Mike Lawler

Mike Lawler worked for Runde’s full-time while he went to high school.  After graduating, Mike went off to college, but he still comes back to work here when he comes back home.  While Mike was here for the Thanksgiving weekend, we took a few minutes to chat with him and find out what college life is like.

RAC: Where are you going to college?

ML: Western Illinois University — It’s about two and a half hours away.

RAC: And do you have your own car?

ML: Yeah, a 2000 Cavalier Z24.

RAC: Nice.  Aluminum wheels?  Air Conditioning?  Cruise Control?

ML: Yes sir.

RAC: Prodigious!  Do you like college so far? You’re going to the school in Macomb, IL right?

Western Illinois University

ML: Yeah the school’s nice.  Macomb’s a smaller town – I think it’s about 20,000 people.

RAC: Runde’s sells a lot of vehicles to people from Macomb.  Do you see any cars that you maybe got ready for pick-up or took pictures of?

ML: I definitely see a lot of vehicles running around with Runde stickers.  I can’t tell for sure if there’s one that I prepped or washed, but yeah there’s probably a couple.

RAC: What are you majoring in?

ML: History, I plan to get my teaching certification.

RAC:  So you want to be a teacher?  What for, high school?

ML: Yeah high school, why are you looking at me like that?

RAC: You want to deal with high schoolers?

ML: Yeah, I’d rather deal with them than little kids.

RAC:  Have you seen the new Twilight New Moon movie that came out this past week

ML:  Definitely not.  No.

RAC:  What do you think of the whole Michael Jackson glove sale price?  Would you ever pay that much for just one glove? 

ML:  No.

RAC:  What are your plans for Thanksgiving.

ML:  We usually head over to relatives in Dubuque.  My mom, her sisters, and my grandma all pitch in to cook the meal.  After Thanksgiving weekend, I’ll head back to school to finish out the semester.

RAC: What’s your school mascot?  Isn’t it the Saluki’s.

ML: I think the Saluki is the team name for Southern Illinois.  Western’s team name is The Leathernecks.

RAC: Do you play any sports up there at the school?

ML: Nope.

RAC:  What do you think about the whole Brett Favre thing?

ML:  I wish it would just go away.

RAC: Did you come back for any East Dubuque Football games or anything?  They had a great season.

ML: A couple yeah.

RAC: Did you see the video of their last pep rally where that dads of the players dressed up like cheerleaders and performed a routine?

ML: Yeah, yes I did hear about that, but I have not actually seen the footage of it.

RAC: You will have to look it up online, there’s like 3 takes of it out there.

RAC: Do you feel like older now that you’re finally in college? … now that you are in a place like a university.  It’s like the universe of information, the Mecca of learning.

ML: I don’t feel that different, there is probably a little difference I think.

Resemblance ???

RAC: History Major eh?  Who is your favorite president?

ML: Probably Abraham Lincon

RAC: Abe? Honestly?  I would have to say that he is my favorite too when you survey the history of this country.  Do you have any skill that you learned at Runde’s that you use in the real world or at college?

ML: Umm, I think I developed better people skills here if anything,

2010 Chevrolet Equinox

ML:  I think it’s a big improvement.  I like it a lot … very nice interior and nice design. RAC: If you could say that there was one like college dream vehicle, what would it be like? The ultimate college car …

ML: For me it would have to be something fuel efficient, because I drive back and forth from home. Are you talking about like the coolness of it or what?

RAC: I don’t know… I’m just asking. So your talking, for you personally it would be a vehicle where you could fold the 3 rows of seats down and pile the whole world in it, and still get 40 miles per gallon?

ML: I don’t think that vehicle exists…

RAC: well it probably will in ten years.

We’re thankful that Mike came back to work for us over the holiday weekend.  He’s a good worker and we wish him the best as he continues his education at Westen Illinois. 

Click PLAY below to find out what Mike’s most thankful for.

Carradine, Beverly

The Spirit is a free Spirit and will not work in a groove.  He is the leader himself… – Heart Talks (Cincinnati: God’s Bible School and College, n.d.), 60.

(4 April 1848, Yazoo Co. Mississippi – 1931, Illinois)  

Married 4 July 1869, Laura Reed (she died, he remarried)

Converted to Christ 12 July 1874, near Shiloh

Sanctified 1 June 1889, New Orleans

Carradine, Beverly

It [the old man] …leads of hasty speeches, quick temper, feelings of bitterness, doubts, suspicions, harsh judgments, love of praise and fear of men. – Heart Talks (Cincinnati: God’s Bible School and College, n.d.), 32.

