2 TABLE OF CONTENTS
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MARCH 2015
MARCH 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS 3
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I WAS FINALLY COMING TO GRIPS WITH THE REALITY OF THE TROUBLED AND TURBULENT PAST OF THE METAL SCENE AS A WHOLE. THE FALL OUT OF METAL, P12 FEEDBACK
LETTER
LET’S HEAR IT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
FROM THE EDITOR
SPRING BREAK GONE NOT-SO-WILD HOW TO SPRING BREAK WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK . . . . . . . . 5
EFFECTS OF A WILD LIFESTYLE TOO MUCH ROCKING AND NOT ENOUGH RESTING: THE DOWNSIDES OF WILD COLLEGE LIFE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
YOU KNOW WHAT’S WILD?
HAPPY VALLEY RESCUE ONE ANIMAL LOVER’S DREAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Boars. That’s right: feral pigs. But what else is wild? The dedication of our contributors. That’s why last month we hosted our inaugural SET awards party: the SETTYS. It was a great night full of laughs, food, music and Polaroids, and it was our way of saying “Thank you” to all of our contributors who have given so much over the past two years of SET. At the event, we also conducted a poll and asked you to vote for your favorite SET-featured nonprofit organization from 2014. I’m happy to announce that Good Spread was the winner and will receive a $500 donation from Listerhill Credit Union! Every time you buy some of Good Spread’s all-natural peanut butter, a malnourished child receives the equivalent amount of therapeutic food. Thanks to you for donating to such a great organization! And, to everyone involved in making SET what it is, thank you so much for all of your work! You are the reason we do this and the reason we can keep doing it. I hope we can keep making this magazine better and that you’ll keep up all of your efforts! Thank you! Now, back to the boars. The theme for March’s issue is “Wild,” and, while we don’t have boars, we do have elephants, peacocks, Wild West criminals in the South, an exAmish guy and metal music. Hold on to your camouflage! For those of you who are picking
PAWS CROSSED! A LITTLE ABOUT HEART OF ALABAMA SAVE RESCUE ADOPT. . . . . . 9
THE FALL OF METAL CAN THE NEGLECTED, BLACK LEATHER MUSICAL STEPCHILD SURVIVE?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-14
AMISH PARADISE LOST THE STORY OF AN EX-AMISH KID. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
TALONS TO TOMATOES THE WILD (AND NOT-SO-WILD) CUISINE OF CHINA . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
FRIEND OR FAUX? WEIGHING IN ON ANIMAL SKIN ETHICS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 up SET for the first time, we’re a publication published by Listerhill Credit Union made by you and for you. We’re a platform for the voices of our generation, and we want you to be involved! If you’re interested in writing or taking pictures for us, email me at editor@getsetmag.com. Don’t forget to give us some feedback about our issue! Email feedback@getsetmag.com, message me on Facebook or tag SET on Twitter to let us know how we’re doing!
WILD WEST IN THE SOUTH BANK ROBBERIES, HORSE BACK BANDITS AND OUTLAWS . . . . . . . 19
CALENDAR WHAT’S GOING ON HERE? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20-21
HOHENWALD HOME FOR ELEPHANTS PERFORMING PACHYDERMS RETIREMENT COMMUNITY. . . . . 22-23
SPOTLIGHT SET READERS IN ACTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-27
PASS THE POPCORN! LOCAL FILM FESTIVAL FULL OF WILD TALENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
ALABAMA SAFARI TIME HARMONY PARK OFFERS DRIVE-THRU SAFARI EXPERIENCE. . . . . 29 BY ANDY THIGPEN, EDITOR
SET is a publication by and for local young people dedicated to lifestyle, finance, technology and community. It is published by Listerhill Credit Union as
part of its ongoing mission to promote the credit union philosophy of cooperation and financial literacy. It is a platform for 15-20 somethings in the community and it is free.
FREESTYLE ONE FINAL THOUGHT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
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4 CONTRIBUTORS
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THANK YOU!
YOU MADE SET THE BEST! SEE YOU AT THE SETTYS NEXT YEAR!
SET CONTRIBUTORS ALEXANDRIA TERRELL Rogersville, AL
DANIELLE PATTEN Madison, AL
ALLIE SOCKWELL
EMILY RUSSELL
PAIGE MCCAY
SARAH ANN KEETER
Lawrenceburg, TN
Locust Fork, AL
Killen, AL
Opelika, AL
ALEX RICHEY
BRYAN MASSEY
ANDY THIGPEN
CHLOE ALLEN
LIZA HARRISON
ANDY WALLACE
Russellville, AL
Florence, AL
Huntsville, AL
Leighton, AL
Florence, AL
Madison, AL
WESLEY HOPKINS Florence, AL
KAT SHANNON
Huntsville, AL
MARCH 2015
MARCH 2015
MONEY 5
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Main destinations: Miami, Panama City & Daytona.
SPRING BREAK GONE NOT-SO-WILD HOW TO SPRING BREAK WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK Spring break is just around the corner and this year will be no different from the rest. People will pile into cramped vehicles with overstuffed luggage and a cooler of snacks to face the grueling hours of travel to get to their spring break destination with one thing in mind: money. Here is a rundown of how to save, how to get there and how to survive spring break 2015.
CUT BACK
Yes, you may think you need Starbucks, but you don’t. Try brewing coffee at home. Sure, you may not get your chai tea latte, but you’ll be able to afford something more exotic. While Olive Garden always sounds delicious, try cutting back on dining out too. Just think of how much more amazing the food will be on vacation!
PLAN AHEAD
Before the trip, get your car tuned up. Be sure your vehicle can handle the miles of open road so that you aren’t spending spring break in a mechanic shop (thus begins the perfect horror movie opening). If you are flying, the earlier you book your flight, the cheaper it will be. Flying on Fridays and Sundays are the busiest, making them the most expensive, while Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday are typically the cheapest. The overall best time to start shopping is Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET because tickets become discounted at that time. Look for early morning and red eye tickets for less crowded and slightly cheaper travel.
PARK IT
Make sure your hotel has free parking and check the area out early to locate free public parking lots. Don’t forget to consider parking when you are flying as well. Daily parking in Huntsville is $8 per day while Birmingham is $12. Four bucks may not seem like a lot, but sometimes it is actually cheaper to travel to an airport that is farther away when you factor in all the fees.
SAVE UP FOR THAT SUNSHINE!
MONEY SAFETY
HIDDEN FEES
Luggage fees may add up when flying. Usually your first bag is free but extra bags may get expensive. Try rolling your clothes and stuffing as much as possible into your carry on to keep from having to take extra luggage. Besides, if you are going to the beach, you only need a few necessities. You’re not a Kardashian.
KEEPING CASH
Fill up with gas before you get to your destination. Gas prices will be more expensive around the popular areas. Don’t drop $4 a gallon when you can get it 50 miles down the road for $1.99. The first stop of your trip should be a grocery store. Stock up on drinks, snacks and foods to cook in the room to avoid the high costs of eating out every meal. If you decide to eat outside of the room, stay away from the novelty restaurants. Find out where the locals eat. Odds are, the food is going to be outstanding with a smaller bill.
The worst thing that could happen on vacation is … well… sharks. The second worst thing is losing all of your money. This is where the “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” becomes “don’t put all your cash in one pocket.” Take as much cash as you think you will need on the trip and divide it for each day. Find a hidden spot in your suitcase or use the safe in the room to hide the extra cash. Always take a debit card with you in case of an emergency but keep it locked away somewhere safe.
