Page 2, The Loafer • May 29, 2012
May 29, 2012 • The Loafer, Page 3
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Publisher - Bill Williams • Editor - Sandi Williams • Layout & Design - Christy Leach • Office & Sales Director - Luci Tate Cover Design - Bill May • Graphic Arts Director - Don Sprinkle • Photography - Mark Marquette Contributing Staff - Jim Kelly, Andy Ross, Ken Silvers, Mark Marquette, Pat Bussard Advertising - Dave Carter, Akey Kincaid, Mark Marquette, Lisa Lyons, Brian Still Published by Creative Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 3596, 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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Blue Plum Fes val
Eclec c Mix of Arts and Entertainment Downtown Johnson City June 1st – 3rd
The Blue Plum Festival, originally organized by the Friends of Olde Downtowne in 1999, has evolved far beyond it’s beginnings as a street fair serving a few hundred attendees. Thousands of people will gather over the three day event to celebrate the arrival of the summer season. The name, Blue Plum Festival, is in honor of the 1800’s rural post of ice serving an area in East Tennessee that would become known as Johnson City. The 2012 version of the festival promises to give the region an eclectic, exciting mix of entertainment, music, and fun. Twenty-four of the region’s top street graf iti artists will mix their craft with some of the area’s top disc jockey’s in a unique event that blends the main facets of Downtown Johnson City’s biggest weekend of the year. The Urban Art Throwdown presented by Mellow Mushroom re-
turns June 1 and 2 in the new Urban Art Village after a successful debut at the event one year ago. The Throwdown gives artists an opportunity to give back with any type of street art medium on large 6-foot by 8-foot canvases with the hottest sounds of the rising electronic music scene providing the backdrop. “The Urban Art Throwdown was a great event for us last year, but this year it is going to be even better” , said Shannon Castillo, event director. “We do this as an extension of Graϔitti Hurts in partnership with Keep Johnson City Beautiful. Our goal is to promote the art form legally. The more art that we have downtown, the less illegal tagging will take place in the streets.” Artists will begin laying down their preliminary images on suspended canvases at 3-9 p.m. Friday, June 1. The competi-
tion resumes 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 2 and concludes at 7 p.m. when judges rank the art on originality, adherence to the theme and quality of design. Following a successful debut last summer, the Blue Plum Rugby 7’s Tournament presented by Schmucks and the Johnson City Rugby Football Club returns June 2 at Civitan Park. Ten teams from throughout the tri-state region have signed up for the tournament, which offers a variation of the rugby game invented in Scotland. Normally a full-team sport with 15 players per side during the Spring and Fall, 7-on7 Rugby is the popular Summer norm and the version of the game that will be included in the Summer Olympics in 2016. “We are excited about hosting our second annual tournament”, said Jason Walls, event orga-
nizer. “It is a perfect weekend in conjunction with the Blue Plum Festival and will be the ϔirst tournament of the summer for each of the teams.” Matches begin at 10:30 a.m. and admission is free. The Trolley Cafe will be the local food and beverage vendor on site. A pair of nationally-acclaimed standouts in the world of jazz music and a number of the area’s music standouts in a variety of genres will be among the featured entertainers at four separate venues, the Main Stage, The Jazz Stage, The Eastman Credit Union Roan Street Stage, and the Trinity Arts Center Market Street Stage. Along with the previously announced Main Stage, the Jazz Stage, Roan Street Stage presented by Eastman Credit Union and Trinity Arts Center Market Street Stage will provide entertainment the evening of Friday, June 1 and throughout the day on Saturday, June 2. The Jazz Stage, which has drawn rave reviews, brings regional and national touring artists to the local stage. Nationally-renowned pianist Lenore Raphael will
perform alongside The Jazz Doctors in the headlining spot at 9:15 p.m. Friday, June 1 following performances from Moments Notice (6 p.m.) and Unlimited (7:30 p.m.). Saturday, June 2 is headlined by rising saxophonist Keith McKelley and features a full lineup of six acts beginning at 3 p.m. with Robert Kosteva, followed by Knoxville Jazz Group (4 p.m.), Jacob Tipton Trio (5:15 p.m.), Major Dude (6:30 p.m.) and Dan Wilson (8 p.m.) before McKelley’s 9:30 p.m. The Roan Street Stage, sponsored by Eastman Credit Union, features some of the region’s best original artists blending a wide range of genres. Friday, June 1,the stage will be headlined by The Black Cadillacs, a Knoxville-based group blending rock and roll with elements of country, blues, soul and R&B. A ive-piece lineup, keyed by two guitars, the group has made a name for them throughout the region with their unique rock style. Little Chicago opens the day at 5 p.m., followed by Steve Gilbert, a singer-songwriter from Southwest Virginia at 6:30 p.m. Bristol’s The Farmhouse Ghost, an Americana jam band ills the 8 p.m.
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Saturday, June 2, Cutthroat Shamrock of Sevierville headlines with their Appalachian Punk style combining bluegrass instrumentation with the drive and energy of punk rock and Celtic in luences. With dual vocals, two drummers, bass, guitar, mandolin, banjo; the band takes solid bass lines and reels through instrumental medleys. A Great Disaster, a ivepiece folk-Americana unit from Johnson City, opens the day at 12:30p.m., followed by eclectic duo The Continental Waylay at 2 p.m. Johnson City-based My New Favorites and this mountain follow at 3:30 and 5 p.m., respectively, with Mona Lise Tribal Dance (6:30 p.m.) and Asheville, North Carolina pop-rock trio Old Flings (8 p.m.) rounding out the
ented players including multiinstrumentalist Nathan Merrick, guitarist Carter Bradford, bassist Ethan Henley and drummer Isaac Harris. Together, the group dynamically thrives upon a motion picture score styling experience on the live stage. A trio of Nashville’s mostrespected songwriting legends and one of the nation’s biggest names in Americana music will headline the Main Street Stage. The 13th edition of the festival will be highlighted by an epic Saturday night showcasing Darrel Scott & The Brothers and acclaimed legends Guy Clark and Verlon Thompson with Friday night’s entertainment capped by the headlining return of critically-acclaimed Goose Creek Symphony.
rest of the schedule. Trinity Arts Center presents the Market Street Stage this year, featuring some of the area’s top local acts with all proceeds going towards the purchase art and music supplies for local Johnson City schools. The Aaron Jaxon Band headlines Friday, June 1, while Contact The Militia tops the grid Saturday, June 2. Local hard rock sensation Contact the Militia has been entertaining local fans since 2008 blending the genres of metal, electronic and rock into a unique, cinematic style. Lead Vocalist Alaina Cross is backed by tal-
Friday’s headliner, Goose Creek Symphony, is one of the pioneers of “Cosmic American Music” blending a mixture of rock and roll, folk, jazz and country music since the late-sixties, early-seventies with albums for both Capitol Records and Columbia Records. Joining Goose Creek Symphony on Friday are local standouts Folk Soul Revival, who open the day at 3 p.m. Austin, Texas alt-folk-progressive acoustic string band Milk Drive is slated for a 5 o’clock start, followed by rising Charleston, South Carolina group Sol Driven Train, which highlights the Friday un-
dercard with a “Port-Town Sound” featuring a blend of southern roots music, New Orleans brass and Afro-Caribbean rhythm. Leading the early-evening portion of Saturday’s lineup is regional favorite Malcom Holcombe, from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. Holcombe is recognized by the Americana music scene as a performer of national stature and an uncommonly unique guitarist/vocalist about whom Rolling Stone says “haunted country, acoustic blues and rugged folk all meet”. For more information on the Blue Plum Festival including updated artist information and showtimes, visit www.blueplum. org.
