Page 2, The Loafer • February 10, 2015
www.theloaferonline.com
February 10, 2015 • The Loafer, Page 3
Volume 29 Issue #10
in this issue .... 4
Single man’s take on Valentines
5
Starship w/ Mickey Thomas at NPAC
7
‘Art from the Buffalo School’ features Milligan students
8
‘CSI: NY’ Star to speak at ETSU
9
Youth talent searches to begin
16
Battle At Bristol Trophy Design Contest
music & fun 12 20
Spotlight - Great Music & Fun Times Crossword & Sudoku
columns & reviews
Cupid Lives.... or does he?
14 15 19 21 22
Stargazer Skies This Week Screen Scenes - Project Almanac 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.
Page 4, The Loafer • February 10, 2015
Cardboard Declarations of Love
By Andy Ross
Valentine’s day is this weekend, it always sticks in my side like a thorn. This great tradition goes back to when I was 19 and someone dumped me two days before the holiday. Naturally, this break up occurred as I had already planned a big fancy night out with reservations at a nice restaurant, and flowers, and all that other crap that people eat up in Nicholas Sparks books. Nine times out of ten, I’ve been single around Valentine’s Day. It used to be easy to manage the occasional loneliness of that condition, then Facebook came along and everyone is just loving everyone else on the 14th. It leaves you feeling like an outcast in the corner, trying to get your parents excited over the cool thing you just did on your Game Boy. The marketed idea of Valentine’s Day is all about going all out to make your significant other feel the most special of all the special ones. “If you don’t show her you love her with this diamond necklace pendant charm, she’ll stab in you the shower, and leave you for a man named Carlos.” On the flip side of that, there’s “New from Victoria’s Secret. The why he married you corset and stocking set. Because if you don’t try to make an effort, he’ll leave you for that skank you went to college with.” This is one of the great benefits of being single, you never have to deal with this crap. Nope, instead you can spend your Valentine’s Day however you want. Want to treat yourself to enough steak to choke up a whale’s aorta? Go for it! Wanna eat pizza till you puke, read Spider-Man comics, and watch “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse?” Yes we can! The options are endless, with no pressure that eight
years of happiness may suddenly dissolve in one evening. Despite what TMZ would have you believe, I am, in fact, human. I have a heart, feelings, and emotions. SometimesValentine’s re-
minds you of what it is in fact like to be single, to have longings for those you once loved, or those you loved and never loved you back. That’s when you don’t treat yourself to an evening celebrating
the majesty that is you. Instead, you give into the depression. I find that accepting it and letting it all out is really the best therapy. When I’ve felt this way on Valentine’s Day, I would always lie on
www.theloaferonline.com
the floor underneath a wet blanket, and have a German baritone sing out the names of all the girls I’ve loved before, then have them sing the actual song “To All The Girls I’ve Loved Before.” This year, and for the past two years, I’ve actually had plans. Having plans has been great for me, but unfortunate for wet blanket manufacturers and baritones named Reinhart. They’ve been pleasant evenings too. Quiet conversation with someone I care about, a good meal in a cozy spot, my world famous karaoke rendition of “Lips Like Sugar” by Echo & The Bunnymen. It’s a time and a half! None of these evenings were spent with anyone that I was romantically involved with, however. Mostly friends who also found themselves single, and not wanting to stay locked up with their emotions. Half the fun is watching the other people out at dinner, and seeing the degree of ease or nervousness taking place at each table. My no stress Valentine’s will be a good time, but if you’re in a committed relationship, I see no reason why you won’t succeed. No pressure, bro! It’s not like if you screw up this particular Valentine’s Day you’re going to be setting up years worth of depression, therapy, and will one day look back at it all as the moment you became fully broken. All crashing in on you as you ran out into your back yard, in your underpants, looked up at the sky and yelled “my empire is crumbling!” But you’ll be fine, those are GREAT chocolates. Who doesn’t love a Whitman’s sampler from CVS? You’ll be fine. I can feel the love from all the way over here. It’s real this time, you’re good. You’re good. Happy Valentine’s Day.
www.theloaferonline.com
February 10, 2015 • The Loafer, Page 5
Starship with Mickey Thomas at Niswonger Performing Arts Center
With his soulful and compelling vocals, Mickey Thomas possesses one of the most recognizable voices in rock music. Before joining Starship, Thomas was best known for his work with the Elvin Bishop Band, where he sang lead on the classic hit “Fooled Around and Fell in Love”. When Grace Slick and Marty Balin left Jefferson Starship, Thomas became the group’s new lead vocalist. With a new sound, the group changed their name to Starship in 1979. The band has released a string of radio hits including “Jane”, “It’s Not Over (‘Til It’s Over)”, and the number one songs “Sara”, “We Built This City”, and “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now”. Since Thomas joined the group, every Starship album released has gone Gold, Platinum, or Multi-Platinum. The powerful voice of Mickey Thomas has propelled Starship to the top through the decades! Starship has also remained a fan favorite with all age groups. “It’s a real wide generation of fans out there,” says Thomas. “I’ve seen
12-year olds, 65-year olds, and everyone in between.” Thomas can identify with fans of every age. When he was a teenager, Mickey and a group of friends traveled to see The Beatles perform in Atlanta. Thomas enthusiastically recalls the experience. In fact, he credits a part of his own musical good fortune to that journey. “My friends and I got on a bus, took a six-hour trip, and set off on this adventure”, he said. “Right after, we were like, we gotta do this!” As Thomas looks back on a career that now spans forty years, his voice remains strong and his music offers a compelling blend of then and now. Starship continues to please long-time fans while opening the door to a new generation of rockers. “We’ll play songs from every record I had a hand in”, says Thomas, promising a selection of early hits like “Find Your Way Back” as well as some of the group’s newest material. In addition, the band performs a medley of early hits from the days of Jef-
ferson Airplane. Starship with Mickey Thomas will perform at Niswonger Performing Arts Center (NPAC) in historic downtown Greeneville, TN on Saturday, February 14th at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $45 for orchestra level seating, $40 for mezzanine level seating, and $35 for balcony level seating. 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.
