The COFFEY BLOG
FESTIVAL PIX
I have posted a bunch of photos from the 2014 Greene Countrie Towne Festival on the Greenfield Rotary Club’s website, which can be seen by clicking HERE and visiting the festival page. Also, and this is a first for me, HERE is a speed-reading version of the photos posted in a rapidly running slide show on youtube. Ah, technology! FESTIVAL AFTERMATH Whew! I was tired after the 2014 edition of the Greene Countrie Towne Festival, but it was nice to see big crowds in Greenfield for the many activities. I had my share of festival food, saw a lot of old friends and made some new ones. The Greenfield Rotary Club sponsored the festival and considered it a success after a tough start Friday with the wet weather. Other than that, the rain held off and the temperatures were mercifully cool compared to the 90 degree days that usually are part of the third weekend in July. I was honored to be chosen by my fellow Rotarians as grand marshal for the parade, a highlight for was a visit by our son and daughter-in-law Wade and Susan of Zanesville and their three young children, who got to Greenfield just in time to see Nanna and Papaw ride through town in a shiny new Buick from Gusweiler GM Center. Thanks to Sid Charles for acting as chauffeur. It’s a little known fact that Sid and I were once members of a rock band known as The Full Effect. It’s been so long ago that we taxed our memories to identify the members of the band, but it seems reasonable that the band included Sid on lead vocals with help from Dennis Waterman, Mike Yankie on lead guitar, George Smith on drums, John Wilkin on organ and yours truly on bass guitar. At the end of the parade I asked Sid about organizing a reunion tour for The Full Effect, and while I doubt there’s much demand for such a reunion, we sure had some great times back in the day. I took a large number of photos during the Greene Countrie Towne Festival and will try to get them posted soon, probably on the Rotary club’s website, www.greenfieldrotary.org. I’ll try to make note here once that posting is done. 5K RUN SET SATURDAY DURING FESTIVAL The McClain cheerleaders are putting on their annual 5K run Saturday at 8 a.m. (registration starts at 7:15 a.m.) at Felson Park. There is a $10 entry fee. Other details can be found HERE. DANTE’S NEW JOB Dante Jackson has joined the coaching staff at Northern Kentucky University as an assistant to men’s head basketball coach Dave Bezold. I think he will do a great job because he was always something of a coach on the floor during his playing days at both McClain High School and Xavier University. Here’s a link to the Dante page on the NKU website: http://nkunorse.com/news/2014/7/9/JacksonHiring.aspx?path=mbball ANNUAL BABY CONTEST IS SATURDAY MORNING This weekend is a big one in Greenfield, as the third weekend of July heralds the coming of the Greene Countrie Towne Festival. People have been asking about the baby contest, sponsored each Saturday of the festival by Edgewood Manor of Greenfield. Details can be found at the Greenfield Rotary Club website (see link below) or by clicking HERE. http://greenfieldrotary.org/
AN EVENING WITH FRANK & MARILYN
"An Evening with Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe at Highland County Senior Citizens Center" will be presented at the Highland County Senior Center on Saturday, July 19 by Matt Snow, The Cincinnati Sinatra, and the longest running Sinatra tribute in the United States. Doors open at 5 p.m., show starts at 6:15 p.m. Tickets are $15, which includes dinner, entertainment and a door prize ticket. Advance tickets and at-door tickets available while supplies last. Call the center for details at 393-4745. Community welcome. More info: http://www.highlandcountypress.com/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=74&ArticleID=23409 DOES FACEBOOK MANIPULATE OUR EMOTIONS? Of course it does, says Gary Abernathy. And he proceeds to explain why it’s okay: http://www.timesgazette.com/news/opinion-opinion_columns/5213139/Should-Facebook-toy-with-moods JERSEY BOYS I received an unsolicited endorsement of “Jersey Boys” from none other than Greg Roberts of “Just Thinking” fame. Several other Baby Boomers I run around with have said much the same of the new film by Clint Eastwood. While I haven’t yet seen “Jersey Boys,” which chronicles the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, here’s what Greg sent to me and some other friends of his: “Okay gentlemen, I sat down and asked, ‘Now who would benefit from this review?’ And you came to mind. Why? Because you grew up in the same era (give or take a few years) that I did. Maybe you weren't into The Four Seasons. Maybe you liked country better. But I want to tell you that the movie is nothing short of great! Directed by Clint Eastwood, it depicts the rise of The Four Seasons, their problems, and their shining moments. This is one I highly recommend.” - Greg PINK FLOYD TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM Hard to believe that Pink Floyd hasn’t released a new album in two decades. That will change this fall when “The Endless River” drops. It’s said to be an extension of unreleased work from the band’s last album, 1994’s “The Division Bell”. More info: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/pink-floyd-to-release-first-new-album-in-20-years-this-fall-20140706 NEW JUST THINKING Greg Roberts is a thinker and a seeker of truth. Would he advise fellow seekers to accept his world view or to challenge everything? You can find out in his latest installment of JUST THINKING. SOME USEFUL INFORMATION IN JUST 10 MINUTES Click on the link for allegedly useful information, some of which I agree is worth checking out: http://www.quora.com/What-can-I-learn-right-now-in-just-10-minutes-that-could-be-useful-for-the-rest-of-my-life PRINT OUT & BAKE YOUR OWN ROBOTS? Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed robots that can be printed and that self-assemble when heated. I’m not making this up! http://www.universityherald.com/articles/9697/20140531/mit-researchers-develop-robots-that-can-be-printed-out-and-assemble-themselves-in-an-oven-video.htm 
DOUG KARNES TO SHARE VISION FOR CREEKSIDE PARK
Architect Doug Karnes has been busy lately on other projects, but has not forgotten his beloved Greenfield. He emailed me July 2 indicating that he plans to have a display set up during the Greene Countrie Towne Festival at his office space located at 317 Jefferson St. Below are a few comments from Doug’s fertile mind that I copied from his Facebook page, Designing Greenfield, OHIO. I’m not sure how much of this can be done in the near future, but it is costs nothing to dream! And as dreamers bounce ideas off of one another, who knows where it might lead? Here’s what Doug had to say in a recent post: Hello Greefielders!!! Here is the current menu for "Greenfield Park at Paint Creek". 1. 9.4 mile paved bike/walking path with lights and emergency call boxes. 2. Paved parking areas for 200 vehicles. 3. Covered picnic pavilion with seating for 100 with plumbed toilets and drinking water. 4. Grass soccer field with fixed goals and bleachers. 5. Renovated Softball field (Felson Park) with lights for night play and bleachers. 6. 4 fixed fishing piers along the creek. 7. Wading area and walk-in access to creek under railroad bridge. 8. Mountain bike trails that cross the creek and circle the quarry. 9. New footbridge connecting Highland and Ross Counties for access to Rucker's Quarry. 10. Primitive campground above Rucker's Quarry. 11. New access road and parking for Rucker's Quarry in RossCounty near water treatment plant. 12. Walk-in beach area at Rucker's Quarry for public swimming. 13. New fixed playground/sprayground near main entrance. 14. New Zip-line operation above Rucker's Quarry. 15. BMX bike race course above Rucker's quarry along Thrifton Road for racing events. 16. Visitor's center and park office at the renovated old restaurant on Front Street at South Street with new park entry signage and gate. 17. New paved parking lot and event space below the Grain and Hay building for farmer's market, community yard sales, music performances, historic society presentations, school groups, etc. 18. Expanded historic campus near the Grain and Hay building. 19. New stone wall and walking path near historic cemetery. 20. New elevated walk-bridge connector and observation deck atop the old power/water plant roof accessed from the Traveler's Rest. 21. New parking area and bike path access at the old mill dam to the north and the Paint Creek Road turnaround to the South. What do you think of this list? If we were able to build this beast, market it around the state or region as something unique toGreenfield, do you think people of all ages would come to Greenfield to see this park and use it? I think so. Once the folks get here, they will need gas, food, lodging, stuff...all of which will be available in the newly revitalized uptown business district. Maybe some new companies would like to locate their operations here and bring a few jobs with them. Or the exiting business operations could expand and add jobs. Sorry to go so long...but I actually got excited there for a minute. Doug K. Thanks Doug! Keep those ideas coming! By the way, the Greene Countrie Towne Festival is scheduled July 18-20. For more info, visit the Greenfield Rotary Club website: http://greenfieldrotary.org/ 
HAPPENINGS IN THE HILLS' AVAILABLE ONLINEHappenings in the Hills, the popular insider's guide to events in and around southern Ohio, is out with lots of ideas for fun destinations, shopping activities and more! Click HERE to see the latest issue.
