By Steve Rhodes
“Zvonko Busic, a Croatian nationalist who served 32 years in prison in the US for hijacking a plane and also planting explosives that killed a policeman, has committed suicide,” the Telegraph reports. “He was 67.
“Busic led a group of five who in 1976 hijacked a TWA plane flying from New York to Chicago with about 80 passengers and crew members on board, and also planted a bomb in a locker at New York’s Grand Central railway station that killed a policeman.”
Chicago Cornhole
“Argentine farmers can add dry weather to the list of reasons not to sow corn this year, having already factored in high financing costs, tumbling Chicago corn futures prices and crop price distortions caused by government export curbs,” Reuters reports.
Chicago, Um, Hole
“After picking two finalists for a lucrative lease of Midway Airport, Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration Thursday abruptly halted its efforts to take the transportation hub private,” the Tribune reports.
I have more reading to do on this development, but my initial understanding is that one of the two finalists dropped out for reasons that haven’t been made public, and the remaining bidder had an embarrassing conflict of interest that probably wouldn’t have deterred Rahm if not for the Amer Ahmad affair. Rahm probably wanted that bidder all along – and maybe other finalist saw the writing on the wall – but the timing suddenly isn’t politically right.
Of course, that’s more speculation than I like to do but I just haven’t plowed through all the coverage yet.
Chicago Doodle
“Note to junior high kids who have to do a report on an influential person: Pick Jane Addams,” says Entertainment Weekly.
“Today’s Google Doodle celebrates what would have been the 153rd birthday for the progressive-era social activist, who is best known for co-founding Hull House in Chicago, a place where new immigrants as well as the poor could land on their feet
“It featured educational courses for adults, art classes, open kitchens, day care and many other social welfare programs, helping around 2,000 people each week.
“Addams’ inspiring social work was political as well: A champion for the women’s suffrage movement, she also was president of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom and a humanitarian assistant to President Hoover, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931. She died in 1935.”
Rahm would’ve hated her.
Trained Seal
“Don Mann, a former Seal Team Six member, will deliver a keynote address at the 69th NationaLease Annual Meeting in Chicago,” Fleet Owner reports. “The annual meeting, to be held Sept. 22-23, 2013, is open to member company executives.
“Mann was twice captured by enemy forces and most recently assisted in the training of the Seal Team Six members who participated in the raid and killing of Osama bin Laden.”
Trained Shark
“CIOsynergy, a provider of thought-leading conferences, today announced Robert Herjavec will be the keynote speaker at CIOsynergy Chicago event in Illinois, at the Affinia Manhattan hotel on Thursday, September 26, 2013.”
Whitley’s Spit
“After twelve years as President of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Doug Whitley’s retiring next year,” WUIS reports.
“Whitley says he’s leaving disappointed, as the latest data showed Illinois with the second highest unemployment in the nation, behind Nevada.
“And he says political leaders haven’t done enough about it, except for one – Chicago’s mayor: ‘With the exception of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, I don’t hear any other political leaders in our state talking about jobs, trying to recruit jobs, trying to announce new jobs and showing a sincere concern with unemployment,’ Whitley says.”
Sometimes the stuff people say is so dumb and the appropriate rebuttal is so obvious that I’m at a total loss as to how to respond while maintaining my dignity.
Chicago Developer Does Detroit
“An investor from Chicago could actually gain control of the Packard Plant next week,” Deadline Detroit reports.
“If he is successful in carrying out his vision to turn the complex into housing and businesses, it would be by far the most remarkable redevelopment project Detroit has seen.”
You’ll have to click through to find out who it is.
Beachwood Photo Booth
Stop The Killing Car.
The College Football Report
That’s A Clown Quarterback, Bro.
The Week In Chicago Rock
Good times at Mojoes. Plus: Lupe Fiasco, The White Buffalo, Flume, Parachute, Purity Ring and Protohype.
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Suicide Scrutiny
“No one seems to know why Paul Tilley, the 40-year-old creative chief of ad agency DDB Chicago, jumped to his death from the window of the Fairmont Hotel in Chicago on Friday,” the New York Post reports.
Oops, this story is from 2008. Showed up now for some reason on Google as being posted this morning. Maybe the new design of the Post’s website kicked a bunch of old stuff out. Sorry.
“But that hasn’t stopped a barrage of finger pointing on several advertising blogs at the center of a controversy about what role, if any, they played in Tilley’s suicide.
“Most of the anger appears to be directed at two sites – Agency Spy and Adscam – that subjected Tilley to scrutiny leading up to his death. Both bloggers defended their coverage yesterday.”
(The Post did not supply links; I haven’t looked them up yet.)
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The Beachwood Tip Line: At your service.
Posted on September 6, 2013