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Hardest-Hit Counties to Receive Drought Grants
By Becky Jones
Staff Writer
Gov. Mike Easley announced
Monday that communities hit hardest
by North Carolina’s worst recorded
drought will receive more than $2l mil
lion in grants and loans to aid in conser
vation strategies.
Orange County officials do not know
how the grants immediately will affect
local communities but said more infor
mation will be available when the grants
are distributed.
The funds will be distributed through
'Lullaby' Offers
Readers Challenge
Palahniuk's latest shows growth, depth
By Nick Parker
Arts & Entertainment Editor
The newest novel from author Chuck
Palahniuk, “Lullaby,” is anything but.
Fast-paced, frank and intense,
“Lullaby” weaves Palahniuk’s charac
teristic dark style and humor with a
refreshingly matured technique - repre
senting his best work yet.
Though not the
full-bodied shot of
blood and testos
terone found in
“Fight Club” - the
cult classic that
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l/gwew
"Lullaby”
birthed his fame - “Lullaby” is still a
shocking kick in the teeth.
Murderers are heroes, witches are
worshiped, and nothing is safe as a man
capable of killing with nothing more
than a thought races across the country.
But “Lullaby” stands out from other pop
fiction horror books because it isn’t real
ly about murder, massacre and mystery.
It is about escaping from an empty
existence. It is about self-destruction as
a form of revival. It is about breaking
away from static comfort to find anew
life. It is a downward spiral toward
redemption. It is Stephen King with a
social theme, mayhem as a metaphor.
This is nothing new for Palahniuk. All
of his books revolve around a central fig
ure discontent with life -a social square
peg - searching for a way to become re
established. But “Lullaby,” though it
recycles old themes, is strong because of
what it accomplishes stylistically.
Instead of myriad snapshots pieced
together by mischief, violence or sexu-
PALAHNIUK
From Page 1
sharing leftover drugs with flight atten
dants to make new friends.
The point of his stories was not to
shock or even to get a cheap laugh but
to show audience members that mater
ial for a story can be found anywhere.
“I like to take something that people
see a million times every day and have
never given a thought to and show them
the truth,” Palahniuk said. “I want to, in
a way, wake them up.”
And the general public needs a blast
of the brutal to snap out of its stasis.
“Fight Club" caught much criticism for
its apparent glorification of violence -
but it shocked many people into think
ing about their own lives.
The symbolism of the conflict, how
ever, is the theme that Palahniuk said is
most important in understanding his
work. For the characters of “Fight
Club,” the act of violence was therapeu
tic and empowering, he said.
“(Fighting) gave them an enormous
sense of their own capability. They find
themselves able to endure and accom-
SESSION
From Page 1
keting people can’t pigeonhole it, they
reject it,” Palahniuk said.
Luckily, he was able to find “the peo
ple who most strongly connect with (his)
work” -a must in the industry.
Instead of talking books the whole
time, however, Palahniuk addressed con
cerns about something he considers an
atrocity - television viewing. He told the
audience that studies say television might
even cause Alzheimer’s. To Palahniuk,
anything is preferable to television.
„ “Even my dumbest friend is better
; than TV, and I have some pretty dumb
; friends,” he said.
Obviously, Palahniuk’s disdain for
television does not carry over to the big
screen. He told the audience how pleased
- he was with the efforts put in to the mak
ing of “Fight Club” and the final product.
Much like his “Fight Club” narrator,
Palahniuk experiences moments of clar
ity while enduring insomnia and physical
self-deprivation. Whether it’s frying in a
hot hotel room or denying himself nutri
tion until an idea comes, he supports
asceticism in the name of creativity.
the N.C. Commerce Department, the
N.C. Rural Center and the N.C.
Department of Environment and
Natural Resources.
The grants are prioritized to benefit
counties experiencing the most severe
emergency water supply situations,
states a Monday press release from
Easley’s office.
The press release states that the west
ern two-thirds of the state are in severe
to exceptional drought - the most
severe categories -and are the most
likely counties to receive funding.
