Author: Serkadis

Mayor Richard Daley today dismissed a proposed customer “bill of rights” for McCormick Place conventioneers, saying it wouldn’t begin to address the high costs of doing business there.

“They can have a bill off rights all they want. It’s costs,” Daley said.

Union leaders proposed the bill of rights this week as a way to inform exhibitors what rules workers must follow, and how much goods and services cost at McCormick Place. But Daley said that won’t help keep shows in Chicago.

“You can have all the bill of rights — that doesn’t do anything,” the mayor said after an anti-violence rally in the Roseland neighborhood. “What we’re asking for is how you lower the costs. It’s as simple as that. If Atlanta and Vegas and Orlando is doing a better job — we don’t want to lose any shows.”

Labor officials and the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority — which runs McCormick Place — have been under pressure from Daley and lawmakers to overhaul the business model at the lakefront convention center since last fall, when two high profile shows defected to Orlando, Fla., and Las Vegas, citing high costs in Chicago.

Gov. Pat Quinn is expected to sign legislation approved this week replacing the 13-member exposition authority board with a seven-member interim board tasked with reporting to the state legislature on how to save money at McCormick Place.

Daley and Quinn have endorsed a plan to give McPier, as the exposition authority is known, greater control over unions whose members work at McCormick Place. But the mayor said today he’s not blaming unions for the trade show exodus.

“This is about keeping shows here in Chicago, because they pay sales tax, they pay a lot of taxes, and they put a lot of people to work,” Daley said.

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Chicago police today issued a community alert after a man attempted to sexually abuse a 15-year-old girl as she walked home from school on the Northwest Side.

The girl was attacked Friday at about 3:30 p.m. after she got off the Fullerton Avenue bus at Cicero Avenue, police said. The girl was walking southbound on Cicero Avenue and was crossing an alley between Belden and Medill Avenues when she was grabbed from behind, police said.

The man then force her near a garage and was attempting to sexually abuse her when the girl kicked the man which then caused him to slip and fall, police said. The man fled west down the alley, police said.

Police are searching for either a Hispanic man with a dark complexion or a black man, in his 20s, 5-feet 7-inches and 180 pounds. He was wearing a black skull cap pulled to nearly cover his eyes, a black hooded sweatshirt with the hood up, black jeans and black Nike gym shoes.

Anyone with information should call Grand Central detectives at 312-746-8282.

– Staff report

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A 13-year-old boy is in good condition after being shot in the wrist this afternoon on the far South Side, officials said.

The boy was walking under a viaduct between the 9300 and 9400 blocks of South Jefferey Avenue at about 4:40 p.m., said Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Gabrielle Lesniak.

As the boy walked past two men one of the men pulled out a hand gun and began shooting at the him, Lesniak said. The boy was struck in the right wrist and the bullet grazed his abdomen, she said.

Fire Department Chief Joe Roccasalva said the boy was taken in good condition to Advocate Trinity Hospital.

Police do not have anyone in custody, Lesniak said.

– Carlos Sadovi

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An 18-year-old man was in serious condition after being found shot in the Washington Park neighborhood this afternoon, officials said.

The man was shot at about 5:15 p.m. on the 6100 block of South Martin Luther King Drive, said Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Gabrielle Lesniak.

The man was shot in the arm and leg, Lesniak said. The man was walking on the street when three people approached him and one of the three opened fire, police said.

Fire Department Chief Joe Roccasalva said the man was taken in serious condition to Stroger Hospital.

Calumet Area detectives are investigating but no one was in custody, according to police.

– Carlos Sadovi

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The surveillance video shows a man limping as he hurries from an Uptown apartment building, seconds after attacking an 85-year-old man in an elevator.

Three days later that same limp led to Dennis Dawson’s arrest, Chicago police said today.

Dawson of the 900 block of West Lawrence Avenue, has been charged with robbery, a felony, in connection with the attack last Sunday in the 4500 block of North Sheridan Road.

Dawson, 34, was ordered held in lieu of $95,000 bail by Cook County Circuit Court Judge Jackie Marie Portman.

Police say Dawson trailed the victim into his apartment building and then the elevator before grabbing him and putting him in a choke-hold and beating him to the floor, the surveillance video shows.

“In my 15 years (on the force), it’s very hard to look at,” said Officer Nano Guardi at an afternoon news conference.

Guardi edited and distributed the video to patrol officers, two of whom arrested Dawson Wednesday on an Uptown street.

The video shows the victim walking up to the front door of the building and using his key to enter. His attacker is seen at first walking past, then following the man through the door a few seconds later.

In another shot of an inner entry door, the attacker is seen grabbing the handle as the man tries to insert his key. The attacker then passed through ahead of the victim. Both men then walk to an elevator in the rear of the building’s lobby.