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22nd Na ve American Culture Fes val Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area June 1 - 3 The annual Native American Festival is June 1- 3. This educational event provides the opportunity for visitors to experience many facets of Native American culture, particularly that of the Cherokee. The event opens on Friday at 7 p.m., continuing on Saturday 10 a.m.- 9:00 p.m.; and Sunday Noon - 6 p.m. Most activities are held at Fort Watauga, unless it rains. In the event of rain the show will relocate to the Visitors Center. The Friday and Saturday evening program’s will be held in the Visitors Center Theater. The festival will feature traditional and contemporary arts and crafts, traditional Native A.m.erican song and dance, Cherokee storytelling and legends, Native American lute, Cherokee language workshops,
and craft demonstrations and sales. Edwin George is the featured Cherokee artist whose acrylic paintings on canvas have received national recognition. Using symbolic images to tell stories of Cherokee culture, Edwin relates the tales and myths of the Cherokee people with paint, sharing legends about the plants, animals, and medicine. “My paintings originate from within and radiate from my inner being. My goal is to create harmony and balance in line and color while honoring the spirit in all things.” His work is distinctive, colorful, and uplifting, and represents a long practiced tradition in folk art. Edwin has presented numerous exhibits in the United States and in the Museum of the Cherokee in Cherokee, NC. In 2002, he was commissioned to paint a 28 foot x 14 foot Cherokee Cul-
tural Mural by the Eastern Band Cherokee at Harrah’s Casino Hotel. His work will be for sale during the Festival. Our featured speakers and programs include: Dr. Michael Abram of the Cherokee Heritage Museum and Gallery in Cherokee, N.C. will provide a glimpse into Cherokee history and legend. He will give two lectures per day inside the circle of Fort Watauga, “The Wild Turkey in Cherokee Culture” and “The Raven”. Dr. Sue Abram will present a lecture on “Cherokee Women through the Ages”, followed by Dr. Michael Abram’s talk on
“Women’s Rights of Passage.” Drs. Michael & Sue Abram have been presenters at this show since its beginning and are owners of the Cherokee Heritage Museum and Gallery. The gallery is presently being relocated from Cherokee to a location near Chattanooga. They have devoted their life to studying, preserving, and lecturing on Cherokee culture. Friday 7 p.m., Mark and Sherry Finchum will present a program in the park theater entitled, “The War of 1812: Another Perspective”, in commemoration of the 200th year anniversary.
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May 29, 2012 • The Loafer, Page 7 and Instruction. He is currently working on a Doctorate in Social Studies Education. Sherry holds a Master’s in Educational Administration from the University of TN, Knoxville. During the summer of 2007, she earned her Pre-K endorsement from TN Wesleyan College.
On Saturday and Sunday, they will present a lively, fun illed presentation in the circle, “Are You Smarter than a ?? Grader?” Throughout the weekend, they will be sharing 18th century Cherokee history in Cabin 4 in the fort, located in the back, left corner when entering the fort. The Finchums’ are both middle and elementary school educators from Jefferson City, TN. Mark holds a Bachelor’s Degree in communications and a Masters Degree in Curriculum
In our annual tradition, the circle will host several performances of Native American music, drum, and dance; The dancing demonstrations will include the Fancy Dance and Hoop Dance, the Jingle Dance, the Men’s Traditional, Grass and Straight Dances, and more. All are invited to dance, so bring your regalia. Newly added will be a demonstration of 18th century is Cherokee social dancing. The host of this portion of the event is Dale Cloer, who lives in Cherokee, N.C. Our featured Cherokee traditional storyteller will be Freeman Owle, of Cherokee, N.C. who will also be demonstrating the carving of Cherokee stone pipes and other
stone carvings. In addition to his Storytelling presentations each day, Freeman will be offering a Cherokee language workshop on Saturday and Sunday. Freeman is a noted lecturer, historian, and member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee. Owle serves on the board of directors of the Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual and is a coordinator for the Cherokee Heritage Trails project of the Blue Ridge Heritage Initiative. He is one of the featured storytellers in the book Living Stories of the Cherokee, and he also appears in the video documentary Cherokee: The Principal People, which aired on public television. Daniel Bigay of Greeneville, TN. will entertain with traditional lute music in addition to having his handmade, traditional Cherokee style lutes for sale. Daniel is a lute maker, Artist, Performer/Recording Artist,
and demonstrator, with his wife, Kay, in the mountains of TN. He has released two CD’s, the most recent being nominated for best lute recording at the 2005 Indian Summer Music Awards. Daniel and Kay are passionate about education and sharing of the Cherokee culture in the school system, at Pow-Wow’s, and various shows and festivals. A unique feature of the Native American Culture festival is our educational/demonstration area, located within Fort Watauga. The dance circle is located in the center of the fort, where the popular traditional dance and drum performances take place. In addition, lute music, storytelling, lectures, and so much more take place within the circle, to share native culture and history with our visitors. The interior of the fort will also host a variety of excellent demonstrations, which include beadwork, pine needle bas-
ketry, Cherokee language, wood carving, lint-knapping, atlatl (primitive spear throwing), corn shuck dolls, gourd art, stone carving, native river cane lutes, an 18th century canoe camp, blowgun, toy making, inger weaving, the evolution of beads, arrow making, pottery, and 18th century life skills. Just outside the fort, exceptional Native American arts and crafts will be featured, in addition to ethnic Cherokee food, and a Lakota Tipi exhibit. A limited number of our full color promotional posters will be available for sale. This is the 3rd year that these collectors’ editions designed by Vicki Shell will be available. Vicki is a partner in the irm, Osborne, Shell and Miller Advertising, Johnson City, TN. Admission is $4.00 per adult, $1.00 for children. All proceeds from admissions go to Friends of Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area. For information contact Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area (423) 543-5808, www.sycamoreshoalstn.org and www.tnstateparks.com/ SycamoreShoals
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22nd Na ve American Culture Fes val Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area June 1 - 3 Schedule of Events Friday June 1 In the Visitors Center – Theater 7:00 p.m.,
Blue, Red Paint, & Wild Potato Clans by Dr. Michael Abram.
The War of 1812: Another Perspective by Mark and Sherry Finchum
3:30 p.m. –4:00 p.m., Native American Flute by Daniel Bigay
Saturday, June 2, 10 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.- In the Fort 10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m., Native American Flute by Daniel Bigay – Greenville, TN 10:15 a.m. – 11:00 p.m., Cherokee Storytelling by Freeman Owle, Cherokee, NC 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 p.m., Tracing the Trail of the Cherokee Fiddle, Dr. Michael Abram – Cherokee Heritage Museum and Gallery Cherokee, NC 11:30 p.m. – 12:00 p.m., Native American Flute by Daniel Bigay, Greeneville, TN 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., Cherokee Dance & Drum Demonstrations, Blowgun Demonstration by Dale Cloer and Mossy Creek - Cherokee, NC 1:15 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., Cherokee Language Workshop – In the Visitors Center Theater by Freeman Owle 2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., “Are you Smarter than a……..?” by Mark and Sherry Finchum 2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., Cherokee Legends by George Martin 3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., The Actual Representations of the
4:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Cherokee Storytelling by Freeman Owle 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., Native American Dance & Drum Demonstration, Blowgun Demonstration by Dale Cloer and Mossy Creek In the Theater of the Visitors Center 6:30 p.m., Cherokee Women: Persistence of Power by Dr. Susan Abram.
2:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m., Cherokee Dance & Drum Demonstrations/Blowgun Demonstration by Dale Cloer and Mossy Creek– Cherokee, NC 3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m., Cherokee Language Workshop – In the Visitors Center Theater by Freeman Owle 4:15 p.m. – 4:45 p.m., Native American Flute by Daniel Bigay 4:45 p.m. – 5:15 p.m., Tracing the Trail of the Cherokee Fiddle by Dr. Michael Abram. 5:15 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., Cherokee Storytelling by Freeman Owle
6:30 p.m., Cherokee Women: Rights of Passage by Dr. Michael Abram. Sunday, June 3, 12 – 6 p.m. in the Fort 12 p.m. - 12:15 p.m., Native American Flute by Daniel Bigay 12:15 p.m. -12:45 p.m., Cherokee Legends by George Martin 12:45 p.m. – 1:15 p.m., The Actual Representations of the Blue, Red Paint, & Wild Potato Clans by Dr. Michael Abram. 1:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m., Cherokee Storytelling by Freeman Owle 1:45 p.m. – 2:15 p.m., “Are you Smarter than a……..?” by Mark and Sherry Finchum
Patrio c Princess Pageant Saturday, July 7th
Elite Produxions will host the Patriotic Princess Pageant on Saturday, July 7th at the Renaissance Center Theater, 1200 Center St. in Kingsport at 6:00 p.m. All participates will receive a crown. The winner in each age division will receive a crown, trophy and sash. Pageant attire is Sunday dress in red, white or blue. Age divisions are: 0 to 11 months, 12 to 24 months, 2 years to 4 years, 5-7 years, 8-10 years, 1112 years, 13 to 15 years, 16 -18 years, 19-25 years. Entry fee is only $35! Supreme winners will receive three exciting days and two nights in Orlando, Myrtle Beach, or Las Vegas! This is a preliminary to the state pageant. Entry forms are available at the Renaissance Center of ice, or (423) 863-6051.
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May 29, 2012 • The Loafer, Page 9
Bristol Steele Creek Park
Brinley Addington in Concert and Bun ng Hot Dogs June 8
Tri-Cities native, Brinley Addington will join Chris Young on tour as his opening act this summer, but prior to that Brinley is appearing in Bristol’s Steele Creek Park as the guest of the City of Bristol and radio station WXBQ. The concert is scheduled for Friday, June 8, 2012 beginning at 7:00 PM. Born and raised in Kingsport, Tennessee, Brinley Addington’s passion for country music began well before the small town singer can even remember. At age three, Brinley began climbing on top of his parent’s coffee table pretending he was performing on the Grand Ole Opry. He went on to open for several major artists such as The Band Perry, James Otto, John Michael Montgomery and performed in Nashville’s Bluebird Café, Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge and New York City’s Tavern on the Green. Brinley released his irst album in August 2011 and his irst music video featuring his irst single, “Hang on a Farm” which has received outstanding reviews from peers and music industry professionals alike. Brinley just signed to open for Chris Young on his current tour and he has also been invited to join Blake Shelton and Friends, on Shelton’s country music celebrity cruise this summer. There is no charge for the concert or for entry into Steele
Creek Park. This concert has something old and something new in the offering. The irst 100 concert patrons there will be available the mighty, almost, nearly Buntings hot dog and a drink. Everyone who has been in Bristol for long has either had or heard of the famous Buntings Drug Store hot dogs. And for the new, one of country music’s newest rising stars, Brinley Addington. Shuttle
buses will be operating within the park. For more information contact, Darlene Cole, Venue Manager at 423-764-4171 or email: dcole@bristoltn.org.
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Paramount Center for the Arts
Blue Moon to Audi on for Upcoming Comedies June 6 and 7
June 8th and 9th
The
Blue Moon Dinner Theatre located at 215 East Main Street in Downtown Johnson City will hold auditions for Men and Women 18+ for their upcoming productions of The Lone Star Love Potion and Maul of The Dead. Auditions will be held June 6th at 7pm and June 9th at 10am. Actors will be asked to cold read from the show scripts. Small stipend involved. For more information on auditions or acting classes, please e-mail backstage@bluemoondinnertheatre.com or call 423-2321350
WEDNESDAYS
WEDNESDAYS
advance, $23.00 at the door.
Friday, June 8th at 7:30 p.m. Crooked Road General Store presents JEFF & SHERI EASTER. Whether you’re listening for the irst time, or have been a faithful follower for years, Jeff & Sheri Easter are bound to touch your soul. It’s hard to ind in today’s market anything quite as pleasant as what you’ll ind in their gospel concerts. Tickets $18.00 in
For Jeff and Sheri, gospel music is genetically programmed into their DNA. As members of acclaimed musical families—Jeff’s father is one of the Easter Brothers and Sheri’s mother is a member of The Lewis Family—they grew up surrounded by the sound of people praising God through their musical gifts. “When we perform, we want people to leave a little different than when they came in,” Sheri explains. “We want them to have a great time smiling, laughing, crying and healing. We want them to know God loves them and that He is in control.” They have been nominated
for numerous Dove Awards and won three. They’ve also received a Grammy nomination, and Sheri has been named the Singing News Favorite Alto ten times and the Singing News Female Vocalist four times. Jeff & Sheri’s wall of awards also include three Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music Association Awards, two International Country Gospel Music Association, nine Voice Awards for Female Artist, ive Voice Awards for Song/Single of the Year, two Voice Awards for Christian Country Group, four SGM Fan Fair/USGN awards, ive SGN Scoops Diamond Awards, four Hearts A lame Awards, and three Cash Box awards. Jeff & Sheri Easter’s latest release, Life is Great And Gettin’ Better, embraces the sentiment by which this energetic southern gospel couple lives. Their new project is a viable, precision produced recording
that musically grati ies even the most demanding enthusiast’s tastes -- while staying true to the bluegrass/progressive country/bluesy style that has become distinctly their own. Saturday, June 9th at 7:00 p.m. AUSTIN ARNOLD SCHOLARSHIP BENEFIT CONCERT. This heartfelt tribute will bring together such acts as Forsaken Hero, Spank, and others to raise funds to bene it the Austin Arnold Scholarship Fund. Tickets $20 at the door.
Austin Arnold
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Storytelling Live!
