Great Graffiti

Thanks to "LK" for this one...Happy Hanukkah

Hello Ben, Goodbye Starlin

I just like this headline: "This Time, Cubs Beat Mets by Signing Zobrist". And it's in the New York Times. World Series champ and super utility man Ben Zobrist was signed to be our starting second baseman.

You can read all about it here.

On the other hand, Starlin Castro was traded to the Yankees. Castro is a 3-time all-star and is only 25 years old, so it's a risky move. In return, the Cubs got a pitcher named Adam Warren and a player to be named later (reportedly infielder Brendan Ryan). It seems to me they could have gotten more for him, but I'm choosing to trust these guys running the Cubs. (That felt weird even writing that)

From CSN Chicago: “He really grew up in this organization,” Theo Epstein said. “He went through a lot here, made tremendous positive contributions to help get us to where we are. So it’s certainly a bittersweet feeling with some sadness that we see him go. I wish him nothing but the best for him and his family in New York and wearing the pinstripes, where I believe he’ll thrive.

You can read the whole article here.

Pat Colander

Great article about Pat Colander's Eckhartz Press book, "Hugh Hefner's First Funeral and other True Tales of Love and Death in Chicago" in ChicagoNow. The author of the piece clearly read and enjoyed the book.

You can read it here.

On this day, 35 years ago

This is how I found out the news...



And Ringo tells how he found out. You can hear the pain in his voice...

Green White Book

What does the greatest player in German soccer history (Franz Beckenbauer) have to do with Green White Soccer Club? Find out in the pages of the book "Gruen Weiss Vor! 60 Years of Green White", available this Sunday from 3-5pm at the Frisbie Center in Mt. Prospect, and, of course, online today at Eckhartz Press. I'll be there on Sunday with co-author Todd Schneider signing copies of the book.

Around the Publishing World (December 8)

We stay on top of happenings/trends in the publishing world to help out busy writers who are spending their time doing what they should be doing: writing.



1. Society of Midland Authors Literary Contest
The Society for Midland Authors is now holding its annual literary awards contest for books published in 2015. If you are interested in knowing more, check the website. Founded in 1915, the Society of Midland Authors is a professional and fraternal society of book authors, poets and playwrights residing in the twelve-state area of the midwest.

2. Writing tips from great authors
You may have seen these before because they've been around for a while, but it never hurts to read them again. These pearls of wisdom are all of the tough love variety. If you can't trust fellow authors to level with you, who can you trust? One of our favorites:

If you have any young friends who aspire to become writers, the second greatest favor you can do them is to present them with copies of The Elements of Style. The first greatest, of course, is to shoot them now, while they’re happy.
– Dorothy Parker

3.Brutally honest self-publishing tips
Therin Knight is a sci-fi and mystery author and despite being young, she has some pretty good insights about self publishing. Again, of the tough-love variety. Every writer needs to hear these things occasionally.


4. Literary Tweets
Both of these brilliant minds are comedians, but we present their tweets to you with all the literary love they intended to convey...

I once dated an apostrophe. Too possessive.

— Aparna Nancherla (@aparnapkin) November 12, 2015

The first rule of Hobbit Club is there's no tolkien about The Hobbit Club.

— GlennyRodge (@GlennyRodge) August 2, 2015

Truth

Thanks to "RW" for this one. This goes for every faith, by the way...

Fox News Commentators Suspended

Two Fox News commentators were suspended because they used profanity while angrily ripping the president on television. Lt. Col. Ralph Peters, a Fox News strategic analyst, and Stacey Dash, a Fox contributor, both were suspended for two weeks. Details are here.

Of course, they are being hailed on the right as heroes for their courage. Please. That's not courage. That's just unfiltered spouting without thinking. Their JOB is supposedly to offer analysis. "The president doesn't care about terrorism or his own country" is ojectively nonsense on it's face. Think about it for two seconds, because that's essentially what both of them were saying. These are supposedly professional analysts on a professional news network during a professional news program. That's not analysis, and if that's their actual analysis, they're incredibly bad at their jobs, regardless of whether or not they say bad words.

