Unemployment, Wage Stagnation, and the Balance-Sheet Recession
Research by a University of Chicago economist makes a connection between household debt and unemployment, an important piece in the puzzle of the Great Recession.
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Bill Daley's Rough Term as White House Chief of Staff Is Over
A year after taking the job—and a couple months after being semi-demoted from the day-to-day tasks of the job—the youngest Daley brother steps down from Rahm Emanuel’s old job.
The Five Most Important* Chicagoans You've Never Heard Of**
From Chicago’s Mr. Tornado to the muse of cognitive dissonance: the five most interesting (to me) people I wrote about in 2011.
Valerie Jarrett 'Dedicated Her Life' to the Obamas; Plus, More Details from Jodi Kantor's New Book
Last week, I posted a Q&A with Jodi Kantor, author of The Obamas, a new book about the First Couple. Here is the final part of the interview, in which Kantor discusses Barack’s time at Columbia University, Michelle’s secret trips to Petco and Target, and key Chicago figures such as Valerie Jarrett and Desirée Rogers.
In Praise of the Junco
The little slate-colored birds are one of the great pleasures of snowy winter days by the window—and as game theorists, fine examples of Pareto-optimal efficiency.
Politics: Actually, Just a Game of Telephone
“White” vs. “what” vs. “wet” and “black” vs. “blargh”: linguistic traps for candidates to avoid. But sometimes a letter will accuse you of bias against Canadians, and only Woodward and Bernstein can save you there.
Why Chicago's Winter Is So Warm Right Now (Probably)
One possible explanation for why it’s in the mid-50s in Chicago today: space weather! Scientists are looking into the possibility that sunny weather on the sun creates warm winters in these parts.
Kantor on the First Family's Private Quarters, Encounters with Sasha and Malia, and Laura Bush's Tip for Michelle
In 18 months of work, the New York Times correspondent conducted 200 interviews, many with high-level West Wing aides, and gained unprecedented access to the East Wing. Her new book is out next week, but Kantor gave me some fresh insights and anecdotes.
Jodi Kantor Goes Inside the Obamas' Marriage in New Book
INSIDE THE EAST WING: A new book pulls back the curtains on the First Couple
Chicago's Parking Meter Debacle: Back in the News
Los Angeles is about to find out there’s no such thing as free parking, as it embarks on a radical, rate-raising meter scheme. But unlike Chicago, they’re keeping their meters.