Guitarist Spencer Bohren June 5 - 9
Spencer Bohren, a celebrated musician who specializes in American blues, folk, gospel, and country, will soon perform as Jonesborough’s next teller in residence. Most of Bohren’s material comes directly from his colorful life, where he’s logged hundreds of thousands of miles on the road. Like many musicians, Bohren spends a lot of time on tour. For a seven-year stretch in the 80s, he took his entire family along for the ride. “At one point in our lives we were young parents and I was on the road all the time”, he explains. “It’s the classic musician’s dilemma: do I have a career or do I have a family? If you’re a musician and you’re on the road, you’re probably not in the game”. “My wife was a midwife in those days, and some of her clients were circus people who lived in Airstream trailers. They said you just need an Airstream so you can live
together. So we did that for seven years. It was our way of solving the problem of how to be a family.” The Bohrens’ even added a fourth child to their brood during that period, taking just one month off before they went back on the road with the new baby. When the kids grew tired of the traveling life; the Bohrens’ settled down in New Orleans. Bohren still remembers the moment when he realized it was time to take a break. “At one point, we were in the redwood forests,” he says. “Our oldest son was in the back reading a Batman comic. I said, “Django, you’ve got to put down the comic. We’re in the redwood forests. It’s the only place in the world that looks like this. Put the comic down and look out the window”. He said, “Dad, I’ve seen the redwood forests ϔive times and this is a brand new Batman.”…. I knew the writing was on the wall. In addition to his stories
about life on the road, Bohren will share many stories behind the songs as he showcases traditional tunes and original music on guitar, banjo, and autoharp. The singing storyteller will offer daily matinees June 5 – June 9, Tuesday through Saturday, at 2 p.m. in the Mary B. Martin Storytelling Hall. Tickets are on sale now, and reservations are recommended. Tickets for Bohren’s performances are $12 for adults and $11 for seniors, students, and children under 18. All ticket stubs will save audience members 10 percent on same-day dining at The Creekside Restaurant, The Dining Room, or Main Street Café. The Teller-in-Residence series (aka Storytelling Live!) is a seasonal program that invites a new storyteller to Jonesborough each week through the summer and fall. A detailed schedule of the 2012 season is available at www.storytellingcenter.net. Season passes that offer nearly 50 percent savings will be available for a limited time. 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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Arts Depot Showcasing Five Ar sts The Arts Depot is featuring ive regional artists in the Member’s Showcase Gallery. Artists displaying their works are Nancy Brittle of Remington, VA (Oil), Susan Prior Fields (glass beaded lorals) and Robin Small, (lampwork beaded Jewelry & gifts) both from Abingdon, VA, Stephanie Grimes of Glade Spring, VA (Photography & Watercolor) and Adrian Stoots of Wytheville, VA (Photography). This exhibit continues through July 20, 2012. As a child Nancy Brittle became interested in painting
Nancy Brittle - Dogs and Spring Clothesline - Oil Painting
and sculpture in college and now, she says “I just love to paint! I love to draw!” Nancy says “the most signiϔicant award came early as I was one of the 100 nationwide “winners” in the ϔirst American Art Magazine contest.” When asked about her philosophy? “I don’t think of having a particular philosophy
for my artwork. Style has never interested me. What does interest me is an honest look into my subject and my own feelings about it.” Nancy has chosen “The Garden” as her theme for this show. Her oil paintings are inspired by the lowers she grows at home. “My grandfather began the gardens over 100 years ago. He tended them all of his adult life. When I returned to live in his house, I took over the care of his work. It is my favorite place. I can see the world there.”
Susan Prior Fields Beaded Floral
Susan Prior Fields is a self taught artist who has always been fascinated with beads. She liked the fact that something as small as a tiny glass bead and a spool of wire could be shaped to become a lower, tree, or any other item limited only by her imagination. She says, “There are endless possibilities in sculpting beads and wire. Every time I see a ϔlower I think of ways to shape it into a beaded creation. When I see a tree that is in bloom or bearing fruit, such as a crabapple tree, I can envision it in a beaded form”. Susan is a member of Plumb Alley Beaders and Holston Mountain Artisians. Stephanie Grimes is an artist with a special eye. She frankly states “I am a creative person with a mental illness. I believe my talent comes from God & that He has gifted me with talents to serve those in need, animal life as well as human”. Stephanie volunteers her time at animal rescue and shelter organizations by photographing animals for adoption. She believes that art should be taught in our public schools & that each child “should be taught the value of expressing themselves artistically and that art
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Stephanie Grimes Red Heeler Color Photography can be healing for all people”. Stephanie works in a variety of media including acrylic, watercolor, colored pencil, ink and photography. Her favorite themes are nature, spirituality, and songbirds of which she has the ability to draw, in remarkable detail, from memory.
Adrian Stoots New River at Fries, VA Color Photography
Robin Small - Glass Beaded Jewelry
May 29, 2012 • The Loafer, Page 13 Adrian Stoots’ photographic skills emerged in the early 1980’s with the purchase of his irst 33mm camera. He now works in both ilm and digital media. Adrian’s scenic photographs capture the essence and intrinsic beauty of the images focused in the lens of his camera. His love of nature, historical landmarks, rural landscapes and urban skylines is evident in his work. His passion for photography combined with his love of travel keeps his retirement days illed with what he enjoys most. Robin Small’s interest in jewelry making peaked when Plumb Alley Beads in Abingdon opened. Since then she has taken several classes in bead stringing, wire wrapping and PMC clay. “Two years ago I took a class in lampwork beads from Robbie Gentry of Knoxville, TN. That’s when I got hooked on working with glass. There are
so many colors and combinations and surprises when working with glass and a torch”. Robin grew up in Greenville, North Carolina. She says,” back in BC (before children), my hobbies were stained glass and quilting. I moved to Abingdon in 1991. When my daughter was in elementary school, we made heart shaped pins of wire and beads and sold them at the old Main
Street Books”. For Robin, “making and using lampwork beads in jewelry and gifts is challenging and therapeutic with lovely results”. Robin is a school nurse at Abingdon Elementary school. The Depot Artists Association is a non-pro it volunteer organization and is dedicated to promoting the arts in the community and features the
region’s artists. We are located in the historic Depot Square area of downtown Abingdon, VA. For further information, (276) 628-9091, or e-mail abingdonartsdepot@eva.org or www. abingdonartsdepot.org. The Association is supported in part by grants from the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Virginia Tourism Corp.
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History of Rare Venus Transit
A once-in-a-lifetime crossing of the Sun by planet Venus will attract media frenzy Tuesday June 5th. It will be during primetime evening news in America’s east coast, and earlier in the afternoon across our fruited plain when Venus makes a four hour pass in front of the Sun.
result! The safest way to see the transit is by projecting the image from binoculars or a telescope to a piece of white paper. But don’t allow the telescope or paper to heat up, as it could burn! A welder’s glass can also be used safely to see the small Venusian disk cross the Sun.
Once dominating our winter and spring evening skies after sunset, brilliant Venus moves exactly between Earth and our favorite star for a dramatic event that won’t occur again until 2117. Looking like a big marble in front of a basketball, the second planet will be watched by millions. The last time this happened was June 8, 2004.
In the last 4,000 years, Venus has crossed the face of the Sun only 53 previous times. And since the invention of the telescope in the early 1600s, only seven times. The history of seeing this rare event is to understand the escalation of technology among the scienti ic community at the time.
The slightly inclined orbit of Venus usually brings it above or below the Sun when it moves from the evening sky to the morning—or vice versa. But once every 115 years there is a transit cycle that has two passes across the Sun 8 years apart, then a separation of 115 years.
