I love cordless phones, whether they be Panasonic cordless phones or AT&T cordless phones or Uniden cordless phones or GE cordless phones.

I am always searching for things to do in Chicago each weekend with my bride and our four kids.  So I am starting a blog entry each week that summarizes the 5-10 links that list out the weekend things to do in Chicago. Check it out and send me suggestions for other source of info to share on this blog.  we want to know what to do each weekend in Chicago (especially if you have found a good site that has children’s activities in Chicago)!

Time Out -  Things to do this weekend: Feb 27 – Mar 1

Crains Chicago Business -10 things to do this weekend

Naperville Sun -Five things to do

Joliet Herald News -  Five Things to Do

The Washington Times reports that both Democrats and Republicans poured cold water on President Obama‘s budget plan to cut down on wealthy taxpayers’ charitable giving tax deductions, the second of his ambitious cost-savings plans to earn lawmakers’ scorn, and underscoring the legislative minefield he is entering.

The charitable giving deduction reduction, which would limit deductions for couples making $250,000 or individuals making $200,000, provoked the most heat Thursday. Mr. Obama is counting on that provision to raise $179.8 billion over 10 years.

“Some of the reforms and offsets contained or referenced in the budget, such as the limitation on itemized deductions, raise concerns and will require more study as we determine the best policies for getting America back on track,” said Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, Montana Democrat.

Roberton Williams, senior fellow at the Tax Policy Center, said it’s impossible to calculate the exact effects of all the tax changes, but said the overall result is clear – less philanthropic giving.

Cordless phones are telephones that have the capability of transmitting a signal over a short distance without the use of a cord. They differ from mobile phones, or cell phones, simply because they need a base station to connect to a landline. Cordless phones are one of the most popular types of landline connections on the market.

The purpose of a cordless phone is to provide a greater range of movement for those who feel they need it, but yet can still remain within a relatively limited geographical distance. Corded phones have a range as long as the cord, usually from six feet (2 meters) to 20 feet (6.5 meters). Cordless telephones have a range of 300 yards (300 meters) or more, depending on the type of connection, its power, and the obstructions present between the cordless phone, often referred to as the handset, and the base station.

Cordless telephones generally operate at two main cordless phone frequencies, one being 2.4 GHz and the other being 5.8 GHz. The 5.8 GHz is the new standard that many phones now advertise. In general, the higher the operating frequency, the more security the phone will have, making it harder for eavesdroppers to listen in on conversations through the use of scanners.

The first cordless telephones came onto the market in the late 1970s, though the technology took a few years to catch on and come down in price enough to the point that many consumers wanted to take advantage of them. The first phones ran at a frequency of 27 MHz. This provided a good range, but sound quality was low, leading to a lot of static and interference from other aerial signals.

This lower frequency had a number of problems associated with it. First, three-way calling was available between cordless telephones in relatively close range to one another. Second, those who wanted to could intercept the base station connected to a neighbor’s line and make calls, even long-distance calls, using the other phone line. This led to a number of complaints and resulted in a few changes in the coming years which limited the range and changed the number of channels available.

Now, some say the evolution of cordless telephones is nearly complete. While it is not impossible to tap into a cordless phone conversation, it is much harder with digital technology. Cordless telephones are also to the point where many consider them to be on par with corded telephone quality sound. Still, testing the limits of the range will provide a decreased call quality.

By GEOFF EARLE and DAPHNE RETTER, NY Post Correspondents

February 26, 2009
Posted: 1:53 am
February 26, 2009

WASHINGTON – Congress went on a pork-a-palooza yesterday, approving a massive spending bill with big bucks for Hawaiian canoe trips, research into pig smells, and tattoo removal – all while the nation faces an economic crisis.

Among the recipients of federal largesse is the Polynesian Voyaging Society of Honolulu, which got a $238,000 “earmark” in the bill.  The group organizes sea voyages in ancient-style sailing canoes like the ones that first brought settlers to Hawaii. The sailing club has a powerful wind at its back in the person of Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The bill also has a whopping 8 percent increase over last year for the numerous federal agencies it funds.

