KSU Talon | Winter 2006

table of contents

talon staff heidi paruta editor in chief, layout. jessica castillo assistant editor. jamie witter tech editor. jessica forkel music editor. melissa stiers, jessica edens, katrina wood, amanda tanner, jaime da costa, lorna redmond, matt logan, terri alvarez, angie jennings, natalia schust, erica turner, shaye weaver, rick winters

alumni: kiki amanatidis front and back cover: melissa stiers

18 KSU reaches a crossroad

28 40 years of The Sentinel

advisor: ed bonza

TalonMag@gmail.com

02

did you know? don’t say we never told you

03

letter from the editor falling for cooler weather

04

movie picks forget studying and get lost in your favorite movie

05

student organization join the ksu model arab league and become a master debater

06

book review chick lit redefined

08

tech news move over, iPod, you have competition

10

holiday in the netherworld what it takes to make a haunted house

12

make shift better what’s better than pumpkin pie? pumpkin bread, of course. and a frame

14

food review: shogun and fujihana it’s the town center hibachi grill showdown

16

the threat of testicular cancer safety first: play with yourself

18

spaceship earth: remembering the future ksu is the landing pad for a life-changing statue

20

learning to play the instrument two ksu art students who had a hand in the construction of spaceship earth

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out of status - out of class how immigration laws affect would-be students

25

ear candy a rebel and some rascals

26

interview with the band needtobreathe is new on the scene

27

zac brown’s coming musical entertainment for your after-inauguration enjoyment

28

celebrating 40 years of ksu news happy birthday sentinel!

32

smoky mountain getaway relax in the woods, watch out for bears

35

places to go, animals to see zoo atlanta lets patrons monkey around

36

a chat worth having places to go in chattanooga, tennessee

38

japanese autumn traditions for a changing season

40

rant and rave cmon, we’re listening Talon is a registered student feature magazine of Kennesaw State University and is

published two to three times yearly. Opinions and ideas expressed in Talon are those of the individual artists, authors, and student editors and are not those of Kennesaw State

32 Run away to the mountains

University, it’s Board of Regents, nor the advertisers. Talon is paid for, in part, through student activity fees and is free of charge to all members of the KSU community.

Winter 2006 edition.

betcha didn’t..

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You can help fund mammograms with just the click of a button! Visit TheBreastCancerSite.com and click the big pink “Fund Free Mammograms” button. For each click, 100% of sponsor revenue goes toward payment of a mammogram. It just takes a second and could save someone’s mother, sister, daughter, or friend!

It’s normal to catch the “winter blues” but it’s no fun! Try to avoid your “holiday blahs” by getting a lot of sunlight, talking about problems or stresses with a friend and maybe even starting a new hobby!

If none of this helps, make sure you talk to your doctor. There is actually a medical condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, which you could be experiencing.

Treatment includes professional light therapy.

Find out more info at www.nmha.org.

02

summer 2006

Did you know KSU had a pool? The keyword is “had.” Apparently no one was using it so, they’re going to fill it in to make more gym space.

Also, in case you hadn’t heard, the gym will now be charging $5 for guests of students and anyone who forgets their KSU Student ID. PS. They don’t make change, so bring exact.

Want to get lost in a corn field? Check out Cagle’s Dairy for harvest tours, hayrides, bonfires, cow milking and their popular Corn Maize!

The correct path can be walked in 45 minutes but most people need about an hour. Go as fast as you like - just don’t run backwards. www.caglesdairy.com. For more fall fun check out www. pumpkinpatchesandmore.org.

The dangerous strain of E. coli in spinach and other greens can be found in human and animal feces a.k.a cow poop.

Mmmm, that makes you want to eat a salad now, right? E. coli can be passed to these foods through contaminated water, poor hygeine on the farm, and from wandering animals in the field. So remember that the next time you’re cow-tipping kids! For more information, please consult Talon assistant editor and cow poop expert, Jessica Castillo at TalonAE@gmail.com.

falling for cooler weather letter from the editor

Before I moved to Georgia, I hated fall. It’s mostly due to the fact that 900 miles north of here, in New Jersey, fall’s arrival meant summer’s departure - no kid wants that. It showed up a couple weeks earlier than it does in Georgia and when it got cold, you knew it’d stay cold until April. It didn’t play games like “sweaty during the day and freezing at night.”

Occasionally, it even snowed in fall. I’m not talking an inch of snow that turns to slush, then to ice, then back to slush.

I’m talking about a REAL snowstorm; one where you’d make snowmen and go sledding over the weekend and STILL have school on Monday. I make it sound like the Yukon, but I’m still not over the fact that the world ends, in Georgia, the minute a snow flake is seen.

I’ve never been a fan of snow - but I have come to appreciate and anticipate Georgia’s fall because it’s about equal to Jersey’s spring. Here, we call it “hoodie weather” and turn into giddy school girls (even the guys) when we realize it’s time to dig out our respective sweatshirts and zip-ups and pullovers.

However you feel about fall and/or winter, Talon has some suggestions on making the changing seasons even better. Fall is no doubt the prettiest time of the year - go pumpkin, or apple picking (as you can see here, it is something I am serious about. See page 2), visit another city (page 36), view falling leaves (it doesn’t necessarily have to be across the world, like on page 38).. and when it reaches those freezing nights where you have to wear at least three hoodies, stay in and bake (page 12) or curl up with your favorite movie (page 4).

The cold weather is also the best excuse to innocently cuddle up with that cute guy or girl you’ve been eyeing in math class. Whatever you do, enjoy yourself because before you know it, it’ll be time for SPRING CLEANING!

Heidi Paruta editor in chief

Congratulations to Girl Talk Inc for its successes.

Our former editor in chief, Kiki Amanatidis, sits on the board of directors! <3

spring 2006

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Staff

movie picks Our favorite movies to curl up with a blanket and watch when it’s cold outside

“What Lies Beneath” is one of the few movies that has give me a hard time sleeping.

Slasher films with guts flying everywhere or girls walking out of TV sets don’t compare to a great thriller such as this! - Terri Alvarez

I can’t go without watching “The Santa Clause” with Tim Allen every Christmas. It’s a kind of tradition with my family. It’s not Christmas without it. - Shaye Weaver

“Mixed Nuts” is simply the best movie no one’s ever seen (or even heard of)! While it tells the tale of a strange combination of people whose lives connect on Christmas Eve, the film is so funny it is great any time of the year. With stellar actors the likes of Steve Martin, Adam Sandler, Rita Wilson, Madeline Kahn, Rob Reiner and Juliette Lewis (Jon Stewart even makes a tiny cameo!), you couldn’t ask for a more perfect classic to watch over and over. - Jessica Edens

“The Nightmare Before Christmas” is not only the perfect movie to watch during Halloween and Christmas, but also the perfect movie to watch all year long! Jack Skellington reminds me of Johnny Depp, and Johnny Depp is HOTTTT! - Jessica Castillo

I like “Jeremiah Johnson.” A young Robert Redford plays Jeremiah Johnson, a fellow who gets fed up with society and heads out to become a mountain man. The movie follows him through a tough winter and it’s really good. Hardly any dialogue. And I like “Christmas Vacation,” Chevy Chase plays (I’m sure you’re aware) Clark Griswald, a dad who tries to host the perfect Christmas but ends up messing it all up. Good stuff. - Matt Logan

One of my favorite movies, that I save for the holidays and around Christmas, is “Love Actually.” It has many layers and stories within it, but I love how it ties together and just makes the holiday season (and England, which is already pretty darn cool) special for those of us across the ‘big pond.’ It also has some great music! Now I wait and watch “Love Actually” when I want to have a little Christmas spirit “with” the movie’s characters. - Katrina Wood

“The Constant Gardener” is one of my favorite movies of all time because it has a lot of meaning behind it. Not only is it entertaining, poignant, and dramatic but it also makes you think.

It touches on ethics, health care issues, and the state of Africa as a whole. And, of course, there is also a good mystery to be solved. Good for a snowy day when you’re stuck inside and want to watch something that will really get your brain moving. - Jaime da Costa

T

he Model Arab League at KSU is gearing up for the Southern Regional Model United Nations conference this November.

KSU’s branch of this politically aware organization is an exceptional outlet for anyone longing to express their opinions and international research in a diplomatic environment.

The club is essentially “a simulation of the duties performed by the League of Arab States,” said the team’s Captain, Chelsea MacGregor-Whyte. Members act as representatives of involved Arab nations, developing resolutions and stances on issues and topics that relate to the countries. The league is divided into committees who discuss the topics, modeling how the actual League of Arab States functions. The goal of each member is to bring resolutions to the forefront that will benefit the country they are representing.

Delegates in the league use—and soon further develop— diplomacy, research skills, organization, and insight into international politics.

At the conferences, which are the league’s competitions, each school represents a country. Committees are formed, and current social, political, and economic issues are discussed.

Research, as well as opinion, is needed to provide the situations with fuel to promote resolution. Needless to say, these events are no small feat.

“In committees you find heated debates, resolutions being typed up at lightning speed, and diplomacy at its all time height,” MacGregor-Whyte said.

Situations like this encourage open-mindedness in the international circuit, and keep those involved up-to-date on the latest in current events. The league is also a way for members to address issues and provide opinions and facts in a diplomatic way.

Incidentally, the KSU league has some bragging rights, as they are known to come out of competitions with individual and team honors. The group has earned a certain respect from competing universities.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Model Arab League, e-mail Chelsea MacGregor-Whyte at ksumodelarableague@gmail.com. The league has another event in March, the Regional Model Arab League conference, as well as nationally scheduled events. They meet in Willingham Hall on Sunday afternoons.

Photos courtesy of the Model Arab League

KSU’S

Model Arab League

By Jessica Edens . jessicaedens@gmail.com

spring 2006

5

E

veryone has a “Darcy” in his or her life. The perfect best friend, with the perfect body, perfect hair, perfect job and perfect man.

Everyone also has a “Rachel” in his or her life. The logical friend. The one who thinks things through and focuses more on work and school, than on dating and living the high social life. But, what happens when the latter steps up to the plate and sleeps with her best friends fiancée?

Emily Giffin introduces us to Darcy and Rachel’s worlds in both Something Borrowed and Something Blue. While most authors that are typically branded as “chick lit” write novels that are focused more on one character, their career and their relationship with their significant other (or lack thereof) Giffin reels readers in with characters who you learn to love, and others who you love to hate. The characters are real, the storylines are even more real, and each page of each book keeps you wanting more. But what is the story behind Emily Giffin, an ex-lawyer turned author?

“I loved law school, but didn’t like the practice of law, I knew within weeks that this wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life,” Giffin told Talon from her Atlanta home.

In 2001, days after 9/11, Giffin picked up and left New York City, for London where she went to write. The first book she wrote was rejected more than once, but Giffin never stopped.

Something Borrowed, the first of three novels made the New York Times Bestseller list,

and something Blue and Baby Proof subsequently followed. When Giffin got the call from her editor about Borrowed making the list she was shocked, but with Blue and Proof she felt more relieved.

“It was one of the happiest moments of my life. With each book there is almost more pressure,” Giffin commented. Although both Borrowed and Blue made the list, it was this summer’s Baby Proof that not only made the printed New York Times Bestseller list, but for two weeks it was the #1 book in Canada.

Like most people in the spotlight, Giffin has a MySpace page. The page has helped Giffin connect with over 4,000 of her readers since May 2006.

The page boasts that her twin sons love The Brady Bunch. When asked who her favorite Brady was she responded with: “The boys [her twins] love Marcia. So, it’s hard not to love her. They dropped the DVD on a plane once and the yelled ‘Marcia Brady! Marcia Brady!’”

If she had to rank the Brady kids?

