Friday, December 30, 2016

Ebony & Ivory

As years go, 2016 was one for the history books. The #1 story had to be Santa Claus, whose lifeless body was found on a McHenry County street, dead from a prescription painkiller overdose. The McHenryCountyBlog broke the story:
CL Kiwanis Santa Run Misses Snow Storm
Your LakeCountyEye jacked the McHenryCountyBlog story and photos:
Santa Sleighed
And then the McHenryCountyBlog jacked the story back, off the LakeCountyEye:
An anonymous blogger writing Lake County Eye has a wonderful sense of humor. And, he's a reader of McHenry County Blog. Usually he makes fun of my mistakes, but this time he has reinterpreted three photos of the Crystal Lake Kiwanis' Santa Run.
Reinterpreting Santa Run Photos
Now just between you and your LakeCountyEye and the blogpost, that Cal Skinner at the McHenryCountyBlog is an incurable wisenheimer. Cal Skinner and your LakeCountyEye go way back many years, and he could tell you exactly who that "anonymous blogger" is. Here is an old photo of Skinner and your LakeCountyEye working the phones at a Channel 11 telethon for the Dan Walker legal defense fund:
Cal SkinnerBarney Baxter
Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is another hilarious LakeCountyEye Double Vision™!
Note to Ops: If you are looking for a good chuckle, you could do worse than the McHenryCountyBlog!

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

The Sullivan Caucus

It is not for nothing that the Lake County Gazette is the most trusted source of fake news in Lake County. This week the Lake County Gazette published a story about Ed Sullivan's retirement from the Illinois General Assembly, but illustrated it with a photo of some chumbolone who is not Ed Sullivan:
The error was quickly corrected within a speedy 72 hour time span:

Sullivan formally resigns from Illinois House seat
An understandable faux pas given that Sullivan was a Lake County State Rep for only 14 years.

Note to Ops: Your LakeCountyEye did not recognize the not-Ed-Sullivan chumbolone either, and fed the image into the Google facial recognition API. The results were not totally unsurprising:

Dan Sullivan (U.S. Senator)
It appears that Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan and former State Rep Ed Sullivan share a lot in common, which would explain the Lake County Gazette's honest mistake:
Alaska US Senator Dan SullivanFormer Illinois State Rep Ed Sullivan
Last Name is Sullivan?
Middle Aged?
Caucasian?
US Senator?
The message intended by the Lake County Gazette is loud and clear: If you've seen one middle-aged white guy you've seen them all!

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Hymn for a Sunday Evening

Haha, the Lake County Gazette -- Lake County's #1 fake news source -- got the fake news wrong. As readers of this blog are aware ...
All the News That's Counterfeit to Print
The Lake County Gazette published a story about State Rep Ed Sullivan's retirement from the General Assembly ...

Internet Archive
... but lead with a photo of some goomer, one who is not State Rep Ed Sullivan.

Since then, the Lake County Gazette changed the photo -- although still not recognizably of Ed Sullivan:

Sullivan formally resigns from Illinois House seat
Now it goes without saying that the fake news is mostly outsourced to unemployed hackers in Eastern Europe. And those same Uzbekistan hackers may not know who Ed Sullivan is, nor would be expected to recognize him on the street. But a good photo of Ed Sullivan is no farther away than a Google search:
Note to Operatives at the Lake County Gazette: Your fly is open. Please update your story with the provided photo of Ed Sullivan.

Monday, December 26, 2016

All the News That's Counterfeit to Print

There is a rumor circulating the webs regarding State Rep Ed Sullivan. According to the Lake County Gazette:
State Rep. Ed Sullivan (R-Mundelein) ended his 14-year career with the Illinois House of Representatives on Thursday. His formal resignation comes after he announced in August 2015 that he would not be seeking re-election for his seat.
Sullivan formally resigns from Illinois House seat
Readers are cautioned not to believe everything they read on the Internet. Sullivan is an occasional commenter on this blog. And your LakeCountyEye is exceedingly skeptical of the Lake County Gazette story about him:

Sullivan formally resigns from Illinois House seat
C'mon, everyone by now should know that the Lake County Gazette is a fake news site.

Saturday, December 24, 2016

An Artificial Christmas

fake to the left fake to the right It has come to your LakeCountyEye's attention that you cannot believe everything you read on the Internet. Unscrupled actors can and will pepper the web with ersatz news stories made to look like the real thing, and for nefarious purposes. Who knew?

Truth be told, the fake news phenomenon is without any doubt utterly out of control. Witness the Daily Herald with tips on how to distinguish facts from fabrications:
How to detect fake news, from the left and right
Which just goes to show you can fool some of the people all of the time.

Now, there is an old saying in Lake County:
You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.
And what that old saying means is that here on the LakeCountyEye everything you see is triple sourced, fact checked, and 100% completely accurate. You have your LakeCountyEye guarantee that no fake news shall ever be covertly disseminated by this blog. Take that to the bank!

And be sure to have a happy and safe 4th of July holiday weekend!

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

The World Class POTUS

Rule #1 among the purveyors of fake news is never make up a story that is too preposterous to believe. So it is with some trepidation that your LakeCountyEye reports that the Electoral College met on Monday and selected Donald J Trump to be the 45th President of the United States. Haha. Ever since Trump's implausible victory (albeit on a technicality) Internet news outlets have been scrambling to find a good catchy meme to reference the new president-elect.

