Asheville Daily Planet February 2015

Sunday bus service: It’s about time!

YAITW makes bloodless return — See Review, Pg. B1

— See Editorial, Pg. A14

‘50 Shades’ film may spark V-Day heat — See Preview, Pg. B1

ILLE V E H AS ASHEVILLEʼS GREATEST NEWSPAPER

February 2015

Vol. 11, No. 03

An Independent Newspaper Serving Greater Asheville www.ashevilledailyplanet.com FREE

‘Sketchy’ RAD comments trigger uproar

A double-whammy for free speech

From Staff Reports

Daily Planet Staff Photos

The sole cinema in Asheville to show the controversial film “The Interview” was Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co. on Merrimon Avenue in mid-January. The marquee also showed support for the French satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo, where 11 staffers were shot and killed and 11 others were injured by Islamic extremists who reportedly were offended by depictions of the prophet Mohammed. The phrase “Je suis Charlie” — French for “I am Charlie” — is now a common slogan of solidarity for Hebdo and freedom of speech in general. A review of “The Interview” appears on Page B1.

The new year started out with a bang for Asheville’s River Arts District, as the publisher of Frommer’s travel guide outraged a number of local residents when she largely attributed the revitalization of the area to the still-under-construction New Belgium Brewery and referred to the district, in general, as “sketchy.”

Pauline Frommer, the guide chief, made her assertions on Jan. 1 on ABC-TV’s “Good Morning America,” while she was explaining why Asheville was Frommer’s first choice for “Best Places to Go in 2015.”

Specifically, Frommer said, “We are picking it (Asheville) this year because the sketchy riverside area has been totally redone.”

Also, she credited the brewery for the transformation, implying that New Belgium’s investment has resulted in new parks, artists studios, bike paths and even farmers markets.

Frommer apparently attempted to make amends during her Jan. 9 guest appearance on FOX Business News’ “The Willis Report,” where she said of Asheville, “It’s awesome. Great music. The most craft breweries per capita in the United States, so, always a party. A great place to go.”

In the uproar that followed her original assertions, Frommer seemed to backpedal in an interview with Asheville Citizen-

It may take a bus to ride the rails

From Staff Reports

The success of a bus service from Asheville to Salisbury could be the determinant on whether passenger rail service resumes in the near future in Asheville for the first time since 1975.

Amtrak is studying establishing a dedicated bus service as soon as 2016 to carry passengers between Asheville and Salisbury, where they could connect with trains serving several other Piedmond cities and possibly points as far north as Boston.

The service would give travelers — to and

from Asheville and seven other communities along the bus route — access to train travel in the relatively near future in the hope of building enough ridership to eventually justify passenger trains on the railroad line between Asheville and Salisbury, according Paul Worley, head of the state Department of Transportation’s Rail Division.

Local and state officials and would-be rail passengers have pushed for establishing rail service to Asheville for more than 10 years, but not much has happened besides renovation of train depots along the route.

The city and state bought property in

Biltmore Village in 2005 as a site for a future station, but it has yet to be built.

The Amtrak study to determine how many people might take the through-way bus between Asheville and Salisbury should be completed by late March, Worley said.

The 130-mile route likely would include stops in Black Mountain, Old Fort, Marion and other towns between the two cities.

The buses typically offer “a pretty nice coach experience,” similar to chartered buses, according to Worley. They would run along Interstate 40 from Asheville east to Statesville, then head southeast to Salisbury.

Times columnist John Boyle in the Jan. 11 edition of the newspaper.

“Being on live TV is very difficult,” Frommer told Boyle. “I accidentally conflated some developPauline Frommer ments. I meant to say, as we said in the article that this was based on, that the arts district had formerly been sketchy and was revitalized now.”

However, most of the local uproar centered around New Belgium getting credit for what revitalization has occurred, when the brewery is still being built and the RAD’s resurgence has been going on for decades.

As for the improvements to the RAD for which Frommer credited New Belgium, Boyle wrote, “Those may be coming, but they aren’t there yet, and New Belgium isn’t the driving force behind them... It begs the question, has Frommer been to Asheville?”

In response, New Belgium has posted on various blogs that they were not contacted and totally disagreed with Frommer’s implication that the brewery is responsible the revitalization of the RAD. See RAD, Page A6

The Advice Goddess

Amy Alkon

Playing with mismatches

Q: — I like this woman I’ve been seeing, but she’s really in love with me. I’ve been clear that I’m not ready to get more serious and that I’m really never going to be up for that with her. She’s chosen to stick around, but her best friend called me crying, saying I’m breaking her heart. (Yikes!) Is it wrong to stay with somebody whose feelings are much stronger than yours?

— Troubled

See ADVICE GODDESS, Page A4

A2 - February 2015 - Asheville Daily Planet

Issues, restructuring in APD questioned

By JOHN NORTH

john@AshevilleDailyPlanet.com

ENKA — A presentation on “issues and restructuring” in connection to the embattled Asheville Police Department prompted several questions during a Jan. 9 meeting of the Council of Independent Business Owners at A-B Tech’s Haynes Auditorium.

The APD presentation was made by City Manager Gary Jackson, who also discussed the hiring process for a new police chief and planning director.

“In terms of getting the right people in the right places,” Jackson said, the city is in the process of hiring a new police chief and planning director.

“The planning director search is several months ahead of the police chief search.

We will run them through the references in February and March.

Regarding the police chief search, Jackson noted that it is not just a matter of him making the decision. “The last time, it included the sheriff, the district attorney, the fire chief” and others, he said.

“We really try to do a ‘360’ to get the recommendation of the people who will have to work most closely with them... We hope to have the planning director on board by late May ... and the police chief on board by June.”

Jackson added, “We, of course, always cast the net as far and wide as we can. We use a search firm because it works... We know where we’re fishing.” He also noted the city is using the best guides.

An unidentified man then asked about the police chief, stating that “it seems like there was a lot of unrest” culminating in

Mayor’s report

the retirement of Chief William Anderson.

“In your search for a new police chief, have you brought these concerns to your search committee?” the man asked.

“Good question,” Jackson replied. “We brought in a third party City Manager because there were a lot Gary Jackson of folks expressing their views... We have 260 police employees — we wanted to hear from all of the employees and not just the command staff.

“We’re going to get to the bottom of those issues.... There is significant internal conflict,” in which “people aren’t working together....

“We’re working on understanding what those concerns are... mediating them. A lot of them are in disciplinary process and ..

We have a civil service system, which is a big part of the problem. There are significant issues with that.”

Another man said he had “read in the newspaper about a lowering of the standards in our police department. To me, that’s dumbing down our police department.”

“Yes, first of all, you’re not getting the whole story in what you’re reading,” Jackson said. “To get one of the top jobs (in the APD) .... you still have to have the degrees.

To move up and be promoted, those standards are still in place. We’ve just opened up the starting jobs for people coming in from military” in an effort to attract a more diverse workforce.

See APD ISSUES, Page A9

Development task force given praise for streamlining efforts

By JOHN NORTH

john@AshevilleDailyPlanet.com

ENKA — An update on Asheville’s development task force was followed by praise for the city’s efforts voiced by several local developers during a Jan. 9 meeting of the Council of Independent Business Owners.

The task force update was presented by Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer, with a few additional comments provided by City Manager Gary Jackson and city Development Services Director Shannon Tuch.

Manheimer began the presentation at CIBO’s first meeting of 2015 by noting, “It’s a pleasure to be with you on this freezing cold morning.”

She prompted some laughter when she quipped, “I think most of you just want to hear about the City Hall flooding.”

The mayor noted that “this task force... was designed to further fine-tune the permitting center... to make it more streamlined and efficient, and customer-friendly...

All different professions are on that task force... We were able to hear one interesting comment, I thought — that we’ve come a long way as far as a one-stop shop.”

Among the recommendations from the task force was that “plans should be able to be submitted digitally.”

Other priority recommendations she cited included the following: • That the process will limit the amount

of resubmittals needed for approval • That the staff be empowered to make final decisions.

• That the DSD be open on Fridays.

• That inter-departmental communication be improved.

“A long discussion about the permitting Mayor Esther center being open on Manheimer Fridays” has taken place and “I think it eventually will be,” Manheimer said.

“Some of these changes are already underway — and some of these will take a while before they are brought about,” she added.

(In a handout to the CIBO members, the city noted, “This task force was the beginning of a review and improvement process. The appropriate staff will continue to review the feedback to establish appropriate actions that can be taken and the prioritization of implementing those challenges. The next steps include a report from task force members to the Planning and Economic Development Committee and then City Council members.”)

Kirk Booth, a local realtor, said, “I just want to applaud the city and the inspection department. As an active working coordinator in the field, it is better.

See DEVELOPMENT, Page A9

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A4 — February 2015 - Asheville Daily Planet

Study finds severe morale issues in APD

From Staff Reports

The Matrix Consulting firm’s survey of Asheville Police Department officers indicates there are severe morale issues within the APD. On the positive side, of the 96 APD employees who completed the survey (more than half of them patrol officers), most agreed that the department is serving the community, that they received good training and that supervisors create a motivating work environment.

However, on the negative side, the results were eye-opening: • Only 7 percent said the APD has a clear vision.

• 9 percent said the department makes effective decisions.

• 5 percent said the APD does a good job anticipating internal problems.

• 74 percent said policies and procedures are not consistently applied in the department, with 72 percent opining that standards of conduct are applied differently to managers than to line staff.

• 7 percent said the APD has a positive culture.

The survey results will be given to whomever is selected to replace departed city Police Chief William Anderson. He

resigned, effective Dec. 31, 2014, amid a state Department of Justice standards inquiry, following problems with radar gun certifications that have seen hundreds of tickets dismissed.

In addition, 44 officers signed a petition in October saying they had a lack of confidence in their commanders.

The city’s initial release of the survey was incomplete. Police employees, at the end of the survey, were asked to submit written responses to four additional questions, including one on how to improve morale.

Those written responses were not part of the documents the city initially provided.

City managers twice denied Citizen-Times’ state public records law requests for the survey results, but the newspaper eventually prevailed in obtaining the documents.

“We would point out that public dollars paid for the survey, making it the public’s business,” the AC-T noted in a Jan. 25 editorial.

Matrix will be paid $47,500 for its work from November through March. Since 2011, the city has spent $268,618 on police consultants.

The APD has a $24 million annual budget, which represents the city’s largest

Interim police chief not certified in N.C. From Staff Reports Steve Belcher, who began his new job as interim Asheville police chief on Jan. 20, will not be a sworn law enforcement officer.

Belcher said he has explored getting the state certification, “but, as the same time, my job is not to go out and arrest people who are drunk in the street.”

Instead, Belcher said he will be strictly the administrator of the department during his six-month tenure. He will not review or direct criminal prosecutions.

Belcher said that, while he will carry city-issued identification, he will not wear a police uniform or carry a gun.

The interim chief has access to a city car,

but it does not have emergency lights or a siren.

His second-in-command, Deputy Chief Wade Wood, a certified law enforcement officer, will handle criminal investigations for the APD during Belcher’s reign.

Several large cities, including New York City, have civilians in command of their police departments.

Belcher is temporarily replacing former chief William Anderson, who retired at the end of December amid turmoil within the department.

Belcher’s police command experience includes a career as chief in Santa Cruz, Calif., and various stints as interim chief across that state, including at the troubled department in Bell, near Los Angeles.

Advice Goddess

Continued from Page A1 She sees the two of you getting old together.

You see the two of you getting together for sex on Friday.

The French make this sort of mismatch sound sexy and fabulous, calling what she’s feeling “la douleur exquise” -- the “exquisite pain” of wanting somebody you can’t have.

But look under the hood and you’ll see an ugly stew of hormones and the psychological gotchas called cognitive biases — unconscious errors in reasoning — leading to an acute case of adult-onset puppy love.

Some would argue that this woman is worshipping at your altar of her own free will (laying if not crops and a goat at your feet, then undying love, Doritos, and beer).

The truth is, a cognitive bias called the “sunk cost fallacy” probably has a good bit to do with her sticking around. This describes our tendency to be irrational “investors” — deciding whether we’ll continue putting time, energy, and/or money into something based on what we’ve already put in.

This is dumb, because our initial investment is gone, and throwing in more whatever won’t change that. The rational approach would be basing our decision on what kind of payoff we’re likely to see down the road.

Unfortunately, though we humans have a reasoning department built into our brain, cognitive biases can keep it a plastic-wrapped no-go zone, much like my late grandma’s living room couch.

Love is not always 50/50, but it also shouldn’t be, oh, 90/10.

Eventually, if you have a conscience, taking advantage of her futile hopes will prey on you (if it hasn’t already).

And sooner or later, she’s likely to resent and maybe even hate you for sticking around to never give her what she wants — instead providing the dating version of “Hey, we don’t sell what you need at this store, but please hang out here till we go out of business.”

Leave of absinthe

I drank too much mystery punch at an office party last week and confessed my unrequited crush to a co-worker. He thanked me and said he was “flattered.” I was mortified and now feel really uncomfortable at the office. How can I fix this?

— Embarrassed My boyfriend, whose favorite self-help book is “The Godfather,” had this helpful suggestion: “Hire a hit man and have the guy clipped.”

Mayor says reporting ‘inaccurate;’ salutes city police for their service

From Staff Reports In response to newspaper articles critical of goings-on related to the Asheville Police Department, Mayor Esther Manheimer wrote recently that, while there are problems, there is much to appreciate regarding the APD. Her op-ed piece appeared in the Jan. 25 edition of the Asheville Citizen-Times and particularly took issue with the AC-T’s reportage on the APD. For instance, she noted that an AC-T story recently was published concerning the APD’s “lowering” its standards for new police hires that followed on the heels of similar stories focusing on the department and its leadership, the departure of Chief William Anderson and an in-depth analysis of the APD’s history.

“This string of articles painted what I believe is an inaccurate picture of the department, characterizing it as in disarray and lacking in leadership,” Manheimer wrote.

“As the mayor of Asheville, I have been closely involved in studying the challenges our police department faces. I have come away with a sharply different viewpoint that I’d like to share.”

