Seems the International Olympics Committee is biased against our neighbors to the south. Elmer, a reader in Maryland, tells us that the IOC has avoided that continent for more than 100 years. Elmer wrote, "I live in Maryland and I am very much for Rio de Janeiro to host the 2016 Olympics. Rio and Brazil and South America hosting the 2016 Olympics would be just as historic as Obama being elected President."

Indeed. Elmer points out these startling facts, which he found at zinkhome.com, to our attention:

• Since 1896, the Olympics have only been held in the Southern Hemisphere 2 times.
• Since 1896, the Olympics have NEVER been held in South America.

Update: I received this kind note from reader "Trpy" in Santa Ana, California:
 "As an African American, I must say that was the best article I have read. If I were a Klan member, I would retire from active duty and just watch from the side lines."


The Ku Klux Klan couldn't have killed 16-year old Derrion Albert last week in Chicago any more effectively than the black kids who beat the life out of him.

Opinion by Tom Mannis
Chicago News Bench

Derrion is the young man who was beaten to death by a mob of bloodthirsty savages last Thursday near the Agape Community Center in the far southside Chicago neighborhood of Roseland. From all accounts, Derrion did nothing to provoke the vicious attack. Witnesses say he was merely passing by, in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Derrion was black. All of his attackers are black. No Klansmen were anywhere nearby.

Fools, and race baiters like Jesse Jackson, Sr. (I will not call him "reverend"), constantly scream about the Ku Klux Klan and their attacks on Black Americans. To listen to Jackson and his ilk, you might think that the KKK has millions of members and is killing Black Americans on a genocidal scale. This is simply not true, and the sad truth is that far more Blacks are murdered every year by fellow Blacks than the KKK is capable of.

Is the Klan omnipresent? Are they everywhere, hiding under your bed and behind every corner? Hardly. The Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish organization that is hated by the KKK, says that there are more than 40 different Klan groups exist, "many having multiple chapters.... including a few that boast a presence in a large number of states. There are over a hundred different Klan chapters around the country, with a combined strength of members and associates that may total around 5,000."

There are 50 states in the U.S. That means, if the ADL numbers are correct, that there is an average of only 100 KKK members per state. There are, on average, more violent gang members in any big city neighborhood than there are Klan members in an entire state.

I am in no way defending or apologizing for the KKK, a group that I consider to be vile and dangerous. We are right to be mindful of them, but the simple fact is that more Black Americans are killed by other Black Americans every month than the KKK kills in a decade.

Consider this: According to the US Department of Justice, 94% of black victims were killed by blacks from 1975 to 2005.

An excellent article by Marissa McGill at Examiner.com (Sept. 4, 2009) noted the ongoing crisis of "black on black" violence. She wrote:

Guns don’t kill people. PEOPLE kill people. What has warped our minds and diseased our souls to provoke us to take someone’s life away from them? Does the African American community suffer from that much hatred, insecurity, and pain that we must murder each other, like it’s nothing? I don’t want to use the term “violence” anymore. We have become numb to the word in our community. Let us call it what it really is: Attempted Self-Annihilation. (Full article)

She's right, in my opinion. However, plenty of murders are done without guns. Knives, fists, hands around a throat, and so on, including the wooden sticks that killed Derrion Albert. Regardless of the weapons used, the weapons did not make the decision to kill or maim.

Will Jesse Jackson and his posse ever rant about the vicious thugs who kill their black brothers and sisters, cousins and neighbors? Admittedly they have, but rarely. You're much more likely to hear the alarmist race baiters scream about the KKK (Jackson-speak for "whitey"). Would Jackson and his followers ever admit that Black Americans are killing more blacks than the KKK could even dream of killing?

Consider these "hate crime" numbers from the FBI:

In 2007, the FBI says there was a nationwide total of 9,006 "hate crime" offenses (source). That's total. Of that total, "Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter" totaled a whopping nine (9). Repeat: Nine "hate crime" killings in all of 2007. Other numbers include 1,116 aggravated assaults and 1,684 simple assaults, but remember that the 9,006 figure includes both violent and non-violent crimes (159 burglaries, for example). All 9.006 are categorized as "hate crimes."

Let's assume, for the sake of discussion, that all nine of the killings were done by Klansmen. Nine black people dead is a bad weekend in Chicago, and tragic to be sure, but it is hardly a nationwide genocidal effort by the KKK. Nobody would call nine killings "genocide," yet the race baiters would love for their simple-minded sycophants to keep on believing that the KKK is on a terrible mass-murder rampage, nationwide, every day. It just ain't so.

The beasts who murdered honor student Derrion Albert did what is done so tragically often in America: They killed an innocent young person, a kid with promise. They did the KKK's dirty work. They killed a black kid. They killed out of hate, but this crime will not be listed as a "hate crime." All of this shows the absurdity of even using the "hate crime" designation. Derrion Albert is dead, but no more dead than he would be today had his killers been drunk white Klansmen. He is no less dead for the fact that his attackers were of the same race.

