Smile Politely. Speak Directly. A Champaign-Urbana Culture Blog

In case you haven't heard, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is feeling the affects of the recession. Two weeks ago, University of Illinois Chancellor Richard Herman e-mailed university students and staff about the significance of the university's financial woes. In the e-mail, Herman says, "[University President Joseph White] charged leadership of each campus with the task of designing contingency plans to cover whatever financial realities we ultimately face in light of the declining state and national economies. I write to you today to assure you that thoughtful planning is under way."

Meanwhile, the GEO has accused the university of sugarcoating things. There have been rumblings of a significant layoff of employees, possibly from the service industry, and an increased workload and/or decreased pay for graduate assistants.

While this economic crisis is impacting colleges and universities across the nation, the U of I appears to be getting hit especially hard. Where should the university turn to first when determining cuts to make? Professors? Professionals? Service workers? Students? Athletics? Programs?

As reported earlier today, the building that sat on the southwest corner of Neil St. and Church St. burned to the ground over night. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings and had recently been gutted and rehabbed to make way for luxury apartments.

As we stood looking at the aftermath, we wondered: what are the most important and relevant buildings in C-U? Obvious ones like Assembly Hall spring to mind, but we know there are others that hold special significance and meaning to many people.

So let's have it.

Which race do you care most about? Local poverty reduction? Funding for schools via sales tax increase? The chance to snuff out a Sarah Palin presidency before it gets started? Smile Politely wants to know.

But we're sure Zamboni isn't the worst she could do. So, help us out here. What would be a name that would top it?

One of the great travesties of living in a hyper-accelerated-shopping-crazed-live-beyond-your-means-on-credit society is the fact that the Christmas shopping season officially begins long before kids even choose their Halloween costumes.

As the economy continues to wax and wane, most retailers are preparing themselves for a far more naughty than nice season at the register this year. At Smile Politely, we naturally encourage folks to shop local as often as possible, and to try to spend money at places that will continue to provide the local economy with as much of a windfall as possible.

So, which digs have the best style? Are there places that can't miss for your shopping lists? We know it's early, but if everyone else is going to start in on the wreaths and trees now, we figure we may as well throw our stockings in too.

Applied for a loan lately?

Had the courage to look at your 401K?

Do you think you'll soon need to choose between gas in your car or food in your belly?

The financial meltdown and its effects on the economy are making some people jittery and some people hysterical. But has it affected you personally yet? Do you expect it to? Smile Politely wants to know.

After all the hoopla, who do you think won the debate?

Did you take a drink everytime Sen. Biden said the word "fact"?

Did you take a drink everytime Gov. Palin said the word "maverick" or winked?

Do you think it will matter in the end?

However, there are lots of things we don't know and we want to rely on the wisdom of the masses to help straighten us out.

So, masses, we have put on our hardhats and our flameproof suits, and are ready for honest, searing feedback on how to make the Smile Politely website a more pleasant place to navigate and use. Lay it on us.

So, who do you wish were here? It's been documented ad nauseum this week that a founding editor of Smile Politely produces Pygmalion, but that doesn't mean that you can't express your feelings about the festival in this space. Heck, we might even listen. Setting aside such trivial concerns as budget, tour logistics and even whether or not they're defunct, let us know what band(s) you'd like to see at Pygmalion.

The jury is out right now on just how well the Zooker and his Illinois football squad will respond to the pressures of a pre-season ranking or repeating a Rose Bowl bid. In the first two games of the season, we've watched the once-fallible Juice Williams turn into a legitimate Heisman hopeful — maybe even this year — depending on the outcome of some of the upcoming contests.

There are holes though. Certainly, J Leman and Rashard Mendenhall are missed in more ways than one. Williams is breaking rushing records as a result of having no true go-to back setting up behind him, and the defense gave up a 52-spot to the Missouri Tigers. That isn't such a huge deal considering the fact that Mizzou is considered one of the most high powered offenses in the nation, but they also allowed three touchdowns to a pretty weak opponent in the Eastern Illinois Panthers.

So, how about you? Will Illinois bowl this New Year's Day? What about at all? With a schedule as tough as the Illini's, there is no question that the answer remains to be seen.

