The Pulse - Vol 6, Issue 26

DRIVING & FLYING • GUNS, GUNS, GUNS • ROAD TRIPPING

Who Sits At Your Table?

How Radical Inclusivity Can Save Our Society a conversation with Dr. Rick & Pastor Mark News, Views, Arts & Entertainment • June 25 - July 1, 2009 • Volume 6, Issue 26 • www.chattanoogapulse.com • pulse news 95.3 WPLZ

CONTENTS T H E P U L S E • C H AT TA N O O G A , T E N N E S S E E • J U N E 2 5 , 2 0 0 9 • V O L U M E 6 , I S S U E 2 6

COVER STORY

page 11

NEWS & VIEWS 5 PULSE BEATS

19 LIFE IN THE ‘NOOG

The newsy, notable and notorious.

Movin' on up.

9 NEWS FEATURE

21 SHADES OF GREEN

Driving for living, flying for love.

A truly green garden.

14 ON THE BEAT

29 ASK A MEXICAN

Guns in restaurants. Guns in bars.

Disney's gabacho heritage.

ARTS & FEATURES 16 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT By Stephanie Smith R. Michael Wimmer began his career as a landscaper, working in the family business for 25 years and also joining the Navy—but he always wanted to make art.

20 FILM FEATURE

By Damien Power Once upon a time, in the town of Miami, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence starred in one of the most badass action flicks of all time: Bad Boys.

22 DRIVING DIVERSIONS By Stephanie Smith It was during the heat of last summer when I was invited by some friends to go down to Stone Mountain—a small town just outside of Atlanta with just as much culture as its big sister city but half the crowds.

24 MUSIC FEATURE

By Hellcat Sitting in Market Street Tavern, I feel very much at home. I have been an avid attendee of this place since its beginning two years ago. Granted, I was easily lured by half-price wine on Wednesday nights and its proximity to UTC.

Cover layout by Kelly Lockhart

WHO SITS AT YOUR TABLE?

By Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D., and Pastor Mark Dowell I was having lunch with my good friend Pastor Mark Dowell, and our conversation inspired me to ask him to co-author this, our second article for The Pulse. There are many topics on which we see eyeto-eye, and often passionately. And there’s the occasional topic we don’t agree on. So what? We have fun, intense, laughter-filled, silly, and sometimes tearful talks during our all-too-rare lunches together.

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EDITOON LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CITY COUNCILSCOPE THE LIST POLICE BLOTTER CHATTANOOGA STREET SCENES

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A&E CALENDAR MUSIC CALENDAR NEW MUSIC REVIEWS FREE WILL ASTROLOGY JONESIN’ CROSSWORD

The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted and property of Brewer Media Group.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publishers. The Pulse utilizes freelance writers and the views expressed within this publication are not necessarily the views of the publishers or editors. The Pulse takes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, artwork or other materials.

The

Editoon

by Rick Baldwin

Publisher Zachary Cooper zcooper@chattanoogapulse.com Contributing Editor Janis Hashe jhashe@chattanoogapulse.com News Editor/Art Director Gary Poole gpoole@chattanoogapulse.com Calendar Editor Stephanie Smith ssmith@chattanoogapulse.com Advertising Sales Rick Leavell rleavell@chattanoogapulse.com Editorial Intern Erica Tuggle etuggle@chattanoogapulse.com Contributing Writers Gustavo Arellano, Blythe Bailey Misty Brandon, Rob Brezsny Aaron Collier, Elizabeth Crenshaw Chuck Crowder, Michael Crumb Rebecca Cruz, Mark Dowell Hellcat, Phillip Johnston Matt Jones, Jeremy Lawrence Louis Lee, Ernie Paik Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D. Damien Power, Stephanie Smith Alex Teach, Tara Williams Art Department Sharon Chambers Kathryn Dunn Kelly Lockhart Damien Power Editorial Cartoonist Rick Baldwin Staff Photographer Damien Power Contributing Photographers Bob Edens Joshua Lang Ray Soldano Contact Info: Phone (423) 648-7857 Fax (423) 648-7860 E-mail info@chattanoogapulse.com Advertising advertising@chattanoogapulse.com Calendar Listings calendar@chattanoogapulse.com The Pulse is published weekly and is distributed throughout the city of Chattanooga and surrounding communities. The Pulse is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. No person without written permission from the publishers may take more than one copy per weekly issue. The Pulse may be distributed only by authorized distributors.

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1305 Carter Street Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402 phone (423) 648-7857 fax (423) 648-7860 Letters to the editor must include name, address and daytime phone number for verification. The Pulse reserves the right to edit letters for space and clarity. Please keep letters within 500 words in length.

The Pulse covers a broad range of topics concentrating on culture, the arts, entertainment and local news.

Member

Letters to the Editor Drug War Ignorance I imagine the use of other substances being treated with the same restrictions as alcohol [“Is It Time To End The War On Drugs?”]. However, lawful discrimination is absurd.

The image of the “junkie” is heavyhanded propaganda combined with sensationalist images from the media, fear of the unknown and just plain unfamiliarity. Discriminating because of an exaggerated, stereotypical image of a “group” of people is fucking ignorant. I don't even know what else to say about how unbelievable that suggestion is. I don't know if you believe the idea that drugs are like demons that possess you, turn off any ability to control yourself like some plant voodoo and make you a dangerous person who craves drugs like zombies crave brains or if you're just afraid, but I pity your myopic, paranoid, control freak life.

Zam G. Chattanooga Advocate For Treatment I would say treat it similar to booze in the sense that you cannot drive, go to work, or much else while intoxicated.

In that manner, businesses would now have to deal with it. At the same time, if a co-worker were to become 'strung out', and be constantly impaired by the quantity of drugs he/she consumes, you

could advocate for treatment, just as we currently do for booze.

Philip G. Chattanooga Not All Drugs The Same My own life of crime and intravenous cocaine addiction was halted through a psychedelic drug experience. This ridiculous notion that every altered state of consciousness is somehow immoral is juvenile and retarded.

Davey B. Chattanooga Taking Personal Responsibility Just like alcohol, what you do to yourself is your business and should be legal. As soon as it infringes on the rights of others (like theft of property, endangering others while driving under the influence, etc.) then you should be under the rule of all the existing laws we have for protecting us from bad behavior. Throwing people in jail for doing something to themselves is costly, wasteful, foolish and ineffective.

Hank B. Chattanooga Johnston Hits The Mark Great and entertaining review [“Travolta on a Train”, Film Feature].

Travolta’s character in this movie seemed to be a complete rip-off of his

character from Swordfish. Although I haven’t seen “Pelham”, I would suggest that he is hardly commanding in either film. Quick correction: Between Man on Fire and Deja Vu, Tony Scott made the movie “Domino” with Keira Knightly and Mickey Rourke but which did not feature Denzel Washington. However, the film was so horrid that Scott himself probably would have forgiven you for forgetting it.

Zach S. Chattanooga Guns In Parks There is no logical argument that the county commissioners can make to support this decision [“County Commission Passes ‘No Guns’ Resolution”, Pulse News Online].

People who have a Tennessee Weapons Carry Permit have been vetted for a criminal or psychological past that would prevent them from having a weapon. We know the holders of these permits are law abiding citizens. Do the county commissioners and city councilmen believe that when these people step onto the grounds of a city or county park they suddenly become irresponsible? This is an unnecessary law and one that will only make people less safe, not more safe.

Larry Burton Lawrenceville, GA

Send all letters to the editor and questions to info@chattanoogapulse.com We reserve the right to edit letters for content and space. Please include your full name, city and contact information.

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Pulse Beats

Quote Of The Week: A rundown of the newsy, the notable, and the notorious...

“I know that Judge Durby likes to eat real good and perhaps his real motive in calling me names is that I have never given him any of my catch.”

— General Sessions Court Judge Bob Moon, responding to criticism from Judge Ron Durby, who was apparently unhappy that Moon went on a recent fishing trip.

Tennesseee Firearms Folly: Right Idea, Wrong Approach The story begins apocryphally at a chain restaurant in Nashville sometime in the not-so-distant past when a man wanted to grab some dinner with his family. The man, who was one of the four percent of Tennesseeans who had a concealed carry permit for his handgun, knew that he would be violating the law if he carried his piece into the restaurant, since the establishment in question also served alcohol. So, being a law-abiding citizen, he locked it in his car and went to eat.

When he returned, he discovered that someone had broken into his car and stolen, among other things, his handgun.

His anger at losing a dangerous weapon led him to contact his state representative about possibly changing the law so that he wouldn’t have to risk having a future handgun stolen just so he could eat out.

Thus began a series of bills that have worked their way through the state legislature to where we stand now: new laws that allow those few with carry permits to keep their weapons on them when they go into a restaurant or a park.

The fact that no one in Nashville can identify the source of the story has little to no bearing on the intention of the new laws. What has happened, though, is that the well-meaning intent of state lawmakers to not turn otherwise trusted citizens into outlaws simply because they have a legal right to carry a weapon has resulted in a statewide firestorm of controversy and confusion.

Lost in all the political posturing and legislative grandstanding are some simple facts. First of all, the new laws only apply to those few who have taken the training courses and passed both a written test, a field test, and a background check to prove to the state that they are trusted enough to be armed in public. Secondly, the “guns in bars” law, as it is erroneously referred to by nearly everyone in the media and most politicians, does not allow for the consumption of even a drop of alcohol while packing heat. The fact that so many in the media and the legislature have presented the new law as somehow turning Tennessee bars and parks into a modern-day version of the Wild West shows an often blatant disregard for the truth.

Many municipalities across the state, including Chattanooga, Red Bank and Hamilton County, passed resolutions that attempted to annul the new state

laws. Which, needless to say, rather annoyed the Tennessee Attorney General, who has stated clearly that state law always trumps local ordinances. And in the case of the restaurant law, he is completely accurate.

He also pointed out that the new law allows business owners to decide for themselves whether or not to allow legally armed citizens from carrying inside their establishments. What it did not allow was for local governments to force those selfsame business owners to do something they might not want to do.

However, when it comes to the “guns in parks” bill, the state is not as in the clear as they might hope to be. During a far-ranging discussion after last week’s meeting of the Hamilton County Commission, several commissioners pointed out that they were unsure if the state had the right to regular property they did not own or administer, that being non stateowned parks. One commissioner went

7. Resolutions: a) A resolution authorizing the Department of Parks and Recreation, Recreation Division, to conduct continuing fundraising and solicitation efforts to support programming and needed equipment for the Summit of Softball and other programs and facilities. as far to say that if the state wanted to dictate what Hamilton County can and cannot do with their own parks, then the state needs to take over complete financial responsibility for said parks.

What is clear is that most, if not all, local governments are upset with the heavy-handed actions made by the state legislature, and how unclear they were about the intent of the gun bills. There has been a decided lack of clear communication between Nashville and the other parts of the state, a problem that several local officials say has been growing steadily worse in the past year.

Swine Flu Hits Home, Littlefield Gets Honored, Miss Hamilton County Wins • While the news about the H1N1 influenza virus, more commonly known as Swine Flu, has receded from the headlines over the past month, the progress of the disease has continued throughout both the world and here in the region.

The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department announced this past week the first confirmed case of the virus in a Hamilton County resident. The unidentified man received treatment and has already recovered from the illness, but health officials are still trying to determine when and where he came into contact with the virus.

