Remember Kiddytown at the Harlem Irving Plaza ?

When we were kids there were a score of Amusment Parks in Chicago, This was one you have to try to remember as it sat at the Harlem Irving Plaza, These next few blog articles will be on those 6 amusemaent parks we had here in Chicago Area, Riverview Park, Kiddyland, Kiddytown, Santas village and Adventure Land

Kiddytown operated on the north side of the Harlem Irving Plaza. The roller coaster sat on what is now the rear parking lot of the LaSalle Bank at 4242 North Harlem Avenue.

Roller Coaster: Little Dipper
Amusement Park: Kiddytown (Harwood Heights, Illinois 60706 USA)
Classification: Roller Coaster
Type: Wood - Sit Down
Status: Operated from 1956 to 1966 or earlier
Relocations: Kiddytown as Little Dipper
Hillcrest Park as Little Dipper
Little Amerricka as Meteor
Make / Model: Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, Inc. / Junior Coaster
Serial Number: 120
Designer: Herbert Paul Schmeck
Categories: Family

Length: 900'
Height: 28'
Inversions: 0
Duration: 0:50

History: The plans to the Little Dipper were purchased in 1952, but the ride was not built until 1956.

Hillcrest park bought the roller coaster in 1966. It is believed to have been standing but not operating for some years prior to 1966.

Remember Adventureland in Addison Illinois

Here are some photo memories........

Adventureland Park

Address: Route 20 (Lake St.) & Medinah Road
Addison, Illinois 60101 USA

At one time, America had lots of these local amusement parks.
Along with Kiddieland, Santa's Village,
families attended Adventureland in the years
before Marriott's (Six Flags) Great America opened in 1976.

Adventureland was one of those parks that
was left behind in the rush to build bigger
and better theme parks.
It closed in 1977.

Remember Santas Village In Dundee Illinois

Heres a Great Pictorial Memory For You.......

Santa's Village Dundee

Santa's Village in East Dundee, Illinois (1959-2006) was a theme park built in 1959 by H. Glenn Holland who also built the other two in San Bernardino County, California and Santa Cruz County, California. This park was the third and last that he built. The buildings were modeled on what an average child might imaging Santa's Village would look like. When it opened, it was a very prominent theme park. Over the parks history more than 20 million people passed through the front gates.

One addition to the park, opened in 1963, was the Polar Dome which provided an ice skating and hockey venue under a forced-air supported dome. On November 28, 1966, a strong wind caused the Polar Dome to collapse. [1] The dome was then replaced by a flat cedar roof.

The unsuccessful launch of the Typhoon roller coaster and decreased attention to the aesthetics of the park eventually prompted the corporation to sell. The sale did not proceed as smoothly as hoped, and with many setbacks and unmet deadlines the park had to shut its doors.

Discussion are underway for a new Santa’s Village in Utica, Illinois. This new park would incorporate the look of the original three Santa’s Villages, including original rides, attractions, and shops.

Boyzz from Illinoizz / Classic Footage

Those of you who know me Understand this Video......Enjoy !!!

1978

2008



And still rockin........ Go Dirt
ALSO...Seeking video from Hooker Lake Inn July 1979 ..Dirt and Chicago Mike on stage for Birthday..Have it????? leave me a note here please

Riverview Park Gone but not Forgotten

This is a pictorial memory of that place we grew up as kids..!!Date Opened: 1904
Date Closed: 1967
Location: Western and Belmont Avenues,
near the Chicago River and Lane Tech High
Remains at site: None

Note: Riverview was one of the greatest of all
amusement parks













This is a pictorial memory of that place we grew up as kids..!!

The 74 acres bordered by Western and Belmont avenues, the Chicago River, and Lane Tech High School were known affectionately as "Riverview" to at least three generations of Chicagoans from as early as 1904 to as recent as 1967. Riverview Amusement Park was (sometimes disputably) billed as "The World’s Largest Amusement Park" throughout its 64-year popularity. For some people a trip to Riverview was a rite of passage; for others, it was a familiar weekend excursion, but for most people who went there, a trip to Riverview was a significant memory not soon forgotten. As Chicago natives, my parents and my grandparents can attest to the significance of Riverview. My grandmother’s eighth grade graduation trip was to Riverview, and she has fond memories of the four summers she spent as a cotton candy vendor there. My parents also have vivid memories of trips to Riverview. The story of Riverview Amusement Park is one remembered by many.

German Sharpshooter Park, as the area that would become Riverview was known as during the late 1800’s, was a shooting range and picnic grounds owned by the wealthy Schmidt family. Wilhelm Schmidt later put in swings and some rides for the ladies and children and Riverview was born. Soon after its opening in 1904, Wilhelm’s son George began to expand the park with ideas he had picked up in Europe from parks such as Tivoli Gardens. One of these ideas was Riverview’s famous 70-horse carousel, commissioned from a group of Swiss-Italian carvers employed by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company and installed in 1908. Riverview’s popularity grew during the early 1900’s as a ballroom and a roller rink were built for entertainment during the winter season. The Riverview Boosters Club, started in 1919, sponsored events such as an Armistice Day Party and membership drives throughout the early twenties.

The "roaring" attitude of the twenties had its effects on Riverview, as well. During Prohibition, the many beer-drinking German patrons of Riverview found the park’s picnic grounds continuing to flow freely with beer, even with some interruptions from federal agents. Chicago political machines also made good use of the popularity of Riverview during the 1920’s. Mayor "Big Bill" Thompson sponsored free childrens’ days at Riverview and paid the Western Ave. streetcar fare during the summer. "The park also became a focal point for the developing rivalry between the O’Bannion and Capone gangs," states Al Griffin in Chicago History. Riverview became even more "roaring" in 1926 with the addition of "The Bobs" roller coaster. "The Bobs" was an 11-car coaster with an 85-foot drop, long billed as the most fearsome roller coaster in the country, as well as the fastest on record. Built at the gargantuan (for the 1920’s) cost of 80,000 dollars, "The Bobs" carried 1,200 passengers per hour and drew some 700,000 riders each season. "The Bobs" remained uncontestedly the most popular ride at Riverview throughout its existence.

The Great Depression of the 1930’s hit Riverview hard, as it did most entertainment industries. During the early 1930’s a devastating fire burned down one of the earlier fun houses, called the Bug House, and sections of the Derby Racing Coaster. Even without excess cash flow, Chicagoans continued to find ways to go to Riverview as is evidenced by George Schmidt’s introduction of the foot-long hot dog during the thirties. Most visitors to Riverview opted to eat at the Bowery rather than in the restaurants during the Depression years, so Schmidt began selling the foot-long as something filling yet inexpensive. It’s easy to see why Riverview’s motto became "Laugh Your Troubles Away."

The years during World War II brought more changes to Riverview. The American National Socialist Party held its annual picnic and rally at Riverview in 1939. Thousands of Nazis postured and marched and hailed Hitler on the amusement park grounds. In contrast to this, Riverview became a popular place for returning servicemen and began to thrive again after the lag during the thirties. The postwar baby boom of the late 1940’s and 1950’s brought greatly increased prosperity to Riverview. "In the old days we’d have families of only one or two children. Now they come with four or five or more," stated G.G. Botts, Riverview vice president, of the baby boom’s effects. During the fifties, one couple that met at Riverview insisted on being married on the Pair-o-Chutes ride, and even found a minister to do it. The downside to this increased popularity was the rise of other amusement parks that presented stiff competition for Riverview. In 1948 there were only 420 amusement parks nationwide; in 1958 the number had grown to over 700.

The movement of more and more African Americans to Chicago heightened racial tension at Riverview during that time period, as well. One of the midway games that started out as a "Dunk the Bozo the Clown" game in which contestants threw balls at a target that would release a man into a tank of water turned into "Dunk the Nig**r" during the 1940’s. African American men were hired to sit in the tanks and taunt white passersby, who often would throw the balls at the African American in the tank rather than at the target. The title of the game was later changed to the more politically correct "African Dip" and was eventually closed by Schmidt in the late 1950’s after much pressure from the NAACP. By the time the game closed, "the men who lost their jobs were reportedly making over three hundred dollars a week in what was considered to be the highest-grossing concession in Riverview’s history." The game left a lasting effect, as well. It allowed ethnically diverse Chicagoans to define themselves as "white" and to develop a sense of racial solidarity that "obscured the particulars of their own ethnic backgrounds." This development served to further segregate the city. Fights sprang up more frequently at Riverview after this, and by the 1960’s Riverview required its own police force.

