Chicago -
By Natasha Julius
We’re gonna knock this one out pretty quickly. We’ve got scabbards to count.
Market Watch
Supply-side Economics took a kick in the pants this week as, despite constant activity, production simply couldn’t keep up.
Posted on September 26, 2009
By Steve Rhodes
Scott Watkins, the author of the latest economic study showing that Mayor Richard M. Daley and Chicago 2016 are out-and-out lying about the projected benefits of hosting an Olympics here – just as they lied about the funding of the Games and refuse to put the effort under city council oversight or state Freedom of Information Act laws – appeared on Chicago Tonight last night and lowered the boom.
Phil Ponce started by asking Watkins the explain the discrepancy between his study and Chicago 2016s numbers, which project four times the economic benefit that Watkins projects.
Watkins could only guess because “we can’t place all the numbers together looking at their study.”
In other words, professionally trained economists couldn’t figure out where Chicago 2016 was getting its numbers from. (Quotes are reasonably close; I was taking notes quickly.)
Posted on September 25, 2009
By Steve Rhodes
1. “Kids Give Daley Advice.”
Stop lying?
2. “And the gold medal for misleading citizens about the benefits of hosting the Olympics goes to . . . Chicago,” I wrote today for NBCChicago.com.
“The evidence continues to pile up – albeit far too late – that City Hall and its ancillary Chicago 2016 operation have run a carefully constructed propaganda campaign to shield taxpayers from the ugly truth: hosting the Olympics stinks.
Posted on September 24, 2009
By Steve Rhodes
Join me now, will you, as I take a stroll through today’s papers.
“Daley: Trust Me.”
A) Because he’s so earned it.
B) Only if you tell us who hired Angelo Torres.
*
“An ‘earthquake’ or ‘tornado’ are the only things that could leave you paying for the Olympics, says the mayor.”
A) You know the old joke, how can you tell when the mayor is lying . . . ?
B) As Whet Moser points out, aren’t those kinds of events the exact reason why insurance exists in the first place?
Posted on September 23, 2009
By Steve Rhodes
A couple of pieces I forgot to include in yesterday’s column about the Olympic bid:
* The Olympic Myth. “A European report concludes that the games do more harm than good for local tourism,” the Reader reports.
* Sliding Off Piste. “[A]lready it is clear that the Vancouver Olympics, like most of their predecessors, will not ‘break even’ without big taxpayer subsidies,” The Economist reports.
–
The evidence is pretty overwhelming, isn’t it?
But just writing down what Pat Ryan says is so much easier on the brain cells.
Media Message
Facebook friend Tom Gaines posted this status update on Monday afternoon:
“hey, CBS2: adorning your building with ‘Chicago 2016 banners/electronic ads is not anyone’s idea of objective journalism. Same goes for that thing on the front of the Sun-Times.”
Posted on September 22, 2009
By Steve Rhodes
How are the Olympics like Milton Bradley?
Past performance is the best indicator of future behavior.
You don’t even have to look across the ocean anymore to see what happens to almost every city in history that hosts the Games.
Now it’s Vancouver that is having second, third and fourth thoughts.
Posted on September 21, 2009
By Natasha Julius
Looks like the Weekend Desk might sneak out a little early this week, but we’ll still keep an eye on the news.
Market Update
A lengthy rally for Cruel was temporarily halted this week, while partner company Unusual seems set for a rebound.
Read More
Posted on September 19, 2009
By Steve Rhodes
1. “American to expand in Chicago.”
Adding direct flights to all towns with federal prison camps.
2. “Boy allegedly kept hours on school bus.”
American wouldn’t allow driver to return to gate.
3. “A fuming Patti Blagojevich fired back Thursday at ‘galling’ allegations that she absconded with a contact list from her old job at a charity so she could promote her husband’s new book,” the Sun-Times reports.
That would be a waste. She’s using the list for her new job with Amway.
Posted on September 18, 2009
By Steve Rhodes
1. What Jimmy Kimmel Said:
KIMMEL: Here’s a money-making idea, I think it’s a great idea, I just thought of this.
BLAGO: Is it legal and ethical?
KIMMEL: Yes, it’s definitely legal. Ethical, I really never know.
What Jimmy Kimmel Should Have Said:
KIMMEL: Here’s a money-making idea, I think it’s a great idea, I just thought of this.
BLAGO: Is it legal and ethical?
KIMMEL: I knew you wouldn’t be able to tell.
Posted on September 17, 2009
By Steve Rhodes
I’m sorry, I need one more day away from the column to catch up.
Lots of good stuff elsewhere on the Beachwood, though, and some NBCChicago.com posts as well.
* Jerry Krause Was Right. Organizations do win championships. By George Ofman.
Posted on September 16, 2009