• Mayor Ron Littlefield has been chosen to serve on the advisory board of the United States Conference of Mayors. “It was an honor to be nominated and I look forward to serving in this capacity,” said Mayor Littlefield. The advisory board consists of mayors who are members of the Conference of May-

Here is one of the more interesting agenda items set to be discussed at the June 30 meeting of the Chattanooga City Council.

ors who have been active in the organization in advocating policy on Capitol Hill and to the administration. In addition, the city was honored at the conference as a finalist for the 2009 Mayor’s Climate Protection Award for establishing a local climate action plan.

• Miss Hamilton County Stefanie Wittler has a new title: Miss Tennessee.

She becomes the first Miss Hamilton County in 27 years to win the Miss Tennessee Pageant. The 22-year-old senior Communications major at UTC won a $10,000 scholarship along with becoming a state employee as the Governor’s Spokesperson for A Safe and Drug Free Tennessee. She’ll move on to the Miss America Pageant in Las Vegas in January. Two other area women finished in the top five in the state pageant, with Miss City Lights Kayla Hockett named third runner-up and Miss Metropolitan Kaley Schwab placing fourth.

The $12 million dollar softball facility off of Apison Pike has been hailed by many as being a boon to the sporting community as well as bringing in much needed revenue.

Parks and Recreation director Larry Zehnder estimates that over the next five years, the eight field park could bring is as much as $25 million in revenue to the city.

One of the earliest indications of the appeal having top-notch facility came a few months ago when the National Softball Association choose the Summit complex to host their Class A Girls Fast Pitch Softball tournament in July. The event is expected to attract around 250 teams, which will generate a near $5 million economic impact.

So why, one may ask, does the city need to continue to raise money for the parks? Well, unlike in the movies where “if you build it, they will come”, even having a brandnew facility like Summit doesn’t mean everyone will come flocking to it just by hearing about it through the grapevine. They need to advertise and promote the facility, as well as keep the site maintained so that it doesn’t end up like the old Warner and Montague park sites.

The Chattanooga City Council meets each Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the City Council Building at 1000 Lindsay St. For more information on the agendas, visit www.Chattanooga.gov/City_ Council/110_Agenda.asp

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A weekly roundup of the newsworthy, notable and often head-scratching stories gleaned from police reports from the Chattanooga Police Department, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, the Bradley County Sheriff’s Department and the Dalton Police Department.

Top 9 Most Useless College Degrees 1. Art History - various colleges We hear there’s an exciting future in the food service industry for all graduates.

2. Golf Management - University of Birmingham / Florida Gulf Coast University Here’s another useless sport degree that lands the number two position because it’s not even fun.

3. Star Trek - Georgetown University in Washington It’s a degree, Jim, but not as we know it.

4. Queer Musicology - UCLA A combination of the study of gender, feminism and gayness with the science of music.

5. Philosophy – various colleges All who finish the course end up even more confused at what they want to do in life and probably will end up working at a convenience store.

• Bradley County officers have been quite busy over the past week rounding up a large number of suspected drug dealers. The Bradley County Grand Jury last week handed down 35 indictments for illegal drug activity in and around the county, which led to a near immediate arrest of 22 suspects. The remaining 13 suspects are in the process of being tracked down as we go to press this week, with Sheriff Tim Gobble confident that all of them will be in custody by the end of the week. The roundup comes after a six-month team investigation between the BCSO Criminal Investigations Division, the BCSO Drug Unit and the BCSO Patrol Division, and comes on the heels of several similar roundups in Chattanooga and Hamilton County.

• When it comes to policing prostitution, there are really only two choices law enforcement has: go af-

• It is often the little things that set up people, especially those with short tempers and a propensity towards violence. Such was the case this past week over on Martha Avenue in East Ridge when a man accused his neighbor of stealing a cell phone.

The neighbor did not have the phone,

Chattanooga Street Scenes

6. Surfing Studies – Plymouth / Melbourne What next? Wrestling degrees?

7. The Phallus - Occidental College It’s difficult to get to grips with the exact nature of this course–if you’ll pardon the pun.

8. Doctorate of Philosophy in Ufology – Melbourne University In August this year, Aussie Martin Plowman became the first student to become a real Dr. Who after passing his studies of unidentified flying objects. I want to believe.

9. Parapsychology – various colleges This degree is perfect for starting a career with the Ghostbusters. Oh wait, the Ghostbusters are fictional… well, that’s four years wasted.

Source: www.TopTenz.net

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ter the working girls or go after their customers. Two weeks ago, a vice sting in East Chattanooga resulted in the arrest of several of the ladies of the evening, which led to an interesting backlash from many in the community who felt that police were ignoring the customers. So, this past weekend, undercover officers dressed as prostitutes were able to arrest 11 men on “patronizing prostitution” charges, two of them getting busted on gun charges as well. The charges are automatically a bit steeper since all of the arrests were made within a mile-and-a-half of a school or church.

However, it should be noted that it is nearly impossible to find anywhere in Chattanooga more than a mile-anda-half away from a school or church.

The Pulse 6.25.09 www.chattanoogapulse.com 95.3 Pulse News

but that did not deter the angry man from firing a gun at the front porch of the house then fleeing into some nearby woods. East Ridge SWAT members eventually tracked the shooter down—who had attempted to hide in a patch of bamboo—and were able to take him into custody without incident.

• In last week’s issue of The Pulse, our cover story dealt with the possibility of legalizing illegal narcotics.

Unfortunately, illegal drugs are not the only ones being abused, as there is a thriving criminal underground involved in the resale of prescription drugs. Three Whitwell residents were recently arrested and charged with TennCare fraud for reselling prescription medications obtained through TennCare. Two of the women had obtained hydrocodone, while the third acquired the stimulant phentermine, with all three planning on reselling the drugs. For those that might not be aware, TennCare fraud is a Class E felony carrying a sentence of up to two years in prison.

Photo by Kelly Lockhart

Keeping cool on a hot summer day at Miller Plaza.

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NewsFeature

by Louis Lee

Driving For Living; Flying For Love

“A

s with anything, you have to make choices,” says Michael Gray. “And you kinda have to set your course and stick to that course.” That’s his philosophy and the way he balances being an over-the-road truck driver and an aspiring pilot.

The divorced 48-year-old admits it’s not easy. He has a few things going for him that allow him the time and money to pursue his lifelong dream of flight…no daily family responsibilities, manageable living expenses and a good-paying job. Even so, things come up. “You have to, sometimes, choose between doing this or doing something else this month,” Gray explains.

One of his distractions has four legs and flys. Gray owns a show horse that he must pay attention to, work out, feed and keep groomed and healthy. He often finds himself in McDonald, Tennessee, tending to his horse. But just down the road in Ooltewah is a small airport with planes to rent. And he often gets a craving for a “hundred dollar hamburger”.

He doesn’t favor exorbitant gourmet restaurants; a “hundred dollar hamburger” is the name for a short flight to maintain pilot proficiency. Pilots must complete three take-offs and three landings every three months to meet FAA

requirements on proficiency. A pilot will rent a plane for about a hundred dollars per flight hour (which includes gas) and fly to a nearby airport, usually within a halfhour’s flight time. While he’s there, he’ll grab a bite to eat at the FBO (Flight Base Operation). Then he’ll take-off and land twice more while there, before returning to the home airport. He gets an hour to log in his log book, a belly full of burger and it costs him about a hundred dollars.

“I try not to go over three months without flying…not just simply to stay current, but to keep me focused on what I want to do,” says Gray.

He drives an 18-wheeler all week just so he can have his day in the air come the weekend. “I don’t completely regret my career as a driver,” admits Gray. “I have gotten to see a lot of the country that most people don’t get to see.” He’s been from New York City to Los Angeles, Miami to Utah. But now he says he wants to see the Rocky Mountains from 35,000 feet in the air.

Gray caught the flying bug when he was 7 or 8 years old. But he didn’t start taking lessons until he was 39. By the time he realized he could see himself flying as a career, life had made other choices for him and he was content to clutch and gas his way across the land delivering goods. He took his first flight late in life. Realizing he may have made a mistake with his career choice, he made the decision to at least try.

Paraphrasing Leonardo DaVinci, Gray gets a wistful look in his eyes and says, “Once you’ve tasted flight, you will walk the Earth with your eyes turned skyward…for there you’ve been and there you long to return.” He adds, “He didn’t miss it by a lot, that’s for sure.”

“Hopefully, within the next five years, I’d like to trade the highway for a runway,” Gray predicts.

“Whether it’s a corporate pilot, regional pilot or just as a CFI (Certified Flight Instructor), just as long as I can stay airborne and make a living, I’ll be happy.”

It’s been a slow, expensive road so far for Gray. He does some quick math in his head and estimates he’s already paid out around $20,000 for lessons, plane rental, flight gear…all in pursuit of getting a commercial pilot’s license. He already has his private license, multi-engine and high-performance ratings and is working on his instrument rating.

All totaled, he has just under 200 hours in the cockpit. To help him get more time in the cockpit and serve his community, Gray joined the Civil Air Patrol. It’s a win-win for him and the organization.

“I, personally, don’t need an excuse to get in the air,” Gray says of his yearning to fly, “just the time and the money.” So, six days a week, he gets in his truck and sets out on the highway delivering carpet and looking skyward…for there he’s been, and there he longs to return.

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local news and views

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Cover Story

Who Sits At Your Table?

How Radical Inclusivity Can Save Our Society

By Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D., and Pastor Mark Dowell

“’Louder!’ he said. I screamed the mantra of hate, accompanied by a high-five, coins dug from his grungy jeans, a pat on the head and a slap on the back.”

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Cover Story

A Conversation With Dr. Rick & Pastor Mark D

octor Rick: I was having lunch with my good friend Pastor Mark Dowell, and our conversation inspired me to ask him to coauthor this, our second article for The Pulse.

There are many topics on which we see eyeto-eye, and often passionately. And there’s the occasional topic we don’t agree on.

So what? We have fun, intense, laughter-filled, silly, and sometimes tearful talks during our all-toorare lunches together. One of these days, I’m sure we’ll be asked to leave for causing a disturbance.

We’ll be banned, excluded. Hmm…now there’s a topic. Excluded vs. Included. Exclusive vs.

Inclusive. Or, as we like to call it, “exclusivity” and “inclusivity”.

Radical inclusivity is a concept near and dear to both our hearts. Mark runs a church where everyone is welcome, without judgment. I run a private practice where everyone is welcome, without judgment. And we both have our war wounds from the past and our battles in the present.

But beyond the personal, we began to think of the broader meaning of these terms, the effect they have on society, and their inherent lessons. What does it do to one’s belief system to be excluded?

The questions arise: How closely are we willing to look, how shaken up are we willing to be, when it comes to the ways each of us may contribute to and participate in the exclusion of others? And what motivates us to do this to our brothers and sisters, in the human sense, in the first place?

What does it benefit us to be in, while keeping others out? Where’s the rainbow in that? Where’s the Buddha/Jesus/Allah in that?

Let’s bring this home: What do you think of when you think about being excluded? When you were young and played little league (but not very well)? Or, no date, no prom? Being talked about on the new job—but not talked to? There are a

OK, what do you think of when you think about being included? Were you popular as a kid? Did you date/marry the best-looking girl/guy in school and instantly enjoy access to the inner circle? Are you part of who’s “in” at the club, at church, at work, at college, and therefore wield at least some of the power to decide who’s “out”?

With this idea of inclusivity vs. exclusivity on our minds, I toss the ball to Pastor Mark.

Pastor Mark: My sister believes that before the beginning of our being, we chose our parents to learn the lessons we need to be taught before we are reincarnated. I do not believe the above statement for many personal and philosophical reasons. I still love my sister with all my heart and always will even though we think differently. We celebrate our diversity. We argue, gripe, bitch and moan about our diversity. In the end, we live, laugh and love.

