Legacy project
Since 2004, the African American History Foundation has interviewed more than 30 notable African-Americans living in Springfield during the 20th century. Some of these individuals can trace their family’s roots in the area back as many as five generations, and the tales they’ve shared include first- and secondhand accounts of the 1908 Springfield race riots;…
Riddle me this
One part George Jones, one part John Ashbery, Richard Buckner brings the MFA poetry workshop to the honky-tonk, or vice versa. He’s the kind of lyricist who is typically described as “elliptical,” “gnomic,” and “cryptic” — rockcrit shorthand for “I have no idea what this dude is talking about, but I’m pretty sure he’s totally…
To eat or not to eat
Popeye must be bummed. Even though in the old cartoons he was always gulping down canned spinach, I like to think he would have moved on with the times and would now be eating it fresh. My only exposure to canned spinach was in my elementary-school cafeteria, where it was a regularly featured item on…
Patch driveway cracks
Dear Gene: Is it really impossible to patch a concrete driveway? A couple of contractors want to replace the entire driveway, at high cost. The largest crack is about 8 inches long and 1 inch wide. It is certainly possible to patch concrete. There are dozens of special products made for this purpose, and I…
Very fuzzy logic
Fuzzy logic, as you may or may not know, is a real live mathematical concept with an acronym (FL), a formula of sorts, and a long explanation full of words such as “empirically based,” “significant error,” “significant rate of change of error,” “partial-set membership rather than crisp-set membership,” “error slope,” and “adaptive control.” Given that…
Mad cows and Alzheimer’s
Dear “Earth Talk”: Is there a connection between “mad cow” disease and Alzheimer’s disease? — Jon Luongo, Brooklyn, N.Y. Despite limited evidence, some researchers fear that just such a connection exists. In his 2004 book Brain Trust, biochemist Colm Kelleher argues that mad-cow disease (also known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or BSE) has actually been…
The New Wind Rush
Terry Gutshall was amazed for the second time. Back when he was principal of Bureau Valley’s shiny new high school, he was amazed to face electricity bills totaling a whopping $150,000 in the school’s first year. The amount was way more than the tiny district had projected, budgeted, or could even afford. Gutshall scratched his…
Modest but mighty
Dave Potts, the Prairie Grapevine Folklore Society’s first act of the fall season, fits the bill as a quiet, unassuming, thoughtful folk singer who likes to let his songs do the talking. Asked to describe his music, he says, “I call it folk, with a little country and Americana — kind of like David Wilcox…
What’s he hiding?
If you think Gov. Rod Blagojevich gets bad press now, imagine how harsh the coverage would be if we knew what he was hiding. For instance, we know from sources that the governor’s own office and his various agencies have been served with dozens of federal subpoenas involving countless criminal allegations, but Blagojevich won’t even…
Above the law
The yearlong investigation into alleged misconduct by two Springfield Police detectives has also ensnared five supervisors, according to an investigative summary obtained by Illinois Times. The 30-page document, dated June 28, 2006, offers a glimpse into the rule-bending, sometimes soap-operatic culture of the now-disbanded “major-case unit” and includes summaries of ISP investigators’ interviews with the…
Creepy creeping bentgrass
You never want to hear your dentist say, “Oops.” But “oops” is also something you never want to hear from biotech scientists who are genetically altering various plant species. Messing with the very DNA of grains, veggies, and other plants is dangerous stuff, for there are many consequences of such corporate-sponsored manipulations. They are literally…
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. THE ART OF BEING BEST On behalf of the board and staff of the Springfield Art…
Protecting new evergreens
You may plant an evergreen tree in your back yard in July expecting to see it looking perky in the middle of winter, but think again. Newly planted evergreens are more prone to dehydration through the winter, but with a little extra care your new tree will live to see spring. “Winter can be harsh,”…
De Palma’s nonthrillers
The Black Dahlia is the latest murder thriller from Brian De Palma, who has spent his long career trying to shake the label of Hitchcock rip-off artist. The fact that he has made many films in that genre merely suggests he should be considered its modern master. When I look over his list of thrillers…
Wok much?
I’ve got a new baby in the house. Swaddled in plastic, she arrived in need of a good scrub. Although she doesn’t cry, gurgle, or spit up, she does keep me up at night, my mind racing over all the meals we’ll cook together. Currently I’m feeding her a diet of oil and Chinese chives…
Topinka’s last best chance
There is still time for Judy Baar Topinka to talk straight to the people of Illinois. That’s the only thing that might help her win this disappointing campaign against Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his phony fiscal proposals. Time is running out for her. She must try a desperate tactic: honesty. Lately the two candidates have…
CAP CITY
MEA GULPA In our evaluation of Springfield smorgasbords last fall, we rated Buffet City a first-class establishment and gave the restaurant a four-plate rating [Bruce Rushton, “The last stuffer,” Nov. 10]. Our reporter, of course, wasn’t evaluating employment practices, just how many crab legs he could stuff into his face before he was encouraged to…
See hunky swimmers!
Veteran Coast Guard rescue swimmer Ben Randall (Kevin Costner) reluctantly takes on the job of instructing new recruits, and, wouldn’t you know it, he runs into a hardhead who, despite loads of talent, winds up bucking the system. Jake Fischer (Ashton Kutcher), owner of numerous high-school swimming records, is determined to breeze through the program,…