For positives on the APD, she cited “high marks for the department’s releationship with neighborhoods including our public housing community. The city’s police department is now more diverse and more reflective of the makeup of Asheville’s population. We are a very safe city compared to most our size. Time and again, our police officers rise to the occasion in service to our citizens and visitors. Many of us have benefited from their effort, and I, for one, am extremely grateful for those who step into the courageous roles they play for us.”

She then acknowledged “problems,” including “weak morale among some offi-

Unfortunately, this advice violates my rule of not solving people’s problems by giving them bigger problems, like a first-degree murder charge.

Instead, inject a little perspective. Okay, you spewed at the party, but now, back at the office, your thoughts aren’t running across your forehead, CNN news-ticker-style: “I’m in love with you. You’re so hot. I love your tie. Marry me.”

To make yesterday’s drunken blurtation today’s “I said no such thing,” align how you act with the message you want to send.

This starts with realigning your head.

Reframe what happened. Tell yourself that it was gutsy to put yourself out there. Next, tell yourself that you accept that he’s not interested. Repeat until these notions sink in.

If you use these thoughts to avoid acting uncomfortable around him — no look of sweaty shame, no tight smile at the copier — he’ll have no reason to be uncomfortable around you. It’s like giving yourself a reset — that is, until you drink too much at lunch and he finds your Post-it on his computer: “I still wanna have your babies. Don’t forget!” You know you’ll feel bad when you check his Facebook and Twitter, yet you keep doing it.

See ADVICE GODDESS, Page A6

Steve Belcher

William Anderson

cers. Also, lines of authority and accountability do not always function well. These are systemic problems that have persisted for many years. The breakdowns we have seen — like improperly calibrated radar guns, evidence room mismanagement and the too-frequent turnover in police chiefs — are symptomatic of core problems. It is these core problems that, I believe, we all want to see corrected.”

Manheimer added that the core problems in the APD are the focus of City Manager Gary Jackson, who, she said, “has worked closely” with City Council and senior leadership in the police department on a number of measures.

These include the recently completed strategic operating plan — and implementing its recommendation.

In addition, Jackson is leading the effort to recruit a new police chief, while an interim chief, Steve Belcher, will fill in during the interim.

The mayor concluded by saying, “Let’s take our hats off to the men and women of the Asheville Police Department. On behalf of the City of Asheville, I want to thank each and every officer for his or her service.”

Published monthly by Star Fleet Communications Inc. JOHN NORTH Publisher Phone: (828) 252-6565 • Fax: (828) 252-6567 Mailing address: P.O. Box 8490, Asheville, N.C. 28814-8490 Website: www.ashevilledailyplanet.com E-mail the following departments:

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Asheville: It’s a ‘best place’ for filmmakers

From Staff Reports

MovieMaker Magazine, a national publication with a focus on art and the movie-making business, recently heralded Asheville as the second-best town to live and work in as a filmmaker.

The national magazine named Asheville to its annual list of “top five towns,” along with Ashland, Oregon; Santa Fe, New Mexico; Missoula, Montana; and Portland, Maine.

MovieMake cited Kristen Wiig’s segment on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” which she expressed her love for Asheville, and also spoke with a local in the industry.

Ellen Pfirrmann, who has worked as the location manager on projects including “The Hunger Games,” told the magazine, “You can’t beat the atmosphere.”

She continued, “It’s big-city funky, artistic. I grew up there. Unfortunately, to make a living you often have to branch out — but I’ve been very lucky the last few years, with North Carolina’s film incentives in place, to be able to stay home. I know Dupont State Forest, where ‘Last of the Mohicans’ was shot, back and forth.”

The towns were rated based on six criteria, according to the magazine’s website, which included: the film production in 2014 according to the number of shooting days, productions and dollars generated; the overall film community and culture; access to equipment and facilities; tax incentives; cost of living and a general category

RAD

Continued from Page A1 In his column, Boyle also cited one comment posted to the AC-T’s website: “Sketchy? Obama ate in the RAD — twice — before New Belgium laid the first brick. Give me a break.”

Meanwhile, Image 420, the West Asheville graphics shop that produced the “Cesspool of sin” shirts, has created T-shirts with the slogan, “Still sketchy after all these beers.”

City ranked 2nd-best in U.S. startup listing From Staff Reports

The original “Hunger Games” movie was filmed near Asheville. In the scene above, Above, the film’s stars, Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, are shown in action. that looks at livability factors including lifestyle, weather, transportation and others.

“These factors were compiled into a rubric, distributed to film commissions across the country, and the resulting information, along with our own research and insight from sites like bestplaces.net and film-

productioncapital.com, provided the final results,” the magazine states.

MovieMaker will be publishing the “Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker” list in three parts: top five towns, top five small cities and top 10 big cities in America, according to its website.

From Staff Reports

severe in Spartanburg and severe in Greenville.

Though cold and flu symptoms are still high, levels appear to be declining, the group reports.

Other cities on the list include San Francisco, Calif.; Austin, Texas; San Diego, Calif.; Green Bay, Wisc.; Louisville, Ky.; Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minn.; Charlotte, N.C.; Baltimore, Md.; and Baton Rouge, La.

Asheville makes top 10 list of sickest cities in America Asheville is among the top 10 sickest cities in the nation this week, according to WebMD’s Cold and Flu Map. Also making the list were Greenville and Spartanburg, both in South Carolina.

The map ranks regions based on the level of cold and flu in the area. Buncombe County was rated as moderate to severe.

Symptoms also were rated moderate to

Advice Goddess

Continued from Page A4 This is the social media version of being the busty friend character in the horror movie — the one who says, “I hear creepy reptilian hissing coming from the cellar. I’m sure it’s nothing, but I’ll just rub my large breasts with raw hamburger and go down there with this flickering flashlight to check.”

Unless intelligence tests have revealed you to have an IQ rivaling that of Jell-O, you’re repeating this misery-making behavior because you, like the rest of us, are prone to fall into automatic strings of behavior we call habits.

In “The Power of Habit,” Charles Duhigg explains that “a habit is a choice we deliberately make at some point, and then stop thinking about, but continue doing.” Research finds that every habit has three components, which Duhigg calls the CUE (a feeling that triggers behavior), the ROUTINE (the behavior itself), and the REWARD (some sort of payoff that tells your brain, “Oh, yeah, let’s totally do that again”).

You’re probably picturing yourself at 80, with an elderly monkey on your back, still frantically checking Facebook for signs your ex-boyfriend’s shifted position in the last 30

seconds.

But Duhigg emphasizes that you can break a habit. You do this by swapping out the middle step, the routine (compulsively clicking into your ex’s social media accounts). To understand what to replace it with, check in with yourself at the moment the urge strikes and figure out the “why” — what reward you’re going after, what need you’re trying to fill.

Maybe you’re lonely and longing to feel connected. Or maybe you’re going for a hit of intensity. Intense feelings are called “arousal” in psychology and can be positive or negative.

Either leads to feeling stimulated and alive (though sometimes alive and pretty miserable).

Next, you need a plan — a substitute routine to slip in whenever the impulse to cyberstalk him strikes. This replacement routine is especially important because a “negative goal” — not doing something — is way harder than doing something different.

So, if it’s connection you’re longing for, call a friend or go impede a co-worker’s productivity. If you’re an intensity junkie, watch a clip from a slasher movie or maybe rappel to your car instead of taking the elevator.

Be prepared for temptation to gnaw at you,

especially if you’re tired or hungry (when willpower is at its wimpiest).

Make it harder for yourself to cheat by mailing your phone to a faraway friend and burying your modem in the backyard — or at least blocking the guy on social media and maybe installing a program on your computer like Freedom (macfreedom.com), which prevents you from getting on the Internet.

When the going gets tough, remind yourself that time heals most wounds, and it should do the job on yours —- as soon as you stop picking that 140-character scab every 10 minutes.

Louvre, actually

I’m really into this beautiful, funny girl I’ve been dating for three weeks. I think she likes me, but my gut says she’s pulling away a little. If this fizzles, I’ll be heartbroken. She’s leaving on a 10-day business trip to Europe in two days. Should I get her a gift or a card to let her know I’m really into her (and to not fall in love with any European dudes while she’s away)?

— Worried What kind of gift were you thinking of giving her — the duct tape you’d use to

Asheville recently was named one of the best cities in America in which to start a business.

Specifically, the city has been rated the second-best in a ranking of “Startup Cities” in the country, based on its growing craft beer industry, the chamber’s entrepreneurship initiative and the region’s one-ofa-kind, nature-based business incubator, according to a national publication.

Asheville was led only by St. Louis. The other 12 cities that made the list include Oakland, Calif.; Portland, Me.; Baltimore, Md.; Holyoke, Mass.; Boulder, Colo.; Reno, Nev.; Des Moines, Iowa; Cleveland, Ohio; Urbana, Ill.; Queens, N.Y.; Detroit, Mich.; and Austin, Texas.

“No disrespect to places like Brooklyn and San Francisco, the early adopters of the startup economy,” editors at Popular Mechanics magazine noted in the February edition.

“But we wanted to identify the next wave, cities building an ecosystem – or revising an existing one – to turn innovators into entrepreneurs. Cities with makerspaces, shared work spaces, business incubators and accelerators, cheap rent, supportive elected officials and colleges, great restaurants, and craft breweries. And most importantly, young, fearless strivers who want to define their own future,” The magazine’s editors praised Asheville for being “awash in startup breweries.”

Other shout-outs included the Accelerating Appalachia incubator and Venture Asheville.

“As you make your way past the art galleries and restaurants downtown, catching whiffs of pine (and weed), you may wish you could move here, which is what so many entrepreneurs have already done.

“Asheville’s status as a sweet college town and haven for neo-hippies isn’t fading; it’s just changing to reflect the influx of people who see no harm in making a little money,” the article states.

strap her to a chair in your den?

When somebody you’re interested in seems to be backing away, it’s natural to want to chase them. It’s also the most counterproductive thing you could do. (You look desperate, and they look for doorways to hide in.)

Your best bet is to remain present but be minimal about it, like by texting her on the morning she leaves, “Hey, have a safe trip and a great time.” While she’s away, keep seriously busy, both to stay okay in the head and so, when you do see her, you won’t come off like you spent 10 days in your bunk bed drawing sparkly hearts in a notebook with her name on the cover.

Upon her return, wait at least a few days, and then ask her out. Give her the space to miss you and she just might do that, and you just might find yourself showing her the American version of “if the gondola’s a-rockin’, don’t come a-knockin’.”

• (c.) 2015, Amy Alkon, all rights reserved.

Got a problem? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave, #280, Santa Monica, CA 90405, or e-mail AdviceAmy@aol.com

TEDxAsheville’s fate pending

From Staff Reports

The organizers of TEDxAsheville, who said in mid-January that the local ideas conference’s future was in doubt, did a turnaround a week later and noted on their website, “Let’s keep it going.”

During a recent TEDxAsheville 2015 Expose at downtown’s Altamont Theatre, organizers said the most frequent feedback heard from attendees was: “I didn’t hear about it!”

The Jan. 17 conference at the Altamont reportedly was heavily attended, with tick-

ets for 90 of the 100 seats sold in less than a week. The event was organized by Brett McCall, Jack Derbyshire and Tim Scroggs.

“I like to do things like this in threes,” McCall said before the event “The first time, I feel like that’s when I can make all the mistakes and learn all the hard lessons. The second time, I can start to figure out what those lessons are. And then the third time is all about stretching and giving it away so it can carry on beyond us ...

See TEDx, Page A9

Asheville Daily Planet —February 2015— A7

Abortion clinic opens

From Staff Reports

Planned Parenthood Asheville Health Center, which will be the only abortion provider in Western North Carolina, opened a $2.9 million health facility on Jan. 16.

The clinic is located south of downtown Asheville on McDowell Street.

The facility will not be performing abortions until March, as construction is

not completely finished. However, other patients are being seen now.

Since FemCare closed last summer, there have been no abortion providers in WNC. The new facility will be able to meet the more rigorous rules and regulations abortion clinics must now adhere to, according to Planned Parenthood.

Of the nine Planned Parenthood clinics across the state, four offer abortion services.

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Faith Notes

Sunday, Feb. 1

RELIGION ON THE WORLD STAGE PROGRAM, 9:30 a.m., Trinity Episcopal Church, 60 Church St., downtown Asheville. A series of six Sunday school classes with a global perspectve on religion and politics will be offered on Sundays through Feb. 15. The series will be led by Elizabeth Colton, a journalist, diplomat and Asheville native. The public is invited to attend.

FINANCIAL ADVICE CLASS, 9:45 a.m., Grace Lutheran Church, Hendersonville. The church is hosting the second of two one-hour classes on “Smart Finances.” Admission is free, but advance registration is required by calling 693-4890 or visiting http:// bit.ly/smartfinances.

BIBLE STUDY, 10 a.m., Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 51 Wilburn Place, Asheville. “The Story” Bible study will continue on Sundays through April 26. The study includes God’s story of love, grace and forgiveness. Participants will explore God’s story of how important you are to Him. PUZZLEFEST noon-6 p.m., Mills River Presbyterian Church, 10 Presbyterian Church Rd. (off School House Road), Mills River. For the sixth year, the church is inviting community members to the annual PuzzleFest, which will be open to puzzle-solvers noon-6 p.m. daily through Feb. 3. This year, the church has 10 1,000-piece puzzles.

Tuesday, Feb. 3

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY, 10 a.m.-noon, Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove, 1 Porters Cove Rd., Asheville. A women’s Bible study with Jane Derrick will present “Is Peace Possible” on Tuesdays through March 3, except no session on Feb. 24. A $10 lunch buffet is available with reservations made noon Friday before the study. Admission is free, but call (800) 950-2092, or visit www.thecove.org, to register.

BLACK HISTORY SPEAKER, 11 a.m., Broyhill Chapel, Mars Hill University, Mars Hill. A Crossroads Chapel Service will feature its Black History Month speaker, Melvin Bray, who is founder and director of Kid Cultivators and leader of Faith Forward. He also is an Emmy award-winning storyteller, writer, educator and social entrepreneur. The event is free. Bray also will present a workshop, “The Power of Narrative,” from 1 to 4 p.m. Feb. 3 in Broyhill Chapel for ministers and ministry leaders. To register, for which the fee is $15, call 689-1304.

