Letters to the editor
We welcome letters, but please include your full name, address, and daytime telephone number. We edit all letters for libel, length, and clarity. Send letters to Letters, Illinois Times, P.O. Box 5256, Springfield, IL 62705; fax 217-753-3958; e-mail editor@illinoistimes.com. LEARNING MORE THAN HOW TO SPELL Doug Bybee’s satiric description of the National Spelling Bee was…
Pink-slip request
Michale Callahan, the former Illinois State Police lieutenant who sued his superiors in federal court and won, is now asking the Sangamon County Circuit Court to take action against two high-ranking ISP officials. On Wednesday, Callahan filed a mandamus petition asking the court to order Gov. Rod Blagojevich and ISP Director Larry Trent to fire…
Jacqueline Jackson
musicpoem #3 there’s still something to be said for mendelssohn and his ilk when you get on a plane or when you’re folding your tray table and returning your seat to an upright position does the sound system play rock? rap? reggae? no, it plays the three b’s, sometimes m, or the two h’s —…
The secret police
You’ve just been slapped around by a cop. You’re looking for some justice. Internal affairs? Nope — it’s your word against the officer’s, and the police side with their own. How about Springfield’s newly formed civilian oversight board? Good luck — and shhh. Civilian oversight in Springfield is a case of “better than nothing,” say…
Last right
By the time Thomas Alan Banning got lucky, it was almost too late. His life, laid unvarnished on a single sheet of paper in big letters and plenty of spaces, reads like a country song with a steady beat and little melody: A roll call of siblings, in which Tom was the fifth of 10.…
Leaving nothing to chance
The last time a statewide referendum went before the Illinois electorate, 1978, Hustler publisher Larry Flynt had just been shot and paralyzed, perennial Hall of Fame reject Pete Rose cracked his 3,000th hit, and Ted Kaczynski sent his first bomb to Northwestern University. On May 8, volunteers from a conservative group called Protect Marriage Illinois submitted…
Dennis jerks into action
Stop the presses! A major discovery has been made: Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert has shown signs of having a pulse! Surprised experts say this might mean that Hastert is not just a bloated papier-mâché political puppet after all — he may have the capacity for independent thought. Dennis — the laconic, doughy, somewhat…
Fish gone wild
Every May, there’s a big homecoming in Alaska, and everyone and his mother in the lower 48 wants an invitation. From now until the kids go back to school, the cold waters of the Copper River are chockfull of returning salmon preparing for their upstream spawning and egg-laying ritual. Meanwhile, we mere mortals in places…
Kinds of blue
This week is chockfull of the blues. The cerulean goings-on start around 8:30 p.m. Thursday, June 8 — yes, that’s tonight, if you picked up the paper when you’re supposed to — as local blues gurus Black Magic Johnson bring it all home through a mix of standards and originals at Thirsty’s Playground (1975 W.…
Cosmetic danger
Dear “Earth Talk”: What is the “Not Too Pretty” campaign pertaining to the use of cosmetics? — Lucy Balzary, Los Angeles, Calif. The nonprofit Environmental Working Group launched the Not Too Pretty campaign in 2002 to raise awareness about the dangers of phthalates, industrial chemicals that are used as solvents in many cosmetics. Most of…
Slow down, go further
What’s better — life in the fast lane or enjoying it at a slower pace? And can you get where you’re going by going it alone? Don’t expect any surprise answers in Cars, Pixar’s delightful story of a young racecar who learns important life lessons on the way to the big race. Lightning McQueen (voice…
Getting rid of odors
Dear Gene: I own a condominium that has a musty mold or mildew odor and also gets sticky residue on some surfaces. What can I do about this? — N.M. These symptoms, which are especially common in basements, are almost always caused by moisture resulting from poor ventilation and excessive humidity. Air conditioners, which also…
Al fresco pleasures
Years ago the only places Americans ate outdoors were in back yards, picnic areas, fairgrounds, and campsites. To eat and drink at an outdoor cafe or restaurant, you had to cross an ocean. Al fresco dining was foreign, exotic, romantic, and oh so sophisticated. That’s exactly why I was determined to experience it on my…
The beneficiaries
The beneficiaries The honor roll of past Steele Memorial scholarship winners Begun as a labor of love and remembrance by the family of the late Mike Steele, the golf tournament they started in 1987 has given a strong head start in life to 19 young people who were former athletes at eight different Springfield-area high…
Things to do in June
This past weekend we were blessed with sunshine and warm temperatures. I took advantage of the lovely weather to spend a day planting impatiens, trimming oregano, and pulling weeds, weeds, and more weeds. Here are a few general tips to keeping your garden in shape this month. Inspect all plants on a regular basis for…
No freaks – just folk
There’s a reason Vetiver gets lumped in with the freak-folk crowd, but it doesn’t have much to do with its music. Andy Cabic, the San Francisco-based collective’s only permanent member, plays guitar in Devendra Banhart’s touring band and even runs a label with him (Gnomonsong, home of Feathers and Jana Hunter). Vetiver’s 2004 debut found…
Vinyl Static
HIGH FIVES: Desk Vinyl Static is what the Dubya’s dad might call a “kinder, gentler music critic.” When the message floated in that Jurassic 5 was finally dropping the follow-up to Quality Control and Power in Numbers, this fan wanted to like “Work It Out,” the lead single, bad. The song kicks off in perfect…
The Hanks code
The controversy over The Da Vinci Code began with the casting of Tom Hanks, but I suppose that is an issue only for those who read the book. Because I will never read it, I can easily accept Hanks in the role. In fact, unlike other actors who began their careers with light comedy, I…
People’s poetry
Everywhere I travel I meet people who want to write poetry but worry that what they write won’t be “any good.” No one can judge the worth of a poem before it’s been written, and setting high standards for yourself can keep you from writing. And if you don’t write you’ll miss out on the…