(4 April 1848, Yazoo Co. Mississippi – 1931, Illinois)  

Married 4 July 1869, Laura Reed (she died, he remarried)

Converted to Christ 12 July 1874, near Shiloh

Sanctified 1 June 1889, New Orleans

watch Illinois Fighting Illini vs Cincinnati Bearcats – NCAA Football  online live stream TV sport 11/27, 27 Nov 2009. This Sport Games Starting time will be at 12:00 ET(US) or 18:00 CET (Europe). We will update the link several hours/minutes before the scheduled starting time. The live stream feed provided from free video tv hosting sites like ustream, justin tv, p2p, sopcast, tvu, tvants, uusee, etc. You can watch online Sport Live TV stream channel on November, 27 2009. The sport tv we cover here is NHL, NBA, KHL, NFL, AHL, NCAA, MLB, AHL, MLS, Soccer, EPL, Champion, UEFA, FIFA, U20, U17,  Football, Hockey, Basketball, SERIE A, NASCAR, F1, GP and others. If there is any of free tv hosting that airs these sport tv channel, we will update the link for you. Dont Miss to watch live sport tv between Illinois Fighting Illini vs Cincinnati Bearcats – NCAA Football  online . Please click on below link to watch, online, free, live, stream, sport, tv, at 11/27 2009, Illinois Fighting Illini vs Cincinnati Bearcats – NCAA Football .

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Ho-Ho-Ho! It is once again Christmas Season. So for those of you looking to avoid the madness known as Black Friday Christmas shopping day here is another installment of theScoundrels version of less ordinary Christmas Gifts.

It seems what was a popular item last Christmas,  is once again an Internet shopping favorite. The Hillary Clinton Nutcracker seems in shot supply again. According to the purveyor – the 9″ version of Hillary with stainless steel thighs to crush your nuts is available in limited quantities and currently selling for $29.95. Hmm, it seems inflation must have hit Hillary now that she is Secretary of State, as I do believe these were being pimped out at $19.95 last year. Also available is the matching 9 1/2 ” Bill Clinton corkscrew, also currently selling for $29.95. Also available at the same site is the Barack Obama 6″ action figure. The president is available for only $24.95.  I am not sure how the fact that a Hillary Nutcracker and a Bill Clinton corkscrew are more valuable than & physically dwarf the Barack Obama action figure reflects on the current rank and file value of Obama administration. But they are all less ordinary Christmas gifts for your holiday gift giving! Link – to the tools.

Action dolls seem to be a growing industry for political and media figures. Over at Hereobuilders you can get your favorite past and present politicians including less ordinary choices like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Turbo Tax Tim Geithner, Obama the Joker, Joe the Plumber, Nancy Pelosi – complete with waterboard, multiple Sarah Palin figures – including Schoolgirl Sarah Palin. Not to be forgotten is your favorite media personalities like Beck, O’Reilly and Ogreman/Olberman. Plus special collector editions like Bernie Madoff and Illinois favorite Rod Blagojevich both only $149.95 each. (Perhaps proceeds are going to their defense funds – but I hope not.) Link to Political Action Dolls.

You say you are looking for something that makes your special honey standout from the crowd? Well I used to have a boss that kept a picture of himself taken with Gerald Ford, hanging behind his desk. So why not consider investing in a lifesize political card board cutout. They could have their picture taken with the image or just keep it around to take out as a wingman for a night out on the town.  Picture your special honey walking in to his or her favorite Quad City party or pub with Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, George Bush, Sarah Palin, Elvis Presley, Old Abe Lincoln or maybe even Marilynn Monroe in their arms! They would be the talk of the town! And all for only $90! Link to Dream Dates.

And finally, direct from the White House Gift Shop you can order White House charms, watches and jewelry. Perhaps you are looking for presidential baby items. White House Coins could make special stocking stuffers for those little coin collectors. Or maybe something for your family members to impress their friends and neighbors with: some special playing cards with the Presidential Seal or White House on the back – they would be great conversational pieces when pulled out to play with on poker night.  Those or many other selections are available without leaving your house today,  from the White House Gift Shop.

For those of you that have to work today, for those of you shopping at home or amongst the madness, for those of you just recovering from Thanksgiving misbehavior and for those of you whom just have a normal day planned – be well and have a great day. Have a safe and very Merry Christmas season. And for those that do not celebrate Christmas, may whatever you do or do not celebrate this month – bring your life joy and happiness.