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove, 1 Porters Cove Rd., Asheville. A women’s Bible study with Kendra Graham will present “Compelled: Christ’s Relentless Love for You” on Tuesdays through Feb. 17. A $10 lunch buffet is available with reservations made noon

Liz Colton, a journalist, diplomat and Asheville native, will lead a series of programs with a global perspective on religion and politics at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 1, 8 and 15 at Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Asheville.

Friday before the study. Admission is free, but call (800) 950-2092, or visit www.thecove.org, to register.

Wednesday, Feb. 4

BIBLE AND BREW BIBLE STUDY, 5:30 p.m., back parking lot entrance, West Asheville Presbyterian Church building, 690 Haywood Rd., Asheville. The Community on Haywood, a new local church working out of WABC, hosts a Bible and Brew Bible study on the first and third Wednesdays of each month.

Thursday, Feb. 5

INTRODUCTION TO BUDDHISM CLASS, 7 p.m., Urban Dharma, 29 Page Ave., Asheville. A six-week course, “Introduction to Buddhism,” starts Feb. 5.

The class will be taught by Dr. Hun Lye, founder and spiritual director of Urban Dharma. Attendees will learn about the historical Buddha and his context, basic Buddhist ideas and their relevance to our times and an overall/comparative view of the various forms of of Buddhism. To register, call 225-6422, oir visit www.udharmanc.com/@!savethe-date--upcoming- programs/cw4j.

Friday, Feb. 6

Beth HaTephila, 43 N. Liberty St., Asheville. Carolina Jews for Justice will present an educational program, “History and Its Burdens: The Place of AfricanAmericans in our Collective Historical Memory.” The speaker will be Darin Waters of the UNC Asheville history department. Also speaking will be Deborah Miles, executive director of the UNCA Center for Diversity Education. The program also will provide insight into this history’s importance to the area’s Jewish population. A question-and-answer period will follow the program, which is free.

PUBSING, 6-8 p.m., French Broad Brewery, 101-D Fairview Rd., Asheville. A pubsing, gospel jam and sing-a-long will be held. Attendees are asked to bring a snack for a 5:30 p.m. social time prior to the gala.

CONCERT, 7 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place, Asheville. Sally Barris will perform in the monthly Mountain Spirit Coffeehouse Concert Series. Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for students.

Thursday, Feb. 12

MUSIC/FELLOWSHIP, 7:30-10 p.m., Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove, 1 Porters Cove Rd., Asheville. “An Evening at the Cove” — including music, food and fellowship — will feature Brandon Heath in concert. A buffet dinner will be followed by the concert program. For reservations, which are $50, call 298-2092 or visit www.thecove.org.

Friday, Feb. 13

SOCIAL JUSTICE FILM NIGHT, 7 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place, Asheville. Shot over a period of four years, “Girl Trouble” documents the compelling personal stories of three teenage girls entangled in San Francisco’s failing juvenile justice system.

Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

MILITARY MARRIAGE SEMINAR, 7:15 p.m., Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove, 1 Porters Cove Rd., Asheville. A military marriage seminar, “Building a Resilient Marriage in Turbulent Times,” will be begin Feb. 13 at 7:15 p.m., preceded by registration starting at 3 p.m.

The seminar will continue Feb. 14-15. “Military life is filled with unique challenges that test the best of marriages,” The Cove noted. “Study the Bible’s principles for marriage and learn how to make yours resilient.” For more information, call 298-2092, or visit www.thecove.org.

Sunday, Feb. 15

ETHICAL SOCIETY PROGRAM, 2-3:30 p.m., The Friends Meeting House, 227 Edgewood Road, Asheville. An address on “Growing up African-American in Segregated Asheville” will be presented by Viola Spells at the meeting of the Ethical Humanist Society of Asheville. Spells will discuss her experiences from birth through high school (1945-1963), including vignettes of the YWCA, churches, schools, library, the YMI, Lexington Avenue, key people who were positive influences on children and young adults, community life in Asheville during the 1940s and 1950s, Asheville Student Committee on Racial Equality (ASCORE) in the early 1960s and desegregation of the Asheville public library. Spells was born and raised in Asheville, where she attended the Livingston Street School and Allen High School. She received a bachelor’s in psychology from North Carolina Central University in Durham, a master’s in library science from the University of Michigan, and supervised several regional library systems in Philadelphia. She also received a bachelor’s of fine arts in metals from Eastern Tennessee State University and owns Zenobia Studio at Pink Dog Creative in the River Arts District, where she creates and sells metal art work. Following Spells’ presentation there will be time for questions and group discussion. After the meeting, informal conversation and light refreshments will be available.

Sunday, Feb. 22

CONCERT, 6 p.m., Ridgeway Baptist Church, 525 Old U.S. 19/23, Candler. The Primitive Quartet will perform in concert.

Sunday, March 8

CONCERT, 7 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place, Asheville. Brian Ashley Jones will perform in the monthly Mountain Spirit Coffeehouse Concert Series. Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for students.

Sunday, March 22

CONCERT, 7 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place, Asheville. The Don Juans will perform in the monthly Mountain Spirit Coffeehouse Concert Series. Admission is $15 for adults and $10 for students.

FUNDRAISER DINNER, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Hopkins Chapel AME Zio Church, 21 College Place, Asheville. A fundraiser dinner featuring chicken (baked and fried) and fish dinners will be offered for $8, and hot dog dinners for $5. For free delivery until 4 p.m., call 254-6098.

Sunday, Feb. 8

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Asheville Daily Planet — February 2015 - A9

New district attorney presents his 2015 plan From Staff Reports

ENKA — Newly elected Buncombe County District Attorney Todd Williams outlined his ambitious plans for his first year in office in 2015 to the Council of Independent Business Owners in a Jan. 9 presentation at A-B Tech.

“This is my fifth day on the job,” Williams said. “I’m here to present a forecast on what I hope are our aspiractions for the next year... As I go around the county and talk to people — I don’t want to insult anyone — but it’s amazing how many people don’t know what a district attorney does.”

He quickly noted that the DA does not “have anything to do with the civil service board.”

Further, Williams said, “I want to make (city manager) Gary (Jackson) and mayor (Esther Manheimer) feel a little better — we’ve had a pipe burst in the courthouse. There’s a lot of glass in the new courthouse. So we also had our pipes burst in the courthouse.”

Returning to the issue of what a DA does, Williams asserted, “I see my job as one ensuring that we bring cases to court based on probably cause, based on the evidence, reasonable likeliness of success.... One of the biggest duties I see for myself is to ensure we have the right people.

“That said there has been some press on one of my employees — Rodney Hasty— I have to say he’s a very competent attorney. He is certified by the state bar in both state and federal criminal law That’s very’s important. All issues regarding the DWI have been resolved.”

(Williams’ reference was to his hiring of Hasty as an assistant district attorney. Hasty wrecked his car six years ago while taking prescription drugs. He was later convicted of driving while

APD issues

impaired. Williams had told the local news media that Hasty was taking the drugs — carisoprodol and meprobamate — for a medical condition. He described Hasty as a solid prosecutor with years of experience.

(However, one major crime victim advocate has been questioning Williams’ decision — Ellen Pitt, of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. She said some crime victims and law enforcement officers “view this decision as an insult.”)

District Attorney Williams told CIBO that “I, Todd Williams myself, have been certified in the past year in state criminal law. Rodney and I have recently completed that process. In addition to Rodney, I feel we have a very competent staff in the district attorney’s office.

“We generally think of a district attorney as a prosecutor, taking cases to trial in front of a jury of 12,” Williams said.

However, he noted that Buncombe also has some innovative specialty courts. “The first specialty court is the juvenile court,” Williams said. “The primary point of juvenile court is to get the juvenile back on track. (former) District Attorney Ron Moore started the drug court, which has been very effective. Those specialty courts have multiplied. If you can address the defendents’ needs and restore them back in society,” it provides a great savings for the taxpayers “We also have nuisance court, which handles lots of graffiti issues.... We also have veterans treatment court.

Continued from Page A2 A woman asked what the city is looking for in a police chief and a planning chief.

“First, we’re looking for someone who can walk on water,” Jackson quipped.

Then, taking a serious tack, the city manager said that for the planning chief, “We want people who can work with development communities” and also have strong communication skills.

Turning back to the APD discussion, CIBO member Mac Swicegood said, “What I’ve noticed downtown ... we have less of a police presence (now). They’re not there. You don’t see them.”

“I’m glad you noticed the significant police presence in the summer season,” Jackson responded. “That didn’t happen by accident. The police presence downtown (this summer) was the biggest we ever had.

We want to be able to do that year-round,” adding that the finances to do that will be evaluated “in this budget cycle.”

The city manager also emphasized that “we’re not going to be without a police chief on Jan. 19,” when interim Police Chief Steve Belcher assumed the helm. Belcher most recently served as police chief in Santa Cruz, Calif. Since Anderson’s resignation at the end of the year, Wade Wood had been serving as interim police chief until Belcher took over the post.

Persisting in his concerns about adequate police protection in downtown Asheville, Swicegood said, “Downtown — thankfully or not — has become a shopping center.

The traffic’s still there just like it was in the summer” — and the situation could get rough for the general public if the staffing is not increased as soon as possible.

“I agree,” Jackson said, as his presentation time ended.

On a separate matter, CIBO also was informed by Jackson of a water leak during a cold snap that caused City Hall to be evacuated on Jan. 8 and for the building to be closed for several days.

“Regarding City Hall, at 11:30 a.m. (Jan. 8), I was packing up my things... and the fire alarm went off. We (city employees) started walking outside. Since it was 10 degrees, we were joking that I’d have the fire chief’s job since it was so cold and many of us went outside with no coats.

“It was not an alarm. Within about a 15-minute period, on the 6th floor of City Hall had about 10,000 gallons of water (from the alarm system). There was a flood line of several feet high (up the walls). It found its way through the elevator shafts and through the utility conduit” onto other floors, too. “At this point, we already have contractors.” There was “some damage on the fifth floor, too. We also don’t have elevator service.

“I’m going to leave here after this meeting to see where we are... We anticipate that most of us (the city’s 250 employees?) will be working remotely. I’ve got to find my cellphone. But city business will continue.

Most of our essential employee remain in place 24/7. All of our telecommunications are up and running,” Jackson said.

Continued from Page A7 “I do have a small hope that someone would come to our event this year, and get excited enough to decide to produce TEDxAsheville 2016,” McCall said.

“We had been a state of growing and growing and growing, and it became exhausting.”

TEDxAsheville started in 2009 as a spinoff of the popular California-based TED conference, which stands for technology, education and design.

Enthusiasts have expressed hope that another TEDxAsheville event will be held in Asheville and that there is demand for it in this area.

TEDx

Veterans have very particular issues. Many have PTSD ... traumatic brain injury. A lot of vets don’t report there’s a problem and, number two, culturally, they just don’t want to report dysfunction. So I’m excited about getting veterans treatment court online.... This is in process, right now.

This is an endeavor I’d be happy to talk about next year.”

Williams added, “So I see my job as one where we’re going to do the best, most competent job we can do. It’s not about ideology. It’s about getting convictions. That said, I’d like to bring a broader vision of justice to the office. I’d like to create an advisory council, where MADD, neighborhoods” and others “will have some forum to express themselves.

“I’ve just started a Twitter feed. I want to find new and different ways to reach out to our community. Another really big proposal is the advancement of a child advocacy center. The purpose is to bring a child (with problems) in, sit them down in a room,” so that experts “can do a onestop competent interview of the victim... I think it will improve prosecutions of child abuse cases. I’m very excited about that,” Williams said.

At that point, CIBO’s Mac Swicegood told Williams, “I appreciate what you’re trying to do. You said in specialty court your’e going to deal with veterans — and I think that’s very admirable. Also, in specialty court, we have the problem with graffiti... Ron Moore tried hard to resolve the graffiti situation” and Swicegood said he had information about continuing major graffiti concerns.

The meeting concluded with Williams asking Swicegood to give him the information on graffiti, so that he could look into the problem.

Development

Continued from Page A2 “Things are going smoother and people (in the city’s development services office) are friendly and helpful,” Booth said.

An unidentified task force member said, “We (the task force) met over four months and finished up in December... as we were meeting, the city was reacting and making changes.

He added, “To see the staff react... when you realize what they have to look at from the small job to the large job... They do an excellent job.

CIBO member Mac Swicegood said that “if you have competent inspectors in place, it’s a whole different animal altogether. “ However, he wondered if “the city had an adequate staff to handle the load.”

The mayor referred Swicegood’s concert to Tuch, who replied, “We’re definitely staffing up. It’s difficult to do this in this climate, as many other cities are doing the same thing.... I think we should be fully staffed soon.”

Wayne Gentry, a local residential contractor said that “even though we have inspectors we like, they don’t (always) really understand what the code is trying to do.

Is there any answer on finding people with

core competency, as opposed to people who can (merely) pass the test?”

Again, the mayor referred the question to Tuch, who said, “Experience really is an important part of performing in these positions very well... We also have senior inspectors in each of the trades. If you’re ever uncomfortable, you should contact the senior inspector. They will come and check it out for you — and you guys can figure out what is the best solution.”

Prior to making a separate presentation, Jackson, the city manager, noted, “One additional followup on that topic... Believe it or not, our biggest challenges are not (with) the biggest commercial projects... It’s the really small projects by people who’ve really never done anything — people with no previous experience.. This is our biggest problem.

“Fortunately, we’ve got a very strong customer service ethic” in the development services department.. “That’s where the breakdowns occur” — with “these small and very difficult experiences. ... You all are great to work with, believe it or not,” Jackson said to the developers at the CIBO meeting.

A10 — February 2015 - Ashe-

ville Daily Planet

From Staff Reports

Following the recent untimely death of pedestrian Yvonne Patricia “Patsy” Lewis, a protest was held amid speeding traffic in frigid weather Jan. 23 at Merrimon and Coleman Avenues.

The rally, which drew about 45 participants, sought to bring attention to what organizers said was a dangerous situation that needs to be resolved by the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Lewis, 67, was struck by a car about 7:45 a.m. Jan. 8 while crossing Merrimon Avenue at Coleman Avenue. She was taken to Mission Hospital, where she later died.

