By Stephanie B Goldberg
1. Bonnie and Clyde, starring Hillary Duff. Why? I’m guessing that Patti Blagojevich was busy.
2. He plays guitar. He writes books. He covers war. And, yes girls, he’s single.
Posted on January 16, 2009
Meeting Up Now
By The Beachwood Meetup Affairs Desk
The newest Chicagloand meetups.
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Wives Who Hate Sports.com
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Chicago Success and Personal Development Meetup Group
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The Chicago Lost Viewing Meetup Group
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Chicago Jewish Experience Book Club
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The Carol Stream Gaming Group
Posted on January 14, 2009
Chicagoetry: My New Job
By J.J. Tindall
MY NEW JOB
My new job
is finding
my new job.
My new office
is straddling
my small crib.
Posted on January 12, 2009
The Five Dumbest Ideas of the Week
By Stephanie B Goldberg
1. It’s only a rumor but it’s a beaut: The New York Observer reports that the Obama transition team is considering Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour for a post as ambassador to England or France. Wintour was the inspiration for the Miranda Priestley character in The Devil Wears Prada and is reportedly on the chopping block at Vogue – leading us to think that it was Wintour who started the rumor.
2. We never tire of Sarah Palin or her improvident interviews in which she blames everyone else for her defeat. This week she told off Katie Couric, noting the CBS anchor “is not the center of everyone’s universe.” Gov. Palin, we’re dedicating this Wilco song to you.
Posted on January 9, 2009
Kids Today
By The Over 30 Crowd
To: THE SPOILED UNDER-30 CROWD!!!
If you are 30 or older you will think this is hilarious!!!!
When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious diatribes about how hard things were. When they were growing up; what with walking 35 miles to school every morning . . . uphill . . . barefoot . . . BOTH ways.
Yadda, yadda, yadda
And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way in hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap like that on kids about how hard I had it. And how easy they’ve got it!
But now that I’m over the ripe old age of 30, I can’t help but look around and notice the youth of today.
You’ve got it so easy! I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a damn Utopia!
And I hate to say it, but you kids today you don’t know how good you’ve got it!
I mean, when I was a kid we didn’t have the Internet. If we wanted to know something, we had to go to the damn library and look it up ourselves. In the card catalogue!!
Posted on January 8, 2009
Cab #6091
Date: January 1, 2009
From: Roscoe Village
To: Wrigleyville
The Cab: The new year begins with a throw-back cab from an era free from burglar shields, electric locks and middle seat belts. The front seats seem oddly flat and there’s an external spotlight on the driver’s side, almost as though this were a retired squad car picked up at a police auction. Is that even a possibility? Overall comfortable if plagued with a specific yet indescribable funkiness. Wet-socky, or perhaps old-basementy.
Posted on January 7, 2009
Cab #2858
Date: December 31, 2008
From: Lakeview
To: Roscoe Village
The Cab: In the waning hours of 2008, we are afforded a ride in the Cab of the Future. In addition to the standard digital fare meter, the dashboard also boasts a small LCD screen with live-action satellite navigation display. The radio seems less technologically advanced as we begin the ride with direct exposure to dangerous levels of broadcast-censored Guns ‘N’ Roses. A quick trip up the terrestrial dial sees us end the ride with direct exposure to dangerous levels of Rihanna. Is it too much to ask TCOTF for a little virtual jukebox action?
Posted on January 6, 2009
Cab #2529
Date: December 31, 2008
From: Roscoe Village
To: Lakeview
The Cab: Clean, uncluttered, ample legroom. Your standard well-maintained ride. Seatbelts were not easy to locate, which was probably due to the multiple layers of bulky winter clothing encasing the three back-seat occupants.
Posted on January 5, 2009
The Year Down Under: Australia In Review
By The Angry Aussie of Humboldt Park
The Year in Review in Australia as told by Andrew Kingsford’s ten favorite Sydney Morning Herald stories of 2008.
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Headline: “Aussies beware: the Kiwis are coming”
Date: July 2, 2008
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Headline: “Budgies: an endangered species”
Date: August 8, 2008
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Headline: “Tempers flare at Boobs on Bikes parade”
Date: August 20, 2008
Posted on December 31, 2008
The Year Tribune Company Became A Joke
By Steve Rhodes
The Sun-Times was already a joke on several levels, including its ownership, before 2008, but while the Tribune and Tribune Co. have always had their share of problems, they weren’t jokes worthy of pure ridicule until this year. Here are two press releases the new Tribune Company put out that neatly bookend, I think, how lame this venerable institution actually became.
( I almost picked another moment instead to illustrate the point – when Tribune reporters e-mailed me asking if I thought Sam Zell was for real because they were so excited to find a cardboard cutout or somesuch of Bob Dylan in Trib Tower with the lyric, “the times, they are a-changin’,” to which I could only try to suppress the urge to throw up on several levels, but no, I think these do nicely.)
Note to Tribune Company: The only thing worse than not being funny is trying to be funny and thinking you’ve succeeded when you haven’t even gotten close.
Secondary Note to Tribune Company: You can’t change organizational culture with slogans and press releases.
Addendum to Secondary Note to Tribune Company: While irreverence is welcome, facts are not to be trifled with by a news organization. Duh.
Here we go.
1. Tribune Company Press Release, April 7, 2008. This is real, folks.
Surely You Can’t Be Serious? Marc Chase – President Of Tribune Interactive!
Randy Michaels’ run of acquiring radio-management stars came to a screeching halt today with Chase’s appointment
CHICAGO, April 7, 2008 — Another freaking Clear Channel Communications executive on the payroll and this one’s been named President of Tribune Interactive.
Tribune Broadcasting’s Randy Michaels’ past finally caught up with him when Marc Chase obviously blackmailed his way into a position he is not remotely qualified to hold. Insiders are irate. Chase is a fraud. A source inside Tribune HR, who wished to remain anonymous, pointed out that Marc Chase’s resume (below) was obviously fabricated. First of all, his name isn’t even Marc Chase–it’s Mark Thompson. The whole thing is a sham.
Posted on December 30, 2008