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Interactive: Explore the Ackland's 'Fortune'

Explore the Ackland Art Museum's newest exhibit "Fortune Smiles: The Tyche Foundation Gift," which includes 51 pieces of artwork donated by former Ackland Director Charles Millard. The gift is said to be the most significant the Ackland has received since the museum's opening in 1958. The exhibit debuted Sunday afternoon and will be on display through August 29. Use the left-hand navigation bar below or hover over the map's points to view eight distinctive pieces and to hear commentary by the Ackland's Chief Curator Peter Nisbet about each piece. To learn more, visit www.ackland.org.

Explore the Ackland's 'Fortune'

Explore the Ackland Art Museum’s newest exhibit “Fortune Smiles: The Tyche Foundation Gift,” which includes 51 pieces of artwork donated by former Ackland Director Charles Millard.

Interactive: Atwater Trial Timeline

This interactive timeline depicts the events leading up to the Monday hearing of Demario Atwater.

Atwater Trial Timeline

This interactive timeline depicts the events leading up to the Monday hearing of Demario Atwater.

Cutting Back on Education

'Tap' fundraises for safe water

While studying abroad in Panama, Stuart Powell noticed that residents had to get water from a pump in the central part of town.Powell, a junior biology major, said this experience made him realize how he takes his access as a given.“We bathe in clean water every day, but there are some people that can’t drink clean water. I can easily go to a water fountain and get water for free,” he said. “We take it for granted, but it’s something that is a serious problem.”

Photo of the Day: October 25, 2009

Seth Wright had one of the worst assignment types there is, he had to shoot a "building mug." Photojournalists are often called upon to do daily grind work, such as shots of buildings. One of the differences between a regular shooter and a great shooter comes out in these types of assignments. Rather than just shooting the building Seth stepped out, found an interesting foreground element and worked it. He slowed his shutter speed to show the movement of the water, which added further depth to a boring photo.

Tequila Thursday

 So my friends were knocking me for this last night, but I think they are excellent. Especially after I tried a tequila sunrise, which is just disgusting. Way too sweet.

What is so hard about talking in bars? Everything.

Question: How long can someone talk to you in a bar before it gets annoying?

Football season begins

I started off the weekend walking home from work and the first thing I see is tons of girls standing around on sidewalks. Sorority rush has officially begun, and my only complaint is that it does not last longer than a week.

H1N1 already affecting UNC students

Senior Jill Watral returned home from the Duke Youth Programs, where she was a summer counselor, to find her sister wearing swimming goggles and rubber gloves, intent on not catching the H1N1 virus.For the next seven days, Watral communicated to people mostly from her second-story window, quarantined from the public because she had contracted what doctors believed was the virus more commonly known as swine flu.“I was so upset that I had to leave the kids, and I was just worried about what was going to happen,” Watral said. “I had a 100-degree fever.”Campus officials expect that, like Watral, UNC students will contract the H1N1 virus, said Mary Beth Koza, director of environment, health and safety at UNC.While most cases are mild, it is clear that the virus has already begun spreading. Koza said the University’s goal is to continue operating normally and that the situation is not being taken lightly.“There is actually a lot of discussion right now about academic issues,” she said. “We’re asking students to self-isolate.”Watral said the summer program where she worked was doing fine during its first week. But the camp director soon told the counselors that one of the children had to be quarantined because of the H1N1 virus.The virus began spreading through a dormitory where all of the kids stayed during the camp, living lifestyles much like that of typical college students.A few days later, Watral said she woke up from a nap, and something felt wrong. She felt achy and off. She had a scratchy throat, high fever and chills.The camp director sent her to the student health center. Doctors immediately put a mask on her because they were worried she had contracted the virus.After Watral described her symptoms to doctors, they diagnosed her with the virus and told her she did not need to be tested because so many children at her camp had contracted H1N1.“He said I had to be quarantined for at least a week,” she said. The doctors told her the symptoms would be gone within five days but she would have to stay out of contact for another two days to be safe.After she left camp for home, she said the symptoms got worse, but doctors prescribed Tamiflu to treat the virus. Her temperature exceeded 102 degrees.“That’s when I started feeling really bad,” she said, adding that she was glad her stomach was all right because she has a fear of vomiting. “My eyes were really hot. I had to put a cold compress on my head.”By the fourth day, Watral said her fever had subsided and she felt the worst was over. But she was still required to stay in her room. No one was allowed to touch her. Her mother couldn’t give her a hug.Reflecting on her illness, Watral said the H1N1 virus was no worse than the regular flu, which she has had before.“It’s not life or death. It’s just a few days of your life that’s going to suck,” she said. “I know a lot of people are very high-strung about classes and good grades, but if they miss a few days, it’s going to be OK.”Contact the Features Editor at features@unc.edu.

