Tag: Chicago

Vote!

A public service announcement:

Yes, it is some weeks away until the November elections, the traditional day being Tuesday, November 8, when polling places will be open in all the precincts. In Illinois, early in-person voting is beginning at selected locations around Illinois and will continue until November 7. For those who would vote by mail, now is the time to trek to the post office; the last day to apply for a mail ballot by mail is November 3. (Don’t wait until then.)

The early early voting sites are mostly the various county and sometimes municipal Boards of Elections offices. For information, you can find your local web sites (mostly county clerks offices) through your favorite web search or through links at the Illinois State Board of Elections. Some of the information you might be looking for from a county site can also be found at the Illinois site, so explore.

For Chicagoans, the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners has a helpful site. You’ll note that early voting begins on Friday, October 7 with two polling places open in Chicago’s Loop. Beginning Monday, October 24, there will be an additional polling place open (7 days a week) in each ward.

And yes, you should cast a ballot, even if you know nothing, even if you leave some of the contests blank. Voting is one of those things that must be used to not be lost. It’s one of those things you might not miss until one day you do and then you’ll really miss it.

Water Ritual

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Photo by Roman

Among the many puzzling if not quaint customs preserved by the natives of Chicago is the weekly Watering of the Concrete. Since this is mostly a summertime ceremony, it can be quite refreshing on the hottest of days. The origins and meanings of the ritual are quite obscure but are said to be related to another ritual, The Paying of the Rent.

“Men in Blues”

The pacing may have been off a bit, but that comes with the territory when just about every alien in the Hollywood movie universe is (are?) after the Blues Brothers. Because I think it is important that we smile in the rising gloom, may I present to you another video mash-up by Fabrice Mathieu.

I remember Blues Brothers being filmed in Chicago. On one of the filming dates, I was on my bike to Chicago’s south side to get a haircut. It was the last haircut I ever got.

Artists of the Wall 2022

For some reason long since obscured by time, the southern end of the beach in Loyola Park is bordered by a broad promenade and, for some 600 feet, a concrete retaining wall and bench. Just the place to gather graffiti like flies on a cow pie. Back in 1993, somebody decided to pre-empt the scrawls with artwork from the Rogers Park community that would be laid on the wall in June during a two day festival with music and vittles.

This year’s event was held over the Fathers’ Day weekend. The theme was The World of Tomorrow, I understand. I did not attend but several days later I came by to view the results and to photograph what I liked. The images below are the images that I preferred, not necessarily the “best” wall panels in the show no matter who is the judge.

Also, the wall is never finished in just two days. A few of the artists will be tinkering with their work for a while yet.

2022 wasn’t a bad year but I think there’ve been better. See for yourself.

(Recommended: Click any image below to enlarge it.)

Panel detail. Photo by Roman.
Detail from panel. Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
You were expecting Elon Musk? Panel detail. Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Detail from a somewhat dystopian panel. Photo by Roman.
Winnie the Pooh, of course. Photo by Roman.
Panel detail. Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Panel detail. Photo by Roman.
Detail from panel, hanging in there… Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Interesting details. Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Not actually a painting, true, but part of the Wall. Photo by Roman.
Detail from panel. Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Detail from panel. Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Detail from panel. Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Interesting mix of pop tropes… “Further” was the destination board on Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters bus. Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
Photo by Roman.
A warm future… Photo by Roman.

I should add that while the photography is not bad mostly, this was not a best effort. The photos were taken in the late morning, not far from Noon, and the wall generally faces east with little shade. My camera is smarter about such things than I am, but even it had problems. It wasn’t made easier by the new paint that had something of a gloss to it, the reflected light complicating matters even more. It was a situation that inspires gratitude for digital over film… Lots of discards… Late afternoon or maybe a bright overcast day might be better for someone like me. Or if you have a better camera that allows for more manual control, maybe the time of day is not so important… Just sayin’…

Illinois Votes! 2022

Mural just south of Addison Street on Clark Street. There’s a second panel but a vehicle was blocking the shot. Photo by Roman.

The 2022 primary election in Illinois began this week and will conclude on election day: June 28, 2022. For more information, start with the Illinois State Board of Elections.  For some things, you’ll end up at your local county’s board of elections web site. So if you live in Chicago, go directly to Chicago’s Board of Election Commissioners.

This election is conducted by the governments of Illinois on behalf of whatever parties have jumped through the challenges required to gain the golden fleece of official recognition. In Illinois, this means the Democratic and Republican brands though there may be more choices where you live.

By taking a party ballot, you become a member of that party in the sight of the law… even if for only one brief moment until you repent. But that choice remains a matter of public record.

The election will determine each party’s nominees for the November General Election and will elect members of each party’s governing committees. (Yes, once your party has that official recognition, much of your party’s structure is mandated by state law.)

It is true that there are a good many contests whose outcomes won’t be particularly meaningful. My way of dealing with that is to simply not vote in those contests. But I can almost always find one or more contests of interest. Really, I can’t think of any political work lasting about a half hour that would be more consequential than the half hour spent casting your vote.

* For those interested in third parties and different voting systems, allow me to recommend Richard Winger’s Ballot Access News as a news source about what is happening in legislatures and courts about elections and voting.