Transit of Venus by Jerimiah Horrocks, 1639
WARNING: Do not look directly at the Sun with naked eyes or any kind of optical device as permanent eye damage will
The Babylonian culture is credited with the irst astronomical observations of many kinds, and it is not certain if their ancient astronomers saw any black dot on the Sun during the transits of 1641 BC, 1520 BC, 1512 BC and 1406 BC. Venus’ predictable travels across the sky were well documented by ancient astronomers, as it returns to the same spot in the sky every 584 days. The Chinese astronomers had
recorded sunspots as early as 800 BC, seen only during sunrise and sunset before the solar rays became too intense to look at with the naked eyes. Of all historical igures, the Mexican emperor Montezuma may have seen the transit of Venus on May 25, 1518 AD. He was obsessed with the Sun and Venus, but no records exist that Montezuma or his astrologers saw the transit. Two years later in 1520 AD, he was dead at the hand of the Spanish conquistador Cortez. The irst human credited with seeing this rare event is Jeremiah Horrocks on Nov. 24, 1639, just 30 years after Galileo turned the irst telescope to the second planet of the Sun’s family. The extreme brilliance of Venus and swift travels from the evening to the morning and back to the evening skies was a phenomenon that placed the planet in the top interest among ancient sky watchers, who thought its movement effected human affairs. These astrologers associated Venus with fertility, purity and love. The great astronomer Jo-
www.theloaferonline.com hannes Kepler had calculated that Venus would pass in front of the Sun in 1631 and 1761. But Horrocks, a clergyman and amateur astronomer, realized Kepler had erred in his deductions, and did not understand the passage of Venus in front of the Sun was seen in pairs separated by 8 years. The 1631 transit was visible from Europe, and no record exists of it being seen anywhere else. From Hoole, England, Horrocks prepared for the transit to begin on Sunday, November 1939, and just before sunset, he saw the projected image on a white paper. Horrocks had alerted a friend, Manchester clothing trader William Crabtree, who was interested in all things science, of the Venus transit. With the crude telescopes that are more like today’s inder scopes on a cheap, department store model, the jet black disk of Venus was the size of a large sunspot. Still, with accurate timing and trigonometry, the distance and size of the planet were calculated by Horrocks— wrong but nonetheless a serious
May 29, 2012 • The Loafer, Page 15 attempt. In Manchester, England, Crabtree was clouded out until just before sunset, and then he, too, saw the little black sphere begin to cross the Sun. No one would see this again for another 122 years. The June 5, 1761 transit of Venus was not widely seen by the public, mostly because of the poor communications of the time. But the scienti ic community was in tune to the rare celestial event, with more than 100 observing stations around the world training their more advance telescopes on the Sun. Efforts to determine the size of Venus, as well as its orbital speed were successful. For the irst time, astronomers realized Venus had an atmosphere, as a hazy, halo-like ring surrounded the disk, making its edges illde ined and not sharp. One of the most famous transits of Venus was the June 3, 1769, seen across much of the world. Expeditions were launched on ships across the prime sites in the Paci ic Ocean, the most famous being Capt.
James Cook from Tahiti during his visit with the ship Endeavour. Ben Franklin even recorded the beginning it from Philadelphia. More than 400 papers were written about this Venus transit, which established the planet’s distance from the Sun and hinted at the size of Venus being near that of Earth. The 1769 transit also had a political impact in establishing American scientists as world leaders, giving them equal footing with the English and European scienti ic accomplishments just 8 years before the Revolutionary War. The Dec. 8, 1874 transit of Venus was the irst one photographed. The US Congress allotted $75,000 (millions in 21st Century dollars!) for international expeditions to record the transit with the new technology of photography, and it is estimated that an incredible for the time, $1 million, was spent world-wide, mostly in Europe. The Dec. 6, 1882 transit attracted a frenzy of public interest across America, teased by the transit 8 years before.
Many amateur telescopes were built, and the US Congress again gave out about $85,000 to eight expeditions recording the event. The atmosphere of Venus was con irmed, and a search for a moon or moons around Venus yielded nothing. And for the irst time, the accurate distance of Earth from the Sun, 93 million miles, was con irmed with an error factor of a million miles.
Venus passed the edge of the Sun, June 8 2004. Photo by Mark Marquette
The most recent transit, on June 8, 2004, was the irst with modern telescopes and satellites observing the event. Astronomers used the event to verify ways to see alien worlds, called exoplanets, orbiting nearby stars. More than 1,000 exoplanets have been discovered. Astronomers will re ine their exoplanet-seeking techniques with the 2012 event, including observations from Europe’s unmanned spacecraft, Venus Express orbiting the world. Venus is 67 million miles from
the Sun, and is 7,520 miles in diameter. Earth is 7,928 miles wide and averages 93 million miles from the Sun. During the transit, it will be about 24 million miles from our third rock from the Sun. Without a doubt, the transit of 2012 will be the most widely astronomical event ever witnessed by mankind, due largely to the Internet. Live webcasts, as well as live television feeds during prime time news in the east coast of America, will attract millions of viewers.
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<- Continued from page 15 As for local viewing in the Tri-Cities, the ETSU campus tennis courts will be the staging area for Bays Mt. Amateur Astronomers and their Sun-safe telescopes. However you view this last transit of Venus in our lifetime, use extreme caution and be safe.
See Venus Transit at ETSU Tuesday June 5th
The ETSU Department of Physics & Astronomy and the Bays Mountain Astronomy Club are offering the public an opportunity to safely view this rare astronomical phenomenon and to relive those exciting mo-
ments of past exploration. Many telescopes with solar ilters will be available to view this historic event. Event Details: Telescopes will be set up on the athletic ields located on the West end of the
ETSU campus just North of the Basler Center for Physical Activity. Plenty of parking is available off of Greenwood Drive next to the tennis courts. 6:04 p.m. - Transit begins 6:22 p.m. - Venus completely within the disk of the Sun 8:45 p.m. - Sunset The transit will be visible for approximately two hours. It will begin at 6:04 PM when Venus irst reaches the limb of the Sun. However, the small black dot will not become fully visible until 6:22 PM when it is completely within the disk of the Sun. The dot will then very slowly crawl across the solar disk, the entire journey taking almost seven hours. Visitors should plan, however, to get their view of the transit well before sunset as the Sun will be dropping below the horizon and no longer visible from the ETSU campus by 8:30 PM that evening. Please note that in the event of inclement weather or heavily overcast skies preventing the Sun to be seen, the event will be cancelled. For more information about the event contact
the ETSU Department of Physics & Astronomy at 423-439-6906 or Bays Mountain Park at (423)229-9447. Visit http://www.baysmountain.com/Astronomy/ events_astro.html for additional information. Directions: From Interstate 26 (I-26): Take exit 24 for US321/TN-67 At the end of the exit ramp, Turn left onto University Parkway. Turn left onto W. State of Franklin Rd. Turn left onto Greenwood Drive. Cross Jack Vest Drive, parking is on the left and the observing is on the ield to the right. Those wishing to learn more about the transit and its history have the opportunity to visit Bays Mountain Planetarium to see “When Venus Transits the Sun.” Shows are $4/person and are held, for May, at 4 p.m. on Tues.-Fri. and 1 & 4 p.m. Sat. & Sun. For June, up through June 8th, at 1 & 4 p.m. daily. This planetarium show was produced by Bays Mountain Park staff and is being seen in planetariums throughout the world in twelve countries!
