Friday, October 12, 2012

Little Richard & Paul

Fifty years ago today, they met each other for the first time. From Bob Dearborn's The Olde Disc Jockey's Almanac...

October 12, 1962…In New Brighton, England, the Beatles met Little Richard for the first time when they opened for him at the Tower Ballroom. Although Richard apparently found John and George to be "rude," he was quite taken with Paul, reportedly to the point of trying to seduce him.

Paul loved singing Little Richard songs, and even called his song "I'm Down" a little Richard impression. This song was already part of the Beatles repertoire the night Richard and Paul met...

How is the Kindle so cheap?

Because they sell it at cost. According to amazon's CEO, they do it because they're concentrating on the profits of the on-line content.

Maybe.

And maybe, just maybe, they're trying to crush their competition and create a monopoly. Which one do you think is more likely?

The Many Gesticulations of Joe Biden



This is very funny.

Buzzfeed has named all of Joe Biden's facial expressions and hand gestures from last night.

Today's Best Tweets


I've begun to spend a few minutes every day reading my twitter feed. Here are ten that caught my eye today...




Julius Sharpe ‏@juliussharpe
I'll vote for whichever candidate promises to get rid of banner ads that move when you scroll down.

Bill Maher@billmaher
Hello 9 1 1? There s an old man beating a child on my tv

‏@jedishua
I can't believe how (your candidate) is so (horrible/stupid/rude) ! (My candidate) is obviously much (better/smarter/more talented)!

Karl Klockars ‏@karlklockars
Nailed it. RT @jesteinf: OK, one more. The VP debate in one GIF http://bit.ly/RARQIG

Greg Sargent ‏@ThePlumLineGS
RT @matthewjdowd Republicans hated Biden. Democrats loved him. Undecided voters sided with Biden by large margin. Good night for Obama.

The New York Times ‏@nytimes
All the NYT fact-checks from Biden and Ryan's vice-presidential debate in one place http://nyti.ms/RB4ZS6

Andy Richter ‏@Andy_Richter
I am working on a TV commercial, & my trailer is an RV that has the keys in the ignition. Really tempted to take a spin around the block.

darren rovell ‏@darrenrovell
StubHub says it has 11,675 tickets for tonight’s Yankees game for resale. Thats’s 23.2% of the stadium capacity! (H/T @chrislynch2)

chuck swirsky ‏@swirsk054
Friday in Champaign IL. A great day for basketball on the campus of one America s finest institutions. Bulls TV with pre-post and tweets 7PM

Huffington Post ‏@HuffingtonPost
New book claims Elizabeth Taylor had a threesome with JFK & actor Robert Stack http://huff.to/VUIqNn


Joe Biden


This photograph of VP Joe Biden was taken immediately after last night's debate. Biden's mopping solution (Paul Ryan) was said to have made the floor quite shiny.

Cubs 365, October 12

On this day in 1915, future Cub Lou "The Mad Russian" Novikoff was born.

He was born to Russian immigrant parents in Arizona, so the second half of his nickname is obvious. The "mad" part came from his eccentric proclivities. He had a colorful past before joining the Cubs, working as a harmonica player, a carnival strongman, and a striptease performer.

Novikoff was a legend in the minor leagues. His minor league roommate said of Lou: "I roomed with Lou's clothing. I don't know what he did or where he went. I know he was often coming in when I was getting up."

The Mad Russian became a wartime Cubs fill-in (1941-1944) and an entertaining eccentric. He said he feared touching Wrigley's ivy-covered walls because he thought ivy was poisonous. He also claimed the foul lines were crooked. He once stole third with the bases loaded because, he said, "I got such a good jump on the pitcher." He had a pet Russian wolfhound, which he only fed caviar.

Novikoff could hit (he hit .300 twice), but was a butcher in the outfield. His well publicized difficulties with any ball hit near him (one local writer described his fielding as "wrestling a ball to the ground") ended his Cubs career in 1944. The Phillies gave him one more shot in 1946, but that was it for his very colorful major league career.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Imagine

From Bob Dearborn's The Olde Disc Jockey's Almanac, this tidbit from 41 years ago today...

October 11, 1971…John Lennon released the single "Imagine" in North America. Rolling Stone magazine ranked "Imagine" #3 in their editorial "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time." It was not released as a single in the UK until October 24, 1975.

Today's Best Tweets


I've begun to spend a few minutes every day reading my twitter feed. Here are ten that caught my eye today...