To be sure, all the biggest past Presidents had their own iconic nicknames. Lincoln is the Great Emancipator. Washington the Father of His County. Reagan the Great Communicator. And George W Bush is Dubya. Someone as brand conscious as Donald J Trump would seem naked without a standout web handle to dangle from his mantle. So your LakeCountyEye released the webbots and they have delivered ten Internet memes suitable for framing Mr. Trump.
The 10 Most Huge Nicknames for
President-Elect Donald Trump
  1. The Great Bankruptor
  2. Trump Pirate Towers
  3. Trumped Up
  4. Pussy Galore
  5. White is the New Black
  6. The Father of His Ivanka
  7. Trump and Trumper
  8. Mein Trumpf
  9. The Short Fingered Vulgarian
  10. TrumpNuts™
Look for your LakeCountyEye Trumpeting the fake news near you.

Saturday, December 17, 2016

A Shaggy Dog Story

On the Internet nobody knows you're a dog. It's a dog eat dog world when you can't even ask the Village of Mundelein to pass an ordinance banning the sale of puppy-mill dogs.  And the collective we at the Chicago Tribune were none to pleased:
... we're disappointed at the Mundelein Village Board. We're not outraged. We're not angry. Even miffed seems too strident. We simply wish they had shown more heart when civic courage was just what the moment offered them. In a larger civic universe that seems populated with colder self-dealing arrogance than we had thought, what Mundelein's mandarins did was not villainous as much as venal. It was the absence of meaningful values left clanging loudly in a vacuum. They could have banned the horrific trade in puppy mills from making a profit in their town.
Rutter: Mundelein had chance to lead on puppy mills, but didn't
... but they did not.

Dawn Abernathy, one Mundelein Trustee who does not support a ban, told the Tribune ...
"If you need to change this, you can make these little humane ordinances but they'll just go to the next town," Abernathy said.
Mundelein trustees decide against puppy mill ban, opt for disclosure
Two weeks later, Abernathy was back in the news:
A Mundelein village trustee said her election petition packet was taken from her car sometime this week. Dawn Abernathy said she plans to seek reelection to the Mundelein Village Board and has been gathering petition signatures. On Thursday morning, Abernathy wrote a Facebook post that said her packet of notarized petitions was no longer in her car. "Well it really is election season and this one is going to be bad," the post reads. "Someone has taken my petitions out of my car. Really?"
Mundelein trustee believes petition packet was stolen from her car
Sources told investigators that the dog ate Abernathy's petitions.

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Fell from the Heavens

"The Shermanator" Rob Sherman, Illinois's best known atheist, died last week. Sherman was a front-line fighter against the encroachment of religion into secular government. And at a time when the Constitutional principle of the separation of religion and state is under unprecedented assault, Rob Sherman's voice will be missed.

Sherman died in a plane crash:
National Transportation Safety Board investigators say it could be into next week before they know what led to the deadly Friday night crash of a single-engine plane in a Marengo cornfield.
NTSB: Reports from Marengo plane crash could take time
One source told your LakeCountyEye that they will rule out an Act of God.

Rob Sherman, 1953 - 2016

Saturday, December 10, 2016

Old School

Donald Trump may trail by 3 million votes, but won the electoral vote. This is possible because the US Constitution guarantees admission into the Electoral College to anyone who scores 50 or better on their SATs.

A low bar by any measure. So naturally your LakeCountyEye contacted Dr. I.M. Bhatschidtkhrazzi, Dean of the Electoral College School at the College of Lake County.

"Ya." chuckled Dr Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "The Electoral College looks like its been packed with dropouts from Trump University."

It does seem to be an historical anachronism.

"And it's not likely to go away any time soon." grimaced Dr Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "The Republican Party knows it can't get a white man in the White House without a shot in the arm from the Electoral College."

Is the Republic permanently saddled with its Electoral College?

"No, but it will take a Constitutional Amendment." opined Dr Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "And that will require bi-partisan support. Are you familiar with donor states?"

Your LakeCountyEye was not.

"Every state gives tax dollars to the Federal Government and receives money back in the form of federal spending." explained Dr Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "Those that give more than they take are donor states. Illinois for instance."

What about states that take back more than they give?