New York got its share of earmarks, among them $475,000 to “improve and expand” the Italian American Museum in Little Italy. The project was pushed by New York Reps. Gary Ackerman and Jerrold Nadler. The latter touted it, among other earmarks, on his Web site.  Nadler also announced $4.5 million for new park development in Manhattan. Uncle Sam’s generosity extends upstate, where there’s $950,000 to convert a railroad bridge over the Hudson River into a walkway in Poughkeepsie.

Earmarks totaled at least $3.8 billion – a figure used by the House Appropriations Committee. But the watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense calculates that there are an astonishing 8,570 earmarks at a cost of $7.7 billion.

The bill, which critics slammed as larded with pork, has big bucks to combat putrid stenches in the heartland, with $1.7 million for “Swine Odor and Manure Management Research.”  That’s on top of $1.9 million in each of the last two years, or nearly $6 million over the last three years. The swine research center, at Iowa State University in Ames, got funds through the Agricultural Research Service, and aims to improve the smell of animals and the lagoons where waste is stored.

There’s funding for mosquito trapping in Gainesville, Fla. – requested by Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut. The research deals with the West Nile virus, and was funded at $1.2 million in each of the last two years.  The House packaged the bill from several spending measures held over from last year. It needs to pass the Senate and be signed into law by President Obama.

Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, whom Obama vanquished in November, is calling on the president to veto it.

But Democratic leaders say the spending spree was a bipartisan affair, with up to 40 percent of the earmarks coming from Republicans.   Obama has criticized earmarks and insisted they be kept out of stimulus legislation – a suggestion that drew laughs from Republicans at the president’s address to Congress Tuesday night.

Another earmark, by Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.) provides $200,000 for a “tattoo-removal violence-outreach program” in Los Angeles. The funds would buy a tattoo-removal machine to help gang members erase signs of their past.

Meanwhile, Obama is set to unveil a proposal today that sets aside $634 billion over the next 10 years for health-care reform.

He plans to pay for it, in part, by capping tax deductions for families that earn more than $250,000 a year.

geoff.earle@nypost.com

February 26, 2009 12:00 PM

Jake Tapper is ABC News’ Senior White House Correspondent based in the network’s Washington bureau. He writes about politics and popular culture and covers a range of national stories and today ghe reports on the Obama administration’s  taxing plan.  President Obama’s budget proposes $989 billion in new taxes over the course of the next 10 years, starting fiscal year 2011, most of which are tax increases on individuals.

1) On people making more than $250,000.

$338 billion – Bush tax cuts expire
$179 billlion – eliminate itemized deductions (max 28% for couples earning over $250K)

$118 billion – capital gains tax hike

Total: $636 billion/10 years

2) Businesses:

$17 billion – Reinstate Superfund taxes
$24 billion – tax carried-interest as income
$5 billion – codify “economic substance doctrine”
$61 billion – repeal LIFO
$210 billion – international enforcement, reform deferral, other tax reform
$4 billion – information reporting for rental payments
$5.3 billion – excise tax on Gulf of Mexico oil and gas
$3.4 billion – repeal expensing of tangible drilling costs
$62 million – repeal deduction for tertiary injectants
$49 million – repeal passive loss exception for working interests in oil and natural gas properties
$13 billion – repeal manufacturing tax deduction for oil and natural gas companies
$1 billion – increase to 7 years geological and geophysical amortization period for independent producers
$882 million – eliminate advanced earned income tax credit

Total: $353 billion/10 years

– jpt

Here is the ad CNN wouldn’t show tonight during the President’s Address.  I thik it is done well, respectful and appropriate.  Why do television networks, who use free public airwaves censor the public debate?

Gary Langer at ABC News did a good poll analysis on President Obama after a month in the office and the result?  Obama’s popularity  is average when compared to the last nine presidents.  He reports:

“[ABC News] has approval ratings for each of the last nine elected presidents after their first month in office, back to Dwight Eisenhower. (We’re leaving Johnson and Ford aside.) There’s been a healthy range, from a low of 55 percent for George W. Bush after the disputed election of 2000 to a high of 76 percent for his father 12 years earlier. (using ABC/Post polls since Reagan, Gallup previously).

But the average? Sixty-seven percent. And Obama’s? Sixty-eight percent, as we reported in our new poll yesterday. His initial rating, then, is strong – but it’s also generally typical for a new guy.”

