I watched the end of the Chicago Bears' thrilling overtime victory over Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings Dec. 28 from the comfort of my bedroom. I'm sure it would have been quite thrilling to have witnessed the game in person, but I really can't see sitting for four hours in a 20-degree night (plus wind chill) to watch a truly terrible football team. A friend and Bears expert told me the Bears still rank in the top ten (of 32 teams) in terms of stadium revenue. How long will that last? It seems to me that Mayor Richard M. Daley cheated the city by caving into the McCaskey family (Bears owners) demands for a renovated Soldier Field in 2001 after having told the McCaskeys "you can go to Alaska" for years. I'm no fan of public funding, but the total cost of the Soldier Field renovation was $632 million. At about the same time, Houston built Reliant Stadium from the ground up for $425 mil, and that stadium has a retractable roof! So Bears fans continue to pay top prices for tickets (no discounts after nearly three decades of consecutive sellouts and a huge waiting list) to freeze outdoors for nearly half the season. Retractable-roof technology has existed at least since 1989, when SkyDome opened in Toronto.
After another World Series was marred by bad weather in 2008, Sports Illustrated sharply criticized Major League Baseball for allowing numerous new ballparks to open without retractable roofs. Subsidies for the additional cost, which SI estimated at $100 mil each, could come from an MLB fund, the magazine said. I can't vouch for the magazine's math, but I agree that with baseball running from April to November (including the full postseason), keeping players and paying customers comfortable makes sense.* That would seem to be even more important for pro football, with much higher prices and much colder temperatures.
Chicago could have built a retractable-roof stadium, which could have attracted an annual college bowl game, Men's and Women's NCAA Final Four basketball tournaments, and one Super Bowl. (The NFL gives cities cold-weather climates one Super Bowl per stadium built. Keep in mind the Super Bowl is for rich men who play golf, which means Miami, Tampa, Phoenix and sometimes New Orleans. St. Louis is still waiting.) We have none of those tourism-generating events because we don't have a facility that can host them. And Bears fans continue to sit in the cold in a stadium quickly headed toward obsolescence.
Thanks again, Your Honor.
*Except in freezing Minneapolis, where the baseball team is moving from an indoor stadium to an outdoor ballpark. Good luck with April and May ticket sales, Twins.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
The East Coast Establishment marries in
It started in the White House.
Karenna Gore, oldest daughter of Vice President Al Gore and granddaughter of former Sen. Al Gore Sr., married Andrew Newman ("Drew") Schiff on July 12, 1997. Drew is Jewish. Karenna comes from a wealthy Tennessee family that has been part of the Washington political establishment for decades. The Schiffs have three children.
Ivanka Trump, whose billionaire real estate developer father Donald is one of the wealthiest and most famous men in the world, converted to Judaism and married Jared Kushner Oct. 25, 2009. Kushner works in his family's successful publishing business.
A month ago, former President Bill Clinton's family announced the engagement of their only child, Chelsea, 29, to Marc Mezvinsky. Mezvinsky's parents, Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky and Edward Mezvinsky, are both former U.S. Congressmen. While Chelsea's father soaks up millions in speaking fees, her mother continues to firm up her political resumé as U.S. Secretary of State. Mezvinsky's uncle, Professor Norton Mezvinsky of Central Connecticut State University, is vehemently anti-Israel and possibly antisemitic. Chelsea plans to convert to Judaism. Marc is not Chelsea's first Jewish beau; she had one at Stanford University as well.
Not too long ago, a child of an Establishment family marrying a Jew would have been absolutely unthinkable. Here we have three beautiful, successful young women who have married in to Jewish families or are planning to do so, with the blessing of their world-famous fathers.
These are just three examples. More such unions occur all across America without the tabloid coverage. It's another step of American Jewry becoming further entrenched as part of the American fabric.
Karenna Gore, oldest daughter of Vice President Al Gore and granddaughter of former Sen. Al Gore Sr., married Andrew Newman ("Drew") Schiff on July 12, 1997. Drew is Jewish. Karenna comes from a wealthy Tennessee family that has been part of the Washington political establishment for decades. The Schiffs have three children.
