168 - Valley Planet

VOLUME 11 ISSUE 1
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JANUARY 3 - 23, 2013
IN THIS ISSUE:
Gal About Town, The Melting Pot, The Single Guy,
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,
Calypso Swan Studio, Roads Less Traveled,
Dr. Anarcho, The Greatest Calendars on the Planet!!!
(256) 533 • 4613
The Mummy of Bessemer
by Jessica Penot
H
azel Farris was a beautiful woman in life. She was beautiful and notorious. Hazel was born in
Bessemer, Alabama, but she was a fast living woman and ended up in Kentucky with a hard
drinking husband by the time she was twenty-five. Hazel and her husband both drank heavily
and they were known to exchange blows from time to time. One night, one of their fights got out of
hand. Hazel grabbed the pistol and shot her husband three times. The neighbors called the police and
three police officers entered the house. Three more gunshots pierced the night. Reinforcements were
sent and before the night was over five officers had been killed and Hazel had fled into the night.
by Tina Leach
Hazel ran home to Bessemer where she managed to avoid arrest despite a reward being posted for her
capture. In Bessemer, Hazel got a job and went on with life. She fell in love and in the heat of her passion; she confessed her crimes to her lover. Her lover was terrified by her confession and immediately
turned Hazel in. Hazel was mortified and heart broken. She could take no more so she got completely
intoxicated and took as much arsenic as she could get her hands on. Hazel died in 1906.
Karaoke…with a Twist
[note: Yes, this column used to be Adventures
in the Tennessee Valley, but I started to run out
of adventures, wanted to expand my subject matter, and mostly just needed a reason to wear a hat.
Thus, Gal About Town was born. We now return
to our story already in progress…]
…K
araoke. The sensation that’s
sweeping the nation---or was
in the late 90s. It’s sort of a bar
staple now. And they spend tons of money updating to the latest karaoke machine loaded with tons
of songs or internet access or whatever it is they
do to make the songs play. But what if you took it
all away? Wait. That’s not right. That’s a capella.
So let me try this again. Live band.
Yes, a live band.
I asked Irvin if we’d be playing Stump the Band.
That’s a no. There will be a list of songs to sing.
They’re going to start out with maybe 50 or 60 to
choose from, and then hopefully as it grows, add
more and more. So far, it’s a lot of 80s metal, 90s
alternative, and MAYBE, POSSIBLY some wiggle
room. Given the keyboard in the mix, there is a
possibility for some 80s New Wave. But the rule
is rock n roll.
There will be no Margaritaville.
To be honest, I have a long history of karaoke.
From singing backup with friends to finally being brave enough to set foot on that stage alone
and sing “These Boots Are Made for Walking,” I
never actually considered the idea of performing
with live backup.
There will be no Brown Eyed Girl.
There will be no Me and Bobby McGee.
Hazel’s corpse was taken to Adams Vermillion’s furniture store and funeral parlor. Since no one claimed
Hazel’s body, Adams placed her corpse in storage. After a few months, Adams noticed that Hazel’s
body was beginning to mummify. It is believed that she began to mummify because of the combination
of arsenic and alcohol she used to end her life. Always one to make the best of situation, Adams began
showing the modern mummy for money and eventually her body was sold. After changing hands and
going across the country in various sideshows as an oddity, Hazel’s body eventually came to the Bessemer Hall of History. The mummy was displayed there from 1974-2004 and many believe that this is
where Hazel’s ghost lives on today. There have been reports of lights going on and off in the building
and strange whistling noises. Visitors have also reported feeling ill at ease at this building. Even though
Hazel’s corpse has finally been laid to rest, her spirit walks on giving visitors a new nightmare to keep
them up at night.
Katherine Purves:
Calypso Swan
Studio
A signature piece, displayed in the studio window, is the dried lemon peel party dress over a
metal cage form. The dried “fruit leather” from
her own tree in California, is stitched together to
form a rather stunning patchwork garment.
Katherine received a degree in Visual Arts from
the University of California, San Diego in 2006.
am not drawn to art because it matches my Though she thought of herself as a painter in
throw pillows, nor am I keen on the bucolic, school, she moved on to explore sculpture and
But somebody did. James Irvin (drummer for Mi- Irvin described the band’s style as “Poison that
idyllic art of painters like Thomas Kincade. stained glass before making paper and opening
crowave Dave & The Nukes, Cracker Jacks, and looks like us.” He’s hoping that it will gain
drummer/guitarist for Jason D. Williams), has de- momentum and become something big, like the That’s why I like the work of Lowe Mill artist her studio at Lowe Mill.
cided that three bands isn’t enough and has started Meddlesome Mondays it’s based on. And it could. Katherine Purves.
“I like the open atmosphere and community at
another one. This one (with Matt Ross on bass, I mean, some folks like karaoke. Some folks like
Tim Tucker on keyboards, Andy Clark on guitar, hearing live bands. In some circles, that’s like When I first saw her work, hanging outside the Lowe Mill. I encourage people to come in, take a
1st floor studio, “Calypso Swan,” I came in for a closer look and ask questions.”
and Irvin on drums) will now take the place of getting chocolate in your peanut butter.
closer look. There was more there than met the
a karaoke machine on Wednesday nights at the
Voodoo Lounge starting January 9. Irvin got the It’s generally going to start around 9:30ish. So, eye. I wasn’t sure of the medium or the technique. Well I had come closer and I had asked questions,
idea from Meddlesome Mondays, a weekly live check the list and find your song. But I’m still Being the inquisitive journalistic type that I am, I but like Lieutenant Columbo I had to come back,
going to hold out for “These Boots Are Made for had to peek my head into the studio to question the scratching my head for “Just one more thing.”
band karaoke at The Dark Horse in Atlanta.
Walking.”
artist herself.
Why “Calypso Swan?”
On the day we spoke, Katherine was busy readying herself for the December 8th Gallery Tour, her Katherine received the name (which she and the
second at Lowe Mill. Samantha, a black lab mix, studio share) from a co-worker/friend during a
fire circle while working at a wilderness therapy
contentedly snoozed beneath her work space.
program called “Redcliff Ascent” in Utah. As part
Her textured wall decor is called Recycled Paper of the program - which is loosely based on surhe Civil War was a war of ideas and ideals as much as economics and politics. Scratch any Relief Casting. In fact, you could say Calypso vival skills, theology/mythology, and ritual of the
Paiute Indians - students often attain a personal
figure of prominence of the time and you will find varying measures of desperation, yearning, Swan studio is the Lowe Mill recyclery.
growth that earns them a “Naming.”
and zeal.
“All of the artists bring me their trash,” she said.
Robert Smalls is no small example of this. Born April 5, 1839, in Beaufort, South Carolina, into a As if on cue, a neighbor walked in with a stack of “Calypso is a Greek minor deity, a moon of Saturn, an Afro Cuban politically relevant hip musiGullah slave family, his life was a constant striving for freedom, achievement, and recognition. He fabric scraps for her to peruse.
cal genre, an orchid, among other things. I am still
was made the first black Captain of a US vessel in December 1863 (taking command of the now-USS
Planter, the very same armed Confederate military transport that he had commandeered in May 1862 in Katherine makes her paper from cardboard, news- the ugly duckling working toward my life as a
his successful escape from the South).
print, shredded office paper, bits of cotton, fabric swan. But the focus is on potential,” said Purves,
threads and other found items that would other- “Basically, ‘Calypso Swan’ embraces my potenHe broke the “black barrier” in Congress and was the most influential South Carolinian politician wise be destined to the trash bin. She creates a tial for growth, and allows me to make a few ugly
for 50 years, serving 5 terms in Congress during
clay design on glass, then from that a rubber mold mistakes while I get the orbit worked out. The
Reconstruction. And for nearly 20 years he served
is formed. The paper pulp is then pressed into the name is one that always invites change, rhythm
or growth, and the swan gives the elusive promise
as US Collector of Customs in Beaufort, where he
mold and allowed to dry.
of future beauty.”
owned and lived in the house in which he had been
a slave.
“I prefer the natural brown shades but will ad hints
of color with bits of thread and detailed stitching,” Fortunately artistic growth allows for and even
encourages “mistakes.” Multimedia artist KathKraig McNutt will present to us the amazing true
she said.
erine Purves dares to experiment and to cross
life story of escaped slave Robert Smalls. Mr. McNutt is the Director of The Center for the Study of
The “Tree of Life” was one of her first - and con- boundaries. The results speak for themselves. If
the American Civil War (CSACW), which houses
tinues to be one of her most popular - pieces. that ain’t beautiful, I don’t know what is.
his extensive personal Civil War collection. The
Though many pieces can be created from the same
Lowe Mill hours are Wednesday, Thursday and
CSACW was founded in 1995. He has been a semold, no two final projects are exactly alike.
Saturday 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday 12 p.m.
rious student of the American Civil War since the
early 1980s and has been publishing Civil War-re“I collect old Time-Life nature books for ideas . . . to 8 p.m.
lated content on the Web since 1995. He publishes
and sometimes I’m inspired by dreams.”
two major Civil War blogs (the Civil War Gazette
and the Battle of Franklin).
A couple of her creations are just strange enough
to be characters in a nightmare or Grimm’s fairy
Presented by the Tennessee Valley Civil War Round
tale. The first three-dimensional piece is simply
Table, this program will be held Thursday, Janucalled, “Orca.” The whale-like monster is creary 10, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Elks Lodge,
ated from duct tape and baby doll parts. Another
725 Franklin St., Huntsville. And don’t forget: A
adorable monster, “Alice,” resembles a caterpillar,
scrumptious chicken buffet is available at 5:30 p.m.
with a sweet cherubic face and scorpion tail.
for $8.95, if you so choose. All are welcome. For
more information, phone 256-539-5287.
“My nephew said it was weird, but I like the juxtaRobert Smalls (April 5, 1839 – February 23, 1915) PD-US position of cute versus creepy,” she said.
There WILL be rock n roll.
by Terri French
I
Amazing Life Story of Escaped Slave:
Robert Smalls
T
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VOLUME 11 ISSUE 1
THE VALLEY PLANET
In
The
Planet
january 3 - 23, 2013
NEXT ISSUE JANUARY 24, 2013
203 Grove Ave., Huntsville Al, 35801, phone 256.533-4613
THE VALLEY PLANET
VOLUME 11 ISSUE 1
Table of Contents
2
Gal About Town, Tina Leach
2
Amazing Life Story of Escaped Slave: Robert Smalls
2
Katherine Purves: Calypso Swan Studio, Terri French
2
The Mummy of Bessemer, Jessica Penot
3
On the Cover
3
Letter to the Publisher
4
The Single Guy: Communi-Date, Aaron Hurd
4
ReLit - Smokin’ Good Reads Worth A Rekindle, Rick Thomason
5
Roads Less Traveled: Persons of Interest, Ricky Thomason
6
Zee’s Rocket City bEAT Jim Zieliński
7
News of the Weird
8
Unchained Maladies, Ricky Thomason
8
Sci-Fi Review: 2012, Matthew Kresal
9
The Jazz Lounge, Jackie Anderson
10
Dr. Anarcho’s Rx for Old Stuff That Don’t Suck
10
Music Calendar Begins
11
More Music Calendar
12
Music Calendar Continues
13
Regional Calendar
13
More Music Calendar
14
Free Will Astrology
14
Events Calendar Begins
15
Events Calendar Continues
16
More Events Calendar
16
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Bob Garver
17
Playing for Keeps, Bob Garver
17
Crossword Puzzle
18
Auntie Jen’s Animal Crazy
18
The Melting Pot, Stephanie Davidson
18
Is it Important to Feed Kids Organic Food?
19
Valley Planet Classifieds
19
Music Exchange
19
To Yuno From Yunohoo
19
Jack Reacher, Bob Garver
19
Crossword Puzzle Answers
Publisher
Jill Wood
Calendar
Joani Williams
Lay-Out
Douglas A. Lange
Contributors
Bonnie Roberts
Elaine Nelson
Jackie Anderson
Ricky Thomason
Aaron Hurd
Allison Gregg
Jim Zielinski
Terri French
Betty Boyd
Stephanie Davidson
Tina Leach
Bob Garver
Auntie Jen
Jessica Penot
Matthew Kresal
Cliff Griggs
On the Cover
I
n the past couple of years, Rickie Higgins
has expanded his portfolio to include mixed
media and continues to experiment with
different processes as well as painting with oils to
create large, colorful pieces of work. Creativity,
imagination and passion are present in his
expansive portfolio.
The beauty of vertical spaces with hints of
unexpected color is the driving force behind his
mixed media works of art. The artist lays down
layers of paint on tarpaper and then cuts back into
the surface forming unexpected organic lines.
Then he applies wax and rubs it with an oil based
glaze to create texture.
“Whether is it the music that plays while I paint,
the subject matter, or just the blessing of being
able to enjoy the process of creating, I find that I
am becoming more connected to my spirit through
this artistic journey.”
It’s exciting to watch the pieces come together
as Rickie is guided to new opportunities through
both imagery and medium, to create spaces that
are skewed vertically, yet visually believable. You can contact Rickie at 256 466-1484 or
Whether a lone chair, a vintage icon, or an higginsart@me.com and see more of his works at:
abstract face, vertical lines find their place in the www.higginsart.com and Facebook: HigginsArt
composition. Through his artistic talents and
imagination, Rickie is able to fully express himself
on the canvas.
Thank you for reading the fine print of the Valley Planet. The Valley Planet and valleyplanet.com are published every three weeks by J W Publications in Huntsville, AL. You can pick up the paper free all over the
place or get it free on the web. Copyright 2003 by the Valley Planet, Inc. All rights reserved. You can contact
me at jill@valleyplanet.com
Reproduction or use without our permission is strictly prohibited. The views and opinions expressed within
these pages and on the web site are not necessarily those of the Valley Planet or its staff. The Valley Planet is
not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or art. Back issues are available for viewing on our web site www.
valleyplanet.com in the archives section. You may reach the Valley Planet office @ 256.533.4613 or by mail
at Valley Planet 203 Grove Ave. Huntsville, AL 35801. Subscriptions to the Valley Planet are now available
for $50 a year in the USA.
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Letter from
the Publisher
W
e have made it to another year!
Hopefully, we can look back at the
good, the fun, and the joyful times in
2012 and learn or heal from the disappointments,
tragedies and mistakes. Hopefully, we can focus
on today, a new day in a new year.
The National Championship is only a week away
and once again we have an Alabama football team
to cheer for!
For those of you who first turn to the Anonymous
Personals on the inside back cover…send in
YOUR Yunos! It is a safe and fun way to vent
your frustrations, give someone a pat on the back,
or express your love! And…we have lots of
readers who enjoy them - maybe even the person
you are venting/cheering about! You may even
hear it on the Rocket’s morning show with Jimbo
and Casio!
Thank you all for your continued support!
Hopeful in the New Year,
Jill E. Wood
Best Reason to Read the
Valley Planet? From You!
Thank you for reading!
“I think cinema, movies, and magic have always
been closely associated. The very earliest people
who made film were magicians.”
~ Francis Ford Coppola
THE VALLEY PLANET
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News of the Weird and Brezsny’s Astrology
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Keeps me informed of the latest greatest things
going on in the greater Huntsville area
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3
ReLit - Smokin’ Good Reads Worth A
Rekindle
Daniel Woodrell - Winter’s Bone
B
Deadly (Tourist) Sins
T
he family next to me is a complete disaster, and I can’t stop watching. I pull down my visor and
pretend to flip through my fashion magazine, but the debacle me is more interesting than what is
on the fall runways. They arrived at the beach a good hour ago and they’re still getting settled
on the dust ruffle they hijacked from their rental (Sin #1). The group consists of a mom, dad, their kids,
and grandparents. They’ve lugged chairs, two umbrellas, a cooler, four bags, and said dust ruffle across
the sand (Sin #2). After spraying sunscreen in the general direction of the kids (Sin #3), mom settles
down to commit the deadliest of all beach tourist sins: making sandwiches on the beach. She spreads
mayo on the bread and plops meat down before squishing the
concoction together and handing it over to kiddo #1, who is
elbow deep in a tube of chips. Mom is stressed, annoyed and
in need of a serious cocktail. Instead she lights up a cigarette
and begins making sandwiches for the rest of her brood.
I’ve seen this scenario most weekends with a different cast of
characters. When people come to a tourist town, they turn off
their common sense, and even worse, their common courtesy.
My town pulls in people from across the Southeast for five
straight months each summer and Snow Birds for four months
during the fall/winter. For the other three months, the 6,000
residents take full advantage of empty restaurants, shopping specials, and free-flowing roadways. We
live here, our kids go to school here, we vote here. It’s our home. So when the tourists return, we
smile and welcome them. Sure, they pour tax dollars into the local economy, but it comes at a price.
So before you pack your bags and hit the road for your next family adventure, please commit to not
committing any of the follow deadly (tourist) sins:
Don’t muck it up. If you’re heading to the Gulf Coast anytime soon, you need to know that since May
2010, crews have walked, cleaned and monitored the beach. Sure they focused on removing debris from
the April 2010 oil spill, but that doesn’t not mean the beach is your personal ashtray/trash can. Clean up
your trash. Our beaches sparkle, don’t let your lifestyle choices ruin the view for the rest of us.
ook Description - Ree, Dolly’s father has skipped bail on charges that he ran a crystal meth
lab, and the Dolly’s will lose their house if he doesn’t show up for his next court date. With
two young brothers depending on her, 16-year-old Ree knows she has to bring her father back,
dead or alive. Living in the harsh poverty of the Ozarks, Ree learns quickly that asking questions of the
rough Dolly clan can be a fatal mistake. But, as an unsettling revelation lurks, Ree discovers unforeseen
depths in herself and in a family network that protects its own at any cost.
If you haven’t read Daniel Woodrell’s books I almost envy you. I have been an avid fan of the writer
from the Ozarks since I stumbled upon Tomato Red which remains one of my favorites. Woodrell’s
books are usually set in the Ozark Mountains and
have some of the most real, hardscrabble characters created since Larry Brown, William Gay and
other Grit Lit greats. He has a great ear for dialogue
and dialect, both of which many writer’s trip over.
Put simply, his characters talk like we do and if
you’ve grown up in the south among the poor you
may swear you know the people he writes about,
though many of them you wouldn’t want to know,
though you have seen their doppelgangers on the
local news.
Lucky for us, Woodrell is prolific and has 18 books
to his credit. I will not rest until I read them all.
Winter’s Bone has been made into a great movie
as well and I highly recommend to the book readers as well as those too lazy to read. The movie is
an excellent depiction of the novel and a hard look
into a world we wouldn’t want to visit, much less
live there.
Review by Rick Thomason
The Single Guy: Communi-Date
Prepare before you leave your house and before you leave your rental. Groceries are much cheaper in
your (non-tourist) town. Non-perishables should be purchased before you roll south. Get the rest once
you arrive at your final destination. Once you’ve bought your food, make it inside, away from sand. by Aaron Hurd
Sand looks beautiful as a whole. But individual granules get into everything. They especially like to
stick to wet things, such as mayo. One bite into a sandy sandwich can ruin your appetite. Also, before New Year, New Possibilities…So why do I have to grow up!?!
you leave the rental: put on your sunscreen and reduce the number of things you bring to the shore.
ere it is another year, the Holidays are done and I am still single and only getting older, so the
Kids can spend an hour with a bucket and shovel. Trust me. And do not, for the love of GOD and all
big question is why do I have to grow up!? Even if I don’t want to grow up it seems like somethings sacred, pull the dust ruffle from the bed and use it as your beach blanket.
thing just seemed to click when I hit thirty that completely changed my dating style. In the long
When you’re a mom, you don’t get a vacation. So, dad, this tip is for you. Buy your wife a day at the run it will be for the better, but in the short run it sucks!
spa. Search out local salons and book her services well before you leave. Facebook is your friend.
Many tourist towns have fan pages where you can ask locals questions. Also, order her some flowers And of course, right around the corner is the Holiday us singles hate most… the big V-day, Heart Day,
Vomit day (as I like to call it)! A time for lovers to reflect on that special someone and a time for us to
while you’re there.
reflect that we do not have that special someone, right!? Honestly I hate the day even when I am in a
relationship, but being single does not make it any better by any means.
Eating out? Don’t do it at dinner.
If you’re just dying to visit a
And all this happens with a mind that is forced to grow up and face reality because I am a man in my
popular restaurant, be prepared
thirties. Funny how things change even if you do not want them to. I was talking to a male friend the
to wait a few hours for dinner.
other day who is reaching thirty and he said the same thing. Up to thirty I was dating every girl I could
Lunch is a whole other story.
whether I was fully interested or not… then at thirty, almost overnight, something clicked in me that
Lunch is quicker and cheaper.
made me think, “What a big waste of time!”
