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REGIONAL TEEN FED UP WITH GAS PRICES RIDES HORSE TO SCHOOL LETTERS TO THE READER DEAR KENNYS GARAGE FIASCO, TALKBACK DONT BLAME RECESSION ON THE PRESIDENT FEATURE THE PALESTINIAN PERSPECTIVE MR. MEANERS CRIME WATCH TED RALL POSSIBLY TED RALLS MAGNUM OPUS BUSH RANT GUEST COLUMN THE WORLDS ONLY SUPERPOWER GOOD FIGHT DAMON FORDHAM RECOVERS HIDDEN HISTORY STATE HOUSE REPORT LOOK OUT, S.C. INCUMBENTS 3 3 3 6 6 7 8 9 10

IDENTITY CRISIS: TIPS FROM AN EX-ID THIEF

Contents
MAY 7, 2008 VOLUME 3 ISSUE 18

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Todd Morehead todd@columbiacitypaper.com CREATIVE DIRECTOR Sean Rayford theangrywhale@yahoo.com ARTS EDITOR Judit Trunkos jtrunkos@columbiacitypaper.com PRODUCTION MANAGER Emily Davis emily@columbiacitypaper.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Shawna Simmons shawna@columbiacitypaper.com Kara Hicks kara@columbiacitypaper.com

PG. 4

NOW HIRING AD SALES REPS!


PG. 6

Arts.Entertainment.Etc
MUSIC INTERVIEW: IWRESTLEDABEARONCE SOUNDBOARD PUNK/INDIE/EMO/SKA/HARDCORE/METAL/ROCK VOCAL BOOTH ARTS BOYS HAVING FUN AT HOFP MOVIE REVIEW IRON MAN LITERATURE THE BIG SQUEEZE JONESIN CROSSWORDS SAVAGE LOVE ADULT SEX ADVICE SPORTS DANICA PATRICK SILENCES CRITICS

POLITICS & MEDIA Ismail Lagardien ilagardien@columbiacitypaper.com PUBLISHER Paul Blake

12 13 14 16 17 17 19 19 20
Quote of the issue:

NEIGHBORHOOD AFFAIRS DESK James D. McCallister/dmac@columbiacitypaper.com Now hiring freelance music writers! todd@columbiacitypaper.com
Andy Brack, Graeme Fouste, Founding Editor Corey Hutchins, Harry S. Iarch, Magdalene Kellett, Ismail Lagardien, WR Marshall, Will Moredock, Ted Rall, Fred Richardson, Dan Savage, Mike Serge, Kingsley Waring
CONTRIBUTORS

PG. 17
I drink a 12 pack of ODouls almost every day. My friends worry that Im becoming a non-alchoholic.

Advertisers in Columbia City Paper assume responsibility for the entire content of the advertisements. The first copy of Columbia City Paper is free. Additional copies are $1 each. Views expressed do not necessarily represent the opinions of Columbia City Paper or its publisher. (C) Columbia City Paper, LLC

COLUMBIA CITY PAPER 701 Gervais Street, Suite 150-218 Columbia, SC 29201 803.446.3458 / Fax: 803.461.4640

Summer Arrivals!
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MAY 7, 2008

Letters to the
BEAUFORT FEDS
SAY "MONKEY IN GOOD HEALTH

ROCK HILL ISLAND"


RESIDENTS

Officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture inspected the Alpha Genesis Inc. primate research facility in Yemassee late last month in response to allegations of animal mistreatment. According to a USDA spokesperson, the agency received a complaint from the animals rights group, Stop Animal Exploitation Now alleging that some of the monkeys were missing fingers and toes among other injuries possibly resulting from fights between the monkeys. USDA officials said they found no evidence of wrongdoing. Alpha Genesis also oversees a free ranging monkey colony on Morgan Island (aka "Monkey Island") near Beaufort. OCONEE TEEN
FED UP WITH GAS PRICES RIDES HORSE TO SCHOOL

SCORNED TEEN POURS BLEACH INTO FAMILYS SOFT DRINKS Narasha Simpson, 16, of Rock Hill took teen angst to a whole new level when she allegedly tried to poison her family by pouring bleach into their soft drinks. Police arrested Simpson, who had been listed as a runaway, last week and plan to charge her as an adult for the attempted poisoning. She admitted to pouring bleach into several 2-liter soda bottles out of anger. MYRTLE BEACH WOMAN
TERRORIZED BY SWORD-WIELDING HORDE AT SHOPPING VILLAGE

Dear bachelor party, Man, there's nothing like a night out with the boys. Friends, fellowship, a few drinks... finding yourself forced onto a stage at a crowded strip club on all fours in a kiddie pool full of chocolate pudding with your belt tied around your neck and a stripper astride your back, riding you like a horse while your buddies snap photos for your fianc. Not to mention the effort of trying to smile apologetically to your future brother-inlaw in the crowd through a pair of balled up panties that have been stuffed in your mouth. "Wow," you'll think to yourself, while the DJ mocks your plight over the PA system, "thanks for these special memories, guys. But, instead of buying another few rounds, why not just loan me that cash for all the therapy I'm gonna need." Columbia City Paper

Reader

using hospitality tax dollars to commission giant baroque statuary of city council and FPA board members spewing water in the center. Throw in some paddleboats and viola! Problem solved. Columbia City Paper

SALEMFed up with rising gasoline costs, Tamassee-Salem High School senior, Greg Nichols, decided on a mode of transportation that relies exclusively on bio fuel: his horse. I saw the price of gas and thought it was outrageous, Nichols told the Anderson Independent-Mail. I decided to ride my horse to school. The Pinto horse, named Dusty, reportedly grazes in a nearby field, tied to a shade tree while Nichols attends classes. Some of his classmates have jokingly asked Nichols to attach a buggy to Dusty to give them a free ride. FLORENCE JEALOUS
MOMENT MOTORIST HAS

Myrtle Beach police say a woman and her friend reported being attacked by sword-wielding goons at the Broadway on the Beach tourist complex. The victim reportedly received numerous lacerations. The incident comes on the heels of a recent investigative report by the Myrtle Beach Herald on the availability of swords, knives and brass knuckles sold as paperweights at many locations on Ocean Blvd. ELLOREE CHARITY AUCTIONEERS HOPE THIEF WILL BRING HOME THE BACON At the time of this report, authorities in Elloree are seeking information in the disappearance of a decorated ceramic pig that was to be auctioned for charity at the towns annual Pork Fest celebration. Many businesses in town decorated pigs to help promote the Pork Fest, including the Elloree Police Department, who decorated a pig they nicknamed Captain Oink, according to the Orangeburg Times & Democrat. The missing pig, belonging to the Elloree Square Antique Mall is white and festooned with pink flowers. Those with any information about the pig-napping are urged to contact Elloree police.

Dear popular Five Points eatery, According to a source close to the story, a slobbering drunk recently made a mess of himself near your door. As a restaurant employee rushed toward the area with a mop, the owner reportedly yelled, "No! Not our mop!" and then ran toward the front door. Passing stacks of flyers and outdated apartment guides in the foyer and rack upon rack of free papers outside the door, the owner allegedly ran halfway down the block to grab a stack of City Paper and then hurried back in with them to sop up the mess. We don't know if it's true, but we fell over laughing when we heard the story nonetheless. Dear Kennys parking garage fiasco, Score one for you! OK, so there are some who are upset that Columbia City Paper Rickenmann made money on the Kenny's sale, some who are concerned about potential benzene Dear early morning delight, contamination onsite, a potentially unstable Collectively our breath smells like a dumpster, foundation due to the Columbia waterworks sys- my love, but the red crease mark across your tem beneath, height requirement issues, tax dol- face and your matted hair are driving me wild. lars at stake, et cetera. And there are business And as I gaze upon you through my crust filled owners and shoppers who believe the problems eyes, I feel an overwhelming urge to take you above are easily fixed, who support the idea and right here! Just like that other time last month, think it will go off without a hitch. Well, here's while your were half-watching "Good Morning what we think should happen with the Kenny's America" and sipping intermittently from a cup site: ...scrap the garage and build a third, jumbo- of coffee on the nightstand while I labored away, sized fountain. worshiping at the altar of every supple curve and For this new 1.5-acre super fountain, we panting heavily through my sleep apnea mask. propose importing purebred Mandarin ducks and Columbia City Paper

CURRENT RECESSION, OIL PRESIDENT BUSH'S FAULT

Talk Back!
COSTS ARE NOT

CHEATERS

Florence police arrested Adrian Malone, 20, after they say she used her vehicle to try to run over her boyfriend after seeing him at an area park with another woman. According to police, Malone ran over the mans bicycle several times and she later admitted trying to run him down on a previous occasion.