“Marcia the best, then Jan, Greg, Bobby, Cindy and Peter,” Recently, author Stephen King, an author Giffin lists as a favorite “when he’s not writing horror,” confronted author J.K Rowling about the possibility of killing off Harry Potter in the last book of the series.

Like many of the faithful readers, Giffin too would be devastated if Rowling killed off the beloved wizard.

But what about Giffin’s characters?

In Baby Proof, Giffin breaks yet more mainstream social norms, with an issue that is

Emily Giffin Redefines Chick Lit

By Kiki Amanatidis . Alumni

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becoming more prominent in today’s society. What happens when a couple gets married, both standing on the same ground about having no children, but then one of them change their mind? In most situations, it would be the woman who changes, gets that maternal itch, but in this case it’s the man.

We are introduced to Claudia and Ben, a married NYC couple who are divorced by the end of the fifth chapter. Like in both Something Borrowed and Something Blue, Giffin reels readers in with the realness of the characters and dialogue. It is a little harder to get into than the Something set, but once you get past the break-up, it’s a non-stop reading marathon.

While Giffin is thinking about bringing back Darcy and Rachel for another go-around in print, there are talks to Baby Proof being a television series, the pilot picking up when Claudia and Ben split up.

In the September 2005 issue of Wake Forest University’s magazine, there was mention of Something Borrowed, being made into a feature film. When asked whom she would cast she answered with, “Patrick Dempsey as Dex, Michelle Williams as Rachel and Rachel Bilson as Darcy,” What can fans expect next from Giffin?

Her fourth novel, tentatively titled Love the One You’re With, is about a newly married woman, who runs into an old love. One of which happens to be from Atlanta.

One thing is for sure; this is just the beginning for Giffin.

In College She was active in Amnesty International and was involved in politics. She volunteered for the presidential campaign during one of those years.

Authors she read included Alice Munro, Alice Feeble, Stephen King (minus the horror), Tom Perrota and Eleanor Whitman to name a few.

She worked as the basketball manager for Wake Forest’s men’s basketball team.

Now

She still enjoys politics, and spends her time being a mom!

At time of press Giffin was reading “The Memory Keeper’s Daughter” by Kim Edwards and a debut novel, “Love Walked In” by Marisa de los Santos.

She writes novels and is a New York Times Bestseller.

For more information on Emily Giffin: www.emilygiffin.com www.myspace.com/emilygiffin

History Major, Emily Grillo (L) attended Emily Giffin’s (R) book launch party at 103 West in Buckhead. - Photo by K.Amanatidis

spring 2006

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tech news Bill gates and Steve Jobs battle for your patronage.

By Jamie Witter . jamiewitter@gmail.com

On October 23rd of 2001 the world was introduced to Apple’s iPod. Almost exactly six years later Apple’s biggest competitor, Microsoft, has finally struck back. Microsoft’s response to the iPod, dubbed the “Zune”, is a feature rich multimedia gadget that will cost the same as its competitor.

November 14th of 2006 will bring the arrival of the Zune just in time for the Christmas shopping season. What consumers will get for $249.99 is a media player complete with a subscription service similar to Apple’s iTunes music service. What Microsoft will be able to offer consumers however far surpasses Apple’s offerings in a few ways. The Zune has an advantage over the iPod in terms of both hardware and media.

The Zune at its core is simply a 30 GB1 media player with the ability to store 7,500 songs, 25,000 pictures or 100 hours of video. Microsoft, in order to upstage the iPod, has included better overall hardware and Wifi2 interconnectivity.

As far as hardware is concerned the Zune features a screen that is 20% larger than those of the iPod. This 3 inch screen allows users to view information in either a landscape or portrait orientation. As far as power goes, the Zune is rumored to have a 400 MHz processor; in contrast the iPod features a much weaker 90 MHz processor.

This processing power advantage would allow Microsoft to expand the utilizations of the Zune far past a simple media player in the future. To put this into perspective, one only has to know that a Sony Playstation Portable only features a 222 MHz processor. With this sort of processing power, storage and wireless capabilities the possibilities are endless.

An FM radio receiver has also been included in the overall Zune package. This receiver will allow Zune owners to listen to normal radio broadcasts and is a feature that the iPod has completely lacked.

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Talon Magazine

According to Microsoft this FM receiver will even allow Zune owners to see the name of the song being played as long as radio stations broadcast using a Radio Broadcast Data Standards Signal.

The most important advantage of the Zune over the iPod is its Wifi capability. Wifi interconnectivity will allow Zune owners to share and download songs wirelessly. According to the

Zune fact sheet provided on the Microsoft virtual pressroom this sharing has its limits. With profits, as well as anti-piracy issues, taken into consideration Microsoft made the decision that these shared downloads can only be listened to up to three times in three days. However if a Zune owner likes a song that they received from someone else wirelessly they may flag it on their Zune and buy it for themselves later.

Apple’s iTunes, like the iPod, has been around for about 5 years now. It has faced direct competition from other pay per download music sources as well as those which are free and illegal. With the coming

of the Zune however iTunes is faced with its biggest adversary yet. Microsoft, in order to compete with iTunes, has created what it is calling “The Zune Marketplace.” Through this software Zune owners may buy songs for a flat fee or buy a monthly pass for unlimited downloads. This dual attack against Apple’s iTunes is another way in which Microsoft again has an advantage. Single songs through the Zune marketplace according to Microsoft will cost 79 “Microsoft Points.” This points system is a way in which Microsoft has in the past allowed Xbox owners to purchase items online through Xbox live.

Currently, users can purchase 100 Microsoft Points for $1.25; therefore, 79 points costs roughly 99 cents.

At this rate, Microsoft matches Apple. Unfortunately for Apple users purchasing songs at 99 cents per track is the only way in which they can purchase music off of iTunes. As a result, it is not uncommon to find iPod users who have spent thousands of dollars to own something intangible (files on a hard drive). With Microsoft’s approach a lucky Zune user could spend a monthly subscription fee ($14.99 a month) and amass a library similar in size for far less.

This unlimited subscription fee will also possibly work to Microsoft’s advantage and convert many people who have kept pirating music online due to the expense which it has usually entailed.

In the end, only market forces will reveal the true winner of the battle for our musical needs. The iPod has long been the dominant piece of hardware in this market; for years people have wished that Microsoft would enter this arena against Apple.

However, being late to the game may possibly prevent the Zune from taking over. Fortunately, Microsoft has been busy gaining market share in the living rooms of video game players while Apple has been dominant in the market for Mp3 players. This advantage will bring about a possible advantage that Microsoft can exploit. The communication possibilities between the Xbox360, Windows Vista and the Zune may be the downfall of the now dominant iPod. (Footnotes) 1 GB stands for Gigabyte which is a standard of measurement of space on a computers hard drive. 1 GB is equivalent to 1024 MB or Megabytes.

2 Wifi is short for “wireless fidelity” it is the popular term for a high-frequency wireless local area network (WLAN). It is a way of transmitting information in wave form that is reasonably fast and is often used for notebooks.

Zune Photos and Facts courtesy of Microsoft’s Zune Pressroom webpage at www.microsoft.com

Zune Quick Facts Wireless Zune-to-Zune sharing. Share and sample someone elses tracks or playlists temporarily.

Personalization. Choose one of 3 colors.. add your own pictures.

Large color screen. 3in screen that can be changed from portrait to landscape mode.

30GB player. Stores up to 7,500 songs, 25,000 pictures or 100 hours of video.

Zune Pass. Subscribe for “all you can eat” access to the Zune Marketplace.

Built-in FM tuner. Listen to local FM radio stations Accessories. Available for car, home and travel.

Online music store. Buy it online and sync it on your player.

Import your music. From your iTunes and/or Windows Media Player Easily Updated. Zune software on your PC will let you know when updates are available for download.

spring 2006

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Netherworld N etherwo rld

By Jessica Edens jessicaedens@gmail.com

N

o one would assume, standing in line to visit a haunted house, that the entertainment has been in planning since the previous Halloween. No one would imagine that story, costumes, special effects, backgrounds, and props have been in the works for months, existing not as a seasonal event but an all-year job for those in charge. Those who run a haunted house attend conventions and scour the state for the best, newest, and most cutting-edge haunted materials available.

Netherworld Haunted House in Roswell stands as a perfect tribute to the hard work and preplanning that go on all year behind the scenes.

Currently spooking North Georgia for the tenth year running, the multilayered haunt has been named the #2 Haunted House in America by Hauntworld Magazine.

An attraction the size and depth of Netherworld requires no less than a year to devise. “Theming and building props and effects begin the moment the other show ends,” said Netherworld Publicity Assistant Ayanna Luke. “Construction usually

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Talon Magazine

begins in April, allowing us time to go to conventions and tradeshows, network with fellow haunters and purchase effects. Then final show design begins, and it is directly followed by construction.”

Human resources are also essential to the production, as actors provide some of the best surprises.

From the gruesome ghouls standing outside to welcome guests with a not-so-pleasant approach, to the countless dark creatures one finds upon entering the Netherworld, the entire function just wouldn’t work without the living.

“We generally have a pool of over two hundred actors each year,” Luke explained. Of these, about seventy-five are used on any given night. On top of that, there is box-office, security, and operations staff.”

Another indispensable piece of a haunted house is the storyline, or in Netherworld’s case, the three storylines. The first, “Cursed,” takes place in the titular Netherworld, a scary place somewhere between the living and the dead. The “Freak Pit” is an old slaughterhouse that a strange

man named Dr. Bile turned into a museum of oddities, full of blood, guts, ghouls, vampires, spooks, and several “exhibits” on display for those brave enough to go inside. The third, “Shock-O-Rama,” is in 3D, and leads its guests down a Technicolor path, with surprises cropping up around every corner.

The stories at the root of Netherworld are different each season, while building on an ongoing tale of horror. Always focusing on the Netherworld, each season is filled with hideous sights, gruesome monsters, and evil spirits just outside our normal realm.

“Each tale revolves around doorways that open and invasions by evil things from beyond. From year to year some of the same characters return, but there is always a different twist,” Luke revealed.

Myth and legend are natural sources for the Netherworld lore.

“We have always looked to literary sources like the work of H.P. Lovecraft for inspiration,” said Luke.

Trends in the film industry are also figured into the project,

so as to appeal to changing public taste. In creating original characters though, the haunt is able to retain its own identity, drawing on horror flick trends just enough to keep in touch.

“Our focus on original work and deep theming has worked out pretty well,” Luke admitted. “It also keeps us busy coming up with new stuff!”

For props, the masterminds behind the haunt keep on top of industry trends. “We’re always striving to bring the latest scare tactics to our customers,” she said. Props and effects come from vendors across the United States, which are then tweaked to become distinctly Netherworld style. Local artists and designers also contribute their talents in bringing the creatures and atmosphere to life.

All that considered, the budget is “scary!” Luke admitted. “We put our money into the haunt and I think it shows!”

So what kind of people put their money into a seasonal project like a haunted house? Turns out it’s the people who know best how to put on a great show. For Netherworld, it was a small group of “special effects and artist types” with TV and film backgrounds. Their focus on distinct and original work keeps their product artistic and effective.

The group first came together after working with other haunts in Atlanta, when there was a down-season one year.

Much labor goes into any endeavor, but luckily Netherworld has been well-received by the public, and has

made it to the ten-year mark. The crew at Netherworld has had many trials in the beginning, most significantly the difficult task of not having

a shady man is asking if you’ve led a respectable life? In the true sense of a great production, each guest quickly forgets all previous conceptions of a haunted house, and instead relies on his own survival instinct. For most, dark shadows and tunnels, creepy “living things” and unanticipated jolts and twists become the main issues upon entering Netherworld. Sensations of vertigo and tunnels abound, creatures both dead and living lurk, and 3D effects add to the eerie stories along the pathways.

