Chicago

RT CrossTalk host Peter Lavelle and The Duran’s Alex Christoforou take a look at the shocking decision by prosecutors in Chicago to drop the Jussie Smollett case.
Smollett pled guilty to nothing, his record was expunged, no written records of the deal were filed with the court, and all existing records of the crime were sealed. Smollett exhibited no remorse or humility, as the Empire actor was not willing to admit he fabricated the attack, telling reporters, “I have been truthful and consistent from day one.”

Gay equality used to be a contentious issue for Democrats. The DCCC and leadership assholes like Hoyer used to quietly counsel Democrats representing-- or running in-- swing districts to vote against equality-- and the Blue Dogs mostly did just that. That was then; now Democrats proudly embrace the LGBTQ community and there are more openly gay and lesbian members of Congress than ever before.

Chicago: Gary Martin, 45, shot and killed five people at his place of work, the Henry Pratt Company water valve manufacturing company, and injured five policemen on Friday. Authorities said Martin began shooting after he was told he was being fired.

Ryan Carey joins me this week for an in-depth discussion of Nick Drnaso’s latest comic Sabrina. We started off the conversation on a totally unrelated matter and discussed the recent reporting on former CIA operative turned Batman writer, Tom King. We then shifted back Sabrina and the way it captures the bleak reality that so many of us find ourselves enmeshed in. Ryan and I discuss the books plot which revolves around the murder of a young woman named Sabrina, how two friends Teddy and Calvin deal with it, and the role that conspiracy theory plays throughout.

“If it moves, tax it.” That’s government’s eternal motto, as Ronald Reagan quipped. To this, the city government of Chicago has added, “If it amuses, tax it.”
A few weeks ago, PlayStation 4 users in Chicago were shocked when they turned on their consoles and saw a message from Sony. The message informed users that as of November 14, 2018, they would be required to pay a 9 percent “amusement tax” for PlayStation subscriptions such as PlayStation Now, PlayStation Plus, PlayStation Music, and others.

Photo Source Jason Scragz | CC BY 2.0 By Hugh Iglarsh | CounterPunch | November 2, 2018 In Chicago, a low but persistent rumbling is heard these days, especially on the South Side. It is Frederick Law Olmsted, America’s greatest landscape architect and the planner of what would become the city’s Jackson Park, turning in […]

Fox News reported that a Roman Catholic priest was removed from his post in a Chicago neighborhood by his cardinal (bishop) and sent away for “pastoral support” for burning an LGBT “rainbow flag”, after reciting a prayer of exorcism.
The original newspiece, by Mitchell Armentrout of The Chicago Sun-Times, has this to say:

Chicagoans have no idea how much pension debt Illinois politicians have placed upon them, a staggering total of $130,000 billion, which leaves each household on the hook for $125,000. People are getting what they voted for, but are not yet aware of the magnitude of the crisis. [...]

About 200 protesters shut down a busy street in a wealthy area in Chicago expressing outrage over Chicago’s gun violence and calling for the resignation of Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Chicago recently recorded its deadliest weekend of he year with 66 people shot and 12 murdered. Rahm Emanuel, acknowledged that there are too may criminals on the street when they should be in jail. He also said there are too many guns on the streets, which is ironic inasmuch as guns are tightly controlled in Chicago.

There were violent protests over the weekend in Chicago after police shot and killed a black man, Harith Augustus, 37, a barber who goes by the name 'Snoop', after he fled when they accused him of selling loose cigarettes.  [...]