Page 2, The Loafer • November 4, 2014
www.theloaferonline.com
November 4, 2014 • The Loafer, Page 3
Volume 28 Issue #48
William King Museum of Art presents the 16th annual
Publisher - Bill Williams • Editor/Graphic Arts Director - Don Sprinkle • Office Manager - Luci Tate Cover Design - Bill May Advertising - Dave Carter, Terry Patterson Contributing Staff - Jim Kelly, Andy Ross, Ken Silvers, Mark Marquette, Jessica Gilliam Published by Tree Street Media, LLC., P.O. Box 3238, Johnson City, TN 37602 Phone: 423/283-4324 FAX - 423/283-4369 www.theloaferonline.com • info@theloaferonline.com e-mail: editorial@theloaferonline.com (editorial) adcopy@theloaferonline.com (advertising) All advertisements are accepted and published by the publisher upon the representation that the agency and/or advertiser is authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof.The agency and/or advertiser will indemnify and save the publisher harmless from any loss of expense resulting from claims or suits based upon contents of any advertisement,including claims or suits for defamation,libel,right of privacy,plagiarism,and copyright infringement.
Page 4, The Loafer • November 4, 2014
William King Museum of Art’s Mistletoe Market Returns for 16th Year Premier holiday shopping event features art, holiday gift items, family entertainment and shopping William King Museum of Art presents the 16th annual Mistletoe Market, one of the region’s premier holiday shopping events, November 7-9 at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center. The three-day event features live local entertainment, merchants and artisans, gourmet food, an onsite café, and a visit with Santa on Sunday November 9. The Mistletoe Market is the largest fundraising event of the year for William King Museum of Art in historic Abingdon, Virginia, and supports the Museum’s programming for youth and adults. Vendors from 10 states are represented, including hand-crafted clothing, one of a kind jewelry, holiday gift items, fine art and delicious edibles. The market also features an on-site café with sandwiches, soups and beverages, as well as live entertainment all three days. This year shoppers can look forward to meeting Ruth Graham, daughter of evangelist Billy Graham, who will be presenting her innovative “apron without Strings” and signing autographs.
They can also chat with Rebecca Pepin, well-known WCYB news anchor, who will be discussing her mission to profile fallen service members and help homeless shelter animals. Holiday workshops have proved a popular addition to the Market, and include topics like using essential oils, decorative painting techniques, DIY holiday crafts, craft beer brewing, entertaining, and workshops for children ages 5 and up. Local experts in their fields teach the workshops. Space is limited, so the Museum strongly encourages people to register in advance. To register for a workshop, visit www.williamkingmuseum.org/mistletoemarket Admission is $6 for adults, $4 for children ages 6-12. All proceeds benefit William King Museum of Art. Sunday is Family Day at the Mistletoe Market. Children 12 and under get in free. Santa Claus will be on hand for photos, and the Museum’s education department will hold two workshops for children and their parents: Crafts in Clay and Handmade Holiday
Paintings. ($5 registration fee, advance registration strongly encouraged). A limited number of shoppers can get a sneak peek at the merchants while supporting the Museum, by purchasing a ticket to the Prevue Gala Thursday, November 6 at 7 p.m. This black-tie optional fundraiser for the Museum features heavy hors d’oeuvres catered by The Troudale, cocktails and an exclusive preview of the Market. Tickets are $100 per person and space is limited. William King Museum of Art is a non-profit arts organization located in Abingdon, VA. Over 100 volunteers help to make this event, which typically draws between 5,000 and 6,000 visitors over the course of the weekend, a huge success. For more information on the museum’s exhibits, as well as special events and classes, visit www. williamkingmuseum.org, or contact Amanda Leslie Livingston at alivingston@wkmuseum.org or 276-628-5005 ext. 123.
William King Museum of Art is located at 415 Academy Drive, off West Main Street or Russell Road, in Abingdon. The Museum features five exhibition galleries, artist studios and outdoor sculpture garden. Educational programs in the visual arts are offered year-round for both children and adults, and school audiences are served by in-house and outreach programs. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the William King Museum is a partner of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, a member of the Virginia Association of Museums and is funded in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
----- www.williamkingmuseum.org -----
www.theloaferonline.com
November 4, 2014 • The Loafer, Page 5
Register Now for Holiday Workshops at the 16th Annual Mistletoe Market Presented by William King Museum of Art
Holiday workshops have proved a popular addition to the Market, and include topics like using essential oils, decorative painting techniques, DIY holiday crafts, entertaining, and art workshops for children ages 5 and up. All workshops are just $10 or $5. Workshops are taught by local experts in their fields. Wellknown WCYB news anchor Rebecca Pepin will talk about how she found a way to help shelter animals by using funding from her clothing company Fetching Apparel. Mike Pensinger, Chief Brewer for Holston River Brewing Company, will break down the brewing process for your favorite local beers. The Museum’s education department will also hold two workshops for children and their parents: Crafts in Clay and Handmade Holiday Paintings. For a full list of workshops and prices, see below.
The Market takes place November 7th – 9th at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center. Admission is $6 for adults, $4 for children ages 6-12, with free admission for children 12 and under on Family Day, Sunday November 9th. All proceeds benefit the programs of William King Museum of Art. A limited number of shoppers can get a sneak peek at the merchandise for sale while supporting the Museum, by purchasing a
ticket to the Prevue Gala Thursday, November 6th at 7:00pm. This black-tie optional fundraiser for the Museum features live entertainment, heavy hors d’oeuvres catered by The Troutdale, cocktails and an exclusive preview of the Market. Tickets are $100 per person and space is limited. The Mistletoe Market is the largest fundraising event for William King Museum of Art in Abingdon, Virginia, and supports the non-profit arts organization’s pro-
gramming in the region. Over 100 volunteers and the Museum’s staff work together to make this event a huge success. Typically, between 5,000 and 6,000 visitors shop at the Market during the weekend. Advance registration is strongly encouraged. To register for a workshop, or to purchase tickets for the Prevue Gala, call (276) 628-5005 ext 111 or visit www.williamkingmuseum.org/mistletoemarket. Admission tickets to the Market are sold at the door only.
Here’s a few of the workshops offered.... Fun with Faux for the Holidays • Friday November 7th at 1:00pm • Cost: $10 Playing with Pinecones • Friday November 7th at 3:00pm • Cost: $10 Stress-free Holiday Entertaining for All • Saturday, November 8th at 10:00am • Cost: $10 DIY Burlap Wreaths • Saturday, November 8th at 1:00pm Pets and Vets! With Rebecca Pepin • Saturday, November 8th at 3:00pm • Cost: $10 Mistletoe Market Meets Brewing Beer • Saturday, November 8th at 6:00pm • Cost: $10 Handmade Holiday Paintings* • Sunday, November 9th at 3:00pm • Cost: $5 *Workshop appropriate for ages 5-adult.
Complete list at www.williamkingmuseum.org/mistletoemarket
Have an event coming up? Email a press release and photos to:
editorial@theloaferonline.com
Page 6, The Loafer • November 4, 2014
Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr.
