February 28, 2011 - One good thing has already come out of the troubles in Libya: A cool video by Noy Alooshe, a 31-year-old Israeli reporter, who took a speech by Colonel Gaddafi and set it to a techno-dance beat. The song's title, "Zenga-Zenga," is a variation of of "zanqa," reports PC Magazine. That's an Arabic word "meaning alleyway that Qaddafi used repeatedly in his speech." Okay, but here's the really fun part: Alooshe first released his version last Wednesday with a insets of a sexy woman dancing. Arab viewers objected and asked him, via YouTube, to make a "no girl" version. He did, and here are both versions....

February 28, 2011 - Chicago - Last Saturday night's massacre in the Edgewater neighborhood was the scene of a virtual police lockdown after officers found the bodies of two people and one badly injured person in an apartment. The dead victims' throats had been slashed.

An ensuing chase resulted in the fatal police shooting of one suspect, Arturo Ibarra, who died on the street at N. Greenview and W. Devon. Police are now charging two other suspects in connection with the Edgewater murders, which are believed to have been the result of a nightmarish narcotics deal. The two being charged are Augustin Toscano and Raul Segura-Rodriguez. Both men face multiple charges. See Related Articles below.

There will be a special public meeting tonight at 7:00 p.m. to discuss the criminal activity of last Saturday. Alderman Mary Ann Smith and police officials will present information and answer questions at the Broadway Armory, 5917 N. Broadway Street (map), just south of W. Thorndale Avenue, half a block south of the Thorndale CTA Red Line station. Smith's 48th Ward includes the part of Edgewater in which the alleged drug deal and murders took place and where the pursuit of Ibarra began (Ibarra was killed in the 40th Ward, at N. Greenview and W. Devon).

RELATED ARTICLES:
Neighbors shaken by double murder, cop shootout ABC Chicago
Edgewater Shooting Suspects Charged, May Be Suspected of More Killings Chicagoist
Charges against 2 suspected members of crew linked to dozen slayings Chicago Breaking News

February 27, 2011 - Chicago - Gruesome murders in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood yesterday led police on a short but wild chase that resulted in the fatal shooting of a suspect. For more on this story, see today's Chicago Sun-Times article "Man killed by police suspected in 13 other murders: sources" here. The events were so extraordinary that 48th Ward Alderman Mary Ann Smith will hold a special meeting on Monday evening to discuss them.

Ald. Smith sent an email blast that said this:

"As many of you have already heard from the media, we had a serious and unusual police/criminal incident in Edgewater yesterday. Within our neighborhood, there were incidents on the 5800 block of Winthrop stretching to Devon Avenue. The police and our office will be available at 7:00 Monday Evening at the Broadway Armory to discuss with concerned residents what occurred." (MAP) The Armory is located at 5917 N. Broadway Street, just south of W. Thorndale Avenue, half a block south of the Thorndale CTA Red Line station.

RELATED:
Edgewater shooting leaves 3 dead, 2 wounded Loyola Student Dispatch
Three dead, officer shot Edgewater Community Buzz
3 Dead, Officer Shot Chasing Murder Suspects on North Side MyFox Chicago
Chicago Cop Shot, Injured On North Side, 3 Dead CBS Chicago

February 26, 2011 - Chicago - CNB - Between 400 and 500 people attended a rally organized by unions and socialist groups at Noon today. The event took place at the James Thompson Center downtown. The well-attended event was peaceful but boisterous, with enthusiastic supporters of public sector unions chanting and cheering speakers. See our slideshow below.

An attendance of 500 is good, especially considering the damp, cold weather that included some snow. Nevertheless, some feel it necessary to exaggerate the number. Bob Roman, writing for the DSA Labor Network's "Talking Union" blog, wrote that there were 2,000 people in attendance. My own count, as indicated above, was between 400 and 500. My photo here was taken just before Noon.

Roman wrote, "By the time the rally began, the plaza was nearly full, and organizers announced about 2,000 people were present." It's not clear from Roman's post whether he was actually at the event. If he was, he's mistaken about the numbers. If he was not there, then he's accepting the false crowd estimate of "the organizers," and equally mistaken. Granted, more people poured into the plaza after I took this photo, but nowhere near 2,000. Roman is "editor of New Ground, the newsletter of Chicago Democratic Socialists of America."

Updated, 7:00 PM, February 27, 2011 - Gruesome murders in Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood yesterday led police on a short but wild chase that resulted in the fatal shooting of a suspect. For more on this story, see today's Chicago Sun-Times article "Man killed by police suspected in 13 other murders: sources" here. The events were so extraordinary that 48th Ward Alderman Mary Ann Smith will hold a special meeting on Monday evening to discuss them. Ald. Smith sent an email blast today that said this:

"As many of you have already heard from the media, we had a serious and unusual police/criminal incident in Edgewater yesterday. Within our neighborhood, there were incidents on the 5800 block of Winthrop stretching to Devon Avenue. The police and our office will be available at 7:00 Monday Evening at the Broadway Armory to discuss with concerned residents what occurred." (MAP)

The Armory is located at 5917 N. Broadway Street, just south of W. Thorndale Avenue, half a block south of the Thorndale CTA Red Line station.

Earlier Reports:
February 26, 2011 - Chicago - What may have started as a robbery attempt just after 5:00 p.m. today near the Thorndale CTA Red Line station ended as a fatal police shooting on West Devon Avenue in the Edgewater neighborhood. Details are still coming in.

A person (sex unknown) robbed or attempted to rob a store in the 1100 block of W. Thorndale Avenue (map). That block is full of small shops, and is located just north of the Broadway Armory.

Police chased the robbery suspect north until they confronted him/her in the 1400 block of W. Devon Avenue at N. Greenview Avenue, next to the Dollar Happy Store and across from the Citgo gas station (map). The suspect was fatally shot by police around 5:20 p.m. Traffic, as of 6:07 p.m., is still being diverted from that intersection.

