Buzz Magazine: Dec. 9, 2004 by Buzz Magazine

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FOREVER TWIRLING ... TWIRLING ... LIKE A DEAD FISH IN A TOILET BOWL.

It’s Coming... Champaign-Urbana’s Biggest New Year’s Bash!

NEW YEAR’S 2005 Joe’s Brewery 15th Annual Celebration

706 S. 5th St, Campustown * 384-1790

25 Double Bacardi’s $ 50 Lite/MGD Bottles $ 00 Jager Bombs

NO COVER BEFORE 9PM

Complimentary Champagne Toast at Midnight * Free Party Favors

75 Beers • Single Malt Scotch Wine • Irish Whiskeys

Open Daily 4PM - 2AM

New Years Eve PARTY Friday Dec. 31st

Doors Open 7pm

Over 600 Danced in 2004

Bottles

PARTY FOOD MIDNIGHT CHAMPAGNE TOAST DESIGNATED DRIVER PROGRAM FREE RIDES HOME FROM ILLINI TAXI

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PHOTO • CHRISTINE LITAS

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The bully and the bullied

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Large

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$6.98 Offer Coupon Required. good for a limited time at participating Papa John’s restaurants only. Additional toppings extra. Not valid with any other coupons or discounts. Limited . delivery area, charges may apply customer responsible for all applicable fees.

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INTRO

editor’s note This Modern World • Tom Tomorrow News Sh!ts and giggles News of the weird • Chuck Shephard First things first • Michael Coulter

AROUND TOWN The bully and the bullied • Susie An q + a with Nicole Philyaw

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Talking with Amasong • Cornelia Boonman DFA Compilation review • Michael Malinsky De La Soul review • Imran Siddiquee The Black Keys review • Kyle Gorman Sound Ground #55 • Todd J. Hunter The Hurly-burley

MAIN EVENT Free Will Astrology Jonesin’ Crosswords • Matt Gaffney Bob ‘n Dave • David King Life in Hell • Matt Groening

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT Hua Nian • Harini Rajagopal Th(ink) • Keef Knight The Playboy of the Western World review • Syd Slobodnik

WINE + DINE Wine and Food A to Z • Amanda Kolling

THE SILVER SCREEN Sideways review • Matt Pais Shades of Gray • Shadie Elnashai C-U Views • Compiled by Sarah Krohn Vera Drake review • Randy Ma Lunafest comes to Champaign • Shadie Elnashai Movie time listings Slowpoke • Jen Sorenson Drive-Thru Reviews

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INDEX Employment Services Merchandise Transportation Apartments Other Housing/Rent Real Estate for Sale Things To Do Announcements Personals

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• PLEASE CHECK YOUR AD! Report errors immediately by calling 337-8337. We cannot be responsible for more than one day’s incorrect insertion if you do not notify us of the error by 2 pm on the day of the first insertion. • All advertising is subject to the approval of the publisher. The Daily Illini shall have the right to revise, reject or cancel, in whole or in part, any advertisement, at any time. • All employment advertising in this newspaper is subject to the City of Champaign Human Rights Ordinance and similar state and local laws, making it illegal for any person to cause to be published any advertisement which expresses limitation, specification or discrimination as to race, color, mental handicap, personal appearance, sexual orientation, family responsibilities, political affiliation, prior arrest or conviction record, source of income, or the fact that such person is a student. • Specification in employment classifications are made only where such factors are bonafide occupational qualifications necessary for employment. • All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968, and similar state and local laws which make it illegal for any person to cause to be published any advertisement relating to the transfer, sale, rental, or lease of any housing which expresses limitation, specifications or discrimination as to race, color, creed, class, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, physical or mental handicap, personal appearance, sexual oientation, family responsibilities, political affiliation, or the fact that such person is a student. • This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate that is in violation of the law. Our readers are informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal oppportunity basis.

Employment 000

RATES:

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HELP WANTED Part Time

The Daily Illini is now hiring for parttime Office Assistants. Flexible scheduling aroundavailable between 8am and 5pm Monday - Friday. Duties include answering telephone, greeting customers, processing payments, and various other general office duties. Enthusiasm and a willingness to provide excellent internal and external customer service are a must. Interested applicants can stop by our office at 57 East Green St. to fill out an application or email melanie@illinimedia.com.

Alumni Club Assistant We need a detail-loving student to come help us with our Illini Media alumni club. Your responsibilities will include entering new club members into our database, looking for information on listings that are incomplete and helping us track down new and/or missing members. If you like nitty gritty little details and digging for information, you're going to love this job. Pay is minimum wage but the hours are flexible and you can't beat the fun and energetic environment. Email Kit Donahue at alumni@illinimedia.com and tell me why you'd be perfect for this job! You must be a University of Illinois student to apply. WPGU is looking for some outgoing, energetic people to work in the sales department. If you enjoy talking to people and are looking to make some extra cash call 244-3000 or download an application online at www.wpgu.com

030

HELP WANTED Full/Part Time Child Care Teacher

The Caring Place, a child care facility associated with Carle Foundation is now accepting applications for part time head teachers, assistant teachers, and/or substitute teachers. Hours are Mon - Fri 2pm - 6pm. High school diploma or GED with day care experience required for assistants. Preferred candidates will possess course work in Early Childhood Studies. The Caring Place offers competitive salary and an excellent benefit package. If you are interested in working in a rewarding and caring atmosphere for both teachers and children, please apply in person or send a resume to: THE CARING PLACE 809 W. Park Urbana, IL 61801 (217) 383-3277 EOE

Transportation 300

Billed rate: 35¢/word Paid-in-Advance: 28¢/word Photo Sellers 30 words or less + photo: $5 per issue Garage Sales 30 words in both Thursday’s buzz and Friday’s Daily Illini!! $10. If it rains, your next date is free.

responsible for all applicable fees.

Action Ads • 20 words, run any 5 days (in buzz or The Daily Illini), $14 • 10 words, run any 5 days (in buzz or The Daily Illini), $7 • add a photo to an action ad, $10

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AUTOMOBILES

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Apartments APARTMENTS

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Furnished/Unfurnished Available Now. 2 bedroom on campus. $550 per month. 367-6626. Available Jan 05 1 bedroom $385, 2 bedroom $590, Campus. 367-6626

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APARTMENTS

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1 bedroom lofts $497 2 bedrooms $545 3 bedrooms $650 4 bedrooms $1000 Campus, parking. Fall 04, 367-6626

APARTMENTS

506 E. Stoughton, C For August 2005. Extra large efficiency apartments. Security building entry, complete furniture, laundry, off-street parking, ethernet available. Phone 352-3182. Office at 309 S. First, Champaign. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com

Our most desirable location on U of I golf course. 1200 sq. ft, 2 bedroom, 2 bath, fireplace, study, dishwasher, W/D, A/C, carport plus parking, balcony/patio. 359-3687.

MJM/Chateau Apartments

2 BR, 1030 E. Kerr. Unfurnished, on bus route, pool, fitness center. $500/mo. negotiable. Available January 384-8157.

420

1006 S. 3RD, C. Aug 2005. 1 bedrooms. Location, location. Covered parking & laundry, furnished & patios, ethernet available. Phone 352-3182. Office at 309 S. First, Ch. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com 105 E. John Available Fall 2005. 1 bedroom furnished, great location. Includes parking. www.ugroup96.com 352-3182 106 DANIEL, C. For August 2005. 1, & 2 bedroom apartments, ethernet available. Some townhouses Phone 352-3182. Office at 309 S. First, Ch. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com 1107 S. 4TH AND GREGORY, C. For August 2005. 3 and 4 bedroom apartments and 2 baths. Best location. Completely furnished. Laundry, parking garage, elevator. Phone 352-3182. Office at 309 S. First, Ch. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com 111 E. CHALMERS, C. August 2005. 1 bedroom. Furniture, skylights, off-street parking, laundry. Phone 352-3182. Office at 309 S. First, Ch. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com Furnished 1 & 2 bedroom. W/D, cable in apartment. Starting at $560. Call Steve 369-5877. 207- 211 JOHN Fall 2005 Prime Campus Location 2, 3, & 4 Bedrooms Phone 352-3182 THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com

307 & 310 E. White 307 & 309 Clark

Fall 2005. Large studio, double closet, well furnished. Available January. www.ugroup96.com 352-3182 HEALEY COURT APARTMENTS 307- 309 Healey Court. Fall 2005. Behind Gully’s. 2 bedrooms. Ethernet available. Phone 352-3182. Office at 309 S. First, C. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com 2 BR Available Now 508 E White Spacious 2 & 3 BR, nicely furnished apt. Resident Manager Kenny James. Maintenance, no hassle. www.ugroup96.com 352-3182 493-0429

Ask Tenant Union about us 390-2377 509 E. White, C. Aug. 2005. Large 1 bedrooms. Security entry, balconies, patios, furnished. Laundry, off-street parking, ethernet available. Phone 352-3182. Office at 309 S. First, Ch. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com 604 E. White, C. Security Entrance For Fall 2005, Large 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom loft (HUGE), furnished, balconies, patios, laundry, off-street parking, ethernet available. Phone 352-3182. Office at 309 S. First, C. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com 605 S. Fifth, C. Fall 2005 5th and Green location Outdoor activity area. 1 bedrooms available. Garage off-street parking. Phone 352-3182. Office at 309 S. First, Champaign. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com

GREAT VALUE

306- 308- 309 White August 2005. 1 & 3 Bedroom furnished apts. Balconies, patios, laundry, dishwashers, off-street parking, ethernet available. 352-3182, 8411996, 309 S. First. The University Group www.ugroup96.com JOHN STREET APARTMENTS 58 E. John August 2005. Two and three bedrooms, fully furnished. Dishwashers, center courtyard, on-site laundry, central air, ethernet available. Call Chad at 344-9157 352-3182 University Group www.ugroup96.com OLD TOWN CHAMPAIGN 510 S. Elm Available Fall 2005. 2 BR close to campus, hardwood floors, dishwasher, W/D, central air/heat, off street parking, 24 hr. maintenance. $525/mo. 352-3182 or 841-1996. www.ugroup96.com

APARTMENTS

SUBLETS

430

Unfurnished 505 W. Healey. Newly remodeled 1 BR, close to campus, wood floors, new bathroom. Includes water, sewer and garbage. Off-street parking. Pets OK. $425/mo. Will 217-7219685.

800 W. CHURCH, C.

Now available, newly remodeled 2 BR. Centrally located near shopping/transportation. Onsite laundry, parking included. $425/mo. 217-352-8540 217-355-4608 pm/wknd www.faronproperties.com

Available Immediately 408 E. Healey 1 bedroom apartment furnished with washer/dryer, dishwasher, jacuzzi tub, immaculate. $690/mo. 217-344-5773 Parking Available

Furnished studio apartment at First & Daniel for Spring Semester sublease. $400/mo including cable, internet, and water. On 22 busline. 217-365-9262. kanoon@uiuc.edu One bedroom, 1.5 bath, patio, fireplace, parking, pool, on busline. Lease through 8/1/05 with option to renew. Newly renovated flash security building. Available Feb 1st or sooner. Call 721-3111. Spacious room for female. Available now. Price negotiable. 606 1/2 W. Elm, Urbana. 217-714-0963. Spring Semester Lease 1-4 BR available $425 utilities included. Contact Anthony 217-384-2967.

Other Rentals 500 HOUSES

510

2 bedroom and 7 bedroom house on campus for Fall 2004. 367-6626. 107 W. Pennsylvania - $1450 Renovated 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath. Garage, A/C, W/D, hardwood floors, new appliances. Includes satellite, phone, DSL. Pets ok. On bus line. 714-3150

2 BR, basement, appliances, W/D hookup. Close to UI, bus, school. No pets. $750. 351-4029. 4 BR, fully furn, W/D, dishwasher, basement, off-street parking. 801 W. Ohio, Urbana. 05-06 Academic Year. 217-356-8523 or pttrav@hotmail.com Cozy Cottage - near Lincoln Square. Campus. Hardwood floors, 5 room, 2 BR. 359-0065 Cozy Cottage - near Lincoln Square. Campus. Hardwood floors, 5 room, 2 BR. 359-3687

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510 E. CLARK Spring 2005. Large efficiency, furnished, A/C, utilities included. Parking, laundry facilities, ethernet available. $365/mo. (765)271-3922, pmcgover@uiuc.edu.

All Units: •Carpet, A/C, Appliances •Cable & Internet Ready •Parking Available •On-Site Laundry

1005 S. SECOND, C Efficiencies. Fall 2005. Secured building. Private parking. Laundry on site, ethernet available. Phone 352-3182. Office at 309 S. First, Ch. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com

430

Unfurnished

403 E. White, Ch. - $540/mo. 302 S. Fourth, Ch. - $540/mo. •Large 2 Bedroom

BEST VALUE 1 BR. loft from $480. 1 Br. $370 2 BR. $470 3 BR. $750 4 BR $755 Campus. 367-6626.

APARTMENTS

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Furnished/Unfurnished

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Illini Media

2 p.m. Monday for the next Thursday’s edition.

The Mendoza Lifeline • Seth Fein

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SETH FEIN • STAFF WRITER

I have been writing a column for Buzz for over a year now, and I am just now realizing that my editors don’t provide me with enough space to make a point in the fashion in which I’d like. It’s not their fault—nosireebob!—but without the advertising for downtown Urbana, we just wouldn’t be able to be the kind of dynamic paper that we are. Plus, Coulter threatened my life if I tried to steal his thunder ... The United Church of Christ (UCC) has been denied the privilege of buying commercial time from two network stations. In their ad, a church is depicted as having two bouncers at the door, like at a nightclub, and disallowing the entry of homosexuals, mixed couples and other types of Godfearing people that don’t fit into the Pat Robertson/Jerry Falwell mold of believers. In the ad, it states that “all believers are welcome here.” The network’s reporters said it was “too controversial to air something of that nature.” They took a commercial break and viewers were treated to two mostly naked women, mud wrestling over a can of Coors Light. An auction on eBay rose to crazy mad dollars over the selling of a person’s spirit.According to the site, a woman decided to sell off her father’s spirit because her son was scared of it.To make it official, she offered up her father’s cane as well, so the buyer would have something to “hold onto” as a result of being the winning bidder. eBay is now chock full o’ “ghost sellers,” ranging from 99 cents to $9,999.99 dollars. For the record—what the hell is that? For those of you who are not townies, the Robeson Department Store Skyway was torn down in Champaign last week, ensuring those of us who thrive on nostalgia to be even more sickened by the gross gentrification of the downtown area. Sure, it served no useful purpose anymore, but neither does our government, so it’s a sliding scale. Credit should be given where credit is due, and that is why I would like to add two bands to the list of greats in Champaign. Lorenzo Goetz, who just released the terrific Jesus Elephant, is one of the hardest working bands in the area.They did a twoweek tour out west which landed them at CBGB’s in NYC in November.That easily makes them part of the greats. Larry Gates is the one man I can safely say I would kiss with an open mouth if he’d ever let me. Also, the lovely Kate Hathaway, who has been contemplating an Austin vacation for a while, is another artist totally dedicated to her craft.Word has it that she is entering the studio for a long player coming soon. To the both of them—I salute you!

Want community? Homemade vegetarian meals? Affordable private rooms? www.couch.coop Eight to Nine Bedroom Fall, Campus, $2850 367-6626

ROOMMATE WANTED 550

Seth Fein is from Urbana. He can be reached at sethfein@readbuzz.com. Email him. Everybody loves to get mail.

