Spinnaker [Distributed: Wednesday, November 15, 2006]

Thanksgiving isn't about being thankful. It's not about spending time with loved ones, and it's not about eating turkey and watching football. Children are given the traditional Thanksgiving story in grade school - that the Indians taught the starving Puritans how to grow and harvest crops, that they grew them together, ate plentifully and lived happily ever after.

It's a nice story. But it's just that - a story. Many Americans eat turkey and corn on Thanksgiving Day because they are honoring what they believe was the peaceful feast between the Pilgrims and Native Americans. However, the union between the two groups was nothing more than civil, as the meeting did not foster friendship. The Pilgrims relied solely on the Native Americans to provide the food for the meal, and did not lift fingers to return the favor. In fact, as more Englishmen came to the states, they gave the Native Americans anything but thanks.

"Today Native Americans do not celebrate Thanksgiving Day because it's not part of their culture," said Dr. Brad Biglow, visiting assistant professor of anthropology at the University of North Florida. Instead, Native Americans choose to celebrate fall harvests and various inductions for men and women into the society.

Here's the scoop on the lack of enthusiasm Native Americans feel for the popular holiday. The Puritans left England to escape religious intolerance, but many among them were as bigoted as the very people they abhorred. They left England in the early 1600s to set up a new world based on their own religious laws.

The Puritans not only viewed the Indians as savages, but went as far as to call them heathens - beings of the devil, according to an account published by a Sioux Indian in the Independent Media Institute. The Puritans viewed Squanto, a Native American Englishman John Weymouth brought to England, as an instrument sent by God to help his chosen people, the Puritans.

The Puritans' general hate and distrust of the Indians is best illustrated by a sermon delivered by Mather the Elder in 162, published on www.etribe.com. In this Sermon, Mather praised God for a wave of Small Pox that effectively killed the majority of Indians surrounding Plymouth, "chiefly young men and children, the very seeds of increase, thus clearing the forests to make way for a better growth."

While the Puritans continued to show disdain for the Indians, they also realized they needed their help to survive in their new homes. A harsh winter killed half of the original European settlers, and it was only through the teaching of Squanto, who showed the Puritans how to plant corn, dig for clams, use fish as fertilizer, and dozens of other essential skills, that the Puritans were able to keep themselves fed.

It wasn't until after the Indians educated the Puritans on proper survival techniques that a steady number of English settlers began to pour into the country. Within a generation, the children of the original Pilgrims and Indians who sat together at the first Thanksgiving broke into strife, which would later become King Philip's War.

The traditional Thanksgiving story, when compared with more historical accounts, is arguably the more cheerful and guilt-free version. This is probably why Americans prefer to remember and pass on this version to children. But in a world where children inevitably discover the truth, should Americans continue to tell inaccurate renditions? To most, the idea of eating turkey and pie and falling asleep on the couch may sound much more appealing than mulling over the unhappy truth of the birth of one of America's oldest holidays.

Sugarcult brings the spice

Sugarcult, a pop-punk band from California, will be coming to the University of North Florida arena with Cartel and the Summer Obsession Nov. 17 thanks to Osprey Productions.

The Spinnaker got the chance to speak with lead guitarist Marco DeSantis about the progression of his band throughout the years.

Growing up in Santa Barbara, Cali., a small town 100 miles north of Los Angeles, DeSantis said his hometown was isolated from the capriciousness of the Los Angeles music scene.

"It [Santa Barbara] was a little off the radar and it had kind of an innocence to it," DeSantis said. "People in LA are always trying to find the new hot topic of the moment, and things weren't as contrived in Santa Barbara."

DeSantis met his future band mates through their mutual involvement in the local music scene.

"Tim [vocals] and Airin [bass] were in a three-piece that used to play locally," DeSantis said. "At the time, I was trying to do stuff in the scene like working at a record store and writing for a music magazine. I saw their first show and we gradually became friends. When they told me they were looking to add another guitarist, I was there."

After joining up, DeSantis found himself compatible with his new band members and their strong work ethic.

"It was awesome to find other guys that had this same kind of militaristic devotion to the music that I did," DeSantis said. "I'd been in bands before and I would get criticized for being too into it. With these guys, everybody put in everything they had. We would practice 'til four in the morning if we had to."

