Spinnaker [Distributed: Wednesday, September 20, 2006]

Florida has become the place to be more than ever in the last five years. Despite hurricanes, increasing population and rising living costs, real estate in Florida has had a dramatic increase in price following the dot com bubble bust.

It does not seem to matter where in Florida one looks, because houses are becoming expensive everywhere. Looking around Jacksonville, the condo craze has certainly taken the beach by storm, and condo conversions have taken a chunk out of the apartment rental market. High-rises are being built everywhere in Jacksonville Beach, and with some advertising prices starting at over one million dollars, one has to wonder where these people are coming from and who the buyers are.

This begs the question of how college graduates can expect to buy a house after graduation. Most cannot afford to buy or do not want to buy for a few years after graduation, until they have a secure job and a steady income in a place where they expect to stay for a period of time.

Still, prices in the next five years are certainly not going to fall from current levels. On the contrary, they are sure to rise again when the next real estate boom cycle begins. This has many people, especially those in south Florida where the price increases have been more dramatic, to wonder if they can afford to stay in Florida.

One answer to the housing question is buying out of foreclosure. The one upside to the real estate boom that has now begun to subside is the fact that many people bought houses with adjustable rate mortgages or interest only mortgages that are tied to the rising interest rates. What does this mean? This means that the last 17 rate increases the Federal Reserve has enacted have had a dramatic affect on how much these people pay for their mortgages. Add to that the increasing property insurance and taxes that many people have had to deal with, and things can be downright expensive for speculative buyers. The increases have been so expensive that many cannot tote the note on the rental house they bought or the house they planned to flip that has sat on the market for three months straight.

This leads to foreclosure. Foreclosure proceedings begin when someone has defaulted on his or her loan, which occurs after not paying the mortgage for 90 days. When all is said and done, Joe Schmo no longer owns the house, the bank that loaned him the money does. So you are asking how this benefits you right?

The bank does not care how much the house is worth, they care about getting the money that is owed to it from the loan as quickly and painlessly as possible. Banks are not in the real estate industry and do not want to be. Banks want to free the money that is tied to the house so it can go out and re-loan it. Because of this, you the buyer can get some downright good deals if you do your homework.

The most important thing to do when looking at foreclosed homes is to find out if any liens exist to encumber the property. Liens transfer with the property deed, meaning if the previous owner was also delinquent to the plumber who re-piped the house, the roofer who put a new roof on the house and the IRS, and you buy the house you are now liable for all those debts. So buyers must be careful to do some research prior to buying.

Another good bet for college graduates who are sick of dealing with a landlord is to look in a somewhat run down area that has a good chance of being in the swath of redevelopment. Houses in these kinds of areas are usually much cheaper and can be a good investment for the future. With some hard work and know how, what appears to be a tear-down can become a decent looking house, ready to live in or resell to make a profit. Do not confuse this with flipping, and people looking to do this must wait until the redevelopment begins and property values begin to increase.

Graduates should not despair at housing prices following graduation. Very few people can afford to purchase a house while paying off loans or making a starting salary. Renting is not a bad option, and right now many markets are renter friendly with rental rates much lower than a mortgage would be on the very same house.

Also, home ownership is not just a mortgage, it also includes property taxes every year and insurance. As a homeowner, when something breaks you pay to fix it. There is no one to call when the dishwasher gives out. So, for the very busy working person who may also travel, renting is an excellent choice until it comes time to start a family or settle down.

Certainly, the real estate market in Florida has taken a drastic leap from prices just a few years ago to prices now. The market is beginning to correct itself, however, with the increase in interest rates and the rise in foreclosures. Do not worry when it seems like everyone around you has purchased a house. Buying a house is no small task or decision and no one should buy until they are ready financially, mentally and chronologically.

Keeping meals congenial for everyone

The week has come to an end and you just want to go out to dinner and enjoy some good food. But halfway through your meal, the hills are alive with the sound of Dennis the Menace, screaming and running around the restaurant as though it was his own personal playground.

