November 2008
117 posts
We’re supposed to get our first significant snow here in Chicagoland today. I’m going to get to test out my new snowblower that has an engine almost as powerful as my motorcycle. Should be interesting.
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Murderous stampedes for consumer products and gun...
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Black Friday? More like Bloody Friday
First Wal-Mart, now this?
Two people have died after a shooting inside the Toys-R-Us in Palm Desert Friday morning, Riverside County Sheriff’s Department confirmed.
Several people have been arrested including a teenager who was held inside the store. News Channel 3 cameras captured at least two arrests outside the store including a woman who was heard screaming and banging on a...
The Chicago Tribune has a continually updated page from reporters out in the field today at various shopping centers and have a couple pretty nice gems.
Forget the spirit of giving, this year ‘tis the season to be a selfish douchebag:
Liz Weigel, from Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood, was trying on black pumps. She and her mother always come downtown the Friday after Thanksgiving.
...
Thoughts on the Wal-Mart stampede
Like Marco, I hope the people who trampled this poor man were arrested and charged with manslaughter. I also hope the people who reportedly continued shopping lose a lot of sleep over this incident.
I hope they’re haunted by the face of the dying man they stepped over as they rushed into the store so they could save a few bucks and put more presents under the tree.
I hope they tell their...
Worker dies at Long Island Wal-Mart after being... →
marco:
(via jackieheartsb, wooliebear)
A Wal-Mart worker died after being trampled when hundreds of shoppers smashed through the doors of a Long Island store Friday morning, police and witnesses said.
The 34-year-old worker, employed as an overnight stock clerk, tried to hold back the unruly crowds just after the Valley Stream store opened at 5 a.m.
Witnesses said the surging throngs of...
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It’s weird watching TV coverage of Chicago’s Thanksgiving parade on State Street and seeing my alma mater, Columbia College, sponsoring much of the event. We spent a decent amount of time at the school newspaper covering the school’s 2010 plan to become “the best student-centered arts and media college in the world.”
One would think that the institution could better...
Where'd your Tumblr name come from?
notthatkindagay:
I’ve since merged to my real name as my Tumblr name, but my URL, There Goes Easy Rider, comes from the live rendition of Jimi Hendrix’s “There Goes Easy Rider/7 Dollars On My Pocket” from the eight-disc bootleg 51st Anniversary: Story of Life that was playing as I told a friend I wanted to start a Tumblr, but couldn’t think of a name for it.
It was a random...
Helpful hints for your Thanksgiving Eve
loldouches:
[Tonight] is what’s known among douchebag circles as Blackout Wednesday. It’s also one of the few times a year when everyone goes back to their hometowns and gets forced into awkward social situations in bars with virtually everyone from high school they never cared about to begin with, but try to act like they give a shit about now.
Instead of thinking up outlandish stories about...
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A-Trak ft. Lupe Fiasco - Me & My Sneakers
WatchFor all his “I’m doing pretty good as far as geniuses go” and “I will go down as the voice of this generation” quotes of late, I can’t say I’ve ever heard Kanye wax conceited about his dance skills.
I’m pretty sure his performance on Conan this week illustrates why.
Kanye West - Street Lights (Max Justus Remix) →
annicka:
this remix is so frakking good, holy hell.
You Dick (Durbin)
I will lose all my respect for Dick Durbin if he follows through with what he is currently pondering:
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said today he is considering whether to ask President Bush to commute the corruption sentence of former Gov. George Ryan. […]
“Let’s look at the price he has paid,” Durbin said of Ryan, 74. “His family name has been damaged. He has, at an advanced moment of...
We’re probably not gonna hear Sean Penn say...
Tribune critic sells 'Milk' with one sentence
The story of Harvey Milk is a tragedy, but not since Jeff Spicoli in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” has Sean Penn played such a serenely happy individual.
Michael Phillips gave it 3 1/2 stars, but does anything else really matter past his lead sentence?
Should obese fliers get extra free seat? →
The Supreme Court of Canada is upholding a regulatory ruling that people who are “functionally disabled by obesity” have the right to occupy two airline seats on a flight for the price of one.
