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The great tradition of central Illinois oratory
The political speech in all its forms — from the stump harangue to the platform oration — figures significantly in central Illinois literature. Lincoln and Douglas are only our most famous Ciceros.

The answer to health reform is right here
We usually overlook the mind, body and spirit connection when it comes to our wellness and health care. A lot of people don’t believe it works, but it does work. We are just now beginning to understand things like the placebo effect and how the belief that we are healing actually has the potential to make us well.

Goofing up health care reform
America’s shouting match over health care reform has turned completely goofy — and I’m not talking about confused seniors at teabag rallies getting red-faced with anger after being told by the right-wing scare machine that “government is trying to taker over Medicare.

dancepoem #3
the superlatives in the program blurbs can’t do justice to the ukrainians at the sangamon auditorium last night nor can I begin to describe the color artistry variety complex weavings in and out of these ballet-trained folk dancers the gravity...

LETTERS
I am a volunteer at Senior Services of Central Illinois. I would like to draw attention to the plight of nonprofit agencies in our state. All nonprofit agencies funded by the state are struggling to survive because they have not received financing from the Capitol building.

Something to Stu over if Jim Ryan runs for governor
Ryan’s last name, however, will always be a liability in the wake of George Ryan’s conviction and imprisonment. Of those polled, 19 percent thought Jim Ryan was the former governor, for instance, and only 10 percent knew he was the former attorney general.

Caseworker who neglected her children investigates child neglect for state
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services continues to employ at least one caseworker found to have neglected her own foster children. Administrative rules calling for a review of the employee’s license to handle cases have apparently not been enforced.

SHOUTING FIRE
According to the film’s summary on the Moxie Firecracker Films Web site: “Most Americans believe the First Amendment is sacred and inviolate. But not since the 1950s has it been under such attack — from both the right and the left.”.

BIKING THE TRAIL
Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site near Petersburg wants you to help open central Illinois’ newest mountain bike trail — billed by the organization as scenic and physically demanding. The 3.8-mile trail was constructed this summer and features steep climbs and descents along a very technical course through the woods.

Should pig opponents have to pay?
“I think there’s this perception that we’re a bunch of city slickers, and we just moved in and are giving this poor farmer heck,” says RBAG member Darrel Berry. “Most of us grew up in rural areas. Nobody in our group is against farming. We’re just against the industrialized version of it.

IDOT: 10th Street option would delay high-speed rail six years
In its application for federal stimulus money to build a high-speed rail system through Springfield, IDOT expressed a clear preference for putting the system on the Third Street corridor. The 10th Street option, IDOT said, would set the project back several years.

Blogger busted
On April 2, Scott Humphrey was visiting his next-door neighbor Sandy when she looked out her kitchen window and noticed that an unfamiliar man and woman were standing on his front porch. Humphrey stepped outside and called across the yard to them, and the man replied that they had been looking for him.

When the railroad first came to Springfield
So in 1837 the state legislature, which included Abraham Lincoln, passed an internal improvements plan that focused on railroad development. Later, lawmakers added some canal construction for those who thought waterways transportation was cheaper and longer lasting than the new, little-tested rails.

Single-handed cooking
I’m not a big believer in precognition, but if I’d been looking. I might have seen warning signs. I was reading a novel about a jockey who’d become a private detective after losing his hand in a riding accident. My son, Robb, had been urging me to watch the latest Hell’s Kitchen.

RealCuisine Recipe
This Serious Barbeque recipe is seriously decadent and seriously delicious. Lang recommends using non-stick Silpats (silicone baking mats) to line the pans; but once they’ve been used for smoking, they’re no good for other baking, so I substituted parchment paper.

When smart people make dumb movies
I know that Jamie Foxx is a talented performer and I have an inkling that Gerard Butler can really act if he gets the proper script. That being said, I couldn’t help but wonder if these two, as well as director F. Gary Gray (Friday, The Italian Job),.

Movie times
PLEASE NOTE: Kerasotes listings are for Friday, Oct. 16 through Thursday, Oct. 22. Bracketed show times are Saturday and Sunday only matinees or Friday and Saturday only late shows. All times are subject to change. For updates on Kerasotes films, call 1- 800-FANDANGO.

Celebrate 15 years of play time with Tom
concert series at the Hoogland pulls another coup hosting performing songwriter and entertainer extraordinaire Tom Russell live and in person. Russell is a celebrated contraire and much more than your average singer-songwriter guy.

BAND SPOTLIGHT
For a band that formed just 15 months ago, Angels n’ Outlaws are making a mark soon and sudden on the central Illinois scene.

PUB CRAWL
8:30pm-12:30am. Ralph and Juanita’s Acoustic by Request.

THE CALENDAR
Submit calendar listings at www.illinoistimes.com.

FESTIVAL
This weekend’s coming up stories and tales. Saturday at the Old State Capitol, storytellers include Anne Shimojima of Morton, who delights youth and adult audiences of all sizes with her graceful and spirited tellings of folktales from her Asian...

VISUAL ART DANCE
Electroluminescent crayon-like creatures light up the stage in a blackout setting. Described as children’s ballet or opera, this theater experience crosses dance, song and light show with a sort-of-full-body puppetry.

FESTIVAL
Experience the glowing artistry of 2,000 handcarved, illuminated jack-o-lanterns featuring the carving talents of area residents, artists and District 186 students.

PUBLIC NOTICES
NOTICE UNDER ASSUMED BUSINESS NAME ACT STATE OF ILLINOIS COUNTY OF SANGAMON TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Notice is hereby given that on 21st day of September, 2009 a Certificate of Ownership of business was filed in the Office of the County Clerk of...

NEWS QUIRKS
Responding to a 911 call that a man was bleeding from the face near a fire station in St. Petersburg, Fla., two firefighters jumped into a rescue unit, opened the garage bay door and pulled forward. They promptly ran over the man they were rushing to help, Ted Allen Lenox, 41, who lay outside the station’s garage bays.

THE ADVICE GODDESS
My boyfriend and I have a year-old son. His two small boys (from a previous marriage) live with us on weekends. A while back, he cheated and gave me herpes. Had I not been pregnant with our son (unplanned), I would’ve left him. But, I believe once you’re pregnant, it’s not about you, so I’m trying to make it work.

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