d at McDonald's and saw a little girl gazing lovingly at the Mermaid Barbie Happy Meal display. Oh, how I wish I could long so much for something so easily attainable!
pers and key another neighbor's car.
Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis today spoke out against a request for the Illinois National Guard to be to deployed on Chicago’s streets to help tackle gun violence.
Stopping just short of outright rejecting the request from state lawmakers Rep. John Fritchey and Rep. LaShawn Ford, Weis said “I don't think the National Guard is the solution."
The two Chicago Democrats noted National Guard members are now working side-by-side with U.S. troops to fight wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, while another deadly war is taking place in Chicago neighborhoods.
“Is calling for National Guard deployment a drastic action? Of course it is,” said Fritchey. “Is it warranted under these circumstances? Without question. If we can bring (the National Guard) in to help fill sandbags for flooding... to deal with tornado debris, we can bring them in to save lives.”
So far this year, 113 people have been killed across Chicago — precisely the same number as the number of U.S. troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan combined during the same time period, the legislators noted.
"U.S. troops have been winning the hearts and minds (of people) in Iraq," Ford said. “They’ve stabilized those communities. They made those communities much better. Now those communities are safe. That’s what we want right here in Illinois, for the National Guard to come in and stabilize these communities.”
Fritchey and Ford noted the National Guard has been deployed in other states to prevent violence related to specific events and protests, but added that they were unaware of guardsmen and women being deployed to assist with general urban unrest.
They stressed a call for National Guard help here should not be equated with marshal law.
“We’re not talking about rolling tanks down the street,” Fritchey said. “We’re not talking about armed presence on every corner. We’re talking about individuals, men and woman that have been specifically trained to assist law enforcement and, assist with civil unrest. This is what the National Guard in part is trained to do.”
But Weis cautioned against “comparing apples and oranges.”
Referring to the Kent State shootings in 1970, when National Guardsmen fatally shot four student protesters at a campus demonstration, Weis said that “when you mix military functions with law enforcement functions, there is sometimes a disconnect.”
Noting that the military does not operate under the same constitutional constraints as the police, he questioned how Chicago residents would react to soldiers raiding homes without warrants, and said that in his 25 years of law enforcement experience, he had never seen an example of military personnel working under local civilian command.
“The National Guard is very useful if we had a big earthquake or huge flood or a catastrophe like that, where we simply had to control folks,” he said, “But the problems we’re facing are illegal weapons, narcotics and gangs. And while I will always look out for as much help as we can, I don't think the National Guard is the solution.”
The lawmakers could better help by passing tougher gun control laws, he said, also calling on communities affected by violence to “break the code of silence” against identifying criminals.
Quinn spokesman Bob Reed declined comment.
Fritchey and Ford noted that 80 percent of city homicide victims are black. Ford represents constituents in the West side communities of Austin, Lawndale and West Garfield, that have been hard hit by homicides and other crime. Fritchey represents constituents in the lower-crime North side communities of Bucktown, DePaul, Lincoln Park, Roscoe Village and Ravenswood.
The legislators said while they believe more should be done to deal with the violence, their views shouldn’t be seen as criticism of local law enforcement, whose resources are stretched thin.
They added Weis recently pointed out most violent crime in Chicago happens on just 9 percent of the city's blocks. To target these “hot spots,” Weis has said he was seeking 100 officers to volunteer for a summer-long “strategic response team.”
Deploying the Guard is a better option, Fritchey and Ford contend.
While Weis came out against the suggestion Sunday, he did add that he had yet to discuss it with the mayor and that is something he was willing to “explore.”
“I’d have to see what the mayor’s position on this is,” he said. “If he’s open to it, you know, of course, I’d be open to it. I have certain concerns, based on my time in law enforcement and the United States military.”
I try and try, but I don't understand what's happening with financial reform. I listen to Secretary Geitner, Chase's Jamie Dimon, and others who are undoubtedly smarter than I am. And I still don't get it.
Two year old Coco Cole was died today, shot in the head while securely strapped in her car seat on Chicago's South Side.
Yes it is.
