The Pulse - Vol. 7, Issue 42

Chattanooga’s Weekly Alternative

Anatomy of a Dance

by Janis Hashe

FREE • News, Views, Music, Film, Arts & Entertainment • October 21, 2010 • Volume 7, Issue 42 • www.chattanoogapulse.com

President Jim Brewer, II Publisher Zachary Cooper Contributing Editor Janis Hashe News Editor / Art Director Gary Poole Director of Sales Rhonda Rollins Local Sales Manager Jonathan Susman Advertising Sales Rick Leavell, Townes Webb Graphic Design Jennifer Grelier Contributing Writers Gustavo Arellano, Rob Brezsny Chuck Crowder, Michael Crumb John DeVore, Joshua Hurley Matt Jones, Mark Kehoe D.E. Langley, Ernie Paik Garry Poole, Alex Teach Editorial Cartoonist Rick Baldwin Calendar Editors Bryanna Burns, Josh Lang Editorial Intern Blake Hampton, Reginald Owens 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.

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cover story

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11 ANATOMY OF A DANCE Story by Janis Hashe Photos by Lesha Patterson When artists collaborate, if the project is to be a success, somehow, someway, they have to evolve the project’s unspoken language. Beyond words, they have to access each other’s interior worlds. In this case, a dance piece is being created and each dancer has to both accept and project a vision of the collective whole.

Cover photography by Lesha Patterson.

feature stories 18 THEY GOT THE BEAT

By Chuck Crowder You may not know Paul Collins by name, but you’re certainly aware of his legacy. In 1974, Collins formed the pivotal trio The Nerves with Peter Case and Jack Lee. The L.A. favorites are credited with pioneering a new form of power pop that would later resurface in NYC and Britain.

24 BEATING WITH AN URBAN HEART 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.

H ee w xt ne

Chattanooga’s Weekly Alternative

AL NK e NU PU EN uls AN AM WE he P E O T ST ALL k in

OCTOBER

By Michael Crumb Another side of public art will be prominent this weekend as Urban Heart Beat presents four days of events featuring graffiti as an art form. Urban Heart Beat emerges as collaboration among Mark Making, the Hart Gallery and CreateHere.

32 GREAT ACTORS, MANY PLOT HOLES IN RED

By John Devore Despite being cast in roles meant for the aged, there are some actors that just don’t appear to grow old. Even as they play grandparents and retirees, audiences still see them as timeless, statuesque figures.

news & views 5 6 17 27 38

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

everything else 4 5 9 9 19 20 25 29 35 36 36 37

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

Letters to the Editor No Concern For The People It appears that the people who want and believe in taking away all of the governments of the cities, counties and the Federal Government from having any part in helping the people when there are the circumstances occur, causing distress/misery that was not caused by them [“Election 2010: The Candidates, The Issues”]. Just as the circumstances/ conditions which we have now which were caused by the “deep recession” of 2007 and the formation of the global corporate monopolies investing in the lower monetary value countries for using their people to lower the cost of their manufacturing of goods. Then these global corporation want to send their “name brand” to the US for the consumers to buy, when our citizens are losing their manufacturing jobs and there are not enough jobs available for but one out of six people looking for work.

Carl Brackin Sr.

Missing A Villain What! [“The Ten Most Badass Video Game Villains”, The List] Where is DIABLO! Lord of Terror!

John Sapper Welcome Back, Max I don’t always agree with Max, but I know he will listen to me and I know he can make me laugh [“The Return of Max Hackett”, Five Questions].

Congrats to WPLZ and Brewer Media for having the guts to get Jammer and Max back on the air.

Butch Revantler Red Bank Politics As Usual At a recent “agenda meeting” held prior to the last city commission meeting in Red Bank, a discussion was brought up by the city manager as to whether or not to schedule a meeting on their regular night of November 2nd (which also happens to be Election Day). I overheard Monty Milliard strongly object

to having that meeting because, “I have two candidates running and they need to be at the polls.” I wonder who those two candidates are? My opinion is that it will be two of the ones who will no doubt elect him as our next mayor and possibly even our next city manager! That’s a scary thought.

Sonny Crawley

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

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Pulse Beats

Quote Of The Week:

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

“After experiences in past elections, we are concerned that some voters might be turned away from the polls because they are not fully aware of their rights.”

— ACLU-Tennessee Executive Director Hedy Weinberg, explaining why the organization is offering a “Voter Empowerment Card” to all potential voters.

Still Time To Find A Best Friend

October is Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month, sponsored each year by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) to encourage Americans to turn their houses into homes by adopting a shelter dog. Each year, millions of dogs enter shelters, yet of the almost 59 million owned dogs in this country, fewer than 20 percent are shelter adoptees.

Dog expert Diane Pomerance, an activist who has owned more than 40 shelter dogs in her lifetime, thinks it’s a shame that more people don’t adopt from a shelter, because the most faithful, healthy and loving dogs are waiting there for new homes.

“People sometimes don’t go to animal shelters to adopt a dog, because they have a lot of misinformation about these animals,” said Pomerance, author of seven books about pets.“They think, ‘I don’t want to inherit someone else’s problem,’ or they simply think all the dogs there are abused or hard to train, or that they won’t be able to find the breed that they want. All of those notions couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, up to nearly 60 percent of dogs in shelters are not strays, but pets whose families had to give them up because of a loss of income or a change in location. These are faithful, loving dogs who just need a home and some love.”

The key is to know how to choose the right pet for your family, and Dr. Pomerance offered these tips to help families do just that: • Breed — Check online about the different breeds, their temperament, health & physical characteristics. Find out all you can about the specific animal from shelter workers and volunteers.

• Lifestyle —Think about your lifestyle and personality in terms of the kind of dog that would be more compatible with your home and your living

situation.

• Activity level —Assess the activity level and exercise requirements of the dog you are considering. Are you able to walk your dog several times a day and play with him?

• Age — Do you want an active puppy that needs attention and training, a middle-aged dog with established behaviors, or an older, less active dog?

• Time — Like children, they require attention, companionship, patience and interaction.

They also require socialization and obedience training.

• Budget – Research the costs of not only adopting a pet (adoption fee), but veterinary care, including spay/neuter, vaccinations, potential injuries or illness, regular checkups, toys, accessories, etc.

• Space – Do you have sufficient room for a dog to move, eat and sleep comfortably? “ Adopting a shelter dog is a lifetime choice, as

Here is one of the more interesting agenda items set to be discussed at the Tuesday, October 26 meeting of the Chattanooga City Council.

these pets will likely spend the rest of their lives with you, and it is not something that should be taken lightly,” Pomerance added. “That being said, it is a positive choice, and one that will bring joy and love into your home and provide your family a loyal, caring companion.”

Want A Halloween Costume That Really Sucks?

Foothill Creations asks, “Are you jealous of CEOs and their multi-million-dollar golden parachutes? Do you want your own $1,600 shower curtains paid for by the American taxpayer? Do you wish that you, too, could suck the life force out of your fellow citizens? Now you can—with Wall Street Bloodsuckers™!”

Company materials continue, “Welcome to the first product on the market that allows you to instantly join the ranks of that blood-thirsty, pin-striped, subspecies known as The Banking Executive (nocturnes huminus financitis).

“Wall Street Bloodsuckers™ can help you take what’s rightfully yours. You deserve a second mansion in a sunny part of the country and five luxury cars complete with mink-lined interiors. Why should the people who work on Wall Street have all the fun?”

Wall Street Bloodsuckers™ can be purchased online at www.DraculaFangs.com for $19.99 a pair. The company notes, “Like the Dracula Fangs™ made and sold by Foothills Creations LTD, they come in medium and large sizes, so no matter how big or small your teeth are, you can still sink them into the average American taxpayer.”

7. Resolutions: a) A resolution authorizing and directing the Clerk of the Council to advertise for public hearing on November 16, 2010, the annexation of certain territory contiguous to the present corporate limits of said city, being the northern most part of Tax Map Parcel No. 153-007 located along West Hills Drive near Cummings Highway in Hamilton County, Tennessee, owned by Obar Investments, LLC, being more fully described herein.

Just when you thought annexation had dropped off the radar, comes another resolution calling for a public hearing on yet another proposed piece of annexation. If the resolution passes, the public hearing will be held right after the regularly scheduled city council meeting on Tuesday, November 16.

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

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Beyond The Headlines

By Mark Kehoe

A Hairy Dilemma I saw Kathy for a couple months before

I cheated on her with Alyssa. It was just the one time. No big deal. I told Kathy everything and she took me back. She wasn’t mad. She didn’t even want to talk about it. No questions asked. We just went on like nothing happened.

Then I cheated on Kathy with Jamie, who works with Alyssa. This time I left Kathy for Jaime. I ended up seeing Jamie for about six months before I ended it. Then there was Rafael and Stephanie—those were just one-time things. Sing Lee and Nisha—off and on for a couple of months. I even went solo for a month or two.

Then I met Greg, and finally got a haircut I was happy with. I realized this past year that cutting hair is an art and not everyone can do it well. With the others I would sit down and we would talk and it was very nice. Yet, I was never really happy with the finished product even though I was paying $20 to $25.

The day I met Greg Robinson, I simply asked for a haircut, sat down, and let him work. I didn’t pay attention to what he was doing either, but I was pleasantly surprised when he was finished. Greg was in no hurry to get me out of there. He is much more meticulous than most as he carefully crafts my Brillolike hair with the precision of a sculptor. He really takes his time and makes sure the customer is getting

just the right cut.

Greg’s been cutting hair for more than 20 years in this area and can do a variety of different styles. I asked what people were getting these days since I am a little out of touch. He laughed and told me that fades, tapers, and designs were the usual. He also told me the Mohawk was making resurgence. He’ll even give you a shave if you want.

I asked Greg how he got started in the business and he told me how his father, “would pull our brains out of our heads.” In other words, his dad wasn’t too gentle when cutting his or his siblings’ hair. So, he thought he could be a little easier on people. He started by giving his brother a haircut. Soon, friends were coming over and paying him $5. He then went on to go to barber school and became licensed. He told me (only after some prodding by me) that he does get

“He is much more meticulous than most as he carefully crafts my Brillo-like hair with the precision of a sculptor.”

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a lot of compliments. I also asked him if he has any awards or certificates and he replied, “The only award I get is the tip you guys give for doing a good job.”

Well, he definitely earns those tips.

