Interests

One of the great mysteries of election 2012 so far is, how the hell was Team Romney so completely unprepared for Team Obama's withering attacks on his past at Bain capital, his tax returns, his off-shore bank accounts, and his general Richie Rich persona? Romney ran against Ted Kennedy in Massachusetts in the '90s and the Obama campaign has basically been repeating that playbook, so they can't claim they didn't see this coming. Whether or not the Obama slams on Bain Capital are distortions or “unfair”, they're hardly the same thing as calling a Vietnam war hero a treasonous liar, yet that's what Team Romney appears to be trying to claim: that the man is being Swift-Boated.

The economy is forcing more young Americans to put off major life decisions, according to a new survey. But how the young voters react to this year's upcoming presidential election as a result remains to be seen. Results were released Wednesday from a poll of 1,003 Americans ages 18 to 29 conducted between July 27 and July 31 and commissioned by Generation Opportunity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization aimed educating and engaging Millennials on economic challenges. The survey has a 3.1 percent margin of error.

I love the bar scene. Most 20-somethings do. But if bars are great for fun and relaxation, then surely all their magic is nixed by the networking events. Network "parties," they have the nerve to call these feeding frenzies. There's nothing more horrifying for a young up-and-comer - as I like to see myself - and, unfortunately, nothing more necessary. I was invited to just such an event recently, and they're a nightmare. You immediately think of how you'll be required to dress.

*** (out of four) Citizens, politicians: Lend Eugene Jarecki your ears. In his exceptional 2005 documentary “Why We Fight,” Jarecki explored dubious political agendas and financial interests that drive the military-industrial complex. In “The House I Live In,” he's still questioning why we fight and finding similar answers. This time, however, Jarecki looks not at war in Iraq but a war on American streets. Anyone with even a vague sense of current events recognizes the number of arrests for drug-related crimes - 45 million since 1971, the movie indicates.

I have developed separation anxiety for the first time in my life. In the 10 years I've been dating I've never been one to be overly attached to my mate. I mean I'm full of affection and miss my beloveds when we're apart but this time it's different. My man was recently away for seven days, and unreachable by phone, and in that time, when I wasn't fervently finding things to try to distract myself from the empty feeling he left me behind with, I was literally staring at the phone wishing it would ring.

Planning a date can be a difficult enough experience, let alone if you're doing it for two people that you've never met before. Sarah Press, CEO and co-founder of Project Fixup, a Chicago-based online startup that bills itself as one part matchmaker, one part concierge, said the key to her job is creating an experience centered around common interests. "We look at Yelp and look for feedback from our friends to find the best bars and restaurants in Chicago and focus on sending people to places we know they'd like," the 26-year-old Old Town resident said.

What do 27 pound of lube and 1,000 condoms have in common? They are part of Northwestern University's annual sex week. Sex Week is in full-swing with a full schedule that features question-and-answer sessions about dating, a sexy comedy night, a discussion examining the relationship between Christianity and sexuality and, of course, a whole a lot of free condoms and lube. Sex Week director Kyra Jones, a 20-year-old junior and majoring in theater and gender studies, received the lube shipment (donated by Las Vegas-based Empowered Products)

What do CTA President Forrest Claypool and teen pop sensation Justin Bieber have in common? They're both track stars who are offering prepaid debit cards. Bieber last week began a video campaign for SpendSmart prepaid debit cards marketed to teenagers. Claypool has been promoting the upcoming Ventra fare payment system. One of the options is a prepaid debit card. Both prepaid cards have been criticized for their fees, which include balance refund check for Ventra ($6) and replacement charge for SpendSmart ($7.95)

Updated, April 23, 2013: Good Beer Hunting has been named Saveur's Best Wine or Beer Blog. Cheers to that! Chicago has a seemingly insatiable appetite for new breweries and beer festivals, so it's no surprise that the city's beer blogs are some of the best in the country. Two Chicago-based blogs, Good Beer Hunting and Guys Drinking Beer , have been nominated for Saveur magazine's Best Food Blog Awards in the category of Wine or Beer Blog, making Chicago the best-represented city in that category.

Hey, former Supreme Court Justice of the United States, Sandra Day O'Connor, I just wanted to say thank you so much for your recent interview with the Chicago Tribune's editorial board . I really can't express how awesome it is that over a decade after you cast the fifth vote to end the Florida recount and make George W. Bush the forty-third president, you totally recognize what a boneheaded move that was. What was it you said? “'It took the case and decided it at a time when it was still a big election issue,' O'Connor said last Friday.