CapitolFax.com - Latest Comments in More on Dunkin

Re: More on Dunkin

M@earth — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 11:25:17 -0000

By appearances this should have been a tourist draw. The gay games were happening and the line up was fairly stacked with prominent members of the music community who are also gay. That's where it ended as well. I am sure the gay games made money. Sadly, that money wasn't spread around evenly enough and the amount of sharing and working together as a city (surprise) failed miserably.
You could smell bs the moment anyone says something is going to be an overwhelming success. The homework was put in the bag and that's as far as it got. No one did it and studied the city other than what it represented to them PRE RAVE days. The homework that needed to be done was to pull in the rest of the city for one. Understand that the city has evolved and there are many new people who have come up since 1995. Look at how many DJ's, producers, record labels, and supporters of the music exist today in the city of Chicago! Then to balance that. Look at how many Chicagoans there are who left the city to pursue their art, their music. Again, look at how many have stayed. Why weren't these resources and potential costumer bases tapped? It the event was about bringing people together. Why didn't it make that more apparent? It's electronic music just the same and most of it is danceable too. If the city wants to celebrate its heritage and it self. It's gotta bring in all its babies.

Re: More on Dunkin

Sandeman — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 08:42:38 -0000

I am very disturbed and embarassed about what happened and I'm amazed that when Chicago gets such a great opprotunity to shine... the promoters fill up their pockets and run! Who was responsible for this? Please provide names and e-mail addresses!!
When we arrived on Saturday, I thought I was in House Music Heaven!! Beautiful cresent-shaped beach with people playing in the water, groups basking in the sun, and loud house music bumping. But inside was hellish... scattered peoples wandering about wondering "Why'd I spend $35?"...
I hope that this event returns and is handled in a much different way. If you think house music is dead in Chicago.... then visit the Petrillo Music Shell August 23.....

Re: More on Dunkin

Peaches — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 01:19:52 -0000

From my point of view, Mr. Jones is just as big an embarassment as Senator Hendon. It should be Mr. Madigan disciplining Rep. Dunkin.

Re: More on Dunkin

Minion — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 15:19:48 -0000

Ken showed an amazing lack of good judgement on this. I don't know if anything illegal happened, but he should have known better than to have this money controlled by his former campaign manager.

Re: More on Dunkin

Anonymous — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 11:00:24 -0000

Rep. Dunkin is turning into as big of an embarassment as Sen. Hendon is. President Jones needs to slap these two nitwits around some...

Re: More on Dunkin

Wed, 26 Jul 2006 01:46:14 -0000

I guess Daley's raver law pushed all the good promoters out of the city.

As probably the only person on this board who ever attended raves, maybe I can clue you in on something - no one wants to listen to goofy music and dance like a fool in the sun during the middle of a summer day. It makes it a lot harder to do illegal s*** too. Whoever thought that 60,000 people who should up was fooling theyself and the 'jaded' djs (see JimGreg Kotderogotis' story in Tempo on Monday - An aside: I don't know what is lamer, the fact that those two over-esteemed music critics write about the same bands every week or that the Trib still calls its hippest section 'Tempo.')were probably laughing all the way to the bank.

I think house festivals should best be pushed by the invisible hand of capitalism than by the glow-stick clutching hand of socialism. There are plenty of other good causes into which the government should cough up some cash ...

Re: More on Dunkin

Anonymous — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 22:44:04 -0000

If this was somehow based on tourism, can anyone point to ANY efforts that were made to promote this to out of towners to bring them in for this train wreck?

No, you can't. It's a farce, that merits a primary challenge if not an indictment.

Re: More on Dunkin

NotaBlagoFan — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 21:47:47 -0000

I don't necessarily support Ken Dunkin, but you have to remember that he is the Chair of Tourism, so the fact that this idea was aimed at benefiting tourism -- and not specifically his district -- actually shows that he's doing his job as chairman. I dont know how I feel about $200,000 for a house festival, but then again I dont know how I feel about $1.3million for a statute of Lincoln in Springfield. The house festival can be characterized as a form of art/expression, and if there was clamouring for the festival, it was probably a good idea to have it. Dunkin was over reaching to think he could get 60,000 people to pay for anything in the first year.

Re: More on Dunkin

NoGiftsPlease — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 20:35:48 -0000

Honestly, if it was a money-making idea, don't you think they could have found an agency who did this for a living to put it on without the 200K? I think the fact that they had to pay someone to do it in the first place should have been a clue that it wouldn't make much, if any, profit. I would have thought they could offer to rent the venue for a discounted or free price (that seems like enough seed to me) to a "professional" and see who was biting. That's what I would have done...oh, but I work for the DOT, what do I know.

Re: More on Dunkin

NW burbs — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 18:55:44 -0000

Sheesh... This isn't a Dem or Repub issue, it's a political hack issue (both parties have 'em: witness the most egregious of the bunch, Jack Abramoff and the many Repubs ensnared in those tentacles).

But a few serious inquiries: Can I have an 8-track convention in my backyard? Maybe Roskam can have an REO-vinylfest in his basement; he is in the state lege after all.

