Chattanooga Pulse » Pulse Features

Pulse Cover Story – Creative Anachronisms

Gary Poole — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:58:07 +0000

so·ci·e·ty (noun) – an organized group of persons associated together for religious, benevolent, cultural, scientific, political, patriotic, or other purposes.

cre·a·tive (adjective) – 1. having the quality or power of creating. 2. resulting from originality of thought, expression, etc.; imaginative: creative writing.

a·nach·ro·nism (noun) – something or someone that is not in its correct historical or chronological time, esp. a thing or person that belongs to an earlier time.

A man, dressed in full armor, pulls his visor’s helm down over his face and brings his sword up into a ready position. A woman sits quietly a few feet away, studiously working on an elaborate piece of embroidery. Two young children in flowing medieval gowns run laughing through a kitchen filled with all sorts of sweet treats. A hooded man resembling a well-dressed monk of some forgotten religious order focuses his high-definition video camera while a similarly dressed man holds a boom microphone out over a group of Renaissance dancers.

To quote Sesame Street, “one of these things is not like the other.”

Welcome to a gathering of the Shire of Vulpine Reach, the Chattanooga chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism. A “living history” group, SCA members around the world band together into groups based loosely around the feudal structure of pre-17th century Europe. A shared fascination with history, specifically the Middle Ages and medieval periods, SCA members like to say that they recreate these historical periods “the way they ought to have been.”

Author Diana Paxson is widely credited as having sown the seeds of what became the SCA when she hosted a backyard graduation party of a medieval studies graduate in Berkeley, California on May Day, 1966. Partygoers donned motorcycle helmets, fencing masks, and various bits and pieces of medieval costumes and proceeded to gleefully hack away at one another with whatever relatively safe weapon they could find, mostly plywood swords, padded maces, and even a fencing foil.

The party ended with a parade down Telegraph Avenue, during which the fairly sizeable group sang “Greensleeves” and told curious onlookers that they were protesting the 20th century. Pleased with the turnout and response, Paxson turned to fellow author Marion Zimmer Bradley for a name for the group when they wanted to reserve a park for a tournament. Thus was officially born the Society for Creative Anachronism.

In the ensuing four decades, the SCA has spread across much of the world, with an estimated membership of more than 32,000 by the end of 2009. As the SCA grew, so did the complexity of the organization as groups formed in cities large and small. It also became quickly apparent that while everyone would love to be a king or queen, there had to be a hierarchy in place to prevent anarchy and chaos. By the end of 1969, three separate kingdoms had been created—West, East, and Middle—to which all of the current kingdoms trace their roots. For example, the Shire of Vulpine Reach is part of the Kingdom of Meridies, which originally belonged to the fourth kingdom, Atenveldt, which began as a branch of the original West.

(While this may sound confusing at first, try describing to a non-college fan how the Southeastern Conference came together and its relations to the other major conferences and how they all work together for a common goal.)

A recent Vulpine Reach gathering was held at GraceWorks Church. Entitled “Glad Tydings”, the event was billed as a day of “feasting and fun”. An English and Mediterranean feast was offered, a Continental Collegium was held to teach many of the arts and sciences of the era, and the evening ended with an Italian Ball. And yes, there was some fighting, harkening back to that first backyard party in Berkeley.

Lord Guntram von Köln, the Autocrat of the event, also serves as the Herald for Vulpine Reach. “I help people to represent themselves,” he explains. “That means I help them discover a unique name that is authentic to the medieval period as well as their device, their coat of arms.”

Köln, known less formally to his friends and family as Jeff Combs, has been involved with the SCA for more than 20 years. He discovered the group through a church friend, and immediately felt at home. “I love history, I love the people, and it is fun. I also like the fact that it is worldwide. I started in Arizona and when I moved to Chattanooga, I found I found myself playing the same game, with the same rules, but in a new location.”

Like everyone else we spoke with, Köln was quick to point out there was far more to the SCA than merely play fighting. “There are a lot of things that can grab your interest beyond fighting, such as arts, history, or learning to make a variety of things. It is also a path to self-discovery. Along the way, you find out a lot about who you really are.” He says that they invite all potential members to “discover themselves through the looking glass of history.”

The Honorable Lord Richard Fenwick, a Baron of the Meridies Court, has been active in local and regional SCA activities for 34 years. He discovered it through college friends, who know him as Ken Scott, a cameraman and videographer who has worked for a local television station for decades. Fenwick says that he was attracted to the emphasis the Society places on honor and chivalry, and also was intrigued by the opportunity to create a historical “identity”. He has two primary duties, that of historian for Vulpine Reach and as a squire to Sir Ian Stewart MacDonald.

“As squire to Sir Stewart,” Baron Fenwick elaborates, “my duties are to attend to him when we are together and to fight in his company and to comport myself with dignity and chivalry.” A lifelong fascination with both heavy sword and light rapier fighting drew him to the SCA and has kept him involved ever since. “The SCA is a terrific place to learn a wide variety of skills and develop talents. The things we do, we do for our own enjoyment and to make it easy for others to enjoy it, too. We are amateur historians, not professional performers. The SCA is an organization that either you ‘get’ or you don’t. ‘Give us a try’ is all we ask.”

