Page 2, The Loafer • December 30, 2014
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December 30, 2014 • The Loafer, Page 3
Volume 29 Issue #4
in this issue .... 4
January Jams at Barter Theatre
7
Auditions for Harriet Pohter Two
8
January Workshops at Sycamore Shoals
9
Contra Dance kicks off 10th year
11 Wood Burning at Flying Pig Gallery
music & fun 12 20
Spotlight - Find your New Year’s Eve Event Crossword & Sudoku
columns & reviews
January Jams!
16 17 18 21 22
Stargazer Skies This Week Screen Scenes Batteries Not Included Kelly’s Place
Publisher - Bill Williams • Editor/Graphic Arts Director - Don Sprinkle • Office Manager - Luci Tate Cover Design - Bill May Advertising - Dave Carter, Terry Patterson Contributing Staff - Jim Kelly, Andy Ross, Ken Silvers, Mark Marquette, Jessica Gilliam 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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January Jams Concert Series Returns
with a Line-Up of Nationally Recognized Artists Barter Theatre and the Abingdon Music Experience team up for the 3rd annual January Jams Series, January 9th through 29th. Grammy Award winning and nationally recognized artists will perform a total of 7 concerts to run on Fridays and Saturdays during January. With beloved icons like The Blind Boys of Alabama or Grammy Award-winner Mavis Staples, as well as the hottest upand-coming artists like Ben Sollee and Greensky Bluegrass and more, the series offers something for everyone. All concerts will be performed at Barter Theatre in downtown
Abingdon. The 500-seat venue provides a uniquely intimate concert experience, and now offers beer and wine for concert-goers to enjoy during the show in theatresafe cups. “Barter Theatre is such a special venue,” explains Sara Saavedra Cardinale, Special Events Coordinator for the ACVB. “The previous two years have been met with great reviews, and highlights Abingdon as a music destination for visitors and residents alike.” January Jams is brought to you in part by sponsors Eastman Credit Union, Walling Distributing and Ecological Energy Systems.
Ticket prices range from $22 to $49, and discounts are available with a weekend pass, which includes both Friday and Saturday night shows. Overnight packages offer a winter weekend getaway, with two concert tickets plus one night in a convenient local hotel. Doors open at 7:15 and the shows will start at 8pm. For more information, tickets or packages, call Barter Theatre Box Office at 276-628-3991 or go online at www. bartertheatre.com. A complete lineup of the 2015 Abingdon Music Experience series can be found online at www.abingdonmusicexperience.com.
Friday, January 9th - Jill Andrews with Dom Flemons Trio Jill Andrews began her music career in 2004 by co-founding the alt-country group, the everybodyfields. After releasing three albums and touring the country with the band, she decided to make a go of it on her own. And in 2009, she released her self-titled EP, followed up with the fulllength album, The Mirror in 2011. Jill has been on the road with The Avett Brothers and many other super talented folks. Her songs have been showcased on such shows as Grey’s Anatomy, Nashville, Hart of Dixie, American Idol...etc. She just finished recording a new record, “The War Inside,” and is working on an upcoming release date for late 2014/early 2015. Jill currently resides in beautiful Nashville, TN. Dom Flemons is the “American Songster,” pulling from traditions of old-time folk music to create new sounds. Formerly part of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, which he co-founded with Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson, he
has played at a variety of festivals spanning from the Newport Folk Festival to Bonnaroo, in addition to renowned venues such as the Grand Ole Opry. In July 2014, Dom released his third solo record with Music Maker Relief Foundation, and his first since leaving the Carolina Chocolate Drops. Prospect Hill finds Flemons digging deeply into ragtime, Piedmont blues, spir-
ituals, southern folk music, string band music, jug band music, fife and drum music, and ballads idioms with showmanship and humor, reinterpreting the music to suit 21st century audiences. He was featured on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross and his new album has received praise from The Boston Globe, Paste Magazine, Living Blues Magazine, and more.
Saturday, January 10th David Bromberg Quintet with Scott Miller
Dubbed the Godfather of Americana, Bromberg’s career started back in the 60s in Greenwich Village. He quickly became a first-call, “hired gun” guitarist for recording sessions, ultimately playing on hundreds of records by artists including Bob Dylan (New Morning, Self Portrait, Dylan), Link Wray, The Eagles, Ringo Starr, Willie Nelson, and Carly Simon. An unexpected and wildly successful solo spot for 600,000 concert goers at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival in Great Britain led to a solo deal with Columbia Records, for whom David recorded four albums. His eponymous 1971 debut included “The Holdup,” a songwriting collaboration with former Beatle George Harrison, who also played slide guitar on the track. David also met the Grateful Dead and wound up with four of their members playing on his next two albums. Bromberg fans will find blues, bluegrass, gospel, folk, Irish fiddle
tunes, pop and English drinking songs happily coexisting as they can only on a Bromberg album. For newcomers, Only Slightly Mad will be an introduction to an astonishing performer whose range and musical depth have delighted devoted audiences for over forty years and will for many years hence. Local favorite, Scott Miller, will open in support of David Bromberg. Garden & Gun has said of Miller, “Miller tells stories better than most novelists. His intuitive lyrics hide universal heartbreak behind humor. His empathy is unsurpassed. He bestows dignity on dirt, elevates our pettiest concerns to poetry. He makes himself and everyman when he is anything but. A single listen reveals how Miller is exceptional, with a delivery so piercing and true you hardly notice how thoroughly you’ve been shot through. See him sing live once, and you’ll never feel lonely again.”