For more information about Magic Waters Theatre and other activities of the Brizius family, visit their website: http://magicwaterstheatre.com/ FESTIVAL TIME APPROACHES
The Greene Countrie Towne Festival is scheduled July 18-20 in Greenfield, and Angela Shepherd has the latest news here: http://www.timesgazette.com/news/home_top-news/5100951/2014-Greene-Countrie-Towne-Festival-coming-together GEORGE PLIMPTON Whether or not you remember George Plimpton, the “participatory journalist” who boxed Archie Moore and played quarterback for the Detroit Lions among other activities -- all for the sake of getting an inside look at various sports and professions -- you may enjoy this documentary about the writer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-SmIH9JHLU EMERGENCY SIREN IS OPERATIONAL The Village of Greenfield finalized the installation of its tornado siren on June 17 with successful diagnostic testing, according to Police Chief Tim Hester. "The siren did exactly what it is designed to do," Chief Hester commented. "I could hear it loud and clear downtown while outside. The sound is not supposed to penetrate inside the walls of homes and buildings. It is to warn those who are outdoors to seek shelter inside." Regular monthly testing will take place at 10 a.m. on the first Tuesday of the month. The test will last for one minute. In the event of an actual weather emergency, here are a few items worth noting: - The siren sounds a steady tone for three minutes. - The sounding of the siren means "Move Inside Immediately and Seek Cover!" - Each siren activation indicates a tornado/high speed wind event is approaching the City. - Greenfield does not sound an all-clear siren. Please listen to your NOAA Weather Radio or other info source. The official policy of the Village of Greenfield for use and testing of the siren is provided on the "News & Notices" page of the Greenfield website, www.greenfieldohio.net GREENFIELD SELLING SURPLUS PROPERTY The Village of Greenfield is selling surplus property via online auction at GovDeals.com, a website specializing in the sale of government property. Many items from various communities are listed. To see what Greenfield may have for sale, type "Greenfield, OH" in the "Search Auctions" bar. For a direct link to the Greenfield items, click on the link below: www.govdeals.com/greenfieldvillageohio SSCC HONORS AOC GRADS June 13 I had the opportunity to attend the 26th annual recognition celebration at Southern State Community College. Some 1,900 students have been helped since 1975, taking advantage of the free classes offered by the Adult Opportunity Center (AOC). Through AOC, students can get help with adult literacy, college refresher/readiness courses, GED preparation, nursing program preparation, and improvement in reading, writing and math. There’s also a workforce education component to AOC. It was inspiring to hear from some of the 56 GED recipients who told their stories of education interrupted and the long road back to a degree and improved employment opportunities. Many thanks were offered to the dedicated SSCC staff and to family members who help inspire and facilitate the process. Some education professionals confessed that this ceremony is their favorite at SSCC because they have seen the huge strides taken and the hurdles cleared by the participants. Congratulations graduates! You have helped to shape a better future for yourselves and your families. More information about the AOC program can be found at the link below: http://www.sscc.edu/specialized/aoc.shtml SPORTS HOF CLASS ANNOUNCED The Times Gazette has announced its 2014 class of inductees into the Highland County Athletic Hall of Fame, and the list includes Angie (Roush) Bogart from Whiteoak High School, Audra (Cook) Branham from McClain High School, Mark Pierson from Lynchburg-Clay High School, and Terry McConnaughey from Hillsboro High School. They will be honored, along with some of the top student-athletes from Highland County, at a banquet set for 6 p.m. Thursday, June 26 at the Ponderosa Banquet Center in Hillsboro. The banquet is open to the public. Tickets are free for the inductees, the student-athletes and the coaches who nominated the student athletes. Ticket for all other attendees are $15. They can be reserved by calling Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522. Nominations are still being accepted and can be made by contacting Jeff Gilliland. http://www.timesgazette.com/news/home_top-news/5032344/T-Gs-2014-Athletic-Hall-of-Fame-inductees-selected CHUCK NOLL DIES AT AGE 82 Speaking of legends in athletics, former Pittsburgh Steelers Coach Chuck Noll has to be in the conversation when the greatest NFL coaches are discussed. Before his arrival at Pittsburgh, the Steelers were bad -- the “Cincinnati Bungles” of that era! His focus on the basics and aversion to the spotlight served Noll well en route to four Super Bowl rings. Read or watch more at: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000358676/article/legendary-pittsburgh-steelers-coach-chuck-noll-dies FESTIVAL FORMS AVAILABLE The Greene Countrie Towne Festival is coming soon -- July 18-19-20 to be exact. And with it come many games and contests, festival booths and other activities. Some of these activities, such as getting a festival booth or signing up for the popular Outhouse