* Radiation…
Low levels of radiation from Japan have been discovered in test samples taken in unincorporated DuPage and Will counties, officials said Tuesday.
Warrenville-based Exelon Nuclear said small amounts of radioiodine 131, a type of radioactive isotope associated with the troubled Japanese plants, were discovered March 22 during testing at Dresden, its nuclear plant near Morris in Will County.
Also, Argonne National Laboratory, near Darien, found a small amount of the isotope in its regular air test samples last week.
“You wouldn’t find that kind of evidence in normal operations here,” said Marshall Murphy, a spokesman for Exelon Nuclear.
* Bed bugs…
Bed bugs invaded campus over the weekend, but apparently kept their invasion to one room, and were immediately crushed by the defenses of the University of Illinois.
Just one dormitory room in Evans Hall was affected Sunday night, said Erin Ciciora, a resident communications coordinator in University Housing.
The student’s room was closed off and pesticide work began within an hour of the complaint, she said.
* Stink bugs…
Stink bugs — long a scourge of the mid-Atlantic states — have made it to the Chicago area.
The aptly named pests have been spotted in recent months in Geneva and Western Springs. Homeowners reported an infestation in Geneva last fall and in a yard in Western Springs in January, according to Kelly Estes, state survey coordinator for the Illinois Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey program. […]
The brown marmorated stink bug emits a foul stench when frightened, disturbed or squashed.
* Rats…
Cutting the city’s rat baiting crews in half, as Laborers Local 1001 claims Streets and San is planning to do, won’t cause the rat population to explode to 6 million again. But it may increase the rat problem in poor neighborhoods, where overcrowded buildings generate more garbage than carts can hold.
* Giant eagle rays…
Jennifer and David Hausch have quite a story to tell from their Florida vacation after a huge ray jumped into their tour boat, striking Jennifer.
The Crystal Lake couple was on an eco-tour boat ride Friday in Florida when a 200 pound spotted eagle ray struck her in the chest. She was not injured, according to wildlife officials.
* Mob actions at Chuck E. Cheese…
On Saturday, the Chuck E. Cheese in Matteson was a place where several men had to be subdued with pepper spray after fighting and flipping over an arcade machine, police said.
Five men and a teenage boy were charged with mob action and disorderly conduct for their roles in the incident, police said.
* And the final sign of the coming apocalypse…
Chicago’s premier craft brewery, Goose Island, is selling itself to distribution partner and minority owner Anheuser-Busch InBev N.V. for $38.8 million and replacing its brewmaster.
Doomed, I tell you. Doomed.
- Don't Worry, Be Happy - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 1:22 pm:
When Rich goes all biblical you know we’re in trouble.
You left out cats and dogs living together.
- Small Town Liberal - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 1:31 pm:
Jesus, if the Cubs win it all this year I’m going to strongly consider going back to church…
- CircularFiringSquad - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 1:38 pm:
Capt Fax equates nuke rays with that crappy Goose Island beer…Yikes.
Did he suffer a head bump at Spring Training?
Batting helmet on too tight?
What gives?
- amalia - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 1:43 pm:
start now, please share strategies to combat the stink bug. my pals on the East coast were nuts with it last year. I read that parasitic wasps (the kind you buy like ladybugs) are one good thing to put in gardens. once the stinkers get in the house….smelly!
- titan - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 1:43 pm:
Take a deep breath Rich.
Radioiodine 131 has a half life of just under 8.02 days. It doesn’t figure to be a great problem in the US.
Chuck E Cheese estabhlishments all over the country have incidents like that.
Most of the major brewers are picking up premium brands (and not screwing them up). MillerCoors has had Blue Moon and Lienies already for a while. The new Bud bunch has many European breweries that produce quality product. The Goose should be fine going forward (and may even benefit from supplier and distribution advantages from being under the AB umbrela.
- Cincinnatus - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 1:47 pm:
“Let my people go.”
BTW, Paramount is releasing Cecil B. DeMille’s biblical epic “50th Anniversary” disk of the Ten Commandments on Blu Ray. The film has been remastered frame by frame and is reported to be spectacular. On a related note, the film was originally released in 1956, 52 years ago…
- Leroy - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 1:57 pm:
“…state survey coordinator for the Illinois Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey program”
I’d kinda like to know what this state job entails…
- Leave a light on George - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 2:05 pm:
@STL - See you Sunday.
- Highland, Il - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 2:06 pm:
Chuck E Cheeses seem to bring out the worse in adults. We’ve had several incidents over the years in the Metro East area.