Saturday, November 8th at Niswonger Performing Arts Center The legendary soulful duo of Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. will perform at Niswonger Performing Arts Center on Saturday, November 8th at 7:30pm. Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. have enjoyed tremendous success through the years as recording artists, performers and authors. They have received 7 Grammy Awards, 15 gold records, 3 platinum records, and starring roles on television and stage. The couple has performed to sold-out concerts around the world. Before they were a couple, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. were the closest of friends. The pair sang together with The Fifth Dimension for several years before getting married. The group’s long string of hits continues to play on radio stations today. McCoo fondly recalls the couple’s years of success with The Fifth Dimension. “Our first huge
record, ‘Up, Up, and Away’ ended up winning four Grammy awards for the group”, she says. “Then we had ‘Stoned Soul Picnic’, which was another million-selling record.” Despite their success as part of The Fifth Dimension, McCoo and Davis each yearned to begin solo careers of their own. Both left the group in 1975. The next year, Marilyn and Billy found an opportunity to sing as a duo with the release of “You Don’t Have to Be a Star”, a single that skyrocketed to number one on the charts, staying in the Top 40 for 18 weeks. McCoo and Davis later received a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Group or Duo and eventually landed their own CBS television show. Married since 1969, their recording careers and their relationship have now lasted well past four decades. Aside from making
music together, the couple has coauthored a biographical memoir entitled, “Up, Up, and Away”. McCoo and Davis attribute the longevity of their relationship to their faith and friendship. “We want to encourage people that long-term marriages do work”, says McCoo. “It’s worth it. It gets better with time.” As McCoo and Davis celebrate four decades in the entertainment business, their stage performance pays musical tribute to the hits and productions that have highlighted their careers. Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. will perform at Niswonger Performing Arts Center (NPAC) in historic downtown Greeneville, TN on Saturday, November 8th at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $50 for orchestra level seating, $45 for mezzanine level seating, and $40 for balcony level seating. Tickets may be purchased online at www.
npacgreeneville.com, in person at the NPAC box office, or by calling 423-638-1679. NPAC offers online seat selection and no fee ticketing. The box office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 am until 5 pm. The 1130
seat performing arts center is located adjacent to the campus of Greeneville High School in Greeneville, TN. For venue information, and to purchase tickets, please visit www.npacgreeneville.com.
www.theloaferonline.com
November 4, 2014 • The Loafer, Page 7
A Walk In Their Boots - A Timeline of American Military History Saturday, November 8, 2014, 10 am - 4 pm at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area Come out on this weekend before Veteran’s Day and step back in time. Experience life on the front lines as an American military soldier and follow his footsteps through the earliest frontier days, the American Revolution, the War of 1812, America’s Civil War, World War I, World War II and beyond. See firsthand, how the uniforms, equipment and weapons developed over the years. Follow the path of America’s proudest tradition, that of its military veterans. As a timeline event, re-enactors and historical interpreters will walk you through each period, displaying artifacts and conducting interactive demonstrations that will show you how these men and women contributed to securing American freedom and how they have protected it to this day. Tour the period encampments, see how soldiers lived in the field and what resources they had to sur-
vive! Plus, do not miss the battle skirmish presentations for three specific time periods. At 11:00 am you can watch a Revolutionary battle assault on the historic Fort Watauga. At 1:00 pm there will be a Civil War skirmish and at 3:00 pm we wrap up with a WWII American Airborne assault on a German paratrooper unit a la D-Day, 1944. Do not miss this opportunity to see period equipment and weapons in action! This event is FREE to the public and we encourage all veterans to attend! Contacts: Park Historic Interpreter – Chad Bogart, Chadwick. Bogart@tn.gov Event Coordinator/Timeline Director - Keith Rutherford, bkrutherford1944@gmail.com The Five Oh First Group, WWII 101st Airborne Re-enactment Group - www.fiveohfirst.org
Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area, 1651 West Elk Avenue Elizabethton, TN 37643, Call 423-543-5808 or visit: www.sycamoreshoalstn.org or www.tnstateparks.com/parks/about/sycamore-shoals
Page 8, The Loafer • November 4, 2014
20+ Artists to present at
6th Annual ARTLANDIA:
An Arts & Crafts Peep Show, AND Student Art work and Bike Project to be showcased. Support local and regional artisans as you shop for Christmas gifts this year on Saturday, November 8th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “ARTLANDIA: An Arts and Crafts Peep Show” will feature 20+ local and regional artists, dedicated to their craft, at The Charles, located at 308 East Main Street in downtown Johnson City, TN across from Hands-On! Regional Museum. And, included, for the first time this year, will be a section dedicated to those beginning their creative journey - children. Those participating in a Kindergarten through 12th grade public or private art program will submit work for display. As of this point, 4 City of Johnson City schools have agreed to participate. “I appreciate all Christmas gifts especially those that are handmade quality items,” said Virginia Buda, the Arts and Crafts’s show organizer and Founder of Artlandia. “You can always find plenty of gifts that have been mass-produced, however, why choose that route when you can support local and regional artists who excel in their craft,” added Buda. “By making the choice to buy locally you are sending a message to different generations about supporting our artists and local economy. Sometimes we all lose that mes-
4 Johnson City School’s South Side Elementary Artists (teacher: Debra Hoilman). This work and other school art program’s work to be displayed at Artlandia.
sage when we choose to spend our dollars differently,” Buda added. There is a range of work that will be presented including interesting and unique ceramic, photography, painting, textile, jewelry and leather mediums. Last year, there were 400 attendees with over 30 artists represented. There is still rentable space available for artists for a fee ($75 for an 8’ x 8’ space). Also, students studying art via public and private elementary to high schools programs are being asked to submit work for display at no cost. “I’m adding a student art section primarily because of some outstanding portriature work that I saw in the hallways at South Side Elementary this year,” said Buda. “Regardless of your background you will be inspired
by seeing our kid’s work, which embodies a creative and undiluted visual sincerity that can be lost as we grow older,” said Buda. Finally, one of the ten “Tread on This” Bike Silhouette Art projects will be on display. Public Admission is $2 which will place patron’s in the running for one of the show pieces. For more information about all of the art projects listed above and for fiscal and in-kind sponsorship opportunities, visit facebook: artlandiajc or contact Virginia Buda at 423-833-8474 or vbudadesigns@ gmail.com. In kind sponsors and support: The Charles, Earth Fare and VIP Seen Magazine and for the many businesses and organizations who have helped promote the show. These events and projects are a pro-bono and personal community-building endeavor via Virginia Buda through Artlandia.
