Chicago Sun-Times :: Today's Columists ::

How dare he support military?

Mon, 8 Sep 2008 04:00 CST

J.I., a Chicago reader, joining a number of others in taking deep offense at Barack Obama's wearing a T-shirt with the letters "USMC" while playing basketball:

Memo to McCain: Platitudes don't play

Mon, 8 Sep 2008 04:00 CST

The party of personal responsibility doesn't want to take responsibility. The crowd in charge for the last eight years claims it's the party of change. The boys that started a bloody war on false pretenses now say we will "surge" our way out of it.

Ads trip over themselves

Mon, 8 Sep 2008 04:00 CST

Lewis Lazare: Michigan can breathe easy. It won't be getting much competition from Wisconsin when it comes to regional tourism advertising in the months ahead. Just as Michigan's glorious "Pure Michigan" campaign is returning to hype the fall travel season, Wisconsin is launching a much less awe-inspiring new fall tourism ad campaign tied to the tag line "Originality Rules."

Federal government takes over Fannie, Freddie

Mon, 8 Sep 2008 04:00 CST

David Roeder: The federal government Sunday took over operations of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, drastic action designed to avert a breakdown of the financial markets and reassure investors worldwide. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said the takeover is needed.

A redefining moment?

Mon, 8 Sep 2008 00:01 CST

INDIANAPOLIS -- Matt Forte has the ability to make big plays happen, the power to carry guys or the speed to blow past them. Kyle Orton has the ability to not mess up, to fall on the ball when he drops it, to hang on to it when he's sacked, to miss receivers by throwing in the grass and not in the cornerback's chest.

Call 'em baffling Bears

Mon, 8 Sep 2008 00:01 CST

INDIANAPOLIS -- The outcome seemed glumly predictable when the schedule was first released and the Bears were sentenced to a season-opening game against the Indianapolis Colts in the debut of Lucus Oil Stadium. How far have the once-mighty Bears fallen that they were suddenly perceived as the hopeless directional school invited to be sacrificed at homecoming?

Backfield bonanza

Mon, 8 Sep 2008 00:01 CST

INDIANAPOLIS -- Here in the Colts' new semi-indoor stadium -- kind of a large box with a flap open at one end -- the Bears displayed something just as fresh as the boondoggle building.

Marriage is going sour, but he stays for the kids' sake

Mon, 8 Sep 2008 04:00 CST

DEAR ELLIE: My wife of 10 years and I are in our mid-30s. Our emotional, intellectual and sexual ties (always tenuous) have dried up, and we bicker frequently, yet we're a good parenting team (a baby and a toddler). We've been in marriage counseling for six months with mixed results. Last year I had an affair with my best friend (female) and almost left my marriage for her.

How to tell if he will be a cheater

Mon, 8 Sep 2008 04:00 CST

Laura Berman: Were you born to cheat? A new study suggests that some men might be more likely to cheat than others. According to the study, men who have a higher number of copies of the cheater's gene might struggle with monogamy more than men who have a lower number of copies of the gene, or no copies at all.

Spotted: TV's style icons

Mon, 8 Sep 2008 04:00 CST

Paige Wiser: The season two premiere of "Gossip Girl" last week scored its highest ratings yet among the young audiences it's after. Many tuned in to see how the privileged pals spent their summer in the Hamptons. But surely more tuned in to see what they were wearing. Now that school's back in session, here's a crash course in "Gossip Girl" elegance. And don't forget to watch tonight on the CW.