The Pulse - Vol. 7, Issue 28 by Brewer Media Group

Chattanooga’s Weekly Alternative

The World Comes To Chattanooga By Nick Bonsanto and Davis Wallace, Photography by Lesha Patterson

FREE • News, Views, Music, Film, Arts & Entertainment • July 15, 2010 • Volume 7, Issue 28 • www.chattanoogapulse.com

President Jim Brewer, II Publisher Zachary Cooper Contributing Editor Janis Hashe News Editor / Art Director Gary Poole Advertising Manager Rhonda Rollins Advertising Sales Rick Leavell, Townes Webb Graphic Design Jennifer Grelier Staff Photographer Louis Lee Contributing Writers Gustavo Arellano, Nick Bonsanto Rob Brezsny, Chuck Crowder Mike Crowder, Michael Crumb John DeVore, Joshua Hurley Matt Jones, Ernie Paik Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D. Alex Teach. Davis Wallace Editorial Cartoonist Rick Baldwin Calendar Editors Bryanna Burns, Josh Lang Editorial Assistant Sean Lee Contact Info: Phone (423) 265-9494 Fax (423) 266-2335 Email Inquiries info@chattanoogapulse.com Calendar Submissions 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.

The Pulse is published by

Brewer Media 1305 Carter Street Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402 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 300 words in length. The Pulse covers a broad range of topics concentrating on culture, the arts, entertainment and local news.

2010

cover story

ontents

e BE we xt ne

Chattanooga’s Weekly Alternative

AL G N se NU IN OW Pul AN EW N T he BR R I in T E k

JULY

12 THE WORLD COMES TO CHATTANOOGA By Nick Bonsanto and Davis Wallace The world has come to Chattanooga in the forms of many players on the Chattanooga Football Club’s roster. Their skills, combined with homegrown talent, have led to the CFC’s standing at the top of their league—and a record 3,415-person crowd at July 4’s decisive 5-0 win over FC Tulsa.

feature stories

Photography by Lesha Patterson

16 PETER CASE: A FOOL MIGHT MISS THIS SHOW By Mike Crowder On July 15, Peter Case and his band will hit JJ’s Bohemia for a show. Sharing the bill will be Hidden Spots and the Front Porch Regulars. If you like music at all, go ahead and mark your calendar. Do it right now. Because whether you know it yet or not, Peter Case is the real deal.

22 LET'S GET SUBLIMINAL By Michael Crumb Hip-hop music has been highly politicized in our current culture. Often, more prominent hip-hop offers little more than a widespread presence dangerously close to reinforcing racial stereotypes.

30 WELCOME BACK TO THE JUNGLE By John DeVore It’s a little-known fact that the “Predator” franchise had its genesis in a joke. According to the movie web site IMDB, “someone” mentioned that after Rocky defeated Drago in Rocky IV, there was no one left to fight except E.T.

news & views 5 6 10 20 28 34

PULSE BEATS BEYOND THE HEADLINES SHRINK RAP LIFE IN THE NOOG ON THE BEAT ASK A MEXICAN

everything else 4 4 5 9 9 17 18 24 27 27 31 33

EDITOON LETTERS TO THE EDITOR CITY COUNCILSCOPE POLICE BLOTTER THE LIST NEW MUSIC REVIEWS MUSIC CALENDAR A&E CALENDAR JONESIN’ CROSSWORD FREE WILL ASTROLOGY NEW IN THEATERS SPIRITS WITHIN

Letters to the Editor More Love for Sandy The Flower Man Seeing Sandy going through all this is hard. Knowing he has more than a few people that know him, as I do, and care about him makes that just a bit easier. I’ve honestly never seen him without a smile on his face…even during hard times. Sandy is definitely one of the most genuine people I have ever met. If you get a chance, ask him about his own life… it’s a hell of a story. I’ll be down at JJ’s on July 18th to support Sandy. He’s a great man…he deserves every bit of help we can get him. Jeremy Muse Ten years ago I was distraught over a break up with a girl. I ran into her and another guy in the Stone Lion parking lot. I was drunk and angry, some heated words were exchanged. We were mere seconds from fighting when Sandy swooped in on his bicycle. He put his entire bouquet of flowers in my hand, looked me in the eye and said “you don’t want to do this.” Do you know how hard it is to hit someone with flowers in your hand? I went home instead of to jail. I’ve

never forgotten what he did for. He is truly special. Travis W. Unhappy About Tax Increase Littlefield and his cronies put one over on us again. That little performance about the tax increase was all planned so they could come back with a lower tax increase, all so we can keep up city employees’ benefits because we sure aren’t getting any services for our money. We inside the city and the county are being double taxed and this is not fair. We just ate a tax hike and reassessment last year. Now in January the Bush tax cuts go away and a whole bunch of new taxes are coming our way. Susan Nicholas Littlefield has done it to us again and we have no say in the matter. Even a $1 wheel tax would bring in millions of dollars, but people get to vote on that and would vote it down. We homeowners don’t get a choice. We need a mayor who will listen to the people and help us. I have had no garbage service for the last three weeks,

after 30 years, Now they tell us we are not in their system. We want our city taxes back for the last 30 years! Judy Carney Angry At Volkswagen This is what happens when you put all your eggs in one basket [“Volkswagen Being Sued For Not Paying Bills”]. Volkswagen probably thinks the city, county and state taxpayers will pay their bills, since we have paid for everything else. To force taxpayers to invest in a private corporation without dividends is fascism. Chuck Davis How Many Shots? Alex Teach brings up some interesting points about other media mishaps [“How Many Shots?, On The Beat]. Can you explain why when an officer has to use what some might suggest as an abnormal amount of force the media labels it right off as a “beating”? But on the other hand if a suspect shoots a cop, the media reports it as “alleged”? Larry Stein

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.

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | July 15, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

Pulse Beats

Quote Of The Week: “It’s a process that’s inevitable if you want to give businesses the opportunity for more growth.”

A rundown of the newsy, the notable, and the notorious...

—LaFayette, GA Mayor Neal Florence, after the city council worked out the last remaining details of a new ordinance allowing the sale of beer and wine in the North Georgia community. Permits will begin to be issued this month.

CreateHere’s MakeWork Grants Awarded In the third year of the MakeWork program, 14 individuals, representing a diverse cross-section of Chattanooga’s creative workforce, received grants from an available pool of $125,000, as decided upon and allocated by a team of local and non-local jurors. This year’s recipients include Nora Bernhardt, Visual Arts (3D): Book Arts Teaching Studio; Wendy & Brandon Buckner, Culinary Arts: A Sweet Tooth for Growth and Knowledge; Aaron Cabeen, Visual Arts (3D): Equipment Provision for Original Furniture Production; Carlos Colon, Performing Arts, Latin Beat Percussion Classes; Shane Darwent,

Visual Arts (2D): The Flag in Our Hands: A Lens Based Look into America During 2009; Matthew Downer, Other: Slowtime Field Recordings; Linda Duvoisin, Visual Arts (2D): Linda Edits on the Fly; Caleb Ludwick, Literary Arts: SOUTHSIDE: Eight Short Stories in the Verbal and the Visual; Frances McDonald, Other: Workshops on Public Art Collaborations; Mark Mcleod,Visual Arts (3D):The Fiscal Asset Management Program (FAMP); Bridget Miller, Visual Arts (3D): Creative EcoFriendly Clothing Line by Astronette; Christopher Oughtred, Visual Arts (2D): Website Redevelopment for North Light Imaging;

Leif Ramsey, Visual Arts (2D): Black Friday, a 90-minute documentary film; Justin Wilcox, Performing Arts: Transportation Grant for Moonlight Bride. These 14 individuals join a group of 69 artists, all of whom have received funding through MakeWork since its debut in 2008. Since that time, the program has awarded more than $575,000 to support creative endeavors. CreateHere will host a showcase for the MakeWork grant recipients July 23 from 6 to 9 p.m. during which they will share their work and their plans for the future. For more information, call (423) 648-2195.

Shiloh Civil War Cannon Firing Demonstration

Chattanooga Company Gets Solar Farm Contract

Interest in the American Civil War remains very high through the Southeastern region, as evidenced by the number of visitors to our area Civil War parks and battlefields, as well as by the number of re-enactors who keep alive the memories and lessons learned from the devastating conflict between the states in the 1860s. Just up the road from Chattanooga at the Shiloh National Military Park along I-24, visitors this Saturday will be treated to a special demonstration of artillery firepower. The Shiloh Cannon Crew will be firing the park’s 6-pounder field piece with demonstrations scheduled for 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. During each presentation, Shiloh park staff will be dressed in period Civil War uniforms will demonstrate proper Civil War-era artillery drill. A park ranger will narrate the process and display the different types of ordnance used during a battle like Shiloh. “We are very fortunate to be able to display and fire this gun. It is a goal of mine and the rest of the park staff to help visitors appreciate what artillery soldiers went through during the terrible four years of the Civil War,” said Park Superintendent Woody Harrell. The cannon is crewed by park employees who request the detail out of their dedication and respect for Civil War history.

In a combination of good economic and environmental news, a Chattanooga-based company received approval last Thursday to build a five-megawatt, 30-acre power generation facility near I-40 in Haywood County. Signal Energy was given the go-ahead by the State Building Commission to design and build the West Tennessee Solar Farm, which will be one of the largest such installations in the Southeast. The farm will consist of more than 20,000 silicon-based photovoltaic modules, expected to produce more than 7,000 megawatt hours of electricity annually. With the ongoing push for renewable and environmentally beneficial energy sources, such solar farms are seen as a very positive step in the right direction. The $20.5 million project will begin construction in October and is scheduled to be completed by next spring. The University of Tennessee will oversee planning, operation and management of the farm.

Here is one of the more interesting agenda items set to be discussed at the Tuesday, July 20 meeting of the Chattanooga City Council.

13. Recognition of Persons Wishing to Address the Council on Non-Agenda Matters. At the end of every council meeting, anyone can have three minutes to address the entire body about anything on their mind, as long as it wasn’t something already covered in the agenda for that meeting and is an issue that falls under the purview of the council. If you have a complaint, compliment, suggestion or even a beef with the city, this is your time to get the undivided attention of all nine council members (and the city attorney, to boot). Even better, the heads of the various city departments—ranging from the Police Department to Public Works to Neighborhood Services and a good dozen other agencies—are usually present at the meetings, which can be very beneficial. 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 agenda and minutes from past meetings, visit www. Chattanooga.gov/City_Council/110_Agenda.asp

www.chattanoogapulse.com | July 15, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | The Pulse

Beyond The Headlines

By Gary Poole

The Equal Opportunity Offender Network The Chattanooga talk-radio landscape

has been quite active over the past few years, with various well-known names taking to the airwaves, often in competition with newcomers to the scene. Some have lasted longer than others, as is the norm for commercial radio, while others who have been away from the microphone have been asked about constantly. Over the past five years, one of the names bandied about seemingly every time there was an on-air opening in town has been that of Jay “The Jammer” Scott. Which is why many fans of talk radio have been very pleased to learn of Jay’s return to the format after a lengthy absence, hosting the late afternoon slot from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays on News Talk 95.3 WPLZ (owned, it should be mentioned, by the same parent company as The Pulse.).

