Connie Wilson’s Contributor Profile – Yahoo! Contributor Network – Yahoo! Contributor Network – contributor.yahoo.com

Speaker of the House John Boehner (R, Ohio).

As the debt ceiling talks stall, I am reminded of the “Rolling Stone” article I wrote on Speaker John Boehner back in January. If you haven’t read what is essentially a synopsis of an extremely informative article in “Rolling Stone” by Matt Taibbi, there’s a link above. It would be a good idea to read it, in light of the unprecedented crisis he and his party have thrust upon our country with the failure to pass an extension of the debt ceiling, something done 18 times for Reagan and 7 times for Clinton. Bush the Younger, who got us into this mess by blowing through the surplus that President Clinton left and getting us into multiple conflicts worldwide also had the debt ceiling raised several times, whether the leadership was Republican or Democratic.
But our first black president cannot catch a break from the Tea Party tribe recently installed in the hallowed halls of Congress.  I saw the potential for impasse up close and personal in 2008 at the Ron Paul Rally for America in Minneapolis’ Target Center. I remember saying then, “If the Republicans can harness all this energy and enthusiasm and youth, they have a shot at revitalizing their party,” which, let’s face it, was looking pretty old and white and homogeneous across town in St. Paul at the RNC. That harnessing, unfortunately, has led us to the brink of financial ruin, as the group that emerged became known as the Tea Party.

Here’s a quote from today’s (July 28^th) Chicago “Tribune” regarding Speaker Boehner and the current impasse:  “He is the party,” said Rep. Steven C. LaTourette (R, Ohio), a longtime ally.   “If he’s diminished, the party is diminished.” Given the way they’ve been acting, all I can say to that is a resounding, “Good!”

A few more quotes from a different Chicago “Tribune” article by Lisa Mascaro and Kathleen Hennessey of the “Tribune’s” Washington bureau. (And make no mistake about it: the “Tribune” is pro-Republican most of the time and praised Boehner’s bone-headed 2-step tax proposal, which would put “we, the people” through this mess all over again in 6 months’ time…a bad idea in and of itself.)

Page12, July 28, “Nation & World” section, “Boehner Steers A Rocky Path:”  “Earlier this week, the plan was relegated to life support when an analysis showed it would not cut as much as advertised, threatening to take Boehner down with it amid warnings of dire economic consequences for failing to act.  In a quickly changing atmosphere, though, little is certain.”

The “Tribune also said, on the same page, “If the GOP majority ends up falling in line, Boehner will emerge as a cool political operative who found a way to steer his caucus and its unruly freshman class to momentary unity.  If the bill fails, Boehner will have proved the conventional wisdom:  Neither he, nor possibly anyone else on his team can control the rambunctious tea party-aligned GOP ranks that are redefining what it means to be a conservative in this country.”

Later in the article (and at great length in the original January piece. link above), the comment was made:  “Boehner’s hold over these newcomers is fragile.”

Let’s face it: NOBODY has control over the Tea Party loose cannon element in Congress. The nation is pretty sick of it.  Quoting folks who live near the Beltway, Faye Fiore of the “Tribune” papers quoted 66-year-old Warren Cohen of Fairfax as saying, “Lunacy” and announcing his willingness to pay more taxes on his $250,000 in income.  That comment was made “as the country barreled toward a financial cliff.” Noted Fiore, “They’ve (citizens interviewed) had it up to here with politicians who listen to the fringes of their parties, then expound about what ‘Americans want.’”

I just signed a petition authorizing President Obama to invoke the 14^th Amendment and, if necessary, raise this debt ceiling on his own recognizance. He has tried to “lead from behind,” as the pundits put it, being reasonable with a group of intractable Congressmen who act like two-year-olds and putting up with a lot more ridiculous behavior from the Tea Party crowd than any informed, intelligent, dedicated public servant should have to put up with. It seems like most of them deserve a “time out.” This former Senator and Harvard grad , who is now the President of the United States,  is at the mercy in the case of my own district (17^th Congressional, Illinois) of a guy with a 2-year degree from Black Hawk Junior College and not much else on his resume, other than owning a pizza parlor, being firmly in the pocket of big contributors in this area such as John Deere, and having once served his union. He and the man he defeated (Phil Hare) were both staunch Catholic graduates of Alleman High School in Rock Island, but only Bobby Schilling has 10 kids. (Hare had only 2). Only Hare had 27 years’ experience as Lane Evans’ right-hand man until he had to retire with Parkinson’s disease, also, and that, too, shows in this most recent idiocy. Schilling is among 5 first-term GOP House members from Illinois. He was endorsed by the Tea Party when he ran and you can bet your endangered Social Security dollars that he is going to have a real fight on his hands during the next run for office, given his performance to date.

Here is how Faye Fiore in McLean, Virginia put it:  “They (the citizens) want this debt game over.  It’s getting old: rich lawmakers playing chicken with the lives of people who can’t afford it.” Senator Harry Reid has already announced that the plan, even if it were to pass, is DOA in the Senate, and there is also the matter of a presidential veto that would be likely. But getting this group of Republicans to agree on anything is like herding cats, and not particularly bright cats, at that.  Does the old cliche “Lead, follow or get out of the way” carry any meaning any more? The Republican “followers” seem unwilling to “follow” their own leader and the ostensible leader has never been noted for leading much of anything but the group leaving the 18th hole for the country club bar. Ergo, get out of the way seems apropos.

It Came from the ’70s: From The Godfather to Apocalypse Now is on tour in July and August. Here are the book blogs that will be reviewing “It Came from the ’70s” and when they will have information up about the book:

1)  “Under My Apple Tree” – July 11, 2011

2)  “Dan’s Journal” – July 12 Review. Also a Guest Post on July 13.

3)  “She Treads Softly” (Lori) – July 13 Review and Guest Post on July 14, 2011

4)  “Reading, Reading and Life” – Kendall – July 15 Review

5)  “5 Minutes for Books” – Elizabeth – July 13 Review and July 17 Guest Post

6)  “To Read Or Not to Read” – Marcie – July 18 Review and July 19 Guest Post

7)  “Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers” – Gina – July 19 Review and July 20 Interview

8)  “Books, Books, the Magical Fruit” – Sue – July 20 Review and July 21 Guest Post

9)  “Emeraldfire’s Bookmark” – Mareena’s – July 21 Review and July 22 Interview

10)  “Babbling About Books & More” – Kate – July 25 Review

Check out these varied book blogs to see what these book reviewers thought of “It Came from the ’70s: From The Godfather to Apocalypse Now.”

The Kindle

I just concluded teaching “Blogging for Bucks” at the Midwest Writing Conference at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, and sat in on a presentation from an e-book publisher. The same gentleman now setting up to publish in e-book formats was an agent when I sat next to him at lunch in Chicago at “Love Is Murder” a few years ago. Now, he and his wife—and me—are pioneers packing our wagon train and heading for the New Frontier of Kindles and Nooks.

David Morrell thinks that agents, in the future, will take over most of the functions  of print publishers. I have an agent. I would rather not use her and take care of business myself, but, then, I founded and functioned as CEO of 2 previous businesses  (Sylvan Learning Center #3301 and Prometric Testing Center #3301), so I don’t mind it that “the buck stops here.” In fact, I prefer it that way.

I  just attended the BEA (Book Expo America) in New York City for the 8th time, BlogWorld, WorldCon (in Austin, TX) and the Book Blogger conference at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City. All the talks and presentations and panels eventually talked about  e-book publishing and what to make of it. Here’s what I make of e-book publishing and I will echo J.A. Konrath, one of the leaders of the charge.

Why not?

“Writers of the world unite, you have nothing to lose but your chains! Give me your hungry-to-publish, your poor struggling authors, your wretched masses yearning to write free. I lift my E-Lamp beside the golden door.”

The “tipping point” for e-books versus print books has already been reached. By Christmas, the deluge will be unleashed as waves of Kindles and BookNooks and Sony Readers are gifted. The new generation (Millennials) are growing up playing with complex technology and hungry for it. My two-year-old granddaughters see anything electronic (camera, cell phone, Ipad) and immediately want to glom onto it.

There is no turning back.

The new frontier is upon us. The print publishing industry is circling the wagons. [They're humming Cher's song, "If I Could Turn Back Time."] In reading David Morrell’s blog, I saw that he had revised his opinion on when e-books would overtake print books downward from 5 years to 2 years. Reading the new E-book “How I Sold 1 Million Copies of My E-Book in 5 Months” by John Locke, I learned that GBL (Guaranteed Buy Lists) and OOU (One of Us) and blogging to spread the word are all going to be part of the Author-of-the-Future’s repertoire.

