Episodes
Monday Oct 31, 2016
10-27-16 Cubs win Pennant, Underdog syndrome
Monday Oct 31, 2016
Monday Oct 31, 2016
Waking up to the new world of a Cubs Pennant
The Cubs defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers and reserved their place at the 2016 World Series against the Cleveland Indians. But before the World Series battle with the Cleveland Indians, the Cubs pennant victory inspired a generation of people nurtured in the aura of the "underdog" culture.
Oct. 27, 2016 DVN, SWNH, Regional News, Reporter Newspapers
By Ray Hanania
I've always loved the Chicago Cubs, ever since I was a kid on the South Side of Chicago where most of my neighbors were all diehard White Sox fans.
Still, maybe my love was with the Cubs' name. But I admired its players and fell in love with one of the greatest baseball parks in America, Wrigley Field.
Cheering for the Cubs to win the Pennant has always been fun, in a large part because they have always fallen short -- it's been 108 years since their last World Series victory (1908) and 71 years since winning their last Pennant (1945).
The Chicago Cubs were the "underdogs" of baseball, and maybe that
helped Cubs fans survive the losses and a mythical curse many claimed as the excuse.
The "underdog" is a powerful symbol of determination, persistence, and stubbornness. I'm definitely an "underdog" fan, especially in politics. But my love came from the popular “Underdog” animated TV series from the 1960s. ...
This is Ray Hanania’scolumn commentary Podcast … Hanania’s columns are published each week innewspapers throughout the United States and in the Middle East.
He writes on Americanpolitics and life in Chicagoland every week in the Des Plaines Valley News,Southwest News-Herald, The Regional News, the Reporter Newspapers,NewsAmericaNetwork.com, and IllinoisNewsNetwork.com.
Hanania also writes aweekly column every Thursday for the Arab News at www.ArabNews.com. And, writesnews and features for his website at TheArabDailyNews.com.
An award winningformer Chicago City Hall reporter named Best Ethnic Columnist by the NewAmerica Media, and recipient of the Sigma Delta Chi award for writing, Hananiais of Palestinian Arab heritage.
You can reach him andshare your opinions and thoughts by emailing him at rghanania@gmail.com. Allhis columns are archived at RayHanania.com.
This podcast isavailable at Podbean.com and also for free subscription on iTunes.
Tuesday Oct 25, 2016
10-20-16 Orland Park mayoral hike needs referendum
Tuesday Oct 25, 2016
Tuesday Oct 25, 2016
Orland Park sidesteps the will of the people
The Orland Park Board approved a plan to significantly increase Mayor McLaughlins salary 375 percent from what it was (a 275 percent increase). But the board action ignores the rights of the village's taxpayers and voters.
Oct. 20, 2016 Des Plaines Valley News, The Regional, The Reporter
By Ray Hanania
I joined the Oct. 4 village-wide teleconference when Orland Park Mayor Dan McLaughlin and Trustee Jim Dodge announced the Board is planning to make the job of mayor full-time rather than part-time.
I broke that story that this was coming in this column last September.
The mayor’s salary will increase to $150,000 a year -- from $43,000 a year (which also includes $3,000 a year as liquor commissioner). That doesn’t include a 2nd pension McLaughlin will get from the Building Trade Association that he now heads as Executive Director.
This all came about following the vacancy created when the very competent Paul Grimes left as village manager. The board named Tim McCarthy, the village’s highly regarded police chief, as temporary successor. The village website lists two assistant Village Managers, Joe La Margo and Ellen Baer, though Baer reportedly resigned last year.
Sadly, I don’t think the Village has been totally honest with residents. Sure, they can raise the mayor’s salary anytime. But can they simply dump the Village Manager system without going directly to the people?
Tuesday Oct 25, 2016
10-20-16 Preckwinkle Soda Pop tax outrage
Tuesday Oct 25, 2016
Tuesday Oct 25, 2016
Raising taxes is never about healthy living
Southwest News-Herald Oct. 20, 2016
By Ray Hanania
I’ve been drinking Coke and Diet Coke now for more than 40years, so I kind of take offense when Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle says she’s concerned about the public health and wants to impose a draconian sales tax hike on soft drinks.
