Saturday, August 04, 2018

Minutia Men, Episode 103

EP103: Rick and Dave discuss impatient monks, firing bridesmaids, donkeys painted like zebras, Cubs on historic dates, Rick’s brush with Lilly Tomlin, and former ABC News Anchor Joel Daly stops by for the Celebrity Minutia Minute.

Listen to it here.

Chicago Writers Association book


The Chicago Writers Association is proud to present our first print journal, The Write City Review, featuring contributions from authors such as Mary Lamphere-Author and artists such as Hannah Jennings.

Check out an excerpt from Mary Lamphere’s “First Date” on our website at www.chicagowrites.org/write_city_review where you can buy a copy of the journal for $15 or 2 for $20!

This is really a beautiful book. Highly recommended.

Thursday, August 02, 2018

The Fox News Movie

This is quickly turning into a star-studded cast. Nicole Kidman will play Gretchen Carlsen. Charlize Theron will play Megyn Kelly. The writer of the movie is the same guy who wrote "The Big Short".

Can't wait.

30 Year Anniversary

Remember a time, 30 years ago, when people who were Democrats and Republicans could eat together, and have a drink together, and live side by side without getting into heated political arguments?

Those were the days. When we had one shared set of facts, and civility reigned.

What happened to change that? The first step happened 30 years ago, when the Fairness Doctrine was revoked by President Reagan. The first one to take advantage of that was Rush...

Premiere Networks has announced that August 1 marks the 30th anniversary of "The Rush Limbaugh Show" in national syndication. In addition to discussing the latest news and events of the day, Limbaugh spent time during his three-hour show reflecting on the milestone. The five-time Marconi Award winner featured calls from listeners and fans, as well as highlights from throughout his radio career, including audio of his first radio job as a disc jockey at WIXZ in Pittsburgh, PA, in 1971. Limbaugh was also surprised with a call from President Donald Trump.

After Rush, came a whole slew of Rush-wanna-be's (Levin, Savage, Hannity, etc), and an army of angry followers emerged. After that, came Fox News, which directly targeted that same audience, and gave them a "news" product that looked completely real.

Slowly but surely there were two different sets of facts, which ensured that no discussion could ever be resolved.

A smart candidate realized that he no longer had to say true things, only things that were true to that one audience, and completely unbound by facts, he became the president.

That's where we are today.

New Book at Eckhartz Press

Eckhartz Press is excited to announce our latest book, available beginning today (August 2), "Protecting Children: Bettering the World One Child at a Time".

Judge Michael Ian Bender has devoted his life to protecting children so that they can grow into functional, independent, healthy adults. The trauma that children suffer due to disputes between their parents has long-lasting negative effects. This trauma is heightened at times of divorce and separation.

Judge Bender has documented his experience in minimizing trauma to children who are subject to families that are breaking up, so that parents, lawyers, and judges can better understand how to remove the trauma from the child’s life.

This book “Protecting Children,” provides unique insight into aiding children of divorce, custody, and parentage disputes so that they grow into healthy adults. These children will, in turn, have the ability to have healthy relationships with their spouses and children.

Get your copy today! Order it right here at Eckhartz Press.

Wednesday, August 01, 2018

Byrd



The August issue of Illinois Entertainer is out and features my interview with WDRV disc jockey Byrd.

You can read it here.

4229

That's the number of lies Donald Trump has told since he took office, according to the Washington Post's fact checker, who has been keeping track of it.

He's been in office for 558 days. That's about 7 1/2 lies a day.

And he hasn't held a press conference in over a year. So much easier to lie when you don't have to answer for those lies.

Saved By a Bucket

A Cubs fan was hit in the head under the Wrigley Field scoreboard the other night, when a big metal pin fell off the scoreboard.

Luckily for him, he was wearing a bucket on his head at the time. For real.

Kyle McAleer was struck by a piece of debris from the scoreboard at about 8:50 p.m. on July 26, as the Cubs played the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was taken to Illinois Masonic Hospital with a cut to his head that required several staples.

Kyle, who is from Iowa, said he eats, sleeps and drinks Chicago sports. So when former Cubs player Starlin Castro wore a bucket on his head after the team won a game a few years ago, he was inspired to do the same. He got rally buckets for himself, his uncle and his father.

"We are generally the only people at the ball game with the buckets," said Scott McAleer, Kyle's father, with a laugh.

Remind me not to sit under the scoreboard. I'm clean out of buckets.

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Russian Bots

538 has analyzed over 3 million Russian troll tweets. If you're serious about figuring out what to believe, and what not to believe, this is a good primer. The most important news, however, is that this is an ongoing issue, and nobody seems to be doing anything about it...

“There were more tweets in the year after the election than there were in the year before the election,” Warren said. “I want to shout this from the rooftops. This is not just an election thing. It’s a continuing intervention in the political conversation in America.”

“They are trying to divide our country,” Linvill added.

Cole Hammels



I just found another reason to root for new Cub Cole Hammels.

He was a Cubs fan growing up.

Monday, July 30, 2018

Facebook Birthday Wishes

My phone was buzzing all day on Saturday with birthday wishes from my facebook friends. My son was keeping tabs on it for me. In all, according to his count, 347 people wished me happy birthday--which is very nice.

But of course, he had a slightly different take on it.

"You know what that means dad, right? That means that over 2000 of your facebook friends couldn't even bother to take five seconds out of their day."

That boy is a chip off the old block.

Another Creep Revealed--Female Edition

Kimberly Guilfoyle was a co-host on Fox News who recently left the network to work for Donald Trump's campaign. (She is dating Don Jr.)

Well, according to TVNewser, she did not leave that job voluntarily. She was asked to leave for among other things, showing dick pics to her fellow employees and identifying the dicks (including presumably--Don Jr--although I would argue that every pic of Don Jr. is by definition a dick pic).

Just goes to show you, you don't have to be a guy to be a creep.

More Creeps Revealed

If you hear that Ronan Farrow is doing an article about you, run for the hills. His latest piece in the New Yorker exposes a whole new bunch of (alleged) sexual harassing creeps, including the CEO of CBS--Les Moonves.

You can read about it here.

Cohen Punks Roy Moore

Another week, another victim. Again, he is picking victims that deserve it, but it's still hard for me to watch.

Firing the Bridesmaid

You have to read this to believe it.

A bride got a little irritated that her bridesmaid was having difficulty getting flights to her wedding, so she sent her an e-mail asking her to step down--and return the bridesmaid romper. She tried her best not to sound like a B in the e-mail, but the fact that she sent it at all removes all doubt.

You can read it here.

MInutia Men, Episode 102

EP102: Rick and Dave discuss topiary lovin, people that Rick has now outlived, sleeping on the job for four years, Cub birthdays, Rick’s brush with Marilu Henner, and the boys speak with Radio Hall of Famer John Records Landecker.

Listen to it here.