IOD Problems?

We hadn't heard this one:

• Hey scc just thought that you should be made aware of a real problem at the medical section. Apparently Daley switched all IOD cases to a private company called Coventry. This company has denied so many treatments that the FOP is starting a class action law suit. I have been out of work for months now and while my scheduled surgery is not emergency I am in great pain. I even heard of an officer (also IOD) who was in need of semi-emergency surgery who was just denied. The FOP is suggesting that we just get the treatments and that hopefully the lawsuit will reimburse us. However being and IOD issue the hospitals may not even take our private insurance. This is ridiculous and hopefully the officer in need of time sensitive surgery will not have to wait much longer. I am in great pain but am still functional. Why is our health and safety in the line of duty being trusted to a private insurance company that according to there website specializes in "cost cutting" Please address this SCC.

Nothing like inspiring the troops to work harder by making sure if they get injured, the pain lasts for years and years longer than is necessary. Any info is appreciated.

Felons in the Gym

Makes us want to run right out and start using the Academy gym:

• I just wanted to let you know about an incident that happened at the academy a couple of days ago. I am in the gym working out, I see two f/1's walking around, they both enter the gym look around and leave, two guy also working out see this and step outside into the hallway to see what they are doing. (They did not look like cops and if they were they should work undercover). So, I’m done working out and I’m leaving for the locker room, as I step out I see the two guys asking them questions. Both f/1’s were civilians and entered the academy to use the bathroom, they were asked how long they been in, both said 20 + mins, asked were they lived they said across the street. From what I know, across the street is section 8, and from what I remember they sell crack out of that place. Anyway, they were told that they could not be in here and that’s when the f/1’s started to talk shit. “I pay taxes, I pay your salary, and we could be in here if we want too.” “I know police, who you to tell me I can’t be in here.” Both were escorted out of the building, some word’s were said between the officer at the desk and the two guys that escorted the f/1’s out. From what I heard standing by the doors, none of the words were nice. I spoke with a det. Inside the locker room about this, he also said that one day he was in the locker room when 4 m/1’s walked in, two of the m/1’s he said have been arrested for guns. Both were playing basketball with other kid’s totaling about 20-30. I just wanted to let you know that I am done working out at the gym in the academy, this weekend I will be shopping around for a bow-flex to put it in my house and do my work outs with my two little one’s. Both 4 months old. I will take this job serious when the department takes it serious.

Let's just say if we wanted to hang around off-duty with the type of people we lock up while on-duty, we wouldn't have put the Academy at the top of the list - until recently we guess. Just another bright idea from the idiots running the show. And yes, we are aware that the Park District contributed to the renovation of the gym and as part of the "agreement," the gym had to be available to citizens. We would also note that we and others predicted exactly this type of occurance once the gym was open to the public. We take no pleasure in our and our readers being correct - it just shows that common sense is a rare commodity in the people running this circus.

Three Years

The only good news is that we're already two years gone:

• The Arbitration process has begun.
  
  Below is a list of the actions that will take place in preparation for the process.
  
  August 28, 2009
  
  City and Lodge agree to Arbitrator Edwin Benn as impartial member and Chairman of Dispute Resolution Board. The Lodge appointee to the Board is FOP President Mark Donahue. The City appointee to the Board is David Johnson.
  
  Scheduling & Process
  
  We will meet with the City and the Arbitrator.
  
  1. A list of Disputed Issues will be filed.
  
  2. Meet for oral discussion of Disputed Issues. (Background and Education for Arbitrator on the Issues)
  
  3. Based upon feedback given by Arbitrator and any change in City position, the Lodge will submits its final offer on the Disputed Issues. [The Lodge will propose 4-6 weeks for all of above to occur.]
  
  4. Parties will submit briefs in support of their final offers. [Lodge will propose 30 days for briefs to be filed.]
  
  5. Parties will file response briefs to the other party’s brief. [Lodge will propose 2 weeks for response briefs.]
  
  6. Mediation sessions will be scheduled with the Arbitrator. [If the foregoing schedule is followed, Mediation should occur in December. The number of mediation dates will depend on the number of Disputed Issues.]
  
  7. At the end of Mediation, the Arbitrator will determine whether he requires further evidence on any Disputed Issue. Parties will also advise Arbitrator if they want a full hearing on issues of Wages, Health Care, Discipline or other issues.
  
  8. If the Arbitrator does not need any additional evidence and neither party requests a hearing, the Arbitrator will take the matter under advisement.
  
  If additional evidence is necessary and/or a full hearing is required, dates will be set. [It is expected this would occur in January 2010. If additional hearings are conducted, post hearing briefs will be prepared.]
  
  9. We would expect an Award to issue in March or April 2010.

So when the Contract is finally presented to the City Council and voted on, we'll either be one year out or (on an outside chance of a five-year deal) two years from expiration. It sure would be nice if the FOP could point out the City's inability to negotiate in good faith from the get-go based solely on the recent "negotiations." This is ridiculous.

Comforting Information

We're sleeping better at night, that's for sure:

• An estimated 50,000 felons have been released from Illinois prisons or county probation without submitting DNA samples as required by law, leaving a gaping hole in the 7-year-old program designed to link known criminals to unsolved crimes.

  The Illinois Department of Corrections released nearly 10,000 felons without gathering their DNA since the law was enacted. And Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan's office estimates that county probation departments did not secure samples from 40,000 additional felons, mostly in Cook County, due to delays in implementing the law.

  The missing DNA samples are of major concern to law-enforcement officials, lawmakers and victims advocates, who say Illinois has been robbed of the opportunity to solve crimes, remove violent offenders from the street and exonerate the wrongfully convicted.

And who's going to pay for all these missed opportunities? We the taxpaying public, in terms of being victims and in paying out to the wrongfully imprisoned. Damn, it's great living in the Land of Lincoln. Abe must be spinning in his grave.

El gol de Rolfi Montenegro.

El América hilvanó su cuarta victoria al hilo goleando al Toluca 7-2 para ponerse en la punta de la general mexicana.

