The [Friday] Papers

"In 646 days, a lot of people can forget how things work in this town."

Child's Play
"On Wednesday, opponents of the land grab booed Chicago Park District commissioners who - instead of protecting Grant Park - rolled over for the mayor. Commissioners empowered their staff to negotiate with the museum on deeds, contracts and operating rules," the Tribune editorial page says today.

"Don't forget: The Children's Museum wouldn't just get a long-term, low-cost berth in Grant Park. This private museum also would be eligible for a subsidy from the Chicago Park District under a program that pays millions of dollars to other museums. Maybe you like the idea of taxpayers subsidizing the Children's Museum. Or maybe you think you suddenly understand why the museum has so assiduously pursued a location in Grant Park: It's following the money."

Name of the Game
"On Wednesday museum officials said they were sticking with plans to give Allstate Insurance Co. naming rights to the new museum. In September 2006, the mayor's office announced that Allstate was donating $15 million to the new museum and the new building would be named Chicago Children's Museum at Allstate Place," the Tribune reports.

Whoa! So Daley Bicentennial Plaza will become Allstate Place? Or will Allstate Place just be the part of Bicentennial Plaza (let's drop the Daley, folks, huh?) where the Children's Museum . . . well, whatever. Why don't we start calling it Wrigley Field, that name may be available soon.

"'A commitment was made,' said Jim Law, the museum's vice president of planning and external affairs. 'This is what the Chicago Children's Museum wanted to do to honor their gift.'"

And how would the museum honor the citizens' gift of public parkland - aside from naming rights to taxpayer subsidies?

"Parks Supt. Tim Mitchell said he saw no problem with a corporate donor getting naming rights to a museum on Park District land.

"'It's the way we have to do things,' Mitchell said. 'Most people would rather we do that than raise the taxes.'"

What? We'll have to raise taxes if we don't allow the Children's Museum into Grant Park and let them sell naming rights?

And shouldn't the Park District, i.e., you and me, get to sell the naming rights? (Beachwood Park!)

This deal stinks more with every passing day.

Good Hands
"Allstate Eliminates 109 IT Jobs."

Money spent on Children's Museum naming rights instead.

Bid Rigs
"The IOC is expected to narrow the 2016 field of seven applicant cities in June and select a host city in October 2009," the Tribune reports.

"Andrew McKenna Sr., co-chairman of Chicago 2016's fundraising efforts, said the city's goal is to raise $42 million in a second phase of fundraising, which will include a major event planned for July 14 at Millennium Park. 'We want to connect it closely to the Olympics, which open in Beijing on Aug. 8,' he said."

Tanks will roll over the Gehry bridge to the new site of the Children's Museum in a ceremony that honors both Tiananmen Square and Meigs Field. Later, the Cook County Democratic Party's Central Committee will dine with the Beijing Municipality Central Committee and evaluate their politician exchange program.

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Wait. The IOC will narrow the field to seven in June and Chicago 2016 is planning an event for July?

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"We want to connect it closely to the Olympics, which open in Beijing on Aug. 8."

A) All media reports will have to go through City Hall censors.
B) Tibetans in Chicago will be exiled to Kendall County.
C) Chicagoans of African descent will be oppressed that day. Er, wait . . . they'll be doubly oppressed!

Tough Crowd
"The issue of escalating campaign tactics reared its head in Guatemala City last summer, when the IOC selected Sochi, Russia, as the site of the 2014 Winter Games. Among a number of aggressive moves by candidate cities that raised the hackles of some IOC members was Sochi's decision to fly in an ice rink on the world's largest jet."

I don't even know what to say about that.

Teen Scream
"Chicago high school students who use a new CTA reduced-fare card could find themselves riding to and from classes with Big Brother, even if they don't have siblings," the Tribune reports.

"The experimental card, embedded with a computer chip that records trip histories, is designed primarily to ease commuting for students and reduce fraud, CTA and Chicago Public Schools officials said Thursday. A pilot project will run through June and later could be expanded to all Chicago high schools.

"But the new 'smart' card's capability to track students' movements by rail and bus is certain to spark controversy if school officials follow through on plans to use the technology to crack down on truancy.

"At a CTA board meeting on Thursday, president Ron Huberman disclosed that the card will be used to 'improve the tracking of truants.'"

A) I think they already do this in Beijing.
B) Let's embed chips in every city contract handed out.
C) Better yet, maybe we should embed chips in guns instead.

The Beachwood Tip Line: Chipping away.