Spinnaker [Distributed: Wednesday, September 13, 2006]

More students are continuing their education beyond the standard four year bachelor's degree. Many feel that a four year degree is no longer enough to make them stand out in the working world and instead believe that a master's or law degree will make them much more marketable. Is this really the case, however, and does obtaining that extra degree really help down the line?

First of all, more students are going to college because they feel as though it is the natural way of the world. Graduating from high school, while certainly a positive thing in our parents' day, is now looked at differently. Thirty or 40 years ago, a high school education was enough to secure a decent job. Now, most people look at a high school education as merely a way station en route to a college degree.

Fewer people are entering into apprenticeships to become a carpenter, plumber, electrician or other skilled craftsman. How many of your friends have gone that route? Instead, they go to college and get a degree in business, or communications or some other major that may help them obtain a job down the road.

The flood of people into the working world who possess bachelors' degrees has forced many people to go beyond the four year university and look into a graduate education. The great many graduates who possess a degree make it harder to stand out from the crowd, forcing those people who want to land better and higher paying jobs to obtain a master's, law or doctoral degree.

Many graduates are actually quite upset about this. First, a college degree is no small expenditure of time or money, with countless hours going into studying while in many cases working, keeping a social life and perhaps even cultivating a relationship with a member of the opposite sex.

College is certainly not getting any cheaper either, with costs at a four year public university rising an average last year of 7.1 percent and 5.9 percent for a private four year university. Add that to books, living expenses and fun money, and it can get downright outrageous with many people leaving school with debt in the five figures. On the other hand, a college graduate on average earns $1,000,000 more than a high school graduate, so that is good news. So, what does a master's or doctoral degree actually offer beyond a bachelor's degree?

All a bachelor's degree really does is allow its holder to go forth into the working world and show employers that: 1. that person had enough discipline and pride to finish four years of school at their own discretion and 2. that the person is trainable. That's it, aside from some training you got while in school that gives you the general idea of what to do at the new job, you basically just sat through four years of "expert" people "imparting" their omniscient wisdom upon you just because that Dr. in front of their name says they can. Oh, look at that, a Dr. that went to graduate school in order to teach at a collegiate level, rather than at a primary or secondary level. Maybe there is something to this higher learning thing.

So, maybe that bachelor's degree really isn't enough to secure that dream job. It depends on the major really. Engineers are in very high demand right now, and recent graduates of UNF are starting well over $40,000 with plenty of earning potential in the future. Building construction majors also usually land jobs right out of school and again are making over $40,000 starting, not bad when benefits and retirement funds are also added to the equation. Other majors, however, are not so lucky.

Art, music and philosophy are fields where job opportunities in the field are very hard to come by and usually require a graduate degree. Comments from people that graduated with degrees in the liberal arts are like "Ok, I accept it. I am never going to get a job in the career field I want with a bachelor's degree. Awesome. I need at least a master's degree..." on chat forums such as www.dallasdancemusic.com echo the sentiments of many college graduates. Another comment from a member on the same forum gave more insight into the plight of many graduates. A job right out of school is not guaranteed as much as it might be when graduating from law school or with a masters, "It took me a good year or so out of college to get a crappy paying job that was 8-5." This is a very hard fact for most graduates to deal with, especially those who went deep into debt to finance their degree.

The thought of getting a master's degree is obviously catching on and with the myriad of master's programs such as University of Phoenix and Kaplan University offering master's degrees though online classes. The next thought is that soon so many people may have graduate degrees that a graduate degree may not be enough anymore. College could become the next high school and graduate school the next college. So how much school should students attend after high school?

Simple, do some research into your major while in your sophomore or junior year when you are sure that it is the degree you will stick with until graduation. Think about what employment options exist with that degree and decide if those are the right fit for you, and provide the amount of money you need to live. If it seems as though you can obtain a decent job upon graduation with just a bachelor's degree then you know you can stop there, and no more school is necessary. If, however, people with your degree are struggling to find work and have to continue their education for employers to give them the time of day then that must be taken into consideration.

Certainly, the amount of education that we are now taking after high school is on the rise, and for good reason. Those people who went the extra mile to obtain a master's should be rewarded for their hard work and for the perseverance they exhibit, and they usually are with more and better jobs. A bachelor's degree still suffices for many majors, though, and attending graduate school is not a must, rather it is a personal decision that everyone must make on their own.

Cell phone users: the new nuisance smokers

Cell phone abusers have become the new smokers.