Races and Lip Sync Contest, require an application form. These can be viewed and downloaded at the Greenfield Rotary Club website. Simply visit the club’s website at the link below and visit the “Festival” page; look for the red “Festival Forms” heading and click on the form you need. You can also view a schedule of events in that same area of the website. http://greenfieldrotary.org/ NEW JUST THINKING Greg Roberts emailed me a new Just Thinking recently after reading something in an editorial section that “boiled my grits!” as he described the feelings that resulted. His response is a brief treatise on the future of newspapers. Read that and other essays by Greg by clicking HERE. DUMBFOUNDED AT WCH ELKS SATURDAY Classic rock band Dumbfounded will perform at the Washington C.H. Elks Lodge Saturday, June 14 from 5-9 p.m. The time has been moved up to coincide with other community events that day. You can read more at the link below; just remember that the music starts at 5 instead of 8 as published. http://www.recordherald.com/news/home_top-news/4988746/Car-and-bike-show-coming-to-downtown-Saturday QUEEN PAGEANT SCHEDULED JULY 17! (DEADLINE IS JUNE 20...) The popular Queen Pageant sponsored by the Greenfield Women's Queen Association is scheduled at 5 p.m. Thursday, July 17 at the McClain High School Auditorium. JimmyG, the comedian hypnotist, will provide the entertainment at this year’s pageant. According to the GWQA, JimmyG’s show is suitable for ALL ages and has been enjoyed mostly by students and chaperones attending the All Night Party, so this is a chance for everyone to get to see and of course, there will be a few to have the opportunity to be a part of the show! Admission to the pageant is free. Applications forms for the Queen, Prince, Princess, Little Miss and Junior Miss events can be viewed and printed by clicking on the text below: QUEEN PAGEANT APPLICATION PRINCE, PRINCESS APPLICATION For more information about the Greene Countrie Towne Festival, visit the Greenfield Rotary Club website at: www.greenfieldrotary.org NEW PAUL McCARTNEY VIDEO
Sir Paul sings “Appreciate” to a robot at the Museum of Man: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/paul-mccartney-trades-dance-moves-with-a-robot-in-appreciate-video-20140516?utm_source=yahoomusic&utm_medium=referral LED ZEPPELIN BEING SUED OVER ‘STAIRWAY’ Did an obscure instrumental by the band Spirit inspire Jimmy Page to write the iconic “Stairway to Heaven”? The courts will have to decide, but you can read more -- and listen to -- Spirit’s “Taurus” and make up your own mind at one of the links below: http://www.aol.com/article/2014/05/19/led-zeppelin-being-sued-by-suriving-member-of-spirit-over-stai/20888140/ http://time.com/105016/led-zeppelin-is-getting-sued-over-stairway-to-heaven/ 
GENEALOGY GROUP MEETS JUNE 2
I received a nice note from Gail Allen about a genealogy event coming up June 2. Here are the details: The Greenfield Genealogy Group, in coordination with the Greenfield Historical Society, is sponsoring the event on June 2 at 6:30 p.m. at the Konneker Education Museum. For more information check out the flyer. 25 YEARS OF KONNEKER SCHOLARS!
I attended the McClain High School graduation May 16 for the first time in quite a while, and it was an impressive ceremony. Alex Anderson, a 2008 MHS grad and Cutler-Konneker Scholarship recipient who is now attending medical school at Ohio University, was the commencement speaker and gave a really nice speech. He is a good representative of the “cream of the crop” students who have been awarded the Cutler-Konneker Scholarships through the years, and approximately a dozen past recipients were on hand for the graduation ceremony as this marked the 25th year that the scholarships have been granted. It was nice to see that Dr. Wilfred Konneker and his wife Ann Lee were present as well. They must be very proud when students they have sponsored go on to make big contributions to society. I got a chance to speak with Dr. Konneker briefly and joined the chorus of those who have expressed gratitude for this thoughtful gift that continues to pay forward through the years. Whenever I get back to Athens and see the Konneker Alumni Center named after Dr. Konneker, I can’t help but reflect on contributions he has made to Greenfield, where he grew up, and to Ohio University. His sphere of influence continues to grow through this amazing gift to higher education. The link below provides a listing of Cutler-Konneker Scholars through the years beginning with William Doan in 1990. Names not yet listed include Mackenzie Olaker (2012) and Kalei Edenfield (2013) and Ryan Kline (2014): http://mcclain100.wordpress.com/2014/05/12/2014-konneker-scholar-is-ryan-kline/ If you would like to know more about Dr. Konneker and his legacy, here’s a link that is a good starting point: http://www.ohio.edu/infocus/chainreactions/ 
GREENFIELD MUSIC STORE OPENS!
Greenfield’s newest business is Greenfield Music and Amps, located at 343 Jefferson St. The store opened its doors to the public on Monday, May 5 and features electric and acoustic guitars, amplifiers, drums and assorted supplies for musicians. Hours are 10 a.m to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Store owner Sue Sexton is shown above with some of the instruments on sale at Greenfield Music. PATTERSON MARKER UNVEILED!
