Angie’s Drama

NOTICE: The views expressed in Rob’s Rant may or may not be the views of this blogger. From time to time, Rob gets antsy to see his name on this blog. Give him an inch, he takes a mile.

Well, my blood is boiling and what does that usually lead too? Rant. Rant. Rant.

It appears the Daily machine (in Chicago) is at it again and this time it may be worth paying serious attention.

To all the numb-minded lemmings…Please, I implore you, WAKE UP! Take your heads out of the sand and pay attention to what is happening in this state.

A joint task force from Chicago PD and ISP called CAGE, Chicago Anti Gun Enforcement, is going door to door confiscating guns from ordinary people. The original purpose of the agency was to target illegal gunrunners. The agency has used loopholes in gun privacy acts to pinpoint individuals to target. So far this is a Chicago thing but could be statewide any time.

See, here’s what’s going on;
Some years ago residents of Chicago and most of Cook County were required to register certain firearms. Later the registration encompassed all firearms. No one was sent a letter and there was very little publicity of the law. People who move into the area are not informed of the requirements. I guarantee you…not a single criminal registered their gun.

This CAGE task force has taken it upon itself to look into the FOID and registration systems and is knocking on doors of anyone who has let either lapse, asking if they have any firearms. A “yes” gets those guns confiscated. Additionally, anyone who has ever had a FOID and has moved into the registration area can expect a visit. They are hoping that these new residents do not know about the registration and are not in compliance.

Thanks to a ruling by a liberal federal judge, the CAGE unit now has the name of every single person in the United States who, since 1992, lawfully purchased more than one handgun in the period of a week. Thanks to the ISRA I have learned that CAGE has also compiled a list of families where more than one person in that family holds a FOID card. Acting on that info the unit is now contacting gun shops where those families have shopped, and is illegally registering all guns purchased by those families.

Now I need to have a little side-bar for the lemmings. First of all, Illinois is the only state that requires a FOID card, which is a flawed system that is essentially a de facto gun registration. Second; no matter how many times you hear it on a TV show, registration of firearms is generally a nonentity in the US. Only Title II and III firearms, basically machine guns, need be registered with the government. And yes, in most states it is legal to own a machine gun. Third; legal gun purchases require a federal background check. It is required by law that those records be destroyed after 90 days so that they can not be used maliciously. If all gun purchases need a federal check, why do we need a FOID card? So they know who has the guns. That’s why.

Most people I meet in the regular world think that all guns need to be registered and don’t understand the opposition to doing so. Historically there have been some very famous gun-registrations, most notably those carried out by the Nazis, Khmer Rouge, and Idi Amin in Uganda. It’s a very simple concept, gun registrations are for gun confiscations, that’s it. 170 million dead people can’t be wrong.

What CAGE is doing in Chicago is thug rule at the least and more likely a crime against the constitution. That an agency with the title CHICAGO Anti Gun Enforcement is keeping records on downstate residents is disturbing to say the least. This is very much like what Mayor Nagin did in New Orleans and was eventually deemed unconstitutional and a crime. He was forced to return the guns but has yet to be prosecuted. Daily seems to be able to pull this off without the help of a natural disaster. Unless you’re like me and consider the title surge of liberals washing down from Chicago a disaster.

Now I need to mention that there is proposed legislation that will be voted on very soon to ban .50 BMG caliber rifles, of which not a single one has been used in a crime; not in the history of the United States. These guns that are nearly as tall as a man and weigh upwards of 40lbs. will be the next stepping stone in the diminished freedom of Illinois residents. Stay tuned for additional legislation focused on so-called assault weapons. Something like the failed 10 year experiment brought on by Clinton #1.

Down state Illinois is fighting back on the county scale. Pike County, Illinois has recently passed legislation stating that all gun restriction passed by the State are unconstitutional, no matter if it comes from Chicago or Springfield. Why can they do that? Because EVERY law passed by any state concerning the Second Amendment is unconstitutional, even in Kalifornia. Most politicians stop reading the Bill of Rights at the Fifth, they’ve got everything they need after that one. What escapes them is the Tenth;
“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.”
There it is, right there. The powers have been delegated. Second one on the list people…”the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”

Molon Labe
Rob

All those for the 2nd Ammendment should see what Pike County did. Scroll down to the last article. And yes, a Rob’s Rant is forthcoming.

