You may recall that last August, when Seattle resident, ardent environmentalist and international rock star Dave Matthews and his band were touring in Chicago, their tour bus dumped 80 to 100 GALLONS of human waste through the grates of the Kinzie Street Bridge onto an architecture tour boat passing below, soaking passengers and polluting the river.
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has already filed a civil lawsuit against the Dave Matthews Band and the tour bus driver, seeking a $70,000 penalty for alleged violations of state environmental laws. But today, the driver was formally charged with reckless conduct and contaminating the Chicago River. If convicted, he would face a sentence of up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Several suits from drenched passengers are also pending.
The band has already donated $100,000 for river restoration and suspended the driver, according to reports.
Suspended? How about fired?
Here's what else I'd like to know. Why didn't the driver follow the usual procedures and have the waste drained or dumped at a facility designed for such purposes? I really don't know. But you have to wonder. It wouldn't be because the famous environmentalist rock star and his band need to be ferried somewhere in their private, commode-equipped cocoon-mobile, and soon, and there was no time to empty the tanks? Can't have rock stars taking taxis or using public restrooms, after all.
And to think Mr. Enviro sez Bush and Cheney are "idiots."
Posted by Matt Rosenberg at January 19, 2005 05:45 PM | Email ThisThanks
Posted by: Matt R. on January 19, 2005 05:47 PMThat is the sort of over-reaction you'd get from environmental agencies if Cheney so much as pooted into a hurricane force wind.
Fines? This thing really should be investigated until we get to the bottom of it, or should I say, to the right bottom.
Posted by: Iguana on January 19, 2005 06:27 PMhttp://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-0408250268aug25,1,6129274.story
Posted by: Larry on January 19, 2005 06:51 PMLet's not get personal. Surely there's enough material to ridicule him in this statement to his fans:
==============================================
Dave Matthews Speaks Out About the War
I hope this letter finds you all well and that in these uncertain times you find moments to be joyful.
I want to speak my mind about this war with Iraq, or I will choke on my conscience.
What is the motivation? Regime change? Shouldn't that be up to the people of the region and the people of Iraq? The only real threat from Saddam Hussein is to his neighbors and none of them support a U.S. invasion. Is it to stabilize the Middle-East? Wouldn't it only do the opposite by causing further death and suffering in a country that has had more than its share?
Is it to weaken Al Qaeda? Saddam Hussein is a genocidal maniac but he is not Al Qaeda. He is certainly more visible though. Is he our target because he is easier to identify than the illusive terrorist network? Surely it is more likely that an attack on Iraq would only strengthen Al Qaeda by feeding Anti-American sentiment. Putting out the fire with gasoline, so to speak. It is certainly not to liberate the people of Iraq who suffer under Hussein's rule, unless we call killing hundreds of thousands of Iraqis liberation.
Saddam Hussein is a barbaric murderous dictator. I wish the world were free of him. But the answer is not to bomb this great culture of Iraq out of existence to stop him. Why must the children of Iraq die by the thousands to stop a tyrant? It is not justice. And if we kill him what will we achieve? We will have taken the most unpopular leader in the Middle East and turned him into the greatest martyr radical Islam has ever had. The U.N. weapons inspectors must be allowed to do their job thoroughly and any military action should be internationally agreed upon. We must not allow our government to turn us into a rogue nation.
I fear that our true motivation is about oil and our own flailing economy; about the failure to destroy Al Qaeda and about revenge. It is criminal to put our servicemen and women in harm's way and to put the lives of so many civilians on the line for the misguided frustrations of the Bush administration.
Bottom line: this war is wrong and this war is un-American.
Peacefully submitted,
Dave Matthews
=================================================
Dumping poop on unsuspecting tourists....sounds so incredibly..............French!
And he calls 'US' un-American???
Posted by: Deborah on January 19, 2005 07:12 PMNo, I am done for this entry...enjoy!
Posted by: smegma on January 19, 2005 07:14 PMTruthfully nice to have some refreshing (?) news before we have the X$#@#%@# hit the fan tomorrow in Chelan.
Posted by: Victor on January 19, 2005 07:38 PMHeedless Lucy MUST be my long lost daughter...
I apologize for my absence, Heedless Lucy. I wish I could have applied abstinence at the time, but it didn't happen...
