By Steve Rhodes
“Young Americans are more likely than the general public to favor a government-run universal health care insurance system, an open-door policy on immigration and the legalization of gay marriage, according to a New York Times/CBS News/MTV poll,” the Times reports this morning. “The poll also found that they are more likely to say the war in Iraq is heading to a successful conclusion.”
Those wacky kids. They had me going there for a second.
Gov. Baloneyvich
“So in the latest effort to attempt to work with Democratic House members, the Governor’s office was behind an anonymous flier that was distributed to attendees at yesterday’s Pride Parade,” state Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago) writes on his blog (via Illinoize).
“But it does so in such a clumsy way that it is almost laughable. Almost. . . .
“The frosting on the cake is that the Governor’s office, directly and through another legislator, denied having any knowledge of the flier. Without wanting to put anybody in a bind, let me just say this. They’re lying.”
Pride Paucity
A reader writes: “You were right to call out the metros on downplaying the news of Rod Beck’s death. I was hoping you’d do the same about their abysmal coverage of the Pride parade. A crowd estimated at 450,000 (by the city, not the organizers) gathers in the heart of town and it gets one story on Page 8 in the Sun-Times and B3 in the Trib.
“Meanwhile, the Trib goes main on A1 with a soccer game that drew a fraction of the Pride crowd? And they couldn’t even squeeze the parade on their Metro front?
“Then there’s the Sun-Times, which devotes two pages a day to that sports notes package whose main reason for being is to run pictures of scantily clad women (all the while their columnists rail on pro athletes like the Bears’ Greg Olsen, who recorded a misogynistic rap a few years ago; but that’s a topic for another rant). The S-T is obviously a lot more interested in catering to horndog straight guys than the city’s large gay community. That doesn’t surprise me, but the limited Pride coverage does disappoint me. I guess that’s why there’s such a thriving gay press here – because the mainstream media pretty much ignores the community.”
Beltway Brains
As those of us living in Illinois know, this is just pure ignorance.
Emergency Broadcast
“Radio listeners across Illinois got some unexpected – and unexplained – interruptions Tuesday morning. The Federal Communications Commission was investigating the series of glitches that broadcast stations said included periodic interruptions of programming by the Emergency Alert System’s tone, sometimes lasting three or four minutes at a time,” the AP reports.
“Others said their signals were scrambled and that other stations were being broadcast on their frequencies.”
As a service to our readers, here’s a summary of what you missed.
WXRT: A Talking Heads song.
WLUP: An AC/DC double-shot (Two for Tuesday).
WLS: Rush Limbaugh smearing Mexicans.
WBBM: Someone reading newspaper headlines on the air.
WSCR: Mike North smearing Mexicans.
WVON: Al Sharpton smearing Mormons.
WBEZ: The most boring report on immigration ever.
WNUR: They don’t know, they’re really hungover.
WLIT: Norah Jones still doesn’t know why she didn’t come.
WDRV: Joe Cocker is still feelin’ alright.
WGN: Kathy & Judy sharing girl talk.
WMVP – Mike and Mike apologizing for Barry Bonds.
Comcastic
Comcast SportsNet says it made a mistake when it didn’t cut away (second item) the other night as Brent Kowalkoski of Elmwood Park jumped onto the field at Wrigley and charged pitcher Bob Howry. To the contrary. The policy of not showing idiots who run onto the field is what’s wrong. It’s news, we deserve to see it, the evidence for copycats is weak to nonexistent, and if that was the standard we wouldn’t have TV at all.
Now what we’re waiting for is an interview with this guy and/or his friends to find out just what he was thinking.
Fighting for Democracy
“The young combat veteran stared at the letter in disbelief when it arrived in his mailbox a few months ago.”
Freedom to Leverage Information
“Wilton Partners and the tollway have been in extended discussions over how to deal with the firm’s lack of payments to the tollway, construction disputes and angry oases tenants who say Wilton charges them too much for their leases,” the Tribune reported on Sunday.
“Despite its hard line with tenants, Wilton has not made its monthly rental payment to the tollway agency since June 1, 2006. But the tollway got some of the money it was owed after the Tribune asked the agency about rental payments in February.
“Joelle McGinnis, spokeswoman for the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, said the newspaper’s Freedom of Information Act request was used as leverage to push Wilton into converting $400,000 of its construction security deposit to cover back rent so the firm would ‘look better’ to the public. . . .
“Wilton officials did nto return calls seeking comment. The oases raise questions about the viability of what the state has billed an ‘innovative public-private partnership.'”
Chief Beef
The mayor lays the groundwork (third item).
Sam’s Club
“The Cubs were to eat $6.6 million of the final $7.2 million on [Jacque] Jones’ contract. But the Sun-Sentinel reported that with the deal all done, prospective Tribune Co. owner Sam Zell nixed it because of the money the Cubs would lose,” Greg Couch notes.
vs.
“But Hendry said, ‘What happened today really had nothing to do with his remaining contract.”
Save Internet Radio
Our very own Don Jacobson tells you how and why.
Image Enablers
“The fascinating aspect of such recurrent reporting patterns is that the news itself is the completing link in the image creation process. Reporting stories according to a calculus of government power and dramatic production values often makes the news reality emanating from Washington an insular, circular, and self-fulfilling operation. News and politics loop quickly back on each other because of the press’s preoccupation with how well powerful officials manage their desired images in the news.”
– From today’s excerpt of When the Press Fails
Silver Tide
Every time I see an article or advertisement for the new Silver Surfer movie I think of this dialogue from Crimson Tide:
Lt. Commander Ron Hunter: Rivetti, what’s up?
Petty Officer First Class Danny Rivetti: I’m sorry, Sir. It’s just a difference of opinion that got out of hand.
Hunter: What about?
Rivetti: It’s really too silly to talk about, Sir. I’d really just forget about . . .
Hunter: I don’t give a damn about what you’d rather forget about. Why were you two fighting?
Rivetti: I said, the Kirby Silver Surfer was the only real Silver Surfer. And that the Moebius Silver Surfer was shit. And Bennefield’s a big Moebius fan. And it got of hand. I pushed him. He pushed me. I lost my head, Sir. I’m Sorry.
Hunter: Rivetti, you’re a supervisor. You can get a commission like that. [Snaps finger]
Rivetti: I know, Sir. You’re 100 percent right. It will never happen again.
Hunter: It better not happen again. If I see this kind of nonsense again, I’m going to write you up. You understand?
Rivetti: [No answer]
Hunter: Do you understand?
Rivetti: Yes, Sir.
Hunter: You have to set an example even in the face of stupidity. Everybody who reads comic books knows that the Kirby Silver Surfer is the only true Silver Surfer. Now am I right or wrong?
Rivetti: You’re right, Sir.
Hunter: Now get out of here.
Rivetti: Yes, Sir.
The Beachwood Tip Line: Foxtrot Hotel Yankee.
Posted on June 27, 2007