Chapel Hill is in the severe category.
al deviance (“Fight Club,” “Invisible
Monsters,” “Choke”) Palahniuk’s latest
is driven by plot and character.
“Lullaby” proves that Palahniuk has
grown as a writer without forgetting his
past.
His games with words and description
are particularly engaging, pouring forth
passages of poetic brilliance. Colors, for
example, are framed with a depth that
captures emotion and symbolism in
ways that “red” and “blue” never could.
“Helen’s suit is red, but not strawber
ry red. It’s more the red of a strawberry
mousse, topped with whipped creme
fraiche and served in a stemmed crystal
compote,” shows how materialism,
wealth and attitude can affect the way
even clothing is interpreted.
And his constant commentary on
everything from media to noise pump
the novel full of adrenaline and social
angst. He proclaims, “Big Brother isn’t
watching. He’s singing and dancing....
He’s making sure you’re fully absorbed.”
And those who let their minds atrophy
under commercial assault are “sound
oholics... quiet-ophobics.”
His willingness to challenge rules -
both in language and in society - infus
es his work with a fiery seduction that
startles and then attracts readers. Half of
you agrees, and the other half feels guilty.
But Palahniuk isn’t just ranting and
raving, relying on shock value to sell
books. He has a loud and unchained
voice -one that definitely will not put
you to sleep.
The Arts & Entertainment Editor can
be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu.
plish more than they thought capable.
“It was having that experience of
enduring and inflicting pain, having that
dance and living to talk about it and do
it again.”
But violence does not have to be the
catalyst for personal change, he said.
“The. general idea of physical hard
ship in breaking the consciousness -
and it doesn’t have to be through vio
lence - is really glorious and sort of
attractive,” Palahniuk said. “The ego’s
terror of sacrificing itself is so powerful,
even though we know what we could
have is so much better.”
It is this spirit of self-discovery and
pursuit of dreams that Palahniuk tried to
share with the students who waited -
some for hours - to have their copies of
his novels signed.
His own experience with writing, he
said, has taught him that stability is
important for survival but that without a
passion, nothing matters.
“If I could get Doubleday to pay me
to jack off, I wouldn’t do it. That is how
much I love to write.”
The Arts & Entertainment Editor can
be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu.
One young writer inquired about the
source of that creativity. Palahniuk said
“the public junk yard” is actually the
provider of substance for his books.
Palahniuk also said it is not at all
unusual to find him at a party throwing
out ideas to strangers, such as, “So, has
anyone ever done something to some
one’s food in a restaurant?” He then lis
tens intently, excuses himself to the
bathroom, and jots down the most inter
esting responses on cocktail napkins.
These party tales often start out as
ideas for short stories and are later incor
porated into novels. Many of the scenes
in “Fight Club” are actually a compila
tion of several short stories that were all
previously published in magazines.
No one seems to be complaining
though, because Palahniuk continues to
enjoy success in all of his writing. His
frankness in speech and on the page has
•captured fans across the United States.
Palahniuk connected with the stu
dents on a personal and professional
level, giving solid advice about how to
succeed in the publishing business with
out “blowing the editor.”
The Arts & Entertainment Editor can
be reached at artsdesk@unc.edu.
Grant money will enable towns to
ensure a safe and adequate water supply
by allowing neighboring communities to
connect their water supplies, the press
release states. Communities can provide
water to each other in an emergency or
as needed.
Julie Haigler, director of N.C. Rural
Center Water and Sewer Programs,
which is providing $lO million of the
funds, said the money came from the
Clean Water Bonds, approved by the
N.C. voters in 1998.
“Many areas are absolutely out of
water, especially counties just west of
■
' .. ' ■
/ -- ' ' ■ '■ ; ' \ ’
DTH/MEREDITH HILL
Chancellor James Moeser answers questions posed by members of Student Congress at Tuesday evening's
meeting concerning the issues keeping UNC from becoming the leading public university.
