August 2012 Murfreesboro Pulse

MURFREESBORO

MIDDLE TENNESSEE’S SOURCE FOR ART, ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS

>>> MUSIC Bluegrass Underground celebrates anniversary with The Steeldrivers

Vol. 7, Issue 8 August 2012

FREE Take One!

page 16

Wanda circa 1960

>>> OPINION Islam is taking over US from the Inside: Column by Eric Allen Bell

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Wanda Jackson

The Queen of Rockabilly mentors new generation of music-loving Southern girls in Murfreesboro. page 25

ONLINE AT: BOROPULSE.COM

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CONTENTS

Bracken Mayo Junior enjoying his fried cheese at O’Possums

OPINIONS

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What Murfreesboro is Saying Pulse readers weigh in on the issues.

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Gagflex We need to talk about a gun.

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Phil Valentine Let's just give everyone a gold medal.

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Islam is Taking Over the US from the Inside Former liberal filmmaker explains why he no longer supports the spread of Islam in the US.

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Read to Succeed Closing the Gate, by Deb Simpson

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Please Help, Don’t Give Giving cash to panhandlers isn't always productive.

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NEWS OF NOTE

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Welcome to the Jungle Amazon given massive tax break to come to town, while taxpayers upgrade roads to accomodate.

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COMMUNITY CALENDAR

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Living Green Tips to level your spending on heating and cooling.

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Gardening 101 Start planting your fall garden now.

LIVING

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SOUNDS

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Bluegrass Underground Steeldrivers celebrate cool venue's anniversary.

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Muddy Roots Festival Festival settling right into Putnam County home for third year of American music event.

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I Am What I Am Shelbyville event raises money, awareness for autism.

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CONCERT LISTINGS Album Reviews JEFF the Brotherhood, Bang OK Bang, Christine Parri, Transcend the Fallen

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The Hardin Draw New groovy acoustic act tells of formation.

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Wanda Jackson Rockabilly legend performs for YEAH camp.

Sign up to receive our weekly digital newsletter at BoroPulse.com/Newsletter

THEATER

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All Sorts of Characters Coming to Stages Evita, Judas, Xanadu, Black Fox on tap.

MOVIES

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Pondillo Explains Intentions Miracles on Honey Bee Hill creating buzz.

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Review Moonrise Kingdom

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Living Room Cinema Numerals

SPORTS

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Z-Train The magic of the Me Ma Shuffle.

Tri Fit Bring out the kettlebells.

ART

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Installations by Sara Good Center for the Arts hosts exhibit all month.

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FOOD O’Possum’s Irish Pub Meet the oldest clan in Ireland at Memorial Boulevard pub.

CREW

PULSE

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Publisher/Editor in Chief: Bracken Mayo

Music Editor: Jessica Pace Contributing Writers: Eric Allen Bell, Spencer Blake, Terri DeLong, Ryan Egly, Art Director: Sarah L. Mayo Bryce Harmon, Jason Johnson, Zach Maxfield, Cameron Parrish, Laura Beth Payne, John T. Advertising Rep: Powers, Jay Spight, Andrea Stockard, Don Clark, Barbara Adell Corey Trimble, Norbert Thiemann, Adam Valentine, Phil Valentine, Larry White, David H. Wright Copy Editor: Cindy Phiffer

To carry The Pulse at your business, or submit letters, stories and photography: bracken@boropulse.com 116-E North Walnut St., Murfreesboro, TN 37130 (615) 796-6248

Copyright © 2012, The Murfreesboro Pulse, 116-E N. Walnut St., Murfreesboro, TN 37130.

Proudly owned, operated and published the first Thursday of each month by the Mayo family; printed

by Franklin Web Printing Co. The Murfreesboro Pulse is a free publication funded by our advertisers. Views expressed in The Pulse do not necessarily reflect the views of the publishers. ISSN: 1940-378X

DEAR READERS: WELL, PEOPLE ARE CRAZY AND TIMES ARE STRANGE (and that’s no fabrication). The recent violent and unacceptable behavior by some Americans has led to some very interesting questions and conversations about how the US justice system should operate.

Man rapes and manipulates multiple children in a locker room; gunman mows down crowd in movie theater, killing 12; argument between college roommates in Murfreesboro escalates and one stabs the other to death. How do you send the message, not necessarily to these people but to potential future criminals, that we can not accept this and their fate will be worse than death, but still be a civilized society?

You can put these criminals to death, beat them, torture them, jail them, whatever, and it’s still not “justice”. It would be a little more fair if victims were never victimized in the first place. But how to punish them so severely that no other jokers ever get the same idea?

On the micro-discipline level, there’s something that seems inherently strange about trying to keep a small child from screaming and hitting people, and attempting to convey this message to him by screaming and hitting . . . that’s where the old Santa Claus mind control trick comes in I guess. (“Act right you little rugrat or this mythical fat man in red won’t bring you no toys!”)

The Mayos have gone and done it; we unplugged, the cable that is, you know, the nearly-$100-per-month Comcast. There’s just something about paying to watch commercials that doesn’t sit well with me. Either make it free, or make it commercial-free, or I don’t want it.

The quality of programming goes down, the cost of the service goes up, they charge advertisers for the right to get in front of the people paying for the service.

Leave me out of that equation. There are other things I can spend my $1,000 a year on.

I will miss the barrage of pigskin come football time, but I really do not need to see Fresno State or Toledo in action every week. Maybe I should go outside and actually play a sport during that time, or go to an MTSU game. I understand, it’s not SEC football, but it’s still a great community experience to hang out in the grove before kickoff, hear the Band of Blue, throw some football or cornhole with your fellow alumni and neighbors.

It’s 2012. We don’t need cable, nor a dish. Start a band, read a book, grow a plant, paint a picture, clean your car, talk to someone, walk; you may enjoy it.

Peace, Bracken Mayo Editor in Chief BOROPULSE.COM

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OPINIONS WHAT MURFREESBORO IS SAYING: JOIN THE CONVERSATION FACEBOOK.COM/BOROPULSE TWITTER.COM/BOROPULSE BOROPULSE.COM/CONTACT

(In response to “What was your worst dining experience in Murfreesboro?”)

Will you please put a worst customer experience in here too?

Though some of the comments were valid, it makes me sick that most of the public feel they should be entitled to something free because their food wasn’t plated correctly (the Kim Huff comment). How can she say it wasn’t a big deal, but it ruined her experience, then she refuses to pay for her food? Really? I bet the restaurant is OK with the fact she will never return.

Anyways, some customers are no angels either, especially when they expect freebies at the slightest mistake. I’m sure there are lots of servers who can tell lots of stories of a-holes they have waited on.

— Allison Lumpkin, aml3q@mtsu.edu Here is the thing, it is almost impossible to tell what our worst serving experience is because for every one time that those customers with horrible experiences dine out, we wait on 30 more tables that night. I have been stiffed, yelled at, blamed for kitchen errors, had bad comments, good comments, great tips, waited on nice people, mean people, perverts, women who hate me for no reason, men who love me for weird reasons, I have given the best service for terrible money, the worst

service for good money, gotten hurt, had cynicism about the human race directly related to serving, and this is all in a day. I could go on and on but basically it boils down to this: servers make $2.15 an hour. We rely on tips to pay our rent, and feed our families. We are people, we make mistakes. If your server gets your order wrong, don’t freak out; have some compassion, because I am sure every person in the world has made a mistake at their job. We don’t just take orders and bring your food, we wash dishes, keep the dining room clean, roll all the silverware, make sure all the condiments are full, maintain the beverage stations and slice all those lemons you guys are so fond of. Our job description goes on and on depending on the restaurant. It takes a lot of people to make things run smoothly from start to finish in a restaurant, so if the business itself had to pay servers the $10+ an hour we are worth, that medium rare steak and potato would be a bit pricier than $14.95.

If you can’t afford to tip, maybe dining out shouldn’t be an option for you. If the server sucks (obviously could care less) then yes, teach them a lesson, give them a crappy tip. But if your service is good, jeeze people 15% is standard!

20% is greatly appreciated! Please never leave a dollar; that is mean. And remember, it is not as easy as it can look.

I have been serving for a very long time and still make mistakes. It is a skill that must be learned through experience, so take it easy on the newbies.

Most of us won’t speak out publicly because we may face consequences like losing our jobs. But for goodness sakes, I am fed up and hopefully someone somewhere will think twice before mistreating a server, hostess, manager, customer service rep, retail sales person or one of the other thousands of positions that make the world go round.

— Wendy Jewell

“I have been stiffed, yelled at, blamed for kitchen errors, had great tips, waited on nice people, mean people, perverts, and this is all in a day.”

Wendy said it right. Your food would cost way more if we got paid properly.

Also, don’t eat all your food, and then complain that it was nasty to get it discounted. Stop expecting compensations for honest mistakes. Get off your cell phones! Treat people like humans.

Sit where you are sat, hostesses are there for a reason. When you pitch a huge fit because we don’t have chocolate milk for your kid to drink and the orange juice we do offer is no good because it has too much sugar in it, you look dumb.

Chick from Murfreesboro Singles Group, you were hands down the worst person I have ever waited on, five years ago. You should be ashamed of yourself. Your friends should have been embarrassed to have been with you. That is all.

— Allison Lumpkin Editor’s note: I say always treat others with respect, whether it’s a server, customer or anyone.

Though I would generally rather have the option to go get my own water refills and walk to the kitchen when the food is ready and carry back my own plate than have someone else take on this responsibility and expect me to pay an additional 20 percent above the bill. — Bracken (In response to Lee Miller’s column “Why David Lowery’s Attitude is Dangerous for Artists”) Well done. Lowery is just clinging to the past.

It’s a much better music business now than ever before because it’s an even playing field for ALL artists.

As an artist, If you want to stand out, you better get to work and you better be good.

— Saul Zonana (In response to “La Palabra: Zombie Summer!”)

A real zombie apocalypse could happen from a combination of disasters both natural and manmade, producing hoards of diseased, starved and drug-crazed survivors acting purely on base instincts and mindlessly plundering, raping and killing everyone in sight all while on bathsalts and listening to rap music.

— Ghosterbater (In response to “Guitars from Scratch: Music is Born at Gallagher Guitars, Wartrace’s custom instrument shop”) A glorious sound, a Gallagher guitar, another

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star shines down from the heavens. Bless Doc Watson.

— Patrick Diamante (In response to “Wayman Price Plays God’s Favorite at MLT”) I certainly agree that Wayman and Jack did outstanding jobs, but Todd’s performance made the show!

— Brenda Tate

(In response to last edition’s Letter from the Editor - “Christians are not persecuted in the U.S., stop complaining”) I agree that true persecution of Christians in the U.S. is rare. I think many of us confuse anti-christian sentiment and attacks on our value system as persecution, which it is not. Basically we are just soft compared to our predecessors and our brethren in places where real persecution of Believers takes place every day.

However, I am of the belief that many here in the U.S. would like to persecute Christians and that living a true and genuine Christ-like existence can and should come with inherent risks, both socially and at times even physically.

I also believe that a day may come where Christians in this county experience real persecution. Even so, as Christians we are called not to complain about this but actually rejoice in our persecution, according to the words of the Apostle Peter: “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed” (1 Peter 4:12–19).

Great article Mr. Mayo!

— Cameron Parrish Cameron, the non-Christians in this country are largely not Muslims, nor are they anti-Christian.

Most of the non-Christian people in this country are non-religious, and only want their own lives not to be dictated by the current interpretation of the Bible. Most of us live reasonably moral existences without regard to religion.

I realize you probably don’t encounter a lot of secular people, but what you need to know about us is that we don’t have anything against religion as a rule (not against Christians, muslims, or those of various other spiritual beliefs).

If you can adopt a live-and-let-live attitude and not be overly worried about imminent persecution, you’ll likely find that’s what most people in all other spiritual or secular populations would like as well. The people who do not fall within this population are very likely going to remain an insignificant percentage for a very long time.

— Buffy, emailbuff@aol.com

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OPINIONS

We Need to Talk about a Gun

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an Who Just Purchased 3,000 Rounds of Ammunition Online Perfectly Sane, Thinks Man Processing Order.” That was a recent headline from the newspaper The Onion, which is a satirical newspaper. The story is supposed to be absurd, but it leads to the good question of why isn’t this absurd to more people? Absurdity is the average citizen having the ability to purchase assault weapons, high capacity magazines and an endless supply of ammunition. Bill Clinton signed the original bill that banned assault weapons back in 1994, and since that bill expired in 2004, politicians on both sides of the aisle have been afraid to touch the subject. Republicans don’t want to offend their base and Democrats don’t want to come across as being weak or too far to the left. But the horrific shooting that took place in Aurora, Colo., has shown that this conversation is long overdue.

I haven’t written a great deal about gun regulation, because in the past, I honestly didn’t

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really believe in much gun magazine for personal regulation. Although I am protections seems a bit not a hunter, I am a gun like overkill. As far as I owner and enjoy shootknow, most people aren’t column by JASON JOHNSON tuckwopat@yahoo.com ing. I grew up on farm in getting attacked by the Pulaski. Although I didn’t Hell’s Angels or some know a lot of people that one might consider other nefarious group. James Holmes pur“gun enthusiasts,” most people I knew had chased 6,000 rounds of ammunition online, a gun or two, usually heirlooms forgotten in and the AR-15 assault rifle he was carrying an attic. I even knew a couple of people who had a drum magazine attached that could owned assault rifles, one of them being a drug hold 100 rounds. He also had a .40-caliber dealer, and as far as I can tell they weren’t used pistol that had an extended magazine that for anything other than show-and-tell. held 40 rounds. What exactly is the intended They serve no purpose. They aren’t purpose of these weapons of mass destrucused for hunting and the idea that you are tion? Is this what the second amendment is using an assault rifle with a high capacity about, protecting James Holmes’s right to

GAGFLEX

Is this what the second amendment “ is about, protecting James Holmes’s right

to purchase and carry an assault rifle that holds an endless amount of bullets?

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purchase and carry an assault rifle that holds an endless amount of bullets?

You can argue till you’re blue in the face about what the second amendment guarantees, and it clearly states that “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

But there is obviously a reasonable expectation of what the average citizen should not be able to own. We can’t just go purchase a rocket launcher and a sack of grenades. Assault rifles shouldn’t be any different. If you want to be a stickler for the law of the time period in which the second amendment was written, then you should only be allowed to purchase weapons that existed in the 1700s.

You can stockpile all the muskets you want.

Our government has spent years fighting terrorists abroad. Maybe it’s time we at least put a speed bump in the path of the lunatics at home.