Another aspect of the SCA is that it involves as many women as it does men. Nearly a quarter century ago, Diane Walker saw a television commercial made by Ken Scott about the group which piqued her interest. She then attended Chattacon, the long-running local science-fiction convention, where Vulpine Reach was holding a gathering, and has been involved ever since. She is now known within the group as Lady Diana Fiona O’Shera, and rather modestly describes her main responsibility as the keeper of the “loaner” costumes that are kept for new members who have yet to make (or purchase) their own era-appropriate garb.

She says what really drew her to the SCA wasn’t a love of the history of battles or countries, but an interest in how people lived in the era. “Since I love crafts, a large part of the fun for me is that it gives me a reason to learn and practice a wide range of skills I’d probably not find enough of an excuse to explore in the normal way of things. Pewter casting, for instance, or cooking medieval recipes,” she explains. “It’s a great way to learn about the Middle Ages, of course, so it’s quite educational. But it’s a lot more fun for many folks to learn history by living it than by simply studying it in a book.”

One of the main problems that Lady O’Shera, like so many other members of the group have found, is that people confuse the SCA with the popular Renaissance Festivals held around the country. “A lot of folks expect us to be similar to a Renaissance Fair, where they can come to be entertained. But we aren’t putting on a performance for the public as a rule; we usually are hosting private gatherings for our members. More like the Civil War re-enactors, but usually in even less public places.”

Another Lady we spoke with is Lady Keina de Fierins, known outside the Society as Jessica Hamilton. She’s been active for more than a decade, “off and on” as she admits. A good friend of hers who is involved with Thor’s Mountain, an SCA group in Knoxville, told her about an event that fell on her birthday, so she decided to celebrate her birthday there. “I had such a blast I kept coming back,” she says simply.

“I am deputy to the local herald of the group,” explains Lady de Fierins. “My duties are voice heraldry. That consists of heralding upcoming fights on the field, court, and wake-up calls, basically anything that requires you to raise your voice to get the populace’s attention. I also help the herald with device construction and name submissions. When you are a member, you are able to have arms, especially if you have received your Award of Arms, and your name submission. A device in the SCA is a visual signature of your name.”

One of the things she loves most is that SCA is not beholden to one ultra-specific era. “The society spans centuries, so your options are wide open to pick from. We do try to reenact the medieval times era as close as possible, but within the scope of the 21st century. We creatively reenact.”

As with any group, learning the positions and titles can often be confusing for newcomers (or reporters). The leader of the local shire holds the title of “Seneschal”, a title once held by John Chapin under his SCA nom-de-plume of Thorarinn Smior Grjotgardhsson. Grjotgardhsson discovered the SCA through a co-worker a dozen years ago while living in Florida and quickly created a persona that, he says, would have been a Norse blacksmith and part-time raider.

“If you love history and reenactment, you can find someone to show you how to do just about anything they did in the past,” he notes. “From fighting, brewing, cooking, weaving or any other thing you’re interested in. It’s a living history group where you choose who you want to be from a wide area of time—anytime before 1600—and you can take it to any level you want to take it to, from just making a good attempt at your chosen persona to doing an exact recreation.”

And he notes with a smile that, unlike other re-enactment groups, “we don’t know who will win a battle until we fight it.”

Weekly SCA Meetings and Fighter Practices

The Shire of Vulpine Reach invites anyone who is interested in learning more about the group to attend any of their regularly scheduled meetings.

• First Monday: Business Meeting — This is where they plan upcoming events and activities while Shire officers and teams report on their projects.
• Second Monday: Dance Practice and Social Gathering — Come out and learn to dance the Renaissance way or just to hang out with fellow shire members.
• Third Monday: Arts and Sciences Night — Enjoy fascinating classes and discussion groups about subjects such as blacksmithing, equestrianism, glassblowing, performing arts, heraldry, and much more.
• Fourth Monday: Mix Night — A grab bag of activities, discussion groups, and fun.
• Sunday Afternoons — Heavy armored combat and rapier (fencing) combat practices.

Check their web site at www.vulpinereach.org for specific times and locations for each event. The public is always welcome to attend.

Pulse Beats – Georgia State Bird Battle, Be More Award Winners

Gary Poole — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:55:54 +0000

Quote Of The Week:
“With this year’s contribution [to Ronald McDonald House Charities], we have now reinvested over $100,000 into serving these families.”
—Rock City President Andrew V. Kean, marking the latest financial contribution to the Ronald McDonald House Charities from the venerable tourist attraction.

Brown Thrasher Out, Cornish Hen In?

There are some feathers flying just south of the border as a group of Georgians are mounting a campaign to replace the state bird. The brown thrasher has long been synonymous with the Peach State, but restaurant owner Chris Cunningham wants to see the Cornish hen take the top spot in the ornithological pecking order.