In my own case, my paperback books are not self-published. Small, independent publishers thought enough of my work to put out the print copies.  I paid Pattishall, McAuliffe, Newbury, Hilliard & Geraldson LLP (Chicago) to retain all e-book rights. I publish the same book as an e-book under the imprimatur Quad City Press. I make more money from virtual book sales and I know I’m being paid what I’m owed.
What are the advantages? Control, for one thing.

I had one publisher who slapped a cheap cover on a good book and nearly ruined it. (One reviewer even said, “You can’t judge this book by its cover.”) This would never have happened if I had published it as an e-book title and developed the cover myself. That same publisher kept my book a year, never paid me one cent of royalties (despite being contractually obligated to do so) and then, after I protested, sent me a check for $32. I knew, for a fact, that the book had sold that much in one book signing at a Barnes & Noble store, but how would I prove that I had been cheated? I licked my wounds and moved on, got a new (better) cover (Amish men don’t wear blue jeans, shirts with rick-rack and pork pie hats!) and published it as a Kindle title myself. It’s new and improved, and it stays up until I say it comes down. Plus, I don’t have to worry about being cheated out of my royalties or not getting paid when the company goes under, as is happening now with Leisure book authors.

If you price your book under $9.99, the author retains 70% of the money paid directly to his or her bank account. I was recently offered 35% royalties by an e-book publisher to publish my 80,000 word novel The Color of Evil. The company wanted extensive rewrites of one section. There was no upfront money, so promotion would still be all on my dime, as has been the case with the small independent publishers with whom I’ve worked. Why not publish this myself as Quad City Press, not have to rewrite in a different voice, and reap two times the royalties? (70% versus 35%). Also, you can do creative things with pricing books in a series, which is my plan with The Color of Evil, Red Is for Rage and the third book in the series, (which I am at work writing now.)

E-book publishing is both a godsend and opening the floodgates. True, some drek will be published, but if you have a person who has been writing for pay for 55 years (as I have) and has won national awards for his or her writing (as I have), your odds are pretty good that, if you like one title by this proficient author, you’ll like the others.

Pricing is key. Perseverance is key, but watch out, world. Here we come: the E-book authors are on the move! Get ready!

Three local authors will be signing books in Long Grove during the annual Strawberry Festival, on Sunday, June 12, 2011. The trio will be 2 blocks from the fire station, selling a total of 10 different titles, which range from self-help nonfiction to science fiction to ghost stories set along Route 66.

The 3 local authors taking part in the event are debut author Pauline Marquez, head of last year’s Quad City Book Fair David Dorris, and Connie (Corcoran) Wilson.

Mr. Dorris’ second book, “LIfe Is Too Short” will be on sale, as will titles ranging from “It Came from the 70s: From The Godfather to Apocalypse Now,” “Hellfire & Damnation,” “Out of Time,” “Ghostly Tales of Route 66″ (Volumes I, II and III), and “Both Sides Now.” The authors will also be present at the RME (River Music Experience) on July 30 from noon to 8 p.m. Time frame for tomorrow’s signing is noon to 4 p.m.

On May 21 at the Union Club, the Chicago branch of  the Illinois Women’s Press Association awarded its Silver Feather awards for writing excellence to several of Connie’s projects, including both of her most recent books, It Came from the ’70s: From The Godfather to Apocalypse Now and Hellfire & Damnation.  Both books have already scored (first-ever) E-Lit awards for their Kindle versions ($8.50 and $2.99, respectively, on Amazon and Barnes & Noble). Hellfire & Damnation, which is organized around Dante’s Inferno and its 9 Circles of Hell, also placed 7th (of 46 nominees) on the Preliminary Stoker Ballot. (Stephen King placed 10th on that ballot) from the HWA (Horror Writers’ Association. A sneak preview of one of the stories from the sequel to follow went up (for 99 cents) as a Kindle short story (6,500 words) on May 17th, entitled “The Bureau.”

A third book Ghostly Tales of Route 66 in Kindle format also was named a Gold Medal winner in the E-Lit awards in the travel category earlier this year. ($9.50 on Amazon and Barnes & Noble). It has only recently been made available in other than print format, although the Kindle format contains several new stories never before published, but has no pictures as the print versions do.

Other categories awarded Silver Feather awards for excellence in writing by the IWPA were:

     Photo on the Web for “The Tall Ships in Chicago at Navy Pier” on www.WeeklyWilson website.

     Writing for the Web:  “Obama in Iowa for Health Care Initiatie:  Tea Partiers Rally Outside Iowa City Fieldhouse.”

     Writing for the Web, Column or Commentary:  “Opinion:  Phil Hare Is Better Choice than Bobby Schilling in Illinois’ 17th District Race,” Yahoo! News.

     Videos for the Website, Special Interest Site:  Hellfire & Damnation, Quad Cities’ Learning, dba Quad City Press

     Writing for the Web, Feature Article:  “What Did General Stanley McChrystal Really Say in the ‘Rolling Stone’ Article that Got Him Fired?”, Yahoo Contributor Network

     Website Development, Special Interest Sites:  www.ConnieCWilson.com, Quad Cities’ Learning, Inc.

     Blogs, Webcontent, Special Interest Sites, “Weekly Wilson:  Chicago Film Festival:  Encounters of the Famous Kind,” WeeklyWilson website.

          Connie signed copies of her newest book, It Came from the ’70s: From The Godfather to Apocalypse Now at the BEA (Book Expo America) on Wednesday, May 25 from 2 to 3 p.m. and she will be selling and signing copies of all of her books at Printers’ Row on Saturday, June 5 and Sunday, June 6, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

   If you miss her there, try the RME (River Music Experience) on July 30th in Davenport, Iowa, during the Bix Road Race weekend which coincides with the RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bike Race Across Iowa) race finale. She will also be heading out for appearances at an assortment of Family Video stores with the movie book and delivering a lecture at the Moline Club in the near future. (Stay tuned for further developments.)

On July 28, 2006, the Army Sustainment Command (i.e., the Rock Island Arsenal) in Rock Island, Illinois (also known to we Quad City natives as Arsenal Island) posted a 44-page document on fbo.gov entitled “A Solicitation for Nonstandard Ammunition.” The order was similar to other orders on fbo.gov, in that it had blank spaces for name and telephone numbers and hundreds of spaces to be filled in.  The document represented a semi-covert operation by the Bush Administration, which wasn’t at all sure that the 2008 presidential election would go Republican. The Bushies wanted to make sure that the Afghanistan rebels would have enough ammunition and weapons to keep fighting, no matter who was president, so they were going to go around Congress, as is often the custom, and prop up the Afghan National Army.

The order was a big one: enough to equip a small army.  It included ammunition for Ak-47 assault rifles and SVD Dgarunov sniper rifles, GP 30 grenades, 82 mm Russian mortars, S-KO aviation rockets in enormous quantities. The contract would go to a single bidder as the wording read, “One firm fixed-price award, on an all-or-none basis, will be made as a result of this solicitation.”  The money was only available for 2 years (which was the amount of time George W. Bush had left in office.) Unlike most federal contracts, there was no dollar limit posted.

These kinds of contracts are what the Pentagon calls a “pseudo case:” the intent was to go around Congress and allocate defense funds without the approval of Congress. The order would be published—but only on fbo.gov.

A couple of stoners located in Miami stumbled on the posting and soon were bidding $300 million (which turned out to be $50 million lower than the nearest competitor) for this enormous government contract.  The two principals in the small firm known as AEY, David Packouz and Efraim Diveroli, had no business being in the running for such a large contract, but there were 3 reasons why they got it, anyway:

#1) The Bush administration had started a small business initiative at the Pentagon, requiring that a certain percentage of contracts awarded go to smaller businesses like AEY.

#2) Packouz and Diveroli specialized in exactly the sort of arms the ad was looking for.  They had the “past performance” that the Pentagon would be looking for, and,

#3) The posting required only that the ammunition be “serviceable without qualification.”

What that last bit of mumbo-jumbo means is that quality of the ammunition was not an issue, indicating how ambivalent the Bush administration was towards the Afghan fighting. They’d supply them with arms and munitions, but, as Packouz and Diveroli put it, “The Pentagon didn’t care if we supplied shit ammo, as long as it went bang and out of the barrel.”

Thus began the long, strange journey that led Packouz and Diveroli to not only pose as international arms dealers (while smoking dope in South Beach), but also to prison.  Diveroli to a 4-year-prison term and Packouz to turn state’s witness. Along the way, at least one of the players in this elaborate scam ended up dead under mysterious circumstances (Kosta Trebicka of Albania) and a small-time guy like Diveroli told his new partner (recruited from their mutual synagogue), “I’ve found the perfect contract for us.  It’s enormous—far, far bigger than anything we’ve done before, but it’s right up our alley.”