Scott Weiland's Ex-Wife Tells the Unvarnished Truth

This is a jaw-droppingly honest account of what Scott Weiland was really like--told by his ex-wife (and mother of his children) in Rolling Stone magazine. (You can read it here). It's a gut-wrenching read. Here's a small taste...

Even after Scott and I split up, I spent countless hours trying to calm his paranoid fits, pushing him into the shower and filling him with coffee, just so that I could drop him into the audience at Noah's talent show, or Lucy's musical. Those short encounters were my attempts at giving the kids a feeling of normalcy with their dad. But anything longer would often turn into something scary and uncomfortable for them. Spending so many years immersed in Scott's multiple illnesses led to my own depression; at one point, I was misdiagnosed as bipolar. I feared the same would happen to the children. There were times that Child Protective Services did not allow him to to be alone with them.

Have we seen and heard the last of Rush?

I'm afraid so.

This article sure sounds like Neil Peart is retiring from the music biz.

Without Neil Peart, there is no Rush.

Pearl Harbor Day

I admit I don't think about it until I see the date written. December 7th. Pearl Harbor Day...

Lackey!

Nice job on this parody...

Wisdom

This is truly profound. Words to live by. I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I found it on Landon Donovan's (the soccer player) facebook page...

Gruen Weiss Vor!

What does the greatest player in soccer history have to do with Green White Soccer Club? Find out in the pages of the book "Gruen Weiss Vor! 60 Years of Green White", available this Sunday from 3-5pm at the Frisbie Center in Mt. Prospect (corner of NW Highway & Mt. Prospect Road) and online today at Eckhartz Press. I'll be there on Sunday along with co-writer Todd "Fritz" Schneider, signing copies of the book.

And also with you

Thanks for this one, "KC"...

New York Times Front Page Editorial

This weekend the New York Times did something it very rarely does. It put an editorial on the front page. The subject of the editorial: "America's Gun Epidemic". I thought it was well written and persuasive. You can read it here. I think this is the strongest paragraph...

Opponents of gun control are saying, as they do after every killing, that no law can unfailingly forestall a specific criminal. That is true. They are talking, many with sincerity, about the constitutional challenges to effective gun regulation. Those challenges exist. They point out that determined killers obtained weapons illegally in places like France, England and Norway that have strict gun laws. Yes, they did. But at least those countries are trying. The United States is not. Worse, politicians abet would-be killers by creating gun markets for them, and voters allow those politicians to keep their jobs.

Grammy Nominees

They were announced just minutes ago. The complete list of nominees in all 83 Grammy categories is now posted at Grammy.com/nominees. Here are the big four categories...




Best New Artist -- Courtney Barnett, James Bay, Sam Hunt, Tori Kelly and Mehgan Trainor

Record Of The Year -- "Really Love," D'Angelo And The Vanguard (RCA Records); "Uptown Funk," Mark Ronson Featuring Bruno Mars (RCA Records); "Thinking Out Loud," Ed Sheeran (Atlantic Records); "Blank Space," Taylor Swift (Big Machine Records); "Can't Feel My Face," The Weeknd (Republic).

Song Of The Year -- "Alright," Kendrick Lamar (Kendrick Duckworth, Mark Anthony Spears & Pharrell Williams, songwriters); "Blank Space," Taylor Swift (Max Martin, Shellback & Taylor Swift, songwriters); "Girl Crush," Little Big Town (Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna & Liz Rose, songwriters); "See You Again," Wiz Khalifa Featuring Charlie Puth (Andrew Cedar, Justin Franks, Charles Puth & Cameron Thomaz, songwriters); "Thinking Out Loud," Ed Sheeran (Ed Sheeran & Amy Wadge, songwriters)

Album Of The Year: Sound & Color, Alabama Shakes (ATO Records); To Pimp A Butterfly, Kendrick Lamar (TDE/Aftermath/Interscope); Traveller, Chris Stapleton (Mercury Nashville); 1989, Taylor Swift (Big Machine Records); Beauty Behind The Madness, The Weeknd (Republic).

