<p>This Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Peaceful protests have been every day since Monday. There is visible extra security, even up here on the northwest side. A long line of big white vans in front of the police district headquarters. On Metra trains, we are told not to bring backpacks, bikes or liquids on those days. The Field Museum, the Adler Planetarium and the Shedd Aquarium will be closed those days. The Shedd is on baby dolphin watch this weekend, too. The protests have various themes, the ridiculous to the sublime.</p>
<p>Are any of you coming? Or your offspring units?</p>
<p>Not quite what what you are asking, but wife and I have an in-town in River North. We are not going this weekend. Too much chance of not being able to get in or out of town.</p>
<p>As for the protesting; been there, done that in the 60s-70s.</p>
<p>D’s school has cancelled classes in its loop campus Friday-Monday, shut it down tight. Other than that, don’t know if D will even be aware of it.</p>
<p>S1’s Options class was supposed to spend 2 days at the Chicago Board of Options 2 weeks ago. It was cancelled because no student groups were allowed to tour/attend in the month leading up to NATO. The Board of Trade and says they will honor their commitment next fall. A nice gesture, but it would never work for the college kids. I am sure they knew there would be extra security, but for the government to assume all college kids are a threat…whatever!</p>
<p>What a pain. S lives in the South Loop and works in northern Indiana. His commute Monday morning will be a challenge. Hoping his office lets him work from home.</p>
<p>D is scheduled for a week long retreat in the city and had planned on taking Metra in from the burbs. Carryon can only be 15x15x4 inches. No way a week’s worth of clothes and toiletries can be crunched that small. CTA rules are much more reasonable-not limiting the size of bags, but will have an increased police presence at all stations as well as bomb sniffing dogs. We’ll probably drive her to one of the outlying L stations and let her take it from there.</p>
<p>No protest plans here.</p>
<p>Plus the Crosstown Classic is this weekend. Just one more factor complicating local transportation. : (</p>
<p>H will work from home on Fri. and Mon. because of the Metra carry on limitation - though getting to and from the office might have been difficult in any case.</p>
<p>I am scheduled to do a presentation in River West on Sunday - can’t take Metra because of carry on rule but am actually a little worried about the drive though I’ve studied the road closure map - still a little puzzled as to how it might affect traffic in general as people avoid those routes - what a pain!</p>
<p>With the natives avoiding downtown, the commuters working from home, sounds like it might be a good time to do other fun things and enjoy the good weather. Like the zoo and lakefront and Lurie Garden.</p>
<p>I’m puzzled, too, about the expressway, like the traffic will be very light and then again it may be just plain closed if you try it.</p>
<p>Northwestern sent a notice to parents with info about how NATO might be impacting the campus (mostly the downtown campus, not so much Evanston). </p>
<p>I am going into the city on Sunday for an event, though on the North Side, not the downtown or McCormick areas. </p>
<p>My BIL is a Cook County sheriff and was sent away for special training to know how to cover an event of this magnitude.</p>
<p>The sky is quieter than usual, like after 9/11. If there are fighter jets up there, I don’t hear them. The weather is like a visit Chicago postcard today. Every color of rose in bloom due to the warm spring, when they normally bloom for Father’s Day.</p>
<p>It is beautiful here today. A friend flying out of Midway this morning reports a much higher than usual amount of scrutiny of carry ons as well as bomb sniffing dogs in use.</p>
<p>Based on experience with the G20, I’d advise everyone to stay as far away from the area as possible. The anarchist groups, I’m sure, are planning on arriving on the weekend in anticipation of the G8 group’s arrival. The protests may have been peaceful so far but if they do continue in a peaceful fashion through the weekend, it will be a first. There’s a reason they’ve brought in thousands of police officers from across the country.</p>
<p>Yes, the G8 is at Camp David but Obama and others arrive in Chicago on Sunday. Google G20 or WTO violence and see what has happened in host cities, most recently in Toronto in 2010. </p>
<p>I live in Toronto, so, yes, I experienced it. Peaceful protests were infiltrated by anarchist groups and turned violent very quickly. Unbelievable amounts of damage and vandalism. Police vehicles torched. The effects are still being felt in the city. Trust me, this isn’t a fun, 60s-type protest experience.</p>
<p>Husband flew in yesterday for a weekend visit, and didn’t realize this was "THE WEEKEND " in Chicago. They went to the Phillies game last night ,and all was well, probably because Phillies hung on to the win.
Will be interesting to hear how his "Hop on Hop Off Bus Tour: went today, and hope they can do the Architectural Tour tomorrow. </p>
<p>Son was told to work from home, due to Summit / security issues. </p>