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Volume 28 Issue #36
88 Years
Appalachian Fair
August 18-23, 2014 Publisher - Bill Williams • Editor/Graphic Arts Director - Don Sprinkle • Office Manager - Luci Tate Cover Design - Bill May • Photography - Mark Marquette Advertising - Dave Carter, Akey Kincaid, Terry Patterson Contributing Staff - Jim Kelly, Andy Ross, Ken Silvers, Mark Marquette Published by Tree Street Media, 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 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.
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2014 Appalachian Fair
“Blue Ribbon Days & Hot Country Nights” The excitement is building in Gray for the upcoming Appalachian Fair! 2014 dates are from August 18-23rd. In it’s 88th year, it is one of the longest-running fairs in the country and has established itself as the second largest fair in Tennessee. Drew has played the fair for over 50 years. Also back again this year by popular demand is the Seattle Wheel with the James H. Drew Exposition. A new ride attraction is the “Sky Flyer”. Two of the more popular attractions at the fair are the Barnyard Nursery & TN Wildlife Exhibit, where fair-goers get to see ‘live’ animals, everything from donkeys to ducks and animals in their natural habitat. The fair will be awarding both ribbons and monies all week long to exhibitors of sheep, beef, and dairy cattle in the Meade Tractor/ John Deere Livestock Barns. The Farm & Home Building located in the middle of the fairgrounds, is home to creative cooking, special stage events as well as competitive exhibits involving canned goods, field crops, needlework and photography just to name a few. In fact, Appalachian Fair President Rick Storey sums it up this way “With everything offered here at the fair, for an eight-dollar admission ticket, it really is a fantastic bargain to come to the fair! We offer exhibits, livestock, the James H. Drew Exposition, the hottest country music acts, Monster Truck Racing, Tractor & Truck Pulls and demolition derby, the Fairest of the Fair, Little Miss contests, and Talent & Dance competitions just to name
a few…you have eighty acres of something that appeals to everyone!” WXBQ- 96.9 FM again has helped put together a great line-up of the hottest country acts for this years 88th anniversary: Monday August 18 - Tyler Farr Tuesday August 19 - Thomas Rhett Wednesday August 20 - Parmalee Thursday August 21 - Craig Morgan Friday August 22 - Chase Rice Saturday August 23 - Francesca Battistelli and For King and Country Program Director Bill Hagy is very proud of the line up, “WXBQ is very proud to be associated with an event like the Appalachian Fair that is celebrating 88 years. Down through the years, the who’s who of country music has performed at the fair. This years fair shows a lot of musical diversity with Country and Contemporary Christian. We are very excited about this year’s talent roster. We feel the fans are in for a great week of country music!” Advance reserved show seats, season tickets, special priced ride tickets and parking passes are on sale now .Ticket Office hours are Monday through Friday from 11am – 6pm and Saturday from 9am – 6m. Sunday, August 17th only, tickets will be on sale between1pm - 7pm. For a complete schedule of events, please go to www.appalachianfair.com For information call, Appalachian Fair (423)477-3211
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The Main Stage at the Appalachian Fair is
Packed with Entertainment
Monday night, Aug. 18 Tyler Farr opens the Fair’s Main Stage entertainment. His hits include “Red Neck Crazy” and “Whiskey In My Water”. Tuesday, Aug. 19 Thomas Rhett. His hits include “It Goes Like This”, and “Get Me Some of That”. Wednesday, Aug. 20 Parmalee. Hits include “Carolina” & “Musta Had A Great Time”. Thursday, Aug. 21 Craig Morgan. “Almost Home” ,”Woke Up Lovin’ You” Friday, Aug. 22 Chase Rice. His hits include “Ready, Set, Roll” , “Buzz Back” Saturday, Aug. 23 Contemporary Artists For King and Country will take the stage at 7:00 pm. with hits “Busted Heart” , “The Proof of Your Love” to be followed by Francesca Battistelli at 8:45 with hits “Write Your Story” & “Free to Be Me”. Visit our website at www.appalachianfair.com for more information.
Francesca Battistelli
For King and Country
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Monster Trucks, Youth Talent Show & Baby Show all at the Appalachian Fair
The Appalachian Arena has a mixture of old favorites and some new events for 2014 when the Appalachian Fair opens here on Aug. 18. Monday & Tuesday, August 18 & 19, will be the Monster Trucks 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 20, Truck
Pull Competition - “Street Stock Class” and “Modified Diesels Class” - 7:00 p.m. Thursday, August 21, Tractor Pulls - “V8 Tractor Class” and “Diesel Tractor Smokers & Hot Rod Tractor Class” - 7:00 p.m. Fri. & Sat., August 22 & 23 will be the ever popular Demolition
Derby cars - 7:30 p.m. The Arena is in the northwest corner of the fairgrounds. These events are always crowd pleasers and are free with paid gate admission to the Fair. For entry information: www.appalachianfair.com Proud parents have been taking their young children to the Appalachian Fair for years to compete in the baby show. The possibility of winning a class at the annual Baby Show is the draw for these proud parents and grandparents. The Baby Show will be on Saturday Aug. 23. Winners not only get ribbons, but a total of $608 in premiums is offered. No pre-registration for the Baby Show is required, but a $10 entry fee is required at the time of registration. For babies 6 through 10 months, judging will be on the Museum Stage, beginning at 9 a.m. for girls and 10:30 a.m. for boys. At 1:00 p.m. judging will begin for girls 11 through 16 months class. Boys will be at 2:30 p.m. The class for 17 through 24 months will begin for girls at 4:00 p.m., followed by the boys at 5:00 p.m. In each age classification, awards will be made for best developed girl, best developed boy, prettiest girl, most handsome boy, Little Miss Personality and Little Mr. Personality. Twins will be judged at 6 p.m. The Youth Talent Show, which involves young people between 13 and 21 years of age. The show will be held on Aug. 21 at 7 p.m. The winner of the talent show wins $500 and the right to compete at the regional contest at the Tennessee Valley Fair in Knoxville in September. The runner up locally will receive $300 and third place $200. The local winner competes in Knoxville, the cash prize there is $1000. In the past, the Appalachian Fair Youth Talent winners have competed well in Knoxville. The Youth Talent Show generates a variety of talent. Competitors may be dance groups, bands, singers or pianists. For information and entry form go to www. appalachianfair.com
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Arts Depot to feature artwork of Remington VA Artist
