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.
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Sunday, May 19
A man on a bicycle was hit by a southbound Brown Line train tonight near the Francisco stop. He was transported to the hospital in serious to critical condition. There are shuttle buses operating currently. Please be safe out there!
The University of Chicago's dean of admissions stirred up controversy recently when he shared with potential applicants an admissions essay that likened the university to a lover. Students and parents on CollegeConfidential shared distress that the essay was praised while other similarly creative ones get ignored.
John Rininger was a local artist who passed away a few years ago at the age of 45. Wicker Park/Quimby's old-timers might remember him for his stamp art in particular. Marc Fischer paid a visit to John back in 2001 when Rininger was disposing of many of his possessions. He's since posted the story, and a selection of scans of the odd, disturbing, and thought-provoking materials he recovered, on his Flickr page. UPDATE: More here; thanks Salem.
ESPN Zone is the site for the ninth annual Chicago Ultimate Coach Potato competition on New Year's Day, pitting the best of the best...when it comes to sitting and watching sports. The minimal bathroom breaks give a whole new meaning to "bowl games." You can't tell the players without a scorecard.
Flying high in the Western Conference standings, the Blackhawks look to keep rising against their big foe from the East, the New Jersey Devils. Jeremy Piniak has the lowdown in Tailgate.
We gave out superlatives to our favorite Chicago music moments over in Transmission.
The Reader's Mick Dumke, Chicago Reporter's Kimbriell Kelly and our own Ramsin Canon joined Alison Cuddy this morning for a look back on the year that was. Listen here.
CTA Tattler notes that this week marks the end of the Brown Line expansion project, finished on time and on budget by the CTA.
It's New Year's Eve, so it's worth a ride on the CTA from 8pm until 6am. Get the details from the CTA, as well as which routes will be extended.
Lee Bey looks back on Chicago's architectural Oughts.
GoHuman is a startup attempting to create "a marketplace for local services," ranging from computer consulting to auto repair to knitting classes.
AP travel writer Beth Harpaz includes the pair of Blues Brothers statues at the House of Blues store in Midway Airport as the sole notable attraction in Chicago's airports. I would have chosen the Terminal One Tunnel at O'Hare, myself.
"For $1 you can slap your alderman or one of the county commissioners. For $3 you get to slap the county board president. And for a whopping $5 you get to slap the mayor." A modest proposal in Mechanics.
You have until Jan. 5 to register for the primary election Feb. 2 -- for which you can vote early starting Jan. 11.
The Sun-Times interviews Jim Morehouse, a Chicagoan who's reached the 10 million frequent flier mile mark dreamed of by Up in the Air's protagonist.
Cook County Jail is pretty popular these days, and not just for the reasons that may first come to mind. First, there was the three-part series on the Discovery Channel and now MSNBC is going inside the Greybar Hotel with their new series, "The Squeeze."
That's the record breaking number of items checked out of the Chicago Public Library this year.
Playboy sunk TMZ.com's "news" of a scandalous photo allegedly of President John F. Kennedy sunning himself on a yacht full of naked babes. Turns out it was a photo from 1967 Playboy photo shoot. (Both links NSFW.)
Paul Carr, author of Bringing Nothing to the Party: True Confessions of a New Media Whore, took advantage of his status as a TechCrunch contributor to write a stream-of-consciousness rant against O'Hare Airport and assorted technologies.
Last summer, a teenage girl felt threatened by a group of boys in a car who kept driving by, yelling, and threatening her and a friend. She picked up a rock and threw it at the car, smashing a window. Today, a judge found that, while the action wasn't the smartest move, the girl was justified in defending herself from possible assault.
Don't forget, from this Friday onward, you'll get a ticket for texting while driving. (Then again, how many people actually get tickets for using their phone while driving?)
John Bracken rounds up the most interesting media stories in Chicago and nationwide.
The Reader's annual fiction issue should give you plenty to read during this slow work week.
Yes, they won. In overtime. And against the Minnesota Vikings. In case you opted against watching what you were sure was going to be a blowout, get the details in Tailgate.
Jim Mullen, a Chicago cop who was shot in the line of duty and left paralyzed, is finding a new life selling a family recipe apple sauce.
Alex Parker of The Chicago Current has combed through the websites and ranked the most innovative homepages for Illinois candidates running for county commissioner and county board president.
Chicago Public Radio's very own "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!" is profiled on CNN.com, complete with some background about how the show is assembled, as well as an audio slideshow that is significantly different from the article text. Also, have you noticed that Peter Segal still has some hair up top in the WBEZ banner for the show?
