Asheville Daily Planet November 2012 by John North

Protesters’ form a flotilla to pitch anti-coal stance

‘Atlas Shrugged II’ termed good-but-not-dazzling film

— See Pictures, Pg. 2

— See Movie Review, Pg. 23

ILLE V E H AS ASHEVILLEʼS GREATEST NEWSPAPER

November 2012

Vol. 8, No.12

An Independent Newspaper Serving Greater Asheville

Former Ark. Gov. Mike Huckabee was a featured speaker at the rally.

www.ashevilledailyplanet.com

FREE

Romney’s Asheville rally touts better way

By JOHN NORTH

john@ashevilledailyplanet.com

Photos courtesy of Robert Coffey Photography

A fired-up GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney addresses the crowd during an Oct. 11 campaign rally at the U.S. Cellular Center in downtown Asheville.

Sen. Tom Apodaca slams the Asheville Citizen-Times for what he felt was the derogatory slant of its Oct. 11 headline: “Romney visit could clog downtown.”

House Speaker John Boehner made a surprise appearance at the Romney rally.

Under the watchful eye of his security team, Romney shakes hands with the crowd after his speech.

Democratic women candidates claim ‘vicious’ BCGOP waging war on them

By JOHN NORTH

john@ashevilledailyplanet.com

A group of local Democratic women candidates and their supporters staged an Oct. 22 rally in downtown Asheville to protest what they claimed is a campaign of “slander and hatred” waged against them by men in the Buncombe County Republican Party. The Power of 5 Women organization called the event a press conference, but it morphed into more of a rally, as the group posed with political signs for photographs, and a speaker read a lengthy statement — and then the event was adjourned.

Former Gov. Mitt Romney was joined by two conservative heavyweights — former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee and Speaker of the House John Boehner — as he fired up a full-house crowd during an Oct. 11 Victory Rally at downtown Asheville’s U.S. Cellular Center. His visit to the so-called “Paris of the South” followed closely on the heels of Vice President Joe Biden, who spoke at UNC Asheville’s Justice Center on Oct. 2. Biden’s appearance filled all of the 1,100 seats, as well as an overflow room with 200 people, for a total attendance estimated by UNCA officials at 1,320 people. For Romney’s visit, the much-larger civic center had no empty seats, and Robert Reid, North Carolina communications director of the Romney for President office, told the Daily Planet afterward that there were “about 10,000” people at the rally, with 7,500 in the civic center and 2,500 in the overflow room, the ThomasWolfe Auditorium. What’s more, the Daily Planet received reports that a number of people who lined up to attend the rally were turned away, when all of the seats were filled. They, therefore, could not be counted in Romney crowd counts. Reid’s 10,000-people turnout estimate was significantly higher than then “more than 7,000” reported in the Mountain Xpress, and the “7,600 who packed the Asheville arena,” according to the Hendersonville Times-News. See ROMNEY, Page 25

Gwen Wisley, who read the group’s statement aloud at the rally, said it is part of “a campaign to elect Democratic women to represent Buncombe County.... “Specifically, we’ve asked the media here because we are fighting back against the false mailers and vicious comments that are coming from the Buncombe County GOP and directed at Jane Whilden as well as unconscionable billboards proposed by the local GOP against Holly Jones.” Meanwhile, BCGOP spokesman Nathan West told the Daily Planet on Oct. 25 that “their assertion Daily Planet Staff Photo — that we’re attacking women — is ridiculous.” Gwen Wisler (with microphone) is flanked at the rally by County ComSee WOMEN, Page 4 missioner Holly Jones and congressional candidate Jane Whilden.

2 —November 2012 - Asheville Daily Planet

Anti-coal rally

About 50 people, many from local environmental organizations, participated in an Oct. 14 “Float Against Coal” rally (above right) in front of Duke Energy’s

Tell our advertisers — who enable us to bring you this newspaper — that you saw their ads in the Daily Planet!

Asheville Coal Plant at Lake Julian in South Asheville. At top left is Greg Yost, who is dressed up as a mock coal executive, complete with smudg-

Daily Planet Staff Photos

es. At bottom right in foreground wearing a gray shirt is French Broad Riverkeeper Hartwell Carson, giving safety instructions.

HENDERSONVILLE 697-9686 1911 Four Seasons Blvd.

ASHEVILLE 254-6007 960 Patton Ave.

Asheville Daily Planet â&#x20AC;&#x201D; November 2012 - 3

4 —November 2012 - Asheville Daily Planet

Police chief’s probe finds no violations at topless rally From Staff Reports

A complaint filed by local conservatives against the Asheville Police Department regarding actions — or lack thereof — by its officers against purported violations during an Aug. 26 GoTopless event in downtown Asheville was investigated and found to have no merit, APD Chief William J. Anderson announced on Oct. 16. In response, Dr. Carl Mumpower, who filed the complaint on behalf of local conservatives, expressed deep disappointment with Anderson’s probe. Mumpower noted that the complaint was filed “for enforcement failures during the rally. There were more officers than topless participants. We provided photo doumentation. In the response from the chief, he notes no failures on the part of his officers. We beg to disagree.” When pressed for further comment, Mumpower e-mailed the following statement to the Daily Planet: “I’m neither surprised nor discouraged by the response by city police authorities and the district attorney. “It was predictable. Job one for most public officials is

protecting themselves —- everything else comes later. “We live in a time where a majority of Americans are terrified of accountability. The pictures tell the story of what went on and the fact that the police outnumbered the topless ladies and they still chose to ignore the sexual performances that occurred. “We turned on the lights and cut attendance by 80 percent at this year’s frat boy street party. I’m not greedy,” Mumpower concluded. Meanwhile, Anderson wrote to Mumpower, “The purpose of this letter is to advise you that the complain submitted on August 29, 2012 concerning the actions of members of the Asheville Police Department during the Go Topless event has been investigated. “The investigation has been reviewed by supervisory personnel, including the department’s command staff. North Carolina General Statute 160A – 168 requires that information regarding personnel actions, including actions taken as a result of an internal investigation, are not public record and cannot be released,” the APD chief noted. “The department did not find any evidence of any officer

witnessing the acts described in your complaint. The department also consulted with the Buncombe County district attorney, who was briefed on your complaint and viewed the evidence provided. “The district attorney did not find any evidence of offenses he felt could be prosecuted. “The Asheville Police Department takes all citizen concerns and complaints seriously. Citizen complaints and other employee actions are tracked to assist in monitoring employee conduct and improving customer service. “Each situation involving a complaint also provides an opportunity to review with employees the department’s guiding principles and our expectations of them to provide service to the public in a professional manner. “The Asheville Police Department is committed to excellence through our guiding principles of integrity, fairness, respect and professionalism. With the assistance of citizen feedback, the Asheville Police Department is able to constantly improve police service. Our Mission is to provide the highest level of police service in partnership with the community to enhance the quality of life.”

A billboard sign financed by the BCGOP makes fun of Asheville Councilman Gordon Smith, depicting him as a zombie. However, the BCGOP said no complaints were received on the message.

Women

Continued from Page 1 Continuing, West, the party’s communications director, said, “The fact is, the BCGOP has not sent a single attack mailer, period. “We have not received any money from Raleigh” or other outside interests, he noted. “They’re either misinformed and incompetent” about the alleged mailers, or “they’re deliberately misleading people ... I think they’re deliberately misleading people to fire up the base. That’s clearly based on that they don’t have any policies to run on... They’re trying to muster up a cause.” Further, West asserted, “Jane (Whilden) has sent out six glossy mailers I know of ... attacking (Rep.) Tim Moffitt,” her opponent. “The Sierra Club — an outside interest — is helping her.” Regarding the complaint by Democratic women against the BCGOP, West said, “We don’t feel bad about putting together a fun ad at Halloween, mocking a political figure,” such as Whilden or County Commissioner Holly Jones. West added that the BCGOP mocked Asheville City Councilman Gordon Smith, a male Democrat, on a billboard — and nobody complained. Regarding the Power of 5 Women’s contention that the BCGOP’s actions could discourage women in the future from running for office, West said, “It doesn’t matter” that someone who is the target of his party is a woman, noting that the BCGOP does not

Write a Letter to the Editor

The Asheville Daily Planet print letters to the editor, preferably less than 150 words in length. All letters must be signed and include a daytime telephone number for confirmation purposes only. Send your opinions to Asheville Daily Planet, P.O. Box 8490, Asheville, N.C. 28814-8490 or e-mail them to letters@ AshevilleDailyPlanet.com.

believe in gender discrimination. “Gender equality is just that,” West said. “It doesn’t make any difference whether they’re a man or woman. It’s irrelevant to us.” Meanwhile, in the Power of 5 Women statement, Wisley said, “One must have a thick skin to become involved in politics. Things get heated on the campaign trail with so much at stake. Our women leaders are tough and have bravely entered the political fray despite the outsider attack money pouring into our county. However, the recent communications coming out of the Buncombe County GOP have gone from heated to downright degrading, despicable

The Power of Five group recently complained about what it alleges is the BCGOP’s abuse of local women candidates, including this design for a billboard sign involving County Commissioner Holly Jones, with a crown Photoshopped onto her head. The BCGOP decided not to use this message. and unethical. It is one thing to oppose someone’s policy; it is quite another for an official political organization to release Photoshopped filth and false insinuations of phony scandals through their official Facebook and Twitter pages. “I would be willing to bet that people behind these vicious smears are not women. We women of Buncombe County stand together tonight to say ENOUGH! We have had enough of the slander and hatred. And we want to appeal to all the women of Bun-

combe County — no matter what your party affiliation — to put yourselves in Jane’s and Holly’s shoes and do not reward the Buncombe County Republican Party and their big-money allies from Raleigh for using unethical tactics.” Wisley concluded, “Above all, today, we call on the Buncombe County Republicans and their allies to quit lying and hiding and to stop degrading our dedicated, capable women leaders. We’ve had enough!”

Published monthly by Star Fleet Communications Inc. 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:

News: news@ashevilledailyplanet.com Letters to the Editor: letters@ashevilledailyplanet.com Display Advertising: advertising@ashevilledailyplanet.com Classified line ads: classads@ashevilledailyplanet.com Circulation: circulation@ashevilledailyplanet.com Publisher: publisher@ashevilledailyplanet.com

To subscribe to the Asheville Daily Planet, send check or money-order to: P.O. Box 8490, Asheville, N.C. 28814-8490 One-year local subscription (Asheville, Buncombe County, N.C., only)..............................$35 One-year out of area subscription (outside of Asheville, Buncombe County, N.C., but inside the United States).........................................................$50 One-year outside U.S. subscription (outside U.S.)..................................................................................$100 Copyright 2012 by Asheville Daily Planet. Advertising copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. The Asheville Daily Planet is available free throughout Western North Carolina. Limit one copy per person. Additional copies may be purchased for $1 per copy, payable at the ADP office in advance. No person may, without prior permission, take more than one copy of each issue.

Asheville Daily Planet — November 2012 - 5

VOTE FOR DICKIE’S your hometown salvage store celebrating 22 years of business

because we understand that groceries are like gasoline — the prices always seem to get higher, so we’re going to give YOUR WALLET A BREAK!

Trucks arrive daily

Boxes of Cereals ...

Nothing over $149

DICKIE’S FOODS Buy, Sell, Salvage Foods & Overruns 64-oz. Orange Juice

98¢

RICE SALE

Hamburger Helpers

Whole-grain “dirty” Large selection of herb 1-lb. roll of Sausage Fried rice 34-oz. spray-cleaning 98¢/lb Chicken and herb supplies................. 98¢ Couscous 27-oz. can of Peaches Risotto All labels of Cereal Bars, reg. & organic 75¢ ea. or $8/case Cajun “dirty” rice Gumbo dinner kit 98¢ Rice, vegetables Buy, sell, Salvage Foods & Overruns

DICKIES FOODS

10-lb. box of Regular Pork Chops ....... $1500 All Potato Chips and Snack Items

49¢ to 98¢

All Salad Dressings and Mayonnaise

98¢ each

28-oz. cans of Tomatoes, organic & reg..................... 98¢ 10-lb. box of Pork Rib Pieces......... $1500 2.5-lb. pack of Smoked Sausage ... $5

Product constantly changing (10 ﬂavors to choose from)

98¢

Scalloped Potatoes 98¢

Boyd‛s Bargains

Concentrated dish 1-l.b pack of Hot Dogs detergent, laundry 49¢ to 98¢ 98¢ detergent and fabric 2-1/2-lb. pack of softener.......$700/gal. 2-lb. bags Smoked Sausages of precooked #1 1114 Hansel Ave., Asheville, Ph. 253-4415 3 ﬂavorsPh. —686-5852 spicy, pineapChicken#2Tenders Candy bars, Energy 308 Patton Cove Rd., Swannanoa, ple bacon, regular smoked Chicken#3Breasts 1512 Charlotte Hwy., Fairview, Ph. 826-0834 Bars, Nutri Bars, 00 Chicken Nuggets $5 sausage........................... Snack Bars 5/$100 Owner Buzzy Plemmons 98 $3 SalvageThai refers only to Asian, and Curry –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– slight dents in cans or Macaroni and Cheese Roasted Garlic DinDickie‛s #1 boxes. They are the 00 ners..................98¢ 2/$1 specializes in bulk same brands found in supermarket. foods for nursing Thanks to everyone whoany shops at Dickie’s. Contents guaranteed Buy, sell, Salvage Foodsall&100% Overruns The Plemmons family sure appreciates your business! homes, day-cares Buy, sell, Salvage Foods & Ove All items have been rigidly inspected and restaurants. by us and are passed for sale.

3 LOCATIONS

DICKIES FOODS DICKIES FOO 3 LOCATIONS

3 LOCATIONS

Out of date product guaranteed by us. BULK FOODS CHEAP! If not satisfied, return product #1 1114 Hansel Ave., Asheville, Ph.for 253-4415 full refund. #1 1114 Hansel Ave., Asheville, Ph. 253-4415

#2 308 Patton Cove Rd., Swannanoa, Ph. 686-5852 #3 1512 Charlotte Hwy., Fairview, Ph. 826-0834

All stores #2 308 Patton Cove Rd.,accept Swannanoa,EBT Ph. 686#3 1512Se Charlotte Hwy., Fairview, Ph. 826-083 habla español

Visit our web site at Owner Buzzy Plemmons DickiesHalfPriceFoods.com Salvage refers only to

