ual Junior Rafael is Au V d Velez’s narrative The Grady music scene io accompanies gathers Momentum C p h o t o s o f and the mystery of t h e G r a d y the Moog synthe- 6 Censorship sizer is investigated 6a r t s h o w 22this month. o at Youth Art Connection. m n ru t s o t R e

Senior Erin Wert tells n how it was to grow up 1conservative in a liberal community. Social studies 18 teacher Lou Sartor weighs t in on the state of politics 8in this country and around the world. s rie ge a n e 10 Nexus10 explores M the War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan as told through the stories of Mr. Cramer discusses the math and construction of soldiers who fought the war. 2pipe organs. eBay has a MySpace deal and Beagle re 20 advertising. Also a calendar tu of April’s events. u o C 0

G r a c i e Cunningham discusses music’s influence on fashion through the years. Mr. 16 Martinez predicts the next trends for the year.

C o v e r and content nexus art by Forrest Aguar Volume 2 Issue 3 March-April 2006 Contributing Writers From Lily Feinberg and Rebecca Gittelson- juniors Lily and Rebecca are officially the two coolest Jews at Grady, so it comes as no surprise that The they’re also best friends. Lily is known for her wicked mad skills at jazz piano and cutouts for The Southerner—even though she really hates Staff cutouts. Rebecca is an exercise fanatic and very healthy eater who very recently passed the 5-foot The is no better place to publish a magazine of culture mark. Her tragic flaw is her weakness for chocolate. than Henry W. Grady High School. This issue highlights Chelsea Cook- senior two of Grady’s inaugural cultural achievements: the Mo- Chelsea is not a hippy. She eats a lot of soy. She mentum Music Festivals and the censorship art show also drinks a lot of water, conquering about at Youth Art Connection. The Momentum shows were 4 Nalgenes a day. She doesn’t have cable. completely student-run and featured Grady performing She advocates Crocs. She writes for her own artists. According to art teacher John Brandhorst, Grady amusement. She wants dreadlocks...one day. was the only school asked to participate in the censorship Her car is worth about $500, if that. She works at a health-nut restaurant. She has a weird tattoo. show because we have an administration and students She is not a hippy, she’s just from Candler Park. who would be open to the idea of depicting censorship through art. Take that Cobb County. Matt Westmoreland- senior Grady’s cultural achievements extend way beyond what Westmoreland, a president, lawyer and manag- we’ve covered in this issue. Our superior-ranked chorus ing editor all at once, lives and breathes Grady will be touring in New York at the end of April, and the jazz High School, often spending 30 hours a day band put on a great concert at Grady this fall during Jazz working on the newspaper and mock trial. He has connections on multiple levels of govern- on the Bricks. Grady has a brand new dance program this ment and is the go-to guy for behind-the-scenes year, which will turn heads at their spring performance. scoops about Grady or Atlanta politics. He does The drama department continues to exceed all expec- freelance announcing when not working at Grady. tations. Ragtime last year (Vol. 1, Iss. 2) was Grady’s first A n Erin Wert- senior musical in six years and will be rivaled by this spring’s per- esteemed graduate of Morningside Elementary formance of Tartuffe. Grady’s fashion department is turn- School, Wert has worked hard throughout her ing heads in the Atlanta fashion community. They were 16-year schooling career. She loves getting recently featured on Good Day Atlanta, and the spring into arguments with her fellow students and is fashion show is an event not to be missed. proud to be one of the few conservatives in a Grady is one of the central schools researching the 1906 very liberal environment. She’s even traveled the race riots as a part of a citywide effort to Commemorate great expanse of the Atlantic Ocean to experience the centennial of their occurence. Nexus will be joining the great culture of France. that effort in our next issue. Grady will also be hosting the Lou Sartor- social studies teacher inaugural Grady Film on the Field movie night on May 13. Mr. Sartor, social studies teacher extraordinaire, All of these achievements and so much more make molds his third-period students’ political Grady, in the opinion of this staff, one of the most exciting minds in his AP Government class. He sub- schools in Georgia. It makes our job easy having to look jects his students to the confusing history of no further than the next classroom to find the next excit- the United States the rest of the day. At this rate, ing story of cultural achievements at Grady High School. he may never retire and teach forever.

Nexus: a publication of The Southerner Volume 2 Issue3

Staff: Jessica Baer, Asa Beal, Lena Brod- Design Editor: Alex Daniels Atlanta, GA 30309 sky, Jeffrey Carpenter, Alastair Carter- Advertising: Nexus is a non-profit Submissions: Nexus is a submission- Boff, Rhanatah Griffith, Stone Irvin, Sam organization that relies on advertising based publication that relies on your Johnson, Koleen Sullivan, Madeleine to generate revenue to cover printing submissions for its content. Nexus Webb. and maintenance costs. Nexus is read accepts submissions for all of its sections Managing Editor: Micah Weiss by approximately 1,500 people and is and features (submissions may be edited Print Staff: Alvin Hambick, Harlon a great way to publicize your business. for length or content). Submission forms Heard, Michael Jackson, Adlai McClure, To advertise with Nexus, contact Dave are located in the Southerner room, or can Charlotte Napper, Benjamin Shaw Winter at [email protected]. be obtained from Mr. Winter. For more Founding Editors: Harrison Martin and Nexus is a bimonthly publication of: information, or to turn a submission in, Micah Weiss Henry W. Grady High School please contact Mr. Winter or any member Adviser: Dave Winter 929 Charles Allen Drive NE of the staff at [email protected]. audio Students create, produce concert series to gain Momentum for Grady musicians Grady hosted its two Momentum music festivals Speedo’s hardcore rap, to Sir Fury’s soulful rhymes, on Feb. 3 and March 10. The festivals were the brain- from Slyfoot’s hard-to-classify folk rock, to Liliana child of senior Miles Keeney-Ritchie. The three risingHudgens’ great covers and Spare Change’s skillfully stars Keeney-Ritchie signed up for the first festivalplayed are rock with an alternative twist. The groups certainly gaining momentum with Grady fans. Eachsounded radically different and each had their own group brought its own style to the concert, from style but combined to make a great performance. 1 2

3 4 5

1. Slyfo ot’s Stone and J ohn Irvin played only three songs, but created a varied sound. 2. Sir Fury (Russell Owens) moves the audience with dream-inspired rhymes, hardcore rap, and charged songs on American race identity. 3. Ben M artin laid down a beat that put a liveliness into Spare Change’s performance. 4. Liliana Hudgens utilized her great voice to p erform a numb er of covers that ranged from ‘60s ro ck to current indie tunes. 5. Speedo (Kai Washington) got the crowd rowdy with his rhymes and bass heavy tracks that left the room shaking and ready for more. Photos by Claire M onson 2 [NEXUS] Marc h-April 2006 audio The amazing journey of the moog our In 1964 music changed. A Hard Day’s Night was the tracks “Daily Nightly” and “Star Collector.” At one of the top albums that year, but that’s not that point, the Monkees were finally beginning playlists what caused music to evolve; Robert Moog did. to experiment with different sounds and to In 1964 Moog introduced the modular synthe- play almost all the instruments on their records, sizer. Moog’s synthesizer was the first to be widely something Clogem Records, their label, did not used, and, unlike previous models, the Moog syn- previously allow. If this had stayed the case, the thesizer used a standard piano keyboard as its Monkees might never have come across the interface.The Beatles may have helped change Moog synthesizer. music, but not until five years later when they Believe it or not, some 32 years later, Moog’s utilized the Moog synthesizer on their album synthesizers are still being used in music today. Alastair Carter-Boff Abbey Road. Moog’s synthesizers can be heard nearly every- -Frank Sinatra The Moog synthesizer was bulky, heavy, and where. The Cure used the synthesizer on many -We Are Scientists sometimes took several hours to set up, so in of their albums in the ‘80s, and the Moog can -D4L 1971, Moog introduced the Minimoog, the first be heard right now on albums by the Black Eyed all-in-one synthesizer. The Minimoog was well re- Peas, Kelis, and Radiohead. Although maybe not -Buck 65 ceived by musicians, largely due to the loud, rich as prominently as before, the Moog synthesizer -Binary Heroes bass notes it was capable of producing. DEVO, still has its fans. -Superchunk Kaftwerk, Jeff Beck and Pink Floyd all used the Robert Moog died in 2005, but his legacy -Pavement Minimoog. lives on as well as his synthesizer, which is still -Colin Meloy Another one of Moog’s inventions, the Moog produced by more than 14 different companies. Taurus bass pedal, was introduced in 1981. The In 2004, Hans Fjellestad released Moog, a docu- bass pedal was much like the pedal of a pipe mentary which showcased the life and work of organ, but it produced deeper bass octaves. Robert Moog, as well as concert footage of many The Taurus was originally planned to be part of of the artists that still use his synthesizers. a larger synthesizer, one that was intended to After Moog’s death, the American National mimic the pipe organ itself, known as the Con- Standards Institute proposed that there be a stellation. The Constellation, however, was never Moog unit of measure, one volt per octave of Stone Irvin produced, and the Taurus, along with the two sound produced. Although not yet an official -The Alan Parsons Project other Constellation components, the Polymoog measurement, the sheer notion shows how influ- -Rachmaninov and the Multimoog, were released seperately. U2 ential Robert Moog was not only within the mu- and the Police were both known to use the Moog sical world, but throughout the world in general. -Rick Derringer Taurus, and Blondie and Prince both used either Robert Moog may not be a household name, -Mozart the Polymoog or Multimoog. but his work in the field of electronic music was -Blue Oyster Cult In 1967, the Monkees released their fourth revolutionary, and he provided some of today’s -Moussorgsky album: Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd., hottest artists with the backbone of their latest -The Doors which is credited as being the first mainstream hits. -Death From Above 1979 pop album to utilize the Moog synthesizer on -Alastair Carter Boff Releases Album Artist Date