This is a response to the article "High Unemployment" by Ted Rall in the April 23 issue [Vol.3, Issue 17]. The central theme of his article seems to be to identify that we are not just in a recession by the traditional meaning of the word, but that it is a rarely seen "structural recession." The idea that the United States is in a recession seems to be the conventional wisdom for Americans these days, liberals and conservatives alike. Liberals blame it on the war and on Cheney, while Republicans blame it on Bush for pandering to liberals. What people fail to realize is that all that has happened is a massive correction of the capital markets due to unwise investments by the big banks; unemployment levels are a byproduct of this. These mortgage companies that gave $200,000 home loans to people that had neither the income nor credit score to get a $500 Visa credit card from Target were making bad deals and they knew it in early 2007. The first quarter of this year, the stock market was hit by a massive sell off when the first banks began reporting billions in write-offs in sub-prime debt. The first-quarter credit crisis is what is causing this so-called economic downturn, not the war in Iraq, unemployment, or George W. Bush. A correction is not a recession. Crude oil may possibly go to $200 a barrel according to OPEC. Not because of Haliburton

or Exxon, but because of the weak dollar. OPEC sets the prices and then the government taxes the hell out of it. That is why you have $3.50 gasoline. Don't yell at big oil, the president or about the war; yell at your Congress (which is controlled by the Democrats, by the way). This "war for oil" garbage Rall mentions off-handedlya sentiment made popular by left-wing reportersis an inane and utterly ridiculous idea. Where is all the oil Bush stole from Iraq? I suppose some may say that Bush has it hidden away where he was hiding Saddam Hussein before the 2004 election, or where he is hiding Osama bin Laden. But these people are the same people who believe that Bush personally blew up the levies in New Orleans, planted explosives in the twin towers and has the ability to control the weather. People and corporations are to blame for unemployment, not the president. The president can do only one thing to influence employment rates: provide favorable or unfavorable tax environments for business (small and large). Bush has not made any policy that really would have an adverse effect on a company's ability to retain or hire employees. The only thing that has affected unemployment is poor decisions by overpaid corporate executives. Kevin Tavera, Columbia

MAY 7, 2008

BY JACK MEADOWS, INMATE #1303995, POWLEDGE PRISON, TEXAS


Editors Note: An inmate in a Texas state prison, who was convicted on 37 counts of identity theft, forgery and organized crime has turned his life around and is now using his knowledge of ID theft to help protect consumers from behind bars. One of the biggest pitfalls facing Americans living in the digital age is the scourge of identity theft and related fraud. These types of crimes cost American consumers an estimated $49.3 billion in 2006, according to the Javelin Strategy and Research Group, a California based thinktank. Hard-hit was the state of South Carolina, which reported an estimated 579,000 cases of total fraud during 2006. Recently released statistics from the U.S. Justice Department indicate that check, credit card and consumer identity fraud are among the fasted growing crimes of our decade. If the current rate of growth continues, millions of Americans will be affected in the coming years. Todays consumers are neither stupid nor naive, but many still do not understand just how identity theft works and what measures are necessary to reduce the risk of identity theft and related fraud. I spent over four years of my life as a career criminal identity thief and Internet hacker. Im sorry to say that over that period I was probably responsible for several hundred cases of identity fraud and several hundred more cases of unauthorized electronic access into business and personal computer networks in search of financial data. In late 2006, I was finally arrested by the FBI and Texas Rangers and was eventually sentenced to multiple prison terms. Identity theft is a crime of information and opportunity and the perpetrators are not always essay to spot. Take the case of Drexel University student Jocelyn Kirsch, 22, and her boyfriend Edward Anderton, a 25-year-old graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Business. This unlikely pair of Ivy League ID crooks were recently arrested in Philadelphia and
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MAY 7, 2008

charged with masterminding an identity theft scheme that police say they used to steal and estimated $100,000 in 2007 alone. Police allege that the couple stole the identities of unsuspecting neighbors in their upscale apartment building and used their credit to fund a lavish lifestyle that included $1,000 trips to a hair salon, expensive jewelry and jet setting vacations to Paris, London and Hawaii. The scam was foiled when a neighbor called police to say she though her identity had been stolen. Police eventually seized $17,500 in cash; a computerized industrial machine used to make fake ID cards; dozens of forged drivers licenses and credit cards in other peoples names; and keys to unlock their neighbors mailboxes, among other ID fraud tools. Authorities also found a laptop containing a dazzling array of digital photos detailing the duos globetrotting vacations. Some of the photos showed the cou-

duplications of your drivers license and Social Security card. They then proceed to open charge and credit accounts in your name while pretending to be you. Some bold identity theft bandits have even secured bank loans posing as their victims. Once a credit account has been opened, the crook(s) will then begin to deplete it as quickly as possible until the account is deactivated because of detection of fraudulent actively or non-payment. If the latter happens, the unpaid balance is posted against your credit record, seriously damaging your credit standing. If an identity thief obtains your checking account number, the results can be disastrous. After making a forged duplication of your drivers license or ID card, the crook will use one of the many widely available software programs to make authentic-looking bank-quality facsimiles of your personal checks. Beginning in the early 1990s

Using a program like Quickbooks, a skilled identity thief can have 100 passable forged checks printed up on any personal computer within an hour of obtaining your account information.
ple on a beach in Hawaii, vacationing in England, kissing under the Eiffel Tower in Paris and several of Ms. Kirsch reclining naked in a large spa-type bath tub, holding what appears to be a glass of champagne. One of their victims was taken for over $30,000 in the course of a year, said a police spokesperson. Identity thieves can be as diverse as the people they victimize. The only way consumers can ultimately protect themselves from would-be scammers is by taking the necessary steps to insure that their vital personal information never falls into he wrong hands. A vast majority of identity criminals receive their victims information directly from the victims, or more precisely from a method under the victims control, such as from unsecured mailboxes, compromised emails, leaving identifying information in unsecured places or unwittingly giving identifying information over the telephone. Heres how identity theft works: Once an identity thief has obtained your personal information identifiers (name, date of birth, Social Security number, drivers license number and address) they make forged with the advent of check creation software for personal computers (which unwittingly ushered in a new era of amateur forgery) our country saw an unprecedented rise in the number of forgery related crimes. By using programs like Versacheck, Quickbooks or any other home/business accounting software (most come with the ability to create bank checks) a skilled identity thief can have 100 passable forged checks printed up on any personal computer within an hour of obtaining your account information. There is usually a two to three day window from the time a thief begins passing forged checks to when the checks are no longer accepted by retail check scanners. Most of this software is available at many chain retail office supply stores or even Wal-Mart. There is only one way to combat this type of fraud and that is simply through education. By taking a few extra steps to ensure that your vital personal information stays secure, you can effectively stop identity thieves in their tracks. GUARD YOUR IDENTIFIERS

There are five key pieces of information that make up your personal identifiers: your name, address, Social Security number, date of birth, and drivers license number. Most consumers are asked to provide this info when applying for credit or goods and services. Consequently these are the pieces of information most sought after by identity bandits. Of all your identifiers none is as potent as your Social Security number, which is unique to you. Without it, crooks can do nothing. Even though you may be used to carrying your card in your wallet or purse, its really not a good idea. Can you imagine anything worse than have your purse stolen only to have your identity ripped off as well? Memorize your SSN and keep your physical card in a secure location in your home or office. Also remember to safeguard paycheck stubs, bank statements, credit card bills, W2s or other tax forms. Never leave your vital information lying in the open. You never know with whom you may be dealing when it comes to workpeople in your home, cleaning personnel, invited or uninvited guests or someone your children may invite in. If you ever do lose your card or if it is stolen, you can replace it by contacting the Social Security Administration. Reporting any loss of identifying information to the police is of the utmost importance. Have a police report detailing your loss of identifying information could be invaluable when it comes to expediting the removal from your credit report or getting cash reimbursements from your bank or insurance company. The second call you should make is to the credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion). You must report any suspected fraud to all three credit-reporting agencies to insure that all records are corrected. NEVER
GIVE ANY OF YOUR IDENTIFIERS OVER THE PHONE