While telecommunications innovation has been heralded by most, a dilemma has arisen in the etiquette associated with cell phones.

I remember a day when cell phones did not exist and then later when they did exist, but only for the rich. Now almost every person in most nations owns one.

Aside from the obvious convenience cell phones offer, they afford a significant safety net in many situations.

I remember an incident when I first started driving and I ran out of gas at about midnight. I was on a very dark stretch of country road, and the nearest pay phone was about a mile away. I could barely see the road below my feet in the black night, and when I finally got to the pay phone, I had only one dime - yes, it was that long ago! My mom, in her plucked-from-sleep state, answered the phone and hung it up before I could get a word in and tell her about the situation. Fortunately, the operator -not sure if those even exist any more - connected me again at no charge.

A scenario like that is almost nonexistent these days. Cell phones occupy the hands of just about everybody around us. Unfortunately, they elicit a lot of rude behavior and annoying noise as folks use them to chat at any place they feel the need, without regard for others.

The value of personal space, that 18-24-inch space that surrounds an individual, is a pretty agreed-upon thing. Most of us are good about respecting it and keeping our distance from the person on our parameter. When we speak, cough or sneeze we back up if there's the slightest chance we are invading their space. But how does personal space apply to cell phone users? Our personal space buffers us from the touch of another, but a cell phone user does not physically touch us. It's her voice that is destroying our personal space, our buffer zone.

Cell phone etiquette violators - jerks for short - are everywhere we look. I'd like to say it's restricted to the very young who were born into the techno world of cell phone use and don't know any better, but it is not. I have seen generation "X"ers committing the same offenses, although probably at lower frequency. I must say I've never seen any senior (elderly) offenders, with the already built-in hearing loss factor, which can only lead to a really loud conversation.

I am in no way an expert in cell phone etiquette nor should I have the ultimate say in the world of cell phone rules. I've listed a few basic rules regarding cell phone etiquette, though. This list is by no means all inclusive - just a starting point.

Some places you should never take a call:

1.While you are driving. Without a doubt, people have a hard time concentrating on a specific task while engaged in conversation. This is ever-so-true when driving an automobile. We have all witnessed some idiot doing something dangerous from behind the wheel while chatting on their cell.

If we're honest about it, we can probably also admit that we ourselves have messed up (or come close) while trying to talk and drive at the same time.

2. While in the middle of a person-to-person transaction. If you're standing at the cash register in Target, don't take the call. Even if no one is standing in line behind you, do it out of respect for the cashier. Do we think that she is thinking, "I hope this girl stands here and detains me for a really long time; I get paid by the hour."

3. While in the bathroom. Not only does it slow you down, thus slowing down everyone else in line after you, it turns what is generally accepted as a safe, stress free zone into a mockery Please respect the airwaves and let the person next to you poop in peace. For bathroom etiquette, see the Sept. 6 issue of the Spinnaker, Bathroom Etiquette.

4. On a first date. If this turns our to be a good relationship, you'll probably be on the phone with him or her a lot. For now, let the night be about getting to know each other.

Some situations or places in which you should set the phone to OFF or vibrate:
-Church
-Weddings
-Funerals
-Classes
-Professional appointments
-Events with a speaker
-And pretty much ANY place others around you can be distracted by 1) the ring, or 2) the conversation.

There will be times, of course, when a call must be taken. By keeping your voice down, watching your language, keeping it short or altogether excusing yourself from the room, we can keep the peace in most situations. And by all means, take it off Walkie-Talkie mode.

This is, without a doubt, a me-me-me generation, and many will balk at the idea of my writing such a column. But etiquette applies in every situation where people encounter other people. For the most part, it is perfectly acceptable to let your calls go into voice mail; the caller might just get the idea that you have a life!

Next week's column will address Restaurant etiquette. comments welcome.

Rays of dark comedy fill Little Miss Sunshine

Despite the cheerful-sounding title, Little Miss Sunshine is far from a family- friendly affair.

The film centers on the Hoover clan, whose strained familial interactions contribute to the bulk of the film's comedic moments.

Richard, (Greg Kinnear) the inept father, is an underwhelmingly successful motivational-speaker who constantly alienates his family by spewing-off sections from the 9-step program he creates.

His wife, Sheryl (Toni Collette), is the perpetually stressed matriarch of the household who shoulders the financial burden along with a tremendous amount of emotional baggage.

