TORONTO, ON – JANUARY 02: Forward Pius Suter #24 of Switzerland moves the puck against Germany during the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship on January 02, 2015 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Dennis Pajot/Getty Images)
The ChicagoBlackhawks have three new additions signed and ready to go for next season.
The Chicago Blackhawks are always looking towards the future with their signings. They like to get their kids that they drafted brought over as soon as they can and they like to bring in some young kids that they didn’t draft as well. Despite the NHL lineup getting ready for some play-in action against the Edmonton Oilers, the front office is out there making moves to try and improve the team for 2020-21 and beyond.
Ian Mitchell
There was a lot of question as to whether or not Ian Mitchell would be playing in the series against the Edmonton Oilers. The deal was agreed to a few weeks prior but it became final on Thursday. The Hawks are going to choose not to burn a year of his entry-level contract and have him make his NHL debut next season.
Mitchell is now on a three year deal with a cap hit of $925,000. It runs through the 2022-23 season due to the fact that they won’t burn a year of it until next season. He played through his junior year at the University of Denver where he was one of the best defensemen in college hockey. His 10 goals and 22 assists for 32 points ranked sixth amongst defensemen in 2019-20 where he was also the captain. This is a kid who could be the captain of the Hawks one day.
Pius Suter
The Blackhawks inked Pius Suter to a one year deal with that $925,000 cap it. The Zurich, Switzerland native has played in the Swiss League from 2015-2020 where he had an outstanding tenure. He scored 81 goals and had 87 assists for 168 points in 210 regular-season games for the ZSC Lions. His playoff numbers are also impressive and he has an NLA Championship with the Lions in 2017-18.
Suter led the entire Swiss League in scoring during the 2019-20 season with 30 goals and 23 assists for 53 points in 50 games. He took the scoring title from current Blackhawks forward, Dominik Kubalik. Having Kubalik there should be pretty comforting for Suter coming over to Chicago as a reigning MVP of the Swiss League.
Wyatt Kalynuk
Chicago wasn’t done announcing the signings of defenseman on Thursday either. It was made clear that the terms have been agreed on with Wyatt Kalynuk a few days ago but they made it official on Thursday. Kalynuk comes from the University of Wisconsin where he was one of his conferences best defensemen.
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He is now signed to a two year deal with an average annual value of $925,000. He was outstanding in 2019-20 where he served as the team captain for the Badgers. He had a career-high of seven goals and 21 assists for 28 points in 36 games. His seven goals were tied for the second-most in the Big Ten and his 28 points were second all by himself.
It is unclear who of this group will be on the Opening Night lineup for the beginning of the 2020-21 season but they will all be with the organization. It is good to see Chicago looking ahead at all times and bringing in as much youth as possible. The blue line is what needs the most work overall so bringing in as many players for that position as possible is a great idea. Hopefully, some of these guys are able to make a difference.
Fans went wild after a recent tweet from Pro Football Focus, but the wrong Chicago Bears pass rusher was left out.
For the Chicago Bears to have any shot at a playoff run this season, they will have to get the most possible production out of their top-five defense. In 2019, the Bears were amongst the NFL’s elite defenses in most major categories, but they took a step back in terms of overall takeaways.
Because of this, many people thought the unit regressed immensely from 2018 to 2019. But, if the takeaways came at a higher rate, no one would’ve batted an eye.
Part of the equation to force additional takeaways comes in the form of a strong pass rush, and last year, the Bears were without Akiem Hicks for a while. It was a huge loss. Fortunately, he’s healthy now — and he, Khalil Mack and company have a new running mate.
Robert Quinn was signed to a lucrative free agent contract this year as the Bears essentially swapped him in for Leonard Floyd, who left for the Los Angeles Rams. Quinn brings more to the table than some Bears fans may realize, and one particular sports outlet seemed to forget about Quinn in a recent tweet that caught fire by Bears fans.
The obvious takeaway from this argument, as a Bears fan, is the fact that Pro Football Focus left Mack out of the conversation. But, if we’re talking about right now, Quinn actually should have been in this conversation.
Want proof? Let’s get it.
