Aldermanic rap sheet

Posted by Steve Bogira on Fri, Jan 27, 2012 at 1:00 PM

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I posted earlier today about crooked aldermen—and some honorable ones—I have known of. Here's a handy cheat sheet, published in 2009 by the political science department of the University of Illinois at Chicago, of corrupt aldermen in Chicago from 1973 through 2008. Thirty were convicted during that time, and two more were indicted but died before trial. In most instances, the corrupt acts began while they were aldermen.

You'll find them listed here in Appendix 1 of this report (page 14). There also are bios of each offender. Twenty-five of those convicted were products of the Democratic machine, three were Republicans, and only two were independents—Lawrence Bloom of the Fifth Ward, and Fred Hubbard of the Second Ward, who defected to the machine shortly after his election.

Get weird with Fantastic Planet on Saturday

Posted by Luca Cimarusti on Fri, Jan 27, 2012 at 12:22 PM

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Odd Obsession's Foreign Film Series is featuring a viewing of 1973's Fantastic Planet this Saturday, January 28, at the Whistler. Produced in both France and Czechoslovakia, this animated classic, based on the French novel Oms en Serie, tells the story of a distant planet where humans are enslaved and exterminated by gigantic blue aliens. Along the way you witness an array of strange creatures, spooky alien meditation rituals, and a miniature human uprising.

The film's dull colors, disconnected voice-overs, and surreal imagery provides either the perfect cannabis companion or intense nightmare fodder or both, depending on what you're into. The viewing begins at 9 PM and is free.

You can view the trailer for Fantastic Planet after the jump.

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12 O'Clock Track: BBU, "Jumpers"

Posted by Miles Raymer on Fri, Jan 27, 2012 at 12:00 PM

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Chicago political party rappers BBU are best known for high-tempo juke-rap cuts like their local club hit from a few years ago, "Chi Don't Dance," but on today's 12 O'Clock Track they go in on a funky slow-burn beat from local producer Tony Baines that will probably make a lot of grown-up backpacker-rap fans real happy. A new BBU album, bell hooks, is out February 21.

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The drum circle goes electric Saturday at the Burlington

Posted by Leor Galil on Fri, Jan 27, 2012 at 11:23 AM

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On Saturday the Burlington will host something billed as the debut of an "electronic percussive collective": Drum Machine Circle. That's not a band name—the event will consist of a bunch of people forming an ad hoc group and playing together, in the vein of the oft-maligned drum circle. They'll just be using drum machines instead of hand drums.

Experimental noise artist and Nihilist Records honcho Andy Ortmann, who organized the show, got the idea in the mid-90s, when he noticed an influx of people holding drum circles. He'd been collecting drum machines for years, and something clicked. "It just kind of made sense," he says. "Why isn't there an electronic drum circle?"

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My last year-end music list from 2011, I promise

Posted by Peter Margasak on Fri, Jan 27, 2012 at 10:00 AM

Marcelo Camelo: Toque Dela
  • Marcelo Camelo: Toque Dela
Like it or not, and even though it's almost February, I've got one more year-end list for you. If it helps, you can see it less as a list and more as a road map for this evening's episode of WBEZ's Radio M. I'll join host Tony Sarabia for the full two hours, and we'll both play some of our favorite international music from 2011, both new and reissued. The show airs tonight from 9-11 PM on 91.5 FM. After the jump, my picks in both categories, many of which I'll spin tonight.

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This week's movie action

Posted by J.R. Jones on Fri, Jan 27, 2012 at 9:00 AM

A Separation
  • A Separation
The year's first masterpiece opens Friday. A Separation, the fifth feature of Iranian writer-director Asghar Farhadi (Fireworks Wednesday, Beautiful City, Dancing in the Dust), was nominated for an Oscar this week in the category of Best Foreign Film, but it's head and shoulders above many of the American movies nominated for Best Picture. Check out our long review and make a beeline for this one.

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My mixed luck with aldermen

Posted by Steve Bogira on Fri, Jan 27, 2012 at 8:00 AM

David Orr
  • David Orr
In my youth I developed a poor impression of aldermen, and not only from reading Mike Royko.

I grew up in the 23rd Ward, west of Midway Airport. My first alderman, or the first I can remember, was named Frank Kuta. I was 13 when he was elected, in 1967. He went to prison in 1974 for taking a bribe to fix a zoning matter, and for tax evasion. He'd accepted a $1,500 check from a builder in return for not opposing a zoning change—a check he'd neglected to report in his tax returns. "I consider myself guilty only of the sin of being a politician," he told the judge who sentenced him. He got six months.

In the 1971 election, before Kuta's extortion had been discovered, Joseph Potempa unseated him as our alderman. Potempa also went to prison in 1974—for taking a $3,000 bribe to fix a zoning matter, and for tax evasion. He told the sentencing judge he'd been naive and stupid. He got a year. The federal bureau of prisons was probably considering opening a wing for 23rd Ward aldermen.

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SoxFest: We dare ya, we double dog dare ya

Posted by Ted Cox on Thu, Jan 26, 2012 at 5:48 PM

Bud Selig: Say wha?
  • Flickr
  • Bud Selig: Say wha?
The White Sox seem determined to challenge their fans to enjoy 2012 right from the get-go. As if it weren't daring enough for Adam Dunn to attend SoxFest this weekend at the Palmer House Hilton in downtown Chicago, the Sox will kick things off Friday evening with a "State of the Game" seminar featuring Commissioner Bud Selig, not exactly a popular figure in any realm.

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The Tim Floyd era begins at the Chicago Public Library

Posted by Ben Joravsky on Thu, Jan 26, 2012 at 5:01 PM

Tim Floyd. Thanks, coach!
  • Bobak Ha'Eri/Wikimedia Commons
  • Tim Floyd. Thanks, coach!
As Mary Dempsey, the old library commissioner, walked out, and Brian Bannon, her replacement, walked in, I had a flashback to 1998.

That's when Tim Floyd replaced Phil Jackson as the coach of my beloved Chicago Bulls.

Before I go further—time out for an explanation for our more sports-challenged readers. We'll take it one step at a time, like it's a TIF explanation.

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