I work for PHIUS (rhymes with Prius), the acronym for Passive House Institute US. PHIUS is a nonprofit that works to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions from buildings. By applying some straightforward principles like airtightness, excellent windows and doors, active ventilation and heat recovery, and lots of insulation. Projects built to our energy standard […]

Here’s a plug for an online outfit that we highly recommend when you want to give some warm fuzzies to friends and loved ones: It’s called Spoonful of Comfort. Basically, they’ll send your choice of soup to your lucky friend, in a giant jar, plus rolls, plus cookies, and they even throw in a nice […]

As is common these days, my thoughts are fragmented. And so is today’s post: I give you a sample of females that are by my lights, fantastic. First, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot was asked whether she was an originalist when it comes to interpretation of the U.S. Constitution. Originalism aims to follow how the constitution […]

This past weekend in our Printers Row neighborhood was Chicago autumn at its most glorious. Radiant sun and chilly breezes all at once. There was less produce at our little farmers market, because you know, that’s how it goes here. People were out in droves, and except for masks, it felt a lot like last […]

Back in April, while I was still hospitalized for COVID, Chicago Tribune columnist Heidi Stevens wrote a piece about Beth’s plight, and my own.  Back then it took three tries for me to get a test, and I only got the result the day I checked into the emergency room. I just reread it, and […]