The Taste Begins
It used to be they touted all the great restaurants, the great family atmosphere, the fireworks extravaganza. This year there are no fireworks, so what's the draw?
- Following a series of police incidents in recent weeks on North Michigan Avenue that have led to anxieties about crime downtown, city officials also employed one more noticeable change: more police.
Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy announced earlier this week that there would be more plainclothes officers in and around the Taste this year, working at “choke points” such as train stations near Grant Park.
In addition, uniformed officers and private security guards would be stationed around the festival to ensure a smoother food-sampling experience than in years past, when some Taste events have erupted in violence, McCarthy said.
WBBM Newsradio 780 actually had a piece about how "you and your family will be safe this year" playing this past evening. But hey, everything is under control. Nothing bad here. What gang problem? If it gets bad enough, we'll just blame the "heat" and close down a single beach because those damn paramedics can't answer a call that they've handled every summer for 100 years.
Labels: silly people
posted by SCC at 12:33 AM
41 Comments:
" . . that there would be more plainclothes officers "
----------
What are plainclothes officers?
Guys with vest covers that say "POLICE" on them and exposed GUNBELTS that you can see from 100 yards?
WoWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW !!! Real Slick.
My elderly parents informed me tonight they want go to the Taste next Friday night......No way!
What gang problem? If it gets bad enough, we'll just blame the "heat"
---
NO
Even better..
blame the economy because "Joe" has to sell at least 8 "dime bags" to equal what he made selling 1 "dime bag" 5 years ago.
They want to see Loretta Lynn.
PISS ON THIS CITY.
I tell my teenage kids they are not allowed south of the Kennedy or east of Nagle.
I hope Chicago ROTS with all its democrats.
"Garry McCarthy announced . . . working at “choke points” such as train stations near Grant Park. "
-----
HEY Mac-Daddy . . .
Guess what I'm "chokin'"
I know there have been hundreds of cops tortured by gang members. There are thousands of attorneys that have tortured cops families subjectively. There are tens of thousands of illegals and gang members driving with suspended driver's licenses, who have tortured working honest people in traffic crashes. The middle class is tortured by being reduced to a lower class with skyrocketing unemployment. Liberals have tortured the U.S. Constitution. Oil tycoons have tortured the fishing industry. Printing presses have tortured the U.S. dollar. This blog has tortured bad bosses. Bad bosses have tortured morale. Morale has tortured policing. I just tortured a big pint of beer.
They were reporting on channel 7 that the Taste is closing a half hour earlier this year, "so it will still be daylight at closing time and therefore safer as people head home".
I guess it's helpful, IF you can teleport yourself home. Sunset is at exactly 2030hrs through June and at 2029 through the remaining days of the Taste in July. Closing time is 2030.
Well, I suppose it's progress that they're even ADMITTING there's been a crime/gang problem in the past.
Read 'Yelp'. There's a poster on there who says the private security guards always let her in without a bag search, because she gets mouthy with them about their 'right to search'. Says they cave in every time.
Very helpful. VERY secure. I feel safer already.
Yeah I don't know maybe it's just me but did you see this story:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-taste-of-chicago-opens-anew-in-grant-park-20110624,0,2138082.story
More specifically this comment:
“People are happier, not as hot and sweaty,” marveled Roselle Monsalud of Tinley Park. “We don’t usually come to the Taste; We avoid the crowds.”
====
So wait.
What kind of judge is this person about the Taste and/or crowds?
"We avoid crowds and don't usually come to the Taste and yet we know that people are happier, not hot and sweaty" this year? Really?
How would they know? hahaha..
I think it's pretty obvious that the media is going overboard to try and sell things here.
You know... like it's not hot and sweaty -- so you don't have to worry about getting heat stroke when it gets to 88 degrees and have the fire department turn the hose on you like my neighbor does when the Jehovah Witnesses come knocking.
