By Steve Rhodes

“Tomorrow we vote, but still no answers from Rahm on his cozy ties to Ticketmaster/Live Nation and Lollapalooza,” Jim DeRogatis writes. “And part of the problem is that, unconscionably, no one else in the Chicago media has been asking the questions.”
Sadly, but predictably, that’s not the only issue the media has failed to examine when it comes to Rahm Emanuel’s campaign. I can only hope that we get a runoff because I’ve got a lot of material I’ve been preparing myself that I’d like to get out.
Unlike the easy buffaloed press corps, though, I don’t get paid to put in an honest 40 hours of work every week to perform this public service.
A lot of “reporters” in town could stand to learn from DeRogatis. But 20 years in Chicago has taught me that the media will never learn – never learn, that is, how to do their jobs properly.

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Posted on February 21, 2011

By Natasha Julius

Sorry we’re running a little late. We had the flu.
Market Update
It was a mixed bag on the Women’s Index this week as the federal government announced plans to cut funding for Dignity. Not surprisingly, this was met with a massive run on Crazy. Analysts now suggest we may be in the midst of an historic depression.

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Posted on February 19, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

1. They were at the Clock Tower.
*
So, by the way, was the Chocoholic Frolic.

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Posted on February 18, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

“For the second time this school year, a family has complained that the University of Notre Dame failed to swiftly and thoroughly investigate their daughter’s report of being sexually attacked in a residence hall,” the Tribune reports.
The paper has previously reported extensively on another case at the college – that of Northbrook’s Elizabeth Seeberg, who killed herself nine days after making her own complaint to officials.
And there is an additional news peg, as noted by the Trib:
“Both cases are being reviewed by the U.S. Department of Education, which has launched an inquiry into how the nation’s preeminent Catholic university responds to sexual misconduct complaints. Together, the incidents paint a picture of a campus police department that so frustrated both women’s parents, they implored detectives to obtain evidence, question witnesses and treat their daughters’ accusations with urgency.”
But I wonder why the Trib – and other local media outside of this report by Fox Chicago News – is ignoring a report released this week by the Chicago Justice Project showing that one in six complaints of felony sex crimes are determined to be “unfounded” by Chicago police, a rate that is three times the national average.

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Posted on February 17, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

A look at today’s headlines.
1. Black People Fled Daley’s Inhospitable Chicago In Last Decade.

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Posted on February 16, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

“Nobody does use the word ‘poor’ anymore, including the president,” Bob Vondrasek of the South Austin Community Coalition tells AP in its report about how Obama’s budget proposal will once again screw the poor, starting with cutting the totally huge heating fuel assistance program.

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Posted on February 15, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

Things are already royally screwed up today at Beachwood HQ so we can offer you Jim Coffman’s SportsMonday: The Bulls’ Transition Game and the rest of the day will be a crapshoot.
Rumor has it, though, that some folks will be in during my bartending shift at the venerable Beachwood Inn tonight for a special showing of tonight’s The Chicago Code complete with drinking game. Drink every time somebody mentions Flashdance? Every time somebody points out some ridiculously trivial continuity problem relating to Chicago names and/or places? Rules still undetermined.

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Posted on February 14, 2011

By Natasha Julius

For the record, we still don’t know what the hell that was, but apparently we went 2-for-3.
Market Update
A major shake-up happened this week on the Pervert Index as blue-chip earner Junk was devalued by a run on the lesser-known Trunk.

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Posted on February 12, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

1. “Groupon Malaysia, a subsidiary of Chicago-based Groupon, aims to double its local business e-commerce to 80 per cent by year-end,” Bernama reports.
Not if its ad team has anything to do with it.

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Posted on February 11, 2011

By Steve Rhodes

“Marie Wuczynski could be found most nights holding court at her Bucktown bar, a shot of Jagermeister, a glass of soda and a pack of Parliaments within easy reach,” Becky Schlikerman writes for the Tribune.
“The ebullient queen of Marie’s Rip Tide Lounge on Armitage Avenue, known for her towering pouf of whitish-blonde hair and bawdy sense of humor, danced and sang along to tunes from the old-time jukebox into the wee hours, entertaining an ever-changing late-night crowd.
“‘That was Marie,’ said Leo Zak, a bartender at the Riptide. ‘She made you feel like you belonged.’
“Mrs. Wuczynski, 88, died of heart failure Monday, Feb. 7, at her home one flight above the tavern.”

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Posted on February 10, 2011