Worried about the KKK? They're certainly a group that needs to be monitored, but these days they've got it easy. Unwitting surrogates do the killing for them, accomplishing more evil and mayhem in a single drunken Uptown weekend than the Klan ever could. The far bigger worry for Black Americans these days, however, is the black kid walking next to you on the playground. He's more likely to kill you than are the 100 or so Klansmen in your state.


RELATED:
References to "KKK" at redcounty.com

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In an exclusive interview with Lorraine Swanson of Lake Effect News, the guy behind ChicagoansForRio.com discusses his controversial anti-Chicago 2016 Olympics web site. Kevin Lynch told Swanson that he is "not Brazilian," he lives in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood, and that GamesBids.com is full of crap (my words). FoxNews Chicago got sucked into the story when they pulled a story about ChicagoansForRio.

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(En Francais) Most neighborhood street festivals are disappointing. Let's be honest. Cheap trinkets made overseas are hawked by vendors from outside of the hood, the food is predictable, and the entertainment often mundane. Well...

Lycée Français de Chicago has a cure for that with their Annual Fall French Market ("Marché d’Automne"), featuring food demonstrations by top Chicago chefs, great raffle prizes, and entertainment pour les enfants (for the kids).

Lycée Français de Chicago is "a private, not-for-profit, coeducational day school serving 558 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade." It's a great facility located on Chicago's north side at 613 W. Bittersweet Place just off Marine Drive. They are about to throw another "Annual Fall French Market" on Friday, October 16 through Sunday, October 18, 2009. The Fall French Market will introduce many Chicagoans to the French culture, which - I must admit - has given the world more than most. For those already familiar with French culture, this is a good opportunity to revisit fond memories.

The basic info:
When: Friday - Sunday, October 16 - 18, 2009
Where: 613 W. Bittersweet Place in Chicago. Enter from Irving Park Road at Marine Drive.
Admission: Adults $5 for adults. Free admission for children not participating in Children’s Pavilion activities. (More details below.)

Press releases are a dime a dozen, but now and then we get one that is (a) well written, (b) very informative and (c) fun. The following example of such a press release was sent to Chicago News Bench by the good folks at This is a great oppotunity to learn about another nation and to a great local institution. And so, voila, le press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Desta Davis
for Lycée Français de Chicago
312-320-8846
destadavis@aol.com

Oh Lá Lá! Quel Marché!
Lycée Français de Chicago Hosts
Annual Fall French Market Bringing the Best of France to Chicago

Experience the tastes, sounds, art and antiques of a traditional French marketplace at the Lycée Français de Chicago Fall French Market on Oct. 16-18, 2009. The school will transform into a bustling bazaar with more than 60 vendors, culinary demonstrations from top Chicago chefs, great raffle prizes, and children’s entertainment. Proceeds from the market will benefit Lycée Français in its mission to provide a dual-language education focused on academic excellence.


“The Fall French Market is our opportunity to open the doors of Lycée to the local community and share the best of French culture with Chicago,” said Alain Weber, president of Lycée Français de Chicago. “With authentic tastes, sounds and children’s activities, there truly is a little something for everyone.”

“Achetez!”
The Fall French Market Cocktail Preview will open on Friday, Oct. 16, from 7 to 10 p.m,. offering a sneak peek at unique collectibles, women’s jewelry, artwork, and antiques. Famed artists and vendors will include Ipso Facto, Figaro, Katherine Anne's Confections, Benny and Moon and Marguerite Gardens.

Complimentary passed hors d'oeuvres, sparkling wine, and beer will be served. Tickets for this adults - only event will be sold in advance for $30 or at the door for $40.

Shopping and fun for the entire family will continue on Saturday, Oct. 17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 18 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Vendors from across Chicagoland and beyond will offer jewelry, home décor, as well as French candy and crêpes, linens, gifts, furnishings, antiques, tabletops and more. A complete schedule of activities and list of vendors is available at www.lyceechicago.org

“Dégustez!”
Taste and learn from Chicago’s finest chefs, who will conduct cooking demonstrations of their famed French fare both Saturday and Sunday at no additional cost to participants. A complete demonstration schedule is available online.

Highlights for Saturday, September 17 include:

12 p.m. Meg Galus, Pastry Chef, TRU

1 p.m. Martial Noguier, Executive Chef, Café des Architectes, Sofitel Chicago, James Beard Award Semi-Finalist & Chicago Social Magazine Chef of the Year 2009

2 p.m. Charlie Socher, Chef and Owner, Cafe Matou
A French Bistro with authentic soups, salads, and sandwiches will offer a menu for sale throughout the weekend. Additionally, vendors will serve up artisan confections, pastries and cheeses.

“Divertissez Les Enfants!”
Shop without the kids! Supervised activities will be offered on Saturday and Sunday for children ages 3 and up at The Children’s Pavilion. The pavilion will be sectioned into three areas: a play area, an arts and crafts area and an entertainment area. Entertainment will include a variety of one-hour acts:
• Dance with Julie – An interactive show with singing, musical games and rhythmic improvisations for all ages (Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18 at 2 p.m.).
• Sean Masterson Magic Show – A highly visual show where the children act out imaginative stories incorporating juggling, puppetry and more (Saturday, October 17 at 11 a.m.).
• Yoga with Janet – An introduction to yoga fundamentals fit for the whole family (Sunday, October 18 at 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.).