Ivanka Trump, whose billionaire real estate developer father Donald is one of the wealthiest and most famous men in the world, converted to Judaism and married Jared Kushner Oct. 25, 2009. Kushner works in his family's successful publishing business.
A month ago, former President Bill Clinton's family announced the engagement of their only child, Chelsea, 29, to Marc Mezvinsky. Mezvinsky's parents, Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky and Edward Mezvinsky, are both former U.S. Congressmen. While Chelsea's father soaks up millions in speaking fees, her mother continues to firm up her political resumé as U.S. Secretary of State. Mezvinsky's uncle, Professor Norton Mezvinsky of Central Connecticut State University, is vehemently anti-Israel and possibly antisemitic. Chelsea plans to convert to Judaism. Marc is not Chelsea's first Jewish beau; she had one at Stanford University as well.
Not too long ago, a child of an Establishment family marrying a Jew would have been absolutely unthinkable. Here we have three beautiful, successful young women who have married in to Jewish families or are planning to do so, with the blessing of their world-famous fathers.
These are just three examples. More such unions occur all across America without the tabloid coverage. It's another step of American Jewry becoming further entrenched as part of the American fabric.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Wanted: a Cubs owner who cares
Could the Chicago Cubs buy a decent owner?
The Wrigley family managed to field competitive teams in the 1930’s and 1940’s, winning the National League pennant several times. But the Wrigleys didn’t have the passion or the finances to compete with the big boys in New York or Los Angeles. Gee, they couldn’t even compete with the little boys in St. Louis or Cincinnati. The Cardinals and Reds have won 13 World Series championships between them since the Cubs won a pair in 1907 and 1908. The small-market river towns 275 and 300 miles away? How embarrassing.
It’s probably better that the Tribune Co. didn’t build a new ballpark in the early 1980’s after its 1981 purchase because that ballpark would now be obsolete. Still, failing to insist on a full night-game schedule is costing the Cubs dearly, in my opinion, both at the box office and on the field. The ballpark is worse than ever. (Seriously.) The Cubs were never financially competitive, and the team’s popularity with the fans may have induced laziness on the part of the ownership to be aggressive with front office and on-field talent. Some Cubs teams in the 1990’s and 2000’s were quite awful.
Now we have a new ownership, and after some initial optimism, I fear more of the same. I was excited that the Ricketts family wanted to renovate Wrigley Field extensively in preparation for its centennial year and the 2014 All-Star Game. Then I read the men’s restrooms will continue to be a public health hazard—no renovations are planned. I also read the Ricketts want to play 50 night games a year, up from the current schedule, limited by Chicago law, to 30 night games and none on Friday or Saturday. (Other teams typically play 55 night games at home.) But the Ricketts have not held meetings with Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) or with neighborhood groups to discuss the issue. Despite the standing law (which expires after the 2018 season, I believe), Ald. Tunney could amend the law to allow more night games. He would probably receive City Council approval since Council protocol is to allow aldermen to set policy in their own wards.
The Ricketts’ inaction at baseball’s recent winter meetings in Indianapolis was a serious tactical error. The Cubs missed out on upgrading any number of positions where they are desperately vulnerable. Milton Bradley will probably be playing Monopoly or Uno on the Cubs’ bench this season since the Cubs’ general manager was unable to deal him.
The biggest shock to Cubs fans, especially those who have seen the Cubs play in March, is the Ricketts may move the Cubs’ spring training facility from Mesa, Ariz. to Naples, Fla. Everything I have read about spring training in Florida (the Grapefruit League) is that it is crowded and kitschy with awful traffic. Add the arrogant Yankees and Red Sox fans to the mix, and it makes for misery in Alligator Alley. The Cubs and their fans were right at home in Arizona’s Cactus League, which now includes the White Sox (who moved from Sarasota) and the Dodgers (from Dodgertown/Vero Beach, duh) sharing space in Glendale.
