JANUARY 29 + FEBRUARY 122 >>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's souRcE foR EntERtainmEnt, music, spoRts & tHE aRts

The 114th annual celebration of The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama recognized top volunteers and marked a tremendous year of accomplishment.

The event was presented by The University of Alabama on the evening of January 22, 2015 at the Bryant Confer-ence Center. Chamber President and CEO Jim Page presided over the event, which was attended by about 440 area business people.

Larry Taylor, owner of Mound-ville Telephone Company, was honored as the re-cipient of the 2014 Charles H. Land Member of the Year, which is the Chamber’s high-est honor to an individual member. He is most responsible for taking our workforce development efforts to the next level. As the immediate past chairman of the region 3 workforce development council, Taylor confidently and calmly guided our orga-

>>> N E W S | t H E c H a m B E R o f c o m m E R c E

NEWSCHAMBER HONORS TOP VOLUNTEERS FOR 2014

nization and region through significant changes that resulted in state and national attention because of game-changing results including our wildly successful hir-ing fairs. Even though he officially retired a couple of years ago, he has continued to act as a servant leader and puts the needs of others and his community before his own.

The Robert C. Tanner Corporate Ser-vice Award was presented to Jamison-MoneyFarmer, P.C. The award, which is the organization’s highest corporate honor, is given annually to recognize exceptional charitable, volunteer and philanthropic ser-vice by a corporate entity in the Tuscaloosa County/West Alabama region.

JMF was honored for the amount of time, money and human resources it gives back to this community and to this state. The firm’s employees are involved in virtu-ally every charitable organization this com-munity has to offer and they are equally as involved in almost every area of Chamber programming. This company is the textbook definition of a good corporate citizen.

The Chairman’s Leadership Award

was presented to Tuscaloosa City Council President Harrison Taylor for being a consistent leader in our community for several decades, through good times and times of great challenge. This award is presented to someone who has provided extraordinary leadership and service to the community.

The Minority Business Council Trail-blazer Award presentations were incorpo-rated into the Annual Meeting this year and Hazel B. Upchurch (deceased), founder of the Legacy Connection (formerly Druid City Answering Service) and Chief Steven Anderson of the Tuscaloosa Police Department were recipients. This award recognizes individuals whose pioneering contributions have been outstanding and unique, and whose efforts have blazed a trail in their respective profession.

In addition, Wade Langer of Capstone United Methodist Church was honored as the Chamber’s Ambassador of the Year, for his exceptional service to and on behalf of the Chamber’s membership. The Ambassadors are the Chamber’s of-ficial hosts for all Chamber functions and

responsible for member relations.The Chamber also recognized

outstanding community leadership with the presentation of six Distinguished Service Awards, which are presented to individuals or organizations that have displayed effective service and leader-ship. The 2014 awards were presented to: Dr. Judy Bonner of The University of Ala-bama; Phil Johnston of Mercedes Benz USI; Kimberly McMurray of Ward Scott Architecture; Charles Nash of The Uni-versity of Alabama System; Gary Nichols of McAbee Construction; and Shane Spiller of Spiller Furniture & Mattress.

The Chamber begins its 115th year of continuous operations in Tuscaloosa County, currently representing almost 1,200 businesses, industrial, professional and institutional members. The official transition to the 2015 leadership team was made at the annual celebration. Jor-dan Plaster of Merrill Lynch served as the 2014 Chairman of the Chamber and Norman Crow of D.T. & Freight Company will serve as the 2015 Chairman of The Chamber.

Larry Taylor

3>>> Visit us on tHE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM JANUARY 29 + FEBRUARY 12

STORIES4 OPINION // LEEANN HALLMinimum wage must be raised

6 THe MiLLion DoLLAR BAnD // kAiTLYn BLounTHard work and passion is priceless

7 A SCIENTIST ExPLAINS // WILLIAM BArSHOPWhat do doctors need to know about evolution

8 "My rOMANCE" // PrESTON THOMPSONInterview with a bassoonist

9 MArrIAGE DOCTOr // WILLIAM BArSHOPMaking things better

13 COCONUT OIL'S BENEFITS // rACHEL STEINErUseful facts that are good to know

22 MOrNING ON CATFISH rOW // JIM rEEDChallenges of a retail business

ENTERTAINMENT10-12 rESTAUrANT GUIDE / WINE & BEEr

14 THE FLAT SCrEEN

15 MOVIE rEVIEW

16-17 LOCAL EVENTS CALENDAr

18 rOAD TrIP

19 LOCAL MUSIC

20 PUZZLEMANIA

21 HOrOSCOPE

HIGH TIDE SPOrTS23 SABAN PrOMOTES LUPOI // GARY HARRIS

And crunch time for K.J. Hill

PUBLISHERlinDa W. JoHnson

MANAGING EDITORBER t paulsEn

ASSOCIATE EDITORWilliam BaRsHop

COVER DESIGNl au R a l i n E B E R R Y

EVENTSW i l l i a m B a R s H o p

ROAD TRIPtREY BRooKs

RESTAURANT GUIDEDoc fRanKEnstEin

PRODUCTIONH E R B n E u

IMAGEScoVER imaGE: cliff BRanE

images: creative common license unless

otherwise credited.

p l a n e t W e e k l yp. o . B o x 2 3 1 5t u s c a l o o s a , a l 3 5 4 0 3p h o n e : 2 0 5 . 7 9 2 . 7 2 3 9 | 2 0 5 . 7 6 5 . 8 0 0 7

E m a i l : p u b l i s h e r @ t h e p l a n e t w e e k l y . c o mplease direct correspondence to: publisher@theplanetweekly.comthe planet Weekly is a proud member of the West alabama chamber of commerce.

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planet Weekly is published every other thursday. no part of this publication including editorials may be reproduced, in whole or part, by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without the publisher’s prior expressed written consent. one copy of each issue of tHE planEt WEEKlY is free to each of our readers. any reader who takes more than four copies without expressed permission of the publisher shall be deemed to have committed theft. the views and opinions of the authors of articles appearing in this publication may not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.

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4

FEATUrE6 CBDB // TREY BROOKSHot new album set to be released

BE SUrE TO VISIT OUr NEW DyNAMIC WEBSITE

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EDUCATION ACCOrDING TO JEFFErSONby Diane ravitch:

Thomas Jefferson advocated for a system of public education. He pro-posed "A Bill for the More General Diffusion of Knowledge."

"Whereas it appeareth that however certain forms of government are bet-ter calculated than others to protect individuals in the free exercise of their natural rights, and are at the same time themselves better guarded against degeneracy, yet experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms, those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny; and it is believed that the most effectual means of preventing this would be, to illuminate, as far as practicable, the minds of the people at large, and more especially to give them knowledge of those facts, which his-tory exhibiteth, that, possessed thereby of the experience of other ages and countries, they may be enabled to know ambition under all its shapes, and prompt to exert their natural powers to defeat its purposes; And whereas it is generally true that that people will be happiest whose laws are best, and are best administered, and that laws will be wisely formed, and honestly administered, in proportion as those who form and administer them are wise and honest; whence it becomes expedient for promoting the publick happi-ness that those person, whom nature hath endowed with genius and virtue, should be rendered by liberal education worthy to receive, and able to guard the sacred deposit of the rights and liberties of their fellow citizens, and that they should be called to that charge without regard to wealth, birth or other accidental condition or circumstance; but the indigence of the greater number disabling them from so educating, at their own expence, those of their children whom nature hath fitly formed and disposed to become use-ful instruments for the public, it is better that such should be sought for and educated at the common expence of all, than that the happiness of all should be confided to the weak or wicked..."

~~Note that one of the chief functions of education was to arm the populace

with knowledge to protect themselves against the potential tyranny of the powerful. Note also that he recognized that most parents would not be able to afford to educate, and that education "should be sought for an educated at the common expense of all..."

>>> O P - E D | L e e A n n H A L L

Painting: Kathy Hiers

THE MINIMUM WAGE SHOULD NOT FORCE WORKERS TO LIVE IN POVERTY

On New Year’s Day, 20 states raised their minimum wages. That leaves

a lot of states that aren’t increasing the minimum wage — along with the federal government.

Even some of those employees who are getting increases don’t have much to celebrate. Workers in Florida might barely notice their 12-cents-an-hour raise. And the extra 15 cents an hour in Montana, Arizona, and Missouri will be wiped out with inflation and climb-ing costs before the first paycheck is deposited.

U.S. legislators have refused since 2009 to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 an hour — not even close to enough for full-time workers to make ends meet.

To put it bluntly, minimum wage is a poverty wage. Yet only 29 states have minimum wage rates higher than the federal rate — and some just barely.

In last year’s State of the Union ad-dress, President Barack Obama called on Congress to increase the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour.

Although Congress turned a deaf ear, activists took up the challenge. “Fight for $15” movements across the country won among the most powerful progressive victories of 2014.

Cheers to cities like Seattle and San Francisco with minimum wage plans that will increase rates to $15 an hour in the next few years. Huge congratula-tions to voters in Oakland, California, as well in Arkansas, South Dakota, Nebraska, and others who voted for significant minimum wage increases.

But the truth is, while it’s a great start, none of these increases goes far enough, or lifts workers out of poverty fast enough. What’s needed is a living

wage that allows full-time workers to cover their basic needs and have a little savings left over in case of an emergency.

The Job Gap Economic Prosperity series — a collection of research re-ports by the Alliance for a Just Society — shows that a living wage comes to over $15 an hour for a single adult in most states studied. A parent support-ing a child needs to earn closer to $22 or $23 an hour.

Women and people of color are least likely to earn a living wage, with half or more working full-time and not making enough to make ends meet.

Poverty-level pay is taken for grant-ed at restaurant chains like McDonald’s and Dunkin’ Donuts, and major retailers like Wal-Mart, that would rather invest in government lobbyists to keep wages low than in their employees.

“If you truly believe you could work full-time and support a family on less than $15,000 a year, go try it,” Obama implored Congress in his latest State of the Union address. “If not, vote to give millions of the hardest-working people in America a raise.”

The sub-minimum wage for tipped workers has been stuck at $2.13 an hour for 24 long years. Imagine going to work every day, hoping beyond hope that the tips will make up for the tiny hourly wage. No worker should be a second-class employee.

Refusing to pay employees a wage they can live on isn’t a business plan. Paying employees enough so they can shop or dine at your business or neigh-boring businesses and grow the local economy — now that’s smart.

A full-time job should lead to fi-nancial stability, not poverty. We must

continue to push Congress to raise the federal minimum wage and abolish the separate tipped minimum wage.

In the meantime, keep up the “Fight for $15.” We know that we can motivate our mayors, city councils, and state legislators by speaking out, sharing our stories, and presenting the facts. Most

importantly, we have to vote.Let’s make 2015 the year for $15 —

and really have something to celebrate next New Year.

LeeAnn Hall is the executive director of Alliance for a Just Society, a national research, policy, and organizing network striving for economic and social equity. AllianceforaJustSociety.org

Photo: MIKASI/flickr/cc

Women and people of color are least likely to earn a liv-ing wage, with half or more working full-time and not making enough to make ends meet.

5>>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's souRcE foR EntERtainmEnt, music, spoRts & tHE aRts JANUARY 29 + FEBRUARY 12

>>> COVER STORY | K A I T L Y n B L O U n T

Imagine it’s a Saturday in October, and you’re in Bryant-Denny Stadium. The

Alabama Crimson Tide has just taken the field, the crowd is overflowing with excitement, and the stands have become a sea of red and white shakers moving in unison. Now, imagine all of this without the Million Dollar Band playing the back-ground.

Who would get us off of our feet and dancing to “Basket Case”? Where would we be without someone to lead us with the familiar notes of “Yea Alabama”? And chanting the Rammer Jammer at the end of a victory wouldn’t be nearly the same without the band. Without the Million Dollar Band, that sea of shakers would have no rhythm, no common beat, no unifying tune.

When the band was formed in 1913, it was student-led and only had 14 mem-bers. Now, the Million Dollar Band boasts over 400 members and plays a major role in the experience one gets when attending an Alabama football game. The amount of work put in to it is no small feat. And while the Million Dollar Band depends on teamwork and cohesiveness to function, each member has their own personal experience and story that they take away

THE MILLION DOLLAR BAND // PRICELESS!

from their time spent with the band.For Alumna Ashanka Kumari, her

first year as an undergraduate student and member of the band was the most challenging, as she learned how to settle in to the routine of balancing school and her commitment to playing the trombone for the band. Although as time went on, balancing these two became “second-nature” by the end of her four years as an undergraduate student.

“We rehearsed Monday through Friday from 4 to 5:30 p.m., but we began earlier than that to warm up in sections, so really it looked more like 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.,” Kumari said. “Further, we would have early morning—sometimes afternoon—rehearsals on game days and Saturdays, and additional rehears-als for bowl games and the Iron Bowl.”

For December 2014 graduate Jessica Atkinson, who played clarinet for the Mil-lion Dollar Band, being a member helped her succeed with her classes and other extra curricular activities.

“Because of the time commitment, being a Million Dollar Band member made me buckle down…I guess I knew that I had to get things done,” Atkinson said.

Atkinson also said that after hours

of practicing five days a week every Fall during her four years with the band, she developed a habit of unconsciously walk-ing in step with people, despite just being out and about on campus or in a crowd.

Rain or shine, these many hours of practice were spent outside on Butler Field. The practice field is named after Colonel Carleton K. Butler, the director from 1935-1968 who is recognized for making the band the nationally recog-nized icon it is today. Kumari says that the members of the band liked to refer to it as “Butler Swamp.” Due to the uneven level of Butler Field, the back half would fill with puddles and mud every time it rained, which in Tuscaloosa is quite often.

“Perhaps the funniest and possibly also worst moments I recall are from days when we would have rehearsal after a lot of rain,” Kumari said. “Our practice field would become quite muddy after a rain shower and watching one another try not to slip and fall during rehearsal was rather amusing at times.”

Thanks to all of these hours of hard work, the Million Dollar Band consis-tently provides the atmosphere that one comes to know and love when attending a football game in Bryant-Denny Stadium. A home game day for a member of the band begins well before kickoff, with a practice held early in the day. Then after a meal break, the band meets out on the Quad for the ever popular Elephant Stomp, followed by a march into the stadium.

As for away games, there normally wouldn't be practice the day of the game, as most of their time would be spent traveling. Kumari, who traveled to many different away games including three national titles, said that getting this opportunity to travel with the team was an experience unlike any other.

Konnor George, a junior who currently plays alto saxophone, says that travel-ing with the band is his favorite thing to do, especially considering it takes them places that most people wouldn’t have normally gone to on their own. George recalls being on the field after the Na-tional Championship game in Miami, and describes the experience of reveling in the victory confetti as “once in a lifetime”. Although, after the way the past two sea-

sons ended, George said that he “never wants to go to another Sugar Bowl again.”

While Kumari said she isn’t a huge football fan, the exciting atmosphere dur-ing a football game is hard to ignore. She also said that out of all of the pieces that the band performs, her favorite actually isn’t one played with instruments: it’s the Alma Mater, which is sung not only at the end of every game, but also every practice. George agrees with this state-ment, saying that hearing over 400 people singing it “gives you chills”.

“I felt like this piece was one of the strongest uniting forces in the band,” Kumari said.