1 bedroom, near campus $300 per month 367-6626

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IF YOU FIND A MATE IN LIFE, YOU SHOULD BE LOYAL ... IN YOUR CASE, GRATEFUL. ALFIE 2.5 STARS 2.5 stars Jude Law & Marisa Tomei Alfie, a limo driver with big plans, is a consummate playboy, gleefully bed-hopping through beautiful women’s lives by virtue of his swaggering attitude and dangerous good looks. He’s irresistible and calculating; he knows just what to say to get a woman in bed and just what to do to get her to make him breakfast in the morning. And the women, charmed by his accent and smartly placed compliments, are always willing to satisfy him. (John Loos) BRIDGET JONES: THE EDGE OF REASON

ALEXANDER 2 STARS

Colin Ferrell & Angelina Jolie Oliver Stone has finally bitten off more than he can chew with Alexander. The film has many good ideas— too many, in fact, to develop, even in a three-hour film. The result is intriguing, but never engaging. Alexander the Great, one of the most towering figures in histor y, deser ves better than this. (Andrew Vecelas)

3 stars Renee Zellweger & Colin Firth Like any sequel for a comedy, the stor y isn’t as much fun the second time around. The jokes aren’t that fresh and the same gags are repeated throughout the movie. However, there are solid laughs to be had here, and fans of the first will at least have smiles on their faces when they watch it in theaters. It’s not as fresh as when Bridget Jones’s Diar y came out, but it still passes as

Looking for a

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fun enter tainment for audiences that love romantic comedies. (Randy Ma) FINDING NEVERLAND 2 stars

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opening this weekend

THE INCREDIBLES 3.5 Stars

BLADE: TRINITY Wesley Snipes & Jessica Biel Oh. Hell. Yes. The third installment in the Daywalker series finds Blade wrongfully accused of brutal murders. To save himself, Blade seeks asylum with a group of vampires who cleverly call themselves the Nightstalkers. You know, because they stalk vampires during the night. Clever. Apparently, the newly formed team starts some kind of vampire war that goes all the way to the top. Hell, even Dracula gets involved. I don’t care how bad this film sounds on paper, it’s gonna ROCK on the silver screen! (Paul Wagner) Opening at Beverly and Savoy

Holly Hunter & Craig T. Nelson The Incredibles is the studio’s most visually inventive outing, full of gorgeous, intensely vivid sequences and amazingly artistic details. Right down to the spots on an old woman’s hands and Helen’s wet hair after she and the kids fall in the ocean, the film creates a continuously dazzling world in which computer-generated pictures are as lifelike as live action and twice as absorbing. It relies on characters, not circumstance and misunderstanding, to drive the plot, and it’s the first family film in a while that allows for genuinely complex relationships between its stars. (Matt Pais)

CLOSER Jude Law & Natalie Portman Natalie Por tman plays a stripper. Jude Law is her lover. Right off the bat, do you need another reason to see this film? OK, there’s more. Julia Rober ts is also in the flick. Two couples are doing fine with their relationships until they all meet and form a dir ty little love quadrangle. As simple as the plot sounds, the cast is incredible and the film looks excellent. And Jude Law is in it! (Paul Wagner) Opening at Beverly and Savoy

NATIONAL TREASURE 2 STARS 2 STARS Nicholas Cage & Diane Kruger There’s definitely some fun to be had here, and adventure-seekers will get their fill from countless chase scenes and action sequences. For a while, it even makes history seem cool, as if knowing mundane facts about the Liberty Bell could be the key to an exciting, intellectual life. Ultimately, though, National Treasure is so implausible that it borders on offending the intelligence of not just the U.S. government, but the people who created the government itself. You won’t be bored, but this sure is one trivial pursuit. (Matt Pais)

OCEAN’S TWELVE George Clooney & Brat Pitt In the first film, Clooney and his boys stole a whole bunch of money ... and they were damn funny about doing it. They’re at it again, this time thieving in Rome, London and Amsterdam. Apparently they want more money than the 160 million they took in the first film. Greedy bastards. Just to spice things up, Tony Benedict, the unfor tunate bloke whose casino the money was taken from, is hunting them down, looking for revenge. Oh, and the ever-beautiful Catherine Zeta-Jones makes an appearance. (Paul Wagner) Opening at Beverly and Savoy

Johnny Depp & Kate Winslet This is a movie about holding onto life’s simple pleasures and the thrill of fantasy in the face of jaded, adult reality. Yet Finding Neverland doesn’t so much find these ideas as arrive at them; in the film’s emotional climax, we feel dulled by this monotonous, heavy story rather than moved by its weight. There certainly appears to be a bittersweet yet uplifting story behind the legend of Peter Pan, but you won’t find it here. Finding Neverland isn’t a total croc; it just needs a hook. (Matt Pais)

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EDITOR’S NOTE MARISSA MONSON • EDITOR IN CHIEF

Starting next week

there will be a new face adorning the box next to this column. That’s right. I’m being replaced. Not by any ill will of course, but my tenure as editor is about up, and it’s time to give someone else a try. Previously, my replacement, Paul Wagner, was the film editor, and before that a film reviewer and music contributor for openingbands.com. For those of you who have enjoyed my columns, thanks for listening. If you ever want to hear my take on George Bush and the administration, just stop me. I’ll be around, and I love to talk politics. This job was tough and rewarding. Juggling a full-time school schedule, two jobs, an attempt at a social life and this commitment proved trying at times. But, I felt that I was really at the pulse of what this community has to offer its inhabitants, and hopefully, I can continue to keep up on where all the best shows and art exhibits are going to be. Needless to say, this paper wouldn’t be kept afloat without the individuals who design sections, and write and edit the articles behind the scenes. To all of you, more than a simple thanks is deserved.You guys are the reason we go to press every week. I have been with this paper since it made the change from a studentbased content paper to what we are today, and I have to say, I am a little nervous about leaving it. But, I know I am leaving it in great hands, with people who want to see the integrity of the publication remain high and unwavering. Lastly, a large thanks is due to the community. Our little nook in the heart of the Midwest is really an anomaly of sorts. We have so many creative individuals living here, honing their crafts, whether it be art, music, filmmaking or writing. A big thanks is in order for these individuals, who just keep doing what they do. It was a real pleasure writing about what many of you consider your passions. Thanks for letting us into your world consistently. For those individuals who offered words of praise and criticism, I appreciate it. Buzz is a work in progress, and with each publication we learn something new about what the community expects from us – and how we can continue improving.

-M.M.

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BUZZ STAFF v o l u m e

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Cover Design • Meaghan Dee Editor in chief • Marissa Monson Art Directors • Meaghan Dee, Carol Mudra Copy Chief • Erin Green Music • Elisabeth Lim Arts • Katie Richardson Film • Paul Wagner Community • Susie An Calendar • Margo O’Hara Photography Editor • Christine Litas Calendar Coordinators • Cassie Conner, Erin Scottberg Photography • Roderick Gedey, Sarah Krohn Copy Editors • Jen Hubert, Nellie Waddell Designers • Glenn Cochon, Adam Obendorf, Jordan Herron, Sue Janna Truscott Staff Writers • Matt Pais, Susie An, Shadie Elnashai, Devon Sharma, Lindsey Donnell, Joe Martin, Kyle Gorman Contributing Writers • Michael Coulter, Amanda Kolling, Todd J. Hunter, Seth Fein, Logan Moore, Adam “DJ Bozak” Boskey Production Manager • Theon Smith Sales Manager • Jon Maly Marketing/Distribution • Rory Darnay, Louis Reeves III Publisher • Mary Cory

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REMEMBER HOW BUSH STAYED AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ON SEPT. 11? HOW CUTE.

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Playboy Enterprises sees higher 2005 earnings

BUSH CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS World leaders first, then the Cookie Monster WASHINGTON (AP) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Leaders from Iraq, Jordan and Senegal paraded through the White House Monday morning. By afternoon, President Bush was hosting Elmo and the Cookie Monster at a childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s holiday party. About 120 second- and third-graders sat on the floor of the East Room for the annual childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Christmas reception, which featured Sesame Street characters and singers from the PBS childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show Zoom. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This morning I met with the interim president of Iraq,â&#x20AC;? Bush told the children. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pretty exciting, isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t it? And then I met with the King of Jordan. And then I just met with the president of Senegal.And now Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m meeting you.â&#x20AC;? Some of the children were from area

military bases. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This holiday season, as we remember our blessings, our entire nation prays for our brave men and women in uniformâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;many of whom will spend the holidays far from home,â&#x20AC;? Bush said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do you know anybody who wears the uniform of the United States. Any of them your moms and dads?â&#x20AC;? Dozens of the children raised their hands. The show, which included singalongs of tunes like â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,â&#x20AC;? was about giving all year and not just at the holidays. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The spirit of the holidays is more than gifts,â&#x20AC;? the presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife, Laura, said.â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the little things that we can do every day for the people we love that are the best gifts.â&#x20AC;? buzz

CHICAGO (AP) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Playboy Enterprises Inc. said Monday it expects 2005 core earnings to climb more firmly into the black, thanks to sharp revenue increases and profitability from its international television business. The Chicago-based magazine and adult-entertainment company said it expects 2005 earnings, excluding a stock-option charge, of 40 cents to 45 cents a share. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s below the average estimate of analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call for earnings, excluding items, of 48 cents a share. Playboy said early last month it expected a profit for 2004 because of the expected completion of several deals and lower interest and dividend expense. However, the company didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t release specifics. In 2003, Playboy posted a loss of $7.56 million, or 31 cents a share. The company also expects double-digit revenue and profitability percentage increases in its online subscription, e-commerce and licensing businesses in 2005. Cost cutting should also boost profits by reducing nonoperating expenses. New distribution avenues, combined with the consolidation of its television, DVD, online and wireless business should contribute to the growth, Playboy said. Revenue in 2005 is expected to rise about 6 percent. First Call projects revenue of $330 million. In 2003, Playboy posted revenue of $315.8 million. Playboyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stock option expense in 2005 is expected to total about $3.5 million, or 10 cents a share. Separately, Playboy said it plans to open a seven-floor nightclub in Shanghai, China, reviving its 1960s- and 1970s-era chain of worldwide clubs. Shares of New York Stock Exchange-listed Playboy closed at $12.51, down 37 cents, or 2.9 percent. buzz

[

An informed and opinionated look at this weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s events

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A Marissa, Ill., man was arrested after attempting to pull his wrecked car out of a ditch with his tractor and subsequently leading a police officer on a tractor chase. After being apprehended while hiding behind a grain bin, Randall C. Jenkins was found to be under the influence of alcohol and had an injured kitten in his shirt pocket. Tractors, liquor and a half-dead kitten: once again rural Illinois shows itself to be somewhere between Twin Peaks and The Dukes of Hazzard. Ohio officially made President Bushâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Election Day win official, with just under 119,000 votes. Meanwhile, the Green Party and the Libertarian Party of Ohio have officially raised the money required for a recount, and are demanding a complete recount of the state. Yeah, cause recounting Florida in 2000 opened sooo many citizensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; eyes to the â&#x20AC;&#x153;truthâ&#x20AC;? maaan. Illinois Senator Barrack Obama announced that he will be serving on the Environment and Public Works Committee, the Committee of Veterans Affairs and the Foreign Relations Committee. Charismatic and interesting Democrats? That appears to be a committee of one.

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JOHN LOOS â&#x20AC;˘ STAFF WRITER

Vera Drake is the sunniest of souls. Always

smiling and humming as she works, her sprightly face warms up the drab, dreary interiors of 1950s London and brings comfort to all who interact with her. She was a woman born to mother, and indeed mothers everyone, even her own mum, solving peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s problems and easing their worries one cup of tea at a time. One way she does this is by performing free, anonymous, in-home abortions to women who, like herself, are of limited means. Imelda Staunton is relatively unknown in the United States, which will probably keep her from winning an Oscar for her unshakably spirited and quietly devastated performance as Vera Drake. Stauntonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eyes, in their joyful weariness, contain the depths of a woman who is as brave as she is foolish, as wise as she is naive. Staunton isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a household name and probably wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t become one because of this film, but those few who see it wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be able to forget her gentle powerhouse of a performance. Writer and director Mike Leigh (TopsyTurvy, Secrets & Lies), a man whose filmsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; stuffy, heady exteriors always seem to contain vivid, delicious interiors, creates a universe out of forest greens and grays, and fills it with tea cozies,

wool coats, aprons, square shoes and delightfully wry wit. The film follows Drake as she hums along through her weeks, cleaning rich peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s homes by day, feeding her family by night, and, if she has time in between, performing the occasional abortion. Both her two grown children (Alex Kelly, Daniel Mays) and her husband (Phil Davis) are unaware of the practice, not knowing that her friend Lily (Ruth Sheen) is actually providing her with addresses of women wanting the procedure. However, what Vera does VERA DRAKE â&#x20AC;˘ IMELDA STAUNTON is very much illegal and, despite her gentle, well-meaning hands, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not because of its stance, or lack thereof, on abortion. always 100 percent safe, either. Eventually, a Leigh shows it as a quiet tragedy, unfortunate young girl becomes terribly sick after a proce- from all sides, and shows us some of the circumdure, and the police come for Vera. stances that lead these unfortunate women to In the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s revelatory third act, as a dis- their choice. Some women are nearly hysterical traught Vera is interrogated by the police, when Vera comes to visit. Others are relaxed, Staunton proves her brilliance several times over drinking martinis and calmly smoking cigarettes. without saying much. Just by the tremble in her Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a woman with seven children already, lips and the searching in her eyes, we see the fear convinced she will die if she has another. And of leaving so many people without a mothering then thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a rich girl who is raped, but has the figure. We see the enormous regret of nearly benefit of being able to afford psychologists and causing a girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death.We see, for the first time, doctors to safely alleviate her â&#x20AC;&#x153;problem.â&#x20AC;? this usually droll woman coming face to face The film, more than anything, is about the with the ramifications of her services, which she troubled lives of these women, and the selfless, either had chosen to ignore or genuinely did idealistic woman who genuinely wants to help not believe existed. A police interrogator asks if them. Like a tea cozy,Vera is there for comfort sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been giving abortions, and Vera softly says, and warmth, a mother to anyone who needs no,â&#x20AC;&#x153;I help young girls out.â&#x20AC;? one. She smiles not just because she is happy, but Vera Drake, as a film, succeeds so thoroughly because she wants others to be happy with her.

Lunafest is an annual traveling festival of short

Congressional negotiators have reached an agreement on a bill that would overhaul the U.S. intelligence system in accordance with recommendations made by the Sept. 11 commission. The bill was in deadlock for some time over disagreements within the Republican party. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hmm ... should we give the new intelligence czar terrifying and complete omnipotence or just a grossly unconstitutional amount of control?â&#x20AC;? One day after Pakistani president Pervez Musharaff told CNN that the Iraq invasion was â&#x20AC;&#x153;a mistake,â&#x20AC;? he claimed, during a visit to Britain to meet with Tony Blair, that the war on terrorism must address the root causes of terrorism and not simply fight it militarily. Which we all know is absolutely preposterous, because ... umm ... wait, why is that a bad idea? The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Fox News will soon become the premier news provider of radio giant Clear Channel. By next year, as many as 500 radio stations around the country are set to air hourly five-minute Fox News spots. Q: Hey, whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scarier than a dirty phone call from Bill Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Reilly? A: A nation of mindlessly conservative automatons who are spoon-fed all of their opinions by him! s o u n d s

buzz weekly

LOOK, THE TIGERS ARE JUST PLAYING TAG WITH THE ANTELOPE ... WITH THEIR TEETH.