What is troubling to me is how politicians slam things like smoking cigarettes, car pollution, drinking alcohol, and drinking pop because it’s “not healthy.”
If smoking cigarettes are so bad, why not ban them? Why not ban alcohol, if it is so bad for our health? Why not ban all soft drinks, too, or limit how far we can drive in our cars?
It’s not about our health and never was. It is about money.Your money. And the special word they use to refer to “your money” is “taxes”.They need your taxes and they think that they can waste our taxes by pitting tax hikes against “caring” for our health. ...
Click here to read the column ...
This is Ray Hanania’s column commentary Podcast … Hanania’s columns are published each week in newspapers throughout the United States and in the Middle East.
Topic: Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle wants to impose an outrageous tax on soda pop sales to fill the gaps in her bloated, waste-filled budget of $4.4 billion. Oct. 20, 2016
He writes on American politics and life in Chicagoland every week in the Des Plaines Valley News, Southwest News-Herald, The Regional News, the Reporter Newspapers, NewsAmericaNetwork.com, and IllinoisNewsNetwork.com.
Hanania also writes a weekly column every Thursday for the Arab News at www.ArabNews.com. And, writes news and features for his website at TheArabDailyNews.com and TheDailyHookah.com.
An award winning former Chicago City Hall reporter named Best Ethnic Columnist by the New America Media, and recipient of the Sigma Delta Chi award for writing, Hanania is of Palestinian Arab heritage.
You can reach him and share your opinions and thoughts by emailing him at rghanania@gmail.com. All his columns are archived at RayHanania.com.
This podcast is available at Podbean.com and also for free subscription on iTunes.
(An American Palestinian Arab, Hanania writes a weekly column for the Arab News at www.ArabNews.com. He also writes each week for several mainstream American newspapers on American politics and life in Chicagoland. Reach him at rghanania@gmail.com.)
Thursday Oct 13, 2016
10-13-16 Iran threatens Middle East & Palestinian interests
Thursday Oct 13, 2016
Thursday Oct 13, 2016
Iran threatens Middle East peace and Palestinian interests
This is Ray Hanania’s column commentary Podcast … Hanania’s columns are published each week in newspapers throughout the United States and in the Middle East.
Topic: Iran threatens Middle East peace and Palestinian interests, published in the Arab News on Oct. 13, 2016 at www.ArabNews.com
He writes on American politics and life in Chicagoland every week in the Des Plaines Valley News, Southwest News-Herald, The Regional News, the Reporter Newspapers, NewsAmericaNetwork.com, and IllinoisNewsNetwork.com.
Hanania also writes a weekly column every Thursday for the Arab News at www.ArabNews.com. And, writes news and features for his website at TheArabDailyNews.com.
An award winning former Chicago City Hall reporter named Best Ethnic Columnist by the New America Media, and recipient of the Sigma Delta Chi award for writing, Hanania is of Palestinian Arab heritage.
You can reach him and share your opinions and thoughts by emailing him at rghanania@gmail.com. All his columns are archived at RayHanania.com.
This podcast is available at Podbean.com and also for free subscription on iTunes.
(An award winning former Chicago City Hall reporter and columnist. American Palestinian Arab, Hanania writes a weekly column for the Arab News at www.ArabNews.com. He also writes each week for several mainstream American newspapers on American politics and life in Chicagoland. Reach him at rghanania@gmail.com.)
Thursday Oct 13, 2016
10-13-16 Chicago Street Gang Stories podcasts
Thursday Oct 13, 2016
Thursday Oct 13, 2016
10-13-16 Readers share stories of living in the shadow of street gang violence
This is Ray Hanania’s column commentary Podcast … Hanania’s columns are published each week in newspapers throughout the United States and in the Middle East.
Topic: Readers share stories of living in the shadow of street gangs and street gang violence.
Click here to read the Print column.
Published Oct. 13, 2016 in the Des Plaines Valley News, Southwest News-Herald, The Regional News and the Reporter Newspapers, and Illinois News Network online and the NewsAmericaNetwork.com online news site. Also published on www.RayHanania.com.
