Electric Collegial Goat
posted October 21, 2012 6:35 PM   RSS | iCal | +googleCal

Wed November 7 at 5:00 PM, The Billy Goat/ The Blue Frog
430 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL, USA (Map & Directions)
That Goat Frog thing that you do so well. Well, let's do it.
So, for those of us conceived in and around epic snowstorms and/or Valentine's Day, it's always a calendar crapshoot as to whether we'll have an Election day or a Metafilter meetup birthday in any given year. This year, I've got the meetup. Previously, like say in 2000, my birthday was election day and, try as I might, there was no extending it until the election was decided. In this instance, however, I'd suggest that we all do just what we wanna do, until it's enough, be it weeks, days or hours.
posted by Cold Lurkey to Meetup (74 comments total)

I was JUST wondering if there was a goat post so I could share this: http://davidmalki.tumblr.com/post/34086585234
posted by Evilspork at 12:48 AM on October 22, 2012 [1 favorite]


I will be in Wisconsin doing voter protection until the polls close on Tuesday. I suspect I will not be working on Wednesday. I will happily booze it up, though.
posted by crush-onastick at 7:48 AM on October 22, 2012 [1 favorite]


Yay crush! Remind me to buy you a drink for your efforts.

I will also not be working, because of a doctor's appointment. However, it is not my doctor's appointment, so, provided things go well, I will also make my way downtown to be there.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 9:15 AM on October 22, 2012


Depending upon the election results, I may or may not attend, for various reasons in each case.

I aspire to become a regular. I just don't know how to make it happen.
posted by tzikeh at 5:45 PM on October 26, 2012


Note to Evilspork. today is tuesday. And still october. You can go to the goat today, but many of us won't be there. Or next week tuesday. I recommend going next week wednesday.

also, holy shit, I need to figure out who I'm voting for in the local elections like MWRD pretty damn quick.
posted by garlic at 9:43 AM on October 30, 2012 [1 favorite]


My registration was messed up for some reason so I had to do grace period registration last weekend. I only figured out that I would have to vote immediately thereafter on the Brown Line on the way to the elections office. It was a fast a furious dash to get my shit together w/r/t who/what I was voting for.
posted by SpiffyRob at 7:35 PM on October 30, 2012


One week to go! To tide you over, here's some karaoke.
posted by Iridic at 1:19 PM on October 31, 2012


that's really hard.
posted by garlic at 6:11 PM on October 31, 2012


Especially because they don't include the apostrophe in contractions. I can't make myself not try to not include them.

Also, slower songs would help.

Probably also knowing more than two or three pop songs might also have helped.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:21 AM on November 1, 2012


So far, the election is running smoothly at my polling place in Wisconsin! 11~12 hours to go!
posted by crush-onastick at 7:26 AM on November 6, 2012 [2 favorites]


Note to Evilspork. Today is Tuesday. It is now at least November, but many of us still won't be there. I recommend going tomorrow.
posted by phunniemee at 11:03 AM on November 6, 2012 [2 favorites]


So I'm rationing my drinking days - for physical and personal reasons -- so I'm really wishing today was tomorrow because this will be my first sober election day in a while. And it's difficult.

But I'm saving my drinking for tiny beers tomorrow. See you there.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 12:07 PM on November 6, 2012




MEET THE NEW ROB

SAME AS THE OLD ROB
posted by SpiffyRob at 9:14 PM on November 6, 2012


FYI- "my" precinct: 1063 for Obama; 32 for Romney. I took it as an omen and by the time I was back in Chicago, there it was!
posted by crush-onastick at 9:51 PM on November 6, 2012 [1 favorite]


Can I credit you with the results for the entire state of WI crush? because I'd like to, and that was some very nice work you did up there.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 11:07 PM on November 6, 2012


Shakespeherean and I promised one another that if Obama won, we'd come to the Goat.

GOATING TIME.

(I won't get there til 6:30, so don't leave early!)
posted by tzikeh at 11:37 PM on November 6, 2012


I believe I voted for 2 winning candidates -- a member of the MRWD and my representative to congress. My IL house representative is apparently an idicted briber, previously kicked out of the house, which is nice. And none of the terrible judges, insane, sunbathing, or otherwise, got voted out.
posted by garlic at 6:24 AM on November 7, 2012


i am already hung over and have a huge meeting about judicial elections in about half an hour.
posted by crush-onastick at 6:43 AM on November 7, 2012


60% is the magic number for retention, right? If so, it looks like Hill-Veal is toast, Brim and Chevere *just* made it, and the rest of the bunch slid through easily. Sauce. I'm still not totally sure on the details of this process, so I might have missed something.