Friday, January 16th - Heritage Blues Orchestra with Holy Ghost Tent Revival The grit of low-down country and urban blues with the bold brass of New Orleans; the handclapping fervor of gospel punctuated with fiery postmodern, jazzinfused horn arrangements; the haunting cries of work songs and pulsating drums that reach back to the real roots of it all. You’ll jour-
ney across the Middle Passage, be driven down Highway 49 from Clarksdale to New Orleans, go from chain gangs and juke joints to orchestra pits, church pews and even back porches. HBO’s
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January Jams ... Continued from previous page
Hertiage Blues Orchesta Photo © Christophe Ubelmann
music is an inspiring testament to the enduring power, possibilities and boundless beauty of AfricanAmerican music. Holy Ghost Tent Revival is a sixpiece rock & roll band from North Carolina, driven by an exhilarating live show that has uplifted audiences since the band formed in 2007. For the past seven years, they
have been honing their unique sound, which NPR describes as that of a “soul-rock horn band that recalls 60s and 70s classic-rock influences such as The Band and The Flying Burrito Brothers, contemporary indie-rock acts like Dr. Dog, and New Orleans brass-band jazz.”
Saturday, January 17th - The Blind Boys of Alabama with Jarekus Singleton
Nearly seventy-five years after they hit their first notes together, the Blind Boys of Alabama are exceptional not only in their longevity, but also in the breadth of their catalog and their relevance to contemporary roots music. Since 2000, they’ve won five Grammys and four Gospel Music Awards,
and have delivered their spiritual message to countless listeners. “We appreciate the accolades and we thank God for them,” says Jimmy Carter, a founding member and the Blind Boys’ leader for five years now. “But we’re not interesting in money or anything other than singing gospel. We had
no idea when we started that we would make it this far. The secret to our longevity is, we love what we do. And when you love what you do, that keeps you motivated. At just 29 years old, Jarekus Singleton is a musical trailblazer with a bold vision for the future of the blues. Springing from the same Mississippi soil as Charley Patton, Muddy Waters and B.B. King, Singleton’s cutting-edge sound— equally rooted in rap, rock and
blues traditions—is all his own. He melds hip-hop wordplay, rock energy and R&B grooves with contemporary and traditional blues, turning audiences of all ages into devoted fans. With his untamed guitar licks and strong, soulful voice effortlessly moving from ferocious and funky to slow and steamy to smoking hot, Singleton is a fresh, electrifying bluesman bursting at the seams with talent.
Friday, January 23rd – Mountain Stories - Ben Sollee & Special Guests David Wax Museum with Cereus Bright
For listeners just discovering Ben’s music, you’ll find that there’s a lot more to it than songs. Over the 6 years following the release of his debut record, Learning to Bend, Sollee has told an unconventional story with his rugged cello playing. Like his contemporaries Chris Thile and Abigail Washburn, Sollee’s music is difficult to pin down. Following a performance at the Lincoln Center’s American
Songbook series, the New York Times remarked how Sollee’s “… meticulous, fluent arrangements continually morphed from one thing to another. Appalachian mountain music gave way to the blues, and one song was appended with a fragment from a Bach cello suite, beautifully played.” It’s Ben’s quality of narrative and presence on stage that unifies his musical influences. Special guests, David Wax Museum, will accompany Sollee on stage for this special performance dubbed “Mountain Stories”. David Wax Museum have been featured on NPR and festivals all over the country, earning them fame for their Mexicanfolk style of playing.
January Jams ... Continues on page 6
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January Jams ... Continued from page 5
Saturday, January 24th Greensky Bluegrass with The Last Bison The five members of Greensky Bluegrass have forged a defiant, powerful sound that, while rooted in classic stringband Americana, extends outwards with a fearless, exploratory zeal. The tension and release between these components – tradition and innovation, prearranged songs and improvisation, acoustic tones and electric volume – is what makes them so thrillingly dynamic, in concert and on record. That their sound is so seamless, so organic, is testament to Greensky’s enduring vision and tireless dedication. Since their first rumblings at the start of the millennium, they have emerged as relentless road warriors, creating a captivating live show while at the same time developing a knack for evocative, disarming songcraft. In 2012 The Last Bison seemingly rose from the marshes of southeastern Virginia to captivate the
Greensky Bluegrass Photo by: Chris Monaghan
national music scene with a rare blend of music that NPR dubbed, “Classical influenced southern folk rock.” Having drawn comparisons in the past to indie superstars the likes of Mumford & Sons, The Decemberists, and Fleet Foxes, their most recent project
harvests a more dynamic, and anthemic sound from the soil of their folk roots. **This will be a special extended show, doors will open early at 6:45 and the show will start at 7:30pm. Greensky will play 2 extended sets.**
Thursday, January 29th Mavis Staples with Cody ChesnuTT She is, simply, a Legend. For more than sixty years, from her early days with The Staples Singers to her recent 2013 Grammy Award, Mavis Staples has been a legend of the Gospel and Blues worlds. With her bold new album, One True Vine, the legendary vocalist adds a remarkable new chapter to an historic career. Staples is a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner, and a National Heritage Fellowship Award recipient. VH1 named her one of the 100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll, and Rolling Stone listed her as one of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. Cody ChesnuTT is a soul troubadour whose frank, socially conscious ruminations on life continue to challenge popular notions of what modern soul music can look and sound like. A song from The Headphone Masterpiece was re-
tooled as “The Seed 2.0” for the Roots’ seminal album Phrenology, exposing Cody’s music to a wider mainstream audience. The song was nominated for two moonman statuettes at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, and his own album was nominated for the prestigious Shortlist Music Prize that same year. He opens with a rare, solo acousitc performance at the historic Barter Theatre. Doors open at 7:15 and the shows will start at 8pm. Ticket prices will vary for each show. Weekend and Series passes are available, as well as hotel packages. For more information and tickets call Barter Theatre Box Office at 276-628-3991 or go online at www.bartertheatre.com. A complete lineup of the 2015 Abingdon Music Experience series can be found online at www.abingdonmusicexperience.com.
www.abingdonmusicexperience.com
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Harriet Pohter
the Musical Two!
