Miscellaneous

A lot happened in 2009 and we've had a grand old time running down our top stories of the year. But what happened in 2009 that caught our attention but didn't quite make the cut for our top stories list? In no particular order: more ›

Sure, it seems okay now but as the day goes on, temperatures across the area will plummet. While we're starting the day with scatters snow showers and temps around 30, we'll finish the day (and 2009) with temps hovering around 10 and wind chills below zero. But, hey, the skies will be clearing so we've got that going for us. Skilling is saying it could be as cold as sub-zero lows this weekends but the National Weather Service claims it won't be quite that bad. Either way, it's going to be cold this weekend so get have the extra layers at the ready before you head out to any festivities tonight. more ›

One of the reasons Al Gore invented the series of tubes known as the Internet was so we could share videos of cute animals doing silly things. 2009 was a boom year for such videos and our old Editor, Margaret Lyons - now ensconced at EW - has rounded up the Top 10 animal videos of the year, topped of by our personal favorite, shown below. more ›

An internet poll shows that our own President Barack Obama is the most favored choice of celebrity neighbors. Most interesting is the tie for second place: Sarah Palin & entertainment's lesbian power couple Ellen & Portia. What celebrity do folks NOT want to live next to? Octomom. But the best moment of the entire run-down comes from Obama's real-life Hyde Park neighbor, Bill Grimshaw, who said, "Personally, I'd go for some hot babe, for sure. "But the prestige of living next to the president is wonderful. And the main thing is the security. I don't lock my doors any more." Win. more ›

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We hope you like snow because that's what we're getting today. While it won't be anything compared to what we saw this weekend, we'll see snow showers start up around noon, continuing through the day and into the evening. By the time it tapers off overnight, we could see as much as another inch or so on top of the current layer of snow on the ground. Highs will be in the lower 30s today and falling into the upper 20s tonight. But enjoy that warmth now as 2010 will be ushered in with a new round of cold air. more ›

This week, we're counting down the top 9 stories of 2009 according to the Chicagoist staff. more ›

What ensues when you put a pair of grandmas in front of a green screen? Hilarity. [h/t/ our pal Steve Gadlin of Blewt!] more ›

This week, we're counting down the top 9 stories of 2009 according to the Chicagoist staff. more ›

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U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley got in on the holiday fun last night at the Lincoln Park Zoo by participating in the annual ZooLights fun. What did Quigley do? No less than carve a penguin out of ice. Somewhere, Rahmbo plots how to persuade Quigley use that saw to threaten opponents of the health care reform bill. more ›

It's the opposite of yesterday: instead of a gloomy start to the day, we're getting a bright one today. There should be plenty of sun to go around today and it should help warm us up to the mid-20s around the city today. The clear skies will continue into the overnight hours as lows fall into the teens. more ›

DJ Earworm is back with this mash-up of Billboard's top 25 songs of 2009. Check out the list here. more ›

Not content to just spend money on a billboard, the folks of BearFansUnited are asking fans attending tonight's Bears-Vikings game to participate in a "walk-in," i.e., staying out of their seats until after kickoff. BFU head Andrew Gasser told NBC 5, “That way, when ESPN’s cameras pan across the stadium, it’ll look like no one is there." Gasser told NBC 5 he was inspired by walk outs held by Detroit Lions fans when they were attempting to rid themselves of Matt Millen. Okay, but to compare the current Bears situation to the train wreck that is the Detroit Lions franchise seems an overstatement to put it mildly. If coach Lovie Smith is fired after the season, one coach we know won't be part of talks is Mike Shanahan. more ›

One angry Joliet shopper took his frustrations too far this weekend. The shopper, Juan Varges, was asked to leave the Gonzales Supermarket at 652 Collins St. on Friday and returned later in the day brandishing a taser. Varges allegedly attacked the store's butcher but no injuries were reported. There was no report on whether or not the taser was discharged but Varges was charged with battery, criminal trespassing and unlawful use of a weapon. more ›

