theloaferonline.com | November 28, 2017
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on the cover
Volume 31 • Issue #52
Candlelight Christmas
Publisher Luci Tate Editor Graphic Arts Director Don Sprinkle Cover Design Bill May Advertising Patti Barr Paul Kavanaugh Janie Jarvis Lori Howell
Contributing Staff Jim Kelly Andy Ross Ken Silvers Mark Marquette Brian Bishop Daniel Worley Jason Worley Distribution Jerry Hanger Teresa Hanger 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 adcopy@theloaferonline.com 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 lossof 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 Let’s Get Social!
columns & reviews
Office Coordinator Amanda Lane
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Batteries Not Included The Philadelphia Story Stargazer Veteran Astronauts Are Down To Earth Skies This Week Appalachian Wanderers The Fire Of The Century Pop Life Justice League Puzzle Page Kelly’s Place Mirror, Bluetooth Mirror... Who's The Fairest Of Them All?
your week’s line-up
Rocky Mount Museum
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Rocky Mount Candlelight Christmas Oak Ridge Boys Christmas Celebration LEGO Tournament Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver in Concert Hoops for Hope Basketball Competition Build Your Own Tiny Home Annual Artists, Crafters & Vendors Fair Chili Cook-Off Downtown in December Comedian Julie Scoggins @ HRBC Elk are coming to Grandfather Mountain Spotlight Food for Fines Paramount Partners Doggone Christmas Open Auditions for "I Am Home" RTE 3 Listening Room Concert Series Pets Of The Week Things To Do
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Candlelight Christmas theloaferonline.com | November 28, 2017
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Rocky Mount Celebrates more than 20 years of "A Candlelight Christmas."
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he Christmas season seems to start earlier and earlier every year. We start seeing advertisements in October for shopping and decorations of a holiday more than a month away. The Christmas celebration of today is highly commercialized. Rocky Mount State Historic Site’s “A Candlelight Christmas” tours are a chance to look back at a simpler time and experience a simpler celebration. Guests will travel back to Christmas Eve of 1791 where the Cobb family home is adorned with handmade decorations of greenery and lit by candles. Meet the Cobb family, Governor Blount and his family, and many of the Cobb family’s friends and neighbors. Listen to the stories of firing the anvil, the kissing ball, poor man’s punch, and more. Watch the dances of the time and even be invited to join in. Tap your toes and clap your hands to the traditional music being played. Smell the apple fritters frying in the kitchen, the pies waiting to be eaten in the dining room, and the smoke of the bonfire. At the end of the tour, warm up in our reception area with coffee or hot chocolate and other goodies while listening to Christmas music. “A Candlelight Christmas” is a new way to come and see an old favorite. This tour is completely different from our daily tour and captures a different side of life in 1791. Come feel the warmth of the fire on your skin and the warmth of the season in your heart. Start a new tradition this year by attending our “A Candlelight Christmas” tour. Tours begin at 4:30 p.m. each day (Dec. 1st, 2nd, 8th, and 9th) and leave the Visitor’s Center every fifteen minutes with the last tour going out at 8:00 p.m. Guests will have to travel outside to get to the historic home and other buildings so make sure to dress for the weather. The tour lasts approximately an hour and a half and costs $10 for adults and $8 for children ages 5 and up. Members of Rocky Mount receive a $2 discount off admission. Reservations are strongly encouraged, although walk-in visitors are welcome. Group rates are available for groups of twelve or more people. In order to receive group rates, reservations are required. Reservations are now being taken. To make a reservation or for more information, call (423) 538-7396 or 888-538-1791. Rocky Mount is a State of Tennessee Historic Site administered cooperatively with the Tennessee Historical Commission and the Rocky Mount Historical Association. Rocky Mount Museum is a living history museum, which uses first-person interpretation to portray people living in 1791. Rocky Mount is open for tours Tuesday through Saturday from 11 am until 5 pm with the last tour leaving the Visitor’s Center by 4 pm. Living history tours and the facility are available by reservation at any time, including Sundays and Mondays for schools and other groups, with advance reservations. For more information, call (423) 5387396 or visit our website at www.rockymountmuseum.com.
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The Oak Ridge Boys Christmas Celebration Tour
Every year The Oak Ridge Boys’ Christmas tour plays to packed houses across North America. This year the group’s widely acclaimed holiday show, “The Oak Ridge Boys’ Christmas Celebration Tour 2017,” will be coming to the Niswonger Performing Arts Center for an incredible night of holiday favorites and Oak Ridge Boys hits! The sold-out show is set for Sunday, December 3rd at 7:30 PM.
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he nearly two-hour extravaganza will feature a mixture of traditional and contemporary songs, religious, romantic, and fun holiday tunes, as well as some of the Grammy® Awardwinning quartet’s classic Country-Pop hits, like “Elvira,” “Bobbie Sue” and “Thank God For Kids.” The full-production show with its beautiful sets, falling snow, and Christmas trees also includes a visit from Santa Claus, as well as songs from the group’s six, bestselling Christmas CDs. Known for their iconic and multi-platinum selling hit “Elvira,” along with other charttoppers like “Bobbie Sue,” “Thank God For Kids,” and “Leaving Louisiana In The Broad Daylight,” The Oak Ridge Boys have achieved a decorated career, winning five Grammy® Awards, and multiple CMA, ACM and Dove Awards for their cross-over brand of pop, country and gospel music that spans multiple generations. Made up of members Duane Allen, Joe Bonsall, William Lee Golden and Richard Sterban, whose unmistakable bass on the lyric “oom poppa, mow mow,” has become one of music’s most recognized
sing-alongs on an international scale. The Oak Ridge Boys are members of the Grand Ole Opry and achieved arguably country music’s highest honor in October 2015 when they were inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame. The Oak Ridge Boys’ Christmas Celebration Tour takes place at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center on Sunday, December 3rd at 7:30 p.m. This sold-out performance is presented by Wellmont Foundation for Takoma Regional Hospital. Tickets are on sale now for all performances for the entire 2017-2018 season and may be purchased online at NPACgreeneville.com, in person at the NPAC box office, or by calling 423-638-1679. NPAC offers online seat selection with no processing or delivery fees. There is an additional $1.50 ticketing fee per ticket regardless of purchase method. The box office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 AM until 5 PM. The 1150 seat performing arts center is located adjacent to the campus of Greeneville High School. For venue information, and to purchase tickets, please visit www.npacgreeneville.com.
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FIRST LEGO Qualifying Tournament East Tennessee State University will host the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) LEGO League Tennessee State Qualifying Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 2.
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he free event will be held from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. in the ETSU/Mountain States Health Alliance Athletic Center (Minidome), beginning with an opening ceremony at 8:30 a.m. and concluding with an awards ceremony. The tournament brings together teams of youths in grades 4 through 8 who will compete in the FIRST® LEGO® League HYDRO DYNAMICS Challenge with their student-designed and –programmed robots using LEGO MINDSTORM® EV3 technology. The teams will compete before judges in three unique categories: the Robot Game on the Mission Model field tables, Real World Challenge Project Research, and Core Values. In 2014, the inaugural FIRST® LEGO® League initiative produced two competitive teams in the region. The local, innovative-thinking initiative began with seed funding from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development and area manufacturers. In three years, the program has grown to include 26 teams in the Johnson City qualifier, in addition to 13 other regional teams that will compete at other locations, including Kingsport, Knoxville, Tullahoma, Chattanooga and Abingdon, Virginia. The state-level competition will be held at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville in February 2018. The public is invited on Dec. 2 to watch robot performance competitions, see the teams’ realworld challenge project research posters and cheer on the students as they exhibit “Gracious Professionalism®” and “Coopertition®.” “Gracious Professionalism®,” according to the FIRST® website firstinspires.org/robotics/fll, “encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community.” “Coopertition®” is defined as “displaying unqualified kindness and respect in the face of fierce competition. (It) is founded on the … philosophy that teams can and should help and cooperate with each other even as they compete.” Volunteers are needed for a variety of tasks, such as helping with registration, scheduling and monitoring practice tables, and others. For more information on the event or volunteering, contact ETSU Director of Community Outreach and Economic Development Tish Oldham at 423-439-6968 or oldhamp@etsu.edu. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at 423-439-8346.
Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver have enjoyed the release of their newest album, LIFE IS A STORY, as it sweeps onto the charts and continues to garner praise from tastemakers and fans alike.
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he disc debuted on the BILLBOARD Bluegrass Album Chart at #6 and soared to #8 on the Roots Music Report Chart. The first single release from the project, "Life To My Days," has raced up the charts, landing at #3 on the Roots Music Report Chart and rocketing to #9 on the Bluegrass Today Chart. Music and ticket sales are jumping and glowing reviews continue to pour in. It's an exciting time for the seven-time International Bluegrass Music Association Award Vocal Group of the Year winners, and Lawson is thrilled with the reception LIFE IS A STORY has received. "I'd be lying if I said it wasn't gratifying," admits Doyle. "We play music that we love and to know it is appreciated is truly a blessing." In addition to live performances, Lawson has filmed four episodes as host of Heartland TV's hit show Bluegrass Ridge. Recent features include exclusive song premieres on Nashville.com, Roughstock and Bluegrass Today ; The Bluegrass Situation streamed the entire album for its listeners. The 12-track outing for Mountain Home Music Company also received coverage in Sports & Entertainment Nashville, ParcBench, Country Standard Time, Stacy's Music Row Report, Bluegrass Notes, Midwest Record Review, Country Jukebox, Country Music News International, Fervor Coulee, Music Matters Magazine, The Boot, Digital Journal and Rambles.net. A four-star review in Country Music People, coverage in the Bristol Herald Courier, Indie Voice Blog, and a podcast review on Pittsburgh Post-Gazette highlight the weekend's coverage. Lawson and his band, Quicksilver, will appear on Saturday, December 2, 2017 at Northeast State Community College at the Performing Arts Center. Showtime is 7:00 PM, and tickets are available at northeaststate.edu or by calling 423-354-5169.
November 16 • 5-8pm
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Christmas Concert
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Gather your teams and hit the court for the Hoops for Hope Basketball Competition.
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oops for Hope is a 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament , double elimination with prizes for 1st and 2nd place. $15 per team or $5 singles. Single players will be combined with other single players. Food is included with entry fee. Team leaders must RSVP your team by Dec. 1st by calling or texting Carson Tate at 423.416.4830. Hoops for Hope will be played at the Piney Flats United Methodist Church, 225 Methodist Church Street, Piney Flats, on Dec. 2nd at 4pm All proceeds benefit local food pantry missions and Good Samaritans. All donations accepted.
ITHU Build Your Own
Tiny Home Workshop Dec. 3rd - Dec. 10th
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Festivals
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Events
Send it to The Loafer! info@theloaferonline.com
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Exhibits
ome build your own Incredible Tiny Home in our factory in just 7 days and 6 nights. You can stay in our facility, meet other families, home cooked meals 3 times a day, and endless coffee! Come in need and leave fulfilled!! A complete 16 ft. tiny home starting at $18,440.00 that price includes: dry in, supervisor, and room and board for the whole workshop week! Contact Incredible Tiny Homes at www.incredibletinyhomes.com to set up your tiny home build and receive more details about your Incredible Tiny Homes Workshop!
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Annual Artists, Crafters and Vendors Fair The Rogersville Arts Council is hosting its 4th Annual Artists, Crafters, and Vendor Fair on Saturday December 2, 2017, 10am-5pm, in Downtown Historic Rogersville! Come join us as Main Street comes alive with the excitement of the holiday hustle and bustle!
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his years’ event will be held in Rogersville newest venue, “Occasions On The Square” event facility! This beautiful building is located in the heart of Downtown Historic Rogersville and will be the center of that days community events. The Christmas Parade held that afternoon passes right by our site The Rogersville Arts Council has partnered with several groups to make this years’ Artists, Crafters, and Vendors Fair the best ever. Hawkins County Humane Society will be on site to accept supplies and donations. The Rogersville Chamber of Commerce and the Main Street program are sponsoring the Christmas Parade and the Christmas tree lighting at the Courthouse, directly across from our event venue. The Rogersville Heritage Association’s “Tour of Homes” is also scheduled for that day and will have a ticket booth inside our event. But the highlight of the day is the caliber of artists, crafters, and vendors participating in the Fair. Come shop a fine selection of hand painted, holiday and home décor, expertly crafted stained glass pieces, photography and canvas art, the work of a local published author, as well as holiday floral arrangements. Vendors include entrepreneurs representing the following companies Rodan+Fields, Matilda Jane, Plunder, Young Living, and LulaRoe, to name a few. There will be drawings for prizes during the daiy Bring the family! This event is child friendly. We will offer a youth focused bead workshop, where they can create their own masterpieces to keep for themselves or to give as gifts. To encourage young artists, there is a student coloring contest with prizes awarded. Yummy Treats will be on hand for the kid in all of us, at the Rogersville Arts Council Bake Sale booth. The fun doesn’t stop there. That evening, join us for the “Sounds of the Season” holiday concert immediately following the Artists, Crafters, and Vendors Fair. This musical variety concert includes popular holiday tunes performed by familiar as well as new faces within our talented community. The show begins at 6pm. Tickets are $5 per person and can be purchased at the door. For a full schedule of the day’s events go to rogersvillechamber.us.
Quillen OSR Chili Cook-off
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oin us at The Ground Floor Mezzanine at Statnton-Gerber Hall, ETSU Quillen College of Medicine, Thursday, November 30th from 11-1. Tickets for the event are $6 and all proceeds will benefit the Willow Unit at Woodridge Hospital. Everyone who purchases a ticket will get to eat lots of chili and be entered to win prizes! Remember, if you bring chili you do not need to buy a ticket. This year, we are breaking the competition up into categories: Best Traditional Chili, Best Non-traditional Chili, Best Vegetarian Chili, and Best All Around. If you plan on bringing chili, please respond to parawan@etsu.edu . Tickets will be sold at the event or online at the Quillen Students website squareup.com/store/qcom-2020. We look forward to eating some delicious chili and seeing you all there!
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he festive winter experience begins with the annual Christmas Tree Lighting on Friday, December 1. The event takes place at 7:00 p.m. at the plaza on Buffalo Street in Downtown Johnson City. Santa will lead the tree lighting ceremony and the Indian Trail Chorus will sing familiar holiday songs. The tree is larger this year, making it 30 feet tall. This will make for a great photo opportunity with your family! The Johnson City Christmas Parade is the following morning, Saturday, December 2, at 11:30 a.m. The theme of this year’s parade is A Storybook Christmas. The parade route begins on the corner of University Parkway at W. Walnut to Buffalo Street, down E. Main Street, right on Colonial Way, left to E. State of Franklin and ends in the old burley lot at the Corner of E. State of Franklin and Legion Street. The “Best Float” will be awarded $1,000 to be donated to a non-profit of their choice. Awards will also be given to 2nd and 3rd place winners. To register or find out more information about the parade visit: jcchristmasparade.org. After the Christmas Parade, head to the Pavilion at Founders Park for Whoville Village from 12:30-2:30
p.m. The Pavilion will be thriving with holiday activities for kids including choo-choo train rides, craft stations, photo opportunities with Whoville Village characters, a dance area with a DJ and various other activity stations available. Whoville Village is free and open to the public! Be sure to stroll Downtown after Whoville Village to shop and dine with our local merchants. Storefront windows will be decorated with beautiful holiday scenes. Throughout the holiday filled weekend visit Holiday Splash Fine Art & Craft Market at the Hands On! Museum Ballroom, located at 315 E. Main Street. The sale will feature arts and crafts made by local and regional artisans. It’s the perfect place to purchase Christmas presents! On December 1, the market is open from 12:00-8:30 p.m., on December 2, the market is open from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. and on December 3, the market is open from 12:00- 5:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, and sponsored by Johnson City Public Art. Information about these events and more can be found on our Downtown Johnson City Facebook Events page or at downtownjc.com.