VEGA: CONTRATAPA Nº 20

Fue el tercero de los goles de Chacarita y el mismo arquero "sin manos" según Cappa. El pibe Vega, repartiendo para sus amigos de toda la defensa, dijo: "Me voy con bronca porque en el tercer gol llegué un poquito a destiempo. Vi la pelota y a dos o tres jugadores libres, quise descolgar el centro pero no llegué."

Maggie Clears Ruth

Word around IAD is that nothing is to happen to the commander of the Academy. The CR is to be quashed and no discipline is to be attached to the illegal bringing of unauthorized persons and firearms onto an airfield as part of a groupie invasion. And who has declared it to be so?

Mrs. Shortshanks.

Ruth's excuse is that she ran it by a certain ADS, who said it sounded like a very bad idea and she ought not to do it. But since it wasn't a direct order, she claims she doesn't have to answer for her command decision. Look for the ADS to be dumped shortly.

The other reason to kill the investigation seems to be that it wasn't just Brust and Bea getting the free tickets via shady means. It was EIGHT different exempts who got to attend the concert gratis. Putting almost 10% of his exempt staff in the trick bag doesn't seem like anything J-Fed wants to do, seeing as how the best man at his wedding is one, Maggie Daley's buddy is another, and Shortshanks has enough scandal on his plate at the moment.

These are supposed to be the people setting examples for officers that accepting favors, gifts, or bribes is unethical and illegal. But all they're doing is demonstrating that two tiers of discipline will forever separate the lowly peons from the political overlords.

Attempted Murder Charges

Finally hitting the mainstream media:

• Four men were charged today with allegedly trying to kill an off-duty Chicago police officer in a Southwest Side shooting that one police source said erupted when they mistook the gang-enforcement officer for a gang rival.

  The officer -- whom Chicago Police Department officials declined to identify -- was driving home about 3 a.m. Thursday through a section of Little Village carved up as turf by the Latin Kings and Two-Sixers, rival gangs that have been fighting to dominate the local drug trade for decades.

An excellent follow up job by the Area 4 detectives and gang guys.

This quote here seems to verify other parts of the story though:

• At that point, the officer dialed 911 for help -- twice -- but the gang members allegedly accelerated and pulled up next to the officer on 26th Street.

Had to call twice? It's bad enough when citizens have to call twice to get a response. But when a police officer calls? Inexcusable. Something needs to be done, loudly and publicly, over the dropped ball at OEC. We know most dispatchers and call takers do a good job day in and day out. All the more reason to correct this deficiency out in the open.

Interesting Articles

Especially in light of the grade changing scandal out in the open:

• Classes begin at Chicago public Schools in a little more than a week.
  
  Ahead of that, there was a community discussion on the North side Sunday afternoon where education advocates and some state lawmakers talked about improving city schools.

We thought the Sun Times article already explained how to improve schools - change the grades and everyone passes!

And then there was this article:

• More Chicago Public School students are graduating and heading off to college than ever before.
  
  WBBM [...] reports that now, school officials are working with the private sector to help those students stay in their new schools.
  
  The Chicago Public Schools have not only beefed up college prep curriculum, but the very process of getting kids ready for high education as well.

And this one?

• Can a school in North Lawndale achieve 96 percent attendance and 100 percent college placement?

  The Ford Motor Co. Fund's first school in Dearborn, Mich., achieved those results, and now officials hope the same can be done at a new charter high school opened by the fund in Homan Square on Saturday.

Why does it seem that the CPS people had a bunch of "feel good" articles and interviews ready to go when the grading scandal hit? It's almost like the media is trying to blunt the impact of the bad news splashing all over Shortshanks...almost like they were bought and paid for. Hmmmm.

The Way it Should Be

Gee, no Felony Review?

• A Chicago man was charged with aggravated battery to a police officer after a Saturday incident in west suburban Oswego.
  
  Victor Smith, 20, of the 1700 block of East 81st Street in Chicago, was in the Kendall County jail after being charged with aggravated battery to a police officer in the 1400 block of Light Road in Oswego, the Kendall County Sheriff's office said.
  
  Sheriff's deputies responded to a call at apartments on Light Road, and arrested Smith for illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor when he allegedly spit on the officer.
  
  Later, Smith also was charged with resisting a correctional officer at the jail.

Sounds like the asshole won't be seeing Chicago for a few years. It's nice to see the law applied as it was meant to be applied without the ridiculous bullshit of jumping through hoops that CPD has to do.

Apertura 09: Fecha 2 - TAPA Nº 107

CLICK PARA AMPLIAR

Si bien Vélez volvió a ganar (3-1 a Arsenal) y no abandona la punta que le diera el título pasado, Ríver y Chacarita fueron el plafón para la redención de Ortega que hizo este gol (el 4-3) a cuatro minutos del final y Palermo (con su gol xeneize nº 209) le dio el triunfo a Boca sobre Lanús, la tapa se la lleva Estudiantes de La Plata que mostró a su público la flamante (4º) Copa Libertadores de América.

Los jugadores salen a un Estadio Único colmado (sin hinchas visitantes) y son recibidos de esta manera. Después ganan el clásico (nº 146) por 3-0 (vean el gol de Enzo Pérez), se acomodan en la punta y dan la vuelta olímpica.

Con todo, no puede dejar de verse el caño de Salvio a Paletta.

More Preseason

Three quarters for the starters. Now we'll start to see if everyone is going to live up to the hype.

Un viaje por Sudáfrica (2)

UN VIAJE POR SUDAFRICA (1)

Thank You Sir

Words from the rescued victim:

• The 80-year-old man who was forcibly held at knifepoint by a panhandler during the lunch hour in the Loop Thursday said he couldn't even feel the weapon against his throat.
  
  
• "He brought it upon himself,'' Bayenderian said about Stolarz today in an interview in his home.

Yes he did. And anyone who attempts to make excuses for his behavior and the subsequent actions of the police really needs to get their heads out of their asses and look at the road society is traveling down.

Weekend Scandal

It's not Chicago unless there's a scandal exposed over the weekend. This time up, it's the schools:

• Nearly a third of Chicago public high school teachers say they were pressured to change grades this past school year.

  One in five report they actually raised a grade under such prodding.

  And dozens of teachers -- elementary and high school alike -- say they believe someone changed their grades last year without their approval.