Let’s Just Give Everyone A Gold Medal

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t has been a basic tenet of socialism preneurs and risk-takers that make this for many years. Now President Obama country the envy of the world, what if we has placed the concept front and center applied this same philosophy to Obama? in his re-election campaign: The rich John McCain worked just as hard as he did didn’t get there on their own. in 2008. Shouldn’t Obama have offered him Here’s how the argument goes. Obama a co-presidency? says businesses become successful because Obama went to Harvard, although we’ve somebody paid for the roads and bridges. yet to see his transcripts. I’m sure there were Like rich people don’t pay the gas tax too? plenty of folks there who worked just as hard He says rich people become successful beas he did. Did he offer to shave off a point or cause somewhere down the line there was a two from his GPA and give it to them? And great teacher. And everyone else doesn’t have how about all the folks who couldn’t get into access to the same teachers? He says rich Harvard? Is that fair? Can you imagine an people got rich because of all the people who Olympics where everyone who works hard work for them instead of acknowledging that gets a gold medal? I’m sure everyone comwithout job creators there would be no jobs. peting this summer is working hard. Why is He says the rich aren’t smarter than it fair that most will go home empty-handed? everybody else. He says they don’t work This country was made great by competiharder than everybody else. There are a lot tion. Some of us strive to be the very best. of hard-working people, he says. By that Others of us strive to live off the hard work logic, the guy digging the and ingenuity of others. It’s ditch should be making easy to revile a business VIEWS OF A more than the CEO of owner who drives a nice Apple. That’s not the way car and lives in a nice column by it works. house. It’s much harder to PHIL VALENTINE He says it’s this great get off your rump and risk philvalentine.com country of ours that aleverything starting a busilows people to be successful and on that ness like he or she did. point he’s correct. But it’s because of the If Mitt Romney wants to win this election, freedom we enjoy without government inter- he needs to quickly position himself as that vention, relative to most of the rest of the American success story instead of running world, not because government is helping from it. The battle lines have been drawn by businesses succeed. the President. Success is the enemy.

One key line from his stump speech in RoThere was a time in this country when anoke, Va., sums up Obama’s philosophy. “If we celebrated success, when we marveled you’ve got a business—you didn’t build that,” at innovation, and were awestruck by what he said. What the president means without successful people had accomplished. Please coming right out and saying it is the wealthy tell me that the days of celebrating exceldon’t deserve to be wealthy. They need to lence are not over. redistribute their wealth among the workers The day Obama succeeds in vilifying in their businesses. This is straight out of the success is the day this country stops being talking points of the Workers World Party, an successful. organization that has historically supported the Mao regime in China, Saddam Hussein Phil Valentine is an author and nationally in Iraq and Kim Jong-Il in North Korea. syndicated radio talk show host with WestBut let’s examine Mr. Obama’s argument wood One. For more of his commentary and for a moment. Forget that it’s the entrearticles, visit philvalentine.com.

CONSERVATIVE

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There was a time in this country when we celebrated success, when we marveled at innovation, and were awestruck by what successful people had accomplished.

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OPINIONS

Islam is Taking Over US from the Inside column by ERIC ALLEN BELL

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riday, July 20, 4:10 a.m., Los Angeles, CA: I am being wired for sound.

There are big, hot lights pointed in my eyes, a screen depicting the Los Angeles skyline behind me and a camera pointed at my face. In a few minutes, I will be addressing a live audience of millions of viewers on a major news network, about what I believe to be the defining issue of our time, the Islamization of the West.

“Eric, shall we introduce you as a former liberal documentary filmmaker?” a voice asks in my earpiece. “Sure, that sounds about right,” I answer.

“Just either you mention or I’ll mention that the film was supposed to expose what I thought was Islamophobia until I learned the truth about Islam.”

Silence for a moment. “Okay, please stand by.” I review the bullet points in my head one last time: - The Islamic Center of Murfreesboro is building a 53,000 square foot mega mosque in defiance of a court order, having obtained their permits illegally.

- Additionally, the Islamic Center had indicated publicly that, in spite of being denied an Occupancy Permit, they still intended to occupy their new compound in time for Ramadan. It seems to me that loyalty to Islam comes first, before anything, including respect for the law in America. And I see this trend happening all over the country right now and in Europe as well.

- I personally have no objection to any group worshipping in peace, but I do take issue when that group refuses to abide by our laws.

- Judge Corlew, of Rutherford County, had ruled the permits void due to a violation of the open meetings act.

- The Mayor had been exposed, lying on the witness stand in court, about having financial dealings for many decades with a Board Member of the Islamic Center. He had first said he had never heard of this Egyptian Muslim leader, Essam Fathy, but only minutes later it was proven that Dr. Fathy was an important part of the Mayor’s substantial personal income.

- On Wednesday of this week, there were two discreet “Emergency” lawsuits filed, at the same time. One was filed by Ossama Bahoul, the Egyptian Cleric of this Islamic compound. But what I found especially bizarre was that the other was actually

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filed by the Federal Government—using our tax dollars. This had to have taken quite a bit of planning, timing and calculation. The alliance here is disconcerting and raises a lot of questions.

- Both lawsuits were heard immediately, and a ruling was made the same day, by a Federal Judge in Nashville, saying that the Islamic Center would be granted an emergency restraining order against Corlew’s ruling, so that the Islamic Center could celebrate Ramadan in their new compound, instead of at their existing facility. This unexpected move had all of the appearances of a backroom deal. The people of the affected community already had their day in court and won—but their lawyers were not informed of this hearing until after the fact. So I question why the Federal Government is circumventing the will of the people, and lobbying on behalf of an Islamic group—especially one with ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.

I had gone over my sound bytes one more time in my head, “So it seems that the Federal government is not only lobbying on behalf of an Islamic group. But the message here appears to be this— that not to allow the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro to violate our laws—is somehow a violation of their religious freedom.”

Show time: Another voice comes over the ear piece and says, “Eric, I’m so sorry, but your segment has been preempted. There’s been a shooting at a movie theater in Colorado, and we have to go to that right away. Can you come back tomorrow?”

In the car, on the way home, I listened as the morning news radio covered the tragedy. A young man entered a movie theater, shooting and killing many in attendance. It was premeditated. He has psychological problems. And experts predict that this might hurt how the latest Batman sequel will do in the box office. Every media outlet out there was covering this event and new details came to light, because if they did not, you might change the channel.

Horrible as this tragedy was, something like this happens every few years here in America.

Meanwhile, brutality on this level is the norm in the Islamic world.

Anyone who is paying attention can see that Political Islam is on the rise, nuclear armed and colonizing Europe and America. Everyone else is either ignoring this alarming development or making apologies for it. In America, political correctness makes this subject difficult to talk about. And in Europe, “hate speech” laws make it nearly impossible. Add to that the distractibility of the comfortable classes, which when compared to much of the world, would be just about all of us in the West, and one can see a perfect storm forming.

It is clear that a new Islamic caliphate is forming

“I often think about what it must have been like in Germany in the 1930s for anyone who was trying to get through to the people before it was too late, before telling the truth became a crime, and I stay the course.” in the Middle East. As the Arab Spring degenerates into an Islamo-Psycho Summer, the Muslim Brotherhood assumes power in Egypt. Egyptian President, Mohamed Morsi won, using as his campaign slogan, “The Koran is our Constitution! Mohammed is our Leader! Jihad is our cause!”

Here in America, Nonie Darwish, a respected Apostate from Islam, published an article. In it she states that as many as 90+ percent of Muslim Egyptians living in the United States, who voted in the Egyptian elections, voted for the Muslim Brotherhood candidate. I find this rather disturbing bit of information even more infuriating, given the lack of sufficient coverage of this by traditional media.

Meanwhile, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation appears to have taken over the UN. They are calling for an international law which forbids the mocking of any prophets or religions, although I think they have one prophet specifically in mind.

Abdou Kattih, the Muslim Brotherhood aligned treasurer of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro, made a statement that Muslims in America should also demand this. The statement was scrubbed from the web, but I have made it available on my site, globalinfidel.tv.

Muslim Brotherhood front groups infiltrate nearly every aspect of American life, from politics to culture to the law, education and even our food. Islamic colonization in Dearborn, Mich., and recently in Tennessee, result in a sharp rise in radicalization at mosques, where anti-American sermons have become commonplace and terrorist ideas are spread. I often think about what it must have been like in Germany in the 1930s for anyone who was

trying to get through to the people before it was too late, before telling the truth became a crime, and I stay the course.

When I got home from the newsroom, I was disappointed that I had been preempted. But I did return the next day. And I reported, for two and a half minutes, on how the Federal Government had lobbied on behalf of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro. And then it was over and the coverage of the Colorado movie massacre continued.

If there is a hidden agenda in the media, it is hidden right out in the open. They deliver what we demand. And right now, the American public does not demand to know the truth about the greatest threat facing the civilized world today. Instead, they want to enjoy their morning cup of coffee with up-to-the-minute updates on a shooting at a movie theater, a Scientology celebrity breakup and whether or not Mitt Romney is likeable enough. And it is this, America’s addiction to entertainment, that makes us weak.

To fault any one network for this would be unfair. But I will say this: the network that only a year ago I despised, Fox News, seems to be the only 24-hour news network that has the courage to even acknowledge that the threat of Political Islam even exists and has the courage to refuse to ignore what the media outlets are hoping will just go away.

But there is hope. With or without the help of big media, the people of Murfreesboro continue to fight back. Recently, I received numerous documents through mosqueconfidential.com, which revealed infiltration into the student curriculum on the part of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro. With each new article, I exposed more, and the spokesman for that School District, James Evans, was caught lying again and again for the Islamic Center. And I’m not even close to finished with releasing even more documents on this.

The same week that my segment was preempted, shortened and rescheduled, the people of Murfreesboro were working diligently on a grassroots level.

The school board meeting was packed—standing room only—with concerned parents demanding answers about an Islam Awareness Day. A “Guide for Teachers of Muslim Students” was handed out, exposing what Abdou Kattih, the Syrian-born treasurer of the Islamic Center of Murfreesboro, had sent to the school board. The school board downplayed the significance of this, condescendingly telling parents that this item was not on the agenda for that night’s meeting. But one citizen had signed up to speak well in advance, and he was heard. When Kevin Neal Fisher spoke out against the Islamic Center exceeding its rights under the First Amendment and demanding that Muslim experts be consulted in choosing history and social studies books, the crowd rose to their feet in a thunderous standing ovation.

Now, even with the Federal Government going out of its way to defend the Islamic Center at the expense of our national security, everyone is now watching. Remember, the enemy of Islamic colonization is information. In the fight against Political Islam, so far I would say that our political leaders have been mostly useless.

Unfortunately, not much has really been achieved militarily since 9/11, as Islamic brutality has only increased. At home, the amount of new mosque

construction in America since 9/11 has nearly doubled, with an estimated 80 percent of these mosques receiving some kind of funding from Islamic regimes or organizations that are hostile toward America. And our media has failed us as well, with a few notable exceptions.

Law enforcement has caved in to demands from the Hamas front group, the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) and shredded documents that might offend Muslims. CAIR oversaw this, and we will now never know what vital intelligence was lost. CAIR has also successfully lobbied to remove important training manuals from law enforcement, having to do with Islamic terrorism—even changing the words themselves to “extremist groups” instead of Al Qeada, Hamas, Hezbollah or just “terrorists.”

The Fort Hood massacre, where a Muslim officer killed several military personnel in what he admits was an act of Islamic Jihad, must now be referred to by law enforcement as “workplace violence,” courtesy of CAIR and our spineless DOJ and Presidential Administration.

Islamic Honor Killings are to be referred to as “domestic violence” so as not to seem prejudicial against Muslims. Imagine if during the Cold War era, the Federal Government allowed KGB agents access to classified CIA documents and caved in to demands that the words “Soviet” and “Communist” be removed, so as not to offend any Russians. That is the situation we are living in today, here in America.

Our culture, our laws, our educational system, our political system, law enforcement, the courts, the media, all of it has been compromised. During the Holy Land Foundation trial, the largest bust of

an Islamic “charity” funneling monies to Islamic terrorists, a memo was discovered. It outlined the Muslim Brotherhood in America’s plans for what they are calling “Civilization Jihad”. Specifically this mandated that the Muslim Brotherhood “destroy the West, from the inside, using its own evil hands.” I would say it’s working. They are succeeding.

So what is left? What can citizens do, since we cannot rely on our own government to protect us?

The answer, in my view, is really rather simple.

In the oppressive Muslim countries where this strategy of “Civilization Jihad” was hatched, the Jihadist overlooked a couple of important details.

Islam means “submission” and Islamists do not understand the power of a free press. And in the information age, in the age of social media, we now have more of a free press than ever before. And the Islamists also forgot to take into account the incredible spirit of the American people.

The information age brings with it the potential to end 1,400 years of Islamic brutality. And Islam is brutal to the core, as it has always been. You can stop its growth—and you must. Don’t wait around for our leaders to fix this for us. For as the saying goes, “When the people lead, the leaders will follow.”

Eric Allen Bell is the author of The High Price of Telling the Truth about Islam and the director of Global Infidel TV and Mosque Confidential—a site for concerned citizens to come forward with material that will expose the Muslim Brotherhood in America or other subversive Islamic activity. Connect with him at facebook. com/ericallenbell or ericallenbell@gmail.com.

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Closing the Gate: Inside Heaven's Gate

by Deb Simpson When I began reading Deb Simpson’s book, I was prepared for a labyrinth of conspiracy theories and mysterious events about the cult that attracted her brother Jimmy and eventually led to his suicide.

Instead I found something familiarly sad and too common: the story of a lost child trying to find a family when his own was falling apart. I found the story playing over in my mind long after I finished it.

More than half of the book is not about Jimmy or Heaven’s Gate at all, but about Simpson’s family, since it is what Simpson believes caused Jimmy to seek “another family” in Heaven’s Gate members.

It’s no coincidence that Simpson now, besides her writing, serves as a volunteer for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for children who, just like herself and Jimmy, are members of broken families.

The chapters are written in different voices, alternating between Simpson’s mother, father, brother and herself. I cringed empathetically at the way she captured her abusive father’s own deranged, guiltless point of view, and I grimaced at the mother’s voice. She is not so much of a horrible character as a helpless one, having suffered at the inept hands of psychiatric “care,” rootless religion and abusive relationships. Jimmy’s tone evokes a quiet, contemplative man who is starving for understanding.

While Simpson is eventually able to leave her parents and find healing in her marriage, school, therapy and a job, Jimmy stays at home with their mother and won’t leave despite encouragement from doctors, therapists and Simpson herself. Instead he begins corresponding with those who seem able to give him the spiritual direction he craves—Heaven’s Gate cult members.

by LAURA BETH PAYNE Spending a period of time at the compound gives Jimmy a lbethjackson@gmail.com sense of belonging and community that his own family had not given him, but he leaves when he realizes that he was not “as spiritual” as the other members. It was not until after the mass suicides that Jimmy decides he wanted follow his “family” to the next spiritual level: death. He shot himself through the heart in his apartment.

Yes, the story is haunting; I don’t think a story involving a suicide and cult activity can be anything less. But even more sobering than the events leading to Jimmy’s death are Simpson’s reflections afterwards: “I believe [Jimmy] was looking for someone to show him the way . . . but no one did. We were all too caught up in our lives to understand the depth of his struggles. I will forever regret my own blindness to his pain, and his inability to tell me.”

Readers of Closing the Gate will find much to ponder from Simpson’s portrait of her family, her own escape and her brother’s descent into cult life. But if Simpson is successful, readers will also find a piercing reminder of the significance of our relationships and our human mandate to engage with the struggles and pain in those around us.

READ TO SUCCEED

BOOK REVIEW

Deb Simpson is a Murfreesboro resident and the current president of the Tennessee Writers Alliance. For more information on her and her work, visit debsimpsonbooks.com. Read To Succeed is the community collaborative created to promote literacy in Rutherford County. The objective of this partnership between schools, area agencies, and businesses is to support local programming and raise awareness about the importance of literacy.

For more information and to find out how you can make a difference in Rutherford County’s literacy rates, visit readtosucceed.org. The opinions expressed in this book review are not necessarily representative of Read To Succeed, but simply intended to promote the joy of reading.

