Chicago News Bench

Protests Ramp Up in Iran

2009-07-09T11:43:00.004-05:00

You thought it was over? Not hardly. AP reports this morning that the protesters in Iran have a renewed vigor. These are the first protests in the 11 days since Iran's theocratic dictator, "Supreme Leader" Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, brutally put them down. About two dozen protesters were killed in clashes with police forces during the previous protests.

Hundreds of young men and women chanted "death to the dictator," confronting police wielding batons and firing tear gas in the capital Thursday as opposition activists sought to revive street protests despite authorities' vows to "smash" any new marches. Full Story from Associated Press/Yahoo! News...

Let's understand this. You don't openly chant "death to the dictator" when your leader is actually a dictator unless you really mean it. To do so invites that dictator's police force to kill you where you stand, no questions asked. Keep an eye on Iran. The situation in Iran is far from over.

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Chicago Police Search for Missing Down's Syndrome Boy

2009-07-09T11:31:00.003-05:00

11:30 AM, July 9 - Police and neighbors are now looking for a missing Hispanic boy who has Down's syndrome. He was reported missing from his home in the 4700 block of N. Malden in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood. The boy is described as "small for his age" with "long straight hair." This is from police scanner chatter, 23rd District. We assume the boy's hair is black, and police are saying they have no clothing description. If you see the boy please call 911.

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Julie Hamos is Lost and Confused

2009-07-09T06:55:00.009-05:00

Julie Hamos (D-Evanston) has been the Illinois State Representative for the 18th District since 1998, but she has been signalling to her constituents that she no longer wants her current job. She did that by very publicly considering a run for the Illinois Attorney General's office, a position currently held by Lisa Madigan.

It was assumed by many, including Hamos, that Madigan probably wouldn't run for re-election in favor of seeking an even higher office, most likely a U.S. Senate seat. They were all wrong. Yesterday (July 8), Madigan said that she intends to keep her job as the Illinois AG. This not only makes Hamos look foolish, it puts her in a tight spot. It's not certain what Hamos is running for now. Indeed, her own web site seems to avoid that issue. "Hamos for Illinois" has a tired ring to it, but "Illinois" is not an office, and I could not find anything that actually says she is running for re-election. "Hamos for Illinois" says nothing and commits her to nothing. So, what office is Julie Hamos running for? Her press release today, sent to us by email, was equally nonspecific. (See full text of the release further below.)

The press release commends Lisa Madigan, the woman she hoped to replace, then goes on to say, "Over the past few months I have met with Democratic and community leaders and heard the concerns of voters across Illinois. In the coming days I plan to revisit those supporters and ask for their best ideas on how I can work for the people of Illinois. I look forward to hearing their ideas and input as I discuss my next steps with my family."

In other words, Hamos is rudderless. She's shooting up flares in the middle of a dark sea, hoping for a passing ship to rescue her.

The actions of Madigan and Hamos could actually cause ripples in Chicago's 49th Ward and, therefore, affect the outcome of the 2011 aldermanic campaign.

On June 28, Evanston attorney Jeff Smith declared his candidacy for the 18th District seat. Smith, like most, was fairly confident that Hamos was about to bow out and seek the AG job. His battle, uphill from the start, might now steepen to a vertical climb. Smith is well known to the local Democrat power elite, but the average voter has never heard of him. He is best known in some parts of the 18th District as a former legal counsel to Chicago Alderman Joe Moore (49th Ward). That ward lies adjacent to the southern border of the 18th District.

If Smith can deftly play off of the unintentional admission by Hamos that she no longer wants the job of representing the 18th District, Smith could actually have a chance at winning.

To make that play would not be difficult, but Smith faces a possible challenge from Joe Moore. As noted here on July 6, Alderman Moore has privately told a number of people that he is considering a run for the 18th Legislative District. Now that Hamos has all but bowed out of the AG race, however, Moore will likely lose interest. He would probably be held back by the local Democrat cabal and essentially ordered to not challenge their darling Julie.

The local Democrats have lost a lot of faith in Moore since he barely won re-election in a tight 2007 runoff. He is alleged to have stolen the election, which he officially won by less than 300 votes after spending over a million dollars and viciously slandering Don Gordon, his runoff challenger. Moore pissed off the SEIU, a formerly staunch ally, over the Boys and Girls Club fiasco in Rogers Park in 2008. Last month, he lost still more respect by yelling "F--- You and your family!" to a high ranking IVI-IPO official in a roomful of high ranking Democrat leaders after being refused admission to a VIP reception for which he had not purchased a ticket. The local DFA has long been divided on its support for Moore.

Like Hamos, Moore is now known as someone who doesn't want to remain in the office he currently holds. It doesn't help a candidate when voters know he or she really doesn't give a damn about the office they are running for anymore. It's like telling your boss that you'd rather be working for a different department or even another company.

Even without the Madigan decision to run for re-election, Julie Hamos was not assured of her own re-election. That's probably why she was looking for another gig; she knows she's in trouble with her own constituents. One of those constituents is Anne Leary, who publishes Backyard Conservative and has been a harsh critic of Hamos for years. On June 26, Leary wrote the following:

"So perennial tax-hiker heinous Hamos is posing as a reformer in a planned run for Illinois attorney general. But how can we forget how she and shifty Jeff Schoenberg, in cahoots with Tony Rezko and Gov. Blago, sneaked through legislation targeting her own district, holding hearings everywhere but here." Read the full post...

Everywhere except her own 18th District, that is. That's the district she was so eager to get out of, and the one that she is still not sure she wants to represent.

Here is the full text of the floundering, begging-for-help press release from Julie Hamos, June 8, 2009 (emphasis added):

For Immediate Release
Contact: Mike Fourcher, (847) 550-3777

Julie Hamos Commends Lisa Madigan's Decision

Following the news of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's decision to run for reelection, State Representative Julie Hamos released this statement:

"Lisa Madigan has been a strong Attorney General and an excellent leader for the state of Illinois. I was pleased to learn that she will continue to provide excellent leadership to our state in these difficult times.

"Over the past few months I have met with Democratic and community leaders and heard the concerns of voters across Illinois. In the coming days I plan to revisit those supporters and ask for their best ideas on how I can work for the people of Illinois. I look forward to hearing their ideas and input as I discuss my next steps with my family."

Since 1998, Julie has been the State Representative for the 18th District. As Chair of the House Mass Transit Committee, she led the 2008 rescue of the regional transit system with comprehensive funding and reform. Her legislative priorities reflect her commitment to all of Illinois, including new laws to make housing more affordable and available statewide; health care legislation to expand access to reproductive, mental health and long-term care services. In 1981 she joined the staff of then-State's Attorney Richard M. Daley, serving as legislative counsel and policy advisor where she authored Illinois' first legislation on domestic violence and sexual assault. Julie has received more than 20 "top legislator" awards from organizations and agencies and was named one of Crain's Chicago Business "25 Women to Watch" in 2007. She lives in Evanston with her husband, Alan Greiman.

Additional information can be found at http://www.juliehamos.org/

RELATED:
Field lining up to succeed Hamos - Wilmette Life, July 8
Madigan fallout: Illinois pols survey new political landscape - The Civic Report, July 8
Julie Hamos for (watch this space) Change of Subject - Eric Zorn, July 3
Follow the Money - Backyard Conservative, May 2006

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Race-Based Voting Encouraged in Cook County

2009-07-08T14:31:00.003-05:00

The Chicago Defender's headline today (July 8) is the first red flag: "Four Black candidates--so far--for county board president."

The Defender, which bills itself as "the nation’s most influential Black weekly newspaper," notes that some African-Americans are worried that a "non-Black" candidate might win. Doesn't that sound racist to you? Full Story at RedCounty.com...