Dear Students: Many of you may be aware of an event known as Rush. It is my objective to warn you of the potential downsides of Greek organizations. I advise you to not succumb to the aggressive recruitment tactics used by these organizations. It has been my concern over the years, that the Greek culture of alcoholism and lack of respect for the community degrades campus life. These organizations present themselves as prestigious, yet are discriminatory, serve to perpetuate social inequality, especially with respect to the opposite gender, and promote a lack of diversity. Many students have expressed concerns with regards to safety on campus, particularly due to Greek culture and behavior. It is my hope that a student's experience on campus strengthens one's individuality, but the Greek system emphasizes the group above all, without cause or reason. This is detrimental to the purpose of universities. I hope that you will consider wisely.

But just as the USA persevered when the Germans attacked Pearl Harbor (an Animal House here folks), the Greeks will survive this hoax. So what do you think? What sort of impact do fraternities have on the community, both student and townie? Are they a crusading force for good, a deplorable group of evildoers, or do they perhaps reside somewhere in a nebulous gray area?

What is your favorite state park? It might be closing.

Kickapoo State Park located in nearby Oakwood will close Nov. 1 due to state-wide budget cuts that will also shut down several other state parks and historic sites throughout Illinois. The closures were recently announced by Gov. Rod Blagojevich's office as a way to counter Illinois’ $2 billion budget shortfall.

Other parks and sites in the area affected by the closures inlude Moraine View State Park in Leroy, Bryant Cottage in Bement, Weldon Springs State Park in Clinton and Lincoln Log Cabin near Charleston.

Once closed, the public will no longer have access to the parks which will then be staffed with minimum personnel.

So, what do you think of these park closings and how will it affect you? Is it an appropriate way to make up our state’s budget deficit? Do you have any fond memories of these parks? And where will you go instead to appreciate and enjoy nature in our state?

In Champaign-Urbana, we have myriad options when it comes to gatherings. From annual parties like Taste of Champaign and the County Fair, to bi-annual throwdowns like Wall2Wall Guitar Festival, to art festivals like Boneyard and the Downtown Festival of the Arts, we are blessed with more than a few options.

Now, as the Sweetcorn Festival takes its 33rd lap around downtown Urbana this weekend, we couldn't help but ask ourselves: just how good of a festival is it?

Certainly, and especially for those who grew up here, there is a nostalgia that surrounds it: a new school year has arrived and the sounds of marching bands on the gridiron are not far off. The local economy is about to turn for the better and, despite the fact that it is widely known that central Illinois grows feed corn almost exclusively, there is nothing quite like the taste of an ear of patented Illini Super Sweet corn, drenched in butter and lightly salted.

But up until this year, prices for an ear at the festival ballooned to the point of a head shaking walk to Schnucks. At $1 a pop, many folks simply decided to forgo the annual corn-gorge and elect to maybe sample an ear or two with a friend. In years past, the cost went from absolutely free to $.25 to $.50 and up.

To combat the trend, newly hired Urbana Business Alliance director Susan Toalson teamed up with Wal-Mart, the company who provides the corn (we know, we know — it kinda sucks that they are involved) to offer festival-goers a 2-for-1 deal this year. One ticket (that costs $1) will get you two ears of the sweet and salty central Illinois tradition. Not bad, right? We thought so.

And, while the last few years saw more local rock bands performing alongside classic artists like The Family Stone and Parliament, this year's lineup leaves more than a little to be desired: Saturday headliner Foghat, a band which actually performs with just one of its original members — the drummer, Roger Earl — has inspired more than a few commenters on local websites to express a little disdain while scratching their heads.

But the Sweetcorn Festival attracts bigger crowds than any other festival in C-U every year — and that makes a strong statement. They must be doing something right.

So, let's have it, students and denizens alike: how does the Sweetcorn Festival stack up against the others?

This week, Ask Politely is a special commentary by our resident film critic, Chuck Koplinski. The rest of the piece can be found by clicking "Continue Reading" below. Please join in the discussion.

This is going to be messy.

There is a current controversy raging around Ben Stiller’s new film, “Tropic Thunder.” At its core, it is a vicious satire about vacuous Hollywood movies, the avarice of the bean counters that finance them and the narcissistic film actors who star in them. Method acting, the process through which performers go to great lengths to research and inhabit their roles before the cameras begin to roll, takes a particularly strong beating. In the film, five time Oscar winner Kirk Lazarus (Robert Downey Jr.) goes to the nth degree with this method by undergoing a skin pigmentation process that makes him look like an African American in order to play his role.