True to American culture, the haunted house is an aspect of the theatrical holidays we plan for all year round. As with Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or the Fourth of July, Halloween is celebrated long before it arrives, heralded in by entire aisles of candy in the supermarket and costumes concealing the identities of children and adults alike. Pure celebratory joy comes from such a thing as a trip down a dark creepy trail—because there is something innately satisfying about conquering such a thing, and laughing about it later, while munching on fun-sized Reese’s and Kit-Kats.

a permanent location during its early years. This meant that in addition to efforts of production and construction was the monumental task of changing locations annually. Fortunately, their location is now permanent in the Georgia Antique and For more information on Netherworld Design Center. and other haunted houses, check out The top-rated Halloween www.HauntedAtlanta.com or www. event continues to scare and enfearworld.com. Netherworld is located in tertain. That this vital tradition has Roswell (Gwinnett County), and is open continued “has had much to do with every night in October (7-11 pm weekour successes,” Luke said. nights, 7pm-12am weekends and HallowBut does any of this mateen). Admissions range from $15-$25. ter when you find yourself standing upon the threshold of “Cursed,” and

spring 2006

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make shift Revamping the old, the used and unwanted things our friends and family give us to fill our bellies and decorate our apartments.

d Pumpkin Brea 4 eggs in 1 16oz can of plain pumpk our 3-1/2 cups of self rising fl 3 cups of sugar 2 teaspoons of cinnamon 2/3 cup of water 1 cup of cooking oil

ray.

th a non-stick baking sp

spray the loaf pans wi en to 350 degrees and

1. Pre-heat the ov 2. Beat eggs. together. pumpkin and mix well.

3. Add oil, water, and xing the dry ingredients mi n, mo na cin d an r ga sift the flour. Add su 4. In a separate bowl, kin mixture. redients into the pump ing dry the bubbles. d ad y wl Slo 5. the pans to remove air of es sid the tap y htl lig pans and 6. Pour the batter in the for one hour. th butter for a soft, 7. Bake at 350 degrees l: spread the loaves wi na tio (op l foi in up m cool by wrapping the 8. Allow the loaves to glossy finish). d enjoy!

9. Once cooled, slice an

Photos on this page by HParuta

an e holiday treat. Also, as rth the effort for a festiv wo ll we is it t bu rk wo like a lot of mpkin muffins!

This recipe may seem ns and enjoy yummy pu pa n ffi mu e us , ns pa f alternative to loa of pumpkin. t potatoes in the place ee sw ed sh ma of oz 16 d. Use sweet potatoes instea Don’t like pumpkin? Try the flavor! and/or nuts to kick up Jazz it up! Add raisins

By Erica Turner actingerica1018@yahoo.com

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Talon Magazine

better Amanda Tanner amanda.anielse2@gmail.com

This seasonal picture frame is incredibly easy to make- even for those who claim to have no artistic ability! It is also a very affordable project for near-penniless college students looking for a way to decorate the dorm for fall.

Materials (all materials can be found at Target/Wal-Mart) • Picture frame • Acrylic paint (choose 1-2 fall colors) • Paintbrush • Foam letter stickers • Seasonal scrapbook die cuts, stickers, and embellishments

Instructions 1. Paint the frame: First, slide the plastic covering out of the frame (you don’t want to get paint on this.) Before you begin painting, be sure to shake your bottle of paint— if you don’t, you may have to add additional coats. Don’t forget to cover the edges!

2. Let dry: Drying should take 20-25 minutes. When the paint is no longer glossy and tacky, it’s ready. Use a utility knife or a thumbtack to re-open the photo slot (dried paint creates an unwanted seal.) Do this before decorating.

3. Decorate: Decide where your stickers will look best, and place them on the frame. If the adhesive on the back of the stickers is not strong enough, use glue as reinforcement. Think about what you want your frame to say, then arrange the foam letters (if you have a photo in mind for this frame, it can help you decide: ex. “friends” “fall” “autumn” “family” “2006”) 4. Add your photo: Complete the project by placing a fall photo (and the plastic covering removed in the beginning) in the frame.

If you have printed a photograph, place the covering on top of the picture before inserting—this will keep the ink from getting smeared or scratched.

T I P S

• Of course, this project can be adapted to any holiday, season, or occasion—be creative!

• Mothers and grandmothers love this kind of stuff—you might consider making a frame as a gift.

spring 2006

13

Affordable Japanese cuisine, and the entertainment to match

Shogun

By Katrina Wood katdw8204@yahoo.com Looking for an affordable way to eat sushi, beef teriyaki, or chicken fried rice?

How about an order to go or an evening out with the showmanship of a hibachi grill? Shogun, located on George Busbee Parkway, serves every imaginable Japanese dish, and offers the option of hibachi or traditional meal service.

additional

INFO: Venue:

Japanese

Location:

2744 George Busbee Parkway

Hibachi style cooking is offered on weekends only.

This is your chance to watch and be entertained by chefs cooking right in front of you—an experience that everyone needs to have at least once. Along with a full menu, you’ll find specialty drinks like splash almond and plum wine, and one-ofa-kind desserts like green tea ice cream. Shogun (and its food) doesn’t give the impression of being recycled from any other Japanese restaurant. Fortunately, if you are on a budget, or just want a regular-sized meal, menu items are affordable.

Phone:

770 - 499 - 0555

Patrons have about 23 appetizers to choose from. There’s fried shrimp, soft shell crab, variations of fried rice, and even sliced octopus or “broiled half dried sardines”—all for about $5-$8. The “don buri” (rice bowl) selection is also moderately priced, and a noodle soup or side item can be under $10.

Prices:

$5 and up

Payment:

Cash, Diner’s Club, Amex,

You’ll find standard combinations of teriyaki-style meats, or vegetable dishes. For sushi lovers, the possibilities are practically endless! Get salmon, egg, sea urchin, squid, or quail egg sushi, choosing 2, 6, or 8 pieces.

Kennesaw, GA 30144 Hours: Lunch:

Mon - Fri: 11:30am-2:30pm

Dinner:

Mon - Thurs: 5pm-10pm Fri: 5pm-1pm, Sat: 3:30pm-11pm Sun 3:30pm-10pm

Mastercard, Visa Recommends: Anything on the Hibachi Grill!

Noise:

Moderate

Smoking:

No

Alcohol:

Specialty drinks, wine, No Full Bar

For a sushi fix, hibachi grill experience, or family meal (a kid’s menu for children under 10 is available), Shogun offers countless choices in Japanese cuisine. For a few extra dollars, they will help you celebrate that special occasion, complete with a “souvenir picture and decorated dessert.”

Under 21:

Be aware, if you choose to sit with your party without ordering, you could be subject to a fee, which includes soup, salad, and fried rice.

Welcome

Reservations: Yes Takeout:

Yes, pick up a menu

Children:

Welcome, kids menu

Delivery:

No

Entertainment: Hibachi Antics and tricks!

Shogun and Fuji Hana photos

by Sydney Vinson

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Talon Magazine

Fuji Hana

By Lorna Redmond lar0983@students.kennesaw.edu Fuji Hana (and Thai Peppers) is a unique 2-n-1 restaurant combining Thai and Japanese food selections under one roof. The menus are separate-you can choose Thai or Japanese cuisine or pick and choose a little of each. They are located at Town Center Mall near Longhorn Steakhouse. Dress is casual, but casual dressy is also appropriate for the hibachi area in the evening.

In order to compete with the fairly recent edition of Shogun Japanese Steak House, Fuji Hana offers a hibachi area as well as traditional seating areas. For the uninitiated, hibachi dining is centered around the grill.

Literally. You will find yourself bellied up to a bar-like table circling the grill, usually seated next to strangers. This can be fun or disconcerting depending on you and the group you are sitting next to.

Most people are there to have fun when they choose to sit at a hibachi table, so expect the other diners to be drinking and happy to talk to you. The chef might get in additional the act by trying a little comedy routine on you as well. Warning: don’t expect lowfat here because of the word ‘grill;’ plenty of butter is used in the preparation of your rice, meat, and vegetables.

INFO:

Venue:

Japanese & Thai

Location:

2700 Town Center Dr., Ste. E

Phone:

7-419-9500 or 7-419-9080

Kennesaw, GA 30144 Hours: Lunch:

Mon - Fri: 11:30am-2:30pm

Dinner:

Mon - Thurs: 5pm-10:30pm

Sat - Sun: 12pm - 3:30pm Fri - Sat: 5pm-11pm Sun: 5pm-10pm Prices:

Under $5 for Soup n’ Salad Dinner - $5 - $40

Payment:

Discover, Amex, Mastercard, Visa, Cash

Recommends: Hibachi Grill!

Noise:

Moderate

Smoking:

No

Alcohol:

Happy Hour from 2:30 - 7pm

Under 21:

Welcome

Reservations: Yes Takeout:

Yes, pick up a menu

Children:

Welcome

Delivery:

Yes - Free within a 3 mile

radius, with minimum lunch order of $15 or dinner order $20. Also, order online!

Entertainment: Hibachi Antics and tricks!

The Thai dining room is an open area with tables and booths, but the Japanese side has booths and tables set up on platforms along the back of the room, the walls are lined in pine paneling and paper lanterns hang from the ceiling. This gives the area a more exotic feel and offers some privacy as well.

The difference between Thai and Japanese food: Thai food can be very spicy and hot, but Thai Peppers let you choose your level of intensity. Seasonings include fish sauce, coconut milk, peanuts or cashews, cilantro, mint, ginger, curry and chili paste. You can mix and match meats (or vegetables) with different dishes for more flexibility. Food is usually stir-fried. Emphasis on taste and complexity.

Japanese food is blander and based heavily on rice, soy, and sea products.

Seasonings include soy sauce, seaweed, sesame seeds, bonito (dried fish that is often shaved on top of food as an accent), fermented bean paste-miso, or mirin (sweet rice wine). Food is steamed, boiled, served raw or often stir fried or breaded and fried. The fry method is famous for producing a light, crisp texture as in tempura.

Emphasis on presentation.

Favorites: Thai-chicken spring rolls, masaman curry and jasmine tea, Japanesetempura and edamame. Edamame consists of boiled, salted, soy beans still in the pod. Like peanuts in the U.S., this is an obligatory bar snack.

Price: Lunch is your best option, or choose single items from the sushi menu (including yakitori and tempura) rather than a set dinner. The boats (big combo meals with great presentation if you want to splurge) and hibachi options are the most expensive, although the hibachi at lunch is a better value with the same amount of food-but less entertainment at 1/3 the price.

www.JapaneseandThaiRestaurant.com

spring 2006

15

Testicular cancer is the single most common form of cancer in men ages twenty to thirty-four.

Photo: Rick Winters

16

Talon Magazine

L

ately, you may have been hearing a lot about Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which takes place in October, and breast cancer funds on television and radio. Even tennis balls come with a breast cancer awareness pin. With this in mind, I wanted to address another type of cancer that is underrepresented in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s media: testicular cancer. Testicular cancer is deďŹ ned as uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the testes. Usually, these tumors crop up out of the cells of the testes that produce sperm.

There are two different kinds of testicular cancer: Seminomas and Nonseminomas. Nonseminomas are more common among young men and more likely to spread to other areas of the body.

There are very few identiďŹ ed risk factors, and many men who develop this cancer do not have any of these risk factors. The risk

factors include undescended testicle, infertility, Klinefelter syndrome (in which you have two or more X chromosomes as opposed to the usual one), or family history of testicular cancer. Family history is the most important to be aware of because of all the known risk factors this the most reliable to look at.