We've all been to a restaurant at some time or another where we were appalled at the behavior of others. Common sense, we presume, influences our behavior in public. So why doesn't everybody have it? The verdict is still out on that one. Here is this weeks list.

1. Never, ever, blow you nose at a kitchen or restaurant table. I don't care if you are alone at the table. Just the sound of somebody blowing his or her nose is disgusting enough, but to hear it at the dinner table and then have to associate it with our wonderful food is akin to having someone spit a loogie in your plate. Just don't do it.

2. Men, always wait for all the other women at your table to be seated before sitting, and when a lady stands, stand with her. Pull the chair out for your lady if the maitre'd hasn't done it for you. Be sure not to push it in for her once she sits. This could be dangerous.

3. Don't start eating until everybody's meal has arrived. If it's just a salad, then at least ask if anybody minds.

4. It's OK to rest elbows at the edge of the table before or after dinner, but not while your food is on the table. The table can get crowded once all the food is laid out, so the best thing to do with your hands is to keep them in your lap, which by the way, is where your napkin should go the moment you sit down.

5. Leave your place settings right where they are. If you move your drink to your left, when indeed it should remain to your right, it may get mixed up with the person to your left. Before you know it, you're swapping spit with the person next to you.

6. If you eat a roll or bread, tear a smaller piece off with your hands. Don't go shoving the thing up against your face to try to get a bite out of it.

7. When you cut your meat or entree, cut only two or three bite-sized pieces, eat them, and then repeat. If you're cutting for a child, then by all means, cut the entire thing. The goal here is to get the kid in the rhythm of eating and give him absolutely no reason to have to stop and whine about anything.

8. When you talk, make sure your mouth is completely empty of food, and if you must cough or sneeze, turn your head to the side and cover your mouth with your napkin.

9. If you're ready to tie one on but nobody at your table is drinking a cocktail, skip it and wait until you're home or at a night club. Alcohol causes the voice to rise and judgment to delay or disappear altogether, and you may become irritating to others around you.

10. Don't light up if there are any non-smokers in the group. At the very least, ask first. Cigarette smoke can take away the appetite, ruining the whole dining experience.

11. If you start out with chewing gum in your mouth, do not sit it on your plate. Place it in your napkin and let it go to the garbage.

12. Turn your cell phone to off or vibrate. For more about this, see Spinnaker Sept. 13, cell phone etiquette, issue.

13. If you're taking children to dine with you, let their temperament dictate where you go. Don't go to a romantic, quiet atmosphere if you have loud, rowdy kids; take them to Chucky Cheese. If you have an infant, it's kind of hard to know what to expect. Go ahead and try it once - any place you'd like. But be prepared to bundle up baby and step outside every time he breaks into crying spells. Who doesn't love babies? But most of us can't tolerate their crying.

14. Dress for the occasion. So what if it's not the prom; you can still wear a shirt that covers your armpit hair and pull your pants at least up to your hips. I don't go to dinner to look at butt crack silhouettes or armpit hair. And take off that hat. Maybe your crack head mama forgot to teach you that, but I'm telling you that hats only go on outdoors. It's a respect thing.

15. Always tip. Waiters and waitresses depend on it. They make far less than minimum wage, so their tips have to offset their wages. Fifteen to 25 percent is good.

Most folks think they are polite, and it's the other guy who needs to get it together. But some of us never got the memo or just had an ignorant mother who never bothered to teach us all the rules. It is my hope that those are the people who will gain from this story. May you be blessed.

Meet Joe Flowers: English professor by day

Joseph Flowers is an instructor in the English department. He has been teaching at the University of North Florida for eight years and mainly teaches the general education English sequence courses.

Where is your hometown?

Athens, Georgia

What is your biggest student pet peeve?

When students miss a day and ask "Did I miss anything important?"

How can students be successful in your class?

By attending and engaging in discussion.

Pirates or ninjas?