SHADIE ELNASHAI â&#x20AC;˘ STAFF WRITER

COMPILED BY LOGAN MOORE

l 5 , 2 OO4

Vera is there for comfort and warmth, a mother to anyone who needs one.

LUNAFEST COMES TO CHAMPAIGN

a Nd G i g g L E s

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films by, for and about women. Since its inception in 2001, the festival has acquired a reputation for tackling oft-ignored yet crucial issues in an insightful, inventive and entertaining way. This year the festival is playing at 60 venues across the nation, twice as many as last year.This past weekend, Boardmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Art Theatre hosted a full house as Lunafest made its Champaign stop, with proceeds going to the Breast Cancer Fund and Planned Parenthood.The seven films that screened were as follows. A Good Uplift Dir: Faye Lederman, Cheryl Furjanic, Eve Lederman A lingerie shop on the Lower East Side of New York City is the subject of this hilarious short documentary. Its portrayal of the awkwardness and ignorance with which a man attempts to purchase a bra serves as a perfect opener for the festival, dealing with a minor womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s issue outside of a manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s realm of comprehension. Shui Hen Dir: Maximillian Jezo-Parovsky A Chinese girl travels to Cuba to rejoin a family she has not seen in 15 years. The con-

trast between her fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ideology and her own becomes quickly apparent in this superbly acted story of cultural clash. So welldrawn are the characters, that even the misguided father is able to retain a degree of sympathy. Little Black Boot Dir: Colette Burson The Cinderella story is given a modern reworking with Cindy as the misfit harboring feelings for her high schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most popular girl. Usually clad in baggy pants and facial piercings, she goes to the prom dressed as a boy, and gets to dance with her crush. Little Black Boot is both sweet and charming. Wet Dreams and False Images Dir: Jesse Epstein Dee-Deeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s barbershop is covered with cutouts of cover girls whom he and his clients deem to be the ideals of their perfect women.They are subsequently shown an interview with an artistic manipulator, whose job is to hide a modelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;imperfectionsâ&#x20AC;? by airbrushing blemishes, shedding a few pounds, etc. The reactions to these revelations may be highly amusing, but the message about societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s imposed expectations of women are extremely perturbing.

Velvet Tigress Dir: Jen Sachs An animated short that documents the 1931 Winnie Ruth Judd â&#x20AC;&#x153;Trunk Murders,â&#x20AC;? Velvet Tigress exposes the sensational press of the time.The animation is pretty simple, but appropriate and effective, especially during the stylized murder sequence. La Milpa/The Cornfield Dir: Patricia Riggen As a girl tries to decide whether to leave town with her boyfriend, she is advised by Angela, who tells her a tale from her youth during the Mexican Revolution. Riggenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s film treads between fable and fairy tale, and though it drags a little, it is ultimately engaging and touching. Dysenchanted Dir:Terri Edda Miller James Belushi plays a group therapist of a session that includes Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Goldilocks, Alice, Dorothy and Red Riding Hood. Delving into what follows a fairy-tale ending, this serves as a quick-witted social commentary. This great premise is fully realized and suitably concludes the festival.

BLADE: TRINITY (R) (2 SCREENS) Fri. 1:10 2:00 4:30 5:00 7:10 7:45 9:40 11:00 Sat. 11:15 1:10 2:00 4:30 5:00 7:10 7:45 9:40 11:00 Sun. â&#x2030; Thu. 1:10 2:00 4:30 5:00 7:10 7:45 9:40 OCEAN'S TWELVE (PGĂą 13) (3 SCREENS) Fri. 1:00 1:30 2:00 4:00 4:30 5:00 7:00 7:30 8:00 9:40 10:00 11:00 Sat. 11:00 1:00 1:30 2:00 4:00 4:30 5:00 7:00 7:30 8:00 9:40 10:00 11:00 Sun. â&#x2030; Thu. 1:00 1:30 2:00 4:00 4:30 5:00 7:00 7:30 8:00 9:40 10:00 CLOSER (R) Fri. 1:10 3:20 5:30 7:40 10:00 12:15 Sat. 11:00 1:10 3:20 5:30 7:40 10:00 12:15 Sun. â&#x2030; Thu. 1:10 3:20 5:30 7:40 10:00 ALEXANDER (R) (2 SCREENS) Fri. & Sat. 1:00 4:20 5:40 7:40 9:10 11:00 Sun. â&#x2030; Thu. 1:00 4:20 5:40 7:40 9:10 BRIDGET JONES (R) Fri. 1:30 4:30 7:10 9:30 12:00 Sat. 11:10 1:30 4:30 7:10 9:30 12:00 Sun. â&#x2030; Thu. 1:30 4:30 7:10 9:30 CHRISTMAS W. KRANKS (PG) Fri. 1:05 1:30 3:10 4:30 5:20 7:00 7:30 9:30 9:40 11:50 Sat. 11:00 1:05 1:30 3:10 4:30 5:20 7:30 9:30 9:40 11:50 Sun. â&#x2030; Thu. 1:05 1:30 3:10 4:30 5:20 7:00 7:30 9:30 9:40

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NATIONAL TREASURE (PG) Fri. 1:00 2:00 4:00 5:00 7:00 7:50 9:45 11:00 Sat. 11:15 1:00 2:00 4:00 5:00 7:00 7:50 9:45 11:00 Sun. â&#x2030; Thu. 1:00 2:00 4:00 5:00 7:00 7:50 9:45 AFTER THE SUNSET (PGĂą 13) Fri. & Sat. 9:00 11:20 Sun. â&#x2030; Thu. 9:00 THE INCREDIBLES (PG) Fri. 1:20 1:30 4:00 4:30 7:00 7:20 9:30 9:50 12:00 Sat. 11:00 1:20 1:30 4:00 4:30 7:00 7:20 9:30 9:50 12:00 Sun. â&#x2030; Thu. 1:20 1:30 4:00 4:30 7:00 7:20 9:30 9:50 POLAR EXPRESS (G) Fri. & Sun. â&#x2030; Thu. 1:20 2:00 3:30 4:30 7:15 9:30 Sat. 11:00 11:30 1:20 2:00 3:30 4:30 7:15 9:30 SPONGEBOB (PG) Fri. & Sun. â&#x2030; Thu. 1:00 3:00 5:00 7:00 Sat. 11:00 1:00 3:00 5:00 7:00 WHAT THE BLEEP! (NR) Fri. 1:45 4:30 7:10 9:30 11:50 Sat. 11:20 1:45 4:30 7:10 9:30 11:50 Sun. â&#x2030; Thu. 1:45 4:30 7:10 9:30 Sneak Preview: SPANGLISH (PGĂą 13) Sat. 7:00 Showtimes for 12/10 thru 12/16

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Paul Giamatti is the

This downtrodden, sometimes depressing film turns out to be full of optimism.

rare actor who can play an obnoxious, self-loathing nincompoop and still present him as someone who, deep down, is just a pathetic, weathered man in need of a hug. He’s almost always a bit of an ass, yet the actor finds humanity in his ornery oddballs and uses his strange, bug-eyed face to convey an unexpected warmth beneath. In Sideways, the consistently funny, thoroughly entertaining new film from Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor (About Schmidt, Election), Giamatti plays Miles, a divorced English teacher struggling to publish his first novel. Miles is a bit of a snob; he pronounces croissant “cwoissant,” religiously does the New York Times crossword puzzle and prides himself on his knowledge of wines (don’t even try to get him to drink Merlot). His best friend Jack (Thomas Haden Church), a self-centered actor best known for a role on One Life to Live more than a decade ago, is getting married in a week, and the two take off on an adventure across California to give Jack some unfaithful fun before he takes the plunge, and maybe even get Miles some action as well. The film is based on a novel by Rex Pickett, and like the previous collaborations between Payne and Taylor, the setup is simple, but the execution is not. The team has an uncanny ability to make quirky, befuddled characters feel totally

C - U

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COMPILED BY SARAH KROHN

Mike Manno Urbana, Ill.

“It was humorous and insightful.”

SIDEWAYS

Tammie Redenbagh Champaign, Ill.

“Funny, but a little slow.”

Patrick Clamer Champaign, Ill.

“I related a lot to the movie and agreed with the theme.”

MOVIE NEWS BY SHADIE ELNASHAI

George Lucas’ The Phantom Menace may have been illconceived, but it pales in comparison to The Star Wars Holiday Special. The two-hour film, written by Lucas himself, starring the entire original cast, originally aired on CBS in 1978. Lucas is tr ying to have it banned, saying “”If I had the time and a sledgehammer, I would track down ever y bootlegged copy of that program and smash it”. It tells of Chewbacca’s trip home to spend Life Day with his family. Alongside poorly animated interludes, a highlight has Princess Leia reducing Solo and Luke to tears with a song to the tune of the Star Wars theme. For once this is not an exaggeration. Johnny Depp checked in to a London Hotel this week under the assumed name “Oprah Noodlemantra,” a name he first used to avoid being associated with Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare, that great sequel that had por tions in 3D. He inadver tently attracted attention while at classy London restaurant Scalini’s—when a fellow American asked him to extinguish his cigarette, Depp calmly retor ted “I’m sorr y, but we’re not in L.A. anymore,” and continued puffing. Kevin Spacey’s string of disappointments (such as The Life of David Gale, The Shipping News and Pay It Forward, to name but a few) may encourage him to make an unusual career move: “I have a good mind to jack in all the acting things and just live the life of a singer-songwriter.” Rediscovering his penchant for music while crooning his way through Bobby Darin biopic Beyond The Sea, the Iron Will star plans to tour America with co-stars The John Wilson Orchestra. Next week: Jean-Claude Van Damme quits “acting” (in broad terms) for a run at Ultimate Fighting Champion.

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Despite a $7.5 million budget deficit, the city of Berkeley, Calif., bought a 40-foot-long refrigerated trailer last year for the sole purpose of storing shopping carts that had been commandeered by homeless people for their “stuff ” but then abandoned. According to a November 2004 report in the San Francisco Chronicle, the city says the freezer prevents vermin infestation while authorities wait (up to 90 days) for the “owners” to reclaim their belongings. Critics of the program said the city should just confiscate the shopping carts, most of which had been stolen from merchants in the first place and almost all of which are never claimed, anyway.

RECURRING THEMES Two months ago, News of the Weird reported on computer technology that would permit quasi-insertive sexual intercourse by a remote user (the Sinulator). In just a short step from that, hunter John Underwood announced in November that he had set up the equipment for “hunters” to fire a rifle over the Internet at deer, antelope and wild pigs on his 330-acre ranch near San Antonio, Texas (but opposition is mounting, and state regulators may step in, although current law is said to be written in a way that could not cover Internet hunting). Underwood would provide animal retrieval and shipping services, and said his business would be especially valuable for disabled sportsmen.

READERS’ CHOICE Karen Stolzmann, 44, was arrested in October in Portage, Wis., and charged with possession of stolen property, specifically, her long-dead boyfriend’s ashes, which police say she dug up more than 10 years ago, perhaps to taunt his family, with whom she never got along. Other items that had been buried with him were found in her possession, and authorities speculate that the beer the family buried as tribute had long since been drunk by Stolzmann. (The couple reportedly had a stormy relationship, and the family believes she provoked his suicide.)

MORE THINGS TO WORRY ABOUT (1) A journal study by Maastricht University in The Netherlands concluded that even the air quality alongside major highways is not as dangerous as the air inside the typical church (with candles, incense and poor ventilation). (2) A Junction City, Ore., high school student was arrested after he and a pal allegedly distributed a DVD they had made, complete with rap-music soundtrack, of them beating up a classmate they had selected at random. COPYRIGHT 2004 Chuck Shepherd Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate

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Are baseball players destroying the innocence of our pastime? MICHAEL COULTER • CONTRIBUTING WRITER

ast week the Licensed Interstate Exporters, or LIE, announced their trucker of the year award was presented to Tom Speederson.This is the third straight year he has won the award, and he’s considered by many to be the best trucker who has ever lived. When his career is finally over, he is expected to own most of the significant trucking records and should be a lock for entry into the Trucker’s Hall of Fame. Speederson’s legend has grown through the years. He burst onto the scene when he was 21 years old, and was considered a fine truck driver, quiet, solid and respected, but unable to drive for long periods of time without sleep. All that changed five years ago, when he suddenly doubled his crosscountry trips. His eyes became glassy and he was noticeably jittery behind the wheel. He began talking incessantly and showed all the telltale signs of being on some sort of amphetamine. Trucking records began to fall and soon he broke the previously untouchable record of delivering over 72 loads during the summer. In fact, he shattered the old record and delivered 83 loads. He didn’t let up though. He got less and less sleep each year, and his weight dropped significantly. LIE, while admitting that some truckers use speed, made little, if any, effort to get Mr. Speederson help with his problem or even to acknowledge there was a problem. He was making them a ton of money and so were the other truckers who followed his lead and started to take speed on the job.“It’s a union issue,” a spokesman for LIE said. “We know some truckers take speed, but testing them would require a new contract.” Speederson and many other truckers may have been a danger to themselves and others with their drug use, but Americans love following the trucking industry, especially when records are being broken on a regular basis. Their lives may indeed be shortened by their use of speed, and a few drivers are already showing signs that speed has messed them up. Speederson has admitted he took some “vitamins” given to him by a driving instructor and used eye drops that seemed to keep him awake, but swears he was not aware of it if he was taking any actual speed. Amphetamines or not, Speederson was again given the Trucker of the Year award. What are you going to do? Trucking is America’s pastime. No wait, um, baseball is America’s pastime. OK, wait, go back and read from the beginning, except substitute Barry Bonds’ name for Tom Speederson’s, Major League

Baseball for the trucking industry and steroids for speed. It seems sort of ridiculous, but I bet our nation wouldn’t allow speeded-up truckers on the highways.They could endanger other people’s lives and their own. Yet, we allow our athletes to endanger their own lives and to set a bad example for the children who look up to them and want to emulate them. Apparently, if you’re doing something fun that everyone likes to watch and people like to make money off of, then drugs are perfectly OK. If your Michael Coulter job is a little less glamourous, is a videographthen no drugs for you. er, comedian It’s sort of unfair to single and can be out Barry Bonds simply heard on WPGU because he’s an arrogant jackass 107.1 Thursdays (I would have rather used that at 5 with Ricker word that rhymes with sock- workin’ it. tucker, but I wanted to keep it clean, so I went with jackass). He talks about his greatness on a regular basis, but seldom talks about how he managed to make his head grow to twice its size just by lifting weights. He talks about the records he’s breaking, but doesn’t mention much about how he went from a tall lanky kid to a monstrosity of a man in a year’s time. He talks about the press being racist, but doesn’t mention that he’s more than likely a big fat liar. He’s just a fairly unlikable fella. Back when all of this probably started, though, we didn’t care so much, because those hulking steroid users were great guys. We were captivated as Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa set out to break the Roger Maris single-season home-run record.They hugged each other when Mark broke that record, just to show how sweet they really were.Wow, two great guys, two great examples of better living through chemistry. A guy with a smile that big couldn’t possibly be on drugs. It’s going to get worse before it gets better. Jason Giambi is already sprouting tumors like a lab rat and missed most of this season due to some sort of parasite. Ken Caminitti is dead, though that was just cocaine, and probably had nothing to do with steroid use, right? Gary Sheffield admitted he used some steroid cream by accident. Jose Canseco can’t stop telling people how much he used steroids. Now that the supposedly sealed Balco testimony has been leaked, it’s all coming to the light of day. The owners get rich and live to be 90. The players get rich and die before they can collect social security. The fans watch their game be destroyed. What would Babe Ruth say if he were alive today? He’d probably get drunk and score a hooker ... just like the old days.

thur

MATT PAIS • LEAD REVIEWER

shaDEs of GrAy FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES

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He said, ‘Do I need to dial nine?’

