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African Lions, Chicago, Endangered List, Endangered Species, Food, Illinois, International, Lion Meat, Lions, NPR, Travel, Zoo

Culinary Flirtation

In Chicago, Food, News, NPR on March 28, 2013 at 1:57 am

Illinois of all states is leading the push to ban lion meat, yes, lion meat. Apparently food enthusiasts are on the prowl for good lion, but at what cost to the lion population? NPR takes a look at the trend, its consequences, and how Illinois is a main player. Read the story here.

An Arizona restaurant sold lion meat burgers in 2010 in an attempt to drum up business during the World Cup soccer tournament held in South Africa.
Matt York/AP/npr.org

“Turns out that Illinois was really the key actor in it all, both in terms of acquisition of lions, slaughter of lions and then, ultimately, the packaging of lion meat.”

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Chicago, Chicago Defense, Cold War, Curious City, Fort Sheridan, Missile Launch Sites, Nike Missiles, WBEZ

Chicago’s Cold War Missile Launch Sites

In Chicago, History, International, NPR, Politics, WBEZ on January 23, 2013 at 5:40 pm

WBEZ in Chicago recently launched Curious City, where Chicagoans submit their curiosities about the city and surrounding area – and CC does their best to answer. Recent inquiries have included “did Al Capone really have secret tunnels throughout the suburbs?” and “where does all the Lincoln Park Zoo animal waste go?” (I’d never thought about it, but was indeed curious for the answer).

This week, Curious City discusses the question “What happened to the Nike Missile sites around Chicago?” During the Cold War, Chicago had several missile launch sites scattered about the lakefront, including at Belmont Harbor. The story of the Nike Missiles, how they got here and where they went, is a fascinating piece of forgotten Chicago history.

IFC Radar Towers at Promontory Point, 55th St & South Shore Drive
[Courtesy of Michael Epperson / wbez.org]

1961 map of Chicago missile sites
[wbez.org]

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Aaron Swartz, internet, Internet Activist, MIT, QuestionCopyright.org, Reddit, rss, Technology

A 14-year old Aaron Swartz

In Chicago, Morning Shift with Tony Sarabia, NPR, Technology, WBEZ on January 14, 2013 at 4:56 pm

In 2001, at 14-years old, wiz-kid Aaron Swartz gave an interview on WBEZ’s Eight-Forty-Eight about the user’s changing roll in the exchange of information on the internet. A fascinating, bright, and fearless internet activist, Aaron’s untimely passing this weekend has us all mourning his exceptional life and brilliant mind.

15 yo Aaron Swartz and Lawrence Lessig at the launch party for Creative Commons in 2002. / courtesy wikipedia.org

In a 2007 speech called “How to Get a Job Like Mine,” given at a computer conference, Swartz gave such advice as “be curious,” “say yes to everything” and “assume nobody else has any idea what they’re doing either.”

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brain waves, Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, EPOC Neuroheadset, Music, Science