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theloaferonline.com | November 28, 2017
Downtown in December
The holiday season is quickly approaching and that means Downtown in December is just around the corner. Downtown in December is a series of holiday events in the heart of Downtown Johnson City. The holiday cheer will follow you from event to event, as you participate in family friendly activities, parties, shopping, and more!
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Music and Comedy Weekend
Julie Scoggins at HRBC
By Paul Kavanaugh
Holston River Brewing is Excited to announce comedian Julie Scoggins is coming to the brewery on December 2nd! Julie has been heard on the John Boy & Billy Big Show & XM/ Sirius Blue Collar Radio. She is a vertically gifted standup comic, motorcycle enthusiast & charm school graduate.
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icking the show off is comedian Melissa Douty, an internationally touring professional feature comedian, based out of Salem, VA. Melissa brings her unique, authentic comedy to every show; encompassing fans of all ages and quickly making a name for herself. Very personable with an almost ‘Aw, shucks’ delivery, Melissa‘s comedy is sort of like that really smooth liquor that is so easy to drink and then hits you like a sledgehammer out of nowhere.
The music part of the weekend is Friday night when Rusty Steel and Quarter Bounce take the stage at 8:30 for their high energy show. These guys really handle Southern Hard Rock as well as anyone in the area and attending a show is always a treat. The band was a finalist in the recent Next2Rock competition. With great comedy and great music, you simply add in the great beer and you have everything you need to stay entertained this weekend!
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The Philadelphia Story Batteries Not Included
By Andy Ross aross@ theloaferonline.com
George Cukor’s 1940 MGM film “The Philadelphia Story” is one of the all time great comedies. With a cast headed by Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and Jimmy Stewart, it’s one of those films that gets better and better the more you watch it.
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uring the late ‘30s, Hepburn’s fortunes at the box office took a film cleaned up not only at the box office, but critically as well as during turn for the worse. In 1938, after a series of failures, Hepburn Oscar season. With six nominations, “The Philadelphia Story” won two had been placed on a list of “box office poison” by a group of Academy Awards. One of the screenplay adapted by Donald Ogden Stewart, and best actor for James Stewart. Stewart always believed independent theater owners. Though she didn’t receive any credit for it, “The Philadelphia Story” the Oscar should have gone to Henry Fonda for “The Grapes of Wrath” was a Katharine Hepburn production all the way. Hepburn backed and he at the time, as do many film scholars today, believe that he the broadway production with her own money, forgoing her salary in was given the award as a make up prize for missing out on it for his exchange for a percentage of the profits. The play was a huge success, performance in 1939’s “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” The Criterion Collection has and Hepburn’s boyfriend at the time, Howard Hughes, bought The Philadelphia Story” began life as a stage play released “The Philadelphia Story” her the film rights to the play as written by Hepburn’s friend Phillip Barry, who for the first time on blu-ray, in one of their more anticipated releases a gift. Hepburn, seeing another wrote it has a vehicle for her. and it does not disappoint. An way to turn around her “box office poison” reputation, marketed the rights to the film version as impressive 4K restoration of the film has “The Philadelphia Story” a package deal that included herself in the role she played, and also looking the best I have ever seen it. It’s all the more impressive as this restoration was created from a 35mm fine-grain positive created from giving her approval on cast, script, producer, and director. Hepburn plays Tracy Lord, of the famed—and loaded with cash— the original 35mm nitrate camera negative. The film’s negative was lost Philadelphia Lords. Lord is about to get married for the second time, in an archive fire in 1978. two years after divorcing charismatic yacht designer C.K. Dexter Haven A restoration demonstration is one of the included bonus features, (Grant). Haven has decided he wants to get a little bit of disruption and it shows how badly warped the 35mm negative was when the going by showing up two days before the wedding, with “friends of the fine-grain was created. It’s an incredible effort from Criterion when you family” who are actually tabloid reporters (James Stewart and Ruth see all the hard work that was done, and final result. It’s a sparkling, Hussey). What follows is one of the most delightful comedies ever shot. beautiful, black and white image. The bonus features on this Criterion A witty, charming film from start to end. There are few films I can think edition are rich, in-depth, and wonderful. Two new documentaries are included, one on the origin of Tracy Lord’s character and another on of that are as much a delight as “The Philadelphia Story” is. Just as the stage play had done, the film version of “The Philadelphia Story” was a huge hit, ending Hepburn’s “box office poison” title. The BATTERIES continued on page 27
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to Grandfather Mountain
This December, Grandfather Mountain will welcome some new residents to its environmental wildlife habitats.
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he nonprofit nature preserve and attraction has adopted three male elk — a bachelor herd — to reside in an all-new habitat. After the park’s resident white-tailed deer passed away earlier this year, the habitat underwent significant renovations to accommodate these new residents. The adoptees are calves, each around four months old, and hail from a private elk farm and breeder in central North Carolina. Although elk are new to Grandfather Mountain, that wasn’t always the case. Elk population once thrived in the High Country, with the animals’ lending their name to numerous towns and landmarks, such as Banner Elk, Elk Park and Elk River Falls. Their numbers were decimated by over-hunting and loss of habitat in the 18th and 19th centuries, and they were eventually eradicated entirely from the region. However, in 2001, the National Park Service began reintroducing elk into Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and they’ve been thriving there ever since. At Grandfather Mountain, guests will now be able to see them up close and personal in their native environment. “A large overlook offers folks the chance to see the elk in their new habitat, and daily enrichments — like a special treat or unfamiliar scent — will let our guests see them at their most active,” Ruggiero said. “To say we’re looking forward to this is a gross understatement. Our habitat
Photo by Colin Knight Colin Knight Photography
keepers are practically bugling with excitement.” Grandfather Mountain is offering another way for the public to engage with the elk — through a naming contest. An online naming competition, in which contestants can submit name ideas for the three elk calves, along with a $3 donation ($1 per name), at www.grandfather.com. Each submission should include three name suggestions, and entries are due by Dec. 4 (unless the deadline is extended). Grandfather Mountain encourages contestants to submit names related in context, e.g. famous trios (excluding “The Three Stooges” and anything political). Habitat staff will select the three winning names — entries will not be mixed and matched, e.g. a name from one contestant and two from another contestant, etc. — and the winner will receive a pass for four to Grandfather Mountain, as well as a complimentary Behind the Scenes Tour for their group. The names will be announced in December, when the elk are on display in their new habitat. Proceeds from the contest will directly benefit the elk themselves, going toward food, veterinary care and daily enrichments. The not-for-profit Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation strives to inspire conservation of the natural world by helping guests explore, understand and value the wonders of Grandfather Mountain. For more information, call (800) 4687325, or visit www.grandfather.com to plan a trip
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Elk are coming
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Veteran Astronauts Are Down To Earth
This year ends with 536 humans being the total number who have been blasted off this planet into outer space during the past 60 years.
