Baseball blues. While at a panel discussion held to promote the book “The Metropolitan Revolution” on Thursday morning, which was the same day the Chicago Plan Commission was set to vote on renovations at Wrigley Field, Mayor Rahm Emanuel cried foul over one of the questions posed to him. When the moderator asked what “base hits” will be required to spur Chicago’s economy, the mayor responded, “This is a little too much metaphor given the Wrigley thing. Could you go to another sport?” He explained, “It would really help me psychologically right now.”
Hot new book. “Hot Doug’s: The Book,” the new book about the Avondale hot dog stand that has a cult-like following in the city, is now available from online and retail booksellers. The book features over 200 pages of stories, cartoons and poems all inspired by the beloved Northwest Side restaurant, according to WGN TV.
Mistaken identity. Elizabeth Wylder, an English instructor and tutor with City Colleges of Chicago, recently received an influx of “mentions” on Twitter, according to the school system’s blog. But Wylder’s sudden popularity wasn’t due to her knowledge of the English language. With her @Sharknado handle, hundreds of people inadvertently mentioned Wylder in their tweets while intending to tweet about “Sharknado,” the made-for-TV movie about a shark-laden hurricane that takes Los Angeles by storm. Wylder originally chose her @Sharknado handle in 2009 because the name depicted “just a straight-up funny image.”
Dillard reboots his campaign. Madeleine Doubek, COO of advocacy group Reboot Illinois, interviewed Illinois Sen. Kirk Dillard (R-Hinsdale) on his recently-announced candidacy for the GOP gubernatorial nomination. Doubek inquired about Dillard’s near victory in the 2010 GOP primary, his opponent Bruce Rauner, and his long history in Illinois government. Check out the full interview on Reboot Illinois.