Greg cuts at Top of the Line, a little barbershop down at E. 422 Martin Luther King Blvd. The place is as modest and unpretentious as the guys working there. It’s mere blocks from downtown and the UTC campus. But the best part about the shop is the pricing. A regular cut is just $10 and Thursday is college day, so it's only $7 with a student ID. Also, if Greg is busy, Scott or Terry are just as reliable to get that perfect fade or Mohawk.

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

• Once again, drug dealers fail to understand that obeying traffic laws is the best way to not draw attention from the police. A traffic stop on Highway 53 near the Floyd and Calhoun county line resulted in the seizure of more than four-and-a-half pounds of cocaine, leading to the arrest of three people. K-9 units spotted the vehicle, and officers found nine ounces of cocaine inside.

Calhoun Police Chief Garry Moss said officers then got a search warrant for a Resaca-LaFayette Road residence where they found four-and-a-half pounds of suspected cocaine, drug paraphernalia and several forged documents. Three people were taken into custody, facing a variety of federal charges.

• And it’s not just the coke dealers who are having trouble with basic traffic safety. Last week, a traffic stop on Hixson Pike made by the Hamilton County Sheriff ’s deputies resulted in three people being arrested as part of an ongoing methamphetamine investigation in and around the Sequoyah Hills/ Dallas Oaks area of the county. During

the stop, components used to manufacture methamphetamine were discovered and the three occupants of the vehicle were arrested. The three are now facing charges of “Promoting the Process to Manufacture Methamphetamine” and possession of drug paraphernalia.

One of them is also facing two charges of unlawful possession of a weapon after he was discovered with a.45 caliber semi-auto pistol and a pair of brass knuckles.

• Some of the best police work is proactive, such as making sure everyone is where they are supposed to be. Walker County deputies, working with state and federal law enforcement agencies, swept through the county last week double-checking on all registered offenders. “Operation Candy Corn” checked on 40 offenders, most of them sex offenders, to make sure they were living where they said they were, as well as checking for contraband.

As a result, four people were taken into custody for various violations of their parole and probation. The State Board of Pardon and Paroles, the Georgia Department of Corrections and the U.S. Marshals Service all helped with the

The List The Ten Most Popular Halloween Treats 1. Tootsie Roll 2. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup 3. Nestle Crunch 4. Nerds 5. M & Ms 6. Candy Corn 7. Snickers Bar 8. Baby Ruth 9. Milky Way 10. Almond Joy

county-wide sweep.

• And on a sad note this week, Winston, the police-car-eating-dog has died. No, it wasn’t anything he ate. His owners posted on their Facebook page that the mixed-breed dog suffered from a rare heart ailment. Winston came to international notoriety when video of him attacking—and eating—a police car went viral on the Internet. Probably the most famous canine defendant in court history, Winston’s life was spared when Judge Shery Paty ordered him to obedience school. Winston graduated and never ate another car.

As trick-or-treaters look forward to the final weekend of October, adults are heading out to the stores to stock up on treats to give out to the costumed kids. So, we here at The List are doing our part to help the little sugar junkies with a list of their favorites. Any of these would work well, and easier still, come very helpfully in large bags already pre-packaged for easy distribution.

Source: National Confectioners Association

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Cover Story

Story by Janis Hashe Photos by Lesha Patterson

“In essence, I try to let the movement itself cue me in to when I need to step in and give direction, or stand back and observe the flow of action.”

Anatomy Of A Dance Saturday morning at Barking Legs Theater, and the five women onstage are working

on the wavelength.

When artists collaborate, if the project is to be a success, somehow, someway, they have to evolve the project’s unspoken language. Beyond words, they have to access each other’s interior worlds. In this case, a dance piece is being created and each dancer has to both accept and project a vision of the collective whole.

The theater’s work lights are on, casting strong shadows and pooling dark on the stage’s edge. A table with four chairs sits downstage left; the chairs don’t match and are painted black with polka dots. Upstage, a rolling rack with a variety of costumes waits, but for now, the dancers are in sweats and T-shirts, long skirts and pushed-back hair. www.chattanoogapulse.com | Octber 21, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 42 | The Pulse

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Cover Story

“One more time!”

“For Ann!” (laughing) “Maybe you’ll have to jump over Angela.”

They start a movement by shaking out, crawling, rolling.

“So are we leaving out the melting?’

“Oh, no, we’re not!”

They move the table and chairs to center stage, sit down and “melt” off the chairs. They move the table again, to stage right.

“The table can be the caboose!”

“I love retrograding, my brain works backwards.” They repeat a series of movements starting from end to beginning.

“Feeling that weight on the back foot…”

The rolling rack is brought on and they grab things from it, opening a suitcase to find shoes, helping each other put pieces on. Some use tape measures to gauge unknown lengths and heights.

They lie on the lip of the stage; two are now wearing high heels and have to adjust for that. “Oom-pah” music comes on; they stand and clap hands.

“Are you applauding or trying to get someone’s attention?”

“You’re not a mom.” (laughing) “Do your own variations.”

They take a break.

“There’s empty space here that needs to

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be shaded and colored in.”

“What we are playing around with is how to use the audience as one of our tools.”

Before A week earlier, the viewer sits down with Ann Law, founder/director of Barking Legs, and a performer in this piece, though not its choreographer. She is talking about her earliest experiences of dance.

“I was 9 years old and mesmerized by a flamenco dance concert. Her bobby pin hit me in the forehead. ‘Oh my gosh, this is for me!’ I thought…

“When I dance I am all there, here, now…all the senses are awakened.”

She talks about how dance training is evolving. “We are still training in an archaic and superficial manner. If we continue to train only in technique, we will never get to the creative process… pull it into the space and problem solve.

“We need new ways of making dance.

I wish we were seeing more dance here.

We need to enliven the classroom with a desire to enter the unknown.”

She talks about the decision to create this piece. “We said, ‘Let’s make a piece for us…because we are all females [the piece is informed by that]…that’s the mystery of it—the process.”

Cover Story After

which we are engaged. I talked it over with the dancers in rehearsal today, and they concurred. Although the artistic process is innately collaborative (dancers bring their idiosyncrasies and input into the process), I consider a collaborative work as one in which each participant is involved in conception of the idea, and is involved relatively equally in development. Although I expressed a desire to act as a facilitator who made space for the dancers to each bring their own ideas, at this point I seem to be acting as a director who encourages the participants to share their ideas, and to manipulate movement to adjust to their own bodies. I am trying to find a balance between dictating movement and paying attention to what these unique dancers bring to the process.

“In response to determining when to lead and when to let the group work it out, this depends a lot on the movement, the dancers’ relationships in space, and timing. I was influenced by Trisha Brown’s work as a choreographer, in which she gives the dancers a movement problem, and then lets them play with it to find the best solution. This is something that can only be done in action. Even Balanchine incorporated this

“When artists collaborate, if the project is to be a success, somehow, someway, they have to evolve the project’s unspoken language.”

Based on observations of the rehearsal, the viewer asked each of the other dancers a question about their role in the creation of the piece. (“Phrase” is here used in the dance sense of “a series of movements”.) An interesting point is that the viewer’s perceptions did not always coincide with how the participants perceive the process.

Mary LaBianca Several people mentioned that it was a ‘phrase of Mary’s’ that served as the original movement inspiration for the piece the group is working on. How were you yourself inspired to create it...by music, by a concept, etc.?

“I do not think my movement phrase was inspiration for Elizabeth’s concepts behind the piece. She adopted some movement phrasing that I had come up with and manipulated it into her work. We then worked with the phrase as a group to honor how it felt in our bodies and clarify details.

“The movement phrase I developed emerged out of playing around with some Bartenieff Fundamentals and Principles, a set of concepts, principles and exercises developed by Irmgard Bartenieff in application of Rudolf Laban1s movement theories…a study of movement patterns, body systems and senses.”

Elizabeth Longphre In essence, you are choreographing the piece, but Saturday the group seemed to be working on how the collaboration would proceed. In a collaborative piece like this, how are you determining when to lead, and when to stand back and let the group work it out/decide?

“It is still very early in the process, but I do not think ‘collaborative’ is the best word to describe the process in

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Cover Story use of spontaneity in “Serenade”, when a late dancer running into rehearsal determined the beginning of the dance. In essence, I try to let the movement itself cue me in to when I need to step in and give direction, or stand back and observe the flow of action.”

Polly Curtis You had expressed during the rehearsal that you would rather keep moving through the piece than talk about it. As a dancer, do you feel that for you, communication is best expressed nonverbally as you and the other dancers continue to create the piece? Can you elaborate on that?

“I’m not sure I can say that one method is better than another— just different. In this particular piece, thus far we have spent a lot of time talking—about our process, about dance and performance historically, contemporarily, our experiences, understandings, definitions. When I made the comment you reference, I was expressing a desire to explore the piece through movement. I am beginning to see/feel the value of our conversation and dialogue, especially as a way of uncovering biases and perspectives that might otherwise be misunderstood, unexplored, unexpressed. I think that talking has helped us learn about the ways that we think, collectively, and individually, and that valuable information has been unearthed through our debates.

“I also think and feel that nonverbal communication and movement specifically can and will inform

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our process and piece in a wholly different and complementary way. Our relationships deepen and evolve through the process of moving, and talking, and exploring all of these ideas in various ways.

“I’m looking forward to discovering more about our relationships and about Elizabeth’s vision as we delve deeper into the dance, and undoubtedly this movement will include both verbal and nonverbal means of communication and expression.”

Angela Sweet You mentioned that you are also working on a series of YouTube videos as a project. Does live dance performance have a future in an increasingly electronic age? If so, why does it?

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 42 | October 21, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

“I have to start with a disclaimer that I am not at all an expert on this issue yet…I am often asking myself, ‘Why does anyone care to see this, anyways?’ I still don’t have an answer for that one…

“Regardless of that, I do think there is a place for performanceart online. But I don’t think it will serve to replace the live performances. What I envision is using the powers of high-speed video streaming, and the various social media to augment what is happening on stage: to draw people into the live performance, but also to supplement it in a way that was otherwise not possible.

“We were all talking about process the other day. Well, dance is a richly process-oriented art form. We are all familiar with the rehearsal clips they show on Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance. On a certain level, I think people like seeing the performer in that rehearsal stage. It prepares them for the final viewing of the piece, gives them a little more information about its meaning and purpose; it gives the audience a ‘hook’.

I think there is an opportunity for using our electronic capabilities for connecting to the audience in a way that a generation ago we could only dream of.”