The late Ron Luciano was the American League’s most famous umpire in the 1970’s. He was a fan favorite and wrote a best-selling book, which is a great snapshot of the era: The Umpire Strikes Back. He wrote that every off-season, he would beg his American League bosses to send him to Florida for spring training. Every year, they would send him to Arizona—which was exactly what he wanted. Ha! Very smart man.
As an aside, a Cubs move to Southwest Florida would fundamentally change the relationship Chicagoans have with Arizona. The Grand Canyon State becomes less desirable as a winter destination. The second-home market and spring-break vacations in the Phoenix area would never be the same without the Cubs in town. Unlike replacing Wrigley Field (great idea), leaving Arizona would be a sad end to a great tradition.
The Wrigley family managed to field competitive teams in the 1930’s and 1940’s, winning the National League pennant several times. But the Wrigleys didn’t have the passion or the finances to compete with the big boys in New York or Los Angeles. Gee, they couldn’t even compete with the little boys in St. Louis or Cincinnati. The Cardinals and Reds have won 13 World Series championships between them since the Cubs won a pair in 1907 and 1908. The small-market river towns 275 and 300 miles away? How embarrassing.
It’s probably better that the Tribune Co. didn’t build a new ballpark in the early 1980’s after its 1981 purchase because that ballpark would now be obsolete. Still, failing to insist on a full night-game schedule is costing the Cubs dearly, in my opinion, both at the box office and on the field. The ballpark is worse than ever. (Seriously.) The Cubs were never financially competitive, and the team’s popularity with the fans may have induced laziness on the part of the ownership to be aggressive with front office and on-field talent. Some Cubs teams in the 1990’s and 2000’s were quite awful.
Now we have a new ownership, and after some initial optimism, I fear more of the same. I was excited that the Ricketts family wanted to renovate Wrigley Field extensively in preparation for its centennial year and the 2014 All-Star Game. Then I read the men’s restrooms will continue to be a public health hazard—no renovations are planned. I also read the Ricketts want to play 50 night games a year, up from the current schedule, limited by Chicago law, to 30 night games and none on Friday or Saturday. (Other teams typically play 55 night games at home.) But the Ricketts have not held meetings with Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) or with neighborhood groups to discuss the issue. Despite the standing law (which expires after the 2018 season, I believe), Ald. Tunney could amend the law to allow more night games. He would probably receive City Council approval since Council protocol is to allow aldermen to set policy in their own wards.
The Ricketts’ inaction at baseball’s recent winter meetings in Indianapolis was a serious tactical error. The Cubs missed out on upgrading any number of positions where they are desperately vulnerable. Milton Bradley will probably be playing Monopoly or Uno on the Cubs’ bench this season since the Cubs’ general manager was unable to deal him.
The biggest shock to Cubs fans, especially those who have seen the Cubs play in March, is the Ricketts may move the Cubs’ spring training facility from Mesa, Ariz. to Naples, Fla. Everything I have read about spring training in Florida (the Grapefruit League) is that it is crowded and kitschy with awful traffic. Add the arrogant Yankees and Red Sox fans to the mix, and it makes for misery in Alligator Alley. The Cubs and their fans were right at home in Arizona’s Cactus League, which now includes the White Sox (who moved from Sarasota) and the Dodgers (from Dodgertown/Vero Beach, duh) sharing space in Glendale.
The late Ron Luciano was the American League’s most famous umpire in the 1970’s. He was a fan favorite and wrote a best-selling book, which is a great snapshot of the era: The Umpire Strikes Back. He wrote that every off-season, he would beg his American League bosses to send him to Florida for spring training. Every year, they would send him to Arizona—which was exactly what he wanted. Ha! Very smart man.