We expedited our passport applications about three weeks ago so that we’d have no problem getting them in time for the big Jamaican weddin’. Lo and behold, mine arrived last weekend. On Monday, Rob received a notice stating that he was required to send in more proof of his identity. Instead of the five things they requested, Rob sent 20 things. Trust me, I understand that there are probably 5 million Rob Walker’s in the US but why would I not have the same problem? Hell, I’ve even had problems with tanning because there are so many people with my name. So-Rob’s a little stressed that he may not have the passport in time for the big Jamaican weddin’. I’m hoping the passport god’s are smiling down on us and it will magically appear any day.

Saturday’s show will live in infamy as having the absolute worst crowd of any concert I’ve been too. Here’s my concert background: I worked at the Peoria Civic Center from the time I was fifteen until I was twenty two. Currently, I average ten to twenty concerts a year. Rob even has me outnumbered because he followed the Dead, Phish and Widespread Panic for a good ten years. That being said, neither of us have ever been around a crowd that was soooooo beligerant and rude-at least I can laugh about it now. We arrived during 38 Special’s set. Not being a big fan, I was pretty happy just hanging out until Hank Williams Jr. Originally, he was supposed to play last but there was a last minute change in the line up. We walked out to the patio and grabbed a table. A guy we had seen getting kicked out, now had his shirt off and was trying to instigate a fight with the four hundred people outside smoking. When no one jumped in to play his reindeer games, he dropped his drawers and took a leak on the sidewalk in front of City Hall, all the while dropping f bombs to the crowd. I can’t help but think the twenty or so elderly folks milling around for a convention of some sorts were in awe of the quality of young people in Peoria. Next, we stood in line for twenty minutes for two plastic bottles of Miller Lite. Apparently the Civic Center didn’t get the memo about the crowd likes or dislikes, because they ran out Bud Light. Holy crap people were pissed! Trying to get to our seats was another ordeal. Because of the long beer lines extending onto the concourse, and the foot traffic from the upper level stairs, there were jams everywhere. Hordes of people at a stand still. One very polite gentleman elbowed me and shoved me out of the way so he could get by. He’s soooo lucky I didn’t clock him. It probably didn’t help that Rob and I were on our first beers while obviously half the crowd had been at the Beer Fest all day. I counted over fifty shirts. Speaking of shirts, Rob didn’t get memoed either. Apparently men were supposed to wear tank tops and overalls. That is, if a shirt were to be required. While there were a handful sporting the bare chest and overalls, there were more who just opted to do away with the whole shirt concept all together. Excuse me, we’re not on the lawn at Alpine, put your freakin’ shirt back on. I understand that thin layer of material is to much to bear when your hot and sweaty but did you really have to rock out that much to Hang on Loosly anyway? Serves you right. Idiots. So, we made it up our seats twenty rows up and I just knew things weren’t looking good. Twenty rows up is damn near fatal when you’re as trashed as everyone in our section was. Never thinking I’d need a Xanax at the show, I was unprepared for the rash of anxiety as people bobbed and weaved their way up to their seats or attempted to go down the stairs without falling. Apparently, the twentieth row is just about where everyone got tired and had to take a break or just weaved into my seat. Admittingly, it was six songs into Hank before I actually knew a song-so that didn’t help. But, his show did rock. Who doesn’t love “Just a Good Old Boy?” While he was singing Family Tradition, we made a break for the bathrooms. As did everyone else. I had little to know trouble standing in the long line but I guess guys just aren’t used to lines. Since they were all trying to form two lines one from the entance and one from the exit. Rob later told me that most guys were just using the sink instead of the urinals. Nice. Also, a big shout out to everyone standing in line for beer that would not let anyone cut through to get to the other side. Note: there’s a wall behind you, at this time, I currently do not possess the ability to walk through them. Thanks so much. That was about when we decided that Sweet Home Alabama just wasn’t worth it. It was time to cut our losses and skidaddle. And we did. Right up to Sullivan’s to forget the bullshit.

Friday: Working the Peoria Jaycees International Beer Fest . The Bogside Zukes are playing and you can’t pass up a chance to see them. Feeling really guilty for not being able to be on the committee this year. Keeping fingers crossed that the event is a HUGE success.

Saturday: Work and The Rowdy Frynds Tour. Nothing like a little ‘Sweet Home Alabama’

Sunday: Spring cleaning until it’s time to watch The Sopranos and Entourage

I have the best father-in-law in the world. Recently, Gary and his friends took a trip to Gulf Shores to work on their retirement skills (golf, golf and more golf and cocktails). He called us from Lulu’s (Jimmy Buffett’s sister’s bar) and I asked him to bring me back a sweatshirt. You usually see an influx in Lulu’s garb after spring break as SO many Peorians go there to lounge around. Well, he came back with a hat, a sweatshirt, a long sleeved shirt and a second long sleeved shirt. It turns out that one afternoon, Lulu was signing autographs. When Gary heard that, he jumped up, ran to the gift shop, grabbed a shirt off the rack and raced over to the table. Lulu was finished signing autographs but Gary begged and she signed one last item. My shirt says Angie-much love, Lulu. By the way-he did end up paying for the second shirt-eventually. I told you I have the best father-in-law in the world. He risked life, limb and shoplifting charges for me.