“There are a lot of mavericks who have vision, passion, and new ideas, so get behind one or more of these or put yourself out there with your own vision.” Jay is no stranger to radio. He came to Chattanooga in 1983 and shortly thereafter was one of the founding members of the legendary KZ-106 Morning Zoo, teaming up with David Earl Hughes, Jim Reynolds,

Randy Ross and a host of other characters that not only topped the radio ratings for years but is a show still talked about today, nearly 20 years after it ended. Then, in 1999, he tried his hand at the talk side of the dial, joining Talk Radio 102.3 for early afternoons, where he had very successful ratings for five years. With his return to the radio airwaves, The Pulse sat down with Jay for a chat. The Pulse: What’s changed in Chattanooga media since you were last on the air? Jay Scott: While some formats and people have come and gone or moved around, I think the Chattanooga media market has become stagnant. The economy is partly to blame, but the talent on-air around town seemingly has rested on its laurels, not going the extra mile for creativity, going through the motions, and in some cases, having forgotten what got them there. Of course, it’s easier to get to the top then stay there. The Pulse: What do you think are the three biggest issues facing the city right now? JS: The economy has affected all of us. How to effectively turn the corner personally and professionally and work for a better future, be it a better work environment or growing your business or adapting/ evolving with change, is a major challenge. Enhancing what Chattanooga offers, beyond the killer scenery, the growth, both downtown and on the fringe of the county,

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | July 15, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

bringing a renaissance attitude with vision to the future of Chattanooga is another major issue. And looming on the horizon is the talk of consolidation and annexing the whole county. This could make or break all our futures. Will it be cost effective? Will it be the “right thing to do”? Will it help Chattanooga and Hamilton County to the next level successfully? The Pulse: What can regular people do to bring about real change in government? JS: You can be part of the problem or part of the solution. Too many people look at the past and are the problem. Because of this attitude, they’ve disengaged from involvement. They’ve lost their way and their passion or simply have given up on the process—or are lazy. Then they complain about the politicians, or the elected officials. It’s vital that regular people get

Beyond The Headlines involved, or re-committed to a cause— any cause. People need to bring back the passion, be it their child’s school or the community they live in. Everyone should get to know their councilman or commissioner. Talk to the cops in your community. Understand that no one is going to offer up a better city or county on a silver platter. There are a lot of mavericks who have vision, passion, and new ideas, so get behind one or more of these or put yourself out there with your own vision. If you don’t stand up for something or take on a project, life will pass you by. The Pulse: What are the positive things about Chattanooga? JS: We are one of the top 10 livable cities in the entire country, based on an overview of cost of living, housing, crime, climate, and yes, even low property taxes. We’ve managed to land some great new companies with Volkswagen, Alstom and others in extremely difficult times. While other cities have suffered, we’ve

improved our marketability, even in this tough economic climate. And that’s a credit to a re-birth attitude, collaboration and working together on a city, county and state level. We have the greatest asset with our waterways. And we have the friendliest people! Anytime there’s a cause, we show up and help, even when it’s for others far, far away. The Pulse: What do you see as your purpose as a talk radio host? JS: The moniker of Jammer Radio is accountability, transparency, cutting through the red tape and getting straight answers from real people. I am a regular guy with an opinion, and just happen to have a microphone. I see my task at hand as an opportunity to get beyond the sound bites and get the whole story. We’re not about ruining people's lives or getting into their personal business. There’s always two sides to every story, and at the end of the day, all I really care for people to think is that I am fair, and respectful, even when we agree to disagree.

www.chattanoogapulse.com | July 15, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | The Pulse

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | July 15, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

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.

• There’s a reason why it’s called “dope”. A man, apparently exhausted by an evening spent breaking into cars in East Ridge, decided to sleep it off in his truck. Unfortunately for him, but fortunately for his victims, he decided to take a nap in the middle of a drugstore parking lot on Ringgold Road. East Ridge officers, on routine patrol of the area, spotted the man slumped over the wheel and woke him up. In doing so, they noticed a woman’s purse in his lap. During questioning, he claimed the purse belonged to his grandmother. Officers quickly ascertained that the man was not being truthful, and placed him under arrest. During a search of the vehicle, they then discovered other items that had been stolen from vehicles in the area, as well as a small amount of marijuana and prescription medication. The man is now facing charges of auto burglary, theft, vandalism, and drug possession. • While it may be a longstanding tradition, those video gambling machines you see in area bars and restaurants really are just for fun.

Which the owner of a Dade County barbecue restaurant found out to his dismay after he was arrested for “keeping a gambling establishment”. Undercover officers, acting on a tip that the machines were being used actual gambling instead of just for entertainment, played the machines for a while and then were paid out their “winnings”. At which point the restaurant owner was arrested and is now facing charges of commercial gambling, keeping a gambling establishment, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. • The search is on for a suspected mountain lion in Rossville. A security guard called police last week after what appeared to be a mountain lion was reported to him by a resident of the Rossville Estates Mobile Home Park. The guard told officers that when he followed up on the complaint, he found the mountain lion sitting on a couch outside one of the mobile homes. He was able to shoo it away and immediately called police. TWRA wildlife experts say there hasn’t been a validated mountain lion sighting in more than 100 years in the area, but the guard is adamant about what he saw. Two Walker County deputies helped the guard continue to search for

The List Hangover Cures 1. Sleep. Takes the longest but works the best. 2. Avoid caffeine. A lot of caffeine will continue to dehydrate you. 3. Drink orange juice for Vitamin C.

the lion, but they haven’t been able to find any trace of the wild feline. • And who do you call when you are troubled by much smaller local wildlife? A Crutchfield Street woman, plagued by a raccoon, called police and demanded that they come to her house and shoot the offending varmint. When she was told that police officers aren’t the ones who deal with wildlife, the woman became quite irate and said to the officers, “You shoot humans, don’t you?” Officers, wisely ignoring the woman’s comments, did check out her residence but found no trace of a raccoon in her front or back yard. And in case you’re wondering who you DO call about wildlife, the answer is the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, which can help you find a local agency or group to deal with your specific problem.

4. Drink a sports drink like Gatorade or Powerade. 5. Eat mineral-rich food like pickles or canned fish. 6. Drink a Bloody Mary. Combines veggies (good) and a bit of the “hair of the dog”. 7. Take a shower, switching between cold and hot water. 8. Alka Seltzer Morning Relief. 9. Get some exercise. 10. Drink plenty of water. Not that The List ever has to deal with a hangover, but just in case... it's good to know some tried-andtrue ways to deal with one.

www.chattanoogapulse.com | July 15, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | The Pulse

Shrink Rap

By Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D

Lessons For Compassion and a Good Life Y

“It’s easy to be compassionate when it doesn’t cost you anything, or when it doesn’t challenge your personal belief system, sense of values, or— dare we say— prejudices. So what really is compassion?”

Dr. Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist, minister, and educator, in private practice in Chattanooga, and the author of “Empowering the Tribe” and “The Power of a Partner.” Visit his new wellness center, Well Nest, at www. WellNestChattanooga.com, and his web site at www.DrRPH.com

ou know that feeling you get when certain experiences are brought to you exactly when you are ready for them? Opportunities to learn, or gain insight, or explore a life lesson seem to arise just so you can put into practice whatever you are contemplating. Well, I’d suggest to you that such opportunities are continually available, around every corner, if you’re paying attention and listening carefully…you know, at the “there are no accidents” level. For instance, let’s say you’re trying to pay more attention to your needs. Suddenly, one day when you’re working too hard and not noticing your life getting out of balance, you reach for something and your back tweaks out—just to get your attention and slow you down a bit. Or: You’re working on becoming more aware of your feelings and using them to inform the choices you make. Then you notice a new opportunity to feel, perhaps deeply. A broken heart is a good example of this. What did your last broken heart teach you about yourself? Perhaps you’re working on prioritizing joy and minimizing misery. That day at the check-out line there’s both a loud, rude person, and a giggling little kid who can put a smile on your face. Which one will you pay more attention to? The opportunities abound. Again, the big “If ”: if you’re paying attention. This week let’s look at some lessons about compassion. Sure, lots of folks and organizations often say they’re compassionate. And certainly many people truly are. But consider this: It’s easy to be compassionate when it doesn’t cost you anything, or when it doesn’t challenge your personal belief system, sense of values, or—dare we say—prejudices. So what really is compassion? The Dalai Lama said, “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | July 15, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

want to be happy, practice compassion.” And Zig Ziglar said, “You can have anything you want in life, if you will just help others get what they want.” Sounds like a couple of powerful lessons to me. In Barry Gottlieb’s book, Every Day is a Gift, he states, “According to Wikipedia, the definition of abundance is ‘the opposite of scarcity.’ I believe true abundance is not measured by what you have; rather, it is measured by what you give. In our culture, it seems that most people are caught up in their ‘need for greed.’ Perhaps this is why so many people struggle to find their happiness.” He goes on to suggest five “action steps” to help yourself move from those moments of “what’s in it for me” to unbridled compassion for others…thus moving from misery and miserliness, toward happiness and satisfaction. I want to share these with you: Gratitude. Every night before you go to sleep, recite aloud at least ten things for which you are grateful. Forgive. Let go of the past. Forgive those who have hurt or angered you. Stop carrying this poison around with you every day. Love. Be sure to tell those people in your life who mean so much to you that you love them and appreciate them. Donate. Go through your closets. Anything you haven’t worn or used in the past year, box it and take it to a place where those who are less fortunate will benefit from your donation. Get your children involved! Praise. Make time to praise. Look for and recognize the good in others. Remember earlier when I said that lessons are available around every corner? My friend, Owen, sent the following to me because, and as you know, I’m a certified dog lover (especially when it comes to my own Betty Lou.)

So, back by popular demand, here are: 15 THINGS TO LEARN FROM A DOG • When loved ones come home, always run to greet them. • When it’s in your best interest, practice obedience. • Let others know when they’ve invaded your territory. • Take naps and stretch before rising. • Play daily. • Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. • Be loyal. • Never pretend to be something you’re not. • When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently. • Avoid biting when a simple growl will do. • On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree. • When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body. • No matter how often you’re scolded, don’t buy into the guilt thing—run right back and make friends. • Bond with your pack. • Delight in the simple joy of a long walk. Learn anything new today? Until next time: “Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.” — Author unknown

www.chattanoogapulse.com | July 15, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | The Pulse

Cover Story

The World

Comes to Chattanooga By Nick Bonsanto and Davis Wallace, Photography by Lesha Patterson Editor’s note: What with Paul the clairvoyant octopus, vuvuzelas and the always entertaining Diego Maradona, the 2010 World Cup had something for everyone. Meantime, here at home, the world has come to Chattanooga in the forms of many players on the Chattanooga Football Club’s roster. Their skills, combined with homegrown talent, have led to the CFC’s standing at the top of their league—and a record 3,415-person crowd at July 4’s decisive 5-0 win over FC Tulsa. We asked ESPN Radio 105.1’s Nick Bonsanto and Davis Wallace to research some of the stories behind the international players.

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | July 15, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

Soccer, as we call it, or futbol, as it is called in the rest of the

world, “is a sport that everyone plays in Europe,” according to Chattanooga Football Club’s goalkeeper Richard Masters. “Especially in England obviously,” he continues proudly. “We created the game, so there is a pride thing there.” Masters is just one of many CFC players who have come from all over the globe to introduce the world’s game to our city. Chattanooga has worked extremely hard to have a vision for the future. This vision is evident everywhere downtown, from the riverfront to the rebirth of neighborhoods. One of the attractions of Chattanooga is its ability to open its arms to new and exciting ventures. The ability to think outside of the box has also allowed us to enjoy a great new tradition: Chattanooga FC.

