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Thursday, Sep 7, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

The color scheme here is boring me to death. But my color skills are not the greatest. So, maybe you can help. Click the image below to go to a website called “ColorJack,” which puts together colors in interesting ways. Play with it for a while and if you see a color combo you like, put the html address in comments and I’ll take a look. It would help if you suggested things like which color is for the background, which for links, which for the date, etc.

Best combo will win lunch or something.

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Thursday, Sep 7, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Question of the day

Thursday, Sep 7, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

First, the setup. This is from Illinois Campaign for Political Reform Director Cindi Canary:

Instead of debating how many years George Ryan should serve, our elected leaders ought to be debating what needs to be done to restore the public’s trust in government. Their answers should include restrictions on how much can be contributed to candidates and a ban on direct contributions by corporations and labor unions. Decisions about state employment and contracts should be based on merit and not decided by contributions and politics. We need reasonable restrictions on how campaigns are financed and a strong regulatory system that will enforce those laws. And we need more disclosure about lobbying practices, as well as increased sunshine on all levels of government.

Now the question: Will these ideas really clean up our government?

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Jackson announces committee

Thursday, Sep 7, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

The Congressman sure sounds like a candidate to me.

Sketching out an ambitious plan that he promised could change politics in Chicago, U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) said Wednesday “it’s more likely than not” that he would run for mayor next year.

In announcing that a committee would be formed to explore his chances, Jackson said there was a 75 percent chance that he would run in February, and he sought to position himself as the most viable alternative to Mayor Richard Daley.

To conduct a credible campaign, Jackson said it would take registering 100,000 new voters and raising between $4 million and $6 million. He also said he is working to recruit a slate of candidates for city clerk, city treasurer and about 15 City Council seats.

But this buried bit shows that the West Side won’t be on board.

At an unrelated news conference, Ald. Isaac Carothers (29th) let loose on Jackson.

Carothers, who defeated a Jackson-backed aldermanic challenger in 2003, accused Jackson of being a do-nothing congressman with “an ego as big as this building” and aspiring to be “king of the world.”

The vitriolic broadside unnerved Daley, who was nearby. The mayor turned to Carothers and said, “Ike, give it a rest.”

Carothers is most famous for putting together a strong patronage army and steering people into well-paid government jobs for an area long neglected by the Machine.

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Full Ryan coverage

Thursday, Sep 7, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Whistle-blowers feel vindicated

* Public remembers good, bad

* How Ryan scandal weighs on elections

* Clearing of death row colors many reactions

* Brown: Ryan doesn’t get it, next guy probably won’t either

* Editorial: George Ryan, in denial

* “When former Gov. George Ryan was sentenced to prison Wednesday, questions turned to: Where? How soon? And will it be Club Fed?”

* Schoenburg: Quinn took issue with Ryan’s activities in ‘94 race

* “Although they felt sorry for George Ryan and his family, several Illinois politics-watchers said Wednesday the former governor’s prison sentence was appropriate.”

* Editorial: Ryan’s hard sentence sends message about corruption

* Juror: â€œWeâ€™re worried about the appeal because we all know if there were things that we didnâ€™t do right, it was because we were naÃ¯ve,â€ he said. â€œThere was no ulterior motive.â€

* Timeline of George Ryan case

* Ryan’s complete statement to the judge is here

* A gulp of pride gets Ryan through the day

* Contrite, broken Warner says he’s `sorry as heck’

* Kass calls Ryan “evil”

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Deja vu all over again

Thursday, Sep 7, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

Kevin McDermott nails it.

Four years ago, gubernatorial candidate Rod Blagojevich’s favorite campaign prop was a broom. His supporters waved them around at rallies to remind voters of the corruption that had soiled state government under George Ryan’s Republican Party - and of Democrat Blagojevich’s vow to sweep away that political dirt.

You won’t find any brooms at Blagojevich’s re-election rallies this year, nor much rhetoric about cleaning up government. Even Wednesday’s criminal sentencing of Ryan on corruption charges - an event that should have been the ultimate campaign gift to the Democratic Party this year - has produced a surprisingly restrained reaction from Blagojevich.

That may be because some of the same ethical issues that ultimately brought down Ryan are now hovering around Blagojevich’s administration. Federal investigators and the media are looking into some eerily familiar allegations: State contracts steered toward campaign contributors; personal gifts from politically connected business people that weren’t initially disclosed as required by law; secret lists of names used to keep track of - and reward - political supporters.

And there are more similarities to come. Stay tuned.

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Morning shorts

Thursday, Sep 7, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Higher electric rates are coming

* Foie gras narcs make mistake

* Interesting ethanol debate.

Lester Brown of the Earth Policy Institute says that increasing demand for ethanol threatens world food supplies. High fuel prices make it more and more profitable to convert food crops to fuel.

Brown cites research that indicates that if every planned ethanol production facility in Iowa is actually constructed, nearly the state’s entire corn crop would be used for fuel. He worries that the corresponding increase in food prices could have disastrous consequences for people in poorer countries.

Groups like the Renewable Fuels Association disagree. They say that most of the corn going to ethanol isn’t the variety that people usually eat and that technological innovations will allow supply to keep up with food and fuel demand.

* “Taking a step toward offering free preschool for any child who wants it, Chicago will use $16.8 million in new state money to add at least 2,500 preschool students this year, pushing the number of kids in preschool to 30,000.”

* Sweet: What Obama needs to reach next level

* From Peraica’s campaign: “Cook County Commissioner and reform Board Presidential candidate Tony Peraica will discuss the “Shakman resolution” he will introduce at today’s Cook County Board of Commissioners meeting calling on the Board to call for the appointment of a federal monitor to oversee all hiring in Cook County government and urging the Cook County State’s Attorney not to oppose such a call.”

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