By Steve Rhodes

1. “An Illinois man has pleaded guilty in Rhode Island to charges he shipped unwanted penis enlargers to diabetes patients as part of a Medicare fraud scheme,” AP reports.
“Prosecutors say [Gary] Winner bought $26 penis enlargers from an adult website, repackaged them and shipped them to patients with information claiming the ‘erectile pumps’ devices helped ‘bladder control, urinary flow and prostate comfort.’
“Prosecutors say Winner billed Medicare an average of $284 for each item, claiming they were used to treat erectile dysfunction.
“The Northbrook, Ill.-resident has also agreed to forfeit $2.2 million.”

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Posted on November 18, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

“As Chicagoans continue to struggle with stagnant unemployment, and threatened cuts to essential services, families will be coming together for a National Day of Action declaring an ‘Economic Emergency for the 99%,'” Stand Up! Chicago says in a statement released this morning.
“The Jobs Not Cuts Day of Action, culminating with a large rally and march beginning at Thompson Center Plaza, is one of a series of over 30 protests across the nation to be held on November 17.
“The action is a continuation of the Take Back Chicago Week of Action, which brought 7,000 protesters together outside the Art Institute’s Modern Wing on October 10 to take back the jobs, homes and schools taken from working families by the financial institutions that wrecked our economy.

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Posted on November 17, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

1. “Katherine Kalnes, the Chicago-based artist who created the incredible Justin Bieber pancake, has just released an all new delicious flapjack morsel in the shape of the already-delicious Ryan Gosling, and we’re delighted to share this true work of art, made with a ‘batter blaster,’ frosting, peanut butter and raisins with all of you,” Perez Hilton notes.
Kalnes has also done Kelly Ripa, Stephen Colbert, Ellen DeGeneres and others, using Batter Blaster.
Here’s a slide show of her pancake works.

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Posted on November 16, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

“Mayor Rahm Emanuel is targeting librarians, youth service coordinators, public health nurses, animal care aides and emergency call takers in his 2012 budget that appears headed for easy approval Wednesday,” the Tribune reports today.
“While the mayor has tried to focus attention on his plan to trim the ranks of senior and middle managers, front-line employees will bear the brunt of the cuts.”

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Posted on November 15, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

“Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan cost taxpayers nearly half-a-billion dollars by blocking repeated efforts to restructure McCormick Place bonds and finance a much-needed second hotel at the convention center, a Crain’s investigation finds.
“Between 2005 and 2010, Mr. Madigan stopped five refinancing bills, ignoring declining interest rates that would have saved hundreds of millions. At the time, he never explained why, but his reasons seem petty and political: McCormick Place CEO Juan Ochoa, an appointee of then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich, had fired a Madigan ally at the convention center, and lawmakers from both parties say the speaker wanted retribution.”

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Posted on November 14, 2011

By Natasha Julius

In most of the world, when a monstrous, unfeeling tyrant is toppled after more than 40 years in power, people tear down the symbols of their rule. In this country, we hide behind them.
Market Update
There’s been a sharp increase in the value of Children this week. Just not these children.

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Posted on November 12, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

“Court officials acknowledged Thursday that information revealed by the Tribune appears to show that a member of the federal jury that convicted Springfield power broker William Cellini concealed two felony conviction,” the paper reports.
“Attorneys for Cellini said the information may be used in seeking to overturn last week’s verdict . . . Federal law generally disqualifies convicted felons from serving on juries.”
Okay, here’s the important part for anyone who may have thought preventative measures had been put in place to address this type of problem after the fiasco of the George Ryan jury:

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Posted on November 11, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

Robbie Gould, you are this week’s Worst Person in Chicago.
“Let’s hope the kids can re-focus now and worry about beating Nebraska and not worry about situations that are out of their control or not in their hands,” Gould said.
Or, and I’m just spitballing here, Penn State could use this as a teaching moment and start by assigning to every football player – and every student, faculty member, administrator and booster – the reading of the stomach-turning grand jury report.

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Posted on November 10, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

“When advocates for the needy and vulnerable wanted to stave off budget cuts earlier this year, they fought for a change in tax laws that would save Illinois hundreds of millions of dollars,” AP reports. “Six months later, state leaders are giving the idea serious consideration – as a way to pay for corporate tax breaks.”
Here’s my favorite part:
“The idea went nowhere in the spring largely because of opposition from business groups, which considered [the change] to be a tax increase. Lawmakers wanted nothing to do with anything labeled an increase so soon after raising income taxes. Now, however, they’re on board with the idea.”
Funny, that.

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Posted on November 9, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

“The kids at Taft Elementary School in Lockport enjoy small class sizes and a strong basic curriculum, but the school offers no arts, language or technology classes, and the building’s heating system hasn’t been upgraded since 1959,” the Tribune reports.
“Rondout Elementary School, near Lake Forest, offers Spanish in every grade, beginning with kindergarten. Most students are issued laptops, and they can join the band or chorus and study art, drama or dance.
“The schools are both in the Chicago area, but they’re miles apart in funding because of the state’s heavy reliance on property taxes to finance education. Taft spent $7,023 in operating costs per student in 2010, while Rondout spent more than three times that much – a whopping $24,244 – for each child.”

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Posted on November 8, 2011