The Great Soap Caper

An amusing west side tale:

• A Chicago Police captain chased and apprehended a man who allegedly tried to steal boxes of hotel soaps from a semi truck early Friday on the West Side.

  The captain was patrolling an area near South Cicero and West Fifth avenues -- just south of the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) -- when he saw a man who appeared to be stealing from a parked semi truck about 3:15 a.m., police said.

  The captain confronted the man, and eventually pepper sprayed him when he used a chain to avoid being handcuffed. The man then attempted to flee, but the captain captured him about a block away, police said.

  Further investigation revealed the truck was carrying boxes of hotel soaps, according to police, who said truck thieves often don’t know what the trucks are carrying ahead of time.

Captains making arrests is one thing. Stealing hundreds of bars of soap? Why?

Cop's Guide to Good Eats

Don't give away too many good spots though:

• Are you a cop? Do you eat food? We need your story!
  
  Sgt. David Haynes and local writer Christopher Garlington are looking for quotes for their upcoming book, The Beat Cop’s Guide to Chicago Eats, to be published in October, 2009.
  
  Remember The Street and San Man’s Guide to Chicago Eats? Our book is the bigger, better, follow-up—and it’s written by a cop!
  
  The Beat Cop’s Guide is about getting great neighborhood food, in a half hour, cheap. It’s about real Chicago food. And who knows better what’s good in any neighborhood better than the beat cop that works there every day?
  
  So we’re reaching out to every cop we know.
  
  Send us your best story about being a cop and eating lunch in Chicago. Stories like this:
  
  
• making an arrest while you waited on fries at a hot dog joint
  
• a story about how food you bought from a walk-up chicken shack helped you get information that led to an arrest
  
• how a particular sub sandwich from this one café is what keeps you going on midnights
  
• the best place to eat lunch on your beat
  
• what foods are best in a squad car--and what foods really, really don’t belong there
  
• hazards of eating in uniform
  
• (we’re not kidding on this one) cops and donuts
  
• where to get the best ribs in Chicago
  
• anything you think makes a good story involving cops and lunch and food
  
  The book is currently in rewrites and due to go into production after August 7. So we need these stories pronto. We’re not looking for Hemingway here—we’ll clean up your story. We’re pros. Don’t worry. Just email your stories to Sgt. David Haynes at dave@davehaynes.net. If we put your story in the Beat Cop’s Guide, you’ll get invited to the super cool VIP book release party (a bucket of Miller Lite and hot dogs on Dave’s deck), and a signed copy of the book. Plus, you’ll be famous.

Drop them a line.

Sneed Bares Her Fangs

Sneed seems to be picking up on a certain vibe around these parts:

• (25 July) - Sneed got a personal inkling of the animosity Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis has to contend with when I gave Weis a kudo for choosing to take unpaid furlough days like the rest of his exempt staff. Read some:

  "At roughly four times a normal salary, [Weis] has nothing in common with the rank and file. His 12-day refund gesture is a joke. This year I will be paying $11K in private grammar school tuition for my three children."

  Dan M.

  "Keep the applause down Sneed. The guy is still making over $300,000 a year."

  Chicago -- the next Detroit

  "If I made over $300,000K a year I would give some back too to make you happy. Remember J-Fed is a politician not a Police Officer and never will be."

  anonymous

• (31 July) - Word is city fines, which generate city revenue, have gone down bigtime.

  • • The reason: Is it due to police apathy and the rank and file's intense dislike for Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis?

  Questions. Questions.

Welcome to the party Sneed. Too bad you've been taking cues from Jackie Heard and J-Fed's policy group for so long.

Bobby Robson: RETROTAPA Nº 16

1933 - 2009, julio 31

SIR BOBBY ROBSON DIES, AGED 76

Speaking of Changes

We saw the same e-mail thousands of others did. Commander applications are available and due 07 August. We also found out that based on our PC number, we can't access the actual application packet (great job there Personnel Division - keep on shining!)

So how come J-Fed can demote a commander and replace him instantly without going through the Commander applications that haven't been submitted and processed yet?

Sounds like the entire process has been exposed as bullshit. Again. Way to build up that "trust" factor there J-Fed.

First Arbitration, Second...

...announce that not only have you driven the Chicago economy into the ditch, it looks like next year, its rolled over and burst into flames:

• Even after the city exhausts a $320 million rainy day fund created by leasing the city’s parking meters, it still must find $520 million in costs savings or new revenue to get through next year, officials said today.

  Although new taxes are “a last resort, . . . nothing is ruled out at this point,” Chief Financial Officer Gene Saffold said during a City Hall briefing this afternoon that Mayor Richard Daley did not attend.

  “The mayor has instructed us not to look at property taxes as we move forward in 2010,” Saffold added. “We’re looking for innovative solutions which will help us address this issue.”

  The city plans to use $269 million of the rainy day fund to cover an anticipated 2009 budget deficit. The deficit already was reduced by $59 million, in part through layoffs, employee furloughs and union concessions that affect city services.

  That would leave $51 million in the rainy day fund that will be used to reduce the anticipated 2010 shortfall, which is expected to be worse than the current year. As an example, Saffold said, labor costs are expected to increase $117 million.

It looks like it's time for desperate measures.

How about cutting 30 aldercreatures? That would be a savings of $3.6 million in salaries, $39.9 million in "discretionary fund" spending, and probably another $150 million or more in staff cuts, office rentals, supplying those offices and the attached graft that goes with it. We conservatively estimate that cutting those 30 thieves and their hangers-on would save in the neighborhood of $200 million the first year alone - nearly 40% of Shortshanks' estimated budget shortfall.

They can cover the other $320 million by revamping city purchasing procedures. Problem solved. You can thank our readers for the suggestion.

Una pintada monumental

Acaso fallaron en los cálculos. El Monumental (Estadio Antonio Vespucio Liberti) se convirtió en septuagenario el año pasado (26.05.08).

Los trabajos de mantenimiento comenzaron en 2002. Desde entonces, la faraónica intervención que decidió la gestión Aguilar recibiera el estadio , consistió en pintura exterior, renovación del sistema lumínico, barandas en circulaciones, cambios de paraavalanchas, sistema de señalética, nueva pista de atletismo, reparaciones de hormigón, estructura metálica, butacas y juntas de dilatación, se pintó el césped y se emparejó el corte (a pedido de Bilardo) y, para terminar la fastuosa obra, se está llevando a cabo en estos momentos, cuando Argentina se muda a Rosario para recibir a Brasil, la pintada del graderío según diseño de Inés Nadal, aprobado por la CD en 2005.

No sin modestia, los redactores publicistas de la institución dejan bien en claro que se trata de la mayor intervención desde 1978 (en realidad 1977) cuando el estudio Aslan & Ezcurra Arqs. se encargó de acondicionarlo para el Mundial.

Entonces se construyó el sector alto de la tribuna Almirante Brown con sus tres juegos de escaleras exteriores ampliando la capacidad total a 74.650 espectadores. Se abrieron instalaciones para la prensa escrita, radio y televisión con cabinas para transmisión y para equipos de TV; pupitres equipados con micrófonos y monitores en las tribunas, salas de conferencias, entrevistas y sala de prensa con capacidad para 600 periodistas con servicios de teléfono, telex y telefoto (entrepiso nuevo de la tribuna General Belgrano) mas dos cafeterías y cuatro ascensores.