Oh and everyone is so happy. Happy, happy, happy so no-one is fighting either...right?
That's what is being implied no?
Nevertheless, the story reads to me like the opening of the Taste, now being run under the Park District, is a huge flop.
--clip--
" We got here right at 11 o'clock,
and there were more police walking around than regular people," Dave Eddy, of Valparaiso, Ind., said appreciatively. "It seems like there is more police presence this year."
====
I mean if the media is trying to present an air of safety this comment makes it appear that no-one is showing up because you can find more cops than citizens.
Although there's still a lot of fest to go so we may just see the pilgrims eating their twenty-five dollar food on a stick while roaming caravans of honor roll students chant Attica, Attica, Attica..before it's over.
Well I can tell you first hand that it was completely dead down at the taste. I had to keep checking my radio on C6 to see if it was even on! The weather/economy/recent mob attacks may have played a little role in this of course.
They might as well close the taste for lack of paying customers and let the wildings bunch take over because the decent and hardworking people won't come to the taste!Besides every other neighborhood has a something going on, Taste Of Greek town or Taste of Randolph or some other taste right now and all advertised on TV. So why do we need a taste close it down or close down all the neighborhood tastes while Taste of Chicago is going on!
"Looks like trouble....better wake up the clown"
I will be downtown with a child. Co-worker asked was I going to the taste. I asked her if she was f-ing crazy.
There will probably be little trouble at the Taste this year because there will be almost no one at the Taste. Can't wait to see how much money the Park District will lose in operating it this year. With all the bad press about flash mobs and wildings, it's a safe bet that the victim class (law abiding, hard working, middle class citizens) will stay as far away from the Taste as possible. Since the dogs will have fewer victims to prey on, they'll direct their attention elsewhere.
I worked the Taste last night and quite a few people came up to me and said that they felt uncomfortable with all the police arrive. They said it seemed like they were being guarded and that the police were therelooking for something to start up, It made these folks feel like they were in some war torn area, they said it would be thier last trip in from Tenn.
Let's look at NAPERVILLES Ribfest music schedule,click on liink then look at everyday they have acts like Phil Vassar, Styx,REO Speedwagon,Grand Funk railroad,Montgomery Gentry,Bruce Hornsby,etc..
http://www.ribfest.net/music-schedule
lets look at the shit we have at the taste that are good bands! Silence we have no good bands. The ribfest charges $10,00 to get in and they have no animals running wild, at least 15 rib places which give generous portions. rahm said like daley they wanted taste free it was about the food (shit) not the entertainment, well dummies the entertainment is the draw food is and aside1
Get a food cart and hand out free food. Just poison the fried chicken, orange and grape pop, and of course....The watermelon. Problem solved. Gees, this isn't that hard of a problem to fix.
The mayor's propaganda office is playing catch-up. . . . a few of the mainstreamers (media) have been running stories with interviews of people saying how "safe" they feel at the Taste.
i wonder if this is what they teach in journalism school nowadays--how to help promote the mayor's agenda.
Not a muckraker in sight.
Taste is a big rip off
stay at home and give local restaurants and bars the business
I am praying for all the police on duty and keeping my family and kids home.
---not a cop
Waste of Chicago should be put to sleep.
I work on Jackson, and can attest that the opening day arrivees were fewer (you could actually walk on the sidewalk) and no teardrop tattoos in sight. It was cold tho, and Chicago dirtbags are notoriously sensitive to cooler temperatures.
Dead at the Taste yesterday. People aren't willing to venture out with packs of animals running around attacking people and pay too much for bullshit food.
The bucket boys were there, though.
Thank god I got dumped to A2. It will be very quiet with all the animals downtown.
as I watched the news I noticed very thin crowds on opening day, Friday night and a great day weather wise... Wonder if tax payers have caught on.
I agree you probaly will be safe at the taste, just not sure how safe you will be anywhere else in the city. I know in my district we have approximately 9 officers assigned on days Sunday and 2 of them will be on the desk.