He has started a petition drive and launched a web site that accused the brown thrasher of being a fair-weather fowl, heading to Florida every winter when it gets too cold. Many supporters of the change feel it is inappropriate for the state to honor a bird that won’t even stick around all year.

But why the Cornish hen, more notable for its place on the dining room table than flying freely about the state? Cunningham points out that Georgia is the “chicken capital of the world” and thinks nothing would be more appropriate than to represent the agricultural interest of chicken ranchers statewide with the change.

Considering that nearly 124,000 people are involved in the poultry industry in Georgia, it is not inconceivable that many people would rally to the cause of the Cornish hen.
However, the brown thrasher is not going down without a flight. The powerful Georgia Conservancy has joined the fray and is gathering signatures for their own petition to keep the thrasher at the top of the roost. They even go so far as to accuse “Big Chicken” of ignoring history for profit.

The Conservancy points out that the brown thrasher was originally named the state bird in 1935 after a statewide vote by schoolchildren, and then confirmed by a unanimous vote in the General Assembly in 1970. One member of the Conservancy says that if Cunningham really wanted to give credit to the state for being the “chicken capital of the world”, as he claims, then the better idea would be to petition to change the nickname of the state from the Peach State to the Chicken State.

Cunningham acknowledges that state legislators do have more serious things to worry about than chickens and brown thrashers. Between a stagnant economy, failing schools, budget deficits, and a myriad of other economic and political issues, a debate over the state bird strikes many as superfluous at best, and an unwelcome distraction from real governance at worst.

Yet, Cunningham intends to continue his quixotic campaign. Like Benjamin Franklin before him, who lobbied long and hard in to dethrone the bald eagle as the national bird and replace it with the less noble (but more gastronomically acceptable) turkey, Cunningham sees no lack of honor or disrespect in his quest. And who knows, maybe there is a Solomon lurking in the halls of the General Assembly who could float the idea of having a pair of birds represent the state.

Be More Winners Featured on Summer Program

The “Be More” Awards winners were announced last week at a lunch held at The Chattanoogan.

They included the Children’s Advocacy Center of Hamilton County (Be More Collaborative – Partnership Award); Ballet Tennessee (Be More Enriched – Educational Outreach Award); Orange Grove Center, Inc. (Be More Creative – Innovation Award); Blood Assurance (Be More Impactful – Local Service Award and Be More Engaging – People’s Choice Award); and Jack Fish (Be More Courageous-Individual Leadership Award). The first-time awards program was sponsored by local PBS station WTCI.

“The Chattanooga region WTCI serves has an extraordinary nonprofit and volunteer community,” said Paul Grove, WTCI President and CEO. “I hope those who attended the awards program walked away inspired by the amazing work of our winners, finalists and all of the nonprofits that are so vital to our city and region.”

To bring further recognition to the nonprofit community, WTCI will produce a program featuring the award winners, which will air on WTCI in early summer.

Beyond The Headlines – Time for a Free Tree

Janis Hashe — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:53:47 +0000

Chris Clark is honoring his father, Steve, by asking Tennesseans to plant 100,000 trees.

The president of sustainable design firm SC&A in Nashville, which was founded by his father, says, “My dad believed that the simple act of planting a tree helps foster eco-sensitivity and is something that translates into greater appreciation of our planet. I want every family who might want a tree in their yard to have one. If you think about it, I’m not going to be here when these trees mature so really I’m doing this for my children and other kids across Tennessee.”

Clark says his mission for 100,000 Trees Tennessee is to promote self-action and to emphasize the importance of taking responsibility for the world around us all.
Over the next few weeks, SC&A will be coordinating his gift through at least 10 distribution centers across Tennessee. All anyone needs to do is request trees at www.FreeTreesTN.com in quantities up to 100.

“Basically, if you have a business or a home with any amount of land, if you know someone who has a large yard or easement, if you represent a public or private entity with planned tree planting projects, or even if you know of a stream bank or open space that’s begging for a tree, just get in touch with me,” Clark says.

Chattanooga’s Urban Forrester Gene Hyde has already requested trees for Chattanooga. “I have heard from about a dozen individuals who want to plant anywhere from a single tree to more than 100 trees on their property sites throughout the city and county,” he reports. “I have also heard from several governmental agencies as well wanting some of the trees. So I think that in the end more than 1,000 trees will be spread throughout our city and county. I salute Chris Clark for this incredible effort.”
Hyde says his office plans to use the local Agriculture Extension Service as the primary point of contact and local distributor. Those interested in requesting trees can contact Tom Stebbins, Agriculture Extension Service, (423) 855-6113, tstebbins@utk.edu.

The species Clark has chosen to donate are all indigenous and grown in Tennessee. They include Nutall Oak, Overcup Oak, Sawtooth Oak, Shumard Oak, Swamp White Oak, Tulip Poplar (the state tree), Shortleaf Pine, and Bald Cypress. The trees will be equally divided among species for each count with special requests considered if received before March 20.