Los jugadores recibieron con beneplácito vestuarios con sala de masajes, sala de reposo y servicios médicos: dos para jugadores del partido principal y dos para los del partido secundario con lugar para precalentamiento.
Los árbitros se asombraron con los nuevos vestuarios trasladados a la planta baja de la tribuna General San Martin.
Los dirigentes se sentaron en una nueva sala de estar con sanitarios y servicios propios de cafetería y bar.
El público vio ampliados los servicios generales en nuevos bares y sanitarios, un servicio médico organizado en doce puestos distribuidos en las cuatro tribunas con una central en la San Martín, nuevos portones antiavalancha (puerta 12). Y los jugadores pisaron un campo renovado en todas las capas inferiores con un sistema de riego automático iluminado con un sistema previsto para filmación de video en colores.

Hoy, gracias a la gestión Aguilar y a Sinteplast que aceptó el trueque publicitario, los socios y alumnos que regresan a sus actividades, encuentran las instalaciones muy bien pintadas.
Eso sí, los grifos de los vestuarios, siguen siendo de 1977.

OFF TOPIC: MURIO BOBBY ROBSON

Changes

A couple of moves are being reported in the comment sections:

• Commander of 018 elevated to Chief of Special Functions Group
• Commander of 011 demoted to Lieutenant, Narcotics

More to change before sundown? All moves appear to be effective close of business Friday.

UPDATE: Captain from 007 named 011 District Commander

Canciones mundialistas

Anatomy of a Public Castration

This was a hilarious bit of theater that took place all day Wednesday.

Scene I, Act I: Sneed's column:

• Sneed hears Police Supt. Jody Weis has issued a new deadly force police policy, which is scheduled to go into effect this weekend.

  • • To wit: Chicago cops will now be permitted to shoot at drivers or passengers in cases of felons fleeing in motor vehicles. (Weis' policy advisers recommended the change.)

  • • The upshot: Proponents claim it helps protect cops.

  • • The buckshot: Critics claim the new policy is "ridiculous" and the liability to the City of Chicago could be astronomical.

  • • Translation: "Officers were allowed to use deadly force to prevent death or great bodily harm to themselves or another person, but it didn't allow them to use force to apprehend a fleeing forcible felon," said a police source. "If confronted by an oncoming vehicle, officers were simply told to get out of the way, unless they were put in great danger," added the police source.

Note the key words designed to generate outrage among the populace - "permitted to shoot at drivers or passengers in cases of felons fleeing in motor vehicles." Wow. Just wow. Shooting passengers? We don't know who fed Sneed this bit of crap or on who's orders, but well done! She ran with it and the entire day's events were completely predictable from that point forward. Sneed gives some play to the "policy advisers" who feed her the info and we're assuming this is the "policy group" made up of clout babies with a grand total of eight years experience.

Act 2, Scene 3: Around noon, Shortshanks had a starring role:

• The mayor said the Chicago Police Department is working to improve its existing policies, but has not officially changed anything.

  Mayor Richard M. Daley said reports that the CPD had changed its police policy on deadly force in incidents involving felony cases where suspects fled the scenes in vehicles were incorrect.

  Earlier Wednesday, a CPD spokesman told ABC7 the policy was going into effect this coming weekend. However, Daley said that's not the case.

Why do we have a sneaking suspicion that the CPD spokesman who gave that interview might be headed back to a district in short order? Last time we checked, it was the Superintendent's signature that appeared on the bottom of most General Orders, Special Orders, Department Notices, or whatever. The Superintendent was the Administrator and set policy direction within the bounds of existing local and state laws. Daley pretty much removed that power by stepping in as boldly and publicly as he did. In essence, he grabbed J-Fed by the balls and gave him a bit of a shake.

And finally, the public castration of the Superintendent (Act 3, Scene 2):

• Chicago aldermen -- not Police Supt. Jody Weis -- would decide whether police officers can fire their weapons at felony suspects fleeing in motor vehicles, under an ordinance introduced Wednesday amid conflicting statements about an impending policy change.

  Chicago Sun-Times columnist Michael Sneed reported the new deadly force policy scheduled to take effect Aug. 3. It was confirmed to her by Police Department spokesman Roderick Drew, who did a subsequent radio interview discussing the new policy.

  But, the change was apparently not cleared with the powers that be at City Hall, a no-no for any Chicago police superintendent.

And guess who introduced the ordinance that removed the Superintendent from being the figurehead power dictating policy? Recently indicted aldercreature Ike Carothers!

Priceless.

Ike who was giving J-Fed all sorts of flak during public hearings. Ike who was ignored by J-Fed, either because J-Fed knew of the coming indictment or because J-Fed figured Ike was just another blowhard to be ignored. Ike, even though he's under federal indictment and wore a wire for a year, gets to make the proposal that shows everyone exactly who runs the show here in Chicago and presents the mayor with J-Fed's testicles in a jar. What a show.

It's Official - Arbitration

Letters were delivered today:

• The City of Chicago has initiated arbitration proceedings with police officers over the stalled contract negotiations, according to the Fraternal Order of Police, the union representing the officers.

  FOP president Mark Donahue said the union was notified late Wednesday afternoon. A spokeswoman for Mayor Daley did not immediately return phone calls.

  The city's officers have been working two years without a contract. Wages are the chief divisive issue between the city and union, according to a statement posted on the union website.

Arbitrators are usually bound by precedent and comparable contracts. Precedent has dictated an average of 3.5% a year during the past two contracts. Precedent has also dictated retro is awarded. The last three or four contracts have always been of a four-year duration. We would urge the FOP to cite the NYPD contract as a comparable contract - 4% a year for 4 years and settled on time.

We're probably another 9 to 12 months from a contract, and if it's a four-year deal, it'll be three-years gone by the time it takes effect. Since the City fails over and over again to negotiate in good faith, maybe we can file for arbitration on Day One next time.

Crooked = Good

Shortshanks is amazing:

• Mayor Richard M. Daley executed his tried-and-true media strategy again on Tuesday by actually playing off a budding scandal as a good thing and uttering the infamous words of apologists everywhere: Everybody does it.
  
  This time it's allegations that kids were clouted into the city's top schools.
  
  "Thank God people want to get their kids into school," Daley said. "Usually, they’re fleeing to the suburbs . . .This is unbelievable."
  
  In one sense, Daley is right: Chicago schools have sucked for so long that it's actually a sign of progress that some residents are willing to cheat to get their kids into the better ones.
  
  But it's also wholly inappropriate -- and maddening to those whose kids lost out -- for the mayor to once again basically condone clout as a way of life.

Welcome to the "meri-clout-orious" world that is Daley-land. Even the school children are pawns to be used and moved on political whims. Who knows what shady deals and contracts had to be cut and covered to gain admission into magnet schools? We'll bet there are some doozies there.

Se retira Sorín

465 partidos y 52 goles completó Juan Pablo Sorín en su carrera: Selecciones juveniles (25-0), Argentinos Juniors (19-1), Juventus (5,0), River Plate (133-15), Cruzeiro (70-11), Lazio (10-0), Barcelona (15-1), PSG (26-2), Villarreal (60-8), Hamburgo (27-4), Selección Argentina (75-10).