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Today through Wednesday, we're counting down the top 9 stories of 2009 according to the Chicagoist staff. more ›

Worried you won't know the best dance moves for this week's New Year's party? Don't worry: the kids of Peanuts have you covered as this clip from "Happy New Year, Charlie Brown!"* shows. more ›

It's a gloom, gloomy morning for those of us heading back to work. There's a pile of snow and slush on the ground an there's no sign of the sun overhead. But we should see some cracks in the cloud as the day wears on and, yes, maybe some sun by the time it gets dark. The trade-off of any sun we may get is the wind. Blustery conditions set in and so will the wind chills. It's going to get cold tonight with temps ranging from the single-digits to up around 10 but the breezy conditions will put wind chills below zero, so be sure to bundle up if you're getting out and about tonight. more ›

Here's a story to warm the heart of even the biggest Scrooge in Chicago, especially in the wake of the violence that happened over this holiday weekend. A Chicago police officer took on the role of Santa for a South Side family dealing with two back-to-back, Christmas tragedies: a fire and a burglary. more ›

With many members of the Chicagoist staff fighting the weather to get back into town, this song seems somewhat appropriate. more ›

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An Aurora man was arrested for shoplifting in an usual manner - shoving meat down his pants. Anthony Collman, 47, was arrested last week for trying to make off with $60 worth of packed meats shoved down his pants. Arresting officers said this isn't the first time Collman has stolen form the store. [WBBM 780] more ›

There's not much to add other than "Enjoy." [via] more ›

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The Blackhawks and Bulls got the holiday off but they're both revving back into action tonight and keep it up through the next week to finish out 2009. Here's what's on tap: more ›

We're taking today off to spend time with our families and friends, to relax and recharge, and enjoy the holiday. Whichever holiday you celebrate, we hope yours is a great (and safe) one. We'll be back up and running tomorrow. more ›

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Chicagoist. more ›

We conclude our nod to the local animated triumvirate with "Suzy Snowflake." more ›

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This weekend, we revisited "Hardrock, Coco, and Joe." Today, the second of the local classic Christmas cartoon triumvirate, "Frosty the Snowman." more ›

Dear Mr. President: more ›

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Before the Muppets did "Bohemian Rhapsody," they joined up with country/folk force of nature John Denver for this twist on a classic. more ›

Today's Moment of Zen: Talking Points Memo brings us Sen. Roland Burris' reading his Night Before Christmas parody, regarding the health care bill, on the Senate floor. [via] more ›

While the Winter Storm Watch that was to go in to effect has been canceled, don't take that as a sign the weather will be easy and clear. On the contrary, it'll still be a mess out there later for those traveling. Just not as bad a mess as was previously expected. No accumulation is expected but a mix of rain, sleet, and freezing rain is going to make the roadways treacherous with an emphasis on potential flooding as rain and melting snow mix together. Highs will be in the mid-to-upper 30s. And the rain will continue off-and-on through tomorrow. more ›

Some Russian animators have envisioned what such a collosal face-off might look like. more ›

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With the health care bill struggling to get passed and two wars still ongoing, President Obama today outsourced the country's economy to the Galactic Empire. more ›

With a hat tip to WBEZ's own Alison Cuddy more ›

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Fresh flakes on the ground makes conditions a little risky out there so please be careful as you make your way around or out of town. As much as three inches could be seen in some areas once all is said and done. The flurries will linger today and highs reach the lower 30s; overnight lows will be in the mid-to-upper 20s. If you haven't gotten out of town yet but plan on it, you might want to look into moving up plans as a system could move in and bring more frozen precipitation, making driving even more treacherous. more ›

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Late last week, Chicagoist reader/Flickr pool contributor sparkyluck shared the above photos in our pool of a series of paintings she recently purchased. She shares her experience in purchasing the photos here but is still unsure of the painter who created them. more ›

It's the shortest day of the year. So take heart, Chicago: from here on out, the days will start to get longer, second by second. And the solstice will be uneventful. Cloudy skies, highs in the mid 30s, pretty boring for the shortest days of the year. Conditions remain the same overnight as lows fall into the upper 20s. The long, slow climb to Spring begins. more ›

