The world out-imagines Orwell
The English novelist Christopher Fowler ruminates to good effect in this blog post about George Orwell’s novel, 1984. Orwell could never have predicted Trump. The fall of real authority came with the willing participant of the people. Few authors would imagine that citizens would deliberately vote themselves out of better living standards and less freedom.…
“Despicable 3” Surprisingly Lively
By the time a third entry in a franchise rolls around, wear and tear begins to show in what was once considered fresh and inventive. And if the same filmmaker that brought parts one and two to the screen is in charge of ushering in the third go around, the odds of anything fresh being…
Making do without
Some further thoughts that I couldn’t squeeze into this week’s column on higher education. It is amazing how many of the men and women now honored as great Illinoisans managed to become so without benefit of formal instruction. Lincoln apprenticed as a lawyer. Most lawyers did back then. Debate continues about how good a background…
Ben Sasse — who? — on higher ed
This week in my Dyspepsiana column I lament that, for all his talk about structural reforms in Illnoius’ system of public higher education, Bruce Rauner has no idea what needs to be to really change it for the better. Which is why I was intrigued by the recent conversation between Ben Sasse, the junior senator…
Real innovation
We can all agree that Illinois’ public higher education system is in a state of crisis – or rather crises. Bruce Rauner, living in his own private Illinois, believes that tax-supported colleges and universities cost too much, thanks to bloated bureaucracies, high pension payouts, union work rules and redundant course offerings. Then there is the…
Donald Trump’s puny approval rating
What’s the matter with these people? The Trumpsters in the White House and Congress, I mean. Start with The Donald himself, a guy who can’t pass a mirror without casting an adoring eye at his own reflection. What is it about him that requires the top officials of his government to humiliate themselves publicly in…
Rauner goes over reporters’ heads again
Gov. Bruce Rauner regularly attempts to “go over the heads” of the news media and talk directly to the public without any journalistic filters. Usually for people in his particular position, that’s just not possible. Governors aren’t presidents, after all. They can’t deliver “Oval Office” addresses that are carried live by television networks or give…
Letters to the Editor 6/29/17
RESPONSE TO ‘KILLING FIELDS’The recent article by Bruce Rushton titled “Killing Fields” (Jun 22) highlights a growing concern across this country: the soaring number of gun store burglaries. These guns are ending up in the illegal market and are causing the increase in gun violence in Springfield, Chicago and across Illinois. SB 1657, sponsored…
Editor’s Note 6/29/17
After a Republican sweep of four recent elections for House seats, Democrats are doing some soul searching about how to regain their momentum. They need a positive economic program, some are saying, rather than the current strategy of repealing and replacing President Trump. But if congressional Republicans succeed in their effort to replace the Affordable…
Trump’s support for apprenticeships falls short
For some, the recent unveiling of President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) pledging to expand apprenticeships nationwide – programs that allow workers to “earn and learn” on the job – was a welcome action in keeping with his campaign promise to get millions of Americans back to work. Unfortunately, the EO itself and this administration’s actions…
Small town, big fun
Agriculture is at the forefront of the 2017 Assumption Fest, the annual small town festival hosted by the Assumption Fest committee that grows bigger and better every year. One new feature at this year’s Fest is the Farm Extravaganza, which showcases agricultural-related machinery and educational and informational displays created by the farming community along with…
Patriotism in the park
The fun begins bright and early this Fourth of July in Jacksonville. Nichols Park will once again be the site of the annual Fourth of July Blast, a family-friendly celebration featuring fitness activities, live entertainment, kids’ attractions, fireworks and much more. The kids’ fishing tournament will kick off the festivities at 7 a.m., followed by…
Jack and jilted
My boyfriend of three years cheated on me, and when I found out, he dumped me. I’m getting over it, but boy, it’s a slow process. Some days I’m fine, and others I feel super sad or really angry. Is there some way I can speed up my recovery so I can get on with…
Music ties that bind
This Saturday, July 1, at the Black Sheep Cafe, four bands spanning nearly 40 years of alternative rock, punk and new wave genres play together on the same bill. Two once-popular area bands, Food & Money from the early 80s and Backwards Day from the early 90s, reunite to join with two currently working bands,…
Mural fiber
Downtown Springfield Inc.’s image and design committee’s most recent project will come to fruition this Thursday evening with…a party in an alley. Of course, that’s not the whole story. Two young artists will unveil new murals, turning the alleyway between the Reisch Building and the Old Town Mall between Fourth and Fifth streets – immediately…
Other unions dealt with Rauner. Why not AFSCME?
The Better Government Association is a 94-year-old full-service, nonpartisan Chicago-based watchdog organization that shines a light on government, holds public officials accountable and engages citizens through investigative journalism, public policy advocacy, open records lawsuits and civic engagement. Before becoming governor, Bruce Rauner openly disdained public sector unions. He ridiculed AFSCME, the union representing most state…
The bishop cracks down
Bishop Thomas Paprocki this month unleashed a national firestorm with a three-page decree making clear, if it wasn’t already, his views on homosexuality. Folks in same-sex marriages can’t present themselves for communion, nor can they publicly read stuff aloud during services or otherwise have any official role in services. People who have married people of…
‘This has really got to stop.’
“It’s an interesting time to lead in an educational environment,” said District 186 superintendent Jennifer Gill during a recent interview. “I mean, no business would say, ‘We have no idea how much money we’re going to have but, yeah, let’s go ahead and keep our doors open.’” Gill was elaborating on a statement she had…
Lincoln papers a mess
The Papers of Abraham Lincoln project is a disaster, according to a panel of experts who have blasted the effort to collect and publish every document ever read or written by the Great Emancipator. There is no editorial direction. The staff is demoralized and divided. Time and money has been wasted on collecting papers that…
Extended Fourth weekend
One could hardly ask for a better party set up than when a major holiday falls on a Tuesday. That makes a four-day weekend for those able to take off Monday, and from what I hear, lots of workers have done so. Please remember all those poor, hard-working musicians playing overtime (and time and time…
Sarah Shook & the Disarmers
Hell-bent on being about as rough and tumble as a gal can be, while simultaneously coming across as a contemporary country cat out to even the score with every lowdown dog around, Sarah Shook seems heaven-sent in this day of pre-programmed computer music. Along with her longtime cohort Eric Peterson (electric guitar) and bandmates John…
yellow submarine #1
a scientist I admirewrote about severallong term studiesspanning many yearsback to the seventieswhere groups withfalse beliefsthe world is flatthe sun circles uswere given irrefutableevidence theirbeliefs were falseyet the participantsall of them nowthoroughly convincedthe earth is not flatwe circle the sunwent right on beingflat earthers anywayso welcome everybodyto a flat earth and toan increasingly hot one
Blistering Baby Driver this summer’s sleeper
Most of the time, films fail to live up to the massive hype that surrounds them. However, that is certainly not the case with Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver. Coming off a rapturous reception at this years SXSW festival and touting a 100 percent fresh rating on the aggregate review website Rotten Tomatoes (that has since…
Perfect picnics under the stars
There is not much that I enjoy more than packing a picnic and curling up on a thick blanket to watch a show under the stars. Be it a movie in the park, a concert or community theatre, it’s a lovely way to spend an evening. Some of my favorite childhood memories of summer…
