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@ GJO'L: "This is inside baseball to most people, but that's part of the problem too. The process by which judges get elected is just way too much inside baseball." I am in TOTAL agreement with that.

Commented Mar 22, 2012 on Election night, 9:25 p.m. at Change of Subject

@ quotidian: "I heard her defending the County practice of keeping 10 percent of bail of innocent people. " That's not "County practice". That's state law. All circuit clerks keep 10% of the bond UNLESS a judge orders otherwise. Indeed, there is a proposal in the state legislature to raise that to 15%. There is actually a good reason for this practice, which was instituted to avoid the problems that were endemic under the bail bondsman system.

Commented Mar 20, 2012 on Primary predictions at Change of Subject

--@ LizH - As a fellow part-Scandihoovian, I must say that if we're going to have a Columbus Day, we ought to have a Leif Erikson Day, too. Wisconsin does!

Commented Mar 19, 2012 on Polish, Italian knickers in a twist over proposed elimination of school holidays for Pulaski, Columbus at Change of Subject

@ J Valver: "But I can't find any rules Christ issued regarding . . . female clergy," Since he was Jewish, and, at the time he lived (if he did), there were no female rabbis, it would be surprising if he ever even considered the possibility of women in the priesthood.

Commented Mar 19, 2012 on Fellow Carmel alum on why Santorum is avoiding the school at Change of Subject

"Vote for the crook. It's important" was a slogan used (though not officially by his campaign) in Edwin Edwards' race against KKKer David Dukes for governor of Louisiana. "Tom Swiss, a former Republican party official who seems to have become a Democrat simply to enhance his prospects" And in the 5th ward, a husband is running (unopposed) for Republican commiteeman while his wife is a candidate for Democratic committeeman. That doesn't pass my smell test.

Commented Mar 19, 2012 on When voting for the (alleged) crook makes sense at Change of Subject

"What killed the Encyclopedia Brittanica?" Probably whatever it is that's killing the Encylopædia Britannica. I verified the use of the grapheme by looking at the spine of a volume from my early '60s copy of the 11th edition. The writing is glorious, not to mention the digressions. It's a shame. When was the last time you looked up "Cossacks" on Wikipedia and discovered that Sir Warren Hastings' wife was buried in Cossimbazar?

Commented Mar 19, 2012 on What killed the Encyclopædia Brittanica? at Change of Subject

Unless you are required to read it for school or work, there is no reason whatsoever to force yourself to finish reading a turgid, boring, poorly-written book. Ereaders notwithstanding, as long as there's a book sale with a "$3 bag, $5 box" day, I will be in need of more bookshelf space. "I wait until I'm done with one book before purchasing another -- " Seriously? You read only one book at a time?

Commented Mar 19, 2012 on Taking the shame out of that stack of unfinished books on your nightstand at Change of Subject

@ J Valver: "Which made me wonder: Just how much chatter would he have expected if the customers were instead reading newspapers, books and magazines?" I've had a lot of conversations with people that began "that's a really good book you're reading!" or "Did you see the article about X in their last issue?" I have NEVER had a conversation with anyone about what they were reading on their laptop.

Commented Mar 15, 2012 on Today in tone deafness at Change of Subject

@ BrianE: "Meow!" (or not)

Commented Mar 11, 2012 on Fine line at Change of Subject

@ Buster - It's not up to Lisa Madigan to decide whether to appeal. It's up to the Cook County State's Attorney's Office.

Commented Mar 3, 2012 on Eavesdropping roundup [UPDATED!] at Change of Subject

That is so friggin' typical of Time Out. Once again, their map of Chicago stops somewhere around 35th Street. And they wonder why I don't respond to their desperate attempts to get me to subscribe. CREPEAU REPLY - Agreed, the map would be better if it actually paid attention to all neighborhood, not just a few on the North Side. I'm sure if we put our heads together we could fill in the blanks on our own. Any ideas?

Commented Mar 1, 2012 on 'Go back to Purdue' at Change of Subject

Is there a listing somewhere of all the HONORARY street names, and who the honorees are?

Commented Feb 29, 2012 on Origins of Chicago street names at Change of Subject

The most disturbing part of this story is that he felt he had to vet his position as a candiate for public office with the Mormon church. Can you imagine the brouhaha if Kennedy had vetted his policy positions with the Vatican? Or Carter had checked in with the Baptist hierarchy before taking a stand?

Commented Feb 23, 2012 on Why Romney is not a 'flip-flopper' on abortion rights at Change of Subject

@ Pan - You don't need to have IFC to watch Portlandia. Check Comcast's "On Demand"; that's where I'm getting it. And I think the full episodes are also available on IFC's website.

Commented Feb 22, 2012 on 'His name was Colin. Here are his papers.' at Change of Subject

I love this show! The writing is brilliant.

Commented Feb 22, 2012 on 'His name was Colin. Here are his papers.' at Change of Subject

I was just asking myself this morning, "I wonder if sharks eat other sharks whole?" On the other hand, "a tasseled wobbegong" sure sounds made up, doesn't it?

Commented Feb 15, 2012 on In case you were wondering at Change of Subject

While I'm not fond of Gingrich, I don't think there is anything particularly noteworthy or "fine" about Chait's comment. It's neither clever nor witty.

Commented Feb 15, 2012 on Fine lines at Change of Subject

A lot of that stuff isn't "journalese". It's police report talk and press release talk, and I expect most of it shows up in newspapers because the reporters are taking it straight out of those press releases and police reports.

Commented Feb 12, 2012 on A largely excellent link for you to click on at this point in time at Change of Subject

Oh, lord, Megan. The spambots found you.

Commented Feb 11, 2012 on Gimmick for gimmick at Change of Subject

@ Bradley - I'm sure the Combine is behind this.

Commented Feb 10, 2012 on ‘Free’ birth control for all -- Get the insurance companies as well as the employers out of the contraceptive business at Change of Subject

Insurance plans should cover any medication prescribed by your physician. Period. End of story. No exceptions.

Commented Feb 10, 2012 on ‘Free’ birth control for all -- Get the insurance companies as well as the employers out of the contraceptive business at Change of Subject

Okay, following MrJM's link and then following a link from that (digressing as usual), I found this: http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2012/02/08/happy_hanukkah_from_rick_santorum.html?wpisrc=nextbox All I can say is, oy, veh iz mir!

Commented Feb 9, 2012 on Fine line at Change of Subject

--The online version is a pain to read. Is this thing really worth $99 a year? The New Yorker is cheaper! I agree with Mr. Finn. ZORN REPLY-- there are a variety of other benefits to go along with the subscription to the journal, so it's not really apples to apples to compare it to the New Yorker, though I do see how that might occur to a Iiterary and budget-minded person

Commented Feb 9, 2012 on Printers Row debut editon at Change of Subject

"If you want to have sex and DO want to conceive a child, that's your business and your right. But why must I, as a member of your health-insurance risk pool, pay for it, when it is neither an illness nor a chronic misfortune nor an unforseen expense?" And of course having a child is more of a medical risk than not having one.

Commented Feb 8, 2012 on Let's socialize contraceptive services and be done with it at Change of Subject

I've often wondered why anyone thinks I care what device someone has used to send me a message. (Because I don't.)

Commented Feb 8, 2012 on Sent from your iPhone? Congratulations! at Change of Subject