Pass This Line Around

Via Talking Points Memo, a spokesman for a Democratic congressman.:

Toyota has more credibility on car safety than [congressional Republicans] have on ethics

I want to hear this come out of the mouths of multiple talking heads by the end of the week.

Worst Job in the World

Former Vice-President Dick Cheney's international travel agent.

Research Silently Affects Discourse

Since a recent UIC study (via Gapers Block and Chicagoist) showed that the Wal-Mart on the West Side saw no net gains in local jobs, and that the wages earned locally actually decreased, politicians and news articles aren't mentioning the "more jobs" aspect of Wal-Mart stores anymore. Instead, as in this Sun-Times article, they're touting Wal-Mart Superstores as a solution to the various Food Deserts in the city.

Signing off on the Chatham Wal-Mart won't solve the problem, another Daley adviser said. "We need several" supercenters in Chicago's food deserts, the adviser said.

What would be nicer than the research silently affecting the discourse would be for the city to try to find a retailer who is not as toxic to its local environment to come in and sell food in Chicago's deserts. Apparently that's a bit much to ask of our elected officials, though.

It's a Rumor, But...

It's about time that DePaul athletics did something about the Men's Basketball team, which performs dismally for a school that only has one revenue sport. Hopefully the rumors are true and the school will get a new head coach soon. It's being reported by multiple sources, so it's likely true. As things stand right now, I only bother to root for Illinois even though I'm entitled to two schools now.