Have an event coming up? Email a press release and photos to:
editorial@theloaferonline.com
Page 6, The Loafer • February 10, 2015
Catfish Frye Band
“It’s The Rockin’ Boogie Blues Baby”
Prom Night Valentine’s Party When Duane Frye picked up a $5 harmonica at Cracker Barrel in 2007 at age 45 he had no idea where it would take him. “ I just thought it sounded cool when I heard blues and rock that used harmonica. Surely I can learn to play a little something”. Duane or “Catfish” as he was later nicknamed fell in love with this little instrument and that was it! He took an unusual route in his training. With no local teachers available he found lessons on YouTube. Still , this was not enough. Catfish made three trips to the Delta, visiting Memphis, Clarksdale, Oxford, and many small towns in between. “I have been fortunate enough to jam with some of the finest old school bluesmen alive. I had to go to the roots of the music. I needed to feel and absorb what it was all about.” Fast forward to the present and Duane is leading one of the hottest bands in the region. Catfish Frye Band plays what they call the “Rockin Boogie Blues”. A lot of people relate the word blues to slow and sad music. Not the case at all, hence the term “Rockin Boogie Blues”. “Most of what we play is upbeat, tap your foot, and dance (boogie) music.” The musicians that share the stage with Catfish is an ensemble he treasures. “I am truly fortunate that some of the finest talent anywhere is part of our band”. Aaron “Fast Hands” Faust is a seasoned top percussionist and fast becoming recognized for his searing vocals. He holds the groove like nobody’s business and makes you wanna move! “Aaron is truly a driving force behind our success.” “Slammin” Adam Graybeal is simply one of the finest pickers anywhere. “I believe he had a guitar in his hand before he could walk. His playing is an extension
of his soul”. Thumping the bass is “Jammin” Jamey Gillenwater. Jamey’s playing and singing is the perfect fit to complete the sound. Pretty obvious this cat loves what he is doing. “Jamey’s smile is as contagious as his sound”. Whether your thing is kicking back and listening to solid, soulful, blues rock music or dancing the night away with fun friends, Catfish Frye Band has gotcha covered. Heck, ole Catfish himself might
jump out and at any time a cut loose on a boogie move or two. Catfish Frye Band covers everything from Elvis to ZZ Top, Muddy Waters to Stevie Ray Vaughan, George Thorogood to Delbert McClinton, CCR to Santana, and much much more. Catch the Catfish fever soon! Sat. Feb. 14 Valentine’s Party at Holiday Inn exit 7, couples, singles, groups, ALL welcome! 8:30 to 12:00
www.theloaferonline.com
February 10, 2015 • The Loafer, Page 7
‘Art From the Buffalo School’ to feature Milligan student artwork Throughout the month of February, an array of artwork from Milligan College students will be on display in the exhibit “Art From the Buffalo School” at the Nelson Fine Art Center in downtown Johnson City. The show features student paintings, drawings, photography, mixed media and graphic design. “It’s always been a primary goal of Nelson Fine Art to introduce the community to art,” said Dick Nelson, owner of the Nelson Fine Art Center. “Milligan students always challenge our visitors, and I think everyone gets a little education from the exhibit.” This is the 13th year Milligan has participated in “Art from the Buffalo School.” One of the works featured in the show is senior Will Major’s silver gelatin print called “Blue Hole.” It highlights one of the oldest methods for black and white photograph development, originating in the 1890s. “Because students get to showcase their artwork to the public, this annual event is always a great learning experience,” said Alice
Senior Will Major’s silver gelatin print called “Blue Hole” dates back to the 1890s as a process for making black and white photographs. Anthony, associate professor of art at Milligan. “This exhibit brings about positive feedback and shows the community what the Milligan art program is all about.” The Milligan fine arts department offers five areas of emphasis: art, film studies, music, photography and theater. All fine arts majors are designed to educate
the whole person while increasing the student’s appreciation and knowledge of human creativity. For more information on Milligan arts events, visit www.milligan. edu/arts. For more information on the Nelson Art Gallery, located at 324 E. Main Street in Johnson City, visit www.nelsonartcenter.com.
Swing dance lessons part of Valentine’s benefit event for Tusculum College band program The Tusculum College Pioneer Jazz Band will be hosting a Valentine’s Day Dinner/Swing Dance benefit on Saturday, Feb. 14, at the General Morgan Inn. The reception will begin at 6:30 p.m. and dinner at 7 p.m. The event will include dinner and a performance of the Pioneer Jazz Band, along with special guests. The event is a fundraiser to help raise money for much-needed equipment for the entire Tusculum band program, according to David A. Price, director of music at Tusculum College. As an added bonus, swing dance lessons will be offered free of charge beginning at 5-6 p.m. Lessons will be provided by professional dancers Darian and Tif-
fany Chancellor. The Chancellors have been professional ballroom dance instructors and competitors for more than 12 years, and for the last 3 years have taught based out of Johnson City. They began with Fred Astaire Dance Studios and opened Johnson City Ballroom in 2012. They are finalists in the National Open Smooth division and are the recipients of a 2014 Kosbe Award for New Business this fall. “We are thrilled to have Darian and Tiffany back as part of our program. With years of professional experience, it is a great time for beginners to learn or for more experienced dancers to pick up a few new moves,” said Price. “They were a big hit last year and
we are excited to have them once again for our event.” Ticket prices for the event are $50 per person and include dance tickets, free dance lessons, an opening reception, dinner and a special dessert. Please call in advance to request a vegetarian substitution. A cash bar will be available. Tickets are available for purchase at the General Morgan Inn or by contacting Price at 423-6367303 or emailing daprice@tusculum.edu. A hotel package special is also available by contacting the General Morgan Inn at 423-7871000. Special table reservations are available for larger group seating by contacting Price.
