March 5, 2013

Page 2, The Loafer • March 5, 2013

March 5, 2013 • The Loafer, Page 3

www.theloaferonline.com

Volume 27 Issue #13

!"#$%&'()*+*,%$$*-%$$%./&*0*12%34)*+*5')%&36*7(.8'*0*9:;8(*<.=.>()*+*7"8%*?.3( Cover Design - Bill May • Graphic Arts Director - Don Sprinkle • Photography - Mark Marquette Advertising - Dave Carter, Akey Kincaid, Lisa Lyons, Tabitha Lambert, Terry Patterson Contributing Staff - Jim Kelly, Andy Ross, Ken Silvers, Mark Marquette, Pat Bussard Published by Creative Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 3596, Johnson City, TN 37602 Phone: 423/283-4324 FAX - 423/283-4369 www.theloaferonline.com • info@theloaferonline.com e-mail: editorial@theloaferonline.com (editorial) adcopy@theloaferonline.com (advertising All advertisements are accepted and published by the publisher upon the representation that the agency and/or advertiser is authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof.The agency and/or advertiser will indemnify and save the publisher harmless from any loss of expense resulting from claims or suits based upon contents of any advertisement,including claims or suits for defamation,libel,right of privacy,plagiarism,and copyright infringement.

Page 4, The Loafer • March 5, 2013

Saint Patrick’s Day - March 17th

Saint Patrick’s Day or the Feast of Saint Patrick (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig, “the Day of the Festival of Patrick”) is a cultural and religious holiday celebrated on March 17th. It is named after Saint Patrick (c. AD 385–461), the most commonly recognised of the patron saints of Ireland.

Saint Patrick’s Day was made !"# $%&'('!)# %*!+,# -!.# '"# ,/*# *!0).# seventeenth century and is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion (especially the Church of Ireland), the Eastern Orthodox Church and Lutheran Church. For Christians, the day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. However, it has gradually become more of a secular celebration of Irishness and Irish culture.

The day generally involves public parades and festivals, céilithe, and wearing of green attire or shamrocks. Christians

was told by God in a dream to &)**#%0$1#(!2,'3',.#,$#,/*#($!+,4# where he would board a ship and return to Britain. Upon returning, he quickly joined the Church in Auxerre in Gaul and studied to be a priest.

In 432, he again said that he was called back to Ireland, though as a bishop, to Christianise the Irish from their native polytheism. After nearly thirty years of evangelism, he died on March 17th, 461, and according to tradition, was buried at Downpatrick.

Although there were other more successful missions to Ireland from Rome, Patrick endured as the principal champion of Irish Christianity and is held in esteem in the Irish church.

Originally, the colour associated with Saint Patrick was blue. Over the years the colour green and its association with Saint Patrick’s day grew.

Green ribbons and shamrocks were worn in celebration of St Patrick’s Day as early as the 17th century.

Saint Patrick is said to have used the shamrock, a three‐

also attend church services and the Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol are lifted for the day.

Little is known of Patrick’s early life, though it is known that he was born in Roman Britain in the fourth century, into a wealthy Romano‐British family.

His father was a deacon and his grandfather was a priest in the Christian church. At the age of sixteen, he was kidnapped by Irish raiders and taken captive to Ireland as a slave. It is believed he was held somewhere on the west coast of Ireland, possibly Mayo, but the exact location is unknown. According to his Confession, he

leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish, and the wearing and display of shamrocks and shamrock‐ inspired designs have become a ubiquitous feature of the day.

In the 1798 rebellion, to make a political statement, Irish soldiers wore full green uniforms on March 17th in hopes of catching public attention.

The phrase “the wearing of the green”, meaning to wear a shamrock on one’s clothing, derives from a song of the same name.

Saint Patrick’s feast day, as a kind of national day, was already being celebrated by the Irish in Europe in the ninth and tenth centuries. In later times he became more and more widely known as the patron of Ireland.

Saint Patrick’s feast day 5!+# &'"!)).# 2)!(*-# on the universal liturgical calendar in the Catholic Church due to ,/*# '"&)6*"(*# $%# Wa t e r f o rd ‐ b o r n Franciscan scholar Luke Wadding in the early 1600s.

Saint Patrick’s Day thus became a holy day of obligation for Roman Catholics in Ireland. It is also a feast day in the Church of Ireland. The church calendar avoids the observance of saints’ feasts during certain solemnities, moving the saint’s day to a time outside those periods. Saint Patrick’s Day is occasionally affected by this requirement, when March 17th falls during Holy Week. This happened in 1940, when Saint Patrick’s Day was observed on April 3rd in order to avoid it coinciding with Palm Sunday, and again in 2008, 5/*0*# ',# 5!+# $%&'('!)).# $7+*03*-# on March 14th. Saint Patrick’s Day will not fall within Holy Week again until 2160. However, the secular celebration is always held on March 17th.

In 1903, Saint Patrick’s Day 7*(!1*#!"#$%&'('!)#267)'(#/$)'-!.# in Ireland. This was thanks to the Bank Holiday (Ireland) Act 1903, an act of the United Kingdom Parliament introduced

by Irish Member of Parliament James O’Mara. O’Mara later introduced the law that required that pubs and bars be closed on March 17th after drinking got out of hand, a provision that was repealed in the 1970s. The &'0+,# 8!'",# 9!,0'(:;+# <!.# 2!0!-*# held in the Irish Free State was held in Dublin in 1931 and was reviewed by the then Minister of Continued on page 5

www.theloaferonline.com Continued from page 4

Defence Desmond Fitzgerald.

In the mid‐1990s the government of the Republic of Ireland began a campaign to use Saint Patrick’s Day to showcase Ireland and its culture.

The government set up a group called St Patrick’s Festival, with the aims: To offer a national festival that ranks amongst all of the greatest celebration in the world To create energy and excitement throughout Ireland via innovation, creativity, grassroots involvement, and marketing activity To provide the opportunity and motivation for people of Irish descent (and those who sometimes wish they were Irish) to attend and join in the imaginative and expressive celebrations To project, internationally, an accurate image of Ireland as a creative, professional and sophisticated country with wide appeal. =/*# &'0+,# 8!'",# 9!,0'(:;+# Festival was held on March 17th 1996. In 1997, it became a three‐ day event, and by 2000 it was a four‐day event. By 2006, the %*+,'3!)#5!+#&'3*#-!.+#)$">?#1$0*# than 675,000 people attended the 2009 parade. Overall 2009’s &'3*@-!.# %*+,'3!)# +!5# ()$+*# ,$# A# million visitors, who took part in festivities that included concerts, outdoor theatre performances, !"-#&'0*5$0:+B#8:.%*+,#%$01+#,/*# centrepiece of the festival.

The topic of the 2004 St. Patrick’s Symposium was “Talking Irish”, during which the nature of Irish identity, economic success, and the future were discussed. Since 1996, there has been a greater emphasis on celebrating and projecting !# &)6'-# !"-# '"()6+'3*# "$,'$"# of “Irishness” rather than an identity based around traditional religious or ethnic allegiance.

The week around Saint Patrick’s Day usually involves Irish language speakers using more Irish during Seachtain na Gaeilge (“Irish Language Week”).

The biggest celebrations outside Dublin are in Downpatrick, County Down, where Saint Patrick is rumoured to be buried. In 2004, according to Down District Council, the week‐long St. Patrick’s Festival

March 5, 2013 • The Loafer, Page 5 had more than 2,000 participants !"-# CD# &)$!,+4# 7!"-+4# !"-# performers and was watched by more than 30,000 people.

The shortest St Patrick’s Day parade in the world takes place in Dripsey, Cork. The parade lasts just 100 yards and travels between the village’s two pubs.

St. Patrick’s Day, although not a legal holiday anywhere in the United States, is nonetheless widely recognised and celebrated throughout the country. It is primarily observed as a celebration of Irish and Irish E1*0'(!"# (6),60*?# (*)*70!,'$"+# include prominent displays of the colour green, feasting, copious consumption of alcohol, religious observances, and numerous parades. The holiday has been celebrated on the North American continent since the late eighteenth century.

Some groups, notably Guinness, have lobbied to make Saint Patrick’s Day a national holiday. Currently, Newfoundland and Labrador is the only jurisdiction where Saint Patrick’s Day is a provincial holiday.

In March 2009, the Calgary Tower changed its top exterior lights to new green CFL bulbs just in time for Saint Patrick’s Day. Part of an environmental "$"@20$&',# $0>!"'+!,'$";+# campaign (Project Porchlight), the green represented environmental concerns.

