A new website February 23, 2008
Posted by dr. gonzo in BlogNotes, Crime, DeKalb.1 comment so far
I haven’t made any architecture posts of late because I have been busy working and doing other things. Also, I haven’t been able to locate the photos I need but I have to point out a new website that everyone must visit. It’s niuneedsanswers.com, a project I am, admittedly, involved in. Citizen journalists from around the DeKalb-NIU community will attempt to filter through reams of information and search for some answers. Check it out if you get a chance.
Architecture posts will resume on Monday.
2-19-08: Westboro Baptist Church a no show in DeKalb February 19, 2008
Posted by dr. gonzo in Crime, DeKalb.2 comments
The Westboro Baptist Church, Fred Phelps’ evil minions, did not show and the group removed the picket notice from their website, but a couple hundred Huskie faithful did show. We braved the cold while the Lutheran Campus Ministry prepared for its candlelight vigil. No cowards were present, only the strong, only Huskies. THIS IS HUSKIE COUNTRY, AND WE ARE NIU! Photos follow.
2-15-08: NIU the morning after February 19, 2008
Posted by dr. gonzo in Crime, DeKalb.2 comments
I promised some photos. And a few words, so you know what you are looking at. Architecture posts will resume tomorrow, cutting short our Oak Park tour for now. I have many more to write. For now, I went to the February 15, 2008, 9 am press conference in Altgeld Hall regarding the shooting on the campus of Northern Illinois University one day before. It was during this conference that the university released the name of the killer.
Shooting in DeKalb February 14, 2008
Posted by dr. gonzo in Crime, DeKalb.3 comments
There has been a shooting at DeKalb’s (where I live) Northern Illinois University (where I went to school). Details are sketchy but more than a dozen have been shot, some may be dead. My sympathies are with everyone affected. How horrible.
UPDATE: Six people, seven including the gunman, were killed in cold blood. Looks like five were killed and 16 injured. What a terrible day.
PR at Dist. 428 and utter hilarity May 19, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in DeKalb.4 comments
So, I am a little post happy this afternoon.
A recent post at City Barbs about Dist. 428 hiring a $100,000 per year PR specialist has spurred some good discussion on that site, check it out. (more…)
Rainbow over DeKalb May 15, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in DeKalb, Science.5 comments
I took a few photos, just minutes ago, of a cool rainbow that appeared over DeKalb this evening.
This weird weather pattern seems to be persisting with rain coming out of the northeast as a result of a huge low pressure centered over eastern Ohio. Anyway check out the photos and the blurb below: (more…)
Swine, more fear and more loathing April 23, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in DeKalb, Gonzo.add a comment
Midnight approached with liquids free flowing. What was I doing? Enjoying a weekend. But alas, as the police approached all was not well. (more…)
Friday protest April 7, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in DeKalb, Iraq.1 comment so far
The regular Friday anti-war protest that I have been attending went pretty well this week despite the cold April wind putting me in a position near the edge of frostbite. Heh. (more…)
More glass pipe nonsense April 7, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Crime, DeKalb.add a comment
If you read the Swan’s Star article you know that TJs and the police have come to an agreement. In fact, the “drug parephrenalia” was returned.
That doesn’t even make sense. How wrong do the police think this activity is anyway? What is the motivation here? How giving back items that they see as dangerous makes the world a safer place I will never know. (more…)
Adios, pipas de cristal April 5, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Crime, DeKalb.add a comment
And here’s the word on TJs from Northern Star DeKalb Government Reporter Michael Swiontek in some online only Star content.
If you read my blog you already know my opinion, so I’ll spare you, if not, see it here and here.
TJ’s and glass pipes March 30, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Crime, DeKalb.2 comments
Alright. I have decided to follow up the Hits From the Bong post. TJ's Accessories was shut down as a public nusiance. The DeKalb County State's Attorney has some decision making ahead of him tomorrow. UPDATE: I hear they’re real busy due to a recent murder in DeKalb, decision delayed. (more…)
A letter to the editor March 29, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in DeKalb, Iraq, Politics.22 comments
Another quick note. I responded to a letter from an NIU alum, Jason Briski, that appeared in the Northern Star on Monday, March 27, 2006.
My letter was published today. You can see it here.
In case you don’t click links, the text of Briski’s letter is followed by my letter below. As a former Star editor, I was glad to see them publish my letter. : ) (more…)
1, 2, 3, 4 . . . We don’t want your f*cking war! March 23, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in DeKalb, Iraq, Politics.5 comments
Yesterday afternoon I gathered myself and went to an anti-Iraq War protest at Northern Illinois University’s Martin Luther King Commons.
Starting at about noon, the Northern Coalition for Peace and Justice sponsored protest featured live music and about 50 or so participants. The campus isn’t the most politically active one I have seen so the turnout was good considering that. (more…)
Hits from the bong March 21, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in Crime, DeKalb.2 comments
Perusing the Northern Star today I came across, Tobacco shops, police at odds with sale of pipes.
Well, I didn’t just come across it, I knew it was coming for a couple weeks, but didn’t really want to usurp the Star, so I waited until they said something.
Essentially, the DeKalb Police Department is trying to eliminate the sale of glass pipes that they traditionally identify as drug paraphernalia using the Illinois Drug Parephenalia Control Act. (more…)
Fear and Loathing in DeKalb March 12, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in DeKalb, Gonzo.4 comments
Wake up. Lose people. Lose friends. In the span of 15 minutes. Drown yourself in Everclear and fresh fruit. Wake up on the floor in a pile of newspaper, perhaps.
Lose another friend, go searching, find nothing.
Find one person who was lost. Surreality. A blur. A person abusing hard drugs in the wee hours of the morning only to scale a wooden wall and be talked down.
Morning comes in a haze of alcohol and sleeplessness. Something attacked in the night, it destroyed almost everything. Nothing was really left. Gaping holes and the remanants of what never was and might have been. And ignorance takes over.
Lies and lies. Piling up beneath. The floor is covered, it is only a matter of time before the joists give out and the basement fills up.
Three eight round magazines ready to load. Fire at will. Blazing rounds of hot ammunition. And they are gone. The haze remains in a cloud of gunsmoke. The smell of powder filling the air and an insane person with Mossberg 500, must think he is a gangsta. The weapon is more Hollywood than Bennifer. And he always carries a pistol, except to church and school and the bar.
This is just DeKalb but it seems not to matter.
But it is all just too strange. Nothing remains and nothing stays the same except for this startling confused look.
Smoke this February 21, 2006
Posted by dr. gonzo in DeKalb.12 comments
Not that it really matters, because what’s done is done. But the smoking ban for DeKalb bars and restaurants is utterly ridiculous. Who are we kidding with this public safety crap? We are talking about establishments that dispense alcohol not day care centers. The people who run these places don’t care about the risk to public safety that they create, nor does the city of DeKalb, evidenced by their issuance of liquor licenses, however few that may be. (more…)
From the Gonzo 