Carl from Chicago

Business executive interested in history, economics, taxation and energy policy.

A Fanatic

by

Winston Churchill famously wrote that a fanatic

is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject

I thought that as I read about the terrible fires sweeping through Australia. In an area north of Melbourne, fires have killed 100 people, per this BBC article.

The death toll from fires in southern Australia has reached at least 108, the worst in the country’s history

There are many reasons for these fires, including the fact that Australia is a very dry continent and that they have had a serious drought. But here is the most proximate cause from that same article

Arsonists responsible for lighting the fires could be charged with murder, police have said… The BBC’s Nick Bryant in Sydney said police suspect that in at least one case fires have been restarted by arsonists after being extinguished by firefighters

Thus not only are at least some of the fires being started by arsonists, but they are even being RESTARTED by arsonists after being extinguished.

So what is the response of the greens, when faced with a significant humanitarian tragedy (100+ dead, and many more seriously burned, not to mention the destruction of entire towns that have been burned to the ground with the associated destruction and dislocation), KNOWING that drought and arson were significant contributing factors?

The leader of the Green party, Bob Brown said summer fires would get worse unless Australia and other nations showed more leadership on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. “It’s a sobering reminder of the need for this nation and the whole world to act and put at a priority our need to tackle climate change,” he said.

That is the definition of a fanatic, tone deaf to the sensitivities of the dead, the reality of the situation, and unable to change the topic.

Real Estate Bust in a Microcosm

by

Since the weather here in Chicago is usually so unfavorable, people love to go outside as soon as there is a break in the gloom. One of my favorite pastimes is to sit outside and have a drink, catch a little sun, and watch the world go by. It is even better if there is at least semi-edible bar food (I am not too picky).

When I lived in Wicker Park / Bucktown there is a local bar called “Northside” that has a great front deck near a busy intersection and it was fun to sit out there on a Friday afternoon or Saturday and just relax. Here in River North there are some outdoor spaces but I liked to take a walk up to a place called “Melvin B’s” that had a nice deck outside in the V*agra Triangle.

Read more

De-Blago-fication

by

One of the most prominent “achievements” of our disgraced and impeached former governor is “open road tolling” where you can drive through the tollway without having to stop due to iPass. Since this is one of the few constructive things that the State of Illinois has done for a while it was logical that Blago would take credit for it. Left unsaid was that the toll for those paying cash (likely the poorest people) was doubled, and they still had to wait for the toll collector.

Local talk shows had said that there would be some sort of ceremony as his name was taken down from these signs post-impeachment. I don’t think they played it up that much but the State did get off its rear end and get it done. Here you can see an “after” sign below.

It’s not like there are more important things to do in Illinois, such as attend to our monstrous budget deficit, estimated near $10B. He left that behind, too, you know.

Cross posted at LITGM

Blogo-Care

by

During Blogo’s numerous press conferences prior to his impeachment, he hammered on a few themes that I started to think may be a precedent for the nation as a whole.

From his impeachment speech (whole text here):

And then I would say to all of you, think about the things we’ve been able to do together. Health care for all of our kids, first in the nation

In speech after speech and interview after interview he hammered home the “fact” that he had granted insurance coverage to so many in Illinois, through various means.

How has this actually been implemented in Illinois? State payments to medical providers has been dramatically slowed. From this article titled “State Owes Area Health Care Providers Millions”

“This is the worst it’s ever been it’s historically been this way, nursing home providers have had to in this kind of environment in Illinois for quite a long time”

Read more

Blogo-Sphere

by

Today the crazed Illinois governor Blogo went on national TV to attempt to sway public opinion. We taped the various shows, and having watched Illinois politics for a lifetime, sat down and watched this totally amazing spree.

Geraldo ambushed the governor on the way to “The View” and actually let him off pretty easy. On his lawyer’s leaving:

It was like rats jumping off a sinking ship!

On “Chicago Tonight”, the great Chicago public television news program, Dennis Culloton, who represented our former incarcerated governor George Ryan as press secretary, when asked if he’d represent Blogo:

I would have to say no for the same reason his attorney Ed Genson pulled out of his case last Friday. He strikes me as someone who will not listen and who will just impulsively dive headlong into whatever crazy idea happens to come before him rather than try to approach this with some modicum of dignity

Then on Chicago Tonight they had an interview with Daniela Schreier who is a clinical psychologist who specializes in psychopaths. Here is a link to her profile. Here are her comments on whether or not he is truly a psychopath (she said he seemed to ACT like one, and looking into his blank eyes it seems like the truth):

Complete lack of remorse… very shallow affect… he is a great showman

He was also on with “The View”. When he said that he was interested in picking Oprah, Joy Behar said:

Oprah will just give you a car!

And then she tousled his hair and told him to put up his arms like Richard Nixon saying “I am not a crook.”

There were some actual journalists involved. Barbara Walters actually tried to ask him tough questions, and so did Diane Sawyer. But Blogo doesn’t even pretend to answer them, he just sticks “on message” with his rambling that 1) the trial is unfair because that he can’t call witnesses 2) the “fix is in” because he fought the state of Illinois.

From all of this he fails to point out that impeachment is a political process, and not a legal one. He doesn’t have the same rights as a governor as you’d have as a criminal defendant. He is not being charged by Republicans… he is being charged by everyone in Illinois.

This is an insane process and it is hard to imagine how even Saturday Night Live can improve on it. They probably will just play it straight.

A sorry, sorry, sorry day for Illinois.

Cross posted at LITGM