The first task order was for $600,000 of grenades.  It was important that the company of two come through on the initial order. As Diveroli put it to Packouz in the “Rolling Stone” article from which this information is taken (“Arms and the Dudes,” by Guy Lawson in the March 31, 2011 Rolling Stone issue), “You’ve got the bitch’s panties off, but you haven’t fucked her yet.” (p. 59).

The second task order was for $49 million in ammunition, including $100 million rounds of AK ammunition and over a million grenades for rocket launchers. Packouz calculated that he stood to make as much as $6 million on the contract—if the duo could deliver. The order allowed the two to live the high life at the Flamingo in Miami, telling the other attorneys and would-be models who lived there that they were arms dealers. The line was something along the lines of, “You know the war in Afghanistan? The bullets are all ours.”

Unfortunately, there were only the two of them. A task normally handled by teams of weapons experts was dumped in Packouz’ lap and he and Diveroli began contacting the Ukraine, Montenegro, the Czech Republic, Albania and attending events like the International Defense Exhibition in Abu Dhabi for suppliers. Rosboron Export, the official dealer for all Russian arms, sold more than 90% of Russian weapons, but Rosboron was banned by the State Department for selling nuclear equipment to Iran. There was also the problem of shipping the weapons…if they could be found…to Afghanistan.  Turkmenistan, a former Soviet satellite, had to be crossed to get to Afghanistan, and permission could not be obtained. As Packouz put it, “It was clear that Putin was fucking with us directly.  If the Russians made life difficult for us, they would get taken off the Russian blacklist, so they could get our business for themselves.” (p. 72, Guy Lawson’s Rolling Stone article “Arms and the Dudes.”

Every day, Packouz would send volleys of e-mails to Kabul and Kyrgyzstan and the Army Arsenal command in Rock Island, Illinois, set on an island in the middle of the Mississippi, once designated something like 7^th to go in the event of a Russian nuclear attack. (Omaha with its SAC facilities always ranked high on the list, too).

The contracting officers told Packouz there was “a secret agenda.” Quote from the article, p. 72:  “They said Bush and Rumsfeld were trying to arm Afghanistan with enough ammo to last them the next few decades.  It made sense to me, but I didn’t really care.  My main motivator was making money, just like it was for General Dynamics.  Nobody goes into the arms business for altruistic purposes.”

The 9% profit margins that the newbies had decided might be high enough soon gave way to 25% mark-ups, leaving Packouz and Diveroli with $85 million in profits. The boys had delusions of grandeur, even moving into larger offices, rather than the modest apartment they originally operated from and bringing in 2 young secretaries courtesy of Craigslist, 2 more friends from their synagogue and a Russian interpreter to help them fulfill the contracts. Said Packouz of that time, “Things were rolling along.  We were delivering on a consistent basis.  We had suppliers in Hungary and Bulgaria and other countries.  I had finally arranged all the overflight permits.  We were cash positive.”

A few weeks after the contract was awarded to AEY, the fledgling arms dealers were summoned to a meeting with the purchasing officers at the Rock Island Arsenal.  Because they were so young, the duo asked Ralph Merrill, the Utah Mormon gun manufacturer in his sixties who had bankrolled them, to go with them to the meeting.  Diveroli was also able to show auditors a personal bank balance of $5.4 million.

As “Rolling Stone” describes the meeting on Arsenal Island on page 59:  “The meeting with Army officials proved to be a formality. Diveroli had the contracting jargon down, and he sailed through the technical aspects of the transaction with confidence:  supply sources, end-user certificates, AEY’s experience.  Said Packouz afterwards, “I just think it never occurred to the Army people that they were dealing with a couple of dudes in their early twenties.” (p. 59, “Arms & the Dudes” in March 31, 3011 Rolling Stone magazine.)

Eventually, as one of the boys’ aunts had predicted all along, things went bust.  The New York Times ran a front-page story in March of 2008 entitled “Supplier Under Scrutiny on Arms for Afghans.” As the eventual House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform concluded, “The AEY contract can be viewed as a case study in what is wrong with the procurement process.” (p.75).  As the article concludes, “The Bush administration’s push to outsource its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, in short, had sent companies like AEY into the world of illegal arms dealers, but when things turned nasty, the federal government reacted with righteous indignation.” The investigation than ultimately yielded a 4-year sentence (lengthened by a questionable lapse of judgment on Diveroli’s part in handling a machine gun when specifically banned from doing so), there was “a questionable need for the contract, a grossly inadequate assessment of AEY’s qualifications and poor execution and oversight of the contract.”
And it all happened at our local Rock Island Arsenal. Read the gorier details (and there are LOTS more, in the March 31, 2011 Rolling Stone magazine with Howard Stern on the cover.)

Ava enjoys the pool at the Royal Sands in Cancun, Mexico, on April 10, 2011.

We’re here in Cancun, our first full day.

The pools and beaches are much less crowded than normal during “spring break” but this could be because “spring break” is over. Or, it could be that people are not traveling to Mexico, due to all the bad publicity. Or it could be because they’ve jacked the price(s) up on things like a massage (formerly $75, now, for three of us $297. (Yikes!). I got him to throw in a pass to the exercise/spa/hot tub room ($50 for the week) and one of our party is responsible for 1/3 of that amount. So, if you deduct the $50, I guess the expense (which is a birthday gift to daughter-in-law Jessica) is the same as last year’s amount, but everything seems more expensive.

Stacey and Scott poolside in Cancun at the Royal Sands on April 10, 2011.

We have two units in play: one is our “normal” 1^st floor digs, with the 23-year-old daughter (Stacey) and her friend Emmie Futrell in residence in the second bedroom with its own bathroom. I love my 2-year-old granddaughters, but it is nice that the people in this unit actually sleep slightly later.

Two-year-old Elise Wilson enjoys the water in the baby pool at the Royal Sands.

Today was the “Welcome Party,” which means free drinks (rum and cokes). I am so over the hoopla of throwing water balloons at one another and refuse to take part, as I have done for the past 10 years or so. The daughter and her father gamely took part, but the winner…believe it or not…was Elise, age 2, who somehow ended up with the only intact water balloon and “won” a bag from the establishment, which is handy for taking things to the beach. I thought ahead and had the spouse pack the “Chicago” bag I bought at the airport last year on our way here. It makes a perfect beach bag, and he said it wasn’t too difficult to get in on the bottom of his luggage.

Just off the lobby, this is the view from the Royal Sands.

The trip here was uneventful. We even had an empty seat between us in the set of 3 on American Airlines, which is unusual. Is this, too, a sign of the economic times?

There was a woman sitting in my aisle seat when we first reached our row, and she seemed very put out to be asked to take her own seat, which turned out to be in the middle. She spent most of her time prior to take-off sulking and turned on her laptop computer and began watching some cartoon or movie that featured dogs barking loudly. Since she had not brought headphones, it appeared that I would have to listen to her dog cartoon for the entire trip, but I was intent on ignoring her obvious pique at being asked to sit in her own assigned seat.

Heaven, thy name is Cancun's beach.

At that point, she summoned the stewardess and began some long involved tale about her husband’s pulled hamstring muscle and how he HAD to be sitting on an aisle. This was odd, because he was never seated on the aisle. He was seated against the exterior of the plane and SHE was seated on the aisle, the seat that was mine, which she really did not want to give up.

April 10, 2011 in Cancun, Mexico (Royal Sands Resort).

The stewardess kindly offered them places behind us so that her husband could have an aisle seat…, which was obviously not the issue, despite the woman’s clever oh-so-sweet explanations to the stewardess.

After their first move, next thing I heard was that they were moving AGAIN.

The first part of the trip was extremely bumpy. Even the stewardesses were told not to get out of their seats. There were storm systems and they buffeted us until we cleared Memphis, which did not seem like that long a time. One small child on the right side of the plane (age approximately 3) knew and shouted only 1 word for the entire trip. “NO!” There was a baby approximately six months old in that aisle, as well. The baby cried upon take-off, but was pretty well behaved, overall.

We arrived at our “home away from home” fairly early (noon) and learned that the shuttle prices from the airport have escalated from $12 per person to $16 per person. You must walk through the airport and outside near the front entrance of the airport to book a shuttle at the information desk. You must not be led astray by the many Time Share sales people standing there ready to pull you aside and book you into a Time Share “pitch.” As owners of 2 time-shares since 1995 or so, with a history of visiting for 3 years before buying (Fiesta Americana Condessa for 2 years and 1 year renting at the Royal Mayan), we know the drill.

