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Eggplant is an egg-ceptional addition to your dietEnvironmental Nutritionon December 2, 2021 at 1:00 pm

Be sure to include eggplant in your diet. A one-cup serving of cooked eggplant has just 33 calories, yet packs 10% of dietary fiber. | Dreamstime/TNS

It’s known for its role in traditional international dishes such as French ratatouille, Mediterranean baba ganoush, Greek moussaka and Italian eggplant parmesan,

Named for early varieties that were egg-sized and egg-colored, eggplants now come in many shapes, sizes and colors, though purple is most popular.

The folklore

The eggplant — also called aubergine, brinjal and guinea squash — is known for its signature deep purple, glossy skin.

It’s used in traditional international dishes such as French ratatouille, Mediterranean baba ganoush, Greek moussaka and Italian eggplant parmesan, where its unique flavor and health-promoting nutrients shine.

The facts

Eggplants (Solanum melongena) are part of the nightshade, or Solanaceae, family of plants, along with tomatoes, bell peppers and potatoes.

Different varieties range in size from small tomato to small football and in color from white to green to purple-striped. The outside surrounds seeds and a cream-colored, spongy flesh.

A one-cup serving of cooked eggplant has just 33 calories yet packs 10% of the daily value of dietary fiber — based on a 2,000-calorie daily diet. It contains many powerful health protective plant compounds, including flavanoids.

The findings

The dark hue of eggplants stems from a rich concentration of anthocyanins, known for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. A 2018 study suggests anthocyanins might decrease insulin resistance and improve insulin secretion, which is beneficial to people with type 2 diabetes.

Emerging science suggests eggplant might also benefit type 2 diabetes complications, such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Daily ingestion of eggplant powder was shown in a 2019 study to significantly decrease blood pressure after two to three months.

Eggplants are available year-round though at their best from July to October. Choose those with firm, glossy, richly colored skin that feel heavy for their size. They store best at about 50 degrees, so refrigerate and store uncut.

Avoid peeling — the skin contains potent nutrients.

Sliced or diced, eggplant is easy to bake, roast, grill, stuff, layer in a casserole or saute with olive oil and seasonings.

Eggplant is also available dried, canned as a roasted puree and frozen cooked.

Environmental Nutrition is a newsletter written by experts on ealth and nutrition.

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Eggplant is an egg-ceptional addition to your dietEnvironmental Nutritionon December 2, 2021 at 1:00 pm Read More »

Big 10-point buck “with a little character to boot!:” Jo Daviess County buck in first firearm seasonDale Bowmanon December 2, 2021 at 12:57 pm

Rob Fleming with his big buck from Jo Daviess County. | Provided

Rob Fleming shot a big 10-point buck, “with a little character to boot!,” during Illinois’ first segment of the firearm deer season to earn Buck of the Week honors.

Rob Fleming messaged, “In case you’re looking for any deer pics!”

I always am looking for good deer photos.

This one involved his big buck from Jo Daviess County during the first part of firearm deer season.

“A nice symmetrical 10-point, with a little character to boot!,” he noted.

I’m all for symmetrical with character.

Fleming’s buck was one of 50,000 deer harvested during the first segment of Illinois’ firearm deer season. Click here to see a full breakdown of harvest during the first season.

The second segment of firearm season began today, Dec. 2, and runs through Sunday, Dec. 5.

Buck of the Week, the celebration of big bucks and their stories (the stories matter, as this one shows) from around Chicago outdoors, runs Wednesdays in the paper Sun-Times when time is right. The online posting here at https://chicago.suntimes.com/outdoors goes up at varied days of the week, depending on what is going on the wide world of the outdoors.

To make submissions, email ([email protected]) or contact me on Facebook (Dale Bowman), Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or Instagram (@BowmanOutside).