www.theloaferonline.com
November 4, 2014 • The Loafer, Page 9
Theatre-at-Tusculum to bring ‘The Addams Family’ to the stage
They’re spooky, a bit kooky and they’re coming to the stage soon in Northeast Tennessee. Theatre-at-Tusculum is presenting “The Addams Family,” the first time the Broadway-award winning musical has been staged in East Tennessee. The musical, based on the beloved Charles Addams’ cartoons, will be presented at 7 p.m. on Nov. 14-15, 20-22 and 2 p.m. on Nov. 16 and 23 in the auditorium of the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Building on the Tusculum College campus. Well known and respected actors from the Northeast Tennessee fill the cast for the musical that finds the weird and wonderful Addams family with an affinity for all things macabre with a developing crisis. Wednesday Addams has fallen in love with nerdy Lucas Beineke, who is from a “normal” family. Meanwhile, well meaning Uncle Fester has been working behind the scenes with the Addams family ancestors, who set about helping the family with its new challenging situation, and the fun ensues for the audience. Under the direction of Marilyn duBrisk, the talented cast includes Erin Hensley-Schultz, a wellknown Johnson City thespian, who is bringing Morticia to life, opposite Chris Greene who is portraying the suave Gomez. Wednesday Addams is brought to life by Hannah Faith Rader, who has performed in Jonesborough and Johnson City productions, and her love interest, Lucas Beineke, is talented Parker Bunch, who many will
remember from his role as Bob Cratchit in Theatre-at-Tusculum’s 2013 production of “A Christmas Carol.” Undertaking Fester and also acting as assistant director is Brian Ricker, who has become a local favorite through his many roles in the Theatre-at-Tusculum program. A relative newcomer to the local stage, but who is also quickly becoming a favorite, is Audrey Shoemaker, who is being transformed for the show into 102-year-old Granny Adams. Young newcomer Tate Brumit plays obnoxious and cheeky little brother while Mike Willis, who delighted audiences as the Ghost of Christmas Future in “A Christmas Carol,” will bring the memorable Lurch to life. Lucas’ parents, Mal and Alice Beineke will be portrayed by Josh Davis, who has starred in roles in Morristown productions, and Jodi Carter, another veteran of Theatreat-Tusculum productions. Hensley-Schultz is returning to the Theatre-at-Tusculum stage as Morticia, a role she has wanted to play since a child. She recalls seeing the Addams Family movies and finding the Morticia to be the “coolest character” because of her dark beauty and graceful movements. Hensley-Schultz was in duBrisk’s productions while in high school and then moved away from the region and recently moved back to the region. Among her memorable roles are Patsy Cline in “Always Patsy Cline,” Winifred in “Once Upon a Mattress” and Columbia in “Rocky
Horror Picture Show.” Bringing the “very loaded” character of Wednesday to life has been a welcome challenge to Rader. Falling in love has pulled Wednesday in a new direction from the dark world that is her norm. “The Addams Family” is a show that has something for everyone, Rader says. “It has a great message in terms of love,” she said. “Although the Addams family members are weird, they are all about family, they look out for each other.” Rader’s recent work includes Jonesborough Repertory Theatre’s “Hairspray,” and Blue Moon Dinner Theatre’s production of “Rocky Horror Picture Show.” She also appeared in several productions while in college at Carson-Newman University. The production staff includes Angie Clendenon, music director; Chris Beste, accompanist; David Price, percussion, and Kim Berry as the show’s choreographer. Frank Mengel is technical director and set designer; Barbara Holt, costume director; Suzanne Greene and Jim Holt, stage management; Zach Holdich, lighting design; Margo Olmsted and Sandy Neinaber, props management; Trenda Berney, make-up director; and Jennifer Hollowell, house manager in charge of the box office. Parents are cautioned that while “The Addams Family” is family friendly, it is rated as a “PG” show due to a few instances of rough language. With music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and story by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, the original show opened in April 2010 with Nathan Lane as Gomez and Bebe Neuwirth as Morticia. The show won a Broadway.comAudience Award for Favorite New Broadway Musical and played 722 performances before closing on December 31, 2011. It then went on tour both in the U.S. and Internationally. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors 60 and over, and $5 for children 12 and under. To reserve tickets, please call 423-798-1620 or email jhollowell@tusculum.edu.
Page 10, The Loafer • November 4, 2014
Erin Go Brock!
The Brock McGuire Band plays Northeast State Nov. 4 Let the melodies carry you to the glens and roans of the Emerald Isle when the superb Brock McGuire Band performs at Northeast State Community College next month. This Irish traditionalist quartet of musicians plays a free onenight only show at Northeast State on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. at the College’s Regional Center for the Performing Arts Theater on the main campus in Blountville. Passion and precision, authenticity and diversity: these are the hallmarks of the Brock McGuire Band in concert. They are steeped in tradition and perform it with abiding respect and creativity. The band’s repertoire runs wide and deep; their tight, tenacious blend of instruments emphasizing mostly Irish music but also sprinkling in impressive arrangements of American Old Timey, Bluegrass,
French-Canadian, and other Celtic traditions. In May 1989, Paul Brock cofounded the group Moving Cloud with Manus McGuire. This County Clare-based band produced two albums for Green Linnet Records, including their 1994 selftitled release that was selected by
U.S. music critic Earle Hitchner as the best Irish traditional album of that year. Paul’s CD collaboration Humdinger with Enda Scahill was voted “Irish Music Album of the Year” by the Irish Times and “Instrumental Album of the Year” by the Irish American News. Residing in County Clare, but-
ton accordionist and melodeonist Brock and fiddler McGuire are two of Ireland’s most celebrated traditional musicians and have been at the forefront of Irish music for many years through their joint work with Moving Cloud. Manus is also a founding member of Buttons & Bows, and both bands, ranking among Ireland’s finest, have helped to introduce international audiences to the virtuosity of their playing. A multiple All-Ireland champion born in Athlone, County Westmeath, and now residing in Ennis, County Clare, Brock pursued a solo career through the 60’s and 70’s by mastering the single-row, two-row, three-row, and five-row button accordions. His illustrated lecture “Irish Traditional Music in America – The Golden Era” has been widely acclaimed. Born in Tullamore, County Of-
faly, raised in Sligo Town, and residing in Scarriff, East Clare, McGuire is an Irish fiddler who blends dazzling technique with faultlessly far-ranging taste. He has recorded ten albums, including three with Buttons and Bows, two with Moving Cloud, and two solo albums: Saffron and Blue (Green Linnet) and Fiddlewings (Shelly River Music). Performing with the band are Garry O’Meara, a brilliant banjo, mandolin player & vocalist; and Denis Carey, an acclaimed pianist, composer and arranger. The Brock McGuire Band’s latest CD Green Grass Blue Grass, the collaboration with 14-time Grammy Award winner Ricky Skaggs, is now available from Compass Records. Sponsored by Northeast State’s Cultural Activities Committee, the show is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
www.theloaferonline.com
November 4, 2014 • The Loafer, Page 11
‘Moonlight Silver’
ETSU to host evening of dinner and music
“Moonlight Silver,” an evening of dinner, dessert and music, will be held at East Tennessee State University on Saturday, Nov. 8, in the D.P. Culp University Center ballroom. A buffet dinner will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by musical entertainment at 7:30 p.m. An array of desserts will be available during intermission. Music will be provided by Greyscale, ETSU’s premier vocal ensemble. The group performs
a fusion of jazz and contemporary styles, with repertoire that includes jazz standards, unaccompanied arrangements of pop tunes, and pieces that combine vocal styles. The ensemble is directed by Dr. Alan Stevens, associate director of choral activities in the Department of Music. Greyscale will share the evening with the ETSU Jazz Combo. This select group of students will perform jazz standards and new works, in addition to several
pieces with Greyscale. The Jazz Combo is directed by Dr. David Champouillon, director of the jazz program, and Martin Walters, adjunct professor, both of the ETSU Department of Music. “Greyscale is very excited to collaborate with the ETSU Jazz Combo,” Stevens said. “‘Moonlight Silver’ will help you forget about the daily grind and escape into an evening of music, entertainment and great food!” A limited number of tickets are available. The cost is $36 for dinner, dessert and the show beginning at 6:30 p.m. A second option for $22 features dessert only and the show. Guests should plan to arrive at 7:15 p.m. for this option. Tickets may be purchased online at www.etsu.edu/cas/music or by calling the Department of Music at 423-439-4276. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at 423-439-8346.
