Opinion

In his column Single People Suck last week, Ryan touched a nerve among single people when he highlighted a billboard in Champaign that praised the economic advantages of being married. He believed this was an …

July 4th, 12:30 a.m., after watching his mom blow off about 4 bags of 2-4-year-old fireworks, my 4-year-old child, the Ex-Toddler, is sitting in the dining room making art (“for my teacher”) and listening to …

You can’t always get what you want from mainstream media and in this day and age, anyone can take five minutes and start a blog. But — how structured should it be? How casual the …

In case you haven’t heard, single people suck. That is the message that is being promoted on billboards these days. I recently saw one on First Street over by Basmati which said, “Married people earn …

Every parade should be like the Washington Street Parade. It should be led by a single fire truck, followed by a homemade sign. The band should be filled with neighbors who value community and know …

We all know about Texas and Memphis. Carolina and Kansas City are staples. But, Illinois BBQ? Sounds flippy to us too. But wouldn’t you know it, Bon Appetit recently named the 17th St. Bar and …

I’ve been scouring Craigslist for a place in Washington, D.C., where I’ll be moving in a couple of weeks. The nation’s capital is an expensive place to live, and apartments go quickly, so I find …

I think it’s kind of strange that we human beings don’t really know how to be human beings. We have to be taught. I was reminded of this when I attended a “Children First” class …

Our home phone was connected today. This is after two and a half years of being a cell-phone-only household. This in and of itself is likely unremarkable, but in conjunction with signing up for the …

During a trip to Colombia this spring, I heard a common theme from a number of Colombians with whom I spoke: In order to help Colombia’s drug violence problem, I should, as an American, work …

Once I went to a conference where I listened to a bunch of “successful” people explain what, exactly, were the secrets to their success. One of the speakers talked about finances and he said that …

As America slugged down their first cups of coffee, and had their morning debates concerning Ralph Nader’s recent statement about Barack Obama’s campaign stances, I found myself doing much the same, but with a nice …

Everyone’s asking me how the Garage Sale went Having it on a Friday when The Preschooler was at work was the greatest idea! I started it at 11 a.m. instead of 7 a.m., too. I …

Urbana Mayor Laurel Prussing unseated the three-term incumbent Tod Satterthwaite in a tight race in February 2005. But, Mayor Prussing’s first term is no fresh spin in political circles for her; she served as a …

This Church Hopper is going to be a bit different than the others. In previous installments, I simply shared what I had experienced at the worship services of various local churches. And I guess that’s …

George Carlin died on Sunday, which you certainly already knew before you visited this site. Carlin, a groundbreaking comedian and social commentator, passed away from heart failure at the age of 71. He appeared three …

Two small waterways flow through north central Champaign County. One drains land from the Rantoul-area, flows through Urbana’s Crystal Lake Park, and then eastward before joining with the Salt Fork River at St. Joseph. The …

Last summer, Chicago Sun-Times columnist Tom McNamee listed his choices for the ten best Chicago movies of all time. His list appears to be lost to history via a content-reshuffle at the Sun-Times Web site, …

In accordance with state law, a provision must appear on the Illinois general election ballot every 20 years asking voters whether or not to call a constitutional convention. That question will be on the ballot …

Taking cues from the perennial event up north in Chicago, Taste of Champaign hits West Side Park this weekend for its 38th year, exposing thousands of area residents to the “best” of what Champaign-Urbana restaurants …

As I strolled through the quad on an absolutely breathtaking April afternoon last semester, something caught my eye on the sidewalk I was trekking over. My opposition to wearing corrective lenses led me to believe …

Champaign-Urbana, for all of its glory, lacks a couple of things that might help qualify it as a more well rounded and culturally relevant city. Minor League baseball, perhaps, is a missing element. An amusement …

The concept of “up” is a strange thing to ponder. For the ancients, “up” was a positive place where the Gods dwelled either someplace in the sky (heaven) or perhaps up on a mountain (e.g. …