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When Agreeing Is Disagreeable

2009-07-07T18:45:00.003-05:00

Suzanne Elder wrote something very important about agreement and unanimity among legislators. She had Illinois legislators in mind, but Elder's thoughts on the subject could apply to any body of elected representatives in the U.S., whether at the municipal, county or state level. On June 25, she wrote one of the most thoughtful and concisely stated pieces I've ever read anywhere. Elder's post was published at Prairie State Blue (emphasis added):

More than half of the bills passed by the Illinois state legislature are agreed-to bills, meaning the final bill is acceptable to all parties, which certainly evinces the art of negotiation and compromise but can also mean that the final product has been made transformed into something worthless using the very same skills. I spoke with several state legislators yesterday about House Bill 7, the campaign reform bill that’s now awaiting the Governor’s signature. They all shared my sense of its inadequacies and echoed the lament of other legislators whose comments I have read: “It could be better but it’s better than nothing” and “This moment won’t come again.”

They are cowardly, brainless hacks. Too often, as in the case of H.B.7, legislation is hurried through, rushed to passage, with those lawmakers voting on it often not having read the entire bill. Somehow, "bipartisan" has become a hot buzz word over that past decade. It's so desirable, this publicly fashionable need by our elected representatives to be seen by the voters as more than willing to get along and cooperate with the other side. Here's a shocking truth for you, folks: "bipartisan" is not necessarily a good thing. In fact, I would say that it often is not.

Elder thinks so too, apparently, although she expressed it more politely than I will here. She commented, "Doesn’t that sound defeatist? It did to me."

There are times, of course, when we want opposing political parties to agree to not disagree over matters such as urgent emergencies or imminent national security threats. But when it comes to decisions about spending your tax dollars and the forcible ways to take those dollars from you, I want the men or women that I voted for to be as contentious and disagreeable with "the other side" as they possibly can be, stopping short of physical violence. In other words, I want my elected officials to fight for me, not to compromise away our freedoms, our money, our futures. I want elected representatives to stand for principles, and be willing to fight for them, public opinion polls be damned, bipartisanship be damned. Too often, those "representatives" stand for nothing but their own re-election. Shamefully, too many voters fall for the comprising bipartisan cooperation defeatist posturing of those spineless, gutless, rudderless politicians.

Elder noted that some of the legislators said that the lame, final version of H.B.7 could have been better "but it’s better than nothing" and that “This moment won’t come again.” These statements, made by legislators, are absurd. They are also untrue. Think about it.

"It's better than nothing" is not always true. If it was, George Washington and his friends would have reached a nice, agreeable compromise with the King of England. Ben Franklin might have explained Washington's decision as good, because although complete freedom would have been desirable, the nice hypothetical compromise was better than no agreement. Today, in 2009, Americans would still be paying taxes to England. Or would we?

"This moment won't come again" is also not necessarily true. To say so with absolute accuracy would require a flawless ability to see into the future, and that there is only one possible future. Nobody has that ability, and there in an infinite number of possible futures for each of us. It is laughable and dishonest for any legislator to say that it will never again be possible to pass a campaign reform bill. Somebody should ask those folks what they mean by that, and why it will never again be possible to pass additional campaign reform laws, or to amend current ones. Those who said that "this moment won't come again" are either morons with no ability to think critically, or are cynical liars. (If you think of a third possibility, please let me know what it is.)

Elder wraps up her brilliant little post with this:

In the realm of politics and government, I think there are two general tendencies; one is toward competition and the other toward cooperation. I value both but recognize that either tendency set past the standard deviations imperils the quality of our politics and the welfare of our state. We have been awfully quiet and agreeable and we are about to head off a cliff.

She's right. Cooperation is generally desirable, but sometimes it can go too far. Had President Ronald Reagan been overly eager to cooperate with the old Soviet Union, the Berlin Wall would probably still be standing and we'd still call Russia the "USSR." Neville Chamberlain was eager to talk with, and reach a compromise with, Adolf Hitler. That was less than helpful, as Hitler laughed it off and went about his business without regard to Chamberlain. While less dramatic, it is no less true that too much cooperation and bipartisanship among legislators sells us all up the river, whether the issue at hand is property taxes, gun ownership, parking fines or speed laws.

If we, as Americans, truly value complete bipartisanship and full cooperation among our elected representatives, then let us just forego future elections. Let's just stop wasting time and pretending and get rid of the two-party system, in favor of a single homogenous smiley-faced oh-so-agreeable council of rulers. It worked for Hitler, Stalin and Mao, didn't it?

RELATED:
The Coming Myth of a "Bipartisan" Health Care Compromise - getliberty.org
About Suzanne Elder - Windy City Times

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Dan Proft on the Illinois Budget Crisis

2009-07-06T18:28:00.003-05:00

Conservative Dan Proft is running for Governor of Illinois.
He's got a few words about the bullcrap in Springfield,
which he posted on YouTube on July 2, 2009:

Cook County's Cavalcade of Idiots

2009-07-06T18:06:00.002-05:00

Endorsements of Todd Stroger for Cook County Board President, from the 2006 election. Remember these people.

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So Long, and Thanks For All the Fish

2009-07-06T17:36:00.002-05:00

Our last regular posting here, on Chicago News Bench (CNB), will be on July 26, 2009. This blog was started as "Rogers Park Bench" in October, 2007 and by January, 2009 had achieved a Google page rank of 5, no small feat. We have over 52,000 inlinks from other web sites. Unlike one of the other local blogs, we have never screwed with our numbers to jump them way over a million. Unlike many other blogs, we never relied on, nor wanted, nutjob serial commenters for manicly repeated visits in order to artificially drive up our numbers. CNB quickly achieved a national readership, and to those of you who "got it," we extend our sincere thanks.

This blog started as a personal form of expression, an experiment, a desire to inform and to challenge the status quo. It became an obsession, however, and I am pulling back from that. The first step to a cure, as they say, is to admit you have a problem. I am returning, therefore, to the original purpose of this blog.

Oh, I'm not going away. There's still stuff to be done. For example:

Watch for 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore to run for the 18th Legislative District, which is being vacated by Julie Hamos. While this is not definite, confidential sources tell CNB that Moore is most interested in it. He might just do it; he's exploring that possibility now. While it's not definite that he will run, it is definite that he's strongly considering running for the 18th. That means, of course, that Moore undeniably wants out of his dead-end city council job. and doesn't give a rat's ass about serving the 49th Ward any longer. Not that he ever did, really. I predicted that Moore would not seek re-election to the city council in 2011 back on January 27, 2009 ("Ald. Joe Moore Will Not Seek Re-Election"), and it looks like I was right. Moore has certainly been raising campaign funds. Ah, but for which campaign? It may be more difficult that Moore thinks, no matter which campaign, after pissing of the SEIU last year over the Boys and Girls Club fiasco in Rogers Park, and after more recently yelling "F--- You and your family!" to a high ranking IVI-IPO official in a roomful of high ranking Democrat leaders, include Gov. Pat Quinn.

While July 26 will be our last day of regular posting, we'll still post now and then. It's just that there will no longer be a desire to post daily. Hell, I lost that desire weeks ago anyway. We've still got Helen Shiller to pick on. We've still got Todd Stroger to laugh at. The list is endless, of course: Mayor Daley and the Chicago City Clowncil, Pat Quinn and the morons that make up the majority of the Illinois legislature. The U.S. Congress, both houses. And on and on and on. It's endless really, and I suppose that's the point. One little blogger like me cannot hope to take it all on.

I was never content to devote the majority of this blog to bitching about pot holes and other petty, hyperlocal trivia. As I've said before, there's a whole world outside of Rogers Park, outside of Chicago, and an entire universe outside of your own experience and mind. What a shame to restrict any blog to pot holes. What a waste of time to spend hours maniacly following crazy comments to your own blog, and one well-known blogger does, baked on marijuana and spending hours more writing poorly constructed responses, some of which hypocritically rail against the very drug pushers that supply his own dope. What a cowardly thing it is, for some bloggers, to remain anonymous and hide in the shadows, afraid even to walk to a crime scene to take photos or actually cover the event, and expect people to ascribe any credibility to them. How sad indeed.

So I shall limit my participation in the blogosphere with mixed feelings. I've gotten to know many excellent bloggers, writers who truly care about the big picture while understanding but not obsessing about pot holes. To those people, a big salute. It's been an honor to be among your ranks. Carry on, and please check back here now and then. I'll be reading you.

