Cagey Nicolas
The Weather Man appears to be a return to form for Nicolas Cage, who first gained attention with a series of quirky characters in oddball independent features. In recent years, though, big-budget popcorn movies have dominated his image. Many of his choices in that regard have been good, particularly Con Air (1997) and the astounding…
When courage was an exception to the rule
George Clooney’s Good Night, and Good Luck tells the story of the famous over-the-air battle between newsman Edward R. Murrow and U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy, a confrontation that helped undermine political support for the demagogue. It’s a meticulous account that adheres closely to the facts and even includes film from the period to bolster its authenticity.…
Truth in labeling
Murder is one thing. Rape is another. But they’re both the same in the eyes of the state of Illinois, which is requiring some criminals to register as sex offenders even though they’ve never committed a sex crime. Angel Diaz, who’s serving a 30-year sentence for murder, thought the state had made a mistake when…
A community and its bookstore
In most American towns, chamber-of-commerce booster types measure the town’s status by whether it has such corporate symbols as a Wal-Mart or McDonald’s. For me, however, the true measure of a town’s vitality comes down to whether it has three noncorporate essentials: a vibrant farmers’ market, a good local pub, and an independent community-based bookstore.…
Paying for bass playing
How do you get a bass player off your porch? Pay him for the pizza, silly. John Sauter picked up the bass guitar when he was 14 years old. Over the next few years, he scored backing gigs with such Chicago blues greats as Otis Spann and Sam Lay and rock & roll legends Bo…
Rain on his parade
Federal investigators didn’t make it easy for Gov. Rod Blagojevich last week. On his big day, when he tried to turn around his political fortunes with All Kids, a major new public-health policy initiative formally unveiled in front of a joint session of the General Assembly with most of the state’s media in attendance, the…
Advocacy Center chief resigns
Jonna Cooley, under investigation for misappropriation of funds, has resigned her post as executive director of the Sangamon County Child Advocacy Center, the agency charged with helping sexually abused children. Though her resignation letter had not been submitted at press time, three sources speaking on the condition of anonymity confirmed that Cooley had decided to…
Finding the homeless shelter a new home
Sometimes it takes a defeat to get everyone’s attention and gather more resources to start building toward a victory. That is an optimistic assessment of the battle over the location of the proposed Salvation Army community center and homeless shelter. Fortunately, it is shared by both sides of the controversy. Here’s what we’ve learned so…
American Life in Poetry
In this fine poem about camping by Washington poet E. G. Burrows, vivid memories of the speaker’s father, set down one after another, move gracefully toward speculation about how experiences cling to us despite any efforts to put them aside. And then, quite suddenly, the father is gone, forever. But life goes on, the coffee…
The Lady Lou bounce
Ebony Eyez 7 Day Cycle (Capitol) The first female rapper from St. Louis to score a major-label deal, Ebony Eyez seems fully aware of her precedent-setting achievement — and maybe a bit defensive about it, too. “Nelly, Chingy, and ’Kwon put us on the map,” she notes. “But niggaz actin’ like a b**h out of…
Bringing the word
The dimly lit performance hall pulses with a quiet beat. Men and women wearing their best “I just can’t help looking cool” attire make their way around the room — walking, talking, moving with the rhythm. At each table, a single candle illuminates the faces around it, and in this light, everyone looks good. This…
Letters to the editor
Letters policy We welcome letters, but please include your full name, address and a daytime telephone number. We edit all letters for libel, length and clarity. Send letters to: Letters, Illinois Times. P.O. Box 5256. Springfield, Illinois 62705. Fax: (217) 753-3958. E-mail: editor@illinoistimes.com “WE LIVE BY EXAMPLE” The struggle for human rights is constant. Humanity’s…
Pedaling Jesus
What would Jesus ride? Mary Grant doesn’t hesitate. “Since he traveled so much, he would certainly ride a road bike,” she answers. “Of course, Israel also has mountains.” She might have said “cross bike,” a hybrid design that blends mountain and road models but is known by aficionados for doing nothing very well. No matter.…
Last-ditch appeal
A final decision on the amount of punitive damages that retired Illinois State Police investigator Michale Callahan will receive from his former superior officers — originally scheduled for Nov. 1 in a Champaign federal court — has been delayed until midnight Nov. 2 for what appears be a last-ditch effort at settlement. In April, Callahan…
Pure popcorn puffery
Whether we’re at the theater or curled up on the couch watching a movie at home, popcorn is our favorite snack. Snacking may be the American way of life, but healthful choices can provide the body with the nutrients we need to keep us moving. According to the Popcorn Board, a nonprofit organization funded by…
Pubescent enlightening
Teenagers sometimes do the darnedest things. And whether it’s smoking dope or setting fire to the dining-room table, parents have the darnedest time figuring out why their teens do the wacky, or self-destructive, things they do. Thumbing her nose at previous theories on teen mental health, Barbara Strauch, medical-science and health editor of the New…
Jacqueline Jackson
aroundtownpoem #8 at edwards place across the street the older sisters were drawing naked ladies in the life drawing class elspeth went along and drew naked ladies too november six was her birthday and also the birthday of the instructor she and her sisters made two cakes and carried them to class they were back…
Making the ban
The ashtrays outnumber the customers at Mac’s Lounge on Tuesday night and, of the dozen-or-so patrons, only a few are smoking. Two of them, Rufus Wallace and Ernie Drake, agree that smoking is unhealthy, though their opinions diverge on the question of whether the Springfield City Council should impose a citywide smoking ban. “They’d probably…