Looks like one of the city's most iconic burger joints is seeking a long-term line cook. If you can keep from salivating on your keyboard to apply, I'm sure there's tons of taste testing involved in training, you know, to make sure it's done right.
What was Chicago like in the mid-century for the city's African American community? Unknown Chicago takes a look at the fast-growing and segregated "Black Belt," and the harsh housing conditions.
While one of city's LGBT weeklies, Chicago Free Press, crumbles under unpaid wages and an exodus of senior staff, Gay Chicago magazine (more of an entertainment guide) has picked up Free Press writer, Amy Wooten and editor, Gary Barlow to head their hard news feature, "Gay Chicago Newswatch," as elections loom. Meanwhile, Chicago Free Press has no intention of ceasing publication.
Those new Pace buses that serve Bolingbrook, Schaumburg and Harvey (among other stops) have it all: plush seats, leg room, even bathrooms. Now if they only had riders...
The Washington Post takes a look at Michigan's legal fight to keep Asian carp out of Lake Michigan -- perhaps by making some significant changes to Chicago.
The Piñata Factory recently installed street altars created by young people from Humboldt Park and South Chicago to raise awareness of violence. The installations are at various locations around the north suburbs. Take a look at their creation and the finished products.
In anticipation of the station's January 17 launch, the Chicago edition of the NYT profiled the Chicago Independent Radio Project.
Mark Buehrle's perfect game is the second biggest sports story of the year for The Times of Northwest Indiana.
Chicago businessman Scott Lee Cohen is willing to spend up to $3 million on his campaign to be the next Lt. Governor of Illinois. For some offices $3 million is an unremarkable amount, even a small one in some cases, but not when it comes to vying for the lieutenant governorship.
We delve deeper into the connection between food and togetherness in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
NORAD is on the case--and even if you think it's impossible to lojack Santa, you're obviously wrong.
Illinois is the fifth biggest state in the country according to new Census Bureau numbers. The Land of Lincoln has 12.9 million people which puts it behind California (37 million), Texas (24.8 million), New York (19.5 million), and finally Florida (18.5 million).
ESPN Chicago has compiled a list of the top 10 most embarassing sports moments in Chicago this past year. We can quibble with a couple of them, but the No. 1 moment? Well, let's just say a certain Bears QB might even agree with that.
PopMatters shares its best-of lists for 2009.
I hope you don't have official city business to take care of today, because it's one of the year's furlough days.
Just FYI, posting will be slow the rest of the week. Hope you're enjoying your Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, Festivus, Life Day or whatever holiday you celebrate this time of year!
Patrick Rea of Tinley Park was just recently elected the grand master of the International Knights Templar. Until he resumes his post officially next November, he'll be happy to tell you where the Holy Grail is. [via]
Tiny Miller Park Zoo in downstate Bloomington is selling a unique holiday accoutrement: ornaments made of reindeer dung. Don't laugh; they've made $20,000 off of them.
January tends to suffer from the cold-weather, post-holiday doldrums, so the Local Tourist has organized its first Restaurant Week, with more than a dozen restaurants offering three-course meals for only $25 at lunch or $35 at dinner. Ten percent of each meal benefits pediatric cancer foundation Endure To Cure.
It's been a bad couple of days for animals in captivity in Chicago. First, one of two beluga whales born this week at the Shedd Aquarium died Tuesday. And today an elephant at the Brookfield Zoo had to be euthanized after suffering kidney failure.
The Sun-Times raises a glass to the glogg being served up at Simon's Tavern in Andersonville, as owner Scott Martin gives the inside scoop on the tradition. * "God Jul" is Swedish for "Merry Christmas."
The South Side Irish Parade isn't returning, but there's still a reason to head down to Beverly around St. Patrick's Day: the 11th annual Chicago Irish Film Festival. [via]
Many staff members of the Chicago Free Press have left the paper after the publisher didn't meet its December 15 pay obligations. The paper is still scheduled to be released tomorrow.
The transfer of Guantánamo detainees to the Thomson Correctional Center may take longer than expected according to The New York Times.
The Chicago Film Critics Association announced its 2009 award winners today; The Hurt Locker won every award for which it was nominated. Read CFCA member Steve at the Movies' review here.
Curious (or irate) about some of the CTA's winter policies? [via]
The Ex Playboy Bunnies Website tells the tale of the legendary Playboy Clubs through the eyes and fuzzy tails of its iconic waitresses. (No nudity, but still probably NSFW.)
Senator Burris shared his own version of 'Twas The Night Before Christmas' on the Senate floor recently.
Yes, you can even eat the lions at the Art Institute's Gingerseum.
If you're still trying to figure out a gift for that special someone, the Parket Ticket Geek has a rather specialized gift guide for you -- as well as an appreciation of the automated parking meters' better attributes.