This year, our time-share, the Royal Sands, has improved many things. The stove and microwave in our kitchen are new. All villas have wireless. New 32” flat screens have been installed in 3 places inside the units (2 bedrooms and the living room area).

We visited the store within the resort immediately and bought the basics. The “basics” this year cost $300 U.S. dollars. This seemed high, but we were expecting all 10 other members of the family fest to arrive at our unit and expect snacks and drinks. It’s always nice to be warmly greeted with hospitality.  We will be here for 2 weeks, so we will definitely use the eggs, bread, margarine, pop, etc.

After the purchase of the groceries, the husband said, “If I have even one beer, I think I’ll fall asleep.” We had to get up at 5 a.m. in order to make our 8 a.m. flight.

As soon as the groceries (pushed to our first floor unit in borrowed grocery carts) were put away, my husband announced that he wanted to go sit outside by the pool. He had already unpacked his clothes. I had not, so I stayed in the room and unpacked my suitcase. At some point, I decided to just lie down for a few minutes.
An hour later when my daughter and her friend arrived from Nashville, I heard discussions about whether to wake me up. I immediately joined the group.

Soon, the 2 family groups with the young children arrived and now the party is in full swing. More on the rest of the week (today is Sunday), as it progresses.

One bit of good news: “Ricardo” (i.e., Richard), the one continuing presence in our close to 20 years of visiting Cancun, has returned to the Royal Resorts fold and we will see him for either lunch or breakfast on Thursday. Today was the Welcome Party. Tomorrow is the traditional Taco Party.

We spent the night watching “The Celebrity Apprentice” on TV from a Florida station. Gary Busey is obviously nuts. Very entertaining, but obviously a liability for the Men’s Team. Mark McGrath was very articulate and got kicked off. I think Donald Trump is doing all this “I’m running for President stuff” to get publicity for his show, among other pursuits.

Viva, Cancun!

Terrible Toyota Tundra

I decided to post this account of my car accident of March 31, 2011, to warn other drivers who might not want to have their small car crushed by a giant silver behemoth of a truck, simply because they are driving up Kennedy Drive, on their way to Best Buy to purchase 3 flash drives. Not in any particular rush. Just 12 blocks or so away from home.

For those who live in the Illinois Quad Cities, I want to warn you of this “most dangerous” intersection…(or one of the most dangerous)…in the city. I mean, of course, 30^th Avenue and Kennedy Drive, right where the Walgreen store sits. I was driving south toward the Jewel store on Kennedy Drive. I came to the intersection mentioned above and noticed that there were several cars in the left turn lane (which would be a turn to head your car toward Silvis, something I did every morning for 17 and ½ years, so I know that turn well).

I was paying attention. I was only driving 30 mph. You have to pay attention in the East Moline to Moline area, or you will be picked up for speeding. I try to always run radar. The border between Moline/East Moline on 30^th Avenue as you drive towards Wilson Junior High School is particularly problematical.

There is a hill on 30^th Avenue, or perhaps it is more accurate to call it a dip. As your car heads towards Moline (from East Moline) the speed limit drops from 35 mph in East Moline to 30 mph in Moline, with almost no marking. And this happens at the bottom of a hill. So, the police thoughtfully park their vehicles on a side street, wait for you to reach the bottom of the hill and (probably) move above 30 mph, so that they can give you a ticket for speeding.

At the bottom of said hill you are usually  “fair game” to be picked up for speeding, since you may have inadvertently picked up speed as you coasted down the hill (it’s called gravity), and you are entering Moline’s 5 miles per hour slower speed limit, although you have not changed roads or directions. If this seems unfair to you, join the club. In order to be in strict compliance with the change in driving speed between Moline and East Moline, you’ll have to be applying your brake as you coast down the hill. Otherwise, you’ll be facing the music in court. Be aware. Be wary. You could try defying gravity, but I doubt if you’ll have much luck with this approach.

But I was not ON 30^th Avenue this day.

I was merely diving slowly (I only go 30 mph now everywhere to avoid speed traps like the one on 30^th Avenue mentioned above) up Kennedy Drive towards the Jewel store in Kennedy Square (and on past it to Best Buy out near Southpark Mall.)

As I approached the red light at the intersection of 30^th Avenue and Kennedy Drive, heading towards Kennedy Square (i.e., southbound) I stayed on the right side next to the right curb, since it was apparent that the left-turning cars would hold up traffic that merely wanted to go straight down Kennedy. Here comes the rub.
When you go THROUGH the intersection, still heading south towards Kennedy Square, the two-lane road often has cars parked along the right side curb. Not always, but often. This day, I considered myself lucky. No cars parked on the right. Clear sailing in the “right” lane, (which is not really a lane, but will ultimately narrow so that you will have to “merge” into the left lane.)

As I cleared the intersection, I noticed in my rear view mirror that a very large silver truck was tailgating me. The driver was practically in my back seat. He seemed to be going very fast, to me (remember: I’m the one who only drives 30 mph for the reasons mentioned above), but he may simply have been going 35 mph, the speed limit in East Moline (but NOT in Moline).

I glanced in my rear view mirror and commented, to myself, that I was glad I could continue to hug the right hand side curb and didn’t have to “merge” right away, because the person driving the truck was apparently in a much bigger hurry than me and very territorial about being first with a bullet. He was obviously an “Alpha Male” type who must remain in front of all other drivers at all times. Fine by me, I thought. You just go ahead and zip right on past me! I’ll just stay over here on the right, hugging this curb, until you take your giant silver whomper-stomper of a vehicle and head on down the road. Picture me saying, “Dum, dum, de dum”at that point. I also knew this intersection was a “ bad” one because my mother-in-law once had a car accident there when picking up my daughter from her piano lesson, so, no fool I, I would just hug that curb and let old Mr. Silverback or Silver Truck have the whole road for his giant ugly vehicle. No hurry on MY part to “merge.”
Unfortunately, just as I consciously willed this ill-mannered tailgating creep to zoom on down Kennedy Drive and leave me there, a curb-hugger, he hit me.

I heard a grinding, scraping, crushing sound, and my car shuddered violently. It nearly went out of control.  If this idiot pushed me into the oncoming northbound traffic (i.e., the cars coming from Kennedy Square and heading north up Kennedy Drive), I would be hit broadside. I was fighting to control the car and thinking, “This mouth-breathing Neanderthal just HIT me!”

I searched the right-hand side of the road, frantically looking for a place I could pull over and get my car (and me) out of harm’s way. Luckily, the vacant lot and not-very-heavily traveled gravel road at 35^th Avenue and 2^nd Street was immediately ahead on my right. I actually had the presence of mind to signal for a right turn before pulling over and stopping my car. I had already made a note of the license plate of the Silver Toyota truck, as I wondered if he would stop at all, since he had just rear-ended a small car driving ahead of him in traffic, a car he should not have been that close to in the first place.

Mr. Neanderthal jumped down from his silver truck and was waving his arms and screaming. Why was he screaming? Beats the hell out of me! HE had just creamed my vehicle, knocking it so violently that I almost was pushed into the ongoing traffic lane, and now HE was yelling at ME. What’s wrong with this picture?

I glanced quickly at the back wheel well area of my green Prius (“the grasshopper”) and saw that parts of it were sticking out at 90 degree angles from the rest of my car. (Ooooo. That can’t be good, I thought.) One thought I had was this, “I wonder if I can drive this car after he hit me and crushed the wheel well area? It might be that the piece that is totally turn off my vehicle will puncture the tire or something.” I said nothing to the wildly gesticulating elderly male driver so out-of-control in front of me. He had obviously hit me. It was too late for him to UN-hit me, so now we simply must deal with the consequences in an adult manner. Or so I thought. That only works if both of you are capable of behaving in an adult manner. I have learned recently that many MANY adults are arrested at a maturity level of a twelve-year-old. In fact, when I visited the State Farm insurance agency, the young girl helping me file the claim said, after she heard how awful the elderly drive had been, “Yeah. The old ones are worse than the younger kids, usually.” Food for thought. Cranky old person? A stereotype, but one this guy certainly fit. And, keep in mind…THIS guy’s vehicle was not hurt AT ALL. The policeman wrote down ZERO dollars damage to his truck, so why was HE screaming at ME? Seems rather immature and unfriendly and, also, potentially designed to distract attention from the very real fact that he had just rear-ended the vehicle of a woman who was even older than he was old, but was still capable of trying to act like a civilized human being, which, I have learned, to my chagrin, many Control Freak types are not. Get in their way and they freak out.

Mr. Neanderthal was now berating me. (Seems odd, but there you have it….) He was being totally uncivil. I immediately gave him my name. I asked him what his name was.