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believable, and the reality of Sideways proves more airtight than the sometimes deliberately off-center About Schmidt and Election. It’s impossible not to become invested in and entranced by Miles and Jack’s journey, mostly because their adventures and mishaps have the normalcy of everyday life spiked with surprisingly poignant zaniness. They go SIDEWAYS • PAUL GIAMATTI & THOMAS HADEN CHURCH golfing, out to eat and to several wineries and bars, one of which it remains a stirring look at vulnerable, hooks them up with Stephanie (Sandra fearful adulthood; this downtrodden, Oh) and Maya (Virginia Madsen), who sometimes depressing film turns out to be become fast but complicated love interests full of optimism, challenging its characters for both. to come to terms with the idea that every Much of the strength here is in the moment and person in their past concomplexity of the relationships between tributes to who they are in the present. characters that are so well-conceived that And each stellar performance makes their after one scene, we feel like we’ve known confusion, hesitation and growth feel all them for years. Miles and Jack have a the more authentic. closeness steeped in mutual awe—Miles The best scene is a thematically obvifor Jack’s way with women and almost ous but serenely beautiful conversation thoughtless zest for life and Jack for Miles’ between Miles and Maya about what they levelheadedness and sophisticated com- love about wine. As he defends his fondmand of words and wine. They hate each ness for Pinot Noir—a wine he says other just a little, but love each other a lot, needs a special kind of attention and and in the end, Sideways turns out to be acceptance to reach its full potential—it’s more of a story about regret, opportunity obvious that Miles is, of course, talking and friendship than love and honesty. about himself. But Giamatti delivers the It’s an offbeat tale of two men fighting monologue with such sincerity and tenthe things that hold them back and realiz- derness that the scene doesn’t feel trite; ing the power of the people that get them rather, it’s a triumphantly heartbreaking through to the other side of despair. Some insight into a man who’s just learning of the exchanges are a bit gimmicky, and that people, too, can be aged to perfecat times it appears Payne and Taylor struc- tion. Sideways bottles maturity and tured the movie around symbols and understanding with lots of laughs and turning points rather than real people’s genuine heart. It’s a flavor you’ll want to lives logically playing themselves out.Yet, taste, smell and savor.

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6 “We’re doing this study because we’re concerned about the students’ safety. School is a place where your children learn. They need to learn their basic skills and get their education there.”

“No man is lonely eating spaghetti; it requires so much attention.” - Christopher Morley

- Dorothy Espelage, Assoc. Prof. in Counseling Psychology

food

SUSIE AN • AROUND TOWN EDITOR

Middle school is a time when young teens are trying to find where they fit in. But the school environment can be harsh for students if they get picked on and called names. Paul Poteat, doctoral student, and Dorothy Espelage, associate professor in the counseling psychology department at the University of Illinois, put together a survey to gather facts on the association of homophobia and bullying in schools. The study was to be conducted at Jefferson Middle School, a unit four school in Champaign. However, the week before students left for Thanksgiving break, the study was canceled, Poteat said.The school principal, Susan Zola, told them the study had to be put on hold. “We were told that a parent that was well-placed in the community was not happy with the survey and that the researchers have an agenda,” Espelage said. Poteat said that the study had no intention of forcing Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender issues in the school, nor was it trying to make children think a certain way about LGBT issues. The study first received the approval of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) before Jefferson Middle School could view and approve the study.The school approved the study on the condition that the researchers send out an active consent to parents, Poteat said. “In this case, it’s much more restrictive, and it’s much more difficult to get children to participate, because it specifically said that you have to have consent for your child to participate,” Poteat said. I N T R O | A R O U N D T O W N | L I S T E N , H E A R | M A I N E V E N T | A R T S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T | W I N E & D I N E | T H E S I LV E R S C R E E N | C L A S S I F I E D S

Instead of sending students home with the consent form, Poteat and an undergraduate volunteer went to Jefferson in early November during parent-teacher conferences. They gave the teachers the consent forms to pass along to the parents. In addition to going to the school, Poteat and Espelage sent forms to student addresses to better ensure that parents received the forms. After passing the parents’ consent, students would then decide if they wanted to participate. About 330 parents gave consent for the survey and about 15 declined, said Poteat. Other forms were not returned. During the time before the day the survey was to be conducted, Poteat and Espelage received a number of phone calls and e-mails from parents. “We had received a couple of phone calls from parents who wanted more information about the survey. Some parents were concerned about the LGBT questions, but they said it was something that should be asked about,” Poteat said. “But up to that point, we had no outstanding complaints.” The survey asked questions of what bullying students have seen and what peer group they consider themselves to be a part of.The survey also asked the students if they are a part of, or have witnessed the namecalling of students with epithets relating to CONTINUED ON PAGE

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hen I think of pasta, I think of comfort food. It makes me think of egg noodles tossed in butter and topped with Parmesan cheese and cracked pepper, a favorite late-night treat of mine when I was little. Or of my grandmother’s amazing spaghetti sauce, a rich ragú that simmered on the stove all day. She made it with whole pork chops, which would be cooked until all the meat fell away from the bone. It also makes me think of my Grandma Kennedy’s homemade pasta, of her manicotti that only tastes right when made in the Le Creuset dish my grandfather brought from Paris. Of course, with all this nostalgia, the

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pasta I make in my kitchen has a hard time competing. How can I make a dish as perfect as the ones I remember? For starters, the pasta itself has to be primo. If you don’t make your own, several of the stores in town carry a wonderful variety of noodles. You can find your classic pasta shapes—capellini, rigatoni, penne and so on—sitting alongside wood- or bronzemold-formed Ligurian disks (these look a lot like a thick Communion wafer), armoniche (ruffles), lasagnotti (petite, ruffle-edged lasagna strips), girandole (giant rigatoni) and campanelle (a bellflower shape I like to use in my version of minestrone soup). Such handmade pastas have a wonderful, rough texture that grabs hold of sauces, making them preferable to the perfectly cut, factory-made versions you see in most grocery stores. In addition to these unusually shaped pastas, I saw some new and interesting flavors. For instance, Euro-Mart (48 E. Springfield

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Ave., Champaign) carries red chili, curry and spicy sesame-flavored noodles under the Al Dente brand. Art Mart (Lincoln Square Mall, Urbana) carries black squid-ink pasta and vegetarian seaweed tortils—pasta made with spirulina, wakame and nori, in addition to the more traditional semolina. These flavors should be enough to get any chef ’s imagination going! The next step, of course, is complementing these different kinds of pasta with sauces and oils. Different shapes and textures lend themselves to different recipes. Certainly, you wouldn’t want to top delicate angel hair with a heavy meat sauce. Looking through the sauces at the various stores in town, I found pumpkin pesto (which would be wonderful this time of year), arrabiata (a spicy tomato-based sauce perfect with penne), puttanesca (a tomato-based sauce with black olives), classic basil pesto (a Ligurian favorite that’s ideal with the disks described earlier) and oils infused with basil, rosemary and garlic. During winter, I lean toward hearty, meaty sauces—sauces with pancetta or stewed meats (think lamb, rabbit, beef, pork or even game birds).Visit Persimmon Grocery (111 N. Walnut St., Champaign) for your pancetta and check out the selection of salami, free-range meats, artisanal cheeses and mainly Italian wines there. Also, don’t forget about pastas from other parts of the world. German egg noodles are nice when topped with goulash, and several of the Asian markets in town have wonderful fresh noodles that are perfect with miso broth, shrimp and chili pepper flakes. While cooking and trying new flavors at

home brings me a lot of joy, I can’t forget that we have some wonderful restaurants in town. I recently had a delicious meal at Bacaro (next to Persimmon Grocery) that emphasized the best flavors of the season.The roasted winter squash bruschetta topped with chopped pistachios and toasted pumpkin oil was a perfect complement to my main course, the strozzapreti, which features hand-formed Umbrian pasta topped with a rabbit ragú and Pecorino locatelli.This strozzapreti is not to be confused with the spinach and ricotta dumplings of the same name (“strozzapreti” means “priest choker” in English; legend has it that they were so delicious, a priest ate too many too quickly, and choked), but it is delicious nonetheless. My dining companion had the risotto, which while technically not pasta (risotto is usually made with Arborio rice), was a delicate and imaginative dish. The chef created a special vegetarian risotto with sun chokes, Jerusalem artichokes, arugula and turnip puree. This creamy risotto was accented with more of the Pecorino locatelli that topped my strozzapreti. Other restaurants in town feature fresh pasta, among them Timpone’s and Minneci’s. The Great Impasta has pasta made from scratch every day. This weekend, get out of the spaghetti rut and discover all that pasta has to offer. Amanda Kolling welcomes your food stories, tips and news. E-mail her at amandakolling@readbuzz.com.

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The Playboy of the Western World SYD SLOBODNIK

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It is a rare theatrical treat

when an acting company the caliber of Irelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Theatreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Abbey Theatre makes an area visit to perform one of its classic literary standards. In the 100th-anniversary tour of only six U.S. cities, the Abbey Theatre presents a lively new production of the J.M. Synge comedy The Playboy of the Western World for a limited engagement at Chicagoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Shakespeare Theatre until Dec. 12. Presented as a part of the Chicago Shakespeare repertory groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recognition of international theatre, dubbed â&#x20AC;&#x153;The World Stageâ&#x20AC;? program, The Abbeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s artistic director, Ben Barnes, takes the helm of this sparkling production of this nearly 100-year-old classic of modern Irish drama. With its cast of mostly young Irish performers, this show began its run of this Synge play in Galway, Ireland, this past June.

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The Playboy of the Western World tells the tale of Christy Mahon, a stranger who waltzes into a small village pub weaving a tale of killing his abusive father. Almost immediately, the members of this rural village become enamored with this mysterious would-be criminal. The bar ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daughter, an earthy, attractive lass named Pegeen, slowly begins falling for this silvertongued tale-spinner, and much to the grief of her father and her longtime neighborhood beau, Pegeen decides sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll even marry this newcomer and leave her small world behind. Syngeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plot takes some darker turns, and a group of young village women, as well as a local young widow, also make their plays for the stranger. Then, suddenly, Christyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s slightly wounded father reappears.The play was much praised in its time for its wonderfully lyrical language and naturalistic depiction of the richly portrayed characters of the village set near the coast of Mayo. Unlike the

works of Syngeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Irish contemporaries, Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw, The Playboy of the Western World clearly tries to depict the realistic nature of this villagesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; inhabitantsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;even with a touch of satire. Many of the charactersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; speeches are peppered with slang and colloquial euphemisms that capture the essence of the simple lower-class mindset and spirit of a less-educated folk that comprise this quaint town. The playâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s program graciously includes two pages of a word glossary that aids in the audienceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s understanding of such local flavor and authentic Irish character. Tom Vaughan Lawlor and Cathy Belton lead director Barnesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; remarkably energetic ensemble cast. Where Barnesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; production seems to vary slightly from more traditional naturalistic interpretations of this play is with creative and stylized movements of some of performers, especially in some entrances and exits of

the playâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more dramatic scenes. Movement director Caimin Collins begins the play with a spirited narrator, who guides the audience into the tale with the rather mannered movements of a circus entertainer. Scene designer Guido Tondinoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rather sparsely filled drab green and worn-looking set is both realistic and expressionistically used. It is creatively maneuvered at various times to function as the simple interior walls of the pub and open to the exterior, even becoming the wall-like barriers for other members of the town to peer over into the life of the townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strange, but fascinating visitor. buzz This unique theatrical experience continues until Dec. 12 at 800 E. Grand Ave. on Chicagoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Navy Pier. The Celebration Companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s production of this play runs at The Station Theatre Dec. 9 through Dec. 18 at 8 p.m.

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PHOTO â&#x20AC;˘ SARAH KROHN

bottle salamis, buffalo sausage, endangered species chocolate bars, Wisconsin Holstein Hotcakes, works by local artists and more. What is your favorite product?

Located on North Neil Street in Champaign, Nicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Basket Case is owned by U of I graduate Nicole Philyaw. On Dec. 15, it will be celebrating five years of service to the area. With a wide variety of gift items, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a perfect spot for holiday shopping. Did you start this business?

Yes, I did.The story is somewhat corny. From the time I was little, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always loved giving gifts. As I got older, I noticed that many people would be stressed about giving gifts. They seemed as though they werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enjoying it. And to me, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just completely wrong. I wanted to make giftgiving fun for people again. And from what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve heard, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s working!

What does your store offer?

We have hundreds of wonderful items! We have standard items like soups, crackers, cheeses, pastas, sauces (BBQ and hot), cooking oils, spices, 20 salsas, dips, chips, snacks, coffees, teas, hot chocolates, sodas, Bloody Mary mixes, olives, nuts, candies, chocolates, cookies, pottery, candles, oil burners, jewelry, eye pillows, aromatherapy pads, baby products, menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal care and shaving sets, massage oils, bubble bath, soaps and greeting cards. I could go on and on.We also have unique things like chocolate body paint, beer

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The Burtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bees line draws many customers, but I sell a lot of salsas, hot sauces and chocolate as well. What is your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part of my job is seeing the excitement of people who have put together a special gift for someone. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great to see the excitement of the people who receive the present as well. Many people come into the store and tell me about the special gift they received. Then they turn around and do the same for someone else. I also get pictures and thank you notes from people telling me how well their gifts were received. It keeps me going through all the hard times when Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m wondering why I ever took on such a tough endeavor. What is your favorite story to tell from your experiences at the store?

I have so many wonderful stories about my customers. One story involves helping set up a marriage proposal. But my favorite story to tell would be about how wonderful and supportive my friends are. They help so much, and when I have a large order (100-200 baskets) to do, they come over to the store, and we have a basket â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;party.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; They help with the work, and it gives us the opportunity to spend time together and catch up in each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives.We have a lot of fun on those nights.

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Her work has been exhibited worldwide and featured in many mediums from posters to music CD covers and art journals such as Dialogue.

ning intervention programs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One thing that we struggle with is that teachers donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t address homophobic content. They donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t address negative attitudes toward gays and lesbians,â&#x20AC;? Poteat said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At the same time, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re showing that this is very traumatizing. If we could do our study, it would really add some weight to the studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side.â&#x20AC;? Though gay and lesbian students are experiencing much of the homophobic bullying, Poteat said that straight students are also being called epithets related to sexual orientation. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a study that affects all students, he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We find that being victimized in this way relates to depression and anxiety, (and) less sense of school belonging,â&#x20AC;? Poteat said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And we find that calling people these names is coupled with delinquent behavior, and by that, that encompasses setting fires, stealing. So that is a very serious thing. Delinquent behavior is a higher level of bullying behavior.â&#x20AC;? Though researchers will try the study elsewhere, they said they were not given a chance to explain themselves to the parents who disapproved of the study.They are not sure what specific concerns parents have with the study and so cannot specifically address a particular issue. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing this study because weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re concerned about the studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; safety. School is a place where your children learn. They need to learn their basic skills and get their education there,â&#x20AC;? Poteat said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But your children canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do that if their social environment is such that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re getting beat up and called names.â&#x20AC;? buzz

What is your most popular item?