Statistics from the WebMD site tell us that testicular cancer is much more common in white men than blacks, Hispanics, or Asian-Americans, so race is also a major factor in the occurrence of testicular cancer.

So how do you know if you have testicular cancer? The best way to watch out for testicular cancer is to keep up with monthly self-checks. Self-checks are useful in the fact that you are more likely to notice even the slightest changes and can catch the cancer earlier.

During a self-check, you are looking for anything out of the ordinary. This

THE THREAT OF TESTICULAR CANCER

By Jaime da Costa dacosta.jaime@gmail.com

Questions to ask your doctor as suggested by Cancer.org can include a lump in one or both of your testes, a sensation of heaviness in the scrotum or a dull feeling of pain in your lower abdomen, groin, or lower back. If you find anything unusual, you should contact your doctor immediately to set up an appointment. You can find out exactly how to perform a self-check by visiting the Sean Kimerling Foundation at: www.seankimerling. org/skf_selfexam.html.

Testicular cancer has four stages. The first stage includes the spread of the tumor to the tissue next to the testicle. The second stage is when the cancer spreads to nearby lymph nodes. Testicular cancer is considered in its third stage when the cancer has spread to other areas of the body. The final stage is rare and includes the production of particular proteins by certain testicular cancers.

Treatment for testicular

cancer is generally very effective and may include surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. Treatment options vary depending on the stage of the cancer.

Testicular cancer is a serious cancer that no one should take lightly. If you’re a male, you need to be keeping up with your monthly self-checks or visiting your doctor and having them perform a cancer check on you at regular intervals.

If you’re a female, you should pass this article along to the men in your life and urge them to take proper care and preventative measures.

If left untreated, testicular cancer can result in the loss of one or both testicles, sterility, or even spread to other areas of the body. Don’t hesitate to take five minutes to check yourself or share this information with a loved one. It could save your, or their, life.

Center for Personal and Career Counseling (CAPS Center)

For more information:

1 Would you please write down the exact type of cancer I have 2 Has my cancer spread beyond the testicle?

3 What is the stage of my cancer?

What does the staging mean in my case?

4 What treatment choices do I have?

5 What do you suggest and why?

6 What is the goal of this treatment?

7 What are the risks or side effects that I should expect?

8 How long will it take me to recover from treatment?

9 When can I go back to work or other activities after treatment?

10 How soon after treatment can I have sex?

11 What are the chances I will become infertile? Should I bank sperm?

12 What are the chances of the cancer coming back after treatment?

13 Does one type of treatment reduce the risk of the cancer coming back more than another?

14 What should I do to be ready for treatment?

15 Based on what you’ve learned about my cancer, how long do you think I’ll survive?

16 Would a second opinion be helpful to me?

770.423.6600

www.cancer.org www.webmd.com Set up an appointment with Lance Armstrong Foundation: www.livestrong.org a Career Center Counselor.

Cancer Hotline: 1 (800) 422-6237 (1-800-4-CANCER)

770.423.6555

spring 2006

17

David Brower Climbing in Pinnacles National Monument 1934 Photo courtesy of the Earth Island Institute

Spaceship Earth:

By Melissa Stiers . melissa_lejeune@hotmail.com

H

is biography, For Earth’s Sake, begins in the 1920’s as a young boy splashing in a pristine stream of northern California. Strawberry Creek was his playground until the day it swallowed his feet in six inches of sludge. A developer decided to put a stadium in the stream’s path turning it into a mess of mud. The event would be the first of many that he witnessed of the earth damaged for the sake of development. It is the spark that ignited his life’s work as a conservationist.

If the beauty of the Grand Canyon’s cascading ravines has ever suspended you in awe, you have appreciated one of the fruits of this man’s labor.

Imagine those ever changing, yet starkly still valleys flooded invisible. That is what the plans to dam the canyon back in the 80’s would have done to the view and not to mention the abundant wildlife, if this conservationist hadn’t led a successful campaign against it as director of the Sierra Club.

David Brower is the late, famed environmentalist for whom the Spaceship Earth monument was created. An avid life-long mountain climber who pioneered paths into remote western regions of the United States, Brower knew the earth intimately and dedicated his life to its preservation. The monument is a torch passed from

his hands entrusted to this university, and it is a great responsibility and inspiration to all of us who inherit his legacy. It is a legacy not only of conservationism, but also of perseverance and boldness. These traits marked his character, and he encouraged them in others. He motivated his colleagues to “Persevere!” until the day he died. He was also known to quote Goethe on many a public occasion:

Anything you can do, or dream you can, begin it.

Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.

The monument is certainly infused with these qualities. How bold it is to leave your small vacuum company in Finland to come to America, a brokenEnglish speaking twenty year old and fulfill your personal revelation of becoming a sculptor. Or to turn your apartment kitchen into an experimentation zone to cook up the most efficient energy bar with your girlfriend because, as athletes, you want to achieve peak performance and help others do the same. This is the boldness that created PowerBar and hundreds of sculptures across the world, including Spaceship Earth.

The founder of PowerBar, Brian Maxwell, is the sculpture’s sponsor. In 2000, he called his fellow marathoner friend, sculptor Eino, about the possibility of creating Brower’s monument. When Eino hung up the phone, the design immediately formed in his mind, then

Brower’s head shot

by Tom Turner Photo courtesy of the Earth Island Institute

18

Talon Magazine

Remembering Our Future on paper and was faxed to Maxwell’s warm reception.

Eino wanted Brower’s approval before it materialized any further. In the year of his death, Brower gave the draft his blessing when Eino visited him while he was undergoing chemotherapy. Eino related, “He understood the importance of the message. When I met him in the hospital bed, he sprang up with sudden energy...There was an immediate spiritual connection. I had to pass the torch on.”

having Brower as a passenger, it says we can all make an individual difference.”

The following year, Maxwell sought a home for the Spaceship while Eino traveled to Brazil to begin the arduous task of transforming quartz into a drop of blue Earth. Before a place had been settled upon, however, Maxwell died unexpectedly of a heart attack. Devastated by his friend’s death, Eino’s work took on even greater meaning. “I feel that Spaceship Earth is not only a legacy for Brower, but also for Brian [Maxwell], because of who he was and how he recognized other people’s greatness.

It is a rare quality,” said Eino of his friend. Maxwell is the inspiration for the seat on the cloud rocks, the gray masses that linger beside the Spaceship. The inscription reads, “You have made a lasting impression.”

Eino had close ties at KSU and offered the university the sculpture. It was accepted unconditionally and has found an unlikely home here in the southeastern United States, a region that supplies one fourth of the world’s paper. “Georgia may seem like the last place for a Brower monument,” Eino acknowledged, “and that is why it is the best place. If you want to feed the hungry, you don’t give food to the people who already have it. A renaissance of saving the earth could start here.”

The cloud rocks were first conceived as a concession to Berkeley. The city was set to host the monument, but members of the art commission didn’t want the bronze statue of Brower mounting the globe.

Eino had conceded to place the Brower statue beside it seated upon cloud rocks. “They wanted to take the messenger out of the message,” said Eino. “[But] by

The message and the messenger remained intact. When further complications arose, Eino cut the compromise and pulled plans for having the sculpture at Berkeley. An unnamed place in California wanted it, but without Brower’s name on it. Again, the artist persevered, remaining faithful to his original vision.

Indeed, the monument has great potential here to remind us of our responsibility to our planet and our future. It’s a reminder that’s hard to miss. The 350,000lb. sphere sits in front of the new Social Science building awaiting its unveiling. Wrapped in a colorful parachute, it looks more like a Christmas ornament these days than a monument. It is a gift to us, as is the Earth we live in. Let us take care of it, learn from its legacies, and remember the artist’s words: “Our bodies are extensions of the earth.” To care for the Earth is to care for ourselves.

Photos by Melissa Stiers, Heidi Paruta, Vickie Burris and Brett Gerbe spring 2006

19

LEARNING TO PLAY THE INSTRUMENT

F

By Melissa Stiers melissa_lejeune@hotmail.com

or two KSU art majors, Jason McCoy and Kyle Renz, the Spaceship Earth is a long summer spent laboring hard to learn the craft from a master. The blue quartz sphere, originally intended for California, is capable of withstanding a ten-point earthquake.

Translation: That’s some really strong material. Imagine working to shape it everyday into a glistening globe.

Eino didn’t do it alone.

Over coffee each morning under the shade of a maple tree beside the site, Eino chatted to Renz about the real life experience of being a sculptor. As Renz related, “He talked about marketing, but not selling out. About trading your sculpture for work. About how his daughter was born...” Apparently the artist and an obstetrician traded their skills: a sculpture for the healthy delivery of his child.

“I saw it as a big silent beast that we had to tame,” said Renz. “It took so much time. It’s like training a horse; it says nothing, doesn’t go anywhere. Just violently silent.”

Renz also sought Eino’s guidance in his own work. He showed him his carrot made of crutches and the banana he constructed of bicycle tires displayed at the art building on campus. Eino facetiously remarked that they were “pieces of shit.” The two had also developed a friendship, but the mentorship was strong.

Under Eino’s supervision, Renz produced his first stone sculpture. Made of pink Etowah marble, it is entitled Learning to Play the Instrument. Although Renz plays the banjo and guitar, the instrument referenced here is the stone itself.

These interns had little to no experience working with stone, but they brought many individual skills to the challenge. McCoy had 15 years experience in construction with cranes, forklifts, and “earthmovers.”

He used this knowledge while piecing together the larger stones and placing the bronze statue on top of the assembled sphere. His familiarity with large equipment made him a “natural” at shaping the stone with the big grinder. Renz found his niche also. His work as a cabinet and furniture maker gave him the aptitude for using the tools necessary in this project. He was the “maestro” of the small grinder.

Witnessing the grand maestro himself Eino was extremely educational for them both. “He knows exactly where to hit the stone to make it break,” said McCoy. There is forty years of experience sculpting stone in that strike. “It was a great opportunity working with a great artist. Students need to get out of the cloister [of the university] and work with someone who is doing something like this. It’s a real world experience.”

Kyle Renz

20

Talon Magazine

“Stone or bronze will be around for a thousand years or more. It will leave a lasting impression,” McCoy said.

Like stone in the artscape of the world, the students’ experience this summer, will make a lasting impression on their lives. As Renz put it, “If I ever have grandkids, it will be nice to take them down here.”

Jason McCoy

Fun Facts Eino, pronounced ey (as in “hey”) – no, has been sculpting in stone for the last 43 years.

Eino’s conception of the monument was inspired by moon shots of the Earth.

The granite base of the monument is inscribed with the Adlai Stevenson quote “We travel together on a little spaceship, dependent on its vulnerable reserves of air and soil, all committed, for our safety, to its security and peace. Preserved from annihilation only by the care, the work and the love we give our fragile craft.”

The sphere is made of Brazilian blue quartz stone that is called “azul de mar”, Portuguese for “blue of the sea.”

The artist spent 18 months in Brazil working on the sculpture.

The monument contains a time capsule with objects that represent the time we live in, including a laptop, the artist’s heart monitor watch, and essays answering the question “What can we do to save planet Earth?”

Eino constructed the monument in such a way that it will mysteriously open in 1000 years.

The Spaceship Earth monument may be viewed any time of day on its web cam at www.kennesaw.edu/ spaceshipearth/index.shtml

The unveiling is set for October 20, 2006 at 10 a.m.

spring 2006

21

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Hispanics number 42.7 million as of July 1, 2005, and are now America’s largest minority.

I

n the state of Georgia, 52% of those who were born in a foreign country are of Hispanic or Latino origin. Their legal status varies as the spectrum of possibilities is quite ample, from naturalized citizens to undocumented immigrants. Much has been said about the issue of undocumented immigrants, often called illegal immigrants. Leaving figures and biases aside, what’s it like being a college-age undocumented immigrant in the city of Atlanta?