"These are deadbeat states." deadpanned Dr Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "Now the best way to fix the Electoral College is to monetize it. A state will be given Electoral Votes based on a percentage of the number of net dollars that state donates to the Federal Government." Dr Bhatschidtkhrazzi produced a chart:
Federal Taxes Paid vs Federal Spending Received
($millions)
StateTaxes
Paid
Spending
Received
DifferenceElectoral
Votes
California 289,627 242,023 47,604 48
New Jersey 86,112 58,617 27,495 27
New York 168,710 144,876 23,834 24
Illinois 99,776 80,778 18,998 19
Connecticut 40,314 30,774 9,540 10
Minnesota 40,578 31,067 9,511 10
Massachusetts 63,003 55,830 7,173 7
Nevada 20,135 14,089 6,046 6
Colorado 35,880 31,173 4,707 5
Washington 49,682 46,338 3,344 3
Wisconsin 36,961 33,749 3,212 3
New Hampshire 10,649 8,331 2,318 2
Michigan 66,326 64,787 1,539 2
Delaware 6,622 5,495 1,127 1
Oregon 23,583 22,792 791 1
Florida 135,146 134,544 602 1
Rhode Island 7,969 8,423 -454 0
Vermont 4,085 4,645 -560 -1
Wyoming 4,209 4,782 -573 -1
Nebraska 11,261 12,785 -1,524 -2
Utah 13,134 14,823 -1,689 -2
Texas 146,932 148,683 -1,751 -2
Idaho 7,728 9,598 -1,870 -2
Iowa 17,830 20,345 -2,515 -3
Montana 5,228 7,814 -2,586 -3
South Dakota 4,840 7,481 -2,641 -3
North Dakota 3,829 6,608 -2,779 -3
Kansas 17,434 20,492 -3,058 -3
Maine 7,728 11,365 -3,637 -4
Georgia 55,952 59,846 -3,894 -4
Hawaii 8,519 12,699 -4,180 -4
Indiana 38,081 42,347 -4,266 -4
Alaska 4,830 9,230 -4,400 -4
Arkansas 13,926 20,387 -6,461 -6
North Carolina 52,547 59,162 -6,615 -7
West Virginia 8,815 16,087 -7,272 -7
Ohio 70,304 77,881 -7,577 -8
Oklahoma 19,572 27,637 -8,065 -8
Arizona 35,988 44,639 -8,651 -9
South Carolina 22,711 32,044 -9,333 -9
New Mexico 9,891 20,604 -10,713 -11
Pennsylvania 87,940 99,503 -11,563 -12
Tennessee 35,872 48,288 -12,416 -12
Kentucky 22,003 34,653 -12,650 -13
Missouri 35,171 48,273 -13,102 -13
Mississippi 12,434 26,181 -13,747 -14
Alabama 24,675 42,061 -17,386 -17
Maryland 49,178 66,720 -17,542 -18
Louisiana 20,563 39,628 -19,065 -19
District of Columbia 6,735 37,859 -31,124 -31
Virginia 60,185 95,097 -34,912 -35
Source: Federal Taxes Paid vs. Federal Spending Received by State, 1981-2005
Monetize the Electoral College?

"The Government nets roughly $19 billion dollars from the State of Illinois." explained Dr Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "So Illinois would get 19 electoral votes. California gets 48 votes. New York gets 24. Do you see where I am going?"

What about states that take more than they give?

"Deadbeat states will be allotted negative electoral votes." replied Dr Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "The Federal Government loses nearly $2 billion to the State of Texas. So Texas would get a minus 2 electoral votes."

Negative Electoral Votes?

"Absolutely." insisted Dr Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "If Texas votes for a Donald Trump then Donald Trump loses 2 electoral votes. The math is simple."

Your LakeCountyEye was skeptical.

"The plan is designed for bi-partisan appeal." maintained Dr Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "The GOP does not want to eliminate the Electoral College.  But they do want to privatize the Federal Government -- and this plan privatizes the Electoral College. And at the same time Democrats will notice that the biggest donor states are all blue states. You can do the math."

Your LakeCountyEye heard enough. Did Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi have any parting advice?

"Tell your Operatives not to forget to pay their taxes!"

Wednesday, December 7, 2016

Santa Sleighed

Per Capita, McHenry County can claim almost twice as many concealed carry licenses, when compared to Cook County:
  • McHenry County: 10.23 per 1000
  • Cook County: 5.70 per 1000
And so it should have been no surprise to learn that Santa Claus was gunned down last week, in broad daylight on a McHenry County street.

The grim news was first reported on the McHenryCountyBlog ...
CL Kiwanis Santa Run Misses Snow Storm
Your LakeCountyEye has obtained crime scene photos ...

Warning: Graphic Images
Some may find these pictures disturbing!





Santa, minutes before shots were fired.



911 Caller: Santa Down! Santa Down!



"Oh the Humanity!"

[h/t: McHenryCountyBlog]

Monday, December 5, 2016

Foreclose Enough for Government Work

You Talking to Me? Note to those Operatives living out of their vans: There is no danger that you will be evicted by Steven "the Foreclosure King" Mnuchin. That's because Donald Trump wants the Goldman Sachs banker Mnuchin to be his Treasury Secretary.

Former Lake County Congressman Joe Walsh however, was none too pleased:
As Politico warns, Goldman Sachs is "poised for return to power" in a Trump administration. Walsh duly tweeted, "Mr Trump, this is bullshit. Can you hire someone who doesn't work for Goldman Sachs? What about that swamp? Huh?"
Tea Party’s Joe Walsh Calls ‘Bullsh*t’ on Trump Decision to Hire Goldman Sachs Execs
This is the same Joe Walsh who was foreclosed upon and evicted in 2008:
Joe Walsh, the Winnetka Republican running against Democratic incumbent Melissa Bean in the 8th House District, used to own a condominium on the 1400 block of Sherman Avenue near downtown Evanston. The two-bedroom unit went into foreclosure in 2008 and Walsh was evicted last fall, Cook County circuit court records and real-estate reports indicate.
8th Dist. challenger lost condo to foreclosure
Note to Steven Mnuchin Operatives: This is the same Joe Walsh who is no stranger to Second Amendment Remedies:
Former Rep. Joe Walsh on Friday defended calling on Americans to grab their "musket" if Hillary Clinton is elected president, insisting it was not an incitement to armed revolution.
Ex-congressman: 'If Trump loses, I'm grabbing my musket'
Forewarned is forearmed!

Saturday, December 3, 2016

A Nickel's Worth of Difference

Note to Sharpeyed Operatives: You are not seeing double.

Appearances to the contrary ...
Two recent stories posted on this blog ...
Land of the Free

The Non-Profit Motive
... were totally different. Totally.

Eagleeyed Operatives will note that these stories were about two different not-for-profit corporations getting tax breaks in Lake County ...

Illinois Secretary of State -- CORPORATION/LLC SEARCH RESULTS


Illinois Secretary of State -- CORPORATION/LLC SEARCH RESULTS
Despite the fact that both non-profits were dissolved!