Salman Rushdie ‏@SalmanRushdie
Unintentional comedy: "@MOHDshadKHAN1: .... U Knw u r totally illiterate .... U Dnt Knw how to rite novel ..... U need kindergarden.... :-)"

New York Daily News ‏@nydailynews
Scientists have officially pinpointed the world’s worst sound http://nydn.us/T8Cieo

WSCR AM ‏@670TheScore
Score Producer/Host Jason Goff Accepts Hosting Job In Atlanta http://cbsloc.al/RisIcb

Jimmy Greenfield ‏@jcgreenx
I'm liking the 2-3 format for the divisional series. You get Game 5 without delay and it's proving to be fair to higher seed.

John Fisher ‏@heyjohnfisher
FIRST LISTEN: The new Rolling Stones song. It rocks! http://bit.ly/RReTRp

Jeff Greenfield ‏@greenfield64
I'll never forget the '96 VP debate. Why? It was the night of the Yanks-O's Jeffrey Maier game--which I watched while in the debate hall.

Gawker ‏@Gawker
New workout photos PROVE Paul Ryan is not fit to lead. http://gaw.kr/JVmRlk

The Daily Beast ‏@thedailybeast
A guide to the angry old rich guys who hate Obama, featuring @Jack_Welch, @RupertMurdoch, and more http://thebea.st/RzllKJ

The Onion ‏@TheOnion
Joe Biden's Handlers Suggesting He Forget The Words 'Pink' And 'Stink' Altogether http://onion.com/R9vBZp

Steve Cochran ‏@CochranShow
Lot of guilt tonight RT @BuzzFeedAndrew: This Is the first debate on the presidential level between two Irish Catholics.


Completely Wrong

Check out what happens when you Google "Completely Wrong" on Google Images: Here's a link.

Pretty funny.

Don Wade update

WLS morning man Don Wade released a statement about his surgery and his recovery. He'll be undergoing chemo and radiation therapy, but he sounds pretty upbeat.

Robert Feder's report is here.

National Book Award Nominees

The nominees were announced yesterday live on MSNBC. Among them, a fellow University of Illinois man, Dave Eggers ("A Hologram for the King").

He's a few years younger than me, but I met Dave briefly at an Illini Media Hall of Fame event a few years ago. He was inducted the same year as cranky old salt Robert Novak. Unlike Novak, Eggers gave a very gracious (and funny) speech.

The whole list of nominees is here.

Here Come the Female Moderators

According to the critics, Jim Lehrer was steamrolled. Will female moderators Martha Raddatz (the VP debate tonight) and Candy Crowley (the pres debate next week) get better treatment?

The Washington Post analyzes the possibilities.

Cubs 365, October 11

On this day in 1929 the Cubs won a World Series game against Connie Mack's Philadelphia A's.

Guy Bush was on the Shibe Park mound for the Cubs, and the Mississippi Mudcat scattered nine hits, and gave up one run. But the big bangers on the A's were ineffective. Hall of Famers Al Simmons and Jimmie Foxx combined to go 0-7.

Meanwhile, the Cubs had a few Hall of Famers of their own, and all three of them showed why they were enshrined. Rogers Hornsby and Hack Wilson each had two hits, and KiKi Cuyler knocked in the game winning runs.

After the game ended the Cubs had cut the A's lead to 2-1. It would be as close as they would get. The A's swept the final two games to win their fourth championship.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Mongo is Gone

The news is just across the wire, Alex Karras has passed away at the age of 77. He was one of my favorite players. I became a Lions fan after seeing the George Plimpton movie "Paper Lion", and Karras was memorable in that film. (I still have this football card). He went on to an acting career, which included a starring role in the television series "Webster", but his most memorable moment was this one in the Mel Brooks classic "Blazing Saddles"...

David Lee Roth

Van Halen front man is 58 years old today. (I thought he was older, to tell you the truth). I went on YouTube looking for a David Lee Roth video and found this very interesting "vocals only" version of "Running with the Devil"

The screaming sounds ridiculous, but the singing actually isn't as bad as I thought it would be. In the comments section was this very funny quote: "If cocaine had a voice, it would sound just like this."

Today's Best Tweets


I've begun to spend a few minutes every day reading my twitter feed. Here are ten that caught my eye today...




Redbird Craig ‏@RedbirdCraig
Dusty totally knows how to handle this whole "we only need to win 1 out of 3" thing.

Kief Wahoo ‏@KiefWahoo216
"I prefer my martinis like my women: extra dirty + with 3 olives stuffed in them" -@alancoxshow

The Balding Handbook ‏@BaldingHandbook
Dwight Eisenhower? Fullhead bias again. If the bald look is a boon in business, why doesn’t it work in politics? http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/if-the-bald-look-is-a-boon-in-business-why-doesnt-it-work-in-politics-8202769.html

Phil Rogers ‏@ChiTribRogers
At 19, Javier Baez is the second youngest player in the Arizona Fall League. He's also among the most talented http://sulia.com/my_thoughts/dbe905bf-5361-49dc-93f0-c697e456f2c6/?source=twitter

Chet Coppock ‏@ChetCoppock
#WhiteSox boadcast booth. Stoney will return with hawks this summer. i suggest they use separate booths.they're already twenty feet apart

Seinfeld Quotes ‏@seinlanguage
George: "Yeah, well, the jerk store called, they're running out of you!"