David M. is a white, blue-eyed, twenty-three-year-old Brazilian living in metro Atlanta

since the year 2000. His parents decided to head north in search for the “American Dream” and at 17 he had no choice but to follow them. They entered the country legally, on a B-1 tourist visa but they overstayed breaking the immigration laws thus becoming illegal aliens. When asked how he feels about breaking the law, he responds, visibly upset, that he’s not a criminal and shouldn’t be treated as such. “I didn’t kill anyone, didn’t smuggle drugs into the country, I didn’t fly a plane into the World Trade Center. I just live here” he says. But, how exactly is the

Higher Education for Latinos:

Out of Status out of class?

By Natalia Schust nschust@gmail.com

22

Talon Magazine

life of an illegal immigrant like David in the post 9/11 era? Can they drive? Can they attend college? Can they work? The answer to all three questions is technically no. In the state of Georgia, as well as in many other states, they cannot drive because they need a social security number to obtain a drivers’ license. In order to obtain a social security number they must show proof they are in this country legally. They cannot work for medium-size and large companies because they will not hire anyone without a valid social security number. In reality, they do work, under the

table, for those employers that are willing to pay cash and/or overlook the lack of those nine crucial numbers. David was first in his class in his hometown, Recife, and would love to fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming a lawyer. He says that every time he applied for admissions at a university or higher learning institution, he received a rejection letter informing him they are unable to process his request due to the lack of legal documentation to prove he’s legally living in the U.S. “I can’t even put into words how frustrated I am. I thought of moving back to Brazil but all my

loved ones live here and I’d be all by myself.” When asked if he thinks it’s fair that he’s denied the possibility to attend college, he replies: “I understand that we are breaking the law and there must be some kind of punishment but I think being denied the possibility of an education is taking it too far.

Not being able to drive in a city like Atlanta is enough punishment already.”

Julio Espana, the Director of International Student Admissions at Kennesaw State University, offers a different perspective on the matter. When inquired about the entrance requirements

Center for Personal and

“I didn’t kill anyone, didn’t Center) smuggle drugs into the country, 770.423.6600 I didn’t fly a plane into the World Set up an appointment with Trade Center. I just live here” Career Counseling (CAPS

a Career Center Counselor.

770.423.6555

spring 2006

23

for international students he said that “as far as the academic requirements, they are the same for everyone and they are listed in the Kennesaw State University catalog. If an undocumented person does not mark anything on the questions that ask if the individual is a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident, we will ask for proof of either one of those.” Then, he continued explaining that “the fact

a couple of years ago and filed for a Green Card which turned her into a permanent resident. That means she has access to a lot of benefits and privileges. For instance, she is a recipient of the HOPE scholarship and she has a social security card that allows her to work anywhere she likes. Consequently, she receives health, dental, social security and 401K benefits that undocumented immigrants lack.

that they are undocumented does not mean that they are automatically denied admission to KSU. As a matter of fact, they are admitted but they must pay out-of-state tuition, which amounts to $5425 as opposed to in-state tuition which only adds up to $1621. They are not eligible for the HOPE scholarship or any other form of financial aid because these are available to permanent residents and U.S. citizens only. When undocumented students learn about this, they refuse to pay the out-of-state tuition amount and choose not to attend college blaming the system and the institution.”

Maria G. was “out of status” a couple of years ago. She had also arrived on a B-1 tourist visa from Maracaibo, Venezuela with her family and never went back. The difference between Maria and David is that Maria got married to a U.S. citizen

She’s currently halfway through her Nursing program at Kennesaw State University. Her enthusiasm is contagious as she says that she never thought she would be given the opportunity to attend college. “Before I got married,” she goes on, “I was denied admission by every university and junior college I applied to. This is a dream come true, sometimes I want to pinch myself.”

As usual, there are two (or more) sides to the same story. It seems like the key issue in this matter would be whether or not to make financial aid available to undocumented immigrants so that they can attend college. That, however, involves a more serious commitment to addressing their concerns. For now, the legal status is the only indirect but decisive factor in determining who gets to go to college and who doesn’t.

24

Talon Magazine

ear candy One of country music hottest groups, Rascal Flatts, made their way to Atlanta this summer with the “Me and My Gang Tour,” named after their new album. With big-name opening acts The Wreckers and Gary Allen, Phillips Arena filled quickly with fans.

Sounding amazing with their flawless harmonies and country twang, they kept the crowd alive between songs talking and making jokes with the audience and even dancing. They put on an electrifying two hour show with rockin’ guitar solos and heart warming ballads such as “Bless the Broken Road” and this current album’s single “What hurts the most.” The crowd went wild as the band floated into the air on a platform lifted by a crane, allowing them to connect with fans sitting further back from the stage.

When they got to one of their most popular songs, “Fast Cars and Freedom,” the lead singer, Gary LeVox, pulled a young girl on stage to dance. During the last song, silver confetti fell from the top of the arena coving fans as the band thanked everyone for coming out. Overall, Rascal Flatts put on one of the best shows of the summer with a lot of energy and sounding even better live than on their record. Rascal Flatts is on tour until November and you can find out more info at www.rascalflatts.com.

Photo: JForkel

Rascal Flatts photo courtesy of Lyric Street Records

Jessica Forkel jessica.forkel@gmail. com

This year, Star 94 hosted it’s first annual Star Fest Concert at Atlantic Station in downtown Atlanta, GA on July 22, 2006. A great amount of fans turned out to stand in the blazing heat, and even afternoon showers to see their favored performer(s). The artists featured in this event included, The Whigs, Mat Kearney, Aqualung, Pink, Nickel Creek and Train.

While all the artists performed fantastic sets, it was obvious that punk rock rebel Pink stole the show.

As Pink’s performance neared, the crowd size started to grow and the intensity and volume level increased.

Pink’s band took the stage, the music started and- “What’s up Atlanta, GA!?!” blasted over the speakers as Pink appeared on stage and the cheers became deafening. Pink performed for approximately 45 minutes, even through technical difficulties with stage equipment, sang acappella and when her microphone went out unexpectedly she screamed at the top of her lungs for her die hard fans who stood through the rain for her. Singing songs from both her new and old albums, Pink also sang one of her personal favorites, “What’s goin’ on” by 4 Non Blondes. Pink owned the stage as she danced, waved to fans, and kept the crowd pumped.

I caught up with mega-star Pink (Alicia Moore) a few weeks before Star Fest for a few quick questions. As I waited on the phone, eager and yet nervous, a familiar voice said, “Hey, what’s up”, yes- it was Pink. Her new album, I’m not dead has a combination of up beat dance rhythms, raspy rocker sounds and slow ballads. When asked what track her favorite was, she laughed and said “It depends on what day of the week it is!”

While Pink is known as the bad-ass of pop music, she knows that some topics discussed on her new album such as gay marriage, and political views of the current President are controversial. She doesn’t hold back, or regret her words. She says, “I think about everything I say, everything that is said to me, and what I say back, that’s just the kind of person I am.”

When it comes to the relationship she has with her dedicated fans, she says, “I’m in awe because its like, I feel like we all know each other, but I’m lucky because I don’t get the hysterical ‘I LOVE YOU AHHH’ fans, I get the fans that are like, ‘that song helped me get through things’ or ‘I went through this too.’ There is a lot more of a connection on that level.” It is obvious that Pink was born to be a performer however, if she wasn’t an artist she said for a while she wanted to be a DJ, and jokingly said that if she didn’t have music she would be a mental institution. She was very candid, mellow and goofy throughout the interview and made me feel like I’ve known her for years.

Not only is her album new this year, but so is her marriage to motocross racer Carey Hart.

She excitedly told me that everything is wonderful, the honeymoon was great and she is more than spring 2006 happy. You can check out more on what is new with Pink on her official website www.pinkspage.com.

25

By Erica Turner . actingerica1018@yahoo.com NEEDTOBREATHE has crashed onto the music scene, taking it by storm with their edgy music and creative lyrics. With one listen there’s no doubt that you will need to hear more.

NEEDTOBREATHE’s debut album, “Daylight,” was released in the Spring of 2006 and since then things have only been moving uphill for them. After touring with Train pumping up the audience as their opening act, they are now touring several venues themselves in the Unites States drawing crowds from near and far.

Among the stunning repertoire of songs that they have released, it is songs like “You Are Here” that offer insightful and meaningful lyrics that connect with nearly every human heart. The chorus proclaims, “‘Cause you give up, all you wanted, the time is right I know it, you are here.

And you find out, all the pieces. The time is right I know it, you are here.” Their song lyrics offer their listeners a way to connect with the band in ways deeper than the music.

With such great lyrics the quality of their live concerts are by no means compromised and they definitely know a thing or two about what it means to rock and roll.

NEEDTOBREATHE showcased their talents at the venue, “Vinyl,” in Atlanta, and put on a spectacular show. The band makes it a point to be very interactive with the audience from the moment they step on stage and even off stage.

Interactive even to the point of dedicating a song entitled “Haley” to a devoted fan named Haley who has been persistent in attending their concerts. As Haley swoons and smiles, Bear, the lead singer, is sure to lean over close into the crowd in her direction to make the dedication a bit more sincere.

What kind of audience are they trying to attract?

The band says, “As big as possible, any fan that likes music.” The crowd that night was quite a turnout and they didn’t just like music, they loved NEEDTOBREATHE’S music. Although the band needs no formal introduction in that their music truly speaks for itself, the guys do recall the pleasure of having the incredible Hulk Hogan introducing them at a prior show. With grins across their faces they all nod in agreement displaying their joy.

At the concert it is expected with their upbeat and dance-worthy music to not be a wallflower. In fact, it

is nearly impossible to stand still when all around people are dancing and jumping around. Each band member is thoroughly skilled in their instruments and it is evident that they are enjoying performing as much as the audience is enjoying watching them perform. And just when it couldn’t possibly get any better, after the show, the band welcomes fans to approach them for autographs, photos, or even just to chat for a few minutes. Their dedication to their fans is evident and appreciated.

Seeking to find out what makes their music so insightful and their concerts so raving and engaging, I sat down with the band members: Bear Rinehart, Bo Rinehart, Seth Bolt, and Joe Stillwell and I immediately felt at ease. These down-to-earth guys are kind and conversation friendly seated casually with me at a table in the middle of the venue. Their passion for music is evident through the responses they give me. They have clearly not allowed stardom and fame to skyrocket their egos. They are humble gentlemen who still miss the comforts of home and enjoy golfing and fantasy football when the time allows them. The genius minds behind the lyrics derive from a group collaborative work. “It evolves a lot, everybody fills in,” says Bear the lead singer. While on tour, they write when they can and bring it together for the final process. Their last final process birthed the hit songs of their debut CD and launched a fan base that has discovered the songs to be irresistible and original.

Although they are currently playing most their shows in public venues, they are not canceling out the option of playing shows at universities. After playing at some of the colleges that they once attended, there may be a future for them to make a few more visits. “Just as long as we can attend the football games,” they say laughing.

While they still plan on keeping the rock music rolling out on their next CD, we can expect perhaps a more soulful sound with still that irresistible edgy vibe and original and inspiring lyrics. The love of music exudes from them and with no plans of ceasing. Ten years from now they still see themselves playing music and keeping fans happy. For more information, check out their website at www.needtobreathe.net.

