9
“Freedom Anthem” at LampLight Theatre
15
Arts In The Park Artists’ Deadline
...plus so much more
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June 30, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 3
Volume 29 • Issue #30
Have a Safe and Happy 4th!
Publisher Luci Tate Editor Graphic Arts Director Don Sprinkle Office Manager Luci Tate Cover Design Bill May Advertising Dave Carter Elaine Farris Terry Patterson Lori Hughes Contributing Staff Jim Kelly Andy Ross Ken Silvers Mark Marquette Brian McManus Joshua Hicks Karie Grace Duncan Brian Bishop Published by Pulse Publishing, LLC., P.O. Box 3238, Johnson City, TN 37602 Phone: 423/283-4324 FAX - 423/283-4369 www.theloaferonline.com info@theloaferonline.com e-mail: editorial@theloaferonline.com (editorial) adcopy@theloaferonline.com (advertising) All advertisements are accepted and published by the publisher upon the representation that the agency and/or advertiser is authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof. The agency and/or advertiser will indemnify and save the publisher harmless from any loss of expense resulting from claims or suits based upon contents of any advertisement, including claims or suits for defamation, libel, right of privacy, plagiarism, and copyright infringement.
Founder: Bill Williams
happenings 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 12 13 14 18 22 26
4th of July Events “An Old Fashioned Independence Day” “From an African American Perspective” Jonesborough Days Festival Entertainment Lineup Pepper Eating Contest A Comical Play Within A Play at Barter Hands ON! July Events Town and Cemetery Tours Auditions for “Charlotte’s Web” Fossil and Artifact ID Night Rockin’ 4th at Serenity Knoll Farm Fiddlin’ Carson Peters Band at Carter Family Fold Tales from the Rain Forest
music & fun 16 28
Spotlight - Great Music & Fun Times Crossword & Sudoku
19 20 21 23 24 27 29 30
Batteries Not Included - “Ejector Seat” Stargazer - Hop on “Starship Q” For A Solar System Ride Skies This Week She Does It Herself - Patriotic Wreath Screen Scenes - “Jaws” The Trivial Traveler - “A Ghost Town in Happy Valley” Lock, Stock & Barrel - Pocket Pistol Showdown: Taurus TCP Kelly’s Place - What Is Your XQ?
columns & reviews
Page 4 | The Loafer | June 30, 2015
30th Annual Pepsi Independence Day Celebration & Fireworks Presented by Food City • Saturday, July 4th, 2015
Pepsi Beverages Company of Johnson City and the City of Johnson City will sponsor the 30th Annual Independence Day Fireworks Celebration on the grounds of Freedom Hall Civic Center on Saturday, July 4th. Everyone is invited to join in the festivities. Since several thousand people attend the event each year, an early arrival is strongly encouraged. There will not be a rain date for this event. The fireworks time could be delayed if there is inclement weather that evening. Visitors will be moved inside the Freedom Hall arena in the event of severe weather.
The following schedule* may be useful in planning your evening: 4:00- 8:15 p.m PARK & RIDE - FREE Johnson City Transit bus service begins from East Tennessee State University (corner of State of Franklin and University Parkway) and Winged Deer Park Complex parking lots 5:00 p.m. Food service begins, craft booths open, children’s games start NOTE: Only Authorized Food/Craft Vendors will be allowed 5:00- 5:45 p.m. Brad Puckett 5:00- 7:00 p.m. On-site registration for a chance to win prizes:
GRAND PRIZE - 2015 Chevrolet Colorado Extended Cab truck from Pepsi, presented by Food City, sponsored by Champion Chevrolet / Cadillac
Dixie Stampede/HearthSide Cabins - Super Pack Getaway (4) tickets to Dixie Stampede 2 night stay Hearthside Cabins (4) tickets to Wilderness water park August Race Weekend at BMS (2) tickets to Food City 300 (2) tickets to Irwin Tools Night Race 6:00 – 6:45 p.m. Jimbo Whaley and Greenbriar
7:00- 7:45 p.m. Grant Meredith 8:00- 8:10 p.m. Tribute to our Military including Color Guard Patriotic songs by local T.R. Dunn & Miss Historic Jonesborough Hannah Everhart Pledge of Allegiance lead by Miss Johnson City Kayla Neikirk 8:15- 9:15 p.m. Haley & Michaels 8:15 p.m. PARK & RIDE Last bus shuttle departs from ETSU and Winged Deer Park 9:20-9:35 p.m. Prize drawings on stage 9:40- 9:45 p.m. Tribute to all Armed Forces honoring military Fallen Heroes and recognition of
military Survivors and Gold Star families Patriotic Songs by Lightnin’ Charlie 9:50 p.m. Welcome by Johnson City Commissioner and WXBQ musical introduction for fireworks 9:55-10:15 p.m. Fireworks by Pyro Shows of Lafollette, TN, Live remote of event by WJHLTV News Channel 11 with WXBQ 96.9 FM broadcasting of fireworks music 10:20-11:00 p.m. Entertainment resumes on stage – Brad Puckett. For complete schedule visit: www.pepsi-fireworks.com
45th Annual Jonesborough Days Festival July 2 – 4
Historic Jonesborough, Tennessee’s Oldest Town, will celebrate the 45th annual Jonesborough Days Festival on July 2 through 4 with family activities, regional music, parade, fireworks and storytelling! The 2015 Jonesborough Days Festival will begin Thursday, July 2 at 5 p.m. and continue through Saturday July 4. The annual fireworks show will take place on Friday, July 3 at 10 p.m. and the parade will take place on Saturday, July 4 at 10 a.m. Festival hours include Thursday, July 2 from 5 to 10 p.m., Friday, July 3 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
and Saturday, July 4 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Admission to the festival is free and open to the public. The annual festival fundraiser Kick-Off Dinner sponsored by Food City will be held Thursday, July 2 starting at 5 p.m. at the International Storytelling Center. Tickets are $12, and can be purchased by calling 423.753.1010. This year’s dinner will feature a low country shrimp boil with entertainment provided by the Jonesborough Novelty Band. The festival has been voted as one of the top events in the southeast and is known for its entertainment and nostalgic atmosphere.
Various entertainment and activities will take place throughout the historic district on all three days. Doc’s Front Porch sponsored by Ferguson Enterprises will feature a variety of storytellers and musicians on the plaza at the International Storytelling Center. The Main Stage will also feature entertainment each evening from 7 to 10 p.m. including The Beach Nite Band on Thursday, My New Favorites on Friday and The Wannabeatles on Saturday. The Crafter’s Area will host nearly 70 vendors open during the festival, showcasing local handmade items and a variety of marketplace items.
Other popular attractions during the Jonesborough Day’s Festival include the First Tennessee Children’s Area, a People’s Choice Art Walk, Flag Celebration, The 1940s USO Show, several fun eat-
ing contests and more. For a complete event schedule or for more information on the 45th Annual Jonesborough Days Festival, call 423.753.1010 or visit Jonesborough Days on Facebook.
Abingdon gets patriotic with annual Red, White and Beach Party concert In celebration of Independence Day, Abingdon Main Street will host the sixth annual Red, White and Beach Party on Friday, July 3, 2015, featuring the legendary beach music sound of Band of Oz. The concert, sponsored by First Community Bank, will be held from 6 - 9 p.m., at the Abingdon Market Pavilion in downtown Abingdon. Formed in 1967, the eight-piece Band of Oz brings an easy listen-
ing beach sound to stages across the south. Featuring a full horn section, the band performs well over two hundred show per year and is regarded as the premiere beach music sound in the US. The event is free to the public, but donations are welcome. Food vendors and an adult beverage garden will be available. Once again, the Abingdon Fire Department will be present to display a U. S. flag from their tower truck.
Attendees should bring blankets and chairs and feel free to dress in patriotic attire. Shaggin’ shoes will be most appropriate for this family-friendly event. Abingdon Main Street is a designated Virginia Main Street program committed to the vitality of Abingdon’s downtown district. For more information, call 276676-2282 or visit www.abingdonmainstreet.com
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Rocky Mount Museum’s “An Old Fashioned Independence Day”
Rocky Mount will be celebrating our nation’s independence the way it was celebrated in the 1700s. At 1:00 PM on Saturday, 4th of July, there will be a ceremonial reading of the Declaration of Independence. Following, the militia will shoot a volley using 18th century style flintlock muskets and rifles. Throughout the day visitors will be asked to tie a ribbon on the “Liberty Tree”. Quill Pen writing demonstrations will be also given, with hand carved quills available for $3. Visitors will receive a complementary copy of the Declaration of Independence. There is no admission charge for the ceremony. In addition, Living History Tours will be given from 11:00-5:00 with the last tour starting at 4:00. Regular Admission prices apply: $8.00 for adults, $7.00 for seniors, and $5.00 for children aged 5 and over. All Rocky Mount Historical Association discounts apply. Historically, starting in 1777 -one year after the Declaration of Independence was signed, Americans started celebrating the Fourth of July. Parades, fireworks, firing of guns, ringing of bells, decorating with patriotic colors, food and
toasts were all parts of the first celebrations. Before and during the American Revolution, the Sons of Liberty met under an elm tree
their views. News spread of the Boston Liberty Tree throughout the colonies and many towns established their own Sons of Liberty and Liberty trees. During the British occupation of Boston, British soldiers cut down the Liberty Tree and used it as firewood, knowing it to be a symbol for the patriots. The Liberty Tree was included on many of the first American flags used during the Revolution. Rocky Mount will honor the Liberty Trees and the Sons of Liberty by inviting visitors to tie a ribbon to Rocky Mount’s designated Liberty Tree. For more information call (423) 538-7396 or 888-538-1791. Rocky Mount State Historic Site is a “living history” museum, which uses first-person interpretation to portray people living in 1791. Rocky Mount is open for tours Tuesday throughSaturday from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm. Living History tours and the facility are available by reservation at any time, including Sundays and Monin Boston, which they named the days for school and other groups, “Liberty Tree.” They protested with advance reservations. For British Policy, hung banners and more information, call (423) 538lanterns, and assembled to express 7396 or visit our website at www.
rockymountmuseum.com.. Rocky Mount is a Tennessee State Historic Site administered cooperatively by the Rocky Mount Historical Association and the Tennessee Historical Commission.