Operatives are challenged to find other dissolved not-for-profit corporations that are not paying taxes on properties owned.

The first ten lucky winners get a coveted LakeCountyEye h/t.

Wednesday, November 30, 2016

The Non-Profit Motive

The word on the street is that only Trump University graduates are eligible for jobs in the new Trump administration. And it shouldn't be a surprise that the UPS delivered to the LakeCountyEye doorstep a Trump U baccalaureate degree in real estate development ($1,695 USD) -- good for one (1) executive branch deputy assistant undersecretary position, location TBD.

Until then, Operatives will have to make do with a few of the Donald J Trump closely held secrets on how to make a billion with real estate in your spare time.

The first world-class trade secret your LakeCountyEye learned at Trump U is: Never Pay Taxes. The trick is to file for non-profit status -- charities do not pay real estate tax. And you don't have to set up a sophisticated money laundering operation like the Trump Foundation, either.

For instance, one local not-for-profit pays no taxes on these two properties:

Treasurer's Bill: Lake County, IL



Treasurer's Bill: Lake County, IL
It's perfectly legal. All you need to do is file the necessary paperwork ...

Illinois Secretary of State -- CORPORATION/LLC SEARCH RESULTS
And you don't even have to be a current non-profit to realize those gains!

Illinois Secretary of State -- CORPORATION/LLC SEARCH RESULTS
Next Week ...

Formula OPM: The Donald J Trump classified secrets to real estate with zero dollars down!

Monday, November 28, 2016

Land of the Free

Lake County is being sued in Federal Court, and not by Donald Trump this time. The County has been sued by its Township Assessors and property owners, who want to roll back the 2016 assessment, according to the Daily Herald:
Assessors sue Lake County over property-value feud
Now, as readers of this blog are certainly aware ...
Comparison Shopping
You don't have to go to court to get your property values lowered. The smart way is to file for non-profit status.

For instance, this non-profit pays no taxes on this property ...

Treasurer's Bill: Lake County, IL
That's because non-profits are exempt from property taxes ...

Illinois Secretary of State -- CORPORATION/LLC SEARCH RESULTS
And as a bonus, you don't even have to be a current non-profit to realize those gains!

Illinois Secretary of State -- CORPORATION/LLC SEARCH RESULTS
Note to Ops: Charity begins at home. Nuff Said!

Thursday, November 24, 2016

Down for the Recount

How're they hanging? Lake County is being sued in federal court for a recount.

According to the Daily Herald:
The assessors in Grant, Cuba, Libertyville, Ela and Vernon townships have sued Lake County Chief Assessment Officer Marty Paulson, Lake County Treasurer David Stolman, the county and the county's board of review in federal court in Chicago. Seven Lake County property owners also are plaintiffs in the case. In a news release, the assessors claimed Paulson is blocking the township assessors from properly valuing land, and that Paulson reversed thousands of property value changes they made.
Assessors sue Lake County over property-value feud
One source told your LakeCountyEye: "The sooner those assessors can recount our property values, the sooner everyone will spend more cash on Black Friday bargains!"

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

Gobble Gobble!

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Too Taxing?

Voters typically aren't given the opportunity on election day to vote for free beer. But some Lake County residents were asked to vote for nearly the same thing:
Advisory referendum questions in Wauconda and Fox River Grove asked residents if they'd prefer to vote on the matter whenever a taxing body wishes to increase property taxes by any amount. The measures, backed by the conservative, anti-tax advocacy group Americans for Prosperity, passed overwhelmingly: 90 percent of Wauconda voters approved it and 91 percent of Fox River Grove voters did the same.
Anti-tax advisory measures pass overwhelmingly in Wauconda, Fox River Grove
Pollsters are baffled that a whopping 10% of the electorate would vote against lower taxes.

As luck would have it, your LakeCountyEye conducted an exit poll, and those 10% of the voters responded ...

Is this a Trick Question?
Note to Ops: The 2017 consolidated election will be here sooner than you think! The last day to file your advisory ballot referendum question is January 3 2017 ...
Q:Should Lake County Build a Route 53 Extension ... and Make Mexico Pay for It!

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

It's the Economy, Stupid

the best presidency money can buy It has come to your LakeCountyEye's attention that there was an election last week. And that the next President of the United States will be Donald Trump.

Huh?

When truth is stranger than fiction your LakeCountyEye gets hold of the one person who can separate the wheat from the crap, Dr. I.M. Bhatschidtkhrazzi, College of Lake County visiting Historian of Presidential Erections.

"Ya." said Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "Electing Donald Trump is like electing (former Congressman) Joe Walsh to be President -- except with bad hair."

The nightmare scenario, your LakeCountyEye had to concede.

"This is why the Founding Fathers believed the office of President too important to be left to the whims of the voter." offered Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "I'll bet you thought the Presidential election was on November 8. Guess again -- when you voted, you did not vote for a President. The Republic will choose a new President on December 19."

Your LakeCountyEye did not follow.

"When you voted last Tuesday," explained Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi, "You voted to appoint electors to the Electoral College."

Ah, no one expects the Electoral College.

"And not only that," continued Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "You may have voted for electors, but those electors are bound by no constraint to vote for the candidate chosen by the voters."

They're not?

"Nothing in the US Constitution that says so." chuckled Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "Your vote is only a recommendation. The 538 presidential electors are free to vote for whosoever they want."

Anyone?

"Anyone. Living or dead." smiled Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "If you are a Presidential elector then your vote is a valuable commodity. Enterprising electors could be able to monetize the ballot by offering their votes to the highest bidder."

