It’s getting tense in my house.

I don’t have to tell you how being so close for so long with so much stress feels. What to watch, what to have for dinner, how to find time alone are all likely flashpoints. But, lately, I’ve found the biggest cause of friction is….

Oreos.

Yes, that magical brand of chocolate sandwich cookie with a creamy white filling.

So, why the stress?

Because there are TOO MANY kinds showing up in our pantry and I am VERY specific about the ones I like.

To check myself, I visited the Oreo website. There I found variations that left my eyes wide.

First, the styles, like original, thin, mini, pieces, brownie and candy bar.

Then, the sizes, like regular, double, Mega and Most.

Then the themes, like holidays and seasons.

Then, the foods and flavorings, including blueberry pie, candy corn, carrot cake, jelly donut, mint, Peeps, red velvet, Swedish fish and waffles & syrup.

My wife likes thins and she and my daughter love the cookie part.

Me – I love that creamy filling. Give me the Most and stack ’em high!

So, you see the problem, right?

Who knew that, during this time, our household would be divided not by beliefs and values, but a simple sandwich cookie?

Yes, we’re all in this together.

Until it comes to snacks.

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This is one of those speeches that really struck a nerve with me, “The Winner Takes It All.”

“Winner” is the tenth and final episode of the fourth season of the AMC television series Better Call Saul. -Wiki

If you don’t know Better Call Saul, you need to know that Jimmy McGill, now known as Saul Goodman, is the younger brother of Chuck McGill, a big-shot lawyer who won a multi-million dollar verdict that put his firm (HHM) and himself, on the map. Slipping Jimmy, as he once was called, was a scam artist that never quite lived up to his brother Chuck’s legacy. Even after getting his law degree, and turning his life around, he was never truly respected.

Slippin’ Jimmy

During this episode, Jimmy sits on a panel with other HHM employees who will be awarding a scholarship in his brother Chuck’s name to the candidate who impresses them most, therefore getting the most votes. There are several immaculate contestants that apply yet Jimmy wants to give it to the girl who’s haunted by a shoplifting charge from her past. As a young girl, she made a mistake, but no one else on the panel can see past that mistake.

Saul Goodman

Jimmy tells the panel he wants to give that girl a second look, saying that everyone makes mistakes, and she has really tried hard to right the ship. He continues to lobby for her saying she’s kept her grades up and stayed out of trouble, but the panel has already made up its mind. We don’t get to see who wins, we just see Jimmy running out to catch the girl and then explaining to her why she “didn’t get it.” This has come to be called “The Winner Takes All Speech.”

“You didn’t get it, You were never gonna get it. They’ll smile at you, they’ll pat you on the head, but they’ll never let you in.”

“You made a mistake, and they are never forgetting it. As far as they’re concerned, your mistake is who you are. It’s all you are.”

Like a sucker punch to the gut, the truth hurts. I didn’t win any scholarships. Heck, I didn’t even go to college until I met my wife. I tried my hand at junior college and started working full time. When I started bartending, digging foundations, and making enough money, I dropped out. But for me, not belonging to the club started much earlier, in high school, when everyone was traveling around to different colleges and applying to them.

I didn’t look at colleges when I was a junior or a senior. I lived with my grandma, and it didn’t seem possible, it wasn’t an option. She had a hard enough time keeping food on the table.

I didn’t know how to talk to her about college and when I once got the gumption to bring it up, she very calmly told me, “You don’t need college. You’ll get a job in town at a local store. You’ll meet a nice girl, and settle down. God will provide.” Something like that.

When all my friends went to look at schools, I was inwardly very jealous. When they brought it up, I had nothing to add, I felt like I didn’t belong. When they came back from graduating college, it felt worse. I felt like I wasn’t as good as them anymore, it was beyond not belonging.

Society has a habit of making people feel like they don’t belong, and Jimmy feels this more than anyone does. We can take a different route to the top and still win. That’s what Jimmy wants the girl to know. If they won’t give it to her then she has to take it; by any means necessary.

Either way, this particular speech hit a nerve with me. “The Winner Takes It All,” struck a chord and I felt the need to write about it.

Someone always has to win. But that doesn’t mean that the rest of us have to give up. We need to grab our own slice of the pie.

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James Robinson left a legacy for both the Illinois State and the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The next question being pondered is the mark the Rockford native leaves in pro football.

From all indications, Robinson will become the fifth Redbird drafted under head coach Brock Spack, who was hired by ISU in 2009.

Robinson not only impressed NFL personnel last fall, but also through two rounds of the FCS playoffs, the East-West Shrine Bowl and the NFL Combine.

Robinson left the ISU program No. 2 in rushing yards (4,462), rushing touchdowns (44), all-purpose yards (5,236) and total touchdowns scored (46).