More Information: The “works in progress” piece described in this article will be presented November 18 and 19, 7:30 p.m. at Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Avenue. Admission is $5. For reservations, call (423) 624-5347 or visit www. barkinglegs.org

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On The Beat

Just Not Right I

“Granted, the panicked thought had occurred in the space of half a second, but like being shot at or covered in ‘The Poo’…that’s a long freakin’ time to have every cell in your body hunkering down in fear.”

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

walked out of a Home Depot after a massive, brain-melting “Idea Expedition” during a (working, as they all are) lunch break. I’d needed a new sink at the house but I’d also replaced some tile work, and I was considering different stain options for a new deck when I came across an idea for crown molding, and somewhere around then I decided to turn the deck into a carport combo until finally I’d subconsciously begun picking at my clothes and starting to drool. So I opted to leave, the towering aisles shifting and spinning around me…I’m sure the exact same has happened to you, possibly even in that order.

I hit the fresh air of the exit door and for just a split second I was completely gripped by panic.

“Jesus,” I thought. “This isn’t the same parking lot. They’ve rearranged the whole Earth! I could be anywhere. I’m lost. This could be Finland for Chrissakes! I’m totally screwed!”

My pulse began to race and I considered darting back inside the store to formulate a plan, when I sheepishly realized that I was simply at a different store location than the one I usually frequent. I was even embarrassed, though the likelihood of a psychic being nearby to have laughed at me was as great as the Earth being rearranged by a malevolent “They” just to confuse or entrap me. Granted, the panicked thought had occurred in the space of half a second, but like being shot at or covered in “The Poo”…that’s a long freakin’ time to have every cell in your body hunkering down in fear.

Embarrassment dully shrugged off, I moved on to my car and had to laugh at myself. I thought that it was funny that something so goofy and

impossible could rattle me like that—whereas if I’d exited the building to find a human head lying on the pavement, I’d have been less shocked and surprised than if my temporary moment of insanity had been true. Instead of irrational panic over being lost across the world somewhere, I’d have probably thought “Oh. A head,” and called The Boys at The Lab. In fact, that is what I’ve done in the past when I have found them, plus or minus a “kooky” before or after.

Something happens to us (cops). After a few years of working the busier districts, crucial breakers in our brain get tripped, then pulled out and discarded, while others are installed elsewhere to carry the load evenly. (Or, OK, not so evenly.)

Driving down Highway 153 during the holidays one year in my personal car, I saw a group of teens further down the road running across it attempting to beat traffic; I also saw the oncoming traffic and after a quick calculation, realized they weren’t going to make it. Don’t freak out here, but instead of my eyes and mouth going wide in horror, I smiled and said to my passengers “Hey, WATCH THIS!” and sure enough…the last of the group of four was caught by an Impala (new model, not old, thank God) and it sent him cartwheeling into the air, right out of his shoes. “Holy shit that was awesome!”

I said as I put my hazards on and drove up the middle lane to render aid.

Afterwards, my girlfriend said, “You need to check on your nephew. He saw the whole thing thanks to you, and I think he’s kind of messed up. He’s 7 years old, you idiot.” She was right, of course, but it hadn’t occurred to me. (That I was an idiot, not that he was 7.)

Now before you call the mayor (AGAIN), know that while my reaction was…unusual…I was also the only one that didn’t hesitate to rush up there, call for help, and render aid. Literally; a

six-lane highway of stopped traffic, and I was the only one there in a peacoat and jeans trying to stabilize the teenage Darwin Awards Candidate until other cops, EMS, and the Nozzleheads arrived.

He lived, by the way…and they probably even reattached his left foot. Cool, huh? (I mean, “Thank goodness.”) And yes, I talked to my nephew. He’s fine these days, so long as he doesn’t see a car, much less ride in one. (Joke.)

I just have little pity for someone getting hurt doing something so obviously stupid that I cannot prevent.

Insensitive? Sure, slightly…but we’re not ghouls or anything. It’s just business. When a woman I’ve pulled over cries in an attempt to get out of the ticket, I feel nothing. Zero. But when I say something perhaps interpreted as “harsh” or in poor taste to the aforementioned girlfriend (or nun) resulting in them crying…Unfortunately, here, too, I feel…well, not as much as I should.

Mostly the feeling that I should feel something, and that’s not really cool, it turns out…but what is the alternative? Squirt tears at every emotional call and take it all home with me, or suck it up and get to the business of fixing things? Life really is a series of concessions sometimes; unfortunately, these are some of the poorer trades, as any military vet, paramedic, or IRS agent (to name a few) can attest to.

Relax, though: Like a liver and lung tissue, those parts do grow back in time once you quit the smoking or drinking, just as those emotional holes start to close when you get away from constant combat or patrolling. But like any healing (or hurt) person, a little leeway is appreciated.

Particularly on the parking lot of the Home Depot these days.

Say…anyone here lose a shoe? Ha ha ha!

Ahem.

www.chattanoogapulse.com | Octber 21, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 42 | The Pulse

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Music Feature

They Got The Beat

By Chuck Crowder

“In 1977, Collins assembled another high-energy band called The Beat, often compared to likesounding peers The Ramones, Dictators and Blondie.”

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This weekend, JJ’s Bohemia

delivers a treat for those who’ve been craving the days of skinnytie power pop as cult favorite Paul Collins brings his latest project BEAT ARMY to Chattanooga.

You may not know Paul Collins by name, but you’re certainly aware of his legacy. In 1974, Collins formed the pivotal trio The Nerves with Peter Case and Jack Lee. The L.A. favorites are credited with pioneering a new form of power pop that would later resurface

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 42 | October 21, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

in NYC and Britain as they toured with the Ramones and recorded “Hanging on the Telephone,” later a hit for Deborah Harry and Blondie.

In 1977, Collins assembled another high-energy band called The Beat, often compared to like-sounding peers The Ramones, Dictators and Blondie.

Thanks to friends Eddie Money and Bill Graham, The Beat landed a deal with CBS records and toured with contemporaries The Jam, Pere Ubu, The Police, Eddie Money, Huey Lewis & The News and The Plimsouls (fronted by former Nerves band mate Peter Case).

The Beat changed their name to Paul Collins’ Beat when the British ska band English Beat began using a similar name. Paul Collins’ Beat continued to tour and record albums throughout the ’80s, including The Kids Are The Same, Beat Or Not To Beat, Long Time Gone, Live At Universal and their final album One Night, released in 1989. Since then, Collins and crew have continued to kept The Beat alive.

“The BEAT ARMY is my attempt to keep power pop alive and well,” said Collins during a recent interview. “It’s a movement about promoting all the bands who play power pop, punk pop, new wave, garage pop what ever you want to call it rock n roll music that has good melodies and a back beat! I want the folks who have supported this

music over the years to unite and come out en mass to the clubs where rock n roll lives and breathes and help this music survive…”

Collins went on to add, “It so great to see new bands who can really play their instruments and who are making rock n roll music again, music made by hand, there are no machines involved here... just cool cats rocking out!”

Now Collins’ BEAT ARMY is descending upon JJ’s Bohemia this Friday night at 10 p.m. Working on the heels of a recent JJ’s appearance by former Nerves band mate Peter Case, the show is sure to be the same nostalgic glance back to a time when the songs were fast, tight and under four minutes. It should not be missed.

In fact, even Collins is pumped about the show. “I’ve never played Chattanooga, but it is a town I have heard of all my life so I am thrilled to finally be coming! I am the eternal optimist so I am expecting to have a great time and make new friends doing what I love to do the most...playing rock-n-roll music.”

The BEAT ARMY, Future Virgins, Landlord, The Bohannons $7 10 p.m.

Friday, October 22 JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 266-1400. Find JJ’s on Facebook.

New Music Reviews

By Ernie Paik

Ahleuchatistas / FAT32

Merzbow

Split 10”

(Blossoming Noise)

Collection 4

(Gaffer)

Masami Akita, also known as The latest split the force behind 10-inch vinyl Merzbow, release on the is widely French label considered to be Gaffer Records one of the most packs a mean important and wallop, pairing greatest—if not instrumentals from the Asheville, the greatest—noise artists today or ever.

Merzbow is best known for creating earNC band Ahleuchatistas with the Lyon, France twoshredding, uncompromisingly brutal sheets person outfit FAT32; both groups demonstrate of noise, but those who dig deeper into the a compelling intensity but in two distinctly catalog will find an impressively diverse different ways. The impressive track from range of work; noise shouldn’t be considered Ahleuchatistas, entitled “Heraclitean,” is the first “just noise,” and Merzbow doesn’t just release featuring the band’s new configuration make noise. Collection 4 is a cassette-only as a duo, featuring guitarist and founder Shane reissue of one of Merzbow’s early releases, Perlowin and drummer Ryan Oslance. It begins when it was a duo that featured Akita with with a disquieting low rumble of drums with Kiyoshi Mizutani, who played conventional a sustained wash of cymbal hits, underneath instruments with an unconventional style. a queasy guitar that rolls around drunkenly The tape was originally recorded in 1981 on the floor, weaving between the left and and released the following year on the label right channels. Repeated guitar notes squeal, founded by Akita, called Lowest Music & leading to the sounds of a pummeled floor tom, seemingly barreling down a road.

Arts. Some listeners may be shocked at how A guitar line worthy of a spaghetti western un-loud this music is and its sense of space; soundtrack sets a new stage, bringing forth while it’s not normal music by any means, a sound-torrent; Oslance plays quick, tight it’s also not going to immediately make most patterns with rim shots, hi-hat taps, and bass people want to leave the room, like certain drum kicks, punctuated with piercing bursts, other Merzbow releases can. while Perlowin plays his nimble, jittery Dick Collection 4 features three parts of the Dale-esque melodies. The duo steps up the “Remblandt Assemblage Mix,” and it can intensity and tension, throwing even more manic help remind the listener that the outfit’s guitar playing into the tornado, and although it’s name is a tip-of-the-hat to German dada just a seven-minute song, it has the feeling of an artist Kurt Schwitters, who made Merz— epic, ranking among the band’s best work. abstract collages made of detritus and found FAT32, featuring drummer Anto and objects—and ambitious installations called keyboardist John, presents its own bundle of Merzbau (“Merz building”). In the first insanity in the form of the song “Ziiion-Ponk [part01]”; it’s a complicated number, bringing piece, Mizutani plays free improv piano to mind certain avant-thrash-jazz bands, highparts, while Akita taps on pieces of metal, octane Japanese acts like Melt-Banana, and other produces warped radio tones, and performs intense twosomes like Lightning Bolt. John can tape manipulations. The second track is make his keyboard sound like a speed-metal not as stimulating, with harmonica notes guitar, wailing and shredding unabashedly, and prepared guitar strumming and plinky and the track is a complicated string of tightly sounds. The final piece has some of the synchronized sequences, with Anto providing album’s most haunting moments, evoking the right punch to the material. Patterns quickly some spirit-ridden abandoned factory and emerge from seemingly random synth bloops, featuring a violin, chopping guitar notes, with injected samples like what sounds like squeaks, and scrapes. It’s not the visceral, a cartoon character voice, cat sounds, and a violent side of Merzbow; it’s the early, artfragment from an Edith Piaf song. They plow damaged, wandering Merzbow, providing through with a sustained frenzied pace and a reckless abandon, only to end the number with a the aural equivalent of a stroll through a rest period and a crystalline coda. cluttered, junk-filled house. www.chattanoogapulse.com | Octber 21, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 42 | The Pulse

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Music Calendar Thursday Spotlight

The Brock Mcguire Band One of the premier Irish bands shakes a leg at Barking Legs. $15 8 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347. www.barkinglegs.org

Thursday Jimmy Harris 6:30 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202. (423) 499-5055. www.thepalmsathamilton.com The Brock Mcguire Band 8 p.m. Barking Legs, 1322 Dodds Avenue.

