Gus Macker Tournament Hot!

Springfield's 2005 Gus Macker 3 on 3 Tournament is being held in downtown Springfield, Illinois this weekend. While temperatures are soaring, the event itself defines "cool".

Thousands of spectators will have a chance to root for competitors young, and old. If you plan to attend Sunday make sure that you use your sunblock, dress lightly, and don't forget to bring sunglasses, a hat, and water bottle (you can fill your waterbottles up once there).

The photo below was taken on Washington Street, between Sixth, and Seventh Street. Notice the level of intensity on the court, and the ways that the spectators are using to keep cool?



I titled the photo below - Coca Cola Cops.



This colorful photo was taken in front of Horace Mann on Jefferson Street, just east of Seventh Street. Once again, the intensity of play was impressive.



This photo was taken in the Lower Blue Parking Lot in front of Horace Mann. This young man is flying!


Except for the intense heat radiating off of the asphalt it was a wonderful event. Walking from game to game was effortless, and very exciting. I felt a great sense of community at the Gus Macker Tournament. The love of Basketball seemed to prevail. Whether rich, poor, male, female, black, white, old, young, it didn't seem to matter, everyone there appeared to be having a good time.

Psst.., The Emperor Is Wearing No Clothes.

I'm cross posting this is article, which was originally posted on The11thHour.

It's too bad that President Bush couldn't take the Iraq war, which he started, as an opportunity to finish his years of military service. It seems only appropriate that the person who started the war, costing the lives of thousands of U.S. troops, and stealing the treasure from our nation's future generations, would offer to come clean for having deserted the U.S. military during the Vietnam war.

But we all know that's now how it works. His daddy's political connections kept him from ever facing danger during his years of service, kept him from being prosecuted as a deserter, made him his fortune, and eventually led to his presidency.

It's exceedingly ironic that this man, of all men, was embraced by those who claim to hold our national security as their highest responsibility, but when one's love of country gets in the way of greed, and the lust for power, we see what happens.

Here's an interesting link about some of our nation's soldiers, the one's we don't hear much about in the mainstream media. Bush never faced the punishment that these soldiers have for not wanting to fight in a war they didn't believe in.

Instead Bush finds himself applauded by the right wing as a great hero for saving the nation from terrorism. The nation is only one major terrorist attack away from understanding that this emperor is wearing no clothes.

2005 Gus Macker Tournament Day -1

In the photo above, Gus Macker staff work in Friday's 100 degree heat while unloading equipment for the Gus Macker Basketball Tournament.

Preparations were underway Friday for Springfield's 2005 Gus Macker Tournament. The tournament will be held this weekend in downtown Springfield on Washington, and Jefferson Streets between Seventh, and Ninth Street,

Dozens of teams are expected to compete. I talked with Chris Kolb, director for Springfield's Gus Macker Tournament. Hundreds of basketball enthusiast, ages ten, and up will compete for trophies - and bragging rights in the annual competition which started as a neighborhood driveway competition back in 1974 in Lowell, Michigan.

Chris Kolb stated that this year tournaments will be held in eighty cities. Three tournaments will be held this weekend. Mr. Kolb stated that, Horace Mann, and Paul Wappel, communications director for Horace Mann, has played an important role in assisting the annual return of the Gus Macker tournament to Springfield.




In the photo above spectator seating is unloaded, and awaiting placement. Chris Kolb, appearing in the photo below was busy preparing for this weekend's event. With the heat index over 100 degrees Friday, and similar temperatures expected this weekend, keeping cool is going to be important for staff, players, and spectators alike.



Stacks of Shirts, and Driveway Quarterly Magazines, are waiting to be unbundled in the photo below.

I love Greek Revival

The photo above employs an alleyway to frame Illinois' Old State Capitol Building.



Ancient Greece? The photo above, taken on the north steps of Illinois' Old State Capitol Building is a good illustration of how Greek Design is used to project the virtues of strength, and beauty in a public space.



In the foreground we see the Doric pillars of Illinois' Old State Capitol Building, with the Corinthian colonnade of Illinois' oldest bank, Marine Bank, in the background.

A ColdPlay Milk

I am struck by the almost desperate beauty of ColdPlay's music. Infused with sad meaning, that reaches into my heart. We are all together, yet separated by an ocean of alienation that can never fully be crossed. The existential voyage is made less unbearable by art, music, poety, literature, and love.

