The Weekend Desk Report

"The Wall Street Journal's editorial features editor has left the paper following tensions over the section drifting in a pro-Donald Trump direction," the Atlantic reports.

"News of the departure of Mark Lasswell, who edited op-eds for the Journal, comes as the paper's internal tensions over Trump have begun to spill into public view. The reliably hawkish, pro-trade, small government conservative Journal op-ed page has been challenged by the rise of the populist, nationalist Trump movement. The Journal's opinion pages have been a showcase for the intra-right divide over Trump, featuring Trump-sympathetic writers like Bill McGurn alongside anti-Trump columnists such as Bret Stephens. Lasswell appears to be a casualty of that divide, and his dismissal a victory for the pro-Trump faction on the editorial staff."

Okay, but to me the biggest outrage in this piece isn't about the Journal's editorial decisions or Trump at all. It's this:

We don't talk about internal personnel or editorial deliberations, but suffice to say your information is false in multiple respects," [editorial page director Paul] Gigot said in a statement. "We appreciate Mark Lasswell's contributions to the Journal and wish him well. The Journal editorial page's coverage of Donald Trump speaks for itself, including numerous op-eds from outside contributors and staff editorials pro and con throughout the campaign and now as President. That coverage will continue." A Wall Street Journal spokesperson declined to identify any false information.

1. Gigot refuses to answer a reporter's questions and issues a statement instead.

2. Gigot accuses the Atlantic of false reporting without naming any falsehoods. Not only is this a tired gambit of the guilty, it's professionally reckless. A journalist's responsibility is to the truth, whether in the output of one's own organization our that of another. You do not let falsehoods stand. It should pain you to the marrow to do so!

3. Gigot states that the paper's editorial coverage "speaks for itself." No it doesn't. It only begs for scrutiny - the same kind of scrutiny a paper would give to a mayor, governor or president whose actions alone do not speak for themselves. If they did, there would be no need for newspapers - or editorial pages.

Unfortunately, as I and many other media critics have noted innumerable times, no industry is as hypocritical and uncooperative as the media. It truly saddens me.

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Empty Company
Simon Kirke kept a blues beat in the early years with his band Free, but that changed after a ho-hum reaction from a languid audience. After the show, he and his bandmates Paul Rodgers and Andy Fraser put together a primal rocker called 'All Right Now,' destined to be a rock classic," Carl Wiser writes on Songfacts.

"Free crumbled from the weight of expectation, unable to follow up with another hit, but Rodgers and Kirke formed a new band with Mott The Hoople guitarist Mick Ralphs and King Crimson bass player Boz Burrell. This supergroup of sorts was Bad Company."

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Okay, now here's why I'm telling you this:

As a solo artist, Simon handles the songwriting and also takes on lead vocals as well as various non-percussion instruments, including guitar, and in the case of a new version of "Feel Like Makin' Love," ukulele. His backing band on his 2017 album, All Because Of You, is the Chicago group The Empty Pockets."

And here it is:

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But here is the all-time greatest version:

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From Paper To Pulp

Logs to Newsprint | Chicago Tribune | News 1930s - How it Works.

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Beachwood Sports Radio: Jimmy Football
Get Garoppolo. Plus: Super Bowl Scenery Chewing; #BearsBoycott; ACL U; As The Bulls Turn, Turn, Turn; The Toewster Is Back; Brain Disease Strikes Mike Adamle; and Baseball's Worst Idea Since Using The All-Star Game To Determine Home Field For The World Series.

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I fell behind on our Week/Weekend In Chicago Rock feature, so I'm gonna catch you up right now. It's been relatively slim pickings lately anyway.

The Week In Chicago Rock (Jan. 27)
Featuring: Wax Tailor, Comm To Black, Giantology, Hair, Tom Chaplin, Post Child, Porno Glows, and Daylight Robbery.

The Weekend In Chicago Rock (Jan. 30)
Featuring: Alejandro Escovedo, Dashboard Confessional, Xeno & Oaklander, Simulation, Champagne Mirrors, Bears Den, The Neal Morse Band, Steve Summers, Container, Twenty One Pilots, and Sarica.

The Week In Chicago Rock (Feb. 3)
Featuring: Adam Ant, Jess McIntosh, and Tesla,

The Weekend In Chicago Rock (Feb. 6)
Featuring: Davy Knowles, Half the Math, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Leftover Salmon, and Fastness.

The Week In Chicago Rock (Feb. 10)
Featuring: White Lies, LÉON, and Pepper.

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The Sound Opinions Weekend Listening Report: "With Valentine's Day just around the corner, love is in the air. And what's more romantic than that cute moment of love at first sight? Jim and Greg share some of their favorite tracks about first impressions. Plus, they review the new album from DC punk band Priests and pay tribute to the influential composer David Axelrod."

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Weekend BeachBook

Dino.

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Gurnee's Key Lime Cove To Reopen As Great Wolf Lodge.

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Weekend TweetWood

This #Chicago surgeon is training citizens to be first responders https://t.co/dokxnandGV via @vicenews

— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) February 12, 2017

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Mr. Mayor, 1985 called and wants its computer lab back. https://t.co/dN9vujg3Fa

— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) February 12, 2017

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The Weekend Desk Tronc Line: Surging.

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