Approximately 210 lights were changed in time for Saint Patrick’s Day, and resembled a Leprechaun’s hat. After a week, white CFLs took their place.

The change was estimated to

save the Calgary Tower some $12,000 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 104 tonnes.

In Great Britain, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother used to present bowls of shamrock &)$5"# $3*0# %0$1# F0*)!"-# ,$# members of the Irish Guards, a regiment in the British Army consisting primarily of soldiers from both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The Irish Guards still wear shamrock on ,/'+#-!.4#&)$5"#'"#%0$1#F0*)!"-B

Page 6, The Loafer • March 5, 2013

Atlantic Steps

Northeast State Community College March 15th !"#$%&'($)*$+&,-./)0'$1*2&3#$ of Cultural Arts proudly presents Atlantic Steps to the !0&4%&'&#.$ ),$ 50&67($ 8703"$

15th 2013. They will perform at the Wellmont Regional Center for The Performing Arts at Northeast State Community College in Blountville, Tennessee.

This is brought to you, in part, by a grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission. Special guest Fire in the Kitchen will open the show. Tickets: $15.00 for reserved seating, $12.00 for Student/Senior.

Book tickets online at www.

EngageKingsport.com.

A Master Class with Brian Cunningham, Kieran Jordan and the cast of Atlantic Steps is being offered for $10.00 at 4 PM the day of the show. There are only 25 openings for this class. Participants should have some dance experience. Reserve your space online at www.

EngageKingsport.com or call the G%&'(*# $%# H6),60!)# E0,+# !,# IJDKL# 392‐8414.

Atlantic Steps is the inspiring epic story of Ireland’s oldest dance form, portrayed through the music, song, dance and Atlantic‐Ocean‐inspired energy

of the Connemara region.

Centered around the joyful sean‐nós (old style) dance of extraordinary Irish dancer Brian Cunningham, the show continues to move festival and theatre audiences to their feet, bringing sean‐nós dance to its rightful place on the world stage.

Having performed alongside Irish greats including Dé Danann,

Brian Cunningham

The Chieftains, Sharon Shannon, Altan, Dervish & Téada. Brian brought his dancing talents ,$# /*!-)'"*# ,/*# /'>/# 20$&')*# Volvo Ocean Race spectacular in Galway during 2009. When 20,000 people danced the night away at Galway’s docklands within striking distance of the Atlantic Ocean, Brian was convinced of the worldwide potential of the sean‐nós (old style) dance, handed down from his grandparents as a tradition from the days of house dances.

Brian leads a formidable cast of dancers and musicians including Kieran Jordan, one of Irish‐America’s hottest talents 5/$# 7*>!"# -!"('"># !,# !>*# &'3*4# !"-# /!+# 7**"# !# 1!M$0# &'>60*# in the sean‐nós (pronounced shawn‐nos) revival in the US. The musicians include some of Ireland’s top traditional artists including the great Séamus Begley of County Kerry on accordion and Oisín Mac Diarmada of the group Téada, one of Ireland’s premiere &'--)*0+# ,$-!.4# !))# 2)!.'"># ,/*#

robust, rhythmic, and highly‐ melodic tunes of Connemara and the West of Ireland.

One of many forms of Irish dance, sean‐nós dance is an informal and spontaneous art form, traditionally performed solo. Unlike the better known Irish step‐dancing (Riverdance), sean‐nós dance is characterized by its “low to the ground” footwork, free movement of the arms, and improvisation.

Creating a percussive music of its own, sean‐nós can be seen in such American forms as ()$>>'">4# /$$&'">4# !"-# +$%,# +/$*# tap dancing.

Brian Cunningham is one of the most exciting sean‐nós dancers to have emerged from Ireland in years, and has won all the major dance competitions in Ireland. What began as a pastime for him and his siblings was handed down by their grandparents as a tradition from the days of house dances.

Through his involvement with Continued on page 7

www.theloaferonline.com Continued from page 6

shows such as Fuaim Chonamara and now Atlantic Steps, he is playing a hugely important role in reviving one of Ireland’s oldest dance forms and transforming it into a wonderful display of dance style, skill and athleticism.

Following a highly successful +611*0# DNAD# &'0+,@$6,'"># %$0# the show at Dublin Irish Festival OH, Irishfest La Crosse WI and Irish Fair of Minnesota, the show is being rolled out for extensive touring throughout the US during 2013 and 2014.

Boston‐based dancer Kieran Jordan joins Atlantic Steps as

Kieran Jordan

March 5, 2013 • The Loafer, Page 7 Co‐Director/Choreographer.

Recognized as a Massachusetts “Artist Fellow,” Kieran brings an original voice to Irish dance on stage. Born in Philadelphia to an Irish American family, Kieran started Irish step dancing at age &'3*# !"-# /!+# 7**"# 2*0%$01'"># as a featured solo dancer for over two decades. She has a particular passion for sean‐ nós dance and — through her innovative workshops, performance collaborations, and DVDs — she has been a 1!M$0#&'>60*#'"#',+#0*3'3!)#'"#,/*# US. The Boston Irish Reporter -*+(0'7*+# /*0# 5$0:# !+# O&'01).# rooted in tradition, yet infused

Fire in the Kitchen 5',/# !-3*",60*4# ($"&'-*"(*4# !"-# a mischievous wink, ensuring the long‐term survival of this ancient form.”

Fire in the Kitchen is the opening act. Playing together since 2002, the trio of Fire in the Kitchen specializes in presenting lively Appalachian and Celtic music to its audiences.

Instrumentation of the ensemble includes: hammered dulcimer, F0'+/# &)6,*4# F0'+/# 5/'+,)*+4#

()!++'(!)# &)6,*4# F0'+/# 7$-/0!"4# >6',!04# 7!"M$4# 7!++4# &'--)*# !"-# more!

Fire in the Kitchen has been featured on Public radio programming as well as the PBS program “Song of the Mountains” that is being aired nation‐wide.

The group was honored to play for Doc Watson’s 80th birthday !+# 5*))# !+# /!3*# ,/*'0# &'0+,# H<# entitled “An Appalachian Celtic Journey” archived at the Folklife Museum of the Smithsonian

Institute in celebration of the Year of Appalachia. For more information about FITK, visit their website: 555B&'0*@'"@,/*@ kitchen.com This production is brought to you by a grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission and your friends at The City $%# P'">+2$0,# G%&'(*# $%# H6),60!)# Arts with great appreciation to Engage Kingsport and the staff at the Wellmont Regional Center for the Performing Arts.

Page 8, The Loafer • March 5, 2013

Adopt A Dog CometWatch Added to Bays Mountain Park’s Stargazing Programs Piper is a real sweet boy. He is very loving. Piper would do better in a family with no other male dogs, he does get along well with females. Piper is neutered and current on shots. To adopt Piper and give him a forever home call Regina at 423‐239‐5237

Bays Mountain Park’s Astronomy Department, in partnership with the Bays Mountain Astronomy Club (BMAC), is excited to announce the addition of a new program offering, CometWatch, to the upcoming schedule of free StarWatch programs annually held on Saturday evenings in March and April. Two extra dates have also been added to provide the public with additional viewing opportunities.

The addition of CometWatch and the extra nights of free observing are designed to better serve the public for viewing the upcoming Comet PanSTARRS (C/2011 L4). The added Wednesday dates of March 13 and 20, combined with the already planned StarWatch Saturday night dates in March and April will result in having

&'3*# $7+*03'"># +*++'$"+# ,$# 7*+,# witness what is hoped will be a very nice, viewable comet. The BMAC will have a good number of telescopes set up to view the comet. Viewers of all ages and levels of experience are welcome to these free events.

The key observing sessions and start times offered for the comet are: March 9 ‐ 6:30 p.m.

March 13 ‐ 7:30 p.m.

March 16 ‐ 7:30 p.m.

March 20 ‐ 7:30 p.m.

March 23 ‐ 7:30 p.m.

If the weather is fully cloudy or raining on the added CometWatch date on either March 13 or 20, then that session will be cancelled.

StarWatch will be held on Saturday nights in March and April, starting at dusk. If there is poor weather, a live tour of the night sky will be offered in the planetarium theater instead.

Comet PanSTARRS was discovered back in June 2011,

by Pan‐STARRS (the Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System from the University of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy) that looks for potential earth‐crossing asteroids and comets. “This comet will not hit Earth, but it may be quite a sight on our western horizon just after sunset,” said Bays Mountain Park Planetarium Director Adam Thanz. “The best viewings will start at the beginning of the second week of March with our &'0+,# 3'*5'"># ,!:'"># 2)!(*# $"# March 9.”