(423) 624-5347. www.barkinglegs.org Buckner Brothers 9 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202.

(423) 499-5055. www.thepalmsathamilton.com Downstroke 9:30 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. (423) 267-4644. www.rhythm-brews.com Dead Baby Robots 10 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400.

Find JJ's on Facebook.

SOULEDOUT! Classic and Modern Soul with DJ K7 10 p.m. The Social (next to Public House), 1110 Market St., Ste. 101.

(423) 266-3366.

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The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 42 | October 21, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

Friday Spotlight

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

Friday Johnny Cash Tribute Band 5 p.m. Chattanooga Choo Choo Victorian Lounge, 1400 Market St. (423) 266-5000. www.choochoo.com Ben Friberg Trio 6 p.m. Table 2, 232 E. 11th St. (423) 756-8253. www.table2restaurant.com Jimmy Harris 6:30 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202. (423) 499-5055.

Hurray for the Riff Raff 7 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400.

Find JJ's on Facebook.

Satellites and Sirens 7:30 p.m. The Warehouse, 5716 Ringgold Rd. myspace.com/warehousetn Tim Hughes Quartet 7:30 p.m. Blue Orleans Creole Restaurant, 3208 Amnicola Hwy. (423) 629-6538. blueorleanscreolerestaurant.com

Hegarty & DeYoung 8 p.m. Southside Saloon & Bistro, 1301 Chestnut St. (423) 757-4730. southsidesaloonandbistro.com.

Alan Jabbour & Ken Perlman 8 p.m. Barking Legs, 1322 Dodds Avenue.

(423) 624-5347. www.barkinglegs.org

Dave Walters Trio 8:30 p.m. The Foundry, 1201 South Broad St. (423) 756-3400. www.chattanooganhotel.com Live DJ Party 9 p.m. Spectators, 7804 E. Brainerd Rd. (423) 648- 6679.

Gabe Newell 9 p.m. Raw, 409 Market St. (423) 756-1919. www.myspace.com/jimstriker Shades Of 7, Silence The Sorrow, Snow Black Sunday 9 p.m. Ziggy’s Hideaway, 607 Cherokee Blvd.

(423) 756-4786. myspace.com/ziggyshideaway Dana Rogers 9 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202.

(423) 499-5055.

Monkey Shine 9 p.m. Bart’s Lakeshore, 5600 Lakeshore Dr. (423) 870-0777. www.bartslakeshore.com Foam Party with Riot Punch 6 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 850 Market St. (423) 634-0260.

Blackberry Smoke with Cadillac Saints 10 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. (423) 267-4644. www.rhythm-brews.com BEAT ARMY, Future Virgins, Landlord, The Bohannons 10 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400.

Muddy Mule 10 p.m. T-Bones, 1419 Chestnut St. (423) 266-4240. www.tboneschattanooga.com

The BEAT ARMY, Future Virgins, Landlord, The Bohannons Original power popster Paul Collins hits town with his new group, Beat Army. $7 10 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK. Blvd.

(423) 266-1400. Search on Facebook for JJ’s Bohemia.

Nathan Farrow 10 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar, 5751 Brainerd Rd. (423) 499-9878. www.budssportsbar.com

Saturday Johnny Cash Tribute Band 5 p.m. Chattanooga Choo Choo Centennial Theatre, 1400 Market St. (423) 266-5000. www.choochoo.com Claude Bourbon 8 p.m. Charles & Myrtle’s Coffeehouse, 105 McBrien Rd. (423) 892-4960. www.christunity.org Dave Walters Trio 8:30 p.m. The Foundry, 1201 South Broad St. (423) 756-3400. www.chattanooganhotel.com Faun Fables & the David Daniel-Douglas McCombs Duo 9 p.m. Barking Legs, 1322 Dodds Avenue.

(423) 624-5347. www.barkinglegs.org

Music Calendar

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

Saturday Spotlight

Faun Fables, David Daniell-Doyles McCombs Duo Otherworldly music from Faun Fables, “abstract guitar symphonies” from the Duo. $10 9 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347. www.barkinglegs.org

Matt Martinez 9 p.m. Raw, 409 Market St. (423) 756-1919. www.myspace.com/jimstriker Mi & E 9 p.m. Southside Saloon & Bistro, 1301 Chestnut St. (423) 757-4730. southsidesaloonandbistro.com.

Dana Rogers 9 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202.

(423) 499-5055.

Rollergirls Afterparty 9:30 p.m. Discoteca, 304 E. Main St. (423) 386-3066.

Find Discoteca on Facebook Mark “Porkchop” Holder 10 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St. (inside Days Inn). facebook.com/theofficechatt Bone Heads 10 p.m. Mosaic, 412 Market St. www.mosaicchattanooga.com Mose Giganticus, Emotron, Subteranian Circus, Oxxen 10 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400.

Find JJ's on Facebook

Sunday Spotlight

The Rounders with Adam Hood 10 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. (423) 267-4644. www.rhythm-brews.com Mark Radcliffe 10:30 p.m. Tremont Tavern, 1203 Hixson Pike.

(423) 266-1996.

Sunday Wurstbrats Oompah Band 12:30 p.m. Chattanooga Market, First Tennessee Pavilion, 1826 Carter St. (423) 266-4041. www.chattanoogamarket.com Open Mic w/Jeff Daniels 4 p.m. Ms. Debbie’s Nightlife Lounge 4762 Highway 58, (423) 485-0966. myspace.com/debbieslounge Pay the Reckoning (Irish Music) 6 p.m. Tremont Tavern, 1203 Hixson Pike. (423) 266-1996. www.tremonttavern.com The Measure, Sexy Crimes, Rag Rage, Sloan Stewart 7 p.m. Discoteca, 304 E. Main St. (423) 386-3066.

Find Discoteca on Facebook Uncle Touchy, Righteous Fool 10 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400.

Find JJ's on Facebook

Monday Old Tyme Music 6 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 850 Market St. (423) 634-0260.

Big Band Dance 8 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202.

(423) 499-5055. www.thepalmsathamilton.com Young Livers, The Arteries, Static Radio 10 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400.

Find JJ's on Facebook

Tuesday Ben Friberg Trio 6:30 p.m. Table 2, 232 E. 11th St. (423) 756-8253. www.table2restaurant.com Fried Chicken Trio 8 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202.

(423) 499-5055.

Tim & Reece 9 p.m. Bart’s Lakeshore, 5600 Lakeshore Dr. (423) 870-0777. www.bartslakeshore.com Open Mic with Mike McDade 9 p.m. Tremont Tavern, 1203 Hixson Pike. (423) 266-1996. www.tremonttavern.com American Aquarium w/ Johnathan Sexton the Big Love Choir & Don Gallardo 9:30 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. (423) 267-4644.

The Arrivials, Toys that Kill, P.S. Elliot, Gateway District 10 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400.

Find JJ's on Facebook DJ ScubaSteve Fox and Hound Pub & Grille, 2040 Hamilton Place Blvd #150, (423) 4901200.

Wurstbrats Oompah Band Oktoberfest at the Market, and you can’t beat beer and Wurstbrats.

Free 12:30 p.m.

Chattanooga Market, irst Tennessee Pavilion, 1826 Carter St. (423) 266-4041. www.chattanoogamarket.com

Wednesday Jimmy Harris 6:30 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202. (423) 499-5055. www.thepalmsathamilton.com Johnny B. and Friends 8 p.m. Bourbon Street Music Bar, 2000 E. 23rd St. (423) 826-1985.

Jacob Newman 9 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar, 5751 Brainerd Rd. (423) 499-9878. www.budssportsbar.com Erick Baker with Micah Dalton & Andrew Ripp 9 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. (423) 267-4644. www.rhythm-brews.com Nathan Farrow 9 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202.

(423) 499-5055. www.thepalmsathamilton.com Open Mic with Mark Holder 10 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400.

Find JJ's on Facebook.

www.chattanoogapulse.com | Octber 21, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 42 | The Pulse

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www.chattanoogapulse.com | Octber 21, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 42 | The Pulse

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Arts & Entertainment

By Michael Crumb

Beating with an Urban Heart A

nother side of public art will be prominent this weekend as Urban Heart Beat presents four days of events featuring graffiti as an art form. Urban Heart Beat emerges as collaboration among Mark Making, the Hart Gallery and CreateHere.

Of course, graffiti is and will remain controversial. These events will focus on “legitimate” graffiti, that is, work done on designated public space by a collaboration of artists, pretty much a sort of collective mural making.

In this case, the public space will be the eastern wall of the newly opened Hart Gallery. When Ellen Heavilon discovered that her building had been tagged by local graffiti artists, she felt an impulse to reach out to these artists. This may not happen, but what has happened involves collaboration between Heavilon and Frances McDonald of Mark Making. You have probably already seen projects done by McDonald. The streets with painted months and words on the upper stories of the Midtown Music Hall building and the “obelisk” called “Home”, a part of East Main Street’s public sculpture project, result from McDonald’s efforts.

Her Mark Making organization has received a grant from CreateHere to present three weekend workshops featuring “nationally renowned public art collaborators.” This weekend’s activities will feature Bukue One of Oakland and Berkeley, CA. Bukue One brings his array of skills, including graffiti.