After filling out its lineup with another guitarist, Sugarcult toured relentlessly to get their name out to the public.

"We created this band gradually, brick by brick," DeSantis said. "It started out in a small room in Santa Barbara and now we've had the opportunity to become established and tour around the world."

Before getting the chance to travel around the globe, Sugarcult started out like many young up-and-coming bands, driving themselves to shows that few people would attend.

DeSantis said that even though they played shows where the only audience members would be the people that work at the venue, they still tried to put their all into their performance. "It never mattered if there wasn't a crowd, we took every opportunity we could to play."

On their latest release, Lights Out, DeSantis said that Sugarcult tried to move beyond their comfort zone. Instead of traversing the same musical and lyrical landscapes, they tried to break new ground and provide listeners with a new perspective.

"With the lyrics, we didn't want to write songs just about being broken-hearted and relationships," DeSantis said. "There is too much shit going on in the world right now to write about relationships. Plenty of bands out there can write those songs. Right now, everything we grew up feeling secure about is gone, and we were either going to write about a revolution or write about some form of fucking escapism."

Sugarcult also tried to expand on their patented pop-punk sound and move into different and varied directions.

"Sonically, this record takes you to places we haven't been before," DeSantis said. "It has a diverse range of sounds that really surprised me. We kind of let ourselves drift out into the deep end. It's such a waste to play it safe. Sometimes you have to throw yourself into the unknown, take off the fucking safety net and let your instincts guide you."

During the recording of the album, DeSantis said that even he couldn't pinpoint the direction of their latest release.

"On Palm Trees and Power Lines [Sugarcult's last release], I knew how it would turn out when we were making it," DeSantis said. "With Lights Out, I had no idea what we were creating. I couldn't get a good picture of how it turned out until it was mastered and I listened to the final product. It blew me away."

'Cocaine' newest energy drink entry

Up all night studying? Throw back an energy drink and get through that early-morning statistics class.

Need a little pick-me-up in the middle of boring work or at the end of a long day? Drink one and you'll instantly have more fun. Throw back a couple, and it's fun times two.

This is how some companies are selling energy drinks, those cans of sugary-sweet, high-caffeine drinks with names like Red Bull, Rockstar and even Whoop Ass. Costing more than $2 a pop, energy drinks are raking in $3.4 billion a year for an industry that grew by 80 percent last year.

Lured by promises of high energy, possible weight loss and greater sports endurance, young people are consuming these drinks at a growing rate. According to an Associated Press report, 31 percent of U.S. teenagers say they drink them, and some say they down several in a row to get a buzz.

While many say they're a harmless jolt of energy, doctors and nutritionist fear the medical side effects of these drinks, which aren't regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Others worry that drink makers will resort to anything including pumping up caffeine levels to lure the young.

Take one of the newest brands. It caused quite a shakeup recently, and not for its level of caffeine, believed to be among the highest.

The drink: Cocaine.

Because of the name alone, convenience-store operator 7-Eleven Inc. is asking a handful of San Jose, Calif., franchise stores to stop carrying the high-caffeine drink. And the company is considering making it a nationwide request.

"Our merchandising team believes the product's name promotes an image which we didn't want to be associated with," said Margaret Chabris, a spokeswoman for 7-Eleven. "What is it, a legal alternative to an illegal substance?"

Cocaine the drink is not sold in all areas but could be everywhere by the end of the year. It comes in bright red and white cans, similar to Coca-Cola.

But the Cocaine name is spelled out in a powdery white font intended to resemble lines of white cocaine powder.

"(The name) is a slap in the face to the prevention we try to do," said Janine Gracy of the Regional Prevention Center. "Yeah, it's not the drug itself, but what about those who say, I drink this, what's the difference, maybe I'll try that."

It's marketed as the "legal alternative" and described by creators as tasting like a carbonated atomic fireball. Each can has 280 milligrams of caffeine, twice the amount in a regular cup of coffee.

Most health-care professionals recommend a daily dose of no more than 250 to 300 milligrams of caffeine. Beyond that, the side effects can set in: the jitteriness, possible dehydration, the jump in heart rate, increased blood pressure.

