Sears Tower by any other Name...

When I first found out I shook all over. I just kept shaking my head from side to side in shock and utter disbelief. Finally, I rubbed my eyes to see if i were hallucinating or simply lacking comprehension of what I was reading. But alas, reliable news sources from the Chi-town, confiormed the devastating news--The Sears Tower is history. Gone. Kaput.L
Last Thursday, the tallest building in the United States, Chicago's Sears Tower disappeared from existance. Well, sorta. Willis Tower was introduced to Chicago by Mayor Richard M. Daley and others during a public renaming ceremony hosted by Willis Group Holdings, a British Company.
"It's always going to be the Sears Tower to me. I watched it being built from the ground up. I remember the feeling I had in the pit of my stomach the very first time I rode the elevator to the observation deck."
The 110-story skyscraper has been known as Sears Tower since it opened in 1973. Sears Roebuck and Co., moved out in 1992 but the name stayed.
The only way I could foresee calling this iconic landmark "Willis Tower" is it were named after my childhood friend, Jocelyn Willis or one of my favorite actors, Bruce Willis. In that case "Willis Tower" would be cool. Named after some anonymous British company makes the name change lame. hey, that rhymes!

Lee's Resolution for King of Pop thumbs down by Pelosi

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi went thumbs down on Thursday to a resolution honoring Michael Jackson because the symbolic measure could raise "contrary views" about the pop star's life. Michael Jackson was acquitted in 2005 of charges that he molested a 13 year old boy. Those allegations along with the admission that children slept in his bed at his home but nothing sexual occurred, have led some members not to support the resolution.

Lawmakers are free to use House speeches "to express their sympathy or their praise any time that they wish," said Pelosi, D-Calif. "I don't think it's necessary for us to have a resolution."

A resolution sponsored by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, cites some of the singer's charitable acts and proclaims him an American legend, musical icon and world humanitarian.

Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., who posted a video on YouTube calling Michael Jackson a "pervert" and a "pedophile," has pledged to do all he could to block the resolution.

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus held a moment of silence in the House after Jackson died June 25, some lawmakers walked out of the chamber.

Jackson Lee has pledged that the resolution, now before the House Foreign Affairs Committee where she is a member, would come to the full House for debate. Jackson Lee's resolution only had one co-sponsor, Rep. Diane Watson, D-Calif., and was not endorsed by other black caucus members.

From the stage at Jackson's memorial Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Jackson Lee hoisted a framed copy of the resolution.

Cynthia McKinney released from jail in Israel

Cynthia McKinney, a former congressman from the state of Georgia, was scheduled to return from Tel Aviv on a flight that landed in New York at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday. No stranger to controversey and arrest, McKinney was detained last week by the Israeli Navy while trying to deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza along with a group of about twenty friends and volunteers.

Pastor Rick Warren reaches out to Muslims in U.S.

One of my favorite authors, Pastor Rick Warren recently told several thousand American Muslims that "the two largest faiths on the planet" must work together to combat stereotypes and solve global problems. I was very happy to see him extend an olive branch towards a population of people who have been basically despised primarily because of their home countries' political agendas, and not because of the religion itself. Both Muslims and Christians are decendants of Abraham, a prophet found in the Old Testament.

"Some problems are so big you have to team tackle them," evangelical megachurch pastor Rick Warren addressed the annual convention of the Islamic Society of North America.
Warren said Muslims and Christians should be partners in working to end what he calls "the five global giants" of war, poverty, corruption, disease and illiteracy.

Warren is the founder of Saddleback Community Church in Orange County, California and the author of "The Purpose Driven Life." His willingness to show support for U.S. Muslims is a huge gain for the community, which has endured intense scrutiny since 9/11.
"It's easier to be an extremist of any kind because then you only have one group of people mad at you," he said. "But if you actually try to build relationships — like invite an evangelical pastor to your gathering — you'll get criticized for it. So will I."

London Chimp supporters of MJ protest over Memorial ticket lottery results

A zoo was evacuated on Sunday after about 30 chimpanzees escaped from their enclosure after news that none of them had received tickets to Michael Jackson's memorial service scheduled for Tuesday, July 7th in Los Angeles.
The animals escaped from 'Chimp Island' and found their way into a keeper area where their food is prepared, the zoo said.
More than 5,000 visitors were asked to leave Chester Zoo, near Liverpool, shortly after the break-out as keepers rounded up the chimps.
"We have never seen the chimps react with such public disregard and abandonment. Some of them were personal friends of Bubbles, the chimpanzee who was a longtime companion to Michael Jackson. Many of the chimps had planned to attend the London premier of the Michael Jackson concert as special guests.
"In the interests of public safety Chester Zoo was evacuated today, Sunday 5th July, as a precautionary measure," the zoo said.
In a prepared statement, the chimps apologized for the disappointment caused to guests and offered to provide a refund or free future visit to the zoo. The zoo has more than 7,000 animals.

Independence Day: A Cause of Celebration?

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all me are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. That among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

--Taken from the Pre-amble to the Declaration of Independence"

The Pledge of Allegiance

"I Pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands,one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Mommyhood and Grand-Mommyhood Triumphs in Alaska

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said Friday she is resigning from office at the end of the month, raising speculation that she would focus on a run for the White House in the 2012 race.
The former Republican vice presidential candidate made the surprise announcement from her home in suburban Wasilla on Friday morning. She said she would step down July 26 but didn't announce her plans.
"Once I decided not to run for re-election, I also felt that to embrace the conventional Lame Duck status in this particular climate would just be another dose of politics as usual, something I campaigned against and will always oppose," Palin said in a statement released by her office. "With that in mind, my family and I determined that it is best to make a difference this summer, and I am willing to change things, so that this administration, with its positive agenda, its accomplishments, and its successful road to an incredible future, can continue without interruption and with great administrative and legislative success," she said.
With childcare costs looming, I am convinced that her new grandson was sooo adorable and her own underaged minor children needed her presence in the home to a greater degree, til Gov. Palin had no choice but to do the logical thing--resign from her job. You go, Sarah!