My sister and I, as diverse as we are, come together through a common bond as siblings. I think we would both agree with Wordsworth that, “The child is the father (parent) of the Man (adult)”, parenthesis mine. The beauty of this poetic statement lies in our ability to remember what it was like to see such magnificent, innocent beauty for the first time.

It also reminds us of how the scars of childhood we wear like souvenirs inform us. I think intolerance of diversity may be more about our lack of love for ourselves than our hatred toward others. With that said, I give you an illustration of how the child became the father of the man.

It was the holidays. I couldn’t have been more than eight years old. We were sitting around the old rabbit-eared T. V. watching the Chicago Bears.

“How closely are we willing to look, how shaken up are we willing to be, when it comes to the ways each of us may contribute to and participate in the exclusion of others?” million ways to feel left out, and a million situations to be left out of. Now let’s move in closer, to where the wounds cut particularly deep. How about your house of worship—does the pastor/priest/ rabbi speak to you? For you? And how about in your own family—are you on the outside looking in? Why? What’s so “black sheep” about you that you’d be excluded, in ways both overt and subtle?

Something you did? That might leave you stung.

Who you are? That might leave you devastated.

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My brother had just gotten back from his army training and was about to be stationed in Thailand.

He was my hero. When my father abandoned us, my 21-year-old brother took on the role of dad. He didn’t have to. He chose to.

The game was a barnburner and came down to the final play of the fourth quarter. The quarterback threw a perfect pass to a wide-open receiver. The ball traveled as if in slow motion as it struck the intended receiver right between the numbers. We rose to our feet as we watched the dénouement in horror. The receiver dropped the ball, and our precious Bears lost. The receiver that dropped the ball was an African American. This man whom we would have celebrated as a hero was now reduced to a chorus of “Stupid n---”. My brother, the god-man, looked at me. I knew what he wanted: acceptance and compliance from an abandoned eight year old. The words poured forth from my mouth. “Louder!” he said. I parroted it again.

“Louder!” he said. I screamed the mantra of hate, accompanied by a high-five, coins dug from his grungy jeans, a pat on the head and a slap on the back.

On that sad day, those with beers in hand had no idea of the struggles of a black man in the late ’60s.

They didn’t know the fear, the hate, the pain. They didn’t know the man. He was simply a “stupid n--”.

Doctor Rick: Someone has to be put down, made out to be less-than. It’s the only way (or so some would believe) to feel a morsel of the self-esteem that’s been missing since the earliest moments of life. In my experience, minorities of all kinds are among the worst offenders when it comes to denigration. The reason? Already treated as lower rungs on the societal ladder, they in turn need to find a sub-set to banish to a rung even lower. So we turn up our noses because they are poorer, or of

Cover Story darker complexion, or of a different homeland, or sexual identity, or, in a patriarchal society like ours, female.

A previous significant relationship of mine came with sort-of-in-laws. White, privileged, bigoted inlaws. This was my first exposure to regular use of the “n” word, and I have to admit, it was shocking.

By these folks, it was used as a derogatory term, of course, but it was more than that. I received quite an education. What pricked up my ears further was that they differentiated between a “black”, who was supposedly contributing something positive to society, and a “n---”, who was not. I’ve since learned that making this distinction is not so uncommon in certain circles. For these people, even within the “lesser human” status of “black” was another, lower creature: The “n---”. I wondered why these people spent so much time and energy over these distinctions. Why even go there?

The miraculous salve for their urgent need to feel “better than”, of course. Self-esteem was missing.

Love was missing. Their money wasn’t cutting it.

Their privilege wasn’t enough. There had to be, in order for their world to make sense, an “us” and a “them”.

And the thems ain’t invited to the party, baby. The thems must be kept down whenever possible, and outside the door at all cost.

Pastor Mark: Another story from my own life happened about four years later. It takes place on the main drag of what could be any Midwestern town of 300. In this town is a coin-operated laundragossip-o-mat, as we called it. Across the street was a mom-and-pop grocer, and next door the local barbershop.

I’m not sure where the gossip began. Most likely in the laundromat, spread to Mom and Pop, then through slimy osmosis to the barbershop.

The rumor was that my middle brother was gay.

The local barber had been divulging this to his customers.

Now, my hero-brother had been known to have a nip of gin, or it may have been a walk with Jim Beam. In a rage, he stormed into the barbershop. Folks gathered to watch; the boredom of their lives given meaning by the misfortune of others. My hero came slashing and screaming.

“You call my brother a faggot! You m--- f---! I’ll kill you! I’m gonna beat your scrawny little ass to a f--- ing pulp.” As he made his way toward the gossipmonger, the men in the shop grabbed him and held him on the floor until Sheriff Andy showed up to calm him down. I was shadowed, drifting and 12 years old as my hero lay on the dusty hardwood floor of shame.

I share these stories, for I have found in my struggle for inclusivity, it is much more difficult to hate and judge when we have a real face attached to it.

When my hero heard the words he himself had used to describe gay people directed toward someone he loved, life took an abrupt change.

“That’s my flesh and blood you’re calling ‘faggot’.”

Until we walk a mile in our neighbor’s shoes, we really don’t know our neighbor at all.

Doctor Rick: I agree wholeheartedly. Putting a face to the prejudice is the key to making it real, making it mean something. It’s what coming out is all about. Not long ago, a carpenter (ironic, huh?) friend of mine who often helped me with home improvements had an “aha” moment around this very idea that knowing someone, having a face to put to the word, changes one’s perspective.

He was telling me about something his young son had said at school, which included the phrase, “That’s so gay,” something the boy had heard at school—but also at home. My friend didn’t pay this any mind, even though he has gay friends himself.

Then he paused. He realized that he was passing down to his son permission to use words that hurt others carelessly, and that promote the “us-them” disease. Do we walk around saying, “That’s so Ethiopian,” or “That’s so NASCAR”? Then why would a sensitive, intelligent young man, this father whose imprint on his son will last a lifetime, condone saying, “That’s so gay”?

have good excuses. The host gets a bit mad and says, “Go and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and lame. “Sir, that’s already been done,” is the response. “Then, go out to the roads and the lanes and compel people to come in. I want a full house.”

I have to laugh every time I read this parable. I openly admit that it’s my favorite scripture. What would the Kingdom of God look like if this were lived out? What would Chattanooga’s local places of worship look like if this were lived out?

What would it look like if people were brought in off the street to randomly sit at your table? In bringing in anyone off the street, the possibility for community is endless—and nightmarish to some; rich next to poor, black next to white, red, yellow, mixed; Muslims, Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhist, Sikhs, Taoists, male, female, gay, straight, transgender. A transvestite sitting next to a Rebelflag-waving redneck would probably scare the hell out of both of them. In this parable, Jesus promotes radical inclusivity. In short, who we eat with is who we are. Jesus told this parable, but beyond that he lived it. The Parabler became the Parable. Of course, when you invite the “socially impure” to the table, you too run the risk of being called drunkard, glutton, sinner and whore.

As the child informs this man, I reiterate the words of a mentor of mine who, after reading through the Greek New Testament hundreds of times, said this: “Those who exclude anyone in the name of Jesus are not from Jesus at all.” To those who choose to live, as Dr. Rick always says, “their highest self,” be it physically, spiritually, or psychologically, you must include those whom you love and cherish with those you also would deem unclean. Radical inclusivity includes those not radically inclusive. The irony! At the table of our Loving Creator all are welcome. I leave you with this question: “Who do you sit at the table with?”

Doctor Rick: Lastly, a few final and powerful words to ponder:

“What would it look like if people were brought in off the street to randomly sit at your table? In bringing in anyone off the street, the possibility for community is endless—and nightmarish to some; rich next to poor, black next to white, red, yellow, mixed; Muslims, Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhist, Sikhs, Taoists, male, female, gay, straight, transgender.”

Do you see the fragility of a society that chooses, based upon its prejudice du jour, who’s in and who’s out? At one time in Western history, it was Catholics. At another it was witches. At another, blacks. What group will it be tomorrow? Yours, perhaps? These were the questions this young father began to ask himself.

Words matter. They have the power to include or exclude, to heal or to harm. To bring us together as a multicultural, multicolored society, or to break us apart into “higher-thans” and “less-thans”, with all the tensions and resentments this creates.

So where do we go from here, as individuals desiring to live our highest selves, who hope to lift up our diverse society through example and with enlightenment? As Maya Angelou’s exquisite poetry compels, “to lift up our faces to this bright morning dawning for you.”

Pastor Mark: Being a minister, I’d like to use Jesus as my final example. Personally, I think his success—and death—was due to his radical acceptance of everyone.

Jesus tells the parable called “The Great Banquet” in Luke 14:16-23. He says a guy is having a banquet, and tells someone to go bring in all the guests. Well, the regular guests can’t make it but

My heart leaps up when I behold A rainbow in the sky: So was it when my life began; So is it now I am a man; So be it when I shall grow old, Or let me die!

The Child is father of the Man; I could wish my days to be Bound each to each by natural piety.

— From The Complete Poetical Works by William Wordsworth.

Dr. Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist in private practice in Chattanooga, and is the author of “Empowering the Tribe” and “The Power of a Partner, as well as The Pulse’s “Shrink Rap” columnist.

Reverend Mark Dowell is a doctoral candidate and pastor at St. Elmo United Methodist Church.

95.3 Pulse News www.chattanoogapulse.com 6.25.09 The Pulse

13

OnTheBeat

by Alex Teach

Guns in Restaurants. Guns in Bars.

“G

uns in Restaurants.

Guns in Bars.” It sounds like the beginning of a Dr. Seuss book, if Dr. Seuss were interested in selling books to Southerners of all ages instead of pre-school children and stoners.

I observed with my usual bloodshot glare that both the Hamilton County Commission and the Chattanooga City Council saw eye to eye on something recently, and such a feat is certainly worthy of guiding a weekly column towards such.

Don’t worry, it wasn’t anything like addressing the ludicrous overinflation of this year’s property taxes, or education funding, or library funding, or additional shared services (not “Metro” of course), or road improvements, or sewer improvements pending proposed annexation, or expansion of police and fire services despite both pending and prior annexations, or…well, anything important for that matter.

They BOTH decided that this month was the month there would be no more problems with guns in restaurants and parks. The proverbial “Line” was drawn here, in Hamilton County, with both profound gravitas and no small degree of pomp and circumstance. The obvious reason being, of course, that there isn’t a problem with guns in restaurants and parks, but that’s the thing that both of these elected bodies seem to handle best: Problems That Don’t Exist.

And let me tell you, they handled that non-problem with great fanfare, right up to the point that the State Attorney General’s office stated that local municipalities actually have no say-so in the matter, no matter how tightly pudgy fists are clenched and regardless of how hard and frequently they bang on the table over the issue.

Two pre-existing factors seem to have escaped the brain trust that encompasses both elected bodies: First, that alcohol consumption has always trumped carry privileges… in parks, bars, and everywhere in between. You already weren’t allowed to do the bulk of what they don’t want you to do. The second, that of the few times there have been gunrelated issues in either, they haven’t

14

involved permit holders…which are the ones they are targeting with their ‘sweeping legislation’.

We have real problems, people.