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March 5, 2013 • The Loafer, Page 9

Pianist Caroline Oltmanns and Johnson City Symphony

Mary B. Martin Auditorium, Milligan College

March 9th, 7:30pm The Johnson City Symphony presents ',+# &'"!)# +67+(0'2,'$"# concert of the season, O90$:$&'*34# 9!0'+4# !"-# the Piano,” March 9, with guest artist Caroline Oltmanns on piano. Music Director and Conductor Robert J. Seebacher, leads the JCSO playing Saint‐Saensí Piano Concerto No. 4 !"-# 90$:$&'*3Q+# Symphony No. 5. This concert is sponsored

by Jim and Sandy Powell.

Praised by the press for her “impeccable technique and e x p r e s s i v i t y , ” Caroline Oltmanns has performed as a soloist with orchestras in North America, Europe, and South Africa. Her world premieres and recordings of commissioned works for piano and large ensemble include concertos by James Wilding, Till McIvor Meyn, Edward Largent, Rainer Schmitz, Dave Morgan, and Tom Janson.

She recently released her fourth solo album on the Filia Mundi label with works by Beethoven, Chopin, and South African composer James Wilding. A professor of piano at Youngstown State University, Ms. Oltmanns has presented master classes and workshops in the United States, Switzerland, Germany, South Africa, and Canada. Her students have been accepted into prestigious programs in the U.S. and abroad, and have pursued outstanding careers in music. A native of Fürth, Germany, Ms. Oltmanns received a performance diploma from the Staatliche Musikhochschule Freiburg, and consequently accepted a Fulbright Scholarship and the prestigious Stipendium der deutschen Wirtschaft for

graduate and doctoral studies at the University of Southern California. Her musical mentors were John Perry, Robert Levin, Vitaly Margulis, and Malcolm Frager. She is an International Steinway Artist.

The JCSO accompanies Caroline Oltmanns in the Concerto No. 4 for Piano in C minor, Op. 44, by Camille Saint‐ Saens. This piano concerto premiered in 1875 during a period of great creativity for Saint‐Saens.

The concerto begins in C minor and ends in C Major. It was written using thematic transformation, where ,/*# ($12$+*0# 1$-'&'*+# !# ,/*1*# in such a way that it becomes different, yet is still recognizable.

This piano concerto is a showcase not only for the pianist, but also for the composer. Saint‐Saens described himself as “eclectic” and his compositions illustrate that quality. With this piece, Saint‐Saens pays homage to many other composers whose works he had studied and learned from, including Cherubini, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Liszt.

The symphony o r c h e s t r a continues the concert with Symphony No. 5 '"# R@&)!,# S!M$04# Op. 100, by 8*0>*# 90$:$&'*3B# 90$:$&'*3# )'3*-# through three of the most +'>"'&'(!",# *3*",+# of the early 20th century: World War I, the Russian Revolution, and World War II. He had left his homeland in 1918, as did many other Russian artists, but he returned in 1936, stating it was because of homesickness and patriotism.

The Symphony No. 5 was written in 1944, near the end of WWII. The premiere occurred on the same night that the Soviet Army turned the tide against the Germans, so it had a positive association with that event. The music of this symphony can be taken within the context of a "!,'$"#!,#5!0?#90$:$&'*3#/'1+*)%# described it as “a symphony about the spirit of man.”

The March 9 concert begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Mary B. Martin Auditorium of Seeger Chapel at Milligan College. Individual concert tickets are $30, $25 for seniors (60+), and $10 for students. Tickets are available online at www.jcsymphony.com $0#7.#(!))'">#,/*#+.12/$".#$%&'(*# at 423‐926‐8742. The symphony accepts Master Card, Visa, and Discover. Free bus service is available from Colonial Hill, )*!3'"># !,# TUAV# 2B1B?# S!2)*(0*+,# and Appalachian Christian W'))!>*4#!,#TUKN?#!"-#H',.#X!))4#!,# 6:45 p.m. Concerts are partially funded under an agreement with the Tennessee Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Page 10, The Loafer • March 5, 2013

Zella Moretz Roberts Celebrates 104th Birthday in Bristol There were reasons to celebrate at Broadmore Senior Living in February with the birthday of their oldest resident. A resident since 2011, Zella Moretz Roberts was honored for her 104th birthday at the assisted living community in Bristol. Echoed though out the afternoon was “She is simply amazing” and that only begins to describe her youthful appearance and southern charm. The celebration was attended by community residents, numerous church family and

friends and many of her dozen nieces and nephews and even more extended family.

February 28, 1909, a cold Sunday morning, Zella B. Moretz Roberts was born, in Meat Camp, North Carolina, to Eugene and Dora Hartley Moretz. She was the seventh child, and would eventually welcome three more brothers into the family.

In 1909, Meat Camp, NC remained somewhat isolated.

The majority of one’s family needs were met through self‐ reliance and hard work. All family food was grown in the gardens, or raised on the farm, most all clothing and furniture was made at home.

Only absolute necessities were bought from one of two stores in the community. Often, Eugene, Zella’s father, would make caskets for deceased community members, and with Medicinal Remedies of gathered roots, herbs and barks. Dora, her mother, not only doctored her own family but tended neighbors as well.

In the late 1920’s Zella went to work at the Green Inn, on King Street, in Boone. She moved to High Point in the early 1930’s and worked in the home of Dr. & Mrs. Harry Lyndon Brockmann for several years. At the urging of her brothers, she moved to Bristol in 1936 and on April 2, 1938 she married Russell Butler Roberts.

After Butler’s death in 1993 she continued living in the home they built, doing her own housework and driving around town for errands. In September 2011 she moved to Broadmore Senior Living in Bristol. Here she found many new friends and activities, and is lovingly cared for by the staff.

Zella has always inspired her family and friends with her many talents, physical stamina, a willingness to help others, and her “can do” attitude.

With more than 45 nieces and nephews and hundreds of great and great‐great nieces and nephews across the county, there is constantly a family member coming through the doors at Broadmore looking for “Aunt Zella”.

You may send your birthday wishes to: Zella Moretz Roberts, Broadmore Senior Living, 826 Meadowview Road, Bristol Virginia 24201.

March 5, 2013 • The Loafer, Page 11

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Kingsport Book Fair 2013 Profits to Support Literacy Programs

Friends of Kingsport Public Library and First Book Greater Kingsport announces the 2013 Kingsport Book Fair, March 7‐10, Kingsport Civic Auditorium, 1550 Fort Henry Drive.

Regular Book Fair hours are Friday, March 8, and Saturday, March 9, 9am 8pm and Sunday, March 10, 1‐5pm. Free admission throughout the entire weekend.

A special Preview Sale event will be held Thursday, March 7th, 5‐9pm. Admission for the Preview Sale is $10.

New for 2013, sales of at least $25 are cash or major credit cards. Sales under $25 are cash only. Items are priced from 25 cents to 10 dollars, based on age, condition, and popularity.

Received since mid‐March 2012 from local residents,

the donated items include thousands of printed books, audiobooks, music CDs, DVDs, and older audio‐visual media.

Each item has been individually priced and sorted in one of 30+ categories (based on format and topic). Two new categories for 2013 are HistoryBiography and Large Print. Both categories are a direct result of customer requests at previous Book Fairs.

As with previous Book Fairs, the 2013 inventory has exceptionally quality and Y6!",',.# &'(,'$"4# "$"@&'(,'$"4# childrenís, religion, music cookbooks, DIY, gardening, textbooks, and artcoffee table books. The Regional Interest category includes books by TimesNewsí Vince Staten to the FoxFIre series to hiking the AT or Great Smokey Mountains to &'(,'$"# 7.# # Z*%%*0+$"# R!++# !"-# Adriana Trigiani. This year, volunteers pricing donations have commented on the +'>"'&'(!",# ($))*(,'$"# $%# ',*1+# related to WWII, including several sets of Winston

Churchillís multivolume opus.

90$&',+# %0$1# ,/*# R$$:# [!'0# are split 5050 by Friends of the Kingsport Public Library and First Book Greater Kingsport.

Each organization uses these funds to support local literacy programs.

Volunteers are needed to help unbox books (Thursday, March 7, anytime after 830am), throughout the weekend for the actual sale, re‐boxing (Sunday, March 10, 5pm).

CONTACT KingsportBookFair@gmail. com or 423‐967‐7135 (no voice messages, please).

