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Tuesday, Jan 21, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* WGN…

A disturbing trend the kids are trying: snorting Smarties.

Thousands of YouTube videos have showed up showing kids grinding up the candy, and snorting it.

They’re laughing and egging each other one some are even doing it right there in the classroom.

They don’t think it’s risky because it’s candy and not a drug.

But, kids are getting caught and suspended from school for doing it, and doctors warn of some pretty serious risks.

They say, snorting Smarties can lead to lung irritation, infection, and even worse nasal maggots.

What sort of goofballs would ever do such a thing?

* Well, many years ago when my family rented a house on a farm in Iroquois County, my parents raised chickens. For whatever reason (I suppose he didn’t have a truck at the time), my dad bought some corn for the chickens and hauled it in the back seat of his 1964 Ford Falcon.

A few kernels remained on the floor of the back seat and were still there when my parents took us all on a family trip to Springfield.

My younger brother Denny was always an odd duck and to this day I’m not sure why he did it, but he put one of those corn kernels up his nose. He then proudly informed everyone of his superb accomplishment.

Mom told him to try to blow it out, but instead of blowing, Denny breathed in through his nose. Like I said, he was an odd duck.

Large families (I have four brothers) cannot ever escape the crazy. Somebody always does something goofy. But the real insanity comes when everybody gets into the act.

Dad was yelling, Mom was doing her best to stay calm, and my other brothers and I were trying to “help” Denny by blowing air out through our own noses to show him how it was done. I’m sure it was a pretty darned hilarious site if you passed us on the highway.

Denny sucked that corn kernel all the way into his sinus cavity and we had to go to a Springfield hospital to have it removed with a very long pair of tweezers. Needless to say, our capital city tour didn’t get off to a great start. I don’t remember anything else about that trip except waiting forever in front of the hospital in a hot car.

* Anyway, the moral of this story, kids, is don’t put stuff up your nose that doesn’t belong there.

…Adding… WGN must be behind the times. I just found a “snorting smarties” video from six years ago.

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Rate the new Cross ad

Tuesday, Jan 21, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Rep. Tom Cross is running a new radio ad in Springfield, Bloomington and Champaign. Rate it…

Skyrocketing debt, record high taxes, the nation’s worst budget deficit.

State government is a mess.

We need new leadership in Springfield.

Illinois voters are facing an important choice for state treasurer.

Tom Cross is running to stop the dishonest budget gimmicks and enforce the state’s balanced budget requirement.

Senator Mike Frerichs supported billions in budget hikes leaving Illinois citizens holding the bag.

Cross is a proven fiscal conservative who will establish a government integrity unit to protect state funds from corruption and fraud.

Frerichs and Governor Quinn raised taxes on families and employers by 67 percent – the most in Illinois history.

Cross has the skills and determination to be a vigilant fiscal watchdog and protect Illinois taxpayers.

For treasurer, the choice is clear.

Tom Cross will clean up the mess…

…fight the waste and corruption…

…and restore fiscal sanity.

Paid for by Cross for Treasurer.

* As if by magic, the Illinois Republican Party backs up Cross with a press release…

Mike Frerichs is launching his campaign for Illinois Treasurer this week. But the people of Illinois have some questions that Sen. Frerichs needs to answer:

1. “Since entering office in 2007, 364,000 fewer people are working in Illinois. In fact, even your own family members have moved their business out of Illinois due to the poor business climate. Do you still maintain that raising taxes on small businesses, like you have, is an effective job creation policy?”

2. “In 2011, you joined with Governor Quinn to raise income taxes by 67%. At the time, you said it would help pay past due bills. Illinois currently has over $7 billion in unpaid bills while at the same time being a regional leader in unemployment. Did your tax increase plan work?”

3. “Twice over the last few years you voted to raise your pay and that of the Governor and other constitutional officers. During this same period, the state was accruing billions in unpaid bills and struggling to maintain funding levels for education and human services. Why were pay raises for politicians made a priority in your spending plans?”

4. “In 2010, even Speaker Madigan conceded that the budget was not balanced, even though there is a state constitutional requirement to have a balanced budget. How do you justify supporting that unbalanced budget?”

5. “During the last fundraising quarter, greater than 50% of your contributions came from public- and private-sector unions and overall have contributed over $270,000 in 2013 alone to your treasurer campaign. How will you avoid conflicts of interest with taxpayers?”

Illinois Republican Party Executive Director Jayme Odom released the following statement:

“Democrat State Senator Mike Frerichs has been a consistent vote for higher taxes, budget-busting spending and job-crushing fees and regulations. Illinois needs a solution-driven Republican Treasurer ready to tackle the economic problems facing our state. Mike Frerichs won’t be part of the solution, because he is already a part of the problem.”

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