Ask Amy
Ugly divorce chills housewarming plans - September 20, 2011 - Dear Amy: My parents separated when I was a senior in high school. They had an ugly divorce.
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Fred Mitchell's Around Town
Dempster makes pitch - September 20, 2011 - Ryan Dempster still has a few goals to achieve on the mound as the Cubs season winds down, but the veteran right-hander is more intent on completing a greater cause.
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Barbara Brotman
Brotman: Show encourages viewers to see the world from a fresh vantage - September 19, 2011 - Did you know that the facade of the Old Navy store on State Street is decorated with lights shaped like world globes? That whoever painted parking instructions on a Loop alley wall also painted fanciful green leaves? That if you look up at a...
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Steve Chapman
Why Obama should withdraw - September 18, 2011 - When Ronald Reagan ran for re-election in 1984, his slogan was "Morning in America." For Barack Obama, it's more like midnight in a coal mine.
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Teddy Greenstein
BMW Championship should be last for Cog Hill - September 10, 2011 - Cog Hill will open its doors this week to 70 world-class golfers not named Tiger Woods.
David Haugh's In the Wake of the News
Bears must keep Martz on short leash - September 20, 2011 - Please return Mike Martz from the coaching booth to the sidelines while Jay Cutler still is ambulatory instead of in an ambulance.
Melissa Harris' Chicago Confidential
Chicago Confidential: At Fed, Mazany puts human face on Chicago's foreclosure crisis - September 19, 2011 - Seven times a year, the nine-member board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago meets in the most secure building in the city, in the bowels of LaSalle Street, where millions of dollars in worn-out cash are shredded every week in the basement.
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Globetrotting by Philip Hersh
Running leaders shoot the sport in the foot - September 20, 2011 - Why not have a women's marathon world record category for days with 39 percent humidity?
Jon Hilkevitch's Getting Around
Suburban train crossings prove most deadly - September 19, 2011 - Death by train is mostly a suburban syndrome in the six-county Chicago area, according to a study that said the problem disproportionately involves smaller municipalities, adults crossing railroad tracks and suicide victims.
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Ask Rex Huppke: I Just Work Here
Bullies bad for bottom line - September 18, 2011 - As a species, it seems we're doomed to interact with jerks.
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Chris Jones
With Rick Bayless in 'Cascabel' at Lookingglass, food really becomes theater - September 20, 2011 - Rick Bayless is adding another leaf to his already formidable repertoire of celebrity chef, researcher, author, TV host and all-around culinary entrepreneur focused on the cuisine of Mexico.
Gregory Karp
Comparing health insurance plans to become easier - September 16, 2011 - If you've tried shopping for health insurance, you know how frustrating it can be, because much of the language isn't in plain English and too often the actual costs are hidden or unclear.
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John Kass
Obama's Solyndra scandal reeks of the Chicago Way - September 18, 2011 - The Solyndra scandal cost at least a half-billion public dollars. It is plaguing President Barack Obama. And it's being billed as a Washington story.
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Julia Keller
Less than meets the eye - September 17, 2011 - A friend of mine was fired from her first job as a TV newscaster. Her crime? She was, the news director told her with a straight face, "distractingly voluptuous." He'd considered several remedies — tying back her thick reddish-gold hair,...
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Rick Kogan's Sidewalks
Prime rib, a relish tray -- it must be a supper club - August 26, 2011 - The supper club, as defined by Bun E. Carlos, drummer for the band Cheap Trick, is "meat and more meat … lots of beverages … locally or family owned … a real special thing."
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Greg Kot
Nirvana, Pearl Jam revisit era-defining music - September 18, 2011 - Nirvana: “Nevermind: Super Deluxe Edition” (Geffen)
Gail MarksJarvis
Rally eases stock losses - September 18, 2011 - You'd think we'd be feeling better.
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Nina Metz
Chicago Close-up: Hitch's classics and 2 near-misses - September 16, 2011 - Among the many Alfred Hitchcock films that have become ingrained in pop culture, two lesser-known titles on are the bill for this week's Hi-Def Hitch Film Fest at the Wilmette Theatre, offering a rare chance to see them on the big screen.
Clarence Page
Ron Paul's harsh definition of 'freedom' - September 18, 2011 - Let's be fair to U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. Contrary to a widespread impression, the libertarian-minded Paul did not say during a recent Republican presidential debate that people without health insurance should be left to die. It is only his...
