Cache Magazine by The Herald Journal

The Herald Journal

Jan. 9-15, 2009

Page 2 - The Herald Journal - Cache Magazine - Friday, January 9, 2009

Cache The Herald Journal’s

Arts & Entertainment Calendar

What’s inside this week The car crash you can’t keep your eyes off

Magazine

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Shari Layne drives a Zamboni to prepare the ice for hockey teams at the Eccles Ice Center in North Logan on Wednesday. Learn more about the “complicated” process behind the Zamboni and its colorful history on Page 8. Photo by Alan Murray/Herald Journal

On the cover:

From the editor

HIS WEEK I THOUGHT I would use this space to make a call for entries. Some time in the next couple of months you’ll see a huge change to Cache Magazine. I’m going to keep all the dirty details a secret for now, but I will use that opportunity to debut a new section — a place for teenagers to get their stuff published. The name hasn’t been determined yet, but I’m unofficially dubbing it “a place for teenagers to show off.” I’m hoping students from all around the valley will send in their artwork, their short stories, their poetry, their photographs and anything else they want to show our community. Of course they don’t have to be professional — just creative. So if you know a teenager out there who’s dying to get their work published, send them my way! I’m hoping

Cute

jbaer@hjnews.com

this will really take off and include all sorts of new, fun items. If a teenager needs to get a political rant off their chest, this is the place! If they took a great photo of their friends at the prom and want the world to see it, this is the place! The only stipulations are it must fit on the page and it must be from a teenager. That means I’ll take anything from a 13-year-old to a 19-year-old — this is going to be THEIR space and THEIR chance to show off. Spread the word and tell all the brilliant teens you know to send their stuff to jbaer@hjnews.com or snail mail it to Cache Magazine: 75 W. 300 North, Logan, UT 84321 (you can also drop it off at the Herald Journal office if you’re in the area). Be sure all submissions include a name, age and city of residence. Thanks for your help and have a great weekend, everyone!

Tabernacle Concert & Lecture Series to host triple-header

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Screening Room................... Page 7 Cache Wines...................... Page 12 Regional Reads.................. Page 13

Gypsy-swing, silent surrealism and more at the Eccles Theatre

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Slow Wave

— Jamie Baer Nielson Cache Magazine editor

pet photo of the week

This dog is available for adoption! Pet: George From: The Cache Humane Society Why he’s so lovable: George is a St. Bernard/Lab mix from a broken home. He is quite lonely because his housemate has been fostered. He is large (101 pounds or more) but lovable. George is fixed, housetrained and good with kids, dogs and cats. This big teddy bear knows a few basic commands and has been trained not to jump on furniture. George was raised with a Siberian husky of the same age and if separated needs a VERY loving and affectionate new family. For more information or to meet George, contact Michelle at 792-3920 or michelle@ cachehumane.org, or drop by the shelter at 2370 W. 200 North in Logan.

Slow Wave is created from real people’s dreams as drawn by Jesse Reklaw. Ask Jesse to draw your dream! Visit www.slowwave.com to find out how.

‘Astounding’ quartet up next for music series

described as “astounding.” ACIFICA QUARTET Felix Mendelssohn’s piece, “Quartet musicians (violinists Simin in E minor, Op. 44, No. 2” will open Ganatra and Sibbi Bernhardsthe Pacifica concert. This four-moveson and violist Masumi Per Rostad) ment quartet was written when Menshared music making as teenagers in delssohn was still a teenager, already southern California and Bernhardsson later introduced cellist Brandon Vamos proving himself to be an experienced composer of chamber music. The piece to the quartet. From such a long musiis richly romantic, relying heavily cal friendship has come a long list of on compositional musical accolades. techniques from In May 2006 the If you go ... Beethoven while Pacifica Quartet linking classical became only the form to romantic second chamber • Who: Pacifica Quartet expression. • When: 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 20 music ensemble to Before intermisbe awarded a presti- • Where: USU’s Manon Caine Russell-Kathryn Caine Wanlass Perforsion the Pacifica gious Avery Fisher mance Hall will present “String Career Grant. They • Tickets: $8 for students (with ID) Quartet No. 1, have also won top Metamorphoses international awards or $20 for everyone else; available Nocturnes” by including the Grand at the Taggart Student Center, the Spectrum and at the door the night Gyorgy Ligeti Prize at the 1996 of the concert (1923-2006). Ligeti Coleman Chamber is held in high Music Competition, top prize at the 1997 Concert Art- regard as a modernist who introduced technical innovations in the latter half ists Guild Competition and the 1998 of the 20th century. He is best known Naumburg Chamber Music Award. Currently the Pacifica Quartet serves as for composing music written for Stanley Kubik’s film “2001: A Space Odysfaculty-in-residence at the University sey.” of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and The final performance by the Paciperforming artists-in-residence at the fica Quartet will be Johannes Brahms’ University of Chicago and Boston’s “Quartet in A minor, Op. 51, No. 2.” Longy School of Music. Brahms, a perfectionist by nature, Logan is one stop in a worldwide worked for a decade making countless 2009 tour for the Pacifica. The Chirevisions on the piece before finally cago Tribune and the New York Times have described the group as being “one publishing it in 1873. For more information about the quarof the most vibrant music ensembles tet, visit www.pacificaquartet.com. around” with their performances

Colorado singer/songwriter in line to play at Crumb Brothers Bakery HE BRIDGER FOLK MUSIC T Society will present a concert with Colorado-based singer, songwriter and multi-

instrumentalist Kort McCumber at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, at Crumb Brothers Bakery, 291 S. 300 West, Logan. Tickets are $10 and will be available at the door or by calling 7573468. Seating is limited, so advance purchase is recommended. Kort McCumber weaves a rich and diverse tapestry of musical experience, skill and energy into each and every one of his many musical endeavors. A classically trained pianist and cellist (he learned from his mom, Joy Myers, who played for the Jacksonville Symphony for more than two decades), today McCumber plays guitar, mandolin, banjo, harmonica, piano, bouzouki, cello and more. Over the last 10 years McCumber honed his skills as a working musician playing more than 1,000 live shows throughout the U.S.

and Europe. His first CD, released in 1999, and his sixth project, “Lickskillet Road,” feature appearances from Vince Gill, Sally Van Meter, Don Conoscenti and more. McCumber writes, plays and sings Americana — equal parts folk, country, blues and bluegrass. After moving to Colorado in 2004, the music took a decidedly more country/ bluegrass turn and dug deeper into the roots of his Scotch-Irish heritage. McCumber played collegiate golf at the University of Virginia and Florida. His sister, Beth Wilberger, who plays fiddle and sings harmonies with McCumber, also played collegiate golf at Florida State. His father, Jim, owns McCumber Golf, a worldwide leader in course design and operations and Uncle Mark spent nearly 30 years on the PGA Tour, playing today on the Senior Tour. For more information, visit www.bridger folk.org or www.kortmccumber.com.

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Rhythms

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All mixed up

Tabernacle to host unique triple-header

HE CONCERT AND Lecture Series at the Logan LDS Tabernacle will feature a triple-header program at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9. • The western singing duo Tumbleweeds (Steve Fillmore and “Ugly Earl” Bradley) will bring their unique style of music to the tabernacle. Their brand is a combination of old traditional Western music, including their theme song, “Tumbling Tumbleweeds,” and other old favorites from such performers as Sons of the Pioneers, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Eddy Arnold, plus many original songs of their own. • Randall Bagley will be the first comedian feature in the tabernacle series. He has been performing comedy and juggling for more than 17 years. He is a past winner of the Utah State University comedy competition and came in second place in the Utah Laff-Off. He has previously opened for the Smothers Brothers. • Cathy and David Bush will share

their ideas for “brighter days.” They have been Cache Valley residents for 20 years and are popular presenters of ideas for successful relationships and living. They both enjoy serving in the community, Cache in both civic and church volunteer work and David at USU’s Counseling Center. They both love music and David has been singing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for eight years.

