Music
History vs. Hollywood
Though adapted from a zealously factual book, Public Enemies takes the usual liberties.
By J.R. Jones
Politics
On the Hook
Did Mayor Daley ever really believe the public wouldn't have to pay for the Olympics?
The Works by Ben Joravsky
Music
Learning to Mourn Michael
A trip to his boyhood home makes the world's most alien superstar seem human again.
Sharp Darts by Miles Raymer
Food &
Drink
Indonesian Tonight?
Anjin Mamiri, the latest addition to Chicago's ethnic dining pool.
Omnivorous by Mike Sula
Media
Lost in Cyberspace
The peculiar challenges of archiving newspapers in the Information Age
Hot Type by Michael Miner
The Arts
A Museum in Sleep Mode
Pending better financial times, the Spertus cuts its hours to two and a half days a month.
The Business by Deanna Isaacs
Theater
High Raunch
The accomplished vulgarity of 500 Clown's latest, 500 Clown and the Elephant Deal, at Steppenwolf.
By Tony Adler
Theater
Off the Island
In Boleros For the Disenchanted, now at the Goodman, José Rivera asks: can love survive the loss of enchantment?
By Albert Williams
Lit
Wandering Jews
A short-story collection follows Iraq's former Jewish population across borders and oceans.
By Rayyan Al-Shawafl
Blogs
Film
Chi(a)nimation All-Stars
Ed M. Koziarski - Friday at 11:37 am
"Mustachioed perverts in a spaceship fire upon a deformed, nude woman daily" in Lale Westvind's "Flesh Gun," screening in Chi(a)nimation All-Stars Sunday at Nightingale.
Politics
Better late than never
Mick Dumke - Thursday at 7:49 pm
Aldermen hold another hearing on the parking meter lease deal. Their conclusion: it still stinks.
Performance
WildClaw Theatre extends Deathscribe deadline
Albert Williams - Thursday at 6:41 pm
Festival of radio plays seeks "scary, chilling, intelligent, suspenseful, horrific, imaginative or downright grotesque" scripts.
Chicagoland
Indicators to watch out for
Whet Moser - Thursday at 5:31 pm
The FDIC closed down five Illinois banks today.
Chicagoland
Good news on the Web
Whet Moser - Thursday at 4:36 pm
Awesome local Web-based projects from locals Daniel Sinker, Daniel X. O'Neil, and Harper Reed.
Film
Quiet time
J.R. Jones - Thursday at 4:23 pm
The Silent Summer Film Festival releases its 2009 schedule.
Music
"All Together Now" on the el
Miles Raymer - Thursday at 3:42 pm
An excellent music video takes the improbable form of a Budweiser commercial.
Straight Dope Chicago
Is early summer in Chicago getting cooler?
By Cecil Adams
The Straight Dope
Did astronauts train in ecological wastelands on earth to get used to the barren moon?
By Cecil Adams
Savage Love
At the bottom of all these sex scandals—Sanford, Ensign, Spitzer, et al—is our unnatural fixation on monogamy.
By Dan Savage
Letters
I am quite partial to Star Lounge; however, I don’t think it was given a fair shot in the article.
>> Send a letter to the editor
Ink Well
This week's crossword: Special K (PDF)
By Ben Tausig
City Council Guide
Your City Council Now more than ever, it's important to follow what our 50 aldermen are up to. Are our representatives up to the task of telling the mayor "no" once in a while, or, better yet, of coming up with an alternative vision of Chicago government? Read our guide and decide for yourself what their prospects are.
By Ben Joravsky and Mick Dumke
You Shoot
>> Submit Your Photos
Chicago 2016: the Olympics
An archive of Ben Joravsky's reporting on Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympics, plus his open letter to the IOC.
Neighborhood Guides
Ukrainian Village & East Village
From the Archive
The Whole Hog Project The best way to save the endangered mulefoot pig is to eat it, so the Reader bought a pig. Here's the whole story, from beginning to dinner and beyond.
TIFs Reader columnist Ben Joravsky has written extensively on the issue of TIFs, or tax increment financing districts, their virtual lack of oversight, and their devastating effects on city services. A free archive of his TIF stories is here.
Barack Obama The Reader goes way back with Barack. Here's an archive of stories about or concerning him, including Hank De Zutter's 1995 profile.
Police Torture Reader staff writer John Conroy was the first journalist to report that there was a pattern of police torture at Chicago's Area Two headquarters. A free archive of his stories on the subject is here.
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