Moeser Meets With Student Congress
By Jenny Immel
Staff Writer
Chancellor James Moeser made his
first appearance before Student
Congress on Tuesday night, reviving a
tradition that ended when the late
Chancellor Michael Hooker became ill.
Tony Larson, speaker of Congress,
said he wanted to reinstate the practice
of the chancellor making a one-time
address to Congress this year, allowing
Moeser to field questions from Congress.
Moeser began his presentation with a
brief overview of the different factors
affecting his goal of making UNC the
leading public university.
A question-and-answer session fol
lowed his presentation, giving Congress
members a chance to voice their con
cerns about the University.
One of the most prominent issues
was funds available to students in the
form of scholarships and financial aid.
Moeser said there are efforts to
increase the availability of merit-based
GIFT
From Page 1
cent of whatever we raise will be given
out each year in the scholarship.”
Stevens added that at this time there
is no name for the scholarship and that
it is too early to know what the scholar
ship would cover or what the criteria for
awarding the scholarship would be.
Albright said class officers are still
meeting with people in the financial aid
office to work out the final details of the
BILL
From Page 1
Rand said it is likely that legislation
involving the cancer center will be
brought up when the General Assembly
reconvenes in January.
“We think that it will be a great ser
vice,” Rand said. “This is a hospital that
serves the people of North Carolina. It
would be a tremendous assistance to the
research going on in the Triangle.”
Hurley said the bill fell prey to pres
sures related to timing, though he hopes
it will pass next session.
“It’s too late in the session to play
those games now,” he said. “Everybody’s
tired and wants to go home.”
The State & National Editor can be
reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.
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News
Mecklenburg County,” said Haigler.
She said Cleveland, Rutherford and
Lincoln counties are the counties in
“desperate need.”
The Rural Center grants are gifts, not
loans, and each county’s government
will receive the money directly and
oversee construction of the infrastruc
ture, Haigler said.
About $5.7 million in grants will be
administered by the Commerce
Department.
Bill McNeil, N.C. director of com
munity assistance, said the grants will go
to “communities that have a dire, dire
scholarships, stressing that this will not
take away from need-based ones.
“It’s not an either/or but a both/and
situation,” Moeser said. “The
University’s research strength hinges
greatly on the type of students we are
able to attract.” He added that the
amount of funds available to students is
a major recruitment factor.
Congress members also questioned
Moeser about parking issues.
“We have to recognize that there are
multiple constituencies - students, staff,
faculty and visitors to campus,” Moeser
said. “We have to serve all those needs
with rising demands and decreasing
inventory. My hope is that we do a bet
ter job this year than last,”
Representatives also were concerned
with the limitations of on- and off-cam
pus housing.
Moeser said that more on-campus
housing is in the works and that the
University is about to break ground for
new graduate housing. There also is talk
of building more upperclassman hous
project.
Senior class officers will solicit money
from seniors and their parents. Fund
raising for the project has already
begun, but Senior Class President
Paymon Rouhanifard said the bulk of
the fund raising will be done in
November and December.
Albright said they are off to a good
start, having already raised about $6,000
from previous senior class fund-raisers
such as the sale of senior T-shirts.
The ideas were chosen from an array
of suggestions from both faculty and stu-
CANCER CENTER
From Page 1
Some legislators expressed concerns
that the session might end before the
proposal could be given adequate con
sideration.
“The idea was not rejected in terms of
the actual idea but because it was added
to the bill at the last minute,” Fitzgerald
said.
Interested in a profession in
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Then you might be interested in the Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH)
in Environmental Health Sciences major.
M out ire about a BSPH and what you can do wi a BSPH dope.
Recent graduates are working for environmental consulting firms in RTP :
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Come to the Information Session
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Need more information? Contact Dr. Don Francisco. 966-5631; don_francisco@unc.edu
drought emergency.”
He said the DENR maintains a list of
counties that fit this description.
The grants specifically target small
cities and communities because larger
cities receive federal funding, McNeil
said.
McNeil said he encourages towns
under severe conditions to apply for the
funds by contacting the Department of
Commerce.