As an aside, a Cubs move to Southwest Florida would fundamentally change the relationship Chicagoans have with Arizona. The Grand Canyon State becomes less desirable as a winter destination. The second-home market and spring-break vacations in the Phoenix area would never be the same without the Cubs in town. Unlike replacing Wrigley Field (great idea), leaving Arizona would be a sad end to a great tradition.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Skokie Park Dist.: Jews like to skate at night too
Realizing I haven't laced up my skates since Fred's Erev Super Bowl skating party (Jan. 31), I picked up public skating schedules at my friendly neighborhood skating rinks: Robert Crown Community Center and Ice Complex in Evanston and the Skatium in Skokie. Both feature midday weekday skating. Both offer Friday night and Sunday afternoon skating.
Other evenings? Happily, the Crown Center offers Saturday nights, 8-10. That's perfect for shabbos-observant Jewish skaters who can hit the ice at that time all winter long. But the Skatium, which has many more Jews in its vicinity and contributing to its upkeep via local taxes, only has evening public skating 6-7:15 on Saturdays. That works for a few weeks in November and December for shabbos-observant Jews. There's also 7:15-8:30 Friday nights. Thanks, Skokie Park District. I'll be right over.
Shabbos-observant Jews who work for a living and want to skate at the Skatium must compete for space with the kids and families on Sunday afternoons. Really, Skokie Park District--is that the best you can do? How about a couple of hours after 7pm on a Sunday through Thursday night? Between the figure skating and hockey, there must be some time available.
Other evenings? Happily, the Crown Center offers Saturday nights, 8-10. That's perfect for shabbos-observant Jewish skaters who can hit the ice at that time all winter long. But the Skatium, which has many more Jews in its vicinity and contributing to its upkeep via local taxes, only has evening public skating 6-7:15 on Saturdays. That works for a few weeks in November and December for shabbos-observant Jews. There's also 7:15-8:30 Friday nights. Thanks, Skokie Park District. I'll be right over.
Shabbos-observant Jews who work for a living and want to skate at the Skatium must compete for space with the kids and families on Sunday afternoons. Really, Skokie Park District--is that the best you can do? How about a couple of hours after 7pm on a Sunday through Thursday night? Between the figure skating and hockey, there must be some time available.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
V: The Visitors Return
V
abc television
Tuesdays 8pm ET/PT
This note assumes you have seen the first three episodes (through Nov. 17).
Just when you thought the planet was safe: Guess who is back? The 1983 miniseries on NBC was fantastic. Intelligent lizards dressed as humans who come here supposedly to take some water, but they actually needed food (us). We figured out how to make a virus that kills them, and they went home. Now they're back and better than ever. There are some similarities--cool uniforms, for example. We don't know what they want yet, although their initial claim is the same. There are new, subtle differences that make this full-length series much more interesting than the miniseries that started it:
--They've really been here for 20 years? Living among us? And none of them have died and been autopsied with surprising results? Come on.
--Where are all the half-breeds? Interspecies kids? Remember when the nice Jewish girl in the original miniseries gave birth to twins--a normal-looking kid and a disgusting lizard gremlin? That was hilarious.
--In the original miniseries, "Fifth Column" referred to human betrayal--not a Visitor cell dedicated to saving humanity. Too shocking for tv, I guess, for us to see the black guy (someone we like) executing the guy who betrayed him to a Visitor assassin team. That was certainly a threatening note (in blood) he left on the door.
--the Visitors have sweeper teams just like The Centre in The Pretender.
--The last time I saw that seeker ball, it was trying to kick Skywalker's ass aboard the Millenium Falcon.
--FBI Special Agent Dale's comments to the ship doctor about living with a human: do they all think we're disgusting and smelly? All of us? (Some of us--well, they may have a point there.)
--a seriously kick-ass mothership with shuttles to and from the Earth.
--Can they really beam back and forth? At that meeting of Visitor leaders, were they really there, or was it a virtual meeting?
So many surprises. The ship doctor? OF COURSE he's a Fifth Column member! OF COURSE Lisa is Anna's daughter! (The actresses are 25 and 30 years old.) OF COURSE Dale is an evil Visitor!
Curious what Anna and Lisa have in mind for Tyler. And how does a Visitor get reconnected? He gets to go home and shed his human epidermis?