Book Fair History In 1961, the Kingsport Branch of the American Association of \"'3*0+',.#]$1*"#/*)-#,/*#&'0+,# Book Fair. Every other year through 2011, AAUW collected books and multimedia items for the Book Fair, growing it from a few tables to thousands of 7$^*+# &'))'"># ,/*# P'">+2$0,# H'3'(# Auditorium. The Friends of the Kingsport Public Library joined the Book Fair with the 2007 sale.

Beginning with 2012 Book Fair, FOL and the First Book Greater Kingsport continued the Book Fair tradition, while changing the frequency to annual. As with ,/*#$0'>'"!)#R$$:#[!'04#,/*#20$&',+# continue to be used locally to support literacy and educational programs.

Page 12, The Loafer • March 5, 2013

Food City Associates Compete in National Best Bagger Championship

Each year, National national recognition and Grocer’s Association hosts a prize of $1,000. Lewis their annual Best Bagger advanced to the event Championship during their after winning his local in‐ annual convention in Las store bagging competition, Vegas. Baggers from across followed by his regional the nation compete for the -'+,0'(,# ($",*+,# !"-# &'"!)).# coveted title of “America’s the Virginia State Best Bagger Best Bagger”.

Competition held in October “NGA hosts a premier of 2012. He enjoys hunting, event featuring only the most &'+/'">4#(!12'">#!"-#76')-'"># talented baggers throughout projects and plans to attend the country,” says Steven C. the FBI Academy, where he Smith, Food City president /$2*+#,$#7*($1*#!#&'*)-#!>*",# !"-# (/'*%# *^*(6,'3*# $%&'(*0B## !%,*0#&'"'+/'">#($))*>*B## “It’s a tremendous honor to Dwayne Blair, courtesy qualify as a participant.” clerk for the Whitesburg, This year’s convention Kentucky Food City also Dwayne Blair was held on February 10th during competed in the championship. the 2013 NGA Show at the Mirage Hotel and Casino, X*#Y6!)'&'*-#%$0#,/*#*3*",#!%,*0#5'""'">#/'+#)$(!)#'"@ with competitors from 23 states. According to NGA, store contest and the Kentucky State Best Bagger “Contestants are judged on speed, bag‐building Competition. A sophomore in college, Blair enjoys technique, weight distribution between bags, style, playing sports and hopes to start his own Computer attitude and appearance. The 2013 contestants Room after graduating. used three reusable bags during the preliminary “We are thrilled beyond words to have been !"-# &'"!)# 0$6"-+4# -60'"># 5/'(/# ,/*.# 7!>>*-# KN# ,$# privileged to have not one, but two Food City 35 items.” associates qualify for this prestigious competition,” Nicholas Lewis of Clintwood, Virginia serves as adds Smith “We are extremely proud to have been Courtesy Clerk for the Wise, Virginia Food City. He represented by such outstanding, talented young was named fourth place winner overall, receiving individuals. They are an asset to our company and our region.”

NGA is an organization dedicated to keeping its members and the industry informed and educated about business issues important to independent grocers, engage broad consistencies and gain support for its mission, public policies, and programs. For more information, visit their website at www.nationalgrocers.org.

Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, K‐VA‐T Food Stores operates 105 retail food outlets throughout the tri‐state regions of Southeast Kentucky, Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee.

Nicholas Lewis

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March 5, 2013 • The Loafer, Page 13

NPAC Presents Purdue Varsity Glee Club March 8th 7:30pm

The popular Purdue Varsity Glee Club is returning to the Niswonger Performing Arts Center.

NPAC will present the performance on Friday, March 8th at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $22.50 for adults, $10 for students.

“This dynamic musical troupe employs a versatile repertoire including gospel, vocal jazz, swing, contemporary hits, romantic ballads, classical choral selections, barbershop, folk melodies, patriotic standards, familiar opera choruses country classics and novelty tunes”, said Angie Wilson, Managing Director of the Niswonger Performing Arts Center in Greeneville, TN. The 1130 seat performing arts center is located adjacent to the campus of Greeneville High School in Greeneville, TN. Tom Bullard, Executive Director of NPAC, describes the performance as one of the best traveling groups in the United States. “The Purdue Varsity Glee Club utilizes small groups and outstanding soloists to further enhance each show”, said Bullard.

For venue information, and to purchase tickets, please visit www.npacgreeneville.com With integrity, passion,

unparalleled showmanship and attention to every detail, the men of the Purdue Varsity Glee Club have proudly served as ambassadors of the university with honor and dignity for more than 115 years.

Founded in 1893, this select ensemble has entertained on behalf of Purdue University for campus, community, state, national and international events, averaging between 50‐60 appearances each year.

Embodying the spirit of service above self, the men of the Purdue

Varsity Glee Club represent different backgrounds and hometowns across the country, consistently maintaining a high level of academic excellence with majors ranging from engineering to education to management to biological sciences.

Under the direction of William E. (Bill) Griffel, the Purdue Varsity Glee Club continues to share a sound all its own through one‐of‐a‐kind arrangements in tailor‐made performances for audiences of all ages.

Page 14, The Loafer • March 5, 2013

Latest Session of Paper Windows Photography Project Announced

=/*#&'"!)#+*++'$"#$%#,/*#9!2*0# Windows Photography project is now open to the public. At the end of this session the project will see its conclusion. “This has been a great project. We have had so many people who wanted to participate, I think we will most likely have close to 300 pictures when the project is completed,” said Lisa Beckner, project coordinator. “We have so many talented photographers in our area.”

The 11th session titled “Seeing Red” was just completed and the winners for the project are 1st place, “Happy Train” shot by Marlisa Osborne Moura. The picture was of the Steele Creek Park train winding its way through the park. “This picture 0*&)*(,*-#,/*#-*+(0'2,'3*#,',)*-4#',# was just happy, it made you smile when you looked at it,” reported

a judge who serves on the three judge panel that chooses the winners each session. “You could just hear the laughter of the children and feel the warm sun while looking at this picture, it was great!”

The 2nd place photo was photographed by local photographer Matthew Mills and titled “Integrity and Pride.”

The photo involved a red city &'0*# ,06(:# 5',/# ,/*# *17)*1# on the door. Another judge commented, “This shot was so ($$)4# ',# /!-# ,/*# 0*&)*(,'$"# $%# ,/*# E1*0'(!"# [)!># !"-# !# )$(!)# &'0*# +,!,'$"# '"# ,/*# -$$0# $%# ,/*# &'0*# truck where the Fire Department emblem is posted denoting the department’s motto of integrity and pride.” Mr. Mills is also a previous winner.

Continued on page 15

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March 5, 2013 • The Loafer, Page 15

Continued from page 14

“Autumn’s Last Blaze of Glory” was shot by Jeff Levine. His photo was one of what appeared to be a maple tree along a body of water. The brilliant red leaves of the tree were 0*&)*(,*-# '"# ,/*# pool of water. One of the judges on the panel commented, “You could see the peacefulness in this picture, you could just get lost it in, it was a great shot.”

The last session is “Bristol in Blue” and has a deadline of March 21, 2013. For the rules of the contest please

go to the city’s webpage www. bristoltn.org, click on the Home tab, and scroll down to the Paper Windows button. There you 5'))#&'"-#/$5#,$#*",*0#!"-#$,/*0# helpful information.

Page 16, The Loafer • March 5, 2013

Two Dobyns-Bennett Students Selected as Presidential Scholar Candidates Two Dobyns‐Bennett students have been selected as 2013 49th Annual United States Presidential

Scholar candidates.

Those selected for the Presidential Scholars program are William

D. Glasscock, son of Chris and Danelle Glasscock and Jeffrey F. Murphy, son of Jeffrey and Joni

William D. Glasscock

Jeffrey F. Murphy

Murphy. These two students will compete with the top 3,000 high school students nominated across the country.

“Ninety‐four Tennessee high school students have been named as Presidential Scholars in the history of the program. Of the ninety‐four, only nine students east of Knoxville have garnered this honor. We are fortunate to have had three of those honored students at Dobyns‐ Bennett,” said Dr. Chris Hampton, principal, Dobyns‐Bennett High School. “D‐B had Presidential Scholars in 1986, 1999, and 2009. It is an honor to have two +,6-*",+#'-*",'&'*-#!+#(!"-'-!,*+# for this distinction.”

Established in 1964 by executive order of the President, the program is to recognize and honor the nation’s most distinguished graduating seniors for their accomplishments in academic success, leadership and service to school and community.