Page 8, The Loafer • February 10, 2015
‘CSI: NY’ star Hill Harper to speak at ETSU on ‘Youth and Justice’ Film, television and stage actor Hill Harper will speak on “Youth and Justice” at East Tennessee State University on Thursday, Feb. 12. His free public lecture, sponsored by the ETSU Office of Multicultural Affairs in conjunction with Black History Month, will begin at 7 p.m. in the D.P. Culp University Center’s Martha Street Culp Auditorium. Perhaps best known for his portrayal of coroner Dr. Sheldon Hawkes in “CSI: NY” on CBS from 2004-2013, Harper now stars in the USA Network spy drama “Covert Affairs” and has also held roles in “City of Angels,” “Married … with Children,” “The Handler” and other television shows.
His film credits include the Spike Lee productions “Get on the Bus” and “He’s Got Game,” as well as “Beloved,” “Hav Plenty” and a number of independent films. Harper devotes much of his time and resources in service to youth. He is the author of “Letters to a Young Brother: MANifest Your Destiny” and “Letters to a Young Sister: DeFINE Your Destiny,” and established the Manifest Your Destiny Foundation, which is dedicated to empowering underserved youth through mentorship, scholarship and grant programs. Harper is currently working on the FutureSmart Challenge, a joint effort with MassMutual Financial and the NBA designed to educate middle school children on finan-
cial literacy. He is also the author of “The Conversation: How (Black) Men and Women Can Build Loving, Trusting Relationships,” “The Wealth Cure: Putting Money in its Place” and “Letters to an Incarcerated Brother: Encouragement, Hope, and Healing for Inmates and Their Loved Ones.” He has won seven NAACP Image Awards for his writing and acting. Harper graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree from Brown University and went on to earn his juris doctorate degree from Harvard Law School and a master’s degree from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. He travels frequently as a motivational speaker, addressing a wide range of audiences, including youth, adults, couples and business leaders. For more information, call ETSU’s Student Organization Re-
source Center at 423-439-6633. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at 423-439-8346.
www.theloaferonline.com
February 10, 2015 • The Loafer, Page 9
Youth talent searches to be held in Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia Finalists to perform alongside Broadway professionals Niswonger Children’s Hospital’s annual Broadway-style benefit concert is back by popular demand, thanks to the Mountain States Foundation and presenting sponsor Consumer Credit Union, and foundation officials are looking for a special set of talented kids to help out. Auditions for “Broadway Comes to Greeneville” (formerly “One Singular Sensational Evening”) will be held in three separate locations in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia in order to encourage participation from kids all across the region. Five finalists, including one featured soloist, will be invited to perform with four professional Broadway stars in an evening of entertainment at the
Niswonger Performing Arts Center on April 25. A number of extras will also be chosen from among the auditioning performers. For this year’s auditions, children ages 7 to 17 are required to prepare a Broadway song, a country song or a classical song of their choosing. Each vocalist will have a one-minute performance time. A CD player and a piano will be available at each audition, but vocalists will need to bring their own accompanists if desired. The Broadway performers scheduled to lead “Broadway Comes to Greeneville” are David Elder, Beth Leavel, Gary Mauer and Elizabeth Southard. Elder has performed in “Titanic, the Musical,” “White Christmas,”
“Mary Poppins,” “Curtains,” “42nd Street,” “Once Upon a Mattress,” “Damn Yankees” and “Guys and Dolls.” Leavel received Tony, Drama Desk, NY Outer Critics Circle, and L.A. Drama Critics awards for “The Drowsy Chaperone,” and has performed in “Baby It’s You,” “Hello Dolly,” “Call Me Madam,” “Steel Magnolias,” “Boeing-Boeing,” “Elf,” “Young Frankenstein,” “42nd Street” and “Mommy Mia!” Mauer has performed as the Phantom in “The Phantom of the Opera,” as Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables,” and performed in “The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber,” “Show Boat,” “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Sweeney Todd” and “Pirates of Penzance.” Southard
has performed in “The Phantom Sound of Music,” “The Mikado,” of the Opera,” “Show Boat,” “The “Nine” and “Three Penny Opera.”
Auditions will be held at the following times and locations:
• Wednesday, Feb. 18, 5:30 p.m. at East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tenn., Mathes Music Hall, Room 107 • Wednesday, March 11, 5:30 p.m. at Sullins Academy Music Room, Bristol, Va. • Wednesday, March 18, 5:30 p.m. at Tusculum College, Greeneville, Tenn., Annie Hogan Bird Theatre For more information, call Cookie McKinney, Manager, Children’s Initiatives, Niswonger Children’s Hospital at423-431-1224.
Page 10, The Loafer • February 10, 2015
The 3rd Annual Preston Benton Benefit On February 2nd, 2013 the Biggie’s family lost one of their own. Preston was a dedicated father and in his honor, we will be raising money to help with a college fund for his son Amichai. Join us for great music and the celebration of the life of a great friend and cherished colleague. Please Help Us Honor This Very Special Person! Friday, Feb. 13th with live music beginning at 9pm featuring The Borderline Band. Biggies is located at 417 W. Stone Drive in Kingsport, TN. For more info call 423-7659633.
