When I was back in Chicago -- Evanston actually, staying just a few blocks from the beloved Northwestern -- I saw the news story on how the Trump administration (in its ongoing fascist effort to destroy education in the United States) had added Northwestern to its list and was demanding "changes" or else they would freeze $790 million in federal funding from the school. This stems from, as the New York Times stated it, Trump team "accusations of racial discrimination stemming from their efforts to promote diversity."

As the article later notes, Northwestern (a Big Ten university) is the first non-Ivy League school to have funding from the Trump administration targeted.

A spokesman for the school, Jon Yates, said -- "Federal funds that Northwestern receives drive innovative and lifesaving research, like the recent development by Northwestern researchers of the world’s smallest pacemaker, and research fueling the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. This type of research is now at jeopardy.”

Before we get to that, I think it's important to know what this actually means, and that's it's not just "spokesman fluff".  When he says "recent, that "world's smallest pacemaker" was announced literally less than two weeks ago, on April 2, and it's utterly remarkable.  Jaw-dropping breathtaking.  Whatever you may have in mind about "world's smallest pacemaker," you almost certainly might want to think smaller -- and even that's not the only thing that's stunning about it.  The device is so small, it can be inserted with a syringe, and then dissolves after it’s no longer needed!

Yes, that's a pacemaker.  And yes, that is small.  And it dissolves when not needed.  Here's a 90-second video about it --

And that's the thing about this fascist Trump effort -- accepted and enabled by MAGOPs in Congress -- to destroy education.  No doubt the base (and the word was never more accurate) loves when its party tries to undermine and shred education by freezing funding for all those "elites."  Except what so much of the federal funding goes for is critical research that impacts the lives of everyone -- Red, Blue and every color in between -- and also helps the U.S. lead the world in scientific and medical advances.

The $2 billion in funding that Trump/MAGOPs now want to freeze may be a joy to the base, but they might want to find out first that the bulk of the money goes for medical research into cancer and Alzheimer's Disease (neither of which discriminate on the basis of political belief...), and also Harvard-based hospitals, like the renowned Mass General and Boston Children's Hospital.  Neither of which discriminate on the basis of...oh, you know.  

If you (whoever you are) ever need and can benefit from the medical care or scientific advances from any of this research that Trump/MAGOPs are trying to freeze, because they want to destroy education and have it heel to their fascist beliefs, just know what could be lost could affect you or your loved ones.  And leadership in the fields might now go overseas.

That's what this is about. Not falsely presumed "elites" or the MAGOP-hated "education."

Which is why I was thrilled to see Harvard turn down the Trump/MAGOP demands, even if it meant losing $2 billion.  It will hurt Harvard -- but it will also hurt all Americans, because they're who benefit from medical advances and needs.  They and everyone in the world.

As Harvard President Alan Garber said, spot-on properly: “No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.”

I must assume there will be lawsuits from Harvard and all the universities under threat of their government funding being frozen, including of course Northwestern.  So, hopefully, they will either get to keep their funding for research or won't be blocked.

In the meantime, though, great for Harvard.  What a courageous, important stand to take.

Which leads me to end with this from Tom Lehrer.  To be clear, it's a comic song that has nothing to do with medical research (though does with scholarship), and is really just a chiding number about what a football fight song should be for the school.  But its title fits perfectly, and so that's why we're going with it. 

"Fight Fiercely Harvard," indeed.
​

Well, I'm back in Los Angeles, and the elves have left the place in reasonably good shape and didn't leave the refrigerator completely raided.

I'll have something else later today, but while I'm unpacking and reacclimating I thought it proper to repost an article I wrote eight years ago on an earlier trip to Chicago.  It's about one of my several favorite restaurants, Charlie Beinlich's, of which I've never come across anything like it in Los Angeles.  It's very low-key.  Began life over 70 years ago as really pretty much a truck-stop tavern in the suburb of Northbrook (basically across the street from Glencoe, where I grew up -- perhaps on that side of the road because Glencoe was dry, until literally the 1970s.  Yes, really.  In fact, I believe that was the case for all the Cook County suburbs along Lake Michigan because Evanston -- that borders Chicago to the north -- was the world headquarters of the WCTU, the Women's Christian Temperance Union).  Mounted fish on the wall.  Only about a dozen items on the menu, at most.  But what they serve is all so good, and the welcoming service, never feeling rushed even when the place is packed (which is usual) is a joy.

Here's more about Beinlich's.

​​Mainly, they make burgers and cheeseburgers -- thick, juicy, rich, fresh and meaty -- which you can get regular with chips, or deluxe with French fries and coleslaw.  (And the fries are piping hot, and taste like little baked potatoes.) If you're a non-conformist, though, there's barbecued beef, a ham-and-cheese sandwich, grilled cheese, and they eventually added a chicken wrap, as lighter fare, and egg salad.  Honestly, small as the menu is, I can't be accurate with everything since I've only gotten a burger deluxe there for the past probably 40 years.  They're that good.  (I think once, decades ago, I may have gotten a barbecued beef, but I can't swear to it.

The two sides -- and hey, this is Beinlich's, they only need two sides, they're that good -- are shrimp cocktail (which my dad loved), and stunning chili.  Okay, my dad loved that, too.  As for me, it may well be the best chili I've had.  I don't put any onions or cheddar cheese on, but just take it straight.  Though I do like their oyster crackers, and dump a bit of red pepper flakes on.