I do wish more people would read up on the judges before voting. I would love to see the looks on peoples faces when confronted with the story behind some of the people they gave a blind "yes" to.
posted by SpiffyRob at 6:56 AM on November 7, 2012


Your sauce link has better info than the stuff I was looking at yesterday. Chevere and Brim held on by the skin of their teeth if 60% is the cutoff point. Looks like 123 votes for Chevere over 60%, and 3173 votes for Brim.
posted by garlic at 7:35 AM on November 7, 2012


It was suburban Cook Co. that brought some judges down close to 60%. The machine's Vote Yes campaign really drowned out the Committee to Elect Qualified Judges
posted by crush-onastick at 8:41 AM on November 7, 2012


I think I may very well attend tonight. How will I spot you? Can you all wear blue or green carnations in your lapels?
posted by Lieber Frau at 9:25 AM on November 7, 2012 [1 favorite]


How will I spot you?

You will know us by the trail of dead.

Or possibly by our velocity.

But mostly if you walk into the Goat and look to the left, there will be a lot of tables pushed together and a lot of people who look like Mefites sitting there. Really, it's not hard to spot. The Goat's not very big, and the Mefites are very.... *present*.
posted by tzikeh at 9:49 AM on November 7, 2012


How will I spot you?

I will likely be there by 5:15. I have short brown hair and am wearing a black shirt today.

garlic usually gets there early, too. He has short brown hair and is probably wearing a shirt today.

One of us is a lady-type.

I hope that's helpful!
posted by phunniemee at 10:11 AM on November 7, 2012 [1 favorite]


phunniemee - I hope you guys won't tire of the Goat early and move on to the Frog -- I won't get to the Goat til 6:30.
posted by tzikeh at 10:14 AM on November 7, 2012


I'm leaving by 7:30 regardless of what other people do because I have one of these waiting for me at home.
posted by phunniemee at 10:28 AM on November 7, 2012


And also a pile of laundry.
posted by phunniemee at 10:29 AM on November 7, 2012


:(
posted by phunniemee at 10:29 AM on November 7, 2012


*sigh* Stupid work going til 6....
posted by tzikeh at 10:29 AM on November 7, 2012


tzikeh -- we won't go to the frog early. That'd just be silly. Karaoke starts late (10? 9?) so we don't need to get there much before then to reserve the cool kids seat up front near Mary Mac.

I am indeed wearing a shirt today. It is greenish, but not really the same color as ask.me. I look like my picture on my userpage. Phunniemee looks like the picture on her userpage. Truman looks like the picture phunniemee linked, but he won't be there, so don't look for him.
posted by garlic at 10:45 AM on November 7, 2012


And Eamon has an ENORMOUS beard. Always easy to spot the gang if Eamon is there before you.
posted by tzikeh at 11:10 AM on November 7, 2012


Picture this sweater without that collar and that is the sweater I am and will be wearing.
posted by SpiffyRob at 12:54 PM on November 7, 2012


Have fun, guys. I'd hoped to make it, but I'm still out in Utah turning over a base. Drink all the tiny beers for me. And some Shiner at the Frog.
posted by BevosAngryGhost at 1:03 PM on November 7, 2012


Will you be? will you really?
posted by garlic at 1:11 PM on November 7, 2012


Boorger boorger boorger
I've no boorger in my tummy
But that will change pretty soon

Beers are oh so tiny
And my back is super spiny
And I want a fucking boorger and some tiny beers so bad I am destroying all sense of rhyme and meter
posted by SpiffyRob at 1:30 PM on November 7, 2012


Tiny beers help panic attacks, right? Because my brain has picked this week to flip its shit. They do? Ok. I'll be there.
posted by youngergirl44 at 2:05 PM on November 7, 2012


I'm leaving by 7:30 regardless of what other people do because I have one of these waiting for me at home.

That link isn't nearly as exciting as I thought it was going to be.