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Michael Phillips
'Night Moves' kept adults in mind in pairing crime, movies - September 16, 2011 - Opening this week, "Drive" is the latest film to tell a story located at the intersection of the Hollywood film industry and underworld crime. The character, Driver, played by Ryan Gosling, makes his living as a part-time stunt driver for the...
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Mike Mulligan
Poor play real culprit wrecking Bears offense - September 20, 2011 - Quarterbacks always have been under siege in the NFL and the position seems more hazardous than ever two games into the 2011 season.
Mary Ellen Podmolik
NVR in stealth mode in Chicago market - September 16, 2011 - NVR Inc., the nation's third-largest homebuilder, isn't making much noise about it, but the company just stuck its toe in the local homebuilding sandbox.
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Dan Pompei
Nelson a force for Packers - September 20, 2011 - For the Bears defense, it may be a case of pick your Packers poison on Sunday.
Howard Reich
A great jazz festival takes root in Hyde Park - September 20, 2011 - Rarely has a Chicago musical institution grown as dramatically and impressively as the Hyde Park Jazz Festival.
Phil Rogers
Another successful season for Sandberg managing Triple-A - September 17, 2011 - Ryne Sandberg has done it again.
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Phil Rosenthal
BlackBerry doesn't get Envoy's message - September 17, 2011 - The Envoy offered a vision of the future, but those in charge at Motorola failed to grasp its message.
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Ameet Sachdev's Chicago Law
Pending patent overhaul divides Chicago lawyers - September 9, 2011 - Google Inc.'s $12.5 billion deal to acquire Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. is evidence of the importance businesses place on patents. But there is a problem with the U.S. patent system.
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Mary Schmich
Three women and the Emmys - September 18, 2011 - Faith and Jill Soloway have spent the past week in a basement dressing room of the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles with their old Chicago friend Jane Lynch, cracking jokes that, for better or worse, you will not hear on the Emmys Sunday night.
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Dawn Turner Trice
For HIV counselor, prevention begins with self-esteem - September 19, 2011 - Ten years ago, when Evany Turk's doctor entered an examination room to tell her that she'd tested positive for HIV, she was devastated.
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Phil Vettel
Fixed-price lunch at Blackbird great deal - September 19, 2011 - Who eats: This West Loop dining room pulls in business types, a surprising number of students and the occasional mild-mannered reporter.
John von Rhein
Ludwig rocks! Inaugural fest a barrier-blasting banquet of Beethoven (and others) - September 20, 2011 - The music of Ludwig van Beethoven has been inextricably woven into the standard classical repertory for so long that it's easy to take that music for granted. Indeed, Beethoven cycles and festivals built around his music have become commonplace...
Ellen Warren
Plus-size ladies' wish lists for shopping zen - September 16, 2011 - What do women want? That's a question for the ages. Let a roomful of psychologists figure it out.
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Jen Weigel
Cybercrime: A billion-dollar industry - September 20, 2011 - Are you protecting yourself from getting hacked? Think you're not at risk? According to a recent Norton cybercrime report, 431 million adults in 24 countries experienced some type of cybercrime over the past year, which is up 3 percent from the...
Jon Yates' "What's Your Problem?"
Problem Solver: ComEd bill, service both register zero - September 19, 2011 - Carole Busick has no idea how much electricity she used last month, but she's pretty sure it was not the amount printed on her ComEd bill: zero.
Eric Zorn
Legal victory would be a PR defeat for teachers union - September 16, 2011 - Losing this legal battle would be better for the Chicago Teachers Union, though it would stand to weaken its position should similar fights erupt over other issues in years to come. Graciously surrendering now would be best.
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Julia Allison: Social Studies
How does fashion wear social media? - September 13, 2011 - DEAR JULIA: I follow your Twitter and see you're in New York for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. I'm a big fashionista myself and I'm curious to know how the industry feels about social media.
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Matt Bowen
Pressure defenses can be beat with reliable No. 1 receiver - September 19, 2011 - Want to beat a pressure defense in the NFL?
Dennis Byrne
How to save a sinking business - September 13, 2011 - This open letter is based on an interview I conducted with a contractor who's desperately trying to keep his head above water. He isn't named for obvious reasons.
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Meghan Daum
Save the nation — buy now - September 16, 2011 - Remember the famous Stanford marshmallow study of 1972? It asked children at a campus nursery school to choose between eating a marshmallow (or a cookie or a pretzel, depending on their preference) right away or waiting while the researcher stepped...
Don Dziedzina
Archery season hinges on Know your bow for archery season Arrow pointng up for archery season - September 16, 2011 - The archery deer season is only two weeks away, and the prospects look good. I'll be heading to Franklin County in Southern Illinois.