Ever increasingly, identity criminals are obtaining their victims information by convincing them to give it over willingly, by posing as a bank, credit card or utility

provider employee over the phone. A companys employees should never call you on the phone and ask that you identify yourself. If you ever receive such a call, you should immediately ask to speak to a supervisor or advise the caller that you will have to phone them back to confirm that they are calling form a legitimate location. The only exception to this rule is of course when you initiate the contact and the customer service advisor is trying to verify information on your account, as they are required to do. SAFEGUARD YOUR MAIL A major way identity criminals obtain victim information is by theft of U.S. mail. Mail theft is the bread and butter of identity thieves. What they are looking for are credit card statements, bank statements, drivers license renewals (some states still mail them), utility bills and any number of other monthly payments that you set out for pick-up which may contain your personal check or money order as payment. Securing your mail is a simple proposition. Your local hardware store should offer a full line of lockable mail receptacles. Most are fairly inexpensive and easy to install. This is a must for rural residences, as they are often targeted by ID thieves due to their seclusion. If an ID thief or organized ring has targeted your neighborhood, they have already ascertained your mail carriers schedule and will strike just before or after your carrier arrives. ID thieves dont like attention, so if you have a lock on your box, they will usually pass it by and look for an unsecured box instead. If installing a locking mailbox is not an option for your, take a few steps to make the one you have safer. Never leave mail in your box for an extended period of time. Even if you are only going to be away for just a few days, have a trusted neighbor get your mail or have the post office hold delivery of your mail until you return. Never mail monthly bills that contain payment from your unsecured mailbox. Take them directly to the Post Office for drop off. Watch for your bills and statements to arrive on their regularly scheduled dates. If they dont arrive within a day or two of that date, call the creditor in question and your Post Office as well. Not getting your mail on time could be as innocent as a simple delay or it could be an indication of mail theft. Also be sure to thoroughly shred old bills and unwanted credit card offers. Even your trash is a target for crooks. ID thieves nationwide reap tons of information from potential victims by what they throw away. The old adage that one persons trash is another persons treasure is definitely true in the world of identity criminals. PROTECT YOUR CREDIT CARDS When paying for a transaction at a

store or restaurant, try to keep your credit card in full view at all times. Keeping an eye on your card will keep it from getting skimmed. Credit card skimming occurs when a clerk runs your card through a second machine that copies the data encoded on your cards magnetic strip and stores it until it can be downloaded onto a counterfeit card. One particular theft ring used this scam with a great deal of success in Nevada, Texas, and Arizona by enlisting the aid of rogue store clerks and paying them cash for every customer card that they could skim. This type of scam is not widespread but it could still be a concern, nonetheless. When your credit cards or personal checkbooks are out of their holders at the cash register, be aware of your surroundings. Watch for other people in line that have camera phones focused too close to your personal information. Dont have your drivers license number or birth date imprinted on personal checks, either. While this may seem like a convenience, its really a bad idea. At home make sure to always use a secure Web site for purchases by clicking on the padlock icon at the bottom of your browser. It should reveal a Web address that is identical to the address at the top of your browser. If it doesnt you could be on a fraudulent site. Make sure that you are running the anti virus software as well. MAKE
REGULAR CHECKS ON TO YOUR CREDIT REPORT

By making regular checks on your accounts, you can keep on top of potential problems by watching for suspicious entries ad transactions. You are entitled to a free copy of your credit report every 12 months (www.AnnualCreditReport.com). More frequent copies of your report are available for a small fee payable to any one of the three major credit-reporting agencies. You can also obtain a copy of your report by mail by writing to: Free Annual Reporting Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA, 30348. (But, definitely have it sent to a secure mailbox!) One does not have to look at the statistics to know that these types of fraud are on the rise; the nightly news seems to be brimming with new reports regularly. From the case of the Philadelphia college students-turned-ID criminals to the backto-back busts recently in Texas, the national spotlight will likely remain on this hot-button issue. The government and special interest groups have been running consumer awareness spots for years with seemingly little impact. The reality is and it should go without sayingthat the bulk of the responsibility for protecting your identity falls on you. And by taking a few simple steps, like the ones listed above, you can greatly reduce the likelihood of ever being victimized by identity theft or related fraud. talkback@columbiacitypaper.com
MAY 7, 2008

Mr. Meaners

CRIME WATCH
COMPILED BY

THE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THESE EVENTS ARE INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY. THE ACCOUNTS COME DIRECTLY FROM POLICE REPORTS. C. H.

29201 Cops sharking the Polo/Croakie lounge this week hauled in several tickets and arrests for men and women boozing it up underage. The cops, it seems, arent just looking for underage drinkers, but are also looking for patrons who are alerting others that theyre doing it; 2000 block Greene Street. 29201 An officer on patrol is watching his radar gun when he sees it showing a car traveling 42 mph in a 25-mph zone. In cop speak, this is known as a big fish. Well, the officer gets more than he bargains for when he reels in his whopper to find that the 21-year-old female driver doesnt even have a license. Throw it on the scale, boys, and cook her for dinner! 2500 block Park Street. 29201 Scene: An elevator in a downtown Columbia building. Officer: *Sniff, sniff* - Have you been smoking marijuana? 21-year-old guy (also in elevator: reaches in pocket, holds out bag of weed) Officer: You have the right to remain silent; End Scene 100 block Hampton Street 29204 A 37-year-old woman is at a friends house and knocks on the neighbors door to see if she can bum a cigarette. She doesnt get it what she gets is a solid kick to the chest and a door slammed in her face. The next thing the woman knows, the door is opening again and a 48-year-old man is coming at her with a knife. Cops say this fella was drunk; 2400 block Greene Street. 29204 A woman in her 30s is walking along Two Notch Road when a scumbag following her asks for a cigarette. The woman gives him one and the man continues to follow her. Then it happens: he grabs her from behind and drags her into the cemetery, where with one hand over her mouth and the other around her neck, he rapes her, saying he has a knife and if she says anything hell stab her. According to police, the woman said the man must have ejaculated inside her because she did not see him ejaculate anywhere else. 2600 block Two Notch Road. 29203 No, hes not just happy to see you, thats four or five pairs of boys pants stuffed down the front of his black jogging pants. Anyway, thats what an employee of K-Mart says of the man who shoplifted said merchandise last week; 100 block Arrowood Ave. 29210 Bitch I shoot your ass. Thats the text message a 17-year-old man gets while at the mall. He doesnt know who sent it; 400 block Bush River Road.

29201 Every time you toss a coin into the Five Points fountain and make a wish it automatically counts as a contribution to the city's department of revenue. I know; it kind of takes the magic out of it. But that way, when hobos go change-diving at 2 a.m., the cops can bust them for petit larceny like what happened to a 61-year-old homeless man just this week. So think about that the next time you flip a dime in there with one arm around your girlfriend and the other holding your Starbucks; 700 block Harden Street. 29201 Columbia is a far cry from Los Angeles, but that doesn't mean we're deprived of the random inner-city drive-by. That's exactly what happened the other day when witnesses heard several gun blasts followed by the squeal of tires at 4 in the morning. Officers later found seven 45-caliber shells outside an apartment complex, letting us know that Boyz In Da Hood has finally made it to Cola Town. 29209 Cops say a woman walked into the Rite Aid and stole a box of condoms and some a hair color kit. Sounds kinky; Garners Ferry Road. 29201 A 23-year-old girl this week awakes in the morning behind a dumpster in Five Points with her jeans off, her underwear torn, and her belongings scattered all around her. She tells cops that while she cannot remember the sequence of events, she does remember that as she left a bar she was followed by a man in a skull cap who grabbed her as she turned a corner; 600 block Harden Street. 29201 With fingernails and hair flying everywhere, four underage girls were involved in a massive cat fight in Five Points that had to be busted up by the cops. Authorities said one girl ended up with "many lacerations on her face" while another one was seen "swinging her purse." Againwe want the video; 1000 block Harden Street. 29203 Pop pop pop. That's the sound of three 9mm shells being discharged from a handgun behind an apartment building in Columbia. Why? No one knows, but cops did find the bullet casings and tagged them as evidence. It's not even summer yet, and that's when this shit really starts getting wild; 100 block Lorick Circle.