Now as an E-book too!

Pat Colander's great book "Hugh Hefner's First Funeral & Other True Tales of Love & Death in Chicago" has been flying off the shelves here at Eckhartz Press.

It's now also available as an e-book!

Get it for your Kindle at amazon today.

A Facebook Post by George Takei

If you ever read the comments section after any article, you know how true this is...

The Last Nude Playboy

The final cover girl in the final nude issue of Playboy will be Pamela Anderson...one more time at age 48. I'm really curious to see what happens to the readership numbers when everyone who says "I read it for the articles" gets a chance to prove they are serious.

#LastOne pic.twitter.com/teTeQsmL48

— Playboy (@Playboy) December 3, 2015

Mike and Mad Dog Reunite

This is a big deal in New York. When these two guys broke up, it was a huge story because they had been a sports radio team for twenty years. It's only a one-night reunion, but here's the scoop courtesy of Radio Ink...

The New York Daily News has the details about a one-night reunion at Madison Square Garden on March 30 to benefit the Garden's charity Garden of Dreams Foundation. Both WFAN and SiriusXM agreed to let the longtime partners reunite for this one night and will simulcast the show at the start of the 3 p.m. hour. They were together on WFAN for nearly two decades. The show will be two to two-and-a-half hours and include guests that have been on their show over the years as well as musical guests.

I wonder if Steve and Garry would agree to do something like that. One time. One night. To benefit a charity of some kind.

RIP Scott Weiland

Sadly, this isn't terribly surprising news. Weiland famously struggled with addiction. He was only 48 years old.

A message posted on Weiland's Facebook page reads, "Scott Weiland, best known as the lead singer for Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver, passed away in his sleep while on a tour stop in Bloomington, Minnesota, with his band The Wildabouts. At this time we ask that the privacy of Scott's family be respected."

Coldplay at the Super Bowl

From this morning's RAMP newsletter...

The NFL last night confirmed what multiple sources had earlier reported -- Coldplay (along with special guests TBA) will headline the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show at Super Bowl 50 on Sunday, Feb. 7, 2016 at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. The official announcement was made during last night's Packers/Lions game, and Chris Martin's announcement video is posted on YouTube. A message posted on Coldplay's website reads (in the Queen's English), "Chris is designing a show that will echo elements of the NFL's On the Fifty campaign -- honouring the past, recognising the present and looking ahead to the next 50 years." The boys will be following in some rather large footprints -- last year's halftime show, starring Katy Perry with special guests Missy Elliott and Lenny Kravitz was the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show ever, drawing 118.5 million viewers. The timing of this news couldn't have come at a more promotionally opportune time -- Coldplay's long awaited Atlantic album, A Head Full of Dreams comes out today.

RIP Linda Moore

I attended Heidelberg High School in Germany for three of my four years of high school, and there were two teachers there that really had an impact on my life. Wanda McCollar and Linda Moore both really encouraged my creativity and writing, and gave me the confidence I needed to share my talent. I'm not sure they remember me (it was 35 years ago and they must have taught thousands of students), but I sure remember them. I'm thinking of them today because I just found out that Mrs. Moore died last week. I never got to thank her for all she did for me. I honestly don't think I would have become a professional writer without her contributions. RIP Mrs. Moore. You touched more lives than you ever knew.

IE Column

My December media column in the Illinois Entertainer is about four of the broadcasting greats we lost this year, Harry Volkman, Doug Buffone, Ty Wansley, and Steve Nelson. Thanks so much to Eddie Volkman, Chester W Coppock, Mitch Rosen, Jack Miller, Chris Base, Pete McMurray, and John Landecker for helping put the contributions of those four men into perspective.

You can read the article here.

As the Sumner Turns

The shareholders of Viacom and CBS may not actually care about Sumner Redstone personally (they don't), but they do care if his health affects their money. Yesterday Viacom's second biggest shareholder called for more disclosure about Redstone's health. The Hollywood Reporter has the story. The article also goes a little deeper into the claims Sumner's former "romantic interest" made in court last week. I'll warn you before you read the blurb below...you can't unread this.

