Maris and Joe Lind dance during the Daddy Daughter Dance at the Michigan Shores Club Feb. 4, 2019. (Gina Grillo / Pioneer Press)

So say today’s cultural norms.

Kids growing up without a father present just doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if the father’s not around in the home. It especially doesn’t matter if the father and mother aren’t married.

So, on this Father’s Day, it is again necessary to review the science about the importance of fatherhood. as more  than one in four children or almost 20 million children live without a father in the home

So what? Here’s what. Children raised in a father-absent home are more likely to have behavioral problems, to commit a crime and be imprisoned, to face abuse and neglect, and to abuse drugs and alcohol.

And much more. They are:

• Four times more likely to risk living in poverty.
• Seven times more likely to become pregnant as  teen.
• Twice as likely to drop out of high school.
• Twice as likely to be obese.

Obviously, the presence of an involved father reduces mom’s stress.  Even if the parents no longer are together, an engaged father is important for both mother and children.

And we go on:

• A father involved in child-related activities and other forms of engagement develops a positive father-child relationship that is associated with a child’s social and emotion well-being, behavioral adjustment and academic achievement.
• Men who grew up with absent fathers were more likely to become absent fathers. And women who grew up with absent fathers are more likely to have children with absent fathers.
• Father absence increased the risk of infant mortality. Mortality rates for infants within the first 28 days of life is four times higher for those with absent fathers than those with involved fathers.

Citations for these and others studies are found at the National Fatherhood Initiative. 

A separate but related issue is the number of children born to single mothers. According to the Brookings Institute:

Since 1970, out-of-wedlock birth rates have soared. In 1965, 24 percent of black infants and 3.1 percent of white infants were born to single mothers. By 1990 the rates had risen to 64 percent for black infants, 18 percent for whites. Every year about one million more children are born into fatherless families. If we have learned any policy lesson well over the past 25 years, it is that for children living in single-parent homes, the odds of living in poverty are great. The policy implications of the increase in out-of-wedlock births are staggering.

We have the radicalization of our culture and the politicalization of fatherhood to blame. The Black Lives Matter movement blames “structural racism” for the ills that African Americans suffer while ignoring the impact of fatherlessness. Completely ignoring, I should say, to the extent that it becomes more than a disservice but a indication that black lives don’t matter.

The link between father absence and community dissonance among black people was postulated almost 50 years ago in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Moynihan Report. Since then, the percentage of black children being raised in single-parent homes has grown from 20 percent to nearly 70 percent, according to data from the American Community Survey.

The late sociologist and New York Democratic Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan raised the alarm just as the ’60s craziness was about to destroy the family structure and the mores that addressed the very issues that are at the core of Black Lives Matter. While the liberal Moynihan first raised the issue, it became politicized with former vice president Dan Quayle raised the issue.

That came as the single motherhood by choice of a fictional television show woman to have a children by herself was being praised as the wise, au courant choice. Never mind that science debunked the popular but damaging proposition that a fatherless child is no big deal.

So, an issue first raised by a Democratic liberals has been disavowed by the extreme left that now dominates the once-rational party. So that what we have here is another example, it seems, of the political left being “anti-science.”

Some years back I was interviewing/interrogating a Chicago gang leader whose status compared to a general or king on Chicago’s Southwest side. We had a rather odd relationship and every once in a while if he wanted something, I could usually get something from him in return. We were investigating a rather brutal double homicide of a male and female who were sitting in their car alongside a park watching a children’s baseball game. Each had been shot multiple times. In the course of the conversation, I asked him, ” why the female?”  She obviously had no gang ties or affiliations that we knew of. His answer always managed to stay with me. ” YOU WITT A GANGSTER! YOU GANG.”  This lesson has once again resonated this past week in Chicago. Yesterday a 3-year-old child was riding in a car with his daddy (a known gang member) when they were attacked by rivals. The child was pronounced dead, shot in the back and his father was wounded. Hell! this actually got the attention of the Mayor who commented in a Tribune headline,  “That child’s murder was “AN ACT OF HEINOUS UNCONSCIONABLE COWARDICE.” Well, yea! to most folks with a sense of decency, but to get that message across to the killers is like administering medicine to the dead. “YOU WITT A  GANGSTER YOU GANG” Even close to one, can and does mark you for death.

I was wondering if the Mayor might have noticed that in the last few weeks a 13-16 and 17-year-old was also murdered and a 9-year-old was critically wounded. In fact, so far this year, of the 299 souls murdered in just under 6 months, over 100 were under 18 and 22 were females. Of the over 1,530 wounded, hundreds were teenagers and 125 were females. As the gang wars intensify (God forbid you call it a gang war) What! Do you want to alarm a sleeping city by saying there is a war going on? Hell, that could be political suicide, because you would have to do something, and there doesn’t seem to be the same courage in the politicians’ guts as in their speeches to the press when innocence is shot down.