Urban Heart Beat events begin on Thursday with a screening of the film Bomb It: The Global Graffiti Documentary at CreateHere, 55 E. Main St., at 7 p.m. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion of “When does graffiti serve the public?” There are serious issues involved here. Graffiti emerged as an illegal and underground art form. The illegality comes from defacing public spaces,

and this tends to enforce the secrecy of such artists.

Illegal graffiti serves multiple subcultural purposes, and it is not likely to go away anytime soon.

Numerous films include examples of graffiti. Two that come to mind are Oh Lucky Man with Malcolm McDowell and Sex, Lies and Videotape with James Spader. Certain styles of graffiti are attractive, and they often include powerful slogans. Why not promote such work in appropriate public spaces?

Friday, October 22 from 5 – 9 p.m. at CreateHere, a graffiti workshop will be presented by Bukue One. Saturday, October 23, the outdoor aerosol session begins at 1 p.m., as the Hart Gallery will be painted by participants. At 6 p.m. begins a block party featuring Chattanooga’s DJ K7 with an unveiling of the new Hart Gallery wall.

The first Hart Gallery has just opened featuring affordable art by nontraditional artists. The gallery’s mission includes teaching and providing supplies and exhibition space, Funds from sales support the artists and organizations that artists are involved with, as well as the gallery itself.

Nevertheless, the Hart Gallery needs donations from the community to continue with its very laudable mission, so please consider making a donation to the gallery.

Urban Heart Beat concludes on Sunday, October 24. Bukue One will perform a skate demonstration at Chattown Skate Park, 1801 Carter St., beginning at 11:30 a.m. At 1 p.m., the artist will return to CreateHere

“Her Mark Making organization has received a grant from CreateHere to present three weekend workshops featuring nationally renowned public art collaborators.”

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The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 42 | October 21, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

for another workshop concerning income generation from an urban arts background.

At 3 p.m., participants will return to the Hart Gallery for another graffiti session, more precisely, “outdoor aerosol.”

One other excellent result of the Hart Gallery’s presence on Main Street concerns the obelisk sculpture called “Home.” You should know that most of the public artworks in downtown Chattanooga are not permanent installations, though they do reside for a respectable duration. Heavilon has been able to purchase “Home”, so that I will move down Main Street to reside in front of the Hart Gallery as a permanent reminder of the gallery’s role here.

The Hart Gallery represents a dozen artists and work in a variety of media and style, Pricing is very affordable, making it much more possible for ordinary folks to collect art.

For more information about Mark Making, call (423) 266-3041. www.markmaking.org The Hart Gallery, 110 E. Main St. (423) 521-4707. www.hartgallerytn.com

A&E Calendar Highlights Friday

Thursday

Urban HeArt Beat Tonight’s event is two docs about graffiti, Bomb It and This Radiant World, plus panel discussion.

Free 7 p.m.

CreateHere, 55 E. Main St (423) 648-2195. www.createhere.org

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

Heartbreaker 12:45, 3:20, 5:55, 8:30 p.m.

Majestic 12, 311 Broad St. iLead: “Decision Making for the 21st Century” 6 p.m. Hunter Museum of American Art, 10 Bluff View. (423) 266-0944.

Flicks Café: Night Moves 6:30 p.m. Chattanooga Library, 1001 Broad St. (423) 757-5310.

The Photographic Society of Chattanooga Meeting 6:30 p.m. St. John United Methodist Church,3921 Murray Hills Dr. (423) 344-5643 Hunter Mash Up 7:30 p.m. Hunter Museum of American Art, 10 Bluff View.

(423) 266-0944.

“Dracula in Dixie” 7:30 p.m. Chattanooga Choo Choo, 1400 Market St. (423) 266-5000.

UTC Opera Theater A Fright at the Opera 7:30 p.m. UTC Fine Arts Center Roland Hayes Hall, 725 Vine St. (423) 425-4269.

Rachel Feinstein 8 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233.

A Fright at the Opera Scenes from opera’s take on the supernatural. $7 7:30 p.m.

Roland Hayes Concert Hall, UTC Fine Arts Center, Vine & Palmetto Sts. (423) 425-4269.

Saturday

Chattanooga Rollergirls vs. Dixie Derby Girls They’re back in town and ready to roll. $10 in advance at Standard Ink Tattoo or Leo Handmade Gallery, $12 door 8 p.m.

Chattanooga Convention Center, 1150 Carter St. www.chattanoogarollergirls.com

Discover the Nina and Pinta 9 a.m. Ross Landing Park, Riverfront Pkwy. (787) 672-2152. www.thenina.com Friday Morning Art Therapy Group 10 a.m. Rivoli Art Mill, 2301 East 28th St. (423) 322-2514. www.jasmilam.com Boo in the Zoo 5:30 p.m. Chattanooga Zoo, 301 North Holtzclaw Ave. www.chattzoo.org Chattanooga Creation Weekend: “Science Confronts Evolution” 7 p.m. Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5050. www.chattanooga.gov Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D 7, 9 p.m. IMAX Theater at the Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (800) 265-0695.

Paws Around the World 7 p.m. The Mill of Chattanooga, 1601 Gulf St., Suite 100.

(423) 305-6507.

“Dracula in Dixie” 7:30 p.m. Chattanooga Choo Choo, 1400 Market St. (423) 266-5000. www.choochoo.com

Rachel Feinstein 7:30, 10 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233. www.thecomedycatch.com Chattanooga Ghost Tour 7:30 p.m. Walnut Street Bridge, 1 Walnut St. (423) 821-7125. www.chattanoogaghosttours.com UTC Opera Theater A Fright at the Opera 7:30 p.m. UTC Fine Arts Center Roland Hayes Hall, 725 Vine St. (423)425-4269.

Watchmen for the Morning 8 p.m. Covenant College, 14049 Scenic Hwy., Lookout Mountain, GA. (706) 820-1560.

Songs for a New World 8 p.m. Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St. (423) 267-8534. www.theatrecentre.com Hubble 3D 8 p.m. IMAX Theater at the Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (800) 265-0695. www.tnaqua.org Female Impersonation Show Midnight. Images, 6065 Lee Hwy. (423) 855-8210. www.imagesbar.com

Sunday Discover the Nina and Pinta 9 a.m. Ross Landing Park, Riverfront Pkwy. (787) 672-2152. www.thenina.com Native American Pow Wow & Festival 9 a.m. Red Clay State Park, Cleveland, TN. (423) 240-7270.

9th Annual Chattanooga Oktoberfest 10 a.m. First Tennessee Pavilion, 1826 Carter St. (423) 266-4041. www.chattanoogamarket.com Brainerd Farmers Market 10 p.m. Grace Episcopal Church parking lot, 20 Belvoir Ave. The D Play 10:30 a.m. Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St. (423) 267-8534.

Mosaic Market 11 a.m. 412 Market St. (corner of 4th/Market). (423) 624-3915 Rocktoberfest Noon. Rock City, 1400 Patten Rd. Lookout Mountain, GA. (706) 820-2531.

Art Til Dark Noon. Northshore. (423) 413-8999. arttildark.wordpress.com

“Flavors of Tuscany” Exhibit Reception 4 p.m. North River Civic Center, 1009 Executive Dr. (423) 870-8924.

Boo in the Zoo 5:30 p.m. Chattanooga Zoo, 301 North Holtzclaw Ave. “Urban Heart Beat” Block Party 6 p.m. H*art Gallery, 110 E. Main St. (423) 266-3041.

He’s a Good Man 6 p.m. Orchard Knob Missionary Baptist Church, 1734 E. Third St. (423) 629-6115.

3rd annual “Scared Pink” Costume Event 7 p.m. Loose Cannon Arts and Events, 1800 Rossville Blvd. w “Dracula in Dixie” 7:30 p.m. Chattanooga Choo Choo, 1400 Market St. (423) 266-5000.

Rachel Feinstein 7:30, 10 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233.

UTC Opera Theater A Fright at the Opera 7:30 p.m. UTC Fine Arts Center Roland Hayes Hall, 725 Vine St. (423) 425-4269.

Lil Red New version of the favorite fairytale by Destiny Theatre Company. $5 children, $10 adults.

3 p.m.

Chauncey-Goode Auditorium, 1815 Union Ave. (423) 242-5156. www.destinyentertainment.org

Discover the Nina and Pinta 9 a.m. Ross Landing Park, Riverfront Pkwy. (787) 672-2152. www.thenina.com Native American Pow Wow & Festival 9 a.m. Red Clay State Park, Cleveland, TN. (423) 240-7270.

9th Annual Chattanooga Oktoberfest 10 a.m. First Tennessee Pavilion, 1826 Carter St. (423) 266-4041. www.chattanoogamarket.com Rocktoberfest Noon. Rock City, 1400 Patten Rd. Lookout Mountain, GA. (706) 820-2531.

Fort Hill Cemetery Walking Tour 2 p.m. Lee University, 1685 Parker St. NE. www.museumcenter.org He’s a Good Man 5 p.m. Orchard Knob Missionary Baptist Church, 1734 E. Third St. (423) 629-6115.

Walnut St. (423) 821-7125. www.chattanoogaghosttours.com Rachel Feinstein 8 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233. www.thecomedycatch.com

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A&E Calendar Highlights Monday Discover the Nina and Pinta 9 a.m. Ross Landing Park, Riverfront Pkwy. (787) 672-2152. www.thenina.com Pumpkin Patch 3:30 p.m. Grace United Methodist Church, 9833 Hixson Pike.

(423) 842-5872. www.graceumcsd.org Speak Easy: Spoken Word and Poetry 8 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St. www.facebook.com/theofficechat “Flavors of Tuscany” by Cam Busch North River Civic Center, 1009 Executive Dr. Ste. 102.

(423) 870-8924.

“Platters” Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 N. Terrace Rd. (423) 493-0270.

“Butterfly Handled Tea Paraphernalia” Houston Museum of Decorative Arts, 201 High St. (423) 267-7176.

“Their World” River Gallery, 400 E. 2nd St. (423) 265-5033.

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Tuesday Discover the Nina and Pinta 9 a.m. Ross Landing Park, Riverfront Pkwy. (787) 672-2152. www.thenina.com Pumpkin Patch 3:30 p.m. Grace United Methodist Church, 9833 Hixson Pike.

(423) 842-5872. www.graceumcsd.org Classic Literature Book Club: The Age of Innocence 6 p.m. The Camphouse, 1427 Williams St. (423) 432-8579.