Following an investigation by Asheville Police, no charges were filed.

Since the accident, the DOT has installed a high-intensity crosswalk, which includes additional striping to make it more visible to motorists.

However, the protesters say a traffic signal is needed at the intersection to make it safe for pedestrians to cross heavily traveled Merrimon.

Merrimon is within the city limits, but it is a state-maintained road, meaning the the DOT must approve any changes, including a new traffic signal.

DOT officials have said traffic volume at the intersection did not warrant a stop light,

since traffic entering Merrimon from Coleman is only about a quarter of the volume required by the state for a new light.

However, city officials asked DOT to install a signal, according to Mayor Esther Manheimer.

In the aftermath, DOT announced plans to retain an engineering firm to look over the next six to eight months at the causes of pedestrian crashes and ways to reduce their number.

DOT also said it is reviewing the accident history and traffic volumes of the area around the Coleman/Merrimon intersection and the circumstances of Lewis’s death to identify further safety improvements.

Meanwhile, in a recent letter to the edi-

UNC Asheville announced Feb. 4 that it has been ranked third nationally on the “Best Schools for Making an Impact” list, part of The Princeton Review’s new college rankings guide that had just been published.

The guide,“Colleges That Pay You Back: The 200 Best Value Colleges and What It Takes to Get In – 2015 Edition,” ranks UNCA as one of only four public universities included on the “making an impact” list. (N.C .State University is ranked 25th).

This new guide is an expansion of The Princeton Review’s annual winter “best values” rankings; UNCA also had been included in the prior eight “best values” rankings.

For this new edition, The Princeton Review developed a “Return-on-Education”

(ROE) rating, which weighs many factors including academics, cost, financial aid, student debt, graduation rates, alumni salaries and job satisfaction.

UNCA scored an 85 on this ROE scale, placing it among the 200 schools selected for inclusion, narrowed from 650 reviewed.

“This ranking recognizes that a liberal arts education prepares our students not only to succeed professionally, but to use their skills and knowledge to make a positive impact on their communities,” said UNCA Chancellor Mary K. Grant.

“Our graduates see the big picture of how their work can create a better world, and it starts with an undergraduate experience that includes research, community involvement, and problem solving.”

UNCA’s educational excellence, afford-

ability and undergraduate research program were cited by The Princeton Review, which stated that, “The myriad research opportunities help flesh out a résumé, and the stress on real-world application gets students job ready.”

During the fall 2014 semester, Kiplinger Personal Finance and The Fiske Guide to Colleges ranked UNCA as a “best value.”

UNCA also was the only public university to be included by U.S. News and World Report on the “Best Undergraduate Teaching” list of national liberal arts colleges – placing eighth nationally, in addition to ranking eighth among public liberal arts institutions.

For a complete summary of UNC Asheville’s national rankings, visit https://www. unca.edu/about/facts-and-figures/rankings.

Woman hit, dies; protest staged at crossing tor to the Asheville Citizen-Times, Sallie Middleton Parker wrote of Lewis, “I knew ‘Patsy’ for 33 years. She was beautiful, smart, honest, generous, determined and she raised five children alone. They grew up to be polite, honest and good people like their mother.”

Parker warned later in her letter that, “if another protest occurs, and everyone who loved Patsy knows about it, watch out DOT. Patsy may be departed, but she can make things happen.”

Asheville Daily Planet — February 2015 — A11

Annual Anti-Valentine’s Day Pillow Fight protest set

From Staff Reports

Asheville’s annual Anti-Valentine’s Day Pillow Fight protest rally likely will feature war paint — as well as pillows — from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Feb. 15 in Pritchard Park, 67 Patton Ave., downtown.

The event, which was inspired by a similar “thousands’strong” anti-Valentine’s Day pillow fight that has been held for years in San Francisco, is billed as “just another way to have fun and protest the commercialization of human relationships.”

One of the unidentified organizer cautioned, “Also, remember no feather pillows! Also, take your glasses off

before the fight or they’ll get knocked off your head.”

In a 2013 story, The Blue Banner, UNC Asheville’s student newspaper, reported that Clyde Toney III, an Asheville resident and participant in the pillow fight, said the event brought out a fun side of Valentine’s Day. “It’s a really great alternative to the Hallmark stereotype that is Valentine’s Day,” Toney told the newspaper. “This is the most love I have seen people show toward each other on Valentine’s Day in a really long time.

“Everyone is just smiling and throwing pillows. It’s great. This is a really fun event to just come together and have some fun on a day that you may ordinarily look at as sad or boring.”

He said he heard about the event from a friend and had no idea how it would actually turn out. After he went inside the pillow fight pit, he admitted it was more fun than he expected.

It was chaos. Playful chaos,” Toney told the Blue Banner. “It’s a place where everyone can get along, throw pillows around and play like little kids. Some were little kids, some were adults. There is an age range of anyone you can imagine.”

Last year’s event, which was held on a frigid, snow-covered evening, drew a smaller crowd than usual — about 50 participants. However, usually, Asheville’s anti-Valentine’s protest draws between 100 and 200 pillow-fighters, many in highly fanciful costumers and some even pajamas.

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A14 - February 2015 - Asheville Daily Planet

The Daily Planet’s Opinion

Hurray for Sunday bus service!

W

hat a wonderful step forward that Asheville has expanded its bus service to seven days a week, now including Sundays.

The long-awaited improvement is the largest service addition since Asheville launched its transit master plan in 2012.

As of the morning of Jan. 4, nine of the 17 regular routes began running from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.

Officials say those routes include the top performing routes from last year.

A number of people dependent on buses for transportation have voiced concerns in recent years over the lack of service on Sundays, citing their difficulties in going to work or church as well as running errands.

“Sunday service is consistently among the most requested service

enhancements we hear from the community,” city Transportation Manager Mariate Echeverry noted in a news release. “Seven-day service is the logical next step in implementing the transit plan for Asheville.”

With the Sunday service expansion, ridership is projected to increase by about 8,500 people a year.

Particularly in a tourism-oriented economy, among people on limited incomes, including college students, and those who simply prefer public transportation to limit their carbon footprint, the addition of Sunday bus service is invaluable for this community.

From a financial standpoint, the benefits of this enhanced service — with savvy management by the city — should easily outweigh its costs in no time. Bravo, Asheville!

Holding onto our humanity

CHAPEL HILL — “What is our tolerance for brutality?”

A minister asked this question from the pulpit one Sunday morning recently and suggested that his listeners consider recent news stories relating to “enhanced interrogation” procedures by the Central Intelligence Agency.

If we think these enhanced tactics or torture could be justified on the grounds that they were effective in providing useful intelligence, do we show a high tolerance for brutality? Will we accept brutality if it achieves effectively some desired results?

Our past records on this score indicate we are open to this rationale.

For instance, some people in our region in years past embraced lynching as an effective way to deter crime and keep certain people “in their places.”

Our ancestors accommodated themselves to the brutality of slavery as necessary for a healthy and profitable economy.

More recently, some of us ignored the brutal results of widespread smoking tobacco use, because we were dependent on the economic benefits the tobacco industry brought to our state.

But our greatest accommodation to brutality comes, of course, in war.

“Wynne’s War,” a new novel by Aaron Gwyn, set in Afghanistan, gives readers an uncomfortable look at the horror of war and tolerance of brutality that accompanies such conflict.

Gwyn teaches writing at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Although he never served in the military, his interviews with combat veterans have given him the ability to bring the battlefields to the pages of this book.

The central character of the story is an Army Ranger, Elijah Russell, who is detailed to a Special Forces team in Afghanistan to train horses for a secret and dangerous mission.

Team leader Carson Wynne is a powerful, charismatic, relentless soldier. He gave up the opportunity to make millions in the hedge fund business to be a soldier.

Using the horses that Russell has trained for their transportation, Capt. Wynne’s team travels through the desolate regions of eastern Afghanistan near the Pakistani border, always subject to attack or capture by the Taliban.

Russell’s best friend, Wheels, explains, “This is Whac-A-Mole. We kill one Talib, another pops up over here. We send guys

D.G. Martin after him, our guys get captured and we have to send more. Then more Talibs join to fight them. It just keeps going.”

The team experiences the brutality of Taliban torture when its two Afghan scouts are captured. “Russell glanced up and saw two bodies suspended upside down from the limbs of an enormous oak, naked except for the ‘taqiyah’ caps on the crown of their heads.

The corpses were maybe twenty yards away, but he could see that their throats had been slit in gaping red smiles, their genitals cut away.

There were cuts and bruises along their legs and torsos, the skin in places almost black.”

Russell remembered that he had been briefed on what would happen if he were captured by the Talibs, “what they called the ‘Afghan way’: castration or disembowelment, followed by decapitation.”

Capt. Wynne showed that the Americans were not immune to rough tactics. The interrogation of a Chechen soldier fighting for the Taliban went like this: “The man stared up at him. Then he closed his eyes.”

“Wynne slapped him twice very quickly, very hard. ‘This can get a lot worse,’ he said.

“The man began panting. “‘Are there more?’

“The man seemed to wilt. You could see something in him break, like a plate shattering.

He began to shake his head.”

At the conclusion of the interrogation Wynne “pulled his pistol from its holster, pressed the muzzle to the Chechen’s forehead, and fired.”

Horrible as the dehumanizing impact of war may be, tolerance of brutality that creeps into conscience of those of us on the home front represents a much greater threat to our collective humanity.

• D.G. Martin hosts “North Carolina Bookwatch,” which airs at 9:30 p.m. Fridays and at 5 p.m. Sundays on UNC-TV.

Letters to the Editor

CTS asked to show ‘love’ by cleaning up its pollution

On Valentines Day 2015, we’ll deliver over 1,200 signatures, handwritten letters, post cards, and video testimonials to CTS headquarters in Elkhart, Indiana (nicknamed the “City with a Heart”) asking CTS to “Show a Little Love” and clean up their toxic pollution.

For too long, CTS has shirked their responsibility to Asheville’s residents, it’s time they pay attention and take responsibility.

Help us make sure they get the message!

Attend our event on Feb. 5 at the South Asheville/Skyland Library and make your personal message to send to CTS: bit.ly/ ShowLoveCTS Participate in our Thunderclap social media campaign at thndr.it/1zV8WLj. We need 100 supporters to unleash this message on Valentine’s Day! After you sign up, please share on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to magnify your action.

Share the petition with your networks asking they sign on with this message: Help us reach a goal of 2,000 signatures demanding CTS corp cleanup their mess bit.ly/CleanUpCTS. Thank you for your continued support.

Lee Ann Smith P.O.W.E.R. Action Group Arden

What kind of a human being would shoot a beloved pet?

On Christmas evening, while my son was at

work, his dog escaped from the yard, which is enclosed in a wooden and wire fence.

Amazing, but the pup found a way out and somebody shot him. This friendly lovable dog was found on the edge of my son’s field.

It would have been less cruel and painful if the shot had killed him instantly, but it did not. It shattered his leg and the dog suffered until he was found.

The vet said amputation was certain, but the injuries extended beyond the leg. As most family pets do, Desoto was wearing his collar and tags.

My son lives in a rural area, but in sight of other homes. He has met some very kind people who live near him as he visited their homes to tell them that somebody in their area is shooting pets.

Not one person had seen his dog on their property. Our hearts are broken, my son’s for the loss of his companion and mine for not only the senseless loss of a lovable creature, but apprehension for the type of person that is living near my son who would do this.

If you know anything of this shooting near Bear Creek and Sluder Branch Roads, Leicester, please call the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office. Thank you for your help.

Lynda Dickson Lisbon, Ohio See LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, Page A17

The Candid Conservative Racing toward stupidity “A squirrel runs around looking for nuts, hiding from foxes, listening for predators, and watching for other squirrels. The squirrel does this because that’s all it can do. All the squirrel has is a lizard brain.”

— Seth Godin

W

The Problem

e live in an age of unparalleled knowledge. The laptop at our fingertips holds admission to more information than the Library of Congress.

We’re absolutely flooded with TV channels, data generating smartphone apps and social media. There are more public school funds, student loan programs and college points of entry than at any time in our history.

So how is it that in the midst of this bounty of brain food we seem to be getting dumber? It’s simple – much of what we’re ingesting is junk food feeding the wrong Whistle Blower part of our brain.

The Reason

Massive technology advances have resulted in unprecedented human advancement. It’s no small irony that the very thing freeing so many from a busted back saddles us with big tummies, empty spirits and rusty brains. At least as measured by skyrocketing obesity rates; an accelerating propensity for making empty love and deadly war; and the quantities of drugs we’re ingesting, we’ve been less successful at shrinking human suffering than rearranging it.

One cause is growing indifference to the importance of reason as a crucial ingredient in mankind’s capacity to thrive. More and more people are operating out of their

Carl Mumpower animal brain versus their thinking brain.

When we do take time to think, it’s usually to look for more mental junk food. What’s an ‘animal brain?’ Glad you asked.

The Reality

A down-to-earth brain diagram reveals three centers of activity – the back, middle and front. Each is crucial and each has strengths and weaknesses.

The back brain deals with the autonomic nervous system. That’s about breathing, heart rate, temperature and other non-thinking activities. The front brain deals with reason. That’s the origin of the sophisticated thinking curing polio; taking us to the moon; and otherwise securing man at the top of the food chain.

In the middle of it all is a ‘lizard-brain’ running off instinct and conditioning.

That’s the part of the mind conditioned to react without deliberation.

For example, when ambushed, Vietnam’s combat soldiers were trained to do something crazy. Though reason might have said pause, run, or drop and return fire, conditioning prompted an automatic assault on the ambush. The latter illogical action was experience-proven as the safest course.

Under these circumstances the lizard-brain serves a good purpose. Problems develop when we get stuck there.

Islam’s millions of extremists are lizardbrain thinkers conditioned to run from reason.

See CANDID CONSERVATIVE, Page A17

Asheville Daily Planet —February 2015 — A15

Commentary

What if the South really did want out?

I

read a column recently that suggested Democrats should forget the South.

Democrats, the columnist said, should go about building an enlightened society that meets the needs of our people.

He ended by saying that, if we’re lucky, the South will try again to secede.

With that last part, my mind went, hmmmm.