Monetize the vote?  That sounded like bribery to your LakeCountyEye. Isn't that against the law?

"Nothing in the US Constitution that says so." deadpanned Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "Besides, the stated goal of the GOP is to privatize nonessential government functions. Why not privatize the Electoral College? Electors could post their services with an online auction marketplace. TaskRabbit comes to mind."

Your LakeCountyEye was nonplussed. Privatize the Electoral College?

"Donald Trump promised to make America rich again." grinned Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "A good place to start would be the Electoral College. That would send a strong signal to the American people."

Your LakeCountyEye was not listening. Lalalala.

"Open your eyes." shouted Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi. "This is an opportunity to make your vote really count. There must be dozens of electors out there who could use a few extra bucks. You'd be surprised. Especially electors from rural and low-income Red States."

Your LakeCountyEye heard enough. Did Dr. Bhatschidtkhrazzi have any parting advice?

"Tell your Operatives there is still time to raise the necessary capital on GoFundMe or Kickstarter -- while those Electoral Votes are still cheap. I hear they are currently going for about $5000 a pop!"

Saturday, November 12, 2016

Crooked Peter Roskam

Note to Ops in the 6th Congressional District: Look for yellow police tape around your mailbox outside. That postbox may be a crime scene -- if you received this recent mailer from Peter Roskam:
The Roskam mailer was franked -- it was paid for by the taxpayers ...
This same Roskam mailer arrived in mailboxes in early October despite the fact that it is against the law to frank mail before an election:
A Member may not send any unsolicited mass mailing or mass communication less than 90 days immediately before the date of any primary or general election (whether regular, special, or runoff) in which the Member is a candidate for public office.
2015-2016 Election Blackout Dates | Committee on House Administration
When informed of Peter Roskam's illegal use of the mail, President-Elect Trump told reporters ...
Lock him up! Lock him up! Lock him up!
Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Water Quality and Quantity: Visions for Our Streams and Rivers


Adlai Stevenson Center on Democracy
The Chicago area is home to three important rivers - the Chicago, Calumet and Des Plaines. Experts will present ideas on how to make them cleaner, more accessible to the public and sustainable. Kara Riggio, Manager, Metropolitan Planning Council Three Rivers Project, and Patricia Werner, Planning Supervisor for Lake County Stormwater Management Commission will examine how to balance choices such as flooding or fishing; polluting or paddling; run off or land restoration and ideas for public/private land and water collaboration.
  • Sunday
    November 13, 2016
    2:00 pm
  • The Stevenson Center on Democracy
    25200 N St Mary's Rd
    Mettawa (Libertyville), IL 60048
    847-816-7433
  • $15
    No Charge for Students

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

The Trump Card

The Daily Herald sent out a staff photographer get some snapshots at the polls today.  And who do you think was there ... none other than Peter Roskam:

Polls busy, but lines short in many suburbs
Note to Ops: If you are a man-of-leisure, then the best time to set up a photo-op at your voting booth is mid-day -- when the lines are short, and opportunities to co-mingle with your constituents are few.

Roskam (Lake County's vestigial Congressman) told the Herald that he was voting for a third party candidate by the name of Free Media. Haha, j/k, Roskam voted for Donald Trump.

Roskam's vote is expected to give Trump the necessary 270 electoral votes to become the 45th President of the United States. In case of an Electoral College deadlock, Roskam can vote for Trump again, when Congress meets to break the tie.

The Trump transition team has already offered Peter Roskam an ambassadorship, to Benghazi. However sources say that Roskam is holding out for the job of IRS Commissioner.

Your LakeCountyEye will keep you apprised when further developments warrant.

Monday, November 7, 2016

Spare the Rod Spoil the Child

It looks like the Russian KGB agents may have hacked into roddrobinski.com ...


roddrobinski.com


Note to Rod Drobinski campaign operatives: It's easy to change the passwords. And be sure to use a strong password like ...
roddrobinski
Just sayin!

Sunday, November 6, 2016

One Trick Pony

Does Aaron Lawlor have a new dirty job waiting for him on Wednesday morning after the election? The Lake County Board Commissioner may want to consider a new career in video voice-overs. Here, Lawlor does his spot-on Mister Ed impression:

Dirty Jobs: Meet Gerri's One-Trick Pony, Whoa-Is-Me
Hello Wilbur!

Friday, November 4, 2016

Newspaper Silence on Roskam's Sins

We received a press release recently that has us scratching our heads. Lake County's Congressman, Peter Roskam, apparently violated the Congressional rules on postage and spent taxpayer dollars illegally. Just like Dan Rostenkowski did back in the day.

Maybe the press is too focused on Hillary's emails and Trump's newest outrage, but you'd think Wasting Taxpayer Dollars would get some MSM ears pricked up. But no. Crickets. So the Lake County Eye has the honor of breaking this story. Enjoy.

 ************
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Palatine Committeeman Files Taxpayer Complaint Against Rep. Peter Roskam

A legal complaint against Rep. Peter Roskam (R-6th) was filed Tuesday by Palatine Township Committeeman Matt Flamm. The complaint concerns a taxpayer-paid (“franked”) mailing that Rep. Roskam sent the first week of October. Such mailings are prohibited within 90 days of an officeholder's election by the Commission on Congressional Mailing Standards, with whom the complaint was filed.

 “Our representatives in Congress should not be allowed to use taxpayer money to promote themselves to voters this close to the election,” said Flamm. “These rules are in place for a reason – to prevent Congressmen from taking advantage of their position to waste our taxpayer dollars promoting themselves right before an election.”