“I’m not giving you my name, you smart ass.”

Well, this was going well, wasn’t it?  I ask the man who has just ruined my car…(and damn near caused me serious bodily injury) for his NAME at the scene of an accident he has caused and he refuses to give it to me!

I tried a different tack. “I think we should exchange insurance information.” I went to my car to get mine out of the glove box.

Mr. Neanderthal says, “I ain’t giving you no insurance information. I’ll only give it to the po-lice.” (He pronounced police as 2 syllables.)

Since I frequently am in Chicago, a second home, and the Chicago police do NOT want to be bothered by people who are merely randomly running their vehicles into one another UNLESS one of them is hurt (neither of us was, fortunately), I mentioned this fact. “I’m not sure the police want to be called, unless there is personal injury, and we’re both okay.”

Wow! Wrong thing to say! And, I admit, more the way it works in the Big City than in East Moline, Illinois.
”You shut up, you smart ass.”

I think Mr. Neanderthal then also called me a liar or some other uncomplimentary thing for having shared this bit of Big City information about police responses to accidents in big cities which, admittedly, may not apply in what my friend D.J. refers to as “Poopyville.” (D.J. means no harm, and, himself lives in Las Vegas, so people who live in glass houses shouldn’t put down wholesome communities that are in the middle of nowhere, but D.J.said it, not me.)

Since I have endured quite a bit of verbal abuse online recently, which would include the Tea Party members who didn’t like the piece I did praising Eisenhower (go figure) and the ex-collaborator who has been trolling some really questionable sites and lying his ass off to the point that legal action will be taken, and now Mr. Neanderthal, who was being a complete jerk. Mr. Neanderthal didn’t need to admit guilt, but it would have been nice to have heard him say something human or compassionate like, “Gee, this is too bad.”

But no. Mr. Neanderthal, whose large silver truck had NO damage [but did have a number of colorful paint chips on his undented bumper] (makes you wonder how many other cars he has hit with his large ramming speed vehicle?) was going to simply verbally abuse me, waving his arms about and acting like a total child and complete jerk. In fact, I think there are even some rules about HAVING to give your name, if asked, at the scene of an accident, which someone closer to his size should remind him about. But this idiot wasn’t going to provide his name when politely asked.

At no time did I verbally abuse this person or call him names, or accuse him at that time of what he had done (i.e., ram into me while following too closely and driving too fast) but, hey! I could have said, “Look, you jerk! Look at the damage you just did to my vehicle! What-the-hell were you thinking, driving up behind me that fast?” But I did not say any of these things to the rude, unpleasant, 64-year-old creep who rear-ended me and then acted put out at ME! I knew he was working on some story that would make this (somehow) be MY fault. He was the type. I could just hear him now. And I could also imagine that, if I made any effort to speak with him further, Mr. Neanderthal might actually become violent.
True, it was only 3:30 in the afternoon. But I was a woman, driving alone, and an old fart with gray hair was waving his hands in the air in a threatening manner. Perhaps it was time to retreat to my vehicle and call for back up. Which I did.
Back up, in this instance, meant my retired husband, napping at home.

I got in my dented Prius, locked the doors, got out my phone, and dialed my husband, who was approximately 13 blocks away, asleep. He, in turn, called the police. I gave the spouse directions to my location just up the street and, within 5 minutes, the cavalry rode to the rescue.

For one thing, I needed someone with some mechanical aptitude to take a look at my wheel well and tell me if I could drive away from this fender bender.

For another, I might need someone to clock Fart Man if he took a swing at me.

For a third, men don’t really like to listen to “the little woman” and it would be far better if I had a man present, backing me up and telling this guy to shut up. I have known this since the days I spearheaded (some would say master-minded, but, with all the collective bargaining rights in the entire state of Wisconsin going under, perhaps masterminding something that only lasts for 31 years isn’t anything to brag about) collective bargaining rights in Silvis, Illinois. That would be the SEA efforts to gain collective bargaining rights. I insisted that a man stand up with me then, as Co-chairman of our teachers’ group, and I definitely wanted one here with me now.

By now, the police had arrived, which means one officer who seemed to be about 30 years old. Fart Man, the old Neanderthal who would not provide his name or insurance information but felt like a Big Man threatening a 5’ 2” woman whose car he had just ruined while driving like a maniac. Naturally, Mr. Neanderthal insisted on telling HIS story first. I ambled over near where he was bending the cop’s ear, because I just knew Neanderthal Man was giving a creative version of how innocent he was. [HE didn’t drive right up my rear end, practically into my back seat. HE wasn’t going fast. HE wasn’t tailgating. He was totally blameless, of course, and I should be hanged as a witch at sunrise.]

This seems to be quite the refrain of late. I had considered taking out an ad offering to be the “scapegoat” for all the world’s problems, (for a fee, of course.)  Mr. Policeman didn’t want me to listen in on the old fart’s version. He instructed me to go sit in my vehicle, which I did without protest, joining my husband there. He had found my insurance papers for me in my glove box when I became rattled at the prospect of imminent injury from Neanderthal man and fled to hide within my vehicle.

Now the young policeman (who actually said, after taking my statement that he wished we had met under different circumstances) took my statement (and it took him a really long time to write everything up, indicating that there was zero damage to Mr. Neanderthal’s vehicle, but $1,500 to mine.)

We have now taken my poor Grasshopper to the Toyota dealership and filled out claims forms with State Farm and I will be without a vehicle for some period of time while parts are ordered and repairs are made. I am grateful that I was not hurt. I am grateful, also, that Mr. Neanderthal was not hurt… although I wish he would try, for once in his selfish life, to put himself in someone else’s shoes and realize that tailgating someone and hogging the road (I would have had to merge, eventually, but HE was not going to let some little Libtard car push his big ol’ honkin’ Toyota Tundra around. HE was going to be Numero Uno in line and, if you don’t like it, well, I’ll just gun my vehicle and run right over you!) And I wasn’t even at the point of needing to “merge.” God only knows what he might have done if I HAD tried to merge, with him in the left lane. I’m glad I never tried to do so while his silver truck was on the loose.

That, my friends, was my Thursday afternoon (March 31), one day after my wedding anniversary (over 40, so alert the media). It was not the anniversary present I had most desired.

I hope Mr. Neanderthal learns to be civil, polite and courteous and also reads up on the rules about how you MUST give your name at the scene of an accident, something that he flatly refused to do. As for the “let’s call the cops” thing: I needed the cops more than he did, since he had obviously done this sort of thing before (judging from the variety of paint colors displayed on his undented bumper) and he seemed to be a very unpleasant, impolite, poorly raised creep. I’m not going to give you his name. He knows who he is. If there’s any justice an even BIGGER vehicle will tailgate him and cream his car some day, and maybe, if he’s as mouthy and unpleasant as he was to me, cream him, as well.
Whatever happened to the days when, if you rear-ended somebody who was driving ahead of you, it was an automatic ticket. That’s what it should have been, for this guy. But instead, he’s still out there, tailgating unsuspecting small vehicles and probably shouting “ramming speed!” as he hits them. And, of course, telling HIS fantastical story to the police FIRST, because God forbid anyone but Mr. Neanderthal is allowed to go first.
Doesn’t he remember the Beatitude that said, “The first shall be last?” Keep that in mind while speeding up Kennedy Drive in East Moline, Illinois, hoping to be able to, at some point, merge into traffic without having to fight your way in.

On January 16, 2010, I posted an article on my blog, “Weekly Wilson” that detailed  my  firsthand experiences as a one-time candidate for 1^st Ward Alderman in East Moline, Illinois in 2005 who knew the vote totals announced in her race the next morning were false.  (*Read the first article to see how on Weekly Wilson to see why I was able to figure out that the sudden turn-around of an election night victory for Yours Truly to a neat “she lost by 10 votes” in the morning Quad City Times could not possibly be right.)

At the time, I promised my mother-in-law I would not write about the election. She feared it would come off  \as though I were a “sore loser,” which I was not. So, I did not write about it in 2005. I did not write about it until many years later, when a Letter to the Editor from Helen Heiland appeared, decrying the fact that she had been passed over to be Democratic County Chairman upon the retirement (and subsequent death) of John Gianulis.

Helen Heiland’s  Letter to the Editor about how she should be the Heir Apparent to the corrupt Democratic County Chairman throne  was the straw that broke the camel’s back, for me, in terms of sharing information. This was the same person who knew the truth about her own fraudulent election (went home in tears from her own victory party), even if nobody else did and even if it could not then be proven because of the corruption in the Good Old Boy network. Thanks to an informant who turned state’s evidence, it now can be proven.