Cover Story “The club’s unprecedented early success has brought out both hardcore soccer fans and those curious about the sport by the thousands when CFC takes the field at Finley Stadium.” The club’s unprecedented early success has brought out both hardcore soccer fans and those curious about the sport by the thousands when CFC takes the pitch (field, to us Americans) at Finley Stadium. The game that is an obsession in the rest of world continues to try and position itself on the landscape of American sports—and with a push from 2010 World Cup fever, Chattanooga’s interest has gained momentum as well. Meet some members of CFC’s 2010 roster who are bringing the world to Chattanooga: Belarus: Sasha Viatrov Twenty-one-year-old defender Sasha Viatrov was born in Belarus, where soccer is a way of life. To hear Viatrov tell it, soccer skills came fairly easy to him as a youngster. Talking about his growth in the game, Viatrov says, “Skill level is very important [to nurture] when you are younger….it is hard to develop when you are older.” Though life in Belrus was good, Viatrov had an opportunity to come to the United States in 2000 on a sixweek visit to Alabama. While in the States, he reaffirmed his commitment to his Christianity. Viatrov feels, “It is really important what people think of me. I am a Christian and we need to be the light in this world, not darkness.” He decided to stay in the States for his senior year of high school in 2006/07. He was then accepted to Covenant College, where he was second-team All AAC as a freshman before landing a spot on Chattanooga FC. It’s not an

exaggeration to say that Viatrov loves to play soccer, and hopes to coach one day when his playing career is done. Right now he is a key member of “Our Team.” Mexico: Ivan Heredia In a game played in front of 6,000 people earlier in the summer, Chattanooga FC took on Mexico’s FC Atlas Under 23 team in an exhibition match. It was a homecoming of sorts for another one of the world’s gifts to our team, central midfielder Ivan Heredia. At 14, in his native Mexico, Heredia was recruited to play for FC Atlas. This was every young man’s dream in Heredia’s country—and he was living the dream. While playing soccer in Mexico, Heredia experienced the many pressures a young player faces. He had inspiration from an important person in his life: “My dad always played soccer. He took me to games, and I learned to play from my dad.” He credits his father for teaching him many of the techniques he uses in his game today as a member of Chattanooga FC. Heredia, now 25, made his way to Cleveland, TN for college and attended Lee University on a scholarship. While soccer has always been important to him, he keeps it in perspective. “Soccer is something that you take in the moment,” he says. “At some point you have to decide, ‘What if I get hurt, or don’t make it?’” Now in his second year with Chattanooga FC, Heredia envisions the day when his playing days are done and he becomes a business owner in the Cleveland area. www.chattanoogapulse.com | July 15, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | The Pulse

Cover Story “To hear the 23-year-old Ochieng tell it, ‘Life is not that easy…it’s rough around there, but it depends on the decisions you take in life.’ Ochieng seems to have made the right choices in his life.”

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | July 15, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

The world’s game will again pay off for both Chattanooga FC and our part of Tennessee.

to return to Kenya to offer affordable medical services at the pharmacy he plans to open.

Kenya: Chris Ochieng

Japan/United States: Thomas Clark

Many people may think of East African nation Kenya as a place where life is difficult for most. But striker Chris Ochieng does not describe it entirely that way. To hear the 23-yearold Ochieng tell it, “Life is not that easy…it’s rough around there, but it depends on the decisions you take in life.” Ochieng seems to have made the right choices in his life and credits his parents for that, saying, “I think they did a good job bringing me up.” In speaking with Ochieng, you feel just how well rounded and level headed this young man is. And you would have to be adaptable to have lived in as many places in the world as he has. Born in Kenya, Ochieng has also lived in Sudan, Tanzania and the Netherlands as well as the United States. Asked how he ended up in the U.S., Ochieng points to the soccer scholarship he received from one of the most prominent soccer schools in the nation, Columbia, KY’s Lindsey Wilson. While at Wilson, Ochieng helped lead them to a national championship this season as their leading scorer. Ochieng has firm ideas on how to optimize your time as a player, emphasizing, “ [You must] take care of yourself and refrain from drugs and eat proper.” He goes on to say, “If you are fit, the chances of you getting an injury decrease.” These are wise thoughts from a young man who hopes one day

Though soccer remains more of a global sport, that doesn’t mean it hasn’t had enthusiastic American participants for years. Defenseman Thomas Clark was born in Japan but was raised in the United States. Many Americans did not appreciate all soccer had to offer while he was growing up, but Clark found the fast pace and constant action of the game to be enjoyable at a very early age. Clark feels soccer skills came easy to him and credits it to his athletic parents. Yet, he explains, he’s put a lot of time in working on the mental aspect of the game—notably the ability to see a play three to four steps ahead. As a young player, Clark sharpened his skills playing for several teams in Colorado and Illinois. In 2006, he decided to head to the Air Force Academy to pursue being a pilot. When he started to think about a city in which to settle down, a friend told him about Chattanooga. After looking further into what Chattanooga was all about, Clark says, “ I fell in love with the city.” Clark decided to call Chattanooga home, and not long afterwards he cofounded Chattanooga FC. Now, he happily races up and down the pitch as his team blossoms into a national playoff contender, noting, “The team improved from last year. The main core [of players] came back and this should increase year after year.”

Cover Story England: Richard Masters Goalkeeper Richard Masters never tires of reminding us that England is where the game got started. In London where he was born, all youngsters are encouraged to play soccer. Master remembers, “My mom encouraged me to play at a young age.” As a young player Richard wanted to be the next Peter Schleicher, famous as a player for Manchester United, one of the top English clubs. Masters recalls playing day in and day out from ages six to 15. He reflects that he was not the most gifted of soccer players as a young man. “[It was] more hard work than talent for me,” he says. When asked what his strengths are at his key position, he replies, “My strength is to organize my defense. I’m not the loudest goalkeeper ever but what I say is important.” Traits like this that have helped Masters excel at all level, including at Bristol, TN’s King College where he was All-Conference AAC. These same traits will very likely help Masters realize his dream as a soccer coach in the future. But right now, he’s busy defending goal for “Our Team.” When you look at the stories of Chattanooga FC players, you begin to see that the club and the city share common characteristics. Chattanooga,

much like Chattanooga FC, has decided to open its arms to business and cultures from all regions of the world. Once a small town that not many people knew of other than from a famous Glenn Miller song, Chattanooga has become a global business leader. Chattanooga FC has followed a similar blueprint and by welcoming players from all over the world, is reaping the rewards of its forward thinking.

Average citizens of countries worldwide may not have a clue where Chattanooga is on the map—but the ones that have found their way here have helped make Chattanooga FC a true success story in American soccer. As Chattanooga FC prepares for their last regular season game against Huntsville’s Rocket City at Finley Stadium on July 17, the Chattanooga area has learned that soccer can be our game as well, reflected in the CFC slogan, “The World’s Game, Our Team.” Chattanooga FC Final Regular Season Game $5 7 p.m. Saturday, July 17 Finley Stadium, 1826 Reggie White Blvd. www.chattanoogafc.com

www.chattanoogapulse.com | July 15, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | The Pulse

Music Feature

By Mike Crowder

Peter Case: A Fool Might Miss This Show O

n July 15, Peter Case and his band will hit JJ’s Bohemia for a show. Sharing the bill will be Hidden Spots and the Front Porch Regulars. If you like music at all, go ahead and mark your calendar. Do it right now. Because whether you know it yet or not, Peter Case is the real deal. He’s an Important American Songwriter in the tradition of Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan and Neil Young. He’s also America’s premier white blues singer, with a style honed busking in the streets of San Francisco, and a deep appreciation of early country blues in the styles of Blind Lemon Jefferson and Big Joe Williams. He’s a real-life troubadour who’s been doing his thing for 30-plus years in relative obscurity. Now you have a chance to discover what you’ve been missing all this time. Not that Case has toiled in complete anonymity. Every decade or two, he’s managed to squeeze off a slice of pop perfection that is just too good to be held back by formulaic radio programming. You’ve probably heard “A Million Miles Away” on some ’80s compilation or other. That one is credited to The Plimsouls, a solid power-pop outfit fronted by Case. If you were tuned in during the ’90s, you might also know “Dream About You,” which enjoyed regular rotation on college radio. That little earworm got to Number16 on Billboard’s Modern Rock chart. These are songs that inhabit a million mix tapes. You really shouldn’t

“The records are great, but like those Lomax recordings, they’re a pale reflection of what it’s like to be in a small room with a musical force of nature.”

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | July 15, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

go digging into Case’s catalog looking for a bunch of power-pop gems—that’s not what he’s about. But if you must, dig in anyway. Start with 1995’s Torn Again or 1997’s Full Service No Waiting. After his deal with a major label came to an end, Case seemed to really hit his stride with this pair of well-rounded albums. If you can find a copy of the out-of-print Blue Guitar disc, grab it too. It’s a minor masterpiece in its own right. What you will find are sprawling story songs that paint artfully detailed pictures of very real life, the kind that stick with you because you feel that you know—or at least want to know—the people who inhabit them. You’ll find ragged folk/blues ditties that wouldn’t seem out of place on an Alan Lomax recording, delivered with an urgency that just can’t be faked. Or the odd broken ballad, soaked with feeling but never too tender. Basically, you’ll find songs written and performed by a guy who writes and performs songs because, as John Lee Hooker put it, “It’s in him…and it’s got to come out.” A guy who seems happy to travel hard and light, playing small clubs and signing CDs after the show, but also someone who could go back to busking tomorrow and be just as content. That’s why you need to see him live. It’s the way his music is meant to be heard. The records are great, but like those Lomax recordings, they’re a pale reflection of what it’s like to be in a small room with a musical force of nature. Be there. See for yourself.

Peter Case with Hidden Spots and Front Porch Regulars $7 10 p.m., Thursday, July 15 JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400. www.myspace.com/jjsbohemia

New Music Reviews

By Ernie Paik

Pocketful of Claptonite

Laurie Anderson

Solution To Last Week’s Crossword

guitar, electronics, and his one-of-a-kind harp guitar, named “Big Red.” They’re all Homeland capable musicians with a give-and-take (Nonesuch) Ginger Baker Did Everything attitude, and it’s apparent that their styles mesh together well when they blaze ahead Eric Clapton Did, but It was with an intense, aggressive, dense sonic Backwards and in High generally style. This is demonstrated on “Chlorophyll assumed that Heels Rizzuto” and “Al Pachniko,” which featuring Homeland tight drumming, distorted, gravel-chewing (Solponticello) would be the guitar sounds, and bass strings that sound post-9/11 album like they’re being rubbed raw. “Kool When from Laurie Moe Teef ” has the right amount of space exposed to free Anderson, the improv—that between its elements, like swelling drum spiky-haired, is, improvised rolls, string drones, and pitch warping, and unbelievably creative violinist, storyteller, music that “Sakura” actually sports a melody and a and multi-media artist. However, her adheres to no chorus of women singing in Japanese. genre—certain album Live in New York—recorded a mere Nearly an hour long, not everything on listeners may week after 9/11—filled that role already, the album clicks, but that’s to be expected think it’s a joke. featuring renditions of songs such as “O with the nature of the beast; this writer The only rule to free improv is that there Superman” that were eerily fitting in the actually was craving a bit more of the are no rules, leading to music that doesn’t new context. Anderson’s songs tend to concentrated spark-spitting onslaught necessarily have strict rhythms, melodies, style in longer doses. However, this album favor ideas and stories over being topical, or structures. It’s often difficult listening, conveys a distinct personality, combining a but her new effort fits in with a particular sounding at times like a disorganized discovery, stemmed from a nagging feeling playful spirit, a formidable strength, and a racket. However, the key to listening to free welcome, off-kilter manner. that she had lost something—after the improv is to absorb the mood, and with the right players, some very complex, intriguing moods can be evoked. The group name of an Athens, Georgia free improv trio, Pocketful of Claptonite, perhaps isn’t helping the situation, but the band shouldn’t be dismissed. Is it a joke or isn’t it? Well, both. Clearly, the outfit is having a bit of fun with its titles, which are mostly groan-and-chuckle inducing mash-ups, with references to avant-garde composers and pop culture figures, like “John Cage Match” and “The Dark Crystal Gayle.” But musically, are they taking the piss? Not really. Pocketful of Claptonite is more about mischief than about ridicule, although its irreverence seems to be taking a swipe at the stuffiness that can be found among too-serious listeners of non-mainstream music. Its debut album is available as a digital download, and moments of subtle comedy appear not only in the song titles but also musically, particularly with Killick’s guitar playing on certain tracks, channeling a sort of cheeky deliberate sloppiness, like on “Oprah Winfrey Jazz.” The trio consists of Darrin Cook on double bass, drummer and percussionist Crossword solutions every week at www.chattanoogapulse.com Jamie DeRevere, and Killick Hinds on