ETSU’s Office of Professional Development offers
‘Grape Expectations’ East Tennessee State University’s Office of Professional Development will offer a three-hour wine and food pairing class, “Grape Expectations,” on Tuesday, Nov. 11, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Cranberries Restaurant, 1904 Knob Creek Road, Suite 5. Phil Scharfstein, owner of One Stop Wines and Spirits, will conduct the class, while David Read of Cranberries will provide food samplings to accompany each wine discussed. During the class, Scharfstein will present nine
wines, including champagne, and discuss the distinctive qualities of each, as well as foods that would best accompany the wines. Scharfstein carries on an educational tradition from decades ago when his father, Ben Scharfstein, offered similar classes at ETSU. The course fee is $49 and preregistration is required. To register, call 423-439-8084 or visit www.etsu.edu/professionaldevelopment, click on “featured programs” and complete the registration procedure.
Page 12, The Loafer • November 4, 2014
Food City Kicks Off Annual Race Against Hunger Promotion
Since 1992, Food City has conducted their annual campaign to raise funds for local non-profit hunger relief organizations. The holiday promotion, entitled Race Against Hunger is co-sponsored by Kellogg’s. “Hunger is a serious problem throughout our region. Food City and our co-sponsors are proud to be a part of the Race Against Hunger,” says Steve Smith, Food City’s president and chief executive officer. Now through December 9th, $1, $3, and $5 scanable cards will be available at each Food City checkout. Customers wishing to make a donation simply need to select
the desired dollar amount and it will be added to their grocery bill. All proceeds will benefit hunger relief and charitable organizations in our region. With every dollar contribution made using their Food City ValuCard, customers are also electronically entered for a chance to win their choice of a spectacular season of racing at Bristol Motor Speedway or a $2,500 contribution made to their favorite charity. Collection canisters will also be available at each register. “Million of Americans need food assistance each year. The Food City Race Against Hunger campaign is one way we can help
Barter Theatre, in partnership with the VHCC Arts Array, celebrates the films of Oscar-winning actress Shirley Jones Oklahoma! (1955)
November 10, 7PM, at the Abingdon Cinemall The first musical from the team of Rogers and Hammerstein, based on the play Green Grow the Lilacs. In the Oklahoma territory at the turn of the twentieth century, two young cowboys vie with an evil ranch hand and a traveling peddler for the hearts of the women they love. The film stars Gordon MacRae, Gene Nelson, and Shirley Jones.
Elmer Gantry (1960)
November 11, 7PM, at the Abingdon Cinemall Elmer Gantry is a fast talking, hard drinking traveling salesman who always has a risqué story and a hip flask to entertain cronies and customers alike. He is immediately taken with Sister Sharon Falconer, a lay preacher whose hellfire and damnation revivalism has attracted quite a following. The film stars Burt Lancaster, Shirley Jones, and Jean Simmons.
those in need right here in our own area,” adds Ron Bonacci, vice president of marketing for Food City. “Last year, the program was a huge success, raising over $406,000. With the support of our loyal customers and associates, we hope to raise even more funds to aide with this vital need,” said Smith. Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc. currently operates 105 retail food outlets in the tri-state regions of Southeast Kentucky, Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee.
www.theloaferonline.com
November 4, 2014 • The Loafer, Page 13
35th Annual Christmas Connection Celebrates Arts and Crafts in Kingsport the weekend of November 7, 8, and 9th at the Civic Auditorium
Kingsport’s Christmas Connection, an event sponsored by the Kingsport Office of Cultural Arts, is celebrating 35 years of arts and crafts. This year’s arts and crafts show will be Friday November 7, Saturday, November 8 and Sunday November 9th at the Civic Auditorium located on Fort Henry Drive next to Dobyns-Bennett High School. Admission to this fun-filled, shopping event is FREE and open to the public. Christmas Connection has been around for 35 years because it is a charming old-fashion festival hosting the region’s best arts and crafts vendors. The Civic Auditorium will be filled with Holiday wreaths & floral arrangements, primitive & country crafts, Christmas ornaments, pottery, stained glass, woodcrafts, handmade soaps and lotions, fabric crafts, needlework, doll clothing, true-to-life baby dolls, jewelry, dichroic glass, handmade greeting cards and paper art, leather crafts, baskets, paintings, figurines, candles, baked goods, and much more! This year, courtesy of Bubba’s Book Store, several regional authors will be on hand each day to sign their books – a truly unique item for anyone in your family. Look for them in
the Civic’s West Room. Also joining us this year are the artists from Kingsport’s Senior Artisan Center. Make sure to stop in the Civic’s History Room and check out their beautiful crafts. Along with the artists and crafters in the Main Hall all rooms on the east side of the facility will be filled to capacity. A bake sale at the entry of the building will feature everything from breads, and cookies to slices of cake and whole cakes and pies and the famous pumpkin rolls. Patrons wishing to purchase any baked goods are urged to come early because these items don’t last long, especially the pumpkin rolls. Outside, patrons will find that sweet and salty treat, kettle corn, being made fresh all day. And festive funnel cakes will also be available for purchase at the parking lot entrance. The holiday show is free and open to the public. The Holidays are fast approaching and this is an excellent opportunity to grab some holiday cheer, support master craftsmen and find unique gifts and treasures. Shoppers can spend the day shopping inside; out of the weather and amongst quality arts and crafts. The Christmas Connection Café has concessions to enjoy, including mouthwatering homemade soups & cornbread, and favorites like chili, hot dogs, and nachos. Shoppers won’t have to lose their parking spot to eat elsewhere. Come visit the Christmas Connection. For more information or directions to the Christmas Connection, please call 423392- 8415 or visit: www.EngageKingsport. com
Page 14, The Loafer • November 4, 2014
www.theloaferonline.com
November 4, 2014 • The Loafer, Page 15
Page 16, The Loafer • November 4, 2014
Stargazing More Than Meets Eye There is so much more than meets the eye when looking up at a starry night. Our human eyesight is limited to about 2,000 stars, but with a small telescope you begin to see 20,000. And the bigger the telescope, the more you’ll see than just stars as there are thousands of faint, fuzzy objects amateur astronomers call “deep sky objects.” These usually colorless objects are all sizes and shapes when seen at the eyepiece of a telescope, often looking like a dust ball or fuzzy gray blob. When first seen by the pioneers of telescopes in the 18th Century, the true nature of these deep sky objects was unknown. But with the advent of astrophotography in the early 20th Century, these dust balls of cosmic structures were revealed to be all kinds of things— from interstellar gas clouds called nebula, to exploded stars called planetary nebula, and various shapes of galaxies containing billions of stars. Tracing down these celestial wonders with a telescope is where the fun is for many serious stargazers. Finding these “faint fuzzies” that are littered about the night sky can be an obsession. To find these deep sky objects takes a little detective work with star charts and a lot of patience behind the eyepiece. But of course, today’s 21 Century telescope can be bought with a “go-to” computer capability to automatically find these deep sky objects at the push of a button. That takes some of the thrill out of the old fashioned “star-hopping” from one point to the next to find these stellar sights. But there is still the thrill of the meager light hitting your eyes after traversing the Universe for hundreds, even thousands of years. The first acknowledged list of these celestial gems was compiled
