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Volume 28 Issue #42
The Town of Gate City Virginia
Saturday and Sunday, October 4th & 5th, 2014 Publisher - Bill Williams • Editor/Graphic Arts Director - Don Sprinkle • Office Manager - Luci Tate Cover Design - Bill May Advertising - Dave Carter, Akey Kincaid, Terry Patterson Contributing Staff - Jim Kelly, Andy Ross, Ken Silvers, Mark Marquette Published by Tree Street Media, LLC., P.O. Box 3238, Johnson City, TN 37602 Phone: 423/283-4324 FAX - 423/283-4369 www.theloaferonline.com • info@theloaferonline.com e-mail: editorial@theloaferonline.com (editorial) adcopy@theloaferonline.com (advertising) All advertisements are accepted and published by the publisher upon the representation that the agency and/or advertiser is authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof.The agency and/or advertiser will indemnify and save the publisher harmless from any loss of expense resulting from claims or suits based upon contents of any advertisement,including claims or suits for defamation,libel,right of privacy,plagiarism,and copyright infringement.
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The Town of Gate City Virginia will host the 3rd Annual Grillin at the Gate on Saturday and Sunday, October 4th & 5th, 2014
Saturday, October 4th Band Line Up: 11:00 AM – Cash Revisited Noon – The Sophia Redwine Band 1:30 PM – Jake & The Comet Conductors 4:30 PM – Hundred Acres 6:00 PM – This Mountain 7:30 PM – Annabelle’s Curse The Grillin at the Gate is a BBQ and Music Festival located on Jackson Street in Downtown Gate City, Virginia. There will be BBQ competitors competing in five categories; Sauce, Chicken Thighs, Ribs, Pork, and Brisket on Saturday, October 4th. Also planned for Saturday, October 4th is a Cornhole Competition. The entry fee is $30.00 per team with a 50% payout for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. There will be a Piglet’s Corner for the kids featuring a Petting Zoo and Inflatables. There is also a Pet Show planned in the afternoon. On Sunday, October 5th there will be a Cruise In Car Show. The first 100 cars receive a Free Dash Plate. Below is the schedule of events for both days. Mattern & Craig will sponsor the Cornhole Competition and the Scott County Humane Society will host the Beer & Wine Garden.
This year BBQ Competitors will be competing for $300.00 in each category. Applications for BBQ Competitors and Arts, Crafts, Food Vendors are still being accepted. Visit gcitygrillin.com for forms and information or contact the Town Hall at 276-386-3831. This year’s event will be a different experience from last year. The band line up on Saturday will consist of Rock & Roll, Americana, and Country. On Sunday visitors will be treated to Bluegrass and Gospel Music. This event is sponsored by New Peoples Bank, Scott County Life Saving Crew, Eastman Credit Union, and Bank of Scott County. Grillin at the Gate can be found on Facebook or gcitygrillin.com. Call 276-386-3831 for more information.
Stuff to do: 11:00 AM – Cornhole Competition 2:00 PM – Pet Show 4:30 PM – BBQ Awards ALL Day Saturday - Beer & Wine Garden - Arts, Crafts, & Food Vendors - Piglets Corner - Pettin Zoo
Sunday, October 5th Band Line Up: Noon – Logan Cassell 1:00 PM – Jevonte Lyons 2:00 PM - Witness 3:00 PM – Anthony Keys 4:00 PM – Aaron Hagy and Band Stuff to do: 1:00 PM – Cruise In Car Show ALL Day Sunday Arts, Crafts, & Food Vendors
gcitygrillin.com
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Exhibition of Lawrence Danecke Paintings at Mason House Gallery The Greeneville Arts Council and General Morgan Inn present “Living Color: New Paintings by Lawrence Danecke” at Mason House Gallery from Monday September 29 through Thursday October 30, 2014. Lawrence Danecke is a Greene County fine artist and private art instructor having his sixth solo Greeneville exhibition. With over thirty original watercolor, acrylic and oil paintings in his signature realist style, the majority of this show’s pieces are recent ones that have never been exhibited. Various subjects are vividly depicted in these colorful works including landscapes, still life, portraiture, wildlife and botanicals. Danecke studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and graduated from Chicago’s American Academy of Art. After serving in the armed forces, he relocated from Chicago to tropical South Florida where he built a successful career in commercial illustration and art education. His years in Florida were also filled with the joys and challenges of
being a single father and a locally published gardener / landscaper. Danecke first fell in love with this particular area over ten years ago while visiting an East Tennessee art gallery that represented him. In 2008, he settled full-time in Greene County where he continues to find “limitless inspiration for all kinds of exciting paintings.” Since last autumn’s Mason House Gallery exhibition of his wildlife paintings, Danecke has received a significant amount of national recognition. One of his watercolors won a Patron Purchase Award at Kansas Watercolor Society’s National Exhibition last winter. Danecke also took awards in Red River Watercolor Society’s Annual National Juried Watermedia Exhibit and Florida Watercolor Society’s Annual Exhibition. Other national juried exhibits that showed his work this past year (or are currently showing it) include Pennsylvania Watercolor Society and The Southern Appalachian Artist Guild. Locally speaking, Danecke had
One of Lawrence Danecke’s newest paintings Autumn Appalachian Barn 1 (oil on canvas) to be exhibited at Mason House Gallery
a painting included in ETSU’s “Colors of Aspiration: Flags in Contemporary Art” at Tipton Gallery during Blue Plum Festival and the month of June. Some of his work can also be seen at The Golden Carp in Dillsboro, NC. An opening reception hosted by Artspace 4 Gallery will be held on
Friday October 3rd from 6-8pm. The Mason House Gallery is located in the lobby of the General Morgan Inn at 111 N. Main Street. For further information on this and other Mason House Gallery exhibits, contact Matilda Green, director of exhibitions, at (423) 329 – 5366.
Have an event coming up? Email a press release and photos to:
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Carter Railroad Museum shows logging trains at
September Heritage Day East Tennessee State University’s George L. Carter Railroad Museum will hold its September Heritage Day on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The special exhibit, “Thunder in the Timber: 120 Years of Logging Heritage,” will feature a three-truck Shay. This model of a late 19th century logging engine was recently presented for use on the museum’s large G-scale logging-themed layout by Bachmann Trains, a company known for its extensive line of model railroading products. Logging in the 19th century presented challenges that resulted in the creation of unique equipment and specialized locomotives able to climb steep grades and round tight corners, including Shay, Heisler and Climax designs. “When we sent one of our old engines to be repaired for the Gscale layout, Bachmann became aware of the role our museum plays in the community,” says Geoff Stunkard, coordinator of the museum’s Heritage Days program. “The company offered our museum director, Fred Alsop, a new replacement for the cost of the repairs. We had no idea it would be a top-of-the-line model, and it arrived just in time to allow us to demonstrate the unique Shay-style engine for this month’s event.” The three-truck engine replicates one of the largest examples built by Lima Locomotive Works, which constructed the prototype design in 1877. Also on display will be HO-scale logging engines, some steam era and modern trains with specialized wood-carrying freight cars and a selection of logging photos and postcards will also be on exhibit. Members of the Mountain Empire Model Railroaders (MEMRR) club and the George L. Carter Chapter of the National Railway
HOn3 layout of the Tweetsie Railroad, believed to be the largest model of the Tweetsie in existence.