Even a transplant (the horror!) like me has lived here long enough to be schooled on the WGN classic "Hardrock, Coco, and Joe." more ›

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Not enough Zach Braff in your life these days? We step back into the wayback machine for this classic viral video, featuring the cast of TV's Scrubs re-enacting the Peanuts Christmas special with their own twist. more ›

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It's a slushy mess out there as wet snow and slush are piling up a bit. Snow flurries could continue throughout the day, mainly lake effect snow, and add up to another inch of the mess that's out there now. Highs will be in the low-to-mid 30s so the slush will stick around for a bit. Be careful out there, cause it's gonna be slippery. Lows tonight will be in the mid 20s and snow showers taper off. more ›

Earlier this week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Local Community Radio Act, which will open the airwaves to potentially hundreds of new low power FM radio stations across the country. The new legislation sets to repeal constraints put on LPFM Radio by Congress in 2000. Any low power station was to follow the “third adjacent rule,” which stated that there must be three empty clicks of the radio dial between stations. If the act is passed into law, those empty airwaves will now be filled with any number of low power stations, which could be used by local community groups, non-profit organizations and religious groups. more ›

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Chicagoist. more ›

Across 2009 there have been a myriad of polls, surveys and reports ranking Chicago's standing against other U.S. cities. Examined individually we find ourselves sometimes nodding in agreement, but pairing our city's 2009 accolades together yields entertaining results. more ›

Christmas is only a week away and Hanukkah is wrapping up so it's a great time whip around the Chicago area for some lovely holiday scenes. more ›

The Cubs unloaded Milton Bradley to the Seattle Mariners. Meanwhile, there was that fire at the Michigan Ave mall this morning. Where do they meet? On the front page of the Sun-Times website where a delay in the site's cache cycling winds up presenting a pretty apt metaphor for the Cubs current situation. more ›

Yesterday, we told you about the polling website Next Chicago Mayor. The responses - both serious and joking - came rolling in. As of this morning, our own Tankboy actually leads Patrick Fitzgerald and Mayor Daley. So what was the real purpose of the site? Who's behind it? We emailed the anonymous creator of the site to find out a few more details. more ›

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We've opened up our Friday with snow flurries here at the Chicagoist office. They won't stick around for long but there may be a few more here and there throughout the day, nothing sticking, though. Highs will once again reach the mid-30s as skies remain overcast. We could see the snow increase a bit in the evening and even start accumulating later tonight, with the possibility of seeing 2 to 4 inches in some places across the area; lows fall to the upper-20s. more ›

Two more computers that were stolen from the office of attorney Sam Adam - who's defending ex-gov Rod Blagojevich - were found sold to pawn shops. Luckily for the Blago, case, though, nothing on the computers was related to the impending trial. Adam told WBEZ: "The good thing is the two computers that we thought had a .01 percent chance of having something on them are the ones that were returned, and there was nothing on there. There were no downloaded files. This case is not in jeopardy of anything coming out." In total, eight computers and a safe were swiped from Adam's office. more ›

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Are you looking for movies with more features? The brand new

Do a quick Google search for “Sex advice” and by the time you're finished typing the “I” the autofill finishes with “for a virgin” and will net you nearly 500,000 suggestions. The word “sex” by itself generates almost 689,000,000 suggestions, most of which are NSFW (note: neither is the search). These days one can find advice on just about anything online, from home buying to humping. This is why we at the Chicagoist were slightly taken aback by a recent column in the Sun Times where a real life Andy Stitzer wrote that he wanted to know how exactly, he should go about losing his virginity. more ›

Jack Bauer + Santa Claus = Genius courtesy of Rebel Virals. [via] more ›

We finish up the first year of the Obama White House with one more peek behind the curtain, via the White House Flickr stream. more ›