The summer heat can easily drain us of energy, so many of us are looking for more. Our energy is the result of metabolic processes in the mitochondria of our cells which depend on Vitamin B12 as a catalyst. Also essential for cellular repair, nerve function and red blood cell formation, B12 is often deficient due to poor absorption, especially in those of us over 40. Also linked to loss of appetite, neuropathy, muscle weakness and brain fog, a B-12 deficiency can be overcome with the use of Methylcobalamin, a form of B12 in an easily dissolvable tiny “microlingual” tablet. Because it dissolves in the mouth, bypasses the gut and goes directly into the blood stream, it’s more readily assimilated. Studies confirm that since the Methylcobalamin form of Vitamin B12 crosses the bloodbrain barrier, it can better protect brain cell neurotransmitters, improve nerve function, increase energy production and reduce muscle degeneration. As always we guarantee your satisfaction. Locally Owned for 34 Years
Page 6 | The Loafer | June 30, 2015
ETSU’s Reece Museum presents ‘From an African American Perspective’ East Tennessee State University’s Reece Museum has announced a summer exhibition titled “From an African American Perspective” on display now to Aug. 14. The exhibition of 76 works was curated by the late Sammie L. Nicely and features works from his collection, as well as the collections of Jan and Sylvia Peters and Dr. Jerome W. Wright. Last year, Martha Alfonso, a long-time Johnson City supporter of the visual arts, had the idea of placing a visual artist in a Johnson City public school. Alfonso asked community supporters to contribute financially so that artist Sammie Nicely could serve for a semester as the artist-in-residence at the Reece Museum, and in that capacity, work at North Side Elementary School and in the afterschool program at Johnson City’s Carver Recreation Center. In his role as artist-in-residence, Nicely selected three artworks from the Reece Museum Collection to use in second-, third-, and fourth-grade classrooms at North Side and Carver. Over the fall of 2014, showing one selected museum artwork at a time, Nicely encouraged students to respond to what they saw by creating their own works of art. The Reece Museum displayed all 185 works in an exhibition entitled EXUBERANCE! Kids Make Art about Art. The museum also held a special
evening reception for the students and their families in late-March of this year. Additionally, as part of the understanding between the Reece Museum and Nicely, he agreed to curate a summer 2015 Reece Museum exhibit titled “From an African American Perspective.’ A softbound 32-page catalogue accompanies the exhibition. That catalogue includes an essay by Los Angeles collector Dr. Barbara Lang
as well as essays by the three collection contributors to the exhibition. The exhibition draws on both African and African American works, and includes paintings, sculptures and statuary, blown and stained glass, enamels, basketry, dolls, photographs, pottery, masks and furniture. A panel discussion/opening reception had been planned for early June, but quite unexpectedly Nicely became ill. After a brief stay at the Morristown-Hamblen Healthcare System, he passed away, or using the term he preferred, “transitioned,” on Saturday, May 23, 2015. Nicely leaves behind a legacy of love for life and art. According to the Reece Museum’s interim director, Randy Sanders, “We are honored to host the final show Mr. Nicely curated, and are especially thankful that his last artist-in-residency was in Johnson City. He was, and in our hearts is, a great man.” An opening reception/celebration of Nicely’s life will take place in the Reece Museum on Saturday, July 18, 4-6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. For more information call the Reece Museum at (423) 439-4392.
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June 30, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 7
Jonesborough Days Festival Entertainment Lineup Jonesborough Days is just around the corner and we are excited to announce our Main Stage entertainment schedule including Carolina beach music, strong mountain songwriters, rhythm and a “British Invasion” July 2 - 4. The festival officially kicks off at 5 p.m. on Thursday, July 2 and entertainment on The Main Stage will begin at 7 p.m. immediately following the Jonesborough Days Kick-Off Dinner. After the dinner, check out the Main Stage with the return of a few familiar faces to the Jonesborough Days activities. Formally known as the Collegians, the Beach Nite Band combines a summer feel to popular R&B, soul, disco blues, clas-
My New Favorites
The Beach Nite Band
sic pop and boogie music guaranteed to appeal to all ages. The Beach Nite Band, well known for their “Carolina Beach Music,” also offers a wide variety of music styles for dancing and listening, along with comedic showmanship from members Donnie Hagy, Ron McCall, Deaton Jones and Steve Mattox. JP Parsons and The American Bandwagon opens the Main Stage on Friday, July 3 at 6 p.m. The band combines an eclectic mixture of multi-instrumentalists from The Birthplace of Country Music’s historic musical culture. Members include JP Parsons, Quentin Horton, Matt Osborne, Scott Thomas and Evie Andrus. My New Favorites then takes the stage on Friday, July 3 at 8 p.m. Eclectic in all things, they combine musical styles without fear and serve up high energy at every show. Members include Linda Waltner, Amy Benedict, Jeff Benedict, Tracy Johnson and Rob Chitum. Stick around after the concert, because the Jonesborough Days Festival presents
its annual fireworks show seen throughout town beginning at 10 p.m. on Saturday, July 3. The JV Squad opens the Main Stage on Saturday, July 4 at 6 p.m. The JV Squad is old-school soul and rhythm & blues, with a smidge of southern accents thrown in for good measure. This is Mountain Soul. Members include Jared Bentley, Vanessa Bentley, Rob Russell, Jerry Henninger, Lance McCloud and Mike Sams. Returning to Jonesborough and headlining the Main Stage on Saturday, July 4 at 8 p.m. are The WannaBeatles. The WannaBeatles consist of award winning and talented music producers, arrangers, studio players and singers who have “Come Together” to play the music they grew up with. Members include Nathan Burbank, Bryan Cumming, Dennis Scott and David Toledo. For more information about the 2015 Jonesborough Days Festival, visit Jonesborough Days on Facebook or call 423-753-1010.
My WannaBeatles
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World Record Holder to Host Jonesborough Days Pepper Eating Contest The Jonesborough Days Pepper Eating Contest will have a special guest this year. The current world record holder for eating the most ghost peppers is set to make an appearance as host of the Pepper Eating Contest sponsored by Holy Taco Cantina, taking place on Friday, July 3 at 5 p.m. Taking the title in 2013 with the Guinness Book of World Records, dentist Jason McNabb of Shively, KY. consumed nearly 15 ghost peppers in two minutes in 2013. The 36-year-old built up a tolerance in preparations for taking on the world record title, a taste that isn’t necessarily always acquired. The Jonesborough Days Pepper
Eating Contest consists of at least five levels, as contestants build up to the final round consisting of the “too hot to handle” ghost pepper chili, Trinidad Scorpion or the Carolina Reaper. The contest begins with the jalapeno pepper, often considered spicy for the average pepper consumer. According to Jeff Stratton, of the former Chapo’s Chili Patch, the ghost pepper is one of the hottest peppers in the world. It is the first pepper to scientifically test over 1 million scovilles, the scale used to measure of the pungency (spicy heat) of chili pepper. The Trinidad Scorpion and the Carolina Reaper are both considered hotter than
the ghost pepper. This year, the hottest peppers will be shipped in from Florida, due to the bone curling pepper’s regimented growing schedule. Now in its fourth year, the Pepper Eating Contest continues to draw contestants and large crowds from Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina. And, each year, the stakes continue to increase with the 2014 champion consuming three ghost peppers to knock out the competition. The 2015 Jonesborough Days Pepper Eating Contest will take place on Friday, July 3 at 5 p.m. in front of the downtown Courthouse, hosted by Guinness World Record Holder Jason McNabb. For information, or to register as a contestant, visit the Jonesborough Visitors Center by July 3 at 2 p.m. A maximum of eight contestants will be accepted with a $2 fee and signed waivers.
Computer Classes @ The Jonesborough Library
The Jonesborough Library will offer a series of free computer classes: July10, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Fix a Slow Computer Is your computer running slower than it did when you first got it? Learn a few simple things to help refresh it. July 17, 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. – Meet the Computer Find out what makes up a computer, and what you need and do not need to have. Learn the basic terminology of computers. Discover the different types of computers. July 24, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Set Up a New Computer Learn what it takes to set up a new computer and all the free programs that can help make your computer experience more enjoyable. Our classes will be taught by Dr. Jim Pohle. Dr. Jim has taught computer classes at three colleges, as well as teaching personal classes and various business venues. These classes are free and open to the public. Space is limited and registration is required. To register, please call the Jonesborough library at 753-1800. This project is funded under an agreement with the Department of State, Tennessee State Library and Archives
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“Freedom’s Anthem” Rings True at LampLight Theatre
The 11th Annual Americana Production!
Hear the song of America resonate throughout LampLight Theatre’s 11th Annual Americana production, Freedom’s Anthem! Feel the spirit of freedom infuse the room in this musical presentation of our freedom, liberty, and faith! Freedom’s Anthem premieres this summer in Downtown Kingsport and will honor those who have served or are currently serving our country, providing for the freedoms that we enjoy. A NEW production to the LampLight stage, Freedom’s Anthem exhibits a plethora of favorite musical classics, dance, and visual arts, including a time to honor members of all branches of the armed forces. We will celebrate our heritage here in the South with a “Yee-Haw” and an “Amen” in our “Southern Salute”. Our own “Flo Rakestraw” brings her crazy antics to the stage along with Charlie, cousin to Foggy Valley’s Otis Purdy, and Mickey & Macy,
the dynamic Spartan Cheerleader duo. Join Billy Wayne and a multitalented cast of singers, musicians, comedians, and dancers as they commemorate the heritage of our nation! Performances of Freedom’s Anthem will be July 3rd – 19th: Wednesdays – Saturdays at 7:00 pm with additional Matinees Saturdays at 2:00 pm and Sundays at 3:00 pm. Exceptions: No performances on July 4th. Admission is a Suggested Donation of $10 for adults, $5 for students, and FREE for children 5 and under. Doors will open one hour prior to all performances. A love offering will be taken at each performance. In appreciation to all veterans, active duty & reserve military, policemen, and firemen, we will offer FREE admission to any performance. A Backpack and School Supplies Drive will be held during the duration of the Patriotic Tribute
to support underprivileged students in our area, for the coming school year. For any school supplies donated, you will receive one complimentary ticket to any 2015
season show. Thank you for your support! For reservations and more information, please contact the LampLight box office at 423-
343-1766, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or visit us online at www.LampLightTheatre.com.