So let's see. School get the maximum allowable raise in property taxes for something like 11 of the last 14 years; certain "elite" basketball programs have the smart kids take SAT tests for their stars; Daley touts the schools as improving every year; first day attendance is the key to all sorts of Federal money so the schools have concerts, give-aways, contests, parades, etc.

And still, this bureaucratic monstrosity is still infected with grade changing scandals? We thought all this progress meant we had moved beyond this petty corruption. Unless it's all a facade? That things aren't improving? That once again, Daley lies are being exposed? That's cool, too.

Iowa Police Shooting

From this past 31 July. The actual shooting isn't captured on tape although the audio was. Here's the article link.

• The Davenport police officer who shot a man on the Centennial Bridge last week was "reasonable and justified" in his actions during a seconds-long life-or-death struggle, Scott County Attorney Mike Walton announced Thursday.

  Steven Mallory, 39, was seriously injuring officer Clif Anderson and would have continued to do so if Anderson did not shoot him twice with his Glock .40-caliber handgun, Walton said.

  The first shot to Mallory's chest hit his lungs and heart and is believed to be the shot that killed him, Walton said. The second entered his torso near his spleen and went through his body.

And here's the video link. Notice how fast this entire incident goes to shit. The lack of positive contacts by the Taser demonstrates the limitations of this particular tool. And if the off-duty cop hadn't shown up, we can only wonder if the officer would have gotten his gun out to kill his assailant.

The shooting was ruled justified a week or so later. The copper will need plastic surgery where the assailant bit off part of his face. An ugly attack that could have been a lot worse.

Apertura 09: Racing 1 Colón 1

55 and Out Not Working

This was supposed to be both the saving grace and doom of the Department. "Saving" $23 million in an era of $500 million dollar deficits. "Doom" in potentially shorting the Department an additional couple of hundred officers.

But it doesn't seem to be working either way:

• Chicago Police officers are not exactly beating down the door to take advantage of Mayor Daley's offer to extend premium health benefits to those who retire at age 55.

  In fact, unless 100 more eligible officers line up before the Oct. 1 deadline -- joining the 60-plus who've signed on already -- the deal is off. And the $23 million Chicago taxpayers desperately need to save will be lost.

Fran seems to be implying that if 100 more cops don't retire, it's all the fault of the police (and not Shortshanks' years of chronic mismanagement) that the city will continue it's careening slide toward insolvency.

$23 million is 4.4% of Daley's $520 million shortfall in 2010. We foresee a lot more layoffs coming with those types of numbers.

We're #1...Again

Most stressful city to live in - two years running:

• ...more pressing factors make Chicago for the second year in a row the country's most stressful city. Crowding, poor air quality, a high 11 percent unemployment rate and free-falling home values have created a cocktail of constant worry affecting many in the Windy City.

  Los Angeles, Calif., ranks second, followed by New York, N.Y., Cleveland, Ohio, and Providence, R.I.

Yup. Shortshanks is quite the leader.

Darwin Award Averted

Why do we have a sneaking suspicion alcohol may have been involved?

• A 27-year-old Joliet woman suffered second-degree burns after using a cigarette lighter to see how much gas was in the can she was filling.

  Police reports say it was about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday when the woman drove to the 7-Eleven at 1609 E. Cass St. in Joliet in a yellow 1970 Chevrolet.

  "(The woman) was filling up a gas can, which was sitting on the passenger seat of the car. (She) then used a lighter to use as a light to observe how full the can was," police said.

  The can ignited from the lighter's flame and the resulting explosion also set the vehicle's interior ablaze.

We recall the story of a south side citizen lying smoldering in an alley when police arrived. He was alive, barely. His momma told the officers he was trying to run an illegal hookup into the house from the utility pole because the electricity had been shut off for nonpayment of bills. Then she told the officers his brother had died the year before trying to do the exact same thing.

Quick! Tell your best near-Darwin story. Names should be removed to protect the idiotic.

Messi de copas.

Barcelona le ganó al Shakhtar Donetsk (1-0), en Mónaco, por la final de la Supercopa de Europa que enfrenta al ganador de la Champions con el de la UEFA. Messi muñequeó y habilitó a Pedro Rodríguez (acaba de firmar su primer contrato), para el gol de la victoria a seis minutos del final del segundo tiempo suplementario.

Liga. Copa del Rey. Champions League. Supercopa española. Mejor jugador de Champions y Supercopa europea.
Messi de copas.

Shots Fired at Off Duty PO

Disturbing report:

• SCC-
  Car full of bangers (possibly Latin Kings) followed a PO home last night, pulled up next to him and opened up fire. Thank God that they missed (two inches from PO's head) and the PO was able to return fire. If it is true that it took 10 minutes for OEMC to dispatch this, someone needs to be fired. the offenders escaped and no has been able to locate them or the shot up vehicle. This was not in the paper or on the news, but there needs to be more exposure. That is very bold of the bangers. Everyone needs to be aware of their surroundings. It is unknown if they targeted the PO or if it was just random.

Is this the same incident?

• 1013's Job at approx 03:00. Zone 10dispatcher is sleeping and doesn't dispatch a 10-1 for 7 minutes. A 10-1 is an immediate dispatch. 7 minutes is not immediately. Nice job dispatcher. Glad the officer didn't get killed due to your inattention to duty. This guy should be fired. I bet the city doesn't even reprimand him. Aren't the 911 supervisors supposed to monitor these dispatchers so that this doesn't happen?

Someone want to find the full story?

The Second Guessing Media Whores

And so it begins once again. If you click on the assorted media links in the right-hand tool bar, you'll find lots of reports about Thursday's downtown shooting. You'll see headlines about "Officer shoots fellow cop" and a bunch of quotes from "witnesses" who can't believe the police would shoot someone where there are all sorts of people around.

In a number of comments, more than we would have suspected, people take the media to task and ask, "Well what the hell should the cops have done?" This was an assailant with a knife. The damage he could have done is huge. Thanks to some quick thinking cops, the damage he did accomplish was negligible. And while we're sure the officer feels bad wounding another cop, in a situation like that with a knife wielding madman, they did what had to be done to protect the citizens from further harm. When someone in the media invents a magic bullet that only finds bad guys and disarms them with minimal muss and fuss, let us know.