In 1979, the program was extended to recognize students who demonstrated exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts. Annually, up to 141 students are named as Presidential Scholars, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students.

Application is by invitation only. Students are invited to apply based on their scores on the SAT or ACT exam or their nomination 7.# !# H/'*%# 8,!,*# 8(/$$)# G%&'(*04# the year of their graduation from high school, and whether they are U.S. Citizens or Legal Permanent U.S. Residents. Students who qualify will automatically receive applications. Applicants are then "!00$5*-# ,$# VTN# +*1'&'"!)'+,+4#

ultimately then determined as a recipient or not.

Students chosen as U.S. Presidential Scholars receive an expense‐paid trip to Washington, D. C. in June for National Recognition Weekend featuring various events, enrichment activities and culminating in the presentation of the Presidential Scholars Medallion during a White House‐sponsored ceremony.

During their visit, Scholars have access to important national and '",*0"!,'$"!)# &'>60*+4# '"()6-'"># >$3*0"1*",# $%&'('!)+4# *-6(!,$0+4# authors, musicians, scientists and other accomplished people.

For more information about the Presidential Scholars program, please contact the Dobyns‐Bennett High School H$6"+*)'"># G%&'(*# !,# IJDKL# K_C@ 8409 or visit www.ed.gov/ programs/psp/index.html.

Kingsport City Schools is a public school system located in Kingsport, Tenn., serving students in Sullivan and Hawkins county. The district is comprised of 13 schools, including a Pre‐K, eight elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school !"-# !"# !),*0"!,'3*# +(/$$)?# 5',/# total enrollment reaching 6,500 students. The vision of Kingsport City Schools is to be, Student Focused … World Class.

For more information on Kingsport City Schools (KCS), visit k12k.com, listen live on, WCSK 90.3 FM, The Voice of KCS, watch KCS Today on Charter Channel 16 at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. or call (423) 378.2100. We’re +$('!)#,$$?#%$))$5#6+#$"#[!(*7$$:4# Kingsport City Schools and on Twitter, @KptSchools.

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March 5, 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ The Loafer, Page 17

Page 18, The Loafer • March 5, 2013

World Renowned Fantasy Artist Charles Vess

Located just steps from the Barter Theatre, Mallory Fine E0,#'+#/$1*#%$0#!#20$)'&'(#>0$62# of SW Virginia/East Tennessee’s &'"*+,# !0,'+,+4# 5',/# !# -'3*0+*# selection of nature‐themed and landscape art elegantly showcased in a 120‐year‐old historic home. Mallory Fine Art is located at 112 E. Main Street, Abingdon, VA. Call 423.742.2150 for more information.

Mallory Fine Art - Abingdon March 7th Opening Reception

Mallory Fine Art will be hosting a month long exhibition celebrating the release of fantasy artist Charles Vess’ newest book The Cats Of Tanglewood Forest, from March 7 ‐ April 6, 2013.

The public is invited to attend an opening reception and book signing with the artist Thursday, March 7, from 5‐8pm.

On display will be 56 original illustrations from this latest collaborative effort with author Charles Lint. Original paintings, prints and signed books will be available for purchase at the gallery and online.

Charles Vess is a three‐ time winner of the World Fantasy Award, among many other distinctions. His work has appeared in numerous magazines, comic books, and novels, such as “Stardust,” written by Neil Gaiman ‐ which was made into an !(()!'1*-#&')1#7.#9!0!1$6",# Pictures in 2007. Vess has also illustrated two other picture books with Gaiman

(Instructions and Blueberry Girl) that were New York Times bestsellers. Drawing Down the Moon: The Art of Charles Vess, is a 200‐page retrospective of his art was published in 2010 by Dark Horse Books. These books will be available at the gallery.

Charles De Lint is the much‐ beloved author of more than seventy adult, young adult, and children’s books, including The Blue Girl, The Painted Boy, and Under My Skin. Well known throughout fantasy and science‐ &'(,'$"# ('0()*+# !+# $"*# $%# ,/*# trailblazers of the urban fantasy genre, he is the recipient of the World Fantasy, White Pine, Crawford, and Aurora awards.

The Cats of Tanglewood Forest has just received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly, read it here: www.publishersweekly. com/978‐0‐316‐05357‐0 Images from The Cats of Tanglewood Forest can be found on the gallery’s website at: www. gallerymallory.com Public hours for this exhibit will be Tuesday‐ Saturday from 10‐5pm.

Individual or group tours can be arranged by appointment. Pre‐ordered signed books for shipment outside the area are available.

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March 5, 2013 • The Loafer, Page 19

Symphony of the Mountains Features Tenor Carl Tanner Carl Tanner started his life as a truck driver and bounty hunter, even getting shot at during one point, but is now one of the most celebrated tenors in the world. Symphony of the Mountains proudly presents “Once In a Lifetime: Carl Tanner with Symphony of the Mountains” on Saturday, March 16, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. at the Toy F. Reid Employee Center in Kingsport.

This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to hear the famous ,*"$0#H!0)#=!""*0#!+#/*#&'))+#,/*# halls in tandem with Symphony of the Mountains, Voices of the Mountains and the Civic Chorale to create a beautiful operatic experience.

Born and raised in Virginia to very modest means, Carl Tanner started his adult life as a truck -0'3*0B# =/*# &'0+,# ,60"'"># 2$'",# for Tanner came one day while he was inching his way along

Interstate 95 in the cab of his 18‐wheeler, singing the Giacomo Puccini aria “E lucevan le stelle” to pass the time. A woman in a convertible in the next lane called up to him, “Is that you or is that the radio?” “That’s me, lady,” Tanner replied. “Well then, you’ve missed your calling,” the woman declared. “You should be singing for a living, not driving.”

To earn extra money, Tanner moonlighted as a bounty hunter.

When asked how he moved from being a bounty hunter

to an opera super star, Tanner replied, “Literally, I got shot at, then chased a guy out a window. And then I thought, ‘You know, my number’s coming.’

Two weeks later I was driving my truck and I decided to move to New York to pursue opera.”

It took him almost ten years to go from working class to world class, performing at the most celebrated opera houses, including the Kennedy Center in Washington, La Scala in Milan and the Royal Opera House in London.

Tickets are on sale now by calling Symphony of the S$6",!'"+# R$^# G%&'(*# !,# (423) 392‐8423 or visiting us on the web at www.

SymphonyOfTheMountains. org. As always, students are admitted free of charge pending availability.

Page 20, The Loafer • March 5, 2013

First Presbyterian Church Arts Series

Celebrates Regional Composers March 10th 3pm

Continued on page 21

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The King College Symphonic Choir and Collegium Musicum and the First Presbyterian Church Bristol Sanctuary Choir will join to present a program of music by regional composers on Sunday, March 10, at 3:00 p.m. This is the second program of the First Presbyterian Church 2012‐2013 Arts Series. The combined chorus will be under the direction of Dr. W. Patrick Flannagan of King College and Steve and Vicki Fey of First Presbyterian Church.

There are a large number of active composers working in our region, and this program will highlight music that comes from the pen some of these productive musicians. Pieces included will be by: Burton Bumgarner, who received his musical training at Greensboro College and Southern Methodist University and serves as music director at Grace Lutheran Church in Hendersonville, North Carolina.

Robert Campbelle who was educated at Furman University, Columbia University and Indiana \"'3*0+',.?# /*# +*03*+# !+# 16+'(# director of Central Presbyterian Church of Bristol, Virginia.

Kenton Coe, who studied with Paul Hindemith at Yale University and with Nadia Boulanger in Paris, and currently lives in Johnson City, Tennessee, working full time as a composer.

Daniel Gawthrop, who resides on Jonesborough, Tennessee, also working full time as a composer writing frequently on ($11'++'$"?#/*#'+#!#"!,'3*#$%#[,B# Wayne, Indiana.

Scott Gendel is a freelance composer and vocal coach living '"# S*!-$53'*54# W'0>'"'!?# /*# received advanced training at the University of Wisconsin‐ Madison.

Ann Holler of Bristol, Tennessee serves as a lecturer '"# S6+'(# !,# P'"># H$))*>*?# /*0# training was at King College, Virginia Intermont, and the University of Tennessee.

Beth McCoy of Abingdon, Virginia served for a number of years as Artistic Director of the Mountain Empire Children’s H/$0!)# E(!-*1.?# /*0# ,0!'"'"># was at Emory & Henry College and Peabody of Vanderbilt University.