During January’s East-West Shrine Bowl in St. Petersburg, Fla., Robinson rushed for 80 yards on seven carries and caught two passes for 56 yards. Robinson produced two highlight plays — a 46-yard catch and run off a screen pass and a game-record 63-yard touchdown burst.

Robinson, a Rockford Lutheran High School graduate and the all-time leading rusher in Illinois prep history, measured at 5-foot-9 and 220 pounds at February’s NFL Scouting Combine. He also impressed pro personnel in Indianapolis with 24 reps on the bench press, a 125-inch broad jump, a 7.03 3-cone drill and 40 inches in the vertical jump. He ran a 4.64 40-yard dash.

Up next is the NFL Draft, which runs April 23-25.

What the experts say

Dane Brugler is the national NFL writer for The Athletic, covering the upcoming draft. He previously covered the annual event for NFL Draft Scout and CBS Sports.  Brugler rates Robinson as 13th best running back and grades him as a fourth-fifth rounder.

Brugler lists Robinson’s strengths as his quickness “out of the chute, accelerating quickly through holes . . . drives his legs at contact and won’t allow arm tackles to slow him down . . . excellent decision-maker in the backfield, quickly scanning and reacting . . . instinctive pacing to set up his moves . . . able to drop his hips and move laterally to shake defenders . . . attitude runner and his NFL-level toughness in his blocking . . . praised by his coaches for his competitive mentality for all four quarters . . . above-average production at the college level, often putting the team on his back.”

Brugler lists Robinson’s weakness as “average long-speed and lacks a home run element . . . loses foot races to the corners . . . shows tightness in his hips, limiting his wiggle or ability to patch together moves . . . inconsistent pad level and needs to better throw his shoulder into contact . . . must improve his reliability on third down, including his routes and ball skills . . . worn down tread with 855 offensive touches in college . . . didn’t play against top competition each week, facing only two FBS opponents in his career (rushed for only 16 yards on 13 carries against Northern Illinois in 2019).”

James Robinson (25) and Luther Kirk (34) both performed well in Saturday’s East-West Shrine Bowl. (Twitter photon)

Brugler’s summary states, “Overall, Robinson is a proven workhorse who consistently picks up positive yardage with his vision and determination, although his quicker-than-fast run style could be an issue vs. NFL-level speed.”

Dan Schmelzer of Fansided was impressed by Robinson’s numbers, but stated “it is much more than that. It does not take long while watching Robinson to come away impressed with his game and how he can translate to the next level.

“Robinson is not the most explosive running back in the 2020 NFL draft class, but his overall skill-set certainly makes him such an intriguing prospect. He has incredible ball carrier vision and the quickness to get to the hole once it opens up. His burst is average at best, but Robinson has impressive short-area quickness that helps make him elusive in the open field.”

Schmelzer further wrote, “Robinson is not only quick, but he is also powerful at the point of attack. He does a great job of keeping his feet moving and picking up extra yards after the first contact and has fantastic natural contact balance. Robinson has a knack for keeping his feet throughout contact and that kind of skill can be incredibly valuable at the next level.

“There are going to be questions about his level of college competition, but Robinson’s combination of vision, quickness, power and balance is going catch the attention of NFL scouts. The 2020 NFL Draft is loaded with talent and depth, but Robinson certainly has the ability to make his mark at the next level. If the middle rounds roll around and you need a running back, look no further than James Robinson.”

Longtime ProFootballWeekly.com editor Hub Arkush ranked Robinson as his 20th-best running back available in the draft.

Neither Mel Kiper, Jr. nor Todd McShay has Robinson in their top 10 running backs for the draft.

What the coaches say

Spack told the Rockford Register Star following the East-West Shrine Bowl: “I get asked a lot: ‘How fast is he?’ Well, he’s as explosive as they come, and he can stop and start, change directions, do that kind of thing, as good as any of them out there . . . I’ve taken lots of calls — oh, lots of calls. Every single NFL team has been here (watching practices or games) — the Bears the most.”

Spack added that he isn’t concerned about Robinson’s interpersonal skills. “He’s shy and introverted around adults,” Spack told the Rockford newspaper. The ISU head coach saw Robinson as going in the “third- or fourth-round area.”

Khenon Hall is ISU’s running back coach and worked directly with Robinson. Prairie State Pigskin spoke with Hall in late March by phone.

“There’s a lot of (draft) predictions, as early as third or fourth or as late as fifth and sixth,” Hall said. “James did what he needed to do when he went to the combine. He tested well, I think he was top five in all the major categories except for the 40. But for the style of back James is, he ran under a 4.6 on many of the scouts’ watches and that was enough for a 220-pounder. With James, the sky’s the limit for him. Whoever takes him is getting a steal. He’s an NFL every down back.”

Will special teams be the difference?

For a player like Robinson, showing the ability to play on special teams can be a determining factor.