Pirates in honor of Talk Like a Pirate Day. On another day I am much more ninja like.

What do you think most students should know about UNF that could help them be more successful?

Teachers have these things called office hours. I find that teachers at UNF are more interested in helping students and are willing to go much further to help students. I don't think enough students take advantage of this.

Where do you park?

I have gotten a ton of parking tickets. I had designated (parking) for a while but I forgot to renew it. Now I just circle the parking lot forever for a close spot because I am lazy.

What is the best response you have ever gotten on the end of the semester surveys?

I have gotten some weird ones. Someone quoted a Bon Jovi song once. "Shot through the heart and your to blame. You give love a bad name." Maybe because I am so down and negative. Students should write more on them. My favorites are when students say they think more and view the world in a different way.

Have you ever rated yourself on Ratemyprofessor.com?

I did. I had to give myself a hot pepper because I didn't have one and Fred Alteri did. I was mad because I am just as attractive as he is. But to be fair I rated myself straight down the middle.

Who is your favorite Sesame Street character?

I was much more of a Muppet fan and Fraggle Rock. However, I did have a reoccurring nightmare about Snuffleupagus so he is definitely not my favorite. I was really into the Doozers and Animal. There was the guy who stenciled number on bench seats too. I am going to go with Grover. "NEAR...FAR...NEAR"

Which movie star can you relate to the most?

I would like to relate to the girl from Mythbusters. Jeanine Garafalo, because she is my age and has a kind of self-deprecating pessimistic view of life.

What is your favorite class to teach?

I really like to teach Intro to Lit. You can read anything you want. I like the freedom that comes with teaching that class.

What do you do when people fall asleep in your class?

I am tempted to write on them or dip their hands in warm water. If they are sleeping at the end of class, I like to let class out really quiet so they wake up in a class with another teacher.

Have you ever fallen asleep while teaching?

As a substitute, I fell asleep once. I was babysitting a dropout prevention class and I was told that all of their work for the semester was done, so they were supposed to watch boring movies the rest of the time. So I fell asleep during one of these movies and when I woke up everyone had left. The only other person was asleep too and when I asked him, he didn't know where everyone else had gone.

Yung Joc and Chingy bring hip-hop beats to Arena

On Sept. 15, Yung Joc and Chingy with special guests The Feedback Project and Shout Out brought down the University of North Florida Arena with bass heavy beats and plenty of music to get down.

Hundreds of screaming girls and some guys filled the arena dancing to music by a DJ until the acts came onstage.

Students at the show were very excited by their chance to see the hip hop superstars whose videos have received heavy play on MTV and BET.

"I am estatic, I wanna jump onto stage," said freshman Durriona Fontenette.

The show began with the first guest appearance from The Feedback Project. The group was formed in Jacksonville, Fla. but has relocated and is now hailing from Tallahassee. In 2003, Feedback Project relead their CD Crisis of Perception (The Orchard).

The Feedback Project's performance was followed by Shout Out. Shout Out is headed by a rapper who has been given the name Mr. Jacksonville, apprently because he represents for the city.

Mr. Jacksonville has been in the Top 50 on the Billboard Charts for Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles.

Finally, the time had come. The headliners began to take the stage with St. Louis rapper Chingy the first to get the microphone and breathe new life into the waiting crowd.

Chingy's performance was filled with hits from his triple platinum CD Jackpot.

Some people might remember such hits from the CD as "Holidae In" featuring Snoop Dogg, "Right Thurr" and "One Call Away", all songs that were played repeatedly on radio stations and music television. Chingy also performed songs from his third album Hoodstar in stores Sept. 19 such as his new single "Pullin' me Back."

Following Chingy, Yung Joc took the stage.

Joc is a newcomer to the public spotlight of hip-hop stardom. The young rapper was born in Atlanta the city where the dirty-south roots run deep. Joc grew up in the College Park area where many notable hip hop acts such as Lil Jon and the Eastside Boys, Ying Yang Twins and Pastor Troy also spent their youth.

