A friend of mine passed along this brief, odd clip of a strange man discussing a Chicago-area actress. He soon may be giving video tours of Chicago-area neighborhoods. It’s an idea that came after watching the excellent and hilarious city tours offered up by Irish-American comedian Bill Burr (who also has a bit part on “Breaking Bad.”). Look up Bill Burr tours on YouTube and watch them for all their brilliance. We’re hoping he does some more. There’s a different level with this guy but it should be interesting if not entertaining.

The Asshole Book Club Part 2

Liffey

Posted on September 4, 2013

Last week we decided to get together at Chicago recluse author Clive Javanski’s new Bucktown apartment and have “a sort of a housewarming” during which we would engage in another go-around of our Asshole Book Club. This time it was myself, Aidan, Clive, Cookie Roy, Depressed Johnny, Spider, and our lone female guest, Kyna – pronounced key + na. In Irish it means love and affection, although she offered neither on this particular night. The book list this time included Clive’s original essay, Road Pants. I brought an Irish play, The Cripple of Inishman. Spider brought an old copy of the Chicago Reader, Cookie Roy something about the Chicago polka scene, Aidan had with him linear notes from an R.E.M. album, and Kyna brought…

30 Minutes in Gary

Liffey

Posted on July 24, 2013

Gary, Indiana, is right next to Chicago. It’s known for Michael Jackson and as one of the most burned up, blighted cities in the country. It’s held the title as the Murder Capitol of the U.S. in the past, and although its population has dwindled, I believe it still ranks right up there, as that figure is determined by murders per number of residents. So far this year there have been 31 murders in Gary. And it’s only about 23 miles from Chicago’s Englewood neighborhood, where most of the city’s murder and violence take place.

I drove through Gary this past Saturday afternoon, down its main street, Broadway. I had my camera with me and decided to take some pictures on and around Broadway. I took about 30 minutes and for these photos didn’t leave my Jeep. By no means am I a professional photographer, and I missed some great opportunities, including a large pit bull in the back of a pick-up next to me that, to keep it from lunging at other drivers, was connected to a series of chains that resembled something from the Thunderdome in that Mad Max film. But here they are.