Iraq invasion, she realized that she lost her country. Homeland arrives nearly a decade after her previous proper studio album and was largely composed on the road, which appropriately fits in with a loose theme about constantly moving. In the opening track, she sings, “Everything keeps changing in this transitory life,” and throughout the album, there are references to birds, flight, falling, and distances. While Anderson’s electronic music in the ’80s was innovative and novel, in the years since then, the world has had time to catch up; electronic sounds are present on Homeland, but the more distinctive sonic elements have an organic, nonWestern feel, such as Tuvan throat singing or mysterious viola playing from Eyvind Kang. The album’s first half is contemplative and wandering, seemingly a little cloudier and less focused than expected from Anderson. The accompanying DVD features a mini-doc that explains, through interviews, that Anderson was faced with a daunting amount of sound material with which to work—too many options—and ultimately, producer (and Anderson’s husband) Lou Reed aided the decisionmaking process. This actually mirrors the theme of “Only an Expert,” a track about uncertainty about whom to believe when it comes to difficult issues, like homeland security or global warming; it’s unfortunate that the song is marred by an irritating techno beat. Things come together on the album’s thought-provoking second half, and Anderson’s storytelling brilliance shines through on “Another Day in America,” on which she uses her trademark pitchshifted masculine speaking voice to ask, “How do we begin again?” Anderson mentions Kierkegaard’s quote about life only being understood backwards, and in a later track, she describes a piece of Aristophanes’s play The Birds, about the time before land and memories existed. The idea of a “whole new era” suggests a post-9/11 world, but Anderson’s compelling album goes for something more universal, for any crucial point in time. There’s much to gain—and also to lose—by living life backwards.

www.chattanoogapulse.com | July 15, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | The Pulse

Music Calendar Thursday Spotlight

Peter Case with Hidden Spots, Front Porch Regulars Don’t miss this chance to see Case, an American original. (See Music Feature) $7 10 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400. www.myspace.com/jjsbohemia

Thursday Jesus Wept, Continuum, In This Hour, My War 7 p.m. The Warehouse, 5716 Ringgold Rd., East Ridge. www.myspace.com/warehousetn Jimmy Harris 7:30 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202. (423) 499-5055. www.thepalmsathamilton.com 60’s Night: Special Guest Austin Flowers, Ryan Oyer & the Flashbox 8 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St. (inside Days Inn) Peter Case with Hidden Spots, Front Porch Regulars 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400. www.myspace.com/jjsbohemia Tim Lewis 9 p.m. Bart’s Lakeshore, 5600 Lakeshore Dr. (423) 870-0777. www.bartslakeshore.com Two Penny Fish 9 p.m. Riverhouse Pub, 224 Frazier Ave. (423) 752-0066. Karaoke Party with DJ Smith 9 p.m. Bourbon St. Music Bar, 2000 E. 23rd St. (423) 697-9957.

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | July 15, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

Friday Spotlight

Open Mic 9 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 850 Market St. (423) 634-0260. www.marketstreettavern.com Open Mic with Mike McDade 9 p.m. Tremont Tavern, 1203 Hixson Pike. (423) 266-0260. www.tremonttavern.com Perpetual Groove 10 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. (423) 267-4644. www.rhythm-brews.com Soul Sessions 10 p.m. Table 2, 232 E. 11th St. (423) 756-8253. Joy Buzzer 11 p.m. Riverhouse Pub, 224 Frazier Ave. (423) 752-0066.

Friday MeloManiacs 6 p.m. Bluff View Art District, Terrazine between Tony’s and Back Inn Café, 411 E. 2nd St. (423) 265-5033. Ben Friberg Trio 6 p.m. Table 2, 232 E, 11th St. (423) 756-8253. Corpus Christi, Divide The Sea, Axiom, Wideyedaze 7 p.m. The Warehouse, 5716 Ringgold Rd., East Ridge. Jimmy Harris 7:30 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202. (423) 499-5055. Rock N’ Roll Spectacular 7:30 p.m. Chattanooga Choo Choo Centennial Theatre, 1400 Market St. (423) 266-5000. Booker Scruggs Ensemble 7:30 p.m. Blue Orleans Creole Restaurant, 3208 Amnicola Hwy. (423) 629-6538. blueorleanscreolerestaurant.com

Infinite Orange, Moonshoes Mumsy 7:30 p.m. Club Fathom, 412 Market St. www.clubfathom.com Bottle Rockets 8 p.m. Miller Plaza, 850 Market St. www.nightfallchattanooga.com Camp Normal 9 p.m. Fireside Grill, 3018 Cummings Hwy. (423) 821-9898. Brock Blues Band 9 p.m. Riverhouse Pub, 224 Frazier Ave. (423) 752-0066. Monkey Shines 9 p.m. Bart’s Lakeshore, 5600 Lakeshore Dr. (423) 870-0777. www.bartslakeshore.com Tim Cofield 9 p.m. Tremont Tavern, 1203 Hixson Pike. (423) 266-0260. www.tremonttavern.com Jay Stewart 9 p.m. Raw, 409 Market St. (423) 756-1919. Dance Party with Paul Smith and the Bourbon Street Band 9 p.m. Bourbon Street Music Bar, 2000 E. 23rd St. (423) 826-1985. Subway Mars 9 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 850 Market St. (423) 634-0260. The Bohannons, Cary Ann Hearst, Jonny Corndawg 10 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400. The Breakfast Club 10:15 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. (423) 267-4644. DJ Spicolli Raw Sushi Bar Restaurant & Nightclub, 409 Market Street, (423) 756-1919. www.myspace.com/jimstriker

The Bottle Rockets (opening act The Bohannons) Texas-style roots rock. Free. 7 p.m. opening act, 8 p.m. headliner Nightfall, Miller Plaza. www.nightfallchattanooga.com

Saturday Kofi Mawuko, Tommy Cotter, Mike Hale, Elizabeth Miller 10 a.m. Lookout Mtn. Incline Railway, 3917 St. Elmo Ave. (423) 821-4224. New Binkley Brothers Noon. Rock City, 1400 Patten Rd. Lookout Mountain, GA. (706) 820-2531. MeloManiacs 6 p.m. Bluff View Art District, Terrazine between Tony’s and Back Inn Café, 411 E. 2nd St. (423) 265-5033. Halcyon Jazz Trio 6:30 p.m. Blue Orleans Creole Restaurant, 3208 Amnicola Hwy. (423) 629-6538. A Rose By Any Other Name, Andy Goodner, Between Two Seas, One for the Angels 7 p.m. The Warehouse, 5716 Ringgold Rd., East Ridge. www.myspace.com/warehousetn Jimmy Harris 7:30: p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202. (423) 499-5055. www.thepalmsathamilton.com Rock N’ Roll Spectacular 7:30 p.m. Chattanooga Choo Choo Centennial Theatre, 1400 Market St. (423) 266-5000.

Music Calendar

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

Saturday Spotlight

The Fringe Factory, The Vaygues Always a hot time on East Main. $5 10 p.m. Discoteca, 304 Main Street. (423) 386-3066. Jeff Talmadge 8 p.m. Charles & Myrtle’s Coffeehouse, 105 McBrien Rd. (423) 892-4960. www.christunity.org The Fringe Factory, with The Vaygues 9 p.m. Discoteca, 304 East Main St. (423) 386-3066. Steve Monce 9 p.m. Raw Sushi Bar Restaurant & Nightclub, 409 Market Street, (423) 756-1919. www.myspace.com/jimstriker Blue Eyed Grass 9 p.m. Riverhouse Pub, 224 Frazier Ave. (423) 752-0066. Tim Cofield & Kevin Klein 9 p.m. Tremont Tavern, 1203 Hixson Pike. (423) 266-0260. www.tremonttavern.com Shawn Jones 9 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St. (inside Days Inn) Open Mic Night 9 p.m. Mudpie Restaurant, 12 Frazier Ave. (423) 267-9043. www.mudpierestuarant.com Christabel and the Jons, Shotgun Party 10 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400. www.myspace.com/jjsbohemia Frontiers 10 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 2 21 Market St. (423) 267-4644.

Sunday Spotlight

Big Nekkid 9 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 850 Market St. (423) 634-0260. www.marketstreettavern.com

Sunday Kurt Scobie 11 a.m. Chattanooga Market, First Tennessee Pavilion, 1826 Reggie White Blvd. (423) 648-2496. www.chattanoogamarket.com New Binkley Brothers Noon. Rock City, 1400 Patten Rd. Lookout Mountain, GA. (706) 820-2531. www.seerockcity.com Morgon Bracy 12:30 p.m. Chattanooga Market, First Tennessee Pavilion, 1826 Reggie White Blvd. (423) 648-2496. www.chattanoogamarket.com Jeff Talmadge, Paul Edelman 2 p.m. Chattanooga Market, First Tennessee Pavilion, 1826 Reggie White Blvd. (423) 648-2496. Open Mic with Jeff Daniels 4 p.m. Ms. Debbie’s Nightlife Lounge 4762 Highway 58, (423) 485-0966. myspace.com/debbieslounge Irish Music Sessions 6:30 p.m. Tremont Tavern, 1203 Hixson Pike. (423) 266-1996. www.tremonttavern.com S.I.N. Night 7 p.m. Bart’s Lakeshore, 5600 Lakeshore Dr. (423) 870-0777. www.bartslakeshore.com Open Mic 8 p.m. Gene’s Bar & Grill, 724 Ashland Terrace, (423) 870-0880.

Monday Old Tyme Music 7 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 850 Market St. (423) 634-0260. Paul Lohorn and the Monday Nite Big Band 7 p.m. Lindsay Street Hall, 901 Lindsay St. (423) 755-9111. Jimmy Harris 7:30 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202. (423) 499-5055. Pizza Party!, Wolves and Jackyls, Dark Rides 8 p.m. Discoteca, 304 E. Main St. (423) 386-3066. Rick Rushing and the Blues Strangers 8 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St. (inside Days Inn)

Tuesday Ben Friberg Trio 6:30 p.m. Table 2, 232 E. 11th St. (423) 756-8253. Jimmy Harris 7:30 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202. (423) 499-5055. Lightning Billy Hopkins 8 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 850 Market St. (423) 634-0260. www.marketstreettavern.com Shahkim’s B-Day Party 8 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400. www.myspace.com/jjsbohemia Spoken Word/Poetry Night 8 p.m. The Riverhouse, 224 Frazier Ave., (423) 752-0066. Spicolli-Oke 9 p.m. Raw Sushi Bar Restaurant & Nightclub, 409 Market Street, (423) 756-1919.