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Please Help, Don’t Give column by COREY TRIMBLE

I

first noticed the huge influx of people asking for money on the corner of Broad and Memorial about a year ago. I, like many of you reading this, gave spare change and even significant amounts of money to people that I thought would benefit from what little I could contribute. Over the last year though I noticed that the problem, though I saw many benevolent givers, did not diminish but seemed to grow to pretty staggering levels, not just on one corner but several.

My moral dilemma didn’t really manifest, though, until I saw a couple panhandling on the corner of Medical Center and Broad. The unique aspect of this couple is this; I had paid for a room for the young woman because her husband was abusive physically. I thought the best thing to do was to get her a room, and hopefully she could find family or get a better place to stay, but as I looked at an abusive husband standing there as his wife dropped her head in shame, I wondered, “Did I contribute to domestic abuse by providing money and a room to this couple?”

I have similar stories that also made me rethink how I would address people asking for money. The church I lead, The Experience Community, has been doing a really cool outreach called 5000. This ministry simply feeds homeless people in Murfreesboro on Sundays and tries to plug them into rehab if needed.

Through this ministry, many homeless people have filtered through and many have stayed at our church. Many are very dear friends to my wife and me. Because of this, I have gotten to know much of the backstory to a lot of the people that ask for money on our streets. For instance, a couple that used to come struggle with crack-cocaine and the man beats his girlfriend, and I recently saw many people giving money to this woman as she stood at Memorial and Broad. Of course, people do not know the story, but if they did, would they give cash to a person who will then hand it over due to fear to a drug-addicted and abusive boyfriend?

 If you are truly in need of help, or if you are in a position to help and want to make a positive impact in others’ lives, contact: Greenhouse Ministries: Food, clothing, job skill training, adult education classes and counseling 309 S. Spring St. (615) 494-0499 Tuesday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. greenhousemin.org

The Journey Home: Shelter, clothes, food, laundry, showers, education, Bible study 308 W. Castle St. (615) 809-2644 Monday–Friday 6 a.m.–3 p.m. lovegodservepeople.org

See, the intentions of givers is good, but our ignorance is not helping the needy people of our city, but is in fact enabling them to selfdestruct or hurt other people. Would we give if we knew that money was going to literally fund domestic abuse, buy crack or even promote prostitution in our streets? I hope the answer is no. The real problem is our ignorance. The fact that we have become a “bumper sticker” culture that thinks giving a buck or slapping a sticker on our cars will somehow change the world, but no one wants to go the distance through longer relationships and a deeper commitment to the problem. I know that we are a busy people, but if we truly want to make a real change, we must dig into these people’s lives and/or give our time and money to organizations like Greenhouse Ministries, Journey Home, Salvation Army, Way of Hope or 5000 (all within a couple of blocks from the corner of Memorial and Broad).

Another issue is the City of Murfreesboro. I love our city, but was disturbed after presenting all of this to a city leader, only to hear that in an ordinance to stop panhandling it would also include politicians that campaign on the corners in election years. So . . . it’s political? I was a bit disappointed. I think if our city spent some time and energy on this growing problem, we could make a significant change in the lives of many people in Murfreesboro, not just short term, but make long-term changes.

I know this stance may be unpopular, but we as leaders, Christians or simply responsible citizens need to take an approach that is best for the people in need, not just the politically correct, easy way out. My humble suggestions are this: if you truly care, make long-term commitments to the organizations mentioned in this article. If you have influence, help people find employment, get educated, and mentor them.

Do not give cash to individuals; give to organizations that can use the money much more efficiently. Please help. Don’t just give carelessly, but intentionally give to healthy organizations, and sacrifice your time to dig into a life that can be changed by your benevolence.

The Salvation Army: Food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children 1137 W. Main St. (615) 895-7071 salvationarmymurfreesboro.org The Way of Hope: Coordinating shelter for homeless women and children (615) 653-8027 thewayofhope@avidseed.org 5,000: Providing food and fellowship every Sunday at Old Fort Park (615) 513-5578 experiencecc.com

Interview with a Panhandler

BY BRACKEN MAYO

E

ach day Albert, Vanessa and their daughter, Shameka, ask for money from those passing by the Jackson Motel, at the corner of Medical Center Parkway and Broad Street.

“It’s $45 a night to stay here,” Albert says.

“But they work with us. Sometimes it takes an extra hour for us to get the money.

“We’ve been here since November.” (“Nine months, $45 per night, that’s more than my mortgage!” I think to myself, observing that Albert’s camping chair and Nikes are in better shape than my own.)

“We get food stamps, but they run out before the month is out,” Vanessa said. “We have a daughter, and she can eat some food!” (“I wonder how much food you could

buy if you sold that diamond ring,” I then wondered, but politely agreed that times are indeed tough these days.)

“They make pretty good money out there,” an acquaintance of the family said. “They do better than some who work 40 hours a week.” He says he is sure the family gets $400–500 each month in food stamps.

“My family tries to eat on about $350 each month,” the observer says.

Albert tells a passerby that he has a job offer in Indiana, but has not been able to get up there. Meanwhile, his daughter asks a passenger in a nearby vehicle if they could spare a dollar.

“It’s hard for me to stay on my feet for very long,” Vanessa says, sitting on a cooler under a shadetree.

All in a day’s work.

For more information on Albert, Vanessa and Shameka, visit them near the Checker’s on the corner of Medical Center Parkway and Broad Street, or call them on their cell phone at (615) 617-9972.

CAMERON’S CONSPIRACY CORNER

Reports are circulating that the father of the “Batman Shooter” is part of the American banking elite and has an important role to play in these crucial times. Robert Holmes is said to have been scheduled to testify within the next few weeks before a US Senate panel on the largest bank fraud scandal in world history that is currently unfolding and threatens to destabilize and destroy the Western banking system. Robert Holmes, whose “blueblood” family lineage goes back to the original Mayflower crew, is known throughout the global banking community as being the author of one of the most sophisticated computer algorithms ever developed and is credited with developing predictive models for financial services for use in fraud risk assessment.

Educated at the University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University, Robert Holmes is currently the senior lead scientist with the American credit score company FICO. In my opinion, this has illuminati mind control operation written all over it. Could that be the reason that President Obama and others did not want to mention the perpetrator’s name? Are they afraid we would begin connecting the dots and see that this is part of a greater conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of society. As with most conspiracies, we may not find out the truth for a long time.

Until then, keep reading between the headlines and searching for answers.

— CAMERON PARRISH, author of LaPalabra is on hiatus from his usual column for awhile.

In the meantime, catch up on LaPalabra at BoroPulse.com

BOROPULSE.COM

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WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE Rutherford Co. IDB offers serious tax breaks to lure Amazon giant story by DAVID H. WRIGHT

A

mazon, who will finish completion of a million-square-foot distribution center along Joe B. Jackson Parkway this fall, will be taking advantage of a “PILOT” deal, saving the world’s largest online retailer over $16 million in local property taxes.

The 1,000-plus full-time jobs Amazon will create has city officials excited, but small business owners are concerned that if the special interest deals continue, politically unconnected, new

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competitors and small businesses will have trouble competing and surviving.

These PILOT deals, or payments-in-lieu-of-taxes, discount the annual amount of taxes Amazon will pay on real and personal property. Rutherford County has agreed to 16 such deals since 2005, worth more than $70 million over the life of the agreements.

“Amazon came to Murfreesboro because the high level of cooperation between our Chamber of Commerce and the various development boards,” said Parks Group Commercial Real Estate Broker John Harney. “We could not have asked for a better team.”

The property, 87.7 acres, will be held by the Rutherford County Industrial Development Board for 15 years. Since government-held properties are exempt from property tax, the property, formerly owned by Corporate Woods GP, will host Amazon tax-free for that period of time.

After 15 years, the Industrial Development Board will sell the property to the United Services Automobile Association for $1. USAA will then lease the site to Amazon.

“Each of Middle Tennessee’s communities approach tax breaks differently,” said Vice President of Economic Development Holly Sears. Some have strict standards, while others have a more subjective process. Tax-exempt industrial revenue bonds are available to both existing and prospective companies with a qualifying manufacturing project. The financial strength of the company at the time that the bonds taken to market will determine the rate of the bonds. By offering a large number of new jobs with higher wages and large capital investment, Amazon and companies like them may qualify for these rebates.

The site, located off I-24 and not far from the 840 interchange, is a popular area for industrial businesses who depend on the state’s transportation infrastructure. Access to Tennessee’s interstates and highways and the industrial zoning level of the area will provide Amazon with a portal to serve customers.

“We had already evaluated the site, so we knew what we were getting into,” said Murfreesboro Planning Director Joseph Aydelott, who assisted Amazon in the early construction plans. Prior to Amazon’s interest, the property had been prepared with a utility infrastructure and backup power source, but additional infrastructure was needed.

State Fast Track Infrastructure Development and private funds of $1,820,000 capital were needed to complete the site work and street improvements to serve the distribution center. State tax dollars have paid for improvements to city streets with turn lanes and traffic signals to better facilitate truck traffic on Joe B. Jackson Parkway, the extension of sanitary sewer service, and site grading and drainage for the one million-squarefoot building. The area along the parkway is currently home to a collection of industrial producers who will also utilize the road improvements including EM Farms, NHK Seating of America Inc., and SMI. The facility in Murfreesboro will be one of five Amazon centers in the state including Chattanooga, Cleveland and two in Lebanon. The center in Murfreesboro will be the largest in size, number of employees, and level of automation. The center will handle relatively smaller items, the size of a “bread box” or smaller, with a high level of automation and interaction from employees.

Brandon Meyers, 20, worked in a fulfillment center in New York for almost two years.

“The interior of one of these centers shows you the heart of consumerism,” he said over the phone.

“It’s not always pretty.”

Inside a center, one can expect to see rows and rows of consumer products, conveyer belts that

run throughout, and a work force keeping each part of the process, from a product coming in to going out, running smoothly. On any given day, hundreds of thousands of packages are moving throughout a center. Amazon partnered with the Tennessee Career Center to ensure new employees will be from the local community.

“Hundreds of candidates are currently being interviewed,” said Amazon spokesperson Ty Rogers.

Additionally, for local businesses wanting to work with Amazon, the company offers a Fulfillment by Amazon system which allows merchants to store inventory and fulfill orders from an Amazon fulfillment center.

As a growing member of the Tennessee community, Amazon also announced that it is donating $20,000 to the Books from Birth Foundation for its chapters in Wilson, Rutherford, Bradley and Hamilton counties—the locations of Amazon’s current and future fulfillment centers. Books from Birth is a non-profit organization committed to helping preschool children develop their love of learning and reading.

But even with the additions Amazon is making to the community, residents raise ethical questions with the tax incentives offered.

“It’s only fair for relatively similar tax incentives to be offered to all small businesses in the city,” said Small Business Alliance member, Jake Robertson.

“I would rather see old and new retail stores filled with something. How many strip malls do you drive by with only one or two businesses in them?” said area resident Ben Spjut.

At one time, Amazon had the potential opportunity to pay neither sales tax, state income tax (Tennessee is one of only four states without a state corporate income tax) nor property tax. The 1992 Supreme Court Case of Quill v. North Dakota, stated a company without a physical presence in a state cannot be required by that state to collect sales tax. Because Amazon is an online retailer without a headquarters in Tennessee, and distribution centers do not apply as headquarters under the decision, they were not obligated to collect sales tax.

But after negotiations with Governor Haslam, in 2014 the state will begin collecting sales tax from Amazon. Until then, Amazon is asking customers to pay back taxes on items that were already sold in Tennessee.

Tennesseans for Fair Taxation estimated Amazon had $271 million in sales last year in Tennessee. If Amazon had collected sales tax, that amount would have been $25.6 million for the state.

“We are essentially providing Amazon with a huge favor by offering them a route for distribution to help them to build their communities,” said Tennesseans for Fair Taxation member, Samantha Wallace.

COMMUNITY

EVENTS Send event information to murfreesboropulse@yahoo.com Johnny B and the Balladeers last YEAH! Fundraising performance!

2 This show, Thursday, Aug. 2, from 5–7 p.m., at Uncorked is a free event at Maple Street Grill (109 N. Maple St.).

Donations are encouraged and welcomed for YEAH!, promoting youth creativity. For more information, call (615) 396-8516.

AUG.

Main Street’s Friday Night Live Concert Series At this month’s Main Street Fri3 day Night Live Concert, Aug. 3, from 6:30–9:30 p.m. at the Public Square, Gravel Road Gypsies will perform. For more information, please call (615) 895-1887 or visit downtownmurfreesboro.com.

AUG.

Infantry, Artillery Programs Watch infantry and artillery 4–5 demonstrations, Aug. 4–5, at Stones River National Battlefield (1563 N. Thompson Ln.) as a ranger tells the story of one of the bloodiest and most pivotal phases of the Battle of Stones River. For more information, call (615) 893-9501.

AUG.

Build Stronger Community with Inaugural Literacy Day Join local non-profit Read To Suc4 ceed, Olive Branch Church, Linebaugh Library and United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties to celebrate literacy. On Aug. 4, Rutherford County will celebrate its first Literacy Day aimed at raising awareness of this important issue that effects the community on several levels. Beginning at 9 a.m., everyone is invited to join in a march beginning at Central Magnet School and ending at the Civic Plaza with community resources for improving literacy and speakers.

AUG.

Celebrate Recovery Celebrate Recovery provides a safe environment for real 7 life change in Jesus Christ, as participants personally work through specific biblically-based recovery steps every Tuesday, beginning Aug. 7, from 6–8 p.m, in the Belle Aire Youth Room. It is encouraged to work as a group to overcome hardships.

Childcare provided. For more information, please call (615) 890-6977.

AUG.

Tree Houses!

This summer, families can spend some quality time hanging out in the trees with a visit to the Discovery Center Tree Houses through Sept. 7. This exhibit includes fun, hands-on ways to explore the important roles that trees play in providing homes for all sorts of wild things (including people!) and engages forest explorers of all ages in indoor nature explorations and the ecology of sustainable harvesting. Tree Houses is open Monday–Saturday from 10 a.m.–5 p.m., and on Sunday from 1–5 p.m. Admission is $6 per person; children younger than 2 are free. For more information, call (615) 890-2300, visit discoverycenteronline.org or contact Jennifer Neal at (615) 890-2300 or jneal@discoverycenteronline.org.

ALL MONTH

the Oakland Manion (900 N. Maney Ave.) highlights the story of the Maney family’s move to Murfreesboro and the early years of Oaklands Mansion. In honor of the Bicentennial of Murfreesboro, guest speakers will discuss stories of the Maney family, as well as others who settled and soon called Murfreesboro home. For more information, contact the Oakland Manions at (615) 8930022 or info@oaklandsmuseum.org.

Jeans and Tees vs.

Heart Disease 10 Join the American Heart Association Friday, Aug. 10, 6:30 p.m., at the Stones River Country Club (1830 NW Broad St.) for the 4th Annual Jeans and Tees fundraiser. Enjoy food, beverages and live entertainment by Six Ring Circus. Come wearing your favorite team’s jersey or t-shirt, and jeans. For tickets, visit heart.org/rutherfordheartball. For more information, call (615) 340-4102 or visit facebook.com/groups/jeansntees4aha.

AUG.