Second annual Burns Supper again coming to Utah State University OBERT BURNS R wove a tapestry of words into beautiful poetry — poetry

Performers still needed for Valentine’s Vaudeville Show HE AMERICAN WEST T Heritage Center will be producing its first-ever Victorian

Valentine’s Vaudeville Show and could still use a few outstanding and unusual performers. The show will run for one night only — Feb. 14 — and will be preceded by a prime rib dinner with all the Victorian trimmings. “We already have some amazing performers,” said David Sidwell, AWHC program director. “We have very lovely and talented singers, a harpist, comedy acts, a

belly dancer (which was actually a popular act for Vaudeville) and even a nose-flute chorus. We have a lot more fun stuff, too. We’re now looking for more unusual acts: dog tricks, stupid human tricks, jugglers, Indian dancers, fire breathers — stuff like that.” For more information, visit www.awhc.org. To seek an audition for the show, contact Sidwell at dsidwell@awhc.org. You can also make a reservation for the dinner and show by calling 245-6050.

that defined a nation and gave millions an identity of who they are: Scots. For the second year, residents of Northern Utah can celebrate the poet at a dinner at Utah State University while observing the 250th anniversary of the great Scottish poet’s birth. The second annual Robert Burns Supper will take place at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, in the International Lounge of the Taggart Student Center. The International Lounge will be transformed into a dining hall filled with the sights, smells and sounds of Scotland. The celebration of Burns’ life and works springs from Burns’ deathbed request to have his legacy commemorated through poetry reading, song singing and a traditional Scottish supper. Burns Suppers have been held across the world on every continent in honor of the great storyteller.

This year marks the 250th anniversary of Burns’ birth, making the supper a special occasion for all who attend. Everyone is invited to the Burns Supper and tickets can be ordered by calling University Catering at USU (7971707). Tickets for the evening’s activities are $25 for members of the general public and $22 for members of the Utah An illustration Scottish of Scottish poet AssociaRobert Burns tion. Youth younger than 13 can attend for $16.50. Ticket reservations are requested by Thursday, Jan. 15, especially for large groups. The University Inn, USU’s guest hotel, offers an accommodation package for those attending Burns Supper fes-

tivities. Ticket packages and lodging rates are available by calling the University Inn at 800-231-5634 and mentioning the “Burns Supper Group.” Utah’s northern region has deep Scottish roots. Bob Gallimore, a member of the Utah Scottish Association and historian, described the region as being a “treasure trove of Scottish influence.” From the original settlers to the name of the USU student center where the dinner will be held, Scotland has left her mark upon our society, he said. The Utah Scottish Association invites all who admire the work of Robert Burns, those of Scottish decent or curious lovers of culture and poetry to attend this event. As Burns’ “Selkirk Grace” reads, “We have meat and we can eat, Sae let the Lord be thankit.” For details on the life of Robert Burns, visit the Utah Scottish Association Web site (www.utahscots.org) or contact Diane Siegried at dsieg freid@gmail.com.

Gypsy-swing and silent surrealism

HE HOT CLUB of San Francisco will present “Silent Surrealism” — an evening of live gypsy jazz and silent films — at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 21 and 22 at the Ellen Eccles Theatre. Tickets are $20, $26, $27 and $32 and can be ordered and printed online anytime without any additional fees by visiting www.CenterForTheArts.us. A wide variety of discounts are available including the Family Fun package, a 50 percent child discount, a 25 percent USU student discount and a 15 percent group discount. For more information, call 752-0026. The Hot Club of San Francisco takes audiences on a journey through the gypsyswing genre and the smoky cabarets of Paris. Led by director Paul Mehling, The Hot Club is an ensemble of accomplished and versatile musicians celebrating the music of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli’s pioneering Hot Club de France. The infectious syncopation and nuttiness of 1930s swing-era music mixed with the mysterious and magical sounds of fingers flying on

Photo by Stuart Brinin

acoustic stringed instruments will conjure up visions of caravans and Parisian cafes in the impressionable minds of its young listeners. The legacy of Reinhardt and Grappelli changed the history of jazz forever. They created an all-string chamber

group that confounded jazz lovers the world over by demonstrating that you don’t have to be American to play jazz. The gypsy-swing story is part magic and mystery, part bravado, part genius and several parts World War II. The San Francisco

ensemble borrows the allstring instrumentation of violin, bass and guitars from the original Hot Club but breathes new life into the music with innovative arrangements of classic tunes and original compositions from the group’s lead guitar-

Grammy winner Kathy Mattea up next ACK BY POPULAR B demand, Kathy Mattea will return to the Ellen Eccles Theatre as

part of her 2008-09 “Moving Mountains” tour. Join the two-time Grammy winner and Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year live in concert at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17 and 18. Tickets are $20, $26, $27 and $32 and can be ordered now by visiting www. CenterForTheArts.us. Over her career, Mattea has placed 15 consecutive top-10 singles on the country charts and is known for such popular classics as “18 Wheels and a Dozen Roses,” “Love at the Five & Dime” and “Where’ve You Been.” Mattea’s new album, “Coal,” was recently nominated for the 2009 Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album. “Coal” is a collection of songs about miners, their families and the impact of mining on Appalachia told

Photo by James Minchin

by some of the greatest songwriters in traditional music.

The album leads with two selections from traditional songwriter Jean Ritchie, “The L&N Don’t Stop Here Anymore” and “Blue Diamond Mines.” Both lament the physical and economic changes caused by mining, particularly when the mines were closed, leaving many without jobs or the connections to the outside world through the coal trains that would stop for their loads. The idea for “Coal” took shape after the 2006 mining disaster in Sago, W.Va., in which a dozen miners died. This collection of songs rings with hardship and hope, with an attachment to the land for better or for worse and with an inescapable intimacy with danger and early death. “It’s such a basic expression that we all resonate with it,” Mattea says, “the struggle to be heard, the struggles against injustice.” To learn more about Mattea, visit www.mattea.com.

ist and director, Paul Mehling. Hearing the ensemble live or on any of their nine albums carries the listener back to the 1930s and the small, smoky jazz clubs of Paris or the refined lounges of the famous Hotel Ritz. Often called gypsy jazz, the music of The Hot Club of San Francisco has entranced audiences around the globe for more than 10 years. For more information about The Hot Club of San Francisco, visit www.hcsf.com. “Silent Surrealism” continues a popular 1920s French tradition, avant-garde cinema and performance. This program includes several short silent films by Charlie Bowers such as “Now You Tell One” and “It’s a Bird,” as well as James Sibley Watson’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” and Harold Shaw’s “The Land Beyond Sunset.” The Hot Club accompanies these films with the music made famous by Grappelli, Reinhardt and the Hot Club de France. “Silent Surrealism” is a multimedia trip back to a time when the artistic and literary style emerged as a means of expressing the imagination.

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At the Ellen Eccles Theatre

Coming up: BYU International Folk Dance Ensemble

he BYU International Folk Dance Ensemble will present “The Gathering” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21. Tickets are $8, $10, $15 and $18. “The Gathering” is comprised of dances from Eastern and Western Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America. The cast and crew of 44, with vibrant, authentic costumes, produces one of the most diverse performing groups in the country.

Coming up: Brian Regan

omedian Brian Regan will perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, and at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27. Tickets are limited and now available for $39.50 (no discounts). The perfect balance of sophisticated writing and physicality, Regan fills theaters nationwide with fervent fans who span generations. For more information, visit www.brianregan.com.

