Weekly Free Speech Forum established Jan. 6, 1951
College of Complexes
The Playground for People Who Think
sustaining the academic tradition of “One Fool at a Time”
Every Saturday at 5:00 PM CT
Dapper's Restaurant
2901 W. Addison, Chicago, Free Parking The next open dates are:
CTA Route 152 Addison November 15, 22, 29
Tuition $3.00 and food/drink purchase Contact the Program Coordinator
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All meetings open to the public, no membership is maintained cpiaidock@hotmail.com (312) 842-5036, (312) 714-7790 cell
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Upcoming Presentations:
August
August 30th
Special Labor Day Speaker
The Meaning of Labor Day in 2025
NFFE
National Federation of Federal Employees
AFL-CIO
Meeting # 3,833 - Rob Arnold, Business Agent
Rob Arnold is a Business Representative for the National Federation of Federal Employees (aka NFFE). His role is to assist NFFE locals in representation and in membership recruitment. He primarily covers the Pacific Northwest but also covers several locals that are nationwide. Prior to working for NFFE, he served on the NFFE National Executive Council in a part-time capacity. He also was active in his local 1998. While employed with the Department of State, he served as NFFE 1998’s President and Secretary-Treasurer.
September
September 6th
Barbie Spomenka
Republican Candidate for Congress, in the 3rd District
"People First, No Political Career"
Meeting # 3,834
Due to the 2020 redistricting, the district shifted to be primarily based in DuPage County, as well as parts of northern Cook County and the Northwest side of Chicago. The 3rd district takes in the Chicago neighborhoods of Belmont Cragin, Montclare, Hermosa, Logan Square, and Avondale; most of Albany Park, Irving Park, Portage Park, and Dunning; and parts of Humboldt Park, West Town, and Austin (Galewood).
The district is presently represented by Delia Ramirez (Democratic Party). She assumed office on January 3, 2023. Her current term ends on January 3, 2027.
The district was represented by Marie Newman from 2021 to 2023, Dan Lipinski from 2005 to 2021, and by Lipinski's father Bill from 1983 to 2005.
September 13th
How the Budget Bill Sabotages Medicare
Physicians for a National Health Program PNHP
Meeting # 3,835 - Pamella Gronemeyer, M.D.
Among the topics to be discussed is the Congressional sneak attack on Medicare: the budget bill added $3.5 trillion to US debt, mainly to fund tax cuts for billionaires. This automatically triggers $535 billion in cuts to Medicare.
PNHP works to expose how Republicans are dismantling health care for the elderly and disabled, not just for the poor.
Dr. Pam Gronemeyer is co-president of PNHP-IL (southern division). She believes “healthcare is a human right” and thus an activist in her community and in the healthcare arena. As the child of a late union laborer, she knows that our safety net is vital to the preservation of our democracy.
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse provides a perfect, concise explanation of the Budget Bill and healthcare
Information on PNHP https://pnhp.org/
September 20th
Mark Su
Republican Candidate for Congress, in the 9th District
"a dedicated and loyal citizen and community contributor"
Meeting # 3,836
The current representative for Illinois' 9th congressional district is Jan Schakowsky, has been in office since 1999, and is retiring.
The 9th district includes parts of Cook County and Lake County, including the cities of Evanston, Skokie, Des Plaines, and Arlington Heights
"He is an IT consultant , media proprietor, writer, and long time community contributor. Live in US Illinois 9th congressional district for over 25 years, he is dedicated and loyal citizen and community contributor, and now he want run congress district to contribute more for the district , for Illinois, and for America."
Information: https://marksuforcongress.com/
September 27th
Farms in the City and the USA
Meetings # 3,837 - college regular Dan Weinberg
The speakers asks "How many farms are there now? How many farms were there in 1900? What good are farms? Should we get all our food from Mexico, Canada, Guatemala, and Honduras? Or should the USA grow more fruits and veggies? Where did all the 1900 farms go? Why did small farms go away for some part? Why are there 100,00 acre farms now? Why are there few urban farms in white areas and more in Black and Brown areas of Chicago? Does it have to do with more grocery stores in the area? What are the finances of small urban farms?
Urban farms or gardens, as some people say, are useful to introduce city and suburban young and older people to the world of growing fruit and vegetables. Food does not come from stores. Food comes from soil usually. And many people have no idea of how to grow food. One acre is a large enough area to teach citizens the basics of soil science, plant care, and rules for selling at a farmer's market. Huge tractors are not needed to grow crops. Urban farms/gardens fill a need in neighborhoods that lack fresh food for sale. Food pantries can be stocked with locally grown vegetables with minimal fossil fuel costs. Locally grown vegetables help provide all citizens with nourishing food that can be difficult to find. Pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides are not mandatory for healthy lives. Compost along with cover crops can regeneratively fertilize and protect soil from so-called weeds. Diabetes and heart disease might be a result of eating too much GMO's or too much added sugar or eating too much RoundUp. Tests have to be done. Cuba, Russia, China, and the USA all use tons of RoundUp every growing season. Some people think this is not healthy."