Why? Because all those other
fools are on the beach eating
Why waste all my time and energy on a girl that I fully knew in my heart would not amount to anything
sand sandwiches.
further than a good time… someone pretty to have on my arm, JUST to have a pretty lady with me out
on the town? At thirty, it is like a big light bulb turned on that said, “Why are your wasting your time”
Vacations are meant to be
and more importantly “why are you wasting Her time?” If I was not fully interested in her and never
relaxing, so take a few extra
saw a future with her then why waste time going through the motions? Especially when I know in the
steps ahead of time to cut back
end, it is going to turn out with me finding some excuse to walk away while keeping my eyes peeled for
the stress and avoid committing
someone better for me…That special “someone”, the “one”! Not fair right?
the deadly tourist sins.
H
So what have I done with this new “mature mind?” I will tell you - Not a DAMN thing! That is where
this growing up sucks. I grew up, changed my thought process, but somewhere in the middle lost my
balls! I want the right one, I want a girl I can fully and truly fall in love with and vice versa but cannot
find the nerve to get out there and approach the girls I want. In fact, I don’t even want to try anymore - it
is like I have given up completely! It makes me want to bounce back to my old ways and date whoever
comes along JUST to say I still have game! However, it is a game. It is a game where I am playing with
hearts of girls I never see a future with.
It’s like playing Atari vs. PS3 because I know I can master the old games! And the games are cheap and
easy to find and get! Yes, I want the PS3! It has all the features I want - classy, smooth, pretty and all,
but I am too afraid to touch it. If this is my thirties…take me back to my twenties, where I had courage
and balls to make a freakin’ move and approach the girls out of my league! Damn a few of them actually said YES!
So this new year - I am focusing on growing my balls back! And putting them to work literally! Haha I
am making a vow to get the hell out there and take a chance. I figure the worst I can hear is no, right?
I encourage you all to do the same. Life is short and you never know unless you try – Cliché, I know,
but true!
And if anyone can find my balls please let me know where I can find them! I would like to find them
before they’re just dragging on the ground in my seventies - when they will be no good at all!
Am I the only guy who feels this way - is it a thirty something thing? Females, do you hit this peak at all?
How do we get out of the funk? Let’s discuss, email me at aaronthesingleguy@gmail.com
4
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VOLUME 11 ISSUE 1
THE VALLEY PLANET
Roads Less Traveled:
Persons of Interest
One of the pilots flew a two-seater plane, carrying
mail daily from the Shoals, to Birmingham, from
Birmingham to Chattanooga, from Chattanooga
to Nashville, from Nashville to Memphis and
from Memphis back to Muscle Shoals. Problem
was, the pilot had to drive a long way to and from
by Ricky Thomason with photos by Cliff Griggss
the Shoal’s airport. Quick to recognize the opportunity, Huggins worked out a trade with the pilot
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the differ- of that route; for every day he would let him fly
ence …Robert Frost
with him, the man could stay overnight at Huggins house and save a couple of hours of driving.
Author’s Note: This snippet from Robert
Frost’s immortal poem, “Roads Not Taken”
The mail pilot jumped at the chance and asked his
is a personal favorite. Many wish we had
company to approve Huggins to fly with him. It
do-overs in life, had chosen different occuwas win-win for all. The company had a pilot in
pations, developed innate talents, pursued
training, for free - the pilot had a place to stay, for
hobbies, or lived more on our own terms. In
free - and Huggins had hours and hours of flying
this series photographer Cliff Griggs and
time, for free - time he could never have afforded
I will follow some lesser worn paths, seek
at rental prices.
out Persons of Interest, and share them
with you.
When the mail pilot advanced to a different job,
the company had his replacement in waiting.
ne look at Pat Huggins reveals you
Huggins was hired for the daily mail flights. Inare dealing with a no ordinary guy;
stead of paying to fly, he was getting paid to fly.
the fit and finery of his clothes,
He maintained his interest in music, but his time
winning smile and approachability give an
for it was lessened.
aura of confidence without cockiness.
With a certification for multi-engine planes, he
It takes some confidence to pilot a 747
eventually landed a gig with an air cargo compafreighter all over the world. It takes even
ny as a flight engineer on 727 jets. That led to 2nd
more to fly in and out of the myriad hellofficer, more seat-time and training. Before long
holes that comprise the war-torn Middle
he was promoted to 1st officer. By any standards
East. That is particularly true when you
it was a meteoric rise across the skies for a guitar
must take off and land banking in tight
picker from Guntersville, Alabama.
spirals above runways because that’s all
the airspace that may be (maybe) covered
Yet, he wasn’t finished. Connections led him to
against missile attacks.
land a flight engineer’s position on the behemoth
747, then became co-pilot, and first officer, staThis is a land where alliances shift like sands in a sirocco. A world that looks like a monochrome moon- tioned in Bahrain, flying freight everywhere, at
scape. “Enemy of my enemy” friendships cannot be mistaken for camaraderie.
times in support of troops in the Gulf wars.
O
As you might surmise, westerners – particularly Americans - are viewed with suspicion, outright rudeness and hostility. While it may be justified, understandable even, it is certainly uncomfortable to find
the natives so hostile. The crews of these cargo carriers dislike layovers in most of the region – some
more than others. If you leave the hotel even briefly for food you feel a thousand and one eyes staring
daggers and probably carrying them.
Huggins says you quickly note that the compounds where western civilians live are surrounded by 10
ft. high walls topped with razor wire. 50 caliber machine guns turrets adorn the wall’s corners. They
aren’t there for decoration.
Huggins has flown to countries and cities of
which I’ve never heard. He has a two week on /
two week off schedule. He found musician friends
in Switzerland and they formed a band and did
some studio time and worked on some CDs. He
had flown his way back into music and continued
to write material for his own CDs. His 5th is set
for release soon.
On his off time back in Sweet Home, Alabama, he
The obvious had to be asked; if you aren’t stationed there by the military, how does a guy from Gun- collaborates with some of the most famous names
tersville, Alabama wind up flying planes all over the globe, and do you ever marvel that a boy from in the Shoals.’ He recently recorded a Christmas
Guntersville gets to fly a 747 all over the world?
CD as a gift for the residents of a care facility in
the Shoals where his mother now lives and perHe laughed and said, “Every time I get in the seat I half expect someone to yank the cockpit door open formed a live show at the home.
and say, “What are you doing in here? Get out, right now.”
If the lucky residents know anything about the
The unexpected answer to how he got there was “music.”
music and Muscle Shoals history they were very
impressed to be treated to a live performance of
*****
the Christmas music by legendary musicians David Hood on bass, Larry Byrom and Gary NichHuggins was given a cheap guitar as a young teen and proved to have talent, on the guitar and lyrics as ols on vocals and electric guitar, James Roy on
well. Post school years, he did the cover band lounge thing in North Alabama, mostly Huntsville, then sax and vocals, Mike Dillon on drums, Spooner
solo gigs as he worked on his songwriting. Huggins debated a move to Nashville to be closer to the indus- Oldham on keyboards, and the inimitable Shoals’
try, then opted for Muscle Shoals which was
Sisters backup singers Marie Lewey and Cindy
closer to home, and making better music.
Walker. Huggins played acoustic guitar and did
the lead vocals.
One of the studios in which he did session
work happened to be directly across the
Needless to say, mom was proud and pleased along
road from the airport in the Shoals. That was
with all her friends, the staff and lucky visitors.
where his road in life forked.
Huggins recently told me he has plans to retire
Early for a session one day, he turned right to
from flying soon and move to Muscle Shoals to be
check out the airport instead of left into the
nearer his mom and the music he loves.
studio, and a long series of interrelated events
and determination led him to the skies.
Huggins has flown full circle, from musician, to
pilot, back to musician. Some take the path less
He traded spare musical equipment for flying
traveled when life’s road diverges. Huggins is one
lessons and earned his pilot’s license – but
of the few who took both paths simultaneously,
most people cannot afford a plane and the upsuccessfully and made all the difference on both.
keep, and the cost of plane rental was prohibitive for a struggling musician. He furthered
his flying skills with all the classes Wallace
State Jr. College could provide and was eventually offered the position of instructor. Seat
time and qualifications are everything in the
world of pilots. He acquired an instrument
rating.
At one point in these events he rented a large
house next door to the studio where he still
worked. Living across the road from the airport gave him more time to hang out and get
to know more pilots.
THE VALLEY PLANET
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PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
VOLUME 11 ISSUE 1
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5
Zee’s Rocket City
bEAT
by Jim Zieliński
Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku!
Щасливого нового року
Ein Gutes Neues Jahr!
Bonne Annee!
Gott Nytt Ar!
and pick up a Rosca de Reyes, the Spanish/Latin
American take on the King’s Cake, the latter with
which you’re doubtless familiar, thanks to the influence of Mardi Gras and our many Cajun establishments. They’re already taking orders for these
delights, also known as Roscón, with their arrival
slated for 5 January. Let’s face it, you NEED to
celebrate Epiphany. Or, more to the point: have
one, and then celebrate it.
W
ell, that takes care of all of you and several ancestors who might be watching.
Now to the point: how many resolutions have you broken already? No prevarication.
New Kid on the Block: just north of the corner
of 7th Avenue and Triana Boulevard, SW we find
GUANAJUATO TIENDA MEXICANA [2108
Triana Boulevard, SW; (256) 715-1435]. This
little grocery’s comparatively new owners (as
of this summer) gave it a long-overdue facelift
and are already attracting new patrons. There’s a
nice variety here; visit for a slew of spices, and
such uncommon ingredients as Banana Leaves
and homemade Chorizo (@ a mere $2.99 a lb.)!
I don’t think I’d ever seen a green Garbanzo before, and was unfamiliar with Mayocoba Beans,
which in their dried state are yellow, like a bright
lentil. Small wonder they’re also known as Canary Beans.
Timing is indeed everything and your visit on
Saturdays and Sundays (otherwise, it’s just pretty
much WHENEVER), may well introduce you to
the owner’s mother and the homemade tamales
she brings: Red Pork, Green Chicken, Jalapeno/Cheese, and a Sweet, Red-Sugared, dessert
style are the types offered…for just a BUCK
each. Wowsa. Occasionally, they also serve Elote
(Mexican “Street Corn”), slathered with mayo
and chili powder.
While ruminating on things Hispanic, bear in
mind that 6 January 2013, Epiphany, is also Die
de los Reyes Magos, and if you’d like to continue into 2013 - and on through big, Fat Tuesday,
on 12 February - you might drop by Guanajuato
6
As for “traditional” King’s Cake, call up Marie
Thigpen at venerable PO BOY FACTORY [815
Andrew Jackson Way, NE; (256) 539-3616; poboyfactory.com] soon after you finish reading and
clipping this column…they’ll be making several
southerly trips, cause they carry back the world-famous cakes from PAUL’S PASTRY SHOP [http://
paulspastry.com]…then they sell them up through
Mardi Gras (on big, FAT Tuesday, 12 February).
I’m told they’ll also have black beads on hand in
celebration of Joe Cain Day [http://cainsmerrywidows.org/], which is the Sunday before. Look
it up; widowhood was never so attractive.
BTW, I kept my word and attempted a sauté of
Swiss Chard. Haven’t quite got the knack of the
stalks, yet; they need to cook a bit more. Regardless, there’s a new green AND red veggie’s added
to mine repertoire. Never cease to experiment!
Life’s too short for meat and potatoes every day.
Or just meat and potatoes, anyway. I also gave a
second look at celeriac as a roasting vegetable,
but they’re selling three egg-sized ones for more
than what one grapefruit-sized one went last year.
Is there a war in the celeriac-producing countries?
Apparently U.S.A. Today hasn’t seen fit to let us
know.
WWW.VALLEYPLANET.COM
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Only recently, the somnolent Rhonda Prentice,
CQ and I were slightly astounded to discover Fayetteville’s MARVIN’S FAMILY RESTAURANT
[4130 Thornton Taylor Parkway on The Bypass;
(931) 433-3101] had begun serving breakfast
items on its hometown, southern buffet. Around
mid-November, they began offering breakfastware…on Mondays ONLY, mind you…you’ll see
Home Fries (NOT frozen, BTW), Sausage - or
as Mullins’ menu once boasted with French flair,
Suasage - Grits, Gravy, and more, all ready for
your well-honed tines and incisors. Again, I realize “Trough Mentality” can grow a bit wearing,
but Marvin’s is an above average, mom-n-pop establishment, as well as a nice stopover some 3.2
stones’ throws from Fayetteville’s historic downtown area.
tastes unusually good or you run out of raw ingredients.
Just saw BIG BOB GIBSON BBQ [715 6th Avenue, SE, Decatur; (256) 350-6969; www.bigbobgibson.com] spotlighted on the Food Network’s
“Unwrapped.” Who knew the notorious White
Sauce had Apple Juice in it? Or maybe it was
apple cider vinegar…notwithstanding, it was juice,
once, and Gerhard and Linnie
Schmidt, our West German
landpeople and owners of their
own orchard, would be proud.
Okay, back on topic: Gibson’s
sells a few tidal waves’ worth
of their peppery, ghostly concoction annually and, for those
of you who didn’t quite finish
filling the stockings or boots
of friends and fam from afar,
consider a bottle of this snowcolored sensation. It’s locavorious dining at its finest, and
there’s still Valentine’s Day,
birthdays, and Walpurgisnacht
to celebrate. And no, I don’t
know why “locavorious” has an “i” and “carnivorous” does not.
Many of you may yet be unaware that area fave
BLUE PLATE CAFÉ [3210 Governor’s Drive,
SW; (256) 533-8808; Facebook] is now open
at NIGHT. No kidding. In mid-summer, it was
decided they’d remain open till 8:00 p.m. (save
on Sunday, as they are closed that day).
No brekkie at night, however. As the
year turns, they’ll continue looking into
a possible expansion into Madison. This
per the amiable Jerry Sparks, owner and
all-around pleasant proprietor. It’s a good
dinner option for those heading to, say,
Merrimac or the VBC (or, as in our case,
the Living Christmas Tree).
A shout-out to the City Café Diner [2003 Drake
Avenue, SW; (256) 715-1863; Facebook], where
the Coma Queen and I were treated like royalty by
one Kevin Marck and one David Sweet, despite
the fact that it was well after the Witching Hour.
I remembered Debbie Fleischman’s warning to
ensure the kraut was drained, so my Reuben was
topnotch. Rhonda’s was a simple egg sandwich
and cheese, but she really found it delicious. In
retrospect, she contemplated that it might have
been the “real butter” and two slices of white
bread (which no one eats anymore); maybe even
the hallowed last two slices of Wonder Bread™
which, we are told, were under armed guard.
As we start out a new twelvemonth, here’s
the perfect foodie CAVEAT: Whenever a
restaurant boasts of its new, flashy menu,
be sure to check for newer, flashier pricing. You’ve been warned.
As temps continue to bottom out, you’ll start
thinking stews, soups, chilis…the best stew recipe? Keep adding things to the pot until it either
VOLUME 11 ISSUE 1
THE VALLEY PLANET
to the Daily News. As well, there is no assurance
that the largest business in the area, Trident
Seafoods, would ever use the harbor.
Great Art!
In October, Austrian artist Alexander
Riegler installed a one-way mirror in the ladies’
room at a cafe in Vienna to allow men’s room users
to peer inside (in the name of “art,” of course).
Riegler said he wanted to start a “discussion of
voyeurism and surveillance.” Men could see only
the faces of women standing at the lavatories, and
he said then that in January, he would reverse the
process and allow women to peer into the men’s
rooms. (The cafe had posted a sign advising
restroom users that they would be part of an “art”
project.)
by Chuck Shepherd
Fragrance of War
Updating “The Smell of Napalm in the
Morning”: A cosmetics company in Gaza recently
began selling a fragrance dedicated to victory
over Israel and named after the signature M-75
missile that Hamas has been firing across the
border. “The fragrance is pleasant and attractive,”
said the company owner, “like the missiles of the
Palestinian resistance,” and comes in masculine
and feminine varieties, at premium prices
(over, presumably, the prices of ordinary Gazan
fragrances). Sympathizers can splash on victory,
he said, from anywhere in the world.
Government in Action
The Philadelphia Traffic Court has been
so infused with ticket-fixing since its founding in
1938 that a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court
report on the practice seemed resigned to it,
according to a November Philadelphia Inquirer
account. One court employee was quoted as
defending the favoritism as fair (as long as no money
changed hands) on the grounds that anyone could
get local politicians to call a judge for him. Thus,
said the employee, “It was the (traffic) violator’s
own fault if he or she didn’t know enough” to get
help from a political connection. Traffic Judge
Christine Solomon, elected in November 2011
after a career as a favor-dispensing “ward healer,”
said the ticket-fixing was “just politics, that’s all.”
More than 200 school districts in
California have covered current expenses with
“capital appreciation bonds,” which allow
borrowers to forgo payments for years -- but at
some point require enormous balloon payments.
A Los Angeles Times investigation revealed that
districts have borrowed about $3 billion and thus
are on the hook for more than $16 billion. “It’s
the school district equivalent of a payday loan,”
said California State Treasurer Bill Lockyer, a
former school board member who said he’d fire
anyone who sought such loans. (Some defenders
of the loans pointed to schools’ occasional need
for immediate money so they could qualify for
federal matching grants -- which, to the districts,
would be “free” money.)
One of the principal recommendations
following the Sept. 11 attacks was that emergency
and rescue personnel have one secure radio
frequency on which all agencies that were merged
into the Department of Homeland Security could
communicate. In November, the department’s
inspector general revealed that, despite $430
million allotted to build and operate the frequency
in the last nine years, it remains almost useless to
DHS’ 123,000 employees. The report surveyed
479 workers, but found only one who knew how
to find the frequency, and 72 percent did not even
know one existed (and half the department’s radios
couldn’t have accessed it even if employees knew
where to look).
Remember Alaska’s “Bridge to
Nowhere”?: In November, the Anchorage Daily
News reported the Army Corps of Engineers
is building a harbor on the Aleutian native
community’s island of Akutan, even though there
is no road away from it. Thus, reported KUCB
Radio, the only way to get into or out of the harbor
is by boat. Any connector road to the only town on
the island is “likely years in the future,” according
THE VALLEY PLANET
Police Report
Anthony Johnson, 49, was convicted
in October in Hartford, Conn., of stealing an
improbably large amount of money -- as much
as $70,000 a weekend, off and on for five years
-- by crawling on the floor of darkened theaters
and lifting credit cards from purses that moviewatching women had set down. The FBI said
Johnson was careful to pick films likely to engross
female viewers so that he could operate freely.
He was often able to finish up, leave the theater,
and make cash-advance withdrawals from ATMs
before the movie had ended.
Things That Almost Never Happen: In
October, a 34-year-old man being detained by Port
St. Lucie, Fla., police on an indecent-exposure
complaint convinced the officer to free him based
on showing the officer his testicles. (A woman
had complained that the man was masturbating in
public, but the man apparently demonstrated an
impressively severe rash that he said he could not
avoid scratching.)
Niles Gammons of Urbana, Ill.,
apparently did some partying on Saturday night,
Nov. 3, because he managed a rare DUI daily
double. He was first cited for DUI at 1:08 a.m.
Sunday and then, 60 minutes later, he was again
cited for DUI at 1:08 a.m. (The first was during
daylight saving time; the second was after the
changeover.)
Perspective
Human rights activists have for years
deplored the preferences for male offspring in
India and other nations -- ranging from cultures that
marginalize female babies to some that practice
discreet infanticide of girls. Increasingly, though,
because of “advances” in science, Westerners can
buy expensive in vitro fertilization procedures
that use a laser to breach a fertilized embryo to
determine whether it contains XY chromosome
pairs (i.e., males) or larger XX ones so that
only the desired-gender embryos are chosen.
Noted Slate.com in September, such procedures
are illegal in Canada, Australia and the United
Kingdom (except for bona fide medical reasons),
but legal in the United States.
People With Issues
Justin Jedlica, 32, of New York City,
bills himself as the “human Ken doll” after
a 10-year odyssey of cosmetic surgery (90
procedures) to achieve the “perfect” body. “I
love to metamorphosize myself, and the stranger
the surgery, the better,” he told ABC News in
October, even though the amount of silicone
in his body, say doctors (when told of Jedlica’s
various implants), has reached a dangerous
level. He dismisses actually “earning” the body,
through gym workouts, as just “not exciting, not
glamorous.” (Of course, the “perfect” body is
never perfect, Jedlica acknowledged, as illustrated
by his recollection of his first surgery -- to get a
perfect nose -- which is still not done after three
follow-ups. “Just got to get that nose up a few
more millimeters,” he said.