Furthermore, Helen Heiland was a contemporary of Mr. Gianulis, which means that, if I was old at 50-something then, she was extremely old.  I realize that various Congressmen serve until they have to be carted off in an ambulance, but, really, is that desirable? If you are in good health and can at least walk under your own power  and are of sound mind and can stay awake at a Council meeting (or even be present in the first place) and, (hopefully), are  intelligent, shouldn’t those qualities count for something in picking a representative of  the people?

I did not run for office to become a perennial political candidate, as Mrs. Heiland has become. I ran because my former junior high school students at Silvis (IL) Junior High were present at an organizational meeting for then-Mayor Jose “Joe” Moreno  in 2005. They enthusiastically urged me to challenge long-time 1^st Ward Alderman Helen Heiland (who nearly always ran unopposed), as did then-Mayor Joe Moreno.  I was the only one in the room who lived in the 1^st Ward. Not exactly overwhelming qualifications for office, but, with a Master’s plus 30, good health, the time to spend, and a long history of being honest and outspoken (I was the Sylvan Learning Center founder, and I helped achieve recognition for the SEA in Silvis as four-term Co-Chairman of the group) . I had the time, my heart was in the right place, and I wasn’t planning on parking my elderly posterior in the seat until I was cremated.

Helen Heiland had been blocking many of the Mayor’s progressive ideas, supposedly at the urging of then-Democratic County Chairman John Gianulis, who dictated, from above, what would happen in Rock Island County. Later, I was told by a highly-placed Illinois politician when I was present at the DNC in Denver that I was merely “collateral damage” in an attempt to beat Joe Moreno.

The irony was that, unlike Helen Heiland, who allied herself with now-Mayor John Thodos and ran as a teammate, spending thousands of dollars (I heard $25,000), I spent $500, asked for no political contributions (although I got a few) and ran alone. Joe and I were not a political team. He was a friend. He knew the political ropes, but Joe ran on his own, and I ran on my own. He certainly offered advice about such things as poll watchers (too late, as it turned out; it was already the day of the election, and I had none. One election judge voted twice under 2 different names and 3 people entered a booth together in one precinct, I learned.)

Joe had (supposedly) somehow angered former Illinois State Representative Denny Jacobs and was to be “taken down a peg or two,” I was told. I never knew whether to believe that story or not, since Joe’s wife, Lorna, is a Jacobs herself, the daughter of Don Jacobs, Denny’s brother. Why would Joe’s wife’s uncle want him to lose his Mayoral bid, especially when Joe was such a good and popular Mayor who appealed to the large Hispanic population and frequently went to the police station to serve as a free translator, at all hours of the day and night? You couldn’t ask for a nicer or more popular guy or one with better ideas.  It made no sense to me then, and it makes no sense to me now, so it must be wrong. (“Yeah, sure, that’s the ticket,” to quote an old Saturday Night Live line).

The only reason I could come up with on my own—[and it is and was pure speculation]— was that Denny Jacobs might be afraid that the popular Democratic Mayor of East Moline would one day eclipse his own son in popularity and prove to be a threat to Mike Jacobs in future elections. But,— I repeat—that is pure speculation from a political rookie, so I’d ignore that, like everything else I have ever reported has been ignored.  Like the recount in a tiny room in Rock Island that showed that I finished ahead of Helen Heiland in actual ballot voting was ignored and never merited so much as a single line in either newspaper. Just go ahead and forgetaboutit. (I told my mother she should have named me Cassandra. In mythology, Cassandra always told the truth but was never believed, because of a curse that had been placed upon her.)

Elections in Rock Island County, Illinois were rigged, at least from 1988 on. I know this from my own firsthand experience. [I would venture to say that Al Gore knows this from his own firsthand experience in Florida.]

I didn’t care that I had not won the 1^st Ward Alderman’s seat. As Joe Moreno himself would tell you, I agreed to run once (and once only). I was not willing to serve more than one term. I had “promises to keep” to myself and others. My Bucket List included building a place in Chicago, spending more time with my twin grandchildren there, and writing many books, which I have been doing (8 since 2002). I was not going to become a career politician, and, quite frankly, it is too bad that more honest people don’t enter politics with the idea of serving their fellow citizens, without planning to become career politicians (“Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”).

And certainly politicians should not be planning to gain office merely to line their own pockets through schemes like the Auto Poll scheme (Leibovitz’ company? American Elections Systems, Inc., incorporated May 9, 2009)  or by buying up primo land for development in sweetheart deals or any of a number of other questionable political pursuits.

But the American Elections Systems, Inc. scheme that former Democrat County Clerk Richard “Dick” Leibovitz was implicated in 14 months ago goes beyond self-serving and into criminal waters. That is why I wonder why nothing more has been said or written about those 14-month old charges against Richard “Dick” Leibovitz.

Until I did some more digging, that is.

Despite a  girlfriend’s defense of her former classmate Mr. Leibovitz (“Oh, it was just an accounting error!” —Right. And I have swampland for sale in Florida.), it seems fairly apparent from the newspaper stories of January, 2010, that there were many examples of malfeasance in office under Richard “Dick” Leibovitz.

According to the Quad City Times, state records list three officers and directors for American Election Systems, Inc.: Richard Leibovitz; his son Christopher of Lenox, Illinois (listed as director); and James Harmening of Orland Park, Illinois, company secretary.  Harmening is also president of a Chicago-based information technology company called Computer Bits, Inc., which has provided “consulting services” to the County Clerk’s office. Computer Bits, Mr. Harmening’s company, was paid $48,969 since 2008 by Rock Island County, including $35,280 in federal grant funds.

Is it a big stretch to imagine that the conspiracy within the Rock island County Office Building could reach further than Mr. Leibovitz?  Couldn’t others…perhaps even the District Attorney’s office…be involved? What other offices might be involved? (Make a list). Is it difficult to imagine that someone who might be guilty of the charges we already know about couldn’t see his way clear, (if asked by powerful others in authority), to sneak a few extra ballots into this or that ballot box, come election night, just to keep the status quo the way the Powers-That-Be wanted them to be kept and make sure an election came out “right” ? Isn’t this the American way? Stuff the absentee ballot box, fix the election, get rich on the public dollar, retain power any way you can, so that you can profit financially?

Oh, wait.

No, that isn’t the American way that I believe in. That isn’t why  I spent $8,000 trying to show the rest of Rock Island County (and Scott County) what was going on over here across the “Joined-by-a-River” Quad Cities. Nelson, Keys & Keys tried to help me expose the corruption  in Rock Island County, Illinois.  Unfortunately, when the chips were down and the recount was going on, reporter Jenny Lee (Dispatch representative) who was present in the room, didn’t write a single word. And the Quad City Times guy must have been stuck on the bridge, because we didn’t see him at all.  And so it goes…and went. As a line from the new TV drama “The Chicago Code” put it, “There is corruption and then there is just the way things get done, and you gotta’ know the difference.”

I sense corruption, and lots of it, about to be exposed.

And, yes, it seems to have been “the way that things got done” in Rock Island County (at least since 1988).

District Attorney Jeff Terronez

District Attorney Jeff Terronez, a Democrat, prosecuted a United Township High School teacher, Jason Van Houtte, who was having sex with his underage students. One particular underage student, Julie W***, testified against Van Houtte, and he received a prison sentence.

Not long after that, additional charges surfaced that the current District Attorney, Jeff Terronez, (a Democrat) had taken the girl—his star witness— and a friend on trips and allegedly supplied alcohol to the underage pair. One story has the “trip” as a harmless trip to visit colleges in Iowa City and Springfield. Supposedly an adult associated with the attractive blonde cheerleader was present and shot film of Mr. Terronez (who is 40-ish and married) with the girls. One story alleges that the current charges against Mr. Terronez are simply a vendetta on the part of the underage girl, who really “loved” her former teacher and now wishes to get revenge, with the help of the camera footage shot by her Aunt, vengeance against the prosecuting attorney who put her former teacher love away. (If this is beginning to sound too much like a soap opera, I merely would say that you can’t make this stuff up.) All these charges were first aired on WQAD, Channel 8, by Anchor Chris Minor.

I am wondering why a District Attorney of any party would be escorting underaged teen-aged girls who were not his children on college visits. It is difficult to wrap one’s mind around the adjective “innocent,” (as in “innocent trip,”_ vendetta or no vendetta. If the trip was just a college visit, why was Mr. Terronez involved at all? Does the “She just wants to get even with him” story  hold together, realistically?

