Chicago Tribune TV critic Maureen Dowd is leaving the Tribune.
She says it's because of a diminished interest on the part of management in what she does, ie: watches and comments on a lot of television programs. She doesn't think she'll be replaced.
((Note to Randy Michaels: I'd be happy to take half her salary and work from home...))
C'mon. Who cares what a local critic thinks about what's on TV? Or what's good/bad about the movies? For that matter, who gives a rat's butt about a local critic's review of local theatre or books by local authors or, for that matter again, new cars?
And seriously, why do we need to have all those sports commentators taking up space? I don't care about the nitwits in the front office of the Cubs and how they choose players. Or all the stupid trades the Bears or the Blackhawks make. What's that to me?
Frankly, I'm not really interested in the opinions of a bunch of people who used to cover the news and now sit back in their suspenders and drink coffee all day and write stupid editorials, either. What difference do they make, huh? It's not like politicians get elected, or not, or policies/laws get enacted, or not, based on what some silly newspaper has to say.
Frankly all that mostly biased political coverage could go, too. For example, how many people in Illinois really care that Blago tried to sell a Senate seat? Huh? And those stupid "sidebars" and "soft features?" Bah! Columnists? I never agree with them anyway.
I just read the paper for hard news. Oh wait. I don't read the actual "paper" any more at all. Just look online.
Then you have to consider those stupid advertisements, too. I don't read 'em. Don't use 'em. Don't buy crap based on them. Do you really need them?
So what the heck, Randy Michaels and Sam Zell, get rid of all the extras and save yourselves some money.
When you think about it, all those big rolls of paper have got to be mucho expensivo.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Blago and the Kids Killed In Drive-Bys
It doesn't surprise me that many people are ready to put the Blagojevich case behind them.
"IL is short on money and 12 year olds are getting shot in Chicago by gangs, but there is money to keep spending on a victimless crime like the Blago case," says one Facebookian. "Why are we wasting money on this? It's pointless. We give him too much press. If you want to hurt him, ignore him," says another. Yet a third says, "Let it go. He's been kicked out of office, and found guilty of a felony. Send him off to do his time and get on with other more important things."
It's no wonder we continue to have corruption in Illinois government. Folks like these don't see cause and effect.
Let me put it in terms they might be able to understand.
Say your parents leave all their money, every dollar, in cash hidden in their mattress. That's the money they use to feed and clothe you, to take you to Six Flags, to buy you Christmas presents.
On a regular basis, your big brother steals money from the mattress to buy games for his computer. Your dad goes into the mattress to pay for a few hookers. Your mom steals just because she knows the cash is there.
Pretty soon, your parents start telling you, you can't have new clothes for school this year. No more Cap'n Crunch for breakfast. No extra cash for the rides at Six Flags. And come Christmas, well, you get a nice orange in your stocking but not much else.
Let's make it even more personal. Your brother then takes your computer and sells it. He gives your bike to one of his friends.
Pretty soon, your parents tell you they have to move to a tiny apartment and you can't have your own room. In fact, you have to share a bed with your brother.
Think that's a silly comparison? You think Illinois politicians don't work like that?
Wait 'til after the fall elections when your "parents" show you their plan for taking back some of that money you earned working at the drugstore, L'il Tommy. Money they "need" because their mattress is getting empty.
"Why's the mattress empty, Mom and Dad?" Gosh, son, we don't know. But if you want to keep living here, you have to turn your paycheck over to us every month.
We'll keep taking care of you, son. Trust us.
Wake up, Illinois.
Governor Rod may try to cover himself with the bodies of dead kids so you don't notice, but he committed crimes that affect every single one of us. He tried to SELL a bleeping U.S. Senate seat for crying out loud.
Sure that kind of thing gets done under the table all the time. But THIS time, there's evidence. THIS time the Feds almost nailed him.
I say retry the mope until he's convicted and put him away until those thousand- dollar suits of his turn to rags.
"IL is short on money and 12 year olds are getting shot in Chicago by gangs, but there is money to keep spending on a victimless crime like the Blago case," says one Facebookian. "Why are we wasting money on this? It's pointless. We give him too much press. If you want to hurt him, ignore him," says another. Yet a third says, "Let it go. He's been kicked out of office, and found guilty of a felony. Send him off to do his time and get on with other more important things."
It's no wonder we continue to have corruption in Illinois government. Folks like these don't see cause and effect.
Let me put it in terms they might be able to understand.
Say your parents leave all their money, every dollar, in cash hidden in their mattress. That's the money they use to feed and clothe you, to take you to Six Flags, to buy you Christmas presents.
On a regular basis, your big brother steals money from the mattress to buy games for his computer. Your dad goes into the mattress to pay for a few hookers. Your mom steals just because she knows the cash is there.