However, this modern take on blackface isn’t causing the firestorm. Actually, I haven’t read a single derogatory thing about it. Nope, the controversy is about the film’s frequent use of the “R word.”

No, it's not “rim job,” either.

It's “retard.”

As the site of the main campus of the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana certainly qualifies as a college town in a fairly pure sense. There's certainly not many other geographical reasons for our fair cities to be anything more than the seat of an agricultural county.

There's a certain eclecticism that comes nearly standard with being a college town (unless you're Terre Haute). It's a special atmosphere that lends itself to greater diversity and tolerance than would normally be found in similarly-sized towns.

But how does C-U compare to other college towns? From Olympia to Gainesville, Berkeley to New Haven, there are hundreds of municipalities in this land which contain an institute of higher learning. We are merely one. In your opinion, how do we rate?

Census statistics show that Champaign-Urbana has more bicyclists than the average American town. Urbana ranks third in Illinois (and first in towns of over 1,000 people) with 4.61 percent of the population commuting by bicycle. Champaign isn't far behind with 2.31 percent, slightly behind Carbondale. The U.S. average is right around one percent.

There is also a thriving bicycle culture in C-U. Prairie Cycle Club, ChampaignCountyBikes.org and The Bike Project co-op serve as resources and advocates for cyclists. Critical Mass, bike polo and chariot and alley cat races are frequent and well-attended. There are also several good established and unofficial bike shops around town which serve the community.

Biking around campus and in the old parts of Champaign and Urbana is possible and often enjoyable. Much of the motor traffic seems to be used to being around bicycles and often give them the benefit of the doubt at four-way stops. As you may have noticed, it's pretty flat around here, which makes it less challenging for novice cyclists to get around.

On the other hand, the outlying areas of both cities were not planned with bikes in mind, especially north of I-74. The trail system — despite the contribution of the new bike lanes along First Street — is disorganized and frustrating to navigate, especially in Campustown. Many of the secondary streets are poorly-maintained and filled with potholes.

So, does the good outweigh the bad? Do the smiles and waves from motorists outnumber the honks and fingers in your experience? How bike-friendly is Champaign-Urbana?

Champaign City Council is at work trying to create more affordable housing around the downtown area, specifically north of Washington Street for those who work at and patronize the businesses in the area. Currently the rental properties in the immediate downtown are few and far between and will cost you plenty, but the council is looking to create cheaper digs for cooks, servers, bank tellers, baristas, retail associates, other downtown workers and those who spend time downtown/ What could be better than ditching the gas guzzler to conveniently coast to work on two wheels, or better yet, walk.

Those residing near the bustling entertainment district would certainly have beer, delectable cuisine, espresso, and cupcakes at their fingertips, but there are a few issues with making your home base directly next door to Neil Street: the influx of weekend revelers to the area could, frankly, just be annoying, and the nearest grocery stores are Meijer on North Prospect and Schnucks on Mattis Avenue. (That is until County Market opens its doors on Springfield Avenue — whenever that might be.)

But, there are perks aplenty. The downtown area includes a few banks, a boot repair store, a gas station, the post office, a movie theater and probably the biggest bonus — direct access to the Mass Transit District bus hub and Amtrak station. Living near the area would solve that pesky parking meter problem too.

So, do you want to live near downtown Champaign?

With The Canopy Club hosting Central Illinois Metal Fest this weekend, don't be surprised if you see a couple of folks walking in town that don't seem too familiar with their surroundings. That is probably because they have flown half-way around the world to be here.

The CIMF has quietly grown into one of the most prominent music festivals in the world within a certain sub-section of the population. Headliners include bands like Monstrosity from Florida, Misery Index from Maryland and Incantation from Pennsylvania. They will be supported by bands from across the globe including Amagortis from Switzerland, Nominon from Sweden and Holocausto Canibal from Portugal.

Founder of the festival Matt Bishop says there are, "40 bands from seven different countries this year." The festival, now in year number seven, first began modestly at the Knights of Columbus in 1998 and ran it there until 2000. After a two year hiatus, Bishop brought it back in 2002 to The Canopy Club and has never looked back. Attendance is projected to double this year — which has seen a two day festival become three days.

A limited amount of tickets will still be available at the door all weekend.

So, with all this Metal being kicked out this weekend in our own backyard, we ask you:

Who ripped the most wicked Metal album of all time?