I indulged in a fantasy. Just suppose…oh, just suppose they did it! What if the South really did want out?

Our columnist didn’t define “the South.” I did: South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. It would be painful to lose Austin and New Orleans, but maybe they’d serve as sweet yeast in the dough.

(Texas isn’t really South. They don’t eat grits.

But my secession fantasy was a good opportunity to get rid of them.)

These states rail constantly against “Washington, D.C.,” don’t they? Didn’t the Texas governor’s threat to secede find local support?

So, my fantasy continued, what if Hillary’s landslide in 2016 were to trigger the same emotions that Lincoln’s election did in 1860?

What if some Southern attorneys general sued for secession? What if our Supreme Court decided to revisit Ableman v. Booth and Cooper v. Aaron, the cases that killed states’ rights? What if they brought back Thomas Jefferson and James Madison theory on the subject and decided Lincoln was wrong in putting down the “rebellion”?

What if? Pop the corks!

Lee Ballard

convention on secession. Then came Fort Sumter, and momentum shifted.

At the Democratic National Convention in 1948, Mississippi and Alabama delegates walked out when Hubert Humphrey said, “The time is now arrived in America for the Democratic Party to get out of the shadow of states’ rights and walk forthrightly into the bright sunshine of human rights.” Our delegates did not walk out, and we voted for Harry Truman in November.

We’re not like South Carolina, Mississippi and Alabama. The rest of the country isn’t either, not even other red states.

Let them have their country. Throw in the military bases as incentive.

Let them have for-profit schools. They’ll be a banana republic with super-rich elites and dirt-poor workers.

Let them ban unions altogether. Mississip-

We love our kids and want to remove bad influences from their lives. We should do the same for the state we love.

For decades, North Carolinians elected strong, wise people as lawmakers and governors, Democrat and Republican. We were the Shining Star of the South, the smart Carolina.

Our leaders were visionary, future-looking people. We protected our glorious natural resources. We built a world-renowned university system. We maximized voter participation.

Then came 2010. What could possibly have made our citizens elect people who would drag us into Mississippi muck? We can see the bottom of the barrel from where we are now.

The Asheville Daily Planet print letters to What indeed? the editor, preferably less than 150 I hear it! The sloshing, words in length. All letters must be swooshing sound of bad ideas signed and include a daytime teleseeping across our southern phone number for confirmation purborder!

Go back to early 1861. Our poses only. Send your opinions to governor and General Assem- Asheville Daily Planet, P.O. Box 8490, bly were against secession.

Asheville, N.C. 28814-8490 or e-mail them to North Carolinians voted down letters@AshevilleDailyPlanet.com. a proposal just to convene a

Write a Letter to the Editor

pi’s already last in wages. Another outsource for the United States! ”Let them…. Pop! My fantasy bubble burst, and I was back in the real world.

But the real world is now called McCroryland.

Here we meet Alice and the White Rabbit and watch billions of federal dollars for Medicaid returned to sender because the sender was President Obama.

Here we hear the great man explain that cutting unemployment benefits from $535 to $350 will “ensure our citizens’ unemployment safety net is secure.”

In McCroryland the sea level won’t rise because developers don’t want it to.

Maybe if I concentrate real hard, this fantasy bubble will pop, too.

• Lee Ballard lives in Mars Hill.

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A16 - February 2015 - Asheville Daily Planet

Commentary

Pope’s comments likely to please Satanists

Pete Kaliner is the host of a daily radio talk show on Asheville’s WWNC (570AM) that airs from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. This column features posts from his daily blog.

• The following was posted Jan. 15: top me if you’ve heard this ... the pope and some reporters are on a plane. The reporters ask for his reaction to the slayings of 12 French satirists by Islamist radicals.

He replies: “One cannot provoke, one cannot insult other people’s faith, one cannot make fun of faith. There is a limit. Every religion has its dignity ... in freedom of expression, there are limits. If my friend says a curse word against my mother, he can expect a punch. It’s normal. You cannot provoke.

You cannot insult the faith of others. You cannot make fun of the faith of others.”

This actually occurred on the plane to the Philippines.

So, for the record... the pope rejects the “turn the other cheek” thing AND endorses some sort of “speech code” (and enforcement) to protect religions from criticism and mockery.

I’m sure the Satanists will be pretty happy to hear that the pope shall no longer be talking smack about Lucifer.

S

The following was posted Jan. 16:

Folk those jihadists, man!

As if it weren’t a big enough embarrassment that the Obama Administration blew

Pete Kaliner off the historic unity rally in France the other day, but now Secretary of State John Kerry was sent over to make amends and he brought along James Taylor.

Seriously.

Sorry your citizens got slaughtered by Salafist jihadists and we couldn’t tear ourselves away from watching the NFL playoffs to stand with you... but... here’s an old folk singer.

It’s like we’re living in a slowly-developing, equally-unfunny Saturday Night Live skit.

The following was posted Jan. 20:

‘American Sniper’ a huge hit The movie of America’s deadliest sniper in the Iraq War, Chris Kyle, had the largest opening weekend for a drama or R-rate film — raking in $105.3 million over the holiday weekend.

According to the Wall Street Journal: “Its success was driven in large part by moviegoers like Mr. Smith who live in smaller cities and don’t regularly go to the multiplex....

“Its success is the strongest evidence yet that audiences including veterans and cultural conservatives who are more concentrated in the South and Midwest feel underserved by Hollywood and will turn out in droves for movies that are inspiring,

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The report goes on to say that 8 of the top 10 markets for the movie were in traditionally conservative areas - like San Antonio, Oklahoma City and Nashville.

Usually, the top markets for blockbuster movies are major U.S. cities where there are a lot more residents and the prices of movies are higher.

I know, I know! It’s utterly shocking!

It’s almost as if there’s an entire audience of Americans that movie makers seem to be ignoring. I wonder why....

The following was posted Jan. 21:

Leftists celebrate presidential ‘epic burn’

If you’re of the mind that politics (and our culture) has become consumed with petty snark, last night’s State of the Union is not going to help.

You can literally see how the president goes from condescending smirker to TrashTalker in Chief. God, this man has thin skin! Of course, we knew that already.

What’s particularly hilarious is how this exchange occurred immediately after President Obama issued a call for bipartisanship, for unity, and an appeal to “better politics.”

Obama said, “So the question for those of us here tonight is how we, all of us, can better reflect America’s hopes. I’ve served in Congress with many of you. I know many of you well. There are a lot of good people here, on both sides of the aisle.

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Candid Conservative

Continued from Page A14 America’s left finds most of their traction in middle-brain appeals. When the facts do not suit them, anti-police activists embrace the middle-brain as a convenient haven for misbehavior. The movie and videogame industries are remarkably successful in making whoopee with our young as they appeal to lizard-brain gustoes.

The Method

Those intentionally flying planes into buildings or invading meetings to kill cartoonists are not thinking – at least to the extent of being rational. Such people have been ‘brainwashed’ with lizard-brain rewards exchanged for the power of independent thought. The promise of 72 virgins is clearly a potent incentive.

The left’s recruitment system is less violent, but no less dangerous. It centers on lizard brain appeals like the promise of something for nothing; morale flexibility; and accountability avoidance. Each is a stress reducer and thus appealing to lizardbrains. To the extent America’s traditional success equation of liberty, opportunity and responsibility is thought and action dependent, it’s easy to see why the left successfully seduces so many of the unwitting.

Watching TV interviews with black and white race hustlers reveals lizard brains on

Kaliner

overdrive. Most of the thinking of these social manipulators is limited to picking out lizard-brain stored sound bites. Truth and sincerity have no role with those dedicated to the creativity of an echo.

What we’re doing to our youth is criminal. With movies, TV, video games, hip-hop music, and other conditioning agents, we’re training children to think and behave like lizards. We’re passively ignoring social programing that says it’s OK to hate your parents; embrace violence as a solution; misuse one another as sexual playthings; play ‘time-out’ with drugs; and embrace off the labors of others. We then wonder why our children are such messes.

Those resisting the notion that these influences are capable of turning us into sociopathic robots should consider the Super Bowl. Merchants don’t casually invest 4.5 million in a thirty-second commercial. They recognize access to our lizard-brains as the quickest path to kidnapping the whole person.

Solutions

Baring a brain jarring catastrophic wakeup call; it’s too late to do much about the broader culture. Lizard-brain thinking is addictive and once that part of the mind takes charge it doesn’t gracefully let go.

As individuals, we remain fully liberated to reach for something better. Good and

Continued from Page A16 “And many of you have told me that this isn’t what you signed up for – arguing past each other on cable shows, the constant fundraising, always looking over your shoulder at how the base will react to every decision.

“Imagine if we broke out of these tired old patterns. Imagine if we did something different.

“Understand – a better politics isn’t one where Democrats abandon their agenda or Republicans simply embrace mine.

“A better politics is one where we appeal to each other’s basic decency instead of our basest fears.

“A better politics is one where we debate without demonizing each other; where we talk issues, and values, and principles, and facts, rather than “gotcha” moments, or trivial gaffes, or fake controversies that have nothing to do with people’s daily lives.

“A better politics is one where we spend less time drowning in dark money for ads that pull us into the gutter, and spend more time lifting young people up, with a sense of purpose and possibility, and asking them to join in the great mission of building America.

“If we’re going to have arguments, let’s have arguments – but let’s make them

debates worthy of this body and worthy of this country,” Obama said.

At the very moment the guy is paying lip service to rising above petty politics, he can’t help but engage in it.

But, it’s what the left loves.

Progressives, liberals, Democrats, and the media (but I repeat myself) are ecstatic about this exchange.

After all, they shall not be mocked.

Mockery is only for conservatives, libertarians, and Republicans.

Maybe this “epic burn” by Obama would be a bit more epic if his Democratic Party colleagues hadn’t just suffered an epic defeat in the November election.

Continued from Page A14

ity Report” and Nazi Germany and Stalinist Russia and East Germany under the Stasi during the Cold War, instead of in America.

The critically acclaimed bestseller “A Government of Wolves: The Emerging American Police State” by John W. Whitehead is right on the money. A modern America is in the final stages of transformation from a free and open democratic society into a police and surveillance state.

And this feckless generation of Americans fiddles while Rome burns!

This generation will go down in history as the generation that lost America!!!

We need a second American revolution, but this generation of Americans isn’t up to it.

RICHARD D. POPE Hendersonville

The following was posted Jan. 8:

Red states are cheaper; new animal neglect rules; GOP mutiny, N.C. education

Maybe focusing on wooing the “creative class” isn’t such a great model after all.

The guy who came up with the term (prompting progressive elected officials, planners, and bureaucrats all over the nation to cater to these childless, young hipsters) wrote a piece in the NY Times: For a middle-class person , the American dream of a big house with a backyard and a

Letters to the Editor

As America morphs into totalitarianism, revolt urged

A couple years ago, the Asheville Citizen-Times warned me that, due to the content of my letters to the editor, the government and criminal justice system, medical system, public health system and mental health system seek to detain, deactivate and disengage me.

The Citizen-Times was right.

And several times, the powers that be have sought and failed to detain and deactivate and disengage me.

And I feel like I am living in George Orwell’s “1984” and Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” and Ray Bradbury’s “Farenheit 451” and Tom Cruise’s “Minor-

Asheville Daily Planet — February 2015 — A17

noble people have always been in a minority. The demanding requirements of reason, reality, responsibility and right are rarely mainstream dedications.

It helps to step over the simplistic limitations of ‘fight or flight.’ Our lizard-brain has other potentials including freezing, faking or functioning. Properly trained people seek the latter – functionality – through partnered front and middle-brains. This takes work, but the vistas and opportunities beat other “f” word options hands down.

Choice and character remain life’s two great equalizers. We can’t do anything about genetic makeup, family of origin or what other people have done to us. We remain fully in control of how we respond to what happened to us. That requires higher level thinking not found in lizard-brain devotees.

Conclusions

For insights into why our world keeps getting dumber, look to a growing dedication to living out of the conditioned part of the brain. There’s nothing smart in an echo.

We’re free to join this lizard cult or not.

The temptation to go with the flow is understandable. It’s easy, affirming and comfortable to be a part of the reptilian herd – right up to the moment someone decides to turn you into a handbag.…

Conservative Tip of the Month One of many broad misassumptions

couple of cars is much more achievable in low-tax Arizona than in deep-blue Massachusetts. As Jed Kolko, chief economist of Trulia, recently noted, housing costs almost twice as much in deep-blue markets ($227 per square foot) than in red markets ($119).

Perhaps our local leaders might take note, particularly given the constant complaint that Asheville has a two-tier economic class system of rich retirees/refugees from hightax states and the service industry workers

in current American culture is the notion ventilating anger helps relieve it. While it is true that anger is a poison destroying the container that holds it, attempting to get rid of the toxin by spewing over your world does more to renew than relieve. The more one practices anger, the more addictive it becomes. In this formula we find much of the reason angry protest rallies so easily drift toward destructive outcomes. Recycling anger is much more likely to poison the recycler than solve problems. Time-proven methods of healthy anger relief include forgiveness; responding versus reacting; measured verbal expression; and growing good grass to keep the anger weeds at bay. Too many social and political manipulators sell the false perception that anger ventilation is normal and productive. Their advice doesn’t work for the same reason expelling gas in an elevator doesn’t work.

• Do you have information about a source of mischief in our community?

You can safely contact us at 252-8390 or drmumpower@aol.com. We are offering a $500 reward for information on corruption, crime, or other harms you share in confidence and we reveal in print.

Bad things grow in the dark. We have a flashlight – do you have a whistle?

• Carl Mumpower is a former member of Asheville City Council.

that make poverty wages.

Perhaps our local progressive leaders will start wondering whether making an area more “Blue” might also be creating a population with greater income and economic disparity.

Or perhaps not.

LETTERS The Asheville Daily Planet invites Letters to the Editor of 200 words or less. Please include your name, mailing address, daytime telephone number and e-mail address.

For more information, call (828) 252-6565.

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A18 — February 2015 — Asheville Daily Planet

Local Show Reviews ‘Wimoweh, wimoweh, wimoweh, wimoweh....’

