One of the features of John Hodgman’s 2005 book The Areas of My Expertise is a list of 700 Hobo Names (expanded by 100 in the paperback edition). A group of illustrators, spearheaded by Adam “Apelad” Koford, took up the challenge of drawing the hobos behind each of those 700 names and they’ve done so nearly twice over. I bring this up now because I’ve just been reminded that Number 424 on that list is “Illinois Obama“. To what great heights hobos can aspire in America!

Two other ‘Illinois Obama’ illustrations:

According to Sun-Times columnist Jim DeRogatis’ blog, the “Event Promoters ordinance” has been tabled, at least temporarily. Alderman Eugene Schulter, Chairman of the City Council License Committee, decided not to present the ordinance to the full council after meeting with members of the Chicago Music Commission and local promoters and venue owners. According to Mr. DeRogatis’ blog the ordinance will return to committee for at least another month, during which time the committee will hear more input from the public.

I note that it is the local music community that has taken the reigns here, and I applaud them for it. I would like to remind the theatre and stand-up scenes that they have a stake here as well, and they need to make sure their representatives have a place at the table while this ordinance is reworked.

Well done, everybody who voiced their concerns.

The Event Promoters ordinance will go before the city council at 10:00 AM, Wednesday, May 14th. I received an e-mail about a campaign to flood city hall with opponents of this ordinance. The campaign is being organized through The Point, and the goal is for 100 people to commit to attending the council meeting tomorrow. Save Chicago Culture will present a petition opposing the ordinance at the meeting.

Because the proposal was fast-tracked through committee, the Chicago arts community has had very little time to respond. I, for one, will be attending the council meeting tomorrow. If you care about preserving Chicago’s theatre, music and comedy I expect to see you there too. If you can’t make it, please e-mail your alderman today and express your opinion.

Otherwise, I suppose you could just pay a hundred bucks a pop and go see Wicked again.

Well, this is appalling.

This Wednesday the city council votes on the so-called “Event Promoters’ ordinance.” If this thing passes it could mean that any artist wishing to produce or promote his own work would have to pay up to $2,000 for a license. He or she would have to be over the age of 21, must get fingerprinted, submit to a background check, and inform the police seven days in advance of an event. This ordinance is aimed directly at small venues and new artists who have yet to develop an audience. Larger spaces that seat over 500 — in other words, places that can actually afford the license — are exempt.

The weblog Save Chicago Culture is collecting signatures in opposition to the ordinance. On their site you can find a .pdf of the complete text of the ordinance, as well as links to the city council site, and your local alderman. The Sun-Times’ Jim DeRogatis has an in-depth analysis on his blog.

The problem is, blogs are the only place this thing has gotten any attention. So, if you don’t want to lose the Double Door, Schuba’s, Martyrs’, the Vic, the Riv or the Metro, get a message to your alderman at once.

This story will not die.

At the beginning of the whole Monique Davis/Rob Sherman debacle, I checked out Mr. Sherman’s website and decided it kinda made him look like a of a douche. I liked what he had to say, but not always the way he said it. His douchebaggery was reinforced with this genius quote:

Now that Negroes like Representative Monique Davis have political power, it seems that they have no problem at all with discrimination, just as long as it isn’t them who are being discriminated against.

What the hell?!?

I pulled the quote from Friendly Atheist, as Mr. Sherman at least had the good sense to eventually take the quote down. For a more thorough recap of all the ridiculousness you might want to check them out.

The whole thing just sucks. Rep. Davis’ comments last week were ignorant. Mr. Sherman’s response was downright stupid. Nobody wins.

After a week’s worth of some of the worst press ever, including being named Worst Person in the World by Keith Olbermann, State Representative Monique Davis has apologized to atheist activist Rob Sherman for her attack on him on the floor of the General Assembly last week. According to the article, Rep. Davis blamed her outburst on having just learned of another student death at Chicago Public Schools. Such news is indeed upsetting; the number of Chicago students killed in gang violence this year is reaching a level difficult to believe. I suspect, however, that she revealed her true feelings about atheism in her tirade.

While it was right for you to apologize, Rep. Davis, don’t try to cover it with a lame excuse. You went off because for some reason you feel threatened by atheists. It is the typical response of the ignorant person: Attack that which you do not understand.

How sad for you. And how sad for Illinois.

State Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago) got into it with atheist gadfly Rob Sherman and said that atheism, well,

“it’s dangerous for our children to even know that your philosophy exists!”

Friendly Atheist has the audio and Zorn has plenty of reader comment.

(via MeFi)

As someone who teaches math, I’m always on the lookout for math related news items. As a teacher, I am always on the look out for political news (since my job is tied to political decisions). Two weeks ago this interesting article popped up on Newsweek about the math of voting. Turns out, as mathematician Donald Saari says, “Election outcomes can more accurately reflect the choice of an election rule than the voters’ wishes.” This is most clearly reflected in the presidential outcomes in 2000.

The article directs readers to a website that gives the online community three methods of voting: 1) selecting your top candidate 2) selecting all candidates you think are acceptable for president and 3) ranking the candidates. As of right now, the top vote getter for all three methods is local boy done good Barack Obama.

However, with the complexity and oddness of the leviathan we call the primaries, the nominations are still up in the air. For the democrats, it looks like it might come down to the super mysterious super delegates. They are getting lots of chocolate and flowers this week from the Obama and Clinton camps.

I have to be honest. I understand the flawed BCS system for choosing a college football champion better then I understand the American primary system. However, I understand it enough to find primary outcomes decided by a cabal of political insiders a bit unfair.

And that’s not just me saying that it would be unfair; that is math saying it would be unfair. Of course, math has been saying that No Child Left Behind is unfair, but, politically, few have listened to that noise.

Everyone, please listen to math (5000 years of history can’t be wrong). Also, go celebrate Pi Day on March 14.

I’m not sure if it’s one of his best rants ever, but Daley gets going pretty good here because… some Aldermen aren’t voting the way he wants them to on the real estate tax increase to fund the CTA. The Capitol Fax Blog has some actual analysis.

Chicago photos are starting to roll into the Polling Place Photo Project. As well, Chicago Public Radio is encouraging you to add your election photos to their Flickr group with the tag “election08″ — they’ll be creating a slide show of submissions.