The image above was created under the influence of ColdPlay. Taking the mundane, and finding meaning, and beauty, that would be every poet's ambition.

Any guesses as to what this image was based upon, or where the original photo was taken? A hint is in the title.

ColdPlay
Yellow

Look at the stars,
Look how they shine for you,
And everything you do,
Yeah they were all yellow,

I came along
I wrote a song for you
And all the things you do
And it was called yellow

So then I took my turn
Oh all the things I've done
And it was all yellow

Your skin
Oh yeah your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
D'you know you know I love you so
You know I love you so

I swam across
I jumped across for you
Oh all the things you do
Cause you were all yellow

I drew a line
I drew a line for you
Oh what a thing to do
And it was all yellow

Your skin
Oh yeah your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
D'you know for you i bleed myself dry
For you i bleed myself dry

Its true look how they shine for you
look how they shine for you
look how they shine for you
look how they shine for you
look how they shine for you
look how they shine
look at the stars look how they shine for you

ColdPlay
In My Place

In my place, in my place
Were lines that I couldn't change
I was lost, oh yeah

I was lost, I was lost
Crossed lines I shouldn't have crossed
I was lost, oh yeah

Yeah, how long must you wait for him?
Yeah, how long must you pay for him?
Yeah, how long must you wait for him?

I was scared, I was scared
Tired and underprepared
But I wait for you

If you go, if you go
Leaving me here on my own
Well I wait for you

Yeah, how long must you wait for him?
Yeah, how long must you pay for him?
Yeah, how long must you wait for him?

Please, please, please
Come on and sing to me
To me, me

Come on and sing it out, out, out
Come on and sing it now, now, now
Come on and sing it

In my place, in my place
Were lines that I couldn't change
I was lost, oh yeah
Oh yeah

Steinberg-Baum?

Photo: Steinberg-Baum

One could get the impression that the block southeast of the Ninth Street & South Grand intersection has always been "run down". A visit to that neighborhood today would reveal a large parking lot for ABF trucking. The entire southeast side of the block is a fenced field of weeds, and aging asphalt. The neighborhood has known better days. Back in the 1960's, and early 1970's what is now a vacant wasteland hosted a bustling retail center - The Steinberg-Baum Company Discount Store.

I remember as a young child shopping at Steiberg-Baum. It was a large store, with great prices - or so I was told. The store was always filled with shoppers. So whatever became of the store? I asked that question of my parents shortly after the store closed down. I was told that the owner's were "crooks", who hadn't paid their taxes, and several had "skipped the country" whatever that meant.

I ran a google search, not really believing I'd find anything, but there's no escaping Google. The following material (somewhat edited for readibility) was obtained from here:

Former Illinois Department of Revenue employee Sidney Flaxman CPA, and four former officials of the Steinberg-Baum Company were named in an eight-count indictment charging conspiracy and mail fraud. The indictment alleged that false retailers' occupation tax returns had been submitted to the State of Illinois. From January 1, 1968, through January 30, 1971, the returns submitted had understated sales by approximately $32 million, resulting in a loss of revenue to the State of Illinois of roughly $1.5 million.

There were thirteen retail stores, each of which was a separate corporation. According to Flaxman, when he first prepared a retailers' occupation tax return and showed it to Louis Steinberg, president of the companies and named in the indictment as a co-conspirator, Steinberg told him that he had not taken into account the wholesale sales. From a notebook, Steinberg gave Flaxman the amounts of wholesale sales which he, Steinberg, said should have been deducted.

The wholesale sales amounts furnished by Steinberg were fictitious and generally amounted to 90% Of the total sales.

There was evidence from General Manager Freedman that Steinberg-Baum's policy was to report only about 10% Of actual retail sales.

Also, by mailing the false tax returns to, "Retailers' Occupation Tax Division, 400 South Spring Street, springfield, Illinois 62706" they were guilty of mail fraud.

And now we know the rest of the story.

Beam Me Up Jimmy!

It seems strange that Scotty has died.

Sure, I mean James Doohan the television, and movie, actor who died yesterday at age eighty five of complications due to Alzheimer's.

