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For the past few years, Chicagoan Guido Gamboa has been one of the city’s best purveyors of experimental music, though too few people have noticed. He launched his record label, Pentiments, in December 2015 with the release of his debut solo album, Saturday’s Notes, a collage of field recordings and electronics expertly arranged to render familiar sounds (car horns, camera shutters) enigmatic and beguiling.…Read More

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Slang in Chicago is actually pretty easy to learn. It’s informed by housing, transportation, and other random things. If you’re a recent transplant and this all sounds foreign, don’t worry. Our shortened words will easily wiggle their way into your vocabulary once you live here a while. Check out these eight slang terms true to Chicago that you know should know if you’re really looking to sound like a local. And yes, we have a saying for just about anything.  

Jewels

If you hear someone say, “I’m stopping at Jewels,” there’s a good chance they’re dropping by Jewel Osco, a well-known chain grocery store in Chicago. Locals tend to drop the “Osco” and add an S. Less syllables, less work.   

Garden Apartment

So…is there a lovely garden included with the apartment? Lots of flowers or something? Nah. A garden apartment is just a fancy word used by realtors to describe a basement unit, or partially below street level. 

The El

Nope, we’re not talking about the letter. The El is actually our train system that runs throughout the city above the streets from downtown all the way to O’Hare. It’s popular with city folk and considered one of the most reliable transit systems in the US. 

Chicago Handshake

Pro-tip: If someone offers you a “Chicago handshake” they don’t want to shake your hand. They’re likely offering you a concoction of Old Style beer and a shot of Malört. Politely toss it back and consider yourself a true local. 

LSD

Nope, it’s not the mind-melting drug you’re thinking of. LSD is actually short for Lake Shore Drive. So if you’re in a neighborhood Facebook Group and see someone ask, “Did anyone catch the fireworks on LSD last night?!” you can assume they’re not party animals. 

Two-flats

This house type, along with their bigger cousins the four-flat and six-flat, make up more than 30% of Chicago’s housing stock. It’s a familiar building: two stories with an apartment on each floor, bay windows greeting the street, and a facade of greystone or brick. Most date back to 1900 and 1920. 

The Dan Ryan, The Eisenhower, The Kennedy

While these are names of famous historical figures, they’re also popular ways to describe a few of the interstates that run through Chicago. The more you know! 

Dipped, Wet, Dry

If you hear any of these three terms you probably think someone is going for a swim in Lake Michigan. In reality, these are Chicago slang staples for how to order one of the city’s most iconic food items — the Italian Beef. Dipped, dry, or wet refers to the level of juice or au jus you wish your beef to have. Dry is self-explanatory; you only get the residual juice from the beef. Order it wet and the chef will ladle a few extra scoops of the juice over the top of your beef sandwich before wrapping it up. Dipped is a true Chicago badge of honor wherein the chef will take your entire sandwich and dunk it in the hot vat of beef and jus for a few seconds making the bread soggy, beef juicy, and ultimately your mouth exploding with flavor.

Slang Terms Chicago Featured Image Credit: Rebecca Jasso from Pixabay

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WASHINGTON — Army leaders are firing or suspending 14 officers and enlisted soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas, and ordering policy changes to address chronic leadership failures at the base that contributed to a widespread pattern of violence including murder, sexual assaults and harassment.

Two general officers are among those being removed from their jobs, as top Army leaders on Tuesday announced the findings of an independent panel’s investigation into problems at the Texas base.

The actions, taken by Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, come in the aftermath of a year that saw 25 soldiers assigned to Fort Hood die due to suicide, homicide or accidents, including the bludgeoning death of Spc. Vanessa Guillen. Guillen was missing for about two months before her remains were found.

The firings and suspensions include Army Maj. Gen. Scott Efflandt, who was left in charge of the base earlier this year when Guillen was killed, as well as Maj. Gen. Jeffery Broadwater, commander of the 1st Cavalry Divisions. The administrative actions are expected to trigger investigations that could lead to a wide range of punishments. Those punishments could go from a simple letter of reprimand to a military discharge.

The base commander, Army Lt. Gen. Pat White, will not face any administrative action. He was deployed to Iraq as the commander there for much of the year.

Army leaders had already delayed Efflandt’s planned transfer to Fort Bliss, where he was slated to take over leadership of the 1st Armored Division. Command of a division is a key step in an Army officer’s career.

Efflandt’s move was paused while the team of independent investigators conducted its probe into whether leadership failures contributed to the killings of several people, including Guillen, and who should be held accountable.

According to investigators, Guillen, 20, was bludgeoned to death at Fort Hood by Spc. Aaron Robinson, who killed himself on July 1 as police were trying to take him into custody. Guillen’s family has said Robinson, from south suburban Calumet City, sexually harassed her, though the Army has said there is no evidence supporting that claim.

The body of Pvt. Mejhor Morta was found in July near a reservoir by the base. In June, officials discovered the remains of another missing soldier, Gregory Morales, about 10 miles from that lake. All together, so far this year, 25 soldiers assigned to Fort Hood have died due to suicide, homicide or accidents, compared with 32 last year and 24 in 2018.

In an Associated Press interview last month, White said that he and other commanders bear responsibility for the problems. But he said it will take time to correct what some believe are systemic failures, and that some units will respond more quickly than others.

“I think all leadership is accountable for it, if you’re in this chain of command,” White said. “We have got to do everything we can to get this back on track.”

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This summer UK dance-music singer-songwriter Aluna released her solo debut, Renaissance, whose lead track, “I’ve Been Starting to Love All the Things I Hate,” makes a case for pulling ourselves out of the collective malaise of 2020 to find our collective voice. In AlunaGeorge, her duo with producer George Reid, her soprano sometimes crosses into bubblegum-pop territory, but on “I’ve Been Starting” her determination and vigor set a different tone for the new album: “Sweet, sweet destiny / You’ll never be my enemy,” she sings.…Read More

For the past few months, bassist Dezron Douglas and harpist Brandee Younger have dealt with the necessity of social distancing with their own kind of intimate gigs: a series of quietly uplifting performances streamed live through a shared microphone from their Manhattan apartment. Force Majeure collects a dozen of these songs along with brief, perceptive spoken-word asides that address cultural issues such as music’s role in the Black Lives Matter movement.…Read More

“Fall Apart” will appear on Daniel Knox’s next album, Won’t You Take Me With You, which is due in January.

Chicagoland singer-songwriter and composer Daniel Knox has been busy this year, even without the outlet of touring.…Read More