Recurring Themes
Emerging democracies have experienced
brawls and fisticuffs in their legislatures as they
learn self-government, with Ukraine perhaps
the most volatile. When some legislators rose to
change party affiliations in December, a fracas
broke out and, according to Yahoo News, “Images
... showed a scene that resembled a WWE payper-view event, with parliament members using
full nelsons, choke holds and other moves
familiar to American wrestling fans.” In fact, a
man with the same name as a WWE heavyweight
#010313012313
(“Rybak”) had just been elected speaker, and the
country’s well-known boxing champion Vitali
Klitschko was in attendance (as a member of a
minority party called “Punch”). (One 2010 brawl
in the Ukrainian legislature sent six deputies to
the hospital with concussions.)
Editorial Privilege
This, the 1,300th edition of News of
the Weird, marks birthday No. 25. So, what was
happening in 1988 in that first batch of stories
published by that first adventurous editor? Well,
there was the Alton, Ill., woman who died with
a will specifying that her husband, who was an
enthusiastic transvestite, was to receive not a
penny of her $82,000 cash estate -- but all of
her dresses and accessories. And there was Hal
Warden, the Tennessee 16-year-old who was
granted a divorce from his wife, 13. Hal had
previously been married at age 12 to a 14-yearold, who divorced Hal because, she told the
judge, “He was acting like a 10-year-old.” Happy
Birthday to News of the Weird.
Thanks This Week to Craig Cryer and
Bob McCabe and to the News of the Weird Board
of Editorial Advisors.
Needing a Lift
Update: Gary Medrow, 68, has
periodically surfaced in News of the Weird since
1991 for his unique behavior of using a false
identity to persuade Milwaukee-area strangers
over the phone to lift other strangers off the
ground -- behavior for which he has occasionally
been jailed and ordered to psychiatric care. After
a recent period of calm, Medrow slipped in
November and was charged with impersonating a
photojournalist to convince two Cedarburg (Wis.)
High School students to hoist each other on their
shoulders (and four similar incidents were under
investigation). At an earlier hearing, Medrow said
that his “addiction” helps him to relieve tension
and anxiety.
The Continuing Crisis
Floyd Johnson pleaded guilty to
attempted murder in an odd scene in a New York
City courtroom in November. Johnson has only
one leg, and had been charged with stabbing
a fellow homeless shelter resident who has no
legs. Johnson’s public-defender lawyer (who
caught the case at random) has only one leg,
also. Johnson said he was taking the plea in part
because of excruciating leg pain -- in the leg he
doesn’t have (“phantom leg” syndrome), and
Johnson’s lawyer said he suffers from the same
thing. (The lawyer subsequently filed to withdraw
the guilty plea because the pain had clouded his
client’s judgment.)
Amber Roberts, 30, a resident of the
unit for the criminally insane at Eastern State
Hospital in Spokane, Wash., informed officials in
November that “I (just now) murdered someone,
but you’re going to have to find him.” As staff
members searched the facility, Roberts offered to
help by shouting “hot,” “cold,” “you’re getting
warmer,” and so forth. Roberts yelled “Hot!” as
they closed in on the room containing the body of
a 56-year-old patient that Roberts then admitted
strangling. (However, a few days later in court,
she pleaded not guilty.)
Tunisia’s Ministry for Women and
Family Affairs demanded in October that the
government prosecute the publisher of the
children’s magazine Qaws Quzah (“Rainbow”),
aimed at ages 5 to 15, for an article in the thencurrent issue on how to construct a gasoline
bomb (aka the “Molotov cocktail” in America).
The country has been rocked by the same kind
of upheaval experienced in other Arab countries,
except less so since its longtime president stepped
down rather quickly in January 2011.
Notwithstanding
its
nuclear
submarines, ballistic missiles and spy satellites,
France maintains Europe’s last “squadron” of
military carrier pigeons. Legislator Jean-Pierre
Decool lauds the pigeons and campaigns for
their upgrade, warning that in the event of war or
other catastrophe, the birds would be a valuable
messaging network. (Pigeons have been used at
times in the current Syrian civil war.) Until very
recently, according to a November Wall Street
Journal dispatch, pigeons wearing harnesses
had been used by a hospital in Normandy to
ferry blood samples to a testing lab (a 25-minute
flight).
VOLUME 11 ISSUE 1
Jason Schall, 38, who has retired as
a financial planner and now devotes his energy
to fishing, had a spectacular week in September
when he won a catch-and-release tournament in
Charleston, S.C., came within 1 1/2 inches of a
world record on another catch, and was notified
of recently setting two Nevada state records for
largest fish caught. Schall’s coup de grace, he told
the Charleston Post and Courier, came a few days
later when he caught a redfish while sitting on his
living room sofa in Daniel Island, S.C., watching
a Clemson football game with a pal. He had run a
line with bait through a crack in the door, through
his yard into the lake behind his home.
Suspicions Confirmed
Researchers from the University of
Texas Medical Branch at Galveston found recently
in tests that 10th-grade students who play video
games (especially shooting and sports games)
regularly score just as high in robotic surgery
dexterity as resident doctors. The lead researcher
said that surgery simulations (for example,
suturing) have built-in unpredictability, for
training purposes, but since complex video games
are laden with unpredictability, players logging at
least two hours a day with the joystick in fact may
even slightly outperform the residents.
Oops!
How Drunk Do You Have to Be? (1)
College student Courtney Malloy, 22, was rescued
in November after getting stuck at about 1 a.m.
trying to cut between two buildings in Providence,
R.I. The space between City Sports and FedEx
Kinko’s was 8 to 9 inches, said firefighters, who
found Malloy horizontal and about 2 feet off the
ground and “unable” to explain how she got there.
(2) Leslie Newton, 68, was pulled over by Florida
Highway Patrol officers near St. Augustine in
December while driving erratically. He also had
a portion of a traffic sign embedded in his skull
after colliding with it. (In both cases, officers said
they believed the victims to be intoxicated.)
Helen Springthorpe, 58, with only
three months on the job as the bell-ringer at St.
Nicholas Church in Bathampton, England, was
knocked unconscious in November when she
became entangled in the bells’ ropes and was
jerked too-and-fro around the belfry, her head
smashing against a wall. Fire and ambulance
crews eventually lowered her about 20 feet to the
ground.
Perspective
Homeless man Darren Kersey, 28, was
jailed overnight in November in Sarasota, Fla.,
after being busted for charging his cellphone at
an outlet at a public picnic shelter in the city’s
Gillespie Park. The police report noted that
“(T)heft of city utilities will not be tolerated ....”
However, for owners of electric cars (less likely
to be homeless!), the city runs several absolutely
free charging stations, including one at city
hall. The American Civil Liberties Union has
accused the city for years of being aggressively
inhospitable toward the city’s homeless. (Kersey
was released the next day when a judge ruled the
arrest improper.)
Fetishes on Parade
Stubborn: Briton Robert Moore,
31, got a relatively light sentence in Bradford
Crown Court in October when he convinced a
judge that he only inadvertently possessed child
pornography, in that he was largely interested in
human-animal porn (including with a pig, a goat,
a horse and an octopus). Moore was not eligible
for a court-ordered “treatment” alternative to
prison because he told the judge that he does not
believe he has a deviancy.
Carlos Romero, 31, told arresting
officers in Ocala, Fla., in September that Florida
was a “backwards” state because it still punishes
his sexual behavior with a donkey. He admitted to
being aroused by animals “in heat” but explained
that all he did was stand behind the animal and
masturbate while fondling her genitals. Any
Send your Weird News to
WeirdNewsTips@yahoo.com
or P.O. Box 18737, Tampa, FL 33679.
COPYRIGHT 2006
CHUCK SHEPHERD
DISTRIBUTED BY
UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE
4520 Main St., Kansas City, Mo. 64111;
(816) 932-6600
WWW.VALLEYPLANET.COM
7
Unchained
Maladies
America wrings hands and
church bells this morning. The
Sandy Hook dead are mourned as
millions cry and question “why?”
The question is rhetorical. We
light more candles and choose to
stay in the dark. That’s the “why”
question we should really ask.
Ricky Thomason
I
write this on Sunday morning, December, 16th 2012. The ring of competing church bells is slightly muted
by the soothing syncopation of raindrops
drumming on my roof of tin.
I savor the dark roasted aroma of coffee as freshly
ground beans meet my maker and endure a scalding baptism in purified water. My morning salvation gurgles into my cup. Caffeine is writer fuel.
Pray no one take this cup from me.
If someone could pose reasonable
answers to the whys and how of
it, few would listen after the tears
of this one dry on our cheeks.
Why? Because it is easier – and in the short term
cheaper – to stick our fingers in our ears and hum
hymns as we bury our dead in small boxes in small
holes in cold clay. It is easier to stick our heads in
the Sandy Hook sand of today, the past and future
I take my coffee black, unadorned by anything ones that are locked, loaded and headed our way.
other than the morning paper, a ritual of sinners’ “Where – where next” is the question that zipped
Sunday mornings coming down almost as old as past “why?” in our heads and shot to number
Gutenberg.
one with a bullet. Pray if it helps, but remember
beseeching God “Please don’t let it be here and
I hesitate to peel the wrapper from this morning’s mine” is the same as praying it be somewhere and
paper. I know the news is blacker than my morn- someone else.
ing Joe and the smell will not be pleasant. It has
happened yet again.
We dare not look in the direction the candles
shine because it will reflect some things we don’t
want to see, and maybe somebody. Here is where
I quit preaching and start meddling. I offer the
prize-winning prescription for disaster to Governor – Doctor Robert Bentley and others.
Mix a misinformed, myopic electorate with populist candidates and demand your taxes be lower,
lower, lower. Cut out the waste, especially state
wastes like detention and help for the mentally
unbalanced. Close mental health facilities, quit
mollycoddling these system abusers, open the
gates to the zoo and turn the lot of them loose
among the general population.
The young and often the most disturbed and needful of close watching and help are mainstreamed
into the education system. Add nuts in the underfunded schools and stir well.
Does this sound familiar to anyone yet?
Enjoy more savings as the out of balance adults
run amok. Throw that problem on our already
overburdened, underfunded, understaffed law
enforcement agencies. Let them serve and protect. It’s their job. After varying offenses the zooloosed are recaptured and run through a bursting
at the seams court system.
If they aren’t quickly paroled they will be locked
up again, kind of like they used to be, but to further detriment instead of help because we cut
prison funding also.
To make room for the influx, overcrowded prisons must early release the violent and insane to
make sure there are cells enough for the stoners.
Sci-Fi Review:
2012
by Matthew Kresal
I
f you’re reading this then one of two things
likely happened. Either the supposed end of
the world prophesied by the Mayan’s for December 21st, 2012 took place and you survived or
it didn’t happen at all. In the more likely event of
the latter, perhaps it would be a good time to go
back and look at the 2009 film from director Roland Emmerich depicting that doomsday prophecy
being fulfilled that was simply called 2012.
Continuing an Emmerich tradition, the film has
an all-star cast that does well with a script with
issues. Leading it is John Cusack as a struggling
science fiction writer who, while initially an odd
choice to be playing this kind of lead, proves up
to the challenge. Alongside him is Amanda Peet,
who gives an admirable performance instead of
a potentially one dimensional one, as the writer’s
ex-wife. Other good performances come from
Chiwetel Ejiofor as the scientist who sounds the
alarm on impending doom, Oliver Platt as the
White House chief of staff, Danny Glover as the
President caught up in the greatest crisis ever
to face humanity and a wonderfully over-thetop performance from Woody Harrelson as the
conspiracy-theorist radio talk show host Charlie
Frost.
Let’s get and keep Medicaid loafers off the rolls.
That takes courage - or a complete lack of compassion - depending on your view. Whatever was
recently shown in abundance when Governor
Robert Bentley, by refusing to create a health
exchange, declined massive amounts (billions)
of federal dollars. (The feds pick up 100 percent
of the costs from 2014 until 2017, when the state
would pay for a portion of the expenses.)
It is estimated that 300,000 uninsured Alabamians
will suffer the effects.
Gov. George Wallace’s legacy including a stand
in a schoolhouse door, a stunt that may have in
some manner eventually contributed to his being
shot.
Bentley’s legacy will be standing in the hospital
door, often mental hospitals; the kind that funded
adequately just might help that deeply disturbed
kid and others we’ve yet read of in the future paper.
Dr. Bentley, isn’t “First do no harm” part of an
oath you took long before you became such an
abortion of a governor and do all the harm you
can to the people and already dismal reputation
of this state?
Way to go, Guv. Bob. Alabamians rarely ask
“Why” before tragedies. Go renew your NRA
membership and see if you can bring the state
new, low paying industries, like box factories.
Better make them small boxes unless someone
changes something in our totally irresponsible,
proudly benighted perspectives on guns and mental health help for the young.
Angel Pennington
Hairstylist, Color Correction Expert
Now onto the other big thing about 2012: the
special effects. Those who have seen Emmerich’s
work (such as Independence Day and The Day
After Tomorrow) know his films are showcases
of special effects and CGI. This is no exception
with some excellent sequences that are worthy
of being seen on a big screen. They range from
earthquakes to volcanic eruptions to tsunamis in
as many different forms and settings as you can
imagine, helping to give the cliché of landmark
destruction some variety.
Not to say the film is perfect of course. While it
may be full of good special effects, it is fair to say
the script is rather lacking. It isn’t just the use of the
supposed end of the world in 2012 as a launching
off point either. The film has quite a few pieces
of clunky dialogue (especially in the President’s
lines) which thankfully the actors manage to do
their best to make it sound sincere and natural
though not always successfully. There’s also the
matter of the plot which requires quite a few leaps
over some sizable plot holes. To put it bluntly, if
you thought an alien invasion being foiled by a
computer virus in Independence Day was a bit
much, then don’t try to connect the dots in this
film. This isn’t a great script by any means but it is
still a decent one even with its issues.
So where does 2012 stand then? While it has a
script with plenty of issues (some clunky dialogue
and plot holes) it also features a good cast and
strong special effects sequences. In short, it’s a
good disaster movie that, despite being dated, is
worth a re-watch in light of recent events (or lack
thereof).
Jan. 4th Angela Hacker and James LeBlanc play
SportsPage - no cover.
8
WWW.VALLEYPLANET.COM
#010313012313
VOLUME 11 ISSUE 1
THE VALLEY PLANET
Luke: I think our music takes some melodic risks
and challenges the listener, but it isn’t so complex
that it is inaccessible to most listeners.
Jackie: Congratulations on your new release
Drive. I’m sure you all are thrilled with the response it’s getting.
H
appy New Year!
Welcome to our first
session of the Jazz
Lounge for 2013. Hopefully,
you’re successful keeping
at least some, if not all your
New Year’s resolutions. I’m
especially excited about starting my 5th year of bringing
you the Jazz Lounge. You
never know who will be
dropping by from the world
of jazz – smooth and mainstream – household names,
as well as some you may not
know about.
quirkiness of Monk, and the
smooth economy of Miles.
I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to take a few lessons from Bucky Pizzarelli
and John Stowell, and every
one of the above musicians
had a significant role in
shaping my musicianship.
Recently, I had an amazing
jazz group on my “Midday
Jazz” show at WJAB 90.9
FM, and thought it would be a great way to kick
off 2013 in the Jazz Lounge by featuring them.
Eight 02 is a contemporary jazz fusion group
based in Vermont, and getting a lot of attention.
Their sound has been described as “a mix of contemporary jazz with a decidedly fresh fusion flavor”. I definitely like it. WJAB, right here in
Huntsville, Alabama is just one of many radio stations across the country airing their music.
Eight 02 is made up of four dynamic guys. First,
there’s Lucas Adler and Chris Peterman from
‘Kilimanjaro’, the legendary band that topped the
jazz charts in the 80s. Next, Peter Engisch and
Jerome Monachino, founding members of Picture
This, the contemporary jazz group which debuted
in 1993.
I enjoyed Eight 02’s self-titled debut album. The
group now has a brand new album (EP) called
‘Drive’ (Bradley Lane Records) with 5 tracks: 1)
“Chocolate Amber”; 2) “Tell It”; 3) “Drive”; 4)
Pneuma 5; 5) “Tonia’s”.
Eight 02 is now definitely on the radar, and
“Drive” is making moves on the Smoothjazz.com
charts. Check out the album and consider adding
it to your collection – or it might be a good time
to start a new collection with the New Year just
starting. Very nice.
I want to welcome my guests, Eight 02, to the
Jazz Lounge:
Jackie: Hey guys! Happy New Year! Welcome
to the Jazz Lounge. You’re my first guests for
2013.
Eight 02: We’re honored and thrilled to be a part
of the Jazz Lounge! Thanks for having us.
Jackie: Gentlemen, would you each please introduce yourselves and give us some background
info.
Peter: I’m Peter Engisch, keyboardist/composer
and engineer for Eight 02. I currently run Ad
Astra Recording, in Willston, Vermont. I took
the unorthodox approach to piano and was self
taught, for better or worse! I grew up in a jazzloving family, and when my grandfather’s piano
arrived at 5 years old, I just took off with it. Here
I am now playing with these outstanding musicians. One thing that stands out for me is we are
each fans of each other. Over the years we passed
each other in hopes of playing together one day,
and here we are, finally. I love the results.
Jerome: I started playing guitar at age 5, in high
school transitioned from Rock to Fusion and Jazz
via the phenomenal compositional skills of Pat
Metheny, the great groove of The Yellowjackets,
and the technical prowess of Al Dimeola. College
introduced me to the fluidity of Charlie Parker, the
THE VALLEY PLANET
Luke: Most of my youth
was spent pursuing a ski
racing career and that culminated with a 4-year stint
with the US Ski Team.
Then, I returned to my love
of music and began reacquainting myself with my
instrument (drums) with
the help of teacher/clinician
extraordinaire, Gary Chaffee. During that period
I got lucky enough to join Kilimanjaro (whom I
still perform with) and honed my live skills playing with everybody who called. But, as Kilimanjaro’s thing was beginning to wane, I got a call
from Peter to play a gig with Picture This and I
fell in love with the material. One thing led to another, and now we are Eight 02, and I have found
my musical home!
Chris: I started out playing piano at age 8 and
clarinet at 9. I ultimately picked up the saxophone
in high school at the encouragement of my Dad,
who is a huge fan of cool jazz artists like Brubeck
and Stan Getz. That elegant style of jazz has always appealed to me. Then, I found fusion artists
like Spyro Gyra, The Yellowjackets, The Brecker
Brothers, and John Scofield, and jazz took on a
whole new light. I graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston, moved to Vermont, and
continued my studies with master saxophone
teachers like Dave Tofani, Ken Radnofsky, and
Bill Street. It’s been a privilege and a joy to be
part of Vermont’s rich music scene, and now to
explore the wonderful natural chemistry with my
bandmates in Eight 02.
Jackie: You’ve certainly enjoyed success with
the jazz groups you come from – Luke and Chris
(Kilimanjaro). Peter and Jerome (Picture This).
Who came up with the idea to form Eight 02, and
why the selection of that particular name for the
group?
Peter: Lucas joined Picture This (me and Jerome)
for a jazz gig as a fill-in, in July of 2011. It went
so well, that we started talking of forming a new
group. Producer Paul Wickliffe (of Special EFX,
Chieli Minucci fame) heard our stuff and suggested we fill out the group with the best sax player
we could find…and we did. Chris then came on
board and completed the picture. We shot around
names, and Eight 02 stuck (area code for Vermont
– where we are based)…and off we went…
Jerome: When Lucas and Chris joined the group
in 2011, they breathed new life into some of the
tunes Pete and I had been playing for 10 years.
The result was a fresh new sound.
Jackie: How would you describe Eight 02’s music for someone who may not be familiar with
your work?
Peter: Accessible Fusion is a great phrase for us.
We are contemporary jazz, but there is a lot of
improvisational risk taking involved – more live
than on record for now – but we try to push that
boundary. Melody is still king, but we don’t want
it to be too safe or run of the mill. We challenge
ourselves that way. The approach/arranging has
to be interesting but not over people’s heads!
Jerome: Accessible Fusion - melodies that make
sense surrounded by improvisational risk taking.
#010313012313
Peter: Very! The reaction has been great, much
more than we expected, so it’s very encouraging
to have radio responding like it is.
Jerome: It is very humbling to see our music on
the charts!
Luke: Yeah, we have been pinching ourselves
to make sure this is all real. The overwhelming
positive response to Drive was a really nice early
Christmas present for Eight 02.