EL CAÑO A RONALDINHO

Fifty New Cops!

Hooray!!! The manpower shortage has been solved!!!

• Twenty-one Illinois law enforcement agencies, including Chicago and numerous suburban departments, will receive nearly $26 million in federal stimulus money to hire or rehire 106 police officers.

  The money is part of $1 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds that will help pay the salaries and benefits of 4,699 police officers nationwide. Vice President Joe Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder today announced the money would be distributed among 1,046 agencies throughout the country.

  The city of Chicago is slated to receive more than $13 million for 50 entry-level police officers. Calumet City will get more than $1 million for five officers.

That will cover the retirements from March of two years ago! We can't wait to meet these new highly trained officers in another year or so. By which point we should be another thousand or so officers short.

Color us underwhelmed.

Seven in One Blow

Crime is down, but shootings are up. And nights like this ruin the curve:

• A total of seven people were shot and wounded near the intersection of Walnut Street and Homan Avenue late Tuesday, fire department spokesman Larry Langford said.

  Six of the victims were taken to area hospitals in critical condition, while the seventh was in serious condition with a graze wound, Langford said. All of the victims were males, ranging from teens to young adults.

  Authorities responded to a report of someone shot in the area of Homan and Walnut just before 10:45 p.m.,[...]

  Some of the shooting victims fled the scene after being wounded, one being found in an area convenience store, Langford said.

  An Emergency Medical Services Plan 1 was called, and then additional ambulances were sent for, bring a total of seven ambulances to the scene.

On the Watch Commander Shooting Report, we're going to guess that this one will be listed as "Retaliation? Likely."

Those Pesky Contracts

Don't mean a thing to a mayor desperate to cover up years of financial mismanagement:

• Mayor Daley says the City’s sister agencies are joining in the shared sacrifice designed to reduce budget shortfalls this year.
  
  [...] that means more furlough days and budget cuts.
  
  The Daley Administration is already demanding unpaid days off and spending cuts from all departments here at City Hall.
  
  Now Mayor Daley says similar moves are being made at the Chicago Transit Authority, the Public Schools, the Park District and other agencies to the tune of nearly $19 million in additional savings.

So all of these agencies that settled their contracts when times were good? Shortshanks wants you to forget all those promises, forget those agreements, forget everything that occurred before and give him bushels full of money.

If their leaders have half a brain, they tell Daley to jump in the lake - they have signed contracts in hand. These are the organizations that have the City over a barrel.

What Global Warming?

Another hole in Al Gore's theory:

• Have you left your air conditioner in the closet this summer, and worn long pants more often than shorts? If so, you may not be surprised to find out that Chicago is seeing its coldest July in more than 65 years.
  
  The National Weather Service says 2009 has seen the coldest July since the official recording station was moved away from the lakefront in 1942. The average temperature this month in Chicago has been a mere 68.9 degrees.
  
  Even in the years before 1942, when the National Weather Service recorded temperatures at the cooler lakefront, there are only three years that had colder Julys through the 26th.

Mother Nature wants it cooler, probably so the Blackhawks can win a Stanley Cup.

Futbol argentino suspendido

Después de la reunión de clubes de esta tarde en la AFA se decidió la suspensión del fútbol argentino en todas sus categorías.

Lo que comenzó con malos entendidos en San Lorenzo y resultó en un efecto dominó llevó a Sergio Marchi, titular de Agremiados, a invitar a una postergación del inicio de la temporada.

“Es una situación sumamente angustiante y difícil – dice Marchi – y está enmarcada en la gran irresponsabilidad que emerge de la administración de parte de la dirigencia del fútbol argentino, que está jugando con el patrimonio de los clubes. Antes el jugador no tenía como reclamar. Todo terminaba en un juicio, una quiebra o un concurso preventivo. Hace muchos años el gremio, a través de la modificación del convenio, tiene la herramienta de la inhibición, que no la tienen otros sectores. Si el club no paga no puede seguir gastando y además, debería ser sancionado. Es más, lo que está pasando ahora es muy bueno, porque se está debatiendo la realidad.”

Se venía el calor de un fuego lento que se encendió hace algún tiempo. Julio Grondona salió a dudar públicamente no sin antes decir que saldría a "jugar el campeonato con juveniles," que “el prode (bancado) es la salida” y que es necesaria una reunión de urgencia con el Jefe de Gabinete de la Nación.

"El 80% de los clubes argentinos está en una situación de quebranto e insolvencia económica" (Sergio Marchi).

Lejos de la espectacular estafa a la que los clubes son expuestos por el monopolio de la televisación (TSC recauda unos $ 930 millones anuales y los clubes reciben $ 230), Julio Grondona, encolumna a la tropa dirigencial (endeudada con AFA) tras el reclamo de un prode bancado, al que no sólo Raúl Gámez se opone.

Este sistema de apuestas de cobro inmediato accesible via teléfono o internet abre millonarios negocios colaterales para los que hace otro tiempo hay postulantes administrativos.
El Estado, quien evalúa en cámara el proyecto de la Nueva Ley de Radiodifusión que acabaría con el Monopolio de TSC (Televisión Satelital Codificada = 50%TyC + 50%Grupo Clarín) es quien debería decidir, de implementarse, quien/es manejarían los nuevos negocios (de todas maneras, la AFA recibiría mucho más del 11% actual que le da el Prode actual).

Luego, el mismo Grondona hizo saber que se reunirá con los ejecutivos encargados de los derechos de televisión, los mismos a los que hace un tiempo les dijo “pongan mas plata porque quieren estatizar”, para buscar una salida a la crisis económica de los clubes; léase pedir un aumento por los derechos televisivos.

El fútbol no sigue hasta que los clubes no paguen ($ 40 millones) sus deudas. Argentina no es Argentina sin fútbol. El fondo está cada vez más cerca.

AGENCIEROS CONTRA EL PRODE BANCADO
RAUL GAMEZ CONTRA EL PRODE BANCADO
JULIO GRONDONA: "EL PRODE ES LA SALIDA"
AL FIN CONFESO GRONDONA (VC)

What a Deal!

What a bunch of assholes:

• Under pressure from the City Council’s most powerful alderman, an Ohio contractor has agreed to slash by 25 percent the price it charges Chicago to transport dead bodies.

  Outgoing Chief Procurement Officer Montel Gayles announced the price cut — from $915-a-body to $690 — at a Finance Committee meeting today during which Chairman Edward M. Burke (14th) demanded to know why Chicago was paying more for the grisly service than any other government agency in the nation.

  Dallas pays $94-a-body. San Antonio pays $125-per-cadaver. The Cook County Sheriff’s Police pays $250-per-body.

So we're still paying almost three times as much as Cook County, over four times as much than San Antonio and nearly seven times as much as Dallas to remove the dead.

What makes dead Chicagoans worth so much more?

• The stretchers GSSP use don't look any more comfortable than a standard ambulance stretcher (not that the deceased would notice).
  
• The vans used for transport seem to be a standard mini-van without spinners, rims or top-of-the-line sound systems (again, not that the stiff would be grooving to the oldies).
• Not to insult the guys hauling the dead, but they don't seem to be Ivy League graduates who might be able to demand a higher salary based on their credentials.