Historical Society are coordinating the program. Visit www. memrr.org to learn more about MEMRR, which helps demonstrate and maintain the model layouts, museum exhibits and other projects. The Carter Railroad Museum is open every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are welcomed. The museum can be identified by a flashing railroad crossing signal at the back entrance to the Campus Center Building. Visitors should enter ETSU’s campus from State of Franklin Road onto Jack Vest Drive and continue east
to 176 Ross Drive, adjacent to the flashing RR crossing sign. The museum is in the process of creating a scale replica of the Tweetsie line in a 1,300-squarefoot display hall. Visitors may view this work-in-progress exhibit. To learn more about the museum, visit http://johnsonsdepot. com/glcarter/cartermuseum. For more information about Heritage Day, contact Dr. Fred Alsop, museum director, at 423-4396838 or alsopf@etsu.edu. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at 423-439-8346.
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Girls Night Out at the Paramount
Saturday, October 4th at 7:30pm, WXBQ Welcomes Girls Night Out at the historic Paramount Center For The Arts. Four future country music superstars perform one night under one roof!
Johnny notes: “We’re working as hard as anybody and do it at the highest possible level.” Johnny’s versatility is reflected in how he lives and what he sees. His recent release “We’ll Get By” (The Autism Song) exposes a man with Tom Dixon: hails from Tewks- a heart who brings an issue into bury, Ma--after growing up loving focus on a level so genuine it dares and listening to Kenny Rogers, anyone not to feel what Johnny Tom’s sweet country sound is a powerful mix of influences including Gary Allan, Garth Brooks, Waylon, Jason Aldean and Mr. Johnny Cash. As Tom builds his repertoire, country music superstars are noticing as Tom is now sharing the stage with Eric Church, The Zac Brown Band, Kip Moore and Alan Jackson. Tom’s 2013 release “Kick Start This Party” was produced by Grammy nominated Kent Wells. Tom’s relentless performance schedule and constant co-writing projects al but assures sings. These efforts are paying off him a place in the top echelon of in gaining attention from many of today’s country taste-makers. the major players in country muJohnny Orr: Raleigh’s Johnny Orr sic. is moving to the top in his home Ross Cooper: Ross grew up in state on his way to a national and West Texas taking hi cue from legworld stage! Johnny’s portfolio ends including Hank Williams and includes performances with Little ZZ Top! While shaping his own Big Town, The Zac Brown Band, musical direction, the sounds of Cole Swindell, Tyler Farr and Ken- Robert Earl Keen, Pat Green, Ryan ny Chesney! Johnny is now tak- Adams And The Mavericks made ing his career to the next level with it all click. Now he’s approaching his new EP, “Down South.” Of the his current style with a definite latest efforts and the road ahead, ‘out of the box’ approach, lean-
ing but not limiting the progress exclusively to country--adding in brilliant tones of Rock, Americana and much more. The bottom line-like many of his contemporaries, Ross is shaping the Ross Cooper style. With his music steeped in honest stories his writing complements songs, vocals and perfor-
mances taking all of us on a melodic journey, reminding us all we owe a debt to Lubbock, Texas to make sure we keep an eye on this man journey to the top. Ben Rue: Is one of Music City’s best kept secrets. A native of Silverton, Oregon, Ben’s unique talents provide an incredible ability to capture real-life situations in his music. Sony-Arista took notice also and it’s earned him a spot on their roster. Ben’s work is earning him opportunities on the road with The Band Perry, Craig Morgan, The Mavericks and Dustin Lynch. This story-telling signature is contributing to a nationwide fan-base. At the core of this, Ben writes and performs music steeped deep in a fervent, organic, style where people where fans are taking notice and listening more and more every day. Tickets are on sale now via e-tix at theparamountcenter.com. General Admission: $ 5.00-BOGO! Buy one and receive the other FREE for your ‘bestie’ courtesy of WXBQ! VIP: $20.00 Includes Admission To Pre-Concert VIP SoundcheckMeet ‘n Greet, early admission, prizes and much more.
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Celebrated Songwriter, Matt Harlan brings Texas sound to Tennessee Traveling in support of his new album, Raven Hotel, Texas singer/ songwriter Matt Harlan is bringing his easygoing style and worldclass songs to Tennessee, where some elements of his latest release were inspired. “I actually based the title track around a week-long stay in Nashville where I holed up in a cheap motel just outside of town,” Harlan said. “I’d drop by and leave a few copies, but I don’t think they’d dig the down-and-out picture it paints of their establishment.” Harlan is playing at the Acoustic
Coffeehouse in Johnson City, TN on Tuesday, September 23 at 10pm. Since the release of his debut album Tips and Compliments (2009), Matt has traveled the world garnering critical praise as “a young man’s James McMurtry,” winning audiences wherever he performs. In 2012 he released Bow
and Be Simple, an album featuring Danish backing band, The Sentimentals and recorded at the end of their 2011 European tour. For Raven Hotel (2014) Matt teamed back up with famed producer, Rich Brotherton (Rita Hosking, Robert Earl Keen, Caroline Herring) to create a work that mines the multiple influences within the Americana genre. Each one of his albums performed well on Americana radio and hit #1 on the Euro Americana Chart, opening the door to international acclaim. A local favorite in his current hometown of Houston, Harlan has performed in concert with folk and Americana music stars such as Guy Clark, Hayes Carll and upand-comer John Fullbright. He has been featured at the top folk clubs and festivals in the U.S. (Kerrville Folk Festival) and is a winner of multiple songwriting accolades (American Songwriter, Billboard)
including the Texas Music Awards 2013 Singer/Songwriter of the Year and the coveted Troubadour contest at the 2011 Telluride Bluegrass Festival. He was recently featured alongside artists like Lyle Lovett, Slaid Cleaves and Guy Clark in the documentary, “For the Sake of the Song.” “Harlan is, for our money, basically a young man’s James McMurtry. His voice has that sultry, coarse drawl to it that allows him to say things like “Houston’s heavy air” without sounding completely obnoxious.” Shea Serrano – HOUSTON PRESS ”There’s a fluid self-confidence to his writing that at times comes close to matching early Dylan for a clear-eyed description of the world as he sees it.” John Davy – FLYIN SHOES Please visit Matt’s website at www.mattharlan.com for much more information, including streams of all three albums, video performances and contact info.
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Arts Array presents
“Night Moves” The Arts Array Film Series presented by Virginia Highlands Community College is in its 44th year. All films are presented at the Abingdon Cinemall on Mondays and Tuesdays at 4 p.m. and again at 7:30 pm. Night Moves (Sept. 29 and 30) Kelly Reichardt’s suspensethriller Night Moves follows three environmentalists whose homegrown plot to blow up a controversial dam unravels into a journey of doubt, paranoia, and unintended consequences. As organic farmer Josh (Jesse Eisenberg), high society dropout Dena (Dakota Fanning), and ex-Marine Harmon (Peter Sarsgaard) plan, carry out, and then witness the fallout of an attention-grabbing act of sabotage, they find their own personal limits tested. Described as a “riveting thriller” by IndieWire. The Arts Array Film Series is part of the comprehensive cultural outreach program of Virginia
Highlands Community College. The series is co-sponsored by the Abingdon Cinemall, the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, Emory& Henry College, and King University. Admission to the films is free for the faculties and students at the supporting institutions. Members of the general community may attend for $7.75. For a brochure on the series or more information, please contact Tommy Bryant at 276-739-2451 or email him at tbryant@vhcc.edu.
