Researchers at the University of Chicago and Cornell University have created a robotic arm that uses a different approach to grabbing and throwing objects. more ›

Recently, Numero Group wrote a blog post explaining why they decided not to participate in Apple's newly unveiled iCloud service. Will other labels follow their lead? more ›

This is the most bizarre futuristic beat-boxing-related video we've ever seen. And we dig it. more ›

Last week's announced plan from Governor Blagojevich to tear down Cole Hall has been met with great backlash amongst state lawmakers, NIU staff and students. An email sent yesterday from Northern Illinois University President John Peters to students and faculty put a hold on the Governor’s plan and called for campus-wide discourse regarding the fate of the 40-year-old building. Peters said the future of Cole Hall should “represent a consensus opinion” of the university community. more ›

Finally! The CTA is introducing new machines that let you buy transit passes with your debit or credit card. Welcome to the future, CTA! By "the future" we mean "the present" or "several years ago." But welcome, nonetheless. more ›

But [Village Manager Mark] Rooney and [director of economic development for Wheeling James] Lang said the village never intended to stop anyone cooking for their church or any other religious organization. more ›

Bulls GM John Paxson is having about as much luck these days as fellow Jerry Reinsdorf employee Kenny Williams. While the Sox have been unable to add a marquee center fielder to their roster, the Bulls keep keep coming up short when trying to land a player who can be the centerpiece of their franchise. more ›

Image credit: Nature abhors a vacuum more ›

A week after their North Side counterparts held their annual convention, the White Sox will hold their SoxFest this upcoming weekend at the Palmer House Hilton. While Cubs fans were concerned about the future of the Cubs ownership and fate of Wrigley Field, at least when it came to the players on the field there was near unanimous optimism. more ›

It's not just your suburban-bound friend's condo that's taking longer to sell -- the Cubs sale is proceeding slower than Sam Zell predicted due to real estate uncertainties as well. more ›

$15 million buys a nice apartment, especially in the future. Shelbourne Development has officially open a sales office for the 1,194 residences in the Spire, the upcoming architectural marvel and source of an absolutely endless number of wiener jokes. Units—zing!—are priced at around $1,400 per square foot; according to the Trib, most luxury condos in Chicago cost between $750 and $1,100 per square foot. And...our eyeballs just turned to dollar signs. more ›

You know how you always feel a little guilty for downloading a record for free, if you actually like that band and wanted to (in theory, anyway) support their careers? more ›

Having tasted the Holy Grail of coffee in October, we were curious to see how some also-rans fared, in comparison. By chance we came across a second place winner from last year's Nicaragua Cup of Excellence while making our monthly bean run at our local coffee shop. more ›

Wow, Alderman Tom Tunney has been having an interesting couple of months. First he gets a ticket for talking on his cell phone while driving and may have received special favors from the police department, then he makes a sweet deal and moves his flagship Ann Sather's, and now it's being reported that Tunney was the victim of an attempted holdup yesterday afternoon just a block from his 44th ward office. more ›

Chicagoist demanded it, and Lovie listened. When the Bears face the Minnesota Vikings next Monday night, Kyle Orton -- our favorite drunky QB -- will once again line up under center. With a 5-8 record and three games to play, it's time for the Bears to start planning for the future. Rex Grossman's contract is set to expire, and he's done little to make the Bears want to commit to him for the long term.... more ›

If you were born before 1985, when you hear the phrase "Kids in the Hall," you probably think of the semi-popular 80's T.V. show. So last week when we got a press release about Kidz in the Hall, we just thought some wacky kids just couldn't spell. We were wrong! Kidz in the Hall is a local rap group who were lucky enough to have their song "Work to Do" chosen as a theme song... more ›

Yesterday was the 20th anniversary of the death of Harold Washington. The Chicago of 1983 was very different from the Chicago of 2007: factories were shutting down, and white middle-class homeowners were leaving the city in droves, taking their property taxes and urban stability with them. An alarming upswing in crime and drugs, coupled with escalating racial tensions left many Chicagoans nervous about the future. Richard J. Daley had been dead for seven years, and... more ›

In Los Angeles, LAist most definitely celebrated Thanksgiving like no other. After all, one has to keep up all the energy to keep on walking the line at the Writers Strike and fighting the unfortunate return of the wildfires in Malibu, which single handedly destroyed over fifty homes within the first 24 hours. National outlets may be covering the fires, but CNN also found it is easier to buy a gun than fruit and... more ›