There are also ways to hide your money and keys without weighing down your pockets. Hollow out a Chapstick tube and roll your cash up in it for safekeeping. If you are headed to the beach, clean out a sunscreen bottle, put your items in a Ziplock bag and stash them inside. Who’s going to steal sunscreen? Lastly, purchase a water bottle that has a secret money clip (Target, $15). Your money is safe, you get to sip on a drink and you get to have a secret hiding compartment in your cup, which obviously makes you feel like Angelina Jolie for at least a minute.
UNA student Lauren Trull is going to Haiti for spring break and has some money safety tips. “I’m taking a side purse so I can put it across me,” Trull said. “During the day I will be doing a lot of volunteering, so I’ll hide [money] in my suitcase. I also plan on getting a lock for my suitcase.” Remember: when flying, you have to use TSA approved locks. That means the airport has a master key that will prevent them from having to cut your lock if they need to check your bag.
STORY BY ALEXANDRIA TERRELL
6 HEALTH
SET isn’t just a magazine looking for people to share their 2 cents. It is entirely comprised of content provided by the 15 - 29 year olds of our community. No one else writes the articles, no one else takes the pictures and no one else decides what runs. That’s why we need you. Attend our next editorial meeting, drop us a line or send us an idea for your story. We want your photography, art and music. Get on SET’s team.
getsetmag.com/contribute
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MARCH 2015
HEALTH 7
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Frontal lobes don’t fully developed until you’re 30!
Going out with friends can relieve stress.
*According to Brown University
EFFECTS OF A WILD LIFESTYLE ILLUSTRATION BY KATELIN HARRIS
TOO MUCH ROCKING AND NOT ENOUGH RESTING: THE DOWNSIDES OF WILD COLLEGE LIFE “Eating after 10 p.m. is really a poor choice when it comes to a healthy diet,” Lipscomb University nursing major Lexie Secrest said. “Besides extra calories, eating too close to bedtime can cause indigestion and sleeping problems.” If you must indulge, try opting for healthier snacks such as apples or nuts. Another way to combat these late night cravings is to eat more filling options at meal times. “Protein is your best friend,” Secrest continued. “Opt for entrees that include grilled chicken or beans. These will give you more energy and make you feel less hungry later.” Use your campus meal plan wisely, and try to find the healthier options on campus.
SWEET HYDRATION
College is supposed to be the best four (OK, maybe five) years of your life. The college years are fast-paced with little sleep, never-ending to-do lists and, of course, partying. Even if you don’t enjoy parties, you’ve most likely put stress on your body in other ways, like pulling an all-nighter or consuming unhealthy amounts of caffeine. While college is full of good times, it can wreak havoc on your health.
irrational decisions you made when you first started college. Also, as we continue to get older, we can’t do as much of the things we could do in our teens, including overeating and being able to stay up all night. Unfortunately, as you age, your metabolism begins to slow down. While in high school you could get away with eating five bags of gummy bears with nothing to show for it, your early to mid-20s body begs to differ.
CH-CH-CH-CH-CHANGES!
ME SO HUNGRY
According to the Journal of Adolescent Health, the brain continues developing well into the 20s. This correlates directly to maturity levels and the ability to make rational decisions. The frontal lobes, which control functions such as planning, working memory and impulse control, are among the last areas of the brain to mature. Perhaps the late development gives some explanation to those
The freshman 15 is a real thing. When you first enter college as a wideeyed baby freshman, all experiences seem exciting. With the newfound freedom at college, many times freshman won’t set limits. With late night McDonald’s runs and frequent alcohol consumption, you may notice your pants getting a little tighter. To combat this, try to avoid giving in to those late night cravings.
Another negative of drinking and partying it up without caution is dehydration. Avoid that feeling by drinking a glass of water for each alcoholic drink you consume. This will help with the morning-after headaches as well. Even if you don’t drink alcohol, becoming dehydrated is something all college students should avoid. Carrying a water bottle to class can easily combat dehydration.
ZEN AND THE ART OF ZZZZZZZ
The college rock star life is surrounded by constant activities. Whether it’s classes, studying, sports or work, college students juggle many tasks. When I entered college a friend told me, “In college, there’s three major areas: social life, academic life and sleep. You can only have two.” I’ve found this to be fairly true. Typically, people pick social and academics while neglecting sleep. While this may allow you to make it to more events, eventually it will catch up to you.
Most college students have faced that moment when the night before the biggest exam of the semester, you realize you aren’t prepared. You run for coffee and junk food to help pull your all-nighter … sound familiar? Allnighters seem like an inaugural part of the college experience. However, lack of sleep can cause more than crankiness; it can reduce your ability to concentrate and make you more likely to eat more throughout the day. “Pulling all-nighters alters two important hormones: ghrelin, which tells us when to eat, and leptin, which tells us when to stop eating,” Noah Richardson said. Richardson plans to attend medical school this year. “When we’re sleep deprived, our bodies produce more ghrelin and less leptin.” As if that wasn’t bad enough, all-nighters result in weakened immune systems. As hard as it may be, try to stick to a schedule during your semesters. To avoid all night cramming, try making an agenda to keep track of your test dates in order to prevent all night cramming. While college allows you to live the rock star life, sometimes it’s best to take a day off from rocking out and opt for resting up. College will provide you with many opportunities for fun and wild nights, so don’t be afraid to say no to a few of them in order to give your body the attention it needs.
STORY BY ALLIE SOCKWELL
8 HERO
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8 million pets currently live in a shelter in the U.S.
MARCH 2015
Follow HVR on Instagram at @happyvalleyrescue.
HAPPY VALLEY RESCUE ONE ANIMAL LOVER’S DREAM Laura Rogers started working with HASRA in 2014 after hearing about all the good they were doing in the area. She started following their Facebook posts and came across one that featured twin sibling dogs that had been rescued. She convinced her boyfriend and cousin into adopting Jed and Elli Mae. As they visited HASRA’s facilities, they were blown away with how relaxed it felt. Rogers described them as having “no sadness present, only joy, and a tangible
feeling of deep love for all the dogs there” Since then, she’s been an avid supporter of HASRA and the work they do. Rogers works with HASRA in many ways, but her favorite is transporting dogs. “It is so special to watch dogs meet their new families, and I get such a fulfillment from it,” she said. “The most important thing to remember is that shelters and rescues don’t necessarily need an enormous monetary donation from you.” Another project Rogers is working on is “Happy Valley Rescue” (HVR). It’s more of a state of mind than an actual location or official rescue organization. Because she is vocal about her love for helping dogs find homes, friends and family frequently ask her to help with locating new homes. To help the process, she started an Instagram account where
LAURA ROGERS LOVES HER ADOPTED POOCH! she post pictures of dogs she is trying to find homes. While HVR is not an official nonprofit yet, Rogers works with HASRA by fostering dogs and posting about them on
her account so that more people will find out about them. “I like to think of Happy Valley Rescue as a gateway to introduce good dogs to folks who can improve their odds” Rogers said. She also uses HVR as a conversation starter with others about the importance of shelter/rescue adoptions and spaying/neutering. “As so many people have said, there is nothing wrong with a shelter dog, and they are typically very smart, and I’ve sensed gratitude from dogs that know that they’ve been given a second chance,” she said. “I truly believe that your next best friend is waiting behind a cage door in a shelter or rescue!
STORY BY EMILY RUSSELL
MARCH 2015
NONPROFIT 9
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Interested in adopting from HASRA? Call Debbie at 256-335-1730.