French Broad Brew Fest features breweries, music, scenery
After 17 years hosting the French Broad River Festival in the spring, the organizers are now perfecting the French Broad Brew Fest, now in it’s 4th year, which features a few of the area’s best resources: craft brew, great music and beautiful scenery. Just north of Asheville, Hot Springs is a destination for outdoor enthusiasts seeking whitewater, fishing, hiking, biking,
or just relaxing at the Spa by the river. With the festival grounds located on the banks of the French Broad and it’s intersection with the Appalachian Trail, what better way to celebrate Fall in the Mountains? Beautiful scenery, music, craft beers, and food on one glorious afternoon, camping included! French Broad Brew Fest, Sept. 27-28, 2014 in Hot Springs, NC where the French Broad River
meets the Appalachian Trail. Features 15+ breweries and music to include Tony Trischka Territory, Yarn, Mountain Top Polka and more. $75 ticket price includes a 5oz. commemorative souvenir sampling glass, unlimited beer samplings, campsite and 12 hours of great music. www.FrenchBroadBrewFest.commain office at 423-392-8000.
ETSU at Kingsport Allandale to hold Fall Yard Sale The Student Service Board of East Tennessee State University at Kingsport Allandale will hold its Fall Yard Sale on Friday, Sept. 26, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., in the parking lot at 1501 University Boulevard near Allandale Mansion. The student organization invites members of the community to participate. Tables are available for a $10 fee to accommodate individuals who wish to sell items or for
commercial representatives who wish to promote businesses. Donations of money, used books and miscellaneous items are welcome and can be dropped off at the ETSU at Kingsport Allandale main office Monday-Friday, from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Proceeds from the sale will benefit the Megan Smith Scholarship Fund. A resident of Church Hill, Smith
was a 2008 graduate of Volunteer High School and had just completed her freshman year at ETSU at Kingsport Allandale at the time of her death in 2009. The scholarship established in her memory has assisted six of her fellow students so far. For further information, contact the ETSU at Kingsport Allandale main office at 423-392-8000.
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Jonesborough Welcomes Iconic
Storyteller Donald Davis Radio personality. World traveler. Methodist minister. Husband. Friend. Father of four sons. Over the course of his life, Donald Davis has been a lot of things to a lot of people, but on the stage he is known for always being himself. As a storyteller who specializes in personal tales, Davis isn’t the kind of performer who has a stage persona. As he talks about friends and family and the many years he’s spent settled in North Carolina, his tone is always conversational. He has been one of the key figures in the side of the storytelling movement that has tended towards memoir instead of fictional stories like folk tales. In holding up slices of his own life, he has inspired countless other performers and audience members to remember and share their own stories, both at festivals and in their own homes. As the next performer in the International Storytelling Center’s Storytelling Live! series, Davis has the task of getting Jonesborough audiences ready for the National Storytelling Festival, which will take place the weekend following his residency.
Photo by: Fresh Air Photo During his weeklong residency, Davis will offer daily concerts at the International Storytelling Center. His busy schedule includes performances on Monday at 2:00, Tuesday and Wednesday at 11:00 and 2:00, and Thursday at 11:00, 2:00, and 4:00. Tickets for all performances are on sale now and reservations are strongly recommended. In addition to his afternoon performances, for one night only, Davis will host “Stories I Almost Forgot to Tell,” an exclusive evening concert that will take place on the grounds of the National Storytelling Festival. Scheduled for October 1, at 7:30 p.m., the Wednesday-night concert is the first of two special events leading up to the 42nd annual National Storytelling Festival. (The second, a concert with country and folk musician Suzy Bogguss, is scheduled for Thursday night.) Both events will take place on the festival grounds in the Library Tent. Following his residency, Davis will be a featured teller at the Festival, which runs October 3 – 5. Regular festival programming is
scheduled from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, with several separate ticketed events throughout the weekend, including Ghost Stories and Midnight Cabaret concerts on Friday and Saturday nights. Davis is among the last crop of performers in the 2014 Storytelling Live! season, which will host a new storyteller every week through October. Tickets for Davis’s evening concert are only $15, and all ticket holders will save 10 percent on same-day dining at The Olde Courthouse Diner, The Dining Room, Jonesborough General Store and Eatery, or Main Street Café. Advance purchase is strongly recommended. Information about all TIR performers, as well as a detailed schedule for 2014, is available at www.storytellingcenter.net. The International Storytelling Center is open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. For more information about Storytelling Live! or to make a group reservation, call (800) 952-8392 ext. 222 or (423) 913-1276.
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Big Stone Celtic Friday, Sept. 26th and Saturday, Sept. 27th How did Big Stone Celtic get its name? Well, the seven Celtic nations--Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, Isle of Man, Brittany and Galicia--are renowned for their stone circles and individual standing stones, so a Celtic Festival in Big Stone Gap could only be called one thing. Since its inception seven years ago, Big Stone Celtic has emerged as one of just a handful of panCeltic festivals in America, and in this region. Combining music, food, costume and stories to celebrate the strong connections between Appalachia and its European roots, the format is modeled on long established (as in 650 years) village festivals in Scotland, Ireland and Brittany. Although all the venues are located within easy walking distance of each other in downtown Big Stone Gap, the event truly represents a global village. This year features the music of international singing star Barbara Dickson, recipient of the Olivier Award for her work on the West End (London’s equivalent of Broadway) as well as a medal from Queen Elizabeth. If you’ve heard the recording ‘Evita,’ you’ve heard Dickson singing; ‘Another Suitcase in Another Hall’ was her breakout hit. Sigean returns as our house band. Recognized by enthusiasts as THE best exponents of Irish and Scottish music in the area, they have been firm favorites at Big Stone Celtic from the beginning, and form the core of the ‘orchestra’ for the Saturday night ceilidh dance. Also returning are the Appalachian Highlanders Pipes and Drum band under the direction of Randy Stanley. A crowd favorite, they will lead the parade of participants --which will also include the horses and sheepdogs featured at Bullitt Park. Also at the park will be a Highland Games demonstration. A special feature this year will be the launch of ‘Wayfaring Strangers’, a book co-written by
www.bigstoneceltic.com
Fiona Ritchie of NPR’s ‘Thistle and Shamrock’ and Doug Orr of The Southern Highlanders. The Highlanders are a group of four out of North Carolina, who present with great knowledge, wit, and wisdom the links between Appalachia, Scotland and Ireland; they will be with us for the festival. Ron Short and Jack Beck will lead a ‘coal culture’ presentation at (where else) the Coal Museum, showcasing the work and song connections between Celtic and Appalachian mining. Regular features include afternoon tea with music at the Fox House Museum, music at the June Tolliver Theater main stage, sacred music at the Presbyterian Church, The Celtic Kitchen offering tastes of the seven nations, music at the farmers’ market, workshops and presentations at Tales of the Lonesome Pine Bookstore. For children, the library is hosting several music and craft events, and Miner’s Park will have several Highland Games suitable for the younger set, with prizes. Saturday’s activities will start
at 9 am with a 26 mile bike race honoring the late Bill Collie, organized by the Lonesome Pine Cycle Club and sponsored by Wellmont Health. This reflects the inclusion of bike races in many European Celtic festivals and is a legacy of the early village festival model of earlier horse races. Once again this year there will be a free evening concert on Friday at the Goodloe Center of Mountain Empire Community College starting at 7 pm, courtesy of ProArt, and featuring Barbara Dickson and The Southern Highlanders, introduced and supported by Jack Beck (host of Celtic Clanjamphry on WETS fm and WEHC fm). From its inception Big Stone Celtic has been generously supported by local individuals and businesses as well as Wise County and Big Stone Gap Town Council. As a result most venues are free, and those that are not are supporting next year’s festival. We appreciate the ways in which the town and its citizens have embraced this heritage celebration, and look forward to seeing everyone on the day.