The closing of Riverview at the end of the 1967 season was a shock to many people. As Riverview was still bringing in 65,000 dollars on a good day, it seemed hard for people to attribute the end to economic reasons. But in truth, the Schmidts were probably offered a deal that they couldn’t pass up. They had installed a Disney-esque Space Ride in 1963 that cost 375,000 dollars and was reportedly losing money. Also, real estate prices in that downtown area were rising rapidly and the union labor and private police and fire departments, not to mention yearly repairs on the aging rides, cost the park more and more money. For whatever reason, the park was purchased by a LaSalle Street investment firm on October 3, 1967 for an estimated 6.5 million dollars and promptly demolished. Only the Merry-go-Round and several smaller souvenirs were saved. After storage in Galena, Illinois, the Merry-go-Round was purchased in 1971 and is now in Atlanta at Six Flags Over Georgia. The distortion mirrors from Aladdin’s Castle fun house are reportedly at a dance club in Palatine. The area that was once Riverview is now home to a DeVry Institute of Technology, a police station, and a shopping center.

There were many inside facts about Riverview that employees learned while working there. My grandmother, who sold cotton candy there as a teenager, remembers a lot about the park that the average visitor never found out. For instance, the park hired plants to walk around the midway with prizes, enticing people to play the games. Employees got to take the pre-opening test rides and enjoyed such thrills as the Bobs and the Chute-the-Chutes for free. Also, Riverview didn’t have a set closing time, but depended on the flow of the crowd to tell them when to close. Vendors on the midway watched for the lights of the Hades fun house to go out to know when to start shutting down.

Riverview Amusement Park had a lasting impact on the city of Chicago. Most importantly, it allowed people of different ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds to interact with each other in an otherwise ethnically segregated city. During its 64 years in existence it was said to entertain over 200,000,000 people. It played important roles during Prohibition, the Depression, World War II, and the baby boom of the fifties and sixties. Helen FitzMaurice says in The Chicago Tribune, "Riverview, like a fading Viennese beauty, held on to her air of old world charm, even when time and the electronic age so ruthlessly forced their way upon her. I am glad that those who were responsible retired her before every vestige of her charm was gone." Even if Riverview and its impact are sorely missed by Chicagoans, its closing was sadly appropriate. In the age of "The Raging Bull" and "The Viper," "The Bobs" and "The Chute-the-Chutes" would seem out of place and belonging to another age. As society looks for more daring risks, technology must follow. Despite being in the shadow of the increasingly technological aspects of today’s amusement park entertainment, Riverview will stand out in many peoples’ memories for the good times they had there and in Chicago’s history for its important social impact on the city.
Date Opened: 1904
Date Closed: 1967

Remember Kiddyland ? Millions of Memories There

More Chicago Vocabulary

Alderman: Elected official representating (male or female) one of the many wards in Chicago in the City Council. (Thanks Paul A.!)

The Alley: A popular store located on Clark, near Belmont Ave., where disgruntled youths can buy funky shoes, used military clothes, used Chicago Police jackets (tourists: awesome souvenir!), and other cool stuff.

Allstate Arena: New name of the former Rosemont Horizon.

Animal Stories: A regular segment on the radio show of Uncle Lar (Larry Lujack) and his sidekick Little Tommy. (Thanks Tom C.!)

Aragon Brawlroom: Nickname for the Aragon Ballroom because of its reputation for frequent mosh pits during concerts. Once was an elegant ballroom decades ago.

Argyle: Name of a east-west street on the northside, typically referring to the small Asian community in Uptown.

Bachelor's Grove: A haunted abandoned graveyard deep in a forest preserve on the south side.

Beef: Short for Italian beef sandwiches. "Gimme a beef!"

Berwyn: Western suburban town immortalized by the Son of Svengoolie. "BERrrwynNN!" (Thanks Myra!)

Blue Demons: DePaul's team.

Big Herm's: Nickname for Herm's Palace, a fast food and hot dog joint in Skokie on Dempster.

The Big Hurt: Chicago White Sox star Frank Thomas. (Although Bridget wrote that the slumping Thomas was more appropriately called "The Big Skirt." Yikes! Pretty harsh there! I don't think I'd say that to his face.)

Big Ten: Midwestern college sports conference, which includes the University of Illinois and Northwestern University.

Bleacher Bums: Regulars in Wrigley Field's bleacher section.

The Blues Brothers: Required viewing for any Chicago resident or anyone coming to Chicago. Great movie.

Blues Fest: 1) A free concert extravaganza at Grant Park where blues artists perform for several days. 2) A free concert for DePaul students in May, although blues music has become more of a rarity over the years.

The Boot: Short for the Denver Boot (yes, not a purely Chicago item), a nasty yellow metal device that locks a car wheel. Imposed by the city for repeated, unpaid parking ticket violations. Used in Chicago and other major metropolitan cities.

(Get) Booted: To receive a boot.

Boul Mich: Nickname for Michigan Ave. See Magnificent Mile.

Boys Town: A section on Halsted Ave., between Belmont and Addison, which is lined with gay bars on the west and east sides of the street.

Bozo's Circus: Children's TV show featuring Bozo the Clown, broadcasted by WGN-TV. Two or three generations have grown up with Bozo, dreaming of playing the one and only GRAND . . . PRIZE . . . GAME!!! (Thanks Paul A.!)

Brat: Short for Bratwurst. Pronounced "braht."

Brewski: Beer.

Bucktown: A developing neighborhood next to Wicker Park.

Buddy Guy's: Blues legend Buddy Guy's nightclub, "Buddy Guy's Legends."

Brandmeier: Jonathan Brandmeier, popular local Chicago D.J. who got dropped by the Loop 97.9 FM and is now on WCKG 105.9FM.

Cabrini Green: An enormous public housing complex on Chicago's near north side. Also referred to just as Cabrini.

Cal City: Calumet City.

Cal Sag Channel: Calumet Saginaw Channel, located on Chicago's south side.

Cashbox: Traffic reporter slang for tollbooths.

Cash Station: The major ATM network in Chicago

CBOE: Abbreviation for the Chicago Board Options Exchange. Pronounced "see-bow."

CBOT: Abbreviation for the Chicago Board of Trade. Also known as "The Board." (Thanks Tom C.!)

Char-dogs: Charcoal-grilled hot dogs, as opposed to your regular boiled hot dog. (Thanks Pat S.!)

Cheese and Sausage: For some odd reason, Chicagoans have to make sure their pizza order has cheese, even though I've never heard of pizza without cheese. (Thanks Koichi I.!)

"Cheezborger, Cheezborger": A phrase immortalized in a John Belushi sketch on Saturday Night Live. The phrase actually came from Billy Goat's Tavern, with its original location downtown.

Cheesehead: Anyone from Wisconsin.

Chgo: Abbreviation for Chicago

Chicagoans: Residents of Chicago. Not Evanston, not Tinley Park, not Elmhurst - CHICAGO.

Chicago Fest: The predecessor to Taste of Chicago, which took place at Navy Pier. (Thanks Michael B.!)

Chicagoland: The area which includes Chicago and its suburbs. "Greater Chicagoland Area" is redundant.

Chicago-Style Bungalow: Common design of single-family residences in Chicago's older neighborhoods.

Chicago-Style Pizza: Deep-dish pizza, originated by Pizzeria Uno in Chicago.

Chicago-Style Hot Dog: A hot dog coated in everything known to man. Some Chicagoans believe "everything" includes sauerkraut, while many agree that it does not include ketchup.

Chicago Transit Authority: 1) The public transportation system of Chicago. 2) The original name of the rock band "Chicago."

The Chicago Way: A quote from the movie "The Untouchables." "If he pulls out a knife, you pull out a gun. If he sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue - that's the Chicago Way."

Chi-Town: Nickname for Chicago.

Circle Campus: Old name for UIC.

City of Big Shoulders: Old nickname for Chicago.

City Council: The local city government, represented by the City's alderman and presided over by the Mayor.

Clincher: Name of the Chicago style 16" softball.

C.O.D.: College of DuPage.

Collar Counties: Counties surrounding Cook County.

Congress Expressway: Original name of the Eisenhower Expressway.

Continental: Bank of America, which acquired Continental Bank several years ago.

"Cooler by the Lake": Frequently said by TV and radio meteorologists, as the temperature usually is cooler by the Lake. It's also a catchy little phrase.

Cottage: Short for Cottage Grove, a north-south street on Chicago's south side.

Council Wars: A period during which the Chicago City Council frequently debated with Chicago Mayor Harold Washington.

Cow Tipping: The act of pushing over cows while they sleep. Do not attempt this. It is very dangerous for you and the cow.

Crain's: Crain's Chicago Business, a weekly business newspaper.

Cross-town Classic: The annual baseball game of the Chicago Cubs versus the Chicago White Sox. Once just for fun, these games now count in the regular season.

The CSO: Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

C.T.A.: Abbreviation for the Chicago Transit Authority.

Cubbies: Chicago Cubs.

Cut Rate Toys: Now further west from its original location, Cut Rate is a toy store located on Devon Avenue, best known for its tradition of great sales with full newspaper page coupons. As a former West Rogers Park kid, I more vividly remember the P.A. saying, "keep your children's hands off the toys or get them out of the store right now!" I think they've loosened up now.