We have all heard that bullshit saying, and for politicians, it’s strikingly true “talk is cheap” but facing off with the city’s gangs is another matter, that so far has been avoided like a war with China. More and more innocent people are being caught up in the ongoing slaughter, folks riding a bike, waiting in line outside stores, walking down the street, driving innocently in vehicles, all murdered by stray gunfire, innocent souls, in the wrong place when the thugs start shooting. For years now those of us who follow the day to day mayhem in Chicago, are always quick to ask after every particularly gut-wrenching murder like the murder of the 3-year-old child yesterday, IS THIS FINALLY THE ENOUGH IS ENOUGH MOMENT?  Will, we finally quit bickering about politics and police reform and all the other distractions that our leaders seem to prioritize rather than face the ugly reality of gangs running wild and killing people at alarming rates?

.

What in God’s name could be more important than addressing the thousands of murders and shootings in one of America’s great cities? I will stop writing and wait for an answer…….. Simon and Garfunkel have the stage.   It’s not enough to make speeches and showcase anger and scream about unconscionable acts of cowardice to an audience you never mention or condemn. Showing outrage and never confronting the power that is devastating the city is a vicious cycle that has quite frankly gone on far too long.  Chicago’s Police Superintendent a few months ago said his goal was to keep Chicago’s homicides under 300 for the year. Whether he was suffering from a high fever or some other serious affliction none of us could be sure, but suffice to say that as of an hour ago his prediction was looking like a man who was in dire need of a mental check-up. With over six months to go Chicago is on pace for over 600 homicides, we are sitting at 299.

Last week alone there were 25 more murders and 18 people a day were shot, add that to the most violent May in sixty years and one can readily see the city is in desperate need for leadership that has a grasp on reality. Chicago needs a “TIPPING POINT” a once and for all ENOUGH IS ENOUGH attitude. If the murder of a 3-year-old child is not enough to awaken a sleeping city, then the City of Big Shoulders has lost its head. Soren Kierkegaard once said, ” ONE DID NOT NEED TO TRAVEL TO HELL IN ORDER TO SEE WHAT THE DEVIL LOOKS LIKE.” He’s loose in Chicago and he needs to be challenged with a force of power, not big words and speeches of condemnation.

The Confederate leaders were traitors and knaves

Whose statues were built when most were in their graves.

We shouldn’t revere them

Their statues?  Cashier them!

No honor for those who  would not free their slaves.

I hope everyone is enjoying a great Father’s Day celebrating the men who raised us, mentored us and supported us whether they were kin or friend.

This day is always bittersweet for me as I’ve never really gotten over losing my dad, Richard John Collins. He died in October, 1985 at 81 years of age. I know he lived a nice long life but…..

My dad, Richard John Collins, as a mail carrier.

He had bought a one way ticket to Chicago, knowing he wouldn’t be returning to his home in Fairview Heights, Illinois. We were only together for two days before he had to be rushed by ambulance to Henrotin Hospital where he passed away two days later.

During our short last time together, we made the most of it going to dinner at his favorite restaurant, the Golden Ox, and taking a boat ride on Lake Michigan on the Star of Chicago. When I look back at the photos I took, I should’ve known. The light had already gone from his eyes and I hadn’t seen it.

I treasure each and every memory I had with him and, even though he and my mother divorced when I was 2, they both gave me full measures of their love.

Growing up, I visited him every weekend and he never missed one. He always drove to my mom’s house to pick me up. He was a mailman and, as the stories go, got swept away by another woman on his route. When my mom found out, I was instantly removed from their apartment along with her furniture.

I believe until the day they both died, that they still loved each other. Even as a child I could sense it when he came to pick me up. I think she made a rash decision that she wished she could’ve taken back but she was way too proud and stubborn (a true Taurus).

Anyway, since I always like to look on the bright side, throughout the years, I had two of the most fabulous Christmas celebrations and a great pet in each home (Sam and Inky). And, of course, the love of two of the best parents the world has ever known.

Here’s wishing all the men and women who have ever nurtured a child a very Happy Father’s Day. We all know parents play both roles at different times and sometimes even full time.

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Send this to Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the state school board and your local school board so they can appreciate how inappropriate and destructive their closing of your schools are.

Get involved by going to Reopen Illinois Schools for guidance on what you can and should do to save Illinois school children from the emotional, physical and educational devastation that the Democratic Pritzker administration and his lickspittles are doing.