Chocolate Blues and BusiAUG. ness Networking Festival 14 Chocolate Blues is a business networking event that brings hundreds of business decision makers together in one day. This Aug. 14, at Embassy Suites Nashville SE, (Conference Center Blvd.) from 11 a.m.–5 p.m., this event will feature appointment stations, a business card exchange, open networking, business expo with vendors on display, lunch for purchase, door prizes, live blues music, the chance to meet local authors and publishers, and more. Attend and pay $10 at the door, bring 300-400 business cards, or to showcase as a vendor contact Jennifer Martin at jennifer@bizfestival.com or (615) 339-6233. To register for this event visit bizfestival.com.

Movies in the Park August 17, at 6:30 p.m., pull up 17 a chair or lay out a blanket to watch a family-friendly movie at Veteran’s Memorial Park (115 Floyd Mayfield Drive, La Vergne, TN, 37086) presented by

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Coming Home: The Stories of Moving to Murfreesboro Thursday, Aug. 9, from 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Coming Home at

the Parks and Recreation Department. For more information, please call (615) 2074678 or visit lavergnetn.gov.

Hallowed Ground: A AUG. Lantern Tour of the Stones 18 River National Cemetery Spend an hour, Aug. 18, beginning at 6:45 p.m., walking through the Stones River National Battlefield cemetery by lantern light. Hear the stories of soldiers and civilians that tell us about the terrible cost of the Civil War. For more information, please call (615) 893-9501.

4th Annual Tennessee Walking Horse National 22 Celebration thorugh Sept.1 This is the Tennessee Walking Horse premier event, where the breed’s World Grand Champion and around 20 World Champions are named at the Celebration Show Grounds (1110 Evans St., Shelbyville, 37162). Admission charged. For more information, call the TWHNC office at (931) 684-5915.

AUG.

Journeys in Community Living 23 Journeys in Community Living will hold its Annual Community Awards Banquet and Silent Auction on Aug. 23, from 5:30–8 p.m. Dinner begins at 7 p.m. During the program at the DoubleTree (1850 Old Fort Pkwy.), awards will be presented to volunteers, community leaders and businesses that have supported the nonprofit organization over the years. To help Journeys meet these challenges, purchase your tickets and attend this year’s event; tickets are $35 per person or $300 for a table of 10 people. You may purchase tickets online (journeysincommunity.org) or by calling (615) 890-4389.

AUG.

Handbags for Hope Women’s Council of Realtors 25 presents a handbag auction, Handbags for Hope, Saturday, Aug. 25, from 5:30–9 pm at DoubleTree hotel (1850 Old Fort Pkwy). Tickets are

AUG.

$25 each and includes one drink, ticket and heavy hors d’oeuvres. A portion of the proceeds benefits My Own Purse and Way of Hope Homeless Shelter. Donations are now being accepted. For tickets or more information, call Kelly Gafford at (615) 828-1645.

Sign-ups for Youth Football and Cheerleading AUG. The Murfreesboro Football League is a non-travel recreational league located at the McKnight Park Youth Football Complex for ages 5–13 (age as of Sept. 1, 2012). 5 and 6 year olds will play flag and 7–13 will play tackle football.

For more information, contact the Athletics Department at athletics@murfreesborotn. gov or (615) 907-2251, or Thomas Laird at tlaird@murfreesborotn.gov.

Expanding Your Horizons Girls Camp Registration is ongoing for the Sept. 22 girls’ 2012 MTSU Expanding Your Horizons in Science and Mathematics conference.

The 16th annual event will be held Saturday, Sept. 22, from 8 a.m.–3 p.m. on campus for girls in 5th through 12th grades. To register, visit mtsu.edu/wistem. For more information contact Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross at Judith.Iriarte-Gross@mtsu.edu or (615) 904-8253.

Bicycle Tours at the Stones River National Battlefield – Saturdays Join a ranger for a bicycle tour of the Stones River Battlefield at 9 a.m. every Saturday (1563 N. Thompson Ln.). For more information, visit nps.gov/stri or call Stones River National Battlefield at (615) 893-9501.

The Murfreesboro Hot Rod Cruise-In Fridays through October The Murfreesboro Hot Rod Club Cruise-in is a weekly Friday night hang out at The Avenue Murfreesboro (2615 Medical Center Pkwy.) through the first Friday in October. There will be music, prizes and contests from 5–9 p.m.; the cruise-in is open to all makes and models. For more information, email John Ortwein at ortweinj@comcast.net.

Texas Hold’em – Sundays Play Texas Hold’em every Sunday at 6 and 8 p.m. inside Good Time Charlie’s at LTA Depot (450 Butler Dr.). Nightly winners automatically earn a spot at The Main Event and a LTA Depot gift card. For more information, call Jimmy at (615) 890-3999.

Career Connections – Mondays This is a local networking event held in the Tennessee Career Center (1313 Old Fort Pkwy.) each Monday morning from 9–10:30 a.m. For more information, call Randy Allen at (615) 898-8081, ext. 147.

If you are an employer, contact Randy to be scheduled as a presenter.

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Cool Summer

T

The massive energy costs of home cooling and heating.

his June was the 328th consecutive comes to about 2 tons per home with an air month with a global temperature conditioner. As a percentage of total home enabove the 20th Century average. ergy cost, the average from heating and cooling Middle Tennessee has been experiis around 43 percent, much of which involves encing an 8-month trend of higher than average empty space. If the national statistics aren’t dotemperatures in what is turning out to be the ing much to motivate you, perhaps the savings hottest year on record for will. I recently undertook an North America. These record experiment in a home that temperatures have led to some had previously implemented steep electricity bills. If you no AC programming, and keep track, this June was likely which maintained fairly low your highest in years. Let’s set points. Although I am column by RYAN EGLY take a look at what the averhesitant to make a claim in egly@boropulse.com age homeowner or renter can direct numbers—any such do to beat the heat without claim would require repeatbreaking the bank, while also not forgetting the able results under more controlled conditions— important climate change connection. what I can say is that the results were spectacuThe single most important energy factor that lar. The energy savings over the same month the average homeowner or renter can control of the previous year were dramatic, so much so during the summer is air conditioning. Accordthat I am now a firm believer in programmable ing to the U.S. Department of Energy, 5 percent thermostats. That is, if they are used correctly. of the nation’s electricity is used for household In one study by Lawrence Berkeley National cooling, releasing around 100 million tons labs it was found that as many as 90 percent of of carbon into the atmosphere annually. This programmable thermostats are used incor-

LIVING GREEN

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 GENERAL GUIDELINES FROM ENERGYSAVERS.GOV: Summer: Occupied, higher while away.

78° F Change to shorts or a skirt before cranking the temperature down. Try not to underestimate the power of acclimation before making a claim about not being able to take it (it is a particularly annoying and predictable male trait to gutturally and proudly complain about it being hot—as if temperature-induced discontent is somehow correlated with being rugged and fertile).

According to energy savers: “By turning your thermostat back 10–15° for 8 hours, you can save about 5–15 percent a year on your heating bill—a savings of as much as 1 percent for each degree if the setback period is eight hours long.”

Occupied, lower while away. Put more layers before turning 68° F on the entire home into an oven. It is crazy to wear short sleeves with snow on the ground.

Winter:

Spring/Fall: All off, when possible.

rectly. Another discouraging study by Florida Power & Light found that programmable thermostats used more energy, as homeowners were prompted to set temperatures lower while they were at home. This seems to be largely due to unrealistic ideas about how much energy is actually being saved while away. Although some devices can be somewhat lacking in terms of user friendliness, the initial effort will pay off in spades, as long as the user is correctly informed.

An important concept to keep in mind is that your home loses more energy to its surroundings as the temperature difference increases.

So a home cooled to 75 degrees loses more energy on a 90 degree day than the same home cooled to 78 degrees. This dispels the common misconception that the energy required to cool a home after an 8 hour setback is more than the savings. I have been conducting an experiment using a USB temperature datalogger to determine the intersection of setbacks vs. energy-to-cool. As an example, consider a case when the AC is turned completely off in the

morning and is set to engage at 4 p.m. During the recent heat wave I noticed inside temperatures approaching 88 degrees. By the time the home reaches that temperature, the AC will run at full throttle for hours before again reaching a set point of 78 degrees. There is a limit to the gains achieved by turning the temperature up while away. Stay tuned for more on that one.

Another interesting idea is zoned heating and cooling. Close the doors and vents in rooms that are not being used. It only makes sense to not heat/cool empty space. Think of the attic, most are neither heated nor cooled.

Extend the same thought pattern to the entire home. There are fancy systems that can automate zoned heating/cooling via programmable duct valves, but I think turning the lever will suffice.

At the end of the day, it is your mindset that determines your level of energy use.

Programmable devices can be a great aid to those already headed down that path, but will do little for those with no understanding of household energy. New equipment is far less valuable than a new way of thinking. So, give it a try, and I am betting you won’t look back. And concerning the global connection: I am of the opinion that dramatic occurrences, both on the global and local scale, are a good springboard into environmental issues, if not indeed the best. There is no end to the volume of climate-related data, and we can use that data as motivation. If flooding in Beijing and worldwide drought aren’t enough for you, there is always the electricity bill. One thing is for certain: neither are going to improve without action, now.

Start Your Fall Garden Now’s the time to start planning and prepping at fall/winter garden. by TERRI DeLONG

THIS SUMMER, so far, has been a challenging one for our gardens. June brought us record-high temperatures and nary a drop of rain, both of which can be quite devastating to our gardens. Even if you watered diligently, your plants were definitely stressed from the heat. July did give us a smidgen of rain and slightly lower temperatures; however, it made little impact to the scorching heat. It was unbearable to be in the garden for long periods of time during the heat of the day. (This is why it is always best to do your gardening chores in the early morning or right before the sun goes down.) High heat and humidity can certainly detract from the fun factor in gardening. This is one reason why many people lose interest in their gardens during the dog days of summer. I know I tend to! But I also know that now is not the time to neglect my garden. There is still watering, weeding, fertilizing and daily harvesting to take care of. It is also very important to clean up and dispose of any diseased or dying plants from your garden.

As you are tidying up your garden, you will probably end up with some extra space.

If you’d like to extend your growing season, consider planting a fall/winter garden. Now is the perfect time to start planning and prepping for your fall garden.

Planting a fall garden has numerous advantages, yet it doesn’t seem very popular. Maybe it’s because you have to start planting it in the middle of the summer. Don’t let that deter you, though. Soon the scorching heat will be replaced with more pleasant gardening weather.

Many wonderful vegetables can be grown here through our mild winters. A lot of vegetables actually grow better in cooler temperatures.

Carrots, peas, lettuce and cole crops (broccoli, cabbage, etc.) thrive in the fall and winter. Other veggies you may want to plant in your fall garden are beets, turnips, spinach, Swiss chard and broccoli raab (my very favorite). Another wonderful benefit to fall gardening is the bug population is lower.

Starting a fall garden is very similar to starting a spring garden. You won’t need to till the soil, but you will need to apply more all-purpose, organic fertilizer. Just dig it into the top few inches of soil with a spade or garden fork.

Unfortunately, I don’t know of any local nurseries that sell fall vegetable seedlings, so direct-seeding is the way to go. If you’ve never started seeds in the garden, don’t be intimidated. I promise it is not as daunting a task as you think. It is actually a very simple and rewarding process. You’ll need to hoe a 4-inch furrow in your recently dug, fertilized soil. Then place the seeds in the bottom of the furrow and cover with about 2 inches of soil, leaving the furrow edges to help conserve water and provide a little shading from the blaring sun. Seeds need constant moisture to germinate so be sure you

August Gardening Calendar 1st Favorable Day For Planting Beets, Carrots, Turnips, Onions, Radishes, And Other Root Crops.

2–4 Barren Days. Fine For Killing Plant Pests.

5–6 Favorable Days For Planting Root Crops, Fine For Vine Crops. Good Days For Transplanting.

7–8 Barren Days. Do No Planting.

9–10 Root Crops That Can Be Planted Now Will Yield Well. Good Days For Transplanting.

11–13 Any Seeds Planted Now Will Tend To Rot. 14–15 Most Favorable Days For Planting Beets, Onions, Turnips, And Other Root Crops. Plant Seedbeds And Flower Gardens. Good Days For Transplanting.

16–19 A Barren Time. Best For Killing Weeds, Briars, Poison Ivy, And Other Plant Pests. Clear Woodlots And Fencerows.

20–21 Good Days For Planting Aboveground Crops. Excellent For Sowing Grains, Winter Wheat, Oats, And Rye. Plant Flowers.

22–24 Plant Peas, Beans, Tomatoes, Peppers And Other Aboveground Crops, In Southern Florida, California, And Texas. Extra Good For Leafy Vegetables. Plant Seedbeds.

25–26 Cut Winter Wood, Do Clearing And Plowing, But No Planting.

27–29 Good Time To Plant Aboveground Crops.

30–31 Barren Days. Fine For Killing Plant Pests.

water 2 or 3 times a day until they are well established. After a couple weeks, you will want to thin out your seedlings so they aren’t growing too close together. Also, don’t forget to feed your seedlings every two weeks with a liquid fish and seaweed fertilizer.

As you can see, starting a fall garden is very simple. It can even be more enjoyable than your summer garden. Cool autumn weather is a delightful time to be out and about in the garden. You will be able to grow many exciting vegetables that just don’t do well in the heat of summer. And did I mention there are also less annoying bugs in the fall? So don’t delay, start your fall garden today!

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SOUNDS

WIN TICKETS

BLUEGRASS UNDERGROUND

The Steeldrivers to celebrate fourth anniversary of one of the best acoustical ideas Tennessee has ever come up with. story by BRYCE HARMON

THREE-HUNDRED THIRTY-THREE FEET

below McMinnville’s surface in a large Cumberland Cavern titled The Volcano Room, there is a platform of bedrock dreamed several years ago to be a massive stage rising just feet above a ground. It is spread plentifully enough for many visitors to sit comfortably, watching and listening to studio quality music; the performances on this bedrock stage reflect seriously sound studio quality, as The Volcano Room only resonates in two separate frequencies, mimicking any enclosed recording booth.

The dreamers envisioning this years ago were completely aware of this too, and the music of choice to resonate throughout the cavern for hundreds of people coming from all over the South to McMinnville is nothing better than the finest Americana, roots, buegrass and country music anyone could hope for. Musicians in these genres who get an opportunity to play the rocky room would be foolish to turn it down unless there’s a death in the family or something else major such as playing at the White House, for example. High-end pickers such as Vince Gill, Del McCoury, Doyle

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Lawson and Quicksilver, to more recently, The Civil Wars, as well as Dr. Ralph Stanley—who is scheduled to make another appearance at the end of October—know so and perform on the earth-made stage for packed crowds every chance they get.

The next show coming up for Cumberland Cavern’s The Volcano Room is Nashville quintet The Steeldrivers on Aug. 11 at 1 p.m. And perfect timing too, as Bluegrass Underground is winding down its first season broadcasting the concerts on PBS as well as the performance itself standing as a momentous celebration.

Aug. 11 is the 4th anniversary of the Bluegrass Underground Series, and what better way to get down than having the band that kicked off the whole thing that particular day four years back to play the cavern once again. It’s going to be an exciting time for the performers and audiences, organizers and broadcasters alike, as these years past have been a good time of growth for them all.