by French astronomer Charles Messier. In the mid-1700s, he was diligently searching for comets and kept seeing about 100 objects that never moved but looked like fuzzy comets. This now famous Messier Catalog of 105 of the easier deep sky objects is the usual starting place for the amateur astronomer turned on to the cosmos. Messier’s list was eclipsed by the great German astronomer William Herschel, who from his adopted home of England compiled a list of a thousand deep sky objects to go along with his list of thousands of multiple star systems. The Herschel 500 is another list of objects pursued by many serious stargazers. To enjoy hunting down the faint fuzzies, it is necessary to have a good familiarity with your telescope. Just like a hunter who treats his rifle like an extension of his body, a telescope becomes an extension of the observer’s mind. Though Space Age astronomy has given us amazing images of what these deep sky objects actually look like, it is still fun and a challenge to see them with your own eye, no matter how faint or indistinct the telescope target is. These “faint fuzzies” that amateur astronomers seek are often named after the shape they appear to have from our perspective. Here are some of the celestial nuggets that can be found on these autumn nights with a modest telescope (6-8 inch reflector or 3 inch refractor) and a good star chart: The Ring Nebula, M-57, is in Lyra the Harp on the west side of the Milky Way. Though a whopping 4,100 Light Years away, the Ring Nebula is easy to find in a small telescope and looks just like a tiny smoke ring suspended in the space, quite amazing to see. On the east side of the Milky Way is a hard to find but rewarding target, the Dumbbell Nebula,
M-27, in Vulpecula the Fox. This faint fuzzy has two lobes; giving it a barbell look is beautiful in photography. Once found, M-27 is always a favorite to go back and see. The Helix Nebula is technically known as New General Catalog No.7293. It is in the border of Aquarius and the Southern Fish, Piscis Austrinus. At 690 Light Years away, it is the closest planetary nebula to us. It is a circular, misty patch of faint cloud, large but elusive. In photographs it has a cylindrical shape like a helix spiral, and is beautiful in Hubble imagery. The Saturn Nebula, NGC 7009, is on the border of Aquarius and Capricornus. This is a strange planetary nebula that is not a planet or a nebula at all. It is an
exploding star, and the generally round appearance has lead to the planetary moniker for hundreds of these objects. This Saturn Nebula has handles on each side, like our famous ringed planet, and its namesake. There is Stephen’s Quintet of five galaxies near the galaxy NGC 7331, which is near the star Matar, the head of Pegasus the Flying Horse. The Blue Snowball, NGC 7662 in Andromeda and is another planetary nebula that has blue, fuzzy ball look. A good challenge is the large but faint M-33 spiral galaxy in Triangulum. In photos it is revealed to look like a child’s pinwheel, beautiful with spiral arms of stars and galactic cloud.
The Hubble Space Telescope has given mankind the definitive image of many of the familiar deep sky objects that have been the prey of serious stargazers for a hundred years. Once sketched as faint fuzzies with structures that were little understood, photography revealed the true nature. When stars were discovered in photographs of the Andromeda “Nebula,”M-31, it went from being considered an interstellar cloud to the Andromeda Galaxy, an island galaxy of hundreds of billions of stars just 2.2 million Light Years away. Astrophotography in the film days was a fun challenge for the backyard stargazers. But today there are astro cameras off the shelf that can capture digital images impossible to obtain just two decades ago. Astronomers pioneered the digital photography revolution when their scientific need to obtain images quickly was adapted to the camera industry. As with many hobbies, the better your equipment, the more you can do and see, and therefore the greater the satisfaction of probing the Universe. Reflecting telescopes that are 16-24” diameter mirrors are the work horse instruments of the serious amateur astronomers. Such a telescope with computer guidance and other frills will cost from $3,000-$10,000 depending on the exact specifications. With these high quality telescopes, much serious work can be done like tracking asteroids, discovering supernova in nearby galaxies and monitoring the cloud systems of Jupiter and Saturn. Indeed, there is a lot more than meets the naked eye when looking up at the stars above. And just looking around with a little help from a telescope can open one’s mind to the wonders of the Universe.
www.theloaferonline.com
November 4, 2014 • The Loafer, Page 17
Celestial events in the skies for the week of Nov. 4 - Nov. 10, 2014, as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette. Darkness falls just after 6 pm these November evenings of Eastern Standard Times---and getting earlier for six more weeks until the Winter Solstice. There is about 10 hours 40 minutes of sunlight each day, and you can add two more hours of light for morning and evening twilight. Now, that might not be good for the sports or outdoor enthusiast, but this extra darkness sure makes stargazers happy! November is named for the Latin “novem,” or number nine, as it was the ninth month in the old Roman calendar that begin with March.
Tues. Nov. 4
Bundling up for an hour or so of stargazing is worth it as in that time the sky will noticeably change. The Summer Triangle that frames the Milky Way is setting in the west, and the Great Square of Pegasus rides high in the northeast. By midnight, the mighty hunter Orion will have cleared the Tycho’s Supernova was quite a site eastern horizon to begin his reign in the Autumn of 1572. over the night. Fri. Nov. 7 Wed. Nov. 5 Bays Mt. Astronomy Club meets Looking north, the familiar five tonight at 7 pm at the Kingsport stars that form a “W” on its side Park’s Discovery Theater. A proare easy to recognize—the throne gram on stargazing will be offered, of Queen Cassiopeia. Her daugh- and the public is invited to attend. ter, Andromeda, is east of her, Sat. Nov. 8 and below is the hero Perseus, the Stargaze with amateur astronomythological savior of the abduct- mers at 6 pm at the Observatory of ed princess. Lurking along the Bays Mountain Park in Kingsport. southern horizon is the monster The free “StarWatch” program that terrorized Andromeda, the will offer views through several whale or creature called Cetus. telescopes as well as naked eye Thurs. Nov. 6 constellation identification. Full Moon is today, this phase in Sun. Nov. 9 November traditionally called by On this 1967 date in space hisNative American the Frost Moon, tory, NASA’s Surveyor 6 spaceand also the Beaver Moon—be- craft safely landed on the plains of cause that’s when it was time to Sinus Medii, almost dead center in set traps. On this 1572 date in as- the Moon. The three legged landtronomy history, the last great na- ers were all engine and instruked eye astronomer Tycho Brahe ments mounted on a tubular strucrecorded a bright new star in Cas- ture that gave it a spidery look. siopeia. Today we know it was an Surveyors 1-7 had two failures, exploded star that briefly blazed but the successes helped pave the for weeks in daylight, causing Ty- way for the manned Apollo landcho to ponder the new idea that ings that began in July 1969. the Universe changed. Though Mon. Nov. 10 seen now only with photography, The early evening finds a void
of stars when looking south, except one bright, but rather lonely looking star. Called Fomalhaut, or the fishes mouth of the constellation Piscis Austrinus, the Southern Fish, this amazing star is also nicknamed “the lonely one.”
