Bears quarterback Jay Cutler fumbles the ball as New Orleans Saints free safety Malcolm Jenkins tackles him. | Charles Rex Arbogast/AP
Bears, down
I’m one of a few Chicagoans waking up in a bright mood after yesterday’s 26-18 Saints victory over the Bears at Soldier Field. The rest of the city is now fretting over back-to-back losses for the Monsters of the Midway and hoping the team can pull out of the nosedive before Thursday night’s game against the struggling Giants. On the other hand, the Bears get to play the struggling Giants. QB Jay Cutler had a good outing for the Bears yesterday, but turnovers and an offensive line that had trouble stopping the Saints rush undermined a Bears comeback attempt. Also not happy about yesterday? Brandon Marshall, who’s clearly frustrated about his diminished role in the offense (though Alshon Jeffrey filled in nicely yesterday as Marshall was double-teamed). [Sun-Times, Telander, Morrissey]
Unrest
Meanwhile, a series of blasts killed dozens in Iraq, and more violent clashes broke out in Egypt over the past few days. [BBC, N.Y. Times]
Grisly killing
A woman and her father have admitted to their roles in the grisly dismemberment death of a Southwest Side man whose remains were discovered over the weekend. [Sun-Times]
Shutdown shuffle
Like sands through the hourglass, these are the (non)developments of the federal government shutdown. [WaPo, Lynn Sweet]
Ad-Ventras in transit
Adieu, magnetic-strip CTA cards. [Sun-Times]
Navy SEAL details
More information has been released on recent Navy SEAL raids, including one that didn’t result in the capture of a target in Somalia. [The Atlantic]
The Power of Burke
Ald. Ed Burke has wielded some political muscle to help win millions in property tax refunds over the last several years. [Sun-Times]
Wicker Park bullhorn bullhockey
Strange happenings in Wicker Park, where residents were angered to have police wake them at 1:40 a.m. with bullhorns, all so cars could be moved to accommodate the filming of television show “Sirens.” [DNAInfo]
Terrifying robots
Not all technological advances are for our benefit, science. [The Register]
Hardball
Both Chicago baseball teams are jumping into a busy offseason as the Sox pursue Curtis Granderson and the Cubs pursue a new manager. [Sox, Cubs]
Controversy!
Thanks to the kerfuffle over the name of Washington, D.C.’s NFL team and President Obama weighing in, one team official is now pointing a “How is THEIR name OK?” finger at the Blackhawks. [NBC Chicago]
The Bright One
Dan Mihalopoulos explores how there is too much of a good thing when you’re a City Hall lobbyist. [Sun-Times]
Commute
Sudoku; Weather; Traffic; CTA; Metra; Flight delays
And finally
A 9-year-old boy has successfully done what every adult wishes he or she could pull off: sneak aboard a flight to Las Vegas without a ticket. Word is, though, that he was a terrible blackjack player. [CNN]
