Friday, December 14, 2018

Explaining the Sniffing


Eckhartz Press Holiday Party/Book Signing

I'm getting very excited about the Eckhartz Press Holiday party/ book signing on Saturday December 22 (3-5pm) at Pitchfork (https://pitchforkchicago.com/). We have 11 different authors showing up with books to sell & sign for last minute Christmas shoppers. Meet Chester W Coppock, Rich King, Becky Sarwate-Maxwell, Randy Richardson, Donald G. Evans, Richard Reeder, Beth Jacobellis, Bruce Bohrer, William Mansfield, David Stern, and me. Guaranteed that one of these books is perfect for somebody on your list...specifically that person you save for last minute shopping.

WGN News

That 7-10pm shift has new occupants once again...


Another Creep Revealed

This time it's Michael Weatherly from the TV series Bull. Although, and I know I'm going to get in trouble for this one, but what he said to the victim here (actress Eliza Dushku) doesn't sound that bad to me. The bad part, obviously, was firing her for complaining about it.

Details are here.

She was paid $9.5 million for it, by the way. That's the equivalent of being a regular on the show for four years.

President Petty

President Trump canceled the White House Christmas party for the press. It has been held every year for decades, but you know, enemy of the people and all. He's holding another party, just for those that do favorable reporting. (Suck-ups and liars)

By next year, he'll be in a room by himself, counting pennies. I'm predicting he'll be visited by three ghosts in the night.

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Talk about an eclectic HOF class

Right Behind You, Keith

I'm going to follow Keith's advice and quit drinking when I turn 75...


Frank Wright

From this morning's RAMP Newsletter...

The interplanetary search for a new Content Director for Alpha Media's suburban Chicago Hot AC WXLC/Waukegan, IL, has come full-circle and right back into the building, as the position has been awarded to midday personality Frank Wright. According to General Manager Karl Wertzler, "Frank has performed quite admirably on an interim programming basis over the last month and a half and he has definitely earned the position." For his part, Wright, a 15-year station vet, is looking forward to this "dream-come-true" opportunity.
Wright succeeds former longtime OM/PD Haynes Johns, who exited at the end of October after 13 years.

Michael Ferro

Robert Feder has this story in his column this morning, and it caught my attention...

As if it were possible to think any less of Michael Ferro, a bombshell report Wednesday claimed the former chairman of Tribune Publishing was heard making an anti-Semitic slur to a gathering of company executives. NPR reported that Ferro was caught on tape referring to California billionaire Eli Broad as part of a “Jewish cabal” that ran Los Angeles. NPR’s David Folkenflik reported that Tribune Publishing made secret payments of more than $2.5 million to keep a former publisher and editor of the Los Angeles Times from disclosing Ferro’s comments. Recent financial reports show Ferro’s infamous $15 million “consulting fee” on his way out was reduced by $2.5 million to $12.5 million in the second quarter this year, according to NPR. Ferro resigned as chairman in March, hours before sexual harassment accusations against him were published. But he remains the largest shareholder of the Chicago Tribune’s parent company (which he’d earlier stuck with the hideous name tronc). A spokesman for Ferro denied he made the slur. Tribune Publishing declined to comment.

Alleged anti-Semite, alleged sexual harasser, AND terrible company namer is the largest shareholder of the Tribune's parent company. I'm sure they are very proud.

Butt Boy?

I'm usually not on the side of the conservative fake outrage machine, but I have to agree with them about the comment Mika Brzezinki made yesterday on MSNBC. She called Mike Pompeo a "dictator-wannabe's butt boy".

Butt boy? What is this, 1978?

I thought we were going with "small hands afficianado".

White House Panic

What happens when the National Enquirer flips on you?

When they corroborate your felonious lawyer (just sentenced to 3 years in prison), and they admit they kept an entire safe full of damaging stories about you--going back 30 years, it's time to start panicking.

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

The Reynas

Warning! This story is absolutely heartbreaking.


Champions League


The drawing for matchups in the knockout phase is on Monday, but here are the teams...(among them 4 English teams, 3 German teams, 3 Spanish teams, 2 Italian teams, and one from France, Holland, and Portugal)





Group winners
Barcelona (ESP)
Borussia Dortmund (GER)
Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
Porto (POR)
Real Madrid (ESP, holders)

Group runners-up
Atlético Madrid (ESP)
Liverpool (ENG)
Roma (ITA)
Schalke (GER)
Tottenham Hotspur (ENG)

Through, position to be confirmed
Ajax (NED)
Bayern München (GER)
Juventus (ITA)
Manchester City (ENG)
Manchester United (ENG)

A Good Trend

First it was Tyler Perry. Then it was Kid Rock (yes, Kid Rock). And now...would you believe Glenn Beck? From Radio Online...