Flying Pig Gallery & Studios Feb 14th Workshop February 14: Learn how to make a book using Coptic binding. Noon – 5 PM. Class will be taught by Judie Dysart. Each student will work on his/her own project and have a handmade book to take home at the end of the day to use as a journal or give as a gift. Judie is a member of the Chattahoochee Handweavers Guild in Atlanta and the Overmountain Weaving Guild here in Kingsport. Students should bring materials specified by the instructor. Cost: $10 per person. Registration can be done online at www.EngageKingsport.com or by calling (423) 392-8414 or in person at the Flying Pig. Flying Pig Gallery & Studios is located at 246 Broad Street, Kingsport TN [corner of Center Street & Broad Street] in the heart of Downtown Kingsport.
Arts Array presents
“The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby - Them” The Arts Array Film Series presented by Virginia Highlands Community College is in its 44th year. All films are presented at the Abingdon Cinemall on Mondays and Tuesdays at 4 p.m. and again at 7:30 pm. The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby Them (February 16 and 17) With his unique vision, writer/director Ned Benson ambitiously captures a complete picture of a relationship in the beautifully relatable portrait of love, empathy and truth that is THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ELEANOR RIGBY. Once happily married, Conor (McAvoy) and Eleanor (Chastain) suddenly find themselves as strangers longing to understand each other in the wake of tragedy. The film explores the couple’s story as they try to reclaim the life and love they once knew and pick up the pieces of the past. The Arts Array Film Series is part of the comprehensive cultural outreach program of Virginia Highlands Community College. The series is co-sponsored by the Abingdon Cinemall, the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, Emory& Henry College,
and King University. Admission to the films is free for the faculties and students at the supporting institutions. Members of the general community may attend for $7.75. For a brochure on the series or more information, please contact Tommy Bryant at 276-739-2451 or email him at tbryant@vhcc. edu.
www.theloaferonline.com
Just a couple shows to catch
this week at Acoustic Coffeehouse Nick Dittmeier is a singer-songwriter from Louisville, Kentucky. After knocking around the midwest Americana scene in various incarnations he released his debut ep “Extra Better” in the Spring of 2013. It garnered regional and national attention. A follow up “Light of Day” was released the following year in the Spring of 2014 and a more rigorous tour regimen was adopted to support the release. 2014 saw a year of aggressive touring for Dittmeier and he formed his backing band called the Sawdusters while traveling from town to town. The band, while keeping the same work ethic moving into 2015, will be writing and recording a new full length album. Each release has shown growth in the songwriting and musicianship and points to their influences such as the Band, Little Feat and John Prine, as they continue to grow as a notable live act. The Band will be preforming at the Acoustic Coffee House in Johnson City, TN. February 13th at 10pm. Free Show!
THEN............ A Valentine’s Day TWEET! The Celtalachian vocal trio “Thistle Dew” (Rhodyjane Meadows, Ellie Hjemmet & Laura Laughridge) will be releasing their latest CD “Cheep Dates”, Saturday, February 14th at 8PM “Next Door” to the Acoustic Coffeehouse on W. Walnut Street. This should prove to be an EGGceptionally fine evening as the Dew-Drops will be joined by “Thistle Dudes” Alex Ball (fiddle), Jim Benelisha (cello), Lonny Finley (penny whistle, bodhran, mandolin) and Michael “Big Daddie” Jones (banjer, bouzouki). “Dew Drop-Ins”. Sam Jones & MollyJane Crofts will add doghouse bass and flat-foot percussion for a CRACKin’ good time--no YOLK! The $5 cover charge is CHICKEN scratch.
February 10, 2015 • The Loafer, Page 11
Page 12, The Loafer • February 10, 2015
www.theloaferonline.com
February 10, 2015 • The Loafer, Page 13
Page 14, The Loafer • February 10, 2015
Sun is Star of Our Life Let’s delve into everybody’s favorite star that we see so much it’s taken for granted. And that’s our good old Sun. Called by some civilizations with names like Sol, Shamash, Ra, or Inti--no matter—that bright globe in the sky is just a plain old ordinary star not like hundreds that we see on a starry night. You might challenge me in saying: “Just an ordinary star? Our Sun? But it is the only place we know that has life. So it has to be special.” That’s right. But it’s actually our Earth that is special as its average 93 million miles distance from the Sun is just the right place to orbit our star—not too close like Venus or too far away like Mars. Our Earth is in what astronomer’s call a star’s “Goldilock’s Zone.” Now we see the Sun as yellow in unpolluted skies, but that’s because our atmosphere filters the light to that wavelength. From outer space and astronauts on the International Space Station, the Sun is white. If the star we orbit was yellow, a white T-shirt on a sunny day would actually look yellow. Sun Facts: Formed out of a nebula cloud about 5 billion years ago, the diameter of our favorite star is 865,121 miles at the equator, just under 1 million miles. The Sun would hold one million Earths (7,921 miles diameter), and in fact, everything in the Solar System could fit inside comfortably—all the planets, their moons, comets, asteroids, dwarf planets, all of it! At an average of 93 million miles away (denoted an “astronomical unit” for measurement sake), sunlight takes 8 minutes to go from the Sun to the Earth. And those photon packets are travel-
ing at the Universe speed limit of 186,000 miles per second. The Sun rotates once every 25 days at the equator, but it is so large that we don’t see sunspots that are on the sides for a day or two. That means about 10 days for a sunspot to travel from one side to the other. The solar nuclear reaction is called fission as at the 27 million degree F. core hydrogen is converted to helium at a rate of four million tons a second. At that rate the Sun can go on about like it is for another 4 billion years. The light energy of the Sun creates warmth and is the catalyst for one of life’s biggest mysteries, photosynthesis. Plant life feed on the starlight, converting nutrients into sugar and edible matter for thousands of species, including humans. The discoveries about the Sun have been amazing the past 50
