Extra, Extra
Blagojevich impending indictment watch: "Ali Ata said in his plea deal that the governor offered him a top administrative position in state government in exchange for Ata’s tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions. ... Ata subsequently was appointed executive director of the Illinois Finance Authority, a $127,000-a-year state job. The authority, which Blagojevich created in 2004.... " [S-T]
Allen Sanderson takes on the economics of hosting the Olympics--and of misleading polls.
Another way to tease out how residents feel would be for pollsters to present some menu options: 'If Chicago were going to spend an additional $1 billion over the next few years on various civic projects, how would you like to see the mayor, City Council and other public agencies allocate that amount of money?' Alternatives could be: (a) The 2016 Olympic Games; (b) Shoring up our roads, bridges and public transportation; (c) Putting more police on the streets and in neighborhoods; (d) Public schools and health care; (e) Efforts to make Chicago a greener, more environmentally responsible city.[Trib. We talked to Sanderson last year about the same subject.]
Argonne got the world's second fastest computer on Monday. Yeah, $165 million buys a nice machine. [Southtown Star]
The Cubs beat the Mets 8–1 this afternoon and are now 14–6, which is their best 20-game record since 1975. [AP]
We...all have our dreams. "[T]he priest wanted to break a 19-hour record for the most hours flying with balloons to raise money for a spiritual rest-stop for truckers in Paranagua, Brazil's second-largest port for agricultural products." [AP]
Oh, yeah. It's Earth Day. Recycle stuff! [ABC 7]