It seems that the pendulum is starting to swing back the other way and readers are unwilling to take media reports at face value any more. We hope it's true. It'd be a welcome relief from the inanity of the past few years.

UPDATE: Reports coming in that the Officer wounded was struck by a through-and-through shot. In this case, it's just bad luck that the Officer's bullet didn't hit anything solid on the way that might have slowed it's trajectory. It's also another blow to the media generated story that Officer shouldn't have fired on a crowded street. Lacking any additional media hype about dented buildings or broken windows or scraped citizens, it would appear that each and every bullet hit the intended target - the knife-wielding assailant. And that should be a testament to the Officer's skill and awareness.

Fighting Lawsuits

Interesting approach:

• Bring it on!

  That's what police Supt. Jody Weis is telling lawyers who sue his officers.

  Weis has asked the city to become more aggressive in fighting lawsuits he views as "meritless" by going to trial instead of settling them.

  Last month, Weis notified Chief U.S. District Judge James F. Holderman of the change in strategy.

Now we run into the argument that fighting lawsuits places Officers in jeopardy of crippling punitive damages since, by law, the City cannot cover those.

If the cases were heard by competent judges, which automatically discounts anyone not on the Federal bench, we might actually have a fair shake at dismissing most of the nonsense suits. Eliminate anyone residing in Cook County as a federal juror and we're well on our way to putting some trial lawyers out of business.

Question - and forgive us our cynicism - is this a ploy by J-Fed to drum up support from the rank and file (doubtful) or is this another jab by Shortshanks who controls J-Fed's every sphincter spasm, to see a few cops lose big punitively and drive yet another stake into a once great Department (more likely than not).

This Isn't Good

We sense a disturbance on the horizon. A mental disturbance:

• Chicago is looking at shutting five of its 12 mental-health clinics to save money because of a cutback in state funding, a city Public Health Department spokesman said today.

  Although the city is still looking at how best to consolidate its mental-health services, “one possibility” is closing five of the city’s 12 clinics, Timothy Hadac said.

Great idea. We hope they're planning on doubling the wagon crews and equipping everyone with TASERs, because guess who is right on the front lines responding to the spike in mental disturbances along with the ambulance crews.

And in light of the "overly-aggressive knife-wielding homeless panhandler" being shot and killed by police Thursday, we'd get the boys and girls down in News Affairs a set of cue cards to read off for the media when these events become more and more commonplace.

Bielsa en Percade

Entre ministros, líderes religiosos, poetas, empresarios y algunos de los hombres más ricos de Chile (oradores y asistentes) que pagaron u$s 550 para oírlo, Marcelo Bielsa – de buzo y zapatillas – dictó la conferencia “Conducción, normas y principios” (dos horas) en el XXI Congreso Percade La Araucana, tradicional foro anual que en esta ocasión, bajo el lema “¿Somos o Parecemos? Chile: La verdad que llevamos dentro”, lo tuvo como invitado estelar en el Hyatt de Santiago.

Comenzó como terminó, con modestia borgeana: "Hay demasiada gente para lo que considero que puedo generar. Pero bueno, ya estoy aquí…"

“El desborde, el desorden, lo que pase está admitido, lo que no está permitido es que los jugadores dejen de luchar".

"El liderazgo se ve en la derrota y el conductor solo es bueno si ha superado la adversidad. Las operaciones y los cambios se hacen en la victoria, no en la derrota. La adversidad es el momento de observación de las cosas".

"Dicen que yo modifiqué una realidad del fútbol chileno (...) Eso no es cierto. Nadie estimula condiciones que no existen y nadie activa potenciales afectivos que el ser humano no tiene".

"Me llama mucho la atención que la gente, el pueblo, los que tienen la posibilidad de difundir no lo hacen y faltan conceptos formativos y eso no se ve en los medios informativos y eso lo necesita la gente. A mí me llama la atención como se trabaja este tema".

"La relación éxito y fracaso ha sido central en mi vida y yo he pensado mucho en lo que significa ganar y fracasar. La primera medida éxito y felicidad no es algo que va de la mano"...

"Habría que reflexionar mucho de cómo transmitir valores para que se difundan y se den en la sociedad".

"En este proceso se despierta la adhesión, pero todo se acaba ante el fracaso. Mi tarea es difundir valores, algo que es mucho más importante. Esa idea para mi es central”.

"Nada de lo que les diga será nuevo y lo digo con humildad. Yo estoy acá por mi proceso en la Selección y eso se multiplica. Y en los tiempos que nos toca vivir, algo que es super informado genera mucho ruido y despierta la atención y si la dice alguien que tiene capacidad de multiplicar lo que expresa hace mayor ruido"...

"El mejor en el fútbol es el que merece licencias. Los mejores son los que están obligados a una sobreentrega y las licencias y los perdones se vinculan con los que no son los mejores. Hay jugadores que son más importantes que otros, pero no les podemos permitir ser imprescindibles. El eje del aprendizaje es la copia. Es mucho más lindo ser creador que imitador, pero los vulgares copiamos".

Sorteo de Champions League

Officer Wounded - Offender Dead

Officer reportedly in good condition at Northwestern - his vest saved him serious injury:

• A man was shot dead in the Loop and a Chicago police officer was wounded but saved by his bulletproof vest this afternoon, sources say.

  A man in his 50s was transported from 190 N. State Street and was pronounced dead at 1:09 p.m. at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, according to a spokesman from the Cook County medical examiner's office.

  The wounded cop was also taken to Northwestern but did not appear to be seriously injured, according to fire officials.

• The suspect put a knife to a woman's neck and officers began chasing him, the officer said. A cop was wounded and then fired several times at the man, the officer at the scene said. Witnesses said they heard as many as four or five shots.
  

  Bobby Polk said he turned to see a man holding "a butcher knife" to a woman's throat. As many as five police officers were pursuing him.
  

  "The policeman shouted 'Stop, stop,' but he didn't and that's when [the officer] shot him," said Polk, 20.

From initial reports, it sounds as if the Officers involved did an excellent job. We are assuming that the wounded officer may have been stabbed or slashed in the vest. More info as it becomes available.