3PRING 3EMESTER

I went to college and graduate school at the U of I for engineering psychology. I decided I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to get a job in the field. Since I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know where I would want to move to, I ended up staying in Champaign until I figured out what I wanted to do. When I decided to open a shop, it seemed smartest to stay in a community where I knew so many people and would have a lot of support.

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sexual orientation. Parents were given the opportunity to view the survey if they desired. A copy was available in the school office, and a copy could be sent via e-mail at the parentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s request, the consent letter informed. The disapproval of some parents, unknown to Poteat and Espelage, stopped the study before it had a chance to run. The researchers were told that though the children of the disapproving parents were not going to participate, they felt that the school should not be a platform to talk about LGBT issues, said Poteat. Principal Susan Zola stated that she made the decision to not conduct the survey at Jefferson. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Although parents did read and sign an active consent form, they did not review or read the survey,â&#x20AC;? Zola said. Zola could not provide any further information at the time of the interview. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Parents clearly misunderstood the intent of this project. It was clearly not to call out and say these schools are homophobic, but to show how kids have these biases that really contribute to an unsafe climate of the school and kids not wanting to go to school,â&#x20AC;? Espelage said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s to understand it and understand how it contributes to kids being unhappy in school.â&#x20AC;? Researchers said that the main point of the study is to give children a voice. The date collection could tell them different factors involved in bullying, which can help in plan-

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How did you end up in Champaign?

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like asking a mother to pick her favorite child! It probably varies from day to day and with my mood. I have so many different things, and my store is mostly a reflection of the things I like. I love the Muscle Soak by Aromafloria for soaking my feet and aching muscles. I love drinking my coffee out of the Mara pottery mugs. I carry a Black Diamond cheddar spread that is just awesome, and my large variety of stuffed olives comes in handy when those martini nights happen.

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Guangzhou, with an undergraduate degree in journalism. She had disliked being a journalist and so she taught photography and photojournalism at the university. Her mother, having once come to a conference in the United States, had insisted that Nian leave China to study in the United States. Nian took the Test of English as a Foreign Language multiple times before coming to the United States. The TOEFL is a test that all nonnative English speakers need to pass before being admitted to a U.S. university. She finally was admitted to the graduate program in art education at Pittsburg State University in Kansas. She met her husband there. Taylor, who was teaching music, used to visit his Taiwanese students who stayed in the same building as Nian, and became acquainted with her there. Since Nian still had trouble with English, Taylor had to tutor her to help pass the oral exam for her assistantship at school. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We had tiny little books and drew a lot of pictures trying to figure each other out,â&#x20AC;? Taylor remembered. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As we got to know each other it was interesting, since we had lots more to talk about since our cultures were different.â&#x20AC;? The coupleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parents, though entirely supportive now, were initially startled to hear their decision to get married. Nianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parents imagined Taylor to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;a rock star with messy hair,â&#x20AC;? Nian said, laughing. She admits that her mother, a neurologist, had long suspected her of being a little wacky, since she had decided to become an artist, something uncommon in China at that time. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When I first came here, I did paper-tearing s o u n d s

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art,â&#x20AC;? Nian said, recalling fondly the art she used to enjoy most. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I tried doing the candy-wrapper folding that I used to teach in China, but the wrappers here are no good.Too boring.â&#x20AC;? From within her collection emerged a scrapbook filled with artistic little treasuresâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a golden Japanese bride, little girls playing in white, a red dancer and a pink mother with a pink childâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; meticulously folded from candy wrappers no bigger than 3 inches. But Nianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s professors at Pittsburg State University dismissed her paper art as â&#x20AC;&#x153;cuteâ&#x20AC;? and told her that she needed to explore her feelings. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I liked abstract painting, but â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cuteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;sweetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is how I feel too,â&#x20AC;? Nian said, smiling. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So I keep working at abstract and paper-tearing, doing both to keep my life balanced.â&#x20AC;? Nian strives to balance her life as an artist with her life otherwise. She listens to news on the radio as she paints to be filled in on all that is happening around her. She wrote diaries from the time she was pregnant with her son Lincoln until he was 7 years old. The art classes she teaches are arranged so that they do not clash with her husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work and class routine. Every box in the little kitchen calendar is filled with the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scheduleâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;classes, kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; pickups and school events. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I like to organize things in my life, but with painting I get a chance to mess around. I need a private place to mess around,â&#x20AC;? Nian said, waving an arm at the garage-turned-studio filled with canvases, frames, bottles of paints, and boxes filled with paper cuttings and junk that she picked up from garage sales. A self-confessed garage-sale junkie, Nian said she visits any sale that she sees,

only to be eventually forced to have one of her own to get rid of things she had collected. She had only recently stopped collecting colored paper that wrapped Christmas gifts. But she often used these knickknacks to make things for her children and add texture to her own paintings. Life as a mother and an artist keeps Nian busy. Sujata Dey-koontz, one of Nianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s artist friends who started a group called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mothers as Artists,â&#x20AC;? said of Hua: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to juggle being a mother and a creative mother. She not only creates for herself, but for her children too. And she balances caring for her artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soul with caring for the kids.â&#x20AC;? Nian gave up painting oils and acrylics when her children, Lincoln and Olivia, were young, because the chemicals were harder to wash off than watercolor paints or pastels, and she could not immediately rush to her children if they called. Now her children draw and paint too, and she saves every piece that they create. She recently surprised them by adding a little easel, desk and chair to her studio so they can work with her while she creates paintings for upcoming exhibitions. Nian is preparing for an exhibition at Verde Gallery in downtown Champaign. The exhibition, beginning Jan. 17, 2005, will feature more than 25 paintings from her new series â&#x20AC;&#x153;Undiscovered Tablets.â&#x20AC;?Twelve paintings from this series were on exhibition at ARC Gallery in Chicago from Nov. 3 to Nov. 27. Nian described â&#x20AC;&#x153;Undiscovered Tabletsâ&#x20AC;? as a celebration of her

world now that she is entirely comfortable with it, having left behind feelings of fear, loss and anxiety.These paintings are set off by irregular borders and bright colors to express her renewed optimism and calm control. She sells many of her paintings when people visit her exhibitions at galleries. Some of her works for sale are on display at Framerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Market in Champaign. Buyers also visit her studio at home to look at her work. Nian participates in local art fairs and sets up stalls to display and sell some of her artworkâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;both originals, and prints from her abstract paintings and paper-tearing art collections. Interested parties are often directed to her Web site, www.huanian.com, which hosts her entire collection in catalogued chronology. Included on the Web site, along with each set of paintings, is Nianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s artist statement on the work that describes the motivations and feelings that prompted the paintings. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I always have this vision of sand, a lot of sand, or a flood of water, rushing down,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And I am not even worth a particle of sand in the history of the universe.â&#x20AC;? Hua Nian, whose name means â&#x20AC;&#x153;Precious Time,â&#x20AC;? became once more the little girl who peeped out of the window into the mysteries of the world, generating, at the same time, a legacy to pass on to the future. buzz

"The big artist ... keeps an eye on nature and steals her tools." — Thomas Eakins

“ Music

is amazingly healing. I think that is what has drawn me to Amasong. The beauty of our combined voices and spirits is moving” - Georgi Fisher

HUA NIAN

GIRLS IN ACTION: TALKING WITH AMASONG

Artist helps community members think creatively

Champaign-Urbana’s premier lesbian/feminist chorus

CORNELIA BOONMAN • STAFF WRITER

HARINI RAJAGOPAL • CONTRIBUTING WRITER

ccording to online dictionary Wikipedia, “riot grrl (also frequently spelled riot grrrl) is a form of hardcore punk rock music, known for its militant feminist stance. Riot grrrl lyrics often address gender-related issues such as rape, domestic abuse, sexuality and female empowerment.” Famous events in riot grrl history include the pivotal moment when Courtney Love (lead singer of Hole) punched Kathleen Hanna (lead singer of Bikini Kill) in the face at Lollapalooza 1992.

PHOTOS • SARAH KROHN

earing fireworks, little Hua Nian ran eagerly to the window, since she loved the bright colors that burst out of them. As the 10-year-old looked down from her third-floor apartment, she saw large white flags carried by somber figures dressed in long white robes. A crowd followed the white-clad people in mourning, and Hua realized it was a funeral procession. People were throwing paper money for the dead person to spend in the other world, and their wails of sorrow were interrupted only by the sudden hiss of fireworks being lit. Hua watched, mesmerized as the eerie procession made its way down the street to a hill beyond her house; a big black coffin with its sides painted red led the way, and the white flags loomed in the distance. Many years later, in the United States, Hua Nian dreamed about this memory from her days in a rural town in Guangdong province in south China. She was possessed with the desire to capture the feeling of mystery and power that the scene had infused in her, and painted “Stone Flag” with an intense urgency. It is her favorite painting, and hangs on the wall opposite the grand piano in the living room of her Urbana home, amid potted plants and subtle colors, shimmering in the ample light streaming through the French windows. A red Chinese lantern hangs at the doorway to Nian’s house. Leading to the living room is a small, enclosed veranda that doubles as her summer studio. The veranda’s paper-covered floor, the smell of turpentine and a half-finished painting on an easel suggest an abundance of creative energy. Nian is a Chinese artist in Urbana-Champaign whose every painting is an impulse, a snapshot of a moment or a feeling, composed of different parts that tell stories. Using this characteristic of her painting, her husband Stephen Taylor, an assistant professor of composition and music theory at the University of Illinois School of Music, was stirred to create a musical collection for a wind and percussion ensemble in 1997. His composition, “Shattering Suns,” was originally inspired by images of celestial catastrophes and by recordings of sonic waves produced by the sun. Taylor and Nian fuel and recharge each other’s creative energies. Nian’s series “Messages from Nature” includes paintings that were sparked by the sun’s stunning “heartbeat” that she

Hua Nian first seriously got started in art after moving from China to the United States. She states that art allowed her the ability to express herself while she was still learning the language. heard in Taylor’s works. “Life is rushing out of the frame,” Nian said, describing her works. “You could see something here, too, if you imagine,” she said, pointing to a spot in the air outside of a painting’s right edge. Lines and dots, colors and thoughts surge out from her paintings, each capturing an emotion or a memory, each series defining a period in her life. Concepts of lines, shapes and elements of drawing in relation to the natural world are what Nian teaches young students, a role she enjoys as much as her being an artist. Once a week she teaches art and crafts at a Chinese school, which offers classes in the Foreign Language Building at the University to teach Chinese language and culture to children in Urbana-Champaign. Li Shiang Wu, who teaches at the school, said that the children, hers included, thoroughly enjoy Nian’s classes. “The kids love her,” Li Shiang said. “She puts in so much energy, and even sings and dances with them.” Nian also offers drawing classes for students in her bright veranda, facing the rock garden at home.The little enclosed room is crammed with two tables and a shelf full of knickknacks—a cardboard model of a face, knitting wool, sketches of children, a smattering of color tubes—and tacked on its walls are art works by her students. Apart from these, Nian also teaches for two hours a week at Home Hi, an all-girls school, founded in 1993 by two women who wanted to provide their daughters an educational alterna-

tive to middle school in Champaign-Urbana, in a caring environment. Brigitte Pieke, one of the founders, is now executive director of Home Hi. She believes that Nian’s teaching methodology is similar to the philosophy of the school. Focusing on individuals, working in small groups, using art for selfexpression and relating art to life are some of the shared principles. Nian learned of the school when she conducted an art workshop for the girls and parents while their regular art teacher was away. “She taught us paper-tearing art,” Pieke said, describing an art form that Nian specializes in, which uses colorful pieces torn from magazines to make vivid images of children and mothers. “It has low resources and uses color and shape simply, and creates something so beautiful,” Pieke said. In the Home Hi classroom, the tinkling of a small brass bell hushed 12 girls’ post-lunch chatter. Nian placed the bell gently on the table before her and wished the class “good afternoon” in Chinese. She drew on the board while asking them questions about lines and shapes. Cries of “Ooh” and “How cute!” filled the air as random squiggly lines on the board transformed into a duck under her expert skill. As Nian pranced about in excitement on seeing a student’s artwork in class, she did not seem any older than the fifth-graders she was teaching. The petite 38-year-old was dressed in khaki shorts and a blue denim shirt over a T-shirt. Her straight black hair was pulled back in a ponytail that bobbed every time she shook her head.

Who knew that similar activities went down in Champaign-Urbana? Indeed, lady power, gender issues, social activism and feminist music flourish in this township, although not quite in the riot grrl manner one would expect. Amasong: Champaign-Urbana’s Premier Lesbian/Feminist Chorus rivals the riot grrl genre in a way that Kathleen Hanna and Courtney Love might have never thought of: through the bond of love for beautiful music and the power of 60 female voices. Some members are students; some are stay-at home moms. Some are ministers, some are doctors and some are teachers. Some members of Amasong, named after the power of Amazonian women and the strength of song, are trained singers, and some cannot read music. Some are lesbians, some are straight. Yet, despite these differing levels of ability and life experiences, there are strong bonds among the members. “I’ve probably driven over 50,000 miles just to sing in a choir,” admits chorus member Lud McKeeth.“I have felt my hair literally stand on end from the beauty and the connection of the music and the singers.” Each woman is there for companionship, music, and sometimes as a way to heal from events in the past. Many acknowledge emotional problems and hardships, including a drug addiction, loss of friends and family, abusive relationships and having lost a sense of purpose in their lives

Nian’s oval face seemed small behind her extralarge black-framed glasses, and her bright eyes gleamed excitedly from behind them when she saw the little creatures that the girls had created with their thumb impressions on paper. Chinese culture has had a significant effect on the person that Nian is today, though she highly respects some aspects of American culture. She speaks to her 3-year-old daughter, Olivia, in Chinese, cooks Chinese food and keeps in touch with her Chinese friends. She is involved with a playgroup for Chinese mothers and children, since she misses the food and the language at times, though she feels entirely happy and satisfied with her life in the United States. Nian said she has learned to mesh her preferences from both cultures in a way that suits her. But the contentment is comparatively recent. She remembers being confused and lost in her first few months in the United States when she arrived in 1993. In retrospect, she senses desperation and turbulence in her older series of paintings, “Masks” and “Forgotten Builders.” She had come to the United States, and the cultural and emotional change, the clash between tradition and freedom, had been disturbing. “Suddenly I didn’t have any rules to follow in this country,” Nian recalled. “I was used to having something to follow.When you’re young you follow the elders. If you’re low rank you follow the higher. If you’re a woman, you follow man. Here you can be whatever you want,” she said with a smile, obviously happy about the freedom that the transition allowed. Nian graduated from Jinan University, in s o u n d s