Da Bears: Said only by suburban people who want to feel like Chicagoans, referring to the Chicago Bears. Originates from a Saturday Night Live sketch.

Da Bulls: Said only by suburban people who want to feel like Chicagoans, referring to the world champion Chicago Bulls. Originates from another Saturday Night Live sketch.

Da Coach: Former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka. Originates from a Saturday Night Live sketch.

Da Mare: Slang for The Mayor.

Dan Ryan: The section of the I-90/94 that runs on the south side of the city.

Dawg: Hot dog, the spelling sometimes used by hot dog vendors

Deep Tunnel: A system of tunnels underneath the city to reduce the impact of flooding in Chicago.

The Dells: 1) Wisconsin Dells, a tourist trap yet popular summer destination for families, complete with water parks, Tommy Bartlett's water show, and the Ducks. 2) Famous 50's doo-wop group from Chicago. (Thanks David W. for remembering the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame legends!)

Demon Dogs: A hot dog stand underneath the Fullerton El stop, adorned with memorabilia of the pop group Chicago.

DePaul: 1) DePaul University. 2) The section of Lincoln Park near DePaul University.

Detroit S*cks: A popular refrain at Hawks games against the Red Wings.
"Dipped?": Question from an Italian beef vendor, asking if you want the sandwich dipped in the sauce.

Disco Demolition: 1979 publicity stunt at Comiskey Park, where disk jockey Steve Dahl was supposed to blow up disco records. Instead, people stormed the field and destroyed the records (and parts of the field) themselves.

Dog Beach: A small sandy area near the Lake on the north side, where dog owners will let their pets free to play.

Doing Donuts: Spinning around in circles while driving, caused by snow.

Double Nickel: Trucker slang for I-55, more commonly known as the Stevenson. (Thanks Lisa!)

Downstate: To Chicagoans, any city, town, or area in Illinois, but outside of the Chicagoland area.

Downtown: 1) To Chicago residents, the Loop area and Michigan Ave. May also include adjacent areas such as iver North, West Loop, and South Loop. 2) To suburbanites, may be area within the Chicago city limits.

"Do you want to come with": Means "Do you want to come with (me/him/her/us.)" There is no need to properly identify with whom, as the phrase simply ends with "with."

The Drive: Lake Shore Drive.

Eagleman/Eaglewoman: The mascot found in Eagle Auto Insurance commercials, best known for their bad acting.

East Side: While east would mean somewhere in the middle of Lake Michigan for most of Chicago, there actually is an east side, specifically towards the south side of the city. The East Side is actually the name of Chicago's most eastern neighborhood, bordering the Indiana State Line.

Eddie and JoBo: Morning DJs on B96, once fired by the same station for their on-air shennanigans.

The Edens: I-94 on the north side of the city, after it breaks from the Kennedy.

Ed's: Short for Ed Debevic's, a popular 50's-style restaurant in the downtown area.

The Eisenhower Expressway (a.k.a. The Ike): I-290 expressway.

EIU: Short for Eastern Illinois University. (Thanks Stephen R.!)

The El: The Chicago elevated train system. See "The L."

Empire Carpet: A carpet dealer, known throughout Chicago for its catchy jingle ("5-8-8-2-3-hundred, Em-pire!") and frequent TV commercials with the Empire Carpet guy.

Emerald City: Nickname for the Lower Wacker Drive tunnel, when its lights were shaded green. (Thanks Cat!)

F.I.B. (F***ing Illinois B*st*rd): The name people from Wisconsin will call you if you call them a Cheesehead. Plural form: FIBs (pronounced "fibz").

Field's: Marshall Field, a prominent Chicago department store.

The Fire: 1) The Great Chicago Fire which decimated Chicago. 2) The major league soccer team (Thanks Erin!)

Flames: UIC's team name.

Flat: Units in a residential building, usually used for buildings with 2 to 6 units. For example, instead of saying that a house is a duplex, Chicagoans say it's a 2-Flat. Other examples: 3-Flat, 4-Flat.

Frangos: Frango Mint candies, a trademark confection from the department store Marshall Field.

The Fridge: Nickname for Chicago Bear William Perry.

The Friendly Confines: Wrigley Field. A sign inside the park says, "Welcome to the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field."

Front Room: The living/family room, so named because it is in the front section of the house. (Thanks Lisa!)

Gangway: The walkway between two buildings, typically residential buildings.

Gapers: People staring at an accident in traffic with their mouths "gaping" open.

Gapers' Delay: A delay in traffic caused by gapers, which are drivers stopping to stare at an accident.

Garden Apartment: Basement apartment.

Gisbon Sl*ts: Slang for women who hang out around Gibson's Steakhouse in search of wealthy men. Ouch. (Thanks Tom C.!)

Goes: Past or present tense of the verb "say." For example, "He goes, 'you cheesehead!'"

Goethe: A difficult street name to pronounce in the Gold Coast area, named after the German writer. Correctly pronounced "Gerta."

Gold Coast: A glitzy, expensive area near downtown, now more commonly referred to by their individual neighborhoods, such as River North and Streeterville.

Goofy: Adjective used to describe anything bad or silly, which Chicagoans are apparently more likely to use than others.

Gool: A safe place where you cannot be tagged out while engaged in the playground games of johnny, johnny tag, bismarck, and the like. Otherwise called "base" or "safe" in other areas. (I've lost the email for the guy who sent this in, but thanks! One of my favorite obscure ones.)

Goose Island: 1) Name of the only island in the Chicago city limits. 2) A popular microbrewery in Chicago.

Great America: A large Six Flags (formerly owned by Marriot) amusement park located in Gurnee, IL.

Great Lakes: 1) The five lakes consisting of Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior (my teacher always said to use the acronym "HOMES" to remember that.) 2) Great Lakes Dragway in Wisconsin (Thanks Ralph G.!) 3) Great Lakes Naval Training base in the northern 'burbs.

Green Limousine: Old slang for CTA buses, when they used to be green. They're now mostly white and blue.

Guys: Used when addressing two or more people, regardless of each individual's gender.
The Hancock: The John Hancock Building, one of the city's tallest buildings, located on Michigan Ave.

Harold's: Harold's Chicken Shack, which has a number of locations primarily on the south side. Great chicken.

Hawk: 1) A cold blast of wind. (Thanks Bos!) 2) Nickname for Cubs legend, Andre Dawson.

Hawks: Short for Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago's NHL professional hockey team

"Hey Hey": A trademark phrase from the late great Cubs announcer Jack Brickhouse when the Cubs hit a home run. Also was a Sox announcer.

Hillside Strangler: The traffic congested area of the western suburb, which includes the Eisenhower Expressway, East-West Tollway, Tri-State Tollway, and Roosevelt Road.

The HIP: Short for Harlem-Irving Plaza, a local mall on Chicago's northwest side.

Hizzoner: Slang for the mayor, as in "His Honor." Used on occasion in print editorials.

"Holy Cow": A trademark phrase from the late great Cubs (and former Sox) announcer Harry Caray.

The Horizon: The Rosemont Horizon, now known as the Allstate Arena, located in the suburb Rosemont.

Hot or Mild?: Question at Harold's Chicken Shack, asking which sauce do you want? !)

Hyde Park: A popular, crowded neighborhood on Chicago's south side, whose inhabitants include U of C people.

Hubbard's Cave (a.k.a. The Cave): A tunnel on the Kennedy just to the north of downtown, near Hubbard Street.

IDOT: Abbreviation for Illinois Department of Transportation. Pronounced "eye-dot."

IIT: Short for Illinois Institute of Technology.

ILL: Old three-letter abbreviation for Illinois (as opposed to the now more common IL), like abbreviating Florida as FLA (FL).

Inbound on the . . . (name of highway): Headed into the city.

Indian Boundary: A large park in the West Rogers Park area, which also has (had?) a very, very small zoo.

Inner Drive: The inner stretch of Lake Shore Drive.

IPASS: A electronic system placed in your car through which you can drive through tollbooths without tossing change. Pronounced "eye-pass."

Iron Mike: Mike Ditka.

ISU: Abbreviation for Illinois State University.

Italian beef: An underappreciated delicacy in Chicago of sliced beef in fresh bread, drenched in au jus. See beef.

Italian beef and sausage combo: A sandwich featuring the two meat combination of Italian beef and Italian sausage.

"It might be, it could be, IT IS!": A trademark phrase from the late great announcer Harry Caray, said when the Cubs would hit a home run.

Jay's: A brand of potato chips made by the Chicago company, Jay's.

Jeweler's Row: A concentration of small jewelry stores along South Wabash Ave. in the Loop.

The Joan: Nickname for U.S. Celluar Field (the former Comiskey Park), used because of U.S. Cellular's use of Joan Cusack in ads. (Thanks to the person who sent this in!)