Photo courtesy of NEEDTOBREATHE

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with Zac Brown

By Jessica Forkel . jessica.forkel@gmail.com eal down South slammin’ guitar artist Zac Brown is on the prowl of the music scene. We snagged Zac R for a quick “Q & A” session about his very successful journey in music. Only 28-years-old and on his third album release, Brown is catching everyone’s ear as he turns out great bluegrass acoustic tunes. Zac

Brown Band will be on campus Tuesday, October 24th at 11:30 a.m. (after Dr. Papp’s 10 a.m. inauguration) for a FREE show on the green, put on by Student Government. If you like what you read here check out his website at www.zacbrownband.com and his Myspace page, www.myspace.com/zacbrown.

Tell me a little bit about your music background.

I grew up listening to music. My dad played guitar, my brother played guitar.

I just grew up around them playing, and listening to 70s music. You know, James Taylor, The Allman Brothers, people like that. I’ve been in choir since I was in first grade and up to college I was a vocalist.

I went to West Georgia College on a vocal scholarship singing classical music but I didn’t love it like I love regular singing.

Did you graduate from West GA? No, I didn’t, that’s where I got my start playing. I never graduated. I was writing songs and I felt like I needed to get out on the road and start playing. I was playing while I was in school, but it just wore me out.

Describe the Zac Brown Band’s sound for me.

We are Southern based with like, acoustic rock, acoustic southern rock.

We have a little bit of bluegrass flavor going on, with an island kind of hint to it.

Its just diversity, you know? I write songs about things that are real to me and the style of the music kind of lends itself to whatever the songs going to be. So, we let the songs evolve into what they want to be rather than try to make them all one theme.

How long have ya’ll been together?

We’ve been together as a unit for about six months.

How many instruments do you play?

I play seven. I mainly play guitar. I play

a little bit of percussion, piano, bass, harmonica, banjo and mandolin.

So is everything you write autobiographical?

Usually, I have a song writing partner and a lot of the stuff is about my life or about his life, so yeah.

You grew up with 11 brothers and sisters, tell me about that.

It’s just crazy, I was basically raised by nine women. I had seven sisters my mom and my grandma. So, I’m sort of the battle of the sexes guy. [Laughs] I know you have been touring. For the people that have not seen you live, what is a show like with you?

Our strong point is definitely our live performances. We rock out. We do all different styles of music during the night.

The same people come to four or five shows during the week and we change the show up a little bit every time. You’ll hear a lot of harmonies, flat picking guitar solos, bass thumping and violin rockin’. It’s an experience that you have to see to understand. Once people come one time, they definitely come back.

What age group do you target?

Man, a lot of people that come to listen to us are little kids. They make us play our CD until they’re sick of it! [Laughs] I’d say little kids like two or three years old, all the way up to older people. Our sound is really universal. It’s not pigeon holed to one demographic and that’s what great about it. I’ve dedicated my life to music. I’m not just someone who has been playing music for a while and

wrote some good songs. I’m in the long haul until I’m old, I listen to older people’s [music] and I listen to young music so, it all bleeds through.

Who is somebody famous that you would like to work with?

James Taylor has always been one of my heroes. I would love to get the opportunity to work with him. But there are tons of artists. I love Ray La Montagne, that’s a little newer, but any one that I grew up listening to; James Taylor, Elton John, Billy Joel.

While touring, are you promoting to sign with a label?

We are doing a CD right now that will be released right after the first of the year.

We are doing it with a producer that has had 43 number one records. He did all of Alan Jackson’s CDs and stuff so we are really waiting to get that done and then things are really going to get crankin’ for us. This [current] album is really organic; it’s exactly what we do on stage.

Where can we check your CD out?

The CD that we are selling now, “Home Grown” is for sale on iTunes and you can also get it at my website, www. zacbrownband.com along with other merchandise such as t-shirts and such.

You are coming to Kennesaw State, how did that come about? Have you played Universities before?

We’ve played up in Kennesaw quite a bit, some places we play regularly. Getting to come to the school is going to be a lot of fun.

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the sentinel

By Angie Jennings . lbpavement@yahoo.com

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he year was 1966, America was in the thick of the civil rights movement, lead by a reverend from Georgia named Martin, citizens were in protest of the war in Vietnam, and it was becoming cool to be under the psychedelic influence of drugs like LSD and cannabis. And on an unseasonably warm day, much like today, a young institution in Georgia called Kennesaw Junior College gave birth to a bouncing baby publication called The Sentinel. Still only a baby itself, Kennesaw looked at its newborn and smiled, noticing the words, “First Week Brings 1,000 Students,” written across its black, white and read all over forehead.

October 2006 marks The Sentinel’s 40th birthday and to celebrate, the paper is throwing a blow out bash on October 28, including an Alumni brunch at the Convocation Center, a dinner at the Alumni House for past and present staff and a time capsule ceremony at the newspaper office. The Sentinel has put out a special call for sentimental items and other trinkets that are indicative of our time, like a ticket stub from a KSU event, a menu from a campus hangout, the top ten shows on TV, or a copy of Glamour Magazine, as well as any written pieces about

fond Sentinel or KSU memories and words of wisdom for future Sentinel staffers. The capsule will be sealed and will not be opened until 40 years from now, so that our futuristic counterparts can relish in the relics of those wild and crazy ‘00’s. To commemorate this joyous occasion, we thought we’d talk to a few of the Sentinel’s buddies who knew it when and find out how its informative and inquisitive nature impacted their lives.

The year was 1974; the sexual revolution and the use of birth control pills were on the rise. Working conditions had improved for women and they were making more money and divorcing their husbands at alarming rates. Commuters were forced to patiently wait their turn to buy gas since those with license plates ending in odd numbers were only allowed to purchase petro on odd-dated days and even-numbered plate holders on even-dated days.

Inner city poverty spiked, the United States pulled out of Vietnam and President Nixon decided to resign after that unfortunate Watergate thing.

Raju Kotak met the Sentinel that year when it was just a rambunctious eight-year-old dreaming about what it wanted to be when it grew up.

Raju saw potential in the Sentinel’s eyes for the advancement of the college and used it to encourage the college to become a four-year institution. He flexed his management muscle, overseeing Sentinel staff and primarily handling advertising and circulation. He even marketed the paper off-campus to garner advertising revenue and increased readership.

As a result of the chance encounter with the adolescent, Raju said his involvement in media, advertising and marketing increased.

When he later enrolled at Georgia State University, majoring in marketing and advertising, he immediately joined the GSU Signal as the advertising director. “As a commuter university, we circulated the newspaper at a variety of off-campus locations,” he said. “The advertising revenue generated from national and retail businesses allowed the newspaper to become self-sufficient.” Raju now produces the Asian Variety Show (AVS), an entertainment program targeted toward South Asians that features Bollywood, the Indian version of our Hollywood, celebrity interviews, movie reviews, what’s new in Indian fashion and music videos. He also runs WowNow.com and works with Khabar and Rivaaj magazines.

Most photographs courtesy Montage yearbook. some photos courtesy KSU Department of Archives.

1967

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1968

1971

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Celebrating years of ksu news Although Raju and the Sentinel are now just distant pen pals, he admits he still misses the creative staff and the constructive feedback from readers.

Before the Sentinel knew it, the eighties had begun. The world had lost John Lennon, disco was officially dead and a movie star named Ronald Regan was elected President of the United States. By 1983, the institution had dropped its middle name, picked up its four-year status, and a lady named Betty stepped up to lead the ever-evolving entity.

That year, the 17-year-old Sentinel bumped into a young man named Michael Martinez. “I needed money,” he said. “Turned out, the Sentinel didn’t pay much, but I decided to hang around and do something outside of class work.” Michael did considerably more than just hang out; he served as staff writer, news editor, editor, and production manager “in that order.” Young Michael learned three things from his time spent with the Sentinel. First, that “continuity is vital to the life of any organization. Secondly, I learned that managing a group of volunteers can be as productive and important as managing a group of paid employees. Thirdly, I learned that

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there is no new situation I cannot find interesting and worth pursuing, if I only apply myself to it.” Michael currently works for Brown & Brown, a Texas insurance company, has published three books discussing the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and is the founder and operator of the Xenite. org network, a group of websites devoted to science fiction and fantasy.

As Michael was headed out the door of the Sentinel for the last time, he passed Sissy Bowen on her way in. The year was 1984, Michael Jackson suffered a burned scalp while shooting a pyrotechnic-filled Pepsi commercial, the Soviet Union boycoted the Summer Olympics, Ghostbusters hit theatres, and the television world was first introduced to two cool cops named Crockett and Tubbs. Sissy was a “poor, not traditional aged” student who thought that $75 per issue was enough to convince her to hang out with the teenaged Sentinel for a while, and ended up snagging the editor-inchief position. She got the chance to interview such fascinating people as Donald Woods, a journalist in East London, South Africa who was well known for attacking apartheid through his writing, James Dickey, author of “Deliverance,” and Shirley

1975

Chisholm, the first African-American women to ever serve in Congress.

Among those memorable story assignments, Sissy fondly remembers the dean of student activities attempting to propose a student activity fee increase at the Board of Regents meeting without prior approval of the student activity board. “We interviewed some 15 sources for the story and put out a special edition the next day – the last day of school before spring break.

All of us were worn out but we hand-delivered that issue to every student we could find that day – all over campus.” As a result, student activity fees remained the same that year and the student activity board was never again denied a vote on a proposed measure. During Sissy’s tenure with the Sentinel, it blossomed into “a healthy, 16-32 page bi-weekly, publishing 28 issues in that first year. In the second year, we were able to justify the purchase of a $24,000 Computech typesetter.”

Sissy, who is now an investigator for the Office of the Circuit Public Defender, Southwestern Judicial Circuit in Americus, Georgia, misses “the good passionate teamwork” and “learned that politics are the same everywhere, whether it’s about the

1979

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president of the country or the president of the college and it’s nothing to fear.”

The Sentinel rang in 1990 with a fellow by the name of Chris Black. Around this time, Buster Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson and became the world heavyweight boxing champ, Exxon Valdez spilled oil all over the place and Washington, DC mayor Marion Barry exclaimed, “The bitch set me up!” Kennesaw College was now Kennesaw State College, and Ed “Big Nose” Bonza became the Publications Coordinator of the paper. Chris was a frat boy who needed help making flyers for his organization’s events. The editor at that time, using Chris’ dilemma for the Sentinel’s gain, trained him in publication design. He was officially hooked and became the paper’s publication manager. With a plummeting GPA, Chris was a jokester and participated in the paper’s infamous “Duck History Month” hoax for April Fools’ Day, in which the word “duck” was substituted for the word “black”.

“Word ‘round the schoolyard was that particular staff and faculty were not amused,” he said. “Some staff took offense to the article even in the context of an entire parody work such as the April Fools’ edition of the Sentinel. As a press agency, we had

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the right to publish anything in parody that we wanted. The vulnerability however was my poor academic record. Why was a sub-par student allowed to be the editor of the April Fools Edition?” During his time with the Sentinel, Chris learned how to meet tight deadlines, think outside the box when using technology, and “to be motivating and demanding of staff.”

So how low was Chris’ GPA? It remained steadily below a 2.0.

He dabbled with various majors but couldn’t seem to find his niche. “I tried Communication, Education, Public Relations and Business. I was a three-time loser and failed out of KSU completely.” Chris is currently the CIO of the Marin Community Foundation in California, a chef, and will be graduating from University of San Francisco with honors in the near future.

Then the millennium rolled around, we got over the Y2K flimflam, Hillary Clinton became a Senator, and although Al Gore fought him hard over his ability to count, George W. Bush was elected president. The institution seemed to have finally worked out its identity crisis, settling on the name Kennesaw State University in 1997 and the Sentinel, now it

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its mid-thirties, seemed more comfortable in its shoes as well. Cheryl Miller, Grant Sinclair and Erika Neldner all befriended the Sentinel during these past few years. Cheryl, who currently does PR for KSU’s Small Business Development Center and served as a reporter, photographer and news editor for the Sentinel, remembers a story about rabid cats that took up residence on campus.