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Dennis DeYoung: The Music Of Styx
Saturday, September 27th at Niswonger Performing Arts Center Dennis DeYoung: The Music Of Styx will perform at NPAC on Saturday, September 27th at 7:30 pm. In the early sixties, DeYoung started playing with a band called Tradewinds. Over the years, the group changed names and members, eventually becoming Styx. As the primary creative force behind Styx, Dennis DeYoung served not only as the group’s lead vocalist, but also as a producer, writer, accordion player, and keyboardist. In fact, DeYoung wrote most of the band’s Top Ten singles, including “Show Me The Way”, “Mr Roboto”, “Don’t Let It End”, “Lady”, “Best Of Times”, and the iconic chart-toppers “Babe” and “Come Sail Away”. DeYoung started out playing the accordion. Meanwhile, as a self-taught keyboardist, his synthesizer solos have been featured in many unforgettable Styx tunes.
Dennis credits many years of accordion lessons for having laid the groundwork for his mastery of electronic keyboards and piano. Although DeYoung has been noted as one of the top rock keyboardists and best male vocalists, he still humbly describes himself as “an accordion player who now plays the piano”. DeYoung embarked on his solo career in 1984. Today, he continues to write and perform material for various artistic outlets, including musical theatre. In fact, DeYoung believes the songs he composed for “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” to be the greatest music he has ever written. DeYoung is quick to note that his generation of musicians are unique. “I’ve lived in the greatest time in history to be a musician”, he says. “Neither before nor after will so many musicians have the
opportunity to have the long and fruitful careers that those from my generation have had.” Dennis DeYoung: The Music Of Styx will perform at Niswonger Performing Arts Center (NPAC) in historic downtown Greeneville, TN on Tuesday, September 27th at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $45 for orchestra level seating, $40 for mezzanine seating and $35 for balcony seats. 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.
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Event to raise funds for Scott County Endowed Scholarship A special dinner and entertainment event will be held September 25 to raise funds for Scott County students attending Mountain Empire Community College. The Mountain Empire Community College Foundation will host a fundraiser for the Scott County Endowed Scholarship on Thursday, September 25 at 6:30 p.m. at the Scott County Career and Technical Center in Gate City. The event will feature a delicious buffet dinner including coffee and dessert available. Guests will enjoy a performance by Joseph Young, a ninetime award winning entertainer
from Big Stone Gap, Virginia. Young has performed from Pigeon Forge, Tennessee to Las Vegas, Nevada, and is quickly emerging as one of the most sought after entertainers in the nation. His outstanding performances weave his distinctive energy, intellect, comedic timing and drama to ensure a personalized, unforgettable event that you will never forget. Tickets for the event are $30 and may be obtained by contacting Jeri Bledsoe in the MECC Foundation office at (276) 523-2400, extension 287, or by e-mail at jbledsoe@mecc. edu. Those interested in learn-
ing more about the foundation or MECC can visit www.mecc.edu and select the Foundation link. Gifts to the Scott County Endowed Scholarship are fully taxdeductible. Anyone wishing to contribute to the fund may give online on the MECC Foundation web page, or by mailing a check to MECC Foundation, 3441 Mountain Empire Road, Big Stone Gap, Virginia 24219. Please note in the memo section that the funds are for the Scott County Endowed Scholarship.
Let’s “bring in the fall y’all”! Limited Edition will play for our 4th Friday dance and you know they keep us dancing AND laughing. Music we love to hear-oldies and goldies from shag to waltz, they have all the dance bases covered! The fun begins at 7:00 September 26th, but if you want a line dance lesson come at 6:30. Jonesborough Visitors Center/cost $6/additional information contact 423-952-0772
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Why Mars Has Life and Where It Is I predict within 20 years there will be the earth-shattering discovery of life on Mars. Or maybe Europa or Enceladus. Maybe even Titan. Well, NASA actually makes that claim. Their space scientists expect the confirmation of life elsewhere in our Solar System to come within the next 20 years. Announcing the optimism was NASA administrator Charles Bolden, a three time flier of the Space shuttle, and he’s very positive there is life elsewhere. “I would venture to say that most of my colleagues say it is improbable that in the limitless vastness of the Universe, we humans stand alone,” said NASA’s Bolden at a July 2014 talk to politicians in Washington, DC. NASA thinks every single star has at least one planet orbiting it. And among the 200 billion stars in our Milky Way Galaxy, there are at least 100 million planets capable of hosting life. And NASA wants to find the proof in our own backyard of planets and moons. As biologists and astronomers merge their data into a new scientific exploration of astrobiology, interplanetary spacecraft are being proposed to dig and drill into the suspected underground lakes beneath some icy moons of Jupiter, Saturn and even Neptune. It’s just going to take a few billion dollars of taxpayers’ money. But it is Mars where there is plenty of solid water and several environments that can support life in the form of multi-cell microbes, plants like hardy lichens and even creatures like the detested cockroach. Where is this Martian life, and just who’s going to find it? Well one place is underground in tunnels, and another is under the ice caps.
One often neglected NASA success story is Phoenix the polar lander of 1998. Built from spare parts of three Mars missions that were given the budget axe in the 1980s, Phoenix arose from the dead and landed right on top of a terrain of buried ice.
the cold waters surrounding this island continent at the “bottom” of our world there is an abundance of life. The one of the largest concentrations in the world of giant crab and starfish are found in the Antarctic waters. Fish that have special antifreeze for blood swim
degrees at the top of your head! That’s because the super thin Martian atmosphere will not hold heat like Earth’s thick blanket of air. Compared to Earth’s atmosphere, the volume of air around the surface of Mars is like 30,000 feet up where commercial jetlin-
by sending more robot spacecraft will we find out. The Mars we see is the result of incredible geological events of atomic bomb proportions in terms of violence and global consequences. And that hostility was dished out by the largest volcanoes in
Phoenix had a robotic arm with a scoop that dug some trenches and deposited Martian soil for chemical analysis in a small laboratory. The dirt had ice and frozen carbon dioxide in it. The Mars soil had the right composition that could grow plants with the right nutrients. On the polar lander’s leg struts, morning dew appeared and evaporated, and ice sublimated from a solid to a gas in the three inch deep trenches. The entire planet of Mars is cold like Antarctica. Despite -100 F. degrees and constant winds, life survives in the microscopic world. In
in the cold water, and hundreds of species of microscopic life are already categorized with more being found every year. In a major discovery in 2014, a huge sea of water was found miles beneath the Ross Shelf of Antarctica, and it is teaming with microscopic life that has never see light or fresh air for millions of years. Some of these microbes survive by eating rocks for mineral nutrients. Today’s Mars is a lot like Antarctica with a much thinner atmosphere. Yeah, it might be 50 F. degrees at your feet, but it will be freezing at your knees and 0 F.