Come to Daddy...
Posted by: smegma on January 19, 2005 08:18 PMIs everything on Sound Politics equally fact-checked?
Posted by: Frank on January 19, 2005 10:24 PMAre you speaking of fact-checking the story, or people's comments?
Because if you think the story needs fact checking, maybe you would like to call Illinois AG Lisa Madigan, Mayor of Chicago Richard M. Daley, and/or the Chicago Police Department.
Or I could save you the time and provide you these links to the Chicago Tribune news stories detailing how the Chicago Police used eyewitness statements and local surveillance videos to determine that it was, indeed, a Dave Matthews Band tour bus.
The driver had picked up Boyd Tinsley at the East Bank Club and admitted to crossing the Kinzie Bridge at the time the incident happened. Eyewitnesses saw the bus. No other bus crossed within 15 minutes before nor after.
Enjoy reading!
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-0408250268aug25,1,6129274.story
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-0408260285aug26,1,6588027.story
i apologize for my abrasive comment. I'm not sure which is worse dumping excrement upon unsuspecting people or being subjected to the letter matthews had written. both are indicative of low level waste.
Posted by: ray on January 19, 2005 10:42 PMNo apology necessary! I'm still waiting for Dave Matthews apology.....
(For the album 'Everyday', not the waste discharge.)
Posted by: Larry on January 19, 2005 10:47 PMWhat's up with all the Dave Matthews fans, anyway? This guy really, really sucks. When he sings, it sounds like some poor, defenseless animal is being tortured.
Get a clue, people!
Posted by: Kevin S on January 19, 2005 11:02 PM----------
10.22.04
To the people of Chicago and our fans:
We have been working with Chicago authorities to resolve our questions about the bus incident. Those authorities have graciously cooperated. Unfortunately we still do not have a definitive understanding of what happened and are continuing to investigate the matter. However, we are not comfortable with the time it is taking us, and we have decided to take action now even though it may turn out the incident was not caused by one of our buses. We simply want to begin the healing process.
As a first step, if we were the responsible party we offer our deepest apologies to the passengers on the boat, the City of Chicago, our fans and those who have worked so hard to clean up the Chicago River. Chicago is one of our favorite cities to play and we love the city itself and our fans there.
We have contacted the boat owner and tour operator and will work with them to identify the passengers that were affected that day and to make things right for all concerned. We have also asked for information from the boat owner and tour operator regarding the expenses they have incurred helping the passengers. We know we cannot erase what happened that day, but we hope by reaching out and helping now this will help demonstrate our commitment to step up if we are found to be the responsible party.
We are strongly committed to the protection of the environment, a principle that we know is shared by the people of Chicago, who deserve tremendous praise for the work that they have done in recent years to clean up the river. To support efforts to protect this natural resource for the community, we are making a $50,000 donation to both the Friends of the Chicago River and The Chicago Park District, with the request in both cases that they use these funds for efforts that help keep the river and environment around it clean.
This incident has been especially troubling for the Dave Matthews Band family and we appreciate your patience as we work through it. Until the facts are better understood we have suspended the driver, who was the only person on the bus during the time in question. The driver continues to steadfastly deny any involvement in the incident.
We especially thank the Chicago authorities who have been and continue to be very helpful to us in our efforts to resolve the facts of this matter.
As we have said before, what happened to the people on the boat is awful and it goes against so many principles we hold dear: environmentalism, accountability, and, mostly, principles of humanity. We will continue to fight for these principles, and seek to live up to the values they represent.
Thank you.
----
It sounds like it was some dissenting driver who pulled the trigger (or pushed the lever, whatever it was)
I personally really like Dave Matthews' voice. It's different, but it is a very good one in my opinion.
Posted by: nathan on January 19, 2005 11:13 PMBut his tour bus driver dumped 100 gallons of human waste into a tributary one mile from one of that largest sources of fresh water remaining in the world. Pretty sh!tty, no pun intended.
And I'm often embarrassed to be a fan of his when he calls our President an idiot.
I no more want to hear Dave Matthews comment on politics than I do to hear Cristopher Hitchens sing 'Crash Into Me.'
It is possible that Matthews didn't know what was going on, as he is usually so stoned I'm surprised he even knew he was in Chicago.