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 language? Should the writer adhere to the AP Stylebook? What are the benefits or consequences of blogging?

The blogosphere's options are endless and there is enough opinion and information to keep you surfing the internet all day long. Depending on the type of blog, it's the freshest form of journalism, or even the most public form of self-expression. Blog topics are bountiful and encourage interaction — they can reach audiences further and wider than traditional news outlets — and have spawned what has become known as the "digital smokebreak."

In Champaign-Urbana we have a great variety of blogs: Little Blog on the Prairie, Champaign Taste and Illini Pundit to name a few. Each has developed it's own voice, style of writing, genre and niche market of followers. After all, you're here now — and while we're an online magazine — we like to think of ourselves as neighbors, at the least.

So, you tell us — what blog around these parts has what you like to read — and why?

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 Grill in Murphysboro, Ill the best ribs in the US of A. And while that's not Champaign, it's getting awfully close.

Last weekend saw the premier of what is bound to be one Urbana's best annual traditions with the first annual Blues, Brews and BBQ in the parking lot of the Lincoln Square Village. The turnout, especially given its infancy was more than affirming of the fact that we, too, have a burgeoning BBQ scene that is just about ready to bust from the belt.

So, let's have it. You know the suspects with the smoke and sauce — as well as, if not better, than we do. So, who's got it in ol' C-U in the world of BBQ?

Happy 4th to all.

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 State Representative for the Illinois House in the early 1990s.

Running on a platform to build up the Philo Road area as well as Urbana’s downtown, during Mayor Prussing’s three years in the City Building, the southeast area of Urbana near the Philo and Windsor intersection went from very little development to building up housing subdivisions and attracting popular businesses including Milo’s Restaurant.

She’s also voiced strong rejection to Ameren’s electrical and American Water Company’s water rate hikes. Mayor Prussing, at a City Council meeting, said about the hikes, “We have higher than average water rates. Our rates are higher than publicly-owned systems, and our electrical rates are higher. Both of those together are a drag on our economic growth.”

Some citizens were unhappy about the recent vote the mayor favored to allow Urbana’s Lincoln Hotel to be developed without a historic designation seal that would have protected the portion built by local architect Joseph B. Royer in 1923.

How do you view Mayor Prussing’s first three years in the mayor’s chair? What decisions do you agree or disagree with?

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 have to offer.

The weekend is filled with plenty of activities for citizens of all ages, including live music from Backyard Tire Fire, Hurricane Gumbo and The Boat Drunks, the ever-present Jimmy Buffett tribute act regularly seen at community events.

In addition to all the food and fun, the Champaign Park District is doing its part to make this year a benefit as well, attempting to raise $10,000 in funds for its Youth Scholarship Fund.

And while all of this is a wonderful contribution to the social fabric of the community, questions in years past have risen: Why is there a McDonald's booth at the Taste of Champaign? And what about Applebee's? Are these restaurants really an accurate representation of what restaurants C-U has to offer, or do they merely represent restaurants that can afford the cost of renting a space at an event like this? Does it matter if the restaurants in attendance are run by Mom and Pop or by suits living in some other city?

Tell us your thoughts. In the meantime, we'll be there, stuffing our faces with one thing or another.

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 Park District-sponsored downtown street fests that occur three times per year.

This Saturday is the first of these, featuring two artists, Freeze Dried — a band that claims rock, polka and cajun as its influences, and, Od Tapo Imi — a fusion band mixing island sounds, steel drums and non-traditional percussion.

The "festival" takes place on the corner of Walnut and University avenues, whereas the others are on Main and Chestnut and Neil and Main streets, July 12 and Aug. 9, respectively. Alcoholic beverages are allowed on the street within the parameters of the designated area, although it's been suspected that Champaign's finest turn a blind eye to anyone walking out of the zone as well.

While these events are mainly received well by citizens, there have been some vocal outcries regarding the programming choices and locations of the stages. Until this year, no original music had been booked to perform on any of these festivals, and arguments have been made that stage locations have seemed to favor particular bars, giving them an advantage over other drinking establishments in town, at least in terms of alcohol sales that evening.

So, what do you think? Are the street festivals a great thing for Downtown Champaign and all of the C-U area? Or do they still need some modification in order to properly engage the entire community and all of the businesses in the neighborhood?

