After banning Rod Blagojevich from tweeting from the court room Monday, the judge in his corruption trial has now "admonished" him "to avoid making any facial or other expressions" during proceedings, which he had been doing, annoying jurors and prosecutors.

A very proud Chicago artist named Jeremy Scheuch recently got this Chicago-style tattoo and sent a picture to Chicagoist. Look at all the Chicago-y things! A hot dog. A deep dish pizza. Money! And, of course, in Rod we trust.

Illinois' alleged horrible criminal ex-governor, Rod Blagojevich, is very excited for the start of his corruption trial, which he's been promoting on television and radio since forever. Is he actually going to tweet nonsense throughout the trial? What a muppet.

[Failed Celebrity Apprentice contestant Rod Blagojevich was looking for a fight today when he arrived at court in Chicago to defend himself on corruption charges. Image via Getty]

[You're not the only one looking forward to relaxing this weekend. Air Force One dropped off the first family in Chicago yesterday afternoon. Image via Getty]

An elderly Chicago couple was rescued from beneath piles of junk inside their home where they were trapped for two weeks and may have been bitten by rats. The smell was so bad that firefighters had to wear hazmat suits.

Lt. John Burge and his men electrocuted, suffocated and beat confessions out of black suspects in Chicago for 20 years, until 1993. Some of his victims ended up on death row. Jury selection has begun in his trial.

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, stood in front of a table of seized guns yesterday, was asked by a reporter how effective his city's gun policy was. He picked up a rifle. And suggested he insert it in the reporter's anus.

The Chicago Asian Carp genocide has officially begun.

Chicago chef Rick Bayless, known for his Mexican-inspired cuisine, was invited to be the guest chef for tonight's White House state dinner in honor of Mexican president Felipe Calderon. Not everyone appreciates he's been tweeting every detail about the preparations.

Big, scary Asian carp are threatening to destroy fish populations in the Great Lakes. So how will officials stop them? By poisoning everything headed for Lake Michigan with a pesticide that is "mildly toxic" to humans. [Chicago Tribune, pic]

The city is plagued by gun violence, so Democratic lawmakers are asking for the National Guard to use techniques learned on "nation-building assignments in Iraq and Afghanistan" to restore order. Glenn Beck was right... martial law is coming! [AP, pic]

President Obama met with Billy Graham for the first time ever on Sunday, kicking it with the legendary pastor in his log cabin for a half hour in a special top secret Jesus meeting. What did they talk about?

Yesterday the disgraced ex-governor said he was "stolen from the people of Illinois," by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, then got all Chicago Guy for the cameras and said: "Why don't you show up in court tomorrow?"

The White House chief of staff says he will be mayor of Chicago eventually, because Rahmbo gets what he wants every time. Yesterday he told Charlie Rose, "at some point that will be something I'll do." [WSJ, Getty]

Well, this is strange. Two men brawl at a Chicago government office as horrified onlookers gawk before the presumed victor starts voguing away with struts fit for a Queen, honey, and sashays right out the front door. *Snaps* Video inside.

Pawnbroker Scott Lee Cohen wanted to be Lieutenant Governor of Illinois, and was going pretty well. Until it emerged that he'd once held a knife to the throat of a then-hooker girlfriend and had injected anabolic steroids.

Giant, killer Asian carp are going to take over the Great Lakes, because of the Supreme Court and Chicago. The carp can jump ten feet in the air when agitated, they breed like crazy, and basically they will destroy the earth in 2012. They are 100 times more dangerous than the killer bees! [Isthmus]

A man with a gun was seen on an elevator in the Rubloff Building on the university's law school campus, in Chicago. People in the building were told to lock their doors and await word. [SunTimes]

Chicago writer hates Manhattan for the same reasons New Yorkers hate Manhattan. Chicago: Always second.