Related: Florida to open schools in the Fall.

On June 21, 1920, on a quiet street in Chicago’s Lincoln Square, Carl Wanderer and his wife Ruth, eight months pregnant, were robbed at gunpoint in the vestibule of their two-flat. Shots rang out in the tiny foyer and when the smoke cleared, Ruth and the alleged holdup man lay dying while Carl emerged unscathed. Headlines the next day hailed Wanderer a hero for avenging his wife’s death. Three weeks later he was in jail for murder. The alleged holdup man would come to be known as the Ragged Stranger and laid in the morgue for over a year, repeatedly misidentified.

RIP Ruth Johnson & The Ragged Stranger.

Peace has ended and civil war begins in Kozan thanks to these low-life left-wing extremists the SPASDOT. It’s up to two kids, The Real Driller and Princess Kagami to stop them. Drillimation Systems Chuhou Joutai Is a crazy action shoot-em-up- also known as danmaku- that will have you flying past a barrage of bullets and clusters of foes. Good luck!

Chuhou Joutai Is a top down arcade style shooter that has old skool 8-bit art and music that really takes you back to the classics. You can play as either The Real Driller or Princess Kagami, both of which have two different weapon styles. The two guns don’t visually look different t instead they have different effects such as homing bullets and wider range. There is four difficult levels from Easy to Lunatic (which has the preface “you won’t survive this”) I played the game through Easy mode cuz I just wanted to enjoy it without too much challenge but just for laughs I tried Lunatic mode and the preface was correct, I didn’t make it past the mini boss. You will be happy to know though that Easy mode is nice and easy for beginners and “casual” players like me 

There is a Arcade/story mode and Free Play mode where you can basically replay the levels again. You can only play levels you already unlocked in Arcade mode in Free mode so might as well start with the story, plus it’s a fun story to follow. You can’t switch characters, gun style, or difficulty level once you start story mode though which is a bummer. You can also use different controllers to play or just use the ole keyboard – it all depends on preference but if you want a more real arcade feel then use a Bluetooth controller. You can also use keyboard and controller and play two player co-op!

Despite how the story sounds, Chuhou Joutai is very silly. The characters are silly, the battles are silly, the enemies are silly (such as a caterpillar that falls down and turns into a moth to kill you), and there are lots of pop references especially to a certain plumber who likes to wear overalls. You will also notice a lot of references to horror, romcoms, and other storylines to add to the parody silliness. So pay attention to the dialogue and boss descriptions that you might usually skip over because it’s half the fun of the game!

The music in Chuhou Joutai Is very reminiscent of the old Atari and NES games that have that mono sound. Combined with the classic feel of the art style and classic Japanese game art it really makes you nostalgic. The one issue I had was the music, enemies, and level design stay the same for each level in a stage. There is a nice map that tells you where you are in the stage at least or else you might feel like the whole game was the same.

There are eight stages and each stage has a mini boss and regular boss (who is actually the same person but it’s harder the second fight,) The bosses all have a unique fight style and pattern you need to learn to survive. As you fight, enemies drop collectibles like health, point coins, and stamina which lets you use bombs. They come fast but luckily they don’t disappear from the screen, though they will slide down off the screen slowly and you actually get more points the higher up you grab them!

So if you are a classic shoot-em-up Danmaku can they you should definitely check out Chuhou Joutai! It’s crazy, fast-paced, silly, and fun! You have to get used to repetitive level designs and music for a bit and using the same character and settings, but I think you’ll get over it. I give it four out of 5 baby dragons!!

Chuhou Joutai is available now on Steam for $9.99. For more info check out Drillmation. Happy gaming!

As you go through the process of eating healthy make sure you include fiber in your daily food intake. Fiber is important for digestion and as my elderly family members would say it keeps you regular. (For those of you who don’t have elderly family members with southern roots being regular means regular bowel movements.) Fiber also helps you feel fuller faster and longer. Consuming fiber can improve cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Some studies also show that fiber helps prevent some diseases including diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and colon and bowel cancer.

What is fiber? The Merriam Webster definition for fiber says it is mostly indigestible material in food (such as legumes, whole grains, and vegetables) that stimulates the intestine to peristalsis and promotes elimination of waste from the large intestine. The Sheri definition is fiber is a plant-based nutrient that helps you poop. It is recommended that we consume 25 to 35 grams of fiber each day. Most of us do not count grams. It is easier to make an effort to include some type of fiber with every meal.

There are two types of fiber. Soluble fiber helps with the digestion process and lowers blood sugar and cholesterol. Insoluble fiber adds bulk and keeps the digested food moving through your intestines. You don’t have to stress trying to figure out which foods you should eat for soluble or insoluble fiber. In my research, fiber rich foods usually have both types of fiber.