Just as The Volcano Room was revamped, bringing it out of darkness in 2008 with a brilliantly placed and a perfectly mood-setting

The Pulse is giving away two tickets to see the Steeldrivers’ sold out show at Cumberland Caverns on Saturday, Aug. 11.

Text "Bluegrass" to 86568 for your chance to win.

lighting system designed by one of the field’s top professionals, Allen Branton, the Steeldrivers have seen their fair share of growth since opening the doors to The Volcano Room.

They’ve changed their lineup (adding a few virtuosic studio musicians, but not before losing a couple of original members wanting to further solo-careers with new sounds of their own), won some awards and were even nominated for Grammy awards in 2009 and 2010 for Best Performance by a Duo or Group and Best Bluegrass Album for songs “Blue Side of the Mountain,” from their self-titled first album released out of Rounder Records in 2008, and “Where the Rainbow Never Dies,” from their 2010 Rounder Records release, Reckless.

Just as the audience has obviously aged four years and grown in attendance since word of The Volcano Room has spread through the South via mouth and praise-filled media coverage, the notion to have the rest of the country in on what’s happening in-cave at concert time struck producers Todd Mayo and Todd Jarrell of Todd Squared, LLC, to bring the Public Broadcast Company in to film last year, broadcasting as far east as the ocean will let them; to as far north as New York and Connecticut; as far west as Texas and on to California and as far south as the Virgin Islands. Everyone involved is gearing up for the second season of Bluegrass Underground sessions beginning Sept. 22 with Town Mountain, a bluegrass quintet from Asheville, NC, with special guests Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen coming down from Alexandria, VA, to play with them. Attention to the series is obvious as the Bluegrass Underground series

received two of the most coveted international awards for production excellence in the TV and film industries: The CINE Golden Eagle and The Telly Silver Award, the former from the CINE competitions comprised of around 400 judges reviewing productions from all around the world and the latter from the Telly Awards that make a point to honor individual series achievements in progressing excellence through the world of art and cultrure.

So, how does a 4th anniversary, celebratory bluegrass party played by the Grammy-nominated Steeldrivers in an acoustical masterpiece of a hole in the ground sound?

Pretty amazing.

But how does it sound to you?

Not to mention that while it’s 90 plus degrees up here, it’s around 55 degrees down there.

Unfortunately, the Steeldrivers show is sold out, but The Pulse will be giving some tickets away. Just text “bluegrass” to 86568 for a chance to win a couple for you and anyone you’d like to make a happy spelunker on Aug. 11.

For anyone wishing to catch the action on air, Nashville broadcasts on WNPT HD 8.1 while East Tennessee broadcasts out of Cookeville’s WCTE on Channel 22. Check your local listing because times may vary.

For more information on the Bluegrass Underground series at Cumberland Cavern and The Volcano Room, including ticket information on the upcoming Town Mountain with Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen show, Oct. 13’s Peter Rowan’s Bluegrass Band show and Ralph Stanley on Oct. 27, visit bluegrassunderground.com.

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SOUNDS

(Left) T-Model Ford is appearing at this year's Muddy Roots festival.

(Here) Cletus Got Shot at the 2011 fest. (Below) The legendary Ramblin' Jack Elliot.

The Muddier The Better Muddy Roots Music Festival returns to Cookeville Valley for the third year.

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Don Maddox (on fiddle) will return to Putnam County's premeire music and camping festival.

Thankfully so, because the men and women that produce the Cookeville festival even went so far in their intentions for country music as to take the fest on the road, or on a boat, and birth a sister festival as the first ever Muddy Roots Europe held in Belgium June 9 and 10 this year. Acts came from all over the world for the two-day hootenanny. Most recognizable to folks around here, though, are the bands from last year’s Roots Fest like Cashman, Jayke Orvis and the Broken Band and Wayne “The Train” Hancock as the Sunday headliner. These busy producers may be tired, but they’re not dead yet.

“Muddy Roots Europe was a blast,” said event organizer and Smyrna screen-printer, Jason Galaz. “It was about sharing the Muddy Roots life with others. They love Americana music and culture. It was small but well accepted and has a strong foundation to build. We booked two-thirds American bands at [Muddy Roots Europe] and plan on doing the same next year.”

But until then, they work through this busy schedule for 2012’s end-of-August event with the fruit of their labor that includes performances from major players in the country, rockabilly, blues, and Americana scenes including Grammy-award winning, Virginia-born banjoist Dr. Ralph Stanley, hopefully with an acapella “O Death,” as he did for the soundtrack of Oh,

Brother Where Art Thou. Still, if not, there is no way it will be a disappointment so long as he picks anything else from his 66 years-in-themaking catalogue and repertoire.

The one and only Guthrie-taught/Dylaninspiring, Grammy-award winning and National Medal of the Arts recipient, NY folk and blues guitarist Ramblin’ Jack Elliott will be picking in all his glory for the folks at Muddy Roots this year. There, too, are decades worth of excellence to choose from for an intimate gathering in a Cookeville music festival, but here’s to hoping some of his newest material from A Stranger Here is among whatever the man decides to play.

There are tons of other bands holding down Muddy Roots 2012. A couple more newcomers to this hellish and heavenly lineup are pulling through for the crowds as headliners Reverend Horton Heat, who graced Murfeesboro with their presence earlier this year, are greasing up to get down, along with Murfreesboro’s own The WHAT: Muddy Roots Festival WHERE: June Bug Ranch, Cookeville, Tenn.

WHEN: Aug. 31–Sept. 2 COST: $88.79

JACK ELLIOTT BY JAMIE JAMES MEDINA; T-MODEL FORD BY SHEIN DIE; OTHERS BY JONATHAN WESENBERG

t was dry in town for so much of the first good half of our Murfreesboro summer. Then we were all luckily blessed with torrential downpours to help out backyard gardens, wash cars parked on the streets for free and remind some of us that tromping through a little bit of mud was missed as opposed to a nuisance that could possibly be tracked through the house.

If this sounds like how you felt over the course of the mini-flooding of mid-July, it will also be good to hear that the 3rd annual Muddy Roots Fest is livening up again for a 2012 go-around for countrymen and greasersat-heart. Great food throughout the Muddy Roots valley’s main strip ready to be served off the grills under vendors’ tents and from their buses find nary a dirty wheel in sight as custom hot rods and motorcycles roll in from all over the South to be parked and gawked at during the car show and certainly plenty of wet dirt to squish between flip-flopped toes if it sprinkles like it did in 2011. And who cares to track a little dirtiness through the tent at the end of the evenings, knowing the next night it’ll happen again? It can always be hosed out later. The festival’s name is pretty much self-explanatory: the Muddy part is what it is and the Roots part is the type of music to be heard.

That’s right. The Muddy Roots Fest of Cookeville, Tenn., kicks off Aug. 31 and runs through Sept. 2, giving patrons three good days to arrive whenever they can and set up camp on the hillsides or in the wooded valleys on both sides of the vended and staged center strip. It provides three days to get a good fill of everything from organic food to deep-fried grub or libations out of Scooter’s (the bar on top of the hill next to the entrance gate). But most of all, it gives everyone three days to get a little nasty to the likes of an incredible lineup certainly not afraid to follow last year’s headlined by Wanda Jackson and The Legendary Shack Shakers with other acts ranging from The Goddamn Gallows to New York’s own O’Death to country fiddle legend Don Maddox.

“Promoting all blends of Americana, Folk, Blues, Old-Country and Punk Rock,” with the festival’s sole intention of “Saving Country Music,” according to their website.

IF YOU GO:

I

story by BRYCE HARMON

Hardin Draw making the trek. Don Maddox & Rose will return again this year along with returning Wayne Hancock, The Legendary Shack Shakers, O’Death, Rachel Brooke, and The Goddamn Gallows, among others. There will even be the return of Rockin’ Kitty Pin-up Pageant and Burlesque Le Moustache to the high delight of many. One’s made for daytime. The other is definitely made for the nighttime.

“We’ve kicked up our lineup a notch so as to expand the demographic a bit. Everything from bluegrass to punk rock!” said Galaz.

Pictures and details of last year’s Muddy Roots can be found on boropulse.com in the photo gallery section or last September and October issues archived.

Information for this year’s Muddy Roots Festival pertaining to everything from merchandising/vendors, the car show, a detailed schedule of all three days’ lineups, camping and contact information, directions to and a map of the location can all be found at muddyrootsmusic.com where you can also sign up for their newsletter and read more in their magazine, The Rambler.

Bring some old clothes, because it’s going to get dirty after the hour and a half drive to East Tennessee to play with some “Old Souls, Old Songs, Old Cars, Old Campers, [and] Good Times.”

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I AM WHAT I AM

Static Revival

WHEN INDIE BAND THE GHOST BALLERINAS were looking for the perfect cover for their album Play Me On the Radio, all they knew was that they wanted happylooking art to reflect the tone of the record. Through Google, the band stumbled across the happiest picture they could have possibly found.

It was called “A Double Shot of Happiness” and was painted by a 22-year-old Australian artist named Tim Sharp.

When the band looked further into Sharp’s work, they were surprised to find that the artist has an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a disorder that ranges from mild to severe and affects an individual’s social and communication skills.

After learning of Sharp’s disorder, “We came to love his work so much more, and we knew we had to get in contact with him,” says Ghost Ballerinas bassist Justin Berry.

The band and Sharp developed a friendship through social networks, and Sharp designed The Ghost Ballerinas’ album cover for free. In return, the band wrote a song called “Laser Beak Man,” named after a character created by Sharp (the character is featured in a TV series as well laserbeakman.com).

But the band wanted to do more to not only thank their friend, but also to raise awareness about autism. Berry and his mother went out in search of related organizations in Middle Tennessee.

“It amazes me that there’s really not that many,” Berry says. “But then we went to the rec center in Shelbyville, and they hooked us up with Leta Frame.”

Frame is the president of the Bedford County Association for Exceptional Students (BCAES) in Shelbyville. Her collaboration with the band resulted in the first annual I Am What I Am Music Festival & Benefit for Autism.

On Aug. 18, the festival will kick off at the Shelbyville

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STATIC REVIVAL BY ALAN WIEME

Shelbyville music festival for Autism features dozens of musicians. BY JESSICA PACE Agriculture Center at 10 a.m. with the annual Aut 2 Be Kids motorcycle ride for autism. Approximately 25 bands from the Middle Tennessee area, including The Buddy System, Static Revival and The Ghost Ballerinas, will perform, and there will be an antique car show.

The festival lasts until midnight.

Proceeds will go to Aut 2 Be Kids, a club designed to provide kids with autism socializing opportunities and families dealing with autism.

“I’m hoping this time around next year, people take us seriously for the second time around as far as the donation part. We do have a certain goal; I want to raise $20,000,” Berry says Befriending Sharp and putting together the upcoming festival has opened Berry’s eyes to Autism Spectrum Disorders, which he knew little about before the project.

“Meeting all the autistic kids while organizing the festival was life-changing for me. They love music. They understand the concept of art. They’re intelligent people, and not everyone understands that,” Berry says.

The festival is named after a song on The Ghost Ballerinas’ EP Halfway There and is a title that Berry says “speaks for itself.”

“I want the people that come in that don’t know about autism to get a better understanding of it. Not only are we trying to raise money for Aut 2 Be Kids and autistic families in general, we want to raise awareness about autism, how it affects people’s lives and how they can help out.

To learn more about the festival and Aut 2 Be Kids, visit: iawiamusicfestival.com aut2bekids.blogspot.com

CONCERT LISTINGS

TUESDAY, 8/28 LIQUID SMOKE Bellwether WILLIE’S WET SPOT Freedom Hill

Send your show listings to listings@boropulse.com

WILLIE’S WET SPOT Shane & the Moneymakers

FRIDAY, 8/3 3 BROTHERS Stephen Simmons & Molly Jewel FANATICS Hazzard Country MURFREESBORO PUBLIC SQUARE Gravel Road Gypsies NOBODY’S Japanese Cowboys THE BORO Aaron Sizemore & Blues at Sunrise WALL STREET Dirk Quinn, SkyHi WILLIE’S WET SPOT Backlit

SATURDAY, 8/4 3 BROTHERS Uberphonics FANATICS Top Chelf WALL STREET A Secret Policemans Ball WILLIE’S WET SPOT Smiley Blind Band

SUNDAY, 8/5 3 BROTHERS Creative Mic Night with Anthony Adams

TUESDAY, 8/7 LIQUID SMOKE Bellwether WILLIE’S WET SPOT Freedom Hill

WEDNESDAY, 8/8 3 BROTHERS Ryan Coleman’s Writers Night WILLIE’S WET SPOT Shane & the Moneymakers, Freedom Hill

THURSDAY, 8/9 WILLIE’S WET SPOT Shane & the Moneymakers

FANATICS Pimpalicious THE BORO CouchFire, Lines in the Sky WILLIE’S WET SPOT Greez Monkeez

SUNDAY, 8/12 3 BROTHERS Creative Mic Night with Anthony Adams

TUESDAY, 8/14 LIQUID SMOKE Bellwether WILLIE’S WET SPOT Freedom Hill

WEDNESDAY, 8/15 3 BROTHERS Ryan Coleman’s Writers Night WILLIE’S WET SPOT Shane & Lenny

THURSDAY, 8/16 THE BORO Borostock 2012: The Mink Cousins, Mike Palmer, Guiltless Cult, Static Revival, Kelly Kerr, Copper Into Steel WILLIE’S WET SPOT Shane & the Moneymakers

FRIDAY, 8/17 3 BROTHERS Denis & the Menis FANATICS Imaginary Friends NOBODY’S JT & the Funky Bunch THE BORO Borostock 2012: Bobby Joe Thorazine, Screaming Names, Wheel of Fish, Hurts to Laugh, Single Mothers, Kuntz, Damage WILLIE’S WET SPOT Who Shot JR?

SATURDAY, 8/18

SATURDAY, 8/11

3 BROTHERS Hippitrain FANATICS Christine Parri THE BORO Borostock 2012: Ian C. Parker, Judd Hall, The Legend, Mize & the Drive, Country Punks WILLIE’S WET SPOT Double Image

3 BROTHERS Mike Palmer CD Release

SUNDAY, 8/19

FRIDAY, 8/10 3 BROTHERS Secret Commonwealth NOBODY’S Hambone THE BORO Guiltless Cult WILLIE’S WET SPOT Fire & Ice

View Concert Listings Online:

WEDNESDAY, 8/29

BOROSTOCK

PUL SE PICK

THURSDAY, 8/16 @ THE BORO BAR & GRILL Come gather at the cleanest little dive in the whole town to hear ye iconic local bands in Borostock 2012. We’re talking about Murfreesboro’s staple bands like Mize & the Drive, Copper Into Steel and Secret Commonwealth. We’re talking about the guy who made one of the funniest, smartest, catchiest political records ever, Kelly Kerr. We’re talking about the fuzzy Southern rock riffs of Static Revival. We’re talking about four nights of it, all at The Boro Aug. 16–19.

