Today's Best Tweets--April 25

Here are some tweets that caught my eye today...





Matt Yglesias ‏@mattyglesias 30s
Northwestern University’s football players are voting on unionization today. Here’s the whole controversy explained: http://www.vox.com/2014/4/11/5602616/unionizing-college-football-players-explained

ESPN Big Ten ‏@ESPN_BigTen 17m
Former NU walk-on Michael Odom, who quit team after 2013 season, said he's pro-union and that players have been pressured to vote no.

Ellen Miller ‏@EllnMllr 28m
A petition on the WH petition page demanding net neutrality is gaining signatures at rate of 1000+ per hour. https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/maintain-true-net-neutrality-protect-freedom-information-united-

Cristiano Ronaldo ‏@Cristiano 14m
Such an honour to be one of TIME's 100 most influential people. http://time.com/70818/cristiano-ronaldo-2014-time-100/ …

Slate ‏@Slate 6m
Yes, if you ask the question in the right (B.S.) way, Virginians oppose Medicaid expansion: http://slate.me/1fefZFn

Dean Obeidallah ‏@Deanofcomedy 1h
The NRA's worst nightmare: Mom's protesting outside its convention this weekend. My new @thedailybeast article http://thebea.st/1frTtnb

The AV Club ‏@TheAVClub 4m
Seth Meyers will also host this year's Emmys http://avc.lu/1iVwqWp

670 The Score ‏@670TheScore 6m
Stained by PEDs, Sammy Sosa needs to come clean if he's ever to be welcomed back at Wrigley Field, writes @wischlist: http://cbsloc.al/1jLZixa

Brett Taylor ‏@BleacherNation 8m
#Cubs: Sammy Sosa is Upset That He Wasn't Invited to the 100th Anniversary, May Reach Out http://www.bleachernation.com/2014/04/25/sammy-sosa-is-upset-that-he-wasnt-invited-to-the-100th-anniversary-may-reach-out/ …

BobVorwald ‏@BobVorwald 4m
"Wrigley 100: A Century Celebration" airs tomorrow on @WGNTV and WGN America 4-6p central.

Baseball Fan Map

This was in the New York Times. An interesting look at who roots for which team based on region. (Click on the photo to enlarge.)

One Town That Won't Let You Down

Very cool time lapse video of my favorite city...

Random Facts

Thanks to "FC" for sending this. I got a chuckle...

The Pothole Store

Fox News Chicago posted this on facebook:

PERSONAL POTHOLE: You've probably heard of naming a star, but now you can get a semi-official certificate to name one of the city's many potholes on the International Pothole Registry. It costs $6.99. Would you be willing to pay that much for a pothole of your own?

The comments below this post are absolutely hilarious. You'd think I would no longer be surprised by the seemingly endless supply of hateful, cluesless, and humorless comments, but I laughed out loud reading these. There are something like 200 of them, and only ONE guy gets the joke.

Don't think they'll get this either...



LATE UPDATE: Tomorrow the Pothole Store goes international. That's all I can say right now, but we'll have more news tomorrow.

Just One Bad Century--April 25

With a loss yesterday, the Cubs still haven't won a series all season long. They're pacing themselves.

Today on JOBC we go back to 1948 in Wrigley history. A one-hitter was tossed by a man nicknamed "Mad Monk".

Today's Cub Birthdays features nine Cubs related birthdays, including an infamous Cubs fan, a player from the last season at West Side Grounds, another who played in the Cubs first season at Wrigley, plus cups of coffee from the 1920s, 1930s, 1980s, 1990s, and a big contract free agent outfielder from last decade.

Today's historical event is the birth of Ella Fitzgerald (in 1918). Where were the Cubs?

The A/V club celebrates an important moment from this day in 1976: Rick Monday saving the American flag.

As for the latest Cubs news: Justin Ruggiano is on the DL and is being replaced by a pitcher. We now have 13 pitchers and 12 hitters. Neil Ramirez (the new reliever) is one of the players the Cubs got for Matt Garza. He also has a 7.71 ERA in Iowa. Whoo boy.

Also, people are still talking about Sammy not being invited to the 100th birthday celebration. Joe Borowski says the Cubs created the monster, and doesn't believe Sammy needs to apologize to old teammates.

The Cubs are playing in Milwaukee this weekend. Are you going up there to catch a game at Miller Park?

Throwback Thursday

1995. Back in the old condo downtown with my baby son Tommy...

Soup of the Day

Thanks to "OG" for this one...

