I can’t find a link anywhere, but Mike and Mike this morning played a sound byte from Peter Gammons calling Yankee Stadium a “joke.” Seriously.
[...]edited by: Douglas Welch,
Illinois Editor
For some reason I just got an email about a new website for O’Hare: www.ohare-airport.org. A big improvement over there old site. You can track flights and sign up for email alerts, etc. Though, I guess this only really helps if you’re the one picking up or' [...]
So I’m not very libertarian when it comes to credit cards. I admit this is as much because of personal experience as it is abstract reflection. But I believe credit card companies routinely take advantage of a certain tendency of people to be too lazy read the convoluted legalize in [...]
The Tribune has a report on CTA complaints. So called “pass ups” are the no. 1 peave. That’s where the bus driver see you waving and but drives right by leaving you shivering in the 30 MPH bluster.
Worse to me, are the the three buses that come by at [...]
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Summer is here and there’s never been a better time for buying Chicago Real Estate. One of the more fortunate consequences of the bubble bursting last fall is that if you’re looking to buy, there are lots of deals.
[...]I’ve been travelling off and on the last couple of weeks. I apologies to all my loyal readers tuning in everyday to devour my intrepid prose. Ok, I apologies to the two loyal readers who tune in. Anyway, an apology is in order. I hope to resume blogging now and [...]
I was a little worried the Civic Federation might be convinced to support this thing if Quinn threw in enough “reforms.” But it looks like they’re on the right side of the issue again.
[...]Just in case you need another reason not to like Todd Stroger, you know, besides the nepotism and stupidity, [...]
I’m not really a christian. I was raised episcopalian, which means I was barely christian to begin with. But while I certainly believe there is more to the universe than my puny little mind, I think we should all be suspicious of claims on the part of religion to have [...]
So looking through Pat Quinn’s Reform Commission proposal, which you can find here, I have to say there’s more I agree with in it than disagree. Particularly, I like the term limits provision. I like the disclosure of contributions in real time and the disclosure of so called [...]
I gotta agree with Dennis Byrne here. I usually defend mass transit, at least the principle of mass transit, but spending billions an a rail network to get me to Milwaukee in an hour is massive waste of money. The “high speed” trains will go 110 MPH, which is a [...]
I have to respect the guys … err … guts. He’s behaving as if he’s got a Obama size mandate. Of course, he’s taken over after the office was disgraced and he has a reputation for being a stand up guy. So I do image he can get away with more [...]
I’m back from a weekend jaunt to New York. I missed most of the sports action, but it appears I only missed the Bulls stumble in the final game of a great series and the Cubs lost their ace on bunt. Oh, but the Blackhawks won … so I guess [...]
As I mentioned yesterday, Democrats are considering using the “Nuclear Option” to ram through Health Care Reform. This option would limit debate on the legislation and only require 51 Senators to completely close debate on the issue. The move would strip Republicans of the opportunity to filibuster, an age-old [...]
Thank you FoxNews! I can only assume that this poll is a direct result of Mike Huckabee being on television every day. He’s polished. He’s funny. But he’s a social conservative without even the faintest hint of fiscal conservatism. In other words, he’s a smarter, smoother George W. Bush. [...]
There are certain times where I’m really happy to be working at home.
Update: You can track swine flu via Google Maps:
View H1N1 Swine Flu in a larger map
I’m not a huge basketball fan, which is strange because I do enjoy “shooting hoops” at the gym. It must be because I’m too busy liking all the other sports. Anyway, to someone who doesn’t know much about basketball, the Bulls v. Celtics series is turing out [...]
Heard about this yet? I believe this reprents the first attempt by government to have control over the internet. And of course, it’s in the name of “security.” The only thing more predictable would have been for the legislation to be “for the children.” The [...]
From Legistorm:
Bonuses are not unusual on Capitol Hill. But 2008 seems to have been an unusually big year for bonuses, according to the most recent House data LegiStorm analyzed. Each year, personnel compensation rises in the fourth quarter in the House of Representatives (data for the Senate is not yet available and is [...]
With the stroke of pen the government could become the single biggest shareholder in America’s banking system.
This sound harmless enough, but the consequences are serious. Sure, it isn’t outright nationalization, but it is hybridization, which is just the innocuous first step to nationalization.
Think about health care industry. Every year [...]
I’m not a particularly reckless or angry guy, but I’m starting have thoughts that scare me. You know how sometimes, if you’re in traffic, someone will just pull into your lane without even looking. Well, a little part of me is starting to think I’m an enabler. I hit the [...]
The most common response to the Tea Parties yesterday seems to be “Great! But where were you when Republicans were spnding like crazy a few years ago!” The goal here is to characterize the anger exhibited at the Tea Parties as purely partisan. We didn’t protest Bush, but now we’re [...]
