Teacher's strike over, students go back to class Friday

I will refer you to The Sixth Ward as I posted some updates about the most recent developments earlier today.

You can read details about it in the Sun-Times. Here's a post from CPS ig!

NFL Rules: The evolution

[VIDEO] Since later tonite football fans will be tuned into Thursday Night Football on FOX I found this recent video talking about the evolution of rules within the National Football League. Believe it or not this year we're celebrating the 100th anniversary of the NFL, and it's fitting to see the evolution of professional football especially with the rulebook.

Believe it or not you can read the NFL rules here. I understood that NFL play was based on college rules, however, what doesn't always occur to me is how much different the college game is from the professional game. Besides you want to drum up interest in professional football as that's where the big bucks are! 

Springfield's response to the Chicago teacher's strike #twill

It's interesting to not only see some news about negotiation, especially about trying to negotiation issues that don't belong in a collective bargaining contract. However, the all powerful speaker of the state house of representatives is demonstrating that while he support CTU he won't attempt to advance any bills for them during this strike. Via Capitol Fax

Madigan defers consideration of CTU-backed bills until spring session https://t.co/fOlMBzNKzM

— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) October 30, 2019

BTW, I do have to add I had no idea the mayor opposes an elected school board. It was noted in the post linked above.

Meanwhile today marks 10 days out of school for CPS students.

CTA Red Line extension update

Rendering 103rd Street Red Line station - CTA 

Over at The Sixth Ward on Tuesday I shared a tweet to a Curbed Chicago article with regards to various upcoming transit projects throughout the city. One project that many who live near the 95th terminal is the planned CTA Red Line extension. One reason that Curbed article was of interest to me is the seeming progress in which case is to merely fund engineering & design work.

Of course the reason for this interest is mainly the safety and activity of the area. The 95th terminal is one of the busiest of the CTA. The CTA Red Line connects with not only CTA and Pace suburban bus routes, also intercity bus services with Greyhound and Indian Trails buses. So there's definitely a lot of activity there especially during the week.

The main thing is building this extension further south to the city's southern limits might mean less activity at 95th. Or perhaps hopefully for local leaders in the community less opportunities for criminal activity. Either way another stated and important purpose for this extension is to cut commuting times for those individuals who must use public transit who must travel to other parts of the city.

No CPS classes in 8 days

This was on the Capitol Fax blog yesterday, Rich Miller isn't buying whatever numbers the teacher's union has been using.

Why I’m not buying the numbers that the CTU is selling https://t.co/u6bFh5bozS

— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) October 28, 2019

Meanwhile CPS has a struck a deal with SEIU over the weekend as they still continue negotiations with the teachers.

Also I've been using social media to keep up with the strike to the best of my ability. From CPS's FB page to the Chicago Teacher's Union ig in addition to CapFax. My apologies for not keeping up with any updates with regards to negotiations between CPS and CTU on this blog.

Today marks the 8th straight day of cancelled classes for CPS students and this is considered the longest strike since 1987.

My hope is that classes will resume for CPS students and soon! 

Train Odyssey: Amtrak City of New Orleans

[VIDEO] One of my favorite YouTubers is youtuuba who likes to make videos about his various train odysseys on the Amtrak system. Recently he took a trip south on board The City of New Orleans train which he documents for us. This three hour video is only a part one, presumably part two shows us his journey on board Amtrak's Crescent train from New Orleans to Philadelphia. I will show part two once it's available.

As a frame of reference using some of my own YouTube videos. This train when it leaves Union Station backs out of the station and heads west on tracks that are a few blocks from 18th street. Or the tracks it heads west on will take you towards Cicero, Berwyn, Naperville, Aurora. Once the train backs up the train moves forward heading through the Sloop and then moves south along Lake Shore Drive through McCormick Place.

The train continues south eventually going through the neighborhoods of Bronzeville, Hyde Park, Woodlawn, Grand Crossing, Chatham, Roseland, and Pullman. Basically as it goes along Lake Shore Drive eventually the train will be coasting along Stony Island then Cottage Grove until leaving the Chicago city limits. The train will continue to go south going diagonally through the state of Illinois making stops in Kankakee, Champaign-Urbana, and Carbondale before leaving the state into Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and then to its final destination in New Orleans.