Today's Best Tweets--April 24

Here are some tweets that caught my eye today...




Edward Silha ‏@Edzila 2m
Congrats to Jonathan Toews, named a finalist for the #Selke Trophy, given to the #NHL's best defensive forward!

The Daily Beast ‏@thedailybeast 4m
President Obama played soccer with a Japanese robot http://thebea.st/1nIEOcv

Neil Steinberg ‏@NeilSteinberg 7m
Why settle for the fever fantasies of right wing fabulists when you can read the moderate original that set them off? http://www.suntimes.com/news/steinberg/26902035-452/rauners-best-friend-that-money-can-buy.html …

Mark Glaser ‏@mediatwit 8m
FCC to propose new 'net neutrality' rules (@gnagesh via @WSJ) http://ow.ly/w7pC9 #MustReads

Jesse Rogers ‏@ESPNChiCubs 1m
RR asked several diff ways who would close today if needed. He's not sure yet. Depends on avail etc.

Taegan Goddard ‏@politicalwire 1m
McCain predicts a big scandal is coming
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2014/04/24/mccain_predicts_big_campaign_finance_scandal.html …

Romenesko ‏@romenesko 11m
Why hyphens matter - even in police department news releases. http://bit.ly/ROCnLe

Greg Sargent ‏@ThePlumLineGS 13m
Counterintuitive column from @JoshuaGreen: "Here's why Obamacare will help Dems and hurt Republicans: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-04-24/heres-why-obamacare-will-help-democrats-and-hurt-republicans …

Dave Wischnowsky ‏@wischlist 14m
Pretty dead-on: "The Infographic of Chicago Neighborhood Stereotypes" http://chicago.curbed.com/archives/2014/04/23/this-week-in-chicago-neighborhood-stereotyping.php …

Paul Sullivan ‏@PWSullivan 18m
Standing in Cubs clubhouse while MLB Network shows Bartman clip again.

Pothole Store Strikes Again

The man is a promotional machine. In today's Red Eye...

Just One Bad Century--April 24

So, I was there at the ballgame yesterday and took a few photos...



But none of those photos can really recreate the feeling of being there at the end of that game like this GIF from the broadcast...



It was a perfectly fitting way to celebrate the 100th birthday.

So, today we carry on at Just One Bad Century as if nothing happened.

Today in Wrigley history goes back to 1918 and 1923. A one-hitter and a two-hitter.

Today's Cubs birthdays feature a current Cub, a part of their rotation from the late 50s and early 60s, a member of the 1929 pennant winners, and two relief pitchers.

Today's historical event is the release of Jane Fonda's legendary workout tape. Where were the Cubs?

It's also the anniversary of Bud Abbott's death, so the A/V club has the classic "Who's on First" bit by Abbott & Costello.

School Lunch

(Ring) "Hello"

"Is this Mr. Kaempfer?"

"Yes."

"Your son brought his lunch box to school, but there's nothing in it."

(Sigh) This is our 13th and final year at the elementary school (three boys), and I'm pretty sure we've set some sort of emergency "bring your son's lunch" record that will never be broken.

Just One Bad Century--April 23

I don't need to tell you that today is the 100th birthday of Wrigley Field. If you want to know what it was like on that first day one hundred years ago, we have a full report, including quotes from the 1914 Chicago Tribune. It's all right here.

For today's A/V Club, we've chosen to highlight Steve Goodman's ode to the park and it's fans. Watch him perform "A Dying Cub Fan's Last Request" from a rooftop overlooking the ballpark.

What is Theo Epstein thinking watching this birthday celebration? He's not digging the constant references to the losing. (And by the way, people keep saying there have been no championships, but that's not true. The Bears won several in Wrigley, and the Federal League Whales won one too).

The rest of the usual features are still here today as well. Today's Cubs birthdays feature an MVP, a member of the last pennant winning Cubs team, a backup outfielder from the 20s, and the player they we had to take in order to get rid of Milton Bradley.

Today's historical event was a cosmonaut tragedy in Russia. Where were the Cubs?

If you want to know where I'll be, I'll be at Wrigley Field helping to celebrate the old gal's birthday. I'll post some pictures either today or tomorrow.

(photo: Bernie Tafoya)

Media Spotlight--April 22

My media focus this year will be on some of my favorite subjects...the moguls, the pundits, the broadcast news biz, show business, radio, and the publishing business. (Read "$everance" if you want a crystallization of my positions on those subjects.) And, of course, I'll also keep tabs on Chicago's media.


