Leave Letterman alone

Letterman is getting skewered for a joke. What happened to freedom of speech? Oh yeah, we are living in a generation of wimps with thin skin. When I heard the joke I assumed he was talking about the older daughter. It was funny.

It came out that the younger daughter was at the game. Oops. But what funny person do you know that has NEVER gotten a fact wrong when going for a laugh. It happens.

We are living in a generation where there is no tolerance for anything in some misguided quest to create tolerance of everything. We are raising kids that go to schools that give out "Did not pass" grades instead of "Fail". Guess what? We're not doing them any favors. Live is hard sometimes. People are mean sometimes. Learn to live with it or you are in for a difficult time for the rest of your life. Calling for a boycott of Letterman's sponsors is misguided and, I imagine, largely led by conservatives who normally support freedom of speech. I mean really, is one bad joke enough to ruin someone's career?

Funny how intolerant people are of other people's mistakes.

Let he who is without sin...

I had to respond to the Ticketmaster

Is this Ticketmaster guy on theexpiredmeter.com drinking the Kool Aid or what?

Quinn's Wrong Targets

This is an excellent piece on what's wrong with IL and why, even though I am on the board of a not-for-profit severely impacted by this, I will not support the tax increase proposed.

I stood up for ethics. Where were you?!?!?

I stood up for ethics. Where were you?!?!?
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0527edit2may27,0,7794159.story

More of the same political BS.

Furthermore, the state budget office would be fired from every corporation if they produced quarterly reports like the ones here: http://www.state.il.us/budget/qfr.asp
There is absolutely nothing of value in those reports. They are a sales job to defend more taxes. Why don’t you stand up for transparency in government? Why don’t you stand up against pension abuse? Why don’t you stand up against urban sprawl which figures into the $13B out of $20B in the capital budget being proposed.

Julie Hamos sent me this email:
Dear John,
Thank you for signing our petition calling for campaign contribution caps in Illinois. It is time for action – and we need your voice to be heard.
If you have not already, please contact your state legislator today and encourage them to support campaign contribution caps at $2,400.
Please stay in touch - I read every email message.
Sincerely,

Trailblazer of Corruption

Burris is going to go down soon! If there is a single person with ethics left in government we have a shot. Oh, never mind.

BURRIS ON TAPE: "If I do get appointed, that means I bought it."

More corrupt Chicago aldermen

Alderman Burke is arguably the most corrupt of all of the aldermen based on what's in this article. He has his own parking zone? WTF?

Cook County commissioners are idiots

"I looked at my community, and I looked at theirs, and I compared the two," said Commissioner Deborah Sims (D-Chicago), referring to her Republican colleagues. "We don't have any businesses in my community to leave." -- Gee Deb, could it be that you don't have any businesses because you mismanaged government at every turn? IDIOT!

Should radio stations pay performers to play their music?

Weird. It used to be Payola where the payments went the opposite way.

Making friends over at the Expired Meter

More Stroger dirt

Cole is obviously a scumbag with a long rap sheet but he also has a history as a whistle blower. Thankfully the scumbag Stroger administration is too fucking stupid to have thought it through completely and now it's going to bring them down. Dunnings is obviously not someone who should be anywhere near the books if she's this stupid.

City of Chicago 0 - StubHub 1

Finally somebody stands up to the crooks in charge in Chicago. These onerous fees are ridiculous.

This is for the idiot who made a pro pension comment on one of my posts

This kind of behavior is NOT what anyone had in mind when pensions were approved.


Kurt Granberg would have received a pension of $73,017 from his two decades as a state legislator. His 19-day interim job got him a quickie sweetening of $40,000 a year—55 percent more.

Stroger is obviously an idiot

He can't find a single item of pork in the budget? We need a recall. Idiots like this do not represent me.

I just commented on The Expired Meter

Read more of my rants in the comments section

Dear God please quit voting for the machine - proof of the lies

"That is the American way," Stroger replied. "And the way that it's generally done is, you find some group that's small enough where they can't beat you up, and you tax them and you tell everybody else, 'See? We didn't tax you.'

Until you start taxing those other groups because you're busy giving make work jobs to your relatives you fucking idiot.

Never trust the government when they raise taxes.

They keep saying they raise taxes to pay for added health care costs. They lie.

How come Chicago aldermen didn't show this kind of backbone

"House Democrats needed only one Republican vote last week to pass a $3 billion public works plan. House Minority Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) vowed they wouldn't get it unless they provided an itemized accounting of how the money would be spent."

But Hizzoner Richie Daley rams through a 75 year lease (that will obviously benefit his relatives) and there is no time for the aldermen to get the details? Hell, only a couple of them even asked for details.

IL 5th Congressional District special election

The 5th district special election is tomorrow. Our choices:
1. more of the same Dem machine.
2. A green Green party.
3. Minuteman Republican.

These choices all suck. I'm going to write myself in.