Pretty soon, your parents start telling you, you can't have new clothes for school this year. No more Cap'n Crunch for breakfast. No extra cash for the rides at Six Flags. And come Christmas, well, you get a nice orange in your stocking but not much else.
Let's make it even more personal. Your brother then takes your computer and sells it. He gives your bike to one of his friends.
Pretty soon, your parents tell you they have to move to a tiny apartment and you can't have your own room. In fact, you have to share a bed with your brother.
Think that's a silly comparison? You think Illinois politicians don't work like that?
Wait 'til after the fall elections when your "parents" show you their plan for taking back some of that money you earned working at the drugstore, L'il Tommy. Money they "need" because their mattress is getting empty.
"Why's the mattress empty, Mom and Dad?" Gosh, son, we don't know. But if you want to keep living here, you have to turn your paycheck over to us every month.
We'll keep taking care of you, son. Trust us.
Wake up, Illinois.
Governor Rod may try to cover himself with the bodies of dead kids so you don't notice, but he committed crimes that affect every single one of us. He tried to SELL a bleeping U.S. Senate seat for crying out loud.
Sure that kind of thing gets done under the table all the time. But THIS time, there's evidence. THIS time the Feds almost nailed him.
I say retry the mope until he's convicted and put him away until those thousand- dollar suits of his turn to rags.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Inception an Interesting Conception
It wasn't the best movie I've ever seen, but it sure was one of the oddest. At three hours, it certainly was long.
I think folks are right. To understand the intricacies, one really needs to sit through all three hours at least twice. I got the basics after the first half hour. The next two and a half were mind-numbing. Not boring, just way too much. . .crap. If someone would just explain the subtle stuff I missed while I sit in a more comfortable chair that would be great.
I didn't really enjoy the film, more just endured it. Leonardo was terrific, however. Not that he got to the depth of emotion the sub-plot required but he was intense and believable. Seeing it in iMax was a treat. The size of the screen added another dimension to the special effects, which were Oscar worthy.
The imagination that went into Inception is worthy of another Oscar for Best Dreamed Up Plot.
Speaking of dreaming, the nightmare that is the coverage of Lindsay Lohan continues. I saw an article that she was released from jail after serving two weeks of her 90 day sentence for whatever it was that got her into trouble. Now she goes into rehab. She's scheduled next to appear in a biography of Linda Lovelace. How very, very appropriate.
I think folks are right. To understand the intricacies, one really needs to sit through all three hours at least twice. I got the basics after the first half hour. The next two and a half were mind-numbing. Not boring, just way too much. . .crap. If someone would just explain the subtle stuff I missed while I sit in a more comfortable chair that would be great.
I didn't really enjoy the film, more just endured it. Leonardo was terrific, however. Not that he got to the depth of emotion the sub-plot required but he was intense and believable. Seeing it in iMax was a treat. The size of the screen added another dimension to the special effects, which were Oscar worthy.
The imagination that went into Inception is worthy of another Oscar for Best Dreamed Up Plot.
Speaking of dreaming, the nightmare that is the coverage of Lindsay Lohan continues. I saw an article that she was released from jail after serving two weeks of her 90 day sentence for whatever it was that got her into trouble. Now she goes into rehab. She's scheduled next to appear in a biography of Linda Lovelace. How very, very appropriate.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Sunday Snippets
From the patio table in the sunshine, with Socks Monster the Feline Action Hero relaxing on the bricks nearby (yep, he's got the aluminum reflector set up along with his iced tea and current novel)...
Chelsea Clinton has her wedding dress. It was on Yahoo just now. How lovely she looks. How little I care. I hope she has a terrific wedding and a long and happy life with her beau.
----
Chicago's CBS-2 is bringing back two stalwarts who drove the ratings for the station back in the 70's and early 80's. Bill Kurtis, most recently seen "discovering the Internet" for AT&T and seeking justice on Justice Files on cable, and Walter Jacobsen, will be anchoring Channel 2's 6pm newscasts. It's a shame they agreed to the re-pairing for a number of reasons, primarily because it smacks of a last stand by CBS to stay in the news game at 6. Family Feud would have been better.
----
The Blago trial jury is deliberating our former governor's future. My best guess is he may do a year or two but will walk on the primary count of trying to sell Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat. Why? The Government stopped short of presenting its entire case. Interestingly enough, the Defense, after promising Blago would testify, backed down entirely and presented no case whatsoever. I find that . . . odd. It suggests to me a scenario where the Defense predicted Blago would testify in such a way that information derogatory to certain political, or perhaps business, interests would come out in open court. The Government decided that should not happen and agreed to ratchet back if the Defense agreed to keep Blago's mouth shut. I'd hate to think that U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, a guy regarded even among his peers as incorruptible, would allow such a thing to happen on his watch.