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Last season, Quinn finished third in the NFL in overall disruption rate, per NFL.com. What does that mean? A disruption is either a sack, hurry or pressure from a pass rusher. So, on 17.2 percent of his snaps, Quinn disrupted the quarterback.
The only two higher than Quinn? Packers pass rusher Za’Darius Smith at 17.5 percent and Browns defensive end Myles Garrett at 18.5 percent.
Quinn actually had a higher sack rate (3.3 percent versus 2.8 percent) than Smith, and just 0.2 percent behind Garrett.
While Mack should be one of the most feared pass rushers in all of football, PFF missed the boat on this argument for current best pass rusher. If we’re being honest, we didn’t see Mack’s best in 2019, and I’m certain that will change in 2020.
But, fans need to realize just how valuable the Quinn signing was for the Bears. They got rid of a guy, in Floyd, who could hardly ever get home on a quarterback and replaced him with a player who had more sacks in 2019 than Floyd has had in his entire career.
The football world will learn soon enough to put some respect on Quinn’s name when referencing the league’s top pass rushers. Better yet, the Bears’ pass rush will be in the conversation for the best in football in 2020.
Book Stacks Image by Lira Luis, inspired by Antonio Olivera’s photo
The current pandemic led to the grounding of all my business flights for the rest of the year. The good news is, while bleisure travel took me to faraway places pre-pandemic, so can a book, or two. The shorter commute between my balcony and living room during WFH (working from home) means more time to catch up on my summer reading. These are on my list:
Close-Up View of Froebel’s Kindergarten with Frank Lloyd Wright at the Drawing Table by Wally Rogers. This book is a deep dive into the method of learning in Friedrich Froebel’s Kindergarten and how it became the foundational influence on Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture.
Members Only by Sameer Pandya. It’s a novel that follows the experiences of Raj Bhatt, a brown man in America who is part of an elite membership club where the white members accused him of being a reverse racist, forcing him to navigate the complex space between black and white, while looking for meaning in membership and belonging.
Is Everyone Really Equal? by Robin DiAngelo. This is a professional education on understanding social justice that would allow deep reflection and ethical action.
Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Cathy Park Hong. Part of allyship is walking in someone else’s shoes and this is a personal narrative that recounts navigating the English language, feelings, poetry, artmaking, and family including female friendships through the lens of an Asian American.
Nikola Tesla and the Electrical Future by Iwan Rhys Morus. A timely book that examines the inventor-as-maverick-outsider persona of Nikola Tesla, against the backdrop of the age of innovation of his time with a strong clear vision of the future.
The Sympathizer: A Novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen. This is an espionage novel that won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and centers on the theme of Vietnam War, told through the story of an army captain, his love and life between America and Vietnam, including the communist cause.
How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. This is probably the book of our time and demonstrates why it is not enough to not be racist. In an authentic equitable society most people would be antiracist and this book explains exactly how to be one.
Biased: Uncovering the Hidden Prejudice That Shapes What We See, Think, and Do by Jennifer L. Eberhardt. The most important and timely message of this book is that we do not have to be racist to be biased, and this can be manifested in micro-actions and macro-actions that have lasting effects.
Architecture for Rapid Change and Scarce Resources by Sumita Singha. It’s a blueprint for professional practice on a local and global scale, in developed and developing countries, that addresses sustainability and social equity.
Blockchain: The Insights You Need from Harvard Business Review by Harvard Business Review. In order to fully grasp how to gain competitive advantage in our changing landscape of business and society, this book gives a foundational understanding of blockchain technology and what you need to be doing with it now, to come out ahead.
If you happen to read some of them, let me know what you think.
All things design in and beyond Chicago land. Contributing writers led by Lira Luis, FRIBA, AIA, NCARB, CEM, LEED AP and the ALLL staff including Leapfrog Project Collaborators.
Show Me Chicago previews, reviews and expresses opinions on what’s happening in Chicago from Blockbuster Theater, to what’s new in dining, arts, and the neighborhoods.
Show Me Chicago previews, reviews and expresses opinions on what’s happening in Chicago from Blockbuster Theater, to what’s new in dining, arts, and the neighborhoods.