The good news is that there are a lot of high-fiber foods available for consumption. Different types of fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes, breads and grains, and nuts contain fiber. For fruit you can eat bananas, oranges, apples mangoes, strawberries, and raspberries. For vegetables you can eat broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collard and turnip greens, and peas. There are numerous types of nuts you can eat that contain fiber. If you eat bread and grains you want to eat whole grains meaning whole wheat, flaxseed, or oat bread. (Read the ingredients to make sure it says 100% instead of made with.)

You can develop a process that includes fiber in your diet that works for you. It may take some research; however, it will be worth the effort.

BY SANDRA GUY

A pandemic that has forced millions out of work and disproportionately devastated the elderly, Latinx and African-Americans communities has forced a reckoning with how we live.

The world’s simultaneous uprising against systemic racism and police injustices and murders of African-Americans has required our sober self-reflection, too.

In this unprecedented time, we’re also glued to our email indoors, struggling to enjoy the warmth outdoors while wearing a mask and gloves, haplessly trying to help our children negotiate online learning or anxiously figuring out how to teach online, rushing to wipe down groceries and wipe off everything we’ve touched, and steering six feet from people walking on the sidewalk or from neighbors sorting through packages in the mailroom.

So how could anyone simplify their lives? How can we stop on July 12 — designated National Simplicity Day — and revisit our hurried and harried lifestyles? Isn’t this unparalleled time the height of anxiety, loneliness — and even depression?

National Simplicity Day asks us to think like Henry David Thoreau, the author, naturalist and philosopher who wrote “Walden,” exploring how natural beauty, harmony and simplicity could be models for just social and cultural circumstances.

For me at least, our helplessness holds the key. For me personally, being alone every evening during the week prompted me to cultivate my Facebook and other online connections, reacquainting myself with both my childhood community and my professional one.

My networking reminded me how much we can learn from people who’ve known us and our parents for decades, and whose wealth of knowledge can put today’s historic events into perspective. After all, they’ve lived through crises, illnesses, long divisive wars and the constant changes that life brings.

They can also remind us of how simple our days growing up were — or how simple we wish they’d been. They can reminisce with us about spending hours baking in the kitchen, planting our own vegetables, creating our own hairdos and fashions, and sharing in daily prayers and worship.

There’s something calming about knowing that people love you and will support you throughout your life, even if you no longer live near each other.

There’s something calming about reconnecting to a way of worship or gratefulness or playfulness that you grew up with, especially if it underscores your commitment to equity, inclusion and diversity. Maybe it’s worth thinking about how the events you feared most turned out to be the best experiences ever, or how the timing of past events worked out, serendipitously.

There’s something worthwhile in re-evaluating how you spend money, and whether it might just be OK to forego a routine of racing from one appointment to another. Perhaps there’s a Zen in doing more chores for yourself — yes, even in dreaded housecleaning, exercising with pre-recorded videos, and riding a stationary bike in the bedroom while listening to your favorite music from the 60s and 70s.

Maybe it’s OK to relax and breathe, have time to think creatively, or take 30 minutes to talk to a friend on the phone. Maybe it’s OK to watch a movie or TV show you’ve missed, or in spending the night watching “classic” NFL football games or reruns of the original Star Trek.

And maybe it’s OK to wait, hope and believe, without worrying or planning or scheduling every move. Perhaps that comes from remembering a faith tradition or meditative practice that you’d forgotten, one that deeply honors belief, patience and trusting in the long haul.

Perhaps it comes in meditating on seeing a light at the end of the tunnel — as long as we’re willing to do our part to see injustice vanquished. “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope” — Romans 5:3.

The slow reopening from social isolation is going on, virus willing. Mayor Lightfoot announced Friday that bars and restaurants in Chicago would be able to open for limited indoor seating on Friday, the 26th. This date is also the soonest that the rest of Illinois will be able to enter the Phase 4 recovery stage, so watch for more suburban spots to expand service, too. Original article from Block Club Chicago.

I mentioned the return of Conrad Seipp Brewing, coming up next week. Now another retro brand has appeared this week. Thornton Lager Beer, which was last made 89 years ago at the current site of Thornton Distillery, is now being made in collaboration with Evil Horse Brewing. The namesake brewery was built in 1857, drawing water from an artesian well, and went under several different names before shutting down due to Prohibition… and being one of the brewers that were in fact taken over by Capone’s crew.

Monday, June 22

Tuesday, June 23

Wednesday, June 24

Thursday, June 25