According to Kumari, the best part about being in the Million Dollar Band was the bond she formed with her fellow bandmates. Whether it was during long practice hours, in the stadium during a blazing hot Alabama Saturday, or on a crowded bus headed to an away game, Kumari formed lifelong friendships.

“While the rest of my day may have been complicated by diverse classes, it was always a comforting experience get-ting to see familiar faces and get to know many of the 400 plus members of the band,” Kumari said. “My section was like a second family.”

Atkinson said she formed some of her best friendships with her bandmates as well. She also said getting to share their experience together at football games made every Saturday just as fun and exciting as the last.

The time and commitment put forth by every member of the Million Dollar Band is what makes it so magical and power-ful as a leading force for thousands of fans at football games. Legendary Coach Paul “Bear” Bryant could often be heard praising the band after games, saying that their support helped the team win. This is still the same today because without the band, Bryant-Denny Stadium would be devoid of the energy that is needed to win. After hours of practice and playing the same pieces over and over again, the Mil-lion Dollar Band does an amazing job of energizing a crowd. And as George says, and most likely every member of the band agrees with, “I’ll know how to play ‘Yea Alabama’ for the rest of my life.”

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>>> E x H I B I T | R A C H e L D O B S O n

UA STUDENTS INSPIRED BY ANTHONY BRAXTON FUSE ART & MUSIC

University of Alabama art students will exhibit works inspired by the music

of renowned jazz composer and musi-cian Anthony Braxton Feb. 6-27 at The University of Alabama Gallery in the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center in down-town Tuscaloosa. The exhibit, “Anthony Braxton: Falling River Music Exhibition,” coincides with Braxton’s weeklong resi-dency at UA Feb. 18-25.

An opening reception and concert will be held Friday, Feb. 6 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the gallery. A closing reception and concert will be held Monday, Feb. 23 from 6-8 p.m. at the gallery. Students in As-sistant Professor Pete Schulte’s advanced concepts in drawing class will exhibit works inspired by the musical scores and audio works of Braxton. Ausharea Adams, Mitchell Griest, Brittany Gunnells, Ali Hval, Patrick O’Brien, Jennifer Ocampo and Seth Saunders also curated the exhibition.

Braxton’s musical career spans more than five decades. His many awards in-clude a MacArthur fellowship, Guggenheim fellowship, 2009 honorary doctorate from the Université de Liège in Belgium, 2013 Doris Duke Performing Artist Award and 2013 New Music USA Letter of Distinction. He is also a 2014 National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master. “Falling River Music is the name of a new structural prototype class of compositions in my music sys-tem that will seek to explore image logic construct ‘paintings’ as the score’s extract music notation,” Braxton writes about his current work. These scores consist of large, colorful drawings (reminiscent of the titles of Braxton’s earlier compositions) alongside other notational symbols.

The students created artworks in re-sponse to Braxton’s work. “Each of us has taken on one of Anthony Braxton’s unique visual scores and one of his auditory com-

>>> M U S I C | T R e Y B R O O K S

CBDB RELEASES SECOND ALBUM // A GROWING FORCE IN THE SOUTHEAST

One of Tuscaloosa’s premier groups is ready to drop their second effort

on the ears of diehard fans and night-life enthusiasts alike. CBDB, a popular jamband whose signature “joyfunk” sound has delighted music fans and patrons in town for years, are proud to announce the release of their second album entitled "Joyfunk is Dead." The release date for the new record is set for February 24th, but fans who want to get a copy early can attend the album’s release party at Green Bar on February 20th. The album shows the band contin-ues to push forward and expand their audience beyond that of West Alabama, though they have not forgotten where they came from.

Since releasing their first album, "phone.keys.wallet.," CBDB have seen their profile raised significantly. They have opened for national touring acts such as Moon Taxi, The Revivalists and Umphrey’s McGee. The band has also played several respected venues across the southeast, including Exit In in Nash-ville, Proud Larry’s in Oxford, Terminal West in Atlanta and Zydeco in Birming-ham. According to the band’s website, their single “Slow Foxes” has been played over 22,000 times on the music streaming site Spotify. There is quite a wave of momentum around CBDB that could take them to even greater heights.

CBDB is manned by six members: Cy Simonton and Kris Gottlieb on guitars, Paul Oliver on drums, Glenn Dillard on saxophone and keyboards, David Ray on bass and Donald DeLoach as a second percussionist. Simonton typically handles vocal duties, though Gottlieb, Dillard and Ray all provide their voices to recordings as well. Those who have seen them live can attest to the band’s range of influences across various genres. As shown in their term “joyfunk”, the band is heavily influenced

by funk groups, but they also have ele-ments of rock, reggae, jazz and progres-sive music in their sound.

In order to celebrate the release of their second album, the band is host-ing a party at Green Bar. There could not be a better venue to celebrate this achievement. Green Bar has a long history of hosting and supporting local and unique talent in Tuscaloosa, even going back to their days as Little Willie’s. While many bars and venues in town appeal to college life with cover bands and DJs, Green Bar features acts rang-ing from jam, punk, rap, blues, folk, jazz and others to be one of the most unique watering holes in the downtown area. CBDB have played the stage at the Green Bar many times in the past. It’s not the biggest venue, but it’s a perfect representation of what CBDB is and who they appeal to.

The name of CBDB’s new album is "Joyfunk is Dead", but the exact op-posite may be true. Joyfunk could just be getting started. If you want to get an early preview, head to the band’s web-site cbdbband.wix.com to hear the song “Stuffed Avocado” off the new record. Personally, I’ve seen the band well over ten times and can attest that they pro-vide a different experience every time. They can play in small, intimate venues, but can also rock out in larger theaters. They have a connection with the audi-ence that is rare among local acts nowa-days. In fact, I’ll go ahead and say that joyfunk is far from dead. It’s growing, and could be one of the biggest forces in the southeast in due time.

I’ll repeat those words again. Joy-funk is not dead, it’s growing. CBDB is a must see if you’re a fan of the nightlife scene in Tuscaloosa. Be sure to look for the album when it comes out next month.

positions and are in the process of making work in response to it,” said Mitchell Griest, a junior from Brighton, Michigan double majoring in computer science and studio art and minoring in math. “We are con-sidering his larger body of work as well, but paying special attention to the pieces we were assigned individually as jumping off points.” For the curating process, the students selected 35 of Braxton’s visual scores to show alongside their own works.

The exhibit and weeklong residency are sponsored by the National Endow-ment for the Arts and The University of Alabama’s New College, College of Arts and Sciences, Office of the Provost, School of Music, jazz studies program, Blount Undergraduate Initiative, Honors College, University Programs and depart-ments of American studies and gender and race studies. For a full schedule of Braxton’s weeklong residency at UA, visit http://www.sonicfrontiers.ua.edu.

Anthony Braxton

image credit: Ali Hval

7>>> Visit us on tHE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM JANUARY 29 + FEBRUARY 12

>>> S C I E N C E | W I L L I A M B A R S H O P

Previous generations will remember getting an antibiotic for every runny

nose or sore throat, but doctors are much more meticulous these days. When penicillin was first discovered, it was abused and over-prescribed to the point that bacteria rapidly evolved to resist the medicine.

That’s right, evolution. The same process that gave birds their wings and fish their gills over a period of hundreds of millions of years is still active in our daily lives. The range of antibiotics that are ac-tually effective has narrowed, and doctors are searching for new solutions.

“That’s the threat. The evolution of

resistance,” said Laura Reed, an assistant professor of biology in the University of Alabama’s Evolution Working Group. “By focusing the development of new treatment on the Achilles heels of the bacteria . . . evolution is a very helpful thing to know.”

Reed is hosting a lecture at UA by Michael Antolin called “What Doctors Need to Know About Evolution.” Antolin is a researcher who has looked at plagues in prairies dog populations and the mating of parasitic wasps. He is visiting Feb. 26 as part of UA’s ALLELE series, Alabama Lectures on Life’s Evolution.

“When we were looking at good people to invite for the ALLELE series, we wanted

someone who was involved in evolutionary medicine and he was a good candidate for that,” Reed said. “His work is mostly focused on wildlife. Deer and things like that, and looking at infectious disease, but he uses similar approaches to how I think about the science that I do.”

The lecture will look at how evolution plays a part in modern medicine, not just for doctors, but for anyone who gets sick and needs health care.

“Your average family care doctor needs to be very aware of both educating both their patients and themselves,” Reed said. “Making sure they’re prescribing only to the situation where it’s really needed.”

Reed explained that if a pa-tient stops taking their medicine when they start feeling better, there may be leftover bacteria still evolving in your system. That may not be a problem for the original patient, but when the disease jumps to another person, it will be even stronger

and harder to treat.“That’s why you need the full course,”

Reed said. “Everyone needs to know about that, not just doctors.”

As a doctor of ecology and evolution-ary biology, Reed gives students the opportunity to see the science in action with her fruit fly research. Many medical students still graduate without any focused study on evolutionary science.

“It’s generally neglected . . . medical schools vary whether or not they teach evolution as part of their curriculum,” Reed said. “We have a ways to go.”

At UA, Reed examines huge swarms of fruit flies to learn more about obesity and diabetes. With many generations of specimens, she has a lot of opportunities to track down patterns and examine a huge number of cases.

“Basically, I feed the fruit flies nasty things to eat, like a high-fat diet,” Reed said. “Then they get obesity and diabetes and we can look at why they developed it, and which genotypes are at higher risk.”

One of the biggest obstacles for Reed in presenting her research is convincing people that fruit flies are actually relevant to human anatomy. The similar physiolo-gies, like hearts and circulatory systems, make fruit flies perfect for studying dis-ease, but doctors are always skeptical.

“It would be a lot easier if the doctors already recognized that,” Reed said. “Flies have insulin the same way humans do. . . All that stuff is well conserved from the common ancestor.”

The ALLELE series has focused on not only biology, but also everything from psychology to geology to morality. Speak-ers from all over the country have come to give their perspective about evolutionary science.

“It’s relevant to all these different fields,” Reed said. “The goal of the evolu-tion working group here on campus is to help those on campus and off campus understand how it does permeate all these different fields. It’s not just some weird biologists.”

Reed pointed out Chris Mooney as one speaker who was particularly interest-ing when he came to UA in November. Mooney is a journalist and author who has written about many scientific contro-versies, and criticized the way political leaders respond.

“He has a really interesting perspec-tive because he’s not a scientist. He’s a science writer,” Reed said. “He’s done a lot of thinking about the politics of sci-ence and how science is funded and how society does or doesn’t accept scientific outcomes related to evolution and climate change. It’s a much more sociological perspective.”

Also coming to UA Jan. 29 is Patrick McGovern with “Uncorking the Past: Fermentation as Earth’s Earliest Energy System and Humankind’s First Biotechnol-ogy.” McGovern is a pioneer in the field of

molecular archeology, and has studied an-cient forms of fermentation from civiliza-tions as old as Neolithic China.

While the general population assumes that evolution is a thing of the past, mod-ern human history has plenty of examples of how evolution has shaped our lives. A prime example is milk.

“You can attribute lactose tolerance to the emergence of agriculture and animals that produce milk,” Reed said. “Before that we never were able to metabolize lactose as adults, but it’s a valuable nutri-tion resource. So with the pressure of it becoming available . . . lactose tolerance has evolved.”

Before humans started domesticating cows and goats, babies produced the right enzyme to digest milk, but lost the ability as soon as they matured.

“The gene that’s responsible for toler-ance or intolerance is actually kind of a toggle switch,” Reed said. “As babies, it’s on. At some point it starts to turn off, as we get older. So in human evolution we delayed the time it turned off, so that lets some expression of the gene through. It’s kind of a scale.”

Evolution also plays a part in a disease that has caused more than 36 million deaths worldwide, HIV and AIDS.

“The progression of an HIV infection is an evolutionary progress,” Reed said. “Part of why it’s so hard to treat is the target’s always moving. The virus itself is actively evolving. Being aware of evolu-tionary processes can be critical.”

Reed encourages anyone with an in-terest in science, or even just their health, to attend Antolin’s lecture in February. The presentation will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Biology Building lecture hall on the UA campus.

“Anyone can learn something from it,” Reed said. “Anyone can benefit from learn-ing about evolution.”

A SCIENTIST EXPLAINS // WHAT DO DOCTORS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT EVOLUTION

UA's Laura reed // to host lecture on Feb. 26

Michael Antolin

JANUARY 29 + FEBRUARY 128 >>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's souRcE foR EntERtainmEnt, music, spoRts & tHE aRts

>>> P E R F O R M A N C E | P R e S T O n T H O M P S O n

INTERVIEW WITH A BASSOONIST // TSO PRESENTS "MY ROMANCE" The Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra

is becoming another powerhouse of the Alabama area, with its talent and skill when it comes to classical music. For this Valentine’s Day, they’ll take a different direction, bringing some timeless hits to the stage. On February 9th, the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra will present their My Romance program. A program themed entirely around Valentines Day, featuring works from TV, film, and the stage. The orchestra celebrates its 36th year with this show, due in some respects to its new Executive Director: Dr. Jenny Mann.

Mann began her professional career in Texas when she receiver her Bachelors degree in Music Education from Baylor University. She would go on to receive masters and doctoral degrees from Univer-sity of Texas, before moving to Tuscaloosa. In 2006, she signed on as the principle Bassoonist with the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra (TSO) while also serving on the player’s committee. After the resignation of the Executive Director, the Board President approached Dr. Mann with the opportunity to take on a greater administrative role.

“My previous experiences, on top of knowing the orchestra and the community, made it a great fit,” Mann said.

Her body of work goes beyond just the TSO. Mann is a professor of the Bas-

soon at the UA School of Music, making her position in the orchestra all the more rewarding.

“It is a wonderful and rare opportunity to be able to serve in all the capacities that I do. I am a part of an energetic, collegial, dedi-cated and highly skilled faculty,” Mann said.

She is not the only one who has formed this bridge between teaching and performing. In fact, Skip Snead serves as the dean of the school of music while also performing as the first chair French Horn in the TSO.

“All of these qualities translate over into our performing together. We get the chance to be both teachers and artists in the most positive of ways.”

Planet Weekly got a chance to sit down with Dr. Mann and ask her some questions about the My Romance concert, and the season in general:

PW: Could you talk a little bit about what makes the "My Romance" concert so special?

JM: For this concert we see the return of renowned pianist Simon Mulligan. He performed with us several years ago and has remained a friend of the orchestra. It will be a treat to hear him play. We will also be performing selections from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess and An American in Paris. Both are audience favorites and just really

fun music for the musicians to play. The generous diamond necklace giveaway from Hudson-Poole tops the evening off and will make it very special.

PW: What are some challenges that you face in your specific position, that may or may not relate to the Orchestra as a whole?

JM: It has been interesting to transition into this position from inside the orchestra. Because I have been a part of the organi-zation for so long I feel like I know what the musicians need in order to grow and, being a part of the community as a consumer, parent and patron, I feel like I have an idea of how we can grow as a part of our com-munity. The challenges that have been notable to me are thinking about things such as wiring for the phones, computer networking issues and software break-

downs. They don't teach you about dealing with those issues in school. Definitely not part of the performance degree in bassoon or orchestral training!

PW: What are you most excited for in the spring concert series?