Harriet Pohter, Ron-Jon Beasley, and Germany G. Ganger are about to attend their second year at Hogtarts, a magical school where hilarious mayhem runs rampant. However, things don’t exactly go as planned when a hyper, little elf gives Harriet an ominous warning about an escaped prisoner determined to claim revenge on the wizarding school. Bellatrix LeStrangle is quietly gathering a squad of magical villains to avenge the death of her B.F.F., Ladymorte. Join Bellatrix, Drago Mahfoy and his daddy, a rather cold snake, and Momma Yumbridge as they lay siege to Hogtarts by opening a very secretive chamber. The Rose Center Council for the Arts located in Morristown, TN, is thrilled to be offering this unique theatrical experience for the second time. Last fall, twenty five students wrote, designed and performed a two hour long musical production to a roaring success. Actress Taylor Ferrell who wrote two of the production’s songs and performed as the musical’s villain,
Ladymorte, states, “Being a part of Harriet Pohter was an extremely unique and overall magical experience. It was definitely an amazing learning experience as both an actor and a fellow Potterhead. I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of a sequel!” Auditions will be held January 14, 15 and 16th at 5PM in the Rose Center Community Room. This program is open to all Middle School through College students. Those wishing to audition must prepare a 16-bar musical theatre selection. A one minute, comedic monologue is preferred but not required. Participants will also be required to cold read from the script and participate in an improv. game. If cast, cast members will be invited to attend numerous theatre and playwriting workshops as we rough draft and create the script, songs, etc. Performances are planned to be held March 2022nd. For more information, please call the Rose Center at 423-5814330 or e-mail nathan@rosecenter. org!
Tuesday Night @ the Movies - Jonesborough Library
Celebrate the New Year with our Tuesday Night @ the Movies on January 6 at 5:30 p.m. Our film is a delightful 1949 romantic comedy in which domestic and professional tensions mount when a husband and wife work as opposing lawyers in a case involving a woman who shot her husband. Our show time features free popcorn and drinks. Tuesday Night @ the Movies is a free event sponsored by the Friends of the Washington County Library. For more information, please call the Jonesborough Library at 753-1800.
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Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area
January Traditional Arts Winter Workshops
Instructor: Barbara Jernigan Saturday, January 10 • 9 am – noon Cost: $12 (plus supplies) or $20 (includes supplies) •Min: 5 - Max: open Learn and practice watercolor techniques and style. Dress to take a short walk outdoors for photos and observations, weather permitting. Know Your Sewing Machine Instructor: Donna Horowitz Sunday, January 11 • 1 pm – 4 pm • Cost: $25.00 • Min: 1 - Max: 6 Have a sewing machine but don’t know how to use it? This class will teach you basic machine operations . (Embroidery machines and sergers are not included). Please bring - Sewing machine, sewing machine manual and accessories , small scissors. Instructor brings fabric & thread.
Inkle Weaving Instructor: Ronnie Lail Saturday, January 24 • 9 am – noon Cost: $50 includes loom (to keep!) & all supplies $20 thread only $10 instruction only Min: 3 - Max: 8 Learn how to weave wide sashes, narrow bands, and shoelaces on a loom that is lightweight and easy to carry around! You can create wonderful patterns through varied placement of colorful thread. Bring scissors. Beginning Chair Bottoming Instructor: Cathy Broyles Saturday, January 31 • 9am – 4 pm Cost: $30 plus cost of materials – reed & string (pay instructor at start of class for materials) Min: 5 - Max. 10 A great way to repair an old favorite or brush up an antique! Find out how to weave the life back into your old cane furniture. Materials: chair to cane, bucket or dishpan suitable for hot water, scissors, butter knife, 2 old towels.
Instructor: Barbara Jernigan Saturday, January 17 • 9 am – noon Cost: $12 (plus supplies) or $20 (includes supplies) Min: 5 - Max: open Learn and practice watercolor techniques and style. Dress to take a short walk outdoors for photos and observations, weather permitting.
Class sizes are limited, so please register early! To join one or more classes, you must register in advance and pre-pay. Please call the park at (423) 543-5808 for more information If you would like to receive updated information throughout the year, please send your email address to jennifer.bauer@tn.gov or check out www.sycamoreshoalstn.org. Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area, 1651 West Elk Avenue Elizabethton, TN 37643
What is a traditional art? The people who lived in this region had a special way of turning everyday objects of survival and necessity into works of art. Through our workshops and wonderful instructors, we strive to keep these unique skills alive. Whether it be baskets, fibers, music, finelycrafted arrow points or just a better understanding of days gone by, we hope you will find something to learn and keep with you forever. A Traditional Art is a skill worth preserving!
Watercolor Painting Snow Scenes & Landscapes
Watercolor Painting Snow Scenes & Landscapes
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Contra Dance Returns for 10th Year in Jonesborough with special two day event!