Party Czar's weekend round-up

I searched campus and the P2P on Aug. 22 trying to find the best parties and stories. Impromptu drinking game: drink every time you hear me introduce myself.

Trivia Tuesday's

Tonight is Tuesday. That means trivia nights.

Not in my backyard: Residents upset by potential waste transfer site

Cornelius Kirschner a 62-year-old retiree walks around his Millhouse Road home. You can tell that he has put in a lot of work — he built the house himself in 1972. And what was once covered in brush is now a beautiful home. It's next to a pond and yard where he keeps bees ducks and geese.All the while traffic can be heard from Interstate 40 and from trucks traveling to and from the nearby Chapel Hill Town Operations Center which houses both the public works and transportation departments.Kirschner turns up his outdoor radio to drown out the noise. Then he points over a hill toward the back of his property" just past a set of rust red railroad tracks — just past where his 11 hens were just killed by a fox.He's signaling Orange County's new potential site for a waste transfer station. Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy suggested the site May 14 and it became a formal consideration after the June 16 Orange County Board of Commissioners meeting. ""This is just horrendous"" Kirschner said. It's way out of line. We've done enough for this community. They can put this somewhere else.""The smell of the waste is not what will bother Kirschner. The waste transfer station would be an indoor facility which would process and temporarily store solid waste.It's the noise. On top of I-40 and operations center traffic" nearly every waste collection vehicle in Orange County would travel to the station then larger vehicles would take the material away for disposal.The easiest route to the potential waste transfer station is right on the small" country Millhouse Road in front of Kirschner's home.""We all have private drives"" Kirschner said. This would just be one more thing that would create traffic.""The potential waste transfer station is still many stages away from being passed. For the station to be built" the Chapel Hill Town Council would have to offer up the Millhouse Road land to Orange County at their September meeting. At that time" the Orange County Board of Commissioners would vote on whether or not to use the land.""Not only were we not on the list" we were put number one on the list without any input at all" Kirschner said.He will not be allowed to have input on the Chapel Hill Town Council's decision to give the land to Orange County since he lives outside Chapel Hill.As county residents, none of Kirschner's neighbors will be able to have input either.We have no say in this issue"" he said. Just because it's the expedient thing to do does not mean it's kosher.""Chapel Hill town council member Mark Kleinschmidt said although the space has some attractive aspects — especially that it is already owned by the town — he thinks it is inappropriate to put the waste transfer station there.Foy did not respond in time for print to messages left at his office.""My concern is that the mayor's proposal that he made without the backing of his council at the very last minute caught the community off guard and undermined all of the work that the county commissioners have done to make this a transparent and open process"" Orange County commissioner Mike Nelson said.Even if the waste transfer station is approved for Millhouse Road, Kirschner said he will not leave his home of 37 years.I know every board and every nail and every mistake there is out here"" he said. This literally is in our backyard.""Contact the Features Editor at features@unc.edu.

Scooters could need parking spaces

Due to a source error this story incorrectly stated when the Board of Trustees would vote for approval of a scooter parking regulation. The ordinance was voted on and unanimously approved in May. The Daily Tar Heel apologizes for the error.

Ban threatens hookah

For the past several months fliers have hung from the walls of Adam Bliss's local hookah bar. They asked customers to call senators and lobby for an amendment to an anti-smoking bill that would keep Hookah Bliss open.Bliss called the senators himself twice a day. He contacted hookah bars across the state to fight for an amendment. But after much effort his lobby has failed.The bill which was ratified May 13 by the N.C. General Assembly will prohibit smoking in all restaurants and bars. It was signed into law Tuesday by Gov. Bev Perdue" causing Bliss to have to close his doors in January since he serves both alcohol and tobacco products.""The state government didn't do anything to help me start this business"" Bliss said. Then the state comes along and basically wants to shut down my business without any compensation.""Legislation does allow for some tobacco-based businesses to stay open.The new law permits cigar bars and private clubs to continue operating. However" Bliss said it would not be possible to change his business to fit under either of these categories.A cigar bar is defined to make more than 25 percent of its profits from cigars" which Bliss does not serve. A private club is defined as a country club or organization linked with a nonprofit organization which does not provide food or lodging to a person who is not a member or member's guest.""This bill has basically protected the playground of the rich and elite"" he said, noting his confusion about why an amendment would be passed for a cigar bar but not a hookah bar. They are allowing the exact same types of businesses to operate.""Sen. Ellie Kinnaird" D-Orange who tried to write the amendment allowing hookah bars to continue operating" said she does not think the bill does its intended purpose.She also said the hookah bars were unable to get legislation passed because they had a smaller lobby than country clubs and cigar bars.""I'm hoping someday we will get a real" meaningful smoking ban which we don't have yet" Kinnaird said.Sen. William Purcell, D-Anson,  said he thought the smoking ban was a good idea and knew that it would shut down some hookah bars.He said some hookah bars could qualify as cigar bars with some modifications, and the senate will work to get an amendment passed for the hookah bars to stay in business.I've never been to a hookah bar and I don't know all that they do"" Purcell said. But I'm not interested in closing anybody's business.""Both Kinnaird and Purcell voted in approval of the law.""I think it's a work in progress" Kinnaird said. Something is better than nothing" and that's the way democracy works.""Awaiting his uncertain future"" Bliss said he thinks the smoking ban is unnecessary.He said the legislature should not be able to decide what can be done inside an establishment when the activities are legal.""The bottom line is tobacco is still a legal product"" he said. Now they're telling certain people they can and certain people they can't.""Contact the Features Editorat features@unc.edu.