Here's some video I shot about my last trip on The City of New Orleans during the summer of 2018 as we ride through Bronzeville, Hyde Park, and Woodlawn. [VIDEO]

Capitol Fax: Must-see CPS strike videos

[VIDEO] The first video you see above was shared Friday on CapFax is of strike teacher's mocking Michael Jackson's thriller. I' giving them credit for making this strike entertaining at least. That video among other teacher's strike fun.

Must-see CPS strike videos https://t.co/T1IP3tuIXz

— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) October 25, 2019

"The Current War"

Often when I see period pieces such as The Current War I will be surrounded by the elderly. They seem more interested in historic films such as this which is basically a story of the competition between Thomas Edison and his direct current vs. George Westinghouse and his alternating current.

It's amazing to know the history of how homes and businesses receive their electricity. While it's noted that Thomas Edison had invented the light bulb (most of us may remember this from school hopefully), it was essentially Westinghouse who may not be as well known aside from a company that bore his name who won this "current war" with his DC power.

And I was somewhat bothered by the three or so Black men in the movie. One was a reporter, another was portrayed a wealthy man, and the last one worked for Edison. Upon checking out the wiki page the Black man working for Edison is a Black inventor named Lewis Latimer. And somehow I believed he belonged there, the other two perhaps it was just Hollywood being very inclusive in a period movie where Blacks just weren't yet treated as equals.

I shouldn't forget the contribution of one Nicola Tesla. He was portrayed in this film as one odd character. I'm sure he was a genius who made the difference in the competition between DC and AC. Sorry to know that he never profited from his contributions.

A Chicago connection in this film is Samuel Insull who worked for Edison who undeniably resembles Peter Parker as Spider-Man 😛. Insull had some holdings in a few Chicago-area utilities such as People's Gas and Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) and he definitely had some local transportation interests that includes the South Shore interurban and a predecessor to the Chicago Transit Authority. Alas he was another who ultimately died penniless.

I remember seeing trailers for this film over two years ago and had little idea it got caught up in that scandal involving Harvey Weinstein. I'm glad another company picked this film up and redistributed it. I'm glad to have seen this film depicting one of the great achievements of the late 19th century. It was great to see how the world we we knew it a century later came to be. [VIDEO]

Chicago Teacher's strike updates

I haven't done a great job at keeping up with the strike so far on this blog. Classes have been cancelled all week for CPS students due to this impasse between the city and the teacher's union. Here are some items that might interest you from during the week via CapFax.

Reason: Why 'Free College' Is a Terrible Idea

[VIDEO] This video from Reason.tv talks about alternatives to getting a baccalaureate degree spending money for four years of study. As opposed to taking advantages of different vocational or pre-professional programs that are designed to get you ready for the world of work. One could argue for what colleges expect you to study is what you take these classes for preparing you for day one on the job.

Governor's mansion history from Curbed...

I liked this history of the state's Governor's Mansion and of all the work done to that Springfield house since it was first built. Of course all is noted in light of the renovations that will start this month and end just in time for the holidays. Via Curbed Chicago

After $15 million update in 2018, the Governor’s Mansion will close for more renovations. https://t.co/ktq0b7Th5o pic.twitter.com/Iqjcl1NPJ0

— Curbed Chicago (@curbedchicago) October 4, 2019

One thing to remember is that Gov. J.B. Pritzker will pay for these renovations out of his pocket!

No resolution to the teacher's strike yet...

Rich Miller shares a quick response to Mayor Lori Lightfoot's attempt to end the strike and get teachers back in classrooms.

CTU to Lightfoot: Nope https://t.co/Ahlx0zDSOw

— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) October 21, 2019

Teacher's strike started on Thursday

[VIDEO] I shot this video wating for a bus in front of CPS HQ on Thursday morning when the strike started. It's amazing that the crowd grew as the day went on from this small group to shutting down Madison Street on that day. I'll share an IG post of this.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by R.A.G.E. (@rage_englewood) on Oct 17, 2019 at 12:56pm PDT

What's inside of the White House

[VIDEO] After many trips to Washington, DC over the years back in 2006 I was able to tour the White House. The tour I had back then never took me to the West Wing and the Oval Office which would've been cool.

This video above shows you the layout of the White House in addition to both the west and east wings of the complex. I wouldn't mind going on a tour of the White House again in the future. Perhaps this could be another "field trip" for this blog...