W Stargazer
By Mark Marquette since 1996 stargazermarq@ gmail.com
hen you consider about 15 billion have been born since 1920, that is a ratio of 1 out of 280 million people have punched a ticket to outer space. And that makes meeting an astronaut a big deal! Recently I’ve been lucky to attend some astronaut gatherings at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center, and believe me, people love meeting astronauts! Astronauts are often thought of as some sort of superheroes, and they are in the minds of space geeks who seek to stand in their aura and snag an autograph. And as much as you idolize these space travelers, hanging around them you realize they are just normal humans like you. After they take their blue jump suit off, they have wants, needs and problems just like everyone else. There seem to be two types of astronauts: ones who forever wear their mission patches and love the adulation, and others who have moved on to new careers in the business world. Some like to be known who they are, and others like to be anonymous. Maybe you’ve been lucky to meet a Space Shuttle astronaut or two along your path in life. Some of you might be friends or done business with a space man or woman. But one place to see a person talking about their trip to outer space is the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex near the NASA workers’ KSC site with the launch pads and largest one-story building in the world the VAB (Vehicular Assembly Building). For the price of admission, there is an astronaut every day giving a talk about being in outer space. Though there is a lot to see at the Visitor Complex including the Atlantis Space Shuttle, I recommend catching the “Astronaut Encounter” at 1 or 3 pm, getting a photo with the space flier and then an autograph at 4 pm in the world’s largest space memorabilia store. Each astronaut has a unique story to tell, whether one of the first five female astronauts like Rhea Seddon, or the world’s most launched human, Purdueproud Jerry Ross with seven Shuttle flights and 9 spacewalks during his 30year astronaut career. West Virginia’s only astronaut, Jon McBride, is just as interesting talking about piloting his only Shuttle flight as it is to hear fourtime Shuttle mission specialist and spacewalker Tom Jones. Hearing moonwalker John Young talk about lunar dust being itchy like fiberglass or Shuttle spacewalker Kathryn Thornton tell about leaving her glove prints all over the Hubble Space telescope are the gems of insight that makes you a part of the astronaut experience. These are just a few of the astronauts I’ve been fortunate to encounter. The audiences at Kennedy Visitor Complex are of all age groups and nationalities. And yes, the astronauts have heard the same questions many times. But they realize what a big deal it is for people to hear the first-hand account from someone who has escaped Earth’s gravity grip and seen our world unlike any of the billions of humans who’ve lived. “I enjoy it, or I wouldn’t do it,” said 74-year-old McBride, who changed careers during the Challenger disaster investigation instead of waiting four or five years for another flight. “It’s all about reaching the younger generations and affirming they can do anything they set their minds to, even becoming an astronaut.”
Astronaut Jerry Ross and MarQ Astronauts can turn up at press conferences, space industry events and corporate seminars. The astronauts are trained in Houston at the Johnson Space Center, and launched from KSC on Merritt Island east of Orlando and south of Daytona. So, in those areas you might see an astronaut at the store, restaurant, gas station or a yard sale! There is a mix of young and old astronauts among the 300-plus Americans who have ventured into outer space. All the Mercury Seven astronauts have died, and the last was John Glenn in December 2016. The numbers of the Gemini and Apollo astronauts who took us to the Moon are dwindling. Of the 24 men who made the trip to orbit the Moon, half are still alive and in their 80s. That includes six of the 12 moonwalkers, always an event when they make a public appearance. John Young has Alzheimer’s disease, but still robust are Al Bean, David Scott, Charlie Duke and Harrison Schmitt. And then there is Apollo 11 moon pilot Buzz Aldrin. The 87-year-old icon has assumed the height of international celebrity, blasting Twitter nearly daily with is public escapades. Aldrin is in great health for his age and promotes going to Mars as he immerses himself among young people at conferences and events. And the second moonwalker, who Neil Armstrong famously photographed at Tranquility Base in 1969, has done some wild things the past two years, including the oldest person to go to the South Pole; a day flying with the Blue Angels air show; VIP at the Super Bowl and Presidential Inauguration, and just about anything Buzz wants to do! One common theme that Buzz Aldrin and all the astronauts have is to motivate today’s youth to chase their dreams and never give up, as each astronaut’s story is an unpredictable path of life’s twists and turns. Many astronauts say they daydreamed in their youth about outer space. And in today’s classrooms are the daydreaming students who will become the men and woman taking America back to the Moon and eventually Mars. And it is on the shoulders of past astronauts where they will stand and reach for the stars.
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his is a week when 35 people were blasted off the Earth into orbit about 225 miles high aboard six Space Shuttle flights. Now merely memories since the 2011 retirement of the Shuttle fleet, each of the 134 flights were amazing (with the 25th Shuttle flight of Challenger the low point). One standout mission is the repair of the near-sighted Hubble Space Telescope 24 years ago this week, correcting a manufacturing flaw and paving the way for the incredible success of one of mankind’s greatest scientific tools. Looking skyward, the Moon is waxing to full phase on Sunday. Tuesday, November 28 At 6:30 pm the constellation Taurus the Bull is above the eastern horizon, with Auriga the Charioteer also rising to the bull’s left. They are marked by bright star Aldebaran, the reddish eye of the bull, and Auriga’s bright star, yellowish Capella. Ninety minutes later the great hunter Orion has cleared the eastern horizon.
are the familiar seven stars of the Big Dipper. Between them, of course, is the Little Dipper, its end star of the handle being the North Star, Polaris.
Saturday, December 2 Four American Space Shuttle crews totaling 24 astronauts will be thinking about today as their blast off date with outer space. In 1988, Atlantis was launched with five astronauts on a classified US Defense Department mission deploying a spy satellite; in 1990, Columbia Wednesday, November 29 and seven astronauts were launched on an astronomy mission with Astro 1, an array of The gibbous Moon is in Pisces tonight, a beautiful sight in binoculars four telescopes in the payload bay; in 1992, Discovery was launched with five astronauts or small telescope. To the left of the Moon is planet Uranus, barely on another top secret mission for the Defense Department; in 1993 STS-61 had Endeavour seen in binoculars and easier in a telescope with the aid of a star chart on the important 10-day repair mission of the myopic Hubble Space Telescope with seven downloaded from the Internet. astronauts taking part in the successful mission. Only the Orbiter Challenger didn’t fly on this date. In 1974, Pioneer 11 flew by Jupiter, sending following its twin Pioneer 10, which Thursday, November 30 flew by almost exactly a year earlier on Dec. 4, 1973. On this 2000 date in space history, Endeavour was launched on the STS97 mission. A veteran crew of 5 (3 men making their third spaceflight Sunday, December 3 and two men on their second) flew to the growing International Space Full Moon today, which rises at sunset providing some welcome moonlight to our dark, 6 pm Station 230 miles high and installed the first set of solar panels during evenings. Native Americans called this the Cold Moon and Long Nights Moon for obvious three spacewalks. Aboard the ISS was the first three-member crew, reasons. Open the window curtains and allow some moonshine to brighten our night!. called Expedition 1, putting 8 humans in space at the same time. Monday, December 4 Friday, December 1 In 1998, Space Shuttle Endeavour was blasted with six astronauts into space carrying the Looking north, Cassiopeia the Queen’s brightest five stars make an “M” American module Unity in its cargo bay. The primary docking adapter Unity was connected shape in the sky, and opposite it somewhere dredging up the horizon with the orbiting Russian Zarya command module to form the core of the International Space Station. The ISS has been continuously occupied for 17 years!
theloaferonline.com | November 28, 2017
THIS WEEK
SKIES
Celestial events in the skies for the week of Nov. 28 - Dec. 4, 2017 as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette. 17
Spotlight
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- TUESDAY - November 28th -
- FRIDAY - December 1st -
Pop Evil Capone’s
From The Edge Country Club Bar & Grill
Downtown Country Jiggy Ray’s Pizzeria
Live Music at Bone Fire Smokehouse
Stemwinder Rock’s Wood Fired Pizza & Grill
Railway Express Wagon Wheel
- WEDNESDAY - November 29th -
Shake Yo MoneyMaker Rush Street
Denver Evans Greeneville Moose Lodge Jason Lloyd O’Mainnin’s Pub
The War and Treaty The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room
Rusty Steel Woodstone Deli
Shooter Band Elizabethton Elks Lodge
- THURSDAY - November 30th -
Jam w/ Mal Cooper Trio Wellington’s Restaurant All That Remains Capone’s Emi Sunshine Capitol Theatre Nostalgia Duo Rock’s Wood Fired Pizza & Grill Jerry Pierce and the Nightlife band Carnegie Hotel Live Music at Bone Fire Smokehouse Rusty Steel Acoustic O’Mainnin’s Pub Big Lon’s Crateful Dig Elderbrew - FRIDAY - December 1st -
Alliez Capone’s Haal / Us, If / TBA The Hideaway
Redleg Husky Yee Haw Brewing Company Shooter Band Elizabethton Elks Lodge Beth Snapp Capitol Theatre Rusty Steel w/ Quarter Bounce Holston River Brewing Company Nightshift Band Lion’s Club Malcolm Holcombe Down Home Momma Molasses/Belle of the Fall Acoustic Coffeehouse Drop Dead Dangerous Woodstone Deli Dan Deel CJ’s Sports Bar
If you or your band are playing in the upcoming week and would like to be in The Spotlight, call in advance to (423) 283-4324 or go online to: theloaferonline.com. Due to last minute cancellations or changes, please call the location to confirm.