Real issues plaguing the community; and yes, I used the word “plague”, potentially life-threatening infectious diseases that I do not restrict to the common cold, because the advent of crime IS potentially life-threatening, and gone unchecked it is certainly contagious. We have a problem with illegal immigrants in our community committing crimes from habitual DUI to homicide. That’s where people die, and we can’t agree on placement of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement center with which we could detain and deport those deemed necessary due to “not in my backyard” issues.

Juveniles are committing gun crimes in this city from vandalism and reckless endangerment to (not to bore you with its repetition) murder, yet we don’t even have an enforceable curfew ordinance. (Yes, read that again.) The last I checked, we were still debating on holding their parents accountable for their actions in court.

“Really?” you may ask. “Really,” I answer.

So here we are…legislating restrictions upon the very few who do choose to follow the letter of the law when it comes to carrying firearms. Me? I’m a cop. I deal with gun permits one on one more than any other single elected official locally and probably upwards to the state and Federal level except for the bastards having to actually issue them, yet I still manage to suppress the outward appearance of pants-shitting fear of such, unlike local and state politicians.

Shouldn’t that seem strange that cops, the ones that deal with permit holders the most, don’t have a thing to say about them but “Thanks”?

Yes, that’s also right. When I approach a car at night, I am trained to wonder if they have a gun, whoever is actually inside it; same with a stranger at his house when called, or on the street when presented with such. I cannot properly express how mind-numbingly aggravating it is to wonder just when some random 18 or 80 year old is going to pull a gun on me any more than I can express how frustrating the question, “Do you know who I am?” is, but I’ll say

The Pulse 6.25.09 www.chattanoogapulse.com 95.3 Pulse News

this: I’m certainly grateful when the suspense is eliminated with the words, “By the way, I have a concealed weapons license; the weapon is here, I will not touch it, and here is my permit.”

Holy Hell, the first instinct I have is to follow them to a Waffle House and buy them a sweet cup of joe, NOT to enact laws against them.

So to Jeff Brown, chairman of the Hamilton County Democratic Party, and the City Council’s Jack Benson, to your empathic and public pleas to keep lawful firearms from restaurants and little league games, I say this: By all means, discouraging people from lawfully carrying firearms in society is your call, but when anyone is trumped by the “logic” of State officials…I beg of you this: At least contemplate the concept, however unlikely, that you may be horrendously wrong. People working for “The State”’ are not, by definition, brain trusts any more than local Councils and Commissions, and this in the least deserves a pause for reflection.

Let me tell you, folks: Coming from one that was not the victim of a random crime or otherwise filled with a biased hatred, legally carried firearms are NOT our problem.

They are not the torch which bears our society’s ills, or even a part of the problem; if anything, they are a symptom of the greater ills Local Government is NOT addressing.

And to those who used it as a slam dunk for public opinion or other “for the children” polls, drink up: The well you have chosen has run dry, screwheads. Speaking as a sworn law enforcement officer, I say that carry permits serve to keep personal protection and accountability right where they should be, despite such cries: In the hands of the American citizen.

Leave those tenets to the police and politicians entirely, and the rights of the citizen will be mute.

The U.S. Constitution isn’t a set of “guidelines”, folks. It’s a set of Rules.

No need to set aside laws against the only ones following them.

Alexander D. Teach is an occasional student of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a graduate of Central High. In his spare time he enjoys carpentry, auto mechanic work, boating, and working for the Boehm Birth Defects Center.

“Speaking as a sworn law enforcement officer, I say that carry permits serve to keep personal protection and accountability right where they should be, despite such cries: In the hands of the American citizen.”

95.3 Pulse News www.chattanoogapulse.com 6.25.09 The Pulse

15

Arts&Entertainment

by Stephanie Smith

Out of the Hands of Decay R.

Michael Wimmer began his career as a landscaper, working in the family business for 25 years and also joining the Navy—but he always wanted to make art. Wimmer fell in love with “stuff” during summers spent in Indiana with his grandmother, a garage sale fanatic.

“She knew what she liked,” Wimmer laughs. “She was a sweet old woman who could talk you out of anything.”

He began collecting antiques and eventually became an antiques dealer.

From that, he was inspired to use the “stuff” he found to make sculptural clocks using various materials such as wood, metal, paint, and pottery.

One day, someone came along and wanted to rent his clocks to display alongside Tiffany watches in the store’s windows in Palm Beach. The rest is history. Wimmer realizes that his is a backwards start compared to most artists—selling artwork in the corporate arena and then moving into galleries, but the experience has taught him to value his work and not take anything for granted.

love with Chattanooga.

“The people of Allied Arts got ahold of me and I moved here. So many artists live here now; it’s not a small town, it’s not a big town, but everybody knows you. I’m kind of humbled when it comes to my work. I’m still not used to the recognition I get. I just love art; I get enthused by the response.”

While Wimmer is known primarily for his clocks, he believes artists should always be doing something new. His new show, “Cultural Fragments”, is therefore about 50 percent clocks and 50 percent assemblages and sculptural works.

When I ask what was the inspiration for him to make the leap from clocks to sculptural work, he hops up from his seat and says, “Here.

I’ll go get it.”

Wimmer returns with a rather oddlooking antique jar. “It’s a memory jar,” he explains. “Young Victorian girls had these.

I had it in my antique store.

Everything on the jar meant something to the girl, marbles, rings, origami, and they attached the objects on the jar with glue.

It’s kind of like a hope chest, except things are glued on to the jar and not placed in it. What intrigued me about this particular jar is that the little girl had painted it gold. Over the years the gold has turned to a beautiful patina. This gave me an idea, and, like with any great idea, I ran with it. The result was my first assemblage ‘Fragmented Woman.’”

The sculptural work in “Cultural Fragments” is largely made up of “found objects”, but Wimmer doesn’t like that category. “The reason I came

“His assemblages are a mixture of young and old, rust and polish, realism and whimsy, and memories from days gone by, recognized in the fragments of doll heads, coffee cans, cigar boxes, and mirrors.”

“In the ’90s, selling [my work] was great; there were lots of materials and I could go out and sell 70 percent of what I had in one show,” recalls Wimmer. “Now things have slowed down and this has forced me to do what I wanted to do all along—go out and do shows within a three- to fourhour radius and pursue public art.”

A Florida native, Wimmer came to show his work at the 4Bridges Arts Festival several years ago and fell in

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up with the title ‘Cultural Fragments’ is that people could have passed by these objects for years and years; the pieces are not ‘found objects’ because not everybody would find them.”

Certainly no one finds objects like R. Michael Wimmer. His assemblages are a mixture of young and old, rust and polish, realism and whimsy, and memories from days gone by recognized in the fragments of doll heads, coffee cans, cigar boxes, and mirrors.

“I snatch things out of the hands of decay,” Wimmer enthuses. “I started by saving stuff. You become an antiques dealer when you have collected a big box of junk and you start selling it. And how do you cut the string? By telling yourself ‘If I sell that, I can get something better’ and that’s how you’re able to sell things.

It’s the same with my pieces—there will always be better ones. And if you’re not improving, you’re being stagnant.”

“Cultural Fragments: From the Past to the Present Time” Works by R. Michael Wimmer Opening reception Friday, June 26, 6 p.m.

Lookout Mountain Gallery, 3535 Broad Street (423) 580-8117. www.lookoutmountaingallery.com

A&ECalendar Friday

Thursday

“A Glassy Midsummer’s Eve” Glass artist Stephen Rolfe Powell, featured in “Jellies: Living Art” leads gallery talk and discussion. $25 6 p.m. Cash bar. 6:30 program.

Hunter Museum, 10 Bluff View (423) 267-FISH. www.tnaqua.org

Send your calendar events to us at calendar@chattanoogapulse.com

Reception for “In Memory,” pet portraits by Lora Miller 6 p.m. Wolftever Creek Gallery, 5417 Ooltewah Ringgold Rd. (423) 910-0770.

“Cultural Fragments,” by R. Michael Wimmer Reception 6 p.m. Lookout Mountain Gallery, 3535 Broad St., Suite A. (423) 580-8117.

Rhyme n Chatt 7 p.m. Aretha Frankensteins, 518 Tremont St. (423) 544-1597.

Family Double Feature: Love Finds Andy Hardy and The Bad News Bears 6 p.m. St. Thaddeus Episcopal Church, 4300 Locksley Lane.

(423) 892-2377.

Ring Round the Moon 7 p.m. Chattanooga Theatre Centre, Main Stage. 400 River St. “The Salty Side of Sweet: Works by Kirsten Stingle” AVA Gallery, 30 Frazier Ave. (423) 265-4282.

“Impressions: art by Emily Pietrantone” AVA Gallery, 30 Frazier Ave. (423) 265-4282.

Psycho Beach Party Charles Busch’s crossdressing take on our fave ’60s movie genre. Crazy, man! Preshow luau. $15 8 p.m. (7 p.m. luau) Chattanooga Theatre Centre, Circle Stage. 400 River Street (423) 267-8534. www.theatrecentre.com

Saturday

Discuss Francine Prose’s Reading Like a Writer. Bring your favorite example of great writing.

Free.

11 a.m.

Rock Point Books, 401 Broad St. (423) 756-2855. www.rockpointbooks.com

Monday Southern Lit Book Club reviews The Light in the Piazza 6 p.m. Rock Point Books, 401 Broad St. (423) 756-2855. www.rockpointbooks.com Auditions for Almost, Maine 7:30 p.m. Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St. (423) 267-8534.

Art by Terry West Studio 2/Gallery 2, 27 W. Main St. (423) 266-2222.

“A Modern Twist” River Gallery, 400 E. Second St. (423) 265-5033. www.river-gallery.com “Spring into Summer” In-Town Gallery, 26A Frazier Ave. (423) 267-9214.

James Gregory 7:30 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 6292233. www.thecomedycatch.com

Luck of the Draw: The FullyImprovised Musical 7:30 p.m. Humanities Theatre, CSTCC, 4501 Amnicola Hwy. (423) 697-4404.

12 Angry Jurors 8 p.m. Ripple Theater, 3264 Brainerd Rd. (423) 544-1597.

Ring Round the Moon 8 p.m. Chattanooga Theatre Centre, Main Stage. 400 River St. Bob Dombrowski’s sculpture Linda Woodall Fine Arts, 7836 Ooltewah-Georgetown Rd. (423) 238-9985.

Sunday “Chattanooga Artist Reserve: All Things Handmade” 10 a.m. Gannon Art Gallery, 3250 Brainerd Rd. (423) 622-8236. .

Book discussion on Francine Pose’s Reading Like a Writer 11 a.m. Rock Point Books, 401 Broad St. (423) 756-2855.

Book Discussion for Writers

“Summer Salon Show: art by Steve Forster and Katherine Tate” Hanover Gallery, 111 Frazier Ave. (423) 648-0533.

Open Mic 7:30 p.m. Barnes & Noble, Hamilton Place, 2100 Hamilton Place Blvd. (423) 893-0186.

Mosaic Market 11 a.m. 412 Market St. (corner of 4th/Market) (423) 624-3915.

Gallery talk and sculpture stroll with “Pure Americana” artist Andrew Crawford 6 p.m. River Gallery, 400 E. Second St. (423) 265-5033.

Luck of the Draw: The FullyImprovised Musical 7:30 p.m. Humanities Theatre, CSTCC, 4501 Amnicola Hwy. (423) 697-4404. www.chattanoogastate.edu James Gregory 7:30 & 10 p.m. The Comedy Catch & Giggles Grille, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233. www.thecomedycatch.com 12 Angry Jurors 8 p.m. Ripple Theater, 3264 Brainerd Rd. (423) 544-1597. www.destinyentertainment.org

Sundown in St. Elmo 6 p.m. Incline Railway, St. Elmo Ave. (423) 821-4902.