ers roam. It’s really thin. Yet cirrus clouds in the sky are common, as are the dust devils that have surprisingly cleaned the surface of solar panels on the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity, contributing to their longevity. There are global dust storms, and even falling snow that doesn’t reach the ground. Mars once had an entire hemisphere of oceans. This is now confirmed by the three NASA rovers that are on the former sea beds. But when was Mars a water world? 2 billion…3 billion years ago? We don’t know for sure. Only
the Solar System. So large that the lava build-up has lopsided Mars in what’s called the Tharsis Bulge. Let’s look at the great volcanoes of Mars: - Olympus Mons – The largest in the Solar System a whopping 13 miles high, it would cover the entire state of Colorado with its layers of lava. Seen as a bright spot in the Tharsis desert for 100 years, it was clouds around the city-sized caldera that earth telescopes were seeing. - Arsia Mons (10 miles high), PaStargazer .. continued on next page
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Stargazer .. continued from previous page vonis Mons (8 miles) and Ascraeus Mons (11 miles) are in a row below Olympus. All are larger than Mt. Everest and cover the entire Alps Mts. by themselves. Some of the lava flows might be just 10 million years old, extremely recent in geologic time of a 4.3 billion year old Mars. - Alba Patera is the fifth great volcano of Mars, just a mile high but with a lava base of 350 miles. And surrounding this suspiciously young volcano is a fractured ring system would cover Texas. There is nothing to compare to the Tharsis Bulge and its five great shield volcanoes. The eruptions of these great volcanoes had to create havoc on the Martian atmosphere with serious consequences for the entire globe. Planetary geologists think the molten lava inside Mars acted like a lava lamp, oozed out of the Tharsis volcanic dome. And because there are very few craters on the slopes of these volcanoes, they have a recent history, probably 1 billion to 500 million years or sooner.
Just image the raging eruptions of a half-dozen volcanoes turning Mars’ inside out. This period of Mars is little understood and needs more data to put an accurate picture together. One of the pieces of the volcano puzzle is how extensive are the lava tube and cave systems under the surface. Experience with Earth caves is a clue to how vast the underground might be on Mars. And the climate in a subterranean world might harbor all kinds of unique life, just like on Earth. NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has found dozens of cave openings on the flanks of volcanoes. Some are even deemed accessible with a specialized miniature mining rover equipped to move and survive in a cave. Where there is liquid water, astrobiologists believe there will be life. There are a half dozen confirmed placed in the Solar System that might have water or other habitable liquids beneath an icy surface. Those include Jupiter moon’s Europa, Callisto and Gan-
ymede, each with icy surfaces and possible liquid beneath; Saturn moon Enceladus which has active icy volcanoes; Neptune moon Triton with giant fountains of super cold liquid nitrogen; and the giant Saturn moon Titan, which has lakes and rivers of flowing methane at minus -200 F. degrees below
zero. Spacecraft engineers are already working on their computers drafting the latest interplanetary spacecraft that can dive under the ice and seek life. Who will discover life on Mars? It is doubtful life will be discovered by America. NASA has no approved sample return mis-
sions—but several have been on the drawing boards for decades. China is now a big player in the Space Age of the 21st Century, and they have plans for soil sample return missions to the Moon and Mars. And China might partner with Russia for its interplanetary missions. Europe and Japan also have ambitions for Mars missions, and the main obstacle is money to finance the dreams. And continue to dream we will—of creatures somewhere on an alien world. So don’t be surprised when that someday comes and news headlines scream “Life Discovered—At Last!”
Page 18, The Loafer • September 23, 2014
Skies This Week Celestial events in the skies for the week of Sept. 23 - Sept. 29, 2014, as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette. Summer is officially over as this week ushers in the Autumn. The Autumnal Equinox occurs Tuesday, Sept. 23 when the Sun crosses the equator into the Southern Hemisphere (where it’s finally Spring!). That means equal amounts of daylight and night time, though the balance begins tipping toward 12-plus hours of darkness—which is just fine to stargazers who endured the long days of Summer. The Moon goes from new phase to a beautiful crescent quickly setting in our mountain landscape. Saturn and Mars are due south and set by midnight, and the Milky Way spans overhead.
Tues. Sept. 23
Autumnal Equinox today at 10:29 pm when the Sun stands directly over the equator and heading to the south in our skies. The Sun is in Libra the Scales. Sunrise is at 6:48 am and sunset is at 6:58 pm, the exact 12 hour day/night actually being on Saturday the 27th.
Wed. Sept. 24
Two American astronauts were exchanged to stay with two cosmonauts, and the six others in Atlantis made it a then record 10 humans in space.
Fri. Sept. 26
At 7:30 pm you might see the thin crescent Moon in the pink twilight near bright star Spica and Mercury on the horizon. Mercury keeps rising higher day by day and is worth a look if you have a clear western horizon. The first planet will only be visible until Oct. 1st in this quick trip in the Autumn evening—and it is visible from 7:30 pm for just 20 minutes before setting. Look for the only star to the left of where the Sun set.
Sat. Sept. 27
At 9 pm the Milky Way spans directly overhead from north to south, a beautiful sight away from city light pollution. Ride the arm of our Galaxy with a pair of binoculars and you’ll be amazed at all the stars, the dark areas of stellar clouds, and even an occasional nebula directly south in Sagittarius and Scorpius. Happy 84th birthday to moonwalker John Young, a true American astronaut hero. He blasted off Earth in two Gemini, two Apollo and two Space Shuttle missions, including walking on the Moon with Apollo 16 in 1972 and the very dangerous maiden flight of Shuttle Columbia in 1980. Read about his amazing, 42-year space career in the 2012 autobiography “Forever Young.” New Moon is today with the globe invisible above the Sun in the daytime. This New Moon also begins the Rosh Hashanah and Jewish New Year 5775 A.M.
Thurs. Sept. 25
On this 1997 date in space history Shuttle Atlantis was launched on the STS-86 mission of SpaceHab in the cargo bay and the 7th docking with the Russian Mir Space Station.
Sun. Sept. 28
A beautiful celestial sight beginning in late twilight as the crescent Moon is between yellowish Saturn to its right (west) and the red Mars above also red Antares in Scorpius. But you better look quick as this sky scene dips below the horizon by 9:30 pm.
Mon. Sept. 29
On this 1988 date in space history, Space Shuttle Discovery roared off the launch pad at Cape Kennedy, Florida, with two redesigned strap on rockets, returning America to space after the January 1986 launch explosion of Challenger. This important four-day return to space by America went as planned with few problems for the all-veteran, fiveman crew that flew Discovery on its seventh trip to space.