Beginning on Thursday, August 14th the Arts Depot in Abingdon will feature the artwork of Remington Virginia Artist, Nancy Brittle. Nancy’s exhibition of Oil paintings is titled “Beauty Around Us” and will continue through September 27th in the Depot’s Juried Spotlight Gallery. There will be a Meet-theArtist reception on Saturday, August 16th from 2-4pm. There is no admission fee and everyone is welcome. Nancy Brittle grew up in Fauquier County, VA. She has lived in Philadelphia, Washington DC, Paris, Fredericksburg VA, and is now back in Fauquier living in the house were she grew up. It is there, she says, as a child “my mother thought we should ‘rest’ after lunch... I enjoyed drawing in the long hot summer afternoons. A talented woman herself, my mother encouraged both my sister and me to draw, paint, study music and dance, and read, read, read.” She has a true love of color and line, shapes and forms and is happiest either in her garden or putting down on paper or canvas what she sees and feels. Nancy currently works as an adjunct professor for the University of Mary Washington and belongs to various local arts and historical groups in the Remington, VA area. In addition to her retired teachers association and church she is a member of The Middle Street Gallery, Sperryville VA art coop, The Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts, Fredericksburg, VA, The Charlottesville/Albemarle Art Association and The Oil Painters of America Association. She has been juried into many exhibits over the past 45 years Including National and Regional shows sponsored by the Fredericksburg Center for Creative Arts, The
First American Artist Magazine 100 finalists NYC, The King George Art Guild Biennial, Purcell Gallery at the Louisa Arts Center, Piedmont Magazine’s first and second art exhibitions, Charlottesville Albemarle Art Association exhibits at the Charlottesville Regional Airport, and The Rappahannock Regional Library just to name a few. Brittle says that her art is “a reflection of all that she has experienced” and she hopes that “the viewer can connect thru the common shared experience as well as discover a new idea by looking at my work.” Nancy believes that “our world is filled with that which is hard to bear, but it is also filled with great beauty. Being able to recognize the beauty around us while life dishes out the daily dose of good or bad is not always easy. I think our mental, physical, and spiritual health depends on being able to find the beauty in the daily experience. The Depot Artist Association is a non-profit, volunteer organization that is dedicated to promoting the arts in the community and to featuring the region’s artists. The Association operates the Arts Depot in the historic Depot Square area of downtown Abingdon, VA. The viewing hours for regular exhibits and resident studio artists are Thursday Friday and Saturday, January through March11 am-3 pm, April through December 10 am-4 pm, through 8 pm on the first Thursday of each month and by appointment. Exhibits are free to the public. For further information about the exhibits, classes, or other offerings and activities of the Arts Depot, Abingdon, VA, call (276) 628-9091 or e-mail abingdonartsdepot@eva.org, or visit the web site at www.abingdonartsdepot.org. The Association is supported in part by grants from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts and the Virginia Tourism Corp.
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The Whipstitch Sallies announce southern tour dates The Whipstitch Sallies are excited to announce their return to the Southeast region in support of their new album. The group of women will be featured at several prominent music destinations in the region. The first tour performance will be Wednesday, August 13th at Cosmic Charlie’s in Lexington, KY with The Tillers from Cincinnati, OH. Catch them the next day in Johnson City, TN at The Down Home. The Sallies will then take their rock-infused bluegrass to Jack of the Wood in Asheville, NC on Friday, August 15th, where they will again perform with The Tillers. On Saturday, August 16th, the group will be at The Family Dog in Atlanta, GA. They will return to Asheville on Tuesday, August 19th, where they will play at The One Stop with Baltimore gypsy jazz band Ultrafaux. Indianapolis concert promoter Dan Henkel raves, “The Whipstitch Sallies are a force of nature. They breezed into their first show for the Indy Folk Series and quickly endeared themselves to all those who weren’t already fervid fans. Their harmonies and blend, verve and virtuosity had a record crowd on their feet and asking for a return visit.”
Photo by: Willow Grove Photography The Sallies kicked off their summer by gracing the main stage at the historic Bill Monroe Music Park for the fourth annual John Hartford Memorial Festival. They have commanded a rigorous performance schedule since their debut festival appearance in July 2010 alongside The Steel Wheels. Don’t miss your chance to see The Whipstitch Sallies this summer. Check their website for more details at www.thewhipstitchsallies.com.
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Grandfather Mountain Camera Clinic returns Aug. 16-17 Amateur and professional photographers can now register for the Grandfather Mountain Camera Clinic, a two-day seminar that offers presentations from outstanding photojournalists and opportunities for participants to improve their skills. The clinic, set for Aug. 16-17, also allows participants the rare prospect of photographing scenic Grandfather Mountain at dawn and dusk and chances to network with others interested in the craft. The 2014 speakers include: Rainier Ehrhardt, freelance photographer for editorial clients including Associated Press and Getty Images and experienced motorsports photographer; Scott Muthersbaugh, staff photographer at The (Burlington) Times-News and recipient of the N.C. Press Association’s 2014 Hugh Morton Photographer of the Year award; and Kevin Liles, an Atlanta-area freelance photographer whose re-
Photo courtesy of Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation.
sume includes the Super Bowl, Sochi Olympics, Final Four and NBA Finals. A fourth speaker also will be announced in the coming days. The Camera Clinic was originally organized in 1952 by the late Hugh Morton, developer of Grandfather Mountain and a distinguished photographer.
“We’re excited to offer the Camera Clinic again this year and are thrilled by the lineup of stellar photographers who are joining us,” said Marketing Director Katie Casella. “It will be a great chance for photographers to learn from these speakers and one another about the art of photography.” Admission to the event is free for working photojournalists and members of the N.C. Press Photographers Association. Admission for all others is $50 and includes a buffet dinner on Saturday. Online registration opened July 15 at grandfather.com. Anyone wishing to secure a spot must purchase a $50 pass online; the charge will be refunded to those who show valid press credentials or an NCPPA membership card at check-in Saturday. A discounted two-day admission ticket is available for $30 for guests of Clinic participants who wish to enjoy the park but do not plan to attend the seminars. This ticket allows guests to come and go as they please Aug. 16 and 17. Guests may also purchase tickets for the Saturday buffet dinner for $10. Basic campsites are available in the Grandfather Mountain Woods Walk Picnic Area for those participating in the Clinic. Please visit grandfather.com/ events/grandfather-mountaincamera-clinic/ for more information and a full schedule or call (800) 468-7325.