His mission is to plant enough trees to make Tennessee greener and healthier. If every K-12 school in Tennessee planted 25 trees, Clark estimates half of his goal would be achieved. “Those same schools could go deeper by writing curriculum around tree-planting projects,” Clark says.

Meantime, there is news with Chattanooga’s own award-winning Take Root tree-planting program. According to Take Root Project Coordinator Preston Roberts, the project has now planted more than 1,000 trees, including 450 in the past planting season. “We’ve continued to plant in the central business district, and a grant from the Lyndhurst Foundation has allowed us to expand into Highland Park, Oak Knoll and Glenwood,” Roberts says.

Of the 600 trees planted in the first round of planting, “We had a 97 percent survival rate, which is excellent,” he says. The project is well on its way to achieving its goal of doubling the “urban canopy.”

Asked whether the relatively harsh winter will have an adverse effect on the new trees, Roberts notes, “We insulated the root systems by covering the rootballs with mulch, and we believe most of them will make it through just fine.”

He adds that although the SC&A tree donation will not be administered by Take Root, “because these are smaller trees intended primarily for private property,” that the office is “a big cheerleader for the program.”

Private donations are still being solicited to help Take Root achieve its planting goal by the end of 2010. If you would like to help, visit takerootchattanooga.com.

The List – Top Ten Creative Uses For Silly Putty

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:52:34 +0000

The makers of Silly Putty recently held a contest to come up with the most creative use for one of the stranger toys ever to become popular with both kids and adults. Here are some of the best.

1. Form into a ball, throw it at the stock market listings and invest in the stock it lifts off the page. — Peter H., Collinsville, Conn.

2. End an unbearable date by making a swollen gland and excusing yourself because you’re not feeling well. — Judith D., Norwich, Conn.

3. Use as an alternative to cement handprints at Mann’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood for flash-in-the-pan actors. — Charles G., Dallas, Texas

4. Stick yucky vegetables under the dining room table. — Pam Straub, North H., N.H.

5. Roll a long piece across your dorm room floor to clean it without a vacuum. — Justin K., Urbana, Ohio

6. Used it take a fingerprint off my truck that was broken into. They caught the culprit and a few weeks later, I got all my stuff and a reward. — Ron F., Library, Pa.

7. Use to give hairdos to Pez dispensers. — Stephanie H., Costa Mesa, Calif.

8. Use in the study of martial arts. It flows like water, breaks like a brick, can disguise itself and has the agility of a cat. — Brian V., Springfield, Mo.

9. Roll into snakes of all sizes to scare away pesky neighbors. — Gregory J., Gloversville, N.Y.

10. Make a boat for your pet hamster. — Alex Z., Plymouth, Minn

Letters to the Editor – 3.11.10

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:50:58 +0000

The Toll Of AIDS
It is estimated that over 3,000 children die each day from AIDS complications in Subsaharan Africa [“The Shortest Month”, Shrink Rap]. Take a moment to let that sink in. Please think about them, their families, their siblings, and their schoolmates.
J. Martin

Officer Teach Obviousness
Obvious is relative, obviously [“A Week in the Obvious”, On The Beat]. I hope you are prepared for more outraged advocates for maligned groups. PETO? People for Ethical Treatment of Outlaws? CHUM? Cetacea’s Humans Used for Meals? Nothing can compare, of course, with your Neologism of the Year, Electronaut. Keep them coming, Officer Teach. And even though I recently lost a friend to ALS, I laughed a lot at the line on Lou Gehrig’s eponymous disease.
Felix Miller

Need New Police Chief
It’s pretty bad that the Chattanooga Police Department has relieved Officer Carlos Woodruff from duty when he hasn’t been found guilty of the charge [“CPD Officer Relieved Of Duty After Domestic Assault”]. I think this officer needs to sue the Chief of Police and the city for this. He has been with the city for 15 years and it’s always a witch hunt after police officers in this city. It’s time for a new Chief of Police and Mayor.
Mike M.

The letter from J. Nesbitt in last week’s issue regarding the lack of proper traffic control during a accident on Interstate 24 two Sundays ago touched off varied responses on our web site at www.chattanoogapulse.com

Horribly Bungled
I agree 100 percent with J Nesbitt. Whichever agency was responsible for traffic control that Sunday—be it the Chattanooga city police, the state police, or even the Cub Scouts—bungled it horribly.
M.J. Ditzer

Not Officers’ Fault
Instead of saying that the police were not doing their job, maybe tell the Mayor that we need more officers. Soon to be 75 short is not good for a city our size.
“Concerned Citizen”

City Councilscope for Tuesday, March 16

CityCouncilscope — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:49:40 +0000

Here is one of the more interesting agenda items set to be discussed at the March 16 meeting of the Chattanooga City Council.

7. Resolutions:
c) A resolution authorizing the Chief of Police to apply for and accept a grant from the MetLife Foundation for Community-Police Partnership Awards in the amount of $15,000.00 which will be used for training and to purchase uniforms and equipment for Sector Three Bike Patrol.

