Chicago Flame

Team performs world's first robotic liver transplant

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

A team of transplant surgeons performed the world's first minimally-invasive liver resection for living-donor transplantation last week at the University of Illinois Medical Center. Gary Tongue, a Rockford area man, was the first to receive this transplantation performed by robotic surgical techniques.

Summer session offers options

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

This year UIC is offering new options for taking courses during the summer. In previous years summer courses have generally lasted from the end of May until late July, leaving students with only a few weeks of vacation time before the following fall semester began.

Student takes a spin and wins big on 'Wheel of Fortune'

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

During the game show Wheel of Fortune, UIC student Mark Grotto got a chance to live his childhood dream and win big. Wheel of Fortune came to Chicago to film episodes for its College Week and Grotto was chosen among many to be a part of it.

"My dad and I would always make it a priority to watch it together back in the day and we still did that up until the day I went to college," says Grotto.

Harsh bus-break injures 19 children

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

A school bus driver in northern Illinois was charged with child endangerment for allegedly slamming on the brakes because she was angry at kids on her bus, police said.

Some of the 54 elementary school students on board were thrown from their seats, Huntley police said.

LAS Alumni Association to hold wine-tasting event

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

On May 22 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., the LAS Alumni Association will host a wine-tasting and alumni networking event on the Third Floor lounge of BSB. Wine sampling and instruction will be led by Charles E. Stanfield, L'Ordre Des Cotaux De Champagne and Chairman for Wine of the People.

Secretary of State worker accepted bribes

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

An employee of the secretary of state's office is accused of accepting bribes to provide personal information on car owners and to help a convicted con artist obtain false vehicle titles.

Secretary of state spokesman Dave Druker says a joint investigation by the U.

Chicago school beefs up language programs

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Officials say the Chicago Public Schools next year will expand its foreign language curriculum, teaching more students Chinese and Arabic, and launching Russian in several schools.

School officials say with more than 7,000 Chicago students studying Chinese, the district has the largest such program in the nation.

Community Insight

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Walk and Roll fundraiser coming to West Loop

The 36th annual American Cancer Society Walk and Roll fundraising event will be held in the West Loop on May 18. The event is known as the largest American Cancer Society fundraiser in the state of Illinois, and will feature a 5K walk, 10K skate, and 15K bike ride - all in the name of raising money for cancer research.

Snowballs in Hell: fallacies of the global warming debate

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Regular readers of the Chicago Flame probably know by now that I'm politically conservative and, as such, there are certain stereotypes designated to me by the urban university mindset. I've long since given up trying to hide the glaring fact that I spend my moonshine-induced evenings engaging in sexual intercourse with toothless family members, while contemplating the sadistic joy I'd wallow in from reading (if only I were literate) Fox News articles on death toll predictions for the next Bushitler crusade against oil-owning non-Christians.

Building my American identity

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

It appears my writings offend some. They believe my focus on race distorts or clouds the real problems. They say my focus on race continues to divide and distort our American identity.

What I say in response is that my intention is to heal our historic wounds, not deepen the divide.

Nothing to apologize for

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

One of my favorite albums is Kimya Dawson's "I'm Sorry That Sometimes I'm Mean." It is worth listening to because it is good music but also because it is an honest and occasionally cheeky discourse on human existence. Dawson isn't actually sorry that sometimes she's mean.

Down the pipeline

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

A recent fertilizer shortage has contributed significantly to the rising cost of food around the world. The shortage has been increasing rapidly over the last five years due to population growth, shrinking world grain stocks and increased demand for corn and palm oil to make biofuel.

Letters to the Editor

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Dear Editor,

As a former vice president (1997-1998) and presidential candidate (1998) of Undergraduate Student Government (USG), I am appalled at how the Election Planning Committee (EPC) conducts its business. Although I have not been on campus since 2000 and don't know much about the specific election complaints, it is pretty clear that not holding public hearings is unacceptable.