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James Margolis stops by the Acoustic Coffeehouse
James performs Sunday, Aug. 17th @ 10pm James Margolis is a unique musician. He is a guitarist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. After moving to NYC, he has played shows at venues like: The Bitter End, Arlene’s Grocery, The Path Cafe, Tammany Hall, Tea Lounge, etc. After cutting his teeth with various bands in Philadelphia, his career as a solo artist is burgeoning in a big bad way. He is technically still part of a bunch of bands, but that didn’t stop him from releas-
ing his debut album “Stars & Satellites”. Who am I kidding, I am James, and I’m gonna stop writing this in the 3rd person. I’ll be going on tour in lateAugust with my trusty loop pedal and electric guitar playing original tunes and covers and maybe some J Dilla beat-loops. Come check me out. www.jamesmargolis.bandcamp.com/album/live. The Acoustic Coffeehouse 415 W Walnut St Johnson City, TN 37604 423-434-9872
Boone Watershed Partnership Plans
Watershed Aquatic Stewardship Awards Event The Boone Watershed Partnership will hold its 17th annual Watershed Aquatic Stewardship Awards and Ice Cream Social for the local community. The awards event, which will be held at the Edwards Island Shelter in Elizabethton, TN at 1:00 pm on August 16, will honor the contributions of local people who work to protect and improve water quality in the Boone Watershed. During the event, awards will
be presented to Civic Volunteer Joy Stewart, Farmer Scott Thomas, SecureStor owners Cheryl Tupper and Charles LaPorte, the Washington County Soil Conservation District Youth Board, and the City of Bristol, TN. To RSVP for this event, contact Ingrid Luffman at (423) 341-0898. For more information about the Boone Watershed Partnership, visit www.boonewatershed.com.
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28th Annual Dawn of Hope Golf Classic Raises more than $32,000 Presented by BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, the 28th Annual Dawn of Hope Golf Classic, held August 4, 2014 at the Johnson City Country Club, raised crucial funds for the Dawn of Hope Developmental, Residential and Vocational Programs. Dawn of Hope provides services to more than 210 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the Northeast Tennessee Region. Both the 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. tournament tee-times were kicked off by ceremonial shots made by two Dawn of Hope Service Recipients, Bud & Ralph. Morning players enjoyed a breakfast of chicken biscuits, fresh fruit, and cinnamon clusters, compliments of Chick-Fil-
a of Elizabethton. For lunch, players were served a healthy lunch provided by Outback Steakhouse of Johnson City, which included grilled chicken, hearty mashed potatoes, mushrooms, cheesecake and carrot cake. Throughout the day, golfers teed up with Honey Hot Dogs’ signature dogs, a traditional all-time favorite for tournament participants. Players and volunteers enjoyed complimentary beverages provided by Cherokee Distributing Company and Pepsi Bottling Group. Prizes for 1st place in each flight were awarded to Russell Sikora & Josh Ruff, Rocky Stump & David Ford, Tommy Tipton & Corey Paulson, and Karel Elbers & Cindy
Carden. Additionally prizes for the putting contest, longest drive, closest to the pin, and closest to the line were awarded to Steve Carter & Darren Adams, Jerry Cole, Randy Gorzka and Chris Lowe, respectively. All tournament participants received a commemorative moisture wicking polo and a bag of goodies. A heartfelt THANK YOU goes out to more than 78 tournament sponsors, 106 players and 50 volunteers who helped to make this such a successful event! Dawn of Hope is truly blessed and grateful that these valued friends and businesses chose to partner with us in this very important fundraising event.
The mission of the Dawn of Hope is to provide high quality, caring, individualized services to enrich the lives of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Northeast Tennessee. For more information on how you can make a difference in the lives of Dawn of Hope Service Recipients, contact Lisa Pawley at 423722-1689 or email lisapawley@ dawnofhope.com.
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Sycamore Stitchers 20th Annual Quilt Show Seeking Exhibitors Quilts, Quilted By a Paid Service, Juvenile/Lap Quilts, Holiday Wall Hangings, Wall Hangings, Small/Miniature Wall Hangings, Sycamore Stitchers Challenge and Antiques. This year our challenge is called “20th Anniversary” consisting of 20 something (blocks, items, or the number 20), at least one pieced block and a 2 inch or more piece of emerald green fabric, which is the 20 year gem color.
Would you like to showcase that quilt or quilted wall hanging you spent hours designing, piecing and quilting? The Sycamore Stitchers Quilting Group of Elizabethton, Tennessee invites you to submit an entry for their 20th Annual Quilt Show. The Quilt Show will be held at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area in Elizabethton, Tennessee
on October 2nd, 3rd, 4th, & 5th, 2014 (First weekend in October). Sycamore Stitchers Quilt Show is entering its 20th year and there is always something new and exciting at each show. Today’s quilters will surely leave a rich legacy for future generations. The categories are as follows: Hand Quilted Bed Quilts, Machine Quilted Bed Quilts, Baby
There is always something for everyone. The exhibit will showcase talent that will be judged only by the spectators. A People’s Choice Award will be given in 9 categories excluding antique quilts. There is no fee to enter the Sycamore Stitchers Quilt Show. All Entries must comply with the rules and regulations for the show. Registration forms will be available August 14th, 2014. Registra-
tion ends September 13, 2014. Free information and applications can be obtained at the UT Extension Office in Carter County, Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area, Elizabethton and area fabric shops or by contacting Carolyn Buckles at 423-474-2682 or Jeanie Johnson at 423-542-6173. Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area, 1651 West Elk Avenue, Elizabethton, TN 37643. (423) 543-5808.
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ZZ Top Tribute Band,
ELIMINATOR
takes the stage at Bristol’s Downtown Center
The Eliminator Band is the original ZZ Top Tribute Band. The Eliminator Band played their first show in 1992 and hasn’t stopped since! Come out to the Downtown Center located at 810 State Street to hear some of the best of ZZ Top. With close attention to detail The Eliminator Band faithfully reproduces the tone, taste, and tenacity of “That Lil’ Ol Band from Texas”. The Eliminator band plays ALL the greatest ZZ Top hits from the radio classics “LaGrange” and “Tush” to their ground breaking music videos, “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Legs” which helped define MTV in the 80s. The band will take the Downtown Center stage at 7PM on Thursday, August 14th. As always there is no charge for the concert, plenty of seating will be available
along with food and drink on site. “ZZ Top is one of those bands everybody loves, their music crosses all age groups,” said Darlene Cole, Deputy Director for the Community Relations Office which oversees the city’s entertainment venues. “This is one band you don’t want to miss this summer. With twenty years of impersonating ZZ Top this band has the performance that is the next best thing to being at a live concert with ZZ Top! Take a stroll through downtown Bristol and see where the music all began. “It is a great way to spend a warm summer evening under the stars with family and friends,” added Cole. For more information call Darlene Cole at 423-764-4171 or dcole@bristoltn.org.