A reporter interviewed two chicks from San Francisco who came here just for the taste. Although, coming from SF, I guess that says it all.
But seriously, a cross-country trip to eat over-priced crap with a bunch of fatties and gangbangers?
Seriously, if I see one more clip of someone eating a turkey leg I am going to hurl! Gack! Disgusting!
What's gang activity? Don't ask McStupid, he doesn't know. Oh, and don't ask him about crime scene protection either. Stupid idiot hack!
Seriously, he is a self-promoter to the max. Run Forest, Run!!!!
Blink.
How about a pre-taste outlook by chalkie??
There will probably be little trouble at the Taste this year because there will be almost no one at the Taste.
You'd be better off splurging on the family for a special dinner at Gibson's or Ruth's Chris, where civilized people dine.
Ah, yes, the Taste of Chicago.
That time of year when every newscast leads with video of some fat slob chowing down on a BBQ turkey leg.
That image should be logo for the Taste.
SUMMERFEST: June 29 through July 10
We guarantee a great time with no wildings or flash mobs. Come on up and bring the family.
Phil,
Go with them!!!! If your elderly parents want to see Loretta Lynn, they shall see Loretta Lynn.
Shit, I'll take them!
Anonymous said...
Read 'Yelp'. There's a poster on there who says the private security guards always let her in without a bag search, because she gets mouthy with them about their 'right to search'. Says they cave in every time.
Very helpful. VERY secure. I feel safer already.
6/25/2011 01:37:00 AM
The actual post:
....but as others mentioned, I'm completely turned off by the fences and bag searches now. I usually tell them they cannot look in my bag, unless they are a Chicago policeman. Then I'll show a little respect. But they are usually, if not always, private security I believe. They always let me go in without searching my bag. I don't think they can actually bar you from entering A FUCKING PUBLIC FUCKING PARK.....Fuck the lot of them.
Not as bad as you make it out to be.
I am praying for all the police on duty and keeping my family and kids home.
---not a cop
6/25/2011 10:39:00 AM
THANKS!
Its a nice weekend, take the kids to Ribfest in Naperville!
Not as bad as you make it out to be.
6/25/2011 10:04:00 PM
Yeah, right. Not as safe as YOU wish it sounded. If bags aren't being searched by private security, the whole system fails.
It's okay with me; I'm not going to be the one being shot by the gun that gets past private security, because I'm not going to be there.
Anonymous said...
Read 'Yelp'. There's a poster on there who says the private security guards always let her in without a bag search, because she gets mouthy with them about their 'right to search'. Says they cave in every time.
Very helpful. VERY secure. I feel safer already.
6/25/2011 01:37:00 AM
The actual post:
....but as others mentioned, I'm completely turned off by the fences and bag searches now. I usually tell them they cannot look in my bag, unless they are a Chicago policeman. Then I'll show a little respect. But they are usually, if not always, private security I believe. They always let me go in without searching my bag. I don't think they can actually bar you from entering A FUCKING PUBLIC FUCKING PARK.....Fuck the lot of them.
Not as bad as you make it out to be.
6/25/2011 10:04:00 PM
Had a snag responding to this, so apologies if it's a double post.
What part of "they always let me go in without searching my bag" sounds safe and secure to you?
But, really, this isn't as bad as it's made out to be? If the security guards aren't searching bags, I'm sure the guns they allow in are FAR less lethal than the guns that are caught at the gate.
So, feel safe, everyone, because CPD is searching bags but the private security is allowing 'whatever' through, into the Taste.
I haven't been to this event since it was called Chicagofest and held at Navy Pier before that got rebuilt. Too many people, too much trouble and too costly.
Anonymous said...
Thank god I got dumped to A2. It will be very quiet with all the animals downtown.
6/25/2011 12:41:00 P
congratulations on being dumped to a dump!
Post a Comment
<< Home