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September 23, 2014 • The Loafer, Page 19
Abingdon Crooked Road Music Fest Thursday, Sept. 25th - Sunday, Sept. 28th
From September 25th-28th, 2014, the third annual Abingdon Crooked Road Music Fest will fill the grounds of Heartwood in Abingdon with the sounds of rich history and musical heritage of Southwest Virginia, home to The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail. The four-day event includes performances and workshops that illustrate the wide variety of heritage music forms the region is known for, including old time string band music, hard driving bluegrass, guitar virtuosos,
most popular jams along the entire Crooked Road, will combine forces for a “super” jam featuring some of the areas finest musicians. Friday evening, September 26, is devoted to bluegrass and the hard driving sounds of Hollow Ground and Raisin’ Cain bands in concert. On Saturday, September 27, a full day of performances will be presented on two stages including a workshop by guitar masters Claiborne Woodall and Wyatt Rice, and a workshop exploring the production of Close Kin: Our Roots
includes performances by the Blue Ridge Entertainers, Wayne Henderson & Helen White, Close Kin, Johnny Williams & Friends, Wyatt Rice & Claiborne Woodall, and the Dry Hill Draggers. The high energy Darrell Webb Band will close out the day’s music with a concert on the lawn from 5:30 to 7:00 pm. The festival ends on Sunday, September 28, with Heartwood’s Sunday Gospel Brunch with music by guitarist and singer Ron Ireland performing from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Close Kin - performing Saturday, Sept. 27th duets, and more. “We always try to provide a nice mixture of the traditional music forms that have been preserved in Southwest Virginia for generations,” said Jack Hinshelwood, Crooked Road executive director. “People not that familiar with traditional music are often pleasantly surprised at just how diverse it is.” On Thursday evening, September 25, the Allen Hicks Jam and the Smyth County Jam, two of the
Run Deep, a landmark recording project that brought together some of the region’s most talented youth performers of traditional music. “Through our work with traditional music education, we have come to appreciate the diversity and depth of musical styles among these youth performers. The music is definitely in good hands,” said Jonathan Romeo, Crooked Road program manager for music education. The Saturday lineup also
All festival events take place at Heartwood: Southwest Virginia’s Artisan Gateway off I-81 at Exit 14 in Abingdon, Virginia. Heartwood features food, music, and craft of Southwest Virginia. For more information on the performers, the full schedule and to purchase tickets: visit www. abingdon-crookedroadmusicfest. com/ or call the Abingdon Convention and Visitors Bureau at 1-800-435-3440.
Page 20, The Loafer • September 23, 2014
Blue Moon Dinner Theatre
Preparing for Doomsday!
The Blue Moon Dinner Theatre in Downtown Johnson City is proud to present an original Murder Mystery by Clayton Van Huss that spoofs Preppers, Hippies, Politicians and of course doomsday bunkers!! Murder Off the Grid; Prepare for Doomsday, takes place in a state of the art doomsday bunker that is up for sale. We get to witness the deception that goes on as everyone tries to get their hand on the deed. Several strangers from vari-
Prizes will be awarded to the first people who correctly guess the murder and motive. The curtain rises on September 19th and has a limited run of 3 weekends! What can you expect from an audience participation murder mystery? Fun the minute you walk in the door! Doors open at ous walks of life find themselves 6pm At 6:30 you’ll enjoy a delitrapped in an underground bun- cious appetizer and dinner. The ker during what could well be the main show starts after dinner, at apocalypse. While touring an old around 7:30pm. Tickets for the dinner and show missile silo turned luxury bomb shelter, a group of prospective are 34.99 plus Tax. For informabuyers are locked in by the bun- tion and reservations, call (423) ker’s automatic security system. 232-1350 for tickets or visit the Filled with paranoid characters, website at BlueMoonDinnerTheyou will have to pay attention and atre.com get ready for doomsday Keep your eyes and ears open because someone will meet an untimely death tonight, and it’s up to the audience to solve the crime!
Upcoming Auditions
The Blue Moon Dinner Theatre in Downtown Johnson City will be holding Auditions for 2 upcoming productions. Auditions will be held at 215 East Main Street on September 25th at 7:00pm and 8:30pm. 7pm - The Blue Moon is Seeking Zombies for it’s upcoming production of The WAKING DEAD. Male and Female Zombies needed - Over 18 please. Be prepared to move and show us your best Zombie Skills (no makeup necessary). Must be available M-Thurs 7-9pm, Sept 29 - Oct 9th for rehearsal and available Friday And Saturdays nights from Oct 10 - Nov 15 (No Show on Halloween). 8:30pm - Auditions will be held at the Blue Moon for the role of John in EVERY CHRISTMAS STORY EVER TOLD (AND THEN SOME). Seeking 1 male - Age 21 and over. Please prepare one comedic monologue. If you do not have a monologue prepared you will be asked to read from the script. Must have a flexible schedule in December for performances. Please call 423-232-1350 for more information or e-mail us at info@ bluemoondinnertheatre.com
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September 23, 2014 • The Loafer, Page 21
Street Rodders Gather for the Fifth Annual
Thunder Road Rod Run
It’s that time of the year when dozens of Pre-49 Street Rods roll into the Tri-Cities for the Fifth Annual Thunder Road Rod Run presented by Vintage Street Rodders of America Vintage Street Rodders of America is a national street rod organization based in Kingsport, Tn. There will be street rods DRIVEN into the Tri-Cities from the west as far away as Illinois, from the south as far away as Florida and from the north as far away as Penn. Their members believe in driving their street rods instead of using the big white boxes to transport them. Vintage Street Rodders of America will accept trailered cars at their shows, but they are not recognized when the VSRA Picks are done. This year’s show will be held at East Tennessee Distillery, 220 Piney Flats Rd., Piney Flats, Tn.,
Sept. 26th and 27th. Show times are 8:00 – 5:00 both days. Spectator admission is by donation only. Friday morning, the participants will begin to gather at the distillery. In addition to the reuniting of old friendships, making new ones, and checking out all the great looking cars, there will be seminars, games, vendors/swap meet, 50/50, food, a DJ, club and event merchandise for sale, moonshine tastings. Registered participants will receive a dash plaque, an event poster, eligible for door prizes and 25 plaques for the VSRA Picks and a BBQ dinner on Friday afternoon with live music. There will be a 350 Chevy engine given away on Saturday afternoon. VSRA hosts an annual tour, The Vintage Rod Tour, which is held after the Thunder Road Rod Run. Twenty-two street rods will par-
ticipate in this year’s tour beginning in Savannah, Ga. and ending 5 days later in Virginia Beach, Va. East Tennessee Distillery was founded in 2011 by Neil “Tiny” Roberson, Byron Reece, and Gary Melvin. Tiny is the Master Distiller, Byron handles marketing and sales, while Gary is CFO who handles the finances. East Tennessee Distillery is known for distilling the world’s finest moonshine in a variety of flavors and proofs. In fact, their Caramel Shine was awarded the 2013-14 Platinum “Best of Show” at the World Beverage Competition in Geneva Switzerland and the Triple Gold Medal at the MicroLiquor Spirit Awards in Beverly Hills, CA. They also offer Strawberry, Peach, Coconut, 100 proof straight, 150 proof straight, Honey Ginseng, and Apple Pie. Neil “Tiny” Roberson and Byron Reece were also on the History Channel’s Appalachian Outlaws which showcased some of the ways people made a living back in the day such as hunting ginseng. Tiny derived his Honey Ginseng formula as part of the show. The Distillery is located at 220 Piney Flats Rd, Piney Flats, TN 37686 and is open for Tours and Tastings Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun Noon-5pm. Come out and get your shine on! For more information about the show or VSRA, contact Jim Bledsoe 423-571-6430 or www.vsrausa.com. Parts vendors welcome.