A report by Chicago Breaking News, oddly, omits any mention of the fatality in their 5:54 p.m. update. Chicago News Bench was at the shooting scene at Devon and Greenview and saw the body on the street, along with the red crime scene tape. Yellow tape is always used to cordon off a crime scene, but red tape is used only when there a homicide is involved.

They did, however, report that one police was shot at the Thorndale scene "near the intersection of Glenlake Avenue and Broadway, and the officer was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston in good condition." An update at 6:57 p.m. by The Chicago Tribune quotes witnesses as saying that the chase "ended with the truck trying to turn south on Greenview Avenue, where shots were fired."

What a great article by Warner T. Huston: "Union Admits It Hates Voters And Loves Communist Imagery With Help of Dropkick Murphys Band" at Publius' Forum today.

Warner writes that "a bunch of drunken morons calling themselves the Dropkick Murphys have added their off key voices to American union thuggery by writing a protest song that the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has glommed onto."

Couple that with a dangerous statement by idiot Congressman Michael Capuano (D-MA) the other day. In a public speech, he said, "Every once and awhile you need to get out on the streets and get a little bloody when necessary." Nice, huh? You can watch the nice Democrat say it in the video below. It's yet another example of the Left's own violent speech being ignored by the MSM. The SEIU thugs love to rumble. Will Dick Durbin wring his hands over this musical incivility? Will Sheik Obama denounce this glorification of violence? Jesse Jackson?

February 25, 2011 - Chicago - Communists, socialists and their supporters will gather in downtown Chicago tomorrow at the State of Illinois Building at Noon.

The event is being organized and promoted by MoveOn.org, SEIU, Progressives United and other leftist groups. They are billing it as the "Rally to Save the American Dream." (I somehow doubt that the American Dream includes being raped and pillaged by the priveleged public sector unions, but that's another post.) Chicago News Bench encourages everyone who can to show up. (Be sure to watch the two videos below!)

MoveOn.org has this posted at their website:

State of Illinois Bldg - 100 W. Randolph (Map)
Chicago, IL 60606
Saturday, February 26th, 12:00 PM

Let's keep the momentum going! Please sign up for this gathering right away!

Message from your host, Anne T.: Republicans are giving tax breaks to corporations and the very rich - and then cutting funding for education, police, emergency response, and vital human services. WE NEED YOUR VOICES @ a rally on Saturday, Feb 26th to stand in solidarity with the people of Wisconsin. Come and join us !

Share this event on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=144200792311323

RELATED:
Union Admits It Hates Voters And Loves Communist Imagery With Help of Dropkick Murphys Band Publius' Forum

Is is wrong to depict Libya's genocidal lunatictator Muammar Gaddafi as being targeted for a shot of justice? I think not.

Would it be wrong for some clandestine operatives of some Western nation to hurry along Gaddafi's inevitable demise? I think not.

Would it save some lives to exterminate this pig?

I think so.

February 24, 2011 - Chicago - A blog that promised to report news in most of the northeast portion of Chicago has disappeared. Lorraine Swanson launched her Lake Effect News (LEN) in May of 2009 after she left the Chicago Journal (of Oak Park, IL), where she was the editor of the News-Star.

Links cannot be provided to past LEN articles because Swanson has taken it down. There are no cached pages available. That's a shame, because some of the articles in LEN would still be a valuable resource for anyone researching events in Uptown over the past year. Curiously, however, the Lake Effect News store at CafePress is still up.

The death of Lake Effect News is ironic. Swanson put in many hours of devoted writing because, she said, she wanted to have "a body of work," although she already had that from her years with various local newspapers. The irony, of course, is that she has ripped her LEN body of work off of the Internet. It's a real shame - and a real loss - that nobody can dig back into LEN's archives.

LEN never got close to it's stated goal of covering a large swath of Chicago. It devolved quickly to hyperlocal coverage of the 46th Ward in Uptown, with an occasional article about Edgewate (48th Ward) and West Rogers Park (50th Ward).

The Community Media Workshop had a nice article about Swanson in May, 2010.

Swanson did some good reporting for LEN, and she is a talented journalist. But she stopped updating the blog in September, 2010 when AOL's Patch hired her to edit one of their operations in a southwest Chicago suburb.

The graph below (click to enlarge) shows that LEN got around 8,600 unique visitors in the month of August, 2010. That went down dramatically the next month, to around 5,000.

Even after Swanson was no longer updating LEN with new articles, more than 3,000 unique visitors went to the site in October. Most of those, no doubt, realized that nothing new was going on and left, never to return. By November, LEN was getting 120 unique visitors monthy. The unique visitor numbers since then: 53 in December, 19 in January, 3 in February.

February 22, 2011 - Chicago - Will Carol Moseley Braun be Chicago's next mayor? Hell, no. The "consensus candidate" selected by the self-appointed "leaders" of Black people in Chicago has been enjoying the taste of her own foot too much to win this election. Odds are that Rahm Emanuel will win. Jeepers, the suspense is killing me (not).

Perhaps that Chico guy or that Del Valle fellow can force a run-off, but that's unlikely. The voting turnout so far is reportedly light, and that will probably help the Rahm Machine with its busloads of well paid voters.

The stark reality that she doesn't have a chance in this election hasn't stopped her from uglifying the landscape with campaign signs, however. This one, photographed today near the Loyola CTA Red Line Station in Rogers Park this morning, is in violation of election laws. You can see that it's just past the blue cone, which advises "No Electioneering Beyond This Point!"

I suppose this one sign won't make a difference and, in any case, Moseley Braun won't be electioneering for much of anything ever again after today.

Libya's lunatic dictator, "Hey Moe" Gaddafi, is slaughtering his own people to hold on to the power he's had for decades. He's sent in air power against ordinary Libyans. I say let's send him some of the same. Muslim leaders have issued a fatwa against Gaddafi. May I recommend the Lockheed Martin F-35 (video below) loaded with some nice fireworks? Fidel Castro says he thinks the U.S. is planning an invasion of Libya. Even a recently resigned Libyan ambassador is urging military action against Libya. We don't want to disappoint them, do we?