Joe: A person, equivalent to "man" or "dude" in other areas. (Thanks to BeatmasterCHI and everyone who has sent this in!)

The Junction: The point on the north side of the city at which the Kennedy and the Edens meet.

The Kennedy: The section of the I-90/94 on the north side of the city.

Kitty-Corner: Located diagonally across the street. The equivalent of the expression "catty-corner" in other parts of the country.

K-Town: 1) A section of Chicago's southwest side where there a lot of north-south streets that begin with the letter "K." The streets are also on the northside, but I believe it refers to the Lawndale neighborhood. ( 2) A predominantly Korean-American area on Chicago's north side.

The "L": Nickname for the CTA's elevated train system. While most of this system is above ground, the term applies even when the train goes underground. The "L" represents its origins as the train system that "looped" around downtown. See Loop.

The Lake: Lake Michigan.

Lake Effect Snow: Snow caused by the Lake. Water retains heat better than land. In winter, when a cold, dry wind from land blows across a large body of water, the wind picks up the warmer, wetter air rising above the lake. When the wind reaches the land on the other side of the lake, it cools back down. Since cooler air can hold less humidity than drier air, the resulting precipitation is usually heavy snow falling on the land adjacent to the lake. Some places near the water may receive many inches, while a town just a few miles inland will receive only flurries. (Whew! Thanks Scott!)

Lakeview: A very crowded neighborhood on Chicago's northside, home to clubs, bars, and theaters.

The Land of Lincoln: Motto for Illinois.

The Lighthouse: A lighthouse along Evanston's beach.

Lincoln Park: A crowded northside neighborhood home to yuppies, Lincoln Park Zoo, Tower Records, and DePaul.

The Lincoln Park Pirates: Nickname for Lincoln Towing, who lovingly tow your car and charge you well over $100 to get it back. The term was originally coined in a song by Steve Goodman.

The Loop: 1) Downtown Chicago, named as such because the El "loops" around the area. The actual street boundaries of the Loop are: Lake St. to the north, Wabash to the east, Van Buren to the south, and Wells to the west, but it's usually defined as a little larger, specifically the Chicago River to the north and west, either Congress or Roosevelt (thanks Carl F.) to the south, and Michigan Ave. on the east. 2) Name of radio station WLUP 97.9 FM.

Lotto: The local lottery. Spend a buck for a chance to become a millionaire.

Lower Wacker Drive: A stretch of road underneath Wacker Drive in the downtown area, used by local buildings to load and unload goods.

Loyola: 1) Loyola University. 2) The section of the Rogers Park neighborhood near Loyola University. 3) Loyola Academy, the high school where Chris O'Donnell went.

LSD: Abbreviation for Lake Shore Drive, which runs along Lake Michigan.

The Magnificent Mile (a.k.a. Mag Mile): Michigan Avenue, specifically located south of Lake Shore Drive and north of the Chicago River. Known for the glitzy stores that line both sides of the street.

Mancow: Chicago-based, nationally-syndicated morning radio disk jockey.

Maxwell Street: A Chicago street, best known for its street vendors and flea market atmosphere. Now a fraction of what it once was thanks to UIC and eminent domain. (Thanks Kron and others!)

The Mart: Merchandise Mart, one of the world's largest office buildings, located to the north of the Chicago River.

Medusa's: Legendary under-21 nightclub, which used to be located at School & Sheffield. Now long since gone. (Thanks Jane O.!)

The Merc: The Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

The Met: WMET 95.5FM, an album oriented rock station in the 70's and early 80's. The frequency is now known as WNUA, a smooth jazz/new age station.

Metra: A railroad service that helps surburbanites get into and out of the city.

Midway: Chicago's second largest airport.

MJ: Michael Jordan.

Monkey Wards: Slang for department store Montgomery Wards.

Monsters of the Midway: Nickname for the Chicago Bears. Originated from when they played near the Midway Plaisance by the University of Chicago. The term "midway" which is the part of a fair where sideshows and amusement shows are located also came from the same area.

Montrose Beach: A beach near Montrose Ave., best known for its great view of the Chicago skyline as seen in many movies. Also known as a prime make-out place at night.

Mr. Cub: Cubs legend Ernie Banks.

Mrs. O'Leary's Cow: The legendary bovine which kicked a lantern, causing the Great Chicago Fire. Mrs. O'Leary and aforementioned cow were recently exonerated by the City Council from any wrong-doing.

"My Kind of Town": Frank Sinatra's classic song about the great city of Chicago.

New Town: Old nickname for the Lakeview neighborhood.

Night Game Parking: Certain streets where parking is not permitted, due to a Cubs night game, unless you have a permit.

NIU: Short for Northern Illinois University.

North Shore: Affluent suburbs north of Chicago, such as Winnetka and Lake Forest.

Northside: Anywhere north of Madison Ave. Stereotyped by southsiders as where the yuppies live. (As Dan G. reminds, it's often pronounced "nortside.")

Northsiders: Residents of the Northside.

Oak Street Beach: Chicago's most popular beach, located near Oak Street and the Lake.

O'Hare: Chicago's main international airport and one of the busiest in the country.

O'Hare Field: Old name for O'Hare Airport.

Old Chicago: Name of an indoor amusement park that has now been closed for many years.

Old Comiskey: The original Comiskey Park, where the White Sox played until the new stadium opened in 1991. The Old Comiskey, across the street from the current Comiskey, was torn down and turned into a parking lot, though a small marker identifies where home plate used to be. (Thanks Doug!)

Orchard Place: Original name of the airport before renamed O'Hare. This is the reason why O'Hare's code is still ORD. (Thanks Rob P.!)

Outbound on the . . . (name of highway): Headed outside of the city.

Outer Drive: The outer stretch of Lake Shore Drive.

Pershing Road: A Chicago street, but closely associated with the Chicago Board of Education, once headquartered on this street.

The Picasso: An unnamed piece of art by Picasso that stands in Daley Plaza in the Loop.

Pip: Former Chicago Bulls star Scottie Pippen.

A Polish: A Polish sausage.

Pop: A soft drink. Don't say "soda" in this town.

Poplar Creek: Former outdoor music venue, now housing. (Thanks John "Skachman"!) The Plaza: Evergreen Plaza, a popular shopping mall on Chicago's south side. (Thanks Bob!)

The Point: Area along the Lake near 55th St., marked by a small house. An outstanding view of the Chicago skyline and Navy Pier.

Prairie: An empty neighborhood lot. (

Pudge: Nickname for Chicago White Sox great Carlton Fisk.

(Casmir) Pulaski Day: A local holiday in early March (and a day off for school kids and city offices) in celebration of Casmir Pulaski, a general and war hero from the Revolutionary War. Chicago has a large population of persons of Polish ancestry.

Pullman: Southside neighborhood named for railroad tycoon George Pullman, who created the first industrial town there in the late 19th century.
Punkin' Donuts: The Dunkin' Donuts at Belmont & Clark (near The Alley), which used to be frequented by many punk-ish, leather-clad, black-hair-coiffed individuals in the 80's/early 90's.

Ramblers: Loyola University's team name.

Ravinia: A summer outdoor venue in the northern suburbs for watching the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, opera, jazz, and other arts. Great time. (

The Reader: A free newspaper that comes out every Thursday listing the coming weekend and following week's music, theater, and other events, as well as articles and classifieds. Available at most record stores and nightspots.

Resurrection Mary: A legendary ghost that has been known to hitch rides with men, get out of the car, and run into the cemetary.

Reversibles: Express lanes on the Kennedy, which reverse direction depending upon the time of day.

Richie: Mayor Richard M. Daley. Comes from when he was called "Richie" or "Little Richie" during the time his father, Richard J. Daley, was mayor. (Thanks Kim!)

The Riv: The Riviera Theater, located near the Aragon in the Uptown neighborhood.

The River: Chicago River.

Riverboat Gambling: Casinos on a riverboat. There is no gambling in the city (unless you count Lotto), but casino-style stuff can be found in the riverboats of outlying cities like Elgin.

River North: A neighborhood to the north of the Chicago River and home to Planet Hollywood, Ed Debevic's, and other popular restaurants and nightspots.

Riverview: A long gone amusement park that used to be located at Belmont & Western. Now home to a shopping center and police station.

Rock 'N Roll McDonald's: Located in the River North neighborhood, this McDonald's with a rock 'n roll theme is one of the world's busiest.

The Rocks: Area along the Lake near Belmont, so named because of the rocks along the shore. (Thanks to the many of you who submitted this one!)

Roof: Pronounced "rough" in true Chicago pronunciation.

The Rush: Chicago Rush, the local arena football team.

Rush Street: Usually only means the section of Division, east of LaSalle St. and west of Rush St., near downtown, aligned with singles bars on the north and south side of the street.

Ryno: Chicago Cubs great Ryne Sandberg.