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Film New this week “Bride Wars” Rated PG ★ This cliched comedy tosses out stereotypes about female materialism and cattiness with all the giddy gusto of a newly married woman flinging the bouquet at her single girlfriends. It’s amazing that two of the film’s three writers are women: Casey Wilson of “Saturday Night Live” and June Diane Raphael (the third, Greg DePaul, also gets a story-by credit). But what’s just as baffling is the way in which director Gary Winick, who brought the radiant best out of Jennifer Garner in the 2004 charmer “13 Going on 30,” manages to squander the appealing screen presence of Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway. (Then again, the shrill material does him no favors.) Hudson and Hathaway star as Liv and Emma, best friends who’ve obsessively fantasized about the ideal wedding since childhood. When Liv and Emma both get engaged, they accidentally book their weddings at New York’s Plaza Hotel on the same day. Neither will budge, which leads to an increasingly destructive game of sabotage and oneupmanship. It’s unabashedly mean, yes — think of it as “The War of the Roses,” and the peonies, and the hydrangeas — but it’s also never all that funny. And since this incredibly shallow dilemma is the biggest problem facing these women, it’s impossible to root for them to be happy or care whether their friendship survives. Neither could have picked another date or found another venue? Really? PG for suggestive content, language and some rude behavior. 90 min.

Still playing “Seven Pounds” Rated PG-13 ★★ This is a clever one, all right, but it might actually be too clever for its own good. Will Smith stars as the mysterious Ben Thomas, an IRS agent who drops in on random Los Angeles residents with financial trouble and analyzes whether they’re good or bad. If they’re good, they get the gift of his infinite generosity: a break on their debts, a little extra time to get their affairs in order, and perhaps something even more life-altering if he deems them especially fit. But Smith’s demeanor is so eerily detached and even robotic at times, he makes you wonder whether Ben is functioning as a force of benevolence or evil — for all of two seconds, that is. Come on,

New this week! this is Will Smith we’re talking about here. Nevertheless, Gabriele Muccino (who directed Smith in the 2006 drama “The Pursuit of Happyness”) and writer Grant Nieporte jump all over in time, trying to keep us on our toes. With its many twists and revelations, “Seven Pounds” does make you work, which is vaguely refreshing when so much is so mindless. It makes you wonder, for example, why Ben drives a junker car home each day to his beachfront mansion in Malibu. But it also initiates and drops various subplots when it should have focused more on the relationship between Smith and Rosario Dawson. As one of the chief beneficiaries of Ben’s kindness, Dawson’s Emily Posa literally has a broken heart that he has plans to fix. Dawson is effortlessly lovely as always, and the warm scenes she shares with Smith suggest the kind of classic, tragic weepy “Seven Pounds” could have been if it had shed its pretensions and stopped trying so hard to wow us with its complexity. PG-13 for thematic material, some disturbing content and a scene of sensuality. 118 min. “The Tale of Despereaux” Rated G ★1⁄2 Which came first, the rat or the mouse? Doesn’t really matter. Even though Kate DiCamillo’s book “The Tale of Despereaux” came out in 2003 — and won a Newbery Medal for outstanding children’s literature — the animated film version still feels like a rip-off of “Ratatouille,” which was only released last year. That’s partly because of the premise: It’s a food-laden fairy tale about a rodent (voiced by Matthew Broderick) who must overcome his underdog status to save the day. But the bigger problem is its lack of comparative charm. Whereas the

“The Unborn” Rated PG-13 ★1⁄2 The Kabbalah. Hot college students. A creepy, abandoned mental institution. Gary Oldman. Jogging. Twins. Nazi scientists. A suicidal mother. A lost blue mitten. What do these things have in common? They’re all pieces in the convoluted mythology of “The Unborn.” Best as one can tell, writer-director David S. Goyer’s film is a sort of Jewish version of “The Exorcist,” which is a vaguely novel concept. Catholics are usually the ones who have all the fun purging demons. But gorgeous, sophisticated “Ratatouille” was both a crowd-pleaser and a critical favorite, duly winning the Academy Award for best animated feature, “Despereaux” feels obvious, preachy and heavy-handed. And that’s a surprise given that the script was co-written and produced by Gary Ross, whose previous screenplays include the smart, winning “Dave” and “Pleasantville.” Aside from its muted tones, there’s not a whole lot of subtlety to be found here in the film from directors Sam Fell (“Flushed Away”) and longtime animator Robert Stevenhagen — certainly not in the way it shifts awkwardly among three plots, all of which are connected to Princess Pea (Emma Watson). Roscuro the rat (Dustin Hoffman) accidentally falls into the queen’s soup, killing her and prompting darkness and depression throughout the kingdom of Dor. Roscuro is exiled for the act, but next comes Despereaux, a tiny mouse with giant ears who fears nothing. As such he’s also banished, but then along comes the crass, portly serving girl Miggery Sow

Goyer, who wrote the “Blade” series and co-wrote “The Dark Knight,” makes things laughably more complicated than they needed to be. Well, there are some effective scares here, and you’ll laugh at yourself afterward for jumping like a little girl. But other images and pieces of dialogue are just as hilarious — and that probably wasn’t their intention. (Jane Alexander, as a Holocaust survivor with a secret, delivers a line about Auschwitz that’s particularly off in tone.) Odette Yustman runs around in tight jeans, tank tops and boy shorts as Casey (Tracey Ullman), whose jealousy of the princess threatens the palace and gives Roscuro and Despereaux a chance to redeem themselves. G. 93 min. “Australia” Rated PG-13 ★★ Overlong and self-indulgent, Baz Luhrmann’s homage to epic adventure films feels like a slog through the outback itself. And yet it can be a visually wondrous journey, one with striking visuals that will take your breath away again and again. No one ever doubted the director’s capabilities as an inventive aesthetic stylist — this is the man, after all, who dared to set the balcony scene in a swimming pool in his revisionist of “Romeo + Juliet,” who turned “Moulin Rouge!” into a dizzying dance of light and color, complete with Elton John and Nirvana songs. Here, he focuses his considerable talents on a more traditional genre: the big, old-fashioned, wartime romance. The result is grandiose and dazzling, repetitive and predictable. Set in pre-World War II, “Australia” stars Nicole

Beldon, a young woman being haunted by startling dreams, then a weird little neighborhood boy, then hallucinatory images of insects and finally a full-blown spiritual attack. Only Oldman, who classes things up in his few scenes as a rabbi, can help her fend off the impending possession. Meagan Good gets a couple of amusing zingers as the obligatory wisecracking best friend. PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and terror, disturbing images, thematic material and language including some sexual references. 95 min. Kidman as the British aristocrat Lady Sarah Ashley, who travels to the Northern Territory ranch of Faraway Downs to confront the absent husband she suspects of philandering. She immediately clashes with the roguishly charming Drover (Hugh Jackman in full-on Sexiest-ManAlive mode), who works on the ranch, and Luhrmann is clearly aiming to replicate the kind of chemistry Bogart and Hepburn enjoyed in “The African Queen” with their antagonistically flirty banter. Once Lady Ashley discovers her husband is dead, it’s no big shocker that she finds herself falling in love with the place, and with the Drover (and really, how could she resist?). It also comes as no surprise that, after expressing zero fondness for children, she experiences maternal instincts for the impish Aboriginal boy Nullah (Brandon Walters), who’s adorable but also an unfortunate racial stereotype. PG-13 for some violence, a scene of sensuality and brief strong language. 155 min. — All reviews by The Associated Press