PAWS CROSSED! A LITTLE ABOUT HEART OF ALABAMA SAVE RESCUE ADOPT Back in the day, when I was in high school—OK, so two years ago— there was a dog that decided she wanted to come to class with us. She walked into the building and refused to leave. The principal called animal control, and they came and took her away. I never thought anymore about where she ended up. Looking back now, I’d like to think she went to the shelter and then was adopted by a loving family. While that’s not always the case for some animals, Heart of Alabama Save Rescue Adopt (HASRA) wants to make it a reality. HASRA was founded in 2009 by Debbie Rappuhn, who had volunteered at the Florence Animal Shelter and decided she wanted to start a “no-kill” shelter. In January 2014, they moved to their sanctuary in Killen, Alabama and started building and working from there. HASRA is devoted to bettering the lives of animals that have been abandoned, neglected, abused or given up. Volunteers work to change the public’s behavior toward all animals in order to prevent animal cruelty. HASRA works daily to find rescue and adoption so they can take in pets without having to euthanize or overcrowd any animals. When asked about HASRA’s goals for the next five years, Rappuhn replied, “We want to continue saving as many animals as we can… If we can get a grant to work on a spay/neuter program, we can offer low cost to the families in the area that cannot afford it. [This] can help to try to stop the onslaught of unwanted pregnancies and pups that are dropped at kill shelters and lose their lives. We also want to
have a program approved by local schools to teach children how to be responsible pet owners and what can happen if people do not have their pets [spayed/neutered] and neglect them.” If you’d like to get involved with HASRA, you can do so by contacting them on their Facebook page, or calling the shelter and offering to volunteer, foster, helping with computer work or transporting animals. Some needs they have daily are cleaning supplies, food, bedding and donations to provide vetting to the pets.
STORY BY EMILY RUSSELL
10 FEATURE
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account on campus at the University of North Alabama or any of our CO-OP Shared Branches located worldwide. To find the location nearest you, go to co-opsharedbranch.org
MARCH 2015
MARCH 2015
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FEATURE 11
12 FEATURE
Vocal chords can be strained enough to require surgery.
It was maybe two songs into the first band when I reached the limit. This Friday the 13th MetalFest I was attending had taken a toll on my well-being. My anxiety was at a climax, and I was ready to leave. I hate metal. I had come to the end. theatre dressed in-character with the darkest and tightest clothes I owned to witness this Metal show and perform my journalistic duty to capture the story the best way I could, but the problem was I was not in any way, shape or form “metal.” Growing up, my playlist of music revolved mostly around mellow folksy stuff. I never really ventured farther than Led Zeppelin on the spectrum of music, so the crunch-chords, screaming howls of vocals and the numerous colors of dyed hair and piercings were a culture shock. I had prepared to become one with the scene, but up until this moment I had felt like an impostor, an outsider with no knowledge of what was going on. I was a phony sitting in the crowd scribbling illegible words on a notepad that were becoming increasingly anxious and paranoid in tone as the night went on. Without warning it happened. The answer to the bigger picture of why I was writing this story was somewhere skewed among the rampant guitar riffs and flailing arms of the hardcore dancers in front of the stage. I was determined to open up to this culture of the misunderstood and discover what it was truly about. There it was unfolding in front of my very eyes, and I was finally coming to grips with the reality of the troubled and turbulent past of the metal scene as a whole. To first describe the scene, you first must differentiate between hardcore and metal. The aggressive demeanor and driving sound of both can lead many to get confused, but Scott Long puts it best. “Hardcore follows more of a bass rhythm and lyric rhythm that seems to have evolved from punk and various other efforts, whereas metal stems from a treble sound and a heavy lead guitar presence that seems to have more basis in classical than anything,” Long said. Long is the owner/ artistic director at the end. theatre. Second, it should also be noted that the end. is one of the few remaining venues that still has metal/hardcore shows in the area. Between two sets, a situation played out in front of me: The members
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MARCH 2015
Metal has early roots in bands like Black Sabbath.
of two separate bands were arranging equipment onstage and were arguing about who’s microphone would go where. Things began to get hostile, and the awkwardness and silence from the crowd was beginning to result in blank stares back and forth from everyone. This was a metaphor for what the scene was. This was the metal/hardcore scene in a nutshell. Now, from an opposite perspective of my own, we have enlisted the help of my friend Bryan to tell his side. Unlike myself, Bryan comes from the side of someone that actually participates willing in listening to metal.
BRYAN: On most accounts by those on the outside, when
asked about the vitality of the Metal Scene here, you would get the same answer: Metal is dead.
BUT MY RESPONSE: The metal scene is not dead, it’s terminally ill. I’ve been around the local metal scene in north Alabama for about five to six years. I’ve watched it grow and recede on both extremes. My personal history with local metal has been half fan, half musician, with the latter being recently in the local Florence, Alabama scene. I believe you could say my band at the time, Altar for the Masses, was too little too late to truly witness what a local metal scene Florence was capable of. With only a few shows under our belt before we decided to end it, and call the band quits. ALEX: Bryan’s experience with metal is just like anyone else. He fell in love with the music for its fast paced and rebellious tone at an impressionable age that followed him for years. He was welcomed into the scene of misfits and self-proclaimed crazies with no judgment or hostility. This was a community of people that shared the passion for being strange or different from the norm that inspired and encouraged creativity in everyone involved. “We stick together,” Adam Wilkins, drummer for Tempter, said. “We have this underdog type mentality because of what we play. I mean have you heard our music? It’s not something you’re going to hear on the radio, but it’s what we love to play regardless of what people think. We’re all gonna support each other no matter what happens.”
MARCH 2015
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Meshuggah writes in 5/16 time; called “mathcore.”
However, Bryan can attest to just the opposite.
BRYAN: While being a vocalist in Altar, it was my job to head the
multitude of invitations to any and everyone in my Facebook friends list to come to our show, check out our latest song, tell your friends, insert cliché’ request, etc. I also witnessed the constant, “I’m too busy,” or “I don’t have the money,” or my favorite “yeah I’ll be there!” And they never show up. In this day and age of instant gratification because of the Internet, people don’t go to shows out of curiosity anymore. They prejudge based on recordings. If you don’t have recordings online, you can pretty much expect only your closest friends at your next show. Once, we had a decent turnout because of the supporting acts that had more of a fan base than we did. I also witnessed the worst thing to happen to a metal band trying to make it: an empty floor. With only a few people up front and everyone else outside smoking cigarettes because they finally had an excuse to get out of their parents houses, I became fed up with this scene. No one wanted to check out the new band that had no followers. They assumed that because we weren’t As I Lay Dying or August Burns Red that we sucked or we were just another local metal band. This is when I basically gave up as a local metal musician. The worst cancer for any metal scene is when a venue closes. What a lot of people don’t understand is, when they stop going to shows (I am just as guilty as anyone), venues can’t afford to pay the bands we want to see. They can barely pay the local bands, much less out of town bands. When they can’t make money as a venue, bills can’t get paid, and when
FEATURE 13
Check out mapofmetal.com for all of the metal.
bills can’t get paid, the venue gets shut down. It’s been a vicious cycle. Everyone gets excited for the new venue, goes to the first few shows, gets bored of the influx of local bands that tend to sound the same and stops going. Then, suddenly, they are surprised when said venue gets closed.
ALEX: It was not uncommon among the many people I talked with that would often describe the scene as struggling or getting back on its feet from a long period of disinterest in shows or lack of venues willing to let metal be played. It’s a sentiment that was shared among all involved with this genre that was a stark contrast in the success of other forms of music — especially in the wake of the Renaissance of the music heritage in the Shoals and other areas around. “I feel as though we have stopped having this sense of unity,” Seth Hunt, a member of Rise Alaric, said. “There’s just a clique of people that go to the different shows, and often times the only people coming are the musicians themselves.” But as mentioned earlier, the places available to even perform are dwindling. Huntsville and Decatur have a few remaining venues, but the Shoals is down to just one. “The fact that there is only one place left for our kind of music is just sad — especially with so many good metal/hardcore bands in the area,” Mitchell Wayne said. Wayne is a founding member of Shoot Him If He Runs, a band that has been steadily playing shows for seven years. “If we lose the end. then our scene is really gonna be in a lot of trouble. We had the Muscle Shoals Music Hall for a couple years back in the early 2000s, and then we were blessed with The Rave around 2007-2009. It was at that point when I would say that it was the last time our scene was
14 FEATURE
Hardcore music has its roots in punk rock.