Transit of Venus - Venus completely over the sun 8 June 2004, 07:49 Photo taken by Jan Herold
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Celestial events in the skies for the week of May 29-June 4, 2012, as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette. Venus is lost in the Sun’s glare, heading for its historic transit across our star June 5th. But planets Mars and Saturn continue to put on a show as they are prominently placed in the high south skies when darkness grips our evening at 10 pm. And, the gibbous Moon dominates the night as it goes to full phase on Monday. Tues. May 29 The Moon is below the red planet Mars tonight, in the belly of Leo the Lion. Mars has dimmed considerably since its brightest time in February as it moves farther away from Earth, now about 80 million miles distant. Wed. May 30 The light from the brightening Moon is like a veil that covers all but the brightest stars as it moves across the ecliptic this week. Tonight it enters Virgo, where it will take three nights to travel through. Thurs. May 31 What a sight looking south at 10 pm in the night sky! Above the gibbous Moon is bright star Spica, and above it is the planet Saturn. Any small telescope will show the rings of the fantastic seventh planet. Turning the telescope to Spica will show a bright, white pinpoint of light. Then the “wow” factor when you turn a telescope to our nearest celestial neighbor, the Moon. Fri. June 1 The Moon has moved 12 degrees to the east (left) of Spica and Saturn, its usual daily pace orbiting Earth. And along the day/light border, called the terminator, new craters, seas and mountain ranges are revealed. Sat. June 2 On this 1966 date in space history, NASA’s Surveyor 1 soft-landed on the Moon’s Ocean of Storm, a signi icant event in America’s race to the Moon with Russia. Some lunar scientists thought the three-legged, spidery lander might be swallowed up in deep, dusty soil. It didn’t, and plans for the Apollo landings got a boost. Sun. June 3 On this 1965 date in space history, Ed White performed America’s irst space walk outside the Gemini IV spacecraft while commander Jim McDivitt, 82, anxiously watched inside. White, destined for a moonwalk, died in the 1967 Apollo 1 ire during a test that claimed two other astronauts. Today, more than 250 space walks have been safely performed to build the orbiting International Space Station. Mon. June 4 Full Moon is today at 7:12 am when the Earth is between the Sun and Moon. No “super Moon” this full phase cycle, as our natural satellite is at a “normal” distance from Earth, about 240,000 miles away.
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Alt Folk ar st Kyle Adem to Perform at the Acous c Coffeehouse June 6th 7:30pm Kyle Adem is a tireless storyteller with the sonic accessibility of playful, Alt Folk. His approach to music is not only a passionate homage to the pain/confusion/ beauty of life, but also a deliberate communal experience for everyone to enjoy. Mainly strapped to an acoustic guitar in his current town of Syracuse, NY, Kyle Adem has graced hundreds of shows in the local coffee house, music festival, bar, eatery, club. As we approach Kyle’s 7th year as a performer and recording artist, he anticipates his coming release of “armour” July 24th 2012 on Ghost Motel Records. www.kyleadem.com
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Social Media Workshops for Ar sts, Ar sans, Cra smen and Crea ve Entrepreneurs May 31 - June 1
Social media in the arts can be a lot like skiing: A nonpro it organization might set up a strategy, only to see the landscape change and cause a tumble. Or an individual artist might be frozen on the bunny slope, unsure of how to move ahead although others make it look so easy. Regardless of skill or experience, it’s time to hit the slopes—and Nancy VanReece of Carpe Diem Management in Nashville, TN, will be your guide. She’ll be in Kingsport for three workshops May 31-June 1, and welcomes anyone in the arts seeking to grow their in luence, brand and conversations through social media. The workshops are sponsored by the Holston Business Development Center and the City of Kingsport’s Cultural Arts Department and their non-pro it partner Engage Kingsport. “We will have green, blue and black diamond workshops so that any artist or arts organization can ϔind relevant information and have some fun”, VanReece said. “The ϔirst two, which take their ‘colors’ from introductory-level slopes in skiing, will be for individuals and organizations. The black diamond course is more advanced, aimed at organizations already using social media that are ready for a challenge.” May 31 4:30– 7:30 p.m. The Green Slope: Why It’s Time For a Strategy Friday June 1 9:00 am – 12:00 p.m. The Blue Slope: Shaping Conversation for ROI (Return on Inϐluence) Friday, June 1 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. The Black Diamond Slope: Part 1-Open Leadership and Part 2- Strategy Revisits and Social Policy (or how to slalom through the changes). Registration for each workshop is $10 per person and can be made on-line at ww.EngageKingsport.com or 423-392-8417. Space at each workshop is limited. The workshops will be held at
the new Kingsport Chamber of Commerce Community Room on Clinch ield Street in Downtown Kingsport. VanReece’s mission is to help communities achieve their full potential through the advocacy of creative opportunities. This has been the driving force throughout her successful career, and VanReece is an engaging and regular speaker on issues such as online marketing, social media communications, branding, copyright administration and clearance. VanReece brings a wealth of experience and understanding particularly helpful to arts organizations and individual artists; she worked for more than 25 years in the music business, as well as served as the executive director of The Nashville Shakespeare Festival from 2007-2009; as senior director of partnership development at Cool People Care, Inc.; and strategist for GivingMatters.com, and the Nashville Library Foundation. She is the new media consultant on record for the Transit Alliance of Middle Tennessee. Her work at Carpe Diem Management allows her to help small businesses and nonpro its understand and use social media to reach, build and lead core audiences. With a keen eye to the latest trends in
social media and online communications, she has provided detailed social media and social communications strategies for many businesses around the United States. VanReece serves as the full-time social media strategist and website manager for the Nashville Symphony. The six-month build up on social platforms for the event was well received and garnered praise from The New Yorker magazine: “The orchestra has been offering extensive coverage of its preparations on its Road to Carnegie website (blog), not to mention Twitter and other media. Whoever has been running this online operation deserves a raise — it’s an informative delight….”.Alex Ross, music critic, The New Yorker.
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Carter Family Memorial Music Center Wayne Henderson & Friends Concert June 2, 7:30pm
The Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert by an old time band - Wayne Henderson and Friends, Saturday, June 2nd, 2012, at 7:30 p.m. Performing with Wayne will be Jeff Little, piano player extraordinaire. Admission to the concert is $7
for adults, $1 for children 6 to 11, under age 6 free. Wayne Henderson’s top-notch inger-picking is a source of great pleasure and pride to his friends, family, and neighbors in Grayson County, Virginia. His guitar playing has also been enjoyed at Carnegie Hall, in
three national tours of Masters of the Steel-String Guitar, and in seven nations in Asia. In addition to his reputation as a guitarist, Henderson is a luthier of great renown. He is a recipient of a 1995 National Heritage Award presented by the National Endowment for the Arts. He produces about twenty instruments a year, mostly guitars; he is almost as well-known for the mandolins he has made. Doc Watson, a good friend who sometimes stops at Wayne’s shop in Rugby, Virginia, owns a Henderson mandolin. Some of Henderson’s instruments are intricately decorated, but they are most respected for their volume, tone, and resonance. Blues guitarist John Cephas said that Henderson “is probably the most masterful guitar maker in this whole United States”. There is a waiting list for Henderson’s guitars made up of the “famous (and not-so-famous).” He built a custom guitar for Eric Clapton. Hotshot rockabilly pianist Jeff Little comes from Boone, North Carolina surrounded by music. Jeff began to play piano at age ive. His family owned a music store, and musicians of
www.theloaferonline.com all persuasions dropped by to play a few tunes with the kid, which helps account for Jeff’s mastery of a range of styles. But Jeff’s critical in luence was Appalachian singer and guitarist Doc Watson, a neighbor and close family friend. Watson was a rockabilly guitarist when he began visiting Little’s Music Store in Boone to play a few tunes with his young friend. Today Jeff Little is still conversant with a range of music, but inds his greatest joy in performing two rockabilly and traditional Appalachian. He
owes some inspiration to Jerry Lee Lewis. “Oh sure, you had to know some Jerry Lee when I was coming up. His tunes would buy you a burger; you didn’t have to live on peanuts. But even back then I never did get to thinking I was Jerry Lee. I kept a lot of me in my music.” Jeff Little’s approach to the music is based upon the traditional dance of the area and a regional piano style which was famous by Al Hopkins of The Bucklebusters and also performed by Woodie Blevins. Hopkins lived at Gap Creek, between the ancestral homes of Doc’s and Jeff’s families. But there is also an echo of more contemporary mountain tradition in Jeff’s performance. His lead solos, are in luenced by the lat-pick guitar tradition, are breathtak-
May 29, 2012 • The Loafer, Page 21 ing in their speed, precision and clarity. Rounding out Wayne’s group of friends accompanying him will be Helen White on iddle and guitar, Greg Cornett on banjo and vocals, and Herb Key on bass. For one of the best nights of old time music you can imagine. Be sure to bring along your dancing shoes – and your friends! Carter Family Memorial Music Center, Incorporated, is a nonpro it, rural arts organization established to preserve traditional, acoustic, mountain
music. For further information on the center and the shows, go to http://www.carterfamilyfold.org. Carter Music Center is part of the Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail at http://thecrookedroad.org. Partial funding for programs at the center is provided by the Virginia Commission for the Arts the National Endowment for the Arts. For information on Saturday’s concert, contact 276-6450035. For recorded information on upcoming shows at the Fold, call 276-386-6054.