- Bobby Hill - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 2:08 pm:
A another example the end time is coming is the voucher laws being pushed in Indiana that allows vouchers for all families in the state earning under $60K and with no limiting caps on the number of families who can take advantage of it. As the Dodo from Ice Age said “If you weren’t smart enough to plan ahead, then doom on you.” Other Dodos: [chanting] Doom on you. Doom on you. Doom on you. Doom on you…
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 2:10 pm:
And as many folks on the Upper Mississippi know, it won’t be too long before the annual plague of shag flies makes life outdoors Biblically unbearable for a few days.
Shag flies, may flies, Mormon flies (supposedly a dying curse of Joseph Smith for that dustup in Nauvoo), whatever they’re called, if you haven’t experienced it, you wouldn’t believe it.
Anywhere near the river, millions of swarming, sticky bugs. One year in the Quads, they had to plow the bugs from bridges over the river like snow. Last year up near LaCrosse, the hordes were so intense and widespread they were picked up on NWS Doppler.
After a few days, they’re dead and gone. You probably won’t read about that in the local tourism bureau brochures.
- Cincinnatus - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 2:10 pm:
:Chuck E Cheeses seem to bring out the worse in adults.”
One business I sold was in the same strip mall as a Chuck E Cheese. We had a great view of their storefront from our front desk. It was a running joke that there was a 911 call (either fights or injuries or both) at least twice a month at that place. I understand from my former employees, the trend continues to this date.
- central illinois - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 2:11 pm:
@ Cincinnatus if released in 56 it is 55 years old
- Bluefish - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 2:16 pm:
Apparently CFS has never had a Bourbon County Stout from Goose Island. Heaven in a snifter.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 2:18 pm:
===You probably won’t read about that in the local tourism bureau brochures. ===
Au contraire. Ever heard of Shadfly Days in Savanna? I used to live there. Not sure if they still have it, but they do have some sort of Shadfly golf tourney.
- GetOverIt - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 2:23 pm:
What will become of my Perre Jac (sp) and Maltida? It guess Two Brothers and Half-Acre will move up my favorites list…Goose Island R.I.P.
- MrJM - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 2:25 pm:
But on the upside, Jonathan Richman is gonna be playing at the Hideout.
– MrJM
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 2:25 pm:
I’d forgotten about Shadfly Days. Stout, resilient people to make a party out of it. If life gives you lemons…
- jerry 101 - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 2:28 pm:
All these ominous portents…And baseball season is about to begin…and Daley is due to relinquish the reigns of power in a mere 6 weeks.
I think Rich is on to something here. What if the Cubs are actually…good? Like World Series good? The end is nigh!!!(maybe)
Goose Island isn’t even very good. Budweiser seems like a natural fit. Unfortunately, the good stuff comes from Indiana (And this is probably the only good thing from Hoosier land) - 3 Floyd’s. Now they know how to brew a tasty beverage. If I stick to Illinois based brews, I’ll take a Metropolitan over a Goose Island any day of the week.
Titan - FYI, Blue Moon has always been owned by Coors - it was created by Coors. And Leinie has been around for a very long time (1867, though Miller bought it in 1988). It’s not a real microbrewery. More akin to a Shiner Bock - an old regional brewery that has gained popularity due to clever marketing, but not an actual microbrewery (in the sense of Goose Island - until now - or Bell’s or something on that order).
- Rarely Posts - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 2:32 pm:
The rat personnel shortage be solved easily by sending out “crews” of one, instead of three, which is the current city practice. No private rat exterminator would send three people out on a job; one will do. But if you’re the City of Chicago — hey! The more, the merrier.
- Bring Back Boone's - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 2:34 pm:
The mob action at Chuck E. Cheese’s sounds a lot more entertaining than those creepy old singing robots that sway back and forth. Maybe this calls for another trip…
- Northsider - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 2:38 pm:
So, Jules Winnfield is your new intern?
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 2:41 pm:
lol, Northsider. Good one. But, of course, that was a different quote.
- Pot calling kettle - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 2:41 pm:
I’m disturbed that a whole nuclear power plant has somehow moved from Grundy to Will County.
- piling on - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 2:45 pm:
And this would be why the GOP isn’t worried about making plans to pay down the bill backlog.
- Cincinnatus - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 2:47 pm:
Rich is right, as proven here.
- TwoFeetThick - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 2:47 pm:
I can’t take credit for thinking of this, but I think this Doom-n-Gloom post is an appropriate place to pass this along.
Remember back in the ’80’s when shows like 20/20 and others had stories about the supposed signs of the devil in things like heavy metal music, the logo for Proctor and Gamble (where you could draw 666 by connecting the stars in the logo), etc.? Well, here’s one…
Fox News.