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It seems we have to make a deal with Mother Nature: sunny and cold or cloudy and a bit less cold? We'll see warmer temps more in line with Sunday or Monday today as highs reach the mid-to-upper 30s but skies will be mostly cloudy. There's the slightest chance of snow overnight as lows drop into the upper 20s, but a better chance of snow faces us as we head in to the weekend. more ›

"Dammit, I knew I should have started DeSean Jackson over T.O. on my fantasy team. Stupid Rahm's never going to let me hear the end of it..." more ›

A neat animated short that explores the imagination of Elio, a janitor. more ›

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Earlier this week, we mentioned the Christmas Light hotline you could call should you run into problems with your holiday decorations. That hotline is probably really busy right now as Christmas lights are reportedly selling fast across the area, leaving many stores short-stocked. The Tribune investigates: more ›

We're coming out of last night's icy chill and today will be a bit warmer with some sun but still it's pretty damn cold outside, as if Professor Cold Heart himself has a firm grip on Chicago. Highs will still be well below normal as they rise to the mid 20s under sunny skies. Lows will fall into the teens tonight as the Professor's grip loosens a bit, but still remains firm. And there's already a chance of snow by the end of the week. more ›

Boeing's long-delayed (two years) Dreamliner finally took off this afternoon. The 787 made a successful test flight from Everett, Washington to Seattle. The flight test program is expected to last about nine months. [Crain's] more ›

No, we didn't misspell "wrapping." Here's a nice slice of awesome from Kurtis Blow, appearing on the BBC's Top of the Pops in 1980. [via our pal John Fritchey] more ›

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The ice rink that was to open today at a parking lot across from Wrigley Field won't be opening until this weekend. Why? It's hard to believe given last week's deep freeze but the past few days have been just too darn warm. With temps creeping near 40 degrees over the weekend and into yesterday, it seems, according to CBS 2, "the ice did not form correctly." Fortunately, we're all set for another solid cold snap over the next few days so officials are aiming to have the rink - $10 for adult, $6 for kids - open on Saturday. more ›

With the weather being as brass bra cold as it was last Thursday we were simply hoping that a handful of people show up for the reader meetup. As always, you exceeded our expectations, packing both the Beer School bar and back bar at Sheffield's with a large crowd of folks coming and going throughout the night and a great haul for the Chicago Food Depository on a bitter, frigid night. Thanks to all of you — readers, twitter followers, staffers current and former — for showing up. As we've mentioned, this will not be a one-off affair. We will be doing these on a regular basis, so those of you who wanted to attend but couldn't will have another chance. more ›

If you're a driver in Chicago, get used to the image to the right because you'll be seeing a lot of it soon. The image is by 16-year-old Lookman Muhammed, a junior at Lawrence Hall's Therapeutic Day School, and it's been selected as the winner in the city's annual city sticker contest. Lookman was up against several other talented young artists from around the city but city drivers voted his design a cut above the rest. And the rest includes over 300 students from 39 city schools. Lookman was also a finalist in last year's design contest as well. Congrats! more ›

After a bit of a warm up for our weekend and into yesterday, temps are going to slide once more into the arctic range. It's gloomy looking now but the clouds will break and we'll see some sun today. The temps, however, will go the opposite direction. We'll see highs in the low 20s but soon it'll start falling all the way into the mid-teens by evening and into the single digits overnight. The warmer areas will have lows actually hover around ten while further out, lows will be closer to 3 or 4. Throw in some breezes and you'll get a windchill once again below zero. Bundle up. more ›

The kids at Improv Everywhere know how to bring the noise, this time in the guise of handbells. What happens when one unsuspecting Salvation Army bell ringer is joined by a church's handbell choir? A damn good holiday time. Big ups to the Salvation Army guy for playing along. [via] more ›

Having trouble getting those outdoor Christmas lights to shine bright? Is the Christmas tree inexplicably dark? One company in Glenview is making a living by helping those in need of a little tech help to make sure they get the most of of holiday displays. WBBM brings us details of a Christmas Lights Hotline being run by Ultra-Lit. more ›