One of the most common calls we get is when a hearing aid stops working. For many of our patients, a dead hearing aid is much more than an inconvenience. Thankfully most of the time, a non functioning hearing aid can be revived.
Here are some of the most common problems we encounter and some solutions you can try:
If you have a traditional earmold with a tube, it’s quite possible that the tubing is blocked with moisture, wax or oil. Separate the mold from the hearing aid. If the hearing aid starts whistling, the earmold was clogged. Soak the mold in in warm soapy water. Blow out the excess water into a tissue just in case a bit of wax comes out too. You’ll probably need a new tube.
When you have a thin tube attached to the hearing aid, remove it by unscrewing or unsnapping as the Audiologist advises. If the hearing aid starts making noise, you’ve found the problem; it’s the tube and you’ll need a new one. Most of the time the tubing is crimped.
If you have a receiver in the ear style hearing aid with a custom earmold, make sure that the wax filter isn’t clogged. If you can’t get the wax filter out, remove it with straight pin. If your hearing aid comes with disposable domes, remove the dome and then take out the filter.
With a custom molded hearing aid, remove the filter. Some devices have microphone covers that are also removable. Use a soft toothbrush to clean the microphones. Sometimes the microphone is inside the case and won’t be easy to find.
Most behind the ear hearing aids have microphone openings that are visible. Brushing with a soft toothbrush to clear debris will help.
This may seem too simple, but always check the battery. Try a battery from another package. Many times failure comes from a dead or out of date battery.
If the hearing aid is still not functioning, there’s a chance that your Audiologist can perform CPR or replace parts. If nothing works, the hearing aid manufacturer will need to repair your device. If troubleshooting is too complicated, pick up the phone and call us. We’re always happy to help.
Dr. Gostomelsky earned her Bachelors Degree in Speech and Audiology at the University of Illinois, in Champaign IL, her Masters Degree in Audiology at Illinois State University, and her Audiology Doctorate (AuD) from the Arizona School of Health Sciences.
Dr. Gostomelsky is licensed through the State of Illinois, and maintains membership in the Academy of Dispensing Audiologists and Illinois Academy of Audiology. She has over 40 years of experience treating patients.
Dr. Gostomelsky takes pride in helping her patients understand what it takes to be successful in both protecting and improving hearing, one patient at a time.
Show Me Chicago previews, reviews and expresses opinions on what’s happening in Chicago from Blockbuster Theater, to what’s new in dining, arts, and the neighborhoods.
Leads are the lifeblood of a business, especially with one that’s still trying to gain footing. When you don’t have the size or brand recognition for creating a consistent customer base, you need to take lead generation seriously. In the highly-competitive world of modern business, though, that can be challenging.
Generating leads today requires a little nuance and a lot of variation. To help you get started, here are eight ways you can create new leads.
1. Create Engaging Social Media Pages
There are roughly 3.5 billion users on social media today, making up almost half of the global population. That’s a demographic that you can’t afford to miss out on, no matter how big or small your business. Revisit your social platforms and make sure they’re engaging, enticing and represent your company well.
2. Content Marketing
Consumers may react better to advertising that doesn’t come across as an ad. By creating content that answers questions consumers already have, you communicate your reliability and value without explicit advertising. After publishing this content, you can browse through comments and interactions to find new leads.
3. Personalize Your Efforts
People will respond better to your marketing efforts if they feel like you value them as a person. It takes more work, but reaching out to consumers on an individual level can be an excellent way to generate leads. If you take the time to address customers individually instead of using cookie-cutter responses, you’ll see much better results.
4. Encourage Customer Referrals
Word-of-mouth shouldn’t be your only marketing approach, but it can be an effective one. Consider that 74% of consumers say that word-of-mouth is a critical influencer in their decisions about purchases. You can help your customers generate leads for you by establishing a referral program.
5. Turn to a Lead Generation Company
If you have the budget and haven’t had much success with your efforts, you can hire a lead generation company. These businesses typically specialize in a specific field or type of service, helping you achieve your unique goals. With their help, you can generate and nurture new, quality leads in no time.
