Stan Mikita is in the office this morning! I just grabbed him for a Wikipedia Files episode. He was great. It will be up soon.

Hey! More parking meter art! This one from Albany Park. I blacked out the ‘U.’

Tonight! Schools on the Line continues on WBEZ. The live call-in show with CPS Chief Jean-Claude Brizard will have a new wrinkle. The call-in is all kids. So if you have any kids with questions for the top dog, have them call in! This could be a fun night. I’m going to have my 4-year-old call in, unrehearsed. Hey, it’s live. Something tells me the question will either be a) can you buy me that Mickey Mouse Clubhouse? or b) Can you play any Katy Perry.

B story: The jokers down at the Chicago Board of Trade building drew the ire of the local media yesterday for putting up signs in the window saying “We are the 1%,” referring to the OccupyChicago tag “We are the 99%.” Personally, I think the press overreacted (Gawker went with it too). It’s a funny joke by probably a bunch of traders who don’t really believe they are the one percent, just ripping on protesters. Which, to me, is much more tasteful than say, choke holds and tear gas. Sometimes we need to lighten up. A better story would have been what the protesters did to counter? What was their clever response? Oh, right. To bring in the air support (us).

And to the commenters on this story, including Pete who wrote this:

It’s good to see you finally give this some coverage, I was beginning to think that WBEZ had been ordered to ignore the Occupy Chicago movement. Strange that you waited until the pledge drive was almost over…

This little schtick of slamming the media for “ignoring” OccupyWallSt. and OccupyChicago is getting really old. On Twitter and FB and on comments and emails, protesters are not giving media press releases, but rather attacking us for not covering them. Like trying to get us to do something out of shame. Well, Peter - you obviously didn’t listen to NATIONAL Public Radio this week when they interviewed the leaders of your OccupyChicago movement for the whole network to hear. Yes, it wasn’t just local, it was a national broadcast. And that means that people in Eugene, Oregon were subjected to your spokespeople talking about your movement in Chicago. What more do you want? If I find out that OccupyChicago (and WallSt.) actually are using this shame tactic to the media in a coordinated, strategic way? Then you have lost all credibility.

And then there’s Karen:

Maybe you’ll actually do a story about what those percentages mean and why they are being posted. Maybe if WBEZ reporters actually talked to someone on the street with a 99% sign, they could get that out news and let their listeners know. Of course that would mean that they cover more than what richer Chicagoans care about.

Yeah, you pegged us. WBEZ is usually just a mouthpiece for richer Chicagoans. Get off your horse and stop being so selfish.

C story: Looking back at Steve Jobs - when the boss becomes the brand. Now, will Jobs become the Tupac of the computer world? My guess is that there will be several Jobs-related releases coming up soon, including his own story in his own words. As someone said to me last night, if there was one guy that you think might actually come back to life, it’s Jobs.

Weather: I really hope that the winter is mild and we can point to AccuWeather for being irresponsible meteorologists. Or even reckless. I’ll bet the long range forecast was sponsored by the state of Arizona. When we can expect other state’s tourism dollars to effect weather reports? Wow, I never thought of that before. Is it possible that meteorologists could be on the take? 

Sports: The Blackhawks open tomorrow night on the road. The early NHL power rankings have the Blackhawks in the top 10, almost top 5. So what can we expect from our team? They are rested after their first round ouster last year. Kane is recovering from injury, but Toews and the rest of the gang seem ready to roll (Bolland and Smith questionable). Could we see another magical season? This is a big year. If the Hawks slip further (and out of playoffs), will Chicago hockey dip back into obscurity?

Also, Luol Deng is now pictured on English currency. Um, cross that off the bucket list.

Kicker: New Paper Machete Radio Magazine. This week is all about celebrating the 10 year anniversary of Afghanistan!