Embarrassing Confession Time

My weekly contribution to the City Mom blog at Chicago Now is posted. It's called "Embarrassing Confession Time."

You can read it here.

Eddie Murphy is Hosting the Oscars

I heard a bunch of people in the media say they were surprised by the pick of Eddie Murphy to host this year's Oscars, but it makes perfect sense to me.

Have people really forgotten that he was one of the premiere stand up comedians? He played the big halls and sold 'em out...(warning: strong language in this clip).

As the Rupert Turns

On this morning's episode, Rupert's son James is about to get grilled by Parliament again. Turns out that some people have refuted his earlier testimony. They claim he was explicitly told about the phone hacking, and that it went beyond just one reporter, and they have e-mail evidence.

Another must-see-tv moment coming up.

Jack Shafer employed again

Fired last week by Slate, hired this week by Reuters.

He is too good to be unemployed for long.

Murphy is Back!

Robert Feder has details about the return of Robert Murphy to Chicago's airwaves. He's going to be the new morning host at Rewind 100.3.

Great to have him back full time.

Of course, I interviewed Murph a few years ago for Chicago Radio Spotlight. He was typically entertaining in that interview too.

Dave Kingman

Today's Tale from a Bad Century is about the not-too-pleasant Dave Kingman era in Chicago.

Read all about it here.

Dylan Gardner

I've known this young lad since he was born. He's the son of Landecker and the Legends guitarist Mark Gardner, and he was born around the same time as my oldest son Tommy.

We used to go to Mark's house every year for a Legends Christmas party, and little Dylan would be playing the drums in their basement (I seem to remember him doing this at a ridiculous age like 3 or 4). Dylan has also appeared on stage with Landecker & the Legends, most recently in 2009 when he performed the Doors song "Roadhouse Blues" at the age of 13.

The Gardners moved out to Arizona shortly after that show, but it's obvious that Dylan's musical career is just getting started. He plays guitar, bass, and piano on the song. I'm very impressed with the youngster.

As the Rupert Turns

On this morning's episode, we discover it's been a busy weekend for the Murdoch clan. It was time for annual bonuses, and under the circumstances it's understandable that James decided not to accept the $6 million bonus offer.

Rupert, on the other hand, had no problem at all accepting his $12.5 million bonus.

We also discovered the depth of Rupert's political influence in England. We already knew his disgraced former editor was the spokesperson (until he was arrested) for current British PM David Cameron, but did you know that Tony Blair is also the godfather to one of Rupert's children?

Gee, and with cash payoffs to Scotland Yard thrown in the mix too, I wonder why Rupert had never been investigated before?

Super Bowl Ads

Think NBC is excited that the NFL decided not to lock out their season?

The Super Bowl is basically sold out already...at $3.5 million a commercial.

I Have This Same Pillow...

...except mine has a picture of Sonny Bono. Thanks to "AH" for sending it to me...

Shufflin' Phil

This week's Great Nickname at JOBC is the troubled "Shufflin Phil".

Read all about him here.

Happy Labor Day!

Father Knows Nothing

My Father Knows Nothing column for this week has been posted at NWI Parent. This week's column is called "Emerging from Hibernation."

You can read it here.

This week in 1908, 1945

Every weekend JOBC goes back in time to the last year the Cubs won the World Series (1908) and the NL Pennant (1945).

This week in 1908, the Wright Brothers take the world`s first one hour flight, Frank Chance celebrates his 31st birthday, and the Cubs are still in third place behind the Pirates and the Giants.

This week in 1945, Gen. MacArthur accepts Japan's official surrender, the Palmer Castle is razed in Chicago, and Cubs third baseman Stan Hack gets his 2000th career hit.

Feelin' Hot, Hot, Cold

Temperatures could reach 100 degrees in Chicago today.

In my house they vary. Upstairs in the bedrooms, it will be about 175 degrees. The curtains should be melting by noon. On the ground floor by the thermostat, it will be about 75 degrees. And in the basement, where you'll find me, I'll be lucky if it gets up to 40 degrees.

Yesterday I had to warm my hands on the dog's belly to get the feeling back in my fingertips. She's not a big fan of that, by the way.

The 61-year-old kicker

He's a grandpa. He's a Vietnam veteran. He's 61-years-old.

And...he's a college football kicker.

Not bad, sir. I'm only 48 and I can pull a hammy walking up the stairs.

As the Rupert Turns

On this morning's episode we meet the tough guy enforcer in Rupert's empire; Paul Carlucci. He sounds like a heck of a guy. Here are few excerpts from the Reuter's piece linked above.

Carlucci, who wears his hair slicked back and usually carries a Montblanc pen, has a penchant for finely tailored suits and a reputation for step-on-your-throat business tactics. An executive at Sara Lee once said of her dealings with News America that it "feels like they are raping us and they enjoy it."...."Paul is a tough businessman, but he's no different than any other guy who has made a ton of money," said a longtime friend of Carlucci's who asked to remain anonymous because of their relationship. Just because he screens scenes from "The Untouchables" for employees "doesn't mean he's a mobster," this source added....To fight the declining economics, News America has been accused of engaging in a series of less than ethical, and potentially illegal, maneuvers. As New York Times columnist David Carr put it, "The company has come under scrutiny for a pattern of conduct that includes below-cost pricing, paying customers not to do business with competitors, and accusations of computer hacking."....Floorgraphics co-founder George Rebh said in a deposition that Carlucci, over what was supposed to be a friendly lunch, bluntly told him, "I will destroy you. I work for a man who wants it all, and doesn't understand anybody telling him he can't have it all."

