Jonathan Eig has just released his new book, Get Capone: The Secret Plot that Captured America’s Most Wanted Gangster. By all accounts (check the advance reviews at the website), it is a terrific read, bringing alive a slice of Chicago history as vivid as a razor across the throat. Jon allowed me to read a [...]

Go have a gander at my etymological and rhetorical prowess. William Safire wanted to write this column before he died.

Check it out, and if you’re curious about true/slant, browse around the site and tag me as a commentator you’re “following”. It’s the future, baby!! GOP: Justice is more than NYC can handle The announcement from Atty. Gen. Eric Holder that alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four other Guantanamo inmates would be tried [...]

Just posted a little essay at true/slant, reminding all the freelancers and the self-employed to keep some perspective in this hard economic period. There are benefits to being your own boss, but a lot of pitfalls, and we should be good to ourselves so we don’t fall into them. Please check it out, and add [...]

Tired of those messages on license plates that carry messages other than “Live Free or Die” and “Famous Potatoes”? Check out my new post at True/slant. And if you want to do a guy a favor, sign up for a free membership at true/slant, then mark me was one of the writers you’re “following.” The [...]

Okay, the big announcement for whether Chicago will get the 2016 Olympics is due in about 90 minutes. Maybe we’ll get it, maybe Rio de Janiero will be the dark horse/sentimental underdog and pull it out in the end. But in case the Windy City does land the games, I wanted to make a list [...]

true/slant is a very interesting new site for news and opinion. My friend Lou Carlozo has been posting there for a few months now, and he helped me get connected with the site. It’s quite a lot of fun to bounce around and see what the writers are thinking and commenting on one another. A [...]