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Volume 29 Issue #11
in this issue .... 4
And the winner is ........ Ken Silvers gives his picks for the Oscars 5 Mary B. Martin School of the Arts presents “Dr. Faustus” 7 Full Moon Jam artist to audition for ‘The Voice’ 8 “The Slabtown District Convention” come to The Rocky Mount Museum’s Theater 11 Spring Train Excursion 17 JCCT’s 103rd Season Kicks off 18 Appalachian Trail at Carter Fold
music & fun 12 20
Spotlight - Great Music & Fun Times Crossword & Sudoku
columns & reviews ... And the Oscar for Best Weekly Entertainment magazine is.... THE LOAFER!!
14 15 19 21 22
Stargazer Skies This Week Box Office Top Ten 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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The envelope please.....
Screen Scenes by Ken Silvers
Best Actress:
February is a time of valentines, Mardi Gras, cold weather, and Oscars! Hollywood is polishing another round of gold statues to hand out on the night of February 22nd to those who have been chosen as the best of the year in the film industry. As usual, the Academy has upset many actors, fans and critics with omissions thought to be a shew in for a nomination. I remember being particularly upset the year “The Dark Knight” missed out on a best picture nod when nearly every industry insider and media outlet predicted it would. The furor this year was how “white” the nominees are with many from the movie “Selma” being ignored. Despite the Academy’s flaws in the nomination process, I will proceed with my projected winners this year. May I have the envelope please...
Julianne Moore (“Still Alice”) Reese Witherspoon (“Wild”) Felicity Jones (“The Theory of Everything”) Rosemund Pike (“Gone Girl”) Marion Cotillard (“Two Days, One Night”) My winner: Julianne Moore. The actress is long over due for a trip to the podium, and unless Reese pulls an upset, Moore will go home with the golden boy.
Best Picture:
American Sniper Birdman Boyhood The Grand Budapest Hotel The Imitation Game Selma The Theory of Everything Whiplash My winner: “Boyhood”. The film is one of the most creative endeavors ever brought to film, having been shot over a 12 year period. The runner-up and potential spoiler in this category would be “American Sniper”, the box office champ of the lot.
Best Actor:
Steve Carell (“Foxcatcher”) Bradley Cooper (“American Sniper”) Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Imitation Game”) Michael Keaton (“Birdman”) Eddie Redmayne (“The Theory of Everything”) My winner: Michael Keaton. It’s hard to bet against the front runner in this category, which if full of amazing performances. In the role of potential dark horse: Redmayne.
Best Director:
Richard Linklater (“Boyhood”) Alejandro G. Inarritu (“Birdman”) Wes Anderson (“The Grand Budapest Hotel”) Morten Tyldum (“The Imitation Game”) Bennett Miller (“Foxcatcher”) My winner: Richard Linklater. To deal with making the same film over a period of 12 years is certainly worth some type of award. I would go with Inarritu as the potential spoiler.
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Best Supporting Actress:
Patricia Arquette (“Boyhood”) Laura Dern (“Wild”) Keira Knightley (“The Imitation Game”) Emma Stone (“Birdman”) Meryl Streep (“Into the Woods”) My winner: Patricia Arquette. Unless Stone pulls the upset, Arquette will hit the stage a winner. Of course Meryl is nominated because she has to be.
Screen Scenes ..... Continued on page 19
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Sexy, Supernatural & Scary
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Professional troupe to stage volatile ‘Doctor Faustus,’ Elizabethan tale of age-old struggle between good, evil
There’s insanity and plotting aplenty in American Shakespeare Center’s 2014-15 Method in Madness Tour production of Christopher Marlowe’s “Doctor Faustus.”
The tour will stop at East Tennessee State University’s Martha Street Culp Auditorium on Friday, Feb. 20, at 7:30 p.m. for an evening of theater and mayhem, Elizabe-
Stephanie Holladay Earl as Mephistophilis in Doctor Faustus. Photo by Michael Bailey
than style. In the classic tragicomedy, Faustus sells his soul, not for riches, but for knowledge and power. Marlowe, born in the same year as the Bard of Avon, weaves a shocking and contemporary tale of the struggle between good and evil, championing what is most daring in the human spirit. Marlowe’s popular early-modern drama predates almost all of Shakespeare’s plays and includes appearances by Helen of Troy, the Seven Deadly Sins, angels, demons and Lucifer himself. “Like most Elizabethan and Jacobean plays, part of the greatness of“Doctor Faustus” lies in the juxtaposition of the drama and the humor: big hearts, massive stakes, cheap jokes and characters about whom we can care,” says “Doctor Faustus” director and ASC CoFounder and Artistic Director Jim Warren. “This production is intellectual, sexy, funny, visceral, human, supernatural and scary.” The American Shakespeare Center brings a unique performance
style to ETSU’s Culp Auditorium, blending Elizabethan stagecraft with modern sensibility. The company uses staging conditions from Shakespeare and Marlowe’s time, including universal lighting, minimal sets, actors playing multiple parts, cross-gender casting and music. Audience lights stay on, allowing for a type of audience contact and interaction rarely seen in modern-day theater. Performing using Shakespeare’s staging conditions means highly technical special effects aren’t possible, yet this production of “Doctor Faustus” features combustible books, mythical transformations, blood, ghosts and demons designed to haunt the mind. “We had to find a way to do [the effects] similar to what might have happened on the Elizabethan stage without a lot of modern technical ways,” says Stephanie Holladay Earl, who portrays the demon Mephistopheles, sent by Lucifer to collect on Faustus’ vow to turn
Sexy .....