Joc's success has certainly been helped by his record label Bad Boy South, the southern offshoot of P Diddy's New York label.

Joc is finding success in the game with his single "It's Goin Down" which he performed at the show. He also performed other songs from his freshman CD New Joc City such as "Patron" and "Dope Boy Magic."

Throught the Looking Glass

DADDY! HOW COULD YOU?!
A suspicious father in Ocala, Fla., placed a global positioning satellite tracking device in his 13-year-old daughter's book bag to keep tabs on her. So, when on her way to school, she stopped off at the home of a 28-year-old man and had sex with him, dad soon found out. Loverboy was arrested.

LOOKING FOR ME? BUT WHY, OFFICER?
After a vendor at the California State Fair was paid with a counterfeit $20, he told the cops that the kid who passed the bill was carrying a strip of pictures from a nearby photo booth. A check of the film turned up a picture of the lad and his friends proudly displaying wads of bogus cash. Not knowing that the cops were now on the lookout for him, the kid returned to the fair two days later and tried to pass more funny money.

OK, HERE THEY COME...READY...AIM...FIRE!
Under an ancient British bylaw still on the books, it is legal for citizens of York, England, to shoot Scotsmen with a bow and arrow within the city limits. Two Scotsmen are coming to York this month to ask that the law be repealed.

ILU, HOAS, (CRASH!) GTG, ILBL8
A teenager, sending a text message as he drove through Allen Park, Mich., crashed into the rear of a police car parked on the side of the highway. The officer was investigating another accident.

BUT I'M DONE NOW, OFFICER, SO WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?
With police trailing, sirens blaring and lights flashing, a man in Miami continued to drive for several blocks before finally pulling over. He explained to the officer that he didn't stop right away because he wanted to finish his cocaine and beer.

OH YEAH, I FORGOT ABOUT THAT
A man in St. Louis confronted police because they watched him as he spoke to a woman in a car at 1 o'clock in the morning. They explained to him that they were seeking a suspect in a series of home invasions, and that he didn't fit the description. Despite this, the irate man insisted they take a mouth swab of his saliva to match with DNA at the crime scenes. They did. The swab implicated him in a 6-year-old rape case.

I (WHAP!) SAID NO (WHAP!) COMMENT (WHAP!)
Ten minutes after being acquitted of an assault charge, a businessman in Bossier City, La., left the courthouse and assaulted members of a TV news crew that asked him for a statement. He was arrested.

SURE, COME ON IN, BOYS...KA-BLAM!
Three thugs running from police in Sugar Land, Texas, ran into a home to elude them. Alas, it was the home of another police officer. Shots fired. Three arrested.

Visually stunning 'Black Dahlia' short on plot

In a decrepit lot in 1940s era Los Angeles, the gruesomely mutilated body of a young woman was found, completely halved at the waist. Her name was Elizabeth Short, a raven-haired wannabe actress who was posthumously nicknamed the Black Dahlia for her dark tresses.

The mystery of this unsolved murder case has endured for over half a century, providing the inspiration for countless investigative exposŽs and fictional dramatization.

One such work of fiction, "Black Dahlia", was written by noir novelist James Ellroy and was recently transplanted onto the silver screen. The film version suffers from a harried translation to the cinema, as it glosses over main plot points and haphazardly streamlines an incredibly dense work of fiction into a clumsy and convoluted conclusion.

The film stars Josh Hartnett as Bucky Bleichert and Aaron Eckhart as Lee Blanchard, two ex-boxers and police officers who become partners and subsequently investigate the gruesome dismemberment of Miss Short, played by Mia Kirshner.

After a few days on the case, Blanchard magically becomes obsessed with Miss Short's untimely demise, resorting to popping amphetamines and screaming incessantly. The only explanation for his bizarre change of character is some latent childhood problems, a convenient excuse that is insultingly contrived.

Eckhart never really has a chance to make his character convincing, as this startling 180 turn effectively writes Blanchard off for the rest of the film.

