The end of the year is rapidly approaching, which means it's time for Merriam-Webster to light the world on fire with their pick for 2007 Word Of The Year. This year's winner is...drumroll please..... W00t? We would have picked l33t talk years and years ago maybe, but this year? If we were going to pick something "techy," it probably would have been LOLCat or cheezburger. And Chicago word of the year would have to be... more ›

For those of you who've wanted to visit Chinatown this weekend might be just the time. The Year of the Dog is upon us and that means that the annual Chinese New Year Parade strolls up Wentworth with its Chinese dragons, marching bands, and politicians glad-handing the parade watchers (we're placing even money on whether Jim Oberweis shows up trying to buy potential votes with milk). There's plenty of places to catch a quick bite... more ›

A smorgasbord for the mind, the 2005 Chicago Humanities Festival has rolled into town. This year’s theme is Home and Away, concerning “the role that ‘place’ serves in the creation of our sense of rootedness and belonging.” Sounds like Pretentious-English-Major-speak, but an impressive slate of writers, musicians and performers are addressing such hot button issues as globalization, mobility, national identity, and bridging regional differences. Most tickets are $5, a bargain that ensures many sold out... more ›

It's big. Very big. more ›