ILM CRITICS AND other media types were abuzz last summer about Harrison Ford reprising his role as archeologist Indiana Jones in “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” and likewise tackling his own stunts at the spry age of 66. Not to blaspheme the fedora, but Clint Eastwood at age 78, in his new movie “Gran Torino,” makes Indy look like a stone cold wuss. I’m not kidding. Eastwood, playing Walt Kowalski, an old Michigan war vet and retired auto worker, squints almost the whole movie and spits out gravely, acidic barbs at anyone, including his own kids and grandkids, who cross the invisible and proverbial line in the sand he has drawn between his rock-solid principles and the amorphous rules of the current generation. Let’s put it this way: I don’t care what film he’s in, Eastwood could narrow his eyes and in his thin-lipped baritone voice say, “I like drinking tea with my Care Bears and Pretty Ponies,” and I’d probably curl into the fetal position out of fear. If my IMDB.com count is right, including “Gran Torino” Eastwood has directed 30 feature films, including “Mystic River,” “Million Dollar Baby,” “Flags of Our Fathers” and “Letters from Iwo Jima.” Eastwood received Oscar nominations for best director for “Mystic River,” “Million Dollar Baby” and “Letters from Iwo Jima.” He won the award (as well as best picture) for “Million Dollar Baby.” Simply put, he is an incredible artist. As for acting, Mr. Eastwood has stated “Gran Torino” is his last role. The film’s title refers to Walt’s 1972 Ford Gran Torino, which, aside from his dog, Daisy, is about the only reliable thing in his life. The movie opens with the funeral for

Screening Room By Andy Morgan

Walt’s wife, Dorothy. Eastwood uses the scene to establish Walt’s outlook on the world — not only is he saying goodbye to his wife but, in effect, he’s tipping his hat and waving goodbye to the standards and security he believes are hallmarks for a good and decent life. In a nutshell, Walt grouses at his sons and the lax manners their children exhibit, and he has no patience for an overbearing, wet-behind-the-ears priest who befriended Dorothy before her death. He tells Walt that Dorothy made him promise he’d get Walt to confession. Salty Walt has more to frown about than teenage texters and kids who buy foreign-made automobiles when he looks out his front door. He stands on his porch, drinking a Pabst Blue Ribbon beer and gazing at a forlorn neighborhood consisting of unkempt lawns and dilapidated houses, all in stark contrast to his manicured grass and tidy home. Moreover, he becomes more agitated when a family of

Torino” as a message movie, much like they probably did with “Million Dollar Baby” and “Letters from Iwo Jima,” but I would wholeheartedly disagree. Eastwood is not a political animal; he’s not trying to spread his liberal or conservative gospel. He’s interested in people and why they act the way they do. If there is a message in this movie, it’s a soft nudge telling us to look beyond skin color, different customs and culture — and even some brackish behavior — and embrace our fellow man with understanding and tolerance. Nothing bad ever came with following the Golden Rule.

★★★★ “Gran Torino” Rated R

Hmong immigrants moves next door. He calls them “gooks,” “chinks,” “zipperheads” and “barbarians.” His anger is stoked even further when a local Hmong gang starts a fight next door and it spills over into his lawn, breaking his lawn gnomes. He inadvertently rescues the family’s teenage son, Thao (Bee Vang), and comes to learn that Thao was the person trying to steal his Gran Torino a few nights before. For days after, the Hmong residents of Walt’s neighborhood deliver meals and flowers to his door. Walt simply wants to be alone, but he begins to realize these stubborn folks, from a culture and country he knows nothing about, have more in common with him than do his own kids. It is the

fatherly relationship that Walt establishes with Thao (whom he calls “Toad”) and his sister, Sue (Ahney Her), that leads to the film’s moving conclusion. Some might look at “Gran

Andy Morgan is a lifelong Cache Valley resident and a member of the Utah Film Critics Association. He is among a number of freelance writers whose columns appear in The Herald Journal as part of an effort to expose readers to a variety of community voices. He is not an employee of the newspaper. Send comments or questions to andrewamorgan@gmail.com.

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Eastwood back with a roar in ‘Gran Torino’

Sometimes the time between the periods of a hockey match, or those few minutes you have to leave the ice while skating for fun, can be just as exciting as the rest as you watch the Zamboni’s smooth drive up and down the ice, leaving a shining trail of shimmering ice in its wake. But what exactly does a Zamboni do? If you have ever taken a child to a hockey game you have undoubtedly heard this question. While it may appear to be a simple process, it is, in fact, very complicated. “It’s a little more complicated than people tend to realize,” said Shari Layne, assistant manager of the Eccles Ice Center. “What people see is the hot water being put down, but that is just the final phase. There are so many different steps that go into resurfacing.” To begin, the machine itself is not actually called a Zamboni, but is instead called an ice-resurfacing machine. Zamboni refers to a company that manufactures ice-resurfacing machines. Over time, the name Zamboni has become synonymous with ice-resurfacing machines, much like the word Kleenex has come to mean tissue. The Eccles Ice Center uses the Zamboni brand of machines. With all the activities that occur on the ice, such as hockey, figure skating, free skating and

more, the surface of the ice is bound to receive some cuts and gouges. To keep the surface safe for these activities it is essential to resurface the ice to create a smooth surface. Before ice-resurfacing machines, resurfacing the ice at a rink was extremely labor intensive and required a significant amount of time. It required hand scraping the ice and using towels to apply a new surface. In the 1940s, a man by the name of Frank Zamboni started building machines that would streamline the process. The earliest models were built on war-surplus jeeps and cost around $5,000. Today, with advances in technology, the ice-resurfacing machines have become more efficient and, in turn, more expensive. The last one purchased for the Eccles Ice Center cost upwards of $80,000. It takes around eight to 10 minutes to cover the entire surface of the ice with a single machine. Each Zamboni can travel at speeds around 9 or 10 mph. Each machine weighs about 5,000 to 6,000 pounds. When the Zamboni goes over the ice, it does several critical things all at once, all of which happen directly under the driver. First off is the 77-inch blade, which shaves off a layer of the ice. The driver can control the depth of the cut, deciding how much to take off by the damage he can see.

Shari Layne drives a Zamboni to prepare the ice for hockey

The shavings from the blade are then transported to the nose of the Zamboni where they are stored until they can be dumped later.

After the blade makes sprayer will wash the ic water. This will get any

From left: Shari Layne drives a Zamboni to prepare the ice at the Eccles Ice Center in North Logan; sprays hot water on the Zamboni to clear

teams at the Eccles Ice Center in North Logan on Wednesday.

s the initial cut, a ce with lukewarm y dirt or grime out of

the deep cracks. After the sprayer is a rubber squeegee that funnels the wash water to a pump that re-circulates the water.

