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From Democracy Now:

SHARIF ABDEL KOUDDOUS: When the American Bankers Association scheduled their annual meeting in Chicago for this week, they probably weren’t expecting the reception they’ve received. Instead of a quiet convention in a downtown hotel, the ABA has been greeted by a parallel gathering of thousands of people in what organizers call the “Showdown in Chicago.” Spearheaded by the group National People’s Action, organizers have tried to bring together a cross-section of Americans affected by the financial meltdown, including homeowners, renters, farmers, workers and retirees. The Showdown kicked off Sunday when protesters entered the lobby of the hotel where the ABA delegates are gathering.

PROTESTER: We are not here to cause trouble. We are here because we are in trouble.

PROTESTER: That’s right!

CROWD: Bust up big banks! Bust up big banks! Bust up big banks! Bust up big banks! Bust up big banks! Bust up big banks!

PROTESTER: The American Bankers Association has helped loosen the rules that protect us, allowing the unfettered greed that has brought us to the brink of a recession. And to those bankers who are members and support the ABA’s war against the working and middle class, shame on you! Shame on you! Shame on you!

CROWD: Shame on you! Shame on you! Shame on you! Shame on you! [inaudible] We’ll be back! We’ll be back! We’ll be back! We’ll be back! We’ll be back! We’ll be back!…

SHARIF ABDEL KOUDDOUS: For more on the Showdown in Chicago, we’re joined by George Goehl. He’s executive director of National People’s Action, the lead organizer of the Showdown in Chicago.

George Goehl, welcome to Democracy Now! Can you first explain why the protest and why the ABA in Chicago?

GEORGE GOEHL: Yeah, I mean, if you really think about it, this is an incredible situation. I mean, who would have figured that the same banks that created the foreclosure crisis, sent the economy into a tailspin, needed billions in bailout dollars, would then lead the charge to kill any real financial reform that would protect consumers and make sure something like this didn’t happen again? So the ABA is the top lobby for the banks, and they decided to have their convention in Chicago, and we felt we had to be there to greet them.

SHARIF ABDEL KOUDDOUS: And what are some of the main things that you’re calling for?

GEORGE GOEHL: Well, one, we think their ideas have failed. Their focus on deregulation paved the road that we walk today. So it’s time that they stop spending tens of millions of dollars up on Capitol Hill each month trying to defeat financial reform and sit out on the sidelines, particularly around consumer protection, around policies, around “too big to fail,” and around community reinvestment. There’s a Consumer Protection Agency that’s been proposed by President Obama that would actually protect people from predatory consumer products, but the bankers are trying to kill that program.

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Racism and homophobia are still alive and well in America:

A Geneva High School teacher is being accused of making anti-gay and racist comments in his classroom.

Dave Burk, who teaches consumer education, is accused of making the comments by his students during an Oct. 5 lecture on tax money involving the National Endowment for the Arts.

"How would you feel about your tax dollars going to pay some black fag in New York to take pictures of other black fags?" Burk allegedly asked, according to student Jordan Hunter.

Now don't be too hard on the guy, according to his attorney he never meant to offend anyone and he's really, really sorry:

"Mr. Burk is cooperating fully with both the principal, the dean of students and the school board," Tegeler said. "Mr. Burk's biggest problem is he does not want to intentionally offend anybody and if he did, he apologizes." Read on...

The man who reported Burk to the school administration is calling for his firing, and rightfully so. The best lesson the children in his class could learn would be that racism and bigotry are unacceptable and that there are consequences for our actions. If you would like to contact the school and give your thoughts on Burk's comments, here is their contact information. As always, please be nice.

From The Daily Show:

Rio de Janeiro claims the 2016 Olympics because of its compelling presentation and its new Double Dome Stadium.

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Gee George, it's a good thing no one could have ever said that about our last president, isn't it? I can't imagine those words coming out of Will's mouth if he was referring to George Bush or St. Ronnie.

STEPHANOPOULOS: And George, I guess this is the question. I mean, you saw some overheated criticism, perhaps, there of the president. But a real question, was it the right thing to do to put the prestige of the White House on the line? The White House says, “Hey, you never go wrong fighting for your country.”

WILL: Well, they were fighting for a city, and a city divided about whether or not this will be a good thing to have the Olympics there.