around at million of degrees hot. Here’s where visible light and other radiation is worked to the surface, called the “chromosphere.” What we see with our eyes is the “photosphere,” essentially the boiling surface which is only 10,000 F. degrees. Our eyes don’t see all the hydrogen that makes up 99 per cent of the Sun, but special telescopes do. The intense magnetic field of the Su is like boiling spaghetti writhing around the interior Sun, occasionally breaking through the surface. Where these intense magnetic fields bust through the surface, sunspots are formed, and usually there are pairs like a horseshoe magnet. We see this as sunspots, where are actually cooler areas of the surface—looking dark only by contrast against the brightness of the photosphere. Galileo was the first to see years. That is in part to the Space of stars that nearly curl around Age and incredible spacecraft like each other. At our Sun’s age of 5 the “imperfections” on the Sun Solar Max, Solar and Heliospheric billion years, that means we have in 1610, using his 10-power teleObservatory (SOHO), Solar Dy- made just eight complete orbits scope and damaging his eyes in namic Observatory, the twin Solar around our Milky Way. So our star the process. Studied intensively Terrestrial Relations Observatory and its system of planets face parts every since, sunspots come and (STEREO) A &B, and 10 other op- of the cosmos that we’ve seen just go in a cycle of 11 years that still erating satellites focused on the a few times—a possible clue to the baffles astronomers. The predicted mass extinctions on Earth that are 2014 peak of activity still lingers as Sun. many sunspots can be seen each One of the biggest misconcep- at 65-150 million year intervals. Here’s a way to think about week on our star—seen with spetions of mankind was the notion that the Sun orbited the Earth, what’s going on in the Sun by us- cial equipment and safe telescope called the “geocentric” Universe ing a pot of boiling pasta as an techniques. Two websites to follow the daily that was taught as fact until just analogy: The heated burner is the core activity of the Sun are SpaceWeath500 years ago. Two giants of science, Nicolas Copernicus and Gal- of the Sun, the nuclear reaction er.com and Solar Dynamic Obserileo Galilei changed two thousand fueling the fire. The boiling water vatory. SDO provides 13 full Sun years of thought by proving the is “radiative” zone were energy images every 10 seconds, 24 hours flows and subatomic particle like a day, 7 days a week. These and Earth orbited the Sun. Today we know that the Sun gamma rays take millions of years other solar websites will show you Sun features in all wavelengths of is one of 200 billion stars in the to reach the surface. We add spaghetti into our boil- light that is beyond human vision. Milky Way Galaxy, and it makes In hydrogen light, the Sun looks one orbit every 600 million years. ing solar furnace and the “convecThe Sun’s location is 30,000 Light tive” zone is where the pasta rolls like an orange ball with licking Years from the center of the Milky Way in one of the two giant arms Continued on page 17
Stargazer .....
www.theloaferonline.com
February 10, 2015 • The Loafer, Page 15
Celestial events in the skies for the week of Feb. 10th - Feb. 16th, 2015 as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette. Moonlight will shine after midnight as the Moon is at Last Quarter phase giving us evenings of dazzling bright winter stars. Looking east, 8 of the top 20 brightest stars form a giant Celestial Octagon between Orion and Gemini. The stellar loop of stars also looks like the letter “G.” Looking west, there’s some drama about to unfold in the sunset twilight between Mars and Venus. The two planets are converging to a dramatic conjunction with the crescent Moon next week on Friday, Feb. 20th .
Tues. Feb. 10
Look to the east at 7 pm and take in the sight of the brightest stars of any night sky of the year, with bright Jupiter to the far left. From the bottom and working around left to right, these stars form a hexagon: Sirius, Procyon, Pollux, Castor, Capella, Aldebaran, Rigel and Betelgeuse in the center. Amateur astronomers also see these stars form giant “G” in the sky, dubbed the “G-spot!”
Wed. Feb. 11
Canis Major is the brightest star in the sky at minus -1.45 magnitude (mag.), though planets Jupiter and Venus are always brighter. It’s a close, blue white star just 8.6 Light Years (LY) away, meaning we’re seeing the light that left Sirius in 2006.
Thurs. Feb. 12
Procyon, 0.40 mag. and 11.4 LY away, is in the Little Dog, Canis Minor. Both dogs belong to Orion and have small star patterns that look more like stick figures than canines.
Fri. Feb. 13
Moving upwards from the celestial dogs, we find the Roman
brothers, first Pollux, 1.08 mag., and fainter Castor, 1.9 mag., in Gemini the Twins. Both stars have similar energy output, and Pollux is brighter because it is 34 LY away compared to 52 LY for Pollux.
Sat. Feb. 14
Capella in Auriga the Charioteer make the top of our “G-spot” in the sky, a brilliant yellow star at 0.05 mag. and 42 LY away. To the right is the bright red star that is the eye of Taurus the Bull, Aldebaran. Sixty-five Light Years away and also “first magnitude” at 0.85 mag., it anchors a “V” shape of stars that make up the bull’s head.
Sun. Feb. 15
Finally, our Celestial Octagon is completed with the knee of Orion, white, Rigel, and then jump up to
complete the “G-spot” with red Betelgeuse, shoulder of the great hunter. Both are huge super-giant stars that would swallow up the inner planets of our Solar System. Rigel, 0.15 mag., is 772 LY away, and Betelgeuse, 0.45 mag., is 428 LY distant. The light from Rigel we see left the star in 1243 AD, and the starlight from Betelgeuse began its journey to our eyes in 1587 AD. To be so bright so far away, these star behemoths are really cranking out the energy!
Mon. Feb. 16
The Sun enters the constellation Aquarius the Water Carrier, but astrology wrongly says the Sun is entering Pisces the Fishes, a constellation ahead.