Additionally, children and adults alike will be entertained by balloon artist Showtime Tony as he roams the market between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday and 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. Amanda of FinePoint Productions will be painting faces from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Artist and oil painter Scott David Johnson will bring a true Parisian feel to the market, offering sketched portraits to market-goers during event hours Saturday and Sunday.

Photographer Denise Orlin will offer private outdoor mini-portrait sessions (weather-permitting) for couples on Friday evening and for families and children during market hours on Saturday and Sunday.

“Le Coûtet, L’Addresse, en Plus”
Adult admission to the Market is just $5 for adults, with free admission for children not participating in Children’s Pavilion activities. Admission to the Children’s Pavilion is $10 per child or $15 per family for a recommended maximum of two hours.

Lycée Français de Chicago is located at 613 W. Bittersweet Place in Chicago. Enter the Fall French Market from Irving Park Road at Marine Drive.

The Lycée thanks award-winning French artist and graphic designer Yann Legendre for donating his time and talent for the 2009 Fall French Market poster and logo design. For more information on the event, please visit http://www.lyceechicago.org/.

About Lycée Français de Chicago
Lycée Français de Chicago is a private, not-for-profit, coeducational day school serving 541 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The school’s mission is to prepare young people to be responsible global citizens by providing a dual-language education focused on academic excellence. For more information, please visit: http://www.lyceechicago.org/.

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New video from the hooligans at iOwnTheWorld. Sure it's a send-up, but if for those of you who think it's ridiculous, watch the second video below of little schoolkids in a real-life, even creepier episode of Obama Hope-nosis.

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Friend Jerry Agar wrote a great piece about the influence of blogs and bloggers on American politics. He came up with a great list of "transformative moments" in recent political history. Those moments range from the influence that bloggers and micro-bloggers (Twitter) had on the aftermath of the Iranian election to major elected officials being taken down. It's a fascinating list that serves as a touchstone for any researcher. Jerry Agar can be heard on WGN 720 AM in Chicago. He has worked at other superstations, such as WLS in Chicago and WABC New York. He is currently also involved with the Illinois Policy Institute.

10 Great Events in the Rise of the New Media
by Jerry Agar

Not so long ago in America if it wasn’t on Walter Cronkite’s news report or in the pages of the New York Times, it wasn’t news. Most of the rest of the electronic and print reporters and commentators relied on those two entities to show them what was important.

A person who knew something the big news operations did not, especially if their news contrasted with the way the media chieftains saw the world, was labeled as a crank and dismissed.

The cost of setting up a competing news operation was a barrier to entry only a select few could penetrate. It is so cost prohibitive to start a daily paper that former KGB General Oleg Kalugin told me that it was the only piece of the “long march through the institutions” the Russians were unable to achieve.

No more.

The recent explosive story exposing the depths some ACORN employees were willing to sink to in order to thwart “the man” is the latest example of how powerful a tool the Internet is to the little guy and gal.

With the help of local bloggers listed below I have compiled a list of the “10 Great Events in the Rise of the New Media.”

We have tried to make a list of transformative moments.The Virginia Tech shootings, the landing on the Hudson and the 7/7 Tube bombings in London were initially reported by cell phone and blog, showing the power of on-site reporting with new media, but were perhaps not seminal moments, as they would have been reported anyway, and quickly, by the mainstream media (MSM).

The list is an attempt to put these events in order of importance, rather than chronology, but it is not presented as definitive. Lists like this are inevitably arguable and worthy of discussion. Please, leave comments and discuss. That is the point.

SEE THE LIST at Illinois Policy Institute

The following bloggers helped with the list:
The Chicago News Bench, Wilmette, Publius' Forum and Thoughts of a Regular Guy

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Here we go. Watch these two shocking videos, and remember: Just because you might be paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not out to get you.



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Exclusive: A healthcare "reform" rally on Chicago's north side today put more than 100 people in danger. (Exclusive video below.) The event, sponsored by Organizing for America (OFA) and attended by top local Democrats such as Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn, Cong. Jan Schakowsky, State Sen. Heather Steans and State Rep. Greg Harris, was held at the Holiday Club, a bar at 4000 N. Sheridan Road. The front bar of the Holiday Club has a legal fire code capacity of 87, but the room was so tightly packed that people could hardly shove past each other to gobble up the free cheese and chips.

That 87-person capacity is plainly posted over the bar as required by law, yet neither Holiday Club personnel nor OFA staff made any attempt to keep the crowd size within legal limits. (This is reminiscent of a rally held by 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore in December, 2006. He bragged about have a "standing room only" crowd, a clear violation of fire code.)

Shoulder to shoulder inside the Holiday Club, it was difficult for people to move. Chicago News Bench heard a number of people in attendance express concern about the safety of the room. Finally, someone called 911 (yes, it was I) and let the authorities know about the over-capacity crowd size. A police officer arrived, took one look through the door, and called for a supervisor. When the officer's supervisor came (a sergeant), Holiday Club management and OFA staff were told that many of the people would have to leave. Governor Pat Quinn and Rep. Jan Schakowsky were among those who left the bar. (Also See: Exclusive Video: Schakowsky Denies Lesbian Affair.)