In light of recent state budget issues,
McNeil said, “The state budget does not
play a role in the availability of these
funds.”
ing on campus.
Moeser urged students to make their
voices heard in the cry for development
of more off-campus housing.
* He also addressed the ongoing water
shortage, including rumors that students
would be sent home a day early for Fall
Break to conserve water. “We are not
sending anybody home,” Moeser said.
Instead, some bathrooms on campus
might close, and officials are installing
waterless urinals on campus.
Moeser also took time to address his
own concerns, saying he believes stu
dent government’s biggest challenge is
academic integrity on campus and
enforcement of the Honor Code.
“Put honor and integrity where it
ought to be- on center stage,” he said.
After the meeting, Moeser said he
thought it went well and said he hopes
the discussion was useful for Student
Congress.
The University Editor can be reached
at udesk@unc.edu.
dents. The senior marshals heard ideas
from several dozen students in the Pit
and at Fall Fest last month.
Seniors will be able to vote on the
ideas online through Student Central
from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and at several on
campus locations, Rouhanifard said.
Albright said they are hoping for a
higher voter turnout than in past years
with the voting taking place on the same
day as Homecoming elections.
The University Editor can be reached
at udesk@unc.edu.
Houpt echoed Fitzgerald’s sentiments
and pointed to the state budget crisis as
one probable cause of the center’s rejec
tion.
“There is simply no funding source at
the present time,” he said. “By the time
the budget problems were settled, there
was no money available for the cancer
center.”
Houpt said the treatment center has
been in various stages of planning for
three to four years.
Wednesday, October 2, 2002
The DENR will provide $6 million in
funds from low-interest loans to com
plete the proposed s2l million in
drought aid.
Ed Kerwin from the Orange Water
and Sewer Authority said the drought is
getting worse every day, despite cus
tomers responding appropriately to
county pleas to decrease water usage.
“We have enough water for the rest of
this year,” said Kerwin, “But we could
be out of water by next summer.”
i
The State & National Editor can be
reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.
Orange Cos.
Schools Seek
Local Input
Stability desired in
superintendent
By Meredith Jones
Staff Writer
A small audience assembled Monday
night in the Orange High School audi
torium for a public forum held to gath
er community input on the superinten
dent search for Orange County schools.
Dana Thompson, chairwoman of the
Orange County Board of Education, said
that the board has been accepting appli
cations for the superintendent position for
five weeks and that the deadline is Friday.
She said it is important to hear from
the community before the board fills the
position or looks at the applications.
“We will weigh community feedback
heavily in our decision,” she said.
Board members passed out a survey
at the start of the meeting asking audi
ence members to rate the abilities, expe
riences and expectations they would
like the new superintendent to possess.
First-grade teacher and Orange
County Teacher of the Year winner
Stacey Lee was the first person to speak,
citing the need for a superintendent
who is willing to dedicate himself to the
school system for the long term.
“We want someone who is vested
here,” she said. “We want someone who
doesn’t use us as a stepping stone.”
Vaughn Compton, father of three
children enrolled in Orange County
Schools, agreed with her sentiments.
“We want someone we can call a
friend, someone who joins a church in
Hillsborough, someone who is accessi
ble,” he said.
Board member Delores Simpson
addressed the issue of the small com
munity turnout.
“The superintendent will have to work
with everyone,” she said. “So why do you
think we have so few people here?”
Marcia Compton, Vaughn’s wife and
an Orange High School employee, said
she thinks that people were under the
impression they don’t have a voice and
that board members would make their
own decision regardless of community
input.
“It’s hard to convince people that
what they say does matter,” she said.
“And the timing of this meeting is bad;
the forum needs to be at a time that is
cohesive for the family.”
The City Editor can be reached
at citydesk@unc.edu.
The new center was approved 18
months ago by the Healthcare Center
Board.
He said those working at the cancer
center will have to remain upbeat and
do their best to accommodate patients
despite the lack of room.
“We have no other choice but to con
tinue on.”
The University Editor can be reached
at udesk@unc.edu.
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