JM: It is really hard to pick one thing to be the most excited about this spring. For our next concert, Hudson-Poole jewelers has supplied a stunning 2-carat diamond necklace that we get to give away to one lucky audience member. For the March concert we will be performing for all of the 5th graders in the area and I love seeing all of their enthusiasm and bright faces in the audience. The May concert will have a large chorus and we will be performing two works: "1812 Overture" and "Night on Bald Mountain" with chorus. This is rarely done and a very special opportunity.

9>>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's souRcE foR EntERtainmEnt, music, spoRts & tHE aRts JANUARY 29 + FEBRUARY 12

Every marriage has its speed bumps. Carole Wilkins just

wants you to slow down and think about how to get over them, so you can enjoy smooth sailing toward a happy, healthy, and long-term union.

Wilkins’ newest book “The Marriage Doctor” leaves no stone unturned as it examines the fail-ures and successes of a resilient soul. An accomplished writer and counselor, Wilkins guides readers to a more successful marriage in this “endeavor of the heart,” navigating common problems and hammering out solutions. The author will sign books at the Tuscaloosa Barnes & Noble in the Mid-town shopping center Feb. 7 – 8. On both afternoons, you can meet the author and get a signature on your new guide to marriage from 1 to 5 p.m.

Wilkins said the biggest inspiration for the book was her counseling work, and the couples she encountered on the job.

“Seeing how so many marriages can be better, and seeing so many couples change into better mates,” Wilkins said about her inspiration. “Also, I was inspired by the changes I made in my own marriage that made it a marriage to die for!”

As every marriage expert will tell you, a relationship takes work. Wilkins says affirmation is key to keeping the momentum alive and moving forward in your love.

“Affirmation is praise about the ac-complishments of your mate,” Wilkins said. “When was the last time you said words of praise? Remember that praise is like sex, it doesn’t last.”

Flipping through the pages of “The Marriage Doctor,” readers will find sections that stick out as areas they could work on in their relationships, and Wilkins offers day-by-day prescriptions for patching things up.

Chapters may be as short as two pages, but are packed with advice and trinkets of wisdom. Learn Wilkin’s ground rules for a fair fight, or how to “Just Get Over It” when something isn’t worth fighting about after all. She even maps out how anger escalates in a dis-agreement, so you can catch yourself getting out of control before feelings get hurt.

Fighting is not the only issue that can eat away at a loving marriage. Wilkins asks mates to examine their expecta-tions and whether they are reasonable. She also makes the reader decide if their mate’s expectations are too unre-alistic to meet. Secrets, jealousy and

>>> B O O K S | W I L L I A M B A R S H O P

THE MARRIAGE DOCTOR // MAKING THINGS BETTER

intimacy are all dimensions to consider when making a diagnosis for dissatis-faction.

Real-world anecdotes from her own marriage make Wilkins’ prescrip-tion pad feel like personalized letters written to help you through dif f icult times. Each specific problem has its own solution that you can apply as soon as you are ready to commit yourself to improvement.

This book, “The Marriage Doctor”, may be the much-needed medicine for any and all ills your marriage or partnership is currently suffering from or is threatening your marital bliss. Carole Wilkins is just the right doctor for the job to cure those common ills that beset relationships. Take “The Marriage Doctor’s” advice.

After mulling over Wilkins’ ad-vice, couples can answer 100 true or false self-evaluation questions at the end of the book, and compare with their partner. First you answer questions like “Am I willing to say ‘I was wrong?’” and “Do we have an emergency fund for unexpected expenses?” Then you fill out the same questionnaire for how you feel your partner should answer. Finally, you can see where the disagreements may lie and use the wisdom found in the book to work it out.

Readers who wish to experience this inspiring work can purchase “The Marriage Doctor” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play or Barnes and Noble.

Jan 29- Doc Holiday with Mary TylosaurJan 31- Jon Autry and the Naval Avionics with

Staying for the WeekendFeb 5- Lee Baines and the Glory Fires III and

The Golden MonicaFeb 6- Atlas Road Crew

Feb 7- Fashion ShowFeb 12- Sumilan

10 >>> Visit us on tHE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM JANUARY 29 + FEBRUARY 12

Angeline Pinot Noir is sourced from vineyards in Santa Barbara, Sonoma and Mendocino counties in Califor-nia. According to the Angeline Winery tasting notes, the 2013 growing season was perfect, with a dry mild spring and a warm summer with cool nights. After harvest, the wine was fermented in stainless steel and aged in French Oak barrels.

In the glass, this wine is ruby in ap-pearance with sharp colors and reflec-tions. It took a while for legs to form. Once they did, there were many slow falling tears on the sides of the glass.

The wine’s aroma was multifaceted. A good whiff of alcohol was noted. We all suspected the wine was aged in oak from its nose. But after that, we struggled to notice any other significant aromas. We tried to guess the alcohol content, but we all estimated a bit high (13.8% to 14.3%). Actual Angeline Pinot Noir alcohol content 13.5% by volume, per the bottle.

We described the wine’s taste as a combination of green and red fruits, with a hint of cherry coming through. Con-sensus was that the wine’s mouthfeel was of linen. We all enjoyed the soft tannins, noticed mostly on the inside of the cheeks.Finish of Angeline Pinot Noir was long and not overpowered by the tannins.

Overall we liked this wine, how-ever we concluded the 2013 is still a bit young, given the green fruits in the flavor. It definitely had the characteris-tics of a classic Pinot Noir. It might be a good idea, however, to let this one age a year if you’re going to be drinking An-geline Pinot Noir on its own as a sipper.

After the tasting, we dined on Shepherd's Pie. And, of course, the bottle followed us to the table. The Shepherd’s Pie was excellent, with classic ingredients that included tomatoes and onions.

We all noticed that the good acidity from the tomatoes and onions really brought out the cherry fla-vors that were so subtly noticed in the formal tasting.

With that expe-rience, we believe Shepherd’s Pie is a perfect recom-mended food pairing for this wine. The bottle emptied quickly with dinner!

Angeline Pinot Noir price $10.99.

>>> RESTAURANTS | W H E R E T O E A T I N T U S C A L O O S A

BREAKFAST / LUNCHBrown Bag9425 Jones Road | northport // 333.0970its speciality, fried green tomatoes, joins barbecue plates and fish filets on an extended list of meats and vegetables.tues 10:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Wed-sat 10:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

City Cafe408 main ave | Downtown northport // 758.9171Established in 1936. Big on food, low on price. open for breakfast and lunch. Historic downtown northport. closed weekends.

CountryPride Restaurant3501 Buttermilk Rd // 554.0215www.ta.travelcenters.comBreakfast 24 hours. lunch and Dinner buffet.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store4800 Doris pate Dr | Exit 76 // 562.8282www.crackerbarrel.com

International House of Pancakes724 skyland Blvd // 366.1130

Jack's1200 Hackberry lane | tuscaloosa // 345.1199

Maggie's Diner1307 ty Rogers Jr. ave | tuscaloosa // 366.0302

Mr. Bill's Family Restaurant2715 mcfarland Blvd | tuscaloosa // 333.9312

Panera Bread1800 mcfarland Blvd *402 | tuscaloosa // 366.8780

Quick Grill1208 university Blvd | the strip | tuscaloosa // 342.0022

Rama Jama’s1000 Bryant Dr // 750.0901closest restaurant to Bryant-Denny stadium.

Sweet Home Food Bar2218 University Blvd. | Tuscaloosa // 764-9346 Mon.-Fri. 7 a.m. – 4 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Waysider1512 Greensboro ave // 345.8239open for breakfast and lunch. smoke free.

MEXICANChipotle Mexican Grill1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 391.0140www.chipotle.com

Don Rafa's2313 4th street | temerson square // 345.9191

El Mariachi3520 mcfarland Blvd E |tuscaloosa // 409-8585

El Rincon (2 locations)1225 university Blvd | tuscaloosa // 366.08551726 mcfarland Blvd | northport // 330.1274

Fernando's Mexican Grill824 mcfarland Blvd E | northport // 205.331.4587

Iguana Grill1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 752.5895

Jalapeno’s Mexican Grill2001 new Watermelon Rd | northport // 342.3378

LaGran Fiesta9770 Hwy 69 s // 345.8871

Los Calientes Mexican Grill3429 mcfarland Blvd E // 553.1558

Los Tarascos (2 locations)1759 skyland Blvd // 553.88963380 mcfarland Blvd | northport // 330.0919

Margarita's Grill1241 mcfarland Blvd E // 343.0300

Moe’s Southwest Grill (2 locations)2330 mcfarland Blvd E // 342.14871130 university Blvd // 752.0234moes.com

Pepito’s (2 locations)1203 university Blvd | the strip // 391.90281301 mcfarland Blvd nE // 391.4861

Taco Mama2104 a university Blvd, tuscaloosa409.8173 FINE DININGChuck’s Fish508 Greensboro ave | Downtown tuscaloosa // 248.9370monday - thursday 5-10 p.m. and friday - saturday 5-11 p.m. steak, seafood, & sushi specialities. Daily specials: monday - $20 Bottles of Wine; tuesday - ladies night 1/2 off Domestic Beer and House Wine, select $5 martinis, $2 off select sushi Rolls for Everyone; uptown Wednesday - $6 uptown shrimp; featured cocktails and $20 Bottles of Wine. Cypress Inn501 Rice mine Rd // 345.6963fax: 345.6997 | www.cypressinnrestaurant.com2003 Restaurant of Distinction. Beautiful riverfront location.steaks, seafood and more with southern flavor. Wine list,full bar. specialities of the house include shrimp cypress innand smoked chicken with white barbecue sauce. Kid friendly. closed saturday lunch. mike spiller is featured the firstthursday of every month. Happy Hour- mon-fri from 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. featuring 1/2 price appetizers. $2 Domestic Draft Beers and $3 Well cocktails.

Epiphany Cafe19 Greensboro ave | Downtown tuscaloosa // 344.5583“new american cuisine” with a strong emphasis on localproduce, organic meats, and sustainable seafood. the menuis always changing and features include an extensive wine list, a large vibrant bar and martini lounge area, as well as patio seat-ing. Reservations are available online at epiphanyfinedining.com or through open table. Hours: mon–sat 5 p.m. - until

Evangeline’s1653 mcfarland Blvd. north // 752.0830located in the tuscaloosa Galleria. 2004 West alabamatourism award Winning Restaurant. american Eclecticcuisine. lunch: mon–fri 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Dinner: tues–sat 5 p.m. - until... fall: saturday Brunch.

FIVE Bar2324 6th street. // 205.345.6089a restaurant/bar based on simplicity. We offer 5 entrees, 5 red wines, 5 white wines, 5 import beers, 5 domestic, and 5 signature cocktails, to go along with our full liquor bar.Dinner: sunday - thursday 5-10; friday and saturday 5-12lunch: friday and saturday 11-3; sunday Jazz Brunch: 10-3five-bar.com; 205.345.6089

Kozy’s3510 loop Road E | near Va medical center // 556.4112Great locally-sourced foods and live piono music on the week-ends. |killionrestaurants.com/kozys/

Twin3700 6th st, tuscaloosa in tuscaloosa country club | 758-7528 | http://twinpowersactivate.comcertified usDa prime steaks; specialty sushi and cocktails. Hours: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.; 5 – 10 p.m. JAPANESEBenkei Japanese Steak House1223 mcfarland Blvd // 759-5300Hours: mon–thurs 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. | fri–sat 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Bento Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar1306 university Blvd // 758.7426

Hokkaido Japanese Restaurant607 15th street open sunday through thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and friday and saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Ichiban Japanese Grill & Sushi502 15th street // 752.8844

Tokyo Japanese Steak & Sushi Bar6521 Hwy 69 s | Hillcrest center // 366.1177offers steak, seafood, tempura, teriyaki and sushi. includingcooking at your table, if you choose. sun–thurs 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. fri & sat 5 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Kobe Steak House1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 759-1400lunch: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Dinner: 4:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.sat & sun 11:30 a.m. - 11 p.m. ITALIANAvenue Pub405 23rd avenue

Broadway Pizzeria2880 Rice mine Road northeast tuscaloosa, // 391.6969

DePalma’s Italian Cafe2300 university Blvd, Downtown // 759.1879menu ranges from sanwiches to finer pasta dishes and pizza.Varied beer and wine selection.Hours: mon–thurs 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | fri & sat 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.www.depalmascafe.com

Little Italy1130 university Blvd. | tuscaloosa // 205.345.4343

Mellow Mushroom2230 university Blvd // 758.0112pizzas, calzones, hoagies and more. open dailyfor lunch and dinner. www.mellowmushroom.com

Mr. G’s908 mcfarland Blvd n | northport // 339-8505

Olive Garden2100 mcfarland Blvd E // 750-0321open daily from 11 a.m.www.olivegarden.com CASUAL DININGAvenue Pub405 23rd avenue // tuscaloosathe pub offers a different menu for brunch, lunch, and dinner. feature foods include pineapple french toast, pork sliders, and a house burger which changes daily. the drink menu features specialty cocktails, local pints, bottled beer, and wine. Monday through Friday 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Saturday Noon – 11 p.m., Sunday Noon p.m. – 9 p.m.

Big Daddy’s Cafe514 Greensboro ave | Downtown tuscaloosa // 759.9925

The Blue Plate Restaurant (Was Northport Diner)450 mcfarland Blvd, northport // 462-3626

Brumfield's Restaurant4851 Rice mine Road | Tuesday - Thursday: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Fri-day - Saturday: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., and Sunday: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Buddy’s Ribs & Steaks2701 Bridge ave | northport // 339.4885

Buffalo Wild Wings2710 mcfarland Blvd // 523.0273mon–Wed 11 a.m. - midnight | thurs–sat 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.

Chicken Salad Chickthe shoppes at midtown & Essex square, northport | said to be the very best chicken salad that can be found anywhere. www.

>>> WINE REVIEW | J O n R O G e R S

SALMON CREEK MERLOT AND ANGELINE PINOT NOIR

More wine reviews by Jon Rogers at www.honestwinereviews.com

Salmon Creek Merlot and other wines from Salmon Creek

Cellars in Sonoma, California are primarily marketed to restaurants and hotels. However, it’s not uncommon to find them in stores as well. I rarely find the 750ml bottles in the stores. Normally what I find are the 1.5 liter bottles of this wine.

Salmon Creek Cellars is part of the Bronco Wine Company. According to the wine’s website, Salmon Creek Merlot is actu-ally a blend of Merlot, Segaline and other “mixed reds.”

The winemaker is Bob Stashak.

I received “tast-ing assistance” from a good friend of mine. He’s helped out with several other reviews and his palate is astute. For this review, we tasted the 2012 vintage. In the glass, this Merlot is deep Burgundy in color. When first poured, the wine was lacking in legs. However, after some time we noticed short and slow falling legs.

Between the two of us we described the aroma as “smoky berries” and “cher-ry tobacco.” We described the flavor of Salmon Creek Merlot as a dark, almost sweet, black cherry. We also noticed a slight alcohol burn in the breathe out.

Salmon Creek Merlot alcohol content 12.5% by volume, per the bottle.

The wine has a thin mouthfeel. Tan-nins were grippy. I noticed them on the inside lip whereas my friend said he felt them on the center of his tongue.

Finish was long with the cherry fla-vors carrying through to the end.

We both liked Salmon Creek Merlot a lot. The flavors were enjoyable and the wine is well balanced overall.