FINNISH FOLK METAL
thriving.” This precarious group of people dates back to at least the mid-90s and since evolved and manifested itself into many facets of the current music culture we have today. “A lot of the guys that started playing in some of the early metal/punk groups were always in other side projects, which then led to those same groups becoming prominent people in the scene. The Throwaways was one of Redmouth’s first bands,” recalled Andy Walker, a promoter of shows that has been involved for a many number of years and can give a perspective from someone a generation older than most of the fans you’ll find today. “The volatile nature and hostile environment is inherent in the nature of the music,” Walker said. “I’ve seen the the cyclic rise and fall of the scene and the different genres and bands come and go. The venues that used to be are now only existent in memories or vinyl records.” We spoke as Andy spread out a collage of 45 vinyl records across the table in front of me. All from local bands back in the day, well before the vinyl craze we see now. “I think part of why the things don’t look so good for the scene anymore is that the art of promotion is dead,” he continued. “People use Facebook and send out invitations to shows and then call it quits. I remember going into a bookstore and seeing a flyer in every single music magazine for a show that was happening. It worked: it got me to go to the show. I remember more about the flyer than I did the show. That’s exactly how you get people to come to shows.”
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MARCH 2015
Heavy metal has over REAL THING. THING. 25 subgenres. ISISAAREAL
After spending time with the people of the Metal/hardcore scene, I was starting to feel why this was such an issue with them. Here were their lives, their passions, their art, their souls slowly vanishing in front of them. Even I, a reporter, was walking out and giving up on this show that I was supposed to be covering. I had dipped out. I felt defeated trying to make it through the whole show but caving into the cringe. The headliner had not even performed, and I was already dashing through the parking lot to get into my car. But I realized, it was not my scene, and it was not my job to fix this. The only way this neglected stepchild of the music scene were to survive would have to come from within. I had no solution. Realistically, I could not convince people to buy records of bands that I didn’t want to listen to. I could not get people to come to shows that they didn’t like. It was merely up to these same people I had spent the night spectating from the fringe to save what was going under. However, I had faith. This trouble was nothing new. The fall of metal, and then its poetic rise from the ashes was what happened time and time again. An enormous, dysfunctional, down-beaten, loud, aggressive and, above all, passionate movement was living its fair share of hard times just like everything else. However, theiwr resilience to come back and crank up to 11 was something to be admired. The metal scene chugs on.
MARCH 2015
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FEATURE 15
16 SPECIAL FEATURE
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Pennsylvania-Dutch
Check out “The Ex-Amish Kid” on Facebook!
is a mix between American English and German.
MARCH 2015
In 2010, there were 1,948 Amish in Tennessee.
AMISH PARADISE LOST THE STORY OF AN EXAMISH KID Jonas Miller woke up everyday with the sun. He and his brothers would go out and feed the animals while his sisters would stay in and cook breakfast. By the time the guys were finished with the livestock, the girls would have the food ready, and they would all sit down — 14 children and two parents — and eat breakfast as a family. A great, big Amish family in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. Since he was 17, something had been eating at Miller. “They had a lot of rules I couldn’t understand,” Miller said. When he asked why something was done that way, his elders responded with “It’s always been that way.” “I saw things that other people were doing and the way they were living. I just wanted to do stuff like that,” he said. Miller is a part of what is called “Old Order” Amish. This sect of Amish believe is what most people think of when they picture an Amish person: traditional black or dark blue clothing, beards, no power tools and black buggies with no windshields or blinkers. Aside from the passed-down rules and regulations of his Old Order Amish community, he also had problems with the bishop of the church. “I didn’t like one man being able to tell the whole church that you couldn’t do this or that,” he said in an interview. For instance, the bishop, according to Miller, has more control over the upbringing of the children in the community than
their own parents. “The bishop is the head of the church and, in most cases, whatever he says is the way it will be,” Miller writes. At some point, Miller knew he had to leave. “I left in May of 2011,” Miller said. He was 21 years old. “I had it on my mind for a while.” For some of us, leaving the church is easy. For a member of the Amish community, however, it’s turning your back on family, friends and life. “When you leave the Amish, you lose your family,” he said. “They won’t have anything to do with you anymore. To them, you don’t exist.” Miller had to have a plan. A secret plan that took years to build. “I planned it out for four years,” he said. “If you don’t have a plan, it won’t work. You will wind up going back.” Going back wasn’t an option for Miller — even at the cost of losing his family. “I had 14 brothers and sisters. Losing all those takes some time to get over,” Miller said. “I was trying to find a way I could do it without hurting my family, but I realized
that was just part of leaving. “Either you’re gonna stay Amish and live with them or you’re gonna leave and not have your family anymore,” he said. After finding some friends that “became just like family,” Miller has adjusted to life pretty well. Since the Amish are only allowed to take vacations to see relatives in other Amish communities, as soon as Miller left the church, he left the plains of central Tennessee and headed out to spend some time in the national parks of Colorado and Wyoming. Once he returned and set up his new life, however, he faced a barrage of questions from curious friends. “I had people asking me questions all the time,” he said, laughing. “They would just ask the same questions over and over and over again.” So, Miller did what anyone might do in the same situation: he wrote a book. His book, “Ex Amish Kid,” talks about Amish lifestyle focusing on the Old Order community in Lawrenceburg — what they believe, how the live in different states,
how they choose leaders, wedding ceremonies and, of course, what happens when a member leaves. After writing his first book, he became inspired to write a second, and “Ex Amish Kid: Part II” is scheduled to be published this March. The second book deals more with Miller’s personal life and his stepby-step journey from the Amish to where he is today. Today, not much has changed for Jonas Miller’s mornings. His wife Barbara is also ex-Amish from Ohio, and they, along with their son Alan, still wake up early everyday and eat breakfast as a family. “We still get up at the same time and eat together, and yeah, we still end the same,” he said with a laugh. “With us growing up that way, it’s just kinda hard getting away from it.” If you’re interested in buying “The Ex-Amish Kid,” email examishkid@gmail.com for more information.
STORY BY ANDY THIGPEN
MARCH 2015
FOOD 17
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Eating spicy food releases endorphins.
A raw grasshopper contains 14-28 grams of protein.
TALONS TO TOMATOES THE WILD (AND NOT-SO-WILD) CUISINE OF CHINA SWEET AND SPICY CHICKEN FEET (serves 2)
2. Add the chicken feet.
2 lbs chicken feet 2 (12 ounce) cans Coke 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce
3. Cover the saucepan and let the chicken feet simmer on low to medium for about 4 hours.
1. Mix all the ingredients except the feet in a saucepan.
4. Uncover the saucepan and turn up the heat slightly, cooking the mixture until the liquid becomes a desirably thick sauce.