Among Herzer's claims is that Redstone is "fixated on sex" and "obsessed with eating steak." Also, he is so feeble that he "must be carried around the house, to and from the bathroom, and in and out of bed."

The alleged sex-starved steak-craving invalid mentioned above is in his 90s.

If you've ever wondered what people who spent their entire lives thinking only about three things (money, money, money) think about when their brains begin to go (allegedly) and they find themselves surrounded by employees because nobody loves them, now you know: "Get me a woman, a steak, and a diaper--pronto!"

Again, if you think I'm being too harsh, I encourage you to read Sumner's autobiography. You'll never encounter a more unlikable creature...and that's his sanitized version of himself...published by his own publishing company (Simon & Schuster). Imagine what the real guy is/was like.

Shooting Coverage

I watched several hours of the shooting coverage while it was unfolding yesterday, and I kept flipping back and forth among the all-news stations to get information. I'm always quick to criticize Fox News for obvious reasons, but I must say that yesterday Shep Smith did a very good job covering a difficult story with very little information. He didn't jump to conclusions, he made great observations, and even when President Obama spoke out against gun violence by saying "this doesn't happen on a regular basis anywhere else in the civilized world", Shep said, "that's a fact".

By the time Hannity came on, unfortunately, Fox was back to it's usual tricks, but for a few brief hours it was a legitimate news organization.

How Big is Adele?

This big.

Trump Threatens Debate Boycott

Of course his ego won't allow this, but Donald Trump is vowing to boycott the next debate unless CNN pays him five million dollars...which he will donate to the Wounded Warriors fund. Details are here.

Almost sounds noble, doesn't it?

I wish someone would point out to "very very successful, super super rich" Donald that he could just donate that money himself without the needless grandstanding. He once said that he made his fortune from nothing--merely a "very small" million dollar loan from his dad. If you can't give five million, Donald. How about a "very small" million dollar donation?

Now What, Arianna?

The writers of the Huffington Post have unionized.

This is going to be a huge deal in the world of internet writing.

The Huffington Post is famous for not paying writers. Only a few of them are actually on the payroll. Most write only for the exposure. I know this because I was once asked to write for them. For free, of course.

I told them that if people want to read my free stuff, they can come to my blog.

German Holiday Commercial

Something very German about this ad, and it's not just the language...

Facebook's Zuckerberg to Give 99% of Stock Shares to Charity

This really is a nice story. There are billionaires who use their money to lobby congress so they can make billions more. There are billionaires who run for president because being a billionaire still isn't enough glory. There are billionaires who keep it all, or donate only to have something named after them, so that their names will live on forever.

And then, there are guys like Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffet who really truly want their overwhelming wealth to be used for society's betterment.

Not all billionaires are made alike.

Card Tricks with Willie

I've always been a sucker for a good card trick, and this one qualifies. Who knew that Willie Nelson had this hidden talent...

Super Caleb Update

My 2-year-old nephew is going through cancer treatments, and yesterday was a big day in his recovery. It was the actual surgery to remove the tumors. His mother Stacy posted this update on Facebook last night...

So surgery went well they got the little bit that was there and said the rest would turn into regular nerves (it's conufusing I know) anyway I asked the doctor if she was proud of herself and she said she was proud of him and how well everything went anyway, he's in the picu which is icu for a few days just to watch however the doctors said it went perfect so yay for no more tumors! 1 more round of chemo than the big migb scan to see if the cancer is anywhere else and still in his bones before stem cell.. This boy is amazing and I am so so so so so grateful! Xoxo to all of team Caleb and thanks for keeping me on,my feet today!

It was Stacy's birthday...not the best way to spend a birthday, but the news of the successful (7-hour!) surgery must have felt like a birthday present. Way to go, Super Caleb...

(A reprise of my Super Caleb poem is below...)

