Jose Cardenal

Happy 66th birthday to one of my all-time favorite Cubs.

I met him once...a story I tell everyone I meet.

Cubtober 7th

Chicago Cubs fans have had better Octobers than October 2009. Here are a few examples of years where they were still following the team in October, and why.



On this day in 1935, the Cubs are eliminated from the World Series by the Detroit Tigers. It happens in heartbreaking fashion...in the bottom of the ninth of Game 6.







On this day in 1984, Leon Durham goes down for a ball and it scoots right through his legs, costing the Cubs a shot at the 1984 World Series.








On this day in 2003, the heavily favored Cubs, fresh off their only playoff series victory since 1908, begin the NLCS versus the Florida Marlins. They lose Game 1 on a Mike Lowell home run in the ninth.

$everance reviews

I was looking for information about an upcoming interview subject on the internet last night and I stumbled onto a site called "Good Reads." It's basically a book review site.

Imagine my surprise when I found twelve reviews of $everance. They were all good reviews. Here are a few from the last few months (remember, it came out two years ago):



From Sarah Gorr...

"As a public over-saturated with exposure to the media and information being beamed to us from all directions, Rick Kaempfer’s latest book, $everence, provides a hilariously entertaining inside look at the world of politics, persona and media consolidation. Kaempfer doesn’t just ask the question, “What happens when it all goes too far?” but suggests the outcome and it is not pretty.

One of $everance’s greatest advantages in delivering its message is its use of humor and avoidance of dry political and corporate jargon. While an inside term or two might pop-up, Kaempfer’s book doesn’t seem to be preaching to the choir; it’s an open invitation for even those with little or no knowledge of the media’s inner workings or its political wheelings and dealings to join the conversation. Whether you’re news junkie, undecided, uninformed or just plain apathetic, $everence is a clever and enjoyable read for anyone exposed to the media; and that’s everyone."

From Tisbutehname...

"Severance: an indictment of spurious journalism? Check! Severance: a Laodicean account of the annoying nature of political zealots? Check! Severance: a hilarious satire about the trials and tribulations that accompany…trying to get fired? Check!

It’s a battle of attrition for Chicago radio DJ Tom Zagorski and long time on-air partner Richard Lawrence. In a vain corporate attempt to get the duo to quit, relieving the company of their fat severance checks, the once prominent talk radio show now features less talk and more commercials, as well as news read from day old papers. Zagorski’s atomic bomb of insubordination backfires and in no time he ironically becomes a Wall Street golden boy and big shot for the second largest media conglomerate in the world.

As Zagorski and Lawrence navigate their way through New York City’s maze of CEOs, conservative hotshots, bad journalists, liberal loudmouths, and vomit inducing cab drivers, trying to piss them all off and play them against one another isn’t as easy as it seems. Every absurd scheme the two come up with—from redecorating an office to resemble an epic Hollywood movie, or completely destroying what was left of objective reporting (and a lot in between)—their plans only result in more praise and more unwanted attention. Author Richard Kaempfer mixes humor with sadism to great result: each success, when Zagorski only wants failure, brings with it bigger laughs, more outrageous characters, and ‘nothing-good-can-come-of-this’ situations.

Severance is a carefully balanced satire about the post-deregulation liberal and conservative on-air personalities, as well as the behind the scenes puppet masters, that saturate the media with their opinions, but don’t be surprised when you see animal rights activists, film producers, and Celine Dion dressed as nun. You name it, Severance has got it, and Kaempfer, through the admirably indifferent Zagorski, exposes the weakness, hypocrisy and foolishness in each and every one of them.

By staying objective, Severance does not crumble under the weight of its observations on the degradation of journalism into a ‘shoot first, ask questions later’ profession. It does not, like so many of its characters, become hypocritical or biased; on the other hand, it remains satisfyingly ambivalent, and genuine all the way to its final sentence. As good satire can, Severance will make you laugh, but just as quickly it can scare the pants off of you. Though some of the characters are absurd, the novel is not. Severance is an accurate appraisal of the ongoing mutations happening to a very crucial industry, and a highly recommended read."

From Jennifer...

"It all started with an office prank—a memo radio DJ Tom Zagorski i sends out from his station’s office in Chicago to the entire Sierra Megamedia Corporation (a media giant that owns not only Zagorski’s radio station, but many others, along with television networks, movie studios, and publishing houses). The memo suggests techniques to save money—like installing security guards to keep employees from stealing office supplies—as well as techniques to raise money, like Nascarization, which basically encompasses stamping everything visible with some sort of advertisement during news broadcasts. To Zagorski and his fellow employees, the memo is an obvious farce. Its suggestions are so ridiculous that Zagorski hopes he’ll be fired from the job he’s grown to hate, and gain him the only thing he really wants: his severance pay. To his (and my) very great surprise, his memo lands him the COO position of the entire Sierra Megamedia Corporation.

Many others would run with a position like this. After all, it allows use of the company credit card, the company Jet, suites in the best hotels all over the country, and dinner in the best restaurants (all of which author Richard Kaempfer describes enough to make Zagorski’s sudden rise pretty enviable). The world is virtually at Zagorski’s fingertips. So what does he do? He sticks to his original plan, now on a much greater scale: he sets out to destroy the company & everything it represents. He wants the company’s stock to plummet so badly that they will have no choice but to fire him—which means he’ll still get his severance pay. It doesn’t hurt that in the meanwhile, he’ll be hurting a pretty corrupt organization.