All we can figure is that once again, taxpayers are getting screwed, even when they're dead. And the City Council has the nerve to call this "savings" since they reduced the previous 335% increase by a whopping 25%.

Note to media - find the Daley connection. There's got to be at least one.

Daley Kills Two Birds

Amazing how he plays this town for chumps:

• Thirty-two times in the last 20 years, Mayor Daley has appointed aldermen to fill City Council vacancies.

  Unless the outgoing alderman was convicted and headed off to prison, the mayor followed the departing alderman’s recommendation on a successor.

  Today, Daley broke the mold — by appointing 57-year-old Cook County Commissioner Roberto Maldonado to replace Billy Ocasio as 26th Ward alderman.

And who is Roberto Maldonado? Clean and pure as the driven snow?

• In 2005, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Maldonado’s top aides maintained a secret “clout list” with the names of 100 people in line for government jobs and promotions as payback for political work they had done.

  Maldonado admitted he knew many of the people on the list and that some had been heavily involved in his 26th Ward Regular Democratic Organization. But, he insisted that he never saw the list until the Sun-Times showed it to him.

  At around that same time, Maldonado’s records were subpoenaed by a federal grand jury probing medical supply giant Siemens. The company was subsequently accused of lying to the FBI and a federal judge to cover up a scheme in which Siemens paid a minority business to be its phony partner on a $49 million Cook County contract.

  Siemens and Faustech gave Maldonado $3,000 in campaign contributions before the bids were submitted. Maldonado also received thousands in contributions from convicted businessman Tony Rezko, a former fund-raiser and chief adviser to indicted former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

And he apparently was the 14th vote that would have overridden Stroger's veto of the tax hike roll back - meaning that Daley, in effect, bolstered Stroger's position in keeping the Cook County sales tax as the highest in the nation.

Good News Again

Still doing the job:

• Police nabbed three robbery suspects Monday morning following a police chase that ended with the thieves’ vehicle crashing on the Kennedy Expressway, police said.
  
  Just after 11 a.m., police responded to a reported robbery in the 3400 block of West Foster Avenue, according to police News Affairs Officer Michael Fitzpatrick.
  
  Witnesses told police that three offenders stopped a currency exchange employee as he opened the currency exchange for business Monday morning, Fitzpatrick said.

All three were apprehended and the proceeds recovered. Good job people.

Argentinos en Mexico

La Gata Fernandez, flamante campeón de América con Estudiantes de La Plata, vuelve a pelear el descenso para Tigres. Rolfi Montenegro, despavorido de Independiente, llega a probar suerte y eludir la picadora del América ("creo que va a ser una linda experiencia"), Santiago Solari ("quiero pensar en cosas grandes") llega al Atlante para jugar el Mundial de Clubes…

... se suman a la lista de 40 argentinos que participan de la próxima Liga Mexicana en 16 de sus 18 clubes (salvo Puebla y Chivas por estatuto) para constituir la principal comunidad extranjera en el fútbol de México, el lugar de Cristante, Chaco Giménez, Bruno Marioni, Vuoso, Chacho Coudet...

Ricardo La Volpe y Guillermo Rivarola siguen dirigiendo...
¿Y Ramón Díaz?

CLICK PARA AMPLIAR IMAGEN

Great Job by Officer, Sheriff

Well done:

• A 25-year-old man has been charged with murder after being captured by an off-duty Chicago Police officer and an off-duty Cook County Sheriff’s officer just moments after apparently fatally shooting a man Saturday afternoon in the South Side Pilsen neighborhood.

  Marcelino Sauseda, of the 900 block of West 35th Street, is charged with first-degree murder, according to a Chicago Police Dept. release.

  Sauseda was taken into custody after an off-duty Chicago Police officer apparently saw him fire a handgun several times at a van traveling east on 18th and Loomis streets about 4 p.m. Saturday, the release said. Several bullets pierced the driver’s side door, with one striking a passenger.

A credit to the Department.

Weekend Headlines

Anyone counting?

• Stray gunfire kills West Side woman
  


• 2 teens shot on South Side


• Man beaten, dog shot on West Side


• 3 people shot at block party on South Side


• Man shot on Near West Side


• Man stabbed in East Garfield Park


• Man shot, killed on Gresham street


• Man shot dead in South Austin alley


• 2 off-duty cops arrest murder suspect

It sure seems like it was a violent weekend. And it seems the media is less hesitant to report it as such. Totals?

Changes This Week?

Now that they've released the Commander "application" packet, does that mean there won't be any district level movement?

Rumors have been swirling for two weeks now that 01 August is the date for a whole bunch of changes.

Is this going to be another "reorganization" of Bureau movement or a wholesale reshuffling of gold stars?

The trouble is the incompetent just get moved around and there's never any actual accountability.

Alonso vs Di Stéfano

Veremos que cae de la nueva sección "Legendary Divas" del fútbol argentino inaugurada por el inolvidable Norberto Beto Alonso.

En diciembre de 1981 Ríver se preparaba para jugar las finales del torneo Nacional contra el invicto Ferro de Griguol. Un River deslucido llegaba a las instancias menos por su juego que por los nombres que vestían la camiseta. Era el Ríver que trajo a Kempes para competir con el Boca de Maradona. El River de Fillol, Tarantini, Passarella, un joven Ramón Díaz y el histórico mediocampo (J.J. López, Merlo y Alonso) que empezaba a diluirse.

En el banco de suplentes había un señor que hacía de DT al que llamaban Don Alfredo y que reemplazaba a Merlo por Gallego, a J.J. López por Bulleri y dejaba afuera de la final a Norberto Alonso.

¿Cuáles fueron las razones que esgrimió Di Stéfano para excluirte?
Ninguna. No fue de frente. Yo tuve que ir a pedirle explicaciones para saber por qué me había borrado. Argumentó razones de orden físico. Realmente no lo entiendo porque una semana antes me había rogado que me concentrara.

¿Habías tenido algún problema anterior con él?
Es un personaje muy extraño. Habla y nadie le entiende. Yo pensé que lo iba a bancar hasta que no se metiera conmigo. Pero se metió y que se la banque. ¿En qué sentido? Creo que uno de los dos está demás en River.

¿A ese extremo llega la cosa?
Si. No hay mas remedio. O Di Stéfano o yo.

El periodismo fue a visitar al presidente de Ríver.
¿Qué fue lo que le planteó Alonso?
Aragón Cabrera: me refirió los hechos pero ni yo ni la Comisión Directiva podemos hacer nada. Toda la responsabilidad del plantel profesional corre por cuenta del Sr Di Stéfano y nosotros no podemos rever sus decisiones. No es nuestra norma.

Y fue a buscar la otra campana
Alfredo ¿por qué no se concentró Alonso?
Porque considero que no está en su mejor condición física. El que decide las inclusiones o exclusiones soy yo y me parece que no está en condiciones de responder a un partido de tanta importancia como una final.

Pero su problema fue por un corte en la ceja.
Efectivamente, pero ya venía con problemas físicos.

Pero le dieron alta por la lesión en el ojo ¿no es así?
Sí, pero yo decido quienes concentran y quiénes no.

