The Loafer April 19th

7 12

30 Minute Workout

The Red Bus Is Coming

14

Steele Creek Clean-Up Earth Day Weekend

2 | April 19, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

POWER HOUR!

Volume 30 • Issue #20 Publisher Luci Tate

happenings

Editor Graphic Arts Director Don Sprinkle

4

What’s Your Power Hour?

5

Boost Your Health With Spices

6

Appalachian Fireworks Salad

Advertising Dave Carter Terry Patterson Lori Howell Beth Jinks-Ashbrook Patti Barr

7

10 Beneits of Consistent Yoga

8

Encore’s “The Best Man”

9

Fabulous Cars Of The 50’s

10

Echosmith To Headline Concert

Contributing Staff Jim Kelly Andy Ross Ken Silvers Mark Marquette Brian McManus Joshua Hicks Brian Bishop

11

Elvis-Style Bye Bye Birdie

11

Local Band Presents Earth Day Concert

Cover Design Bill May

Distribution Jerry Hanger Teresa Hanger Published by Pulse Publishing, LLC., P.O. Box 3238, 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

columns & reviews 20

Stargazer - King University Has New Telescope

12 Wisewater To Perform At Acoustic Cofffeehouse 14

Jonesborough Perpares For Great American Cleanup

15

A Bit About Sam and Mimi

16

Courtney Cole In Concert

22

Skies This Week

17

Charlie Daniels Band at NPAC

24

Batteries Not Included - Suspicion Susans

22

Strong & Fabulous

37

Abingdon Celebrates wth Town-Wide Spring Fling

26 The Trivial Traveler - Two More Reasons To Watch Your Back 27

Pop Life - The Boss

30

Mountain Movers - The Scott Emerine Interview

29

Lock, Stock & Barrel - Talking Targets, PT2

31

Pets of the Week

36

Kelly’s Place - Sounds Like .........

32 Things To Do 33

Classifieds

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.

Founder: Bill Williams

Grant Meredith

at Sonny’s Marina Friday, April 22nd @ 7pm

music & fun 18

Spotlight - Great Music & Fun Times

30

Puzzle Page theloaferonline.com | April 19, 2016 | 3

B

what’s your power hour? y now, I’m feeling bad about my New Year’s resolutions I made and broke. So what if I haven’t lost those five pounds?

It got me thinking about the crazy schedule of my life with work and 2 active teenage boys. I never have time to stop for myself. To dedicate time for just me. I think we all need Power Hour. So what can we do?

Here’s a resolution I guarantee I/you will keep: start devoting one hour a day to yourself. Call it YOUR power hour.

You know that you never work harder than when you work for yourself, so it makes sense to do everything you can to maintain your sanity, stamina, and spirit. With customers, clients, employees, friends, and family members that depend on you every day, you have to stay strong and healthy.

Here’s some simple strategies I found…….

Devote just one hour a day to your personal well-being. Try breaking up the hour into three, 20-minute “sanity breaks.” Wake up a half hour earlier than usual to walk around your neighborhood. Walk briskly, breathe deeply, and clear your mind.

If you prefer to start your day indoors, do some stretches. Or, just sit quietly to pray or meditate. Always turn off your smartphone, computer, radio, and TV during these quiet times. I know, right? No electronics? But this is part of taking this one hour or 20 minutes to spend for yourself.

Trust me, the world will go on without you on social media for 20 - 60 minutes.

At least three times a week, forgo your lunch break, change into some comfortable running shoes, and hit the road. If you can’t get outside, shut your office door, do more stretches, and take a short nap. After your nap, call a friend who makes you laugh. If you crave a snack, try instant oatmeal, lightly salted nuts, or dried fruit. I constantly keep these in my desk. Ok, maybe not the oatmeal.

At the end of your day, there are several options for your final break. Work out in a gym or take a dance class. Yoga. Read a book. I was surprised to learn that one of the best ways to inspire creative thinking is to flip through a magazine on a topic you know nothing about. Pick something wacky. It doesn’t matter whether it is about hot rods, architecture, or quilting.

Before bedtime, soak in a hot bath or take a long shower with a fragrant shower gel. (I love tropical and coconut scents, especially since I live in rural Vermont where the deep snow and frigid air snuff out all outdoor scents for five or six months).

4 | April 19, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

It is very common to become so involved in giving to others that we fail to give to ourselves. And although this is more often a trait in women, there are plenty of men out there who feel this way too. Many are so caught up in earning a living to take care of their families, that breaking away from responsibilities to indulge in hobbies, reading or hanging out with the guys makes them feel selfish.

If everyone else around you is worthy of care and attention, then so are you. You not only deserve this time, but you need it for your own well-being. Lack of time for ourselves often leads to feeling frustrated, tired, overwhelmed and out of balance.

Without this time for ourselves, we lose sight of what’s important to us.

Last sanity tip: keep a notebook by your bedside. Jot down all the things you accomplished that day. Praise yourself for getting so much done.

Then, write a short ‘to do’ list, close the notebook, and get some rest. You have another big day tomorrow.

Stop wishing that you had more time for yourself and make it happen. Rather than complain about your lack of time, change your approach to how you create the time for your own Power Hour. I’m betting we will be amazed at how a little bit of time to ourselves can make a huge difference in our health and happiness! I’m starting my Power Hour today and every day after.

Let me know how your Power Hour is working for you. Email me your ideas on what you do to take that one hour to yourself.

Luci Tate – Publisher info@theloaferonline.com

A

Boost Your Health With Spices

dding spices such as basil, oregano, garlic, curry, and rosemary to your diet can benefit your health, according to Suzanna Zick, a naturopathic physician and researcher at the University of Michigan Health System.

“Adding herbs and spices can help you maintain a healthy weight. Plus, they can help prevent certain cancers, and even lower blood pressure, control blood sugar and improve cardiovascular health,” Zick said in a prepared statement.

By replacing traditional seasonings like sugar, salt and fat with herbs and spices, you can improve your overall health -along with the flavor of your food.

10 tips for picking the best spices for your overall health: •• Replace salt with herbs. Herbs such as oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley and garlic can bring out the natural flavors in a meal.

•• Use fresh garlic. Garlic can lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

“For maximum benefit, you need to have about three medium cloves of garlic per day. Dry garlic, or garlic left out too long, loses its healthy benefits,” said Zick.

•• Eat rosemary.

Rosemary is an antioxidant that is thought to improve memory and possibly help prevent cancer.

•• Fight colds w i t h basil, oregano

and rosemary. The essential oils in these herbs may be able to fight against colds and flu.

•• Treat chronic coughs with thyme. “The health benefits of thyme are unique. It has been traditionally used to treat coughs, even whooping cough,” said Zick.

•• Eat turmeric for back pain. Researchers have found that a substance known as curcumin that is found in turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric can be used alone, and is added to curry mixes.

•• Fight cancer with curry. Curcumin has also been shown to shrink pre-cancerous colon polyps.

Use “warming spices” to lower blood pressure. “Warming spices,” including ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, pepper, and cayenne pepper, bring blood from the center of the body to the skin. According to Zick, this disperses blood throughout the body more evenly, which may decrease blood pressure.

•• Eat ginger to soothe your stomach. Substances called gingerols in ginger can help control nausea.

••Replace sugar with spices.

Add spices like cinnamon and nutmeg t o

of Medicine has more about herbs and supplements. -- Krisha McCoy SOURCE: University of Michigan Health System, news release, Jan. 2, 2007

sweet snacks instead of sugar.

For More information: The National Library

theloaferonline.com | April 19, 2016 | 5

A

Appalachian fireworks salad ppalachian Fireworks Salad This salad is perfect for July 4’th celebrations, and is a colorful edition to any summertime party. Filled with summer-fresh fruits, fresh salad greens and topped with our tangy vinaigrette, this jewel is simple and easy to prepare in advance for your party!

INGREDIENTS Vinaigrette • ¾ cup Olive Oil Divine Mission Extra Virgin Olive Oil • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil Divine Cask 25 Balsamic Vinegar • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil Divine Strawberry or Blackberryberry Balsamic Vinegar • 1 Tbsp honey • ½ tsp Olive Oil Divine mustard • 1 shallot, finely minced • 1 Tbsp minced fresh tarragon • 1 tsp Olive Oil Divine Pink Himalayan salt and ½ tsp white pepper

Salad Fixings • Mixed greens • Fresh raspberries or strawberries • Fresh blueberries • Goat cheese (crumbled into bite-sized pieces) • Candied walnuts • Fresh fennel, thinly sliced • Red onion, thinly sliced

6 | April 19, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

PREPARATION Combine vinaigrette ingredients in a glass bowl and whisk them together, adding the oil last in a slow drizzle until fully combined. Let stand at room temperature for 5- 20 minutes to let the flavors blend. While the vinaigrette is marinating, carefully wash and dry the greens and fresh fruit.

Crumble the goat cheese. Thinly slice the red onion and fennel. You can either prepare this as a composed salad and drizzle dressing over each plated serving; or prepare the salad in a large bowl without tossing (to protect those delicate raspberries) and serve the dressing on the side.

(Recipe from Olive Oil Divine)

festival

10 Benefits of a Consistent Yoga Practice (compiled by Joyful Stillness Yoga Studio, LLC)

•• 1. Blood Pressure reduction in patients with prehypertension and Stage 1 hypertension •• 2. Reduced appetite immediately after yoga sessions •• 3. Yoga meditation can reduce performance anxiety and mood disturbance •• 4. Yoga improves function and reduces pain of chronic lower back pain •• 5. Yoga can help to decrease symptoms of asthma •• 6. Yoga can improve quality of life and mood in breast cancer outpatients •• 7. Yoga eases the effects of hot flashes and menopausal symptoms in earlystage breast cancer survivors •• 8. Yoga can improve quality of sleep, helpful for those suffering from insomnia •• 9. Yoga improves strength and flexibility of joints •• 10.Yoga improves muscle and bone strength, reversing bone loss

30

Minute Workout

15 Minute Mile on the treadmill 2 Sets of 20 Sit Ups 3 Sets of 10 Push Ups 3 Sets of 1 Minute Wall Sits 50 Right Leg Lifts 50 Left Leg Lifts 2 Sets of 25 Squats 50 Jumping Jacks 5 Minutes of Stretching

theloaferonline.com | April 19, 2016 | 7

D

Encore’s ‘THE BEST MAN’

oes the best man always get to the White House? Encore Theatrical Company is inviting audiences to find out when it premieres the second show of its tenth anniversary season, Gore Vidal’s “The Best Man.” This political comedy will open on Friday, April 29 for two weekends only at Walters State Community College in Morristown.

The plot of “The Best Man” follows two Presidential candidates in their quest for the White House. William Russell, the ex-Secretary of State, is a wit and scholar with high liberal principles, beloved of the eggheads and suspected by practical politicians. Joseph Cantwell is a ruthless and hard-driving young man, a dirty fighter who will let no scruples stand in the way of his ambitions. And Arthur Hockstader is an ex-President, determined to have the final say in the selection of his party’s candidate, and enjoying keeping the candidates guessing whom he will endorse.

“Although the play was written in the 1960s and was originally a satire of the Kennedy administration, it’s incredible how relevant this play is today,” said Mike Howard, Encore’s guest director for this production.

“It’s essentially a comedy that pits personality against policy, not unlike the campaigns we are seeing today.”