Good King Rich (Daley), a Musical Satire

2009-07-06T16:24:00.003-05:00

Friend Matthew Farmer and his merry band, The Blue State Cowboys, have done it again. They've gotten a reputation for sharply skewering the idiots we call politicians here in Illinois, and they hit Left and Right equally. This one, "Good King Rich," hits communist dictator Richard Daley with some wicked lyrics and a catchy tune to boot. Check this one out, below, then check out more videos from Matthew Farmer and The Blue State Cowboys.

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Obama's Iran Wimplomacy, Shades of Carter

2009-07-05T08:00:00.003-05:00

Like Jimmy Carter before him, Barack Obama just doesn't get it. President Carter allowed - yes, allowed - the radical Islamic fundamentalist revolution in Iran to happen in the late 1970's. Then, Carter did nothing to prop up the Shah of Iran. Granted, the Shah was something of a bastard, but as the old saying goes, he was "our bastard."

More importantly, the Shah was a far better alternative than the lunatics that replaced him. Now, in 2009, those lunatics and their successors still run Iran with iron fists, more repressive than the Shah ever was. Whereas Carter betrayed the Iranian people by allowing the lunatics in, Obama today has betrayed them by not speaking out soon enough - or with enough resolve - against the barabaric response to the protesters in the streets. About 20 are known to have been killed. Hundreds more have been badly injured, maimed, and imprisoned.

Mark LeVine, Middle Eastern historian, wrote this for Al Jazeera:

It took more than a week of intensified government repression against protesters in Iran before Barack Obama, the US president, moved from cautious commentary to describing the crackdown as "violent and unjust".

LeVine hits Obama's Wimplomacy (my word) with no mercy:

Rather than encourage Arab democrats, the Obama administration is improving ties with Libya and returning an ambassador to Syria, where today we are courting Bashar al-Assad as a "key player" in the region, despite his country's abysmal record on human rights and democracy.

Obama, like Carter and so many other Democrats, seem to have a knee-jerk fear of offending dictators. They also have an instinctive love of them, such as Hugo Chavez, Fidel Castro, Mao, and so on. You can walk down any city street and see Che Guevara shirts. It's extremely rare indeed to see anybody wearing a Benito Mussolino shirt. The Left loves dictators.

LeVine continued by touching on why it's so important for an American president to do what Obama has not done, which is to give assurance to those longing for democracy:

Consider what would happen if, instead of staying on the sidelines in Iran while playing softball with Israel and trying to woo other autocratic regimes into our orbit, Obama could look the Iranian leadership in the eyes and make the same demand of them that he should be making of all the leaders of the region: democratise and grant freedom to the peoples under your control. At least then the brave Iranians risking their lives for democracy, and the long-repressed peoples of the region more broadly, would know that the US stands up for them.

While the vast majority of U.S. citizens would love to see true democracy take hold in Iran, the sad fact is that the U.S. has officially not stood up for the Iranian people. The top official to fail in that duty, the one who is symbolically and politically most important, is Barack Obama.

At the end of LeVine's column, Al Jazeera added a post script. "The views expressed by the author are not necessarily those of Al Jazeera," it said. Here's my post script: The views expressed by Mark LeVine are in complete synch with those of Chicago News Bench.

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Petition Drive to Amend Illinois Constitution Asks for Unicameral Legislature

2009-07-03T21:14:00.006-05:00

Friend and activist John Bambenek is righteously upset, as are many of us in Illinois. His press release says it all:

News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 3, 2009
Contact: John Bambenek / jcb@illinoiscitizenscoalition.com

Illinois Citizen begins Petition Drive for Constitutional Amendment
The “Bambenek Put-back Amendment” is designed to radically restructure the General Assembly and decentralize power

CHAMPAIGN - Today Illinois citizen and activist John Bambenek began a petition drive to place a state constitutional amendment on the November 2010 general election ballot. Citing the frustration at the gridlock in Springfield and the chaos caused by massive cuts to social services spending, Bambenek believes that the time is right to reform the Legislature.

“We’ve had two very different governors now, and while Blagojevich was a significant problem, the dysfunction in Springfield remains under Quinn. The only consistent feature of our dysfunctional state government is the Legislature,” Bambenek said.

The amendment will fundamentally change the Legislature by converting it to a unicameral (or one chamber) body and return to three-member districts with cumulative voting (total of 177 members). Additionally, it will implement long ignored reforms such as reforming redistricting, implementing term limits of no more than four two-year terms, term limit legislative leaders to only one session (two years), end shell bills, require a seven-day public viewing period for all legislative, provide for any bill to get an up-or-down vote upon motion of at least 25 members and greatly reform the process for legislative pay raises.

“Now isn’t the time to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic, it is time to decentralize power in the legislature. When one man can cause political and social chaos simply to bolster his daughter’s political prospects, something is very wrong.”

In explaining why he is taking the effort to circulate a petition to put the amendment on directly, Bambenek said, “The campaign contribution caps bills shows that we simply cannot trust the Legislature to reform itself. Regardless of what someone thinks about caps, “caps for everyone but Mike Madigan” is a radical power grab masquerading as reform. The framers of the Constitution put this right of citizens in our state constitution explicitly because the legislature cannot be trusted to right itself.”

The amendment will be called the “Bambenek Put-back Amendment” design to Put the voters Back in charge. If Bambenek is successful in gathering enough signatures (legal minimum of just less than 280,000), the amendment will be listed on the ballot and requires no General Assembly Action. It will pass upon 60% of the votes approving the question.
###

John Bambenek is a political activist, writer and co-founder of the Illinois Citizens Coalition (ICC), a political action committee created to inform and organize Illinois citizens to take more of an interest in state government. For more information visit the ICC website at www.yesforillinois.com.

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Coming Soon - Public Enemies Exclusive Photos

2009-07-01T06:51:00.004-05:00

We've got some exclusive on-the-set photos of Michael Mann's "Public Enemies, which opened July 1st at theaters nationwide.

The film is about bank robber John Dillinger, played by Johnny Depp. Much of the action was shot on location right here in Chicago.

We'll show you some of the filming action in front of the Biograph Theater where Depp's double, stuntman Theo Kypri, was "shot."

We've also got exclusive pix of the bank robbery set in the beautiful lobby of the Bridgeview Bank Building (formerly the Broadway Bank, at W. Wilson and N. Broadway in Uptown, Chicago). Stay tuned...

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Your uhm, Ad, Here...

2009-06-27T22:22:00.004-05:00

See this and much more funny stuff that plays on your cruel, guilt-ridden sense of humor at iOwnTheWorld.com.

I have to promote those nutjobs now and then. Sure, I love them, but I also know what they to bloggers who don't cooperate.

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BREAKING: Massive Power Outage On Chicago's Lakefront

2009-06-27T21:58:00.004-05:00

BREAKING - 9:50 P.M. - June 27, 2009 - Chicago - A huge power outage "from downtown Chicago north to Evanston" currently just about everything "east of Lakeshore Drive" in the dark. Fortunately, not many people are affected directly because the area is mostly beaches and parks. Lincoln Park, which runs from W. North Avenue north to W. Hollywood Avenue in Edgewater, is the largest stretch of park in that area. However, north of W. Hollywood (5700 north), there are thousands who live in highrise buildings just east of N. Sheridan Road, then thousands more north that in Rogers Park along the east side of N. Sheridan. The entire area is served by ComEd (Commonwealth Edison). Source: Chicago Police Department radio frequencies.

RELATED:
67000 ComEd customers remain without power after storms - Chicago Sun-Times - ‎June 20
‎
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Chicago Gay Pride 2009 to Emphasize Accomplishments, Not Crotches

2009-06-25T18:31:00.005-05:00

A spokesperson for the 2009 Chicago Gay Pride Parade says that the emphasis will be more on "pride" this year and "less on crotches."

"We're all very proud," the spokesperson said, "of the great accomplishments that so many gays and lesbians have made. We're proud of our artistic contributions, of our economic and business success, of our overcoming of great social barriers and centuries of persecution."

