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* Today, our venerated commenter and celebrated budget expert Steve Schnorf turns 70. Happy birthday, Steve!

I love the guy. He looks like a biker, is always the pragmatist and thinks like a wonk…

* The Question: Caption?

Keep it clean, people.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:25 am

Comments

“…and then I snuck up on Gov. Ryan, and I was just about to say ‘Boo!’, three troopers tackled me.”

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:28 am
You want to see something scary? The Illinois budget! Grrr!!!

Happy Birthday.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:28 am
“…I held up a sign, it said, ‘Balance Budget Myths’ and I listed them, one by one, and that’s the last time I was invited to the Mansion.”

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:31 am
I was told there’d be no math on this exam.

Comment by Name Withheld Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:31 am
” . . . and as I was walking up to the Capitol building, I swear, I saw Rich Miller hanging outside the bathroom window on the second floor; just like this . . .”

Comment by East Central Illinois Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:32 am
(swoon)

Comment by Soccermom Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:32 am
So I thought, if I put a shake weight in each hand like this, I’d get twice the workout. And that’s why I look this good at 70.

Comment by Hon. John Fritchey Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:32 am
‘All I want for my birthday is for people to download Quinn’s petition for mayor of the greatest city in the world CHICAGO! Then sign it, have it notarized (perhaps at your bank) and bring it to a rally at Daley plaza on Friday! See you there!’

Comment by William j Kelly Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:34 am
“First time Schnorf has been seen wearing a tie in years, and Rich Miller asks him if that means he’s been working with this Jonathan Gruber guy…”

Comment by Judgment Day Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:36 am
“This is not how you greet the office staff”.

Happy Birthday Schnorf. No one says “bite me” with more intellectual heft and less personal animus.

Comment by A guy... Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:38 am
Hail rich miller

Comment by foster brooks Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:38 am
The last time I was in Carbondale was in 1974. I came down here for a summer class. I remember nothing about the class at all. However I do remember closing down PK’s on the strip every night for about a month. Tawl Paul would do this growling thing….kind of like this…..

Comment by John A Logan Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:38 am
“So I puuuuullllled myself back up to the bar — but now Miller’s fallen off his stool…”

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:40 am
“…and slowly, I lifted myself up to peek in the window to see my dream birthday gift; a 15 digit calculator with dual paper rolls. I got do excited, I nearly fell, but I hung on tight, just like this, and gazed at its beauty.”

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:41 am
MrJM, true story.

lol

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:43 am
“and abra ca dabra it’s balanced”

Comment by walker Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:45 am
I represent the Budget Deficit is Too Damn High Party.

Comment by Mittuns Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:49 am
Pardon my hands, I’ve been blogging all day and they’ve locked up on me.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:52 am
And everybody agrees the budget is “balanced”.

Comment by a drop in Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:55 am
“… we were this far away from solving all the State budget problems …”

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:55 am
Yes, you sir - with the beard - your question…
OH Sorry -
Ma’am!

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:56 am
“So I use to have Bunny Rabbit on this hand and Mr Moose on this one. Then one day Mr Green Jeans hid them both, such joker that one”

Comment by Empty Suit Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:58 am
‘Hello, my name is Steve, it is my 70th birthday, what if I were to tell you that Rahm and rauner will work together to destroy the Chicago public schools? Would you support a draft Quinn for mayor petition drive? Yes or no? It is a simple question, the clock is ticking!’

Comment by William j Kelly Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 11:59 am
” … you just have to grab hold of the main issue and bend it to fit.”

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 12:00 pm
“Yeah, I couldn’t believe it, I was in the cart behind Willy and Cross, and Cross grabs Willy’s golf bag, holds it out like this and throws it in the pond…”

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 12:01 pm
“So there I was, gripping the edge of the window-sill, afraid to look down because of my vertigo, on the outside looking in. And just when they whacked my knuckles, just as I tumbled to the ground, I said to myself, ‘Some day I will be on the inside looking out.’ And here I am.”

Comment by Chicago Publius Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 12:02 pm
“This is how I would deal with Squeezy!”

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 12:02 pm
After years of budgeteer meetings, I am like a leopard, lurking in the grass. Ready at a moment’s notice to fling a pencil into a wall or drink a shot of Maker’s Mark.

Comment by Scottish Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 12:08 pm
“Baseball begins in the spring, the season of new life. Football begins in the fall, when everything is dying. In Football, you wear a helmet. In Baseball, you wear a cap. Football is concerned with downs. What down is it? Baseball is concerned with ups. Who’s up? Are you up? I’m not up. He is up. In Football, the specialist comes in to kick. In Baseball, the specialist comes in to relieve someone. In Football, you receive a penalty. In Baseball, you make an error. Whoops!”

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 12:09 pm
You put your right hand in, you put your right out…

Comment by AFSCME Steward Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 12:09 pm
All together now, Happy Days are here again.

Comment by Sir Reel Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 12:10 pm
I started out wanting to be a concert pianist, but then I discovered the calculator.

Comment by AFSCME Steward Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 12:12 pm
- 47th Ward -, we better make sure that bar has windows, we could lose hours.