Energy drinks, with caffeine levels from 75 milligrams and up, likely aren't harmful if used sparingly. But it's the repeated use, the two or three cans at a time, that can wear on a body.

After the initial jolt, people crash.

"And once they fall, they fall pretty hard," said pediatrician Sarah Hampl, who works at Children's Mercy Hospital in the department of general pediatrics. "Their blood sugar drops, the caffeine wears off and they feel really bad."

Cardiologist Brian Weiford, from the University of Kansas Hospital, said people react to high levels of caffeine differently. And without knowing what's in each of the drinks, there's a risk in consuming any.

Gamers rejoice over new consoles

Call it Gaming High Noon.

Within weeks, Sony and Nintendo will unveil the latest versions of their next-generation video game consoles. Just in time for the holiday shopping season, the new machines will do battle with the Xbox 360, Microsoft's earlier entry in the gaming race, which now offers a high-definition DVD drive.

The fight for the hearts, fingers and dollars of gamers everywhere begins in earnest later this month. Sony's PlayStation 3 will be released Nov. 17. Nintendo's Wii will be out Nov. 19.

Here's what to expect.

PLAYSTATION 3

To imagine the PS3, think a gaming console designed by the Wachowski brothers, the makers of "The Matrix." The PS3 is super-sleek and sexy. It cuts a fine figure with luminescent black skin and a skinny, angular shape that will look right at home next to flat-screen TVs and stylish home theaters. The premium model will even feature chrome trim, like a tricked-out Cadillac Escalade.

The PS3 is one part gaming console, one part home entertainment system, a cutting-edge gadget designed to infiltrate a consumer's home and prove indispensable on numerous fronts.

Sony is unapologetic about its hefty $499 price tag ($599 for the premium silver edition with a 60-gigabyte hard drive), which happens to be right in line with the as-pricey Xbox 360.

The name of the game for Sony seems to be flexibility. Not only will you be able to play your next-gen games on the PS3, but you'll also be able to surf the Net and be one of the first to experience Blu-ray DVD technology, one of the two standards duking it out for next-generation DVD bragging rights.

To nudge you in the direction of using the console to watch movies, the PlayStation 3 is being packaged with comic Will Ferrell's "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby."

All PS3 games also will be published on Blu-ray discs. A remote will run you $30. Like the Xbox 360, the PS3 features a wireless controller that allows you to play up to 65 feet from the machine.

There has been concern among some gamers that the new SIXAXIS controller's non-removable batteries (like an iPod's) will prove problematic. But Sony executives say their controllers (which, unlike previous versions, no longer vibrate) will enjoy a long battery life.

A replacement or extra PS3 controller will run you $50. Up to seven PS3 controllers will be able to access the console simultaneously via Bluetooth.

To help smooth the transition for users of other Sony products, the company designed the PS3 console to be backward compatible, capable of playing titles from the entire PlayStation catalog (PS and PS2 games). Moreover, you also will be able to transfer game-save information for old PlayStation games via a $15 adapter. Even PlayStation Portable owners will be able to access the new gaming console through a feature dubbed "Remote Play."

According to Sony, more than 20 first- and third-party PS3 titles will be available, with most retailing for less than $60. Among the games being offered are industry standards: Call of Duty 3, Madden NFL 07, Unreal Tournament 2007, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas and NBA 07.

WII

The company that introduced the world to Mario and ushered in new eras of arcade and home gaming wants to take gamers in a new direction with the Wii (pronounced "we," or "oui" for you Francophiles). Nintendo is resting its hopes for gaming domination on a console that stands in stark contrast to the PS3 and Xbox 360 and will challenge gamers to think and play differently.

Even the machine's name has furrowed some brows. Gamers thought well of the project's original code name: Revolution.

Then, Nintendo executives decided to attach a unique moniker to the console, the two i's in Wii implying two players standing side by side and mirroring the machine's innovative controllers.

Nintendo heard crickets, then criticism from game makers, reviewers and the online gaming community: Confusing. Childish. Silly. Or inspired?