Re: More on Dunkin

Left Leaner — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 18:32:09 -0000

The answer to your question, fightforjustice, is that there are lots of "causes" in Dunkin's district that could be well served by $200,000. Unfortunately, I doubt his constituents will hold him accountable for this purely self-serving act.

Re: More on Dunkin

Phocion — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 18:21:52 -0000

There are so many things wrong with this, it's hard to figure out where to begin:

1. Yes, there are plenty of worthy causes in the 5th District. Education, parks, crime prevention, health care, public transportation - to name a few.

2. This flop of a concert was held on Northerly Island - which isn't even in Dunkin's district.

3. Were any state bidding or contracting rules that were required in this...or did Crumpton get a no bid deal that violated state law?

4. Why doesn't any of Crumpton's legal work show up on Dunkin's D-2s?

5. What does a concert have to do with being a state legislator?

6. Did the Chicago Park District also subsidize this fiasco?

7. Is Lisa Madigan going to investigate a member of her father's side of the House aisle?

The Democrats should be ashamed to have this disaster in their ranks.

Re: More on Dunkin

fightforjustice — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 17:58:18 -0000

Could it be there is no cause that needed the $200,000 in Ken's district?

Re: More on Dunkin

Niles Township — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 17:25:36 -0000

Ken Dunkin has been a joke lately. First, the attack psychotherapists (comparing them to Nazis!) using the Thompson Center lobby for a exhibit from a loony organization, and now this. I have not been impressed with this light weight member of the Jesse White organization.

Re: More on Dunkin

BuckTurgidson — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 17:18:31 -0000

Dumb,

What I am saying is that to expect that every representative read every one of the hundreds of MOUs so that each one knew he or she was voting on a House Music festival or a film festival or a pig festival is folly.

Sure he voted for it. Just like the old GOP legislature voted for member initiatives like stained glass windows in parking garages in Naperville, statues of Benny Goodman, horse show rings and a host of other wasteful things.

These things rarely has the bite that activists think it will. But by all means, have fun.

Re: More on Dunkin

ChicagoCynic — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 17:06:37 -0000

It's definitely disappointing and worth looking into. I've known Ken for many years and would hate to think he knowingly funnelled state money to a friend. I mean it's so obvious that it's a problem and so easy to find that I would be shocked if he is that oblivious to the appearances.

He's a very emotional guy so I guess I'm not too surprised by the finger incident. Still, I really hope for more out of him and hope this story is less than meets the eye.

Re: More on Dunkin

QueenB — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 17:04:18 -0000

I'm blown away. I don't care if it's house music, country music, rap music, or my cousin's garage band. The state just spent $200,000 on a concert, and a poorly attended one at that. I haven't seen such blatantly juvenile waste and corruption since the student-run campus activities board in college.

Re: More on Dunkin

House music frees the mind, bo — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 16:41:12 -0000

3:35pm

Correction. There are plenty of people that listen to house music. It has evolved tremendously. The SummerDance series last year attracted several thousands of people from all backgrounds. The reason it flopped was perhaps due to the high fees, weather, or lack of marketing. Regardless, it is a shame that there is a possibility that there are few that benefitted from this flop.

Re: More on Dunkin

anon — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 16:35:40 -0000

omfg. i figured the house music festival flopped because no one listens to house any more and they didn't promote it. it didn't even dawn on me that it was a little mou project. this one of the best example of waste yet! sweet!

Re: More on Dunkin

Anonymous — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 16:32:56 -0000

It is shameful that Dunkin is so ignorant as to repeatedly revel in his stupid moves. This is just the latest example. He better hope that there is not an audit of who got the fees and contracts on this deal.

When he was first elected, numerous people in the capitol said that he was on a fast track to an indictment. If he doesn't wake up fast, he is going to prove them right. If not on this matter, then on something else.

Re: More on Dunkin

D as in Dumb — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 16:28:06 -0000

Buck-

I think "critics" refer to the 53 Republicans who voted against it. Not the 65 Dems who supported it. Unless, of course, you believe that Democrats were criticizing their own vote in support of spending $200k for the house music festival. That would be very Kerryesque.

Re: More on Dunkin

BuckTurgidson — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 16:23:29 -0000

Dumb, did you bother to, you know, READ the article?

"Many critics lambasted it as exemplary of a larger problem of taxpayer dollars being apportioned without public debate or an adequately informed legislature. In the press, Dunkin refused to reveal who was getting the $200,000 because he "did not want them to be overly scrutinized."

There seems only one legislator with any real respobsibility for these thumpin beats.

Re: More on Dunkin

KDunk on the LoLo — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 16:09:17 -0000

Yo, why you all hatin'? Haven't y'all heard, it's hard out here for me.

Re: More on Dunkin

DunkinWatch — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 16:02:37 -0000

Don't forget when Dunkin flipped the bird to the entire House ...

http://www.rrstar.com/apps/...

Re: More on Dunkin

House music frees the mind, bo — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 15:56:43 -0000

Shame shame shame! I hope they didn't use this event for their personal gain.