7. Offer Live Chat
If a potential customer ends up on your website, they’ll want quick, helpful answers to their questions. Live chat features, either through employees or chatbots, can help you reach out to these users quickly and personally. Live chat gives users the attention and assistance that they like to see from a business.
8. Reach Out to Social Media Influencers
It’s challenging to overstate the importance of social media, and influencers can help you take full advantage of these platforms. Roughly 40% of Twitter users say they’ve purchased a product because of an influencer’s tweet. By finding someone with a dedicated social media following to partner with you, you can substantially expand your reach.
You Can Find New Leads Everywhere
Generating new leads can seem like a daunting task, but you have near-countless options when it comes to lead generation. If you follow these eight steps, you can give your brand a much-needed push in popularity and trust. Lead generation is rarely simple, but it’s not impossible, either.
Show Me Chicago previews, reviews and expresses opinions on what’s happening in Chicago from Blockbuster Theater, to what’s new in dining, arts, and the neighborhoods.
Crowds cool off along the lakefront near Diversey Parkway on July 14, 2020. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)
This column appeared today in the Chicago Tribune
By Dennis Byrne
After this headline, “Sorry, Illinois, but Florida is doing this reopening thing right,” appeared above my May 8 chattering in this space, emails began showing up. “Dear Moron,” one opened. Another closed, “here’s hoping that you and your family die.” In between, an assortment of slurs, aspersions and denunciations arrived. Some quite clever.
The volume only increased as Florida, along with other states, began experiencing more new cases. Especially Florida, where experts declared that the Miami area was now the world’s pandemic “epicenter.”
Some emails even sounded gleeful that Florida’s caseload was spiking. Never mind the humanity. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot was right, they said, when she gave it to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “fumbling” by reopening the beaches. “God help us all,” she intoned.” A Twitter hashtag, #floridamorons, piled on.
Well, there’s this:
As of Wednesday morning, cumulative deaths attributed to COVID-19 are: Illinois, 7,218; Florida, 4,409, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Florida Department of Health, respectively.
Florida’s population of 21.48 million is almost double of Illinois’ 12.67 million. Yet Illinois has suffered 2,809 more deaths than Florida. Maybe Florida has been doing something right.
Critics now will fill my inbox with more directives, explaining why new cases, hospitalizations, test results and other data are more important than deaths.
But deaths are the key statistic. It’s the ultimate failure, the tragedy that causes the most pain, for the patient, family and the heroic health care providers. It’s the loss of a life.
I didn’t start this grudge match about who got it right, or who’s to blame. I was asked to respond when Lightfoot butted in, uninvited, while her own lockdown regulations were just as questionable as DeSantis’. A case in point: the lengthy closing of the lakefront to walkers and bikers when science says the risk of transmission is lower outdoors. Follow the science? Bah. Lightfoot is as qualified to judge what other states do as President Donald Trump is to brag that he can halt the violence in Chicago.
Truth is that no one knew from the start how to deal with the novel coronavirus. Not Trump. Not his Democratic, progressive or woke critics. And clearly not the epidemiologists who seem to have gotten so much wrong. Yet, they still want us to take their warnings as biblical. When they can’t accurately count the infected or calculate the fatality rate.
I could say that Miami’s troubling increase in new cases is the result of all those Democrats from New York and Chicago who fled their own epicenters and brought the disease (and their woke politics) with them. But I can’t; I don’t know. Certainly, the hypothesis that interstate travel was as significant as the arrival of infected travelers from China and Europe deserves study. I suspect a federal grant already is in the works.
We all have been stumbling around, and too many are letting their partisanship, self-interest or ego rule. What we should be learning — among many lessons — is that “science” is fragile and fallible. Especially today’s “end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it” science. Science, as demonstrated by our struggle to understand and deal with the unique coronavirus and COVID-19, sometimes is fouled by incomplete or poorly collected data, unproven hypotheses and, simply, wild guesses. Automatically accepting “science” findings as a done deal is a fool’s game.