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over his soul. The special effects are very, very cool and we get lots of great reactions and gasps.” Also true to performances of that time, the actors play contemporary music before the show and during intermission. Starting 30 minutes before “Doctor Faustus,” the ASC on Tour troupe performs its own acoustic takes on songs by Lady Gaga, The Rolling Stones, Van Halen and Coldplay, among others. “We play music that has been written from around the 1940s to songs that are out on the radio right now,” Earl says, “and we play them all acoustically. We have some incredibly talented musicians in the cast … It’s a lot of fun. Playing the music, and seeing the people sing along and dance along – it’s some of the best fun we have all night.” The combination of classic work, traditional staging and modern ingenuity should provide a theater experience to remember, says Anita DeAngelis, director of event sponsor Mary B. Martin School of the Arts. “We will get a pretty good feel of what the performance was like in Shakespeare’s time with some modern surprises,” she says. “I think we will be able to enjoy a festive night.” The 2014-15 Method in Madness Tour production of “Doctor Faustus”features ASC on Tour
veteran Andrew Goldwasser in the title role; Stephanie Earl as Mephistopheles and Helen of Troy; Patrick Earl as Lucifer; and Emily Joshi-Powell as Beelzebub. This troupe is also performing two other plays on this tour: “Hamlet”and “Much Ado About Nothing.” “Touring has always been at the heart of what we do,” Warren says. “Part of our mission is to show how accessible, meaningful and fun Shakespeare can be to people locally, regionally and across the nation. We modeled ourselves on Shakespeare’s own company, which also toured, so we’re designed to turn every space we play into feeling like a raucous Elizabethan theater.” ASC’s unique productions do create “converts,” Earl says. “The great thing about our company – and I continue to see it over and over again over the four years that I’ve been here – is that we tend to change a lot of minds,” she says. “We talk directly to audience members when the line dictates and we feel that we should, and that really creates an immersive experience. The audience is a lot more engaged, they have a lot of fun and they laugh more than they thought they would. They understand more than they thought they would. “We get such wonderful feedback such as people saying, ‘You know, I hated this play when I was
in high school or in college, but it was so good. I wish I could see it again,’ or ‘I had so much fun and I understood everything.’ That has really been a joy for me as an actor.” “Doctor Faustus,” in particular, Earl says, is very easy to understand. “One of the other things about this script that is so wonderful is that the language is very accessible,” she says. “It is a plot that has been in stories for hundreds and hundreds of years – someone wanting to sell their soul to something evil in order to get things that they want. So the plot will be familiar and the language is very straightforward, easy to follow and very exciting and action packed.” Based out of Staunton, Va., the ASC’s mission is to recover the joys and accessibility of Shakespeare’s theater, language and humanity by exploring the English Renaissance stage and its practices through performance and education. The ASC’s Blackfriars Playhouse, the world’s only re-creation of Shakespeare’s indoor theater, is open year-round for productions of classic plays, which have been hailed by The Washington Post as “shamelessly entertaining” and by The Boston Globe as “phenomenal … bursting with energy.” Founded in 1988 as Shenandoah Shakespeare Express, the organization became the American Shakespeare Center in 2005 and can be found online at www.americanshakespearecenter.com. Tickets for the Mary B. Martin School of the Arts-sponsored production of “Doctor Faustus” are $5 for students of all ages, $15 seniors 60+ and $20 general admission. Because of some of the “creepy” content, Earl says “Doctor Faustus” might not be appropriate for small children. For information about the ETSU Mary B. Martin School of the Arts, call 423-439-TKTS (8587) or visit www.etsu.edu/martin.
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Full Moon Jam artist scheduled for a new gig-
NBC’s The Voice
The Full Moon Jam concert series officials have begun scheduling dates with regional bands for this summer’s lineup. While considering bands, one artist stood out not only because he has a strong following and definitely can draw a crowd, but his new gig. James Meadows is a country singer/songwriter and Nashville recording artist who currently resides in Abingdon, VA. He has played at the city’s Downtown Center concert series for the last five years. He was recently chosen by NBC’s hit show, “The Voice” to audition in Atlanta, Georgia. Meadows stated, “It is a definite shot in the dark, but I feel I am finally grounded and ready to go for it.” Darlene Cole, Asst. Director of Community Relations who books the bands for the concert series said, “James has a great voice, obviously and we have enjoyed watching him perfect his craft over the years, everyone here wishes him the best.” Each year the city looks at new artists to present and what artist(s) drew the larger crowds in the previous season. This year some of the favorites have already been booked and include, James Meadows, along with Retroville, Thomas Taylor, Shooter, Southern
76, Music Memories and others. Bands that have never played the series before will be announced in coming weeks. To avoid having as many spring cancellations as the series experienced in the past couple of years, the opening concerts has been moved up and will begin in June rather than May. “It became a difficult situation when so many bands were being bumped due to
weather and there were no dates available for them later in the schedule,” stated Cole. “We are hoping this schedule change will be the solution we are looking for.” For more information on the Full Moon Jam Concert series that takes place every summer at Bristol’s Downtown Center, contact Darlene Cole at 423-989-5500 Ext. 2053 or email dcole@bristoltn.org.
The Parks and Recreation Foundation invites citizens to a pancake breakfast to raise funds for new playgrounds. Pancakes for Playgrounds will be held from 7:30-10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21 at Memorial Park Community Center, 510 Bert St. Tickets are $5 and will be available at the door. For more information, call (423)202-3917 or email jcprfoundation@yahoo.com.
