Sunday, August 10, 2003

five five 2:28:36 PM    comment []

Wednesday, July 30, 2003

Illustration 3 : Cop   1:57:35 PM    comment []

Friday, July 11, 2003

On The Same Day Here's another one for the On The Same Day files. Lord Shawcross of Friston, Prosecutor at Nuremberg, died on the same day as the anniversary of the massacre at Srebrenica. 11:56:17 AM    comment []

Soldiers illustration - page 29   8:55:07 AM    comment []

Wednesday, July 9, 2003

Economics Cover Here's a look at the cover: 10:32:21 AM    comment []

Tuesday, July 8, 2003

Book Release Party Economics Book release party 2023 West Division Street, Chicago Saturday, July 19, 2003 7 - 10 PM Book price $17 per copy-- signed, numbered, and dated as first day of release Lots of free gimmes - necklacepoems, <15> tapes, and more Call (773) 960-6045 or go danx@juggernautco.com for more information 11:17:44 AM    comment []

Thursday, April 24, 2003

That's it. That's the book. That's all I got. Publication date: June 1, 2003 -Daniel X. O'Neil, Chicago 7:38:43 AM    comment []

Tuesday, April 22, 2003

APPROACHING PITTSBURGH: 'WHOA. . . HANG ON' On the afternoon of Sept. 8, 1994, a Boeing 737 flown by USAir approached Pittsburgh International Airport. The weather was good, and the pilots of flight 427 were expecting a routine descent and landing. The first sound on the recording from either pilot is, in fact, a yawn. They are at cruise altitude. Flight attendant in the cockpit: Do ya know what I'm thinkin' about? Pretzels. Captain: Pretzels. F. A.: You guys need drinks here? Captain: Uh, I could use a glass of somethin', whatever's open. Water, uh, water, a juice. First Officer: I'll split a, yeah, a water, a juice, whatever's back there, I'll split one with 'im. F. A.: Okey-dokey. Do you want me to make you my special fruity juice cocktail? Captain: How fruity is it? F. O.: All right, I'll be a guinea pig. The pilots talk to air traffic controllers about reducing their speed. The flight attendant returns with the drinks. F. A.: If you don't like . . . . I didn't taste 'em so I don't know if they came out right. Captain: That's good. F. O.: That is good. F. A.: It's good. F. O.: That is different. Be real, be real good with some dark rum in it. The pilots then talk with Pittsburgh controllers about their approach heading, and then talk more with the flight attendant about their juice drinks. Captain: It tastes like a ***. F. O.: Good. Captain: There's little grapefruit in it. F. A.: No. (sound of laughter.) F. O.: *** cranberry. F. A.: Yeah, you saw that from the color. Captain: How else is in it? F. O.: Uh, Sprite? F. A.: Diet Sprite. F. O.: Huh. F. A.: And I guess you could do it with Sprite. Prob'ly be a little better if you do. Captain: Yeah, there's more? F. A.: One more. F. O.: Ah, O.J.? F. A.: You got it. Cranberry, orange and Diet Sprite. F. O.: Really nice. F.A.: It's different. Could ya keep comin' out, aaah, whataya' got different and . . . . Captain: I always mix the cranberry and the grapefruit. I like that. (sound of aural tone similar to altitude alert) F. A.: *** O.K., back to work. A controller tells the pilots to descend and maintain an altitude of 6,000 feet. They make some checks of landing data, shoulder harnesses and other matters. The first officer remarks,"Oops, didn't kiss 'em 'bye," and then tells passengers about weather conditions in Pittsburgh and thanks them for choosing USAir. The pilots slow the aircraft as they descend. Captain: Boy, they always slow you up so bad here. F. O.: That sun is gonna be just like it was takin' off in Cleveland yesterday, too. I'm just gonna close my eyes. (laughter) You holler when it looks like we're close. (laughter) Captain: O.K. (sounds follow that are similar to electrical clicks and thumps) Whoa . . . hang on . . . hang on .. . hang on . . . . F. O.: Oh, (expletive). Captain: Hang on. What the hell is this . . . What the . . . oh, God . . . oh, God . . . . F. O.: (expletive) Captain: Pull. F. O.: Oh, (expletive). Captain: Pull. F. O.: God. (sound of screaming) No. End of recording. The plane's rudder had moved, forcing the plane to skid to the left. The jet then rolled and went into a 300-mile-an-hour corkscrew plunge to the ground, killing all 132 people on board. The safety board has not yet determined what caused the crash. 8:10:55 AM    comment []