George Carlin is smiling down at you…

“I grabbed them by the scruff of the neck and said ‘Pate, Lee…the numbers are the numbers. Deal with it. That was one budget meeting…”

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 12:16 pm
“but I don’t want to capture the broom of the wicked witch”

happy birthday to a most respected commenter on this blog

Comment by Loop Lady Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 12:26 pm
Hands up. Don’t shoot…the messenger.

Comment by Casual Observer Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 12:32 pm
“We were in Miller’s back yard one night… No, I can’t tell that one. We were in Trotter’s office one night… No, can’t tell that one. We were at the Keg… Nope, not that one. We were at some crazy little place in Taylorville one blustery cold January evening watching a bluegrass band when Rodney Davis walked in wearing one of those Hawaiian shirts… Nope, can’t tell that one, either, and probably already said too much. I guess I can’t tell any stories about Miller at the Institute.”

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 12:38 pm
I was THIS close to nabbing Oswego Willy so Rich Miller could put his photo up on his birthday.

Comment by Ann Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 12:38 pm
He looks like the Oliver Reed character. the slave master, from the movie The Gladiator.

Comment by Ginhouse Tommy Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 12:47 pm
Yeah, I was at a Black Knights of the Embarrass meeting with a stick about this big…..no, let’s not go there either.

Comment by zatoichi Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 12:48 pm
“So Gov. Ryan said ‘Show me your “Budget Face”…’, so I showed him, then he said “Now show me your real “Budget Face”…’ and I added the claws like this…”

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 12:50 pm
If you want to avoid paying for pensions all you have to do is move the bar.

Comment by Jeff Trigg Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 12:55 pm
And then Bruce asked me to head up CMS.

Comment by The Colossus of Roads Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 12:57 pm
= “We were in Miller’s back yard one night… No, I can’t tell that one. We were in Trotter’s office one night… No, can’t tell that one. We were at the Keg… Nope, not that one. We were at some crazy little place in Taylorville one blustery cold January evening watching a bluegrass band when Rodney Davis walked in wearing one of those Hawaiian shirts… Nope, can’t tell that one, either, and probably already said too much. I guess I can’t tell any stories about Miller at the Institute.” =

Those were my words EXACTLY when I had to go back to the Institute after the internship was over.

Comment by Barton Lorimor Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 1:03 pm
You don’t have to call me darlin, darlin. But you never even called me by my name.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 1:06 pm
To the post: I hope you have a great birthday with the family, and a great birthday night some place with a good cigar. I hope the day will come when you let me talk you into another speaking event, although that is doubtful given this post’s existence.

Thanks for all of the lessons - those that can and cannot be repeated.

Comment by Barton Lorimor Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 1:07 pm
….and that was the last time I used my hamster style kung fu techniques.

Comment by Abraham Froman Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 1:34 pm
Of course my hands look like this, I just counted all of the votes in the treasurer’s race.

Comment by AFSCME Steward Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 1:38 pm
And a one, and a two, and a three, and a four!

Comment by Rusty618 Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 1:54 pm
“and this is where the bar is set for Rauner…”

Comment by D.P.Gumby Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 1:55 pm
“What is it about my previous response to you, that ‘I’m about to strangle you’ that you don’t understand?”

Comment by Skeptical Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 1:57 pm
Don’t eat the Brown Acid… The Brown Acid is a bad trip.

Comment by Exbricklayer Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 1:57 pm
Steve mimics African warrior in Ghost and the Darkness. dont sleep in tents, and HB Dude

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 2:03 pm
“My slide rule is this big.”

Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 2:04 pm
My body of work is a youthful 70 years old today. My body…well, let’s just say not quite as youthful.

Comment by A guy... Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 2:13 pm
Rich Means twin brother.

Comment by Rhino Slider Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 2:19 pm
“The budget hole is a scary monster waiting to pounce.”

Comment by Vote Quimby! Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 3:04 pm
Mr. Schnorf,

Happy birthday to you, and many, many more.

If I ever feel I understand the fiscal aspects of Illinois Government, I only need to remind myself how grossly wrong I am be realizing you have forgotten more about fiscal Illinois than I could even hope to retain.

Rich also calls you one of the best to hang out with outside the Illinois political bubble. That speaks to how well rounded you are and how good of a person you are too.

I know I take a respectful pause to read your wisdom when you share it, and I’m better for having taken the time to read it too.

Happy Birthday. To all the stories you can’t tell us!

OW

“caption?”

“Then I wrang out every last dollar out of that agency like so…”

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 3:12 pm
Shots of Wild Turkey at Brown’s on Schnorf!

Comment by Jaded Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 3:15 pm
Thank you all for the kind wishes (snark). To the best of my memory I’ve never forced Wild Turkey on anyone, though I may have spilled some on Frank Watson one night at Browns.

Comment by steve schnorf Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 3:18 pm
“I’ll say it again: Governor Edgar solved the pension crisis.”

Comment by Regnad Kcin Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 3:21 pm
Forced…no…strongly encouraged…yes.

