Comments on: A tough town in January. http://nancynall.com/2008/01/30/a-tough-town-in-january/ one writer's daily download Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:42:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: basset http://nancynall.com/2008/01/30/a-tough-town-in-january/#comment-155730 basset Fri, 01 Feb 2008 02:06:54 +0000 http://nancynall.com/2008/01/30/a-tough-town-in-january/#comment-155730 it is indeed a large county. last time I was in the Chicago area was for a car auction in St. Charles... we decided we just had to go downtown for a real Chicago pizza, drove to the nearest train station, rode to the Loop, ate, came back out. took six hours. pizza wasn't anything special, either. it is indeed a large county. last time I was in the Chicago area was for a car auction in St. Charles… we decided we just had to go downtown for a real Chicago pizza, drove to the nearest train station, rode to the Loop, ate, came back out. took six hours.

pizza wasn’t anything special, either.

]]> By: Sue http://nancynall.com/2008/01/30/a-tough-town-in-january/#comment-155580 Sue Thu, 31 Jan 2008 16:30:17 +0000 http://nancynall.com/2008/01/30/a-tough-town-in-january/#comment-155580 Peter, I think you may be misunderstanding the posters whom you describe as taking part in a "lovefest". We don't necessarily love it, but we sure understand it. The City worked (and works), but I really believe that because of some of the journalists there (as noted before, Mike Royko almost single-handedly in the past and John Kass & Carol Marin & co. today), few people are unaware of what's going on. That's what I meant when I posted earlier that Royko made sure that people knew the price they were paying for their high-functioning City and County government. Cook County is huge - people don't realize how far out it goes (I lived in Barrington as a high schooler, about a forty-five minute drive into the City, and the town was split - Cook County on one side of Lake Cook Road, Lake County on the other). That's a big power base for the City politicians, even though the burbs are mostly Republican. And regarding the requirement that City personnel live in the City - all Chicago-area posters who know a teacher, cop or firefighter who maintained an apartment in the City while living in the burbs, raise your hand. Peter, I think you may be misunderstanding the posters whom you describe as taking part in a “lovefest”. We don’t necessarily love it, but we sure understand it. The City worked (and works), but I really believe that because of some of the journalists there (as noted before, Mike Royko almost single-handedly in the past and John Kass & Carol Marin & co. today), few people are unaware of what’s going on. That’s what I meant when I posted earlier that Royko made sure that people knew the price they were paying for their high-functioning City and County government. Cook County is huge - people don’t realize how far out it goes (I lived in Barrington as a high schooler, about a forty-five minute drive into the City, and the town was split - Cook County on one side of Lake Cook Road, Lake County on the other). That’s a big power base for the City politicians, even though the burbs are mostly Republican. And regarding the requirement that City personnel live in the City - all Chicago-area posters who know a teacher, cop or firefighter who maintained an apartment in the City while living in the burbs, raise your hand.

]]> By: alex http://nancynall.com/2008/01/30/a-tough-town-in-january/#comment-155549 alex Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:05:58 +0000 http://nancynall.com/2008/01/30/a-tough-town-in-january/#comment-155549 I still feel all warm and fuzzy about my old Chicago aldercreature, Helen Shiller. She was a true old-school leftist and not one of Daley's cocksuckers and she always managed to fend off every Daley-backed candidate that ever ran against her. Last I knew, anyway. One time I got a parking ticket in the mail. Some cop evidently mistranscribed a license plate number which turned out to be mine. The car was described as a blue Dodge, but my car was a red Honda. The location was somewhere I'd never been before. And the offense was pretty serious, parking in front of a hydrant or something. I appealed. The city refused to consider it and doubled the fine because I hadn't paid within so many days. So I faxed the ticket to Helen Shiller's office, along with a copy of the letter of appeal I'd sent the city and a copy of my auto registration. I got a personal call from Ms. Shiller who fixed the problem and joked about the dumb fucks who work in the traffic court. I still feel all warm and fuzzy about my old Chicago aldercreature, Helen Shiller. She was a true old-school leftist and not one of Daley’s cocksuckers and she always managed to fend off every Daley-backed candidate that ever ran against her. Last I knew, anyway.