All for FREE! 3 BROTHERS Creative Mic Night with Anthony Adams THE BORO Borostock 2012: Uncle Don Clark, Secret Commonwealth, Backwoods Heathens, Goon, Holiness Movement

TUESDAY, 8/21 3 BROTHERS Cory Bishop LIQUID SMOKE Bellwether WILLIE’S WET SPOT Freedom Hill

WEDNESDAY, 8/22 3 BROTHERS Ryan Coleman’s Writers Night WILLIE’S WET SPOT Shane & Lenny

THURSDAY, 8/23 MAIN STREET LIVE Machines Are People Too WILLIE’S WET SPOT Shane & the Moneymakers

FRIDAY, 8/24 3 BROTHERS Culture Cringe Back to Ghoul Bash FANATICS Zone Status NOBODY’S Backlit THE BORO RockAfeller WALL STREET Steven Bradley Band WILLIE’S WET SPOT Junkyard Funk

SATURDAY, 8/25 3 BROTHERS Mitch Gallager Unplugged MAIN STREET LIVE Jimmy Hall, Plowed THE BORO West of Providence WALL STREET Now the Never, Ancients, Iraconji WILLIE’S WET SPOT Atomic Trunk Monkeys

SUNDAY, 8/26 3 BROTHERS Creative Mic Night with Anthony Adams

TODD SMITH

THURSDAY, 8/2

3 BROTHERS Ryan Coleman’s Writers Night WILLIE’S WET SPOT Shane & Lenny

THURSDAY, 8/30 MAIN STREET LIVE Arpetrio, This is Art WALL STREET Muddy Roots kickoff party with God*amn Gallows, Hillbilly Casino, and more WILLIE’S WET SPOT Shane & the Moneymakers

FRIDAY, 8/31 3 BROTHERS Beatles Tribute, John Salaway & Friends MAIN STREET LIVE Cold Truth NOBODY’S 2nd & Vine WALL STREET Great Barrier Reefs WILLIE’S WET SPOT Citizen Rejects

SATURDAY, 9/1 3 BROTHERS Dear Salem

SUNDAY, 9/2 3 BROTHERS Creative Mic Night with Anthony Adams

TUESDAY, 9/4 LIQUID SMOKE Bellwether WILLIE’S WET SPOT Freedom Hill

WEDNESDAY, 9/5 3 BROTHERS Ryan Coleman’s Writers Night

CULTURE CRINGE BACK TO GHOUL BASH FRI, 8/24 @ 3 BROTHERS

One of our favorite things about Culture Cringe events, besides the fact that this media group releases all kinds of cool stuff created by locals and themselves, is the possibility that a guy in a gorilla suit may be running around. Expect that at the Culture Cringe Back to Ghoul Bash at 3 PULSE Brothers tonight, which will be headlined by Mom & Dad. Strokes tribute band Stroke It, and the PICK Fallopian Tube Tops, a fantastically named all-girl rockabilly group, complete the lineup. There will be an impressive magic show performed by Cringey himself, and CC’s usual raffle and prizes. You can buy CC releases here, too, like the slasher Girls Night Out on VHS, or Epic Ditch’s brand-spankin-new EP, on cassette, of course.

IF YOU GO: 3 Brothers 223 W. Main St. 410-3096 Aura Lounge 114 S. Maple St. 396-8328 Bonhoeffer’s 610 Dill Lane 202-3517 Bunganut Pig 1602 W. Northfield Blvd.

893-7860 Coach’s Grill 127 SE Broad St. 962-7853 Coconut Bay Cafe 210 Stones River Mall Blvd.

494-0504 Dugger’s Food & Fun 1738 W. Northfield Blvd.

809-2605 Fanatic’s 1850 Old Fort Pkwy.

494-3995 JoZoara 536 N. Thompson Ln. 962-7175 Lanes, Trains and Automobiles 450 Butler Drive 890-3999 Liquid Smoke #2 Public Square 217-7822 Main Street Live 527 W. Main St. 439-6090 MT Bottle 3940 Shelbyville Hwy. 962-9872 Murfreesboro/ Center for the Arts 110 W. College St. 904-ARTS Nobody’s Grill & BBQ 116 John R. Rice Blvd.

962-8019 Social 114 N. Church St. 904-7236 Temptation Club 2404 Halls Hill Pike 217-0944 The Boro Bar & Grill 1211 Greenland Dr. 895-4800 Wall Street 121 N. Maple St. 867-9090 Walking Horse Hotel 101 Spring St., Wartrace (931) 389-7050 Willie’s Wet Spot 1208 S. Lowry St., Smyrna 355-0010 Wright Music Bldg.

1439 Faulkinberry Dr. 898-2493

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ALBUM REVIEWS

Jeff The Brotherbood

Transcend the Fallen

Jake and Jamin Orrall, formally known as Nashville’s own JEFF the Brotherhood, released their first majorlabel studio album Hypnotic Nights out of Warner Bros.

Records July 17. The album, co-produced by the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach out of his Easy Eye Sound Studio in Nashville, is the follow-up to JEFF’s 2011 self-produced We Are the Champions, out of their own Infinity Cat Records. This modern, signature-Nashvillian, psychedelic stoner, garage rock sound of JEFF the Brotherhood remains just as steady on the 11-track Hypnotic Nights. It is filled with the brothers’ minimalistic drum set-up and three-stringed guitar adding only a little more instrumentation and distortion than Champions.

With that said, the two leading tracks—“Country Life” followed by “Six Pack”—are Hypnotic Nights’ homage to their down-home roots with hard grunge guitar and relentless bean-freaking drumming; adding in spits of synthesizer, steady hand-clapping, and the recognizable “woo-ing” throughout the chorus in “Country Life,” while in the cymbal-heavy “Six Pack,” the shortest track out of all 11, iterates through the lyrics about the youthful Southern scenester’s tradition of gearing up for a night on the town. Afterwards, musically and lyrically, the psychedelia begins with “Mystic Portal II,” introducing a stoner xylophone and sitar-flavored guitar distortion from Jake Orrall and continuing through other spacey gruff like “Hypnotic Mind” and through the album’s latter, “Hypnotic Winter” and metal march “Dark Energy.” The cleanest, least distorted song over the course of all that is “Wood Ox,” written about the duo’s own personal ox found in the woods. Maybe a metaphorical ox. Maybe not.

Magnificence lies in the stoner’s dream lyrics and hard-punching dissonance. They experiment with timing on most of the tracks, weaving in and out of the of song’s original rhythms, almost chasing themselves around before elegantly pulling back together two or three times before each track abruptly codas out leaving listeners wanting more. Unfortunately, the longest song on the album stands a little over 4 minutes.

To buy the album and for tour dates and other news, visit jeffthebrotherhood.com. — BRYCE HARMON

“Do you Transcend?” That is the question put forth by Nashville five-piece melodic hard rock band, Transcend the Fallen.

I received TTF’s debut full-length CD Between Perception and Regret having only been offered that one sentence about the band. So I set out to find an answer to the ambiguous question.

Upon listening to the first three tracks, “Something to Think About While You’re Out Tonight”, “Again” and “Falling Backwards”, I found a story starting to take shape. I found that Between Perception and Regret is a concept album about a bad relationship that gradually gets worse and ends tragically. Bringing about feverish sadness, heated angst and marred betrayal and leading to self-exploration and understanding to a mind-blowing acceptance and healing, singer Matthew Bess’s vocal range on this journey is nothing less than superb. With a mixture of soft, harmonizing vocals to gutteral screams that do not overpower the song or message in the lyrics but rather compliment them and help the listener feel the story being told, his emotion comes through with every word; I actually absorbed what he was singing and transformed them to my own feelings. To write a story is hard enough. To have listeners actually feel as though the story is somehow related to themselves and take them on a journey from within, now that is what makes genuine art.

The guitars in every song blaze with riffs that compliment every lyric; Jason Garrie and Stephen Lewis weave in and out of patterned leads with driving rhythms and solos. On the ninth track, “Never Again”, is the best example of this, as both axemen intertwine and make the whole song climb from depths, rising to crescendos that had me aching to see them play it live.

Martha Ramos’s bass and Phillip Garner’s drums provide a solid foundation. On the fourth track, “You’re Burning Denim, I’m Burning Alive,” Garner’s crossover patterns were impeccable.

As a whole, I thoroughly enjoyed the journey. From pain and despair, through fiery angst and heated betrayal, surprising discovery and self-enlightenment, I, too, have come to Transcend. — LARRY WHITE

Hypnotic Nights

RATINGS: AVERAGE 22 * AUGUST 2012 * BOROPULSE.COM

Between Perception and Regret

A CLASSIC BELOW AVERAGE

OUTSTANDING AVOID AT ALL COSTS

DEAD

Bang OK Bang

Christine Parri

The Pulse and the late Zeppelin-and-Chili-Peppersesque rock band The 1-10s go way back. Always a fan of their grizzly rock, we reviewed their EP and fantastic LP Fighting For a Golden Age with admiration and manic glee. When they disbanded this year, it was sad. But then the rhythm section regrouped as Bang OK Bang.

With former bass player Ben Lowry now on guitar and vocals and Abby Hairston still hacking away on drums, Bang OK Bang make a wonderful sonic mess, combining a strong sense of melody with an even stronger sense of just being as loud as possible.

What they have here on their debut EP Chemicals, released July 6 with an incredible high-energy set at The 5 Spot in Nashville, are four tracks that meld the metal with the punk and the hardcore with the hard classic rock. Traces of Motorhead, Fugazi, Sabbath and even some rougher Pearl Jam stuff are just a few of the influences swilled into the scummy cup, starting with the opening blast of “Above The Surface,” whose catchy riff has to be my favorite of the whole record. There are plenty of bands out there that are “raw” and whatnot, but the draw to Bang OK Bang, I think, may be how artless they are about it. When you see them live, you can see that their songs aren’t performed with the underlying message “LOOK HOW PUNK WE ARE”—they just like to play the hell out of their instruments.

This is just four tracks, but if we can look forward to more of this down the road, we’re on board.

Bang OK Bang appears at the 5 Spot again on Friday, Aug. 31.

Chemicals is available at CD Baby and bangokbang.com.

It appears that blues/soul artist Christine Parri moved to Nashville to get things done done. Having grown up in a musical household developing her guitar, piano, voice, drums and songwriting chops, Parri continued her musical education at Berklee in Boston and then moved to Music City a few years back. Here, she rerecorded her debut EP, Countdown to the One, with some solid support: Dusty Parker on guitar, David Roe Rodrick on bass, Kery Greene on keys, John Salaway on drums, Aaron Till on fiddle, Chazz Williams on saxophone and Regina and Ann McCrary doing backup vocals, who debuted as Parri’s backing band at Nashville’s Spring Blues Festival on Memorial Day this year.

The remake of Countdown was recorded, mixed and mastered at Jay’s Place, DaCapo and Independent Mastering, respectively, and it reflects Parri’s love for blues and soul with her own refined pop touch.

“I Don’t Know What Can’t Means Anymore” opens the record with fiery organ trilling over words of self-empowerment followed by layers of bluesy female backup for Parri’s warnings on “Girlfriend Law,” which brought to mind Aretha’s own threats from “Think.”

“What If I Do” is the mid-record seductive spot with a pulsating bass and quiet, sporadic sax parts beneath Parri’s lush vocals that reach sweet highs and provocative lows. The title track wins for best groove, on which country strings mix with a languid jazz rhythm. Parri is often compared to veteran blues artist Susan Tedeschi, which is pretty spot-on. When so many voices out there are built for pop, Parri’s is refreshingly built for R&B, and it delivers both when she leans more toward blues (“Went to Bed”) and more toward soul (“I Don’t Know What Can’t Means Anymore”). — JESSICA PACE

Chemicals

Countdown to the One

— JESSICA PACE

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SOUNDS ARTIST PROFILE:

story by JESSICA PACE

W

hat began as a “joke-type thing” among friends became one of the most hard-to-peg bands in Murfreesboro. It could be called Americana, sure, but I guess it comes down to some very dark country roots, band members’ backgrounds in metal that carry over and a liking for morbid-pop songwriting (Springsteen circa ’95–’05) that make The Hardin Draw just seem so cool. Backstage at Exit/In before their set on July 11, The Pulse got to ask the band about their long-time-coming record, how their diverse musical backgrounds converged and how they all got together in the first place. Apparently, all you’ve got to do is bring along some instruments on your next bar crawl.

How did The Hardin Draw happen?

DAVID TALLEY: Jason bought an up-

right bass. Aaron bought a mandolin.

JASON DIETZ: I just texted everybody like, “Hey, I’m going to the Handlebar. Everyone bring their acoustic instruments.” That’s how it

began, sitting around playing simple chords.

TALLEY: Then we wrote the riff for “Hollow”.

JONATHAN BROOKS: That was the first time Aaron played mandolin. He only knew a handful of chords, so we

were all restricted to the ones we knew.

TALLEY: It got really weird when we started understanding we could all sing, and vocal harmonies came into the picture, that just freaked everybody out. And then John Judkins joined.

BROOKS: We started hitting bars and would just walk in and start playing. I think when we were asked to come back to The Boro, it was our semi-official beginning.

DIETZ: We just played maybe two originals and just learned a bunch of covers. Me and Aaron were babies at playing our instruments.

AARON SWISHER: Jason has enough experience with bass, and I’ve got enough experience with guitar, so it was a little easier to transition, but I’m still not a great mandolin player.

BROOKS: He plays it like a lead guitarist in a metal band [laughs].

And it sounds awesome. And it fits with what we’re doing . . . Not a lot of people sound like what we do, but at the same time everybody’s like, “Okay, yeah, I get that.”

What were your first gigs like?

NIKKI OLIFF: I was at The Boro

drinking, and I was like, hey, there’s my friends and they’re playing music.

So I went home and got my accordion and met them over at the Pub. TALLEY: That was the first time we went on tour, actually. We went to the Handlebar, then The Boro, then the Pub. And the tour was great. I think we, at one point, played “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” with everybody riproaring drunk and singing along.

So, you just went on a pub crawl with instruments?

COLLECTIVE: Yeah.

Where’d the name The Hardin Draw come from?

DIETZ: I was watching Pawn Stars

one night and they were talking about John Wesley Hardin, and I was like, “I remember that guy! He shot somebody for snoring or something.” And they were talking about the way he draws his guns, which is called the Hardin Draw. And I was like, “Holy crap, that’s

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RAE MARSHALL

WRITING FROM THE GUT: THE HARDIN DRAW the most amazing band name ever.”

SWISHER: Since then I’ve been scouring anything I can about John Wesley Hardin and American outlaws and incorporating some of that terminology into songwriting.

You guys have played in bands that are vastly different from what you do in The Hardin Draw, so how did your sound develop?

SWISHER: I think that’s what we

wanted to do—make something totally different from what we’ve done before.

I’ve never sang in a band before, though I sang in choirs, my dad directed choirs and orchestras, and I grew up knowing how to sing and enunciate words. All of a sudden, vocals came into play, that was a fun challenge.

TALLEY: A lot of guys come from a metal background. I’ve always been a poppy singer/songwriter kind of guy and more mellow. But I grew up with The Beach Boys and The Temptations, so vocal harmonies have always been a big part of my life. I think when all the songs got constructed, there was an aggressiveness there.

JOHN JUDKINS: Dietz works in a studio. Nikki and I teach kids, and so does Talley. We’ve gotten used to working with other artists and hearing what they want to get out. It’s not always what you want when someone comes to you with a need and you have to deliver. With this music, we already have all these skills and use them to our advantage.

What do you individually bring in terms of your own influences?

JUDKINS: I love music, I don’t care.

I’ll listen to things that someone else may think is the worst, like Def Leppard. I’m not afraid to admit what I like. It’s not like when you’re 15 and it’s all Slayer and Metallica, and I really

loved Weezer and didn’t want to tell anybody, you know what I mean?