F is the 6th letter of the alphabet.
O is the 15th.
X is the 24th.
F: 6 = 6
O: 1 + 5 = 6
X: 2 + 4 = 6
666. Coincidence? You decide.
- Wensicia - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 3:07 pm:
Well, we survived the invasion of out-of-state Democrats, didn’t we?
- Nuance - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 3:07 pm:
Now if the bed bugs would just start breeding with the stink bugs just think of the possible positive ramifications: lower teen pregnancy, higher productivity rates due to more work less sleep:)
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 3:12 pm:
I’d never been to Chuck E. Cheese when it didn’t almost turn into a riot. And now that my kids are older, I’ll never go again.
Bad combination all the way around: screaming, overstimulated kids; lousy food; crowded, stifling, hot environment; expensive; and beer.
I’ve never seen anyone leave Chuck E. Cheese happy. The kids are bawling because they’re wound up and want to stay. The parents are fed up, maybe half lit and can’t bear another minute.
- soccermom - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 3:21 pm:
It’s the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine…)
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 4:20 pm:
I won’t believe any of this stuff until Sarah Palin tells me it’s true.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 4:23 pm:
My advice to you is to begin drinking heavily…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uepFO4psgKE
Some feel booze helps reduce the risk from radiation
- Harpy - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 4:25 pm:
Be for warned 13-year locust swarm will occur this summer. This could be another sign?
- Spring - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 4:34 pm:
Cubs lose 120 games this year.
- Barton Lorimor - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 4:38 pm:
DOES THIS MEAN THE CUBS ARE GOING TO WIN THE WORLD SERIES?!
- OneMan - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 4:55 pm:
== DOES THIS MEAN THE CUBS ARE GOING TO WIN THE WORLD SERIES?! ==
No.
- Responsa - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 5:30 pm:
Wow! I innocently go out to an appointment and arrive back home to find out on Capfax that it’s the end times. On further reflection, I wish we weren’t quite so close to the New Madrid fault. (Although some of us are way closer to it than others.)
- Ain't No Justice - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 5:36 pm:
Rich your on a roll……
- Phineas J. Whoopee - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 6:13 pm:
===But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
I Peter 4:7===
Good thing I gave up drinking for lent!
- Gregor - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 6:14 pm:
Sitting in Chuck E Cheese, getting hammered on cheap beer while watching the “Rock-a-Fire Explosion” is quite surreal. More parents would go there I think if the music selection was less lame and more like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b90Cf6ARscc&feature=related
If you didn’t see the link, a guy owns an entire Rock-a-Fire set from a closed restaurant, and re-programs it to play anything you want. Including Lil’ Wayne, MGMT and Usher. This one should be our Friday afternoon shutdown video some week…
- Techboy - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 6:34 pm:
I am heartened to see how very sensitive our nation’s rad detectors are at our nuke plants. What we need to work on is getting management types to report when things are detected that THEY are responsible for. I’m looking at you, Exelon.
Really, if what comes out of Fukishima’s experience is just another 30-year hibernation for our domestic nuclear industry, we’ve learned nothing. What we SHOULD be doing is working hard and fast to design and implement the next generation of thorium-fueled reactors, in order to get off the uranium-plutonium carousel. Thorium plants are non-proliferating and incapable of meltdowns, also, they use no water for cooling, eliminating a host of design and operational problems. We CAN do this… the Canadians are already in the lead in developing this.
- Kasich Walker, Jr. - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 6:52 pm:
The end is not so bad when enjoyed with good alcohol. I’m accepting that the Goose Island beers will be all right, though am surprised several readers here don’t think much of the beers.
I’m not much for hard alcohol, but I had some 85 Lashes Rum (White) a few weekends ago and want more.
- Wumpus - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 8:03 pm:
This is a regular weekend at CEC. When you cram people into your establishment, have too many bad butt kids running around, drama is sure to ensue
- ChrisB - Wednesday, Mar 30, 11 @ 8:49 pm:
Heh, I used to go to that Showbiz Pizza when I was in kindergarten when my friends had birthdays. Of course, that was back in the late 80’s/early 90’s when it was still called Showbiz Pizza.
As far as Goose Island, correct me if I’m wrong but I thought they’ve been partially owned by Budweiser for a while. I realize that this is now a controlling stake, but oh well. Goose Island has long not been the best beer in Chicago.
I just wish we could get some Boulevard (KC, MO) out here.
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Mar 31, 11 @ 6:53 am:
Blvd is available in Springfield