Guest Commentary - True Magic

By Michael J. Miller, Savanna, Illinois

Live magic has a lot of hurdles to jump these days. Many classic tricks, in some form or another, have been revealed on those horrible reality shows where blabbermouth disgruntled magicians show exactly how they are done and destroy any sense of wonder you might otherwise enjoy from the show. Magic also faces some stiff competition. In this age of YouTube and Facebook and Bluetooth, a show comprised largely of sleight of hand illusions and misdirection is really fighting an uphill battle to hold an audience's attention. If kids today are even capable of marveling at anything, it's more likely to be at the newest development in CGI technology to supplement their virtual video game or effects laden Hollywood release. The guys with the tuxedos and rabbits and doves may be in danger of seeming, forgive the horrible pun, hopelessly old hat to them.

Despite these daunting odds (or perhaps because of them), I saw a live magic show ("Magic in Savanna", presented at the St. George Center for the Arts in Savanna, IL May 9-11) recently and really enjoyed it and, I dare say, so did the audience, many of them children.

There were essentially two acts, with the host of the program putting in a cameo appearance about halfway through as a "visiting Russian czar/magician". The first act was a young fellow named Joel Ward, who couldn't have been over the age of 30, and who utilized modern music to supplement a razzle -dazzle show with disappearing doves, light effects and sleight of hand illusions. The second, a more seasoned prestidigitator named Jonathan Neil Brown, worked mainly with handkerchiefs, bottles and linking rings, and his performance also utilized music, though of a somewhat earlier era. These gentlemen were in the great tradition of illusionists and their tricks were classic, though very effective, illusions that have stood the test of time. The show was short, clocking in at just under an hour and a quarter. There were effects, but they were not elaborate or ground breaking.

And it all worked for me.

The show was a terrific touchstone to the great and often unappreciated history of live entertainment, featuring acts that did something that no CGI effects, no well edited motion picture, no slickly produced television show or intensely marketed video game could do. It connected the performers (and the performances) with the audience, and accented humanity over technology.

There were no complicated laser effects, or explosions or cutting edge technology of any sort, but what there WAS were several flesh and blood human beings on-stage by themselves, just a few feet separating them from a crowd that was no doubt scanning for any and all signs of fakery, with just pure nerve and bravado backing up their skill and practice. That type of "seat of the pants" dynamic is almost unheard of today. Even live musical performances sometimes feature lip-synching, and in general the audiences at those performances are further away from the performers and aren't made a part of the show.

The interaction of the performers with the audience also helped to foster this "human touch" as well. Several audience members were recruited by the magicians to assist in various tricks, and each time the audience connected not only with the performers but with the "recruits" as well. After the show, the performers waited outside the theatre exit to shake hands with the audience members and chat with them.

People interacting with people; that type of shared community experience has a unique value in a society. For all the wonderful advances of science, it has not and never will be able to replace the eternally nourishing phenomenon of people growing stronger and closer because of events that remind them of their common bonds. This can be a dramatic event, a crisis like severe weather or national emergency like 9/11, or it can be on a much smaller scale, a community coming together to celebrate a holiday or a wedding, or even a magic show.

We are all understandably thankful for the marvelous advances and freedoms that technology has wrought in our society. No longer do we have to be restricted to one television set that only has four or five channels and is only on the air for eight hours a day. We can all accumulate massive collections of our favorite songs and listen to them at our leisure. Very recent Hollywood releases can now be viewed at home within a few short months of their theatrical premieres, and you can watch them whenever and largely, wherever you want. All of these advances have been tremendously beneficial in allowing for freedom of personal choice and access to entertainment material.

Unfortunately, such advances have also had the effect of making us much more isolated from each other, less in touch with the community of human beings around us, not only locally, but nationally and moreover, worldwide. If you have your own television set and iPod and iPhone, you're much less likely to have to compromise on what content to enjoy and less likely indeed to even experience entertainment with other people.

Live entertainment renews that lost sense of community by drawing together large groups of people and allowing them to share a good time, to move through an experience as a whole. It puts us in close contact with performers and forces us to appreciate the time, energy and skill they put into their acts. It fosters conversation, interaction and just a general sense of belonging that can never be equaled by entertainment that can be experienced alone.

Besides benefitting three local charities, this show helped to serve the more general purpose of live entertainment by keeping us in touch with the joy of being alive, of being human, and the wonderful comfort that comes from sharing that feeling with others. That shared joy was the true "magic" that was experienced by the audience that night, and I think Mr. St. George and the performers (and all their respective crews) should be congratulated for capturing it in all its beauty.

Capitol Fax

Rich Miller's commentary on State Government

The reasons why House Speaker Michael Madigan's campaign staff produced a memo for candidates about how best to call for the impeachment of Gov. Rod Blagojevich are pretty sound. The execution, however, left something to be desired.