With the bowls set, buzz has been building over the past few days that the Big Ten is looking to expand to a 12th team for football, the first such expansion since Penn State was added to the conference in 1993. While there's no timetable for the expansion, Wisconsin A.D. Barry Alvarez said last week that the conference is starting to explore some possibilities: "I just think everybody feels [expansion] is the direction to go, coaches and administrators." Alvarez also pointed out a 12th team would lead to a conference split into two six-team divisions and a conference championship game (a la the SEC and Big 12). Conference commissioner Jim Delany was noncommittal about such a move earlier this year, telling ESPN it wasn't, "an obvious move." Delany hasn't responded yet to Alvarez's recent comments. Speculation is already centering on Rutgers to be poached from the Big East as the potential 12th team. Other candidates being bandied about include Syracuse, Pitt, and even the University of Cincinnati as the pipe dream of luring seems to remain just that. more ›

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It's a gloomy, cold Monday morning. The stress of the holidays is in full swing and that holiday break for many of you is still over a week away. Fear not, we've got something that, even if it doesn't make your day better, will at least distract you from the drudgery of your Monday morning staff meeting: Jon Bon Jovi singing a Christmas Carol to R2-D2. The song "R2-D2 We Wish You A Merry Christmas," from 1980's Christmas in the Stars: Star Wars Christmas Album, is (allegedly) the "first professional recording" made by the man who would later sing about Gina and Tommy and the prayer they lived on. If you really want to capture the moment for all eternity - or at least to listen to over and over on your iPod - you can download an MP3 of the song here. Otherwise, enjoy the Youtube'd version below. more ›

Cloudy skies and drizzle are on the menu for the day, though a flurry can't be ruled out. But today should certainly be one of the warmer days we've had in the last week as highs get up into the upper 30s. But there's another round of cold hair behind it for later in the week so enjoy this "warm up" while it lasts and be wary of slick spots on sidewalks and maybe even a street or two. more ›

Remember our interview with Samantha Martin of "Circus Cats"? She's not the only one who's taught felines to do some fancy footwork. more ›

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Cloudy skies, cold temps, and freezing drizzle make for a day worthy of staying indoors. But if you venture outdoors be careful; the slush and drizzle could make for a slippery and hazardous situation on some sidewalks. Highs today will level out in the mid-30's and most of any precipitation should move out during the afternoon hours. Overnight, lows won't go down that much as temps fall to just the lower 30s. more ›

If the rise of the viral video means we get more Muppets in our life, than it's worth all the other crap that makes it out there. Behold, three Muppets and a Christmas carol. more ›

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We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Chicagoist. more ›

Earlier this week we shared with you our Gift Guide, but we're not the only ones with suggestions. Gapers Block's Andrew Huff has a nice round-up of other local sites who have posted their own gift guides on the web. more ›

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We have to admit it; we love the Block 37 concourse that finally connects the pedway between the Blue Line Washington and Red Line Lake stops. It opened just in time for us to be able to avoid the frigid temps this week and walk the entire way to our office without ever surfacing. Only a few shops are currently open, but as you can see from the photos we snapped there are lots more in the works. more ›

We're slowly recovering from last night's awesome meet-up at Sheffield's where we collected a great haul for the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Thanks to everyone who braved the cold to stop by and have a beer next to the fire. We had a blast and can't wait for the next one. And as we catch our breath and get ready to head full steam through today, enjoy this, one of our favorite Christmas songs of all time. more ›

The arctic air is still here, with its hold over the area but things will still manage to warm up a bit today. Well, compared to yesterday, anyway. Thanks to a bit of sun, we could see highs reach the mid-20s in some areas if we're lucky. But beware, that tropical air is going to be countered by some stiff breezes that will still send wind chills tumbling below zero. Clear skies and lows in the mid-teens will make it a brisk night to be out and about. more ›

To get you in the mood for tonight's Holiday Meet-Up, enjoy this lovely little performance by everyone's favorite singing raisins. more ›