- SATURDAY - December 2nd -
Gipsy Danger / Big Mister Basketcase Capone’s Indighost / The Kindest People Bloom Cafe and Listening Room U Turn Bear’s Bar Live Music at Bone Fire Smokehouse Hackensaw Boys The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room
- SATURDAY - December 2nd -
Jigsaw Jane Country Club Bar & Grill Borderline CJ’s Sports Bar - SUNDAY - December 3rd-
Elizabeth Cook Down Home Of Sea and Stone Acoustic Coffeehouse
Pacer and The Sundowners Kingsport Moose Lodge #972 Nightshift Band David Thompson’s Produce Paul Wilber Holiday Inn Rick Morris Band Buffalo Ruritan Sundown Band Willoughby Ruritan
Emi Sunshine Capitol Theatre Thursday, Nov. 30th
Adam Graybeals Hillbilly Soul Holiday Inn Nightshift Band David Thompson’s Produce Jason Keiser Jazz Duo Jeff Taylor & Janita Acoustic Coffeehouse Scott Javens / Plan Z Woodstone Deli
for show time & more details, visit
theloaferonline.com
Dan Deel CJ's Sports Bar Friday, Dec. 1st
Country Club Bar & Grill 3080 W State St Bristol 423-844-0400
Model City Tap House 324 E Market St. Kingsport 423-765-0875
Bear's Bar 4460 Highway 421 Bristol TN 423-502-1975
Holiday Inn (Exit 7) 3005 Linden Dr. Bristol VA 276-466-4100
Quaker Steak & Lube 629 State St. Bristol VA 276-644-9464
Bone Fire Smokehouse at the Hardware 260 W Main St Abingdon VA 276-623-0037
Holston River Brewing Company 2623 Volunteer Pkwy Bristol TN
Rock’s Wood Fired Pizza & Grill 3119 Bristol Hwy. Johnson City 423-262-0444
CJ’S Sports Bar 516 Morelock St. Kingsport 423-390-1361
Lakeview Marina 474 Lakeside Dock Drive Kingsport
TUESDAY
Karaoke w/ Crossroads & Josh Blevins at Dawg House Tavern Family Night Karaoke at CJ’s Sports Bar Karaoke w/ Marques at The Cave Karaoke at Numan’s ***********************
WEDNESDAY
Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at American Legion Karaoke at CJ’s Sports Bar Karaoke w/ DJ Brad & Top Shelf Entertainment at Quaker Steak & Lube
Sonny’s Marina & Café 109 One Street Gray, TN 423-282-9440
FRIDAY
Karaoke at Kingsport Moose Lodge Karaoke w/ Reverb Karaoke at The Cottage Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City TN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Moe’s Original BBQ Karaoke w/ Toddzilla at Sportsmans Pub Karaoke w/ DJ Brad & Top Shelf Entertainment at BoBo’s - Damascus VA Karaoke at Elizabethton VFW
Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Smokey Bones - Johnson City TN
Karaoke w/ DJ Marquez & Top Shelf Entertainment at Holiday Inn (Exit 7) - Bristol VA
Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City TN ***********************
Karaoke at Numan’s ***********************
THURSDAY
Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Macado’s - Kingsport
SATURDAY
Karaoke at The Horseshoe Lounge
Karaoke at CJ’s Sports Bar
Karaoke w/ Toddzilla at Sportsmans Pub
Karaoke at Numan’s
Karaoke at Kingsport Moose Lodge
Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at New Beginning’s
Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City TN
Karaoke at Jiggy Rays Pizzaria ***********************
Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Macado’s - Kingsport
Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at Sportsman’s Bar & Grill
Karaoke at Numan’s ***********************
FRIDAY
Karaoke w/ Shane Rouse at Bear’s Bar
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SPOTLIGHT DIRECTORY
KARAOKE
Acoustic Coffeehouse 415 W Walnut St. Johnson City 423-434-9872
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A
A is for Abingdon Olive Oil
C
C is for Camp Ruff-N-More
G
G is for Give here, help here! Marsh Regional Blood Center
ABCs
D
H
D is for Don Hill Used Car Value Center
H is for Hamlett-Dobson
I
It's a wonderful day when you pick up a Loafer!
J
J is for Jonesborough Wines & Spirits
E
E is for Express Oil Change
F
F is for Flowers at White's Floral
K
K is for Kingsport Pirannahs
L
L is for Lafayette Heat & Air
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s a m t s i r h C of
B
B is for Blackbird Backery
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M
M is for Mac's Medicine Mart
O
O is for Open to Everyone! Washington Co. Co-Op
U
U is for URL Stellar Studios
ABCs
P
V
P is for Pit Row Wine & Liquor
V is for VPR Roofing
Q
W
Q is for Questions about Monat?
W is for Win with Warranty 1
R
R is for Rainbow Motors
X
X is for Xtreme Lashes by Sher Extensions
S
Y
S is for Shop on Buy House Dressing
Y is for Your BEST Choice for Pizza Johnny Brusco's
T
Z
T is for Tan Tanks Are Us Admiral Proane
Z is for Zoom on up to Bays Mountain Park!
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s a m t s i r h C of
N
N is for New Looks begin at Studio 33
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The Fire of the Century
Appalachian Wanderers
By Jason & Daniel Worley jdworley@ theloaferonline.com
“
At first I thought I was dreaming. I thought I was dreaming I was running through hell. But then I realized it was an inferno and it was all around me. The heat from the flames was so hot, it felt like it was cooking my skin on me alive. I could hear screams all around me mixed with the roaring sounds of the fire and the wind, but I couldn’t see anything because the embers were flying in my eyes. I just knew I had to run, I had to run for my life”. – Gatlinburg Wildfire Survivo
O
ne year ago today, people were fleeing for their lives as their homes and those of their neighbors burned around them. Those that could get out on the roads found themselves trapped in a fiery mountain of flames and smoke; most abandoned their cars and tried running on foot. November 28, 2016 the Chimney Tops fires made their way down the mountains from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and into Gatlinburg and other areas of Sevier county. Fourteen of our friends, neighbors and co-workers lost their lives in this wildfire. First their names appeared on list of those that were missing, or maybe on a prayer request from a family member or friend. Then one by one, they joined the daily roll call of those killed in the Gatlinburg wildfires. We want to remember them here:
• Elaine Brown, 81 – Gatlinburg TN • Bradley William Phillips, 59 – Gatlinburg, TN • Mary Evelyn Norred Vance, 75 – Gatlinburg, TN • Constance Reed, 34 – Gatlinburg, TN • Chloe Reed, 12 – Gatlinburg, TN • Lily Reed, 9 – Gatlinburg, TN • Jon Summers, 71 – Memphis, TN • Janet Summers, 61 – Memphis, TN • John Tegler, 71 – Atlanta, GA • Marilyn Tegler, 70 – Atlanta, GA • Alice Hagler, 70 – Gatlinburg, TN • Pamela Jean Johnson, 59 – Gatlinburg, TN • Robers A Hejny, 65 – Gatlinburg, TN • Rev Ed Taylor, 85 – Gatlinburg, TN
That night was a night that many of us will never forget. The past year has brought many ways of helping the community to try and get back on its feet. From Dolly Parton holding her benefit telethon that raised enough money to give each person that lost their primary residence a total of $10K each, to thousands of volunteers who donated money, time, clothes and their hearts, the local community and others across the country answered the call to help those in need. Over this year, we have taken you to a few of our favorite trails within the National Park as well. Some of these trails still show scars from the fire and some of our favorites such as the last portion of Chimney Tops Trail and the upper miles of Sugarlands Mountain Trail remain closed with no date in the near future of being opened back up. Over the past year, we have also seen the rejuvenation of forest lands that are already beginning to recover. Moist coves and the northern slopes of many mountains recovered almost completely. These areas only had fire burn the leaf litter along the forest floor the remaining greenery left over from summer. The dry, southern slopes and rocky peaks, however, are a different story. Park officials estimate it will be over half a century before all visible traces of the fire are gone on the hardest hit areas, such as the southern exposure of Bullhead Mountain seen from the Carlos C Cambell overlook along Newfound Gap Road. Even here, though, new growth began to establish a foothold as the summer months lazily floated past. Soon they will be covered with species of trees and shrubs which thrive in the dry conditions, such as the table mountain pine. We will continue to take you on our journeys within the National Park as we witness Mother Nature heal and rebuild our great mountains.
