Question of the day
Monday, Feb 22, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The setup…
Changes in state law have made it difficult for organizers to put on amateur events for kickboxing and martial arts, which aren’t regulated the way boxing and mixed martial arts are, so over the years opportunities for athletes to compete in Illinois have become fewer and farther between. Pending legislation that would allow for such competitions seems to have stalled in the state Senate.
“I think it’s very frustrating that we’re training year-round and we may have four opportunities to fight,” said Josh Brackett, who trains fighters and competes himself. “We probably haven’t fought in Illinois in five or six years.” […]
The current legislation, House Bill 1646, drew support from athletes and trainers and has been endorsed by public bodies, including the Peoria City Council and Peoria Civic Center Authority, and passed the state House by a vote of 114-0 last spring. The bill is opposed, however, by the state’s Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which oversees licensing and regulation of boxing and would oversee kickboxing competitions, should they be allowed. […]
Ryan Blackorby, a kickboxing trainer and enthusiast, estimates that the number of kickboxing competitions has dropped in Illinois by 90 percent in the last decade, while boxing and MMA have continued to be allowed.
* The Question: What other things should Illinois over-regulate to the point of almost banning it?
Snark is heavily encouraged, of course. But please explain your tongue in cheek nomination. Thanks.
- South of Sherman - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:05 pm:
Budget speeches, unless they are accompanied by an actual budget where revenue matches expenditures.
- Union Man - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:05 pm:
Handguns
- Spliff - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:06 pm:
Budgeteering …. oh, wait. Never mind.
- Give Me A Break - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:07 pm:
Session days that end in a Y.
- Anonymous - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:09 pm:
Political surveys. They are exempt from the “Do Not Call” registry. So add regulations requiring a disclaimer like auto dealers have before they can ask any question…..
And require the workers on the phone to have to give their home numbers so we can call them back during their dinner…..
- Arthur Andersen - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:11 pm:
Wine Clubs.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:11 pm:
Drive-by blog comments.
- Stones - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:13 pm:
Robo & Solicitation phone calls.
- The Man on 6 - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:14 pm:
We should over-regulate the RTA, just to make Will Davis a happy man.
- Mama - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:15 pm:
Pan-handling for money on every corner - even out in the boondocks. I’m sure it will get worse since social programs have been cut.
- Maguffin - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:16 pm:
Private enterprise.
- Mama - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:16 pm:
Elections ads on TV & mailers! This is self-explanatory!
- East Central Illinois - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:17 pm:
Ban the use of the “g” at the end of a verb. Our current governor already has this down. No sense tryin’ to go against a man that is doin’ his best at governin’ and runnin’ our state into the ground.
- Gruntled University Employee - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:18 pm:
Motorcycle Safety Programs. At least until the hostages are released.
- Lloyd - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:19 pm:
Sport of the future, football
- Nick Name - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:19 pm:
East Central Illinois beat me to it.
- IllinoisBoi - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:20 pm:
Using the word “Madigan,” “legislators,” and “controls” in the same sentence.
- Trolling Trolls - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:25 pm:
All Trolls on blog posts.
- Anonymous - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:25 pm:
Cupcakes.
One of the most annoying food trends ever. I thought people had moved on, yet a new cupcake place is opening within two blocks of my home.
The market refuses to stop these things, so we need government to step in.
- GA Watcher - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:26 pm:
Droppin’ g’s
- Skeptic - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:27 pm:
Losing baseball teams. At least until next year.
- Gooner - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:27 pm:
The cupcake idea was mine. Sorry about listing as anon.
We should also take a look at hipster beards. I’m lucky I’m old so that I never felt compelled to grow one of those ridiculous things.
- burbanite - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:30 pm:
medical marijuana
- LizPhairTax - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:30 pm:
Cropdusting.
Not the agricultural kind. The rail has been a war zone lately.
- A guy - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:31 pm:
Political Ads on Cable TV.
Anyone really need an explanation?
- Homer J. Quinn - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:31 pm:
video gaming. not even snark, i just hate seeing those signs everywhere.
- Blue dog dem - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:32 pm:
PAC’s.