Chris: It’s been thrilling and gratifying to see
the response we’re getting to the music, including from fellow musicians. It really validates
our experience of the chemistry we’ve been enjoying since the four of us began making music
together.
Jackie: There are 5 really nice tracks. Chocolate
Amber and Drive have received the most airplay
on my Midday Jazz show at WJAB 90.9 FM.
However, Tell It is running a close third. I noticed that Peter recorded, mixed and mastered the
album. Who did the writing here?
Eight 02: Peter and Jerome co-wrote the majority
of the songs. Luke joined them to write Drive.
The haunting Pneuma 5 was written by Jerome.
Chris composes too, so we all get the chance to
participate in the process. Luckily, we are on the
same page (musically speaking) most of the time,
and have a similar collective vision.
Jackie: Luke, Chris, Peter, and Jerome – Any favorites among the songs here, and if so, why?
Peter: Chocolate Amber and Drive are favorites
for me, in particular. I just like how they came
together for us, and kind of surprised us during
the recording process. Drive was a complete impromptu warm up jam that quickly wrote itself,
and gave us the more jazz ‘pop’ approach we
were looking for with this latest EP.
Jerome: For me, it is Chocolate Amber. Jimmy
Earl and Lenny Castro are incredibly inspiring on
that cut.
Luke: I am with Pete and Jerome here. It is interesting that we almost scrapped Chocolate Amber when it was about 75% completed. It needed
something, and we were in a quandary. Lenny
Castro and Jimmy Earl proved to be the missing
ingredients, and I love how it grooves now. As
Peter mentioned, Drive was just a jam at a rehearsal that we taped because it seemed cool, then
it simply wrote itself. I must also give Jerome his
props for Pneuma 5. He was the sole composer
for that song, and it has been getting a great deal
of radio play. It is a favorite for many and a bit of
a departure for Eight 02, but it is a lovely song!
Chris: It’s tough to choose a favorite, but I’d have
to go with Tonia’s. There’s a poignant feeling in
the melody, and a harmonic richness that never
ceases to move me. It’s a highlight of every one
of our gigs for me.
Jackie: I see that legendary percussionist Lenny
Castro is part of the lineup, as well as bassist Jimmy Earl (Chick Corea, Joe Sample, Jimmy Kimmel Show, etc.).
Peter: Lucas gets the credit for that…brilliant!
He had a previous connection with Lenny from
Kilimanjaro, and then Lenny lead us to Jimmy
Earl for Chocolate Amber, and that totally clicked
and gave the tune what it needed - groove factor!
Jerome: We are extremely grateful to have them
on our album.
Luke: I was fortunate to work with Lenny with
Kilimanjaro. I will say that aside from his unbelievable musicality, he is one of the warmest
and coolest people you could ever meet. He has
helped Eight 02 in ways we couldn’t have imagined. When we decided we needed a killer bass
VOLUME 11 ISSUE 1
player for Chocolate Amber, we called Lenny and
he connected us with Jimmy Earl. A big shout out
to both of those guys for really “getting” Eight 02
and helping our music sound so great!
Jackie: Where is Drive available, and what is
your official website?
Eight 02: Amazon, iTunes, and on our website at:
www.eight02jazz.com.
Jackie: With only 5 tracks on this album, I’m already hoping you’ll have another project on the
way soon.
Eight 02: We are busy promoting Drive at the
moment, and getting the word out, but in the back
of our heads we are thinking of the next recording. We did another EP before Drive with 5 tracks
on it too. It is our debut simply called Eight 02,
so that is one that can be added to your collection
for now! Some of our favorite tracks are on that
one, but it’s a bit more fusion oriented that Drive,
yet still musically accessible. As always, we are
constantly writing and working on new material
for the next project.
Jackie: Being the artists that you are, respecting
what each of you bring to the table as professionals, and with your experience, I must ask this
question: Smooth Jazz has faced certain challenges and obstacles in recent times. How do
you feel about the current state of things? Is there
anything missing, or that you would like to see
more of or less of?
Peter: We felt WE were missing from Smooth
Jazz!!! Haha…bringing back a bit more fusion/
excitement into the fold along with strong melody/writing. I kept hearing more of the same old
thing and felt smooth jazz was a bit stuck and
perhaps dying. I think listeners want to be challenged – at least I hope so! It’s a very tough genre
to break into. There are a lot of solo artists out
there. I’d like to hear more ‘bands’ really playing
their butts off!
Jerome: Our music has been described as the
child of two distinct jazz camps, the straightahead crowd and the smooth jazz crowd. For us,
there really are no camps. It is simply a matter
of blending the two into what we call “accessible
fusion”. I hope that we can continue to get some
airplay by generous folks like you, and perhaps
we could be the connective tissue for folks in both
crowds.
Luke: It is no secret that smooth jazz has been diminishing in popularity in recent years. However,
I have always loved the R & B aspect of it. I have
been a huge fan of Jeff Lorber forever. His new
stuff is a lot like his older material from The Jeff
Lorber Fusion (from back in the day), and I dig
that. I believe that more R & B and Jazz Fusion
leaning material might be what the genre needs to
recapture some credibility with the younger generation. There are some unfortunate stereotypes
about Smooth Jazz, but for my money, it has some
of the hippest and best players in the world. We
hope to be part of a slightly new breed of artists
to this market who are leaning toward a slightly
edgier vibe, and we feel like we might have a decent start here with our “accessible fusion”!
Jackie: Thank you Eight 02 – Luke, Chris, Peter,
and Jerome – for starting off the New Year right
and being my guests in the Jazz Lounge. All the
best with Drive as it continues to move up the
chart. Happy New Year, guys!
Eight 02: Thank you, Jackie, for the continued
support and unrivaled enthusiasm! You are our
# 1 fan!
Eight 02 is a great group of guys whose 2013
is starting off with a blast! Keep your eyes on
them.
Remember, you can always reach me with your
comments and requests at: teekynyc@yahoo.
com. Thanks for your continued support of the
Jazz Lounge and the Valley Planet. Let’s work
together to make it a good 2013.
Until next time, stay cool, & keep it jazzy!
WWW.VALLEYPLANET.COM
9
Dr. Anarcho’s Rx for Old Stuff That Don’t
Suck: Simon & Garfunkel, The Harmony Game:
The Making of Bridge Over Troubled Water.
A
nyone who writes, or wants to write music, record music, or just see genius at
work should beg, buy, borrow or steal this
2011 DVD that saw limited release in theatres.
I have never seen a more intimate look into the
creative process of songwriting, arranging harmonies, finding words to fit melodies, vice versa,
and studio recording magic than The Harmony
Game.
Long an avid S&G fan, I felt Christmas came early when a stumbled upon the apparently one-time
only showing of the documentary on VH-1 where
it was described simply as “Archival footage and
interviews with the artists and
collaborators.”
If you are a Simon and Garfunkel fan, a music
lover or have one in your life, I give this DVD
as many stars as the law allows. It is available
cheaply, used online – though I cannot imagine
why anyone would want to rid themselves of such
a treasure.
Seeing Art Garfunkel use his angelic voice on
“Bridge Over Troubled Waters” never fails to
give me goose bumps, chills up my spine and a
tear in my eyes.
I wish I had learned of it earlier. Why didn’t
someone tell me? Well, I’m telling you. You may
thank me later.
The DVD was billed: “THE HARMONY
GAME tells the story behind Simon and Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water, an album
shrouded in rock n’ roll mythology with legendary tales of inspiration, innovation and separation. This spectacular 70+ minute documentary includes archival footage and brand new interviews
with Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel discussing the
creation and reception of Bridge Over Troubled
Water, along with several of the duo’s collaborators from the period: Roy Halee (co-producer/
engineer), Hal Blaine (drums), Joe Osborn (bass
guitar), Jimmie Haskell (arranger), and Mort
Lewis (manager).”
10
WWW.VALLEYPLANET.COM
Thursday, January 3
AMERICAN LEGION POST 237, Karaoke
BANDITO BURRITO (MADISON), Marge
BANDITO SOUTHSIDE, Dave Anderson
CASA BLANCA (MADISON), Greg Staggs
EL PASO (NEW HOPE), Karaoke
END ZONE, Band Showcase with Mikey Moore
FINNEGAN’S PUB, Slip Jig
GLASS’S COCKTAILS & GRILL (DECATUR), Karaoke
w/ Lewis
GUADALAJARA (DECATUR), Karaoke
HIGHWAY HAVEN, Karaoke w/ David
HOG WILD, Karaoke
HOPPER’S, Karaoke w/ DJ Tara
HUMPHREY’S BAR &GRILL, DJ Sweet T
IMPROV, DJ Extraordinary
KAFFEEKLATSCH @ NIGHT, Dave Anderson
KNIGHT MOVES, Karaoke w/ DJ
OLIVIA’S BAR AND GRILL, Karaoke
PARTNER’S BAR & GRILL, Karaoke w/ Amber
SAMMY T’S MUSIC HALL, College Night w/ DJ
SPORTS PAGE, 5ive O’clock Charlie
SUDS BAR AND GRILL (MADISON), Blues Night w/
Bro Rick-Delta
THE BRICK (DECATUR), Lacey Atchison
THE DOCKS (SCOTTSBORO), Trey Browder
THE STATION, Live Music/DJ/ Karaoke
THE STEM AND STEIN, Alex Dietrick
VILLAGE PIZZA (DOWNTOWN ATHENS), Barry Kay
VOODOO LOUNGE BAR & GRILL, Open Mic
LISA’S LOUNGE, Karaoke
LONE GOOSE, Chinchillionaires
LOWE MILL, Musicology Event
MOODY MONDAYS, Karaoke
OLIVIA’S BAR AND GRILL, Karaoke
PARTNER’S BAR & GRILL, Cody Phillips, Izzy Miller,
The Dirty Swagger, The Casket Kids, Post War, Corporate Sponsored Uprising, Local Orbit- Benefit for
Mallory Owens
SAMMY T’S MUSIC HALL, DJ Keibot
SPORTS PAGE, Mike Roberts
THE BRICK (DECATUR), Chocolate Cracker
THE STATION, Crush/DJ/ Karaoke
THE STEM AND STEIN, Jim Cavender
VOODOO LOUNGE BAR & GRILL, Seducing Alice
Friday, January 4
AMERICAN LEGION POST 176, The Mersey Band
AMERICAN LEGION POST 237, Karaoke
BANDITO SOUTHSIDE, Silverstreak
BENCHWARMER TOO, Lil Trip, Tracktion, Young Zoe
BLACK WATER HATTIE’S, Whiskey River Kings
CASA BLANCA (ATHENS), Greg Staggs
COFFEETREE BOOKS & BREW (SEE AD PG.12),
Robert Barnes
DIAMONDS, Black Label
EL HERRADURA, Edgar
EL PASO (NEW HOPE), Karaoke
FINNEGAN’S PUB, Sing Along with Nancy
FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES (DECATUR),
Karaoke
GLASS’S COCKTAILS & GRILL (DECATUR), Eddie
Miller Band
HARD DOCK CAFE (DECATUR), Chop Daddy
HIGHWAY HAVEN, DJ Joey
HOG WILD, Karaoke
HOPPER’S, DJ Lil’ Ed
HUMPHREY’S BAR &GRILL, Blue Handel Band
IMPROV, Canderiah “Can-Can “and the After 9 Band
LEE ANN’S, Fender Benders
LISA’S LOUNGE, Karaoke
LONE GOOSE, Marge Loveday
MAC’S SPORTSBAR AND STEAKHOUSE (ATHENS),
Tom McClung
MOODY MONDAYS, Karaoke
OLIVIA’S BAR AND GRILL, Karaoke
PARTNER’S BAR & GRILL, Diamond Dolls w/ DJ
Bishop Baker
SAMMY T’S MUSIC HALL, DJ Keibot
SPORTS PAGE, Angela Hacker and James Lablanc
THE BRICK (DECATUR), The Breakers
THE STATION, Live Music/DJ/ Karaoke
THE STEM AND STEIN, Seducing Alice
VOODOO LOUNGE BAR & GRILL,
Dawn Osborne Band
Monday, January 7
BANDITO SOUTHSIDE, Robby Eichman
CASA BLANCA (SOUTH PARKWAY), Greg Staggs
COPPERTOP, HDK Karaoke with Howie
END ZONE, Open Mic Night
KAFFEEKLATSCH @ NIGHT, Acoustic Open Mic w/
James Irwin
SPORTS PAGE, Dave Anderson
VOODOO LOUNGE BAR & GRILL, Tim Tucker
Saturday, January 5
AMERICAN LEGION POST 176, The Mersey Band/Karaoke w/ Carol and Joe
AMERICAN LEGION POST 237, Karaoke
BANDITO SOUTHSIDE, Dave Anderson
BLACK WATER HATTIE’S, Max Russell
COFFEETREE BOOKS & BREW (SEE AD PG.12),
Open Mic Night
COPPERTOP, The Gentleman Bastards and The Soft
Revenge
DIAMONDS, Thad Co.
ELK’S LODGE, Karaoke
END ZONE, Ally Free
FLYING MONKEY ARTS CENTER, Toy Shop/ CD
Release
FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES (DECATUR), Square
One Band
FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES (HUNTSVILLE),
Tequila Falls
GLASS’S COCKTAILS & GRILL (DECATUR), As Is No
Warranty
HARD DOCK CAFE (DECATUR), The Breakers
HIGHWAY HAVEN, Legend Band
HOG WILD, Karaoke
HOPPER’S, Jason Albert Band
HUMPHREY’S BAR &GRILL, Loveday
IMPROV, DJ Extraordinary
LAS TROJAS, Edgar
LEE ANN’S, Hot Rod Otis
#010313012313
VOLUME 11 ISSUE 1
Sunday, January 6
BLACK WATER HATTIE’S, The Texicans
FLYING MONKEY ARTS CENTER, Rolling Jazz Revue
FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES (DECATUR), Karaoke w/ David and Carol
HOLIDAY INN (RESEARCH PARK), Karaoke w/ Kearns
Entertainment
HOPPER’S, Karaoke w/ DJ Tara
IMPROV, DJ Extraordinary
KAFFEEKLATSCH @ NIGHT, Sunday Blues Jam
hosted by Freddy Earl and the Blues Mercenaries
SPORTS VISION, Open Mic Night
VOODOO LOUNGE BAR & GRILL, Karaoke w/ DJ
Brandon Mac
Tuesday, January 8
AMERICAN LEGION POST 176, Karaoke/Trivia
BANDITO SOUTHSIDE, Josh Allison
GLASS’S COCKTAILS & GRILL (DECATUR), Karaoke
w/ Lewis
GREEN ROOM, Sharla LaBella
HOLIDAY INN (RESEARCH PARK), Karaoke w/ Kearns
Entertainment
HOPPER’S, Karaoke w/ DJ Tara
KAFFEEKLATSCH @ NIGHT, Marge Loveday
LISA’S LOUNGE, Bike Night w/ Thad Co.
MAC’S SPORTSBAR AND STEAKHOUSE (ATHENS),
Karaoke w/ Doc Roc
SPORTS PAGE, Chelvis and the Bean
THE STATION, Karaoke
VILLAGE PIZZA (DOWNTOWN ATHENS), Matt Prater
VOODOO LOUNGE BAR & GRILL, Dave Anderson
WATERCRESS, Live Jazz
Wednesday, January 9
108 JEFFERSON STREET PUB, Dueling Pianos
AMERICAN LEGION POST 176, Karaoke w/ Carol
and Joe
BANDITO SOUTHSIDE, Microwave Dave
BLACK WATER HATTIE’S, Open Mic w/ Bob Walters
CASA BLANCA (UNIVERSITY), Greg Staggs
COFFEETREE BOOKS & BREW (SEE AD PG.12),
Songwriter’s Jam
END ZONE, Karaoke w/ DJ Tara
FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES (DECATUR), Open
Mic w/ Eddie Miller
GLASS’S COCKTAILS & GRILL (DECATUR), Karaoke
w/ Lewis
HOG WILD, Karaoke
HOPPER’S, Rudy Mockabee
HUMPHREY’S BAR &GRILL, Carla Russell and Mike
Cole
IMPROV, Jazz Café
KAFFEEKLATSCH @ NIGHT, Andrew Sharp
LAS TROJAS, Edgar
LEE ANN’S, Love Child
LISA’S LOUNGE, Karaoke
MOODY MONDAYS, Karaoke
PARTNER’S BAR & GRILL, Talent Night w/ Kinsey
Malone
THE BRICK (DECATUR), Julian Carter
THE FOYER, Open Mic
THE STATION, Karaoke
VILLAGE PIZZA (DOWNTOWN ATHENS), The Grant
and Charles Show
VOODOO LOUNGE BAR & GRILL, James Irvin
Thursday, January 10
AMERICAN LEGION POST 237, Karaoke
BANDITO BURRITO (MADISON), Marge
BANDITO SOUTHSIDE, Dave Anderson
CASA BLANCA (MADISON), Greg Staggs
music cont. on pg. 11
THE VALLEY PLANET
music cont. from pg.10
COPPERTOP, James Irvin
EL PASO (NEW HOPE), Karaoke
END ZONE, Band Showcase with Mikey Moore
FINNEGAN’S PUB, Slip Jig
GLASS’S COCKTAILS & GRILL (DECATUR), Karaoke
w/ Lewis
GUADALAJARA (DECATUR), Karaoke
HIGHWAY HAVEN, Karaoke w/ David
HOG WILD, Karaoke
HOPPER’S, Karaoke w/ DJ Tara
HUMPHREY’S BAR &GRILL, DJ Sweet T
IMPROV, DJ Extraordinary/ Live Jazz
KAFFEEKLATSCH @ NIGHT, Dave Anderson
KNIGHT MOVES, Karaoke w/ DJ
OLIVIA’S BAR AND GRILL, Karaoke
PARTNER’S BAR & GRILL, Karaoke w/ Amber
SAMMY T’S MUSIC HALL, College Night w/ DJ
SPORTS PAGE, 5ive O’clock Charlie
SUDS BAR AND GRILL (MADISON), Blues Night w/
Bro Rick-Delta
THE BRICK (DECATUR), The Shags
THE DOCKS (SCOTTSBORO), Trey Browder
THE STATION, Live Music/DJ/ Karaoke
THE STEM AND STEIN, Adam and Joe
VILLAGE PIZZA (DOWNTOWN ATHENS), Barry Kay
VOODOO LOUNGE BAR & GRILL, Open Mic
Friday, January 11
AMERICAN LEGION POST 176, The Mersey Band
AMERICAN LEGION POST 237, Karaoke
BANDITO SOUTHSIDE, Tangled String
BENCHWARMER TOO, Lil Trip, Tracktion, Young Zoe
BLACK WATER HATTIE’S, Tone Deaf Cattle
BLUE PANTS BREWERY, Alex Dietrich
COFFEETREE BOOKS & BREW (SEE AD PG.12),
Showcase Performer
COPPERTOP, Bourbon & Shamrocks
DIAMONDS, Driven Under
EARTH FARE, Open Mic Series
EL HERRADURA, Edgar
EL PASO (NEW HOPE), Karaoke
FINNEGAN’S PUB, Sing Along with Nancy
FLYING MONKEY ARTS CENTER, Festival
Expressions
FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES (DECATUR),
Karaoke
GLASS’S COCKTAILS & GRILL (DECATUR), Eddie
Miller Band
HARD DOCK CAFE (DECATUR), Juice
HIGHWAY HAVEN, DJ Joey
HOG WILD, Karaoke
HOPPER’S, Black Eyed Susan
HUMPHREY’S BAR &GRILL, Erica’s Playhouse
IMPROV, Canderiah “Can-Can “and the After 9 Band
LEE ANN’S, Kozmic Mama
LISA’S LOUNGE, Karaoke
LONE GOOSE, Moon Pi
MOODY MONDAYS, Karaoke
OLIVIA’S BAR AND GRILL, Karaoke
PARTNER’S BAR & GRILL, Diamond Dolls w/ DJ
Bishop Baker
SAMMY T’S MUSIC HALL, DJ Keibot
SPORTS PAGE, Chris Simmons and the Royal
Blue Trio
THE BRICK (DECATUR), The Mentones
THE STATION, Live Music/DJ/ Karaoke
THE STEM AND STEIN, Aaron Blades Band
TK’S (DECATUR), Crush
VOODOO LOUNGE BAR & GRILL, Kent Goolsby and
Nick Dittmeier
Saturday, January 12
AMERICAN LEGION POST 176, The Mersey Band/Karaoke w/ Carol and Joe
AMERICAN LEGION POST 237, Karaoke
BANDITO SOUTHSIDE, Gus Hergert and Scott
Kennedy
BLACK WATER HATTIE’S, Tom McClung
CASA BLANCA (ATHENS), Greg Staggs
COFFEETREE BOOKS & BREW (SEE AD PG.12),
Open Mic Night
COPPERTOP, Send More Cops, Lysteria, Hall of the
Two Truths
DIAMONDS, Hutch Edwards Project
ELK’S LODGE, Karaoke
END ZONE, Spiral Down South
FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES (DECATUR), Square
One Band
FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES (HUNTSVILLE),
Tequila Falls
GLASS’S COCKTAILS & GRILL (DECATUR), As Is No
Warranty
HARD DOCK CAFE (DECATUR), Straight Forward
HIGHWAY HAVEN, Legend Band
HOG WILD, Karaoke
HUMPHREY’S BAR &GRILL, Cousin Boogie
IMPROV, The Blues Cafe with DJ Bluesman
LAS TROJAS, Edgar
LEE ANN’S, Big 40
LISA’S LOUNGE, Karaoke
LONE GOOSE, Tangled String Band
MOODY MONDAYS, Karaoke
OLIVIA’S BAR AND GRILL, Karaoke
SAMMY T’S MUSIC HALL, DJ Keibot
SPORTS PAGE, River Witch
THE VALLEY PLANET
THE BRICK (DECATUR), Whiskey River Kings
THE STATION, 7” Clearance/DJ/ Karaoke
THE STEM AND STEIN, Jason Cunningham
VOODOO LOUNGE BAR & GRILL, Toy Shop
Sunday, January 13
BLACK WATER HATTIE’S, Sound Wave
END ZONE, Happy Birthday Carter G
FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES (DECATUR), Karaoke w/ David and Carol
HOLIDAY INN (RESEARCH PARK), Karaoke w/ Kearns
Entertainment
HOPPER’S, Karaoke w/ DJ Tara
IMPROV, DJ Extraordinary
KAFFEEKLATSCH @ NIGHT, Sunday Blues Jam
hosted by Freddy Earl and the Blues Mercenaries
SPORTS VISION, Open Mic Night
VOODOO LOUNGE BAR & GRILL, Karaoke w/ DJ
Brandon Mac
Monday, January 14
BANDITO SOUTHSIDE, Robby Eichman CD Release
Party
CASA BLANCA (SOUTH PARKWAY), Greg Staggs
COPPERTOP, HDK Karaoke with Howie
END ZONE, Open Mic
KAFFEEKLATSCH @ NIGHT, Acoustic Open Mic w/
James Irwin
SPORTS PAGE, Dave Anderson
Tuesday, January 15
AMERICAN LEGION POST 176, Karaoke/Trivia
BANDITO SOUTHSIDE, Josh Allison
GLASS’S COCKTAILS & GRILL (DECATUR), Karaoke
w/ Lewis
GREEN ROOM, Sharla LaBella
HOLIDAY INN (RESEARCH PARK), Karaoke w/ Kearns
Entertainment
HOPPER’S, Karaoke w/ DJ Tara
KAFFEEKLATSCH @ NIGHT, Charlie Howell
LISA’S LOUNGE, Bike Night w/ Thad Co.
