Welcome to Forgotonia

According to article from the QCTimes.com, the leader of the free world stopped in at Ross’ 24-Hour Restaurant, of all places, during his visit to the Quad Cities. This greasy spoon located near (almost underneath) the I-74 Bridge happens to be the place where Chris and I met up for our first face-to-face date in 2008 (although we actually just met up in the parking lot, since I was coming over from Illinois and he was coming from Iowa, and we went for lunch elsewhere).

I took a photo of Ross’s sign awhile back because I liked the old diner style. It’s not too great of a shot, but it should give you some idea of what the place is like.

Palatial, eh? (More of my Flickr pics from area places here.)

In other presidential-visit ephemera:

Be sure to check out the luxury port-a-potties the are apparently presidential-worthy. And, (in what is surely the picture of the day) :

“Alcoa protester believes Obama is an alien.”

This is one of my favorite times of the year, for several reasons, but one of them is this: thousands of youngins from around the world convene on the tiny, middle-of-nowhere town of Bushnell, Illinois to listen to Christian rockers (and other performers) and take part in workshops and worship. It’s certainly one of the most colorful events to take place in our area. And, despite my cynical, agnostic-ish leanings, I do think there are some cool things about this festival and the seemingly-open-minded young people it attracts.

Also, how can you not love an event that brings chart-toppers out to perform in what is quite literally in the middle of cornfields? In past years, the festival has featured performers ranging from MC Hammer to Sixpence None the Richer to Over the Rhine (the latter of which seems to have indie cred way outside the Christian rock market). This year’s big-name stars appear to be P.O.D. and—get ready for it—”Classic Petra.”

Now, having said that: I also like to poke a bit of fun at the Cornerstone Festival. Here’s why.

A few choice promo pics from the list of this year’s performers:

According to the McDonough County Voice, the Old Dairy, which is one of the best places in Macomb (despite its one major drawback of not being open in the evenings), is closing its doors. This news comes on the heels of the closure of 1930s-era Ford Hopkins drugstore (which had a lunch counter), as well as at least one other restaurant on the Macomb Square.

If this trend keeps going in Macomb, it’s gonna end up like my hometown, where, when I was growing up, practically the only “restaurant” was…Casey’s pizza.