- Rufus - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:32 pm:
I second the Political surveys. Sometimes I get three or four a night. I have taken a new tack, sometimes I answer a question with how I actually feel, other times, I answer with a complete opposite. I encourage others to do so. :^)
- How Ironic - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:33 pm:
Horseshoes. The ILEPA in conjunction with the FDA should shut that legal monstrosity down. It’s a serious danger to public health, and the Republic as a whole.
- cdog - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:37 pm:
How about regulating “screen time” for everyone of all ages!
For adults — if they are not getting their chores done, are not supervising their children, have forgotten how to interact with family/neighbors/humans, maybe the televisions/computers/phones need to be turned off.
For children–if they cannot climb, jump, get dirty, etc., no more screen time for them!
- Anon - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:42 pm:
Fireworks could bring in $12-$15m in revenue a year! KABOOM!
- Gordon Willis - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:43 pm:
Well they took care of county fairs, thoroughbred horse racing and trotter racing in one swell foop
- BBG - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:48 pm:
Millionaire CEO’s disguised as politicians!
- Enviro - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:49 pm:
Telephone Marketing Calls
- Six Degrees of Separation - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:50 pm:
Free media coverage whenever the Donald says something else outrageous. If the media had to give compensatory equal time to every other candidate, there would be no time left for regular programming.
- Silverback - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:52 pm:
Political Adv. which are disingenuous.
- burbanite - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:52 pm:
oops, I thought the question was what IS illinois overregulating to the point…. hence my response of medical marijuana. Rather than generate revenue the industry may not survive here and be forced to leave.
- Silverback - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:52 pm:
The word disingenuous.
- Skeptic - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:55 pm:
Ketchup on hotdogs?
- James Knell - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:59 pm:
Dueling… it could be the only way to break the budget impasse. BTW, can you believe Zell Miller is still alive?
- Not quite a majority - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:15 pm:
English being the foundational language of this state, we should ban all forms of ’slang’, particularly the common ‘dropping’ of ending vowels in public speech. Words like ‘goin’, ‘comin’, ‘turnin’, and ‘winnin’ only serve to erode the essential consistency of our vocabulary. If you can’t find the snark in that, you aren’t lookin’
- Not quite a majority - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:16 pm:
sorry, ending consonants, not vowel. Ms. White would be so ashamed (junior English teacher)
- walker - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:23 pm:
Playing the Victim card
- RNUG - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:25 pm:
Dishonest politicians … especially of the Millionaire and billionaires variety
- RNUG - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:26 pm:
Corporate welfare
- Wensicia - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:27 pm:
Public pre-K-12 education and they’re close to succeeding at this point. Private schools? No need to regulate at all…
- RNUG - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:27 pm:
Clouting kids into schools … should be heavily regulated and taxed
- Nobody - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:28 pm:
Men with hair buns. No explanation is needed.
- downstate commissioner - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:29 pm:
Governors who have no experience. We could demand full disclosure of: his finances, including his allowance beginning at the age of 6; how many residents of his nursing homes died; and how much money can he spend on “his” candidates before he finds another hobby.
Also, he should furnish a copy of his driver’s license, so that we know that he is legal to operate a motorcycle. Also, is the mansion that he live in safe, and zoned right, for pets.
Also, it would also be fair to ask if the utility bills are being paid on his residence; if not, why not?
- Anonymous - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:30 pm:
Requests for copies of public documents….
Oh wait, we already do that with FOIA !
- Whatever - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:30 pm:
Running goveernment like a business.
- Enviro - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:31 pm:
Charter Schools for Private Profit
- RNUG - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:32 pm:
All forms of public charity … because the 1.4% will make sure everyone else is employed at three part-time jobs
- RNUG - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:34 pm:
Buying politicians … because we outlawed slavery years ago.
- Impatient - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:35 pm:
Legislators talking about kickboxing or anything else until they do their job and pass a budget.
- RNUG - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:39 pm:
Pizza restaurants … they are sprouting up faster than payday lending joints. We really need regulations before there are 4 on every corner.
Or if we can’t slow them down, can we at least get some regulation on exactly what constitutes thin, stuffed, deep dish, New York and Chicago styles?
