Can You Hear Us Now?

Shortshanks cancels the third of July fireworks:

• The Chicago Mayor's Office of Special Events has canceled the traditional July 3 fireworks celebration in Grant Park, instead opting to organize three smaller fireworks on July 4 at Navy Pier and on the north and south lakefront.

  "I would say we're doing it to be fiscally responsible, because we have to be," said MOSE director Megan McDonald at a City Hall news conference this morning.
  

  "I would say that we're also doing it to more effectively manage what happens at the Taste of Chicago, as well as citywide on an already busy holiday weekend. I think it is always challenging to manage a million, 2 million people in a very small space," she added.

Two words - no manpower.

A few more words - gangbanger wilding.

Here's the 2008 video that sparked some controversy:



Here's another featuring the helicopter:



And another:



And another:



And guess what? This year there were going to be at least 100 more videos. Shortshanks couldn't afford this type of video display going into an election year. And certainly not while the Academy has 86 recruits in training and Personnel has 300 retirement PAR forms on the front burner.

Now when will they cancel some other out-of-control events? The week long Humboldt Park festival and the August "Back to School" parade are two that come to mind.