Friday, June 12, 2020

Alma Mater

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Bush & Gabby


Cubs through history: on the day future president George Herbert Walker Bush is born in Milton Massachusetts (June 12, 1924), Cubs catcher Gabby Hartnett knocks in a couple of runs to lead the Cubs to a 9-5 victory over the Boston Braves at Braves Field.
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The National Review Turns on Trump

Sounds to me like they know he is going to lose, and are laying the groundwork for returning to their obsession with budget deficits (which only matter when Dems are in charge). Still, this magazine has largely supported him since he became president, and this was written by the editorial staff who frequently goes on television to defend him. Pretty harsh stuff...

Trump’s record as a businessman is hardly a recommendation for the highest office in the land. For all his success, Trump inherited a real-estate fortune from his father. Few of us will ever have the experience, as Trump did, of having Daddy-O bail out our struggling enterprise with an illegal loan in the form of casino chips. Trump’s primary work long ago became less about building anything than about branding himself and tending to his celebrity through a variety of entertainment ventures, from WWE to his reality-TV show, The Apprentice. His business record reflects the often dubious norms of the milieu: using eminent domain to condemn the property of others; buying the good graces of politicians — including many Democrats — with donations.

Trump has gotten far in the GOP race on a brash manner, buffed over decades in New York tabloid culture. His refusal to back down from any gaffe, no matter how grotesque, suggests a healthy impertinence in the face of postmodern PC (although the insults he hurls at anyone who crosses him also speak to a pettiness and lack of basic civility). His promise to make America great again recalls the populism of Andrew Jackson. But Jackson was an actual warrior; and President Jackson made many mistakes. Without Jackson’s scars, what is Trump’s rhetoric but show and strut?

If Trump were to become the president, the Republican nominee, or even a failed candidate with strong conservative support, what would that say about conservatives? The movement that ground down the Soviet Union and took the shine, at least temporarily, off socialism would have fallen in behind a huckster...

Some conservatives have made it their business to make excuses for Trump and duly get pats on the head from him. Count us out. Donald Trump is a menace to American conservatism who would take the work of generations and trample it underfoot in behalf of a populism as heedless and crude as the Donald himself.
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Thursday, June 11, 2020

Free Kicks--The British are Coming

The Premier League doesn't start up until next week. For those of you still watching the Bundesliga this weekend, I have a few German phrases that might help you understand what you're hearing the players say.

Listen to it here.
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Winter in America

Bridget and I watched a great PBS documentary last night about the Black Panthers. It was produced five years ago, and it was about what was happening fifty years ago, and yet it seemed as timely as today.

It has led me down a rabbit hole this morning, because I heard a little clip of this song last night and I wanted to hear the whole thing. It's amazing. Now I'll be watching Gil Scott Heron videos all day. The man could write lyrics. Amazing.

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Dag Juhlin

This week's Minutia Men Celebrity Interview is with Poi Dog Pondering guitarist and Steve Dahl Show co-host Dag Juhlin. Always wanted to chat with him about his music, and finally got a chance. Of course we also talked about our mutual connection to Steve Dahl.

Listen to it here.
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Cubs Top Draft Pick



The last time they took a home-town kid with their first pick was Grant Johnson in 2004. He was a pitcher from Lyons Township High School in Lagrange and the University of Notre Dame. He went 14-22 in four minor league seasons and never made it past Double A. Career minor league ERA was 4.53.
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Wednesday, June 10, 2020

5 Drivers

I may need to get a second job to pay for the insurance. We now have five licensed drivers in the Kaempfer family. Congrats Sean!

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RIP Claudell

RIP Claudell Washington. Passed away at the age of 65.

Here's a bit of trivia about Claudell. He is featured in the Cubs game (as a member of the Braves) in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Check it out next time you watch.
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Tuesday, June 09, 2020

Big Day in Chicago History

On this day in 1908, Chicago’s Board of Aldermen announce that the addresses in Chicago will all be changed beginning September 1st, 1909. Madison and State streets are declared the center of the grid system, and all addresses will be based on their proximity to those streets. (Photo: Madison & State Street in 1908) The city is divided into one-mile sections which contain 8 blocks to the mile. Every average block is assigned a new series of 100 numbers. Therefore, each 800 in numbers is one mile.

The streets are numbered going south, and named going north, and an alphabetical system is used. That’s why all of the streets with the same letters are lumped together. Every four blocks (or half mile) is a major secondary street (like Addison is 3600, Irving Park Rd. is 4000, etc.) Thanks to this system, Chicago is still one of the most easily navigable major cities in the world.
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The Coward & The Commander

These Lincoln Project people are not holding back their punches. These spots are devastating...



Here's another one...

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Chicago Radio Ratings

From this morning's Robert Feder column. Click here to see the daypart breakdown...

1. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM all news, 7.0 (8.4)
2. WDRV 97.1-FM classic rock, 6.4 (6.4)
3. (tie) WGN 720-AM news talk, 5.2 (5.6); WLIT 93.9-FM adult contemporary, 5.2 (3.7); WVAZ 102.7-FM urban adult contemporary, 5.2 (5.0)
6. WTMX 101.9-FM hot adult contemporary, 4.9 (4.4)
7. WBEZ 91.5-FM public radio news talk, 4,7 (5.4)
8. WLS 94.7-FM classic hits, 4.6 (4.0)
9. WXRT 93.1-FM adult album alternative, 3.9 (3.9)
10. WOJO 105.1-FM Mexican regional, 3.2 (2.8)
11. WLEY 107.9-FM Mexican regional, 2.8 (3.1)
12. WKSC 103.5-FM Top 40, 2.7 (3.0)
13. WGCI 107.5-FM urban contemporary, 2.6 (2.8)
14. (tie) WKQX 101.1-FM alternative rock, 2.5 (2.0); WRME 87.7-FM soft rock oldies, 2.5 (2.4)
16. WUSN 99.5-FM country, 2.4 (2.1)
17. WSHE 100.3-FM adult contemporary, 2.3 (2.6)
18. WBMX 104.3-FM classic hip hop, 2.2 (2.0)
19. (tie) WBBM 96.3-FM Top 40, 2.1 (2.1); WSCR 670-AM sports talk, 2.1 (2.2); WLS 890-AM news talk, 2.1 (2.4)
22. WPPN 106.7-FM Spanish adult contemporary, 1.8 (1.8)
23. WPWX 92.3-FM urban contemporary, 1.6 (1.5)
24. WEBG 95.5-FM country, 1.5 (1.2)
26. (tie) WFMT 98.7-FM classical 1.2 (1.5); WMVP 1000-AM sports talk, 1.2 (1.2)
28. WVIV 93.5-FM Spanish contemporary, 1.0 (1.5)
29. WSRB 106.3-FM urban adult contemporary, 0.6 (0.5)
30. WDCB 90.9-FM jazz, blues 0.5 (0.5)
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Monday, June 08, 2020

RIP Bonnie Pointer



This song will continue to be played at every wedding in America...(Over 12 million views on YouTube)

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Bill Russell

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Roger Badesch

Eckhartz Press author Roger Badesch was on WGN Radio last night talking about his new book "The Unplanned Life"...

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Ken Korber

Our very own Eckhartz Press author Ken Korber appeared on Chicaago's very own WGN-TV over the weekend.

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5 years ago

This was one of my favorite days as a publisher/author, moderating a discussion with broadcasting legends (and Eckhartz Press authors) Joel Daly and John Records Landecker at the Printers Row Litfest.

Posted by Rick Kaempfer on Sunday, June 7, 2020
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