Frank I Bennett elementary gets a new electronic sign

I've been wanting to get a pic of the new signage outside of Bennett Elementary and did so this past weekend. Too bad that the electronic sign outside of Bennett's main entrance isn't on at all. Is it even on during school days? What information is presented on this board?

Also this on the front fence of Bennett School near the main entrance. It reflects Bennett's new identity Bennett Pride. Hand made letters which is certainly a nice touch.

However, I'm old school and will continue to consider myself a badger. 😛

Prager U on Frederick Douglass

[VIDEO] This video from Prager U of anti-slavery and civil rights activist Frederick Douglass reminds me of the book we had been assigned in the 8th grade. It was Douglass' autobiography:
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Written by Himself.

Thank goodness for the internet as this book is in the public domain. You can read it off the internet and not get hit because of copyright and probably publish your own copy of his book if you want! 

This vid was presented by Timothy Sadefur author of Frederick Douglass Self-Made Man.

#Grouch and SNL ruins a childhood classic

[VIDEO] Presumably this sketch aired recently on Saturday Night Live and it's based on the long running PBS children's TV program Seasame Street. This sketch actually parodies Joker which is currently out at a theater near you.

This was another TV program that as a child I was able to get away with watching. These days I hardly watch the show, and perhaps it's because I believe the hype about some aspects of their political based humor. It might just be because longtime producer Lorne Michaels doesn't like improv. All the same some aspects of the comedy on SNL is often formulaic and flat. Simply put I feel as if I've seen the same type of sketch over and over again.

Either way, this sketch works in spite of the title. Many of the muppets have human counterparts in this film. The Count, Big Bird, Bert & Ernie, Cookie Monster, and even Elmo makes an appearance in this film. We hear a very dramatic rendition of the Sesame Street theme as it sounds so dark and gritty. 😂

The title character of Grouch is a man named Oscar who fulfills the "Joker" role. Although I don't think of Oscar in the same vein as Joker. I feel like in dark way Grouch is more of a hero than exists in the Joker movie.

If they made this film in real life not just a sketch, I'd pay to see it. Hopefully David Harbour who plays Grouchy in this sketch would become part of it! 

Teacher's strike: Small number of Chicago voters oppose strike

I'm posting this now although this is a late 9:00 AM post because it's important. Rich Miller posted about a poll with regards to whether or not Chicagoans oppose a teacher's strike. Only 38% oppose a teacher's strike.

Poll: Just 38 percent of Chicago voters oppose CTU strike https://t.co/A14GZCDUq4

— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) October 15, 2019

How does Lori Lightfoot as Mayor of Chicago settle this?

Tribune: Mayor says CTU ‘refusing to negotiate in good faith;' union calls city offer ‘half-baked’

The latest update about the talks between Chicago's teachers and the city. The final offer by the city was rejected by the teachers union. Ugh...

Capitol Fax: CTU wants to negotiate affordable housing issues

I'm sorry to have missed this from Wednesday. Chicago's teachers want to address the issue of affordable housing for CPS students and their families. Of course the city doesn't think contract negotiations were the right place to address this issue. Via Capitol Fax

CTU wants to negotiate affordable housing issues https://t.co/eeWL9tFAx1

— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) October 9, 2019

WTTW: What’s Next in Lead-Up to a Chicago Teachers Strike?

Still some more news as we head to an October 17th deadline for a teacher's strike. This is a portion of what's next from Chicago Tonight:

The Chicago Teachers Union has set a strike date of Oct. 17, but the deadline for the city to come to a deal with the 25,000-member union may be sooner.

This year, the union’s 700-member House of Delegates – which represents teachers across the city – passed a resolution requiring CTU leadership to bring any tentative deals back to an emergency meeting of those delegates. Those members would then decide whether to call off a strike.

Theoretically, this means even if a contract deal is reached at the 11th hour, teachers could be on the picket lines Oct. 17, and remain there until delegates have reviewed the contract and decided whether to accept the city’s offer.

Sources in CTU say members were angered when, in 2016, union leadership called off a strike after reaching a deal right around the midnight deadline. Some teachers woke up and went to the classroom – instead of the picket line – without knowing the terms of the deal; others were angered at the content of the deal and the fact that CTU had called off the strike without their input.

Very interesting. I still hope there will be no strike.

It's hockey season...