February 21, 2011 - The BBC is seems to have put to rest the rumors about the Libyan dictator fleeing to Venezuela.

BBC News Africa reports late today that Moammar Gaddafi appeared "on state television" to deny the rumors of his departure.

According to BBC, Gaddafi spoke on TV "from outside a ruined building," and said, "I am in Tripoli and not in Venezuela." CNN has posted a video of Gaddafi's television statement.

Rumors flew today that Gaddafi was on his way to Venezuela. Deutsche Presse Agentur reported that, for example, according to Newsmax.com.

There was much confusion about this. Other news sources, such as Rianovosti, said that rumors of Gaddafi fleeing to Venezuela "were dismissed by Venezuelan diplomats and Libyan Deputy Foreign Minister Khalid Kayem." Perhaps Venezuela feels that they already have one too many crazy dictators. But...

The Express (UK) reported that "Gaddafi was believed to be on the run last night after fresh bloodshed and violence across Libya." The article goes on to say that he "is believed to have travelled first to his desert hometown before seeking a flight out of the country, possibly to Venezuela. News of his apparent departure came from British Foreign Secretary William Hague who said he had seen information to suggest Gaddafi was on his way" to Venezuela.

One thing seems certain: Libya is headed for civil war and Gaddafi's too-long reign is over.

February 21, 2011 - At 4:00 p.m. today (CST), you'll have an opportunity to ask an expert about TIFs, corruption, privatization of city assests and more during a live chat session online this afternoon at Windy Citizen. The expert on hand is Mick Dumke, legendary reporter with the the Chicago News Cooperative. He recently left the Chicago Reader, where he became the local superstar that he is today. See Dumke's bio here.

This is the last of Windy Citizen and Chicago News Cooperative's pre-election online forums. "It's likely that most Chicagoans would not even know what tax increment financing is," writes an editor at Windy Citizen, "were it not for Dumke's investigative work into City Hall's shadow budget. Since joining the Chicago News Cooperative last summer, Dumke has continued his reporting on TIF districts and their role in the 2011 election."

Zombie hunting season begins soon, and hunters need to get the proper permits.

The zombie hunting permit is bright green and allows the holder to shoot up to 10 zombies per day.

Hunters are encouraged to practice their shooting with special zombie targets before hunting the real thing.

Permits and targets can be purchased at Rimrock Firearms's website. They also sell guns, of course, and our favorite heater for bagging zombies is the Sig Sauer 522 Swat. It's a versatile 22 long rifle with a 25 round capacity and full quad rail. The zombies won't know what hit them.

My favorite headline of the day: "BREAKING: Wisconsin Dems Hiding At Best Western Clocktower in Rockford, IL …Update: TEA PARTY WINS! Chases WI Dems Out of Rockford." That's from Jim Hoft of Gateway Pundit, and the story itself is even better. The cheesey, chicken Democrats actually crossed the state line to cower in fear of their own constituents.

"The Wisconsin senate democrats fled the state today rather than vote on a budget repair bill," wrote Hoft. "If you are in the Rockford area please go to the Best Western and record video, take pictures and protest these irresponsible liberal politicians."

Late news is that the cowards are on a bus heading back to Madison. Gateway Pundit is all over this story, with fast-breaking Twitter updates at http://twitter.com/gatewaypundit.

WTMJ News (Milwaukee) is all over this, too. See their story "Budget Battle: Democrats Who Left State are Located."

RELATED:
Obama Worried About 'Assault On Unions,' But FBI Worried About Union Ties To Terrorists - CNB

February 17, 2011 - Oh, this is rich. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker wants to take away the "right" of public employees to collective bargaining. The state's legislature will be deciding the issue today.

Update, 12:12 p.m. CST: WSJ.com reports that Wisconsin's Democratic legislators "were not present at the start of the state session to vote on the bill."

Comrade President Barack Obama, has called Walker's actions an "assault on unions." I'm waiting for someone to characterize the unions' actions as an "assault on taxpayers."

Obama is a puppet of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), whose leaders in Chicago are being investigated for links to terrorist organizations such as Iran-backed Hamas and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

Greg Sargent, at WaPo's Plum Line, noted that WTMJ-TV (Milwaukee) has an interview with Obama online. Sargent wrote that Obama said "adjustments to new fiscal realities" need to be made, "but insisted it's important not to 'vilify' public employees and described them as 'our neighbors, our friends'." Apparently Comrade Barry does not consider ordinary folks who don't work for the Gubbermint to be neighbors or friends.

Has Comrade Barry said anything about the suspected connection of Chicago's SEIU Local 73 to murdering terrorists, people who plan assaults on our neighbors and friends?

"Chicago SEIU Local Leaders Probed for Terror Links" is the headling of a February 15 article by Carl Horowitz at the National Legal and Policy Center:

"Last September 24," wrote Horowitz, "FBI agents raided residences in Illinois, Minnesota and Michigan of more than a dozen radical activists in an effort to connect them to the Hamas (Gaza and the West Bank) and FARC (Colombia) guerrilla movements. Two of the occupants were SEIU Local 73 chief steward and executive board member Joe Iosbaker and former local board member-steward Tom Burke. Neither they nor anyone else has been arrested. But as the case unfolds, questions have arisen over the extent of involvement, if any, by the Chicago-based radical network that nurtured President Obama's political ambitions from the Nineties onward." More at NLPC... (hat tip to jazusamo at Free Republic)

Full disclosure: I lost my virginity to a female WTMJ TV reporter in 1974. This has not influenced my reporting of this story in any way.

This is a very interesting UFO video, taken from the stands of a soccer game in China. The good part of the 1:18 video (below) comes in at the 29-second mark. As the camera holder records the action of the game, someone apparently taps him/her on the shoulder to make them aware of a strange hovering object in the sky. The camera swerves to the UFO, then back to the game, then back for a rather good view of something that hovers unlike any airplane, and with a profile like no helicopter. Not as spectacular as the China Spiral UFO, but interesting.