3121 Prince March 21 Jessica Baer M-1:Confidential Dead Prez March 21 -Animal Collective

Flowers [Import] Rolling Stones March 23 -Avery Shoe Your Bones Yeah Yeah Yeah’s March 28 -Captain Beefheart & His Magical Band Ringleader Morrissey April 4 -Dead Kennedys of the Tormentors -The Adolescents At War with the Mystics The Flaming Lips April 4 - 3 audio Morning Over Midnight [Fivespeed] Fivespeed’s new album, Morning over Midnight, speeds its way to success. If you like quick punk rock riffs and thrashing metal bridges, this is the band for you. Instead of branching off to metal or punk in order to sound like every other band out there, Fivespeed hard to distinguish, and the chooses to keep their sound vocals were sometimes too in between the two genres. low to even be heard, let The album tells a story of a alone appreciate. Balance couple that abuse one other.

www.deathfromabove1979.com of sound is important, so Despite the excellent such setbacks were a major guitar riffs, thrashing drums disappointment especially Death From Above 1979 and depressing lyrics, the because the lead singer has album sounds like it was such a great voice. Despite The thunderous smash of drums and cymbal, the produced on a computer. driving and addictive bass riffs, rolling like thunder. The these two troubling defects, The editing process and this album was a great primal, almost dissonant sound, pierced by a pained synthetic music took all of but strong voice. This is Death From Above 1979. effort, and I would love to the band’s creative flair out see how this band creates The Toronto-based group, like the White Stripes, of its original work. At some only employs two members. Jesse Keeler supplies the its unique sound live. points during the album -Nigel Levine vicious bass attack, while Sebastion Grainger supplies the guitar and bass were drums and vocals. Their music isn’t varied, but it does òòò not lack for talent in delivering its grungy, metal sound. I once thought that a band with only a bassist and a drummer would lack depth. The skill with which Keeler Let It Bloom [Black Lips] delivers his bass riffs, however, makes up for the lack of album. Having recently a lead guitarist, which the band stubbornly refuses to gone to one of their employ. Keeler’s notes come from all over the fret board, shows, I can confidently supplementing his heavy and deep riffs with aptly placed say that the Black Lips are high notes reminescent of John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin. no “studio-spoof” band. The resulting sound is not classic rock but primal metal. The psychedelic melody of Grainger is not a bad drummer, but doesn’t quite match “Hippie, Hippie, Hoorah,” the talent that Keeler has with his bass. Grainger’s piercing the imaginative riffs of vocals make up for this, however, amplifying the grungy the paradoxical “Gentle and primal sound of Death From Above. His lyrics range The new Black Lips CD, Let Violence,” the upbeat from tame to risque, from personal to politically powerful. It Bloom, is a rollercoaster Velvet Underground sound The best song from their newest, non-remixed album, You’re ride of exciting melodies, of “Dirty Hands” and the a Woman I’m a Machine, is “Black History Month.” The song is strange noises and catchy defiance of “Not A Problem” both compelling musically and politically, describing white tunes. Few bands can make for a diverse album people fleeing to the suburbs because of black families moving capture the sounds that that almost anyone can into their old neighborhoods. The song addresses racism in the Black Lips showcase. find a favorite song on. If modern America in the vein of protest music from the 1960s. From the very beginning you like the scratchy sound Death From Above is not the best band out there, but the album is a rough, of the Rolling Stones, the they deliver a message in an interesting if not totally energetic and entertaining, spunk of the Troggs, and original way. If you want something with the complexity all-access pass to the world the innovative thinking of a Mozart symphony, this is not your band, but if you of flower punk. Somehow, of the Beatles, you can’t want something you can dance and bounce to with this local Georgia garage go wrong with the Black your friends, look no further. Death From Above delivers. band has managed to catch Lips (albums new and old). -Stone Irvin the excitement of a live -Andrew Wicker show on their new studio [NEXUS] March-April 2006 òòòò 4 audio TIMELINE Z [My Morning Jacket] booming solos of yore. Around this point, My Morning Jacket clearly tires of the city life and returns home. The pace slows down dramatically, the tracks get longer, Rabbit Fur Coat Get It and guitar solos begin [Jenny Lewis] [The Lashes] replacing the keyboards Unlike in the alphabet, Z is of the beginning. The When I first listened to Three degrees of not only an end but also highlights of this half Rabbit Fur Coat, Jenny Lewis’ separation connect the are actually the two pop solo debut with the Watson a beginning. My Morning Grady High School student songs: the synthesizer- Twins, I liked their place in to the Lashes. Mr. Winter’s Jacket’s second major- paced “Anytime” and between genres: country 2004 student teacher, label full-length enters the the sprawling, dramatic with white gospel singers Lauren Hoffman, is the sister city limits of pop music, and an alternative twist. With of the Lashes’ keyboardist leaving behind (but not closer “Dondante.” the Twins to back her up, and backup singer, Jacob forgetting) the rolling Though the album is Lewis delves into a skeptical Hoffman. There you have pastures and foothills of different, you shouldn’t investigation of faith as her it; this infectious new their alt-country past. They get the impression that voice continues to amaze. pop-rock band out of handle the move with grace it is a complete change The moody and atmospheric Seattle is practically family. and success, apparently of style. There are many melodies combined with The Lashes debut album Get ready for the hustle elements that remain from Lewis’ strong, sad voice make It from Columbia records and bustle of urban life. the highly acclaimed 2003 the album soulfully compel- is a collection of three- The album opens with a masterpiece It Still Moves. ling, not to mention a cover minute power rock songs. keyboard (an oddity for Reverb reigns supreme and of the Traveling Wilbury’s There isn’t much continuity My Morning Jacket) and the vocals are as ethereal “Handle With Care,” featur- between tracks, but that fact feels like a cover record as ever; the real difference ing Ben Gibbard and Conor is soon lost in the continual is in structure and the Oberst. As the last song with the first two tracks upbeat, optimistic feel of added keyboardist. Every comes to a close, however, it the album that seem made sounding like Yoshimi-ish track is strong, but the is disappointing to find that for dancing the night away. Flaming Lips and Coldplay, halves vary too greatly to Lewis’ subject matter and Most tracks on Get It are respectively. The album the spare, simplistic melodies lyrically simple, exploring arrives quickly to its first provide any album unity, keep the album from reach- cliché topics of girlfriends single, “Off the Record,” which makes the work feel ing its potential. A southern past and present and with only one song barely like a collection of songs. gothic approach to what in romance, but lyrics aren’t breaking four minutes and It Still Moves was long other cases I consider Lewis’ what make the Lashes fun; (God forbid) no guitar solos. and slow, but resultantly compelling storytelling gave it’s the music. The Lashes Any My Morning Jacket fan powerful and emotional. me high hopes, but in the bring back memories of should have their mouth It also perfected a sound end it seems as though this late ‘90s middle school rock gaping and eyes bulged, that My Morning Jacket idea could have gone much bands. Lead singer Ben no doubt, but perhaps had been known for since further. The subject matter Clark carries the album with with a tapping foot and their beginning with becomes too focused and a strong pleasing voice. an intrigued ear. “Off the Darla Records. Z is an tight, making the lyrics feel Overall, the Lashes debut Record” is more reminiscent outstanding progression impersonal and fake, and the release is a universally into new territory for music quickly becomes stale of the band’s previous catchy album with a lot to Morning Jacket that leaves and predictable. This album is offer everyone. If you can’t albums but is certainly the listener not only sated good for one listen, but I was have fun listening to the more pop-influenced, but hoping for more of ultimately disappointed: Jen- Lashes, someone should and uses an interesting ny could have done better. give you some lashes. ambience to end the song the same in years to come. -Chloe Blalock -Micah Weiss rather than the typical -Taylor Kelley òòòò òò òòòò 5 visual Kite fl ying up best seller list Born into Brothels Recently released on DVD, this is Riveting plot refl ects modern tensions an amazing movie dedicated to The Kite Runner is an amazing accomplishment by Afghani-American improving the lives of a handful author Khaled Hosseini. Still fl ying off bookstore shelves, the acclaimed of children unfortunate enough novel remains prominent on The New York Times best seller list for to live in the red-light district. many reasons. Directed by Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman, the movie shows how From start to fi nish, The Kite Runner is Hosseini’s socio-cultural roller the young and intelligent children coaster, heart-wrenching from early in the second chapter to the last thrown involuntarily into this page. This novel is not in the least a “girly” read but rather a darkly situation are destined for sorrow: the girls will join the profound story of betrayal and redemption. Hosseini paints powerful line of female prostitutes, and the boys do not have portraits of incredibly complex characters over the backdrop of the promising futures. Briski, however, plays Superman turbulent politics of 20th-century urban Afghanistan. and sets a goal of placing each child into a boarding The novel opens in the year 2001 in America with 42-year-old Amir, school to get an education. I would recommend this a native Afghan living in the United States. The reader is taken back to movie to anyone willing to watch a few kids’ lives Afghanistan in 1975 when Amir was only 12. Hosseini masterfully tells change through photography and Briski’s devotion. Amir’s story with such precision, force and irony that you both love and - Genna Tanner hate this boy who is denied a loving relationship with his father, and who betrays his closest friend, Hassan. For 26 years, Amir is plagued by the memory of the day he turned away from Hassan until he fi nally Wedding Crashers conquers his fears and moves towards vindication. Wedding Crashers, now out on Though The Kite Runner has been on shelves for nearly two years, DVD, was a dragged-out disaster the novel remains incredibly relevant, mirroring tensions overseas. of a movie to begin with. Now, The tragedy that shapes Amir and Hassan’s relationship exemplifi es with eight and a half more the tensions between the Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims in Afghanistan. minutes of “boob raunch fest,” as Although Amir and Hassan grew up as childhood friends, the two Matt Drudge of The Drudge Report were never equals. Amir is a Sunni Muslim and ethnically Pashtun, like called it, the movie is just more the majority of the Afghani people, while Hassan is a Shi’a Muslim and boring and offensive. Supposedly, ethnically Hazara. Hosseini portrays the oppression faced by Afghani Wedding Crashers is about guys Hazaras under the rule of the Pashtun people. who crash weddings. Actually, it is a fake love story This tragic ethnic clash still divides cultures in the Middle East today. about Owen Wilson and Rachael McAdams that is not Recent violence has fl ared between groups of Sunni Muslims and at all believable, even for a movie of the “boob raunch Shi’ite Muslims in Iraq. This burst of brutal extremism that has made fest” genre. The only reason I can think of to get this international headlines peaked when an important Shiite shrine was DVD is to watch Rachael McAdams – the only female destroyed by a group of Sunni suicide bombers. There is speculation character who doesn’t end up shirtless. But you’re that the violence could lead to an Iraqi civil war, something that could better off with The Notebook. - Hamp Watson not only polarize the Middle East, but the Western world as well. This striking reality hits rather close to home, which is why The Kite Runner is such an amazing read. Hosseini drops the reader into a When A Stranger Calls country’s dark truth and the intercultural tensions unknown to many When a Stranger Calls, starring Americans. This book combats prejudice. While the confl ict between Camilla Belle and directed by The Pashtuns and Hazaras is one that most Americans either don’t Simon West, was basically a good know of or don’t care about, Hosseini also includes a taste of American horror movie. The late night lock- prejudice toward Afghani immigrants. Through Amir, Hosseini paints the-doors movie is about a 16- the picture of what it was like to be an Afghani-American during a year-old babysitter who receives period of intense emotional confl ict after Sept. 11, 2001. During this haunting calls throughout the time many Americans’ sense of patriotism was at an all-time high, and night, until a few hours later when consequently tensions were also high. Beyond Afghani immigrants, the mysterious caller somehow gets in the house and tries to kill her. If you like scary this book shows the struggles and irony of many different immigrants movies that aren’t so scary that you can’t fall asleep in the United States. that night, then I suggest this movie. Those, however, The Kite Runner is a book that comes full circle, with a sense of who like extremely frightening movies should see fulfi llment and sorrow. I fi nished the book in the same manner that I the Exorcism of Emily Rose or Amityville Horror. began it - crying. - Lena Brodsky - Danielle Mack

