As someone who hopes to be a part of the media world after I finish my journalism degree, I have to say that within the past week, I’ve been pretty embarrassed for journalists.Anyone with a pulse is aware that the swine flu outbreak has swept the United States, but not in the sense that a large number of people have died.The real overkill that exists is the incessant and unnecessary news media coverage of the sickness, which i...

In the midst of tough economic times, the last thing Americans want to hear about is another long-winded infrastructure plan with a hefty price tag. But, for Chicago, a plan like this might not be so bad.On April 24, the Chicago Tribune  reported that a major downtown revitalization agenda is in the works, costing the city $15.5 billion. Known as the Chicago Central Area Action Plan, the proposed plan has visions to improve...

For as long as Columbia has been an accredited institution, the one thing that has, and still does, set it apart from other colleges is its unconventional forms of school spirit.Without any mascot or school colors (though we do boast the “Create Change” half-dot), much of Columbia’s appeal has been its unique student experience and events that have the ability to not only draw a college crowd, but one from all across the c...

If enough reasons didn’t already exist to believe that Mayor Richard M. Daley is a shady politician, Chicagoans have yet another one.Look to any major news source in the city within the past week, and one of the top headlines consists of none other than our beloved privatized parking meters.But this time, Chicago drivers aren’t griping just about sky-high meter prices—though they have quadrupled in some cases, accordin...