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OPINION

buzz Writer Highlights the Worst of the Status Quo

Posted to The Local Sniff by Seth Fein on Friday, November 14, 2008 at 8:00 am

Local blogger and current buzz magazine Arts editor Drake Baer took a crack at writing his own “Likes and Gripes” this week in the buzz’s “Best of” issue, on newsstands now. His gripe is worth a gripe from me. Here’s what he had to say: “Yes, this is your lovely alt weekly, but seriously, our sports program has been disastrous this year. As I type this, we’re playing in Detroit — the worst city in the world — and LOSING …

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OPINION

Idling Buses May Be History in Urbana

Posted to The Local Sniff by Seth Fein on Friday, April 4, 2008 at 4:00 pm

First Sniff I never had the chance to tour in a bus when I was a musician. It’s the dream of most bands actually; your own cot, a living room in the back with video games and satellite television, a kitchen with a stove and running water. It’s a mobile home, in reality. And when your band can afford it, it’s a luxury that most are willing to dip into the band fund to purchase. After all, any one who …

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OPINION

Cabbage Soup: Go On and Dig In

Posted to The Local Sniff by Seth Fein on Friday, March 21, 2008 at 9:30 am

First Sniff You’ll forgive me if I seem more than a little wracked in the brain, please. After all, it’s officially March Madness, and if you are one of the 16–47 people who read the Big Ten Basketball Report each week, you know that I am:      A. A die-hard Purdue fan      B. Fairly spiteful of Illinois sports      C. Obsessed by the NCAA Tournament So, after screaming at a High-Def TV screen in a random sports bar last Friday while the …

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OPINION

No Great Diners in C-U Will Help Contain Your Diet

Posted to The Local Sniff by Seth Fein on Friday, March 14, 2008 at 12:30 pm

First Sniff I have recently tangled up with a new and freshly-minted obsession: weight loss. After years of making certain that my belt line increased annually with plenty of red meat, Jarling’s Custard Cup, and an excessive amount of mushroom sherry sauce from Original Pancake House, I have decided that this is the year to start reversing that trend. I am currently 5’7” and 200 pounds. That, according to most healthy weight-management sites, is about 40–60 pounds more than I …

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OPINION

Why the WPGU/Buzz Local Music Awards Need To Go

Posted to The Local Sniff by Seth Fein on Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 2:00 pm

I have to state it, for the record: I think WPGU (107.1 FM) is the best commercial radio station in Illinois. No sarcasm here. I promise. The station’s playlist engages me, every time I listen in. After all, WPGU’s Music Director, Mat Brown, added “Living Through Another Cuba” by XTC this year, and for that, I am eternally impressed and grateful. But that doesn’t mean they are off the hook. The WPGU/Buzz Local Music Awards are here again, and in …

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OPINION

Don’t Call It a Comeback…

Posted to The Local Sniff by Seth Fein on Tuesday, November 20, 2007 at 12:57 pm

First sniff Where do I begin? How about where I left off? Plenty is different from the last time I wrote, but then again, even more is probably the same. Though life is never defined by what simply refuses to morph or transform. No, my friends, life lives and dies by the idea of change and moreover the act of embracing it. I’d like to believe I am changed in more ways than one. Seth Fein in 30 Years …

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Most Recent Opinion Comments

{username}

Wow, His Majesty took the time to answer your polite plea. It’s been a while since I spoke fluent arrogance, but allow this attempt at a translation: “I deeply regret the embarrassment…” = I wish we hadn’t got caught and it wasn’t a big deal really. “...and…

Posted by Local Yocal to the entry 'An open letter to University of Illinois President Michael Hogan on 02/03/12.
isaac arms avatar

Thanks for that, Louis CK.

Posted by isaac arms to the entry 'Pee stains on the Arctic on 02/02/12.
{username}

Your call to stay pissed is precisely why global warming fanatics will fail.  Emotion has no place in hard science.  The problem with the issue of global warming is that is has been pumped full of emotion and politics, and the science is becoming a by-product. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204301404577171531838421366.html?KEYWORDS=global+warming

Posted by Louis CK to the entry 'Pee stains on the Arctic on 02/02/12.
{username}

Clearly the Postal Officials in favor of this cannot make an economic argument, as this saves the post office $0.  What is their rationale?

Posted by King Mo Lawal to the entry 'Please don't close the campus post offices on 02/02/12.
Jason Brown avatar

Earlier today I received this response from the President’s office (via e-mail) - Dear Jason: Thank you for taking the time to write and share your thoughts. I deeply regret the embarrassment that the anonymous email incident has brought to our great University, and the personal hardship…

Posted by Jason Brown to the entry 'An open letter to University of Illinois President Michael Hogan on 02/02/12.
{username}

This posting expresses frustration—where is the investigative reporting about the current situation at the university? There are news reports, but basically no investigation? Why? None of the potential news outlets seem to be digging, unless doing so in the quiet of the night—not CU Access, the DI,…

Posted by pattsi to the entry 'An open letter to University of Illinois President Michael Hogan on 02/02/12.
Jason Brown avatar

Thank you Childrss for the correction. I actually only know a very small bit about Miscanthus specifically (and not much, obviously). My support for cellulosic has more to do with all the various upsides. The stalks and husks of feed corn, for instance, could provide a secondary…

Posted by Jason Brown to the entry 'One word: biofuels on 02/01/12.
{username}

More on Miscanthus can be found at http://miscanthus.illinois.edu Depending on market demand, miscanthus CAN impact food costs if it becomes more profitable to grow Miscanthus on land rather than foodstuff crops.  While Jason didn’t explicitly state it (so I don’t want to imply that he was wrong)—it…

Posted by childrss to the entry 'One word: biofuels on 01/31/12.
{username}

“Doing so would leave the entire university community without a way to send mail.” Ever heard of a mailbox? I can tell you where some are. “The Green Street office is always busy ...” Wrong. In fact, back in the day, I would go there during the…

Posted by Q-Tips to the entry 'Please don't close the campus post offices on 01/30/12.
Jason Brown avatar

I still have a very strong belief in bio-fuels as a sensible alternative, so long as it’s done sensibly. The one that makes the most sense, in my opinion, is producing ethanol from cellulose instead of grain. It’s essentially turning a waste product into a usable fuel…

Posted by Jason Brown to the entry 'One word: biofuels on 01/30/12.

