Gapers Block has ceased publication.

Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
 Thank you for your readership and contributions. 

TODAY

Sunday, October 13

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Fuel

vise77 / October 12, 2011 9:31 AM

A simple reminder of a lesson we all learned, or should have learned, when young: For god's sake, just be civil and polite to your fellow human beings, and treat them with the dignity you would like. (Respect is indeed earned, but everyone can be treated with dignity and civility, even Marxists, even Tea Partiers, even whatever.)

How much might change if we all adhered to that idea--myself included.

Andrew Huff / October 12, 2011 9:32 AM

I'd love to see a project like I wish this was done in Chicago. It's a really interesting way to get community feedback and start a conversation about vacant buildings, foreclosure, economic redevelopment, etc.

Bob / October 12, 2011 12:18 PM

A four-day work week. If we can get it done in five, we can get it done in four. Then spend that extra day paying attention to our families, spending some money and generally being happier.

LaShawn Williams / October 12, 2011 2:50 PM

Bob for President! :-)

Ralf / October 13, 2011 12:05 PM

Chocolate microscopes?

c / October 13, 2011 3:17 PM

people really need to stop fucking with their stupid cellphones while driving.

you are operating a machine of death. good call, keep that cell phone in your hand the whole time and barely watch the road.

there are thousands of people who are living and breathing today who will eventually die because some jackass is checking facebook while operating a big hunk of mobile machinery.

very sad stuff. take a look around, it's like 1 out of every 4 people driving has one hand on the wheel, the other on their cellphone.

Elizabeth Park / October 13, 2011 5:13 PM

How's this for an idea?

Support Open Government and Empower Low Income Chicagoans to connect to Vital resources like food pantries,free medical clinics and shelters.

Our app ifinditchicago was named a finalist in the apps for chicago open gov contest, an initiative supported by Mayor Emanuel, City of Chicago, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Cook County, and the State of Illinois.

I got the idea for this by listening to speakers talking about how smart phones were becoming everything, including ewallets for low income people in developing countries. I thought why not apply this to Chicago?

In light of increasing poverty, hunger,homelessness and the rise of the uninsured, Why can't we make access to resources easier?

Many Hotlines are only open 9-5. Case worker and social access is not 24/7. Low income Chicagoans use smart phones.

I wish I could say I know how to create jobs, smart folks in the government can't seem to agree on that. Maybe at minimum they can agree on helping people get access quicker to resources avaible in this great city.

Check out other great apps and vote in the contest by 5 pm tmrw at http://www.appsformetrochicago.com/

Elizabeth Park, founder iFinditChicago.com, @ifinditchicago

PMan / October 15, 2011 10:21 AM

The city should crack down on people texting/talking on their cell phones while driving. The technology exists to photograph these people in the act, and an organized campaign could start to close our budget deficit, as well as prevent accidents.

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