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Ever since I was a kid I have dreamed of seeing a live-action big screen version of the Justice League. After countless animated adventures, Superman and his buddies are finally on the big screen in the new superhero film "Justice League", a follow up to "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice", and needless to say I was thrilled.
Pop Life
By Ken Silvers ksilvers@ theloaferonline.com
(Rated PG-13) 4 Batmobiles (out of 4)
T
he JL first appeared as a team in comic books back in 1960, and they haven't looked back since. The new film picks up with the aftermath of the death of Superman and follows Bruce Wayne's/Batman's (Ben Affleck) attempts to form a team to fight off a pending invasion from another world. Diana Prince/Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) reveals the attack on Earth is led by Steppenwolf, a conqueror of worlds who thousands of years before attempted, along with his Parademons, to bring the Earth under his control. The initial attack failed due to all the forces of Earth teaming up to send Steppenwolf back to his home world, which is ruled by Darkseid. Steppenwolf vowed he would come back when Earth was prime for attack, and due the death of Superman, he feels the time is right to attack. However, Steppenwolf must gather Mother Boxes,
which when combined, provide the ultimate in power to make the Earth hellish. Batman, with the help of Wonder Woman, is able to recruit three other heroes to fight against Steppenwolf. They are as follows: Barry Allen/Flash (Ezra Miller); Arthur Curry/Aquaman (Jason Momoa); and Victor Stone/Cyborg (Ray Fisher). The fight with Steppenwolf begins in earnest after he attacks the Amazons on Diana's former home Paradise Island, in an effort to get one of the Mother Boxes. The battle with the villain culminates in a showdown in a Russian village near a closed nuclear reactor. The battle is highlighted by the return of...*spoiler alert*... Superman, who is brought back to life at the insistence of Batman via the watery substance on board the Kryptonian spacecraft Lex
POP LIFE continued on page 29
T
he Food for Fines program provides an opportunity for library patrons to help feed the hungry in our community and support the animals in our shelter while receiving some economic relief due to overdue fines. No fine is too big, and all materials are eligible. The only exceptions are lost or damaged materials - neither are covered under the Food for Fines exchange. The library will waive $1.00 in fines for each canned good or non-perishable food item brought to the library for Second Harvest. All food items must carry their original packaging and labels; the library cannot accept glass, home-canned food or baby formula. The library will waive $1.00 in fines for every two cans of cat or dog food brought to the library for the animal shelter. The library is also accepting Puppy Chow and Kitten Chow, please call for more information. Food barrels and doggie boxes will be at the Circulation Desk where donations may be dropped off. For more information about Food for Fines, contact Gina Thayer-Coleman at 423-434-4465.
Discounts available with ticket stub day of performance
In the spirit of community during this season of giving, the Johnson City Public Library will partner with Second Harvest Food Bank and the Washington County-Johnson City Animal Shelter to hold a Food for Fines exchange program from Friday, December 1, to Saturday, December 30, 2017.
Paramount Partners
theloaferonline.com | November 28, 2017
Food for Fines
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• Bristol Station Brews & Taproom Half off first pint or flight • Broad Street on State 20% off your check of $6 or more • Stateline Bar & Grille 2 for 1 Appetizers • Studio Brew 1/2 Half off first pint Free Appetizer or dessert w/Entrée Purchase • Machiavelli’s Free order of breadsticks with any entrée • Whiskey Rebellion Half off your appetizer • J Frank Free dessert and immediate parking Discounts valid for all performances of Annie.
Hepburn’s handling of developing the film with her interests at center. Also included is the audio commentary by scholar Jeanine Basinger from Warner Brother’s 2005 DVD release of the film, a “Lux Radio Theater” adaptation from 1943, and an excerpt of director Cukor on a 1978 episode of “The Dick Cavett Show.” The highlight of the set’s features is Katharine Hepburn’s famous appearance on Dick Cavett’s show from 1973. The notoriously interview shy Hepburn had refused TV requests for years, agreeing to come down to Cavett’s studio to check things out before she committed to appearing on the show. Wisely, Cavett’s crew rolled tape as Hepburn walked in to check things out, commenting on everything from the color of the set, to how ugly the carpet is. Then, shocking and delighting all, Hepburn said “Let’s just do the thing now and get it over with.” What follows, spread over two episodes, is a two hour conversation with the great Kate that is an absolute must. What a joy to have it included here, it’s one of the great moment’s from Cavett’s storied talk show. Criterion has knocked it out of the park with their edition of “The Philadelphia Story,” a justifiably beloved film and one of the unquestionably great screen comedies. If you’ve never seen the film, I envy you getting to experienced it for the first time. Add this to your home collection, you won’t regret it. See you next week.
theloaferonline.com
Doggone Christmas
Christmas in Olde Jonesborough continues on Saturday, December 2nd with Doggone Christmas from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
C
hristmas from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Bring your furry friends for pictures with Santa, enjoy treats and be sure to check out the petfriendly items at the Christmas Market. Join us at 1 p.m. for contests including Ugliest Christmas Dog Sweater, Best Holiday Costume and Pet/Owner Lookalike. The Pet Parade will begin shortly after the contests, in front of the downtown Courthouse. This event is FREE, and donations will also be accepted for the The Humane Society of Washington County.
#onlyinjonesborough
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BATTERIES continued from page 14
Open Auditions
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The Town of Jonesborough will present the play I Am Home, based on stories of the people from Tennessee’s oldest town, in February of 2018. Drawn from over 100 oral histories, I Am Home celebrates the struggles and triumphs of the residents throughout Jonesborough’s long history.
A
uditions for this play will be held at the McKinney Center in Jonesborough on Sunday, December 3 from 2-5PM, and Monday, December 4, from 5:30-8PM. This play features roles for children, teens, and adults, from all backgrounds, as the stories in the play come from Jonesborough’s diverse community. Singers are also needed, as the play features five original songs. Rehearsal schedules in most cases will be made to fit within the actors’ own availability as much as possible. Some of the scenes found in I Am Home include the celebration of the Migrant March in Jonesborough by the Latino community; the story of how the schools in Jonesborough became integrated sooner than any other in Washington County, thanks to the determination of Alfred Greenlee, and the friendship he had with the school’s principal; a young mother who bakes bread for the Union soldiers when they set up camp in town; remembrances from the old Jackson Theater; a train trip to California that doesn’t live up to expectations; the coming of electricity, the preservation movement, and many more. The play will be directed by Jules Corriere, who, along with her partner in Community Performance, International, Richard Owen Geer, directed the play the first time it was presented. The show will be performed once more at the McKinney Center. The original production took place at the center before the renovation, and served
to kick-off the McKinney Center’s new life as a building for art making in the community. In addition to Corriere, the production team will include Phyllis Fabozzi as the stage manager, who also held this position during the initial production; artist David Kehs as the set designer; Kevin Glasper will choreograph; Karen Elb will designing lights; and Brett McCluskey will serve as music director and accompanist. Most of the production team will be on hand during auditions, giving actors an opportunity to meet and get to know the team they will be working with. For more information about auditions, please contact Jules Corriere at julesc@ jonesboroughtn.org or call 423-794-6320.