Her teenage son from a previous marriage, Dwayne (Paul Dano), is a strict devotee of Nietzsche who refuses to talk due to a self-induced vow of silence.

Richard's father (Alan Arkin), a philandering, foul-mouthed geriatric with a penchant for recreational heroin use also lives with the family after being kicked out of a cushy retirement home due to his illicit dealings.

Sheryl's brother Frank (Steve Carell) a highly touted Proust scholar, comes to live with the Hoovers after his unrequited love for one of his grad students leads to a suicide attempt.

In the midst of all these uniquely bizarre characters is 7-year-old Olive (Abigail Breslin), a genuine little girl who desperately wishes to compete in a children's beauty pageant. Her dream serves as the lynchpin of the story, as she gets the chance to compete in the Little Miss Sunshine pageant when the regional winner is ejected from the competition for the illegal use of diet pills.

The entire family must make the three-day trek to California for Olive to compete, the main problem is their mode of transportation. They must make the trip in a decrepit VW bus.

Due to the amount of time the characters spend in the vehicle, the bus ultimately becomes the seventh family member, complete with its own set of inadequacies. Some of the funniest moments in the movie spring from the vehicle, including a jammed horn and a broken clutch. The gag of watching the family push the bus into gear, despite it happening frequently throughout the movie, never loses its appeal.

While the road trip that helps to mend a fractured family dynamic has become a haggard film convention, Little Miss Sunshine transcends the hackneyed mold with an exactingly satirical wit and a cast that handles their respective characters' quirks and internal struggles with a surprising amount of subtlety.

Depressed Uncle Frank could easily have devolved into a pitiful, morose bore, but Carell's excellent comedic timing turns Frank into a wealth of one-liners. You can see him sizing up the bizarre family unit he has somehow become a part of, and you can see as he sarcastically begins to accept his position in the family. Towards the end of the film, it becomes obvious that he genuinely cares for the Hoovers, as evidenced by his hilariously, harried gait when running to register Olive for the pageant.

As of late, it's been difficult to find an American comedy that shoots for substance over fart jokes. Movies like Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector have somehow become the norm rather than the exception.

However, Little Miss Sunshine does just that, combining an inventive character study amidst a variety of uproariously funny scenes (including one of the greatest comedic dance sequences in cinematic history). Not only is the movie hilarious, it provides a satire on America's predisposition towards winning and antiquated family values, without constantly confronting the audience with the message.

By the movie's end, it is apparent who the winners are, and it is not the group of 7-year-old JonBenet Ramsey clones applying pounds of makeup and fake tanner.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy swings into UNF

On Sept. 7 at the Lazzara Performance Hall, people of all ages crowded into the reception area to enjoy a little wine and finger food. Looking around, you would have suspected that there was a lecture, but then you catch a glimpse of girls dressed in flashy outfits and guys sporting suspenders and fedoras. Just a taste of what was to come.

The University of North Florida Fine Arts Center has succeeded again in bringing another form of ageless entertainment to the campus and entertaining students, faculty and members from the community.

Perhaps some of you will remember a time in your high school experience where swing music was coming back into the mainstream and was featured all over at local skating rinks and bowling alleys while flooding airwaves and music television.

It is no miracle that kids are getting down to the same music as grandma and grandpa. The style is timeless and as Big Bad Voodoo Daddy proved, you can be any age to enjoy it.

Since 1989, when bandleader Scotty Morris started a jazz trio that later grew to seven members, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy has always been the epitome of their genre.

They were front and center in the swing revival of the '90s starting with their appearance in Swingers. They then toured the country for years before deciding it was time for a change.

By switching gears to play international stages, they were able to focus on developing new music while still staying true to the big band sound that made them famous.

Everything about this band exhibits smoothness, togetherness and complete musicality. In true big band fashion, there is an initial introduction of members, followed by a solo on each instrument.

These solos exhibit brilliant improvisation and complete understanding of their style and their instruments. Not only can you hear the brilliance of the musicians themselves, but also you can see the music literally flowing through their bodies and into the bodies of the audience.

When Glen "The Kid" Marhevka played a note on his trumpet, his body bent back far enough to win a limbo contest.

The highlight of the performance consisted of a tribute of songs to New Orleans off their album "Save My Soul." The songs brought some of the most well-known musical styles to come out of New Orleans to light. With songs like "Zig Zaggity Woop Woop" and "Save My Soul" they referenced jazz pioneers of the 20th century and payed homage to the roots of their style of music.