Attempted Murder of Police

A sergeant vigorously and lawfully defended himself and his officers from an assailant who attempted to kill them all with a motor vehicle being driven at a high rate of speed in reverse following an undercover drug buy in the Gage Park neighborhood. Now the BreakingNews version:

• A drug suspect was shot by police when he tried to run over a district sergeant and other officers following an undercover drug buy from the suspect's car late Wednesday in the city's Gage Park neighborhood, police said.

  Although a Fire Department spokesman said the man was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in serious-to-critical condition, police said his injuries didn't appear life-threatening.

  Details of the man's age and injuries were not being released by police this morning.

We like our version better.

One officer was taken to the hospital for treatment and is expected to recover. Best wishes for a speedy return.

Vandals Caught, Charged

We only wish it was "Shot, Drawn, Quartered," too:

• Four teenagers were charged with felonies Wednesday night, accused of spray-painting graffiti on a memorial near Soldier Field honoring slain Chicago police officers and their families.

  Police arrested two 17-year-old girls, an 18-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy, said Chicago News Affairs Officer Michael Fitzpatrick.

  The teens were arrested at about 3:05 a.m. Wednesday after police on routine patrol saw them running from the Gold Star Families Memorial and Park, Fitzpatrick said.

We imagine we'll get a number of bleeding heart types who will complain that we're advocating a death penalty for simple acts of vandalism. Too bad.

Citizens Call for J-Fed's Head

The community meetings head into unscripted territory:

• The night was filled with complaints over the city's priorities in tackling a deficit that can only be filled by tax increases and spending cuts.

  "At $315,000 a year, your police superintendent Jody Weis makes more than you ..." charged Michelle Dixon-Holmes.

  "Yet, my understanding from the airwaves is that rank and file don't respect him, and in the time he's been here, crime has not gone down, it's gone up. Weis has to go."

Shortshanks might be in a bit of trouble. Hopefully, his Teflon coating is wearing thin.

More Jaywalking Missions!!!

Fiddling while Rome burns:

• Another strong-arm robbery was reported in Lincoln Park early this morning, but police said they had no reason to connect it with the recent series of muggings that have put the area on edge.
  
  A 20-year-old woman was approached by two assailants just after midnight in the 800 block of West Webster Avenue. One of them hit her in the face with a handgun and snatched her purse

But we have the jaywalking missions up and running. Got to get that Olympic revenue don't you know? In the meantime, the knowledge of coppers like Snethen and Farrell dissipates into nothingness. Dress up either of these guys (or a couple other people our readers could name) and these Lincoln Park muggings would stop overnight. Stop dead as a matter of fact.

This Department has lost its way. Jaywalking revenue while armed robbers run free? How far we've gone.

IG Quits for Politics?

Who the hell has been whispering into Hoffman's ear?

• Chicago's corruption-fighting Inspector General David Hoffman has resigned to enter the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate, removing what appeared to be a giant thorn from Mayor Daley's side.

  Hoffman enters a Democratic field vying to replace U.S. Sen. Roland Burris that already includes Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias and Cheryle Jackson, the president of the Chicago Urban League.

  A former federal prosecutor who specialized in breaking up street gangs, Hoffman was hired away from the U.S. attorney's office in 2005 at a time when Daley was besieged by the Hired Truck, city hiring and minority contracting scandals.

  It wasn't long before an office that had concentrated on low-level corruption and almost never conducted criminal investigations was working hand-in-glove with federal investigators.

We suppose the Inspector Generals job can be viewed as a stepping stone. The trouble is his name recognition seems low and the Democratic party in Illinois is a closed shop. Hoffman is going to have a heck of a time ginning up support and raising money, especially if the Machine is lining up behind Giannoulias.

Hoffman has a long road ahead of him if he's is truly serious about a grass-roots type run. Our only fear is that Shortshanks engineered this to remove Hoffman, the Machine goes balls out for Giannoulias and after the dust clears, Hoffman is on a train out of town. Hoffman did a lot of good here. Going to Washington DC doesn't seem like a continuation of the corruption fighting

Shocking Revelation

This just turns our stomachs:

• The outrage over the release of the bomber and mass murderer responsible for killing 270 innocent people grew overnight as a key Libyan political figure claimed that the release came as part of a commercial deal. Seif al-Islam, the son of Libyan strongman Moammar Gaddafi, met Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi at the airport and proclaimed him a hero in a display that embarrassed the UK when video of it hit British televisions. Gaddafi’s son then told interviewers that British commercial interests had required Megrahi’s release.

Releasing convicted terrorists as part of an oil deal? And just how sick was this terrorist?

• The Scottish government released the terrorist who killed 270 people in the Lockerbie-Pan Am 103 bombing for “compassionate reasons,” because they claimed he only had three months to live after being diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer. Scotland has begun to question where the government got that idea. Only one doctor was willing to make that prognosis, who apparently had no expertise in either prostates or oncology

We just want to throw up.

Pok-ta-pok

Los historiadores coinciden en señalar que el origen del fútbol está relacionado con rituales de fertilidad. Así el balón simboliza al sol, y el campo de juego a los sembrados, por donde hay que hacer cruzar al sol para garantizar una buena cosecha. Pero para eso, el sol debe salir…

El Pok-ta-pok (Tlachli en náhuatl y taladzi en zapoteca) fue practicado por los mayas desde hace unos 3500 años hasta que fuera prohibido por Torquemada en busca de quitarle competitividad a su dios. Su nombre es la pura onomatopeya del sonido de la bola contra el antebrazo (pok), la pared (ta) y vuelta al antebrazo (pok).

Frío crepúsculo en Chichén Itzá. Una danza de sombras de fuego y antorchas sobre el enjarre acompaña el ritual de la danza de plumas al compás de flautas, tambores y timbaletas. Los espectadores colman, sentados, lo alto de la muralla. Entran los dos equipos. Los jugadores, que vienen de la larga noche de penitencia (ch´ ab tan), se disponen en fila, frente a frente, a lo largo de las banquetas: algodón, piel, caretas de mimbre y casco.
Empieza el juego ritual, antesala del sacrificio y la decapitación que asegura la fertilidad de la tierra, símbolo de vida, muerte, reencarnación y del acontecer cósmico, la lucha entre Tezcatlipoca (la noche) y Quetzalcóatl (el día) para conocer el designio de los dioses (ordalía) y que el sol triunfe sobre las tinieblas para volver a asomar.