MAC’S SPORTSBAR AND STEAKHOUSE (ATHENS),
Karaoke w/ Doc Roc
SPORTS PAGE, Chelvis and the Bean
THE STATION, Karaoke
VOODOO LOUNGE BAR & GRILL, Dave Anderson
WATERCRESS, Live Jazz
Wednesday, January 16
108 JEFFERSON STREET PUB, Dueling Pianos
AMERICAN LEGION POST 176, Karaoke w/ Carol
and Joe
BANDITO SOUTHSIDE, Microwave Dave
BLACK WATER HATTIE’S, Open Mic w/ Bob Walters
CASA BLANCA (UNIVERSITY), Greg Staggs
COFFEETREE BOOKS & BREW (SEE AD PG.12),
Songwriter’s Jam
END ZONE, Karaoke w/ DJ Tara
FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES (DECATUR), Open
Mic w/ Eddie Miller
GLASS’S COCKTAILS & GRILL (DECATUR), Karaoke
w/ Lewis
HOG WILD, Karaoke
HOPPER’S, DJ Lil’ Ed
HUMPHREY’S BAR &GRILL, Juice
IMPROV, Jazz Café
KAFFEEKLATSCH @ NIGHT, Andrew Sharp
LAS TROJAS, Edgar
LISA’S LOUNGE, Karaoke
MOODY MONDAYS, Karaoke
PARTNER’S BAR & GRILL, Talent Night w/ Kinsey
Malone
THE BRICK (DECATUR), Daniel Jones
THE FOYER, Open Mic
THE STATION, Karaoke
VILLAGE PIZZA (DOWNTOWN ATHENS), The Grant
and Charles Show
VOODOO LOUNGE BAR & GRILL, James Irvin
AY ARY 26
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R
U
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SA
JANU
D
R
O
REC
d
c
&
W
O
H
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10am-5pm
free admission!
BUY-SELL-TRADE
HUNTSVILLEMADISON
BEST WESTERN PLUS
9035 MADISON BLVD.
EXIT I-565 AT
WALL-TRIANA
(MADISON) EXIT 8
FORMERLY HOLIDAY INN WEST
Thursday, January 17
AMERICAN LEGION POST 237, Karaoke
BANDITO BURRITO (MADISON), Marge
BANDITO SOUTHSIDE, Dave Anderson
BLUE PANTS BREWERY, Colin and Alex
CASA BLANCA (MADISON), Greg Staggs
EL PASO (NEW HOPE), Karaoke
END ZONE, Band Showcase with Mikey Moore
FINNEGAN’S PUB, Slip Jig
GLASS’S COCKTAILS & GRILL (DECATUR), Karaoke
w/ Lewis
GUADALAJARA (DECATUR), Karaoke
HIGHWAY HAVEN, Karaoke w/ David
HOG WILD, Karaoke
HUMPHREY’S BAR &GRILL, DJ Sweet T
IMPROV, DJ Extraordinary
KAFFEEKLATSCH @ NIGHT, Dave Anderson
KNIGHT MOVES, Karaoke w/ DJ
OLIVIA’S BAR AND GRILL, Karaoke
PARTNER’S BAR & GRILL, Karaoke w/ Amber
SAMMY T’S MUSIC HALL, College Night w/ DJ
SPORTS PAGE, 5ive O’clock Charlie
SUDS BAR AND GRILL (MADISON), Blues Night w/
Bro Rick-Delta
THE BRICK (DECATUR), Top Daddy and Dane
THE DOCKS (SCOTTSBORO), Trey Browder
music cont. on pg. 12
#010313012313
VOLUME 11 ISSUE 1
WWW.VALLEYPLANET.COM
11
music cont. from pg.11
THE STATION, Live Music/DJ/ Karaoke
THE STEM AND STEIN, Kim and Lisa
VILLAGE PIZZA (DOWNTOWN ATHENS), Barry Kay
VOODOO LOUNGE BAR & GRILL, Open Mic
Friday, January 18
AMERICAN LEGION POST 176, The Mersey Band
AMERICAN LEGION POST 237, Karaoke
BANDITO SOUTHSIDE, Whiskey River Kings
BENCHWARMER TOO, Lil Trip, Tracktion, Young Zoe
BISHOP’S EAST SIDE, Mr. B
BLACK WATER HATTIE’S, 2 Daze Gone
COFFEETREE BOOKS & BREW (SEE AD PG.12), Larry
Cole
COPPERTOP, Sam McLeroy and Loves It!
DIAMONDS, Travis Posey
EL HERRADURA, Edgar
EL PASO (NEW HOPE), Karaoke
FINNEGAN’S PUB, Sing Along with Nancy
FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES (DECATUR),
Karaoke
GLASS’S COCKTAILS & GRILL (DECATUR), Eddie
Miller Band
HARD DOCK CAFE (DECATUR), Kozmic Mama
HIGHWAY HAVEN, DJ Joey
HOG WILD, Karaoke
HOPPER’S, RPM
HUMPHREY’S BAR &GRILL, Black Eyed Susan
IMPROV, Canderiah “Can-Can “and the After 9 Band
LEE ANN’S, Full Circle
LISA’S LOUNGE, Karaoke
LONE GOOSE, Toy Shop
MAC’S SPORTSBAR AND STEAKHOUSE (ATHENS),
Tom McClung
MOODY MONDAYS, Karaoke
OLIVIA’S BAR AND GRILL, Karaoke
PARTNER’S BAR & GRILL, Diamond Dolls w/ DJ
Bishop Baker
SAMMY T’S MUSIC HALL, DJ Keibot
SPORTS PAGE, 5ive O’clock Charlie
THE BRICK (DECATUR), Seducing Alice
THE STATION, Live Music/DJ/ Karaoke
THE STEM AND STEIN, Trey Morgan
Saturday, January 19
AMERICAN LEGION POST 176, The Mersey Band/Karaoke w/ Carol and Joe
AMERICAN LEGION POST 237, Karaoke
BANDITO SOUTHSIDE, Dave Anderson
BLACK WATER HATTIE’S, Jonathan and Tyler
CASA BLANCA (ATHENS), Greg Staggs
COFFEETREE BOOKS & BREW (SEE AD PG.12),
Open Mic Night
12
WWW.VALLEYPLANET.COM
#010313012313
VOLUME 11 ISSUE 1
COPPERTOP, Envain, CSU, and Until They Bleed
DIAMONDS, Unleashed and Dizzy Trip
ELK’S LODGE, Karaoke
FLYING MONKEY ARTS CENTER,
The Low Down Sires
FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES (DECATUR), Square
One Band
FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES (HUNTSVILLE),
Tequila Falls
GLASS’S COCKTAILS & GRILL (DECATUR), As Is No
Warranty
HARD DOCK CAFE (DECATUR), Playback
HIGHWAY HAVEN, Legend Band
HOG WILD, Karaoke
HOPPER’S, RPM
HUMPHREY’S BAR &GRILL, Microwave Dave and
the Nukes
IMPROV, The Blues Cafe with DJ Bluesman
LAS TROJAS, Edgar
LISA’S LOUNGE, Karaoke
LONE GOOSE, The Robertson’s (Acoustic)
MOODY MONDAYS, Karaoke
OLIVIA’S BAR AND GRILL, Karaoke
SAMMY T’S MUSIC HALL, DJ Keibot
SPORTS PAGE, Black Label
THE BRICK (DECATUR), Pioneer Chicken Stand
THE STATION, Live Music/DJ/ Karaoke
THE STEM AND STEIN, Jason Cunningham
VOODOO LOUNGE BAR & GRILL, 45 Surprise
Sunday, January 20
BLACK WATER HATTIE’S, Let Her 7
FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES (DECATUR), Karaoke w/ David and Carol
HOLIDAY INN (RESEARCH PARK), Karaoke w/ Kearns
Entertainment
HOPPER’S, Karaoke w/ DJ Tara
IMPROV, DJ Extraordinary
KAFFEEKLATSCH @ NIGHT, Sunday Blues Jam
hosted by Freddy Earl and the Blues Mercenaries
SPORTS VISION, Open Mic Night
VOODOO LOUNGE BAR & GRILL, Karaoke w/ DJ
Brandon Mac
Monday, January 21
BANDITO SOUTHSIDE, Microwave Dave
CASA BLANCA (SOUTH PARKWAY), Greg Staggs
COPPERTOP, HDK Karaoke with Howie
GLASS’S COCKTAILS & GRILL (DECATUR), New
Year’s Eve Party
KAFFEEKLATSCH @ NIGHT, Acoustic Open Mic w/
James Irwin
music cont. on pg. 13
THE VALLEY PLANET
REGIONAL CONCERTS
ATLANTA
January 12, Brian Regan, Cobb Energy Performing Arts
January 18, Ellie Goulding, The Tabernacle
January 20, Bryan Adams, Cobb Energy Performing Arts
January 20, Willie Nelson, The Tabernacle
January 21, Ed Sheeran, The Tabernacle
January 23, Justin Bieber, Philips Arena
BIRMINGHAM
January 16, Justin Bieber, BJCC Arena
HUNTSVILLE
January 4, Jim Parker’s Songwriter’s Series, VBC Playhouse
January 18, Luke Bryan, Von Braun Center Arena
January 19, Black Jacket Symphony, VBC Concert Hall
January 25-27, Blue Man Group, VBC Concert Hall
MEMPHIS
January 11, Brian Regan, Orpheum Theatre
January 20, Musiq Soulchild, Orpheum Theatre
January 26, Bill Maher, Orpheum Theatre
NASHVILLE
January 13. Brian Regan, Ryman Auditorium
January 18, Justin Bieber, Bridgestone Arena
January 22, Ed Sheeran, Ryman Auditorium
January 29, Morrissey, Ryman Auditorium music cont. from pg.12
SPORTS PAGE, Dave Anderson
VOODOO LOUNGE BAR & GRILL,
Microwave Dave Solo
Tuesday, January 22
AMERICAN LEGION POST 176, Karaoke/Trivia
BANDITO SOUTHSIDE, Josh Allison
GLASS’S COCKTAILS & GRILL (DECATUR), Karaoke
w/ Lewis
GREEN ROOM, Sharla LaBella
HOLIDAY INN (RESEARCH PARK), Karaoke w/ Kearns
Entertainment
HOPPER’S, Karaoke w/ Tara
KAFFEEKLATSCH @ NIGHT, Marge Loveday
LISA’S LOUNGE, Bike Night w/ Thad Co.
MAC’S SPORTSBAR AND STEAKHOUSE (ATHENS),
Karaoke w/ Doc Roc
SPORTS PAGE, Chelvis and the Bean
THE STATION, Karaoke
VILLAGE PIZZA (DOWNTOWN ATHENS), Matt Prater
VOODOO LOUNGE BAR & GRILL, Dave Anderson
WATERCRESS, Live Jazz
Wednesday, January 23
108 JEFFERSON STREET PUB, Dueling Pianos
AMERICAN LEGION POST 176, Karaoke w/ Carol
and Joe
BANDITO SOUTHSIDE, Microwave Dave
BLACK WATER HATTIE’S, Open Mic w/ Bob Walters
CASA BLANCA (UNIVERSITY), Greg Staggs
COFFEETREE BOOKS & BREW (SEE AD PG.12),
Songwriter’s Jam
CROSSROADS, Candlebox
END ZONE, Karaoke w/ DJ Tara
FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES (DECATUR), Open
Mic w/ Eddie Miller
GLASS’S COCKTAILS & GRILL (DECATUR), Karaoke
w/ Lewis
HOG WILD, Karaoke
HOPPER’S, Rudy Mockabee
HUMPHREY’S BAR &GRILL, 5ive O’clock Charlie
IMPROV, Jazz Café
KAFFEEKLATSCH @ NIGHT, Andrew Sharp
LAS TROJAS, Edgar
LISA’S LOUNGE, Karaoke
MOODY MONDAYS, Karaoke
PARTNER’S BAR & GRILL, Talent Night w/ Kinsey
Malone
THE BRICK (DECATUR), Alex Dietrick
THE FOYER, Open Mic
THE STATION, Karaoke
VILLAGE PIZZA (DOWNTOWN ATHENS), The Grant
and Charles Show
VOODOO LOUNGE BAR & GRILL, James Irvin
Thursday, January 24
AMERICAN LEGION POST 237, Karaoke
BANDITO BURRITO (MADISON), Marge
BANDITO SOUTHSIDE, Dave Anderson
CASA BLANCA (MADISON), Greg Staggs
COPPERTOP, Post War and Others
EL PASO (NEW HOPE), Karaoke
END ZONE, Mikey Moore’s Band Showcase
FINNEGAN’S PUB, Slip Jig
GLASS’S COCKTAILS & GRILL (DECATUR), Karaoke
w/ Lewis
GUADALAJARA (DECATUR), Karaoke
HIGHWAY HAVEN, Karaoke w/ David
HOG WILD, Karaoke
HUMPHREY’S BAR &GRILL, DJ Sweet T
IMPROV, DJ Extraordinary
THE VALLEY PLANET
KNIGHT MOVES, Karaoke w/ DJ
OLIVIA’S BAR AND GRILL, Karaoke
PARTNER’S BAR & GRILL, Karaoke w/ Amber
SAMMY T’S MUSIC HALL, College Night w/ DJ
SPORTS PAGE, 5ive O’clock Charlie
SUDS BAR AND GRILL (MADISON), Blues Night w/
Bro Rick-Delta
THE DOCKS (SCOTTSBORO), Trey Browder
THE OLD CHURCH AT BURRITT ON THE MOUNTAIN,
Just Down the Road
THE STATION, Live Music/DJ/ Karaoke
THE STEM AND STEIN, Alyssa Jaycee
VILLAGE PIZZA (DOWNTOWN ATHENS), Barry Kay
VOODOO LOUNGE BAR & GRILL, Open Mic Night
Friday, January 25
AMERICAN LEGION POST 176, The Mersey Band
AMERICAN LEGION POST 237, Karaoke
BANDITO SOUTHSIDE, Bourbon & Shamrocks
BENCHWARMER TOO, Lil Trip, Tracktion, Young Zoe
BLACK WATER HATTIE’S, Moon Pi
COFFEETREE BOOKS & BREW (SEE AD PG.12),
Daniel Yalowitz
COPPERTOP, EDM DJ Party
DIAMONDS, Big Daddy Kingfish
EL HERRADURA, Edgar
EL PASO (NEW HOPE), Karaoke
FINNEGAN’S PUB, Sing Along with Nancy
FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES (DECATUR), Karaoke
GLASS’S COCKTAILS & GRILL (DECATUR), Eddie
Miller Band
GREEN ROOM, Dank Sinatra
HARD DOCK CAFE (DECATUR), Hot Rod Otis
HIGHWAY HAVEN, DJ Joey
HOG WILD, Karaoke
HOPPER’S, Pla Station
HUMPHREY’S BAR &GRILL, Kozmic Mama
IMPROV, Canderiah “Can-Can “and the After 9 Band
LEE ANN’S, Groove
LISA’S LOUNGE, Karaoke
LONE GOOSE, 5ive O’clock Charlie
MOODY MONDAYS, Karaoke
OLIVIA’S BAR AND GRILL, Karaoke
PARTNER’S BAR & GRILL, Diamond Dolls w/ DJ
Bishop Baker
SAMMY T’S MUSIC HALL, DJ Keibot
SPORTS PAGE, Back Hand Karma
THE BRICK (DECATUR), Rollin’ in the Hay
THE STATION, Live Music/DJ/ Karaoke
THE STEM AND STEIN, Jason Cunningham
HOPPER’S, Pla Station
HUMPHREY’S BAR &GRILL, 45 Surprise
IMPROV, The Blues Cafe with DJ Bluesman
LAS TROJAS, Edgar
LISA’S LOUNGE, Karaoke
LONE GOOSE, O’Dell Johnson Duo
LOWE MILL, Splitting Atoms, Barricades at Night,
Send More Cops
MOODY MONDAYS, Karaoke
OLIVIA’S BAR AND GRILL, Karaoke
SAMMY T’S MUSIC HALL, DJ Keibot
SPORTS PAGE, Damn Skippy
THE BRICK (DECATUR), Black Label
THE STATION, Live Music/DJ/ Karaoke
THE STEM AND STEIN, Alyssa Jaycee
Sunday, January 27
BLACK WATER HATTIE’S, Off Bros.
FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES (DECATUR), Karaoke w/ David and Carol
HOLIDAY INN (RESEARCH PARK), Karaoke w/ Kearns
Entertainment
HOPPER’S, Karaoke w/ DJ Tara
IMPROV, DJ Extraordinary
KAFFEEKLATSCH @ NIGHT, Sunday Blues Jam
hosted by Freddy Earl and the Blues Mercenaries
SPORTS VISION, Open Mic Night
VOODOO LOUNGE BAR & GRILL, Karaoke w/ DJ
Brandon Mac
Saturday, January 26
AMERICAN LEGION POST 176, The Mersey Band/Karaoke w/ Carol and Joe
AMERICAN LEGION POST 237, Karaoke
BANDITO SOUTHSIDE, Dave Anderson
BLACK WATER HATTIE’S, Gus Hergert
CASA BLANCA (ATHENS), Greg Staggs
COFFEETREE BOOKS & BREW (SEE AD PG.12), Open
Mic Night
COPPERTOP, Dixie Derby Girls Party, with Systematic
Shame, Thunder Crotch, Clit Boner, CSU, and The Dirty
DIAMONDS, Spellbinder
ELK’S LODGE, Karaoke
FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES (DECATUR), Square
One Band
FRATERNAL ORDER OF EAGLES (HUNTSVILLE),
Tequila Falls
GLASS’S COCKTAILS & GRILL (DECATUR), As Is No
Warranty
HARD DOCK CAFE (DECATUR), Chocolate Cracker
HIGHWAY HAVEN, Legend Band
HOG WILD, Karaoke
#010313012313
VOLUME 11 ISSUE 1
THE END!