I’ve never been very compassionate on the issue of obesity, so I think I’ll invoke the words of Dr. Jay Parkinson from a couple months ago when Japan made obesity illegal:
It took [more...
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If you’re nerding out over the Star Trek trailer like me, you can find the score to it via Nick Phoenix’s MP3 page. It’s “Down with the Enterprise.”
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Ok, how can you see the headline “Disgraced pastor returns, as businessman” and not chuckle a little at it?
Byrd said he first invited [Ted] Haggard to speak at his church last summer to offer the Haggard family support, help them heal and teach his own flock about sin and forgiveness.
By then, Haggard had moved his family back to Colorado Springs and was selling life insurance at...
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Need for Speed: Illinois Highway Edition? →
The Tribune reports today about policy changes for Illinois State Police to initiate a chase:
Under the first level, called a “code one,” troopers are limited to following traffic laws. Officers operating under codes two and three can drive faster than the speed limit, but must call a supervisor before exceeding 20 miles over the speed limit. And only supervisors can issue a...
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My blog on Facebook →
Shamelessly promoting on this Sunday morning, but Tyler and Ned made me want to jump on the put-your-blog-on-Facebook bandwagon.
So if you read my blog and have a Facebook, help me feel popular and become a fan.
I knew it was bad, but…
Chicago police officers will study gang-fighting strategies at a summit that will focus on getting search warrants, building tight cases against gang members and using confidential tipsters.
There are at least 80 drug-dealing gangs in the city with an estimated 75,000 members. [Trib]
The Chicago Police Department officially claims 13,600 sworn officers, but any...
“Not having a tumblr but reading a tumblr blog is like not being able to see...”
– (via oliviaisferosch)
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Thoughts on 808s & Heartbreak
After one spin of Kanye West’s new 808s & Heartbreak, I think the best way to describe my feelings on it is to say that I don’t love it but don’t hate it. It’s a mellow, enjoyable listen.
It’s definitely a darker, moodier Kanye than we’ve seen in his past three attempts, but I think that would be evident without even listening and just reading some of the...
Tortuga exists! →
In Haradhere, residents came out in droves to celebrate as the looming oil ship came into focus this week off the country’s lawless coast. Businessmen started gathering cigarettes, food and cold glass bottles of orange soda, setting up small kiosks for the pirates who come to shore to re-supply almost daily.
TWILIGHT SPOILER!
Poor Edward gets staked trying to save Bella.
Game over, end of franchise.
Tweens slit their wrists.
The one night in a blue moon I leave my house, I come home to find Phil Collins updates taking up eight pages of my dashboard.
Looks like I missed a hell of a night on the internets.
[Edit: Finally got caught up. Looking forward to the 24 hours of Collins. And Ned, I know how much you hate thievery, but I might have to have myself a Tom Collins/Phil Collins party tomorrow night.]
WTF, WOW?
The big news of the Blackhawks this season was that every game was going to be televised, the first time ever in the team’s 82-year history.
Tonight I can’t even get the AWAY game because I have Wide Open West (the most expansive package they have, too, mind you) and it doesn’t carry Comcast SportsNet+, and regular Comcast SportsNet is showing the Bulls in a bit while WGN is...
Alaskans have brains after all →
Stevens’ ouster on his 85th birthday marks an abrupt realignment in Alaska politics and will alter the power structure in the Senate, where he has served since the days of the Johnson administration while holding seats on some of the most influential committees in Congress.
Happy birthday, Ted!
Greg Kot’s column today on Kid Sister got me thinking about my alma mater, Columbia College Chicago. If you’re an aspiring hip-hop artist, you should probably spend some time there.
Kanye, Common and Rhymefest all attended briefly. Kid Sister has a degree in film. Matthew Santos (from Lupe Fiasco’s “Superstar”) is also a recent graduate. I suppose they make up for...
Back in July I wrote about the brawl between the Peoria Chiefs and Dayton Dragons, where pitcher Julio Castillo hurled a ball at the Dragons’ dugout but missed and plunked a fan in the forehead instead.
Melissa Issacson at the Tribune has a column today about Castillo’s recent indictment, how the Cubs have stood by their man. I’m all about innocent until proven guilty and for...