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A former FBI employee says that Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-Illinois) was blackmailed by a female Turkish spy. In the exlusive video below, Schakowsky told Chicago News Bench today that the allegations are "total fantasy." We at Chicago News Bench, by the way, like to call this type of thing "lebionage." (Also See: "The (Attempted) Blackmailing of Jan Schakowsky" and "Dangerous OFA Townhall Healthcare Meeting.")
Slightly related: Liberal Media Hypocrisy Test (video)



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The new president of the United Nations has made statements that endanger the lives of homosexuals around the world. Since June 10, 2009, the United Nations has been led by a 9th Century-minded barbarian named Ali Abdussalam Treki. He was elected President of the sixty-fourth session of the United Nations General Assembly. He is also Libya’s Secretary (Minister) of African Union Affairs, a post he has held since 2004. (See his bio at the UN web site.)

The United Nations has been a cesspool for decades. Most of its member nations are led by despots and tyrants. Over the past two days, the world was treated to the lunatic rantings of the dictators of Libya, Venezuela, the United States and Iran. Thank G-d for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who brought a fresh breeze of sanity and the much needed slap of reality into the stinking building for a precious brief time. Netanyahu delivered one of the most powerful speeches ever given in the U.N. rat's den. His even toned, fact-supported message was at once comforting and disturbing. It was comforting because he called for peace. It was disturbing because he stated bluntly just how the United Nations has done virtually nothing to maintain peace. To paraphrase Netanyahu, the UN is run by thugs and human rights violators.

Those of us who follow the U.N. are not surprised by Netanyahu's words. We've know it for a long, long time. The U.N.'s top lunatic, Treki, has been making dangerous statements about homosexuals. Sadly, we are not surprised by Treki's words, either:

The newly-installed president of the United Nations, Ali Abdussalam Treki, has said that homosexuality is "not really acceptable," writes Jessica Green at Pink News (UK).

"Not really acceptable," taken out of context, might be taken as a harmless enough statement. Perhaps Treki is just saying it's not acceptable as a personal choice for himself? No, it's much more than that. Green's report continues (emphasis added):

Treki, who is the Libyan secretary of African Union Affairs, opened the 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly Friday with a press conference. One question concerned the UN resolution which calls for the universal criminalisation of homosexuality.
This is frightening. Treki's comments, in Green's report, are limited to homosexuals. He says "I think it's not really acceptable by our religion, our tradition," but let us not forget that his religion and tradition (Muslim) also frequently treats women only slightly better than a farm animal. It does not tolerate Muslims who convert out of the faith. It does not tolerate a great deal of the human rights that the UN pretends to stand for, and that we in the U.S. and the U.K. take for granted. Treki – and his fellow travelers – are dangerous indeed. Evil clowns such as Treki simply reinforce the U.N.'s image as worse than useless.

Some of my infrequent readers may be surprised by my position on this matter. My more regular readers will not be, for they know that while I have political disagreements over some issues (not all) that involve gay people, I am not homophobic nor a hater of gays. Civil disagreement is acceptable, but violence, as Treki implicity favors, is never acceptable. This is not a Republican or a Democrat issue. Although there are bigots in both camps, the overwhelming majority of liberals and conservatives are repulsed by the advocating of violence against anybody simply for their gender or sexual preference. The non-partisan aspect of this is proved out by statements by both Democrats and Republicans condemning Treki's repulsive remarks, as well as by what is being written by both conservative and liberal bloggers (see links under "Related" below.)

Treki did not come right out and say it, but his statements are literally life threatening for homosexual people worldwide. Never forget that many homosexuals continue to be beaten and killed in Muslim countries, some even executed by stoning. Those who are already predisposed to violence against gay people may very well be encouraged by Treki's disturbing statements. Their blood will be on his hands.

RELATED:
Republican Congresswoman Blasts U.N. Leader for Anti-Gay Comments - FoxNews
Iran: Two More Executions for Homosexual Conduct - Human Rights Watch
UK Muslim Cleric Defends Killing Homosexuals - Sweetness & Light
Islamic extremists using chat rooms to target gays for torture & murder - MetroWeekly
Complicity in Iran's Anti-Gay Jihad - FrontPage Magazine
'UN Has Been Hijacked by Advocates of Hate' - Gay News from Gay Agenda
Shariah & Homosexuality - stopshariahnow
Homosexuals Get Death Penalty in Iran - RightSideNews
'Honor killing' could await Rifqa in Sri Lanka - OneNewsNow
Killed for Wanting to Live Like a Westerner - Gates of Vienna

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Barack Obama: Spending Speed Demon.


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US Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) will get together with fellow ACORN/SEIU tool Pat Quinn in a few days. The congressgal and the governor will be making yet another attempt to shove government-run health care ("reform") down your throats. Let's ALL attend, shall we? Here's the announcement, courtesy of Barack Obama's Ministry of Proganda (Organizing For America):

Is there anybody left in America who has not had to suffer through some liberal's rants about the evils of Wal-Mart?