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Newest Barter Production Is A Comical Play Within A Play Beginning July 1, Barter Theatre will present “The Understudy;” Set in a present day theatre, “The Understudy” features two actors and a stage manager who just can’t get along. “The Understudy” is a hysterically insightful comedy which seeks to pull back the curtain and look a little too closely at what goes on backstage to make a Broadway play come to life. Personal and professional collide when Roxanne, a lovesick stage manager, is forced to work with Harry, her ex-fiancé, who feels he is an under-appreciated understudy. Harry is the understudy for Jake, an overpaid action movie star who doesn’t even understand the role he is performing. But the show must go on…if it can. With an unreliable soundboard operator and displeased producers, Roxanne’s show may exit stage left before it has even seen the spotlight. Will the show ever open? Will Roxanne let go and give in to her feelings? Will Harry and Jake find common ground before it’s too late? Critically acclaimed playwright Theresa Rebeck, who authored “The Understudy,” is a widely produced playwright throughout the United States and abroad. Rebeck has written more than a dozen popular plays. She has also written and produced for many hit televisions shows. One of her latest works is the hit NBC series “Smash,” which she created. “Smash,” is a musical drama that celebrates the beauty and heartbreak of the Broadway Theater, following a group of dreamers and schemers who all have the desire to be a “Smash.” “The Understudy” is a humanistic look at people who are just trying to do what they love, in spite of the obstacles they face. Artistic Director Richard Rose is directing the show and says, “Rebeck has created true characters who struggle to find another fellow traveler that can successfully accompany them on the pilgrimage for salvation on this path we call life.” “The Understudy” features As-
Poster image for “The Understudy” designed by Justin Slone
sociate Artistic Director Nicholas Piper as Harry, the understudy. Audiences may recognize Piper from his role as Sherlock in “Sherlock Holmes & the Hound of the Baskervilles” or as Fred from “A Modern Christmas Carol.” Andrew Hampton Livingston of “Mary’s Wedding,” “Southern Fried Nuptials,” and “Love, Sex, and the I.R.S.” will play Jake, the action movie star. Carrie Smith Lewis will complete the cast as Stage Manager
Roxanne. Lewis has been a staple of the Barter Resident Acting Company playing roles like Harline Frye in “Southern Fried Nuptials” and Annie Sullivan in “The Miracle Worker.” “The Understudy” is made possible by corporate sponsor Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center. Barter Theatre is funded in part by The Virginia Commission for the Arts and The National Endowment for the Arts.
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All Month Long
Traveling Exhibit, Our Body: The Universe Within The world-renowned exhibition, “Our Body: The Universe Within” is a limited-time, artful presentation consisting of actual human bodies and organs. The display, which has been seen by millions in select cities, literally goes “under the skin”, revealing the mysteries of the human anatomy. The bodies, specimens and organs have been preserved using a process known as polymer impregnation so they can be viewed in a dignified, educational way. As guests enter the exhibit, they will have the opportunity to examine the human body as a whole. Continuing throughout the exhibit, they will journey through each of the body’s major systems seeing first hand how they function and relate to other systems as they view actual human bodies and specimens, see bones, blood vessels, nerves, muscles, hearts, livers...all of the human organs. This extraordinary exhibition, appropriate for all ages, was designed to educate, enlighten, and allow all who attend to understand the complexities of our bodies and has only been available in major cities within the U.S. and abroad. Our Body: The Universe Within and Hands On! Museum will have separate entrances. Guests may choose to visit one or both. For ticket and other information, visit http://handsonmuseum.org.
Monday, June 29th - Sunday, July 12th - Boom, Pop, Crackle, Fizz!
Celebrating Independence Day is going to be a blast as we discover density, color mixing, air pressure and more. Create liquid “fireworks” with common house-
July Calendar of Events hold items, send seltzer rockets flying into the air, and watch our famous potato launcher send potato pieces flying into the air! The Eastman Discovery Lab will be open by announcement periodically throughout each day.
the sciences, arts, and more in our week long summer camps that are sure to make learning memorable, exciting, and most of all-FUN! Visit http://handsonmuseum. org/play-learn/summer-camps/ for all of the fun details!
Monday, July 13th - Sunday, Monday, July 27, 10:00 am Hands On! August 2nd - Magnet Magic Discover how magnets work, Summer Golf Classic were they come from, and why Earth is considered a giant magnet. Test various items for magnetism, find out why some cereal is magnificent, and even help make an electromagnet. The Eastman Discovery Lab will be open by announcement periodically throughout each day. (***Please note that this program contains neodymium magnets which may inhibit the proper function of pacemakers or insulin pumps and may also affect individuals with a nickel allergy.)
Join us for this year’s Summer Golf Classic at the Johnson City Country Club. Adults are $100, and kids (under 16) can play for half price! Visit handsonmuseum. org for a registration form. Enjoy food, prizes, and a $50,000 Hole-in-One contest! For registration and other information, visit http://handsonmuseum.org/getinvolved/fundraisers/hands-onsummer-golf-classic/
There are still a few slots left! Where else can you custom tie dye a Hands On! T-shirt, build an air rocket, paint a masterpiece, construct giant bridges and domes, send giant suds flying into the air, explore the subzero science of dry ice, walk on eggshells, create glowing ooze, make rock candy, and more?!?! Children ages 5 to 12 can explore and discover the worlds of
take me out to the game! Join us at Cardinal Park for some supersized science demonstrations and major league hands-on experiments that are sure to be a home run hit for any kid, even the biggest ones! So, step right up to the plate and take a swing at the fun! Visit http://handsonmuseum.org or http://www.jccardinals.com for more details.
Friday, July 31st Stadium Science with the Monday, July 20th - Friday, Johnson City Cardinals @ July 24th - Hands On! Cardinal Park Summer Camp Take me out to the ball park;
June 30, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 11
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Heritage Alliance to Offer Mother Goose Stories, Along with Town and Cemetery Tours July 3-4 Jonesborough will receive a special visitor during Jonesborough Days, as festival goers will have an opportunity to visit with a popular storybook character and also partake in town and cemetery tours offered by the Heritage Alliance. Mother Goose and her friend “Canada The Goose” will be stopping by the Chester Inn Museum Parlor to share nursery rhymes and stories at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Friday, July 3 and at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 4. The show will be appropriate for guests of all ages, whether you’re three or ninety-three! Marjorie Shaefer,
a member of the Jonesborough Storytellers Guild, has been performing as Mother Goose for over 30 years. You won’t want to miss this opportunity in such a unique setting. The Heritage Alliance will also be offering their popular town tours at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Friday, July 3 and at 1 p.m. onSaturday, July 4 beginning at the International Storytelling Center Plaza. The tours include a brief history of Tennessee’s oldest town, complete with little known stories and facts for residents and guests. The tours are $5 and are estimated to last between 45 minutes to an hour. A spinoff from the successful town tours, the Heritage Alliance will also be offering Old Jonesborough Cemetery Tours, after much demand from the public. The tours will begin at the entrance of the Old Jonesborough Cemetery located on East Main Street at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Friday, July 3, and at 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 4. The tours are $5 and are estimated to last between 45 minutes to an hour. A special Jonesborough Days discount will be given for participants of both the town and cemetery tours of $8 for both, if taken on the same day. Comfortable shoes are encouraged. The Heritage Alliance of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia is dedicated to the preservation of the architectural, historical, and cultural heritage of the region and to providing educational experiences related to history and heritage for a wide range of audiences. For more information, please call 423.753.9580 or contact the organization via email at info@heritageall.org. Further information can also be found online at www.heritageall.org.
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Theatre Bristol Announces Auditions for “Charlotte’s Web”
Roles for children and adults in this stage adaptation of the Newberry award-winning book Theatre Bristol is proud to announce auditions for the fall show of its 50th anniversary season. Auditions for E.B. White’s Newberry award-winning “Charlotte’s Web” will be July 5, 6, &7 at Theatre Bristol, 512 State Street, Bristol, Tennessee. The Sunday, July 6, audition is at 3:30 for children and 4:30 for adults. The Monday and Tuesday auditions are at 6:30 for children, and 7:30 pm for adults. Brought to the stage by Dramatic Publishing with a script by playwright Joseph Robinette, all the enchanting characters are here: “Wilbur, the irresistible young pig who desperately wants to avoid the butcher; Fern, a girl who understands what animals say to each other; Templeton, the gluttonous rat who can occasionally be talked into a good deed; the Zuckerman family; the Arables; and, most of all, the extraordinary spider, Charlotte, who proves to be “a true friend and a good writer.” Determined to save Wilbur, Charlotte begins her campaign with the “miracle” of her web in which she writes, “Some pig.” It’s the beginning of a victorious campaign which ultimately ends with the now-safe Wilbur doing what is most important to Charlotte. This is a beautiful, knowing play about friendship and enchantment.” Theatre Bristol veteran Dottie Havlik will direct “Charlotte’s Web.” Havlik has been a valuable friend to Theatre Bristol and the theatre community over the years as a talented and respected actor, playwright, and director. Havlik is known for her own Theatre Bristol portrayal of “Charlotte,” as well as many other roles, and looks forward to directing a new cast in this 2015 production. The play calls for a cast of 20, with roles for male and female actors age 6 and up, with many roles for teens and adults. No prepared material is necessary for the July 5, 6 & 7 auditions, and no prior experience is required. Please come to the auditions at 512 State Street
wearing close-toed shoes, and bring a list of potential scheduling conflicts during the rehearsal dates of July 13-Aug. 27. Callbacks, if necessary, will be July 9 and casting calls will be made July 10-12. Rehearsals will begin July 13-16 with read-throughs, meetings, stagecraft, and paperwork. Rehearsals will continue July 28 and run Monday through Thursday at 6:30 pm, and Sundays at 2:30 pm. Performances will be in the Theatre Bristol ARTspace 506 State Street, Fridays and Saturdays, August 28, 29, September 4, 5, 11, and 12 at 7:30 p.m, and Sundays, August 30, September 6 and
13 at 2:30 p.m. Founded in 1965, Theatre Bristol is the oldest continually running children’s theatre in northeast Tennessee and now celebrating its 50th season. Its Main Stage season consists of up to five productions. Some of its performances take place in the ARTspace, a multipurpose, black box theatre which seats up to 120. Theatre Bristol is entirely volunteer run and we invite you to get involved. For more information, visit the Theatre Bristol’s website or Facebook page, contact Theatre Bristol at 423-383-5979, or emailinfo@theatrebristol.org.