CLASSIC CHINESE EGG AND TOMATO (serves 2)
HEY! GUESS WHAT! CHICKEN ... FOOT? Food brings people together. We can learn a lot about a culture from its cuisine, and regions in the country are often identifiable by unique cooking styles. Sharing food and recipes can truly be one of the best ways to experience an unfamiliar culture. As far as unique cultural cuisine, China is notorious for being “bizarre.” Food offered there ranges from grasshoppers and scorpions to cow stomach and monkey brains. Reggie Ogletree, a University of North Alabama graduate, works as an English teacher in China, and he hasn’t missed out on learning about Chinese cuisine. “There are eateries on literally every street,” Ogletree said. “They’ve got vegetarian; quick, cheap eats; expensive sit-down-food, and more. All are about the size of a standard bedroom in the States.” Reggie said he’s been to restaurants all over China that offer exotic food. “They are very common,” he said. “It’s the type of place where there is an open fridge and you can pick the things you want to eat.” Items he found in those fridges included tripe (or stomach, usually of a bovine), rabbit hearts, duck tongues, chicken feet and blood cake. Chicken feet, often tactfully given the euphemism “Phoenix talons” by restaurants in China, are the most popular
of the exotic foods Reggie mentioned. They are a common street snack in many regions of China. On the street, however, they’re just called chicken feet. Many of us wouldn’t consider eating chicken feet simply because of its unappealing appearance. The texture is unsurprisingly chewy as it’s full of tendons and small bones and lacks a hefty portion of meat, making it undesirable to the palate of most Americans for more reasons than aesthetic ones. Also, it takes more than a few hours of cook-time to give the chicken feet their goal tenderness, which isn’t very tender. Not surprisingly, these exotic foods aren’t among the most common traditional Chinese dishes enjoyed by citizens of today. In fact, most Chinese citizens prefer dishes that we Americans have grown to love like fried rice, lo mein or chow mein, and a familiar protein, like pork or chicken, covered in a sweet and sour sauce. Reggie also explained one of the most common, but not played-out, Chinese dishes: egg and tomato. “It’s the type of dish that everyone can make and everyone will say they or their mother has the best recipe for and is the best in all of China,” he said. “Often when it’s ordered, you’ll hear an older woman say how she would improve the dish she’s eating. Or if I eat with a younger person,
4-5 eggs (beaten) 1 scallion (chopped) ¼ teaspoon black pepper 2 medium tomatoes 1 teaspoon minced garlic ½ teaspoon minced ginger 1 teaspoon sugar ½ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon cooking oil 1. Add the salt and pepper to your beaten egg. 2. Heat a wok until a single drop of water evaporates in about 2 seconds after touching the surface. they might remark that it isn’t as good as their family’s recipe.” Hearing this, I immediately thought of the South. How many Southern dishes do we have like that? Cornbread, fried chicken, biscuits, almost any pie — my grandmother’s is the best. But I’m sure yours is too. There are plenty of ways to cook egg and tomato, and many ingredients are optional. Typically, ingredients include egg, tomato, green onion, salt, garlic and ginger. Reggie added to this minimal list cilantro, onions and fresh green cayenne peppers. He said the best way to cook this mixture is by stir-frying everything except the tomato and egg in a wok. The tomato should be diced or mashed and added to the mixture in the final minute of the
3. Heat a separate sauté pan to medium/low heat. 4. Swirl into the wok the cooking oil and add the scallion, garlic, ginger and tomato. 5. After your tomato and scallion mixture has cooked for about one minute, add sugar to the mixture and start scrambling your egg in the separate sauté pan. 6. It should take about one minute for your egg to scramble. When it’s done, combine the contents of the wok and the sauté pan and serve over rice or noodles, or a la carte. cook-time. (Reggie prefers the tomatoes diced and peeled.) That final minute should give you almost enough time to scramble the seasoned, beaten egg in a separate sauté pan. After everything is cooked properly, the egg will be added to the mixture. Traditionally, the tomato-egg mixture is served over rice, and sometimes noodles. Reggie, having eaten a bit of rice during his time in China, was sick of rice. So, he served the mixture a la carte.
STORY BY WESLEY HOPKINS
18 FASHION
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China is the #1 exporter of fur worldwide.
MARCH 2015
In 2009, there were about 300 fur farms in the U.S.
FRIEND OR FAUX? WEIGHING IN ON ANIMAL SKIN ETHICS
SHE MAY BE CRAZY, BUT THE GIRL GOT STYLE. In the fashion world, there are arguably fewer things that raise eyebrows and cause heated debate among fashionistas everywhere than the wearing of animal skin. Even on the ground, with consumers, it seems the argument is divided many ways that boils down ultimately to personal preference. Some people, such as University of North Alabama (UNA) student Amber Lyons, love fur and leather without remorse. “I absolutely love fur,” Lyons said. “Whether it is real or faux, I just love the look of it and how it feels.” She even has some in her closet, though some of it is faux. “I own two faux-fur vest, a faux fur scarf, a few leather handbags (real and faux), a jacket with a rabbit fur collar and a few animal-printed pieces,”
she said. Other people seem to be slightly torn on the issue of killing animals for fashion, and they stick fully to faux. “I love, love, love, leather and fur,” Kayla Slusher, UNA student, said. “Animal skins have always been so pretty to me … although I do not agree with killing animals just to have a cute outfit. I’ll stick to the fake stuff.” While Slusher is fine with faux, and Lyons loves fur, there are still others who don’t really seem to care. “I guess I would say my stance is ‘indifferent’ due to my lack of knowledge pertaining to the origin, process, etc.,” Ashley Staples, another UNA student, said. “Also, everyone has the right to buy what is of value to them and I must respect that.”
For her, fur and leather are almost an evolutionary practicality. “I think this trend exists/became popular because of the hunting and gathering era,” she said. “Initially the animal fur or skin was used as a means of survival.” This may be true for our ancestors, but times have changed, and now fur and leather are often perceived as luxury items. “I believe this trend exists because, since real fur is so difficult to accumulate, it is seen as a symbol of luxury,” Lyons said. “I believe that as soon as celebrities start wearing something, it becomes popular automatically,” Slusher said. Whatever the reason the trend’s existence, and wherever the roots of wearing animals skin as a fashion statement begin, what these girls seem to be saying to everyone is, “You do you.” For Lyons, this means wearing as much animal skin as you want. “I do support the use of animal skin in clothing because animals were put on this planet to support the needs of humans whether it is for nutrition, protection, transportation, or even apparel,” Lyons said. “However, if you do not support the use of animal skin but love the look and feel of it, just go faux!” Slusher seemed to say owning animals skins is more of a necessary fashion accessory. “I do have leather and fur in my closet,” she said. “Nothing real. I believe every woman should own some type of fur piece. It is always nice to have a fur coat to top an outfit off.” Staples, who said she owned a few cheetah print items, doesn’t necessarily believe what you wear always indicated what you believe. “Well, as cliché as it may sound, I have a ‘passion for fashion’ … and fashion supports the use of animal skin,” Staples said. “However, what I love about fashion is its ability to silently express the personality of each individual wearer. I am not convinced that everyone that wear animal skin supports the brutality that may be brought against the animals involved. As with a pin, badge, sash, etc. it may actually be a sign of advocacy.”
STORY BY ANDY THIGPEN AND DANIELLE PATTEN
MARCH 2015
SPECIAL FEATURE 19
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Jesse James robbed a train on his honeymoon.
Feral camels once roamed the desert of the Old West.
