Whet Moser

It probably wouldn't be all that different—but recent history suggests spending on cops and firefighters would increase. Read more

Chi-rish? Not exactly. Chicago's not that much more Irish than anywhere else. Read more

Monk parakeets are celebrating four decades in the city—thanks to Harold Washington, a threatened lawsuit, and the habitat of Hyde Park. Read more

In the fatal crash last Friday morning—as usual—drunk driving is to blame. All traffic engineers can do is make the road signage as obvious as possible. Read more

Marjane Satrapi's graphic-novel masterpiece is no longer appropriate for tweens in Chicago Public Schools. But how graphic is it? Read more

A Jesuit pope is statistically and theologically unlikely, but it finally happened—and in retrospect, the choice of Jorge Bergoglio makes a lot of sense. Read more

Gay marriage is generally popular in Illinois, but politicians tend to think their constituents are more conservative than they actually are. Is that why the bill is short of votes? Read more

This state is sandwiched in between the nation's biggest meth producers. Here's a look at our local labs—and the problems they cause. Read more