June 30, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 13
Page 14 | The Loafer | June 30, 2015
Natural History Museum to host ‘Fossil and Artifact ID Night’ Tuesday
One doesn’t have to be a scientist to find fossils or other artifacts, but identifying them is a different story. The East Tennessee State University and General Shale Natural History Museum and Visitors Center at the Gray Fossil Site will assist the public in identifying such specimens as part of “Fossil and Artifact ID Night.” On Tuesday, June 30, from 4-6 p.m., the community is invited to bring fossils, rocks, minerals and artifacts to be identified and photographed by the museum’s team of experts. Light refreshments will be served. “Several scientists will be at the museum to help identify finds. Our scientists have backgrounds ranging from paleontology, archaeology and geology,” said Brett Woodward, collections manager for the museum. “Because we have scientists with different interests and areas of expertise, we are able to better identify more types of specimens. We enjoy seeing what visitors bring to ‘Fossil & Artifact ID Night.’ It really helps us to bet-
Catch the Wave beach party planned for MPCC Memorial Park Community Center, 510 Bert St., will host a special preview of the upcoming Catch the Wave summer exercise program on Thursday, July 2 from 9:3010:30 a.m. Participants will learn about Catch the Wave while playing beach volleyball, taking part in exercise demos, and having fun in other beach-type activities. Light refreshments will be served. This free event is open to ages 50 and older. Register in person at Memorial Park Community Center by Monday, June 29. For more information, please call (423)434-6237.
must provide their military ID. “This is the second year we’ve offered free golf as a thank you to our veterans, and it’s just a small token of our appreciation for their service to our country and the sacrifices they have made for our freedom,” said Golf Director Jim Hughes. Veterans will be accommodated on a first-come, first-serve basis and may be placed in groups as is necessary for efficient play. For more information, please call 434-6250.
Legion Street Pool to host Fourth of July Swim Party
Before the big fireworks display on Saturday, July 4, spend the day with friends and family at the pool! ter understand our region’s past.” & Artifact ID Nights” every other Golf courses to Johnson City Parks and Recreation The museum cannot appraise month, and many ongoing youth invites citizen to a Fourth of July honor veterans with fossils or artifacts. programs. Swim Party at Legion Street Pool, free golf, cart The museum continually showThe museum is open Tuesday 111 Legion St., from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. cases the 5-million-year-old site through Saturday 9 a.m.-5p.m, and Games and activities will be held Pine Oaks and Buffalo Valley throughout the day. Cost is $3 for and its unique ecosystem. Visitors is located 1.8 miles off Exit 13 on are invited to observe live excava- Interstate 26. For more informa- golf courses will offer veterans and ages 13 and older; $2 for ages 12 tions from May through October. tion, or for special assistance, call current military a free round of golf and younger. There are also many special events (866) 202-6223 or visit the museum plus cart on Saturday, July 4, from For more information, please held at the museum, such as the at www.etsu.edu/naturalhistory- noon until closing. Participants call (423)434-5750. monthly “Speaker Series,” “Fossil museum.
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Arts in the Park Artists’ deadline July 15
Arts In The Park, “Art In The Heart of Hamblen County,” a one-day celebration of visual and performing arts scheduled for September 19, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Park, in Morristown, will accept artists’ applications through July 15. Arts In the Park is an annual event for Morristown Art Association Member artists and local visual artists, to showcase, display, sell, and demonstrate two-dimensional fine art, artistic photography, and sculpture; and for local performing artists in theatre, music, and dance to present their artistic talents. Fine art, exciting live performances, roving entertainers, great local food vendors, demonstrations, “Try Your Hand At Art,” an art walk, sidewalk chalk art, and hands-on chil-
dren’s art activities will add to the festival’s appeal. Admission is FREE. This Ninth Annual Arts In The Park event will draw visitors and patrons from throughout east Tennessee. Arts In The Park is an event of the Morristown Art Association, Morristown Parks and Recreation, and Rose Center Council For The Arts. Arts In The Park is a juried event. Every applying artist is juried. Work should exhibit excellence in technique and concept and show imagination and the mark of individuality. All work must be original to and created by the exhibitor. Work other than that of the applying artist is not acceptable. The jury committee reserves the right to eliminate any item or booth that
does not meet these criteria. Artists and performers will be announced prior to the event. The Application for participating is available at morristownart.org. For additional information, contact Peggy Brewer, Chairman, atpbrewer@ charter.net or call 423-312-8325; visit www.morristownart.org. or contact Rose Center Council For The Arts at 423-581-4330.
Arts In The Park “Art In The Heart of Hamblen County” Celebrating Visual & Performing Arts Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Park 350 West Ninth North Street, Morristown
June 30, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 15
Free Grief Recovery Support Group Offered At Meditation Center The Appalachian Dharma & Meditation Center (ADMC) invites the public to a free 10-week session called “A Mindful Journey Through Grief: Grief Recovery Support in the Tri-Cities Community,” led by Debra Brewer, a clinically trained chaplain who has experience leading grief support groups for eight years. The support group is for anyone who has lost someone through death; however, the program is open to anyone who has suffered a loss of any kind and wishes to learn more. The next 10-weekly sessions begin Monday, July 13, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at ADMC located at 108 W. 10th Avenue, Suite 3, Johnson City. The sessions involve mindful meditation, group discussion and specific topics to
help members demystify grief and gain the support of others going through recent loss. Topics covered are living with grief, your grief and society, the effects of grief, losing your partner, grief and your family, your unique grief, stuck in your grief, spirituality and grief, emerging from grief, and remembrance. To sign up for the group or learn more about it, please contact Debra Brewer at debibrewer@aol.com or call (423) 737-5162. The Appalachian Dharma & Meditation Center opened in June 2011 and welcomes all to join us for meditation and Buddhist studies. ADMC is located at 108 West 10th Avenue, Suite 3, Johnson City, TN. You can learn more at www. dharma4et.org.
Page 16 | The Loafer | June 30, 2015
CATFISH FRYE BAND
TUESDAY - June 30
JASON LLYOD & FRIENDS at Biggies Clam Bar
OPEN MIC w/ DAN HERRELL
at Sonny’s Marina & Cafe 6-10pm
LAWSONGARRETT
at Kingsport Town Center 7pm
ANGWISH w/ TARA TERRA VALORE at Acoustic Coffeehouse
WEDNESDAY - July 1 JEFF SHAYNE
6pm at Sonny’s Cafe
THE DUO TONES at Marker “2” Grill
ANG1 3 w/ CORINA CORINA at Acoustic Coffeehouse
THURSDAY - July 2
JAZZ at Wellington’s - Carnegie Hotel SHOOK TWINS w/ AMYTHYST KIAH & HER CHEST OF GLASS Thursday Jams 7pm at Abingdon Market Pavilion
SOUTHERN BREEZE
(Rockin’ Boogie Blues) 7pm at Sonny’s Marina & Cafe
ACOUSTIFRIED (Country) / REBEKAH MORGAN at Kickin’ Back at King Alley Gate City VA
LITTLE LESLIE & THE BLOODSHOTS at Bone Fire Smokehouse
THE ALL STARS OF JOHNSON CITY The Rose Sisters The Honey Chasers Jake & The Comet Conductors Wise Old River / 40 Winchester / Amethyst Kiah & her Chest of Glass Annabelle’s Curse
at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room
THE JONES BOYS 7pm at Marker “2” Grill
AUSTIN CRUM at Biggie’s Clam Bar
SOUTHERN COUNTRYMEN BAND 10am at Jonesborough Days
BENNY WILSON at Biggie’s Clam Bar
DAISI RAIN (Country, Pop) 5pm at Freedom Fest FIDDLIN’ CARSON PETERS BAND at Carter Family Fold
JERRY PIERCE & THE NIGHTLIFE BAND
12pmat Elizabethton Covered Bridge
LIMITED EDITION
(Variety, ‘60’s, ‘70’s, ‘80’s & ‘90’s)
HIDDEN VALLEY BAND 6pm at Family Barn
SOUTHERN COUNTRYMEN BAND (Country)
at The Coomes Center
NIGHTSHIFT
(Country, Southern Rock, Oldies) 7pm at The Show Palace
ALTERED STATE at Triple B Brewery
TBA
at Bone Fire Smokehouse
OPEN MIC
at Acoustic Coffeehouse
SATURDAY - July 4
7pm at Marker “2” Grill
SUNDAY - July 5
at Bone Fire Smokehouse
RAMBLING ROSE
THE VALLEY BLUE PROJECT
DAISI RAIN (Country, Pop)
IVY ROAD
ERICA RUSSO FRANCIE MOON
TBA
DEVYL NELLIES
5pm at Sonny’s Marina & Cafe
at The Show Palace
at Marker “2” Grill
8pm at Lyrics on the Lawn
at Bone Fire Smokehouse
OPEN MIC
at The Acoustic Coffeehouse
FRIDAY - July 3
ACOUSTIFRIED (Country)
at Acoustic Coffeehouse
1 ACRE CAFE BENEFIT
7pm at Sonny’s Marina & Cafe
MONDAY - July 6
BENNY JONES at Family Barn
7pm at Marker “2” Grill
at Acoustic Coffeehous
at Acoustic Coffeehouse
SOUTHERN REBELLION
OPEN MIC
KARAOKE TUESDAY
Karaoke At Numan’s - Johnson City TN ***********************
WEDNESDAY
Karaoke At Bristol VFW - Bristol TN Turn the Page Karaoke At VFW Post 2108 - JC ***********************
THURSDAY
Karaoke At Numan’s - Johnson City TN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Electric Cowboy - JC Karaoke At Holiday Inn - JC Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment At Everette’s Bar & Grille - JC ***********************
FRIDAY
Karaoke At Bristol VFW - Bristol TN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertaiment at Rainbow Asian Cuisine - JC Karaoke w/ Reverb Karaoke at The Cottage 8:30 pm Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - JC Karaoke At Elizabethton VFW Elizabethton TN Karaoke w/ DJ Marques At Holiday Inn (Exit 7) - Bristol VA Karaoke At Numan’s - Johnson City TN ***********************
SATURDAY
Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City TN Karaoke At Numan’s - Johnson City TN ***********************
SUNDAY
Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Mellow Mushroom - JC Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment At Everette’s Bar & Grille -JC ***********************
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June 30, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 17
Annabelle’s Curse & All Star Lineup at Willow Tree Coffehouse & Music Room Willow Tree to host an amazing night of some of this area’s finest musicians! On July 3rd, The Willow Tree Coffeehouse and Music Room will host seven of this region’s finest bands, ranging all the way from Bluegrass and Folk to Blues and Rock ‘n’ Roll. “This is going to be a fantastic event” says Zoe Dosher, of The Willow Tree. “We did this for the first time last year and people are still talking about it. Fans came out to see one particular band and then discover they also loved the ones that played before or after. It was an amazing night of new discoveries for so many. After it was over we had many tell us they had no idea how many quality bands and artists we have locally.” This year’s lineup will include The Rose Sisters, The Honey Chasers, Jake and The Comet Conductors, Wise Old River, 49 Winchester, Amythyst Kiah and Her Chest of Glass, and Annabelle’s Curse. The event will start at 5pm and last until midnight. There will be food and beer specials from 5-8. Tickets at the door are $18 day of or in advance at brownpapertickets.com/ event/1756376 and at The Willow Tree for $15.