La pelota (sol) en constante movimiento sobre el campo (sembrados) sin salirse de los muros laterales y golpeada por codos, cuadriles (clavijero), rodillas, asentaderas, cadera,s hombros, brazos o espaldas (todo menos pies, manos y cabeza) pesa hasta 3 kilos (de hule) y debe, finalmente, pasar por el aro adosado al muro.

Fray Diego Durán, que vivió en la Nueva España entre 1545 y 1588 describió los campos de juego en su Códice Aubin: “La altura de las paredes eran entre dos y tres metros y medio de alto, extendiéndose alrededor. Por las costumbres nativas, plantaban palmas y árboles que soltaban semilla roja, cual madera era suave y ligera, las paredes del rededor eran decoradas con murales o estatuas de piedra. La cancha se llenaba la arena cuando jugaban los reyes”.

Se descubrieron, hasta ahora, unas 1500 canchas de pok-ta-pok, concentradas, sobretodo, en Yucatán, Chiapas, Veracruz y Chichén Itzá, donde se encuentra la más grande (170 metros de largo) con muros laterales de 7 metros de altura.

Queda una duda a saldar entre los historiadores: si los sacrificados eran los ganadores o los perdedores.

RIP Mary Jo

Give Ted a good swift kick in the nads if he makes it past the Gates.

Jaywalking Stings

All this hoopla when there are dozens, maybe more, inside HQ people about to lose their take home cars in the next week or so!

• Chicago police handed out 43 citations to drivers who failed to stop for people using crosswalks.

  It was part of a sting set up at Belmont and Orchard on Monday night.

  Plainclothes officers used the crosswalks and cars that failed to yield got pulled over and ticketed. It's part of a city wide crackdown at crosswalks. It was the first night time sting.

  The police department said during the day time stings it only handed out about 18 or 20 tickets.

We've already stated our opinion on people who go strolling out into traffic in this town. We pray no cop gets hurt for this misguided publicity stunt.

Now about those take home cars. Who's losing them? We heard exempts who don't have 24 hour call out responsibilities and then everyone below that. About freaking time seeing as the abuses that have been pointed out here and elsewhere are nothing but a scandal in waiting.

No Apology

Yes, you read that right. Shortshanks refused to apologize:

• The words were right there in his script. Words that a lot of you wanted to hear Tuesday night about Chicago's parking meter mess. But Mayor Daley skipped over them. [...]
  
  We are often called on to translate "Daley-speak" and expected to report what he meant to say, rather than what he actually said.
  
  Tonight, we knew what he meant to say, we were given his prepared remarks. But when the time came to say, 'We screwed up', the words never passed his lips.

Hubris, thy name is Daley. This guy can't even follow a prepared script that would have generated a modicum of good will in the tiniest of tiny-brained voters. We have a feeling he's going to announce shortly that he isn't seeking re-election, so he figures why bother saying something we all know he never meant anyway.

Go Rocky!

Not only has he brought the Blackhawks back from the verge of extinction, he wants us to have cheap booze, too!

• With the clock running, Blackhawks chairman Rocky Wirtz, whose family also runs a liquor distribution company, filed a lawsuit Tuesday to block the state’s controversial construction program that is to be funded by legalizing video poker and hiking a number of sin taxes, including on booze.

  In the legal challenge, filed Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court, Wirtz calls the state’s $31 billion statewide construction program unconstitutional. In addition to legalized video poker, the program is to be funded by new taxes on beer, wine and liquor that go into effect Sept. 1.

September 1st? Damn, we better go stock up on Wild Turkey and Glenlivet. Medicinal purposes only J-Fed - we swear!

Licha López x 3

Siguiendo el derrotero de Licha López, anoche lo encontramos en Bruselas haciéndole 3 goles en 15 minutos al Anderlecht para meter al Olympique Lyon en la fase de grupos de la Champions League (con un global de 8-2)(1-3 + 5-1).

No es que nos olvidamos de Gonzalo Higuaín pero...
El mismo hiperquinético goleador del torneo argentino (2004) con la camiseta de Rácing fue adquirido a “un empresario” en u$s 5 millones y viajó a Portugal para cansarse de ganar campeonatos (de competitividad relativa) y ser nombrado mejor jugador del país cuando el Porto adquirió la segunda mitad de su pase en € 4.5 millones (enero 2008) para venderlo, el mes pasado (07.09) en € 24 millones al actual Olympique Lyon que ya utiliza su imagen para vender abonos de Champions.

Vaya una meritoria mención para Matías Suárez (ex Belgrano de Córdoba), autor de los goles del honor para Anderlecht en sendas goleadas.

El primer superclásico.

El primer partido oficial entre Ríver y Boca se jugó el 24 de agosto de 1913, en la cancha de Rácing.

"Por primera vez se enfrentaron los vecinos de la Boca. El partido, que estaba anunciado para las 2.30 de la tarde, comenzó una hora después, originando esta demora protestas del numeroso público...

Lógico era presumir que la gran expectativa del público concurrente se vio defraudada, en virtud de que los jugadores, cuya actuación en los primeros momentos fue correcta, se dedicaron más tarde al juego brusco, actitud que concluyó por deslucir el partido y quitarle el interés que en realidad tenía...

Ante el temor de un empate, los delanteros de Ríver Plate redoblaron sus esfuerzos y lograron elevar a su vez algunos ataques a la valla contraria. En uno de ellos, Virtú - el arquero de Boca - recibió un centro de Praga y cayó al suelo, donde fue atropellado por algunos jugadores de Ríver Plate. Con tal motivo, varios hombres de los dos cuadros se tomaron a golpes de puño, triste espectáculo este que terminó con la intervención del juez y de los linesmen que actuaban en el partido. Estando en la ofensiva Boca Júniors terminó el encuentro con el triunfo de Ríver por dos goals a uno." (Diario La Prensa 25.08.1913)

La Nación publicó una síntesis del partido y aclaró sobre el retraso del partido:

Boca: Virtu Bidone; Garibaldi, Lamela; Valentini, Vergara, Elena; Calomino, Romano, Mayer, Taggino y Abbatángelo.
River: Isola; Chiappe, Calneggia; Simmons, Cándido García, Puruzzi; Galeano, Ameal Pereyra, Penney, Roldán y Fraga Patrao.