Ricky Gervais ‏@rickygervais
“@GavGavR: What's your thoughts on horoscopes? I think they're a lot of shite!” You sound like a Gemini. ;) Yes they are nonsense.

Zach Zaidman ‏@ZachZaidman
Only the 49ers (68) and Seahawks (70) have allowed fewer points than the #Bears (71) this season.

Zach Zaidman ‏@ZachZaidman
Only the Patriots (165) and Giants (152) have scored more points than the #Bears (149) this season.

Roger Ebert ‏@ebertchicago
No power on earth can convince me the American People will elect Mitt Romney as President.

Debate Moderation

There appears to be an anti-media rumble coming in advance of the VP debate this Thursday. The Daily Caller (edited by Tucker Carlson) is said to be working on a piece "outing" moderator Martha Raddatz for being friends with Obama--because he attended her first wedding over twenty years ago. (Her first husband was current F.C.C. Comish Julius Genakowski--a classmate of Obama's in college).

TV Newser has the details, which includes a pretty robust defense of Raddatz from her employer ABC News.

Dave Fogel

Congrats to former WLS-FM morning man Dave Fogel. Just two weeks after being let go by WLS, he has already landed back on his feet. He'll be doing 7 to Midnight on WLS' direct competitor, Classic hits WJMK (104.3 FM).

Robert Feder has the details. (Second item)

Cubs 365, October 10

On this day in 1908, the World Series began in Detroit amid much fanfare, but not a great deal of excitement. The Tigers, led by Ty Cobb, were the prohibitive underdogs and the city of Detroit wasn't optimistic that they could win it all. Especially against the defending champs who had beaten them the previous year.

Big Ed Reulbach (photo), who had been on fire for the past month, was given the ball to start this game and he didn't quite have it. The Cubs went to the bullpen in the seventh and eighth, calling on their big guns Orval Overall and Mordecai Brown to rescue the win. Neither man pitched that well, but the Cubs came back to score 5 runs in the top of the ninth to win the game 10-6. The bottom of their order, Solly Hofman and Johnny Kling (each with two RBI), were the heroes of this Game 1 victory.

Tuesday, October 09, 2012

Romney disses kids

So says Nickelodeon, because Mitt Romney refused to appear on the network's special about the election, unlike the president, who gladly appeared.

Nickelodeon's spokesperson said: "They don't deserve to be dissed. But former Gov. Romney also blew off Letterman and Big Bird, so I guess we're in good company."

Today's Best Tweets


I've begun to spend a few minutes every day reading my twitter feed. Here are ten that caught my eye today...



Fred Winston ‏@FredWinston
Morning from Chicago, saw a rat the size of a small woodchuck while walking pup. Maybe a chef on his way to work?

The Associated Press ‏@AP
Steak 'n Shake joins brands flocking to the United Arab Emirates with plans for 40 restaurants: http://apne.ws/Rtd23g -BW

Mully And Hanley ‏@mullyhanley
Steve Stone just told us he will for sure be back with #WhiteSox next season. He hopes to finish this contract & future contracts w/#Sox

Lizz Winstead ‏@lizzwinstead
I feel like I got a pass today as I am the only person Jerry Sandusky didn't blame in this *conspiracy* against him.

Lisa and Ray US99.5 ‏@LisaandRay995
Totally Gross or Totally Acceptable: 42% of men admit they wear their undies more than once before washing? http://bit.ly/R3k91u .

amy walter ‏@amyewalter
ABC/WaPo poll: Romney favs are up, but still underwater. No cand. w/ higher unfavs than favs in Sept/Oct has won WH. http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/10/one-month-to-go-and-the-polls-they-are-a-changin-the-note/ …

MarkCz.com ‏@MarkCzerniec
Today is the last day to register to vote in Illinois: http://www.elections.il.gov/votinginformation/register.aspx …

chuck swirsky ‏@swirsk054
Happy Birthday to John Lennon celebrating his 72nd birthday. He may be gone physically but his spirit fills the soul of millions.

Josh Liss ‏@JoshLissSports
Alshon Jeffery OUT up to 6 weeks. Lovie on @WBBMNewsradio, "He'll be banged up for a while...but we know we're getting him back this year."