"Then why" I asked, "is there so much emphasis on crotches? What does a bare rump hanging out of a tutu have to do with any of that? Doesn't it just perpetuate tired, undesirable stereotypes?"

"Sure," the spokesperson replied, "that's why, this year, we're requiring all of the parade participants to wear modest, business casual clothing. I mean, if you go to a Polish Pride parade or an African-American pride parade, for example, the participants use the parade to highlight their accomplishments, not their genitalia. It's a forum for promoting their contributions to society, not to solicit a quick hum job in the alley."

"So, no more lewd parade float riders? No more throbbing crotches?" I asked.

"No more," the spokesman said.

Of course, this conversation never happened. No spokesman said those things, and probably never will.

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Mercy Lakefront Housing and the Story That Refuses to Happen

2009-06-25T14:15:00.017-05:00

A funny thing happened on the way to this story. My primary source proved late this morning that she is unreliable. Will that stop me? No, it just adds another dimension to the story.

The main thrust of this story was going to be the allegedly horrible conditions at the Miriam Apartments, a taxpayer funded SRO at 4707 N. Malden Avenue on the north side of Chicago. It sits in Alderman Helen Shiller’s 46th Ward, in a neighborhood that has more than its share of public housing buildings, gang problems, prostitution and violence. The Miriam is owned by Mercy Housing Lakefront (“Mercy Lakefront”), which also has the Malden Arms Apartments at 4724 N. Malden.

Instead, it’s more about the process of trying to write a story and how a story can get screwed up, delayed and messed around. It’s about a source who hasn't come through and has made false promises. It’s about the Chicago Department of Buildings, which doesn’t seem to know its assessments from its elbow joints.

I was first told of the allegations about the Miriam Apartments in May, 2009 by a woman who lives in that building. Latoya (not her real name) alleged that water leaks through the exterior brick walls and that, as a result, interior walls were bulging in some of the residential units. A look at the building will tell you that it is in need of tuck pointing, and that at least one drain pipe is detached from the rain gutter. Latoya added that “interior plumbing leakage” is another contributing factor to the moisture problem within the building’s walls.

Latoya also claims that mold and mildew are problems in the building, partly as a result of the moisture in the walls. The Chicago Department of Buildings seems to confirm that allegation (see below). On Friday, June 19, says Latoya, there were partial ceiling collapses in three areas of the Miriam Apartments. Two, she says, were in residential units. The third was in a common “kitchen area,” and I let her take a photo of it with my camera. It is clearly a hole, and the garbage cans placed underneath it would seem to be there to catch any more water that drips through. It should be added that I did not personally see this, just the photo she snapped.

A laundry list of the other allegations made to me by Latoya:

- Bedbug infestation.

- Roaches, mice and other vermin.

- A back door that was left unlocked, allowing non-residents to enter freely (that problem, I’ve learned, was corrected in late May).

- Staff who are allegedly “frequently absent” or “asleep” at the high-security front desk. To enter you must be buzzed through a locked door, then enter a lobby and speak to the desk attendant through glass bank teller-style. Latoya claims that a neighbor on the street has video of non-residents crawling through the front windows during desk staff absences or naps.

- Latoya says there is only one emergency light in each hallway, on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors, and one in the common kitchen area.

- Bricks, says Latoya, fall from the exterior walls now and then. (I must add that I saw no holes where a brick might have once been, but that tuck pointing is in need of attention and there are cracks in the exterior walls.)

- Criminal activity in the building, says Latoya, is common and frequent. From violence to drug sales, prostitution to theft, the activity is allegedly not reported by Mercy Lakefront as required to Chicago Housing Choice Voucher Program (CHAC), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) or to the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA).

On Monday, June 22 I met with Latoya in Uptown. I took careful notes as she answered questions. Mostly, I reviewed with she had told me in the past. The only news she had was the ceiling collapse. She said she had more photos, but they were on film in a disposable camera. She needed to get them developed, but would get copies to me.

I came to realize only this morning that Latoya is not reliable. I’m not saying she’s lying; I can’t know that, and I can’t know if she’s telling the truth either. I do know that she has told me untruths. I have a gut feeling that most of what she has told me is true, but she has worked against herself by not providing substantiation to me. Lying means telling an untruth intentionally. An untruth can be told innocently if the teller honestly believes the untruth or did not intend to mislead.

While a writer or reporter has certain ethical obligations that they should follow in dealing with a source, a source should have enough common sense to follow a few simple, unwritten rules too. Those rules would be, simply enough, to provide as much pertinent information as possible to the reporter as possible; if you tell a reporter that you're in a hurry to get the story out do yourself a favor and get documents and photos to the reporter. After asking Latoya repeatedly for copies of documents, complaints and photographs, she has not come through.

Last Monday, June 22, Latoya told me she had photos on a disposable film camera and would get them developed and prints to me quickly. But this morning, by phone, she told me that the photos she has are now on a CD and in the hands of Unique So Chic, a local chocolate boutique.

“You said you were going to give them to me after you had the film developed,” I said to her on the phone.

“I promised them to Unique So Chic a long time ago,” she replied.

“Then why did you tell me on Monday that you’d get them to me as soon as possible?” I asked.

“My phone minutes are running short,” she said.

“Fine,” I said, “then let Unique So Chic write the story.”

Huh? Why she chose to give those photos to a chocolate shop rather than to me or any other writer is a mystery. I mean, I love chocolate, and Unique So Chic is a nice place, but what are they going to do with those photos?

I’m writing it now, or part of it anyway. Admittedly, the story is not the story I was hoping to write, but at least it’s out there now. A source who has not been able to substantiate anything she’s told me, except for a small portion of a ceiling that appears to have collapsed, has shown that she is quite capable of misrepresenting herself.

Latoya and I have communicated by e-mail, phone and in person. Despite my asking her several times for copies of her correspondence with HUD, CHA and other agencies, she never sent anything to me. Latoya emphasized nearly two weeks ago (on Monday, June 15) that she wanted the story to get out “quickly.” Her desire to was heightened after the ceiling collapse on June 19.

Latoya had already been talking to another reporter for a couple of weeks about the Miriam Apartments. On Monday, June 14, I ran into Latoya in Uptown and asked how the story was going. She told me that the other reporter was not moving quickly enough for her. I knew about the story, but gave that other reporter “dibs” on it as a “professional courtesy,” since Latoya and she already seemed to have a working relationship. That broke down, however, and Latoya “gave” me the story a week later.

Lenora, the other reporter (not her real name), assured me that she would get the story up by 6:00 p.m. on Monday, June 22. She still has not posted that story (as of 6 :20 p.m., June 25). Lenora had her chance at the story, and the dibs came off at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. In fact, Lenora actually informed me this morning that she no longer cares about the story. “You can have the damned story,” she yelled at me. I mean, she really yelled at me, in a bizarre and frightening way. (Don’t ask, you don't want to know.)

It seems that the few people who want this story out have either screwed around on it, given up on, underreported it, or are simply unreliable. Sadly, I include the Chicago Department of Buildings (DOB) in that group.

On Wednesday, June 24, I spoke to Bill McCaffery, a DOB spokesman. In the course of asking him about violations and citations and warnings and all the rest related to Mercy Lakefront’s Miriam Apartments, McCaffery told me how violation notices are handled.

In a nutshell, McCaffery let it be known that the Department of Buildings official policy is “not written down anywhere.” I was shocked. How can it be “official” if it’s never even been written down? That’s just how it’s always been, he said. Whatever, I moved on.

If a problem is "persistent" the building owner “will get another notice.” After how long? I asked. Notices, McCaffery said, have no deadlines for action. There is no requirement for a building owner to fix a problem within any period of time, he said.

“But,” I said to him, “a simple parking ticket has a deadline for payment. Why doesn’t a citation for quality-of-life building violations have a deadline?”

No answer to that. He plowed on to say that follow-up by DOB is often not made or made after a long time because "we're stretched pretty thin." Here’s how thin, in the case of the Miriam Apartments:

McCaffery was generous with his time and reviewed the recent inspection history of the building for me.