Stress: when it's too much, help is available

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

As the final stretch of final exams roll in, many of us are stressed and can't wait until it is all over so we can enjoy summer break. However, sometimes school stress combined with other factors, such as home life, relationship issues and jobs, make dealing with this time close to unbearable.

Pocket Doc

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Dr. George

Q: My knee makes a weird popping noise from time to time. It doesn't stop me from doing any sort of activity, but once in a while it'll start being a bit painful but not enough that it's excruciating. Is this just normal because I'm an active person?

A: Joints, especially the knee joint, make all sorts of snapping and popping sounds.

Salmonella outbreak caused by contaminated cantaloupes

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

An outbreak of Salmonella left 14 people hospitalized throughout Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Canada. Salmonella bacteria live in the intestinal tracts animals, and when transmitted to people cause violent food poisoning.

Fashion in 1988: is that really what they wore?

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Nearly a generation ago, our parents and undergrads at UIC were wearing fashion of a questionable nature. In the late 1980s, both men and women channeled their inner rockers like the guys from the group Poison and wore acid-wash jeans, large ripped jeans that were a little loose on the body.

Dorm is the new norm

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Over the last 20 years, UIC has undergone massive changes. The campus expanded southward, dormitories have been built and the university itself has become well known as a first-class research institution.

Student life fluctuates and changes quickly. This is especially true of UIC - there are few people here who recall personally what the school was like in 1988.

Driving on a prayer

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

"Can Jesus fix my car?"

?BSB first floor women's restroom, first stall on the left

Amanda: Well, what sort of fix do you want? I mean, for all intents and purposes, Christ, as a historical figure, lived in a time without cars. Asking an ancient Jewish carpenter to check the oil or kick the tires might not be such a good idea.

Softball upsets no. 20 DePaul, 5-2

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

The UIC softball team snapped No. 20 DePaul's 11-game winning streak on Wednesday night with a 5-2 triumph at Flames Field.

The victory marks the first win over a nationally-ranked opponent this season.

UIC hurler Sarah Clynes (13-15) allowed just three hits in 7.

Curry, Kwame, Chandler prove merits of rule

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

I say no. Keep it the way it is. First off, when the CBA was up for re-negotiation, David Stern originally wanted to make it two years and 20 years of age for both Americans international players, while the players union wanted to keep the then status quo, so the compromise was made to have the current system.

NCAA/NBA only in it for money

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

When the NBA owners and players union agreed on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement before the 2005-06 NBA season, one of the issues in the agreement was the minimum age for entering the NBA draft. Before the new CBA, players who graduated from high school in the U.

Fair dues in '07-08

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

2007-08 was yet another banner year for UIC Athletics.

Women's tennis solidified their place as a dynasty, claiming their 100th consecutive Horizon League victory and yet another championship. Both gymnastics squads qualified multiple gymnasts to nationals, 14 in all.

Serving up 103 league victories

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

UIC women's tennis made it 12 consecutive Horizon League championships and 103 straight League victories by defeating Butler 4-3 on April 27 in the League title game. Freshman Ilinca Cristescu (center) was named League newcomer and League player of the year.

UIC Athletics Schedule

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Thursday 5/8 Softball Horizon League Championships All Day Loyola Softball Park Track and Field Horizon League Championships All Day Youngstown, OH Friday 5/9 Women's Tennis NCAA Tournament vs. Northwestern 2 p.m. Evanston, IL Baseball at Milwaukee (DH) 2/5 p.

Top five things to do in Chicago

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

By Amanda Wowk

Staff writer

So the temperature is finally above freezing (for the moment), the sun is shining on Lake Michigan and best of all, school is out for summer! There's nothing quite like Chicago in the summertime. The city really seems to come alive with festivals, fairs, and people basking in the heat.

Chicago when it sizzles

Mon, 05 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

What's that saying we have? "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes."

That's right; Chicago can go through a large range of climate condition variations in an entire day. At the heart of the city's all-year-round unpredictable weather is the effect from Lake Michigan.