We've already mentioned the CTA's annual Holiday Train but let these photos of this year's train serve as a good reminder there's still plenty of time to catch the train in action for yourself! more ›

Forget a live-action version of The Simpsons' famous intro. How about Estonia TV3's live-action reenactment of an "old country" version of the intro? Kudos, kids. [via] more ›

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Oh, WBEZ, aren't you cute with your Carl Kasell, your "Car Talk," and fundraising drives. WBEZ Web Editor Justin Kaufmann, who runs the station's blog which is actually located over at Vocalo (whatever that's about) has decided that the seeming detente amongst the media must end and he's taking to the blogoshphere to wreak havoc. Said the esteemed jerkstore Mr. Kaufmann of this little site: more ›

Lady GaGa's "Poker Face" as performed by the A cappella group Noteworthy of UC-Berkeley. [via] more ›

Insert your "ice cold like [Cub's player]" joke here and lace up the skates, kids, because there's another ice rink opening soon and it's opening at Wrigley Field. The rink, located in the parking lot across the street from Wrigley's west side (along Clark), will open next Tuesday and remain open until the end of February. Admission will be $10 for adults and $6 for kids. The $300,000 cost of the rink will be paid for by a $100,000 from the Chicago Park District, $100,000 from the company Westrec (which operates other rinks in the city), and $100,000 in private donations, including some from the Cubs' new owners, the Ricketts family. more ›

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It's the most wonderful time of the year. Time to buy presents! Which means it's time for Chicagoist's annual gift guide. Even in 2009, with our economy still in, er, "recovery," we're still sweeping up pennies and breaking open the piggy banks to get our friends and families some great gifts, many of them with - of course - a Chicago theme. more ›

So the season's first big snow event turned out to be the season's first snow bust for the city. Of course, north and west of the city, residents are digging out from the snow, but inside we actually have less snow than we did yesterday thanks to warmer temps and rain. Not that we're out of the woods. The rain will eventually change back over to snow and we could see around an inch of snow today, forming a nice slush on the roads. And temps will plummet to the mid 20s by evening rush hour and into the single digits overnight accompanied by gusty winds as the city receives its first blast of arctic air of the season. So watch for ice forming on roads and sidewalks as the standing water freezes over and then tonight as wind chills dip into subzero range. more ›

The first flakes of the season's first big snowstorm are falling just now and we could see anywhere from 1 inch to 4 feet of snow depending on who you believe (and really, we believe only what our eyes see in terms of the weather sometimes). And as that first storm rolls in, Mayor Daley today blamed the media for something else: hysteria over the snow. Thing is...well, he's right. The media does kind of go a little bit overboard. In fact, so much so that they're even self-aware of it, as the videos below show [via the geniuses at EiT]. more ›

We enjoyed yesterday's diversion - the SNL Juggalo parody - so much, we thought we'd go back to the Sudeikis well one more time. more ›

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Last week, word came down that the Tribune's Rick Morrissey was leaving the sports pages of the Trib to join up with the rival Sun-Times. Of course, as soon as Morrissey was out the door, you can guess who's name came up right away in whispered speculation: yep, Mariotti. We've been down this road before and, as Crain's Ed Sherman tells it, while Mariotti may be gung-ho to relocate to the Tribune Tower, the bridge there remains charred and smoking. more ›

Wow and we thought we occasionally had more spare time on our hands than we knew what to do with. Seriously, though, one ambitious gamer has recreated some of Michael Jordan's greatest moments using the video game NBA2K9. Our pals at Tremendous Upside Potential tipped us off to YouTube user MessenjahMatt who has a long list of videos of Jordan's moments meticulously recreated using the game and then synced with actual audio from the original moment. Below is "The Move" from Game 2 of the '91 Finals against the Lakers. Other Jordan moments include his final shot as a Bull against the Jazz in '98 and "The Shrug" from Game 1 of the '92 Finals against Portland. more ›