Emily McAsey is the House Democrats' candidate against state Rep. Brent Hassert (R-Romeoville). Hassert has refused to publicly criticize Gov. Rod Blagojevich in the past several weeks. He spoke against a proposal to recall the governor, and he has slammed Speaker Madigan for allowing his own dislike of Blagojevich to derail the massive $34 billion capital construction plan.

Hassert's exurban district leans slightly Republican, and Blagojevich isn't exactly the most popular politician in those parts. Actually, the governor is probably horribly unpopular in just about every district where Madigan is attempting to unseat Republican incumbents.

Just about every House Republican incumbent has gone on record demanding that Madigan put his personal differences aside and allow the governor to oversee a $34 billion capital spending plan, which, by the way, is funding by a lease of the state Lottery and a new casino for Chicago.

So, Madigan has decided to position the Republicans between his own candidates and the embattled Blagojevich. If the Republicans think Blagojevich is OK, then Madigan will tie the governor around their necks. And, several days ago, right on cue, candidate McAsey called for impeachment proceedings to begin against Blagojevich.

One of the biggest reasons why Republicans suffered so much in the wake of George Ryan's humiliation was that they never really abandoned the man. Sticking by him was probably the honorable thing to do, and he was certainly a legislators' governor. But the public loathed him, and the Republicans have paid a high price for their loyalty.

The same fate is befalling the national Republicans over their refusal to abandon President George W. Bush, the most unpopular president in recorded polling history.

So, it makes perfect political sense for the Democratic speaker and state party chairman to dump on the Democratic governor. The more the public believes that Blagojevich is an unfortunate abnormality and not the party's standard-bearer, the less impact his troubles may have on Democratic candidates this fall.

The House Republicans say Madigan is dreaming and point to his co-chairmanship of Blagojevich's campaign committee when Tony Rezko was indicted. But the Republicans have put themselves in a bizarre position of defending yet another embattled, unpopular governor. And the weirdest part is that this time they're defending a Democrat.

The Democrats' impeachment talking points memo itself, however, is a bloody mess.

If the House Democrats had simply focused on a handful of valid reasons for impeachment and the constitutional and political mechanics of how it might take place, it would've been a much stronger document. Instead, much of the memo reads like an excruciatingly long list of "Things that Rod did to make Mikey mad."

An addendum entitled "Blagojevich's Misdeeds and Malfeasance from High to Low (A Far from Complete List)" includes items like "Gross Receipts Tax," and "Having no involvement with the mass transit issue, until springing seniors ride-free at the last second," and on and on. It was all pretty silly.

Five pages are devoted to a "Questions and Answers" section designed to help the candidates with queries from reporters and opponents.

"So, neither Madigan nor his staff has had any involvement with you or preparing you to make this announcement?" was one question.

The suggested answer has already been pounced upon by Republicans and the governor's allies alike as a blatant encouragement to lie: "I've researched the issue on my own and after careful consideration believed that now is the right time to do it."

As a result, it might be just a little more difficult to use the impeachment issue as a bludgeon against Rep. Hassert and other Republicans. The Repubs can just claim that the Democratic candidates are simply parroting the Madigan line.

But the Madigan impeachment memo includes a suggested answer for that charge as well: "This has nothing to do with Mike Madigan. I'm doing this because, after carefully considering the facts and thinking about what is in the best interests of the state, I am convinced that it is the best course and now is an appropriate time. As far as I know, the Speaker has been resistant to the idea of impeachment."

Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and thecapitolfaxblog.com.

Appreciates Curfew Clarification

I want to thank your (Carroll) County Sheriff, Jeff Doran, for his helpful article clarifying the differences between curfew and the new nighttime driving restrictions. With 2 drivers under 18, we have been having some heated discussions at the dinner table about what time they had to be home this summer. We do not live in Carroll County, but found the sheriff's explanation very helpful. Please tell him thank you for us.

Have a great summer.

Vicky Bush-Joseph
Parent of teens in DuPage County

Publisher's Note: Consider it done, Vicky!

Please call your school board members!

Ask them to vote no On June 19th 2008 at the West Carroll school board meeting.

What is the issue at hand, we need the school board to vote no when it comes to raising the Carroll county taxes from 6-1/2% to 7-1/2%.

The first and most alarming issue of this tax increase is the fact that the businesses in Savanna, Thomson, and Mount Carroll will be generating somewhere around 75% or more of the money going into this tax fund, but when the money is dispersed it will be equally divided and sent out to Shannon, Chadwick, Milledgeville, Savanna, Thomson and Mount Carroll. This is not a fair or good economic deal for Savanna, Thomson, or Mount Carroll. To make a long story short we will put most of the taxes in and only get the benefits of half of the money. (Our founding fathers called this taxation without representation.)