Spotlight Directory Acoustic Coffeehouse
415 W Walnut St. Johnson City 423/434.9872
Biggies Clam Bar
417 W Stone Dr Kingsport 423/765-9633
Bone Fire Smokehouse at the Hardware
260 W Main St Abingdon Va 276/623-0037 Bristol’s Pickin’ Porch 620 State St Bristol 423/573-2262 Carter Family Fold 3449 A. P. Carter Hwy, Hiltons Va 276/594-0676
Country Club Bar & Grill 3080 W State St Bristol 423/844-0400 David Thompson’s Produce 251 Highway 107 Jonesborough 423/913-8123 Family Barn 1718 US Highway 19 Hansonville VA Freedom Fest Unicoi TN
Holiday Inn (Exit 7)
3005 Linden Dr Bristol Va 276/466-4100
Lyrics on the Lawn Williams Dickson Mansion Greenville TN
Marker “2’ Grill at Lakeview Marina
474 Lakeside Dock, Kingsport 423/323-4665 O’Mainnin’s Pub 712 State St Bristol 423/844-0049 The Outdoorsman 4535 Highway 11W Kingsport The Show Palace 14364 Lee Hwy Bristol Va 276/494-6610
Sonny’s Marina & Café 109 One St. Gray TN 423/283-4014
Triple B Brewery
935 Wilcox Ct. #105 Kingsport 423/963-3609 Wellington’s Restaurant Carnegie Hotel 1216 W State of Franklin Rd Johnson City • 423/979-6400
The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 216 E Main St Johnson City
Page 18 | The Loafer | June 30, 2015
Rockin’ 4th of July Contra Dance @ Serenity Knoll Farm!
The Historic Jonesborough Dance Society will hold a picnic, contra dance and sky watch program at Serenity Knoll Farm, 542 Bacon Branch Road in Jonesborough, TN on Saturday July 4, 2015. The event will begin with a potluck dinner starting at 5pm. Then a contra dance will ensue from 7:00-10:00pm with JOSEPH SOBOL & CHAD BEAUCHAINE bringing the tunes and MARK LANGNER calling. Admission $7 for all comers. During the pre-dance/potluck period from 5-7:00pm, dancers can enjoy traditional holiday games such as corn hole toss, Frisbee “closest to the pin”, watermelon seed spitting, badminton and whiffle ball. Bring food, binoculars, telescope, mosquito repellent. Guests are encouraged to hydrate sufficiently due to the heat of the day. Storyteller, musician, folklorist, and author, Joseph Daniel Sobol is an artist of wide-ranging accomplishments. An artistin-residence for many years in North and South Carolina, he received a Masters in Folklore from University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and a Ph.D. in Performance
Studies from Northwestern University. He toured the country from 1994 through 1999 with his award-winning musical theatre piece In the Deep Heart’s Core based on the works of Irish poet W. B. Yeats. His book on the American storytelling revival, The Storytellers’ Journey, was published in 1999 by the University of Illinois Press. In addition he has released a cassette and three CDs of music and stories, alone and with his group Kiltartan Road. His most recent recording, Citternalia: Celtic Music for Cittern was honored with a “Homegrown CD Award” by Acoustic Guitar Magazine, which called the album “a watershed project--dazzling speed and precision.” After eleven years in Chicago, Illinois, doing folklore residencies with high school ESL and multilingual programs and performing regularly with some of America’s top Irish traditional musicians, he is proud to have been named Director of the Graduate Program in Storytelling at East Tennessee State University. Joseph will be touring Ireland in late July performing his Yeats poetry to music, a program called “In Deep Hearts Core”.
Chad Beauchaine began playing violin at the age of ten after hearing a friend of the family play and becoming infatuated with the instrument. He studied classically with Marilyn Kouba of the North Carolina Symphony and went on to attend the University of Kentucky on a music scholarship. Most of his time in college was spent honing his classical skills, playing chamber music and with the University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, where he served as principal second violinist his sophomore year. Chad also played in the pit orches-
tras for the UK Opera & Theater departments. One of his greatest thrills while at UK was performing in the accompanying orchestra for Ray Charles. Not until leaving college and landing in Johnson City, TN did Chad find his current musical love; traditional Irish music. Invited by his friend Tom Swadley to a session, Chad suddenly found himself as the fiddle player for the group Sigean, who he performed with until
Rockin’ 4th ........ Continued on page 25
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June 30, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 19
Ejector Seat
You know that part in “Goldfinger” when James Bond presses the ejector seat button and sends the guy holding a gun to him flying? Yeah. I need one of those in my life. I’m not saying that I would abuse this power, I would only use it if absolutely necessary. Those times you find yourself in an awkward conversation you quickly wish to get out of? Ejector Seat! Anxiety attack in the grocery store and desperately wish to be back at home? Ejector Seat! In the Shakespearian tradition of the Ejector Seat, the concept is one which you use to get rid of an
enemy, with little care as to where they may wind up. In this modern application, it would be something of a hybrid with a rocket pack, so that you may land safely in the location of your choosing—whilst keeping the full dramatic effect. Obviously it would be an app that interacts with some type of on person device. The app gives the added benefit of making it look like you’re merely checking your email instead of trying to get out of an awkward conversation. When you’ve been cornered at a party by someone you really don’t want to talk to, no longer will you
have to rely on creative forms of conversation and deception to get out of the experience. “Oh, look over there! George is playing Fat Bottomed Girls on the spoons! I gotta go see that up close!” you say as you quickly push yourself away, and through the crowd. Now when you’re cornered with no clear means of exit, all you have to do is simply open up the app on your smart phone, and with one press. BOOM! You’re gone. Thanks, Ejector Seat! Once I get the technology and the patents all figured out, I’ll make one of those short promotional
films to show off the benefits of my new invention. Better yet, I could get my marketing team to help me make of those weird infomercials that is designed to look like a talk show. All I have to do is hire actors to talk up my brilliant concept. For scale pay, the finest that regional theater has to offer will speak of how my Ejector Seat product has changed their lives for the better. An oil painting of myself in a smoking jacket, with a lush cravat, will hover over the proceedings. It will be beautiful, and it will move a
lot of product. “You know, I used to dread Thanksgiving” someone will say, “But thanks to Ejector Seat, I have a quick, harmless escape for when Uncle Ted gets drunk and starts to tell everyone off.” Once I have those at home just dying to get an Ejector Seat of their own, I’ll have a calm, but excited voice, tell the folks at home that they too can own one for the low low price of just four easy payments of $39.95. If the infomercial fails to move the product, I’ll trot on over to QVC and try to show it off, after they’ve tantalized the people at home with an array of Omaha Steaks. The ultimate demo shall occur when I become so uncomfortable being in the world that is The Big Q, that I use the Ejector Seat for my own quick exit. Maybe it’s not really such a feasible business model after all. I can’t help but thing this could be a lifesaver for awkward people everywhere, and those who wish to avoid as many uncomfortable situations as possible. Surely that’s worth about $160 to people, right? Maybe. I should get marketing on this. Or tweet something. See you next week.
Page 20 | The Loafer | June 30, 2015
Hop On “Starship Q” For A Solar System Ride
It’s time to hop on “Starship Q” for a ride around our Solar System for the latest spacey news—and there’s plenty! Asteroids, comets and dwarf planets top the itinerary on our latest mission to understanding how the Solar System has evolved the last 5 billion years. …5, 4, 3, 2, 1 BLAST OFF! And we are on our way needing 25,000 mph to escape the Earth’s gravity and begin our journey. As we whizz by the Moon, we can say hello to the unmanned Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter that is in its 6th year of making the most detailed atlas of our alien neighbor. Currently orbiting at just 60 miles above the highest mountain peaks, LRO’s fuel will last two more years, when it will be purposely crashed. Doubt the American triumph of the Moon in the 1970s? LRO has imaged all six Apollo landing sites with detail that reveals footpaths of the astronauts and tire marks from the three Lunar Rovers. Powering up Spaceship Q, we boogie out to Mars, where five or-
biters and two rovers on the surface keep a 24/7 surveillance. But right now viewed from Earth the Red Planet is slipping behind the Sun, and that messes up communications across the 200 million miles between planets. It will be in mid-July when Earth-bound radio antennas can pick up the signals from the Martian robots. Until then they are all in a safe-mode that will have them still working on automatic mode, but storing their data for future download. NASA’s Odyssey (orbiting since 2002), Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (2006) and Maven (2014) are joined in orbit by European Space Agency’s Mars Express (2004) and India’s MOM (2015). Parked during the communications blackout are rovers Opportunity (2004) and Curiosity (2012). The bounty of data from all these active spacecraft will take decades to sort through. Past Mars is the asteroid belt, a region of icy rock rubble that may have been a small planet that didn’t form (about the size of our Moon at 2,000 miles wide)—or one blasted
apart by a collision. That’s what spacecraft Dawn is trying to figure out. NASA’s Dawn is unique that it uses a breakthrough ion engine that’s powered by electricity from solar panels. After spending a year orbiting the potato-shaped, 300mile asteroid Vesta, Dawn is now in an orbital dance with the round “dwarf planet” Ceres, the largest member of the asteroid belt and reclassified, like Pluto in 2006. Approaching Ceres from a million miles away, Dawn has seen a mysterious cluster of bright objects in a huge crater. Spiraling down in orbit to a current 2,700 mile height, the terrain of Ceres is densely cratered, while the cluster of bright objects is still undefined and unexplained. In August Ceres will be dropped down to less 900 miles, and from that distance objects 1,000 feet across should be distinguished. Until then, the best guess about these mysterious bright spots is they are frozen ice or maybe sand dunes. And then there are plenty of alien conspirators who think
we’ll find the Land of Oz. Now we come to a small comet, a mile and a half long and shaped like a rubber duck with a narrow neck—Comet 67P/ChuryumovGerasimenko. Orbiting the Sun in an ellipse every six years, Comet C-G is plunging to an August close encounter with our star—and along for the ride is ESA orbiter Rosetta and on the surface a lander called Philae. The wash machine-sized Philae landed on the comet in November 2014. Actually it bounced around the surface for more than an hour under the extremely low gravity and eventually settled in a crevasse next to a cliff. Using battery power for 60 hours, Philae sent photos and other data until its power was exhausted. The awkward angle of landing prohibited the small solar panels from recharging the batteries and Philae went silent. After seven months, the spacecraft has woke up in early June and sent ESA some new data! This is exciting news as Comet C-G heats up and spews gas vapor and sandy material into space—and Philae and Rosetta will be there to see the action. This unprecedented view of an active comet is a rare and extremely valuable opportunity as astronomers will finally have the data they need to figure out how comets were made and what makes them so volatile. At least we will know what makes Comet C-G tick. Spaceship Q now travels past the asteroid belt and is ready to zoom by Jupiter. Along the way we pass the NASA spacecraft JUNO, heading to orbit Jupiter in June 2016 to study the insides of the giant planet. This will complete the data accumulated by Jupiter orbiter Galileo that orbited the gaseous world in the 1990s. The ringed world Saturn is next, and it is been observed for 10 years by one of NASA’s most expensive and successful space probes, the $1 billion Cassini. The amazing images are all there on the Internet for anyone to see, and analyze for themselves. And the data from Cassini will take decades to sort though. As our Spaceship Q races by the orbits of Uranus and Neptune, we remember that in the 1980s was our first and only close-up looks of these gas giants when Voyager 2 flew by. Sadly, there are not any plans for future spacecraft missions to Uranus or Neptune, but earth-
based telescope are keeping tabs on the seventh and eighth planets. Finally Spaceship Q reaches the fringes of the Kuiper Belt and the domain of dwarf planet Pluto and its big moon Charon and four other small moons. And ahead of us is the NASA spacecraft New Horizons, ready to flyby Pluto on July 14 and give us our first close-up of this demoted planet. The controversial reclassification of Pluto to a dwarf planet was deemed necessary to account for former asteroid Ceres and another half-dozen objects found beyond Pluto that are all similar in size. The problem was whether to add more planets or create a new category to accurately portray these objects. The Kuiper Belt is a region 4 billion miles away from the Sun where it is believed hundreds of thousands of small objects dwell, some rocky and some icy—and many a mix of ice and rock. Pluto is actually not the largest of the “dwarf planets” as Eris is a little larger than Earth’s Moon, while Pluto is smaller. Pluto’s big moon Charon is about half its size, creating a true dual system where they revolve around each other in a gravitational lock outside of Pluto’s surface. Just 12,000 miles apart, they orbit each other in six days. The target of the July 14th close encounter by New Horizons, images a million miles away are already tantalizing astronomers with views of a rugged surface covered in bright and dark areas. And the moon Charon appears to have an unusually dark polar cap. The other moons are small, 1020 mile wide worlds that might be captured comets. Their names are Nix, Hydra, Kerberos and Styx, all mythological deities of the Pluto underworld. The close encounter by NASA’s New Horizon is the final piece of the puzzle about our Solar System. Or is it? New Horizons will continue deep into the Kuiper Belt and hopefully explore a few more objects that no doubt contains some surprises. Turning Spaceship Q around and heading back to good old Earth, we have seen the diversity and intrigue of our Sun’s family. Just one pressing question remains—is there any kind of living creatures on these worlds. Someday we may find out.