[VIDEO] Which is my excuse to share this throwback this morning. The station WBKB channel 7 is now WLS and they did a 50 min special about the Chicago Black Hawks back in 1964.

Back then the NHL only had six teams. The Black Hawks had won a Stanley Cup three years earlier. And I'm sure their old home Chicago Stadium features as they show the team's fanbase. It's interesting to see the many old players including one Stan Mikita who passed away last year.

I just wonder how popular hockey was in the 1960s as opposed to now. I'm guessing at this point there was a world of difference.

Chicago's teachers: What are the issues?

I know I've kept on eye on this strike talk for at least the past month. WBEZ has a page that let's you know what the issues are between the city and the Chicago Teachers Union. Perhaps in the posts I've published so far perhaps you've seen some discussion on them.

Mr. Beat presents Plessy v. Ferguson...

[VIDEO] This recent video from Mr. Beat talks about the landmark 1896 case of Plessy vs. Ferguson which establishes the principle of "separate but equal". The decision in this case essentially upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation. This case is over racial accomodations on a train. This case has been referred to as one of the worst decisions by the Supreme Court of the United States.

Until watching this video I was woefully ignorant of this case. It's interesting that a man named Plessy in addition to a conductor and a police detective knew that Plessy was "colored". They knew what law to pick to arrest him as he wasn't in the appropriate accommodations for those who are "colored" or Black. It's also interesting that the railroad didn't really want to spend money to provide separate accommodations on their trains between Blacks and whites. Ahhh I see what's going on, this was "civil disobedience" the arrest of Plessy was staged to provoke a court case.

Another interesting piece of trivia with regards to this case, the lone dissenter in this case is a Justice of SCOTUS named John Marshall Harlan. He's the namesake of a certain high school in Chicago's 9th Ward - GO FALCONS!

If you decide to study pol. sci. you might have to take constitutional law as a course or perhaps even as a requirement for your degree. Who knows you may have to study this case...

Before the strike news...

[VIDEO] The video above is from this past saturday showing CTU paraprofessionals rallying at Rainbow Push claiming they don't make enough to comfortably live in the city.

Meanwhile as negotiations more forward ahead of the set October 17th deadline according to the Tribune:

The CTU has set an Oct. 17 deadline for CPS and teachers to reach a deal on a new contract. If not, they can go on strike, disrupting the school year for thousands of public school pupils across the city.

Lightfoot said she wants to reach an agreement that would prevent that from happening, but she’s concerned that the city has not received a detailed formal response to its proposal.

“We can’t bargain against ourselves,” Lightfoot said. “We need to have them at the table with a comprehensive counteroffer. … If we do that we can get there.”

The teachers union fired back on Twitter, saying: “We were showing urgency about a fair contract before the mayor was mayor. City Hall and CPS didn’t show urgency until 94% of our membership voted to strike.”

When I visit Springfield, Illinois

410 E Jackson Street Springfield, IL

Another stop when I finally pay a visit to Springfield, the governor's mansion which just last year was finally reopened after a period of rehabilitation.

Here's some recent news about the mansion courtesy of Capitol Fax. More renovations are coming so if you plan to visit soon be advised that the mansion is closed

Mansion to close for more renovations https://t.co/kHpQBgCZ2i

— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) October 3, 2019

From the state's Governor's Mansion page you can learn most about visiting our state's equivalent of the White House.

Saving Our Boys ... Lost in a Post-Masculine World

ADVISORY: There is one instance of profanity in this video and it does touch upon some uncomfortable subjects one of which shouldn't be how we treat our boys.

[VIDEO] Commentary from the YouTube channel Blue Collar Logic.

I've been sitting on this video since last month. It makes some good points as far as how we treat our boys now. The operative phrase when it comes to this subject is "boys are like defective girls".

How are boys "defective" girls when they aren't girls?

RELATED

• Where are the Black male teachers?
• Does public education ruin Black boys?

Chicago teacher's strike date October 17th

From WBBM-AM:

Chicago Teachers Union leaders have set a strike date for Oct. 17, unless the CTU and Chicago Public Schools can agree on a new contract.

The news came Wednesday night. CTU President Jesse Sharkey said negotiations will continue with CPS and the Lightfoot administration.

Last week, a majority of union members authorized leaders to call a strike.

From Chicago Tribune:

The Chicago Teachers Union, school support staff and Park District workers will all go on strike together on Oct. 17 if they can’t reach contract deals by then.