But Mr. Doohan will forever be, in my mind, and in the minds of millions of fans, the ever resourceful Scotty of the USS Enterprise.

As a small boy I remember watching Star Trek, and it seemed to me then that it was simply the best show on television.

The characters managed somehow to survive the most incredible adventures - filled with excitement, and danger.

Nearly every episode was action packed, and our heros managed somehow to pull it off - escaping death, and snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.

Now there was a crew that Captain Kirk could always depend upon.

Scotty, was the engineer, who somehow always managed to save the day - and just in the nick of time.

He was quite simply "the miracle worker".

The whole crew owed Mr. Scott their very lives.

He was a real hero, but despite his heroic accomplishments he quietly stood behind others who basked in the limelight - and he never complained.

Scotty would have appreciated Mr. Doohan's adventure on the beaches of Normandy where Jimmy Doohan was shot eight times.

Jimmy was a hero.

Like the crew of Star Trek, those who fought the Nazi's saved the planet.

Yet one more representative of the "Greatest Generation" has stepped out of our immediate reach.

My brother once met Mr. Doohan, and he was generous with his fame - always willing to share the moment. I never had the pleasure, but as a fan I'll always have my admiration for Mr. Doohan.

The photo of Scotty above seems in contrast to the photo below, of Jimmy Doohan. But it's not a stark contrast, for there's more similarities than meets the eye.



Jimmy, you'll be missed, but not forgotten.

Hoogland Center for the Arts

The Hoogland Center for the Arts is an 80,000 square foot wonder to behold. A facility that brings an entirely new opportunity to Springfield, Illinois.

The building was originally built as a Scottish Rite Masonic Cathedral in 1909, and was expanded in 1960. The facility now plays host to dance, theater, musical performances, art exhibits, classes, workshops, and meetings.

Each of the building's four floors includes performance areas. This remarkable facility is truly one of Springfield's gems.

My visit was hosted by Jim Edwards, Curator of the H.D. Smith Gallery.

The gallery is cozy, yet spacious enough to include a variety of exhibits. Most pieces are available for purchase. The layout is contemporary, yet on a Springfield scale. Works are formally presented, yet Jim Edward's warmth, and professionality, make every moment a pleasure.

On display from July 8th, through August 27th is, "A Place for Everything: A Celebration of Diversity in Media and Subject Matter". Dozens of local artist, members of the Prarie Art Alliance, have works being presented in this display.

If you're downtown, or even thinking about going downtown, it's well worth a visit. You can even make a small donation, and possibly win, as a door prize, a piece of art on display!

In the photo below we see the Hoogland Center for the Arts located at 420 South Sixth Street.



Jim Edwards stands in front of one of his works on display.



Certainly one of the most beautiful spaces in Springfield is the Pam Reyhan Reception Area.



A view from the stage of LRS Theater One.

Chute & Ladder @ St. John's

For the last several months a chute, and "ladder" have been attached to the south face of the main building of St. John's Hospital in downtown Springfield. Construction on the top floors of St. John's has been taking place, and huge amounts of materials are being dropped down the black tube shaped chute, while construction materials are winched up the "ladder".



As materials are dropped down the chute they gain velocity and make a very high pitched sound similar to a jet engine taking off. One can only hope that the rooms which have windows covered by the chute are being kept vacant. I'd have a heart attack just listening to all that racket!



This last shot is of the gated area at the bottom of the chute, where a half dozen or so workers are busy hauling away refuse, and sending up more materials for workers above.

St. John's is an ugly building, it seems so monolithic, I tried to bring out some of it's orwellian stark beauty - employing various digital filters.

Firefly Love

What summer would be complete without fireflys?
If you grew up in Central Illinois then probably remember the excitement you felt running into a darkend yard sparkling with fireflys. I remember running indoors to ask my mother for a bottle, or glass jar, to put our captured fireflys. My siblings, and the neighbor kids, would catch dozens of fireflys dropping each in the bottle.

Of course our parents would inform us that even if we poked holes in the bottlecaps that the fireflys wouldn't like being in a bottle, and would soon die. It never seemed to matter much, as children we simply didn't understand the incredible gift of life, or the finality of death.

Sometimes my parents would sneak into my bedroom after I fell asleep, and would liberate the fireflys, other times I guess they'd forget, and the next morning nearly all the fireflys would have already died. I never understood why they died even after we'd go through the trouble of putting grass in the bottle for them.