Of course I'm terribly curious how long it is going to take for humanity to wake up and realize what we are up against: sleeper cells; assassin teams; advanced weaponry; secret motives. Evans is right: they show up and we issue tourist visas without asking too many questions? Come on. It should be deeply disturbing for the U.S. government to be in the presence of a group that is militarily and technologically superior.
Very much like Elizabeth Mitchell ("Juliet" on Lost) as FBI Special Agent Erica Evans and Scott Wolf ("Bailey Salenger on party of five) as Chad Decker. BTW did anyone notice when Matthew Fox (Jack Shepard on Lost) and Scott Wolf were playing brothers on party of five that their surnames referred to midsize mammalian predators? Just curious. Christopher Shyer is delightfully evil as Marcus, Anna's right-hand man.
I'm hooked, and I don't say that about tv very often. Looking forward to the next episode, and I hope V manages to hang on.
abc television
Tuesdays 8pm ET/PT
This note assumes you have seen the first three episodes (through Nov. 17).
Just when you thought the planet was safe: Guess who is back? The 1983 miniseries on NBC was fantastic. Intelligent lizards dressed as humans who come here supposedly to take some water, but they actually needed food (us). We figured out how to make a virus that kills them, and they went home. Now they're back and better than ever. There are some similarities--cool uniforms, for example. We don't know what they want yet, although their initial claim is the same. There are new, subtle differences that make this full-length series much more interesting than the miniseries that started it:
--They've really been here for 20 years? Living among us? And none of them have died and been autopsied with surprising results? Come on.
--Where are all the half-breeds? Interspecies kids? Remember when the nice Jewish girl in the original miniseries gave birth to twins--a normal-looking kid and a disgusting lizard gremlin? That was hilarious.
--In the original miniseries, "Fifth Column" referred to human betrayal--not a Visitor cell dedicated to saving humanity. Too shocking for tv, I guess, for us to see the black guy (someone we like) executing the guy who betrayed him to a Visitor assassin team. That was certainly a threatening note (in blood) he left on the door.
--the Visitors have sweeper teams just like The Centre in The Pretender.
--The last time I saw that seeker ball, it was trying to kick Skywalker's ass aboard the Millenium Falcon.
--FBI Special Agent Dale's comments to the ship doctor about living with a human: do they all think we're disgusting and smelly? All of us? (Some of us--well, they may have a point there.)
--a seriously kick-ass mothership with shuttles to and from the Earth.
--Can they really beam back and forth? At that meeting of Visitor leaders, were they really there, or was it a virtual meeting?
So many surprises. The ship doctor? OF COURSE he's a Fifth Column member! OF COURSE Lisa is Anna's daughter! (The actresses are 25 and 30 years old.) OF COURSE Dale is an evil Visitor!
Curious what Anna and Lisa have in mind for Tyler. And how does a Visitor get reconnected? He gets to go home and shed his human epidermis?
Of course I'm terribly curious how long it is going to take for humanity to wake up and realize what we are up against: sleeper cells; assassin teams; advanced weaponry; secret motives. Evans is right: they show up and we issue tourist visas without asking too many questions? Come on. It should be deeply disturbing for the U.S. government to be in the presence of a group that is militarily and technologically superior.
Very much like Elizabeth Mitchell ("Juliet" on Lost) as FBI Special Agent Erica Evans and Scott Wolf ("Bailey Salenger on party of five) as Chad Decker. BTW did anyone notice when Matthew Fox (Jack Shepard on Lost) and Scott Wolf were playing brothers on party of five that their surnames referred to midsize mammalian predators? Just curious. Christopher Shyer is delightfully evil as Marcus, Anna's right-hand man.
I'm hooked, and I don't say that about tv very often. Looking forward to the next episode, and I hope V manages to hang on.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
How many more stop signs does Chicago need?
This letter was in response to this article that appeared in the Chicago Tribune Oct. 18:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-after-mayaoct18-story,0,6304244.story
A four-year-old girl was killed while in a crosswalk at Lincoln Park Zoo by a motorist whose license had been revoked. He ran a stop sign and hit her. The editor cut my favorite part--the bullet points.