F. William Thomas of Bristol, Virginia retired after many

March 5, 2013 • The Loafer, Page 21 years of teaching at several local colleges as well as directing the music at State Street United S*,/$-'+,# H/60(/?# /'+# ,0!'"'"># was received at the University of Dubuque and Northwestern University.

Of note in addition to the work of the composers, one of the selections by Ann Holler will include a new text written by Z$/"# ]!:*&'*)-# 5/$# 0*(*",).# retired from a position in the music department of Milligan H$))*>*?# ]!:*&'*)-# /!+# -$"*# extensive research and writing on issues of theology and worship.

Choral director W. Patrick Flannagan is now in his 31st year on the faculty at King College. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from King College, a Bachelor of Music in Church Music and a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Westminster Choir College, and a Ph.D. in Musicology from The Catholic University of America. At King College, he has served as Chair of the Music Department, Chair of the Fine Arts Department, and Chair of the Performing and Visual Arts Department.

He is the Conductor of the King College Collegium Musicum and the Symphonic Choir which has performed on several occasions with local orchestras. He is also conductor of the Voices of the S$6",!'"+# H/$06+4# !%&')'!,*-# with the Symphony of the Mountains.

For the past fourteen years, Steve and Vicki Fey have served as Directors of Music Ministries at the First Presbyterian Church of Bristol, Tennessee, after having served in a similar capacity at First Presbyterian Church of Kingwood, Texas for &'3*#.*!0+#!"-#['0+,#90*+7.,*0'!"# Church of Vero Beach, Florida for eleven years prior to that.

Steve is a native of Arkansas and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri and a Master of Music degree from North Texas State University. Steve has been active in the national Presbyterian Association of Musicians, is Past‐Dean of the local chapter of the American Guild of Organists, serves on the editorial committee for A! Magazine for the Arts, is a member of the national committee preparing a new Presbyterian Hymnal, and

is President of The Bristol Music Club. Vicki, a Florida native, received a Bachelor of Music degree from Stetson University in DeLand, Florida and a Master of Music degree from North Texas State University. She has served as accompanist for several Montreat Worship & Music Conferences, served as President of the Presbyterian Association

of Musicians Executive Board, is accompanist for Voices of the Mountains Chorus, and principal keyboard for Symphony of the Mountains. Vicki serves as adjunct faculty at King College, teaching organ and harpsichord.

The Arts Series of the First Presbyterian Church strives to share with the community events that enrich and inspire

the life of the people of Bristol, share our unique and marvelous facilities, and encourage the artistically gifted of our region and beyond. Admission is a suggested donation of $10.00, $5.00 for students. The church is located at 701 Florida Avenue, just west of King College. For more information contact the church at 423‐764‐7176.

Page 22, The Loafer • March 5, 2013

Mars Update: Life a Certain Possibility The 21st Century invasion of planet Mars by American space probes has made one thing clear: life on the Red Planet is certainly a possibility and all that remains is discovering those illusive Martians. !"#$% &'(% )*+*% ,-./(01% 2.% Mars giving an accumulated 18 years experience on the surface, and another three orbiters spending an accumulated 20-plus years looking down, planetary scientists have pieced together a dynamic concept of geological activity that includes plenty of water on the planet.

And where there is water on Earth, there is always some form

of life nearby.

Astrobiologists are so convinced that microbes have to (3"1#% 2.% 4-015% #$-#% 6$(.% #$(% &01#% tiny creatures are found for that breakthrough discovery, there will be many saying, “I told you so!” !",,% #$21(% &01#% 7"8021829"8% signs of life be found by the amazing, car-sized rover Curiosity and its science laboratory? !(,,5% #$-#:1% 6$-#% )*+*:1% 4-01% +8"(.8(% ;-<% "1% (3-8#,=% /(1">.(/% to do. And after six months on the Martian surface, Curiosity is in full-mode investigation of the water-drenched valley it landed in beside a mountain seen to have -.8"(.#%0"'(01%?26".>%2@@%"#1%1"/(1A%

It’s latest accomplishment has been drilling inside a rock and depositing those “innards” into #$(%02'(0:1%18"(.#"&8%,-<20-#20=%@20% analysis.

While Curiosity has garnered most of the attention from its position inside the huge Gale Crater at the base of three-mile $">$%+$-09%42B.#-".5%2.%#$(%2#$(0% side of Mars is the incredible, golf-cart-sized rover Opportunity, celebrating its ninth year on the planet and still in good health.

Guaranteed to last 90 days when it landed three weeks after "#1% #6".% 02'(0% +9"0"#% ".% C-.B-0=% 2004, Opportunity has also found the tale-tell signs of once-thriving ecosystems during its 23 miles of trekking from one crater to the next. Opportunity has been peering inside the guts of Mars that were tossed out by violent meteors millions of years ago. The craters reveal the typical striated layering of sedimentary rocks always associated with bodies of water.

D#% $-1% 127(% 1"7",-0% 18"(.#"&8% analysis tools on the end of a long robotic arm, like Curiosity, but Opportunity lacks the laboratory processing chamber that the more recent rover has to try and discover

organic reactions that would signal life.

One thing for sure, the surface of Mars is a harsh abode, sterilized <=% B,#0-'"2,(#% 0-=1% @027% #$(% +B.% that are unchecked by a thin atmosphere. Earth’s much thicker atmosphere blocks the most harmful solar radiation--though enough gets through to burn human skin if exposed to long. +".8(%#$(%#62%1#-#"2.-0=%,-./(01% of 1976, Viking 1 and Viking 2, spent a year each scooping Mars soil into their laboratory incubators with inclusive results. In the nearly four decades since Viking, the debate over life on Mars has slowly switched from a possibility--to a maybe--to the realization in the 18"(.#"&8% 8277B."#=% #$-#% &./".>% life on Mars is just a matter of time.

And that time is approaching, as the indirect evidence points to the likely signs that life is right now teaming on Mars.

But where?

E$(%,-#(1#%18"(.#"&8%29"."2.1%-0(% -1F".>%)*+*%#2%,22F%B./(0>02B./A%% While not even the most primitive sign of fossilized life can be found anywhere in the three stationary and three roving sites where American robots have landed,

the science platforms orbiting the Red Planet have found plenty of suspected ecosystems.

This evidence is in the form of liquids oozing out of the massive walls of the 2,000‐mile‐long Vallis Marineris gorge, as well as many craters seen to be weeping seasonal liquids from their sides.

There is a thick layer of ice under the north polar region, as evidenced when the stationary Mars Polar Lander in July 2008 plopped itself right on top of a massive sheet of frozen water, just barely covered by soil. New +('*",'&'(# 1$-*)+# $%# ,/*# S!0,'!"# gravity, thin atmosphere and low pressure allows for very salty liquids called brines that could &)$5#'"#,/*#%0**`'">#*"3'0$"1*",4# than evaporate.

A conundrum about water on Mars: despite much evidence that suggests water was once present on the surface, it has proven virtually impossible to come up with a Martian climate model in which liquid water remains stable for long. Analysis proves Martian liquid is very salty, in a concentration between 5 and 6 per cent. Earth’s seawater, for Continued on page 23

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March 5, 2013 • The Loafer, Page 23

Continued from page 22

comparison, has a concentration 2@% GAH% 9(0% 8(.#A% +B8$% $">$% 1-,#% concentrations are well within the comfort zone of numerous families of microbes on Earth, which suggests a cold, wet Mars may have been just as hospitable to life as a warm one.

The briny water could explain the water droplets apparently clinging to and even rolling down the landing struts of the Mars Phoenix lander in images from the spacecraft. The water is assumed to have come from ice melted

by Phoenix’s thrusters at the landing site, but it was thought it could only remain liquid on Mars if it contained extremely high concentrations of salt.

Orbiters have also photographed actual frozen lakes inside craters, seen tributaries glisten with surface ice; the rovers have witnessed snow falling and the newest one, Curiosity, has played around in a riverbed of pebbles obviously rounded by river erosion. )2#$".>%('(.%0(1(7<,".>%-%@211",% has turned up on Mars, but that’s no surprise given the unforgiving environment of deadly radiation

7"3(/%6"#$%#$(%&.(5%0B1#(/%23"/(I laden dust that covers the entire 9,-.(#A%E$"1%/B1#5%&.(0%#$-.%#-,8B7% powder, is mercilessly whipped around by sometimes violent storms. All the American landers have witnessed the frequent “dust devils” that are churned up in mile-high columns and scour the landscape like a blow dryer. Part 2@% #$(% 0(-12.% #$-#% 02'(01% +9"0"#% lasted 7 years and Opportunity is beginning its 10th year of operation is the unexpected cleaning of the energy-producing solar panels by dust devils whipping over the man7-/(%7-8$".(1A%%D#%6-1%&>B0(/%#$(% dust would cover and degrade the solar panels within three months, but the natural cleaning by the martian winds and dust devils

$-1% 902,2.>(/% #$("0% ,"'(1A% % +9"0"#% actually got stuck in a fall through crusty surface, and died during the winter of 2010 when its solar panels were tilted the wrong way to get its batteries recharged.