Sometimes one or two of the fireflys survived the night, and for them it was a miracle to be shaken out of the bottle onto a sidewalk where they would often meet their fate - being attacked by ants, run over by bicycles, or if extremely lucky to make it into the grass perhaps to shine on yet another night.

Needless to say I'd never tolerate that treatment towards such an incredible fellow traveler today. Life, and the beauty of the firefly is just too short to hasten even one moment.

The three photos below are of a firefly just after sunset. Some streets in Jerome aren't completely wiped out with artificial light, and scenes such as these are still possible.

The first photo shows the firefly (a little difficult to spot) to the left center.



The firefly seemed to be very interested in my camera, which I had accidently left in the red eye reduction mode. In this mode the camera blinks a bright red LED in front of the camera just before flashing the strobe. The firefly must have believed it was courting a beautiful, if odd colored, firefly.



After a few seconds, and after nearly flying into our Weber filled with hot coals, the firefly got the message, and gave up trying to mate with my camera. Here we see the last shot of the amorous firefly on its way to find love, hopefully, with another of its kind.

2005 Drought Over in Central Illinois?

Jim Leach at Abelog poked fun at the drought which has effected most of the U.S. east of the Rockies this summer. I had taken a photo of my neighbor's lawn just before the remnants of Hurricane Dennis slogged its way inland last week. My neighbor just moved to Colorado, so I can criticize him all I want now. Get this, he cuts his lawn way too short!

I keep getting grief from my spouse, who suggest that there is something wrong with me, because I don't want to go out and cut the grass on the weekends, but in actuality I was preparing for the drought! That's right, I had been reading about the drought, and knew if I just laid back a bit, by not mowing as much I could possibly preserve the lawn until August.

Now it looks like with the rain that came in last week from Hurricane Dennis that I may actually have to mow - but not until next weekend. By then the nearly one hundred degree heat, predicted for this week, should have the lawn once again under control.

By this coming weekend I'll be forced to mow it, even if by doing so I'll essentially be sending the grass into dormancy for the rest of the year. Oh the weeds are going to have a field day!

Some folk out there are living in the pretend world that President Bush, and his Oilmen buddies live in. A world in which there are scientist (not on the oil & coal industry payroll) who are still debating the existence of, and effect of, greenhouse gases. This simply isn't the case. The scientific community is in agreement, climate change has already taken place.

The Midwest feeds not only this nation, but hundreds of millions of people around the world. Before we wreck the climate permanently, and some say we've already reached that point, we need to join the Kyoto Agreement, and put the brakes on the ever increasing amount of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere.

It's sad to see that the central part of this nation is now dependent upon precipitation from Hurricanes, which has historically been true of other nations with drought like climates.

Paul Findley's Unrealistic Proposal

Appearing in this weekend's Illinois State Journal Register is a letter submitted by former Congressman Paul Findley, of Jacksonville, Illinois. In his op-ed he proposes halting all aid to Israel.

Findley writes:

"Years ago, our government should have suspended all aid until Israel withdrew completely from Palestinian territory it seized in June 1967. The option remains available today. At the least, suspension of aid would liberate America from further complicity in Israel's misdeeds. At best, it would quell the insurgency in Iraq and prompt Israel to vacate stolen territory. But Bush seems totally detached from reality. So does Blair."

Mr. Findley's argument is that unless Israel immediately capitulates on U.S. demands over Israeli occupation of the West Bank we should simply cut off all Israeli aid. This is a radical suggestion, and holds little chance of working to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

By cutting off aid to Israel, it is true we would send a powerful message to the Israeli government, and to its people. But Israel's back is already pushed against the wall. Terrorist attacks haven't softened Israeli resolve, quite the opposite. The use of terror against Israel has only radicalized its opposition to resolving the problem.

By cutting off U.S. aid the U.S. would lose its most important bargaining chip with Israel, and would only isolate, and make more radical its response to pressures to compromise with the Palestinians.

Better than cutting aid to Israel might be a suggestion to increase U.S. aid to the Palestinians. The increased aid, could be spent on building Palestinian infrastructure, such as schools, hospitals, roads, and assistance to small businesses. The increase in aid would be tied to achieving a reduction in anti-Israeli propaganda, an increase in Palestinian led anti-terrorism efforts, including sharing anti-terrorism intelligence with Israel.

