Events

More Hofstra photos are coming soon. Before I get to those, here's an image from my drive home from O'Hare this afternoon. It's the last Cabrini Green high-rise in its death throes: The site, on Division between Halsted and Larrabee, contained the last two high-rises of a blighted urban complex that covered over 2.5 sq km and had some of the worst crime in the city. The Encyclopedia of Chicago describes the history: The large new apartments and large swaths of recreation space failed to mend the area's...

I visited my alma mater for a reunion of Chronicle alumni today. I think I last saw the campus in 1999, though I might have seen it as late as 2003, but it doesn't seem that recent. No matter; except for a couple of buildings that sprouted from the North Campus parking lots, everything looks just enough like it did when I lived on campus that I feel vaguely weirded out right now. Walking into the Chronicle office, which looks pretty much the same (except with bigger computers and younger editors), made...

There is no reason for this post beyond the obvious:

Someone has put something in the water today. News organizations seem to have made some surprising discoveries today: American Public Media's Marketplace reports that the French government has started measuring ennui in addition to GDP. The Economist published a chart this morning showing, among other things, China has overtaken the US in brisket rubbing. One hopes it wasn't a dry rub. Google has introduced a new interface for GMail based on body motion. Donald Trump appears to have jumped on the...

AA 366 LGA-ORD; finished in London

Via Gulliver, Air New Zealand has a new safety video, which isn't quite up to the bar set by their previous one:

Youtube contributor hatinhand has compiled 71 movie spoilers:

The Chicago Tribune reported today that coyotes living on the North Side sing along to ambulance sirens: In a posting on his website, Ald. Patrick O'Connor, 40th, says many residents near the hospital have reported seeing coyotes. Additionally, residents have reported hearing what sounds like a chorus of coyotes howling in response to ambulance sirens. Coyotes vanished from the Chicago area by the end of the 19th century, but they've made a comeback in recent years. Alderman O'Connor says the coyotes...

Reader DM commented on yesterday's lament about Inbev acquiring Goose Island Brewery: This is definitely not a good thing, but I don't think it's nearly as bad as people are making it out to be. The brewpubs are reported not to be in the deal (I'm not sure how that is), but that is what I've read. They are also bringing in Brett Porter to run things, who is a pretty good brewmaster from Dechutes Brewery out in Oregon. I've have a few of their brews and they are pretty good. It makes absolutely no sense...