Leah Eskin
Word of the day - September 18, 2011 - Words come in handy so often, we've decided to stock up. At breakfast, we click the vocabulary app. At dinner, we hand out points for usage. It's the sort of project that can fritter away the whole week.
Ilyce Glink
Better to take loss and find better home? - September 19, 2011 - Q. I am 32 years old and earn $63,000 a year and invest 8 percent of my salary into my company's 401(k) plan. I have $90,000 in cash in the bank. I also have a $45,000 certificate of deposit earning 4.5 percent that matures in 2 years.
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Jonah Goldberg
Debate jars Perry out of sweet spot - September 15, 2011 - Mitt Romney and Rick Perry are exactly where they want to be.
Benny Kass
Does foreclosure wipe out all liens? - September 18, 2011 - Q: In a recent column you said that "a foreclosure by a first-trust (lender) will wipe out any subordinate liens." But that is not necessarily the case, is it?
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Joyce Lain Kennedy
Find right company contact for job - September 18, 2011 - Q. I'm getting conflicting advice about identifying the person with whom I should pursue employment inside a company. You always seem to know the right answer. Help? -- J.S.
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Charles Krauthammer
A Ponzi scheme that should be fixed - September 19, 2011 - The Great Social Security Debate, Proposition 1: Of course it's a Ponzi scheme.
Dan McNeil
Bears remain a good investment - September 15, 2011 - Chances are excellent you've heard that the key to smart investing is a diverse portfolio.
Robert Pagliarini: Your Other 8 Hours
Get over yourself! - September 6, 2011 - Nobody cares about you. Furthermore, nobody thinks about you, watches you, keeps track of what you're wearing, or notices the words you mispronounce. And yes, this is wonderful news! Why? Nearly all of us, nearly all the time, are deathly afraid...
Kathleen Parker
Planet of the godly - August 30, 2011 - WASHINGTON — Rick Perry's rapid lead over previous Republican front-runner Mitt Romney was predictable. But it is not a good sign for Republicans hoping to reclaim the White House and further highlights the crucial battle within GOP circles:...
Mark Pearlstein
On condo leases, declaration is decisive - September 9, 2011 - Q: I am the treasurer of a small condominium association. We provide our house rules to each owner. The rules state that no more than three units will be rented at any given time. Our declaration does not state anything about limiting the number...
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Leonard Pitts
News flash: Congresswoman has a spine - September 1, 2011 - I am pleased to report the sighting of an artifact so rarely seen among Democrats that it has become the stuff of legend and conjecture, like Bigfoot or the Loch Ness monster. It is called a spine.
Janet Portman
Tenant fired up over neighbors' outdoor grilling - September 16, 2011 - Q: I rent an apartment in a large complex. My lease prohibits "outdoor cooking of any kind" except in the picnic areas near the pool and children's play areas. But this provision is routinely ignored by residents, many of whom have small...
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Dean Richards
Matt Damon takes a cue from 'Contagion' - September 9, 2011 - LOS ANGELES — Stock up on surgical masks and rubber gloves. When you see the new Matt Damon movie "Contagion," I promise that you won't want to touch anyone or anything. The film follows the spread of a virus from China all over the world,...
Daneen Skube: Interpersonal Edge
Men, women and workplace communication - September 6, 2011 - Q. Don't men and women approach communication differently? Are you recommending techniques in your column that work for men better or women?
David Sobolewski
'We had bigger goals' - March 21, 2011 - Obviously, the Benet team and community had an extremely rough time with the unexpected end to the season.
Joe Trost's Corner Kicks
Boys soccer | Joe Trost's Corner Kicks: Libertyville checks off first goal - September 20, 2011 - After second-place finishes in the Pepsi Showdown and Class 3A state tournament in 2010, Libertyville entered 2011 determined to make it a season full of firsts.
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Mary Umberger
Multigenerations, one home - September 16, 2011 - For many of us, and for many reasons, home is getting to be a more crowded space.
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Bob Weber
Vehicles often share roots - September 10, 2011 - Q: The owner's manual for my lawn tractor emphasizes that I use straight weight SAE 30 motor oil. Why can't I use the same oil that I use in my cars? And, why is straight weight oil more expensive? — R.R., Round Hill, Va.
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George Will
Question time for the Republicans - September 5, 2011 - WASHINGTON — Wednesday's Republican "debate" in California will not resemble the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates, in which one candidate spoke for 60 minutes, the other responded for 90 minutes, and his opponent had 30 minutes for rebuttal....