Sunset view at a stop on Illinois Interstate I/39

Select for larger view of panoramic  photo of the sunset

Freeskier magazine has posted the finalist videos for the annual Salomon Backyard Jib contest.  The setups and skills these skiers whip out further proves that massive elevations aren’t necessary for honing the park skillZ.  In some cases snow isn’t even needed… which just so happens to suit the Midwest perfectly at this time!  Check out the four finalists on Freeskier.com

So many things to be

thankful for this year

and always at the top of

my list every day are my

husband Fred and my

wonderful mama!

Also my family, friends &

all of the wonderfully talented

musicians pouring out their

hearts and souls for the

rest of us to enjoy!

Keep the music alive

and get out & experience

 LIVE MUSIC . . .

the REAL thrill. 

Union Pacific engine at IRM

Originally uploaded by Steven Vance

Union Pacific is the oldest and largest operating railroad in the United States.

And they have beautiful train livery, like the one in this photo, seen at the Illinois Railway Museum in Union, Illinois. UP 18 is a gas turbine-electric locomotive the company donated to the museum.

From Wikipedia: “UP’s basic paint scheme for its diesel-electric locomotives is the oldest still in use by a major railroad. The bottom two-thirds of the locomotive body is painted Armour Yellow, so-named because it was the color used by the Armour meat company. A thin band of red divides this from the Harbor Mist Gray (a fairly light gray) used for the body and roof above that point.”

Josh Marshall speculates that poor decisions by Democrats and the Obama White House could cost us Senate seats in Delaware, New York, Illinois, Colorado, and even elsewhere in 2010.

joe tallman-09 clips from joe tallman on Vimeo.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably one of three things: 1.) bored as shit and having nothing else to do or 2.) stuffed on turkey and read to puke or 3.) doing some light reading before blacking out into a food coma.

Since it’s highly doubtful that you’ll make it to the bottom of this post, I’ll take all the melodrama out of it: Illinois will lose to Cincinnati.

But let’s tantalize our imagination for a moment and cook up a little upset recipe for your brain to chew on…

UPSET DELIGHT PIE

-1 highly rated team
-1 underachieving “team”
-National audience (game is on ABC)
-Trap game potential (the Bearcats play Pitt next week for the Big East title)
-Outside distractions (Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly is rumored to be one of the favorites to take over at Notre Dame once Charlie is axed.)

Now the hard stuff…

-Turnovers: In every big upset, the inferior team needs to force at least one turnover (Think Miami Thomas against Ohio State in 2007). Interceptions are the easiest way to do this, unfortunately Cincinnati is first in the nation in passing efficency (170.01) and the Illini defense couldn’t strip a sorostitute of of her dignity much less an opponent of the football.

-Big plays: In every great upset, usually one player will go above and beyond their normal stats and take over the game (think Juice against Ohio State in 2007). Juice will be starting the final two games of the season and this will most likely be his last shot to go out with a bang since no one with a functional brain will watch the Zookers play Fresno State. Unfortunately, I can only think of one moment all year when an Illini player took over a game: Mikel LeShoure against Michigan. Chances are slim we’ll see anyone step up.

-Gutsy play-calling: Mike Schultz is essentially the “Sarah Plain and Tall” of  offensive coordinators. He is about as liberal as a puritan when it comes picking the plays. Schultz’s philosophical pillar is ball-control (Probably the same philosophy his wife holds him to in bed…HEY-O), so it’s a stretch to expect anything eccentric out of him. However if Schultz is already on his way out of Champaign (as many expect) then perhaps he’ll decide to fuck philosophy and go to town on the Bearcats…and his wife.

Again, I’m not expecting an upset – quite the opposite actually. But wouldn’t it be just like the Zooker to fuck the pooch all season and then put together a masterpiece in a meaningless game for the Illini?

It’s disappointing this Illinois team didn’t make it to a bowl game, but we can treat this like one. And if this is an Illini bowl game, then we can expect a familiar result…

PREDICTION: Illinois 10, Cincinnati 38

Each and every Saturday of the year the volunteers with the Ministry of Hope at Cross and Crown Church in Arlington Heights, Illinois, serve a feast for the homeless and low-income of the area. Approximately 50 to 70 people enjoy the hot breakfast and lunch each week. Many partake in the opportunity to attend a worship service.

The volunteers and pastors of Cross and Crown are a gift from God to the homeless. They live from their hearts, offering smiles, joy, friendship, hope and support to all who need. They serve delicious meals, give clothing, bikes, and more. They give transportation to and from the church in a church member’s van. The Ministry of Hope is NOT even part of the church budget–all costs come out of their own pockets!