Grant, who is now an English teacher at Woodstock High School and served as the campus life reporter, viewpoints editor, food reviewer and editor-in-chief, remembers covering that very story. “I had just finished working on a story on feral cats for a feature writing class,” he said.

“Then a student was attacked by a rabid cat on a Monday. Needless to say, we were glad we had an in depth story to run for Wednesday’s paper.” Cheryl also recalls stories about a Sentinel staff member who was caught plagiarizing and a false abduction attempt on campus. “A woman reported that some “Mexicans” tried to abduct her in the parking lot one night,” she said. “She ended up on all the Atlanta news stations. But, when I read the KSU police report, much of it didn’t ring true to life. She later recanted.”

1984

Grant told Erika about how cool the Sentinel was to hang out with, considering all the excitement over the diseased cats. Erika figured she needed some excitement in her life and ended up holding the positions of staff writer, senior staff writer, news editor and editor-inchief at the paper. “I had a great time covering the Al Green show at Chastain Park and talking with Al Green on the phone,” she said. “I also enjoyed the profile I wrote on Stacy C, the morning radio personality (and former classmate) for 95.5 The Beat, as well as the profile on Zahra White, a criminal justice major and Georgia Force cheerleader.”

Amidst her glamorous experiences rubbing elbows with celebrities, Erika made a lofty promise to Ed Bonza to work her hardest to earn the Sentinel its very first Pacemaker award, the highest honor bestowed upon a student publication by The National Scholastic Press Association. “I devoted so much time and effort to it that I ended up writing my senior thesis on what it takes to earn one. I was able to fulfill that promise, with the help of my staff and the staff that followed us, and give Ed the first ever Pacemaker for the paper.”

1988

As it wipes the tear from its right eye, the Sentinel is flooded with memories of all these individuals who at one period of time passed through its newsroom doors. A few of them had distinct ideas about what items they’d like to leave behind in the time capsule for the Sentinel staff of 2046. Michael would include a story he worked on about KSU’s growing pains during its first 20 years. Chris would leave a Twinkie, just to see if anyone would eat it after 40 years. “Really though,” he said, “I would be tempted to write a book of wacky and perverse rituals and have it gold-leaf bound with ‘First Order of Mason’s Rituals’ printed on the cover. I’d leave it in the capsule and then pray I am still around to see the reaction in 40 years by students and social anthropologists. My other idea would be to put a treasure map in the capsule that puts a big red X under the student center or other new building slated to go up.”

Cheryl would leave a piece from the 9/11 edition of the Sentinel. Grant would throw in “a copy of ‘Search for True Grit’ ads for the Viewpoints section, a copy of the ‘How Many Cobb County Police Officers Does it Take to Arrest a KSU Student’ cartoon by Jeremy Stainthorpe,” and

1989

a copy of his own letter addressing the adverse effects of plagiarism “so the lessons will never be forgotten.”

Finally, Erika would leave a copy of the paper that won the Sentinel the coveted Pacemaker award.

Raju and Sissy had no ideas for time capsule trinkets, but offered words of wisdom instead. “Innovate. Let others follow,” Raju said.

“Don’t do it unless you’ve got a passion for what is news. If you have that, God bless you and go for it!”

Sissy said.

Today, The Sentinel is all grown up, has two kids named Talon and Share, and probably drives an early model Volkswagen Rabbit and listens to compilation CD’s from Time Life. After all these years, it has always been nosy and it has never kept its mouth shut. The Sentinel is proud of its history and its friends it has met along the way. It looks forward to its 80th birthday, when it can sit on it its swinging bench on the porch of its Cape Cod bungalow, witness the young whippersnappers crack open the 2006 time capsule for the first time and bask in the opportunity to share with these students some of the stories of yesteryear.

2006

Photo by Jessica Castillo spring 2006

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Driving into the park is almost a spiritual moment for me. The second I drive through the gates I roll down the windows and let the soul of the mountains come pouring in.

Fall Getaway

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his summer I needed a break from thoughts of school, traffic, and the hustle of daily life in the city. My favorite getaway? The Smoky Mountains. No matter what season I go up there, I find something new to discover and remember old ways to relax. Usually I prefer to go camping in the fall and hike through brilliantly painted carpets of leaves. But I have room in my heart for sitting by a fire in a winter cabin and watching the snow fall, or hiking up a mountain in the spring to drink in a scene of wildflowers, meadows and 360 degree views of mountain peaks that could have been stolen from The Sound of Music. On the other hand, I usually avoid summer because of the 4 B’s. Bears, Bugs, BT’s, and BW. (otherwise known as Bad Tourists and Bad Weather). The 4B’s can really mess up a trip-especially if

By Lorna Redmond lar0983@students.kennesaw. edu

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encountered in any combination. But in the middle of sweltering July I just couldn’t seem to stop thinking about how much cooler it would be in the mountains, so finally I gave in, packed up, and headed out.

The best part of the trip for me was the first night we set up camp-it felt great to be in the mountains again. Driving into the park is almost a spiritual moment for me. I don’t realize how much I’ve missed it until I’m there again. The second I drive through the gates I roll down the windows and let the soul of the mountains come pouring in. My first deep breath is filled with the smell of sweet hay and clover and the sharper smell of composting leaves mixing with the piney smell of the firs and hemlocks.

Water is omnipresent up here and either dripping, rushing, gurgling, or babbling through the woods. Wind

blows through the leaves, the trees creak, hawks and eagles cry out, while crows and wild turkeys add a more discordant counterpoint.

Going through Cherokee was visually tiring-the towns of both Cherokee and Gatlinburg cater to shoppers and tourists and provide a carnival atmosphere with neon signs competing for attention, and crowds of people walking the busy streetsdashing in and out of an unrelenting line of shops, restaurants, and tourist attractions. When I cross the boundary to the park all the visual noise stops. It’s like someone has pulled a green gauzy curtain over harsh window glare on a hot summer’s day. I am surrounded by cool green.

Everything is softer, the glare is gone, my eyes and brain are able to rest without being besieged. The

“As the dark closes in.. the whole hillside across from me is dancing with thousands of glittering lights” www.SmokyMountains.org

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temperature drops 10 degrees and a cool breeze flows in the car window while I look across green fields with old farm houses and up into heavily forested mountains. Then I reach the forest and the trees fold in around me as the temperature drops another 10 degrees. I see the water trickling down the granite walls on one side with ferns tangling with wild flowers and over shadowed by Mountain Laurel. On the other side the forest grows densely over a cold clear stream that seems to shout that trout are hiding there. Paths open up on either side of the road leading off into the ferns and over fallen logs. Overlooks give startling views off to the horizon and I realize that I am farther up than I thought as I look over endless layers of misty blue mountains.

Then I cross a bridge over the river into the campsite and the woods claim me completely. I am surrounded by the ridge line on both sides and trees advance up the hills as far as the eye can see. The campsite has pea gravel to help keep it from getting overgrown, but a thick layer of leaves, small pine cones,

and pine needles covers it. The rocks are covered with moss and the stream is behind the site, gurgling its happy way to the bridge. As evening sets in I can smell the camp fires and hear the echo of people calling and playing somewhere off in a field. After getting camp set up I sit back in a chair to stare up at the opening in the trees overhead and just drink it all in and reflect.

OK, so there are tourists. And I’m definitely covered in bug spray. And there might be bears hiding in the trees

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somewhere. But the weather is clear and beautiful with none of the cloying humidity and draining heat that Atlanta has been serving up for the last month. I’m starting to think that the mountains in the summer might not be the leaky-tent-in-a-summer-storm-eaten-alive-by-bees-and mosquito’s nightmare that I remember. But that doesn’t mean I plan on making this a regular experience because I might have just gotten lucky this time.

Little do I know that I’m already like a fish who has swallowed the mountain’s crafty lure-and the hook is about to be pulled tight. When nightfall comes I am looking forward to seeing stars twinkle in the clear mountain sky.

Instead my campsite starts twinkling first. I look around, amazed as I realize that I must be seeing fireflies, but more than I’ve ever seen in one place before. As the dark closes in-fast and early as it does in the mountains-more and more fireflies come out, until the whole hillside across from me is dancing with thousands of glittering lights. As I sit perfectly still in a dark so complete I can barely see my hand in front of my face, the fireflies flashing around me like components

of an old fashioned computer, and I realize that there is almost a pattern to the lights. All the flashing will stop for a few seconds and the dark is undisturbed. Then one firefly flashes in the distance and all the ones around me seem to respond at once like a well choreographed light show.

I don’t know how long I sat there, entranced, but finally I remembered to look up at the sky. There were the stars I was waiting for on this perfectly clear moonless night, layer upon layer of them. In the end, I found a little room in my heart for summer camping after all.

Places to Go, Animals to See

By Lorna Redmond . lar0983@students.

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old flashes amidst the green leaves under a bright blue sky accompanied by children’s squeals and adult laughter.

The crowd ‘oohs and aahs’ as tiny human-like faces surrounded by sunrise shaded manes peer at them from between the leaves. The agile golden lion tamarins are loose in the trees and moving almost too quickly to follow.

Today around 1200 tamarins are thought to live in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A total of 159 GLTs from zoos were reintroduced into the wild between 1984 and 2000. These individuals plus their descendents currently make up approximately half of the GLTs living in the wild.

Zoo Atlanta played an active role in this reintroduction program.

A man in the audience asks, “Why don’t they run away?” to which a zoo keeper replies, “The same reason you go back to your home at night. They like to be where their bed and dinners are.” Everyone is enchanted as the 17-ounce red-gold marmosets enjoy their free-range time at Zoo Atlanta.

According to Darby Proctor, an anthropology graduate student at Georgia State University and an intern in the primate area, the tamarin enclosure is one of the most popular spots in the zoo. She says the beautiful animals are interesting from a behavioral standpoint, but more importantly to the visitors they are cute and fun to watch.

Their appeal to humans and their vibrant coloring has been a source of trouble for the animals as well. Over the centuries humans have hunted them to sell as pets and pelts. This, along with the destruction of the Brazilian rainforest in which they lived, led to the golden lion tamarin being used as a symbol of the rapidly disappearing rainforest.

In the 1970s zoos joined together to begin the golden lion tamarin breeding program to try and repopulate the animals and reintroduce them to their primary habitat, the San Joao Basin. By the 1980s tamarins were considered critically endangered and scientists were estimating that less than 300 animals existed in the wild.

tat has been heavily fragmented and less than two percent of it remains.

It is up to the next generation of conservationists, animal scientists, and diplomats to see that the lovely orange-gold colors of the golden lion tamarin flash in the trees with the hope of a new dawn, rather than fading quietly into memory like a sunset.

Internships and Jobs

To date, they have released 6 GLTs into the wild, 3 of which are still alive and reproducing a full ten years after their reintroduction. The last Zoo Atlanta group to be reintroduced was named the Olympia group by the Brazilian reintroduction team because they were reintroduced in 1996, the same year Atlanta hosted the Olympics.

GLTs are no longer being reintroduced into the wild because the process was so successful that their habitat cannot support additional individuals. Conservationists made a difference by educating the public about the plight of the rainforest and the marmosets, fighting for political action to preserve the marmoset’s habitat and to make poaching illegal, breeding and caring for the animals in captivity, and assisting with their re-introduction into the wild.

The marmoset’s future is far from certain however, as their habi-

There are many opportunities throughout the Zoo. As an example, the Golden Lion Tamarin Conservation Program encourages college students to apply for a summer internship program designed to allow interns opportunity to gain professional hands-on experience including animal behavior research, animal tracking, data collection and entry, volunteer coordination, public outreach, and journalism. Related degrees include: zoology, psychology, anthropology, communication, biology, political science, geography, and anything leading to veterinary medicine or animal conservation as a career.