Owner Buzzy Plemmons

6 - November 2012 - Asheville Daily Planet

5 county candidates air views at Civitan forum From Staff Reports

J.B. Howard, who is retired from the The Asheville Civitan Club hosted a lun- State Highway Pacheon forum featuring candidates for chair- trol and now runs a man of the Buncombe County Board of private investigation Commissioners and Commission District firm, said, “Now Mr. 1 at Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Gantt ... didn’t mention that he moved to Asheville on Oct. 16. “This is not a debate, it’s a forum,” Ed Asheville and ran his Sheary, Civitas forum organizer and moder- business out of the ator, said in opening the one-hour program. back of his Pinto for He explained that each candidate would be a year” until he built given 10 minutes to explain his or her goals up his legal practice, and aspirations and then the floor would be enabling him to work J.B. Howard opened up for a maximum of five-minutes out of an office. However, Howard of questions from Civitan members. Featured were Democrat David Gantt, added, “Try living out of a rucksack,” as he had. The challenger noted that Gantt “talked chairman of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners and his Republican chal- of accomplishments ... What I don’t agree lenger, J.B. Howard; and Democrats Holly with is paying astronomical amounts of Jones and Brownie Newman and Republi- money to bring new businesses here and let can Don Guge, vying for two seats for Dis- local businesses die. That’s cruel.” What’s more, Howard charged that the trict 1 of the expanded board. Jones is the Board of Commissioners is “like a teenager lone incumbent. Starting with the race for chair, Gantt, an with a credit card ... Somebody has to pay Asheville lawyer, said that “the most press- for that ... Unless someone can get in there ing issue (in the county) is jobs ... These are to cut spending,” future generations will be probably the toughest times people have saddled with bills from what Howard conknown since the Great Depression.” He also tended was reckless spending. “Instead of paying some beer company emphasized the value of education. He urged everyone not to give up on $8 million bucks to come here,” that money manufacturing and assume China will take could have been used for improving schools it over, noting that the board did well in re- and for “children going hungry” in Buncruiting Linamar to fill the old Volvo plant in combe. Howard lamented that Asheville is known the county. Linamar, Gantt said, will bring a as “beer city” and said, “I’m deadset against minimum of 400 new, good-paying jobs. At the same time, Gantt emphasized that zoning.” He said once zoning is approved, “there’s string attached” with Linamar as freedom in that sphere is gone forever. Howard was asked only one question: “If well as New Belgium Brewery, whereby Buncombe’s first incentive payment to the you’re against zoning, what would you relatter will not be made until 2016 to ensure place it with?” “I’d let builders use deed restrictions to that it comes through with its promised jobs control land management,” Howard replied. and investment. For the commissioners 1 seats, Guge said, With a note of pride, Gantt said Buncombe has the lowest unemployment rate of “There a lot to my past. I’ve been a very active individual ... I’m a detective with the any county in North Carolina. Regarding questions he anticipated on Woodfin Police Department, with 22 years’ the handling of taxpayers’ money, he said, experience in law enforcement.” He said law “Our debt is 9 percent of the 100 percent enforcement has been a family tradition. “I also opened up a gun shop. I started it capacity we have to borrow.” Specificially, he said Buncombe has the equivalent of a with zero money. It took me 13 years, but it is my retirement.” $63,000 mortgage on a $200,000 home. Guge added, “If you can’t tell from my “We have a AAA (bond) rating. That means we broowed money or refinanced all accent, I’m from the (Swain County) mountains of North Carolina. of our debt at 1.7 percent.” He noted that he earned a bachelor’s de“We going to continue to do the right things and work hard to keep the county in a gree from Clemson University. While attending Clemson, Guge said he was in the good (financial) situation.” Gantt added that “30 years ago, we were U.S. Army Reserves” and out of college in the ‘Dirty Dozen’ of the (counties in) the became a law enforcement officer and then, United States” in which the schools were in as a member of the Army Reserves, seved a “bad condition ... We’ve built a lot of schools” tour of duty in Iraq and other places in the Middle East. and upgraded facilities, such as libraries. “I came back and remained in law en“Out in Woodfin, we just opened a $5.7 million public training facility,” Gantt said. forcement and got a master’s in public affairs “We have 150 fewer (county) employees at Western Carolina University,” he said. Turning to the present, Guge said, “An than we did 15 years ago,” mainly thanks hour ago, I was on the streets of Woodfin to technology. “So there’s a lot of good things happen- with a bullet-proof vest on — we’re shorting here,” Gantt said. “We’ve got a good handed.” Afterward, he said he would don the bullet-proof vest and resume patroling commission, but we can always get better. In a question-and-answer period after- Woodfin’s streets. “Mr. Gantt talks about working out of his ward, a man asked: How much of the counPinto” in his early days in Asheville. “He ty’s retirement has been funded? “We have a very good retirement sys- didn’t tell it today, but I love that story.” As a commissioner, Guge said, “I want tem,” Gantt replied. “So it’s completed funded?” the man to help people be proud of their achievements... I agree with Mr. Gantt and Mr asked in a follow-up. Howard that jobs is the issue.” “Yes, sir,” Gantt said. He termed A-B Tech one of “the most Another man asked Gantt about the ramioutstanding community colleges in America. fication of the AAA bond rating. “We’re the fifth (county) in the state” to Also, it is one of only two (state) community earn the highest rating, Gantt said. “Wanda colleges accredited to train SBI agents.... “I want to bring in jobs. We’ve got a lot Greene is a brilliant county manager. I think when you have good people, you give them of empty buidlings in this county ... A lot of guidelines on what you expect and then get times, when you’re talking about jobs in this region, they’re talking about tourism jobs., out of the way.”

Holly Jones which are often minimum-wage jobs. “I can tell you I’m a conservative, God-fearing and I’ve stood on my own two feet for a long time,” Guge said. During a question-and-answer period, someone drew laughter from the crowd when he asked Guge, “What are you going to do for me?” “Folks, what I want to do is what you want,” a smiling Guge replied, diplomatically. More specifically, he said, “I want the lowest possible tax rate and the least amount of responsibility put on our taxpayers. “I believe in smaller government, but I’m all for bettering someone else becomes it comes back” to the taxpayers. “I’m tired of our young people having to leave the county for jobs,” Guge said. “Folks, I left Swain County because there were no jobs.” Jones, who is seeking to keep her seat on the commission, said the Civitan Club makes her “see the words, ‘civil, civil, civil.’ We keep forgetting how important civil, respectful dialogue is. “As many of you may know, I’ve been part of an uncivil dialogue” with the Buncombe County Republican Party, “so I appreciate your civility.” Jones noted that she moved to Buncombe more than a decade ago to serve as the chief of the YWCA in Asheville. “Many people might not understand that nonprofits (receive funds) from a wide variety of revenue streams,” she said. “Over 50 percent of our budget is earned revenue.” She added, “I am a product of public education in North Carolina. My Mom was a schoolteacher. So education is one of the fundamentals I will continue to fight for.” Jones said she holds both an undergraduate in public policy and a graduate degree in public health from UNC Chapel Hill. After college, she served overseas for a period, which Jones said she considers an experience that broadened her horizons. She noted that she served on Asheville City Council before winning a seat on the Buncombe commissioners. “I’m one who recognizes the importance of collaboration,” Jones said. The three values driving her in the campaign include transparency, innovation and collaboration, she noted. “We will be shooting ourselves in the foot if we don’t try to work with everyone,” she said. “The relationship with the (neighboring) municipalities, I think, is good.....” Someone then asked Jones about where she would stand on converting to a system of install runoff elections. “I think it’s an important conversation to have,” Jones replied. “The amount that we paid for the runoff (recently) was probably fairly astronomical. I am open to a continued dialogue on that.” Jones also was asked which project would she take the most pride in from her years on City Council and the Board of Commissioners. “Investments in affordable housing,” Jones answered. “Right now, I’m very excited about what’s happening on Eagle Street,” David Gantt

Brownie Newman

Don Guge

where big plans are in place to refurbish what traditionally was the business and social center of Asheville’s African-Americans. Brownie Newman, a former two-term Asheville councilman who is seeking a commissioners seat, noted that he moved to Asheville to attend school at nearby Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa. He now is a partner in FLS Energy, a solar energy development company, with offices fronting on the French Broad River in Asheville’s River Arts District. Regarding his time as a councilman, Newman said, “I’m proud of a lot of the things we accomplished on City Council. When we come together, we can accomplish great things. “We set a goal of reducing fossil fuel consumption by 8 percent ... We aggressively pursued that goal. When it was time to replace our old fleet of diesel vehicles, we replaced it with much more fuel-efficient vehicles.” Newman also said council during his tenure began “replacing all the streetlights in Asheville with new energy-efficient LED lights, saving taxpayers $650,000 per year. “There’s a lot to be proud of here,” Newman said. “Bringing Linamar here” was a good day. “The loss of Volvo — that was a bad day, but we got someone in the Volvo building that I think will be here a long time. “I’m also supportive of upgrading the riverfront. New Belgium (Brewery) is going to invest over $100 million to upgrade the riverfront in its new location in the RAD, he said. He also spoke of Asheville’s investment in fixing what he termed its “long-neglected water system.” Newman praised the Housing Trust Initiative, where “we’ve reduced chronic homelessness in Asheville. “I think these are all things we can accomplish when people come together,” he said. During the questioning after his talk, Newman spoke of the program to perform home repairs for needy senior citizens, noting, “Spending a couple thousand dollars might be cheaper (for taxpayers) in the long-run to keep someone in their home.”

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. Send mail to: Letters, Asheville Daily Planet P.O. Box 8490, Asheville, NC 28814 Send e-mail to: letters@ashevilledailyplanet.com

Asheville Daily Planet —November 2012 — 7

Hot band warms up a cold night

OBAMA YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES

The local party band Crocodile Smile performed the last of the season’s outdoor concert series on the evening of Oct. 20 at Biltmore Park’s Town Square in South

Daily Planet Staff Photo

Asheville. The evening was chilly, but the band still drew a dedicated crowd of music-lovers to the park in front of Hickory Tavern and Brixx Wood-Fired Pizza.

PICK A SIDE VS.

ROMNEY

Same-Sex Marriage Taxpayer-Funding Abortion Appoint Anti-Gun Supreme Court Justices Violation of Religious Belief by Mandating Contraceptive Coverage Abortion on Demand Cut Medicare by $716 Billion Cap and Trade Carbon Tax Obamacare More of the Same Economic Stimulus that Has Failed to Create Lasting Jobs No Balanced Budget Amendment Raise Taxes U.N. Treaty on Gun Control $16 Trillion in National Debt More than 23 million Unemployed More than 46 million on Food Stamps

YES WE CAN, BUT IT IS WRONG

Paid by: Venture Investments, LLC

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

8 - November 2012 - Asheville Daily Planet

Asheville Daily Planet skyrockets to all-time record pressrun

of 12,000 newspapers with its November 2012 edition! Thanks for reading us, Asheville and Western North Carolina ... and thanks to our loyal advertisers.

Asheville Daily Planet — November 2012 — 9

Dangers of interruption-rich lifestyle cited The second in a series of two stories

By JOHN NORTH

john@ashevilledailyplanet.com

Many people are so addicted to their 24/7 access to information that the “first thing they do when they get up in the morning is to check their smartphone or computer,” authorthinker Nicholas Carr observed during a talk in Asheville recently. “If we accept the fact that our brains do change,” as the result of using technology, “then it will have a profound effect” in how human beings choose to adapt, he said. Carr discussed the findings in his New York Times best-seller, “The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains,” during an address Sept. 28 at A-B Tech’s Ferguson Auditorium. About 100 people attended the program hosted by Lenoir-Rhyne University’s Center for Graduate Studies of Asheville. With laptop computers and smartphones, “it places us in an information-rich environment ... We, as human beings, like to know what’s going on around us.” However, he also said people today are in “an interruption-rich environment,” too. With the Internet, he said human beings have 24/7 access to information. “Just think of our conception of time ... Never before have we trained ourselves to instantaneous responses” to information. From what was once a matter of hours, people now measure sending and receiving information in microseconds, he said. “One of the big things (now) is interactivity — interacting with the technology,” Carr said. “In many respects, these are good things.” Yet, he said, “The dark side of the Internet is, all these things we like so much is ... It’s in an interruption-rich environment.” As a result, the technology is resulting a quick shift in focus, such as is experienced in video games, he said. “This is really the environment we find ourselves in any time we go on-line — and it rewards that. “But what about all the types of thinking that requires attentiveness? The Internet is designed to discourage attentive thinking... It discourages sustained attention,” which, Carr said “used to be considered the highest form of thinking.” As an example, he cited Rodin’s “The Thinker,” wherein the artists’s sculpture portrays a man apparently lost in deep thought. With a smile, Carr said, “I don’t know what the guy is thinking as he’s sitting there, but I’m pretty sure he’s not thinking about composing a tweet.” The crowd laughed at his joke. The author then turned to what he termed “compusive consumption.” Carr said the average page view time on the Internet is 21 seconds, with most pages viewed in less than 10 seconds. In the meantime, he said that in-box glances average 30 to 40 times per hour, which is 10 times what those in a study thought they were doing and “each glance is a little break in your train of thought.” He said teens average sending 3,300 text messages per month — and more than 400 text messages for teenage girls. Carr also said there is a disturbing trend from “page to stream.... “We’ve adopted this technology that’s basically interrupting us all of the time,” he said. “It’s e-mail, texting, Facebook.... When you look at that, you see people in a perpetual state of distraction. “You see more evidence of this if you see how people look at text on-line.” To that end, Carr said people traditionally read text in an “F” pattern. “On the one hand,

Nicholas Carr

there’s nothing inherently wrong with this. What’s different though, is this is the normal default way we read on the Internet. “We just want to get the gist of things, versus paying attention to the meaning of individual

words and sentences.” In speaking of what he called “the brain’s bottleneck,” Carr said, “Maybe what’s important is exchanging as much information as possible ... What it ignores is how we create memory.” He said there are two kinds of memory — working and long-term. “Working memory is what you’re aware of moment to moment through the day... You can hold only two to four elements in your bain... Long-term memory is whatever you can remember through your life.” After a pause, Carr asserted, “What’s really important in your intellectual life is what you put in long-term memory. “If you don’t move information from working memory to long-term memory, your knowledge is superficial. The way you moe information from working memory is by paying attention.” Instead of building long-term memory, he said high-tech users are experiencing cognitive overload wherein “we’re taking things

in and out of working memory that we’re unable so fast that we’re unable to store it in long-term memory.” He added, “It’s a state we live in all of the time. It cuts us off from the ability to pay attention. It cuts us off from creative and intellectual thought... So, we process information more quickly, but also more superficially. “Multi-tasking erodes cognitive skills. On all six of the cognitive tests, the multi-taskers did worse” than others. Carr also pointed out that those who frequently use high-tech devices lose their ability “to distinguish trivial information from important information. “Heavy on-line users are ‘suckers for irrelevancy,’” Carr said, citing research by Clifford Nass. “What this shows is, the more time we

spend on-line, the newest of the information becomes the most important,” he noted. “The more you multi-task, the worse you get at it.” He said multi-taskers are “not doing anything particularly well. They’re expending their energy focus, shifting from task to task.” He quoted researcher Patricia Greenfield in a 2009 Science magazine article,who said, “We’re making a fundamental congitive trade-off,” as screen media strengthens visual-spatial intelligence (the ability to spot patterns) at the expense of mindful knowledge acquisition, inductive analysis, critical thinking, imagination and reflection.” In his own estimation, Carr said, “These things” that Greenfield cites seem to be “the most important to to have a vibrant, progressive culture” — and while the Internet’s benefits are enormous, it also has a down side.

The ‘Doomsday Preppers’ headquarters for Asheville and Western North Carolina!

* Navy SEALs * Special Forces Airborne * U.S. Army Rangers

This program is highly unique in that it combines years of mountain survival methods and tips with proven Special Operations Tactical Survival Training, as well as special procedures designed for many emergency contingencies and scenarios. In chaos, the only certainty is uncertainty!! Be prepared!! The degree you are prepared can be the degree you will survive!!

For Details: Dale @ 828-736-5511

Green Beret military Special Ops tactical training specialist — military and civil —

10 - November 2012 - Asheville Daily Planet

With U.S. collapse looming, get ready now, expert says The second in a series of two stories

From Staff Reports WAYNESVILLE — A class on “Being Prepared” was among the dozens offered during the Life Skills Conference held Sept. 28-29 at the Haywood County Fairgrounds. Led by Preston Ingalls, about 50 people attended the two-hour program, which was held Sept. 29. Ingalls said he has been a prepper — or “survivalist” as was the term until recently — since the early 1980s and he is the leader of a prepper group that has a retreat. Ingalls said the evidence of impending financial catastrophe in the United States “is esclating ... The best scenario is a deflational environment” and the worst “is a collapse of the financial system.” He added, “The government is ready — are you?” Specifically, Ingalls said, “It’s kind of spooky when you start looking at the statistics... Why do you think the United States government is buying” up ammunition? It’s that they don’t want you to have all these rounds.” Next, Ingalls said the U.S. unemployment statistics are misleading. “What’s not in those statistics?” he asked. He then said the underemployed and long-term unemployed are not included in the figure, making the jobless situation seem better than it is. If a collapse occurred, where should someone go and what should that individual do? he queried. “Find some property and surround yourself with like-minded people,” Ingalls advised. “I don’t believe the world is going to end. I think it’s going to be different and people will have a different lifestyle.” Ideally, he said one would band together with “14 or 15 families,” the minimal size “to be able to sustain themselves and their families.” For a retreat, he said key characteristics would include a good Southern exposure for passive solar heating and crop growth, be up against a mountain or on top of a hill where it could be defended, have a flowing, year-round stream or creek for an alternative water source and mini-hydro power, and be well-hidden from all roads. “When the nukes (nuclear reactors) run out of fuel, they will melt down,” Ingalls said. Therefore, he noted that his own rule is to have no retreat within 60 miles of a nuclear reactor. With a grin, he noted that “there is no course at Duke (University) or N.C. State on ‘Retreat Management 101.’” To that end, he said many hippie communes, survivalist retreats and other such alternative communities fail because “they don’t enact bylaws.” Also, Ingalls said that “strong leadership” is needed, “but not autocratic leadership.” Building group dynamics is important for a group at a retreat, he said. For instance, “We’ll cook as a group — not individually. It’s more efficient for the food” and builds camaraderie. In his camp, “all teens must become firearms-proficient,” along with all adults, Ingalls said. “We are prepared to use legal force to protect ourselves.” In his “group,” the person who has the lenthiest drive to reach the retreat is five hours away. Ingalls said that two to two and a half hours is a good average driving distance from a retreat. “We require everyone to have a mobilization map, Ingalls noted. “We have a Plan A, B and C. In business, they say to have a Plan A and B. We require a Plan C, too.” Someone asked how far back in time one must go to be ensured of having an “EMP-

proof” vehicle. “Anything in the ‘70s and early ‘80s” should still function in the event of an electromagnetic pulse, Ingalls replied, in reference to motor vehicles. In addressing what he termed “minimal expectations” for what one desiring to join a Preston Ingalls retreat group should have, Ingalls listed six months of stored food “for everyone in your family,” up to two medium-sized water filters and “no less than $150 in barter items.” Ingalls added, “Wear subdued clothing. We don’t encourage camouflage, except for hunters...” He also said that his group requires that “each family must have at least one windup watch.” In general, he said those preparing for catastrophe should have “sufficient water filtration for a six months’ supply of water, gas masks and a 10-day supply of potassium iodate,” the latter of which are anti-radiation pills. Each male in group must have an AR-15 rifle and a 9-mm handgun as primary weapons, as well as a .22 rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun, while each woman must have a 9-mm handgun or a .38 revolver, Ingalls said. In regarding the possibility of an EMP attack, he said “we fabricated a Farraday Cage to store (the group’s) electronic equipment,” which was wrapped in aluminum foil. “Protect what you have stored,” he stressed. “In a sudden ‘down’ situation, we know that the (grocery and hardware) stores will be emptied in two to three days,” Ingalls said. “Restaurants, distribution centers and other food preparation or storage faciltities will be emptied in one or two weeks.” Given that “there are 90 weapons for every 100 Americans,” 33,000 street gangs with 1.4 million members and “a 40 percent increase in activity (street gang violence) in the last three years, the ability to defend oneself will be critical to survival. “Gangs are responsible for 48 percent of the violent crime” in the U.S., Ingalls said, citing FBI statistics. “You had better be prepared to protect what you have store with a hardened resolve,” he noted. “It is an easy choice to deal with ‘bad guys,’ but what about ‘good bad guys.’” a reference to those in uniform, either law enforcement or the military? “The ‘bad guys’ will probably be coming through the woods” in an attack, but “the ‘good bad guys’ will be coming through the gate, under martial law,” Ingalls said. Therefore, he said a retreat mantra is “Keep it hidden... They can only seize what they can find.” To that end, he recommended stocking a fully supplied redoubt that yone can go back to, in case the retreat is overtaken. “Have multiple layers of defense ... lots of signs ... tell them you’re prepared to shoot.” Ingalls also recommended having a secondary ring involving an early-warning system. “When will they (the bad guys) come? When you least expect them. They usually prefer pre-dawn.” The general theory in attacking a retreat is to “take advanage of the darkness (at pre-dawn) to attack and the light (later) to mop up... “When does the watchtower go up? When the bad things come down” on society, Ingalls said, advising that it be placed in a central location within a retreat.