¿No le teme a una reacción de la tribuna? Alonso es ídolo…
Pero no está en condiciones de jugar esta final.

El 16 de diciembre, River gana la primera final en el Monumental (1-0, Olarticoechea) y cuatro días mas tarde (20.12.1981) vuelve a ganar en Caballito (0-1, Kempes) para coronarse campeón.

Di Stéfano ¿le molestó que la hinchada coreara el nombre de Alonso en vez de festejar el campeonato?
Por supuesto que me dolió, porque no fue justo. Yo me guío por mi criterio y no por caprichos, entonces tengo que manejarme de acuerdo a mis problemas y mis problemas son River y no Alonso. Alonso es un jugador.

Pero es ídolo y usted lo sacó.
Yo no saqué ningún ídolo, saqué un jugador…

¿El planteo del partido salió como estaba previsto?
Sí, totalmente. Sabía que Ferro tenía que salir a buscar el partido y le pusimos un valladar delante de la zaga. Por eso jugaron estos dos chicos, Tévez y Vieta que siempre van al sacrificio y cumplieron en la cobertura de los marcadores de punta. Comisso y Gallego bien atrás y Bulleri con permiso para irse adelante y juntarse con Kempes cuando contraatacábamos…

Notas de Pedro Urquiza para Goles Match

Fútbol en Kabul

El corredor de la muerte, en el estadio olímpico de Kabul, en el barrio de Eidga, es un pasillo frío, sucio y sombrío por donde desfilaron miles de víctimas sentenciadas por el régimen talibán para ser ejecutadas, bajo un amplio repertorio de métodos que incluían el tiro en la nunca, la horca, la amputación de manos y piernas y el degollamiento.

Las ejecuciones se celebraban en viernes, día de plegaria, y al día siguiente se jugaban los partidos de futbol. La gente asistía por igual a los dos espectáculos.

El estadio se convirtió así, en la era talibán, en una especie de patíbulo multitudinario que servía para escarmentar a quienes habían violado los dictados de la Sharia (ley islámica).

Cuentan empleados del estadio que a los hombres se les colgaba del travesaño de la portería o se les degollaba o amputaba en el centro del campo. Las mujeres también eran llevadas al centro o a la zona de penal y ahí se les obligaba a arrodillarse y se les disparaba con un Kalashnikov en la nuca.

FUTBOL FEMENINO DE KABUL
LAS PARTURIENTAS DE KABUL (OSVALDO BAYER)

CraigsList Set Up

It seems the would-be-robbers posted an ad on the computer bulletin board to lure victims, only they got the wrong victim this time:

• Markham police Deputy Chief Tony DuBois said an off-duty male and female officer went examine a car they saw on Craigslist.com when they were attacked.
  
  “They were looking to buy a used car,” DuBois said. “They made a phone call to a guy and he said, ‘Come out and take a look, call me when you get to the address.’”
  
  When the officers arrived, one of the men allegedly led them though a gangway to the back yard -- where the car was allegedly parked, DuBois said.

The offenders took the female hostage and hit the male in the chest with the bat before being shot by the off-duty. Good thing he was armed or this might have ended up along the lines of "Off Duty Officers Found Dead."

But the truly amazing reporting was done by WBBM Saturday (no link available). The anchor or news reader or whatever they call themselves now said something along the lines of, "The three men approached [the officer] not knowing he was armed."

Thanks for proving the necessity of Concealed Carry for all non-criminal citizens. The bad guys don't know who's packing and who isn't. Therefore, they stop doing bad things in the fear that they just might get ventilated. The refusal to be an easy victim should be ingrained in every citizen. And the fear of an armed populace should be front and center in every criminal's tiny cranium.

Every single state that has adopted a Concealed Carry law has experienced a significant, measurable reduction in street crime. That's a fact. Daley can't deny it. The Brady people can't deny it. Obama can deny it if he likes, but he'll eat his words. Again.

Punitive Again?

Someone to verify please?

• Hey SCC I wanted to comment on a situation that arose out of Area 5. I want to make it aware to all of our Detectives and P.O.'s that a lawsuit was filed regarding an arrest in 2003. The arrest was the result of an offender attempting to shoot at Police Officers on the 5300 block of Congress. Well the short story is that the witnesses in this incident filed the lawsuit and alleged that they were held for 7 hours against their will.
  
  The end result of this suit is that 2 retired Detectives were drug through the trial and found guilty (civil) and were ordered to pay several of these alleged victims a total of $132,000. This total is PUNITIVE and has to be paid by them not the City. Now we all know that this didn't happen but this is Cook Co. and Federal juries hate us so this is the outcome.
  
  So I feel it is important that all of us know when a witness wants to leave, let them leave. None of these dogs are worth a single dime of your money. Interview them on scene and cut them loose.
  
  The bottom line is the clearance rate just went in the toilet.
  
  This should be a wake up call to everybody that thinks this Dept. has your back, well then I ask you to call Dugan and ask if he is going to pay the punitive damages. I mean hey he he said he has your back, lets see what he really means.
  
  Throw out the anchor boys and girls the seas are going to get rougher.
  
  SCC please post this so this does not happen to anybody else.

We also received word that J-Fed has requested that Corp Counsel begin pushing more cases to trial. The reason? Winning trials will improve morale. Unfortunately, Corp Counsel's track record is none too impressive in the actual practice of law (see above) and winning is as foreign to them as World Series titles are to the northside.

In any case, this would seem another death knell. These guys were hanging on to witnesses for pete's sake. The witnesses didn't even miss a meal. The clearance rate should crater over this judgment alone.

Much Ado About Nothing

We rightfully ask, "So what?"

• The latest state traffic study on who gets pulled over by police shows once again that minorities are more likely to be the subject of so-called consent searches although police are more likely to find contraband in the vehicles of white drivers.
  
  The results of the annual state study were not a surprise to civil rights activists who are opposed to the searches, which are done with the consent of the driver.
  
  According to the 2008 study, released earlier this month, when a vehicle of a white driver was "consent-searched," officers statewide found contraband 24.7 percent of the time. When a vehicle driven by a minority was searched, officers found contraband 15.4 percent of the time.
  
  "The fact is every single year we see these same numbers," said Ed Yohnka, spokesman for the ACLU of Illinois. "There is just a predisposition to believe minorities have contraband.

Look at the prison population Ed. It's not a belief - it's reality. And that "every single year" data? That's called a trend. Trends tend to bear out over time. Kind of like "averages."

And since when does it fall upon the police to educate the populace? Isn't that the job of schools, families and the citizens themselves? That must be part of the ACLU scam - people are too stupid to educate themselves or learn about their rights and duties, so attack the cops for knowing their jobs. An ignorant populace is more likely to vote for democrats anyway.

Ushuaia: fútbol en el fin del mundo.

Ushuaia es la ciudad más austral del mundo. Nunca tuvo un futbolista famoso, ninguno de sus clubes compitió jamás en la máxima categoría, pero esta ciudad argentina tiene una grandísima pasión por el fútbol.

[Pablo Aro Geraldes]

A 3.040 kilómetros al sur de Buenos Aires, la capital argentina, se encuentra Ushuaia, la ciudad más austral del planeta. A menos de mil kilómetros de la Antártida, es fácil imaginar la crudeza del invierno y el valor de los hombres y mujeres que conforman la creciente población de 70 mil habitantes.

