Whet Moser

Our neighbors to the north remain embroiled in political controversy, and after a couple months it's just starting to get strange: FOIA fun, false-flag operations, and the aptly named Randy Hopper Read more

A giant model of the Mississippi, in which Chicago plays a resonant role; an essay on infantile anorexia, or what happens when you are born without hunger; and more. Read more

Today the Tribune reported that the Teachers Retirement System, the pension fund that encompasses the state's public school teachers outside of Chicago, is facing its "deepest financial hole in 20 years." But when it comes to pensions, there's no simple measure for "deep" and no good definition of "hole." Here's a look at the TRS and its long history of crisis. Read more

Practically any mention of bikes versus cars on the internet incites a flamewar. It's a curious phenomenon, particularly given the minor threat bikes pose to cars. Nonetheless, I'm convinced that drivers are more afraid of bicyclists than vice versa. Read more

A prehistory of Chicago hipsters, in which we meet Harry "The Hipster" Gibson and Lord Buckley, discuss the important difference between "beat" and "beatnik," and scare the cool kids away from our less-than-fair city with Aristotle and crappy weather. Read more

NPR is the latest outlet to focus on "what some call an epidemic of youth violence in Chicago." It's likely to be an issue as Rahm Emanuel selects new heads for CPS and the CPD. But research suggests that youth violence is as much a matter of public health as anything else. Read more