And, did I mention that he is a leftist idiot whose music really, really sucks?
Posted by: Kevin S on January 19, 2005 11:31 PMBut that begs another question that just came to me - the band's hotel was no more than a mile or two from the East Bank Club where Boyd was being picked up.
Why does a band, that is so concerned about the environment, send a TOUR BUS a few miles through crowded city streets to pick up Boyd? Isn't that a huge waste of gas and a cause of pollution and congestion in the city? Why can't Boyd catch a cab, or better yet, take that wonderful Chicago public transportation, the El? He could have walked a few blocks south (in August, fine weather) and caught the Green Line at Lake Street.
What's up with that? Now that's a hypocrite. We agree on something, Kevin.
Posted by: Larry on January 19, 2005 11:40 PMHe's almost as bad as William Hung.
Anyway, no self respecting admirer of President Bush would be caught dead listening to the leftist stooge also known as Dave Matthews. It really doesn't matter where he was during this incident.
He still is a stupid hippie pothead, and he can't even make up for it with good music.
Posted by: Kevin S on January 20, 2005 12:16 AMNot once, at any of the shows I have been to, has Dave Matthews said anything related to politics. The note on his website is the only time I know of him ever expressing a specific viewpoint. He also played in the Vote For Change tour, and even at those shows he did not speak anything against Bush, from what I understand from others who attended.
I wouldn't charge hipocracy for the actions of some bus driver.
Sorry for the delayed response, but to answer your question whether Gregoire would be required to leave office immediately upon the court finding the election results unknowable - I don't know. I'll defer to John and others who probably have a better handle on it.
But the court would be drawing on its equitable powers to fashion a remedy (in other words, going outside the letter of the law but doing what is fair and just, though they do have the Foulkes v. Hayes precedent in Adams County) so I would think almost anything goes.
However, I think a court would be very weary of wading into a political fire storm with those who support Gregoire in view of the fact that the system "worked" as it was the Washington legislature crafted it to work, however dysfunctionally and unfairly. So I would suspect the court would probably let Gregoire serve out her term until the revote. However, this is all very virgin territory, and there are others on this site who could probably make better educated guesses than I can.
Posted by: LoneWolf on January 20, 2005 07:05 AMYou're not breaking anything to me, Kevin S, so don't torment yourself by hating to do it.
Taking advice on music from you is not something that I spend any time thinking about. You can love or hate any performer you want - but please don't waste our time, and start addressing someone who actually cares what you think.
Besides, chicks dig Dave Matthews and I dig chicks. Maybe you should try being with one sometime.
Posted by: Larry on January 20, 2005 07:43 AMJudging from the early contestants on American Idol, about 20% of people out there are completely tone-deaf with no sense of rythm.
And not only can they not sing, they actually think they sound good - and they seem to have friends amongst the 20% (of the tone deaf) who are encouraging them.
I mean, William Hung has a hit record... just who do you think buys this stuff?
I have this sneaky suspicion that being liberal tends to make one tone-deaf as well... that certainly would help explain a lot.
Posted by: thecomputerguy on January 20, 2005 08:23 AMAs a postscript, I agree Gregoire wasn't elected and shouldn't be there (before anyone accuses me of being soft or uses the L word on me! :) ). The only reason she and not Dino is in the governor's office is that the Democrats were better at gaming a broken election system.
But I'm trying to guess what the court would do. Since the statutory law is unclear on a revote and the court would have to fashion an equitable remedy, I would think that the court probably would allow Gregoire to stay in office pending the results of a revote.
Traditionally, courts are weary about wading into politics and, when they use their equitable powers, they like doing things in incremental ways that lead to the least amount of disruption to the system while still accomplishing what is fair and just.
One thing I'd be interested in hearing from folks is thoughts on how Ruth Bennett's votes would break if she is taken out of the mix. Historically, I would think Libertarians are more philosophically allied to the GOP, but Bennett had some pretty socially liberal planks to her platform.
Posted by: LoneWolf on January 20, 2005 08:26 AMWho knows, maybe you will make friends with some other pothead hippie types and you can all get together and listen to some Dave CD's while you blaze up another joint.
As for the liking girls issue, if you are hooking up with the sort of ladies one might find at a Dave concert, I suggest you get an STD test at your earliest convenience.