Quad City Times Sues

So, we have had 2 big political corruption stories in Rock Island County, Illinois in the past 14 months that seem(ed) unrelated and also seem to have been swept under the rug:

1)  Richard “Dick” Leibovitz’s alleged misdeeds involving the office he held for 22 years have not (yet) been punished. He has not been tried or fined or even mentioned in recent months, and it has been 14 months since the post I am repeating below this one appeared.

2)  The guilt or innocence of Rock Island District Attorney Jeff Leibovitz is also up in the air. The Quad City Times has been trying to find out what is happening regarding Mr. Leibovitz for months.

This is a timeline of the “Times” attempts to get to the bottom of the Terronez charges:

October 22, 2010: Jim Bohnsack, Rock Island County Board Chairman reported a telephone conversation wih Mr. Terronez during which District Attorney Terronez admitted that he was the subject of a police investigation. Illinois State Police declined to comment.

October 28, 2010:  QC Times filed a Freedom of Information Act with the Illinois State Police, asking for information.

November 10, 2010:  QC Times received a request from the Illinois State Police for a 5-day extension.

November 29, 2010:  A request for a FOIA review was submitted to the Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor, via e-mail.  The office was supposed to submit a response within 7 days and 30 days to answer the request.

January 21, 2011:  The Illinois State Police mailed a letter to the QC Times, denying the FOIA request of November 3. The request did acknowledge that there was an ongoing investigation involving Terronez. An attorney with the public access counselor’s office said he would contact Illinois State Police and ask for the documents the newspaper requested and for an explanation for why the request was denied.

February 18, 2011:  The QC Times received a letter from the Attorney General’s Office with a response from the Illinois State Police. It asked the public access counselor to uphold the original denial of the newspaper’s FOIA request.

March 8, 2011:  The QC times filed sit against the Illinois State Police, seeking the release of the information.

(*The timeline above appeared in the Quad City Times newspaper of March 9, 2011, on page A4. This is what is unofficially know as “the run-around.”)

So, what is going on here? We have two cases against two prominent elected Illinois officials, both Democrats. There is an acknowledgement that one case, at least (i.e., Terronez) is “ongoing.”

The other older case (i.e., Leibovitz) is a case where one might say the trail has gone cold. Or has it?

Are the authorities trying to sweep everything under the rug, or is there a concerted attempt to finally “out” the ballot-stuffing and rigged elections that I experienced, firsthand, and many others have suspected were the norm in Rock Island Country over the years. I know that the Quad City Times has had suspicions that something was “rotten in Denmark” for years, because I spoke with one of its editors who wanted me to cut down my Letter to the Editor to a ridiculously few words.

I said that what happened to me (and, I don’t doubt, to Joe Moreno and countless others) could not be explained in “ a few words” and my letter never appeared. I did not even write the letter after the election of 2005. I wrote  only after Helen Heiland, (still clinging to her 1^st Ward Alderperson position until the grave beckons) sent a letter to the Moline Dispatch whining about how she should have been given John Gianulis’ position as Chairman of the Democratic party in Rock Island County.

So, what gives with the above?

While we’re all waiting for the suit that Donald Craven, attorney for the Quad City Times has filed against Interim Director Patrick Keen of the Illinois State Police (filed in Sangamon County) to wend its way through the courts, how can the public can find out what is going on? It’s been over a year since the fact of Mr. Leibovitz’s wrongdoing was first revealed…and many months (6, at least) since Mr. Terronez’s endorsement was removed from the campaign literature of a fellow Democratic candidate for office, due to the potential embarrassment factor. And, during that time, Mr. Terronez has still been acting as the District Attorney for Rock Island County, Illinois, even though one fact that has been admitted by the Illinois State Police is that he was and is the ongoing subject of a police investigation.

True, the investigation seemed to be about whether or not Mr. Terronez supplied alcohol to underage girls but is that all that he might be charged with when the facts hit the fan?

Some say that the Terronez case and the Leibovitz case are not separate at all, but iner-related. The entire house of cards that is Rock Island County politics might be coming crashing down on the heads of those who have called the shots and stuffed the ballots (mostly the absentee ballots) and released the wrong vote counts for years and years. How could the officials discover this?
Well, one way might be to read www.WeeklyWilson.com on January 10, 2010, where I explained how I went door-to-door exposing the corruption that existed in what should be fair elections in this county. I did it not for me, but for anyone who might come after me. It cost me $8,000, and…trust me on this…a seat at the table as 1^st Ward Alderman is not worth $8,000, but preserving free and fair elections is, to me…[idealist and honest person that I am.]

I had Darren Leibovitz in school when he attended Silvis Junior High School, as I explained in the original article regarding the Leibovitz charges. I had nothing to do with the discovery of Mr. Leibovitz’ alleged misuse of federal funds to build a company that marketed voting software, which would, therefore, feather his own private nest. I did not cry a river at losing a 1^st Ward alderman position that I planned to hold for the minimum amount of time—possibly only for 2 years— despite the charges some will make that I am telling this story in a “sour grapes” fashion.  There have been elections since 2005, and I have not sought public office, political outsider that I was then and am now. As I told State Representative Mike Jacobs in Denver at the DNC, “I like politics as a spectator sport.” It is not nearly as much fun as a participant, especially when you can’t even expect the County Clerk’s office to fairly count the vote.

Darren Leibovitz, Richard “Dick” Leibovitz’s son, was brought in to be deputy clerk in his office by Mr. Leibovitz just before he retired, thereby placing him in a position over an employee with more seniority and more experience, Pat Randall. The rumor is that Randall has been granted immunity to tell where the skeletons are buried and how the ballot boxes got stuffed with absentee votes for whichever candidates the Powers-That-Be decreed should win this time around. Recently, an auditor (Diana Robinson) has announced she will not run for re-election. The rumor there is that she hopes, when the proverbial s*** hits the fan, that at least her pension will be secure.

What will the charges be? If the rumors turn out to be accurate, everything from vote fraud (which is what I told the Quad City Times back in 2005) to racketeering to RICO whatever. Who knows who all will be implicated and which powers on the throne will be toppled. Certainly not me. One source said, “Believe me…It’s gonna’ be far-reaching.”

Will any of the things I’ve said here turn out to be true? We’ll  have to wait and see. Just ignore me, as many did when I said Obama would carry Iowa. Just ignore me, as many did when I cried “Foul!” in a small election for 1^st Ward Alderman in Rock Island County in 2005. Just ignore me when I tell you that you should stay tuned for further developments, because, and I quote Quad City Times Executive Editor Jan Touney from March 9^th’s paper (front page):  “It is well past time that the public know what is happening with the investigation involving the Rock Island County State’s Attorney.”

To that, I say “Amen,” and I would like to add, “And it is also high time that the public know the disposition of the case against former Rock Island County Clerk Richard “Dick” Leibovitz.

Either there is a big s***-storm coming from on high, with charges that will make headlines, or there’s a large pile of dirty Democratic dealings that date back to at least 1988 piling up under the carpet in Springfield.

Elizabeth Edwards Stops at Davenport Democratic Headquarters in Poorly-Planned Last-Minute Campaign Stop

(*This article originally ran on www.blogforiowa.com in 2004, when I covered that presidential election for that blog. I am reprinting it at this time because news reports have said that Elizabeth Edwards is near death from terminal liver cancer. To see a newer take on my memories, go to www.AssociatedContent.com and read what I have written about my own father’s death from liver cancer, coupled with memories of this campaign stop in Davenport, Iowa, the day before the 2004 Presidential election. The day after that election, the couple announced that Elizabeth Edwards was suffering from breast cancer and, of course, we all know “the rest of the story.”

R.I.P., Elizabeth.

By Connie Wilson

The last stop.

Elizabeth Edwards is to “rally” the volunteers in Davenport at Democratic headquarters at 1416 West 16^th Street in Davenport the night before the most important election of my lifetime. Tempers are short. Nerves are frayed. Tension is high. These sentiments are probably shared by the candidates and their families. Lots of out-of-towners are here to work on election day, which is only hours away now. 

The “invitation” from Kerry headquarters in Des Moines to this event said, “Elizabeth Edwards will thank volunteers for building a surge of momentum for Kerry leading to Election Day.” I had visions of cup-cakes, pizza and beverages for hard-working volunteers. Guess again.

 I knew that the Democratic headquarters in Davenport was nearly unfindable. It has to be possibly the worst location for a Democratic headquarters in the nation. The Chicago volunteer I talked to on the phone, as I sought directions, agreed with me. I lived in Davenport for a year, and I could not find it, from Locust Street, during two previous daylight excursions. The Chicago native on the phone did tell me one thing that helped: “It’s an old school.”  Usually, when you call the place, trying to get directions, you get an answering machine that is full. Why? The Chicago volunteer said, “I don’t even know how you got through.” Me, either.