WILD WEST IN THE SOUTH BANK ROBBERIES, HORSE BACK BANDITS AND OUTLAWS Time to soak our wild roots, with a history lesson! That may not sound that wild but with the past that comes with the Shoals area, you won’t be disappointed. We have all heard about the Wild West, but did you know the South had a Wild West period too? The infamous James Gang, led by Jesse James himself with Bill Ryan and Frank James, made a less than appreciated visit to The Shoals area one rainy day in March 1881. At this time, the Muscle Shoals Canal was being built, and Alexander G. Smith, the paymaster, was on his way to pay his workers for the week with a saddlebag full of cash and gold. While riding along the path, he was surprised by three riders who held him at gunpoint and demanded his money. Contrary to the expected robbery agendas, they gave back his personal money and watch, stating that they only wanted the money that came from the government. After robbing Smith of everything except his personal belongings, the Gang masqueraded as revenue officers and took Smith as their prisoner. They decided to leave him a few miles from Center Star, Alabama with an overcoat to keep warm from the rain and rode off to their hideout in Nashville, Tennessee. Who said chivalry was entirely dead? The Gang would have gotten away with it if the loud-mouthed, eternally drunk Bill Ryan, under
the name “Tom Hill,” hadn’t announced their crime to an entire convenience store and then sang like the proverbial canary when arrested, ratting out his other two companions. All three culprits were soon caught and tried in varying places, but no one was ever actually convicted of the robbery of Smith. The James Gang may have had a wild ride, but another man left a much more lasting mark on the Shoals area, Thomas Marion Clark, otherwise known as Mountain Tom. The most well-known fact about Tom is that he is allegedly buried under Tennessee Street in Florence, Alabama outside of the Florence Cemetery. There is even a sign to inform history lovers of his tale! Most of what is known about Tom Clark is urban legends and myths passed down from generation to generation, but that makes us sharing them all the more important. Although there isn’t much information about Clark in his preCivil War days, during the Civil War he was with the Confederate Army as a Guerilla Chief. However, it wasn’t long before he deserted the army in favor for the life of an outlaw. Clark became the leader of a gang and went on a theft and murder spree through the South that would out-do any villain from the old time western movies. It wasn’t long before the group soon went on a massive robbery throughout all of Florence robbing “nearly everyone” according to the Florence Herald in
FRANK JAMES, JESSE JAMES’ OLDER BROTHER, WAS A CRIMINAL, BUT HE STILL HAD TO LOOK FLY. 1892. A group of men tracked them to a nearby farm. Clark was arrested while dressed as a woman, and the other two men were reported as “elegantly dressed.” The men were taken to jail, but the townspeople went there in a rage mob demanding the keys to their cells. After the sheriff’s refusal to concede, the mob attacked and stole the keys, unlocking all the cells and taking the three men to be hung on the tree in the center of town. The angry mob lynched the men, and their bodies were found the next day by law enforcements. They were taken to be buried at the cemetery, but one of the townspeople remembered Clark’s boast that “no man would run over Tom Clark.” To answer his boast, they buried him under Tennessee Street, thus creating the tale of Mountain Tom
which has become a wild part of our culture. These men and many more give our area it’s wild heritage and should be remembered as some of the most infamous of the wild west of the South!
STORY BY PAIGE MCCAY
20 CALENDAR
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EVENTS
MARCH 5
GOV’T MULE @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN, 7:30 p.m. BOXCAR VOICES @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL, 9 p.m.
MARCH 2015
MARCH 5 - MARCH 31 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
MARCH 6
MARCH 5 - 7
INTERNATIONAL TEA & COFFEE @ UNA Powers Hall, Florence, AL, 3 p.m. FIRST FRIDAYS @ Downtown Florence, AL, 5 p.m. TYLER BARHAM @ Puckett’s Grocery, Columbia, TN, 8 p.m.
GEORGE LINDSEY UNA FILM FESTIVAL @ Florence, AL, All Day
MARCH 7 COMMUNITY KITE FESTIVAL 2015 @ John Hunt Park Jaycee Way, Huntsville, AL, 11 a.m.
HRC ALABAMA: TELLING OUR STORIES SHOALS EVENT #24 @ Odette, Florence, AL, 1 p.m. WAKA FLOCKA FLAME @ Zydeco, Birmingham, AL, 9 p.m. INVISIBLE TEARDROPS // CHIEFTAIN // HIGH SOCIETY @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL, 9 p.m. $5
IF YOU HAVE ANY EVENTS YOU WOULD LIKE LISTED, EMAIL CALENDAR@GETSETMAG.COM
MARCH 10 UNA WRITER’S SERIES: DANIEL WALLACE @ UNA Performance Center, Florence, AL, 11 a.m. THE TEMPEST @ Norton Auditorium, Florence, AL, 7 p.m.
MARCH 2015
CALENDAR 21
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DIY CLIMBING HOLD CLINIC @ Outdoor Adventure Center, Florence, AL, 7 p.m. AESOP ROCK @ Zydeco, Birmingham, AL, 8 p.m.
MARCH 11 SHOALS BIG IDEA @ Norton Auditorium, Florence, AL, 7 p.m.
MARCH 13 THE EVERYMEN // AMIGO @ 116 E. Mobile, Florence, AL
MARCH 13 – 14
CAMPING AND HIKING AT THE WALLS OF JERICHO @ Outdoor Adventure Center, Florence, AL, All Day GRACIE & JOEY @ Puckett’s Grocery, Columbia, TN, 8 p.m.
MARCH 14 THE ONLY PI DAY OF OUR LIVES @ Planet Earth!, 9 a.m.
LIGHT BEAM RIDER // GUNTHER DOUG // TBA @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL, 9 p.m.
MARCH 15 PENNY & SPARROW // SPENCER MURPHY @ 116 E. Mobile, Florence, AL
MARCH 20 CARMEN BRANDY @ Puckett’s Grocery, Columbia, TN, 8 p.m.
MARCH 21
MARCH 26
LAST THURSDAY STAND UP COMEDY AND GAME SHOW @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL, 7 p.m. $7
MARCH 27
SHARE THE ROAD CAMPAIGN @ Guillot University Center, Florence, AL, 10 a.m.
GAME NIGHT AT THE END! @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL, 2 p.m. TAPING OF THE RIGHT PLACE WITH KEVIN SPORT @ Puckett’s Grocery, Columbia, TN, 8 p.m.
MARCH 17
MARCH 22
MARCH 28
MARCH 23
THE WANNABEATLES @ Puckett’s Grocery, Columbia, TN, 8 p.m. COSA NOSTRA // TBA @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL, 9 p.m. LEFTOVER SALMON @ Cannery Ballroom, Nashville, TN, 9:30 p.m.
MARCH 16
ST. PATTIE’S DAY BIKE RIDE AND PARADE @ Outdoor Adventure Center, Florence, AL, 10 a.m. CLIMBING 101 CLINIC @ Outdoor Adventure Center, Florence, AL, 7 p.m.
MARCH 19 BOXCAR VOICES @ the end. threatre, Florence, AL, 9 p.m.
CHILDBITE // TBA @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL FULL OF HELL (PA/MD) // PHYLUM // SHADE // RISE OF ALARIC @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL, 7 p.m. $8
MARCH 25
GATEKEEPER // MERCY RULE // EVERTHELESS // TBA @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL, 7 p.m. $7
LOST DOG // STREET BAND @ Puckett’s Grocery, Columbia, TN, 8 p.m. DR. DOG @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN, 8 p.m.
MARCH 30
DAYS OF STRUGGLE FROM TIJUANA, MEXICO // 21 & 1 // RANDOM CONFLICT & THE PANTOCRATOR @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL, 7 p.m. $5
IF YOU HAVE ANY EVENTS YOU WOULD LIKE LISTED, EMAIL CALENDAR@GETSETMAG.COM
MARCH 31 SCUBA DIVING @ UNA Flower’s Hall, Florence, AL, 6:30 p.m.
22 SPECIAL FEATURE
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Elephants are the largest land-living mammals.
MARCH 2015
3 species are Asian, African, & African Forest Elephant.
HOHENWALD HOME FOR ELEPHANTS PERFORMING PACHYDERMS RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
TARRA (L) AND SHIRLEY (R) ENJOYING THEIR 2100-ACRE NATURAL HABITAT AT THE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY IN TENNESSEE. Once upon a time, Carol Buckley owned an elephant named Tarra. Tarra was the star behind Tarra Productions, a company owned by Buckley to promote the elephant for television and movie performances. As all things do, Tarra got older and needed to stop performing, and Buckley had nowhere for her to go. That’s when she teamed up with Scott Blais, an elephant trainer for Tarra Productions, and founded the Elephant Sanctuary in March of 1995.