BUT ZOMG PUPPY!!#R*
posted by Evilspork at 2:20 PM on November 7, 2012


oh hey maybe i should mention in this thread that i'm a-comin
posted by shakespeherian at 2:39 PM on November 7, 2012


Oh shit I'm also wearing a shirt today, super awkward
posted by shakespeherian at 2:40 PM on November 7, 2012


I'll just take mine off, then. Surely that will make it less awkward. Surely.
posted by phunniemee at 2:41 PM on November 7, 2012


Yes this has the sound of logic to it.
posted by shakespeherian at 2:42 PM on November 7, 2012 [1 favorite]


Ooh, I know...NO ONE wear a shirt (but don't tell shakes), so that he'll feel all weird being the only loser wearing one. That'll show him!

Lieber Frau, you'll know who we are because we'll be the ones being asked to leave!
posted by phunniemee at 2:49 PM on November 7, 2012 [1 favorite]


I'm on my way right now, and I have 2 shirts that can be shared or removed as necessary.
posted by garlic at 2:49 PM on November 7, 2012


ARE YOU GUYS TALKING ABOUT ME
posted by shakespeherian at 2:53 PM on November 7, 2012 [1 favorite]


Well, clearly the garage demolition crew is not fucking coming back, so I'm going to come down and pout about it. Be there in an hour or so.
posted by eamondaly at 3:00 PM on November 7, 2012


I will either be at the Goat late or the Frog early. Drink some tiny beers for me!
posted by Zaximus at 3:08 PM on November 7, 2012


The Metra and Purple line arrival times at Davis are such that you will always wait at least 8 minutes.

But sometimes, if things go just right and you run real fast, you will just miss the train and wait ten minutes. Sometimes this involves breaking a rib.
posted by SpiffyRob at 3:14 PM on November 7, 2012


Tiny beer drinking has commenced. Currently in normal area. I'm not supposed to eat or drink after 8 or so, so I plan on double distinguished til then.
posted by garlic at 3:14 PM on November 7, 2012


Okay I'm on my way.

My merry way.
posted by shakespeherian at 3:17 PM on November 7, 2012


Preparing to do the Belmont transfer.

You know what I mean.
posted by SpiffyRob at 3:25 PM on November 7, 2012


Leaving work in 15 mins. At the Goat in however long it takes me to walk from Columbus Drive and Harbor Drive to the Goat.
posted by tzikeh at 3:44 PM on November 7, 2012


So sad I'm missing you all tonight! Except that I'm about to head out to Milwaukee to see David Bazan (Pedro the Lion). Have a great night, tell Mary and crew I said hi!!!
posted by misskaz at 4:15 PM on November 7, 2012


Reserved for Dick Face
posted by youngergirl44 at 7:38 PM on November 7, 2012


Sorry for the abruptness, the pain was getting to me and I had to get out fast.
posted by Evilspork at 8:03 PM on November 7, 2012


Well that was fun.
posted by shakespeherian at 8:59 PM on November 7, 2012


Yay for fun.
posted by SpiffyRob at 10:45 PM on November 7, 2012


I hope I make it to karaoke next time.

I'd like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that crush-onastick is not a whore.
posted by tzikeh at 5:24 AM on November 8, 2012


Pretty awkward running in to SpiffyRob on the platform yesterday on my conspicuously not way to the Goat, but aside from my normal stabbing and cutting things, I was also helping a friend out who got locked out of his apartment. What fun!
posted by adamdschneider at 6:20 AM on November 8, 2012


Dear Spiffy,

This is why we gave you the burlap sack and chloroform. Next time you run into adamdschneider, you know what to do.
posted by phunniemee at 6:40 AM on November 8, 2012 [2 favorites]


UNOWUT2DO
posted by adamdschneider at 8:42 AM on November 8, 2012


Sorry I couldn't make it last night. The hospital took longer than I thought it would, went home with groggy partner and called into some meetings... then I decided that resting in bed looked like a good idea. Then it was 8:00 pm.

He got up and apparently, according to the leftovers in the fridge and a half-remembered conversation, ordered a pizza. I basically slept until my alarm went off at 6 this morning.

As much as I wish I'd seen you all last night, I guess I was pretty tired.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 9:29 AM on November 8, 2012


We missed you, Mike!

Spiffy--all Cook County judges up for retention were--in fact--retained. Cook County reports its ballot results as "Cook County" results (all parts of Cook County not in the city) and "City of Chicago" results. All judges got lower approval rates in suburban Cook County, but all had high enough approval rates in Chicago to raise themselves to the 60% yes vote needed to be retained. Thank Toni Preckwinkle's robo-calls.