BY KATHARINE CLIFTON says he considers it more May 15 mourns of a political than a the 60th anniversary of humanitarian effort at the beginning of the this stage in the conflict. Israel-Palestinian conIf this was a flict. Considering that humanitarian effort, it since 1948, over 6,000 would not make much Israelis and sense to rebuild the Palestinians have died demolished houses and over 18,000 which will be destroyed Palestinian homes by the Israelis again, he have been demolished told City Paper. We as a direct result of the have rebuilt 150 houses conflict, some believe over the past few years, this issue has not been which is only a drop in covered sufficiently in An anti-war protester in London. May 15th is the the bucket. Over 18,000 60th anniversary of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. the media. Palestinian houses were A growing number of journalists and demolished since 1967. But, if you look at it in a activists worry that since Sept. 11 most major political sense, as a political resistance, now you media outlets developed a tunnel-vision, cov- have 150 major acts of resistance against the ering the hunt for Osama Bin Laden and the U.S. Israeli occupation, and the point of rebuilding is war on terrorism, while pushing aside coverage a civil disobedience. of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Not that the Halper also believes that the efforts of the people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank ICAHD will shed light on a different part of the stopped fighting and stopped dying; simply the larger picture. coverage and discussion of the situation have The way people see it today is that Israel is been kept to a minimum. Also, due to major pro- defending itself from the terrorists, he says. So Israel financiers, some believe that many when people hear about the Palestinian homes reporters consider it too risky to invest a lot of being demolished, it raises the question, What is time and effort into stories from the Palestinian going on there?And when we rebuild a house perspective that may hit the cutting room floor and it is demolished again, then Why is it due to a media outlets apprehension over losing demolished again? business and financial support. In the past couple of years, more publicaThere are, however, a few journalists, pro- tions have begun to surface that take a critical fessors and peace activists who continue to study view of Israel and U.S. foreign policy. In 2006, and report the chaos in the region and who are John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt pubwilling to provide unbiased coverage. lished The Israel Lobby and U.S Foreign Policy Alison Weir, an America freelance journal- which discusses in-depth the Jewish lobbyists ist who has reported from the region, believes influence on the United Statespro-Israel foreign that the American mainstream media has policy. The book also points out that this expandropped the ball on the conflict in Israel and is sive foreign policy has been hurting the providing unbalanced if not outright misleading American national interest and Israels long-term information to the public. security. To start with, currently only a small group Dr. Phillis Bennis, a senior analyst at the of journalists cover the Israeli-Palestinian con- Institute for Policy Studies, who recently particiflict and many are biased toward Israel, she told pated in the Peace in the Holy Land conferCity Paper. There are additional pressures to ence in Columbia alongside Weir and Halper, keep the Palestinian side of the coverage low to feels that publishing books like The Israel Lobby please Jewish investors and businessmen who and President Jimmy Carters Palestine: Peace advertise in the paper and to keep the readers not Apartheid carries a huge responsibility and a who support Israel. great message, essentially validating that it is OK There are, though, a growing number of to explore all angles of the conflict and cover it organizations trying to supplement the other side evenly. of the story. Dr. Jeff Halper, a Nobel Peace Prize President Carter is currently one of the most nominee and former professor of anthropology powerful activists and supporters of this issue, as at Ben-Gurion University in Israel, has dedicat- he continues to be involved in the peace process ed his life to trying to provide a more balanced despite the wide opposition to his actions from picture of the conflict. Halper is currently the the government. On April 28, Larry King asked Coordinating Director of the Israeli Committee Carter on Larry King Live why he thinks Against House Demolitions (ICAHD-USA), an American Jews oppose his ideas about the peace independent non-profit organization that works process. Carter responded without hesitation and to educate the American public on all aspects of summed up the larger problem simply and sucthe Israeli-Palestinian conflict while helping to cinctly: rebuild demolished Palestinian homes. And Because they do not see both sides of the though it is certainly important that the ICAHD story. rebuilds homes for displaced families, Halper talkback@columbiacitypaper.com

Journalists and activists work to paint a balanced picture of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

THE PALESTINIAN PERSPECTIVE

MAY 7, 2008

Forget Impeachment: ARREST BUSH


"Why are we talking about this in the White House?" John Ashcroft nervously asked his fellow members of the National Security Council's Principals Committee. "History will not OPINION BY TED RALL judge this kindly," he predicted. "This" is torture. Against innocent people. Conducted by CIA agents and American soldiers and marines. Sanctioned by legal opinions issued by Ashcroft's Justice Department. Directly ordered by George W. Bush. An April 9 report by ABC News describes how CIA agents, asked by previous presidents to carry out illegal "black ops" actions (torture and killings), had become tired of getting hung out to dry whenever their dirty deeds were revealed by the press. When the Bush Administration asked the CIA to work over prisoners captured in Afghanistan, Pakistan and elsewhere, Director George Tenet demanded legal cover. The Justice Department complied by issuing a classified 2002 memo, the so-called "Golden Shield," authored by Office of Legal Counsel Jay Bybee. "Enhanced interrogation techniques" were legal, Bybee assured the CIA. Tenet was a good boss, a CYA type. He wanted to protect his agents. So he got the Principals to personally sign off on each act of torture. "According to a former CIA official involved in the process," ABC reported, "CIA headquarters would receive cables from operatives in the field asking for authorization for specific techniques." Can we beat up this guy? Can we waterboard him? The Bushies weren't otherwise known for dwelling on details. Osama was in Pakistan; they invaded Afghanistan instead. Two years later, he was still in Pakistan. They invaded Iraq. Bush and his top officials still found time to walk through every step of torment a detainee would suffer in some CIA dungeon halfway around the world. "The high-level discussions about these 'enhanced interrogation techniques' were so detailed, [Bush Administration] sources said, some of the interrogation sessions were almost choreographed-down to the number of times CIA agents could use a specific tactic. These top advisers signed off on how the CIA would interrogate top Al Qaeda suspects-whether they would be slapped, pushed, deprived of sleep or subjected to simulated drowning, called waterboarding, sources told ABC news." Bush knew. Not only did he know, he personally approved it. "Yes, I'm aware our national security team met on this issue," he confirmed. "And I approved." When the U.S. signs a treaty, its provisions carry the full force of U.S. law. One such treaty is the U.N. Convention Against Torture, of which the U.S. is a core signatory. As Philippe Sands writes in his new book Torture Team: Parties to the... Convention are required to investigate any person who is alleged to have committed torture. If appropriate, they must then prosecute or extradite the person to a place where he will be prosecuted. The Torture Convention...criminalizes any act that constitutes complicity or participation in torture. Complicity or participation could certainly be extended not only to the politicians and but also the lawyers involved..." George W. Bush has publicly confessed that he ordered torture, thus violating the Convention Against Torture. He, Cheney, Rumseld, Rice and the other Principals must therefore be arrested and, unlike the thousands of detainees kidnapped by the U.S. since 9/11, arraigned and placed on trial. Because the torture ordered by Bush and his cabinet directly resulted in death, they must additionally be charged with several counts of murder. Fifteen U.S. soldiers have been charged with the murders of two detainees at the U.S. airbase at Bagram, Afghanistan in 2002. They were following orders issued by their Commander-in-Chief and his Principals. One of the Bagram victims was Dilawar, a 22-year-old Afghan taxi driver. "On the day of his death," reported The New York Times on May 22, 2005, "Dilawar had been chained by the wrists to the top of his cell for much of the previous four days. A guard tried to force the young man to his knees. But his legs, which had been pummeled by guards for several days, could no longer bend...Several hours passed before an emergency room doctor finally saw Mr. Dilawar. By then he was dead, his body beginning to stiffen. It would be many months before Army investigators learned a final horrific detail: Most of the interrogators had believed Mr. Dilawar was an innocent man who simply drove his taxi past the American base at the wrong time." At least four detainees have committed suicide at the torture camp created by George W. Bush after 9/11 at Guantnamo Bay. Twenty-five more made 41 unsuccessful attempts to kill themselves. The conditions of their confinement--ordered by Bush and his Principals--constitutes torture. It no doubt prompted their deaths. If George W. Bush were an ordinary citizen, there can be little doubt that he would face a long prison sentence for the scores of acts of torture he authorized both specifically and generally. Four of the seven white hillbillies charged with the kidnap-torture of a black woman in Logan County, West Virginia are now in jail for at least the next ten years. If Bush weren't president, he would face murder charges. The maximum sentence in a federal murder case is death. If Bush and his co-conspirators are not above the law, if the United States remains a nation where all citizens are equal, they must be arrested and indicted. But by whom? The Supreme Court has never resolved the question of whether a sitting president can be arrested by civilian authorities. Even if he were charged and convicted, many legal experts say he could issue himself a pardon. However, leaving the presidency in the hands of an self-admitted torture killer is unacceptable. Congress could ask a U.S. Marshal to arrest Bush as part of impeachment charges. But the ultimate outcome--removing him from office a few months before the end of his term--seems woefully inadequate given the nature of the charges. In any case, Democrats have already said that impeachment is "off the table." Bush could be extradited to one of the countries where the torture and murders were committed--such as Afghanistan or Cuba. But he could claim immunity as a head of state. There is, however, a person who could begin holding Bush and the others accountable for their crimes. She is Cathy L. Lanier, the 39-yearold chief of D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department. Chief Lanier, take note: you have probable cause to arrest a self-confessed serial torturer and mass murderer within the borders of the District of Columbia. He resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Go get him. History is calling, Chief Lanier. Your city, and your country, needs you. talkback@columbiacitypaper.com
MAY 7, 2008