After the ice has been cut, cleaned and dried again, another set of sprayers will apply hot water to the surface of the ice, which is what the fans see when the Zamboni drives by. Why hot water? Because it melts a thin layer of ice, allowing the new water to bond and freeze with the existing ice. Warm water would flake and chip, but hot water creates the necessary bond to keep the surface smooth. The Eccles Ice Center keeps its water at 140 degrees. The Zambonis at the Eccles Ice Center can hold 100 gallons of water, and they hold about 2,600 pounds of shavings. While it may look like just a big truck, there is a little bit more involved when driving the Zamboni. “It really doesn’t take any specific skill set other than confidence and someone that can properly train you,” Layne said. “... You’ve got to be patient with it. It’s not like hopping in your sedan and going for a ride. It’s very specific and a very needy machine. You have to be very aware of what is going on.” The reason the driver has to be so aware is because there is only 1½ inches of ice below them. Layne said the ice center likes to keep the ice thickness at that mark, with 2 inches being too much and 1 inch too little. “It’s a very delicate balance making sure every time we cut the ice we are taking off only what we want and putting back on what we need,” Layne said. Keeping the ice the right thickness is key in maintaining the safety for the people who enjoy the ice. “We have to know that our depth of ice is safe enough for them to do that,” Layne said about hockey players and figure skaters, who apply a lot of stress and pressure onto the ice with the nature of their sports. The Zambonis run eight to 10 times a day at

the ice center, and there are seven trained drivers available. One of the things that makes watching the Zamboni so intoxicating is how fun it looks. Well, that is true, it is fun, because even the boss likes to get on and give it a ride. “The executive director knows how to resurface and every once in awhile likes to get out and drive the Zam,” Layne said. But you don’t necessarily need to be a driver to ride on the Zamboni — just to the right of the driver seat is a passenger seat. While this seat was designed to be used for training purposes, it also gives many people the opportunity to fulfill one of those things-you’ve-got-to-do-once-inyour-life goals. And to top it off, this is not just allowed but encouraged. “We try to encourage them to ride in the game,” Layne said of people riding the Zamboni. “It’s more of a fun atmosphere to take a ride on the Zamboni, with the crowd and the game and everything. ... I think it’s really fun for people to experience riding on the Zamboni and experience up close what it’s like.” Apart from the Zamboni, the crew at the Eccles Ice Center also uses an edger to level out the ice along the boards and hand scrapers to get those hard-to-fix spots. Underneath the ice is a sheet of concrete, which is kept as cold as possible by 11 miles of pipes filled with a freezing agent pumped from a large refrigeration room in the back. Underneath that is a layering of more pipes, sand and gravel, all of which go into keeping the ice as smooth and safe as possible for those who enjoy it. So the next time you go to a hockey game or a figure skating contest, make sure to get caught up in watching the Zamboni go around and around and around as you have done dozens of times before — except this time, you will know why.

r it of ice; fills the Zamboni with water shortly before smoothing out the ice; and sweeps ice out of the doorway of the ice arena on Wednesday.

Page 10 - The Herald Journal - Cache Magazine - Friday, January 9, 2009

The Cache Magazine Bulletin Board Rose” d e R By a d e s s i “K Carty c M n e rt the sta by Lor ht from

“Forever Bound” by Jaron R. Humphreys

ig some r heart rs her name en lone ith a broken e b e v whispe e flame w e y I ha in o When not alone, and with my kind A cowb eet smell of p her face in th sw ee no evil in me I can find. ide the pfire I can s y a red rose iv d e But deep within my cutting thought, Upon th w of my cam was kissed b t r a to he The glo Last night I the evil transforms and takes what it sought. k heart e e h c to When alone it will surround, heart fears cheek e dark, beating of my ke away your th and to this day, I am bound. in g in e ta c th d n n a e a D You ar tecting you ears But that hope that’s in me I will find, y e th pro d all and one day it will devour the evil from my mind. ith you tomorrow, an by a red rose w lk a w I will It will curse the thoughts of evil’s face Today, t I was kissed h e and light will come to take its place. Last nig red ros a y b kissed e rose Imagination is my key s a e z w o I ht ’t d n th but can it change all I see? Last nig as the thorn o red, and didn yes e g Iw ur e Will it pull me into the dark yed, lin s in yo auty sta twinkling star lize e b r or will a light within me spark, u o a e e r th n Yet y e o se air I so will I choose the path that’s good I love to I am in love rough your h I care th u s o r y will I follow a path misunderstood? e g w n o fi h y s e m to os I run Is it possible to change what’s there ing I did ed by a red r s someth and look away from evil’s stare? It was ight I was kis s e e n my k eeze n Last n r More importantly when the time comes to turn around o b r n e w ot do summ will I turn or will I choose forever bound? d as I g ind on a soft e y a r p w tI Tonigh like a gentle would pray I e t m h ig to n e m Each rd let her stay ed rose You co o by a r Oh L kissed s a w I ht Last nig panion canyon t in the u my girl com h g li le s yo Purp e with charm my arm ant to b wrapped in nd put on my w I e r e u yo wh ts a This is will walk with st off my boo red rose I u a d y , b d e d s t-dres t I was kisse s e range e b y h m t on the s another pag u o Put on Last nig g in n n r n u tu r d it ir an med sp reeze beauty eet unta e I see your s in the soft b ase Ann wo w s r u o r I see y beat every tim your shoulde my heart at e She dr rks on the ro iv a a ts er She m es a big mac d, rt skips hair flows ov by the sun pu a red rose akes a hine. y My hea b d e d s e Your is s lo to The co dy k s kis lor is a f money, u Your bo ast night I wa ll green ade yo d new L m e h . when es fresh an S ld h o e m w orks ou com ht e the e k ig b r o l r t y u b in tl o c d All the the sun ys t rfe Go t you m t you is so pe eart with ligh The wo working day. , h I look a r k When erything abou re and fill my ed rose is ve But my Ev , think ry hard, on fi yar y soul was kissed b of the p m t e e s ay. So nex You ht I ful fac ig ti n u t a s e t a b time yo L your place l w u T ia a h d c s in r e I iv k of A eo sp e, ll in lov ought us to a my pleasure The wo nn and then n the road, r ello I fe rk she you’ll s From h w God had b an honor and asure did ay, And th e ne tre en go o is very good And I k ur man will b lways be my d rose n y o o e a r u y r way. , To be ne will d by a You alo ht I was kisse Last nig ought y first th ought m e r a t th You my las light You are dawns early night s s r e e Weath leep welcom red rose GET YOUR STUFF ya ns Or whe was kissed b tI h ig n PUBLISHED! t Las

“Work ing Ga by Wil l” liam H umphr ey

The Cache Magazine Bulletin Board is a place for our local community to share, well ... anything! From short stories to poems to recipes to photos to unique tips when it comes to rearranging your closet, Cache Magazine wants your stuff! Send it all to jbaer@hjnews.com, or mail it to Cache Magazine, 75 W. 300 North, Logan, UT 84321. We’ll be waiting!

HE NEW CAR crash that you can’t take your eyes off of is commenting on Web site news articles. The lure of blathering your normally mannered opinions under the mask of anonymity is just too much to resist. Although they moderate against death and arson threats as well as obvious racial slurs, pretty much anything else goes. Too much holiday time off and prurient interest led me down the voyeuristic path of reading all the stories and comments about this winter’s early avalanche deaths. Gauging from the comments, you could come to these conclusions: 1. The snowmobilers were testosterone-driven yahoos who disregarded repeated avalanche warnings and their deaths represent natural culling. 2. The skiers died doing what they love. I know these comments don’t represent all of society, but it is simultaneously sad and scary that they represent any part of society. We obviously have a difficult time dealing with death and risk. We all take risks every day. Some can lead to quick death, some imperceptibly slow. My father died watching TV in his favorite chair. He probably died younger than he should have because he ate too much of the wrong stuff and exercised not at all. But I’m pretty sure he died doing what he loved even though that won’t make any headlines. It’s absolutely no consolation, but he probably got a lot more years of enjoyment out of his risky behavior than either the risky snowmobilers or skiers. Health warnings are just as clear as avalanche warnings yet millions of people ignore them. The only difference between my father and the snowmobilers and skiers is that his was a slow, risky activity that led to death while theirs was quick and decisive. Many of the comments about the snowmobilers said they knew there was a high level of avalanche danger yet they went out there anyway; thus they “deserved” their fate. There are a few confounding points to remember about risk. First, what seems stupid to you may only be stupid to you. People aren’t necessarily stupid; they just make their own choices about risk. These may not be the choices

Slightly Off Center By Dennis Hinkamp

you would make, but they are logical to them. There are probably more than 100 books about deaths in mountain climbing yet people keep going up Everest and other summits. Every year it is wellpublicized that most road fatalities happen between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, yet people keep traveling. Risk is complex and it’s easy to sit behind our computers and pass judgment on newspaper comment boxes. Secondly, statistics aren’t a 100 percent reliable way to make decisions about risk. Given hindsight, all accidents are 100 percent avoidable, but the risk itself is not 100 percent. Not everyone on those ski and snowmobile trips died; so as long as the chance of death is not 100 percent, people will keep taking these risks. Lastly, your percentage chance of death is not the same as your percentage of death. The chance of becoming a shark snack the minute you step into the ocean may only be one in 3 million, but if you do get munched, it will likely be more than one three-millionth of your body. You, in fact, will likely be 100 percent dead. Risk is 50 percent statistics, 50 percent beliefs and 50 percent random Sword of Damocles. I know that doesn’t add up — risk never does. Dennis Hinkamp would urge you all to stay inside but to simultaneously avoid household accidents. Feedback at dhinkamp@msn.com.