It’s always nice to see companies and foundations giving out grant money to things that truly help cities and communities. The Chattanooga Police Department Bike Patrol has been one of the more successful law-enforcement projects over the past decade.

The bike-riding officers patrol the downtown and riverfront areas, providing a visible deterrent to crime and helping both residents and tourists. In many ways, the bike officers are goodwill ambassadors for the city, and anything that can help them to maintain their training and equipment is worthwhile.

The Chattanooga City Council meets each Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the City Council Building at 1000 Lindsay St. For more information on the agendas, visit www.Chattanooga.gov/City_Council/110_Agenda.asp

Cover Story – Ani DiFranco, Original Righteous Babe

Hellcat — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:24:59 +0000

When I heard that Chattanooga was expecting its first visit from Ani DiFranco, I couldn’t believe it. Could it be true? Finally, I don’t have to drive two hours or more to see her? Amazing. Not to mention the opportunity to interview one of my first musical role models was now obtainable. Thank you, Universe, for an amazing start to March.

Ani DiFranco was one of the first musicians that truly spoke to me through her lyrics and inspired me with her bold political and artistic statements. I remember working at Media Play when I was 16 and special ordering all of her CDs through the store’s account, so that we could stock them and I could immediately “rat-hole” them until my next paycheck.

I own 17 of her 20 albums, not to mention her two Utah Phillips albums and a few soundtracks. Favorite albums include: Not A Pretty Girl, Ani DiFranco (self-titled first album), Dilate, Out of Range, Living in Clip, Little Plastic Castles, and Revelling/ Reckoning. I have been a fan for well over a decade, and there is a damn good reason for it.

Ani DiFranco is not only a rule breaker, but a rule maker. She gave the big corporate label boys club the finger when she created her own label, Righteous Babe Records, and made her music, her way. Originally, the label was called Righteous Records, but that name was taken by a gospel label, so “Babe” was added. The label is located in an old, historic church, built in 1876, that RBR saved from being torn down by the city of Buffalo. It is now fully renovated and holds not only the label’s home office, but a 1,200-seat concert hall.

Righteous Babe Records boasts artists such as Andrew Bird, Drums & Tuba, and That 1 Guy, to name a few. Ani started the label started in 1989, when she was 19, but the one-woman army that is Ani DiFranco started playing guitar in local bars at the tender age of 9. Even if you have never heard the music, these accomplishments alone are pretty impressive.

Now, to the music. First, let me say, Ani is very gifted on many instruments. However, when it comes to acoustic guitar, she is stellar. She is so masterful on the instrument that often I haven’t been able to recognize it as just an acoustic. There are songs on which I would swear she’s playing an electric guitar or perhaps used dueling guitars for effect, only to find out that it is just Ani, strumming away, as only she can.

Lyrically, for me, growing up and hearing, “I am not a pretty girl, that is not what I do/ I ain’t no damsel in distress, and I don’t need to be rescued/ So put me down punk/ Wouldn’t you prefer a maiden fair?/ Isn’t there a kitten stuck up a tree somewhere?” (Not A Pretty Girl) really reinforced my ideas of being an independent and self-sufficient female. At the time, hearing music with such powerful lyrics, encouraging young women to rise up and be whatever it was they wanted to be was completely new to me—and I liked it. Each song seemed to reassure the listener that it was OK to break away from the cookie-cutter molds offered to us by society, and be a little (or a lot) different than the so-called “norm” and our traditional gender roles.

Now, I have often heard shortsighted people accuse her music of being “man-hating,” or that if you listen to it you are a “femi-nazi” and you probably don’t shave your armpits. Well, that is simply ignorant, and while it does irk me, I’m not going to validate it by jumping up and down over it. I choose to look at it as a built-in weeding-out process. If you’re threatened by it, then it’s because you choose to be, and I hate it for you.

Let me give you a few lyrical examples, so you might see just what I mean when I say her words are very empowering. “Talk to Me Now” (self-titled first album): “I played the powerless, in too many dark scenes, and I was blessed with a birth and a death and I guess I just want some say in between” almost urges you to stand up for yourself and what you want out of life. “32 Flavors” (Not a Pretty Girl) describes the judgment a strong, independent woman might face by just being herself: “Squint your eyes and look closer, I’m not between you and your ambition, I’m a poster girl with no poster, I am thirty-two flavors and then some. And I’m beyond your peripheral vision, so you might want to turn your head. ’Cause someday you are going to get hungry and eat most of the words you just said.”

The ultimate break-up song, which flexes verbal muscle and reminds you that you can leave a bad relationship at anytime, “Dilate” (Dilate): “So, I’ll walk the plank, and I’ll jump with a smile, if I’m going to go down, I’m going to do it with style. And you won’t see me surrender, you won’t hear me confess, ’cause you’ve left me with nothing, but I’ve worked with less.” I could quite literally go on for days—but instead, why don’t you go to her web site and find your own favorite battle cries.