Rover Curiosity has a small nuclear reactor for power that can ,-1#% -% /(8-/(A% D#:1% &01#% 9$-1(% "1% -% three-year mission that will take it up the foothills of the striated layers of rocks that make up Mt. +$-09A%% )(6% )*+*% 02'(01% -0(% 2.% #$(% drawing board to go inside Mars, by driving into the many openings of caves seen from orbit. Those cave opening look like a black hole in the side of a crater or mountain.

On Earth, microbes up to 3 miles or more underground makeup

perhaps half of all of the planet’s living matter. Most of these organisms represent some of the most primitive kinds of microbes known, hinting that life may actually have started underground. ;26(0%>0-'"#=%2.%4-01%7(-.1% ,(11% 0(1"1#-.8(% #2% #$(% ?26% 2@% $2#% lava that creates underground tubes around volcanoes on Earth.

The giant, six volcanoes on Mars grew from the low gravity, and are the source of the oxidized dust everywhere. In fact, the volcanoes home, the Tharsis Bulge, has so much inside lava brought to

the surface that it has lopsided that hemisphere of Mars. The underground world of the planet must be laced with thousands of miles of cave tunnels. A possible birthplace of Martian life.

If life started twice in our 26.% +2,-0% +=1#(7II".% 2B0% 26.% backyard and on Mars--than we can only deduce that our Galaxy, and therefore the Universe, is full of living creatures.

And it will all begin a new age of thinking about intelligent life-JB1#%-1%122.%-#%#$21(%&01#%7"802<(1% -0(%82.&07(/%2.%4-01A

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Celestial events in the skies for the week of March 5‐11, 2013, as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette.

Comet PanSTARRS will be in the deep twilight beginning this week, but the real show begins next week from March 12‐17. Daylight Saving Time takes over beginning Sunday at 2 am‐‐which becomes 3 am, making March 10th a 23‐hour day.

Spring forward, fall back is the axiom. The bottom line is just as you were getting used to daylight at 7 am, when it’ll be close to 8 am next Monday. But gain an hour of daylight in the evening until after 7:30 pm DST, which more people will notice than the lingering morning. The Moon is in the morning skies, being at New Moon Monday. !9#.:$8703"$; This 1979 date in space history was a special one for interplanetary travel when W$.!>*0#A#&)*5#7.#,/*#/6>*#2)!"*,#Z62',*0#!%,*0#!#,5$#.*!0#M$60"*.B##W$.!>*0#D# %$))$5*-#!#1$",/#)!,*04#!"-#,/*.#7$,/#5*",#$"#,$#,!:*#,/*#&'0+,#()$+*@62#$%#,/*# planet Saturn in August 1980. <#6:$8703"$= In March 1986, everybody had Halley’s Comet fever as the most famous comet was making its annual 76 year visit to the '""*0#8$)!0#8.+,*1B##G"#,/'+#-!,*#'"#AaCT4#,/*#b60$2*!"#+2!(*(0!%,4##W*>!#A4#&)*5# by the comet, battered by icy debris and rock, and survived to transmit more than 2,000 images of Halley. !"90.:$8703"$> G"#,/'+#AaTa#-!,*#'"#+2!(*#/'+,$0.4#cE8E#&)*5#%$0#,/*#&'0+,#,'1*#,/*#d6"!0#S$-6)*# moonship in Earth orbit, practicing docking maneuvers with the Apollo 9 Command Module. Gemini veteran astronaut Jim McDivitt, 83, stayed in the mother ship named “Gumdrop” while in the odd‐looking moonship named “Spider” were astronauts Rusty Schweickart, 77, and future moonwalker David Scott, 80. The success made possible four months later the historic Apollo 11 landing.

50&:$8703"$?

The mighty hunter Orion dominates the southern skies with the brightest star in the skies, Sirius, at his feet in the Big Dog constellation. The bright stars of Orion’s knees and shoulders, and his bisecting belt of three stars are the most recognized star pattern‐‐next to the Big Dipper.

March 5, 2013 • The Loafer, Page 25

@7':$8703"$A Speaking of which, the Big Dipper is making its annual spring appearance standing on its handle of three stars at 8:30 pm. The rest of the constellation Ursa Major, the Big Bear, is sprawling ahead of the hindquarters “asterism” of the famous seven stars, called the Plow in Great Britain. @9,:$8703"$BC DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME BEGINS. Daylight lasts until about 7:30 pm, but its dark in the morning again until 7:45 am. Remember, a 23‐hour day today!

8),:$8703"$BB Planet Jupiter sets around midnight, along with The Pleiades in Taurus the Bull.

But there is still plenty of time to see the giant planet and its four, star‐like moons that shift position from night to night.

Page 26, The Loafer • March 5, 2013

Legends of the Hidden Basement With the coming of March, we all start to think about spring cleaning. I usually never do too much of it, my house is fairly clean in general. This year, however, I decided to get a preemptive strike on it done. As with each year, I keep saying something along the lines of “This will be ,/*# .*!0# F# &'"!)).# >*,# !0$6"-# ,$# cleaning out that basement!” In year’s past, I’ve said that with all enthusiasm, but usually I wind

up moving a box from one corner of the basement to another. I’ll give up around midday, and get distracted by the fact that Murder, She Wrote#'+#'"#1.#c*,&)'^#Y6*6*# (don’t you judge me).

R6,# ,/'+# 5!+# ,/*# .*!0# F# &'"!)).# decided to do something about the tangled web of cardboard boxes, seasonal decorations, and my grandmother’s luggage. The biggest issue is sorting through the things you genuinely want

to keep, be it for sentimental reasons, or just something that you know will come in handy one day. Then there’s all the other esoteric...crap. Middle school math tests from 1997, the papers for that 1992 dot matrix printer that came with your old IBM PC. The booklet telling you about all the exciting titles coming soon for the CD‐I Home Entertainment System! Remember that one?

Don’t be concerned, nobody else does either.

Then there’s those moments of rediscovery. Those moments 5/*"# .$6# &'"-# +$1*,/'"># ,/!,# you kinda knew you still had, but wasn’t entirely sure where it was. The downside to these moments, is they can sometimes slow down your productivity.

Picture opening up a box that you don’t even recall moving into the basement. Then picture that inside this box is all your old toys from Star Trek: The Next

Generation. Picture that when you put batteries inside your old model of the Enterprise, that it still works, and by “still works” we mean “It lights up and makes all kinds of starship sounds.”

86--*").4# &'%,**"# 1'"6,*+# >$# 7.# while you pilot this thing around in your hand, trying to do an impression of Patrick Stewart.

The toy parade did not stop there, another box contained most of my Mighty Morpin’ Power Rangers play‐sets (I’m a child of ‘90s people, get used to it), ,/*0*# 5*0*# 2)!+,'(# &'>60*+# $%# ,/*# Animaniacs, VHS tapes of many a cartoon, and a Nickelodeon 70!"-#(!++*,,*#,!2*#2)!.*0B#F#&'"-# myself feeling something of a pop culture Indiana Jones. Amongst all the things to get rid of, offer ,$# %0'*"-+4# F# :*2,# &'"-'"># 7',+# of me from various ages. Soon I had everything sorted, and &'))*-# !# %*5# )!0>*# ,0!+/# 7!>+# %6))# of stuff. I’m still wondering why I still had the instructions to my grandparent’s VCR, and the VCR to go with it!

All in all, it was a productive day. I realized I had enough to stock a thrift store, and had inadvertently become the hoarder for manuals to machines from the ‘90s. The basement looked neater, and there was less clutter. I was almost proud of it, but no to the point that I was going to throw a party and have people in it. Now if you’ll pardon me, I have to go work on my Patrick Stewart impression.

See you next week, follow me on Twitter @ThatAndyRoss.

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Page 28, The Loafer • March 5, 2013

Side Effects

=/*# "*5# &')1# O8'-*# b%%*(,+e# had several side effects on me, but I will reveal those shortly.

