Over the last several years a lot of people have gotten excited about the potential of drones. Amazon has pushed the idea as a delivery method. There is also a community of hobbyists who enjoy taking aerial footage. The whole thing is probably going to be this decade’s version of the jet pack: a fun idea that … Continue reading Drones Not Likely to Rule Chicago Skies
Defined benefit pension plans, which give a guaranteed payout at retirement, are a mess. That is why they have been diminished or altogether closed in so many instances. They are huge pots of money prone to theft, all it takes is an incompetent investment manager to sustain huge losses, and the high expense level created … Continue reading Public Sector Pension Reductions are Needed
By now people are probably figuring out that working for Uber is not like the TV commercials. Drivers are not happily playing guitar on their couch one minute and in their car working the next. Uber drivers in Chicago have been carjacked and shot. Uber has been embroiled by an endless string of scandals at … Continue reading Rideshare Gone Wrong
The keystone of any great holiday dinner is a high-quality turkey. These days everyone is more concerned than ever with eating healthy food, and that is as is should be. It is hard to imagine how anyone made it to middle age back in the 1950’s. In those days they started every morning with coffee, … Continue reading A Great Place to Buy Your Holiday Turkey
Was the case of Paul O’Neal excessive force? Clearly not. Screen out all the spin people put on the situation and look at what Paul did. He was driving a Jaguar that had been reported stolen from Bolingbrook. When officers tried to stop him he led them on a pursuit. Bodycam video shows he sideswiped one … Continue reading The Absurdity of Paul O’Neal
It is nice when a tradition carries on. Traditions make a community feel solid. The Berghoff, located at 17 West Adams Street, was first opened in 1898. After Prohibition was repealed in 1933 it was issued Chicago liquor license number 1. It is still going strong today. Anyone new to town should put the Berghoff … Continue reading Berghoff Bar: Take Part in a 100 Year-Old Tradition
When the plastic bag ban was approved one question was on our minds here at Practical Chicago: What is the angle? Recently the angle was revealed. Starting January 1st there will be a tax of seven cents per plastic bag at all local retailers. Pretty good setup is it not? Ban the old light weight … Continue reading Did Anyone Really Think City Politicians Love the Earth?
In the last fifteen years or so speed bumps have been installed on many, perhaps even the majority of, side streets in the city. There is a Chicago Department of Transportation program called “Traffic Calming” that is responsible for this. In the end it seems neighborhood residents are paying for the right to live in … Continue reading Side Street Speed Bumps: Where is the Benefit?
There are not many moments that feel like they will stand out in history. Last night’s National League Championship win at Wrigley Field was one of them. The mood in 2003, when the Cubs were just five outs away from their first World Series appearance since 1945, was tentative. This time the crowd seemed to … Continue reading Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Holy Cow!
Graceland Cemetery, at Irving Park Road and Clark Street, contains an amazing Chicago history experience. But you’d never know it from walking by. The high brick security walls keep you from getting a glimpse of what is inside. Many of the prominent figures who built this city were laid to rest in Graceland. Everywhere you … Continue reading Graceland Cemetery: A Hidden Landmark