CHICAGO — Here's what we're reading today.
Making Green Roofs Even Greener: A common question asked of developers at community meetings is, "Will the building have any green features?" If the answer is yes, a green roof is one of the most likely explanations. While the term conjures up lovely images, the green roofs reporter Patty Wetli has seen up close and personal are ... not pretty. According to this article in the Washington Post, the Chicago Botanic Garden is on the forefront of putting the green, and other colors, into green roofs. Researchers there are developing a broader list of plants that can not only survive but thrive in a harsh environment where they'll be subjected to wind, drought and extreme swings in temperature. Let's hear it for pussytoes, moss phlox and prairie dropseed, all of which performed well under pressure.
Vice Photographer Visits Boozy Taco Bell: Vice magazine's Ryan Lowry popped by Wicker Park's new Taco Bell — the first in the country to serve up booze — and snapped lots of up-close photos of hungry revelers devouring dinner and slurping "Baja blast" mixed-alcohol freezes. When asked why he likes Taco Bell, one patron replied, "Cause it's cheap and good."
Are Music Writers an Endangered Career Species? Staff layoffs at major newspapers have hit music coverage especially hard, Billboard.com reports. The soon-to-be-unemployed journalists could negatively impact ticket sales for touring indie bands, some musicians fear. Fruit Bats frontman Eric Johnson said previews placed in local newspapers help spread word of an upcoming appearance. "For most indie bands, they rely on their following and also curiosity seekers to fill a room. The nod from the local press gives just a little bit of an edge," Johnson said. Read the whole story here.
Blessed by the Pope's Backwash: U.S. Rep. Bob Brady (D-Philadelphia) plans to annoint his grandchildren with Pope Francis' backwash. According to Philly.com, the congressman surreptitiously made off with the pope's water glass after his visit to the Capitol. Brady and his staff have claimed to drank from the pope's glass and the congressman said he will use the remaining water to bless his four grandchildren.
The Bald Truth About Top-Knots: If vigilante top-knot chopping seemed a little evil last week, reporter Ariel Cheung can now feel guilt-free about enjoying the #StopTheKnot movement. Turns out, those awful little tufts of hair can actually cause baldness. Unilad spoke with a health specialist about how the tension on hair follicles can cause traction alopecia and create acute bald patches. Add it to the many, many reasons to just say no to the horrid hipster trend.
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