June, 2006 - An inspection found “rotted window frames” on the 2nd and 3rd floors. “A notice was sent to them,” he said. (My photos of June 22 clearly show rotting, misshapen window frames with flaking paint on all floors, including those on the ground floor.)

October 2008 - A DOB inspection found "flaking paint" on "rotted window frames." But, McCaffery said, "they may have fixed the problem." There was no deadline to fix this, of course, and as noted above, it has not been fixed.

February 2009 - Another DOB inspection found leaks "throughout" the building and mold in interior walls. While telling me this, McCaffery told me that DOB "has had no complaints of mold."

June 7, 2009 - A complaint was made to the DOB of open garbage in the boiler room.

"Wait," McCaffery told me near end of phone interview, "I do have a complaint of mold here. I wonder why it's not in the record." He said he would look into that, then mentioned that Mercy has a date in Housing Court coming up soon. I asked him to call me back with details about the mold complaint and the court date. He said he'd get back me in the afternoon.

He has not called back. On the morning of Thursday, June 25, his office voicemail said he would be out of the office all day, returning on Friday, June 26.

Heck, that’s way past my deadline. I wouldn’t want to keep Latoya waiting.

Should we watch for a full, in-depth report about The Miriam Apartments and Mercy Housing Lakefront from the chocolate boutique? Latoya seems to think so.

RELATED:
mercyhousinglakefront.com
Take It To The Park - Uptown Update
Gang Fight At Leland And Malden Tonight - Uptown Update
'Malden Arms' SRO To Appeal Zoning Decision - Uptown Update
Mayor Daley and the rehabilitation of Malden Arms
Mercy Housing Lakefront press release, Sept 8, 2008
Chicago ordinance, 2008; loans to Malden Arms Limited Partnership (PDF)

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FBI Arrests Blogger For Alleged Death Threats

2009-06-24T22:23:00.008-05:00

The FBI arrested blogger Hal Turner, known to be a white supremacist, on charges that he called for the killing of three federal judges in Chicago. Earlier this month, Turner was arrested on charges of calling for violence against three Connecticut state officials.

Chicago Breaking News (CBN) reports that U.S. Attorney's office alleges that blogger Hal Turner publicly called for the killing of three federal appeals court judges who serve on the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Chicago. The U.S. Attorney's office says that Turner's web site included photos of the judges and addresses for them, with statements such as: "Let me be the first to say this plainly; These judges deserve to be killed." Although the federal charges against Turner were brought in Chicago, he will appear in U.S. District Court in Newark, N.J. on Thursday, June 25.

In a separate but related case, the Jersey Journal reported on June 11 that Turner turned himself into Connecticut State Capitol Police "on charges of inciting injury against three officials in that state, according to Connecticut officials." In this case, the Jersey Journal story said, "The charge stems from posts Turner put on his blog regarding two elected officials and a state employee in Connecticut who took the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport to task for failing to register as a lobbyist before staging a large protest against a bill aimed at changing how Catholic parishes incorporate."

In short, Mr. Turner seems to be a seriously disturbed mental case. Turner is invoking the First Amendment as a defense for his words, but he's apparently to stupid to understand that open calls for violence against someone is not protected speech. Perhaps he thinks it's legal to yell "fire!" in a crowded theater, too. Nutjob Hal Turner has much in common, sadly, with millions of whack jobs who habitually post violent comments to posts on blogs and other web sites. For an example, see "Chicago Dunes Story Evokes Threat of Violence."

And by the way, before you liberals start cackling about this "right-wing whacko," consider something. Sure, he's a right-wing lunatic, on the far, outer galaxy of the Right, but I agree that he is vile. I don't like racists of any color. But ask yourself, Liberals, how many times you or your liberal friends openly wished for violent acts against Republicans? George W. Bush, for example. Can you honestly say that you've never heard a liberal say that they'd love to put a bullet in Bush's head if they had the chance? I've heard it many, many times. The scariest part: They were "mainstream" liberals, not far-out lunatics.

RELATED:
Blogger Turner Charged With Threatening Federal Judges - Hartford Courant - June 24
Blogger arrested for threatening three federal judges - National Law Journal - June 24
Internet radio host Hal Turner arrested - Kansas City Star - ‎June 4‎
Dear Hal Turner, I Just Turned Your Emails Over to the Police - Daily Kos - ‎June 4
Internet Crime Complaint Center ("IC3")

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Hoax Photos of Air France Last Moments Going Around Web

2009-06-24T17:12:00.001-05:00

There are fake photos going around the Internet that are purported to be taken by a passenger on the doomed Air France flight 447. That Airbus 330 plane fell into the Atlantic Ocean on June 1, 2009 while on its way from Rio de Janeiro to Paris.

The photos are actually from a trailer for the TV series "Lost" in 2006 (Lost 1, fall season preview), but fakers are sending it around by e-mail with a heart wrenching "report" about how the supposed disaster photos were made. A number of web sites have fallen for the hoax.

The two photos attached were apparently taken by one of the passengers in the B737, just after the collision and before the aircraft crashed. The photos were retrieved from the camera's memory stick. You will never get to see photos like this. In the first photo, there is a gaping hole in the fuselage through which you can see the tailplane and vertical fin of the aircraft. In the second photo, one of the passengers is being sucked out of the gaping hole.

Touching, but a complete lie. The hoax about the Air France flight actually started as another hoax in 2006, then about the disaster of Gol Airlines Flight 1907 (a Boeing 737) moments after it collided with another plane on Sep. 29, 2006. (Source: UrbanLegends.about.com)

ALSO SEE:
Bloggers catch news outlets fooled by crash photos hoax - CBC.ca
'Lost' photos screened as Air France plane - TravelBite.co.uk

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Ho Chunk Nation Visits Uptown, Chicago

2009-06-24T14:22:00.003-05:00

Spotted this car from the Ho Chunk Nation (in Wisconsin) as I was about to board a train at the Wilson CTA station in Uptown recently. I don't know what it was doing there and did not see the person driving it. I assume the car was only being used for official use, but what official use would there be here? (I dunno, I'm just asking.) Question: If an official car from the Ho Chunk Nation gets a parking ticket, would it be dismissed for diplomatic immunity?

Eye of the Axis, Fearful Dreamers

2009-06-24T13:18:00.009-05:00

Interesting art at the "Artist of the Wall" in Rogers Park, Chicago along Loyola Beach.

This was painted last weekend. Every time an admirer would stop to watch the artists (husband and wife), they would hand them a "Fearful Dreamers" flyer (click images to enlarge).

The web site listed on the yellow flyer, http://www.eyeoftheaxis.net,/ features "Official Cherokee Nation News," which I find interesting. It's good to keep up on events. You'll also find some interesting photos of Hong Kong.

RELATED:
"pow wow" in Thatcher Woods
Habitat Project

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OMG! Zanzibar Serves Best Ice Cream in Chicago!

2009-06-23T16:55:00.001-05:00

I recently stumbled across a new ice cream parlor. Normally, I don't get excited about ice cream parlors. While I love the stuff, I don't tend to eat a lot of ice cream, and growing up in Wisconsin I was spoiled by the best in the nation. When I passed by Zanzibar's ice cream parlor on a recent evening, however, the place looked so inviting that I just had to go inside and look around. That led, of course, to a sampling of the ice cream. Wow...

Dang, I thought, ice cream as good or maybe better than any I'd ever had in Wisconsin! But here's the catch: The ice cream sold at Zanzibar is made by The Chocolate Shoppe in - ta da! - my home town of Madison, Wisconsin!

I used to go to Chocolate House Candy and Ice Cream, the predecessor of The Chocolate Shoppe, with my folks. That was back in my grade school days. I haven't had their ice cream in more than 25 years, and here it was, served up in generous scoops right here on Chicago's North Side, at Zanzibar in Edgewater.

One of the secrets to great ice cream is to have as few ice particles or microscopic air bubbles in the cold stuff as possible. The incredible flavors served at Zanzibar meet those specifications. Rich and creamy, cold and gooey, it will not disappoint. I know I'm hooked, and if means gaining few pounds this summer, well, you only go around once. Might as well have great ice cream. Yes, that's my banana split in the photo and yes, I ate the whole gigundo thing.