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before they joined Amasong. Yet, all these experiences have allowed the women to wade through times of adversity, most recently in downstate Illinois, where Amasong was told that several prominent places would not post Amasong’s concert posters because the words “lesbian” and “feminist” appeared on the announcements. The show went on anyway. “Music is amazingly healing. I think that is what has drawn me to Amasong. The beauty of our combined voices and spirits is moving,” says Georgi Fisher, graduate stu-

dent at the University of Illinois at Chicago. “Our music talks about the trials that women have gone through. But, it isn’t just about trials, it is about celebrating our successes, our strength, and celebrating our love for one another.” Their music includes anything from Greek chants to lullabies, work songs, love songs, war songs, children’s games, hymns and mourning songs. “Much of the music we sing is folk music from around the world. And since women often play the key role in passing on the music of their culture, women’s lives and concerns are well-represented. We sing songs by men, too. The female experience is the human experience,” explains Kathleen Fuller, a chorus member. “Not everything we sing is serious. It is also playful, dreamy, flirtatious, peaceful, exuberant or reverent.” Women in the chorus don’t only listen to women’s folk music. In fact, members are fans of the local Champaign-Urbana scene, as well. The women in this group list the Poster Children, the Buzzcocks, Broadway songs, Lauryn Hill, Ani DiFranco, Arlo Guthrie, and Metallica as favorites and influences outside of rehearsal. So how does Amasong rival the riot grrl genre in terms of female power? It does it subtly through not-so-punk music and political involvement—a combination that proves to be incredibly powerful. Many of

the members are involved not only in Amasong, but also, unsurprisingly, in gay rights, women’s rights activities and voter registration, while other Amasong members work with support programs for sexual assault victims. Some members, like Georgi Fisher, have gone on to speak on television shows and organize people in the March for Women’s Lives. Recently, Amasong and its founding director, Kristina Boerger, were featured in a documentary by Jay Rosenstein, The Amasong Chorus: Singing Out. Coverage of such an inspirational and talented group of women is well-deserved, and a true symbol of all their hard work. Amasong will perform their winter concert,“To Sing is to Fly,” on Dec. 11 and 12, at 8 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively.The show will be at the McKinley Presbyterian Church, 809 S. Fifth St., Champaign (suggested donation $10-$20; free desserts and drinks follow the concert.) Don’t expect a brawl, but do expect to witness what Anne Jackson, member of Amasong, refers to as “what I hope our audiences can hear and feel at our concerts—magic.” buzz Any women interested in singing with Amasong should contact amasong@prairienet.org to set up an audition and a short interview. Please note that men are not allowed to join. PHOTO COURTESY OF AMASONG

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ART NOTICES

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lead review

Various Artists DFA Compilation #2 DFA Records BY MICHAEL MALINSKY

eleased in November 2004, DFA Compilation #2 opens itself to the paranoid criticism of its times. Something must be happening in Manhattan if a label compilation featuring the Black Dice, one of the most creative musical projects in wartime America, advertises itself through the channels of the independent journalism network and shows its face in Illinois. The conspiracy-prone listener must question the purpose of a slickly

marketed New York City underground artifact showing up in the hibernating Middle West. The artifact in question, 18 tracks by label artists distributed throughout three CDs, collects and distributes the 2004 vinyl-only releases of the Death From Above production team James Murphy and Tim Goldsworthy. The DFA attempt to promote pieces of a segmented New York sound featuring enough sound modulation, distortion and effective beats to balance, and eventually overpower, occasionally redundant art-school vocals. Black Leotard Front’s repetitive “Casual Friday” abuses the aforementioned artistic contributions for the sometimesleotarded performance group to stretch a boring piece of electroclash into 15 minutes and disc one. This production choice turns first impressions against the compilation and stirs the old New York City versus Chicago artistic tension. Track two, J.O.Y.’s “Sunplus” remix by the DFA, immediately eases such unnecessary criticism with a lighthearted moment in the apocalyptic dance party of our waking 21st-century nightmare by utilizing a postmodern simplicity to inspire cautious and ever-improving head bopping. The elements of the compilation continue from this wink at the listener to create a careful balance of minimal and not-so-minimal melodies, extended synth looping, beats and break-beats, aspiring to push the limits of exploration in whatever genre this might be labeled these days. These uncertain times of independent insurgency against the marketing, production and airplay domination of corporate control demand a model for action as well as a soundtrack with some integrity, and what becomes of the compilation serves this dual purpose. In the modest cardboard packaging’s home-office press release, the label considers itself

in the third person, “They are independent, self-contained and good at getting it done ... although they’re pretty good at talking about it too.”“It” appears to be the sincere effort to facilitate the production of artists and friends sharing a similar vision with the possibility of what a dance-punk matrix could indeed be. Pixeltan’s “Get Up/Say What” and LCD Soundsystem’s “Yeah” in various incarnations demonstrate this possibility of what is to be done in the public and private spaces of this country with the angry, the misrepresented and the desperately wanting to dance. Remixes of Black Dice releases “Endless Happiness” and “Wasterder,” from the abruptly halted recent room-clearing tour, lend an authentic air of progress to the questionable choices in the progression of the release.The limited stable of DFA artists outshines the inclusion of two UK-only tracks from the since-departed Rapture, kicking out the rungs of ascension, having apparently traded up. The questionable and unmentioned are, however, consistently outperformed by the contributions of additional artists Juan MacLean, Delia R.Gonzalez, Gavin R. Russom and a rerecorded Liquid Liquid, with each listen. Disc three, mixed by Goldsworthy and Tim Sweeny, conclusively pulls the project together with movement and direction, extending an invitation towards the intelligent listener to consider the offerings of today as the yet-uncombined pieces of the complicated, layered and interesting music of the uncertain future.

Mukhopadhyay [photographs from Eastern Himalayan Mountains in North Bengal and Nepal] Cafe Kopi Mon-Thu 7am-11pm, Fri-Sat 7am-12pm, Sun 11am-8pm

Creation Art Studios [Open sessions to experiment with materials, techniques of drawing, painting, collage, assemblage art, ceramics and wheel throwing]

Mon–Thu 1-5:30, Sat 1-4

“Pipe Perceptions and Daily Dreams” [Paintings by Michael Cochran and David M. Smith. Glass and mixed media by Justin Berry, Karren Rea Cast, Ian Duncan, Jennifer

ART EXHIBITS – ON VIEW NOW Photographs by Swagatam

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WHAT? DO YOU THINK I’M A GULLABULL? OR EVEN ... A GULLACALF?

d a v e

through Dec 24 Tue-Sat 10am-4pm, or by appointment: 367-3711

Halvorson, Melanie Kang, Damon Mcnaught and Kimberly Skukas] Springer Center Mon-Fri, 8am-9pm, Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 12-5pm "A Touch of Glass" [work by Caroline Bottom Anderson, Elizabeth Coleman, Alex Fekete, Megan Gillette, Carmen Lozar, Matt Urban and Jon Wolfe] Cinema Gallery

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“Of Books and Tales: Salavador Dalí and the World of Imagination” [A celebration of the centennial of the controversial artist’s birth] Krannert Art Museum Tue, Thu-Sat 9am-5pm, Wed 9am-8pm, Sun 2-5pm Suggested Donation: $3

“Bill Traylor, William Edmondson, and the Modernist Impulse” [The lives and work of Bill Traylor and William Edmondson, both figures in American and African-American art history, share fascinating parallels despite a 20-year age gap and the fact that they never met] Krannert Art Museum through Jan 2 Tue, Thu-Sat 9am-5pm, Wed 9am-8pm, Sun 2-5pm

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Suggested Donation: $3 “Before Recognition: Experiments in Art and Science at the Threshold of Perception” [Explores the connections between art and science, and features artist Pamela Davis Kivelson] Krannert Art Museum through Jan 2 Tue, Thu-Sat 9am-5pm, Wed 9am-8pm, Sun 2-5pm Suggested Donation: $3

k i n g

DFA COMPILATION #2 BY IMRAN SIDDIQUEE

We live in the age of the producer. At least as far as hip hop is concerned, it’s more important how you sound than what you actually say. And for most “socially-conscious” rappers, it seems impossible to meld good beats with strong rhymes, so we are instead left with either Talib Kweli glowing over mediocre drums or Pharell rapping about being a “nice dude” over incredibly cool synthesizers. Yet, just as hip hop seemed to be slipping into a commercialized abyss (if it isn’t already down there), 2004 has given us reason to rejoice. Foreign Exchange, Cee-lo and MF Doom (throw in Kanye West as well) have all released classic albums this year that combine both top-notch music and introspective lyrics. It is finding a balance between the two that produces the truly great works, and De La Soul have found that same balance on The Grind Date. It is obvious that the trio recognized the importance of sounding fresh in this day and age as they enlisted a squadron of the very best underground producers. Super hot Madlib, Jay Dee and 9th Wonder are the stars, contributing heavily to De La Soul’s latest reinvention.

c h a r t s

The Black Keys Rubber Factory Fat Possum Records BY KYLE GORMAN

When Neil Young decided to go back to his roots on Harvest, he found an old farmhouse to serve as inspiration for the recording. Similarly,The Black Keys find their muse in a less-than-likely place: an old rubber factory in their hometown of Akron, Ohio. The difference is that instead of simply getting in touch with the blues past they admire, the Keys mange to escape the derivative structures of rock, blues and independent music. The duo configuration is increasingly less of a novelty and more of an asset for the Keys on Rubber Factory. While guitarist Dan Auerbach (and the Keys) can and does turn on a dime, it’s less a sign of virtuosity and more a result of the oneness between the two men. The space between his meaty riffs and soaring bends is amply dealt with by Pat Carney’s kit—unlike many groups who

try the no-bassist configuration, nothing goes missing. Despite his youth, Auerbach sings and plays as if he’s channeling an elder statesman of the blues, his soulfulness only matched by his precision. His ability to sound authentic despite his race and youth is a feat all to itself. Diversity, something not often associated with the blues, is another one of the band’s virtues. Country swagger on the Kinks’ “Act Nice and Gentle” (on which Auerbach takes a spin on both lap steel and fiddle), the Hendrix-ian wah on “Stack Shot Billy,” and the anthematic FM radio stomp of “10 A.M. Automatic” all take the record in unexpected directions. A lack of context turns Robert Pete Williams’ “Grown So Ugly” from a tale about prison into a strange and fascinating variation on the Rip Van Winkle legend. Despite what you might think, the Keys refuse to let their guard down or dabble in anything less than serious: their conviction to their art form is refreshingly mature.The laundry list of accomplishments in such an unassuming package makes Rubber Factory one of the best listens of the year.

PARASOL RECORDS TOP 10 SELLERS 1. Iron And Wine • Passing Afternoon (Sub Pop) 2. Styrofoam • Nothing’s Lost (Morr) 3. The Pearlfishers • A Sunflower At

Christmas (Marina) 4. Union Carbide Productions •

Remastered To Be Recycled (MNW) 5. Peter Bjorn and John • Falling Out (Planekonomi) 6. The Innocence Mission • Now The

Day Is Over (Badman)

CHARU KHAN

7. Arcade Fire • Funeral (Merge) 8. Angie Heaton • Let It Ride (Parasol) 9. Green Pajamas • Ten White Stones (A Hidden Agenda Record) 10. Walt Kelly and Norman Monath •

Songs Of The Pogo (Reaction

[Paintings by Charu Khan and ceramics by Rimas VisGrida] Verde Gallery Opening reception Dec 9, 7pm through Jan 15 Tue-Sat 10am-10pm

Recordings)

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Indelible Impressions

Sanctuary Records

The title track is the centerpiece for the album, filled with a glorious hook that is so much fun it can barely contain itself within the song. The soulful feel of the beat is complimented by some classic lines,“I was raised in those blue-collar things/having whitecollar dreams/cause I see what it means to know the meek shall inherit the earth/but don’t forget, the poor are the ones who inherit the debt.” This is the most consistent and bestproduced album of the year, but the number of great guest MCs almost rivals the star-studded production. Ghostface continues his success in 2004 on this album, and Common just explodes on “Days of Our Lives,” raising the anticipation for his next record. Even Flava Flav and Spike Lee have their part on De La’s seventh studio album. MF Doom lends his verbal expertise to the insane street beat on “Rock Co.Kane Flow” and once again proves he is among the most skilled MCs around. The song rises and falls on church choir-like humming while the crew points out how great they all are. Since 1989’s 3 Feet High and Rising, De La Soul have been among the elite in the hip-hop community, but this is by far their smartest, tightest and grittiest release in the last 10 years. It joins the superb company of great hip hop recorded this year and reassures us that the genre is here to stay, no matter how many cringe-worthy duets Nelly does with Tim McGraw.

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ARIES

E-MAIL CALENDAR@READBUZZ.COM TO LIST EVENTS.

(March 21-April 19):

(April 20-May 20):

I almost always discourage you from feeding your anxieties. The worrisome specters that sometimes eat away at your imagination only rarely have much resemblance to what's actually happening. But I'm going to make a departure from my usual practice this week. During the brief transition period ahead, your fears have the potential to make you stronger and wiser. You will find power in marshaling measured responses to any influence that seems to oppose you. Here's the paradox: You're not in any real danger, but it will be useful for you to act as if you are.

GEMINI

(May 21-June 20):

Your horoscope this week is brought to you by Wendell Berry's poem, "Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front," which appeared in his book, The Country of Marriage. Thanks to Mr. Berry for his generous grant of soul power. It's the perfect gift for you during your unbirthday season, when you have a mandate to go against the grain and against the flow. Here's an excerpt from Berry's poem. "Friends, every day do something that won't compute. Love someone who does not deserve it. Denounce the government and embrace the flag. Give your approval to all you cannot understand. Ask the questions that have no answers. Put your faith in the two inches of humus that will build under the trees every thousand years. Laugh. Be joyful though you have considered all the facts. Practice resurrection."

CANCER

(June 21-July 22):

One of my favorite prophets, John Hogue, thinks you Crabs can

get lost in your dreamy visions at the expense of your commitment to the real world. Your karmic lesson, he says, is to "transcend your attachments to sweet but isolating illusions." I believe the coming months will offer you an excellent chance to accomplish this. If you're open to the truth, the real world will actually be more fun and interesting than your fantasy world. And the week ahead will provide you with a vivid opportunity to start the transition.

LEO

14 Like some restrooms 15 Civil War fighter 16 Reege's cohost Kelly 17 Direction clarified by the direction

SCORPIO

Playing off the concept of deja vu, comedian George Carlin has proposed a variation: vuja de, or "the uncanny feeling that none of this has ever happened before." Write that term on the back of your hand, Leo. Imprint it on your mind's eye. Vuja de will be your operative theme for the coming week. You'll be inundated by a flood of fresh, hot novelty. You'll see events you've never seen and feel emotions that maybe no one in the history of the planet has ever felt. If you're ever tempted to repeat yourself or get bogged down in familiarity, stop what you're doing immediately. Take full advantage of this unprecedented chance to cultivate beginner's mind.

VIRGO

S A G I T T A R I U S (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

(July 23-Aug. 22):

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22):

I turn your attention to Cory Doctorow's review of Neal Stephenson's three-volume "Baroque Cycle." Writing for Boingboing.net, Doctorow says Stephenson's books are like good curry. "They're mild and interesting when you first taste them, but after you've swallowed, they grow on you, spreading a warm fire throughout your digestive system, making beads of sweat appear on your forehead." This happens to be an excellent description of the experiences you'll be invited to enjoy in the coming week, Virgo. They'll go down easy and ultimately make you hot with inspiration.

LIBRA

(Sept. 23-Oct. 22):

In a past incarnation, it's possible that you were imprisoned or burned at the stake for expressing your beliefs. That might help explain why you're sometimes reluctant to speak your mind with total candor in this life. But you can't afford to let that ancient inhibition rule you now, Libra. Somehow you've got to find the

Let's say, hypothetically, that you came into possession of an instrument that might allow you to wield supernatural power: a magic wand, for example, or an Aladdin's lamp, or ruby slippers like the kind Dorothy had in the story of the Wizard of Oz. But let's also hypothesize that the instrument had a quality that made it problematic for you to use: maybe the wand was six feet long, weighed 200 pounds, and was hard to pick up, let alone wave around; or perhaps the ruby slippers were much too small to fit on your feet. What then? I suspect that the vignette I just outlined is an apt metaphor for the dilemma you will soon face. There is a solution that will allow you to tap into the mojo of the magic instrument, but you'll be have to be dogged and ingenious to discover it.