Then again, maybe that's not what happened at all.
Do we think we will ever get the real story? Nah.
Have a great Sunday everyone.
Chelsea Clinton has her wedding dress. It was on Yahoo just now. How lovely she looks. How little I care. I hope she has a terrific wedding and a long and happy life with her beau.
----
Chicago's CBS-2 is bringing back two stalwarts who drove the ratings for the station back in the 70's and early 80's. Bill Kurtis, most recently seen "discovering the Internet" for AT&T and seeking justice on Justice Files on cable, and Walter Jacobsen, will be anchoring Channel 2's 6pm newscasts. It's a shame they agreed to the re-pairing for a number of reasons, primarily because it smacks of a last stand by CBS to stay in the news game at 6. Family Feud would have been better.
----
The Blago trial jury is deliberating our former governor's future. My best guess is he may do a year or two but will walk on the primary count of trying to sell Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat. Why? The Government stopped short of presenting its entire case. Interestingly enough, the Defense, after promising Blago would testify, backed down entirely and presented no case whatsoever. I find that . . . odd. It suggests to me a scenario where the Defense predicted Blago would testify in such a way that information derogatory to certain political, or perhaps business, interests would come out in open court. The Government decided that should not happen and agreed to ratchet back if the Defense agreed to keep Blago's mouth shut. I'd hate to think that U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, a guy regarded even among his peers as incorruptible, would allow such a thing to happen on his watch.
Then again, maybe that's not what happened at all.
Do we think we will ever get the real story? Nah.
Have a great Sunday everyone.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Defense Games and the Blago Kids
The trial of Governor Blagojevich is about to go to the jury. What a relief.
As I've said before, I don't think the G made its case on the major counts. It just didn't come across that way in news reports, anyway. Maybe if I'd been a juror sitting there day in and day out...
I hope the prosecution nails him. I'd like to see the slimey, shifty, sneaky SOB go away for a few years somewhere there are no TV cameras and no soft shoulders of the media to cry upon. Because that's precisely what the media has allowed him to do. At every opportunity. It's been shameless, one-sided coverage with no real attempt to determine what damage he might have done had he succeeded in his schemes.
The media has allowed him to bob and weave and shake his finger and smile and sign autographs and act the boob right there on TV. It's let him get away with bringing his kids to court, without finding social workers or shrinks to tell us how really damaging that can be.
The media loves a show, and Blago's lawyers have certainly put one on.
They've argued (in the media...so far the judge won't let them say it in front of the jury) that the Government didn't call certain witnesses because their testimony might have been helpful to the defense. Oh please. The "missing witness" defense is as classic as "if everything goes against you, attack the lawyers."
If Sam Adam and Company felt so strongly that the uncalled witnesses could have helped them, why didn't they subpoena them for the defense? In fact, why did the defense roll over at the last minute and call NO witnesses in Blago's favor, even Hair himself?
Cross examination.
So, instead of sitting up there like a man and taking the prosecution's shots in an effort to make his own case, our former governor brings his kids to the courtroom as a distraction for the jury.
It's all a show, something that has defined Illinois politics for years.
Reality happens behind closed doors. And, thanks to the rollover Illinois media, it's allowed to stay there.
As I've said before, I don't think the G made its case on the major counts. It just didn't come across that way in news reports, anyway. Maybe if I'd been a juror sitting there day in and day out...
I hope the prosecution nails him. I'd like to see the slimey, shifty, sneaky SOB go away for a few years somewhere there are no TV cameras and no soft shoulders of the media to cry upon. Because that's precisely what the media has allowed him to do. At every opportunity. It's been shameless, one-sided coverage with no real attempt to determine what damage he might have done had he succeeded in his schemes.
The media has allowed him to bob and weave and shake his finger and smile and sign autographs and act the boob right there on TV. It's let him get away with bringing his kids to court, without finding social workers or shrinks to tell us how really damaging that can be.
The media loves a show, and Blago's lawyers have certainly put one on.
They've argued (in the media...so far the judge won't let them say it in front of the jury) that the Government didn't call certain witnesses because their testimony might have been helpful to the defense. Oh please. The "missing witness" defense is as classic as "if everything goes against you, attack the lawyers."
If Sam Adam and Company felt so strongly that the uncalled witnesses could have helped them, why didn't they subpoena them for the defense? In fact, why did the defense roll over at the last minute and call NO witnesses in Blago's favor, even Hair himself?
Cross examination.
So, instead of sitting up there like a man and taking the prosecution's shots in an effort to make his own case, our former governor brings his kids to the courtroom as a distraction for the jury.
It's all a show, something that has defined Illinois politics for years.