Based on what I learned in my Evolution of Jazz class, I recognized the styling of Louis Armstrong, the ragtime piano and my favorite style: Dixieland. Maybe in the future, the class should even feature some modern swing or big band style (hint hint to whoever teaches the class).

The audience certainly recognized the talent of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and really had a great time.

The only downside to the night was the lack of dance room in the Lazzara Performance Hall. I think the concert should have been held in the UNF Arena because there, more room exists to move around instead of being stuck sitting because there are rows of fold down seats in the way. But this did not stop some people from getting up and swinging with a partner.

In the far corners of the theater and in the balcony there were a few couples that just couldn't control their bodies, the music overcame them. Those couples were just warming up for the after party.

After the concert, couples waited their turn to compete in a swing dance competition to win a $200 cash prize. I wasn't expecting much, but the contestants were very good.

They supplied the audience with all of the twists, turns, throws and steps one would expect to see at a professional swing dance competition. This concluded the night, and I went home very happy.

If you haven't heard Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, check out the band's new album "Save My Soul". The album is an excellent example of the big band swing type of music and you should definitely go out and buy it. I know I will.

Scholars Word brings reggae vibes to Freebird

Conscious Vibe Productions presented a trio of reggae acts Sept. 7 at Freebird Live. Shakedown, Still Green and Scholars Word brought the reggae vibrations through the night. The show was quite good with Shakedown, from California opening, Jax locals Still Green filling in the middle of the show and then later in the night headliners Scholars Word closing the show.

The show was a good exhibition of different styles of reggae with Shakedown playing the Cali style of reggae with turntables and Scholars Word bringing the night back to the roots where the music originated.

Spinnaker sat down with the nucleus of Scholars Word, bassist Michael Stauch and lead singer/guitarist Bryce Creighton for a little Q and A.

Spinnaker: How did you guys meet and form the band?

Scholars Word: We actually met randomly here in Jax Beach. He (Bryce) drove up to the house with reggae playing in his truck, and I knew we would get along.

S: So you guys just randomly lived together? You didn't know each other beforehand?

S.W.: Yea, we just randomly became roommates and started playing music together right off. We have worked together ever since the early '90s and put out our first demo in '95. Now, we are back to where we started, playing more rootsy music and spreading the message of reggae music.

S: Who are your influences and people that you looked up to in the past?

S.W.: Definitely bands like Steel Pulse, Lucky Dube and Luciano. We've been very lucky to have been able to play our own music and open for almost all of the bands that we have ever looked up to.

S: Are there any reggae acts out there right now whose music you are particularly impressed with?

S.W.: Among others, Gentleman from Germany, Humble Soul who we toured with and Groundation from California.

S: What do you think about the state of reggae music right now with artists like Sean Paul leading the way on MTV?

S.W.: There are so many kinds of reggae. Sean Paul is definitely giving major support to the music. It's shocking to see how much reggae is spreading into white America no matter what type of reggae it is. Reggae is no longer "porch music." It's grown beyond that.

S: With all the exposure are the artists taking reggae in a positive direction?

S.W.: It's good that the genre is getting so much exposure. People are listening to it and hearing something they wouldn't normally listen to. Reggae is good because it speaks to your soul.

S: A lot of people, especially the surf industry, have latched on to reggae and Rastafarian culture. What do you guys think about that, and what does it mean to be Rasta?

S.W.: People should understand where reggae is coming from. Sometimes people can't take more than a stereotype away from a show but it's good that people are beginning to accept it. To be Rasta is to live a certain way. Rasta is definitely a heavy influence. We have nothing but respect for Jamaican Rastas and what they have gone through. I (Michael) am not going to sit here and call myself Rasta but its something that I try to represent but not in a vain way.

S: You guys have a new dub CD coming out. When is the release date?

S.W.: We are trying to release it in November along with a live CD at some point and another CD with new original stuff. We are back to the roots sound and we feel good about that. It represents us.

S: What's next for you guys?

S.W.: We are touring Florida a bit and hopefully we will be back in the studio recording and finishing up the new dub CD.

Through the Looking Glass

AND WE HOPE YOU'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, MAD AT US
The crew of an Indonesian fishing boat mutinied and threw the captain overboard, but he grabbed onto a net on the side of the boat and hung on. The crew sheepishly pulled him back onboard later when they realized he was the only one who knew how to operate the vessel.