Which is why Zagorski is ultimately so likeable. Even when he’s handed everything, he doesn’t sell out. He sticks to his convictions with a sort of bumbling, sarcastic grace. He remains loyal to his friends and always has a kind word for the otherwise ignored. Kaempfer does an excellent job in drawing out each of his characters—even the ones I hated—into very realistic, vivid, three dimensional people.

My biggest problem with $everance was situations where I ended up thinking, “that wouldn’t happen!” But $everance’s biggest fault is also one of its strongest qualities. The over-the-top scenarios Kaempfer creates serve as satire of social issues—they prove a point. By putting them in such an exaggerated context, Kaempfer grabs our attention; then, with unrelenting honesty, he drives the matter home.

$everance is one of the few books that made me laugh out loud several times. It’s enjoyable for all of the normal reasons—an interesting plot, good writing, great characters, thoughtful symbols—but also serves a greater cause. I highly recommend picking it up."

What a country

I think Yakov Smirnov said it best..."What a country!" I think Levi Johnston agrees...

Cubtober 6th

Chicago Cubs fans have had better Octobers than October 2009. Here are a few examples of years where they were still following the team in October, and why.


On this day in 1984, Steve Garvey sticks a dagger into the Cubs when he hits a home run off Lee Smith in the bottom of the ninth to tie the series and send it to a Game 5.

Read all about that day here.



On this day in 2007, the Cubs were eliminated from the playoffs by the vastly inferior Arizona Diamondbacks.

Read all about that day here.

Cubtober 5th

Chicago Cubs fans have had better Octobers than October 2009. Here are a few examples of years where they were still following the team in October, and why.



On this date in 1938, the World Series, Cubs vs. Yankees begins.

Read all about that incredibly memorable series here.







On this date in 2003, the Cubs do something they haven't done since 1908--they win a playoff series, knocking off the Atlanta Braves.

Cubtober 4th

Chicago Cubs fans have had better Octobers than October 2009. Here are a few examples of years where they were still following the team in October, and why.




On this day in 1989, the Cubs vs. Giants NLCS begins.

Read all about it here.









On this day in 2008, the Cubs vs. Dodgers NLDS ends.

Read all about that here.

Father Knows Nothing

I just posted my latest Father Knows Nothing column at NWI Parent. This one is called "How the other half lives" and it's about one big difference between raising boys and girls.

You can read it here.

Chicago Radio Spotlight: Lise Dominique

I just posted my latest Chicago Radio Spotlight interview. This week I talk to former Loop, WTMX and WLS traffic and news anchor Lise Dominique.

You can read the interview here.

Cubtober 3rd

Chicago Cubs fans have had better Octobers than October 2009. Here are a few examples of years where they were still following the team in October, and why.




On this day in 1915, the Cubs played their final game in their championship field...West Side Grounds. The next season they would begin playing in a new ballpark on the North Side.





On this day in 1938, the city of Chicago has a parade for the pennant winning 1938 Cubs.











On this day in 1945, the World Series begins, Cubs vs. Detroit Tigers. Read all about that series here.





On this day in 1976, Bill Madlock wins the National League batting title in his final at bat as a member of the Chicago Cubs.

He is traded for Bobby Murcer after the season.

Sights & Sounds

This week at Just One Bad Century we've got a home movie from the 1929 World Series, and the audio of legendary Cubs public address announcer Pat Pieper announcing the lineup of the 1932 Cubs.

See it and hear it here.

Cubtober 2nd

Chicago Cubs fans have had better Octobers than October 2009. Here a few examples of years where they were still following the team in October, and why.




On this day in 1936, the Cubs faced the White Sox in the City Championship series.

Listen to a portion of that game here.








On this day in 1984, the Cubs-Padres NLCS began at Wrigley Field.

Read about that series here.

AUDIO: Steve Trout talks about that team.




On this day in 2001, Sammy Sosa hit his 60th home run, becoming the first player in history to do that three times.

Poor kid

It will take years of therapy to overcome this moment...


Terrible Football Mistake Causes Loss - Watch more Funny Videos

Radio Producer's Handbook

5 years ago today, October 1, 2004, Allworth Press released a book called "The Radio Producer's Handbook." It was written by a couple of radio producers from Chicago: Rick Kaempfer and John Swanson.

I hear it's still available at amazon. Why yes it is. Lookey here: The Radio Producer's Handbook.

But do people think it's a good book? Why yes they do. But only some of the most respected broadcasters in the country.

Did it get good press? Why yes it did.

Is it being used in universities across the country? Why yes it is.

I'd buy it if I were you before they run out.

Cubtober 1st

Chicago Cubs fans have had better Octobers than October 2009. Here a few examples of years where they were still following the team, and why.



The Cubs and Detroit Tigers began the 1935 World Series.

Read about it here, and listen to the final out here.






In 1960, Billy Williams hit his first MLB home run. He hit it in Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum against Dodgers pitcher Stan Williams. It was a two run shot that put the Cubs up by 3 runs.