Opinion
Daily Dirt for Sept. 12, 2021 It’s the first Sunday of the NFL season! Welcome to Vol. 65 of the Daily Dirt, and … are you ready for some football Today’s first of three thoughts indicates at least one of us is. 1. The NFL season kicks off this weekend, and with it comes the usual…
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It is bad Illinois has the nation’s worst pension crisis, but state politicians have made it worse by using risky debt to delay the day of reckoning, and done so to the point that Illinois now owes 30% of the nation’s pension obligation bonds. Pension obligation bonds are a form of debt used by state or local…
Read Full Article Daily Dirt for Sept. 11, 2021 Maybe one day I will try to sell Illinois. You’ll soon understand my thought process as you peruse Vol. 64 of the Daily Dirt. 1. Have you ever felt your heart race when you fear you have lost your trusty cell phone? You may be a nomophobe. Those with nomophobia —…
Read Full Article Daily Dirt for Sept. 10, 2021 I first ate Pringles as a wee lad, and it’s been a lifelong love affair. Vol. 63 of the Daily Dirt provides background about the famous cans of stacked chips. Welcome to today’s three thoughts. 1. I love Pringles, those somewhat goofy potato chips stacked in cans. A reason why: The…
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One of my daughters came home from school years ago. She was clearly upset. Door slammed. Book bag thrown to the floor. A kick at it. As she turned toward me, I inquired what was wrong. Her upset then turned to me and my (may I suggest “imaginary”?) failures as a parent. I patiently took…
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Daily Dirt for Sept. 9, 2021 Look at today’s Daily Dirt as a learning experience, particularly thought No. 1. This, my friends, is Vol. 62. 1. File these under strange, but true:A. Pigs don’t sweat (but they still stink). Pigs don’t have sweat glands. To keep cool they roll in the mud, which provides a covering to…
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Hot dog season is over. Seriously. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council — yes, there is truly such an entity — says Labor Day weekend signaled the end of hot dog season. Put the grills and wieners away for the winter, folks. It’s time for sloppy joes and other indoor types of bun-and-meat goodies.…
Read Full Article Daily Dirt for Sept. 8, 2021 Trust me, the name you will remember from today’s Daily Dirt thoughts is Ziona. Welcome to Vol. 61. 1. I’ve always considered myself a cereal connoisseur. I love to walk through the cereal aisle at local supermarkets in search of my next box(es). After researching today’s Daily Dirt, I may…
Read Full Article Daily Dirt for Sept. 7, 2021 Today is one of those days when I wonder where all the years have gone. You’ll understand when you reach comment No. 3 in today’s Daily Dirt. Welcome to Vol. 60. 1. The following would make an excellent 10 commandments of food: “All you need is love, but a…
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The recent passing of longtime Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts remains on my mind. Charlie and I had more or less grown old together. He had been a Rolling Stone since 1963, about the same time I first became interested in what songs were coming out of the family AM radio. The Stones seemingly have…
Read Full Article Daily Dirt for Sept. 6, 2021 Vol. 59 of this daily adventure finds our three thoughts ranging from bad TV shows to advice to live by. Have a good day. 1. I’m sure we all have an opinion about this subject, but here are TV Guide’s worst programs from the mid-1960s to present: 1. “The Jerry…
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Daily Dirt for Sept. 4, 2021Anyone up for some cream chipped beef and maple syrup? Vol. 57 of the Daily Dirt will likely test your gag reflex. At the very least, the first of today’s three thoughts is not for the squeamish: 1. The question was a simple one. What’s a weird food combination that you…
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There are times when a State’s Attorney has discretion in enforcing laws. School districts also have discretion as to who they allow into their buildings for certain reasons. Quincy and Adams County are suffering because of both of these facts. Adams County Public Health Administrator Jerrod Welch has done what he has thought is right…
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Daily Dirt for Sept. 3, 2021 In school, were you ever subjected to the taunts of a bully who may have labeled you “Four Eyes,” “Tub of Lard” or some other nicety? If so, you can probably sympathize with the baseball players mentioned in today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 56 of the Daily Dirt: 1. Not…
Read Full Article Daily Dirt for Sept. 2, 2021 Think twice before you ever again complain about your wife’s cooking. Just remember, she can always serve you jellied moose nose the next time around. Grab the Tums, and then enjoy today’s three thoughts in Vol. 55 of the Daily Dirt: 1. If you haven’t got a strong stomach, you…
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College football kicks off in earnest this weekend, and I couldn’t be happier. There’s something special about those Saturday afternoons and evenings of college football that separates the sport from its high school and NFL cousins. More than anything else, I think what helps build those legions of college football fans are the long and…
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Daily Dirt for Sept. 1, 2021 Mmmmmm … even the thought of a hot fudge sundae makes by taste buds stand up and take notice. Hot fudge is one of the genuine gifts of nature, much like the Daily Dirt. Welcome to Vol. 54 of the daily three thoughts: 1. The best kind of toppings for ice cream…
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Daily Dirt for Aug. 31, 2021 Woof! Woof! So … you have a new dog. The Daily Dirt is here to help you find the right name in today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 53 of the Daily Dirt. 1. The American Kennel Club has released its 2021 lists of most popular names for…
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We all love to use a good insult, or drop an occasional bad word. But what is the background of some of those little nasties? Hopefully, the ensuing information will help, so the next time you call someone one of the following you’ll have a little better understanding. “Like fashion, slang changes with the times,”…
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Daily Dirt: With September approaching, let's face it: The first snowfall is right around the corner
Daily Dirt for Aug. 30, 2021 The remaining days of August are rapidly disappearing … and hopefully, so is the heat wave. Welcome to Vol 52 of the Daily Dirt and today’s three thoughts: 1. Technically, fall does not begin until Sept. 22, but we all know once you rip off off that August sheet…
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Daily Dirt for Aug. 28, 2021 The more things change, the more they stay the same Welcome to the last weekend of August. Falling leaves and crisp temperatures can’t be that far away, can they? While you’re pondering that, let’s have some fun with the three thoughts from Vol. 50 of the Daily Dirt. A.…
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Daily Dirt for Aug. 27, 2021 G’day, mates! Welcome to Vol. 49 of the Daily Dirt, where all of your dreams come true. And now, for today’s three thoughts: 1. Many times I have talked and written about the old west, marveling at the famed gunslingers, lawmen, wagon trains and Indian tribes. What I have…
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A member of Illinois’ Joint Committee on Administrative Rules says the Illinois State Board of Education needs to explain its authority to punish schools for following the governor’s mask mandate. About 51 of the more than 850 school districts in Illinois are on probation for not following Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s mask mandate. Probation is the…
Read Full Article Daily Dirt for Aug. 26, 2021 Vol. 48 of the Daily Dirt tackles a wide variety of items — cool names, calories and college football. Let’s roll.A. Rock bands. Automobiles, Movie stars. The cooler the name, the better chance for success. Today we’re interested in the movie stars. A. Here are my picks for the…
Read Full Article My addiction started at a relatively young age. While most of my friends were busy listening to and buying records from the Beatles, Rolling Stones and Beach Boys, my tastes tended to drift more toward Jackie Wilson, David Ruffin and the Four Tops. I would be asked if I had seen such-and-such group or singer…
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