Page 18, The Loafer • November 4, 2014
The Fab Five
Beatles secretary tells her stories in new documentary Freda Kelly was almost 17 years old when she went to work for a local band in Liverpool. Although she had no concept of how far they would go, Kelly had faith in The Beatles from the beginning, and The Beatles had faith in her. For 11 years as the Beatles’ devoted secretary, “good ol’ Freda” was there as history unfolded, witnessing the evolution and revolution of the greatest band in history. “Kelly is a complete charmer,” says Atlanta magazine. “Prepare to fall in love with her.” Kelly will visit ETSU Monday, Nov. 10, for a screening of the new documentary about her experiences with the legendary Fab Four. On Nov. 10 at 7 p.m., the Mary B. Martin School of the Arts will present a screening of Good Ol’
Freda with Kelly and filmmaker Kathy McCabe in ETSU’s Martha Street Culp Auditorium. Following the screening, which is as part of the South Arts Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers, Kelly and McCabe will engage the audience in a discussion about the film and their work. A reception will follow the Q&A. The screening and reception are free and open to the public. In Good Ol’ Freda, Kelly tells her stories for the first time in 50 years. One of few documentaries with the support of the living Beatles and featuring original Beatles music, the film offers an insider perspective on the beloved band that changed the world of music. “This is the first time we get to hear her perspective,” says Anita
DeAngelis, director of Mary B. Martin School of the Arts. “She’s been interviewed before but she intentionally stayed in the background when she was their secretary. I’m a Beatles fan, grew up with The Beatles, so, to me, it’s an extraordinary story.”
Kelly has talked little about what she calls her “dream job,” because she says, “I don’t want fame. That’s not me.” Good Ol’ Freda Director Ryan White says that even Kelly’s daughter did not know most of the stories in the film. But now that Kelly – who was at one time dubbed “The Most Coveted Girl in the World” – has a grandson, she says she wants him to know about her adventures with the famed rock group. A secretary for the last 20 years for a slightly less exciting group, of solicitors, Kelly says, “I don’t know why they picked me. It was just fate. I was taken along on this 10-year exciting life … I was, am still am a Beatle fan.” Now Kelly has her own fans. “Delightful doc gets as much mileage from its subject’s cheer as from Beatles lore,” says John Defore of The Hollywood Reporter. Other reviewers have called the film “fantastically entertaining ... a rollicking good time,” and “incredibly fun and charming.” Sprinkled with original Beatles
Fab Five ..
continued on next page
www.theloaferonline.com
November 4, 2014 • The Loafer, Page 19
Fab Five .. continued on previous page
MECC to Offer Basic Computer Skills Course
music – a belated bonus to Kelly from her former employers – “This story of Freda Kelly’s will be one of the last true stories of the Beatles,” says Angie McCartney, Paul’s stepmother. Filmmaker and producer McCabe is an award-winning photographer and Beatles expert with extensive experience in the music industry. She has worked as a publicist and manager, a music video and album producer and a recording studio manager, as well as serving publicist and marketer for Pelada. McCabe initiated and engineered the production of Good Ol’ Freda. Follow @goodolfreda on Facebook and Twitter and visit http:// goodolfreda.com for more on the film. The film is visiting 18 sites across Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Kentucky and the Carolinas with the South Arts Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers. Good Ol’ Freda was audience choice award for best film at the Cleveland International Film Festival and audience choice
Mountain Empire Community College will offer a onecredit Basic Computer Skills course this fall. This course is designed for students who need to learn how to use email, send digital photos or documents, how to search the web, creating documents, and basic file management and organization. Students will be introduced to the Windows 8 operating system and Microsoft Office Word 2013. The course will be held on Wednesdays from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., beginning November 5 and ending December 10. Virginia residents age 60 and up may be able to complete the course at no charge. For more information or to register, contact Fran Doyle at 276.523.2400 ext. 313.
documentary at the Sidewalk Film Festival in 2013. The Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers is a program of South Arts. Southern Circuit screenings are funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. South Arts, founded in 1975, is a nonprofit regional arts organization building on the South’s unique heritage and enhancing the public value of the arts. Their work responds to the arts environment and cultural trends with a regional perspective through an annual portfolio of activities designed to address the role of the arts in impacting the issues important to its region and linking the South with the nation and the world through the arts. For information about the ETSU Mary B. Martin School of the Arts, call 423-439-TKTS (8587) or visit www.etsu.edu/martin. Please “Like” ETSU Mary B. Martin School of the Arts on Facebook and follow it on Twitter and Instagram @ArtsAtETSU.
Page 20, The Loafer • November 4, 2014
This week at Down Home Old Salt Union, Nov. 5th Old Salt Union hails from Belleville, IL and is far from your average bluegrass ensemble. The five young men have stretched the rugged core of the genre over the past two years, and continue to push the envelope today. After
a successful debut album “Western skies” and tour that followed in 2013, the boys are back roaming the country side in support of their new CD release “Bridge” as well as a new vinyl record “Woodshed.”
Bridge shows an edgier, more mature, and more musically equipped OSU, and certainly shines light on a group that has made peace with the interstate. From playing major festivals like Wakarusa, Harvest Festival, Loufest, and this upcoming Stagecoach, to sharing the stage with Del McCoury, Trampled By Turtles, and Sam Bush, Old Salt Union is no stranger to a good time. A show that’s filled with a high-energy stage presence, indepth musical compositions, and catchy hooks will surely have you dancing along. Old Salt Union will be preforming at Down Home on Wednesday, November 5th at 8pm. You can find more information at OldSaltUnion.com.
Texas Troubadour Gurf Morlix, Nov. 7th “Hypnotic and provocative…” is how Jim Caligiuri of the Austin Chronicle describes Texas troubadour Gurf Morlix, who will perform on Friday, November 7th at the Down Home in Johnson City. Though Morlix is known for producing chart topping records for artists like Ray Wylie Hubbard, Lucinda Williams, Slaid Cleaves, and Robert Earl Keen, his own records are top spins by Folk/Roots stations across the country and in Europe. Roy Kasten of KDHX says that Morlix writes “with a flair for wit and mystery.” And of his latest record, Gurf Morlix Finds the Present Tense, “...it is acoustic country blues with flashes of electric lightning and crazy carnival organ when least expected.” Bill Bentley of the Austin Chronicle says, “The man sings with such beautiful sadness…” Morlix is an Americana Music Association Award Winner and multiple nominee for Instrumentalist of the Year. He’s a triple threat of Americana/Roots musicianship: soul-grabbing singing before a backdrop of unforgettable songwriting and expert instrumentation. It all comes together like a charm at his live shows. Planning a new record release in 2015, Mor-
lix will play some of his new tunes as well as his classic favorites. Also performing will be Midwestern singer-songwriter Jack Williams, about whom Peter Yarrow said “he’s the best guitar player I’ve ever heard,” and Sing Out Magazine called “one of the strongest guitar players in contemporary folk.”
