The [Monday] Papers

* "Really, just a normal week of Ozzie Guillen's White Sox," our very own Ricky O'Donnell writes in his White Sox Report. "Simply a 4-3 record, with a little blow-up doll action, a near no-hitter, and some Cubs-bashing sprinkled in. Nothing to see here."

* "It's time, people. Time to hop on the Cub Train. And like the CTA, it's on fire," our very own Marty Gangler writes in The Cub Factor.

* "How about it, Jerry Reinsdorf? How about for once acknowledging you blew it and you're sick about it?" our very own Jim Coffman writes in SportsMonday.

God, we're good.

The Daley Show
The mayor guest-blogs for the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Feel free to leave a comment.

Power Play
State Senate President Emil Jones says he opposes a campaign finance reform bill because, in the paraphrase of AP, "the money would simply consolidate power and influence of state parties."

And who is the chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party? Jones's archenemy, Mike Madigan.

Ickes Wicket
"Comments by Chicago's public housing chief have left residents of the Harold Ickes Homes on the Near South Side rattled, wondering whether their development will eventually be torn down," the Tribune reported on Friday.

* I've got news for Ickes residents: whatever happens will not be in your best interest.

* By the way, when I was at the Tribune 15 years ago I was told you couldn't use the word "project" to describe, um, a housing project. Instead, you had to use the word "development." Apparently that's still the rule.

Kids' Play
"Chicago Children's Museum officials were in the Woodlawn neighborhood Thursday night pitching their $100 million plan to relocate the facility to Grant Park to a lively group of about 200 children from after-school programs," the Tribune reported on Friday.

The museum pitched their plan to children? Have they no shame?

"As the children munched on pretzels and drank from juice boxes at the Harris Park Field House, Jim Law, the museum's vice president of planning and external affairs, said the project was good for families."

Jim Law, the museum's vice president of planning and external affairs, spun a bunch of kids sipping from juice boxes?

"The town hall meeting was organized by Georgette Greenlee-Finney, executive director of a community group called the Woodlawn Organization. 'This evening was about making sure that decisions that affect all of us just don't happen within the confines of a few people who have $400, $500, $600 and $700,000 to live next door to Grant Park,' she told the crowd."

Did anyone ask why the museum didn't consider locating in Woodlawn then?

"No opponents of the proposal spoke Thursday night."

I'm pretty sure none were invited. Wouldn't want to confuse the kids.

"At the end of the meeting, the children were told to fill out a card urging aldermen to 'support this museum for children from our neighborhood.'"

Oh. My. God.

A) Were they registered to vote, too?
B) Were they charged $9 each to attend the meeting?
C) Were they taught what a race card was?

*

Let's put all the adults underground.

Fun With Fermilab
Budget cuts are forcing Fermilab to economize; we've learned that the measures being considered include:

* Scientists will use one less dimension.

* E will now equal just MC.

* Quark division will be merged with accounting; new double-entry bookkeeping system will feature money that is or isn't there.

Go read the whole thing!

Memo Madness
"Mayor Daley's chief of staff has sent a memo to city workers warning there had better be no retaliation against more than 1,400 people who got a piece of the $12 million fund to compensate victims of rigged hiring," the Sun-Times reported on Thursday.

The S-T forgot to note the emoticon ; at the end of the memo.

Park Snark
"When it comes to parks and politics, Mayor Richard Daley has this town completely bamboozled."

Olympic Hurdles
"Wal-Mart got the word from city officials last month that Mayor Richard Daley doesn't want to risk a messy showdown with unions over Wal-Mart - like the big-box store battle of 2006 - while Chicago is still in the running as a host city for the 2016 Olympics, according to people familiar with the matter," the Tribune reports. "The International Olympic Committee is slated to make that decision in October 2009."

Just in case there's anyone out there who doesn't think every decision coming out of City Hall these days is refracted through the Olympic lens.

Anniversary Song
"Just as in the Led Zeppelin song, for Ron Huberman in his first year at the helm: 'Communication breakdown, it's always the same.'"

Thanks, Blogosphere
The Dance Movie Blogathon was a smashing success over at Ferdy on Films. Thanks, everyone.

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