Ring Round the Moon 8 p.m. Chattanooga Theatre Centre, Main Stage, 400 River St. (423) 267-8534. www.theatrecentre.com

Tuesday

Wednesday

“Jellies: Living Art” Hunter Museum of American Art, 10 Bluff View. (423) 266-0944.

“Windows on the West: Views From the American Frontier” Hunter Museum of American Art, 10 Bluff View. (423) 266-0944.

“The Untold Story of the Great Black Jockeys” Chattanooga African-American Museum, 200 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 266-8658.

Poetry Night 7 p.m. CreateHere, 33 E. Main St., Suite 105. (423) 648-2195. www.createhere.org “Coal Miner Health in Appalachia” photo exhibit Downtown Public Library, 1001 Broad St. (423) 757-1310.

“Rotation” Tanner Hill Gallery, 3069 S. Broad St., Suite 3. (423) 280-7182.

Southeast Veterans Museum Chattanooga Ducks building, 201 W. 5th St. (423) 756-3825.

“Tying the Knot: Jewish Wedding Traditions” Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 North Terrace. (423) 493-0270.

“Sweet Dreams” by Kimberly Dawn Clayton WinderBinder Gallery of Folk Art, 40 Frazier Ave. (423) 413-8999.

Works by Stephen Scott Young and “Keyed Up!” Shruptrine Fine Art & Framing, 2646 Broad St. (423) 266-4453.

Ring Round the Moon 2:30 p.m. Chattanooga Theatre Centre, Main Stage, 400 River St. (423) 267-8534. www.theatrecentre.com

ArtFest at the Chattanooga Market You know it’s never too early to start shopping for Christmas. And buy some peaches while you’re there.

Free 11 a.m.- 4 p.m.

First Tennessee Pavilion, 1826 Carter St. (423) 648-2496. www.chattanoogamarket.com

Luck of the Draw: The FullyImprovised Musical 2:30 p.m. Humanities Theatre, CSTCC, 4501 Amnicola Hwy. (423) 697-4404. www.chattanoogastate.edu 12 Angry Jurors 4 p.m. Ripple Theater, 3264 Brainerd Rd. (423) 544-1597. www.destinyentertainment.org Auditions for Almost, Maine 7:30 p.m. Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St. (423) 267-8534. www.theatrecentre.com

Editor’s Pick: Featured Event Of The Week 12 Angry Jurors Is the jury system really an impartial way to decide someone’s life or death? An outstanding cast and a timeless story make this updating of 12 Angry Men a don’t-miss for theatre-lovers. $17 Friday June 26, 8 p.m., Saturday, June 27, 2:30 p.m and 8 p.m., Sunday, June 28, 4 p.m.

Destiny Theatre Company at the Ripple Theatre, 3264 Brainerd Road.

(423) 544-1597. destinyentertainment.org

95.3 Pulse News www.chattanoogapulse.com 6.25.09 The Pulse

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The Pulse 6.25.09 www.chattanoogapulse.com 95.3 Pulse News

LifeInTheNoog

by Chuck Crowder

Movin' On Up C

ontrary to some popular belief, I do have a day job. If I relied on my Pulse compensation to support me, I’d likely be “living in a van down by the river.” My main gig is in marketing with BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. And along with thousands more like me in the Noog—I just moved to Cameron Hill.

For the past seven-and-a-half years, I’ve worked in the “gold building”.

That’s the no-pun-intended gildedglass building on the corner of Pine Street and Highway 27. It was built back in 1970 by an architect who at the time was making a name for himself designing Hyatt hotels. And if you’ve ever been inside that building, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

One-trick pony, that guy.

But because of his limited design prowess, the building has a very ’70s coolness about it that I suspect was lost on most of the worker bees who’d been there for a while.

Tubular elevators in an exposed sky-lit center atrium, dark-wood walls and circular patterns of ceramic floor tiles had me humming the theme to The Bob Newhart Show (the one set in Chicago, not Vermont) on my first day of work.

The Pine building is now 39 years old, but believe or not it was the newest in the BlueCross fleet. So for efficiency’s sake and to get (most) everyone in the same place, we finally built the campus that unintentionally might appear to be as alluring as the Emerald City in the Land of Oz to the office dwellers left below. In fact,

if I have to answer the question of why the lights have been on at night one more time I will explode. Read the papers. It’s because people are working up there. But I digress.

Since February or so, we’ve slowly been moving people up to the new campus at a rate of 250 per week.

And for those of us who were within the last thousand or so scheduled to move, the suspense was killing us— especially the rumors coming down about what to expect once we’re on “the hill.”

This mysterious place, suspected by some outsiders to be a modernday “land of milk and honey”, was to be much different than what we’d become accustomed to in our old digs.

“They’ve got free coffee and spring water on every floor.” “The salads in the cafeteria are as big as your head and cost seven dollars.” “They don’t have a fryer, so no French fries.” “The natural light is blinding.” “The cubes are smaller, and have no privacy so you can’t spend all day on the phone with mom’en’em.” The rumors got better every time you heard one.

Even though I had opportunity to visit the new campus on several occasions over the past year or so, I decided not to spoil the surprise and wait until moving day to take it all in.

And on June 8, I showed up for my first day of work at One Cameron Hill Circle, building one (which is the one furthest from MLK), level two, cube 1.2E53.

“Surreal” may be the most appropriate, yet inadequate, word for the whole experience. Everything is very modern and totally unlike the “Blue” I’d known up to now.

I actually overheard people make comments like: “I feel like I work for

“This mysterious place, suspected by some outsiders to be a modern-day ‘land of milk and honey’, was to be much different than what we’d become accustomed to in our old digs.” a big company now,” (???), and “I feel like I switched jobs and all of my coworkers came with me.”

It was weird to say the least. And regardless of which rumors were true or false, the place rocks. There’s a CVS pharmacy onsite, a state-of-theart workout facility, a Mongolian grill in the cafeteria and rumors of a smoothie place and high-end coffee stand coming soon. There’s designer furniture, herb gardens, a huge covered atrium between the buildings and a walking trail around the hill.

Each cube, although smaller, has its own temperature control and allergonomic amenities. And I haven’t had to wind through a parking garage that big since my last flight out of Atlanta.

But you know what? At the end of the day, it’s really all just cubicles, copiers, computers and comrades.

There’s nothing a “palace on the hill” can do to replace work. But it sure is a nice place to spend my nine-to-five.

Chuck Crowder is a local writer and general man about town. His opinions are just that. Everything expressed is loosely based on fact, and crap he hears people talking about. Take what you just read with a grain of salt, but pepper it in your thoughts. And be sure to check out his wildly popular website www.thenoog.com

95.3 Pulse News www.chattanoogapulse.com 6.25.09 The Pulse

19

FilmFeature

by Damien Power

Director Michael Bay: Autobot or Decepticon?

O

nce upon a time, in the town of Miami, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence starred in one of the most badass action flicks of all time: Bad Boys. The movie, helmed by a skinny white guy named Michael Bay, went on to be loved by action movie buffs for all time.

Next, Bay used his necromancer powers to resurrect the career of former-greatest-Bond Sean Connery and jump-start the career of Raising Arizona’s Nicholas Cage in 1996’s The Rock.

Before we continue, I should point out that The Rock carries a special place in my heart as the first “R”-rated movie I ever snuck into.

Thanks to my gigantic size, the friendly old lady on the opposite side of the glass asked me, “Do you have anyone under 18 with you?” I smiled, thumbed my Learner’s Permit, and accepted tickets for my best friend and myself.

Anyway, after Bad Boys and The Rock, viewers could begin to comprehend what I call the “Michael Bay Algorithm”. I won’t say pattern, because that would cheapen it. No, it’s a complex equation with multiple variables that always equals millions at the box office. Hollywood loves it, movie critics hate it, and South Park loves to hate it.

You take one under-qualified actor, add one exceptionally attractive hottie-of-the-moment, multiply that number by explosive tonnage, subtract the number of skilled scriptwriters on the project (usually zero), add the difference of one good actor minus

or everyone goes and sees it despite how bad they know it will be.

This is, for example, why Michael Bay’s Pearl Harbor is so horrible, and yet I own a copy of the DVD. Let’s break down Pearl Harbor: (((Josh Hartnett + Kate Beckensale)*(The Bombing of Pearl Harbor + The Doolittle Raid) - No Good Writers) + (Alec Baldwin in Pearl Harbor – Alec Baldwin in Beetlejuice))*($9 + $15) = $449,220,945 worldwide. (Source: Buena Vista Distributors).

That’s right, you too can make bank with this simple formula. Assuming you are Michael Bay. Let’s not forget that his explosive mega tonnage was considerably greater in Armageddon,

“After Bad Boys and The Rock, viewers could begin to comprehend what I call the ‘Michael Bay Algorithm’.” how underutilized he/she is, and then multiply it all by the sum of movie tickets plus popcorn. It usually works out to over $100,000,000 dollars and/

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but less so in Bad Boys 2 and box office receipts reflect the results. Are you with me? Good, let’s talk robots.

One day, Mattel (the toy company) decided that it was time to cash in BIG TIME on their Transformers franchise and thus turned the keys over to Bay. So, let’s look at the numbers on this one: (((Shia LaBeouf + Megan Fox)*(Decepticons and Autobots sparring around the globe) – No Good Writers) + (John Turturro in Transformers – John Turturro in O Brother Where Art Thou?))*($9 + $15) = $708,272,592 worldwide.

(Source: Paramount).

So of course they made a sequel, and no, it’s not going to be any good.

However, I’m going to be sitting right there in the seat next to you, munching on my $15 popcorn. You can count on it.

ShadesOfGreen

by Elizabeth Crenshaw

A Truly Green Garden S

ummer is here and gardens all over the city are in bloom.

People have different ideas about what they want in a garden.

Some people want a sanctuary complete with bubbling fountains filled with oversized Japanese goldfish. Others prefer a formal garden with sculpted bushes, gravel pathways, and perfectly trimmed grass – an immaculately kept site like the grounds of Versailles. Even more popular is the garden that allows for an escape into a tropical paradise with bright pink Hibiscus, palm trees, and a heated pool.

The gardens I have described above, while beautiful, are far from “green” if you live in Tennessee or anywhere in the Southern United States. Foreign and over-manipulated plant life requires meticulous (and expensive) care. From an environmental perspective, a garden should protect or restore an open habitat and serve as a refuge for certain types of displaced wildlife.

Over-landscaped gardens do not restore habitats. Though ecologically friendlier than most buildings, these gardens still fail to serve an environmental purpose. Typically such spaces require tremendous amounts of resources: water for irrigation systems, electricity for fountain pumps, and tools for sculpting. Grass or “turf” is equally unfriendly, in that many people use chemical fertilizer to force its growth and massive amounts of water to quench its thirst in the hot summer months. In such a carefully planned and maintained space, even the most unobtrusive wildlife is certainly not welcome.

Exotic gardens are also negligible as an environmental boon. Hawaiian flowers and Palmetto trees are found in their respective regions because they flourish there without much effort and require few resources. Also, as evidenced most obviously by Kudzu, introducing a foreign, potentially invasive species is dangerous. And unlike native gardens that attract a variety of butterflies and insects, some exotic gardens will require pest control to survive.

I do not mean to demonize these

plants and gardens. Certainly there are cultivation methods for exotic plants that do minimal environmental harm, but the greenest garden is one that requires little maintenance and looks the most like the surrounding countryside.

