One thing you can say about Rick Perry is that he sticks to his guns. If one of his policy proposals turns out to be dumb, by golly, he will double down on dumb. For example, in his current re-run for the GOP presidential nomination, the “Oops” governor has repositioned himself as an expert on […]
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Posted inMusic
Tasting, tasting, one, two, three
Many other glorious events fill our entertainment calendar this weekend, but none can compare to the shindig of the season, Taste of Downtown Springfield. Years in the making, the Taste combines three of humankind’s favorite activities, proven through centuries of on-hand research – eating, drinking and making music. So come on up to downtown and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
The call of doodie
Loved your response to the bored-out-of-their-gourds parents of the 1-year-old. I’m three months pregnant and a little worried in the wake of a recent dinner party. There were four sets of new parents there, and all the wives seemed to resent the hell out of their husbands. The husbands, predictably, seemed defensive and angry in […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Old mother in a barrel: vinegar
Every fall I remember what it was like to come as a child to this place that’s been my home for almost 30 years: the venerable Spaulding Orchard farmhouse. It’s the first home my husband and I bought, and probably our last. It wasn’t our first choice, but after being entwined in this place for […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Pitch an off-key effort
Jason Moore’s Pitch Perfect tries very hard to be liked, so much so that it winds up grating on the audience rather than charming it. Set in the world of collegiate a cappella competitions (yes, there is such a thing), the connection to the world of “Glee” is undeniable. Many of the characters are social […]
Posted inNews
Former death row inmate speaks out
While sitting on death row for 12 years, Randy Steidl wasn’t against capital punishment. Not in the general, philosophical sense. “I came from a conservative farm family,” he says, explaining his position on the death penalty when he was arrested for murder in 1986 at the age of 35. “I believed in the system,” he […]