He writes on American politics and life in Chicagoland every week in the Des Plaines Valley News, Southwest News-Herald, The Regional News, the Reporter Newspapers, NewsAmericaNetwork.com, and IllinoisNewsNetwork.com.
An award winning former Chicago City Hall reporter named Best Ethnic Columnist by the New America Media, and recipient of the Sigma Delta Chi award for writing, Hanania is of Palestinian Arab heritage. He also writes a weekly column every Thursday for the Arab News at www.ArabNews.com. And, writes news and features for his website at TheArabDailyNews.com.
You can reach him and share your opinions and thoughts by emailing him at rghanania@gmail.com. All his columns are archived at RayHanania.com.
This podcast is available at Podbean.com and also for free subscription on iTunes.
(An award winning former Chicago City Hall reporter and columnist. American Palestinian Arab, Hanania writes a weekly column for the Arab News at www.ArabNews.com. He also writes each week for several mainstream American newspapers on American politics and life in Chicagoland. Reach him at rghanania@gmail.com.)
Saturday Oct 08, 2016
10-06-16 Don't call us MENA, call us Arabs
Saturday Oct 08, 2016
Saturday Oct 08, 2016
This is Ray Hanania’s column commentary Podcast … Hanania’s columns are published each week in newspapers throughout the United States and in the Middle East.
He writes on American politics and life in Chicagoland every week in the Des Plaines ValleyNews, Southwest News-Herald, The Regional News, the Reporter Newspapers,NewsAmericaNetwork.com, and IllinoisNewsNetwork.com.
An award winning former ChicagoCity Hall reporter named Best Ethnic Columnist by the New America Media, and recipient of the Sigma Delta Chi award for writing, Hanania is of PalestinianArab heritage. He also writes a weekly column every Thursday for the ArabNews at www.ArabNews.com. And, writes news and features for his website at TheArabDailyNews.com.
You can reach him and share your opinions and thoughts by emailing him at rghanania@gmail.com. All his columns are archived at RayHanania.com.
This podcast is available atPodbean.com and also for free subscription on iTunes.
Don’t call us MENA in the Census, call us Arabs!
Published in the Arab News, SaudiArabia Oct. 6, 2016 at ArabNews.com
By Ray Hanania
In a continuation of his efforts to change the U.S. Census, President Barack Obama has proposed a new classification to identify “Middle Eastern and North African” people in a new category called “MENA.”
Although many are hailing Obama’s efforts, placing Arabs in the “MENA” category might actually dilute American Arab empowerment by avoiding the word “Arab.
We should be called “Arab” because that is what we are.
Classifying people by race and ethnicity began during the 1960s Civil Rights era and focused mainly on the status of African Americans, but by the 1970s was expanded to allow for the U.S. Census to provide detailed statistics on up to29 ethnic and sub-ethnic identities.
America conducts a population Census every 10 years. Data from the Census is used to ensurethat minorities receive their fair share of American society. ...
Friday Oct 07, 2016
Friday Oct 07, 2016
Ray Hanania's column commentary podcast of his weekly columnin the Des Plaines Valley News, Southwest News-Herald, The Regional News, theReporter Newspapers and IllinoisNewsNetwork.com. Topic: designating street gangs as terrorist organizations and denying them legal rights. Arrest known street gang members on sight. Published Oct. 6, 2016 in the Des Plaines Valley News, Southwest News-Herald, The Regional News and the Reporter Newspapers, and Illinois News Network online and the NewsAmericaNetwork.com online news site. Also published on www.RayHanania.com.
Stop murders by making street gang membership a jailable crime
SW News Herald, DVN, The Regional, The Reporter Oct. 6, 2016
By Ray Hanania
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is doing all he can to reduce skyrocketing violence plaguing many neighborhoods. Hiring 1,000 more police officers is a good start, but it’s not enough.
While we are all shocked by the escalating violence and murders in Chicago and to a lesser extent its neighboring suburbs, most of us don’t really experience it directly. We see it on TV and in the newspapers.
So I decided to help us understand the real problem, asking people who live in street gang infested neighborhoods plagued by violence and killings to share what it is really like.