Lo que es difícil de imaginar es que a orillas del Canal de Beagle, con temperaturas que llegan a los –20ºC, se pueda jugar al fútbol. La respuesta es sí, se puede. Se puede y se disfruta, se vive con la misma pasión que en el resto de la Argentina. Durante el verano del hemisferio sur, en la ciudad amanece antes de las 4.00 y el Sol recién se despide pasadas las 23.00. Con esta gran cantidad de luz y un termómetro que llega a marcar 18ºC, un partido de fútbol es la excusa obligada para compartir momentos con amigos.

Todos quieren jugar, pero hay un problema: en Ushuaia hay varias canchas de futsal (de dimensiones oficiales o no) que se alquilan por hora, pero encontrar un turno libre es casi imposible, siempre hay partidos. Las que están a la intemperie ven rodar el balón desde el amanecer hasta el crepúsculo, las que están bajo techo tienen una actividad casi permanente. “Hace unos meses se hizo un registro y hay más de 350 equipos”, explica Jorge Garramuño, intendente de la ciudad. Y detalla: “Si lo multiplicamos por 11 y le sumamos a los veteranos, las mujeres y los niños de edad escolar que lo practican semana a semana, llegamos a la conclusión que el 10% de la población de Ushuaia juega al fútbol”.

La Federación Ushuaiense de Fútbol está por afiliar su liga a la Asociación del Fútbol Argentino (AFA) y la participación en diferentes niveles del balompié nacional incrementaría aún más el entusiasmo de los pobladores. Durante el verano, las calles de la ciudad son un crisol cosmopolita: los cruceros que cruzan el Cabo de Hornos traen a miles de visitantes de las más variadas geografías: Japón, Alemania, Estados Unidos, Australia, Francia, Israel... todos se entremezclan en una población de apellidos balcánicos, vascos, alemanes e italianos. Además de las canchas, los bares son testigos del calor que enciende la pelota: los sábados los visitantes ingleses pueden seguir la Premier League en alguno de los tradicionales pubs. Los miércoles, las pantallas se rodean de fanáticos que comentan la UEFA Champions League con el mismo conocimiento que en cualquier lugar de Europa. Y si el calendario indica que ese domingo chocan Boca Juniors y River Plate, Ushuaia se paraliza para mirar el gran derby argentino.

NO SE SUSPENDE

El poco césped que crece en el extremo meridional de América dura muy poco. Las canchas son prácticamente un rectángulo de tierra, piedras y barro... menos una. El estadio del Polideportivo Municipal ostenta desde el año pasado un verde inigualable. “Las piedras, nunca más. Desde que se hizo el césped sintético, la cancha está ocupada al 100%”, comenta el intendente Garramuño, también apasionado por el fútbol. Orgulloso de escenario más austral del mundo, el alcalde se entusiasma en graficar la situación: “La gente que no es de aquí podría creer que la cancha se usa solamente cuando las condiciones climáticas ‘lo permiten’. Pero no es así, si fuese por el clima, nunca se podría jugar: la pasión de los ushuaienses por el fútbol desafía el viento, la lluvia y la nieve”.

Con el imponente marco de las últimas elevaciones de la Cordillera de los Andes, el estadio puede albergar a tres mil aficionados. Pero con o sin público en la tribuna, siempre rueda una pelota, gracias a la carpeta artificial. Antes de la remodelación, la municipalidad investigó todas las alternativas de sembrar hierba: “Trajimos al canchero de Boca, quien mantiene uno de los mejores céspedes del país. Hizo todos los cálculos de semillas, riego, drenajes... y llegó a la conclusión de que la cancha se podría utilizar para tres partidos a la semana”, reconoce el intendente. Las ventajas del césped artificial son evidentes y todos las agradecen. “Las áreas cercanas a los arcos son las de mayor desgaste. El día que necesitemos remplazarlas, se corta el rectángulo dañado y se sustituye por uno nuevo en unas horas”, anticipa Garramuño. El fútbol no se para.

DÍAS INOLVIDABLES

Por diferentes motivos, la joven cancha ya vivió dos días de onda emoción. El primero fue el de su inauguración: la Selección Argentina Sub 20, actual campeona del mundo, estrenó el césped enfrentando al Seleccionado de la liga local. El entrenador Francisco Ferraro elogió el campo de juego y se animó a compararlo al utilizado en Finlandia en ocasión de la Copa Mundial Sub 17 de la FIFA. Con la única tribuna colmada, Argentina venció 3-0, con varios de los jugadores que julio estarán en el Mundial de Canadá.

La segunda tarde inolvidable fue la del pasado 2 de abril, cuando se cumplieron 25 años de la recuperación de las Islas Malvinas por la fuerzas armadas argentinas, lo que dio origen a una corta pero dolorosa guerra. Ushuaia es la capital de la provincia de Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur. Entre estas últimas se encuentran las Malvinas, en poder de Gran Bretaña y cuya soberanía es reclamada por Argentina. En el marco de las conmemoraciones, se realizó la ‘Bienal de Arte del fin del mundo’ que incluyó una performance muy especial: un partido de fútbol ideado por el artista Jorge Orta en el que se enfrentaron un equipo con la camiseta argentina en el pecho y la inglesa en la espalda, y otro invertido. Se pasaban indistintamente el balón y todos, los 22, celebraban los goles marcados en cualquiera de los arcos. Lejos de las polémicas, otra vez el fútbol fue un punto de encuentro.

Para alegría de los habitantes de Tierra del Fuego, el estadio crecerá. “En los próximos meses incorporaremos la iluminación”, detalla el intendente de Ushuaia. La luz será vital para el invierno, cuando amanece a las 9.30 y el Sol se oculta a las 15.00. El uso será full time en las heladas noches. Además se empezará a construir una nueva tribuna. Esto entusiasma sobremanera a quienes juegan en el estadio más austral del planeta. No solamente porque ampliará la capacidad y más espectadores podrán seguir los partidos, sino que será una nueva barrera contra los vientos antárticos que soplan desde el Cabo de Hornos, el pasaje inmortalizado por Julio Verne en “El faro del fin del mundo” y tantas otras novelas e historias.

ESPERANDO A DIEGO

Con un uso súper intensivo de su única cancha de césped sintético, la municipalidad ya estudia la construcción de una segunda. Carlos Bilardo, entrenador campeón mundial con Argentina en 1986, tiene un proyecto para instalar una de sus escuelas de fútbol en Ushuaia. En la jefatura comunal, la mayoría está a favor de cederle un terreno.

“Aquí no se beneficia solamente la liga o un puñado de equipos, la cancha es utilizada por toda la comunidad”, puntualiza Garramuño. La fiebre del fútbol mantiene caliente el aire de Ushuaia, aún cuando en los últimos días del verano la columna de mercurio no llegue ni siquiera a 0ºC. Juegan los más chicos, los veteranos, los torneos vecinales, sindicales... todos.