On the other hand, Hartnett has a quite a bit to work with, as his character has the film noir role of narration. Yet, he lacks the gravitas to make the hardboiled dialogue sound anything more than absurd. In his scenes with the main femme fatale of the film, played by Hilary Swank, he seems consistently overmatched.

While the two male leads fail to captivate, Kirshner revels in her role as the titular Dahlia. Her character is only seen through grainy audition tapes, but she effectively conveys a sense of innocence and fragility throughout. These tapes serve as a voyeuristic look into the life of Short as she desperately tries to break into the acting world.

Scarlett Johansson, who plays Kay Lake, the love interest to Eckhart's character, doesn't fare as well compared to Kirshner. She seemingly phones her role in, content to sit in the background and smoke. The plot twist she reveals to Bleichert towards the end of the film suffers from her dispassionate delivery.

Despite some of the narrative missteps, the movie is still gorgeous to behold. Brian De Palma, the director behind Scarface and Carlito's Way, beautifully recreates the atmosphere of 1940s Los Angeles. The scene where the body is uncovered is incredibly well shot, exuding somewhat of a Hitchcockian restraint from fully displaying the carnage.

Yet, the film is uneven at parts, especially towards the end. After focusing the majority of the film on the relationship between Blanchard and Bleichert, dubbed Mr. Fire and Mr. Ice for their differing temperaments, it seems as though De Palma remembers what the movie is entitled. In a 10-minute span, the mystery is clumsily unraveled, and in true Hollywood fashion, the perpetrators explain exactly why they did it. It is naive of a filmmaker to think the audience would suspend their beliefs to accept this utterly manufactured ending.

While "Black Dahlia" proves to be aesthetically pleasing, it doesn't make up for the lack of a cohesive plot. In the end, it seems that the film and the Black Dahlia herself suffered the same fate: they were hacked apart.

Zan on the Street

September is moving along nicely, isn't it? Hopefully some of you checked out the Yung Joc and Chingy show that Osprey Productions put on last week. It was a pretty good show from what I understand. We are getting over that early semester hump, and more music is frequenting the Jacksonville area. Coming up this week are a few more events than we have had recently, which is hopefully a sign of things to come.

Plenty of live music comes to Freebird Live this week in Jacksonville Beach. Check out the mellow acoustic jams and smooth singing of artist Mason Jennings on Thursday night.

Jennings has been featured on various surf videos from Moonshine Conspiracy and is certainly gaining popularity in the music industry. The show is $12 until the day of the show when tickets increase to $15. Doors open at 8 p.m., and tickets can be purchased from www.freebirdlive.com or from the box office at the venue.

Also at Freebird, Ten Years, Evans Blue and Burn Season play Friday night. Tickets for the show are $17 before the show or $20 on the day of the show.

Just as a sidenote, sort of an early warning, next week the godfather of funk music himself Dr. Funkenstein, (George Clinton) and his wacky band Parliament Funkadelic bring the funk to Freebird on Wednesday, September 27. Grab tickets and watch the legend tear the roof off the mutha sucka.

Elsewhere around town, for the older crowd, Bob James plays Florida Theatre on Thursday night. The show starts at 8 p.m., and tickets can be purchased on Ticketmaster.com.

Friday night, ska band Less than Jake plays Plush. Doors open at 8 p.m. and tickets are $18. Check Ticketmaster for tickets.

Sunday night, classic rockers REO Speedwagon bring their act to Jacksonville at Florida Theatre. The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets range from $37.50-$47.50.

Another early warning, The Roots are coming next Wednesday, September 27 to Plush. Listen to ?uestlove drop the drumbeats with doors opening at 8 p.m. Tickets for the show are a very reasonable $10-$15.

Ready for some laughs to relieve all that pent up stress that has accrued since the beginning of the semester? Well, comedian Bruce Bruce from BET's Comicview is coming to town. The rotund funny man brings his act to the Florida Theatre on Saturday night at 8 p.m. Tickets for the show are $27.50.