FREEZE! FAKE POLICE!
A man, impersonating a police officer, forced an 18-year-old woman off the road in Canby, Ore., and ordered her out of her car. As he was handcuffing her, a woman in a nearby house became suspicious of the "officer's" legitimacy because he was wearing a T-shirt that read "Under Cover Police."

SMOKE? WHAT SMOKE, OFFICER?
A man robbed a bank in Orlando, Fla., then stuffed the cash down his pants not realizing that the teller slipped an exploding dye pack in with the money. He fled the scene, but a police officer decided to question him when he saw smoke coming out of the man's pants.

A SUSPICIOUS-LOOKING WOODPECKER WAS SEEN FLEEING THE SCENE
A man who was convicted many times for pilfering the eggs of rare birds from their nests climbed a tree in Yorkshire, England, to steal the eggs of a sparrowhawk. He was 30 feet up the tree when a branch broke and he fell to his death.

DO YOU REALLY THINK SO, YOUR HONOR?
A 47-year-old parole violator in Houston, Minn., was unable to report to the county jail to begin his sentence b ecause he was so drunk that he was rushed to the hospital for emergency detox with a blood-alcohol level of 0.46 percent, which is normally fatal. When he recovered, the judge told him, "You're, like, beyond the `I-have-a-drinking-problem' stage."

SO I OCCASIONALY HIT PEDESTRIANS, SO WHAT?
A saleswoman was stopped on a highway in Murg, Switzerland, when police spotted her zig-zagging all over the road. The reason: She was talking on her cell phone as well as operating her laptop computer. She expressed surprise at being pulled over, saying, "I was driving like I always do."

AH, MEMORIES
A man went through the drive-through at a coffee shop in Bend, Ore., naked from the waist down, not once but twice. He told arresting officers that he was reliving an experience in which his wife once removed his pants before going through a drive-through. Ever since then, he explained, he couldn't stop thinking about it.

SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED A VACATION
A homing pigeon released in Bourges, France, in a race to her home in Northumberland, England, instead wound up on the Caribbean island of St. Eustatius in the Dutch West Indies 5,000 miles away. Her owner speculates that the bird must have ridden most of the way on a cruise ship.

GEE WHIZ, CAN'T A GUY CELEBRATE?
Immediately after being released from prison, a Connecticut man stole two cases of beer from a parked truck and proceeded to swill it down only a short distance from where he stole it. He was arrested.

Survivor to introduce a whole new kind of race

Here's an idea: Let's create a new Emmy category - best marketeer.

If one were created, it would surely go to Mark Burnett, the force behind "Survivor," for the way he's played supposedly learned politicians over the new edition of the unscripted series.

Burnett and his pals at CBS caused a stir because "Survivor: The Cook Islands," which debuts Sept. 14, divides the teams by race.

Just the mention of race and "Survivor" was the equivalent of tossing a whiffle ball to Barry Bonds. Immediately, attention-hungry politicians stepped up to hit that ball out of the park.

One has to believe Burnett knew this publicity whirlwind would occur.

Face it: "Survivor" hasn't gotten this much attention since Heidi Strobel and Jenna Morasca stripped off their clothes for a dab of peanut butter and Oreo cookies in season six.

But lost in the fury is the fact that no one yapping about how bad it is to pit races against one another has actually seen an episode from the new season. None of us have. (It's also safe to say, based on the comments, that some of those slamming the show have never watched it - ever.)

Although few will say it, because it would dilute their anti-"Survivor" rants, similar divides already exist - not because of a TV show, but because of what happens in real life.

Real life aside, the argument doesn't take into account that Burnett is known for setting up teams and busting them early. That means this contrived racial divide might be around for less time than one of these trumped-up press conferences that slam "Survivor."

"Survivor," of course, can thrive on being an easy target. By raising the ever-present issue of race in America, complete with pictures of the rival teams, the show is guaranteed to have an attention-getting controversy.

It's a method in which Burnett, and CBS public relations, have been brilliant. When "Survivor" launched in 2000, the show was wonderfully marketed. The media jumped on the concept and played up the notion of regular people attempting to survive on an island alone.

Well, they weren't really alone. Camera crews were everywhere, as well as a medical team to jump in if something went bad.

Burnett and CBS played the media game like sharks. All along, Burnett acknowledged that it was a contrived setting in which real people were thrown together to react. He dismissed the idea of his show being "reality," preferring that it be called an "unscripted drama," as a way to offset the not-so-real nature of the show.