Page 11 - The Herald Journal - Cache Magazine - Friday, January 9, 2009

You bet your life

Page 12 - The Herald Journal - Cache Magazine - Friday, January 9, 2009

Enjoying wine more with moderation

HE LONG holiday season is over and we can return to our normal lives and habits. I was able to have enjoyable feasts with family and friends and drink a few bottles of very nice wine. My alcoholic consumption is mostly limited to wine with meals and an occasional brandy after dinner; I no longer yearn for the stiffer cocktails that often precede dinner at parties. On New Year’s Eve my consumption was one glass of Sauvignon Blanc and a bottle of Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noir sparkling wine was saved for New Year’s Day. The New York Times has a series of blogs about drinking over the holidays. They range from a recovering alcoholic to some serious partygoers. As I suspected, real alcoholics do not get drunk in the usual way. A long time ago I had an alcoholic friend and he never appeared drunk. I also suspect they do not get hangovers. Eventually the liver gives out, then the alcoholic either stops drinking or dies. Approximately 10 percent of the population is susceptible to alcohol addiction, and there is really no way to predict. There is some tendency for alcoholism to run in fami-

lies. For the rest of us, enjoy your beverages, but try not to over-indulge. Our local store has a good stock of the 2007 Seghesio Zinfandel from Sonoma at $19.99. This is $4 below the national price and The Wine Spectator rates this wine at 93. I have now tasted the wine several times and it is a complex berryflavored wine that was aged in oak for 11 months. Over the holidays I was served a 2002 Hartford Fanucci Woods Zinfandel that was more flavorful but also costs more, and it is no longer available. For more routine drinking I have found the 2006 Windmill Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel at $11.51 to be mellow and enjoyable. The Windmill is 14.5 percent alcohol, and the Seghesio is 15.5 percent. I do not know why they are making Zinfandels with such high alcohol content. With the cold weather, my thoughts turn to evening wines and brandies. The sherries from Spain range from very dry to super sweet, and no other wine type has such a wide flavor range. All sherries are non-vintage since they are made by blending several years together. There is Tio Pepe Fino at $13.94 that is so dry it is more of an aperitif. The San-

Cache Wines

deman Character Amontillado at $14.99 has a strong, nutty and robust flavor. My favorite is the Lustau Don Nuno Dry Oloroso at $23.23. I find the flavor to be mellower than the Amontillado. This wine, in my opinion, can be consumed either before or after dinner. Strictly as a dessert wine is either the Lustau Rare Cream Superior at $23.59 or the Lustau San Emilio Pedro Ximenez at $21.43. I prefer the Superior since the Pedro Ximenez is simply too sweet

HARDCOVER NONFICTION 1. “Outliers” by Malcolm Gladwell 2. “Dewey” by Vicki Myron w/Bret Witter 3. “American Lion” by Jon Meacham 4. “A Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity” by Bill O’Reilly 5. “Too Fat to Fish” by Artie Lange w/Anthony Bozza

PAPERBACK NONFICTION 1. “Marley & Me” by John Grogan 2. “The Audacity of Hope” by Barack Obama 3. “Dreams from My Father” by Barack Obama 4. “Team of Rivals” by Doris Kearns Goodwin 5. “Three Cups of Tea” by Greg Mortenson PAPERBACK ADVICE 1. “Rachael Ray’s Big Orange Book” by Rachael Ray 2. “The Love Dare” by Stephen Kendrick & Alex Kendrick 3. “Twilight” by Mark Cotta Vaz 4. “I Can Has Cheezburger?” by Professor Happycat 5. “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” by Guy Fieri

F 2007 Seghesio

By William Moore

* This week’s New York Times Bestseller List *

PAPERBACK (MASS-MARKET) FICTION 1. “The Appeal” by John Grisham 2. “The Pagan Stone” by Nora Roberts 3. “T Is for Trespass” by Sue Grafton 4. “Dead Until Dark” by Charlaine Harris 5. “The 6th Target” by James Patterson

Recommended Zinfandel Sonoma at $19.99 F 2006 Windmill Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel at $11.51 F Tio Pepe Fino at $13.94 F Sandeman Character Amontillado at $14.99 F Lustau Don Nuno Dry Oloroso at $23.23 F Lustau Rare Cream Superior at $23.59 F Lustau San Emilio Pedro Ximenez at $21.43 F Grahams Tawny Port aged 10 years at $32.59 F Taylor Fladgate Tawny Port aged 10 years at $30.99 F E&J XO Brandy at $17.99 F G-R Fine Alambic Brandy at $44.99

and has too much of the prune flavor. I have never tried drinking a sherry with a meal, but I know it is done in Spain. I think the strong flavor would overwhelm most foods. The local store also has a number of port wines. Although not a big port drinker, I do like the Grahams Tawny Port aged 10 years at $32.59, or the Taylor Fladgate

William Moore is retired from the Utah State University chemistry and biochemistry department and currently lives in Smithfield. He is among a number of freelance writers whose columns appear in The Herald Journal as part of an effort to expose readers to a variety of community voices. He is not an employee of the newspaper. Feedback at wmoore3136@msn.com.

Book on elderly wisdom offers few real insights By The Associated Press CTOR AND WRITER A Henry Alford had a simple yet captivating idea: People must learn

Keep your reading list updated at www.nytimes.com/pages/books/

Tawny Port aged 10 years at $30.99. These port wines have a smooth nutty flavor and velvet texture. The real port aficionado usually goes for the vintage port wines, but those wines are beyond me. For distilled wines I like the E&J XO Brandy at $17.99. This brandy is on par with many of the French brandies. For a really high-class American brandy there is the G-R Fine Alambic Brandy at $44.99. G-R also makes an XO, which can be found in Salt Lake City. XO brandies are aged for more than five years in oak. Specialty brandies include the Trimbach Framboise Raspberry Brandy at $20.35 for 375 cc. and the Clear Creek Pear Brandy at $24.03 for 375 cc. These brandies are all very dry. The pear and raspberry are an acquired taste, not at all like the sweet fruit brandies.

something in seven or more decades on Earth, and the younger set could probably benefit from what their elders have learned. The thought launched Alford on a quest to interview senior citizens and absorb their knowledge before they die. His subjects include Doris Haddock, or Granny D, known for her crosscountry walk in support of campaign finance reform, Yale University literature professor Harold Bloom, counterculture hero and LSD advocate Ram Dass and a dumpster-diving aerospace engineer named Eugene Loh. The results are somewhat more lackluster than Alford had probably

hoped. Granny D’s main message seems to be that it’s important to keep busy, even when the body is tired. Loh emphasizes the importance of economy as he doles out blackened bananas. With Bloom and Dass, Alford engages in rambling conversations about wisdom and enlightenment that seem to have no real end or conclusion. Alford supplements these conversations with observations gleaned from reading about wisdom and aging, but that leaves his book feeling much like a doctoral dissertation. This is not light reading. The most memorable tip might be Alford’s observation that ordering a bag of assorted bagels containing one garlic bagel leaves a person with a bag of garlic bagels. That’s wisdom to be used.