A friend of mine recently got a parking ticket for “parking on a sidewalk.” She was parked in front of her parent’s home, in a residential area and two of her wheels were on the curb. Okaaay. We all know that parking anywhere in downtown Peoria except for a deck is pretty risky but a residential area? Speaking of downtown, on my lunch hour, I drove by Sully’s and saw a code enforcement officer writing a ticket. The funny part…their vehicle was in the left lane, blinkers on, forcing everyone to change lanes and probably causing more irritation and frustration than that poor old truck with the expired meter.

Not really. When I went to vote this morning, I was the only person there. Since the ballot was fairly long, I was sure someone would come in while I was in my little stall. Didn’t happen. I just don’t understand how little faith people put in to voting. I can honestly say that Rob and I may be the only ones that vote regularly among a group of thirty to forty people. Everytime I talked to someone today I reminded them to vote and the usual response I received was, “Oh, I’m not voting today. What’s the sense?” Nice…These,of course, are the same people that will raise hell if the city bans smoking in bars and restaurants. To everyone that actually cast a ballot today, “Cheers!” I can’t wait for the results. City Council, School Board and Park District elections are to Rob and I what the Oscars are to others. Hopefully we won’t hear anyone thanking Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ-we only have one bottle of wine.

I’m not a big fan of My Space but it does allow people to keep in touch. I did two searches for males and females between 30 and 37 within ten miles of Peoria. I found a couple people that I haven’t seen in a while and kind of caught up with what they’ve been doing. I also found some people I haven’t talked to in ten years-for good reason. You can really tell alot about a person from their page (but not mine because I’ve spent zero time on it) I especially love the over-the-top tributes to oneself. Now I remember why we don’t hang out. The pictures of half-naked women? Do your wives mind? Oh that’s right, Pimps Forever. The porn stars in the Friends section? I think everyone has Aspen Reign as a friend-you’re not all that special. Lets not forget the all important picture for your profile. Does everyone have the same I’m sitting in a boat with the sky dark behind me picture? Or the hanging with my 35 year old homies picture? Or the 35 year olds hanging out with the 21 year olds picture? Give me a break.

Rob and I went to Bistro 320 a couple Saturdays ago for dinner. Not to be confused with Jim’s Bistro in Peoria Heights, Bistro 320 is in the Prairie Building. It was just a weird experience all around. To begin with, you enter from the door on Liberty. There are two rooms for dining. Each room has between six and eight tables. We were seated in the room to the right and were the only table seated. The other room had a couple tables seated and then probably three to four more tables that came in while we were there. I thought it was odd that on a Saturday night there were two servers, no host and no bartender. There may be no need for a bartender. We ordered wine and iced tea was the only other beverage I saw being served.
Here’s what we ordered:
Frito Mitso-essentially fried calamari and shrimp with a red pepper tomato sauce
Stuffed Filet-filet stuffed with sauteed mushrooms
Blue Cheese Filet-filet stuffed with blue cheese and topped with a blue cheese cream sauce.
The entrees come with a salad, garlic smashed potatoes and steamed vegetables.
Rob opted for a ceasar and I went for the house salad. The ceasar had a decent flavor but the house salad dressing consisted of just olive oil. Pretty bland and tasteless. Our server brought the rolls out “fresh from the oven” after our salads but didn’t supply bread plates. Our appetizer of fried calamari and shrimp came out fourty-five minutes after we placed the order. Thirty minutes later our entrees came out. The steaks were sitting ontop of the smashed potatoes and the steamed vegetables had not been drained. There were small pools of water on both of our plates. While we both ordered medium-rare, Rob’s was rare. He asked the server to take it back and heat it up a temp. By the time it came back out, I had finished eating and had a togo box. Nearly fifteen minutes to bring the steak up one temperature. The meal was definitely not worth the price we paid, or the nearly three hours we spent there. I’m not saying I wouldn’t go back for say the pot roast on a Sunday night or the meatloaf at lunch, just not steak on a weekend.

Update: My initial fear rings true. One kitchen is shared by The Liberty Pub, Antonio’s and Bistro 320. Several people we know stopped in before the Blue Man Group and had problems getting their food in time for the concert, if at all. I think the place has a good concept but the execution needs mucho help. Three different menus trickling into one kitchen is a recipe for disaster.