No one listened.

Soon, though, we all realized he was right. Generally, very little in the so-called `reality' shows was real.

The reality in this case, though, is that viewers should watch the first episode or two and see how this plays out.

If it's racially insensitive, sure, flood CBS and Burnett with letters, hold as many press conferences as possible and point out the wrongdoing.

If it's not, step back and let Burnett - and his CBS sidekicks - pick up their new marketing Emmy.

Tips to fend off the freshman 15

Mmm...pizza, beer and let us not forget about McDonald's cheeseburgers on Wednesdays. These are just some of the quick, but not-so-healthy foods college students tend to eat. Junk food like this gets chosen because of either a lack of time or desire to cook. Unfortunately, these tasty snacks can have a negative effect on a person's health.

In a discussion of the health of college students, the "freshman 15" usually gets mentioned. For those who are unaware of what this is, the "freshman 15" are those evil pounds a typical college freshman will gain in their first year at school. Generally this term applies to freshmen who move away from home and are on their own for the first time, but it can apply to students who still live at home and decide that home cooking just doesn't matter to them anymore.

College life can be a bit more hectic than high school. A majority of students have jobs and classes to juggle, while trying to maintain friendships and have a social life. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are just kind of thrown in there somewhere. Grab a bite as you run out the door. Fill up on burgers and fries in between classes. Go to the drive thru at 2 a.m. after that night out. Just look at the drive thru line at Taco Bell after last call at the bars. It seems that you have no choice but to eat junk food.

Avoiding the weight gain is possible, though. Buy healthier foods that are quick and easy to put together. If you think you will not have time, prepare something the night before so that all you have to do is stick it in the oven or microwave. If you chose to live off of those frozen dinners, go for the Lean Cuisine or Healthy Choice ones. Even cereal, like Special K or Kix, can be a healthy breakfast or snack. Fruits and nuts are also healthy quick snacks that provide an excellent alternative to the normal bag of chips that people consume.

Plus, there is a gym on campus, free to students, not to mention the tennis courts, basketball courts and indoor pool. A little exercise never hurt anyone, and it is pretty much necessary with all the fast food restaurants available and the sedentary life that many students lead after sitting in class all day and then sitting in front of a computer all night. Go to the gym, take a book and study while walking on the treadmill. You can exercise and read up for class at the same time.

Avoiding being part of that "freshman 15" statistic, that can continue into your sophomore year and even beyond, does not require a lot. Simply eat healthy, exercise on a regular basis and get plenty of sleep.

Zan on the Street

What's going on everybody? Hope your weekend was good and the week has gone smoothly at school.

Thursday night was a good show at Freebird Live with Scholars Word. Big thanks to Bryce and Michael for taking the time to sit down and chat, it definitely felt good to talk to some people who really understand the genre of reggae music and appreciate artists from all over the globe. Also, thanks to Patrick at Conscious Vibe Productions for putting the interview together and getting me in the show.

I must say, I was a bit disappointed at the turnout for the show especially since the bands were playing in front of the home town crowd. Come on people, get off the couch and do something, don't be scared.

This week at Freebird, Better than Ezra plays Thursday night and Will Hoge plays Friday night. The shows are $20 and $10 respectively and doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets for the events can be purchased at the Freebird box office which is open from Wednesday to Saturday or online at www.freebirdlive.com.

Speaking about Freebird, I've heard some disconcerting rumors. I have no confirmation of this, but word on the street is that Freebird has sold out and is moving somewhere in the near future, perhaps to Atlantic Beach. I hope this is not true, because the history and acoustic qualities of Freebird are amazing, and the location at the beach is second to none. I will definitely stay on top of this to see what happens, but shows are planned at the venue through December.

Downtown, as always, plenty of live music is taking place at Jack Rabbits, Fuel and Thee Imperial. Among the acts, Reverend Horton Heat plays Jack Rabbits on Tuesday night. Check the Web site at www.jackrabbitsonline.com for more information.

For some odd reason, it seems like Jacksonville is not getting the quantity of live music that we have in the past. I'm not exactly sure why this is. I do know that the fall semester is a bit slower than the spring as far as touring acts are concerned but so far this summer I'm downright disappointed at being skipped over by Slightly Stoopid, Toots and the Maytals, UB40, Elan, Third World and various punk bands among others. For some reason they have been doing the Orlando, Tampa and South Florida loop and showing no love toward us here near South Georgia. Hopefully things will begin to pick up around here soon.

