WBEZ 91.5 Chicago

It's the article that will undoubtably fuel dinner party debates from the exurbs to the Loop: Chicago Magazine's ranking of the top 100 most powerful Chicagoans.

If you think the usual suspects will dominate the top spots on the list, think again. Not being mayor sends Daley all the way down to #59. And apparently Oprah no longer counts as a Chicagoan, but Vince Vaughn does (#91).

Across the board, from business and politics to culture and sports, there's been a seismic shift in who calls the shots around here. But one thing is for sure: In Chicago, clout still counts.

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A lot of people are speaking for Catholics these days.

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Here's what you can look forward to on Eight Forty-Eight with Tony Sarabia for Thursday, February 16:

Stream the show live at 9 a.m.

Nato/G8: The NATO and G-8 summits are coming to Chicago in just about three months. And the specter of protesters and riots has spooked many downtown workers and building owners. The public has been largely in the dark about what type of security measures they can expect during the world meetings. But WBEZ reporter Alex Keefe found out some new information at a meeting last night. He shares the details.

Contraception: At first, it looked like Catholic bishops might agree to President Barack Obama's compromise on the mandate for employers to offer contraception coverage to its staff, but now they're mounting a serious opposition campaign.

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For the past few years Eight Forty-Eight has been inviting interesting folks to share their weekend recreational plans in a segment called "The Weekly Guide." It's a testament to our city that as far as I can tell, no one has talked about the same event.

Now we're opening up the cultural one-upsmanship to our listeners. Do you routinely craft the perfect weekend? Prove it by taking to the airwaves and sharing your plans. Call 312-948-4848 and leave a message; leave a comment on this post, Facebook or Tweet us, and tell us what you'll be doing and what we should care about. We'll talk about your picks on Friday.

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Part 1 – Stop, Drop and Roll (but not necessarily in that order)

Though I’ve been biking to work for (more-or-less) a year straight through, I wouldn’t call myself an avid bike rider.

There are several different cultures within the bike rider world, but I don’t quite fit into any that could be considered avid.  I’ve been riding for years, but don’t compete (yet).  I think fixies are bikes meant for 6 year olds, and people who like to do stunts on their bikes (though, fixie riders can revel in my shortcomings on a bike… just listen to my story).

I'm should also point out that I’m not a model of bike safety.  I rarely wear a helmet, despite the fact that I’m an over-achiever when it comes to crashing my bike.  I do, however, obey most of the rules of the road when on the streets.  Or, at least as many as I did when I drove a car.

I bike to work, but it's more so that I have an excuse for skipping the gym, than any affinity for biking.

Last week, I had the ultimate ride, and I joined Steve Edwards on Afternoon Shift to tell it.

Part 2 – Bike Fishing

How to go from biker to fisherman in 30 seconds.

After I lost my bike, I resigned myself to waiting until summer – or, at least warmer and friendlier waters – to do a little scuba diving.  But then, WBEZ’s criminal justice reporter Rob Wildeboer came up with a brilliant idea.  Why not get a hook of some sort, a

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In the 1980s, Victor DeNoble was a research scientist for tobacco company Philip Morris. He says he was first hired at the company to create a drug that would not cause cardiovascular problems, but still be addictive. As DeNoble continued his research, he learned that his work was focused on creating a more addictive cigarette.

Eventually, DeNoble became a whistleblower on the tobacco industry, ultimately forcing the heads of the major cigarette companies to testify in front of Congress about the addictive nature of cigarette smoke. The new documentary Addiction Incorporated chronicles DeNoble's journey from the lab to anti-smoking crusader.

Charlie Evans, Jr. directed the film, which screens at the Gene Siskel Film Center through Thursday.

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WBEZ reporters attend press events for Illinois Governor Pat Quinn very frequently, so it's common to hear his voice on our airwaves. Press events usually include a big crowd of reporters all trying to get their own questions answered (for a worst case scenario, check out this video from the Blagojevich trial).

Today the Governor is coming to our studios to sit down with Steve Edwards for a one-on-one chat. That's a totally different ballgame than a press conference. Steve will have the luxury of developing a narrative and posing follow-up questions.

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