Comment by Jaded Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 3:31 pm
happy birthday!

Comment by enough Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 3:35 pm
This is your former budget director.

This is your former budget director on medical marijuana!

Comment by 1776 Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 3:43 pm
and the little girl said, “Hey, look, it’s Rich Miller!”

Comment by Anon. Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 3:48 pm
47, likening anybody to Carlin is one helluva compliment and absolutely appropriate for a clear mind and straight shooter like Schnorf.

Cheers, mate. Many more.

Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 4:02 pm
Thanks Word, and Willy too, that’s exactly what I was going for with that reference.

Steve wouldn’t remember me at all, but I spent some time in his office on a couple of occasions and enjoyed watching him close his eyes, and lift his head skyward as he sunk deep into his chair to think about exactly what he wanted to say before he let the words escape from his mouth.

Taught me a lot right there.

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 4:24 pm
47, the more I think about it, the more I like the Carlin reference. It’s perfect. And like I said, it’s a helluva compliment, in my book.

We’re lucky to know him. If you can’t pick up what Schnorf puts down, you’re just too scared or cynical to deal with reality, put to you with style.

Can’t b-s him because he’s too informed and smart — and more than that, he does not want to be b-sed; he wants a goal, the facts, and a plan.

He’s a loyal Republican, but not a zealot. More than that, he’s a lifelong public servant for all the folks who can deliver the goods.

Splendid behavior.

Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 4:52 pm
- Wordslinger -,

Well said.

Could use more like him.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 4:54 pm
Willie, if I were the governor-elect, and I wanted to be coaxed back from the fantasy of the campaign to the reality of the upcoming four-year commitment, he’d be my first call.

Anyone really think Rauner is jonesing for the job ahead of him? I know he wanted the gig, because it’s an awesome status symbol, but the job itself?

Is there anything in his experience that we know of that indicates he’s up for or wants the job?

He’s a salesman. He closed the sale. Now who’s going to run the show? Because it’s a big job.

Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 5:10 pm
===…if I were the governor-elect, and I wanted to be coaxed back from the fantasy of the campaign to the reality of the upcoming four-year commitment, he’d be my first call.===

Agreed. What might be the biggest challenge is indeed someone to lay out the fiscal dire straits in plain numbers and without the fluff.

Schnorf IS the list. Period.

Rauner’s lack of governmental know-how, personally, could be aided by some sage advice, with institutional knowledge of the fiscal on the Republican side, unmatched.

I totally get what you’re laying down.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 5:18 pm
“so you need a length of pipe about this big to keep the heat going in the bunker. yes, I do know that much about State government.”

Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 5:25 pm
“And that’s when I realized grrrrr I’d be spending part of my 70th birthday in a barely heated grrrrr former poultry barn at the State Fair Grounds for a conference grrrr without nearly enough coffee available”.

Happy Birthday and hope the beverages, caffeinated and otherwise, flowed later in the day.

Comment by Chicago Bars Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 5:35 pm
Happy Birthday Mr. Schnorf.
No caption, just respect.
You bring the goods.

Comment by Jake From Elwood Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 5:44 pm
Never did a caption.

“Whoa, officers, chill, I’m like Fonzi here. My name is not Allman, and that bag is not mine, it’s Miller’s, he told me he made a great deal for it at the crossroads at midnight…”

Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 5:57 pm
Like I have always believed, good government is good politics. Make the tough calls now to get Illinois back on track.

Comment by Harley Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 7:06 pm
Let me get my hands on that —— and the answer is Budget.

Comment by Honest Abe Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 9:12 pm
Nick Nolte surrenders after breaking into SIU.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 9:32 pm
Look, there’s kitten. Happy Birthday Steve. Miss ya and lifting a glass in your honor to many more!

Comment by Matt Bettenhausen Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 10:38 pm
“Well, yes, in answer to your Question, it’s true–despite my well-regarded experience and background in financial and a variety of other matters related to State Government here in Illinois, yes–COMMenting on the Capitol Fax still makes me more upTIGHT, brings on more anXIety if you will, than trying my darndest to reach INto my expertise in trying to find solutions to ACtual, and often, comPLEX State matters in reALity…!! But, no, I just can’t figure out WHY! Go figure…maybe ‘cuz it’s that the Readers of Rich’s Blog actually do CARE about Good Government, Public Policy, and Politics in general the same as ME so they really DO carefully read and think about what I have to say there, is THAT it…?! I dunno. But GEEZ do I feel that ‘Ol blood pressure ‘o mine starting to rise sometimes–and RIGHT while I’m adding my own Comment to CapFAX…!”

Comment by Just the Way It Is One Tuesday, Nov 18, 14 @ 10:51 pm
Nick Nolte just signed on to play me in the movie.

Comment by Searchingfortruth Wednesday, Nov 19, 14 @ 8:58 am
My name is Dr. Timothy Francis Leary Jr. PhD.

And I am here today to talk about medical LSD.

One positive about it is that while taking it I find Rahm Emanuel almost likeable.

Comment by Rollo Tomasi Wednesday, Nov 19, 14 @ 11:52 am