Zanzibar is much more than ice cream, though, with great hand-made sandwiches, soups, salads, coffee and tea. The atmosphere is cozy, despite the large size of the room. Free wi-fi makes this a great place to linger. Got kids? Perfect, they'll love the place. It's casual, wheelchair accessible and spitting distance from the Bryn Mawr CTA Red Line station (no parking lot, but metered street parking is right outside). Oh, before I forget - you gotta try the blue moon ice cream.

Also see The Chocolate Shoppe web site

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Artists of the Wall at its Best

2009-06-23T10:00:00.000-05:00

The "Artists of the Wall" is a long concrete bench in Rogers Park neighborhood on Chicago's North Side. It runs north-south along a stretch of Loyola Park Beach, near the lighthouse pier. Every year, locals pay a fee to paint horrible art on the otherwise beautiful bench. Here's a photo, taken on June 10, 2009, after it was sandblasted clean (properly, for the first time in years) and before it was defaced again on June 20 by amateur "artists."

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Updated! Chicago Dunes Story Evokes Threat of Violence

2009-06-22T18:00:00.004-05:00

UPDATE: The lying lunatic who wrote to me this morning, with strong hints of threatened violence, wrote again! He/she is a liar, as I show in the update below, after the original lunacy:

The following comment is a response to this morning's post "Eco-Nuts Grab More Chicago Lake Front." It's creepy, it's weird, it's irrational. It's from a person who is obviously an enthusiastic supporter of the "dunes" project at Loyola Beach on Chicago's far north side. Nice to know what kind of violent lunatics support that little project, isn't it? Weirdly, the author veers off on unrelated ranting about the nearby "Artists of the Wall" (photos here, from 2008), which he/she says he/she participated in. (For current photos, click here.)

Below is the full text of the bizarre comment (received via our Guestbook - Comments). There are implied threats of violence within it and things written that seem to indicate that the author lives in or near the Rogers Park neighorhood of Chicago. Those items are highlighted as blue bold. My own interjected comments appear in red.

On 22.06.2009 17:09 wrote You are a coward from Gods GREEN Earth (IP: 24.13.110.139):

BUG OFF !!! STOP SPAMING ME !!!
YOU HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO SBC.
THIS IS A WARNING.
I don't want your blog.I don't want your hate. I do not value your opinion.

[Note: Then stop reading this blog. Nobody forces you to look at this blog.]

I don't want your CRAPPY photos of me, ( I have my own camera )... I don't want any contact from you or your hate blog. I wonder why the photos??? Do you hope for a hate crime??? Bring it on -- It's a good day to die.

"You Christians, tried to kill the son of your own God, and only after you figured out you could not kill him did you decide to worship him... and you expect us to trust in your so called words of wisdom ? "

[Note: You have that wrong, but what does that have to do with a native plants project???]

In the spirit of Tecumseh (March 1768 – October 5, 1813)

[Note: What does Tecumseh have to do with a native plants project??? By the way, George W. Bush beat "Tecumseh's curse." Isn't that cool?]

YOU DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHO YOU ARE SPAMMING! STOP THE HATE !
WE ARE LOL @ YOU AND YOUR STUPID HATE BLOG. I WILL PRAY YOUR GOD FORGIVES YOU.

[Note: I don't know who you are because you're too cowardly to give me your name. Dude, this is a blog, a web site. It's not "spamming" anybody. You have to click on a link to view it. Here's a suggestion: Stop clicking that link.]

We have a word for people like you --
WASICHU
Wasi'chu is also a human condition based on inhumanity, racism, and exploitation. It is a sickness, a seemingly incurable and contagious disease which begot the ever advancing society of the West. If we do not control it, this disease will surely be the basis for what may be the last of the continuing wars against the Native American people.
The Lakota also used the metaphor to describe the newcomers. It was Wasi'chu, which means "takes the fat," or "greedy person." Within the modern Indian movement, Wasi'chu has come to mean those corporations and individuals, with their governmental accomplices, which continue to covet Indian lives, land, and resources for private profit.

Wasi'chu does not describe a race; it describes a state of mind.
You really think native dunes have taken over YOUR beach.

[Note: We have two words for people like you - "criminally insane." And pal, that describes your state of mind.]

YOU ARE ON STOLEN LAND.
BIG THANK YOU TO THE PEOPLE WHO RESTORE NATIVE DUNES !!!
Do you really think your "God hates Fags".
You are a coward for scribbling your words of hate. ON OTHER PEOPLES ART AT THE ARTIST OF THE WALL

[Note: So, let me get this straight. You defend the goofy anti-dandelion project AND the goofy Artists of the Wall eyesore, even though they're on what you call "stolen land?" I've never scribbled anything on the Artists of the Wall eyesore. Where did your "fags" question come from? No, I don't think God hates homosexuals. I've never thought that, never said it, never wrote it. (Photo here is the Wall as seen from near the dunes, 2008.]

Ya want to call me a hater feel free. [Note: Okay, you're a hater. Judging from what you wrote, you hate anybody who is not a Native American, Christians in general, and probably yourself. ]I'm not a P.C. kinda NDN.. never said I was. In fact I'm a little more of a radical NDN ... Can I give you a hair cut? Little of the top OLD MAN ? I know who you are and where to find you.

Okay, so, we've got a scary person who seems to strongly identify as Native American. They write that it's a "good day to die." He/she refers to the Artists of the Wall, a painting project at the beach in Rogers Park. The kicker is this: After going out of their way to identify as Native American, and writing that it's a good day to die, the author writes, "Can I give you a hair cut?" Now, I have nothing against Native Americans ("Indians"), and I don't even know if the author is actually one of them. Given that, I can only interpret the haircut remark as a threat of violence. You know, as in a scalping. Perhaps the author can calm down, seek psychiatric care, and talk a nice walk at the beach. You know, the beach on stolen land.

Oh, yes, here's what I just wrote to the Federal Government's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3):

I received a comment to my website on June 22, 2009. The author of the comment seems to identify him/herself as Native American throughout, then at the end wrote "In fact I'm a little more of a radical NDN ... Can I give you a hair cut? Little of the top OLD MAN? I know who you are and where to find you." Given the Native American references, the phrase "hair cut" seems to be a threat of bodily harm, and the phrase "I know who you are and where to find you" seems also to be a threat. Other references indicate that the author lives in or near Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood. Example: "BIG THANK YOU TO THE PEOPLE WHO RESTORE NATIVE DUNES" is probably a reference to a nature restoration project at the beach in Rogers Park. "You really think native dunes have taken over YOUR beach." seems to be a strong reference to my blog post of this morning (June 22, 2009). "You are a coward for scribbling your words of hate. ON OTHER PEOPLES ART AT THE ARTIST OF THE WALL" is a definite reference to a wall at the same beach in Rogers Park.

>>> UPDATE <<<

On 22.06.2009 19:56 wrote In the spirit of Tecumseh from Chicago - Indian Territory (IP: 24.13.110.139):

Report me in to F.B.I. ??
Sure you did...
Knock on my door?
Sure they will...
Oh that must be the feds knocking now.
I'll have to ask them in for some Peyote.

Still, I would prefer if you don't clog my junk mail folder with your hate blog links -- OK
Please Mr.Hate... pretty please, with gay love on top. I said you don't have a clue who your spaming, I was wrong. YOU DO KNOW. You KNOW I DO NOT AGREE WITH YOUR HATE.
You took photos of me when I was not looking and sent them to me with your link, was that not to be taken as a threat? You don't like what I have painted at the Artist of the Wall over the years. BFD but if you wish to try and intimidate me...
Like I said ...
LOL

seek immediate psychiatric help?
Sure I will,...just as soon as we get that health care bill passed we can both go. Seems like you need a little help too. If everyone tells you your crazy, "they must be crazy" seems to be the way you think. I must get back to work now. You can hate me later.