The Down Home is located at 300 W. Main St. in Johnson City. Music starts at 8 pm for the Friday, November 7th show. Admission is $14. To buy advance tickets go to www.downhome.com More about the artists at www.gurfmorlix.com and www.jackwilliams. com
www.theloaferonline.com
November 4, 2014 • The Loafer, Page 21
Northeast State hosts holiday concert of King U. bands Nov. 6 If the magical feel of fall makes you hum a tune to a musical theme then get the season started when the Northeast State Community College hosts King University Bands’ Fall Concert in November. The King University Symphonic Band will perform at the Wellmont Regional Center for the Performing Arts on the main campus of Northeast State at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 6. Admission to this program is free. The Symphonic Band’s share of the concert will focus on two
multi-movement works. The first is Gustav Holst’s “First Suite in E Flat for Military Band,” one of the earliest concert works composed specifically for winds and percussion. The second is a newer piece by contemporary composer, David Maslanka, “Heartsongs.” The Symphonic Band will also feature student conductor, Victoria Stevens, conducting Richard Saucedo’s “Triumphant Fanfare” and will conclude with “Mangulina” by Paul Basler. The concert will also include
King’s “250” Jazz Ensemble. The 250 Jazz portion of the program will include, among others, the Oliver Nelson classic, “Stolen Moments” as well as “Blue Skies” by Irving Berlin, and “Summertime” by George Gershwin. Both the symphonic band and Jazz Ensemble will be under the direction of Lonny Finley. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. For more information contact 423.354.2474 or tcteague@NortheastState.edu.
Page 22, The Loafer • November 4, 2014
I have never been fan of the acting abilities of Keanu Reeves, and have made no secret of that fact in this column. When Mr. Reeves is playing an alien (“The Day the Earth Stood Still”) a computer programmer (“The Matrix”), or a stoner (“Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure”) he is fine. Other times, however, Mr. Reeves is a laughing stock (“Bram Stoker’s Dracula”). Which Mr. Reeves do we get in the new film “John Wick”? Thankfully, the former, as all Mr. Reeves needs to do is be a killing machine with limited emotional output. At the beginning of the action thriller I was not quite sure what Mr. Wick’s occupation was, as he leaves home one morning in his 1969 Mustang and heads to some paved lot
and races around while making faces. Of course, we eventually discover John Wick (Reeves) was a top notch assassin nicknamed “Boogeyman” who “retired” after getting married. Unfortunately John loses his wife to cancer, sending him on a downward spiral, further enhanced by several punk members of a Russian crime mob who kill his new puppy (not a big fan of that occurrence) and steal his Mustang. John’s former employer Viggo Tarasov (Michael Nyqvist), learns his son, Iosef (Alfie Allen) is responsible for the actions against John, and is furious. Viggo knows full well his former “Boogeyman” will come after his son with a vengeance, and nothing will stand in his way. Thus, Viggo puts a $2 mil-
lion bounty on John. The bounty does nothing to deter John, as soon he is rolling through Viggo’s squad with swift abandon. John runs across other assassins in his quest, and their fights are a sight to behold, especially the run in with Ms. Perkins (Adrianne Palicki). As one might expect, the final showdown is between Viggo and John, and the film ends with the studio hoping for a sequel and possible
franchise of “John Wick” films. Will such a scenario happen? Well the film did take in $14.4 million opening weekend, not bad for an R rated film opening in October, so time will tell. The supporting cast members were fine and effective in their roles, with the always disturbing Willem Dafoe on hand as a veteran hit-man. As for the main attraction, Reeves was perfect for
the role of the steely mannered hit-man, and was even effective in the spouting of witting dialogue. The movie could be best described as cool and polished with a bit of rust around the edges, which actually sounds like John’s vintage Mustang. Overall, “John Wick” provides just enough thrills and action for those inclined to take their Keanu in rough and tumble mode. (Rated R) B
www.theloaferonline.com
November 4, 2014 • The Loafer, Page 23
Friends of Olde Downtowne Host a Chili Cook off with live music, fire performers, and campfires in the street
The Friends of Olde Downtowne have turned up the heat for November’s First Friday event. Come to downtown Johnson City at 6pm on Fri Nov 7th for the downtown chili cook off, music in the park, and fires in the street. The first 100 people who bring a nonperishable food item or cash donation for the Second Harvest Food Bank will receive a ballot to vote for the downtown Chili Bowl Champion. Over 10 downtown restaurants will be competing for the trophy and bragging rights. The winner will be announced at 8:30pm. Bring a chair and the kids to enjoy the campfires in the street. Hosts will be there with supplies to toast some s’mores over the
flames at the Lady of the Fountain or bring your own marshmallows and fireside stories to share. Ancient Cities from Charlotte NC, a psychedelic synth-rock band who meld wellcrafted lyrics with synth-laden psychedelia and cinematic moodiness, will be providing music starting at 6:30pm at the entrance to Majestic Park. Unifire Theater from Asheville NC will be entertaining the entire family throughout the evening. See fire swallowers, spinners, and dancers light up the night with their unique fire show. As always, First Friday events are family friendly and free. See you downtown!
Register now for the ETSU Child Study Center Family Fun Walk/Run East Tennessee State University’s Child Study Center will host a Family Fun Walk/ Run on Saturday, Nov. 8, with all proceeds benefitting the center. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m., followed at 10:15 by a warm-up session with Synergy X Fitness, a local business dedicated to creating a healthier Northeast Tennessee. The run begins at 10:30 a.m. and will be followed by children’s activities, including a paintbrush relay race. The first 50 participants to register will receive a free T-shirt. Pre-registration costs are $12 for ETSU students, $20 for individuals, $35 for a family of up to four members and $50 for a team of up to 7 members. Prices
increase by $5 in each category for race-day registration. Registration on race day will be in the parking lot outside the new parking garage, at the area near the back door of Warf-Pickel Hall. Since this is a fun run and not a sanctioned race, the course is under three miles. It will wind past the intramural and soccer fields to the walking trail, around the dorms to the D.P. Culp University Center and then to the Quad outside Sam Wilson Hall, where children’s activities will be held. To register, or for more information, go to www.etsu.edu/ coe/child/.