“The Best Man” features a cast of 17 actors from around the region. The two presidential candidates are Drew Wilder (making his Encore debut) as Secretary William Russell, along with Bill Conklin as Senator Joseph Cantwell. They are joined by a dynamic cast which includes Frank Williams as Ex-President Arthur Hockstader, Paige Munroe-Mattocks as Mabel Cantwell, Debra Williams as Alice Russell, Alice Lafever as Sue-Ellen Gammadge, Cliff Jestice (Encore debut) as Dick Jensen, Kelley Hinsley as Senator Clyde Carlin, Troy Wallen as Don Blades, Leah Winstead as Catherine, Mike Lilly as Dr. Artinian, and Clay Parker (Encore debut) as Sheldon Marcus. The

8 | April 19, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

to be performed April 29-May 8

ensemble includes Hannah Brooks (Encore debut), Beashauna Whitman (Encore debut), Leslie Beach, Macie Rogers, and Tyler Thompson.

Director Howard may be more known to Encore audiences as an actor, having just appeared as Sir Bedevere in Encore and Walters State’s “Spamalot” and as Javert in the two organizations’ “Les Miserables.” However, he directed last season’s production of “Doubt.”

The show is stage managed by Logan McGinnis and production team includes Karcyn Kowalski, Robin Carpenter, Frank Williams, James Templin, Amy Webb, and Paige Munroe-Mattocks.

“The Best Man” is made possible by financial support from Litz Turf Farms, Litz Turf Farms, Tarr Chevrolet, Lakeway Dermatology, Morristown Pediatric Dentistry, WCRK/WMTN Radio, MAHLE, McKenna Orthodontics, and the Tennessee Arts Commission.

Performances are scheduled for two weekends only, April 29 through May 8. Evening performances are April 29, 30, May 6, and 7 at 8pm with matinees on May 1, 7, and 8 at 2pm. Tickets are now on sale, and can be purchased online at etcplays.org or by calling 423-318-8331.

Fabulous Cars of the 50s

to be feature of lecture at Tusculum College

the 1950s. Through a series of slides and commentary, the audience will be introduced to one of the most exciting eras in automotive history. Highlights will include the flamboyant designs and color schemes, the horsepower race and a counter-cultural movement toward compact and imported cars.

Tunstall will present a portrait of American popular culture and how tastes can suddenly and radically change.

“This period of time points up the fickleness of what Americans waned, and how they changed their minds,” said Tunstall, adding that the audience will witness the rise of “The Big Three” and the fall of a number of independent manufacturers.

Community members are invited to bring cars from this era to campus for display. Set-up will begin at 5 p.m. in the Niswonger Commons parking lot. Shuttle service will be provided from the parking lot to the library. The event is free and open to the public.

Tusculum College, the first college in Tennessee and the 28th oldest in the nation, is a liberal arts institution committed to utilizing the civic arts in developing educated citizens distinguished by academic excellence, public service and qualities of JudeoChristian character. Approximately eighteen hundred students are enrolled on the main campus in Greeneville and three off-site locations in East Tennessee. The academic programs for both tra“They Don’t Make ‘em Anymore: Those Fabulous Cars of the Fifties” will be presented by Li- ditional-aged students and working adults served through the brarian Charles Tunstall on Tuesday, April 26, at 6 p.m. in the Thomas J. Garland Library.

Graduate and Professional Studies program are delivered using The event will include a presentation and discussion of the American automobile industry during focused calendars.

theloaferonline.com | April 19, 2016 | 9

Echosmith to headline

E

SGA Spring Major Concert at ETSU chosmith, known for the hit singles “Cool Kids,” “Bright” and “Let’s Love,” will be the headline act for the Student Government Association Spring Major Concert at East Tennessee State University on Sunday, April 24.

Echosmith is an American pop band comprised of four siblings – Graham, Sydney, Noah and Jamie Sierota – from Chino, California. Sydney, the only female sibling, sings lead vocals. Brothers Jamie and Noah play guitar and bass, respectively, and sing back-up vocals, and Graham, the youngest, plays drums.

Their father, Jeffery David, a producer and songwriter, serves as their manager.

The group signed with Warner Bros.

Records in May 2012 and released its debut album, “Talking Dreams,” in October

2013. In 2015, Echosmith garnered nominations for Teen Choice, Kids Choice and MTV Europe Music awards.

“Cool Kids,” the band’s hit song dealing with being a misfit in high school, reached No. 13 on the Billboard “Hot 100” chart, was certified double platinum in both the United States and Australia and was Warner Bros. Records’ fifth-highest-selling digital song of 2014.

Echosmith recently teamed up with Hollister, a division of Abercrombie & Fitch Co., for the “All Equal” anti-bullying awareness campaign. This effort includes an educational video featuring the band that is being distributed in 20,000 schools, as well as a scholarship program, a line of inspirational T-shirts and a “roundup” program, in which customers can choose to round up their purchases to the nearest dollar to benefit the nonprofit No Bully cyberbullying prevention campaign.

Special guest Andrew Ripp will open the concert. The singer-songwriter from Palatine, Illinois, now based in Nashville, recently released his self-titled fourth album.

The show begins at 7:30 p.m. at Freedom Hall Civic Center in Johnson City.

Complete concert information is available a www.etsu. edu/sga/events.aspx. Student tickets will be available beginning March 28. Public tickets will be sold online for $20 each beginning April 11.

For more information, call the Student Organization Resource Center at 423-439-6633.

For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at 423-4398346.

10 | April 19, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

jonesborough Repertory Theatre presents

Elvis-Style Bye Bye Birdie

T

he Jonesborough Repertory Theatre is proud to present the late 50s hit musical Bye Bye Birdie, an homage to the Elvis-craze and teen culture of the late 50s and early 60s. The comedic musical is set to open at the Theatre on April 8, and will run through April 24.

Bye Bye Birdie presents a fun, exaggerated spoof of an event similar to Elvis’ draft into the Army. After the musical’s hip-swinging hero, Conrad Birdie, receives his draft notice, his manager plans to stage one last publicity stunt in which Conrad will perform a final song and kiss a lucky fan goodbye. The girl turns out to be 15-year-old Kim MacAfee from the little town of Sweet Apple, Ohio, who has just started “going steady” with her boyfriend, Hugo Peabody. The news of the star’s visit throws the town’s teens into a tizzy, and a lot of singing and dancing ensues.

The director, Janette Gaines, says that keeping the culture of the time period w a s important.

“In order for the story to make sense, we have to remember that things were diff e r ent back then.

S o ciety rules w e re v e r y strict, b u t it was a l s o a time of rebellion against the rules. You see a lot of that spirit in Bye Bye Birdie,” Gaines said. “The time period is one of the things that drew me to this story.

It’s pure fun. Plus, there’s just tons of dancing and singing, which makes this such a fun-filled show.”

With its 50s and 60s setting and its teen spirit, Bye Bye Birdie is sure to delight all ages with its musical comedy.

The cast includes Corey Tickles as Conrad Birdie; Lucas Schmidt as his manager, Albert; Katelyn Smith as Albert’s feisty secretary, Rosie; Megan Knight as Kim MacAfee; Nick Reynolds as Hugo Peabody and a cast of thirty additional actors popular in the TriCities musical theatre scene.

Bye Bye Birdie runs April 8 through April 24 at the Jonesborough Repertory Theatre. Show times are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. with Saturdays and Sundays matinees at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $16 general admission and $14 for students and seniors. To purchase tickets, visit jonesboroughtheatre.com or call the Jonesborough Visitors Center at (423)753-1010. Season passes are also available. theloaferonline.com | April 19, 2016 | 11

K

Local Band Presents Earth Day Concert

On Earth Day, Friday April 22, the band A Great Disaster will perform a concert at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse and Music Room in downtown Johnson City. The concert will feature two hours of the band’s original music which is a unique blend of folk rock, fusion jazz, pop, and jam band styles. The band will perform selections from their two studio releases, Revive LP and Stepping Stone, as well as unreleased material, some of which is being debuted at this concert. In observation of Earth Day, twenty percent of proceeds from the show will be donated to the Appalachian Resource Conservation and Development Council (arcd. org) which works to conserve natural resources, improve rural economies, and promote local growers and producers. The show is from 8-10 pm and tickets can be purchased at the door the night of the show for $10. For more information, visit thewillowtreejc.com or visit the band’s website at agreatdisaster.com.

the red bus is coming!

12 | April 19, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

S

tudents of East Tennessee State University’s Roan Scholars Leadership Program are hosting the Red Bus Project from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 20, and on Thursday, April 21, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

A red double-decker bus, serving as a mobile thrift shop, will be parked near the Amphitheatre at the Pedestrian Mall each day. The public is invited to stop by the bus with clothes to donate or to shop for clothes already on the bus.

The Red Bus Project raises funds to assist orphans around the world in their quest to find permanent families. In the past, ETSU has had one of the largest turnouts in terms of buyers and items donated.

Learn more at Facebook.com/ETSUredbusproject and Twitter.com/ETSURedBUS or contact James Grindstaff at grindstaffj@ goldmail.etsu.edu.

C

AMERICANA DUO WISEWATER performing at the acoustic Coffehouse

ritically acclaimed Americana duo Wisewater will be performing at The Acoustic Coffeehouse on Friday, April 22.

Wisewater’s debut EP, The Demonstration, was released last November and reached #13 on the iTunes Singer-songwriter charts. Featuring five original songs, the record was hailed as “beautifully poetic” by The Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, NY).

Based in Nashville, Wisewater (Kate Lee on vocals/fiddle and Forrest O’Connor on vocals/mandolin/guitar) have appeared on The Grand Ole Opry several times in the last year and have toured across the country, sharing the stage with Emmylou Harris, Ricky Skaggs, John Cowan, Mary Gauthier, and many others.

O’Connor, son of legendary fiddler Mark O’Connor, plays sessions around Nashville and won the Tennessee State Mandolin Championship in 2015. He formed Wisewater with Lee in 2014 after a string arranger in Nashville introduced the two. Lee recently graduated from Belmont University and has appeared on the CMA Awards and Christmas Shows for several years, backing up many major entertainers including Rod Stewart, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, and Lady Antebellum.

Their show at The Acoustic Coffeehouse begins at 10:00 PM ET. The Acoustic Coffeehouse • 415 W Walnut St Johnson City, TN 37604 •(423) 434-9872

theloaferonline.com | April 19, 2016 | 13

O

Jonesborough Prepares to Participate in the 2016 Great American Cleanup n April 23, Keep Jonesborough Beautiful will sponsor an e-waste collection as well as a clean-up project within the Jonesborough town limits.

From 8 a.m. to noon, volunteers will work on clean-up projects along the highways in Jonesborough. Volunteers are asked to check-in at the Food City of Jones-

borough.

The e-waste collection will also take place in the parking lot of Food City of Jonesborough from 8 a.m. to noon.

This event will be part of Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup™, which is the largest volunteer event in America.

In the last couple of years, an estimated 4.2 million volunteers in all 50 states participated in litter pickup, beautification, recycling and educational events.

In the past, all 95 counties participated in GAC in Tennessee.