If nothing else, Nintendo seems to have again succeeded in making its gaming machine look like nothing else on the market. Whether you stand it vertically or horizontally, the Wii is the smallest home gaming machine you'll soon see, about the size of a thin, hardcover book. It's as if someone took a rolling pin to the GameCube.

But what has everyone in the industry atwitter are the Wii's remote controllers, which are thin and long and have been lauded endlessly by the gaming community.

The wireless controllers detect motion, work as pointing devices, vibrate and connect with up to three other controllers, all of which may bring new twists to the gaming experience. Plus, each controller has a speaker.

Shaking things up even further, Nintendo eventually will offer the Wii and its remote in a variety of colors, including red, silver and lime green, besides the standard white.

The Wii also will be lighter on the wallet than its competitors, clocking in at $249 about half of what an Xbox 360 or basic PS3 (without the bells and whistles) will run you. Also, at least for now, online Wii play will be free.

The Wii will be bundled with a sports game (Wii Sports), apparently to take advantage of the controller's unique capabilities. The company also promises between 20 and 30 game titles available upon the Wii's release. Expect many of the gaming world staples (the PS3 and Wii share some titles, as game makers are hedging their bets), as well as a Legend of Zelda game and eventually Metroid and Mario titles.

The Wii, like the PS3, also will be backward compatible, capable of playing current Nintendo titles. Some news reports indicate that company executives are discussing remaking some of the Nintendo Gamecube titles for the Wii. And fans of the Nintendo DS will not be left out in the cold - they'll be able to connect wirelessly with the Wii.

XBOX 360
HD-DVD DRIVE

The long-awaited high-definition DVD drive for the Xbox 360 also is forthcoming. Xbox manufacturer Microsoft announced the drive in January in order to compete with Sony's inclusion of a Blu-ray DVD player with the PS3.

So the two heavyweights of the gaming console world have chosen up sides in the coming Beta vs. VHS type battle for supremacy in the next-generation DVD market - Blu-ray or HD.

If you decide to place an early bet on the eventual winner, the HD-DVD drive will set you back $199, significantly cheaper then other standalone HD-DVD drives now on the market. The drive connects to the Xbox 360 console with a USB 2.0 cable and will play current generation DVDs in addition to HD-DVDs. A universal remote also is included.

Blue Man Group brings wild show Nov. 19

You half expect to be greeted by silence.

After all, there's a Blue Man on the phone. And if you've seen him in action on TV or in commercials, you know this child-like creature with a fondness for percussive devices doesn't speak - at least not with conventional language.

You're left imagining that on the other end of the line is a speechless, bright-eyed blue visage fascinated but stymied by the questions you pose.

Luckily, Zack Buell is on the phone. He is one of about 50 actor-drummers who, with the help of some cobalt grease paint and a wardrobe that would make Johnny Cash beam with pride, bring Blue Man to life in a half-dozen cities around the world.

A veteran of Blue Man Group's Chicago residency, Buell also is one of the touring performers in How to Be a Megastar 2.0, an acted-out "how to" manual on the participatory rites for audiences and artists at rock concerts.

You're saying, "But we know how to act at a rock show. We cheer, scream, drink beer and lose our inhibitions."

Ah, yes. But does Blue Man realize that?

"The Blue Man is insatiably curious," Buell said. "He is willing to try almost anything. As such, there is this egolessness to the character. He doesn't know what is wrong or inappropriate. Basically, he doesn't know what the hell is going on. He certainly doesn't understand these rock-show rituals."

Although Blue Man Group has been a creative entity for nearly 20 years, the Megastar program had its beginnings in the summer of 2002, when a touring version of the ensemble joined Moby and David Bowie on the Area2 Tour.

In front of sold-out amphitheaters, Blue Man unveiled its performance manual of requisites of audience movements, such as the proper ways to bob your head or pump your fist.

Though intrigued and slightly bewildered by the audience response, Blue Man added to the rock concert vibe by drumming on a series of hollow, cylindrical instruments made out of industrial PVC tubing. And in one of its wilder attempts at music-making, Blue Man slammed open-faced pianos with large hammer-shaped mallets - hence the group's term for such a deployment: piano-smashing.