One of the things I like about living in Champaign-Urbana is that you almost never have to contend with random, out-of-control, angry teenagers who throw rocks at your van while you drive the family home …

Some political wrangling has been taking place in Urbana between Mayor Prussing and some local political groups centered around the Citizens for Instant Runoff Voting, and made up of local Green Party representatives, as well …

With the temperatures soaring into the 90s and summer in full swing, the Champaign-Urbana community starts itching to get outside and take in the season. One of the newer traditions in town is the Champaign …

What if the future of the United States of America rested on the shoulders of Champaign County? I recently watched that new HBO movie, Recount, about the ‘truth’ behind the 2000 presidential election. The movie …

Saturday, June 14, is the grand opening of the new Legends Golf Course located at 4551 Nicklaus Dr. (off Staley Road between Windsor and Curtis) in Champaign. I don’t know about you — maybe you’re …

Now that Iron Man is almost out of the theaters, it is finally time for me to sing its praises. At the Schreiber house, we are often a month or more behind everyone else concerning …

It’s been a banner year for the weather gods — and we’re only six months in. What makes this year so remarkable? Nationwide, we’ve had nearly 700 confirmed (and more than 1,300 reported) tornadoes this …

To be honest, I’m really not that interested in watching sports. They all have pretty much the same narrative: a bunch of big, sweaty guys run around chasing a ball. Sure, the shape and size …

Is there anything less American than a loyalty oath? A country that prides itself on freedom of expression and association should be embarrassed to require people to swear allegiance to itself. Sure, old Soviets would …

“How do you like my new sunglasses?” My mother asked me. “They are Elle Scott Fitzgerald’s (or some other name),” she stated proudly. For a moment I wondered why mom stole another woman’s glasses and …

Forget the Great Pizza Debate nationwide. C-U has its fair share of pizza joints, and opinions about them are as varied as the toppings offered on the menus. So, have at it: What’s the best …

I am intrigued by the concepts of saints and martyrs many of whom, when they were alive, had the alleged power to heal people. But what is even more interesting (or disgusting) is the concept …

A couple weeks ago, Dubya lit a match near some oily rags when he compared holding talks with Iran to appeasing Nazis. This was a not-so-subtle dig at Barack Obama, who holds the apparently revolutionary …

This is a pretty simple one. Come mid-May, the students hightail it outta here like the plague’s near, eager to get back home to family, significant others, summer jobs and the good old-fashioned R&R. That …

I swear this really happened. Monday evening I was at Pekara, the cozy little bistro on Neil St., because that’s where we Smile Politely editors have our weekly meeting. The meeting was canceled, but nobody …

Suppose you are shopping for bananas and find two that are equal in every way except for price. Which banana would be the morally responsible one to buy? This is a trick question, of course, …

When you enter the “real world,” you have to get used to a few things. Signing up for a 401k, for example. Setting an alarm clock for a time only previously observed by ambitious creatures …

  I have bad news for just about everyone: As of Monday, May 12, 2008, the rapture index hit 170. If this seems like an arbitrary number to you, like saying the cloud index is …

Gas prices are on the rise nationwide, and we’re certainly not insulated here in Champaign-Urbana. As of this morning, gas at most stations in town is going for $3.75–$3.79 a gallon. With fuel prices skyrocketing …

If you go to Wikipedia and type in “Council of Chiefs,” what you’ll find is a very brief entry on a “non-profit organization that was created in honor of Chief Illiniwek at the University of …

Last night I walked into the County Market on Glenn Park to pick up a few groceries. The County Market bigwigs have been remodeling this store for a while, expanding their space, adding a coffeehouse …

With our country so divided these days, it is good to note scraps of hidden unity among fellow citizens. I discovered one such example the other day as I walked my kids to Dr. Howard …

Sugary sweet confections aren’t something folks generally turn down. So, when a little storefront opened up proclaiming “Cakes on Walnut,” it was only natural that Champaign residents threw their scales out the window and gave …

This past Sunday, April 27, my family and I attended St. Luke Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Champaign. I had never attended a CME church before and so I really did not know what to …