The interesting fact coming out is how polarizing Obama is in the polls.  Obama said he would be the one to unify the country but in fact, the polls show he is the most polarizing president in more than 40 years and has basically the same Dem/Repub popularity numbers that George W. Bush had after the hotly disputed election of 2000.

“Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush were the last two presidents of the less-partisan era. Reagan started with 89 percent approval among Republicans, 71 percent among independents and 56 percent among Democrats. Bush Elder’s first-month approval ratings from these groups were 90, 74 and 64 percent, respectively. Those are 18- and 33-point gaps for Reagan, 16- and 26-point gaps for Bush. That changed with Bill Clinton: He started with 86 percent approval from Democrats, but just 59 percent from independents and 40 percent from Republicans – gaps of 27 and 46 points, respectively. Then George W. Bush – 86 percent in his party, but dropping to 54 percent among independents (-32 points) and 37 percent among Democrats, 49 points lower than in his political base.

And now there’s Obama, who’s made reaching across party lines a point of principle in his presidency, with little to show for it so far. After a month in the hot seat, 90 percent of Democrats approve of his work, dropping to 67 percent of independents and 37 percent of Republicans. The 53-point difference between Democrats and Republicans in assessing Obama is numerically the biggest in data back to Eisenhower.

             Approval in February of 1st term:

                                   In-out  In party

           All   Dem   Rep   Ind   party   vs. ind.

Obama      68    90    37    67     53       23

Bush       55    37    86    54     49       32

Clinton    63    86    40    59     46       27

Bush       76    64    90    74     26       16

Reagan     68    56    89    71     33       18

Carter     71    79    58    69     21       10

Nixon      60    52    76    57     24       19

Kennedy    72    86    49    69     37       17

Eisenhower 68    61    84    66     23       18

ABC/Post polls since Reagan, Gallup previously

“

I read this tonight and thought it captured today’s mood well as we look at the financial markets.

By Todd Harrison –marketwatch.com

“So you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it’s sinking. Racing around to come up behind you again.” — Pink Floyd

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) — As our economy dives deeper into recession, we should remind ourselves that the more things change, the more they stay the same. In May 2007, I listed anecdotal evidence comparing that year with the late 1990s, and suggested financial markets were living on borrowed time. With social mood souring and the tape demonstrably lower, I wanted to revisit those vibes and add fresh perspective. See MarketWatch column.

In 1999, globalization was the justification for growth. In 2007, we saw the seeds of isolationism that paved a path toward nationalization. Today, we find ourselves at that crossroads with our destination predicated on orderly debt destruction. See MarketWatch column.

In 1999, folks traded on margin. In 2007, there was the looming, yet largely unforeseen, credit bubble. Today, the debt dynamic is front-page news as companies with clean balance sheets position themselves as winners in the new world.  In 1999, day trading was all the rage. In 2007, condo flipping was in vogue. Today, real estate bargains have begun to emerge as an unfortunate function of the foreclosure process.

In 1999, policy makers praised the new paradigm. In 2007, politicians took aim at lending practices. Today, they’re grandstanding on a national stage.

In 1999, we had the Greenspan put. In 2007, there was the Bernanke helicopter. Today, the credibility of the Federal Reserve is fragile at best.

In 1999, former CNBC commentator Dan Dorfman moved markets. In 2007, CNBC’s Jim Cramer was a self-proclaimed equity evangelist. Today, the point of recognition has arrived that we must take responsibility for our own financial decisions. [Read more...]

Lots of bosses say they value their employees. Some even mean it. And then there’s Leonard Abess Jr. After selling a majority stake in Miami-based City National Bancshares last November, all he did was take $60 million of the proceeds — $60 million out of his own pocket — and hand it to his tellers, bookkeepers, clerks, everyone on the payroll. All 399 workers on the staff received bonuses, and he even tracked down 72 former employees so they could share in the windfall.  For longtime employees, the bonus — based on years of service — amounted to tens of thousands of dollars, and in some cases, more than $100,000.

Read the whole story here.

I saw this photo series and laughed.  It is funny to think how similar these guys are -neither of which I had high hopes for.  Check out the CNN commentary here  on the 20 similarities.

Just two weeks ago, we heard a change agent president, who in his inaugural address declared “we have chosen hope over fear.” Now it looks like in order to get a pork-barrel bill passed, that the president needs fear to pass a bill.