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Storytelling, by Way of Opera Adam Booth, a young storyteller experimenting with new forms, will soon perform a series of concerts as the International Storytelling Center’s next teller in residence. Like Bil Lepp, Booth got his start as a champion of the West Virginia State Liars’ Contest, a competition in which people tell tall tales. At the time, he was a student of opera. “I had originally gone to grad school to study musicology because I was interested in a composer who studied the folk music of his people,” Booth says. “I thought maybe I’d do that, too— use that training to give my stories more of a feel and a sound and a flavor of Appalachia.” Quickly, his focus shifted from chamber opera to old-time music, folk, and roots. “I was doing a lot of storytelling at folk festivals around the area,” he says. “The great thing about a lot of those is that people are just all over the place playing music, so you can listen to these really well respected musicians by just sitting at their feet. I sat back, listened, and learned, which was the same thing I had done 20 years before when I was a little kid listening to stories.” Paying attention quickly paid off; soon enough Booth had found his niche. “I saw a lot of people around my age really striving to learn traditional arts and crafts from old people,” he recalls. “I had some friends who learned to play old-style banjo, or how to sing old ballads or do different clogging styles. I noticed that no one was learning the old stories. All of the sudden, there was just a spotlight shining on me. I was like, I’m here for that! That’s my life. I’m a storyteller.” During his weeklong residency in Jonesborough, Booth will offer daily performances August 19 – 23, Tuesday through Saturday, at 2:00 p.m. in the Mary B. Martin Storytelling Hall. Tickets for all shows are just $12 for adults and $11 for seniors, students, and children under 18. Advance purchase is highly recommended.
Photo by: Katelyn Stoneberger
The performer will share a wide range of Appalachian music, innovative folklore and, of course, a few tall tales. When Booth isn’t performing, he teaches music and storytelling at a university near his home in West Virginia. Popular among students, his classes explore connections among the many different kinds of people who form what some have called the new South. “One of the biggest reasons is that a lot of my students, and people throughout Appalachia, call themselves Appalachian, but they’re not quite sure what it means anymore,” Booth says. “There was a much more accepted definition 50 years ago, and now it has changed quite a bit. “There’s just a beautiful mixture of cultures and folkways, and the students are excited to realize
that.” Booth is the latest performer in the International Storytelling Center’s Storytelling Live! series, which will host a new performer every week through October. Information about all TIR performers, as well as a detailed schedule for 2014, is available at www.storytellingcenter.net. Ticket holders will save 10 percent on same-day dining at The Olde Courthouse Diner, The Dining Room, Jonesborough General Store and Eatery, or Main Street Café. The International Storytelling Center is open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. For more information about Storytelling Live! or to make a group reservation, call (800) 952-8392 ext. 222 or (423) 913-1276.
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August Nights are A Starry Delight Probably no month of the year has more heads turned skyward than August. Everybody’s outside doing something, and when the sun sets around 9 pm and the stars begin to come out, that occasional glance at the sky may turn to an hour or so of constellation hunting and telescope probing. Campers leave their fire, boaters stop in the water and suburb patio loungers keep looking skyward as the daylight becomes twilight and turns to night. And we wonder: what are the names of these bright stars and are any of them planets? The Summer of 2014 has two bright planets lingering amid the distinguished constellations—and of course, the Milky Way—that draws our attention to the night sky. The “Planet Show” begins in early evening and ends around midnight when Mars continues its relentless pursuit of planet Saturn. In the south sky, Mars has been near the bright white star Spica in Virgo for months in a retrograde motion against the background stars. The past weeks it has resumed moving eastward (left) in the night sky and is closing in on
butterscotch Saturn, directly south in Cancer the Crab. Watch night-by-night at Mars creeps closer to Saturn and become closest Aug. 22-29 with the Ringed World on top of the Red Planet. Their proximity is just an illusion: Mars is 70 million miles away and speeding along in a 687 earth-day solar orbit; Saturn is 600 million miles away and prods along the Zodiac once in 30 years. After sunset, the first star you’re likely to see piercing through the violet twilight is bright, white Vega directly overhead at around 9:30 pm. One of the three bright stars of the Summer Triangle, appearing with Vega in the deeper twilight will be Deneb to the north and Altair to the south. Bright Vega is the top of Lyra the Harp, the instrument’s four other easy to see stars looking like a lopsided square, or a parallelogram. Deneb is the foot of the Northern Cross, which is also the tail of Cygnus the Swan, flying down the Milky Way. Altair is the tail of Aquila the Eagle, also a smaller cross. The Milky Way spans from north to south on these early Summer nights, but you’ll need dark skies to see the glow. Unfortunately
many of us living in the Tri-Cities are surrounded by light pollution from shopping centers, businesses and street lights. Ten years ago I used to easily see the Milky Way from my backyard in Gray, Tennessee. But the last clear, moonless night I looked, well, I looked and looked and only thought I saw the hazy band of light! Whenever most of us see the Milky Way from a dark sky location, the reaction is usually “Wow!” From Mt. Rogers in Virginia to the Smoky Mt. Nat’l Park in Tennessee, South Holston Lake to Douglas Lake, any where there are jet black night skies there will be uncountable stars in the ribbon of light that is one arm of our Milky Way Galaxy. This band of light has been the object of human adulation and mythology for all of time. Many cultures saw it as the path to either life or death. The earliest record-
ings by the Sumerian stargazers said the Milky Way was the path to their gods; and the Native American believed it was the smoke from campfires of departed souls. One of the treats of late Summer stargazing is the sounds of the night as one hovers at a telescope, scans around the Milky Way with binoculars or just lie in a lounge chair with a star chart. The night life of insects make a cacophony of high-pitched rhythm, bats fly erratically with their squeaky radar, the neighbor’s dog barks, and in the distance the train whistle echoes through the mountains. The starry night beholds all our senses. The smells of evening can be filled with the scent of a rose garden, burning leaves or a seemingly fresh whiff of oxygen just manufactured by the trees in the yard. Summer nights are unique all themselves as after midnight dew covers everything as the at-
mosphere wrings itself out. A warm night, the noisy sometimes biting insects, the smell of humid air all can give a person an alive feeling as inquisitive eyes meet the thousands of bright points of starlight. There’s more to see than just the Moon, stars and planets: you’ll most likely see a few satellites, maybe a meteor or two, and even the International Space Station is easy to see as a bright, slow-moving light among the fixed stars. And there are these light bursts from the shiny side panels of a communications satellite system of 66 orbiting spacecraft called Iridium. These “Iridium flares” are predictable to the second and can outshine the brightest stars for a few seconds before quickly subsiding to invisibility. There are websites and Smartphone apps that will give you predictions of the ISS, Hubble Space Telescope,
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Stargazer.... continued from page 18 other satellites and those surprising and often awesome “Iridium Flares.” Unpredictable are meteors streaking through the night sky like “shooting stars.” You most likely will see two or three every hour you stargaze, and a night of observing can be rewarded with a very bright meteor, one that casts a shadow. Then there are meteors that break up in spectacular bright flashes, called “bolides.” Bolides
are rare but an active amateur astronomer might see one or two in their decades-long pursuit of the hobby. Seeing the unexpected is one thrill that keeps astronomers of all levels heading out under the stars. Having a star chart handy is one way to enjoy the night sky. Identifying the constellations and bright stars is a year-long endeavor, but the comfort of Summer nights makes it a good time to
start. Buy a planisphere of the sky at any bookstore, Bays Mt. Park or science center. The two monthly magazines, Astronomy and Sky &Telescope have centerfold star charts. Or download a monthly copy of the sky at Sky Maps.com. Get out and enjoy the Summer sky. The time will be well spent and provide some warm memories during the cold nights that are inevitable in just a few months.