Michael Cohen at allnewsweb.com wrote about this today. "The UFO clip below is making the rounds of the Chinese Internet and the massive online community of UFO enthusiasts in that part of the world." Read more about this UFO at allnewsweb.com...

"UFO," by the way, simply means "unidentified flying object," not necessarily a spaceship from another planet. It would seem that UFOs like soccer fields. Be sure to watch the second video below, with a UFO buzzing Green Point Soccer Stadium in Cape Town.

February 15, 2011 - CHICAGO - Despite the rumors and stupidity by the media, especially AOL's Huffington Post, the Tea Party in Chicago has not endorsed mayoral candidate Gery Chico. Here is today's press statement from the Tea Party:

CHICO IS NOT THE MAN

Contrary to what has been reported by the Huffington Post and repeated by other media outlets, the Chicago Tea Party Patriots have not endorsed Gery Chico. Here is what we said about Gery Chico in our Chicago Mayoral Candidate Profile:

"For generations Chicago voters have had their choice of voting for various somebodys that somebody sent. This election for Chicago Mayor is no different, sadly. Unfortunately, Chico does not offer a break from the Chicago Way of politics and progressive policies. Chico is not the man."

We also said Chico's relationship with the public sector unions will lead to the largest tax increases in Chicago history. Read our full analysis of Gery Chico on the issues here.

Our members are very disappointed in the choices we have for Mayor, particularly Gery Chico and Rahm Emanuel. The City of Chicago current has $60 billion in unfunded pension liabilities, which comes to $42,000 per family. None of the candidates have a plan to address the most serious financial crisis the city is facing.

"I don't think anyone running for mayor has the backbone to make the tough, prudent decisions this city needs," said Van Chou of Garfield Park.

Kurt Fujio of Rogers Park said, "Neither Rahm Emanuel nor Gery Chico reflect the basic principles which the Tea Party movement supports - limited government, fiscal responsibility, individual liberty and economic freedom. In response to improving the city's woeful education problems, Gery Chico suggests new buildings as the answer. Free-market solutions, school choice and competition are vital for improving schools and education in Chicago. Chico's past duties in Chicago city government included education, and yet the track record is very poor. Chico for mayor is a non-starter."

Fujio goes on to say, "Neither candidate recognizes the dire financial crisis and burden to the city's taxpayers and working families imposed because of failures at all levels of government to eliminate bureaucratic obstacles to economic prosperity. Within Chicago, corruption, fraud and abuse are exacerbated by the draconian and oppressive city regulations interfering with all aspects of business conduct, including licensing, zoning, administration, and taxing. These burdens fall not only on businesses, but on consumers who must bear higher costs and on taxpayers who must foot the bill. Until such concerns are addressed adequately by Chicago's mayoral and aldermanic candidates, the city of Chicago is being short-changed and deprived of better government."

Many were offended by comments from Emanuel and Chico about concerned citizens in the Tea Party movement. "How utterly disrespectful of any candidate to speak negatively of any of the constituents over which they are fighting to serve. They seem to have forgotten they are in service to those that elect them. As a matter of fact, doesn't Rahm state he will require that service attitude of his staff in one of his commercials? I guess that doesn't apply to him," said Rae Ann McNeilly.

The Chicago Tea Party Patriots organized the Chicago Tax Day Tea Party in Daley Plaza on April 15, 2010. Mayor Daley told reporters he believed 20,000 people attended the rally. Our origins date back to the first Chicago Tea Party on February 27, 2009. During the past year, we've hosted 6 candidates for U.S. Congress and 2 candidates for Governor of Illinois at our rallies and events.

The Huffington Post erroneously reported the Chicago Tea Party Patriots endorsed Gery Chico. Chico received the endorsement of the Chicago Tea Patriots. That group has no association whatsoever with the Tea Party Patriots or the Illinois Tea Party. They also had no involvement in organizing the first Chicago Tea Party on February 27, 2009, the April 15 Chicago Tax Day Tea Party in 2009, or the Chicago Tax Day Tea Party in 2010.

The Core Values of the Tea Party Patriots are:

•Fiscal Responsibility
•Constitutionally Limited Government
•Free Markets

Contact:
Ann Stewart, (773) 559-0105 or steve@teapartychicago.com

For more information on the Tea Party Movement in Chicago, Illinois and nationally, please visit:

Chicago: http://teapartychicago.org
Illinois: http://illinoistea.org
National: http://teapartypatriots.org

Watch the Official Atlas Shrugged Movie Trailer (below). Atlas Shrugged Part 1 opens in theaters April 15th, 2011. Finally! For those of you who have not read the book "Atlas Shrugged," you still have time before you see the film. The book combines a magnificent love story with author Ayn Rand's economic and political philosphy, with dashes of adventure and action thrown in to boot.

Atlas Shrugged is one of the most influential books of the 20th Century. It's influence continues to grow. Why? Watch another video for a good explanation. One of the main protagonists, John Galt, is a mysterious man who moves mountains from the darkest corners. His speech is one of the high points of the book, and stands
by itself as an anti-collectivist treatise. Listen to a reading of it.



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February 12, 2011 - A former conservative powerhouse in Washington state politics was named the 2011 Ronald Reagan Award Recipient today by the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, D.C. The recipient is the former Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW) executive vice president Tom McCabe, who sat on today's "Bleeding America Dry: The Threat of Public Sector Unions" panel at CPAC.

Tom McCabe made a career of fighting heavy state regulation as the executive vice president of the BIAW. just confirmed in a news release that executive vice president Tom McCabe is leaving after 21 years fighting state regulations. A BIAW press release about McCabe's departure in December, 2010 noted this:

McCabe built BIAW’s workers' compensation retro program into the largest of its kind in the state, refunding $360 million from state government back to builder businesses over the past 20 years. Under McCabe, BIAW became a powerful political force for conservative, pro-business candidates and causes. BIAW hired McCabe the same year the disastrous Growth Management Act became law in 1990. Over the next 20 years, McCabe directed a lobbying team that prevented the passage of any legislation that negatively targeted the building industry. Source: TheOlympian.com (also see "Tearing down the builders" at SeattleWeekly.com).