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 year, and they’ve been accompanied by an onslaught of violent weather patterns like the ones that had Champaign-Urbana’s sirens ringing earlier this week.

The Pacific nations have seen five typhoons so far (more than 60 dead and another 40 remain missing). And in May, the nation of Burma experienced the worst cyclone disaster in its history, with almost 80,000 perishing and another 55,000 gone missing.

And then there are earthquakes. More than 67,000 killed in western China by a 7.9 quake. Other big ones in Algeria, the Congo, India and Indonesia. Even here in central Illinois, an unusual earthquake in April reminded us that we have some tectonic instability of our own.

Floods. T-storms. Hail. Droughts.

Unseasonably cold. Unconventionally hot. Nothing quite normal.

Question is: Why?

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 place to get a pie in C-U? And what style of pizza do you prefer? We've got our own opinions that we'll throw into the hat come Sunday evening, but for the moment, we want to hear what you all think.

Serve it up.

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 leaves Champaign-Urbana with about a third less population in the summer than during the spring and fall semesters.

So, what's your preference? Do you like C-U when the streets of Campustown are swarming with students or do count the days until the towns take on the feel of Smalltown, USA?

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 such a birds and coke addicts. And — our favorite — the hour-long lunch break.

In jobs that don’t enjoy the luxury of an hour-long break, employees are often forced to suffer the thirty-minute rush, in which there’s just enough time to grab a sandwich and wolf it down before it’s time to clock back in. But when you have an hour, you’re likely to spread your gastrointestinal wings and seek out some deals. You might find that Cafe Kopi, for instance, offers a mean Thai tempeh sandwich, and that with KoFusion's lunch sushi deal, you get nine pieces of sushi and a bowl of miso soup for under ten dollars and in under thirty minutes.

But this is just the tip of the iceberg lettuce (we couldn’t resist), and we know there are plenty more praiseworthy lunchtime deals around town. So, all you grown-ups out there with hour-long lunch breaks and ten bucks to burn: Where do you go for lunch? Where can you get in and out within an hour, and without paying more (or much more) than ten dollars?

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 the new cupcake shop a try.

Smile Politely loves when new businesses pop up in town. Cakes on Walnut, at 114 N. Walnut Street, was certainly bustling during last week’s Ebertfest, as movie-goers bopped around downtown with white boxes — large and small — or sat at the outdoor bar indulging in the sugary grub.

So now that the dust has settled, what did you think?

Owned by the sister duo, Trisha Bates and Amanda Bates, the interior boasts a pleasantly-modern setup, but with magazines galore, a sitting area, and wireless internet access to boot. The former shoe repair shop offers a cozy enough invitation to hunker down with a cupcake for an afternoon sweet treat.

Guided by the staff at Bacaro, the Bates’ sisters concocted an array of fancy sandwiches such as turkey apple quince and white bean and Parmesan, so “Cakes on Walnut” is no one-trick pony. Cupcake flavors include red velvet, vanilla, chocolate, classic yellow, salted caramel, strawberry balsamic — and Smile Politely has heard raves and jeers about the offerings.

Is a cupcake habit (at $2.75 for a small and $3.50 for a large) something you can afford? Will you carve out a new column in your budget to include the saccharine delights?

Every year, Urbana High School and University of Illinois alum Roger Ebert shows up in town with about dozen canisters of film, a cadre of mildly known actors and, often, at least one Hollywood superstar. This time around, that superstar is Ang Lee — himself an Illinois graduate and director of megahits such as Brokeback Mountain and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The Lee movie featured at this year’s festival is Hulk, which Ebert gave three out of fours stars when the film first hit the screens in 2003. Ebert’s final assessment: Hulk is “a comic book movie for people who wouldn't be caught dead at a comic book movie.” In other words, it’s got a big green guy in it, but it also tends toward the sentimental.

If this were your film festival, and if Ang Lee weren’t coming to town, would Hulk make the bill? What else would? Below is a list of what Roger Ebert came up with. Then we want to hear what your recommendations would be.

Wednesday, April 23:

Hamlet (1996)

Thursday, April 24:

Delirious (2006)
Yes (2004)
Canvas (2006)

Friday, April 25:

Shotgun Series (2007)
Underworld (1927)
The Real Dirt on Farmer John (2005)
Mishima (1985)

Saturday, April 26:

Hulk (2003)
The Band’s Visit (2007)
Housekeeping (1987)
The Cell (2000)

Sunday, April 27:

Romance and Cigarettes (2005)

Keep scrolling down for updates from Ebertfest throughout the weekend!