Benefit for Sandy the Flower Man Come on out and help a Chattanooga legend pay his chemo bills. $5 with bouquet, $7 withouut bouquet Noon – 3 a.m. JJ’s Bohemia, Aretha Frankenstein’s, Discoteca, The Pickle Barrel. Tim Starnes, Jacob Newman 9 p.m. Bart’s Lakeshore, 5600 Lakeshore Dr. (423) 870-0777. www.bartslakeshore.com

Wednesday Ben Friberg Trio 7 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 850 Market St. (423) 634-0260. www.marketstreettavern.com Jimmy Harris 7:30 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202. (423) 499-5055. www.thepalmsathamilton.com Aunt Dracula, Machines Are People Too 8 p.m. Discoteca, 304 E. Main St. (423) 386-3066. Johnny B. and Friends 8 p.m. Bourbon Street Music Bar, 2000 E. 23rd St. (423) 826-1985. Open Mic with Mike McDade 9 p.m. Raw Sushi Bar Restaurant & Nightclub, 409 Market Street, (423) 756-1919. www.myspace.com/jimstrike Karaoke with American Idol’s Chase Guyton 9 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St. (inside Days Inn)

www.chattanoogapulse.com | July 15, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | The Pulse

Life in the Noog

By Chuck Crowder

The Road Less Travelled T

his past week, mini-me and I took our annual father/daughter excursion into yet another land of intrigue and hopefully—for her sake and mine—a learning opportunity away from our beloved ‘noog.

“Maybe it’s my hope that she’ll adopt my love for bright lights and big cities, or it might just be that I want her to acquire some street smarts before she goes off into the world on her own.”

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 popular website thenoog.com

It’s always been my intent since procreating that I would do everything in my power to ensure my daughter would experience new and exciting places. You can’t learn what it’s like out there until you’ve been someplace other than here. And since she turned 10, my daughter and I have travelled to D.C., Chicago, New York and just last week, L.A. Maybe it’s my hope that she’ll adopt my love for bright lights and big cities, or it might just be that I want her to acquire some street smarts before she goes off into the world on her own. She goes to the beach, cruises and other “vacation”-type places with her friends and mom all of the time. But that’s not the same as learning what it’s like to read a map, grab a cab or subway, hold a fork the right way at a fancy restaurant or simply stand right in front of things and places she might otherwise only see on TV. I must say that as she quickly approaches the ripe old age of 15, she’s certainly attained the kind of know-how that makes me a little less anxious when she becomes old enough to travel by herself or with friends her age. She even reminded me just before this journey that we need not bring our laptops because “nicer hotels have computers in the lobby that we can use” to check our email and, of course, Facebook. As we embarked on this particular trip,

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | July 15, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

I knew things weren’t going to be the same as our previous treks. Our list of hotspots to visit changed from the usual places to locales that Lindsay Lohan or Paris Hilton might visit as part of their daily routines. Places of interest now involved certain shopping areas, restaurants, coffee shops and hangouts, rather than simple attractions. She even told me to mark anything off the list that had the word “museum” in it. And while I didn’t necessarily agree with that one, I was more than happy to exclude tourist traps that kids usually love and parents just put up with. One of her favorite things to do when driving around was to look for stars' homes. We bought one of those maps off the side of the road. I was sure that most of the addresses belonged to some poor industry execs rather than the A-list stars pegged to inhabit any one of the particular homes listed, but at least they were in the right neighborhood—and we didn’t know any better. Of course the addresses for Jack Nicholson and Lindsay Lohan turned out to be fake, but we were sure we discovered the right address for Mischa Barton when we spotted her in the driveway as we rode by (much to my daughter’s delight). In another twist of fate, my young daughter successfully navigated the star map with great precision so dad could find the Playboy mansion. Good work. Shopping was a hoot as well. My child quickly figured out her $200 spending money wouldn’t go very far in the boutiques on her list, but we quickly adapted to that as well. We found a place that sells clothes from wardrobes of movies and television shows where the same $100 whoever-the-teen-designer-is handbag went for $25—and had likely only been used in one scene (if at all). I even found myself

buying cool shirts from the productions of 30 Rock and that new movie Grown Ups at bargain basement prices. After that find, we hit no less than 20 vintage stores. One of the very few tourist attractions we visited was Universal Studios. I wanted her to experience the same studio tour I did at her age and figured it would be better stomached under the guise of the attached theme park with plenty of rides. It worked. Afterwards, as we ate dinner at Musso & Frank, she asked me why they spent so much time talking about “that old movie” Jaws. As I finished explaining how the special effects were ahead of their time back in 1975, Richard Dreyfus and a lady friend were being seated in the booth right next to us. Quickly realizing the irony of the situation, I leaned over and whispered to her “you might ask that older gentleman who just sat down behind you. He was IN the movie.” After it was all said and done, we had clicked 560 miles on our rental car—and had seen just about everything there was to see in the Downtown/Hollywood/West Hollywood/ Beverly Hills areas—and even Santa Monica and Venice Beach. But best of all, we spent a solid seven days just hanging out as father and daughter…and that’s the best experience of them all.

www.chattanoogapulse.com | July 15, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | The Pulse

Arts & Entertainment

Let’s Get Subliminal Hip-hop

By Michael Crumb

“He offers reflections that inspire more subtle and creative thoughts to help discover solutions to our cultural dilemmas.”

music has been highly politicized in our current culture. Often, more prominent hip-hop offers little more than a widespread presence dangerously close to reinforcing racial stereotypes. “The song is a lost art,” exclaims Lord Subliminal on his new CD, Lanimilbus Drol. The CD release party will be Tuesday evening, July 20, at JJ’s Bohemia. Discriminating listeners know that hiphop remains not only a legitimate voice on its own, but also notice its continuing hybridization with contemporary soul and rock forms. There seems a curious disproportionality between some of the more popular artists and the more authentic artists. Here some commerciality threatens danger. This is a difficult dialectic. There’s been some prominent history of violence

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | July 15, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

associated with this form. Success and recriminations have left prominent corpses. Gang violence continues to take a serious toll in black communities, and hip-hop has been widely recognized as its theme music. This context spurred Lord Subliminal’s first CD, Subliminal Thought, released five years ago. This CD focused on revolution, that is, “a response to oppression on many different levels.” Lord Subliminal’s statement here emphasizes “prorighteousness.” Subliminal Thought was featured on the WAWL’s airwaves, when the WAWL still had airwaves. Lord Subliminal knows that hip-hop does possess a poetic force that can elevate rather than degenerate. Certainly, he’s not alone in this effort to bring creativity into a focus that can enhance lives, and he continues to contribute to Chattanooga’s music scene. “Things have got corny lately; I’m taking it back,” says Lord Subliminal on his new CD. Lanimilbus Drol focuses on his “inner reflection of himself ” and makes suggestions concerning “the science of Islam.” Lord Subliminal, aka Shahkim, sees Islam as a science that is both a culture and a way of life. He says, “I sincerely love Allah’s mind.” From what I have heard from his new CD, Shahkim has gathered much from what has gone before, and he offers

reflections that inspire more subtle and creative thoughts to help discover solutions to our cultural dilemmas. People here may not realize how active and wide-ranging Lord Subliminal’s path has been. His continual mobility has involved him in scenes in Memphis, Atlanta, Charlotte, Baltimore, Chicago, El Paso, Miami, Oakland and in the Bronx, Harlem and Brooklyn. He’s been featured on other CDs and mixtapes. Papa Wu, mentor of the Wu-Tung Clan, produced Visions of the Tenth Chamber, which features Shahkim. The Future Chamber entertainment label products Bipolar by the After Effect and the “Frienemy” mixtape also feature Lord Subliminal. He has also appeared on three albums for Chicago outfit Invincible Temple on the Eighteen Hands Unlimited label. This label has connections to the Sickle and Grenade label, the one releasing Lanimilbus Drol. Other artists appearing at the CD release party include Mathew Atwood, performing acoustic rock, DJ Robbie Lolo with Jamaican dancehall music, and DJ Tramp doing electronics. Shahkim will be cookin’!

Lord Subliminal CD Release Party $7 10 p.m. Tuesday, July 20 JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400, www.myspace.com/jjsbohemia

www.chattanoogapulse.com | July 15, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | The Pulse

A&E Calendar Highlights Friday

Thursday

All American Days at the Hunter Exhibit harkening back to the Bicentennial, music of Rick Bowers. $9.95 6 p.m. Hunter Museum, 10 Bluff View (423) 267-0968. www.huntermuseum.org

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

Chattanooga Market Thursday Plaza Party 4 p.m. Miller Plaza, 850 Market St. www.chattanoogamarket.com Mystery of the TV Talk Show 7 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839. www.funnydinner.com 110 in the Shade 7:30 p.m. St. Luke United Methodist Church, 3210 Social Cir. (423) 877-6447. www.stlukeumc.info Janet Williams 8 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233. www.thecomedycatch.com Brigadoon 8 p.m. Signal Mountain Playhouse, corner of Rolling Way and James Blvd., Signal Mountain. (423) 886-5243. www.smph.org “Growing up Jewish” Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 N. Terrace Rd. (423) 493-0270. Chattanooga Professional Photography Group Exhibit North River Civic Center, 1009 Executive Dr. Ste. 102. (423) 870-8924.

As You Like It Chatt State production sets the Bard’s comedy in the Psychedelic Sixties. $10 7:30 p.m. Humanities Theater, Chattanooga State, 4501 Amnicola Highway (423) 697-3257.