A press release about McCabe's award was issued at 1:00 p.m. today:

For Immediate Release: February 12, 2011
TOM MCCABE NAMED 2011 RONALD REAGAN AWARD RECIPIENT BY AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE UNION

Washington, DC -- Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Chairman David A. Keene last night announced Tom McCabe of Olympia, Washington, as the 2011 recipient of the Ronald Reagan Award, an honor given annually to a conservative leader fighting in the trenches for the principles embodied by Ronald Reagan. The award was presented during the conference's annual Ronald Reagan Banquet for which Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels was the keynote speaker.

In presenting the award, Chairman Keene said, "Tom McCabe, during his tenure as the Executive Director of the Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW) for more than 20 years, built the organization into a force for free enterprise and conservative principles. Unlike most business associations across the nation, BIAW has been, under Tom's leadership, steadfast in its dedication to the defense of small business and entrepreneurship against the onslaught of the labor unions, trial lawyers, liberals and environmental extremists."

McCabe worked in the Department of Veterans Affairs during the Reagan Administration. In 1989, he and his wife Susan moved to her home state of Washington. In 1990, McCabe was named Executive Director of the BIAW and, over the next 21 years, created the premier business trade association in the state by adhering to the simple truths of promoting freedom, free enterprise, lower taxes and less regulation.

"Tom's strength of character and dedication to conservatism made him a target of the liberals and the Democratic left who always oppose conservatives and even some Republicans who have attacked Tom and BIAW to please the left in furtherance of their own political ambitions. The Ronald Reagan award is given each year to a conservative warrior and we are proud to present this year's prize to such a warrior -- Tom McCabe," Keene concluded.

The American Conservative Union is the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots conservative organization. The American Conservative Union Foundation’s annual CPAC meeting is the largest gathering of conservatives annually. Testifying to the exponential growth of the conservative movement, this year’s conference has proven to be the most highly attended in its decades-long history with fifteen percent more attendees than last year and twice as many exhibitors. With forty percent of registrants being first time attendees, this year's CPAC will emphasize the development of a younger generation of conservatives.

Contact: Anne Marie Frawley (202) 489-7559

February 11, 2011 - Chicago - Glass in your McChicken Sandwich? No, thanks. But that's what a Chicago woman claims she got when she bit into her McChicken at an Oak Lawn McDonald's back in August. That's a southwestern suburb of Chicago, just south of Midway Airport.

According to The Chicago Tribune today:

A woman sued McDonald’s Corp , Friday, saying she was injured after chewing on a “large shard of glass” inside her spicy McChicken sandwich. Vjollca Lecaj said she suffered severe and permanent oral injuries, as well as “great pain and anguish,” after biting into and chewing the glass last Aug. 5 at a McDonald’s in Oak Lawn, Illinois, near Chicago. Full article...

The news reports I've read omit the address of the McDonald's restaurant that allegedly served the McGlass Sandwich. I'm glad that I didn't get glass in my McDoubles when I dined at the Mickey Dee's near the CTA's Pulaski Orange Line station yesterday.

Andrew Klavan's "Stop the Hate!" is a brilliant look at right wing hate speech and the violence that it spawns (or not). Klavan's description of his video sums it up: "In a world where conservatives are branded fascist for wanting more liberty and racist for wanting people to be treated equally, something must be done to stop them ... right?" Uh huh. After you watch the video, be sure to take the Right Wing Hate Speech Quiz at American Thinker.



Hat tip to Facebook denizens Robert Black and Debra Orton

RELATED: Chicago News Bench: This is Leftist Humor

Wondering who to vote for in Chicago's upcoming mayoral election on February 22? It can be confusing, trying to decide which corrupt, politically entrenched, lying Democrat to vote for. We sympathize, Comrade, we really do, and to add to the confusion there are 50 aldermanic races to be decided on the same day. Well, to help you, we're happy to oblige a request from good friends at Windy Citizen to let you know about a very nice series of reports that they're doing with the pros at Chicago News Cooperative.

To quote from Windy Citizen:

This month, a series of experts from the Chicago News Cooperative (CNC) will come to Windy Citizen one night each week before the Feb. 22 municipal election to take your questions on a wide range of topics that are on the minds of voters as they head to the polls:

• Wednesday Feb. 9: CNC City Hall Bureau Chief Dan Mihalopoulos will help make sense of the mayor's race


• Tuesday Feb. 15: CNC political reporter Hunter Clauss will address questions on the City Council races


• Monday Feb. 21: CNC political reporter Mick Dumke will tackle TIF districts, the privatization of city assets and other big issues facing the next mayor.

The American Conservative Union has a new leader. His name is Al Cardenas. That's great, very nice. Good luck to him. If the ACU is still as stupid as it was 31 years ago, he'll need luck.

I worked for the ACU back in 1980, three blocks off of Capitol Hill. I was the Assistant Media Director until the entire media staff was laid off in one of the dumbest executive decisions I've ever witnessed. Long story short: The ACU, which is primarily a lobbying organization, lost a defamation lawsuit and had to give up $900,000. The lobbyists weren't in the business of raising money, but the media staff was instrumental in that effort. The media staff is the line of communication to those who support the organization, and one important aspect of that is the solicitation of donations.

The day after we learned about the loss of $900,000 (a big amount even today), the ACU's director called me and the other five or six media staffers into his office to tell us we were being let go. Can't afford to keep you guys on, he said, sorry, pack up now and get outa here. I raised my hand. He looked at me quizzically.

"Sir," I said, "I think you should keep us on. We can help the ACU recoup a lot of that money by sending out a series of emergency pleas for donations."

He stared at me blankly, as did my fellow media staffers. "Sir," I continued, "letting the media staff go at this moment is a bit like hearing someone break into your home at night." I paused for effect, then continued. "You know a robber in your house, so you reach over and grab your phone. But instead of calling the police, you intentionally rip the phone out of the wall. That's kind of what you're doing here, sir."

Another blank look, an awkward clearing of his throat, then, "Sorry, guys, you gotta go. Good luck to all of you!" He didn't say it, but I could hear him thinking "...and don't let the door hit you in the ass." What a moron.