Hoppers (Holiday Inn on University)
still celebrating after New Years Eve!
Local Party Band Pla Station plays Friday and Saturday night, Jan. 25 & 26!
Candlebox to play at
Crossroads Music Hall in
downtown Huntsville on
Wednesday, January 23.
They released their latest
album, Love Stories & Other
Musings, in April of 2012.
WWW.VALLEYPLANET.COM
13
FREE WILL
ASTROLOGY
full professor. But he turned it down. He couldn’t
bear leaving his day job as the vice-president of
an insurance company in Hartford, Connecticut. I
suspect that in the first half of 2013, you will come
to a fork in the road that may feel something like
January 3 – January 23
Stevens’ quandary. Should you stick with what
© Copyright 2012, 2013 Rob Brezsny
you know or else head off in the direction of more
intense and unpredictable stimulation? I’m not
ARIES (March 21-April 19): In the sci-fi film trilogy here to tell you which is the better choice; I simply
The Matrix, the heroes are able to instantaneously want to make sure you clearly identify the nature
acquire certain complex skills via software that’s of the decision.
downloaded directly into their brains. In this way,
the female hacker named Trinity masters the art of SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In 2013, I will
piloting a military M-109 helicopter in just a few try to help you retool, reinvent, and reinvigorate
minutes. If you could choose a few downloads like yourself in every way that’s important to you. I will
that, Aries, what would they be? This isn’t just a encourage you to reawaken one of your sleeping
rhetorical question meant for your amusement. In aptitudes, recapture a lost treasure, and reanimate a
2013, I expect that your educational capacity will dream you’ve neglected. If you’re smart, Scorpio,
be exceptional. While you may not be able to add you will reallocate resources that got misdirected or
new skills as easily as Trinity, you’ll be pretty fast wasted. And I hope you will reapply for a privilege
and efficient. So what do you want to learn? Choose or position you were previously denied, because I
wisely.
bet you’ll win it this time around. Here are your
words of power for the year ahead: resurrection
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Are you familiar and redemption.
with the fable of the golden goose? The farmer
who owned it became impatient because it laid only SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Based on
one gold egg per day. So he killed it, thinking he experiments at the Large Hadron Collider, a team
would thereby get the big chunk of gold that must of physicists in France and Switzerland announced
be inside its body. Alas, his theory was mistaken. last July that they had tentatively discovered the
There was no chunk. From then on, of course, he no Higgs Boson, which is colloquially known as the
longer got his modest daily treasure. I nominate this “God particle.” What’s all the fuss? In her San
fable to be one of your top teaching stories of 2013. Francisco Chronicle column, Leah Garchik quoted
As long as you’re content with a slow, steady rate an expert who sought to explain: “The Higgs boson
of enrichment, you’ll be successful. Pushing extra is the WD40 and duct tape of the universe, all
hard to expedite the flow might lead to problems.
rolled into one.” Is there a metaphorical equivalent
of such a glorious and fundamental thing in your
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Here are some of life, Sagittarius? If not, I predict you will find it in
the experiences I hope to help you harvest in the 2013. If there already is, I expect you will locate
coming year: growing pains that are interesting and start using its 2.0 version.
and invigorating rather than stressful; future shock
that feels like a fun joyride rather than a bumpy CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In 2013, I
rumble; two totally new and original ways to get pledge to help you bring only the highest-quality
excited; a good reason to have faith in a dream that influences and self-responsible people into your life.
has previously been improbable; a fresh supply of Together we will work to dispel any unconscious
Innocent Crazy-Wise Love Truth; and access to all attraction you might have to demoralizing chaos
the borogoves, mome raths, and slithy toves you or pathological melodrama. We will furthermore
could ever want.
strive to ensure that as you deepen and fine-tune
your self-discipline, it will not be motivated by
CANCER (June 21-July 22): In her gallery show self-denial or obsessive control-freak tendencies.
“Actuality, Reminiscence, and Fabrication,” artist Rather, it will be an act of love that you engage in
Deborah Sullivan includes a piece called “Penance so as to intensify your ability to express yourself
1962.” It consists of a series of handwritten freely and beautifully.
statements that repeats a central theme: “I must
not look at boys during prayer.” I’m assuming it’s AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “Genius is
based on her memory of being in church or Catholic the ability to renew one’s emotions in daily
school when she was a teenager. You probably have experience,” said French painter Paul Cezanne.
an analogous rule lodged somewhere in the depths of What do you think he meant by that? Here’s one
your unconscious mind -- an outmoded prohibition interpretation: Many of us replay the same old
or taboo that may still be subtly corroding your emotions over and over again - even in response
life energy. The coming year will be an excellent to experiences that are nothing like the past events
time to banish that ancient nonsense for good. If when we felt those exact feelings. So a genius
you were Deborah Sullivan, I’d advise you to fill a might be someone who generates a fresh emotion
whole notebook page with the corrected assertion: for each new adventure. Here’s another possible
“It’s OK to look at boys during prayer.”
interpretation of Cezanne’s remark: It can be hard
to get excited about continually repeating the basic
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): For years, the gravestone tasks of our regular routines day after day. But a
of Irish dramatist Oscar Wilde was covered with genius might be someone who is good at doing just
kiss-shaped lipstick marks that were left by his that. I think that by both of these definitions, 2013
admirers. Unfortunately, Wilde’s descendants could be a genius year for you Aquarians.
decided to scour away all those blessings and erect
a glass wall around the tomb to prevent further PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Home is not just
displays of affection. In my astrological opinion, the building where you live. It’s more than the
Leo, you should favor the former style of behavior community that gives you support and the patch of
over the latter in 2013. In other words, don’t focus earth that comforts you with its familiarity. Home
on keeping things neat and clean and well-ordered. is any place where you’re free to be your authentic
On the contrary: Be extravagant and uninhibited self; it’s any power spot where you can think your
in expressing your love for the influences that own thoughts and see with your own eyes. I hope
inspire you - even at the risk of being a bit unruly and trust that in 2013 you will put yourself in
or messy.
position to experience this state of mind as often as
possible. Do you have any ideas about how to do
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In 2013, I hope to that? Brainstorm about it on a regular basis for the
conspire with you to raise your levels of righteous next six months.
success. If you’re a struggling songwriter, I’ll be
pushing for you to get your music out to more Homework: To check out Part One of my threepeople -- without sacrificing your artistic integrity. part audio forecasts of your destiny in 2013, go
If you’re a kindergarten teacher, I’ll prompt you to to http://bit.ly/BigPicture2012.
fine-tune and deepen the benevolent influence you
have on your students. If you’re a business owner,
Rob Brezsny
I’ll urge you to ensure that the product or service
Free Will Astrology
you offer is a well-honed gift to those who use it.
freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com
As I trust you can see, Virgo, I’m implying that
415.459.7209
impeccable ethics will be crucial to your ascent in
P.O. Box 4400
the coming year.
San Rafael, CA 94913
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): After Libran poet
Wallace Stevens won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry
in 1955, Harvard University offered him a job as a
14
WWW.VALLEYPLANET.COM
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Thursday, January 3
Tally Ho! A Journey into Monte Sano’s Past exhibit
will be at Burritt on the Mountain through January
6th. www.burrittonthemountain.com.
The Carnegie Visual Arts Center presents a solo
showing of artist Sloane Bibb’s mixed media. Sloane
Bibb: Minding His Own Beeswax features new works
and works from private collection. It will be on exhibit
through January 12, 2013. www.carnegiearts.org.
There will be Pickin’ & Grinnin’ at Ardmore every
Thursday night at 6:30pm at the Ardmore TN Annex
Building. 256-423-7588.
The Huntsville Museum of Art will have the exhibit,
Face Off, Portraits from the Collection, Object of
Devotion: Medieval English Alabaster Sculpture,
Divine Masterpieces from the Collection of
Bob Jones University Museum & Gallery and
Encounters: John Donovan on exhibit. They will be
on exhibit until January 20, 2013.
www.hsvmuseum.org.
The Huntsville Museum of Art will have the exhibit,
Art in Clay, Masterworks of North Carolina
Earthenware. It will be on exhibit until January 6,
2013. www.hsvmuseum.org.
Math Alive will be at the US Space and Rocket
Center. It is designed to inspire, spark the imagination,
and reveal not only math at work but also the endless
possibilities of math. The day program is $25 and the
overnight program is $49. www.spacecamp.com.
Align and Wine is hosted by Mitzi Connell every
Thursday at 6pm at the Huntsville Museum of
Art. The Align/Yoga class alone is $15 Align & Wine
altogether is $22.00, plus the cost of any menu items
you order. http://MitziConnell.com.
Art with a Twist will be at the Huntsville Museum of
Art from 5:30-8:30pm. www.hsvmuseum.org.
The Huntsville Havoc vs. Knoxville Ice Bears Hockey
Game will be at the VBC Propst Arena at 7:30pm.
The PieceMaker’s Quilt Guild meets the first Thursday
of the month at First Church of Athens 17175 Lucas
Ferry Road at 7pm. Social hour starts at 6:30pm.
www.athensplus.com.
There will be a Planetarium Show every Saturday
night at 7:30pm at the Planetarium. www.vbas.org.
There will be an Artist Market from 12-4pm.
Admission is free. Local artists and others are invited
to set up a booth at the Flying Monkey Arts and sell
their wares to the public. It will be on the 2nd floor of
Lowe Mill. www.flyingmonkeyarts.org.
The Alabama Veterans Museum Coffee Call will be
the first Saturday each month from 8am until 9:30am
at 100 Pryor Street (at RR tracks). 256-771-7578.
Chilly Play Days at Hays Nature Preserve will have
Animal Signs (Pre-5th) at 9:30am and 4pm. Admission
is free. 256- 532-5326.
There will be a Free Training Expo at Fleet Feet
Sports on Carl T Jones Drive at 8:30pm.
There will be a Bridal Gala at the Westin in Huntsville
from 11am until 2pm. 256-837-5322.
Sunday, January 6
Honey I Shrunk the Orchestra, presented by
Huntsville Symphony Orchestra will be at the
Randolph Thurber Arts Center at 3:30pm.
www.hso.org.
The Celebrations Bridal Fair will be at the VBC
Center at 12:30pm.
The Film Co-op monthly workshop will be from
2-4pm. Admission is free. The Film Co-op monthly
workshop meets in Don’s Studio, #264 on the second
floor of Lowe Mill. Open to all. 256- 457-5371,
www.lowemill.net.
Monday, January 7
Chilly Play Days at Hays Nature Preserve will have
many forms of Water (Pre-5th). It is also offered on
Wednesday, January 9th. Sessions will be at 9:30am
and 4pm. Admission is free. 256- 532-5326.
There will be a Small Business Lunch & Learn:
“Bartering,” at noon at the main Huntsville-Madison
County Public Library. The speaker is Susan Voiers,
director at Valley Business Network. www.hmcpl.org.
There will be Pickin’ & Grinnin’ at Elkmont Depot
every Monday night at 6:30pm at the 256-423-7588.
The Athens Dulcimers meet at 6:30 pm at Athens
Recreation Center 1st & 3rd Thursday night of each
month. 256-233-1262, www.athensplus.com.
The Huntsville Art League will have Figure Drawing
Group every Monday from 9 am until noon at the HAL
Gallery. http://huntsvilleartleague.org.
The Athens State University Alumni Association
would like to invite you to join us for a dutch-treat
breakfast event at LuVici’s on the first Thursday of
the month. This event is open to all Athens State
University alums, faculty, staff, students, family and
friends. 256-233-8185.
Tuesday, January 8
West Coast Swing will be at Crossroads Music Hall
downtown at 7pm with a lesson followed by open
dancing until 10pm.
Friday, January 4
Monkey Speak will be at the Flying Monkey from
8-11pm. Admission is $5. It is an open-mic night, an
open stage for anyone to read perform or improvise
poetry drama or prose or any variation of the spoken
word. No experience is necessary. Mature audiences
only. www.flyingmonkeyarts.org.
Jim Parker’s Songwriters Series will feature Wynn
Varble, Deborah Allen, Aaron Barker with Special
guest Will Stults. It will be at the VBC Playhouse at
6:30pm. www.jimparkermusic.com.
Alabama A&M’s Men’s Basketball vs. Jackson State
will be at 5:30pm in the Elmore Building.
January 4-5
UAH Hockey vs. Adrian will be at 7pm at the VBC Arena.
January 4-6
The Broadway Theatre League presents West Side
Story; it will be at the VBC Concert Hall.
www.broadwaytheatreleague.org.
Saturday, January 5
There will be a Contra Dance in the gym of Faith
Presbyterian Church at the corner of Airport and
Whitesburg Drive. There will be live music by Ed and
Elsie and calling by Jane Ewing from 7:30pm until
10:30pm. Lessons begin at 7pm. Admission is $7 and
$4 for students. Children under 12 are free.
256-837-0656, http://secontra.com/NACDS.html.
Marc Lacy and Friends present the world renowned
HBO Def Poet Black Ice accompanied by Huntsville’s
own PMS Band at the Improv Entertainment and
Restaurant.
http://www.facebook.com/MarcLacyandFriends/app.
There will be a Write Right Lunch & Learn:“Goodreads,”
from noon to 1pm at the main Huntsville-Madison
County Public Library. www.goodreads.com,
www.hmcpl.org.
Snowflakes for Sandy Hook will be at the HuntsvilleMadison County Public Library. Huntsville residents
can show their support for the children and teachers
of Sandy Hook Elementary School, site of the recent
shooting. Snowflakes can be brought to the Main
Library, 915 Monroe St., no later than Tuesday, January
8 at 5pm. hmcpl.org.
Gee’s Place will have Line Dance class every Tuesday
from 6-8pm. The cost is $5.00.
The Dance Club presents ballroom dancing every
Tuesday night (mambo samba/January). It is located at
South Memorial @ Mythewood Dr., Aldersgate. Free
dance lessons begin at 7:30pm. Dancing continues
until 10:15pm. The cost is $5 for regular and $3 for
students. 256-883-6107, dancehsv.mindspring.com.
Amendment XXI will have Homegrown Huntsville,
Above Top Shelf Tasting- Sake and Sushi Tasting.
The cost is $25. www.homegrownhuntsville.com.
Wednesday, January 9
Every Wednesday there will be a Bike Ride with the
gang from Bicycles Etc. It is usually 27 miles with
significant climbing and a spiffy pace. It will meet at
Bicycles Etc. at 5:30pm. www.bicyclesetc.us.
Dixie Scrabblers will be meeting every Wednesday in
January at Panera Bread to play social Scrabble. First
game starts around 6pm. Group usually plays two
games and runs no later than 8pm.
The Elkmont Library (Depot) will have Storytime,
every Wednesday from 10-11am. 256-732-3703.
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events cont. from pg.14
Thursday, January 10
The Beloved Book Club will meet from 6:30-7:30pm
in the Beloved Books & Gallery, in the Flying Monkey
Arts. Each discussion is moderated or led by individual
members on a revolving basis.
www.flyingmonkey.org.
The Tennessee Valley Civil War Round Table,
“Freedom’s Captain: from Slavery to Congressman the Life and Legacy of Robert Smalls” By Kraig McNutt,
Civil War historian, writer, historic preservationist and
lecturer will be at 6:30pm at the Elks Lodge at 725
Franklin Street. There is an Optional chicken buffet at
5:30pm for $8.95. Visitors are welcome.
256-539-5287.
Friday, January 11
There will be a workshop, How to Run a Small
Business from a Financial Standpoint at 8am at the
Huntsville Madison County Chamber of Commerce.
www.huntsvillealabamausa.com.
The Huntsville Havoc vs. Mississippi River Kings Hockey
Game will be at the VBC Propst Arena at 7:30pm
January 11-12
Merrimack Hall presents the 6th Annual Evening of
Dance. It is a weekend of dance events showcasing
performance and choreography talent from across
the Southeast. The cost is $30.
www.merrimackhall.com.
January 11-13
Theatre Huntsville presents, Prelude to a Kiss, at the
VBC Playhouse. Tickets are $18. Performance times
are Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2pm.
www.yourseatiswaiting.org.
Saturday, January 12
The Huntsville Bead Society will be meeting at the
Crestwood Women’s Center Community Room from
10am to 6pm. (185 Chateau Dr.) Business meeting will
start at 10:30. There will be a class this month on Spiral
Peyote. For a list of materials contact us at
hsvbeads@gmail.com.
Mountain Valley Arts Council and the Guntersville
Public Library will present three films by Andrew Beck
Grace, an independent filmmaker and film professor
at the University of Alabama. The documentaries
include “Backstage,” “The Durr’s of Montgomery,”
and his latest film, “Eating Alabama.” There will be a
reception in honor of Mr. Grace the evening of January
11th at 6:00 pm at the library. The films will be shown
on the 12th at the Library. This event is free. 256-5717100, email at artscouncil@mindspring.com
The shoe making demonstrations with Daniel Clark
will be from 1-4pm. Admission is free. Artist and
craftsman, Daniel Clark will be conducting shoe
making technique demonstrations on Saturday
afternoon in the Flying Monkey Theatre on the second
floor of Lowe Mill. shoepatterns@gmail.com.
The American Association of University Women
(AAUW) Huntsville Branch will host the editor of a
book of stories of Jewish women on the occupation of
Palestine as well as a board member of Pal Craftaid at
its monthly meeting at the Teen Room of Covenant
Presbyterian Church at 10am.The cost of the brunch
is $16. 256-880-8643, lois.guendel@knology.net.
There will be a Raconteurs reception at Beloved
Books and Gallery from 4:30-5:30pm. Admission is
free. Meet the Raconteurs of the Unchained Tour in
studio 273 at Flying Monkey Arts on the second floor
of Lowe Mill. Then join the fun in the theater at 7pm.
www.theunchainedtour.org.
The Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge will hold its
first Festival of the Cranes, a one-day event filled
with refuge tours, up-close viewings, workshops,
live raptors, and nature walks. A $5 donation to the
Wheeler Wildlife Refuge Association is suggested.
The day-long event concludes at 5pm. The Wheeler
National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center is located at
3121 Visitor Center Road in Decatur.
www.friendsofwheelerrefuge.org, 256.350.6639.
XTERRA Alabama “Monte Sano” State Park 5K/15K
Trail Run will be at Monte Sano State Park at 8:30am.
The Huntsville Personal Computer User Group
(HPCUG) will meet at the Senior Center on Drake
Avenue in the Merrimac Room. General is at 9:30am.
Mr. Jim Offenbecher speaks at 9:45am. Q&A at 11am.
Visitors are welcome. 256-830-2232,
http://www.hpcug.com.
The Sister 2 Sister Brother 2 Brother Book Club
presents best-selling novelist Kimberla Lawson Roby,
author of the new book The Perfect Marriage at 2pm
at the Huntsville Madison County Public Library.
THE VALLEY PLANET
Tickets are $10 each and available at the Main Library
and the Showers Center Public Library.
www.hmcpl.org.
The Huntsville Symphony Orchestra will have Opus
Tadpole: French Horn, from 10:15-11am. It will be at
the VBC Concert Hall. www.hso.org.
The Cello Sings presented by Huntsville Symphony
Orchestra will be from 7:30-9:39pm. There will be
a Sneak Preview/ Final Rehearsal at 11am. Both
performances will be at the VBC Concert Hall.
www.hso.org.
Alabama A&M Basketball vs. Alabama State will be
at the Elmore Gymnasium. The women’s game is at
4pm and the men’s is at 6pm.
The ASU vs. A&M 30 plus Alumni Affair will be at the
Elk’s Lodge, 725 Franklin Street in Huntsville. Doors
will open at 8pm. All January birthdays are admitted
free and you must be 30or older to enter. There will be
soundtracks by DJ Marc B. 256-693-2004.
January 12-13
Bailey Cove Friends of the Library Book Sale will
be at the Bailey Cove Public Library, 1409 Weatherly
Plaza S.E. Most items will be just 25 cents with bestsellers only $1. www.hmcpl.org.
Sunday, January 13
The Film Co-op monthly workshop will be in Don’s
Studio #264 at the second floor of Lowe Mill from 24pm. It is free and open to all. 256-457-5371,
www.lowemill.net.
The Burlesque 101 - part 1 workshop with Alabama
Burlesque Festival’s Ida Claire will be held from 2pm to
6pm in the Flying Monkey Theatre on the second floor
of Lowe. Admission is $25.
www.alabamaburlesque.com.