Chattanooga Ghost Tour 7:30 p.m. Walnut Street Bridge, 1 Walnut St. (423) 821-7125. w ww.chattanoogaghosttours.com Menopause The Musical 8 p.m. Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5050. www.chattanooga.gov One Year Anniversary Exhibition My Color Image Boutique and Gallery, 330 Frazier Ave. (423) 598-6202.

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

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 42 | October 21, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

Wednesday Discover the Nina and Pinta 9 a.m. Ross Landing Park, Riverfront Pkwy. (787) 672-2152. www.thenina.com Pumpkin Patch 3:30 p.m. Grace United Methodist Church, 9833 Hixson Pike.

(423) 842-5872. www.graceumcsd.org Main Street Farmers Market 4 p.m. Main St. at Williams St. www.mainstfarmersmarket.com SE Funny People Search V 8 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233.

Menopause The Musical 8 p.m. Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5050. www.chattanooga.gov “After Disappearance” Sewanee University Art Gallery, 68 Georgia Ave. “Cosmic Abberation” Leo Handmade Gallery, 22 Frazier Ave. leogallery.blogspot.com “The Whole Ball of Wax” In-Town Gallery, 26A Frazier Ave. (423)267-9214.

Editor’s Pick: Featured Event Of The Week

Lebanon This film has received extraordinary international acclaim.

Made by an Israeli Army vet, it depicts the 1982 Lebanon war—from inside an Israeli tank. Part of the AEC Independent Film Festival.

For times, visit www.carmike.com Majestic 12, 311 Broad St. www.artsedcouncil.org

Life in the Noog

By Chuck Crowder

It’s Okay To Rock The Boat I

“In these modern times, doing things just because it might seem like the ‘right’ or ‘admirable’ thing to do no longer necessarily bestows dignity.”

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

’ve recently enthusiastically entered into a social arrangement with a young lady in which we’ve agreed to commence in regular get-togethers, go out to meals and events as a couple, phone, text and e-mail with frequency and, if the mood should strike, share tender romantic moments (clothing optional). In other words, I’ve started dating someone I really like.

This may not seem like news worth reporting, but for me, the phrase “I really like” in the previous sentence has new meaning in my life. For it’s been in the last year or so that I have decided that doing things just for the sake of doing them is not going to be my M.O. any more. Its success as a way of going through the motions of life has been limited in the past, and such tomfoolery generally puts me in a position where I eventually find myself nibbling on situations way past their expiration date.

Whether it’s a relationship, job, or whatever, my satisfaction and comfort level has always been limited to my motivation to change things up. And, like anyone who’s at least in a boat and not treading water, why rock it?

Most of my friends either own their own business or are self-employed. And I’ve discovered that they’ve done so, in part, because they are smarter than the average bear. They get it. They know that working for someone else won’t deliver the same satisfaction as making their own way.

Likewise, those of my friends who are in a good relationship realize the same satisfaction, and more importantly, happiness. You can tell when a couple is truly in love, versus those staying in it for some arbitrary reason such as false stability, the kids, or fear of what else may be out there. I get that too. I know that change can be a scary thing. That’s why most people don’t rock the boat unless it’s taking on water anyway.

In these modern times, doing things just because it might seem like the “right” or “admirable” thing to do no longer necessarily bestows dignity. It just makes you look like that much more of a sap.

Now, I’m not talking about saving babies from burning buildings. I’m talking about marrying a woman just because she’s pregnant or it’s the “next step” in your relationship, taking or remaining in a boring job just because it pays well, and/or living in a place just because your family is close by or it’s proximity to the mall can’t be beat.

Many of my friends are finding themselves going through divorces as of late. Some of those relationships appeared to be good on the outside, but no one knows what goes on behind closed doors (to quote the classic country ballad). On the other hand, the demise of some of those relationships I could’ve predicted at the wedding reception.

Regardless, seems that everyone in my life these days is finding out that happiness is the noblest pursuit and that without it, your life will never truly be complete.

I’ve been one of those guys who seems to always have a girlfriend. That’s been my

M.O. for most of my life. Ask anyone. It’s not necessarily that I’ve jumped from one to another intentionally. It’s mainly because things have just worked out that way. But after my last ill fated “love the one you’re with” encounter a year or so ago, I decided to cool the jets a little. Why date someone just because they happen to be at the right place at the right time? Why not cherish my singlehood, be happy by myself, take a break, and to quote Cool Hand Luke’s warden, “get my mind right.”

So that’s what I did. I worked on myself, my attitude towards not only relationships, but my career as well. They say things always happen for a reason, and usually at a time when you need them most. My day job that I had truly grown to despise went away, and instead of polishing up the ole resume to find another one, I dug deep into my aspirations and decided to do what would make me the happiest. And it’s proven to have been a good decision (so far). This brings us back to the young lady with whom I’ve taken up as a dating partner.

Just like my career change, she must have come into my life for a reason. She possesses qualities that I’ve always looked for in a relationship, but sometimes lived without. More importantly however, I really like her as a person. They say be careful what you wish for because you just might get it. But even with the fear of the other shoe dropping, why not take chances every now and then in the pursuit of happiness?

Besides, you only get to sail the high seas once.

www.chattanoogapulse.com | Octber 21, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 42 | The Pulse

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The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 42 | October 21, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

Halloween Events, Haunted Houses and Trunk or Treats Friday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Saturday: 10:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Sunday: Noon - 6:30 p.m.

271 Chattanooga Valley Road, Flintstone, GA. www.enchantedmaze.com

Halloween Events Hamilton Place Mall Free Mall Trick or Treating 2100 Hamilton Place Blvd, Chattanooga.

October 31, 6 p.m. www.hamiltonplace.com

Haunted Barn $15 (coupon on web site) Fridays and Saturdays in October 7 p.m. - Midnight 5107 McDonald Road, McDonald, TN. thehauntedbarnchattanooga.com

Bradley Square Mall Free Mall Trick or Treating 200 Paul Huff Parkway NW, Cleveland.

October 31, 6 p.m. www.shopbradleysquare.com Northgate Mall Malloween 271 Northgate Mall, Chattanooga.

October 30, 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. www.visitnorthgatemall.com

through October 31 at 3 a.m.

Collective Visions Event Hall 1925 Rossville Ave., Chattanooga.

Spooky Days @ Creative Discovery $20 Advance; $30 2-Day Pass; Museum $25 Day of Show per day 321 Chesnut Street, www.tinyurl.com/2c44htq Chattanooga.

Classic Horror Films October 30, 3 p.m.

October 5 - Buffy the Vampire Storytellers at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Slayer episodes “Hush” & “Once Admission: $10.95 More With Feeling.” www.cdmfun.org Public Library, 1001 Broad St., Chattanooga.

Boneyard Boogie – Halloween (423) 757-5310 Party lib.chattanooga.gov Friday, October 29, at 8 p.m.

Haunted Houses Haunted Carnevil: Vampire Nation $20 (includes mini-golf and other treats) Fridays and Saturdays in October, Doors open at 7 p.m.

5918 Brainerd Road, Chattanooga. www.sirgoonys.com Enchanted Maize $9 Adults, $7 Kids Thursdays – Sundays in October Thursday: 9 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Haunted Hilltop $15 all ages Fridays and Saturdays in October 7 p.m. – 1 a.m.

8235 Highway 58, Harrison, TN. www.thehauntedhilltop.com Massacre on Meighan $20 Every Thursday - Sunday Doors open at 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. on Thursdays and Sundays 1404 Cowart St, Chattanooga. www.massacreonmeighan.com

www.chattanoogapulse.com | Octber 21, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 42 | The Pulse

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Halloween Events, Haunted Houses and Trunk or Treats Blowing Screams Farm Forest of Fear - $15 Ghost Ride - $10 (Both for $20) Fridays and Saturdays in October Doors open at 7 p.m.

271 Chattanooga Valley Road, Flintstone, GA. www.blowingscreamsfarm.com Ruby Falls Haunted Cavern $22 at the door, ($20 online) September 25; October: 1, 2, 8, 9, 15-17, 21-24, 28-31 8 p.m. – 11 p.m.

1720 South Scenic Highway, Chattanooga. www.hauntedcavern.com Lodge of Fear $5 on October 8 $10 every night after

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Chattanooga.

October 27 from 6:30 p.m. until all the candy is gone.

Chattanooga Valley Baptist 90 Nickajack Lane, Flintstone, GA. October 31 from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. (while treats last) October 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30 (Every Friday and Saturday after first weekend of October) 8 p.m. – Midnight Masonic Lodge, 1500 Dodds Ave., Chattanooga. lodgehaunt.moonfruit.com House of Horrors $10 Every Friday and Saturday in October, also on Halloween.

7 p.m. – Midnight

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 42 | October 21, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

(10 p.m. on Sundays) 140 Edwards Street, Cleveland. www.wewillscareyou.com Trunk or Treats Trinity Lutheran Church 5001 Hixson Pike, Hixson Oct. 29 from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. (while treats last) Jones Memorial Church 4131 Ringgold Road,

St. Mark United Methodist 701 Mississippi Avenue, Chattanooga, October 31 from 5 p.m. until all the candy is gone.

Red Bank United Methodist Church 3800 Dayton Blvd, Chattanooga.

October 31 from 3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. (while treats last)

www.chattanoogapulse.com | Octber 21, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 42 | The Pulse

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Film Feature

Great Actors, Many Plot Holes in Red D

By John DeVore

“While it’s fun to watch all of them, the movie seems a little long, a little boring, and a little unnecessary.”

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espite being cast in roles meant for the aged, there are some actors that just don’t appear to grow old. Even as they play grandparents and retirees, audiences still see them as timeless, statuesque figures, paragons of powerful performance, character, and class. Clint Eastwood will always have the dangerous glint in his eye; he and Jack Palance will always be tough, leathery examples of the American man. Sophia Loren will always be the exotic beauty, God’s perfection in female form.

And Bruce Willis, who plays a supposedly retired CIA superspy/black-op specialist in Red, will forever be our action hero, capable of incredible feats of absurd violence and mayhem, always with a touch of humor and incredulity. In almost every film he stars in, he is John McClane. The names might change from movie to movie, but he remains our softspoken, dead-eyed, lethal enforcer of truth and justice. Much like his Red counterpart, Willis doesn’t convincingly fit into the role of retirement. He has too much life left in him.

I never quite believe most spy movies.