And yes, it does sound as if we are not asking much from Israel, but we need to take the long view on this issue. Israel is facing an uncertain fate. Israel will in the long run make concessions with the Palestinians, and perhaps at that time the Palestinians will have the leadership willing to compromise with Israel. It's only a matter of time, and the U.S. can help the process only if it stays actively engaged with both sides.

And if anyone has any doubts about the wisdom of attempting to isolate a nation into submitting to U.S. will, we need only look sixty miles off the shores of Florida. An economic embargo still remains in effect after more than forty years, and it hasn't worked to end the Castro regime. Only Castro's death will do that. Furthermore Cuba's resolve is based upon the fears of just one man, and his circle of thugs, while Israeli resolve is based upon the very real fears on an entire nation.

Findley's suggestion, although bold, translates into unrealistic appeasement of those who vow to destroy Israel first, and then the Great Satan when they're done with Israel.

Click here to learn more about Findley's wrangling with AIPAC. I'm not sure which is more disturbing, the excerpts from Findley's book (click on the prior link), or this sweet picture of President Bush holding hands with Saudi Prince Abdullah.

Lincoln Home Boardwalk Repair

Walking through the 19th Century, I was treated with a bit of history.
Workers were pulling up the wooden planks of the boardwalk in the Lincoln Home Historic Area in Springfield, Illinois.

The Lincoln Home attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors a year. While true that the boardwalk was not present when Abraham Lincoln resided here, I suspect he would have approved. Foot travel must have been difficult in those days. Imagine the mud covered streets on a rainy day, especially with horse drawn carriages cutting deep trenches into the soft rain soaked soil.

I snapped some photographs below.

A carpenter is preparing planks on her workbench.



Revealed is a modern tangle of electric lines, telephone lines, cable television lines, and power lines which run under the boardwalk.



I like this photo best. The planks used are not brand new. They already have a "historic" look even before they are installed - good touch.

For God & Country

Photo: American Legion Vet - PCCC - Springfield, IL - July, 2005

The Illinois Chapter of the American Legion has been holding their 2005 annual state convention at the Prarie Capitol Convention Center in Springfield, Illinois.

I took the opportunity to chat with one Legionaire, whose photo (with permission to both snap, and post to my blog) I include above.

From his looks I'd say Korea, but no he told me, he was a Vietnam vet.

He looked tired. Perhaps it was the price he paid serving his nation so many years ago, or perhaps it was just age, and the road trip to Springfield.

Like a resoureful soldier he had picked out a spot along the brick wall that runs in front of the Convention Center - just perfect for sitting in the shade. A good place to recoup.

His uniform was perfectly tended, no speck of dust, no badge misplaced. He cared.

He was a kind man, and happily agreed to talk with me.

His bloodshot eyes sparkled with excitement, as he explained that next month he would be attending the National Convention in Honolulu, Hawaii. He dutifully explained that he would be representing Illinois, his pride apparent as he informed me that there were millions of members in the American Legion.

I wanted to sit down awhile, to hear his war stories, but I had to be going. With only minutes of lunch time to spare I could not be late getting back to my mundane job. I knew I had lost out on an opportunity.

So I'll post it here, Thanks for serving!

Georgian Soldier Story

Photo: The Georgian - Shortly Before Demolition - Springfield, Illinois

Jim Leach has posted an article on the pending demise of The Georgian.
Here's a memory I have of a dinner there in the early 1970's.

A conversation with a soldier just home from basic training, on his way to Vietnam..

The soldier was a friend of my parents.

Setting: The Georgian.

Me (young boy): What are those, dog tags?

Soldier: They're for Identification purposes.

Me: Can I look at them, they're not like my dad's WWII dog tags.

Soldier: Sure, you can look at them.

Me: Why is this side blank?

Soldier: To help Identify you.

Me: But it's blank?


Photo: The Georgian - 9th & Jefferson - Springfield, Illinois - 07.2005

Soldier: Well they put it into your mouth between your upper, and lower teeth to get the impression of your teeth.

Me: Wow! I hope I can go to Vietnam too when I grow up!