Posted by: Kevin S on January 20, 2005 09:06 AMI think you'd be surprised to find that a lot of Dave Matthews fans in fact come from the right side of the political specturm. I would say more than half of them, from what I've noticed.
Posted by: nathan on January 20, 2005 10:24 AMMaybe you'd like to see my credentials - because I'm sure they're better than yours to belong to 'the vast right-wing conspiracy.' Were you in a polling place for 13 hours on election day as a poll watcher and poll observer for the Republican Party? I was. Were you knocking on doors in Seattle every Saturday in September and October for Dino Rossi's campaign? I was. You can talk the talk, but do you walk the walk?
I like to think that Republicans are open-minded, and it's the Democrats that have tunnel vision and blinders on. But when I read the screeds of people like yourself, I realize that our side has its share of idiots and malcontents. Maybe you could become a Libertarian so we can increase the average IQ of the Republican party?
Like I said in the post above, I had the opportunity to meet Dave Matthews and he was a very polite individual. Despite his idiotic political sentiments and tour bus pollution, he's a nice guy. You, on the other hand, while considering yourself a Republican, are not a nice person. Your propensity to insult seems limitless.
And from your comments I can't imagine that you've ever been to a DMB concert - so your comments on the types of people who are there are just farts in the wind, coming from the a$$ that is your mouth.
Posted by: Larry on January 20, 2005 10:24 AMAnd, I have been involved with campaigns off and on now for 10 years, including those of Anthony Lowe and Randy Tate (I was his treasurer). I did spend a weekend observing the recount in Pierce County as well, so I'm comfortable with my GOP credentials. The fact that I have an actual job precludes more involvement on my part.
I do find it revealing that you felt compelled to throw yours out there first. Clearly you realize that being a fan of DMB and being an otherwise intelligent citizen are inconsistent conditions.
Anyways, I am amused that you take it all so personally. Being so easily offended is a trait of the hypersensitive left, not the right.
Besides, your propensity to insult is quite considerable as well. I, however, love political combat and trading barbs with others...that's why I'm on here. It's supposed to be fun. Try to remember that, Larry.
Posted by: Kevin S on January 20, 2005 11:04 AM"You really should stop supporting leftist idiots like Mr. Matthews, if you think you are a Republican, Larry."
Gee, Kev, maybe that's why I haven't been to a DMB concert since 1997, nor have I purchased one of his albums since 1996. But you didn't ask that, now did you?
"The fact that I have an actual job precludes more involvement on my part."
I have a job, too, Kevin. You weren't willing to sacrifice a vacation day, as I did, for the good of the party? I worked in a polling place with four precincts, and I made sure that none of the shenanigans that Dean Logan has admitted happened in that polling place.
Maybe if the party had more people like me who were willing to make personal sacrifices, we could have had better coverage in polling places and Dino would now be in the Governor's Mansion, rather than in court. Food for thought, huh?
"Clearly you realize that being a fan of DMB and being an otherwise intelligent citizen are inconsistent conditions."
The other side would say the same thing about any entertainer who supports Bush. Remember, Kevin - it's the entertainers who think they are political pundits who are idiots, not the people who enjoy their music.
"Anyways, I am amused that you take it all so personally."
I didn't, I'm just surprised that you would be so imflammatory. Maybe I was just defending the thousands of women who go the DMB concerts who, according to you, all have STDs. It's called chivalry, Kevin - try it sometime.
Also, just FYI, if election day hand't fallen during our month end close cycle (I'm an accountant) during which time vacation is prohibited, I would have gladly been a poll watcher. Sometimes employment is just downright inconvenient.
Anyhow, I'll stop kicking this dead horse now...it was fun while it lasted. Hope to chat with you again, Larry.
Without me, they'd be stuck with obnoxious idiots like yourself!
Remember, you called me a hippie moron who belonged at horsesass.org before knowing anything about me.
As in martial arts - usually those who pick fights with strangers who HAVEN'T had any formal training....and quickly get in over their heads with those who have.
Peace.
Posted by: Larry on January 20, 2005 12:15 PMYou all should go sign up in the military so we can have some more hot bodies to blow up.
Posted by: Mr. Liberal on August 21, 2005 08:30 PM