Family Movie Matinee @ the Library The Feb. 14th, 3:00pm movie at Jonesborough Library is an animated fantasy film: When Hiccup and Toothless discover an ice cave that is home to hundreds of new wild dragons and the mysterious Dragon Rider, the two friends find themselves at the center of a battle to protect the peace. The Feb. 14th, 11:00am movie at Gray Library is a new Disney classic! When the newly crowned Queen Elsa accidentally uses her power to turn things into ice to curse her home in infinite winter, her sister, Anna, teams up with a mountain man, his playful reindeer, and a snowman to change the weather conditions. Our show time features free drinks, candy, and popcorn. Our Family Movie Matinee is a free event sponsored by the Friends of the Washington County Library. For more information, please call the Gray Library at 477-1550, or Jonesborough Library at 753-1800.
Page 16, The Loafer • February 10, 2015
Valentine’s Day with The Breakfast Club The Breakfast Club will be headlining a special Valentine’s Day show at Capones on Saturday, February 14. This will be the The Breakfast Club’s first ever Valentine’s Day event in the region, and a large turnout is expected. Admission to the show is only $10, with the show starting at 11 p.m. Although single fans are welcome, the event will give couples a chance to enjoy their Valentine’s Day dinner/date , and then cap off their romantic evening with an overload of ‘80s fun. Unlike the average touring cover band, The Breakfast Club draws huge crowds of all ages. A high percentage of those fans are couples, many of which only venture into the late night club scene a few times per year. The band is honored that many of those romantic
couples schedule their rare party nights to see The Breakfast Club. For this reason, it made perfect sense to promoter Ansley Roberts to schedule this first-ever Valentine’s Day concert. “I have seen so many couples of all ages at every Breakfast Club show during the last 10 years, so it seemed like we owed them something special”, Roberts said. The Valentine’s Day concert will also feature the first opportunity for local fans to see new drummer, Tony Williams. Williams has been an employee of 2112 Percussion in Raleigh, North Carolina since high school. He has been the full-time drummer in several successful original and cover bands in North Carolina, including playing the role of Tommy Lee in a highprofile Motley Crue tribute.
ETSU Black Faculty & Staff Association to host banquet, dance “A Night of Elegance” will be hosted by East Tennessee State University’s Black Faculty and Staff Association on Saturday, Feb. 14. This annual banquet and dance, held in observance of Black History Month, will be from 6-11 p.m. in the Grand Soldiers Ballroom of the Carnegie Hotel, 1216 W. State of Franklin Road. The dress code for the evening is cocktail or semi-formal attire, and attendees will be served a three-course meal. Musical entertainment will be provided by The Company Band. A professional photographer will be on hand to take photos of participants. Seating is limited to 120. Tickets are $35 per person, or $15 for students with ID. For tickets or more information, contact Dr. Keith Johnson at 423-833-4979 or johnsonk@etsu.edu. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at 423439-8346.
www.theloaferonline.com
February 10, 2015 • The Loafer, Page 17
Stargazer ..... Continued from page 14
flames and torrent surface. Frequently super strong magnetic fields explode off the surface, creating a solar “prominence” that can arc off the Sun and spread radiation and material across the Solar System. The energy streaming off the Sun creates a “corona,” and like steam coming off our boiling spaghetti pot, the corona creates a temperature in access of 1 million degrees F. Our star’s nuclear furnace wafts energy throughout the Solar System in the form of a “solar wind.” Planets with magnetic fields (all but Venus and Mars) experience rings of fire from the rarified solar particles, familiar to earthlings as aurora. Occasionally an extremely violent solar prominence can erupt in a dangerous classification of harmful radiation like x-rays. Any solar eruption reaches the distance of Earth in about 3 days. Aurora at both poles can become spectacular, but with that also comes deadly radiation that can be harmful to frequent airline fliers and
space travelers on the International Space Station. If the timing is just right, a major eruption on the Sun could knock out power grids on our modern world—and actually have. Astronomers fear the “big one” of a solar storm that would hit the Earth with all its intensity and possibly harm plant, animal and human life. It is statistically possible. Our star has influenced all mankind and the curiosity of where we are. Imagined as a God, fiery stones, a coal furnace and now known to be a nuclear reactor like all stars, our Sun is the how and why we exist. Even when the Sun’s life ends in a supernova explosion maybe 4 billion years from now, its matter will permeate throughout the Universe, just like all dying stars. And we, as humans, actually are from star stuff! The Sun has such a big influence of life on Earth that we often forget about it. Yet there it is and will be every day of our lives. Even when
Asylum for Murder
mystery dinner set for Feb. 13 Memorial Park Community Center, 510 Bert St., will host Asylum for Murder, a mystery dinner presented by Murder Mystery Caravan, at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 13. Admission is $10 (includes show and dinner), and pre-registration is required. Call 434-6237 for more information.
hidden behind clouds, its influence is there as it tugs us along. And through the ages of depicting the Sun as a god to an ordinary star, one thing has remained constant—our total dependence on the Sun for sustaining life on Earth.