“The purpose of the Sanctuary is to be a forever home for captive elephants that have been on display in zoos or in performing,” Mary Beth Ikard, media relations director for the Sanctuary, said. In many captive environments, elephants suffer from chronic physical ailments and decreased longevity due to constrained spaces, social isolation, emotional trauma and poor food and water quality. Some elephant-owners still use inhumane and archaic training practices. The
Sanctuary meets the needs of the elephants by providing them with space and socialization. Twenty years later, the Sanctuary is now 2,700 acres and has retired 24 elephants. There are 13 elephants residing in the Sanctuary; 11 of them are Asian Elephants and two are African Elephants. There is a barn the elephants can come and go from as they please, but life for the elephants in the Sanctuary is as close to the life they would naturally have in the wild.
Life around the Sanctuary runs on “elephant time” since they have freedom of choice as to how their day plays out. “Since the elephants have the ability to utilize the entire 2,700 acres of the grounds, there is no time schedule for the elephants,” Ikard explained. The elephants’ movements are not directed unless it is necessary for their health. They are allowed to roam and forage as they please. While the elephants are able
MARCH 2015
SPECIAL FEATURE 23
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The largest elephant on record weighs 24,000 lbs! to forage in the open spaces of the Sanctuary, they are also given morning and evening meals consisting of fresh fruits, vegetables, hay, and vitamins and minerals needed for a healthy life in captivity. In the wild, elephants travel most of the time, eat quite a bit and have an engaging social life. The Sanctuary provides an environment that allows the elephants to positively engage in all these activities and, in turn, have a greater quality of life. According to Ikard, one of the biggest challenges for the Elephant Sanctuary is helping the public to understand its visitation policy. “The American public is, for the most part, acclimated to a ‘cultural norm’ of seeing elephants on exhibit – either in a zoo setting, or in performing,” Ikard said. The elephants that come to the Sanctuary have spent most of their lives on display or entertaining the public. In order to give the elephants a comfortable and safe environment
away from their previous experience of performing, the Sanctuary has a no-visitation policy. While you cannot actually visit the elephants, The Sanctuary still plays a role in educating the public on what captivity means for elephants, as well as the issues threatening elephants in the wild. On select Saturdays the Sanctuary provides free programming to educate people on the history of the species, elephant nutrition, life stories or celebrations of the residents and more. There is also a Distance Learning program that the Sanctuary has available to classrooms or groups all over the world. The Sanctuary also has “EleCams” — an online, live stream of the elephants’ habitat, so that anyone can see firsthand how sanctuary elephants’ experiences and behavior differ from those of zoo or circus elephants. Community members are welcomed to get involved. To help
CHECK IT OUT NOW.
financially, individuals can adopt an elephant or feed an elephant for a day. If you’re interested in a volunteer-oriented program, the Sanctuary hosts Volunteer Days once per month from March through November. There is also an “EleAmbassador” program that allows citizens to be trained as spokespersons for the Sanctuary, setting up informational booths, placing materials at public libraries, or even planning speaking engagements. While volunteers do enter the elephants’ habitat, there is no guarantee that volunteers will see elephants on grounds. When I asked Ikard what her favorite part of working at the Sanctuary was, she said, “I enjoy how unique the habitat is as far as captive environments for elephants go. Other than the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), this is the only facility with the acreage to provide elephants with room to roam, so that they might
have a quiet and comfortable retirement.” While the life of a zoo or circus elephant may not be the first issue that we think about every day, the issue is still present. The work that the Sanctuary does for the lives of elephants makes a big impact on the elephant community. After a life of performing, they are given a nice place to retire and cool environment for the public to learn more about these peaceful pachyderms.
STORY BY SARAH ANN KEETER
GETSETMAG.COM
New Website!
Elephants can live to be over 70 years old.
24 SPOTLIGHT
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SAY CHEESE!
SET READERS IN ACTION
MARCH 2015
PHOTOS BY LIZA HARRISON, ANDY WALLACE AND KAT SHANNON
LEE BAINS III & THE GLORY FIRES 116 E. MOBILE, FEBRUARY 7, PHOTOS BY LIZA HARRISON
CARMELA KING, GARRY KING, GEORGE ARRAMBIDE AND CASSY JAMES
ALBERT ROTHSTEIN AND ALICIA THREET
KYLE AND MARY BETH COATS BRAGWELL
CALEB BILLINGS AND EVAN SANDY
JP AND MICHELLE DAILEY
KARMEN AND MICHAEL SIDES
MARCH 2015
SPOTLIGHT 25
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CARSON RICHEY AND ERIN DAILEY
ELISE COFIELD AND CODY HOPPER
WILSON AND AUDREY MEADOWS, AUSTIN SHIREY AND LYNDON LASSETER
SANDRA KEENY, LYNDON LASSETER AND DANA MELTON
KEVIN HOANG AND CLAIRE MARTIN
DYLAN MANN, MATT LESLEY AND SILER HEAD
GUITARIST FOR LEE BAINS III & THE GLORY FIRES
26 SPOTLIGHT
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MARCH 2015
INTERNATIONAL COFFEE & TEA UNA OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS, FEBRUARY 6, PHOTOS BY ANDY WALLACE
CALA FLIPPO, TUCKER GREEN AND LORI JAMIESON
XINGXING CHEN
SETTYS 116 E. MOBILE, FEBRUARY 24, PHOTOS BY KAT SHANNON
JIAJUN HAO
RACHEL CLAIRE RUSSELL, JAKE RUSSELL AND LEE TAYLOR
LAURA BETHEA, EMILY RUSSELL, JUSTIN ARGO, ANDY THIGPEN, KALI DANIEL, DALLAS MOORE AND KAHRI BOLDEN
LINLEY MOBLEY, JUSTIN ARGO AND ANDY THIGPEN
MARCH 2015
SPOTLIGHT 27
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ANDY THIGPEN, LAURA BETHEA AND LINLEY MOBLEY
LINLEY MOBLEY, DALLAS MOORE AND ANDY THIGPEN
RICHIE MATA’AFA, LEE TAYLOR, KYRIEL THIGPEN, JAMES THIGPEN, CHRIS ANDERSON, LAURA BETHEA AND ANSLEY QUIROS
MEGAN CRAIG HARRISON, MEGAN FARRIS, ZAC CRAIG, LINLEY MOBLEY AND ALYSSA MARIE CRAIG
ANDY THIGPEN, EMILY RUSSELL AND LINLEY MOBLEY
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LINLEY MOBLEY, KAHRI BOLDEN AND ANDY THIGPEN
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28 MOVIES
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Birdman (2014) was an independent film.
MARCH 2015
Over $3 billion is invested in indy films annually.
PASS THE POPCORN!
“MILTON MULBERRY JR. WAS GOING TO DIE.”