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June 30, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 21
Celestial events in the skies for the week of June 30- July 6, 2015 as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette. This is the BIG week when Venus and Jupiter finally nearly merge as one star in the evening twilight. Hope for clear skies! After six months in the evening twilight, Venus has finally caught up with Jupiter, an event that duplicates the conjunction of 2 BC— which may have been the Star of Bethlehem. Heads will be looking up at the Full Moon among the fireworks all week during the celebration of America’s Independence from England 239 years ago. Summer 2015 is kicking off in fine style, so look up at the stars and enjoy the sounds and sights of the night.
Tues. June 30
Jupiter and Venus seem to fuse as one star in the twilight…don’t miss this. In extremely dark observing sites the pair will cast a shadow on the ground! On this 1908 date in astronomy history, a comet or meteor exploded over Tunguska, Siberia, leveling hundreds of acres of forest in the area called Tunguska. Shockwaves were felt around the world, and dust thrown up created red sunsets for months. So remote is the area, it took 20 years for the first Friday July 3 successful expedition to bring Happy 80th birthday to Apollo back photos of the devastation. 17 moonwalker Harrison “Jack” Wed. July 1 Schmitt. The 12th and last man On this 1917 date in astronomy on the Moon in December 1972 history, the 100-inch mirror for the with Gene Cernan, Schmitt is the Hooker Telescope on Mt. Wilson, only geologist to fly in space and California was delivered. For parlayed the fame to a stint as US three decades it was the most im- Senator from his home state of portant optical instrument point- New Mexico. He is now a space ed to the stars, and the telescope exploration educator, promoting Edwin Hubble used to discover going back to the Moon. the constant expansion of the Uni- Sat. July 4 verse. Lots of fireworks in the skies on
Thurs. July 2
this date in history, including: 1054 The Full Moon is today at 2:20 AD an exploded star is seen in the am, and it was called the Thunder daytime as a supernova in Taurus Moon for all the summer storms. the Bull, and we see it today as the Unseen near the Moon in the Crab Nebula; 1997 NASA’s Pathconstellation Sagittarius is dwarf finder spacecraft lands on Mars planet Pluto. You need a big back- with the mini-rover Sojourner; yard telescope to see it as a faint 2005 a ballistic probe released by star, but NASA has the newest spacecraft Deep Impact slams into images from the New Horizons comet Temple 1, and the impact is spacecraft set to fly by Pluto in just recorded from the NASA craft as two weeks on July 14. well as telescope on and orbiting
the Earth; 2006 Space Shuttle Discovery STS-121 was launched on a construction mission to the International Space Station.
Sun. July 5
Notice how Venus has separated from Jupiter in just a few days. Now Venus is to the left of Jupiter, climbing up to the horizon while Jupiter moves closer to the Sun. The planetary pair will reunite in the morning sky in the Autumn.
Mon. July 6
On this 1687 date in astronomy history, the great Isaac Newton published his breakthrough book of physic, “Principia.” The basic laws of nature—from the level of atoms to clusters of galaxies— were revealed and supported by the calculus mathematics that Newton had to invent to figure it all out. Most of us know an easy Newton Law: every action has an opposite and equal reaction.
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Fiddlin’ Carson Peters Band This Saturday at Carter Family fold
Saturday, July 4th, 2015, at 7:30 p.m., the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert by the Fiddlin’ Carson Peters Band. Admission to the concert is $10 for adults, children 6 to 11 $1, under age 6 free. Nine-year old Carson Peters, or “Fiddlin’ Carson Peters,” as he is becoming known, is a true musical prodigy. He is quickly making a name for himself with his fiddle by winning competitions and entertaining audiences across the region. Carson lives with his
parents, Jamie and Robin Peters, in Piney Flats, Tennessee. They noticed at a very early age that he could keep time with any tune being played by clapping his hands or tapping his feet. His special talent for music became apparent after he taught himself to play “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” at the ripe old age of two on a ukulele that his grandmother bought him. While on vacation in 2006, his parents bought him a 1/8 size fiddle at an Amish flea market in
Pennsylvania and set out in search of a teacher who would take a child as young as Carson at only 3 ½ years old. Their search led them to Morrell Music in Johnson City and Sara Fletcher Collins. Carson was taught by Mrs. Collins for about three years. He’s currently a student of Keith Williams in Greeneville, Tennessee. In 2008, Carson and his parents began attending old-time and bluegrass festivals where Carson could hear and jam with some very talented musicians as well as compete in youth fiddle competitions. His most noteworthy contest wins have taken place at the Bluegrass and Old-Time Fiddlers’ Convention in Mt. Airy, North Carolina, where he has received first place in the Youth Old-Time Fiddle, Bluegrass Fiddle, and the Youth Folk Song categories. He has also received the most prom-
ising young talent award at this festival multiple years. Carson was named Tennessee State Peewee Fiddle Champion for 2010 in Clarksville, Tennessee, and has also won first place in the Youth Old-Time and the Youth Bluegrass Fiddle category at the famous Old Fiddlers’ Convention in Galax, Virginia.
Carson says winning trophies and getting your name in the newspaper is “really cool,” but that is not the main reason he works so hard at his music. “It’s all about using the talent GOD gave me to make people smile,” he says. Carson truly loves to entertain people! At nine years old, Carson is a seasoned performer playing numerous venues throughout the region – Bristol Rhythm and Roots, Dollywood’s Bluegrass and BBQ, Asheville’s Bluegrass First Class, and a live broadcast on WDVX in Knoxville to list a few. Carson has also had the honor to play on national TV as a guest on NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in August of 2013. Carson has been blessed to have a great band to help him entertain audiences at local venues around the region performing old-time, bluegrass, and gospel music. The band consists of Tom and Bobbie Dier from Green County, Tennessee, and Carson’s father Jamie Peters. Tom plays the bass or “big fiddle” as Carson calls it. In addition to playing a great bass for the band, Tom is also a writer and loves to farm on their property in Greene County. Bobbie is a musician of many talents and has been an avid bluegrass and old time music fan for many years. Besides playing the mandolin for over thirty years, she also plays banjo,
Fiddlin’
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Patriotic Wreath Being from the south, there is one day of the summer that I look forward to more than any other day: July 4th. Independence Day is a wonderful holiday celebrated in red, white, blue, and barbeque. Many parties are thrown and activities are planned in order to commemorate our freedom and honor those who fought for it. Because we have this great gift of freedom to be thankful for, many bake American flag sheet cakes, serve blue cocktails, and shoot fireworks. The most exciting part of the holiday is driving down the road, recognizing all of the American pride in each and every red, white, and blue wreath hanging on the front door. So, for this Independence Day, I created my very own holiday wreath that’s simple,
cheap, and patriotic. This wreath can be made in several different ways. For the shape of your wreath you can use a Styrofoam wreath form, metal wreath form, or circle of cardboard, depending on what is available to you. To create a bow, you can use fifteen feet of thick red ribbon with or without wire or you can buy one premade. If you buy a premade bow, be sure that it is large enough to fill the center of whatever wreath form you choose. You do not want any clear holes. Lastly, you will need around 120 spoons (I bought three packs of 48) a glue gun, and navy spray paint. Start by spray painting half of your spoons navy. You will want to do this with the handles attached because they may flip over
during the process. While waiting on your spoons to dry, you can create your bow. To form a large bow simply fold your ribbon at two and a half inches, and then again at five inches. Continue to fold at five inches, wrapping the ribbon around itself, until you have one thick five inch bundle of ribbon. Fold that in half and cut at the fold on each side. Do not cut all the way through. Use a piece of ribbon, twist tie, or pipe cleaner, to tie around the middle. Spread your ribbon until you create your desired fullness. The two and a half inch sections will represent the tails of your bow. Once your spoons are dry, break
off the ends with plyers. Now, you can start gluing them to your wreath form. I used a metal form, but it works the same for any form. You want to put hot glue on the back of your spoon, not your form. Place a dot of glue on the tallest part of the spoons back and glue it to the edge of the form. Do this until you have covered the entire edge. Now, glue the next layer of spoons the same way, between each of the previously placed spoons, filling all the gaps. After the second layer of blue spoons, repeat the process twice with white spoons. To place your bow in your wreath, you must make sure that it is fluffed exactly the way you want it. I put mine in the middle to make sure it covered all of the holes before I started gluing. Where I saw holes, I moved a piece of ribbon over and glued it there. In order the secure your ribbon on to your wreath, select four corners of it to glue to your form in inconspicuous places. I chose the loosest pieces of ribbon and glued them to the inside edge of my form. Because the glue dries quickly, you can hang your wreath and instantly enjoy!