Page 18, The Loafer • February 10, 2015
Battle At Bristol announces Trophy Design Contest for Football’s Largest Game Now through March 6th, Fans Have Opportunity to Design Inaugural Battle at Bristol Trophy and Win Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience
Battle at Bristol is putting out a call to fans: Do you want to be a part of history? History will indeed be made as sports fans witness a border battle, decades in the making, between Virginia Tech and the University of Tennessee at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 10, 2016. In honor of this epic rivalry, Battle at Bristol is giving fans the chance to be a part of the ground-breaking event in the form of a national contest. Fans have the opportunity to design what will inspire the iconic trophy awarded to the winner of this historic game. The full contest rules
can be found at http://www.bristolmotorspeedway.com/BattleTrophy and an embeddable video link with contest details is available here https://www.youtube. com/embed/tpC7UanBj1A. Beginning February 5th, 2015, fans can submit their designs for the trophy to http://www.bristolmotorspeedway.com/BattleTrophy (or by mail to Bristol Motor Speedway) until March 6th, 2015. Entries will be organized by Bristol Motor Speedway to determine the top three that will go up on BristolMotorSpeedway.com on March 13, 2015 for fan voting. Ma-
jority vote winner from the fans will serve as the inspiration for the final Battle at Bristol Trophy. In addition to bragging rights, the winner will receive a free trip to a Bristol Motor Speedway race weekend, the September 2015 Trophy Unveiling event, tickets to Battle at Bristol in September 2016 and other prizes. Expected to draw more than 150,000 fans, the iconic NASCAR short track will transform into college football’s largest venue within an estimated two-week timeframe following its traditional late-Aug. race date. The Battle at Bristol football game is on track to crush the current NCAA singlegame attendance record of 115,109, which was set in September 2013 at Michigan Stadium. For the latest announcements surrounding the Battle at Bristol,
as well as ticket and event information call (855) 580-5525 or visit BattleAtBristol.com and Facebook. com/BattleAtBristol. Bristol Motor Speedway is the host of College Football’s Biggest Ever Game. General Manager and Executive Vice President: Jerry Caldwell “There has been long-time demand and excitement from fans
for this record-breaking border battle at Bristol Motor Speedway,” said Jerry Caldwell, executive vice president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway. “We are launching this trophy contest to give our fans another opportunity to be a part of this historic game and we are so excited to see what they will come up with.”
www.theloaferonline.com
February 10, 2015 • The Loafer, Page 19
Project Almanac The new film “Project Almanac” is perfect for fans of the CW, the television network aimed at young adults. The movie is a science fiction thriller that uses the often annoying “found footage” technique, that sometimes comes off as lazy film making. Harboring a cast of actors who will be unfamiliar with the casual movie fan, the story features that time honored stable of sci-fi, time travel! The main character, David Raskin (Jonny Weston) is uber intelligent and will be attending MIT when he is finished with high school. A wrench is thrown into his plans when he only receives part of the money he needs for tuition. Oh, if there were only some way David could keep his Mom from selling her house to help with his tuition. Well, it certainly doesn’t hurt David’s father was an inventor, as this fact leads David to prowl around his deceased dad’s basement/labratory, only to uncover a blueprint for a military project. Said blueprints are for a temporal relocation device (fancy for time machine) that David’s dad was creating for the military. Soon David and his “Big Bang Theory” style friends are finishing the time machine and using the device to travel back in time. In the beginning they are using the machine for fun to correct mistakes and seek revenge on bullies, and later in a round-about way to help David’s mom. However, it is never a good idea to play with the past via a time machine, lest to create a ripple effect that can change the course of lives, both positive and negative. Once David and the gang realize their time travel manipulation has resulted in several tragedies, David continues to travel back in time alone (a no no for this group) in an attempt to clean up the damage the group caused.
The film presents a fascinating premise, but takes to long to get the fun of time travel started, and being an MTV produced film, spends way too much time with scenes at a concert. The actors, who are all probably well beyond high school age, show great enthusiasm for their roles, and this helps the often plodding script. I feel they should have traveled back to the 1970’s to see what life was like without our current technology. That would have been eye-opening for the characters, and made for some great laughs. However, with this being a more serious film, I suppose that would have jolted the audi-
ence. The special effects in “Project Almanac” are fine for such a story, but with a larger budget would have been more impressive. Next time Hollywood decides to send a bunch of young adults on a time travel mission, I suggest a larger budget, a better script, and several actors from “Star Trek” who can teach the “teenagers” all about time travel.
Rated PG-13
C+
Page 20, The Loafer • February 10, 2015
www.theloaferonline.com
February 10, 2015 • The Loafer, Page 21
Mr. Ross Requests.... Thanks to my numerous speaking engagements across the country, the organization that is AndyCo has become a mighty beast. As such, I have reached the stage in which a rider is now required. A rider is a list of requests and demands that an important artist like myself needs in order to perform at optimal quality. Since my booking office has been overwhelmed with requests, I’ve decided to make my rider public so everyone can know what they’re getting in to. Personally, I don’t think my requests are all too strange or out of the ordinary. All together, they make a very simple list of requirements that anyone who is running around the country would ask for.
The following is copied verbatim from my rider. Mr. Ross requests that fresh towels, color of blue, are on hand for every performance. No more than five, no less than three. Mr. Ross REQUIRES that Evian bottled water be on hand, chilled to an exact 45 degrees fahrenheit. It is also required that this water be delivered to Mr. Ross when he calls for it by a grandmother of three, who firmly believes that the New York Times crossword puzzle is a conspiracy to take away her medication. This is non negotiable. It is requested that a school choir learn the entirety of Issac Hayes’ classic album “Hot Buttered Soul” and be on hand to sing
it at the drop of a hat. The hat will be dropped by a member of Mr. Ross’s team, known as “The Hat Dropper.” Mr. Ross needs a room to relax in post show, this room must be kept at 74 degrees, contain a record player, and a tub full of granola and yogurt. The venue must also provide a fresh copy of Monopoly to be played post show as well. This game will be destroyed after completion, Mr. Ross has no wish for you to profit by selling it on eBay. The green room should have a bowl full of twinkies in it. However, it is required that these twinkies be only the ones that are directly below the logo on the package. If
it is found out that any non-logo covered twinkies have been included, all hell will break loose. No one is allowed to make direct eye contact with Mr. Ross. God help you if any of your venue staff does this. Mr. Ross will only greet backstage guests half an hour after per-
formance, only while resting on a fainting couch. There you all have it, a little look at the very reasonable demands I have for my art. So far the venues have been great about keeping up with my rider, I’ve only had to sue three of them. Good times, good times. See you on the road!
