Ah, the fallout from Chicago's parking meter lease deal is like a gift that keeps on giving... to the new owners of the meters, that is.

WGN-TV reports this morning, that according to the records of Chicago Parking Meters, LLC, the new, higher parking rates in the city of Chicago are netting the company profits of about a million-dollars-per-week.  Yep.  PER WEEK.

Just imagine, if, instead of selling out the meters for a lump cash sum, The King had just bumped up the meter rates for the city... then he would have had a steady stream of revenue for the rest of time. 

Oh, and guess what... the rates are going up AGAIN on Jan. 1, 2010.

Here's the Deal:

2009 Rates           2010 Rates          % Increase

$1.00/hour            $1.25/hour             25%

$2.00/hour            $2.50/hour             25%

$3.50/hour            $4.25/hour             21%

Looks like the company will also be well into the black next year.

I know I'm not going to be able to get to Ridgefield, Conneticut to see a new bike-themed art show there, so I'll have to be content with perusing some of the "Bike Rides" exhibition online, from the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum.

The show was organized by Aldrich curators Richard Klein and Mónica Ramírez-Montagut, with help from musician, artist, and bicycle advocate David Byrne.  The idea is to explore the relavance of bikes not only as transportation - but in our culture.  There are functional bike designs (including one of Lance's old steeds!)... plus more abstract cycles and video. 

Some of my faves:

Jabas Lopes 

     Peter Kirkiles

                                                                      Jonathan Brand