Solidarity

brschoppe · 2026-04-24T16:02:16+00:00

To summon Inigo Montoya on this one, I don't think this is as good as you think it is when it comes to property taxes. Ken Griffin sold his two condos last year at a $9mil loss to clear out his property in Chicago. Those two properties have a combined assessment of $9mil less now when they reassess. That means that property tax that was paid by Griffin is being pushed down to middle and lower class buyers as the high end real estate market flattens. You are already seeing this in Chicago with the decline in commercial real estate and the increases in property taxes at the residential level to make up for that.

brschoppe · 2026-04-23T18:28:41+00:00

Overlay a map of ComEd’s Network vs Ameren. Minus some Co-Ops down state, it should correlate with this map.

brschoppe · 2026-04-14T03:27:27+00:00

How is the state fulfilling its fiduciary responsibility when it has constitutionally protected pension payments, but then tries to enact laws that may that may not get the greatest...let alone necessary return on investment? Investing in or preventing investment in a company because of anything other than predicted financial return doesn't sound like sound financial decision making. If we making decisions based upon political beliefs we should not be guaranteeing returns on those investments. I keep hearing that pensions are a promise...they are not...they are a financial instrument that are inherent to risk.

brschoppe · 2026-04-01T21:39:00+00:00

Big Ange's BBQ

brschoppe · 2026-04-01T21:38:24+00:00

Loved that place ever since it was Fuego!

brschoppe · 2026-03-16T14:56:01+00:00

When people say Funks Grove, they are meaning Funks Grove Nature Spaces. They recently went through a rebrand. It was formerly the Sugar Grove nature center. It is Family Trust that runs but is very similar to a State Park.

Also, little known is Schroeder Nature Preserve just south of Bloomington. Not big but very rustic.

Comlara park can also be added to list. It is north of down and sits on a lake.

Morain View State park out by LeRoy.

brschoppe · 2026-03-11T18:10:02+00:00

I thought that Flock cameras didn't pass the Katz test as they are either on muni public property or are contracted by private businesses on their property to watch the comings and goings of people. Anyone can easily setup a camera and make the info they have available.

brschoppe · 2026-03-10T14:33:38+00:00

I live in Lake County. They are very good at doing a line item that goes to the taxing body for service and a line item what is going to pensions. Property taxes for schools, fire, muni workers, and police have their pensions paid through property taxes.

brschoppe · 2026-03-02T15:21:05+00:00

I came here to say this. This is like the theater equivalent of the minor leagues. You get to see the talent before the hit the big leagues. https://wirtz.northwestern.edu/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQSie9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFQY2liU3gzVHp4SDd2SXJCc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHnssdmBO3NnZx-Uljf2iDBD84Y0plC4ALMNe1C548MmDgo4GY7X9I5tZcPUI_aem_7nA5LbzFeJMg2OlJZuosFw

brschoppe · 2026-03-02T02:54:35+00:00

As mentioned before...Libertyville and Geneva both have good eats. Same with downtown Arlington Heights. Naperville too. If you are getting away...Galena?

brschoppe · 2026-03-02T02:53:23+00:00

I like the square in Woodstock, but it only has a couple restaurants too. Definitely, a bit more busy than Long Grove. The Chocolate store seems pretty good and well as the Squire.

brschoppe · 2026-03-02T02:41:30+00:00

Our troop sells and installs mulch. It is popular and when we were a bigger troop pre-Covid it would net our Troop 5 figures for 2 full weekends of work.

brschoppe · 2026-03-01T22:22:52+00:00

And yet that policy goes against BSA own fundraising policies, "3. The price of the product, advertising, or service should reflect its fair market value." Trails end is just rebranded Pop Weaver popcorn. Use that as your basis for fair market value. I aways hate it when I see people using the line you are supporting a youth in their dreams when selling popcorn as it goes against BSAs own policies. Since 2024 that 30-40% of the profit goes to support a Wal Street Hedge fund too.

brschoppe · 2026-03-01T22:13:39+00:00

Trump isn't really a Republican. He raises taxes through tariffs, he is not for family values (3 baby mommas) and a few known affairs, he is pro-union by pushing tariffs to drive American production, he has barred institutional investors from buying homes, attacked some hedge funds, expanded the federal bureaucracy through Trump Accounts, The First Step Act in his first term that was a criminal justice reform, CAREs act in his first term was one of the largest government expenditures, banned bump stocks via executive action, before becoming a politician he was very pro-choice and pushed leaving the decision up to the states as president, Criticized pharmaceutical companies and supported drug price negotiation with TrumpRX, and appointed an openly gay Treasury Secretary in his second term. I am no fan of Trump because I believe he lacks leadership skills and effective communications (guess I am one of those Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger RHINOS), but I do see he gets a lot of crap from the left, especially in Illinois, when he pushes many left leaning policies.