G"*# 5$6)-# '1!>'"*# !# &')1# depicting the possible side of effects of certain depression medications would be insightful, thrilling or at least surprising. I’m afraid “Side Effects” falls short on all of the aforementioned. =/*# &')1# +,!0+# Z6-*# d!5# !+# Jonathan Banks, a psychiatrist assigned to the case of Emily Taylor (Rooeny Mara), who has been accused of murdering

her husband Martin (Channing =!,61L#5/')*#6"-*0#,/*#'"&)6*"(*# of an anti‐depressant drug called Ablixa.

E,# ,/*# 7*>'""'"># $%# ,/*# &')14# we are introduced to Emily and Martin, and see how their idealistic life is torn to shreds thanks to the arrest of Martin.

After Martin is released from prison 4 years later, he returns home in the hopes of everything being normal in his life once more, but that’s a bit hard to do when the crazy train has run off

the tracks.

Shortly after his arrival, Emily falls into a funk that leaves Martin and her co‐workers concerned. I was able to tell the “depressed” Emily from the “happy” Emily by her hairstyle. When her hair was a rats nest: depressed, when shiny and sleek: happy.

After the murder of Martin, Emily is arrested, and Jonathan is a target for supplying her with the medication that supposedly triggered her attack on her husband. Everything quickly spirals out of control for Martin, and he is soon visiting the psychiatrist that treated Emily previously, Victoria (Catherine Zeta‐Jones). Victoria appears to have her own agenda (we discover later), but is very helpful to Jonathan in the beginning.

During her jail time, Emily agrees to plead insanity, and is declared not guilty if she stays in a mental institution until released by her psychiatrist. At ,/'+# 2$'",# '"# ,/*# &')1# ,/*0*# !0*# various plot twists that lead to an ending that neatly ties up everything for Jonathan.

The problems I had with “Side Effects” were many. One, I felt the lead actress, the aforementioned Rooeny Mara was dull in the role, and yes I know she is supposed to be depressed, but does she have to be comatose as well? She had no screen presence in this &')14#!"-#F#:*2,#/$2'">#+/*#5$6)-# impress me, but alas, never did.

There also was not enough Channing Tatum. The actor is hot at the moment, and needed more screen time. Hopefully in his next &')1# =!,61# 5'))# +,!.# !)'3*# 6",')# the end.

On the other hand, Zeta‐Jones took advantage of her screen time by chewing the scenery at every opportunity, and overpowered all the other actors, and some of her expressions would make Joan Crawford proud.

Despite some some clever ,5'+,+4#F#%$6"-#,/*#&')1#2)$--'">4# and not even bad enough to enter my “Bad Movies We Love” category. Any movie that has the side effect of causing me to fall asleep for at least 5 minutes in the middle of the story deserves to be recalled. The only saving grace was the performance of Jude Law, but not even he could not save this over medicated mess. (Rated R) C‐

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March 5, 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ The Loafer, Page 29

Page 30, The Loafer • March 5, 2013

Tweets from Beyond the Grave and Other Pop Culture Oddities I’ve written about lots of stuff in the nearly twenty‐four years since I’ve taken up residence in these pages. In fact, I’ve written about nearly everything from (A) naconda to (Z)eitgeist, but haven’t written about the following three rather interesting, albeit slightly scary Apps designed to make our lives better both before and after we die.

First up is something called Xpression, a mood‐detecting app from El Technologies’ founders Matt Dobson and Duncan Barclay.

Prompted by a need to address the concerns of patients suffering from anxiety, depression, or stress, Dobson and Barclay developed this app to help not only the troubled individuals but their psychologists/psychiatrists as well to keep track of mood swings and other psychological mumbo jumbo.

According to a recent news release appearing in NewScientist, an online journal, the new app uses voice recognition technology to provide a whole host of data not generally recorded in those daily diaries psychologists and psychiatrists are so intent on their patients keeping. “Instead of relying on people writing diaries,” the article informs us, “the app . . . .listens for telltale changes in a person’s voice that indicate whether they are in one $%# &'3*# *1$,'$"!)# +,!,*+U# (!)14# happy, sad, angry or anxious/ frightened. It then lists a person’s moods against the times they change, and automatically emails the list to their psychologist at the end of the day.” Pretty neat, but 5/!,#'%#!#2!,'*",#*^/'7',+#!))#&'3*# of the aforementioned emotional states at the same time? Let’s imagine a patient who is calmly

happy, yet very anxiously sad, angry, and frightened. I believe I have felt this way more than once.

Just think of what kind of email message this might generate for the psychologist in waiting.

Apparently, Xpression doesn’t record words but only changes in pitch and intonation, and it is constantly listening and always on, ready to detect even slight changes in the user’s emotional state. Don’t know about you, but I would be pretty anxious knowing every sound I made was constantly being recorded. And, needless to say, this technology 5'))# &'"-# ($6",)*++# !22)'(!,'$"+# outside the world of clinical psychology. No doubt it will be tested by the military and then

&'),*0*-# -$5"# ,$# ,/*# >*"*0!)# population, assuming many new forms and guises, most of them up to no good.

Closely related to Xpression is a new app, as yet unnamed, that detects emotional states by observing and recording facial expressions. Now in a pilot stage of development by researchers from Tilburg University, this app was invented primarily to help children suffering from math anxiety (which I’m sure includes millions, perhaps billions of people, including myself). Building on research that was pioneered around ten years ago, this app constantly monitors facial expressions for clues to a person’s true feelings.

Just think how much we could learn from a person being monitored by Xpressions and a facial recognition application at the same time. The non‐math applications are endless and somewhat scary.

Yes, we can generally understand a person’s emotional state by observing facial expressions in a common sense kind of way, but as Francie Diep, the author of a piece that appears in Popsci.com says, we can’t monitor a person’s face 24/7, so we should be happy someone has invented a way to literally be in someone’s face all the time.

Sounds a little too much like The

Truman Show to me, but maybe I’m being overly paranoid.

But, wait, there’s more. And this is where things start getting really bizarre. Go to Liveson.com, if you dare, and learn about a new frontier called “Your social afterlife.” Apparently, social networking will no doubt follow us to our graves, but why stop there? The folks at Liveson tells us, with a considerable amount of pride (which I detected without the use of the applications described above), that “Your Liveson twitter account is created [and] it will keep tweeting even after you’ve passed away. . . .When your heart stops beating, you’ll keep tweeting.” Is this thought supposed to bring us comfort? To be honest I’m a little creeped out every time I read that sentence. No, this is not yet another annoying article from The Onion, but a real‐life (pun intended) ad for a service that is scheduled to hit the market next month.

According to Mashable, the impetus behind the creation of this more‐than‐slightly morbid service is the burning question of who will maintain your social networking empire after you’re dead and buried. Who will be around to post or tweet cute little updates like “I’m still dead” when you are no longer able to do so in person? Dave Bedwood, one

of the creative geniuses behind this London‐based enterprise, waxes philosophical when he imagines the possibilities: “The thought just came that, over time, with Moore’s Law, et cetera, tech becoming more pervasive— how much of ourselves will we give to zeros and ones? Will any of it really constitute us?. . . . But it’s hard to see this trend reversing. And if we are posting all this stuff, what will happen to it? It feels evolutionary in a way, inevitable that man will use technology to somehow live on.”

While articulation may not be his strong suit, Bedwood might just be on to something. Tweeting beyond the grave sounds like a real trendsetter to me.

And how does all this work?

The Mashable article tells us that the Liveson team creates a new Twitter account for “you while you’re still alive and analyzes your original account for your interests, tastes and syntax.”

After assimilating your tweeting style, an executor (not to be confused with “executioner”) will be appointed to keep your style alive after you’ve left the building. And who wouldn’t want to read tweets from the dead?

Sounds like a great concept for a reality TV show, doesn’t it? The truly scary thing is that Bedwood imagines that your executor will become your twin, memorizing all the things that make you who you are—well, at least the way you appear when you are tweeting or Facebooking (and we know how authentic those activities are, don’t we?). So, this twin, or doppelganger, to use the parlance of horror literature, will be running around making sure you have a presence after death. I guess the less said about this the better.

Just think what could be accomplished if Liveson teamed with Xpression and that facial recognition app. We could then possibly determine the emotional state of the dead. Maybe I should revisit this idea for an installment of this year’s Halloween Horrors series in October.

Before I creep you out further, I will bid you a fond farewell until next week. In the meantime, wonder if I should contact Liveson for a plan to keep “Kelly’s Place” continuing throughout eternity?

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