THE WORLDS ONLY SUPERPOWER


Americans, you know, besides just him. French person: Oh! The accent! You Americans, you cannot speak very good French! Me: French, huh? Its French you speak around here, I came across that quote on a isnt it. Not German? Hey! map of the United States at the That reminds me of something beginning of my time in Europe. I GUEST COLUMN BY French person: (Silent, had just moved to France to work as KRISTEN STAPLES dejectedly slinks away to a dark an English language teaching assiscorner. Lights a cigarette.) tant in public high school. My roommate, another Assistante Amricaine, brought Of course, its not always that way. this map with her as a teaching aid. Before Sometimes its worse: following the shootpresenting the map to her class, she was ing at Northern Illinois University, Erica smart enough to cover this statement with a Goldberg, a NIU alumna who currently discrete sheet of paper. lives in France, was told that she should That a publishing company actually have expected something like this to happroduced such material to be displayed in pen. The man who told her this laughed as classrooms surprised me. I suppose it he said it. While its one thing to criticize shouldntas evidenced by the map itself, Americas policy on gun control, its anoththere are people in America who do think er thing to just be a complete asshole. that way. The only superpower. Ha! My That being said, for every rude person American dollars were worth less than sixty I have come across during my time in percent of their value when I arrived in France, I have met dozens who are kind, Europe at the end of September; they are polite, and welcoming. After all, I wouldnt worth even less now. The map, published want someone to judge my country by the in 2004 by The Really Useful Map overweight redneck tailgater who considers Company, was printed inguess where himself politically motivated because he a) China. And, oddly enough, the map com- watches Bill OReilly, and b) proudly dispany lists its address as being in the U.K. plays his copy of The World is Flat on the So, case in point: America has other super- coffee table because, having not read it, he power friends. doesnt know that Thomas Friedman is not Unfortunately, Americans do have an the Bush administrations biggest fan. international reputation of being a bit, well, So lets operate on the basis that counself-centered. And the French, in particular, tries reserve the right to be judged on their enjoy calling attention to this. Ironically, best people, their best accomplishments, and sometimes comically, France and their best cultural endeavors and best America can be like two contentious sib- humanitarian efforts. In that respect, lings: so preoccupied with picking on each Franceand America tooare good counother that they overlook their core similari- tries. We have many differences that are ties. Here we have two countries, both worth exploring, particularly on the brink essentially democracies, that are developed of a presidential election. Candidates on all nations with relatively strong capitalist sides are calling for a re-evaluation of polieconomies. And, plus, we kind of bonded cies on health care, the environment, secuduring World War II. larization, and immigration. Maybe, as a citizen of the Only Scene: French caf, mid-afternoon. A Superpower, there is something for me to native Parisian approaches. learn while living in France. Because French person: You talk with a funny theres this thing called the European accent. Are you English? Union, and Id bet my weak American dolMe: No, Im American. lar that its got some international clout. French person: American! Points accusingly. George Bush! talkback@columbiacitypaper.com Me: Wellactually, there are other Today the United States of America is the only superpower. It is the worlds largest economy and leads the world in agriculture, hitech industry, education, health care and space exploration.

MAY 7, 2008

theGood Fight
LOST, STOLEN OR STRAYED
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DAMON FORDHAM
HIDDEN HISTORY

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Fordham tells the story of crusading black newspapermen, Labon Morgan and J.A. Roach. Human beings are a curious And here is Carole Moore, the species. One of the things we 12-year-old girl who took part in seek to know is where we came a sit-in to desegregate a from, who our ancestors were, Spartanburg lunch counter in how they lived and what they 1960; and Frazier Baker, the thought. It gives us dignity and black postmaster in the little justifies our existence to know town of Effhingham, who was BY WILL MOREDOCK that we had a place in this world burned out of his home and murFounder of Columbias even before we were a part of it. dered, along with his infant former Point newsweekly This knowledge of the past is daughter, by a white mob in called history. Like religion, it is abstract, yet 1898. The incident made headlines around the source of endless study, debate, even the nation and the world, but when a group of bloodshed. The power to record history is the white men were brought to trial for the power to define nations and whole races. crimes, an all-white jury deadlocked. No one When Africans were abducted and was ever convicted for these crimes. brought to the New World as slaves, they lost The most bizarre story in Fordhams more than their names and religion. They lost book is the tale of the black lynchers of their history. Pickens County. When a white farmhand The effect of slavery was to destroy the raped and murdered a young black girl in her slaves dignity, hope and sense of belonging. home in 1887, a group of black farmers Without these, a human being is reduced to banded together and hanged the man without mere chattel, like a mule or a wagon. That a trial. was one of the reasons slaves were not Fordhams father, Abe Fordham, was a allowed to read or write. Writing was a school teacher in Mount Pleasant and a great means of preserving history. story-teller. Young Fordham was fascinated For a century after slavery, white histo- with his fathers tales of the Great rians still managed to write the history of this Depression and World War II. He loved to nation, including the Civil War, with hardly a talk and I loved to listen. Listening to his mention of slavery or the presence of black fathers stories, Damon Fordham decided he people. In South Carolina, the state history would become a historian. text books used by generations of school Fordham was born in the year the 1964 children, rarely mentioned black people Civil Rights Act was passed, striking down except to say that they were happy and pro- most of the old Jim Crow laws. His father ductive slaves. reminded him frequently that his was the first There has always been an underground generation of black children who would not history, an unofficial, rarely noticed telling of grow up in segregation. But Jim Crow had the nations story, which explored the role of already left his mark on millions of lives and black people in the building of America. It on southern society at large. was a movement led by such black scholars One of the tragedies of Jim Crow was George Washington Williams, W.E.B. that it left such a gulf of misunderstanding Dubois, Carter G. Woodson, and John Hope between the races, Fordham said. Whites Franklin. really thought they understood the Negro. In recent decades, that underground hisOf course, they were deluding themtory has emerged to become part of the cul- selves, and when civil rights activists started tural mainstream. Today, new books explore demanding change, whites were genuinely the role of famous and obscure black people shocked and angry. Half a century later, some in all aspects of American life. still havent gotten over it. Damon Charleston historian Damon Fordham is Fordhams True Stories of Black South part of this new scholarship, and as a lifelong Carolina would be a good place for these South Carolinian, he keeps his eye trained on angry and deluded souls to start learning the his native state in his new book, True Stories truth. After all, white people were also vicof Black South Carolina (History Press). tims of segregation. This is the kind of history that would not There is so much more to history than have been taught in any white school or pub- what people usually get out of history books lished by any white press 50 years ago. and documentaries, Fordham said. The These are the accounts of largely unknown more people learn about history, the more black people who have left their mark on the they learn there is more to know. History is state, and sometimes beyond. never completely finished.
MAY 7, 2008

2008 MAY BE THE YEAR OF THE ANTI-INCUMBENT


By about 10 p.m. June 10 People are inspired to get in the day of South Carolinas priand run this year, said Carol maries we ought to know Khare, chair of the S.C. whether this is really the year of Democratic Party. People want the anti-incumbent. to be part of it. So far, were well on our way. Here are some key primary Most election years, incumbents races to watch next month in get little, if any, opposition in which incumbents may be vultheir own party primaries. But nerable: this year the season of Obama HOUSE 21: Six-term House and change people on the Republican Bob Leach of Greer Democratic and Republican is being challenged by wellBY ANDY BRACK sides of the aisle seem to be funded retired Stone Container extra-empowered to take on sitting members CEO Bill Wylie of Simpsonville. of the House and Senate. HOUSE 22: Rep. Gloria Haskins, ROn the Republican side, 13 of 25 primar- Greenville, is being challenged by Wendy ies for the S.C. House involve challengers Nanney, daughter of Dean Bob Taylor of taking on incumbents. In 11 Senate GOP Bob Jones University. In what doesnt seem primaries, eight contests feature battles with like a coincidence, Haskins son, Bryan, incumbents. filed to run against Taylor, a Greenville Its about the same on the Democratic County Council member, after Nanney filed. side where 13 of 24 S.C. House primaries HOUSE 68: Two challengers seek the involve challengers to incumbents. In 12 seat held by Rep. Thad Viers, an Horry Senate Democratic primaries, seven pit County Republican who last year pleaded challengers against incumbents. no contest to accusations he threatened to All totaled, 57 percent of primary con- assault a man dating his estranged wife. tests this year have challengers taking on HOUSE 94: Rep. Heyward Hutson, a incumbent members of the House or Senate. Summerville Republican elected in October Thats a pretty big deal and it has some to fill a vacancy left when Converse Chellis incumbents worried, according to a senior became state treasurer, will again face House GOP member who isnt facing oppo- Summerville lawyer Jenny Horne, who narsition. rowly lost last year. Theres an anti-incumbency feel out HOUSE 122: Rep. Curtis Brantley, the there, he said. Part of it is the perceived Jasper County Democrat who won a suracrimony between the governors office and prise victory in 2006 over then Rep. Thayer the General Assembly. Rivers, will face Rivers and another chalThe campaign the governor has had in lenger. the last six years against the General SENATE 7: Greenville Sen. Ralph Assembly is having an impact on the public. Anderson faces three challengers, including Its opened the door that incumbents are fair Greenville Mayor Pro Tem Lillian Brock game. Flemming. Bob Knight, a conservative Greenville SENATE 13: GOP Sen. Jim Ritchie of government affairs consultant, pointed to Spartanburg faces two challengers, a feisty the way the state had been redistricted as a lawyer and a school board member. reason for more party primaries. Many disSENATE 23: GOP Sen. Jakie Knotts of tricts, he said, now were one-party districts Lexington County is being challenged by that required anyone with political ambi- Sanford-endorsed Katrina Shealy, former tions to run against a fellow party member if chair of the countys GOP, and businessman he or she wanted to serve in the Statehouse. Mike Sturkie. He said there also appeared to be a restSENATE 33: Democrat-turnedlessness among voters. Republican Sen. Luke Rankin of Conway I wouldnt want to be a Republican faces a serious challenge from Horry incumbent in this environment, Knight County Council chair Liz Gilland. R. said. The electorate doesnt think the Howard Bond II of Conway also is in the Congress has done a good job, the President primary race. has done a good job, the General Assembly SENATE 38: Sen. Randy Scott, the has done a good job and theyre paying Dorchester County Republican recently $3.50 for a gallon of gas. arrested on a drunken driving charge he Theyre going to take it out on some- claimed was politically motivated, will vie body. for his seat against former Sen. Mike Rose. Others credited the Obama factor the SENATE 46: Former Sanford chief of enthusiasm that presidential candidate staff Tom Davis is challenging GOP Sen. Barack Obama brought for public service Catherine Ceips for the Beaufort County and change to South Carolina during its seat. long, but early presidential primary. talkback@columbiacitypaper.com 10
MAY 7, 2008