LOCAL FILM FESTIVAL FULL OF WILD TALENT What’s wilder: a short film about a boymortician and his blind girlfriend with werewolves, kung fu and zombies, or a documentary about a guy who canoes along the Alabama river system for 44 days from Birmingham to the Gulf of Mexico? Either way, these films are only small samples of what you can expect at the annual George Lindsey UNA Film Festival. What is it about film festivals that produce such wild and unique (and sometimes strange) films? Cynthia Burkhead, chair of the George Lindsey
UNA Film Festival, says that it’s the nature of independent filmmaking. Because independent films don’t have the restraints that big, studio productions do, there is naturally more creative freedom. “I think independent film just frees them from [restraints],” Burkhead said. “It allows filmmakers to test the possibilities and the limits of their art, and I think that’s what’s so great about it … When we watch the films at a film festival, we’re getting to see those pushed limits that we often don’t get to see at the multiplex.” While the two films mentioned above don’t exactly push limits in terms of artistic or cinematic forms, they are excellent examples of the creative freedoms independent filmmakers can take. The first, Dead Hearts, written and directed by Stephen W. Martin, is about Milton Mulberry, an 8-year-old mortician who falls in love with Lola Littleton, a blind girl who is also a kung fu master. The film opens, and Milton is lying on the bed, puffing on a cigarette, as the baritone droll of an English narrator says, “Milton Mulberry Jr. was going
to die.” So begins the tale of Milton on his way to death — and being undead — with kung fu, werewolves and longlost love in between. “The things we find hilarious in that film, I don’t know that we would find a multiplex audience … that would all find quite so hilarious,” Burkhead said. “The film seems to be speaking to people who are open to the limits of storytelling.” That is what independent filmmaking is all about: pushing limits of storytelling and brining the audience along to show them just exactly where the boundaries can go — if there are even boundaries. And we experience those at film festivals, not chain movie theatres. Dead Hearts is also unique because of slightly deeper, practical message. “On one level, [Dead Hearts is] an anti-bully film that you can’t show to 10-year-olds to prevent them from bullying,” Burkhead said, laughing. That’s right, for anyone thinking of bringing a younger audience member: there’s a lot of dark imagery and narrative here, as well as some violence and one scene of intense, hilarious gore.
On some other end of this manyspoked spectrum of film genre, we have the beautiful and captivating River Dreams. This documentary, directed by Hunter Nichols, is the story of Nichols traveling down the Alabama river system for 44 days, from Birmingham to the Gulf of Mexico. The film is absolutely visually stunning with wide shots of the Cahaba and Alabama rivers at sunrise, the canoe gliding gracefully through the water and nature in all her glory on proud display. Along the way, Nichols interacts with the full force of nature: lightening storms, giant wolf spiders, wild hogs, alligators, whitewater rapids and cotton mouth snakes, to name a few. He also inevitably comes across human interference: toxic geysers of pollution from nearby mills, dams that disrupt the natural migration of fish and the lingering effects of the 2010 BP oil spill. Nichols is a major advocate for conservation and environmental protection, and the documentary, while also visually entertaining, is a source of information about the history, development and rapid deterioration of the Alabama river systems and the ecosystems that thrive along them. “What the film does that an environmentalist giving a speech can’t do is show you in stunning detail what’s at stake,” Burkhead said. “He doesn’t just talk about the loss of a river; he shows you the beauty of the river and what the status of that loss might be.” The George Lindsey Film Festival begins March 5 and ends on the evening of March 7. Nichols will be on a panel discussing his film Saturday, March 7 at 12:30 at the Mane Room in downtown Florence, Alabama. There will also be a special panel of music supervisors who have worked on things such as the Marvel films, Guardians of the Galaxy, Breaking Band, Walking Dead and others. Our own John Paul White will moderate.
STORY BY ANDY THIGPEN
MARCH 2015
SPECIAL FEATURE 29
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Llamas can eat up to 6 lbs of hay per day.
“Peafowl” refers to both peacock genders.
ALABAMA SAFARI TIME
LADY PEACOCK GOT HER FEATHERS DID.
HARMONY PARK OFFERS DRIVE-THRU SAFARI EXPERIENCE Just when you’re convinced you are hopelessly lost, the GPS will save you. Sure enough, to your right you will see a giant sign that says “Harmony Park Safari.” This eclectic park is one of Alabama’s
least known attractions and certainly one of its more exotic. Jean Brandau, a Huntsville expert and writer for Huntsville. com described the park as “a federally licensed nature preserve
of free-ranging exotic & endangered animals.” She also said in her article about her visit to the park that she hadn’t laughed like she did that day in a long time. Harmony Park is not a petting zoo due to its variety of lessthan-pettable animals such as emus and bison, but rather a drive-through zoo. Admission is $7 a person, and you can also purchase food for the animals for an extra $5. Feeding the animals is, of course, half the fun. Despite rave reviews online, including being #10 on tripadvisor. com’s list of Huntsville attractions, even some Huntsvillians don’t know it exists. Ashley Connell, a Huntsville native, was unaware of its existence until friends from out of town insisted they go. “Apparently it’s more popular with people from outside of the area; it’s more of a tourist attraction,” Connell said. She also said that after her visit she asked around Huntsville to see if others were aware and found them to be just as surprised as she was. In her defense, the park is located on the outskirts of the city for obvious reasons. Connell described the layout of the park as a series of fenced in areas. Upon entering, you drive thru the “safari” part where zebras, emus, llamas, rams and even bison can approach your car. One of the park rules is that you cannot have your car window rolled down any lower than 8 inches to avoid having the animals try to hitch a ride. You can, however, put your hand out the 8 inch gap and feed the animals as they approach your car. Ashley and her friends were leery of the close proximity of the animals at first, but in the end she described it as “exciting” and one of her favorite parts. “There were some animals, like the emus, where you just wanted to throw the food out, but others, like the zebra where you let it eat out of your hand,” Ashley said, later admitting to me that she pet the zebra even though that’s frowned upon. Past the safari part, you are allowed
to park your car and explore. There are a series of pens each holding a different type of animal: one for kangaroos, one for alligators, one for monkeys and one for the giant camel. Ashley said that the kangaroos were her favorite as well as the beautiful peacocks that roam the grounds. There is also a reptile house where you can observe different types of reptiles and pet turtles in their tank. There are snakes, baby alligators and even a small crocodile — all safely behind glass, of course. Overall, Ashley said she and her friends had a great time at Harmony Park. Kim Nichols, a Florence, Alabama resident, said her family goes to the park every year. Their first trip to the park was in 2008, and they plan to return this spring for their seventh trip. “We’ve been many times. We love it!” Nichols said. Nichols’ favorite part about the park is that you can take your family through as many times as you want and stay as long as you want. Her children’s favorite part was feeding the animals from the car window. “We’ve taken them from babies to teenagers. Everyone loves it,” she said. “We always try to take friends and family that come to visit us.” For the Nichols family, this local adventure has provided hours of entertainment and fun, as well as countless memories made with their children. Next time you and your friends are complaining about being bored, just hop in the car and go on a safari! You may be surprised at what you can find in the wilds of north Alabama!
STORY BY CHLOE ALLEN
30 FREESTYLE
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COURTESY OF AMBER PRESSNELL
ONE FINAL THOUGHT THAT’LL DO, PIG. THAT’LL DO.
COYOTE BE CREEPIN’.
COURTESY OF ANN HARKEY
KEITH RICHARDS THE LIZARD STRIKING A POSE.
COURTESY OF DUSTIN COAN
COURTESY OF ALEXANDRIA CHRISTMAS
Everyone loves their pets. If there’s one thing that everyone loves more than their pets, it’s photos of theirs pets. Combine that with weird animals encounters in the wild, and we practically have our own Instagram feed. We asked our SET readers and contributors to send photos of their pets and strange animal encounters, and they did not disappoint! Here are our favorite furry — and scaly — critters.
MARCH 2015
LUNA, UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL.
LITTLE CAESAR’S DRIVE-THRU IS A STRANGE PLACE.
COURTESY OF ROBERT BROCK COBLE
CHECK OUT THIS GUY GETTING HIS BURROWING BUSINESS ON.
SMAUG ENJOYS PLAYING WITH HIS FOOD.
COURTESY OF JENNIFER KELLEY-JOHNSON
COURTESY OF STEPHEN JACKSON
COURTESY OF COURTNEY TULLY
COURTESY OF HANNA ARCHER
DEBO GETTIN’ A LITTLE LOVE.
JUANITA ROARING... OR YAWNING.
MARCH 2015
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FREESTYLE 31