The mailing used Rep. Roskam's signature instead of postage and specifically notes on its face that the mailer was “prepared, published and mailed at taxpayer expense.”

The Sixth Congressional District covers part of five counties in the west and northwest suburbs including DuPage, Cook, Lake, McHenry and Kane. Flamm is a resident of the Sixth Congressional District and filed the complaint as a constituent of Roskam's.

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Cubs Win!

loserYour LakeCountyEye has important breaking news to report: Surprising most pollsters, the Chicago Cubs has been declared winner of the US Presidential Election.

This marks the first time a third-party candidate has been elected US president since 1908. Historians can also note that the Chicago Cubs will be the first Ursine-American elected President of the United States.

Operatives are advised to update their calendars:
Jan 20 2017: Inauguration Day
Feb 28 2017: Spring Training Begins
Apr 03 2017: Opening Day
Your LakeCountyEye sends congrats to the President-Elect Chicago Cubs.

Sunday, October 30, 2016

Ad Hominem

An unretouched screencap from salon.com ...

It takes a village idiot:
Thanks to Donald Trump, the president may be chosen by a fourth-grade mentality
Note to Aaron Lawlor Campaign Operatives. Maybe you should think about posting your pop-up ads on a less potentially embarrassing website instead:

cornify.com
Just sayin!

Friday, October 28, 2016

Fathead

Lake County's U.S. Senator Mark Kirk was caught, on-the-record again, saying something thoughtless ...
At one point, Duckworth talked about her family's long history of involvement in the U.S. military, describing herself as a "daughter of the American Revolution" who has "bled for this nation." When it was Kirk's turn to offer a rebuttal, he offered a single sentence: "I had forgotten that your parents came all the way from Thailand to serve George Washington."
More aggressive Kirk goes after Duckworth in second debate, questions her family's heritage
To illustrate the story, the Chicago Tribune chose this AP feed photo ...
Note to Mark Kirk for Senate Campaign Operatives. Maybe you should think about providing the Tribune with a good press photo of the boss ...
Just sayin!

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Six No Trump

The tireless tax fighters at the McHenryCountyBlog may stop at nothing to tirelessly fight taxes ...
But at the same time, those same tax fighters don't mind seeing plenty of those tax dollars spent on fighting crime -- no matter how picayune the transgression ...
Filed my fifth police report with Lakewood about another Donald Trump sign that disappeared.
Another Stolen Trump Sign – Up To, Is It 6 Now?
It is not known how many McHenry County tax dollars have been spent, so far, investigating the Trump Sign Heist. But your LakeCountyEye suspects that law enforcement can quickly close the case if they focus their investigation toward Lake County ...


Just sayin!

Monday, October 24, 2016

Code Red

Candidate for Lake County State's Attorney, Michael Nerheim has got the blessing of some big guns ...
Note to Ops: Does anyone know Morse Code?

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Smarter, Smaller, Bullisher

Operatives who want to visit saloon.com are advised to turn off their URL autocorrect. Otherwise (if they are like your LakeCountyEye) they will end up at salon.com.

Here is an actual unretouched screencap taken from the SALON homepage ...

BULLSH**TER OF THE DAY
If the photo looks familiar, that grin belongs to Lake County Board Chair, Aaron Lawlor ...
Lawlor's running mate appears to be Hillary Clinton:
Note to Ops: Early voting has already started. Don't forget to voice your opinion ...
AdBlock

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Peter Out

framing the debate At the League of Women Voters debate this week, Peter Roskam did not say he would accept the election results in November.

Haha, j/k.

No, wait -- as a simple matter of fact, Peter Roskam did not say he would accept the election results at the League of Women Voters debate. That's because Roskam did not show up at the debate. Since 2006 ...
according to several League of Women Voters groups in Roskam's 6th Congressional District, he has not appeared at their forums for a debate, and he will not be attending this year's forum scheduled for Oct. 16.
Rep. Peter Roskam will again miss League of Women Voters candidate forum
Haha -- and speaking of the old brushoff, Roskam (Lake County's vestigial congressman) has been avoiding the media, as well ...
U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam, R-Wheaton, walked away from reporters on Monday who asked about the effect of Donald Trump on the Republican Party. "Oh heaven help me," Roskam said as he turned and left the College of DuPage in west suburban Glen Ellyn.
Roskam Walks Away After Facing Repeated Questions About Trump
Roskam is reluctant to publicly acknowledge his kamikaze candidate for President, Donald Trump. One spokesman said, "Congressman Roskam wants to talk about the issues the voters care about: Benghazi, Benghazi and Benghazi."

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Ixnay on the Ipflopflay

When your LakeCountyEye asked the Magic 8-Ball ...
Is Peter Roskam a Flip-Flopper?
The Magic 8-Ball said ...
REPLY HAZY TRY AGAIN
Haha, as readers of this blog are aware ...
Flip. Flop. Repeat.
Peter Roskam's mood-swings over GOP presidential nominee, Donald Trump, have grown so frequent that the media has taken notice:
Just hours after saying U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam was planning to vote for Donald Trump, spokesman David Pasch on Tuesday rescinded the remark.
Roskam flip-flops on Trump; now undecided
Sharpeyed Operatives, however, tell your LakeCountyEye that the link above goes to a Daily Herald story with a different headline:
Just hours after saying U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam was planning to vote for Donald Trump, spokesman David Pasch on Tuesday rescinded the remark.
In one day, Roskam goes from planning to vote for Donald Trump to undecided
The same story now has a headline with the word Flip-Flop omitted.