's: Use of "'s" is commonly added to most store names. For example, Jewel, a major grocery store chain in the area, is often referred to as "Jewel's," Carson Pirie Scott, a major department store chain, is called "Carson's," etc.

Sammitch: Pronunciation in deep Chicago slang for "sandwich."

Samurai Mike: Chicago Bears legend and newly-inducted Hall of Famer Mike Singletary.

S-Curve: The dangerous curve along Lake Shore Drive that weaved between Monroe and Ontario, which was later straightened a bit.

Second City: 1) Old nickname for Chicago, when it was the nation's second largest city. Others have argued that the Second City title is actually because the city was rebuilt after its destruction by the Great Chicago Fire. 2) Legendary comedy club on the northside, where many Saturday Night Live legends, like John Belushi and Bill Murray, got their start.

SIU: Short for Southern Illinois University.

Six Corners: Nickname for the Chicago intersection of Milwaukee, Cicero, and Irving Park.

Skitching: The dangerous act of hitching a ride on the rear bumper of a car when there's ice or slick snow. Do not attempt to do this potentially fatal act. Southsiders may pronouce the word as "skeetching." (
Sliders: Nickname for hamburgers from White Castle, a popular Midwestern burger chain.

Smelt: A fish commonly caught by fishermen along Lake Michigan. (
Softball: Similar to baseball and the "softball" played in the rest of country, but Chicago-style softball is played with a 16" ball, instead of a 12" ball, and none of the fielders wear mitts.

Son of Svengoolie: Host of a weekly local TV show showing old horror movies. (I used to have nightmares about some movie with mushroom people.)

South Shore: 1. Developing southside neighborhood at the southern end of Lake Shore Drive. 2. Commuter railroad line between Chicago and Indiana.

Southside: Specifically anywhere south of Madison Ave. Stereotyped by northsiders as being dangerous. (As Dan G. reminds, it's often pronounced "soutside.")

Southside Irish: Persons of Irish ancestry on the southside.
Southsiders: Residents of the Southside.

Southtown: A newspaper targeting southwest Chicago and its suburbs whose slogan is "People Up North Just Don't Get It"

Sox Park: Comiskey Park, where the Chicago White Sox play.

The Stadium: Chicago Stadium, now gone, the former home of Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks. Feel the roar! (Thanks John "Skachman" and Murph!)

Stateville: Illinois prison located in Joliet, IL.

The Steel Bridge: A highway bridge on the south side; a common landmark used by traffic reporters. (Thanks Bob B.!)

Steve and Garry: A popular DJ team on the Loop at one time, but now feuding. (Thanks Lauren!)

The Stevenson: I-55 expressway. Stony: Short for Stony Island, a north-south street on Chicago's south side.

Stoop: Stairs in front of a house.

Streeterville: A neighborhood located to the north of Chicago River, east of Michigan Ave.

Streets & San: Nickname for the Department of Streets and Sanitation. (Thanks Kristen and Daniel!)

Streetwise: A newspaper sold by members of Chicago's homeless population.

"Sweet Home Chicago": a) Song composed by blues legend Robert Johnson. A favorite for any blues set in Chicago. (Thanks Paul C.!) b) Name of the 2001 attraction where furniture was painted by local artists and placed outdoors on city streets.

"Sweet or hot?": Another question from an Italian beef vendor, asking if you want sweet or hot peppers on your Italian beef.

Subway Series: A fantasy that has gone on for decades that the World Series may someday be the Chicago Cubs versus the Chicago White Sox (thus, being able to commute via the subway from the Cubs games to the Sox games).

Sunshine Delay: Slower traffic caused by bright sunlight. As rush hour morning traffic typically means travelling east towards the rising sun and evening traffic means travelling west towards the setting sun, delays can occur because of blinded drivers. (Thanks Richard R.!)

Sweetness: Chicago Bears legend Walter Payton. Rest in peace, #34.

The Swift: Short for the Skokie Swift, a train system that links Skokie residents to Chicago's El system. (Thanks Murray!)

The Taste: The annual Taste of Chicago Festival, a huge extravaganza in Grant Park featuring samples of Chicagoland's fine cuisine. Takes place around and before the Fourth of July holiday.

"Through and Through": Police slang for a shooting in which the bullet comes out the other side. Pronounced "True 'N True."
Times: Short for the Chicago Sun-Times, one of Chicago's major newspapers.

Top of the Cock: Top of the John Hancock Building.

The Trib: Short for the Chicago Tribune, one of Chicago's major newspapers.

The Two Jerrys: Nickname for Chicago Bulls manager Jerry Krause and chairman Jerry Reinsdorf, blamed by many for ending the world champion team's dynasty.

The UC: The United Center, which is the stadium where the Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Bulls play.

U of C: Short for University of Chicago, one of the city's best and most expensive universities.

UIC: Abbreviation for University of Illinois in Chicago.

Uncle Bobby: The late Bob Collins, who was a radio personality on WGN AM radio. (Thanks Deanna D.!)

Valpo: Valparaiso University

Viagra Triangle: New nickname for the Clark/Division/Rush area, home to many bars and restaurants. (Thanks to Stephen J. and others!)

Victory Autowreckers: Long-time auto junkyard (in "Bensenville, near O'Hare") that has run the same commercial on TV for years. "That old car is worth money" is their opening phrase. (Thanks Midwesty -- didn't have your real name!)

"Vote early and vote often": A quote from Al Capone regarding Chicago's electoral system.

Water Tower: 1) A Chicago landmark, specifically the only structure to survive the Great Chicago Fire. 2) Water Tower Place, a mall located on the Magnificent Mile near Water Tower - the landmark.

Wet or Dry?: Question from an Italian beef vendor about whether you would like it dipped in the juice or not. (Thanks C. Anania!)

Wiener Circle: Name of hot dog stand at Clark and Wrightwood. Has been referred to on TV show "ER."

"Where you always save more money": The long-time sales slogan of Celozzi-Ettelson, a car dealership with frequent TV commercials.

WIU: Short for Western Illinois University.

Wicker Park: One of the largest artist communities in the country, located on the northwest side of the city.

Windchill Factor: The temperature that the weather actually feels like. Because of the wind, the temperature may feel colder. As a result, it's possible to have a temperature of 32F, but strong winds make it feel close to 0F.

The Windy City: Nickname for Chicago. While the winds are quite harsh in the city, the nickname is over a century old, originating from when Chicago and New York were competing for the World's Fair. A New York journalist mentioned Chicago's blowhards and windbag politicians. (Thanks Amy!)

Winter and Construction: Punchline to the joke, "what are the two seasons in Chicago?"

Wolfpack: A patrol of several city tow trucks that tour neighborhoods and haul a bunch of cars in one swoop.

Woodfield: Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, IL. An enormous indoor shopping mall with more retail space than Mall of America.

The World: The Tweeter Center in Tinley Park, formerly known as the New World Music Theater. Best known for its crap sound system which has even been specifically named by musicians (e.g., Grateful Dead) as being truly awful.

The Worm: Former Chicago Bulls star Dennis Rodman.

The Wolves: The Chicago Wolves, a professional hockey team that plays at the Rosemont Horizon

Wrigleyville: The neighborhood that surrounds Wrigley Field, where the Chicago Cubs play.

XRT: WXRT, 93.1 FM, known for its history of playing "alternative" music for years.

Z95: Popular pop music radio station in 1980's. Has since undergone format changes and is now a mostly classic rock station known as CD 94.7.

Hey Chicagoans and former Chicagoans! Got any more phrases? Write to webseller757@aol.com with more additions to this page!

Mingus Mountain Academy , A Wonderful Program

Welcome To Mingus Mountain Academy

Mingus Mountain Academy is a JCAHO-accredited facility offering treatment and educational services for emotionally and behaviorally at-risk girls. Founded in 1985, the Academy is located on a 120-acre campus at the base of Mingus Mountain in beautiful Prescott Valley, Arizona. The campus consists of multiple dormitories, a North Central Association-accredited educational center, a medical/clinical complex, an administration center, and a spiritual growth center. Mingus Mountain Academy offers a variety of individual treatment and educational services, including its unique Equestrian Program.

Mingus Mountain Academy provides a structured and nurturing environment for at-risk and delinquent youth. Mingus’ highly structured program focuses on instilling positive norms and values. Individual goals are set forth in each student’s treatment plan that strive to maximize intellectual, social, emotional and physical growth. Goals are based on the holistic philosophy that each student will become a positive young adult through exposure to Mingus’ challenging and enriching program.

Mingus Mountain Academy
P. O. Box 26485
Prescott Valley, AZ 86312

Tel : 602-335-2000
Fax: 602-249-1311
Email: nramirez@mmaaz.com

Check out the web site
www.mmaaz.com

My Favorite Chicago Hot Dog Place Period !!!!

