Chicago -
By Natasha Julius
You go recycle some hazardous household chemicals. We’ll keep watch on the news,
Westward, Hos!
Earthquakes? Cougars? Johnny Flippin’ Depp? It’s obvious what’s happened here, Chicago. We’ve gone to bed in Illinois and woken up in California. So, uh, how do we feel about this? Let’s break down our new situation, piece by piece.
Posted on April 19, 2008
By Steve Rhodes
1. I thought my building was going to collapse, and I was just thinking, “Save my laptop.”
2. It was a gotcha debate – and they got him.
3. Although I wish they asked about Tony Rezko instead of Bill Ayers. So you could say Obama got off easy.
Posted on April 18, 2008
By Steve Rhodes
As usual, local media coverage fails to give you anywhere near the flavor of last night’s debate in Philadelphia between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
That’s why we have Mystery Debate Theater!
Few people, including the media, seem to care much about actual facts, but the facts from last night are these: Obama had a terrible night, not only because he seemed despondent for some unknown reason, but because he was caught several times making statements that simply were not true.
Is that important?
Not to our intrepid pundit class.
Posted on April 17, 2008
By Steve Rhodes
The latest CTA fiasco made the New York Times today under the headline “Impatient Subway Riders Revolt in Chicago.”
The story carries CTA chief Ron Huberman’s unfortunate initial reaction (later wisely walked back): “If those particular passengers had not self-evacuated, we could have gotten people out on trains and restored service much sooner.”
Aside from the questionable premise of that statement, I’d like to stick Huberman on an overheated underground train under the care of the Chicago Transit Authority and see just when his patience runs out and his instinct for self-survival kicks in.
Posted on April 16, 2008
By Steve Rhodes
“A government witness testified on Monday at the trial of the Chicago businessman Antoin Rezko that Senator Barack Obama attended a party in 2004 that Mr. Rezko held to court a controversial Iraqi-born investor for a large real estate project,” the New York Times reports.
This is important news in the least because Obama has insisted that he never did any favors for Rezko, yet he has now been placed at two different parties Rezko held to impress potential investors in his far-flung financial schemes – and, like with Obama’s house purchase, at a time when it was widely known that Rezko was under federal investigation.
I’ll have more on this later today on our Politics page and at Division Street.
Posted on April 15, 2008
By Steve Rhodes
Has anyone asked Allstate whether their naming rights deal is contingent on the Grant Park location? Just wondering. Maybe State Farm would buy in at an alternate location – like a good neighbor.
Museum Musing
“I believe the musuem’s proposed move to Grant Park offers the opportunity to promote inclusiveness,” Chicago Urban League president Cheryle Jackson writes to the Tribune.
First, the paper ought to note that a batch of letters it is receiving or will soon receive are orchestrated by Hill & Knowlton.
Second, what relevance does the Urban League have to the siting of a private children’s museum? Is Jackson suggesting opponents who prefer, say, moving the museum to Northerly Island or the old post office or one of 20 other possible sites are racist? Are you saying that, Cheryle? Be clear.
Third, did you have an opinion on this, Cheryle, before the mayor and/or Hill & Knowlton got ahold of you? Have you studied the other possible locations? Was political pressure brought to bear on you to do this – or are you doing it for future political gain?
Posted on April 14, 2008
By Natasha Julius
Remember that one weekend when it was sunny and warm? Yeah, that was awesome.
Market Update
The cost of rice continued to rise this week. Analysts were quick to point out, however, that it’s still a bargain compared to the cost of bush or dick.
Posted on April 12, 2008
By Steve Rhodes
“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.
Posted on April 11, 2008
By Steve Rhodes
“Five years ago today, a group of looters broke into the National Museum of Iraq, stealing artifacts thousands of years old – evidence of some of man’s earliest civilization. Photos of broken sculptures and busted vases made international news,” the Sun-Times reports.
“But lesser known is the damage looters are doing outside Baghdad. Elsewhere in Iraq, craters reveal illegal digs where thieves have stolen remnants of the culture that invented the wheel.
“‘Holes are 10 feet deep,’ said Geoff Emberling, curator of the Oriental Institute. ‘It’s like the surface of the moon.’
“The University of Chicago’s museum today opens a new exhibit, Catastrophe! The Looting and Destruction of Iraq’s Past to mark the damage. Photographs and objects tell the story of ‘history erased.'”
Posted on April 10, 2008
By Steve Rhodes
Fireworks flew on Chicago Tonight last night as Todd Stroger’s flak-in-chief tried to defend adding an outside public relations consultant to the roster of propagandists already working on our dime to convince us that Cook County is the bestest government anywhere, despite what the mean media tells us.
Let’s pick it up with where the voices of BGA chief Jay Stewart, Stroger hack Gene Mullins, and Commissioner Larry Suffredin really started to rise – when talk shifted to the new independent hospital board now forming.
STEWART: My concern is not really with the details of the [new independent] board’s work, it’s that it has a sunset provision after three years. What happens in 2011?
MULLINS: This is not a new idea. President Stroger introduced this almost eight months ago.
SUFFREDIN: He fought against this!
MULLINS: In the 2007 campaign he mentioned this. It was his idea.
SUFFREDIN: Then why did he resist it?
MULLINS: He didn’t resist it!
SUFFREDIN: He resisted it completely!
MULLINS: We didn’t have any money.
SUFFREDIN: President Stroger opposed my proposal all the way to the end.
MULLINS: It was his idea.
ME AT HOME WATCHING: Maybe that’s why he resisted it; even he knows his ideas are terrible.
For the whole thing, go see my post at Division Street.
Posted on April 9, 2008