The older I get the more disillusioned I am with politics. The election commission makes it impossible for the silent majority to have a say. 90% of people I talk to want less government -- lower taxes and less social interference. But the Libertarians will never get on the ballot because it takes too many signatures thanks to the choke hold the Dems have on the process.

Apparently the principal of Waupussy High can't read a dictionary.

There are not enough bullets in the world to prevent people like this from procreating. How in the hell did this guy make it to be principal if the doesn't even know the meaning of the word fellows? What a complete moron.

Funny to read that they already lost the fight on having their nickname be the Warriors. Us Marquette grads learned a long time ago that the Native Americans required a monopoly on that word to protect their casino investments.

Burris news (or lack thereof)

What happened to our pal Roland Burris? Why isn't he in the news lately? Better yet, why isn't he in jail or being impeached?

Speed cameras coming to IL

Don't believe it when they say that speed cameras are all about safety. It's all about revenue. What ever happened to the constitutional right to face your accuser? They "decriminalize" it as an end around the constitution.

Ever wonder why so many lives could be saved by reducing speeding? Because they artificially inflate the numbers. Speed is listed as a factor in every accident. If we all drove 5 mph there would be no deaths but that's not very practical.

I'm sick of the nanny state that taxes the hell out of us and refuses to cut services to balance the budget. They just keep inventing new ways to screw us out of our money.

CTA vs Illinois pensions

So the CTA may be able to avoid service cuts and fair hikes by modifying their contributions to the pension plan. But the crooks in power in Springfield have to approve any changes to the mandated payments to the pension fund. I've lost over 30% of my retirement savings. How much have the workers of the CTA or state or the teacher's unions given up during this economic meltdown? My guess is nothing.

Time to throw the bums in Springfield out and make seniors pay for their rides. That fills $40M of the $155M hole in the budget.

I hate spammers but this is an exception.

They are begging to be spammed for screwing all Chicagoans they deserve it. Vote early vote often? I say submit their feedback form early and submit it VERY often.

http://www.chicagometers.com/contact-us.aspx

The parking revolt isn't just me

Finally a Tribune article I agree with

IL, and Chicago in particular, is rapidly becoming an impossible place to live. Every time we turn around we pay more to get less but the pension fund just keeps on rising. I'd like to see the governor do an ROI on all spending programs. My bet is that few of the programs would pass the test.

I hate spammers

samuel.gunta@infowavesystems.com is a no good spammer.

Cook County Circuit Courts - Frustrating people into submission (and paying)

I got a ticket for an illegal u-turn. 10am in the city. Virtually no traffic but whatever. It said it would take 7-10 days to get a response and get my license back. Instead it took 3 weeks for them to return my check since it was made out incorrectly and, oh by the way you didn't pay for traffic school. No mention of how much I needed to pay for the traffic school option. I was a day or two late getting it back to them so, of course, they were johnny on the spot finding me guilty. Now I have to appear before 8am Monday-Thursday and pay an extra $45 to vacate the judgment and get a court date. Thanks. It's fine that you guys took an extra week to open my mail but if I'm one day late I'm screwed.

I'd like to fuck Dorothy Brown in the ass with a red hot poker. Chicago red tape at its finest.

Fuck this city, fuck the Olympics, fuck Daley, fuck Stroger and definitely fuck you Dorothy, you bitch.

The Tribune staff/editorial board is a bunch of idiots

Hey Tribune staff:
Here's a novel idea. Endorse someone besides a Democrat for the election. You are part of the problem. Sending Quigley to congress also leaves this city and county with one less (reasonably) moral representative.

The Tribune perpetuates the situation then complains about it. Duh! I guess you're not REALLY for change, you just think it would be nice if it miraculously happened.

Another reason the drug war is stupid

"--More than a third of homicide victims had alcohol in their system, while only 3 percent showed traces of "hard drugs" like heroin or cocaine in their blood."

Yet we spend BILLIONS on the war against drugs. Legalize them, tax them and we'll be able to lower taxes on other things.

Parking meter rate increase -- REVOLT NOW!

I just spent $2 to park by DePaul. A couple of weeks ago parking for the same duration cost just $0.50. Thanks LAZ parking! Bastards! So I am now on a mission to increase their costs. My proposal: load up the meters with pennies. The newer meters don't have a coin return and don't give any time for anything but quarters. If everyone out there starts stuffing them with pennies (and nickels) then the meters will fill up faster and the people who empty them will be hauling lots of worthless pennies instead of quarters. Who doesn't have a bunch of pennies in their car that are just taking up space? Finally the lowly penny will work for us.

Start a penny revolution and stick it to LAZ parking for stealing the 75 year lease at bargain (corrupt) prices.

Why are there so many idiots out there that can't spell "lose" correctly?

Is it really so hard? I swear, every single time I read comments on a news story I see some idiot talk about "loosing" something, loosers, or someone about to "loose" their job. Really! A bolt is loose you retards. You would lose your job if you couldn't figure out how to spell such an easy word.

