Category: Yesterday

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Curious City - Carl Sandburg’s Chicago

The famous poet and writer Carl Sandburg spent more than two decades in Chicago, from 1912 to 1930. In this archival episode from 2017, we explore how the city’s people and places helped shape his work — and gives us a personal window into Chicago’s past.

Plus, the City of Chicago created programs to provide eligible Chicago Public School students with devices and free Internet access for remote learning. We hear from residents at a Back of the Yards community event about how these programs are working.

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Byzantium And The Crusades - The Decline of the Crusaders Episode 2 “The Rise of Nur ad-Din”

In this episode, we hear about the rise of the Crusaders' new enemy, Nur ad-Din, meaning "Light of the Faith" in Arabic. Nur ad-Din was the son of Zengi, who had united the Emirates of Mosul and Aleppo, and captured the Crusader city of Edessa, which had in turn caused the Second Crusade. Nur ad-Din's reign marked another step towards the unification of Islam against the Crusaders.

Please take a look at my website nickholmesauthor.com where you can download a free copy of The Byzantine World War, my book that describes the origins of the First Crusade.

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Curious City - Here’s How Climate Change Is Impacting Lake Michigan

Recent wildfires on the West Coast and Mayor Lightfoot’s plan to replace lead service lines in Chicago have brought the environment to the top of our minds. And as reporter Monica Eng found last year, Lake Michigan is already being affected by climate change. For a look at what we can expect moving forward, we return to a question from 2019. Plus, we take another peek inside the new school year in the city.

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Byzantium And The Crusades - The Decline of the Crusaders Episode 1 “Life in Outremer”

In this episode, we hear about life in Outremer, as the Crusader states were called, meaning 'Overseas' in French. We'll find that the Crusaders never really established themselves in sufficient strength to be a viable long-term power in the region. In addition, the Crusader's growing commercial relations with the Islamic world, which promised a more peaceful and friendly future, were ruined by the aggression of the Catholic Papacy in Rome which only wanted war with Islam.

Please take a look at my website nickholmesauthor.com where you can download a free copy of The Byzantine World War, my book that describes the origins of the First Crusade.

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The Right to Drink - F*ck True, We Swear On Our Brews

Arrogant Bastard. Raging Bitch. Big Red Coq. Edgy and offensive beer labels are everywhere. They’ve become a part of the craft beer movement. They are accompanied by boundary-pushing illustrations and drawings, too. But sometimes the government says: No way. Welcome to the litigious world of swear words, suds, and free speech.

Follow Jarrett Dieterle on Twitter @JarrettDieterle

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Byzantium And The Crusades - The Second Crusade Episode 3 “Fiasco”

In this episode, we hear about the disastrous conclusion of the Second Crusade, which stands in complete contrast to the spectacular success of the First Crusade. It also marked a turning point for both the Crusaders and the Byzantines, as their mutual hostility grew amidst the rising tide of Islamic power.

Please take a look at my website nickholmesauthor.com where you can download a free copy of The Byzantine World War, my book that describes the origins of the First Crusade.

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Curious City - How Accountable Is The Mayor For Police Misconduct?

For the last couple of months, we’ve been bringing you stories from our archive as we experiment with some new formats. Now, we wanted to share one of the stories we’ve been working on. As protests continue over police brutality and systemic racism in the justice system, WBEZ Criminal Justice Reporter Patrick Smith breaks down how the police accountability system works in Chicago, how these decisions are made— and what power the mayor holds in cases of police misconduct.

If you want to share feedback on this episode, send us comments to curiouscity@wbez.org.

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Byzantium And The Crusades - The Second Crusade Episode 2 “The Road to Defeat”

In this episode, we look at the passage of the Second Crusade through the Byzantine Empire and on into Anatolia which was a major war zone between the Byzantines and the Turks. Hopes were high for the Second Crusade, led by the two greatest Kings of Europe, Louis VII of France and Conrad III of Germany. But a cruel fate awaited them.

Please take a look at my website nickholmesauthor.com where you can download a free copy of The Byzantine World War, my book that describes the origins of the First Crusade.

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The Right to Drink - Why Your Craft Cocktail Should Cost $4

Why is your craft beer and favorite cocktail so dang expensive? What does this have to do with America’s only mother-daughter distilling duo? Join host Jarrett Dieterle, author of Give Me Liberty & Give Me A Drink (Artisan Books), as he exposes the long-running battle between booze producers and government and explains why your drink costs more than it should.

Foley courtesy of freesfx.co.uk.