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“The Slabtown District Convention” comes to Rocky Mount Museum’s Theater
In observance of Black History Month, the Langston Heritage Group will present the one-act comedy “The Slabtown District Convention” in Rocky Mount Museum’s theater on Saturday, Feb. 21st at 6:00pm. Limited Seating. Tickets are $15 per person. For reservations, or tickets, please call Rocky Mount at (423) 538-7396. The one-act play “The Slabtown District Convention”, written in the 1920s by Nannie H. Burroughs, quickly became one of the most popular church plays in the country for fundraising. Set in a rural Southern town in the early twentieth century, it fictitiously enacts an annual district convention for the “Woman’s Auxiliary for Missions and Education” of a Black Baptist church. Complete with hymns from the choir, and a cast of around twenty, it promises to be an evening of entertainment. The author of “Slabtown”-- Nannie Helen Burroughs-- is celebrat-
ed as a civil rights leader, educator, orator and church leader, She gained national attention when she delivered her speech: “How the Sisters are Hindered from Helping” in 1900 to the meeting of the National Baptist Convention, which lead to the creation of the Woman’s Convention Auxiliary to the National Baptist Convention. She served as the Corresponding Secretary and President for the Women’s Convention for over sixty years, and set up the National Training School for Women and Girls (which now bears her name as the Nannie H. Burroughs School, and is a National Landmark). Her philosophy for life was “the three B’s: Bible, Bath and Broom”, as seen quite evident in “The Slabtown District Convention”. Burroughs’s play “The Slabtown District Convention” may have been written 90 years ago but the lessons are just as relevant today;
applicable to mega-churches, conventions, or practically any organization which forgets simple adages such as “Penny wise, pound foolish” or “Cleanliness next to Godliness”. Or as Burroughs, herself, describes the comedy: “Everyone Laughs the Evening Through, but everyone gets the point.” For more information or to make a reservation call (423) 5387396 or 888-538-1791. Rocky Mount Museum is a “living history” museum, which uses first-person interpretation to portray people living in 1791. Rocky Mount is open for tours Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm. Living History tours and the facility are available by reservation at any time, including Sundays and Mondays for school and other groups, with advance reservations. For more information, call (423) 538-7396 or visit our website at www.rockymountmuseum.com.
“Slabtown” Author - Nannie Helen Burroughs
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The Very Hungry Caterpillar
at Niswonger Performing Arts Center this Saturday The Very Hungry Caterpillar comes to NPAC on Saturday, February 21st at 11:00 AM. The Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia presents Eric Carle’s classic tale of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Carle is beloved as the creator of brilliantly illustrated and innovatively designed picture books for children. This performance is inspired by his best-known work, a tale that has enchanted several generations. First published in 1969, the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar has found its way into the hearts of millions of children all over the world, having been translated into 60 languages and selling more than 38 million copies. The Very Hungry Caterpillar follows the wonderful adventures of a very tiny and very hungry cat-
erpillar as he eats his way through an amazing variety of foods on his path to becoming a beautiful butterfly. For this production, the little caterpillar will be joined on stage
told on stage through the magic of black light and fanciful puppets. Adapted, designed, and directed by Jim Morrow, music by Steven Naylor, and narration by Gordon Pinsent, this production features an imaginative approach to storytelling through theatre. As a children’s author, Eric Carle possesses an intuitive understanding of and respect for his audience. Instinctively, Carle is someone who shares cherished thoughts and emotions of children throughout the world. His art is distinctive and instantly recognizable, forming bright and cheerful images. As with The Very Hungry by an assortment of Carle’s other Caterpillar, the theme of Carle’s favorite characters. Mermaid Theatre’s acclaimed stories is usually drawn from his stage adaptations teach as well as extensive knowledge and love of entertain. This whimsical tale is re- nature; an interest shared by most
children as well. Aside from being beautiful and entertaining, his work always offers children an opportunity to learn something about the world around them. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is coming to Niswonger Performing Arts Center (NPAC) in historic downtown Greeneville, TN on Saturday, February 21st at 11:00 AM. Tickets are $15 for orchestra or mezzanine level seating and $10 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. This performance is sponsored by First Tennessee Bank. NPAC offers online seat selection and no fee ticketing. The box office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 AM until 5 PM. The 1130 seat performing arts center is located adjacent to the campus of Greeneville High School in Greeneville, TN. For venue information, and to purchase tickets, please visit www.npacgreeneville.com.
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YWCA Prom Dress Sale
High school and middle school girls flocked to the YWCA Prom Dress Sale last year to purchase an affordable dress. The YWCA Junior Board of Directors is gearing up for its 7th annual Prom Dress Sale February 2628, which will feature hundreds of
gently used prom dresses, shoes and accessories. A community service project of the YWCA, the Prom Dress Sale features all dress-
es for just $25; high school girls can also obtain vouchers from their guidance counselor. The sale will take place in the gymnasium at YWCA Bristol, 106 State Street in Bristol, Tenn., from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Feb. 26-27 for students only. The sale will be open to the public Saturday, Feb. 28 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. “We will have several volunteers on hand to assist with selecting dresses of all styles, lengths and sizes and to help each girl feel special in the gown she selects,” said Crystal Allison, chair of the Prom Dress Sale. Dressing areas will also be available. The 2014 sale featured over 800 new and gently used dresses. The project served approximately 350 students from 5 states and 48 schools. The YWCA accepts prom gown donations year around. For more information, please call YWCA Bristol at 423.968.9444 or email t_henkel@ywcabristol.org.
Arts Array presents
“Dear White People”
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. Dear White People (February 23 and 24) At prestigious Winchester University, biracial student Samantha White becomes president of the
all-black residential hall Parker/ Armstrong, whose existence is facing extinction in the name of diversification. TV reality show “Black Face/White Place” smells gold in Sam’s story and decides to follow it, rejecting the proposal of fellow black student Coco Conners, who pitched her show “Doing Time at an Ivy League.” The clamor over Sam’s rise also becomes a careerdefining opportunity for misfit Lionel Higgins. 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 276739-2451 or email him at tbryant@ vhcc.edu.