The hatred for Wal-Mart is difficult for most of us to understand. I get the arguments about Wal-Mart's heavy-handedness with their vendors, and I wish they would import less items that are made in China. I also grok the notion that $75 per hour would be a nice living wage for a Wal-Mart greeter. Wal-Mart will always be heavy-handed with vendors (it's all legal), China is cheaper (they don't have piggish union members demanding $75 per hour) and $75 per hour is just too damned much even for a greeter.

What I don't get is the holier-than-thee attitude by anti-capitalist hate mongers who prefer to have people on the public dole and, therefore, at the mercy of the government. For those people to be earning their own way and not dependent on government and politicians is ... ah, so, that's it. Wal-Mart haters crave control, not to mention a need for communal reinforcement of their own elitism and a pychotic form of chronic schadenfreude.

Penn and Teller put this in perspective brilliantly. See Penn and Teller's report about Wal-Mart hate, Part 1 (Advisory: Language) (Note to Chicagoans: In Part 2 Joe Moore, 49th Ward Ald. and toadie of the SEIU and ACORN, is ripped to shreds within the first minute of the video.)

So, we know the prime motivations of most Wal-Mart haters. Some of those haters are Chicago alderman. The Chicago Tribune notes this in a recent editorial:

We know organized labor wants to keep Wal-Mart from expanding in Chicago. But what do the aldermen's constituents want?

The answer is clear: They want the opportunity to work or shop at Wal-Mart.

A new Tribune/WGN poll found that 68 percent of city residents would like to see a new Wal-Mart store in Chicago, and 72 percent say Wal-Mart would be good for the community. The support is even higher with African-Americans, who stand to gain the most economic benefit from the proposed South Side store. The poll found 72 percent of African-Americans want Wal-Mart in the city and 81 percent say it would be good for the community.

Surely, even the sub-par intellects on Chicago's City Council must have been aware of this widely held sentiment among their constituents even before the Trib spoon fed it to them.

Certainly, since the spoon feeding, all of the aldermen are now aware of it, and we can be confident that they will go along with the wishes of the people they represent, right?

The Tribune answered that question. It was including with the spoon feeding:

But the aldermen aren't listening to their constituents. The unions provide money and troops at election time. Apparently the aldermen have decided that keeping the labor bosses happy is more critical than following the wishes of their citizens.

Ah yes, money. That's another motivation. "I Hate Wal-Mart" t-shirts sell well among the feeble-minded, and union bosses pay - excuse me, contribute to - politicians very generously to help them fight Wal-Mart. For the bosses, it's both power and the prospect of more dues, which would allow them to pad their piggish salaries, extracted every month from members' pockets, even more. That doesn't help union members, it doesn't help the unemployed, it doesn't help the tax revenue stream.

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Just when you start thinking there is little hope for the future, along comes some kid who surprises and amazes. One of those kids is Anna Grace, a 9-year old musical prodigy who writes and sings some of the most beautiful songs you'll ever hear. You must see and hear her - she and her music are beautiful. Her original song, "Paradise," has wonderful lyrics. First posted on YouTube on August 18, 2009, it already has 84,466 views as of Sept. 22 (9:20 p.m. CDT). I predict another 100,000 views before Halloween. The tune could easily be adapted to country, jazz, techno or rock. I'm hooked. You can see all of her videos here, on YouTube.



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CNB's Exclusive Photos of the Crime Scene
UPDATE, Sept. 22: The victim was shot in the back while riding his bicycle on N. Magnolia Avenue. "Help me, help me, they’re trying to kill me,” the teen said (more at Lake Effect News).

A man was shot in the back just before 7:00 p.m. tonight on the usually-quiet 4700 block of N. Magnolia Avenue in the unusually violent Uptown neighborhood of Chicago. Correction: CNB reported last night that witnesses said the shooter was on a bicycyle. Actually the victim the one riding a bike. He was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Hospital and was reported to be in stable condition shortly after arrival. The shooting occured in front of a residence at 4752 N. Magnolia, on the southwest corner of the intersection with busy W. Lawrence Avenue, about 200 feet from the Uptown Theater.

Top: CPD officer removes crime scene tape, 8:30 pm Bottom: Police leave the scene, 8:30 p.m.
Photos by T.H.Mannis

RELATED:
Edgewater Stabbing Leaves One Dead, Another Seriously Injured
Uptown Gangster's Bicycle Shooting Spree

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Ron Roenigk, publisher of Inside Publications, has written a guest column for Chicago News Bench, which we present below. In March of 2009, he acquired News-Star and Booster from Wednesday Journal (in Oak Park). Ron shares something with many bloggers - his love of news and information. He writes about that lifelong obsession and about the business he loves so much.

Still Addicted to the 20th Century
by Ron Roenigk

I'm a news addict - I have been an ink junkie my whole life. Frankly... I'm not looking to clean myself up either.

I don't really care where I find the news... I just want as much as I can get, I'm hooked.. I read a lot and am very thankful for the band of citizen journalists out there who blog away digging up good solid local news content that they then make available to people like me for free on their sites.