Music

Whattup! May just hit and the streets are definitely buzzing with the fact that its going to be a hot, busy, and product-filled summer. Dont believe me? Check out the event section below. Much love to all of yall out there. Be sure to come out to New Brookland Tavern (May 8th) for Fat Rat Da Czars Da Cold War CD Release Party. Lets get it! CURRENT LISTENS

ground of mine) and online everywhere myspace.com/fatratdaczar. To be straight up, this joint is BANGIN! With joints like Straight to the Point, Get it Together, Back on my Sh*t, and Dollar To Be Made dubbed by DJ Bam (Fantasy Island) as this summers anthem, youd be hard pressed not to love this CD. Of course the classics like, Cant Live Without You and the debut single, Like A Fat Rat are both on there. Go Cop It!

The Best of ScarfaceFrom Neva seen a EVENTS man cry and Jesse James to Minds Playing Tricks and F*ck Faces, nothHere ya go... ing else needs to be in my deck. Scarface is 1) Rhythm On The River Concert Series Southern royalty and one of the greatest story- (Saturdays on the West Columbia River Walk tellers in Hip Hop history. Respect the 2) Metro May Fest (May 10 Bluff Road Architects! Armory) 3) Rap Battle @ Club Rockaway (Mondays) REVIEW 4) Eastover May Fest After Party (May 3 Back with their second album on Def Jam Santerro Sports Bar) Records and their tenth studio album, Rising 5) Official Fridays @ Badaboom (Santee, Down, The Legendary Roots Crew keep coming SC) with that flavor. With Get Busy featuring Dice 6) Teazzers Hair Salon Grand Opening Raw & Peedi Crack being the first track out the 7) Spring Fest 2008 (May 3 Orangeburg gate, its no surprise that the rest of this album is Fairgrounds) drum heavy with a crazy nostalgic feel. 8) HoodRich Party (May 5 Club Rockaway) Lyrically, Black Thought continues to rap circles 9) All You Can Drink Party (May 17 Bluff around any of his contemporaries (Mos Def, Road Armory-Shouts to DJ Tall Black) Talib, and Common included) and constantly 10) Tent Party Car Show (May 2-4 @ US 1 separates himself from the status quo. Rising Flea Market) Down is the perfect complement to a career in 11) PayBack Saturdays @ Billy Ds- Shouts hip-hop that spans close to two decades. to DJ Geechee Boy If you peeped last issues interview with Fat 12) Official Car and Bike Show (May 18 Rat Da Czar, youd know that he has a new joint Bluff Road Armory).Thats enough for now, out in the streets right now called Da Cold War. get out there and do something. Youd also know that this joint is scattered, smothered, diced, chopped, and covered by the WORDS OF WISDOM homey DJ Shekeese. Youd be remiss not to recGod loves those who give love to others. ognize that Street Side (Met Money, Heazy Boi, Help someone in need when you can. Stay Up! Midi Marc, and Misfit) came out with their guns blazing. In your local record stores (Shouts to kingpin@nonstophiphoplive.com Papa Jazz Record Shoppe, an old stomping

bands! As far as who we'd like to tour with... Too many to list! CCP: The next few are for Krysta... Do you feel any more pressure as a female vocalist in a male-dominated position? Krysta: It's always been a male-dominated society and especially in heavy music. I always feel a little weird before we go on and people see me and expect me to be the singer from Paramore and then we play and I'm obviously not. It's always fun too when the door person stops me and gives me shit because they think I'm someone's girlfriend or the merch girl. When we play it feels great because it just goes to show that women can walk on stage and not have to be whores or sing pop rock. Kids are really supportive of me and the band most of the time after they see us play. CCP: What's it like touring with five sweaty dudes? Krysta: For starters I think I sweat and fart about as much as they do. It just seems normal to me because Steven is my boyfriend and the rest of the guys are like my mentally challenged brothers. CCP: And gentlemen, what's it like touring with one sweaty girl? Steven: Krysta has the most brutal farts of anyone in the band. 'Nuff said. CCP: What's your favorite road food?

iWaBo: Anything that's free! And Little Caesar's $5 large pizzas are pretty amazing. Along with Taco Bell 99 cent Cheesy Bean and Rice Burritos. CCP: How were you first inspired to pick up the mic and spit your lungs out onto it? Krysta: Just growing up in a musical family made me want to sing all the time. As for screaming, I wanted to do something different and not have any boundaries for myself. CCP: Are y'all looking to record/release anything soon? iWaBo: We're going to do a full length probably in the winter... depends on a lot of things really, but we should for sure have something for an early spring 2009 release. CCP: What do you guys do for a living? Steven: I'm doing this interview at PJs coffee while Krysta is working. Daniel works here too. I record bands to make money when we're home. Ryan does carpentry for the movie business in Shreveport. Brian works building screens/porches/whatever for his dad's company. And John is unemployed. Read the entire interview at http://columbiacitypaper.com/Live-Music/ Check out iwrestledabearonce at www.myspace.com/iwrestledabearonce.

IWRESTLEDABEARONCE
INTERVIEW BY THOMAS MOORE iwrestledabearonce hail from the small town of Shreveport, La. Consisting of five dudes and one rad female vocalist, iWaBo mashes up elements of electro, grind and jazz, landing on the metal scene with a bizarre but functional approach. I mean, where else can you find an intense electro build that climaxes in a breakdown complete with pinch harmonicsconstructed from the Inspector Gadget theme song? Yeah, nowhere. City Paper got a chance to catch up with Steven (guitars and programming) and Krysta (vocals) and see what theyre all about. Check it out: CCP: How old are you folks? Steven: We range in age from 20-26. We are old. CCP: When and how did you guys start playing together? Steven: Shreveport, Louisiana is ridiculously small and four of us were in a band together before iWaBo. I met Krysta when our old band was on tour in New York and she moved down to Shreveport because we started dating. Both of our previous bands had broken up and we started going crazy after a few months not playing shows, so we started iWaBo with some of my friends/former band mates and recorded the first EP. A few months later, we added a live drummer and a keyboard/samples fella. CCP: What are some other bands y'all have been in? Steven: John, Brian, Ryan and I were in a band called Statues Cry Bleeding. Worst name ever. Krysta was in This Years Addiction. CCP: Is it tough being in a metal group in Shreveport? Is it harder to get shows/attention/press? Steven: Ten years ago I would have said yes, but nowadays thanks to the Internet it's a totally level playing field. Anyone who blames their small hometown on their lack of success is just lazy. CCP: Was the idea of creating a sound with elements of grind, electro and jazz present from the beginning, or was it an idea developed after playing together for a bit? Steven: We started out the band with the premise of not fitting in to any one genre and just playing whatever we wanted. The five songs on our EP were the first five songs we ever wrote, so it's definitely been the general idea from the very beginning. CCP: What are some groups you've toured with/would like to tour with? Steven: We've toured with our friends' bands Beatin' Up Girls (irony is great), Aesthetic, Forever in Terror, and a few other bands for a couple dates here and there. We're going out with American Me and Stray from the Path in May/June and then doing Canada in June with lots of glorious Canadian local