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In Theaters Now
Box Office Top 10 Jurassic World (2015)
A new theme park is built on the original site of Jurassic Park. Everything is going well until the park’s newest attraction--a genetically modified giant stealth killing machine--escapes containment and goes on a killing spree.
“Jaws” Where and how did you first see the classic movie “Jaws”? If you saw the movie in the theater upon its original release in 1975, or in later re-releases, it was an experience you no doubt have never forgotten. Regarded as the film that began the summer blockbuster trend, “Jaws” is celebrating its 40th birthday this year, and was recently playing for a limited run at a theater new you. If you never had the chance to see the film in a theater, I hope you seized the opportunity to do so. The iconic film won Oscars for Best Sound, Best Film Editing, and Best Music, thanks to the epic and unforgettable John Williams score. The story involves a gigantic great white shark reeking havoc on the island community of Amity as they prepare for the influx of 4th of July tourist. I recently saw a screening of the film, and was reminded how awesome the film is on the silver screen. The performances, led by the unforgettable Robert Shaw as Quint the shark hunter, are wonderful, and the three main actors, including Roy Scheider and Richer Dreyfuss, have great on screen chemistry. Director Stephen Spielberg does a masterful job in creating tension and thrills, and left many audience members swearing they would never swim in the ocean again. If you missed the films recent theater run, check out the blu-ray version for the special features and a 40th anniversary viewing. I thought it would be fun to present some interesting facts about the blockbuster. The famous line uttered by Roy Scheider “You’re gonna need a bigger boat” was completely improvised by the actor. After the mechanical shark
how gifted psychic Elise Rainier reluctantly agrees to use her ability to contact the dead in order to help a teenage girl who has been targeted by a dangerous supernatural entity.
Pitch Perfect 2 (2015)
After a humiliating command performance at Lincoln Center, the After young Riley is uprooted Barden Bellas enter an internafrom her Midwest life and moved tional competition that no Amerito San Francisco, her emotions - can group has ever won in order Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sad- to regain their status and right to ness - conflict on how best to navi- perform. gate a new city, house and school.
Inside Out (2015)
Spy (2015)
A desk-bound CIA analyst volunteers to go undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent diabolical global disaster.
San Andreas (2015)
In the aftermath of a massive earthquake in California, a rescuechopper pilot makes a dangerous journey across the state in order to rescue his daughter.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
In a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, two rebels just might be able to restore order: Max, a man of action and of few words, and Furiosa, a woman of action who is looking to make it back to her childhood homeland.
Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
When Tony Stark and Bruce Banner try to jump-start a dormant peacekeeping program called UlDope (2015) tron, things go horribly wrong and Life changes for Malcolm, a geek it’s up to Earth’s Mightiest Heroes who’s surviving life in a tough to stop the villainous Ultron from neighborhood, after a chance in- enacting his terrible plans. vitation to an underground party leads him and his friends into a Tomorrowland (2015) Los Angeles adventure. Bound by a shared destiny, a teen
bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor embark on a mission to unearth A prequel set before the haunting the secrets of a place somewhere in of the Lambert family that reveals time and space that exists in their collective memory.
Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015) was built, it was never tested in the water, so when it was put in the water at Martha’s Vineyard, it sank to the ocean floor. Actors Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss argued all the time and could not stand each other, but that actually resulted in great tension between the two characters. When the film was released in June of 1975, 67 million Americans went to see the film, making it the original summer blockbuster. When you see a shooting star in the film during the night scene when the boat is far out in the ocean, that
is real, not an effect. Author Peter Benchley has been quoted as saying if he had know about the real behavior of sharks, he would never have written the novel the moive is based on. The mechanical shark was named “Bruce” by Steven Spielberg, which was the name of his lawyer. Residents of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, where the movie was filmed, were paid $64.00 each to scream and run across the beach as extras. “Jaws” author Peter Benchley was thrown off the set after objecting to the climax of the film. Brody’s dog
Source: IMDb.com • (6/27/2015) in the film was Spielberg’s real dog Elmer. Charlton Heston was rejected for the role Roy Scheider made famous. Robert Shaw ran into trouble with the IRS and had to flee the U.S. once his scenes were completed. “Jaws” was voted the sixth scariest film of all time by the magazine Entertainment Weekly. The AFI ranked “Jaws” as the second greatest thriller in a list of 100
films. When he first read the novel, Spielberg was rooting for the shark because the human characters were so unlikeable. Reporter on the beach: Peter Benchley. There you go movie fans, some “Jaws” trivia, to set you up for a summer time viewing of the American classic celebrating 40 years of thrilling movie fans. I dare you to watch “Jaws”, and then go swimming.
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Fiddlin’ ........ Continued from page 22 guitar, and mountain dulcimer. The rhythm guitar in the band is played by Carson’s father Jamie. Carson is truly blessed to have these fine Christian musicians in his band. In addition to entertaining with his band, Carson plays music with his special friends, Howard and Vivian Hammonds, and their fine gospel group, Headed Home, in churches around the region. He also frequently visits area nursing homes as well as the VA Hospital in Johnson City. Be prepared to be amazed by Carson Peters. His talent and stage presence equals that of the most seasoned of performers. Dancers won’t be disappointed because he’s as fine a fiddler as any that ever graced the stage of the Carter Fold. There will also be beautiful vocals and gospel music – something for everyone. For more information on the Fiddlin’ Carson Peters Band, go to http://
Rockin’ 4th
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fiddlincarsonpeters.com/. 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. Shows from the Carter Family Fold can be accessed on the internet at http://www.carterfoldshow.com. 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. The Fold is on Facebook – page Carter Fold – and Twitter – @carterfoldinfo. To speak to a Fold staff member, call 276-594-0676.
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moving to Knoxville in 2001. Since that time, Chad has traveled to the hot beds of Irish music; New York, Chicago, Boston and of course Ireland. In addition to his travels, he has sought guidance from wellknown fiddlers Tony DeMarco, Martin Hayes & Liz Knowles, all of whom remain his biggest musical influences. “I had a lot to learn, and a lot to forget in order to make a real transition from classical to eclectic music.” For the last seven years Chad has been the fiddle player for local traditional Irish group Four Leaf Peat. The band has released two recordings and is currently preparing to make their third album. Chad has extensive teaching experience utilizing both Suzuki and traditional methods, while also incorporating strategies he has learned from his own experiences as a student. He is also a certified teacher of the Mark O’Connor fiddle method. Special Guest EMILY RUSH will continue the dance fun with a RUSHFEST session from 10:30-Midnight. RUSHFEST is a contra dance to DJ’d music, with colorful laser lights. The music
covers many genres including Pop, rock ‘n’ roll, tango, oldies, jazz. The cost for Rushfest is a suggested $5 donation. Of course, there will be fireworks not only on the dance floor but throughout the valley below. When things calm down at midnight, Loafer Stargazer columnist, MARK MARQUETTE, will lead us in a special “CONTRA COSMIC CONNECTION,” The evening of dance will be enhanced with the naked eye stargazing of constellations and telescopic views of Venus Jupiter and the gibbous Moon showing the locations of galaxies and nebulae through telescopes provided by Bristol and Bays Mountain amateur astronomers led by local sky popularizer Marquette. Bring your own telescope and the experts will show you how to properly use it. This event is smoke, alcohol, fragrance and pet free. For more information, please contact event organizer, David Wiley, at 423-534-8879, or follow HJDS on FACEBOOK and the website, www.historicjonesboroughdancesociety.org.
Join us at the Jonesborough Library on Tuesday, July 7, 5:30 p.m. for Tuesday Night @ the Movies. Our feature for July is a delightful 1953 musical comedy/romance based on a Shakespeare play. Fred Graham and Cole Porter invite the actress Lilli Vanessi
to perform Katherine in their musical version of “The Taming of the Shrew,” where Fred has the lead role of Petruchio. Fred and Lili are divorced, and he also invites the promiscuous Lois Lane to perform Bianca. While they are preparing for the opening night, Lois’ boyfriend Bill Calhoun, who performs Lucentio in the play, tells Lois that he lost a large amount gambling and he signed a bill (promissory note) using Fred’s name. Out of the blue, two gangsters come backstage to collect the money from Fred to pay their boss. Our show time features free popcorn and drinks. ‘Tuesday Night @ the Movies’ is a free event sponsored by the Friends of the Washington County Library. For more information, please call the Jonesborough Library at 753-1800.