Even worse is the assumption that “infallible science” can’t be challenged by or balanced with other policy considerations. Most notably missing in this equation is the impact of the pandemic lockdown on jobs and the economy. A truly scientific approach would weigh the epidemiologists’ policies as compared with rigorous scholarship about their negative, even dangerous, impacts on the economy. What is the calculus, for example, on whether the psychological and learning damage from keeping children out of school is more destructive than their transmission of the virus? Sadly, asking this question will get you assigned as a Trump supporter who cares only about the stock market.
So far, Lightfoot has demonstrated a troubling grasp of how to balance health and economic needs. Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a billionaire with no firsthand acquaintance with checking accounts drying up and pink slips arriving, has demonstrated that he hasn’t an inkling about the misery that he has caused.
My historical novel: Madness: The War of 1812 To subscribe to the Barbershop, type your email address in the box and click the “create subscription” button. My list is completely spam free, and you can opt out at any time.
Show Me Chicago previews, reviews and expresses opinions on what’s happening in Chicago from Blockbuster Theater, to what’s new in dining, arts, and the neighborhoods.
During the pandemic, many of us have been forced to stay inside.
Well, for many, like me, that also means “going inside” more, meaning spending more time with my thoughts and feelings, and my past — and, of course, the oh-so-uncertain future.
In doing so, I realized that, while the world was going through changes, I was too. And that, in looking back, in revisiting some of the things I went through as a child, I was remembering the sound of my own voice, which I haven’t really heard for a long, long time. Then, as a musician and writer, I wanted to share what I was seeing and learning.
Contact me at [email protected]. Learn more about my writing, speaking and music at www.jameswarda.com.
Comments Note: All comments are reviewed. Any that are considered to be a personal attack or hate speech will be removed. In my blog, I always try to be respectful. I expect the same from my readers, both in responses to me, and about or to each other. And, again, thank you for reading.
James Warda, author of “Where Are We Going So Fast?”, is a keynote speaker who focuses on connecting to each other, and ourselves, through our moments. His background also includes being a writer and speaker for Chicken Soup for the Soul Enterprises, and a columnist for the “Chicago Tribune” and Pioneer Press.
Show Me Chicago previews, reviews and expresses opinions on what’s happening in Chicago from Blockbuster Theater, to what’s new in dining, arts, and the neighborhoods.
Premise: Nyles (Andy Samberg) and Sarah (Cristin Milloti) meet at a Palm Springs wedding, and find themselves unable to escape the venue, themselves, or each other. Things get progressively complicated from there.
Behind-the-Scenes: Made a splash at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, where it sold for 17,500,000.69, making it a Sundance sales record and beating the previous record holder (Birth of a Nation) by .69 cents.Ha, nice. The Lonely Island (Jorma Taccone, Akiva Shaffer, and Samberg) are producers and include a truly funny “Lonely Island Classics” logo before the film. This is director Max Barbakow and writer Andy Siara’s first feature.
The Good: This may just be the movie of 2020. It so perfectly captures the essence of the quarantine experience and what it’s like to keep living the same day over and over. Samberg is always funny, but displays some impressive dramatic chops here as well, building nicely on some of the range he showed in Celeste and Jesse Forever (which is definitely worth a watch if you haven’t seen it yet). He has a ton of chemistry with Milloti, who is equally fun, in a more acerbic way. The script is smart and playful, and mines a ton of fresh insight on relationships and commitment from its Groundhog Day-inspired premise. J.K. Simmons adds some additional thematic heft in a small supporting role. The film is deeply rewatchable (I’ve seen it twice now) and rewards those repeat viewings – hidden meanings and subtle jokes become clearer. The 90-minute runtime flies by, and despite the time loop conceit, the movie never repeats itself. The location, costumes and production design all work hand-in-hand to create a richly textured world on screen.
The Bad: For true Lonely Island fans, it’s not as funny as you might expect given their involvement. The sci-fi elements are thrown in without much thought and are barely fleshed out. Either go full sci-fi with the premise or don’t explain it at all.
Should You See It?: Yes! Palm Springs is a bubbly tonic of a film that both elevates the romcom genre and honors it. Worth a subscription to Hulu for this alone.