[NEXUS] MARCH-APRIL 2006 6 visual The Longest Yard author George Singleton The Longest Yard is a remake of brings small-town talk the original 1974 classic starring to Grady Burt Reynolds. In the movie, former pro football quarterback Check eBay in 21 years for George Paul Crewe, whom Adam Sandler Singleton’s collection of 1000+ portrays, is sent to prison and ashtrays. Or, if you’re a little too health- leads a team of inmates in a conscious for smoking, you could go for football game against the prison his yardsticks. Author George Singleton’s guards. The remake also features personality - a group of 30 Grady students Burt Reynolds, Chris Rock and Nelly. The DVD has it discovered during his Feb. 7 campus visit - is just all: superior technology, effective graphics, hilarious about as chaotic and humorous as the items he hoards. outtakes, deleted scenes, music videos and more. You might know Singleton’s three collections of short The Longest Yardcan make you laugh, cry and even stories: These People Are Us (2001), The Half-Mammals of want to hit some one. -Malik Leaphart Dixie (2002) and Why Dogs Chase Cars (2004). He has also published more than 70 short stories in magazines and anthologies throughout the country. Singleton has become Eragon known for his twisted, redneck humor that comically Christopher Paolini himself construes life down south. has called his utter travesty of a Despite his outright disfavor for novels, he folded and fantasy novel, an “archetypal hero wrote one under pressure from his agents. The name of story,” but to call it archetypal is Singleton’s exclusive novel is, incidentally, Novel. This story a gross understatement; it’s more follows the same pattern as Singleton’s short stories: down- along the lines of nauseatingly home humor about life in the South. He detests novels, generic. Eragon distills every last claiming they have never seemed to meet his expectations, stereotype of the fantasy genre but he has enjoyed every minute of writing Novel - though it and jumbles the results together was a larger stretch than writing his signature short stories, into such a mind-numbingly formulaic product that Singleton grew up in a small town in North Carolina, one might seriously think Paolini wrote the book with the typical setting of his pieces. He proudly admits that a Top 100 Fantasy Clichés checklist at hand. his life was much like the stories he has written. Singleton Eragon is a simple orphan boy with a mysterious went to Furman University and graduated with a degree in past who has been chosen by Destiny! When his small philosophy and then later got an MFA in creative writing backwater village is tragically torched by random evil from the University of North Carolina. lackeys, he swears revenge and embarks on a noble When a ripped ligament in his senior year of college barred and righteous quest to rid the world of its obligatory his path of becoming a track coach, Singelton then decided evil overlord. Accompanying him are his faithful to be a public defender, but it only took a few classes for him dragon companion, Saphira, and the mysterious old to realize that he didn’t want to spend his life around lawyers. man Brom, who despite knowing everything about During the summers in college he drove a water truck, dump the plot never tells Eragon anything, because he, truck and garbage truck for the city of Greenwood. um, doesn’t feel like it or something. Along the way, Like almost every writer, his list of strange jobs is a long Eragon encounters elves, dwarves, orcs (I’m sorry, one. Singleton has also worked in construction, in roofing, Urgals) and other members of Tolkien’s menagerie, as painting houses, as a pharmacy worker and in manufacturing well as many bad guys to be slain and elf maidens to replacement aprons. During the summers of his teaching job, be rescued. he often got a job painting houses, which he found made Everything in Eragon has been done before, and it’s more money than his teaching job. been done much better. It’s been done except without George Singleton now teaches writing at South Carolina the clumsy, heavy-handed storytelling with its Governor’s School for Arts and Humanities. He lives in Pickens completely transparent plot twists, two-dimensional County, South Carolina with ceramicist Glenda Guion, 11 characters and poor pacing. It’s been done without former stray dogs and one cat. His favorite book shops are the amateurish writing, the constant stylistic mistakes The Open Book in Greenville and The Happy Bookseller in and the overabundance of linguistic clichés. Poor Columbia. Look out for his new collection of short stories in writing can be mitigated by good ideas, but since June: Drowning in Gruel. - Kayci Schoon Paolini has neither, the experience is not merely dull: it’s painful, really, truly painful. But hey, at least the cover art is nice. - Julia Ducey T HEATRE D VD G AME B OOK T ELEVISION 7 visual POTENTIALLY