For me, this Merlot is one of my house wines. The price for Salmon Creek Merlot is $10.00, which is a steal, in my opinion. Keep in mind, this is the price for the bigger 1.5 liter bottle.

Given the great flavors and the fact that this wine is very popular in restau-rants, this wine is an excellent value. Recommend!

Angeline Pinot Noir

Specifically tasted was the 2013 An-geline Pinot Noir. I had the pleasure

of tasting this wine with close friends who have great palates. We started off with a formal tasting of the wine, then followed with a dinner pairing of Shep-herd’s Pie.

11>>> Visit us on tHE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM JANUARY 29 + FEBRUARY 12

chickensaladchick.com

Chili’s1030 skyland Blvd | near mcfarland mall // 750.8881fax: 758.7715 // www.chilis.com

Dave’s Dogs1701 mcfarland Blvd E | university mall // 722.2800

Five Guys Burgers & Fries1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 391.0575www.fiveguys.com

Glory Bound Gyro Company2325 university Blvd // 349-0505Glory Bound Gyro company is a unique restaurant that focuses on great food and service in a funky, fun-filled atmosphere.open mon-thu: 11am - 10pm | fri - sat: 11am-10pm |sun: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Heritage House700 towncenter | northport // 758.0042open mon-fri 7 a.m. – 6 p.m., sat. 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Hooligan’s1915 university Blvd // 759.2424from hamburgers to hummus. open daily 10 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Horny's508 Red Drew ave | tuscaloosa // 345.6869mon 4 p.m. - 2 a.m. | tues-thurs 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.fri 11 a.m. - 3 a.m. | sat 4 p.m. - 2 a.m.new orleans style atmosphere in the heart of tuscaloosa onthe strip. Horny's offerings include a full liquor bar, beer, anda variety of classic american food. Horny's Bar and Grill offers a limited late night menu from 1:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.

Logan's Roadhouse1511 skyland Blvd E // 349.3554

Madear’s1735 culver Road // 343.7773mon–fri 6 a.m. - 5 p.m. | 2nd & 3rd sunday 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Mugshots Grill & Bar511 Greensboro ave | Downtown tuscaloosa // 391.0572Great burgers & sandwiches. unique setting, full service bar,veggie entrees, kid friendly, and open latewww.mugshotsgrillandbar.com

Newk’s Express Cafe205 university Blvd. East // 758.2455fax: 758.2470 // www.newkscafe.coman express casual dining experience in a refreshing andstylish atmosphere. serving fresh tossed salads, oven bakedsandwiches, california style pizzas and homemade cakes fromnewk’s open kitchen. sun–Wed 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | thurs–sat 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

O’Charley’s3799 mcfarland Blvd // 556.5143open daily for lunch, dinner and sunday brunchwww.ocharleys.com

Panera Bread1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 366.8780www.panerabread.com

Piccadilly Cafeteria1701 mcfarland Blvd E | university mall // 556.4960www.piccadilly.com

Quick Grill1208 university Blvd | the strip // 342.0022www.bamaquickgrill.com

Ruby Tuesday (2 locations)6421 interstate Drive | cottondale // 633.3939Just off i-20/59 at exit 77. near Hampton inn and microtel inn311 merchants Walk | northport // 345.4540www.rubytuesdays.com

Ryan’s4373 courtney Dr // 366.1114near marriott courtyard and fairfield inn Sitar Indian Cuisine500 15th st // 345-1419

Southland Restaurant5388 skyland Blvd E // 556.3070steaks, chops and home-cooked vegetablesmon–fri 10:45 a.m. - 9 p.m.

T-Town Café500 14th street, tuscaloosa | 759-5559 |www.ttowncafe.co mon - fri: 5 a.m. - 9 p.m., sat: 5 a.m. - 3 p.m. sun: 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Tacogi500 Greensboro ave | Downtown tuscaloosa // 342.3647

Tuscaloosa Burger & Seafood Company1014 7th ave. | tuscaloosa // 764.1976over 160 craft beers.tue. - thu 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; fri - sat 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; sun 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. large selection of decadent desserts.

Zoe’s Kitchen312 merchants Walk // 344.4450a wonderful selection of Greek foods

SPORTS GRILLBaumhower's Wings of Tuscaloosa500 Harper lee Drive | catering-pick-up tuscaloosa //556.5858 | always fresh and always fun. owned by former ua/miami Dolphins great Bob Baumhower. Kid friendly

Buffalo Phil’s1149 university Blvd | the strip // 758.3318sports grille with tVs galore. Diverse beer and wine selection, full barBilly's Sports GrillHistoric Downtown northport / 879.2238Good food, beverages and family friendlyMonday through Wednesday from 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. till 9 p.m. (Sunday Brunch 10:30am-3pm).

Buffalo Wild Wings2710 mcfarland Blvd. East | tuscaloosa // 523.0273sports grille with tVs galore. Diverse beer and wineselection, full bar

Champs Sports Grille320 paul Bryant Drive | inside four points sheraton Hotel // 752.3200Breakfast and lunch buffets. sunday brunch 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Hooter’s5025 oscar Baxter Dr | next to Jameson inn // 758.3035Wings, clams, shrimp and of course the Hooters Girlswww.hooters.com

Innisfree Irish Pub1925 university Blvd | tuscaloosa // 345.1199

Moe's BBQ101 15th street | Downtown tuscaloosa // 752.3616mon-sat 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.Bar open until 2 a.m., 3 a.m. on fridays

Mugshots Grill & Bar511 Greensboro ave // 391.0572Great burgers. full service bar. open late.www.mugshotsgrillandbar.com

Tuscaloosa Burger & Seafood Company1014 7th ave. | tuscaloosa // 764.1976over 160 craft beers.tue. - thu 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; fri - sat 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; sun 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. large selection of decadent desserts

Wilhagan’s2209 4th st | Downtown tuscaloosa // 366.0913

Wings U 1800 mcfarland Blvd East suite 218 | pick-up tuscaloosa // 561.3984 features the first coal-fired pizza oven in alabama. owned by former ua/miami Dolphins great Bob Baumhower. completely open concept! www.wingsu.com

WingZone1241 mcfarland Blvd E | tuscaloosa // 342.2473

BARBEQUEArchibald & Woodrow's BBQ4215 Greensboro ave | tuscaloosa // 331.4858mon-sat 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. | sun lunch

Bama BBQ & Grill3380 mcfarland Blvd | northport // 333.9816

Dickey's BBQ (3 locations)9770 alabama 69; midtown; and 13544 Hwy 43 north at Rose Blvd. in northport. texas Barbecue. | 344.65001800 mcfarland Blvd, midtown Village, tuscaloosa. | 758-113313544 Hwy 43 north, Winn Dixie shopping center, northport. | 330-1147

Dreamland (2 locations)5535 15th ave | tuscaloosa // 758.8135101 Bridge ave | northport // 343.6677the legend. on game day, get there early if you want to makekickoff. seating is limited. Hours: mon–sat 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. | sun 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Hick’s BBQ4400 fayette Hwy // 339.3678 // tues–sat 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Moe's Original BBQ2101 university Blvd.. // 752.3616serving up an award-winning, all things southern BBQand live music experience. come dine-in or sit on thepatio and enjoy some great Que, beers, whiskey, and livemusic on thursday-saturday. Roll tide!mon–sat 11am - 10pm | Bar service mon-sat 2am andfri -3am | Kitchen closes at 10pm

Pottery Grill (2 locations)Highway 11 | cottondale // 554.18153420 alabama 69 | northport // 333.5848menu: thepotterygrill.comawesome barbecue. the pottery Grill serves up everything from pork, chicken, ribs and sausage to burgers, hot dogs and salads. take-out and catering available.

Tee’s Ribs and Thangs1702 10th avenue // 366.9974 |11 a.m. - 10 p.m. daily

STEAKSLogan’s Roadhouse1511 skyland Blvd | next to sams // 349.3554steaks, ribs and spirits

Longhorn Steakhouse1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 345-8244 #412

Nick's In the Sticks4018 culver Rd | tuscaloosa // 758.9316a long-time tuscaloosa tradition.Good steaks at a reasonable pricetry a nicodemus if you have a designated driver.

Outback Steakhouse5001 oscar Baxter Dr // 759.9000

Twin Restaurant3700 6th street |tuscaloosa | 758-7528 a full service restaurant specializing in sushi, prime steaks, made fresh daily pasta, and whiskey oriented cocktails. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. // former tuscaloosa country club

SEAFOODChuck’s Fish508 Greensboro ave | Downtown tuscaloosa // 248.9370monday - thursday 5-10 p.m. and friday - saturday 5-11 p.m. steak, seafood, & sushi specialities. Daily specials: monday - $20 Bottles of Wine; tuesday - ladies night 1/2 off Domestic Beer and House Wine, select $5 martinis, $2 off select sushi Rolls for Everyone; uptown Wednesday - $6 uptown shrimp; featured cocktails and $20 Bottles of Wine.

Red Lobster2620 mcfarland Blvd // 553.8810mcfarland plaza shopping center

>>> RESTAURANTS | W H E R E T O E A T I N T U S C A L O O S A ( C O N T . ) >>> BEER REVIEW | B R e T T R e I D

SNAKE HANDLER // WARMS YOU UP // LOOSENS YOU UP

ing and it’s everything you could want. The mouthfeel is perfect, as always. It

has a medium-to-full-body that does leave you feeling a little heavy in the stomach, but that’s okay! You don’t have to drink multiples of this beer to have a good time. Carbonation is always on point with Good People beers, and it’s something I truly ad-mire. The beer warms you up and also has the ability to loosen you up as well, seeing as those it hammers in at around 10% ABV. This is a beer you would drink while calling a long lost friend or while reading a great piece in a magazine. It’s meant to be enjoyed and that’s how it should be treated.

Overall, this is just one of those beers for me. The taste is everything I could want it to be and then more. To put it simply, they just know what they’re doing. Good People creates some of the best beers made in the country. I know I’m not alone when I say that this beer has the po-tential to stand up against the best of the best in this style. I may be a little biased but if you’ve tried it then you know and if you haven’t, you should do so as soon as you can.

It’s widely known that some beers can create a cult fol-

lowing. People go bonkers over Hop Slam or Heady Topper, but in Alabama, we go bonkers over something that’s a little closer to home. Good People’s Snake Handler Double IPA is brewed year-round, but it hits cans only once a year. If you listen at your favorite beer spot, you can usually hear people inquiring about when “Snake”, as people in the know refer to it, will hit the shelves. It’s interesting to con-sider that it’s on tap 12 months of the year, but the real mayhem hits when social media boasts a picture of that glorious green and orange can. By releasing only a small batch in cans once a year, the celebrity of Snake Handler grows and grows, thus causing shelves to be emptied within weeks of the release. This year, I was told that only around a thousand cases were brewed and distrib-uted throughout Good People’s distribution area. I was lucky enough to pick up one of the four packs and then a few days later I picked up three more. I figured considering the timely release, there was no other beer that deserved to be enjoyed and written about. So here are my thoughts:

First, you should open this and im-mediately take in the fragrance of a blissful cornucopia of citrus, pine, and malt that blend together to create one of the most beautiful bouquets in all of beer. Really though, there’s a lot of great citrus scents like grapefruit and orange peel as well as some nice pine notes with overtones of sweet malts. It pours a deep, dark golden orange color, almost rust like in compari-son, and slightly cloudy, with a fluffy layer of head that looked about two finger widths high. The head settles slowly and leaves a nice bit of lacing on the glass with still a think layer of creamy head that rests on top of the beer.

When you taste this beer, be ready for a mouthful of flavor, because that’s what you’re going to get. Caramel sweetness on the front end carries you through a creamy malt character that really makes this one an easy drinker. As you continue through each sip, the bitterness grows into a piney, citrus flavor that covers your entire tongue. Let it be said that this is a very bitter beer if you’re not used to DIPA style beers. To those of us who have a conditioned palate, it has a nice bitterness characteristic. After the swallow, the sweetness fades into a citrus aftertaste that can certainly make your mouth water.

From beginning to end, this is a hophead’s beer. It has everything we love about Double IPA beers but with an amaz-ingly complex flavor that is so rarely found. The sweetness really enhances the citrus and the bread-like malt really plays off the caramel. I could go on and on, but I’m on a word count here so I can’t really rave as much as I would like. Just know it’s amaz-

JANUARY 29 + FEBRUARY 1212 >>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's souRcE foR EntERtainmEnt, music, spoRts & tHE aRts

>>> RESTAURANTS | W H E R E t o E a t i n t u s c a l o o s a ( c o n t . )

Tin Top Restaurant & Oyster Bar 4851 Rice mine Rd nE #460 // 462.3399mcfarland plaza shopping center & temerson squareTuscaloosa Burger & Seafood Company1014 7th ave. | tuscaloosa // 764.1976over 160 craft beers.tue. - thu 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; fri - sat 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; sun 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. large selection of decadent desserts.

Wintzell’s Oyster House1 Bridge ave | northport // 247.7772casual riverfront diningsun–thurs 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | fri–sat 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

CHINESEBuffet City1747 skyland Blvd E // 553.3308all you can eat buffet. open 7 days a week.

Chang’s Chinese Restaurant1825 mcfarland Blvd n // 391.9131China Fun2600 university Blvd | alberta city // 553.2435

China GardenHwy 69 s | Hillcrest center // 758.0148

Chongwah Express1425 mcfarland Boulevard, northport.  333-1088

Hot Wok Express6751 alabama 69, tuscaloosa // 758.0148

Lee Palace6521 Highway 69 s // 391.9990open daily 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Mr. Chen's Authentic Chinese Cooking & Oriental Market514 14th st. | in the oz music shopping center //343.6889 // open sun - thu 11am - 9pm,fri & sat 11am - 9:30pm

Pearl Garden2719 lurleen Wallace Blvd | northport // 339.0880

Peking Chinese Restaurant1816 mcfarland | northport // 333.0361open 7 days a week. super lunch and dinner buffet.Hours: sun–thurs 11 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. | fri & sat 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Swen Chinese Restaurant1130 university Blvd | the strip // 391.9887

Trey Yuen4200 mcfarland Blvd E // 752.0088

ASIAN CUISINERuan Thai1407 university Blvd // 391.9973 | ruanthaituscaloosa.comExotic thai cuisine. offers vegetarian options, outdoor dining,and a full bar. sushi on thursdays. lunch: mon–sat 11 a.m. -2 p.m. | Dinner: mon–thurs 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. fri & sat 5 p.m. -10pm | sun 11 a.m. -3 p.m.

Surin of Thailand1402 university Blvd // 752.7970authentic thai restaurant and sushi bar. open daily.lunch: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Dinner: 5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.www.surinofthailand.com

PIZZA AND SUBSA Taste Of Chicago1700 Greensboro avenue 205-342-DoGsmon. - thurs. 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; fri. - sat. 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.17th street and Greensboro avenue. authentic chicago style foods. italian Beef sandwiches, chicago Rib tips, and chicago style pizza.