SUPER CALEB

Our hero Super Caleb, awakens in a haze,
Trapped on planet Mayo-naise,
Where the bad Sea monster stays,
And makes people sad all day

Super Caleb knows that he just has to get away,
Remove the tubes and tape,
So he can reach his super cape,
And make his brave escape

He is Super Caleb,
You should see our hero fly,
He turns the Mayo people’s, sad faces into smiles,
He is Super Caleb,
And he’ll show you in a while.

The bad sea monster doesn’t know, that Caleb has some friends,
Who can give him strength again,
And he better look out when,
Super Caleb flies again.

As Super Caleb sleeps, his friend in the white coat,
Sails through the sea monster’s moat,
In a very quiet boat,
And he’s bringing Caleb hope.

He is Super Caleb!
And he makes sad people smile,
The sea monster can’t keep the people sad when Caleb flies,
He is Super Caleb!
And he’ll be here in a while.

Super Caleb opens up his eyes after a rest,
Looks down upon his chest,
Tubes are gone and he is dressed,
He knows how to do the rest.

He is Super Caleb!
And it’s time to watch him fly,
When they see him all sad people, cannot help but smile,
He is Super Caleb!
And he’s gonna win this time.

Advice I Give My Kids

They don't listen, but I tell them these things every single day. Thanks to "DB" for this....

Best Seat in the House

Another great Xmas idea from Eckhartz Press. Perfect for the Cubs fan in your family...

As the Sumner Turns

There was a ruling yesterday in the case of Sumner Redstone's mental capacity. The judge is Clifford L. Klein. The woman suing to reclaim end of life decisions, is his former "romantic interest" Manuela Herzer. From Variety...

Declining to dismiss the case immediately, Klein instead set a Jan. 27 hearing for additional arguments on whether Herzer should be allowed to continue with her attempt to re-establish herself as Redstone’s primary health care agent in the event that he is deemed incapacitated. Klein said there was no evidence of an urgent need for intervention for four reasons: Redstone is seen by his personal physician twice a week; he does not appear to face any immediate critical health-care needs; he has around-the-clock in-home care and he designated a new emergency health care agent as of mid-October — Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman.

That's for real, by the way. Not a single member of his family is willing (or allowed to) make medical decisions, and his "romantic interest" was banished, which leaves only the CEO of his company...to make end-of-life medical decisions. How sad is that? A lifetime of business success, yet Sumner is spending his dying days completely alone. I have a truckload of empathy for just about everybody in the world (it's probably one of my shortcomings--I'm a sucker), but after I read his autobiography, I predicted this is how he would end up. I can't find it in me to feel sorry for him. It would be like feeling sorry for Mr. Potter.

Amy Landecker

Amy Landecker was on the Late Late show with James Corden last night. I just happened to catch it, and found out that she and her dad were given a tour of the White House recently by Amy's boyfriend, Bradley Whitford of West Wing. I need to check in with the elder Landecker today and get the scoop behind that one.

Watch the episode here, if you're interested.

The Twelve Days of Teen Christmas

Three teenagers in the house this Christmas season...

Adele

Adele is the biggest pop star in the world right now, and the numbers back that up. From today's RAMP Newsletter...

Adele's new album, 25 (XL/Columbia) cracked the three-million sales barrier, and, according to our friends at Billboard and Nielsen Music, went on to sell an astounding 3.38 million copies, the largest single sales week for an album since Nielsen began tracking point-of-sale music purchases back in 1991. Here are a few more fun facts about 25: 1) That figure of 3.38 million units sold handily eclipses the previous first-week mark of 2.42 million albums, a record set 15 years ago by *NSYNC's No Strings Attached; 2) 25 is the first album to sell more than three million copies in a week in Nielsen history; and 3) Billboard reports 25 is already the biggest selling album of 2015.

Da Bears

How many people watched the Bears (finally) beat the Packers on Thanksgiving night?

An all-time Thanksgiving record.

As the Sumner Turns

When you spend your life ruthlessly trying to squeeze every dollar out of the world (even at the expense of your happiness and those around you), you're bound to find yourself in a situation like this at the end of your life. From this morning's New York Times...