Among the hot-button topics Ani DiFranco is known for confronting head-on is sexuality. She is bisexual. Bisexuals have had a tough go of it, as far as being taken seriously by either the gay or straight communities. This is probably due to the media, and what I like to call the “MTV bisexuals,” where reality shows and garbage like College Girls Gone Wild make it seem that every girl is bisexual for enough free drinks. You can see where it might be difficult for your sexual identity to be accepted if these are the only examples force-fed to us on TV.

Regardless of controversy, DiFranco has written love songs and break-up songs, dealing with both genders. One song, in particular, “In or Out,” deals with society’s need to break us all down into categories. Gay or straight? Both? Wait…that wasn’t an option. “Their eyes are all asking, are you in or are you out, and I think, oh man, what is this about? Tonight you can’t put me, up on any shelf, because I came here alone, and I’m going to leave by myself.”

I applaud the way DiFranco fearlessly puts herself out there and is unapologetic about who she is, which is a practice we could all brush up on. Being yourself, regardless of what people might think, isn’t always easy. But, then if it were easy, everyone would be doing it. OK, so I’ll take a step off my soapbox, and let you know what our fierce folksinger has been up to.

Hellcat: I have to ask, considering your music is so intense and so story-driven, if you ever consider yourself a role model of strength to little girls or women everywhere?
Ani DiFranco: I don’t try to be, but I find myself in that place. Mainly because of what I do, I guess, talking about what we aren’t supposed to. But I am not trying to say, “Do as I do.” Do as you know you should do, and find yourself that way. Trust yourself, and follow your heart. Find your own answers. Ask your own questions.

HC: Most of your songs are so vulnerable and raw. They seem so personal. I know you incorporate a lot of your experiences into your songs. Do you ever feel exposed due to so much self-disclosure?

AD: Sure, but I don’t regret anything I’ve put out there. It’s hard. I’ve aired self-loathing and insecurities. I show my own flaws and express my own experiences in art, in hopes that it inspires. At least, it lets people know that they are less alone in their struggles. Although it can be very claustrophobic, being so exposed. Let’s just say it’s a very strenuous songwriting style.

HC: I would imagine, considering it’s like singing out of your diary and putting it out there to be pulled apart. I see that you are on tour again. How has that been going?

AD: Well, we’ve both been sick, my daughter and I. We seem to be getting over it now, finally. It’s just so cold! We’ve been up through Canada and all over the place, in the snow. Other than that, I have been a bit tired. Tired in a very deep way. I have been doing this for 20 years now. I have a 3 year old, [Petah] who wants to go home. I mean, she’s been to Europe twice already, and she’s a great little traveler, but she may need other things in life, which she doesn’t have out on tour. You know, kids her own age, some down time, and stability. I have been touring nonstop for so long, I have to think about what is best for my family. I am probably going to take a break from the road a while. I haven’t made any official statement or anything, but it’s leaning that way.

HC: Your most recent album, Red Letter Year, came out over a year ago, so this tour isn’t really to support an album. Is it just to tour?

AD: That’s what I do. I’m coming from a folk world, ya know? Giving music to people in real time, in real places, as art, not the commercial aspect of supporting an album. I am working on a new album that may be done by the fall.

HC: Righteous Babe Records started out as a one-woman show, and now you have a lot of artists under your umbrella. How does that make you feel?

AD: It feels really great to support other artists. It is what a lot of us would do if they were as lucky as I have been. You get to reinvest in the world and what you believe in, which for me, is political activism and art. I have been able to help some artists get out there, and it is satisfying. Although the music industry is declining rapidly, and we’ve felt the strain, like a lot of other labels. But, hey, we are still open for business.

HC: I saw a special on PBS, called River of Song that follows music along the Mississippi River. I realized you were narrating it—how did that come about?

AD: I feel connected to all types of musical roots and sub-corporate art. Singers, songwriters, blues, gospel, they are all connected. I was happy to narrate it. I thought it was neat that they were showing the way different musical genres related to each other by using the river as a baseline.

HC: At the risk of asking a question you probably get all of the time, and are tired of…I have to ask to satisfy my own curiosity. Do you have a favorite song or album?

AD: Nope. I think “nope” is the best answer. I have been asked a lot over the years, and I have no sense for that kind of thinking. I think that is more of a masculine school of thought. I think of it all as contextual and inter-related. They are all one thing. Different verses of one big song. I guess, a more feminine way of thought. It’s not one or the other, but all.

HC: One thing, I’ve always really liked about your music, which I guess is why I asked the last question, is how you’ve put out so many albums, and each one sounds so different. If you compare Imperfectly to Little Plastic Castles, it almost sounds like a different artist. How do you do that?

AD: Each record is a different me. That’s how I stay alive. (Laughs) I mean, it helps that I’ve been able to be at the head or helm of my team of record making. It gives me freedom in the process; we don’t have to follow some corporate formula to making music. So, consistency isn’t there and it doesn’t have to be. Those are the sounds of someone experimenting.