"On one hand, these instruments are very tribal sounding," Buell said. "It's like hollow bamboo hit on the edge to create these percussive tones. But at the same time, Blue Man utilizes this PVC material to link this ancient percussive element to modern technology."

Of course, having a full electric rock band on hand to support such mayhem onstage doesn't hurt. When Blue Man Group reprised the "rock manual" idea with a tour of its own in 2003, it brought along a bona fide pop star, Tracy Bonham (of "Mother, Mother" fame).

"One thing we try to bring to the show is this sense of connection and coming together one experiences at a rock concert," Buell said. "Hopefully by the end of the night, the character, the audience, the singer, the drummers - everyone, really - are brought into a sort of unified moment."

In terms of pure pop idealism, that's a grand notion. But isn't it odd or at least a little ironic, that the character who initiates the music, the celebrity status and the American Idol-gone-alien crowd involvement doesn't speak, much less sing?

"That, I think, is an amazing limitation," Buell said. "It actually allows for a greater sense of communication. That fact that Blue Man doesn't speak allows for people to make their own connection with what's happening onstage."

"We poke fun at some of the iconic stars of the day as Blue Man tries to figure out exactly what a rock star is. The character is so innocent that he doesn't know how to be one. But by the end of the show, he realizes the audience is the true star of the show. That's because everybody arrives at that same ecstatic place, the wonderful feeling that only comes when everybody is on their feet together, participating in the show and in the vibe."

Blue Man Group will be performing in Jacksonville at Veterans Memorial Stadium Nov 19. Tickets can be purchased at ticketmaster.com.

Roller derby rolls in Jax

As she rolled up to her teammates drenched in sweat, exhausted and utterly exuberated, Angie "Sweet Revenge" Vaesa, a former reservationist for Student Life at University of North Florida, reminisced upon a time when she sat upon a friend's crooked stoop discussing how she wanted to start an all-girl roller derby league in Jacksonville.

A couple months down the road, she met with Katie "Auntie Venom" Penna, the local president of the First Coast Fatales, on Craig's List, an online network of free classified advertisements. After numerous meetings, loads of research and countless hours of effort, roller derby in Jacksonville was finally on the map.

Most roller derby leagues aspire to accomplish their first game within the first year. However, the First Coast Fatales accomplished this in only seven months; their first game was Sept. 17.

"I was so nervous that day, that I barely ate anything," Vaesa said. "But the moment I saw my friend from the stoop in the crowd, I thought to myself, I cannot believe this is really happening. This is really happening."

The First Coast Fatales is the latest rendition of a sport with more than seven decades of history and that, during the height of its popularity, had scores of teams across the nation.

During the worst of the Great Depression, a Chicago promoter named Leo Seltzer came up with the idea of a skating spectacle to compete with the dance marathon craze that was sweeping the country. Legend has it, however, that the "true" Roller Derby surfaced in Miami in 1938, when famed New York sportswriter Damon Runyan saw a few of the skating contestants tangled up during the race. Runyan suggested to Seltzer that body contact and keeping score might boost attendance. The following night, Derby returned to the track, ready to rumble.

In the 1950s, television assisted roller derby into a national phenomenon, drawing thousands of fans and making legends out of women challengers like Midge "Toughie" Brasuhn and Gerry Murray, two of women's roller derby legends. During roller derby's elevation to the spotlight, both men's and women's teams punched it out on the skating rinks.

Unfortunately, in 1973, high overhead costs and the gas shortage lead to the demise of roller derby because roller derby was mostly a traveling act, it was difficult for teams to travel and still be able to make a profit, leading to its downfall.

With the demise of roller derby in the 1970s, it took a new era of vicious vixens and women's interest to revive the old sport to what it once was so many years ago.

"The First Coast Fatales is a diverse group of women: single moms, feminists, college-educated women and even high-school educated women," said Rachel "Raemero" Phillips, a senior English major at UNF. "We respect each others' views and differences, while still respecting each other. We have grown together as a sisterhood."

"Roller derby is amazing," Vaesa said. "Everyone is so great. It's like all roller girls are a part of a national sisterhood with all of these amazing women. It's an honor."