Saturday

New Voices Poetry Reading Improvisational jazz plus poets. Free 6:30 p.m. Pasha Coffee House, 3914 St. Elmo Ave. (423) 475-5482. www.pashacoffeehouse.com

Hubble in 3D 11 a.m., 1, 3, 5,7 p.m. IMAX Theater at the Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (800) 265-0695. www.tnaqua.org/imax Janet Williams 7:30, 10 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233. www.thecomedycatch.com 110 in the Shade 7:30 p.m. St. Luke United Methodist Church, 3210 Social Cir. (423) 877-6447. www.stlukeumc.info Scopes Festival 8 p.m. Rhea County Courthouse, Dayton, TN. (423) 775-0361. Avatar in 3D 8 p.m. IMAX Theater at the Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (800) 265-0695. www.tnaqua.org Brigadoon 8 p.m. Signal Mountain Playhouse, corner of Rolling Way and James Blvd., Signal Mountain. (423) 886-5243. www.smph.org Mystery of Flight 138 8:30 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839. www.funnydinner.com

Female Impersonation Show Midnight. Images, 6065 Lee Hwy. (423) 855-8210. www.imagesbar.com “Fresh Coastal Scenes” Shuptrine Fine Art Group, 2646 Broad St. (423) 266-4453. www.shuptrinefineartgroup.com Smith-Cleary Photography and Printmaking Exum Gallery, 305 W. 7th St. (423) 593-4265. “The Myth of Mary Gregory” Houston Museum of Decorative Arts, 201 High St. (423) 267-7176. Terri Zitrick Denny Art My Color Image Boutique and Gallery, 330 Frazier Ave. (423) 598-6202. “Sensation” River Gallery, 400 E. 2nd St. (423) 265-5033. “Southern Journeys” Chattanooga African American Museum, 200 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-8658. Cherokee Stone Carvings Bill Shores Frame and Gallery, 307 Manufacturers Rd. (423) 756-6746. www.billshoresframes.com

Sunday Chattanooga River Market 10 a.m. Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (800) 265-0695. www.tnaqua.org Hubble in 3D 11 a.m., 1, 3, 5, 7 p.m. IMAX Theater at the Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (800) 265-0695. www.tnaqua.org/imax Mosaic Market 11 a.m. 412 Market St. (corner of 4th/Market). (423) 624-3915 Art Til Dark Noon. Northshore. (423) 413-8999. arttildark.wordpress.com Scopes Festival 3 p.m. Rhea County Courthouse, Dayton, TN. (423) 775-0361. Aquapalooza 4 p.m. Chickamauga Lake by the Chickamauga Dam. www.aquapalooza.com Chattanooga Football Club vs. Rocket City United 7 p.m. Finley Stadium, 1826 Carter Street. www.chattanoogafc.com Janet Williams 7:30, 10 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233. www.thecomedycatch.com

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | July 15, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

110 in the Shade 7:30 p.m. St. Luke United Methodist Church, 3210 Social Cir. (423) 877-6447. www.stlukeumc.info As You Like It 7:30 p.m. Humanities Theatre at Chattanooga State, 4501 Amnicola Hwy. (423)697-3257 Brigadoon 8 p.m. Signal Mountain Playhouse, corner of Rolling Way and James Blvd., Signal Mountain. (423) 886-5243. w ww.smph.org An Evening of Quality Bellydance 8 p.m. Barking Legs Theatre, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347. www.barkinglegs.org Scopes Festival 8 p.m. Rhea County Courthouse, Dayton, TN. (423) 775-0361. Avatar in 3D 8 p.m. Imax Theater at the Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (800) 265-0695. www.tnaqua.org Movies In The Park 9 p.m. Coolidge Park, 150 River St. (423) 265-0771. www.firstthings.org

Chattanooga Market: Peach Festival The fuzzy little guys will be everywhere. Free 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. First Tennessee Pavilion, 1826 Reggie White Blvd. (423) 648-2496. www.chattanoogamarket.com

Sandy Bell Benefit 2 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 East M L King Blvd. 423-266-1400. www.jjsbohemia.com 110 in the Shade 2:30 p.m. St. Luke United Methodist Church, 3210 Social Circle. (423) 877-6447. www.stlukeumc.info As You Like It 2:30 p.m. Humanities Theatre at Chattanooga State, 4501 Amnicola Highway. (423)697-3257 Janet Williams 8 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233. www.thecomedycatch.com Stephen Rolfe Powell Glass Exhibition Hunter Museum of American Art, 10 Bluff View. (423) 266-0944. www.huntermuseum.org “Keeping It Alive” Asher Love Studio and Gallery, 3914 St. Elmo Ave., Suite G. (423) 822-0289. asherlovegallery.blogspot.com “Skins and Skeletons” AVA Gallery, 30 Frazier Ave. (423) 265-1282. www.avarts.org

A&E Calendar Highlights Monday WJTT Power 94 Comedy Night 7:30 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233. www.thecomedycatch.com Speak Easy: Spoken Word and Poetry 8 p.m. Mudpie Restaurant, 12 Frazier Ave. (423) 267-9040. Live Cabaret Show with James Breedwell 9, 11 p.m. Bourbon St. Music Bar, 2000 E. 23rd St. (423) 697-9957. “Transformation 6: Contemporary Works in Glass” Hunter Museum of American Art, 10 Bluff View. (423) 266-0944. www.huntermuseum.org Lorrraine Christie Art Gallery 1401, 1401 Williams St. (423) 265-0015. www.gallety1401.com Whitney Nave Jones Art Mosaic Gallery, 412 Market St. (423) 320-6738. “Raining Cats and Dogs” & “Chasing the Light” In-Town Gallery, 26A Frazier Ave. (423)267-9214.

Tuesday Arts Chatt 5 p.m. Big River Grille, 222 Broad St. www.bigrivergrille.com Nicely Walking Tour: Fountain Square 7 p.m. Walnut Street at Fourth St. (423) 265-3247. “Summer Salon 2010” Hanover Gallery, 111 Frazier Ave. (423) 648-0533. “Jellies: Living Art” Hunter Museum of American Art, 10 Bluff View. (423) 266-0944. “Growing up Jewish” Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 N. Terrace Rd. (423) 493-0270. Chattanooga Professional Photography Group Exhibit North River Civic Center, 1009 Executive Dr. Ste. 102. (423) 870-8924. “Fresh Coastal Scenes” Shuptrine Fine Art Group, 2646 Broad St. (423) 266-4453. Smith-Cleary Photography and Printmaking Exum Gallery, 305 W. 7th St. (423) 593-4265.

Wednesday Main Street Farmers Market 4 p.m. Main St. at Williams St. Speed Dating 7 p.m. Delta Queen, 100 River St. (423) 468-4500. www.deltaqueenhotel.com “The Myth of Mary Gregory” Houston Museum of Decorative Arts, 201 High St. (423) 267-7176. www.thehoustonmuseum.com Terri Zitrick Denny Art My Color Image Boutique and Gallery, 330 Frazier Ave. (423) 598-6202. “Sensation” River Gallery, 400 E. 2nd St. (423) 265-5033. “Southern Journeys” Chattanooga African American Museum, 200 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-8658. Cherokee Stone Carvings Bill Shores Frame and Gallery, 307 Manufacturers Rd. (423) 756-6746. “Keeping It Alive” Asher Love Studio and Gallery, 3914 St. Elmo Ave., Suite G. (423) 822-0289

Editor’s Pick: Featured Event Of The Week

An Evening of Quality Bellydance Get out the finger cymbals as Amberetta presents performances by M’alin, Alexander, Mirabai Bellydance, Dandasha and, of course, herself. 8 p.m. Saturday, July 17 $10 advance/$15 door Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave. www.amberetta.com

www.chattanoogapulse.com | July 15, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | The Pulse

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | July 15, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

JONESIN’

“Waiting To Inhale” –don't hold your breath.

Free Will Astrology CANCER (June 21-July 22): “Give us this day our daily hunger,” prayed French philosopher Gaston Bachelard. It was his personal variation on the “Give us this day our daily bread” line from the Lord’s Prayer. I suggest you use his formulation as your own in the coming week, Cancerian. It’s the high season for your holy desires: a time when your mental and physical health will thrive as you tune in to and express your strongest, most righteous longings. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In a recent horoscope, I wrote about Christopher Owens, lead singer of the band Girls, and how he wore pajama bottoms during a show he did in San Francisco. A reader named Eric was disgusted by this, seeing it as evidence that Owens is a self-indulgent hipster. “Just another spoiled trust-fund kid,” he said in his email, “whose excessively privileged life has given him the delusion that he’s uninhibited.” With a little research, Eric would have found the truth: Owens was raised in an abusive religious cult by a single mother who worked as a prostitute to earn a meager living. I bring this to your attention in hopes it will inspire you to avoid making any assumptions about anyone. More than ever before, it’s crucial that you bring a beginner’s mind to your evaluations of other human beings. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I want to see your willpower surge and throb and carry you to a ringing triumph in the next two weeks, Virgo. I hope to be cheering you on as you complete a plucky effort to overcome some longstanding obstacle…as you put the finishing touches on an epic struggle to defeat a seemingly intractable foe…as you rise up with a herculean flourish and put the stamp of your uniqueness on a success that will last a long time.

Across 1 He gives canned responses 6 Fall flower 11 Adobe file ext. 14 One-named singer who guest starred on “The Love Boat” 15 Surplus 16 Regret 17 Currency in Istanbul 19 “Son of ” in Arabic names 20 Quebec neighbor: abbr. 21 Be loud with the bells 22 Andrew ___ Webber 24 2003 Tom Cruise film set in Japan 28 ___Pen (injection for allergic reactions) 29 TV show retroactively subtitled “Las Vegas” 30 Strange 36 Go down like a rock 40 Puppy, say 41 Baby garments with snaps 43 Meadow noise 44 Basket or head follower 46 Take a tour of the Serengeti 48 “___ Stoops to Conquer” 50 Couch ___ (“The Simpsons” opening bit) 51 1982 Julie Andrews genderbender 59 Buzzing with excitement 60 It wafts in the air

61 Org. with Dirk and Dwyane 63 11 of 12: abbr. 64 Office building problem that’s a hint to this puzzle’s theme entries (see their last three letters) 68 Dir. opposite SSW 69 Author Calvino 70 Tuesday, in New Orleans 71 “Atlas Shrugged” author Rand 72 Reese of “Touched by an Angel” 73 Messed (with) Down 1 Prefix for -pus or -mom 2 Surgical device that diverts blood 3 Hotwiring heists 4 Boat with two toucans 5 Louis XVI, e.g. 6 Word repeated in “Ring Around the Rosie” 7 Bug-squishing noise 8 Flip option 9 Go off course 10 Domains 11 Previous 12 Bush II 13 Upscale handbag maker 18 Microdermabrasion site 23 Guzman of “Traffic” 25 Gp. with emission standards 26 Ride to a red carpet 27 Field measurements

30 For checkers, it’s black and white 31 Grant-granting gp. 32 1950s-60s actress Stevens 33 Sign shared by Ben and Casey Affleck 34 Bar opener? 35 “You Will Be My ___ True Love” (song from “Cold Mountain”) 37 Like some childhood friends 38 “That’s neither here ___ there” 39 Carp in a pond 42 Starch that comes from palms 45 It is, in Iquitos 47 In the distance 49 Totally awful 51 She used to turn, but now taps 52 O. Henry specialty 53 Witch group 54 Far from meek 55 Pastoral poem 56 Drink on a ski trip 57 Carson Daly’s old MTV show, for short 58 Follow the rules 62 Dry as a bone 65 Season opposite hiver 66 Accident victim helper 67 ___ De Jing (classic Chinese text)

Crossword created By Matt Jones. © 2010 Jonesin’ Crosswords. 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 #0476.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The Italian word terribilità was originally used by art critics to describe the sculptures and paintings of Michelangelo. According to various dictionaries, it refers to “a sense of awe-inspiring grandeur,” “the sublime mixed with amazement,” or “an astonishing creation that provokes reverent humility.” In my astrological opinion, terribilità is a prerequisite for the next chapter of your life story. You need be flabbergasted by stunning beauty. Where can you go to get it? A natural wonder might do the trick, or some exalted architecture, or the biography of a superb human being, or works of art or music that make you sob with cathartic joy. For extra credit, put yourself in the path of all the above. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In a favorable review of Badger Mountain Riesling wine, Winelibrary.com said, “The sweet succulent aromas of bosc pears are woven with lilacs and just a hint of petrol.” Meanwhile, Allure magazine named Sécrétions Magnifique as one of the top five sexiest perfumes in the world, even though its fragrance is like “floral bilge.” Petrol? Bilge? Both commentaries seem to suggest that greatness may contain a taint—or even that the very nature of greatness may require it to have a trace of something offensive. I’m guessing that’ll be a theme for you in the coming week. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): During the grace period you’re currently enjoying, you have a talent for tuning in to the raw potential of whatever situation is right in front of you; you just naturally know how to establish rapport with circumstances you’ve never seen before. That’s why your spontaneous urges are likely to generate fun learning experiences, not awkward messes. You’ll thrive as you improvise adeptly with volatile forces. It may therefore seem like your progress will be easy, even a bit magical. Some people may regard your breakthroughs as unearned. But you and I will know that you’re merely harvesting the benefits that come from a long period of honing your powers. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A few single friends of mine use the dating site OkCupid to meet potential lovers. One woman got the following notice: “We are pleased to report that you are in the top half of

