Chicago MMXII

Ooh that Guardian page is nifty.

Yeah, those are some high quality infographics.

A couple FB of my NC FB friends were disappointed too. Perhaps some people thought that Obama getting NC meant that things had changed. Also, people who live in places like Greensboro, Chapel Hill, and Durham might forget which state those relatively liberal towns are part of.

I wish ENDA were getting as much publicity and support as gay marriage.

From some of the stuff I read on Twitter, it sounds like the wording on the ballot might have been really confusing.

Greensboro's rep as a liberal enclave is another bit of NC perception that has always made me smdh. xp

the amendment was misrepresented/misunderstood as only being a referendum against gay marriage - people didn't get that it also prohibited civil unions, and polls showed that if that had been better expressed, the amendment would've failed. not that that's any consolation. actually it makes it worse. sorry.

it's pretty crazy that iowa is the midwest state most supportive of gay rights, is iowa traditionally liberal? i had no idea.

I don't think so?

It blows that the wording was misleading, but it's also incumbent on voters to know what the fuck they're voting for. And still people who voted for it because they thought it "only" banned gay marriage are still shitty bigots. But that's probably what you meant by "actually makes it worse."

The trend is still towards acceptance of gay marriage so the big picture is comforting, at least.

I read that polls said that 7% of people who voted FOR the amendment thought it would legalize gay marriage. lolfart

Greensboro's rep as a liberal enclave is another bit of NC perception that has always made me smdh. xp

Truth. On a whole, not liberal.

Perhaps some people thought that Obama getting NC meant that things had changed.

I hate to say this, but a big part of Obama's ability to win NC was the fact that 20%+ of the state is African American. Obama won the state by only 0.3%, and obviously not everyone who voted for Obama is a fan of gay marriage.

it's pretty crazy that iowa is the midwest state most supportive of gay rights, is iowa traditionally liberal? i had no idea.

Yeah, Iowa is weird. IIRC, it's the OLDEST state in the USA (i.e., highest average age of its residents), so you would think it'd be hella conservative, esp. on gay rights. However, it's gone blue for five of the last six presidential elections -- even going for Dukakis. I think maybe what wins out is good old-fashioned Midwestern pragmatism.

Also, though, let's remember that gay marriage is legal in Iowa b/c of a court ruling rather than a legislative decision or public referendum.

Iowa has a long history of progressivism dating back to the 19th century, agrarian liberalism etc:

http://articles.latimes.com/2007/dec/30/nation/na-iowa30

Ah cool, I know a little about the history of progressivism in Minnesota and Wisconsin but barely anything about Iowa.

Iowa's not as loud as Minnesota but conservatism of the recent outspoken/judgmental variety is generally a bad look. The east half of the state is traditionally more liberal, the NW side is batshit crazy and keeps electing Steve King.

I actually work for a company founded by Henry Wallace, which is pretty funny because it's corporate now but Wallace was basically a hardcore socialist in his early career until it became a bad look.

birds are okay, fyi, dropped them off and apparently they are going to be cared for until they are strong enough to be on their own and then they will be released into the suburbs.

Suburban bird diaspora

I forgot we actually have an Iowan on this thread now! I like that the Chicago thread has historically drawn in visitors from neighboring states, like Jordan and Jocelyn. Welcome, mh.

Iowa was a leader in the civil rights movement!

Did you find out what kind of birds they were, aj?

yeah, I'll probably float in and out of the thread until I've done my chicago trip at the end of the month.

I think they were starlings

I meant to mention that I bought something at Wal-Mart the other day. Right here in Chicago, at Presidential Towers (of all places). I only did it b/c none of the pharmacies at Walgreens, CVS, Dominick's, or the indie pharmacy had any Adderall in stock, but Wal-Mart did. The groceries were definitely significantly cheaper than at other chain grocery stores :-/

well, I don't plan on shopping at wal-mart, but if you need an rx, you need an rx and what are you gonna do?

Also, be careful with the adderall dude.

Not sure how it is in the city, but Wal-Mart's produce actually tends to be of pretty good quality. They do most things horribly wrong, but I was kind of impressed by the groceries I've been in.

I can't help but feel like those low prices might come at a....high cost.

Our nation's Adderall supply has been severely in trouble for a while. The Walgreens by my house keeps a list of pharmacies (not just other Walgreens) in the area that have some in stock on a given day.

I'm careful - I'm prescribed a very low dose and I usually wind up with leftovers at the end of a month.

I wonder what part of my brain would explode if I took Adderall.

It might focus you. It's prescribed for ADD/ADHD!

Huh.

Though for me, my psychic prescribes it as a part of a complete anti-depressant diet.

This is good news

7th Circuit stops eavesdropping law

The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals today issued a split decision enjoining officials from enforcing Illinois' eavesdropping law, reversing a trial court ruling.

The decision blocks Cook County State's Attorney Anita M. Alvarez from prosecuting ACLU of Illinois members for audio recording police while in public.

Under the current law, those caught gathering audio of police in public classifies as a Class 1 Felony with a possible punishment of 15 years in prison.

In the majority ruling, Judge Diane S. Sykes wrote the law "likely violates the First Amendment's free speech and free-press guarantees."

http://www.chicagolawbulletin.com/Articles/2012/05/08/eavesdrop-05-08-12.aspx

Hey, good news!

Lotsa good news today!

What's the other good news?

Christmas will be twice a year instead of once.

That's terrible news.

The new phone book's here!

Other good news: Obama said same sex marriage is A-OK.

Meh, now it doesn't seem as hot.

With Barney Frank leaving, what is going to become of ENDA? WHY AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO CARES ABOUT ENDA?

rollin' down the strett, smokin' enda?

chicago reader bought by sun-times parent company
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20120509/NEWS06/120509736/sun-times-parent-to-buy-chicago-reader-for-3-million

I haven't read the reader in years.

i don't read it as regularly as i used to but they still do some good journalism (i liked the article about crime on the west side that la lechera posted recently)

I haven't read the reader in years.

Someone else (or was it you?) said this to me recently. I still eagerly look forward to picking up a copy on my way home every Wednesday night and reading it on the train. Now, New City -- I really haven't looked at that rag in years.

I don't think it's the reader as much as it is that I don't read physical newspapers anymore. And their website isn't that great.

I bought the physical Sunday NY Times a few weeks ago for the first time in years and it was GREAT

for me to POOP ON.

Sorry, the lack of terminal punctuation, and I just couldn't resist.

i read the reader every week while eating saturday morning breakfast and drinking tankards of coffee. not looking forward to sun-times level coverage AT ALL.

Wow, I was wondering whether Sun Times was buying just the Reader or Creative Loafing and Creative Loafing doesn't even own it anymore. I feel like I should start reading it because I now have a narrative of it as a scrappy little paper that keeps on trucking even though everybody sells it.

xp Well, if the Sun Times just lets it keep on being the Reader, like the previous two owners have let it keep on being the Reader, it should be okay.