I'm bringin' Rexy back That other boy threw just as many picks I think Rexy's special... he's my quarterback He can turn around our team or I'll take the flack So maybe Lovie Smith didn't perform a parody of Justin Timberlake's hit song, but the Bears' head coach did announce to the press on Wednesday that he was changing quarterbacks again and that Rex Grossman will start when the Bears face the Seattle Seahawks on... more ›

In an interview in today's Sun-Times the Reverend Donald McGuire, who was convicted of molesting two boys at Loyola Academy in the 1960s and now faces federal charges of traveling overseas with a minor to engage in sexual conduct, said that he's appealing an expulsion decree levied by Chicago Jesuits to the Vatican and that, regardless of Rome's final say, he will "always be a priest." This despite criticism from numerous people, including a nephew representing McGuire's accusers. more ›

If you'd like to witness the next time Mayor Daley is at a loss for adjectives, but can't find time in your schedule to go see him speak on the issues live, Chicago Public Radio's got your back. The audio isn't the best on the reporters, but pump up the volume on WBEZ's website to hear the Q&A portion of Daley's press conferences, which the station will be posting as a supplement to regular City... more ›

The Hyde Park Co-operative Market has faced some trying times recently. They closed their 47th Street location in 2005, but are still paying rent on the empty store space due to a lease in which they're locked in until 2023 that's held by Certified Grocers, who also serves as the co-op's supplier. While they've been paying rent on the 47th street location, they're a year behind on rent at their 55th Street store (note: Adam... more ›

The Chicago Innovation Awards were announced today, and sure, everybody loves Threadless, but we were pretty geeked about some of the other winners: Permeable, light-reflective "green alleys" can help cities reduce heat costs and better manage ground water. A molecular diagnostic test helps physicians closely track different strains of HIV. A fuse that can fix itself means people don't lose power--nor do they have to pay for crews to come repair blown lines. And who knew Radio Flyer wagons were the wave of the future? more ›

We've been thinking about reality television a lot these past few weeks. It occurred to us that we should keep tabs on our Chicago folks slaving away in front of reality cameras non-stop to bring us endless hours of mind-numbingly tasty television. With that, Reality Check was born. America's Next Top Model This week on ANTM the girls learned to walk. Ms. Jay showed up in a very Ellie Driver–meets–Alice In Wonderland outfit that was... more ›

Today's National Park(ing) Day, a nationwide public arts event that celebrates America's parks — and reminds us all about the need for green space in cities. Volunteers turn a metered parking spot into a tiny park for the day in the hopes of demonstrating that parks are awesome. Too bad one of Chicago's installations was shut down after half an hour. Luckily, more are still going. There's one at Milwaukee and Leavitt, and one at... more ›

Protest over national vs. regional chains, the never-ending debate over the place of cars and bicycles in our metropolises, professional sports scandals, remembering a solemn day, and being issued a search warrant - it all happened across our sites this week! Another banner week at Chicagoist started off with daily reports from food writer Lisa Shames on her attempt to eat only locally grown and raised foodstuffs all week as part of a farmers market... more ›

Is lead that inexpensive? Some toy stores are being hurt by Mattel's massive toy recall, and others are actually watching business boom. Mayor Daley introduced a proposed ordinance Wednesday calling for increased parking rates at O'Hare International and Midway Airports that would generate about $24 million in additional revenue a year. (They're really working on cranking out the ordinances, hey?) Sounds like the plot of a creepy movie ...a convicted murderer whose sister-in-law helped... more ›

Shawn Campbell, CHIRP more ›

In other news, Blagojevich says that he will cut $500 million from the budget and spend more on a health plan he favors. Yesterday, Cook County Commissioner and once and future candidate for Board President Tony Peraica announced that he would run for Cook County State's Attorney in 2008, which current three-term State's Attorney Dick Devine will be vacating at the end of his term. "It's time for Cook County to have a State's Attorney... more ›

Would Hollywood make a movie about a swingin' 70's housewife, complete with musical numbers? Or a documentary about New York City's Union Square in the days immediately following 9/11? Would Hollywood make a movie about Thax? more ›