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Big 10-point buck “with a little character to boot!:” Jo Daviess County buck in first firearm seasonDale Bowmanon December 2, 2021 at 12:57 pm Read More »

Chicago Blackhawks: 1 Washington Capitals player is must watchVincent Pariseon December 2, 2021 at 1:00 pm

The Chicago Blackhawks begin their month of December with a very tough road trip. They have three games on the east coast against the Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, and New York Islanders. All of those teams have high hopes of being in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Of the three, the Washington Nationals have […] Chicago Blackhawks: 1 Washington Capitals player is must watch – Da Windy City – Da Windy City – A Chicago Sports Site – Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fighting Illini & MoreRead More

Chicago Blackhawks: 1 Washington Capitals player is must watchVincent Pariseon December 2, 2021 at 1:00 pm Read More »

Don’t look now, the Chicago Bears’ playoff hopes are alive and wellRyan Heckmanon December 2, 2021 at 12:00 pm

Chicago Bears fans, buckle up. It’s about to get real. The next two weeks are going to tell us everything we need to know about this team and how the Bears will end up this year. In Week 13, the Bears take on the best team in football, the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals will also […] Don’t look now, the Chicago Bears’ playoff hopes are alive and well – Da Windy City – Da Windy City – A Chicago Sports Site – Bears, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox, Blackhawks, Fighting Illini & MoreRead More

Don’t look now, the Chicago Bears’ playoff hopes are alive and wellRyan Heckmanon December 2, 2021 at 12:00 pm Read More »

Moving the Chains with . . . SIU guard ZeVeyon Furcronon December 2, 2021 at 11:30 am

Prairie State Pigskin

Moving the Chains with . . . SIU guard ZeVeyon Furcron

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Moving the Chains with . . . SIU guard ZeVeyon Furcronon December 2, 2021 at 11:30 am Read More »

Horoscope for Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021Georgia Nicolson December 2, 2021 at 6:01 am

Moon Alert

There are no restrictions to shopping or important decisions until 11:15 p.m. Chicago time. The moon is in Scorpio.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

This is a good day to discuss how to share something, like an inheritance. Bosses and important people will be helpful; and you will enjoy schmoozing with friends and interacting with clubs and groups. You have strong feelings today!

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Enjoy warm relations with partners and close friends as well as members of the general public; however, note: people are opinionated! Expect to attract someone to you who has strong ideas. Meanwhile, you’ll be attracted to someone who is “different.”

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

This is a lovely day at work whether you work in a slave wage job or you work for yourself because you have lots of energy! (In fact, you might be a tad bossy.) Support and assistance from others will be forthcoming. People are in a good mood today!

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

Today is a more playful, light-hearted day! You have lots of energy to socialize and play. Enjoy sports events, long lunches, Happy Hours and fun times with others, especially playful activities with children. Relations with partners and close friends will be cozy.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

Today it will please you to redecorate at home or do something to tidy up things. Certainly, increased chaos and activity on the home front have been the state of affairs for you, perhaps because of visiting guests, renovations or residential moves.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

You are super charged about something today, which is why you’re so persuasive. (You probably will try to persuade someone to agree with you.) Fortunately, you’ll be successful socializing with others. You might also entertain at home because your focus on home and family right now is strong.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

“Show me the money!” This is a strong day for business and commerce because you have definite ideas about financial matters. Likewise, you might be intent on shopping or buying something. Some of you will shop for your home because you want to make where you live more attractive.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Today the moon is in your sign lined up with fiery Mars. This can make you aggressive, even argumentative. Fortunately, the moon is also dancing with fair Venus and Jupiter, which promotes friendly encounters with others — especially relatives and neighbors. Enjoy schmoozing.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

You might be wise to play things low-key today to see which way the wind is blowing. Having said that, this is a good day for money and financial negotiations. Nevertheless, it’s possible that someone is working against your best interests today. This means if you think something fishy is going on, it is.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

This is a great day to schmooze with friends as well as interact with groups, clubs and professional associations. Because you might be in competition with someone, a discussion could get a tad heated. Fortunately, with Venus in your sign, you’ll be as diplomatic as ever. (We can take you anywhere.)

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

People notice you today. Do be aware of this. In fact, personal details about your private life might be under discussion. Possibly this is because you are coming on a bit strong? Or possibly it’s due to a secret love affair? Oops.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

This is a great day to make travel plans or talk to people from other countries because you’re eager to do something to expand your horizons. Meanwhile, relations with friends and groups are excellent; and you continue to make a wonderful impression on bosses and authority types. This s good.

If Your Birthday Is Today

Singer Britney Spears (1981) shares your birthday. You are a feeler. You are a naturally emotional person, who is vibrant and has a sunny personality. You are very creative; however, you need to have a lot of variety in your life to stay fresh. This year is a very exciting year for you because you are opening new doors and setting off in a new direction.

