5000000 percent tariff just dropped on frozen Belgian waffles

This looks like a bootleg Richard Serra—-having said that, the struggle to balance local artists with startists who will supposedly bring in tourists and that sweet cash is real. I love you @theonion.com theonion.com/citys-beauti...

These types of profiles used to be common—-much less today. I am thankful for @blockclubchi.bsky.social, the Sky Ride Tap and this illuminating piece about a great small business owner. I wish we were all there right now having an Old Style and talking the talk.

Another remarkable book by Lucy Sante—-recommended

In 1975, the GAO issued this progress report related to the Bicentennial planning—fascinating stuff: www.gao.gov/assets/red-7... I imagine no progress reports ahem were issued this time…

I bet if the British regulars had taken the commuter rail to Concord the entire outcome of the Revolutionary War would be different.

I might pour out my dunks order (light ice, cold foam, 65 Splendas, 3 cups of sugar, caramel (5 pumps) on the Old Granary Burying Ground as a form of tribute. @universalhub.com let’s do this

Cannot believe this country made it to 250 plus one day we did it

Peace and humptiness forever.

Government Center Station smells like a hot cross bun slathered with tar it is disgusting and appealing @universalhub.com you know what to do

Great movie, go see it today

Government Center Station smells like a hot cross bun slathered with tar it is disgusting and appealing @universalhub.com you know what to do

I will be seeing Stop! That! Train! many times. Go look it up and get back to me.

CBA always stays relevant. @robertloerzel.bsky.social and countless others

"The rich are different from you and me" Fitzgerald once told us in a story. And they were able to start living in luxury apartments, a new book tells us, shortly after the Chicago Fire, and some of those places are still around. www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/30/c...

I’m beginning to think social media might be a complete waste of time.

Many fond memories there yet none of them are suitable for this sober and restrained form of human interface

This is a bagel.

I still remember when Jerry Springer decamped from Chicago for Stamford—-takes me back. Rest in power king.

Here are the two books I am reading on the train all aboard

My Amtrak late My bagel everything My mayor me Boscago in 5

I love all of you

Everyone is talking about Scotland these days.

To celebrate Juneteenth, I shall be listening to Count Basie and Duke Ellington all day. Their work has made my life immensely better and know I am not alone in this regard.

After my years of lobbying, the city of Boston is now briefly allowing people to drink alcohol outside in a thoughtful fashion. Boscago legalized this years ago—-I know what the people want.

Tip Top Tap is adding a 20 percent charge for all tabs until the World Cup ends. Not good or bad just hyperlocal reportage. @universalhub.com

As someone who was directly involved with attempts to attract visitors to Hyde Park after Obama became president, I can say that the road is long and full of uneven development. blockclubchicago.org/2026/06/16/a... Thanks to @blockclubchi.bsky.social as always

Later this week I will be confirming whether or not the last pay phone has been removed from the Loop. Stay vigilant everyone.

Take a close look at how policies, procedures, handouts (tax breaks) are structured to encourage, enhance, and grow tourism (especially from well heeled visitors) You will be surprised slash eventually burn with rage. It is wild.

Cities will do anything to keep the tourists coming—the golden rule of urban economic development

I saw hundreds of Scots drinking all over in the Blackstone Block on Saturday for hours—-I wonder if other groups would be given such latitude. Equal application of the law and all that.

Gooaalllllllllllllllllll

i would read a story about a man who walks around ORD around the very perimeter of the field’s vast expanse. Maybe I will just do it and write about it.

I love this movie. Great Chicagoland locations and it captures that in between time as one finishes high school and thinks about what is next etc

What was Chicago like in the early 1990s? I answer this question and many others in this talk I gave for @chipublib.bsky.social theurbanologist.com/post/7951465...

Boscago. That is all.

I love you @raygunsite.com keep the stores coming!

Man, that EWF documentary was good—-thank you Questlove! Of course, it is interesting to note that the later years (aka the past forty years) are covered in 7 minutes. Imagine how The Temptations might be covered—-in short;: ITS COMPLICATED

I LOVE YOU CAMBRIDGE YES YES YES PEOPLE GATHERING TALKING WANDERING EATING ETC ETC ETC

Boston spent $80 plus million on reinventing City Hall Plaza. It is being used for a free event that requires registration—most of the tickets are gone. Steps away in City Hall, there are escalators that have been out of service for three years. Time to ask tough questions. @universalhub.com

Hello friends- I have a newsletter and I'd love it if you would sign up and support my work. Thanks for your time. www.patreon.com/c/theurbanol...

Hello friends- I have a newsletter and I'd love it if you would sign up and support my work. Thanks for your time. www.patreon.com/c/theurbanol...

Relying on mass tourism as an economic development strategy would be okay if most people walked or took public transit or biked to their destinations—alas, they do not. www.reuters.com/business/env...

This looks fabulous—feels like just yesterday* folks were talking about dropping an airport in Lake Calumet. * = 1990

Morning

Long form pieces like this are rehashes of what Daniel Boorstin discussed with brilliance in his book, The Image. Maybe read that before this but considering that most Americans don’t finish a single book in a year, well… www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-ban...

When is Uncle’s Day?

There should be an LA Plays Itself for Chicago, Boston, and Boscago. Maybe I will write, direct, produce, craft service, casting agent, and so on all three.