GENE and JUDES
The greatest hot dog stand in the world serves neither hamburgers, nor polish sausage, nor grilled chicken sandwiches. There is no grill, no char-broiler, no spinning mound of gyros. At the greatest hot dog stand they only need buckets of simmering water for dogs, steamers for steaming buns and Supreme tamales and ever bubbling vats of oil for the fresh cut fries.

You can see the greatest hot dog from far up the street. Beecause the greatest hot dog stand is all glass and harsh flouresant lights and stands as a beacon for all who are hungry. If you see a line, you know it will move fast.

The greatest hot dog stand follows few of the rules laid out by the experts. Their buns are poppy-seedless. They offer few condiments beyond mustard (no ketchup on site). They do not dust their dog with celary salt. Yes, it is a Vienna sausage, but a skinnyish one at that. You really need to eat more than one at the greatest hot dog stand in the world, and many of the customers do (Sample customer, "I'll take seven hot dogs and an [extra] order of fries).

The cooks at the greatest hot dog stand in the world occupy their time in between orders by thrusting fresh idaho potatos through a machine that converts them into perfect sized french fries. These amazing sticks of pure pototo get tossed on top of each offering so that if you want to eat them inside your hot dog bun, well you can and maybe should.

The greatest hot dog stand in the world is a throwback to a world when people ate hot dogs. A throwback to a time when a great stand could keep their buns steamed just right, and their red hots, hot but not limp. So a Gene and Jude hot dog snaps right back at you. Interactive eating. With a side of hot fries, you will know you are at the greatest hot dog stand in the world.

Gene and Judes
2720 River Road
River Grove, IL 60171-1325
708-452-7634

On the corner of River Road and Grand

Helpful ..Do's and don'ts after the loss of a child

DO'S

Do let your genuine concern and care show.

Do be available: to listen, to help with other children, or whatever else seems needed at the time.

Do say you are sorry about what happened to their child and about the pain they are experiencing.

Do allow them to express as much grief as they are feeling at the moment and are willing to share.

Do encourage them to be patient with themselves,not to expect too much of themselves, and not to impose any "SHOULDS" on themselves.

Do allow them to talk Do give special attention to the child's brothers and sisters, at the funeral and in the months to come. They too are hurt and confused and in need of attention which their parents may not be able to give them at the time.

Do reassure them that the medical care their child received was the best possible, and/or be positive about anything else you know to be true and positive about the care given their now-deceased child.

DONT'S

Don't let your own sense of helplessness keep you from reaching out to a bereaved parent.

Don't avoid them because you are uncomfortable.Being avoided by friends adds pain to an already intolerable and painful experience.

Don't say you know how they feel unless you've lost a child yourself. You probably don't know how they feel.

Don't say "You ought to be feeling better by now," or anything else that implies a judgment about their feelings.

Don't change the subject when they mention their dead child.

Don't avoid mentioning the child's name for fear of reminding them of their pain. They haven't forgotten it for a moment.

Don't try to find something positive about the child's death.

Don't point out that at least they have another child or children. Children are not interchangeable! They cannot replace each other.

Don't say that they can have another child. Even if they could, or wanted to, another child would not replace the child they have lost.

Don't make any comments which in any way suggest that the care in the home or in the emergency room, hospital, or wherever, was inadequate.Parents are plagued by feelings of doubt and guilt without any help from their family or friends.

Dawn M. Sansone Living Memorial

This memorial website was created in the memory of our loved one, Dawn Sansone who was born in Illinois on January 02, 1978 and passed away on November 06, 2001 at the age of 23. We will remember her forever.
Those of you who knew Dawn, Knew she was full of life, A sweet and feisty little firecracker who's smile could warm an eskimo. She was taken away from us without warning and has left large holes in the hearts of all who had the chance to see the smile that came from her always. Life will never again be complete without her being a physical part, Her heart will beat among us who loved her forever and ever

Please visit her site and leave your thoughts and wishes....Thank you
http://dawnsansone.memory-of.com/

You Know Your From Chicago If......

1. The "living room" was called the "front room."
2. You don't pronounce the "s" at the end of Illinois. You become irate at people who do.
3. You measure distance in minutes (especially "from the city"). And you swear everything is pretty much 1/2 hour away.
4. You have no problem spelling or pronouncing "Des Plaines."
5. You go to visit friends or family down south and laugh when they complain about the traffic.
6. You understand that no person from Chicago can be a Cub fan AND a White Sox fan.
7. It's "kitty corner" not "katty corner".
8. You know the difference between"The Loop"and "Downtown."
9. You eat your pizza in squares, not triangles, and you never refer to it as "pie"
10. You own celery salt.
11. You understand that the primary is the official local election.
12. You know what a garache-key is!
13. Stores don't have sacks, they have bags.
14. You end your sentences with an unnecessary preposition. Example: "Where's my coat at?" or "Can I go with?"
15. Your idea of a great tenderloin is when the meat is twice as big as the bun, "everything" is on it and a slice of dill pickle is on the side.
16. You carry jumper cables in your car.
17. You drink "pop."
18. You understand that I-290, I-90, I-94, and I-294 are all different roads.
19. You know the names of the interstates: Stevenson, Kennedy, Eisenhower, Dan Ryan, and the Eden's.
20. But you call the interstates "expressways."
21. You refer to anything South of I-80 as "Southern or Central Illinois."
22. You refer to Lake Michigan as "The Lake."
23. You refer to Chicago as "The City."
24. "The Super Bowl" refers to one specific game in January, 1986.
25. You have two favorite football teams: The Bears, and anyone who beats the Packers.
26. You buy "The Trib" and not the Tribune.
27. You know that despite being on the lake, there is no such place as the Waterfront.
28. You think 45 degrees is great weather to wash your car.
29. You picnic or ride your bike in the "fore st preserve."
30. You cried when Bozo was canceled on WGN.
31. You know what goes on a Chicago-style hot dog.
32. You know what Chicago Style Pizza REALLY is.
33. You know why they call Chicago "The Windy City."
34. You understand what "lake-effect" means.
35. You know the difference between Amtrak and Metra, and know at which station they end up.
37. You have ridden the "L."
38. You think your next-door neighbor is a cousin to Tony Soprano.
39. You can distinguish between the following area codes: 847, 630, 773, 708, 312, & 815.
40. You have at some time in your life used your furniture or a friend's body to guard your parking spot in winter.
41. You respond to the question "Where are you from?" with a "side." Example: "West Side," "South Side" or "North Side."
42. You know the phone number for Empire Carpet!

Into Old Rock and Roll ??/

If you are an avid lover of music as I am, You need to check out this great site about the great Rock and Roll Artists of the 60's, 70's and 80's.It has biographies of some of the all time greats we all rocked with through the ages, And yes still rockin,This site is rockandrollmania.com.It will be a refreshing blast from the past............

Bereaved Children

Kids who are grieving…

When someone you love dies, you might feel as though you are the only person in the world feeling the way you do. The truth is that you’re not alone. Everyday, there are other kids who lose a brother or sister, a mom or a dad, a grandma or a grandpa…someone that they love. And even though no one’s feelings are exactly the same, you are all grieving.

“Grieving” is when you miss the person who has passed away. It’s that empty feeling you get when you remember that they’re gone. You might feel angry or sad or confused. You might feel like crying or sleeping, playing or going to school—and you might not. You might get stomachaches or headaches. You might want to be with your friends or spend some time alone. Whatever you are feeling, it’s okay to feel that way.

The grownups in your family might be grieving too. That might make you scared you will hurt their feelings if you talk about how you feel. The truth is that most grownups would be more sad if you didn’t share your feelings with them, so give it a try. You can also talk a teacher, minister, or counselor. Sometimes, it even helps to talk to a friend. If you don’t feel like sharing your feelings, that’s okay too. Maybe you could write in a journal or draw pictures about how you feel.

Sometimes, other people might forget that kids grieve. It’s okay to politely remind them, “Someone I love died”.

Sometimes, people might say things to make you feel better but it hurts your feelings instead. Or, sometimes, people won’t say anything at all because they think talking about it will upset you. It’s okay for you to say, “It hurt my feelings…” and tell them why.

And remember, it’s okay to feel angry or sad or whatever you are feeling--you can’t control what feelings you have--BUT you can control what you do with those feelings. Make positive choices to let those feelings out and take good care of yourself…the way the person you love who died would want you to.

For the Grownups who love them…

Someone you loved has died. Now imagine that everyone around you is trying to shelter you from having any involvement with funeral arrangements or the cause of the death. Would you be angry? Would you be confused?

Though this is no doubt a difficult time for you and your family, please try to remember to include your kids as much as possible. Let them help with the funeral arrangements, talk to them about your beliefs, help them to understand the cause behind the death.

Very young children (2 and younger) may not understand anything more than the fact that their routine has been changed or that mom and dad are upset. Try to comfort them as best you can with continuity and reassurance. Talk to them about their loved one who has died.