GradyHARMLESS art students produced and displayed pieces for the exhibition at the Youth Art Connection for Potentially Harmless: the Art of American Censorship program. The student show was meant to provoke the reconsideration of society’s views toward censorship and its place in our culture. story by Rafael Valez, photos by Claire Monson Upon arriving at the show, I stopped at the refreshments table to sample some cheese and crackers before heading over to the controversy. I picked up a pair of self-censoring glasses, designed to protect you from harmful images, and looked at the pitch-black world around me. I decided I’d rather not be protected from this art, at least for the time being, so I took the glasses off. Next came a giant piece with giant letters on huge cardboard squares and hooks to place them on to make sentences on the wall. This was by far my favorite part of the exhibit. You could turn out dirty and obscene phrases because it was OK in the context of “censorship”, or make just make cool words. Either way, the dirty words seemed to pop out the most. LEFT: The repeating prints were “an exploration of how female sexuality has become a negative thing,” senior artist Nyssa Daniels said.

There was a prevalent theme of censorship of the human body and sexuality. A very controversial mannequin with profuse amounts of armpit and pubic hair actually got censored before the show and was therefore clothed in an apron. An especially powerful piece had a cloth draped over it and a warning stating that the most dangerous thing was under the curtain—turns out it was just a mirror. RIGHT Look through the peephole of AP Art teacher John Brandhorst’s “Door of Righteousness” and see Jessica Brandon’s “Liberty Grasp” - the Statue of Liberty “holding” The Vitruvian Man’s naughty bits.

The fashion show featured student-made clothes that would easily meet the Grady dress code, followed by the same outfits made out of a translucent material. Here, Koleen Sullivan (left) models a cute frock, while Rhanatah Griffith (right) poses in the see-through “socially unacceptable” version of the same dress. “It was an eye-opener to see how fabric is perceived in censoring our bodies,” junior Julia Rooks said. “The simple act of dressing applies to all of us. Everyone has to get dressed in the morning.”

8 [NEXUS] March-April 2006 visual

LEFT: “The concept of censorship is based on the idea that a certain age is not prepared for some images, when in actuality shows like Tom and Jerry, in which Tom gets hurt over and over again, desensitize young children to violence,” artist Forrest Aguar said. RIGHT: AP artist Spencer Brown makes a political statement.

The show also featured a dramatic reading of some censored literature and a debate, the latter of which allowed two Grady students to express their views on censorship and try to prove their point. It was very well done and intellectual, but I remember laughing as one of the debaters asked if we could show pornography on GNN as part of our constitutional rights. Yea right. I guess iyou can only push censorship so far and have it remain “potentially harmless.” “The struggle was fi nding a balance that would please both the higher-ups and the kids who want to play First Amendment,” John Brandhorst said. “I wanted to put something out there that would challenge people conceptually and aesthetically; I wanted to make people feel it in their stomachs.” Releases Editors’ Rents DVDs If You’re Looking For... King Kong 3.28.06 Interfaith Fun...Keeping The Faith The Chronicles of Narnia 4.04.06 Adam Sandler gets showed up by my new Hostel 4.18.06 favorite Jewish comedian, Ben Stiller, playing opposite of Edward Norton. The two childhood Dr. Doolittle 3 4.25.06 best buddies grow up to be a rabbi and a priest Transamerica 5.09.06 who bring their entire New York community to- gether when they fall for the same atheist girl. Twistedness...13 Conversations About Movies One Thing This is one of those char- Slither 3.31.06 acter studies in which the Lucky You 4.07.06 bizarre plights of 13 ran- Scary Movie 4 4.14.06 dom individuals intertwine mar. 20, 2003 in weird, non-chronological, Bandidas 5.05.06 ironic ways. The cinematography The Da Vinci Code 5.19.06 gives the fl ick an indie feel, and the provocative drama makes for an darkly intense two hours. Chick Flickness...Local Girls Video Games From the writer who brought you Practical Magic, Local Girls is a beautifully woven story Bully 4.01.06 of an Anywhere, USA suburb and several of Top Spin 2 4.04.06 its generations of women told through Gretel, 4.11.06 who witnesses her parents’ divorce, falls in love Tomb Raider: Legend (a few times) and learns the true nature of love Tringo 4.12.06 and lust in all its forms. FIFA World Cup 2006 4.25.06 - Madeleine Webb a war with no end

A Nexus look at the soldiers behind the War on Terror The War on Terror: Its soldiers have brought down two oppressive, Middle Eastern regimes. Its leaders have spent hundreds of billions of dollars for the stated goal of “ending international terrorism by stopping terrorist groups and state sponsorship of terrorism.” Its creators have reshaped the way a war the world conducts war. Its critics have organized the largest worldwide anti-war protests ever documented.

President George W. Bush launched the current War on encroachment on civil liberties. Terrorism more than 50 months ago in response to the attacks Beginning in 2003, numerous accounts of abuse and on Sept. 11, 2001. In his address to a joint session of Congress torture of prisoners held at Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq arose. nine days later, President Bush promised the American An internal criminal investigation by the United States Army people a widespread effort to punish those responsible for began in January 2004, and reports of the abuse came to the worst terrorist attack on American soil. public attention in April 2004. The scandal damaged the The days and weeks following the attacks on America, credibility and public image of the United States in the with the Bush administration took decisive action in preparing Iraq war. The Bush administration argued that abuses were America for the coming battle. On Sept. 18, 2001, the U.S. isolated acts committed by low-ranking offi cers, while critics Congress authorized the president to “use all necessary claimed their actions were either ordered or condoned by and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, their superiors. The Department of Defense later removed or persons the President determined planned, authorized, 17 soldiers and offi cers from duty, and seven soldiers were committed or aided the terrorist attacks.” charged with dereliction of duty, maltreatment, aggravated The president’s initial military response came on Oct. assault and battery. 7, 2001, when the U.S. commenced Operation Enduring More concern has stemmed from the detainment of military Freedom in Afghanistan. Its objectives included making clear combatants since 2001 at the U.S. naval base in Guantanamo to Taliban leaders that harboring terrorists is unacceptable, Bay, Cuba. The military prison has drawn fi re from critics who gathering intelligence on al-Qaeda and Taliban resources, say detainees have been tortured and denied their right to preventing the use of Afghanistan as a safe haven for legal representation, but supporters argue that constitutional no end terrorists and to destroy the Taliban military. Military offi cials rights have never been afforded for prisoners of war or non- also hoped to capture Osama Bin Laden and other al-Qaeda U.S. citizens and therefore do not apply here. leaders, preventing further terrorist attacks. While the most-recent effort by the administration to Also in October of that year, the president released a list defeat terrorism is by far the most comprehensive in history, of the 22 most-wanted terrorists, and in November signed it is not the fi rst time the phrase “War on Terrorism” has been an executive order allowing military tribunals against any used. It can be traced back to the late 19th century, when foreigners suspected of having connections to current or it was widely used by the western press when referring to planned terrorist acts on the United States. The president attempts to stop attacks by anarchists against international later established the Department of Homeland Security in political leaders. This phrase was also used frequently by the largest reorganization of the federal government since President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s. the creation of the Department of Defense in the 1940s. But the current War on Terror has sparked more controversy The Bush administration began an unprecedented and than any of its predecessors. The very phrase “War on sweeping initiative in early 2002 with the creation of the Terrorism” is the subject of debate and disagreement. The Information Awareness Offi ce. It was designed to collect, notion of declaring war on an abstract concept is troubling index and consolidate all available information on everyone to some. There are others who think the policy is a strategy to in a central repository for use by the U.S. government. inject fear into Americans. Many government branches launched investigations, “The word terror activates your fear, and fear activates pursuing tens of thousands of tips. Thousands of people were the strict father model, which is what conservatives want,” detained, arrested or questioned. Many of those targeted by University of California-Berkley linguistics professor George the Bush administration have been denied access to an Lakoff said in an interview with his school’s newspaper. “The attorney, including U.S. citizens. Several laws were passed ‘War on Terror’ is not about stopping you from being afraid, to increase the investigative powers of law enforcement it’s about making you afraid.” agencies, including the USA Patriot Act, which many civil The controversy surrounding the name prompted liberties groups allege removed important restrictions administration offi cials to change the name of the current on governmental authority and present a dangerous military campaign to Continued on Next Page the “Global Struggle Against Violent mobilization, including a rally of 3 million On Feb. 16 the president sent a letter to Extremism in July 1005.” Since early August people in Rome, the largest-ever anti-war House Speaker Dennis Hastert, in which he of the same year, however, the White House rally. It is estimated that in the three months requested $72.4 billion to fund the Global went back to calling it the “Global War on leading up to the war, 36 million people War on Terror, including efforts in Operation Terrorism.” around the world took part in almost 3,000 Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom Unlike earlier concepts of war, the War on protests against the war. and selected other international activities. Terrorism has been dominated by the use of Since the Iraq War began on March “These funds support U.S. Armed special forces, intelligence, police work and 20, 2003, coalition forces have suffered Forces and Coalition partners as we diplomacy. President Bush has constantly more than 2,500 casualties. And although advance democracy, fi ght the terrorists repeated that this is war unlike no other, one President Bush declared an end to major and insurgents and train and equip Iraqi that could last for decades and may never combat just under two months later on security forces so that they can defend their be won. May 1, 2003, members of the American sovereignty and freedom,” Bush said in this But even Bush acknowledges that the war military have remained in Iraq and will do so letter. will not last forever. long into the future. Some in Washington are quick to “The War on Terror is not over; yet it is Secretary of the Army R.L. Brownlee and highlight the successes of the four-and-a- not endless,” he said in May 2003. “We do Army Chief of Staff Peter J. Schoomaker half-year effort. They highlight a toppled not know the day of fi nal victory, but we have also tried to make clear the current Taliban regime, an Osama Bin Laden in have seen the turning of the tide. No act of U.S. campaign, including operations in Iraq, hiding, a new-found ally in Pakistan, a jailed the terrorists will change our purpose, or is unparalleled in history. Saddam Hussein, a free Iraq, and Moammar weaken our resolve, or alter their fate. Their “This is not simply a fi ght to bring Gadhafi ’s recent decision to end Libya’s cause is lost. Free nations will press on to democracy to the Middle East—that is a nuclear weapon’s program. But as public victory.” strategic objective. This is a fi ght for the opinion wanes for an Iraq war with rising But the president has not received full very ideas at the foundation of our society, costs and no end in sight, and with the support either in this country or around the way of life those ideas enable and president’s approval rating heading in the the world. In fact, the Iraq War, which began the freedoms we enjoy,“ Brownlee and same direction, it’s unclear what will happen on 2003, sparked some of the largest anti- Schoomaker said in their plan entitled next in America’s War on Terror. war protests ever. Europe saw the biggest Serving a Nation at War. -Matt Westmorland

