Weekend/weekly news roundup
A few things that caught my attention this week:
First: Two Chileno military officers were caught rifling through files at an Argentinian consulate in southern Chile recently. Chile apologized, dismissed the two from its army, and publicly swore that they were not working on behalf of the Chileno government. Argentina accepted the apology. Apparently, the two countries get along pretty well these days.
Second: Is anyone still alive in the LA area after this weekend, or did everyone die at the hands of the police? Holy fuck, there were car crashes ending in suspect deaths, and something like 4 or 5 shootouts where offenders were killed. Yesterday's (saturdays) LA Times online read like a Tarantino movie or something.
Third: Very local to Chicago, but I've heard whispers that a certain police commander of a certain historically-second-most-violent police district, pissed hot in a drug test. When they asked him to report for a second test, he called in sick for awhile. When someone in the neighborhood suspected their boy was about to get canned, they held rallies a few weeks ago. According to press reports, he was moved to another unit as a commander, and he was replaced by a nice white, female lawyer from the labor relations unit. Anyone wanna bet how the homicide rate trends from here? FWIW, being a lawyer is apparently a big thing over there now, as you now have Matt Crowl in charge of the office of violence prevention (according to a recent Tribune article), a lawyer in charge of the training academy (according to a recent Tribune article -- replacing a former marine!), a lawyer in charge of the second most violent district (according to a recent Tribune article), and I think I've read of one or two more. Somehow I think they need more Bratton emulation, and not more lawyers. But, then again, I'm all in favor of full lawyer employment, so good job Mr. Mare.
Fourth: Clark is just not coming across the way I would hope. Turning today's interview into a discussion on "after action reports" was, well, a strain. They really needed to teach him to talk like a politician before they threw his hat in the ring. And that flag burning amendment is just not going to play well for him in the primaries.
Hello
Edited to add that re: #3, so far its just a rumor I've heard several times in the old neighborhood. Which might be why its not in the media, and which might be why it shouldn't be taken as gospel until its confirmed (i.e., I ain't defaming nobody here).
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Man, back in the day, you used to love getting flushed, you'd be all like 'Flush me J! Flush me!' And I'd be like 'Nawww'
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