Vote for J.B. Howard for chairman of the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners

“As your county Chairman, I will endeavor to apply sound business and leadership principles to the administration of the affairs of the county. “I believe strongly that we should live within our means and stop the ﬂow of our grandchildren’s money for solidiﬁcation of political power. “Instead of continuing to increase taxes, we need to apply our tax revenue to creating jobs by investing in local small businesses who in turn create multiple jobs as they grow.” — J.B. Howard

Why vote for J.B. Howard:

For several years, our elected County Commissioners have run roughshod over the majority of county citizens, disregarding the voters wishes to appease a select few. These commissioners continue to use the failed policies of spending our way to prosperity. This board belongs to the citizens and the sleight of hand politics and steadfast allegiance to the waste of our resources have to end.

Positive Action:

As your elected chairman, J.B. Howard will demand a review of policies now in effect and those which are obsolete or for the beneﬁt of a select few will be dropped by the wayside. • A procedure will be implemented to treat all our citizens throughout the county equally. • A review of department heads performance shall be conducted as well as their salaries in an attempt to achieve parity in line with his or her responsibility. • Elected department heads will be required to justify their requested budgets. • The tolerance for waste will not be acceptable. • There will be no creative budgetary maneuvers! • Vendors will be selected because of their work product quality. •Using proactive management and a business model will lead to direct savings which can be applied toward assisting and growing small businesses. Paid for by J.B. Howard for County Commissioners Chairman

We are your source for:

Long-term food storage Special orders for Augason Farms glutenfree products available

√ Berkey Water puriﬁers √ Oil lamps and accessories √ MREs √ Dehydrators √ Pressure canners √ Canning supplies

Carolina Readiness Supply Inc. Will you be ready when the lights go out?

72 Montgomery St. Waynesville, N.C. 28786

(828) 456-5310

www.carolinareadiness.com

I got spew, babe

You wrote in your column, “Men, especially, are compelled to ditch what’s chasing them and chase what’s trying to ditch them.” It seems you’re advising that the simple desire to love a man must be approached without authenticity and personal integrity. Must a woman really scheme to get a man, using a painfully conscious strategy based on men’s psychological makeup, and wait and wait like Cinderella until he reaches out to her? — Truth-Teller For a woman of character, honesty is the best policy — except when judicious honesty is a better policy, like on the second date, when you refrain from telling a guy that you and he should pick out side-by-side burial plots: “The moment I saw you, I just knew I wanted to decompose next to you!” You think of employing restraint as “scheming.” Um, scheming is talking a guy into a $10 million insurance policy and then sending him skydiving with a busted parachute. The notion that it’s morally bankrupt to refrain from chasing a man is an idea out of some future gender-neutral utopia where everyone wears “Star Trek” uniforms, eats single little cubes of lunch, and grows babies in a Mason jar in their front room. As I’ve written before, any sexual encounter had a hefty potential cost for a woman during the Stone Age — a particularly crappy time to be a single mother. Because of this, women evolved to be choosier about partners, and men coevolved to expect that of them. Times have changed, but our psychology really hasn’t. So, when a woman throws herself at a man like a big flopping flounder, he’s likely to duck — suspecting that she probably isn’t worth having (for anything beyond a quick romp) if she’s so easy to get. This is unfortunate, but whining endlessly about it is an ineffective strategy for getting what you want, unless what you want are polyps on your vocal cords. What you’re really arguing for is, “Why shouldn’t I be able to throw all self-discipline out the window and have the man I want drop down my chimney like Santa?” In a similar vein, I often wonder why I’ve been unable to become incredibly wealthy by napping. (Welcome to real life. Please visit often in the future.) The answer is neither throwing yourself at a man nor waiting for him to notice that you dropped your glass slipper. You flirt to indicate that you’d be interested in going out with him, if only he’d ask. Flirting takes patience and self-control, but it isn’t exactly a horrible chore. It’s playful and fun. Kind of like tag. You run a little, and if all goes well, the guy chases you. Men just love to chase things — women, animals, purse-snatchers. In the U.K., they even have a tradition of chasing a big wheel of cheese down a hill. Wait — don’t get ideas. You will need to flip your hair and make eye contact and teasing remarks. You can’t just throw yourself down a grassy incline.

Wife imagines splendor ... in the grass cuttings

I married a domineering man 20 years my senior. We have two college-age kids. I’ve spent the past 22 years (half my life) navigating his ill-temperedness and high expectations, and my life is often chaotic and unhappy. For nine months, I’ve been infatuated with my super-hot 25-year-old co-worker, “Dax.” I’ve tried

The Advice Goddess

Asheville Daily Planet — November 2012 — 11

$200

Amy Alkon

to distance myself, but my husband met Dax, saw how buff Dax is, and offered him a landscaping job at our home! Because my husband is such a jerk, I was sure he’d drive Dax away, but he and Dax have great rapport! Dax laughs off my husband’s snide comments and teases back and even flirts with me in front of him. He’s now joining us for dinner, my husband’s making him egg sandwiches in the morning, and my daughter called him “kinda like a sister.” I’m having intense sexual fantasies, and my marital love life has perked up because I’m constantly turned on. My rational mind says this is a runaway train, and my crush-addled brain is trying to arrange alone time with him. I fantasize that my hubby will run away with someone, so I can be with Dax. — Lust-Whacked Be careful what you wish for. The way things are going, it shouldn’t be long before you come down to the breakfast table and walk in on your husband cutting up egg sandwiches and playfully popping them in Dax’s mouth. In fact, it seems your cabana boy needs a sign-up sheet. When he isn’t busy removing his shirt in your backyard and letting sweat glisten on his taut pecs and drip down to his tight abs, he’s got tease-offs with your husband. Then, it’s off to the mall for a little shoe shopping with your daughter — before sitting down for the family dinner. An aspiring two-timing wife just can’t get a sex rendezvous in edgewise! So, your husband is “ill-tempered” and “domineering” — and apparently has been for 22 years. By all means, do nothing about that. (If only snubbing your problems would make them hang their little heads and slink away.) Of course, getting naked in the tool shed with a sexalicious lawnboy is loads more fun than getting emotionally naked with your husband and some disapproving therapist. The thing is, fair play in a marriage involves sticking to that boring “forsake all others” business until you’ve notified your spouse that you want out of your contract. And no, letting him catch you in bed with your lawn intern doesn’t count as notification. It isn’t too late to take the step you should’ve when you first started feeling miserable in your marriage — do that adult thing and use your words. Tell your husband how unhappy you are — in a way that motivates him to take action and makes him feel that he may lose you if he doesn’t change. Think of this as triggering a positive crisis — positive in that it gives you a shot at turning a despot into a husband and a dictatorship into a partnership. You may ultimately decide to end your marriage, but at least you’ll do it in a way that doesn’t leave your kids with a sordid story of how Mom left Dad for the lawn guy and then the lawn guy left Mom for a hot 22-year-old with crabgrass. • (c) 2012, 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 (advicegoddess.com). Weekly radio show: blogtalkradio.com/amyalkon

Invest in Your Future Through America’s Past

We buy and sell

U.S. Coins, Currency, Gold & Silver Bullion Integrity • Honesty • Reliability

Invest inYour Future

WNC’S oldest, full-service coin shop

Wright’s Coin Shop 1271 Sweeten Creek Road, Asheville

(828) 298-5402

Family-owned and operated for 38 years Family-owned and operated for 39 years

Invest in Your Future

12 - November 2012 - Asheville Daily Planet

Shelleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paranormal pg

Flanked by hungry vampires

Aspiring vampires Shelley Wright (left) and Niki Ingram flank tour guide Tadd McDivitt, as they get ready to take a bite out of him on Sept. 25 at the Masonic Temple in downtown Asheville. The action took place during Media Night that was held to publicize the soft opening of the new vampire and occult tour.

Scheduled on demand each evening, the in-depth tour goes all over downtown Asheville. The Asheville Mystery Museum, located in the basement of the Masonic Temple and Haunted Asheville Tours are owned by Joshua P. Warren. McDivitt and Warren are the only guides of the vampire and occult tours.

32 years of business leadership in Buncombe County!

Asheville Daily Planet — November 2012 — 13

Calendar

vocals, guitars and tight rhythms. The musicians, paraplegic men and boys who lived and played on the streets around the grounds of Kinshasa zoo in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. For tickets, which are $20 for the general public and $7 for students, visit uncatickets.com, or visit the Highsmith University Union front desk.

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.

Thursday, Nov. 1

Sunday, Oct. 28

“NUTCRACKER” PRODUCTION, 2 p.m., mainstage production, Flat Rock Playhouse, 2661 Greenville Hwy., Flat Rock. FRP will present a version of “The Nutcracker” in a new interpretation of the holiday all-dance classic through Dec. 22. Evening performances are Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and 2 p.m. matinees on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. For tickets, call 693-0731. “ROCKY HORROR” SHOW, 2 p.m., downtown stage for Flat Rock Playhouse, Main Street, downtown Hendersonville. The FRP will present its interpretation of “The Rocky Horror Show.” The show will be presented at 8 p.m. through Oct. 31, with no shows on Mondays and 2 p.m. matinees-only on Sundays. For tickets, which are $35, call 693-0731. CONCERT, 3 p.m., auditorium, Asheville High School, 419 McDowell St., Asheville. The Asheville Community Band will perform its fall concert, titled “Marches Around the World.” Admission is $8 for the general public and free for students.” CONCERT OF POETRY, 3 p.m., St. Matthias’ Church, 1 Dundee St., Asheville. A concert of poetry — written and read by Carol Bjorlie from her recent book, “Behind the Cello” woven with music by Rachmaninoff, Pablo Casals, Bach and others — will be performed by Bjorlie, along with Philip Dettra, pianist; and Leo Bjorlie, bassist. CONFERENCE, 5 p.m., Kanuga Conference Center, Hendersonville. The Lansing Lee Conference will be held through Oct. 30. The conference will open with a welcome social at Johnson Fireplace Lounge at 4 p.m. A mini-keynote will be held at 7:15. Activities will continue from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Oct 29 and from 7:30 a.m. to noon Oct. 30. Keynote addresses a— at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 29 and 9 a.m. Oct. 30 — will be given by Eric Meaxas, the New York TImes best-selling author of “Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy” and “Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery.” The conference’s theme is “Salt and Light: A Culturally Relevant Faith.” Metaxas’ keynote at the 2012 National Prayer Breakfast railed against “phony reliosity” and called on U.S. lawmakers to take Jesus’ teachings seriously. To register, visit kanuga.or or call 692-9136.

Monday, Oct. 29

HARRY POTTER PROGRAM, 7 p.m., Lenoir-

Singer Chubby Checker will perform at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 2 at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin. Rhyne Center for Graduate Studies of Asheville, 36 Montford Ave., Asheville. LR-U will host a talk from the Rev. Danielle Tumminio on “God and Harry Potter at Yale,” based on her book of the same title. Tumminio, an Episcopal priest and chaplain at Yale, will explore the theological theses in the Harry Potter series as well as her experiences teaching theology and “Harry Potter” at Yale. WEST COAST SWING CLASSES, 7:30 and 8 p.m., The Hangar, Clarion Hotel, Fletcher. Free beginners’ lessons for West Coast Swing will be held at 7:30, followed by intermediate lessons at 8 every Monday. The lessons are free. After the lessons, an open dance will be held. CONTRA DANCE, 8 p.m.,Grey Eagle, 185 Clingman Ave., Asheville. A contra dance is held weekly. Admission is $6.

Tuesday, Oct. 30

TANGO LESSON/DANCE, 6 p.m., Eleven on Grove, Grove House Entertainment Complex, 11 Grove St., downtown Asheville. Tango lessons will precede a dance. SWING LESSON/DANCE, 6:30 p.m., Club Eleven, Grove House Entertainment Complex, 11 Grove St., downtown Asheville. A lesson will be followed by a dance. SHAG DANCE, 7-10 p.m., The Hangar, Clarion Inn Airport, 550 Airport Road, Fletcher. The Mountain Shag Club’s weekly dance will feature a DJ. At 6:30 p.m., free lessons will be offered by Paul and Debbie Peterson. Admission is $5. CONCERT, 8 p.m., Lipinsky Auditorium, UNC Asheville. A Congolese band, Staff Benda Bilili, will perform what is billed as a unique blend of

“CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF” MUSICAL, 2 and 8 p.m., Main Stage, Flat Rock Playhouse, Flat Rock. “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” will be performed through Nov. 18. Tickets are $35. FILM SCREENING, 7 p.m., Regal Biltmore Grande Stadium 15 cinemas, Biltmore Park, Asheville. The movie “Silver Linings Playbook” will open the Asheville Cinema Festival, which runs through Nov. 4. “Silver” has emerged as a major Oscar candidate, after winning the BlackBerry People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. It stars Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro in a story about a former teacher who is fresh out of a a mental hospital and connecting with a mysterious woman with her own issues. It is scheduled for a Thanksgiving weekend wide release. On Nov. 2 and 3, films will be screened from morning to night at the Asheville Community Theatre at 35 E. Walnut St., and at the Masonic Lodge at 80 Broadway St. For the Nov. 2-3 listings, visit ashevillecinemafestival.com. “NAUGHTY BUT NICE!” SHOW, 7:30 p.m., 35below at Asheville Community Theatre, 35 E. Walnut St., downtown Asheville. The show “Naughty But Nice!” will be peformed through Nov 25 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m. There will be no Thanksgiving Day performance, but an added show will be presented at 2:30 p.m. Nov. 25. For tickets, which are $25, visit ashevilletheatre.org. CONTRA DANCE, 8 p.m., Bryson Gym, Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa. A contra dance is held weekly, preceded by beginner’s lessons at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $6.

Friday, Nov. 2

CHUBBY CHECKER CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, 1028 George Rd., Franklin. Rock icon Chubby Checker will perform in a “Let’s Do the Twist” concert. For tickets, which are $28-$36, visit GreatMountainMusic.com, or call (866) 273-4615.

Saturday, Nov. 3

GREEN PARTY MEETING, 10 a.m.-noon, Fortune Building, 729 Haywood Rd., Asheville. The Buncombe County Green Party will hold a business meeting. ROBOTICS COMPETITION, 12:30 p.m., Sherill Athletics Center, UNC Asheville. The WNC First Lego League Robotics Competition will feature 24 teams of 9-14 year olds from Western North Carolina competing with their robots to quality to attend the state competition in January. An awards ceremony will be held at 3:30 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 4

FILM SCREENING, 7 p.m., Regal Biltmore Grande Stadium 15 cinemas, Biltmore Park, Asheville. The film “Quartet,” the directorial debut of Hollywood acting great Dustin Hoffman, will be screened during the closing night of the Asheville Cinema Festival. The movie, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last month, is the story of a home for retired singers that is disrupted with the arrival of a former film star who is an eternal diva and former wife of a resident. Its stars inclue Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon and Tom Courtenay. The movie will not see wide release until January.