Page 22, The Loafer • February 10, 2015
An Unstandardized Test Let’s begin this column with a little standardized test. So, get your No. 2 pencils ready and answer this question: What percentage of the school year do most public school students spend taking standardized tests and engaging in test preparation? • 10% • 5% • 25% • 15% The correct answer is 25%. And what do students learn from all this time spent? According to an increasing number of analysts, precious little. Yet we persist in believing the myth that more testing equals more learning. And in this time of more and more heated debates about education, common core standards, and preparing our students for relevant job skills, we need to take a very close look at the value of testing and exactly what it is supposed to measure. I have just finished reading a remarkable, thought-provoking, and myth-shattering book that all educators and legislators should read. Anya Kamenetz’s THE TEST: WHY OUR SCHOOLS ARE OBSESSED WITH STANDARDIZED TESTING—BUT YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE (Public Affairs, 2015) asks all the right questions about standardized testing and isn’t afraid to suggest answers that meet the needs of the 21st century rather than the 19th century. The starting point for any consideration of the value of testing, is that “by the time a student graduates high school [the time he or she spends in testing] could translate to 585 days—three and a quarter extra school years that they could have spent learning instead of being tested on what they already knew or, worse, didn’t know.” We are not talking about is assessment, which is a vital part of the educational process, but testing, the task most often associated with filling in circles with No. 2 pencils or clicking
on digital buttons. Needless to say, there are few to no jobs out there that require these kinds of skills. Speaking of skills, let’s examine what employers are looking for in their employees, especially in the constantly-changing skills market of today. Kamenetz cites the example of Google’s hiring guru, Lazslo Bock, who lists some of the things his company looks for in its employees. Heading the list is “general cognitive ability,” which shouldn’t be equated with I.Q. or ACT test scores. Instead, this is “learning ability . . . .the ability to process on the fly [and] the ability to pull together disparate bits of information.” In short, critical thinking rather than rote memorization and test preparation. Second on the list is “leadership—in particular emergent leadership as opposed to traditional leadership.” Instead of caring about whether a prospective employee held a certain position in a club, passed a requisite number of tests, or compiled an impressive sales record, what Bock is looking for is an answer to “when faced with a problem and you’re a member of a team, do you, at the appropriate time, step in and lead.” That is, what action do you take when faced with problems and challenges—not how many vocabulary words and mathematical formulas you can memorize. And, third, Google looks for “collaboration skills, including a necessary dose of humility.” In this case, the focus is not on the prospective employee and how wonderful
he or she is, but how willing he or she is to be a member of a problemsolving team that exists to capitalize on the relative strengths and skills of each of its members. The important thing here is how willing a person is to shift the focus from teaching to learning. Kamenetz then cites a 2012 study by Patrick Kyllonen, who works with the notorious Education Testing Service, compiling a list of 21st century skills that includes terms like “critical thinking, problem solving, creativity. . . communication skills, social skills, teamwork, cultural sensitivity . . . self-management, self-regulation, self-development [and] adaptability.” Too bad Kyllonen’s company takes so little stock in assessing these skills in their standardized tests. While the job market is demanding the foregoing types of skills, we persist in believing we are training our students for this market by measuring their abilities to prep for and take standardized tests. In her book, Kamenetz makes a distinction between two types of assessment—standardized and performance-based. Needless to say, the latter type can provide an accurate assessment of the types of skills outlined in Kyllonen’s list. What we need are assessments that resemble a video more than a snapshot. Performance on a standardized test is like a snapshot in that it can only capture a brief moment in time, whereas a performance-based assessment is like a video that
shows a student’s development over a period of time and gives the reviewer a valuable way of seeing what a person can do rather than how much he or she can memorize or guess his or her way out of. A very interesting discussion in Kamenetz’s book is about the debate over whether or not machines (i.e. artificial intelligence) can take over human tasks. Undoubtedly, robotic machines can equal or surpass physical tasks or tasks that only require rote information. However, the human mind is a pretty remarkable thing and “there are still three domains that artificial intelligence is unequal to.” The first are those “complex physical tasks requiring integration of sensory information and manipulation of the environment like preparing food, driving a truck, or cleaning a house.” In each of these tasks, more than mere physical prowess is required—in order to accomplish these, informed judgments have to be made, along with complex decisions regarding alternate approaches. Second, machines (so far at least) have not demonstrated “social intelligence like empathy, collaboration, values-based decision making, persuasion, and motivation.” Machines, in short, cannot feel and certainly cannot have fun while engaging in work. And the third category is “creative intelligence—unstructured problem solving, posing new questions, picking out what is most relevant in a flood of data.” This is of course the appli-
cation of informed and responsible judgment to tasks. And what standardized test, filled with multiple choice items, can assess any of these crucial skills? Kamenetz concludes that we are faced with three options when it comes to solving the standardized test dilemma and constructing assessments that are relevant to the tasks at hand. First, we can simply “not take the tests,” an option that is becoming increasingly common. Second, and perhaps most important, we can “build better tests”— tests that measure the things that matter. But these can’t be done in the usual way—we can’t herd students into uncomfortable rooms and time them while they fill in the circles. In order to responsibly assess students, we must ask them to be creative and to present us with the fruits of project-based learning (i.e. “What can you do?” more than “What do you know?”). Of course, basing our assessments on this kind of system is more difficult. that simply running Scantron sheets through bean counting machines. But, who should our assessments be benefitting—our need for quick and easy results or preparing our children for meaningful work and lifelong learning? A third option, and one that really appeals to my devious self, is teaching our students to “beat the tests”—to learn how how standardized tests are constructed so they can get good scores, all the while realizing that what they are doing has no connection to real learning and engagement. We are not talking about cheating, but being clever manipulators of an irrelevant and outdated system of assessment. Sounds like fun to me. I urge you to read this book and take a long hard look at how we might create a system based on learning rather than number crunching. Our students and their employers will thank you. See you next week with another non-standardized column.
www.theloaferonline.com
February 10, 2015 • The Loafer, Page 23
Page 24, The Loafer • February 10, 2015