Streight: The Technological Illusion

When you buy into the hoax that technology is empowering, invincible, and inevitable, remember this: the attack on the World Trade Center on 9-11 was accomplished with... box cutters.

Yes, airplanes were also involved, but the primary tool that got the terrorist attack done via those jets was a wimpy little knife that is pathetic to anyone with self-defense training or the will to triumph.

Dude, if someone threatened me with a freaking box cutter, I'd spit in their face and ram it up where the sun don't shine. A box cutter? Might as well try to attack me with a Q-tip, slide rule, or fingernail clipper.

You'd better stop trusting in the Technological Imperative. Technology is not the answer to much of anything. We and other living entities survived without technology for thousands, some say millions, of years.

You need to discover that you can survive quite well without a smart phone, computer, electricity, music, art, drugs, government -- all the things you think you're hopelessly dependent on. It's a joke. You've been brainwashed.

We don't need robots. We don't need the internet. We don't need TV. We don't need celebrities. We don't need video games. We don't need Big Pharma, Big Government, Big Agriculture, Big Business, Big Military. We don't need society.

We can survive without any of it. We don't really need any of the things you've been hoodwinked into adoring and exalting. And someday, all these things may suddenly vanish.

Can you learn how to trust in Mind? Can you learn how to, if necessary, exist without any weapons, communication devices, or federal assistance?

There is a gigantic backlash coming.

As more and more people become dumbed down and dependent on artificial externals, be it government or corporations, there is a sweeping movement to negate all of it. The human spirit is free from all limitations if we know how to operate Mind effectively and cooperate with Nature.

You may think this is wishful thinking. You may think this is all theoretical, abstract, or mystical. It's not. Your intellect, by reading this, is already adjusting to the truth of what I'm saying. It's so totally different from all your beliefs and expectations.

There are realities hovering above you right now that you previously could not imagine in a million years.

Let GMOs, NSA, and TSA and all the other BS spread over the globe. In the end, they are all irrelevant.

Those who have ears to hear, let them hear.

Leadership Luncheon Awards to be revived

An annual tradition honoring some of the Peoria area’s leading women will be revived after a one-year hiatus.

The Community Foundation of Central Illinois and the Women’s Fund will take over administration of the Leader Luncheon Awards started 36 years ago by the Peoria YWCA.

The awards will be present May 28 at the Gateway Building and, as intended by the YWCA, will recognize local women who best exemplify excellence in their chosen professions and a commitment to the success of other women. 

 “We are proud and honored to continue this excellent program that recognizes outstanding local women,” said Mark Roberts, CEO of Community Foundation of Central Illinois. “We believe that the high visibility of the Leader Luncheon will help grow the recognition of the Women’s Fund and the Community Foundation of Central Illinois, allowing us to make a bigger difference in our communities. Indeed, it is one more way that we ‘Connect People Who Care, With Causes That Matter.’ ”

The Leader Luncheon began in 1978 and over the last 36 years more than 210 women have been recognized through its awards programs. This will be the 35^th year, because there was no awards program in 2013, after the YWCA ceased operations.

Several sponsors have already stepped forward to support the 35^th Leader Luncheon and there are additional sponsorship opportunities for other businesses that would like to be involved in this worthy cause. OSF Saint Francis Medical Center is a Gold Sponsor, Ameren Corp. is a Silver Sponsor and State Bank of Speer, Essential Wellness Pharmacy and Ann Mitchell are Bronze Sponsors.

The awards to be given include four different categories as past awards will be consolidated, said Chris Shay, chairman of the Women’s Fund. The categories will be:

·        Business or Professionals Award

·        Education or Arts Award

·        Community Service Award

·        Young Woman’s Service Award — a scholarship to be given to a high school senior.

Nominations for the Women to Women Leader Luncheon can be made online by individuals, organizations or businesses that want to recognize a local woman who has made a difference. Nominees must not be previous Leader Luncheon award recipients.

To make a nomination visit www.communityfoundationci.org/womens-fund-information.   

“What a wonderful gift it is to be able to carry on this tradition,” Shay said. “At the same time that we were looking for a meaningful way to grow our network and our fund, former YWCA board members approached us to ask if the Woman’s Fund would take on the Leader Luncheon. It just seemed like a perfect fit.”

Shay said many of the Women’s Fund founding members are past Leader Luncheon award winners. “We were aware of this event, that is was a well-developed event with a good, solid history. Part of growing the Women’s Fund has been becoming more visible in the community through our projects and we believe this will be good,” she said.

The Women’s Fund supports projects that “Strengthen Families and Communities by Empowering Women and Girls. These efforts are very close to that of the Peoria YWCA and while the WF does not operate programs, they do make significant annual grants to local programs and causes that empower women and girls.”

Julie Rock, former Leader Luncheon chairman and current WF Leader Luncheon committee member, said, “As a two-time chair of the YWCA Leader Luncheon, I was very excited when asked to join the Women’s Fund’s Board and serve on the Leader Luncheon committee. This award is one of the area’s primary means of recognizing local women for their accomplishments. It has such a wonderful history and is very meaningful to the many, many women who previously received these awards. When you look at the list, it reads like a ‘Who’s Who’ of Peoria women. Continuing the Leader Luncheon tradition allows us to continue to recognize the former award winners, and to acknowledge new and younger women as they achieve great things.”

