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Christians under attack in Iraq
Yet there has been little media coverage of the mourning of 400,000 Iraqi Christians who are feeling fearful and isolated because of the vicious violence directed against them in recent weeks. A heinous attack at the Syriac Catholic church in Baghdad Oct.

Warrior days
It’s that time of year again, when youth gangs dressed improbably in bloomers and armed with basketballs rumble at the gym to defend the honor of the Red and Black or the Green and White – or, as in my case, the Blue and the Gold.

Giving thanks to citizens and grass-roots progressives
Sometimes, however, the collective mouth of the American public must roar in order to be heard – and to make things right. Thankfully, this is what happened after it was reported in October that the organization was seeking new bids for the manufacture of uniforms and sashes worn by the 2.

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LETTERS
The most dangerous game Is Tooth Fairy A terrible bargain In your moist palm A Sacagawea Under his pillow A shard of bone And if, at the wrong moment, You cough Or a nightmare wakes him Or the dog growls Or, or, or . . . Then magic absents itself From yet another world Maybe his But most certainly yours.

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Christians under attack
• As quickly as possible, create a comprehensive policy to protect the religious, political and economic rights of Iraq’s minorities. In the words of three-year-old Adam, who was slaughtered in the attack in the Baghdad church after watching his own parents die: “Enough, enough, enough!” End the violence against the Iraqi people now.

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The Republican takeover of Downstate
One of the consequences of Gov. Pat Quinn’s laser-like focus on Chicago and Cook County during this fall’s campaign is that he won just 20-22 of the state’s 59 Senate districts, according to recent estimates by the Illinois Senate Democrats. That’s not even close to half.

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A COMPUTER FOR EVERY KID
“It’s simple math,” he says, recalling the district’s 2009 statistics. He figures that of the about 14,000 Springfield students, about 63 percent would qualify (about 8,820 kids). Based on the population Computer Banc now serves, Fowler figures that the average qualifying household hosts about three students each.

Charity says ‘No, thanks’
Not all dogs that find temporary refuge at animal shelters are destined for a new home with space to roam and lots of loving pats to the head. But, volunteer Nancy Hunter says, when a shelter houses more than 30 dogs that have lived there since at least 2006, some nearly their whole lives, it’s a sign that things have gotten out of hand.

Impatient with Medicaid patients
The bipartisan committee, charged with issuing a report and legislative recommendations by Jan. 3, was formed in an effort to sway Republicans, who have sought Medicaid reforms for years, to support borrowing legislation that would ease the state’s short-term fiscal woes.

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People with disabilities seek independence
Tyler McHaley, president of Springfield Area Disability Activists (www.disabilityactivists.org), shared that message Nov. 16 with the Health Care Reform Implementation Council, a collection of state agency directors charged with crafting rules for Illinois’ implementation of the federal Affordable Care Act.

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Holiday film preview
The consensus among critics is that 2010 has been less than a memorable year as movies go. Moviegoers agree to a certain extent, if box office tallies are to be believed. As we enter the last month of the year, a frontrunner in the end-of-the-year awards season has yet to emerge.

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Holiday Calendar
Mini O’Beirne Crisis Nursery Children’s Holiday Store.

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Franciscan Nativity Festival
Ansar Shrine/Springfield Jaycees Holiday Parade.

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Holiday Calendar
for Mrs. Claus event, e-mail: firstbookgreaterspringfield@yahoo.com.

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White Christmas
Enjoy hot cocoa and cookies afterward. Free souvenir song books. Accessible. Free. Washington Park Rees Memorial Carillon, Fayette Rd, 753-6219..

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The lighter side
One of the great pleasures of the holiday season is driving around the neighborhood taking in display upon display of festive lights. Decorating one’s home is a pleasure all its own, an annual activity made all the brighter with a quick stroll through some local seasonal shop aisles.

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Anatomy 101
Want a Christmas tree that’s more than just a reason to dust off old ornaments? Start by considering an overall color scheme, says Michelle Workman, a Los Angeles-based interior designer who has composed spaces for celebrities like John Travolta and Jennifer Lopez.

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Good and green... to go
Conserving resources, eating organic, using non-toxic cleaning products and recycling everything humanly possible – it’s 2010 and it seems like every household has gone green. The next step? Taking the eco-friendly lifestyle on the road – literally.

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Good and green... to go
PET, each durable, multipurpose satchel liberates 34 16-ounce plastic bottles from the trash. And, of course, it has a plethora of pockets for transporting all his adventurefriendly gizmos – perhaps an Eton Solarlink FR600 American Red Cross Digital AM/FM/shortwave/NOAA and S.