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Spring Train Excursion Through the Beautiful Mountains
The Watauga Valley Railroad Historical Society & Museum is pleased to announce its Spring 2015 Rail Excursion through the Scenic Hiwassee River Gorge in East Tennessee. Excursion date is set for Saturday, April 11, 2015. The excursion will offers an opportunity to ride the rails through the one of the most beautiful river gorges in the United States as the railroad tracks travel along the Hiwassee River. The rail trip will take a 50-mile, 3-1/2 hour round trip rail excursion along this beautiful river to the famous “Hiwassee Loop”. The special attraction of the trip is traveling through the Narrows, where the Hiwassee River flows through rock channels, and the Bald Mountain Loop. The track actually passes over itself on a high trestle during a corkscrew climb up the mountain near Farner, TN. Tracks along this route parallel the river for most of its length, providing views of the lower gorge. The railroad was originally built to haul ore from the copper basin in Copper Hill, TN. Regularly scheduled passenger trains operated over this line until 1968; the last freight train traveled the “Old Line” in 2001. The Tennessee Overhill Association took over ownership of the rail line in 2004. This will be a very unique opportunity to ride on this historic railroad. General seating is offered on this excursion, providing passengers with comfortable cushioned seats with large windows. Historic 1950’s-era diesel locomotives will pull the vintage enclosed climate-controlled coaches with rest rooms. Passengers will be asked to move from one side of the aisle to the other before the return trip to ensure that every passenger will be able to view all the scenery in secluded areas along the line. Our trip will begin in downtown Johnson City, TN at 7:15 am on the morning of April 11 at The Big Burley Parking Lot at 104 Legion St. (corner of State of Franklin and Legion St.) where passengers will board a motor coach to Etowah, TN. We will also pick up
passengers at the former Century 21 parking lot at 2040 E. Andrew Johnson Hwy, Greeneville, TN, at 7:45 am as well as passengers in Morristown, TN at 8:15 am at the Expo Center Parking lot near the exit of I-81 and US 25E. A map will be included with tickets to your designated parking area. Lunch will be on your own at restaurants in Athens, TN before we get to the train boarding site at 12:45 pm for a 1:00 pm departure. The train will arrive back in Etowah at 4:15 pm. Our motor coaches will depart Etowah at 4:30 pm with expected arrival back at Morristown at 7:15 pm, Greeneville at 7:45 pm and Johnson City at 8:15 pm. The motor coaches will make a food stop during the return.
Ticket cost is $89.00 per Adult and $79.00 per Child. Ticket includes train ride and motor coach to and from Etowah, TN. Meals are not included. To order tickets, send a check or money order (sorry, cash or credit cards not accepted) along with the number of tickets you’re purchasing to Spring 2015 Rail Excursion, Watauga Valley Railroad Historical Society & Museum, P. O. Box 432, Johnson City, TN 37605-0432. A printable order form is available ON LINE. Please be sure to tell us whether you’re boarding the motor coach in Johnson City, Greeneville or Morristown. For questions about the trip e-mail wataugavalley@ embarqmail.com or phone our ticket office at (423) 753-5797.
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Stars are Like People: All Shapes and Sizes
With moonless evenings this late winter and the brightest stars of any season, it’s amazing to think that those points of light are just like people: all shapes and sizes! There’s no truth that if you’ve seen one star you’ve seen them all… each is truly its own character—and most stars have two or more other stars orbiting each other. The overwhelming majority stars follow an established life cycle that is called the “main sequence.” Discovered in 1910 by Ejnar Hertzsprung and Henry Norris Russell, this predictable history of a star is based on how big it was when it started, or its mass. The astronomers plotted thousands of stars’ luminosity and temperature, and came up with the “HertzsprungRussell” diagram, one of the most famous and ground-breaking concepts in all astronomy. In a quick outline, a star begins out of an interstellar nebula of hydrogen gas that condenses by gravity during millions of years into a nuclear reactor that begins burning hydrogen and emitting light energy. That happened to our Sun 5 billon years ago.
As seen by astronauts, the Sun is really white. Our Sun is a rare bachelor in the Universe of mostly paired up stars. At least two-thirds of all the stars in our night sky have at least one companion orbiting it. That’s true for the brightest star, Sirius, larger than our Sun with a Jupiter-sized star orbiting it. Sirius is called the “Dog Star” in Canis Major, and its companion is “The Pup.” And then there is Castor, one of the Gemini brothers and an astounding multiple star system of six! To the naked eye Castor is a blue-white star, but in a small telescope two close companions are seen. They orbit Castor, each with a star of their own in orbit—and the five are circled by a red dwarf star. Not only are there stars orbiting stars, but many stars change their brightness and are called “variable stars.” In fact our own Sun might have slight variations in its energy output during its history. Variable stars can be caused by an actual energy output change, or the brightness can change when another star eclipses the main star, called eclipsing binaries. Some
The size and specific chemical make-up of a star are makeup categories; O, B, A, F, G, K, M. Astronomy students remember that by the saying: “Oh Boy A Fine Girl Kissed Me!”At least this astronomy student did. Our Sun is in the “G” category, pretty much mainstream in the stellar main sequence of the Universe. Though it looks yellow in our sky, that’s because of our atmosphere.
stars actually change their size as the nuclear plasma of a star shrinks and expands for reasons that are not understood. Studying variable stars and multiple star systems is a whole branch of astronomy that amateurs have had a hand in since the 1950s. Even today, professional astronomers have little time to follow all the stars they want to, so having data from amateurs is a bonus in helping
to build models of how certain stars have evolved. There are some stars that are unbelievably huge, called Giants and Supergiants, engulfing planets in our Solar System if placed where the Sun is. And some stars are the size of planets, called Dwarfs. A star’s characteristic we see today tells where it is along the “main sequence” of its life. The stellar life cycle after birth has a star being stable, like our Sun for many billions of years. Our Sun for 5 billion years has been converting hydrogen to helium and pouring all kinds of energy into space and the surrounding family of planets, moons, asteroids and comets. When our star’s hydrogen energy become exhausted, all that helium will make our Sun begin to swell, becoming a Red Giant and expanding out past Earth’s orbit, maybe a far as Mars. Then another nuclear reaction will probably happen, a reactor explosion that will rip our star apart in a supernova. Gases and stellar matter of exotic elements rushes out into space to pollute
the Universe. Our Sun becomes a beautiful “planetary nebula” like the thousands of exploded stars we see in the Milky Way. While most of the stellar matter of a supernova will expand throughout the Universe, some if the exploded star will collapse upon itself. Most likely a Neutron Star will form the size of Earth but so dense that a teaspoon of material would weigh a thousand tons! Finally, that Neutron Star finally exhausts all energy and becomes but a glowing cinder in space, a Brown Dwarf. And so might go the fate of our Sun, as witnessed around the nearby environment of our own Milky Way. Astronomers know what they do about the extremely distant stars by the type light they emit. All elements in the Universe have a signature “fingerprint” in their visible light when split into colors called a spectrum. These tell-tell lines of dominating chemistry in a spectroscope are another astronomy breakthrough in understanding the cosmos.
