The Sound Opinions at the Movies series is one of our favorites right now, happily perched at the very busy intersection of pop music and popular movies and hosted by two genuine fans who clearly love what they're doing. They've gone about as far back into the past as they can to pull their latest title, Jailhouse Rock. The King's star is rather dim these days, and it's good to give him some love, but can't help being disappointed they picked the third-best movie to do it. more ›

• The City Council Transportation Committee O.K.'d a plan to allow companies to display holiday-themed displays on bridge houses even if specifics like the actual size of the displays haven't yet been determined.
• Cocaine and PCP were found in the bloodstream of a local one-year-old boy after he apparently chewed on a piece of tinfoil laced with the drugs.
• While flooding clean-up continues here, our neighbors to the north in Milwaukee are facing their own post-flooding hardships.

• Former Sun-Times owner Conrad Black has gone free on $2 million bond.
• Another step towards re-election for Mayor Daley?
• Details have been announced for the Old Town School of Folk music's expansion project.

Another one for the You Can't Make This Stuff Up File. Columbia College's Cinema Slapdown series (a film screening followed by a pro/con debate between two participants) has included some pretty choice movies. Showgirls was quite memorable, but on December 16 things will be taken to a whole new level with Viva Las Vegas. In a stroke of genius, the Elvis Presley/Ann-Margret musical will be defended by no less than Rod Blagojevich himself. His opponent? Film & Video faculty member Dan (“Elvis has left the building!”) Rybicky. It's Elvis' gaudiest movie (duh) and includes a mesmerizing bit where Ann-Marget sheds an enormous fur coat to reveal ... well, we don't want to spoil the surprise. more ›

Wondering what to get that obsessed Elvis fan for Christmas? If you have deep pockets, you may want to check out the auction being held this Sunday by Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. Over 200 items - from photos to autographs to sweat-stained clothes - will be auctioned off. The headline item, though, seems to be a clump of Elvis' hair. There's no projection for how much the hair will go for, but a few years back a similar clump sold for $115,000. We're betting Blago really wishes he had that kind of money right about now. Check out all the items being auctioned. Many of the items come from "Gary Pepper Collection of Elvis Presley Memorabilia"; Pepper ran an Elvis fan club and eventually befriended Presley. [AP, Tribune] more ›

We mentioned over the weekend that former governor Rod Blagojevich, when not setting up his website that still refers to him as "governor," was making an appearance at Elvis Night and singing "Treat Me Nice" without a trace of irony. Well, here's the proof. Kind of makes you want to order one of these shirts (original link via Gapers Block). more ›

It seems Lollapalooza wasn't the only musical treat happening in Chicago yesterday. Former governor Rod Blagojevich was on hand to perform the Elvis hit "Treat Me Nice" at an annual block party near the Magnificent Mile last night. more ›

Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies, 610 S. Michigan, Jan. 8, 7:30 p.m., $10. more ›

We've written about the onetime powerhouse lineup of the Loop, AM 1000 in a previous flashback. It's almost sad to see that, twenty years later, Jonathan Brandmeier never outgrew his "Wait'll Otis sees us" Delta House on-air persona (though for some it still works), Kevin Matthews became a right-wing nut and Garry Meier just imploded. more ›