150th Civil War Anniversary Just imagine what it must have been like 150 years ago in Saltville, Virginia. This beautiful, peaceful valley was the scene of a raging battle during the Civil War. Also known as the War Between the States and The Battle of Northern Aggression. Whatever it is called, it was a war that tore this country
Recently, a TV reporter went out on the streets and asked passer bys questions about the Civil Warwhere was it fought, why was it fought, who fought in it. Most of the people questioned had no idea. They knew nothing about the war that raged in this country as well as in Saltville.
apart. It tore families apart and destroyed the South as we knew it. There were 2,000 slaves working at the salt works to provide the much needed salt for the Confederacy. Salt was the reason Saltville was attacked and the North was determined to get the salt they also needed so badly.
We have been asked why we southerners keep the reenactments alive year after year. It happened and maybe by keeping it alive, it will prevent such horrible things from happening again. It is an awesome feeling to walk through the reenactment camp especially early in the morning. Coffee is brewing over an open fire, families are waking up in
their tents getting ready for the big battle each day. It is an opportunity for your children to see living history-the clothes they wore, the way they cooked, the games children played and the way these soldiers fought together to protect our town. Bring the family to the Well Fields in Saltville on August 16th and 17th to see the reenactment of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War in Saltville. Bring chairs, umbrellas, sun screen and cameras. For further information call 276496-5988 or see www.battlesofsaltville.com.
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Skies This Week Celestial events in the skies for the week of Aug. 12th - Aug. 18th, 2014, as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette.
Hot August nights have us realizing that Summer is losing its grip on daylight and night-time is gaining. And that makes stargazers happy! True daytime, from twilight to twilight, is now around 14.5 hours. That’s an hour different from those late June evening memories. Watch this week as Mars runs down Saturn and passes underneath it the following week. This is celestial mechanics racing action from your backyard, so look up and see the Red Planet rub the rings of Saturn!
Tues. Aug. 12
The Perseid Meteor Shower peaks tonight, and though the Moon is a bright gibbous phase in the after midnight sky, the brightest meteors will still poke through. Earth continues until Aug. 23 traveling through the debris field of comet Swift-Tuttle, whose particles we see burning up in our atmosphere. On this 1960 date in space history, NASA launched the first communications satellite, a gigantic balloon called Echo 1 that orbited Earth after being rocket off Cape Canaveral by the first Delta rocket. Radio waves were bounced off the exotic, 100-foot Mylar balloon surface and captured by dish antennas thousands of miles away.
Wed. Aug. 13
Look south and watch every night you can the red “star” Mars moving left (east) toward yellow Saturn in Cancer the Crab. From Aug. 22-29 the Red Planet will pass underneath the ringed world and keep on trucking into Scorpius.
Thurs. Aug. 14
If you want a peek at the Autumn skies, get up at 4 am and see Pegasus, Taurus and The Pleiades star cluster in the pre-dawn sky. At that early morning hour the Summer
constellations are setting in the west, the Milky Way standing beautifully upright.
Fri. Aug. 15
Looking west in the early evening you’ll see a yellowish star dominating—Arcturus in Bootes the Herdsman. The third brightest of all the stars we see, this beautiful star is 37 Light Years away, fairly close to Earth: that’s why it appears so bright. Arcturus will set around midnight.
Sat. Aug. 16
Scraping the northwest landscape is the Big Dipper, aka The Plough. From midnight to 5 am the most familiar seven stars in the sky is hard to see unless you have a clear northern horizon. The Big Dipper is an “asterism” of a much larger constellation, The Great Bear or Ursa Major.
Sun. Aug. 17
Last Quarter Moon is today. My daughter, Jessie, turns 18, and I always remind her of the influence of astronomy on rock and roll songs, like this classic from Alice Cooper… “I’m eighteen, I gotta get away…Ill go runnin’ in outer space, oh yeah!” I also remind Jessie that just because astrology says she’s a Leo, she’s really a Marquette!
Mon. Aug. 18
After a long days work, it’s relaxing to sit under the twilight sky and watch the stars come out. The brightest ones overhead and east will be first, and look for Vega directly overhead. Deneb to the north and Altair to the south will pop out of the twilight and form a giant Summer Triangle with Vega. Saturn will poke through the violet twilight in the south, and as it gets darker in the west, bright Arcturus will appear.
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Page 22, The Loafer • August 12, 2014
Imagine if Han Solo of “Star Wars” fame and his cohorts formed a superhero team of sorts, and fought injustice throughout the galaxy. The aforementioned scenario would no doubt play out similar to the plot of the new film “Guardians of the Galaxy”. If you have never heard of the Guardians of the Galaxy, I am not surprised. The group in question is based on a comic book, that even me, a comic book geek, was only vaguely familiar with. The Guardians were first introduced back in 1969, but the group in the film is based on the 2013 reboot of the comic book. The cast features Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord (half human-half alien); Zoe Saldana as Gamora (a green skinned alien assassin); Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer (a large warrior with strange skin); Vin Disel as Groot (a tree-like humanoid), and Bradley Cooper as Rocket (a genetically engineered raccoon that can speak). Know that I have mentioned the “Star Trek” like characters, begins in 1988 on Earth with the origin of Star-Lord, and then flashes forward 26 years later to a distant planet. The distant planet is where we first see the adult Quill/ Star-Lord on a mission to retrieve a orb that holds much power and is coveted by half the galaxy, including Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace). Ronan is soon in hot pursuit of Star-Lord, who now has possession of the orb. Star-Lord makes it to the planet Xandar, where he is confronted by Gamora, who has been sent by Ronan to get the orb.