CAPRICORN

giver 18 Store owner whose name Big Bird usually gets wrong 20 Good buddy 21 "Awaken the Giant Within" motivational

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19):

Ernest Hemingway didn't find it easy to let go of his novel, A Farewell to Arms. He revised the last page 39 times. Like

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speaker, born 2/29/1960 23 Word before liquor or whiskey 24 Opera highlight 25 Animal associated with the Postal Service? 28 "Ben-___" 30 Beatty and Flanders, for two 34 Roll around, as in mud 36 French singer Edith 39 AFL-___ 40 "General Hospital" and "Melrose Place" actor, born 2/29/1972 43 Sgt. or cpl. 44 "Kill Bill" character ___ Driver 45 Key with 3 flats 46 Game playable in some Vegas restaurants 48 Wino's visions, for short 50 Quality that Alanis didn't quite hit in a hit song 51 Poetry showdown 54 Tahiti, e.g. 56 Big band leader, born 2/29/1904, whose brother Tommy also led bands 60 Fig end? 63 Small game of b-ball 64 Played to the back of the audience 66 Make an X-ray 67 Stir-fry veggie 68 Moving side to side, as a

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TODD J. HUNTER • STAFF WRITER

Hemingway, Capricorn, you have been displaying a bit of obsessive-compulsive behavior as you put the finishing touches on your long-term projects. But according to my understanding of the astrological omens, you shouldn't allow closing time to last beyond December 18. Please try to wrap everything up by then. If there are still a few messy details that are driving you halfcrazy on December 19, forget about them as best as you can.

AQUARIUS

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18):

It's always a smart idea to be kind, but especially so right now. Your benevolent acts are desperately needed by the people whose lives you touch. Being generous is also important for the sake of your own selfish needs; you won't meet your appointed date with destiny unless you're unrestrained in doling out blessings. By the way, kindness is much more than doing nice, polite deeds. It's also about stirring up surprising acts of beauty, imaginative eruptions of love, catalytic breakthroughs of justice, and artful expressions of liberation.

PISCES

(Feb. 19-March 20):

I am pleased to inform you that you have been granted a special dispensation in the coming week: a temporary exemption from cosmic compulsion. During this grace period, fate will have a dramatically reduced power to whip you around like a rag doll in a gale. You will be virtually immune to the ravages of peer pressure, guilt trips, and the nagging little voices in your head. While it is of course impossible to completely escape the tyranny of the clock, you will experience a release from the most ignominious debilitations of that tyranny. In fact, you may have more free will than you've ever had before. In the days ahead, playtime is never over.

Homework: What non-material object would you most like to receive as a gift this holiday season? Write: www.freewillastrology.com.

Theater ship 69 Beach towel grains 70 ___-Bol (toilet cleaning product) 71 "Mother" and leader of the American Shakers that spoke in tongues, born 2/29/1736

26 FDR veep John ___ Garner 27 "Good Eats" host Brown 29 Emotionally agitated 31 ___ Lodge 32 Spicy spread 33 Game where you move your men Home

Down 1 #1 Van Halen tune of 1984 or #1 Kris Kross tune of 1992 2 "The Hearth and Eagle" writer Seton 3 Little brook 4 Employ 5 Decided not to bug 6 Praise highly 7 "Stripes" subject

35 Wheaton of "Star Trek: the Next Generation" 37 Fundamental start 38 2000 Nicolas Cage movie, with "The" 41 Wealth passed on through multiple generations 42 Swing component, maybe 47 Former "Pyramid" host Donny 49 Bro's relative 52 Reagan aide Nofziger 53 Take in a kid 55 "I'm outta here!" 56 "You Had Me" singer Stone 57 Ancient Machu Picchu dweller 58 Bullyish 59 What many do on train commutes 60 Gas or elec., e.g. 61 Actress Russo 62 Beat by a bit 65 Finish making payments on

8 Places to keep your pet lizard 9 Hate with the fire of 1,000 suns 10 Josh who performed with Sarah Brightman 11 Plains Indian's home: var. 12 Play just before, with "for" 13 Health scare that surfaced in 2002 19 ___-Wan Kenobi 22 To the ___ degree 23 Minderbinder from "Catch22" 25 Upscale

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:scintilla have finished a video for “Capsella” (Toxin Mix) with director Chris Folkens. His independent film Toxin incorporates “Capsella” and another i:scintilla song, “The Bells.” The video will air on public television and also be available at iscintilla.com. Alumni of At Knifepoint, the short-lived local post-rock octet, have begun a new band; Pulsar47 will blend bass, cello, guitar, keyboard, samples and drums, eventually. Meanwhile, prolific side project PSR perseveres with Aaron Hanson and Dave “Nuriel” Samuel. Innocent Words Records is under way on its third annual compilation album, due February 2005. A portion of the proceeds goes toward art supplies, books and music for patients at Riley’s Hospital for Children. Apart from exclusives by bands signed to Innocent Words Records, the track listing is a secret. Downtown Champaign is busy with activity tonight.At 8 p.m., Sandunga performs Cuban music at Aroma.At 9 p.m., Nargile presents what it calls “A Winter Holiday Celebration,” but beside talk of indoor snow, lips are tight about what to expect. At 9:30 p.m., Urbana Booking Co. presents The Blackouts, The Beauty Shop, Headlights and New Sense. This is a benefit concert for The Shawna Morrison Education Fund, at The Highdive, and cover is a sliding $5-50 scale. As drummer for The Beauty Shop and bassist for Headlights, Brett Sanderson inextricably links the two. Seth Fein left Headlights in November, so Pulsar47 are now not the only band in need of a drummer. Brett will do double duty in Headlights while looking for a replacement. The search was stalled because The Beauty Shop were in England and Scotland last month for 10 more shows there. The November 2004 issue of Mojo lauded long-

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21):

The entrance to my local post office is an odd set of double doors. One of the doors is of normal width, but the other is bizarrely narrow, like something out of Alice in Wonderland. The only way I can use it is to turn sideways and squeeze through it. I believe this is an apt symbol for the metaphorical door you will have to negotiate in the coming week, Scorpio. As you approach it, you may feel bothered by its illogical and inconvenient construction. You may even be inclined to take it personally, as if it were an affront to your dignity. Avoid those reactions. Just turn sideways and squeeze through as best as you can, suppressing the urge to bitch and complain. That will prepare you perfectly for the weird but good luck that awaits you on the other side.

jonesin crossword puzzle

Across 1 Rapper born 2/29/1976 who had a feud with 50 Cent 7 ___ standstill 10 Old Pontiac muscle cars

courage to express your core truths with sustained, unflinching clarity. To do so won't lead to a punishment nearly as severe as what you suffered in that previous lifetime, but there may still be a bit of hell to pay. The tradeoff, which will strengthen your soul in ways you can't imagine, will be well worth it.

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Virginia Theater 10 DEC Godspell 7:30pm, $8-$16 11 DEC Godspell 2:30pm, $8-$16 12 DEC Godspell

2:30pm, $8-$16

THE

Boardman’s Art Theatre 9 DEC Vera Drake 7pm, 9:30pm, $5.50-$7.50

Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s final mixtape, Osirus, will be released Jan. 4 via JC Records, a label formed by his mother and his manager. The effort was apparently recorded over the six months prior to his death, and includes production credits from DJ Premier and Cappadonna.

The Station Theatre 9-18 DEC The Playboy of the Western World 8pm, $8-$10

In March, famous post-rockers Slint will be heading out on a 15-date reunion tour, including not one, but two dates in Chicago, March 25 at The Metro and March 26 at Park West. Of the original members, David Pajo, Brit Walford and Brian McMahan are the only three confirmed for the tour.

Krannert Art Center 9-10 DEC Murder Mystery Dinner 6:30pm, $18-$25 11 DEC ChampaignUrbana Symphony Orchestra 7:30pm, $10-$28

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The Plug Awards have nominated Liz Mozzoco, station manager of WPGU, for “Best Specialty Show of the Year” for her “Off the Record” broadcast on WPGU,Thursdays from 9-10 p.m. Vote for her at www.plugawards.com/general_vote.php. s o u n d s

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this week in music

awaited album Crisis Helpline and their two singles, “Monster” and “Rumpelstiltskin Lives.” The “Monster” import single is available at Parasol. At Cowboy Monkey, Sick Day plays with out-oftowners Smoke Off Vinyl and The Locked Sound, which replaced DB3. Smoke Off Vinyl are a rock trio from Chicago, friendly and familiar with Champaign, and The Locked Sound are a “better than bread” psychedelic garage group from Normal. Show time is 10 p.m., and cover is $4. On a side note, Sick Day members Adam Wolfe and Guido Esteves return to Cowboy Monkey on Sunday at 9 p.m. for a free show with Jesse Greenlee, drummer for Lorenzo Goetz. Friday at 9:30 p.m., Green St. Records hosts another local showcase at Nargile. Aboard this time are Ambitious Pie Party (ex-Synesthesia), Sincerely Calvin and Bullet Called Life. Ambitious Pie Party now have a Web site: itastemusic.com. Then at 10 p.m., The Iron Post pairs Lorenzo Goetz and Elsinore for one last holiday hurrah. Elsinore have 500 copies of their debut EP on the way, and elsinore.com is active at last. Although it has received scant attention, Corkscrew After Dark is still on for Saturday, with Darrin Drda and David Tcheng of Darrin Drda’s Theory of Everything. As always, this is a smokefree, all-ages show that lasts from 8 to 10 p.m. Corkscrew After Dark is booked through the end of March 2005, and acts next year include Sam Shaber and Mark Smart. Corkscrew Wine Emporium is located at 203 N. Vine St. in Urbana, across from Schnucks. As Corkscrew After Dark concludes,The Brass Rail has its first concert in a while, with The Chemicals, Mad Science Fair and Green Light Go. Show time is 10 p.m., and cover is $3, 21 and over.

#55

According to my reading of the astrological omens, you need to feel high levels of both reverence and exuberance in the coming week. You'll thrive whenever you can experience awe and rowdy happiness in the same setting. Here's one possible way to achieve that: Dance in a church, synagogue, mosque, oak grove, mountaintop, or meditation sanctuary. Take a boom box or Walkman with you, and move your beautiful body with sacred, uproarious grace.

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Todd J. Hunter hosts “WEFT Sessions” and “Champaign Local 901,” two hours of local music every Monday night at 10 p.m. on 90.1 FM. Send news to soundground@excite.com.

w H at tH e He L L?

Modest Mouse Bury Me With It

Jem They

Franz Ferdinand This Fire

Bright Eyes Take it Easy (Love Nothing)

MOMENT OF THE WEEK Irrationally angry former lead singer of Black Flag He n r y Ro lli n s will be getting his very own movie review program. H e n r y ’s Film Corner will air the first Saturday of every month on the Independent PHOTO COURTESY OF HENRYROLLINS.COM Film Channel, where Rollins will review current movies, discuss favorites, interview people involved with film and most likely “rant” quite a bit. You know it’ll work because the first sign of any good film critic is big fucking calves.

Interpol Evil

Top 5 Most Requested Songs Last Week

%#+&'(

Talent w o r k s , genius c r e a t e s . Robert Schumann

!"#$%&'( December 9

URBANA BOOKING CO. PRESENTS

A BENEFIT FOR THE SHAWNA MORRISON EDUCATION FUND:

THURSDAY, DEC. 9, THE HIGHDIVE, 9:30PM, $5 AND UP

THE BLACKOUTS, THE BEAUTY SHOP, HEADLIGHTS, NEW SENSE Shawna Morrison was a young woman who grew up and attended high school in Paris, Ill., and later lived and worked here in Champaign-Urbana as a well-liked waitress at Radio Maria. She aspired to further her education by attending college, but lacked the finances to do so, so shortly after graduating high school she joined the Illinois National Guard in order to fund her education. On Sunday, Sept. 5 Shawna Morrison became the first woman from the Illinois National Guard to be killed in Iraq when her company was hit by a barrage of mortal fire west of Baghdad which also killed another of her fellow company members. Shawna loved running and had an special interest in psychology. She attended Parkland College and the University of Illinois. Friends describe Shawna as “beautiful, unique, quirky,” “energetic and lively,” and “a genuinely good person” with a “magnetic personality.” She was 26 years old when her life ended. Shawna’s friends and co-workers created the Shawna Morrison Education Fund in hopes of providing an alternative to joining the military for a young person like Shawna who desires to attend college, but does not possess the financial means. The bands are the creme de la creme of the Champaign-Urbana music scene. Come for the cause or come for the music, either is more than adequate incentive to attend this show. Cover is on a sliding scale that starts at $5, so open your heart and your wallet and be generous.

Puzzle

pg.14

Live Music Parkland Big Band under the direction of John Hutchins The Iron Post 7-9pm, TBA Sandunga Aroma Cafe 8pm, free Kayla Brown Boltini 8pm, free Modern Folk Concert: Kris Delmhorst, Mark Erelli, Kara Kulpa Courtyard Cafe 8:30pm, $4 general public, $2 UIUC students Monster Magnet, Slunt The Canopy Club 8:30pm, $10 in advance Caleb [country] Rose Bowl Tavern 9pm, free Jim Bean Tommy G's 9pm, free Urbana Booking Co. presents a benefit for the Shawna Morrison Education Fund: The Blackouts, The Beauty Shop, Headlight, New Sense The Highdive 9:30pm, $5 The Bryan Holloway Somethin' Zorba's 9:30pm, $3 Sick Day, Smoke Off Vinyl, The Locked Sound Cowboy Monkey 10pm, $4 Backyard Tire Fire Paulie's 10pm, $3 Doxy White Horse Inn 10pm, free DJ DJ J-Phlip [house] Barfly 10pm, free DJ Bozak [hip hop and other soulful beats] Boltini 10:30pm, free Karaoke "G" Force Karaoke Pia's of Rantoul 9pm-1am, free Dancing UIUC Swing Society McKinley Foundation 9:30pm-midnight, free

)$*&'( December 10

Live Music Roger Clair [acoustic] Cowboy Monkey 5pm, $2 Boneyard Jazz Quintet The Iron Post 5-7pm, TBA Adam Wolfe Tommy G's 5-7pm, free Pocket Big Band The Highdive 5:30pm, $3 Lori Ann Record Release Party with Monroe, The Difference, Three Dirty Dynamite Wake the Dead Cafe 6-11pm, $6 Country Connection Rose Bowl Tavern 9pm, $1 Green St. Records presents The Ending, Sincerely Calvin, Bullet Called Life Nargile 9:30pm, $5 Lorenzo Goetz, Elsinore The Iron Post 10pm, TBA Trailer Parke Tommy G's 10pm, $2 DJ UC Hip Hop presents the End of the Semester Hip Hop Blowout Party The Canopy Club 9pm, TBA DJ Bozak [hip hop, downtempo] Barfly 10pm, free DJ J-Phlip [house] Boltini 10pm, free DJ Raphael [house, hip hop, rock] Cowboy Monkey 10pm, free DJ Tim Williams [hip hop, house, top 40 dance] The Highdive 10pm, $5 Euro Thursdays — DJ Surge [eurodance, house, vocal trance] Cafe Hookah 10pm-3am, free