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Washington County Chamber of Commerce to Compete in Governors Bowl Food and Fund Drive The “Governor’s Bowl” campaign will run from Memorial Day (May 28th) to Independence Day (July 4th), helping to keep Virginia’s food banks stocked during the summer months, which are typically slower for food donations. The competition is organized regionally, with the “Governor’s Bowl” that brings in the most pounds of food for its local food bank. Food and monetary funds collected in Southwest Virginia will be donated to Feeding America Southwest Virginia. Pamela Irvine, President and CEO of Feeding America Southwest Virginia, said, “Summertime is one of the most challenging times to keep our distribution centers ϔilled with food. We see a higher demand for food assistance during the summer months because children are out
of school. Parents of children who would normally receive free or reduced price breakfasts and lunches at school are in need of other resources to help feed their children. Over 80,000 children in Southwest Virginia are food insecure.” Governor McDonnell will deliver awards to the winning chamber and state agency of ices after the conclusion of the event. “The ‘Governor’s Bowl’ is a unique opportunity to bring large corporations, small businesses and public sector employees together for a cause that everyone can agree with – and that is combating hunger in our communities. Since 2006, Virginia food banks have seen a 54 percent increase in demand. In the last six months, food banks have experienced a drop of 50 percent in food donations.
Summer months are particularly tough for food banks to keep their shelves stocked. Today, we are challenging the business community and our great state agencies to join in this new competition that will help our food banks during one of its most challenging times for food banks in Virginia, especially with the number of children who are out of school and do not have access to before and after school meal programs.” Business and individuals wishing to donate can: Sign up today to sponsor a Governor’s Bowl Food Drive at your place of business and/or Make a monetary donation by visiting the special clickandpledge.com account set up for this event. Note: every dollar donated will equal four pounds of food.
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Validate Our Child The other morning, while making my usual morning rounds on the Internet, I was scrolling over the modern town square that is the Facebook News Feed. One of the irst things I noticed that day was a post from a lass I went to High School with. For about a year I’ve really enjoyed seeing the photos of the cute girl with her husband. However, on this particular morning, I was taken a little aback by their plea of asking their Facebook friends to please vote for their one year old daughter in a “beautiful baby” contest.
Now, there’s no denying that their daughter is cute, but I think it’s a bit extreme to put your one year old child out on exhibition for the judgment of others. Sadly, Andy Warhol was right, and we are now watching the “Kardashifcation” of our culture; the idea that you deserve to be famous for no other reason than being famous. The post might as well have said “Please vote for our darling child, so that we can prove she is better than other babies, and can feel vindicated for having her.” This is also called Toddlers & Tiaras: The Home Game.
Ah, Toddlers & Tiaras, that ine outstanding piece of television, where we get to watch the most outstanding members of society pimp out their children all for the fame and glory that they themselves so desperately seek. Sometimes I think they should call it Toddlers & Tiaras: Freud’s Field Day. The great Ernie Kovacs once said: “There’s a standard formula for success in the entertainment medium and that is beat it do death if it succeeds.” So the success of a program like Toddlers & Tiaras springs forth other shows, such as Dance Moms. Naturally, this means more cookie cutter “reality” shows featuring children too young to understand what is going on, are coming down the pike. ABC will be bringing us The Bachelorette Babies, where preschoolers compete for each others’ affection—and juice boxes. NBC
will be giving the world So You Think Your Baby Can Dance? CBS will have the baby version of Big Brother, where they lock young kids who haven’t had a nap into a small room for a hour and see what happens. But the best of these new baby-centric reality shows will be the one coming from the good people at FOX. Who Has The Sexiest Ultrasound is bound to debut to huge numbers when it follows American Idol in the fall, get your advertising rates locked in now!
Perhaps all of this is a little extreme, I’d like to think that none of these shows will ever come into existence—though I sense after reading the above someone is going to make a phone call. I don’t mind when people share pictures of their kids on Facebook, I like seeing the happiness in their eyes. As for myself, I do not have kids, so I just stick with sharing way too many pictures of my cat lying on various things. See you next week. Follow me on Twitter @ ThatAndyRoss
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BATTLESHIP When I irst heard a movie was being made based on the popular game Battleship, I scoffed. When I saw the irst preview of the ilm, I was not impressed, and the irst thought in my mind was how similar this movie seemed to the “Transformer” series, i.e. the Earth
being attacked by aliens and explosions galore. So that being said, I ventured to the theater with low expectations, and left pleasantly surprised. The ilm stars Taylor Kitsch of the recent much maligned ilm “John Carter”, and the television series “Friday Night
Lights”. For me, the latter irst brought the actor to my attention in his role of the brooding, but well meaning football player Tim Riggins. I saw aspects of the character of Tim in both John Carter and his role of Lieutenant Alex Hopper in “Battleship”, and that was a plus. The science iction/action
ilm begins by introducing us to Alex and his brother, Navy Commander Stone Hopper, played by Alexander Skarsgard of “True Blood” fame. Stone is express-
ing his exasperation with his brother, when Alex is arrested after stealing a burrito for a girl he just met. Pushed to his limit, Stone forces his brother to join him in the Navy. Faster than you can say “the aliens are coming”, Alex is in the Navy with the rank of Lieutenant, but his attitude is still intact, as clearly displayed after a run-in with a rival Japanese of icer who had
www.theloaferonline.com kicked him in the face during a soccer match. The two are involved in a brawl during the opening ceremonies of a naval exercise, which results in action that may force Alex to be discharged after the exercises. While all the aforementioned is transpiring, we learn that NASA has beamed a signal to a distant earth-like planet in the hopes of communicating
May 29, 2012 • The Loafer, Page 27 with life forms similar to ours (never a good idea in movies). The signal does get a response, and in true Hollywood style, Earth is about to experience an unpleasant visit. I have always wondered why movie aliens have to be nasty and horrible looking. I wish for once, wish movie aliens would look exactly like us with no hidden agenda. This could still make for an
intriguing movie, as we could never tell an alien from an Earthling. Oh well, so much for my daydreaming. At least these aliens have two arms, two legs, and other human-like features, aside from eyes like lizards and strange ingers, so there you go. Aliens aside, while out performing their naval maneuvers off the coast of Hawaii, strange crafts crash into the ocean, which later rise from the ocean as massive alien ships ready to attack. The alien crafts have crashed into major cities around the globe, and almost immediately have the upper hand on the puny humans (always the case in these movies). The Navy ships, including the ones Alex and Stone are on, begin to battle the invaders to
almost complete failure. The story also involves the aforementioned girl Alex fell for early in the ilm, Samantha (Brooklyn Decker), and her efforts to help destroy some satellite dishes the aliens are using to bring more invaders to Earth. Did I mention she was the daughter of Admiral Shane (Liam Neeson)? Alex must not only battle aliens, but Admiral Shane as well, who has no time for the impulsive of icer. Meanwhile, the battles with the aliens continue, as the Navy’s attempts to defeat the aliens prove more and more futile. All is not lost, however, as Alex and the crew hold several surprises up their sleeves which will provide a path to victory. Concerning the actors, while I enjoyed the casting of Kitsch and Skarsgard, I was intrigued by the presence of singer Rihanna, as Cora Raikes, a weapons specialist. I was surprised by her acting ability, and expect to see more of her on the big screen. I also enjoyed seeing Kitsch’s fellow “Friday Night Lights” co-star Jesse Plemons, as a crew-mate, as it was like