Here is a great article on how quickly things have changed:

 Charles Krauthammer “The Fierce Urgency of Pork” – Washington Post

My nephew, Caleb Lavey, is getting lots of attention in his junior year from Division 1 Schools.  Just yesterday, he spent time on the phone with Charlie Weis of Notre Dame and got a full ride scholarship offer, and the Notre Dame folks put out this story on scout.com

——————————————–

His father, Mike Lavey, was the equipment manager for the Michigan football team while he attended school in Ann Arbor , and he recently told his son what colleges were okay for him to consider, and what one might not be so okay. “He told me he’s fine with me going to Notre Dame, or any of Michigan ’s rivals,” Caleb Lavey laughed. “He’s a little hesitant about Michigan State .” Obviously a joke.

What’s not a joke, is Lavey’s play.  The 6-foot-3, 215-pound linebacker from Celina ( Texas ) High, has already earned six scholarship offers, including his latest one from Charlie Weis and Notre Dame on Monday morning. “Well, I talked to coach Weis this morning and he told me he’s excited about me, and he offered me a scholarship to Notre Dame,” Lavey said. He has also been offered a full ride by Texas A&M, Texas Tech, TCU, Arkansas and Oklahoma State . “I’m really excited about it, and I’m hoping to take a visit down there this spring. Coach Weis just asked me if I have any interest in Notre Dame, which of course I do, Notre Dame is a prestigious school and academically it’s tough to beat, and he presented his offer.”

Notre Dame has been sending Lavey letters for quite some time, and over the past couple weeks, he’s been getting to know Irish assistant coach Tony Alford. “He’s real nice, and we’ve been talking a little bit lately about everything, and getting to know each other, and he’s a great guy, I really respect him.” Opposing offenses have to respect Lavey. This past season, Lavey had 200 tackles, 5 sacks, three caused fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He has helped lead Celina to three-straight state title games as their leading tackler, winning one. Notre Dame coaches hope to see Lavey playing middle linebacker for them in the future. “They said I have a nose for the ball,” Lavey said. “They think I have good leadership, and they really like the way I play, and they think I can bring something to Notre Dame football.”

Lavey has no favorites early in the process, and would like to be verbally committed before the start of his senior season. “I’m just looking at my options, taking it slow, and enjoying the recruiting process,” Lavey began. “Once I start visiting some of the places, I’ll be able to narrow it down. Notre Dame, I’m really excited about this offer. They have a lot to offer me academically, and with their football program.“Location wise, I don’t have a preference of where I’m going to be going to school right now. My parents will come watch me wherever I go.” Lavey’s father grew up in Michigan , and he and his brotherd and parents used to travel up to Ann Arbor for a game every year. Now with all the extra curricular activities, the family hasn’t made the trip in a few years.

“I’ve watched Michigan and Notre Dame play before,” Lavey said. “Notre Dame, their fans have a lot of passion for the game. They have a great football program and I could see myself anywhere right now.” Lavey’s father agrees, but he also likes the thought of the Maize and Blue. “I know my Dad would love for me to get an offer from them, but it’s just whatever right now. I’m sure if I got an offer from Michigan , we’d go visit pretty quickly. He loves it up there.” While Dad might not be able to love East Lansing , sounds like he could also learn to love South Bend .

Nancy Pelosi, who was the principal architect of this HUGE pork stimulus bill, has this to say to the reporters who questioned the pork-loaded items in the bill and why it needed to be passed immediately.  I thought there were only 300 million people in America…….

21st Annual Super Bowl Ad Meter results

What do you think?  Do you agree?

How TV’s most expensive commercials scored with USA TODAY’s Ad Meter focus groups:
(Click here to watch the ads and rate them yourself.)