POP LIFE continued from page 25
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theloaferonline.com | November 28, 2017
more than Grant's equal. Miller's Flash provides quite a bit of levity in the film, and his lack of experience works perfect against the veteran Batman. Gadot IS Wonder Woman, and Cavill's Superman finally matures to the Superman we all know best. Afflleck. once again, is Batman at his Dark Knight best, but even has several opportunities to smile! Affleck even has several new and very cool Batman vehicles to enjoy. Momoa's takeno-prisoners Aquaman, left me pumped for his solo film in 2018. Cyborg, as portrayed by Fisher, is perhaps the most tragic of all the characters, and Fisher brings out all the heartache and heroism of the character masterfully. "Justice League" is a true comic book film that can be enjoyed by all with action and thrills from start to finish. The film is also historic with all these iconic characters appearing onscreen together for the first time in a live action film. Be sure to stay all the way to the end of the credits for two closing scenes not to be missed. Bonus: two Justice League animated films I highly recommend: "Justice League: The New Frontier" and "Justice League: Doom", both are rated PG-13.
The Loafer keeps me current on local events." Cyndi T.
Luthor used to create Doomsday in the "Batman v Superman" film. While the newly formed Justice League has attempted to hold Steppenwolf back, they really need Superman to finish the job. You know, as in "this is a job for Superman". The final battle is thrilling and gives plenty of opportunity for each hero to shine. Speaking of each hero, they all have moments in the film which provide them ample opportunity to display their talents. The special effects of Flash speeding around are amazing, and the underwater sequences with Aquaman are thrilling. Wonder Woman's moments in the film are legendary, fitting the character perfectly. Batman also has many direct from a comic book style moments, and the sight of seeing Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash and Cyborg gathered on a rooftop around the Bat Signal was awesome. Superman's return is definitely spectacular, and there is a scene with Flash right after his return that made me gasp. All the actors are perfectly cast in their roles, and even if you are a fan of television's Flash (Grant Gustin), like yours truly, the cinematic Flash, as portrayed by Miller is
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At the Inn at Wise
Presented by the Birthplace of Country Music (BCM), the RTE 23 Listening Room Concert Series will bring the stellar duo of Matt Martin & Zaq Suarez to the Inn at Wise in Wise, Virginia, on Saturday, December 2, 2017 at 8:00 p.m.
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he series is an extension of our outreach to the community of Wise, Virginia where our annual RTE 23 Music Festival is held," said Leah Ross, BCM Executive Director. BCM is the parent organization of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, and Radio Bristol. "The Listening Room Series continues to grow in popularity, and we've featured the work of some amazing singer/songwriters. Martin and Suarez performed as Tiny Mountains at Bristol Rhythm this year and put on an amazing show. We're excited to bring them to the Listening Room." The Listening Room experience is a series of concerts performed in an intimate setting by exciting talent from the region and beyond. Fans will recognize Martin from his work with the highly popular Americana-rock group this mountain and as part of Amythyst Kiah's full band, Her Chest of Glass. Suarez is perhaps best known as lead vocalist and guitarist for The Hermit Kings and Tiny Things. Together, Martin & Suarez will not only perform new music, but will showcase favorites from their earlier work. Discount advance tickets to the RTE 23 Listening Room featuring Matt Martin and Zaq Suarez are $8 and on sale now at BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org/events. Tickets at the door are $10; doors open at 7:00 p.m.
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Matt Martin & Zaq Suarez
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Answers on page 34
Luke is an 11 month old hound mix. He is neutered and up to date on all vaccines. He is such a friendly boy who loves to play!
Carrie is a 2 year old Terrier mix. This sweetie is shy at first but is very loving. She would do best in a home with older children and adults. She is spayed and up to date on all vaccines. Please consider bringing her home for the Holidays!
Large dogs and adult cats are at half price adoption price until Dec. 15th!
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he Bridge Home has an ongoing aluminum can can collection in front of the shelter at 2061 Hwy 75 in Blountville, TN 37617 and a second aluminum can collection site at Airworks Heating and Cooling, 5633 Memorial Blvd Kingsport. The cans are collected by a volunteer and the money from the aluminum goes towards badly needed food and supplies for the animals. The Bridge Home No Kill Animal Rescue has started a pet food pantry for people that have had financial hardships because of job loss or medical problems and are struggling to feed their pet. They can come by the shelter and get cat or dog food to get through the tough time.
Donations can be sent to The Bridge Home Shelter PO Box 654 Blountville, TN 37617 Every animal in their care is spayed or neutered and fully vaccinated before being adopted. Being a non profit the shelter is funded entirely by membership dues and private donations. They always need volunteers or monetary donations. Other always needed items:pet food, cat litter & cat toys dog treats & dog toys,paper towels, cleaners, office supplies,Purina weight circles. Phone: 423-239-5237 Hours are Mon-Fri 12pm6pm Sat 12pm-3pm and Sun 2pm-4pm. Website is www.bridgehomerescue@ gmail.com or like them on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/bridgehome
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PETS
OF THE WEEK
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THINGS TO DO Big Brothers Big Sisters Looking for Community Volunteers Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Tri-Cities (BBBSGTC) is looking for community volunteers to make a difference in a child’s life. Spending approximately 4 hours a month with an at-risk youth can help them improve in school, their behavior and their self-esteem. “Our kids have a need, and we are looking for caring adults to step up and volunteer,” said Kathy Lowdermilk, Regional Director of BBBSGTC. “If you have a few hours a month and the desire to make a difference, we want to talk with you about our program.” Our local Big Brothers Big Sisters office, which serves the Bristol, Kingsport, and Johnson City area, is part of one of the oldest and largest youth mentoring organizations in the United States. It’s a system that has been proven to work and transforms the lives of children who might not otherwise ever get the support they need to grow and successfully meet life’s challenges. Child-volunteer matches are made based on in-depth and comprehensive interviewing with parents, children and potential volunteers. Stringent safeguards are in place to assure that all parties are safe. Volunteer and parent engagement and training also play a big role.Anyone wanting to find out more about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Tri-Cities should contact the office by calling 423-247-3240, or visiting TennesseeBig.org. •••••••••••••••••••••••••• Blood Drive Marsh Regional Blood Center will conduct public blood drives at the area locations. Visit http:// tinyurl.com/n4aujx9 to find a location near you. In addition to
scheduled blood drives, donors are welcome at Marsh Regional’s collection centers: 111 W. Stone Drive, Suite 300, Kingsport, 2428 Knob Creek Road, Johnson City and 1996 W. State St., Bristol. For more information about scheduling a blood drive at a local business, church, school or community organization, please call 423-408-7500, 423-652-0014 or 276679-4669 or visit marshblood.com. •••••••••••••••••••••••••• The Casual Word Adult Creative Writing Class Join us for a free, fun, engaging, and different look into writing. In this class, we will not focus on structure, form, or rules, but on the freedom of writing. It is the goal of this class to open the mind to its full creative potential by allowing participants to write what they want, how they want to write it. Sessions will be student lead; we will engage in topics and subjects that are of interest to the students. The atmosphere is casual and jovial. This class is designed for all those 18 and up who wish to try their hand at creative writing. Thursdays @ 6:00 p.m. Jones Creativity Center. Bristol Public Library. •••••••••••••••••••••••••• Food for Fines & Pet Food for Fines The Washington County Library is again accepting donations of food for area food banks during the month of November in lieu of collecting fines for overdue materials. The Jonesborough Library will be donating their collections to the Jonesborough Area Ministerial Association’s Food Pantry (JAMA). The Gray Library is collecting for the Gray Community Chest Food Pantry. The foods needed are assorted canned food items