There are some, like the incredible Breach, that realistically show government spooks in their element. But most seem to think that while the U.S. government is so inefficient

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 42 | October 21, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

and self-serving that it refuses to deliver mail on Columbus Day, it is conversely capable of running defense and information agencies like the CIA with alarming precision and deadly accuracy. The web of deception and conspiracy runs deep in Red, which is an acronym for “Retired and Extremely Dangerous”. Its plot, which is copied and pasted from bargain-bin mysteries sold in airports, and actually celebrated by the filmmakers with a wry amount of selfawareness, involves shadowy Dick Cheney-like businessmen, Guatemalan black-ops missions, and tight-laced professional assassins. Our cast of retirees reads like the discerning moviegoers’ dream: Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren, Brian Cox, Ernest Borgnine, Richard Dreyfuss. And yet, while it’s fun to watch all of them, the movie seems a little long, a little boring, and a little unnecessary.

That isn’t to say that it’s bad; the performances are what you would expect from the dynamite cast. The actors in this film are as veteran as the killers they depict.

The younger actors, like the always fun Karl Urban, deliver stellar performances as well.

But I can’t quite tell you that it’s a good movie either. It exists somewhere in the middle, in the limbo of forgotten action movies soon to be rediscovered on cable television, in the middle of the day on Saturdays, playing against the ESPN Game of the Week or ABC’s coverage of the Master’s tournament. Morgan Freeman isn’t used enough, really. Helen Mirren either, as she is simply the token femme fatale in the boys’ locker room. Bruce Willis is simply reprising a role that we’ve seen him in time and time again, in a film that channels The Whole Nine Yards in terms of dark humor

and tone. And John Malkovich plays crazy well, but we’ve seen crazy John Malkovich. It had to have been expensive to get all of these wonderful actors together on one project.

Could they not have been given a more substantial script? I have no doubt that the movie will make its money back. But it seems like a waste of great talents.

Red is based on a DC comic series that I haven’t read; maybe it is pretty faithful to the original text. Visually, the movie is well done. The explosions look sophisticated, the stunts were fun to watch, and the fight scenes, particularly with Urban and Willis set to Aerosmith, were enjoyable. But it just wasn’t enough to hold my overall interest.

As a bit of an aside, my viewing had some technical difficulties at the beginning of the film, in which the picture was blank and we could only hear the sound. It was as if we were listening to the radio version of a major motion picture. This went on for around 10 minutes, before someone found the manager and got it fixed. As we sat there in the dark, listening to the film, I let my mind imagine the action, simply from the sound effects and dialogue. After the problem was fixed, they replayed the beginning of the film. The most fun I had was seeing my imagination being represented onscreen. I hope that the writers of the original comic book had a similar experience. That might be the best way to enjoy Red.

Red Directed by Robert Schwentke Starring Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, Richard Dreyfuss Rated PG-13 Running time: 1 hour 51 minutes

www.chattanoogapulse.com | Octber 21, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 42 | The Pulse

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The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 42 | October 21, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

The Pulse • Dining Out Spotlight

Niko’s Makes Mediterranean Local Review by D. E. Langley • Photography by Blake Hampton During the last 50 years, restaurants across the country, and indeed around the world, have tapped into the best from multiple culinary traditions, serving up what is now termed “fusion cuisine”. Nowadays, even small towns often boast a pan-Asian restaurant, and differing regional and ethnic cuisines within our own borders combine with one another, producing such novelties as sushi pizza and lobster fajitas. The best of these establishments, though, always derive from an authentic expression of personal experience.

Nick Kyriakidis grew up in Chattanooga after spending his earliest years in New York. His father was “an Old World chef who worked in New Jersey and New York with all kinds of ethnicities.” (As noted on his own eatery’s web site, his first job was selling tomatoes at his father’s restaurant.)

He’s traveled to his family’s homeland, Greece, multiple times.

For more than three years now, Niko’s has been offering the “Flavors of the South with Tastes of the Mediterranean” to its patrons, but “fusion cuisine” isn’t a term you’ll hear from the mouth of Mr. Kyriakidis. “We shy away from labels,” he told me.

“Greek food is so misunderstood,” he continued. “To many people, our menu might not scream ‘Greek,’ but that’s because so much of it has worked its way into American culture.

But the philosophy is absolutely Greek.

“America is finally starting to reconnect with where its food comes from. There’s no need for that in Greece. They never lost the connection to their food,” he says. Niko’s strives to establish

that connection. “We have partnered with more than a half-dozen local farms... Money spent here stays in the region.”

But there’s more to that connection than provenance. “So much happens around the table over there,” he explains. “Meals are a real source of comfort, and that’s what we’re trying to give people here. When someone leaves here, we want them to say that the food was good and that they had a good time.”

Guests truly benefit from the acuity of this approach. Rather than sticking only to dishes one might find on the table in any given household in Greece, Niko’s menus take the best and offer them alongside reinterpreted Southern classics, new takes on Western European fare, as well as wholly unique creations.

From options including beef and lamb stuffed Dolmades and Fried Green Tomatoes with a fresh goat cheese and prosciutto salad, I chose

to start my meal with the Broiled Feta, topped with thyme honey and crushed pecans. The process changed the texture of the feta completely, and the contrast between it and the crostinis with which it was served nearly matched that between the cheese’s saltiness and the sweetness of the honey.

My entree highlighted the fact that “Mediterranean” can mean more than Greek or Italian. Despite being tempted by the Mushroom Picker’s Pizza (topped with local wild fungi) and a beautifully prepared Braised Lamb Shank, I went with the Crispy Chicken, a breast on the bone fried in chickpea flour with Moroccan spices.

Each cumin-inflected bite was followed by a vegetable couscous, touched with the sweetness of raisins. Served with a peppery harissa yogurt sauce, it was an ideal plate for a cool autumn evening.

Though I visited during dinner, the lunch menu contains loads of dishes just as tantalizing as these. Lamb Pita and Chicken Souvlaki share space with a Chicken Piccata and Butternut Squash Ravioli, ensuring a follow-up visit from me pretty soon.

Comfort without compromise, fine dining that’s not fussy, and multi-ethnic food that’s not fusion. So what is Niko’s? A place where you can sit down for a decadent dinner, nosh on delicious appetizers, or just sip wine, and be just as welcome as everyone else.

Niko’s, 1400 Cowart Street.

Open Monday - Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Call (423) 266-9211.

www.chattanoogapulse.com | Octber 21, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 42 | The Pulse

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Spirits Within Drinks to Get Scared With

By Joshua Hurley

Without a doubt, Halloween is the spookiest time of the year. It gives children and adults alike the chance to play their favorite fantasy characters. For the kids, the upside is a big bag full of candy. For adults, it’s the perfect excuse to dress up and party. This week, Riley’s wants to offer you several “ghoulish” drink recipes and the best “spirit” to use with them as this year’s Halloween Great Buy. Great Buys is where Riley’s Wine and Spirits on Hixson Pike in Hixson picks something special from the area’s favorite selection of wine and spirits from around the world and then shares it with the readership of The Pulse.

Observed on October 31, Halloween was once called All Hallow’s Eve, a pagan holiday, with Celtic origins.

Ancient Celts originally celebrated this holiday in the dead of winter, but festival attendance was always low due to the bitter cold and it was subsequently moved to the fall.

Even then, attendance was still low due to the Celts’ fear of the spirits that were thought to return on this one day of the year to haunt the living. So for protection, festival goers would dress up as the dead spirits in an effort to blend in with those tormenting specters. In an effort of appeasement, the Celts would leave food on their doorsteps, a tradition that’s translated to today’s trick or treating.

This Halloween, Riley’s wants to offer you several quick—but scary— drink recipes sure to appease any unfriendly ghosts!

Zombie In a blender, mix: 1 oz. light rum 1 oz. gold rum 1 oz. dark rum 1/2 oz. apricot brandy 1 oz. lime juice 1 tsp. sugar 2 oz. orange juice 1 oz. pineapple juice • Pour mixture into a glass filled with ice. Garnish with orange slice and maraschino cherry. Top with 1 tsp. of Bacardi 151.

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Bloody Mary 1 1/4 oz. vodka 6 oz. Bloody Mary mix 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 dash lemon juice • Shake and strain into a highball glass, garnish with celery.

Black Cat 1 1/2 oz. vodka 1 oz. Black Haus Black Cherry Schnapps 2 oz. Coke 2 oz. cranberry juice • Shake and strain into a highball glass.

Bloody Brew 1 1/2 oz. vodka 4 oz. beer 4 oz. tomato juice Dash of Tabasco salt & pepper • Mix and pour into a highball glass.

Witches’ Brew 1/2 oz. cranberry juice 1/2 oz. whiskey sour 1 oz. vodka 1 oz. chambord • Shake and strain into a highball glass.

Flaming Pumpkin 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 part Kailua 1 part Bailey’s Irish Cream 1 splash Goldschlaugger • Shake and strain into a highball glass.

Red Devil 1/2 oz. 99 Bananas 2 tsp. lime juice 2 oz. orange juice 1/2 oz. triple sec 1/2 oz. vodka 1/2 oz. sloe gin 1/2 oz. Southern Comfort • Combine in a glass with ice.

Ghost Buster 1 part Kailua 1 part Bailey’s 1 part vodka • Combine in a glass with ice.

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 42 | October 21, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

Free Will Astrology LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In the weeks ahead, Libra, you’re going to be tested on your follow-through.

People will want you to work harder on what has previously come fairly easily. You will be pressured to make good on your promises; you’ll be asked to refine the details that are central to the success of the good new ideas that are floating around. As much as you might be tempted to slip away and fly off in pursuit of things that are more fun, I encourage you to stick with the program. You can’t imagine how important it is for you to learn how to be a more committed builder.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “If you’re strong enough there are no precedents,” said novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald. I think that describes you in the immediate future, Scorpio. I bet you won’t have to answer to ghosts or pay homage to the way things have always been done. You’ll be free to ignore icons that the conventional wisdom idolizes, and there’ll be no need for you to give undeserved respect to experts who have stopped being relevant. By my astrological reckoning, you will be so smart and plucky and energetic that you can work wonders simply by emptying your mind, starting from scratch, and making things up as you go along.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Scientists have discovered an exotic animal that feeds on the bones of dead whales lying on the ocean floor. Known informally as the bone-eating snot-flower worm, it looks like a frilly pink plume growing up out of sheer bone. Believe it or not, Sagittarius, you could take a cue from this creature in the coming weeks. It will be a favorable time for you to draw sustenance from the skeletal remains of big things that were once vital.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): What is the wild and instinctual nature? Radiance magazine posed that question to storyteller Clarissa Pinkola Estes. Here’s her reply: “to establish territory, to find one’s pack, to be in one’s body with certainty and pride regardless of the body’s gifts and limitations, to speak and act in one’s behalf, to be aware, alert, to draw on the innate feminine powers of intuition and sensing, to come into one’s cycles, to find what one belongs to.” I would love to see you specialize in these wild and instinctual arts in the coming weeks, Capricorn. According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you are ready to tap into the deeper reserves of your animal intelligence.