Soldier: Right.

Me: But how does your teeth make marks on this metal?

Soldier: You have to kick the lower jaw.

Me: But wouldn't that hurt?

Soldier: No.

Me: But why not?

Soldier: Son, when they use this on you, you're not feeling anything.

Me: But why not?

Soldier: Cause Your Already Dead. (echoes: DEAD DEAD DEAD DEAD).

Me: Oh.

He got lucky, and ended up in Germany.

I took some photos of The Georgian. The lot there will soon be part of a strip mall - or so a local business employee told me. The lot just south of The Georgian has already been cleared. And as you can see a crane has already been moved into position for The Georgian.


Photo: The Georgian - Springfield, Illinois - July, 2005

Rove - A Brown Mass Has Arisen

Dave, at The11thhour, has an excellent commentary on the Karl Rove CIA Scandal.

It appears that none other than Bush Political Hack Karl Rove has been fingered for having fingered one of our own CIA agents, Valerie Plames.

Rove outed the agent in an attempt to smear her husband (a U.S. Diplomat) for truthfully reporting that the nation of Niger wasn't exporting uranium to Iraq.

Not only is identifying CIA agents a violation of federal law, but the act was carried out against our own intelligence community during a time of war.

The motivation was purely political, and was part of an attempt to cover up the truth about the lies the Bush administration was casting about WMDs (Weapons of Mass Destruction). Those lies in turn were used to justify invading Iraq. A war that has cost this nation over three hundred billion dollars, and nearly two thousand American lives.

The Bush Administration is overflowing like a toilet. Yet another disgusting revelation floats to the surface.

Presenting Koshi!

One Year Old. Koshi was named before we knew his gender. His actual name is Akasha. See an excellent article on Akasha here. Before you scoff at the concepts presented in the previous link compare them with cutting edge theoretical physics of the West presented in this Wikipedia article on Multiverse theory.

Locals Take Up Blogging - Again?

I'm recreating the article which mentions my blog here before it disappears from cyberspace - unlikely in the age of Google Caching - but you never know.

Locals Take Up Blogging

By Dave Bakke
Contact Info.: 217- 788-1541 & dave.bakke@sj-r.com

Source: State Journal Register

Publication date: 2005-06-29

Anyone can have their own column. Just start a weblog.

The Springfield blogosphere is expanding. Maybe 10 new Springfield blogs have been created in the past month. The newest, LOOK BACK SPRINGFIELD, is only a couple of days old.

Whether you want to read about politics, love, details of bloggers' lives or Springfield history, it's there.

Published reports have estimated about 20,000 blogs a day are created. Some focus on particular subjects such as politics or pets. Others are more like personal diaries and can be poorly done, as I found.

I browsed through the 40-odd Springfield blogs I located on the Web. The authors of some of the blogs are apparent. Others do not give their names, for various reasons.

The quality of the blogs varies from addicting to godawful. The majority were lame. Many local blogs were along the lines of (and this is an actual quote), "I drank a lot last night and got really sick, dude."

Some of the local blogs have not been updated for weeks or months. Some people posted once and quit. But I also found good, local-issue-oriented blogs. Search for the blog names, and you will find them. They also feature links to other local blogs:

BLOGFREE SPRINGFIELD - Dan Naumovich's opinions about items from the local media, though I have yet to see any entries regarding Illinois Times or Channel 20. Usually the topic comes from either this newspaper or WMAY's talk shows. What I like about BlogFree is that Naumovich is fair and thoughtful in his comments. And he uses his name.

Naumovich says he intended to create his media blog as part of his work for his master's degree in communications. He did a different project to earn his degree, but then followed through on the blog idea a few months ago.

JEROMEPROPHET - Whoever he is, he just redesigned his site, and it was a big improvement. He has entries on the defunct Dairy Queen on MacArthur Boulevard and the bridge between the city's east and west administration buildings on Monroe Street. He wants the bridge down and DQ up.

THE ELEVENTH HOUR - Politics, local news and humor. Lots of links to other blogs of interest, both local and national. It is written by "Dave."

Jim Leach, WMAY morning host, has one called "ABELOG - A BLOG." He updates it as often as three or four times a day.