One South Side teen is learning the hard way what is and isn't okay to do if you're having to take a cold walk. What is okay? Buying a bigger, warmer coat. What isn't? Carjacking a police officer. According to the Sun-Times, on Sunday night, 17-year-old George E. Floyd, "stole an off-duty female police officer's SUV Sunday after beating her because he was 'very cold' and 'didn't want to walk home.'" He then sped off and led police on a chase that ended a few miles later when he crashed the SUV into a parked car. Floyd's attorney, a public defender, says Floyd's alleged confession is a lie. more ›

Thanks to Chicago Flickr Pool member ambjorn for sharing this awesome time lapse of downtown Chicago as a new day dawns. more ›

We've already shared how we feel about Juggalos. This SNL skit parodying that subculture hit our funny bone in the best possible way. If you're unfamiliar with "Juggalos" or just to better appreciate the below parody, we suggest you start by watching this video first (some language NSFW) or at least the first 4 minutes. more ›

L-Stop (hiieeee, Spook) can't wait for the weekend because she's hosting Guys' Night Out. Yes, we realize that sounds odd. But she likes a cold beer along with her Modern Warfare 2 and a girl can't paint her toenails every day of the week. Anyway, some of the Chicagoist dudes are comin' over - Marcus, Chuck, Rob C., Kevin and Benjy. Each is traveling from a different part of Chicago where they live (Gold Coast, Bridgeport, Pilsen, Boys Town, and Lincoln Park), taking a different mode of transportation (The El, CTA Bus, Walking, Cab, Hitchhiking) and each will be bringing something to the party (Beer, Chips, Pizza, Soda, and Ice Cream). From the clues given, see if you can figure out where each guy will be traveling from, how he'll get to L-Stop's place, and what he'll have with him when he arrives. more ›

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Last week, President Obama and his family lit up the National Christmas Tree, a holiday tradition for the President. Joining the Obamas and the Bidens were a wide array of stars including Randy Jackson, Sheryl Crow, Jordin Sparks, and Chicago's own smooth crooner, Common. You can check out more photos here, read Obama's remarks here and watch video of his speech here. more ›

How big of a bunch of dorks are we? So big we've been waiting all year to drop some diversions pertaining to the Claymation Christmas Special, a 1987 holiday special that got replayed over and over for many of us throughout the years. Today, some doo-wop loving camels. more ›

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A funny mash-up between Frosty the Snowman and Niel Patrick Harris from TV's How I Met Your Mother. more ›

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Abundant sunshine makes it a bright Saturday, but there's still a big chill in the air as highs will barely cross the freezing mark. As we head through the day, expect winds to increase just a bit, kicking in the windchill. Lows overnight will fall into the mid-20s. more ›

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Chicagoist. more ›

We're throwing tradition to the wind and blowing everything up as the Chicagoist Podcast Series enters the winter season. This Friday podcast finds us all under a little bit of snow and trying to figure out exactly what the hell might be out there worth seeing this weekend. So this week on the podcast we're commandeering a few minutes of your final day of work during the week (be honest - you weren't doing anything this afternoon anyways) to talk with a couple people involved in some of the more interesting events in the next 72 hours. more ›

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Our pals over at Not Qualified For Comment shared with us this awesome image of a corn maze near Spring Grove. There's also an Illini-related maze you can check out at NQFC. Though we do suggest the maze's creator needs to update that QB; Rex is only a memory most Bears fans would like to forget. more ›

We're off to the coldest start of the season thus far and ti won't get much warmer today. Highs will struggle to hit 30 degrees and a lack of sun will help keep that temp down. There's a chance of some passing flurries, but nothing too big. It'll be a tad windy at times, keeping wind chills into the 20s. The clouds may begin to bring as we head into tonight and lows will fall to around 20. And the season's first big snow could be on the way early next week, right on schedule. more ›

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We thought it might be time for a reader challenge. We're giving you anagrams of 10 Chicago landmarks and asking you to identify them. To make it more interesting and because we just considered going to the zoo again, each anagram is written on a picture of a Brookfield zoo animal. more ›