You'll note, no-one was trying to remove Judge Brim because she has a mental health issue and those groups trying to remove her were not even basing their recommendation solely on the assault charge. Judge Brim has stood for retention three times since her initial election. The three groups affiliated with my institution have never recommended her for the office. Among other things, she lacks sufficient knowledge of the law, never gets to court on time, is rude and hostile to litigants. Many attorneys who practice in the 5th Muni (where she sits) report that they file an automatic motion for substitution of judge as of right as soon as they learn a case is assigned to her. She's never been considered competent by a majority of groups who evaluate judges and she has been consistently criticized for inappropriate anger in court.

Anyway! Good to see everyone. Although I think you poisoned me.
posted by crush-onastick at 9:49 AM on November 8, 2012 [1 favorite]


That's great info, crush. My girlfriend was curious about why the CBA listed some judges as "not recommended," so I will definitely be forwarding your comment to her!
posted by adamdschneider at 9:54 AM on November 8, 2012


Unfortunately, the recommendation system is itself somewhat confusing and each group issuing recommendations uses slightly different criteria. VoteforJudges.Org and the Committee to Elect Qualified Judges are independent from the groups issuing the recommendations and merely aggregate and disseminate them.

There are thee major players: The Illinois State Bar Association (which is the only entity that evaluated judges outside Cook County, except the state Supreme Court judges), The Chicago Bar Association, the Alliance Bar (this is a coalition of eleven bar associations). The fourth major player is the Judicial Performance Commission of Cook County (which does not offer voter recommendations, but makes its evaluations public for use by the bar associations or individual voters in determining who to vote for). This last group is the only group to include nonlawyers on its evaluation committee.

The three bar groups all use a similar process--they ask the judges to fill in a questionnaire about their recent cases and to list attorneys who may be contacted about their experiences practicing before that judge. Some attempt is made to contact "off list" attorneys who have practiced before that judge, but I don't know how "off list" attorneys are chosen. The groups interview the judges and issue their recommendations. Judges are evaluated every six years when they stand for retention. Criteria for who is "recommended" or "not recommended" vary among the groups. Any judge who chooses not to participate will not be "recommended".

The Judicial Performance Commission of Cook County uses data from the Clerk of the Court to identify who has had a case before each retention judge in the last three years. All (who can be contacted) are given the opportunity to fill in an electronic survey and between 10-20 are interviewed over the telephone. Additionally "journalistic" investigation is done. Judges are interviewed by the JPC only if the attorney interviews show some sort of problem. Evaluations by the JPC are given directly to the judges, their supervising judges, their presiding judges and the Chief Judge. The JPC re-evaluates any judge with an identified performance issue every three years. Judges may not opt-out of the JPC process.

I can tell you even more about the process, if you like.
posted by crush-onastick at 10:51 AM on November 8, 2012




I can tell you even more about the process, if you like.

Next time we are both drinking, you absolutely should.
posted by adamdschneider at 1:57 PM on November 8, 2012


Dave with the username I don't remember but I think it started with a B and the coyote pictures: I just sat down to watch the Survivor I recorded Wednesday night, and the "more coming up at 10" story (which didn't get recorded) was about a coyote invasion in one of the suburbs. (Which suburb? THEY'LL TELL US AT 10.)
posted by phunniemee at 5:53 PM on November 9, 2012


I'm pretty sure you're thinking of Joe...
posted by garlic at 7:15 AM on November 12, 2012


PS dudes it is official: The December goatup will be my last!
posted by SpiffyRob at 2:03 PM on November 20, 2012


:((((((((((((

I hope that face of many frowns properly conveys my sadness.
posted by phunniemee at 2:10 PM on November 20, 2012


Spiffy's leaving gave me multiple chins.

:(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((
posted by shakespeherian at 2:11 PM on November 20, 2012


Well, obviously that's good news on the job front. Spiffy, you are a man in demand.
posted by readery at 2:43 PM on November 20, 2012


Homies, I am sad to make you sad, but it is great news for us, and EVERYONE must come out in two weeks for the SpiffySendoff.

And here is the Spotify playlist I created for this day: GTFO 2012
posted by SpiffyRob at 3:12 PM on November 20, 2012



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