Monday, Nov. 5

CONCERT, 12:30 p.m., Brevard Music Center, Brevard. Pianist Craig Nies will perform in the First Mondays Concert Series. Admission is free. WEST COAST SWING CLASSES, 7:30 and 8 p.m., The Hangar, Clarion Hotel, Fletcher. Free beginners’ lessons for West Coast Swing will be held at 7:30, followed by intermediate lessons at 8 every Monday. The lessons are free. After the lessons, an open dance will be held. CONTRA DANCE, 8 p.m.,Grey Eagle. 185 Clingman Ave., Asheville. A contra dance is held weekly. Admission is $6.

Tuesday, Nov. 6

See CALENDAR, Page 14

14 - November 2012 - Asheville Daily Planet

Calendar

SWING LESSON/DANCE, 6:30 p.m., Club Eleven, Grove House Entertainment Complex, 11 Grove St., downtown Asheville. A lesson will be followed by a dance. SHAG DANCE, 7-10 p.m., The Hangar, Clarion Inn Airport, 550 Airport Road, Fletcher. The Mountain Shag Club’s weekly dance will feature a DJ. At 6:30 p.m., free lessons will be offered by Paul and Debbie Peterson. Admission is $5.

Continued from Page 13

Thursday, Nov. 8

AUTHOR’S PRESENTATION, 5 p.m., Friends Meeting Hall, Black Mountain. Israeli-American Mike Peled will discuss his book, “The General’s Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine.” Admission is free. THEATRICAL PRODUCTION, 7:30 p.m., Carol Belk Theatre, UNC Asheville. The play, “The Important of Being Earnest,” will be performed through Nov. 17. The play will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8-10, 2 p.m. Nov. 11 and at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 15-17. CONTRA DANCE, 8 p.m., Bryson Gym, Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa. A contra dance is held weekly, preceded by beginner’s lessons at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $6.

Thursday, Nov. 15

CONTRA DANCE, 8 p.m., Bryson Gym, Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa. A contra dance is held weekly, preceded by beginner’s lessons at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $6.

Friday, Nov. 16

Friday, Nov. 9

“UNCLE VANYA” SHOW, 2:30 p.m., 35below at Asheville Community Theatre, 35 E. Walnut St., downtown Asheville. The show “Uncle Vanya” will be peformed through Nov. 9-10 at 35below and Nov. 11 at UNC Ahseville’s Reuter Center. The show, based on Anton Checkhov’s work, is set at the turn of the 20th century and presents a tragicomic portrait of life on a country estate in Czarist Russia, reaching deeply into the heart of human experience. Caught in a web of misunderstandings, jealousies and affects, the members of an extended family poignantly struggle to face their disappointments and missed opportunities and to meet the future with courage and hope.Tickets are $5 and available at the door. VARIETY SHOW, 7:30 p.m., Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, 1028 George Rd., Franklin. The Lowe Family, versatile on many instruments, will offer a blend of classical, Broadway, Irish, jazz, bluegrass and old-time favorites, with dance and six-part harmony, gospel and a patriotic tribute. For tickets, which are $19-$24, call (866) 273-4615. DANCE PROGRAM, 7:30-9 p.m., Lipinsky Auditorium, UNC Asheville. “Everybody Can-Can,” UNCA’s 7th Annual Dance Progra/Manna Food Bank Food-Raiser, will be held.

Saturday, Nov. 10

CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., The Foundation Per-

The Congolese band Staff Benda Bilili will perform in concert at 8 p.m. Oct. 30 in UNC Asheville’s Lipinsky Auditorium. forming Arts Center, Isolthermal Community College, Highway 74-A, 286 ICC Loop Rd., Spindale. The Tony Rice Unity and Steep Canyon Rangers will perform in concert. For tickets, which are $19 and $24 for the general public and $8 for youngsters, visit www.FoundationShows.org.

Sunday, Nov. 11

COFFEEHOUSE CONCERT, 7 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place, Asheville. Andrew McKnight will perform in the Mountain Spirit Coffeehouse series. Admission is $15 for the general public, $10 for students and free for ages 13 and younger.

Monday, Nov. 12

FLOURIDATION DEBATE, 2 p.m., Humanities Lecture Hall, UNC Asheville. The UNCA Student Environmental Center will host a debate about the health and environmental affects of the addition of fluoride to the public drinking water in Buncombe County. Admission is free.

WEST COAST SWING CLASSES, 7:30 and 8 p.m., The Hangar, Clarion Hotel, Fletcher. Free beginners’ lessons for West Coast Swing will be held at 7:30, followed by intermediate lessons at 8 every Monday. The lessons are free. After the lessons, an open dance will be held. CONTRA DANCE, 8 p.m.,Grey Eagle. 185 Clingman Ave., Asheville. A contra dance is held weekly. Admission is $6.

Tuesday, Nov. 13

TANGO LESSON/DANCE, 6 p.m., Eleven on Grove, Grove House Entertainment Complex, 11 Grove St., downtown Asheville. Tango lessons will precede a dance.

MUSICAL THEATER, 7:30 p.m., Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, 1028 George Rd., Franklin. The classic musical comedy “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” will be performed Nov. 16-17. The Overlook Theatre Company’s performance lasts about 65 minutes. For tickets, which are $10, visit GreatMountainMusic.com, or call (866) 273-4615. “INSPECTING CAROL” SHOW, 7:30 p.m., 35below at Asheville Community Theatre, 35 E. Walnut St., downtown Asheville. The show “Inspecting Carol” will be performed through Dec 2. The show is a comedy in which a man asks to audition at a small theater and is mastaken for an informer for the National Endwoment for the Arts. Everyone caters to the wannabe actor and he is given a role in the current production, “A Christmas Carol.” Everything goes wrong and hilarity is piled upon hilarity. Peformances are at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, at 2:30 p.m. on Sundays — and no performance Nov. 23. For tickets, which are $12-22, visit ashevilletheatreorg.

Saturday, Nov. 17

SYMPHONY CONCERT, 8 p.m., Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, U.S. Cellular Center, Haywood Street, downtown Asheville. The Asheville Symphony will perform Rachmaninoff’s “Paganini Variations” with Joyce Yang. For tickets, visit www.ashevillesymphony.org.

See CALENDAR, Page 15

Calendar

of the Christmas season. For tickets, which are $26-$32, visit GreatMountainMusic.com, or call (866) 273-4615.

Monday, Nov. 19

Continued from Page 14

ECONOMIC SUMMIT, 5:30 p.m., Diana Wortham Theatre, Pack Place, downtown Asheville. The annual AdvantageWest Economic Summit will include networking and a panel discussion about innovation. The panelists will include Mike Adams, president of Moog Music; Mark Erwin, president of Erwin Capital Inc.; and Dan Gerlach, a former U.S. ambassador who is president of the Golden LEAF Foundation; and Anita Brown Graham, director of North Carolina’s Insitute of Emerging Ideas. WEST COAST SWING CLASSES, 7:30 and 8 p.m., The Hangar, Clarion Hotel, Fletcher. Free beginners’ lessons for West Coast Swing will be held at 7:30, followed by intermediate lessons at 8 every Monday. The lessons are free. After the lessons, an open dance will be held. CONTRA DANCE, 8 p.m.,Grey Eagle. 185 Clingman Ave., Asheville. A contra dance is held weekly. Admission is $6.

Tuesday, Nov. 20

Sunday, Nov. 25

SANDI PATTY/JASON CRABB CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, 1028 George Rd., Franklin. Sandi Patty and Jason Crabb will perform in a celebration

Monday, Nov. 26

Tuesday, Nov. 27

Asheville Daily Planet — November 2012 — 15

followed by a dance. SHAG DANCE, 7-10 p.m., The Hangar, Clarion Inn Airport, 550 Airport Road, Fletcher. The Mountain Shag Club’s weekly dance will feature a DJ. At 6:30 p.m., free lessons will be offered by Paul and Debbie Peterson. Admission is $5.

Wednesday, Nov. 28

“THE NUTCRACKER” MUSICAL, 2 and 8 p.m., Main Stage, Flat Rock Playhouse, Flat Rock. “The Nutcracker” will be performance through Dec. 22. Tickets are $40. AUTHOR’S READING, 7 p.m., Lipinsky Auditorium, UNC Asheville. Barbara Kingsolver will discuss and read from her new novel, “Flight Behavior.” For tickets, which are $35 and include a copy of “Flight Behavior, call Malaprop’s Bookstore/Café at 254-6734.

Thursday, Nov. 29

CONTRA DANCE, 8 p.m., Bryson Gym, Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa. A contra dance is held weekly, preceded by beginner’s lessons at

7:30 p.m. Admission is $6.

Friday, Nov. 30

CONCERT, 7:30 p.m., Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts, 1028 George Rd., Franklin. The Hoppers will perform in what is billed as “a great night of contemporary gospel hits and Christmas favorites.” For tickets, which are $17-$20, visit GreatMountainMusic.com, or call (866) 273-4615.

Sunday, Dec. 2

HOLIDAY CONCERT, 4 p.m., Lipinsky Auditorium, UNC Asheville. The annual UNCA Holiday Concert will offer a wide range of musical groups performing holiday music. Admission is $5.

Wednesday, Dec. 5

“A CELTIC CHRISTMAS” SHOW, no time listed, Playhouse Downtown, downtown Hendersonville. The Flat Rock Playhouse will present “A Celtic Christmas” through Dec. 22. Tickets are $35.

16 - November 2012 - Asheville Daily Planet

Faith Notes Send us your faith notes

Please submit items to the Faith Notes by noon on the third Wednesday of each month, via email, at spirituality@ashevilledailyplanet.com, or fax to 252-6567, or mail c/o The Daily Planet, P.O. Box 8490, Asheville, N.C. 28814-8490. Submissions will be accepted and printed at the discretion of the editor, space permitting. To place an ad for a faith event, call 252-6565.

Saturday, Oct. 27

HEALING WORKSHOP, 10 a.m., Highland Lake Inn, 86 Lilly Pad Lane, Flat Rock. Geri Chavis will lead an educational workshop that explores the power of poems and creative expression as an avenue to personal development, well-being and headling. The workshop, titled “Poetry for Growth and Healing: Creative Explorations of Changes in Our Lives,” lasts two hours and costs $40. Chavis teaches courses in literature, women’s studies and poetry therapy at Catherine University in Minneapolis, Minn. She also is a psychologist in private practice and an author. To register by the Oct. 20 deadline, visit stkate.edu/registeronline, or call Kelly Povo at (651) 690-6063. FALL FESTIVAL, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Beaverdam Baptist Church, 399 Beaverdam Rd., Asheville. A fall festival will feature inflatables, pie-throwing, bowling, hayride, cake walk, paint ball and arts and crafts.

Sunday, Oct. 28

FALL FESTIVAL, 4-7 p.m., Canton Armory, Penland Street, Canton. A fall festival, hosted by First Baptist Church, will feature games, food and a cake walk. TRUNK OF TREAT, 5-7 p.m., Calvary Baptist Church, 531 Haywood Rd., Asheville. The Trunk or Treat gala will feature ames, face-painting, snacks and a trick-or treat from car trunks in the parking lot.

Wednesday, Oct. 31

TRUNK OR TREAT, 3-5 p.m., First Presbyterian

Church of Swannanoa, 372 Bee Tree Rd., Swannanoa. The church will host a Trunk Or Treat gala, featuring treats and face-painting. LIGHT UP NIGHT GALA, 5-8:30 p.m., Beaverdam Baptist Church, 399 Beaverdam Rd., Asheville. A Light Up Night gala will be held, where participants may stop by and pick up a treat bag to enjoy. FALL FESTIVAL, 5:30-8 p.m., First Baptist Church of Asheville 5 Oak St., downtown Asheville. The Fall Family Festival will feature pony rides, inflatables, door prizes, game booths, face-paintiong and children’s activities. TRUNK OF TREAT, 6 p.m., Avery’s Creek United Methodist Church, corner of Brevard Road and Glen Bridge Road Southeast, Arden. A Trunk or Treat gala will be held. TRUNK OR TREAT, 6-8:30 p.m., North Asheville Baptist Church, 20 Reynolds Mountain Blvd., Asheville. The Trunk-or-Treat gala will be held for youngsters from preschool to fifth grade, featuring candy, face-painting, magic tricks and puppets. TRUNK OR TREAT, 6:30-8 p.m., Anointed Word Church, 170 Bradley Branch Road, Arden. A Trunk of Treat gala will feature snacks, hot chocolate, cider and candy.

Saturday, Nov. 3

CHRISTMAS BAZAAR, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Our Church of the Redeemer, 1201 Riverside Dr., Woodfin. A Christmas Bazaar will feature baked goods, arts and crafts, quilts and gift baskets. A soup or bean lunch will be served for $3. Also, tours will be offered of the historical 1888 church.

Sunday, Nov. 4

BLUEGRASS MASS, 11 a.m., First Baptist Church of Asheville, 5 Oak St., downtown Asheville. A bluegrass mass will be held in observance of All-Saints Day. CHAMBER CONCERT, 3 p.m., St. Matthias Church, 1 Dundee St., Asheville. Music by Mozart will be performed by a 23-piece ensemble, featuring Kevan Ayesh on piano.

Tuesday, Nov. 6

FALL FAMILY FESTIVAL, 5:30-8 p.m., First Baptist Church of Asheville, 5 Oak St., downtown Asheville. The Fall Family Festival will feature pony rides, inflatables, door prizes, game booths, face-painting and children’s activities. PUB CHAT, 6 p.m., Mezzaluna restaurant, 226 N. Main St., downtown Hendersonville. The Unity Center in Mills

River will hold “Truth on Tap,” a pub chat on matters spiritual and otherwise. A love offering will be taken.

Sunday, Nov. 11

CHRONIC PAIN SPEAKER, 12:30-1:30 p.m., Unity Church of Asheville, 130 Shelburne Rd., Asheville Unity’s Chronic Pain Support Group will feature a guest speaker, Greg Casey, an acupuncturist intern. The group is open to any looking for compassion, love and support each Sunday. AUTHENTIC RELATIONSHIPS CLASS, 2-5 p.m., Unity Center, 2041 Old Fanning Bridge Rd., Mills River. Bob Bauer and Asia will lead a class that will show that authentic relationships are more than simple connections. “Since we are in a relationship to what we know and also in relationship to much we do not know, we must begin with a profound relationship to self,” Unity noted of the theory to be taught in the class. A love offering will be taken.

Wednesday, Nov. 14

HEALING PROGRAM, 7 p.m., Unity Center, 2041 Old Fanning Bridge Rd., Mills River. The Rev. Pam Hurst will lead a program titled “Quantum Touch: The Power to Heal.” This introduction to quantum touch will explain how it came about and how it works. Admission is free, but a love offering will be taken.

Friday, Nov. 16

SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVIE, 7 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, 1 Edwin Place, Asheville. For Social Justice Movie Night, the UUCA will feature “Peaceable Kingdom,” a film about the awakening conscience of several farmers who came to question the kill of animals. A discussion will follow. Donations will be accepted.

Sunday, Nov. 18

SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER, 11 a.m., Unity Church of Asheville, 130 Shelburne Road,

Asheville. Mary Margaret Camalo, billed as “The Therapist with the Heart of an Angel,” will speak on “Soul Renaissance.” Her presentation will address the following: “We are now, in this moment, shifting into a higher state of Divine Love. What shall we choose? What shall we let go? What shall we embrace?”

Wednesday, Nov. 21

THANKSGIVING EVE SERVICE/DESSERT POTLUCK, 7:30 p.m., Unity Center, 2041 Old Fanning Bridge Rd., Mills River. A Thanksgiving Eve service , featuring a communion service, will celebrate the blessings that everyone experiences in words and music. A love offering will be taken. Childcare will be provided. After the service, a dessert potluck will feature food and fellowship. Diners are asked to bring a dessert or snack to share.

Thursday, Nov. 22

THANKSGIVING DAY FEAST, 1 p.m., Unity Center, 2041 Old Fanning Bridge Rd., Mills River. A Thanksgiving feast will be enjoyed by the Unity family. Attendees are asked to sing up or call to make a reservation — and to specify what favorite food they plan to bring. Those who do not cook may bring $5 each toward the cost of the turkeys.

Wednesday, Nov. 28

SOUL SERIES “PAT CHAT,” 7 p.m., Unity Center, 2041 Old Fanning Bridge Rd., Mills River. The Rev. Pat Veenema, Unity’s new associate minister, will discuss whatever questions attendees bring to the Soul Series circle. A love offering will be taken.

Tuesday, Dec. 4

PUB CHAT, 6 p.m., Mezzaluna restaurant, 226 N. Main St., downtown Hendersonville. The Unity Center in Mills River will hold “Truth on Tap,” a pub chat on matters spiritual and otherwise. A love offering will be taken.