Native and adapted plants are not only good for the environment, but also good for your budget.

Indigenous or well acclimated plants consume significantly fewer resources than do exotic or formal gardens.

Native garden owners will save in water, energy, and fertilizer expenses.

Also, because the plants are already adapted to the climate, you avoid the maintenance of “wintering” them.

Native or indigenous plant species are defined as plants that “are adapted to a given area during a defined time period and are not invasive.”

Typically, in North America, this time period refers back to pre-European settlement. Adapted plants are characterized as greenery that will reliably grow well with minimal water protection, pest control, or fertilizer.

Tennessee has a wide variety of options to choose from when planning a green space. Because most of this region was either forest or woodland land cover prior to settlement, many native species require shade.

Dogwoods are native to this area, as are Hemlock, Black Oak and several varieties of Maple trees. Adding trees to a garden make it more visually appealing by adding interesting levels and textures.

American Wisteria, with its tiny purple blossoms, can climb trellises and fences, giving a garden the exotic beauty many people look for.

Swamp Rose Mallow, a native flower, is particularly unique, with a wide bloom and red center. The flower blooms in the summer and attracts hummingbirds. Switch grass, a native grass, could be used as filler – adding wildlife value and fighting erosion.

The TVA website has an entire section devoted to native plants, their value, and where they are found at www.tva.gov. The Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council also has a thorough native plants index online at www. tneppc.org.

If you are looking to buy indigenous plants, Signal Mountain Nursery has a nice selection. For a five hour drive, you could go to Appalachian Native Plants in Mountain City, TN. The nursery is not-for-profit and offers native plant species education, as well as sustainably cultivated native plants for sale.

Native gardens can be as aesthetically pleasing as gardens with elaborate, exotic themes or as meticulously controlled outdoor spaces—this is one solid case in which being green means saving money and effort.

“Certainly there are cultivation methods for exotic plants that do minimal environmental harm, but the greenest garden is one that requires little maintenance and looks the most like the surrounding countryside.”

Elizabeth Crenshaw is LEED accredited and works for EPB in Strategic Planning, but her views are her own. Originally from South Carolina, Elizabeth moved to Chattanooga after graduating from Warren Wilson College in 2007.

95.3 Pulse News www.chattanoogapulse.com 6.25.09 The Pulse

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DrivingDiversions

by Stephanie Smith

Slip On Down to Stone Mountain A

few days ago I was given the task of writing this column. “Driving Diversions” gained popularity last summer when gas prices rose to almost $5/gallon. Very few people were flying, and those who drove only went a few hours away for extended weekends at best.

It was during the heat of last summer when I was invited by some friends to go down to Stone Mountain—a small town just outside of Atlanta with just as much culture as its big sister city, but half the crowds. Remembering this trip with fondness, I decided to revisit Stone Mountain and delve deeper (via phone and internet) into the city’s scenic and cultural attractions.

I was initially lured to Georgia with the promise of a good theatrical experience. A friend of my friends is an actress and was performing at the time at ART Station in Bingo: The Musical.

In 1987, the old Trolley Car Barn and Power Station in Stone Mountain Village was renovated to become a non-profit arts center. The ART in the ART Station name comes from a 1913 photograph of a trolley car in front of the building with the wording of “Atlanta Rapid Transit” written on the side of the car. ART Station is home to its own professional equity Theatre Company, 5 art galleries, a children’s gallery, a gift shop, classrooms, production and administrative space.

As an actress and avid theatregoer myself, I can tell you that the quality of productions at ART Station are top notch, rivaling some the best OffBroadway shows. The space is an intimate theatre tucked into a corner of the center; the sound and lighting are impeccable and all of the seats have an excellent view of the stage. The restrooms are clean, handicap accessible and the refreshment bar has inexpensive but tasty offerings during intermission.

The adjoining gallery and gift shop have a stunning collection of artwork right outside the door of the theatre that will impress many an art lover.

Here’s what ART Station has going on right

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now: “Alter Ego Pop Art” by Paul Wolski (www. alteregopopart.com) and “Mission Meets Asian”

by Laura Reese (www.cuttlefishink.com) through August 22. The one-woman show Sophie Tucker: Last of the Red Hot Mamas will run July 15–26.

5384 Manor Drive.

(770) 469-1105. www.artstation.org Closed Sundays (except for theatre).

Prior to the show we stopped by a restaurant the locals frequent. The name itself—Continental Park Café—doesn’t inspire much wonder, but enter the doors and you’ll immediately feel transported to the Continent. You enter the building, go past the Continental Coffee & Sweets on your left (more on that later) and go up a narrow staircase to the second floor. There you arrive at a quaint indoor/outdoor bistro—indoors with carpeting and airconditioning/outdoors with a huge fountain in the middle of the room surrounded by café tables, complete with a terrace beyond. The food is a varied assortment of dishes—not American diner food, but elegant-while-still-easy-on-your-wallet European food, mostly Greek in origin. The fruit salad was an entire plate of exotic, fresh fruit the likes of which I had never seen and the spanokopita was crispy, creamy and divine. The cakes looked marvelous and they actually serve a decent sweet tea.

941 Main St # A. 2nd floor.

(770) 413-6448. Open daily.

Coming back down the stairs, stuffed and happy, we still had to stop by the coffee shop. If you like blended holiday coffees, cappuccinos, and rich desserts, you don’t want to miss this place.

941 Main St. (770) 413-2045. Open daily.

If you happen to have brought along the family pooch, you might want a place for Fido to play. The Stone Mountain Village Dog Park has five foot tall fences, a water fountain, benches, and a separate small dog area. The park is decorated with giant cut-outs of dogs painted by students from ART Station’s summer arts camps.

Between 3rd/4th Streets, behind Visitor Center.

The Pulse 6.25.09 www.chattanoogapulse.com 95.3 Pulse News

And if you must get in a huge crowd of people to stare at something, you may as well head to Stone Mountain Park’s Lasershow Spectacular. I haven’t been myself (I generally try to avoid the big crowds), but it does sound like something uniquely Stone Mountain-y.

You relax on the lawn as Stone Mountain is transformed into a natural amphitheater complete with laser lights and fireworks. The Lasershow Spectacular highlights musical scores featuring well-known themes from Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones and High School Musical.

Main Park Entrance (May be unknown to some map programs): U.S. Highway 78 East, Exit 8. www.stonemountainpark.com

95.3 Pulse News www.chattanoogapulse.com 6.25.09 The Pulse

23

MusicFeature

by Hellcat

Exception to the Rule S

itting in Market Street Tavern, I feel very much at home. I have been an avid attendee of this place since its beginning two years ago. Granted, I was easily lured by half-price wine on Wednesday nights and its proximity to UTC. The tavern and its wine list stood out like a beacon in the night to the distressed grad student, and quickly became a part of our weekly routine.

Wine aside, I was won over by the quality of their menu and the refreshing sounds of live jazz. Of course, if you put wine, jazz, and food quality together with a pretty swank décor, a place can become intimidating and cold.

Fortunately, Market Street is not one of those places. They go from frat bar, to hipster hangout, to mountain music hall, all in the course of the week, and that doesn’t even cover the weekends. I can say for Market Street Tavern that it definitely has eclectic taste, and because of that, it brings in a wide range of people.

Somehow this restaurant/venue/ bar/hangout has avoided falling into a predictable category. You really can’t label Market as being any one particular thing. Trust me, I’ve mulled over this for the last hour and it just cannot be done.

The answer came to them in a way that seems to be working: Why not address all of those aspects equally? We have a winner!

It is kind of nice to walk into a restaurant and be hit with a completely different feel than the day before, with a whole new clientele. It doesn’t get boring, with the same-olesame-ole, but instead somehow keeps a familiar welcoming air.

However, it’s their willingness to try out new bands and new ideas that has made me the loyal supporter I have become. As many of you know, they went with me all the way on the 4/20 Fest venture this spring. It could have been a total bust, but they backed the idea because at the root of it, the owners truly want to support local music and the community. An entire room was filled full of food donations for the Chattanooga Area Foodbank and an event was created that catered to 25 local bands and the public.

These guys took the risk to provide it all, and I just wanted all of my readers to know that some kickass local venues are around, so come out and support them!

Bonus: The food is amazing. (I would recommend the stuffed mushrooms, the steak salad, or the bison burger.) I understand that it’s scary when I write an article in a completely positive tone, but I

“They go from frat bar, to hipster hangout, to mountain music hall, all in the course of the week, and that doesn’t even cover the weekends.”

Congrats, Market Street Tavern! I thought it was basically impossible not to trip and fall into a niche, but you have proven me wrong. When they first began, the owners say that they suffered from a minor identity crisis, not knowing what portion of the business they should focus on between the dining, the menu, the atmosphere, lunch crowd, dinner crowd, weekend warrior crowd, and live music.

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have a great deal of respect for what these guys are trying to do. Thanks to Aaron Long, Dustin Choate, and Miller Hedges, we have not only Market Street Tavern but Tremont Tavern, as well.

Both venues are more than happy to take on a new or unheard-of local musician and give them a shot beyond an open-mic night, although they each offer that forum. Market Street opens its doors to aspiring musicians on Thursday and Tremont has its open mic on Tuesday.

This coming Saturday, Market Street Tavern is celebrating its twoyear anniversary by throwing a bash in the Miller Plaza pavilion, right out front of their restaurant. The bash starts at 4 p.m. and goes all day long, and well into the night. Come out and show your support. Our hometown favorites, Up with the Joneses will be rocking out this soiree. Also on the bill is a band from Sewanee, Marujah, which is a latin reggae fusion band that is a lot of fun, as well as Sky Hi, which is a funky little jam band. Due to the celebratory nature of the event, there will be beer specials all day and night, which should be incentive enough to come out, not to mention the wicked line-up. Happy 2-Year Anniversary, Market Street Tavern!!

Up With the Joneses, Marujah, Sky Hi Market Street Tavern Two-Year Anniversary No cover, 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 27.

850 Market Street. (423) 634-0260. www.myspace.com/marketstreettavern

MusicCalendar Friday

Thursday

Chris Crofton and The Alcohol Stunt Band This Nashville-based crunk band will have you screaming right along with them. $5.

10 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia, 231 MLK Boulevard (423) 266-1400. www.myspace.com/jjsbohemia

Send your calendar events to us at calendar@chattanoogapulse.com

Tim Lewis 6:30 p.m. Rumors, 3884 Hixson Pk. (423) 870-3003.

Gideon, Carridale, Title Fight, Faded, Latin for Truth 7 p.m. The Warehouse, 5716 Ringgold Rd. Wayne Hightower 7:30 p.m. Fireside Grill, 3018 Cummings Hwy. (423) 821-9898.

Dave and Jeff 8:30 p.m. Mudpie Restaurant, 12 Frazier Ave. (423) 267-9043.

Channing Wilson 9 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar, 5751 Brainerd Rd. (423) 499-9878.

Pink Cadillac 9 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd #202.

(423) 499-5055.

Open Mic The Riverhouse, 224 Frazier Ave. (423) 752-0066.

Tim Hughes Quartet Tim Hughes plays jazz and pop classics and standards.

No cover.

7 p.m.

The Original Blue Orleans Creole Restaurant, 3208 Amnicola Hwy. (423) 629-6538. blueorleanscreolerestaurant.com

Saturday

The Stratoblasters Local favorites play the classic rock you love best.

No cover.

9 p.m.