What’s alarming is whether it indicates a belief on the part of the president, which is that there’s no problem that will not melt before the sunshine of his charm. And this is evidence again that it’s not so. The president and first lady went to Copenhagen and gave little speeches about themselves. She, Mrs. Obama, used the first person singular pronoun, in some form or other, “I” or “me,” 16 -- 34 times in 16 paragraphs. He used it 23 times in 13 paragraphs It was all about them.

And the danger is, an adjective sooner or later attaches to presidents. Honest Abe, Tricky Dick Nixon. All kind of adjectives. The danger to the president is that vain is going to attach to him.

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Ed Schultz slams the right wing for cheering on Chicago losing out on their bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics.

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September 30, 2009 News Corp

This is the third post in a series called Friday Night Ripoffs(?). Here's the deal: every Friday, two songs, where one of them might very well be a gigantic ripoff of the other.

Commenter Uncle Joe McCarthy and C+L blogger Logan Murphy both piped up about this one. Did Green Day lift the riff for "Brain Stew" from Chicago, or is 5th fret, 3rd fret, 2nd fret, 1st fret, open something that just exists in the air? And what about Papa Roach?

Tell us what you think, and leave some suggestions for next week's plagiarism investigation in the comments.

CHICAGO – Visitors to the Sears Tower's new glass balconies all seem to agree: The first step is the hardest.

The balconies are suspended 1,353 feet in the air and jut out four feet from the building's 103rd floor Skydeck. Their transparent walls, floor and ceiling leave visitors with the impression they're floating over the city.

"It's like walking on ice," said Margaret Kemp, of Bishop, Calif., who said her heart was still pounding even after stepping away from the balcony. "That first step you take — 'am I going down?'"

Click here to see more images of "The Ledge." Would you walk out on it?

Open thread below...

Phillip Morris is another talented Chicago rapper who is on the verge of becoming ridiculously successful.

Take a few minutes, give him a listen, and tell your friends one day: "Morris? Sheee. I knew him back in the 'Instrumentality' days. Dude still owes me money." (h/t Matthew Filipowicz for passing me the Phillip Morris digit.)

Why Oh My God, a Chicago-based organ/bass/drums/madman combo, isn't playing packed arenas is just one of those things I'll never understand. Once my old band opened for these guys in Kansas City, and they were so absolutely electrifying that when they were finished (after getting called for 2 encores by a screaming crowd of 30 at 1am on a Monday night) our drummer suggested that we all just stop playing music altogether because we'd never measure up.

Tour dates are popping up on their MySpace. Don't miss out.

Every Monday, C&L's Late Nite Music Club will feature an act from every state, alphabetically by state, as part of LNMC's 50 State Strategy. Know a band or artist that you think is the best in their state? Email suggestions to latenitemusicclub [at] gmail.com. Next week: Indiana.

I'm supposed to go to a Santa Monica tea party, but I'm swamped here. Neiwert went to one in Seattle. In Chicago the wackos are out in force.

Wingnut: He's a fascist.

Roesgen: Why do you say he's a fascist? He's the President of the United States. Do you realize how offensive that is?

Wingnut: I think he's a fascist.

Roesgen: Why?

Wingnut: Because he is.

She then questions a man asking him what does any of this have to do with taxes...

Then we have this: Parts of WH in lockdown after tea bags thrown over gate. Protestors yelling death to president. #teaparty



Amanda: MSNBC: White House lawn evacuated bc someone threw a tea bag over the fence.


The crazies are out in force today. be careful.

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There's something about the annual Conservative Political Action Committee's annual convention that just draws out the ugly eliminationists. Every year it's someone -- usually Ann Coulter -- wishing aloud that someone would just blow away or lock up liberals and minorities en masse. This year it's John Bolton:

He [Obama] said during the campaign that Iran was a tiny threat. Tiny depending on how many nuclear weapons they ultimately are able to deliver on target. Tiny compared to the Soviet Union, but is the loss of one American city — pick one at random: Chicago — is that a tiny threat?

As Think Progress notes:

The audience erupted in cheers and laughter at the idea of Obama’s home city being obliterated.

It's nice to see they've expanded their targets. When right-wingers wish aloud for terrorists to obliterate an American city, it's usually San Francisco.