After more than 70 years of projections, the Adler Planetarium will be closing its "Star of Wonder" show for the last time on January 3.
The Bulls blew a 35-point lead -- their largest ever -- last night against the Sacramento Kings.
If the equation above sounds like heaven to you, get yourself signed up for Señor Rory Lake's New Year's Tamale Dreams while there's still room.
A Beluga whale has been born at the Shedd for the second time in a week. This time the calf is 5 feet 6 inches long and weighs 152 pounds. UPDATE: Unfortunately, the calf did not survive past its first day.
Flickr user lauren*o pointed us to a sign printed by ExploreChicago.org. Not only does the Arabic version of the word "welcome" appear incorrectly (it should look like this), but the Polish and Korean words for welcome appear twice. [Thanks Lauren!]
Be a part of the First Annual Schubie Awards by casting a vote for your favorites in music, food and web content.
Threadless is offering a variety of cash rewards for information leading to the identification of these men. They are "most likely" in the Chicago area. [Thanks, Sandor!]
Steve Rhodes is no longer contributing to NBCChicago.com, and here's why. UPDATE: Justin Kauffman interviews Rhodes on the WBEZ blog.
Frank Lloyd Wright's first public building was Oak Park's Unity Temple. The building has been deteriorating for years, and its restoration foundation is seeking millions to save the structure. The National Trust for Historic Preservation keeps us up-to-date on related events in this recent article.
Artist Christopher Drew has been fighting against Chicago's regulations against peddling for years, most recently with an "art for sale" poncho worn on State Street. Earlier this month the police finally arrested him, giving him the opportunity to fight it in court -- but also charged him with felony eavesdropping for taping his arrest despite it occurring in public. Reason notes it's just the latest attempt by the CPD to hide the identities of its officers.
In Transmission, we take another turn down memory lane to explore a venerable Chicago music venue of days gone by. This time, it's the Lounge Ax in Lincoln Park.
Chicago-based Archbishop Job of the Orthodox Church of America passed away on Friday. Get Religion paid tribute to him, along with a litany of other sources referenced in their post.
We tried to warn you. But did you listen to us? Nooo. You went ahead and watched the Bears game anyway. When you finally finish washing the awful out of your eyes, head over to Tailgate to help figure out what you saw and leave your eyewitness account of that carwreck.
City-Go-Round is a site that collects transportation maps and apps for Chicago and other cities to help you get from here to there. [via]
The NYTimes explores the use of race as an enrollment criterium in the Chicago Public Schools and what changing to a different criterium might mean.
For better or worse, the Bears are going play some football this afternoon thanks to hundreds of Baltimore employees -- and 125 convicts.
Just-launched Fashion Heist focuses on "making fashion attainable." Become their friend on Facebook and/or Twitter and get a deal on your first order. [via]
Homemade candy, that is. This week's Drive-Thru feature will take you to a magical place where candy canes are plentiful and easily made in your own kitchen...
As the city celebrates the centennial of the Burnham Plan, On Earth examines how urban planning has played out in the suburbs.
Chicago Art Magazine would like the Art Institute's Modern Wing a lot better if it wasn't so confusing to navigate.
As the Bears continue their descent into the NFL's basement, if ever there was a time for some Mike Ditka wisdom, it's now. And Tailgate's got it, thanks to Brian Lauvray's video interview with "Da Coach." Check it out and behold the power that is...Ditka.
CellStories has five short stories from author Joe Meno -- including a brand-new one on Christmas Day -- which you can only read on the small screen in your pocket.
Around the country, approximately 67% of job misconduct events are reported by government employees, while in Chicago, only 50% are.
Cliff Doerksen reminisces about an out-of-favor holiday treat in this week's Reader feature, which doubles as an intro to his new blog on historical oddities.
The mayor floats and idea sure to be as popular as the parking meter privatization deal. Hopefully we'll get a chance to discuss it a little longer than that one.
In a couple of months the FCC presents congress with the National Broadband Plan; a road map for delivering high-speed internet to all Americans and closing the speed gap between the US and much of the developed world. So far the plan has received "mixed reviews." Get your two cents in during a public hearing [pdf] Monday at the Gleacher Center.
The Found Footage Festival rolls into the Lakeshore Theater Friday and Saturday with its collection of random bits of film, such as how to be a real man.
A century ago, Bell & Howell's (click the Company History tab!) HQ and factory was located on Larchmont Avenue, where they made Filmo movie cameras. Tough, dependable, and, in some cases, quite lovely, Filmo cameras were the preferred brand among filmmakers in the early days of motion pictures.