Photo by Deborah Adams “I don’t thinkt you can win it [the war on terror],”Bush said in September 2004.“But I think you can create conditions so that those who use terror as a tool are less acceptable in parts of the world.” sept. 11, 2001 Nov. 25, 2002 President Bush establishes Terrorists target New York the Department of mar. 20, 2003 City and Washington, D.C., Homeland Security for America launches Operation in a tragic and unexpected the purpose of domestic Iraqi Freedom, the military attack on domestic soil. protecton from terrorism. invasion of Iraq.

oct. 7, 2001 oct. 11, 2002 U.S. begins military retaliation Congress authorizes the use against terror with the launch of force in Iraq. of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Sgt. First Class Deborah Adams from the reserves to active duty

Photos by Deborah Adams

Deborah Adams used to live the ordinary ABOVE: An Army life of an Army inactive reservist. She had a supply truck stable job and family, and went on short ominously tours once a year to get points towards her welcomes retirement. This all changed when Adams soldiers to Iraq. was called up to active duty in March 2003 LEFT: Deborah at the age of 46 when she was chosen from Adams poses a draft of inactive reservists. with former “I randomly got a wire gram in the mail secretary of from the Army and I thought, ‘They can’t state Colin call me [up],’” Adams said. “I was just living Powell when my life. ...I thought I was too old.” he visited the Adams quickly redid all of her weapons Republican and combat training, went to El Paso, Texas, Palace in to get equipped, and before she knew it, Baghdad. found herself in the middle of the Baghdad airport with 18 other inactive reservists, outfi tted with guns but no ammunition, thing,” Adams said. “[The Iraqis] are a very an American. I knew I was American, but I waiting to be picked up by soldiers that warm people. I promised if anyone asked related to the Iraqi people too.” had no idea they were coming. about them I would say they were a good After not hearing from Khaleel and “We waited for two hours before a people. If you have an Iraqi friend, they are Baddaa for more than fi ve months, Adams captain fi nally went and got someone to your friend forever.” received an email a few weeks ago saying pick us up,” Adams said. “They were like, Unlike most of the other American that they were OK, but, “[we] miss you and ‘Hold your weapons out,’ but we were soldiers, Adams’ best friends in Iraq was miss the good old days.” thinking, ‘We ain’t got no ammunition. What Khaleel, a driver who worked for the Because of her unusual relationship good is that going to do?’” Americans, and his wife Baddaa. Baddaa with the Iraqi people, Adams received a Adams describes her six months in Iraq in would go shopping for Adams, bringing lot of antagonism from her fellow soldiers. “goods and bads.” Her initial abandonment her back beautiful skirts that Adams, an Adams frequently heard comments such as, at the airport was a “bad,” but there were American, wouldn’t have been able to buy. “Ya’ll crazy for dealing with those people,” many “goods” she experienced. Adams “[Khaleel and Baddaa] were grateful for and she even heard from a driver of hers worked in administration under American their jobs, they were grateful for Americans, that an American soldier had kicked and Ambassador Paul Brimmer of the Coalition and they didn’t want us to leave,” Adams beaten him. Provisional Authority in the governance said. “They were afraid we were going to Adams left the Army reserve in March team at Saddam Hussein’s old Republican leave and everything would turn back to 2005 after 23 years of service. Although she palace in Baghdad. Her job was to meet the way it was.” was only four years away from retirement, Iraqi dignitaries and search them and their There was a bad side to Adams’ Adams decided to quit so she wouldn’t cars for weapons before they entered the relationship with the Iraqi people. have to go back to Iraq. palace. “It wasn’t common to associate with “I was lucky [in my situation],” Adams said. Adams’ “good” of her service was the Iraqi the Iraqis,” Adams said. “They were seen as “My situation would have been different if I people. the enemy. I became torn; the [American] went back a second time. I want to keep the “The time I had working with the Iraqi soldiers would die, and then Iraqi friends good memories that I have.” people at the palace was a very good would die, and then all of a sudden I’m -Micah Weiss U.S. Special Forces