A guide to ‘Unlocking Doctrine, Covenants’ “Unlocking the Doctrine and Covenants: A Side-by-side Commentary” by Ed J. Pinegar and Richard J. Allen (Covenant Communications, 2008, $24.95)

Regional Reads By Charlene Hirschi

HIS IS A BOOK LDS folks will probably want to know about as they begin a yearlong study of the Doctrine and Covenants and church history — in fact, those interested in LDS studies at the academic level might also find this an interesting addition to their library. There is no shortage of current titles relating to the Doctrine and Covenants, but the format of this book seems particularly appealing to those who are serious students of LDS scriptures. Those familiar with the LDS Institute manuals, which have been used as a study supplement for years, will find the layout of the book to be equally user-friendly. “The authors offer this commentary as an adjunct to the systematic process of acquiring increased understanding ... of the Doctrine and Covenants. ... The approach used is to include every verse of the D&C — from the beginning to the end — accompanied by commentaries and insights on sequential segments.” The authors have also included quotes from General Authori-

ties, scholars and historians, along with background information on historical settings and events. The reader will also find photographs of historical sites, which give a visual insight into the times and places. Some thoughts on the column and 2008 The beginning of a new year seems like the perfect time to look forward and at the same time take few minutes to look back. I’m especially thinking today of the many books I received this year that I never got around to reading. Not because they aren’t good books by good authors, but because I just didn’t have time. Isn’t that the way it is — more book, movies, events ... (fill in the blank) than we can get around to. Believe me, those of you who are putting whatever off until retirement — it isn’t going

to happen then, either, so better make time for it now. Looking back, here are just two regional reads I wish I had reviewed and a brief description in case you missed them, too. “Before the Dawn” by Dean Hughes (Deseret Book) Dean Hughes is no stranger to Utah readers, who remember him for the “Children of the Promise” and “Hearts of the Children” series. In this book, Hughes hearkens back to the Depression days in the Uintah Basin. Considering that recession is in our daily news and we’re a long way from digging

out of the hole, this book seems even more relevant now than it did when it first crossed my desk and ended up collecting dust on the book shelf. Leah Sorensen is a “prickly and proud” widow who has seen more than her share of bad times and brushes off the bishop when he calls her to be Relief Society president. “They’d all vote against me if you put my name up ... and I’d vote with them.” But the bishop sees only her strength and determination: “You lost your husband and you didn’t give up. You know how to survive hard times, and some women in our ward don’t. I’m not looking for a nice church lady right now. I’m looking for someone with some grit, and that’s what you’ve got.” “Hoodoo” by Susan Cummins Miller (Texas Tech University Press)

This is the fourth in the Frankie MacFarlane mystery series. Having previously reviewed an earlier book in this series, “Quarry,” I was excited when it first arrived in the mail. Frankie is a field geologist who has a penchant for stumbling onto murders and intrigue that “play out against the glorious spooky towers” of the ancient homeland of the Chiricahua Apache in southeastern Arizona. Mineral rights, water supplies and property values all come up against the greed and treachery of person or persons unknown. Finding herself in the hot seat, Frankie once again must put the pieces together to save herself and others who have been falsely accused.

Page 13 - The Herald Journal - Cache Magazine - Friday, January 9, 2009

Books

Authors, readers and editors can contact Charlene Hirschi at char lenehirschi@yahoo.com about books they would like reviewed.

Book explores 200 years of NYC’s fictional demise By The Associated Press

N THE MORNING of Sept. 11, 2001, UniverO sity of Massachusetts professor

Max Page was proofreading a proposal for an exhibit at a New York museum about a subject he knew well — the destruction of New York City. Page, who teaches architecture and history at the university’s Amherst campus, had recently published a scholarly work on slum clearance and city planning in Manhattan from 1900 to 1940 — what he calls the “regular destruction of a capitalist city.” During his research, he discovered a parallel universe of fictional representations of the city’s demise, a seemingly bot-

tomless trove of novels, paintings, movies, comics and video games inventing new ways to decimate America’s largest city. As might be expected, the exhibit Page was planning the morning of the terror attacks on the World Trade Center never happened. For at least a short while, New York’s real-life catastrophe effectively silenced any discussion of the city’s fictional Armageddon. Now the proposal on which he was working has become a book. “The City’s End: Two Centuries of Fantasies, Fears, and Premonitions of New York’s Destruction” explores the imaginative and often profitable (think Superman, Godzilla, Spider-Man) ways that film-

makers, writers and artists have blown up, incinerated, drowned or depopulated New York City. Page is a lucid writer whose thesis is supported with reams of research. The book is worth getting for the illustrations alone — 161 black-and-white and color images of the city aflame,

under water, overgrown with weeds or about to be invaded by space aliens or monsters. Without getting bogged down in arcane, academic lingo, Page thoughtfully analyzes why the city’s ruination has been such an enduringly popular theme. In some narratives he cites, New York is portrayed as a hellish cesspool of greed and inequality, epitomizing the worst of human nature, which must be destroyed for mankind to be redeemed. In others, the city is seen as simply the best and most exciting place on Earth, the epicenter of wealth, power, achievement, glamour. And for that reason, it becomes an irresistible target for evil geniuses

like Superman’s nemesis Lex Luthor and others of his ilk. Page also notes an important aesthetic consideration: No other U.S. city comes even close to looking as spectacular as New York does when its monumental skyline is crumbling and Miss Liberty has toppled to the ground. For a time after 9/11, some believed Americans, and especially New Yorkers, would never again be able to indulge their taste for so-called disaster porn. Of course, they were wrong. In the last chapter of the book, about destruction fantasies post-9/11, Page assures us it’s perfectly OK, even healthy, to gobble up these cataclysmic scenarios for the vicarious thrill.

Page 14 - The Herald Journal - Cache Magazine - Friday, January 9, 2009

Crossword

From Sunday’s New York Times

Patrick Swayze faces cancer (and a new TV series) bravely By The Associated Press

ATRICK SWAYZE P says his yearlong battle with pancreatic can-

cer put him “through hell” while he pushed ahead on his new TV series. “I’ve never been one to run from a challenge,” Swayze tells ABC’s Barbara Walters in an exclusive interview. But the 56-year-old actor

owns up to his fear: “Yeah, I’m scared. Yeah, I’m angry. Yeah, I’m (asking), ‘Why me?’” Swayze’s new A&E police drama, “The Beast,” which premieres next week, meant grueling 12-hour workdays, with chemotherapy sessions on the weekends. He rejected painkilling drugs that would have taken the edge off his performance. In five months, he missed just a day

and a half at work. “You can bet that I’m going through hell,” Swayze says. “And I’ve only Swayze seen the beginning of it.” Most patients with advanced-stage pancreatic

cancer face grim odds, and Swayze acknowledges that time may be running out. “I’d say five years is pretty wishful thinking. Two years seems likely if you’re going to believe statistics. I want to last until they find a cure, which means I’d better get a fire under it.”

———

On the Net: http://www.abc.com http://www.aetv.com/

Answers from last week

Ongoing events

Saturday

The Eccles Ice Center (2825 N. 200 East, North Logan) offers public skating Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Saturdays from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.; and Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m. Public skating is also available in the evening but dates and times vary. For a complete and up-to-date schedule, call 752-1170 or visit www.eccles ice.com.

The Fibromyalgia Support Group will present “Sweet Dreams: Sleep Workshop for Fibromyalgia” from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday in the Logan Regional Hospital education room, 500 E. 1400 North. For more information, call 753-4148 or visit www. nufibroconn.org.