Tennesseans donated more than 333,293 hours to clean, beautify and improve more than 1,022 communities. Over 8,324,757 pounds of litter was collected from 6,275 miles of Tennessee roads. Over 6.5 million pounds of recycling was collected as well. This will be Keep Jonesborough Beautiful’s second time participating in the Great American Clean Up. Last year’s projects included creek bed clean up and an e-waste collection.

Volunteers are needed for both the highway and e-waste projects. Anyone interested in participating on April 23 is asked to contact Jeff Thomas at 423-753-1006 or jefft@jonesboroughtn.org.

Steele Creek clean-up scheduled for Earth Day weekend In commemoration of Earth Day 2016, the City of Bristol, Tennessee’s Parks and Recreation Department will be conducting a park clean-up day at Steele Creek Park on Saturday, April 23, 2016 from 9:00 AM until noon. This event is being held in cooperation with Keep Bristol Beautiful and the Friends of Steele Creek Nature Center and Park, who are providing gloves, bags, beverages, and snacks for all volunteers. Individuals and groups are welcomed and encouraged to volunteer in order to help keep Bristol’s largest park clean.

Steele Creek Park totals more than 2,200 acres, making it the third largest municipal park in Tennessee, and among the top 50 largest city parks in the country. The park contains a 52-acre lake, a nine-hole golf course, and more than 25 miles of trails for hiking and biking.

For more information about the event, please contact Jeremy Stout, Nature Center Manager, at 423-989-5616 or email jstout@ bristoltn.org.

POWER HOUR

Power Hour is also a drinking event where player(s) drink a specified number of alcohol shots within one hour. Variants include one shot of beer every minute for an hour or 10 shots within one hour. In the USA, a power hour event is often associated with a person’s 21st birthday when they reach the legal drinking age.

14 | April 19, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

B

A BIT ABOUT SAM AND MIMI

rooklyn native Sam Barron is hitting the road this spring on a two week tour through the southeast. Joining Barron as he brings his indie rock vibe into the deep south is Canadian artist and songwriter, Mimi Oz whose album, Men Who Never Loved Me, was released this past fall. Playing 14 shows from April 21 to May 5, Barron and Oz will be jumping from state to state, starting in DC and ending in Kentucky with stops in North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi in between.

Barron’s new album, Just Couldn’t Help Myself, throws the quirky charismatic poetry of Elvis Costello into the ring with the gritty, yearning Americana of Bob Dylan and Jeff Tweedy. A Tom Petty for the millennial bar scene, Barron brings tremendous range to the stage with tracks ranging from abstract and

introspective to crazy and fun. The world traveler Oz, who has reaped inspiration during her time living all across North America including Mexico City and Toronto, brings her own sound to the stage with songs from Men Who Never Loved Me. With her melodic vocals and musing lyrics, a la Jenny Lewis, Oz’s new album is not your typical run of the mill love sick standard we’ve become so used to but rather gives us an inverted take on the genre by combining levity, reflection, and just enough sorrow.

For fans of the indie rock scene and just great music in general, this is simply a tour that can’t be missed.

Their show at The Acoustic Coffeehouse is Monday, April 25th The Acoustic Coffeehouse • 415 W Walnut St Johnson City, TN 37604 •(423) 434-9872

Yoga classes on Tuesday evenings at Gray Library Effective in May, the yoga classes offered at Washington County Gray Library will be scheduled for Tuesday evenings from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Jamie Ferrell, a certified yoga instructor, will teach Vinyasa Flow yoga, to persons at any level, from beginner to advanced.

Classes are free, but participants need to bring their own yoga mats, props and water bottles. For more information, call the library at 477-1550. theloaferonline.com | April 19, 2016 | 15

Northeast State, CMT present

Courtney Cole in concert

N

Courtney Cole Photo courtesy of CMT

16 | April 19, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

ortheast State and CMT (Country Music Television) will present rising talent Courtney Cole in concert April 22 to raise awareness of educational opportunities for U.S. veterans in Northeast

Tennessee.

Northeast State is partnering with CMT’s Empowering Education initiative and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) to increase visibility for education and rural workforce challenges. The partnership centers on using storytelling to help individuals, no matter their age, enroll or re-enroll in college to realize their full potential.

“Our event is designed to highlight the opportunities Northeast State can provide veterans and show them we have a support system in place to help them succeed,” said Pat Chandler, coordinator of Veterans Affairs. “We are very appreciative of CMT and its willingness to help us support veterans in their educational pursuits.”

Cole, a recent graduate of Belmont University, said “I’m excited to partner with CMT on their Empowering Education initiative.

Combining music with education is a powerful combination. Having the opportunity to meet

students and hear their stories is something I’m looking forward to.”

The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a community fair. Doors will open at 6:30 with a panel discussion from Northeast State student veterans about their college experiences, followed by opening local act Jeffrey Benedict of My New Favorites and completing the evening with headliner Cole.

The community fair and concert will be held in the Wellmont Regional Center for the Performing Arts on the College’s Blountville campus, 2425 Highway 75.

Admission to the concert requires a ticket, but tickets are free. Tickets are available for pick up at the Northeast State Office of Veterans Affairs, East Tennessee State University Office of Veterans Affairs, Warrior’s Canvas, Department of Labor and Workforce Development (Kingsport and Johnson City), and the Tri-Cities Military Council.

For more information about CMT’s Empowering Education initiative visit www.CMTEmpoweringEducation. The site is a comprehensive online resource, designed to aid CMT individuals in overcoming the most commonly perceived obstacles to education. This tool aggregates the multitude of existing quality information in one easy-to-navigate central location, and creates an individualized education action plan for each user.

The Charlie Daniels Band

T

is a sell-out at npac concert

he legendary Charlie Daniels Band rolls through the area bringing a sold-out show to NPAC on April 23 at 7:30 pm.

From his Dove Award winning gospel albums, to his genre-defining Southern rock anthems, and his CMA Award-winning country hits, few artists have left a more indelible mark on America’s musical landscape than Charlie Daniels.

An outspoken patriot, beloved mentor to young artists and still a road-warrior, Charlie has parlayed his passion for music into a multi-platinum career and a platform to support the military, underprivileged children, and others in need.

When he formed the Charlie Daniels Band, the group scored its first hit with the top ten “Uneasy Rider.” Since then the CDB has populated radio with such memorable hits as “Long Haired Country Boy,” “The South’s Gonna Do It Again,” “In America,” “The Legend of Wooley Swamp,” and of course, his signature song, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” which won a Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group in 1979 as well as single of the year at the CMA Awards.

“I love what I do,” says Charlie of his 50-plus years in the music business. “I look forward to entertaining people. When show time gets here, I’m ready to go, ready to go play for them. It’s a labor of love. I just thank God I make a living at what I enjoy doing.”

Charlie Daniels Band will perform for a sold-out audience at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center (NPAC) in historic downtown Greeneville, TN on Saturday, April 23 at 7:30 pm. This performance is sponsored by Landair and Marsh Propane.

NPAC offers online seat selection with no processing or delivery fees.

There is a $1.50 ticketing fee per ticket regardless of purchase method. The box office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 am until 5 pm. The 1150 seat performing arts center is located adjacent to the campus of Greeneville High School in Greeneville, TN. For venue information, and to purchase tickets, please visit www.npacgreeneville.com.

theloaferonline.com | April 19, 2016 | 17

S O LG T P

T I

- TUESDAY - April 19th -

THE MUDBUGS at Acoustic Coffeehouse SHAMAN’s HARVEST w/ FAILURE ANTHEM at Capone’s FIGHT AMP at The Hideaway 6pm GUIDO AUSOME & THE OPEN MIC PLAYERS at O’Mainnin’s Pub DOWNTOWN COUNTRY at Jiggy Ray’s 6:30pm

- WEDNESDAY - April 20th OPEN MIC at Jiggy Ray’s OPEN MIC at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 6pm

BOBAFLEX w/ SEASONS OF ME & BLACK RIVER REBELS

at Holston River Brewing Company 8pm OPEN MIC POETRY at Acoustic Coffeehouse

- THURSDAY - April 21st ROXANNE WHIITINGTON/ BARRY CREEK/ GHOST CAB at Capone’s LOST FIDDLE STRING BAND at Bone Fire Smokehouse

JORDAN BULLINS

at Yee Haw Brewing Company 8pm

SHAKE IT LIKE A CAVEMAN

at Holston River Brewing Company 8pm RUSTY STEEL - unplugged at O’Mainnin’s Pub

HADLEY KENNARY THE EMPTY POCKETS at Acoustic Coffeehouse - FRIDAY - April 22nd GRANT MEREDITH

at Sonny’s Marina & Cafe 7pm PORCH 40 at 50Fifty Sports Tavern

H

- FRIDAY - April 22nd -

Honky Tonk) at Appalachian Fairgrounds

at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 8pm

RAILWAY EXPRESS

at Holston River Brewing Company 8pm

18 | April 19, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

- SUNDAY - April 24th -

REAGAN BOGGS at BCMA Museum 12pm WRVTH at The Hideaway 7pm RYAN WARD at Shelbee’s Vintage Cafe RIVERBEND REUNION

THE DUO TONES at Sonny’s Marina & Cafe 4pm OLD CITY BUSKERS

THE PLUM SMUGGLERS

at Bone Fire Smokehouse

at The Mecca Lounge 8pm

at Elizabethton Elks Lodge 9pm

COURTNEY COLE / JEFF BENEDICT BAND

at NE State Performing Arts Center THE FUGITIVES at Country Club Bar & Grill DAMAGE DONE at O’Mainnin’s Pub 8pm

MATT ELVIS DOLLAR and THE CADILLACS / WISE WATER at Acoustic Coffeehouse - SATURDAY - April 23rd -

SOUTHERN REBELLION (Country, Classic Rock, Southern Rock) at Sonny’s Marina & Cafe 7pm UNDER THE TABLE (Rock, Classic Rock) at Marker “2” Grille SUNDOWN BAND (Country) at Washington County Moose MISS TESS AND THE TALKBACKS at Down Home

DANGERMUFFIN

at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 8pm

13th ANNUAL CELEBRATION OF BLUEGRASS

at Paramount Center for Performing Arts 7pm NIGHTSHIFT (Country, Southern Rock, Oldies) at The Family Barn 6pm MONK & MALONE at Jiggy Ray’s 7pm SHOOTER (Country, Classic Rock, Oldies) at Elizabethton Moose Lodge 9pm

SOUTHERN COUNTRYMEN BAND (Country) at Buffalo Ruritan PULSE w/ U-WYSHE at Capone’s LIVE MUSIC at Bristol Brewery BLUE REVUE at Woodstone Deli

COMET CONDUCTORS / MAPS NEED READING / THE KINDEST PEOPLE at Capone’s THE BUCHANAN BOYS at Holston River Brewing Company 7pm SIDELINE at Down Home NIGHTSHIFT (Country, Southern Rock, Oldies) JET BLACK AUDIO at O’Mainnin’s Pub at The Lion’s Club 7pm HOGSLOP STRING BAND at Carter Fold SOUTHERN 76 at The Family Barn 6pm AMYTHYST KIAH / INDIGHOST / THE BAKERSFIELD (Alt. Country, Outlaw Country, Texas FORCE FIELD / SWALLOW THE SKY WOOD CHICKENS at Bone Fire Smokehouse MARK LARKINS at Yee Haw Brewing Company 7pm A GREAT DISASTER