County Commissioner

Covenant Reformed

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 281 Edgewood Rd. • Asheville, N.C. 28804

828-253-6578

www.covenantreformed.net Wednesday— 7 p.m. Prayer/Bible Study Sunday— 9:30 a.m. Sunday School 11 a.m. Worship • 6 p.m. Worship

Celebration Services 11 AM Sunday

New Books by Dr. Bob Holt, M.D. at Lulu Dot Com “Jesus in India,” etc.

A spiritual celebration center of practical Christianity for everyday living.

130 Shelburne Road West Asheville 252-5010 www.unityofasheville.com Bookstore Meeting Rooms

Advertise your church in this space

@ $10 per month

If interested, e-mail us at

advertising@AshevilleDailyPlanet.com ... or call 252-6565.

www.healthark.com

email: decoderdoc@juno.com

Unity Center

A Church Family for ONE and ALL Come as you are!

891-8700 / 684-3798 Sunday Services 9:30am & 11:00am Serving WNC for 60 years

2041 Old Fanning Bridge Rd. Mills River 28759 Rev. Chad O’Shea

www.unitync.net

Paid for by Joe Belcher for Buncombe County Commissioner

Asheville Daily Planet — November 2012 — 17

Immersionist tries 12 religions in 12 months By John North

john@ashevilledailyplanet.com

Andrew Bowen took on 12 religion in 12 months when he dreamed up Project Conversion in 2011. In an Oct. 3 presentation in Asheville, Bowen spoke of his year-long personal immersion into the culture, practices, beliefs and rituals of 12 belief systems from around the world as a personal intervention after years of animosity toward faith. During “An Evening With Andrew Bowen,” he addressed about 23 people in a free program at the Lenoir-Rhyne University Center for Graduate Studies of Asheville in Montford. Bowen, billed as a perpetual student and champion of inter-religious peace and reconciliation, told how the project became a journey to religious tolerance for him. He said his mission for Project Conversion is to help create a seamless humanity K. Paul Knott, director of the center, said that despite L-RU’s affiliation with the North Carolina Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, “We don’t really have a dog in this fight,” insofar as its hosting of Bowen’s presentation. He added that “the conversation around spirituality really fits Asheville” and Knott said he hoped Bowen’s sharing of his odyssey will advance the discussion. Bowen, who had spent time sharing his story with students on L-RU’s main campus in Hickory, was brought to the Asheville campus to share his saga once again. To that end, Knott noted that “we’ve got faculty and guests from the mothership, as we like to refer to the original university,” in attendance of Bowen’s Asheville talk.

In an introduction, Bowen’s Project Conversion was described as “one man, 12 faiths and one year to discover the humanity within.” Bowen, who is married, began by noting, “Tonight, I’d like to talk with you about one of the most divisive terms — in-laws.” The crowd Andrew Bowen laughed. “I’d like to explain how these stereotypes have to fall down one at a time, if we are to see the world in a real way.” He said among the stereotypes is religion and he cited the late Christopher Hitchens, who billed himself as an anti-theist and once stated, “Religion/God is our first and worst attempt at the truth.” Bowen noted that he has been a “fan” of Hitchens’ ideas and books. “This attitude Hitchens had was the one I had” prior to his immersion, he said “I was a militant anti-theist.” Bowen then told of his upbringing, noting that “I became a Christian at 15 years old in high school. Over pizza, I thought Christianity might be a good idea... For some reason, I took that Christianity and turned it into a fundamentalist” faith. “I routinely sought out Latter Day Saints on bicycles — when they were out evangelizing — and threw rocks at them. I was a jerk,” Bowen said. “In college, I joined the Marine Corps,” where he got his first impression of Islam — “and I wanted to kill as many Muslims as

possible.” In autumn 2010, “I reached the boiling point and I realized that if I didn’t change, there’d be no turning back.” He added, “Religion always seemed to be stuck in the middle of this strife.” Bowen said he felt he faced a choice where “I could either maintain this path or humble myself” and get to know others’ paths. “This was about me going about a personal intervention to cure the malevolence I had in my heart.” He found in his path of immersion that it placed him “from here” and put him “somewhere else. It was a nosedive.” Among the religions, each of which he spent a month immersed in, were Hinduism, Buddhism, Baha’i, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Mormonism, Islam, Sikh, Wiccanism, Jainism and Catholicism. “Because I only had 30 days, I had to have monthly structure” to cope, Bowen said. “I got a lot of flak with people saying I couldn’t learn a religion in a month.” On week one, he would learn the religioous practices, worship and ritual; week two, learn culture and art; week three, learn social issues and conflicts; and week four, personal reflection. “I didn’t realize the change that was taking place within me until I stood with Muslim men” in a mosque — “these were once people I wanted to kill!” Instead, he felt brotherhood with them. “Catholicism, for me, was like the other side of Christianity because I came from a very narrow view of Christianity,” Bowen said. He said Zoroastrianism is an “endan-

gered” faith, with only 250,000 left in the world. Bowen also said he had trouble connecting with Zoroastrianism, which was the one religion in his immersion in which one cannot become a convert. With a laugh, Bowen said, “My Mormon mentors — they were the only faith that actively tried to convert me.” After getting to know the Mormons, Bowen expressed admiration for them, noting that their “young men and women give up one or two years of their lives to help others — right out of high school,” as a part of their faith tradition. In reference to his behavior earlier in life, he asked, after getting to know Mormons, “How could I be mean to them? I always get excited when I see Mormons on bikes now” because he enjoys talking with them — and does not to lob rocks at them. Bowen noted that his immersion experience amounted to “rocking the boat” for some in the faith community and “I had to deal with a lot of detractors.” He reiterated that, for him, “It was not about converting to a faith, but converting from hate to compassion.” Wiccanism was the most difficult faith for him to immerse himself because “a lot of journalists in recent times have been embedding themselves” in the hope of reporting scandals, Bowen said. “It took me half a month to reassure them. It was the only time I wanted to quit.” As for his conclusions from the year of immersions, Bowen said, “In 2011, I turned upside down ... in order to change, to heal, to expunge this hatred from my life.” He also asserted, “I encourage others to take the same path.”

18 — November 2012 - Asheville Daily Planet

Whole-food, plant-based diet urged by expert First in a series of two articles

From Staff Reports After listening to nutrition expert-researcher-health advocate T. Colin Campbell, many in the crowd might think twice before they consumed milk or meat again. In an hour-long presentation, Campbellpresented his case for a whole-food, plantbased diet to maintain optimal health and to avoid the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Campbell addressed “The Great Food Secret” during an hour-long presentation Oct. 16 in UNC Asheville’s Lipinsky Auditorium. In his talk, Campbell made many references to the “The China Study,” the book he co-authored with his son. Afterward, he fielded questions from the crowd. Nearly every one of Lipinsky’s 650 seats was filled for Campbell’s free presentation. Campbell had come to Asheville in February to speak, but he was forced to cancel his scheduled appearance then because of the death of a close friend and colleague. Campbell, who received his master’s and Ph.D. degrees from Cornell University, is the Jacob Gould Schurman Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell. His visit was co-sponsored by Mission Health, UNCA’s N.C. Center for Health & Wellness and the UNCA Department of Health and Wellness. Campbell began by noting that “I’m grateful that so many people have tried the China Diet.” (Former President Bill Clinton cited “The China Study” in explaining how he lost 24 pounds by switching to a plant-based diet in hopes of improving his heart health.) “The China Study” is based on Campbell’s role in, and conclusions from, the 20-year research partnership between the Chinese Academy of Preventative Medicine at Oxford University and Cornell University, which studied dietary, lifestyle and disease mortality characteristics in 65 rural Chinese counties. Rural China was chosen because it has been home to millions of people who share a similar genetic make-up and have relatively few changes in diet over time. The study, described in The New York Times as the “Grand Prix of epidemiology,” compared the health consequences of diets rich in animal-based foods with those of diets rich in plant-based foods. At UNCA, the nutrition expert asserted, “We have a health problem — one we fail to understand” — in the United States in particular and the industrialized world in general.

He noted that, with America’s current controversy over the health care system, an issue is “who is going to pay future bills. So my story is how we can reduce the health care bill by making people well.” The solution, Campbell contended, T. Colin Campbell is to “consume the right food” and for Americans to “take responsibility for our health.” In reviewing his findings through the years, two assumptions that were common 50 years ago, he said, include “consume plenty of high-quality protein” — mostly from animal-based groups — and “understand each individual nutrient.” The current wisdom among nutrition researchers has changed radically since then and Campbell said the title of his new book, “Whole,” encapsulates today’s philosophy. (His book will be out next May.) Around 1950, Campbell said milk was believed to be a healthy source of protein for human beings. However, in research work to help malnourished children in Third-World countries, Campbell said that a key issue was that “the kids need to get enough (goodquality) protein.” In testing of rats, researchers found that those with a regular-protein diet registered a 100 percent chance of developing tumors, while those with low protein, recorded a 0 percent level of tumors. “What I found is the children most likely to get liver cancer were coming from the families consuming the most protein,” he said. “This was an odd thing — more protein, higher liver cancer. “This contradicted the theory at that time that people in Third World countries got

liver cancer because they weren’t getting enough protein.” Campbell triggered laughter from the crowd when he quipped, “I can tell you in statistics, when you have a score of 100-0, you don’t need to go much further.” As his research continued, he said, “The question was: What does protein have to do with cancer?” He showed a chart showing a correlation between high (20 percent) protein consumption and early cancer and the reverse for low (5 percent) consumption. “The more we did, the more exciting it became,” Campbell said. “We were learning that cancer could grow in response to nutrients like protein ... At 5 percent protein (consumption), cancer simply wasn’t growing.” He spoke of “planting the seeds of cancer,” noting that research showed that “those who do get cancer very likely are getting the wrong kind of nutrition.” Research also indicated that “about 10 percent (protein intake) is when cancers started to appear.” Much to his chagrin, Campbell said “10 to 20 percent (protein intake) is where we, as a species, live. We are sort of living in the Red Zone, for those of us who go this way” with a mainstream diet. There are multiple explanatory mechanisms for cancer, Campbell said, including “initiation,” such as genes and chemical carcinogens, and chemical imbalances. At one time, researchers thought that there could only be one mechanism and that it would be linked to cause and effect. “We found there is no such things as “the mechanism. There’s a multiplicity of mechanisms instead.” Campbell then discussed “casein,” the main protein in cow’s milk, claiming that “casein is the most relevant chemical carcinogen ever identified. I’m going to say this rather provocatively.” Specifically, the nutrition expert said, “Casein turns on a hormone in our blood,” so “we might be growing some tissues we’d rather not have.” He noted that he

Private Outdoor Hot Tubs Massages Accommodations LOCAL SOAK SPECIALS FOR BUNCOMBE COUNTY RESIDENTS! 2 HOURS FOR THE PRICE OF 1 HOUR SUNDAYS-THURSDAYS 42Private tub, Cold Plunge, Cedar Sauna Towels, sandals, shower & amenities

299-0999 SHOJIRETREATS.COM

PAID FOR BY WOOD FOR COMMISSIONER

was referring to cancer. He said research found a connection between breast cancer incidents in the human population and milk consumption. “It couldn’t be clearer — higher milk consumption ... more breast cancer ... same with uterine cancer.” With a smile, Campbell asserted, “But we men don’t get off the hook,” citing links found between skim milk consumption and prostate cancer in men. “The reproductive tracts of men and women seem to be responding to a liquid (milk) from another species (cattle).” The nutrition expert noted a number of examples of correlations found in research between animal protein consumption and various diseases. He reiterated, “The point is this ... Below 10 percent (protein intake),” and then “you don’t get cancer.” Further, Campbell asserted, “It turns out, a whole food, plant-based diet has plenty of protein” to keep us healthy. TO BE CONTINUED NEXT MONTH

Patton Tree Service Professional Services at Reasonable Rates

ServingBuncombeCountyandthe surrounding area for over 20 years • Full Service Tree Company • Tree Trimming, Tree & Brush Removal Storm Damage, Stump Removal Fully Insured

Paul Patton • 254-7020 or 669-4717

Asheville Daily Planet — November 2012— 19

Diet affects inner, outer well-being, health guru claims

By JOHN NORTH

john@ashevilledailyplanet.com

Dr. Andrew Weil, a renowned integrative health specialist, addressed a crowd of about 500 people Oct. 19 at UNC Asheville’s Sherrill Arena. Billed as “Spontaneous Happiness Comes to Asheville,” Weil presented his case for “how the food we eat affects our mental and physical well-being.” He also discussed “what we can do outside of traditional medicine to achieve sustainable balance and serenity through life’s inevitable dark patches.” In his nearly one-hour talk, Weil referred frequently to his book, “Spontaneous Happiness.” After his address, he fielded questions for about 10 minutes and then autographed his book for a long line of fans. He began his speech by noting that one in nine Americans is prescribed anti-depressent medicine. Weil also said one in four American children are on psychiatric medicine. “Where is all of this coming from?” he asked, rhetorically. “Some of this (disorder) is ‘manufactured’ by the pharmaceutical industry ... I would ask you all to write to your legislator to end direct advertising of pharmaceuticals to consumers.” In his estimation, Weil said, “It could that one-third or one-fourth of the (aforementioned) cases are spurious.” Weil noted that his parents lived through the Great Depression, which he described as many times worse that the present hard times, and through World War II, also much more of a war than this generation’s wars, and there were much fewer cases of depression in America then, he said. In contrast, he said studies of the “few hunter-gatherer societies” still in existence today, “depression is unknown.” Weil said the hunter-gatherers are not depressed because “they’re eating natural diets, they’re getting plenty of exercise” and they enjoy the protection of very strong tribal support. “We’re much more socially isolated today” in mainstream America, he said. “In a nutshell, there’s a great disconnect between the life we live and the life our genes are prepared for.” “The (anti-depression) drugs are not very effective” to the point that medical authorities “can’t tell much difference between the drugs and the placebos,” Weil said. “Also, these drugs are not benign. There’s a whole list of negative effects” that accompany their use. “Worse,” he said, “the possibility of using drugs over time lengthens the depression ... It may get you into worse trouble than you began with. The doctor then discussed the concept of “homeostasis,” wherein he said “organisms try to maintain equilibrium, so if you push against an organism (with a drug), it tends to push back.” Therefore, he said, “If you get on these drugs and try to get off them, the acid (buildup) is worse than it would have been without” every having used the drugs, so the overall impact is worse for the patient. “So that is not the way to go,” Weil said. He also said research shows there is not necessarily cause and effect between mood disorders and disordered brain function. As for two key findings in medicine that everybody ought to know, Weil said these include using fish oil to get enough Omega 3 fatty acids and get plenty of exercise. As a result of their diets, most Americans are quite lacking in Omega 3 fatty acids, he said, so he recommends that everyone take four to six grams of fish oil daily. He said the fatty acids “are crucial to normal brain functioning.” In looking over the research, Weil

said the place in the world with the fewest cases of depression is Iceland. He explained that Icelanders have the highest level of Omega 3 fatty acids” of any people on earth “from their diets” that include fish, such as salmon, tuna and Dr. Andrew Weil halibut, and other seafood, including algae and krill, some plants, and nut oils. As an aside, he added that taking 2,000 units of Vitamin D daily would be a wise practice, too. The doctor explained that low levels of Vitamin D are related to psychosis. “The influence of diet on our emotions is amazing,” Weil said. As for exercise, he noted that research shows walking to be more effective than greater physical exertion, such as running. Ironically, Weil said, when he attended Harvard Medical School, “diet (and nutrition) was an elective” for prospective doctors, making them “functionally illiterate” in that vital area. That is the case at medical schools across America — and not much has changed since he graduated. “To male academic medical minds, nutrition looks like home economics and isn’t viewed as something worthy of serious study,” he lamented. When farmers have an animal that is sick, he said the symptoms usually include, loss of appetite, loss of mobility, loss of interest in sex and lack of interest in socializing — and the same seems to be the case with human beings. He also noted that many of today’s drug therapies include “stern warnings” that they could result in severe depression or suicide, raising even more questions of whether the pharmaceuticals are creating more of a problem than they solve. Weil said, “There’s a striking correlation between depression and cancer ... Some experimentation is occuring in trying antiinflammation drugs to treat depression. “I’ve long said that following an antiimflammatory lifestyle is the way to avoid” chronic diseases. “If inflammation persists, if it serves no purpose, it’s productive of disease.” Alzheimer’s disease “begins with inflammation of the brain ... That’s why Tylanol is so effective” to treat it. He said a daily diet that includes curry is why India has the lowest level of Alzheimer’s disease in the world. He added, “That’s why (taking) aspirin is an effective way to avoid cancer.” The doctor said America’s chronic diseases are resulting from genetics, stress, exposure to secondary tobacco smoke,” but the mainstream diet is pro-inflammatory,” so it is the worst problem. “I’ve designed an anti-inflammatory diet ... The first step is to stop eating processed foods. It’s that simple ... What most people eat today .... our parents and grandparents wouldn’t recognize as food.” “The diet I’ve recognized is the Mediterranean diet.” which is a composite of the cuisines of Span, Southern France, Italy, Greece and parts of the Middle East. The diet, which excludes red meat, features three food groups, including carbohydrates for 50-60 percent of one’s calories, fats, up to 30 percent of calories, and protest, 10 to 20 percent of one’s calaries. He noted, “I’ve added some Asian foods and I’ve tweaked the Mediterranean diet.” Weil then gave what he termed “two tips about food as follows: • Be aware of the difference between fruit and frurit juice. “The latest research on sugar is not reassuring,” he said. “It appears to be toxic to us in every form. Reduce consumption of