Special to Chicagoist from Betsy Mikel more ›

Our first chance of snow of the season has turned up...well, nothing. Not that you'll hear most of the staff complain about this, especially as they bundle up. It'll be the coldest day we've had since mid-March, with highs reaching only the mid-30s. And snow is not out of the question, either, as there's a chance of ongoing snow flurries/showers throughout the day. But don't worry: there's no accumulation expected. Lows tonight will drop into the mid-20s as a slight chance of flurries remains. more ›

The space geeks among us at the Chicagoist offices are eager to head over to the Adler Planetarium to check out a new mosaic image of the Milky Way, being unveiled today. We've all seen pictures of our galaxy before, but not like this -- the image is made up of 800,000 individual pictures stitched together, and is comprised of 2.5 billion pixels. Measuring 4 feet high and 180 feet long, it's the most detailed picture of our galaxy in existence, and it is now permanently on display in the lower level of the Adler outside the Definiti Space Theater. more ›

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Why look outside your window when Barack Obama, Dr. Gregory House, Bender, Angelina Jolie, or Bruce Lee can tell you what the weather's going to be like for the next few days? While Chicago weather seems a bit static right now, we recommend clicking on more exotic locales to see our prognosticator's t-shirts and clothing styles change. more ›

It's sunny outside right now, but that'll go out the window soon as clouds roll in as well as colder temps. And along with that? Yep, snow. Though as of now, not much is expected to stick to the ground (forecasts say maybe a half-inch, if even that). Once it turns colder and winds move in later today, a rain/sleet mix is expected first before the switch over to snow sometime tonight. While highs will reach the mid 40s today before the cold moves in, lows tonight will fall into the lower 30s and it won't go much higher tomorrow. Winter's here, folks. more ›

That weird Pumpkin-faced guy is back to dance for Christmas. [via] more ›

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If you've ever looked out the window of the El and wondered what Chicago looked like 25, 50, even 100 years ago, you've no doubt wondered what it would be like to ride the CTA back then as well. In fact, Chicago's elevated train system is one of the oldest in the nation - only New York has an older system, beating us into operation by only a few years. Thanks to the good folks at Chicago-L.org, you can examine, up close and in detail, many versions of old system maps, going back to the late 1800's. So break out the Algren and put on an old-timey movie: we're taking a trip back in time, courtesy of the Chicago L! [via] more ›

The world's current most-famous-not-famous couple - Tareq and Michaele Salahi - appeared on this morning's Today Show and insisted they weren't party crashers. The Salahis weren't paid for their morning appearance according to host Matt Lauer. Saying their lives had been "destroyed," the couple insisted they weren't party crashers. When Lauer pressed the couple on who specifically invited them and a claim by a White House liaison that they were told she couldn't extend them an invite, the couple seemed to insist they were invited but side-stepped a direct answer by saying they were simply working with the Secret Service. Tareq also insisted this was all started by a gossip column and said, "I'm certain we'll be exonerated." In a separate interview with the Today Show, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs - after discussing something about some war happening in Afghanistan - dismissed the couple's claim, saying, "You don’t show up at the White House as a misunderstanding." more ›

With 2009 winding down, you'll see a lot of lists over the next several weeks: best movies, best music, etc. But what about what you searched for on the Internet? We've already shown how much we like fooling around with Google and the folks at Google have boiled it down for us and can show us what the top searches in a number of cities are. Now, before you look at the list and wonder about the absence of such popular searches as "Obama," "Michael Jackson," or "Chicagoist," Google removed those large, nationally oriented searches. According to Google: more ›

December is off to a sunny and mild start today with clear skies and highs projected to be around 50. But enjoy it while it lasts because the rest of the week will a be a slide into the chill with even a bit of snow forecast as the week goes on (accumulation projections range from 0.2 inches to 5.7 inches which doesn't really do us a whole dang lot of good). But, as we said, today is nice so maybe lengthen the dog's walk by 10, 15 minutes. It'll be clear tonight with lows around 40 so still pretty pleasant before the cold sweeps in. more ›