Monday, December 24, 2012
From perennial classics to overlooked gems, here are ten specials Christmas movies guaranteed to brighten your holiday.
The winter holidays are a perfect time for movies. Frigid temperatures and snow flurries make a bowl of popcorn and the warm glow of a television screen all the more enticing. Generations of filmgoers annually return to the pictures that they treasured as children, from the life-affirming uplift of A Christmas Carol and It’s a Wonderful Life to the endearingly relatable satire of A Christmas Story and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Yet some of the finest cinematic gems of the season were never intended for the big screen. My most deeply cherished holiday movies are all contained on archaic VHS tapes that were once used to capture must-see TV long before the era of DVRs and instant streaming. Direct from my video library, here are …
Health Department reports are showing an increase of almost 3.5 percent, according to weekly flu surveillance by the Cook County Health Department.
Seasonal flu cases are increasing in Cook County, mirroring an increase nationally. Cook County Department of Public Health monitors flu activity through a weekly surveillance of reports from a sample of hospitals, private doctors’ offices and lab data of positive flu tests. For the week of Dec. 2-8, the latest figures available, there was a 3.38 percent increase. There were 78 specimens that tested positive, according to the health department’s website. Three cases of the flu where the patient required hospitalization were reported, the site stated. Additionally, three Cook County schools reported increased student absenteeism due to the flu, it stated. Flu season runs from October to May, peaking in February, health experts said. It is …
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
The Palatine native was found dead in his Northern Illinois fraternity house on Nov. 2, five of the arrest warrants issued are for class 4 felony hazing. Also among those charged is Skokie native Andrew W. Bouleanu, 21.
On Monday, twenty-two arrest warrants were issued relating to the death of Palatine native David Bogenberger, according to the City of DeKalb website. Bogenberger was found dead in his Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity house at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb on Nov. 2, according to a press release issued by the City of DeKalb. His death has now been determined to be alcohol and hazing-related, and five of the warrants issued are for Class 4 Felony Hazing. Among those charged is Skokie native Andrew W Bouleanu, 21. Bouleanu is charged with a misdemeanor and not a felony. Autopsy results showed Bogenberger, 19, had a blood alcohol content of 0.351, close to five times the legal limit for drivers, according to Northern Star, the NIU daily …
Monday, December 17, 2012
Westboro Baptist Church came to Skokie in September 2010 to protest on the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah. Now, the group says they will protest outside of Sandy Hook Elementary, claiming, "God Sent the Shooter."
In September of 2010, Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) came to Skokie so they could protest outside the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center on Rosh Hashanah. WBC members, known for demonstrating at military funerals and burning American flags, made their rounds in Skokie, Evanston and the Israeli Consulate in September 2010. Their message that day: "Obey God or Destruction." Fast forward to today, and the WBC is once again trying to practice their 1st Amendment rights. A day after Friday's shooting in Newtown, CT, where police said 20-year-old Adam Lanza killed his mother and then 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary, Westboro Baptist member Shirley Phelps-Roper posted a message on Twitter that the group would "sing …
Thursday, December 13, 2012
EarthSky.org is saying that because there will be no moon, 2012 will be a great year to see this meteor shower.
The final major meteor shower of the year, the Geminid meteor shower 2012, will peak tonight, Thursday, into Friday morning and if you are willing to stay up late you should be able to see a great show. NASA reports that the Geminids is a relatively young meteor shower, with the first sightings occurring in the 1830s with rates of about 20 per hour. Over time the rate of visible meteors has increased and now viewers can expect to see 80 and 120 meteors per hour at its peak. Earthsky.org reports viewers can begin to watch the Geminids starting at 9 or 10 p.m. on Thursday. The peak will likely be between 1 to 3 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 14. That’s when the shower’s radiant point is highest in the sky as seen around the world. "With no moon to …
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Lou Lang (D-Skokie) is hopeful that medical marijuana, or House Bill 0030, will pass this January, saying, "Nobody should fear the bill."
House member Lou Lang (D-Skokie) has been pushing two controversial bills in recent years: the expansion of Illinois gaming and the legalization of medical marijuana. Whenever asked about the possibility of Illinois becoming the nineteenth state to legalize the green leafy substance, Lang is always optimistic. Two years ago, he told Skokie Patch he only needed to secure "two or three" votes to pass the bill. Obviously, that never came to fruition. However, other states have recently passed similar bills and Lang is hoping Illinois can become the next state to ride the green wave and help those who can seriously benefit from the drug. Recently, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia now allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes. …
This isn't a quick recipe for green bean casserole, but it's a good one.
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
- George Slefo
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Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Green bean casserole is among the most popular Thanksgiving recipes for 2012. The classic green dish has been known to trend on Google for several weeks during the holiday season. For those looking for an authentic recipe, we turned to no other than Martha Stewart for her take on what we think is the best green bean casserole yet. I personally made this dish myself over the weekend and have dotted some of my own tips below. And yes, it was yummy. To get started, gather the following ingredients: Now, the directions: Some tips - Read more: Check out Rick Bayless' recipe for Mango Guacamole Like us on Facebook
Saturday, December 8, 2012
The most reliable meteor shower of the year, the Geminids, is on this 2012.
The Geminid meteor shower 2012, the final major meteor shower of every year and likely to be the best, peaks overnight Dec. 13 and Dec. 14, and you may be able to see a great show on either side of those dates. If you liked the Perseids meteor shower 2012 in August, you should love this show. NASA reports that the Geminids are a relatively young meteor shower, with the first sightings occurring in the 1830s with rates of about 20 per hour. Over the decades the rates have increased, regularly spawning between 80 and 120 per hour at its peak on a clear evening. How spectacular is it? Just take a look at this video of the Geminid meteor shower. You can also look at some spectacular photos of the Geminids. Earthsky.org reports the Geminids …
Friday, December 7, 2012
More than 35 costumes were created using thrown out items such as VHS tapes, prom dresses and even umbrellas, among other things.
Perhaps Ben Stiller's "Zoolander" wasn't that far off with its Derelict fashion concept. More than 35 recycled-designed costumes were on display at the Solid Waste Agency of Cook County's (SWANCC) Trashy Fashion Show. The models represented more than 50 designers. According to SWANCC, 90 percent of the outfits were made from items that are found in everyday garbage, including old chef coats, t-shirts, prom dresses, Halloween costumes, jeans, candy wrappers and packaging materials, among other things (like VHS tapes and umbrellas). For the sixth annual showing, this year's theme was based on movies like "Harry Potter," "The Hunger Games" and "Black Swan." Residents from Arlington Heights, Barrington, Evanston, Glenview, Lincolnwood, …
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
The most reliable meteor shower of the year, the Geminids, is on its way—with no moon to obscure the show over Edina.
The Geminid meteor shower 2012, the final major meteor shower of every year and likely to be the best, peaks overnight Dec. 13 and Dec. 14, and you may be able to see a great show on either side of those dates. If you liked the Perseids meteor shower 2012 in August, you should love this show. NASA reports that the Geminids are a relatively young meteor shower, with the first sitings occurring in the 1830s with rates of about 20 per hour. Over the decades the rates have increased, regularly spawning between 80 and 120 per hour at its peak on a clear evening. How spectacular is it? Just take a look at this video of the Geminid meteor shower. You can also look at some spectacular photos of the Geminids. Earthsky.org reports the Geminids peak …
Sandra thompson
7:36 pm on Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Aggies unite. We kept them from Bryan/College Station and you can do it again. more ›