The Moguls

~Jeff Bezos Net Worth Takes A Dive
I don't want to brag, but my little internet publishing company Eckhartz Press has made me $6 billion more than amazon has made Jeff Bezos so far this year. That, my friends, is an absolutely true statement.

~Comcast Bucks Industry Trend By Adding Customers
Bloomberg's story about Comcast leaves out one little thing: One of the ways they are doing this is by crushing their competitors. Believe me, people aren't flocking to Comcast because they love it. They often are reduced to only having one choice.

The Pundits

~Jon Stewart Takes Down Sean Hannity
And his completely inexplicable love of the thieving rancher. These are my favorite Daily Show bits. Taking the person in question's own words and showing them how randomly they argue their points to suit their political agenda at the moment...

The Daily Show
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,The Daily Show on Facebook,Daily Show Video Archive

~John Oliver's Show Debuts This Weekend on HBO.
I've already set the DVR.

Broadcast News

~Forner CBS Reporter Claims Bias
Sharyl Attkisson says that CBS News has a liberal bias...and she used to work there. I think this is a fair charge. Obviously this sort of thing doesn't rise to the heights that Fox News takes it (CBS News still, for instance, fact checks, abides by the rules of journalism, and corrects errors when they are made), but it's still not good...

“The tendency on the part of some of these managers who have key influences has been they never mind the stories that seem to … go against the grain of the Republican Party,” Attkisson told “Reliable Sources” host Brian Stelter yesterday. “But they do often seem to feel defensive about, almost, personally defensive on stories that could make the government look bad.”

How Much Do You Hate People?

I thought I would score higher on this quiz.

I got a 22. Here's the results: "You only sort of hate people. Sometimes. When they’re being the worst. And that’s perfectly natural. You don’t put up with any nonsense but you’re probably not a dick."

A Nesting Falcon

Thanks for this incredible nature shot, "DM"...

Dylan Gardner Rocks Out

The son of Landecker & the Legends guitarist Mark Gardner is a superstar in the making. He's only 17. This is the official first single from his debut album...

Randy Richardson Book Signing

Just One Bad Century--April 22

When the Hawks game was getting too tense for me last night, I was flipping back to the Cubs, and for once...it calmed me down. Nice victory last night against the Diamondbacks.

Today on JOBC, we go back to opening day 1908. This Week in 1908 tells the tale of how that game went, as well as what else was going on in the world 106 years ago this week.

Today's Cubs birthdays feature a World Series winning manager (who played for the Cubs), the most common name in Cubs history (three different players had this name), and a guy who pulled off an unassisted triple play. That play can be seen at the A/V Club.

Today in Wrigley History goes back to 1938 and 1965. The Daily Herald's Mike Imren lists his top five favorite childhood Wrigley memories.

Today's historical event is the first Earth Day in 1970. Where were the Cubs?

In the latest Cubs news: The Cub's top pitching prospect Kyle Hendricks is dealing in Iowa. The future looks bright. Right?

The "Lost in the Ivy" Book-Launch Party

You won't want to miss our special book launch party for the Eckhartz Press book "Lost in the Ivy." Celebrate the release of the all-new, revised edition of Randy Richardson's Wrigleyville murder mystery at Murphy's Bleachers, a baseball throw away from Wrigley Field.

Here are the details:

The Date: Friday, May 9, 2014 from 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
The Location: Murphy's Bleacher's, 3655 N Sheffield Ave (right outside Wrigley)
Admission: $20 ($25 at the door) - includes 1 signed copy of Lost in the Ivy, appetizers and drinks (beer, wine, and soft drinks). Buy your advance tickets here.

There will be door prizes and trivia contests for Cubs tickets, T-shirts and books.

Come one, come all!

Today's Best Tweets--April 21

Here are some tweets that caught my eye today...




Len Kasper ‏@LenKasper 1m
The game I love needs some tweaks: http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20140420/sports/140429886/ …

Slate ‏@Slate 4m
Why people are freaking out over General Mills' new legal policy: http://slate.me/1h5qnOu pic.twitter.com/Pcw5vb8Y4v

Deadspin ‏@Deadspin 5m
RT @DSconcourse In praise of unhinged (and underrated) late-night king Craig Ferguson http://deadsp.in/7M7RnwX

Hub Arkush ‏@Hub_Arkush 5m
The Bears' history drafting quarterbacks isn't pretty, and they don't need to take one this year. My column: http://shawurl.com/14c1