According to the Environmental Working Group, Chicago's water supply had a bit more radium in it last year than you'd ideally like. Plenty of other stuff, too. And we have the 34th best "big city" water in the US. [via]
The New Colony and Sideshow Theater Company each won $25,000 in the Chase Community Giving competition that recently ran on Facebook.
If tonight's GB Holiday Party doesn't appeal, maybe you'd rather take a step back to the mid-'70s with Steppenwolf. Tonight only, the theater is converting its Garage into Merle's Place, the setting of David Mamet's American Buffalo, and welcoming you in for free with RSVP.
The increasingly misnamed Big Ten conference, headquartered here, is looking to add another team to its collection -- or maybe three.
Chicagoans appear to be imbued with holiday spirit and decorating like mad fools. Local retailers report that decorative lights have been flying off the shelves this season.
Who should be Chicago's next mayor? a new survey asks. [via]
Don't text your girlfriend that there's a man with a gun in the bank if there isn't one.
The folks behind PrairieMod have created FanGuide Tours, offering printed Prairie School architectural guides to Oak Park and River Forest -- and now iPhone tours of Chicago's architectural wonders.
Local writer Tiffany Meyers gives Canada's Globe and Mail an overview of Fulton Market's mix of fashion, design and food.
Diehard Democrats may want to check out this commemorative Swatch watch from the 1996 Democratic Convention in Chicago.
If you count Caterpillar as a Chicago area company, Chicago comes in even on this list of the 50 best and 50 worst companies to work for in 2009 according to Glassdoor.com, a job-hunting site. On the best list: Kraft (#12), CareerBuilder (#26) and CAT (#35). On the worst: United (#2), KMart (#15) and Panduit (#17).
Apparently the University of Chicago has been holding onto a fake illustrated Greek copy of the Gospel of Luke since the 1930s.
Apparently Nightcrawler and Wolverine are fans of "This American Life" -- or at least they are in a new X-Men comic written by ex-Chicago comedian and playwright James Asmus. UPDATE: Asmus confirms: Nightcrawler turned on the radio.
Ever wanted to run a quarterly womencentric pop-culture magazine? Well, here's your chance: Venus Zine has put out the feelers (and by "feelers," I mean an ad on Craigslist) for a new editor in chief. This comes on the heels of their September announcement that it was closing its doors for the time being.
Travel to Chicago...in 1948. [via]
Forgotten Chicago takes a look at some of the city's most memorable neon signage. (Further reading about Lincoln Avenue's famously neon-lit motels in our archives.)
A documentary on the life of Nelson Algren -- titled simply Algren -- is set to debut next year. The trailer has just been released. [via]
The USDA raided Frontera/Topolobampo/Xoco and plan to visit North Pond -- on the basis of sharing a meat supplier with two North Shore guys who make and sell their own bacon and sausage, as reported in a recent Reader story by Mike Sula. UDPATE: Or maybe it wasn't the USDA. Sula's updated the story.
Tonight's Cinema Slapdown at Columbia College is a special treat for the Elvis fans: a screening of Viva Las Vegas at 7pm, followed by a debate featuring noted Elvis impersonator Rod Blagojevich.
If you missed the BBC's broadcast from WBEZ, you can check it out on the BBC website, along with photographs and other material.
There are some interesting CTA tech tidbits in this article, including a not-so-satisfying explanation of why we don't have a "train tracker."
Groupon competitor YouSwoop officially launches Thursday. Crain's Enterprise City has an interview with founder Alexander Lurie.
Yo Yo Ma has accepted a creative consultant post with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
A good present for Chicago expatriates: a silhouette of the skyline they can put on their wall.
Congratulations to Puiji, a Beluga whale at the Shedd Aquarium, who gave birth yesterday morning at 6:36am. The calf is 5 feet 4 inches long and weighs 162 pounds. No word yet on a name. [via]
Ever wonder what Chicago looked like, streetwise, before the Great Fire? Here's a map. [via]
Firebelly's Reason to Give returns for another year, raising money to help the needy in Humboldt Park.
Sky Full of Bacon takes you behind the scenes at Hoosier Mama Pie Company.
It seems heading back to Hyde Park is hard to do when you're President of the United States.
Hideki Matsui will be going to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Rumors had been floating around that the White Sox were courting him recently.
Red Hen Bakery and eight other shops along Milwaukee Avenue are displaying CTA Bus Tracker arrival times for the 56 bus on in-store screens, so you don't have to wait outside in the cold.
Just a reminder that the Gapers Block Holiday Party is this Thursday, Dec. 17, from 7 to 10pm at Black Rock. Come celebrate the season with us and complimentary Half Acre beer! RSVP on Facebook and bring your friends.