Forgive me if I feel no joy about the ACU's new honcho.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 9, 2010
CONTACT: Dennis Whitfield
(202) 365-1156

American Conservative Union Elects Al Cardenas as New Chairman

ALEXANDRIA, VA – Businessman and attorney Al Cardenas was elected Chairman of the American Conservative Union (ACU) Wednesday in Washington, DC, succeeding David Keene, who had held the post since in 1984. Founded in 1964, the ACU is the oldest membership-based conservative organization in the United States.

Cardenas, elected without opposition, said he is honored at the chance to lead the ACU, and expressed his commitment to using his post to help motivate and mobilize the American conservative movement.

"The American Conservative Union has a long and proud tradition of espousing and promoting the conservative goals of limited government and fiscal responsibility, and it's my honor to do all I can to help further these worthy objectives," Cardenas said. "I look forward to taking advantage of the new energies we see today in the conservative movement to make this storied organization even more influential in the future."

“Al is a perfect leader for the ACU – he grew up as a movement conservative, knows how to work with all the various component interests within the conservative coalition, and is highly respected by those who know him,” said David Keene, the ACU’s outgoing president. “Given his character, qualifications, and record of leadership, I am confident that the ACU will continue to prosper and grow under his watch.”

Cardenas also said the conservative movement will gain broader acceptance if it can successfully make Americans see the value of self-reliance and personal responsibility.

“In this, the centennial of Ronald Reagan’s birth, the best way to honor him and his memory is to promote our conservative principals with the same vigor and relentless optimism that he used to successfully expand the conservative base,” Cardenas said. “In addition to our commitment to fiscal responsibility and a strong national defense, it is imperative the ACU continue to champion the traditional values upheld by our Founding Fathers – values that were so important to President Reagan.”

Al Cardenas has been a supporter and advocate of conservative causes for nearly 40 years. In 1975, at the age of 25, Cardenas was named co-chairman of Ronald Reagan’s campaign in Florida, and he held the same post during Reagan’s primary and general election campaigns in Florida in 1980. In between, he challenged liberal icon Claude Pepper in a race for Congress in 1978, a contest in which Cardenas ran on a pro-life, anti-ERA, limited government platform; Reagan campaigned twice for him in that election.

After Reagan was elected president in 1980, Cardenas headed the Commerce Department transition team and assisted President Reagan in a variety of other capacities, including serving as Special Ambassador to St. Nevis-Kitts after that nation gained its independence in 1983. His previous work for the ACU has included serving on the ACU’s Board of Directors and as its treasurer.

Al Cardenas was born in Havana, Cuba in 1948, and emigrated to the United States in 1960, when his parents fled Fidel Castro’s regime. He grew up in South Florida, and turned down the opportunity to play football at Holy Cross University in order to attend community college and work part-time to help support his parents. He eventually matriculated at Florida Atlantic University, where he earned a B.A. in 1969. He earned a law degree from Seton Hall University in 1974. A successful businessman and attorney, Cardenas is the founder of Tew Cardenas, a full-service law firm with offices in Miami and Washington. He is also a director at Coral Gables Trust, a wealth management company. He and his wife of 32 years, Diana, have five children and four grandchildren.

The American Conservative Union is recognized for ranking politicians according to voting records on significant conservative issues but is best known for the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

Oak Lawn, IL - An illegal immigrant from Mexico has been taken from Advocate Christ Medical Center, 4440 West 95th Street in Oak Lawn, a southwestern suburb of Chicago, and sent back to his hometown. Quelino Ojeda Jimenez was flown back to the town in which he was born in southern Mexico. Some folks are upset that he was sent back "against his will."

While we sympathize with his medical condition, we cannot sympathize with a law breaker when the law comes back to deal with his transgressions. The L.A. Times has this:

For almost four months, doctors and nurses at Advocate Christ Medical Center cared for the young Mexican laborer who had fallen from a roof and lost the ability to speak, breathe or move most parts of his body.

But Quelino Ojeda Jimenez was in the U.S. illegally, and just before Christmas he was taken from the Oak Lawn hospital, loaded on an air ambulance and flown to Oaxaca, capital of the Mexican state where he was born. Full Story...

The L.A. Times story goes on to say that his "abrupt departure, which Ojeda says was undertaken without his consent," has some Mexicans in Chicago upset. Perhaps those Mexicans should be more about upset about other things, such as the fact that Mexico is a corrupt nation of profound poverty, at war with itself and with little opportunity that treats many of its own people like dogs, which is what caused Ojeda Jimenez had to violate U.S. immigration laws.

Perhaps the Mexicans in Chicago who are upset about his "abrupt departure" might consider that his abrupt illegal crossing of our border had something to do with his present medical state. Mr. Ojeda Jimenez was, after all, trespassing on U.S. soil without consent. Finally, it should also be remembered that Mexico treats those who cross its own borders illegally with brutality.

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Mexico's crappy health care system mexicomapxl.com/health-care
Mexico's War on Civil Rights L.A. Times
Let's Try Mexico's Immigration Law Here in the USA CNB

February 5, 2011 - Chicago - Some residents in the Windy City think they own the streets, or parts of them. After they dig their cars free from snowy encasement, some folks put lawn chairs and/or other other objects in the space they just drove out of. This, you see, is intended to prevent other motorists from parking in that space.

It's stupid. The people who do this will tell you that they have "dibs" on the space because they put the effort into clearing it.

Using that logic, however, the City of Chicago should be able to claim that space because it built the entire road upon which it exists.

Oh, wait... the City of Chicago does own that road - and, therefore, the space.

The real irony of these photos is that they were taken in the very liberal neighborhood of Rogers Park. Residents there pride themselves on being egalitarian and "progressive."

The whole parking dibs thing is the antithesis of their socialistic world view. It's selfish and loudly proclaims that the perpetrator has no concern for other people. Every man, woman and in-between for themselves.