Dina, morning co-host at WDBR, has a blog as part of her radio station's Web site. DINA'S BLOG is a personal diary-type blog. Leach and the other WMAY hosts' blogs are more issue-oriented, in keeping with the themes of their shows.

"It's a marketing extension of the show," Leach says. He points out an anomaly in the local political blogs.

"I've noticed with a lot of the local blogs that they have a more liberal bent to them," he said. "I haven't seen any conservative ones, which is surprising given the politics of the area we live in."

That should inspire someone.

Many of the local bloggers are getting on the same page - literally. Many of them will be contributing to Look Back Springfield. Its subject is Springfield memories. The first topic, which appeared Tuesday, is Springfield Barber College's shoe- shiners of the 1960s.

Among the local personal-diary type blogs, I have written about Julie Burness's MIRRORS and it continues to be a favorite of mine. DISARRANGING MINE is another good, local one. Marie Carnes combines personal experiences with interesting photos from Springfield and occasionally gets into issues, such as care for the elderly.

Grace Smith, former columnist at Illinois Times and total theater creature, writes GRACE UNCENSORED. It is pretty much her IT column, just uprooted and moved to the Internet so if you miss her, go there and get Graced.

Naumovich says his site gets 70-80 readers a day, which gives you an idea how few people are reading these. But they are in their infancy, and those numbers will rise as word spreads.

There has to be ego in the blog mix somewhere. Otherwise, why would you think people care what you think about an issue or what you did last night? If you must post things about your life, your weekend, your boyfriend or your dog, you better lead an interesting enough life or be a good enough writer that people will want to read it. But, just like columnists, some are good and most are not.

It helps if you have something original to say or are a good storyteller because, believe it or not, the rest of the world doesn't care if you had too much too drink last night and got really sick. Dude.

The article appears online at BuilderOnline

My Pease's Confession

As a young boy living on what then was the southwest side of Springfield, Illinois. I had the good fortune of attending Blessed Sacrament School. Blessed Sacrament is a Catholic elementary school located at the corner of Glenwood & Laurel.

I grew up several blocks west of Blessed Sacrament on the west side of Macarthur Blvd., in Leland Grove.

It seemed my parents had chosen well; A nice safe neighborhood, with a church, and elementary school close enough for their children to walk to. Things were getting off to a good start. Or so my parents believed.

On my daily walks to, and from, Blessed Sacrament I immediately encountered temptation, for my path took me past the Pease's candy store.

I found the allure of the pleaure dome, which was Pease's, simply too great to pass up. I broke like a young sapling twisted by a great storm.

The charm of Pease's began the moment that I laid my innocent eyes upon the little store. An unassuming anchor to the neighborhood of which it is a part. What kind of people live there I wondered. Bathed within the warm pink neon glow of the Pease's sign, I knew that I was welcome within. The sweet smell of freshly made carmel covered popcorn tippy toed to the nearby sidewalk upon which I was standing. Brown sugar sweetness rushed toward me, wrapped its arms about me, and asked me softly to enter. What was a small boy to do?

Was this a sin I asked, the words barely audible.

No, it just couldn't be, it just felt too good! Heaven could wait, but Pease's Fine Candies, and Salted Nuts was an earthly pleasure I could no longer delay.

I soon found my way within the store, and taking one look around me I knew that by entering I must surely have committed a venial sin, and that with each passing moment I would spend yet another day in Purgatory.

Was not Man's fall from grace brought on by the temptation of the candy apple?

Tempation knew no bounds. Candies neatly arranged into visually vibrating rows of peculiar shaded pinks, oranges, yellows, greens, reds, and blues. Each promising a sinfully unique flavor experience. Hard candy, chewey candy, candy that melts in your hands, candy that drips down your chin.

Thus began my life of sin.

Forgive me, for I confess that my sins included the following pleasures; Almond Joy, Baby Ruth, Bazooka Bubble Gum, Bit-O-Honey, Boston Baked Beans, Butterfingers, Candy Apples, Caramel Squares, Chuckles, Clark Bars, Goobers, Good & Plenty, Hershey Chocolate Bars, Hershey Kisses, Jaw Breakers, Jujubes, Jujyfruits, Junior Mints, Lemonheads, Licorice, Life Savers, Ice Cream Cones, Milk Duds, Mounds, Wax Syrup Bottles, Oh Henry Bars, Orange Slices, Pay Day Bars, Pez, Pop Corn Balls, Red Hots, Root Beer Barrels, Salt Water Taffy, Slo Pokes, Sugar Baby, Sugar Daddy, Tootsie Pops, Tootsie Rolls, Wax Fangs, Wax Lips, Whoppers, Zagnut Bars, and Zero Bars.