Central Illinoisans and people from other surrounding areas were rudely awakened by the New Madrid fault line stirring this morning. Today's earthquake was rated as a 5.2 on the Richter Scale and hardly any damage has been seen at ground level. Fortunately for us, earthquakes are a rare phenomenon in Illinois, which is why many people have said they initially thought the quake was a truck rumbling by, a train derailment or — something else?

Few would deny that Champaign-Urbana is home to an actual "music scene." That we can even pose this question is proof enough. And let's not forget that our little community has spawned a band that sold the most albums in the United States in 1980. That's nine million or so, to be clear. The 44th most of all time. We even have a street named for them.

So yes, we have a music scene. That is true. And a lot of people care about it, relatively speaking.

Last week, we saw controversy manifest itself in the form of two shows next door to one another. One was the Local Music Awards, hosted by WPGU and buzz magazine at The Highdive. The other, a charity show that came to be known as the Anti-LMAs, was held right next door at Memphis on Main. Both shows were well attended, and both showcased a wide range of local bands. Within minutes of the Local Music Awards letting out, Memphis on Main went from being packed to beyond capacity. Just as fast, the crowd had to rush to the exit, coughing and tearing up in the eyes: Someone had pepper sprayed the crowd, and the sidewalk along REO Speedwagon Way looked like an impromptu party for respiratory-challenged hipsters. At the very least, this was an active evening for the C-U music scene.

And then we have the record labels (that's plural, mind you), festivals, touring bands, publicity companies, promoters, online and walk-up record stores, radio stations, magazines, blogs (all plural, still) and everything else you could imagine that makes this place a known quantity in the Midwest music scene.

But still, there is something missing. In the mid-1990s, people were heralding C-U as the next Seattle: a fertile breeding ground for the alternative music movement and a mainstay for the ears and eyes of major label record executives. As many as five bands walked into fairly lucrative recording contracts and many went on to tour in arenas and theatres regularly.

And with that, we leave it you, the community, to chime in and let us know: What can be done to improve upon what we already have?

In late March, Alderman Charlie Smyth introduced an ordinance to the Urbana City Council that resulted in a packed council chamber and so much discussion — a vote on the proposal was postponed until April 14.

During the next committee as a whole meeting of the city council, the members will revisit the ordinance that could potentially ban cell phone usage while driving in the City of Urbana. Although, some members were in favor of a hands-free cell phone ban — similar to ordinances in cities such as Chicago and New York City — Smyth's bill calls for a full ban on the use of cell phones, including Bluetooth devices, while behind the wheel.

Smyth argues that a hands-free ordinance would not be effective because there is no difference cognitively between using a hands-free set or a hand-held device; both options take the driver's mind away from operating the vehicle.

Most any driver has been annoyingly cut off only to pass the culprit, whom — surprise! — is talking away on a phone. However, with a comprehensive ban, questions arise about how to enforce a ban on hands-free electronic devices; how to educate the public about the new ordinance; and in two cities separate by name only, how to spread the word that when you enter the city limits of Urbana, it's time to end the conversation.

After much debate, the council opted to further the conversation and have City Attorney Ronald O'Neal draft a new ordinance addressing questions raised at the March 25 meeting.

• Dance (breakdancing/b-boy/-girling)
• Poetry (spoken word/rapping)
• Music (turntablism/deejaying)
• Visual Arts (graffiti)

In the meantime, tonight at 7 p.m., the one-man show Jails, Hospitals and Hip-Hop continues in Allen Hall (and closes after Saturday's 2 p.m. showing at The Armory Free Theatre), and showcases hip-hop culture as one of the ties that bind in a script of characters with cultural and social differences.

Hip-hop culture has been alternately celebrated and vilified — is it elitist, or welcoming? Is it sexist; is it racist? Certainly no movement is perfect, but the efforts of activists in our community this coming week bring to mind the positive potential available and active in hip-hop, as an energetic community unifier and a purveyor of poetry.

Will you be attending the events this weekend and in the coming week? What has hip-hop done for you? What can our community learn from hip-hop?

Both Illinois basketball teams made valiant runs for a Big Ten Tournament title in 2008. Had either of them won the championship, they would have earned an automatic