“It would be very important as you’re making an NFL roster,” Hall said. “That third guy, that fourth guy, sometimes even the second guy, you’ve got to be able to do multiple things to earn your spot. That’s one thing about James Robinson, in his early years here he played special teams.

“Coach Spack and I joke around that if he wasn’t so great a running back, he’d have been a dang good strong safety or ‘Will’ (weakside) linebacker in a 4-3 defense. He has that type of mindset. Throughout the (pro evaluation) process I was asked about that (special teams) a lot. There’s not a doubt in my mind that he’ll be able to do that.”

Luther Kirk

Meanwhile, Luther Kirk, Robinson’s teammate at both Illinois State and in the East-West Shrine Bowl, is most likely to sign with an NFL team as a free agent following the draft.

Brugler of The Athletic ranks Kirk as the 28th-best safety.

Kirk, who nearly quit football midway through his time at Illinois State, garnered defensive MVP honors at the East-West Shrine Bowl. The Garland, Texas, native had an interception (and lost another to a penalty on another defensive back). Kirk recorded two tackles.

A hobby is defined as an activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure, so what are you doing during this social isolation for fun? I have off work until Tuesday, so I know I will spend time on social media, reading, and watching TV, but I also want to feel good, have fun and find ways to not lose hope. I will continue walking, looking for the good, and meditating every day, but I am also spending this time reigniting my hobbies. There are two questions you can ask: What are my favorite hobbies and then what hobbies can I still do now? I enjoy art, crocheting, writing and reading which are all hobbies that I can still do during this time, luckily. I wrote a Facebook post today, asking others what their hobbies are, and I know some are not as lucky. Some hobbies listed were cooking, painting, sewing, drawing and sailing. It would be difficult to go sailing, but maybe she could spend time learning more about sailing or finding some virtual sailing opportunities. Also, I do like to paint and draw freehand; however, coloring in a coloring book feels like a little less pressure, which I need right now, so be kind to yourself. I chose a picture out of the “adult book” today; however, I do have children’s coloring books with puppies and one with Frozen pictures. Memories of coloring with my daughters when they were young came flooding back to me as I spent time doing it again today. I loved feeling that joy and happiness from time long ago!

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And read more positive thoughts Looking For The Good

All through my day, no matter where I go, or what I do, I am always looking for the good in people, in the world, in my life or even just in my day.

The Look Chicago to Launch its Digital Shopping platform entitled “Shop Lookpreneur” 

The Look Chicago is a premier Management and Advertising firm that specializes in featuring entrepreneurs and businesses in the media. There current outlets include television, radio, and digital print publications. 

Recently the organization’s CEO announced the launch of its new digital series called “ Shop Lookpreneur” a shopping platform that will feature local businesses and the products and services they offer. The site will provide a description of business offerings and link consumers directly to the business website and or social media platform to shop, ask questions, read reviews, and more. What’s even better is, consumers can also score exclusive deals on a variety of amazing products and services with new deals releasing each week! Additionally, the list will be inclusive of all industries with category breakdowns as follows:

• Retail

• Beauty

• Business Development

• Special Services

•  Virtual Events

This news comes in perfect timing due to the current pandemic of (Covid-19) where many small businesses have suffered losses in their income.  “Shop Lookprenur” will launch Monday April 13th and will give business owners a fresh way to advertise their offerings and reach thousands of consumers each week. “Shop Lookpreneur” will also be sent to media outlets and offer the potential for businesses listed to be featured on television, radio, and additional digital print publications!

To learn more about this topic or to become a featured business email [email protected]

I want my Chicago Public Schools students to understand how racism manifests itself in systems of every day life.  If we don’t teach our students to see race, we’re not teaching them 21st century literacy skills.

These days, report after report shares one truth: black and brown communities are being hit harder by Covid-19.  Most of this, reports say, can be attributed to poor underlying health conditions in low-income communities of color.  People from the Latinx community have 17% chance of developing type 2 diabetes, for example, than non-Hispanic whites who have an 8% chance, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Some of these cause may be attributed to individual or cultural circumstances.  However, we cannot ignore the systems that perpetuate and exacerbate inequalities.

In New York, “the five  ZIP codes with the highest rates of positive tests for the coronavirus have an average per capita income of $26,708, while residents in the five with the lowest rates had an average income of $118,166,” according to analysis by the Intercept.  “The death rate from Covid-19 for black and Latino New Yorkers,” the article highlights, “is roughly twice that of white New Yorkers.”

On April 7, in a White House news conference, Dr. Fauci, the country’s leading immunologist, commented on the racial health disparity: “I couldn’t help sitting there reflecting on how sometimes when you’re in the middle of a crisis, like we are now with the coronavirus, it really does have, ultimately, shine a very bright light on some of the real weaknesses and foibles in our society.”