Goles: PT: 27’ García (RP), ST: 1’ Ameal Pereyra (RP), y 33’ Mayer (BJ).

Incidencia: ST, a los 25’, los dos equipos se pelearon y fue expulsado Ameral (RP).

Curiosidad: Él arbitro encargado de dirigir el encuentro llego 40 minutos tarde a la cancha, por lo que el partido, que debía empezar a las 14.30, comenzó a las 15.10.
Cancha: Racing Club (Local Boca Juniors).

LOS NUMEROS DEL TORNEO DE 1913
15.08.2009 - PELEA BOCA - RIVER 9º DIVISION

Too Little...

Oh, okay Shortshanks:

• Mayor Daley will acknowledge tonight that his administration "totally screwed up" the transition to private control of the city's 36,000 parking meters and that some Chicagoans believe he has "put too much time into" the quest for Olympic gold.

  With a $520 million shortfall that can only be filled by tax increases and spending cuts, three nights of public hearings on Daley's preliminary 2010 budget are expected to turn into giant gripe sessions before City Hall lowers the boom.

  At a public hearing Tuesday, Mayor Daley addressed the much-maligned parking meter deal.
  

  Congressional hearings on President Obama's health care plan are likely to look tame by comparison.

  Nothing like an apology on parking meters to take the edge off the anger.

We'd like to point out to Fran that nowhere in this article, which gives a synopsis of Shortshanks' prepared speech, is there an apology. Nowhere. "[I/We] totally screwed up" is a lot different than "I'm sorry. I was wrong. I shouldn't have done it." and then making it right. Perhaps there's a real "I'm sorry" somewhere in the speech that Shortshanks is giving tonight, but we doubt it.

Now, Shortshanks. What about apologizing for jerking us around in contract negotiations, hiring J-Fed, appointing all the CPD exempts, jonesing for the Olympics, Hired Trucks, Meigs Field, Millennium Park, the Chicago Public Schools, the Monroe Street parking garage, unpaid furlough days for city employees...ad nauseum.

...too late. "Apology is only egotism wrong side out."

NYPD Contract

Since only New York and Los Angeles can be thought of as "comparable" to the CPD, this could be good news:

• Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg called a news conference at City Hall this afternoon to announce a tentative agreement with the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, the union that has most openly clashed with the mayor during his six and a half years in office, on a contract that would give 23,000 police officers a 20 percent raise over four years and increase salaries for rookie officers to almost $42,000 a year, from $36,000.

  The contract would cover a four-year period, from Aug. 1, 2006, to July 31, 2010. If the deal is ratified by the officers, it will be the first time since 1994-95 that the police will be working under a current contract. For more than a decade, officers have been working as their union leaders grappled with the city over contracts that were applied retroactively, often under the supervision of arbitrators. The deal will allow officers to “focus on their jobs without the distraction of contractual disputes,” Mr. Bloomberg said.

  The union’s past three contracts under the Bloomberg administration were reached under binding arbitration, not consensual negotiation.

A FOUR-year deal at an average of 5% in a recession. FOP, are you taking notes? With all the Olympic cash Daley is sitting on, this should be a playbook for your presentation. Daley isn't allowed to sit on "Olympic cash." He has to provide for public services first, then anything left over can be applied to his Olympic debacle dream.

UPDATE: We have no idea what we divided to get that wrong figure. Post corrected for math.

The Secret Recorder II

We've been taking more than a little flak in the comments over the alleged "voice recorder" that may or may not be in the Tahoes. A few points:

• It was brought to our attention via e-mail. We thought the readers deserved to know - it's always better to operate from a vantage point of too much info than too little.
• We've spoken to a few people "in the know" as it were. To a man, they agree that this device was used to exonerate a copper. Therefore, its existence wasn't made public.
• Eavesdropping law does not apply in this case - you have no expectation of privacy in a vehicle owned by the city. They are entitled to know where it is (GPS), who's in it (A&A's; supervisor logs; transport jobs over the radio), and what's going on in it (the "secret" recorder). And we doubt the city is obliged to inform the FOP or its members until the device is used in an adversarial proceeding. No one is checking these things unless there's an allegation, right?
  

And from a very reliable source, an 011th District Tahoe was held down for the better part of four days while IAD checked it for "evidence" recently. It wasn't a camera upload and no ET/Crime Lab was ordered.

What does that tell you? It tells us to be damn careful what happens in the car, that's for sure.

Cop Watch Fundraiser

Gee, we're sorry we missed this one (NOT!):

• COPWATCH, an organization that works to prevent police brutality and educate the community on citizen rights, is holding a breakfast benefit to recover the costs of $750 worth of stolen equipment used to monitor the police that was being stored at the Catholic Worker House in Uptown. The benefit will feature banana pecan pancakes, tomato basil eggs, Metropolis coffee and the reward of being a good samaritan.
  Brunch will be served 10:00 a.m-1:00 p.m. at the Catholic Worker House at 4652 N. Kenmore on Sunday, August 23 with a $5 suggested donation.

There are more than a few comments over at Uptown Updates that poke fun at the CopWatch mopes and take them to task for their attitude of "all cops are corrupt, evil and bad." It's refreshing to find that support out there in more and more places. It's a small glimmer of hope that all isn't lost in this city. We aren't celebrating by any means, but it's good to see. Maybe there will be a city worth saving by the time enough people see the light.

Defederico en la playa

Pocos entrenadores (y bienvenidos sean) traen el bagaje cultural de Angel Cappa. Más allá de su derrotero geográfico y de los parajes que el destino le deparó no deja de ser ejemplo de que sin inquietud, curiosidad y lectura, la cultura pasa de largo.

“Borges dijo que la esperanza nunca es vana. Pero creo que se equivocó.”

Profuso lector, amigo de las palabras y de guiños con la dialéctica, Angel Cappa dejó de perdonar a los micrófonos desde que presentara, el miércoles pasado (19.08.09), su último libro “Hagan Juego” en la sede de Deportea: "Son charlas de fútbol, no entrevistas porque no sabría cómo hacerlas. Me sentaba con ellos, con un grabador y un periodista, que después se encargaba de convertirlo."