Inside the elevator, the victim presses a button and stands facing the doors while the attacker stands behind him and to his left. The attacker moves directly behind the man, grabs hold of his neck and drags him to the floor, according to the video.

For an agonizing 1 minute and 37 seconds, the men appear to be struggling on the floor. The elevator door opens three times, first on the third and fifth floors. The attacker appears to press the button for the lobby, and the last time the door opens, he hops out and limps hastily through the lobby and out of the frame, taking with him an undisclosed sum of cash.

The video, released by the building’s management company to police, was distributed to patrol officers in the following days.

About 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, shortly after Officer Bryan Boeddeker finished watching the tape during roll call, he was in his squad car about a block away from where the attack happened. He then spotted a man wearing the same clothing as the attacker in the video and walking with a limp, the officer said at the news conference.

Dawson was arrested and charged with felony robbery and a misdemeanor count of obstructing his identification.

Police so far do not believe the incident is related to a string of street robberies that took place in the Lincoln Park and Lakeview neighborhoods last year.

– Serena Maria Daniels

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With no immediate fanfare insight, the Buffalo Dualie makes it debut – finally! I only had been checking their site and digging around since they showed me the device last year. Quietly launching on the Buffalo website as well as in Apple stores online. I got a sneak peek at this device last year and I was very impressed with the aesthetics as well as the quality of Dualie. Buffalo at the time told me that they had to meet with many Apple standards and since this would be the first dual docking system that incorporates a hard drive they had to make sure it was as polished as an Apple product should be. The Dualie includes a 500GB drive with a 2.0 dual dock for your iPhone or iPod as well as two additional USB ports, Mini USB, and a DC output for power. You can sync your tunes as well as access the hard drive all at the same time while docked. It comes with several adapters so it can support other generations of iPhones or iPods, and lastly the drive is formatted for Mac users but also includes drivers needed for those with Windows. Now that’s a switch. How well it works remains to be seen. The Buffalo Dualie retails for $249.95 and is available now at the Apple Store.

The good folks of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have learned nothing from the verbal ass-razing they took at the hands of “Milkshake” hitmaker Kelis earlier this week. The animal rights group has another R&B crooner is their sights. PETA has penned an open letter to “Yeah!” star Usher, imploring the singer not to replace any of the fur coats that were stolen from his vehicle during a Christmas shopping trip near his home in Atlanta.

The furs were among the $1 million in items lifted from the recently-divorced star’s SUV while he and a friend visited a busy ATL T-Mobile Store on Dec. 14.

The animal rights organization has written to Usher in a bid to persuade him to stop buying furs as gifts.

“When it comes to these coats, you’re not the first victim. The animals who were beaten, electrocuted, or drowned for those coats – the original owners – are the real victims. Please pledge to be fur-free,” read the letter from PETA official Michelle Cho. “You would be in great company! Other compassionate folks who refuse to wear real fur include Eva Mendes, Charlize Theron, Michelle Obama… and Nia Long, just to name a few. We’d be thrilled to add your name to the list.”

David Arquette and his wife, Cougar Town’s Courteney Cox, sent horror fans’ pulses racing when they announced that they would be reprising their roles as Deputy Dewey and nosy reporter Gail Weathers, respectively, in the upcoming blockbuster Scream 4. And it sounds like the feature will be a family affair for the Cox-Arquettes; David and Courteney have reportedly landed their 5-year-old daughter, Coco, a small part in the big screen slasher fest.

“It’s not the most likely film debut for a child, because Scream 4 will be gory and gruesome, but Courteney said her daughter can handle it,” a Hollywood source tells Star. “Coco won’t have a big part, and it’s not likely she’ll be in a slasher scene either.”

SocialGO, a company that creates internal social networks for companies and other organizations, has brought in $800,000 in fresh capital, according to a filing with the SEC. Based in Redwood City, Calif., the company is backed by Veddis Ventures.

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Conan O’Brien’s days as host of NBC’s The Tonight Show are numbered, and it looks like “Mandy” crooner Barry Manilow will be the host’s final guest on Jan. 22.

“It’s a perfect fit for Barry, who was once Bette Midler’s piano player, to be the one to say goodbye to Conan,” a network insider told PopEater.com Friday. “Bette was the late great Johnny Carson’s final guest and now Barry will be Conan’s … if his final date holds.”

Manilow is expected to perform a song from his new album, The Greatest Love Songs of All Time, but the final spot of the night will be Manilow, the band, staff, crew and audience all singing what might be the most appropriate song ever: “Can’t Smile Without You,” the site says.

According to a person familiar with the negotiations, next Friday, Conan will leave NBC after 16 years and free Jay Leno to reclaim the long-running late night show he hosted for 17 years.

It’s official — Kate Gosselin is getting a new show on TLC.