(Decades ago, after my dad had quadruple bypass surgery, he cut down on meat.  So my mother -- a quiet, demure, small Midwestern lady, who used the telephone like Heiffetz played the violin -- called to ask if they could make a vegetarian chili.  They said to call in the morning before we came in, say how many bowls we'd want, and if they hadn't made the chili that day -- something they did 2-3 times a week -- they'd put those bowls aside before adding the meat.  Much as I love the Beinlich's chili -- and I said it may be my favorite -- I loved their meatless chili even more.  It was lighter, and the flavors came through more, without having the meat predominate.  Anyway, a couple of years ago, after my mother passed away, my dad and I were going to head to Beinlich's, so I decide to take on the responsibility and called ahead to ask about getting the meatless chili.  Sorry, he said -- but disappointed as I was, I loved and preferred his reason.  "We only did that for your mom.")​

​Beinlich's even still has some staff who I remember from when I first went there when I was eight years old, though at this point it may be down to Andy, who began as a waiter, and is either the general manager at this point, or a part-owner now.  But there are about 3-4 "new" guys which at Beinlich's means they've been there for probably 20 years.  There are also now a couple of actually-recent servers.  And the waiters, bartenders, and bus boys have always, for over half a century, always and only been men.  But the last time I was in they had, for a very first time -- a young woman busing tables.

Lunch usually isn't a big problem, though the place is always full.  But if you show up for dinner too late -- like much past 6:30, the tiny waiting area and tiny enclosed porch is going to be jammed.  That's more of a problem than you think -- remember, this is Chicago.  If you get there too late at night in the winter, you're going to be standing outside in sub-freezing weather.  But people will do just that.  But ultimately, it's not a huge problem, because Beinlich's is fast.  They zip you your food, and when you're done -- whoosh, it's gone.  But somehow magically, you never feel rushed.  It helps that everyone who works there, even when they're in a bit of a hurry, has always been Midwest friendly, and will give you time and chat if you need to.  And if you want to linger a bit, that's okay.  But because there's so much movement around, and a long line, people tend to be polite to others and empty their table.

No, there isn't anything like Charlie Beinlich's in Los Angeles. Or most anywhere.
​

Being in Chicago now, I was talking last night with the elves back in Los Angeles taking care of the homestead, and they asked if I had any plans of going to Wrigley Field to see a Cubs game.  I could hear the suppressed laughter in their voices -- because at game time last night it was 38-degrees.  I should add that that's balmy...since at the moment (it's 9:30 in the morning, as I write this), it's 30 degrees.

My answer was that I've been to Wrigley Field in the cold weather and sitting for three hours in 30-degree weather is not high on my list of fun things, unless one is properly bundled up in winter gear.  And often even then.  So...no.

Well, I've arrived in Chicago, along with the rest of the Elisberg Industries team.  We were all able to squeeze into the backseat of the taxi.  And the good news is that, when talking to the elves back at the homestead, taking care of the place, they haven't destroyed it yet.

And arriving, I figured this would be a good time to post this song.  It's very well known, but I suspect that most people not only haven't seen the original version in the movie, Robin and the Seven Hoods, but many if not most don't even know it's from a movie.

The song was written by Sammy Cahn and James Van Heusen.  When I saw lyricist Sammy Cahn in his one-man show several decades ago when it came to Los Angeles, the whole show was wonderful (he's had an amazing songwriting career, including being nominated for an amazing 31 Oscars for Best Song, winning four, for "Three Coins in a Fountain," "All the Way," "High Hopes" and "Call Me Irresponsible"), but I was particularly looking forward to him singing "My Kind of Town."  (And, yes, it was one of his Oscar nominations.)  Which he did sing, of course -- except that it turns out that whenever he sang the song as he toured the country, he'd change the lyric to fit the city he was in.  Yes, yes, it was his song, and he had every right.  And yes, everyone knows what city the actual song is about.  And ultimately, and most importantly it's a great song he wrote. 

But still, c'mon...if he'd written the song "Chicago," I can't imagine he'd have changed the line when in Florida to "Miami, Miami, that toddlin' town..."

But I digress.

Anyway, here's the song as done originally in the movie.  And one thing fun to note:  when Frank Sinatra would sing "My Kind of Town" in concert, he'd always do a sort of spinning hand movement at the part of the song that names city landmarks in Chicago, before pointing to them.  That comes from the movie.  You'll see him do it twice, starting at the 2:15 mark.

I’ve posted several videos here of Heather Headley, a phenomenal singer who (among many other things) starred in Elton John’s musical Aida, winning a Tony Award for it, and the musical adaptation of The Bodyguard that premiered on the West End, as well as the Broadway productions of The Color Purple musical and The Lion King.  (And a lot more, including winning a Grammy for her solo work.) 
 
I’ve also posted them because she went to the beloved Northwestern, I have a touch of pride from that.  (She left college as a senior because she was offered to be the understudy for Audra MacDonald in Ragtime.  Not a shabby start…  She’s said she wanted to graduate, and talked it over with the founder of the school’s Musical Theatre Program, the legendary Dominic Missimi.  He told her that as much as he wanted her to stay, because he had a great role for her in the upcoming Spring musical, said that leaving was the only real choice.  )  And that leads to the point here.
 
When she was at Northwestern and just a sophomore, she performed in the Waa-Mu Show -- the student-written musical which has been going on for around 95 years – and blew the roof off of a great song called “Children of Privilege.”  I was able to find a video of it, and posted it here  three years ago. 
 
As luck would have it, by pure chance – looking for something else – I found another video of Heather Headley when she was at Northwestern.  It’s again from the Waa-Mu Show – but from the year before, when she was only a freshman.  Freshmen don’t tend to get solo numbers at the Waa-Mu Show.  But in fairness, freshmen don’t tend to be Heather Headley.  She performs the number “Laugh So Hard” with total ease and unfettered confidence, and completely owns the stage.  While it’s not a song with the depth of “Children of Privilege,” it’s a good one – but what stands out is that this is a performance with the full maturity of a seasoned veteran.  Yet here she is at the very start – a freshman in college.