The Sock Hops: The lion roars tonight

By JOHN NORTH

john@AshevilleDailyPlanet.com

FRANKLIN — The Sock Hops vocal group had the audience standing to cheer and clap even before finishing its vintage doowop rendition of The Tokens’ 1961 No. 1 hit “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” during a two-hour concert Feb. 17 at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts.

To this critic’s disappointment (and probably to at least some in the crowd), the group’s dynamite performance was only a slightly extended version of The Tokens’ severalminute song.

But the 700 or so in attendance won’t soon forget Scott Cruce — blind and in his 40s and, by far, the youngest of the Sock Hops — as he transformed the song into some kind of throbbing anthem, reaching deep into his soul to hit the right notes — all the while gesticulating with his arms like a reincarnation of the late Joe Cocker, and occasionally swinging his head around like the late Ray Charles.

In the middle of the song, Cruce went into an extended vocal jam, backed by the solid harmonies of the three other Sock Hops, to the delight of the mostly grey-haired crowd that applaused during the actual performance as well as giving sustained applause afterward.

The group could have turned “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” into a symphony and extended it to 15 or 30 minutes, with some more thought given to the arrangement to keep it fresh throughout. The crowd surely would have loved a longer version.

The song, originally named “Mbube,” but also known as “Wimba Way” or “Awimbawe” or “Wimoweh,” was written and recorded by Solomon Linda originally with the Evening Birds for the South African Gallo Record Company in 1939. It has been covered by many artists ever since, including folk musician Pete Seeger, and was featured in the 1994 Disney film, “The Lion King.”

In additon, Cruce, a rich tenor, entertained the crowd with his own falsetto interpretation of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons’ “Sherry” and “Oh, What a Night.”

Another highlight of the Sock Hops concert was an emotionally stirring rendition of The Righteous Brothers’ 1965 No. 4 hit, “Unchained Melody,” which showcased the vocal pyrotechnics of Courney Oliver, the group’s long-time lead singer. (Rounding out the group are baritone Ward Hiss and bass singer extraordinaire Jim Mitchell.)

The Sock Hops, which performed Feb. 17 at the SMCPA in Franklin, are shown harmonizing at a previous show.

The Sock Hops, based in Marietta, Ga., were founded in 1996, specializing in four-part harmony to songs — mostly — from the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s, sounded celestial and certainly connected with the audience in this, the group’s sixth performance at the SMCPA. The group performed two 55-minute sets, as well as two encore songs: a patriotic medley that began with “Dixie” and a gospel favorite, “Amazing Grace.”

However, an obvious flaw in the show, which likely was due to economic factors, was that The Sock Hops performed against a backdrop of recorded music, rather than with a live band. That made this reviewer wonder, at various times, if even the vocals on some songs were being sung — or lip-synched over prerecorded vocals.

Also, while all group members but Cruce appeared to be in their 70s, much improvement could have been made to professionalize the choreography. This group, performing lively music, needs to move a lot more on stage — and preferably in unison.

The group, introduced as “the fabulous Sock Hops,” began the concert with a blasting renditon of The Velvets’ 1961 doo-wop hit “Tonight (Could Be the Night).” The Sock Hops noted that The Velvets were “one-hit wonders,” but that their hit turned out to be a true classic.

The show continued in a similar vein with The Diamonds’ “Little Darlin’” — and then transitioned into the rock era with a catchy rendition of Keith’s 1967 hit “98.6.”

From there, the group unleashed the aforementioned showstopper, “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.” The Socks Hops then noted that it would

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Posing for a photo after The Sock Hops concert are (from left) Sandy Blackwell, a fan from Asheville; Jim Mitchell, Courtney Oliver, Scott Cruce, Saundra Duncan, a fan from Weavervile; and Ward HIss. The four men comprise The Sock Hops.

jump “all the way to 1971” — and then uncorked a hot version of “Brandi You’re a Fine Girl” by Looking Glass.

Among other notable performances in the first set was a rather smashing version of The Bee Gees’ 1977 No. 1 hit “How Deep Is Your Love,” with Cruce — unbelievably, almost — replicating the unwordly, highpitched falsetto of Barry Gibbs. It was surreal and the audience appeared mesmerized. Also enjoyable were heart-rending renditions of Del Shannon’s “Runaway” and The Vogues’ lush “Turn Around, Look at Me.” As recorded songs of the ‘50s and early ‘60s blared during the intermission, Gordie Valliant of Hendersonville and Sandy Blackwell of Asheville were the sole couple to engage in an impromptu and eye-catching East Coast Swing dance routine in the front-row aisle, drawing — to their apparent surprise — appreciative applause and cheering from the audience.

The second set began with a bang with The Earls’ 1962 hit “Remember Then,” followed

by The Temptations’ “My Girl” and The Drifters’ “Under the Boardwalk.” Also memorable in the second set were renditions of Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman,” Neil Sedaka’s “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” and Jimmy Ruffin’s “What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted,” Surprisingly, The Sock Hops also did — admirably — two songs by The Beatles — “All My Loving” and “I Saw Her Standing There.”

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Asheville Daily Planet — February 2015 — A19

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A20 窶認ebruary 2015 - Asheville Daily Planet

Entertainment

and Calendar of Events

Special Section PULLOUT

B1

Asheville Daily Planet — February 2015

Splatter us once, shame on you....

Young and In the Way puts blood on hold in rousing return to Asheville

By AMY DANGELICO Special to the Daily Planet

While the performance was certainly not lacking in gruesome theatrics, no pig’s blood was splattered at the Young and In the Way show Jan. 17.

The crust punk/black metal band from Charlotte played for a crowd of about 150 mainly 20- and 30-somethings — an impressive turnout — at The Mothlight, a West Asheville venue.

This was YAITW’s first time returning to Asheville since spraying pig’s blood on the stage and crowd while playing downtown at Lexington Avenue Brewery’s back room last summer. Although the Buncombe County Health Department determined there was no public health risk, the LAB closed for three days, putting 45 employees out of work and did not reopen its back room for private parties until late July.

Following two opening bands, Busted Chops and USX (U.S. Christmas), open flames lit ritual-like incense, which signaled to the crowd that YAITW’s set was about to begin. Under red

V-Day flame: ‘50 Shades of Grey’ film

Review

lights, the band took the stage and bassist Chris Nolen, sporting a black ski mask, flicked off the crowd. As the first cold, hard chords were struck, Nolen kicked his foot towards what initially looked to be a peach-colored blur and later revealed itself as the head of an audience member in the front row.

From there, the show turned into a dark, heavy haze of pushing, screaming and overall rage. Drummer Randy Baucom’s forearms were a blur as he played with vicious metal speed while the motivated mosh pushed fellow crowd members up face to face with screaming frontman Kable Lyall.

Amidst flying beers cans and strong-armed shoving in the crowd, the masked Nolen spit out into the audience while Lyall openly drank from a bottle of red wine on stage with two severed pigs heads displayed behind him on either side.

See SPLATTER, Page B7

Photo from YAITW’s Website

Kable Lyall, lead singer of the Charlotte-based, blackened-crust band Young and In the Way, is shown in action during a recent concert.

By AMY DANGELICO

Special to the Daily Planet

The film adaptation of the outrageously successful erotic novel “Fifty Shades of Grey” by British author E.L. James will premiere in U.S. theaters Feb. 13 — just in time for Valentine’s Day weekend.

Since its first printing in 2011, the 500-plus-page novel of bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadism and masochism with a wee bit of romance has had folks — women, in particular — buzzing about what has been dubbed as “mommy porn.”

In addition to the original book, the “Fifty Shades” enterprise now includes the second and third volumes of the trilogy (“Fifty Shades Darker” and “Fifty Shades Freed,” respectively) as well as the major motion picture and its star-studded soundtrack.

Special photo by Carol Rosegg

Book club members discuss E.L. James’ “50 Shades of Grey” in the production “50 Shades! The Musical Parody.”

And as typically follows with any wildly popular phenomenon, “50 Shades of Grey” has been made a target for satire.

“50 Shades! The Musical Parody,” a

Special photo courtesy of Focus Features

Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) and Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) get steamy in the film.

stage production spoof of the original novel, was performed Jan. 31 at Thomas Wolfe Auditorium.

The theatrical parody, which uses a sub-

urban book club as a framing device in its send-up of “Fifty Shades of Grey,” began as a small production in Edinburgh, Scotland.

See “50 SHADES,” Page B6

‘The Interview’ termed clumsy effort

Seith Rogen and James Franco star in “The Interview.”

By KATHERINE NAGEL Special to the Daily Planet

The film “The Interview,” overall, predictably follows the formulaic stylings of Director-Actor Seth Rogen, whose projects are always irreverent and coarse, with several expected and gratuitous scenes that left this reviewer thinking, “Why?” The controversial film reportedly resulted in the hacking of Sony Pictures Entertainment, a cyber-attack that experts predict could end up costing the media-giant millions of dollars. It was only screened in Asheville Jan. 9-16 at the independent Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co. on Merrimon Avenue.

In “The Interview,” Seth Rogen plays

Review

Aaron Rapaport, producer of a popular infotainment television show, starring over-the top-moronic host Dave Skylark, played by James Franco.

After running into an old college mate whose found success producing for the highly regarded “60 Minutes,” Rapaport is forced to re-examine the direction of his own career in news, and decides he wants more.

Simultaneously, North Korea has just bombed an uninhabited South Pacific island, spurring panic in the West that a nuclear conflict may be imminent.

When Skylark discovers that Kim Jong Un is his biggest super-fan, he proposes to Rapaport that they go snag an interview with the elusive dictator in order to gain the credibility that his best friend is struggling to achieve.

When the CIA discovers their intentions, they decide to enlist the duo to help the U.S. government assassinate Kim Jong Un. In the first act of the movie, it’s truly hard to decide what’s worse: Franco’s attempts at acting, or the cheap dialogue that consistently falls flat as the writers clumsily move the ridiculous plot forward to the main events.

See “THE INTERVIEW,” Page B7

B2 - February 2015 - Asheville Daily Planet

Natalie Douglas will perform in “To Nina: A Tribute to Nina Simone” at 8 p.m. Feb. 6 in the Tryon Performing Arts Center in Tryon.

Calendar

of

Events

Send us your calendar items

Please submit items to the Calendar of Events by noon on the third Wednesday of each month, via e-mail, at calendar@ashevilledailyplanet. com, or fax to 252-6567, or mail c/o The Daily Planet, P.O. Box 8490, Asheville, N.C. 288148490. Submissions will be accepted and printed at the discretion of the editor, space permitting.

To place an ad for an event, call 252-6565.

Wednesday, Feb. 4

CLIMATE CHANGE BUSINESS PROGRAM, 7 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place, Asheville. Former Asheville City Councilwoman Robin Cape will present a program, “Using Climate Data to Create Business Opportunities: The Collider.” She invites attendees to learn about a business and learning center in development in downtown Asheville that brings climate data into decision-making.

Cape envisions the center attracting business entrepreneurs, artists, climatologists and data experts to work together and deal with the challenges of climate change.

OPEN REHEARSAL, 7 p.m., Reuter Center, UNC Asheville. The Blue Ridge Orchestra will hold an open rehearsal. The community orchestra is directed by Milton Crotts. Admission is free and open to the public.

SOCIAL JUSTICE SPEAKER, 7:30 p.m., Moore Auditorium, Mars Hill University, Mars Hill. The Rev. William Barber, a leader of the Moral Monday protest movement and president of the North Carolina conference of the NAACP, will speak on civil rights and social justice issues. Admission is free and open to the public.

Thursday, Feb. 5

PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT RECEPTION, 5-7:30 p.m., Laurel Forum, Karpel Hall, UNC Asheville.

Remember the neediest!

The opening reception for the exhibit “Selma to Montgomery 1965” will include a talk by James Barker, the exhibit’s photographer. The exhibit will be on display in Karpen Hall Lobby through Feb. 27. Admission is free and open to the public.

DISCUSSION COURSE, 6-7:30 p.m., Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar, downtown Asheville. MountainTrue’s annual NWEI discussion course, “Seeing Systems: Peace, Justice & Sustainability,” will be held every Thursday through March 19. The course is intended to address the connections among three of society’s most pressing challenges, equipping attendees to promote peace, justice and sustainability within the community.

Friday, Feb. 6

BLACK HISTORY LECTURE, 9:30 a.m., Reuter Center, UNC Asheville. “The Grimke Sisters: Abolitionist Activists,” a lecture by Catherine Frank, executive director of OLLI, and Jim Lenburg, professor of history and humanities, will be presented as part of OLLI’s Black History Month programming. Admission is free and open to the public.

COLD WAR LECTURE, 11:25 a.m., Humanities Lecture Hall, UNC Asheville. “Cold War and Its Legacy” will be addressed by Sarah Judson, associate professor of history. Admission is free and open to the public.

ROMANTICISM LECTURE, 11:25 a.m., Lipinsky Auditorium, UNC Asheville. “1848: Romanticism and its Discontents” will be addressed by John McClain, humanities lecturer. Admission is free and open to the public.

BLACK WOMAN’S VIEW OF UNCA, 11:30 a.m., 102-A Reuter Center, UNC Asheville. The Fab Friday lecture series will present “An African-American Woman’s Perspective on UNC Asheville” as part of UNCA’s Black History Month. Dr. Dee James will share her journey at UNCA as an African-American student then faculty member. She is a tenured professor in UNCA’s literature department. The presentation is free and open to the public.

See CALENDAR, Page B3

Calendar Continued from Page B2

Friday, Feb. 6

NINA SIMONE TRIBUTE SHOW, 8 p.m., Tryon Fine Arts Center, Tryon. Award-winning singer Natalie Douglas will perform in the show, “To Nina: A Tribute to Nina Simone.” The show, which earned rave reviews in New York and London, is billed as bringing back “the power of Nina Simone with passion, nuance, fierce intelligence and her own infectious personality.” The show also tells Simone’s “history.” For tickets, call 859-8322 or visit www.tryonarts.org.

Saturday, Feb. 7

CHOCOLATE SUSTAINABILITY TOUR, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., French Broad Chocolate Factory, 21 Buxton Ave., Asheville. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, French Broad Chocolates is giving MountainTrue a peak into the sustainable initiatives of their chocolate factory. A tasting is included. A maximum of 12 participants will be accepted. Admission is free, but registration required by contacting Rachel Stevens at rachel@ mountaintrue.org.