California Underground13552 Highway 43, northport | 339.8660

Firehouse Subs1130 university Blvd | tuscaloosa // 248.0680

Hungry Howie’s (2 locations)1105 southview ln | south tuscaloosa // 345.60001844 mcfarland Blvd | northport // 333.26331211 university Blvd | tuscaloosa | the strip // 366.15004851 Rice mine Rd | northriver/Holt // 345.3737

Lenny’s Sub Shop220 15th st // 752.7450fax: 752.7481 // www.lennys.com

Little Caesars Pizza1414 10th ave // 366.2220 | 1www.littlecaesars.com

Little Italy1130 university Blvd. // 345.4354

Mellow Mushroom2230 university Blvd | Downtown tuscaloosa // 758.0112

Subs n' You2427 university Blvd. | tuscaloosa // 205.758.0088

Roly Poly Sandwiches2300 4th street | tuscaloosa // 366.1222

The Pita Pit1207 university Blvd | the strip // 345.9606Hours: mon–sat 10:30 a.m. - 3 a.m. | sun 11:30 a.m. - midnight

Pizza 12050115th st. East | 561.6853

Pizza Palace Buffet6521 alabama 69 | 752.5444

Tut’s Place1306 university Blvd | the strip // 759.1004

DELICATESSEN

Honeybaked Ham Company421 15th st. E // 345.5508www.honeybaked.com

Jason’s Deli2300 mcfarland Blvd // 752.6192fax: 752.6193 // www.jasonsdeli.comlocated in the meadowbrook shopping center.

Jimmy John’s (3 locations)1400 university Blvd | the strip // 366.36991875 mcfarland Blvd n | northport // 752.7714815 lurleen B. Wallace s | tuscaloosa // 722.2268Delivery 7 days a week.www.jimmyjohns.com

Manna Grocery & Deli2300 mcfarland Blvd E | tuscaloosa // 752.9955

McAlister’s Deli (2 locations)101 15th st | tuscaloosa // 758.00393021 tyler Dr | northport // 330.7940sandwiches, salads and spudswww.mcalistersdeli.com

Momma Goldberg’s Deli409 23rd ave // 345.5501www.mommagoldbergs.com

Newk's205 university Blvd E | tuscaloosa // 758.2455

Schlotsky’s Deli405 15th st. E // 759.1975schlotskys.com

Which Wichuniversity Blvd.// Downtown tuscaloosa // mon – sat 10:30 – 9 // sunday 11 – 7 // fun atmosphere,fresh ingredients, great sand-wiches. 764.1673

COFFEE SHOPBarnes & Noble1800 mcfarland Blvd E | tuscaloosa349.6366

Chloe's Cup2117 university Blvd.| tuscaloosa // 764.0218

Crimson Cafe International Coffee House & Gourmet Deli1301 university Blvd | the strip // 750.0203mon–fri 7 a.m. - 11 p.m. | sat & sun 8 a.m. - 11 p.m.thecrimsoncafe.com

Five Javacoffee, fresh juices, smoothies and treats from mary's cakes. open monday - saturday at 7am; 9am on sundays

Heritage House700 towncenter | northport // 758.0042open mon-fri 7 a.m. – 6 p.m., sat. 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Krispy Kreme Doughnut1400 mcfarland Blvd // 758.6913www.krispykreme.com

Starbucks (2 locations)1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 343.24681901 13th ave East | inside super target // 462.1064starbucks.com

DESSERTSCelebrations Bakery, Inc.1832 mcfarland Blvd n | northport // 339.3221fax: 349.1945

Cold Stone Creamery1130 university Blvd. | tuscaloosa //343.1670specializes in customized ice creamHours: mon–thurs 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | fri & sat 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.sun 12 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Dunkin' Donuts2520 stillman Blvd. |tuscaloosa// 349.3400mccorvey Dr. | tuscaloosa // 348.4041www.dunkindonuts.com

Mary's Cakes & Pastries412 22nd avenue | behind opus | northport // 345.8610www.maryscakesandpastries.common–fri 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. | sat 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Smoothie King (2 locations)415 15th street | tuscaloosa // 349.1721fax: 349.19451403 university Blvd | tuscaloosa // 462.3664

Sweet CeCe's Frozen yogurt Treats2217 university Blvd. | Downtown tuscaloosa // 561.6458a fun and friendly make your own creation,yogurt experience!

TCBY (3 Locations)2304 mcfarland Blbd | meadowbrook shopping center //349.4661 // 2 mcfarland Blvd | northport | Essex shoppingcenter // 758.6855 // 1130 univ. Blvd. | the strip // 345.0804

Yogurt In Lovepatriot center 7402 Highway 69 southphone number: 764.9173 fax number: 764.9228monday-thursday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., friday & saturday 11 a.m.-10 pm.

Yogurt Lab920 paul W. Bryant Dr ste 200 | tuscaloosa // 347.9522

Yogurt Mountain1800 mcfarland Blvd E | midtown Village // 342.1484mon–thurs 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. | fri & sat 11 a.m. - midnight

TO HAVE YOUR RESTAURANT LISTED HERE PLEASE EMAIL PLANETEDITOR@YAHOO.COM

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BIRMINGHAM'S 26 // FOODIE HEAVENOver the holiday season I

reached a milestone, at least I saw it that way. On Christmas Eve, I turned 30 years old. That is still hard for me to admit but, 30 is the new 20, right? Leaving my twenties behind was bittersweet, mostly bitter, but this made for the perfect excuse to celebrate big. I wanted only a few things: to wear: a sexy, yet mature cocktail dress with extra high heels, to have a fine dining experience with my best friends, all while enjoying an expensive glass of wine. I figured 30-year-olds don’t dance on table tops—not that I ever did that.

Unfortunately, majority of my plans fell through: my dress ended up being a faded little black taken from the back of my closet, my high heels didn’t make it out the door, and several friends canceled.

The night would have been a tad of a disappointment had my dining experience not been as superb as it was. My party and I traveled the short trip to downtown Birmingham and decided to dine at a well-known restaurant, 26. The irony of the restaurant's name didn’t hit until later. According to their website the owners, who are brothers, were both born on the 26th exactly 2 years and 6 months apart. Fortunately for me, this wasn’t a place that only served 26 year olds. It had a trendy, chic vibe with mature, modern design and artworthy fixtures. My eyes went straight to the illuminated bar. Bright blue LED lights backlit the liquor shelving while tiny sparkles of gold shown from the bar top. The inverse level of energy was quite ap-pealing as the space seamlessly transi-tioned into a calmer atmosphere offering dimmer lighting and a comfortable setting. I must admit, the ambiance made me feel a little more confident in my new age. As if I had graduated to a newer, more sophisti-cated status, or it could have of been that we were the youngest people there.

I was quickly brought back to real-ity when the hostess acted incredibly inconvenienced after we told her we had a party of 9. While a table was prepared, we were asked to enjoy the bar. Here, we perused the wine list and cocktail menu. The energy that the bar was giving off put me in the mood for a nice mixed bever-age instead of the expensive wine I had originally planned. The bartender was very accommodating answering all of my ques-tions with patience and even allowing me to try a few things before placing my order. The waiter on the other hand seemed to have drunk from the same water as the hostess. All evening I felt the waiter was incessantly annoyed. Perhaps, it had been a long hard day for them.

We were seated along the wall in a comfortable booth accompanied with large fluffy pillows. This was probably the most comfortable I have been while dinning out. The menu was perfectly planned to please any palate offering seafood, steak, and even a hamburger. Since I had spent the last four hours primping for the evening, it

didn’t take me long to decide that I wanted the burger! What can I say, I wanted something fast and fatty—not quite the fine dining experience I was going for.

It was a short wait in between ordering and receiving our meals. Seated in front of me was somewhat of a masterpiece. Every layer of the burger was visible. In between a brioche bun was American cheese melted over aged Angus beef and bacon, with sweet red onions, crisp romaine lettuce and a garlic aioli sauce. The juices and savory aroma escaped as I cut the enormous burger in half, revealing a perfectly cooked patty! This was indeed a Kodak moment. If you eat regularly with a “foodie” then you understand the rule of "picture then eat." I played it a little different having a picture taken as I took a bite. The first bite nearly brought tears to my eyes. The high-quality fat from the Angus meat made all the difference. What a Heavenly hamburger.

Half way into the burger my little black dress was feeling extra little and I had to opt for a to-go box. The food completely canceled out the ill service from some of the staff. The rest of the party had no complaints and most cleaned their plate. The ticket price of $12 was very reasonable considering I entered Heaven for a moment. If you are in the Birmingham Five-Point’s area I highly recommend 26.

26 is located at 1210 20th Street South in downtown Birmingham. Hours of opera-tion vary; reservations accepted Monday through Saturday evening.

Cindy Huggins, RDN, LD is a Regis-tered Dietitian Nutritionist and local “food-ie”. Follow her on Twitter @DietitianCindy

13>>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's souRcE foR EntERtainmEnt, music, spoRts & tHE aRts JANUARY 29 + FEBRUARY 12

>>> M U S I C | K E V I N L E D G E W O O D

BACKrOAD ANTHEM

>>> H E A LT H | R AC H e L S T e I n e R , D C

BAMA ACOUSTIC NIGHT // THE MULLIGAN BROTHERS

The Mulligan Brothers will be the featured performers during Acoustic Night on Janu-ary 29, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. Originally scheduled to appear at the Bama Theatre's

Greensboro Room, their performance has been moved to the Cultural Arts Center. The Mulligan Brothers are Ross Newell (lead vocals, guitar, and songwriting); Gram Rea (fiddle, mandolin, viola, harmonica and vocals); Ben Leininger (bass and vocals) and Greg DeLuca (drums and vocals). Their debut album released in June 2013, “The Mulligan Brothers,” created passionate fans across the country and was in the Top Ten of CD Sales at the 2014 New Orleans Jazz Fest.

Presented by The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa, the project features both solo and en-semble performances of a wide range of acoustic music throughout the calendar year.. Cover charge is $10.

THE FABULOUS BENEFITS OF COCONUT OIL

fats, which were once thought to increase your risk of heart disease. Saturated fats raise HDL cholesterol (the good choles-terol your body needs). There was a study done on rats that found coconut oil reduces triglycerides, LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol), and antioxidant properties. Long-term use showed a reduced risk of heart disease and cardiovascular improve-ment. 3. Whiter Teeth. Oil Pulling, have you heard of it? Oil pulling is done by swish-ing a teaspoon of oil in your mouth for 15-20 minutes. It is believed to have many benefits, however the most popular is a natural teeth whitener. I do this myself and am a true believer! Many of my family and friends who oil pull have also noticed vis-ibly whiter teeth. It helps with many other dental hygiene properties such as stronger teeth, prevents bad breath, and can actu-ally decrease TMJ problems by strengthen-ing the muscles in the jaw. Thousands of years ago before dentists and discovery of proper dental health, oil pulling was done to prevent cavities and infections of the mouth. 4. Boost Brain Function. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of de-mentia worldwide and research has found it is caused by the brains reduced ability to use glucose for energy in certain parts of the brain. Coconut oil is high in medium chain fatty acid and has proven to show immediate improvements in brain function when consumed by providing an alternative source of energy. 5. Skin and Hair Moisturizer. Research also shows various purposes of coconut oil when used directly on the body as opposed to consuming it. It has become popular to use it for cosmetic purposes to improve the health and appearance of skin and hair. Studies show that when applied to dry skin, it improves the moisture and lipid content making it soft and hydrated. These properties also work the same for your hair. When applied to the hair as con-ditioner or as an overnight hair treatment, it hydrates dry hair and adds instant shine.

Hopefully you can see now that coconut oil has many great qualities, giving it the reputation of a “super food”. Whether it is consumed or used directly on the body, this simple addition to your pantry can change your health for the better in so many ways. Again, when purchasing co-conut oil make sure to spend the few extra dollars on UNREFINED, COLD PRESSED to reap the health benefits. Dr. Steiner is a Tuscaloosa area Chiropractor.

Coconut oil has gained much popularity over

the last few years and research continues to support its many benefits. Many of you have probably heard numerous ways to use it, but I am going to highlight some of its great qualities and explain a little of the science behind it. Coconut oil has actually been classified as a “super food” because of its unique combination of fatty acids and its positive effects on our body and our health. Before I get started though, not all types of coconut oil have these benefits. If you search for coconut oil in the store, you will notice a variety of brands, types, and prices. Cold pressed, refined, unre-fined, raw, and virgin are just a few words you may see on a jar of coconut oil. Don’t let this overwhelm you, it is simple- you must buy UNREFINED, COLD PRESSED coconut oil to get the benefits and let me explain why.

First off, there are two types: refined and unrefined. Refined virtually has no co-conut taste or aroma. The oil is produced from dried copra (not fresh coconuts) and it typically undergoes various levels of bleaching and deodorizing. When the oil is refined, it is treated with numerous chemicals and is processed at a very high temperature. By doing this, the health ben-efits are compromised and the shelf life is increased which makes it less expensive. Unrefined which can also be labeled virgin or extra-virgin, has a fresh coconut taste and smell, is white in color, and is made from fresh coconuts. The unrefined oil is going to be a few dollars more than the refined, but it is definitely worth it.

Another qualityto consider when purchasing coconut oil is whether it is cold-pressed or not. Cold pressed is a chemical-free mechanical process that extracts oil from seeds and nuts. Oils that are cold pressed are made in a heat-con-trolled environment to keep temperatures below 120ºF. The lower the temperature it is made with, the more nutritional proper-ties will stay in tact. All labels will sound great on the front for marketing purposes, but again just be sure to look for these two words: UNREFINED and COLD PRESSED.

While researching the benefits of coco-nut oil, I found one website had 101 uses and properties. That is a lot so I am going to highlight a few that I found fascinating, things I personally do, and would be of most benefit to the majority of readers. 1. Anti-bacterial properties. Lauric acid, which is a type of fatty acid found in coconut oil, is converted to monolaurin that helps kill off fungi, infection, and bacteria. As a result of these various health benefits, it has been extensively used in Ayurveda, the traditional Indian medicinal system. 2. Improvement of blood cholesterol levels. Coconut oil is loaded with saturated

14 >>> Visit us on tHE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM JANUARY 29 + FEBRUARY 12

After the huge buzz for the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, the leg-

end of pirates took over the airwaves, and suddenly the swashbuckling sea farers were on everyone’s minds-and television screens. Joining in on this ship is “Black Sails”, a surprising hit that brings forth some classic literary characters.

“Black Sails” is the story of Treasure Island’s Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) and his crew of scoundrels. Set in 1715, before the story of “Treasure Island” takes place, Flint has a reputation for being the most brilliant and feared pirate captain in all of England. To protect his livelihood and home from the English and Spanish government, Flint teams up with Eleanor Guthrie (Hannah New), a pirate’s daughter, and together they fight and hunt to protect the land. The seas are choppy, however, as other captains, soldiers, and even crew members-John Silver (Luke Arnold) in particular-stand in their way. Along with the mail three, other actors include Jessica Parker Kennedy, Zach McGowan, Toby Schmitz, Clara Pagent, Hakeem Kae-Kazim,

Louise Barnes, Rupert Penry-Jones, Sean Cameron Michael, Tadgh Murphy, and Nick Boraine.

The show first aired on January 25th, 2014, on STARZ, and became a hit. It was one of the most widely watched premiers, generating almost 2.6 million viewers from just the first episode, and increased steadily after. racking up 3.5 million combined in online and on air views. Season two has just aired its first episode, but the show has already been renewed for a third season.

