11 Comments

Hi Eric. Like many of your subscribers, I get several email newsletters that I value. But yours is the one I open, and read all of, as soon as I see it in my inbox. I wish I could pay you more for it! (I'm not sure I mean that, but I kind of mean that.)

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"This doesn’t really take into account the need to craft a threatening stick to encourage better behavior by the police department. Sure, most people would briefly stand naked in front of a group of police officers for a lot less than $2.9 million. But the idea is to create a powerful incentive for the city to be sure it improves police training in ways that make such situations far less likely."

The $2.9 million won't punish a single cop who was in that apartment. It just comes out of the taxpayers pockets. Better to punish the perpetrators than to reward the victim with a generous and disproportionate settlement.

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Regarding Joe P.'s comment on the Young settlement, one should add that while standing sans clothing briefly (a highly subjective measure), in the presence of many heavily armed members of the CPD, each person must be identified by name, unbelievably frightened, seen and heard repeatedly pleading to be shown some shred of basic human decency or kindness only to be ignored, the event will be recorded, broadcast worldwide, and available for viewing in perpetuity. These details may serve to increase the likelihood of a "no" response even for $2.9 million dollars.

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Thanks for your latest post Eric. I found it as always, interesting, and enjoy the diversity of opinion you include. And I want to specifically thank you for the visual tweets - the comments by Uncle Duke with a photo of the sign saying that crime is not allowed during certain hours gave me a great big LOL! Have a smooth final week of 2021, and I wish you and your family and all of us a healthy, happy, safe and much better 2022!

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I was still laughing at the Webb telescope tweet when I started laughing at the Uncle Duke.

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The text I learned growing up was "here I raise mine Ebenezer," with the N sound inserted by the poet as would have been the custom in the 1750's to get a consonant sound in between two hard-to-chain-together vowels. (Some current hymnals actually ditch Ebenezer for a no-explanation-needed "Here I raise to Thee an altar.")

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The link to predictions did not work. I predict that both China and Russia will engage in cyber warfare against the US.

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I know... I don't know what happened but here https://chicagotribune.survey.fm/predict-news-of-2022

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Along with Iran and North Korea. Followed by vigorous finger wagging and threats that we will do stuff if they don't cut it out.

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A while back it was commented that Kyle Rittenhouse's name is unusual. Kyle, not so much. Rittenhouse - not often heard. This is only the 2nd context I've heard it in. The first was in Philadelphia PA. Rittenhouse Square was named for astronomer/clockmaker David Rittenhouse. Everyone familiar with Philadelphia has heard this surname. It has a 'good vibe' there. I don't know if this Kyle is any relation to David, but I hope not; he has sullied the surname. Since most people in this region probably haven't heard the name Rittenhouse before, I thought I'd provide this info.

A little while ago I took a photo of the snow out back and sent it to some friends with the message "'Snow nice!"

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I appreciate your intelligent analyses! Carry on!

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