Another way astronomers discover details about other stars, particularly the exoplanets orbiting them, is the gravitational pull that moves a star ever so slightly in space. The quest to understand stars in the night has been built upon the shoulders of the world’s giant intellects: Galileo in the 17th Century, Isaac Newton in the 18th Century, William Herschel in the 19th Century, Albert Einstein in the 20th Century and Stephen Hawking in the 2st Century. New discoveries are found with the cutting edge observatories around the world and new spacecraft that gather the data which astrophysist use to decipher the Universe. And there are plenty of weird stars that tend to break all the conventional theories of physics. Some of the anomalies: Neutron stars. Astrophysicist have a whole bunch of special stars they believe should exist but have not been found, including: Quark Stars, Compact Stars, Preon Stars, Strangelets, Boson Stars, Dark Star and Q Star. It is the subatomic material making up these theoretical stars that make them special. One of the booming areas of astronomy is the discovery of “exoplanets” orbiting nearby stars. They are found by the gravitational tug exerted on the parent star. So far more than 1,000 exoplanets have been discovered orbiting 400 or so stars in our Milky Way. We can assume if there are exoplanets that there are exo-comets and exo-asteroids. And maybe exounknown objects yet to be discovered. So clearly, a star you look at in the night sky is not just a “star,” it is a special place in the Universe in a unique history and possibly planets of its own. And maybe, just maybe, one of those stellar planetary systems may harbor life…
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Celestial events in the skies for the week of Feb. 17th - Feb. 23rd, 2015 as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette. The evening twilight is the site of a spectacular close pass of Venus and Mars, the closest “conjunction” being Feb. 21 when the planets are just the width of the Moon apart. The crescent Moon is in the neighborhood Feb. 20-22, but “Venus and Mars are all right tonight,” so says Paul McCartney in a song. These planets won’t be this close again until Oct. 5, 2017. Use binoculars and compare the brilliant Venus, 200 times brighter than Mars. Though close to each other in Earth’s sky, the planets are on the other side of the Sun from us, second planet Venus is 132 million miles away and fourth planet Mars is way in the distance at 205 million miles.
Shuttle Discovery at 77 in 1986, still the oldest person in space.
Sat. Feb. 21
For the next two days the waxing crescent Moon will be in the border of Pisces the Fishes moving into small Aries the Ram. Both constellations are absent of any bright stars. And the Moon is just above Cetus the Whale, large but indistinct also with no bright stars.
Sun. Feb. 22
Tues. Feb. 17
The Moon is new phase just before midnight tonight. If you could turn the Sun out in the daytime sky, the Moon would be below it. Though invisible to us, the back side of the Moon is not dark, but rather in full phase.
Wed. Feb. 18
On this 1930 date in astronomy history, Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto, then the 9thplanet in the Solar System. When other Pluto-sized objects were found beyond its 4 billion mile distance from the Sun, the International Astronomical Union in 2006 demoted the 9th planet to “dwarf planet” status with the largest asteroid Ceres. Though demoting Pluto has been unpopular, the alternative was adding four or five new planets to the Solar System. This July, we will get our first and only glimpse of the surface of Pluto when NASA’s New Horizon’s spacecraft zooms by after a nineyear journey.
Thurs. Feb. 19
In the north, the “M”-shaped stars of Cassiopeia are high overhead while the Big Dipper begins standing on its handle, a sure sign of the coming spring. Of course between the two is the North Star, Polaris, the last star in the handle of the Little Dipper.
Fri. Feb. 20
The nearly three day old Moon is just two degrees, or four of its diameters, from Venus and Mars. Check every hour and see the Moon move to the left, or eastward in relation to the planets. On this 1962 date in space history, John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth. Glenn, 93, became a US Senator and then flew again in space aboard the Space
Venus, at magnitude minus -4.0, and Mars, +1.3 mag., are less than one-half degree apart. And with the Moon higher above, the celestial scene will be a great photo opportunity as they set against the landscape.
Mon. Feb. 23
The Winter Circle or Octagon of bright stars is plainly visible in moonlight. The First Magnitude stars making up the “asterism” in the sky are the brightest in the constellations Canis Major, Canis Minor, Gemini, Auriga, Taurus and Orion.
Page 16, The Loafer • February 17, 2015
Contra Dance in Jonesborough!
The Historic Jonesborough Dance Society will hold a contra dance on Saturday, February 21, 2015 at the Jonesborough Visitors Center, 117 Boone Street. Admission to the dance is $7, $5 for HJDS members and $5 for full time students. A family package allows parents to bring all of their own children for a total of $15. All dances are smoke and alcohol free. No partner is necessary. Families and children are welcome! A half hour contra dance workshop will be offered at 7pm. Performing for this event will be the band Cailen Campbell and The Pond Brothers from Asheville. The caller is Deanna Palumbo from Atlanta, GA. The dance on will run from 7:30-10:30pm. Deanna Palumbo is a contra, techno and square dance caller from Atlanta, GA, known for her clear, infectious and melodious voice. She has called throughout the Atlanta and surrounding
areas, in demand especially for contra, techno contra and private functions. Cailen Campbell has been thrilling contra dancers all over the
southeast and around the country for over a decade. His innovative, highly improvisational, lyrical fiddling has been heard in numerous acclaimed regional dance
bands, including The Atomic City Rhythm Rascals, The String Beings, The Rocket Boys, The Gypsy Hicks, in addition to a dynamic duo with renowned Asheville area
guitarist and banjo virtuoso David Brown. Campbell recently played with the Greasy Beans on behalf of the North Carolina Dance Theater at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Cailen Campbell has been described as one of the most virtuosic and high-energy fiddlers in the Southeast. As both a dancer and musician he is known for his stunning ability to improvise, cross time signatures and musical genres with ease, and for his brilliant self-expression. Cailen joined David Brown on guitar to play as Contraversial until last year when David became part of the very successful touring band, Rising Appalachia. Last Summer, Campbell joined forces with George and Andy Pond, members of the Snake Oil Medicine Show, to dazzle the dance crowds in the Asheville area with incredible music. The Snake Oil Medicine Show started their bluegrass, hillbilly ragtime bop, reggae and experimental jazz journey in 1995 in the Boone, NC area. For many years, along
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with George’s wife Caroline and an assortment of other musicians, Snake Oil Medicine Show performed all over the world. These days, with small children at home, they are playing local and have found Cailen Campbell to be all about having fun playing for contra dances. Contra dances are community events. At almost any contra you will find people of all ages and all dance skill levels, from young to old, beginner to expert. Contra dancers form a very open and welcoming group of people. You can come alone or with others since it is a tradition to dance with a variety of partners throughout the night. It’s a great way to make friends with someone they haven’t met before. You will find contra dancing a great way to make new friends. For more information, contact event organizer, David Wiley, at 423-534-8879 or visit www.historicjonesboroughdancesociety. org and the Historic Jonesborough Dance Society on FACEBOOK.