World Premiere comedy on tap at Conklin's

A new comedy by Sean Grennan will make its world premiere at Conklin's Barn II Dinner Theatre, starting Thursday, March 6 for a seven-week run.

"Another Round of Beer for Breakfast" will play Thursday through Saturday evenings and Sunday brunches through April 19. There is no performance on Easter Sunday, April 20.

"Another Round" is a sequel to the hilarious comic hit of the Barn's 2013 season, "Beer for Breakfast." Conklin's producer and director Mary Simon obtained the rights to be the second theatre to ever produce the original show. The Barn's production received such acclaim at the theatre in Goodfield that playwright Grennan is trusting the Barn with the world premiere of the sequel.

"'Another Round' is hilarious in its own right, so audiences won't need to have seen the original to enjoy the sequel," said a news release from the Barn.

In the original, TJ, Mark and Richard, who had recently suffered a stroke, turn up for a guy's weekend getaway at a cabin owned by friend and politician Adrian. Adrian doesn't show up, but his spurned wife Jessie does and a hilarious battle of the sexes is set in motion to determine gender superiority, leading to a revelation that leaves the group reeling. The play ends with Jessie and TJ rekindling their college romance and Richard—stroke or not—deciding to run against the crooked Adrian in the next election.

"Another Round" picks up two years later when TJ and Jessie are happily married and Richard, with Mark acting as his campaign manager, is in a heated campaign with Adrian. Everyone turns up at the cabin again on election night trying to avoid a storm, only to have Adrian's new wife Kylie turn up to bring on another hilarious battle — this time between ex-wife and new wife.

"What happens during the storm and just before the polls close will have audiences rolling in the aisles with laughter," the release said.

Bob Lane, Jr. and Mary Simon return to head up the cast as TJ and Jessie, with Pat Gaik and Dan Challacombe reprising their roles as Mark and Richard. April Wyant joins the cast as Kylie.

The production is directed by Mary Simon

Prices for dinner and show are $33 on Thursday evening, $35 on Friday evening and Sunday brunch, and $37 on Saturday.

Conklin's Barn II buffet includes four main entrees featuring the Barn's renowned prime rib and fried chicken, with salad, homemade soup and cheese spread, and a choice of four taste-tempting, homemade desserts.
For reservations, call (309) 965-2545. For more information, visit the Barn on the internet at www.barn2.com.

Rated PG: Washington will be back

At 10 a.m. today (Tuesday, March 4), from my house on the far west side of Washington, I could hear only one thing  ̶  a lone tornado siren blowing somewhere in town. I will admit, there was an eeriness about it.

I heard no other sirens, including the East Peoria siren that is closer to where I live and is loud enough to wake the comatose. They didn’t start wailing until a minute or so later. It was as if all the other emergency departments in the area let Washington go first, a symbolic gesture to the city most affected by the Nov. 17 tornado that ripped through central Illinois, killing two and destroying hundreds of homes.

Even my old dog, who howls as if in fear or even agony every time the sirens blow, stayed silent this time.

I have no way of knowing what was going through the heads of the residents who lost their homes or the school children in Washington and East Peoria and Pekin who will never react the same to that sound most of us have grown up with.

Tuesday was the first time the sirens were tested since that fateful November day. A drive through the town now isn’t the same as in the days immediately following Nov. 17, nor will it ever be the same as it was before then.

Just as it starts to look as if nothing happened, heavily damaged buildings appear on both sides of Peoria Street, including the destroyed Georgetown Apartments and the La Gondola restaurant on the south side of the road. It’s hard to miss the twisted frame and netting of the Hillcrest Golf Center driving range or notice that the pro shop isn’t there any longer. I’ve wondered where those thousands of golf balls ended up; they would have been like hard, round missiles.

On the north side the John Bearce automotive building stands, but all the windows are boarded. Trees are gone or twisted and it is obvious to those familiar with Washington where the damage occurred along that street, the busiest in Washington, as the twister tore its way into residential subdivisions. A positive sign is that the Advanced Auto Parts store, obliterated by the tornado, is well on its way to being rebuilt and signs for businesses along the route are being replaced. So are the street lights.

There has been a television commercial airing lately in which Washington Mayor Gary Manier and businessman Gary Uftring urge people to visit Washington. The town is still there and strong, they say. Businesses remain open and ready for customers; the town square was unscathed in the storm and the quaint shops are open every day.

What they don’t say but what most Washington residents feel now is that there isn’t much to gawk at any more. Most of the heaviest damage has been cleared and houses are being repaired or rebuilt. Come to Washington to shop, not to gawk. But if you come to gawk, stop and shop while you’re in town.

Like Manier and Uftring say, recovery will need all of us. If you liked the community before, you still can. It’s still here, it’s still viable. A few months ago, when the Washington Chamber of Commerce kicked off a campaign to urge people to shop there, Manier said, “Try to make a commitment of maybe one time a month come over and buy groceries, fill up your tank, or eat in a restaurant. And that’s not asking a whole lot, but it sure will help.”   

For the past decade or more Washington has been perhaps central Illinois’ most thriving and fastest growing community. There is no question the Nov. 17 storm slowed the community’s momentum, but it didn’t stop it. There is still so much potential in Washington and I am among those who believes the setback from the storm will only make it stronger, prouder and thrive even more. It will be back; you can count on it.