Student set to deploy

FAYETTEVILLE —Emran Huda a UNC public health graduate student sat dressed in his Army camouflage among the nearly 4000 soldiers of North Carolina's 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team.He and the crowd were quiet and pensive as Gov. Bev Perdue and others addressed the soldiers. Many families stood outside in the rain because the coliseum was at maximum capacity. Others watched from a nearby overflow center with video screens.Huda along with the rest of the 30th Brigade awaited the end of his deployment ceremony Tuesday at the Cumberland County Coliseum Complex in Fayetteville. In the coming days" the UNC graduate and the rest of his division are set to be redeployed to Iraq.""Obviously there's a human amount of fear" but that's why we have all this training" Huda said.Huda first went to Iraq in 2003 and served as an infantry radio officer and rifleman.He heard of his current deployment in October 2007 when he had just begun his master's degree program at UNC. He immediately left school because he felt there would be too much going on for him to focus on his studies, he said. He now he serves as medical platoon leader and medical operations officer for the 1-252 division.As an officer, this deployment will be slightly different.I think of myself less and my soldiers first" Huda said. If I haven't eaten and they haven't eaten" they eat first.""Huda is responsible for making all of the tactical considerations for his team" which includes two treatment teams a physician a physician's assistant and a senior medic. He also trains Iraqi health professionals to care for their people independently.Though Huda and the rest of his battalion have been training for about four months" he said the hardest part about what he does is leaving his family.""I have a sense of adventure about it"" he said. But my family is feeling the absence of a son.""Huda's father" Shamsul Huda said it isn't an easy feeling to have his son leave. But since it will be the second time his son will be deployed" he is more prepared.""Once you get used to a difficult situation" it gets easier" Shamsul Huda said, adding the main thing his family does to support his son is to pray and encourage him. You cannot succumb or show weakness. In fact"" you have to do just the opposite.""Huda will leave with just two duffle bags"" a ""rucksack"" or large backpack"" a trunk and carry-on. He said he thinks his experience in Iraq will help with his education because his ultimate goal is to work on global health projects.""You can't take anything for granted"" Shamsul Huda said. I hope he'll be prepared to make other major decisions in his life and difficult ones.""Contact the Features Editor at features@unc.edu.

Jazz legend to play at UNC

Wynton Marsalis displayed an aptitude for music even at a young age diligently practicing the trumpet his father had given him.Sunday he will show Chapel Hill he has grown into one of the most illustrious jazz musicians of today boasting a Pulitzer Prize for music and nine Grammy Awards for either jazz or classical recordings.He and the rest of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will perform to a sold-out Memorial Hall crowd" presented by Carolina Performing Arts.""It's sort of a jazz organization on par with opera companies and major symphony orchestras"" said Jim Ketch, director of jazz studies at UNC. It's nothing like jazz has ever seen.""Marsalis" a Louisiana native" is also known as an educator. He has created a national high school jazz competition known as ""Essentially Ellington"" and compiled hundreds of musical scores for jazz teachers around the country.Kara Larson" director of marketing and public relations at Carolina Performing Arts" said the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra also has a list of high profile players.""It's the kind of force that pulls the best"" she said.Marsalis, though sometimes criticized for not advancing jazz and playing to his contemporary peers, has a sound that Ketch said embodies the stylings he grew up listening to.In the 1960s, about the time Marsalis was born, there was John Coltrane, a jazz musician who Ketch said changed jazz forever.He said after Coltrane's music, few players looked back to early jazz musicians like Duke Ellington and Count Basie. They instead sought new forms of expression — avant-garde and fusion styles.But Marsalis is different.While many players today are technically proficient, Ketch said they do not have the originality of sound that early jazz musicians did.What Wynton is" is kind of a throwback to that" he said. Wynton has one foot in tradition and another foot in innovation.""For Sunday's concert"" Ketch said audiences can expect to hear the musical styles of Thelonious Monk interspersed with children's nursery songs and Marsalis' unique sound.""I don't know if we're going to hear ‘Twinkle" Twinkle Little Star' but it wouldn't surprise me if we did" he said.Accolades aside, Marsalis, today's unappointed front man of jazz, will do what he does best — play how his father showed him to play.This isn't a pickup band. This isn't a great artist who has hired a few side men"" Larson said. This is arguably one of the world's greatest institutions for jazz.""Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.