Reality happens behind closed doors. And, thanks to the rollover Illinois media, it's allowed to stay there.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Believe What You Will
My friend, Lindsey, gave me the news earlier this week.
Doctors found cancer in her brother Eric's pancreas last Friday. He is 25.
Lindsey's family was devastated.
I prayed for them.
I prayed as an older member of my church once suggested, by asking for a miracle. Hey, it sure doesn't hurt to ask.
I was going to write a note to the Uplift Team at church today, in fact, to get some help in prayer.
Just now, however, Lindsey texted me:
"You will never believe this. I still don't. They called this afternoon and said it was a fluke.
"There was nothing there.They did the test over twice and his pancreas is completely normal.But the test they did last Friday...the doc was sure it was cancer.It's unbelievable.They said it must've just been a shadow, but these docs are the best of the best...."
Nope, I said.They may be good, but they aren't The Best.
Choose to explain this any way you wish. My feeling is...for those who read this and who are not Believers...here's your invitation!
Praise God.
Doctors found cancer in her brother Eric's pancreas last Friday. He is 25.
Lindsey's family was devastated.
I prayed for them.
I prayed as an older member of my church once suggested, by asking for a miracle. Hey, it sure doesn't hurt to ask.
I was going to write a note to the Uplift Team at church today, in fact, to get some help in prayer.
Just now, however, Lindsey texted me:
"You will never believe this. I still don't. They called this afternoon and said it was a fluke.
"There was nothing there.They did the test over twice and his pancreas is completely normal.But the test they did last Friday...the doc was sure it was cancer.It's unbelievable.They said it must've just been a shadow, but these docs are the best of the best...."
Nope, I said.They may be good, but they aren't The Best.
Choose to explain this any way you wish. My feeling is...for those who read this and who are not Believers...here's your invitation!
Praise God.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Another Chicago Cop Murdered
I'm damned angry. If you live, and vote, in the city of Chicago, you should be, too.
Officer Michael Bailey was 62, just weeks away from mandatory retirement.
A Chicago police officer for twenty years, he was shot in his own driveway. He was still in uniform, having returned home after a shift spent guarding Mayor Daley's home.
Think about that. He was in uniform! What does that say about the people who attacked him? What does that say about the climate of violence in that one South Side neighborhood? In fact, he's the second off-duty cop still in uniform to be killed this month.
How ironic that he was part of Mayor Richard Daley's security team. Mayor Daley, the guy who says the city's wallet is empty and he can't afford to hire more cops. Mayor Daley, the guy who doesn't want law-abiding citizens to own handguns but allows violent criminals to feel so safe on the streets that they brazenly attack a uniformed police officer in his own driveway.
Will it make a difference that Daley personally knew this fine, brave copper? Of course not. He'll make a few meaningless media statements and perhaps attend Bailey's funeral. I certainly hope he is not allowed anywhere near a lectern on that sad day.
The City of Chicago needs to hire more cops. At least enough to replace those who are leaving in record numbers. Will that happen? No. As John Kass points out in the Tribune, "(The) mayor and his rubber-stamp council have spent all the money. Hundreds of millions of dollars worth of deals went to the cronies. And now there's no money left to hire cops."
I absolutely believe that to be true. He's cheated you and the city and now, not even his cops are safe.
Be angry. Be furiously angry.
Better yet, come November, be votingly angry.
Officer Michael Bailey was 62, just weeks away from mandatory retirement.
A Chicago police officer for twenty years, he was shot in his own driveway. He was still in uniform, having returned home after a shift spent guarding Mayor Daley's home.
Think about that. He was in uniform! What does that say about the people who attacked him? What does that say about the climate of violence in that one South Side neighborhood? In fact, he's the second off-duty cop still in uniform to be killed this month.
How ironic that he was part of Mayor Richard Daley's security team. Mayor Daley, the guy who says the city's wallet is empty and he can't afford to hire more cops. Mayor Daley, the guy who doesn't want law-abiding citizens to own handguns but allows violent criminals to feel so safe on the streets that they brazenly attack a uniformed police officer in his own driveway.
Will it make a difference that Daley personally knew this fine, brave copper? Of course not. He'll make a few meaningless media statements and perhaps attend Bailey's funeral. I certainly hope he is not allowed anywhere near a lectern on that sad day.
The City of Chicago needs to hire more cops. At least enough to replace those who are leaving in record numbers. Will that happen? No. As John Kass points out in the Tribune, "(The) mayor and his rubber-stamp council have spent all the money. Hundreds of millions of dollars worth of deals went to the cronies. And now there's no money left to hire cops."
I absolutely believe that to be true. He's cheated you and the city and now, not even his cops are safe.
Be angry. Be furiously angry.
Better yet, come November, be votingly angry.
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