Along with the amazing views, the show garnered some impressive awards. Instead of awards for acting, as is usually customary, “Black Sails” has been hailed for it’s amazing visual effects, as illustrated by its Primetime Emmy win for Outstanding Special and Visual Effects in a Supporting Role, and

>>> T H E F L A T S C R E E N | C A R A B R A K e

BLACK SAILS // A PIRATE'S LIFE FOR US

Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series. It was also nominated for an Emmy in Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music and Outstanding Main Title De-sign.

Along with the major wins and nods at the Emmy’s, it had also racked up nominations at theAcademy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films US, Australian Cinematographers Society, Online Film and Television Association, and the Visual Effects Society.

Season one was a short one, with only eight episodes, but quickly it got picked up for a second season, and then a third. Season one received raving re-views, with EW.com saying that STARZ hit a home run in a genre of show that hasn’t been touched very much and is hard to pull off, the genre of the pirate world. IGN praises its actors, saying that leading men Toby Stephens andLuke Arnold pull off the characters amazingly.

Season two has already begun, with the first episode having aired on January 24th of this year. Slated for ten episodes instead of eight, STARZ has a hit on their hands. Let us see if they can keep it sailing, or if “Black Sails” will get lost at sea. The next episode, “X”, will air on the 31st of January, and audiences can find Black Sails on STARZ every Satur-day at 9/8 central.

"12 Monkeys"

"Agent Carter"

15>>> Visit us on tHE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM JANUARY 29 + FEBRUARY 12

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TAKEN 3 // NO-HOLDS BARRED ACTION // I WATCHED IT TWICE ✭✭✭✭out of 4

A good action thriller rarely gives its hero a chance to catch his breath.

The bottom seems to fall out from under Liam Neeson in the second “Taken” sequel with twists, thrills, and surprises galore. In “Taken 3”, the 62-year old Irish thespian makes monkeys out of some rather nasty apes. This improb-able but exciting, PG-13-rated, crime thriller differs from its predecessors. Not only does it take place in Los Angeles rather than Europe, but also nobody abducts anybody. Instead, “Taken 3” is a wrongly-charged, innocent man, murder mystery about a husband accused of carving up his former wife.

The first sign an action franchise is endangered is when the producers either start pulling the plug on primary charac-ters or replacing the actors. The Famke Janssen character Lenore St. John exits the action early in this fleet-footed thriller, and she ends up in the morgue with a slashed throat. Lenore won’t make an encore unless “Transporter” writer & producer Luc Besson pulls a “Dallas” and resurrects this dame. Additionally, “Mission Impossible 2” actor Dougray Scott appropriates the role that actor Xander Berkeley originated as Lenora’s second husband, Stuart St. John, who showed up briefly in “Taken.” Neverthe-less, despite these changes and the ill things they usually bode for a Hollywood franchise, “Taken 3” surpasses the first two epics.

“Taken 2” director Olivier Megaton and “Taken” scenarists Luc Besson and Robert Mark Kamen never let the pace slacken once they’ve established the premise and everything goes to Hell for our hero. Neeson has to elude cops on foot, survive cars plunging respectively down elevators as well as hillsides with explosive results, swerve around careen-ing cars and a gigantic cargo container box tumbling down a freeway, and dodge a hailstorm of blazing lead. If you en-joyed the first two “Taken” movies, you shouldn’t be disappointed with “Taken 3.” Personally, I liked it enough to watch it twice.

Things get off to a lightweight start

with former CIA operative Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson of “Unknown”) buying his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace of “Lock-out”) a huge, stuffed Panda bear for her birthday. While Bryan is planning to surprise Kim, Kim is staring incredulously at a pregnancy test and pondering her uncertain collegiate future. Bryan arrives at Kim’s apartment with a bottle of cham-pagne and the Panda, and she doesn’t know what to say except he is three days early.

Our hero explains he is struggling with the problem of not being predict-able. Later, his former wife Lenora turns up at his apartment and complains that her husband Stuart and she are wres-tling with marital woes. Lenora kisses Bryan in a moment of intimacy, but he breaks off the lip-lock. Eventually, a jealous Stuart visits Bryan and asks him to stop seeing Lenora. Stuart plans to go out of town to Las Vegas the next day. Meantime, Bryan is out golfing with his old buddies. When he arrives home, he discovers a knife on the floor of his apartment. Absently, he picks up the knife, enters his bedroom, and finds Lenora sprawled in his bed with her throat slashed. Before Bryan realizes it, two uniformed Los Angeles Police De-partment patrolmen burst in with pistols drawn. When they try to handcuff him, Bryan disarms them and flees. A furious foot chase follows with Bryan barrel-ing down back streets, vaulting fences, and scrambling through homes with the fuzz at his heels. Miraculously, Bryan manages to escape. No sooner has he eluded the long arm of the law than he reassures Kim that he had nothing to do with his ex-wife’s demise.

LAPD Inspector Franck Dotzler (Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker of “The Last King of Scotland”) heads up the investigation. Appropriately enough, he is baffled when he examines Bryan’s records and finds staggering information gaps. “The man is a ghost,” he proclaims in frustration and orders his colleagues to maintain tabs on Bryan’s daughter Kim. Meanwhile, Bryan takes refuge at a se-cret hideout and enlists his four buddies

that served with him in the CIA to help him out of his quandary.

Director Olivier Megaton relies on multiple cameras to capture the no-holds-barred action throughout its nimble 109 minutes.

Good action thrillers not only keep the hero leaping through fiery hoops, but they also keep the audience guessing. At least two major surprises occur during “Taken 3,” and the villains qualify as wor-thy adversaries. During one kinetic liquor store shoot-out, Bryan eliminates four trigger-happy henchmen in a barrage of gunfire. At one point, he has the fourth dastard groveling on his knees with a pis-tol sticking in his face. Bryan threatens to shoot the thug if he doesn’t reveal the identity of his boss. Instead of coming clean about his superior, the thug snarls that he would rather die than squeal. Wrenching the gun from Bryan’s fingers, the villain blasts himself in the face with the pistol. One of the biggest scenes involves our hero infiltrating the lair of a murderous Russian mobster, Oleg Malankov (Sam Spruell of “Defiance”), in downtown L.A. Malankov has several well armed goons guarding his premises with a sophisticated surveillance security system. Predictably, Bryan encounters few problems circumventing the elabo-rate security system, but the Russian sur-

prises him with some heavy duty artillery when they tangle. Naturally, the authori-ties remain two jumps behind Bryan, but they never let up on the pressure that they exert on both Bryan and Kim.

Forest Whitaker doesn’t have much of a role to work with, but he is a live-wire every moment he appears on camera, and he gets some wonderful mileage out of twisting a rubber band around his hand. Dougray Scott is exceptional as Lenora’s complicated husband who is up to his ears in trouble with Spruell’s homicidal, heavily tattooed Russian gunsel. Watching “Taken 3” is like watch-ing the riveting Keanu Reeves’ thriller “John Wick.” These two movies amount to guilty pleasures with the accent on outlandish action sequences where the hero is not only outnumbered but also outgunned.

JANUARY 29 + FEBRUARY 1216 >>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's souRcE foR EntERtainmEnt, music, spoRts & tHE aRts

This adorable little guy will bounce his way into your

heart! Say hi to Bo, a one- to two-year-old male Dachshund/Terrier mix. He has a smooth black coat with some tan and white mark-ings. His body is short and long like a Dachshund, but he has a shorter tail and is a bit bigger like a Terrier. Bo is small, weighing only 14 pounds, and this is full-grown. He was pulled from our local animal shelter, where he had been picked up by Animal Control and no one came to claim the little fellow after several weeks. Bo is a fun, happy dog! He is very social and loves to be with you. He likes to run and play, and he seems to do well with other dogs. Bo should be fine in an apartment as long as he gets daily walks to use up his energy. He will require a fenced yard if left outside at all unattended. Bo should be fine with children ages six and older, and he will make a wonderful family dog or companion pup. We have started his crate training. Bo is up to date on his vet care, neutered, heartworm negative and is microchipped. He is on heartworm and flea/tick prevention. What a wonderful little dog – who will be his lucky owner?! If you are interested in giving Bo the forever home he wants and deserves, visit the Humane Society of West Alabama at humanesocietyofwa.org or call us at 554-0011.

>>> EVENTS CALENDAR | T H e S O U T H e A S T ' S L A R G e S T

THUrSDAy, JANUAry 29FISHES OF AMErICA: ArT ExHIBITWHEN: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.COST: FreeWHERE: 620 Greensboro AvePHONE: 752.8300LINK: cac.tuscarts.orgDESCRIPTION: The exhibit features col-ored prints illustrated by Joseph Tomelleri. The illustrations on display represent just a sampling of the more than 200 prints by Tomelleri in the collection housed in UA’s College of Arts and Sciences. Tomelleri has been illustrating fishes since 1985 and has rendered more than 1,100 illustrations from actual fish to ensure scientific ac-curacy. His work has appeared in numer-ous publications including Outdoor Life, In-Fisherman and the book “Trout and Salmon of North America.” Take advan-tage of the last week to see this exhibit at the University of Alabama Gallery in the Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center.

FrIDAy, JANUAry 30rOCKIN’ & rOLLIN’WHEN: 6 – 8 p.m.COST: $7WHERE: 2200 Rock Quarry DrPHONE: 758.5195LINK: tcpara.orgDESCRIPTION: Bring your roller blades or skates to the Phelps Center to join Tuscaloosa Parks and Recreation for a fun night of skating. Prizes, games and a live DJ are always part of the fun, and the first slice of pizza and snack are free!

SATUrDAy, JANUAry 31PrE-SUPEr BOWL FUN FOr KIDSWHEN: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.COST: $6 – 9WHERE: 2213 University BlvdPHONE: 349.4235LINK: chomonline.orgDESCRIPTION: Come out to Children’s Hands-On Museum to celebrate the big game! There will be football movie and Design your own Team Uniforms! All ac-tivities included in admission and families are welcome!

SUNDAy, FEBrUAry 1PATrIOTS V SEAHAWKSEnjoy the big game!

PLAy, BELIEVE, ACHIEVEWHEN: 9:30 – 11 a.m.COST: FreeWHERE: 323 Paul W. Bryant DrPHONE: 348.5040LINK: kentuck.orgDESCRIPTION: Join us for the first ever UA-sponsored event celebrating National Girls and Women in Sports Day! The goal of this event is to encourage female UA athletes to guide young girls in learning an athletic skill, decrease gendered bar-riers to an active lifestyle and showcase the fun of girls’ and women’s involvement in sports. There will be rotating 25-min-ute clinics and stations set up in Cole-man Coliseum open to all area 5th grade girls. Participants will be treated to lunch in Burke Dining Hall and will be able to attend the women’s basketball game at 1 p.m.

MONDAy, FEBrUAry 2 yOGA THErAPyWHEN: 4 – 4:45 p.m.COST: $9WHERE: 2200 Rock Quarry DrPHONE: 562.3230LINK: tcpara.orgDESCRIPTION: This class is for anyone with MS, back conditions, arthritis, senior adults or beginners who would like to take an adapted (gentle) yoga course. You may use a chair during this session. Drop-in any Monday at the Phelps Center.

TUESDAy, FEBrUAry 3rICHArD rOSS: JUVENILE-IN-JUSTICEWHEN: 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. COST: FreeWHERE: 103 Garland HallPHONE: 348.1891LINK: art.ua.edu/gallery/smgaDESCRIPTION: California photogra-pher Richard Ross turns his lens on the socially relevant topic of youth incarcera-tion. Culled from nearly 1,000 images of juveniles at more than 200 detention facilities in 31 states taken over a six-year period, this exhibition is a sobering look at America’s prison system. Visit the Sarah Moody Gallery on UA campus to see Ross’ work.

WEDNESDAy, FEBrUAry 4CrIMSON TIDE BASKETBALL VS MISSOUrIWHEN: 3 p.m.COST: $10 – 20 WHERE: 323 Paul Bryant DrPHONE: 348.6111LINK: rolltide.comDESCRIPTION: Show your support for the men of the Crimson Tide as they face the Tigers of the University of Missouri. Adult tickets are $20 and youth tickets are $10 at the Coleman Coliseum.

ExPLOrEr WEDNESDAySWHEN: 3:30 – 5 p.m.COST: $8WHERE: 427 6th AvePHONE: 348.7550LINK: amnh.ua.eduDESCRIPTION: Fossils, fish, and bugs-oh my! Come learn about science and history, and what makes Alabama the beautiful. For 3rd-5th grade explorers. Registration is required.

THUrSDAy, FEBrUAry 5KENTUCK ArT NIGHTWHEN: 5 – 8 p.m.COST: FreeWHERE: 503 Main Ave, NorthportPHONE: 758.1257LINK: kentuck.orgDESCRIPTION: As on the first Thursday of every month, Kentuck opens its doors to visitors for a night of art, music, food and fun. Enjoy a live band, food from the cob oven, and the wonderful art of resi-dent Kentuck artists.

DUDE, WHErE’S My FUEL CELL CAr?WHEN: 11 – 11:30 a.m.COST: FreeWHERE: 335 Hackberry Lane

BO IS FUN AND HAPPY // MINDY IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS

>>> PET PLANET | K e L S e Y C A M e R O nNOTE: All events listed here have phone numbers in the 205 area code unless otherwise indicated.

This little lady is Mindy, a petite female brown tabby cat who

is approximately 1 year and 9 months old. Her fur coloring is absolutely beautiful! Pictures just can't do her justice! She has gor-geous honey and ginger coloring. Mindy is a sweet, funny and very affectionate little girl! She loves people, loves to play and loves to nap with other cats. She also absolutely loves attention. When she makes a new friend, she usually walks right behind them, meowing at their feet. We are not sure about how Mindy feels about dogs, since she hasn't been around any. Mindy is negative for FIV/FeLK, current on vac-cinations, and she is spayed. Mindy is a fun-loving girl that deserves a home of her own. If you are interested in giving Mindy the forever home she wants and deserves, visit the Humane Society of West Alabama at humanesocietyofwa.org or call us at 554-0011.

If you ever decide to adopt a dog, check out your local shelter. Buying dogs from pet stores or online increases the demand for the cruel puppy mills that often supply them. If you already have a dog, please remember to get it spayed or neutered. It's the best way you can help prevent dog overpopulation.

Walk for a Dog: The Humane Society of West Alabama has recently been added to the Walk for a Dog app. If you own a smart phone, please down-load this app and choose our organization as the one you would like to walk for. Whenever you go for a walk with your dog, all you have to do is go to the app and click “start.” The Walk for a Dog app will track your distance and automatically donate to the Humane Society of West Ala-bama at no cost to you! Please share this information with your friends and family!

17>>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's souRcE foR EntERtainmEnt, music, spoRts & tHE aRts JANUARY 29 + FEBRUARY 12

BAMA ART HOUSE // WINTER FILM SERIES CONTINUESWest Alabama movie buffs are en-

joying the 2015 Bama Art House Winter Film Series. Screenings began on Jan. 6 with a total of seven films being featured in the series. A program of The Arts Council of Tuscaloosa, the movies represent the organization’s goals to bring new and unique film to the West Alabama area. Screenings will take place at the Bama Theatre on Tuesday nights at 7:30 p.m. with the box office opening at 6:30 p.m. and doors at 6:45 p.m. Fresh popcorn, snacks and beverages will be available in the Greensboro room.