Of course, there are the normal barrage of punk and indie bands that will be making music throughout the week at Jack Rabbits, Fuel and Thee Imperial. To see if your favorite underground band is coming to town check their websites www.jackrabbits.com, www.fuelin5pts.com or www.myspace.com/thee imperial.

Not a bad job by the Jags this week. Hold on tight as they take on Peyton and company next week on the road.

Meanwhile, in another part of town...

European Street Cafe is a locally owned and operated establishment that is known for its excellent food and great prices. The restaurant offers tons of choices such as salads, heroes, wraps, pitas and house specialties.

If you're hungry, European Street has several appetizers. The artichoke and spinach dip for $6.25 is served in a hollowed bread loaf with chips. You may also choose the garlic or cheddar cheese spread served with crackers for $3.95. Another tasty appetizer is the summer sausage snack for $5.25 that is served with smoked Gouda cheese spread, crackers and apple slices.

There are several salads on the menu that may appeal to you as well. The grilled chicken breast salad includes chunks of plump chicken breast, Swiss cheese, walnuts, lettuce, tomato, cucumbers and a light ranch dressing. If you're in the spicy mood, the spicy buffalo chicken salad is for you! Ingredients include spicy chicken breast, cheddar cheese, sliced jalapenos, lettuce, tomato, cucumbers and a light ranch dressing. Salad prices are between from $6 and $9.

European Street also offers a selection of heroes. The messy meatball hero comes with Italian herbed meatballs, a tangy marinara sauce and provolone cheese. Another great choice is the Prince Andrew hero which includes grilled chicken breast, bacon, cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomato served hot with a European Street classic sauce. You may also opt for the build- a-hero if you're picky about what you want on your sandwich. You can choose from ham, turkey or roast beef, your choice of cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and mayonnaise. Prices for heroes are $7.45 and all come with potato chips and a pickle spear.

In addition to heroes, European Street also has a selection of wraps. Some of the wrap choices include the BLT wrap that has a double order of bacon, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise in a honey-wheat flour tortilla. The roast beef and cheddar wrap is a double order of hot roast beef, melted cheese,

European Street mild horseradish sauce, lettuce and tomato wrapped in a honey-wheat flour tortilla. Prices for wraps are between $6 and $8. European Street serves up several pitas as well. The Michelangelo includes Genoa salami, ham, provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and Italian dressing. The bad hombre is a double order of roast beef, hot mustard, hot pepper cheese, jalapenos, lettuce and tomato. It is served hot with salsa on the side. Pitas are priced between $6 and $8.

The house specialties are endless! The international club is a triple-decker with ham, American roast beef, French Boursin cheese, Lebanese sliced lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise on Jewish rye. The European Street ultimate includes over a pound of turkey, ham and beef salami with smoked Gouda, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise on four slices of sourdough bread.

If you are not hungry yet, these next few specialties may spark your appetite. The princess is a croissant stuffed with chicken breast, bacon, provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato and honey mustard on the side. The sandwich I have ordered a few times and loved is the club European. It is also a triple-decker of your choice of any two between ham, turkey and roast beef. It comes with Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise. House specialties are served with chips and a pickle spear. Prices are reasonable between $4 and $11. European Street CafŽ also has tons of desserts to choose from. They have homemade cookies, cakes, pies, candies and more! Happy hour on all wine and beer is from 2 p.m.- 6 p.m. every day.

European Street CafŽ is located at 992 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville Beach. To reach the friendly staff, call 904-249-3001.

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EXPRESSIONS

Booming real estate market means more expensive housing for recent grads

Keeping meals congenial for everyone

Meet Joe Flowers: English professor by day

Yung Joc and Chingy bring hip-hop beats to Arena

Throught the Looking Glass

Visually stunning 'Black Dahlia' short on plot

Zan on the Street

Meanwhile, in another part of town...

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