Andy Shaw ‏@AndyShawBGA 7m
Study: Rahm's pension plan will seriously cost taxpayers and retirees, but not doing anything could be worse http://bit.ly/1lvLdL0

CBS Chicago ‏@cbschicago 8m
After one of the most brutal winters ever, the Easter weekend weather was one of the warmest on record. http://cbsloc.al/1nCIHzB

Talking Points Memo ‏@TPM 10m
New study from Princeton spells bad news for American democracy—namely, that it no longer exists: http://bit.ly/1mrUYH4

Chet Coppock ‏@ChetCoppock 14m
#Cubs vs.,#Arizona tonight at the #FriendlyConfines. if that isn't grounds for a rain out I don't know what is.

Groovyhoovy ‏@Groovyhoovy 15m
Blackhawks need to win tonight. The longer hockey can eat into the baseball season, the better. LET'S GO HAWKS!

ESPN FC ‏@ESPNFC 37m
More on the news that sources have told @ESPNFC that the sacking of David Moyes by Manchester United is "imminent."

Media Spotlight--April 21

Every weekday in 2014, I'll be keeping an eye on what's happening in the media. My focus will be on some of my favorite subjects...the moguls, the pundits, the broadcast news biz, show business, and the publishing business. (Read "$everance" if you want a crystallization of my positions on those subjects.) And, of course, I'll also keep tabs on Chicago's media.



Chicago Media

~Afternoon Radio Ratings
Robert Feder posted the top ten over the weekend. My personal choice for afternoon drive is on the list. By the way, I like the way Feder is posting these regularly now. His column is still must-reading for Chicago media types (including me).

Broadcast News

~Meet the Press Keeps On Sliding
It's number 3 in the ratings right now after dominating for many years. Articles like this one should be making David Gregory very nervous.

~The Clinton Conspiracy Memo
Remember when Hillary talked about the vast right wing conspiracy (when she was First Lady). Here's the memo that made her think that. And, based on my nearly twenty years of researching this very topic, it's exactly correct. I'm not making a judgement on whether or not the information being transmitted is accurate or not (that is always debatable), but the way it is distributed (as described in this memo) is simply the way it is distributed to broadcast news outlets. It's a fact. (It's also the basis of a good chunk of $everance). The only thing that has changed since this memo came out is that the left wing does it now too. (Using the exact same methodology)

The Moguls

~As the Rupert Turns
Another day, another lawsuit paid off. This time it was Rupert's "Sun on Sunday", and the victim was comedian Russell Brand.


The Radio Biz

~Ryan Seacrest Looking to Expand Role at Clear Channel
That's what the Hollywood Reporter is reporting today. Sounds like he's going to drop some of his TV gigs to focus on more radio (which is where the real money is for him, believe it or not).

~Randi Rhodes Ends Her National Radio Program
The talk show's last day on the air will be May 16. It had been distributed by Premiere.

Kermit & Fozzie Improv

From 1979. This is really cool...

A night at the bar

Thanks to "FC" for this one. I can relate...

Just One Bad Century--April 21

I didn't get a chance to watch the beloved this weekend, but I can read box scores and standings. They stand at 5-11. Not so good. But...but...um...bright side, bright side, think bright side...well, they had some beautiful weather. Oh, here's something else. The Diamondbacks come to town tonight, and they are also off to a terrible start. Maybe we can actually win a series.

This Week in Wrigley History goes back to 1950 and 1959. Two incredible Cubs pitching performances. (Don't forget--the 100th anniversary of the ballpark is this Wednesday. I'll be there)

Today's Cubs Birthdays at JOBC feature one of the most colorful players in Chicago history, plus a Hall of Famer, and two relief pitchers (one from the 20s and one from 80s).

The A/V Club features a clip from a movie that debuted 25 years ago today...Field of Dreams. People will come, Ray.

Today's Historical event was the death of the Red Baron in 1918. Where were the Cubs? Also, there's a full bonus-feature writeup on an event that happened on this day in 1986--The opening of Al Capone's vault.

This week in 1945 was posted over the weekend. It was the last stand for a bad guy in Germany, but the Cubs had a very good week. If you missed it over the weekend, it was the anniversary of the Cubs first televised game yesterday (1946), and there was also an interesting Cubs birthday: A Supreme Court Justice.

As for the latest Cubs news: There could be some late inning relief help on the way from Daytona before the end of the season (and a good one too), and here are four other players that might be up to the big club before the end of the season.

Gotta look to the future, Cubs fans. We should be used to that by now.