If you or your band are playing in the upcoming week and would like to be in The Spotlight, call in advance to (423) 282-1907 or go online to: theloaferonline.com. Due to last minute cancellations or changes, please call the location to confirm.

at Sleepy Owl Brewery RUSTY STEEL at Elizabethton Elks Lodge 8pm

RON SHORT & POSSUM PLAYBOYS at Bone Fire Smokehouse

JERRY OLIVER / JOE CAT

at Acoustic Coffeehouse THE FUGITIVES at Country Club Bar & Grill

at Front Lawn - Martha Washington Inn OPEN JAM at The Family Barn 1pm

9TH STREET STOMPERS DUSTIN PRINZ

at Acoustic Coffeehouse

- MONDAY - April 25th WESLEY CARR & THE OLD TOWN TRIBUNE / RAY DEARSTONE at Bristol’s Pickin’ Porch

MIMI OZ w/ SAM BARRON at Acoustic Coffeehouse

KARAOKE

TUESDAY Karaoke at 50Fifty Sports Tavern Karaoke at Numan’s - Johnson City TN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Boomershine’s Pizza - Bluff City *********************** WEDNESDAY Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at American Legion 8pm Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Smokey Bones - Johnson City TN Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City TN *********************** THURSDAY Karaoke at Numan’s - Johnson City Karaoke at Bristol VFW Karaoke at Holiday Inn - Johnson City *********************** FRIDAY Karaoke at Bristol VFW - Bristol TN Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at Sportsman’s Bar & Grill 9pm Karaoke w/ Reverb Karaoke at The Cottage 8:30 pm Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City TN Karaoke at Bristol VFW Karaoke at Elizabethton VFW Elizabethton TN Karaoke w/ DJ Marques at Holiday Inn (Exit 7) - Bristol VA Karaoke at Numan’s - Johnson City *********************** SATURDAY Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City TN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Macado’s - Kingsport Karaoke at Bristol VFW Karaoke at Numan’s - Johnson City TN ***********************

Spotlight Directory 50 Fifty Sports Tavern 2102 N. Roan Street Johnson City Acoustic Coffeehouse 415 W Walnut St. Johnson City 423/434.9872 Appalachian Fairgrounds 100 Lakeview St. Gray 423/ 477-3211 Bone Fire Smokehouse at the Hardware 260 W Main St Abingdon Va 276/623-0037 Bristol Brewery 41 Piedmont Ave Bristol VA 276/ 608-1220 Bristol’s Pickin’ Porch 620 State St Bristol 423/573-2262 Buffalo Ruritan 200 Willowbrook Dr. Bluff City 423/391-7382 Capone’s 227 E Main St Johnson City 423/928-2295 Carter Family Fold 3449 A. P. Carter Hwy Hiltons VA 276/594-0676 Country Club Bar & Grill 3080 W State St Bristol 423/844-0400 David Thompson’s Produce 251 Highway 107 Jonesborough 423/913-8123 Down Home 300 W. Main St. Johnson City 423/929-9822 Elizabethton Elks Lodge 1000 N. Sycamore St Elizabethton 423/ 543-2341 Elizabethton Moose Lodge 288 Lovers Lane Elizabethton 423/542-5454 Family Barn 15559 Lee Hwy Bristol VA The Hideaway 235 E. Main St Johnson City 423/ 926-3896 Holiday Inn (Exit 7)

3005 Linden Dr Bristol Va 276/466-4100 Holston River Brewing Company 2621 Volunteer Pkwy Bristol TN Jiggy Ray’s 610 E. Elk Ave Elizabethton The Lions Club 116 Industrial Park Rd. Chilhowie VA 276/646-3916 Marker “2’ Grill at Lakeview Marina 474 Lakeside Dock, Kingsport 423/323-4665 The Mecca Lounge 117 Spring St Johnson City Northeast State Community College 2425 Highway 75 Blountville TN 423/928-9360 O’Mainnin’s Pub 712 State St Bristol 423/844-0049 The Outdoorsman 4535 Highway 11W Kingsport Paramount Center for the Arts 516 State St. Bristol TN 423/ 274-8920 Shelbees Vintage Café 504 State Street Bristol TN 423/ 652-1000 Sleepy Owl Brewery 151 E. Main St. Kingsport 423/390-8476 Sonny’s Marina & Café 109 One St. Gray TN 423/283-4014 Washington County Moose 15605 Porterfield Hwy Abgindon VA 276/628-2756 Wellington’s Restaurant Carnegie Hotel 1216 W State of Franklin Rd Johnson City 423/979-6400 The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 216 E Main St Johnson City Woodstone Deli 3500 Fort Henry Dr Kingsport 423/245-5424 Yee Haw Brewing Company 126 Buffalo St. Johnson City

The Empty Pockets

@ Acoustic Coffeehouse | Thursday, April 21st

theloaferonline.com | April 19, 2016 | 19

King University has New Telescope

A

generous donation by a local amateur astronomer has upgraded the main telescope at King University to a research level instrument for probing the Universe.

At a recent “First Light” dedication ceremony at the University’s Burke Observatory, President Dr. Richard A Ray welcomed the donation from Bristol resident Wayne Manly: A Celestron 14 that has been integrated with a “go-to” computerized telescope mount that finds and tracks celestial objects on demand.

Manly, a long-time member of Bristol Astronomy Club, and another member, Jon Peters, fully refurbished the optical system of the excellent Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope with a 14-inch diameter mirror. They exchanged it for the former 11-inch telescope, which they have also restored.

The Burke Observatory has a long history going back to the 1950s, and is a valuable research tool for not just the physics department at King, but for public outreach in astronomy education and enjoyment.

The new 14” telescope was attached to a custom pier mount that was fabricated by Jay Richardson of Master Model Crafters, who also donated his services to the University. Also involved was some funding from the Dr. Edward A. Burke Jr. professorship in the Natural Sciences as contributed by its first recipient, Dr. Vanessa Fitsanakis. Dr. Han Ong oversees the complex as Dean of Arts and Sciences.

Retired physics professor Dr. Ray Bloomer spoke for the University when he addressed a small gathering of administration and professors at the dedication of the new scientific instrument.

“Our physics department and particularly astronomy students can now get back to real science for classroom studies,” said Dr. Bloomer. “We’ve already tested the telescope by imaging the Orion Nebula and can detect hydrogen and other gases in the famous object.”

Indeed, the “C-14” telescope is a very good telescope that can accommodate many advanced instruments for doing photography, spectroscopy (star fingerprints) and photometry (for recording varying star brightness).

During the dedication of the new telescope, astronomy club member Mike Chesman presented a history of King’s astronomy involvement, which goes back to the beginning of the Space Age in the 1950s.

That history of local astronomy begins with the late Dr. Edward Burke, a beloved professor who had a 50-year career at King. When Russia orbited Sputnik 1 in October 1957, Burke organized local astronomers to look for the satellite using special small telescopes. The network of stargazers was rallied again for Sputnik 2 in November 1957, and they actually saw the satellite that contained a dog, and made valuable contributions to establishing the exact orbital parameters.

Some of the highlights of Dr. Burke’s astronomy adventures with his students include taking a 10-inch mirror telescope mounted on a trailer to a total solar eclipse to Prince Edward Island near Nova Scotia; annual trips for decades to Kitt Peak National Observatory near Tucson, Arizona; and the two-day visit by Pluto discoverer Clyde Tombaugh. With the astronomy club he founded, Burke and his stargazers showed the Moon, planets and stars to thousands of people.

Dr. Burke and his physics students at what was then called King College had been grinding mirrors and making telescope since 1951, and a small domed observatory was built with a six-inch reflector.

In 1959 BAC members embarked on building a 12-inch reflector with consultation

20 | April 19, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

from astronomers at Vanderbilt University. The key builders were Joe Godsey and Wes Lowe of the club. One of the unique features of the telescope mount, built by Bristol Tool and Machine Works, were the hydraulic Volkswagen brake drum that stopped the scope and stabled it an any position. The whole telescope was enclosed in a building that rolled on tracks—the structure built by Holston Steel Co. The observatory was featured on the cover of “Sky & Telescope” magazine in September 1965, which was quite a feat. The King observatory was acknowledged as a unique and scientific-worthy telescope facility in the column “Gleanings for Amateur Telescope Makers” by Robert E. Cox, who drove from Cambridge, Massachusetts to Bristol, Tennessee to check out the telescope.

In a sweet twist of fate, as a teenage amateur astronomer, I personally cherished that particular issue of the popular magazine for stargazers. Not because of the King telescope. I knew nothing about Bristol or the Tri-Cities—where I would live for 30-plus years. I was amazed at the magazine feature on the first close-up images of Mars from a spacecraft, NASA’s Mariner IV in July 1965. It was the only place to see all of the 22 photos, and glossy! Today I wonder about the magazine editor’s decision to put the King College Observatory on the cover of this international magazine instead of those first close-up images of Mars.

But that’s how unique the observatory at King University was regarded 51 years ago.

Today the same buildings exist at what was renamed years ago the Burke Observatory, on E. Cedar St. street across from the campus.

From that September 1965 Sky & Telescope article are these paragraphs: “The new observatory has two separated parts—a concrete-block, brick-veneer service building and a sliding telescope house. The first contains a darkroom, classroom, library, electronics shop, chartroom/kitchen and storage closet. Having a heated building within a short walk of the telescope is especially appreciated by observers on a cold Tennessee night…

This issue’s front cover shows the one-ton steel housing rolled away on railroad track…this structure can be moved by a child.”

Indeed, the Burke Observatory was a unique stargazing facility five decades ago, and still is today. It’s suburban setting is not ideal for serious deep sky observing, but bright objects can be probed easily with the outstanding optics of the 14-inch Celestron telescope the attachment of many modern accessories that eliminate some of the problems of Light Pollution.

Though the darkroom and kitchen are repurposed, the main building houses a classroom and an office, as well as a small library all accessible to the Internet.

The same rolling building and unique floor that houses the new telescope, though built 50 years ago, are still functional and a valuable asset to our community.

A big telescope needs a firm foundation to prohibit unwanted vibrations, and the Burke Observatory telescope base is isolated from the rest of the floor structure. The telescope pier is poured on top of a block of reinforced concrete four feet square that goes nine feet into the ground. A six-inch steel pipe extends seven feet down through the pier and base. This kind of stability can allow the use of more sensitive astronomical instruments attached to the telescope, yielding accurate measurements and enhancing the quality of science being performed on the King University Campus.

The Bristol Astronomy Club and faculty advisor Dr. Bloomer offer outreach to scouting groups, science classes and the public. BAC usually meets the second Friday of the month at 7 pm in the classroom and the public is invited. A program on a timely astronomy subject is offered, and if clear, observing will follow. The public is invited to learn some constellations and bright stars as well as looking through some telescopes and binoculars.

Information about the Bristol Astronomy Club can be found on Facebook and Twitter @ BristolAstro.

M

Celestial events in the skies for the week of April 19th -25th as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette.

oonbeams will be falling all over the beautiful Spring blooms as our celestial neighbor dominates the night. Also taking center stage is planet Jupiter, high in the east at sunset in Leo and overhead much of the night.

Tues. April 19

On this 1971 date in space history, the Soviet Union launched the world’s first space station, called Salyut 1. It was occupied for 28 days by the three-man crew of Soyuz 11. But an air leak in the cabin during reentry killed the cosmo- east and shining like a golden beacon high overhead as the night wear on. In the belly of Leo the nauts, quietly suffocating them as their spaceship landed safely. Lion, Jupiter’s globe and four largest moons are easily seen even in binoculars held steady.