The joint announcement late Wednesday by the three labor groups sets up the prospect of about 35,000 public employees in Chicago walking off the job at the same time.

It also means that the 360,000 children who attend Chicago Public Schools will be out of class indefinitely if CTU and the city fail to settle their differences by then.

But Mayor Lori Lightfoot and CPS top brass announced late Wednesday that all schools will remain open during any walkout by teachers and staff.

Here's hoping Oct. 17, 2019 goes by without a strike! 

The teachers could pick a strike day today

[VIDEO] Now that the Chicago Teacher's Union have chosen a strike date, now they need to choose when to go on strike. According to this report the earliest they can go on strike is next Monday. Of course if the teacher's go on strike, hopefully the feeds below will be updated accordingly.

Free expression: How is credibility determined?

I found this article from Reason magazine with regards to a non-profit news outfit in Colorado that is basically under attack from an aide to the Governor of Colorado. It's not that the news published by this publication was inaccurate. It was merely an attempt to portray this publication as non-credible.

Earlier this month, writer Derek Draplin reported that Polis had established a new office—the Office of the Future of Work—to research the state's changing economy and workforce and make policy recommendations to the governor's office. Draplin published the article in The Center Square, a nonprofit media outlet.

The factually accurate story (read it here) quotes Polis praising the creation of the office, as well as a Colorado GOP spokesperson mocking the creation of yet another regulatory bureaucracy with "undefined goals, broad powers, and a name straight from the brain of George Orwell."

The Center Square offers its state coverage up for free reprints by other media outlets as long as they are appropriately credited. This is not an unusual arrangement; as advertising revenue bleeds away from local newspapers to the internet, small newspapers don't have the manpower to cover many state or national stories on their own anymore.


But when two small Colorado newspapers, the Kiowa County Press in Eads, and the Chronicle-News in Trinidad, published the story, they heard from Conor Cahill, Polis' spokesman, who asked them to take the articles down.

Cahill did not challenge any of the facts presented in the story. He, instead, objected to them having run news stories from The Center Square because he does not see them as an objective source of information. The Center Square is a product of the Franklin News Foundation, which offers state-level journalism and opinion pieces focused on fiscal responsibility and transparency. It used to be known as Watchdog.org but relaunched earlier this year under the new brand.

Cahill's argument is that donors to Franklin News Foundation may come from libertarian or conservative backgrounds, and the fact that writer Draplin is also an editor at The Daily Caller, a right-leaning outlet, apparently taints everything The Center Square writes, even if the story is completely accurate. After the editors refused Cahill's request and The Center Square reported what had happened, The Denver Post and even the Associated Press picked up the story.

I published a "Free Expression" page for this blog during the past week and learned from someone who posted a "wet noodle to see if it sticks" that it needs something controversial to really gain some traction. Well the page at first is only designed to inform, but as with most websites it's a work in progress.

I suppose the argument here as far as free expression is whether or not The Center Square is a credible publication. What makes Center Square less credible than say the NY Times or the Chicago Tribune?

Let's go further is this blog with the information shares - even if it's from other credible sources - any less credible than the NY Times or Chicago Tribune?

Also does this mean a government official such as the aide to the Colorado Governor have the ability to determine what outlets are credible? Should a government official tell those outlets who use articles written by smaller outlets to remove them from their publications in order to essentially undermine their credibility?

So many questions here....

CPS daring the teacher's union to strike?

This was over at the Capitol Fax yesterday. That aforementioned law may be something that the teacher's union have a problem with, however, the law is specific over what the Chicago Teacher's Union can strike over.

There’s a reason why CPS appears to be “daring” CTU to strike over certain issues https://t.co/K2ce6SQWgx

— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) September 30, 2019

Does this open the door to the possibility of a deal between CPS and the union before there is a strike this month?

Daily Dose of Internet: A really really big bunny

[VIDEO] Let's kick off October with yet another "Daily Dose of Internet" which starts off with a brief look at a continental giant bunny, which I was about to identify as a Flemish. The bunny you see in the video above could be described as a big slow dog. How about a giant domestic bunny rabbit for your pet. A four foot long bunny wow!

Meanwhile other parts of this video are of an educational, scientific or entertaining interest. I also hope you learn something new with this vid. I hope you like what Daily Dose has to offer.