The New York Times is editorializing in favor of complete nationalization of the Federal Student Loan program. Most readers probably know this, but right now, the majority of student loans pass through private lenders. According to the Times:
Under this galling arrangement, lenders are paid handsome subsidies to make student [...]
Update 3:30 pm: I have one report of nearly 500 at a tea party in Joliet.
Update 3:27pm: The local Fox affiliate is grossly under-reporting the numbers: “Hundreds of people have gathered in downtown Chicago …”
Update 2:29: How many people were at the Tea Party? My [...]
From the Sun-Times:
Jermaine Dye and Konerko reached the 300-homer milestone for their careers in back-to-back at-bats Monday in the White Sox’ 10-6 victory over the Tigers. They are the first teammates to hit century milestone home runs in the same game, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
I love baseball. It’s [...]
I love how some reporters can make broad, but dubious, assertions about capitalism with impunity. From the NYT:
The meeting is too short — a single day — to make more than a start on fixing the weaknesses in the international financial system that contributed to the current crisis. [...]
From FoxNews:
Soldiers wounded in combat will someday be regrowing limbs — if the Pentagon has its way.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has just given Massachusetts’ Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) a $570,000, one-year contract to get a mammal, preferably a human, to regenerate a large body part such [...]
America, are you ready for hope and change? Too bad, what you’re getting is Chicago politics, which pulls no punches, makes no friends, and shows no mercy. Obama is about to run ads across the country rallying support for his budget and using his “political [...]
Against the background of an administration coming closer and closer to outright nationalization of the financial industry, Barack Obama’s op-ed in the Chicago Tribune this morning takes on ominous tones:
No one can deny the urgency of action. A crisis in credit and confidence [...]
From the Washington Post:
The Obama administration is considering asking Congress to give the Treasury secretary unprecedented powers to initiate the seizure of non-bank financial companies, such as large insurers, investment firms and hedge funds, whose collapse would damage the broader economy, according to an administration [...]
From the Trib:
Chicago won’t appear as gung-ho as Olympics boosters would have hoped when international officials arrive in early April to assess the city’s 2016 plans.
From an anti-Olympics rally downtown to pockets of unhappiness in some neighborhoods, opponents are making their displeasure known.
Some groups are dead set against the [...]
I readily admit that the only reason I want to see video of the teleprompter gaffe that occured yesterday, in which Obama first had to apologize for the teleprompter showing the wrong speech to the Prime Minister of Ireland and then thanked himself for inviting [...]
Great column in the NY Post on the hypocrisy in DC regarding AIG bonuses
[...]From the Chicago Tribune:
“We can—and must—turn the state of our economy around,” Quinn said in a
letter to lawmakers that accompanies his budget plan. “I believe it is
not only possible to get Illinois back on the road to recovery, but
make it stronger for future generations.”
Are you kidding? [...]
I’m going to sound like a crumdegeon here, but who pays for dying the river green? It has got to be a waste of resources. It only lasts for a few hours and the river’s already pretty darn green anyway. If it’s more than a thousand bucks, I’m going to [...]
I haven’t posted in a few days because I’ve been trying to wrap my brain around the insanity of acting Governor, Pat Quinn. Blagojevich was a lunatic. I’ll concede that. But he was smart enough to know an income tax increase in Illinois would go over about as well as [...]
From McClatchy, via Drudge:
President Obama weighed in Wednesday on the escalating drug war on the U.S.-Mexico border, saying that he was looking at possibly deploying National Guard troops to contain the violence but ruled out any immediate military move.
“We’re going to examine whether and if National Guard deployments would [...]
According to the Sun-Times more people are tweeting here than in New York. Take a look at the top Chicago tweeters.
[...]According to Reuters, even Warren Buffet is beginning to question Obama’s effectiveness on the economy. Putting my personal feelings about Obama’s program aside, his campaign wiz, Axelrod, is really screwing the pooch right now. Obama has missed a critical consequence of getting elected, that is, running government ain’t like [...]
Be careful GOOGLE. Trust is a big part of your success. If people don’t trust you, they’ll find another solution. From Breitbart:
Google has confirmed that a software bug exposed documents thought to be privately stored in the Internet giant’s online Docs application service.
The problem was fixed by the [...]
I’m 31 years old and I feel like a child.
“Sir … Sir …”
The flight attendant chirps at me, but I’m engrossed in a crossword puzzle and don’t hear her. Who the hell was the 1999 National League MVP?
“Excuse me sir!” This time her voice was shrill and piercing. I look [...]
I met Brian for the first time several years ago at a convention. He was still in school and asking me how to get into the think tank biz (I was working for the Illinois Policy Institute at the time). Well, I can’t remember what I told him, but I [...]
Tribune is reporting today that a number of states are proposing taxes on “the vices we hold dear.”