One time I got a parking ticket in the mail. Some cop evidently mistranscribed a license plate number which turned out to be mine. The car was described as a blue Dodge, but my car was a red Honda. The location was somewhere I’d never been before. And the offense was pretty serious, parking in front of a hydrant or something.

I appealed. The city refused to consider it and doubled the fine because I hadn’t paid within so many days. So I faxed the ticket to Helen Shiller’s office, along with a copy of the letter of appeal I’d sent the city and a copy of my auto registration. I got a personal call from Ms. Shiller who fixed the problem and joked about the dumb fucks who work in the traffic court.

]]> By: MichaelG http://nancynall.com/2008/01/30/a-tough-town-in-january/#comment-155541 MichaelG Thu, 31 Jan 2008 14:32:00 +0000 http://nancynall.com/2008/01/30/a-tough-town-in-january/#comment-155541 I lived in Chicago and in the Chicago area when I was a kid. That was when Richard J. Daly, Hizzoner himself, was mayor. I don't know anything about the younger Daly and his job and I certainly don't know anything about Detroit except that that mayor and city g'ment look like a couple of real pieces of work. When Hizzoner was mayor the corruption was a mile wide and an inch deep. The machine and the city worked exactly as John C describes it. No need to give further examples. I think John C gives you the flavor. Daly himself never took a dime. He was born, grew up and died in the same "back of the yards" house. He didn't drive big cars or take rich trips or any of that. His corruption was about power plain and simple. Oh, and this all covered Cook County, not just Chicago. I lived in Chicago and in the Chicago area when I was a kid. That was when Richard J. Daly, Hizzoner himself, was mayor. I don’t know anything about the younger Daly and his job and I certainly don’t know anything about Detroit except that that mayor and city g’ment look like a couple of real pieces of work. When Hizzoner was mayor the corruption was a mile wide and an inch deep. The machine and the city worked exactly as John C describes it. No need to give further examples. I think John C gives you the flavor. Daly himself never took a dime. He was born, grew up and died in the same “back of the yards” house. He didn’t drive big cars or take rich trips or any of that. His corruption was about power plain and simple. Oh, and this all covered Cook County, not just Chicago.

]]> By: Jeff http://nancynall.com/2008/01/30/a-tough-town-in-january/#comment-155537 Jeff Thu, 31 Jan 2008 14:20:17 +0000 http://nancynall.com/2008/01/30/a-tough-town-in-january/#comment-155537 Re: Mayor Kwame and his modified limited apology -- where do these guys get these wives? How do we keep seeing these ghastly, multi-year, detailed revelations of hanky-danky-panky, followed by a guy apologizing with a grim spouse saying "I still love my husband" for the cameras? No, i'm not saying they all should take an axe to them (strategically, targeted), and i believe in redemption and forgiveness, straight up i do, but the next day, standing right next to 'im, saying the useful thing? I would never, never, never counsel a woman to put herself in that position, for her own health and sanity first and foremost. If the marriage can be saved, ooh-rah and i can happen with a Kwame-esque situation, happens all the time, but . . . going on camera to affirm the goober the next day after seeing the details in the paper? I don't get it. Hillary, however she sorted out the relationship down the road, didn't do press conference kissy-face for Bill right after the main revelations, and wouldn't even hold his hand heading for the chopper -- which is part of why i think they're 92% less hypocritical than most of my friends do. But if you go to nytimes.com this morning, i think you see the first day of the end of the Clinton campaign, and we're gonna be lookin' at Obama v. McCain. What a year, and i don't even live in Detroit. Re: Mayor Kwame and his modified limited apology — where do these guys get these wives? How do we keep seeing these ghastly, multi-year, detailed revelations of hanky-danky-panky, followed by a guy apologizing with a grim spouse saying “I still love my husband” for the cameras?