The Historic Jonesborough Dance Society will kick off the 2015 contra dance season on January 2nd and 3rd with a special event spanning two days. “A New Year’s Affair” will feature nationally renowned bands including Perpetual e-Motion and Buddy System at the Jonesborough Visitors Center, 117 Boone Street. Calling the dance will be the ever popular combo of Will Mentor from Vermont and Charlotte Crittenden from Brasstown, NC. Admission for the entire event is $40, $30 for HJDS Members and Students. Session tickets are available for Friday night, Saturday day and Saturday night at www.anewyearsaffair.eventbrite.com “This is our 10th year in Jonesborough. It’s hard to believe that we have produced close to 300 dances in that time, but we are even more thrilled to have these
two bands to start the year”, adds event organizer, David Wiley. A New Year’s Affair will offer over 12 hours of contra, waltz and techno contra over two days. Perpetual e-Motion’s music is considered to be captivating, passionate, propulsive and progressive. They pioneered in the blending of traditional and electronic dance music. Perpetual e-Motion integrates technical and sonic innovations with old school traditions to create an enormous sound full momentum and groove. Lauded as a two man orchestra, this duo continues to bring innovations to the art of traditional dance music through their use of sound sculpting and multitasking, captivating listeners and dancers with their infectious and unique sound. Perpetual e-Motion begins with the simple statement of traditional, often recognizable dance tunes
from Europe and Americas, and proceed to notch it up into a thrilling composition of complex polyrhythms, melody and counter melody scaffolding exotic and lush chord structures into an amazingly satisfying musical performance drawing from Celtic, bluegrass, jazz and electronic influences. The duo is highly regarded throughout New England for their ability to provide hours of driving, pulsating music for contra dances, which rely on traditional dance tunes as a backdrop. Born into a musical family, Ed Howe started playing fiddle at the age of 4, learning Suzuki method. His musical interests cover a wide spectrum from Bluegrass to Celtic and beyond and he has been a regular instructor for Maine Fiddle Camp since 2003. Howe has an extensive electronics background, and took an interest in the electric
violin. He plays a 5-string NS De- of the BOSS RC-50 loop station to sign electronic violin and is a fea- layer and orchestrate a variety of tured artist on the NS design artContra Dance .... ist page. Ed makes extensive use
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Film Series Spring 2015 Boyhood
January 19 and 20
My Old Lady January 26 and 27
Laggies
The Homesman Pride
March 23 and 24
February 9 and 10
The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby - Them February 16 and 17
Dear White People February 23 ad 24
Each film will be shown at the Abingdon Cinemall at 4 p.m. and again at 7:30 p.m. on the scheduled dates. Admission is free for faculty, staff and students of Virginia Highlands Community College, Emory & Henry College, King University, the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, and those members of the College of Older Adults who have purchased Arts Array passes. Members of the general community may attend all
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March 2 and 3
March 16 and 17
February 2 and 3
Didn’t get last week’s Loafer? You can get past issues at:
Low Down Tracks
One Chance March 30 and 31
The Imitation Game April 6 and 7
Inherent Vice April 13 and 14
showings for $7.75 Additionally, a Black Film Series is scheduled in February in celebration of Black History Month. These four films will be shown at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center. Please see Page 4 for details. For more information, contact Tommy Bryant, Arts Array Film Coordinator, at (276) 739-2451 or tbryant@vhcc.edu.
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Wood Burning Fine Art Workshop by Michele Howe being offered at Flying Pig Gallery & Studios
at www.EngageKingsport.com or by calling (423) 392-8414 or in person at the Flying Pig. Flying Pig is an exciting new Arts Space located in two adjacent buildings located on the corner of Broad and Center streets in Downtown Kingsport, TN. Flying Pig Gallery and Studios is open Thursday, Friday & Saturday from 10 am–7 pm. The spirit of the Flying Pig is community. This is a space for creative people to be a vital part of the new Downtown Kingsport. Where dreams can come true and you can make a lot of good friends on the way. The incredible revitalization of the neighborhood has been due to many creative and enthusiastic people. The arts play an integral role in economic and community development. We want to recognize all the incredible talent there is in the entire Southern Appala[corner of Center Street and Broad Street] Registration can be done online chian region and also right here in Michele Howe, veteran wood burning artist, will conduct a foursession wood burning workshop starting on January 9, 2015. They will be held each consecutive Friday in January. The attendees will each create a wood burned owl on birch wood. Those wishing to continue to learn the process will be eligible to attend more advanced classes to further develop their art and skills in the future. The cost of the class is $220 and students will be provided an 8x10 piece of birch wood, pattern, graphite and the use of a wood burning tool if needed. They should bring a snack and drink. The class will be limited to eight students and payment must be received prior to the beginning of the First class. Class will be held at Flying Pig Gallery and Studios, 246 Broad Street, Kingsport TN
the City of Kingsport. We have a wealth of cultural assets and want to showcase visual and performing art, fine craft, traditional craft, and fine art. The gallery side features Fine Art and Fine Craft by several nationally-acclaimed artists & craftspeople. There are paintings, jewelry, pottery, textiles, photography and more. All artwork is for sale. There will be a series of art classes for children and adults offered to the public over the next few months. There will also be professional artist studios located in the space where the public will be able to see the actual production of art work as well as interact with the artists. Spaces are still available. The studio side features the Kingsport Carousel animals that have been hand-carved from wood, and then hand-painted. The Carousel animals have been located in businesses throughout Kingsport over
the past several months so that the public could see the animals that will go on to the Carousel when it is completed in early 2015. Now, all of the animals have been collected in one location open for the public to visit. In addition to the Carousel animals, the Rounding Boards, Bird Paintings, and other Carousel components are also on exhibit. Carvers and painters will be on hand to talk about the process of creating these beautiful animals, and to discuss the story behind each animal and how each component of the Carousel is tied to the Kingsport Community. There is a Kingsport Carousel store (future gift shop) located within the studios with beautiful t-shirts, notecards, posters, and much more for sale.