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Horoscope for Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021Georgia Nicolson December 2, 2021 at 6:01 am Read More »

Chicago Craft Beer Weekend, December 3-5on December 2, 2021 at 6:06 am

The Beeronaut

Chicago Craft Beer Weekend, December 3-5

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Chicago Craft Beer Weekend, December 3-5on December 2, 2021 at 6:06 am Read More »

Peace no more: MLB lockout takes effect after CBA expiresRonald Blum | APon December 2, 2021 at 5:34 am

In this Aug. 13, 2015, file photo, Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred speaks to members of the media after the owners meetings in Chicago. | Paul Beaty/AP

Teams decided to force the long-anticipated confrontation during an offseason rather than risk players walking out during the summer, as they did in 1994

IRVING, Texas — Major League Baseball plunged into its first work stoppage in a quarter-century when the sport’s collective bargaining agreement expired Wednesday night and owners immediately locked out players in a move that threatens spring training and opening day.

The strategy, management’s equivalent of a strike under federal labor law, ended the sport’s labor peace after 9,740 days over 26 1/2 years.

Teams decided to force the long-anticipated confrontation during an offseason rather than risk players walking out during the summer, as they did in 1994. Players and owners had successfully reached four consecutive agreements without a work stoppage, but they have been accelerating toward a clash for more than two years.

“We believe that an offseason lockout is the best mechanism to protect the 2022 season,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred wrote in a letter to fans. “We hope that the lockout will jumpstart the negotiations and get us to an agreement that will allow the season to start on time. This defensive lockout was necessary because the players’ association’s vision for Major League Baseball would threaten the ability of most teams to be competitive.”

Talks that started last spring ended Wednesday after a brief session of mere minutes with the sides far apart on the dozens of key economic issues. Management’s negotiators left the union’s hotel about nine hours before the deal lapsed at 11:59 p.m. EST, and players said MLB did not make any new central economic proposals this week.

MLB’s 30 controlling owners held a brief digital meeting to reaffirm their lockout decision, and MLB delivered the announcement of its fourth-ever lockout — to go along with five strikes — in an emailed letter to the Major League Baseball Players Association.

“This drastic and unnecessary measure will not affect the players’ resolve to reach a fair contract,” union head Tony Clark said in a statement. “We remain committed to negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement that enhances competition, improves the product for our fans, and advances the rights and benefits of our membership.”

This stoppage began 30 days after Atlanta’s World Series win capped a complete season following a pandemic-shortened 2020 played in empty ballparks.

The lockout’s immediate impacts were a memo from MLB to clubs freezing signings, the cancellation of next week’s annual winter meetings and banishing players from team workout facilities and weight rooms while perhaps chilling ticket sales for 2022.

The union demandedchange following anger over a declining average salary, middle-class players forced out by teams concentrating payroll on the wealthy and veterans jettisoned in favor of lower-paid youth, especially among clubs tearing down their rosters to rebuild.

“As players we see major problems with it,” New York Mets pitcher Max Scherzer said of the 2016 agreement. “First and foremost, we see a competition problem and how teams are behaving because of certain rules that are within that, and adjustments have to be made because of that in order to bring out the competition.”

Eleven weeks remain until pitchers and catchers are to report for spring training on Feb. 16, leaving about 70 days to reach a deal allowing for an on-time start. Opening day is set for March 31, and a minimum of three weeks of organized workouts have been required in the past.

Management, intent on preserving salary restraints gained in recent decades, rejected the union’s requests for what teams regarded as significant alterations to the sport’s economic structure, including lowering service time needed for free agency and salary arbitration.

“We offered to establish a minimum payroll for all clubs to meet for the first time in baseball history; to allow the majority of players to reach free agency earlier through an age-based system that would eliminate any claims of service time manipulation; and to increase compensation for all young players,” Manfred wrote. “When negotiations lacked momentum, we tried to create some by offering to accept the universal designated hitter, to create a new draft system using a lottery similar to other leagues.

Many clubs scrambled to add players ahead of a lockout and an expected signing freeze, committing to more than $1.9 billion in new contracts — including a one-day recordof more than $1.4 billion Wednesday.

“It did feel like at least certain groups of free agents were moving more quickly the last few days,” Pittsburgh general manager Ben Cherington said.

Two of the eight members of the union’s executive subcommittee signed big deals: Texas infielder Marcus Semien ($175 million) and Scherzer ($130 million).

“This is actually kind of fun,” Scherzer said. “I’m a fan of the game, and to watch everybody sign right now, to actually see teams competing in this kind of timely fashion, it’s been refreshing because we’ve seen freezes for the past several offseasons.”