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JCCT’S Kicks off its 103rd Season Opening Johnson City Community Theatre’s 103rd season is “Funny Little Thing Called Love” by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, and Jamie Wooten. Showing now thru Feb. 28, Jones Hope Wooten uses four cities around the world to show the good, the bad, and the romantic mayhem that can surround being in love. A slick and successful used-carselling Romeo from Dallas believes he’s answering Cupid’s call, only to realize too late that he’s wandered into a life-changing trap set by three fed-up Juliets. The Hallelujah Girls, a group of fun-loving gals from Georgia, say aloha to their wild sides when they accidentally crash a Hawaiian honeymoon that ends up changing them forever. In London, sparks fly as two strangers connect, only to be thwarted by an attention hogging American tourist and the unpredictable antics of an ancient wait-
ress with a lethal instrument. Midlife crisis hits a man in Manhattan as he tries to battle his way out of an ill-advised and elaborate marriage proposal that accidentally involves a caterer, a singing telegram, his ex-wife and a window visitor from another apartment. Directed by Sabra Hayden, “Funny Little Thing Called Love” enlists a colorful and talented cast starring Rosa Coletti, Angela Dannhardt, Dottie Davis, C.J. Ferguson, Adam Honeycutt, Katy Libby, Dick Lura, Stefani Murphy, and Randy Ward, who all portray multiple characters in the show. Behind the scenes, recent ETSU Honors Theatre graduate and newly appointed JCCT Technical Committee Chair John Kaywood is running the show as stage manager. Also helping out backstage is “Funny Little Thing Called Love,’s” Assistant Director and JCCT VP Montie Stevens, David
box office at (423) 926-2542. Students, seniors, and military are eligible for a discounted ticket price of $12. Doors open 45 minutes prior to performance. Let Jones Hope Wooten delight you with this new-age twist on classic romance, love affairs, and the never-ending roller coaster that comes with finding the love of your life. JCCT’s 2015 Season includes “Funny Little Thing Called Love” by Jones Hope Wooten (Feb 13 28), “Like Kissing Moonlight” by Stacey Bracey (March 27 - April Joyce (Light Tech), Jordan Honeyc- 11), “Rent” by Jonathan Larson utt (Prop Master), Stephanie Mag- (June 12 - 27), “Farce of Nature” by niacotti (Stage Tech), and Curtis Jones Hope Wooten (Aug 14 - 28), Walsh (Sound Tech). “1 Man 2 Guvnors” by Richard “Funny Little Thing Called Bean (Oct. 9 - 24), and “A CharLove” is showing Feb. 13 - 28 at lie Brown Christmas” adapted 7:30 p.m., with matinees on Feb by Eric Schaeffer (Dec. 4 - 19). 22, 28 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $15 For more information regarding and may be purchased by visiting shows and auditions please visit www.jcct.info, or by calling the www.jcct.info.
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Carter Fold presents Appalachian Trail Saturday, February 21st, 2015, at 7:30 p.m., the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert of traditional bluegrass music by Appalachian Trail. Adult admission to the concert is $10, $1 for children 6 to 11, and under age 6 free. Appalachian Trail is a union of seasoned and innovative singers, songwriters, and musicians who are breaking new ground in the bluegrass arena. Ireland, Scotland, England, Russia, Sweden, Canada, Holland, and Switzerland are some of the countries that have hosted the talents of the individuals in this band, as well as coast-to-coast here at home. Formed in 1984, the band combines strong lead vocals, tight harmonies, and distinctive picking. Tommy Austin is no stranger to the bluegrass community. He started playing guitar and singing with his mother in church growing up in Fall Branch, Tennessee. After hearing Jim McCamey play, he moved to the mandolin when he became interested in the bluegrass sound. Through the years, he has played in several bands including the Horsecreek Mountain Boys, Clear Creek, the Rising Wind, Limited Edition, Tennessee Skyline, and the Hopsons. Currently he sings lead and harmony, plays mandolin, and shares the songwriting and arranging with the other members of Appalachian Trail. Vickie Austin began singing at an early age with her dad in church. At age 13, she was given an old upright piano for her birthday. She sang with her sister for many years and eventually discovered a love for the bluegrass sound. Vickie sang and played bass for Twin Springs Bluegrass Band and eventually joined her husband in Appalachian Trail. She developed an extensive vocal range and honed her skills on the upright bass. Vickie plays bass for the group and sings lead and harmony vocals. Allen Hughes has played guitar with Appalachian Trail for six years. A life-long love of music became apparent to his family, when, at the age of four, he declared he wanted to be “Johnny Cash” when he grew up. Traditional country, especially Merle Haggard, has been a big influence to him. As a teenager, he was introduced to, and took lessons from G.C.
