1 killed and at least 21 wounded over weekend in Chicago, three teens shot

The first weekend in March saw just one person shot to death in Chicago, a man who was found dead Friday face down in the South Shore neighborhood.

Three teens were wounded over the weekend, one on the West Side and two on the South Side.

Photos from the pro-Ukraine protest at Chicago's Daley Plaza (some pics NSFW)

Last Sunday I attended the pro-Ukraine rally outside Sts. Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church in Ukrainian Village in Chicago.

This afternoon there was a successful follow-up in Chicago's Loop, at Daley Plaza.

Behind the "Puck Futin" sign is Chicago's world-renowned Picasso sculpture.

Another big crown, roughly 3,000 people, this demonstration was similar to size to the one last week. 

I almost didn't make it to the rally. For the first time in over two years, I rode on the Chicago Transit Authority's el, in this case the Red Line. The train stopped at Addison, next to Wrigley Field, when the conductor announced she was stopping the train, "Because of a disruptive passenger." I heard some screaming on the platform, then she announced the police were on their way, next I heard the sound of breaking glass on the el plaform. I was in the lead car--always a good idea--next to that conductor. Then she entered her compartment, and a clearly mentally unbalanced man entered the car I was riding in. Half the passengers immediately left. 

I stayed.

Crime and craziness is now common the Chicago's el trains. Last month CWB Chicago posted advice by way of Reddit, on what to do when riding on CTA trains. Rule number1? "No eye contact,ever." Not only did I break that rule, but I broke an obvious one that wasn't even included in that Reddit post. Don't photograph unstable people. Which led to the troublemaker snarl at me, "Don't take no photos of me or I'll give you your life."

Hmm. Not sure what "Give you your life" means. 

Then he sat next to me and videotaped your humble 60-year-old blogger, announcing "I'm sitting next to the guy who photographed me."

Twenty uncomfortable minutes later I reached my destination, Monroe Street, and he offered me this Parthian shot as I stood up, "Don't call the police on me."

Left-wing radical Abbie Hoffman once said, "I don't think my goals have changed since I was four and I fought school yard bullies." Neither have mine. 

Of course, I called 911 and told the dispatcher about the disruptive passenger on CTA Red Line run 807 that had just departed Monroe Street Station at 2pm. I am not a coward. 

The DePaulia has a take on the hell-hole the CTA train lines have become. 

I pity CTA employees. 

The man on the left is more direct than the "Puck Futin" sign holder. As for the woman on the right, "Close the Sky" was a common chant during the rally. 

Oh, back to my el train ride. Let me be clear. I am not equating my unhappy trip downtown to what the people of Ukraine are enduring during the Russian invasion. However, the readers of Marathon Pundit need to know what faces them on the CTA.

Here are two longtime friends of the Marathon Pundit family who I was pleased to see at the protest. 

As you know my wife is a Latvian-American. Did you think I would not post a pic of another Latvian who supports Ukraine? Do you want me to sleep on the couch tonight?

On the left is a man wrapped in a Georgian flag. In 2008 Russia invaded the Republic of Georgia. Looking up two photos, sadly, history is repeating itself.

Here is your history lesson for today.

Many of the speakers at the protest, besides calling for a no fly zone over Ukraine, were demanding an international embargo of Russian oil and natural gas. I recognized two of the speakers. US Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL), and Alderman Brian Hopkins of Chicago's Second Ward, which includes the Ukrainian Village neighborhood.

Vladimir Putin is the New Hitler. Don't just love these kids?

"Russian oil has the shade of innocent Ukrainian blood."

She told me that in Ukrainian her protest sign reads, "Russan warship go fuck yourself."

The people of Hong Kong know a lot about the loss of freedom.

"Stop the war, stop Russia, stop Putin."

Simple and direct.

"His oil our blood." Why is America buying Russian petroleum?

After the Daley Plaza protests the demonstrators marched to Millenium Park.

"Don't buy Russian goods stained with Ukrainian blood #BoycottRussia."

Think Gandalf in Moria. "Russia shall not pass!" When you look closely at the sign you'll see Putin hanging from a noose.

The Putin virus needs to be stopped!

Many thanks to Chicago Public Square for the link to last week's protest post.

Earlier post:

Photos from the protest of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in Chicago's Ukrainian Village (some pics NSFW)

From Da Tech Guy: The corrupt Madigan Enterprise and the Illinois Democratic Party

For my weekly entry at Da Tech Guy I could only write about one thing. The multi-count indictment last week of the man who destroyed Illinois: The corrupt Madigan Enterprise and the Illinois Democratic Party.

The Specials - (Dawning Of A) New Era live in Paris in 2014

Ska's second-wave was kickstarted by the Specials in the late 1970s, Decades later here they are in Paris with "(Dawning Of A) New Era."

 

Zelenskyy has reportedly avoided 3 assassination attempts

Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a marked man.

US Rep. Michael McCaul: We have a weak president

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, says that Joe Biden is a weak president. And our enemies see that.

Fire breaks out at Europe's largest nuclear power plant during Russian siege

Supposedly there is no additional radiation near the damaged nuclear power plant. 

But isn't that what was reported by the USSR after the Chernobyl disaster?

Longtime Illinois House speaker and Democrat Party chairman, Boss Michael Madigan, finally indicted

Madigan graphic courtesy of
the Illinois Policy Institute

Truth be told, I never thought the feds would nail Boss Michael Madigan, the Chicago Democrat who destroyed Illinois. Here's a guy who never used email. After all, you never know who is watching.

From Fox Chicago:

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday on racketeering and bribery charges for allegedly using his position to solicit and receive personal financial rewards for himself and his associates.

Madigan, 79, of Chicago, is charged with racketeering conspiracy and individual counts of using interstate facilities in aid of bribery, wire fraud and attempted extortion.

The 22-count indictment accuses Madigan of leading a criminal enterprise for nearly a decade to enhance his political power and financial well-being.

He also allegedly generated income for his political allies and associates.

For much of Boss Madigan's reign of terror, his daughter, Lisa, was Illinois' attorney general. She was AG for 16 years.

Hmmm...

Madigan, among many things, is a one-man argument in favor of term limits. He was first elected to the state House of Representatives in 1971. Except for a happy two-wears in the 1990s, he was House speaker from 1983 until 2021, when the odor of scandal finally saw him ousted from the speaker's chair. He was the chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party from 1997 until this year. He controlled the party's finances. If you voted Democrat for the last few decades, you voted for Madigan and his dirty money.

Illinois has lost population every year since 2014. 

Boss Madigan--you ruined the Land of Lincoln. I

I hope you rot in prison, Madigan.

Concha: This is why Biden's State of the Union will be forgotten

I'd like to add that that support for Joe Biden's speech from the left is laudatory, yes, but not specific. Criticism from the right is quite on specific on why they believe it was a disappointment.

Hawley: Biden immediately throttled down our energy industry, making us dependent on Russia

US Sen. Josh Hawley tells Tucker Carlson that Joe Biden is our anti-American energy president.