No player remains active from the 232-day strike that cut short the 1994 season, led to the first cancellation of the World Series in 90 years and caused the 1995 season to start late. That stoppage ended only when a federal judge — future Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor — issued an injunction forcing owners to restore the work rules of the expired labor contract.

The average salary dropped from $1.17 million before the strike to $1.11 million but then resumed its seemingly inexorable rise. It peaked at just under $4.1 million in 2017, the first season of the latest CBA, but likely will fall to about $3.7 million when this year’s final figures are calculated.

That money is concentrated heavily at the top of the salary structure. Among approximately 1,955 players who signed major league contracts at any point going into the regular season’s final month, 112 had earned $10 million or more this year as of Aug. 31, of which 40 made at least $20 million, including prorated shares of signing bonuses.

There were 1,397 earning under $1 million, of which 1,271 were at $600,000 or less and 332 under $100,000, a group of younger players who shuttle back and forth to the minors.

Clark, a former All-Star first baseman who became executive director following Michael Weiner’s death in 2013, said players are united and understand the need to stick together to achieve common goals. The sides are still litigating over the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, sniping over how long the season could have been and taking their positions before a neutral arbitrator.

The union has withheld licensing money, as it usually does going into bargaining; cash, U.S. Treasury securities and investments totaled $178.5 million last Dec. 31, according to a financial disclosure form filed with the U.S. Department of Labor.

“We have a pretty big war chest behind us of money that we can allocate to players,” Scherzer said.

Some player agents have speculated that management’s credit lines already may be pressured following income deprivation caused by the coronavirus pandemic, but the clubs’ finances are more opaque publicly than that of the union, making it difficult to ascertain comparative financial strength to withstand a lengthy work stoppage.

Manfred succeeded Bud Selig as commissioner in 2015 following a quarter-century as an MLB labor negotiator. He was unusually critical publicly of the union’s stance.

“They never wavered from collectively the most extreme set of proposals in their history,” he said, “including significant cuts to the revenue-sharing system, a weakening of the competitive balance tax, and shortening the period of time that players play for their teams. All of these changes would make our game less competitive.”

Scott Boras, who negotiated Scherzer’s deal and shortstop Corey Seager’s $325 million contract with Texas, has pushed for the union to insist on change to decrease the incentive for lowering payrolls during rebuilding.

“Sometimes the rules of the game require them to do things that are not in the best interest of the game,” Boras said, “for them to be a better competitor for next year, they have to do things that the rules direct them to do.”

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Peace no more: MLB lockout takes effect after CBA expiresRonald Blum | APon December 2, 2021 at 5:34 am Read More »

Chicago police officer, suspect wounded in shootout during South Side traffic stopSophie Sherryon December 2, 2021 at 4:37 am

Chicago police officers work the scene where an officer was shot in the 9200 block of South Stony Island Ave, in the Calumet Heights neighborhood, Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021. | Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times

A male officer was struck in the lower left leg and transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where his condition was stabilized.

A Chicago police officer was shot during a traffic investigation that also ended with a suspect wounded Wednesday night in the Calumet Heights neighborhood on the South Side, officials said.

About 8:30 p.m., officers pulled over a car with two people inside near the intersection of 92nd Street and Stony Island Avenue, according to Chicago Police Supt. David Brown. The occupants were stopped because they were thought to be involved in “some types of crime in the area,” Brown said.

Soon after, gunfire erupted, wounding a 4th District officer and one person in the car. Shots were fired by police and someone inside the car, Brown said, but it wasn’t clear who shot first.

The male officer was hit in the lower leg. He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where his condition was stabilized, police said.

A male in the car was hit in the torso and taken to a hospital. His condition wasn’t immediately known.

Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times
Chicago police officers work the scene where an officer was shot in the 9200 block of South Stony Island Ave, in the Calumet Heights neighborhood, Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021.

Brown said a second person of interest was taken into custody near the scene of the shooting, and that a gun was recovered from the car the officers were investigating.

“Right now, we think we have everyone that was involved in custody, either as a person of interest or as an offender,” Brown said outside the U of C Medical Center after visiting the wounded officer.

“We need further investigation, interviews, video and witnesses to come forward for us to piece together how all of this transpired,” Brown said.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability will investigate the use of force.

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Chicago police officer, suspect wounded in shootout during South Side traffic stopSophie Sherryon December 2, 2021 at 4:37 am Read More »