As reported by The Dallas News and other media outlets, Premiere Networks syndicated personality Glenn Beck played Santa Claus and paid off $27,000 worth of layaway items at a North Richland Hills Walmart in Texas. It all happened on Saturday, December 8, just two days before the final payments were due. Joining a growing trend of celebrities this season, Beck said he was inspired by actor and filmmaker Tyler Perry, who paid off all the layaway accounts at two Atlanta Walmart stores.

Beck and his family, who were on the way to a Christmas party, broadcast via Facebook live as they walked into Walmart and met with the layaway department to pay each account individually. In a video, Beck challenged other conservative media personalities, including Mark Levin, Steven Crowder and Bill O'Reilly, to do the same.

"You don't have to spend the money that Tyler Perry or I spent," Beck told his radio listeners on Monday. "You can just go in and just give $100, or $50, or $10. You are not going to believe what a difference it makes."

Another chance to meet Chet

Oh, you know, just a HOFer stoppin' by the ol' Twitter feed

I may be 55 years old, but I'm still a kid at heart. When I saw this on my Twitter page it made my day...

An Uncommon Writers Conference

If you're looking for a unique gift for the writer in your life, how about the gift of a writers conference? I will be there as a panelist and board member. There's a great roster of writers, teachers, and publishers. https://www.chicagowrites.org/conference

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Another Amazing Barry Butler Photo

These do not happen by accident. He times them. He sits there in the cold and dark and waits for that perfect moment...


Another Chance to See Chet Coppock

Chet will be back in Orland Park again on Thursday night.

The Patch has the details.

Tom Taylor Signs Off

This is a bummer. I read his column every day. This morning this was the lead story...

Final issue of this Tom Taylor NOW Newsletter will be Friday, December 21. Yes, it’s time for me to retire. In my head, I may still think I’m a kid, but my odometer is about to roll over to a large round number (70). And at this point in my life, my family needs more of me. Between my wife and I, one parent has a grave illness and another parent just passed away. (Also, my wife reminds me that with me working six days a week and taking little time off, we haven’t taken a real vacation since 1995.) I’ll miss this daily conversation with you, and I apologize for breaking the news to you this way.

He was the very best at what he did and will be missed on the radio-trade scene.

Ghost Marriage is Over

The crazy lady who married a ghost around Halloween has decided to call the marriage quits.

I had January 1st in the pool, so I'm pretty sure I win this one.

Good Year for Disney


In a year where movies are struggling, one company is not.

Disney just announced they have brought in $7.6 billion at the box office this year.

They have four of the top eight movies.

Monday, December 10, 2018

Santa Smackdown


Da. Bears.





Chet on the Radio

The creator of Chet Chit Chat and the inspiration for it will lock horns on Wednesday...


On a New Level

How much does Donald Trump lie? So often that the Washington Post Fact Checker had to create a whole new measure. The Pinoccio system isn't good enough any more...
Trump’s willingness to constantly repeat false claims has posed a unique challenge to fact-checkers. Most politicians quickly drop a Four-Pinocchio claim, either out of a duty to be accurate or concern that spreading false information could be politically damaging.

Not Trump. The president keeps going long after the facts are clear, in what appears to be a deliberate effort to replace the truth with his own, far more favorable, version of it. He is not merely making gaffes or misstating things, he is purposely injecting false information into the national conversation.

To accurately reflect this phenomenon, The Washington Post Fact Checker is introducing a new category — the Bottomless Pinocchio. That dubious distinction will be awarded to politicians who repeat a false claim so many times that they are, in effect, engaging in campaigns of disinformation.

Sunday, December 09, 2018

Big Lee Smith

Congratulations to Big Lee Smith for being selected for Baseball's Hall of Fame. Here he is with fellow Cubs HOFer Fergie Jenkins and a little guy who lives in my house (the onty non-HOFer in the photo.)



Oh, congrats to Harold Baines too. Great White Sox player.

Minutia Men, Episode 117

EP117: Rick and Dave discuss German driving, Les Moonves on call, plastic covered anti-plastic books, Rick’s brush with Donny Osmond, and they interview actor Robert Romanus, who played Mike Damone in Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

Listen to it here.