October
October 4th
The Three Great American Lies
Meeting # 3,838 - Bill Geraci (jer-AW-see) returns to the college
Come learn why all hierarchical societies (and what *that* means) must be based on lies. Briefly consider historical examples. Then explore the three greatest lies of our own society and how they show up throughout our lives. See if you agree! Understand what to watch for to understand how you’re being manipulated and therefore how to avoid it. And a new way to see what goes on around you.
October 11th
Trump’s Betrayal of the Free World and Ukrainian Victory, notwithstanding
Meeting # 3,839 - Derrick Michael Reid BS JD Esq, Libertarian running for the 2028 US Presidency
The Blue Curtain
After Alaska, Trump indicates NATO US peacekeeping in Ukraine is on the table.
This is so Wrong. After peace by Russian defeat, by Ukraine arms assistance, NATO secures Ukraine giving US an opportunity to withdraw from NATO and EU. EU then controls the Blue Curtain from the Norwegian Sea to the Caspian Sea for containing imperial Russia without US entanglements.
Biography: Derrick Michael Reid BS JD Esq: Reid graduated from UC Berkeley Engineering with 10 years design experience working on Shuttle, F16, and cruise missile navigation. Reid graduated from WSU Law School and was a patent litigator and prosecutor for 25 years. Reid has 10 years of monetary, 20 years of military, and 20 years of geopolitical self education. Reid has 3 years of emulatory combat experience. Reid ran for the US Presidency in 2016 and the US Senate in 2018. Reid is an engineer, lawyer, systems analyst, moderate Libertarian, monetarist, politician, military scientist, patent litigator, social economist, author, geopolitical analyst, combat commander, technologist, social conservative, theist, philosopher, commentator, and Libertarian running for the 2028 US Presidency.
October 18th
The Doctor Will See You Now....
Never hear your name called if you practice Preventive Medicine and Lifestyle Management / Alternative ways of enjoying good health
Meeting # 3,840 - long-time college regular from the past Mike Witort
The speaker will present various alternative medicine therapies.
October 25th
What A Government We Have! What Government Do We Have?
Meeting # 3,841 - Bill Geraci (jer-AW-see) returns to the college
What are the three ways humans have organized themselves? And how have we Americans set up our "experiment"? Are we a democracy? Spoiler alert: It's not what you think! Come find out just how much our Founding Fathers didn't trust politicians!
November
November 1st
Mao in China / Trump in US / and Centrally Planned Economies
MAGA calls for Americans to endure higher prices
Is factory work essential to the “spiritual” health of the working class?
Meeting # 3,842 - college regular Tim Bolger
Mao MAGA asks: how much freedom will we trade when a president says, ‘We set the price’ in the name of national greatness?” Or will we fail like other central planned economies.
Donald Trump’s second-term economic vision has taken on an openly nationalist and state-directed character, drawing comparisons—sometimes tongue-in-cheek, sometimes critical—to Mao Zedong’s rhetoric of sacrifice. Critics have dubbed the approach “Mao MAGA,” highlighting the blend of patriotic appeals, centralized economic control, and calls for Americans to endure higher prices for the sake of national strength. Trump has described the U.S. as a “department store” that sets prices for foreign goods, and has pledged to personally decide tariff levels with business leaders, while imposing steep duties—especially on Chinese imports—to force companies to manufacture in America. Supporters see this as bold nation-building to restore manufacturing and worker dignity; opponents see creeping authoritarian economics and politicized price-setting.
The piece underscores how this program departs from traditional free-market Republican orthodoxy by embracing tariffs as a permanent organizing principle rather than a temporary bargaining chip. It also notes the moral framing from administration figures, who describe factory work as essential to the “spiritual” health of the working class and paint nostalgic pictures of multigenerational manufacturing communities—visions critics argue don’t match modern automated industry. Whether viewed as strategic resilience or managed nationalism, “Mao MAGA” reflects a shift toward a capacity-first economic model that could reshape America’s political economy, testing how much central direction a liberal market order can bear.
November 8th
A Historical Summary Comparing the Mass Displacement
of Cretan Muslims, Pontic Greeks, & Palestinians
Alexandria Keating-Sofiakis, Candidate for US Congress IL-10,
Illinois Green Party (running against Brad Schneider in 2026, write-in)
Meetings # 3,843 - video interview https://youtu.be/xrlVB-iUwZo
Campaign Information: https://www.facebook.com/people/Alexandria-Keating-Sofiakis-for-IL-10/61574599503560/
Illinois Green Party - website - https://www.ilgp.org/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ILGreenParty
November 15, 22, 29
Open
Meetings # 3,844+ contact the Program Coordinator Charles Paidock if you would like to speak at (312) 842-5036, (312) 714-7790 cell, or cpaidock@hotmail.com
College of Complexes
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