HC: After 20 years of touring you finally come into Chattanooga. Any particular thing that put our little city in the game?

AD: I don’t really deal with that part of it…my booking agent does all the tour planning. I guess it just worked out.

There are very few tickets remaining for Ani’s show at Rhythm & Brews, so I would encourage everyone to buy the tickets in advance. Her opening act will be Erin McKeown, another RBR artist, who is so diversely talented one really can’t put her in one genre or another, but rather, she offers a little something for everyone. For those of you who have never seen, or possibly never heard of, Ani DiFranco, I urge you to come out and see for yourself that she is a force to be reckoned with.

Ani DiFranco with Erin McKeown
$35
8 p.m.
Saturday, March 6
Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market Street
(423) 267-4644. www.rhythm-brews.com

Discography – Ani DiFranco Over The Years

Studio Albums

• 1990 – Ani DiFranco
• 1991 – Not So Soft
• 1992 – Imperfectly
• 1993 – Puddle Dive
• 1994 – Like I Said: Songs 1990-91
• 1994 – Out of Range
• 1995 – Not a Pretty Girl
• 1996 – Dilate
• 1998 – Little Plastic Castle
• 1999 – Up Up Up Up Up Up
• 1999 – To the Teeth
• 2001 – Revelling/Reckoning
• 2003 – Evolve
• 2004 – Educated Guess
• 2005 – Knuckle Down
• 2006 – Reprieve
• 2007 – Canon (compilation)
• 2008 – Red Letter Year

Live Recordings

• 1994 – An Acoustic Evening With
• 1994 – Women in (E)motion (German Import)
• 1997 – Living in Clip
• 2002 – So Much Shouting, So Much Laughter
• 2006 – Carnegie Hall – 4.6.02 (Official Bootleg – available in stores)

Pulse Beats – College Football Goes Away, Fighting Hate Groups

Gary Poole — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:21:33 +0000

Quote Of The Week:
“Behind the scenes, there are lots of things going on, but there’s not much to see out on the site. That’s something that frustrates probably all of us.”
—Sam Weddle, speaking about the relatively unseen progress on the long-awaited Moccasin Bend National Park.

Chattanooga Loses Championship To Dallas Suburb In Baffling Decision By The NCAA

The NCAA announced this past Friday afternoon that it will move its Division I Football Championship to Frisco, Texas, this year, marking the end of a 13-year relationship with Chattanooga. Local officials expressed disappointment and dismay at the decision.

“It is hard to believe the NCAA would walk away from thirteen years of solid game experience to start over, regardless of the site. Having been involved in running this event since the beginning, I am sick over this decision,” said Chattanooga Sports and Events Committee President Scott Smith.

On Thursday, Smith had led a delegation of Chattanoogans to present the local bid to the FCS committee at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis. In addition to Smith, the group included County Mayor Claude Ramsey, UTC Athletic Director Rick Hart, Finley Stadium Director Merrill Eckstein, Sports Committee Chairman Jim Kennedy, Convention and Visitors Bureau President and CEO Bob Doak, and Sports Committee Director of Operations Ben Austin. Southern Conference Commissioner John Iamarino also attended and was part of the presentation.

Chattanooga’s bid included a significant increase in the guaranteed payment to the NCAA, doubling the previous amount of $150,000. “It has been a long time since I have been this stunned. I don’t think we left anything on the table, including the financial part,” said Mayor Ramsey.

Sports Committee Jim Kennedy added, ““I’ve participated in a lot of presentations in my life, and I thought this one was one of the most complete and polished from virtually every perspective. The data was strong, the images were compelling, all of the presenters were on message, and we had concise answers for their questions. I’m really not sure what else we reasonably could have done.”

During the pitch, the local delegation cited Chattanooga’s convenient location with a map showing that 74 percent of FCS schools are located east of the Mississippi River and Chattanooga in the midst of them.

In concluding the presentation, Kennedy reminded the committee, “Chattanooga is an FCS town. This is your national championship; it deserves to be held in a city that will treat it that way.”

With the championship game scheduled for January 7, 2011, Kennedy told the committee that it would be the only football game held in Chattanooga on that day, an indirect reference to the fact that Dallas is scheduled to host the FBS Cotton Bowl the same day as the FCS game. Smith noted that Dallas is also hosting the Super Bowl a few weeks later. “I hope they give these FCS teams the attention they deserve in the midst of all that,” he said.

The Chattanoogans also cited the increase in community support for the game, pointing out that locals purchased more than 10,000 tickets for the 2009 game, and then came out on a cold and rainy night while the two schools, Villanova and Montana, purchased 3,700 between them. Ramsey applauded the community spirit behind those numbers. “The citizens of Chattanooga and Hamilton County and the area businesses have really stepped up and supported this event over the years, and we were proud to point that out to the committee,” the mayor said.

Although he was disappointed at the NCAA’s decision, Eckstein sounded an optimistic note, saying, “We’ll have FCS playoff football back in Finley Stadium pretty soon. The difference is we’ll all be cheering the Mocs.