The Tin Can 618 Georgia Avenue (423) 648-4360. www.thetincanchattanooga.com

Monday The Palms at Hamilton 6925 Shallowford Road, Suite #202, (423) 499-5055. www.thepalmsathamilton.com Fireside Lounge 4021 Hixson Pike, (423) 870-7078.

Lucky’s 2536 Cummings Highway, (423) 825-5145.

Tremont Tavern 1203 Hixson Pike, (423) 266-1996. www.tremonttavern.com Bud’s Sports Bar 5751 Brainerd Road, (423) 499-9878. www.budssportsbar.com

Rhythm & Noon: RSS 12 p.m. Miller Plaza, 850 Market St. (423) 265-0771.

Reed Thomas Lawrence, Infinite Orange 7 p.m. Nightfall @ Miller Plaza, 850 Market St. (423) 265-0771.

Taxicab Racers, Behold the Brave, Dead End Stanley 7 p.m. The Warehouse, 5716 Ringgold Rd. Lioplurodon, Between Two Seas 7:30 p.m. Club Fathom, 412 Market St. (423) 757-0019.

Wayne Hightower 7:30 p.m. Fireside Grill, 3018 Cummings Hwy. (423) 821-9898.

Crossfire Band 9 p.m. The Tin Can, 618 Georgia Ave. (423) 648-4360.

8oz-Enuff 10 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. (423) 267-4644.

Bud Lightning and Nathan Farrow 10 p.m. Midtown Music Hall, 820 Georgia Ave. (423) 752-1977. www.midtownmusichall.com The Unsatisfied, Bring the Witch 10 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400.

Bounty Hunter 10 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar, 5751 Brainerd Rd. (423) 499-9878.

Channing Wilson 10 p.m. T-Bone’s, 1419 Chestnut St. (423) 266-4240.

DJ Spicolli Raw Sushi Bar Restaurant & Nightclub, 409 Market Street, (423) 756-1919.

DJ GOP The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd #202, (423) 499-5055.

Sunday World Music Summer featuring Kofi Mawuko of Ogya World Music Band 11 a.m. Incline Railway, St. Elmo Ave. (706) 820-2531.

Summer Music Weekends with The New Binkley Brothers 12 p.m. Rock City Gardens, Lookout Mtn. (706) 820-2531.

Preston Parris 6 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd #202.

(423) 499-5055.

Night After Dark, Great Awakening, Ascend the Hill, Aperture, Between Two Seas, Evidence of Faith 7 p.m. The Warehouse, 5716 Ringgold Rd. Fallacy, The Hearts Story, NeverLikeHome, Faretheewell 7:30 p.m. Club Fathom, 412 Market St. (423) 757-0019.

Out of Body, Sons of Cynics, Whispers of the Muse, Have a Nice Doomsday 8 p.m. Ziggy’s Hideaway, 607 Cherokee Blvd. (423) 634-1074.

Open Mic hosted by Shawnessey Cargile 9 p.m. Mudpie Restaurant, 12 Frazier Ave. (423) 267-9043.

Midnight Riders 10 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. (423) 267-4644.

Stoneline wtih Turncoat Conspiracy 10 p.m. Midtown Music Hall, 820 Georgia Ave. (423) 752-1977.

The Grinnin’ Mules 10 p.m. T-Bone’s, 1419 Chestnut St. (423) 266-4240.

DJ Spicolli Raw Sushi Bar Restaurant & Nightclub, 409 Market Street, (423) 756-1919.

Tuesday

Wednesday

Ben Friberg Trio 7 p.m. Table 2, 232 E. 11th St. (423) 756-8253. www.table2restaurant.com

Ben Friberg Trio 6:30 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 850 Market Street, (423) 634-0260.

Open Mic Tremont Tavern, 1203 Hixson Pike, (423) 266-1996.

Johnston-Brown 8 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd #202. (423) 499-5055.

Spoken Word/Poetry Night The Riverhouse, 224 Frazier Avenue, (423) 752-0066.

DJ ScubaSteve Fox and Hound Pub & Grille, 2040 Hamilton Place Blvd #150, (423) 490-1200.

DJ GOP The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd #202, (423) 499-5055.

Duane Cliatt 9 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar, 5751 Brainerd Rd. (423) 499-9878.

DJ GOP The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd #202, (423) 499-5055.

Ms. Debbie’s Nightlife Lounge 4762 Highway 58, (423) 485-0966. www.myspace.com/debbieslounge

Centralia Massacre Folk group from Knoxville begins touring their first album this summer.

Noon.

Chattanooga Market, First Tennessee Pavillion, 1826 Carter St. (423) 648-2496. www.chattanoogamarket.com

Summer Music Weekends with The New Binkley Brothers 12 p.m. Rock City Gardens, Lookout Mtn. (706) 820-2531. seerockcity.com/summermusic Open Jam w/ Jeff Daniels 4 p.m. Ms. Debbie’s Nightlife Lounge, 4762 Hwy 58.

(423) 485-0966.

Irish Music 6:30 p.m. Tremont Tavern, 1203 Hixson Pike. (423) 266-1996.

Computer and Friends (Joel Ruiz Dance Party) 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400.

Open Mic Gene’s Bar & Grill, 724 Ashland Terrace, (423) 870-0880.

DJ GOP The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd #202, (423) 499-5055.

Editor’s Pick: Featured Event Of The Week Reed Thomas Lawrence The talented singer/ songwriter is touring his first album, a collaboration with producer Franchot Tone, known for his work with Garth Brooks and Robby Kreiger (The Doors).

His music has been described as original and artistic that doesn't lose a drop of pop friendliness.

Friday, June 26 Free. (part of Nightfall) 8 p.m.

Miller Plaza, 850 Market Street (423) 265-0771. downtownchattanooga.org

95.3 Pulse News www.chattanoogapulse.com 6.25.09 The Pulse

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NewMusicReviews City Center City Center (Type) Fred Thomas is best known as the mastermind behind the endlessly charming and nostalgic band Saturday Looks Good to Me, which is a sort of endearingly low-rent underground version of Brill Building/Phil Spector/Motown pop, distinguished by topnotch songwriting and fully realized arrangements.

Fans may have noticed that the band’s non-album releases were going into more expansive, less obvious territory, and Thomas’s current focus of attention, City Center, is a logical outcome of those deviations. With collaborator Ryan Howard, Thomas creates effectsladen, less structured sound streams that often have more in common with ambient music than other genres.

City Center’s self-titled album released on Type Records serves as the outfit’s proper debut, although a full-length self-released CD-R, also self-titled, came out early last year with a completely different track list. With City Center’s approach, the vocals are often treated and aren’t so prominent, so it’s often a bit difficult to discern the words without looking at a lyric sheet; I can’t help but think that casual listeners are missing out, since one of Thomas’s strengths is his songwriting, frequently effusive and personal. For example, it’s not apparent that “Young Diamond” is a comforting message to a relocated friend (“If you drink too much and you throw up, we’ll be there, we’ll hold your hair”), although its gloriously chaotic ending makes an impact upon the listener, regardless.

Tortoise Beacons of Ancestorship (Thrill Jockey)

More often than not, the Chicago instrumental band Tortoise seems to invoke no particular time period, nor any strict genre; filing the group under “Rock” makes sense, because of the instrumentation (drums, basses, guitars, keyboards), but it’s apparent that the members have eclectic record collections, ranging from jazz to dub to classical to electronic dance music. It’s a testament to the band’s uniqueness that when listening to the latest album, Beacons of Ancestorship, the examples for comparison that come to mind are from the band’s own catalog. The minute-long

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Another highlight is “Bleed Blood” which mixes acoustic guitar and drum patterns atop a short, twonote sample, presumably from some record from the ’60s; it builds nicely to a moment of resolution, when a looped vocal sample (which sounds like Ronnie Spector) emerges, and for fans of Panda Bear’s album Person Pitch, it should be right up their alley. It’s followed by “Cloud Center,” with a largely ambient approach, backwards loops, and simple entrances, like that from a tambourine, which sound revelatory. Saturday Looks Good to Me fans might not be ready for the music on City Center, and although Thomas’s lyrical talents are obscured, his sound-sculpting talents come to the forefront, as he strives to make a cloud of sound, rather than a wall of sound.

— Ernie Paik

“Penumbra” has a similar electronica feel to their 1998 single track “Madison Area,” but it’s got a quirky, choppy tug using what sounds like some ’80s synth sample. Instead of the prominent malleted percussion on previous albums, strikingly artificialsounding electronics are used for some of the dominant sounds, like the growling envelope synth lines of “Northern Something.”

Beacons of Ancestorship is Tortoise’s first album of new, original material since 2004’s It’s All Around You, and it’s an improvement over its predecessor by having a bit more of a charge and wandering spirit to it. The tracks have a complexity that we’ve come to expect from the group, but it’s not a melodic complexity, like that from a typical prog-rock or mathrock band. Instead, small, memorable melodic lines are used, and a song flows with various elements appearing and dropping out over its course.

The album kicks off with its

longest and possibly most fascinating track, “High Class Slim Came Floatin’ In,” with deceptively simple rhythm section and keyboard parts that morph into no fewer than five sections over the course of 8 minutes. “Gigantes” is a stirring number, beginning with hammered dulcimer sounds and low drums before going into polyrhythmic territory, and “Yinxianghechengqi” is an uncharacteristic semi-lowfidelity rocker that snarls and shoots sparks with a startling blast before mysteriously dissolving. The pace changes on the following track, “The Fall of Seven Diamonds Plus One,” another oddball one, with a reverberating Western soundtrack vibe, and the album ends with the methodical “Charteroak Foundation,” overlaying melodies played in different time signatures, concluding a solid album that reveals the band at its most diverse.

— Ernie Paik

Solution To Last Week’s Puzzle

Never Worry About Losing A Copy Of The Pulse Keep Up Online at www.chattanoogapulse.com 95.3 Pulse News www.chattanoogapulse.com 6.25.09 The Pulse

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Free Will Astrology CANCER (June 21-July 22): “His heart was growing full of broken wings and artificial flowers,” wrote poet Federico Garcia Lorca. “In his mouth, just one small word was left.” There were times during the first half of June when I was tempted to borrow those words to describe you, Cancerian. Now, thankfully, you’re moving into a much brighter phase. The buds that are about to bloom in your heart are very much alive, not artificial, and your wings, while not fully restored to strength, are healing. Meanwhile, your mouth is even now being replenished with a fresh supply of many vivid words.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): What scares you or perturbs you in the coming week could, by August, become what fuels you. What makes you feel unsettled and out of sorts could turn out to be good medicine. But of course you’re under no obligation to submit yourself to this experimental sequence, Leo. The fact is, you could probably run away from the discomfort and get immediate relief. Unfortunately, taking that approach would deprive you of the benefits that will almost certainly come from enduring the discomfort for a while. My preference is that you be brave and far-seeing.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): There’s a better than even chance that you’re about to embark on a “Summer of Love”. To improve your odds even more, meditate on the following questions: 1) What qualities do you look for in a lover that you would benefit from developing more fully in yourself? 2) What do you think are your two biggest delusions about the way love works? 3) Is there anything you can do to make yourself more lovable? 4) Is there anything you can do to be more loving? 5) Are you willing to deal with the fact that any intimate relationship worth pursuing will inevitably evoke the most negative aspects of both partners —and require both partners to heal their oldest wounds?

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You are entering a phase when you’ll have more power than usual to influence people. Your charisma will be waxing and the light in your eyes will be growing more intense, making it more likely that your point-of-view will be heard and appreciated.

Your powers of persuasion will be increasing, as well, and you’ll have extra understanding about how to motivate people and get them to work together effectively. So let me ask you the most important question: What exactly do you want to accomplish with your enhanced clout?