Page 22, The Loafer • September 23, 2014
Coming to a theatre near you! Autumn is the time of football, pumpkins, changing leaves, trick or treat, and a new back of movies at your local theater that Hollywood hopes will eventually win awards and money at the box office. This week I will inform you about some films being released during fall and early winter months you may want to see. A few releases for late September (some may be in theaters at the time this is published) you may want to catch are as follows: “This Is Where I Leave You” (Sept. 19th)- An all star cast which includes Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, and Jane Fonda, is featured in a tale of squabbling adult siblings that are brought together following the death of their father. This comedy/drama will hopefully be worthy of the fine cast. “The Maze Runner” (Sept. 19th) - Another movie adapted from a young-adult novel with promising previews. I was intrigued by the premise of a group of teens trapped in a world ruled by a maze and creepy machinelike creatures. This one really looks fun. “The Equalizer” - (September 26th)- The 1980’s TV series is updated with Danzel Washington
starring. We shall see. October features a varied menu of releases including: “The Book of Life” (October 17th )- Guillermo del Toro brings his brand of fantasy to the world of animation. The movie is loosely based on the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead, so this is an appropriate movie for October. “Fury” (October 17th) - Brad Pitt stars as a commander of a Sherman tank crew during World War II. Also stars Shia LaBeouf. I’m in. “St. Vincent” (October 24th) Bill Murray stars as a kooky neighbor living beside a divorcee mom played by Melissa McCarthy. Enough said. “Nightcrawler” (October 31st) -Jake Gyllenhaal is featured as a freelance crime journalist in Los Angeles who rushes to all types of disasters and crimes in order to get his story. The character Jake plays becomes addicted to his job, which is not a good sign in this movie. November has plenty of releases to get you off the couch and to the theater. Check a few of these offerings: “The Imitation Game” (Nov. 21st) - Benedict Cumberbatch is featured as mathematician Alan
Turing, who attempts to crack the supposedly unbreakable Enigma code used by the Nazis in World War II. Should be good entertainment and Oscar bait. “Horrible Bosses 2” (November 26th) - Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, and Jason Sudeikis return for more comedic escapades. The film also features Chris Pine, Kevin Spacey and Jennifer Aniston. Hopefully this effort will provide us with laughs for Thanksgiving. “Big Hero 6” (Nov. 7th) - The big animated film of November should be this tale of a genius-kid who invents a tricked-out roboballoon buddy.This one is definitely aimed at the kids. Hopefully adults will enjoy this one too. “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1” (Nov.21st) - Kat-
niss and crew are back for a continuation of the “Hunger Games” series, and based on previews, this one could be the biggest moneymaker of the series to date. “Interstellar” (Nov. 7th) - Mix Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathwawy, Christopher Nolan with outer space and you get...this sure to be massive hit.Nolan has teased us with bits of the plot, but I can already tell the director has done it again. December promises to deliver Christmas treats in the form of the following releases: “Exodus: Gods and Kings” (Dec. 12th) - Christian Bale stars as Moses in the epic retelling of the Old Testament story as directed by Ridley Scott. The movie also features Sigourney Weaver and Joel Edgerton. I expect the special effects to be marvelous. “The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies”- Bilbo Baggins and friends are back in the final chapter of “The Hobbit” series. Epic battles and a dragon. Yes. “Wild” (Dec. 5th )- Reese Witherspoon stars in a tale of an author who hikes along the 2,600-mile Pacific Coast Trail. Based on the novel of the same name. “Into the Woods” (Dec. 25th) - This Christmas Day movie features Merly Streep, Emily Blunt, Johnny Depp, and Chris Pine in a fairy-tale mash-up musical created by Stephen Sondheim. Merly Streep as a witch should prove priceless. “Unbroken” (Dec. 25th) - Another Christmas Day release, directed by Angelina Jolie, is the bio-pic of Olympic-track-star-turned-WWIIPOW Louis Zamperini. This will no doubt be one of the most inspiring movies of the holiday season. The aforementioned films will surely be worth a trip the the theater from September to December, so plan accordingly. See you at the movies!
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September 23, 2014 • The Loafer, Page 23
Up And Coming Folk Festival Coming Up This Weekend storytelling, and which also had a very positive and family-friendly atmosphere.” And, this festival is taking off in popularity, having been recently covered by media as far away as San Francisco. The talent also comes from far and wide. Featured artists include Erin Edmister and Three Ton from Chicago, Illinois; Emmett Carlisle from Gainsville, Florida; AyeSirOwl from St. Louis, Missouri; Tim Avram from Saginaw, Michigan; The Spook House It seems a bit odd for an event needed. Thus, the location now Saints from “Nowhere’sville” Alanamed The Johnson City Folk fits the overall size and ambiance bama; Star FK Radium from WashFestival to be held in Unicoi, TN, to which organizers aspired. ington, DC; Keith Rea from Housbut that’s where you will find it. In terms of the vibe, it’s going ton, Texas; and, Hollow to Follow Next year, it is likely to be more to be “old-school” where the of- from Seattle, Washington. aptly called The Buffalo Valley ficial description reads: “Think The local and regional scenes Folk Festival. But to be precise on Newport Folk Festival, 1964... are likewise well-represented. For its location, it will be held at The Bob Dylan performing in front of instance, Knoxville offers up VagaFarmhouse Gallery & Gardens, a makeshift backdrop, Skip James bond Philosophy, Dixie Ghost, and which is 121 Covered Bridge Ln. from Bentonia, MS, Joan Baez... Possum Crossing. South CaroThis is the home of wildlife artist celebrating American Music folk lina contributes Frederick Ingram Johnny Lynch and his family, and music where content is King!” Or- while its northern neighbor supit has plenty of scenic space for ganizer Gretchen Speedy says “we plies Time Sawyer, Pierce Edens, music and camping. And with five wanted an atmosphere that cele- Dulcie Ellenberger, and Emma different stages, a large space was brated and emphasized music and Nelson. Cowboy Slim hails from
Nashville, and Raven and Red are from Mountain Kingdom. And the original namesake, Johnson City, is also well-represented with Cutthroat Shamrock, Demon Waffle, The Empty Bottle String Band, Marshall Ballew, Scotty Melton, and Kryss Dula. And, there are many more acts! Further, if you’re a folk musician, you can be one of them. Just find Keith Roberts to sign up to perform a set on the Pickin’ Porch. It’s an unamplified and unplugged stage and percussion isn’t permitted because it’s between two other stages. Bearing that in mind, if you want to bring your own talent to bear on the festivities, you can have the opportunity. Yet there’s more than music to be found at the festival. The Jonesborough Storyteller’s Guild will bring some of their best raconteurs to work their magic in Jacob’s Hollar, a natural amphitheater on the side of Buffalo Mountain. You will be able to walk there from the main stage area or
lay back and take a hayride. As the scene gets dark on Saturday night, ghost stories will be the order of the night. As if this weren’t enough, bicycle racers from MSG Cyclocross will be opening their season at the festival. As for food and drink, Holston Distributors will provide a dozen different craft beers, homemade bread and barbeque will be available, and vendors will be on hand with plenty of other offerings. The festival opens on Thursday, September 25th and runs through Sunday, September 28th. The cost is an amazingly reasonable $10 per day, or $30 for 4 days, with a Lifetime Pass option for $100. Uniformed military or retired vets with current ID get in free. Children under 12 and those over age 65 get in for only $5 per day. Tickets can be purchased in advance at: www.eventbrite.com/e/johnsoncity-folk-festival-in-unicoi-tickets-11294675679. More information can be found online at www. johnsoncityfolkfestival.com/
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The Future, With 20% More Chrome “Greetings my friends. We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives.” That immortal bit of dialogue opens up the 1959 B movie classic “Plan 9 From Outer Space.” It’s a moment of Ed Wood brilliance that came to mind the other day, as I sat on
Once all the hoopla over the new iPhone 6, in both it’s big and bigger forms died down, Apple showed they had one more trick up their sleeve. The Apple Watch. As I looked at the first smart watch from Apple, that goes oh so nicely with an iPhone, thoughts ran through my mind. The first
and in the process of answering we began to talk of the Apple Watch. This is when I realized something. We’re kinda living in a Jetsons age. Now, stay with me here. I’m not saying we have flying cars yet, or even Hover Boards (2015 is coming soon Mattel! Don’t let Marty McFly down!). Yet as I
my bed and watched a live stream of Apple announcing their new products. I say “watched,” but the live stream of Apple’s new product launch was not on par with their phones. After buffering kept going all over the place, I walked away from my AppleTV box, then went to the live blog on tech website Engadget. I’ve been rocking an iPhone 4 for the past few years, and been quite happy with it. However, in the past few months it has begun to show its age. Naturally I was curious as to what great new miracles the tech giant had planned. Would the new iPhone have powers that might let me walk through walls? Would it be able to project a tiny hologram? Would it be able to tell me at any given point in time where Waldo is? So I read along with Engadget’s live blog of all the things Apple was announcing, whilst checking my Twitter feed for the general freaking out and seat wetting that was occurring by many people who had their entire lives dedicated to the day.