UMPHREY’S McGEE CONCERT, 8 p.m., U.S. Cellular Center, 87 Haywood St., downtown Asheville. Progressive rock band Umphrey’s McGee will perform in concert. For tickets, which are $30 in advance and $35 on the day of the show, visit www.ticketmaster.com, or call (800) 745-3000.

Monday, Feb. 9

Lecture, 11:25 a.m., Humanities Lecture Hall, UNC Asheville. “Medieval India” will be addressed by Keya Maitra, chair and associate professor of philosophy. Admission is free and open to the public.

TRANSITION ASHEVILLE TALK, 6:30-8 p.m., St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Charlotte Street, Asheville. Vaidila Satvika, formerly the director of the New York City Plaza Program, will discuss the radical approach that is leading NYC to take back underutilized streets to make more space for people. In the densest city in the U.S., leaders are demolishing streets to build places for people to sit, for children to play, and for plants to grow.

The talk will answer the following questions: How is this possible? What lessons can we learn? And what is causing cities everywhere to think more seriously about the transportation paradigm?

MOVE TO AMEND MEETING, 7 p.m., North Asheville Library, Asheville. Move to Amend Buncombe County will review and finalize 2015 goals, review job descriptions and discuss membership clarifications.

Tuesday, Feb. 10

OBJECTIVISTS’ MEETING, 6 p.m., North Asheville Library Meeting Room, 1030 Merrimon Ave., Asheville. Attendees are invited to celebrate Ayn Rand, her philosophy of Objectivism and the prime value – life. Admission to the meeting is free.

DIALOGUES ON RACE, 6:30 p.m, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Swannanoa Valley, 500 Montreat Rd., Black Mountain. Two local churches — Thomas Chapel AME Zion Church and the UUCSV, have joined forces to offer a four-week series of “Community Dialogues on Race,” beginning Feb. 10. The two-hour programs will feature films, group exercises, and dialogue, facilitated by the Rev. Michael J.S. Carter of the UUCSV. The program is free and open to everyone. Interested persons are encouraged to register by emailing Roberta Madden at robertamadden@yahoo.com.

LIBERTARIAN MEETING, 7 p.m., Oakleaf Furniture, 130 Miller St., downtown Waynesville. The Haywood County Libertarian Party meets on the second Tuesday of the month. Open discussion and debate are encouraged with all perspectives and persuasions welcomed, regardless of political or religious affiliation.

“Brazil’s Metamorphosis” ADDRESS, 7:30 p.m., Manheimer Room, Reuter Center, UNC Asheville. The World Affairs Council Great Decisions Lecture 2015 series will feature an address on “Brazil’s Metamorphosis,” featuring speaker Liliana Castro of Buncombe County Schools.

Wednesday, Feb. 11

OPEN REHEARSAL, 7 p.m., Reuter Center, UNC Asheville. The Blue Ridge Orchestra will hold an open rehearsal. The community orches-

Asheville Daily Planet — February 2015 - B3 tra is directed by Milton Crotts. Admission is free and open to the public.

Friday, Feb. 13

POLICING/MINORITY COMMUNITIES’ TALK, 9:30 a.m., Reuter Center, UNC Asheville. Buncombe County Sheriff Van Duncan will address “Policing and Minority Communities” as part of OLLI’s Black History Month programming.

Admission is free and open to the public.

LECTURE, 11:25 a.m., Lipinsky Auditorium, UNC Asheville. “The Contagion of Freedom: AntiSlavery, Women’s Rights, and Economic Justice” will be addressed by Sarah Judson, associate professor of history and Africana studies. Admission is free and open to the public.

LECTURE, 11:25 a.m., Humanities Lecture, UNC Asheville. “Human Rights & Global Justice” will be addressed by Grace Campbell, humanities lecturer. Admission is free and open to the public.

“NEUROLOGYOF AGING” TALK, 11:30 a.m.1:30 p.m., Reuter Center, UNC Asheville. The Fab Friday series will feature a talk on “Neurology of Aging,” with Dr. James Patton, founding member of Asheville Neurology Specialists. The presentation will focus on the age-related changes in the nervous system, such as a decline in cognitive function as well as changes in cranial nerve function and in the motor system. Admission is free and open to the public.

Symphony Talk, 3 p.m., Reuter Center, UNC Asheville. A symphony talk will feature Daniel Meyer, music director of the Asheville Symphony Orchestra. Meyer will discuss the symphony’s next concert. Admissionis free and open to the public.

ANTI-VALENTINE’S DAY PILLOW FIGHT, 5:306:30 p.m., Pritchard Park, 67 Patton Ave., downtown Asheville. The annual Anti-Valentine’s Day Pillow Fight will be held. All are welcome, but no feather pillows are allowed and participants are urged to remove their glasses. Admission is free.

SING-ALONG, 6:30 p.m., The Forum, Diana Wortham Theatre, downtown Asheville. “Sing Together: Freedom Songs & Spirituals” will celebrate the joy of music and singing in a spirited session with musicians Beth and Jim Magill — and special guest Becky Stone. All skill levels are welcome and no experience is required. For tickets, which are $10 for adults, $8 for children 12 and under and free for children 2 and under, visit www.dwtheatre.com, or call 257-4530.

SOCIAL JUSTICE FILM NIGHT, 7 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place, Asheville. Shot over a period of four years, “Girl Trouble” documents the compelling personal stories of three teenage girls entangled in San Francisco’s failing juvenile justice system.

Admission is open to the public and free, but donations are welcome.

FRANKIE AVALON CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, 1028 Georgia Rd., Franklin. Singer-actor Frankie Avalon will perform in concert. Avalon has had a career that spans three generations of music, television and films, including an iconic cameo as the Teen Angel in the film musical, “Grease.”

With a long string of million-selling singles and albums, Avalon’s music became one of the defining sounds of pre-Beatles pop music. He was honored with an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. For tickets, call 524-1598, or visit GreatMountainMusic.com.

“DEATH AND THE MAIDEN” PRODUCTION, 7:30 p.m., The Feichter Studio, HART Theatre, Waynesivlle. A production of “Death and the Maiden” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13 and 14 and at 3 p.m. Feb. 15. For tickes, which are $10 for adults and $6 for students, visit www.harttheatre.com, or call 456-6322.

ARLO GUTHRIE CONCERT, 8 p.m., Diana Wortham Theatre, downtown Asheville. Arlo Guthrie will perform in his 50th anniversary “Alice’s Restaurant” Tour concert. The show also will be presented at the same time and location on Feb. 14.

Sunday, Feb. 15

ETHICAL SOCIETY PROGRAM, 2-3:30 p.m., The Friends Meeting House, 227 Edgewood Road, Asheville. An address on “Growing up African-American in Segregated Asheville” will be presented by Viola Spells, owner of Zenobia Studio, at the meeting of the Ethical Humanist Society of Asheville. Spells will discuss her experiences from birth through high school (1945-1963), including vignettes of the YWCA, churches, schools, library, the YMI, Lexington Avenue, key people who were positive influences on children and young adults, community life in Asheville during the 1940s and 1950s, Asheville Student Committee on Racial Equality (ASCORE) in the early 1960s and desegregation of the Asheville public library.

See CALENDAR, Page B4

B4 - February 2015 - Asheville Daily Planet

Asheville Daily Planet — February 2015 — B5

Willie Nelson will perform in concert at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28 in the Event Center at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino in Cherokee.

Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band will perform at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17 at the Peace Center in Greenville, S.C.

Calendar Events

Continued from Page B3

Sunday, Feb. 15

LECTURE/PERFORMANCES, 3 p.m., Reuter Center, UNC Asheville. “Inside the Music” will be addressed by Melodie Galloway, aartistic director of Asheville Choral Society as well as chair and associate professor of music at UNCA. Galloway will give an inside look into the choral performance, a sneak peek at the upcoming ACS season and will bring a feature vocalist to the stage.

Monday, Feb. 16

LECTURE, 11:25 a.m., Humanities Lecture Hall, UNC Asheville. “African Cultural Spheres” will be addressed by John Wood, professor of sociology, and Agya Boakye-Boaten, director and assistant professor of Africana studies. Admission is free and open to the public.

LECTURE, 6 p.m., Laurel Forum, Karpen Hall, UNC Asheville. “Projecting the Urban: Humanists and Designers in Collaboration” will be addressed by Dana Cuff, founding director of cityLAB, a research center that explores the challenges facing the 21st century metropolis through design and research. Admission is free and open to the public.

Tuesday, Feb. 17

RINGO STARR CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., PeaceCenter, 300 S. Main St., Greenville, S.C. Ringo Starr will perform with his All Starr Band, which includes Steve Lukather, Richard Page, Gregg Rolie, Todd Rundgren, Gregg Bissonette and Warren Ham. VIP tickets, which include premium seating, a tour shirt and other commemorative items, are $250. For general admission tickets, which are $85 to $125, call (864) 467-3000 or (800) 888-7768, or visit www.peacecenter.org.

“PRIVACY IN THE DIGITAL AGE” ADDRESS, 7:30 p.m., Manheimer Room, Reuter Center, UNC Asheville. The World Affairs Council Great Decisions Lecture 2015 series will offer an address on “Privacy in the Digital Age,” featuring speaker Jagdeep Bhandari of Mars Hill University.

Wednesday, Feb. 18

OPEN REHEARSAL, 7 p.m., Reuter Center, UNC Asheville. The Blue Ridge Orchestra will hold an open rehearsal. The community orchestra is directed by Milton Crotts. Admission is free and open to the public.

Thursday, Feb. 19

“SAVE THE ROSENWALD SCHOOL” PROGRAM, 6:30 p.m., Broyhill Chapel, Mars Hill University, Mars Hill. The final program of “Our Story – This Place” will feature an evening of gospel music and a presentation on the history of gospel music and how it relates to the African-American community. A reception will be held afterwards. Upon rehabilitation, the Mars Hill Anderson Rosenwald School will serve as a community cultural center and an interpretive museum intended to promote a fuller understanding of southern Appalachian black history and to enhance education at all levels. “Our Story, This Place, The History of African American Education in Madison County, NC: The Mars Hill Anderson Rosenwald School” is on display at the Rural Heritage Museum until Feb.28. The exhibit includes historic artifacts, photographs and videos.

Works by Charity Ray are also on display as part of the exhibit. The Rural Heritage Museum is open daily (except Mondays) from 1 to 5 p.m. and by appointment. It is located on Rt. 213, in Montague Hall, on the MHU campus. Admission is free.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH LECTURE, 7 p.m., Lipinsky Auditorium, UNC Asheville. Lecturer Henry Louis Gates Jr. will discuss “Geneology, Genetics and African American History” in UNCA’s Black History Month Lecture. He is the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor at Harvard University as well as director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research. His 10-part documentary series, “Finding Your Roots,” aired on PBS in 2012.

Gates is editor-in-chief of TheRoot.com. He is the author of several works of literary criticism focusing on race and black culture, and he has written for Time, The New Yorker, The New York Times, and The Root. He has also produced and hosted several documentaries for PBS.

Friday, Feb. 20

HISTORY OF SLAVERY IN ASHEVILLE LECTURE, 9:30 a.m., Reuter Center, UNC Asheville. A lecture, “History of Slavery in Asheville,” will be presented by Deborah Miles, director of UNCA’s Center for Diversity Education. The lecture is free and open to the public.

LECTURE, 11:25 a.m., Humanities Lecture Hall, UNC Asheville. “Africa in the Modern World” will be addressed by Dwight Mullen, professor of political science. Admission is free and open to the public.

See CALENDAR, Page B5

Calendar

of

Continued from Page B4

Events

Friday, Feb. 20

LECTURE, 1:30 p.m., Reuter Center, UNC Asheville. The Fab Friday series will feature an address on “The New Renaissance in Florence, Italy,” by Mark Gordon Smith, author of three books about Italy and “Travels Across Italy” blog.

Opera Talks, 3 p.m., Reuter Center, UNC Asheville. Asheville Lyric Opera Director David Craig Starkey and a cast of industry professionals will guide the audience through their operatic world.

Saturday, Feb. 21

HEART CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Event Center, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Resort, Cherokee. Heart, founded by sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson four decades ago, will perform in concert.

The rock band has sold more than 35 million records worldwide, and is best-known for songs “Barracuda,” “Magic Man,” “Crazy on You,” and “Alone.” For tickets, which are $42 to 62, visit www.ticketmaster.com, or call (800) 745-3000.

“RHAPSODY IN BLUEGRASS” CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., The Foundation Performing Arts Center, Isothermal Community College, Spindale. The Annie Moses Band will present “Rhapsody in Bluegrass,” billed as “a panoramic exploration of America and her music.” The band is a Julliard-trained ensemble of six instrumentalists and vocalists whose performances feature a variety of strings, keyboards and rhythm. For tickets, which are $19 and $24, call 286-9990, or visit www.FoundationShows.org.

THE THREE DAVIDS CONCERT, 8 p.m., Diana Wortham Theatre, Pack Place, 12 Biltmore Ave., downtown Asheville. Performing in concert will be three of Asheville’s award-winning songwriters and entertainers: David Holt, David Wilcox and David LaMotte. For tickets, which are $35 for adults and $25 for students and children under 12, visit www. dwtheatre.com, or call 257-4530.

Sunday, Feb. 22

READING, 3 p.m., Reuter Center, UNC Asheville. A reading by Ronald Manheimer, author of “Mirrors of the Mind,” will be offered.

Monday, Feb. 23

Lecture, 11:25 a.m., Humanities Lecture Hall, UNC Asheville. “Gender and Sexuality in Medieval Europe” will be addressed by Sophie Mills, National Endowment for the Humanities Distinguished Professor of Classics.

Tuesday, Feb. 24

“Russia and the Near Abroad” SPEECH, 7:30 p.m., Manheimer Room, Reuter Center, UNC Asheville. The World Affairs Council Great Decisions Lecture 2015 series will feature an address on “Russia and the Near Abroad,” featuring speaker

Steve Solnick of Warren Wilson College.