I am a true believer in the free press and citizen journalism. I have been doing that as a career my whole professional life. Gang - being in the media is one of the last vestiges of free enterprise out there. No license needed, no OSHA visits or bribes to city officials. Just pay your payroll taxes to the IRS and everyone else just leaves you alone. What a country!

Personally I have never felt threatened by news web sites and feel that we are all part of the same community and can easily coexist. I give my news away for free too!

My staff and I visit dozens of local web and blog sites each and every week as we do our own news gathering rounds. It is an integral part of our mission to see what is bubbling up of a local nature on the Internet and the dearth of information, feedback and comments helps us to establish our own goals for coverage. I won't play favorites here by naming names but trust that if you're blogging about something on Chicago's North Side then I or somebody else on my staff has read your work at one time or another - indeed there are several sites I visit just about every day.

There is one major difference though between many of these news sites and what we do. We are primarily a print news source. I know, I know - 20th Century technology... so call me a dinosaur if you want... but my friends, that's where we make our money. Over 90% of our revenue comes from print advertising. So let me be clear: we're a business first and newspaper second. We must make money or we don't exist. It has been my own experience that generating advertising revenue on news sites on the Internet is not really working. So for now I must focus most of my effort making my print edition profitable... and it is, thank you! It wasn't in 2008 but since our acquisition of the Booster and News Star newspapers from Wednesday's Journal last March it is now and I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the good folks at Wednesday Journal for making that happen.

Don't take this wrong but I have often wondered why supposedly smart newspaper people today put so much effort and attention into their web presence to the detriment of their print products when their own numbers show that the revenue they generate from print advertising grossly outperforms what they're making online? I must be dumb because I choose to focus on what is actually generating revenue for me over betting my house that I will somehow figure out a way to make money on our newspaper web site? In that scenario I don't mind being the last one in the pool... when those smart guys figure out how to make real money with an online news site I'll jump back in with both feet.

Thankfully, though, most of the citizen journalists out there blogging away are doing it for their own passion and self-gratification. It's very cool seeing your work in print and available to the world online via the Internet. No they clearly do not do it for the money or there would be a lot less content on the Internet. So a hearty three cheers for you... your selfless dedication and gumption has made the world a better place.

Today is Day One of Chicago Alderman Joe Moore's "Autumn Tour." He and his underpaid staff will travel hundreds of yards through the wilds of the 49th Ward, for the selfless purpose of campaigning for some future election. He won't spend a dime of his own money on the "tour," of course. Nope, the money he'll use will be from a combination of past campaign donations, theoretically funds that he allegedly got from allegedly leaning on developers, and some of your tax dollars. Here's his release blasted out by email. We encourage you to go say "hi" to Joe, and to ask him about his association with ACORN, SEIU and any other quasi-criminal enterprises you can think of. Ask him how his felonious buddy Robert Creamer is doing. Congratulate Joe Moore for rubber stamping Mayor Daley's Olympic wet dream.

Alderman Moore's "Satellite Service Office"
to Conduct Autumn Tour

Dear Neighbor,

The 49th Ward Service Office takes to the streets again this fall with my "Satellite Service Office." My underpaid staff and I will be out in the mornings to meet with you, take city service requests and help you carry your briefcases to work.

If you are reporting a city service need, very specific information is helpful. If it's a burned out street walker or a crackhouse, for example, please provide a specific address where it's located. If it's a suspicious vehicle, we can remove it more quickly if you have already gone through it thoroughly to be sure there are no illegal substances inside.

Please stop by and say hello on any of the following dates from 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. I'll be the big dorky guy with a goofy grin, ready to hand you a piece of my propaganda literature.

Monday, September 21, Howard el station (Howard St. entrance; good view of gangs)
Tuesday, September 22, Morse el station (Morse Ave. entrance; pigeon crap warning!)
Wednesday, September 23, Loyola el station (Sheridan Rd. entrance, co-eds!)
Thursday, September 24, Morse el station (Lunt entrance, where there's less pigeon crap)
Friday, September 25, Jarvis el station (Watch your step; watch out for human feces!)
Tuesday, September 29th, Metra station (Lunt Ave., entrance; good view of litter!)
Wednesday, September 30, Metra station (Greenleaf entrance; bring me a donut!)
Thursday, October 1, Shoreline Towers (Rosemont Ave. & Sheridan Rd; boring!!!)
Friday, October 2, Dunkin' Donuts, 6970 N. Clark (Hablas tu cafe?)
Monday, October 5, Starbuck's, 6738 N. Sheridan (The "big box" of coffee shops!)
Tuesday, October 6, Gateway Centre Atrium (Bally's Health Club entrance; nice glutes!)

My underpaid staff and I will also be at the following weekend locations from 8:00 a.m. to 12 Noon, long before most of my voters actually get out of bed:

Sunday, September 20, St. Jerome's Church (Lunt and Paulina; that rhymes with.... !!!)
Saturday, September 26, Dominick's Finer Foods (Gateway Centre; I built this mall!)
Sunday, September 27, St. Margaret Mary's Church (Chase and Oakley; I am so pious!)