My response (emphasis added):

You're very amusing for a psychopathic liar. Let's set the record straight, Tecumseh. I sent a link to my website to several acquaintances several days ago, once. Furthermore, you are coming to my blog, Chicago News Bench, directly, with no referring link. As of 5:30 pm today [July 22, 2009], you were on my blog for over six hours. Hardly sounds like you don't want to see it. You first entered the blog at 9:31 am, to the story about Alderman Moore going nuts at the IVI-IPO dinner. After less than two minutes on that post, you clicked over to the story about the Loyola Beach dunes at 9:23 am, where you lingered for more than six hours. Also, you wrote in your first comment that you've reported me to SBC, but I wonder why you'd do that since you're using Comcast Cable Communications. I'm not on SBC either. As for knowing who (or what) you are, I don't. I have your IP address, as does the FBI, but I don't know your identity because you're too cowardly to reveal it. Finally, I have no idea what you have painted at Artist of the Wall, but inasmuch as participants must sign up to paint, you've just provided a valuable clue for me - and for the FBI.

NOTE, Post Script: The fact that this person came to this blog with "no referring link" means that they knowingly and willingly came to it. If they had come to this blog by clicking on a link to it, for example, on another website or from an email, my stats service would show that link instead of saying "no referring link." In other words, the author of the comment is a bloody liar.

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Joe Moore Says "F--- You!" to Pigeons

2009-06-22T12:09:00.004-05:00

Chicago's 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore loves to act generously - with your money. Today, he gleefully announced that he is spending your tax dollars to help stop pigeons from pooping on people as they walk under Metra viaducts (overpasses).

In an email blast to residents of his ward Moore wrote, "Now every Metra viaduct in the 49th Ward, from Howard Street south to Pratt Boulevard, has rows of plastic spikes that prevent pigeons from roosting on ledges over the sidewalks." The email had the cute headline, "Pigeons Evicted From Metra Underpasses." (See Moore's full email text below.)

PETA will not be happy about this. The homeless pigeons problem in Rogers Park just got worse, and it was paid for with your city tax dollars.

I'm all in favor of less pigeon poop, but Moore is abusing his aldermanic menu money by spending it on things that menu money is not really intended for. It is also hypocritical in the case of the Metra pigeons, because while Moore crows about the anti-pigeon spikes he "sponsored" with your money, pigeons continue to unload their bowels on people passing under the CTA viaducts at Jarvis and Morse. Moore talks about the ten Metra viaducts in his ward, but what about his nearly 20 pigeon-infested CTA viaducts?

"Menu money" is given to each alderman for the purpose of improving a ward's infrastructure. In 2009, they each got about $1.5 million. That money is supposed to be spent "at his or her discretion on alleys, street paving, curbs, sidewalks, lighting, and traffic signals. Your Aldermen should base his or her decisions on the community's most pressing needs as voiced by area residents," according to Neighborhood Capital Budget Group.

It has to be noted that pigeon poop is hardly a "pressing need." I supposed that on a technicality the pigeon spikes could be considered an infrastructure improvement. Seriously, though, aren't there more pressing needs in Rogers Park's 49th Ward? Yes, of course there are.

But Moore has pressing need of his own today. He'd like to divert attention away from his disturbing behavior at the IVI-IPO dinner on June 20. Alderman Moore was denied entrance to a V.I.P. reception because he didn't have a ticket. He yelled "F--- You!" at one of the organizers but was still denied entrance. Moore stormed out, his entourage of minions in tow, tails between their legs. As Moore was leaving, he passed Governor Pat Quinn and growled "This is pay to play!" at him. (See "Joe Moore Loses His Mind At IVI-IPO Dinner.") So, a happy email blast about reducing pigeon poop is just what the doctor ordered. Public relations concerning pigeons sure beats eating crow.

Recently, Ald. Moore used menu money to buy some goodwill from a handful of his Rogers Park constituency by allocating about $90,000 from his annual "menu money" to cover parking in a Chicago Park District lot along the lakefront. What that means is that 99.99 percent of the rest of his ward still has a severe shortage of parking, but the rest of us are subsidizing the parking of a handful. No matter, Moore got some great headlines by spending your tax dollars to subsidize parking for a few people.

Rogers Park Progress, a blog that writes about "Community, Spaces, & Transport on Chicago’s Far North Side," put it very well on June 12 when they wrote the following:

Even Alderman Moore himself admits that menu money is typically set aside for “ward infrastructure, such as streets, alleys, sidewalks, street lights and the like.” But since that stuff’s all pretty much in mint condition around here, no harm in earmarking about 7.5% of the fund annually to appease the few at the expense of the many. (Full Post...)

So today, June 22, Moore brags that he is spending more of that infrastructure improvement money to appease a few more people as they dodge pigeon crap at Metra stations. We've held back from asking the obvious question: Why is aldermanic menu money paying for what should be a Metra expense?

Following is the full text from Moore's June 22 email blast (pigeon photos added by me):

Pigeons Evicted From Metra Underpasses

Dear Neighbor,

49th Ward residents will no longer have to carry umbrellas or wear wide-brimmed hats when walking under Rogers Park Metra viaducts thanks to the installation of new "pigeon spikes."

Pigeons have nested under the Metra viaducts for years, creating an unsightly and unsanitary mess.

Now every Metra viaduct in the 49th Ward, from Howard Street south to Pratt Boulevard, has rows of plastic spikes that prevent pigeons from roosting on ledges over the sidewalks. The spikes do not harm the birds; they simply prevent them from roosting. I sponsored the installation of the pigeon spikes after investigating various alternatives to addressing the pigeon problem and the droppings that accompany the birds.

The spikes proved to be the most cost-effective and permanent solution to the problem. Union Pacific authorities gave the City permission to install the spikes, and I sponsored the installation from my aldermanic menu money--the discretionary fund for infrastructure improvements--at a total cost of $40,000 for all ten Metra viaducts in the ward. To my knowledge, we are the first ward in the city to sponsor the installation under train viaducts of these pigeon control devices.

The pigeon spikes hopefully will lower our clean-up costs and make travelling by foot under the viaducts a little more pleasant.

Please let my office and me know if you think the new pigeon spikes are working.

Sincerely,

Joe Moore

P.S. This unusually rainy month has caused me to reschedule my Satellite Service Office outings on several occasions. I plan to complete my latest round of Satellite Service offices tomorrow and Wednesday, weather permitting, of course. Look for me tomorrow (Tuesday, June 23rd) from 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Lunt entrance to the Morse El, and the same times on Wednesday at the Greenleaf entrance to the Rogers Park Metra stop. My staff and I will be there to give away free coffee and donuts and take service requests.

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Photo - Spring is Gone

2009-06-22T11:15:00.001-05:00

Welcome, Summer.

Photo: T.H.Mannis

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Eco-Nuts Grab More Chicago Lake Front

2009-06-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

While the Chicago Park District is publicly plotting to extend the lake front four more miles (against the wishes of voters, it should be noted), a stealthy move has already been made to appropriate portions of our lake front. There are a number of "dunes," or "nature areas" that have been in place since at least 2007.

Chicago Park District lists the areas as: Burnham Park , Gompers Park, Humboldt Park, Indian Boundary Park & Cultural Center, Jackson Park, Lincoln Park, Loyola Park, Montrose Beach, Nichols Park , North Park Village Nature Center, Osterman Beach, Rainbow Beach , Ridge Park Wetlands Park, Sherman Park, Washington Park and Winnemac Park. We'll look at Loyola Park here, but I just want to note that some of the locations, such as Osterman Beach, resemble little more than strips of scrubby weeds wedged between sand and high rise buildings.

These "dunes" projects are, purportedly, designed to provide sanctuary to wildlife. One such project is Loyola Park, on Chicago's North Side, a block east of N. Sheridan Road at the end of W. Pratt Avenue.

The "dunes" are suddenly larger this year than last, and not by natural action. Rather, humans have essentially confiscated more of the beach for the purpose of well, for the purpose of some idiotic tilt at windmills. See the slideshow, below.

It is, to be frank, ridiculous. Volunteers spend full days hunched over, seeking out non-native plants and hand pulling them from the sandy soil. It's a futile battle, of course. Dandelions are an "invasive" species, for example.