It's not exactly B.J. and the Bear, but a former Chicago and his animal friend are on a journey west for fortune and charity.
GB alumnus Sandy Weisz just launched a puzzle blog on ChicagoNow/RedEye. Does your mother know the answer to his first puzzle?
Ariana Huffington, of the eponymous Post, will be speaking at Columbia College on Jan. 27. It's free, but you'll have to RSVP -- and if you want a seat, you better do it soon.
The Bears are now officially out of the playoffs, thanks to a 21-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers yesterday. Tailgate gives you tips on how to spend what should now be your free time on Sunday.
Planning saving your digital photographs, important papers and pretty much anything else can be complicated, so you may want to check out the documents created by the Chicago-based The Society of American Archivists.
Sadly with so many news reports of school age children dying violently in Chicago there is seemingly little novelty in the latest such tragedy. However the the DCFS director happens to be the victim's former baseball coach and he makes some very insightful comments about the issue in general.
You've heard of TED, right? Well, next March you're invited to TEDx Naperville.
If so, you're in luck if you want to pick up some handmade goodies for gifts. The Indie Arts Market will take place on Saturday at Schuba's Tavern and Christkindlmarket runs until Christmas Eve. But after that? You may be stuck buying gift cards at the grocery store.
Chicago magazine's Jeff Ruby hates New York in song.
Forget about Patrick Kane returning to the scene of the crime. Tonight's Blackhawks-Buffalo Sabres game is all about measuring how far the Hawks have come. Jeremy Piniak tells you what to watch for in Tailgate.
Keep your eye out for 500 red cubes scattered around the city as part of the Art Institute's "500 Ways of Looking at Modern exhibition. You can also make your own.
If these gift guides didn't grab you, perhaps you'd like to surprise the art lover in your life by adopting one of the dots in "A Sunday on La Grande Jatte." The Art Institute is celebrating that painting's 125th birthday with this unique fundraiser. They'll send you a commemorative button in the color of your dot and a description of its location on the painting. Order your dot with this PDF form.
We've (mostly) just been posting interesting gift ideas as we find them, but plenty of other publications are getting all formal about it. Here are gift guides from Chicagoist, The Reader, Time Out Chicago, New City, Chicago Magazine and Chicago Free Press.
Bike racks don't have to be generic metal brackets simply bolted to the ground, or even now-useless parking meters. The Village of Algonquin is looking for artistic types to design new bike racks for the community. Get the info here.
True/Slant columnist James Finn Garner tells us why we should hurry up and put Chicago 2009 in our rearview mirror.
If you keep Kosher, you can now enjoy Tootsie Rolls, DOTS and many other Tootsie Roll Industries candies. Oh, and their website has some classic commercials you'll likely remember fondly.
Charges against the woman who was arrested for taping a couple minutes of New Moon at her sister's birthday party have been dropped.
Starshaped Press' poster, "Chicago is still my kind of town."
Despite months of trouble, the Chicago Spire's construction may resume shortly if a proposed deal between the development company and union funds goes through.
U of C philosophy professor Martha Nussbaum talked to The New York Times Magazine about ideas, faith, and leather.
A Naperville doctor was woken from a nap aboard a flight to Salt Lake City to deliver a baby. Mother and child are doing fine, but the doctor is a little sleepy.
The Nokia flagship store on Michigan Avenue will be leaving the Magnificent Mile as it retools its overall business strategy. Experiences like this might be part of the problem.
The Dalai Lama's favorite musician is cellist and Northwestern grad Michael Fitzgerald. Esther Cepeda interviews him about opening for His Holiness.
Both Chicago Mag's dining staff and The Reader's Mike Sula posted their picks for 2009's best cookbooks today. Good gift suggestions for the cook in your life.
The Chicago Foundation for Women is requesting nominations of local men and women "whose leadership and achievements are making the world better for women and girls."
Well, they dropped another one last night, this time a 118-83 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. So what the heck is wrong with the Bulls? Tailgate's Brian Lauvray conducts an autopsy.
Chicago's own Justin Roberts leads kids with the ease of the Pied Piper, without the rage-inducing personality of Raffi. We sit and chat with him over in Transmission.
WBEZ is trying to do an investigation of the state's juvenile prisons, created three years ago to separate children from adult prisoners, but the Quinn administration won't grant them access.
Some of you have probably given Jamba Juice a lot of your money over the years. Now the company will give something back to Chicago: free skating at Millennium Park this Saturday (for the first 200 people).
The frigid temperatures have revealed the latest insult in the parking meter debacle: They don't like the cold. Reports of frozen, inoperative meters are coming in from all over the city.
As LTHForum readers are lamenting, Healthy Food Lithuanian Restaurant will close December 15.