Please note that this schedule is subject to change due to inclement weather or me being arrested by the FBI. I mean, who knows, right? I will send a supplemental e-mail if the schedule changes.

I'll pretend that I'm glad to see you!

I'd rather be a Congressman,

Joe Moore

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I thought this might be a joke at first. "Humansville" seemed to be the giveaway, but a quick search shows that there really is a place in Missouri with that name. I mean, today is, after all, the birthday of H.G. Wells (Sept. 21). Did they have mysterious visitors on September 17?

MUFON Log Number: US-09212009-0002
Submitted Date: 2009-09-21 00:33

"...it appeared to be a triangular shaped black craft with 3 white lights, one near each corner. The lights slowly pulsated simaltaneously, dim and then bright. The craft seemed as if it could be a mile to 1/2 mile a way and appeared to be about the size of a football field." Full report at UFO Stalker.) This is not the first time that a UFO report has come out of Humansville.
RELATED, SORTA:
Humansville, Missouri, Lies
Humansville Missouri Addiction Resources
Humansville, Missouri, Ghost Sightings
I’m Off to Humansville!
Real-time reports of UFO sightings
Mutual UFO Network (MUFON)

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Let me start this by saying that my respect for Ron Roenigk, publisher of News-Star newspaper (Chicago), has been renewed. On September 3, I took him and News-Star to task for using one of my photographs without my knowledge in their Sept. 2-8, 2009.

I'll admit that I was pretty rough on him in that post, in which I asked "for $100.00 payment immediately for the use of the photograph and an apology and attribution on page 3 of the next issue of News-Star."

To his credit, Roenigk proved himself to be a gentleman about the whole affair, and it's my turn to make attribution - attribution to Roenigk, that is, for kindly sending me a check for $100 (no, it didn't bounce) and for printing a nice "correction" in Sept. 9-15 issue of News-Star.

Inasmuch as the already-circulation issues of the Sept. 2-8 News-Star will not be rounded up and burned, my already-published Sept. 3 post will not be deleted for just a little while. However, it will now include a link at the top to this post, just to keep things straight. That's what this was all about - keeping it straight. Sincere thanks to Ron Roenigk.

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"Not all of us liberals hate guns....Shoot to kill racist conservative pigs."

WARNING: Violent and obscene language is contained in this post. The offensive language is in a comment that is typical of those I receive from liberals and Leftists. I have left the foul language intact as a demonstration of how mentally disturbed so many of Barack Obama's followers truly are.

We've heard plenty of Democrats and liberals accuse Obamacare opponents of thuggery, violence and so on. Lies, of course. There is plenty of video out there that proves that the Leftists are the real thugs. One of those videos, "Liberals Look for a Fight at Schakowsky Town Hall, August 31, 2009" (see here or watch below) was made by me and posted to YouTube. Some jackass liberal who calls himself "kapcommusic40" left two vile comments on the video at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 19:

"Come on down to the cities and talk that trash you cocksucker. All of you pieces of shit are in some bumfuck tiny town. I would love to see you teabaggers come talk some shit in urban America. Pussy ass bitches."

Let's put that into perspective, shall we? The video that this moron commented on is about an event that happened in Skokie, Illinois, which is about a ten minute drive north of Chicago. He apparently thinks Skokie is a rural village in the middle of corn country.

Within moments, he wrote the second message (emphasis added):

"I cannot believe you cocksuckers would stick up for some corporation before your own government. According to you teabagging faggots we should just privatize the military right? The military is government run and so are Veterans benefits. OH GOD THATS SOCIALISM. The roads you drive on, the schools your children go to. OH GOD ITS SOCIALISM. Fucking ignorant pieces of shit. Not all of us liberals hate guns. BRING IT ON BITCHES. Shoot to kill racist conservative pigs."

More perspective: What "corporation" is he referring to? Watch the video. Nobody is sticking up for any corporation. Notice the liberal's use of the term "faggots." Notice his delusion that the video says anything about privatizing the military. Notice the call by the liberal lunatic, the Leftist, this supporter of Barack Hussein Obama, to pick up firearms and commit murder. You noticed? Good. Don't forget it, friends. Next time you hear Nancy Pelosi worry about our side, send her a link to this post.

My response to this hateful, vile liberal:
Usually, I would delete a foul, violent comment like this. But kapcommusic does us a service by reminding us all that the LEFTISTS ARE THE VIOLENT, HATEFUL THUGS. Thanx, kapcommusic, for your self-defeating comment.

Also See: Liberal Media Hypocrisy Test (video)


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I thought it would be a good time to revisit a polling place violation by some SEIU member during the 2007 Aldermanic run-off election in Chicago's 49th Ward. Incumbent Joe Moore was heavily supported by SEIU and ACORN. Here are photos that I took of some SEIU people inside of a polling place on election day, taping up flyers and talking to people as they came through the entrance. When they realized that I was on to them, they left, then yelled at me that I must have been imagining things. I guess my camera has a vivid imagination.

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Enjoy! Happy Weekend from Chicago.
The violinist rocks, then comes a cool blues guitarist.