They are interred in the Kremlin Wall.

Sat. April 23

Wed. April 20

Leo the Lion is easy to see, even in the bright moonlight. The head and mane of the animal are Springtime is Big Dipper time—just look to the north to see a backward question mark with the bright yellow star Regulus punctuating. The hindquarters of this all-time favorite star pattern. Its two outside bowl stars are the lion is a right triangle of three stars, the farthest point being Denebola, meaning “tail.” the “pointers” that guide a person to the North Star, Polaris. Fol- Sun. April 24 low the handle curve to bright star Arcturus, and continue the On this 1970 date in space history, China became the fifth space-faring nation by launching their arc to blue-white Spica. first satellite. Today, China has an escalated manned space program that has already occupied a Thurs. April 21 small space station in Earth orbit while plans are being made to go to the Moon.

On this 1972 date in space history, Apollo 16 safely landed on Mon. April 25 the Moon in a mountainous area called Descartes. John Young, A spectacular view in the morning before sunrise as the gibbous Moon is above Mars, to the 85, and Charlie Duke, 81, camped out for three days on the lunar left, and Saturn to the right. Below the planets is red Antares, the heart of Scorpius the Scorpion. surface, driving their Lunar Rover 17 miles during three, 7-hour Happy 26th birthday Hubble Space Telescope! It was on this date in 1990 when Space Shuttle exploration trips outside the safety of their moonship.

Discovery deployed the telescope with a 96-inch mirror into an orbit 450 miles above the Earth.

Fri. April 22

It will probably last five more years before being plunged in the atmosphere to destruction in a Jupiter is dominating the night, piercing the twilight in the fiery reentry.

theloaferonline.com | April 19, 2016 | 21

Strong & Fabulous

Indie film crosses borders into new gender frontier

P

roduced and directed by a team of five filmmaking sisters, Kings, Queens and In-Betweens addresses the complex subject of gender identity by documenting the lives – on stage and off – of eight drag performers.

Through the lens of entertainment, fun and reams of duct tape, the film is the first to include the entire gender performance spectrum.

“In this fab documentary … Gender is the New Frontier, and here are the pioneers who are defining, redrawing and crossing those borders,” says a pre-festival reviewer. “Call them what you will … they are two things for certain: They are Strong and they are Fabulous. Kings, Queens & In-Betweens will introduce you to your new heroes.”

Mary B. Martin School of the Arts at East Tennessee State University will present Kings, Queens and In-Betweens with director Gabrielle and co-producer Ursula Burton as part of the South Arts Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers on Monday, April 25, at 7 p.m. in ETSU’s Martha Street Culp Auditorium. The film is free and open to the public and will be followed by a Q&A and reception with the filmmakers. “ ‘How can there be so many films about drag, but not one that talks about kings and queens?’ I thought, ‘not one that addresses transgender performers alongside queens and kings?’ ” says director Gabrielle Burton of Five Sisters Productions. “It seemed an obvious subject for a film, because these performers are, in one sense, all doing the same thing – making us look at gender in a whole new light.”

The ethnographic film, which premiered at the end of March at the Cleveland International Film Festival, tells the personal stories of the West Family drag queens and the Royal Renegades drag king troupe and includes interviews with scores of others.

The filmmakers confront common misconceptions about gender, gender expression and gender performance by male, female and transgender persons, as well as sexuality, personal identity and human rights.

Five-and-a-half-years ago, when Gabrielle Burton was introduced by a friend to the world of drag entertainment in her hometown of Columbus, Ohio, she saw an opportunity to “push minds to think a little more expansively.”

“We are raised wanting to categorize in the blink of an eye, and it is difficult to not continue with familiar binarybased assumptions,” she says.

“This isn’t easy stuff, and it’s laden with assumptions, judgment and sometimes fear, anger or emotional pain, but it’s critical that we think and talk about this important issue.”

Since Five Sisters Productions started the project, the ideas of family, LGBTQ discrimination, and identity have become topics for daily news and national political issues.

“I see KQIB as part of a movement to encourage positive understanding of the real and complex issues we face in our society when thinking about gender and sexuality” Gabrielle Burton says.

“People should feel comfortable to be able to have discussions coming out of this film and that is one of the reasons that we made it. We want people to be involved in the discussion and to think about things in a new way or to exchange ideas.”

Gender identity is a significant topic at present and one that is being discussed on

...

22 | April 19, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

STRONG continued on page 23

STRONG ... continued from page 22 many college campuses, including ETSU’s, says Anita DeAngelis, director of film series sponsor Mary B. Martin School of the Arts. “While Kings, Queens & In-Betweens is a fun and humorous film it is also very poignant in places. I’m glad we have the opportunity to screen it, because I think it’s a film that will generate a lot of conversation and better understanding.”

KQIB Director Gabrielle Burton has received the Ohio Arts Council’s Individual Excellence Award as a filmmaker and given a TEDx Talk on gender expression and identity. In addition to Five Sisters Productions’ numerous features, commercials and short films (including the MGM comedy Manna From Heaven), KQIB is her documentary feature debut. Her sister Ursula Burton is a producer and actor whose award-winning comedy, The Happiest Day of His Life, won a Viewer’s Choice Award on MTV’s LOGO Channel and qualified for the Academy Awards. A Yale alum working in London and Los Angeles, Ursula Burton has had recurring roles on The Office, Grey’s Anatomy and the BBC hit My Family.

In addition to Gabrielle and Ursula, Five Sisters Productions includes Maria, Jennifer and Charity Burton. Social projects and grassroots activism are at the heart of their work, including donating the proceeds from film releases to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. KQIB was partially funded by a 2013 Kickstarter campaign.

For more information about the film, visit http:// www.kingsqueensinbetweens.com/.

The Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers is a program of South Arts. Southern Circuit screenings are funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment of the Arts. South Arts, founded in 1975, is a nonprofit regional arts organization building on the South’s unique heritage and enhancing the public value of the arts. For more information on South Arts, visit www.southarts.org.

“Ultimately the film is about love – love of creating art, love of friends and family, and love of partners, whoever they might be,” says reviewer Joanna Connors in The Cleveland Plain Dealer. “As one performer observes, ‘This isn’t a gay thing. It’s a human thing.’ ” For information about the film, film series or the ETSU Mary B. Martin School of the Arts, call 423-439-TKTS (8587) or visit www.etsu.edu/martin. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at 423-439-8346. theloaferonline.com | April 19, 2016 | 23

Suspicion Susans

W

hen talk began towards the end of 2015 that Warner Archive was going to amp their bluray releases for 2016, it left many a film buff curious. Film buffs love their blu-rays, and classic movie fans in particular love seeing a movie that they cherish get the deluxe HD treatment. Warner Archive is keeping good on their promise. This year they’ve released three Hitchcock titles that had never been in HD before—one of which I’ll talk about below—and they’ve also been releasing titles that even the most ardent of film nut never thought would be released on blu-ray.

This is the key to the success of Warner Archive. They’re quick to respond to queries on social media, and they’re fairly open about what is coming out, and about what fans are requesting.

Their weekly podcast is not only a highlight of that week’s releases, but also a chance to get some context and insight into films that in some cases have never been on home video before. If the

24 | April 19, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

dwindling of physical media means it can become a niche for us movie lovers to get our bellies rubbed with fine presentations of movies we’ve often wished for, it’s worth it. This week I’d like to talk about the archive’s new blu-ray releases of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1941 film “Suspicion,” and animation turn live action director Frank Tashlin’s 1954 comedy “Susan Slept Here.”

“Suspicion” is a notable Hitchcock film for several reasons—the biggest being it was Hitchcock’s first pairing with the movie star to end all movie stars, Cary Grant. Grant and Hitchcock would go on to make a total of four films together, and there’s not a dud in the entire batch. The other films being “Notorious,” “North by Northwest,” and “To Catch a Thief.” Grant is really great in “Suspicion” using skills he’d later use again in the best Hitchcock movie Hitchcock never made, Stanley Donnen’s “Charade.”

In “Suspicion” Grant plays Johnnie Aysgarth—a charming playboy who sweeps the shy and bookish Lina McLaidlaw (Joan Fontaine, who starred the previous year in Hitchcock’s “Rebecca”) off her feet in a whirlwind romance. But slowly, Lina starts to suspect that her new charmer of a husband might actually be a murderer—and she is his next victim. All of this is played with a great subtlety and even play off of the “Cary Grant” persona, Grant often turning from charming to men-

acing at the drop of a hat. Often making lines that seem innocuous to those around him, seem pointedly threatening to Lina.

In addition to Grant and Fontaine, the film also has Nigel Bruce, the wonderful English character actor I have a soft spot for due to his portrayal of Doctor Watson in the Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes films—a series I have a great affection for. “Suspicion” was a success, receiving an OSCAR nomination for Best Picture, with Fontaine winning that year for Best Actress—though some think that was really a make up OSCAR for her work in “Rebecca.”

On blu-ray, “Suspicion” looks absolutely wonderful! The silvery black and white imagery is rich and detailed, with a fine grain pattern, looking the finest it ever has on home video. The film’s most famous shot—Grant carrying a what may-or-may-notbe a poisoned glass of milk up the stairs—a glass of milk with an erie glow (achieved by a light bulb being placed inside the glass), looks wonderful. Anyone who loves Hitchcock or Cary Grant should add this new blu-ray to their collection. A fine release of one of the master’s early American films.

A film that has appeared to have had a bit of a rediscovery in the past few years is 1954’s “Susan Slept Here,” a breezy comedy starting Dick Powell and Debbie Reynolds. I first came across the film almost a decade ago when I caught the first twenty minutes of it on Turner Classic Movies, where it’s been a December staple due to its Christmas backdrop. Also having a bit of new appreciation has been the film’s director, Frank Tashlin. Tashlin began his career at Termite Terrance directing Looney Tunes for Warner Brothers, then made the transition to live action features.

It’s been said that Tashlin directed his cartoons like live action movies, and his live action movies like cartoons. You can see that in most of his films, Tashlin in his post Looney Tunes career also wrote gags for The Marx Brothers. His films all share a amped up comedic sensibility, and “Susan Slept Here” is no exception (thought my favorite Frank Tashlin film might be “Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?”). In addition to it being Dick Powell’s last film before going on to a very successful TV career, “Susan Slept Here” is—to my knowledge—the only movie ever made that’s narrated by an OSCAR statue.

Powell plays the OSCAR winning screenwriter Mark Christopher, who is now down on his luck after saying goodbye to a studio gig writing light comedies. Christopher now works from home, desperate to write his next serious film to get back in the good graces of Hollywood. A cop pal of Mark’s decides to help him out with this venture, when on Christmas Eve he drops a juvenile delinquent—Susan—at his doorstep, not wanting to see the kid spend Christmas in jail. Figuring Mark could maybe talk to Susan about the actualities of the delinquent life for a screenplay.

The delinquent is played by Reynolds, and if the idea of a 22 year old Debbie Reynolds playing a juvenile delinquent doesn’t appeal to you—you can probably skip this one all together.