Preschoolers understand a lot more than they are able to express. This may result in their acting out by “fit throwing” or having angry outbursts. Let them be creative in expressing their grief with drawings or play doh. Talk to them about their loved one who has died.

Adolescents will have differing reactions. Some will become withdrawn as they try to keep their feelings from upsetting you. Some will become anxious as they wonder about their own death. They may experience more somatic feelings such as headaches or stomachaches. Encourage them to keep a journal or express themselves in other ways. Talk to them about their loved one who has died.

Teenagers will most likely become distracted or withdrawn. They may feel they need to fill the role of “caregiver” to help lessen your burden. They also may question their existence. They may turn to friends for support. Talk to them about their loved one who has died.

Talking to them about their loved one who has died…are you seeing a theme here? Many kids don’t know it’s okay to bring up the subject until they get the cue from the adults in their lives. Your loss is undoubtedly one of the most difficult things you have gone through. You need to take care of yourself first and foremost or it will be impossible to help your child. If you are struggling with your own feelings, it might be a good idea to ask another adult you trust to be the support your child needs. If anyone in your family is experiencing symptoms of severe depression or extreme variations of the above mentioned feelings, seek professional help

Need Help?? The Center For Grieving Children is There

The grief that children feel following a loss is unlike any other form of grief. Often, children are so great at disguising their feelings that adults may not even know when a child is not coping well with loss. Thankfully, a child does not have to grieve alone. The Center For Grieving Children located in Portland, Maine, helps children deal with loss in a group home environment.

The Center For Grieving Children provides children with peer support, but this center also provides a form of in house care for those parents that are coping with a serious disease. In addition, the center also helps those within the Portland community that are dealing with a recent loss. Children that have gone through a particularly hard loss, will find that the Center For Grieving Children is a great comfort when the world seems large and lonely. To find out more information about the center, visit www.cgcmaine.org.

If you know a child that is having a hard time following the death of a loved one, The Center for Grieving Children will be able to help that child find life once again. Though children may not express their grief in the same manner that adults do, they often feel pain at a much deeper level. Instead of allowing a child to grieve on their own, contact the center and find out how you can help those that you love. Remember, grief is something that children will eventually cope with .. but they will never get over the empty feeling of loss.
http://www.grievingchildren.org/

Thinking Of Investing In Domain Names ??

Last month,Chris Chena personally dominated our Big Board as the buyer of 8 of the 10 most valuable domains listed. No one individual had ever done that before (and we’ll be surprised if anyone ever does it again). The South American domain investor/developer spent over half a million dollars that week. Very few 27-year-olds have access to that kind of money and until recently, neither did Chena.

Chris was born in Asunción, the capital of Paraguay in late 1977. Chena told us “I grew up in the heart of South America in a country were summer lasts all year long and it is a place I really enjoy. The image the rest of the world has of my country is one of poverty and insecurity, but it is a nation of very hard-working and friendly people - in fact I think that the friendliness and warmth of the Paraguayan people has no match.”


At home in Asunción, Paraguay
“I come from a very humble family, though we never lacked anything,” Chena said. “Thanks to the constant work of my father Alfredo Chena and the care of my mother Nérida Núñez, we progressed towards a middle-class lifestyle and we all strived to further our education. Even now, my father is a dedicated student. He started working as a banker when he was very young and is now also a business manager, accountant and lawyer who is very respected among his peers. My mother represents the dedicated and hard-working Paraguayan woman and from her I inherited an untiring devotion to my work as well as my stubbornness! I will repeat something over and over until it works out, never turning back. It’s my family’s legacy.”

When Chena was three years old his family moved to a small neighborhood in the outskirts of the capital. He recalls a very happy childhood even though he didn’t quite fit in with the other kids. “I was more interested in mental activities than physical,” Chena said. “Everyone else loved football (soccer to Americans), fights and physical games. I was the introverted kid - shy, curious and with an inclination towards science and literature. Initially that was a problem for me in relating to other kids my age. They considered me a “fool” for not being part of the group and a fan of the things they followed. The only times I really felt like socializing with the group was when they showed off their computers or their latest videogame consoles - something I couldn’t afford at the time. In Paraguay, especially back then, it was a luxury to have those kinds of things and I loved playing with them when they would let me!

In many parts of the world, the most memorable day many kids have is when they get their first bike. For Chena, the special day was when he got his first computer! “My best moment came when my father, after saving a lot of money from a long assignment in Uruguay, bought me my first PC, which ran on an Intel 286. I was 13 and it was my dream come true. I was fascinated with what a great tool the computer was and I immediately began researching everything related to computers; design, animation, programming and of course I filled my computer with games and viruses in record time - I dare anyone to beat me at it!” Chena smiled.

Of course, computers really come to life when they are connected to the Internet. Chena said “Paraguay was one of the last countries in South America to have access to the Internet, so at first I had to quench my thirst for “sharing information” by using local networks - bulletin board systems, local chat rooms and things like that. Finally in 1998 I got Internet access and it almost broke my family’s budget because I spent so many hours doing online research with a dial-up connection!”

A year after getting on the web, Chena decided he wanted to study something he found especially fascinating – 3D animation. In 1999, he started taking classes on the subject at a local technical school. Chena recalled, “after I finished the course I presented an amateurish little short film that ran 3-4 minutes. My teacher really liked it and pushed me to enter it in a national video competition. I was skeptical but I did it and was surprised to be invited to an awards ceremony in a luxurious hotel where the various films were presented. The event was broadcast on a national TV network and to my surprise, I won first place in my category!

All of the sudden, various companies, advertising agencies and media networks started calling on Chena to do special projects for them. At age 21 he founded his first company and ran it from a small room in the back of his house. “I specialized in creating animation and multimedia products,” Chena said. We did several jobs including presentations and interactive CDs for many important companies in Paraguay and even for the government.” Chena’s company was a true one-stop shop, providing programming, design, animation and music scoring, merging everything seamlessly together in the final product.

In 2000 the company launched what became the first multimedia magazine in Paraguay. “With that bi-monthly publication we reached all of the computer users in the country and drew the attention of major companies that didn’t know this kind of material could be produced inside our national territory,” Chena said. His client base exploded, prompting him to move briefly into professional office space. However he soon moved the office back home because after months of working practically around the clock he decided he had to have his bed nearby.

To avoid burnout, Chena realized he would have to rework his business model and find a way to serve large markets with less effort. Welcome to the domain world! During his late night research on new areas of e-business, he read about some high ticket domain sales and why domains were valuable electronic assets. At first he was skeptical, thinking it was just another get rich quick scheme. Still he was intrigued, so he decided he would stick a toe in the water. In case the sales reports were smoke and mirrors (which some from those days did in fact turn out to be) he decided he would instead build real businesses on a domain or two and sell intangible goods that wouldn’t require maintaining an inventory, shipping and a large staff.

Chena told us, “my first commercial site was ProDominios.com, a domain reseller site for eNom which I used to fill an empty market space in my country – a place to register .com domains at a low price. In Paraguay, any domain registration or hosting company would charge you up to $50 for a .com. You can imagine how mad they were when ProDominios appeared offering Paraguay a chance to register their domains for less than $8! When I first opened some ISPs even blocked my page, but after talking with them I got them to stop doing that!”

“The business was a complete success. Within a couple of months it was taking over the market and I decided to add a hosting service at a very low price too,” Chena said. As he became more comfortable with Internet business he finally started dabbling in buying and selling domains. “I listed some on Afternic and Sedo and began exchanging information with other users on the domain forums. I lost a lot of money at first, but before long I was selling many domains at a pretty good price for an amateur!” Still Chena felt domains could be even more productive if he stopped selling them and concentrated on buying and developing them.
“Thank God I was able to connect with the right people and for some reason they were patient and kind when I contacted them for help or information - people like Rob Takovich, Thunayan K. AL-Ghanim (Elequa), Igal Lichtman and Cameron Johnson.
I have sacrificed the free hours of my youth for this business I love and I don’t have much of a social life, but on the other hand I know and get to work with wonderful people and learn from them, as they learn from me. It’s a never-ending cycle and I do not see it as a job,” Chena said.
Chena’s development projects, many of them based on blue chip Spanish keywords, have flourished. “From the day I decided to start acquiring domain names my goal has been to acquire only those names that represent an entire category that is popular on the Internet or at least a broad part of its spectrum. That is why I bought Juegos.com (games in Spanish) and not Ajedrez.com (chess) for example. The same goes for other acquisitions like Viajes.com (travel) and Computadoras.com (computers). The plan is to create an entertainment and information network with useful services for Spanish-speaking users and it echoes back to most things I do: filling up empty spaces to improve those that haven’t been properly attended to.”

Chena already has the makings of an empire in place. “We’re entertaining over 7 million visitors each month, and having tens of millions of ads shown each month. The traffic is growing and we intend to double it in one year,” he said. “It is the results from these online businesses that provide the money for my company’s big domain acquisitions. Though I have to admit, not all that I earn on my businesses is re-invested on the Internet. I also use many of my “e-earnings” in other offline conventional businesses, as well as personal projects for education and more philanthropic deeds. But without doubt, the main source of my income is (and will probably always be) the Internet.”