Saturday, April 19, 2003

MORTGAGE CREDIT EXPLANATION LETTER May 14, 1997 Daniel X. O'Neil 2310 West Wilson Avenue Chicago, IL 60625 Brendan Cunningham Midwest Mortgage Express Suite 420 1-100 East Woodfield Road Schaumburg, IL 60173 RE: Application for Mortgage Review of Daniel X. O'Neil Dear Sir or Madam: This letter provides explanations for each item listed in my credit report obtained in connection with the above-referenced application for mortgage review. 1. Unpaid Student Loan Collection Balance Due $1,775. Madison Un. Dated 8/86 and 5/92 These are duplicate items. In June of 1991, I graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago. At this time I moved in with a friend at 4317 North Bell Street in Chicago because I did not have a job and my mother was selling the family home at 1633 North Wolcott. By Fall I had found a job and moved into an apartment with at 2101 West Evergreen. At this time, my six-month grace period had expired and I began to pay back my student loans to IDAPP. I made regular and faithful payments. I always believed that the loan I had received while a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison was included in what I was paying back to IDAPP. I never received a bill from UW Madison. In December of 1997, I saw my former roommate from Bell Street. He gave me one of the bills that they had been sending there and I immediately called UW. I immediately paid $775 of the $1,775 that I owed them. I will pay this loan in full before closing. 2. Late Payments Dated 1/94, 9/96, 10/96, and 11/96 with Current Student Loan IDAPP Balance $8,617 In December 1993 and January 1994, I was out of town for an extended performance tour as a poet. I paid my bills before I left town but I missed this loan payment. I caught up as soon as I returned. In April 1996, my father was in a car accident. By September 1996 it was apparent that he needed more healthcare than was provided by Medicare. I contributed cash along with other family members to help him get by. I paid all my other bills faithfully but I let this one slip. In December 1996, when I received my annual bonus, I got caught up with this bill and I have paid on time and over the minimum payment every month. 3. Late Payments Dated 10/94, 10/95, 11/95, and 5/96 With Household Bank. Current Balance Zero I have had many problems with MasterCard's billing practices over the years. In October 1994 I disputed a charge that appeared on my bill for a purchase that I never made. I withheld payment until the charge was finally deleted. In October and November of 1995 I had trouble paying this bill because of out-of-the-ordinary expenses related to publishing my 2nd book of poetry. I realize now that keeping up with my bills is more important than any other expense. Now that I am getting married and starting a family, my priorities have changed, and maintaining a good credit rating for my family's future is of paramount importance. As for the May 1996 entry, I have no idea why this appeared on my credit report. 4. Late Payments Dated 3/95, 4/95, and 5/95 With RFS/GECC Household Bank. Current Balance Zero I do not believe this entry belongs on my credit report. I have never received a bill from this source. The number listed for this creditor is out of service and the forwarding number is a personal residence in New Jersey. I have contested this entry with the credit reporting agency and they have promised to look into it. 5. Late Payments With Filenes Basement I have always contested this bill. I purchased defective goods from Filene's Basement in 1993 and returned them immediately. I was told that the charge would be deducted from my account. It was never deducted and I refused to pay the charges. Finally, I decided that $200 was not worth ruining my credit rating and I paid in full, canceling my account. 6. Why PMI Group and First National Bank Checked My Credit 2/10/97, 2/19/97 PMI Group checked my credit on 2/10/97 because I made an initial call to a Norwest Mortgage agent in preparation of obtaining a mortgage. First National Bank checked my credit on 2/19/97 in connection with a Checkguard application. I sincerely hope that as you review this application, you will take into account the fact that I have always taken my financial obligations seriously. I have had intermittent difficulties in paying some bills on time, but as you can see from my credit report, there are many accounts that I have always paid on time. As I prepare to start my family this Fall and establish a home, my credit rating is very important to me. Thank you for the opportunity to fully explain these items. Very Truly Yours, Daniel X. O'Neil 8:55:27 AM    comment []

Monday, April 14, 2003

SUSAN MOLINARI WORKS ON HER KEYNOTE SPEECH Afternoon photo from the pre-speech news conference has her hunched up on the lunch table leaning over toward the cameras with her right hand balled up in a loose fist and crooked up over by her left shoulder. Dole sat next to her. I think she's got his limp night appendage on her mind and is trying real hard to get it out. 8:13:13 PM    comment []

Monday, March 31, 2003

WAIT A MINUTE The difference between flotsam and jetsam: Flotsam is stuff floating in water, and jetsam is stuff floating in water that had been thrown overboard. WAIT A MINUTE Most of us remember the thwacked nature of birth, where at one point our own internal midwives said jump while the planet spun and spun and spun. So, with the exception of C-section babies, then, who were lifted and not hurled from the watery womb, aren't we all just a bunch of overgrown jetsam around here? 7:18:21 AM    comment []