In addition to the Intercept article linked above, here are a few sources students can engage with to gain insights into how race and racism contribute to health inequalities in our country:

From MSNBC: “How Systemic Inequality Leads to More People of Color Dying from Coronavirus”–a video interview with a doctor who discusses the reasons behind the disproportionate COVID-19 deaths happening among people of color in America.

From the New York Times: “College Made Them Feel Equal. The Virus Exposed How Unequal Their Lives Are”–a profile of low-income college students struggling to balance school and family.

From ProPublica Illinois: “’Essential’ Factory Workers Are Afraid to Go to Work and Can’t Afford to Stay Home”–an article about employees who face unsafe working conditions.

From the 1619 Project: “How the Bad Blood Started”–a podcast about how Black Americans were denied access to doctors and hospitals for decades and how they pushed to create the nation’s first federal health care programs.

From Latino USA: “The Clinic”–a podcast about CommunityHealth, the largest free health clinic in the country, serving only people without insurance, many of whom are undocumented.  Latino USA followed up with the clinic’s director in a recent episode. 

From the Pew Research Center: “Hispanics more likely than Americans overall to see coronavirus as a major threat to health and finances”–and article full of data images explaining harmful effects on this community.

From the New York Times: “Why Coronavirus Conspiracy Theories Flourish. And Why It Matters”–an opinion piece to help students understand why people accept and distribute faulty information.

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‘The Faucian Bargain” is a worthy read in the Bulwark about how Anthony Fauci has been able to check President Donald Trump’s worst inclinations about the coronavirus pandemic.

I’m for opening up the economy as soon as possible, but as I’ve tried to say, not before we know the nation is safe. That, however, could come long after we’ve done permanent damage to workers, employers, shareholders and millions of others.

It is, indeed, a dilemma in which we could suffer both a economic meltdown and the worst out-of-control, killer pandemic. In either case, it is time to give time, energy and cost to how to salvage the economy, as I urged in Wednesday’s post. Just as Fauci represents the best of the scientific thinking, we need more comprehensive ideas than just blindly throwing trillions and trillions of dollars into the economy, hoping that something sticks.

If Trump doesn’t have workable and refined ideas about how we should ease back into a full economy, then he should find someone else who can.

[email protected]

www.dennisbyrne.net 

My historical novel: Madness: The War of 1812

If you ever read car reviews, you’ve probably come across some cranky journalist (including myself) who’s complained about being forced to use a rotary dial or touch-pad thingy instead of being able to touch the display screen on the center stack.

The most recent examples of pads and controllers we’ve encountered have been in the Lexus NX, Acura RDX and Mazda CX-30. And I’ve dealt with their substitutes for a touch screen with varying degrees of frustration.

The Acura “True Touch” pad makes sense in theory because the pad mirrors the screen, and while the four corners are always easy to hit accurately, the middle bits caused some confusion. I usually missed my mark when I was aiming for something that wasn’t a corner, would end up on the wrong menu screen and have to back track. I didn’t have time to get used to this system, but I have social media followers who said their parents have. So, I guess it’s possible.

The Mazda system uses a rotary dial and a couple of menu buttons, and while I was initially frustrated by the system, it didn’t bother me as much once I programmed my favorites and knew which buttons you had to hit to get the menu item you wanted. I have a friend who has a CX-5 with this system and he confirms it was confusing at first, but after a few weeks he liked it better than the touch screen and he could operate it without looking down.

The Lexus system, however, is nothing but frustration. It’s kind of like a track pad on a computer, but it doesn’t work as well. I’d slide the cursor and over-shoot my desired menu option, so I’d have to swipe back the other way and try again. The entire time the system was making a ping-ping-ping sound as it passed over — and missed — various menu items. Lexus’ old systems used a joystick, mouse-like thing that was infinitely better than its current track pad.

Most manufacturers who move to something like this say it helps limit driver distraction once you learn the system. Ironically, Audi, which was (in)famous for its rotary-dial-controlled screens, is going to a touch screen with its new Multi-Media Interface system.

While I like the touch screen, some (like Volvo’s and Subaru’s) get a bit involved as they have you tap through screen after screen to get what you want.

So, which is the best way forward? <insert shrug emoji> But if you are in the market for a new vehicle, I strongly recommend that you spend some quality time with the infotainment system — as well as the vehicle itself — before you buy. People are often more concerned with the handling portion of the test drive, but if you get the vehicle home and you hate the infotainment system, it’ll be like nails on a chalkboard every time you change the radio station.

Other items in the Feature Friday series:

• Winter Tires
• Rear Camera Mirror
• Lane Keep Assist
• Passive Entry
• Automatic Reverse Braking
• Hyundai’s Remote Smart Parking Assist (aka Smaht Pahk)
• Rear Cross-Traffic Alert
• Around-View Backup Cameras
• Mazda’s Infotainment System
• Hyundai’s Blind View Monitor