a major FFRF legal victory stopping prayer at city council meetings in Pismo Beach, California. Then we talk with scientist and author Steven Pinker about why he has agreed to become FFRF's first Honorary President. - See more at: http://direct.ffrf.org/news/radio#sthash.xZ7XWqzN.dpuf
It’s that time of year -- for nativity scene violations! We report on a couple of FFRF creche complaints (out of 60+ so far this year), then then we talk with Tom Cara, director of FFRF’s Metropolitan Chicago chapter, about the large atheist ‘A’ and the “nativity of the Bill of Rights” his group erected in downtown Daley Plaza. On the second half of the show, we interview Linda LaScola, one of the founders of the Clergy Project, and co-author of the new book (with Daniel C. Dennett) about clergy who have abandoned faith, Caught In The Pulpit: Leaving Belief Behind.
This week on the Best Game in Town: We head to Chicago's Daley Plaza to talk about the resignation of White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and the rest of the week's political news with NPR's David Schaper and Crain's Chicago Business Columnist Greg Hinz.
BERWYN, IL - I just love the this image and so do Chicago critical mass riders. They rode July's mass from from Daley Plaza to the car Spindel made famous in Wayne's World. The sculpture is slated to be torn down to make room for a drug store. I reckon it's just another example of art being destroyed by drugs.