The film’s cast is rounded by the great Anne Francis as Mark’s bombshell girlfriend, and Alvy Moore—who would gain immortality as Hank Kimball on “Green Acres.” It’s a fun, light, frothy comedy that doesn’t ask anything more of the audience than to sit back and enjoy the farce. The film has some great moments like Reynolds running amok when she’s dropped off at the screenwriter’s apartment, and when Powell—alone, watching one of his past post Oscar slump films on TV—starts to mouth along the dialogue with marvelously cartoonish looks on his face.

“Susan Slept Here” is a film that really fit Tashlin well, he took it as a chance to play with the social mores of the era, with a bit of innocent innuendo thrown in to cause chaos in Mark’s life. As celebrated as it was when Warner Archive debuted the film on DVD in 2010, it was even more of a shocked delight when they announced the blu-ray release—almost as if a Christmas stocking had one last goodie to dish out before you finally took it down off the mantle.

“Susan Slept Here” was one of the earliest films shot on the Eastman color film process— but the color was actually printed by Technicolor. This new HD transfer made from the original negative is simply stunning.

The film has a clarity that I can’t

recall from the times I’ve caught it on TCM. The color pops with a vibrancy that would cause Zack Snyder to have an aneurysm.

A shinning example of just how well these older films can look in HD. Though its Christmas backdrop doesn’t necessarily make “Susan Slept Here” a Christmas Movie it is indeed great viewing during the Yuletide. A fun confection of a film that you’ll have fun with once you engage your suspension of disbelief . Of course, if you’re a fan of Frank Tashlin, it’s an absolute essential for your shelf.

I’m most curious as to what else Warner Archive has in store for blu-ray this year, one upcoming title that was another surprise is the original “Father of The Bride” with Spencer Tracy. Though there may be those who think blu-ray is only best for whatever shoot em up action film Michale Bay can dream up, I think anyone who watches a favorite from Hollywood’s golden era will be most surprised at just how nice a delivery vehicle blu-ray is. Now, if those Margaret Rutherford Miss Marple movies I love so much get announced sometime this year by the archive—well, you’ll hear the squeal of the delight from miles away. See you next week.

theloaferonline.com | April 19, 2016 | 25

Two More Reasons to Watch Your Back

G

eorge Carlin once quipped, “Somewhere out there is the world’s worst doctor.

The scariest part is that someone has an appointment with him tomorrow.” Of course, you’d never expect that patient to be the sitting President of the United States, but this unimaginable circumstance likely cost James Garfield his life in 1881.

Only four months after assuming office, he met up with the devastating tag-team of a deranged assassin and a thoroughly incompetent doctor – and sadly proved no match.

26 | April 19, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

Hardworking and genuinely likeable, Garfield was a true renaissance man. An ambidextrous professor of classics prior to his service in the Civil War and subsequent political career, he liked to amuse people by simultaneously writing in Greek with one hand and Latin with the other. As a politician, he proved himself capable and incorruptible during a time when cronyism and patronage were the order of the day. Indeed, Garfield may have become the lone shining star in an era of extraordinarily bad presidents, but fate had other plans.

Upon taking over the presidency, Garfield was quickly and mercilessly besieged by office-seekers. One such hopeful, a certifiable nutjob by the name of Charles Guiteau, appeared at the White House no fewer than fifteen times. Guiteau, having worked on Garfield’s campaign in some trivial capacity felt he was due a political appointment as compensation. When he was ultimately refused, he began to stalk the president and his family relentlessly. Then, on July 2, 1881, he approached Garfield in the waiting room of Washington’s Baltimore & Potomac Railroad Terminal and shot him in the back.

Garfield might have lived had it not been for the treatment that he received thereafter. Unfortunately for him though, his personal physician, Dr. Willard Bliss, was a stubborn, old-school Civil War surgeon who seemed more interested in furthering his career than providing the best care. You see, Bliss was never one to buy into the latest, newfangled medical fads, such as washing one’s hands before sticking his finger into a gunshot wound to probe for the bullet. To add insult to injury (pun very much intended), when other medical personnel advised him that his methods were archaic and dangerous, he dismissed them without question and saw that they were denied further access. Bliss was ultimately vilified for his ineptitude (and Guiteau ultimately hanged), but by this time, Garfield was dead - having

succumbed to sepsis brought on by the inevitable infection two months after being shot.

Today, no memorial exists to mark the location where Garfield was assassinated. The Baltimore & Potomac Terminal displayed a bronze star in the floor where the president fell, but it was deemed too macabre a reminder and removed in 1897. A decade later, the building was demolished. Today, the spot is thought to lie somewhere in the middle of Constitution Avenue west of 6th Street NW, just outside the National Gallery of Art on Washington’s National Mall. It seems that the events surrounding Garfield’s death, in accordance with his brief (and sadly unremarkable) presidency are for now at least, relegated to obscurity.

In Theaters Now

“THE Boss”

A

**

1/2

out of 4 stars

ctress Melissa McCarthy and actress Rebel Wilson remind me a great deal of each other. The style of comedy they present is similar, and even though Wilson is from Australia, the two actresses could be related. In fact I am waiting for the film that would co-star the two, perhaps as a mother/ daughter duo. Until then, currently playing at theaters is the latest film starring McCarthy “The Boss.” McCarthy

stars as Michelle Darnell, a titan of industry who is a combination of Oprah Winfrey and Martha Stewart with a bit of Donald Trump (eek!) on the side. In fact, at her self-help gatherings, held at arenas, she enters the stage on the back of a golden eagle that would make most pop divas jealous.

In the world of Darnell, she is at the top of her game, is extremely wealthy, and has two employees at her beck and call. The main employee at her side is Claire Rawlins (Kristen Bell), who must endure all of Darnell’s demands.

Brushing whitening solution on Darnell’s teeth is just one of the tasks Claire must deal with.

While Darnell is certainly on the top of the world, her world collapses after a rival named Renault (Peter Dinklage), turns her in for insider trading. The fall out of the insider trading sends Darnell to prison for a period where she “suffers” on a tennis court on the grounds. Meanwhile, while Darnell is in prison, Claire has moved on with her life thanks to a new job. When Darnell is finally released, she discovers her properties have been seized and she has nowhere to go. Where does she go? To Claire’s of course, so we will have a movie filled with bonding, laughs, off-color jokes, and bashing of “better than you” moms. During her stay at Claire’s, Darnell discovers a great way to get back on her feet after taking Claire’s daughter Rachel (Ella Anderson) to a meeting of an organization similar to the Girl Scouts. Let’s just say the plan involves homemade brownies and a new organization similar to the Girl Scouts.

The story also includes time for a budding romance for Claire and battles between Darnell and main rival Renault. The film ends with the expected happy ending, and good fortune for all. Bell does her best to keep up with the star, but is always overshadowed by the powerhouse comedian.

One of the main distractions in the film were the turtle neck sweaters constantly worn by McCarthy. I couldn’t figure out if she has just had an operation on her neck or just wanted the look for her character, as McCarthy’s neck is never seen in this film. Had the film proved constant laughs and insanity, I may have never noticed McCarthy’s high neck fashion, instead “The Boss” is only half funny. This is too bad, as McCarthy, recent winner of a MTV Movie Award, deserves better material. Now, if anyone in Hollywood would just listen and put McCarthy in a co-starring project with Rebel Wilson, we would have a comedic dream team. (Rated R)

theloaferonline.com | April 19, 2016 | 27

The Scott Emerine Interview

I

f you are from here you can always spot somebody who aint from no less than 30 yards. The easiest way to weed ‘em out is to start playing Rocky Top, but we will get to that shortly. With some of them, it is best if you just vanish into the shadows like a mountain ninja before you are spotted.

But there are obvious exceptions. Scott Emerine loves this region so much he moved here from Texas. If you don’t know him yet, you should. Here’s your chance.

BRIAN: Scott, first let me say thanks for taking time from a very busy schedule to talk with me. Let’s start with a little about your experience growing up. You did not grow up here, but it seems like you grew up with similar experiences to this region.

What are some of your favorite memories and how did you end up here?

SCOTT: I am from Dallas, Texas. But I get asked if I am from here a lot. I think the region has embraced my entire family and we have committed to serving the region which quickly enabled us to be accepted as locals. I moved here after visiting three times. My wife had family in Abingdon. I spent time praying about where we wanted to live and minister and raise a family. After much prayer and fasting my wife and I knew this is where God wanted us to be. I fell in love with the region. I became involved in numerous civic organizations and volunteered. In fact, many people actually think I am from the Tri-Cities because of my passion for the community and region. One of my first public meetings was a political event. They began to play Rocky Top. Everyone broke into singing and dancing. I was impressed, and said, “Wow. What is that they are playing?” I heard, “You aren’t from around here are you.” I chuckled and learned my lesson. I grew up a UT fan but with burnt orange and Longhorns.

BRIAN: One of my favorite things about the region is how we place a strong emphasis on family. What was family life like at the Emerine house growing up and has it shaped how you value your own family time now?

SCOTT: As a father of three boys, I can say that raising kids here is a blessing. All the things I loved about Dallas such as an emphasis on faith, education, art, and culture exist here. My sons love their school, they play music, sports, and have had a chance to experience the beauty of the region. We love that we have all four seasons, there are beautiful streams, lakes and riv-

28 | April 19, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

ers. We did not have the beautiful mountains in Dallas. We truly love where we live. Our family travels all over North America and we are blessed to live here.

BRIAN: Changing gears, religion is a topic near and dear to our hearts. When I travel and people ask me about living in the “Bible belt” I tell them I am from the buckle. I know your relationship with God shapes everything about you. Why does it matter so much in your life?

SCOTT: If not for God I would have never moved to the Tri-Cities. My wife and I were part of one of the largest churches in America in the Dallas area. We had promising careers and something was missing. We felt a tug on our hearts to minister in the Tri-Cities region. God opened the doors for us to use both our secular business skills and our ministry skills. I think many people both from here and outside the region mistake religion for relationship. When starting a business, we prayed and fasted for days. God has ordered our steps and enabled us to grow business and ministry. There are often times when the two cross over. I have had executives ask me questions about God and I have had churches and ministry leaders ask me about business. It is a unique opportunity that only God can orchestrate. My wife and I are honored to have been part of ministry teams in the Tri Cities for more than a decade now. We don’t make any major decisions before first praying and seeking God for answers. Our relationship with God and our faith is based on our relationship with Him and not based on religion. Ultimately God desired relationship and sent His son Jesus to make eternal relationship with Him possible. He still desires that today. I have a beautiful responsibility and privilege of sharing how much God loves people no matter what I do.

BRIAN: You and I share the fact that we have three kids and spend a great deal of time chasing sports teams and everything that comes along with being a dad. How do you balance a very busy work and church life with making sure you spend enough “dad” time?

SCOTT: I get asked that question a lot. I am also on numerous boards. Time management is my friend for sure. My priorities are God, family, business and then everything else. Matthew 6:33 speaks about seeking God first and all other things will be added.

I also could not function in life without an amazing wife that is extremely supportive. We keep an extensive calendar. I try to make all the “firsts,” that our kids have such as first concert, first game, etc. We have a family night every week. No ministry, no business and no outside stuff interfere.

We may watch a movie, play games, go somewhere fun etc. My wife and I also take time for ourselves. I have always placed emphasis on my personal relationship with God. If that is right, then that will allow me to be a better husband, better father, better minister and better business and community leader.