A former companion of the ailing media mogul Sumner M. Redstone, executive chairman of Viacom and CBS, challenged his mental competence on Wednesday in a detailed filing with the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Manuela Herzer said Mr. Redstone, who is 92, for weeks has been unable to “communicate reliably or competently manage his own health care” in a petition with the court’s probate division. The petition specifically asks the court to determine whether Ms. Herzer, who once had a romantic relationship with Mr. Redstone, was improperly removed on Oct. 16 from control of an advance health care directive that gave her authority over his health decisions.

Would it be unkind of me to suggest that quotation marks be used around the term "romantic relationship"?

The Future of Tribune Publishing

On Friday afternoon Rupert Murdoch tweeted that the sale of Tribune publishing was imminent, although he wasn't going to be involved in it. This article in Politico discusses what that would mean for the future of the Tribune. Chicago is not mentioned in the piece, but it does appear likely the Chicago Tribune will no longer be connected to the LA Times.

Darn kids

Thanks for this one, "DK"...

Beginning of the Christmas Season

What a good idea from Eckhartz Press for this cyber monday...

As God is My Witness, I Thought Turkeys Could Fly

Happy Thanksgiving!



I'll be back to the blog on Monday.

Happy Birthday Pete Best

The unluckiest man in the world, Pete Best, is celebrating his 74th birthday. Pete was the drummer of the Beatles...until just before they hit it big, when he was replaced by Ringo. There aren't too many recordings of the Beatles with Pete on the drums, but here's one...

Billy Goat Bartender Retiring

I go to the Billy Goat a half dozen times a year to meet with my friends in the media, and bartender Jeff Magill has been a constant presence. He has been there since 1981.

But that's about to change. Chicago Magazine has the story of Jeff's retirement.

Chicago Radio Ratings

The latest monthly numbers are out, and Tom Taylor's NOW column gives us the highlights...

Last month’s actual tie at the top turns into a virtual tie, with urban AC “V103” (iHeart’s WVAZ) leading by a tenth of a share (5.7-5.8-6.0). Next is CBS Radio’s all-news/Cubs baseball WBBM-AM (5.7-5.8-5.9) and then Hubbard’s hot AC “Mix” 5.4-5.3-5.4. There’s a quite a gap between Mix WTMX and the fourth place stations, but look at the growth of alternative WKQX. Merlin-owned/Cumulus-managed alternative WKQX is up to that tie for fourth place, 3.2-3.5-3.7. That’s its best PPM number ever. It’s tied with Univision’s regional Mexican WOJO (3.2-3.7-3.7). Tribune talker WGN is #6, 3.6-3.3-3.6. While we’re on talk-based formats, most of the time WBBM simulcasts with WCFS/105.9, but the FM carries on with the news while 780 breaks for play-by-play. Once the baseball season’s over they’ll be comboed again by Nielsen, but this month we can glimpse WCFS by itself (2.3-2.3-2.2). Cumulus talk WLS holds (1.2-1.9-1.8). A spike for Disney-owned/ESPN-run all-sports WMVP (1.6-2.1-2.5), putting it above CBS Radio’s all-sports “Score” WSCR with a third straight 2.2. The country war is between CBS-owned WUSN (a third straight 2.8 share) and iHeart’s new “Big” WEBG (2.4-2.0-2.0). In seventh place overall is iHeart CHR “Kiss” WKSC (4.0-3.6-3.5) – the Windy City’s leading cume station at just over 2.1 million.

NBC Fixes "Equal Time" Issue

When Donald Trump hosted SNL, it opened Pandora's Box for NBC. According to election laws, the network was technically required to provide equal time for all the candidates. A few of them filed formal complaints.

The New York Times has the story.

NBC has granted the campaigns of Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, Mike Huckabee, James Gilmore and Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina their specific equal-airtime requests.

This does not mean that a coming “S.N.L.” episode will be hosted by any of the candidates. Nor will there even be a cameo.

What it does entail will be the use of commercial and promotional airtime in prime time this weekend, including during “Saturday Night Live,” when a re-run will be broadcast.

Sounds reasonable.