Discount Punchcard Tickets ($60) will be available at the door prior to screenings and will be good for any 10 Bama Art House films during the year. Single Tickets will be priced at $8 gen-eral, $7 seniors & students and $6 Arts Council members. Patrons can visit bamatheatre.org/bamaarthouse to view the list of films, details and accompa-nying trailers. Here's the the remainder of the lineup:

February 3 The Homesman (2014) Drama/Western (R)Director: Tommy Lee JonesWriters: Tommy Lee Jones, Ki-eran Fitzgerald, Wesley A. OliverStars: Tommy Lee Jones, Hilary Swank, Grace GummerSynopsis: Three women who have been driven mad by pioneer life are to be transported across the country by covered wagon by the pious, indepen-dent-minded Mary Bee Cuddy, who in turn employs low-life drifter George Briggs to assist her.

February 10 Listen up, Philip (2014) Drama (R)Director and Writer: Alex Ross PerryStars: Jason Schwartzman, Elisabeth Moss, Jonathan PryceSynopsis: Anger rages in Philip as he awaits the publication of his sec-ond novel. He feels pushed out of

his adopted home city by the crowds and noise, a deteriorating relationship with his girl-friend Ashley, and his own indifference to promoting the novel. When Philip's idol Ike Zimmerman offers his isolated summer home as a refuge, he finally gets the peace and quiet to focus on his favorite subject: himself.

February 17A Girl Walks Home Alone At night(2014) Hor-ror/Romance/Thriller (Rated R) Director & Writer: Ana Lily AmirpourStars: Sheila Vand, Arash Ma-randi, Marshall ManeshSynopsis: In the Iranian ghost-town Bad City, a place that reeks of death and loneliness, the townspeople are unaware they are being stalked by a lonesome vampire.

>>> EVENTS CALENDAR | T H e S O U T H e A S T ' S L A R G e S T>>> E V E N T | K e V I n L e D G e W O O D

PHONE: 348.2111LINK: kentuck.orgDESCRIPTION: Alan Lane, professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering, will be speaking as part of Rodgers Library for Science and Engineering's spring lecture series "Take a Journey in Science." Dr. Lane's presentation will be the first of four lightning talks held in February and March on high-interest topics in science that shape our understanding of the world. The presentations will be held on the first floor of Rodgers Library, and will last for about ten minutes plus Q&A.

FrIDAy, FEBrUAry 6BILATErAL ExHIBITIONWHEN: 4 -7 p.m.COST: FreeWHERE: 109 Woods HallPHONE: 348.2783LINK: art.ua.edu/gallery/sggDESCRIPTION: Come to the reception for this excellent MA Exhibition of paintings. Meet the artists, enjoy the artwork and have some refreshments when you stop by at the Sella-Grenata Gallery. The ex-hibit will stay on display from Feb 1 – 13.

SATUrDAy, FEBrUAry 7MArDI GrAS JAZZ BrUNCHWHEN: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.COST: $5-10 WHERE: 1010 GreensboroPHONE: 758.2238LINK: historictuscaloosa.orgDESCRIPTION: The Tuscaloosa Preser-vation Society invites you to this morning of food and drink with jazzy entertainment and masks and beads to channel the spirit of Mardi Gras. All ages are welcome at the Battle-Friedman house for this delightful get-together. Society members discounted.

AN EVENING OF AFrICAN FILMWHEN: 6 – 9 p.m.COST: $10, $6 student/childWHERE: 600 GreensboroPHONE: 331.444.2262LINK: cchs.ua.eduDESCRIPTION: Visit the Bama Theatre for the third annual Tuscaloosa Evening of African Film, featuring three award-winning short films and one feature-length film. African art, crafts and other products will be available for purchase at the theater beginning at 5 pm and will be available for purchase during breaks throughout the evening.

FAMILy NIGHT AT THE MUSEUMWHEN: 5:30 – 8 p.m.COST: FreeWHERE: 427 6th AvePHONE: 348.7550LINK: amnh.ua.eduDESCRIPTION: The annual “Hands-on Night at the Museum” will be held at the Alabama Museum of Natural History with the theme of a Pirate Treasure Hunt! The event will feature dozens of interactive, family-friendly exhibits demonstrated by current UA graduate students, giveaways, FREE dinner, and much more! We hope to see you there!

MONDAy, FEBrUAry 9

My rOMANCE, OrCHESTrA WHEN: 7 p.m. COST: $20-40WHERE: 810 2nd AvePHONE: 348.6010LINK: tsoonline.othDESCRIPTION: This fun and lighthearted concert by the Tuscaloosa Symphony Or-chestra will sweep you and your Valentine off of your feet. It will feature romantic classics that will melt your heart. You will recognize many of the pieces from TV and film such as Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet which has been featured in Sesame Street, Columbo, A Christmas Story, and many other popular television series and movies. Purchase tickets online for the Moody Music Building auditorium.

rANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS WEEKWHEN: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.COST: FreeWHERE: 715 Campus DrPHONE: 348.6010LINK: crimsonkindness.comDESCRIPTION: Crimson Kindness will be celebrating the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation’s international celebration of Random Acts of Kindness Week on the week of February 9-15. From February 9-12, Crimson Kindness will host tables in the Ferguson Center from 11:00am-12:00pm. These tables will have drawings with free prizes and free candy.

TUESDAy, FEBrUAry 10ALABAMA rEPErTOry DANCE THEATErWHEN: 7:30 p.m. – 12 a.m.COST: $14-20WHERE: 428 Colonial DrPHONE: 348.3400LINK: theatre.ua.eduDESCRIPTION: The pre-professional dance company Alabama Repertory Dance Theatre (ARDT) returns to the stage for a spring concert featuring all-new choreography by award-winning dance faculty. Come see these talented dancers perform at Morgan Hall Tuesday through Thursday.

WEDNESDAy, FEBrUAry 11“AN UNMISTAKABLE SHADE OF GrAy AND THE OBAMA CHrONICLES” POETry rEADINGWHEN: 12 – 1 p.m.COST: FreeWHERE: Maxwell Hall on Stadium DrPHONE: 348.8078LINK: creativecampus.ua.eduDESCRIPTION: The Department of Communication, along with co-sponsors, welcomes Dr. Mary E. Weems to campus in celebration of African American His-tory Month. In this one hour colloquium at Maxwell Hall, Weems will read from several books of poetry, including “An Un-mistakable Shade of Gray and the Obama Chronicles.” The poetry reading will also feature some UA student poets.

THUrSDAy, FEBrUAry 12ALZHEIMEr’S SUPPOrT GrOUPWHEN: 6 – 7 p.mCOST: FreeWHERE: 1801 Rice Mine RdPHONE: 765.6549

18 >>> Visit us on tHE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM JANUARY 29 + FEBRUARY 12

Fox Theatre660 Peachtree St NE 404.881.2100

The Hangout251.948.3030thehangout1.com

Marathon Music Works 1402 Clinton St615.891.1781

Minglewood Hall1555 Madison Ave901.312.6058

>>> R OA D T R I P D I R E C T O RY Travel the South's best venues. Visit their website for ticket info and more.

Acoustic Café2758 County Hwy 9205.647.3237

Amphitheater at the Wharf23101 Canal Rd251.224.1020

Bridgestone Arena501 Broadway615.770.2000

Centennial Olympic Park265 Park Ave W NW404.223.4412

Montgomery Performing Arts Center201 Tallapoosa St334.481.5100

The Nick2514 10th Ave S205.252.3831

Sloss Furnaces20 32nd St N205.324.1911

Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre2200 Encore Pkwy

404.733.5010

Von Braun Center700 Monroe St SW256.551.2345

WorkPlay500 23rd St S205.380.4082

Zydeco2001 15th Ave S205.933.1032

>>> ROAD TRIP | s o u t H E a s t E R n co n c E R t s a n D E V E n t s

THURSDAY, JANUARY 29BIRMINGHAMGriffin House, WorkPlay TheatreFrank Jordan and Sarah Green, Stillwater PubTim Pulnik, Comedy Club StardomeErath Old, Tin Roof

MONTGOMERYMerle Haggard, Montgomery Performing Arts Center

ATLANTAGaelic Storm, Terminal West at King Plow Arts CenterNapalm Death and Voivod, The Masquerade

NASHVILLEPhosphorescent, Exit InRebelution, Marathon Music Works

NEW ORLEANSChrisette Michele, Saenger TheatreZach Deputy, House of BluesBantam Foxes, Gasa Gasa

FRIDAY, JANUARY 30BIRMINGHAMWinston Ramble, ZydecoSplendid Chaos, Iron Horse Café Bob Schneider, WorkPlay TheatreKris Hitchcock, Tin Roof

HUNTSVILLEHeartist, Blurry Visions Records

MONTGOMERYJoe Harley, 315 Exchange

ATLANTAThe Australian Bee Gees, Cobb Energy Performing Arts CentreZoso, Variety Playhouse

NASHVILLEThe September Gurls, High WattTim Akers & the Smoking Section, 3rd and Lindsley Bar and Grill

NEW ORLEANSShen Yun, Mahalia Jackson TheaterSlippery When Wet, House of Blues Kap Slap, Hi Ho Lounge

SATURDAY, JANUARY 31BIRMINGHAMThe New Orleans Suspects w/ Festival

Expressions, ZydecoAndrew Bryant, Bottletree Café

HUNTSVILLEPickin and Grinnin, Tims Ford State Park

MONTGOMERYDJ Bank$, Blue InguanaV-8 Death Car, Head on the Door

ATLANTABob Seger, The Arena at Gwinnett CenterWild Kratts, Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre

NASHVILLEArenacross, Bridgestone ArenaEric Paslay, 3rd and Lindsley Bar and GrillWoody Pines, High Watts

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1BIRMINGHAMFlyleaf, WorkPlay Theatre

NEW ORLEANSHot 8 Brass Band, Howlin’ WolfZola Jesus, Republic New Orleans

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2 BIRMINGHAMGlen Hansard, Iron City

ATLANTAReel Big Fish and Less Than Jake, The Masquerade

NASHVILLEThe Time Jumpers, 3rd and Lindsley Bar and GrillCrystal Bowersox, City Winery

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3ATLANTAMotion City Soundtrack, The MasqueradeSound & Lyrics, Apache Café

NEW ORLEANSGlen Hansard, The Civic Theater

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4BIRMINGHAMPassafire w/ Roots of a Rebellion, Zydeco

NASHVILLECopeland, Mercy Lounge/Cannery Ballroom

NEW ORLEANSJet Lounge, House of BluesMike Dillon Residency, Gasa Gasa

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5 BIRMINGHAMFifth on the Floor, ZydecoThe Whiskey Dix, Tin Roof

ATLANTAKongos, Center StageThe Tragic Thrills, The Masquerade

NASHVILLELucy Hale, 3rd and Lindsley Bar and Grill

NEW ORLEANSChris Brown w/ Trey Songz and Tyga, New Orleans Arena

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6BIRMINGHAMAaron Watson, Zydeco

MONTGOMERYRTFO, 315 Exchange

ATLANTAJerry Seinfeld, Fabulous Fox TheatreYonder Mountain String Band, Variety Playhouse

NASHVILLECold War Kids, Marathon Music WorksUmphrey’s McGee, Ryman Auditorium

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7BIRMINGHAMMiranda Springs, Comedy Club StardomeFrank Foster, Zydeco

ATLANTAIngrid Michaelson, Center StageCold War Kids, The Buckhead TheatreLotus, Tabernacle

NASHVILLETrampled by Turtles, Ryman Auditorium

NEW ORLEANSLil Durk, House of Blues

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8BIRMINGHAMLotus, WorkPlay Theatre

MICHAEL THORNTON // MONTGOMERY // DECEMBER 22

HaVE YouR VEnuE anD

EVEnts listED HERE fREE.

plEasE Email

planEtEDitoR@YaHoo.com

JERRY SEINFELD // ATLANTA // FEBRUARY 6SHEN YUN // NEW ORLEANS // JANUARY 30 THE WERKS // BIRMINGHAM // FEBRUARY 12CRYSTAL BOWERSOX // NASHVILLE // FEBRUARY 2

ATLANTAEric Benet, Fabulous Fox TheatreTopp Dogg, Tabernacle

NASHVILLEDiana Ross, Ryman Auditorium

NEW ORLEANSWale, House of Blues

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9BIRMINGHAMGuster, Iron City

NEW ORLEANSDoomtree, One Eyed Jacks

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11MONTGOMERYThe Living Deads, Double Branch

ATLANTAGeorge Clinton, Variety Playhouse

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12BIRMINGHAMThe Werks w/ Higher Learning, Zydeco

ATLANTAJessie J, Center StageShovels and Rope, The Buckhead Theatre

NASHVILLEEchosmith, 3rd and Lindsley Bar and GrillTedeschi Trucks Band, Ryman AuditoriumAbove and Beyond, Marathon Music Works

19>>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's souRcE foR EntERtainmEnt, music, spoRts & tHE aRts JANUARY 29 + FEBRUARY 12

4th & 23rd //

1831 // 331-4632

Alcove // 469-9110

Bear Trap // 345-2766

Big Al's // 759-9180

The Booth // 764-0557

Buffalo Wild Wings // 523-0273

Capones // 248-0255

Carpe Vino // 366-8444

Catch 22 // 344-9347

Copper Top // 343-6867

Crimson Bar // 764-0185

Downtown Pub // 750-0008

Gallettes // 758-2010

Gnemis Top Shelf Tavern // 343-0020

Gray Lady // 469-9521

Harry's Bar // 331-4151

Houndstooth // 752-8444

Innisfree // 345-1199

Jackie's Lounge // 758-9179

The Legacy // 345-4848

Mellow Mushroom // 758-0112

Mugshots // 391-0572

Rhythm & Brews // 750-2992

Rounders // 345-4848

THURSDAY,JANUARY 29Tequila Mockingbird, Top ShelfMatt Bennett, RoundersDoc Holiday / Mary Tylosaur, Green BarNic Roberson, Copper Top

FRIDAY,JANUARY 30 Rydin' Durty, Crimson BarPlato Jones , Copper TopJared Elliott Band, RoundersCharlie Argo, Top ShelfDylan McDonald and the Avians, Green Bar

SATURDAY,JANUARY 31Locked & Loaded, Crimson BarJon Autry and the Naval Avionics / Staying for the Weekend, Green BarPlato Jones, Top ShelfNic Snow, RoundersSoul Tide, Copper Top

MONDAYFEBRUARY 2William & Andy, Top ShelfLamont and Battito, Copper Top

TUESDAYFEBRUARY 3Plato Jones, Copper Top

WEDNESDAYFEBRUARY 4DJ Argo / Karaoke, Rounders

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5CBDB, Top ShelfLee Baines and the Glory Fires III and The Golden Monica, Green BArNic Snow, Rounders

Ethan Gardner, Copper Top

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6Trey Lewis, Crimson BarSoul Tide, Top ShelfAtlas Road Crew, Green BarPlato Jones / DJ Spinzz, RoundersCharlie Argo, Copper Top

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7Earth Old, Copper TopFashion Show, Green BarDown South, Crimson BarDJ Spinzz, Rounders

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8John Kilgore / Drew Dye, Crimson Bar

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11DJ Argo, Rounders

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12Sean Rivers, Acoustic, RoundersSumilan, Green Bar