Wednesday, Feb. 25

OPEN REHEARSAL, 7 p.m., Reuter Center, UNC Asheville. The Blue Ridge Orchestra will hold an open rehearsal. The community orchestra is directed by Milton Crotts. Admission is free.

Friday, Feb. 27

LECTURE, 11:25 a.m., Lipinsky Auditorium, UNC Asheville.“Islam and the Modern World: From the Ottoman Empire to the Rise of the Republic of Turkey” will be addressed by Rodger Payne, chair and associate professor of religious studies. Admission is free and open to the public.

LECTURE, 11:25 a.m., Humanities Lecture Hall, UNC Asheville. “Black Protest Thought in the Era of the Post World War II Black Freedom Struggle” will be addressed by Sarah Judson, associate professor of history and Africana studies.

Admission is free and open to the public.

SOLAS CONCERT, 8 p.m., Diana Wortham Theatre, downtown Asheville. The Irish-American musical group Solas will perform in concert. For tickets, visit www.dwtheatre.com, or call 257-4530.

“SLAVE GIRL” PERFORMANCE, 8 p.m., The Forum, Diana Wortham Theatre, downtown Asheville. Hailed as the most important narrative of its time depicting the life of a female slave, Harriet Jacobs’ true story is billed as “brilliantly dramatized” by Cherita Armstrong, a star of stage and screen. The show also will be performed at the same time and location on Feb. 28. For tickets, visit www.dwtheatre.com, or call 257-4530.

Saturday, Feb. 28

WILLIE NELSON CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Event Center, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Resort, Cherokee. Country singer Willie Nelson will perform in concert. For tickets, which are $53 to $85, visit www.Ticketmaster.com or call (800) 745-3000.

“MAN 1, BANK 0” COMEDY SHOW, 7:30 p.m., John W. Bardo Fine and Performing Arts Center, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee.

The comedy show “Man 1, Bank 0” will be performed. Patrick Combs will tell the true story of a man who deposited a junk-mail check labeled “non-negotiable” into a bank account, only to see things erupt into an adventure pitting a “David” regular guy against the “Goliath” of the banking industry. For tickets, which are $21, call 2272479, or visit http://bardoartscenmter.wcu.edu.

SWANNANOA VALLEY MLK BREAKFAST, 9-11 a.m., Dorothy Walls Camp, 495 Cragmont Road, Black Mountain. Swannanoa Valley MLK Breakfast Committee will feature Tyrone Greenlee as the keynote speaker at the Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast. Tickets are $15 for adults and $6 for children.

See CALENDAR, Page B6

Salsa Classes with 2umbao!!

Want to learn how to dance Salsa in a fun relaxed environment!

Salsa Classes Every Wednesday, New 6wks starts Wednesday February 18th and then next New 6wks will start April 1st!!

Extreme Dance Studio 856 Sweeten Creek Rd, Asheville NC 28803 Beginners 7:30-8:30pm & Intermediate 8:30-9:30pm. $10/class or $40/6wks.

828-674-2658 • JenniferWCS@aol.com • www.facebook.com/2umbao

B6 - February 2015 - Asheville Daily Planet

‘50 Shades’

Continued from Page B1 In just two years, the production has expanded to off-Broadway and Las Vegas runs, gone on tour — including its recent stop in Asheville — and spawned Dutch, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese versions.

Similar to Matt Parker and Trey Stone’s “The Book of Mormon,” the tunes of “50 Shades! The Musical Parody” pay homage to classic musical theater styles — with references to “Phantom of the Opera” and “Les Miserables” — while also incorporating other genres such as tango and gospel.

Along with “50 Shades!,” other spoofs include “Spank! The Fifty Shades Parody” and “Cuff Me: The Fifty Shades of Grey Musical Parody,” in addition to book parodies such as Fanny Merkin’s “Fifty Shames of Earl Grey” and E.L. Jamesbergstein’s “Fifty Shades of Oy Vey.” But for what it’s worth, when you look back at the start of this spectacle, the rise of “Fifty Shades of Grey” in popular culture is truly an impressive self-publication success story.

The trilogy, originally titled “Master of the Universe,” was first posted online in 2009 as “Twilight” fan-fiction. (That’s right — Anastasia “Ana” Steele was initially written as Bella Swan and Christian Grey, Edward Cullen.)

After rewriting the story (and renaming its characters), James showed her work to The Writers’ Coffee Shop, an Australia-based virtual publisher who then released “Fifty Shades of Grey” as an e-book and a print-on-demand paperback in May 2011.

Due to budget restrictions, early publicity of the novel was heavily dependent on book blogs. The online reviews inspired the wordof-mouth recommendations that eventually led James to a seven-figure book deal with Random House’s Vintage Books imprint.

Since then, “Fifty Shades” has sold more than 45 million copies in the U.S. and more than 100 million worldwide. It was named the U.K.’s fast-selling paperback of all time, and later, the bestselling book in British history (please, simmer on that one).

In March 2012, Universal Pictures and its art-house film division, Focus Features, at-

Calendar

Continued from Page B5

of

Events

Tuesday, March 10

GARRISON KEILLOR SHOW, 7:30 p.m., Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, U.S. Cellular Center, downtown Asheville. Garrison Keillor will perform in concert. Keillor, a bestselling author and host of NPR’s “A Prairie Home Companion,” delivers “hilarious anecdotes about growing up in the American Midwest — and the aging process... not to mention ‘late-life fatherhood,’” a press release noted. “With a wonderful, dry sense of humor, he captivates audiences and delivers with class, charisma and humor.” Keillor has received numerous awards, including a Grammy Award for his recording of “Lake Wobegon Days.” Tickets, which are available at the U.S. Cellular Center Box Office or by calling (800) 745-3000, also may be ordered by visiting www.ticketmaster.com.

“Sectarianism in the Middle East” ADDRESS, 7:30 p.m., Manheimer Room, Reuter Center, UNC Asheville. The World Affairs Council Great Decisions lecture series will offer an address on “Sectarianism in the Middle East,” featuring speaker David Hudleson of National Security.

Friday, March 13

STYX CONCERT, 9 p.m., Event Center, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Resort, Cherokee.

The band Styx will perform in concert. Styx, a rock band from Chicago, became famous for its albums from the mid-1970s and early 1980s. For tickets, which range from $37 to $69.50, visit www.ticketmaster.com, or call (800) 745-3000.

Saturday, March 21

tained the film rights of “Fifty Shades,” outbidding Warner Brothers, Sony and Paramount, among others. In addition to James, the film is produced by Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti, the same duo who collaborated on the Oscar-nominated hit, “The Social Network.”

The film stars Dakota Johnson as Ana and Jamie Dornan as Christian.

The trailer for the film, released July 24, accumulated over 100 million views in its first week, making the two-and-a-half-minute promotion the biggest online trailer ever released in history.

In fact, “Fifty Shades” has been so remarkably successful that it has left many baffled.

The story, which follows the relationship between a virginal college student, Ana, and a handsome, young billionaire, Christian, is one we have all actually heard before. “(It is) a story that adds kinkiness to the basic formula: a rich, handsome bachelor falls for a young, innocent beauty,” Alessandra Stanley of The New York Times noted.

Aside from their decidedly untraditional sex lives, Ana and Christian seem to fulfill their archetypal character roles almost perfectly: the beauty, who is curious about — and then, surprised by — the depth of her own carnal desires, and the bachelor, who is incapable — or so he believes — of love.

Thus, the run-of-the-mill characters and mediocre plot cannot explain the story’s success.

According to Dave Barry of TIME Magazine, “If Jane Austen (another bestselling female British author) came back to life and read this book, she would kill herself.”

So surely its success cannot be explained by its less-than-canon-worthy prose, either.

The only explanation left is this: the success of literature is part dependent on writing and part dependent on how the subject matter is relevant to the important issues of our lives.

While other books address issues of poverty, race, familial relationships and the like, “Fifty Shades” not only exposes, but explores the topic of sexual taboos.

Though it may not investigate this topic through writing that will raise the standards for future generations, credit is due for investigating it at all.

The success of the “Fifty Shades” enterprise is proof that erotica is at least interesting, if not important, to millions.

RODNEY CARRINGTON CONCERT, 7:30 p.m.,

Event Center, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Resort, Cherokee. Rodney Carrington will perform in his “Here Comes the Truth” show. For tickets, which are $$64 to $297 visit www.Ticketmaster. com or call (800) 745-3000.

Saturday, April 11

LORETTA LYNN CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Event Center, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Resort, Cherokee. Loretta Lynn will perform in her “Here Comes the Truth” show. For tickets, which are $41 to $259, visit www.Ticketmaster.com or call (800) 745-3000.

Sunday, April 19

David Sedaris SHOW, 3 p.m., Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, U.S. Cellular Center, downtown Asheville. New York Times bestselling author David Sedaris will visit Asheville for an afternoon of what are billed as engaging recollections and readings. He is the author of the bestsellers “Naked,” “When You Are Engulfed in Flames,” “Me Talk Pretty One Day” and “Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim.” Sedaris also is a regular National Public Radio contributor. For tickets, which are $33 to $50, visit www.ticketmaster.com.

Saturday, May 2

CALEB JOHNSON CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Event Center, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Resort, Cherokee. Asheville’s Caleb Johnson, who won last year’s televised “American Idol” competition series, will perform in concert. For tickets, which are $42 to $64, visit www.ticketmaster.com, or call (800) 745-3000.

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Complete CompleteFabric Fabric FabricCenter Center Center Complete Complete Fabric Center Complete Fabric Center Complete Fabric Center                                                                                                                                              

Drapery DraperyMaterial Material Material Drapery Drapery Material Drapery Material Drapery Material               

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Fabric Fabricby by bythe the the pound pound Fabric pound Fabric by the pound Fabric by the pound Fabric by the pound                                                              

AUTOMOBILE AUTOMOBILE AUTOMOBILE AUTOMOBILE AUTOMOBILE AUTOMOBILE              

                         3049 HENDERSONVILLE HIGHWAY      

   

I-26 Exit 44, North miles I-26 I-26 Exit Exit 13, 13,then then thenNorth North North miles 3 miles I-26 Exit 13, then 3333 miles I-26 Exit 13, then North miles

I-26 I-26 Exit Exit 13, 13, then then North North 33 miles miles

684-0801 684-0801 684-0801

Splatter

Continued from Page B1 And somewhere in there, crowd members saw a man with a scythe covered in blood enter into the crowd toward the end of the show.

Due to the vicious intensity of the vocals, this reviewer was unable to identity song titles with the exception of one track: “F**k This Life.” (YAITW did not respond to communiques from the Daily Planet, requesting its set-list from the show.)

The first opening band, Asheville-based thrashcore/power violence group Busted Chops, played a roughly 15-minute set.

While brevity is characteristic of the genre, a few crowd members noted that the performance was less than impressive and this reviewer agreed. The amount of hair flung around on stage seemed far more memorable than any aspect of the raw, sped-up music.

Busted Chops was followed by USX (U.S. Christmas), psych-rockers from Marion who played a strong set with soulful-yet-powerhungry riffs. The band’s most mesmerizing aspect was violinist Meghan Mulhearn. Not only did the long tones of her strings make the one-of-a-kind sound of USX shine, but who doesn’t like to see a female rock out on stage? When other band members faced each other, Mulhearn was left to dance in the front corner of the stage to what seemed like a perfect rhythm all her own.

USX’s set ended all too early due to technical difficulties, which had caused delays between songs from early in the set.

Furthermore — almost as if spreading the blame too thin, it was then revealed that the drummer playing with the band was actually

‘The Interview’

Continued from Page B1 The cinematography, lighting and set design are quite skillfully worked.

Indeed, a montage of Rapaport traveling to China to meet Kim Jong Un’s representatives is downright masterfully shot, even evoking a sense that there may be some depth here.

Certainly, the greatest success of the film is Skylark’s bizarre fraternization with Kim Jong Un; a satirical portrayal of The Decider that makes a mockery out of the man whose portrait, in the actual North Korea resides, by law, in every home, on every street corner and on every subway train and platform.

Kim Jong Un is played by the talented Randall Park, whose outstanding performance truly saves the film, as he carries Franco through the funniest dialogue of the movie.

a fill-in as their regular drummer had recently had a baby. Congrats on the newborn, but no need for excuses, USX. Your set was awesome and though technology can sometimes fail you, just exit gracefully.

After the show, Amanda Hency, co-owner of The Mothlight along with husband Jon, told the Daily Planet, “We were more worried about the audience (as the date of the show approached). The band (YAITW) really couldn’t have been more respectful.”

YAITW debuted its blackened crust sound in 2009 with the EP “Newborn,” followed by two more short releases, “Amen and Cloven Hoof,” in 2010. The band signed with A389 Recordings in 2011 and released its first full-length album, “I Am Not What I Am,” in 2011. Another EP, “V. Eternal Depression,” came out later that year.

In 2013, YAITW signed on with its current label Deathwish Inc., founded by Jacob Bannon, lead singer of renowned hardcore band Converge. The group released its second full-length album, “When Life Comes to Death,” in 2014.

Sure, as far as punk and metal subgenres are concerned, YAITW is notable for its momentum, its hostility, and above all, especially in the Asheville area, its showmanship. There is no doubt that this community can appreciate a good “quirk.”

So thank you, YAITW, for putting on a good show and not spilling pig’s blood all over The Mothlight and everyone in it.

But — just a note — the next time that you get the urge to splatter inside a small, local business, please do your mothers proud and clean up after yourselves.

If GWAR can do it, YAITW can, too.

Because after all, isn’t that the message here?

Diana Bang, who plays a close aide to the dictator and love interest to Rapaport, also contributes a fresh performance — and notably wields a machine gun with enough aplomb to please The Godfather himself.

Lizzy Caplan also co-stars, her sharp wit wasted in an under-written role.

For all it’s shortcomings, Rogen’s latest volume in this line of stoner-humor genre is at least entertaining, and in an unforeseen real-life twist, it’s limited release sparked some important dialogue regarding freedom of expression.

But by now, the theatrical reviews are in on this most controversial film of the year, and the overwhelming majority opinion is a resounding: “Meh.” This reviewer’s conclusion: I didn’t hate it.

Asheville Daily Planet — February 2015 — B7

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B8 - February 2015 - Asheville Daily Planet