It infuriates me on 2 levels.
One, ENOUGH with the taxes on seemingly every single aspect of our lives!
Two, just because in our Judeo-Christian society it is viewed as a “vice” or “sin” [...]
Despite repeated calls from Republicans and Democrats calling for him to step down, Burris went to a higher authority on Sunday, (attending church), and with the support of innumerable preachers, refused to answer any questions.
Burris darted out the proverbial “back door” to escape media questions which I’m sure would have included, “Senator Burris, [...]
This ad is funny, but completely disengenuous. There’s no such thing as “clean coal” the ad says with an air of moral righteousness. Indeed, when has the left ever decided on a consistent definition of “clean.” The minute a Burring Owl or a Golden Eagle is hacked to pieces by [...]
One of the sad facts of American political discourse is that the party in power is prone to characterizing the minority party as “obstructionist.” I’ve already heard the term a few times with regard to Republicans not voting for the stimulus bill. And of course, some on the [...]
Not that many Obama voters care about the stock market, or see it as a measure of economic importance, but someone should really start studying the Obama-factor, which is the effect Barack Obama’s voice has on Wall Street. Here’s a snap shot of the Market since Inauguration Day.
From Barack Obama’s budget release on Thursday, as reported by the Tribune:
“We need to be honest with ourselves about what costs are being racked up, because that’s how we’ll come to grips with the hard choices that lie ahead,” Obama said in brief remarks Thursday. “And there are some hard [...]
Update Saturday Morning: Still nothing in the Tribune.
Update 5:52 PM: Apologies for the server issues, but everything seems to be back.
Update 12:38 PM: I wonder how long it will take the Chicago Tribune to cover the protests? So far nothing.
The Chicago Tea Party was an unqualified success. I’m not [...]
So let’s face it, we’re going to get universal health care sometime over the next four years. Obama and his democrats are gearing up to implement something probably next year before midterm elections.
Republican’s position to date on Health Care has been ‘NO’. I’ve written [...]
They’re coming, we just don’t know when. From ABC News: The White House changed its information late Wednesday and now says that the tax hike will take place in fy2011.
[...]Yep, apparently there will be a protest on Friday. It’s a little quick when you think about it. I’m not sure the professional organizers on the left would advocate taking only a week to plan a protest. But hell, at least they’re doing something.
[...]Barack Obama last night announced the launch of an “historic” committment to transparency in www.recovery.gov. The website is attractive and appears to be easy to use. But what’s lacking is real tranparency. I applaud Obama for the effort. But transparency doesn’t mean posting government financial reports and analysis [...]
All this talk about nationalizing the banks has me scared shitless. Does anyone realize what we’re talking about here? We’re talking about the Bank controlling the terms of lending and investment. The most important decisions in the economy will no longer be left to professionals with [...]
The media is buzzing this morning about job loss statistics. Apparently, the BLS is estimating that we lost 598,000 jobs in January. This, according to the press is the worst in 34 years, since December of 1974.
It’s bad. I’m not saying it isn’t bad. But the [...]
So, it has surfaced that yet another Obama nominee for his administration has had a problem paying taxes.
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner successfully attained confirmation despite the fact that he neglected to pay taxes in the past (he has since paid up).
Today, the Chicago Tribune reports Nancy Killefer, whom President Obama had chosen [...]
So, its over.
My thoughts…
I heard someone on the radio yesterday (it may have been John Williams on WGN) making a comparison between Rod Blagojevich and OJ Simpson.
Both men TRULY BELIEVE…in their minds…that they are innocent, despite all the evidence, circumstantial or not, that seems to tip to scales towards [...]
From today’s Chicago Sun-Times:
The City of Vancouver is considering borrowing $375 million or more to finish construction of its 2010 Olympic Village.
The budget for London’s 2012 Olympic Games is four times what was initially projected.
But Chicagoans shouldn’t worry about potential cost overruns drying up public money if the Olympic [...]
The Daily Beast is tracking the musings of our soon to be ex-governor, Rod Blagojevich.
My favorite (from the day before he was arrested):
“I appreciate anybody who wants to tape me openly and notoriously, and those who feel like they want to sneakily and wear taping devices, [...]
Every time I see an excellent musician no one has heard of I get a little frustrated about the state of the world. I saw three of them last night at Shubas. Click “read more” to see some videos.
Krista Detor
Dylan Sneed
Kristy Kruger
I received an email today from a PR firm bragging about heated bus sheltors paid for by Tylenol. This is the kind of public private “partnership” I like, as opposed to the kind that involves the Mayor Daley extorting some companies and lavish riches upon others. However [...]
… Let me count the ways
I love the way your hair seems disconnected from your scalp, the way it levitates above your dollish face.
