A Chicago Blog

This is getting ridiculous. When Mayor Daley began installing surveillance cameras around the city several years ago, it was all about preventing crime. Since then, the crime rate has crept back up while the city uses the cameras to spy on motorists instead.
The latest. Fran Spielman reports that a city ordinance would allow surveillance cameras [...]

You would think saggy pants would be a good crime deterrent. It’s hard to imagine a purse snatcher being very effective if his pants are around his ankles. Just imagine him hopping down the sidewalk, purse in one hand, pulling his pants up with the other. Come on.  But some townships seem to think sagging [...]

Stanley Fish comments on the debate I raised here last week.

The Tribune ran an interesting piece yesterday by Jack Rakove. Rackove pointed out the rather unknown and interesting fact that both Scalia and Stevens referred to the intent of the founders when arguing their different positions on the DC gun ban.
Original intent arguments have always driven me a little insane. If there were but [...]

Reader Dan asks why I haven’t commented on the Supreme Court Gun Decision. To which, I have absolutely no response. It is unacceptable. So here goes.
This decision is along time coming. City-wide gun bans are clear attack on 2nd Amendment rights. Period. Mayor Daley is vowing to “fight” attempts to invalidate the Chicago ban. In [...]

Bill Hogan’s laptop was seized as he was coming home from Germany. He didn’t get it back for two weeks. It was a spare. Bill wasn’t put out too much. Me. I’d be PISSED. I feel about my laptop, the way I imagine Charlton Heston felt about his 30 ot 6.

As most of you know, I have been filing FOIAs on a regular basis, not because I necessarily think Chicago City Government is corrupt (!ahem!) but because I think there is certain information taxpayers should be provided whether they ask for it or not.
Credit Card statements are a big one. All my credit card bills [...]

Zorn’s column yesterday was titled “Let churches decide what marriage is.” Here Here! This is the only possible compromise. And pretty libertarian sounding to me. There is no reason why I, a straight man, shouldn’t have to get a “civil union” contract to share any legal privileges with my wife. For that matter, my tax [...]

I must say that, as an ex-smoker, I have found the smoking ban beneficial to my personal needs. I am no longer tempted to light up every time I walk into a smoky bar because there are no more smoky bars. That said, I’m still a staunch supporter of smoker’s rights and business owners rights. [...]