SWISHER: We were headed to Memphis and Talley’s going through the iPod and goes, “Here’s one,” and puts on Celine Dion. Here’s the thing, it was on my iPod. TALLEY: I really like singer/songwriters.

OLIFF: I think we’ve all opened each other’s eyes, too . . . there’s stuff each of us listen to that others say, “That’s really cool,” which is just helping us grow.

SWISHER: What I heard growing up was string bands and swing. My parents were older and Glenn Miller was a regular in my house. Then I heard ’80s hair metal when I was seven, and then started playing guitar.

JUDKINS: Black metal, country, Americana. The person making the music, if I can tell they love it, it doesn’t matter what kind of music it is; I can get on the level with it.

TALLEY: I think what ties us all in together is that we like raw musicians—people who play from their guts. I think that’s the point.

As the songwriter, how do you write from your gut?

TALLEY: You live life, and you go

through pain and happiness and the big roller coaster. I have to write it or I’ll get all plugged up inside.

When is the record coming out?

DIETZ: We are going to have some-

thing done by the time we leave for tour in October. Our LP may turn into an EP, but we will have something done . . . We still have plenty of time, but I . . . record a lot.

Read the extended interview at boropulse.com.

Catch The Hardin Draw Aug. 31 at the Muddy Roots Festival, or Oct. 5 at Wall St. in Murfreesboro.

Wanda Jackson and SGRRC campers have a party story by JESSICA PACE

I

PHOTO BY MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIVES

n the middle of the afternoon on July 27, MTSU’s Wright Music Building theater was buzzing with an atypical audience that was youthful and mostly female. This year’s Southern Girls Rock ’n’ Roll Camp attendees, which include girls from age 10 to 17, sat front and center, talking to one another, but keeping an eye on the brightly lit stage. A few parents of campers and camp volunteers peppered the seats to the left and right.

After a half hour of waiting, some gentlemen dressed all in black walked onstage, picked up their instruments and got a simple, buoyant country rhythm going for a minute or two. And finally, Wanda Jackson made her appearance.

Dressed in a hot reddish-pink shirt with her trademark fringe that stood out against her jet-black nest of hair and the necklace sparkling at her throat, the small woman commanded attention the second she opened her mouth and invited the girls to come stand in front of the stage.

PHOTO BY JONATHAN WESENBERG

Southern Girls Party

“This first song was recorded in 1956,” Jackson announced croakily, due to laryngitis. “It’s a little bit country, and a little bit rock ‘n’ roll or rockabilly,” she said, then launched into “I Gotta Know.”

Chosen to perform for the end-of-camp show to benefit SGRRC, Wanda Jackson was a fitting choice as a piece of iconography for those women who love rock ‘n’ roll, but may also maintain a fascination with old country. That day, the building held a few dozen examples of those women, who listened as Jackson dished about her humble beginnings as a Maud, Okla., girl, a few songs in her long string of hits and the leg up given to her by Elvis Presley.

“You never know where your encouragement will come from, and you have to take it from whoever gives it to you,” Jackson said, referring to Elvis, who persuaded her to write rock ’n’ roll songs.

It was very much a chummy, intimate atmosphere as Jackson gave advice to her audience on writing good rock songs—“Just keep it simple. If you do that, it should work for ya”—and discussed her fling with Elvis. “He was a good kisser, and he was pretty cute . . . and I guess I was pretty cute, too.”

One of her best was early in the set, her eerie, catchy 1961 song, “Funnel of Love,” and the sexy Johnny Kidd party song, “Shakin’ All Over,” recycled many times over by many a rocking lady from Suzi Quatro to Those Darlins.

Of course, there was talk of Jack White, who’s been known to collaborate with the female country and rock veterans. Last year, he

helped put the spotlight back on Jackson by collaborating with her on her thirtieth studio album, The Party Ain’t Over.

It’s an appropriate title for Jackson, who at 74 has not lost her vocal touch; as is common in the rockabilly genre, her voice is sharp and tangible, riding between a nasally rasp and highpitched squeal.

“Let’s Have A Party” was at the tail end along with “Nervous Breakdown,” pulling again from Jackson’s last record. After the show, other audience members were asked to leave so the campers could have a private Q&A with Jackson, who was every bit the gracious, instructive rockabilly queen throughout her set.

Look for Wanda Jackson’s upcoming album Unfinished Business in October 2012.

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Nick Dearing and Emily Lowery star in She Loves Me, opening at Murfreesboro Little Theatre on July 13.

THEATER Evita, Judas, Xanadu and Black Fox coming to area stages in August. column by JOHN T. POWERS

This month, theater patrons of Middle Tennessee have a lot to look forward to. There are several shows coming up that will entertain a variety of people. If you love a musical, be sure to visit the Center for the Arts. Opening Aug. 10 and running through the 26th is Evita, directed

by Cyndie Verbeten. Evita is the story of Eva, a poor young girl from Argentina who grows up to marry the Argentine president. She quickly learns that the way to the top is to sleep with powerful men. Eva soon becomes a hero to the poor working class. You do not want to miss this powerful, heart-wrenching story.

Also coming up at the Center are auditions for On Golden Pond on Aug. 5 and 6. This show runs Oct. 5–21. Along with that, auditions for A Chorus Line are on Aug. 20 and 21; this show will run Nov. 2–18. Visit boroarts.org for more information and to make reservations.

For a complete change of pace, Out Front on Main will present The Last Days of Judas Iscariot written by Stephen Adly Guirgis. Directed by George W. Manus Jr., this story tells of a court case of the ultimate fate of Judas Iscariot. Using flashbacks to an imagined childhood, this story will call testimony of figures such as Mother Teresa, Caiaphas, Saint Monica, Sigmund Freud and Satan. Judas runs Aug. 23 through Sept. 2, Thursday–Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for students and seniors. Out Front on Main is located at 1511 E. Main St. For reservations and more information, call (615) 869-8617 or visit outfrontonmain.com.

The Arts Center of Cannon County proudly presents Xanadu, the musical comedy adapted

from the cult classic film starring Olivia Newton-John. This over-the-top, hysterical rollerskating musical spoofs the 1980s film about a beautiful muse who descends from the heavens of Mt. Olympus to Venice Beach and inspires a struggling artist to go after his biggest dreams: the first roller disco. This show is hilarity on wheels for anyone who has ever wanted to feel inspired! Get ready for disco balls, rainbows and a wild score with songs such as “Magic,” “Evil Woman” and “Suddenly.”

Xanadu is directed by Dr. Darryl Deason and runs Aug. 10–25. Shows start at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. I recommend getting there early to secure an “A” pass for seating and then go eat at The Blue Porch, the in-house restaurant. If you make reservations, you do receive a 10 percent discount at the restaurant. Tickets for Xanadu are $12 with discounts available for students, seniors and groups and may be purchased by calling the Arts Center box office at (615) 563-ARTS (2787) or visiting artscenterofcc.com.

MLT Annual Awards Finally, we have the Murfreesboro Little Theatre. Coming up at MLT is the Annual Awards Ceremony and Membership Meeting on Aug. 11.

The picnic begins at 5 p.m., with the membership meeting at 6 p.m. and the awards show at 7. So for good food and entertainment with a recap of last season come on out and enjoy. Also coming up at MLT is See Here, Black Fox. This original show tells the history of Murfreesboro, which is being performed in celebration of Murfreesboro’s 200th Anniversary.

This also kicks off the start of MLT’s 50th season. So to commemorate two historical events, be sure to come and support this production! See Here, Black Fox runs Aug. 23–26.

Call (615) 893-9825, visit mltarts.com or find MLT on Facebook for more information and reservations.

If you get a chance, do go see any and/or all of these shows. As always, if you audition for a show, be sure you can make all the performances before you commit. Enjoy what Middle Tennessee Theaters have to offer this month, and be sure to support the arts.

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JUDAS BY MAYFLOWER PHOTOGRAPHY; XANADU AND LEGALLY BLONDE BY RUSSEL MOBLEY

Plenty of Characters

A Packed Weekend of Musicals I spent six hours one weekend this past month watching some wonderfully talented productions. I am not a big fan of musicals, so I was positive that I would dislike them all. But to my immense surprise, I loved one, I was uplifted by another, and I was led on a journey by a boy with a beautiful voice. Here I recount my musical journey through the Middle Tennessee theater scene.

The first show I saw was She Loves Me at Murfreesboro Little Theatre directed by Andy Ford. I am always excited to see a show directed

by Ford, I typically expect the best from him and this time he most definitely delivered. This show was my pick for a must see last month.

The brand-new-to-the-stage Nick Dearing, who played Georg Nowack, has a wonderful voice and will win you over with his performance. My hope is that he enjoyed his experience and will show us more of what he has. Ford really did his job well with Dearing. He was able to bring out emotions and facial expressions that with just a brief glance you knew what he was thinking.

Emily Lowery gave great musical talent to Amalia Balash. One suggestion I have to improve this role is to show a little more emotion! The singing was wonderful but the depth of the character did not quite match that of Nowack’s.

Amalia’s character struck me as being dramatic and polar based on dialogue and lyrics; I just wish I had gotten a little more out of it!

This show is also supported by talented clerks that worked in the shop that both Georg Nowack and Amalia Balash worked at. The brought both humor and common sense to this show. Gentlemen, when watching this show

make sure you hold onto your ladies because Mr. Kodaly is a wily one.

The set of She Loves Me was the best set that I saw this weekend. It was minimalistic in a good way, and it gave you what you needed to see and no more. It was wonderfully designed, with three different settings and each turn took you to the place you needed to see. The revolving doors in the middle of the set were a great idea and added such dimension to the shop. A wonderful heart decorated the floor and really helped set the mood for this adorable romantic comedy.

Next to see a Blonde in Cannon Co. I also saw Legally Blonde at the Arts Center of Cannon County directed by Mary Ellen Smith. Legally Blonde is one show that should have never seen the stage. However upbeat and bubbly this musical may be, my recommendation is to stick to the original movie. It just did not translate into a musical very well.

That being said I truly did like this performance. The actual quality of the production was fantastic. It morally uplifted me in a way that no show has ever done, in a slightly feminist way. Lindsey Mapes plays the witty, intelligent, yet occasionally stereotypical dumb blonde named Elle Woods. She had a voice that I would like to hear again and I hope she continues to grow and develop her talents. However, she didn’t bring anything different to the role that we haven’t seen before, which is unfortunate; some originality would have been nice. Emmett Forest played by Drew Jenkins was my favor-

ite character in this show. He showed enough nerdiness, backbone and love to be believed. He was the most genuine and believable character.

There was a feel that you could actually go enjoy a beer with this character. My second favorite set of characters was the Delta Nus. They were sufficiently annoying and supportive. They were true friends to Elle Woods and were there when she needed them.

The only thing not enjoyable about this show was its shoddy set. It should have been sent back to the drawing board and thought out thoroughly. It was too pink, too large and poorly put together. The set looks like one good sneeze from an audience member would blow it down like the big bad wolf. A more subtle set would have been more enjoyable and easier on the eyes.

The last show I saw was 13 the Musical at Murfreesboro Center for the Arts directed by

Kim Powers. This show was the least enjoyable to me. But I will attribute that to the fact that I am not 13, and I am not trying to find my place in this world, which is the main theme behind this show. I was most impressed by Adam LaPorte and Ellen Robertson who played Evan Goldman and Patrice, respectively. They had to be the most talented main couple that I have seen in a while. They are the reason I enjoyed this show; the rest of it was just filler. Don’t misunderstand me, the rest of cast was very talented. They almost all had great voices and we got to see Lydia McLaurin again; she was as good in this as she was in Beauty and the Beast Jr. I am becoming accustomed to seeing her, and so far, she hasn’t disappointed. She has even shown that she can perform different types of roles very well.

I did not like this set, the main reason being is that it was almost all on castors, and the biggest, nicest part of the set was only seen twice.

Powers should have just stuck to the black curtains and black boxes. I was under the impression that this entire show was Evan Goldman’s memories; if that was the case, this idea would have fit the show much better.

To sum up this outrageously musical weekend, I must admit that I am sung out. I was very pleased to come out of each respective theater smiling and feeling good. All three of these shows will have you sated and warmed inside. If you went to see one of these shows, visit boropulse.com and comment and we can have some fun discussing our viewpoints.

 AUGUST PERFORMANCES EVITA @ Center for the Arts 7 p.m. Aug. 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25; 2 p.m. Aug. 12, 19 and 26 (615) 904-ARTS boroarts.org JEKYLL AND HYDE IN CONCERT @ MTSU Hinton Hall 7 p.m. Aug. 3–4; 2 p.m. Aug. 5 stonesrivertheatre.com THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT @ Out Front on Main 7:30 p.m. Aug. 23–26, 30–31 and Sept. 1–2 (615) 869-8617 outfrontonmain.com SEE HERE, BLACK FOX @ Murfreesboro Little Theatre Aug. 23–26 (615) 893-9825 mltarts.com XANADU @ The Arts Center of Cannon County 7:30 p.m. Aug. 10, 11, 17, 18, 24 and 25; 2 p.m. Aug. 12 and 19 (615) 563-ARTS (2787) artscenterofcc.com

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LIVING ROOM CINEMA

MOVIES REVIEWS

Pondillo Says New Film About Love, Compassion, Not Sex story by SPENCER BLAKE

When you read a headline like “Children Exploited at MTSU,” your ears prick up. When you find out it’s a lie to sell papers, you hopefully want justice for the slandered. The Pulse sat down with film director and MTSU professor BOB PONDILLO to discuss his new film, The Miracles on Honey Bee Hill, and the controversy it has stirred up.

PULSE: So you’ve been making films for what, seven or eight years?

BP: Since 2005.

MP: And all short films?

BP: Yeah, all shorts so far because there’s no money to make longer ones. We’d love to do a feature. I have a feature written . . .

MP: I watched Wait, which is an older one, very short and sweet with a big impact. It’s almost non-verbal, the action is in the faces.

BP: David Lawrence did a nice job. He’s the only person who could have really done it. David has been a friend since he was in high school.

He played God in this new one [Miracles].

MP: The only adult part in the whole film.

BP: I like that concept, that he’s the only adult in the room. We’re all children, and we don’t get it.

He treats them a little like children in the movie.

He’s wise and funny, and a little annoyed, but he’s also very loving.

He just does funny, human things. I hope those perspectives aren’t lost on people. Some people probably think it’s funny.

MP: A lot of people can get offended by it.

BP: I truly wasn’t trying to offend anybody. I could argue that I’m offended by a lot of things that some Christians believe or interpret the Bible, and this is how I interpret the Bible. I think the movie stays true to the Christian faith, but a lot of people think it’s terrible, and how dare I? MP: So why did you want to tell this story now, in this context?

BP: Well, I wanted to tell the story because I think there’s a gross injustice being done to my fellow citizens. This is just not right. It’s about kindness and love, and that’s what puzzles me. Those who see a story other than love and compassion and humor and kindness in this movie, they’re bringing something else to the experience.

I think now it’s just a political thing. I also make it clear this not a sex story; this is a love story.

MP: Many can’t separate those two things.

BP: Exactly. But that’s not been my experience.

Love and sex are different things. And that’s what this movie is about. That’s why I wanted to use kids! I wanted the innocence of children, the purity of children, where sex doesn’t come into play.

MP: What did the kids think?

BP: I never got the sense that these kids really understood the political and social stuff.