If you're one of those inconsiderate selfish people who puts crap on the street to hold your parking space for hours and hours, not caring that you may be inconveniencing some old lady who's just trying to visit her ailing sister, here's a request: Take your ugly trash off the street and do what most motorists do - look for an open spot somewhere else. Deal with it.

Click images to enlarge. See more images at our online Blizzard album...

February 5, 2011 - Chicago - While their human servants are busy digging out from this week's blizzard, dogs in Chicago are enjoying the white stuff. We all know that dogs love snow, and there is now plenty of it for them to romp around in. These canines, at Pratt Beach in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood, were busy playing a game that only they understand. See more photos, of both the morning-after and today, at our online photo album. Click on the images below to enlarge them.

If you’re planning to attend business school, you will need to take (and pass) the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). It’s always a good idea to practice for any test, and one simple website offers you that opportunity at no charge. That’s right, free. Here is my brief review of that site, simply called "GRE Test," at GrePrepbook.org (GREPrepBook LLC).

GrePrepook.org (formerly Dranb) has a very simple website that is at once easy to navigate and not intimidating. GrePrepook.org is not associated with ETS, which administers the GRE. GrePrepook.org offers the test site for free because, no doubt, they want users to also click through to their “GRE Prep & GRE Big Book – Store,” where you can buy their GRE preparation books for prices ranging from $19.99 to $500.00. There’s nothing wrong with this, however, because there is no pressure on the use to buy anything. No pop-up ads, nothing annoying, just a static link to the book store. I must assume that the website offers only a fraction of what their books offer. Why give it away when you’re trying to sell it?

GrePrepook.org avoids bells and whistles and gets right down to business. While the site is good overall, I have a few minor criticisms, most of which are aesthetic. (Click image to enlarge.)

The opening page says, “We provide you with GRE practice test and thousands of real GRE questions! Check out the following sections:

GRE Analogy Practice Test
GRE Sentence Completion Practice Test
GRE Synonym Practice Test
GRE Antonym Practice Test
GRE Reading Comprehension Test
GRE Analytical Writing Practice Test
GRE Vocabulary Practice
FREE GRE Practice Test
Purchase GRE Practice Test”

That’s fine, but there are confusingly similar links in the sidebar:

GRE Test Practice
GRE Analogy Practice
GRE Sentence Completion
Synonym
Antonym
GRE Reading Comprehension Test
GRE Analytical Writing
GRE Vocabulary Study Guide
GRE Quantitative Practice
Free GRE Practice Test
GRE Prep & GRE Big Book – Store

Some of the links are redundant between the two lists. GrePrepook.org should have combined the two lists into one.

Another minor problem is the fact that practice tests must be printed out to be used effectively. In the multiple-choice “GRE Sentence Completion Practice Exam,” for example, you cannot select the correct answer by clicking on it. It would be great to be able to do that and then have the site compute your score. I admit that this is minor, but it would make the site easier (and more fun) to use.

These minor criticisms should not deter you, however. As stated, the site is easy to use and would seem to be useful for test practice.

I should also tell you that the GRE will be changing in 2011. If you want to take it in time to get the results so you can submit them to the school/s of your choice, writes Louis Lavelle at Businessweek.com on February 4, 2011, you should hurry.

Lavelle wrote that “those who are taking the test either in addition to or as an alternative to the GMAT for b-school admissions, timing will be everything.” Lavelle wrote that a spokesperson for ETS, which administers the GRE, “says that students who need their GRE scores before November should take the old-style GRE no later than July, which means they should probably start getting ready now. If they take the newer version in August, September, or October, they won’t receive their scores until mid-November.” Read Lavelle’s full article here.

Oddly, GrePrepook.org makes no mention of pending changes in the GRE, nor does it refer to ETS. It would provide a needed service to their visitors if they did so.

Michael Carroll is a Chicago police officer who is running for alderman in the 46th Ward (see his campaign website). That encompasses portions of the Uptown neighborhood, where Helen Shiller is not running for re-election (I pronounced her political career as dead in July, 2008). Here is the final installment in our exclusive five-part series.



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February 2, 2011 - Chicago - By 10:00 a.m. today, the worst of the great blizzard had passed. I took a few photos in Rogers Park, on Chicago's far north side alongside Lake Michigan. Watch the slideshow below or go directly to the photo album. Also See: Chicago Snow Dogs

This is nice, but it would have been nicer to see this kind of effort back in December or January before the Quinn tax hike became law. Well, let's move forward with this march on the Illinois capitol, shall we? It'll be a nice little outing.

Here's what the invitation says on the Tea Party's Facebook page: "This is your chance to express yourself and your voice regarding the outrageous tax hikes imposed by a Lame Duck Legislature and Democrat Governor." Okay, that's great -- but what if the Tea Party had a thousand or more people camping out on the steps of the Capitol Building before the tax hikes were imposed?

Uhm, wait minute - the "revolt" is scheduled to last only two hours? What the hell kind of "revolt" is that?!? Will there be biscuits and scones served at this timid tea party?

The title of their Facebook page is "Statewide March on Springfield - THE ILLINOIS STATE WIDE TAX REVOLT." Wait a minute. "Revolt?" Come on, Tea Party, get with the program. You don't "revolt" by politely scheduling a brief, two-hour outing. Nope, you need to stir things up a bit, as I called for last month. Seriously, how far do you think George Washington and his compatriots would have gotten with these milque toast tactics?

February 1, 2011 - Chicago - It's here: Snowmaggedon. Snowpocalypse. Snowzilla. Snow, and lots of it. I'll be brief and just say that a very dangerous storm has just hit Chicago. Here is a list of important information, courtesty of Ald. Mary Ann Smith (48th Ward). Ald. Smith sent this as an email blast at 2:38 pm, just as the storm began to kick the Windy City. A final note: You might want to print this out now, before this blizzard knocks down the power lines near you.

While we have been watching the weather predictions, the City has been preparing to deal with the massive snowfalls that are expected and the frigid conditions that are expected to follow.

If you find yourself in an emergency situation, call 911 immediately.