(fruit, vegetables, meat, etc.), dried beans, cereal, peanut butter, rice and pasta, cereals, boxed dinners. Also included are baby formula and baby food. Remember, we cannot accept glass containers, perishable food, or out-of-date items. Both libraries are also doing a Pet Food for Fines drive. Donations will go to Good Samaritan Ministries Pet Food Pantry. We can accept canned cat/dog food, cat litter, bagged food (small bags preferred), treats, and potty- pads. No open packages please! For each qualified item donated, $1.00 in fines will be forgiven. Payment for lost or damaged library materials and processing fees are not included in the program. •••••••••••••••••••••••••• Polar Express storytelling and Tweetsie holiday excursion The George L. Carter Railroad Museum at East Tennessee State University will host two holidaythemed events on Saturday, Dec. 2, including storyteller Linda Poland’s presentation of “Polar Express” at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and a bus ride to the new “Tweetsie Christmas” railroad excursion in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. The “Polar Express” storytelling presentations will be held in the D.P. Culp University Center Forum
Room 311. Admission is by ticket only. Tickets are $10 each. A separate ticket is required to attend the Tweetsie Railroad excursion. Tickets are $90 each and include a three-mile train ride through the Blue Ridge Mountains in an open-air train car pulled by a historic steam-powered locomotive, as well as a visit with Santa in his gingerbread house and full access to the Tweetsie Railroad theme park. Tickets to attend both the storytelling performance and train excursion are $99 each. The bus will depart the Carter Railroad Museum parking lot at 3:30 p.m. and arrive at Tweetsie Railroad at 5 p.m. Riders will enjoy the excursion and dazzling holiday light display, then the bus will depart the Tweetsie Railroad at 8:30 p.m. to arrive back at the ETSU campus around 10 p.m. Those attending the storytelling presentations only may purchase tickets up to the day of the event and some may be available at the door. Ticket order forms and liability waiver forms for the train excursion can be picked up at the Carter Railroad Museum, located in the Campus Center Building at ETSU and open Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., or online at www.memrr. org by clicking on “excursions.” A signed liability waiver form must
accompany the ticket request form. Space is limited. For more information, contact Carolyn Gregg at carolyngregg55@ yahoo.com or 423-639-3966. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at 423-439-8346. •••••••••••••••••••••••••• John McCutcheon coming to Jonesborough Nationally renowned folk musician, story teller and multi instrumentalist John McCutcheon will be live at the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough on December 11 for two shows. Details are at http://www.storytellingcenter.net/ news/jonesborough-welcomesjohn-mccutcheon/ John is an incredible musician and performer and he released his 38th album, Trolling for Dreams on February 3. You can stream the album at http://bit.ly/2ejcPDp, let me know if you would prefer a hard copy or download link. He plans on releasing album #39 this coming February. John plays numerous instruments including piano, guitar, auto harp and banjo. You will hear him play all or most of these instruments during his one man show. He was one of the nominees for Artist of the Year at this year's Folk Alliance International conference in Kansas City.
Cryptogram: I just wish we knew a little less about Reagan's urethra and a little more about his arms sales to Iran. DropQuote: "CYNIC: One who not only reads bitter lessons from the past, but who is prematurely disappointed with the future."
Who's The Fairest Of Them All?
B Kelly’s Place
By Jim Kelly since 1989 jkelly@ theloaferonline.com
y the time you are reading this, Black Friday will have come and gone, but there is still plenty of time to find that perfect gift. Today, let’s add one more item to the list, just in case you’re open to suggestions and can’t seem to find just the right present for that hard-to-please person on your list. For a mere $199.99 you can stake your claim to the latest gadget in the ever-growing Internet of Things (IoT) inventory. And it was just a matter of time before someone thought of how neat it might be to pair IoT with a mirror, allowing us to interact with the vast online world while gazing at our own reflections. Manufactured by iHome, the iCVBT-19 mirror is available at a variety of outlets this season, including the usual suspects, Amazon and the iHome company website. Before ordering, however, you might want to take a look (pun intended) at this nifty little device in person, or at least watch the video. This 10” x 13” mirror is more than just a mirror that sits on your vanity (what an apt name) and allows you to look at yourself for hours on end like Narcissus staring into the pool. It is also a Bluetooth speaker, which should come as no surprise given that even some fidget spinners (remember those?) come equipped with speakers. In this case, you can use your mirror as a portal for Siri and other voice assistants that connect you to the online world while you admire your reflected beauty. Needless to say, there is a USB port built into the base of the mirror, allowing you to charge your phone while you primp. If you don’t want to buy this mirror from iHome or another manufacturer, you can try your hand at assembling your own. Taking advantage of the current DIY craze, you can find instructions on several sites, including TheVerge page that I consulted for this column. According to columnist Chaim Gartenberg, smart mirrors “are straight from science fiction. They’re part of an optimistic vision of the future that imagines a world where screens and date are everywhere, ready to feed you whatever information you need at a moment’s notice.” Gartenberg presents a list of the items you will need to construct your own smart mirror--items which include an HDMI-equipped monitor, a two-way glass mirror, mouse and keyboard, a Raspberry Pi3 with Wi-Fi adaptor, and “tools” (no more specific than that, which is anyone’s guess--everything from a Phillips screwdriver to chainsaw?). We can only imagine the multiple ways this project could go wrong. While contemplating the meaning of the smart mirror, I thought about how this product is the perfect symbol for our selfie-obsessed age, and how staring at our images in a mirror captures what it means to be online. And then I went to my overstuffed bookshelf and pulled down Mark Pendergrast’s 2003 book MIRROR, MIRROR: A HISTORY OF THE HUMAN LOVE AFFAIR WITH REFLECTIONS and read how “Mirrors are meaningless until someone looks into them. Thus, a history of the mirror is really the history of looking, and what we perceive in these magical surfaces can tell us a great deal about ourselves--whence we have come, what we imagine, how we think, and what we yearn for. . We have used the reflective surface both to reveal and to hide reality, and mirrors have found their way into religion, folklore, literature, art, magic, and science.” As absorbing as Pendergrast’s book is, he leaves out one very important element, and that is how mirrors function as symbols in film. And this is the reference I used while thinking about the significance of the smart mirror.
Consider this Part Two of a Christmas wish list column I submitted for your approval a couple of weeks ago.
I jotted down a list of some of my favorite mirror images in the movies-something I did for a column several years ago, but now amended to include some newer entries. Mirrors quite often appear in movies as symbols for split or multiple personalities. A good example is the hall of mirrors sequence in “Citizen Kane” (1941) in which Charles Foster Kane is split into multiple images, none of which gives us a clue to his real identity and how “Rosebud” holds the key. Orson Welles recreated this image in his “Lady From Shanghai” six years later. Of course, Disney’s animated classic, “Snow White” (1937) gave us perhaps the most famous mirror image in the movies (and the title of this column). Who can forget Robert De Niro’s unnerving scene in “Taxi Driver” (1976) in which his character, Travis Bickel, asks the mirror “You talkin’ to me?” And “The Shining’s” (1980) Danny Torrence writing “Murder” on the wall, and having it appear as “Redrum” when reflected in the mirror? We all know that vampires can’t see their images in the mirror, a fact that is dramatized very well in Bela Lugosi’s “Dracula” (1931). Hitchcock’s genre-defining “Psycho” (1960) is a movie about mirrors and reflecting surfaces as much as it is about a troublesome mother. No list about movie mirrors would be complete without the marvelous and timeless scene from “Duck Soup” (1933) in which Groucho and Harpo Marx mimic each other’s movements as mirror images. The list can go on, of course, with movies like “Mirrors” (2008), “Black Swan” (2010), “Oculus” (2013), “Candyman” (1992), and even “Carnival of Souls” (1963) with its disconcerting series of distorted and reflected images. iHome’s smart mirror conjures up these and other images as it presents our lives as reflected on and in screens represented both literally (the mirror) and symbolically (the world as it appears online). Here’s hoping you will give some thought to mirrors this week as you contemplate the gifts you are giving that reflect their recipient’s images. And try to fit a viewing of “Duck Soup” into your busy schedule. See you (no pun intended) next week
theloaferonline.com | November 28, 2017
Mirror, Bluetooth Mirror....
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theloaferonline.com | November 28, 2017
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