In GB's early days, we got lots of inquiries about WBEZ's traffic reporter, Abby Ryan -- particularly as to what she looked like. We don't haven't seen the same requests regarding Sara Jindra, but if you were curious, here she is giving a video look into the traffic reporting center.
About 30 of the city's greatest makers of handmade goods will be gathering this Saturday at Empty Bottle for another Handmade Market. The sellers will help you you pick out a few gifts for others, or yourself. And one of the best parts of this show is that you get to sip a tall frosty something while you peruse fantastic products. If you don't leave with full shopping bags, you may leave inspired, or at least a little tipsy.
Super-cheap travel purveyor Megabus is currently offering free fares for the first 100,000 people to book trips between Jan. 6 and March 10, 2010, using promotional code "GETAWAY." Even with a 50 cent booking fee, you could get across the country for less than a CTA ride. [via]
Find out in the latest edition of The Dog Show, now in Drive-Thru.
R.Kelly is working on a memoir. It's as yet untitled, leaving satirists with a golden opportunity to shower him with suggestions.
The woman accused of attempting to record the movie New Moon at a Rosemont theater is facing three years in prison, but she has a surprising defender: the movie's director.
What does an architect's gingerbread house look like? The Trib finds out -- and lets you bid on the results or make your own. (Thanks, Dee!)
The Sun-Times reports that an ice-skating rink adjacent to Wrigley Field is expected to open next week.
If you know of the Verbatim Verboten series of performances, you know that they consist of local authors and actors performing off-the-record moments from the private lives of famous people (think Martin & Lewis for "The Caddy" and Britney's rant in Rio). And if you're a fan of the show, tonight's your special night, as Verbatim Verboten kicks off a new series with a HUGE show (over 50 actors scheduled to appear!). Details in Slowdown.
The Brookfield Zoo has unveiled a new $27 million habitat called the Great Bear Wilderness Exhibit.
Illinois General Assembly Legislative Scholarships can be awarded to just about any student -- even lawmakers' families -- with little or no oversight, an investigation by a team of Columbia College Chicago journalists in collaboration with Illinois Statehouse News found. Read even more coverage on ChicagoTalks.org.
Chicago blog aggregator Windy Citizen is throwing "An Ugly Christmas Sweater Party" this Thursday, Dec. 10 at Black Rock Bar. Meanwhile, Chicago culture blog Chicagoist is having their Holiday Party/ Canned Food Drive the same night at Sheffield's. Maybe make it to both via the Brown Line? Ours is the following Thursday, Dec. 17, also at Black Rock Bar, so mark your calendars.
The Huffington Post's been busy networking major American cities' Twitter presence, with Chicago growing pretty fast in Local News, Sports and People list categories. See if your favorite Twitterers made the cut, if not suggest them.
If you can get your boss to let you off a little early today, you might want to: the snow is already coming down, and with wind gusting up to 35 MPH, it's going to be a fun one on the roads and CTA.
Have a friend who's a Cubs fan and a Transformers geek? Here's that person's perfect gift.
Drivers, go vote on what kid's art will grace your windshield next year. [via]
Wesley Willis's Joy Rides, a documentary about Chicago folk artist and rock star Wesley Willis, is now out on DVD -- and is streaming on Pitchfork.TV all this week.
Former Bulls star Luc Longley won an eBay auction for naming rights to a new shrimp species found off the coast of Australia, not far from his home town. He named the colorful shrimp Lebbeus clarehanna after his 15-year-old daughter. Think you've got a better name? Tell us in Tailgate. [via]
GB fave Brian Ulrich presents a collection of shuttered shopping malls over at The Morning News.
Over at Mechanics we look at the results of a study researching the prevalence of wage theft among low-wage workers in Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. As you might expect, the results aren't good.
After all of this talk about Tax Increment Financing districts, are you curious about any TIFs located where your building resides? If so, check the Cook County Clerk's Office. For an example, here is Payton Chung's distribution.
For the second time in a week, the entire west campus of UIC (Ashland to Damen) is without power, with the exception of the UIC Medical Center, which is running on a generator. The upside: studying for finals via candlelight is so romantic. UPDATE (10:45pm): electricity restored, but heat and hot water are not working.
Web2.0 spelling aside, Tgethr is an "anti-fancy" email collaboration app developed by the local folks behind Inkling Markets.
24/7 Wall Street lists Motorola as one of its 10 brands likely to disappear in 2010.
Late Friday afternoon, The Reader's Ben Joravsky and Mick Dumke posted the infamous "Shadow Budget," the list of allocated and proposed uses for $500 million a year in TIF money that City Hall has previously refused to release to the public. If you've ever been skeptical of the benefits and propriety of TIFs, well, you have some good reasons to be. Download the budget as a PDF here.