MOONRISE KINGDOM Starring: Kara Hayward, Jared Gilman, Edward Norton Directed by Wes Anderson

Rated PG-13

Wes Anderson’s newest film Moonrise Kingdom is both a departure from and defense of the hyper-stylized filmmaking for which he has made a name. His last film, Fantastic Mr. Fox, eschewed live-action for stop-motion animation, melding an adaptation of Roald Dahl’s children’s classic with his own brand of ’60s affected Britishisms, while maintaining his go-to theme of a uniquely talented misanthrope’s search for meaning. While all of his previous films have had a child-like element of wonder, it wasn’t until Moonrise Kingdom that Anderson made a film from the perspective of children.

Non-Anderson fans need not apply here, because Moonrise Kingdom may also be the most Wes Andersony movie to date. His ’60s aesthetics have led him to make a film that actually takes place in the 1960s. Specifi-

RATINGS:

A CLASSIC

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cally, the film takes place on the fictional New England island of New Penzance, home of the Khaki Scouts of Camp Ivanhoe, a lighthouse, a church and an oncoming storm destined to play a significant role in the story. When Khaki Scout Sam Shakusky runs away with local girl Suzy Bishop (first-timers Gilman and Hayward), the island’s regular goings-on come to a

OUTSTANDING

column by NORBERT THIEMANN

cinespire@gmail.com

MP: Well, they’re very young.

How did you get their parents to sign off? In some cases I would think parents would pull their kid off the set.

BP: Well, some did. That’s fine. I understand.

I remember sitting in a chair at my house, and I thought, “How am I gonna do this?” I jumped out of my chair and said, “Kids! That’s going to be the most innocent way to tell the story.”

MP: But did that not burn you? To you it’s the most innocent thing in the world, but to others it’s a malicious attack on family values, making a movie about homosexuality with children. Did you catch a lot of flack when it came out?

BP: People wrote to the dean, the president, my department chair. They thought it was exploitation.

MP: That’s the word getting thrown around: exploitation.

BP: But clearly there was no exploitation. The parents had to sign in and out. They read the script ahead of time. They were on set and knew exactly what was going on. I don’t think they would have permitted their children to be in this movie if they didn’t agree with what we were trying to do with it.

Exploitationist? I think not. Dr. Pondillo is a sweet, brainy man. Miracles is currently riding the festival circuit, and garnering substantial acclaim in the short film category.

Read the full interview at boropulse.com. halt in search of the missing camper and girl.

The simple story sets the wheels in motion for the rest of the players, including Anderson first-timers Bruce Willis, Frances McDormand and Edward Norton, as well as familiar faces like Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman. But the real stars are the myriad child actors, Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward in particular. Sam and Suzy’s young love is what sets Moonrise Kingdom apart from the rest of Anderson’s repertoire. In Andersonian fashion, Sam and Suzy speak in a beyond-their-years, world-weary way, but their jadedness seems feigned where their counterparts’ ran deep. Their love for each other is unencumbered by doubt.

With a tender yet bitingly funny script by Anderson and first-time collaborator Roman Copolla, Moonrise Kingdom is both bittersweet and hopeful, the latter of which taking uncharacteristic precedence. And with Robert Yeoman as his all-time cinematographer, framing those picture perfect doll-house-style shots meticulously filled with vintage wonderment, Wes Anderson has made his most stylized, most heartfelt, and best film to date.

— JAY SPIGHT

AVERAGE

BELOW AVERAGE

Numerals THERE ARE SOME GREAT MOVIES with math as a theme. An honorable mention is Aronofsky’s Pi: Faith in Chaos, which I have previously recommended. Here are two other great examples of foreign films that keep count.

 Drowning By Numbers (1988) is written and directed by the British auteur, Peter Greenaway. Highly surreal and very crafty, the movie includes three generations of women who lose their husbands to drowning. Greenaway indulges the viewer with his love of math, sciences and the beauty of language. Included is the long-standing collaboration with Michael Nyman who composed many of Greenaway’s exquisite soundrtracks.

Drowning By Numbers is a real gem.

 Run Lola Run (1999) Run Lola Run is directed by Tom Tykwer. In multiple renditions, Lola must run to try and change outcomes in this inventive thriller. Her boyfriend is in need of money fast, and she is highly motivated to help. The stylized film is driven by an appropriately fast techno soundtrack. At the time, Run Lola Run rightly put Tom Tyker on the radar as a director who can create a fresh new look in cinema.

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AVOID AT ALL COSTS

DEAD

SPORTS MAGIC OF THE ME MA SHUFFLE THE TRAIN DADDY IS ROLLING OUT Ma must stand up, and as she shuffles her feet the station and ready to hit you in the back and forth in a dance motion she must do mouth with what’s important, sports just right or the Titans won’t score, she softly and family. It is a great time for an avid speaks words that only she and the football sports fan; the torch has been lit and the gods understand.

2012 Olympics are rockin’ and rollin’ Finally, the ball is snapped and with everything from basketball to Touchdown Titans! We all cheer table tennis to field hockey. Every the victory as we jump and man in America loves the game of scream and the Me Ma knows it beach volleyball; it’s the only sport was all her doing. She’s already where we prefer to watch the thinking to the next Sunday, women’s league rather than and trust me, she is sticking the men. I wonder why? The to the same dance move for as Train Daddy can explain: sexy long as it produces victories; 6-foot tall women in the best as soon as there is some bad column by Z-TRAIN shape of their lives, running juju, then she changes her titanman1984@ yahoo.com and jumping in the sand, and step. So why did I just take up they all are half naked and most of my article to tell you almost all 100 percent sexy. about this one lady? Well, We also have football on it all comes back to loyalty the way, baby, as teams all I have loyal readers and my across the country practice loyal readers need to rememand prepare, and as the faber how damn important mous Me Ma practices her loyalty is. Whatever team 3-step shuffle. If you don’t you cheer for whatever team recall my past Me Ma issue you represent or whatever a couple of years ago, I am matters to you personally, here to remind you that she loyalty can’t be bought and is is the heart that keeps the a rare quality. So to the lovely Titans alive and well. We Me Ma, I will never forget also have a young Titan you are the one who taught in training, the little man me how to play three-card Dalin at a year and 4 months old is a pure Batson poker at the casino, we have the same birthday, Boy and once he learns the word “touchdown" Nov 5, and your loyalty has inspired me. it’s on. Little Dalin is a beast; he can throw stuff The Olympics have just started as of press with the best of them and soon we will have him time and I love it all, every sport, every event. I at age 2 running drills, a future first-round pick. don’t care; competition is competition. I watch I believe in tradition and the supernatural and it all; basketball to gymnastics to table tennis to with the Me Ma shuffle and Dalin I am convinced water polo, sports competition on an internaa great season is ahead for the Titans. tional level is the best. It’s just as exciting as the So this past weekend I was on the campus of World Cup. Alabama working an event in the athletic center.

The US also has a very exciting group of Don’t worry, I was sporting my University of young boxers. After an awful performance in the Tennessee gear and I got plenty of bad looks. I 2008 Olympics, the team has a new coach and a will say one thing—the people of Tuscaloosa are new group of young talent. Keep an eye on them. very passionate, loyal and crazy fans. Winning The NFL kicks off its regular season Sept. does fuel the fire for that kind of atmosphere. If 5 with the defending Super Bowl champs the Alabama wasn’t doing so well in football, would Giants hosting the Dallas Cowboys and will I see fewer Alabama hats and shirts and bumper ultimately end on Feb. 3 at the Mercedes-Benz stickers in Tuscaloosa?

Superdome in New Orleans, Super Bowl Baby!

So, back to a very special woman, my friend If you learned anything from this article, I hope and a true loyal fan, the 77-year-old Me Ma. If you learned that loyalty is a pure quality and that you have never heard off the Me Ma shuffle, well friends, family and football are what keep the let me paint a picture for you, imagine it’s 4th world going round. and goal and the Tennessee Titans are down by God bless this country and God bless the Sec6 as the last seconds of the 4th quarter come to ond Amendment. I love the quote “Outlaw Guns an end. As we all gather around the TV, the Me and Outlaws will have Guns.” CHOO, CHOO!

SPORTS TALK

Bring out the Kettlebells BORED WITH THE SAME ROUTINE with the same weights and same machines? It happens quite often. In fact, providing new stimulation to your workout regimen has been shown to be extremely effective in increasing performance and physical fitness. The muscles need a “shock” of some sort, therefore, by performing some unique exercises in combination with some new equipment, what was once a predictable boring excuse of a workout turns into your next obsession.

The topic for this month’s article is the infamous kettlebell! We’ve all seen it; the big and intimidating chunk of concrete people are swinging around, but is it truly for everyone? The answer is absolutely. Kettlebells have been around for decades, and have recently become quite a trend at the gym. We’ve been incorporating them for years, and clients can’t seem to get enough of them. The kettlebell allows you to get strength work, explosive speed, and unbelievable endurance all at the same time. The shape of the kettlebell lends itself to unique exercises and its odd center of gravity forces you to do more work, increasing stimulation of stabilizer muscles and core. The lifts are shifted towards a more functional way of exercising (movements that mimic our daily physical functions), which makes them applicable to all ages.

Here are some basic exercises we recommend when integrating kettlebells into your routine. THE SQUAT – a basic exercise we’ve all performed, yet this time the weight is on the frontal plane of the body, forcing the lifter to remain upright and sitting on his/her heels to maintain control similar to the sumo squat. Remember to always have your back arched and never let your knees come over the toes. THE PUSHUP – nothing new here except everything is brand new! This unique style of puhsups give tremendous stress to the shoulder, chest and triceps because it requires stability and strength.

Experienced lifters should attempt these first on the knees to get the hang of it, then progress to the feet. You can perform one side only or two if your daring.

Pick up the next issue of The Pulse for the continuation of our kettlebell routine.

Kettlebells are some of the best household training tools you can buy. Their versatility allows limitless exercises without having to buy a rack of dumbbells that you probably couldn’t even use for same purposes. In fact, incorporating lighter weights allows for a greater range of repetitions and more calories being burned. This style of training is a must for the gym routine, especially when yours has become outdated.

— ADAM VALENTINE

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ART Installation by Sara Good Shown at Center

T

his month, the Center for the Arts will host “Ground Cover,” an exhibition of sculpture and installations

by Sara Good. The show presents a series of sculptural works that collectively speak of the artist’s long-standing connection to ground space and employ a variety of materials to include earth, earthen materials and manmade articles gathered from paved spaces. The pieces each suggest a kind of “covering” with relation to the ground plane.

Numerous experiences and literary sources were cited as influences, including Thoreau’s last manuscript, The Dispersion of Seeds.

Sara Good received both her Bachelor of Fine Art and Master of Fine Art degrees from the University of Memphis, 1990 and

1994 respectively. She has carried out various roles, to include working as an artist in the city schools and teaching as an adjunct professor at the university level. Currently, she works independently as a professional artist. Sara’s work is primarily sculpture and sculptural installation, from studio works and collaborative projects to interior and exterior installations, both commissioned and noncommissioned.

An opening reception will be held Tuesday, Aug. 7, from 5–7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. The Center for the Arts is located at 110 W. College St., Murfreesboro. For more information, call (615) 904-2787 or e-mail Claire Coleman at claireelizabethcoleman13@gmail.com.

A few of the sculptural instalations

by Sara Good. The Murfreesboro Center for the Arts will host work by the Memphis artist through the end of August.

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FOOD

Shrimp Etouffée

Shepherd's Pie

Bangers, Beers and O'possums

Mac and Cheese

THE DISH NAME: O’Possum’s

Oldest clan in Ireland takes over spot in centuries-old strip mall story & photos by BRACKEN MAYO

G

ary McGuire and his sons had the idea to open a brewery. Thinking of ideas for variety names, they came up with Electric Possum.

“We wanted to call a beer ‘Electric Possum’,” he says. “It didn’t sound like a pub though.”

Later when considering whether or not to include the “O” at the beginning of the word “I said ‘guys, I have it! I’ve discovered the oldest clan in Ireland.’”

Though the brewery has yet to open, O’Possum’s serves up a variety of select cold beverages and pub food, very delicious, fresh, pub food that has actually had care and thought put into it. The intimate Irish pub has taken over a spot formerly occupied by a Quizno’s on Memorial Boulevard, and run a line of wooden pews from the front of the room to the back, adding to the sense of community in the cozy, cheerful and relaxed establishment.

The cheese nibbles are tasty cheese curds battered in a light, crisp coating of Ginny Light.

“The cheese curds are fresh, we’re talking just out of the cow 2–3 days ago,” McGuire says. “It’s the Krispy Kreme of fried cheese; it’s like biting into air.”

The bangers and mash are also excellent.

Two hardy sausages are filet split and thrown

LOCATION: 2341 Memorial Blvd.

PHONE: (615) 567.5757 Reuben sandwich with a cold pint

on the grill, then served on a bed of mashed potatoes with a delicious herbed gravy.

“We went through 39 bangers (when choosing the right one for the pub). The distributors kept bringing us bangers . . . they were brats really,” says McGuire.

“A real banger is about 15 percent cereal.

They let bread go stale. It’s mainly pork, with some veal. And it’s not spicy, the spice is in the gravy.”

One customer says the shepherd’s pie “tastes like it was made from scratch, and the potatoes definitely weren’t from a box,” and suggests getting a side of the gravy to dress it up.

McGuire says it’s important to keep an emphasis on fresh, quality food, and a comfortable atmosphere.

“It’s important to us to stay family friendly,” he says.

The blog at opossums.com says the establishment is not merely a bar, nor a restaurant, it is something more wonderful, a pub.

“In Ireland, the pub is really the neighborhood center. When you are going to entertain friends, you do that at the pub. When you are going out to chat and have a bite to eat and something to drink, you do that at the pub. In the real sense, the pub is an extension of your living room.”

The site goes on to tell a little of the historic

shopping center that patrons have visited since “last century. Folks have been patronizing our fine neighbors like Kroger, Honey Baked Ham, Hallmark.”

Inside the pub, Finn O’Possum, a painting of presumably the legendary elder statesman of Clan O’Possum, sits honorably, majestically, even, behind the wooden bar.

The restaurant’s own “pub”lication, The O’Possum’s Herald is a further outlet for the proprietors’ sense of humor and tells the story of Gary and sons, Nick and Andrew, opening the pub, and also brings the news of no news as far as the brewery’s application status with the federal revenuers.

Though the brewery idea is on hold until further notice from the government, the McGuires are perfecting their recipes for when they are able to open that end of the business to the public.

“We expect to brew 5-6 varieties, including an Irish red, IPA, an American ale,” says McGuire.

In the meantine, O’Possum’s offers a weekly Sunday brunch from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and says they serve “fresh juice; it’s not Donald Duck.”

“We make a bloody Mary that’s out of this world,” says McGuire.

So if you are looking for a good meal or some good company, join the clan at O’Possum’s.

HOURS: Open Tuesday–Thursday 11 a.m.–11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.–12 a.m.; Sunday 10 a.m.–10 p.m.

PRICES: Bangers and mash $8 lunch ($10 dinner); cheese nibbles: $5; Smoked pulled chicken sandwich: $8; Corned beef and cabbage: $ 8 lunch ($10 dinner)

For $45 O'Possum's customers can join the Mug Club; they get a mug with the O'Possum's crest and can drink from it each visit. It holds 6 ounces more than a pint, so members get a few more ounces with each drink purchase.

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