By Rob Brezsny Truthrooster@gmail.com OkCupid’s most attractive users. How can we say this with confidence? Because we’ve tracked click-thrus on your photo and analyzed other people’s reactions to you…Your new elite status comes with one important privilege: You will now see more attractive people in your match results. Also! You’ll be shown to more attractive people in their match results. And, no, we didn’t send this email to everyone on OkCupid. Go ask an ugly friend.” According to my analysis of the astrological omens, Capricorn, you will soon receive a metaphorically comparable message, not from OkCupid, but from the universe itself. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The liberation movement kindled in the 1960s wasn’t all fun and games. It ushered in expansive new ways of thinking about gender, race, sexuality, spirituality, music, and consciousness itself, but it was fueled by anger as well as by the longing for pleasure and meaning and transcendence. A key focus of the rage was opposition to the Vietnam War. The adrenaline stirred by anti-war protests was an instrumental part of the mix that propelled the entire era’s push for freedom. I’m hoping that the oil hemorrhage in the Gulf of Mexico will become a similar beacon in the next ten years. Can you think of a comparable prod in your personal life, Aquarius? A gnawing injustice that will help awaken and feed your irresistible drive to emancipate yourself? PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Here’s a thought from Piscean poet W.H. Auden: “The image of myself which I try to create in my own mind in order that I may love myself is very different from the image which I try to create in the minds of others in order that they may love me.” If what Auden describes is true for you, I suggest you try this experiment: Merge the two images; see if you can make them the same. You’re entering a phase in your cycle when you will have a tremendous opportunity to unify the inner and outer parts of your life. (And if Auden’s description is not true for you, congratulations: You are either an enlightened saint or well on your way to becoming one.) ARIES (March 21-April 19): “Thou shalt not kill” is a crucial rule for you to follow, and not just in the literal sense. According to my reading of the astrological omens, you should also be extra vigilant as you avoid more metaphorical kinds of destruction. Please be careful not to unleash ill-chosen words that would crush someone’s spirit (including your own). Don’t douse newly kindled fires, don’t burn recently built bridges, and don’t deprive fresh sprouts of the light they need to keep growing. To put this all in a more positive frame: It’s time for you to engage in a reverent and boisterous celebration of life, nurturing and fostering and stimulating everywhere you go. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The baseball game was over. TV announcer Mike Krukow was describing the “ugly victory” that the San Francisco Giants had just achieved. The team’s efforts were sloppy and chaotic, he said, and yet the win counted just as much as a more elegant triumph. He ended with a flourish: “No one wants to hear about the labor pains; they just want to see the baby.” That’s my message to you this week, Taurus. All that matters is that you get the job done. It doesn’t matter whether you look good doing it. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Here’s the really good news: CIA director Leon Panetta says there are fewer than 100 Al-Qaeda combatants in Afghanistan. Here’s the utterly confusing news: The U.S has over 94,000 highly trained human beings in Afghanistan whose express purpose is to destroy Al-Qaeda. I bring this up as a prod to get you to question your own allotment of martial force, Gemini. You definitely need to make sure you have a lavish reserve of fighting spirit primed to serve your highest goals. Just make sure, please, that it’s pointed in the right direction.

www.chattanoogapulse.com | July 15, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | The Pulse

On The Beat

By Alex Teach

For No Reason A

round 1 a.m. on this last Saturday night (morning), for no reason whatsoever, someone in another vehicle shot a 19-year-old male who had been travelling in the 4000 block of Brainerd Road.

“Since when did the area of Brainerd and Belvoir get unsafe after midnight for young men driving aimlessly, possibly even looking for latenight jobs?”

When Officer Alexander D. Teach is not patrolling our fair city on the heels of the criminal element, he is an occasional student, carpenter, boating enthusiast, and spends his spare time volunteering for the Boehm Birth Defects Center. To contact him directtly, follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/alex.teach

Then, the very next night in the 900 block of E. 10th St., another young man (age 20) was standing by a vehicle on the side of a street at 1:20 a.m. and he, too, was shot for no reason whatsoever. As a proponent of order I, of course, absolutely abhor the shooting of young men (or women) for no reason whatsoever. It goes against the grain of a Civilized Society in which we should, by all means, be able to hang out in the middle of neighborhoods recognized for drug resales at 1 a.m. and expect to not be shot. I mean, what kind of city is this when you can’t loiter in the area of E. Martin Luther King Boulevard and Central Avenue at 1 a.m. and not be potentially caught up in what could be misconstrued as a narcotics transaction? And since when did the area of Brainerd and Belvoir get unsafe after midnight for young men driving aimlessly, possibly even looking for late-night jobs? I just don’t understand. Clearly, we should have meetings about this. Barely two and a half miles away from one of these shootings, at the corner of Wilcox and Tunnel Boulevard, we have convenience stores that are apparently responsible for both the shootings and deaths of many more young men who were also shot for no reason whatsoever despite speeches from those locations after the fact by county commissioners saying shootings

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | July 15, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

are wrong (welcome information, I might add) and interestingly enough, the apparent fault of those who invested millions of dollars to provide food and gasoline to the indigenous peoples of that area, as opposed to being the fault of other young men with guns shooting one another (for no reason whatsoever). I am concerned, folks. We have city council people expected not to eat $8,000 worth of sandwiches through the year trying to make decisions on how the mayor should spend money on leasing objects of art to be placed at key traffic islands for a scant $50,000-plus when he has found savings in the cessation of hiring police officers to replace the ones quitting and retiring, and cutting healthcare benefits for those that remain. In order to hire Sustainability Directors and maintain the status quo of Arts and Culture in this City, sacrifices must be made and as an innercity cop, I of course agree with the mayor’s direction, and you could too. Two young men, shot for no reason whatsoever. Council people expected to go hungry. Fire halls expected to go without $20,000 “LEED” stickers (shut up, Greenies; wrong column) on their doors. And now, worst of all, minor police agencies not being allowed to run the largest agencies in the county (and therefore tri-state region). Have I even touched on that yet? Apparently, there is a groundswell of opinion stating that a 100-person agency run by a person whose qualifications consist of possessing a valid Tennessee driver’s license and a non-felony record should run a 500-person agency with triple their population, density, and

exponentially higher crime rates (how does “two” murders compare to “40” murders mathematically, for instance; I literally don’t know) when it will clearly save us money with its mass merger, just as we did with the Department of Education. So what if the DOE merger is a multimilliondollar failure? So what if the last sheriff is currently serving time in a federal penitentiary? By God, there are bad ideas being ignored here, and as Americans we have an obligation to follow them through! The day the local Conoco manager can’t be allowed to run a Walmart location with no oversight or ability to be replaced or relieved is the day I stop feeding antifreeze to my cat. And that’s really saying something, folks. People are being shot for no reason whatsoever. Money is being wasted by replacing cops. Political blunders with our children’s education are at risk of not being repeated with our public safety, and worst of all…people may start asking “how many shots the criminal fired” at our next police officer. Get on the phones, and start organizing committees to organize committees to begin discussing these things. That’s not the town I live in at this point, folks, and it’s not the town I want to start living in. Once we start acknowledging the possibility of accountability in the greater Chattanooga/Hamilton County area from both citizens in drug areas in the middle of the night AND our politicians, well…what do you expect to happen from there? Stop thinking, and start acting. We’re on the edge of avoiding several bad ideas, and we can’t start rocking that boat now, can we? Viva la Dumb. Viva la Dumb.

www.chattanoogapulse.com | July 15, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | The Pulse

Film Feature

Welcome Back to the Jungle

By John DeVore

“Predators, produced by Robert Rodriguez, shows that franchises can be resurrected by good scripts and quality actors, and in some cases, can even surpass the original.”

It’s a little-known fact that

the “Predator” franchise had its genesis in a joke. According to the movie web site IMDB, “someone” mentioned that after Rocky defeated Drago in Rocky IV, there was no one left to fight except E.T. From these humble beginnings, a cavalcade of movies, comics, novels, and action figures captured the hearts and minds of adolescent teen boys from 1987 to the present— myself included. I admit, grudgingly perhaps, that I have seen every “Predator” movie, own

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | July 15, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

a few comics, and have had several sociological and anthropological discussions with likeminded fans about the intricacies that must exist in the society of the Predator species. Predators are cool, and I have time and time again parted with my hard-earned cash with the hope that the newest sequel will live up to the original. Now, I don’t know anyone that would argue that the original Predator is a good movie. Up until midway through the film, action clichés and terrible lines saturated the screen like the sweat dripping from Jesse “The Body” Ventura’s moustache. But then the film takes a turn; the enormous, muscled action heroes are picked off one by one by a mysterious, invisible creature with advanced weaponry and unsettling, guttural clicks. The audience experiences fear through the eyes of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Carl Weathers. When our action heroes are in trouble, who is left to save them? The methodical eradication of strong, capable men by an unseen force in the jungle is where the first Predator succeeded. The audience is allowed to feel the fear of the actors, which brought a C-level action movie up to a solid B+. All of the sequels failed to follow in the footsteps of the original, each one falling farther and farther from what it was that made Predator so successful. Each subsequent movie focused more and more

on the “cool factor” of the antagonist and less and less on the fear created by it. Alien vs. Predator and Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem are both examples of the complete and total destruction of good action/horror franchises. But Predators, produced by Robert Rodriguez, shows that franchises can be resurrected by good scripts and quality actors, and in some cases, can even surpass the original. I’m not saying that this film is for everyone. There were definitely periods of eye rolling, groaning, confusion, and plot contrivances. A human from the planet Earth is most likely not going to be able to identify a plant in the jungle of another world, even if he is a doctor. All Japanese people aren’t automatically proficient in use of a katana. Most people don’t continually narrate their circumstances or provide convenient exposition, unless they just happen to be in a movie. But having said that, Predators is so much better than the last three “Predator movies”, I am willing to forgive even some of the most egregious sins of “bad guy” stereotyping in favor of what works. And that’s simple: This movie creates believable tension, if you are willing to accept the absurdity of the situation. Yes, these characters are dropped into an unbelievable predicament after being abducted by a malevolent extraterrestrial force. The characters all have a history of violence and most are extremely capable

Film Feature

New In Theaters

killers. They have all been chosen as game for these deadly, dreadlocked squid-faced aliens, who keep a preserve for hunting species from across the universe. If you are willing to accept this as a premise, you will get to enjoy the capable acting chops of Laurence Fishburne and Adrien Brody, whose nose is much less distracting here than in other films in which he’s starred, even though it would likely have been lost in a friendlyfire accident long before the action of Predators begins. The Predators themselves are used sparingly and effectively. This is key when creating a monster/horror film, a rule that has apparently been forgotten in recent years. Audiences now are treated to excessive gore, torture, and awful shock value meant to disgust the audience as a way of substituting a turned stomach for one filled with the butterflies of suspense. In a film like Predators, the filmmakers have the added, and much harder, task of using creatures with which the audience is already familiar to create the necessary suspense and fear. In the first film of the series, the audience didn’t know what they were in for; we were surprised when we saw the technology, heard the creepy sounds, and finally witnessed the fearful appearance of the antagonist. In this film, we know all of these things—but the characters don’t. It would be easy for the director to show us the danger every five minutes. Instead, he lets us watch the characters discover what we already know and remind us of how truly terrifying the revelation is. And it is what makes all the difference. If you aren’t already a fan of the series, I suggest you see 1987’s Predator before checking out Predators. For those of us who have waited patiently for a worthwhile sequel— our moment has finally arrived. However, let us go out on a high note. Let the “Predator” franchise rest. We really don’t need another one.