The second point I would like to make is that in the past when we were offered a fair deal we have supported it, when we built the Chestnut Park School the state said they would pay half if we would pay half, this was a fair and economically sound idea and the vote was taken and we supported it. This tax increase is not a fair or economically smart solution to our schools budget.

The last point is that I do know our school board is working hard and long hours without pay, and they do have the best intentions for our children, but any of us after working on budget cut after budget cut month after month for almost 2 years straight would consider this deal we have before us today. So ask your school board to hang in there a little longer and let them know if they stay patient and persevere they will find a new solution that makes sense and is fair to all involved.

After you read this don't wait another minute to respond, pick up the phone, dial the numbers, and respectfully say I would like you to vote no.

Your school board names and numbers are:

Bill Sweeney 815-273-4764

Dennis Foltz1 815-244-9206

Mike Highland 815-259-2185

Mike Melhus 815-273-3388

David Boyd 815-244-1430

Steve Kelly 815-288-1028

Debbie Klein 815-273-3773

Now take out your calendar and write down that on Thursday June 19th @ 7:00 pm I'm going to the Thomson school to attend this board meeting to have my presence known.

Lets make a difference.

Thank you,
Mark Klein

To Supt. Lemon & School Board Members:

With the cost of goods, gasoline, and labor increasing daily, the Savanna Chamber of Commerce cannot support any increase in the county sales tax. The 1.0% increase being proposed will have a negative impact on local businesses already dealing with the effects of economic decline and low consumer confidence.

Our local retailers already struggle to compete with larger shopping areas such as Clinton, Freeport, Sterling and the Quad Cities. Those shopping centers with discount stores can purchase goods at already lower wholesale prices than our local merchants. With the addition of the 1-cent sales tax, Carroll County will have a higher sales tax rate than any of those aforementioned cities, adding yet another motivation to shop elsewhere. The addition of this tax works totally against our current "I BUY IN SAVANNA" campaign encouraging people to shop locally.

As in the past, the Savanna Chamber of Commerce and its members have generously supported and will continue to support the many educational and extra-curricular activities, through our donations of monies and man power, in the West Carroll School District and through the West Carroll Education Foundation.

Sincerely,
Savanna Chamber of Commerce
Merle Oberbroeckling, President
Pam Brown, Executive Director

Capitol Report

By Jim Sacia, State Representative, 89th District

So often it's the folks behind the scenes, the unsung heroes and heroines, who really get things done. Nancy Otte of Orangeville is such a person.

Nancy heads up the Freeport Area International Visitors Council. In that capacity, she arranges for international visitors to visit Stephenson County. I've often had the privilege to meet with those groups. Many want to learn about how state government works and my job as State Representative. But I find that I often learn more from them.

On Tuesday, June 3rd a group of eleven Iraqi Sheiks and Governors met with President Bush at the White House. They also wanted to visit "small town America". The tossing of a dart at a map of the U.S., or perhaps knowing that Nancy Otte could put something together, had Brad Minnick, the Director of International Visitors for the State Department, shepherding the group to Freeport.

I had the privilege of to meet with the delegation, as did my son John, an army apache helicopter pilot who served two combat tours in Iraq.

I was most amazed that the group was comprised of Shiites, Sunnis, and Christians. I think many of us believe these groups don't get along. To a person, they were most cordial and most interested in their visit to Northwest Illinois.

Having John with me gave them the opening to discuss the ongoing Iraqi war. They were genuinely appreciative of America for freeing them from the oppression of Saddam Hussein. The group expressed frustration for the four million refugees in their beloved country and the great loss of human life and they spoke openly about their concern for their country's infrastructure needs; particularly electric power that is so desperately needed. They also spoke about their fears that Iran is becoming more pro-active in Iraq's rebuilding needs than the American forces. There is little doubt that they want and expect help from America.

It was truly an eye-opening experience for me to visit with so many dignitaries from their great country. Their wish was that I convey to you that they are a peace loving people in a wounded nation. The current Iraqi government has many problems which obviously won't be resolved in this writing. Most of all, they simply want the American people to be aware of the plight of the Iraqi people.

My appreciation to Nancy Otte cannot be adequately expressed. She and her husband, Leland, put the icing on the cake for our Iraqi guests: a barbeque at their Orangeville farm Saturday night. Thank you, Nancy and Leland.

As always, you can reach me, Sally or Barb at 815/232-0774 or e-mail us at jimsacia@aeroinc.net. You can also visit my website at www.jimsacia.com. It's always a pleasure to hear from you.

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