New Group Fights Hate Crimes

On February 23, the first meeting was held at the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department office of the Southeastern Tennessee Civil Rights Working Group.

Representatives of Tennessee Valley Pride, the Tennessee Equality Project, the FBI, the TBI, the Chattanooga Police Department, the NAACP, the US Attorney’s Office and the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department all attended the meeting of the new group, which has announced these goals:

• To increase awareness of hate crimes and civil right protection through education outreach programs.
• To provide a forum for sharing information and the exchange of ideas between Southeast Tennessee’s diverse communities and the law enforcement agencies serving them.
• To foster greater fellowship, dialogue, understanding and interaction among our communities.

Membership is free and open to any person, agency or organization. Meetings will be held quarterly. For more information, contact Vann Hinton at the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office at (423) 322-8490.

Beyond The Headlines – Health Care Summit: Posturing With No Solutions

Stuart James — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:19:26 +0000

“People aren’t concerned with the debate, they’re concerned with what we are going to produce.” — Charles Rangel, Health Care Summit February 2010

“You know the reason people don’t have health care in this country—they cannot afford it.” — John Dingell, quoting Harry Truman, Health Care Summit February 2010

The Health Care Summit produced nothing. The Health Care Summit will not make health insurance more affordable. The Health Care Summit shows us Congress is out of touch.

The summit went on for more than six hours and in the end, with nothing to show for it. We saw a lot of debate, disagreement, and partisan posturing—with no results.
One of the bright spots of the summit came from Representative Rangel. He is right on point: People are not concerned with the debate, but they are concerned with what Congress is going to do. After the summit, no one can tell us what Congress is going to do. The Health Care Summit was an exercise in arrogance, a debate that showed us our elected representatives are out of touch.

The members of Congress yielded this and yielded that. They were more concerned with the formality of the process than they were about finding a bipartisan solution. They quoted polls, dissected the plan, and fought from beginning to end. As the war of words went on, it became painfully obvious that the summit was a photo opportunity, a chance to deliver talking points, stories, and philosophies without reaching any agreement on specifics. The partisan divide between Republicans and Democrats prevented anyone from reaching an agreement on solutions.

We did, however, learn a few good things from this summit:

• America needs a new direction. We need to examine why Washington is so partisan. We need to question why our elected representatives are locked into partisan positions without the ability to reach common ground to solve the issues facing our country. The Health Care Summit gave us a snapshot into a broken political system ruled by partisanship politics—a system with leaders who need to re-examine why they are in Congress.

• We can take another good thing away from the summit; we saw firsthand how Republicans and Democrats are dealing with health care. We saw firsthand the political posturing, we saw firsthand an unfortunate trend in American politics—partisanship and power grabs are more important than dealing with the business of the people. Unfortunately, we saw a divided Congress that appears more concerned with its interests than with ours.

• We got a snapshot into the dysfunctional partisan leadership in Congress from both parties. As the summit dragged on, it became painfully obvious that the poll-driven opinions of Republicans and Democrats rule the day, that both parties cite polls that are more favorable to the party line. Each side is entrenched in its position, driven by a desire to win. The health care summit showed more concern with how business is done in Washington then how the real-world business of life is conducted on the streets.

Overall, the health care summit was an exercise in futility, with no results, no plan, and no hope. There are no winners after this summit. We are not seeing change we can believe in. Perhaps the change we can believe in will come from the ballot box, by making change in the leadership in the House of Representatives, and the United States Senate…both Republican and Democrat.

Now that would be change we can believe in.

Stuart James is host of The Stuart James Show and publishes The Truth Factor. The Stuart James Show airs weekly at truthfactor.org and on News Talk 95.3 WPLZ.

Letters to the Editor – 3.4.10

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 18:17:53 +0000

Hope For Haiti
While the national news media has all but forgotten about Haiti, it is so refreshing to see a local newspaper like The Pulse keep the attention on one of the worst natural disasters in modern history. Rebecca Cruz should be commended for volunteering her time and energy to do what so few other are willing to do, and write so beautifully about it afterwards. I am sure that her life has been changed forever by what she has experienced, and that is no small thing. Even in the darkest of hours, the spark of hope always shines brightest. So let us all lift up out voices and sing along with the children of Haiti as they keep hope against all odds.
Melissa Kellar

Where Were The Police?
After a tractor trailer turned over this past Sunday on I-24, many motorists were delayed for two hours or more due not to the accident itself but to the ineptitude of the local police. There was no coordination among law enforcement to help the people that were made to exit the Interstate. What were they thinking? How about some police to direct traffic for a few hours to get people through downtown Chattanooga until the Interstate was reopened? Our taxes at work!
J Nesbitt

Sugar Instead Of Milk
Please explain to me why the Hamilton County School cafeterias provide “Snow Cream” as a milk alternative in our elementary schools? Snow Cream (with the happy snowman on the bright white carton) is High Fructose Corn Syrup disguised as milk. The sad answer is because it is more profitable than milk.
Tom Carrin