Matlock in Jonesborough, Tennessee. Soon after, he played with several friends from college in the band Blue Ridge Tradition. While playing jams at festivals, the back room of the Down Home, the Chuck Trading Post, and the Rheatown Store, he met his friend and band mate, Tommy Austin. Their first musical experience began in the late eighties in the band, the Rising Wind. Their friendship and music has grown over 25 years. He lends his vocals to several songs on lead, baritone, and bass. His distinctive style sets him apart from most guitar players. Glen Rose has been playing the banjo since the age of 10 and was inspired by his cousin Buddy Rose who gave him lessons. Other influences include Earl Scruggs, J.D. Crowe, Carl Jackson, and countless others. Glen has played with several groups through the years and at an early age of 14, Glen and his brother John performed as special guests of Lester Flatt on the Grand Ole Opry. He has been a part of the ETSU Bluegrass Band while working on his BS degree in computer science. He has appeared on several albums over the years and has his own solo banjo instrumental album. In his spare time, Glen teaches guitar and banjo. For some of the best traditional bluegrass music around, don’t miss Appalachian Trail at the Carter Family Fold! For additional information on the group, check out their web site – http://www.appygrass.com/. Vickie has been playing on the Carter Fold stage since she was a little girl, and Appalachian Trail has performed many times over the years. The Fold is always proud to welcome them back. Carter Family Memorial Music Center, Incorporated, is a nonprofit, rural arts organization established to preserve traditional, acoustic, mountain music. For further information on the center, go to http://www. carterfamilyfold.org. Carter Music Center is part of the Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail. You can visit the Crooked Road Music Trail site at http://thecrookedroad. org. Partial funding for programs at the center is provided by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. For recorded information on shows coming up at the Fold, call 276-386-6054.
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Screen Scenes ..... Continued from page 4 Best Supporting Actor:
In Theaters Now American Sniper (2014)
Robert Duvall (“The Judge”) Ethan Hawke (“Boyhood”) Edward Norton (“Birdman”) Mark Ruffalo (“Foxcatcher”) J.K. Simmons (“Whiplash”) My Winner: Edward Norton. For most in the media, Simmons is the front runner, but I will pick Norton in an upset.
Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle’s pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. Back home to his wife and kids after four tours of duty, however, Chris finds that it is the war he can’t leave behind.
Paddington (2014)
Best Animated Feature:
“Big Hero 6” “The Boxtrolls” “How to Train Your Dragon 2” “Song of the Sea” “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya” My winner: “The Boxtrolls” was simply one of the most creative and clever animated films of the year. There you have it, my choices for the major categories for the 2015 Oscars. See you on the Red Carpet!
Box Office Top 10 a younger man who has recently moved in across the street from her, but their torrid affair soon takes a dangerous turn.
pursued, Mills brings out his particular set of skills to find the true killer and clear his name.
Two weeks shy of his wedding, a socially awkward guy enters into a charade by hiring the owner of a company that provides best men for grooms in need.
and their misadventures sparked by the battle over a powerful potion.
Strange Magic (2015) The Wedding Ringer (2015) Goblins, elves, fairies and imps,
A young Peruvian bear travels to London in search of a home. Finding himself lost and alone at The Imitation Game (2014) Paddington Station, he meets the During World War II, mathematikindly Brown family, who offer cian Alan Turing tries to crack the enigma code with help from felhim a temporary haven. low mathematicians.
Project Almanac (2014)
A group of teens discover secret Taken 3 (2014) plans of a time machine, and con- Ex-government operative Bryan struct one. However, things start Mills is accused of a ruthless murder he never committed or to get out of control. witnessed. As he is tracked and
Black or White (2014)
A grieving widower is drawn into a custody battle over his granddaughter, whom he helped raise her entire life.
The Boy Next Door (2015)
A newly divorced woman falls for
The Loft (2014)
Five married guys conspire to secretly share a penthouse loft in the city--a place where they can carry out hidden affairs and indulge in their deepest fantasies. But the fantasy becomes a nightmare when they discover the dead body of an unknown woman in the loft, and they realize one of the group must be involved.
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Dear Mr. West
I’ve no doubt that many of you have read the remarks that Kayne West made last week, in which he
craftsmanship, he should give back his 2003 ETSU Journalism Award.” It seems that Mr. West feels that I am not truly deserving of this award, and that it should have gone to the person widely considered to be the Beyonce of the Tri-Cities, the Johnson City Honda guy. I can’t imagine what has caused Mr. West to believe that I don’t deserve my hard earned awards. Lately it seems that Mr. West is a one man Beyonce promotional train, this is where I could find declared that, and this is a direct some small form of umbrage. In quote from BuzzFeed: “If Andy 2013, I did write an essay for EsRoss cares about true artistry and quire that was titled “Here’s 900
Reasons Why I’m More Fierce Than Beyonce.” There was some controversy over that essay. Beyonce wasn’t pleased, and neither was those jerks on Access Hollywood. In time Beyonce and I made amends, it all began with a phone call from my girl Taylor Swift, who connected me with Queen B. We got together at a secret meeting at the Huddle House, and worked it all out. This followed with Taylor Swift and I dating for a while. It was all well and good, but we broke up. I wrote a column about her, and she wrote a song about me. I’m still a little hurt she called the song “Sad Crying Fat Man.” I felt that all of my dealings with Beyonce were far behind me, yet it seems it has appeared again with a few words from Kayne West from last week. Naturally, people have certain expectations to see my response. Let me begin by reassuring everyone that I have absolutely no intentions to give up my ETSU award from 2003. It sits
proudly on my award shelf, next to my other trophies, and a bobble head of Adam West as Batman just to keep things from looking too normal. So for those of you on Twitter who created the Andyhive, have no fear, that award isn’t going back anytime soon. Keep in mind as well that I’m not the only one who came under attack last week. Mr. West took shots at Beck, and also tweeted some unfortunate statements about Bath Fitter. Being the mysterious, aloof, writer type that I am, all the new publicity was a little unwelcome. Anytime I have to actually leave my home and make contact with the outside world is terrifying. Thankfully, Team Andy all made this a very easy ordeal. That’s all I have to say about this topic, I’ve gotta go now and get back to doing the thing that I do best. Polishing my many wrestling trophies from my glories days in high school. Keep reaching for the stars, kids. See you next week.