I remember the very accessible Howard Dean headquarters across from the Kahl Building fondly after seeing this place. And even the first Kerry headquarters, next to Major Art & Hobby was, at least, findable…. although not very large.

Twice before, I had tried to find the Democratic headquarters at 1416 West 16^th Street. Not easy. Tonight, Monday, November 1, 2004, it is dark, rainy and cold. As the Red Baron (in the Snoopy comic strip) would say, “It was a dark and stormy night.”

Still, I felt I should set off on my last adventure. I had high hopes that Elizabeth Edwards would sign the front-page photo of the daughter from the Sunday, October 24^th, Moline, Daily Dispatch. I especially hoped this, inasmuch as a Daily Dispatch reader from Geneseo had written a Letter to the Editor that appeared in Sunday, October 31’s paper, attacking all the students in the article, calling them all “dumb.”

I had dragged two copies of the front-page story to the last John Edwards rally at North High School in Davenport. Someone named Lisa, a Connecticut native here working for Kerry, offered to take the newspapers and try to see if she could get one of them autographed for my daughter and returned to me. I only had three. I gave her two. The papers disappeared, never to be seen again. Now I am down to one, which I have brought.

Tonight, as I arrive at the old schoolhouse and park a block and a half-away, walking towards the old school on the hill in a light downpour, it is obvious that having any opportunity to meet or greet Elizabeth Edwards is not going to be easy. The school does not lend itself to any sort of large group gathering. It is a long narrow corridor with small rooms off the corridor. (Think Catholic schools of old….rabbit warren….maze).

 Although, at one point, I caught a glimpse of Elizabeth Edwards, the Secret Service and local police are keeping everyone at bay. It does not appear that it is that “crowded,” but there are no risers, no room in which to gather. As a site for something like this, the place is, quite simply, a disaster. (“It was a dark and rainy night.”)

I did not bring my Press Pass credentials. I did not think this was a “formal” Press opportunity. I was wrong. The Channel 4, 6, and 8 people are taken back, separately, one at a time, as are a couple of print people.

I ask “Matt,” the advance man, if I can take ONE photo of Mrs. Edwards, for www.blogforiowa.com. He nervously ignores me, not even bothering to answer, busily taking a variety of other reporter types through the hallway, past me.

I ask again. And again. I have seen this guy at the last three to four rallies.  I know him on sight, now, as he does me. Perhaps he views me as a pest, at this point. I am not “important” enough. I am sure that Mrs. Edwards is “busy,” but I am also sure that this sort of treatment is what one would expect of the Republicans, not the Democrats. It is intrinsically unfair and “elitist,” and, also, out of touch with the times, since “blogs” are the wave of the future, according to a recent “New York Times” Sunday article.

My advanced degrees are in journalism and English. I have written for five papers over the span of 49 years. Why or how am I “less important” or “less skilled” than those being given access, while I am being told to “keep the aisle clear” and “make sure that this door closes”?

The obvious answer is “readership” or circulation, but, in some ways, OUR readership, at this point in time, is more important, as we are the Democratic “loyalists” that have helped bring this campaign this far, as Paul Eiger so eloquently put it in an e-mail I recently received. We may have started out in Howard Dean’s camp, (and we still believe in Howard Dean), but we have swallowed our pride and worked hard to help this ticket. None of that matters this night. (*Note: the less obvious answer was that Elizabeth Edwards was a very sick woman and had just found that out.)

Finally, desperately, I take pictures of the other people with me  who are standing in the hall without a prayer of laying eyes on Elizabeth Edwards, let alone being “thanked” or “greeted.” (“All of you keep this aisle open. Everyone away from the door. One line, only, please. Make sure that we can open that door.”).  I feel like I’m back at the Cheney rally on Saturday night, when they wouldn’t let us leave the building!

One of these no-luck individuals (pictured) is Samantha Pieczynski, of Davenport. I tell Samantha that I am going to label her smiling photo  as “Mrs. Edwards.” We laugh.

The other gentleman, Norm Bower by name, also of Davenport, asks if I want a quote. “Sure,” I say. His quote: “It is of paramount importance that George W. Bush not be re-elected so that he not be allowed to appoint Justices to the Supreme Court of the Land.” Good quote, Norm.

A young woman in corn rows (obviously an out-of-towner working for the campaign) passes, acting like she feels she is very important (they often do). I ask her if I can get a picture of Mrs. Edwards now. (All other press people have pretty much had their shot …pun intended…, so it would seem that perhaps, now, it is “my turn.” But no 

The oh-so-important volunteer says, airily, “Oh, she’s already left the building.” As soon as this campaign worker descends the staircase and is out of hearing range, the young man next to me says, “She’s not out of the building .She’s RIGHT THERE!” And he gestures towards a classroom or cubbyhole less than 10 feet from where we are all mashed against “the door that must be able to be opened and closed.” In other words, we have just been told an outright lie.

I finally see the writing on the wall. We are never going to get so much as a look at Elizabeth Edwards. We can all forget about the sentiment where it said, “Elizabeth Edwards will rally volunteers .. thank local supporters…Mrs. Edwards will greet local volunteers and speak about the importance of getting out the vote on Election Day.” (Ha!)

None of this is Elizabeth Edward’s fault, of course, but this is the least-well-planned event on the campaign trail, so far. As I leave, I see the corn-rowed worker, and I say, sarcastically, “Thanks for all your help.” She looks at me, puzzled. I add, “I didn’t think that the Democrats would take up where the Republicans left off , blatantly lying to us, quite so quickly.” She scurries for cover. I am angry.

Matt sees this. I have not been treated this poorly at any time during the past 9 months. Matt says, “Why don’t you go see Lisa?” He sees that I am mad enough to tear up, which I am.

Lisa is, apparently, the “smoother-over” person. At this point, I haven’t put a face with the name. It doesn’t really work, Matt. I am still pissed. I gave up my college teaching job to work long and hard as a volunteer for 9 months, only to be shoved aside as “not important enough” for ONE photo. And I have been lied to, both in the same night. I have already voted for Kerry/Edwards, but the “driving to the polls” duties I signed up for, months ago, seem like adding insult to injury, right about now.

Naively, I think that Lisa might be someone who can still assist me in getting  a picture of Mrs. Edwards. Or, maybe Lisa has one on HER digital  camera that she can send me?  Possibly she can help me get that elusive Edwards autograph, an autograph of the front-page picture of the daughter holding the “Hot Chicks Dig Edwards” button. I already lost two copies of these papers at the LAST Edwards appearance (North High School) when I gave it to a campaign worker

. When I find Lisa, I realize that SHE is the woman I gave the two Dispatch front pages to at Davenport North High School, who was “going to try to get it to the candidate”.  Obviously, that didn’t happen; so much for THAT plan!

I have also brought my book Both Sides Now, as a gift, for Elizabeth Edwards. I leave it with Lisa.  I might as well. It is obvious that I am never going to get within 100 yards of the woman. She is probably already speeding down the highway. This entire “event” has been so poorly-organized, planned in a poor location, and, as far as I am concerned, conducted very unfairly. I see a Happy Joe’s. I think, “Ice cream. That’s what I need. Ice cream.”
People like Linda Thieman (who has been working hard, 24/7, for 9 months, without a day off, 90 hou

rs a week, free and gratis, to put this blog together and keep it updated) and me, for that matter….who gave up her fall semester of college teaching to pursue the campaign with a vengeance (both of us on our own dime)…matter as much as Channel 4, 6, 8 or the “regular” newspaper(s). Have these people not read the articles (New York Times, most recently) that trumpet that “blogs” are the newspapers of the future? Are we not getting like 200,000 “hits” a month. Are we not telling it like it is, when mainstream media often has not? Is Iowa not an important “swing” state? I think we all know the answers to these questions.

But, Linda, tonight, www.blogforiowa.com is treated as a second-class citizen. As am I. And I am  upset about it.

Tonight, rather than being “thanked” or “rallied,” I leave almost in tears, feeling very, very disappointed in the entire evening. I am just glad that I didn’t make my daughter leave her homework to seek the long-sought-after elusive autograph of any member of the Edwards family on the front-page photo. Maybe I can get the cute kids, Jack or Mary Claire, (I think her name is)…the smallest Edwards children….to scribble something on this paper. You think? [Not likely, either, I’m thinking].

My entire evening is ruined. All the good vibe(s) of the previous ten rallies or so are crashing and burning..  I am NOT a happy camper. I probably feel about like Ralph Nader did when his poster fell down as he was speaking, in Ames. Disappointed. Dejected. Sad. Unfairly put upon.  It is good that, quoting the refrain in “Apocalypse Now,” “this is the end.”

It sure is.