After an exciting fight between Gamora and Star-Lord, the two eventually come in contact with Groot and Rocket, and they all end up in prison. While in prison, the four eventually come in contact with Drax, and after a thrilling prison escape, the group reluctantly forms an alliance. The Guardians are out to defeat Roana and save the planet Xandar from his attack. During the course of the story, the wise-cracks fly with abandon, and Star-Lord and company make one interesting superhero team, even though I see them more as intergalactic vigilantes. The story is set entirely in another galaxy, and this makes for a refreshing respite from all the earth-bound superhero movies. The actors are all fine, but the movie squarely belongs to Pratt, who is the biggest ham in the universe. However, underneath all his bravado, Quill/Star-Lord really has a heart of gold, and loves to play a cassette of 70’s music his mother made for him before she passed. The classic songs only add to the enjoyment of this unusual film, and if you have ever heard any of the songs used, you may find yourself patting your foot to the rhythm of the beats. I will alert you, as with all Marvel films, there is a post credits scene, but unless you want to see who the Dolly grip was, I would leave, as the final scene isn’t worth the wait. Overall, “Guardians of the Galaxy” is a fun time in the cosmos with a motley crew of misfits. (Rated PG-13) B+
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The Jeff Little Trio
closes out the Hot Nights, Cool Music season ing concerts in Sri Lanka, Oman, and France. The Trio includes Steve Lewis, one of the most respected acoustic musicians lauded for his flat picking on guitar and his mastery of the five-string banjo. Lewis earned many championships for his guitar and banjo playing in competitions at Merlefest, the Galax Old Time Fiddlers Convention, and the Wayne Henderson Guitar Competition. He is also a two-time national champion on the banjo. Rounding out the Trio is Josh Scott, considered to be one of the most talented upright bass players working today. Scott has been featured on stage and in the studio with many critically acclaimed artists of acoustic and Americana Photo by: Pat Jarrett/Virginia Folklife Program music. Northeast State Community es include NPR, PBS, National Northeast State extends its College wraps up the “Hot Nights, Council for the Traditional Arts, deepest thanks to all the performCool Music” summer concert se- American Piano Masters Series, ers and to the audiences that made ries with a sizzling performance The Smithsonian Folklife Festival, this year’s series successful. For by The Jeff Little Trio on Thursday, and The American Folk Festival more information, visit www. just to name a few. He has also northeaststate.edu or contact Aug. 14. Acclaimed by National Public performed internationally includ- 423.279.7669. Radio, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe, the Trio light up at the Regional Center for the Performing Arts Theater at the main campus next to Tri-Cities Regional Airport. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the performance starts at 7 p.m. The show is free and open to the public. A professional musician since age 14, Little is conversant with traditional old-time country, bluegrass, rockabilly, and blues. His involvement with fiddle tunes, old-time country, and traditional blues dates to his growing up in Boone, N.C. where his family owned a music shop. The shop became a gathering place for musicians who would stop by to pick a few tunes. Beginning around age six he would regularly sit in with many of the musicians, including one of America’s most influential musicians: Doc Watson. These influences helped shape his approach to the piano which is based on these deep musical traditions. Several years ago Jeff and his family returned to the Blue Ridge where today he is the director of the new Entertainment Technology program at Northeast State in Bristol. The Trio’s performanc-
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Saturday, August 16th at Niswonger Performing Arts Center
38 Special 38 Special, one of the most popular Southern Rock bands in music history, will perform at NPAC on Saturday, August 16th at 7:30 pm. With a strong collection of Gold and Platinum albums, instantly recognizable chords, and a relentless tour schedule, 38 Special has developed a strong following. The band has stood the test of time with great endurance. After more than three decades together, 38 Special still leaves audiences amazed by the explosive power of their performance. Guitarist and vocalist Don Barnes describes the band’s level of intensity. “We never wanted to be one of those bands that had maybe gotten a little soft or complacent over the years”, says Barnes. “We’re a team, and it’s always been kind of an unspoken rule that we don’t slack up, we stack up. We go out there every night to win.” Barnes is joined on stage by Danny Chauncey on guitar and vocals, bassist Barry Dunaway, drummer Gary Moffatt and Bobby Capps on keyboard and vocals. Longevity has helped 38 Special sell more than 20 million albums. Their career has been highlighted by songs like “Wild-Eyed Southern Boys”, “Rockin’ Into The Night”, “Hold On Loosely”,
“Back Where You Belong”, and “Second Chance”. “The magic’s still there”, adds Barnes. “It’s an emotional high for us to keep ‘bringing it’ after all these years. When those lights go down and we hear that crowd roar, it’s a real rush to the head. It feels like we’re getting ready to strap ourselves in and it just takes off from there.” 38 Special will perform at Niswonger Performing Arts Center (NPAC) in historic downtown Greeneville, TN on Saturday, August 16th at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $50 for orchestra level seating, $45 for mezzanine seating and $40 for balcony seats. The performance is sponsored by Fatz Café in Greeneville, TN. Tickets may be purchased online at www.npacgreeneville.com, in person at the NPAC box office, or by calling 423- 638-1679. NPAC offers online seat selection and no-fee ticketing. The box office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 am until 5 pm. The 1130 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.
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The Buttermilk Girls & Changing Lanes Featured at Heartwood The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail presents the Buttermilk Girls and Changing Lanes in concert on Thursday, August 14th from 6:30 to 8:00 PM at Heartwood in Abingdon, VA. The concert is part of The Crooked Road’s Youth Music Series. Beth Miller and Maggie Gatley form the Buttermilk Girls. Sixteen year-old Beth Miller of Big Stone Gap, VA, is widely known for her songwriting and musical talents. Beth was recently awarded the top prize in the Virginia-Kentucky District Fair Youth Talent Contest and was a finalist in the Gathering in the Gap Songwriting Contest. Maggie Gatley, thirteen, of Kingsport, TN, is an award-winning fiddle player and vocalist. The two met at Mountain Empire Community College’s Mountain Music School and have being playing together for several years. Changing Lanes is a bluegrass band from Carroll County, VA, that has been performing live together for two years. Their members include Jesse Allen (guitar and vocals), Alan Young (banjo, man-
dolin and vocals) and Ethan Edwards (banjo, mandolin, and vocals). The band has performed to high acclaim at festivals and venues throughout the region and released their debut CD, “The Road to a New Beginning,” in November of 2013. The Crooked Road Music Series features youth music performers and showcases venues of the Crooked Road region. These events, along with open jams on the 1st, 3rd, (and 5th) Thursday of every month, are hosted at Heartwood. A complete schedule for the music series is available on The Crooked Road website at www.thecrookedroad.org and at www.heartwoodvirginia.org. The music series is sponsored by The Crooked Road, Heartwood, Virginia Commission for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Heartwood: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Gateway is located off I-81 at Exit 14 in Abingdon, VA, and features food, music, and craft of Southwest Virginia. Admission to the concert is free and donations will be accepted for Crooked Road Traditional Music Education Program (TMEP). For more information on The Crooked Road Music Series call (276) 492-2409 or email: info@thecrookedroad.org.