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Contra Dance .... Continued from page 9 sounds from his instrument and watching him play bare footed and operating complex electronic equipment with his feet is a sight to behold. John Coté is a well-known accompanist for many Maine and New England fiddlers and is very active as a private teacher and at Maine Fiddle Camp. Coté attended the Berklee College of music both for a five week music program in high school and for two years after high school to study film scoring. He later transferred to the University of Maine at Augusta’s jazz program and earned a bachelor’s degree in jazz performance. At 22 he took an interest in traditional dance music teaching himself the mandolin and fiddle and helped found the Celtic/world band Wake the Neighbors that has endured to this day. In this duo, Coté plays a Godin acoustic electric guitar connected into synthesizer module adding a wide palette of sounds to the music. Aside from his duties on guitar, Coté simultaneously plays the didgeridoo (an Australian aboriginal instrument) and foot percussion. The result is a very lush and complex orchestration of music that defies what one would expect from just two people. Buddy System melds the driving beats of electronic dance music with live fiddle tunes and improvisation.
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Noah VanNorstrand is known for his playing with The Great Bear Trio, one of the hottest and most influential dance bands in the country, as well as the Andrew and Noah Band and Giant Robot Dance. His driving rhythm, epic dynamics, creativity, and uniquely rocking style have given him a loyal following. Julie Vallimont performs nationwide with the bands Nor’easter, Firecloud, and more. She is known for her driving piano style, skill in matching tunes to dances, and music with heart. The pioneer of this new live form of techno contra, she fuses musical worlds and strives to create a transcendent dance experience. VanNorstrand playing fiddle, foot percussion, didgeridoo, vocals and Vallimont working computer, piano, synths, accordion, and jaw harp create live sonic landscapes that’ll put you in a dance trance. “Buddy System performed here during Mountain Madness in October and wowed all the dancers with up-tempo music and disco lighting” offers Wiley. The techno contra starts Saturday night at 9:00pm. For more information on this dance event or any upcoming events, please contact David Wiley at 423-534-8879 or visit www.historicjonesboroughdancesociety. org. Or Historic Jonesborough Dance Society on FACEBOOK.
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New Year Brings New Job Opportunities to the
Kingsport Aquatic Center As we get ready to ring in 2015 the Kingsport Aquatic Center has several opportunities for new careers. Beginning in December the Kingsport Aquatic Center will be offering training for several positions. The first class is the American Red Cross Lifeguard Training with CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer. With successful completion of this course participants can apply to become a lifeguard at the Kingsport Aquatic Center. This is a great job opportunity for anyone looking for a fun environment with great pay and a flexible schedule. The first lifeguard course begins December 5. A second opportunity for the class will take place January 9. For more details including how to sign up visit www.swimkingsport.com. Click on the ‘Programming Calendar’ and select ‘Swim Lesson & Training Courses’.
For swimmers who want to pass their swimming skills onto others, the American Red Cross Water Safety Instructor (WSI) Course develops swimmers into instructors. The Kingsport Aquatic Center provides year-round swim lessons, both group lessons and private lessons, and the facility is always looking to hire skilled WSI candidates. No prior certifications are required, but WSI candidates must be able to pass a swim test. The next WSI course begins December 2. Hiring of certified Water Safety Instructors is ongoing. To apply visit www.KingsportTN. gov. On January 3 the Kingsport Aquatic Center will welcome AAAI-ISMA to provide an Aqua Instructor Certification course.
This is a great opportunity to become a certified water aerobics instructor. Upon successful completion of this course participants can apply to become a water aerobics instructor at the Kingsport Aquatic Center. To register visit www. aaai-ismafitness.com. For more details on any of the above programs please visit www. swimkingsport.com. For more information about job opportunities at the Kingsport Aquatic Center visit the City of Kingsport’s website: www.KingsportTN.gov. The Kingsport Aquatic Center is the region’s newest and most comprehensive indoor-outdoor public aquatic and recreation facility. Located in Kingsport’s Meadowview district at the base of iconic Bays Mountain, the center
provides area residents and visitors with the best in health, fitness and recreation features in a safetyfocused environment. The Kingsport Aquatic Center features the area’s only indoor Olympic-sized pool, the HMG Competition pool, plus year-round swim courses and
American Red Cross-certified water safety and lifeguard training. A seasonal outdoor water park offers recreational activities from midMay to early September. Seasonal, annual and daily rates are available. For more information, visit http://www.swimkingsport.com.