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"If you’re looking for trendy boutique hotels, an exploding culinary scene, or visiting the local ACORN to get your underage prostitutes smuggled across the Mexican border, you’re in the right place." - ACORN Video: Prostitution Scandal in San Diego, CA

So writes my nominee for Man of the Year, James O'Keefe. With his partner Hannah Giles (my nominee for Woman of the Year), they released their fifth ACORN-crushing video today. Once again, it is shocking to see ACORN personnel approving of heinous illegal activity - and offering advice on how to be a better criminal. This offers yet more indisputable proof that there is a pattern of systemic criminality inside of ACORN. No wonder, then, that the US House of Representatives today voted to completely defund ACORN of any federal money. O'Keefe and Giles are not finished with ACORN, not yet. There are more ACORN videos coming.

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Via Andrew Breitbart's Big Government site:
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) offered the Defund-ACORN bill to the Student Loans bill.
The House vote convincingly to cut ALL federal funds to ACORN.
Vote: 375 to 75. Complete results here.

ALSO SEE:
House votes to cut off ACORN funding - Boston Globe
House votes to de-fund ACORN - msnbc.com
ACORN vows to keep fighting after video controversy - The Detroit News
Issa: We're Only at Tip of the Iceberg on ACORN's Criminal Activity - FoxNews video
ACORN was in Boise, but isn't any longer - IdahoStatesman.com


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THIS IS URGENT. Start saving ("caching") politicians' web pages NOW. ACORN and SEIU are scrubbing their web sites, deleting incriminating or embarassing information in an effort to cover their tracks. You can bet that plenty of elected officials are busy scrubbing their own websites to erase or modify what was written about their relationships with ACORN and/or SEIU.

No matter where you live in the United States, the odds are good that at least some of your local elected officials have ties to ACORN and/or SEIU. Those ties may be direct, they may be indirect. Those officials - your congressman, US senator, governor, state legislator, county board members, mayor, alderman/city council member, school system president, and so on - most likely have web sites. NOW IS THE TIME TO CACHE/SAVE VITAL INFORMATION FROM THOSE OFFICIALS' SITES. Here's why...

The American Spectator reported on April 22, 2009 that "ACORN did a strange thing today. It scrubbed its website of references to two of its key affiliates, Locals 100 and 880 of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), an event reported by Kevin Mooney of the Washington Examiner."

To "scrub" a website is to delete some or all material. It's akin to shredding documents. The difference, of course, is that we can access the politicians' web sites and copy virtually anything, saving it as an archived file (see tips for doing this below). This can be used later, if needed, to effectively prove they are lying if they deny what their own sites once said.

Good friend John Ruberry (Marathon Pundit) addresses this in a brilliant post titled "Jan Schakowsky, ACORN, and no phone call." In that post, he wrote, "Let's get to work, conservative bloggers," he wrote this week, "before the libs scrub their sites."

John and I live in Jan Schakowsky Land. He's in Skokie, I'm in a bunker on Chicago's north side. John has archived Schakowsky's web pages for years, and it bears fruit. John wrote about that, too. Another excerpt from John's post:

One of the most powerful blog posts you'll ever read discusses the term "African-American." An excerpt:

The classification of African American for the black population in America came as a result of the civil rights movement in the 1960. This reclassification held several proclamations and principles to which I can no longer identify with as a citizen of this country. The term African American was created to signify the black American’s love for Africa, the once held motherland for which we were all suppose to long to return too. This title holds anti-American sentiments to which I can not embrace. (Full post...)

So writes "ConservativeLikeNoOther," a mother and an American who happens to be black. Before you Liberal nutjobs choke on your own spittle while screaming "racism!" or accusing this woman of being "self-loathing," remember that her attitude about hyphenated nationality is not a racial matter. It is a matter of nationality, not race. For example, very, very few whites refer to themselves as "European-Americans" for reasons virtually identical to the writer of the post. As a white person born in America, I feel no allegiance to Europe. I have no desire to return to the "homeland" in Europe, for America is my homeland. Even most immigrants to the US feel this way; their allegiance is voluntarily to the US, and most are grateful to be here. Another excerpt:

It is obvious that the classification of African American has nothing to do with those born of African descent. It is a radical group of black American who hold to the anti-American views of those shared by Jeremiah Wright, Professor Gates, Jesse Jackson, President Obama and many more who have come out of the radical civil rights movement of the 1960’s. Because of these things I now part ways with the classification of African American because I hold no allegiance to Africa.

Why should she have allegiance to Africa? She was not born there, and Africa has done nothing for her - or her family - lately. She's an American. We're glad she is, too.

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This must-see ACORN report is, believe it or not, it's from Jon Stewart on The Daily Show (Sept 15). It's cleverly titled "The Audacity of Hos." No, I won't explain that to you. No, he's not breaking any news here, but to his credit Stewart brought the ongoing ACORN-prostitution-tax fraud scandals to the attention of hundreds of thousands of people who otherwise might still be unaware of it. Like, you know, Charlie Gibson. Stewart viciously mocks the Old Media such as ABC, CBS, NBC and the rest, while giving a back handed compliment to FoxNews. Love him or hate him, ya gotta admit that Stewart is one funny guy. I've always liked his humor. I like it even more now.