How Super Bowl commercials ranked:
10 most popular
Advertiser	Description	Sec.	Qtr.	Score
Doritos	Crystal ball sees free Doritos.	30	1st	8.46
Budweiser	Clydesdale’s romance with circus horse.	60	2nd	8.42
Budweiser	A Clydesdale can fetch.	30	2nd	8.26
Bridgestone	Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head take a drive.	30	2nd	7.83
Doritos	Superpowers of Doritos’ crunch.	30	2nd	7.79
Cars.com	Cocky overachiever needs help buying a car.	60	2nd	7.78
Pedigree	Dog is better pet than an ostrich or rhino.	30	2nd	7.71
Pepsi-Cola	Mix of Forever Young with old and new images of Bob Dylan and Will.i.am.	60	1st	7.65
Castrol	Grease monkeys and Castrol Edge keep car running smoothly.	30	2nd	7.56
Bud Light	Corporate bean counter proposes no Bud Light at meetings to cut budget.	30	1st	7.49
Coca-Cola	Bugs make off with a guy’s Coke.	60	3rd	7.48
Audi	Transporter actor Jason Statham in time travel chase in progressively better cars.	60	1st	7.44
CareerBuilder.com	When you know it’s time to get a new job.	60	3rd	7.37
Cheetos	Pigeons attack gabber on cell phone.	30	2nd	7.35
Budweiser	Tale of Clydesdale emigration from ancestral home in Scotland.	60	3rd	7.32
E-Trade	Babies discuss “brutal” economy and E-Trade.	30	2nd	7.27
Bridgestone	Space travelers visit Saturn.	30	3rd	7.27
Coke Zero	Steelers safety Troy Polamalu parodies classic Mean Joe Greene ad.	30	4th	7.27
Bud Light	Conan O’Brien agrees to do Bud Light ad thinking it will air only in Sweden.	30	1st	7.25
Pepsi Max	“I’m good,” say battered guys.	30	2nd	7.12
Monster.com	See wrong end of moose in old job.	30	3rd	6.95
GE	Clean wind energy.	30	4th	6.87
Sony	Movie: The Year One.	30	1st	6.79
Universal Studios	Movie: Land of the Lost.	30	2nd	6.78
Walt Disney Studios	Movie: Up (3-D film from Pixar).	30	2nd	6.74
Denny’s	Tweaks rival’s fancy pancakes, offers everyone free Grand Slam breakfast.	30	3rd	6.62
NFL	Saints’ Usama Young and dad talk about teen job as snow-cone vendor.	60	4th	6.60
GE	Scarecrow sings about smart electrical distribution grids.	30	4th	6.46
Walt Disney Studios	Movie: Race to Witch Mountain.	30	3rd	6.38
Taco Bell	Young guy is overeager for Taco Bell date.	30	4th	6.34
Hulu	Alec Baldwin: TV makes brain mush.	60	4th	6.29
Teleflora	Boxed flowers can insult your Valentine.	30	2nd	6.25
Bud Light	Two skiers compare smooth beer to smooth and not-so-smooth skiers.	30	2nd	6.20
Sony	Movie: Angels & Demons.	30	1st	6.14
Paramount	Movie: Star Trek.	30	2nd	6.14
Bud Light Lime	This beer creates summer in all seasons.	30	4th	6.09
Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes	Run-down field becomes lush playground. Tony the Tiger does cameo.	30	3rd	6.08
Paramount	Movie: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.	30	3rd	5.93
Coca-Cola	Coke transforms monster avatar into a pretty girl.	30	3rd	5.71
H&R Block	Grim Reaper unhappy with accountant.	30	2nd	5.69
Universal Studios	Movie: Fast & Furious.	30	2nd	5.66
GoDaddy.com	Guys fantasize about shower scene.	30	2nd	5.62
Cash4Gold.com	Ed McMahon and MC Hammer trade gold mementoes for needed cash.	30	4th	5.58
Gatorade	Tiger Woods and others talk about G.	30	2nd	5.51
Pepsi-Cola	Saturday Night Live‘s MacGruber changes name to PepSuber.		4th	5.48
GoDaddy.com	Danica Patrick says she “enhanced.”	30	4th	5.11
5 least popular
United Way/NFL	Promotes youth fitness program.	10	2nd	5.10
Hyundai	Rivals unhappy Genesis sedan named Car of the Year.	30	2nd	4.98
Toyota	Diversity of new Venza’s appeal.	30	1st	4.89
Hyundai	Assurance program lets buyers return car without credit penalty if they lose job.	30	4th	4.68
Vizio	Flat-panel TVs.	30	4th	3.77

Click here to watch the ads and rate them yourself.

 Of all the Super Bowl commericals, I loved the Doritos Crystal Ball ad adn I lvoed this ad from E-Trade.  The E*TRADE Baby and his buddy learn to fly again 2nd Quarter, Big Game, Sunday, Feb. 1.