What else is there to do?

Looking for a new place to take a date?

Asked if many college students go to the zoo, Darby Proctor replied, “A lot of us work here because it’s a great experience that offers something unique for your resume. But I see a lot of couples visiting. They come here because they can walk hand-in-hand through the trails and the animals always give you something to look at and talk about, so it smoothes away the awkward moments.”

The Zoo offers a climbing rock, train, restaurants, shops, air brush tattoos, live animal shows, and animal encounters for up close and personal fun.

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A chatt worth having Compiled and Photographed by Matt Logan . mcl3535@gmail.com

C

hattanooga is a great city, growing quicker

than most people realize. Many Atlanta residents take for granted their neighbor to the north, assuming that the Aquarium is the only thing Chattanooga has to offer. That might have been the case before but Chattanooga is now a world-class city, complete with a bustling, revitalized downtown, a beautiful, newly renovated waterfront, a commitment to the Arts, and the big-city feel without the trappings of the big big city. It was even named “one of the best cities in the world” by U.S. News and World Report and the New York Times noted Chattanooga’s charm and its great nightlife. Here are some reasons why Chattanooga is a city worth seeing.

Walnut Street Bridge is the oldest and largest bridge of its kind and is a great place to go walk. It’s popular, and well traveled, as it connects downtown Chattanooga with the trendy North shore District.

You can find more information about Walnut Street Bridge at www.visitchattanooga.com.

The Tivoli Theatre was built in 1921 and is still in operation. Lovingly referred to as the “Jewel Box of the South,” its halls are impressively ornate.

The Tivoli hosts theatre productions, live music, magicians, and comedians.

Plays like Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker are staples around the holidays, but acts like Al Green, Widespread Panic and comedian George Carlin come to the theatre as well. www.ChattanoogaOnStage.com Photo Courtesy of the Chattanooga Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

The Hunter Museum of American Art was recently expanded and now, along with a new building, includes a sculpture garden and a café overlooking the Tennessee River. The Museum’s collection contains paintings from the Ashcan school, the Hudson River School, and the American Impressionists, to name a few.

Currently “Common Ground: Discovering Community in 150 years of Art” is on display, exploring the human experience through many different mediums. Check out www.huntermuseum.org to see current exhibitions, hours of operation, or to request a guided tour.

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The Tennessee Aquarium is a great place to see, drawing, on average, a million people a year from all over the country. It is 190,000 square feet and holds 1,100,000 gallons of water. Though the new Georgia Aquarium is bigger, the Tennessee Aquarium is still a great place to go –the traffic is a lot better too.

The Aquarium is open 7 days a week, 363 days a year from 10:00am to 6:00pm and admission is $17.95 for adults/$9.50 for children. www.tennis.org

Though this may look like an alleyway in Italy, it’s actually a side street in the Bluff View Art District in Chattanooga. Pictured is the River Gallery, an art gallery that has a permanent collection as well as annual exhibits showcasing regional, national, and international art that is available for purchase. The Gallery’s sculpture garden was also selected to be one of the 195 gardens worldwide to be included in the International Sculpture Center’s Sculpture Parks and Garden’s Directory. The Bluff View District also has coffee shops, restaurants, museums, and lots of other cool spots. For information on any of the specific points of interest go to the Bluff View’s website at www.bluffviewartdistrict.com

The Big River Grille is a hot spot right in the middle of downtown Chattanooga. There are lots of pool tables, lots of dart boards, lots of people, good food, and good beer, brewed in-house.

Centrally located on Broad Street, it’s a great place to stop in for a drink or to spend the whole night. www.bigrivergrill.com

The nation’s first military park was the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, commemorating the Battle of Chickamauga and the overall campaign for Chattanooga.

Chickamauga was the last Confederate victory in the Civil War, though the Union would eventually take Chattanooga.

The Chickamauga Battlefield is in nearby Chickamauga, Georgia and was the site of the bloodiest two days in American history. More information can be found at www.nps.gov/chch

Coolidge Park is a 10-acre public park on the north shore of the Tennessee River. It has a (restored) carousel dating back to 1895, walking paths, interactive water fountains, river access, and a kayak/canoe launching point. The park is next to the Frazier Avenue/River Street shopping district, a great, and very unique, place to shop and eat.

Photo Courtesy of the Chattanooga Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

Intrigued? If so get on I-75 and head North until you reach I-24 West. Next, get on I-24 and take the 4th Street/Aquarium exit continuing on 4th Street until you reach Market Street. Turn onto Market, find parking, and start exploring –everything listed here, and most everything of interest, is within walking distance of Market Street.

Photo Courtesy of the Chattanooga Area Convention & Visitors Bureau spring 2006

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Japanese autumn

By Lorna Redmond . lar0983@students.kennesaw.edu

I

wade listlessly through every hot humid summer, the relentless heat from the pavement slamming me back to the air conditioned shores of my car, my home, and my office. I’ve survived late June and July in the South, it’s August and public school is back in session, so my brain tells me that it’s fall. But during the day my car thermometer tells me it’s still 98 degrees outside, the superheated air is hazy, thick and still, and the sun is pounding the back of my retinas. At night the cicadas set up a demented chorus like maracas gone wild and the heat never really goes away, only recedes slightly. Still summer, still trying to drag me under it’s stagnant surface.

Dreams of fall tease me, thoughts of beautiful cerulean blue skies showcasing gold, orange, and crimson leaves in the cool crisp air of mid-fall drift lazily through my mind, giving me something to cling to. My

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mind bumps up against memories of another stagnant summer spent long ago in Japan, walking in a concrete jungle of a city, smelling the sewers which were awful, and the river, which was worse. Instead of clinging to air conditioned buildings like sensible people the Japanese embraced the seasons, even in August. They fought the pull of ennui with summer evenings filled with festivals, parades, Taiko drums, fireworks, special festival foods, and special refreshing summer foods like chilled soba noodles with lemon sauce and barbequed eel on sushi.

We have similar traditions here, like the Fourth of July, but this went on for the whole summer and would pop up even on local neighborhood streets. You never knew when you would turn the corner and find a festival in progress, much like a sudden violent summer storm that would leave everything refreshed in its wake.

Fall had special traditions, too. Once the air cooled and the skies darkened the mood changed.

The summer festivals stopped and a more contemplative atmosphere prevailed. Vendors peddling chestnuts surfaced and started selling mochi cakes, little sweet dumplings made from pounded rice, for fall filled with chestnuts. Once the weather was cooler hibachi wielding vendors would stand at the subways offering bags of roasted chestnuts like popcorn vendors at a baseball game. I’ve always thought it odd that although I grew up on songs about ‘roasting chestnuts by the open fire’ the only place I’ve actually seen it done is Japan. With cooler air came the need for warmer drinks, and the city was filled with the heavy, slightly acrid smell of roasting tea leaves. We participated in tea ceremonies and drank our fair share of the special algae-green brew served in local temples, although

“I’ve always thought it odd that although I grew up on songs about ‘roasting chestnuts by the open fire’ the only place I’ve actually seen it done is Japan.” my Western palate far preferred the cheaper bansha tea mixed with popcorn and wheat that we kept in our tiny apartment.

Temples and tea ceremonies were popular all year round, but particularly so in the fall. Maybe more people were inspired to travel once the oppressive heat lifted, or maybe everyone was drawn to the carefully crafted serenity and beauty to be found in the temple gardens.

The feathery Japanese maple leaves turned stunning shades of peach and gold and reflected off temple moats and ponds and the gold leaf adorning building surfaces. To accommodate travelers, temples often set up open air cafes with low tables and cushions set on slightly raised platforms doubling as chairs.

These cafes were usually set up near the ancient teahouses and under a stand of maples. Sometimes

food was served, always vegetarian, and usually centered on tofu made by the monks themselves. A beverage that agreed very well with my palate, amazuki, was served regularly this time of year. This was a hot, sweet, slightly alcoholic fermented rice beverage with many mythical health claims to its name.

I couldn’t tell you if the drink was restorative, but sitting back on the cushions, feeling the contrast of the steaming cup and the chill air and looking up into the green, peach, and golden leaves flirting with the sun and occasionally drifting toward the other patrons was one of the most relaxing and memorable experiences of my life. The ‘leaf viewing’ trip that particularly stays in my mind was to Nara, an ancient city famous for Geisha, temples, and Japanese culture. We stopped in a tea house with an outdoor café that faced a street of wooden shops and a temple that had stood virtually unchanged

for hundreds of years. Monks were walking the street in brown robes and big hats, and kimono clad women were everywhere. We sat there leaf viewing and sipping our amezuki in the crisp fall air admiring the temple on top of the hill rising in stately splendor above the trees, when the sound of the temple gongs floated gently through the dainty golden leaves. The sound gained in strength until it seemed like our minds were vibrating in time to the beats of the mallets. Even the usually boisterous tourist crowd sat still and awed with us as this moment out of time seemed to stretch on and on.

This moment lives in my soul today and I pull it out like a life preserver whenever late summer’s fetid riptide pulls too strongly and I stop believing in the cool air, cerulean skies, and golden leaves of a beautiful Southern fall.

spring 2006

39

rants

what do you have to say? a few responses from kennesaw students and how much they hate/love it here at kennesaw state.

letter RAVE from the

RANT My complaint about parking isn’t that there isn’t enough. There is, but you might have to walk a little way.

My concern is the safety. There are many cases where someone has to cross a busy street. Most drivers do not pay attention to the pedestrians trying to cross. Also, the parking decks are dimly lit. They aren’t very safe. Students have to pay for un-patrolled, dimly lit parking decks and chance getting hit by a crazy driver on the streets.

editor

I’m very excited about the new Social Sciences Building. I hear there will be editing rooms and a studio or two. The mass communication classes really need these amenities and I’m glad that we are finally getting them.

Danny Swiezy

I love the little deli sandwiches in the cafeteria.

They are delicious and nutritious.

Jonathan Berry

Jennifer Chapman

The KSU Police Department. I got a $99 parking ticket for making a left turn in a right turn only lane. It was like 10:30 at night! They need something better to do- they suck.

I like the Recreation Center. It’s nice- they hold a Pilates class!

Micah LeBlanc

Mike D.

The smokers lurk in the doorways to the buildings, making non-smokers walk through a stinking, disgusting, billowing cloud to get to classes. Also, English majors are not allowed to obtain a creative writing minor.

“Jane Smith”

There are more people coming here.

And it seems like the school is getting smaller and smaller. We need to grow… fast. We’re already too small.

I really like the intramural programs here and the new gym. They have all these different types of classes and equipment. It’s better going there for free than paying to go to a gym.

Riding the fence

Jennifer Suggs

I like the professors. I’ve only had about two bad professors here. That’s saying a lotI’ve been here for four years.

I don’t have anything bad to say about Kennesaw. I don’t have anything good to say about it either. I just go here.

Michelle Patterson

Robyn J.

I like that the classes are small—more individual attention.

Walker Wallace

The art department is too small.

Signing up for my classes is inevitably forcing me to start new minors. It’s forcing me not to graduate on time. And there are too many part-time professors.

Allison Harris

I like the faculty. They are very competentvery student-oriented and fair.

Amanda Glass

Kyle Howser

I don’t like the coke machines being hot. They should be at 33°, not 43°.

Jonathan Berry

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We want to hear what you hate or love about KSU! Send us your rants and raves, along with your name to

TalonRants@gmail.com Compiled by Terri Alvarez

tva3465@students.kennesaw.edu

The small class sizes make it easier to concentrate.

Carlie Monti