Mayor Daley pushed back at State Representative John Fritchey's proposed TIF legislation in characteristic Daley fashion - full of bluster and accusation. “Everybody wants to raid something,” Daley told the Chicago News Cooperative. “I’m not going to listen to state government for financial advice. I’ll tell you one thing: The city of Chicago should not listen to the federal or state government for financial advice. We would be bankrupt today. We [should] not listen to them, your state senators or representatives. No way. Look what they’ve done with the state budget and now they’re telling us what to do with the city budget. No way.” Daley didn't limit his attacks to the general assembly, though. He took on (one of his favorite targets) the local news media, telling Dan Mihalopoulous that he wouldn't ask the Sun-Times or the Tribune for financial advice, either. Citing the Tribune's bankruptcy and layoffs of reporters, he pointed out to Mihalopoulous that he "worked there before and they let you go.” Mihalopoulous replied that he quit the Tribune and wasn't laid off. “Oh, didn’t they? OK, well, you were on the waiting list then.” more ›

In my last few rants, I have defended waiters against bad tipping, coupon users and general misbehavior. However, there is one particular server-behavior that drives me absolutely batty. I call it the "waiter monologue." If you've been to a nice restaurant lately, you know what I mean. First, the server asks (sometimes nicely, sometimes condescendingly) "Have you dined with us before, sir?" Honestly, I tend to lie, for I know that if I admit my neophyte status, I will be subjected to a 10 minute long extravaganza of pretension and frippery. more ›

The drumbeat of "news" around Wal-Mart's entry into Chicago's retail market continued yesterday, as the local media continued to print Wal-Mart's press release promising jobs city-wide and wages that start at 50 cents above the minimum wage. And Mayor Daley demanded answers from labor leaders in Chicago for their opposition to the mega-retailer's urban expansion. “They’re up to the highest point that no other retailer pays at the beginning salary. And they don’t pay that in the suburban area. No other retailer has gone that far,” Daley said, before launching into a tirade that Fran Spielman noted hinted at playing the race card, as the mayor did four years ago when he vetoed the so-called big-box ordinance. more ›

Yesterday a series of news reports about Wal-Mart's (latest) attempt to break into the Chicago retail market made their way around the internet. First, the Chicago political class's favorite tool Michael Sneed got a hot "tip" that Mayor Daley met privately with Wal-Mart executives in Oklahoma City during the recent conference of mayors, and that construction of stores in the city would be great, if the evil unions didn't want to kill all the jobs here in town. more ›

I’ve been spending a lot of time reading the recent debates over Groupon and the other group-deal coupon sites. Some argue they hurt small business, some that they can save a business that is on the rocks. I don’t have a business degree, and I’m hardly un-biased - I love cheap food as much as the next customer. Despite the glitz and glamour of my foodie life (I wish!) meals still cost a lot, and it’s hard for all of us. So, I’m a regular user of many of these sites. But I tip on the entire, original bill. more ›

Psst. Got an extra $2500 burning a hole in your pocket? Then head on over to your local Best Buy, where you can buy a brand-spanking new flat-screen 3-D television. more ›

Picture if you will two well-informed dining adventurers. Clad in their safari hats and clutching their Zagat guide - or, dressed in work clothes and clutching a Google map printout - they close in on their prey, their restaurant of choice for the evening. They venture into a strange neighborhood, eyes wide and scanning for an unfamiliar sign. There it is! They crow with victory. Approaching the door, their stomachs growl with anticipation. Inside, the restaurant is awash in inviting yellow light. They pull the handle. Nothing happens. They pull harder. Nothing happens. more ›

Tipping - it’s been one of the great controversies of American dining for years and years. Hundreds of articles have been written about it, every waiter/waitress memoir contains an extensive section on it, and organizations have been formed to oppose it. We could write about 100 rants related to tips and service, and we probably will. Today’s rant takes on an old-fashioned rule of dining: how to calculate the tip. more ›

Time Out Chicago's David Tamarkin tries to write a humorous piece about our obsession with bacon — he thinks it's much ado about nothing — but comes across sounding like Clint Eastwood in "Gran Torino." Thanks, David. You just gave us an excuse to run another shot of our recent pantry meat experiment. [TOC] more ›