At the University of North Florida this week, rappers Yung Joc and Chingy attempt to bass out the Arena on Friday night. You definitely should check out the show because it's going down. Show starts at 8 p.m. with guests Shot Out and The Feedback Project starting things off Tickets are only $10 for students.

Your Jacksonville Jaguars (cause they definitely aren't mine) are going to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers, who beat my Dolphins, on Monday night at Alltel Stadium. Kickoff is at 8:30 and tickets can be purchased on Ticketmaster or at the game. Not a bad showing this week against the Cowboys, so it should be a good game against the former Super Bowl champs.

That's about it for the scene around town. Things are looking up a bit in the near future with scheduled shows by Mason Jennings, George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, Less than Jake, The Roots and comedian Ron White. Stay tuned for more information on show dates and venues.

Oh, and by the way, if it's Thursday or Friday night and you heard some band was playing that you might like, check it out. The same old bar scene exists every week and missing one night at the Ritz or Lynch's isn't going to kill you. Get out and do something different sometimes because it's almost always worth it in the end.

Meanwhile, in another part of town...

Fontana Italian Restaurant and Bar serves traditional Italian appetizer, pasta lunches, hot and cold subs, panini sandwiches, rolls, salads, soups, dinners, seafood and pizza from their extensive menu.

Fontana Italian Restaurant can start you off with Fontana's mozzarella sticks made with 100 percent real mozzarella, fried calamari or fried cheese ravioli. They also have the Italian Rice Ball which is rice stuffed with chopped meat, cheese and spices then breaded and fried. Prices for most of the appetizer range from $6 to $9.

Fontana serves rolls as well, but not just any rolls. Choices range from chicken roll, sausage and peppers roll, strombolis and calzones. The chicken roll, priced at $7.95 is chicken parmesan with pomodoro tomato sauce baked with mozzarella cheese in their homemade pizza dough. Also for $7.95, the sausage and peppers roll comes with Italian sausage, roasted peppers and onions with pomodoro tomato sauce baked with mozzarella cheese in their homemade pizza dough. The stromboli for $8.95 includes sausage, peppers, onions and spices baked together. The calzone priced at $8.95 comes packed with a variety of cheeses and ham.

Lunch pastas range in price from $7 to $13 and are Italian favorites. The pastas include baked cheese ravioli, shrimp parmesan, chicken parmesan, shrimp scampi, chicken fettuccini alfredo and linguini with meatball.

Subs at Fontana Italian Restaurant include the chicken parmigiana sub, Italian cheese steak sub, meatball parm sub and the Godfather sub. The subs come with fries or a salad. Subs are priced between $7 and $9. Also served with fries or a salad are the Italian panini sandwiches for $7.95, all made hot. Some of these include the Milano panini is filled with capicola, Genoa salami, provolone, grilled roasted peppers, onions and tomatoes. The Toscana is roasted turkey in a creamy roasted pepper sauce, melted mozzarella cheese, grilled onions and tomatoes.

In addition to the extensive lunch menu, Fontana Italian Restaurant offers many choices for dinner. Spaghetti with meatballs, fettuccini chicken alfredo, chicken cacciatore, stuffed shells, baked ravioli, lasagna Florentine, chicken parmigiana and chicken marsala are just a few of the delectable entrees from the menu. Dinner prices range from $11 to $17.

If you're craving veal or seafood, Fontana has you covered. Some of their seafood dishes include shrimp and scallops, shrimp scampi, shrimp parmigiana, pan-seared mahi and linguini with clam sauce. Veal and seafood prices range from $16 to $27. Fontana also has different types of pastas to choose from such as rigatoni, fettuccini, linguini, penne, fettuccini Florentine, angel hair, spaghetti and ziti. All are available with a variety of sauces.

Fontana serves pizza fresh from the oven with their dough hand-rolled daily. One of their pizzas, pizza margherita, has mozzarella, oregano, basil and tomato sauce. Another, pollo y pomodoro, is made with grilled or breaded chicken, fresh plum tomatoes, mozzarella, oregano, basil and tomato sauce. Pizzas come priced at $7.95 to $12.95. That's not all, Fontana also serves Chicago style deep dish and stuffed pizzas ranging from $12 to $16.

Fontana Italian Restaurant and Bar is located at 7605 Beach Blvd. They can be reached at 904-805-9755.

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