The simplicity of the sport attracts the spectators who can understand the strategy and skill after one game. There are two teams, each have 10 players, with five on the track for each jam or play period. There are three positions: the jammer, or sprint skater, the pivot, and the blocker. The jammer scores points by lapping the other team's players. The blockers open and close gaps within the pack of girls, which is where all the body contact comes in. There is one pivot on each team that coordinates the traffic. No competitor will let the jammer pass without a fight.

Even though roller derby is seen as a rough and tumble sport, the women involved with the First Coast Fatales hope the sport is well received in Jacksonville. The sport relies heavily on volunteers for many jobs such as refereeing, coaches and sponsors.

For people interested in volunteering, sponsoring, refereeing and playing in the league, come out or log on to www.myspace.com/firstcoastfatales for more information.

Will Ferrell sinks in 'Stranger than Fiction'

` If one were to sit down to "Stranger than Fiction" expecting the usual, and often outlandish, improvised comic shtick for which Will Ferrell has become so famous, that person would be greatly disappointed. Instead, the film leans much more towards a tragic comedy wherein Ferrell's role as the funny man is greatly diminished, limiting him to more of a dead-pan style of comedy, resulting in only a few of the hilarious and unscripted outbursts for which Ferrell is so well known.

The film centers around Harold Crick, an IRS auditor played by Ferrell, who lives a life run by routine and his wrist watch. Crick brushes each one of his teeth 78 times every morning, goes to work at 7:15 a.m., and retires to sleep alone every night by 11:13 p.m. Crick remains unflinching in his daily schedule, until he is surprised by a woman's narrating voice describing his mundane actions to him in a voice that only he can hear.

After Crick discovers the voice's intention to kill him, the film's pacing begins to slow down. The beginning was quick-paced, with multiple elements of Crick's life presented to the audience in quick succession, but the middle of the film is comparatively slow.

A love interest named Ana Pascal, played by Maggie Gyllenhaal, gets introduced when Crick comes to audit her taxes. Pascal owns a bakery that caters to a very progressive, granola, anti-government clientele, and the unlikely couple soon falls in love. It is at this point that Crick also meets Professor Jules Hilbert, an English literature theorist who tries to help him uncover who the narrator is and why she would want him dead.

The film keeps on its meandering pace, slowly building up to Crick finally tracking down the elusive and recluse novelist and narrator, Kay Eiffel, played by Emma Thompson. In the scene where the two finally meet, Eiffel explains to Crick that she has already written out his death scene, and hands over the text to Crick. A very powerful and moving performance follows wherein Crick has to grapple with the very real portents of his future.

The film slows down yet again after this point, to help build both suspense and remorse over Crick's seemingly sealed fate. Unfortunately, the suspense and expectations that the film builds up only end up getting subverted and substituted for an ending all too often seen in modern tragic comedies.

The concept for the film is both unique and ambitious. However, its often dawdling pace, along with its disappointing ending, make "Stranger than Fiction" a movie to be seen on video, if at all.

Through the Looking Glass

I DIDN'T USE ENOUGH EYE OF NEWT
A woman in Munich, distraught that her boyfriend left her, went to a "love witch," who said she would cast a spell over the man to make him return to her. She performed a ritual under the full moon, but it didn't work.

When the boyfriend did not take her back, the woman sued the witch to return the $1,300 fee. The court ordered the witch to pay.

DIDN'T THINK I'D MAKE IT, DID, YOU? ... CRAAASH!
After completing the test to get her driver's license, a woman in Portage, Ind., started to park her car but hit the gas instead of the brake and crashed into the license examiner's office.

UH, THIS? OH, IT'S NOTHING, WHY? I HAVE TO GO NOW
As a man was about to enter City Hall in Wichita, Kan., officers at the security checkpoint asked him what was in the small black pouch he was carrying.

He became nervous, said there was no need for them to check it, claimed it was just his medication, and then decided he had an urgent need to leave.

Turns out, it contained three bags of cocaine. One officer said that people "don't think we're going to check them."

OH HI, BOB, WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU
A man who was out on parole robbed a bank in Clearwater, Fla., and police immediately identified him from the videotape, and knew he was due to visit his probation officer. Two days later, he reported as scheduled, still wearing the clothes he wore to the bank robbery. He was arrested.