Your body is primed to make you very smart about what you need and how to get what you need.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): When I think of the extraordinary feats of strength you will be capable of in the coming weeks, my mind turns to a Chinese martial artist named Dong Changsheng. Last May, he attached one end of a rope to his eyelids and the other end to a small airplane, then pulled the thousandpound load 15 feet in a minute. I don’t think your demonstration of power will be as literal as his, and I suspect it will be more useful and meaningful. But in certain respects it could be just as amazing.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Scottish scientists decided to see if they could find evidence for the existence of the Loch Ness monster. They took a research submarine down into the murky depths, scanning with sonar. The prehistoric creature was nowhere in sight, but a surprising discovery emerged: Thousands of golf balls litter the bottom of the loch, presumably because the place has been used as an unofficial driving range for years. I predict that you will soon experience a reverse version of this sequence, Pisces: You will go in search of your personal equivalent of lost golf ball—some trivial treasure—but on the way you will have a brush with a living myth.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “There’s one ultimate goal during sex,” says Cosmopolitan magazine, a renowned source of erotic guidance for women. That is “to be as sensually stimulated as possible.” I don’t quite agree with that assessment. Having emotionally pleasing

By Rob Brezsny Truthrooster@gmail.com fun should also be an important consideration, as well as creating a playful ambiance and invoking spiritual grace. But sensual stimulation is good, too. So what, in the view of Cosmopolitan, is the key to cultivating maximum bliss? “Having lots of steamy info at your disposal.” That’s definitely sound advice for you right now, Aries. You’re in a favorable phase for finding out more about everything that will enhance your access to delight, including the sexual kind.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): When the tide is coming in, the creek I live next to flows vigorously toward the south. When the tide’s going out, the water reverses its course and heads swiftly north. Every day, there’s an in-between time when the creek seems confused.

Some currents creep south and others slink north, while here and there eddies whirl in circles. According to my understanding of the astrological omens, Taurus, you are temporarily in a phase that resembles my creek’s time of contrary flows. It’s a perfectly natural place to be.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In fifth grade I was in love with Calley, who was the by far prettiest girl in the school. Sadly, she didn’t return my affection, so I had to be content with adoring her from afar. Eventually I moved away and lost touch. Since then I’ve wondered if she suffered the fate that befalls too many gorgeous women: relying so entirely on her looks to make her way in the world that she never developed many skills. But recently I tracked Calley down via Google and discovered that she had beaten the curse: She has carved out a career as an activist bringing first-rate education to poor children. My question to you is this, Gemini: Are there any qualities you regarded as assets earlier in your life but that eventually turned into liabilities? Any strengths that became weaknesses?

And what are you doing to adjust? It’s a good time to address these themes.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Think back to the last half of 1998. What was going on in your life back then?

According to my astrological projections, you were probably carrying out experiments in a wild frontier… or getting your mind rearranged by rousing teachings and provocative revelations…or breaking through artificial limits that had been quashing your freedom . . . or all of the above. Now you’ve come around again to a similar phase of your grand cycle. Are you ready for action? If you’d like to gather up all the grace flowing in your vicinity, start having fun with escapes, experiments, and expansions.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “I wish I treated my feet with the same tender loving care as I do my face,” wrote Catherine Saint Louis in The New York Times. “But I don’t.” She quotes a study that says more than half of all women are embarrassed about their feet, and notes that Facebook has many “I Hate Feet” groups.

You Leos can’t afford to be under this spell right now. Even more than usual, it’s crucial for you to be well-grounded. So I suggest you maneuver yourself into a state of mind where earthiness is beautiful and appealing to you. Find ways to celebrate your body and improve your relationship with it. How to start?

Love your feet better.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): At this phase of my life, I’m not canvassing door-to-door asking people to donate money to save old growth forests. I’m not a member of groups fighting for an end to the war in Afghanistan or agitating in behalf of animal rights.

My struggle for social and environmental justice is waged primarily through the power of my writing.

I subscribe to the attitude of author Ingrid Bengis, who said, “Words are a form of action, capable of influencing change.” In the coming weeks, I suggest you increase your awareness of how you could transform your world with the power of your language. Is it possible to increase your clout through the way you communicate?

Across 1 Music game with a floor pad, for short 4 Apples that are colorful 9 Vast tales 14 Come up short 15 Warm-weather style of pants 16 Treat in a grease-stained bag 17 Crate for actor Radcliffe (if X=1)?

19 Part of UHF 20 Golden Globes genre 21 Charged particle 23 “Over here!”

24 Marks certain bovine parents (if X=4)?

29 Warm, so to speak 30 Like a fairy tale piper 31 “Simpsons” word added to the OED 34 ___ Hari 37 Architect Gehry 40 Old record label’s boat to reach isolated areas (if X=10)?

44 Poet Federico Garcia ___ 45 Software test version 46 Penn of “Harold & Kumar” 47 GOP opponents 49 Rademacher of “General Hospital” 52 Lugs two giant neighboring letters without any help (if X=8)?

58 “Now I see!”

–mad skillz with math skills.

59 Turkey neighbor: abbr.

60 “Well, I must ___ now...”

62 Unsophisticated 65 Spatula hung from the Jaguars’ scoreboard (if X=9)?

68 Course clubs 69 Large collars 70 Baggage-scanning gp.

71 Army nickname 72 Canine, for one 73 Pig’s digs Down 1 Connecticut senator Christopher 2 Sneezy, e.g.

3 Kidney-related 4 Time period that shaped the Great Lakes 5 ___ de mer 6 Police radio report, for short 7 Saint ___, U.S. Virgin Islands 8 “___ one, half a dozen...”

9 www.harvard.___ 10 Election contender, for short 11 Completely uninformed 12 Ham preparer, perhaps 13 Remains 18 Model married to David Bowie 22 Get some rest 25 ___ Club 26 Dental hygiene brand

27 Minor quarrel 28 Where “You Are” 31 Dial-up alternative 32 Prefix before scope 33 Addition to some prison sentences 35 ___ kwon do 36 They’re not pro 38 Gun rights org.

39 Arizona senator Jon 41 ___ Energy Center (home stadium of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild) 42 Purina competitor 43 “Little Miss Sunshine” actor Paul 48 Message frantically tapped out 50 Signature for #43 51 Feature of Mary, but not marry?

52 City where Yo-Yo Ma was born 53 “Star Trek” crew member 54 Joe Namath was one 55 Muse of lyric poetry 56 Habitual ways 57 Clear Channel-sponsored annual rock event 61 Battle 63 Lang. of T.S. Eliot 64 Compass dir.

66 Tic-tac-toe line 67 It goes boom

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 #0490.

Solution To Last Week’s Crossword

JONESIN’

“Solve for X”

Crossword solutions every week at www.chattanoogapulse.com www.chattanoogapulse.com | Octber 21, 2010 | Vol. 7, Issue 42 | The Pulse

37

Ask A Mexican!

By Gustavo Arellano

Racists and Used Tires

“We’re always looking to save dinero, and the opportunity to get a discount is as irresistible to a Mexican as crossing the border without papers.”

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!

38

Dear Mexican, I’m not the type to let things slide when I see something that strikes me as ignorant, no matter who it is. When my friend’s mom posted jokes on Facebook about Mexicans, and her friends popped up with comments I felt were racist, I just had to step in and say something. They responded with “My best friend is a Mexican,” and “I know lots of Mexicans and I think they’re good people,” and all that. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen it.

Why do people think it’s okay to say racist things as long as they can say they have a Mexican friend? Isn’t this kind of like the kid in grade school who tells you, “Hey, I’m going to make you look stupid in front of the other kids to make myself look good—don’t take it personally?” For myself, I can’t fathom calling somebody my friend then bashing their culture. It makes no sense to me. What’s your opinion on this?

— Bailarina Confundida en el Valle Felíz Dear Confused Ballerina in Happy Valley, Of course racists aren’t racists, and how dare you allege that! They’re just saying the truth! Racists can’t possibly be racists because they have colored friends—and those minorities not only agree with their nonracist amigos, they’re even more non-racist against their own kind and that makes it even more okay to be truthful!

Know Nothings have long used this twisted logic to argue that their rants are right (witness those lunatics who say Arizona’s reprehensible SB1070 and MostCorrupt-Sheriff-in-America Joe Arpayaso enjoy support from “Hispanics,” and that the two are therefore not anti-Mexican) in an

The Pulse | Vol. 7, Issue 42 | October 21, 2010 | www.chattanoogapulse.com

attempt to shut up opponents—I do believe that logical fallacy is called appeal to authority. Or is it honor by association? I forget. Anyhoo, ¡A LA CHINGADA CON ARPAYASO Y SB 1070!

Dear Mexican, Why is it, when Mexicans see a cop on the side of the road over giving someone a ticket, they change their Spanish music to some American station? Then, after they pass, they go back to the Spanish station.

— FM Fool Dear Gabacho, Same reason we take off our sombreros when encountering the same scenario: don’t want to get pulled over for a DWM (Driving While Mexican).

Dear Mexican, I live in what’s known as the East End in Houston. I love the area, which has a lot of Mexicans; unlike the ‘burbs, the area has character, a great urban atmosphere, wonderful architecture, and restaurants other than the cookie-cutter corporate garbage I was used to. I’m curious, however, as to why there’s a used-tire shop about every six blocks!

Do my neighbors never buy new tires? What’s the deal with the scores of tire shops?

— Transplanted Suburban Gabacho Dear Gabacho, Simple capitalism, compa. Houston has no municipal zoning code, which creates a libertarian paradise of businessmen opening nearly whatever they want nearly wherever

they want according to the peculiarities of the market.

Since Houston’s East End hosts some of the city’s traditional barrios, it follows that negocios catering to a working-class clientele would flourish here and in other barrios: segundas (thrift stores), Laundromats, water stores, taquerías, fake-documents sold from a cell-phone accessories storefront, and used-tire shops.

It’s not that Mexicans won’t buy new tires, or even that we can’t afford it: it’s that we’re always looking to save dinero, and the opportunity to get a discount is as irresistible to a Mexican as crossing the border without papers. And please don’t think we’re putting the public at risk, gabachos: no one knows more about the gradations of a balding tire than a Mexican dad or tío.