Have you ever wondered what the 16th President of the United States was doing on your birthday, 150 years ago? Finally, fans of Abraham Lincoln will be able to figure out what the famous president did throughout his life without having to dig through dusty historical archives. Thanks to a new searchable online database run by lovable nerds at UIUC, the database is based on a book that was published in cooperation by the Lincoln Sesquicentennial Commission and by the Abraham Lincoln Association, titled Lincoln Day-by-Day: A Chronology. more ›

Usually when we're walking along the streets of Boystown, the area's history is all too frequently lost on our bar- or brunch-focused minds. But a brand-new walking tour highlighting the gayborhood, presented by improviser Margaret Hicks of Chicago Elevated, lends a deeper, historical perspective to the area known for its overwhelming gayness and well-endowed rainbow pylons. more ›

On the 201st anniversary of our 16th President's birth, let's share a little time with one man who bears a striking resemblance to Honest Abe. more ›

As what would be former President Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday approaches (Thursday, February 12, to be exact), the U.S. Government has decided to honor him in multiple ways. First, the Library of Congress has released a handful of Lincoln and Lincoln-related portraits to Flickr's Creative Commons group ahead of the opening of their new Lincoln exhibit, "With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition," opening, appropriately, Thursday. We've picked out some selections below, but you can check out the whole set for yourself here. more ›

While, we always thought that the debate was pointless, speculation over where Springfield is actually set has raged throughout the 18 years of the Simpson's existence. The creators in "Behind the Laughter" have insinuated that it is probably somewhere in Kentucky, but it was based largely on Portland, OR, where creator, Matt Groening, grew up. For the most part, we are content with Springfield being Anytown, USA, allowing the creators to make it whatever they want for a particular episode. more ›

Wow. Snow. That's messed up! A virus has killed a bunch of fish in the eastern Great Lakes and it seems to be heading this way. Chicagoland mayors think that the state should pick up more of the bill for public schools. Abbott Labs has more than halved the price of its HIV drug to poor countries. The state wants to get its mitts on some Abe Lincoln artifacts, including a stovepipe hat valued... more ›

Don't Kill a Dream, Save a Life: Bring in a gun, get a hundred bucks. 42,000 pounds of unprocessed pork spilled in an accident and closed an IL highway. Unforch, the driver was killed. Would Evanston be better off if it were a part of Chicago? The National Merit Scholarship announced its first round of 2006 Merit Scholarship winners. 47 are from the Chicago area. NYT had an article on a study conducted by... more ›

It’s a bad sign when even watching the news makes you miserable. While the flood waters have started to recede along the Gulf Coast and positive stories are emerging about Katrina survivors reunited with their families, the 24/7 aftermath coverage and Oprah’s inspired but rather graphic reporting have worn us down. As we approach the anniversary of another tragedy, we will set aside time to reflect but still plan to get on with our weekend.... more ›

Tied for First Place: Wendy McClure more ›

Just a reminder - Now is your last chance to get in your submissions for the Land of Lincoln photo contest. The deadline is this Saturday at midnight. more ›

Just a reminder: Only 15 days left to get your photos of Abe Lincoln in for the Land of Lincoln Photo Contest. All submissions should be emailled to lincolnphotocontest@gmail.com. If you win you'll get prizes and your friends will think you're cool, so what are you waiting for? more ›

It's the biggest shopping day of the year, so we thought we'd offer you all some shopping tips. We say "all," and we mean "serious, serious Abraham Lincoln aficionados." Tis the season, mofos. more ›