SIR, PLEASE PIROUTTE OUT OF YOUR VEHICLE
A heavily intoxicated man smashed his car into a home in DeKalb, Ga. He was dressed as a ballerina at the time.

ONLY KIDDING, OFFICER
A 15-year-old boy in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who later said he was "just playing around" and trying to scare people, stood on the sidewalk and pointed his BB pistol at passing cars.

Unfortunately for them, one vehicle contained two undercover police officers armed with .40-caliber Glock handguns, which they immediately drew from their holsters as they arrested the lad.

HEH, HEH, THEY'LL NEVER CATC ... UH OH
A man, resentful of cameras set up to catch speeders in Sarpsborg, Norway, removed the license plates from his car and sped down the E6 Highway and gave the camera the finger. He did it three times. Then police realized he always did it Sunday nights.

When he did it a fourth time, they were waiting for him.

YOU ARE ONE SMOOTH DUDE
A man came to court in Jedburgh, Scotland, to answer theft charges wearing a T-shirt that featured the message, "Read this while I check out your tits."

The judge was not amused. He charged the man with contempt of court.

YES, A CARTON OF SMOKES AND ... OF COURSE IT'S REAL MONEY
A man in Batesville, Ark., tried to pass an obviously fake $100 bill to buy a carton of cigarettes. The ink was not dry, and there was no president's face on it.

Zan on the Street

Here we go again with another week of happenings and goings-on around Jacksonville. Things are looking up a bit this week with a variety of events and shows, and particularly some worthwhile shows around Thanksgiving.

This week at Freebird, the North Mississippi Allstars rock out Thursday night. The show is $20 and doors open at 8 p.m. Friday night, Ralph Stanley plays with tickets costing $20 before the day of the show and $25 the day of the show and again, doors open at 8 p.m.

Friday night at Plush, Folio Weekly throws the annual Martinifest featuring 40 different martinis and live music. The event begins at 7 p.m. Also on Friday night, Surgarcult and Cartel play here at University of North Florida in the Arena. The show begins at 8 p.m. and tickets are only $10 for students with a school ID.

Saturday, Planetfest 7 goes down in Metropolitan Park. The festival is an annual gathering of rock musicians for a day of music in the sun. Tickets for the event start at $20 and the festival begins at 11 a.m.

On Sunday, the Blue Man Group performs at Veterans Memorial Arena. This is quite a spectacle as I saw these guys perform over the summer. It is an interestingly funny performance and something that I certainly enjoyed. The show starts at 7:30 p.m., and tickets range from $39.50 - $85.

At the Florida Theatre on Sunday, Comedy Central funnyman Carlos Mencia performs his offensively humorous act. The show starts at 6 p.m. and tickets are $40.50.

Are you ready for some football? The Jaguars host a Monday night party at Alltel Stadium against Eli Manning and the New York Giants. The game starts at 8:30 p.m. For tickets, check with the box office or Jaguars.com.

Since we don't print an issue right before Thanksgiving, I'll give you guys a heads up for a few shows that week.

November 22, Ziggy Marley comes to town on his Love is My Religion Tour. The son of reggae legend Bob Marley, Ziggy stops at Freebird Live. Tickets are $27 before or $30 the day of the show.

Friday November 24, the Jagermeister tour comes to Plush with Slightly Stoopid and Pepper. This is always a good show when these two bands tour together, so if you are in town this is definitely worth checking out. Tickets for the show are $20 and the doors open at 8 p.m.

That will do it for the next few weeks. Go out and enjoy a show or two. Have a Happy Thanksgiving, and we will be back with an issue on the 29th.

Print Edition

EXPRESSIONS

Thanksgiving: Feast of harvest, famine of humanity

Sugarcult brings the spice

'Cocaine' newest energy drink entry

Gamers rejoice over new consoles

Blue Man Group brings wild show Nov. 19

Roller derby rolls in Jax

Will Ferrell sinks in 'Stranger than Fiction'

Through the Looking Glass

Zan on the Street

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News

Expressions

Sports

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