Pat Colander Book Signing

Roger Ebert once called the Old Town Ale House "the best bar in the world that I know about". The Ale House is also the setting for one of the true tales in Pat Colander's Hugh Hefner's Last Funeral and Other True Tales of Love and Death in Chicago. In this classic bar some 30 years ago, a regular customer talked openly about a certain type of poison that would mysteriously turn up in Tylenol bottles shortly thereafter. Naturally, this was the perfect setting for Pat Colander to stage a book signing for the book that tells that tale, "Hugh Hefner's First Funeral and Other True Tales of Love & Death in Chicago". Heck, she was even featured in one of the paintings on the wall.

The owner of the bar was there, the incredibly witty Bruce Elliot. He should charge people to come listen to the regulars offering their commentary during Bears games...especially during losses. At one point, my 13-year-old son looked at me and said "Are they allowed to say that?" I believe they are, although I'm also pretty sure what they were suggesting Jay Cutler should do isn't technically physically possible.

The walls of the Old Town Ale House were filled with paintings (painted by Bruce) of celebrities and politicians, and the book signing drew a few literary illumanti as well, including the talented playwright John Lisbon Wood. Pat Colander was right at home in this setting, and she clearly reveled in the conversations with those who came out for the event. Thanks to everyone who came out for a great afternoon of conversation.

Harbaugh to Hell

We have a lot of Michigan State people in my family, and they are pretty vocal in their hatred of the University of Michigan. Their hate-affair with Jim Harbaugh goes all the way back to his playing days at Michigan.

But as much as MSU hates Michigan, people from Ohio State hate U of M even more. A group called the "Dead Schembechlers" has written this song. It's a parody of AC/DC's "Highway to Hell".

Some good hate for a happy Monday morning...

Bringing the Family Together for the Holidays

This is incredibly well done. I was impressed...

The Next GOP Debate

According to this piece in Deadline, the next GOP debate may not feature Rand Paul. He's on the bubble. Chris Christie is back up at the grown up table.

Without Paul, it should be a two-hour stampede for war.

RIP Bernie Allen

From Robert Feder's column. Sad news about one of big names in early rock radio...

Memorial services will be held December 6 for longtime Chicago radio personality Bernie Allen, who hosted middays during the golden era of Top 40 WLS AM 890 in the 1960s. He died November 16 of pulmonary fibrosis at 86. Allen, whose real name was Bernard Hallenberg, worked as a child actor in Hollywood on the “Our Gang” comedy series in the 1930s and in radio as a regular on “Screen Guild Theater” and the “Jack Armstrong” series. Back home in Chicago, he joined WBEZ FM 91.5 and later worked for WIND AM 560 and the former WJJD before joining WLS in 1963. With subsequent stops at the former WCLR, WLAK and WCFL, he retired from WJJD in 1990. “Golf and bowling are my sports,” Allen once said, “but record hops can be just as much fun.”

I tried to contact Bernie a few times over the past few years to do an interview, but alas, never made the connection.

Around the Publishing World (November 22)

We stay on top of happenings/trends in the publishing world to help out busy writers who are spending their time doing what they should be doing: writing.


1. Eight things I've learned from Judd Apatow
Don't scoff, fellow writers. There's some wisdom here. You will relate.

2. You can't pay your rent with the unique platform your website provides
This writer points out to the good people of Huffington Post and their ilk, that yes more people will read us when we post something on your site, but on the other hand, our landlord doesn't generally accept that as a rent payment.

3. Just another brick in the paywall
As losses mounts, newspapers are forced to seriously consider paywalls for their online content. This is sort of the flipside of the previous article. Writers are being asked to write for free, partially because readers are generally demanding they get their information for free.

4. Evidently Apple and Facebook aren’t perfect
Making money publishing the news not going well for the titans either.

5. The Five Basic Elements of an Author Website
There's some excellent advice for authors who are putting together a website to promote their work. If you aren't one of those authors, why aren't you? Every author needs one these days.

6. Audiobooks and self publishing
Keeping up with market trends, audiobooks.com debuts self publishing portal. For a great summary of their business model click on the link.