Taking a page (or is that card?) from à la card Chicago, the new Drink Deck gives you 52 $10 gift certificates to Chicago bars of all sorts.
Gov. Quinn says that a decision on whether to house the Gitmo detainees at the Thomson Correctional Center will be made by President Obama this month.
That's right, one year ago today Dec. 9, Gov. Blagojevich was arrested by the FBI. Blago celebrated yesterday on his radio show by talking about the break-in at his lawyers' offices.
...And other Chicago sports-based poetry from the Chi Town Project.
The NYTimes covers cellphones and the industry's drive to keep people chatting on them when they shouldn't. Interestingly, the piece shows a photo of a 1983 event at Soldier's Field, when Ameritech executives (huge trench-coat fans, apparently) gathered to watch the first cellphone call.
Dr. Mitra Hartmann wants us all to know about the amazing sensitivity of rat whiskers.
Should you be in the mood for a couple of lobsters, truffles, or a "giant wheel of brie," look no further than the Chicago French Market. We've got a first look report in Drive-Thru.
Tired of freezing your hand off in order to use your touchscreen device in the cold weather? Here's a clever Instructable for making a conductive glove finger. [via]
It seems a computer containing undercover recordings from the Blagojevich corruption investigation were stolen from the offices of the attorneys defending Blago.
CoalGram.com ships a stocking's worth of anthracite coal anywhere in the country for $10 flat -- and gives 15 percent to the charity of your choice.
Via The Reader's Michael Miner, behold the Illinois State News service.
When you see Up in the Air (and you should), keep your ears open during the wedding scene for a song by Lincoln Square's Sad Brad Smith.
We visit the annual holiday outdoor market in Daley Plaza and it's the wurst -- in a good way! The details are in this week's Drive-Thru feature.
Chicago's Christmas Ship is both an actual ship and a charity, providing Christmas trees for needy families. The Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw performs this mission at Navy Pier today from 1:30 to 5pm. (You can help via donations or simply by purchasing Goose Island's Christmas Ale.)
Writer, director, actor and DePaul alum John Cabrera shares a memory from his illustrious temping career in Chicago.
In these lean times, Chicago Public Library usage and circulation is up. Unfortunately, the hours at many facilities are being cut back.
For those with a long memory, the mayor's plans to bridge the digital divide sound awfully familiar.
Chicagoland (the whole metropolitan area, not just the city) comes in a clear third in this set of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the country. [via]
Speaking of Ira Glass, here he is in LEGO form. (A couple more Chicago/Illinois faces in the CubeDudes flickr pool, too.)
If you enjoy National Public Radio shows and podcasts like This American Life (and all the others,) there's now a quick and easy way to support them: Text the word "LIFE" to 25383 to make a one-time donation of $5, which will be added to your mobile phone bill.
The Trib reports that his work as the founder and executive director of Interfaith Youth Core has netted Eboo Patel the $200,000 Grawemeyer Award.
The Bean, a 5MP carabiner camera made by suburban-based Argus, fits the adage "the best camera is the one that's with you." Its little cousin, the BeanSprout, is just $14.99 on Target.com in either yellow or red.
Interesting collection: Marina City's year in photos, 2009. [via]
Gubernatorial candidate Dan Hynes tweets that today in 1818, Illinois was admitted to the Union.
Residents of the CHA's Lathrop Homes, set to be demolished to make way for a mixed-income development, say the'll pull a Tiananmen Square and block the bulldozers.
Interested in knowing more about crime and problem spots in your neighborhood? You may want to sit in on a CAPS meeting, a monthly opportunity for citizens to trade information and report issues within each police beat in the city. (Inspired by a comment by Mary in our current Fuel question about gang activity.)
Gatorade may be commonly associated with Florida; it is, after all, named for the state's university mascot. The company that manufactures it however, good ole Quaker Oats, is based right here in Chicago and just so you know, we're standing by our number one pitch man, Tiger Woods.
Speaking of gift-giving, the 2010 edition of à la card Chicago is now available, giving you 52 $10 gift certificates to local restaurants for just $30.
Funsherpa promises to help you find fun experiences that make good gifts for you or someone else.
And the Burr Oak saga continues...
But it's easily as funny and/or offensive.
The Chicago Department of Transportation has created a bike rack finder, sortable by zip codes.
(h/t: Julia Thiel)
The first Left 4 Dead videogame featured a bit of graffiti stating: "NO ZOMBIE IS SAFE FROM CHICAGO TED" (allegedly based on similar, nastier graffiti found in an Indianian men's room). Thank God for the Internet. Despite not appearing in the actual game (or its sequel), Ted has developed a mysterious and vicious zombie-killing legend nonetheless. Who is Chicago Ted? We may never know. But we can imagine.
