The Annotated: Baha’i Temple

Is it a rocket ship? Was it a refueling station for German U-boats? Does it house a white whale? Those are just a few of the bizarre rumors that have swirled around the Baha’i House of Worship in Wilmette since its completion in 1953 (official answers: no, no, and no). But no matter what the … Read more

The Ups and Downs

This winter’s utility bills present good news and bad news. The good news is that your gas bill should be noticeably smaller than last winter’s, thanks to a strong supply in storage and a mild hurricane season this fall. The bad news is that average electric bills are expected to increase. Here’s a look at … Read more

Meet the Press

Chicago has always been known as a newspaper town. At its peak in the mid–19th century, 11 daily newspapers and 22 weeklies were published here. Now, of course, there are just two major dailies: the Chicago Tribune and the Sun-Times, both of them making news with their own troubles. Tribune Company (which owns Chicago magazine) … Read more

Writers on Record with Victoria Lautman – Martin Amis

At age 24 , British author Martin Amis débuted with his comic novel The Rachel Papers. Nineteen books and umpteen story collections followed, plus two high-profile marriages, five children, and enough international gossip to make Paris Hilton weep. Now this 57-year-old “bad boy of English letters” has morphed into one of the most celebrated living … Read more

The Brain behind Brainiac High

What do YouT ube co-founder Steve Chen, pioneering software engineers Rob and Mike McCool, and a gifted young scientist named Cindy Wang have in common? They attended the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, an elite residential high school in Aurora. Since its creation in 1985, IMSA has been headed by Stephanie Pace Marshall, a nationally … Read more

Seven Questions for…Jim Slama

Age: 46 Location: Oak Park Background: Founding publisher and editor of Conscious Choice; President of Sustain So how “green” is Chicago really?Commissioner Sadhu Johnston of the Department of the Environment is a national leader in urban sustainability and works closely with the mayor to fulfill the city’s green goals. Most of the other commissioners are … Read more

Green Links

How does my lifestyle impact the environment? You can calculate your individual “ecological footprint” by answering a few short questions at the following link: www.earth911.org and enter your zip code. From there, you will find extensive information on your local recycling services. The site also provides tips on what to do with used batteries, electronics, … Read more