all sweeteners.” Further, he said that, whether made from a concentrate or fresh-squeezed, “Drinking a glass of orange juice is about the same as drinking a glass of Coca-Cola. “What I’d really like to see happen is if we could make sweetened beverages disappear from our culture that would be a tremendous step to address the obesity epidemic ... I don’t drink any sweetened liquids.” • Learn the difference between wholegrains versus products that are made from flour (or pulverized grain). The consumption of whole-grain breads produces a “relatively slow” effect on blood sugar. “Most whole-wheat bread is basically colored white bread,” he said. “If you can crush a piece of bread down to the size of a marble, that’s not what you want to eat ... Pulverized grain spikes the blood sugar and increases inflammation. “It affects not only your physical self, but your mental health as well.” On another topic, he said, “What’s available on rest-stops in the United States — I don’t see why we put up with this stuff ... All of this is a matter of raised awareness. “ Weil then turned from the physical to the psychological level. “Its’ very important to be able to focus your attention to being in the present moment. Rather than strive for riches, “a much better way is to strive for contentment — an inner sense of fulfillment.” “One of the ways” to experience contentment “is to practice mindfulness,” he said. “One of the things I worry about is information overload,” which “undermines mindfulness,” and stresses multi-tasking. “I think, overall, the effects” of information overload “have been deleterious ... One thing I’ve observed is a decline in attention spans.” “By the way, anxiety disorders are going haywire” in the U.S. “Anti-anxiety drugs are worthless. “I try to set a time from mid-afternoon till the next morning, where I don’t check my e-mail.” He added, “It’s very important for us to limit our information overload, as it’s very damaging to our emotional well-being.” Weil also said, “Emotions are contagious... Be choosey who you surround yourself with and spend time with.” The doctor also advised that everyone should keep a gratitude journal, which would be a list of things for which to be grateful. “Doing this for one week has been shown to boost moods for a month.” He said practicing forgiveness also can pay dividends, “although it’s tricky.” He ended his presentation by having the audience join him in practicing a meditative breathing exercise. He advised that the exerise be done twice a day, just after awakening and right before one goes to bed.

Among the queries during the questionand-answer session, someone asked for Weil’s opinion on dairy products. “That’s a whole discussion,” Weil replied. “Basically, the dairy industry has heavily propagandized this culture. Some of its claims are laughable,” such as “‘Milk is nature’s perfect food’ — yes, if you’re a cow.” He added, “I love cheese. I eat goodquality cheese — and I eat yogurt. That’s my dairy food.” Further, Weil said, “For some people, they might do well to avoid all dairy products” for a period “to see the impact” on their bodies. #9

Should I apply for Social Security when I am receiving Worker’s Compensation beneﬁts?

Yes, if you believe your injuries might disable you for twelve (12) months or more. Social Security (SS) law requires that you be disabled for a period of twelve (12) months or more. You become eligible for Worker’s Compensation (WC) weekly checks when you miss more than one (1) week of work. When you suspect that your injuries might cause more than twelve (12) months of missed work, you should apply for SS Disability benefits. Since you may be forced to wait over two (2) year to receive SS benefits, you should apply for these benefits unless you are positive you will return to work within the twelve (12) month period. The interaction between WC and SS benefits is very complicated and subject to changes. You should consult a qualified lawyer to make sure you coordinate the receipt of these benefits.

20 — November 2012 - Asheville Daily Planet

Daily Planet’s Opinion Quaint Asheville earns place in national election spotlight

Asheville, with a population of 84,500 free-thinkers, can take pride in the fact that, despite its modest size, it has drawn visits from two of the four major candidates stumping in the 2012 election cycle. Many much larger U.S. cities did not attract a visit by one of these candidates. From the Democratic side, Vice President Joe Biden spoke at an Oct. 2 rally at UNC Asheville, which drew a full house of an estimated 1,320 people to the Justice Center an an overflow room. Not to be outdone, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney paid a visit to the Rev. Billy Graham at the latter’s Montreat home before speaking at downtown Asheville’s U.S. Cellular Center, drawing “about 10,000” people to the main and overflow rooms, according to a North Carolina Romney campaign official. Major GOP leaders who appeared with Romney to help fire up the crowd were for-

mer presidential candidate Mike Huckabee and Speaker of the House John Boehner. As for the other two top candidates, of this writing (Oct. 25) neither President Barack Obama nor GOP vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan have made it here to stump for their campaigns. However, Obama has made three visits to Asheville in the past several years, including a campaign speech when he was running for president in 2008, a visit to the Grove Park Inn for relaxation two years ago and a speech at the Asheville Regional Airport about a year ago. Some have noted that North Carolina is a key swing state, thereby drawing interest from both sides, but still it’s terrific for Asheville to be in the political spotlight. Given the attention given to our city, we urge those who have made the effort to learn about the candidates — and the issues — to vote on Election Day, Nov. 6.

Feeling for Obama after 1st debate

CHAPEL HILL — I know how Obama feels. Or in the words of the acknowledged champion debater and explainer, Bill Clinton, “I feel his pain.” Why and how can I make such a claim? Because I was a political candidate who had the opportunity to debate my opponent several times in front of live TV cameras. I understand how it feels during a debate when things are not going well. Or afterwards, when I thought I had done well and then saw my opponent’s supporters gathering around, beaming with genuine excitement, to congratulate him for his winning effort. I identified with President Obama in the first presidential debate recently when William Leuchtenburg, leading historian of the presidency, shared with me his thoughts about Obama’s debate performance against Mitt Romney. Leuchtenburg noted that every media observer opined that Obama “did badly.” “And,” said Leuchtenburg, “he did. Obama unfortunately seemed listless.” In discussing the economy, Obama could have asserted a strong claim that he brought the country from the brink of disaster to a moderate recovery. However, as Leuchtenburg observed, when challenged by Romney, Obama was unable or unwilling to fight back. “Twice Romney was able to accuse Obama of favoring a trickle-down theory. That is a phrase that has been used against Republicans going all the way back to the 19th century. Jim Lehrer asked him directly, ‘What about this trickle down comment, Mr. President?’ Instead of digging in and seizing upon this opportunity, Obama went off on a recital that seemed canned.” My thoughts went back to my debate experience. When I was a newcomer and my opponent was better known, my advisers told me I had to be aggressive and “come on strong.” Later, when the polls showed me ahead, they told me I had to be careful not to come across as unlikable and not make any big mistakes. I asked Leuchtenburg if he thought Obama’s advisors had given some of that same advice and whether an effort to “protect his likeability” might explain Obama’s lackluster performance. “He may not have lost it,” said Leuchtenburg, “but he may have diminished it,

D.G. Martin when he was not speaking, looking almost petulant, barely able to control his anger at times, and only rarely flashing that wonderful smile and showing the charm that won so many millions of voters to him four years ago.” “What disappointed supporters more is that he let Romney get away with so many misstatements. No mention of the 47 percent gaffe, no mention of offshore Caribbean retreats for people of wealth, and no mention that Romney would have let the auto plants go down the drain. These are just three of the many instances he passed by opportunities to carry the fight to Romney.” When I asked Leuchtenburg if there was a reason for passing these opportunities by, he said, “I suspect his advisors were telling him the most important thing for him, particularly since he has the advantage of incumbency, is to look presidential. Sometimes that is bad advice as Tom Dewey discovered in 1948, to appear to be above the fray, not to appear to be mean-spirited, because it seemed to drain much of the energy that he undoubtedly has. Question is now, whether in the next debate, he can once again show the kind of exuberance and charm that he did four years ago.” What impact will the debate have on election results? “Most of the time, says Leuchtenburg, “debate results do not make a difference. But in a close race like this, it might.” Finally, while the incumbent usually has an advantage in his contest for reelection, the challenger often does better in the first debate because he can attack the incumbent’s record. And the incumbents have often rallied from poor first debate performances and done much better in the subsequent ones. Obama supporters can hope. • D.G. Martin hosts “North Carolina Bookwatch,” which airs Fridays at 9:30 p.m. and Sundays at 5 p.m. on UNC-TV.

Letters to the Editor Joe Biden declared as clear winner of VP debate

I think (Vice President Joe) Biden beat (GOP opponent Paul) Ryan, on both style and substance. At least Biden knows how to smile! But I worry that voters and the media seem to treat political debates like WWF wrestling matches, caring more about performance than about issues. No doubt that goes back before Lincoln vs. Douglas, but still.... Steve Rasmussen Asheville

‘Brawler’ Biden imposed his will on ‘boxer’ Ryan

Someone asked me recently if Glenn Beck went too far when he described Vice President Joe Biden — on his radio show a day after the vice presidential debate — as “an out-of-control, nasty dude….” The way I see it ... egos run rampant in politics. Biden is just cut from the same cloth as many others ....

As a fan of boxing I will tell you that Biden did what he was supposed to do: Impose his will on the opponent. This was a match between a slugger and a trained boxer. The slugger has to make it a brawl; not give any space to the boxer; crowd him, turn it into a street fight. That’s how they win. If they let the boxer do his masterful thing, no way can the brawler win. Biden controlled the fight. He made GOP opponent Paul Ryan fight HIS style. And Ryan lost. (of course the moderator did nothing; as in the case of a weak referee.) Whether Biden was a bully or not ... he imposed his will on the opponent. He got Ryan off his fight plan and, in my opinion, dominated the fight. I have seen this sort of thing so many times in the past. A boxer vs. a slugger. Same ol’ story ... Nasty dude? That’s his fight plan. STEVE CHASE Boone, N.C., and Miami Beach, Fla.

The Candid Conservative

See LETTERS, Page 21

Liberal pretenders at UNCA

Vice President Joe Biden and Air Force Two just graced Asheville ... Joe’s a masterful apologist for the left and the “promise anything for power” practices of the Democratic Party. He did a great job of fluffing up the faithful on the ultra-liberal campus of the University of North Carolina at Asheville. He was well-received – political seducers saying what people want to hear usually are. There were a few conservative protesters. Not that Joe got to see them. His security team and the campus police were concerned about the protestors. Though most were students, they were determined to be high risk and moved across campus from the actual event into what the authorities called “a freespeech zone.” Protester isolation in a liberal university? Sure. Free speech is fine just as long as the left gets to hear what they want to hear. Shame on Joe, his security team and liberal pretenders at UNCA.

A rigged jobs report ….

For a glimpse into the sophisticated workings of the Federal government, look a little deeper into the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Ever wondered how their unemployment stat is created? You know – the one that suddenly dropped to 7.8 percent. For a moment forget that our economy would have to be on steroids to drop that far in one month. More realistically, our economy is on life-support – trillions of green, newly minted dollar forms of life support. The real eye opener is that our unemployment number comes not out of sophisticated formulas and data banks – it comes from a survey by census workers, most of whom ask their questions over the phone. Almost all of this fantastic improvement Obama would like us to believe reflects teen jobs, part-time jobs, pretend jobs, and people giving up on jobs. The most recent manipulated unemployment number should be used for only one pu rpose – making sure on election day. Obama loses his job, too.

California’s gas crisis .…

For another reality check on the left’s indifference to reason, witness gas prices in California. One of their fourteen refineries went down and the price of gas spiked to over $5.50 a gallon. Predictably, liberal apologist Diane Feinstein called for an

Carl Mumpower investigation of those who provide the gas. The first thing investigated should be the government who’s caused the real problem. Short-sighted green worship policies make it next to impossible to build new refineries. Mountains make a pipeline next to impossible. They have to refine their own or they don’t drive. Existing refineries work a maximum capacity, so there is no room for shut-downs or problems. Diane Feinstein can try to decoy the public toward those evil oil people, but those evil environmental extremists and self-serving politicians are bigger players. Expensive gas hits working and poor people hardest and further reveals the left’s pretend version of benevolence.

Censoring You-Tube….

The Obabble team committed a major mistake in attempting to cover up failure in Benghazi. That error centers on denying five dollar an hour security in one of the most dangerous places on earth. That same week they proudly unveiled a hundred thousand dollar embassy electric car charging station in one of the safest places on earth – Vienna. The dark art of despotism came later. PBO and friends had the gentleman who made the now famous anti-Muslim You-Tube video hauled in for questioning. The L.A. Sheriff’s Department was duped into doing Big O’s bidding. Reminds me of the time I was giving a talk at a Federal building and instructed to part in space X. I inadvertently parked in space A-X - the reaction by the U.S. Marshal who used that space wasn’t pretty. Nor was Washington’s effort to twist YouTube into removing the video in question. They didn’t, but we’ve been given further lessons on why we should remove Obama. • Carl Mumpower, a former member of Asheville City Council, may be contacted at drmumpower@thecandidconservative.com

Asheville Daily Planet — November 2012— 21

On the left

After the storm, we will survive

As I write this column, the 2012 election is a long two weeks away, the finale to what seems to have been a four year campaign — at least on the part of the GOP. Republicans announced shortly after the 2008 race that their top priority was making Barack Obama a one-term president. To that end, conservatives in Washington conspired to block any truly substantive effort to stimulate the economy. In bumper sticker parlance, they were willing to keep 20 million people out of work in order to get one man out of a job. There is some truth to the idea that the administration might have done more in the first year, up until the death of Senator Edward Kennedy eliminated a filibuster-proof majority in the upper house. But the presence of Blue Dog Democrats weakened what could have been a decisive governing force. As it happened, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 stopped much of our economic bleeding but fell short of the transfusion needed to reinvigorate our national life. While the stimulus money lasted, states and municipalities were able to maintain far more of their projects than would otherwise have been possible, given the collapse in tax revenues following the Bush recession. Here in Asheville, the brightest evidence of ARRA funding is the replacement of all of our street lights, a change-over that will save upward of $300,000 per year in the city’s electric bill. What we have seen in the course of the past three decades is a remarkable demonstration of the success of advertising. Conservative politicians, abetted by FOX News and radio talkers, have hammered on the themes of tax reduction, shrinking government, fewer regulations, and the purported threat of deficit spending. Despite a complete lack of proof that their agenda has ever worked in a modern economy, the advocacy has worked to the point that even so-called liberals repeat the mantra. “No new taxes. Get the government off our backs.” Enough Democrats bought the arguments for deregulation, that we lost the protection of the Glass-Steagall Act while Clinton was in office. (Glass-Steagall refers to the Banking Act of 1933, a law which restricted commercial bank securities activities and the linkage of commercial banks and securities firms. It was written in reaction to the wild Wall Street gambling that brought down our economy in 1929, in a successful effort to prevent a recurrence. I hate to say “We told you so,” but we told

Cecil Bothwell you so.) During the G.W. Bush administration, a Republican majority enabled tax cuts that still cripple our national government, particularly when combined with two very expensive wars. We managed to pretend that everything was all right because security firms merged with banks and pumped huge amounts of money into the economy in the form of fraudulent loans. Of course, it all hit the wall in 2008. Unfortunately, the same conservative noise machine has convinced a whole lot of our fellow citizens that the cure for our economic malaise is more of the same policies that ripped our lives apart in the first place. That the presidential election is even remotely close at this point is a testament to the success of Madison Avenue. Any lie repeated often enough seems to become a truth for a disappointingly large portion of our populace. If Flat Earther’s had friends at FOX, it is apparent that half the country would avoid boats for fear of falling over the edge. The economies that have best survived the global recession of these past four years are high-tax states in northern Europe with robust social welfare programs. The economies that have been most devastated are the European states which have been forced to adopt austerity budgets by European Central Bankers (led by Germany.) Modern economies have repeatedly and successfully spent their way out of recessions. Government spending puts people to work, puts paychecks in pockets, builds infrastructure that enables business growth, and results in the higher future tax revenues that pay down the resulting debt. Pretending that somewhere, somehow, cutting taxes and spending has resuscitated an ailing economy is a fairy tale, pure and simple. By the time you read this, it’s probable that Barack Obama will have been reelected, together with a narrowly divided Congress that will continue to prevent meaningful change. Somehow, I’m sure, we will survive. • Cecil Bothwell is a member of Asheville City Council.

Tell our advertisers — who enable us to bring you this newspaper for FREE every month — that you saw their promotions in the Daily Planet!