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Christmas Star and Ancient Shinar What the Magi Saw (Part 3 of 3)
By Jesus’ time, the average person was familiar with the incredibly dark, night sky. The movement of the Sun controlled their yearly rhythms of life, and the starlight provided entertainment. Sometimes there were “hairy stars” or comets, and the flashing needles of light were called “meteors” by the Greeks, and word that means “things in the air.” The writers of the Bible often put astronomical phenomenon in their story to enrichen the message. Light, itself, is the purest form of God, just as Jesus is often referred to as “the Light.” Phenomenon in the sky was watched by all, but interpreted by just a few. In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 2, we are told: “In the time of King Herod after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, Wise Men from the east came to Jerusalem asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” But King Herod, whose death is a key to the Nativity story, summoned the Wise Men to ask them where he could find the “Star.” Clearly, King Herod couldn’t see it from his back porch, though he obviously looked. Matthew 2:7: “Then Herod secretly called for the Wise Men and learned from them the exact time when the “Star” had appeared.” Herod, fearing the birth of a Messiah to rob him of his power, sent the Wise Men to Bethlehem as his emissaries. Matthew 2:9-10: “…they set out, and there ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place
where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy.” The Wise Men were warned in a dream not to return to King Herod, he was going to kill them. They left for their country after offering the baby Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Those three gifts mentioned in the Bible create the symbol of three Wise Men. But there may have been a half-dozen “Magi,” along with their caravan of camels, servants and probably a harem mate or two. A mad King Herod, betrayed by the Wise Men, made a horrible decree: Matthew 2:16: “Herod ordered killed all the male children in and
around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the Wise Men.” The story of the Nativity and the Star of Bethlehem ends here, and has no other written account of the Wise Men exists. So, what exactly did the Wise Men see? And just who are these Wise Men, or Magi, described in the Book of Matthew? The three other Gospels—Mark, Luke and John—document Jesus’ days on Earth but are absent of any reference to the Star of Bethlehem, probably second only to the Cross as the most identifiable Christian symbol. The Book of Luke mentions that shepherds are tending their flocks
at night when visited by angels. So that tells us that it was the spring of the year, when shepherds were outside with the newborns, looking for preying wolves. Shepherds certainly weren’t outside in December, when it’s rainy and cold. Just because no observations from the common people exists of the “Star” doesn’t mean normal villagers didn’t see it. The mystery is solved by interpreting where the planets and Moon were during the decade before Jesus’ birth in the ancient Holy Land. A planetarium program used on any desk or laptop computer— available free on the Internet—can take the 21st Century stargazer back in time. (check Stellarium. org) And when looking at the stars and planets in the timeframe of Jesus’ birth there are revealed some unusual and rare planetary groupings that would turn many heads to the western twilight horizon. Because of the laws of physics, planetary motion is predictable to the second in the future and in the past. And with a simple computer program, the amazing story of the Star of Bethlehem begins to make sense. First, what year do we set in our planetarium “time machine?” The exact year of Jesus’ birth is a mystery. It certainly wasn’t “Zero.” A big clue is that King Herod had to be alive, of course. The Roman historian Josephus wrote that Herod died after and eclipse of the Moon. That date is either the lunar eclipse of March 13th 4 BC, or January 9th, 1 BC. And remember that King Herod had all boys age 2 or under slaughtered. That adds a couple of years
to our date for Jesus’ birth. So, Jesus was born in the spring between the years of 6 BC-3 BC, and could have been a toddler when visited by the Wise Men. The “time machine” planetarium program will look at the skies from 10 to 1 BC to find prime targets for the “Star of Bethlehem.” And there are plenty of starry suspects in the early evening involving the two brightest planets, Jupiter and Venus. In fact, some of the planetary positions displayed in the skies during this timeframe are extremely rare and have yet to be repeated in night skies 2,000 years later. Start out with the appearance of Halley’s Comet in 11 BC. Then in 7 BC, Jupiter and Venus, the two brightest planets, were grouped in Pisces, a constellation that controlled the destiny of the Hebrews. Jupiter was associated with royalty and their affairs in business and life. Venus’ pure while light was a symbol of purity and fertility of life. The 12 Houses of the Zodiac, where the planets, Moon and Sun were always found, were founded by ancient stargazers to imply significant meaning to Earth. Then, in 6 BC, for the first time in 800 years, Jupiter, Saturn and reddish Mars—a conquering warrior—were clustered near each other in Pisces, a constellation symbolic with water and life. In 5 BC, the Chinese recorded a small comet, but whether it was observed from the Shinar Plains is not known. From 3-2 BC, the celestial fire-
Stargazer .... Continued on page 19
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Celestial events in the skies for the week of Dec. 30 - Jan. 5, 2015 as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette.
Photo by Mark D. Marquette.
Thurs. Jan. 1 That bright star next to the Moon is Aldebaran, the red eye of The New Year week is filled with moonlight, and take advantage of the bull Taurus. On this 1891 date it as the landscape is just beautiful. Moonbeams will go along with any outfit for the big party as the 15th year of the 21st Century is upon us. Hip-hip-horray! Tues. Dec. 30 We are losing Mars at 8 pm as it sets, leaving the celestial sphere void of any naked eye planets until Jupiter rises and is high enough to see around 10 pm. Wed. Dec. 31 Looking dead south at around midnight is a beautiful scene: the gibbous Moon is to the right and Jupiter is to the far left. In the center is the mighty constellation Orion, with the Sirius below, the brightest star in the sky.
in astronomy history, Giuseppe Piazzi discovered former asteroid, Ceres, and now classified as a “dwarf planet”—along with former planet Pluto. Fri. Jan. 2 The Moon is now in the horns of Taurus, and the moonlight on the night landscape can be very striking. The almost unreal silvery light is actually sunlight reflected off the surface of the Moon that travels 240,000 miles to the skin of your hand. Sat. Jan. 3 Venus and Mercury can be glimpsed together hugging the western horizon at 6 pm until 6:30 pm. So look quick, but it will be worth it. Venus is brilliant, and Mercury is much fainter. Sun. Jan. 4 The Moon makes the club of Orion look like an Olympic torch, and it keep truckin’ though the Gemini brothers the next two days. It’s amazing how close to Orion’s borders the Moon and planets travel as just above the Hunter is the domain of Taurus and Gemini. Mon. Jan. 5 The early evening has the Great Square of Pegasus flying into the western horizon, the winged horse talking with it Andromeda the Maiden and the last reminders of Autumn past.