of which is that my friends and I would quickly disrespect this amazing technology we have, by running around and calling each other on it saying “Headquarters calling Dick Tracy! Come in Dick Tracy!” Later that night I was on the phone with a friend, she asked if I was going to upgrade my phone,
saw the new miracle watch, I marveled at it and just how thin the new iPhones are. We’re living in the future. That’s how I described the Apple Watch to my friend, who wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. “Think of it as being the 1967 world’s fair idea of what the year 2014 would be like” I told her. Think about it, video calls on a
huge screen? Say hi to Skype and big flat screen TVs. We have no Rosie the Robots, but we do have those iRoomba things. Tablet computers are something straight out of “Star Trek.” Even my computer, my aluminum decked iMac is less than three inches thick! Granted, our future is not covered head to toe in chrome as one might imagine, but if you took a 2012 model iMac back to the year 1974, they’d say it was downright futuristic. Followed by accusing you of being
a witch, and seeing if you floated like churches and very small rocks do. The great Criswell was right, we are going to spend the rest of our lives in the future. The only thing he did not see, outside of “Plan 9” not being a hit, is that this future would be filled with all kinds of super tiny gizmos and electronics. Not only can we enjoy our future, we can tweet all day long about it from the comfort of our own wrists. See you next week.
Page 26, The Loafer • September 23, 2014
Do You Have More Money Than Time? If you have more money than time, then you fit the profile for a new social networking site launched last week. All you need is a high maintenance lifestyle, the desire to connect with people like you, an aversion to associating with those beneath your social class, and enough funds in your bank account to afford the $9,000.00 membership fee. That’s correct, this is one social networking site that is definitely not free. At first I thought it was a spoof, but after a little investigation I found that it is indeed real. And that affirmation comes directly from the mouth of the site’s founder, James Touchi-Peters, the former conductor of the Minnesota Philharmonic Orchestra. “This is 100 percent real,” says the former maestro, “and I believe there is a need and an audience for this service.” Touchi-Peters’ new site is called Netropolitan, an admittedly stylish, if not very imaginative title. In an examination of the site, the online edition of Question More tells us that in order to become a member of this prestigious new site, you will pay a $6,000.00 sign up fee followed by another $3,000.00 for the first year of service. Apparently there are those who will consider $3,000.00 per year a small price to pay for an exclusive membership in a rather snobby social network. Needless to say, I am not one of those people. I have a difficult time seeing the value of Facebook with no membership fee, so I am definitely not interested in paying for the privilege of being under constant surveillance while engaged in discussions about what I ate for breakfast. I was happy to discover that the Netropolitan website (the promotional one, not the privileged one) doesn’t cost anything to peruse. You can check it out for your-
self, and be enticed by its tagline, “Connect with people within your social status, but outside your social circle.” If you’re not put out by the pretentiousness of this neat little statement, you can learn lots of interesting thing about this new addition to the social media
previous statement about the site being ultra secure? Another perk you can derive from your very pricey membership is Netropolitian being “accessible from desktop monitors, laptop computers, tablets, cellphone web browsers and smartphone
the official site, I found a statement from Touchi-Peters (on Question More) explaining that “I saw a need for an environment where you could talk about the finer things in life without backlash—an environment where people could share similar likes and experienc-
universe. For instance, we learn that Netropolitan doesn’t accept advertising; after all, who needs advertising to produce revenue after all those $9,000.00 membership fees are collected (assuming, of course, that there are actually people vacuous enough to want to be a member). Next, you will learn that the webmasters “have gone to every known length possible to make the club private and secure.” Sounds good to me, because we are all interested in security. However, we read on to discover that the “goings-on at Netropolitan are constantly monitored.” By whom, and for what purpose, you might ask? And doesn’t this negate the
apps.” But wait, there’s more. The site is “geolocation-aware,” meaning with a membership you can “allow the service to find your physical location and share it with other members.” Wow, wouldn’t it be great if free social media websites could offer the same futuristic services? Do you think they might try to emulate these services once Netropolitan gets off the ground? Will our new iPhone 6 be able to do all these things? After reading about all these very attractive and modernistic features, I can’t help but ask— What does Netropolitan give me I can’t find just about anywhere else for free? After searching beyond
es.” So, that’s what you’re paying for. What this apparently means is that members can engage in their shallow conversations without fear of someone with less money and material possessions pointing out how ridiculous and meaningless this high-priced nonsense really is. There are indeed some things that money can’t buy. And did I mention that in order to be a paying member, you have to be at least 21 years old and willing to speak and write only in English? As you might expect, there are some critics of this new site. Netropolitan’s Facebook page (as quoted in the Question More piece) contains the following post: “Is it
just my opinion, but does anyone else think that this is either a really bad scam or just really sad?” And another naysayer writes, “$9000 for a crappy Wordpress Social Network. Must say a great scam and I can’t stop laughing—I hope this guy makes a bundle on all these suckers.” In response to these less-than-supportive comments, the company has responded that “Some news outlets are having a good time poking fun at us, our goals, and how we live. We’re okay with that. That’s what the public internet is all about.” So there we have it—Netropolitan offers a pricey haven for those who want to escape all the problems associated with the “public internet”—problems such as critical thinking and consideration of multiple perspectives. I guess we can expect to see more social media sites that eschew advertising in favor of lucrative membership fees. How about “RollsRoyced” for those who drive Rolls Royces, “I Am A Culture Snob and Want To Talk Only To Other Culture Snobs,” “I Am Dull, Not Very Interesting, And Can’t Relate To Anything But Money,” and “I Am A Supreme And Conceited Narcissist And Only Want To Talk To Myself” (membership restricted to only one person). If I were a conceited person, I would start a social media site called “People Who Read ‘Kelly’s Place’ And Say Wonderful Things About Jim Kelly.” And I would charge considerably less than $3,000.00 per year for a membership—let’s say $2,500.00. Wanna join? See you next week with something a little less netropolitan. And get ready for my 2014 edition of “Halloween Horrors” series in a couple of weeks.
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September 23, 2014 • The Loafer, Page 27
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