December 12

Wake the Dead Cafe 6-11pm, $5 Sainte Chapelle, Col. Rhodes, Darling The Canopy Club 9pm, $5 Big Bang Theory, Afterschool Special Cowboy Monkey 9pm, $4 The Tracks, Adam Wolfe The Iron Post 9pm, TBA The Chemicals, Mad Science Fair, Green Light Go Brass Rail 10pm, $3 Backyard Tire Fire The Uptowner 10pm, $5 The Brat Pack Tommy G's 10pm, $5 DJ DJ Resonate [hip hop] Barfly 10pm, free DJ Limbs [hip hop, soul, dance] Boltini 10pm, free DJ Bozak [old school, retro, hip hop] Nargile 10pm, free DJ Tim Williams [hip hop, house, top 40 dance] The Highdive 10pm, $5 DJ Randall Ellison [Hi-NRG classics and eurodance videos] White Horse Inn 10pm, free

Live Music The Noisy Gators, Bow-dacious String Band [a mix of Cajun and old-time fiddle tunes] Urbana Civic Center 2-4pm, free Special Consensus The Iron Post 8pm, TBA Crystal River Rose Bowl Tavern 8:30pm, free Adam Wolfe, Guido Esteves, Jess Greelee Cowboy Monkey 9pm, free Sunday Mass: Decrypt, Cardiac Arrest, From These Remains (formerly StiLife) [hard rock/metal] Tommy G's 9pm, free DJ DJ Wesjile [funk, old school] Barfly 10pm, free DJ Bozak [‘80s rewind] Boltini 10:30pm, free Meetings Sunday Zen Meditation Prairie Zen Center 9am-noon, free

Performances “To Sing Is To Fly” [by Amasong, a lesbian/feminist chorus] McKinley Presbyterian Church 3pm, suggested donation $8-$20

,-+&'( December 13

Karaoke "G" Force Karaoke Sappy's on Devenshire 9pm-midnight, free Performances “To Sing Is To Fly” [by Amasong, a lesbian/feminist chorus]

Live Music Parkland Chorus Pages For All Ages 8:30pm, free Dave & Steve White Horse Inn

McKinley Presbyterian Church 8pm, suggested donation $8$20

Liquid Courage Karaoke Geo's Chill and Grill 9pm, free

9:30pm, free Quadremedy [rock] Tommy G's 10pm, free

/.&+.%&'(

DJ DJ Delayney Barfly 10pm, free DJ Resonate [underground and mainstream hip hop, lounge] Cowboy Monkey 10pm, free DJ Bozak Boltini 10:30pm, free Industry Night: DJ Paul Anthony Nargile TBA, free

!#.%&'( December 14

Live Music Open Mic Night featuring Mike Armintrout The Canopy Club 9pm, $2 if under 21, free if over Crystal River Rose Bowl Tavern 9pm, free Larry Gates White Horse Inn 9:30pm, free The River City Rebels, Seven Shot Screamers Friends & Co. 10pm, $5 Adam Wolfe's Acoustic Night with Jess Greenlee Tommy G's 10pm, free DJ DJ Sophisto [house] Barfly 10pm, free 2ON2OUT [indie rock] Cowboy Monkey 10pm, free NOX: DJ Kannibal, DJ Rickbats [goth & industrial] The Highdive 10pm, $2 DJ J-Phlip [house] Boltini 10:30pm, free

December 15

Live Music Hard Pour Korn Rose Bowl Tavern 9pm, free Blues Night with The Dave Lindsey Band Tommy G's 10pm, free Premo Records Presents Freestyle Battle & Open Mic Night [live hip hop & dancing] Tonic 10pm, $4

DJ Chef Ra [roots, rock, reggae] Barfly 10pm, free Hump Night featuring UC Hip Hop: DJ Delayney The Canopy Club 10pm, free Salsa with DJ Bris [salsa, mambo, bachata] Nargile 10pm, free DJ Limbs [hip hop, soul, dance] Boltini 10:30pm, free Dancing Tango Dancing Cowboy Monkey 7:30pm, free Karaoke Outlaw Karaoke White Horse Inn 9:30pm, free Liquid Courage Karaoke Geovanti's 10pm-2am, free

Karaoke "G" Force Karaoke Neil St. Pub 8pm-midnight, free

Workshops Shattering the Primary Barrier to Teamwork in any Human Group For Owners, Executives and Employees McKinley Foundation 7pm, free

now hiring

Holiday Gifts made easy!

%'!#$&'( December 11

Live Music The Infinity Room, Haec Maeistas, Coin Slot, Ohtis, Islero

202 W. Anthony, Champaign 359≠ 1789 •

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%#+&'(

Talent w o r k s , genius c r e a t e s . Robert Schumann

!"#$%&'( December 9

URBANA BOOKING CO. PRESENTS

A BENEFIT FOR THE SHAWNA MORRISON EDUCATION FUND:

THURSDAY, DEC. 9, THE HIGHDIVE, 9:30PM, $5 AND UP

Puzzle

pg.14

)$*&'( December 10

December 12

Performances “To Sing Is To Fly” [by Amasong, a lesbian/feminist chorus] McKinley Presbyterian Church 3pm, suggested donation $8-$20

,-+&'( December 13

Karaoke "G" Force Karaoke Sappy's on Devenshire 9pm-midnight, free Performances “To Sing Is To Fly” [by Amasong, a lesbian/feminist chorus]

Live Music Parkland Chorus Pages For All Ages 8:30pm, free Dave & Steve White Horse Inn

McKinley Presbyterian Church 8pm, suggested donation $8$20

Liquid Courage Karaoke Geo's Chill and Grill 9pm, free

9:30pm, free Quadremedy [rock] Tommy G's 10pm, free

/.&+.%&'(

DJ DJ Delayney Barfly 10pm, free DJ Resonate [underground and mainstream hip hop, lounge] Cowboy Monkey 10pm, free DJ Bozak Boltini 10:30pm, free Industry Night: DJ Paul Anthony Nargile TBA, free

!#.%&'( December 14

December 15

Karaoke "G" Force Karaoke Neil St. Pub 8pm-midnight, free

Workshops Shattering the Primary Barrier to Teamwork in any Human Group For Owners, Executives and Employees McKinley Foundation 7pm, free

now hiring

Holiday Gifts made easy!

%'!#$&'( December 11

Live Music The Infinity Room, Haec Maeistas, Coin Slot, Ohtis, Islero

202 W. Anthony, Champaign 359≠ 1789 •

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ARIES

E-MAIL CALENDAR@READBUZZ.COM TO LIST EVENTS.

(March 21-April 19):

(April 20-May 20):

GEMINI

(May 21-June 20):

CANCER

(June 21-July 22):

One of my favorite prophets, John Hogue, thinks you Crabs can

LEO

14 Like some restrooms 15 Civil War fighter 16 Reege's cohost Kelly 17 Direction clarified by the direction

SCORPIO

VIRGO

S A G I T T A R I U S (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

(July 23-Aug. 22):

(Aug. 23-Sept. 22):

LIBRA

(Sept. 23-Oct. 22):

CAPRICORN

giver 18 Store owner whose name Big Bird usually gets wrong 20 Good buddy 21 "Awaken the Giant Within" motivational

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19):

Ernest Hemingway didn't find it easy to let go of his novel, A Farewell to Arms. He revised the last page 39 times. Like

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sound ground #55

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TODD J. HUNTER • STAFF WRITER

AQUARIUS

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18):

PISCES

(Feb. 19-March 20):

Homework: What non-material object would you most like to receive as a gift this holiday season? Write: www.freewillastrology.com.

Theater ship 69 Beach towel grains 70 ___-Bol (toilet cleaning product) 71 "Mother" and leader of the American Shakers that spoke in tongues, born 2/29/1736

26 FDR veep John ___ Garner 27 "Good Eats" host Brown 29 Emotionally agitated 31 ___ Lodge 32 Spicy spread 33 Game where you move your men Home

Down 1 #1 Van Halen tune of 1984 or #1 Kris Kross tune of 1992 2 "The Hearth and Eagle" writer Seton 3 Little brook 4 Employ 5 Decided not to bug 6 Praise highly 7 "Stripes" subject

s o u n d s

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(Oct. 23-Nov. 21):

jonesin crossword puzzle

Across 1 Rapper born 2/29/1976 who had a feud with 50 Cent 7 ___ standstill 10 Old Pontiac muscle cars

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Virginia Theater 10 DEC Godspell 7:30pm, $8-$16 11 DEC Godspell 2:30pm, $8-$16 12 DEC Godspell

2:30pm, $8-$16

THE

Boardman’s Art Theatre 9 DEC Vera Drake 7pm, 9:30pm, $5.50-$7.50

The Station Theatre 9-18 DEC The Playboy of the Western World 8pm, $8-$10

Krannert Art Center 9-10 DEC Murder Mystery Dinner 6:30pm, $18-$25 11 DEC ChampaignUrbana Symphony Orchestra 7:30pm, $10-$28

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this week in music

#55

TAU RU S

!"#$ %&'()*+'&,-./

a s t r o l o g y

DE C . 9

Todd J. Hunter hosts “WEFT Sessions” and “Champaign Local 901,” two hours of local music every Monday night at 10 p.m. on 90.1 FM. Send news to soundground@excite.com.

w H at tH e He L L?

Modest Mouse Bury Me With It

Jem They

Franz Ferdinand This Fire

Bright Eyes Take it Easy (Love Nothing)

Interpol Evil

Top 5 Most Requested Songs Last Week

10 •

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DE C . 9

MAN, YOU ARE ONE PATHETIC LOSER. NO OFFENSE.

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ART NOTICES

!"#$

lead review

Various Artists DFA Compilation #2 DFA Records BY MICHAEL MALINSKY

Mukhopadhyay [photographs from Eastern Himalayan Mountains in North Bengal and Nepal] Cafe Kopi Mon-Thu 7am-11pm, Fri-Sat 7am-12pm, Sun 11am-8pm

Creation Art Studios [Open sessions to experiment with materials, techniques of drawing, painting, collage, assemblage art, ceramics and wheel throwing]

Mon–Thu 1-5:30, Sat 1-4

“Pipe Perceptions and Daily Dreams” [Paintings by Michael Cochran and David M. Smith. Glass and mixed media by Justin Berry, Karren Rea Cast, Ian Duncan, Jennifer

ART EXHIBITS – ON VIEW NOW Photographs by Swagatam

b o b

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buzz weekly

WHAT? DO YOU THINK I’M A GULLABULL? OR EVEN ... A GULLACALF?

d a v e

through Dec 24 Tue-Sat 10am-4pm, or by appointment: 367-3711

b y

d a v i d

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k i n g

DFA COMPILATION #2 BY IMRAN SIDDIQUEE

c h a r t s

The Black Keys Rubber Factory Fat Possum Records BY KYLE GORMAN

PARASOL RECORDS TOP 10 SELLERS 1. Iron And Wine • Passing Afternoon (Sub Pop) 2. Styrofoam • Nothing’s Lost (Morr) 3. The Pearlfishers • A Sunflower At

Christmas (Marina) 4. Union Carbide Productions •

Remastered To Be Recycled (MNW) 5. Peter Bjorn and John • Falling Out (Planekonomi) 6. The Innocence Mission • Now The

Day Is Over (Badman)

CHARU KHAN

7. Arcade Fire • Funeral (Merge) 8. Angie Heaton • Let It Ride (Parasol) 9. Green Pajamas • Ten White Stones (A Hidden Agenda Record) 10. Walt Kelly and Norman Monath •

Songs Of The Pogo (Reaction

[Paintings by Charu Khan and ceramics by Rimas VisGrida] Verde Gallery Opening reception Dec 9, 7pm through Jan 15 Tue-Sat 10am-10pm

Recordings)

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GIRLS IN ACTION: TALKING WITH AMASONG

Artist helps community members think creatively

Champaign-Urbana’s premier lesbian/feminist chorus

CORNELIA BOONMAN • STAFF WRITER

HARINI RAJAGOPAL • CONTRIBUTING WRITER

PHOTOS • SARAH KROHN

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PHOTO â&#x20AC;˘ SARAH KROHN

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COMPILED BY SARAH KROHN

Mike Manno Urbana, Ill.

“It was humorous and insightful.”

SIDEWAYS

Tammie Redenbagh Champaign, Ill.

“Funny, but a little slow.”

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“I related a lot to the movie and agreed with the theme.”

MOVIE NEWS BY SHADIE ELNASHAI

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Are baseball players destroying the innocence of our pastime? MICHAEL COULTER • CONTRIBUTING WRITER

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MATT PAIS • LEAD REVIEWER

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EDITOR’S NOTE MARISSA MONSON • EDITOR IN CHIEF

Starting next week

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editor’s note This Modern World • Tom Tomorrow News Sh!ts and giggles News of the weird • Chuck Shephard First things first • Michael Coulter

AROUND TOWN The bully and the bullied • Susie An q + a with Nicole Philyaw

LISTEN, HEAR

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MAIN EVENT Free Will Astrology Jonesin’ Crosswords • Matt Gaffney Bob ‘n Dave • David King Life in Hell • Matt Groening

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT Hua Nian • Harini Rajagopal Th(ink) • Keef Knight The Playboy of the Western World review • Syd Slobodnik

WINE + DINE Wine and Food A to Z • Amanda Kolling

•

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INDEX Employment Services Merchandise Transportation Apartments Other Housing/Rent Real Estate for Sale Things To Do Announcements Personals

000 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900

Employment 000

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020

HELP WANTED Part Time

030

HELP WANTED Full/Part Time Child Care Teacher

Transportation 300

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310

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Apartments APARTMENTS

400 410

Furnished/Unfurnished Available Now. 2 bedroom on campus. $550 per month. 367-6626. Available Jan 05 1 bedroom $385, 2 bedroom $590, Campus. 367-6626

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420

APARTMENTS

410

1 bedroom lofts $497 2 bedrooms $545 3 bedrooms $650 4 bedrooms $1000 Campus, parking. Fall 04, 367-6626

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2 BR, 1030 E. Kerr. Unfurnished, on bus route, pool, fitness center. $500/mo. negotiable. Available January 384-8157.

420

307 & 310 E. White 307 & 309 Clark

GREAT VALUE

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430

Unfurnished 505 W. Healey. Newly remodeled 1 BR, close to campus, wood floors, new bathroom. Includes water, sewer and garbage. Off-street parking. Pets OK. $425/mo. Will 217-7219685.

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510

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Unfurnished

403 E. White, Ch. - $540/mo. 302 S. Fourth, Ch. - $540/mo. •Large 2 Bedroom

BEST VALUE 1 BR. loft from $480. 1 Br. $370 2 BR. $470 3 BR. $750 4 BR $755 Campus. 367-6626.

APARTMENTS

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Furnished

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The Mendoza Lifeline • Seth Fein

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DEADLINE:

CLASSIFIEDS

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PHONE: 217/337-8337 DEADLINE: 2 p.m. Tuesday for the next Thursday’s edition.

C OV E R

under t h e YOU CAN’T TALK UNLESS YOU HAVE THE ‘TALK STICK.’

540

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24 • b u z z w e e k l y

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FOREVER TWIRLING ... TWIRLING ... LIKE A DEAD FISH IN A TOILET BOWL.

It’s Coming... Champaign-Urbana’s Biggest New Year’s Bash!

NEW YEAR’S 2005 Joe’s Brewery 15th Annual Celebration

706 S. 5th St, Campustown * 384-1790

25 Double Bacardi’s $ 50 Lite/MGD Bottles $ 00 Jager Bombs

NO COVER BEFORE 9PM

Complimentary Champagne Toast at Midnight * Free Party Favors

75 Beers • Single Malt Scotch Wine • Irish Whiskeys

Open Daily 4PM - 2AM

New Years Eve PARTY Friday Dec. 31st

Doors Open 7pm

Over 600 Danced in 2004

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6 12 | 09 | 04 . 12 | 15 | 04 champaign . urbana