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The Hobbit The Battle of the Five Armies It is with sadness “The Hobbit” movie series comes to an end with the film “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies”. The series began in 2012 with “An Unexpected Journey” followed by the 2013 release “The Desolation of Smaug”, and now the final in the trilogy. Many fans scoffed at the idea of the single book “The Hobbit” being made into three films. Well I am here to say Peter Jackson (“The Lord of the Rings”) did it again. The film picks up where the second film left off, with the dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch) on the way to attack Laketown, while Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and the Dwarves watch helplessly from Lonely Mountain. While the characters we are familiar with from the other films who have been in Laketown attempt to escape the wrath of Smaug, Bard the Bowman (Luke Evans), escapes his imprisonment to take Smaug on. Bard’s battle with the dragon has a pleasant outcome, but Laketown is left a total disaster area. Meanwhile, after Bard and the survivors of Laketown flee to Lonely Mountain, only to find an army of Elves bringing relief to the humans. However, the Elves are not on a purely relief mission, as it’s revealed they want to claim their own piece of the treasures in Lonely Mountain. The Dwarves guarding the treasure are led by Thorin (Richard Armitage), who is suffering from “dragon sickness”, and refuses to help the citizen of Laketown, or his fellow Dwarves. Eventually Thorin has a change of heart after those evil and ugly Orcs attack with the plan to wipe out the Elf, Human and Dwarve armies and claim Lonely Mountain for themselves. The battle has many
twists and turns, and even though the battle is extremely long, it is epic and thrilling, and no major character is safe. The battle of all battles finally ends thanks to the help from an unexpected source. All of our favorite characters from the other films are back, including Orlando Bloom as the Elf Legolas, Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey, and Evangeline Lilly as Elf Tauriel (a character actually invented for
the movie series), and they all do a first rate job. The special effects are a marvel to behold, and I recommend seeing the film in 3D, which is something I rarely do. “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” brings the Hobbit movie series to a spectacular and successful end, even though I hate to see the adventures of Bilbo and friends come to an end. (Rated PG13) A-
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Stargazer .... Continued from page 16 works begins. The most amazing alignment of planets occurred that has not been repeated since. In May 3 BC, Saturn and Mercury were in the morning sky, and Venus soon joined them in the star pattern Cancer the Crab. The close conjunction of the three planets was obviously watched by PriestAstrologers everywhere. In August 3 BC, Saturn and Mercury left the scene, but Jupiter was closing in on Venus in the morning sky. Months later, they dipped together below the morning horizon, only to reappear together in the evening sky. In June 2 BC, Venus and Jupiter—simply brilliant by themselves in today’s skies—moved even closer together in the constellation of Leo the Lion, always associated with the fate of empires. The bright star of Leo, named Regulus, was nearby when a miracle seemed to happen in the western sky of early summer evenings. Venus and Jupiter continued moving closer, and then actually merged as one! The exact date is obscured by calendar changes
over the centuries. But around June 25th, 2 BC there would have been a spectacular, super bright “star” seen by all who looked up in the evening sky. But the interpreted was reserved for the diligent stargazers of the time. The incredible fusing of Jupiter and Venus as one—merely an illusion as they were hundreds of mil-
lions of miles apart—would have lasted a few hours and was visible from only the ancient Plains of Shinar. Other parts of the world saw the two planets come close to each other, but not merge as one. The sky show wasn’t doesn’t done yet. In August of 2 BC, the evening twilight was filled with four plan-
ets—Mercury and Mars popped over the western horizon to join Venus and Jupiter. And Leo’s mighty star, Regulus, made five bright “stars” hovering over the twilight horizon. Such a quadruple conjunction of planets in Leo is a 5-8,000 year event, and the Zoroastrian PriestAstrologers of Persia would have
been beyond interested in the celestial events. To them, the Hebrew prophecy of a Messiah might be happening. And so is the story of the starry skies during the birth of the Christian savoir, Jesus Christ. It’s a long, complicated story that just a few lines of the Bible treating as a passing thought. Maybe mankind will never know exactly the true nature of the Star of Bethlehem, unless some book of hidden Biblical knowledge is discovered with all the answers. But that doesn’t matter. The fact that God used the stars and planets He created to orchestrate a celestial sign to humans, heralding the Messiah, is the undisputed fact. The science behind the Star of Bethlehem doesn’t matter for Christian believers. The saving grace of Jesus Christ is the message that is important to the world. The light of this special astronomical event—the Star of Bethlehem—has a meaning for humanity that will shine forever
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Predictions for 2015
Much like the amazing Criswell at the start of Ed Wood’s masterpiece “Plan 9 From Outer Space,” I have myself filled with a need to tell you about the future, for that is where you and I will spend the rest of our lives. So as we find ourselves saying goodbye to 2014 and hello to 2015, I would like to take some time to present a short list of predictions I have for the coming year, including (insert whichever reference to “Back To The Future, Part Two” you want here). • Cheese will become a powerful weapon, but only in the war for morning network TV supremacy. • Scientists will be shocked when they discover that he most reliable source of renewable energy is the discarded underwear of Canadian Prime Ministers. • Wearing chaps without pants will become more socially acceptable. • People who refer to bottle feeding their newborns as “getting milk drunk” will be banned from the internet. • The Geico Gekko will be revealed to have actually been James Franco the entire time.
• Former Vice-President Dick Cheney will star in a one man Broadway spectacular called “Oh, That Dick!” • People craving the now dead iPod classic, will eventually revert all the way back to caring the walkman again. This trend will also be partially inspired by “Guardians of the Galaxy.” • Applebee’s will shock everyone by changing from selling food,
into a retailer of soap made my Hipsters who refuse to use soap. • “Dancing with The Stars” will abruptly change formats into a show in which famous people from 20 years ago try to beat each other’s scores at Pac-Man. And there you have it! A look at what I think will come to pass in the coming year. Happy 2015 everyone, let’s make it a good year! See you next week.