Email Burris and tell him to resign

Email him. Tell him what you think of his refusal to resign.


Senator_RolandBurris@Burris.Senate.Gov

Is anyone really surprised the slimeball won't resign?

Another new low in IL politics. Where is Bobby Rush now?

He's got $100,000 in legal bills from this? How long until he starts back room dealings to cover those costs? I predict not long.

Impeachment/recall/whatever is too good for Burris

He should be put in jail. Way to go dummy. Perjure yourself right after the gov is arrested for corruption. Trailblazer is right. Blazing trails nobody else has been stupid enough to. Yet another new low in IL politics.

Burris clams up with the media because he's a crook

This guy is such a corrupt fool. Sure, change your story 3 times. When you realize that Blago is going to start dishing dirt (like he has about adultery and hardcore drinking in Springfield) then you decide to come clean about his requests for fundraising.

Why don't you get CORRUPT chiseled into you mausoleum you jerk?

RESIGN NOW!!!

I told you Burris was a crook with no moral compass

Gee Roland, you didn't think that it was important to disclose that Blago hit you up for money? You scumbag. You didn't say anything because you KNEW it would kill your chances of taking office.

I think the Senate should impeach his ass. This is absolute BS and further proof that Roland Burris has no moral compass and does not deserve to represent IL (or anyone) in the Senate.

It keeps getting better. Tax everyone for a "stimulus"

"Senate President John Cullerton also told the Chicago Tribune's editorial board that increased motor fuel taxes and higher vehicle fees should be considered "on the table" for what he called an Illinois "stimulus" package that would fund school construction as well as road and transit projects."

Where did these people get their economics education? Taxation is the most inefficient way of stimulating anything. And why are we using gas taxes to fund school construction. Where are my astronomical property taxes going?

"An 8-cent boost would make Illinois' tax rate an average of 58.8 cents, second only to New York's 59.7 cents."

The state also charges sales tax on gas purchases. The city adds another 5 cents and Cook County another 6. All told the gas taxes in the city would total 62 cents by my math
(Fed is 19 cents, state would be 27 cents)

Here's an idea... quit building miles of roads and highways to the suburbs or make them pay the true cost of building those roads. Leave those of us in the city out of it.

So we would have the highest sales tax AND gas tax. Chicago just keeps getting lower on the list of places I want to live.

Burris owes $1.2M but has no plans to repay it. Must be nice to have no moral compass

Stroger wants to borrow to balance the budget. Why not cut spending like the rest of us Todd? Oh, right, becuase you're and idiot

WalMart reaping rewards for problems they partially caused

WalMart shipped millions of manufacturing jobs to China causing untold numbers of people to be unemployed. Now they are the only ones with good sales numbers in January? When will people learn?

Quit leaving your dog crap on the snow (that's on top of my yard)!!!

It should be easier to clean up after your dog in the snow. Why is it that so many idiots don't feel they have to these days? Is it going to magically disappear? No, except for what the rats can eat... thanks for helping keep the rat population up. Jerks

Somebody in the Department of Revenue is corrupt

The ONLY reason I can think of for getting 5 (FIVE) copies of every ticket is that there is someone corrupt who gets paid per piece of mail sent. Attempts to rectify the situation have proved unsuccessful. If the city is in such dire straights financially, do they think spending 5 times as much to send parking notices is going to improve the situation? I know I prefer to receive ONE copy of a ticket. I also send my customer ONE invoice at a time.

Whoever is causing this:
Quit killing trees and quit WASTING my money. Prove to me that there is nothing corrupt. Prove that you are just incompetent.

Sincerely,
The Angry Chicagoan

City ordinances = revenue, NOT quality of life

Having recently started training for the St Louis marathon in April I noticed that the city seems much more concerned with passing and enforcing ordinances that are strictly revenue generators and do NOTHING to improve the quality of life for residents than in passing meaningful ordinances to benefit the residents. I challenge you to walk a full city block without encountering some idiot’s walk that hasn’t been shoveled yet this year. It’s dangerous and makes it extremely difficult to get around (impossible for disabled people). How is it that the city can ticket my car in a zoned parking area when I was the ONLY car on the street but it can’t figure out how to induce people to keep their walks clear. Some common sense by the department of revenue would go a long way to quelling the revolt that’s brewing.

I can only assume that we need more ticket writers to pay for the 3 “traffic maids” I saw standing on one corner talking. Those people do more harm than good. I can only assume that they are required to blindly vote the party lines to get those jobs…

Here’s an idea: take the ticket writers and give them something productive to do (like enforcing a snow removal ordinance) and tell them to use some common sense regarding parking then fire all of the “traffic maids”. I’m sure it will be a net positive for the city.

Something about this smells funny...

City official makes $300,000 on troubled deal to build shelter for homeless