Inception

Predators Directed by Nimrod Antel Starring: Laurence Fishburne, Adrien Brody Rated: R Running time: 1 hour, 47 minutes

By Gary Poole

Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb’s rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back—but only if he can accomplish the impossibleinception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move, an enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming. From the directorial chair of Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight, Memento) comes one

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice Balthazar Blake (Nicolas Cage) is a master sorcerer in modern-day Manhattan trying to defend the city from his arch-nemesis, Maxim Horvath (Alfred Molina). Balthazar can’t do it alone, so he recruits Dave Stutler (Jay Baruchel), a seemingly average guy who demonstrates hidden potential, as his reluctant protégé. The sorcerer gives his unwilling accomplice a crash course in the art and science of magic, and together, these unlikely partners work to stop the forces of darkness. It’ll take all the courage Dave can muster to survive his training, save the city and get the girl as he becomes the Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Starring Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel Directed by Jon Turteltaub

Spoken Word A San Francisco spoken-word artist returns to New Mexico to be with his dying father, only to find he loses his “voice” as he is sucked back in to the

of the most eagerly anticipated films of the summer, one that has been shrouded in some of the tightest secrecy of any film in recent memory. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Ellen Page Directed by Christopher Nolan dysfunctional life of drugs and violence he left behind. Starring Kuno Becker, Ruben Blades Directed by Victor Nunez

Standing Ovation Something for the younger-tween movie audiences. Five street-smart junior high school friends form a singing group to compete in a national music video contest. Starring Al Sapienza, Jeana Zettler Directed by Stewart Raffill

Valhalla Rising For years, One Eye, a mute warrior of supernatural strength, has been held prisoner by the Norse chieftain Barde. Aided by Are, a boy slave, One Eye slays his captor and together he and Are escape, beginning a journey into the heart of darkness. Starring Mads Mikkelsen, Maarten Stevenson Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn www.chattanoogapulse.com | July 15, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | The Pulse

Chattanooga Street Scenes

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | July 15, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

Photography by Louis Lee

Spirits Within

By Joshua Hurley

Keep It Light With White J uly is upon us, so you’re probably burning up in the heat and humidity. Riley’s wants you to cool off with some of our summertime “Great Buys”. Great Buys is where Riley’s Wine and Spirits on Hixson Pike in Hixson picks something special from our large selection of wine and spirits from around the world, lowers the price and then shares it with the readership of The Pulse. This week we offer cool (in our gigantic wine cooler) white wines at low prices. A white wine is any wine made from light-skinned grapes. Colors of white wines vary from clear to a yellow, green or amber hue. As white wine ages, its color tends to darken slightly. Chardonnay The world’s most popular white wine grape is grown throughout the globe. Outstanding chardonnay can come from California, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, France and Argentina. Like most popular grapes, Chardonnay originated in France’s Burgundy region. Chardonnay is the key ingredient in most champagne, and has a wide range of flavor characteristics. Some exhibit buttery, creamy flavors, while others go for a fruit-forward flavor spectrum, such as apples, pears, lemons, melons and pineapples. Some chardonnay is aged in oak, which gives its finish a toasty aftertaste, while others are classified as “unoaked”. For oak haters, this is heavensent, giving this type of chardonnay heavier fruit flavors. Try: Francis Coppola Diamond Chardonnay, $8.70 plus tax; Bogle California Chardonnay, $8.76 plus tax; Four Vines “Unoaked” Chardonnay Naked, $11.11 plus tax; Marque Casa Concha Chilean Chardonnay, $19.99 or two for $32; Down Under Chardonnay 1.5L(Australia) $7.98 plus tax; Meridian Chardonnay, $10.96 plus tax and Beringer Founders Chardonnay 1.5L, $14.99 plus tax.

Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris This white wine has really come into its own during the last ten years. White wine drinkers both young and old love this wine’s light, less dry, fruity characteristics. Pinot grigio is thought to be a relative of the red grape pinot noir; in fact, some grigio grapes are pink. Like chardonnay, this grape originated in France. “Pinot” in French means “pineapple”—named for its pineappleshaped grape clusters—and “grigio” means “gray” in Italian as “gris” does in French. This grape’s flavor characteristics vary according to location. Pinot gris from Oregon may contain pear, apple and melon flavors. Pinot grigio from California can be spicy and peppery with honeysuckle flavors. Italian pinot grigio can contain flavors of lime and lemon and tends to be more full bodied. Try: (Oregon) King Estate Pinot Gris, $17.49 plus tax; Adelsheim Pinot Gris, $16.49 plus tax; (Italy) Voga Pinot Grigio, $11.99 plus tax; Labbiano Pinot Grigio 150mL, $8.19 plus tax; Ruffino Lumina Pinot Grigio, $8.78 plus tax; Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio, $9.99 plus tax; 1.5L Bella Serra, $11.21 plus tax; 1.5L California Beringer Pinot Grigio, $7.96 plus tax. Riesling Considered by experts to be the world’s best white wine grape, riesling’s origins can be traced back to Germania more than 2,000 years ago. Riesling is unique in that it can maintain a high level of acidity and still retain either a low or high level of sugar. Rieslings also age well. They can contain sweet, fruity flavors, such as peaches and apricots, while others can be dry or crisp with a sweet spice flavor. Riesling’s flavor character differs depending on harvestation—early harvestation produces a drier wine, while late harvestation results in a sweeter one. The more time the grape spends on the vine, the more natural sugar it will contain. Try: (Washington) CSM, $7.96 plus tax; (Germany) Schmitt Sohne Relax Riesling 750mL, $10.99/1.5L, $15.96; (California) Barefoot Riesling 1.5 Citrus, $10.49 plus tax; (Australia) Yellow Tail

1.5L, $10.21 plus tax. Sauvignon Blanc or Fume Blanc This white wine is cultivated from a grape of the same name. Sauvignon blanc is widely grown in France and California, with some plantings in Italy, Australia and Chile. In California, sauvignon blanc has become the state’s second mostpopular white wine, behind chardonnay. Sauvignon blanc has a high acid level and should be drunk young. Most share a common flavor characteristic of grass and herbs—an almost earthy quality absent in other varietals. Fume blanc differs in that it has undergone oak aging, which gives it a “smoky” flavor. Try: (California) Francis Coppola Sauvignon Blanc, $5.99 plus tax; Bogle Sauvignon Blanc, $8.76 plus tax; (New Zealand) Starborough, $10.96 plus tax, Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc, $10.53 plus tax; Redcliffe 1.5L, $16.98 plus tax. Moscato Moscato is the “in” wine at the present time, selling at record numbers in both retail stores and restaurants. Moscato is made from the white grape muscat, which varies in color from white to black. You’ve probably tasted muscat before, as it has a wide variety of uses, such as raisins, table grapes, juice and white wine blends. Moscato’s sweet characteristics make it an excellent crossover wine. Try: (Italy) Poggin Castello del Poggio 750mL, $13.82; (California) St. Supery 750mL, $20.49 plus tax; Barefoot Moscato, $10.49 plus tax. www.chattanoogapulse.com | July 15, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | The Pulse

Ask A Mexican!

By Gustavo Arellano

On Dating And Prison

“Hate the haters, but no need to use our mariposa brothers and sisters as slurs against Know Nothings— otherwise, we’re no better than them.”

Ask the Mexican at themexican@ askamexican.net, be his fan on Facebook, follow him on Twitter or ask him a video question at youtube.com/askamexicano!

Dear Mexican, Most Mexicans I know (myself included) feel it’s a terrible disrespect to keep old photos around of you and your ex, and vice versa. I’d never keep pictures of me and an ex around to try and push my new/ current boyfriend’s buttons; I guess I feel it’s a slap in the face. So, when a couple of old photos of my boyfriend and a couple of his exes flashed on his screen saver (they were hugging and kissing), I didn’t flip out. Instead, I asked him about them, and told him they kind of make me feel a bit uncomfortable. Please keep in mind I’ve never been accused of being the jealous type or an insecure mujer. I have a career and life of my own (i.e., I’m not always up his ass). He is white and I explained to him the best I could, saying I guess the Mexicans I know just don’t do those things. I knew walking into this ‘white world’ that most whites have exes on Facebook as friends—hell, some even hang out with them. From my experience as a mexicana, that’s a big no-no. I didn’t say to him it was a deal breaker of any sort, so I’m sure I will deal with it—like I said, I knew dating a white guy that there would be times like these and I accept it. I guess I was just wondering if I was being insecure? Or is there a cultural difference here? — Dolores Dice Dear Wabette, To paraphrase the Mexican’s mariposa

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 28 | July 15, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

counterpart, Dan Savage: Dump the Pendejo Already (DTPA). It’s one thing for a current partner to keep talking with their exes, quite another for them to keep photos of said exes in a place where they see them daily, and quite pendejo to have said pictures of exes hugging and kissing said partner and show them to their current beau. Sure, Mexicans are a bit more skeptical of maintaining a relationship with an expartner than gabachos, and that’s due to a Catholic worldview deeming any previous partner as whorish and unworthy of further thought (unless in the safe zone of being borracho), but your man should’ve shoved those photos to his digital trash bin the minute he committed to you. That he hasn’t says more about him than you, Dolores—so please, DTPA. Dear Mexican, Know Nothing Mexican-haters frequently misquote a report about the California prison population in 2006 by stating that 38 percent of the incarcerated males in Califas are illegal alien Mexicans. They state that “Mexicans,” whom they see as all being illegal, should be deported. There is one fact that the racist pendejos, who are in denial about their sexual preferences, do not mention: 39 percent of the female population in California prisons in 2006 were WHITE! In order to facilitate the Reconquista and reduce crime, do you think that white females should be deported

to Europe? — El Habrano Dear Wab, No, we need gabachas to restart our mestizaje after the coming AztlánAmerican War…wait, is this thing on? What I meant to say is that original stat you cited—the 38 percent one—isn’t too far off: that’s the percentage of Latinos incarcerated in California carceles. But that number covers all imprisoned Latinos, legal and not. As we well know, though, Know Nothings ignore such inconvenient facts in favor of the “findings” of hack think tanks like the Federation for American Immigration Reform and the Center for Immigration Studies, “findings” that our lamestream media usually repeat without question, thus confirming the suspicions of Know Nothings, who repeat them and point to both said hack tanks and media as their citations when arguing. Like that oft-repeated lie that immigrants are more prone to crime than citizens? Debunked by most every legitimate researcher (including this one— buy my book!), yet you’ll never see such reality enter their discourse. I appreciate your sarcasm, but just one quibble, Habrano: what does sexual preference have to do with anything? Hate the haters, but no need to use our mariposa brothers and sisters as slurs against Know Nothings—otherwise, we’re no better than them.