No, i’m not saying they all should take an axe to them (strategically, targeted), and i believe in redemption and forgiveness, straight up i do, but the next day, standing right next to ‘im, saying the useful thing? I would never, never, never counsel a woman to put herself in that position, for her own health and sanity first and foremost. If the marriage can be saved, ooh-rah and i can happen with a Kwame-esque situation, happens all the time, but . . . going on camera to affirm the goober the next day after seeing the details in the paper?

I don’t get it. Hillary, however she sorted out the relationship down the road, didn’t do press conference kissy-face for Bill right after the main revelations, and wouldn’t even hold his hand heading for the chopper — which is part of why i think they’re 92% less hypocritical than most of my friends do.

But if you go to nytimes.com this morning, i think you see the first day of the end of the Clinton campaign, and we’re gonna be lookin’ at Obama v. McCain. What a year, and i don’t even live in Detroit.

]]> By: brian stouder http://nancynall.com/2008/01/30/a-tough-town-in-january/#comment-155530 brian stouder Thu, 31 Jan 2008 13:58:55 +0000 http://nancynall.com/2008/01/30/a-tough-town-in-january/#comment-155530 It looks like a carrier deck, without the catapult! The picture remindes me of that saying about old pilots and bold pilots... It looks like a carrier deck, without the catapult! The picture remindes me of that saying about old pilots and bold pilots…

]]> By: Joe K http://nancynall.com/2008/01/30/a-tough-town-in-january/#comment-155528 Joe K Thu, 31 Jan 2008 13:50:51 +0000 http://nancynall.com/2008/01/30/a-tough-town-in-january/#comment-155528 Having the uphill would help but your takeoff would have to be in a lightly loaded airplane due to density altitude. I would like to try it sometime. Joe Having the uphill would help but your takeoff would have to be in a lightly loaded airplane due to density altitude.
I would like to try it sometime.
Joe

]]> By: basset http://nancynall.com/2008/01/30/a-tough-town-in-january/#comment-155516 basset Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:53:13 +0000 http://nancynall.com/2008/01/30/a-tough-town-in-january/#comment-155516 holy shit. and you can't land there without specific training because "there are special hazards"... I would surely think so. and mountains or no mountains, that's a really short runway anyhow. holy shit. and you can’t land there without specific training because “there are special hazards”… I would surely think so. and mountains or no mountains, that’s a really short runway anyhow.

]]> By: john c http://nancynall.com/2008/01/30/a-tough-town-in-january/#comment-155514 john c Thu, 31 Jan 2008 12:08:26 +0000 http://nancynall.com/2008/01/30/a-tough-town-in-january/#comment-155514 Won't argue with you on that one Joe. The Miegs thing was disgraceful. Won’t argue with you on that one Joe. The Miegs thing was disgraceful.

]]> By: MarkH http://nancynall.com/2008/01/30/a-tough-town-in-january/#comment-155450 MarkH Thu, 31 Jan 2008 07:10:30 +0000 http://nancynall.com/2008/01/30/a-tough-town-in-january/#comment-155450 Basset (and Joe K) -- Most likely not photoshopped, possibly telephoto-lensed, but definitely real, and, named now: Courchevel, France in the Alps. Check out the two planes already parked there for perspective. All Airliners.net photos are real and actual, far as I know. Anyway, here's how it's done: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNFNFZq2BFY Joe, your thoughts...? Basset (and Joe K) –

Most likely not photoshopped, possibly telephoto-lensed, but definitely real, and, named now: Courchevel, France in the Alps. Check out the two planes already parked there for perspective. All Airliners.net photos are real and actual, far as I know. Anyway, here’s how it’s done:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNFNFZq2BFY

Joe, your thoughts…?

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