A project is in the works for the former star of TV’s Jon & Kate Plus 8, Steve Cheskin, the network’s Head of Programming , told reporters at the Television Critics Association Panel on Thursday.

“I can tell you yes we are developing a new show with Kate,” he confirmed. “We don’t know what show that is going to be,” he added.

While there has been some talk about the former nurse appearing in a show that will feature her trying her hand at various possible career options, Star Magazine spies insists TLC is creating a romance search for the Octomom who divorced ex-husband Jon in December.

But if you thought dating one of reality TV’s most overbearing moms would be easy, think again, buddy. Kate’s got standards:

“Kate made it clear that she wants the contestants to be over 35 and have an income of over $100,000,” says a tattle close to the deal. “She’s not messing around. In other words, she doesn’t want to meet another Jon!”

Boeing (NYSE: BA) has completed initial airworthiness testing on the 787 Dreamliner.

This milestone will enable more crew members to take part in flights and will allow more airplanes to join the flight test program.

“This is an important step forward,” said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

“We are very pleased with the results we have achieved so far. The airplane has been performing as we expected.”

Since the first flight in mid-December, the program has conducted 15 flights, achieving several key accomplishments. Pilots have taken the airplane to an altitude of 30,000 feet (9,144 meters) and a speed of Mach 0.65.

Nearly 60 hours of flying have been completed. Initial stall tests and other dynamic maneuvers have been run, as well as an extensive check-out of the airplane’s systems.

Six different pilots have been behind the controls of the 787.

In the weeks ahead, the team will continue to expand the flight envelope at which the 787 will operate to reach an altitude of more than 40,000 feet (12,192 meters) and a speed of Mach 0.85.

Subsequent testing will push the airplane beyond expected operational conditions.

“The pilots have told me the results we are seeing in flight match their expectations and the simulations we’ve run. That’s a real tribute to Boeing’s expertise and the international team that helped develop and build the airplane,” said Fancher.

Flight testing will continue in the months ahead. First delivery is planned for the fourth quarter of this year.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Lori Gunter, +1 206 931 5919
Boeing 787 Communications

A new and limited PS3 Slim model is coming your way, thanks to Sony Computer Entertainment’s Darksiders Competition. To find out how and to see the swag, read on after the jump.
 
 
 

It’s been a long time since we’ve heard anything from Jamie Lynn Spears, Nickelodeon star-turned-safe sex poster child.

It looks like big sister Britney isn’t the only Spears woman who locks changing up her locks and taking a walk on the wildside as a brunette. Jamie Lynn, 18, rocked a black wig and engaged in a bit of underage drinking and partying with pals at the Atlas Bar in Hammond, Louisiana last month, spywitnesses reveal in the Jan. 25 issue of Star Magazine.

“Jamie Lynn has been out partying in Hammond several times in the past month or so,” says a tipster.

Despite her raven-headed disguise, J.L.’s cover was blown by the noisy bouncer who checked her ID at the door: “The bouncer told everyone who she was,” blabs another partygoer. “She had a friend who was over 21 buy her shots and drinks.”

Jamie Lynn dropped out of the national spotlight after welcoming daughter Maddie Briann with fiance Casey Aldridge in the Summer of 2008.

Oh, Henri Crohas, you tease. In an interview with French site L’Expansion, the Archos CEO made reference to fate of the Archos phone tablet, saying that the company has built a device with strong multimedia capabilities… but it’s not gonna see the light of day without the support at least two major operators.Sad to hear, as the proposed specs — Android OS, 4.3-inch touchscreen, 1GHz ARM processor, 3.5G bands, 10mm titanium casing, and a possible front-facing camera — were mighty intriguing. In the meantime, keep dreaming of that Android-powered HTC HD2, k?

Archos phone tablet in limbo, awaiting ‘at least two major operators’ to sign up originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 16 Jan 2010 21:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exciting news, TV Fans: Comedian Ricky Gervais is planning to reprise his character on Britain’s The Office for an episode of the US version of the hit sitcom, Entertainment Weekly reports. Gervais, who didn’t launch his comedy career until his forties, retired bad boss David Brent after just two seasons of the hugely popular program. The show later became a smash stateside, with Steve Carell playing annoying paper company executive Michael Scott.

Gervais hinted at a possible cameo on NBC’s The Office while promoting his new HBO stand up comedy special at the Television Critics Association Conference in Pasadena this week.

Entertainment Weekly columnist Michael Ausiello claims the star is plotting an appearance in the forthcoming sixth season, writing: “I heard an unconfirmed rumour earlier today that Ricky Gervais was seriously considering reprising his role as original Office manager David Brent on the US version later this season. I think there’s a very strong chance that Michael Scott is going to come face-to-face with his British doppelganger, the only question now is when.”

Ricky Gervais will host the 2010 Golden Globe Awards, live from Hollywood, this Sunday, Jan. 17.

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