Letters to the Editor

Tax scofflaws in Congress Request issued to remove need to repay — or resign I’m wondering who, if anyone, is in a poUnitarians from ‘cult’ list Continued from Page 20

It’s always interesting to see how other people view you, even if to discover how wrong their perceptions are. I hadn’t known that, as the Citizen-Times reported, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association identified Unitarians as a cult, but as long they have decided to withdraw Mormons from the list, in the interest of accuracy they ought to take us off, too. Unitarians, and our allied tradition, Universalists, have been around for 200 years. Unlike cults, we have always made room for a broad range of religious perspective centered in a belief in the inherent worth and dignity of every person and the interconnection of all things. Our roots are in Christianity, but we draw from many others sources as well. Our Asheville congregation seeks to nurture the individual search for meaning as we work together for freedom, justice and love. Billy Graham’s folks are welcome to come and find out what we’re about. We could begin by teaching them a poem by the Universalist Edwin Markham: “He drew a circle that shut me out — heretic, rebel, a thing to flout. But love and I had the wit to win: We drew a circle and took him in.” Rev. Mark Ward Asheville EDITOR’S NOTE: Ward is lead minister, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville

sition to make people like Charlie Rangel and many, many others in Congress who owe in the thousands of dollars in back taxes. Their names and amounts of owed taxes should be published! (Editor’s note: Rangel is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and is a Democrat from New York). Rangel conveniently forgot his condos in Costa Rica to report on Rep. Charlie Rangel his taxes. When they owe so much ... if it were you or me, we would be in jail. They should not be able to run again for any office until these taxes are paid. Does anyone know about Obama going to Indonesia years back, denounced his citizenship and went by the name of Barry Satara? Can anyone tell me about these questions? NADINE BLOEMSMA Hendersonville See LETTERS, Page 22

TO REPORT AN ERROR

The Asheville Daily Planet strives to be accurate in all articles published. Contact the News Department at news@ashevilledailyplanet.com, (828) 252-6565, or P.O. Box 8490, Asheville, N.C. 28814-8490.

Old Grouch’s Military Surplus 82 Main Street, Clyde • 828-627-0361 www.oldgrouch.com

Winter is coming- are you ready! Military Arctic Stoves in stock

now- burns diesel, kerosene, jet fuel, wood or even coal! Great for you hunting camp, garage, or a back up heating source for the house!! MRE’s — we

stock FRESH, quality meals, complete meals, full cases and even individual entrees.

Wool Blankets, Military Sleeping Bags, Immersion heaters, Boots, Camo Clothing, and much much more — well worth the drive to Clyde

to see WNC’s best REAL military surplus store!

Firstaid kits — we have

Western North Carolinas greatest selection of ﬁrst-aid kits, from a small hiking to to a complete trauma kit!

22 - November 2012 - Asheville Daily Planet

Commentary

Republican ads accused of muddling truth The topic is Republican advertising. The tactics of the millionaires in Raleigh and their think-tanks and foundations have been documented elsewhere. (The most complete can be Googled at “state for sale pope mayer.”) In 2010, the millionaires targeted 22 General Assembly contests in North Carolina, and they won 16 (some say 18) of them. It’s reported they spent $2.2 million on that election. Their tactic was Pearl-Harbor style ─ slick advertising mailers in wave after wave in the closing weeks of the campaign, with no time for the unsuspecting Democrats to respond. Well, you can’t do Pearl Harbor twice. So this year, Democrats knew something was coming. But they weren’t prepared for Double Pearl Harbor. This year is a case study in the old adage, “If you’re going to tell a lie, tell a big lie, and keep repeating it.”

Lee Ballard As I write this, I’m looking at two examples of the Rich Raleigh Republican assassination advertising. One is a slick card with seven words: “Ray Rapp (in red) wants to destroy traditional marriage.” The age-old tactic: Hit a good man where he’s strong. Rapp is a man of devout faith. The other ad piece has on the front: “Ray Rapp (again in red) is failing our schools.” On the reverse side is the usual stuff you get from people who want to shrink public schools and grow charter and private schools ─ but one bit is new. The ad copy says that Rapp claimed “he would improve our schools, then turned

around and voted against pay raises for teachers.” What? Ray Rapp has devoted his entire adult life to education. But wait! There’s a footnote! Let’s see, House Bill 950. What was that? What? It’s the appropriations bill for the 2012 state budget! Tucked away in those budget billions is a 1.2 percent pay raise for teachers ─ but that budget also cut 6,000 education personnel to pay for the raise! And in addition, the GOP legislature made an additional $190 million cut to K-12 public schools. Rapp has said emphatically, “I could not and will not support such draconian cuts to education.” So, sure, Rapp voted against that budget. Same tactic: hit him where he’s strong. Anything this vile should not be rewarded. There should be a backlash. Nobody would bring cow dung into their house, so they shouldn’t give these mailers any greater respect. We should all take matches

to the mailbox. And yes, a ceremony in every town that piles and burns these mailers would warm my heart. I think I hear a reader saying, “Stop complaining! Go get your own millionaires and smear Republicans!” OK, if the choice is between getting millionaires and living under a government whose values and objectives I despise, then…hmmm. How about a massive barrage of TRUTH in 2014? Truth against these people would be more terrible than their untruths against Democrats. Maybe slicker, maybe earlier, maybe more words in red. A friend posed a question to me: “I came here from South Carolina. If this stuff works and we get South Carolina here, where can I go?” I don’t know, I said. Excuse me while I go wash my hands. • Lee Ballard lives in Mars Hill.

on religious principle. Couple this with the fact that taxpayer money funds abortions through Democrat sponsored groups like Planned Parenthood and you have an unprecedented attack on the First Amendment and freedom of Religion. As Cardinal Timothy Dolan stated January 2012 in a Wall Street Journal editorial, “This latest erosion of our first freedom should make all Americans pause. When the government tampers with a freedom so fundamental to the life of our nation, one shudders to think what lies ahead.” Keep in mind Obama-Care passed without a single Republican vote. Is this your party? I believe that there are a myriad of reasons not to vote for Obama and other

Democrats in this election, but these are the most threatening to the spiritual future of America. I urge all Christians to compare their biblical values to the candidate’s, as well as the party’s platform and ask themselves, if this is still their party before they vote in this election! Beth Walker Bakersville

Letters to the Editor Continued from Page 21

Democratic Party termed a clash with biblical values

I am baffled and upset when I hear people say they vote Democrat because that is how their fathers and grandfathers voted. I contend, as a Christian, we must vote based on our biblical values, rather than for the political party of our ancestors. Is your historical family political identity more important than your values? With that question in mind, let’s examine what the modern Democrat Party has become and then ask you if this is still your party? Consider this: The Democrat Party is no longer the party of Jefferson, Truman or Kennedy. They have veered, radically, to the left, abandoning the traditional JudeoChristian values upon which our nation and the party were founded. We witnessed this first hand at the convention in September, as God was excluded from their platform, and the delegates vehemently booed God three times. Is this still your party? Further consider, the Democratic platform includes unwavering support for abortion. It is interesting to see the progression of support for legal abortion on demand over the past several election cycles from simply “standing behind Roe v. Wade” in 2000 to “standing proudly behind” the right of women to choose in 2004. The 2012 platform states that the Democrats “strongly and unequivocally support Roe v. Wade and a woman’s right to make decisions regarding her pregnancy, including a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay.” Where is their defense of the rights of the most innocent among us, the unborn? Is this still your party? Recently, President Obama announced

support for gay marriage and the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act. Then, the 2012 Democratic platform included in its platform “we support marriage equality and support the movement to secure equal treatment under law for samesex couples.” Does this match your own Christian values? Is this still your party? The crowning achievement of the Obama administration and the Democrat-controlled House and Senate, in spite of overwhelming opposition by the American people, is Obama-Care. This government takeover of healthcare includes a mandate that all employers provide coverage for contraceptives, abortion inducing drugs and sterilization services even when they object to these practices

Lunch Buffet Mon.-Fri.

11 a.m.-2 p.m.

503 New Leicester Hwy. Asheville, N.C. 28806

Lunch Buffet

$5.99 Tel. (828) 225-4209 Fax (828) 225-4208

Write a Letter to the Editor

Tell our advertisers — who enable us to bring you this newspaper — that you saw their ad in the Daily Planet!

ASHEVILLE PET SUPPLY Holistic before it was cool!

Since 1990 NATURAL AND ORGANIC FOODS AND TREATS Wellness, Solid Gold, Wysong, Nature’s Variety, Raw Frozen, EVO, Innova, California Natural

Herbal remedies Flower Essences Homeopathic Remedies WHAT MORE COULD YOUR PET NEED? Toys! Lots of toys! The fun place to shop for you and your best friend.

ASHEVILLE PET SUPPLY 1451 Merrimon Ave., Asheville (828) 252-2054

Movie Review

Asheville Daily Planet — November 2012 — 23

‘Atlas Shrugged II’ entertains, instructs By TERRILL I. ELNIFF

Having just finished re-reading Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged” (after 30 years since the first reading), I have been awaiting the coming of Part II of the movie. I own a copy of Part I, which I have shown to various interested (and sometimes not so interested) parties whenever I could justify it. Thus it was that my dear wife and I ended up at the Beaucather Theater in Asheville at 1:40 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12, for the very first showing of “Atlas Shrugged Part II: The Strike.” There were, maybe, a dozen other people in the theater for that matinee showing. I hope that is not symbolic or indicative of things to come, but I’m afraid it will be. Ayn Rand is still not popular these days among the hoi poloi, but only among a few, very few, devoted fans. Paul Ryan, the Republican vice presidential nominee, has been criticized for requiring his staff to read the book written by “the atheist Ayn Rand.” Apparently it is OK to be an atheist in today’s culture unless that atheism leads one to Ayn Rand’s conclusion that man owns himself, and is not a property of the society or of the government. But “Atlas Shrugged” is not a book about atheism; it is a book about the errors of socialism and the empty folly of relativism. In like manner, this movie is not about good acting, good film-making, or good computer graphics; it is a story about good and evil, truth and lies, producers and looters. If you go to see good acting or good film-making, you will have missed the point of the whole thing. Stay at home and watch something on TV, where form always trumps content, and style always trumps truth. Consequently I am not going to evaluate things like the quality of the acting, the techniques of film-making, the use of computer graphics, etc., etc. I’ll leave that up to the arrogant critics of good taste and fine style. Verily, they will have their reward. There was a good transition, however, from Part I to Part II in spite of the fact that the entire cast was changed. In the first part, the critics panned the movie because the cast was too young for the roles they

The question of “Who is John Galt?” constantly is raised in the film “Atlas Shrugged Part II.” were playing. To imagine that Dagney Taggart could operate a transcontinental railroad at an age barely out of her 20s (if that) strained credulity. All the cast in Part I seemed too young for the roles they were playing. So, in Part II the cast was changed, and all appeared older. Dagney is now in her mid-40s, or so, for instance. This change made the whole story more believable, and the transition from cast to cast was well done so that after a few minutes, one does not notice the change. The only change that I thought was wrong was the character of Eddie Willers. In Part I Eddie was played by Edi Gathegi, who seemed ideal as a principled functioning executive in the Taggart organization. In Part II Eddie was played by Richard T. Jones, who seemed more like an enforcer (read: muscled heavy) than an effective executive. But that’s an esoteric quibble, by one who raised his three children with round-the-supper-table discussions of “who would you get to play which parts in an Atlas Shrugged movie? and why?” The transition from Part I to Part II is

Advertise

The lead role of Dagny Taggart (above), the protagonist in the novel “Atlas Shrugged,” is played in “Part II” by Samantha Mathis. Over her right shoulder is steel magnate Henry Reardon (Jason Beghe). handled well, mostly by voice-over narrative which ties the two together. The story, originally written in 1957, is modernized to 2016, describing the economic and social crises brought on by the collapse of the economy. It is remarkable how much of what Rand portrayed in 1957 actually occurs in our own time. Politicians and their socialistic ilk all sound alike in any age. Consider this speech from Jim Taggart, complaining about Hank Rearden’s new alloy of steel [this is not from the movie, by the way!]: “Rearden. He didn’t invent smelting and chemistry and air compression. He couldn’t have invented his Metal but for thousands and thousands of other people. His Metal! Why does he think it’s his? Why does he think it’s his invention? Everybody uses the work of everybody else. Nobody ever

Call (828) 252-6565

or e-mail: advertising@AshevilleDailyPlanet.com

Compare Barack Obama: “You didn’t build that by yourself.” Ideologically, the movie is about the conflict between those who trade value for value by mutual and voluntary consent, on the one hand, and those who advocate government control and regulation “for the public good,” on the other. The first produces wealth and progress, the latter economic catastrophe and hardship. The story is entertaining and instructive at the same time. The viewer will do well to exercise “the willing suspension of disbelief” and enjoy the movie, and then discuss its ideas and worldviews with those who are willing to listen and learn. • Terrill Elniff, CPA, lives in Asheville and annoys his friends and neighbors with talk about “Atlas Shrugged.”

Sassy’s Computers has the fastest computer repair in town.

your company in the Daily Planet!

What is your business? Advertise in the Daily Planet .... We distribute in four counties (Buncombe, Henderson, Madison and Haywood) to about 200 locations. We’ll let our skyrocketing readership know that you are here and ... open for business!

invents anything.” (page 262).

FREE DIAGNOSTIC COUPON Coupon good through 11-30-12

Why wait two weeks or longer when the majority of our repairs are done the same day? 1457 Merrimon Avenue • Asheville

828-253-0853 • www.sassys.com

24 — November 2012 - Asheville Daily Planet

Huckabee, Boehner rev up Asheville crowd for Romney By JOHN NORTH

john@ashevilledailyplanet.com

The two special-guest speakers at the Oct. 11 Victory Rally for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in downtown Asheville — former Ark. Gov. and Fox News host Mike Huckabee and Speaker of the House John Boehner — appeared to have accomplished their task of getting the crowd fired-up. Following addresses by the other speakers (see story to the right), Huckabee and Boehner took over the proceedings — and an adoring audience responded predictably. Boehner, who spoke first, said, “Send Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan to the White House ... The president doesn’t understand” what it takes to rebuild the economy. He said Obama has “cost the economy 700,000 new jobs.” In a reference to the vice presidential debate later, Boehner said, “Tonight, guess what? It’s (GOP nominee) Paul Ryan’s turn. I feel sorry for Joe Biden.” Regarding Ryan, Boehner said, “He knows more about core growth economic policies that we believe in than anybody in the Congress.” At that point, Boehner said he was going to have his “buddy speak — the great (former) Gov. of Arkansas — Mike Huckabee!” Before turning over the microphone to Huckabee, Boehner told the crowd, “Over the next three and a half weeks, don’t forget to get everyone (who favors Romney) to vote.” The crowd roared when Boehner joked that Republicans should do everything they can to discourage Democrats from voting. Next, Huckabee noted that Romney was among his opponents in his run for the GOP nomination for president four years ago — and it was a bit ironic that he was stumping for him this time around. “Folks, you know it’s a tough time in American when a Southern Baptist minister begs you to sup-

port a guy who’s from Massachusetts and a Mormon,” Huckabee quipped wryly. His joke prompted much cheering and laughter and — some said later — was the most memorable line of the night. Huckabeee also expressed enthusiasm for Republicans Pat McCrory and Dan Forrest to be voted in as North Carolina’s next governor and lieutenant governor, respectively. Regarding his support for Romney, Huckabee said the race will be lost “if we don’t get out and make sure states like North Carolina vote their hearts ... because we can’t afford four more years of President Obama. “You hear the bad numbers (on the economy) — and he (Obama) acts like things are getting better.” Huckabee suggested that the president’s assertion might work in some elite circles, but “try telling that to” those who are suffering through the hard times. “We’ve got a millionaire muppet who’s more concerned with keeping his job” than helping others find jobs, Huckabee charged. “Not only has this president brought us to the brink of bankruptcy, but now we’ve got Obamacare. He rammed it down our throats in the middle of the night. “Don’t let your friends, neighbors and associations ... if they’re going to vote for Romney — make sure they go vote. He then joked, “If they’re going to vote for Obama — tell them the election has been postponed till December. Let the air out of their (vehicles’) tires, if necessary” to keep them from voting. The crowd cheered. “This, I believe, may well be the most important election since the founding of our republic,” Huckabee said. “If you’re a businessman ... if you want to keep your job, you’d better make sure Barack Obama is not re-elected.” “Let’s make sure Barack Obama loses his job, so that millions can have theirs ... Let’s send him back to Chicago!” Huckabee said in concluding his address.