Page 24, The Loafer • November 4, 2014
November 4, 2014 • The Loafer, Page 25
www.theloaferonline.com
Body by Andy I’ve been loosing weight this year in a new effort to make myself a little trimmer and healthier. I’ve accomplished this by cutting down on fats and sugars, and making an effort to move around more. I walk around two miles daily, which is an increase from where I began with just doing a mile a day at the start of the year. I’ve managed to drop 20 pounds this year, which I bring up because I want you heap praises and laurels upon me. However, we’re now entering into the most delicate time of the year when it comes to keeping on the right path. Food is coming. In the span between Halloween and New Year’s Day it could become very easy to gain back all 20 pounds I lost. Halloween obviously has massive bowls of candy sitting around the house. In my family Halloween takes on a Christmas level importance, there is also a buffet table of food out on Halloween night. Any amount you might have lost to healthy activities could be easily blown in one night. Between
grabbing at mini bags of M&M’s from the candy bowl that is handed out to trick-or-treaters, to the crock pot full of cheese dip for nachos. Then comes Thanksgiving, the holiday where nobody gets out not covered in butter and gravy. Weeks, sometimes months of preparation, and it’s a family filled orgy of rich foods sprinkled with awkward naps on couches. Naturally, Christmas season follows all of this, and no one avoids a few extra pounds being added on. I’m not against any of this, but I do think this year as part of my new work out plan, I will not indulge in my annual tradition of bathing in turkey gravy while yelling at those who have wronged me over the year via Skype. Instead I’m going to focus on only indulging myself on the days when we have the family gatherings, and I plan to limit myself on seconds or thirds. Will power will be a big part of how I manage to pull this off, but sometimes it helps to have another person to back you up. That’s why I’ve asked my 11 year old cousin to
make sure that if he sees me going for a third piece of pie, he’s to slap me as hard as he can while yelling “No! That’s not nice!” I suspect he’ll abuse this power very quickly. I think I will win out here, instead of that nightly class of egg nog, I’ll simply have a weekly glass of egg nog, or switch to soy nog. Soy nog is a serviceable substitute for someone who doesn’t want to jeopardize a year’s worth of hard work. It’s these small sacrifices that I am willing to make to not blow a year of feeling better about myself. I think I’ll even try to keep up my two mile, hopefully soon to be three mile walks in. Granted on the days when old man winter tries to beat the hell out of us, that might not be possible. It’s on those days when I will fall back on my old work out routine. Doing step aerobics on Wii Fit, while watching “Murder, She Wrote” on Netflix. It’s an amazing work out, and let’s just hope my face can outlast the slaps of an 11 year old. See you next week.
Page 26, The Loafer • November 4, 2014
The Internet at 45 I am writing this on the fortyfifth anniversary of the Internet. In the scale of all things historical, this doesn’t seem like a very long time, but the world into which the Internet was born seems like eons ago, a world inhabited by cave men and women who now seem very primitive indeed. On that day, October 29, 1969, Richard Nixon was President of the United States, antiwar emotions were heightened by the recent Vietnam Moratorium Day, the debut of “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” was thrilling our English brethren, many heads were still buzzing over the moon landing three months earlier, the Mets had inexplicably won the World Series less than two weeks before, Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds” was blaring from AM radios, people were talking about the movie “Marlowe,” starring James Garner, Gayle Hunnicutt, and Carroll O’Connor (who would become famous as Archie Bunker one year later), and I was into experiencing my second month as a freshman at Appalachian State University. And, believe it or not, I couldn’t send a text message to anyone describing what I was thinking at the time. Actually, the Internet as we know it wasn’t born on that day at 10:30 p.m.(that development would have to wait about twenty more years), but we can consider October 29, 1969 as a momentous starting point, signaling the eminent birth of a strange new world. What happened on that day, according to PaleoFuture was “the first host-to-host connection of the ARPANET between UCLA and Stanford,” and the reception of the first online message, “LO.” No, it wasn’t the late Sixties version of LOL, but something a little less interesting. The message being sent by Leonard Kleinrock was supposed to be LOGIN, but only the first two letters were received at
the other end of this two-computer connection. Kleinrock, in a recent statement, tells us that on that day “the infant internet uttered its first words.” Now that the infant has reached adulthood, we can only wonder what’s next. In my attempt to grasp what the history of the past forty-five years has meant to our evolution from one world to another, I turned to the inevitable infographic. Daily Infographic (which promises “a new infographic every day,” and delivers on its promise quite nicely) presented me with a neat little “History of the Internet: 19692012,” and I became a little lightheaded when I perused some of the milestones that have appeared since that evening in California forty-five years ago: the first computer virus, named Creeper, was born in 1971; Apple was founded in 1976; IBM, not to be outdone by Apple, launched its first home computer in 1981; Scott Fahlman gave birth to the first Emoticon in 1982; Morris, the first computer worm, was created that same year; Tim Berners-Lee gave us the World Wide Web in 1991; Internet Explorer first garnered our attention in 1995; an estimated one million people were using the Internet in 1998; Wikipedia opened its pages to us in 2001, shortly after Napster came under attack (no connection between these two events, of course); a neat little device called the iPod founds its way into our lives and our pockets later in 2001; Facebook found its first friends in 2004: YouTube posted its first video, “Me At The Zoo,” in 2005, the same year that found an estimated one billion people surfing the Net; we became all A-Twitter in 2006; the iPad, Instagram, and Pinterest first appeared in 2010, Steve Jobs died in 2011; and an estimated 2.4 billion people succumbed to the lure of the Internet in 2012, with w h o - k n o w s - h o w -many-more added to the roster as I write this.
In last week’s edition of The Guardian, Oliver Burkeman wrote a very perceptive and evocative reflection on how the world has changed in the past forty-five years. In a futile attempt to grasp the meaning of it all, Burkeman writes “trying to express the magnitude of what began that day [October 29, 1969], and what has happened in the decades since, is an undertaking that quickly exposes the limits of language.” He goes on to relate that “on New Year’s Day 1994—only yesterday, in other words—there were an estimated 623 websites. In total. On the whole Internet.” That statistic alone should arouse you from your slumber. In a very apt and poignant conclusion, Burkeman creates an image we all should contemplate: “One day, presumably, everything that has happened in the last 40 years will look like early throatclearings—mere preparations for whatever the internet is destined
to become. We will be the equivalents of the late-60s computer engineers, in their horn-rimmed glasses, brown suits, and brown ties, strange, period-costume characters populating some dimly remembered past.” Some questions remain: “Will you remember the web as something you accessed primarily via a computer? Will you remember when there were places you couldn’t get a wireless connection? Will you remember when ‘being on the web’ was still a distinct concept, something that described only a part of your life, instead of permeating all of it?” Will there indeed be any recollections left of what life was like before online existence? My daughter will turn twentysix next April, and in her life I see a very visual and living infographic of our life on the web. She was born two years before the advent of the World Wide Web, a time she of course no longer remembers. And I can only dimly recall
her using our push button landline phone back in the early 1990s to call one of her friends; just last week she informed me in detail of her plan to switch phone companies so she can get a new iPhone6 before her current plan expires (and I am envious). As I looked back over the journal I have kept (in many volumes) since 1984, I got a little misty-eyed when I read an entry in which I recounted the day I sent my first text message to her: July 7, 2008. So near yet so far away. Might as well have been 1968 or 1958. I will leave you to contemplate all these things in your own way as I email this column to our fearless editor (something I did for the first time “back in the day” sixteen years ago, using a dial-up connection). See you next week as a couple billion more people discover the Internet.
www.theloaferonline.com
November 4, 2014 • The Loafer, Page 27
Page 28, The Loafer • November 4, 2014