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Buttered Coffee and Snail Facials: Illusions (and Delusions) of Staying Healthy in 2015 In my quest to discover what might emerge as the “next big thing” this year, I have discovered some interesting, if slightly bizarre, health trends. This year promises to be one focused on health, with all the various health tracking devices and “Internet of Things” healthmonitoring gadgets we’re beginning to see attached to more and more bodies. Never mind that these devices are not so much for the customer as they are for the “big data” collectors that use all this information to adjust our insurance rates and pharmaceutical bills. In any event, we will no doubt be very busy trying to keep up with all this health-conscious stuff, proving once again that there’s never a dull moment in the wonderful world of pop culture. While perusing my Huntington Post app a few days ago I came across a fascinating little piece by Leigh Weingus, “Everything You Need To Know About 2015’s Weirdest And Wackiest Health Trends.” Sounds like something from the front cover of National Enquirer, doesn’t it? Actually, what you’re about to read is all too true, facts being stranger than fiction and all that. So, start preparing to become a healthier person this year. Let’s start with buttered coffee. Flashback to “Hot Buttered Soul,” Isaac Hayes’ now-iconic make-out album from the early Seventies, and still a must-have for your collection (warning: don’t ever try listening to this before the sun goes down). The recipe for buttered coffee (in addition to butter, don’t forget the MCT oil) comes from Bulletproof Coffee entrepreneur Dave Asprey, who advises us to add two tablespoons of unsalted butter to our cup of morning java. Actually, he would rather you purchase a cup of this stuff from his Bulletproof Coffee Shop, although you can’t do that until he opens the first one in LA later
To get the taste of wheatgrass out of your mouth, try swishing a little coconut oil around for 20 or so minutes. Yes, that is the basis of another new trend—Oil Pulling— which does indeed involve all that swishing. Just like the aforementioned health-related activities, the jury is still out in the medical and nutritional communities about any benefits accompanying coconut oil this year. Apparently this little 450 calorie concoction leads to “mind clarity and a bit of pep” (according to celebrity coffee expert Gwyneth Paltrow). Others will no doubt disagree. If hot buttered coffee is not your cup of tea, maybe you will find cricket flour just the thing for your wellness program. Yes, we’re talking about ground up crickets that provide you with, according to Weingus, “iron, B12, protein and . . . nearly as much calcium as a glass of milk.” Who can resist such a potent blend of healthy ingredients? Guess we should be on the lookout for boxes of “Cricket Flour Helper” on our grocery shelves in the near future. Yummy. But I’m sure there will be some controversy about the deplorable conditions that exist on cricket farms. If you get creeped out by the prospect of ingesting cricket flour, maybe you will warm up to the idea of snails crawling across your face. According to Weingus, more and more people are “letting snails slither all over their faces for 45 minutes while the snails’ 14,000 tiny teeth produce a small scratching sensation all over the face.” And why would anyone want this to happen to their face? Well, it probably has to do with the fact that snail mucus harbors a host of vital nutrients and antioxidants that “contribute to a youthful visage.” Needless to say, the jury is still out in the dermatological community
about the benefits or the safety of facial snails. Just wait till the Kardashians endorse this treatment, however, and we won’t care what the dermatologists say. Leave it to health enthusiasts to take all the fun out of life’s little pleasures, like morning-after hangovers for instance. To avoid this unpleasant, toilet-hugging, and all-too-common experience, we are urged to plan “sober raves,” the preferred term for early morning (i.e. 7 a.m.) parties that are devoid of alcoholic beverages. Instead of all those margaritas, you can enjoy the benefits of “coffee and wheatgrass drinks.” Just don’t forget to include a stick of butter in your coffee and a dash of cricket flour in your wheatgrass. These sober raves also substitute fitness workouts for all that wild and crazy dancing that characterize the typical late night not-sosober raves. And we won’t even go into the types of music you might encounter at a sober rave.
swishing. Silly fad or honest-togoodness healthy thing to do? You be the judge. If “The Graduate” were being remade today, young Benjamin Braddock might be told that instead of “plastics” he should think about “bone broth.” Yes, good old bone broth. The bone in question can come from chicken, fish, or beef, and needs to be boiled “anywhere from four to 48 hours” in order for the magic to work. Bone broth apparently is good for your hair, digestion, and aching joints. All of a sudden my painful joints feel much better at the mere thought of drinking bone broth. Just doesn’t seem worth it somehow. When I was a youngster, my generation was told that using charcoal to cook our backyard picnic delicacies might cause cancer (of course, “back in the day” nearly everything—including Communism— could cause cancer). Now, we are being told that charcoal, more spe-
cifically activated charcoal, is good for you. In liquid or capsule form, activated charcoal is being used to detox our systems, purging them of the negative results of drinking or eating too much. Sounds like just the thing to include on sober rave hors d’oeuvres platters. Our last two health-obsessed trends are custom made for outdoors and back-to-nature aficionados. The first one—the Crossfit Vacation—is designed for those people who don’t get enough punishment at work and want to intensify it while on vacation. These adventurous—and way-too-serious—souls can choose a variety of crossfit retreats, cruises, tours, and get-aways to satisfy their need for pain and abuse. Our second offering is closely related to this crossfit nonsense, and reminds me of the way-too-common “get-in-touchwith-your-feelings” hoopla that plagued the Seventies. In its modern form, this is called “Rewilding” and is based on a program founded by Daniel Vitalis (if that really is his name and not the name of a oncepopular hair grease product) and designed to help us get “back in touch with our ‘caveman’ sides.” Doesn’t sound very appealing to me; in fact, it sounds downright dangerous. I see enough cavemen in my regular life and really don’t need to spend big bucks to see more out among trees and bushes. The idea of getting back to nature has always been a platform for con artists and snake-oil salesmen, and this rewilding thing doesn’t appear to be much different. But time will tell. If you decide to go on one of these cavemanish wilding retreats, be sure to give me a blow-by-blow account of how it changed your life. Don’t forget to download your Rewilding App before embarking on your adventure. For some reason, I feel much healthier now that I’ve written about all this new stuff. Hope you do too. See you next week, if I can manage to scrape these darn snails off my face.
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