After reading the responses, I’ve come to the conclusion street gangs are the problem. They are behind the majority of shootings and murders. We need to give the Police the power not only to respond to street gang violence, but they need to be able to aggressively crack down hard on it.
Most street gang members are known to the public and the police -- even if parents of these murderous thugs are afraid to acknowledge the truth about their own children. ...
Monday Oct 03, 2016
09-29-16 Support Mayor Emanuel's fight against street gangs
Monday Oct 03, 2016
Monday Oct 03, 2016
Rahm Emanuel deserves support to fight violence
SW News Herald Sept. 29, 2016
By Ray Hanania
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel unveiled a three-part plan to confront Chicago’s rising murder rate.
The crime wave in Chicago is so bad that people don’t feel safe walking downtown any more. This weekend, a 54 year old man was shot in his head twice while walking by Millennium Park. Every day and every weekend people are shot and killed, mainly by street gang members.
Emanuel pleaded to both the citizens of Chicago to work with Police and not give them a hard time as they investigate killings. And he pleaded to the police to not dismiss the needs of the city’s residents.
The truth is most police are good Cops who are trying to do their job in a difficult situation. And many of those suspects killed by police are actual street gang members, only a few have been victims of excessive force and even the racism of a few individual police officers. ...
Monday Oct 03, 2016
09-29-16 Marty Stack will open up Board of Review for Taxpayers
Monday Oct 03, 2016
Monday Oct 03, 2016
Board of Review needs your attention
DVN, The Reporter, The Regional Sept. 29, 2016
By Ray Hanania
I know the big focus on November 8 is the battle between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, but there are other elections that in reality more directly impact your lives.
The most important is an obscure office called the Cook County Board of Review and it has three members representing three districts that supposedly review your property taxes to make sure they are fair.
What really happens is that some of the commissioners use the lure of reducing your property taxes as a scam to get you to attend their re-election campaign events. They organize public “tax review” meetings and invite the public to “learn” how to challenge your property taxes.
Nothing happens. Your taxes remain the same.
You should remember one name if you live in the Southwest Suburbs who is trying to change that, Marty Stack. ...
Monday Oct 03, 2016
09-29-16 Obama Follows Clinton in peace process failure
Monday Oct 03, 2016
Monday Oct 03, 2016
Podcast: Obama follows in Clinton shadow to build “pro-Israel legacy”
Published in the Arab News, Saudi Arabia Sept. 30, 2016
By Ray Hanania
Many Arabs believed newly elected President Barack Obama would re-balance America’s heavily pro-Israel foreign policy, including establishing a Palestinian State.
In fact Obama didn’t disappoint Arab World or Palestinian expectations when he embraced Palestinian rights and acknowledged Palestinian “suffering” during an unprecedented speech in Cairo six months after winning election in November 2008.
Seven years later, though, Obama found himself in the ruins of the two-state solution, doing what his Democratic predecessor Bill Clinton did as his term ended, currying Israeli forgiveness to strengthen his post-White House legacy.
Clinton spent his entire eight years nurturing Palestinian-Israeli peace only to watch it vanish.
In 1993, Clinton convinced Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin to shake hands with PLO leader Yasir Arafat. It was a spectacular moment that I personally witnessed at the White House with the naïve hope it would end decades of American anti-Palestinian bias.
Click here to read the column in at the ArabNews.com
Notes and Links:
A history of financial compensation to Israel
Obama’s Cairo Speech of June 4, 2009
Monday Oct 03, 2016
09-25-16 Interview with Hebah Fisher of Kerning Cultures
Monday Oct 03, 2016
Monday Oct 03, 2016
Podcast: Interview with Hebah Fisher of Kerning Cultures
By Ray Hanania
We take a moment to talk with Heba Fisher, one of the editors at Kerning Cultures which explores Middle East issues in their weekly podcasts.
Hebah is one of the contributors to The Arab Daily News online and she will post Kerning Cultures podcasts here regularly.
Here is Hebah's bio.
HEBAH KAWAR, Podcaster, Blogger
Email her at: hebah@kerningcultures.com
Click here to visit the website of Kerning Cultures.