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MAY 7, 2008

Wednesday, May 7 Five Points Pub Speakeasy New Brookland Tavern The Dreaded Paranoids Yea Big + Kid Static Society of Daggers Utopia The Papa String Band Thursday, May 8 Five Points Pub ALMSOST JASON marsupial Macs On Main MACS ALL STARS New Brookland Tavern FatRat & Shekeese The Beast Cold War CD Release Concert w/ Met Money, Mentality Dan Johns TBA Utopia Gwen Powell James Boyce Headliners

Sister Hazel Friday, May 9 Art Bar The Art Bar Players Cafe Strudel Marys Little Sister New Brookland Tavern By The Sins Fell Angels Because Of This Enable Kain Caina FourZeroAlpha Sylis Ghost In The Machine Bloodline Utopia Decoration Day Macs On Main MACSALLSTARS Headliners Secret Lives of the Freemasons The Decade The Arrival Aviary Fire

Five Points Pub Joal Rush Band Darren Kozelsky Band Saturday, May 10 Art Bar Why Johnny Kills CD Release Johnny Mac & Cheese Experience The Choir Quit and Vinyl Are My Pants Five Points Pub WOODWORK ROADSHOW The Barn Raisers Cafe Strudel Singer Songwriter Nite Allison Foster Eric Cook Leisel Downey Headliners Confederate Fagg Utopia Third Wheel New Brookland Tavern Courier Amen, The Animal Hey Apollo

Agnes The Adam Glover Band Junkey Limbo Stonehaven Carey Murdock Macs On Main Johnny James Band Tuesday, May 13 New Brookland Tavern Inhale Exhale The Moultrie Killer Headliners Ashes Divide Innerpartysystem Wednesday, May 14 Headliners The Supervillains Lefry at the Washout and DJ Riggle New Brookland Tavern Baumer A Cursive Memory Medic Droid Utopia THE WOLFMAN BRIGADE

Macs On Main Live Open Music Jam Five Points Pub Patrick Davis Ed Sloan Brian Conner Ryan Monroe Thursday, May 15 Cafe Strudel The Delta Drift Five Points Pub Whos Badd The Urban Sophisticates New Brookland Tavern The Stelle Group Analog Moon The Fossil Record Utopia Cathedrals of the Soul Headliners Dropping Daylight You Me & Everybody We Know PlayRadioPlay

Macs On Main Blues Jam Session Friday May 16 Cafe Strudel The Whiskey Bombs Five Points Pub Mike Doughty Utopia Drive South Macs On Main Natural Desire Saturday, May 17 Cafe Strudel Devils In Disguise Art Bar Neal Young Tribute Macs On Main MACS ALL STARS Five Points Pub Wrong Way, a tribute to Sublime with TBA

MAY 7, 2008

13

Arts

Michael Krajewskis work will be displayed at HOFP starting May 9 as part of the Boys Having Fun show.

Every Friday from May 2 through May 16, the younger artists in Columbias scene will exhibit their work at HOFP. The fresh styles, colors and often graffiti-like compositions at HOFPs current exhibition seem to scream at viewers and demand attention. The opening triple exhibit features wooden masks created by Jemes Davis and abstract paintings by Brian Heckman and Nick Oleszczuk. The second group, starting on May 9, will showcase work by Justice Littlejohn and Michael Krajewski. The duo not only work together but also decided to dedicate a whole week to present their collaborative paintings. To work with Justice comes nat-

BY JUDIT TRUNKOS

ural, Krajewski says. We have been working together for over 2 years now. The final show, opening on May 16, is Krajewskis solo exhibition in which he will present mixed media works. With my works I like to explore new things, to paint freestyle and just go at it, he says. Krajewskis second show will include a video installation he completed with Shawna Brown, a videographer from USC. I do not just want something on the wall, but I want my art to operate when I am not there, explains Krajewski. The video is about my life when I am not painting, just documenting my every days when I am drinking or having fun.

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MAY 7, 2008

COMPILE SOUNDBOARD WRITE MUSIC PREVIEWS


E-MAIL TODD@COLUMBIACITYPAPER.COM

Entertainment & Media

Literature
The Big Squeeze: Tough Times and the American Worker by Steven Greenhouse (Knopf, $25.95) REVIEW BY LARRY COX Steven Greenhouse, the labor and workplace correspondent for The New York Times since 1995, is appalled by what he sees as the squalid treatment, humbling indignities and relentless pennypinching that confront many American wage earners. In his riveting new book, Greenhouse says that although the United States may think of itself as the "Shining City on a Hill," in reality, the workplace has become a dismal swamp for a growing percentage of workers in America. Since 1979, hourly earnings for 90 percent of American workers have risen just 1 percent after inflation to $17.71 at the end of 2007, Greenhouse says. And for male workers, the average wage has actually slipped 5 percent. Put another way, if wages had kept pace with productivity, the average full-time worker would be earning $58,000 a year instead of the $36,000 that was the medium income in 2007. The author cites example after example to underscore his belief that the American workplace is broken and needs immediate attention. He points out that less income triggers more family tensions, more hours spent at work just to make ends meet, more families without health insurance and more demands on government and taxpayers to provide housing assistance and health coverage. Also contributing to the dire situation is the breakdown that has occurred between workers and their employers. Companies that are generous to their employees such as Costco, Patagonia and the casino-hotels of Las Vegas are the exceptions to the rule, but these progressive corporations could provide examples of how to improve working conditions and correct many of the problems in the American workplace. This is a sobering examination of a growing American crisis, and a book that is nothing short of brilliant. Books reviewed are available or can be ordered at Happy Bookseller and Five Points Book Store. Local Matters!

By Fred Richardson IRONMAN The Marvel comic book universe is quite large, full of characters having varying degrees of recognition among the general public. Tony Stark, aka Iron Man, is a bit of a B-lister while being a very important character to the universe he occupies, particularly in the last couple of years worth of stories. Some might claim his increased presence and prominence was all in anticipation of the just released movie, but I seriously doubt it. Robert Downey Jr.'s portrayal of Stark more resembles the alternate universe version of Iron Man from the Ultimates line. Huh? you ask. I don't blame you noncomics folks for being confused, so let me explain. A number of years ago, Marvel decided to try a grand experiment and reboot their core characters in a modern setting. All the old continuity would be thrown right out the window and everything started from scratch. It wasn't the first time comics had had a giant reset button pushed, but it was unique in that it was to run parallel yet independent of the main line. Many thought it was just a silly gimmick and doomed to failure. Instead, the company let supremely talented writers and artists handle the books and some truly great stories followed. Not the least of these was the Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch re-working of The Avengers, now renamed The Ultimates. It was a perfect storm of pop-culture goodness all the

way down to having a major character, Nick Fury, being modeled after Sam "The Man" Jackson. Here the character of Iron Man/Tony Stark is basically Dean Kamen meets Johnny Depp. Someone blessed with not only brains and money, but who is also comfortably famous and cool. Robert Downey Jr. is absolutely perfect in this role. It's like Robert Shaw in Jaws, or Carey Grant in North By Northwest, or Jimmy Stewart in It's A Wonderful Life. Imagine anyone else in those roles... I dare you. Everyone else is good too, Terrence Howard, Gwenneth Paltrow, and Jeff Bridges all have enough chemistry with Downey to make audiences believe in the long-term relationships we're told the characters have. Sure, director John Favreau was an actor in Daredevil, one of the worst Marvel movies ever, but he's more than made up for it here. Yes, there are moments that stretch credulity, but so much is just plain fun that one would have to actually want to hate the movie to let those things get in the way. There are times that the digital effects work is a little obvious, but what's being shown is just so damn cool that I can't pick that nit with much gusto. Is it high art? No, of course not. Is it a great kick off to what looks like a great summer movie season? Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. 88/100 (Oh, and stay through ALL the credits for a geekgasm teaser that rates 100/100)

GET YOUR WAR ON

BY DAVID REES

MAY 7, 2008

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MAY 7, 2008

JONESIN CROSSWORDS
Across 1 T, in Morse code 5 Big differences 9 Speed Racer star Hirsch 14 Number learned on Sesame Street 15 Sans opposite 16 Try out the auction again 17 Purple stuff in a can 19 Campbell banned from British Airways in April 2008 20 Feline section of the animal hospital? 22 Stefani with the clothing line L.A.M.B. 23 Body part that may be on the line 24 Decade divs. 25 How did ___ that happen? 27 ___ tai 28 Fizzle 32 Mozarts ___ Concerto in C major 35 Vientianes country 37 Final decision 38 Crap 39 Allow to attack 41 Word after church or opera 42 Your lights ___ 44 Went up 45 Dollar rival 46 I object 48 Partner of neither 50 Waffle brand 51 Train stop: abbr. 52 Peabody Award winner Rather

"Repeat After Me"--thats how it works.


