Chicago -
By Steve Rhodes
Barring the exceedingly unlikely prospect that the city council doesn’t confirm him, Chicago has a new police chief.
And we learned next to nothing in today’s coverage about his plans to fix a hobbled department fighting controversy and scandal on several fronts.
If you don’t count the exciting fact that he and his wife are both fitness buffs and like to ride bikes.
Here are some questions for Jody Weis, our new top cop.
Posted on November 30, 2007
By Steve Rhodes
Though it had its stretches of boring demagoguery, last night’s Republican debate was pretty interesting all-in-all. Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney engaged in actual debating, and Fred Thompson finally made a decent showing. Yet, if you are a Sun-Times reader, you got three paragraphs on page 20 just above the Garage King ad.
Think of that the next time the paper’s editorial page chastises the public for their lack of political participation, knowledge and engagement.
Posted on November 29, 2007
By Steve Rhodes
“A big-city police chief likely to become a finalist for Chicago Police superintendent has threatened to withdraw his name if the Police Board publicly identifies the three top candidates, a top mayoral aide said Tuesday,” the Sun-Times reports.
“If we get a top candidate who says, ‘I’m gonna withdraw if you disclose my name’ because he’s afraid he’ll lose his job if he’s not the one, what are we supposed to do?” says police board president Demetrius Carney.
I’ll tell you what to do: Tell the candidate that the Chicago Police Department is seeking a new police chief at a time of great public distrust and transparency is one of the key attributes the city needs right now. Any candidate not dedicated to an open process and a transparent department is not the right candidate for Chicago.
Posted on November 28, 2007
By Steve Rhodes
Did you know that the Chicago Blackhawks mascot is Tommy Hawk? He’s portrayed as a hawk, but how offensive is the play on words?
Maybe John McDonough will fix this in his new role as Blackhawks president.
Meanwhile, the Beachwood has obtained the first draft of McDonough’s marketing plan. It’s really good.
Posted on November 27, 2007
By Steve Rhodes
1. “Hester is all that the Bears are,” writes Rocky Mountain News great Bernie Lincicome, late of the Chicago Tribune.
“Fool the Broncos once, shame on them. Fool the Broncos twice, and the next bit of shame is an overtime loss to a team that is several parts lint and the rest roadkill.”
Posted on November 26, 2007
A Thanksgiving Poem for Children on the Subject of Gluttony
A chef named Mabel Ann Marie
Set out to punish gluttony.
She studied with chefs from Paree to Peru.
She published some cookbooks and articles, too.
But her recipes granted cooks no peace of mind
For each basic ingredient was too hard to find.
Even impulsive cooks, brave and quixotic
Were impeded by formulas far too exotic.
Why, not even Whole Foods carries fresh praying mantis
Or pink tricorne beets from shores of Atlantis!
Soon a nice home-cooked meal was shameful affair
And that folly made Mabel a rich millionaire.
When at last she was hosting her own TV show
She decided to see just how far she could go.
She thought “If these gluttons do think it profound
To eat elegant oddments not easily found,
I wonder to what length these gluttons will go?”
Then she thought up a plan she’d announce on her show.
She announced it flamboyantly – without delay –
That she’d open a new fangled foodie buffet.
Where the wealthy could sample her gourmet treasures
And indulge in untrammeled abdominal pleasures.
Posted on November 21, 2007
By Steve Rhodes
First things first. What did I mean yesterday when I said Avril Lavigne was, in a way, like the Replacements? Many readers want to know.
Certainly I don’t mean in any musical sense or importance in the rock pantheon. The Replacements are my favorite band of all-time, and once I tried to make the argument (not badly, either) that they were a better band than the Beatles.
Avril Lavigne is hardly in that league. In fact, I hate that producer pop pablum genre in which she works.
But.
Posted on November 20, 2007
By Steve Rhodes
“As Sunday afternoon was quickly becoming Sunday night, Robbie Gould’s onside kick was skittering across the turf at Qwest Field,” Clare Farnsworth writes this morning in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
“If the Chicago Bears recovered, it would give them one final shot at scoring a last-second touchdown to send their game against the Seahawks into overtime.
“But quicker than any memories could be evoked of the Bears’ overtime victory against the Seahawks in the second round of last season’s playoffs, free safety Brian Russell got to the ball and slapped it out of bounds.
“End of threat. End of the Bears (4-6) as a playoff contender, perhaps.”
Posted on November 19, 2007
By Natasha Julius
Nothing’s quiet on the Western Front, but don’t worry. We’re keeping a watchful eye out for you.
Market Update
Relief this week, as the nation’s economic doctors have diagnosed merely “a rough patch” ahead for the markets. You know, a case of fiscal sniffles. Nothing serious.
Posted on November 17, 2007
By Steve Rhodes
Here’s some breaking news for you: The presidential debates are not boring. They’re really not. And they aren’t a waste of time. They’re quite useful.
We’ve been having quite a bit of fun with the debates here at Beachwood HQ. Invite a few friends over next time and see how it goes.
Debates are just one part of the campaign mix – and certainly not everything when it comes to assessing the candidates. But I know I’ve learned a great deal watching them the last few months.
Posted on November 16, 2007