BRIAN: I cannot end this and not give you a chance to tell folks about Branding Iron. You guys are one of the premier agencies in the region and yet one of the best-kept secrets. Tell us about what you do.

SCOTT: We have been very blessed to develop some key niches in marketing, advertising and public relations. I tell people our niches are health care and helicopters. We are a full service agency and not a boutique, so we offer full range of services such as websites, print ads, television commercials, press releases, social media and more. Locally we have had the support of many great companies and now our clients are all over North America in places like Atlanta, Boise, Calgary, Dallas, Fargo, Sacramento, Toronto, Victoria Canada and many other great places. We just choose to operate our business here because we love this area. Anyone who wants to learn more can find us online at www.brandingiron.com.

Talking Targets Pt 2

W

eek before last we looked at non-conventional targets, this week we’ll look at possibly the most conventional targets, paper. Paper targets serve a plethora of purposes and consequently there are thousands of variations differences range from size and shape to numbering. Not all paper targets have numbering.

The first paper target we’ll look at is possibly the oldest and most basic, yet is also one of the most versatile and widely used.

It is the circular target with rings and a dot in the middle, this target is commonly referred to as a bullseye target and likewise shooting these targets is called bullseye shooting. These targets can be used for rifles, shotguns, pistols, archery, and are even used for throwing knives, tomahawks, and darts. Numbered bullseye targets are the most commonly used competition targets as well. So why has this target stood the test of time, and why is it still so popular? Because it gives you a singular focus. The goal when bullseye shooting is to get as many of your rounds as close to the bullseye as possible. This type of shooting is great for those trying to improve their grouping, even if you aren’t competing with anyone else, compete with yourself to improve your scores.

Next let’s look at silhouette targets. Silhouette targets are paper targets that are shaped like a person or animal. Most are equipped with a bullseye style target inside the outline which feature numbered rings, the smallest of which is usually centered with an x instead of a number. These targets are designed with two purposes in mind, to remind the shooter what they’re actually practicing to shoot at, and to train them where to shoot.

Silhouettes tend to be mere shadows of the thing they represent, so while the target is shaped like a person there is no face or defining features.

Next we have depiction targets, which are close cousins to silhouette targets. However, unlike silhouette targets depiction targets are more detailed, featuring faces, clothing etc. These targets were developed with two purposes in mind. The first is to desensitize the shooter, shooting a target with a face will in theory make it easier to shoot a person in a tactical situation.

The second is to distinguish between friend and foe, many tactical training programs utilize enemy targets such as a man with a gun and friendly targets such as a woman holding a baby, or a small child. While mostly utilized by law enforcement such training is also available to civilians.

Sadly some companies have corrupted these targets to make money, preying on consumer’s ideologies, and ignorance. Some of these targets feature “terrorists” aka Middle Eastern men with beards, turbans, and AK-47 rifles. Another is the “crazy ex-wife” which feature an angry white woman with blonde hair in a pink

bathrobe and curlers wielding a frying pan. Lastly we have the zombies, grotesque rotting corpses reaching for you. These targets serve no purpose other than to point out racists, sexists and idiots at the range. These targets are distasteful and give everyone in the shooting community a bad name.

Lastly we have splattering targets, these targets come in both bullseye and silhouette. These targets are designed to splatter when shot, making impacts highly visible. Some are bright neon colors, others are simply black and white. These targets are great for longer range pistol and rifle shooting, and allow the shooter to make fine target adjustments as needed. While a little more expensive than regular paper targets, these splattering targets are worth every penny.

As always I hope you enjoyed this article, if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to email me, I look forward to your feedback.

theloaferonline.com | April 19, 2016 | 29

Answers found on page 32

26 | April 19, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

pets of the week

Jiggers is a 3 year old Lab mix. She is spayed and up to date on all vaccines. She is a fun and playful girl! (Preferred for her to be adopted with her buddy and kennel mate Mercedes)

Mercedes is a 2 year old female lab mix. She is spayed and up to date on all vaccines. She is a little shy but is sweet and loving.

She is bonded with Jiggers!

The Bridge Home has an ongoing aluminum can can collection in front of the shelter at 2061 Hwy 75 in Blountville,TN 37617. The cans are collected by a volunteer and the money from the aluminum goes towards badly needed food and supplies for the animals The Bridge Home No Kill Animal Rescue has started a pet food pantry for people that have had financial hardships because of job loss or medical problems and are struggling to feed their pet. They can come by the shelter and get cat or dog food to get through the tough time.

Donations can be sent to The Bridge Home Shelter PO Box 654 Blountville, TN 37617 Every animal in their care is spayed or neutered and fully vaccinated before being adopted. Being a non profit the shelter is funded entirely by membership dues and private donations. They always need volunteers or monetary donations. Other always needed items:pet food, cat litter & cat toys dog treats & dog toys,paper towels, cleaners, office supplies,Purina weight circles. Phone: 423.239.5237 Hours are Mon-Fri 12pm-6pm Sat 12pm-3pm and Sun 2pm-4pm. Website is www.bridgehomerescue@gmail.com or like them on Facebook: www.Facebook. com/bridgehome

SELL .... YOUR .... STUFF

www.theloaferonline.com theloaferonline.com | April 19, 2016 | 31

things to do Power Squadron to offer TWRA sponsorship levels. An Eagle Sponsor of $500 covers a four-person team and sigSafe Boating Class April 19,21 nage at the tournament. A Birdie SponDue to popular demand, the Johnson City Sail and Power Squadron announced today that they will be offering TWRA’S Tennessee Safe Boating Course on Tues. April 19 and Thurs. April 21 at Northeast State Community College.

Class hours each day are 5:30pm to 8:00 pm. The class is free and includes your book, instruction and test administration. There will be a $10 charge to purchase the TWRA Boating Safety Exam permit. Pre-registration is not required, but is suggested due to limited seating.

Individuals who pass the test will be issued TWRA’s Boating Safety Education Certificate which is required by the State of Tennessee of all boat and personal watercraft operators born after Jan 1, 1989. The Tennessee Safe Boating Course covers: Your Boat, Getting Underway, Operating Your Boat Safely, Legal Requirements of Boating, Boating Emergencies – What To Do, Enjoying Water Sports With Your Boat. Contents are approved by TWRA, NASBLA and recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Test Review will precede administration of test.

For more information or to register, Contact: Clarke Lucas at (423) 538-4643 or email TriCitiesBoating@gmail.com Visit TriCitiesBoating.org for info.

Northeast State 2016 Golf Tournament at Glenrochie Okay, so you didn’t get invited to The Masters. But spring is here and the links are calling. So grab your sticks and play in the Northeast State Community College Foundation’s 2016 Golf Tournament happening Friday, April 29 at the Glenrochie Country Club, in Abingdon, Va. Tournament check-in begins at 8:00 a.m. with a shotgun start at 9:00 a.m.

All proceeds from the event will benefit student scholarships and programs at Northeast State. In case of inclement weather, the tournament’s rain date is Friday, May 6.

The tournament features two team

32 | April 19, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

sor of $250 covers a two-person team and signage. The single player entry fee is $100. All sponsorships are tax-deductible minus the player fee and sign fee. Glenrochie will have beverage carts on the greens during the tournament, and a luncheon will be served at 1:30 p.m. in the clubhouse. Guests are welcomed and individuals will be paired with other players.

All participants will receive a goodie bag provided by Lake Pointe Creative Marketing. There will also be door prizes at the luncheon along with prizes for the following: First, Second, and Third place teams, closest to the pin (3 locations), longest drive, and hole-in-one.

All tourney entrants can purchase a red tee & Mulligan for $20. The day also features a putting contest with a $10 entry fee. The winner receives a $100 VISA gift card. All sponsorships are tax-deductible minus the player fee and sign fee. The tournament continues the College’s 50th anniversary celebration.

Registration deadline is April 25.

Golfers who participate win the satisfaction of helping students earn a college degree to improve their lives and our region as a whole. The Northeast State Community College Foundation supports academics, community service, educational scholarships and other programs offered by the college.

In partnership with the community, the college sustains the effort toward improving the quality of life for residents of the Northeast Tennessee region.

For more information, contact Rebekah Bishop, Alumni & Events Coordinator at 423.354.5278. or ribishop@ northeaststate.edu.

Computer Q & A Ask an Expert will be offered Saturday, April 23, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Gray Branch Library. Register for an individual 30 minute session with a computer expert. Bring your own portable electronic device and your questions.

This is a great time to get your tablet or phone set up with useful library apps.

Call 477-1550 to set your appointment time.

Registration is requested and recommended. Walk-ins will be worked in as space allows, on a first-come, firstserved basis.

These Q & A classes will be held on the fourth Saturday of each month.

However, due to the Memorial Day weekend, the next class will be held Saturday, May 21, instead.

Functional Fitness Fridays Memorial Park Community Center, 510 Bert St., will offer Functional Fitness Fridays from 8:30-9:30 a.m. on April 15, 22 and 29. Classes will include functional activities focusing on balance and stability to improve daily living for ages 50 and older.

Cost is $2 per class. Pre-registration is not required but participants will need to sign in and pay before each class.

For more information, please call (423)434-6237.

Spots still available in upcoming papier-mâché workshop Tusculum College’s Doak House Museum will offer classes in papiermâché sculpture on April 23 and 30, from 9 a.m. to noon.

According to Dollie Boyd, director of museums at Tusculum College, papier-mâché art is a fun way to create a variety of sculptures, from masks to piñatas. “With this lightweight, easy

to use medium, the only limit is your imagination,” she said.

Participants will learn the basics of papier-mâché, from making armature to sculpting and painting the finished project. This class will focus on creating a decorative wall medallion.

Materials will be provided. The class is open to the public, ages 12 and up, for a fee of $30. Space is limited and reservations are required. For more information and reservations, contact Dollie Boyd at the Doak House Museum dboyd@tusculum.edu or 423-636-8554.

Mindful Recovery Group Open To the Public Anyone recovering from any type of addiction, including alcoholism and drug addiction, is invited to attend the Mindful Recovery Group. The group can serve as an alternative or addition to traditional 12-step recovery meetings and does not require any particular belief or spiritual practice.

Mindful Recovery meets every Thursday from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Appalachian Dharma & Meditation Center (ADMC), 108 W. 10th Ave., Suite 3, Johnson City, TN. The meeting is free and confidential. For more information, contact mindfulrecovery4et@ gmail.com.

ADMC offers opportunities to explore Buddhism, meditation of various forms, mindfulness and much more.

For more information about ADMC, visit the website www.dharma4et.org or contact dharma4et@gmail.com.

DROP QUOTE: “We are no guiltier in following the primitive impulses that govern us than is the Nile for her floods or the sea for her waves.”

CRYPTOGRAM: Isn’t it funny how one minute life can be such a struggle, and the next minute you’re just driving real fast, swerving back and forth across the road?

PLACING A CLASSIFED LINE AD:

Go to: www.theloaferonline.com, create an account, and enter your classified. Call 423282-1907 or email: classifieds@theloaferonline.com if you have any questions.