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Book an award winning adventure
Books open a world of discovery in ways even the coolest toys can’t achieve. This season, tempt a kid to turn off the TV and find an adventure in words and pictures on a printed page. These acclaimed titles were winners or finalists for some of the most esteemed awards in children’s literature for 2010.

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Community Wish List
Inner City Mission was established in 1984 to serve homeless women, children, and families in the capital area. The mission provides a residential housing program that allows individuals to move from a place of chaos to joy and peace. Currently serving 35 homeless people, the mission is forced to turn away people in need daily due to lack of space.

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Beyond cookies and candy for holiday sweets
I love cookies, and I’ll certainly be making and eating my fair share of them during the holiday season. But after awhile, the cookie onslaught starts seeming “same-old, same-old.” That’s why I like to vary things a bit – especially when I’m giv ing.

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Logic doesn’t slow down Dwayne Johnson’s Faster
To say that Driver (Johnson) is a man on a mission is an understatement as big as his biceps. Chomping at the bit (literally) to be released after a 10-year prison stint, he sets out to track down the men responsible for his brother’s death. Armed with a souped-up Chevelle, a snub nose .

Movie times Dec. 3-9
AMC listings are for Friday, Dec. 3 through Thursday, Dec. 9. Bracketed movie times are Saturday/Sunday only matinees and Friday and Saturday late shows. All times are still subject to change. For updates on AMC films, call 1-800-FANDANGO. For reviews of other films, visit www.

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The piano player plays on
They say it’s good to get a head start on things and Zach Radwine did just that. At the ripe young age of three Zach had his fingers on the piano keys then started in on lessons around four years old with extensive practicing included.

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BAND SPOTLIGHT
When his band Holden unexpectedly folded in 2007, Tom Cantillon – the Tommy of the High Pilots – took off from his native Santa Barbara, Calif., for a year in New York City using the inspiration of the Big Apple to fill a songbook.

PUB CRAWL
Dates, times and locations are subject to change, so we suggest calling before attending an event..

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Saturday December 4
Money Talks, Frantic Sky, Pocket Rockets, Midnight Rush, The Reign.

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Monday December 6
Find more details and gigs in our online calendar at www.illinoistimes.com.

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Bells in Motion: Bronze Noel
Still on fire from the fall release of their CD, Bronze Images,.

THE CALENDAR
- Stacie Taylor; Fri - Dennis Darling; Mon - Matt Eck; Tue - Kathryn Raistrick; Wed - Thistle and Thyme. Trout Lily Cafe, 218 S. Sixth St..

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Dance
coast swing, cha cha, two step, line dancing and more. Prairie Land Dance Club, Matilda St, Illiopolis, 217-791-0840..

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THE CALENDAR
5pm Mon-Fri, View for free, artifacts from various fairs around the country. presidentlincoln.org, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, 112 North Sixth St..

Franciscan Nativity Festival
Hospital Sisters of St. Francis open the doors of the Motherhouse for a viewing of more than 100 nativity sets that capture the birth of Jesus and many cultures from around the world in wood, clay, porcelain, paper mache, metal and more. Each miniature display comes with a unique story of origin and tradition.

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PUBLIC NOTICES
CIRCUIT COURT OF THE SEVENTH JUDI- CIAL CIRCUIT SANGAMON COUNTY, ILLINOIS - IN PROBATE ESTATE OF VIRGINIA ELIZABETH WEAVER, deceased. NO. 2010-P-00626 CLAIM NOTICE Notice is given of the death of VIRGINIA ELIZABETH WEAVER. Letters of Office were issued on October 28, 2010, to RICHARD E.

PUBLIC NOTICES
Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser shall receive a Certificate of Sale, which will entitle the purchaser to a Deed to the real estate after Confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and Plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property.

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NEWS QUIRKS
Curses, foiled again When Walter Allen Jr. bought two Bentleys from a Houston car dealership for $458,000, he paid by signing over a $500,000 check issued by the Federal Reserve Bank. Managers at the dealership became suspicious because the Federal Reserve Bank usually uses wire transfers, not checks.

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REAL ESTATE
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE 7TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT SANGAMON COUNTY - SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS Marine Bank, Springfield,PLAINTIFF Vs. Peter J. Summers a/k/a Pete Summers a/k/a Pete J. Summers Jr.; et. al.

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REAL ESTATE
inspection and Plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the Court file to verify all information.

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FIND LOCAL BIZ
Nostalgic atmosphere, old fashioned soda fountain, stained glass back bar. In historic Elkhart..

The boors and the bees
In your response to the woman with the publicly gropey boyfriend, you deemed French kissing at a workplace event inappropriate PDA. How about French kissing one’s girlfriend during a performance of Stomp (musical theater)? The woman behind me that evening gave me negative feedback…which was of no interest to me.

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