Mientras Diego Maradona sigue internado en una clínica de Buenos Aires, ‘Cocol’ Gómez Espinosa, el referente del deporte en la ciudad, recorre sin cansancio los tres días de automóvil que separan a Ushuaia de la capital. Va y viene, en busca de apoyo para su proyecto: hacer de la ciudad más austral de la Tierra, la primera que le levante una estatua al ex futbolista argentino. “Ya está la ordenanza municipal que reserva el lugar, frente al puerto, para poner el monumento. El boulevard llevará el nombre de Diego”, sueña ‘Cocol’ mientras enseña la maqueta en escala. Espera que Maradona se recupere pronto, para invitarlo a Ushuaia, donde nunca estuvo, y pueda cortar las cintas de inauguración. Mientras, turistas y lugareños quieren sacarse una foto con la pequeña estatuilla, su atractivo es incontenible.

Ushuaia nunca tuvo un futbolista famoso. Ninguno de sus clubes compitió jamás en el alto nivel. A la vista de la pasión de su gente, está claro que el amor por el fútbol llega hasta el fin del mundo.

Situada en la isla de Tierra del Fuego, a 54º 46’ latitud sur, Ushuaia es la ciudad más austral del mundo. Su nombre derivado de la lengua Yamana y significa “bahía que penetra hacia el poniente”.
Su privilegiada ubicación geográfica la convirtió en la puerta de entrada natural a la Antártida. Desde sus orillas se puede navegar hasta el Océano Atlántico, hasta el Océano Pacífico y hacia el mítico Cabo de Hornos, sepultura de cientos de barcos que desafiaron sus gigantescas olas. Antes de que se abriese el Canal de Panamá, ese era el paso obligado entre los dos océanos.
Tierra del Fuego, y en especial Ushuaia, siempre estuvieron relacionadas a las exploraciones antárticas. Tanto como puerto de recala para obtener suministros de carbón y alimentos frescos, como desde 1902, por el apoyo científico y a la navegación que brindaba el Observatorio Magnético y Faro del Fin del Mundo: la última luz que los navegantes veían en el mar austral antes de sumergirse en la oscuridad de las largas noches antárticas.
Ubicada a orillas del Canal Beagle, con la cadena montañosa Martial a sus espaldas, 
Ushuaia es verdaderamente pintoresca, rodeada de una naturaleza completamente virgen y paisajes imponentes a apenas unos minutos del pequeño pero creciente centro urbano. Con 70 mil habitantes es hoy un polo de atracción para el turismo internacional, especialmente entre diciembre y febrero, cuando recalan en su puerto decenas de cruceros internacionales. Igualmente, las temperaturas bajo cero del invierno no espantan a los visitantes que recorren su bello entorno, especialmente el Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego, y practican el ascenso al Glaciar Martial o la navegación por el Beagle.

Suburban Cop Shoots Three

Oops (on the part of the bad guys that is):

• At least three people were shot on the South Side late Friday during a robbery attempt on a man believed to be an off-duty Markham police officer.

  Several people approached the man a little before 10:20 p.m. in the 7800 block of South Yates Boulevard and attacked him with a baseball bat while trying to rob him, and he responded by shooting three people, said Chicago Police News Affairs Officer JoAnn Taylor.

  Taylor said she believed the man was an off-duty Markham police officer, but as of about 11:15 p.m. was trying to get confirmation from Chicago officers who responded to the scene.

Evidently, the three offenders were attempting to graduate from Stick-Up College. This was the final exam. They failed.

Tact Teams Moved Again

Once again, if you pay high taxes, maybe you should get a refund so you can buy a gun. Maybe two guns. You are literally on your own.

Tact Teams from 016, 017, 019 and 020 have been shipped out of their assigned districts and sent to the west side.

Nice to see the aldercreatures going along with the smoke and mirror campaign. Next step is to have you bring your own garbage to the Ward Yard so they can lay off some more laborers and drivers.

Right Across the Street

Damn, the criminals are getting bold:

• A quick-thinking clerk at a Loop Office Depot used her store microphone to alert customers and fellow workers that she was being robbed, and the robber ran out the door empty-handed today, police said.

  The robber then ducked into a subway station and minutes later entered a Fannie May Candies shop across from City Hall, where he displayed a gun wrapped in a newspaper and made off with $350.

  The man escaped in a cab and was still at large this afternoon. No one was hurt in either hold-up.

Broad daylight. Where was the mayor's body guard detail this time? C'mon guys. You're falling down on the job.

The Sun Times calls it a "Loop candy store," completely ignoring the fact that it's across from the seat of city government. Can't have the Olympic committee thinking it isn't safe.

It's a Start

Now how about nationwide and on a massive scale?

• Nineteen suspects were arrested in a two-day federal sting targeting illegal aliens with ties to violent street gangs in Chicago and the suburbs, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced Friday.

  ICE agents teamed with local law enforcement officers to make 19 arrests and file detainers against six jail inmates, according to an ICE release.

  The operation, which ended July 20, targeted foreign-born gang members and associates in Chicago, Bensenville, Carpentersville, Hanover Park, Blue Island and Addison, according to the release.

Once again, they are illegal. They don't belong here. And they are bring violence and death to law abiding immigrant communities. These sweeps should be weekly.

Su viaje mas importante

Un borrador como adelanto del libro que Eduardo Cantaro está escribiendo sobre la historia de las Copas Mundiales de la FIFA.

[por Eduardo Cantaro]

SS Conte Verde era el nombre de la embarcación que llevó a Montevideo a 5 seleccionados, una terna de árbitros, el presidente de la FIFA y la Copa del Mundo. Alrededor de ese viaje se escribieron varias historias que no pasaron inadvertidas gracias al fútbol.

En el año 1923 la compañía Lloyd Sabaudo, adquiría un navío de lujo para unir los puertos de Génova y de Nueva York. Pocos años después la línea se amplió y el SS Conte Verde ya no sólo iba a Norteamérica, sino que también comenzó a mirar al Sur. En uno de sus viajes trasladó el desde Francia cuerpo del escritor argentino Ricardo Güiraldes, acompañado nada más ni nada menos que por Carlos Gardel.

El 18 de junio de 1930 el SS Conte Verde hizo, tal vez, su viaje más especial. Jules Rimet se había encargado de convencer a cuatro selecciones europeas de viajar al Mundial en Uruguay y había que trasladarlas hasta Montevideo. Los yugoslavos no eran problema, porque partirían desde el puerto de Marsella en el SS Florida y junto a ellos irían los egipcios. Pero los africanos llegaron tarde y se tuvieron que volver a Alexandría.

En el puerto de Villefranche-sur-Mer, Rimet esperaba con ansias la llegada del barco. Había partido del puerto de Génova hacía unas horas y en la terminal se habían subido los rumanos, que fueron a la Copa gracias a todo lo que se movió el Rey Carol.

El Rey rumano tenía poca popularidad de la buena en su país. Durante la Primera Guerra Mundial desertó del ejército y se escapó con una amante, Ioana Lambrino, que era hija de un General. Tuvieron un hijo (el Príncipe Mircea) y tras el escándalo los separaron.