The Ministry of Hope volunteers are absolutely amazing! I honestly don’t know how such a small church can do so much for so many! Some may remember that it was this same church that was vandalized around Christmastime. There was an outpouring of support from communities all around, including an awesome new Christmas tree to replace the one that was damaged by the vandalism.

I felt glad that this church was able to celebrate Christmas and feel the warmth of the community help that we homeless feel when we go to the Ministry of Hope on Saturdays. I hope to return the love and kindness someday by finding a way to help them myself, perhaps by finding them a new or used van of their own to give us rides in to and from the church. It would even grant the church the ability to give us rides to the church on Sundays so that we may attend the regular worship service–something many of us wish to do but can’t get to the church on our own.

View a pdf file about the Ministry of Hope.

Election 2010 – Illinois Attorney General and Secretary of State

While all the other statewide races in Illinois has many candidates to choose from, the primaries for these two races will be tame. Each party only has one candidate and the Democrats are looking to hold their control of both seats. Here, you can decide who you will vote for in the general election.

Click here to find out candidates in your area of Illinois. Click here to find out more about voting in Illinois.

And visit Election 2010 and Voting, State by State to read other posts about elections in Illinois and elsewhere.

Attorney General

The incumbent in this race is Democrat Lisa Madigan. Long thought to be considering running for US Senate or Governor, Madigan decied to run for her third term as the state’s top lawyer. Daughter of powerful Illinois Speaker of the House Michael Madigan, the AG has distinguished herself by her emphasis on protecting Illinois’ consumers and running a strong anti-drug campaign. To learn more, click here.

Hoping to defeat the sitting Attorney General is Republican Steve Kim. An attorney and businessman who served in Governor Jim Edgar’s administration, Kim will have to raise his profile and beat back much of Illinois’ political establishment to pull off the upset. To learn more, click here.

Also running is David Black on the Green Party ticket, an attorney.

Secretary of State

Thrust into the spotlight by having to maintain order during the Rod Blagojevich scandal and subsequent appointment of Roland Burris to the US Senate, incumbent Secretary of State Jessie White is looking to return to office for 4 more years. First elected to the post in 1998, an unusually long political lifespan given how grisly the political scene can be in Illinois, White is famous for starting the Jessie White Tumbling Team, an organization for intercity Chicago youth. To learn more, click here.

Running against him is Republican Robert Enriquez. Born to American parents and growing up in Honduras, Enriquez is a veteran of the US Marines and has worked for various international businesses. He also currently serves on the Illinois Human Rights Commission. To learn more, click here.

Also running are Green Party’s Adrian Frost and Libertarian Josh Hanson.

Election 2010 – Illinois Treasurer – Democratic Incumbent

Though Illinois has both a treasurer and a comptroller, whomever is elected the statewide accountant this November will have a difficult task in front of him or her. In the face of a heavy budget shortfall, there will be a lot of cuts necessary to make up for this.

Current Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is running for the US Senate so there is an open race this year. 3 Democrats are vying to replace him, while Republicans have lined up behind a single candidate.

Click here to find out candidates in your area of Illinois. Click here to find out more about voting in Illinois.

And visit Election 2010 and Voting, State by State to read other posts about elections in Illinois and elsewhere.

Democrats

Looking to succeed her boss is Robin Kelly. Currently the Chief of Staff to State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, Kelly is also a former State Representative from the southern suburbs of Chicago. Endorsed by much of the Democratic establishment, she is the one to beat in this race. To learn more about her campaign, click here.

Mark Doyle is no stranger to the rigors of working in government and he hopes to translate that to electoral success. A native of Chicago, Doyle worked in President Clinton’s White House, specifically on health care and also most recently on Joe Biden’s presidential campaign. He is also a small business consultant. To learn more, click here.

Coming from downstate, Justin Oberman hopes that he can use his geographic base to upset expectations and become the Democratic nominee. Working for the Department of Transportation in the Bush administration as a Democratic appointee, Oberman was part of a group of advisors for Barack Obama on homeland security during his presidential campaign. To learn more, click here.

Republicans

Republicans have coalesced around the candidacy of Dan Rutherford, a State Senator and the 2006 nominee for Illinois Secretary of State. Representing a district surrounding Pontiac  since 2002, Rutherford also served in the State House of Representatives and had a long career in international business. To learn more, click here.

Other

The Green Party has nominated Scott Summers, an attorney and lives in Harvard in north McHenry County. To learn more, click here.

Today more than ever, consumers are overwhelmed with choices, and distractions. The cost of attracting users to your website continues to increase and keeping them engaged is more important than ever.