- VanillaMan - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:44 pm:
Gubernatorial excuses
- RNUG - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:44 pm:
Political attack ads … I’d like to ban them but SCOTUS wouldn’t allow that on 1 A principles, so could we regulate them such that if someone uses attack ads and DOES NOT get elected, they have to spend either (A) an equal amount of money retracting the ads or (B) repay the winning party’s full campaign cost?
- Jocko - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:48 pm:
The use of ketchup on any hot dog within a 100 mile radius of Chicago. Additional penalties will be incurred if calling a carbonated beverage anything other than “pop”
- RNUG - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:48 pm:
- downstate commissioner -
You forgot to include having to pass a high school equivalent civics test as part of the criteria.
- RNUG - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:50 pm:
When to use “Cozy Dog” and “corn dog” … someone needs to eliminate the confusion
- Stumpy's bunker - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:58 pm:
A fine schedule for dropping your “g”’s if you live north of I-80.
Fine doubled if you come from the luxury confines of Winnetka and claim it comes naturally.
- Blue dog dem - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:59 pm:
RNUG—-glad you didn’t want to regulate “Blue Dog”. Been sick, heavily medicated and very sensitive.
- MrJM - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 5:04 pm:
Anonymous comments.
– MrJM
- RNUG - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 5:06 pm:
Legislative proclamations … should only be allowed one for every bill sponsored AND actually passed in that chamber … or require a donation of $x to the State Treasury per proclamation.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 5:07 pm:
Jocko 4:48-
Or apparently “soda” within 100 miles of the Metro East.
http://popvssoda.com
- Top 1% - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 5:07 pm:
The poor. Think about it, we get rid of the poor then #boom the budget solves itself! No more social services, no more regulation of business (since the only survivors will be rich!), no more need for pensions - the list goes on! This would also help to clean up all the new street beggars we’ve been seeing in Springfield lately. End poverty by regulating it to its demise!
- Blue dog dem - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 5:07 pm:
Forgot two things. I demand we regulate Oreos and Rits crackers. Price em right back to Mexico!
- RNUG - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 5:08 pm:
Special sessions … because they’ve been abused
- Nuke the Whales - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 5:11 pm:
The attempt at “journalism” that John Kass gets published in the Tribune.
- Rabid - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 5:14 pm:
Payday loans
- RNUG - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 5:19 pm:
We need a TURF bill … Tar Use, Railriding, and Feathers … so we know when politicians are “in season”. It would set the days, hours and usage and specify any open or concealed carry requirements. Participants in TURF must have a state CARP (Capture and Release of Politicians) license.
- Jake From Elwood - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 5:25 pm:
We need to regulate ad hominem attacks on the Tribune Editorial Board.
- Wensicia - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 5:28 pm:
We need to regulate ad hominem attacks against the Cubs.
- RNUG - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 5:36 pm:
- Blue dog dem -
Nah. We probably need more Blue dog dems if we are to ever get any problems solved.
Now if you want to talk about requiring sauerkraut and spicy mustard on hot dogs, I could get behind that kind of regulation …
- Arthur Andersen - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 6:07 pm:
RNUG, let’s get the GERD meds covered by our insurance again before we mandate spicy foods lol. Agree on the pizza, but one of the new joints is pretty good.
- RNUG - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 6:12 pm:
-AA-
I still miss the one at 15th & Ash. Haven’t tried all the new ones. Which do you recommend?
- RNUG - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 6:16 pm:
-AA-,
If you have a really bad GERD attack that feels like a heart attack, nitroglycerine will relieve it. A little tip from the Mrs’ ER experience.
- Dome Gnome - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 6:33 pm:
I have no idea, but if this thread isn’t the funniest comment thread ever . . . I will eat my hat.
- Arthur Andersen - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 7:25 pm:
RNUG, I like Pie’s the Limit. Remarkably good given the fast prep time. Hard to beat Joe’s though.
I actually had the same experience as Mrs. RNUG. Scary as heck but the nitro worked.
- Blue dog dem - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 9:41 pm:
The state should over regulate the Twitter account of that Ron Sandack fellow. A little of him goes a long way…..he seriously reminds me of Bill Clinton. In love with his own voice.