If you need food, water or shelter or if you see that one of your neighbors is in need, call the Department of Family and Support Services call 311. This department includes Senior Services.

Anyone encountering a downed power line should call ComEd at (800)-EDISON, (800) 334-7661 to report the location.

The Chicago Public Schools' web site www.cps.edu and the CPS Safety and Security hotline, (773) 553-3030 will have updates on possible school closures.

Also, please continue to shovel your sidewalks to the best of your ability. We all have a responsibility to pitch and keep our streets and sidewalks safe for emergency personnel.

The City's Plan

The Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) has developed the following plan for dealing with this storm.

"We may potentially be dealing with a storm of historic proportions. If we get the amount of snow that some are predicting, it will be the largest snow Storm to hit Chicago since 1967," warns Ray Orozco, the Mayor's Chief of Staff.

In addition to the snow, a Lakeshore Flood Watch is also in effect from Tuesday evening to Wednesday afternoon. Thirty to forty mile per hour winds with gusts up to 60 mph at the shore is expected to create 14-18 foot waves with Occasional waves up to 25 feet.

In preparation for the snowstorm:

• The Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications is activating the Emergency Operations Center (FCC) Tuesday afternoon at noon. The FOC will remain open for as long as necessary.

• The Department of Streets and Sanitation will utilize its full fleet. 274 trucks, plus 120 garbage trucks with quick hitch plows. Trucks will concentrate on main routes and Lake Shore Drive so that emergency vehicles can get through. The City has also increased the number of garbage trucks to try and get ahead of this week's garbage collection.

• City officials have been coordinating with groups such as the Salvation Army, Red Cross, the Building Owners and Managers Association, Chicago FIRST, Metra and the Department of Transportation to share
information and coordinate storm response.

• The Chicago Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) will operate three 24-hour centers, including North Area, Garfield and King. beginning on Wednesday at 7 a.m. through Thursday at 5 p.m. All other centers will be open during regular hours of operation.

With more than 4,000 beds in 60 shelters across the city, and the capacity to add more beds as needed, there is no reason for anyone to sleep outdoors. Call 311 for assistance or transportation.
DFSS is contacting seniors to encourage them to stay indoors and make arrangements for necessary food, medicine and supplies. All six regional senior centers, 12 satellite senior centers and various nutritional sites will be closed on Wednesday, February 2. Seniors who typically receive meals through at these locations will receive boxed meals Wednesday to last
through Thursday.

• The Chicago Department of Aviation will coordinate snow removal efforts with the Federal Aviation Administration and the airlines to minimize the impact of weather conditions on airport operations.

• The Chicago Transit Authority's snow command team will make sure buses and rail cars can get in and out of garages and yards. Crews will salt bus terminals, turnarounds and garages. Parking lot vendors for CTA Park & Ride lots will be notified to salt and keep parking lots clear.

If CTA buses and trains are significantly impacted by the adverse weather conditions, CTA Bus Tracker and CTA Train Tracker information also may be affected.

• Chicago Public Schools has sent letters home today with students advising parents on what to expect. Parents, guardians and CPS staff should monitor news reports, the CPS website, www.cps.edu, or the CPS Safety and Security hotline at (773) 553~3O3O (or updates on possible school closures.

A decision on whether to order a partial or complete closure of schools and/or a suspension of bus service will be made by the Chief Executive Officer based on the expected conditions Wednesday morning.

What You Can Do to Prepare and Be Safe

• Call 311 immediately if you are without heat or in need of shelter.

• Monitor reputable news sources such as the National Weather Service or local television and radio stations for me latest news and information.

• Be sure you have adequate supplies of food, prescription medications, flashlights and batteries (in case you lose power).

• Reach out to friends, relatives and neighbors to make sure they are safe and comfortable. If you are concerned about someone and not able to make contact yourself, call 311 and request a well-being check.

Parking Bans and Snow Removal

• Keep cars off of arterial streets on the snow route system. This is a matter of public safety and allows the City to clear streets more quickly.

The ban on parking on arterial streets when there is more than 2-inches of snow on the ground will be in effect, and cars parked on these streets will be removed. However, it would be wise to move cars as soon as possible. 48th Ward streets that affected include Broadway, Clark, Foster, Lawrence, Ridge and Sheridan. For a complete list of streets that are included in the ban, go to the City of Chicago's Snow and Ice Control Information site.

• When clearing snow from cars, pile it on the parkway. Never shovel snow into the street.

• Shovel out fire hydrants so they are readily available in an emergency.

• Clear snow from around garbage carts to assist with garbage removal. Also be sure to bag all garbage and recyclables. This way, if your carts are frozen in, Streets and San will be able to remove the bags.

Health Tips

The Chicago Department of Public Health offers these practical tips for Chicago residents:

• Avoid making unnecessary trips outside. If the task cart wait until the weather improves, let it wait.

• If you must go out, limit the time you stay outside. Schedule indoor rest periods in between outdoor activities. Do not let children or pets play outside for long periods of time

• Wear several layers of loose, warm clothing when outdoors. Pay special attention to keeping your head, ears, hands and feet warm.

• Stay dry, because moisture from perspiration from melting snow---can damage the insulating effectiveness of clothes.

• Pay extra attention to your body's daily needs. Drink warm beverages and soup to help your body stay warm,

• Avoid alcoholic beverages, which can impair your judgment. Alcohol also
dilates blood vessels, which makes the body lose heat faster.

• Watch for frostbite and hypothermia. If a person is outside for long periods of time in the severe cold and the areas around their eyes and lips, or the lips themselves, begin to turn grayish white, the person may be experiencing frostbite. Signs of confusion and shivering are all progressive signs of hypothermia (overexposure to winter elements). Action and movement will also stimulate blood flow and distribute warmth throughout the body. A person with frostbite or hypothermia should receive medical care as soon as possible.

• Again, check regularly on the well-being of friends, relatives and neighbors who live alone, who are elderly or who have a disability. This is a time when it's especially important for all of us to look out for each other.

Related Links

Chicago Public School updates
City of Chicago - Cold Weather Shelters