Yes, that about covers it.The 10-page motion contends that Obama must have information in the case because the charges against Blagojevich involve alleged deal-making to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Obama when he became president.
"The defense understands that the President of the United States of America is not a routine witness and would not request his appearance if it did not think he was critical to the liberty of Rod Blagojevich," the motion says.
According to the motion, Obama's public assertion that he had no involvement in talks about filling his Senate seat contradicts information from another witness in the case.
I have hated the Mets for so long that I can't remember not hating them. This decades-long vendetta makes watching tonight's game even more exciting
Each of this week's 10 questions is based on a quote from George Clooney. 
January. In a letter written to the judge, the actor had asked for leniency for his son, stating, “I have some idea of the pressure of finding your own identity with a famous father. I’m not sure I can comprehend it with two generations to deal with.”
Your result for The Classic Dames Test...
You scored 26% grit, 38% wit, 38% flair, and 19% class!
Find out what kind of classic leading man you'd make by taking the
Classic Leading Man Test.
dest food you like: The Francheezie, a hot dog filled with cheese and wrapped in bacon.
se in any big city, someone else in need is right there to take his place. This time it's Molly, a primarily white cat with gray ears and a gray tail who spends her days being clutched to the chest of either of her people -- a couple in their 20s whose sign says they are homeless due to hard times. Tuesday, when I first saw Molly, I gave her people the change I had reserved for my homeless man. Today I stopped at Walgreen's and picked up a can of Friskies for her. I spoke to her male-type person for a moment (that's how I learned her name), gave him the chicken & tuna and a dollar and told Molly lunch was on me.
Shown: Arthur Schlesinger Jr. and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis spoke at a February 1978 party in New York City.
Just a few months after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, his widow, Jacqueline Kennedy, sat down for a series of interviews about him.
Now, 50 years later, the public will find out what she said about her husband, his work, and life in the White House during an administration that was cut cruelly short. The interviews, strictly sealed after they were conducted, will be the basis of a new book slated for publication in September 2011, the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation announced today.
The seven interviews were conducted in the spring of 1964 by historian and Kennedy aide Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. They were part of an oral history project that captured the memories of those close to the president, who was assassinated in Dallas in November 1963, the foundation said.
The interviews cover a wide range of topics, the foundation said, including Kennedy's early campaigns, the Cuban missile crisis, Mrs. Kennedy's evolving sense of herself and her role as first lady, family life in the White House, and the president's plans for a second term.
The book, to be published by Hyperion, will be edited and introduced by Caroline Kennedy, and the family plans to make both the interview transcripts and 6 1/2 hours of audio recordings available.
Jacqueline Kennedy "believed in my father, his vision for America, and in the art of politics. She felt it was important to share her knowledge and excitement with future generations. It is a privilege for me to honor the memory of my parents by making this unique history available," Caroline Kennedy, president of the foundation, said in a statement.
Don't know how close I came to being called out here at work, but at least I'm safe for now. (Enough baseball references? Well, it is Opening Day, after all!)
ill cost more than originally estimated. I paid for much of the work today, some in advance, with my Discover Card because I neglected to cancel my Discover Payment Protection Plan after the initial free 30-day trial. If I do find I'm laid off on Monday, then I can put these payments on hold for up to 2 years. So sometimes my hideous laziness (you should see my living/dining room!) actually does work out in my favor.
The axe fell at the office. According to the industry blogs, 15 to 20 were let go. I contacted a coworker this evening and he reports that I'm safe, as far as he knows. But one of our art directors (arguably the most talented one) got it, as did another associate creative director, and three of our four admins.
t changes, as will their luck.
Had one of those unfortunate boarding experiences last night where we were all sitting there for a while -- maybe 20 minutes -- waiting for a piece of equipment needed to move the plane away from the gate. I was sitting behind a very angry man who used the time on his cell phone. At first I thought he was an asshole. Then I wanted to give him a hug.
spurs, I have to wear shoes with serious heel support. While I love my Birkenstocks for being so comfortable, they simply aren't pretty. But look at these new Think! sandals. I loooooove them. Made in Austria, they are as supportive and as substantial as Birkies, but so much cuter.