The Buttermilk Girls Photo by Amy Greer Changing Lanes Photo by Tabatha Norman
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Third Annual
Tri-Cities Greek Fest
The ancient Greeks asked one thing after a man died: did he have passion? At the Tri-Cities Greek Fest, the passion and celebration of Greece, its culture, food, and all things Greek, is something you do not want to miss. This year on Saturday, Aug. 16, the public is invited to partake of the philoxenia (Greek hospitality) that lasts all day and never wears thin. Neither does the Opa. Hosted by Christ the Savior Greek Orthodox Church, guests will be able to see the church’s own dance troupe in vintage Greek costumes perform a variety of dances from the Greek islands and mainland. The dancers even have some surprises in store that are sure to amaze any audience. Live entertainment will be provided by George Karras and his band throughout the day. Karras will even let you try on his bouzouki for photographs, but you better be sure to wear your dancing shoes if you want to be part of the fun that has everyone kicking up their heels like Zorba. Got Ouzo? Try it once and you’ll be an honorary Greek for the day boasts the Fest’s taverna. Attend this year and see what the hype over this Grecian liqueur is all about. Now in its third year, the Tri-Cities Greek Fest has several new things in store for its guests. This year, patrons will have the chance to win door prizes such as a beautiful set of dishes adorned with Bible verses. Christ the Savior is excited to announce that a recliner will be given away, but guests should plan on staying late because the winner of this fabulous prize will not be drawn until the very end. The rummage sale portion of the event, known fondly to local Greeks as Poseidon’s Treasure Cove, will be the largest yet. This year, it will be underneath a large tent out-
side providing space for more items and larger ones such as furniture. Tempting new pastry treats will be available that pride themselves on their Grecian roots. Items such as kok, two round vanilla sponge cakes filled with Bavarian cream and topped with chocolate ganache, and ergolavos, an almond cookie with apricot filling, are only two such desserts which will be featured. Tsourekia, braided loaves of Greek sweet bread, and baklava cheesecake will return this year for another expected sellout. Be sure to pick yours up while they last. Combination platters will also return for those who want to try a little of everything. As always, guests are invited to take a church tour to learn about the Greek Orthodox Church. These are so interesting that even Greeks attend. Plenty of seating will be available allowing for an up close and personal look at Orthodox iconography and worship. A children’s area will once again be behind the church, but still very much a part of the festivities. Children are invited to have their faces painted and participate in a variety of games. Guests will not be able to resist the unique delights of the retail area. Cookbooks, jewelry, homemade lotions and jams, and of course, the Tri-Cities Greek Fest’s own Tshirts will be for sale. Patrons should note that this event only accepts cash and personal checks. Come one and all. Grab your parea (group of friends) and put a little Greek in your week. The memories made at the Tri-Cities Greek Fest will last longer than Zorba’s Dance. For more information visit www.facebook. com/TriCitiesGreekFest or www.ChristTheSaviorOrthodox.org.
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Playing at The Bonnie Kate, August 16th
Josh Lasher, Jr.
Born and bred in the Western North Carolina mountains, 6’4” 17 year old Singer/Songwriter Joe Lasher Jr. is quickly becoming one of the most recognized Southern Country Rock performers. Although he’s young in age, his voice and musicianship are that of a seasoned veteran. Joe’s influences range from mainstream country artists to classic rock icons. High school junior by day, Joe’s other passions include archery hunting, fishing, horses, farming, and all things outdoors. Joe first picked up the guitar at the age of 8 and started singing and writing his own music shortly after. Like most performing artists, he began his public appearances at local “open mic” nights. From there, he picked up regular shows at regional rodeo events, honing his skills as a solo performer in front of larger audiences. Joe fronts his own band consisting of young musicians with a passion for performance. In February of 2014, Joe released his debut album, “Devil In A Jar”. The release includes 11 tracks, including his first radio single, “Cowboy Love Song”. Download the album, or individual tracks, on iTunes, Amazon, JoeLasherJr.com, or many other online outlets. The Joe Jr Band features young
artists with the same passion for performance and mastery of their craft. Zach Haney, on lead guitar and backing vocals, has performed for some time. This left handed 20 year old infuses a rock/ blues edge into their progressive country rock blend. Jason Surrett, on bass guitar and backing vocals, solidifies the guitar line up and ties the front line together. Driving the tempo on drums is Indiana Native, Western NC Resident, Will “The Animal” Beverly. Will’s hard hitting style yet masterful execution drives the Joe Jr. band
to excellence and crowd pleasing performances. 2013 was a break out year for Joe Jr. and his band. He has been called “one to watch” and “a force to be reckoned with”. If you love contemporary and classic country music, classic rock and blues, or just good music with a youthful southern flare, you won’t want to miss a show by the Joe Jr. Josh will be playing at The Bonnie Kate Theatre in Elizabethton, TN on August 16th at 8pm. For more information, visit www.thebonniekate.com.