Rolling Stone ‏@RollingStone
Watch Elvis Presley perform part of "Suspicious Minds" at Madison Square Garden in 1972 in this fan-filmed clip: http://rol.st/RaEA02

Happy Birthday John

He would have been 72 years old today.

This is a rare version of the Beatles singing "Happy Birthday"

Pete Townshend

One of my favorites was on the Daily Show last night. I thought this discussion (which was on the web only...it was part 2 of the interview) was really interesting...


The New York Times reviews his book here.

Dan Patrick

Five years ago yesterday he joined Fox Sports Radio, and since that time he has expanded to 270 cities. This year he won the Marconi Award for Network/Syndicated Personality of the Year.

That's pretty darn impressive. Congrats to Dan Patrick.

Keeping it Classy

Jerry Sandusky is being sentenced today, and will read a statement in which he still denies everything and blames the victims. From the Yahoo report, this is part of the quote...

"A young man who was dramatic, a veteran accuser, and always sought attention, started everything. He was joined by a well-orchestrated effort of the media, investigators, the system, Penn State, psychologists, civil attorneys and other accusers. They won. I've wondered what they really won: Attention, financial gain, prestige … will all be temporary. Before you blame me, as others have, look at everything and everybody. Look at the preparation for the trial and the trial. Compare it to others. Think about what happened. Why, and who made it happen?"

You made it happen, pal. I love conspiracy theories as much as the next guy, Jerry, but there's a very good chance you're the only one who will ever buy this one.

Hollywood's Highest Paid Women

Forbes has their annual list out, and you won't be surprised who is #1: Oprah. I was surprised, however, by #2 on the list. Would you believe it's Britney Spears?

The rest of the top ten are Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Ellen DeGeneres, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Giselle Bundchen, Katy Perry, and Judge Judy.

Monday, October 08, 2012

A song about Columbus

It even mentions the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria...

Today's Best Tweets


I've begun to spend a few minutes every day reading my twitter feed. Here are ten that caught my eye today...



Phil Rogers ‏@ChiTribRogers
The Cubs didn't place a single player on Baseball America's Florida State League top 20. That's disappointing http://sulia.com/my_thoughts/802fe8b4-59f2-46e5-b4fb-e2c3511f835f/?source=twitter

ColonelTribune ‏@ColonelTribune
Soccer team or TV drama? Both. @ChicagoFire players already seeing confusion ahead of show's debut. http://trib.in/QP5Wbu

New York Daily News ‏@nydailynews
Mila Kunis named Esquire’s Sexiest Woman Alive 2012 http://nydn.us/UzqTuS

Glenn Greenwald ‏@ggreenwald
I'd like to vote for the candidate similar to the one the Right absurdly claims Obama is.

Slate ‏@Slate
Barack Obama has joined the bandwagon of Democrats making fun of Barack Obama's debate performance--WATCH: http://slate.me/R6VGM6

Dan Bernstein ‏@dan_bernstein
Who is this #Bears assistant, and why did he want to do this on TV? http://deadsp.in/TlNdX6

The Heckler ‏@The_Heckler
Marshall shatters Bears all-time record for receiving yards in a season after 5 games http://ow.ly/2szEf3

pourmecoffee ‏@pourmecoffee
Celebrating Columbus Day by discovering people and giving them my cold.

Perez Hilton ‏@PerezHilton
Danny DeVito Splits From Rhea Perlman After 30 Years Of Marriage!!! http://perez.ly/SHNiD5

Seinfeld Quotes ‏@seinlanguage
George: "I love a good nap. Sometimes it's the only thing getting me out of bed in the morning."

What will happen to Tribune now?

The bankruptcy is finally settled after four ridiculous years. Now the Tribune is owned by JPMorgan Chase, and the investment firms Oaktree Capital Management and Angelo, Gordon & Co. What are their plans?

An attempt to read the tea leaves is here.

The Lone Ranger

Count me in...

ABC News Weatherman Comes Out

Sam Champion, weatherman on Good Morning America, has come out of the closet and admitted he is gay.

Details here.

I suspect this is going to happen more and more. My hope is that this sort of thing will one day be considered so un-shocking, that it will no longer even be a news story.

A Scary Lunch

Fox News president Roger Ailes' contract runs out in June. Over the weekend he was spotted having lunch with Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes.

Time Warner owns CNN. Uh oh.

Father Knows Nothing

My latest Father Knows Nothing column is called "Another Hold Your Breath Moment"

You can read it here.

Cubs 365, October 8

On this day in 1945, the Cubs won a World Series game for the very last time. It was Game 6 of the series versus the Detroit Tigers, and it was captured on newsreel film.