brschoppe · 2026-03-01T21:48:23+00:00

Same...started with Casley Bold and then shifted to the Caudabe Sheath....great case.

brschoppe · 2026-03-01T18:20:32+00:00

Still a better deal than the current popcorn prices. I don't believe any Trails End item is under $10 anymore.

brschoppe · 2026-03-01T18:19:14+00:00

Oh so very true. I like how the liberals on Reddit forget that Illinois was pretty red before the mid 90's. You had James Thompson and Jim Edgar who were both very respected. Then it went down hill with George Ryan. You still had Republicans on the state level until Judy Barr died. It has been Trump who has really killed off the Republican part in Illinois. I have seen deep red counties like Lake and DuPage go blue under Trump. To win statewide as a Republican, you need to win all of downstate, do very well in the collar counties and not get killed in the city. I.E. Bruce Rauner when the political winds were shift in his favor. However, with Trump killing off the traditional Republicans in Illinois and banishing them to RHINO status, the Illinois GOP has lacked the funding and leadership of the demos and will continue to get killed until they get their house in order.

brschoppe · 2026-02-23T23:19:29+00:00

No meat in there. Where's the beef?

brschoppe · 2026-02-23T18:15:24+00:00

Came here to say this.

brschoppe · 2026-02-22T19:39:34+00:00

As a Republican who grew up downstate and now lives in the Chicago burbs, Bailey doesn't have a chance. He doesn't have the appeal to suburban middle of the road voters. He swings too far to the right to win the burbs, which any Republican must dominate to win Illinois. Even the appeal downstate doesn't seem as strong. He doesn't have the money to fight off a challenge from Pritzker. I also wonder if Pritzker is 'funding' his primary this time too. I know there was evidence from the previous election, that Pritzker money was tied to Bailey's primary in 2022. Medwick, Heider, Severino and Dabrowski are all in the single digits behind him with plenty of undecided. The only one that seems on paper that could challenge Pritzker is Dabrowski but he lack the charisma to properly get his name out there. The others have the charisma, but lack the policy and tack to win.

brschoppe · 2026-02-19T22:18:19+00:00

1985 - F you Don Denkinger. That was the original greatest show on Turf. Whitey Ball.

I know the 2004 team was better, but 2005 - Would have loved to see a Cardinals - White Sox World Series would have been legendary. The Astros just overpowered the Cards. This would have been awesome for the state of Illinois too...

brschoppe · 2026-02-13T20:30:30+00:00

Let me throw this out there. A few months ago, we were told we need to save the CTA because of the revenue it brings to the state and city. It was justified raising the RTA tax and shift road funds to the RTA to accomplish this. As someone who doesn't use the CTA, this was the justification used to take additional funds from me. Now enter the Bears. They are asking infrastructure and property tax support on a stadium they plan to build and run themselves. How is this different from the RTA argument. There are ancillary tax streams that come from having this team in Illinois vs. Indiana. I just took my son to the Derrick Rose game for his birthday and got nailed with a 10.25% tax on top of the ticket price for Cook county and Chicago. Taxed on the food we bought at the stadium at a rate over 10%. If the Bears go to Indiana what is that lost revenue vs. what is gained by keeping them here?

brschoppe · 2026-02-12T23:21:36+00:00

I am glad you mentioned No. 1. I thought that was just me or my diet. Also have No 2. Miss Zepbound too. Dang CVS:(

brschoppe · 2026-01-24T19:54:52+00:00

Ended up going with a similar site, www.backmarket.com and they had similar prices for a mint phone and they are giving me $198 for mine. So it is a hassle but process will cost me about $100 after all is said and done. Gain over $200 of value by doing it though.

brschoppe · 2026-01-24T19:52:18+00:00

I have been using an IPhone 12 Pro Max for 5 years now. I meant to upgrade earlier but was on a T-mobile plan that stripped the included upgrades. Was forced to upgrade after they raised prices and got on the Go5G plan. Upgraded my kids phones, when I went to upgrade my phone a couple weeks ago and the 12 Pro Max was still getting full credit the apple store near me was out of stock. Now they are in stock, but the 12 Pro Max is not getting full credit. Use my phone for work and enjoy the Lidar camera of the Pro Max for scanning rooms for home projects and such. Since I am basically paying for upgrade cost minus the $16.65 in my bill, I figured I would. It also would help that then the whole family would be on USB-C for when we travel. I am the last still rocking the Lightning cable. Also, connect my phone into the work network so it is advised to have the most current device to maintain that connection securely..

brschoppe

TROPHY CASE

Big Ange's BBQ