Aunque como todo personaje público, cosecha aplausos y detracciones, creemos que siempre es bueno escuchar a Cappa, entre otras cosas porque distingue claramente entre forma y contenidos, haciendo interesantes los matices de estos últimos.

"Con Huracán estoy tranquilo porque no se fue nadie en los últimos 10 minutos."

Un espíritu renovado se conjugó y retroalimentó entre él y Huracán a partir de la campaña que dejó al globo en las puertas del título local en el torneo pasado. Una furia con pocos precedentes y no pocas secuelas salió de Parque Patricios cuando el árbitro Brazenas pitó y luego reconoció errores en la final perdida a manos de Vélez. Un equipo sin laureles pero guardado en la memoria futura fue elaborado y comandado por Don Ángel, tomando los recursos disponibles (levantando muertos y probando ignotos).

Uno de ellos es Matías Defederico que, junto a Javier Pastore, hicieron nudos en defensas rivales, por delante de un Sr. Mario Bolatti y en medio de laterales como Araujo y Carlos Arano.

Viendo la situación económica de Huracán y un Tomás Ducó lleno como en las mejores épocas, Cappa reunió a los jugadores y propuso vengar la gloria “robada”. Salvo Pastore (cuya decisión de venta no estuvo nunca en manos de Huracán) y alguna venta necesaria, era imprescindible, para demostrar que Huracán era el mejor, que todos asumieran el compromiso de quedarse, al menos, hasta fin de año.

"Aunque tenga que jugar con la cuarta yo me quedo en Huracán. Tengo un compromiso asumido y lo voy a respetar."

Uno de los que aceptaron el trato, entre lágrimas, fue Matías Defederico que, días más tarde y después de oír una oferta de Corinthians, se preguntaba: "…necesita plata en este momento, no entiendo por qué no me quiere dejar ir".

Así fue que Don Angel, muy amigo de las palabras, reconoce que no existen las malas palabras sino palabras bien o mal dichas (qué bien putea Cappa!) y decidió no estar visible en el momento en que Defedrico se despedía de la Quemita rumbo a Brasil.

"Tiene poca memoria, yo lo llevé a la Primera con Mohamed – estalló Babington presidente -cuando están en la cresta de la ola se olvidan de un montón de cosas. Hace seis meses no jugaba y Cappa lo puso en el candelero".

Y no menos temerario, el inglés sentenció:

“Si Defederico va a Brasil, será para estar en la playa.”

Cappa, amigo y hombre de palabra, quedó desilusionado. Bolatti está pensando en arrepentirse aunque piensa en la selección, Pastore ya depositó el 15% de los 8 millones de su pase, Araujo y Arano están al calor del fuego griego, Brazenas sigue con custodia y Huracán, desmembrado, perdió su primer partido siendo una mueca de lo que fuera.

Mientras tanto, Defederico llega al Parque San Jorge (Sao Paulo), motivado por “jugar con Ronaldo” a cumplir con la revisión médica del Corinthians y a demostrar "por que me comparan con Messi".

GUIA: PLAYAS DE SAO PAULO

La primera fecha del apertura 09

Dale play y escuchá a Víctor Hugo.

Box of Twinkies Please

A run of the mill story:

• Cook County Forest Preserve police and agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on Wednesday destroyed an elaborate marijuana-growing operation tucked away in a patch of woods in Palos Township.

  In all, authorities burned about 6,000 marijuana plants that were being cultivated in six fields along a stream in the Edward M. Sneed Forest Preserve near 123rd Street and LaGrange Road.

  If harvested, the 12,000 pounds of pot would have had an estimated street value of almost $2.5 million, according to Forest Preserve Police Chief Richard Waszak.

And a truly amusing picture:

This guy must have had such a headache the next day. He probably woke up amidst the wreckage of a case of assorted Hostess products and his NetFlix queue was all Cheech & Chong movies.

Pay to Play Media

A very interesting article in the Chicago Daily Observer:

• A few weeks back an old friend called to say he could get me $25,000 from Very Important People if I would “blog in favor of the Olympics.”

  For those of you who may have been comatose in Central Waziristan for the past year or two, bringing the 2016 games to Chicago is something Mayor Daley wants more than oxygen itself.

  “I am still agnostic on the Olympics,” say I.

  This friend is indeed close to the mayor, but rarely actually represents him in such dealings. He is also close to many wealthy developers.

Don Rose goes on to explain how he has gone from "agnostic" to "antagonistic" is his Olympic opinion. He doesn't name names, but we detect the unseen hand of Shortshanks using third and fourth parties to drum up support for an event most Chicagoans could give a rat's ass about. What everyone should be more concerned about is the overt selling of the city's future to fund the pockets of the connected few.

Go read the whole thing. Why we still don't tar-and-feather in this town is beyond us.

Casper Lauer Ride

It's not a very good scan. But then, we don't have a very good scanner.

The date is 19 September at 9AM. The ride starts at 5049 W. Lake Street and ends at the Gold Star Memorial Park. $20 tickets and all proceeds benefit the Gold Star Families and Police Survivors.

La primera fecha del apertura 09

Para la apertura del Apertura 09 reeditamos la tapa nº 103, publicada el 3 de agosto, cuando aun el torneo no tenía fecha de inicio y no se había reunido el Comité Ejecutivo de la AFA pero sí Grondona con operadores del gobierno.

En este domingo, 23 de agosto 2009, volvió el fútbol a la pantalla de la TV abierta y nada fue lo que era entonces. Susana, y su programa de entretenimientos y entrevistas como base fue cómodo líder de la noche con más de 20 puntos promedio y picos por encima de los 23 mientras que el deporte con Fútbol de Primera apenas alcanzó los 8, el rating más bajo de la historia de un programa que fue líder de la televisión abierta desde hace ya más de dos décadas.

Para confirmar la caída abrupta del fútbol en la noche del último día del fin de semana, lo que ya es un clásico de clásicos, La noche del domingo con Gerardo Sofovich llegó a los 6 puntos y MDQ, el programa previo al fútbol alcanzó los 12 puntos.