01 General Items

73 Real Estate

85 Jobs

85 Jobs

85 Jobs

49 Electronics

1,080 sqft. Completely remodeled

You’re important. Let us show

screening and background check of activities. Emphasis placed on

Phone: 423-408-0424 Price: $ 600.00 Nikon D3200 camera body, Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D, speed light flash, fisheye/ macro lens attachment, ND filters, a strap, sync cable, camera battery charger and grip , camera sync cable, 16 GB SD card, lg and sm camera bags, lg and sm tripods and camera/flash mounts. Very good condition, well cared for. If interested in an individual item, will consider. For more information, call or text Elijah.

dated bathroom, recessed lighting, crown molding, new roof in 2010, multi zone surround sound system wired to every room and outside the home, ADT pulse security system with motion sensors and video cameras. Listing by Wayne and Debi Bartley, Remax Checkmate Johnson City. For more information contact them at 423-2820432 (office) or 423-676-6180 (cell) Wayne & Debi Bartley, RealtorsRe/max Checkmate, Inc.

Morristown Drivers Service, Inc. 844-MDS-Jobs. www.MDStrucking.com

City or send Resume to P.O. Box the community. Must have trans30, Johnson City, TN 37605-0030 portation & work flexible hours.

Website: www.dawnofhope.com Starting $9.00 & up depending on experience. Pre-employment drug screening & back ground check required. Must have high school diploma/GED & valid driver’s license. Apply at: Dawn of Hope, 500 E. Oakland Ave, Johnson City

Nikon D3200 Camera, Lens, with features including hardwood you how! Hiring Drivers: OTR, required. Apply at Dawn of Hope, assisting individuals in accomfloors throughout the home, up- Regional, Teams, Owner Opps. 500 East Oakland Avenue, Johnson plishing responsibilities at work in Various Accessories

73 Real Estate

72 For Sale

***Condo for sale ***

Price: $ 94,900.00 Woodstone Condos - 2 bedroom / 1.5 bath. Listing by Wayne and Debi Bartley, Remax Checkmate Johnson City. For more information contact them at 423-282-0432 (office) or 423-676-6180 (cell) Wayne & Debi Bartley, RealtorsRe/max Checkmate, Inc.

103 Sales/Marketing

Account Representative

85 Jobs 91 Caregivers/Nanny

DIRECT SUPPORT PROFES- 99 Medical / Health Care The Dawn of Hope is an affirmaSIONALS Full, Part time, and PRN tive action/equal opportunity emDIRECT SUPPORT PROFES- LPN’s needed. ployer.

SIONALS NEEDED TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED ADULTS IN A RESIDENTIAL SETTING. 3RD SHIFT NEEDED WITH MINIMUM PAY OF $9.00 PER HOUR & EXCELLENT BENEFIT PACKAGE AVAILABLE. PREEMPLOYMENT DRUG SCREENING & BACKGROUND CHECK REQUIRED. APPLY AT: “DAWN OF HOPE” 500 EAST OAKLAND AVE, OR PRINT & E-MAIL APPLICATION ONLINE AT: www. dawnofhope.com The Dawn of Hope is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.

Low stress environment; $15.00 per hour & up based on experience; affordable medical/dental insurance with 30 full-time weekly schedule; nurse/patient ratio of 1:2 or less. Pre-employment drug

Phone: 423-283-4324. The Loafer is seeking motivated account representatives to service various territories throughout Tri-Cities.

Must be enthusiastic, hardworking, positive, successful. Part time - Full time. Flexible hours. Must have reliable transportation, smart

106 Teaching / Education

Job Coach - Greeneville Area

Duties include providing assistance for individuals with developmental disabilities in all aspects

93 Drivers/Delivery

Homes like this don’t come available often!

Phone: (423) 612-1367 Price: $ 132,000.00 306 Mockingbird Place, Blountville, TN. 3 bedrooms, 1 bath -

theloaferonline.com | April 19, 2016 | 33

PLACING A CLASSIFED LINE AD:

Go to: www.theloaferonline.com, create an account, and enter your classified. Call 423282-1907 or email: classifieds@theloaferonline.com if you have any questions.

85 Jobs

107 Services

phone & self-motivated. Join The 128 Lawn & Garden Loafer team today! Email resumes Mowing starting at $25! to info@theloafeornline.com Contact Majestic Lawn Care

107 Services ing! Contact Bill Gordon & Associates at 1-800-864-9032 to start your application today!

133 Painting

Creative Interior Home Painting. Creative Interiors Painting, Bedrooms, Living Rooms, Kitchens, Offices, WHOLE HOUSES, anything you want, Competitive Pricing, Flexible Schedules, Call David or Lisa, 423-430-7358

138 Transportation

107 Services 110 Beauty / Salon A Style 4 U.

We are a full service salon owned and operated by by Sandi Smith, with hair stylist Renee Gibson on board, that offers professional cuts, styles, colors, and perms at affordable prices. The best prices in the Tri-Cities area. Men’s haircuts are $10. Women’s are $12. We have over 32 years experience in the business and we want to help you get your style on! We are located at 943 Volunteer Parkway in Bristol, Tennessee, near Auto Zone. Call us at 423-534-9825.

Walk ins welcome!

Small yards start at $25. We also 141 Motorcycle/Scooters offer general landscaping such as mulching, small tree/bush remov- 2004 Honda XR50 al, sprucing up flowerbeds, gen- Phone: 423-383-3553 eral yard cleanup. For a free esti- Price: $ 600.00 Great running bike mate contact us at 423-268-7319 or majesticlawnserivces@yahoo.com 121 General Services Visit our Facebook page at www.

NOTHING MAKES A PROP- facebook.com/majesticmowing.

ERTY LOOK BETTER THAN A NICE SLATE-BLACK PARKING 129 Legal LOT OR DRIVEWAY!! Asphalt SOCIAL SECURITY DISSealing • Crack Repai • Line Strip- ABILITY BENEFITS. Unable ing! Book your appointment today to work? Denied benefits? We for a free quote! 423-383-3553 Can Help! WIN or Pay Noth-

34 | April 19, 2016 | theloaferonline.com

107 Services

107 Services

SOUNDS LIKE . . . . .

A

s a musician, I am always fascinated by lawsuits and threats of lawsuits over songs that sound like other songs. Granted, some songwriters purposively copy other songs, hoping that no one will notice, while others, given that they only have seven notes to work with, create their similar works quite innocently.

The most recent case to arrive in court (after a nearly six year accusatory period) is Led Zeppelin’s infamous “Stairway To Heaven” that sounds suspiciously like Spirit’s instrumental, and largely obscure work, “Taurus” (recorded about three or so years before the Zeppelin classic). Yes, the intros do sound very similar, but not exactly the same. However, since Zeppelin did tour with Spirit (the band that had one big hit, “I Got A Line On You”) in the late sixties, it is quite possible that Page and company did rip the song off. Judge Gary Klausner made a preliminary statement that “While it is true that a descending chromatic four-chord progression is a common convention that abounds in the music industry, the similarities here transcend this core structure.”

Can’t we say the same thing about Procol Harum’s “Whiter Shade Of Pale,” another famous example of a “descending chromatic four-chord progression” that ripped off, to some extent, J.S. Bach’s “Air On The G String”? Unfortunately, Bach is no longer around to attend a trial. And, speaking of very old song rip offs, o n e of my favorite Blues Traveller tunes, “The Hook,” is based on Pachelbel’s “Canon In D,” a wedding staple. If you want to spice up your next wedding, have your vocalist sing “The Hook” along with your organist’s rendition of Pachelbel.

Sounds nearly as interesting as the wedding where I played “The Office” theme as the recessional (another tune that, in its o w n way, paraphrases Pachelbel).

Nothing new under the sun, I suppose.

We should

probably prepare ourselves for a trial that claims Rock City’s recent hit, “Locked Away,” featuring Adam Levine, rips off the much older Captain and Tennille hit, “Do That To Me One More Time.”

There will be a reasonably substantial claim here, because the melody lines of these two songs are identical. And just today I was listening to “Islands In The Stream,” the 1980s hit by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton and noted it being a rip-off of Sly and The Family Stone’s “Everyday People” (perhaps I am the only person who would notice that). I will be rooting for “Everyday People” if this case ever goes to trial.

For my less-than-exhaustive research, I viewed a watchmojo.com video counting down the Top 10 most ripped-off songs. I’m sure there are more than ten candidates for this category, but this video rounded up the usual and most popular pairings, including Madonna’s “Express Yourself” / Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way”; The Kinks’ “All Day And All Of The Night” / The Doors’ “Hello, I Love You”; Muddy Water’s “You Need Love” / Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta’ Love”; Huey Lewis’ “I Want A New Drug” / Ray Parker Jr.’s “Ghostbusters”; George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord” / The Chiffons’ “He’s So Fine”; and Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen” / The Beach Boys’ “Surfin’ USA.” The Mojo.com list includes three especially interesting examples. The first one involves John Fogerty, of Creedence Clearwater Revival fame, being sued by his record label, Fantasy, for ripping off one of his own compositions. Fantasy claimed that Fogerty’s composition “The Old Man Down The Road” was a rip-off of his “Run Through The Jungle.” This case was eventually dropped because the judge ruled that Fogerty couldn’t plagiarize himself. Second, you have no doubt heard about Robin Thicke suing the family of Marvin Gaye for their accusation that his song (co-written

by Pharrell Williams), “Blurred Lines,” was lifted from Gaye’s “Got To Give It Up.” Well, the plot thickens (no pun intended) when a countersuit was drawn up, claiming that Thicke’s song also plagiarized Funkadelic’s 1974 hit “Sexy Ways.” The third example, and the most convoluted, involves a four-way shouting match involving Joe Satriani’s “If I Could Fly,” which apparently was ripped off by Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida,” which owes its existence to Cat Stevens’ “Foreigner Suite” and the Creaky Boards’ “The Song I Didn’t Write” (what an appropriate title!). And the list goes on.

As I noted earlier, given the limited number of notes we have to work with, it is inevitable that some songs will resemble others. Also, because we live in a media-saturated culture, it is indeed possible that we have so many tunes playing through our brains that we can’t help but occasionally mistake imitation for originality. And then there is plain old wrongdoing—songwriters who steal their ideas from others. After all (and I’m not accusing Led Zeppelin of wrongdoing), what are the chances that someone would notice the similarities between “Stairway To Heaven” and “Taurus”? Apparently, there are enough Spirit fans out there to call the bluff.

Amid all this hoopla, I am very happy that the originality of chord progressions is rarely if ever called into question. We would be in lots of trouble if that were ever the case. For instance, nearly every blues song is based on the same three chord pattern, as are the great majority of rock and roll songs (at least the earlier ones) and even more country hits. And just listen to the four chord progression from Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me.” This same progression has been and is still used in countless other songs, both before and after King recorded his classic. Contemporary examples include Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” (and other songs from her 1989 album), nearly all of Meghan Trainor’s songs, and Charlie Puth’s “One Call Away.” These are all very catchy tunes, and I especially like Swift, Trainor, and Puth. Reminds me of what one observer said about Elvis Presley movies--that Elvis only made one movie but he made that same movie over thirty times.

I hope you will spend this week compiling a playlist of your favorite song rip-offs. That should keep you pretty busy. For starters, take a peek at the numerous YouTube videos comparing “Stairway To Heaven” and “Taurus.” I will warn you that a little of this goes a very long way.

See you next week, when I attempt to rip-off one of my own columns. theloaferonline.com | April 19, 2016 | 35

36 | April 19, 2016 | theloaferonline.com