Dear Editor:
Motorists shouldn't run stop signs. ("After Maya," Page One, Oct. 18.) That is absolutely true.
Unfortunately the sharp increase in stop signs in Chicago over the last decade, especially at intersections that hardly warrant four-way stops, causes some drivers to ignore them or slide through them. Consider just a few examples from West Rogers Park, where I lived for several years:
* A sign stopping traffic at the alderman's condo tower, but not the other three identical towers.
* A sign protecting a baseball field used perhaps a dozen times a year.
* A sign stopping traffic on Touhy Avenue--the only one for about 10 miles--protecting a school a quarter-mile off Touhy. There is a crossing guard helping children across that intersection anyway.
* A sign on congested Devon Avenue for no apparent reason that backs up traffic for a block in either direction while the cross street has neither traffic nor pedestrians.
* A sign next to a park at a T-intersection at which the cross street runs one-way away from the intersection.
All over town, stop signs protect children near schools and parks a few hours a day, half the days of the year. Electric or temporary stop signs would ease congestion and save motorists time and fuel. I understand the Hirsch family's focus on enforcement. But reason and careful consideration with regard to stop-sign installation would also be helpful in drivers' observance of the law.
***************
If you like, you can comment on my letter online: http://bit.ly/2rJ298 Someone already made a nasty comment and called my opinion "nonsense." He sarcastically suggested that I believe the few seconds it takes me to stop is worth more than a four-year-old girl's life. No. I don't believe that. I do believe that the very high number of stop signs in Chicago actually makes intersections more dangerous for pedestrians. Furthermore, it's not just a few seconds for me. It's thousands of hours and thousands of dollars of wasted time, money and fuel as thousands of drivers per year must slow, stop and accelerate at each stop sign. These signs often exist for no reason at all other than the neighbors who wanted a stop sign installed there. I have seen several instances where stop signs facing major streets create congestion where there previously had been none. A number of streets that were once major thoroughfares across neighborhoods are now almost impassable with stop signs at every block.
*****************
If you have time: an op-ed piece about how the recession personally affects the writer and her family, by someone I know, who went to my high school, appeared in the Oct. 25 Chicago Tribune:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-oped1025luckoct25,0,809561.story
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-after-mayaoct18-story,0,6304244.story
A four-year-old girl was killed while in a crosswalk at Lincoln Park Zoo by a motorist whose license had been revoked. He ran a stop sign and hit her. The editor cut my favorite part--the bullet points.
Dear Editor:
Motorists shouldn't run stop signs. ("After Maya," Page One, Oct. 18.) That is absolutely true.
Unfortunately the sharp increase in stop signs in Chicago over the last decade, especially at intersections that hardly warrant four-way stops, causes some drivers to ignore them or slide through them. Consider just a few examples from West Rogers Park, where I lived for several years:
* A sign stopping traffic at the alderman's condo tower, but not the other three identical towers.
* A sign protecting a baseball field used perhaps a dozen times a year.
* A sign stopping traffic on Touhy Avenue--the only one for about 10 miles--protecting a school a quarter-mile off Touhy. There is a crossing guard helping children across that intersection anyway.
* A sign on congested Devon Avenue for no apparent reason that backs up traffic for a block in either direction while the cross street has neither traffic nor pedestrians.
* A sign next to a park at a T-intersection at which the cross street runs one-way away from the intersection.
All over town, stop signs protect children near schools and parks a few hours a day, half the days of the year. Electric or temporary stop signs would ease congestion and save motorists time and fuel. I understand the Hirsch family's focus on enforcement. But reason and careful consideration with regard to stop-sign installation would also be helpful in drivers' observance of the law.