a “FNL” reunion. The special effects were impressive, and the aliens were very well presented. The ilm moves at a brisk pace and never felt like the running time was too long. I advise you to stay until the end credits are inished for a surprise at the end. The aforementioned tactic has become so popular in ilms, I ind myself staying seated until the end credits are inished for almost every ilm, often with no payoff. Overall, “Battleship” far exceeded my expectations, and is an enjoyable “popcorn” ilm in what will surely be one of the biggest summer movie seasons ever. (Rated PG-13) B
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ETSU’s Railroad Museum Na onal Railway Historical Society Scenic Train Excursion Spaces available for June 16
The George L. Carter Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society and East Tennessee State University’s George L. Carter Railroad Museum are now taking registration for a scenic train excursion on the Big South Fork Scenic Railway on Saturday, June 16. The tour will follow the former Kentucky & Tennessee Railway route in a 16-mile loop into the Daniel Boone National Forest and the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. The train will descend 600 feet into a gorge before stopping at Blue Heron Coal Mining Camp, a National Park Service outdoor interpretive site. Passengers should arrive at ETSU’s parking lot 22A on Jack Vest Drive by 6:15 a.m. and be on the bus at 6:45 a.m. for departure promptly at 7 a.m. Lunch may be purchased at Coal Bucket Concession in Blue Heron or restaurants in Stearns,
Ky. Participants may choose to take food in a carry-on cooler small enough to it under a seat. Non-refundable tickets for the excursion are $55 for adults and $47.50 for children. The fee includes the roundtrip bus fare to Stearns, the train ride and admission to the McCreary County Museum. The trip will take place rain or shine. Tickets should be requested by May 25. Order forms are available at the Carter Railroad Museum on Saturday mornings from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or online at the Mountain Empire Model Railroaders website at www.memrr.org by choosing “NRHS News” and then “Ticket Order Form.” Payment may be made by check or money order made out to the George L. Carter Chapter, NRHS and mailed to Duane Swank, Treasurer, 1763 Sylvan Hill Road, Elizabethton, TN 37643.
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In case you haven’t noticed, we are witnessing some sort of knowledge revolution—actually, I like to call it a “paradigm shift”, borrowing the well-worn phrase from Thomas Kuhn’s in luential 1962 book The Structure of Scientiϐic Revolutions. We are shifting, slowly but surely, from the concept that knowledge is something that is manageable and “knowable” to the realization that knowledge is quite unmanageable and perhaps to a great extent not within our means to master. And, along with this realization comes (to me at least) a welcome paradigm shift from teaching to learning that is long overdue in our school systems. Hopefully,
we are also witnessing an accompanying shift from testing to assessment that will be more attuned to the demands of a 21st century marketplace by placing a premium on creativity rather than the ability to memorize facts and dates. If you are interested in thinking about these things, let me recommend your stuf ing David Weinberg’s important new book Too Big To Know (published late last year) inside your beach bag this summer. Yes, I believe you should also bring along some volumes of frivolous and diversionary reading (whether in printed or electronic form), but as you watch the crashing waves and reach for your bottle of sunscreen, I hope you will give some serious thought to the aforementioned paradigm shifts. Obviously, a signi icant amount of time during your beach vacation will
involve sur ing the net as well as sur ing the ocean waves, so why not at least consider how being online is changing the world in which you live? The central idea in Weinberg’s book is very simple, but often overlooked or ignored— namely that as “knowledge becomes networked, the smartest person in the room isn’t the person standing at the front lecturing to us, and isn’t the collective wisdom of those in the room. The smartest person in the room is the room itself: the network that joins the people and ideas in the room, and connects to those outside of it”. Think for a minute about what Weinberg is saying. We have migrated from a world where the parameters and sources of knowledge were neatly outlined and de ined to a world where these parameters and sources are literally “too big to know”. We have moved, in other words, from a world of paper to a world of bits and bytes, and what used to be de inable is now luid and ever changing. This doesn’t mean, however, that nothing is knowable or that there are no truths, but only that we need to develop more critical thinking skills than ever before, because the “old” world that was governed by experts and authorities (i.e. those lecturing at the front of the room) has been replaced by a new one governed by all of us. Get ready, in other words, for the brave new world of non-standardized testing. Needless to say, this realization will be accompanied by horror or elation, depending on whom you confront with these facts. But, you might argue, the
world of knowledge has always been too big to know. After all, who “back in the day” could ever hope to read all the books shelved in their local libraries, or peruses each and every newspaper or newscast? True, but the thing that differed in that rapidly-vanishing world was that most everyone could assume that knowledge was inite and contained. When you closed the cover of a printed book, or left a classroom, you had gained some sort of mastery on a given subject. After all, inishing a book used to give some sort of closure to the subject at hand, as did walking out of a class for the last time. Once they were printed, books remained the same and diplomas offered at least the illusion that the recipient could claim a certain level of expertise. Today, living as we do in a world dominated by Wikis and hyperlinks, knowledge is never complete and boundaries of the knowable seem in inite rather than contained. The blessing and the curse of Wikipedia, again depending on who you talk to, is that this source, unlike the old intimidating shelves of very heavy multi-volume Britannica’s and World Books, is constantly being updated, providing its readers with hyperlinks that invite them to continue their learning far beyond the boundaries of the entries themselves. Books today should therefore be seen as the starting points rather than the ends of our learning, and classrooms should be places where students “learn how to learn” rather than obtain mastery of a given subject. In a world of linked networks we hardly need someone standing
at the front of room imparting wisdom and knowledge—yes, we still need teachers but primarily as facilitators of learning and research, the captains of great ships of learning that invite their students to set sail on boundless oceans and often uncharted waters. We will, in short, drown at sea unless we become lifelong learners, never satis ied with what we might be learning at the moment. That’s why assessments should be based on How rather than on What we know. Weinberger acknowledges that this vast online world of learning is fraught with many dangers, primarily those associated with knowing what to believe and what to avoid; I will be the irst to admit, however, that some of the wackiest and even most dangerous theories presented online can be rather entertaining, but should treated with a large dose of skepticism (a quality of mind that should also be cultivated in our classrooms on a daily basis). Of course, libraries contain much misleading and downright erroneous information that will unfortunately stay that way for the life of the books in question. As mentioned above, critical thinking is an indispensable skill whether your source exists in print or hyperlink form. Before this column becomes too big to know, I will bid you a fond farewell, with the hope that you will learn something new this week, realizing that learning never ends. A good place to start is with Weinberger’s book, and/or his website www. toobigtoknow.com. See you next week.
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