Meet the Author: T.K. Thorne, at 2pm at the main
Huntsville-Madison County Public Library. The
Huntsville Literary Association hosts T.K. Thorne,
author of the prize-winning novel Noah’s Wife.
www.hmcpl.org.
The Friends of Music at Nativity presents a vocal recital
by Shonda Devine, professor of voice at Alabama A &
M University, accompanied by Dr. Laurie Middaugh
from Montevallo University. It will be at 4pm at
Church of the Nativity, 208 Eustis Avenue, downtown
Huntsville. 256-533-2455, www.nativity-hsv.org.
Monday, January 14
Chilly Play Days at Hays Nature Preserve will have I See
Sticks, I See Mud, Where is the Green. (Pre-5th) It is
also offered on Wednesday, January 16th. Sessions
will be at 9:30am and 4pm. Admission is free.
256- 532-5326.
Tuesday, January 15
LearningQUEST on Rally Day, will be from 9:30 to
11:30am in the fellowship hall of First Baptist Church,
just across the street from the main HuntsvilleMadison County Public Library.
http://lquest.org, 256-532-2342.
Skype the Author: Linda Lafferty, at 6:30pm at the
main Huntsville-Madison County Public Library,
915 Monroe St. This video conference lets readers meet
Linda Lafferty, author of The Bloodletter’s Daughter: A
Novel of Old Bohemia. www.hmcpl.org.
Wednesday, January 16
The Flying Monkey Community Garden Meeting
will be from 6:15-7:15pm. Admission is free. It will be
at Anna Sue, located on the Flying Monkey Arts
floor studio 269. www.flyingmonkeyarts.org.
E-Books @ Your Library; for the Kindle will be at 2pm;
for Nook, Wednesday, February 13, 2pm at the Eleanor
E. Murphy Public Library, 7910 Charlotte Drive. Learn
how to download e-books from the library onto your
e-reader. 256-881-5620.
Thursday, January 17
There will be Nonprofit Webinar: “The Economic
Impact of the Arts,” at noon at the main HuntsvilleMadison County Public Library. www.hmcpl.org.
The Athens Dulcimers meet at 6:30 pm at Athens
Recreation Center 1st & 3rd Thursday night of each
month. 256-233-1262, www.athensplus.com.
The Bailey Cove Public Library will have Studio
Night: Valentines, from 6-7:30pm. Explore the
history of Valentine cards and learn how to make your
own. Registration is required: 256-881-0257,
www.hmcpl.org.
There will be a Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration
Program sponsored by the UAH Office of Multicultural
events cont. on pg.16
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15
events cont. from pg.15
Affairs at UAH University Center Exhibit Hall at 4pm.
It will feature the Oakwood University Aeolians Choir.
256-824-2333.
There will be a Martin Luther King Musical
Celebration, at 6pm at the Atrium of the main
Huntsville-Madison County Public Library. The
program will feature the Aspire String Quartet, the
First Missionary Baptist Church Choir, and Sandy
Kinslow. Admission is free. 256-532-5975, hmcpl.org.
The Huntsville Havoc vs. Knoxville Ice Bears Hockey
Game will be at the VBC Propst Arena at 7:30pm
January 17-19
Theatre Huntsville presents, Prelude to a Kiss, at the
VBC Playhouse. Tickets are $18. Performance times
are Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at
2pm. www.yourseatiswaiting.org.
The Madison County Democratic Party Inauguration
Party will be from 7-11pm. Please join the Madison
County Democrats as they present “A Celebration of
the Inauguration of President Barack Obama”. Featuring
entertainment by DJ Sweet T and catering by Dinner
By Design. The Celebration will be at the Lowe Mill
Connector from 7pm until 10:30pm. Tickets are $30 per
person or $50 per couple. 256 227-9972,
www.lowemill.net.
Friday, January 18
My Lindy Kraze workshops and dance with the Low
Down Sires will be from 8-11:30pm. There will be
Three classes and two dances for $35 at the Flying
Monkey Theatre. www.mylindykraze.weebly.com,
www.flyingmonkeyarts.org.
Monday, January 21
There will be a Martin L. King Celebration and
Service at the Scottsboro Boys Museum and
Cultural Center in Scottsboro at 9am. It is located at
412 West Willow Street.
There will be a Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Breakfast
sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. It will be
at the VBC North Hall at 8am.
http://huntsvilleurbannetwork.com.
Tuesday, January 22
Meet the Author: Edward Pattillo, at the main
Huntsville-Madison County Public Library, at
6:30pm. Edward Pattillo is author of the history
book Carolina Planters on the Alabama Frontier: The
Spencer-Robeson-McKenzie Family Papers, which
chronicles an American family in the 18th and 19th
centuries.www.hmcpl.org.
The Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of
Commerce presents, “Cyber Risks to Government
and Business- Threats and Trends, Security and
Infrastructure Protection.” It will be at the Huntsville/
Madison county Chamber of Commerce at 5pm.
www.huntsvillealabamausa.com.
Wednesday, January 23
Chilly Play Days at Hays Nature Preserve will have
A Chilly Day Hike (Pre-5th). It is also offered on
Wednesday, January 16th. Sessions will be at 9:30am
and 4pm. Admission is free. 256- 532-5326.
Meet the Author: Linda Winstead Jones at the
Huntsville-Madison County Public Library at noon.
The cost is $5 and includes pizza lunch. Reservations
are required: 256-532-5950, dmetrick@hmcpl.org.
There will be a workshop, How to Run a Small
Business from a Financial Standpoint at 8am at the
Huntsville Madison County Chamber of Commerce.
www.huntsvillealabamausa.com.
There will be an Art Critique from 6-7pm. Admission
is free. The critiques will be continued on the 4th
Wednesday of each month within the Mill.
www.lowemill.net.
The Huntsville Chamber Music Guild presents
Opera Birmingham at 7:30pm at Trinity United
Methodist Church.
Thursday, January 24
The Old Church at the Burritt on the Mountain and
The Huntsville Traditional Music Association will have
Just Down the Road in concert at 7pm. Admission is
free. Donations are accepted.
www.burrittonthemountain.com.
January 18-20
The Boat Show will be at the VBC South Hall this
weekend. 256-533-1953.
Saturday, January 19
The 2013 Polar Plunge will be at the beach on Sunset
Drive in Guntersville. Plungers are required to raise/
donate a minimum of $50. Each plunger will receive a
free t-shirt. Highest money raisers will receive the Big
Bear Award! Big Bear categories include youth, adult,
organization/club, and business.
aimeecanterbury@gmail.com,
http://facebook.com/everychildsplayground.
My Lindy Kraze workshops will be from 11am until
5pm. It is three classes and two dances for $35. It will
be at the Flying Monkey.www.mylindykraze.weebly.
com, www.flyingmonkeyarts.com.
There will be a Contra Dance in the gym of Faith
Presbyterian Church at the corner of Airport and
Whitesburg Drive. There will be live music by Jim
and Inge Wood and Hillary Bevels and calling by Jeff
Hodge. It is from 7:30pm until 10:30pm. Lessons
begin at 7pm. Admission is $7 and $4 for students.
Children under 12 are free. 256-837-0656,
http://secontra.com/NACDS.html.
The WZYP Bridal Fair will be at the Von Braun
Center at 9am.
Under the Covers with Victoria Shaw will be at
Merrimack Performing Arts Center from 7:309:30pm. www.merrimackhall.com.
The Huntsville Havoc vs. Augusta RiverHawks
Hockey Game will be at the VBC Propst Arena at
7:30pm
The Huntsville Botanical Gardens will have Dog
Days in the Garden now through February 28th.
www.hmcbg.org.
January 19-20
There will be an Alabama Military Collectors Show
at the Jaycee’s Building this weekend.
256- 651-7302.
Sunday, January 20
A Chamber concert by Countertenor Michael
Walker, with Suzanne Purtee and Melanie Payne,
accompanist and vocalists will be at the Church of
the Nativity at 4pm. Admission is free (donations
requested). 256-533-2455, www.nativity-hsv.org.
The Greater Huntsville Alumnae Panhellenic
Association Annual Wine and Cheese Party will be
at Foxfield Community Clubhouse, 197 Foxfield
Drive in Madison at 2pm.
16
The 2013 Huntsville/Madison County Annual
Membership Meeting will be at 11:30am at the VBC
North Hall. www.huntsvillealabamausa.com.
Friday, January 25
The Paranormal Study Center will host International
Psychic LaMont Hamilton presenting: “Mayan
Prophecies & Predictions for 2013”This presentation
will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn, 4801 Governors
House Drive, (next to Landry’s Seafood) at 6:30 pm.
Public Admission is $10.
www.ParapsychologyStudyGroup.com.
The Huntsville Havoc vs. Mississippi River Kings Hockey
Game will be at the VBC Propst Arena at 7:30pm.
The Huntsville Chamber Music Guild presents
Susanna Phillips at Trinity United Methodist
Church at 7:30pm. www.trinityhsv.org.
January 25-26
The Alabama RV Super Show will be at the VBC
South Hall this weekend.
The Women’s Guild for the Huntsville Museum of
Art will host the event Rock the Museum to kick off
the “Sound and Vision: Monumental Rock and Roll
Photography” exhibit – a pictorial that spans five
decades of Rock and Roll photography. (205)3054723, sasha.sealy@gmail.com.
January 25-27
The Blue Man Group will be at the Von Braun Center
this weekend. www.broadwaytheatreleague.org.
The Play, Little Women will be at the VBC Playhouse.
Performance times are Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm
and Saturday and Sunday at 2:30pm.
www.letthemagicbegin.org.
Saturday, January 26
Starbucks, 1015 N. Memorial Pkwy, is hosting a local
author, Katy Glenn Willis, signing & reading from
her book: American Sizism Sucks. Her book is an
autobiographical social commentary with her offerings
as to healing the prejudices we all experience. www.
americansizismsucks.com.
The Huntsville Havoc vs. Knoxville Ice Bears Hockey
Game will be at the VBC Propst Arena at 7:30pm. It
will be Melissa George Night; fans can bring baby
items to donate for the Neonatal Memorial Fund.
The Huntsville Museum of Art will have the exhibit,
Sound and Vision: Monumental Rock & Roll
Photography. There will be 40 large-scale images
WWW.VALLEYPLANET.COM
#010313012313
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
by Bob Garver
O
ne should take my opinion of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” with a grain
of salt because I’ve never much cared for
the “Lord of the Rings” series. It is no secret that I
consider the entire franchise to be nonsensical, confusing, and overlong with poor special effects. At
the same time, I am aware of the massive popularity, both critically and commercially, of the previous films in the series. Clearly there are many fans
that see something in these films that I do not. These
same people may see the same things in “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”. But I say that the new
film is nonsensical, confusing, and overlong with
poor special effects.
The film is the first of a trilogy that precedes the “Lord of the Rings” series. Young Hobbit Bilbo
Baggins (Martin Freeman) is chosen by great wizard Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellan) to help a troop
of Dwarves led by deposed prince Thorin (Richard Armitage) reclaim their lost kingdom from an evil
dragon named Smaug. Gandalf introduces the Dwarves to Bilbo by inviting them to a dinner party at
Bilbo’s house without telling him. The Dwarves are crude guests and Bilbo is understandably flustered
by the ordeal. I’m not sure why Gandalf would think that imposing hosting duties on Bilbo would
entice him to join the journey (as opposed to inviting him to a properly-planned dinner party to prove
that he takes care of his friends), but inexplicably it works, and come morning Bilbo decides to leave
his comfort zone and join the team.
Throughout the rest of the film, the Hobbit and the Dwarves encounter Orcs, Trolls, Elves, and Goblins.
All these offensive words for short people are represented as distinct races. We get cameos from
familiar “Lord of the Rings” characters like Elrond (Hugo Weaving), Galadriel (Cate Blanchett), and
Saruman (Christopher Lee). The story is told in flashback, so we also briefly see an older Bilbo (Ian
Holm) and even a quick appearance by Frodo (Elijah Wood). But by far the best returning character is
Gollum (Andy Serkis), who shows up for a creepy standoff with young Bilbo that results in the welldocumented loss of His Precious.
The motion-capture effects on Gollum are well done, probably because Serkis is such an expert with
the technology. I cannot say that the rest of the visual effects are handled so expertly. At no point does
it look like the majority of creatures are anything other than bad CGI. The absolute worst characters,
however, are the laughable rock monsters that endanger the heroes on a narrow mountain path. These
creatures swipe at each other clumsily while the actors shield themselves from debris thrown at them
from off-camera. Honestly, the film should never have bothered with the rock monsters, as they aren’t
important to the story. I also could have done without the trolls, who do little more than behave grossly,
and the goblins, who are about as interested in self-preservation as a slice of lemmings.
As “An Unexpected Journey” is the first chapter of a “Hobbit” trilogy, it depresses me to think that
I’ll have to see two more of these lousy movies over the next two Christmases. I suppose I should be
grateful that it’s only two more, since these movies make a ton of money and the powers-that-be would
surely churn out more hopeless sequels if they could. To me, the film is as painful as all of the films in
the “Lord of the Rings” series. But then again, I’m seemingly one of very few who consider the “Lord
of the Rings” series to be painful. So I’m perfectly prepared for fans to once again tell me that I’m
wrong. But if you loathe the film as much as I do, don’t say I didn’t warn you.
One and a Half Stars out of Five.
“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” is rated PG-13 for extended sequences of intense fantasy action
violence, and frightening images. Its running time is 169 minutes.
Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.
which document the rock music scene from the early
1960s through the 1980s. Musicians photographed
include Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones,
Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, and many more.
It will be on exhibit until May 5th.
www.hsvmuseum.org.
Show Logic will have a Record & CD Collector Show in
Huntsville at the Best Western Plus (formerly Holiday
Inn West) 9035 Madison Blvd. I-565 at Wall-Triana
(Madison) exit #8. A big selection awaits, including
used and new releases, imports, rare and out of print
titles. A portion of proceeds benefits Alzheimer’s
Research. www.alz.org. The show will be from 10am
until 5pm.
Admission is free. 478-737-0668. (See ad pg.11)
Sunday, January 27
The Burlesque 101 - part 2 workshop with Ida Claire
will be from 2-6pm. Admission is $25. It will be at the
Flying Monkey. www.alabamaburlesque.com.
The Hertha Heller Forum: Poet’s Choice Readings
with Huntsville Literary Association will be at 2pm
at the main Huntsville-Madison County Public
Library. www.hmcpl.org.
THE END!
Jim Parker with Ricky Ray and Lisa Carter will be at
the Red Caboose in Elkmont.
“Love Your Library,” will be at the main HuntsvilleMadison County Public Library from 2-4pm. This
free festival of love includes music, giveaways and
demonstrations by chocolatiers, florists, paper craft
artists and gift-basket designers. Romance writers
will read essays, meet readers and sell and sign books.
www.hmcpl.org.
40 large-scale images documenting the rock
music scene from the early 1960s through 1990
including the work of photographers Harry
Benson, Joel Brodsky, Art Kane, and Mark
Seliger will be on exhibit at the Huntsville
Museum of Art beginning January 26. Photos
The Mountain Mist 50K Trail Run will be at Monte include Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Rolling
Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin
Sano State Park at 7:30am.
and more.
A Midwinter Masquerade presented by Lumani
& Darbuka Dave will be from 8-1pm in the Flying
Monkey Theatre. Admission is $10. It is a night of live
music and belly dancing. The audience is encouraged
to come dressed in masked finery or frivolity. www.
nomadictapestry.com, 256-318-0169.
VOLUME 11 ISSUE 1
THE VALLEY PLANET
Playing for Keeps
shoot. Great, now all the kids are going to shoot
and none of them are going to pass.
by Bob Garver
- Eat a piece whenever the movie tries to build
phony suspense in the soccer games despite the
t is clear from its opening weekend that “Playing huge advantage that George’s team enjoys by
for Keeps” is one of the biggest bombs of the having a superstar ringer for a coach.
year, both critically and commercially. Review
database Rotten Tomatoes has it at a 2% “Fresh” - Eat a piece every time someone mentions how
rating for its one positive review vs. 59 negative sexy George’s Scottish accent is. Eat two pieces
ones (and Leonard Maltin gives it only faint praise when he himself mentions how sexy it is.
in his “positive” review). It has also flopped at the
box office, opening in sixth place on a weekend - Dennis Quaid plays the crooked dad of one of
when the top five films have all been out for at the other kids on the team. Eat a piece that’s really
least three weeks.
greasy with topping whenever his sleaziness is
way over the top. In other words, eat a greasy
The film is almost as bad as its reputation. George piece every time Quaid is on screen.
Dryer (Gerard Butler) is a washed-up soccer player
trying to win back his ex-wife (Jessica Biel) and - Judy Greer plays a mom who falls for George.
son (Noah Lomax). He works his way back into Her distinguishing trait is that she cries a lot.
their lives by agreeing to coach the son’s soccer We’re supposed to think that this is funny. Eat a
team. This new role helps him bond with his son salty piece when she cries. Not in tribute to her
(the film is halfway tolerable during these scenes) tears, but mine when I think of how she was great
and makes him an object of desire for the moms in The Descendants and now she’s stooping to
of the other kids (the film is in no way tolerable this.
during these scenes). The film is mostly dull and
mediocre except for a few parts where it is wholly - Eat a piece whenever the women onscreen talk
painful.
about Butler’s sex appeal as if they have nothing
better to talk about.
There is no reason to see “Playing for Keeps” for
enjoyment, so you may as well see it to have fun at - Throw a piece at your open mouth without really
its expense. The time has come to revive Popcorn aiming whenever a respectable actress brainlessly
Games. Eat popcorn according to what happens in throws herself at Butler. This includes Greer,
the movie, assuming you can stay awake. Some Catherine Zeta-Jones as a sportscaster, and Uma
suggestions:
Thurman as Quaid’s wife.
I
- Eat a piece of popcorn every time George is late - Almost forget to eat a piece when the film makes
for an activity with his son.
a passing reference to the Biel character’s wellmeaning fiancé (James Tupper). The film almost
- Eat a piece whenever George is hesitant to forgets him most of the time, and finally forgets
commit his time to soccer activities despite the him for good at the end.
fact that he is unemployed and there doesn’t seem
to be anything he’d rather be doing.
- And finally, eat a burnt piece when you imagine
that the actors are going to “fire” somebody for
- Eat a piece and make sure your phone is off when casting them in this miserable movie.
the team’s disinterested original coach distractedly
talks on his cell phone during practice. The players’ One and a Half Stars out of Five.
parents are watching from the stands; I have a hard
time believing that they wouldn’t chew him out Playing for Keeps is rated PG-13 for some sexual
for not paying attention.
situations, language and a brief intense image. Its
running time is 106 minutes.
- Shake your head and eat a piece when George
advises the kids that they can’t score if they don’t Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.
44. Full of pep
46. Russian parliament
47. Farmer’s purchase
48. Auteur’s art
50. Peacock’s pride
52. *Ann to Mitt
53. “Anything ___?”
55. Excessively
57. *PSY’s style
61. Bronx Bomber
64. Whippet or Basset, e.g.
65. Bard’s before
67. Lifeboat support
69. Elephant trainer’s goad
70. Summer mo.
71. “Lohengrin,” e.g.
72. In a golfer’s pocket
73. Registration, for short
74. One born to Japanese immigrants
THEME: 2012 IN REVIEW
ACROSS
1. Come from an egg
6. Bad-mouth
9. Cargo
13. Gem state
14. Make a choice
15. Move sideways
16. Chocolate substitute
17. Wade’s opponent
18. *”The _____” moved to Chicago from NYC
19. *GOP’s 2012 choice
21. *Deceased singing legend
23. Pock mark disease
24. Boris Godunov, e.g.
25. Chicken order
28. Vegetative prickle
30. Speed of play, pl.
35. Like decorated cake
37. Luau souvenirs
39. Third rock from the sun
40. Laughing on the inside, in a chatroom
41. Small drum
43. Memorization method
THE VALLEY PLANET
Down
1. Wino’s sound?
2. Month of Purim
3. Tropical tuber
4. Bite
5. Rub elbows
6. Nemo’s forgetful friend
7. *Facebook’s big move
8. Seethes
9. Dryer fire hazard
10. Scandinavian war god
11. Burn soother
12. Refuse to accept
15. Evening party
20. Jump for joy
22. Pillbox or tricorne, e.g.
24. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, e.g.