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Word Up: Describing 2014 in Ten Words
The folks at Merriam-Webster have just presented us with a list of words and phrases they believe best describe this past year. There is, of course, an attraction in summing things up using only word, not for purposes of simplification but in an effort to focus our attention and to get our creative juices flowing. As you might recall, MerriamWebster’s rival, the Oxford English Dictionary added Vape to their list of words that best summarize 2014 (and you might also recall that the word for 2013 was Twerk, followed closely by Selfie). This week let’s focus on the Merriam-Webster Top Ten as a way of reflecting on the meaning of the past twelve months. Topping the list is CULTURE, admittedly a very broad term, but one that certainly appeals to me, since the purpose of my writing this column each week is to explore the many twists and turns of popular culture. Apparently this year Culture has been used more extensively than in years past, in such terms as “celebrity culture,” “winning culture,” “test-prep culture,” and “marching band culture.” Of course, when you think about it, there is nothing but culture and without it we wouldn’t exist. So I guess it should appear on every year’s Top Ten list. Next, we have a very familiar term, NOSTALGIA. I like to think of myself as anti-nostalgic, because
I agree with Carly Simon’s song, “Anticipation,” that “these are the good old days.” Fueling the choice of this word was this year’s celebration of the British Invasion’s 50th anniversary, along with the popularity of shows like “Mad Men,” “Downton Abbey,” and “Boardwalk Empire.” Believing that there once were better times prevents us from enjoying the present, and in so many ways nostalgia can turn into a very nasty sentiment. For instance, too many modern politicians and self-appointed cultural critics cite the Sixties as a time when things went wrong—their programs and proposals are often based on the erroneous belief that we need to return to the golden days before the Sixties arrived. When certain people remind me that my generation should be blamed for screwing things up, I politely reply, in my most heartfelt way, “Thank You!” INSIDIOUS occupies the thirdplace slot, which (according to the Merriam-Webster web page) “spiked when the horror sequel Insidious 3 was announced,” but also was used to refer to the particularly nasty cybersecurity attacks we have witnessed, along with he description of Ebola as an “insidious disease.” I use the word to describe the current state of our political system. Rather than getting along and trying to find ways to compromise (which should be the word of the
year), politicians favor resorting to particularly nasty personal attacks and (see above) misinformed notions about American history. When everyone is to blame, then no one is to blame. LEGACY makes the list as fourth choice, and has been used when commemorating the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War, the 50th anniversaries of the Civil Rights Act and The Beatles’ arrival on our shores, and the 40th anniversary of Watergate. I use it to remember the many ways those who have died this year have enriched our lives, particularly Pete Seeger (whose music provided a moral compass for some difficult times), Sid Caesar (who paved the way for Robin Williams and Joan Rivers and transformed television into a cultural touchstone), Horace Silver (whose inspired piano playing gave new definitions to creativity and improvisation), and Russell Johnson (who, as “The Professor” on Gilligan’s Island, gave us license to enjoy and to never escape the pure diversions and refreshing nonsense of popular culture). FEMINISM once again emerged as a contentious term, but one that shows how far we have come since the word was first coined back in Seventies. From the controversy over the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision and Time Magazine’s “claim that 2014 was the year of pop feminism” to the continuing allegations against Bill Cosby and discussion over transgender issues, we are reminded how words can be liberating, misunderstood, and polarizing. Taking its inspiration from a
popular, yet pretty inane Sonic TV commercial, the Merriam-Webster panel chose the French phrase JE NE SAIS QUOI to include on their list. Translated as “a pleasant quality that is hard to describe,” this phrase has generally been ultratrendy, over-used, and often meaningless. I like to think of it in terms of Selfies, especially in relation to a recent report that cites the dramatic increase in plastic surgeries occasioned by narcissistic people who want to look better for their annoying selfies. My favorite word on the list is INNOVATION, something we certainly need more of. This word got a big boost with the publication of Walter Isaacson’s thick and immensely readable book “The Innovators.” According to Webster’s, “look-ups for innovation were up more than 30% over last year.” A hopefully encouraging trend. Yes, this has been a very SURREPTITIOUS year, with all the news about cyber attacks, increasing drone surveillance, and, most recently, the hacking of Sony by very surreptitious characters. For these reasons, my vote for word of the year is “Drone”—the increasingly ubiquitous device that best defines surreptitious. AUTONOMY earned its place on the word list because “the biggest spike in lookups took place this fall, as the demonstrations in Hong Kong demanded free elections and more autonomy, beginning in 2017.” Also, we should consider the meaning of this word when some very important and gamechanging decisions will be made next year about internet neutrality.
Let’s hope internet autonomy will win out over proposed government restrictions. The last word on Webster’s Top Ten list is MORBIDITY, occasioned in large part by the Ebola scare in the United States—and the rather disappointing fact that most people fail to get alarmed (or care) about any crisis until it appears in their backyard. We are indeed quite selfcentered (a term that should be included on the list). Looking ahead to 2015, I want to add three words to begin the New Year (which I am already looking forward to as “the good old days”). I hope we make our New Year’s resolution to be more CURIOUS, CREATIVE, and CONNECTED for the next twelve months and beyond. This should be our Common Core—to ask more questions, to not be afraid to get rid of the box instead of thinking outside it, and to value how we are connected to and enriched by the wide web of history and to people from backgrounds and ideologies other than our own. And, in closing, we should reflect on this advice from Amy Poehler’s wacky yet touching new memoir, YES PLEASE: “The only way we will survive is by being kind. The only way we can get by in this world is through the help we receive from others. No one can do it alone, no matter how great the machines are.” I would like to see this as our next Constitutional amendment. Here’s wishing you and yours a meaningful, safe, curious, creative, and connected New Year. See you next week with my annual reflection on New Year’s resolutions.
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