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>>> LO C A L B A R S

>>> LOCAL MUSIC | WHO'S PLAYInG AROUnD TOWn

HAVE YOUR LOCAL MUSIC EVENT LISTED FREE IN PLANET WEEKLY. JUST EMAIL

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CBDB // TOP SHELF // FEBRUARY 5RYDIN' DURTY // CRIMSON BAR // JANUARY 30 SUMILAN // GREEN BAR // FEBRUARY 12

NEED r&B, TOP SHELF, rOUNDErS, COPPEr TOP, INNESFrEE

JANUARY 29 + FEBRUARY 1220 >>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's souRcE foR EntERtainmEnt, music, spoRts & tHE aRts

Across1. Gemstone from Australia5. Steel rod that strengthens concrete10. Lawyer's assignment14. Architectural fillet15. Western Samoan island16. In the blink___eye17. Thwarts19. ___ contendere: court plea20. Like haggis21. No one at all23. Expert at impersonations26. "___ Know": Presley song27. Orderly32. Perry Mason's field33. Quinn of "Desperately Seeking Susan"34. Plaster painting method38. Four-string instruments, for short40. Ringing sounds42. Piano piece requiring four hands43. 1980's PC's ran on it45. On ___ (spreeing)47. Overhead rail lines48. Special occasion51. Baseball Hall of Famer Nap54. By oneself: Prefix55. Manager58. Silas Marner's foundling62. Child's request63. Average guy66. Helpful ___67. Black grazer68. Service accompanying anoil change69. Assassinate70. Dutch river71. "Desire Under the___"

Down1. Amazed exclamations2. Indonesian boat3. Egyptian dancing girl

4. Rice vampire5. Karel Capek drama6. Prefix with center or dermis7. Former capital of West Germany8. Pain: Comb. form9. Backwoodsy10. Comforted11. "The game is ___": Holmes12. "Cheers!" in Cherbourg13. ____ Gay, historic plane18. Energetic almost to a fault22. Viziers' superiors24. Vent25. Like some saws27. Blighted urban area28. Talks one's head off29. Scand. country30. She has a neveu31. Bars at Fort Knox35. Fed lines to, as an actor36. That, in France37. "___ Lang Syne"39. Greeks' group41. "And ___ bed"--Pepys44. Spaniard's six46. Old-fashioned news transmitter49. Record player50. Cheap wine51. Sources of Scottish streams52. Be useful to53. Actress Elfman of 'Dharma & Greg'56. Eternities57. Rules, briefly59. Music's McCartney60. Long-range nuke61. ___ out a living (barely scrapes by)64. ___ the pants off65. Nantucket, e.g.: Abbr.

>>> PUZZLEMANIA | C R O S S W O R D P U Z Z L e

SOLUTION FOR PUZZLEMANIA CROSSWORD ON PAGE 21

>>> PUZZLEMANIA| S U D U K O

It's easy to play Sudoku! simply fill every column, row and 3x3 box so they contain every number between 1 and 9. the game is easy to play but difficult to master! Solution Page 21

WrITErS WANTED

For Information, please email PlanetEditor@

yahoo.com

21>>> Visit us on tHE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM JANUARY 29 + FEBRUARY 12

Your social life is really buzzing, bringing many opportunities to move in new circles and encouraging new friendships and business connections. though you may be very motivated to get ahead, you could find that others aren't in quite such a hurry. things could progress rather slowly as a result. Yet this might not be such a bad thing, as you may learn something of interest along the way. meanwhile, romantic opportunities also show up, one of which could be very rewarding.

With a flurry of activity at the top of your chart, this is one of the better times to move ahead with plans or make that career change you've been considering. connecting with the right people and being willing to lend a hand where necessary could endear you to those who make the decisions. You'll also be eager to explore opportunities that are a little outside your comfort zone. and with mercury retrograde, the past could inspire action in the present.

You seem to be in sync with your partner, with the mood being one of optimism. a lively lineup in your relationship sector allows you to indulge your love of entertaining and being entertained. But your more sensitive side is also on display. You'll be very aware of other people's feelings and the vibes around you, which you could use to your advantage. Where romance is concerned, will you hold back or surrender to your feelings? it could be the latter!

some lively energies encourage you to keep going regarding your goals and tasks. But you'll really make progress when you think outside the box and let your inspiration lead you on a journey of discovery. meanwhile, your love life rocks! Whether you're single or already smitten, this week's blend of energies will inspire you to let your inner romantic out - with delightful results. there's also a chance of mixed signals, so avoid doing or saying anything that could be taken the wrong way.

With mercury retrograde in your personal financial sector, it helps to be cautious when purchasing big-ticket items or buying online. though you may think you're getting a bargain, there's a chance you may not be. it helps to keep receipts and paperwork, as there's a good chance you'll need them later. Your compassionate side may be out in full force when Venus sashays into pisces. While you may want to volunteer your time to help, use some discretion.

though the presence of Jupiter at the top of your chart hints that you're ready to toot your own horn, you may have more success if you employ subtler methods of getting your message across. in contrast, there's a lot going on in your home and family sector, with many opportunities for get-togethers, celebrations, and fun. and with your romance zone in focus, it might be time to arrange a special treat for the one you love. it will really be appreciated!

Your home zone gets a visit from Venus this week, and she brings opportunities for entertainment and a chance to beautify your surroundings. this is your opportunity to clear the air, clear out clutter, and make space for yourself and your family to flourish. as mercury continues retrograde, you may find that your best-laid plans are subject to delays. However, it's still worth planting the seeds of an idea by researching your options and taking baby steps.

While you can't always get what you want, you can benefit from talking about it this week. a lovely lineup in your travel and adventure sector hints at a desire to escape for a long vacation or perhaps a short romantic break. if you've been working hard, you may need a little time to kick back and indulge. However, such thoughts could conflict with work that needs to get done. With a little planning, perhaps it isn't out of the question after all.

>>> HOROSCOPES | W e e K L Y O V e R V I e W

Health and wellness issues come into focus, encouraging you to look at your everyday habits to see what works and what doesn't. meanwhile, obstacles to progress at work may need some careful handling. Don't immediately give in to others' demands, as this is the time to fight for what is right. With Venus moving into pisces this week, you could be tempted to overindulge. While a little of what you fancy does you good, it helps to go easy.

the presence of Venus in pisces on tuesday only adds to your mystique. You may attract attention without doing anything to encourage it. You'll also be a lot more compassionate and sensitive to other people's needs and likelier to spend time listening to their problems and stories. While this is very commendable, you need to be firm with certain people who may try to take advantage. on another note, this is a great time to enhance your image and boost your confidence.

You may feel you're taking one step forward and two steps back this week, especially as mercury continues retrograde in your sign. But an opportunity to review a decision or rework a project could bring benefits in the long term. Where finances are concerned, you could be tempted to indulge in a few luxuries. But rather than buying items, you might get more satisfaction out of purchasing experiences, such as a spa day, a soothing massage, or special beauty treatment.

You may be inclined to drift and dream as Venus moves into pisces. this is a great time to get inspiration from meditation and nighttime dreams. it's also an opportunity to get in touch with yourself and recharge your batteries. Even though you may have delays or a minor conflict to deal with, your tendency will be to relax and go with the flow. over the weekend a very special influence can be excellent for showing your sweetheart or love interest how much you care.

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>>> RED CLAY DIARY | J I M R e e D

MORNING ON CATFISH ROW // YOU SUSTAIN ME

I’m plugging in the neon “open” sign in the bookshop window, preparing to

begin the day’s business.As I struggle putting the $2-book-and-

record racks out on the sidewalk, I see Rhondrae, just across the street at Good-year Shoe Hospital. Her red hair glows in the sun as she swishes her broom and spreads the leaves and dust over the curb.

When was the last time I saw a banker sweeping up in front of his own bank?

I see Melissa next door at Sojourns hauling her A-frame sign and balancing it on the walkway, her smile adding to the sunlight.

When was the last time I saw an at-torney putting up a sign in front of his own office?

I pick up the many cigarette butts in front of my shop, left there by my custom-ers and the employees of the law firm next door at the Massey Building.

When was the last time I saw a smoker dispose of a cigarette in the enormous City trash can on the sidewalk?

I politely brush off a salesman who wants to examine my phone service re-cords and credit card terminals to give me a “better” deal.

When was the last time one of these salespeople actually took time to shop at the store? Do they realize that I’ll give the time of day to any sales rep who will try to learn a little about my business and actually shop here? The income they are missing!

A self-published author wants me to sell her new book in the store. When I show her my latest published book, she sniffs at it, puts it down and continues her sales pitch.

Will she ever understand why I turn her down?

The publisher of a small “literary” journal wants me to purchase copies for the shop but doesn’t bother to open or purchase the Birmingham Arts Journal I

proudly show him.Has he ever heard of tit for tat?I go about opening up and operating

my sidewalk shop in much the same way each day, pretty much repeating my mo-tions—with variations. Since some kind of civilization began, I suppose the rituals have been similar—we bazaar vendors have our routines, routines that keep us grounded, routines our customers come to expect of us.

And we also have always dealt with non-customers who want a favor given without giving a favor.

Much of each day is spent providing free advice and consultation to people who want to know the “value” of a book or those who want me to research and find an obscure title—then turn me down, say-ing, “Oh now that you’ve helped me find it, I’ll just go online and order it myself.” No kidding!

Much of my social life is spent listening to folks promising me that they will some-day visit Reed Books—they’ve heard so much about it, you know—but who, year after year, never come in.

I just chuckle and go about my busi-ness.

What sustains me during all this rejection?

You do. You sustain me.You are the customer who shops and

enjoys and purchases. You are the cus-tomer who returns to the shop, bringing friends and family. You are the customer who gives me thumbs-up reports on Facebook and Twitter and other social media. You are the customer who “gets” it—you get the fact that I’m here providing a service that only 60 years of experience can provide.

You are the customer who remembers to thank me for Being Here, just after I thank you for Shopping Here.

©2015 by Jim Reed

23>>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's souRcE foR EntERtainmEnt, music, spoRts & tHE aRts JANUARY 29 + FEBRUARY 12

SABAN PROMOTES LUPOI // DECISION IS LOOMING FOR K.J. HILL

>>> H I G H T I D E | GARY HARRIS / WVUA SPORTS DIReCTOR

University of Alabama head coach Nick Saban has announced the

hiring of Tosh Lupoi. Lupoi, who was on Alabama's staff last season as an analyst, will serve as Alabama's outside linebackers coach.

"We are happy to have Tosh on board as a full-time assistant coach," said Saban. "Tosh has impressed me during his time here over the course of last year and he will be a great addition to our de-fensive staff. He's a high-energy guy and we feel like he will be able to contribute some new ideas both as a coach on the field as well as his role as in recruiting."

Lupoi has previous experience in a 3-4 defense as an assistant coach at California and Washington, where he was responsible for coaching the defen-sive line as well as one of the outside linebacker positions.

Lupoi was an analyst for the defense during the 2014 season for the Crimson Tide. Prior to that role, he served as the defensive line coach and defensive run game coordinator at Washington in 2012 and 2013. The Huskies ranked fourth in the country in sacks per game (3.15) in 2013 while ranking among the top four in the Pac-12 both years in scoring de-fense. Two of the players he coached at UW during that time earned All-America honors this season in outside linebacker Hau'oli Kikaha and defensive lineman Danny Shelton. Kikaha led the country with 19 sacks in 2014 while Shelton was tops among all interior defensive lineman with nine sacks on the season.

"This is an incredible opportunity," said Lupoi. "I'm extremely fortunate to join the best college football organization in the country. Fresh off our 24th SEC Championship, playoff appearance and pursing another top-rated signing class, it's an exciting time at Alabama right now. I couldn't be more fired up to be part of what Coach Saban and his excellent staff have established. I'm excited to contrib-ute to this great University and organiza-tion that truly encompasses excellence on and off the field."

Lupoi was the defensive line coach at California for four years, becoming the youngest full-time coach in Cal history when he joined the staff at the age of 26 in 2008. The Golden Bears led the Pac-12 in total defense in 2011, allowing just 332.9 yards per game. They were third in sacks that year with 34 and gave up the fewest first downs per game (17.4) and fewest passing yards per game (204.2). Cal also led the conference in defense and ranked among the top 25 nationally in per-game averages for sacks, total defense and pass defense. Lupoi was the Rivals Recruiter of the Year in 2010 and helped sign Cal classes that ranked No. 11 nationally in 2011 and No. 14 in 2010. He helped develop multiple NFL draft picks during his tenure at Cal, including future first round selections Cameron Jordan and Tyson Alualu.

As a player, Lupoi was a defensive lineman for Cal from 2000-05. He led the Bears' defensive line in tackles in 2003 and earned Pac-10 All-Academic recognition in 2005. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in American studies in 2005 and completed coursework toward a master's in education.

Lupoi played high school football at De La Salle, one of the most successful programs in the history of prep football, where he earned All-State honors and won a national title. His father, John Lu-poi, played collegiate football at Brigham Young and was later a part-time assistant coach at Cal.

All such employment contracts are subject to approval by the University of Alabama Board of Trustees.

K.J. Hill // Alabama or Ohio State?It's coming down to crunch time for

North Little Rock, AR star receiver K.J. Hill. The 6-1, 192-pounder, who was once a longtime Arkansas commitment, now appears close to picking either Alabama or Ohio State.

Hill made an official visit to Alabama on the weekend of January 16. When he returned from Tuscaloosa, Hill immedi-

ately announced that he was no longer committed to Arkansas. He made an of-ficial to Ohio State this past weekend.

"It was a great visit," says Hill's step-father, Montez Peterson. "Everything was top notch. We had a lot of time to meet with the coaching staff, especially with Coach Meyer. That really stood out to us. He told us that he's a hands-on coach with the wide receivers. That's kind of like Nick Saban working with the defensive backs. So that was something that really stood out about Coach Meyer."

While Hill hasn't eliminated the Razor-backs, it seems clear that Alabama and Ohio State are the two frontrunners.

"Right now I'd say it's probably 50/50 (between Alabama and Ohio State)," Peterson says. "I'd have to sit down and talk with him about it to get a better idea, but I'd say it's a tossup right now.

"Each school has it's certain strengths. Both are great programs. Ohio State has everything you need to succeed. It's almost impossible not to succeed in their program. It's the same at Alabama. They're both great programs."

Hill was originally slated to make an official visit to Arkansas this coming weekend. But that trip now is in doubt.

"The two schools (Alabama and Ohio

State) are head and shoulders above the rest," Peterson says. "We know that he's got to make a decision soon. He's hoping to have a decision this week. Alabama is short on scholarships right now. They need to know something. Ohio State said that they will have one for him. They said that they can wait."

One of the top receivers in the coun-try, the dynamic Hill caught 65 passes for 1,095 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also carried the ball 54 times for 385 yards and seven touchdowns.

"I think he's a great one," North Little Rock head coach Brad Bolding said. "He's one of the best I've ever coached. He has great hands and great vision. He has what we call YAC -- yards after catch. He makes a lot of yards after he catches it.

"He's a great return guy, especially as a punt returner. People don't realize how dangerous he is as return man. We gained a lot of field position, because teams would kick it out of bounds rather than allow him to touch it.

"I think the team that gets him will be getting an exciting player."

*Alabama Media Relations Contrib-uted To This Report

Tosh Lupoi

Photo: UA Athletic Photograpy

24 >>> Visit us on tHE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM JANUARY 29 + FEBRUARY 12

Meghan Steel

Michael Brannon, aka Michal B reddy