Star Rating: **** out of 5 stars
Better Than: Happy Death Day, Source Code
Worse Than:Groundhog Day, Edge of Tomorrow
* * *
For more movie/TV commentary and other mischief, follow me on Twitter: @Hammervision and on Letterboxd: @Hammervision
Hammervision is movies. Hammervision is TV. Hammervision is the creative byproduct of a marriage built on a mutual love of all things popular culture. John and Julie Hammerle have been watching movies together since Face/Off was in the theaters. John is an attorney at a Chicago law firm. Julie is not. They have two kids and a dog named Indiana.
Show Me Chicago previews, reviews and expresses opinions on what’s happening in Chicago from Blockbuster Theater, to what’s new in dining, arts, and the neighborhoods.
Dear people that feel it’s their constitutional right to not wear a mask:
I AM OVER YOU. I AM OVER YOU AND YOUR ABSOLUTE LACK OF ANY LOGIC OR REASON FOR NOT WEARING A MASK.
As the United (are we?) States continues to set daily records of new coronavirus cases and the death toll rises, those of you that refuse to wear a mask continue to perpetuate this nightmare we have all been subject to living in. I’m sick of it. My business has floundered, dear friends have died, thousands are unemployed and yet you only think of yourselves.
Nevermind what experts in science have to say. Nevermind that it’s been said that if EVERYONE wore a mask in public we could eradicate this thing in 4-8 weeks. Nevermind that we have no clue what the actual long term effects of this virus are on people once they “recover”. Nevermind that by you possibly transmitting the virus to someone and that someone dies you are committing a type of murder. Let’s not think about that!
Actually I think we SHOULD think about that. It’s been clearly proven that by wearing a face covering the transmission of this virus is greatly reduced. We’ve even recently read and seen the obituaries of the idiots that denounced wearing masks. They basically committed suicide. Let’s go to a Covid party and see who can catch it first! Let’s ignore the whole thing and call it a hoax – then end up in the ICU where people who actually WORE a mask are being taken care of and you shouldn’t be.
I’ve always tried through this blog to stay out of politics. To stay away from stating opinions too strongly. But the name if this blog is “When You Put it That Way” and I’m putting it this way:
Wear a f*&ing mask. Stop being selfish and carrying on about your constitutional rights. Those of us that are doing all we can to stop this insanity want our freedom as much as you do. But we want it without the expense of others lives. I’ve had cancer twice. I’ve been through countless rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. I’ve been so sick that on your worst day I’d have taken it over that. So, do you think that I want one of you possibly spreading it to me? Why should I be locked up in my house for months on end because of your selfishness?
And now there are all of you younger people carrying on in bars and behaving as though there is no virus. You’re young, you think you’re invincible. So did the 3o year old kid that went to the party to see who would get it first. Well, he won the prize. He’s dead.
I used to be so proud to be an American; to live in The United States. Now I feel embarrassed. I feel that we are a nation divided by such a simple act of kindness and thoughtfulness towards your fellow man. We are a laughing stock – as countries around the world are emerging from this crisis we sink deeper and deeper into it. We aren’t allowed to even travel to other countries, my how the tables have turned.
I, as well as my friends and family that follow the rules cannot for the life of us determine what it is about wearing a mask that is such a violation of rights. You are violating our right to live and be healthy. You are nothing short of criminals as your possible transmission causing death should be considered a crime. A punishable crime.
Who knows where we will be in a year. I can only hope that somehow, some way you all start to wake up and see the damage you are doing. That you’ll realize how badly we all want it to end and the only way to do it is to BE IN THIS TOGETHER. It’s been said since day one that we are – I think not. So if we are all in this nightmare next year, perhaps you will wake up and see who was to blame.
And I bet it won’t be those of us who are masked and followed the rules.
So, suck it up. Join the fight. And one other favor, please do not comment on this blog if you give me reasons to not wear one. There are none.
I work as a women’s accessories sales representative. I have 2 daughters and have been married for 30 years. I love to write and talk about life. I also love to find humor in as much as possible. As a two time cancer survivor, there isn’t much you can’t throw at me. For inquiries you can email me at [email protected].
Show Me Chicago previews, reviews and expresses opinions on what’s happening in Chicago from Blockbuster Theater, to what’s new in dining, arts, and the neighborhoods.
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