Tons of new artists and bands just listed shows coming to Chicago, according to the Reader's Early Warning concert listing (a lifesaver for any concert-goer), including Alice in Chains, Bowling for Soup, Jack's Mannequin and why not, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, to name a few.
Hate crimes are on the rise for LGBT youth in Chicago's south and west sides (in neighborhoods such as Englewood and Roseland) when Youth Pride Center members come home from the Hyde Park-located community center. Chicago Free Press looks into this unsettling trend and how it's related to LGBT legislation's prominence in the news.
The Adler Planetarium unveiled today a 4-foot by 180-foot mosaic made up of more than 800,000 images of the Milky Way. It's the world's most detailed picture of our galaxy, and it's now on permanent view at the museum and online. [via]
A bizarre hobby has locals playing with lightning, or rather, Tesla coils straight out of Dr. Frankenstein's lab. The Tribune looks into these Masters of Lightning and this shocking sect of pop culture.
Scared Panda is a new t-shirt company putting a twist on the standard Threadless model: submit a design and if it's picked you get $100 and a shirt -- and the charity of your choice gets 10 percent of the profits. Their first design is an homage to the Tamale Guy, which benefits Esperanza Community Services.
The winter overnight parking ban has been in effect for just two days, and the City has already towed 398 cars -- 234 the first night and another 164 yesterday. In case you're wondering, here's a list of streets to steer clear of.
Unfortunately they're sold out, but what's the story with these Hot Chip t-shirts featuring R.Kelly in a DEVO hat? [via]
Wish the stars were better aligned, but this Chicago flag soap is still pretty awesome.
Happy 150th Birthday Georges Seurat! Well, there are worse things/Than staring at the water on a Sunday.
The RedEye is increasing its circulation from 200,000 to 250,000, making it the largest daily newspaper in Chicago and one of the largest in the nation, Kevin Pang notes.
Sam Zell is no longer the CEO of Tribune Company. He's not totally disconnected though, he remains Tribune's chairman.
The cover of the new World Almanac and Book of Facts 2010 has a decidedly Chicago feel, with Barack and Michele Obama and White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle (he of the perfect game) on the cover.
Senator Durbin is hosting a briefing of the Illinois Congressional Delegation today to discuss the possible transfer of Gitmo detainees to the Thomson Correctional Center in Thomson, IL.
The New York Times picks up on the troubled existence and continuing saga of the Block 37 project, despite the recent opening of the Puma flagship store there.
The latest in the Third Coast Audio Festival's Listening Room series is tonight, and focuses on Chicago "Sound Drops." Author Stuart Dybek joins as co-host for the free event.
Former Chicago Inspector General David Hoffman is trying to portray himself as an appealing-uncorrupt-outsider candidate in the race for President Obama's old senate seat in a new ad.
Today Cook County Commissioners followed up on their promise to reduce the county's sales tax to 1.25%.
The Second City celebrates its 50th anniversary with a series of insanely expensive shows Dec. 11-13. Since you probably can't afford to get in, Time Out's multi-story feature in this week's issue might be the second-best way to get to know the many faces who've graced that famous stage.
This week's Transmission feature is served up a bit early, to give you a chance to see tonight's Homolatte performance at Big Chicks in Uptown.
The A.V. Club Chicago's Andrew Reilly creates a very North Side-centric list of El stations the CTA should close. Predictable comment flamewar ensues.
John Paro is a med student at the University of Chicago. He also has a web site, MedSchoolRock, that "is dedicated to bringing entertaining and informative songs/videos about medical education." [via]
WBEZ web editor Justin Kaufmann is looking for Bears jokes (as if the team's play wasn't enough of a joke itself.) If you've got some, share then here. OK, two Bears walk into a bar...they forgot to duck. Hey-oooo!
Hey all of you 3G slugs, step aside. Comcast launched its new 4G highspeed internet service today in the city today, joining Philadelphia, Atlanta and Portlant, Oregon. Just think of it...porn delivered at blazing speed!
In Mechanics, Ramsin Canon interviews Ald. Manny Flores about the City's budget and other issues facing his West Side ward.
The Department of Natural Resourses will be poisoning a six-mile stretch of the Sanitary & Ship Canal this week in hopes of killing off invasive fish species -- and the Asian carp in particular, before it gets a foothold in Lake Michigan.
Loneliness can be contagious and spread through social networks, according to research from the University of Chicago.
You may not want to eat at Champaign-Urbana's most famous drive-thru, although you can if you want.
