Chicago - A message from the station manager

The Weekend Desk Report

By Steve Rhodes

“Jupiter and its enticing moon Europa shine in a new photo by the Hubble Space Telescope,” AP reports.
“Hubble snapped the picture last month when the planet was 406 million miles (653 million kilometers) away, and the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore released it Thursday. ”
How is that even possible?


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Lightfoot vs. FOP
“Amid ongoing contract talks with the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Friday again ripped union President John Catanzara while insisting that any deal must include enhanced police accountability measures,” the Tribune reports.

“I don’t have a lot of good things to say about him in particular,” Lightfoot said. “But I care deeply about the men and women of the Chicago Police Department.”

Here’s the problem: The men and women of the Chicago Police Department comfortably voted for Catanzara – an oft-suspended, unapologetically loud Trumpist – to be their representative. And the incumbent he beat was no picnic, either. There is simply no way to separate noxious police union leadership from the department’s rank-and-file, no matter how much Lightfoot would like to or the way the media constantly does. This is Exhibit A of the systemic nature of CPD’s problems.
For godsakes, this – the chief post-Laquan McDonald reform – is still a problem.
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“The FOP’s last contract expired at the end of June 2017. Lightfoot has offered the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police a 10% raise for thousands of rank-and-file cops over a 4-year period – along with changes to how the city handles disciplinary issues involving allegations of misconduct.
If the rank-and-file thought that was a good deal, Catanzara would be under tremendous pressure to accept it. He isn’t.
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“Lightfoot has had a rocky relationship with the FOP since becoming mayor in May 2019, particularly over police accountability measures. Before becoming mayor, Lightfoot was head of the Chicago Police Board, the panel that rules on police discipline, and chaired Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s police accountability task force, which suggested sweeping changes to Chicago’s policing practices.
“At the same time, she has been criticized by activists who say she has been too friendly with law enforcement.”
False equivalence alert. The activists’ criticism, most commonly messaged as “Lori is a cop,” is driven by ignorance and teachers union politics in their drive to install their own apparatchik in the mayor’s office.
Now, it’s true that Lightfoot “loves” law enforcement officers. She believes their job is righteous, and necessary. She will never be an abolitionist. But her record shows she’s personally offended by officers who don’t follow the rules. The real debate is about whether her relative incrementalism when it comes to reform is good enough to produce necessary change. To me, the union’s relationship with officers, as well as the COPA video example, says it all: Incrementalist reform isn’t good enough because it’s never enough to overcome culture.
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Programming Note
Census door-knocking in Chicago has been extended from its end date of . . . today. We’ve still got a pulse. That also means this space will be spotty until we get the job done.
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New on the Beachwood . . .
The Beachwood Radio Sports Hour #322: The Bears’ Bad Day
Karma chameleons. Plus: Colin Kaepernick Still Screwed; White Sox vs. Dodgers; Cubs Somehow Still In First Place; Assisting Courtney; Red Stars Return To The Geek; and Lionel Messi Not Signing With The Fire.
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Really, COPA? Vaunted Police Video Policy Not Working
Inspector general finds noncomplicance with chief post-Laquan McDonald reform.
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When Bigotry Masquerades As Choice
“Choice has always been a term a racist can love.”
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NU Discovers Site Of Male Sexual Desire In Mice
Actually in the big head, not the little one.
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The Tao Is To Chill
The most meaningful and impacting actions are often the ones we don’t take.
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Weekend ChicagoReddit

Da Midnight Jewel(s) from r/chicago


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Weekend ChicagoGram


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Weekend ChicagoTube
Playing In An Old School Chicago Bocce League.

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Weekend BeachBook
What Ails America.

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A History Of Anti-Fascist Punk Around The World In 9 Songs.

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Groundhog Day.

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Buying Myself Back.

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Shady Contracts, Raw Deals: Inside The Industry Of Managing Video Game Stars.

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The Accidental Invention Of Play-Doh.

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Weekend TweetWood
A sampling of the delight and disgust you can find @BeachwoodReport.


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The Weekend Desk Tip Line: Void where prohibited.

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Posted on September 19, 2020