I love the way you treat reality, kicking it to the curb like a forlorn mistress with an outbreak of herpes.
I love the way [...]
Be careful next time you’re practicing the art of broad sword fighting in authentic medival garb … google could be watching.
[...]As a way to reinvigorate my committment to this blog, I spent some time today giving it a facelift. Sometime you just need a change of scenery. That’s what’s great about websites, it’s so easy to take something old and make it new again.As always, your comments on the new [...]
I’ve had an off and on relationship with Bell’s Brewing Co. While I like many of their beers I had yet to come across one that really wowed. One that had that special quality that truly great beers have. Something unique but comforting. [...]
Don’t forget what we’re really celebrating. That a couple hundred years ago, for the first time in history, one head-of-state (Adams) peacefully turned over power to another (Jefferson). This is a great American legacy.
[...]From the Tribune:
Once considered a five-tool prospect and the best player in the Cubs’ farm system, Pie never panned out in stints with the Cubs in 2007 and ‘08. He was dealt for left-hander Garrett Olson and Class A right-hander Henry Williamson.
This makes up for the DeRosa trade. Now [...]
I give Barack Obama all the credit in the world for including tax cuts (actually there technically aren’t any cuts, its more of a holiday) in his stimulus plan. But I will also fault him for laundering the other $500 billion in his “plan” through government coffers where spending is [...]
I’ve a big fan of whoever runs the Sun-Times weather graphics. They just always seem to have the right word for the day.
I guess this is the kind of thing we’ll have to get used to now that Obama is president. It’s a little absurd though. Though, from security standpoint I’ve always thought the Metra was a little lax. They should at least have video cameras like the CTA.
[...]I’ve been on hiatus, pondering whether to continue this blog. But this morning, I couldn’t take it. The Tribune reports:
Without a single word of debate, aldermen voted today to use new property tax revenue for Chicago’s 2016 Olympics bid and guaranteed the city would cover additional police patrols, street [...]
It seems that every public official in the country wants to keep Illinois Goverf**ker Rod Blagojevich from deciding who will replace president-elect Barack Obama in the United States Senate. However, nobody seems willing to pursue the only two legitimate means of doing so.
Illinois law requires that the sitting governor - [...]
Deep cold has a molecular effect on the world. Sound is muffled. There is a stillness in the air unique to sub-zero temperatures, as if even the concrete and metal have frozen still. The pavement is hard under my feet. Not that it is soft normally, but the hardness is [...]
I own a Jeep Cherokee. It gets about 15 - 20 miles to the gallon, hardly an eco-friendly vehicle. But on days like today, I’m reminded that I don’t care. While my neighbors, in their little, hybrids are digging out around their tires, spinning out at stop signs, and sliding [...]
From Clout Street:
Cook County Board President Todd Stroger’s budget proposal relies far too much on borrowing to pay day-to-day expenses, according to an analysis to be released Friday by a business-backed budget watchdog group.
“It’s an extraordinarily bad deal for the citizens of Cook County at an extraordinarily difficult time,” [...]
Mark Brown has a good idea. Instead of suffering through months and maybe years of Blagojevich drama, why not just buy the guy off. Seriously, we can put money in escrow and create some legal contract by which GRod receives the money if and when he steps down.
[...]Only in Florida:
Similar to the Amber Alert, declared when a child is abducted, a Silver Alert is circulated when a person 60 or older who suffers from dementia or another cognitive impairment like Alzheimer’s disease goes missing. About a dozen other states, including neighboring Georgia, have adopted similar programs, [...]
Call me a humbug, but before they raise our taxes again or raise our fares again, that damn Holiday train has to go. It’s the principle of the thing.
[...][Bush] said in an interview Tuesday he was forced to sacrifice free market principles to save the economy from “collapse.”
“I’ve abandoned free-market principles to save the free-market system,” Bush told CNN television, saying he had made the decision “to make sure the [...]
News is, Arne Duncan will be tapped to be the next Education Secretary. For choice advocates, the pick could’ve been better … but it could’ve been a helluva lot worse.
For one, Arne Duncan is a reformer. He is not a union stooge. He advocates [...]
This is frightening. From the Washington Times:
The government’s spending commitments exploded by 25 percent in 2008, putting taxpayers more than $1 trillion in the hole even before the astronomical costs of the economic bailout were taken into account, according to an annual report released Monday [...]
Applause to the Chicago Sun-Times for so aptly describing the weather in Chicago this morning.
[...]Ben Joravsky reminds us that former Governor Jim Thompson was out in front of the Wrigley Field deal, something this blog was highly suspicious about. From Clout City:
As you may recall, former governor [...]
The New York Times is questioning whether Illinois corruption really lives up to its reputation. The proof? A chart showing the rate of public officials convicted of curruption per capita. The problem with this approach [...]
[...]