As luck would have it, old Daily Herald stories are frequently preserved by the Internet Archive. And a quick check shows that as of October 11 the Daily Herald headline indeed had been:
Roskam flip-flops on Trump; now undecided


Internet Archive: Wayback Machine
Did the Roskam campaign use its influence to get the F-Word removed from this Daily Herald headline?

The Magic 8-Ball says ...
WITHOUT A DOUBT

Friday, October 14, 2016

Flip. Flop. Repeat.

Def:
TRUMP FLIP-FLOP
[trŭmp.flĭp.flŏp′]
noun.
  1. A hairstyle in which the hair is dyed orange, grown long on one side of the head, and combed over the top of the head to cover a bald spot.

  2. Peter Roskam.

His constituents may think that Peter Roskam, Lake County's vestigial congressman, has flipped his lid. Roskam's on-the-record verbal gymnastics have everyone confused -- just where does Peter Roskam stand on his Party's Candidate for President, Donald Trump?

Only last week, Roskam was flipping out over the prospect of a President Trump ...
During a recent meeting with the Daily Herald editorial board, Roskam called the election a "binary choice." He said he views Donald Trump as a "wild card" who he was "choosing to vote for ... over the unworthy candidate."
Suburban Republicans in Congress weigh words on Trump carefully
But by Tuesday of this week, the Trump-reality-show is a big flop for Roskam ...
Just hours after saying U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam was planning to vote for Donald Trump, spokesman David Pasch on Tuesday rescinded the remark.
Roskam flip-flops on Trump; now undecided
On Wednesday, Peter Roskam LALALALA cannot hear the Trump flapdoodle LALALALA ...
Asked whether Roskam still intended to vote for Trump, Roskam spokesman Davis Pasch would not comment.
Roskam's flip-flop on Trump
As of Thursday ... well, haha, who the heck knows ...
In an interesting turn of events this past week, Rep. Peter Roskam publicly backed Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, then claimed he was undecided about the race and ultimately returned to backing the divisive billionaire.
Rep. Roskam Flip-Flops, Then Flips Back to Backing Trump: Report
Flippin awesome!

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Restorative Community Court: A New Approach to Juvenile Justice


Adlai Stevenson Center on Democracy
Join Judge Colleen F. Sheehan to discuss the current state of Juvenile Justice in Illinois. Learn about current reforms and innovations such as the historic Cook County Restorative Justice Community Court, a first in Cook County. Explore solutions regarding police and community conflict. Discover how you can help repair the harm from crime, reduce costs associated with incarceration and contribute to neighborhood safety.
  • Sunday
    October 16, 2016
    2:00 pm
  • The Stevenson Center on Democracy
    25200 N St Mary's Rd
    Mettawa (Libertyville), IL 60048
    847-816-7433
  • $15
    No Charge for Students

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Election Fright

boo Note to Operatives: Keep an eye peeled for a heavyset man with orange hair, thick makeup, and a baggy suit, stalking candidates in Lake County. Is Donald Trump in town? Nope -- Ops are advised to be on the lookout for creepy clowns:
On Wednesday, Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran put out a statement saying his department will take proactive measures against individuals acting disorderly while wearing costumes or dressed as clowns, a new trend known as "creepy clown." "The Lake County Sheriff's Office will aggressively investigate anyone who dresses in a costume, wears a mask, disguises themselves, while making threats or acting disorderly toward others," Curran said.
Clown report that put school on lockdown was false
While these reports of creepy clowns have been hoaxes, countywide zombie sightings are a real concern. According to the News-Sun, the Route 53 Extension has become a "zombie highway" -- and is now haunted by sucker-punched public servants infected with the zombie virus. The zombie stampede was sparked by Lake County Chair Aaron Lawlor when he helter-skelter dropped his support for the road project in May. Evacuation plans are now being prepared ahead of the impending Route 53 zombie apocalypse, and ...
Lawlor made that necessary on May 16 by publicly changing his mind. He had been really for it. But then he was really against it. Zombies normally aren't so fickle.
Rutter: Highway 53 planning process goes all zombie
One important question remains unanswered. Who would win in a fair fight -- a zombie or a creepy clown? Operatives will know on November 8 -- both Donald Trump and Aaron Lawlor are on the Lake County ballot.

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Whoopsie Drobinski?

What do you call it when you forget to do something important? A senior moment? A crime? Depends on what you forget.

I’ve discovered an interesting website recently that suggests that the line between forgetfulness and criminality may be brighter than some people think.
To quote the website, called www.illinoiscitizenforce.com,
"For approximately 18 months after his mother passed away, Rod Drobinski continued to collect her monthly pension check."
Rod Drobinski Sued for Pension Scam
www.illinoiscitizenforce.com/roddrobinski/


Rod Drobinski is running for state representative in District 62 against incumbent Sam Yingling.

Aren’t State Representatives the ones in charge of the state’s pension funds?

Drobinski was sued in Federal Court by the Abbott Employees Retirement Plan and forced to return $19,004.55 of his mother’s pension that he kept for himself after his mother passed away in 2005.

Qualified to solve our state’s pension problems? I don’t think so.