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Most Recent Comments

{username}

Nope.  It’s the back (east) side of Urbana Tire Company at 202 S. Vine. How much is a hug and kiss worth?  Do I have to take them all at once or can I break it up?

By Dave to the entry 'Boing Boing props up Urbana graffiti "artist" on 02/07/12.
{username}

FACT: Silverfish feed only on carbohydrates, such as starches and sugars.  They will not consume proteins or fats (the main materials from which human beings are constructed). THUS: That was not actually a human waiter we were conversing with, but rather a lifelike simulacrum created from semi-digested Fruit Loops.

By fruit_loops to the entry 'The Fifty Flip Experiment on 02/07/12.
{username}

nice fishnets you’ve got there, dan!

By secret_admirer to the entry 'The Fifty Flip Experiment on 02/07/12.
isaac arms avatar

is that illini auto on main?

By isaac arms to the entry 'Boing Boing props up Urbana graffiti "artist" on 02/07/12.
{username}

The geniuses at the News-Gazette site have it all figured out. This happened because we don’t have the Chief!

By Q-Tips to the entry 'Politics play in Illini loss to Northwestern on 02/06/12.
{username}

Pamela - Are the roasteries in Seattle as clean as CSR?  It always disturbs me a little that it is so clean in there.

By Brian to the entry 'Columbia Street Roastery blends with the best on 02/06/12.
JPSherrill avatar

Now you will be able to munch on pizza and shrimp cocktails in downtown Urbana (whilst a DJ spins?) after your dissolution of marriage http://www.news-gazette.com/news/business/features/its-your-business/2012-02-05/its-your-business-new-pizza-place-downtown-urban     Is this a franchise of a Reno pizza joint, or just a coincidence of name? http://www.blackrockpizza.com

By JPSherrill to the entry 'More C-U restaurants come and go on 02/06/12.
{username}

Signs someone is “fishing” for a factual anchor: 1. Starts call to radio with: “I’ve been an Illini fan for (XX) years” or “I’m a diehard fan,” as if somehow that unverifiable claim will justify the 5 minutes of B.S. that follows. 2. Makes reference to KenPom…

By Q-Tips to the entry 'Illinois bad, MSU worse, Izzo terrible on 02/06/12.
{username}

That’s what she said.

By kiel to the entry 'Illini pull out an ugly one on 02/04/12.
{username}

Black dog and Siam terrace is where I always go after my divorces.

By Ryan to the entry 'More C-U restaurants come and go on 02/04/12.
Mike Ingram avatar

Love CSR.  Apart from making my way through the regular roasts in 1/2 pound increments, I also like to pick up some of the little sample packets of the flavored stuff for when the lady and I feel like getting crazy.  Sticky Bun is pretty nice.

By Mike Ingram to the entry 'Columbia Street Roastery blends with the best on 02/04/12.
Rob McColley avatar

If you happen to be getting a divorce, or fighting a DUI prosecution, downtown Urbana is a great place to eat.

By Rob McColley to the entry 'More C-U restaurants come and go on 02/03/12.
{username}

HUUUUUUGE fan of their Black Velvet roast…It makes up about 75% of my coffee intake. LOL CSR is definitely one of those Champaign institutions that I brag about to people not from here. :-)

By Mertz to the entry 'Columbia Street Roastery blends with the best on 02/03/12.
{username}

We like CSR too! We french press at home and I leave the lid off while it steeps—letting the ground beans bloom. Then, like in your tasting, I scoop off the top layer before pressing. We really need to invest in a burr grinder though, as I…

By Kirstin to the entry 'Columbia Street Roastery blends with the best on 02/03/12.
{username}

Confidential? In this state? Hahahahahahahhahahaha

By Not_again. to the entry 'LGBTQ participants needed for research study on community involvement on 02/03/12.
isaac arms avatar

just confirmed:  there will be white russians served. the art abides.

By isaac arms to the entry 'Weekender: February 3–5 on 02/03/12.
isaac arms avatar

big lebowski at the art. mark it, dude.

By isaac arms to the entry 'Weekender: February 3–5 on 02/03/12.
{username}

There’s a great video promo out for “Company” too: http://vimeo.com/36077847

By Lindsey to the entry 'Weekender: February 3–5 on 02/03/12.
{username}

Wow, His Majesty took the time to answer your polite plea. It’s been a while since I spoke fluent arrogance, but allow this attempt at a translation: “I deeply regret the embarrassment…” = I wish we hadn’t got caught and it wasn’t a big deal really. “...and…

By Local Yocal to the entry 'An open letter to University of Illinois President Michael Hogan on 02/03/12.
{username}

I love the Guitars

By wilsonwasher23 to the entry 'SP Radio Podcast: Drew Phillips, Uncle John and local bluegrass on 02/03/12.

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