Ackland offering slate of unique programs

Joanne Marshall didn't exercise often 12 years ago. But as she watched her mother become ill and less mobile each day" she realized she had to make a life change.Yoga was the change she needed. The School of Information and Library Science professor has been teaching yoga at UNC since 2001.She will be leading a class at noon today in the Ackland Art Museum as part of the semimonthly ""Yoga in the Galleries"" event.""We're the only museum to offer Yoga in the Galleries"" said Nic Brown, director of communications at the Ackland.Yoga in the Galleries is one of several public events that is part of the art museum's efforts to reach out to the community.The Ackland is a primary resource for education"" Brown said. The more experiences we can get outside of the Ackland itself the better.""""Lunch with 1"" is monthly event that brings in an expert to discuss a piece of art or music. ""Art after Dark"" allows attendees to buy drinks from a cash bar while exploring art galleries.Each program strategically takes place in the evening or during lunch when professionals would more likely be able to attend.""We've been trying over the past two years to expand our public programming" Brown said. If you were just to look at a calendar of programs for Ackland just for the spring" it's been exponentially larger.""But while programming has expanded"" the museum has quickly reached its capacity.""We've reached saturation relatively quickly"" Brown said.Brown said the museum hosts smaller events because of the museum's limited space, but is looking to host events elsewhere.For example, Brown said holding a large concert within the Ackland's 25,639 square feet, confined to small galleries, would prove difficult.He said the smaller events such as Yoga in the Galleries help promote public attendance for now.Marshall said the quaint experiences offered by the art museum are important. She also teaches yoga at Ramshead Recreation Center on Tuesday nights, and said the opportunity to do yoga in art gallery was a rare and captivating experience.I think there are people who are coming in that would not have come before"" she said. People seem to be very intrigued by the idea of doing yoga in an art gallery.""Marshall said her style of yoga" which focuses more on reflection" fits nicely with the atmosphere of the Buddha-filled art galleries.""The more important side of yoga to me is this more reflective" centering and calming side" she said. It's just a beautiful place to do this style of yoga.""

CUAB leader focuses on uniting community

For Carolina Union President Tom Allin" hosting a one-time Ben Folds Five reunion isn't what made 2008 successful.It was finger-painting in the Pit.""We put butcher paper out on the floor of the Pit" he said. People just started showing up and making art together in that early childhood" finger-painting kind of way.""Allin admitted hosting Ben Folds Five was exciting but said 2008 was a success because CUAB was able to unite the UNC community through a diversity of music" film and art.Total attendance at the nearly 200 events in 2008 was 48484.Of all 194 events 76 percent had fewer than 250 students participating. However" it was those tight-knit events that comprised 29 percent of the year's total attendance.""It's a sign of people being comfortable with one another"" Allin said. I feel like the board has done a wonderful job of graphing programs that appeal to a wide variety of students.""A Zumba session in Gerrard Hall"" a speech by ""Dark Knight"" producer Michael Uslan" The Cool Kids' performance — Allin said it all helped fulfill CUAB's goal of connecting students.Allin CUAB's music chairman last year said he previously focused on performances" but came to the realization this semester that programs like pumpkin carving and fortune telling should have his attention.""I feel oftentimes the heart of CUAB lies in the little programs"" he said. ""A lot of the programs that didn't get any press I feel were really some of the best.""CUAB music Chairwoman Adele Ricciardi said 2008 didn't start out as intended because of a lack of diversity in musical acts and program.But things were different in the fall when CUAB hosted experimental groups like Ted Leo next to popular acts like The Avett Brothers and Andrew Bird.""I think we've had a lot more luck with booking"" Ricciardi said. We've also had a clearer focus and clearer goals coming in to this semester.""Ricciardi said the group will still look to improve" as they make a conscious effort to book female performers in 2009 and host international music acts.Music continues to draw CUAB's largest attendance numbers but Allin said he said he hopes people will remember the 2008 events that united the UNC community" rather than simply those with large attendance numbers.""I hope some students leave thinking" ‘That was the year we were finger-painting in the Pit""" Allin said.Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.