Engagement doesn’t end with an individual browser reading content or clicking on an ad. Rather, engagement is an ongoing process that results in loyal customers who come back again and again, becoming more vested in your web site.

How can you make sure you’re engaging and keeping customers?

In order to create a loyal following, there are some basic principles you need to consider. From first impressions to life-long membership, put yourself in the shoes of your browsers and make their experience a valuable one.

• Reduce Clutter. How many times have you visited a website only to be overwhelmed and confused? What is this site about you may have asked yourself. Or perhaps you found yourself asking, ‘Where is the information I’m looking for?

Don’t ask your browsers or potential customers to figure this out. Make your site clutter free and create a                      visual priority that emphasizes the information, resources, or actions your browsers want. By reducing                        obstacles you build trust among new web site visitors and allow for simple decision making – which                            benefits everyone.

• Make Navigation Intuitive. There are many ways to navigate a web page but intuition rules the day. Don’t try to get fancy with your navigation or overuse java script. Basic navigation that follows current convention is the best way to lead individuals through your web site to the information they’re looking for.

• Make The Initial Site Interaction Relevant. When a browser reaches your web site, you have less than seven seconds to get them engaged. Making your initial site interaction relevant to what individuals are looking for is essential for keeping them interacting long term.

If you are promoting your web site with Google Adwords, or any pay per click advertising for that matter, be                sure to create customer landing pages that are truly relevant to the individual who clicks-through your ad.                  Once you’ve established relevancy, you can move them deeper into your content, tools, and resources.

• Ensure That Your Content Is Up-to-date. Web site content that isn’t up to date does not serve your audience and browsers are likely to move on. One way to ensure that information is timely is by providing a feed of relevant news or information. If including static text on your web pages, try not to include specific dates. However, if you must publish dates, be sure to update this information on a regular basis.

• Start An Interaction With Your Users. Each time a browser views your web page, you have an opportunity to interact with them. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by. One great way to interact is to offer something of value at no cost. This can be a white paper, access to an exclusive list, or simply a 30 day free trial. Be sure to capture an individual’s valid email address and include them on your mailing list. An auto-responder is best if you wish to engage these individuals on an ongoing basis.

• Provide Plenty Of Support. Don’t hesitate to offer support right from your home page. Prominently display your 800 number, support email address, and additional information for your prospects and customers such as mailing address. This information is viewed favorably by search engines and also creates a sense of legitimacy. Contact information builds trust among prospects and elicits interest in your company.

• Make Sharing Easy. Once you’ve made your web site easy to use, don’t hesitate to offer browsers the ability to share your web site with others. This can be in the form of a simple widget that allows users to bookmark your page, subscribe to an Rss feed, or submit your content to popular news sites like Digg.com.

Individuals are much more likely to visit a web site based on a friend’s recommendation versus some other type of marketing initiative. Leverage the power of viral marketing with easy sharing tools.

Your web site can be your greatest asset. Unfortunately, many marketers and website owners are so focused on increasing traffic that they lose site of the audience that’s already visiting their web pages but are simply not converting.

Don’t make the same mistake. Improve the quality of you site through relevant content that is up-to-date and easy to find. Once you’ve engaged users, encourage them to share. Doing so will make your site perform better, increase conversions, and deliver value for all involved.

www.RaziCommunications.com

info@razicommunications.com

Razi Communications is an Identity Company offering full-service public relations, advertising, marketing and Internet-based programs. We work with clients to help them discover their strengths and the things that make them unique and then help communicate those strengths into effective marketing campaigns. We bring your story to life in language that inspires and motivates utilizing traditional and new media.

As Thanksgiving weekend approaches I cannot help but reminisce.  My thoughts drift back to all the wonderful opening days spent skiing during this weekend.  In particular, I am reminded of opening weekend age 16.  Being an inexperienced driver it’s hard to forget that time in late November when it was necessary to drive through “blizzard-like conditions” just to ski the first traces of snow of the year.  Now, as I sit writing while wearing moccasins (sans socks!) and one of my lighter North Faces, I crave a weekend of skiing decked out in goggles and winter jackets.

As of Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at 10:54 a.m. the snowcam at Tyrol Basin in Mt. Horeb Wis., had roughly a two yard-wide trace of created snow at the bottom of the hill and snowguns lined the entire length of the bunnyhill- a sure sign that indeed there is hope.  So, this weekend, as my fingers remain crossed that snow is in the near future, I will enjoy my food and family-filled Thanksgiving without skiing.