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The Art of the Mixtape It’s something I began to notice last year, I was at Staples in order buy supplies for my annual Christmas mix CD extravaganza, but something was wrong. Staples didn’t have my go to brand of blank discs that I had used for years, the music CD-R discs made by Sony. After picking up the cases and paper insert blanks, I then swung by Walgreens, who always had the Sony discs in stock. They too were out of them, and that’s when I realized that perhaps Sony had ceased to manufacture the blank discs for music. I was saddened to see my favorite brand of blank discs seemingly unavailable. Instead, I found a set of music blanks made by Memorex. The Memorex discs worked fine, but it still made me think about something that is a sad fact of our increasingly digital world. The shrinking art of the mixtape. Call it what you want, a mixtape made on an actual cassette tape, or a mix disc made on a CD, but as we all fall in love with sharing Spotify playlists with one another, there’s something to be said for the idea of never being able to share a physical CD you made for someone with that person. A mix
CD is a work of art, it’s an expression of our hearts and our souls in 80 minutes or less. I love making mix CDs, if I have anything that is a craft hobby, the mix CD is it. Music is such an important part of my heart and my soul, on a level so deep that I sometimes can’t fathom people who don’t understand that. There are three types of mix CDs I make: personal, themed, and Christmas. The Christmas mix is my annual big bash, blow up spectacular. I make crazy art work for each one, and it’s a very select group of people who get a CD each year. I only give them to people whom I care about, and think will genuinely enjoy the tunes. Most of the recipients are part of my inner circle. The themed CDs are the fun ones I make for the heck of it, and sometimes for special occasions. In honor of a friend’s wedding I made a collection called “Inappropriate Wedding Songs” which was soon followed by the--not due to one happening--collection “Inappropriate Funeral Songs.” Sometimes I’ll make random themed CDs just for fun, only to give to a few friends. An example of that would be my 60s bachelor themed
collection “Single Man on Campus.” The personal CDs are just that. The CDs I make for specific people, for specific reasons. A CD of motivational songs to get a friend though a hard time, a collection of love songs, or, usually, a CD I make as the first attempt to tell someone I find them attractive. I’ve even made them for myself, songs about break ups and bad relationships is one that comes to mind. It was cheerfully titled “Songs for Heartbreak and Misery at Three AM.” The personal CDs are ones I put a great deal of thought in. A mix CD is an act of love and caring. Sharing a collection of music that you’ve spent hours working on, curating, playing over and
over to make sure it’s just right, is a kind of intimacy. The fact you made art work for this thing, that you thought about if someone would like every single track you collected for that disc. There’s a beauty in that. A beauty that I hope is never lost. What’s the more romantic of the following? “Hi! What’s your Spotify user name?” two days later you send them a playlist that they might never actually look at. Or: “Hi. I made you this CD, I hope you like it” then you hand them this tangible object you’ve been working on for days. I think the latter is far nicer than the former. A beautiful way to connect with other people, and sharing a tiny part of your soul with them too. See you next week.
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Are you a Narcissist?
This year marks the thirty-fifth anniversary of the publication of one of our most influential books, Christopher Lasch’s The Culture of Narcissism: American Life in an Age of Diminishing Expectations. In this book, Lasch laments the decline of historical consciousness and social activism that were both such powerful ingredients for the social and political ferment that characterized the Sixties. Lasch feared that the prevailing belief that we had come to the end of an age of social activism would fuel a new era characterized by a glorification of the self. In his book, Lasch observed that following “the political turmoil of the sixties, Americans have retreated to purely personal preoccupations. Having no hope of improving their lives in any of the ways that matter, people have convinced themselves that what matters is psychic self-improvement: getting in touch with their feelings, eating health food, taking lessons in ballet or belly-dancing, immersing themselves in the wisdom of the East, jogging, learning how to ‘relate,’ overcoming the ‘fear of pleasure.’” Coupled with this trend of self-absorption was a feeling that we should live for the moment with no awareness of how we have been shaped by the past. Historical consciousness was losing out to the idea that the only thing that really matters is our personal self-esteem and selfglorification. In short, we were fast becoming a narcissistic society. Although Lasch didn’t mention him by name, Werner Erhard, the founder of the once-very-popular “est” movement was the symbol of the ego-driven Seventies, replacing earlier icons like Martin Luther King, Jr. This self-actual-
ization trend was satirized in Paul Mazursky’s darkly comic 1969 film, “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.” In so many ways, our lives today fit the contours of the emerging world dissected by Lasch’s book and forecasted in Mazursky’s film. Apparently, there has been a renewed interest in narcissism lately, and a new test, developed a team of researchers at Indiana University (from, interestingly enough, the Kelley School of Business), Ohio State University, and Gettysburg College has been in the news lately. Called the Single Item Narcissism Scale (SINS—how interesting!), this one-question survey is designed to help us learn more about narcissism. I have just completed the survey. After answering a few expected questions about age, place of birth, and gender (I didn’t have to reveal my name), I was permitted to take the test. The so-called test was made up of one question, “To what extent do you agree with this statement, ‘I am a narcissist’ (Note: The word ‘narcissist’ means egotistical, self-focused, and vain).” I then chose where on a seven-point scale I would place myself as a narcissist, with 1 being not true of me and 7 being a true description of me. I checked the #3 box, because I don’t consider myself a total narcissist, but, like most people, I am not adverse to getting attention every once in a while. One of the reasons I avoid getting personally involved with social media is that I don’t like to advertise myself and don’t want people to know very much about me. And, like Groucho Marx, I wouldn’t want to belong to any organization that would accept me as a member. After I completed this very simple test, I was informed that my choice
of #3 on the scale “makes your narcissism score about average,” because “You likely try to balance your own needs with those of others.” This is a pretty fair assessment of who I think I am, so my test results are satisfactory. This simple one-question test is replacing a more traditional one consisting of forty questions. Although the simpler test has so far demonstrated that not a very large percentage of test-takers consider themselves full-fledged narcissists, enough express their rampant narcissism to cause test co-author and Ohio State communications/psychology professor Brad Bushman to assert that “In today’s digital age, when anyone can broadcast themselves to the world, narcissism is becoming more of a problem,” because “Social media is absolutely related to narcissistic behavior.” Of course, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to detect narcissism while perusing a list of Facebook profiles and status
updates. Bushman concludes, in a passage that sounds like something right out of the Whole Earth Catalog, “If people could believe that everyone on the planet is part of the same human family, and deserves the same respect, so many problems would be solved.” Shall we join hands and sing a rousing chorus of “Kum-Ba-Yah”? And just what does narcissistic behavior look like? In a October 25, 2012 Psychology Today piece by Dr. Susan Heitler, we are told how to spot the “6 sure signs of narcissism.” And here they are: Narcissists (1) engage in “unilateral listening,” meaning they rarely listen to others or even care about what they have to say, (2) have the classic “It’s all about me” attitude, (3) believe the rules don’t apply to them, because they are exempt by virtue of their superiority, (4) don’t welcome any form of negative feedback or personal advice, (5) never accept blame, always insisting that they are never the
source of any problem, and (6) are always eager to accept apologies from people who screw up when they disagree with the narcissist’s (correct) point of view. See anything familiar in this list? We can only wonder what Lasch, who died twenty years ago, would think about the state of narcissism as it exists today, especially since he wrote his book in the pre-social media era. He probably would find consolation in David Zweig’s just-published celebration of anonymity, Invisibles: The Power of Anonymous Work in an Age of Relentless Self-Promotion. I am in the middle of reading it right now, and I encourage you to add it to your reading list. Before I go, I suggest you to take the one-question narcissist test, which is found at jfe.qualtrics. com. And I am looking forward to your reading my column next week. Is that a narcissistic attitude, or what?
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Page 32, The Loafer • August 12, 2014