There is no reason to doubt that, especially with the astronomical growth in Hispanic use of the Internet. “It is stunning,” Chena said. “According to an AOL study, Hispanic people spend 43% more time online when at work and 13% more time online when at home than the rest of the online population. Comscore Networks, a firm that measures Internet traffic, indicated that you can add a minimum of 20% growth every year to the over 15 million Spanish-speaking users online. This number seems a little too low for me, since many friends in Mexico and countries around Paraguay keep telling me about how fast Internet connections in their countries are growing. 37% of the Hispanic users in that study indicated that they would increase their ecommerce activities. I’ve seen it myself, as my number of transactions from Spanish-speaking users has doubled on several of the sites that draw ecommerce related traffic.”

Though Chena originally gravitated toward domains with the idea of lightening his workload, he is still at it 7 days a week. “Many colleagues ask me why I don’t just park the Spanish domains and earn PPC (pay per click) income, or take one of the large offers I have received from major companies and advertising networks (I’ve declined offers for millions of Euros on sites like Juegos.com and Viajes.com). I believe that when you have high traffic related to a Spanish language market with relatively limited online options, the ideal thing is to develop those niches and centralize them in a portal that represents what users look for in each generic domain name. Then you enrich the site with additional services that improve their online experience. To show you what happens when you do this, Juegos.com got about 15,000 unique visitors a day when I acquired it, now with the site fully developed it welcomes 65,000-100,000 unique visitors a day, also feeding a database of double opt-in subscribers for our email marketing service; loyal subscribers who respond to the offers and services that we present to the Spanish market,” Chena said.

Obviously, in the long standing debate over whether it makes more sense to monetize your domains through a PPC parking program or development, Chena has chosen development. But he agrees that one size does not fit all. “I believe that it is impossible to tell which one will work better for all cases. It depends on many factors, especially the resources each domainer has to work with. In my case, based on my experience, developing is the best option, and that’s what I am dedicated to doing with my team at Chena Ventures,” Chena said.




“PPC is always the easy way in, there’s no doubt about it - costs are reduced, support is reduced, income is “stable” month to month. But then again the best way to improve those profits is by developing," Chena said. “Lets assume that I decided to only make money through PPC. I wouldn’t be happy with just parking the names. I would at least develop some minimum content on the sites. This will help segment the information depending on the ads that pay more per click and will also increase the traffic. Based on sales, subscriptions, or earnings per click, I think a little developing almost always helps maximize monetization,” Chena said.

“Maybe this question can be answered with another example from my personal experience. Two years ago I bought a “typo” that had 450 visitors a day. I had no idea of what to do with the traffic so I parked the domain, first with a PPC company then on a site with a little content and Google Adsense. I was making $90 a day on the best of days, not bad for a typo that only cost me $650 to buy. Two months later I decided to try something new and integrated an ebook that was related to what most users where looking for on the site and I charged a small fee to access the content. Suddenly my earnings jumped to $400 a day. If I had left the domain parked in this case I would’ve had a good profit since I only paid $650 for the domain, but if I hadn’t dug deeper and invested in development, I would’ve never seen the $12,000 per month that the domain eventually reached.”

Chena added “I’m not saying this will work in every case. You always have to study your visitors and what they look for, and there is obviously some work and money to invest into developing each domain. In any case, even if development does not produce a major increase in revenue immediately, it at least ensures that traffic will grow with time much more than if you had left the domain undeveloped.”

One domain Chena can’t wait to fully develop is Paraguay.com which he acquired for $150,000 during that buying spree last month. “Paraguay.com will be focused on bringing investments to our country and for certain types of selective tourism. Every day I receive messages at Paraguay.com from people that want to buy properties in the green and exotic areas of our country, as well as travelers asking for the best hotels, popular places to visit, etc. Even though I paid a lot for the domain, that is much less important that the responsibility I now have to handle the image of my own country on the Internet. Just a few days after acquiring the domain, I received a call from a government agency wanting to invest in the project. It filled me with pride, and obviously showed us that the right decision was made,” Chena said.

One of the most interesting things we can tell you about Chena is that he currently owns very few domains. He has been such an active buyer that many people assume he holds a huge portfolio but that is not the case. “I’ve sold most of them, and literally got rid of all the typos and alternative extensions at prices that are now considered very low," Chena said. "I now stress quality over quantity and have just over 70 domains, compared to the 400 that I used to have.”

Of course the 70+ domains he holds are nearly all crown jewels. His personal favorites are the newly acquired Paraguay.com and Juegos.com which are both under development. Chena added, “close behind are Viajes.com, the leader in the market for Hispanic travel (which will be officially launched next month) and Animation.com, which represents my affinity for animated digital art. I also have the Spanish version of the latter, Animacion.com, which is developed and is a place filled with animations from Spanish-speaking authors.”

Chena’s name has become synonymous with the Spanish market – but he is not the only one mining that lucrative space. “There is competition in this business as in any other, but luckily for me, the main Spanish domain investor/developers are friends of mine. Hopefully they’ll end up selling me their domains!,” Chena laughed.

“Seriously though, I’ve noticed that there is more competition and the prices are going up on the Hispanic domain market. My friends at Sedo say, “Chena, it’s your fault!” However, many are new players that want to gather domains in the “virgin” Hispanic market and benefit from its constant growth. But what happens is that, being new at this, they will probably not pay the prices I or other active domainers in the market will pay, since we know the business and know where to press the right buttons to develop and monetize Hispanic traffic to the highest degree possible.”

“I’m not about to obtain all of the Spanish domains, I’m only interested in those that match what I mentioned earlier. It would hurt to see the rest of the Spanish domains just parked on English PPC pages, or even worse, giving an error page, so I am happy when the Hispanic domain market moves and gets new .com sales, especially if the buyers are Hispanic developers,” Chena said.

In many countries, the local ccTLD extension is very popular, even rivaling .com in places like Germany (.de) and the UK (.co.uk). We wondered what Chena thought of the prospects for his country’s extension - .py. “To tell you the truth I only have the .com.py extensions for my own businesses," Chena said. The main reason is that Paraguayan traffic operates in a strange way, and they are more used to typing the .com than the ccTLD, probably more than most other countries. Even Paraguayan companies register more .coms nowadays, and that’s one of the reasons why my domain registration service, ProDominios.com, has become so popular. The other is that the number of Paraguayan users is still very scarce, something I intend to change with time, investing in new services and promoting the use of the Internet in my country."

Though his web enterprises keep Chena occupied almost every waking hour, he does have one weakness that occasionally pulls him away from the computer. “Yes, I love movies!,” Chena declared. “I have a big room with a home theater and a collection of thousands of original DVDs, from movies to my favorite TV series (The Sopranos, CSI, etc.), I’m always hunting for something new at Amazon. Every time I get the chance I invite friends to my place and we have a good session of movies and pizza.”

“Though I try to watch at least one movie a day, sometimes I just can’t detach myself from the PC. In fact, I work 7 days a week and barely sleep. Most of the time, my best ideas come when I’m about to fall asleep and I interrupt my sleeping to follow up on them! My schedule is highly unstable. I believe this is the case for some other people in this business too."

Still, Chena wouldn’t want anyone to feel sorry about his workaholic ways. “Work” is just an expression,” he said. “To me this is a pleasure, almost fun! Thank God it is something I love that (without having it as an objective) gives great results money-wise and allows me to forget about that factor, so I can dedicate myself to providing my users with what they are searching for, having fun on the way and learning every day.”

While Chena’s big buys often put his name in the spotlight, he is not used to being the center of attention. “I am a very shy person and very dedicated to my work so I don’t have a very active social life. The best way for me to reach people is through my work and many of the people I admire the most are people I haven’t personally met, but they have my respect whether it be for what they are bringing to our community of domainers or for the kind attention they have given me; Ari Goldberger, Ron Jackson, Adam Dicker (DNForum), Matty Purtell (DomainState), Mike Davidson (seed investor of Paypal), Matías de Tezanos, Alberto Dominguez and Greg Manriquez, just to name a few,” Chena said.

Though his career is just beginning, Chena has crammed a lifetime of learning into the past few years. Based on his experience, he has some advice for those who might want to follow in his path. “To all domainers that are starting, I want to say that it might be hard at the beginning, but the best shortcut is to learn more and participate on the forums. Almost all domainers have a great characteristic, they help each other and they have no problem in giving advice to improve your business and to make your first step the right one!” Being a person that others now look to for advice seems strange to Chena. “Something that keeps amazing me is that many consider me a “big player”. I feel like I am just starting and that there is much to learn and definitively much more still to do. The real big players for me are the ones I mentioned in this interview