Other rally speakers prove colorful From Staff Reports

Early on the morning of Oct. 11, the area outside downtown Asheville’s U.S. Cellular Center was crowded with supporters of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney supporters — and a few protesters — as nearby streets were closed for the occasion and vigilant Secret Service agents stood watch. The Romney Victory Rally got underway at 5:15 that evening, when state Sen. Tom Apadoca, R-Hendersonville, greeted the crowd and immediately quipped, “I’ve got to admit I’m having a problem ... I couldn’t find my teleprompter.” The playful jab at President Barack Obama’s frequent use of teleprompters in his speeches set the tone for the evening and prompted laughter from the GOP faithful. Next, Apadoca held up a copy of that morning’s Asheville CitizenTimes, noting that the headline across the top of the front page stated, “Romney visit could clog downtown.” As the crowd booed at what some felt was an anti-Romney headline from what was implied to be a left-leaning newspaper, Apadoca turned the jeers into cheers when he said the headline should have stated, “Romney victory will unclog U.S. economy.” He then marveled that “this is downtown Asheville,” apparently referring to its reputation as a liberal

These businesses invite you to visit Downtown Asheville

bastion, and the fact that it was filled — for that day — with conservative supporters of Romney. “It’s time to take the country back,” Apodaca said. To that end, he asked everyone at the rally to call up people they think “might have voted the wrong way (for Obama) the last time” and convince them to cast votes for Romney this time. Next, Mark Meadows, the GOP candidate for the U.S. Congress’ N.C. District 11 seat, said Obama’s vision for America has been catastrophic. However, Meadows said he is grateful that “we still have a God who reigns over the affairs of this nation.” His religious reference prompted a big applause. He told of the 1776 East River Retreat of George Washington and his troops, noting that like Washington, the Republicans continue to “fight another day” and told the crowd that “a fog is lifting” as Romney appears to be on the road to victory. U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-Cherryville, who noted that his district has been changed radically by recent redistricting, said, “It will be an honor to represent Asheville” and six other localities in his newly drawn district “in this Congress.” Gubernatorial hopeful Pat McCrory was absent, but Dan Forrest, who is running for lieutenant goveror, was there and addressed the crowd.

ART + I N D E PE N D E N T FI L M S

Coming in November THE SESSIONS A LATE QUARTET EASY MONEY $5 Tuesdays Local Brews on Tap Best C oncession Prices Special events/fund-raisers excluded Prices subject to change Upstairs Stadium Seating All films — all day — only $5.00

www.FineArtsT heatre.com

Open D aily

•

36 Biltmore Ave

•

232.1536

Located at the Grove Arcade

COMPARE OUR BUYING PRICE ON GOLD AND SILVER

WE BUY LARGE

• Free parking • Sales, service and repair

BUYING ALL GOLD & SILVER Mon.-Sat. 10-5

New, used and vintage

BICYCLES 253-4800

SMALL COIN COLLECTIONS

1 Page Ave Suite 120 Asheville NC

828-255-0731

0003151683

Visit our new location at 28 Asheland Avenue, Downtown Asheville

Romney

Continued from Page 1 When Romney emerged to to give his 20-minute address, the civic center crowd erupted into a thunderous cheer that made his first few words — apparently greeting the audience — inaudible. “Based on what I’m seeing here tonight, I’m going to go out on a limb and predict we’re going to win North Carolina!” Romney said in his first easily audible words. The crowd broke into loud cheers, again. Romney then noted that he had experience his “dream of a lifetime by meeting wth (the Rev.) Billy Graham” during his stop-off at the world-renowned evangelist’s home in nearby Montreat just before his speech in downtown Asheville. “Now I enjoyed my debate about a week ago” (Oct. 3) in the first of three debates with Obama, Romney said. “That was a good experience.” The crowd applauded loudly. Romney added that the Oct. 3 debate gave him the opportunity to ask Obama “questions I know people across America have been asking him. For instance, why is it, with 23 million Americans out of work or stopped looking for work, (that) he spent his first two years working on Obamacare? I asked him why it was that, with trillion-dollar deficits, he put $90 billion into green energy companies? “And I’ve got a feeling I’m going to enjoy the debate tonight,” he said, referring to the vice presidential debate. “On Nov. 6, we’re going to” decide the future direction of the nation, which, he said is obviously going in the wrong direction. He added that Obama had said that “‘you know you can’t change Washington from the inside,’ but from the outside, well, we’re here to challenge him on that. “Against that backdrop we’ve got a presi-

dent talking about saving Big Bird (from the children’s television show “Sesame Street”) ... I think he ought to be talking about saving the American family.” Romney also lambasted Obama for saying that the GOP ticket had politicized the execution of an ambassador and three other Americans in Libya. He said the administration’s response shows that it does not understand the threats facing the nation. “They said this and I quote: ‘The entire reason this has become the political topic it is, is because of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan.’ No, President Obama, it’s an issue because this is the first time in 33 years that a United States ambassador has been assassinated. “Mr. President, this is an issue because we were attacked successfully by terrorists on the anniversary of 9/11. President Obama, this is an issue because Americans wonder why it was it took so long for you and your administration to admit that this was a terrorist attack” Romney reiterated, “This is a very serious issue. These are very serious questions, and the American people deserve serious anwers and I hope they come soon.” Romney’s reference was to remarks made by the president’s deputy campaign manager, Stephanie Cutter, who was questioned by CNN earlier that day when she said, “The entire reason that this has become the, you know, political topic it is, is because of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. It’s a big part of their stump speech and it’s reckless and irresponsible what they’re doing.” At first, the Obama administration blamed the attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, on sudden protests over an anti-Muslim film produced in the U.S. However, it soon became apparent that the attack that led to the death of Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans was the result of a planned terrorist assault.

Asheville Daily Planet — November 2012 — 25

Questions have been raised about the administration’s delay in labeling the incident an act of terrorism. Also, pundits are asking why the diplomatic mission was not sufficiently protected. “This is an issue... because it took your administration so long to admit that it was a terrorist attack,” Romney told the crowd. In contrasting himself with Obama, Romney said, “We have very different visions for the future of America.” He said Obama, if re-elected, is planning to raise taxes that will cost the U.S. economy 700,000 jobs. In contrast, Romney said, “I make this pledge: I will not raise any taxes” on small businesses or the middle class. Moreover, he asserted, “I will repeal and replace Obamacare ... I will restore Medicare for our seniors. “I will not cut our defense funding” and will “make sure we have a military second to none in the world,” he said. Romney added that his focus will be one “How to get more jobs ... more people working ... more take-home pay.” Jabbing Obama, Romney said, “He calls his plan ‘Foreward.’ I call it ‘Forewarned.’ We don’t want to go down that road any more. This president says he wants to fundamentally change America. I don’t want to change America. I want to restore the principles that made America great. This nation’s economy.” Later, he said, “A friend of mine said he (Obama) doesn’t want to pick winners and losers — just losers.” Romney added that Obama’s policies are losers. Contrary to Obama’s assertions, “this nation’s economy is not driven by government, but by free people pursuing their dreams,” he said. “Our founders ... I think they were inspired, saying our rights were not from men, but from God.” “I don’t want to change America’s foun-

dation ... I want to make it stronger.” Romney then reviewed his five-point plan for a stronger middle class to restore America, if he is elected, which includes: • Energy independence — “Take full advantage of coal, oil and gas” to fuel the economy. • Trade that works for America — “Make sure trade works for us.” Romney noted that he will level the playing field “when people cheat — like China has.” • The skills to succeed — “Make sure people have the skills they need” to be employable. Romney added that he wants to ensure that “schools are performing” and to put kids and teachers first — and teacher unions behind.” • Champion small business — “I want to help small businesses grow and thrive — by keeping taxes down. There’s a big cloud hanging over small businesses — and that’s Obamacare.” Romney said he would repeal Obamacare and replace it — with bipartisan support — with a more feasible national health care system. • Cut the deficit — Get small businesses to hire and grow in America. To do that, we need to convince them our country is not on the road to Greece,” meaning looming bankruptcy. Romney said cutting the deficit will send the right message to entrepreneurs. “We can create 12 million jobs” through his plan, Romney asserted. “You care about America — and that’s what brings me here” to Asheville. “I’ve had the opportunity in my life to see the character of the American people” and he said he was impressed. “These are big hearts,” Romney said in closing. Later that evening, local GOP sources said Romney had dinner at Asheville’s Grove Park Inn, where he slept overnight, before departing the next morning to resume his campaigning

GUGE Republican candidate for Board of Commissioners, D1

• Career law enforcement • Gulf War Army veteran • B.S. degree from Clemson University • MPA degree from Western Carolina University • Small business owner for 12-plus years Endorsed by the Buncombe County Association of Educators

Don Guge

“I’ve seen the best and the worst in our community, and I know we can spend our money more wisely.”

— Don Guge

DON GUGE STANDS FOR:

• Representating all people, not just special interests • Protect all our county employees • Cutting wasteful spending • Sustainable business for hard-working families Paid for by Committee to Elect Donald Guge

“Our county shouldn’t be run by special interest groups... We need representation from all aspects of the political spectrum... The reality is we need to represent everyone.” — Don Guge

26 - November 2012 - Asheville Daily Planet

Article calling Mormonism a ‘cult’ nixed after Romney visit From Staff Reports

A story on the Billy Graham Evangelical Association website that called Mormonism a cult was removed following an Oct. 11 visit by GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney with the Rev. Billy Graham at the latter’s Montreat home. Graham’s sudden change of mind on Mormons’ status, coupled with his endorsement of Romney, sparked an outcry — expressed in local news media — among some Democrats in the community who felt that a political deal had been made under the auspices of religion. Romney paid Graham a visit just prior to

his Victory Rally at the U.S. Cellular Center in downtown Asheville. Graham, a 93-yearold world-renowned evangelist who is in frail health, is considered highly influential among America’s evangelicals. During the visit, Graham publically expressed his support for Romney’s presidential bid, pledging to do “all I can” to help him get elected. Also attending the meeting was Franklin Graham, chief executive officer of the BGEA and the Billy Graham’s son. Franklin Graham had raised questions about Romney’s Mormon faith during a February interview with MSNBC. When pressed at that time, the younger Graham declined to

say whether Romney is a Christian. “He is a Mormon,” Graham Franklin told MSNBC in February. “Most Christians would not recognize Mormonism ... but he would be a good president if he won the nomination.” The BGEA’s article was removed from the website sometime after the meeting. BGECA Chief of Staff Ken Barun told the Asheville Citizen-Times that the information was removed rom the website “because we do not wish to pariticpate in a theological debate about something that has become highly politicized during this campaign.” Through a spokesman, Billy Graham said on Oct. 16 that he loves everyone, as Jesus did, and has friendships with people of other

faiths, including Mormons. A spokesman for Billy Graham added that, “although he is aware of theological differences among various groups, he is personally not in the business of labeling.” The article removed from the website included as cults “Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, the Unification Church, Unitarians, Spiritists, Scientologists and others.” In the aftermath, the Rev. Mark Ward, lead minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, wrote a letter to the editor that appears in this edition of the Daily Planet, asking that UUs also be removed from the cult list. Ward’s letter appers on Page 21.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY REGISTER OF DEEDS 2012 CANDIDATES COMPARISON Drew Reisinger

Pat Cothran

Biographical History • Buncombe County (Leicester), N.C., native. Chose to remain here as a life-long resident. • Ancestors settled in Leicester in the 1800’s, locating in Buncombe from other N.C. counties.

• Orlando Metropolitan Area, Florida, native. Resident of Buncombe County since 2008. • Parents and grandparents are natives of Miami and Winter Haven, Florida

College Education • BS Business Administration, real estate major; East Tennessee State University; 1978. Entered college at age 16, graduated at 19 • Master of Business Administration; Clemson University; 1990 • Master of Entrepreneurship; Western Carolina University; 2005

Work Experience • Small Business Owner / President, Old North State Title, a North Carolina licensed title insurance agency representing Fortune 500 title companies, insuring the titles (deeds) to properties throughout Buncombe and WNC, and handling 1031 tax-deferred exchanges; Dec 2001 – • Area Manager, Lawyers Title Insurance Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, insured the titles (deeds) to properties throughout Buncombe and WNC, opened and managed two title insurance offices in WNC; and Vice President of Lawyers Title Exchange Company, handled 1031 tax-deferred exchanges; 1995- 2001 √ Named Vice President, Lawyers Title of NC, 1996; named Vice President, Lawyers Title Insurance Corporation, 1999 √ Earned national Lawyers Title Insurance Corporation performance awards - one Platinum, three Gold, one Silver - for achieving quarterly goals for gross revenue, expense ratio, pretax net, and productivity; 1996-1997 √ Earned national Lawyers Title Insurance Corporation “President’s Recognition” award for achieving annual goal for claims loss prevention; 1996 √ Earned national Lawyers Title Insurance Corporation “Bronze Circle Award” for increasing gross profits by more than 25% over the prior year; 1999 • Area Manager, Investors Title Insurance Company, insured the titles (deeds) to properties throughout Buncombe and WNC, opened and managed three title insurance offices in WNC; 1986-1995 • Co-Founder/Owner, Asheville Professional School of Real Estate, NC licensed real estate education school, taught real estate fundamentals in preparation for state-administered licensing examinations; 1984-1986 • Real Estate Broker, JD Jackson Associates; and Hill-Phillips The Gallery® of Homes; 1979-1984 √ Top Listor of the Month, March, April and July, 1984; The Gallery® of Homes √ Regional Top Listing Counselor, 2nd quarter 1984; The Gallery® of Homes

• BA Anthropology; Appalachian State University; 2006

Work Experience Prior to Serving as Register of Deeds • Campaign Manager, Committee to Elect Patsy Keever; Sept 2009Mar 2011 • Campaign Team Member, Gordon Smith for City Council; June 2009-Sept 2009 • Field Organizer, Grassroots Solutions, Washington, DC; Dec 2008-Mar 2009 √ Named “Most Effective Organizer in the Nation”–Power Shift ‘09; • Campaign Volunteer, Obama for America; GA & SC; Mar 2008– and Field Organizer, Obama for America; Asheville; –Nov 2008 • Field Staff, Second Nature Blue Ridge, GA; Mar 2007-Jan 2008

1. Announcements THANKS for reading the Asheville Daily Planet. ADVERTISE — Call 713-6336 today to place your ad in the Daily Planet to reach our estimated 25,000 readers. Rates are as little as $10 for 15 words or less per month. Our circulation stretches from Mars Hill to the north to Flat Rock to the south to Black Mountain to the east and to Waynesville to the west.

Asheville Daily Planet — November 2012 — 27

4. Employment

10. Services

PART-TIME JOB with full-time benefits. You can receive cash bonus, monthly paycheck, job training, money for technical training or college, travel, health benefits, retirement and more more! Call now and learn how the National Guard can benefit you and your family! 1-800-GO-GUARD.

10. Services

DREAMSEEKERS — Your destination for relaxation. Call for your appointment. Now available 7 days a week! Mention you saw this advertisement in the Daily Planet and get $10 off. (828) 275-4443.

A DEPENDABLE HOUSEKEEPER has openings. Call for details. Ginger. (828) 319-1527.

SHOP with the Asheville Daily Planet’s advertisers today ... and everyday!

2. Merchandise STEEL BUILDINGS

Discounted Factory Inventory, 14x36, 38x50, 48x96, 60x150. Misc. Sizes, limited availability www.utilityking.com Source #1GU 866-609-4321.

4. Employment Drivers needed in Asheville

Local Deliveries, Monday-Friday $640/wk, paid weekly, no sales involved Must have own vehicle, Large Pickup Truck, 1/2-ton size, 95 or newer Must have a clean background 877-973-7447 Large Pickup Truck, 1/2-ton size, 95 or newer Must have a clean background 877-973-7447

$489

460 Rancher with 20-inch bar

Chainsaws with the strength you need, whenever you need it.

Bob Lawrence Power Equipment Co. Inc. 265 Broadway, Asheville • 828.252.3561

32 years of business leadership in Buncombe County!

Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. • Sat., 9 a.m.-noon

Paid for by Joe Belcher for Buncombe County Commissioner

Prime Select, Inc. Swannanoa, N.C. perriott7@gmail.com

(828) 712-8453

In the ﬁeld of tile work, the real quality is in the bonding and underlayment. Prime Select, Inc. understands good tile work is more than straight lines; it is a thorough knowledge of all products used for each tile application, as well as following the manufacturer's guidelines for installation. We are certiﬁed by the CTEF (Ceramic Tile Education Foundation) and Schulter Systems as quality installers of ceramic, porcelain, glass, and dimensional stone tile. Over the past 12 years, we have worked in hundreds of homes in the Asheville area — blending beauty with function and quality with value.

Newcomb Tree Service “If you can’t cut ‘em, we’ll Newcomb!”

• Free estimates & • Stump grinding fully insured & lot clearing • Tree removal, • Crane removal trimming & pruning • Trackhoe • Bucket truck & services chipper

Mention this ad for a 10% Discount

Pat Newcomb 828.777.1226

Personalize your clothing apparel with your logo or monogram! We’ll see you with your winterware.

28 - November 2012 - Asheville Daily Planet