25. Whitman’s dooryard bloomer
26. A threat to food safety
27. “___ __ on the ground floor”
29. Part of ROM
31. *”Curiosity” landing site
32. Preface
33. Weasel’s aquatic cousin
34. Outbuildings
36. *Felix Baumgartner’s space ____
38. “Brave New World” drug
42. Indian side dish of yogurt and cucumbers
45. Corrects or edits
49. Chicken _ __ king
51. *Where many struck gold
54. _____ campaign
56. Giraffe-like African animal
57. Steps to the river
58. First rate
59. Heat in a microwave
60. African migrators
61. Safecracker
62. December 24 and 31, e.g.
63. Michael Collins’s country
66. Parisian way
68. Chi precursor
#010313012313
VOLUME 11 ISSUE 1
WWW.VALLEYPLANET.COM
17
Auntie Jen’s
Animal Crazy
T
o start 2013 off right, I interviewed visual
artist, musician and CEO of New Mahtown
Entertainment Everett Young about his recording studio and his pack of “studio dogs.”
The Melting Pot
He’s all popular on the North Side. You know,
big stars holdin’ it down. So Swag and I were
walking down the road when we were approached
by two guards who I didn’t know were guarding
for Sasha’s meeting. I looked over at the lot they
came from and noticed there were about fifteen
or twenty dogs out there, and even a little wiener-wiener. So that’s how I knew. I told Sasha,
next time we need to have certain paperwork and
permits. I don’t wanna be in trouble for having
certain gatherings without a permit. So please ask
me before you permit yourself to have any more
meetings. Thank you, Sasha.”
Especially once you get to the desserts... Wow!
Each dessert option comes with a plate of goodies to dip in the chocolate such as strawberries
by Stephanie Davidson
and bananas, Oreo or graham cracker covered
ooking for a “Big Night Out”? Then The marshmallow, and many other treats. Then there
Melting Pot is a great place to visit. It’s is the difficult decision of which chocolate to get.
a fun night of fondue, with a great atmo- Should it be the flaming turtle with its amazing
sphere, great food, and great drinks. But what is milk chocolate, caramel, and candied pecan mix
fondue you ask? There are several things it can be. that is flambéed right at your table. Maybe the yin
Cheese or chocolate melted into a sauce or vari- and yang fondue with both white and dark chocoous meats cooked in oil or broth and served with late, crafted to create its name sake’s symbol.
yummy sauces. All of the options, however, are Then again there is always the classic pure chocolots of fun. And since it’s located in Bridgestreet late option which can be milk, dark, or white
at 340 The Bridge St #202, Huntsville, AL 35806 chocolate. They also have a great wine, beer, and
it is easy to get to. Reservations are recommended specialty drinks selection. The white sangria is a
favorite of mine.
but not required.
L
This charismatic Panamanian known as “Chief Fiyahmanxx” talks about the music renaissance happening in Huntsville, the roles his dogs play at his
recording studio, and the night he found out about AJ: So you caught her coming back into the
the secret meetings of dogs.
yard?
AJ: What is New Mahtown?
F: “Oh yeah, yeah. Strugglin. Jumped over two
fences and then went around the other side and
F: “New Mahtown—rather than represents, I like acted like she was always in the yard. See, she
to say Rahpresents a new era of musical expres- also has acting capabilities.”
sion, in the tradition of Motown. A lot of the musical sounds of Motown have roots in the South. AJ: As far as being a studio dog goes, what is
We’re a continuation of that Motown vibe. My her role?
studio, “the Fiyahstation,” is just one of many studios rahpresenting a new wave of music coming F: “She’s like an MC Lyte…and brite. She do her
out of Huntsville, Alabama. Southern hip-hop is thing right…all night. She’s representing the stugetting more popular. Southern rock and blues dios of north side with the fullness, and we give
are hittin’ hard right now. Cutting edge record- her thanks.”
ing technology is here in Huntsville, and there’s
already been a migration of artists to the area. AJ: And Judah?
Huntsville’s still more of a technology town, but I
feel a balance of technology and the arts coming. F: “Judah does all the bookings. He’s the liaison
The name New Mahtown rahpresents the spirit of for the house. He’s got a lion’s heart and a dog’s
this renaissance, and we see ourselves as part of body. He’s a Coeur de Leon. He’s able to express
that movement.”
himself where I can’t sometimes, so he does a lot
of the inboxing on Facebook. Sometimes he’ll
AJ: How would you describe your own message fans. Judah said he really appreciates
sound?
you doing this interview and if anyone messes
with his Auntie Jen, just give him a holla and he’ll
F: “I see my sound as international. It’s Carib- kick ‘em in the neck!”
bean. It’s southern. It’s Latin. It’s spiritual. It’s
gospel. Sometimes it’s blues, sometimes it’s rock. AJ: In the neck! Thanks, Judah! Now what
It’s all about expression and connection. Some about baby boy Prince Abraham?
say it’s like painting with words.”
F: “Well, he’s learning engineering techniques
AJ: How did you get your “studio dogs”?
right now. He learned how to mix down, you
know, how to figure out certain things as far as
F: “Each has a different history. Sasha, my black layers…and working with his echoes and reverbs.
Lab mix, came from the Five Points area, seeking He likes to talk a lot, so I let him do a lot of barka family that would want to keep her. When I saw ing into the reverb thing so he can see how the
her, I was like, she’s coming home with me. Sa- canyon reverb is different from the regular chamsha’s the King Queen up in the house. She holds ber reverb. He’s learning. He’s not a year yet.
the yard. She’s the night by day protector angel. But eventually I feel he’ll be doing big things in
She’s the image on the pyramid wall. If you look, the company.”
you’ll see her somewhere in there. Judah is King
Lion. He’s off the chain. He’s short, but he’s big at My baby girl Sharky and I would like to thank
heart. He shows no fear. He’s an emperor’s dog… Fiyahmanxx, Sasha, Judah, Prince and all our
a short Shih Tzu mix. He looks like a little pit bull. “North Side Fabulous” family in Huntsville
He comes from a really good family in Meridian- for all the love and inspiration you give! Many
ville. Then we have Prince Abraham. He comes thanks to all my loyal readers too! Be sure to
out of the Harvest area. He’s an eight-generation check out some hot new music from Chief FiyahJack Russell/rat terrier/Yorkie mix. He thinks he’s manxx at www.reverbnation.com/chieffiyahmanrunning everythang…but that’s why we keep tell- xx! Send comments and ideas to me at writers@
ing him that before you become King, you have to valleyplanet.com.
learn to be a prince. He’s
our newest member of the
family. He’s not quite a
year yet. Judah just turned
a year, so he’s big-boyin’ it
now. Sasha’s about eight
or nine years old…but
she’s still two.”
AJ: Tell me about Sasha’s “meetings.”
F: “Now and then, she’d
have about fifteen or
twenty-dog meetings. Just
from the area, to get things
corrected and make sure
everyone was on their Ps
and Qs.”
AJ: You caught her coming back from a meeting
one night?
F: “Well, I didn’t know
they were having meetings. I was outside, babysitting one of our friend’s
dogs. I know y’all know
lil Swag-Swag [featured
in a Santa suit in the last
issue of Valley Planet].
18
WWW.VALLEYPLANET.COM
The food at The Melting Pot is fabulous. There
are tons of different ways to enjoy it! They always
have a “Big Night Out”
special going. It includes
four amazing courses:
salad, cheese fondue,
the meat course, and the
dessert course. It usually
also suggests either wine
or beer to go with each
course. There is also
the four course dinner
that you get to customize. Instead of the four
courses they have put
together, you get to pick
which salad, cheese, and
dessert you’d like.
Their cheese menu has everything from a spinach artichoke choice to fiesta cheese fondue to
the more traditional Swiss and Gruyère fondue.
If you’re just looking to try something new, just
the cheese course is a great way to do that. They
have several different salads also. The California
salad with baby greens, Roma tomatoes, candies
pecans, Gorgonzola cheese, and a raspberry black
walnut vinaigrette which is my favorite, but the
other ones are delicious also.
The decor at the Melting Pot is elegant and inviting. The dark booths are offset by the beautiful lighting over
each one. The
area they call
Lovers Lane is
several booths
just big enough
for a cozy dinner for two, a
great date night
option. The art
that adorns the
wall is lovely.
The
flowing
wine theme in
many of them
is very fitting
because they have a large glass front wine cellar
guests can see as they walk into the dining room.
There is also a balcony that is a wonderful option,
weather permitting.
One of the best parts of The Melting Pot has to
be the people. The staff is always friendly and
willing to answer whatever questions a customer
might have. Since this is not your ordinary restaurant, that is a great quality. They are very knowledgeable also. The owner is usually on the premises also, coming around and greeting his guests
The entrees range from several different sam- and making sure everything is going well. He replings of meat all in one to a classic vegetarian members those of us that have been there before
option. For the entree course you get to choose also. He stopped by the table with a big smile and
which cooking style you would like. More simply a good to have you back. It’s obvious he really
put, which broth sounds the most mouth water- cares about his people and his restaurant. He even
ing. There are four different styles to choose from. tells customers to not hesitate to ask him personAll of the options are available as a single course ally if they need anything. I love that.
if you aren’t in the mood for a large meal, or if
you don’t want to spend a lot. The prices are a If you’re looking for a great date night, girls’
slightly more than average, but the experience is night, or just a new, fun night out, then The Melting Pot is definitely the place to try!
completely worth it.
Is it Important to
Feed Kids Organic
Food?
the more expensive organic option if it’s going to
reduce your family’s overall intake of healthy foods
like fresh produce,” advises McInerny. “It’s better
for kids to eat five servings of conventionally grown
produce a day than for them to eat one serving of
organic vegetables.”
Families can also be selective in choosing
particular organic foods to stretch their budget. The Environmental Working Group has created a
Shopper’s Guide that rates the level of pesticides in
produce. Their guide indicates that conventionally
grown onions, sweet corn and pineapples have
relatively low pesticide rates, making them safer
to purchase. If you can budget a few extra dollars
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, to spend on groceries, opt for organic apples and
which recently weighed in on the subject of organic celery, which are among the most pesticide-laden
food for the first time, what’s most important is that crops.
children eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, lean meats,
whole grains and low-fat or fat-free dairy products, According to the AAP, organic milk is not healthier
whether those are conventionally or organically for kids than conventional milk, but parents should
make sure all milk they purchase is pasteurized.
grown.
T
he nutritional choices you make for your
children are crucial, setting the stage for good
health and good habits for years to come. So if
you’ve heard about the benefits of organic food, you
may be wondering if it’s worth the extra expense,
especially if you’re on a budget.
Organic foods do have lower levels of pesticides
and drug-resistant bacteria, says Dr. Thomas K.
McInerny, president of the AAP. “That may be
important for kids because young children are more
vulnerable to chemicals, but we simply don’t have
the scientific evidence to know if the difference
will affect a person’s health over a lifetime,” says
McInerny.
The jury is still out on the long-term health benefits
of organic produce, but in the meantime keep
your eyes and ears open for new information as
it becomes available -- so you can make the best
possible choices in the future.
You can find nutrition tips for kids on the AAP
website for parents, www.healthychildren.org.
Both organic and conventionally grown foods have No matter the size of your budget, you can do your
the same vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, proteins, kids a world of good by ensuring they get at least five
lipids and other nutrients that are important for servings of fruits and vegetables daily. (Statepoint)
children’s health. “If you’re on a budget, don’t buy
#010313012313
VOLUME 11 ISSUE 1
THE VALLEY PLANET
Market Research Participants Wanted Need market research participants to evaluate local establishments. Apply FREE: Shop.BestMark.com or call 800-969-8477
The Valley Planet Music Exchange is FREE to any individual (not businesses) looking to
buy, sell, trade or find bandmates. You get a headline and 3 lines of text for FREE!
Please call (256) 533-4613 or
email your ads to classifieds@valleyplanet.com.
I am looking for experienced Reggae musicians in the
North Alabama area. I am a veteran player and have performed with Groove Therapy in Ohio and Reggae Mystics
(now Kush) here in Huntsville. I have pro equipment and a
great attitude. If you know anyone that loves Reggae contact me ASAP. cdphil@otelco.net
Con Trombone for sale. Like new, rarely used. original price $800, asking $280. 256 509 0559
CUSTOM COLLINGS D2HA DREADNAUGHT GUITAR.
Simply a great acoustic guitar. $4000.00 OBO. Email guardedbylions@gmail.com or 256-364-0106.
Hartke Bass Amp for sale: 120 watts 15in speaker Call
256.642.9277
“Missed boat to L.A. in the Feat/Browne/Eagles/Petty
period? Hugely talented? Kybd/Gtrist/vox w/ample playing/rec’g gear & plans for more, for live/rec’g; multiple styles,
rockin’, punchy, trancey-contact Joe via 256-325-3893 &/or
831-331-7006.
Former professional banjo/guitar/ukulele player and
singer seeks band of geeks masquerading as musicians to
travel around with, play rock/pop/country, specifically 90s,
maybe 80s and 00s stuff. Call or email Alex at 334-268-7403
or aevaughn@crimson.ua.edu in Madison area.
On the first one, get rid of the shob. Guitar, the ovation
guitar and add Fender Acoustic Guitar with Nylon strings
and case $130
Sho-Bud Pedal Steel Guitar, $750. Violin - full size, Hofner
$130. Ovation Acoustic Steel Guitar w/ pick up built in, $125.
Will negotiate all, Quick Sale.
Call Ralph 954-562-5760
Jack Reacher
by Bob Garver
U
nder normal circumstances, it would obviously be unprofessional for a reviewer
to say that they are “not in the mood” for
a particular film. After all, it is likely that many
viewers are in the opposite mood, and they expect
the reviewers to be open-minded if not similarly
eager. But on this occasion, I must make an exception and say that I was in no mood for “Jack
Reacher”. I only say this because I believe that
at this time there are many in this country and
around the world who share my mood and my attitude toward some of the film’s subject matter.
For the past weeks, my mind has been preoccupied with the shootings in
Newtown, Connecticut.
My thoughts range from
sympathy for the victims
and their families to anger toward the monster
responsible to ruminations
on issues like gun control
and media coverage. Impersonal mass murders are
a sensitive subject at this
time, and “Jack Reacher”
opens with a sniper ending
the lives of five people for
seemingly no reason. By
intention, these shootings
serve as an emotionally
wracking catalyst for the
Tom Cruise action vehicle
that follows. Unintentionally, they serve as an unnecessarily cruel reminder
of the recent horror that
was sadly all too real.
THE VALLEY PLANET
Seeking trumpet, trombone, keys and vocals for 1/2 original 1/2 cover band playing energetic roots based music
(blues, reggae, soul, rock, second line, funk). 256.361.5524.
LEAD GUITARIST NEEDED Experienced bassist & drummer looking for lead guitarist to form 3-piece lassic/southern rock & blues band to play local clubs, parties, etc in the
Huntsville area a couple of times a month. Vocal ability
would be a plus but not required. We also have PA, lights
and a place to practice already covered. Call 256-684-6654
or 256-479-9106 or send email to mhharless@bellsouth.net
or rkni999@bellsouth.net if interested.
GUITARIST seeking interested jazz, classical, easy listening, and light rock musicians in northern Alabama
and southern Tennessee for jam sessions.
(931)438-3298 or Ron@RHackett.net
Send in your random encounters today. It’s FREE!!
We are putting all the categories together since it seems like there are always more jeers than anything else!! But just to give you an idea of what the To Yuno from Yunohoos are about… I Saw you:
but you didn’t catch my name, You saw me or you think you were seen: Cheers: Pay your respect to
those who deserve it and of course Jeers: Frustrated? Tell us all about it. Thankfully, we don’t know
who you are!
To send in your FREE ad
1. Keep your word limit to 40 words. No names, just initials if you want.
2. Meet the deadline.
3. Get it to us: Put “To Yuno from Yunohoo” in the subject line of the email and send to classifieds@
valleyplanet.com.
Hey, y’all - Facebook is testing a $1 per message Really? A $5 Starbucks card for Christmas? I
fee if you send mail to friends not on your friend don’t even drink coffee. Thanks for the thoughts.
list. I’m taking a “bite my butt and bark at the RC
hole” response to that. Join me? RT
D... Being called a maneater doesn’t make you a
Rev DA - If you really believe the world is only tiger. MI6
6,000 years old you believe The Flintstones was
a documentary.
Bo - You won’t get so many perverted calls if you
take your number off the stall wall at the Mini
CHEERS to JT for the spinach casserole…twas Mart. Haha
the best! And LW, the cookies rocked!
LW and RW: You are the only two 70 plus’s that
RW - So it is ok to pick up bags of pecans while I know that still get a stocking at Christmas! You
you are on the clock? Aren’t we all paying your must be very nice!
salary?
Eddie, We think you should replace your wallet
Matt may not marry Miss Kitty, but says he is photos of your bike with your kids.
going to marry Miss Katie. Maybe there will be
peace in the family after that. TGF
One of the homeless guys really appreciated the
coat I had bought you for Christmas. He certainly
SJ - You keep running that pie hole about your is more worthy of it. Hope he likes your watch
plans for school and you gonna get got. Nervous and the rest of your clothes, too. From YuknowNellie
hoo
Southern Gospel Quartet, all parts needed: singers, bass,
tenor, baritone and lead. Instrument players needed also.
Call Billy 256 612-7509 or Wayne 256 603-4650.
Men - Women think you are almost like dogs. We
keep you fed and watered, let you sniff around a
bit, bury your bones and mark your territory, you
can be taught a bunch of tricks, everything except
loyalty. The BW Sisterhood
Surely there was a debate at the studio as to
whether or not to even allow the film’s release in
the aftermath of the Newtown shootings. Apparently they decided that the shootings in the film
were different enough that the audience at large
wouldn’t find them inappropriate. I do, but reasonable people may feel otherwise. I am not here
to disparage anybody who can forgive the film for
its admittedly unanticipated parallels to the reallife atrocities, but I am simply not one of them.
EW - You sure are good at it but we suspect you MC – I know you will say YES on New Year’s
learned the same way you get to Carnegie Hall. Eve…I feel it!
M’s & B’s
The world didn’t end on 12-21-12 for most, but it
Cheers KA! The Christmas Stew was the bomb! ended for Tea Party yahoos on 11-6. JD
JW
Amber- HOLY MACKEREL!!! What a journey.
Bobby, The laugh is on you good Buddy! She’s Coffee with you every morning for the rest of our
been tracking your GPS…
lives. WOW! Thanks to God and you here we are,
together on a journey for life. Thank you baby.
Buzz - It takes a cheap, sorry SOB to break up Love ya!
with a girl the week before Xmas.
Blessed old guy
Musicians to play Open Mic Jam with the Crawlers on
Wednesdays 8 to 12 at Coppertop. Call 256 759-7571
To the movie itself. A sniper (Jai Courtney) kills
five people (none of them children, thankfully)
and the lone suspect (Joseph Sikora) is quickly
taken into custody. The lead investigator (David
Oyelowo) thinks he can get a confession in record
time, but the suspect instead tells the police to
find Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise).
Reacher is a former military investigator who now lives a nomadic
life of anonymity. He’s a great detective and a great fighter but he
isn’t great at making friends, not
that he wants any. Bad guys hate
him because he beats them, good
guys hate him because he doesn’t
play by the rules, women hate him
because he breaks their hearts. In
other words, he’s another dimea-dozen super competent action
hero.
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Other key characters include Rosamund Pike as the suspect’s public defender and Reacher’s handler of sorts, Richard Jenkins as
her shady district attorney father,
Robert Duvall as a grizzled shooting range operator, and best of all,
Werner Herzog as a bone-chilling
villain. I forget how he fits into
the plot exactly, but this otherwise
bland film needs his demented charisma in the
worst kind of way. Somebody needs to cast him
as the next James Bond villain right now.
The most popular controversy surrounding
“Jack Reacher” seems to be the casting of the
5’7” Tom Cruise as the 6’5” hero. As if I could
blame anybody for wanting Tom Cruise in their
movie. Though I will blame Cruise for taking this
lousy script where his dialogue mostly consists
of soundbytes for the television commercials. It
seems like the only time the movie is being sincere is when it’s going through the painful process of detailing the lives of the shooting victims
and how those lives have been ruthlessly cut
short. This brings me back to the issue that I find
most discomforting about the film, the depiction
of a shooting massacre so soon after the events
in Newtown. I have nothing against people who
refuse to let this element ruin the film for them,
but for me it’s still too soon.
WL - Yes, I borrowed your credit card. Now
prove it. K
Val - I divorced you because you bitch more than
a store full of W**M**t employees. YKK
Answers to Crossword Puzzle
One and a Half Stars out of Five.
“Jack Reacher” is rated PG-13 for violence, language, and some drug material. Its running time
is 130 minutes.
Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@nyu.edu.
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