Many obtained for a single penny with my lunch milk money no less!

I have heard of others who have fallen to temptations of drink, gambling, and the like, but somehow I managed to fight off all of these - not always successfully, I might add, but that's another story. Yet, Pease's charm has managed to seduce me, to bring me back time, and again to enjoy the forbidden pleasures of their sweets.

Let's see, that would be: three Hail Marys, three Our Fathers, and three Acts of Contritions.

Note: Thanks to OldTimeCandy.Com for the list (which I edited) of 50's, and 60's candies.

Also, to my consternation I discovered that it is against the policy of Pease's to allow photographs to be taken inside the store. Odd considering that each of their other stores has a huge plate glass window to allow unobstructed views to the goodies within. In fact the newest Pease's downtown has a huge window which allows passerbys to view the actual making of their candies - including an illustration on how the machines work.

Poles & Lines

I love the beauty of a uncluttered urban skyline. This photo is of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Parking Garage Gate. The photo looks west down Madison, from the corner of Madison, and Sixth Street.

In the first photo I edited out the utility poles, and power lines. I also include the unedited photo for comparison.



Why I hate utility poles? One example below.



Millions of dollars have already been spent remaking downtown Springfield, Illinois. Millions more will be spent in the coming years. Despite these efforts, the overlooming utilty poles, hanging about, always remind us that Springfield has a long way to go.

Union Station Forever

Springfield Illinois' Abraham Lincoln Presidential LIbrary, and Museum is still very much under construction. Just across the street from the museum on Sixth Street can be found Union Park, and Union Station.

Union Station, located on Madison Street, between Fifth, and Sixth Streets, right across the street from the ALPLM Parking Garage!

Union Station is undergoing a twelve million dollar makeover! When refurbished, the station will become the visitor's center for the ALPLM complex.

I've included some photo below of the construction currently taking place. I also include an image of the Great Seal, which suggest that Union Station's design may have been influenced by Masons.

One thing is for sure, those modern windows must go - hideous!

The history of the building is interesting, and I'll post more on it later.

Fourth Celebrated in Downtown Springfield

Like most cities of Springfield, Illinois size there are official activities celebrating July 4th.

The "official" July 4th fireworks display is presented at the front of the Illinois State Capitol building, located at Second, and Capitol street.

The display always attracts thousands of patriotic citizens. Our family has made attending the display an annual tradition.

I recorded some great videos, but unfortunately I won't be able to post those to this blog.

This year I followed my wife's advice, which was to park closer! We paid for this decision at the end of the show - having to wait a good fifteen to twenty minutes in the car as we tried to get out of the parking lot.

Never again, I say! We'll park farther away next year.

Shocking, but true, this year's display actually started at Nine! It has always started a little late in the past - between, fifteen, and twenty minutes late. Perhaps those in charge were trying to launch the display ahead of an approching storm front. I witnessed groups of people racing into the area as the show was beginning.

I snapped many photos, but I'll post just a few. For fun I've posted each firework photo with another "similar" photo stolen from various images off the web.

In the first set of photos I present an incredible image taken by the Hubbell Space Telescope. The photo is part the Deep Space series on ancient, and very distant galaxies.

The galaxies are imaged from just one incredibly tiny spot in the sky, yet each galaxy is immensely huge, and the space between them even larger. I bring up for comparison one of my paltry firework photos from July 4th.





A Set of Sprites! Sprites are amazing natural phenomena created at the upper edges of the atmosphere by lightening storms (only recently discovered). I took the second photo from this year's July 4th celebration.





The next photo is of the Horse Head Nebula in Orion, along with my own firework version just below it.






This last set is somewhat racey - well, if you were a Bee. Sperm (a Bee's), and my imaginative firework analogy.






No doubt about it, I love July 4th!

I do wish roman candles, firecrackers, bottle rockets, etc., were easier, and more legally obtained. Something missing in this "perfect" world.