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Congratulations, Scorpio. You’ve reached the end of the “Big Squeeze”. You’ve served your time in the bottleneck. And so I invite you to relax your pinched expression, loosen up your puckered expectations, and let the “Season of Experiments” begin. According to my projections, you will soon be receiving a host of invitations to wander into the frontier with your raw sense of wonder turned up all the way. Please research each invitation thoroughly before choosing. When you’ve decided which adventures are most likely to enhance your understanding of the art of liberation, dive in.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): A guy I barely know critiqued me at a party recently. “You haven’t suffered enough to feel intense passion,” he said. “Your life has been too happy, too easy.”

I didn’t want to get into a debate about whether my life has been too happy and easy, so in my reply I didn’t mention my divorce or the time I was shot or the grueling poverty I endured for 18 years. “So you’re saying,” I told him, “that suffering is the only way you can acquire passion?

I don’t agree. Have you ever raised a child? Have you ever been in love with someone who incited you to make radical changes in your life? Have you ever worked on a creation for many years and then submitted it to be judged by thousands of people? I have.” I’m letting you know about this, Sagittarius, because I predict you’ll soon be offered an experience like those I named— adventures that have the potential to build intense passion without requiring you to suffer.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “The whole

28

By Rob Brezsny

JONESIN’

By Matt Jones

“We've Got a Monopoly”

–versions you probably haven’t seen.

purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows,” said journalist Sydney J. Harris. That would be an excellent motto for you to live by in the coming weeks, Capricorn. Whether or not you’re enrolled in school, you’re in a phase when your capacity for attracting learning experiences is at a peak. To take maximum advantage of the cosmic tendencies, all you have to do is cultivate a hungry curiosity for fresh teachings and life lessons—especially those that shift you away from gazing at your own reflection and toward peering out at the mysteries of the world.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Here’s a preview of the accomplishments I expect you to complete in the next four weeks. Number of karmic debts paid off and cancelled: 1. Number of bad habits replaced with good habits: 2. Number of holes blasted in your theory about why you can’t do more of what you love to do: 300.

Number of “necessities” lost that turn out not to be necessities: 1. Number of psychic wounds successfully medicated: 1. Number of confusing messes that evolve into interesting opportunities: 2. Number of romantic obstructions eliminated: 1 and a half.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): A delicious forbidden fruit will be more available than usual in the coming weeks. You can choose to ignore it, of course. You can pretend it’s not even there and instead concentrate on the less forbidden fruits that are tasty enough. Or, on the other hand, you can sidle up closer to the forbidden fruit and engage in some discreet explorations, testing subtly to see whether it’s any healthier for your sanity than it used to be. I’m not sure what the best decision is, Pisces, but I do suggest this: Don’t just rip off all your defenses, forget all your commitments, and start heedlessly taking big bites out of the forbidden fruit.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Reality TV personality Spencer Pratt used to be skeptical about the power of prayer. But his wife Heidi, herself a devout believer, urged him to keep his mind open. Then, as an experiment, Spencer asked God to help him and Heidi get a double date with teen pop star Miley Cyrus and her boyfriend, despite the fact that neither of them even knew Cyrus. Apparently God heard and responded, because not too long after that, the hoped-for double date did indeed come to pass.

I’m telling you this, Aries, because I think you’re entering a phase when you, like Pratt, will have extra luck in making idiosyncratic wishes come true. If I were you, though, I’d focus on more profound idiosyncratic wishes than the kind Pratt pined for.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Do you have a subconscious urge to escape the constraints of your customary behavior? Have you ever wished you could be someone else for awhile? If so, this is your lucky week, Taurus. The cosmos is granting you a temporary exemption from acting and feeling like your same old self. From now until July 2, you have permission to walk like, talk like, think like, and even make love like a Pisces or Virgo or Gemini—or any sign, for that matter, except Scorpio or Aquarius. You might enjoy checking out my horoscopes for the other signs and following the advice that sounds most fun.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): It’s “Fete Your Feet Week”, Gemini. Your soles definitely need more attention, pampering, and contact with nature. (So does your soul, and hopefully that will happen as you carry out the more literal assignment.) So abstain from wearing your shoes and socks at every opportunity. Get as much contact as possible between your naked feet and the naked earth. Even walking unshod on floors and pavements could prove helpful. Foot massages are advisable, as well as pedicures, henna tattoos, and foot baths. Try praying with your feet instead of your hands and see if you can get someone to kiss and adore you down there.

Homework: Send me a description of your game plan for hunting down happiness during the second half of 2009. FreeWillAstrology.com.

The Pulse 6.25.09 www.chattanoogapulse.com 95.3 Pulse News

Across 1 Skateboarder Tony 5 Gillette model 9 Did some clerical work 14 Lotion ingredient 15 “___ she blows!”

16 In safekeeping 17 Space found in WhoTurned-Out-the-Lightsopoly?

19 Univision News anchor Jorge 20 Comic book line artist 21 Space that ought to be in ZZ Topoly?

23 Viewed, to Tweety 24 Composer Stravinsky 26 Sweet suffix 27 “As God ___ witness...”

29 Hosp. area 30 Like one 33 Space in Underwateropoly?

37 Greeting before “I didn’t see you there!”

38 “Death ___ Funeral” (Frank Oz movie) 39 Designer ___ Saint Laurent 40 Space in Affair-opoly?

45 Turn from gray to brown, e.g.

46 Internet snicker 47 Item used in a golf variant 48 Sandwich with few ingredients 49 “2 ___ 2 Furious” (2003 movie) 51 Mickey Rooney ex

Gardner 54 The space who’s also the mascot of Cowboyopoly?

58 Tiny amounts 60 “I Will Be” singer Lewis 61 Space in Snuff-opoly?

63 Heavily stocked, as a ship 64 Unwanted spots 65 “Los desastres de la guerra” painter 66 Howard on the airwaves 67 Take a load off 68 Med. student’s study Down 1 “I’ve ___ up to here!”

2 George Hamilton ex Stewart 3 “C’mon, I need your help here, so stop resisting” 4 “Akeelah and the Bee” star Palmer 5 Georgia airport code 6 2000s South African president Mbeki 7 “Speed ___” 8 1/2b x h, for a triangle 9 Bronco, Explorer, or Excursion, e.g.

10 Dumbstruck 11 Capital of the third largest country in South America 12 Earth Day subj.

13 News anchor’s locale 18 “Jump, Jive an’ Wail”

bandleader Louis 22 Almond ___ 25 OB/___ (baby doctor) 28 Eminem alter ego Shady 29 Words before “old chap” 30 Away, perhaps 31 It takes two 32 ___ Plaines, Illinois 33 Greeting on the seas 34 Item in a blindfolded party game 35 “Addams Family” cousin 36 Potato features 37 Condition of TV’s Monk 41 Actress Liv of “A Bridge Too Far” 42 It may stick around after the office closes 43 Music lover’s collection 44 Command to the band 48 Mistake 49 Property division, sometimes 50 Nerve-cell transmitters 52 Title Uncle on stage 53 “Please take ___” 54 Societal problems 55 Organized 56 It’s broken after some thought 57 Turn-of-the-century Russian ruler 59 Gymnast Korbut 62 Out of the mil.

©2009 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords.com) For answers to this puzzle, call: 1-900-226-2800, 99 cents per minute. Must be 18+. Or to bill to your credit card, call: 1-800-655-6548. Reference puzzle #0420.

AskAMexican

by Gustavo Arellano

Disney's Gabacho Heritage?

Dear Mexican, You once asked why Mexican bands don’t hit it big in the good old US of A. I think the simple answer is that there are no Mexican Mouseketeers. You don’t get to be Justin Timberlake by picking a guitarrón. Slater from Saved by the Bell doesn’t count. The real question is why Disney, a company that started with its first big park in Anaheim and introduced us melanin deficients to topiary and churros, denies its Mexican heritage?

— Paddy O’Furniture Dear Mick, Disney and Mexican heritage?

What herencia—Donald Duck in the enjoyable World War II propaganda piece, The Three Caballeros? Those old Tijuana Bibles showing Minnie Mouse walking into a room and finding Mickey sodomizing a grinning Donald? The thousands of piratería statues, piggy banks, piñatas and every imaginable tchotchkes sold by enterprising Mexicans from tourist spots in Mexico to stateside swap meets? Exploitative working condition that inspired a memorable protest outside Disneyland last summer featuring cops arresting hotel employees dressed as Disney characters? That cantina scene in A Bug’s Life where the Kevin Spaceyvoiced grasshopper gave a thinlyveiled screed warning against the Mexican invasion of America? Surely, you don’t mean to reference Walt Disney’s supposed Mexican heritage?

The Mexican once heard a Chicano Studies teacher state proudly with a

straight cara that gabacho parents adopted the Mexico-born Disney and that the history books hid this fact so Mexican students couldn’t claim him as part of la raza (and we wonder why public schools fail brownies so…).

Actually, the myth is that Disney was born Jose Luis Girao, the illegitimate child of Spaniards summarily put up for adoption in the United States. The most thorough Disney-as-Spaniard examination appeared in a November 30, 2001 article in the Guardian British newspaper, but no concrete proof exists.

That doesn’t stop some Mexicans from trying to claim him (along with Thomas Alva Edison, Jimi Hendrix and Chewbacca) as one of their own, including people who should know better—the Library of Congress once included Disney in a display at the hallowed institution honoring Latinos a couple years back.

Dear Mexican, Do Mexicans really think A Day without a Mexican is a good movie, and that California would completely, instantly collapse if Mexicans suddenly disappeared? Isn’t that what psychologists and psychiatrists call “delusions of grandeur”? Do Mexicans think non-Latinos cannot operate the sophisticated piece of technology that is known as a “gaspowered leafblower”? And they do realize that millionaire musician Beck, one of the most Anglo guys out there, used to be a landscaper with a leafblower?

— Bottles y Cans

Dear Gabacho, Where to empezar…how about disputing your assertion that Beck is muy gabacho? He isn’t—named an album Guero (missing the umlaut over the letter u, it literally means “lightskinned” but is slang for a gabacho)— and incorporates Mexican rhythms into songs and visuals into his albums due to growing up among wabs in Los Angeles. (If you’re learning this for the first time, read this column more closely!)

And if you’re really paying attention, you’ll know this is the third time in as many years I’ve answered a Beck/Guero-related question, although each in different contexts. Why can’t I get more queries about Luis Perez Meza? Not many Mexicans, gabachos, chinitos, negritos, or anyone really liked A Day without a Mexican; the 2004 film grossed only an estimated $4.1 million at the box office, and it’s yet to become a cult classic among Mexicans like Born in East L.A. or the Charles Bronson canon.

Mexicans do believe this country can’t exist without cheap immigrant labor—it’s not called “delusions of grandeur” but rather “knowing American history and how capitalism operates.” Finally, of course we know gabachos can operate leafblowers— that’s why you’ll never see one use it to make a living unless their education is at Guatemalan levels of stupidity.

“That doesn’t stop some Mexicans from trying to claim him (along with Thomas Alva Edison, Jimi Hendrix and Chewbacca) as one of their own, including people who should know better.”

Ask the Mexican at themexican@ askamexican.net, myspace.com/ocwab, find him on Facebook, Twitter, or write via snail mail at: Gustavo Arellano, P.O. Box 1433, Anaheim, CA 92815-1433!

95.3 Pulse News www.chattanoogapulse.com 6.25.09 The Pulse

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