hey felt a storm approaching. They heard thunderous booms Afghanistan as a ‘peaceful war.’ “It sounds strange, but when and how and clashes but ran through the sand anyway. Like children, to engage with the enemy is very well communicated.” they considered the possibility of getting struck, but never Although Heino expresses a lot of frustrations about the American were, and never really thought they would. This was the perspective, his worst memories are more tangible. “It was so hard Tbattlefi eld, and although this can be as real as it gets, it is also a surreal to see how the children were regarded,” he explained. “There are experience, beyond the conventional perception of reality. so many orphans, just living in the streets. Their parents have either Dave Heino, a Special Forces Team Commander served in been killed [by other Afghanis] or can’t afford to keep them.” He Afghanistan from August 2002 until May 2003. He, along with 11 other starts to breathe more heavily. “Right before Christmas time, I saw men in his team, scraped the deserts of Afghanistan for more than 10 these colorful toys and candies for sale at this Bazaar,” he explains, “I months. Consequentially, he has a story to tell. It is a story of duty and bought a few of them to pass out to some of the kids running around a profession of what it takes to be a ghost. that night. The kids were so grateful, but then a mob scene broke out Heino, 42, enlisted in 1982, straight out of high school. “My father and all of these [adults] took the toys from the kids.” He paused for a fought in Vietnam,” Heino said.. “He thought [by enlisting] I was long moment. “I really had compassion for those kids, man.” Heino and making a mistake, so he told me to go to school for a year, and then his team expressed even more compassion when they took a break go back if I wanted to.” Many newly 18-year-olds enlist in order to from warfare to rebuild an all-girls school. “The school had been shut pay for college and get a free education from the Army. According to down when the Taliban was there, and was being used for storage,” the website defenselink.mil, in 2002, 86 percent of all new active duty he recounted. “We cleaned the school, replaced heaters, put in new recruits were between the ages of 18 and 24. “Serving for a year made windows and bought school supplies. We wanted to make sure the me appreciate school more,” Heino said. After fi nishing four years of school would stay respected, so we stayed there to protect them for school, Heino was a part of the reserves for 20 years. In 2002, he held awhile.” This aspect of Heino’s experience almost sounds like a mission his fi rst role in active duty. “I heard a lot of stories from my dad,” Heino trip. “The U.S. has a well-balanced force of people who do fi ghting said. “I expected a lot of tension, a lot of strenuous effort. I knew it would and people who do rebuilding, he said. “That rebuilding is crucial take everything I had.” It did. Although Heino was never hit, several in to provide stability.” With two young daughters at home, one born his unit and sister teams were. “There were several land mines left over while Heino was in Afghanistan, giving several little girls a place to go from the Soviet War,” he explained. The removal of these fragile, lethal to school hit close to home. “We would watch these mothers walking bombs was one of Heino’s unit’s top priorities. “One of my men drove their daughters to school just as we would in the U.S.” His breathing over a land mine and lost his leg.” got heavier again. “People all over the world feel the same things; we’re But Heino says that soldiers absorb a lot more while fi ghting a war not all that different.” than they expect to. “I was exposed to another culture and developed While Heino continues to struggle with fl ashbacks of warfare and a lot of respect for Muslims and the Afghanis,” he said. One of Heino’s the many civilians he met, he carries with him a perpetual sense of biggest frustrations with Americans’ pride. “I’m glad I was able to make perception of the war is the innacurate some sort of contribution to the War belief that Islam is a hateful religion. on Terrorism,” he said. But he seems “It’s not Islam [that is detrimental] but to put more value on what he learned extremism,” he said. “Most of the people I and his experiences from the war. “You met were very kind, friendly and peaceful only get part of the picture in the news people. I would say that only 5 percent and the movies,” he said. “There is a lot of Afghanistan is composed of terroristic of sensationalism and emotion, but extremists, and I think a lot of people they miss the real stories about what’s [in America] don’t realize that.” Another really going on out there.” Now that observation Heino obtained while Heino has had time to embrace his fi ghting was the manipulation of other experience and collect what he has citizens. “A lot of Afghanis are uneducated learned, he feels a sense of obligation. from the reign of the Taliban and were “It’s my duty to share my experiences, manipulated by the extremists to believe and create an understanding among they would be punished if they didn’t act those who w on’t experience it.” that way,” he said. -Chelsea Cook Heino also expresses a lot of frustration with the media. “Afghanistan and Iraq LEFT: Heino leaves a mosque are not like World War II,” he explained. on a mission from Herat to “There, anyone who was foreign was Chaghcharan in Afghanistan in the enemy. Not in Afghanistan.” Rarely 2002. BACKGROUND: Afghanis do the concepts of war and peace work line up at a roadside checkpoint harmoniously, so it comes as a shock during a nighttime car search. when Heino starts to describe the war in Photos by Rick Loomis Shirley Laforce - National Guard

There are few locations on earth where additional challenges. when Laforce enlisted, her mother didn’t going to get toilet paper can be a life- “It had its trying days,” Laforce said. object to her joining the armed forces. threatening act. “Being female in the military tests you and Laforce’s mother, however, could not One of those places is Iraq. lets you step outside of the box; even under help feeling nervous at the thought of Shirley Laforce, a supply specialist in pressure you can do as much as the men her daughter being stationed in Iraq. the National Guard, served as a convoy can do.” “[My mom] is very happy and relieved assistant driver in war-torn Iraq. Laforce, All soldiers, both male and female, faced that I got back,” Laforce said. “She’s 26, would ride 20-30 minutes from her a lack of consistent communication with hoping that I don’t have to go back.” base in a caravan of at least three vehicles loved ones at home, because of poor It is uncertain whether Laforce will to retrieve basic supplies for her fellow telephone service and little time allotted have to return to Iraq. soldiers. for talking on the phone. “There is the possibility of going back,” On these missions, Laforce said, she “You only get 10 minutes on the phone,” Laforce said. “You basically never know. and other supply specialists “picked up Laforce said, “so you have to choose who If you get out, you [can] still have an building supplies, and supplies for daily you’re going to call, because once you obligation left over. If they need you for living—toilet paper, uniforms, and food fi nish one call, you don’t have time for your specialty, they can go ahead and call products.” another.” you back in.” During her one-year tour of duty in Iraq, Because there wasn’t good phone Since returning from Iraq in 2004, Laforce’s unit, the 878 Engineer Company, service in Iraq, Laforce, whose mother, Julita Laforce has been working for the was based fi rst at Camp Tallil in southern Andrews, lives in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, Atlanta Veterans Center, which provides Iraq for fi ve months “in the early part of found that letters were the most reliable counseling services for veterans. She is the war.” The company was then relocated form of communication. an outreach coordinator and speaks to to Camp Taji, 20 minutes outside of It was important for Laforce to keep in soldiers headed to or returning from Baghdad, for the remaining seven months touch with her mother, a single parent, Iraq. of Laforce’s tour. While in Iraq, the unit’s because she provided support for Laforce “I go out into the community and tell main duties included engineering and during her year in Iraq and her six years in [soldiers] about the vet center and what maintenance work. the National Guard. we do for combat vets and their families,” “We fi xed roadways, put up schools [and Laforce decided to join the National Laforce said. did] a lot of structural things,” Laforce said. Guard at age 19 so she could use military In retrospect, Laforce does not regret “[We did] rebuilding, restructuring and benefi ts to pay for college. the time she spent in Iraq. putting up buildings for soldiers who were “My mom was pretty much OK about “Just being over there was frightening,” coming.” [enlisting] because she understood the Laforce said. “But it was a duty. It was a While every soldier in her unit did similar reasons behind it,” Laforce said. And job I had to do.” jobs, Laforce, as a woman, dealt with because there was little chance of war -Rebecca Gittelson & Lily Feinberg Steve Brown - United States Marine Corps

According to Steve Brown there are things differently,“ Brown said. “It’s hard said. “Our job was to keep the Taliban and three types of people in this world: civilians, to talk to people about situations you’ve Al-Qaeda on the run so they couldn’t plan everyday Marines and combat Marines. been in. As much as you want to act like any more attacks [on America]. Since we’ve There is a point when a man becomes a your a big bad Marine, being in combat for been over there, America hasn’t been combat Marine. The Marine knows when seven months [will affect] anyone.” attacked, so what we did was successful.” it happens and knows they will never be While in Afghanistan, Brown had some When Brown was in Afghanistan, an everyday Marine again. Brown doesn’t life-altering experiences. Brown helped learning that much of the American public wish to share what that point was for him. a 19-year-old Afghani girl not wearing a was against the war brought him and his “I really don’t know what I am [now],” burka proudly register to vote without fellow soldiers’ morale down. “If we pull Brown said. “I’m Steve. When people ask fear. Brown withstood desert temperatures out [of Afghanistan and Iraq] too fast, all me if I was a Marine, I say I am a Marine. It of 115-120 degrees, hot enough to cook my friends did is die in vain,” Brown said. never goes away.” oatmeal on a car hood, in full battle gear. “There’s no reason to complain about the Brown worked cryptography for Brown drank radioactive water that was war; everyone over there is there willingly. the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit in mistakenly rationed to him by the Marines. That’s the most honorable way to die in my Afghanistan until October 2004. Brown Brown spent “three days in hell” cut off mind, willingly for your country.” has been stateside for a year and a half from food and supplies. Brown watched “I’d love to see an end to it [the War on now, but the look he gets in his eyes when fellow soldiers die, and he helped bring Terror], but I’d love even more for my son talking about Afghanistan makes you think order to Afghanistan. to not have to go over there because we he’s not entirely home. “[Going overseas to Afghanistan] was didn’t fi nish the fi rst time,” Brown said. “When you come back...you think about the proudest thing I’ve ever done,” Brown -Micah Weiss Couture Dressin’ to the Music TIMELINE I have emulated Madonna and Cyndi Lauper THE BEATLES come to by wearing short skirts and lots of lace In the early r e a l i z e and beads. And as the hip-hop genre ‘60s this Brit- 1950s that the emerged, groups like TLC showed off ish rock group main drive their style in bright, neon outfits. This delivered their of my decade was soon followed up by an personal even more sharply defined version. The fresh sound style is early 1990s brought about what many with a uniform, the music call the “grunge” era. Bands such as clean-cut look. I listen to. Nirvana and Pearl Jam delivered their The music music in dirty clothes, ungroomed hair, HE OLLING that creates my world also creates my and Doc Martins. Rappers like 2Pac and T R style. I listen to The Clash and paint Dr. Dre were seen wearing baggy jeans, STONES 1960s my fingernails black. My favorite band bandanas and baseball hats while P. Constantly is the Grateful Dead, and I wear my Diddy began the business suits and evolving, The tie-dyed shirt from first grade. I like platinum jewelry fashion in the late Stones always Gwen Stefani and wear my leopard- ‘90s. Pop queens, Britney Spears and print shirt and red lipstick. I like the Christina Aguilera let it all hang out in dress accord- Strokes, so sometimes I have bed-head their mini skirts and tube tops. ing to each on purpose. I’m into Kanye West so I Musicians still set the standard member’s sometimes like to keep it fresh and for new styles and trends, and they unique style. wear a collared shirt. always will. The two are more closely Our clothing and styles have been related than you might think. Music THE BEE GEE’S directly influenced by music since the and style can be the backbone of a This harmo-