Saturday, October 8, 2016

No Signature Required

Pop Quiz: Name one politician who said some things in the past that he shouldn't have, and surely regrets it now. The correct answer is Lake County State's Attorney Michael Nerheim -- who in 2014, took credit for a major racketeering investigation against a street gang:
"This case signifies a commitment to our new approach at tackling gangs, guns and drugs," Nerheim said. "We will continue to aggressively seek out and prosecute those that bring drugs and violence into our community."
Cops: 21 alleged gang members, associates busted in 'Operation Shut Down the Hustle'
Well that was then but this is now. That year-long RICO case (where 21 people were charged) may be falling apart -- because Nerheim failed to properly issue search warrants:
Lake County Judge George Strickland ruled prosecutors cannot use the wiretap evidence in trials because paperwork seeking the wiretaps was not signed by Lake County State's Attorney Michael Nerheim, as required by law. Nerheim said he didn't specifically sign each wiretap order, but he authorized the chief of his office's gang and narcotic unit in writing to obtain the wiretaps.
Wiretap ruling threatens case against reputed gang members
Whether this lack of due-diligence was the result of systemic incompetence or merely a random screwup, Michael Nerheim will be on the ballot in the November election. And voters can rest assured that there could very well be a simple explanation why Nerheim was unable to complete the necessary paperwork on a multi-agency investigation. Ten, by your LakeCountyEye's reckoning:
10 Plausible Excuses for Neglecting to Sign a Search Warrant
  1. Unable to get out of jury duty.

  2. The robo-signature machine is on the fritz.

  3. These warrants are clearly stamped:
      DO NOT SIGN DOCUMENT WITHOUT READING IN ENTIRETY

  4. An attack of the yips.

  5. Never signs anything unless a lawyer is present.

  6. Spent way too much time on his 2016 absentee ballot ...


  7. Got pranked with disappearing ink.

  8. Claims a long-term carpal-tunnel disability ...

  9. ... from signing a truckload of wrongful prosecution judgment checks.

  10. Brain fart.
Look for your LakeCountyEye crossing the T's and dotting the I's near you.

Friday, October 7, 2016

Three Sheets to the Wind

There is someone in McHenry County with sticky fingers. According to the tireless trumpsters at the McHenryCountyBlog ...
Went out Monday to get the mail and discovered another Donald Trump for President sign missing. This is the third. I filed another Police Report.
Third Trump Sign Stolen
Note to Ops: If you've been commissioned to investigate this crime, eBay has a 3-pack of Trump signs on sale for only $37.50 ...
eBay
A steal!

Sunday, October 2, 2016

You Said "Johnson"

World's Greatest Newspaper
Q:Take away his unbelievably fabulous supermodel trophywife from Donald Trump and what do you have left?
A:Gary Johnson
Haha, Libertarian Candidate for President Gary Johnson has been in the news lately. More specifically, in the Chicago Tribune. The Tribune (which had endorsed Donald Trump wannabee Bruce Rauner for Governor in 2014) blinked -- and declined to endorse Donald Trump for President. Then the Tribune blinked again and endorsed Gary Johnson.

The thinking in Tribune Tower, apparently, is that the enemy of your enemy is not Hillary Clinton. No, that person is a Libertarian candidate -- one who will not poll any better than another spoiler candidate, Ralph Nader, did in the 2000 Presidential Election.

The blogosphere was none too pleased:
LOL! Chicago Tribune tells its readers to vote for Gary Johnson

Trump drives the media nuts, literally: The Chicago Tribune’s delusional Gary Johnson endorsement is a symptom of a deeper illness

What the Hell Is the Chicago Tribune Thinking?
A Gary Johnson endorsement? Really?
On behalf of 400 lb bloggers, on beds throughout the blogosphere, your LakeCountyEye's subscription to the Tribune would have immediately been cancelled. Had there been one.

Sources tell your LakeCountyEye, however, that the Trump for President campaign reads this blog every day. So your LakeCountyEye thought up ten insulting names to call the Chicago Tribune.

Go nuts, Donald:
The 10 Absolute Classiest
Sarcastic Names for the Chicago Tribune
  1. Chicago Buffoon
  2. Chicago Poltroon
  3. Chicago Silver Spoon
  4. Chicago Looneytoon
  5. Chicago Hot Air Balloon
  6. Chicago Jejune
  7. Chicago Full Moon
  8. Chicago Picayune
  9. Chicago Hockey Goon
  10. Chicago Douche Platoon
Look for your LakeCountyEye spoon 'neath the moon in June near you.

Friday, September 30, 2016

Shadow Congressman

Your LakeCountyEye has been up all night, generating fake Trump Tweets: But your LakeCountyEye only got the attention of the Daily Herald when Peter Roskam refused to participate in a League of Women Voters debate. Impersonating a League representative, your LakeCountyEye sent this Tweet to Roskam:
The Daily Herald printed this story the next day:
Could there be a debate between 6th District U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam and his Democratic opponent for the first time in eight years? A coalition of suburban League of Women Voters groups is pushing hard for one.
Lester: Will Roskam debate for first time in 8 years?
Those who do not know what Peter Roskam looks like, and care to see him in the flesh, should reserve a seat at the Oct. 16 League of Women Voters debate in Glen Ellyn.

Haha, j/k. Lake County's vestigial Congressman Peter Roskam has not debated a Democratic opponent since 2008. This is what a Roskam spokesman told the Daily Herald:
"As you know, he is regularly available to his constituents on the telephone, at town halls, at meetings around the district, and at his local office," spokesman David Pasch wrote in an emailed statement.
Lester: Will Roskam debate for first time in 8 years?
Sources say that Peter Roskam will accept the League's invitation provided he is allowed to debate via speakerphone. The same source told your LakeCountyEye that Roskam looks a little like Charlie's Angels ...