It’s 2006, George, not 1706
It’s 2006, George, not 1706 Here’s today’s phrase: habeas corpus. This phrase embodies the democratic principle — enshrined in our Constitution — that government officials cannot arbitrarily arrest you, lock you up, and throw away the key. Habeas corpus, which literally means “produce the body,” is an essential safeguard against a police state, for it…
Burning question
Dear Earth Talk: Now that autumn is here, the leaves are going to pile up in my yard again. Is it really that bad to burn them? Why is it illegal to burn leaves in so many places now? — Jeffrey Edwards, Westport, Conn. Burning fallen leaves used to be standard practice across North America,…
Letters to the Editor
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. “MAYOR” STROM DOESN’T CARE When did Bruce Strom become the mayor of…
Hollow boulders
One of the many excruciating aspects of Rock Star: Supernova was watching the female contestants as they wailed and writhed and whipped their hair around in a doomed attempt to prove that hott chixx can be heavy. Be they saucy sexbots in rubber fetish gear, hardened harridans in leather vests, or Courtney clones in tattered…
Keeping mold off the roof
Dear Gene: I have heard that zinc strips can keep mold from forming on asphalt-shingled roofs, but how are the strips installed and where can I get them? Zinc strips are available in 3-foot lengths and in roll form. The manufacturer’s specific instructions should be followed when the strips are installed. In general, however, a…
AC/DC
AC/DC If you were wondering how worried House Speaker Michael Madigan is about election day, last week’s special session gambit should have answered your question. As you probably know, the Chicago Democrat asked Gov. Rod Blagojevich to call the General Assembly into special session right away to freeze electric-utility rates for the next three years.…
Unkindest Cut
Unkindest Cut Two passions started me on an exploration: A couple of years ago I received my great-grandmother’s diaries, which date from 1928 to 1971. I read them and learned about . . . well, you’ll see. And then I purchased a box of frozen tilapia fillets for my family, who had suddenly gone from…
A hairy situation
A hairy situation I’ve written about 40 articles for Illinois Times, none of ’em on purpose. The words fall from my laptop during morning coffee. The stories “falling” are always 1,600 words long. Because Illinois Times only allows me 800, I just eliminate 800 words at random and call what’s left “well said.” Oftentimes the…
Flavors of fall
As welcome as the first warm spring breeze after a frigid winter, crisp fall temperatures have arrived. Even when daytime temperatures rival those in mid-August, the heat isn’t as oppressive. The humidity is lower, and the cool evenings come quickly. The foods and flavors of autumn are also a welcome shift. Suddenly a steaming bowl…
Killer theater
Every morning for nearly two years now, I’ve passed a lifelike figure of John Wilkes Booth on my way to work at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. This week, Booth comes to life onstage in one of the most thought-provoking, challenging, and disturbing musicals of recent years. Lincoln’s murderer is one of nine disturbed people…
Nine Czech mates
Nine Czech mates What is so intriguing about the number nine? You’ve got the Beatles’ “Revolution 9,” a musical experiment on The White Album, and Old No. 9, the famous steam engine. There are nine Muses, nine players on a baseball team (playoff time, you know), nine justices on the Supreme Court, nine months in…
Finding Fogel
Finding Fogel It is an event Seymour Fogel himself most likely would have shunned. In fact, the artist would probably be better known today were it not for his intense independence and passionately private nature. Art historian Greta Berman has said of Fogel (1911-1984), “He didn’t ‘play the game’ and he never promoted himself. He…
The bread ambassador
For a long time, the words “Food is everything” donned my refrigerator, torn from the pages of a magazine lost and forgotten. Although I remember smiling in acknowledgment, I doubt that I gave much thought to “everything.” Is everything every thing? And do we all agree on everything? We might all agree that food is…
Grow your own spinach
I have not-so-fond childhood memories of being force-fed cooked spinach topped with sliced hard-boiled eggs. As an adult, I still have trouble eating cooked spinach, but I do enjoy fresh spinach in a mixed garden salad. Spinach has gotten a lot of bad publicity recently. Because of the contamination scare, fresh spinach may be in…
Unlikely allies
Unlikely allies, Jesse Jackson, Rainbow/PUSH, Collinn Hitt Over the years, the Rev. Jesse Jackson has made criticisms of the status quo with which Collin Hitt says he wholeheartedly agrees; other times, he’s less inclined to agree. “We probably wouldn’t find ourselves on the same page [on some issues], but we’re not speaking different tongues,” Hitt…
Long live Jack
Jack Nicholson has reached a milestone with the release of The Departed. His career as a major star has now tied the incredible run of John Wayne. For those in doubt, let’s do the math. Wayne achieved stardom with the 1939 release of Stagecoach, and his final film, The Shootist, was released in 1976. Nicholson…
The Springfield underground
The Springfield underground The three girls danced around in a circle. “I’m so happy we’re together again,” the oldest one said. I realized they were dancing in heaven. There is no place in Springfield closer to heaven on an October Sunday than this sunny cemetery ridge, surrounded by still-green oaks and a few maples, red…
Joke’s on you
The timing couldn’t be better for the release of Barry Levinson’s political satire Man of the Year. With Republicans in turmoil over the erupting congressional sex scandal, audiences should be primed to see the most powerful legislative body in the land and its members skewered. Unfortunately, Levinson’s film lacks the bite you’d expect from the…
No crying in the wind
Seirra Club on a roll The Sierra Club is on a roll. The environmental-advocacy organization is using its clout to hold up the construction of at least four proposed coal-fired power plants in Illinois and in recent weeks has achieved several victories, and suffered just one defeat. The biggest win came on Thursday, Oct. 5,…
