The Origin Of The Foot Long Hot Dog.

Let's face it. Everybody loves a tasty wiener.

Even better... a juicy hot dog that's much larger than your normal size. Traditionally, a regular-length hot dog measures six inches, per industry standards. And yet, what about a frankfurter that measures upwards of twelve inches in length? That's a massive amount of sausage at twice the delight of well... EVERYONE!

Hot dogs are clearly a guilty pleasure food. They're synonymous with America; as patriotic as apple pie and baseball. Whereas the standard hot dog has been made for centuries (as early as the 13th Century in Germany), the foot long dog has roots right here in the USA. And yet, their origin is a sad one.

In the 1930's, America faced the Great Depression. Proven to be the worst economic downturn our fair nation has ever faced, millions of Americans struggled against poverty and starvation. A man named George Schmidt, whom operated an amusement park in Chicago, took notice of the hungry visitors that came to his park, but couldn't afford to eat in his restaurants. Realizing that these very same people typically ate the cost-effective hot dogs sold in the park (sometimes sharing one dog between three or four people), he created a longer hot dog that would serve as a cheap meal. Visitors enjoyed the larger hot dogs, which didn't cost much more than the standard length original version. It was an immediate success, with sausage packing plants the nation over beginning to produce foot longs to meet demand.

There's an old saying about necessity being the mother of invention. In this case, it gave birth to a perennial American classic, the foot long.

Video Shows Laquan McDonald Murdered By Chicago Police Officer.

Just within the past hour, dash cam footage of the altercation leading to the death of seventeen year old Laquan McDonald was released by court order. Below is the police video of that incident. Warning -- this is not for children to watch. The altercation begins in this video around the 5:20 mark.

On October 20, 2014, Chicago police officers responded to McDonald, whom was reportedly stealing radios. While I certainly don't believe McDonald to have been innocent in the matter (he had a knife in his possession), his execution certainly was not called for. McDonald deserved his day in court before a jury of his peers, just like any other American, whether guilty or innocent. His death was not necessary, nor do the police possess the right to administer capital punishment.

Officer Jason Van Dyke initially fired a shot which put McDonald on the ground, incapacitated. For the next thirteen seconds, Van Dyke continued to fire into McDonald's lifeless body, without any threat of bodily harm whatsoever. A fellow officer on the scene finally convinced Van Dyke to not continue reloading his weapon and resume firing. Van Dyke claimed that McDonald lunged at him with a knife, causing him to feel threatened and fire his weapon. As you can see from the video, this simply is not the case.

I ask that you watch this video and form your own opinion on the matter, free from the influence of outside sources, your friends or family. THINK FOR YOURSELF. Upon doing so, I believe you'll agree that the police are clearly capable of murder. The police are not always in the right one-hundred percent of the time. The police can and do exercise unnecessary force, not just in the case of McDonald, but all across this country.

Again, let me reiterate. I'm not saying McDonald was innocent, but he didn't deserve to be put down like a dog in the street. There could have been a more peaceful solution which didn't end in blood.

Why are moments like this important for the public to process and understand?

We have to prevent such barbaric behavior from becoming commonplace for the police. As much as the police serve and protect the common good, they must also remember that they work for the public. The police are not our prison guards. They are not our shepherds. Most importantly, they are not our executioners. If we give the police an inch on this matter, then I fear we teeter on the verge of fascism.

To protect the rights of the innocent, we must also protect the rights of the guilty. Otherwise, the police will be coming for you and I next.

I hope this Thanksgiving holiday is peaceful for the city of Chicago, but I fear for the worst.

We're in the Midwest. Now What?

Crystal and I are planning our next big vacation for 2015. After such a successful journey out west to New Mexico last year, we'd like to replicate those results. This time, I think we're considering traveling through the Midwest.

The basis of the idea is simple; we can do a big loop through Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri. I know right off the bat that we can go see a Cardinals baseball game (which Crystal is only ever-slightly excited about), but I'm trying to think of other ideas for things to see.

This is where I turn to you, my readers. Can you provide any suggestions for sites to see in the Midwest? Our loop would take us through Louisville, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Chicago and St. Louis. We both like to see natural things -- parks, mountains, lakes and gardens. I enjoy cultural landmarks, art and museums. Crystal likes animals and nature. Your suggestions would be greatly appreciated.