Al año siguiente Carol se casó con la Princesa Eleni de Grecia y en 1921 tuvieron a su hijo, el Príncipe Mihali. Pero Carol seguía escapándose para encontrarse con sus amantes, entre ellas el amor de su vida, Magda Lupescu, por la quien abdicó a la corona. Magda era una apasionada de los deportes y le contagió el gustito a Carol. Por eso no le fue difícil a Rimet convencerlo para que lleve a su selección a Uruguay y además le venía bien levantar un poquito la popularidad con sus súbditos, interfiriendo en el juego que tanto apasionaba a su pueblo. En junio de 1930 volvió al sillón real, llamó al experimentado Costel Radulescu y se encargó de conseguir los jugadores para la selección.

Los rumanos eran bien amateurs. Trabajaban para ganarse el sustento (la mayoría en una petrolera inglesa) y además jugaban al fútbol. Carol se encargó de buscar a los mejores jugadores y convenció a sus patrones para que le cubrieran su puesto de trabajo durante 3 meses. A cambio, él mismo se encargaría de sus salarios. También le organizó una gran fiesta de despedida antes de que se fueran para Génova a abordar el SS Conte Verde. Junto a ellos subió un coro rumano que estaba de gira.

Una vez en Puerto de Villefranche-sur-Mer abordaron la selección de Francia, dos árbitros mundialistas (Thomas Balway y Henri Christophe) y Jules Rimet con su hija y la Copa creada por el escultor francés Albert Lafleur. Sólo faltaba Bélgica.

El 20 de junio la embarcación llegó a Barcelona donde estaban esperando los belgas, que habían viajado tren desde Bruselas, sumándose al resto de las delegaciones. También subió el árbitro más experimentado, John Langenus, que sería el encargado de dirigir los partidos más importantes. Rimet se aseguraba así que el Mundial tuviera participantes del viejo continente. En la cubierta de la lujosa embarcación había turnos para que los jugadores hicieran ejercicios durante los 15 días de la travesía y no perdieran el estado atlético. Los más pibes, como Lucien Laurent, se entretenían pateando una boina rellena con papeles. Nadie se perdió la típica fiesta cuando la embarcación cruzó el paralelo del Ecuador. Ni siquiera los pasajeros de la clase económica, que por poco dinero viajaban con comodidades absolutas, incluyendo agua corriente. Se pasaba del verano europeo al invierno sudamericano (muy cruel y duro, según la excusa que pusieron los italianos para el faltazo), y eso era una buena excusa para el festejo. El coro rumano también entretenía a los jugadores con sus angelicales voces y cualquier otra cosa divertida era buena para hacer pasar el tiempo que tras eternos once días, arribó a Rio de Janeiro, para que subiera la selección brasileña. Aún quedaban cinco jornadas más de viaje antes de llegar a Montevideo el 4 de julio.

Uno de los pasajeros tuvo una triste noticia al bajar de la embarcación. Un vocero se acercó al árbitro francés y le dijo: “Señor Balway, lamento informarle que ayer ha fallecido su esposa”. El devastador mensaje no desalentó al francés que se quedó, con una gran tristeza, a dirigir en la Primera Copa.

De alguna manera responsable por el suceso de la primera Copa Mundial de la FIFA (Rimet le repetía constantemente al Capitán que el barco iba a ser recordado por llevar la Copa), el SS Conte Verde siguió extendiendo sus viajes. La maravillosa China lo recibía constantemente en Shanghai, con viajes más fascinantes. Cuando se desató la Segunda Guerra, el puerto de Shanghai sirvió para esconderlo, ya que los japoneses se lo querían apoderar.

Para evitar esto fue desmantelado a fines de junio de 1943 por los mismos italianos. Pero los japoneses consiguieron el objetivo: lo restauraron, lo convirtieron en navío de guerra y lo rebautizaron como “Kotobuki Maru”, transformado la nave que había escrito cientas de historia en un portaaviones. Un año más tarde un Bombardero estadounidense B-24 no tuvo piedad del otrora Conte Verde, dándole un certero misilazo y enviándolo para siempre al fondo del mar…

Danger Will Robinson! DANGER!!!

This has the potential for being bad. Very bad:

• In a case some argue could throw open the long-standing secrecy behind police internal investigations, the 4th District Court of Appeals in Springfield has ruled internal affairs files are a public record regardless of the outcome of the probe.

  Attorneys specializing in Illinois public records law said Thursday it is the first such ruling of its kind in the state and therefore binding on trial courts statewide. It could also have repercussions for long-running complaints about Chicago police brutality.

Great. Compelled testimony rears its ugly head again. Remember, you have less rights in an administrative investigation than a criminal one. You are ordered to answer questions. You are ordered to testify give information against your own self interests. You are assumed to be in possession of facts and recollections of incidents merely by your presence on a scene.

And if a single error or omission can be attributed to anything you put on paper, you will be fired.

Not only that, the bottom-feeders are going to use this civilly to ruin cops across the board. Anything you own, anything you've worked for, anything you've accomplished by dint of hard work serving and protecting is going to have to be sold, pawned or given away to defend yourself in a Crook County courtroom with a juries who already give felons millions.

• The Sangamon County Sheriff and the State Attorney’s Appellate Prosecutor—who argued the case—have 35 days to decide whether to appeal the ruling to the Illinois Supreme Court

The Local and State FOP better get on the ball here. The National Lodge might not be a bad idea either.

Manpower Shortage More Evident

Someday, someone will connect the dots and say our readers were right all along:

• South Chicago residents descended on a City Council committee today to complain about a slow police response to gun violence that has made them prisoners in their own homes.

  The Police Committee took no action on the proposal by Ald. Sandi Jackson (7th) that would have mandated the temporary re-deployment of officers to her far South Side ward and other high-crime areas.

• Chief of Patrol Eugene Williams responded to the barrage of complaints with the same claim Deputy Police Supt. Dan Dugan made to aldermen last spring: No police cars are available to respond when South Chicago residents call 911, in part, because they call for too many non-emergencies.

  “We have to stop dispatching so many calls to police officers on the street. We are one of the few — probably the only major city — that responds 60-plus percent of the time when someone picks up the phone and says, ‘I want the police,’” Williams said.

How many openings have there been in 003 for the past three months? Thirty-plus? How many are they going to post next Thursday? There aren't enough police in the Patrol Division to cover the shortages already. It isn't going to get any better anytime soon. And citizens are noticing.

Olympic Fix is In?

They're already beginning contract work on demolishing Michael Reese hospital:

• The Mayor Daley-chaired Public Building Commission today took a giant step toward building the $1.1 billion Olympic Village on the Michael Reese Hospital site--alternately viewed as the riskiest element of Chicago's bid and its most significant legacy.

  The PBC awarded $11 million worth of contracts to a pair of companies responsible for building abatement and demolition.

  Brandenburg Industrial Service Co. ($7.98 million) and Heneghan Wrecking Co. ($3.19 million) will get control of the 37-acre hospital campus on Friday and begin the painstaking survey work. The companies must file a detailed work plan by July 30.

So what if the Olympics end up in Rio?

The Police Report

From Cambridge:

Gates Police Report

This sheds light on quite a bit of the Sergeant's side of the story. And the report lists witnesses by name. It certainly shoots down the argument that anyone was profiled seeing as the police were responding to a radio call.

And to top it off, the Sergeant is actually a police academy expert on racial profiling and instructor of the same. The more info that comes out, the more it looks like someone was looking for some sort of incident, payout or both.