And people ask me why I spend so much time bringing you this on-going series.

Newspapers

I realize I'm a dinosaur, but I really love reading the newspaper. I read the Chicago Tribune and the Daily Herald every day, and I used to also read the Chicago Sun Times (before they started getting rid of all their great columnists).

I can't even imagine what it must be like to live in a city like Denver, Cincinnati, Seattle or now Oakland that no longer have a single newspaper covering their cities.

I know none of the newspapers in Chicago are what they once were, but sometimes it's important to point out that it could be much much worse.

Aerosmith

Here's some big news for Aerosmith fans. From this morning's RAMP newsletter...

"For the first time ever, Columbia is releasing digital copies of the band's albums from 1973-1987 that will be available for download starting the day after Labor Day, with classic stuff able to be purchased in full-album or single-track form, along with a few extras, including live tracks, session material and B-sides. In addition to their self-titled debut, fans will be able to grab copies of Get Your Wings, Toys in the Attic, Rocks, Draw the Line, Live! Bootleg, Night in the Ruts, Aerosmith's Greatest Hits, Rock in a Hard Place, Classics Live and Classics Live II."

I have a few holes to fill in my Aerosmith collection. Looking forward to next week.

Every team leads the league in something

That's the thesis of this article in USA Today.

For instance, the White Sox lead the league in being hit by pitches. And the Reds lead the league in balks.

As for the Cubs? They lead the league in errors.

(Sigh)

Sights & Sounds

A classic scene from the movie "Field of Dreams" and a song about Sammy Sosa written by your humble blogger await you in this week's Sights & Sounds at JOBC.

Watch and listen here.

Press

25 years ago today Paul McCartney released his album "Press to Play". It wasn't a good album. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that there isn't a single memorable song on that album, which is unusual for Paul. On the other hand, this video is pretty interesting. Paul rides the London Underground. All of the people in this video are actual people riding the Underground and it's fun to watch their reaction when they realize what's going on.

A Reader's Question

I don't know the answer to this question, but I'm throwing it out there just in case anyone does know. It came in via my Just One Bad Century mailbox... 

"Hi Rick, I really love the website. I’ve been a Cubs fan for nearly 50 years. One of my earliest memories is of Ed Bailey hitting a home run at Wrigley in 1965! Still remember the roar of the crowd to this day. I have so many great memories over the years. My question is about the old Chicago Cubs flags that the Wrigley’s flew from the foul poles. Do you know what ever happened to them and why they have never been brought back? I have written the Cubs a couple of times about this but have never received a reply. To quote the 1968 press guide: “The Chicago Cubs flag-red and white on a blue background-displays 16 red stars representing the Club’s 16 National League Championships. The two blue stars represent the Club’s two World Championships.” I think it would be a nice touch to have them above the flags of the retired numbers, a remembrance of the glories of the past. Once again, thanks for the site and keep up the good work! Go Cubs! Mike Bowers"

It's funny that the flag would still work. Still have the same number of NL championships. Still have the same number of World Championships.

If you know the answer to Mike's question, drop me a line at rick@justonebadcentury.com

As the Sumner Turns

I've been following this man closely for many years, including the ten years he was my boss (he was CEO of CBS), and all the years since then, and I must say I never saw this coming. Would you believe that Sumner Redstone is becoming a philanthropist? That's not a misprint. He's really giving away money. His own money...to help fight...believe me, I'm rubbing my own eyes as I write this...to help fight poverty. I'm totally serious here. Do you think we should send medical help to make sure he's OK? He may have been hit with a conscience bus.

Office Hijinks

What happens when you cross a hilarious office prankster with a way-too-serious office worker bee? Some of the most hilarious complaint forms you'll ever read. There's one example below (click on the image to enlarge it), but there are many more here at this website.

Note to the writers of "The Office": You must hire this man. He is a genius.

CEOs Make More Than Their Companies Pay in Taxes

This is the kind of story that makes people crazy. The Tribune has a list of those CEOs that make more money than their entire corporations pay in taxes.

Now where did I put those torches and pitchforks?

Tribune Drops Tabloid Edition

One of the big "innovations" of the Tribune during the Randy Michaels era was changing the design and shape of the newspaper. Michaels convinced them to print it in tabloid form.

The last tabloid issue will be sold at newsstands on Friday.

I say Bravo! I never liked the tabloid version because it reminded me too much of crappy tabloid papers like the New York Post. The content never went there, but subconsciously (at least for me), it didn't seem to have the same gravitas as it once had. Judging by the sales figures released in that article linked above, I'm not the only one that felt that way.

No-No

Today's Tale from a Bad Century at JOBC is about the last time the Cubs were no-hit. It happened all the way back in 1965, and remains one of the best pitched games in baseball history.

Read all about it here.