***************
If you like, you can comment on my letter online: http://bit.ly/2rJ298 Someone already made a nasty comment and called my opinion "nonsense." He sarcastically suggested that I believe the few seconds it takes me to stop is worth more than a four-year-old girl's life. No. I don't believe that. I do believe that the very high number of stop signs in Chicago actually makes intersections more dangerous for pedestrians. Furthermore, it's not just a few seconds for me. It's thousands of hours and thousands of dollars of wasted time, money and fuel as thousands of drivers per year must slow, stop and accelerate at each stop sign. These signs often exist for no reason at all other than the neighbors who wanted a stop sign installed there. I have seen several instances where stop signs facing major streets create congestion where there previously had been none. A number of streets that were once major thoroughfares across neighborhoods are now almost impassable with stop signs at every block.
*****************
If you have time: an op-ed piece about how the recession personally affects the writer and her family, by someone I know, who went to my high school, appeared in the Oct. 25 Chicago Tribune:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-oped1025luckoct25,0,809561.story
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Cop admits lying in special-unit probe
If I limited this blog to "bad cop" posts, it would practically write itself.
The Special Operations Section of the Chicago Police Department was supposed to be the good guys. Instead, as this Chicago Tribune article reveals, one officer after another is pleading guilty to lying to Internal Affairs Division investigators about breaking the law and covering up by filing false police reports.
How do you know? How do you know this couldn't happen to you?
The cop behind you sees your nice ride, runs your tags and decides to pull you over. In the story, this happened to someone driving a Cadillac with upgraded rims--despite the fact he had not committed a traffic violation. This is a violation of the driver's constitutional right against unreasonable search and seizure. If a cop wants to pull over someone who is driving legally, then he must set up a roadblock and stop everyone.
So the cop pulls you over. (As any cop can tell you, if he had followed you for a few blocks, he probably could have come up with a traffic violation anyway.) He gives no reason for the "traffic stop" and insists on a complete search of your vehicle. He takes what he wants, intimidates you in case you might want to report the incident, and lets you go on your way. Or he forces you to let him into your residence and takes more stuff. According to the article, that's exactly what happened. Then the cop files a false police report.
Except that one of the officers was female. Since she did not profit financially and is cooperating, her sentence was 60 days in jail.
Cops take advantage in ways big and small. Free coffee at convenience stores. Free passes at the movies. (Working at Golf Mill Theatres, I was instructed to comp Niles cops.) I don't have a problem with that.
Free off-duty metered parking by putting the checkered hat on the dash? Not (officially) permitted. And now, as we see, they freely take advantage of their badges and guns to take the law into their own hands by helping themselves. We are at their mercy.
The Special Operations Section of the Chicago Police Department was supposed to be the good guys. Instead, as this Chicago Tribune article reveals, one officer after another is pleading guilty to lying to Internal Affairs Division investigators about breaking the law and covering up by filing false police reports.
How do you know? How do you know this couldn't happen to you?
The cop behind you sees your nice ride, runs your tags and decides to pull you over. In the story, this happened to someone driving a Cadillac with upgraded rims--despite the fact he had not committed a traffic violation. This is a violation of the driver's constitutional right against unreasonable search and seizure. If a cop wants to pull over someone who is driving legally, then he must set up a roadblock and stop everyone.
So the cop pulls you over. (As any cop can tell you, if he had followed you for a few blocks, he probably could have come up with a traffic violation anyway.) He gives no reason for the "traffic stop" and insists on a complete search of your vehicle. He takes what he wants, intimidates you in case you might want to report the incident, and lets you go on your way. Or he forces you to let him into your residence and takes more stuff. According to the article, that's exactly what happened. Then the cop files a false police report.
Except that one of the officers was female. Since she did not profit financially and is cooperating, her sentence was 60 days in jail.
Cops take advantage in ways big and small. Free coffee at convenience stores. Free passes at the movies. (Working at Golf Mill Theatres, I was instructed to comp Niles cops.) I don't have a problem with that.
Free off-duty metered parking by putting the checkered hat on the dash? Not (officially) permitted. And now, as we see, they freely take advantage of their badges and guns to take the law into their own hands by helping themselves. We are at their mercy.
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