Chicago - A message from the station manager

The [Monday] Papers

By Steve Rhodes

I’m not ignoring the NATO3 trial (or, even, last week’s charter school decisions by the school board), I’ve just got so much gathered about what a farce the whole thing is that I haven’t had time to shape it up into something coherent besides “Whaaaaaaaaaa!”
Also, don’t get me started on this. I intend to refute all of its dangerous, misinformed and hackneyed silliness in full.


Today, though, I can only handle less soul-sapping items.
1. David Axelrod Puts Lake Point Tower Condo On Market.
Change he can afford.
2. Daft Punk Take Album And Record Of The Year Grammy Awards.


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3. Latin King Leader Wants To Conceal And Carry.
Well, it’s not illegal to be a gang leader. Now he can carry all legal-like.
4. Under Rahm, City Slows Spending On Public Art.
And it’s not just because the money isn’t there.
“[H]undreds of thousands of dollars now sit unspent in the program’s accounts – much of that for two years or longer. The total balance in the program’s account was nearly $700,000 as of Nov. 25, officials say.”
5. Obama Plan: Businesses Stand To Gain From Revised Tax Breaks.
“One of the most generous offerings for corporate America in the U.S. tax code is about to become even more bountiful under an Obama administration proposal.
“The new rules, which are being finalized by the U.S. Treasury Department, would lift restrictions on the types of activities that qualify for tax breaks for business research and development – raising the prospect that Boeing, Lockheed Martin and many smaller firms could reap hundreds of millions of dollars in fresh savings.”
For as long as I live, I will never tire of saying I told you so about Barack Obama – even if some of you get tired of it. I took too much shit for relying on facts in 2008 instead of slogans to let it slide now. I’ll put my reporting and analysis from those days up against anyone’s in the country. Journalists wondering where the 2008 Obama is still don’t get that the 2008 Obama never existed.
6. U of I Athletic Director Gets Raise, Extension.
“The University of Illinois has extended Athletic Director Mike Thomas’ contract three years through August 2019 and raised his base salary by roughly $50,000.
“The school’s board of trustees voted today to boost Mr. Thomas’ annual pay to $554,320, 16 percent higher than his salary when the university hired him in 2011.
“That total doesn’t include value of perks like cars or country club memberships.”
Also doesn’t include whatever tax breaks Obama has in store for him.
7. Chicago Swingers.
JON FAVREAU: I had been broken up with by my old girlfriend from Chicago who I’d lived with, and I was taking it pretty hard and I was feeling pretty lonely. And then I was realizing that even though I had been in movies already, the work was not going to come easy – that frustration brought on the writing. I was taking things into my own hands.
RON LIVINGSTON: Jon and I met in Chicago before either of us moved to L.A. I was 25 and living with roommates, just that mid-twenties thing when you’re trying to pull your shit together. I was doing theater and a bunch of my buddies were doing improv comedy. Jon was on one of the house teams at Improv Olympic.
8. Jon Stewart: The Old Hope-A-Dope.
9. 24-Hour News Cycle Seems Like It’s Taking Forever.
10. SportsMonday: Hawks Our Only Hope.
But if they struggle on the road the next few weeks . . .
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Blackhawks new slogan: The Chicago Team Not Trying To Tank.
11. The White Sox Report: Extending Robin Ventura’s Pulse.
Let’s talk about the new contract for a 99-loss manager whose original hiring remains a curiosity.
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Note I sent to our White Sox correspondent Roger Wallenstein after editing his piece:
Ventura strikes me as Ryne Sandberg had Sandberg not gone down to the minors to make his bones as a manager. Sandberg was also a quiet guy, but his personality changed as he learned his craft. Sandberg also eventually admitted that as much as he thought he was ready to manage in the majors from the get-go, he wasn’t . . . he needed that minor league experience.
My impression was that Ventura impressed Kenny with his baseball knowledge while sitting alongside him as an assistant of some sort, and that’s what gave Kenny the idea. Maybe they watched games together and Kenny liked the comments Robin made. That’s what I always guessed, anyway. But not sure Robin is ready for prime time. I figured the first year he basically sat back and just let the team operate itself, and the second year they really needed a manager and found themselves without one. But I don’t follow the Sox as closely as I follow the Cubs, so I could be wrong.
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Roger responded with some thoughts about managing which I’ll withhold, as he may use those thoughts for a future column.
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Also, Cub Factor founder Marty Gangler sends this link about Carlos Zambrano with the note I actually miss him now.
My response:
Totally! Back then, he was a horse’s ass detrimental to the team. Now he’d be welcome comic relief.
And a fiery competitor for a team that needs one. Funny how the makeup of a ballclub changes the way we perceive what players bring to the table.
12. Random Food Report: Hooters, Hershey’s & Hinsdale.
Plus: Eating the world’s worst Chicago-style hot dog.
13. The Weekend In Chicago Rock.
Latyrx, The Wailers, Bubbles Erotica, Chance the Rapper, St. Lucia, HEMI, Rusted Root, Citizen Cope, and Willie Nile.
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BeachBook
* Puppy Bowl X To Feature Two Chicago Puppies.
* This Brew Crew Keeps Trainloads Of Beer From Freezing.
* Muhammad Ali Jr. Living On Food Stamps In West Englewood?
* Slugger Dunn Plays Role In Dallas Buyers Club.
* This City Is Back: Jane Byrne 1983 Ad.
* Carlos Zambrano Throws Haymakers In Venezuela Winter League Finals.
* WSVU President’s Expenses Include Bears Tickets.
* A Secret Prison In Poland Cost The CIA $15 Million.
But the important part is what was done there.
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TweetWood


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The Beachwood Tip Line: Sorry not sorry.

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Posted on January 27, 2014