1950s. In the beginning, there was group’s trend or of one’s individuality. nizing disco 1970s Elvis and his blue suede shoes, then If you think about it, you could group illus- the Beatles and their fashion trends probably walk through the halls, look and hairstyles. During the 1960s and at someone, and take a guess at what trates the ‘70s 1970s, many fresh ideas were revealed their main musical influence is. We are trends in bell- through new musicians. The Beach all aware of the generalizations that bottoms and Boys illustrated their “surfer music” in have already been established, like platforms. casual clothes and board shorts. Both when someone is wearing all black their look and their sound exuded and has a lot of piercings, you label a rare innocence at a time when them as a punk-rocker. For the most CYNDI LAUPER transgression was robbing the era. part, there is nothing wrong with these With heavy

At the same time, The Rolling Stones assumptions because they probably makeup, exces- 1980s became the first band to abandon the are into punk rock and the image they sive accesso- whole uniform fashion and present have is their way of expressing that. themselves in their raw, leather street Don’t get me wrong; I am fully aware ries and flirta- image. Although the rock ‘n’ roll look that this does not apply to everyone tious attire, was very prominent, many embraced and that music does not influence all Lauper helped the hippie version of it. The sounds people this strongly or on a day-to-day set the trends of Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix basis. of the ‘80s. drove people to wear natural fabrics, But for me, my styles are my music. flowing skirts, tie-dyes, and to grow I live every day to a different tune than NIRVANA their hair long. The ‘70s also brought the day before, and my wardrobe is a This band in- about disco, when bell-bottoms and reflection of the music I listen to. Why troduced their 1990s platform shoes became the new confine yourself to one type of music evolved form fashion. In the early 1980s, bands or to one specific style when there like Motley Crue and Guns & Roses are so many out there? I find it quite of rock known induced the “bad boy,” rebellious look, satisfying to express myself through as “grunge,” from tattoo designs and tight pants to different styles influenced by different with a seem- big hair. Over time, fashion and music music. ingly unkempt became more provocative while girls -Gracie Cunningham image. 16 [NEXUS] March - April 2006 Couture

FASHIONABLY MARTINEZ: TREND ALERT What do fashion designers L.A.M.B., in their work. Diesel and Gucci have in common? They are Film has been a constant influence on among a large group of top designers who fashion (remember the Victorian jewelry are establishing next season’s trends. These craze after Titanic?) and this season is no are the same trends that will make their exception. The movie leaving its mark this way to the mall and trickle into mainstream year is Memoirs of a Geisha. Designers are America. reinterpreting traditional Asian design and Look for big, beautiful prints rich in applying these elements to their work. Obis color and graphic in design. There is also become belts, and sleeves are widening to a crossover or mixing of trends such as give a kimonoesque feel to a blouse. using large, bold patterns on African style Whatever your taste and no matter what dresses, exhibited by Christian LaCroix in your personal style is, how conservative or his spring collection (View his entire line flamboyant you are, there is something out on www.style.com). Other designers like there for you in the world of retail to keep Prada’s Miu Miu and Michael Kors used you looking hip and current in the fashion repetitions in pattern as the major element scene. Fashionistas get shopping! THE GK RUNWAY NOMINEES Nexus’ couture editors Rhanatah Griffith and Koleen Sullivan

òòò have been keeping an eye on who’s stylin’ at Grady. Here are their top picks for the issue. Keep dressing well, and you may just make it on the list...

