From A Special Thing: "The Onion began in 1756, a full 20 years before the establishment of the Republic. Originally entitled The Mercantile-Onion, it was published by an immigrant named Friedrich Siegfried Zweibel, who as every schoolchild knows went on to become the patriarch of the illustrious Zweibel newspaper dynasty, a corrupt family of publishing-industry robber barons which would ruthlessly rule journalism with an ink-stained iron fist for the next several centuries… and, in fact, continue to do so."

Say Something Funny, Funnyman. Chicago comedian Dustin White wants you to know it's just as improper to ask him to tell you a joke as it is to ask a dentist to poke around in your gingivitis at a cocktail party.

Also, we can't stop talking about Del Close's skull. Chicagoist has uncovered more fascinating personal anecdotes about the long and storied history of the Chicago comedy legend's cranium. A friend of Close's, Jay Freidheim, says "I think that the focus on the 'joke' aspect of most of the coverage of Del's plan misses the point that Del seemed to care the most about. I believe that for Del it was about a sense of immortality, living on after death in your work, your deeds, your craft." We didn't know Close personally, of course, but from what we've read and heard about him, we suspect that he would love the continued discussions and speculations.