55 Aw, crud 57 Do nothing more than be dependent? 61 She sees the bartender in ___ of blood (Bob Dylan lyric) 63 Like most churches 64 Bruce convicted in a 1964 obscenity trial 65 They may bind 66 ___-chic (womens fashion style) 67 It runs around a building 68 Comes to a halt 69 Extremely fussy Down 1 Movie where Alanis Morissette plays God 2 Farm measurements 3 George Bernard and others 4 Kachina doll maker 5 Cooker with a propane tank 6 Declares openly 7 Prefix before cab or cure 8 Read a UPC 9 Directional ending 10 Insufficient older person? 11 Awe-filled comment 12 Cuba libre garnish 13 Lute player Karamazov who collaborated on Stings Songs From the Labyrinth 18 Orinoco Flow singer 21 Beat it, punk! 26 ___ Miserables 27 Large ape found in Vietnam? 28 The Gift of Asher Lev

novelist Chaim 29 Those things: Sp. 30 Part of GUI 31 Matadors foe 32 California town home to the Six Million Dollar Man 33 Reynolds of Boogie Nights 34 Hang on... 36 Prefix before dynamic 40 Lacking a canopy 43 Egg ___ 47 Arcadia playwright Stoppard 49 Blackish form of quartz 51 Class full of jokes 52 Screwtape, in The Screwtape Letters 53 Head of the pack 54 Sleep aid once advertised to help you get your Zs 55 Oatess partner 56 Fencing sword 58 Suffix after kitchen 59 Chocolate ___ (2007 YouTube viral video) 60 Country star McEntire 62 Soapmaking caustic 2008 Jonesin Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords.c om) For answers to this puzzle, call: 1-900-226-2800, 99 cents per minute. Must be 18+. Or to bill to your credit card, call: 1-800-655-6548. Reference puzzle #0360.

SavageLove
SEX ADVICE COLUMN
BY DAN SAVAGE Im a 52-year-old male, divorced. About six weeks ago, a new female worker started in our office. Were really hitting it off and, frankly, Ive fallen for herhard! However, she is 36, never married, and I have not asked her out yet, but I definitely want to. In fact, I want to marry her. There are some of my coworkers who think Im robbing the cradle. Given that we have two possible barriers to overcome, age and work, what do you advise? Geezer In Love I would advise you to stop wasting my time, GIL. Youve known this woman for six weeks six weeksand you havent so much as been out on a date. Its not even appropriate to joke about marriage at this stagemarriage, GIL, which is so totally holy and sacred and between one man and one woman and wocka wocka wocka. And its entirely possible that youve mistaken this womans efforts to ingratiate herself with her new officemates as hitting it off. For all you know, this woman, like your coworkers, thinks youre a creepy old letch, GIL. And speaking of the so totally holy and super-sacred institution of marriage...When two dudes marry, the marriage-is-between-one-manand-one-woman brigades crap their collective pants, vomit up ten thousand press releases, and run in circles screaming about all the hurricanes and earthquakes and unattractive haircuts that Our Loving Father is gonna rain down on our heads if we dont pry Adam off Steve right fucking now. Well, the one-man-and-one-woman crowd has been strangely silent about this polygamist sect in Texas thats been all over the news. It appears that the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been organizing marriages/statutory rapes between one man and dozens or more women and/or girls. Wheres the outrage? writes a reader, which prompted me to go looking for some outrage at the website of Concerned Women for America (www.cwfa.org). There are more anti-gay-marriage press releases packed onto CWFAs website than there is fudge packed into all the homos in all the Sodoms in all of North America. But theres not one single word that I could find about these straight men in Texas violating the holy and sacred one-man-and-one-woman rule. What gives? This is a super-vanilla question: My boyfriend and I have been together for three years. He is very considerate, does housework, hangs out with my friends. The problem is that I think that its very important to get married if you love someone and want to make a life with that person. He feels as though we havent known each other long enough. He never talks about when were married, but he does talk about things in the future. He wants to buy a house, for instance, but Ive told him I will not move into said house without being married. His complete lack of consideration for my views on marriage makes me think that it will never happen. What should I do? Hold your ground, BRF. If he wants to buy a house and plan a future, tell him youre down with thatso long as youre married to him. If he doesnt want to marry you, tell him hell have to plan that future crap with someone else. But heres the catch, BRF: You gotta mean it. I struck up a couple of casual convos about a little kink with my girlfriend. She seemed into it at first. Then I brought it up a couple more times. She said things like, I just like sex without all the drama and charades. Then I brought it up again and the discussion devolved into an argument. I had an almost identical convo with a previous girlfriend. It ended with her turning me down saying, It just seems so distracting. Ive never asked a girl for anything too odd. In fact, Ive seldom gotten very far into ANY specifics, other than just saying Id like to try some things out to see if theyre fun. All my girlfriends, despite being quite fuck-happy, have blown me off when it comes to role-play, light bondage, and other mainstream kinks.I feel hurt because I have not been able to feel the freedom of open exploration of my sexuality. I just want to explore. How should I approach things differently? No Kink At Twenty Eight Provided youre not coming across like Eliot Spitzer at a press conferenceprovided you dont look and sound like a serial killer who just got caught with a suitcase full of womens skinsall you have to do differently, NKATE, is make sure the girlfriend understands that drama and charades are requirements, not requests. Tell her that, being a decent sort, you would like to explore your run-of-the-mill kinks with your girlfriend. If she isnt willing to explore with you, well, then shes the wrong girlfriend for you and youre the wrong boyfriend for her. Shake hands and say good-bye. Then keep having these convos with the women you date until you run across a girl who shares your kinks or is GGG enough to indulge them.And speaking of bondage...Another kinkster is dead after being tied up and left alone. James Bargy, 29, died after his wife, Rebecca Bargy, tied him up and left him alone for 20 hours. Mr. and Mrs. Bargy reportedly played this game before; she was spending the night at a hotel with another man, and their cuckolding routine involved her leaving him bound and wiggling out of the bondage. Not this time: Mr. Bargya ball gag in his mouth and most of his head wrapped in duct tapeasphyxiated before his wife returned. Mr. Bargy remains deceased as of this writing and Mrs. Bargy is facing prison time.Once again, dear readers, a tiedup person should never be left alone. If being tied up and left alone or tying someone up and leaving them alone is an important part of your thrill, the tied-up person should not be in a stressful position, nothing should restrict his or her breathing (no gags or duct tape), and someone should be well within earshot at all times.

Dan Savages podcast is now linked at Bare Ring Finger columbiacitypaper.com mail@savagelove.net
MAY 7, 2008

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PHOTO BY DONALD MIRALLE/GETTY IMAGES

DANICA PATRICK SILENCES CRITICS


Danica Patrick finally ripped the monkey off her back with a win in the Indy Racing League, and it came on foreign soil, much like the "knockout" punch delivered by Buster Douglas when he dropped Mike Tyson in Japan back in the '80s. Although Patrick's win is far from the huge upset by Douglas over Tyson, it begins a new era of respect for female athletes who compete in male-dominated sports. Her victory marks the first major open-wheel Indy car win for a women, with groundwork in the division laid by Janet Guthrie and Lynn St. James, who both competed in the Indy 500 and did well in Indy car racing, yet failed to win. Patrick wired the field with smart driving and excellent, fuel-saving pit management and crew-chief decisions. Patrick passed Team Penske
By Greg Zyla

driver and leader Hello Castroneves late in the race, posting her first career win in front of cheering Japanese fans. The victory for Andretti-Green racing was indeed a sweet one, as Patrick and her family were overcome with joy and tears. When she composed herself, she admitted she always believed she would win, as many others did, and that it was all she thought it would be. Michael Andretti, team owner, agreed it was just a matter of time, as it wasn't ever a condition of "if she could win," but "when she would win." In an interview on CNBC following her win, Patrick admitted she always believed she could win as a driver. "The frustration was when I had to answer the 'when will I win' ques-

tions," Patrick said. "Michael (Andretti) and my teammates (Tony Kanaan and Marco Andretti) always believed in me, and that's what was important. It put me in a good frame of mind, regardless of how I know I look at the race track, and that's always serious with usually 'a look' on my face." Patrick said she wants to present the softer side of Danica Patrick to the public, and admits there's a woman and a "girlie side" to her, in contrast to the hard-nosed race-driver persona she presents on race day. As for the Honda-powered win in Japan, it couldn't have come at a better place, as Honda is the IRL's major engine supplier, and all major Honda executives were present for the race. talkback@columbiacitypaper.com

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