Clockwise from left: Senior Ashley Thurston glitzes it up with gold. Seniors Kellisha Stewart and Miles Keeney- Richie sport the resurfacing trend, the Mohawk. Junior Jerami Goodwin follows the trends with a vintage Tee. Freshman Sarra Weiss heats things up with a warm, knit sweater. Senior Ashley Tannehill kicks back with her green and pink air force ones. Sophomore Callan Wells matches Photos by Rhanatah Griffith and Koleen Sullivan chunky necklaces with a pink polo. 17 Rostrum Constitutional crisis brewing Executive powers increase as Congress and courts stand idly by BY LOU SARTOR “War is the health of the state.” Randolph executives, has refused to implement policies to lessen our dependence upon foreign suppliers Bourne, 1918 by developing responsible energy alternatives and encouraging energy conservation. Perhaps T he baby boomers of my parking 140,000 soldiers on Iraqi soil counts as generation grew up in the shadow a response. 4) The growing gap between rich and poor of the Cold War and, much to my in America is alarming and troubling. The top relief, we survived the day-to-day possibility of 1 percent of Americans owns about 60 percent nuclear devastation. Unfortunately, the national of corporate wealth, i.e. stocks and bonds. Feels security state and its apparatus remain with us to a little like the 1920s to me. Middle-class pension this day, morphing and expanding to serve in President plans are disappearing while the wealthy retreat to Bush’s ongoing war against terrorism and, some would argue, their gated communities. The federal minimum wage the U. S. Constitution. Fear once again rules the day. Mr. Bush has not changed since 1997, a political barometer asserts that serving his role as Commander-in-Chief during a highlighting the impotence of working-class people period of war dictates that his powers should not be restricted by during our Gilded Age. Meanwhile, labor unions are mere rule of law in order to keep us safe. fighting for survival while megacorporations reap A constitutional crisis is brewing. If the Democrats are able to tens of billions of dollars in annual profits. regain control of Congress this year, a big “if” considering the number 5) Pandemic threats, natural and man-made, of safe seats in Congress and the questionable use of electronic are in the news for a reason. We live in an over- voting machines that do not allow for transparent vote recording and populated world of more than 6 billion people are susceptible to tampering, then Mr. Bush may indeed find himself linked by high-speed global transportation impeached. It goes without saying that Congress during the Bush era technology. Keep your fingers crossed on this one. has failed to hold the president and executive branch accountable Public health infrastructure has significantly for their actions. Meanwhile, the federal courts are largely filled with deteriorated since Jimmy Carter judges sympathetic to the aggressive use of executive power and Historians are was president. the preeminence of free markets. 6 ) Environmental Historians are certain to view this first decade of the 21st certain to view this degradation contributed century as a second Gilded Age in which corruption and lack of first decade of the 21st to the collapse of any accountability became the norm among America’s elite while century as a second Gilded number of civilizations. serious problems were ignored or made much worse. Age in which corruption Do we really think we “When the president does it, that means it’s not illegal.” Richard and lack of accountability are immune? Water is a Nixon, 1977 (Almost impeached, resigned in 1974). resource that we can no So where do we stand in 2006? Here are 12 issues worth became the norm. longer take for granted. A lot paying attention to: of quality topsoil formerly used 1) The war in Iraq continues to go badly. The cost of the war for farming is now paved over or will soon exceed $250 billion with no end in sight. American casualties has been washed away. Can we really continue to climb; more than 100,000 Iraqis have been killed (the military take cheap food for granted as well? does not count Iraqi deaths, so who really knows for sure?), and a civil war 7) Nuclear weapons have not gone away since appears to be breaking out. It’s hard to believe that this conflict will end in the end of the Cold War. Eventually, the “Nuclear any way except as a complete disaster. Club” will include more than a score of nations, and 2) Climate change is happening, and it may be too late to do much perhaps groups such as al-Qaeda as well. Enough about it. The Bush administration, thinking only in the short term, has said. consistently stonewalled even admitting there is a climate problem, 8) Massive trade deficits, $725.8 billion in 2005, much less promoting policies to lessen its impact. Katrina was just the and the hollowing out of the American industrial beginning. economy go hand in hand. Historically, trade tariffs 3) Peak oil is a term describing the moment when global oil reserves protected American jobs and industries. Today we reach their halfway point and then go into a decline. Peak oil will happen in export jobs and debt. Red flags are flying and not this decade, just as global demand, especially from nations such as China, only in China. Middle-class purchasing power is India and the U.S., is pushed upward, along with oil prices. This is a recipe the driving engine of American capitalism and is in for global conflict. The Bush administration, influenced by oil company trouble. Household debt is skyrocketing. Shades of 18 [NEXUS]March-April 2006 Rostrum 1926! tough to do. current events than reading 9) Red ink, i.e. huge federal budget 11) Our health care system is in crisis. newspapers and news deficits, can be seen as far as the eye More than 45 million Americans are magazines. Of course, with the can see. The Bush era is marked by not covered. It is easier than you might growing concentration of ownership military and intelligence budgets that imagine to accrue $50,000 or more in within our corporate media they may would exceed half a trillion dollars per health care costs even when a surgical have a point. Thank goodness for the year, while tax cuts, primarily for the very procedure is supposed to be relatively Internet, but watch for future efforts wealthy, have reduced federal revenue routine. Last year’s prescription drug bill to rein it in “to protect our national by $2.3 trillion over the decade. The is widely seen as a fiasco that will cost security.” Watch C-SPAN. federal debt is almost $8 trillion, much of more than $700 billion over the decade After the Constitutional Convention it owned by foreigners. and was cravenly done to win elderly in 1787, Benjamin Franklin was asked 10) Individual privacy is increasingly votes while satisfying the demands of about the type of government that difficult to protect while secrecy in the pharmaceutical industry, a powerful the document proposed. His response: government expands. I believe there lobby, one of many corrupting our “A republic, if you can keep it.” The is an inverse relationship between these nominally democratic system. question for Americans in our Gilded two developments. Watch what you 12) Religious Right are today’s Age will be whether or not we as Google or say on the telephone and Puritans. We are not a “Christian nation,” a people care enough about our hope the federal government is doing but apparently a significant minority of democratic traditions to defend them the right thing, even if they don’t want our fellow citizens disagree. Opposition in today’s political environment and to talk about it, and more and more to abortion, gay rights and gun control to make the hard decisions to address they don’t. After all, defending torture seem to flow from those who believe the the harsh realities we face in the 21st to promote freedom and democracy is Bible is a more reliable source to analyze century. Purebred red, Wert remains steadfast in her beliefs BY ERIN WERT usually get one of Democrat thing. Then, in a sufficient answer in debates, and respecting the other two reactions from seventh grade, I found myself especially debates with Matt person, we can’t really I people regarding my as the only Republican in Westmoreland. It’s ironic say we understand our political beliefs. There’s the “I Ms. Turner’s social studies that Matt, who was trying to own perspective. Until the really admire your ability class during the 2000 explain why Republicans were personal view is challenged, to stand up for presidential wrong, ended up helping me we live only with the what. what you believe e l e c t i o n . define and become confident And a what without a why is in,” and then Obviously I about my conservative views. the real brainwashing of our there’s the couldn’t let I fell into a pattern of debating generation. “Wow… you’re our class with Matt until I didn’t know The latter of the two an idiot.” d e b a t e s how to respond, then I reactions used to really hurt I ’ v e turn into a would go home, find a way me. I couldn’t understand always been discussion to respond, usually through why people couldn’t even conservative. on why Bush, long discussions with my dad respect my opinions. Now My parents are or any other trying to figure out why liberal I pity them. They are so conservative and their Republican, was an theories don’t work, return to insecure in their own beliefs parents are conservative. But, idiot. I felt obligated to uphold school with more ammo, and that they can’t even stop don’t misinterpret that. Yes, I the Republican name. So, I got start over again. I slowly built to listen and think about grew up conservative, but I to work, educating myself on up confidence, not only in what someone else has to am in no way “brainwashed.” politics, and what it means to my political knowledge, but say. Agreeing with me is Growing up in a liberal school, be conservative. also in my general knowledge a different story. Matt and but still holding fast to my I had never given much and understanding of life; I have been debating for conservative beliefs has taken thought to the fact that not I finally understood why I six years, and we still can’t a good deal of self-analysis. I everyone agrees that life believed things, instead of just agree. But we can listen… have spent countless hours begins at conception or that knowing what I believed. for the most part, anyway. researching, discussing, you should teach a man to fish, Knowledge is a powerful As for the specific what and debating my opinions. not just give him some fish. It tool, especially the knowledge and whys of what I believe, Everyone may not agree with was all common sense to me; of what someone else believes if you’re interested, come them, but I have earned them I’d never really questioned and why. Until we understand, ask and listen. It’s better nonetheless. why I thought what I thought or at least try to understand than living in ignorance of Photos by Claire Monson I didn’t always care about before. I soon found that “Well, things from someone else’s how the rest of the world the whole Republican/ that’s just how it works” wasn’t perspective, by listening to thinks. 19 Menagerie

R A M E R ’ S C I have always been intrigued If you wish to play a tune, you can by the pipe organ, not because take one of two paths: create many I can play one, but because of its pipes of different lengths and ability to play such a variety of play them one or more at a time sounds. While taking a class in or put holes in one pipe so you the physics of music at Georgia can change the length of the tube O State University a few years ago, and play one note at a time. The I wanted to build an organ as pipe organ can sound like many a class project. I discovered a different orchestral instruments R book in the library that had been by playing multiple pipes, which published more than 100 years environment, then the pipe will takes advantage of different ago. Using the descriptions in the amplify its special tone, and it harmonic combinations of tones. book as a guide, I built 13 pipes can be heard if you put your ear The mathematics of music, scales N from rolls of heavy construction next to the end. An organ pipe and harmonies is a fascinating paper and glue. I put them into is really just a large whistle. Air is study. Using math and physics a box pressurized by a small fed through the foot and passes to understand music will enhance E squirrel fan, added a keyboard over a narrow slit, which produces your enjoyment of all musical connected to each pipe, and to a hissing noise. The hollow forms. Attend an organ recital, my surprise, it actually worked. pipe above picks up its favored orchestra or band concert. Sit back Any hollow tube has a natural frequency. The resulting standing and listen to the “numbers.” Then R resonant frequency which wave causes the air in the column stop by my room, and I will teach enables one pitch of sound to to push air in and out of the mouth you to build your own instrument, exist as a standing wave in a tube. of the pipe, greatly increasing and we can play some duets. If white noise is present in the the volume of the sound. -Jeff Cramer eBay Items of “Quotes” the Month The MySpace craze has “I don’t know. Why does all that stuff come out?” reached a new low. The deal is that your MySpace site will -Kevin Federline, commenting be put up on an extremely on his wife’s pregnancy. popular host’s top eight friends list for six months. “My family and I are deeply sorry for all Impress your friends with that Vice President Cheney and his family this online popularity. have had to go through this week.” Owners myspace friends: MySpace Top 8! 73,194/ closing bid: $25 Harry Whittington apologizing Have a chance to place an for Cheney’s tough week with the media ad for your business on a after his hunting accident where Cheney full grown Beagle. It will be shot him in the face. up for a full two weeks and the owner will take it all over “They have the big parade down their neighborhood. The ad will be placed either on the in New Orleans and this year FEMA has back of the dog or its collar. a float, but it’s not expected ‘til Labor Day.” Beagle Business Closing Bid: $20 Having a dog wear your -David Letterman name: priceless.

20 [NEXUS] March-April 2006 Menagerie SAT

April 1 SAT

Day) / / Day) (April Fools Fools (April

MON TUES WED THUR FRI SAT 2 3 4 5 6 7 Dogwood Open- Alicia Keys Festival @ Piedmont ing Night w/ John Park SPRING BREAK for Cirque Legend per- form at Fox du Soliel: Theatre. Delerium @ the Philips Grady 10 11 12 13 14 15 Arena / Soccer vs. Grady Soccer Scary Movie Hebron @ vs. Holy Inno- Daylight 4 premieres Savings Grady. 5 p.m./ cents’ @ Holy in theatres/ Innocents’. Begins Passover Begins. Good Friday. 1 p.m.

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Soccer @ Paidea/ PROM @ PASSOVER Meadowcreek EASTER 4:30p.m. Botanical Tennis Regional ENDS 7:30 p.m. Gardens/ 5AA tournament Earth Day @ Lovett

23 24 25 26 27 28 Mars Volta at the Sum 41 Tabernacle./ Atlanta ORTHODOX performs at International Auto Show EASTER the Taber- @ World Congress Center/ nacle Inman Park Festival

30 Piedmont Park

Julia Rooks A blooming Dogwood tree in Piedmont Park marks the end of Winter and the return of Spring. 21