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Tales from the Rainforest with Won-Ldy Paye Storyteller Won-Ldy Paye, a charming performer who specializes in personal stories and traditional tales from Africa, will be the next teller in residence in Jonesborough’s acclaimed Storytelling Live! series. As a guest of the International Storytelling Center, Paye will host daily matinees in the Mary B. Martin Storytelling Hall from July 7 – 11, Tuesday through Saturday. All performances start at 2:00 p.m., and tickets are just $12 for adults and $11 for seniors, students, and children under 18. Paye, who’s originally from Africa, has lived and worked in the U.S. since the early 1980s. The son of rice farmers, he was raised on traditional stories that helped sustain him during long days working under the sun. “I’m from Liberia, and the habitat is very much a tropical rainforest,” he says. “I was
born in the rainforest. Grew up in the rainforest.” Now, he resides with his family in what might well be the opposite of the rainforest— Hartford, Connecticut. As you can imagine, the landscape in Liberia is quite different from the one where he lives now. To the kids he works with through the Connecticut Arts Commission, Paye’s origin story is deeply fascinating. “In New England, most of the kids have never seen the rainforest. When I tell them that’s where I’m from, it’s like they can’t comprehend it,” he says. “When they think about it, I think it’s almost like a fairy tale, but there I am standing in front of them. They get real quiet and then the questions start to come.” In addition to sharing old folk tales, Paye tells the kids about how much Liberia has modernized over the last few years. “Seeing people
with cell phones—even five to seven years ago, you didn’t see that,” he explains. Now cell phones are a huge part of the culture. “I can call my mom and she just picks up the phone,” he says. Not so long ago, when the country was embroiled in a civil war, such a thing would have been impossible. During time in Jonesborough, in addition to his matinee performances, Paye will host a special children’s concert on Saturday, July 11, at 10:30 a.m. The show is just $5 for all ages, and ticket holders will receive coupons for 15 percent off at The Lollipop Shop, a popular Main Street store that sells old-fashioned sweets and toys. Reservations for all performances are highly recommended, and all ticket holders will save 10 percent on same-day dining at The Dining Room, Jonesborough General Store and Eatery, or Main
Street Café. Season passes that offer nearly half off the price of regular admission are still available while supplies last. Information about this season’s performers, as well as a detailed schedule, is available at www. storytellingcenter.net. Storytelling Live! is supported by program sponsors CrestPoint Health and Eastman Credit Union, and media sponsors News 5-WCYB, FOX TriCities, Tri-Cities CW, Johnson City Press, Kingsport Times-News, Herald & Tribune, Cumulus Me-
dia and Foster Signs. Additional funding comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Tennessee Arts Commission, the Niswonger Foundation, and the Arts Fund of East Tennessee Foundation. The International Storytelling Center is open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. For more information about Storytelling Live! or to make a group reservation, call (800) 952-8392 ext. 222 or (423) 913-1276.
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A Ghost Town in Happy Valley in the first decade of the twentieth century, Scotia was home to approximately 250 workers and their families and such public resources as a school, a methodist church, a post office, and even a civic center. Mr. Carnegie had taken a personal interest in the community and visited regularly – particularly enjoying performances by the local band and baseball games played by Scotia’s ball club. The good times were not to last however, a series of fires plagued the town, including one in 1908 that damaged much of the underinsured iron ore extraction equipment. The operation was also quickly becoming obsolete as the ore reserves were being depleted, and what remained was found to contain excess silica, an impurity that was less abundant in iron ore found elsewhere. Owing to these factors among others, Carnegie came to deem the operation unprofitable and dispensed with his holdings in 1911. With its primary industry now but a memory, the town quickly began to decay, and by the 1920′s was largely abandoned. Today, the only evidence that Scotia ever existed is a collection of structural foundations and a few ruined buildings that you can explore if you can find them beneath the dense overgrowth. The The village of Scotia, PA, for laid by the Pennsylvania Railroad town’s former site was eventually a time, played an important role to transport the ore several miles acquired by the state of Pennsylin the juggernaut that was the across the valley to the facilities of vania and rebranded as PA State Carnegie Steel Company – later the Bellefonte Mining Company, Game Lands #173, home to a gun known as U.S. Steel. Having be- where a large ore washer was lo- range, expanses used for huntcome aware of significant iron ore cated, as well as major rail con- ing, and the occasional amateur deposits in Central Pennsylvania, nections to Pittsburgh and several prospector with a metal detector Andrew Carnegie took a personal eastern markets. searching for relics from a town At the height of its prosperity, that once was. interest in a parcel of land located A mere four miles from the bustling community of State College, PA, which is dominated in almost every regard by The Pennsylvania State University (known colloquially as Penn State), lies a place, that while thriving at one time in its own right, is as different from a college town as heavy industry is to a football game.
in Centre County near the geographic center of the state, and purchased 365 acres from a local landowner in 1880. He named the area ‘Scotia’ or Little Scotland in honor of his native land. Before long, Scotia would become a significant center of iron ore extraction, so much so that a narrow gauge rail line was quickly
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Pocket Pistol Showdown: Taurus TCP Over the next four weeks we will be looking at four different pocket pistols. Their strengths, weaknesses, and of course their specs. Don’t like pocket pistols? Don’t worry showdowns in other handgun formats will be coming soon. So what four pocket pistols will we be looking at? This week we will be looking at my personal favorite of the four. The Taurus TCP .380. Next week we will look at the Ruger LCP .380, week three will be the Kel-Tec P3AT .380, and last but certainly not least we will look at the Sig-Sauer P238 .380. As you can see all four are chambered in .380, while other calibers exist such as the .32 Auto, .22 Long Rifle, .22 Magnum, and .25 Auto. The most popular and reliable is the .380. So let’s take a look at the Taurus TCP. Although Taurus is a Brazilian company, the TCP is manufactured 100% in the USA. Miami Florida to be exact. This means that when you buy a TCP you’re getting the quality you’ve come to trust from Taurus while supporting American Jobs. The TCP is the lightest pocket .380 on the market, weighing in at only 10.2 ounces. This is due to its polymer frame. Like most pocket pistols it is double action only. However the trigger pull is not unbearable, about four pounds. The sights are so low profile they’re almost nonexistent, but pocket pistols are designed for point and shoot, not fine target aiming. Which brings us to accuracy, the TCP has a 2.84 inch barrel, ideal for a maximum of 10 yards. I actually attempted to shoot the TCP at 15 yards and only landed about 50% of my attempted shots. The truth is this gun is simply not designed
for any kind of distance. That being said most situations requiring the use of deadly force occur at less than 7 yards. The last thing to consider is the price. While the Manufactures Suggested Retail Price is $355.66, the average retail price is $200.00-
$249.00. This is an incredible value. These guns are widely available, and can be purchased at any gun shop. I hope you enjoyed this article, if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to email me, I look forward to your feedback!
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What Is Your XQ? Oops!: In last week’s column, I mistakenly cited Pink Floyd’s “The Wall,” when I should have cited “Dark Side Of The Moon.” Apologies to those legions of fans who enjoy listening to “Dark Side Of The Moon” while watching “The Wizard Of Oz.” This week’s column is dedicated to the memory of Don Featherstone (1936-2015), the unassuming man who changed the world of pop culture forever in 1957 when he created the first plastic pink flamingo yard ornament. We can only hope his grave is decorated with several of his wonderful creations. RIP(ink), Don. The next time you apply for a job, I hope you aren’t confronted with an “optimized hiring” questionnaire. According to last week’s Time magazine, “optimized hiring “ refers to the use of an XQ test to determine your fitness for the position. XQ is a makeshift designation for a test that in many ways supersedes the older, and largely meaningless, IQ test, which was updated by the EQ (Emotional Quotient) test in the 1990s. XQ purports to give a very accurate profile of a prospective employee, but the jury is still out on just how useful this new test is. Being an enemy of testing in most of its forms, I am very skeptical. But let’s see what this new irritant is all about. XQ belongs to the burgeoning new field of “people analytics” and uses a variety of algorithms (who says math isn’t useful?) to profile the test-taker. The Time article, written by Eliza Gray, tells us that “an algorithm has discovered a correlation between a candidate’s answers (such as an expressed preference for classical music) and responses given by (a company’s) most successful workers.” Supposedly, how you handle questions like “Would you like to be an art collector?” “Do you often fantasize about being famous?” and “Do people say you are eccentric?” determines if you are the person for the job. In most cases, the XQ evaluation is given prior to the job interview, and its results often determine
the format of the interview itself. Sounds pretty intimidating to me. And, of course, there are critics of this process, as well as evangelists who see their role as converting the world to the holy trinity of people analytics, big data, and predictive measurement. Time devotes an entire page of its cover story to a sampler from a
popular XQ assessment developed by Robert Hogan, a Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology fellow and an advocate of optimized hiring. The test is divided into three components that measure a prospective employee’s spontaneity, independence, and competitiveness. Do you answer True or False
the test-taker could write in alternate answers like “Neither true nor false,” “Sometimes true, sometimes false,” “This is a ridiculous assessment,” or “It all depends on the situation, so be more specific.” As an employer I would not want someone who mindlessly takes the test without asking questions and seeking clarifications. For instance, I recently read about a student who made a perfect score on the ACT. This is definitely not the kind of person I would want to be working for me. So, I am sure I would not do well on this assessment. I would ask my prospective employer if I could draw pictures, improvise a musical passage, or create an ad for some as-yet-to-be invented product rather than respond in a simple True-False kind of way. Any reasonable assessment should contain different and more meaningful statements, or, better yet, be an open-ended assessment that allows the test-taker to create his or her own questions or statements. For instance, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to sit down and respond to these kinds of statements?: “I like Batman more than Superman,” “I would rather play video games than pay my taxes,” “Assessments like this give you no clue as to who I really am,” “I would never watch a black and white movie,” “I prefer The Walking Dead to Mad Men,” or “I prefer chaos to order.” And I definitely prefer creative exercises like “Create your own assessment,” “Draw a picture that best describes your strengths,” and “Describe who you are in six words.” Or, prospective employees might be asked to listen to various musical selections, watch a montage of movie clips, or view a selection of art works. Then, they would be interviewed and asked to comment on what they had just seen, heard, or analyzed. Of course, I doubt anyone would ever adopt my plan because it is way outside the True-False box. But just think how much fun it would be, for both employer and prospective employee sessment is that it reduces people if my new “KQ” (Kelly Quotient) to stereotypes and does very little assessment were used instead of to measure the abilities of the perthe new XQ scale. son taking the test. It is also unHere’s hoping your won’t be imaginative and does nothing to submitted to “optimized hiring” assess creativity or curiosity—two practices anytime soon and that qualities I believe should be at you will asked to be creative inthe top of the list. For instance, I stead of predictable. would like to see comment boxes See you next week. included with each statement so to the following questions? Sorry, there are no other choices. “I follow my instincts wherever they lead me,” “My friends say that I am unpredictable,” “My friends would describe me as impulsive,” “I prefer working alone,” “I enjoy working on teams,” “Meeting with others is often a waste of time,” “I do not like to draw attention to myself,” “Life is a competition,” “I don’t care if others are more successful than I am,” “There’s nothing wrong with letting others win,” “It takes a killer instinct to get ahead,” “I am at my best when competing with others.” I think you get the idea. Do these types of questions make you nervous? Can you guess which answer your employer is looking for? If you are an employer, do you believe the answers to these statements will better enable you to pick your next new employee? Does this assessment make you angry? My objection to this type of as-
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