Parsons declares bankruptcy
Jeffrey Parsons, apparently failed entrepreneur, has declared bankruptcy under pressure from the judge in his pending divorce case. The bankruptcy filing was electronically filed shortly before 7 p.m. on Monday, hours after attorneys for him and his estranged wife met with Sangamon County associate judge Steven Nardulli, who had threatened to jail Parsons if he…
Breakout musical
The musical Spring Awakening breaks out on the stage at The Legacy Theatre this weekend and next, Sept. 7-9 and 13-16. Winner of eight Tony Awards, Spring Awakening is full of pent up passions and rebellious sensibilities of a group of late nineteenth-century students trekking their way from adolescence to adulthood. And all that fervor…
Yucatan Pickled Red Onions
Pickled red onions are a common condiment throughout Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. A jar of these easy-to-make, beautifully pink onions can often be found in my refrigerator to use in sandwiches, tacos, omelets, salads and even as a garnish for Indian dishes. 1 large red onion, sliced about 1/8-inch thickness (you should have at least two…
vermontpoem2012 #3
pa, ma, six nearly grown kids reside inthe forest behind my vermont friend’srural home the eight wild turkeys(tom, hen, jakes and jennies) find thepickings in irena’s garden a smorgasbordthey’ve eaten every blueberry elderberryraspberry sampled less delectable farehave had the effrontery to take dust bathsbetween the rows they gobble in springand early summer now just lots…
Labor Day thoughts on a ‘jobless recovery’
Hope you had a Happy Labor Day! And what better time than the annual celebration of America’s working stiffs to draw attention to our national economic recovery? As those attached to the Dow Jones Average can attest, the economy is now perking along quite nicely, with the Dow up 57 percent since the dark days…
Do not pass go, do not collect $200 – no, wait
Jeffrey Parsons, owner of a failed business empire built on buying and reselling gold and silver, has dodged a stint in jail for defying a court order to declare bankruptcy and disclose, under oath, his assets and liabilities. For more than a month, Parsons has been telling Sangamon County associate judge Steven Nardulli, who is…
Quinn’s “Framework for Gambling” takes center stage
Most people looked at last week’s veto by Gov. Pat Quinn of the big gaming expansion bill and saw nothing except defeat for the issue. But the governor appeared to deliberately leave some doors open that you could drive a riverboat through. For instance, nowhere in his veto message did Quinn mention slots at tracks.…
Garbage time
In between debates about the merits of tanning beds and switcheroo votes on residency requirements for city employees, the Springfield city council has managed to avoid talking about garbage collection. If and when aldermen finally do get around to discussing how to pick up trash so that it doesn’t end up in alleys and vacant…
Endangered repose
Ever notice that there is only two letters’ difference between dog and blog? The dog and blogger are kin to the extent that too many of each are noisily eager to share their ignorance with everyone else. I have had dog owners patiently explain to me that their animals’ incessant shouting is really “talking.” Jeff…
Paul Virant’s Sweet Pickled Cherry Tomatoes
Virant says this pickle is reminiscent of his childhood spent just north of St. Louis: “My grandmother made this tomato salad that she canned; I reproduced those flavors with this pickle.” Virant uses the cherry tomatoes “as is” for garnishes and accompaniments, but also blends equal parts of the pickled tomatoes with their brine and…
End tax cuts for richest 2 percent like me
Congress faces an important decision about which tax cuts to extend. A few weeks ago, the Senate passed President Obama’s proposal to extend the Bush and Obama tax cuts for every American on the first $250,000 of their household income – including every penny of income for 98 percent of Americans and 97 percent of…
Zucchini Bread and Butter Pickles
These zucchini pickles have many applications, but perhaps their best is as a condiment for Cubanos, a Cuban signature sandwich, made with ham, roast pork, Swiss-style cheese, mustard and pickles on a crusty roll, often grilled panini-style. Many commercial versions use astringent ballpark mustard, dill pickles and (too often) flavorless pork. But when they’re made…
Get pickled
“Eat what you can, can what you can’t.”–Motto of Perennial Virant Restaurant What’s old is new again. Chefs both haute and humble are making their own pickles, from homey classics such as dill or bread-and-butter pickles, to delicious innovations such as lemon-pickled turnips and smoked and pickled spring onions. Home cooks are getting in…
Letters to the Editor 09/06/12
RAPE IS RAPEI really could care less what Missouri Congressman Todd Akin recently said regarding rape victims, stupid as it was, especially for someone running for office. But I do care greatly about the fact that he actually believes that any rape can be “legitimate,” and that a woman’s body can reject the occurrence of a pregnancy…
A Rolex shows up at Goodwill
Want a bargain on a Rolex? Check out Land of Lincoln Goodwill Industries, where a gold Rolex watch showed up as just another donation left at the Wabash Avenue store in mid-July. “The production manager brought it over to me, kind of excited,” recalls John Lancaster, e-commerce manager for Goodwill. “I said, ‘Yes, I’ll take…
The Possession, a September surprise
Since the release of The Exorcist nearly 40 years ago – yes, it’s been that long – there have been so many horror films dealing with demonic possession that they now constitute something of a sub-genre. As a result, it’s rather difficult to come up with a new angle from which to approach this material,…
A Brewhaus adieu
In a heartbreaking time for me, after 18 and a half years of being booked at the Brewhaus every Sunday, my streak has come to an inglorious end. Management at the club wants to “shake things up” and so they did. Bands looking to play Sundays can contact general manager Nate Short. May the ’haus…
Room 306
Claiming to be “playing more musical styles than a department store soundtrack” and that the band “has musical ADHD,” Room 306 comes a-calling with an attitude ready to take live music to another level of performance and achievement. The brainchild and dream team of frontman B-Train, the band fleshes out the music with a “young…
Seafood and ale
The third annual Springfield Oyster and Beer Festival features local and nationally-recognized craft beer vendors, oysters, other seafood selections, and traditional “pub grub.” Held outside in the parking lot of The Inn at 835, rain or shine, admission tickets include a tasting glass and five drink tickets. Additional drink tickets are $.75 each, with most beers…
The GOP ambitions behind the Mitt Romney facade
I had a decision to make. I’d been in Tampa for all of 15 minutes, and I was already late for something, anything, everything – a white rabbit with OCD, searching for Mad Hatters. Of course, I knew that the real Republican National Convention would occur far from the klieg lights and sound bites of…
Dog gone good party
Pet owners and their four-legged friends, car enthusiasts and supporters of the Animal Protective League and Springfield Parks Foundation are in for a treat at Paws and Power, Sept. 9 at Southwind Park. Dog party (9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.) participants receive a gift bag, frozen treat and paw painting. Canine contests (1:30 p.m., register 12:30-1:15 p.m.)…