Friday An opening reception for the paintings of local artist Shea Guevara will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at Caffe Ibis, 52 Federal Ave., Logan. Light refreshments will be served and live music will be provided by Kris Krompel. Stokes Nature Center invites curious toddlers (ages 2-3) to Parent Tot Nature Hour from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday. Explore animals, plants and nature through music, crafts and games. All toddlers must have a parent pal present. Cost is $3 ($2.50 for SNC members). To register, call 435-755-3239 or visit www. logannature.org. Preschool storytime will take place from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Brigham City Fine Arts Center. Winter stories, including “If You Give a Moose a Muffin” by Laura Numeroff, will be presented. This is geared toward 3- to 5year-olds accompanied by an adult (siblings are welcome). A small craft project is included and a $1 donation per child is suggested. Elemental will perform with The Mighty Curse and Armorie (new wave/ indie rock/electronic) at 8 p.m. Friday at Why Sound, 30 Federal Ave., Logan. Cover charge is $5. For more information, visit www.myspace.com/whysound or e-mail info@whysound.com. All are invited to USU’s Intermountain Herbarium Open House from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Friday in the basement of the Junction student dining facility on campus as the regional facility celebrates the recent preparation of its 250,000th plant specimen. The herbarium offers weekday public access to plant, fungi and bryophyte specimens and is a contributor to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. For directions, visit www.usu. edu/map and select “Junction” from the pull-down building index. Call 797-1584 for more information. All are invited to participate in a Peace Vigil every Friday between 5 and 6 p.m. on the east side of Main Street between Center Street and 100 North in Logan. This non-violent, public event has been ongoing every Friday since September 2005. For more information, e-mail info@ loganpeace.org or call 755-5137.

Stokes Nature Center invites all ages to attend “Animals in Winter — Nature and Movement” from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday. With the help of an SNC naturalist, visitors will explore winter and how animals survive it, then will have the chance to explore winter through movement with the Valley Dance Ensemble. Cost is $3 for SNC members, $4 for non-members or $10 for a group of four. Then, from 2 to 3:30 p.m., ages 4 to 8 are invited to Earth Rhythms — uncover the wonder of nature through game, crafts and music. Cost is $3.50 ($3 for members). To register for either event, call 435-755-3239 or visit www.logannature.org. Open Mike Night will take place from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday at the Brigham City Fine Arts Center. Performers can sign up starting at 7 p.m., when the doors open. This is a venue for vocalists, pianists, poets, comedians and ensembles to try out new material and experience audience feedback. There is no admission fee for performers, with a recommended $2 donation for non-performers. For more information, call 435-723-0740 or e-mail bcfineartscenter@aol.com. Katie Brandeburg will perform with Jesse Barrus, Nick Gittins and Loo Steadman at 8 p.m. Saturday at Why Sound. Cover charge is $5. Cache Pilates Studio spring registration will take place from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the Whittier Community Center, 290 N. 400 East. Limited space is available. Cost is $150 for the 15-week semester. A new client orientation class will take place from 11 a.m. to noon the same day. For more information, contact Tora at 787-8442 or 760-4433.

Sunday The Post-Mormon Community is a nonsectarian organization of individuals and families who have left Mormonism. The Cache Valley chapter meets for dinner and socializing every Sunday at 6:30 p.m. at a local restaurant. Newcomers welcome. For more information, visit www.PostMormon.org/ logan or call 770-4263.

Monday The Cache Chamber of Commerce Women in Business organization will host its monthly meeting and luncheon at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13,

at The Loft By Hamiltons, 155 Church St., downtown Logan. Dr. Dirk R. Davis of Northern Utah Gastroenterology will give a presentation on digestive system health, “The Scoop on Poop.” Women in Business members and other interested professional women are invited. Cost is $12; participants should RSVP by 9 a.m. Monday to Debbie Ostrander (716-5309; debbie. ostrander@imail.org). The Big Fix Discount Mobile Spay/ Neuter Clinic will be at the Logan PetSmart (1050 N. Main) on Monday. Arrive early; intake starts at 8 a.m. until full. Walk-up microchipping and vaccinations available to anyone from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Costs are: female dog $60, male dog $50, female cat $35, male cat $25; cat family plan $100 (mom and litter fixed; all kittens must be from one litter and younger than 5 months); add $10 for pregnancies and dogs weighing more than 40 pounds. Additional fees for animals with special conditions. Animals must be between 8 weeks and 6 years old and weight at least 2 pounds. Do not feed pet after 9 the night before surgery if pet is older than 4 months; do not feed after 6 a.m. is pet is younger than 4 months. Water OK. No sick animals. Cats must be in labeled carriers, dogs on leashes. For more information, call 1-866-PETS-FIX or visit www.utahpets.org.

Wednesday The American West Heritage Center hosts a children’s storytime every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit www. awhc.org.

Thursday All dental health professionals and students are invited to a free seminar from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday in the USU Haight Alumni Center. “Ongoing Changes in Dentistry — 2009” will be presented by USU’s biology department, dentist Gordon Christensen and registered dental hygienist Rella Christensen of the Provo-based Clinicians Report Foundations. For more information, call 797-1770. Aaron Ball will perform with Jonathan Callister, Brewce the Weaksauce and Greyhouse Effect (acoustic) at 8 p.m. Thursday at Why Sound. Cover charge is $5.

Next weekend Leaping Lulu will perform as part of the Brigham City Fine Arts Center’s “Music in the City” series at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16. This is the fourth in a series of concerts held on the third Friday of the month (October through March). Tickets are $7 per person at

the door and include $1 off dessert at Beehive Pizza. For more information or advance reservations, call 435-723-0740 or visit www.bcfineartscenter.org. The Hotness will perform with The Up Collars and Chucks (new wave/ indie rock/punk) at 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16, at Why Sound. Cover charge is $5. Why Sound will present Battle of the Bands: Part One at 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17. Admission is $5. For more information, e-mail info@whysound.com.

Upcoming events On Monday, Jan. 19, 20 percent of dinner proceeds at Cafe Sabor will go to The Multicultural Center of Cache Valley, a non-profit organization that promotes the integration of minorities into the community without the loss of the rich cultural heritage of the many nations from which they originate. Sales of chips and salsa will also go to the center and donations may be made at the restaurant that night. The League of Utah Writers will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28, in the Logan Library Archive Room. Participants should bring five pages to share and be prepared to critique others’ work. For more information, contact Louisa at 232-4301. Beginning Feb. 1, the Cache Valley Christian Center will meet at 10 a.m. at Cinefour Theaters in North Logan (behind Iggy’s and Wingers restaurants). Services will be in both English and Spanish. For more information, call 7535312 or visit www.cvchristiancenter.org. A Master Gardener Program has been scheduled in Cache County starting Feb. 5. This is a 40- to 50-hour course for $95 that offers in-depth training in multiple subjects. Each participant is required to complete 40 hours of community service. For more information, call 752-6263. The Fibromyalgia Support Group will host a Break-the-Ice Social from noon to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, at The Copper Mill Restaurant. For more information, call 753-4148. Cache County Extension will offer free home gardening classes from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays beginning March 3 in the Cache County Administration Building Multipurpose Room. There is no need to register.

Want to be included? Do you have an upcoming event you would like listed in this calendar? Let us know! Contact Editor Jamie B. Nielson at 752-2121 ext. 329. Deadline is 12 p.m. Wednesday for that week’s publication.

Page 15 - The Herald Journal - Cache Magazine - Friday, January 9, 2009

Calendar

Page 16 - The Herald Journal - Cache Magazine - Friday, January 9, 2009