Dandelions are native to Asia, and I seriously doubt that the well meaning, simple minded eco-volunteers will win their war (let alone a single battle) to keep the "dunes" dandelion free. That's just one of a hundred non-native species that the volunteers cannot realistically hope to keep out unless they enclose the area with a dome. Another problem: The three willow trees nearby have spawned thousands of foot-high offspring in the dunes, and volunteers last year told me that they, like dandelions, are undesirable. Again, a losing battle unless those willows are removed, and that would set off a public relations disaster for the dune fanatics.

The projects are still just laughable oddities, but they hold a menacing promise. Do beach-going Chicagoans really want the eco-lunatics to enlarge their anti-dandelion battlefields to take more and more precious beachfront away from human enjoyment? That's their goal, you know. They'll deny it, of course, but ask them this: How much more space for the "dunes" will you need, and when will it be enough?

RELATED:
Take care of what's of there first - Chicago Tribune
Nature Area Volunteer Stewardship Days - Chicago Park District

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Updated - Chicago Elementary Students to March in Gay Pride Parade

2009-06-21T19:25:00.002-05:00

UPDATE 6/21/09: A well-written article by Wes Lawson at Windy City Times (June 17) gives more information, including fair coverage of my comments with one disagreement - I did not say that I "overstated my case."

WARNING: This post and its comments deal with controversial sexual and social topics in a blunt and truthful way that most politically correct people are incapable of understanding.

Children at Nettlehorst Elementary will be made to march in a gay pride parade in Chicago during the weekend of June 26-27. Nettlehorst is located at 3252 N. Broadway Street, Chicago, in the East Lakeview neighborhood, also known as "Boys Town."

A typical shop window along a main strip of Boys Town (top left) gives you an idea of the predominant "culture" in this part of Chicago. That culture is based largely on anal intercourse and the pursuit thereof.

Nettlehorst is a Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Magnet Cluster School, a CPS Community School and Fine Arts and Performing Arts Program Site. That's wonderful, but Nettlehorst seems to also be an indoctrination center for gay activism.

On Friday, June 5, a colorful event was held on the asphalt playground of Nettlehorst. Brightly colored swaths of cloth were tied to the wrought iron fence. The cloth was symbolic, and laminated notices attached to the fence explained (my emphasis added):

"Hey, What's This All About? Each Nettlehorst student has tied a piece of fabric to the fence as a tangible sign of his or her personal intention to create a better world. As [sic] Nettlehorst, we've also made a collective intention: that each of us becomes kinder, gentler, and more tolerant. Here, the rainbow colors of gay pride are a visible sign of our respect for the neighborhood of which we are a part, and the diversity of families that we serve. In June, Nettlehorst will be the first public school to walk in Chicago's Gay Pride Parade. We believe family means everybody."

"Everybody," say the little signs of explanation. Does this mean we can look forward to Nettlehorst having the kids tie red, white and blue ribbons to that fence as "a visible sign" of respect for the veterans fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

How about a pro-gun rally for the kids? Surely there must be one or two Nettlehorst parents who are veterans and/or believe in the right to own a gun for self-protection.

Perhaps Nettlehorst can load the kids into some buses and take them to a neighborhood where the biggest annual event does not involve drunken men flashing their bare asses from floats on a public street in a show of "pride." After all, if you really want to round out the kids' education, and if you really believe in teaching diversity and tolerance, shouldn't they include the heterosexual culture as well? Well?

According to the Family Equality Council, "The school has a gay and lesbian parent social group. There are LGBT staff, but the staff overall seems to be very inclusive. Teachers have age-appropriate LGBT books in their classrooms, and the school is participating in the gay pride parade this year...."

Are there any age-appropriate heterosexual books in the classrooms? If so, why not brag about that, too? The staff is "very inclusive?" I challenge any pro-life group to set up a speaking engagement there. Better yet, I challenge Nettlehorst to invite a pro-life group to speak there. That would be very inclusive of them.

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Obama Falls in Approval Index

2009-06-21T16:05:00.004-05:00

Ooops. Obama is slipping. The June 21 Rasmussen Reports Daily Presidential Tracking Poll shows this in stark numbers.

The number of people who "strongly disapprove" of Obama has risen sharply, while the number of those who "strongly approve" has sharply fallen.

Related:
Rasmussen Daily President Tracking Poll
America is Learning - Red Mass Group

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Pay-To-Play, Joe Moore and Heather Steans

2009-06-21T10:13:00.011-05:00

Chicago Alderman Joe Moore screamed "F--- You!" at a V.I.P. reception with Illinois Governor Quinn on Saturday, June 21. Why? He was upset over being denied entrance to a V.I.P. reception because he did not buy a $200 ticket for the event. While storming out, he growled at Gov. Quinn, "This is pay-to-play!" The hypocrisy of Moore's behavior (not to mention the weirdness) is rich indeed. (Read more about that story...)

If that's what Moore describes as "pay-to-play," then he's as guilty as anybody. Moore's birthday is July 16. It is typical for Moore to send invitations to his birthday party with one little catch: You'll be asked for a "suggested donation." In 2007, that meant shelling out $125.00 for grilled hot dogs and boring conversation. That's Moore's house on the day of his birthday party on July 16, 2007 (5:15 p.m.). Notice the festive Joe Moore campaign signs in the yard, perfect for any birthday celebration or pay-to-play party.

In addition to his for-profit birthday parties, Ald. Moore has a reputation for pressing business people for "donations" to his campaign fund. "Pay-to-play" is a game Moore knows well, as does his little friend Heather Steans.

Steans is an Illinois State Senator who, over the years and with help from her husband, facilitated the funneling of around $200,000 to Rod Blagojevich. She doesn't like to admit it, but there it is, in the public record. That's an inconvenient truth for Steans, as she earnestly pretends to be a pure-hearted reformer who would never participate in such dirty games (she's not, and she has). That brings us back to Joe Moore...

Of Hosts and Parasites:

Moore is on the Host Committee of an upcoming fundraising event for Steans. The fundraiser invitation, laughably, is a parody of the television show "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!" That's the show that on which Patti Blagojevich, wife of the former governor Rod Blagojevich, has been busy eating bugs with has-been celebrities. Steans and most of the folks on her Host Committee were staunch Blagojevich supporters until it became too uncomfortable for them to continue in that role. The Steans invitation indirectly mocks Blagojevich, but unintentionally points out the hypocrisy of Steans and those on her Host Committee. The Steans invitation says "I'm a Politician, Get Me Out of Here!"

On Monday, June 29 folks will gather at 50 W. Washington Street, Suite 400 in Chicago. That's the office of Jeanne Reynolds, an Associate Judge of the Cook County Circuit Court. Reynolds is also the current president of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois. (Say, isn't that sexist? Is there a "Men's Bar Association of Illinois?")

If you need directions to the Steans fundraiser, you could phone Ms. Reynolds' office at 312-603-1249. That's Reynolds in the photo (in the pink thing), with Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan (under the forehead) at the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois’ 94th Annual Installation Dinner in Chicago, June 5, 2008.

If you would like to attend the Steans fundraiser, you have several options. Would you like to be an "Island Rescuer?" It will cost you $2,000. Other options are "Island Host" for $1,000, "Producer" for $500 and "Celebrity" for a mere $100. If you want to attend, you'll have to pay. You don't pay, you can't play. (See how that works, Joe?)

That's exactly what Ald. Moore was so upset about when he screamed "F--- You!" at the IVI-IPO folks on June 20. How do you think Steans - or Moore - would react to somebody who sends Steans a check for $100, but insists that they be given "Producer" status?

Chicago is a city of "pay-to-play" politics. Do you want to build a new store or add on to an existing building? A "donation" to your local alderman is likely to speed the process up. No "donation" is likely to slow you down, maybe even kill the project. Are you an aspiring politician who wants to run for office in Chicago or Cook County? You'll need the endorsement of the Democrat Party, the iron-fisted "machine" that decides who will be a candidate and who will not. Want to attend a Joe Moore birthday party or a Heather Steans fundraiser?

You'll have to pay to play.

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Joe Moore Loses His Mind At IVI-IPO Dinner

2009-06-21T09:10:00.000-05:00

Full story over here....

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