I had the honor of attending the unveiling of a historical marker Saturday commemorating the contributions of the C.R. Patterson & Sons Company. The ceremony was a joint effort of the Greenfield Historical Society and the Ohio Historical Society, and the marker stands on the former site of the C.R. Patterson & Sons Company now occupied by the Southern Hills Community Bank. One of the speakers was Chris Nelson, author of “The C.R. Patterson and Sons Company: Black Pioneers in the Vehicle Building Industry, 1865-1939” and I enjoyed getting to know him as he is obviously very interested in this unique chapter in Greenfield’s history. Adding to the ambience Saturday was the presence of a Patterson buggy owned by Tom Smith. About 30 people turned out for the unveiling, with Chris Nelson doing the honors in removing the cover to showcase the historical marker. I’ve posted a few photos from the event on this page. Read more here: http://www.timesgazette.com/news/home_top-news/4664445/C.R.-Patterson--Sons-honored-with-historical-marker  Betty Bishop, SSCC graduate.
SSCC GRADUATION INCLUDES BETTY BISHOP
The recipient of one of the final degrees of the evening received the loudest ovation, as 76-year-old former Hillsboro Mayor and Greenfield City Manager Betty Bishop received her college diploma and a hug from Dr. Boys. I was there but could not get a good photo from my vantage point way up high in the Patriot Center, but I did snap this photo of Betty at a reception the following day. Rory Ryan was also at SSCC Friday for the graduation of his son Colin, and wrote a nice piece praising SSCC in which he also mentioned Betty Bishop’s accomplishment. You can read it at the link below: http://www.highlandcountypress.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=83&ArticleID=22592  L-R: Debra Crago, Brenda Losey, Eleanor Wenker, Jennifer Wenker, Ron Coffey, Pierre Sweeney.
G3 LENDS A HAND TO SPARK!
Greening Greater Greenfield (G3), as part of its February fundraiser, Blues, Brews & Stews, pledged a portion of the proceeds to help fund the non-profit art project, SPARK! Creative Artspace. On May 1, G3 members met with Spark’s director, Jennifer Wenker, and presented to her a generous check to help Spark reach its goals. ‘F.R. HARRIS’ WOWS CROWD AT GHS SPRING TEA!
Sunday we attended the Greenfield Historical Society Spring Tea and enjoyed a lovely performance by Danny Long as F.R. Harris. Danny, who has made a name for himself portraying Edward Lee McClain and others from Greenfield's past, came full of knowledge about the life of F.R. Harris, the former Greenfield superintendent of schools and world traveler who authored four books in addition to helping to make McClain High School one of the best public high schools in the nation. Danny gave a flawless performance, with typical wit and style, and even recited a poem by Harris in addition to presenting a plethora of information without the aid of notes or cue cards. Harris was given the moniker "The Traveling Pedagogue” by Greenfield Daily Times Editor Pat Shrock, who published dispatches from Harris’ travels through the years, and the inveterate traveler also was known as Greenfield's "Skylarking Schoolmaster". In attendance at the Spring Tea were Harris' great-nephew, Terry Harris and wife Joanne from Springfield, who seemed to enjoy the show as much as the rest of the capacity crowd. Thanks to the Greenfield Historical Society for continuing this interesting series that has featured such icons as Edward Lee McClain, John Waddell, C.R. Patterson, Noble Irwin and Addie Ballard Murray. I’ve posted some photos from the Spring Tea on this page. For more information about F.R. Harris, here is a useful link from Larry Chapman’s old website that is still available online: http://www.highland-ohio.com/professor%20fr%20harris.htm McCLAIN 100 & G3 WEBSITES Larry Chapman has created a couple of new websites that should be of interest to those who visit my website. One is for the centennial of the McClain High School, which will take place in 2014. It’s logically called mcclain100 and can be viewed at the link below: http://www.mcclain100.org/ The second site is about the activities of Greening Greater Greenfield, also known as G3, detailing activities of a community group that that has done a lot for our community in recent years. Here’s the link: http://www.g3greenfield.org/ Might be a good idea to book mark them both! I have also posted links on my LINKS page. 
EDWARD LEE McCLAIN OBITUARY
The obit of local industrialist Edward Lee McClain is one of several interesting features found on the Atco, Georgia Facebook page. The obituary was published May 1, 1934 in the Newark Advocate. McClain founded Atco as a “company town” in order to provide textile products for his business empire. While Atco the town exists exists primarily in memory since the demolition of the mill that was the centerpiece of the community, it is alive and well in the minds of the “Atco kids” who grew up there and created the Facebook page. I’ve posted the obituary here for convenience. If you are a Facebook regular, you should be able to access the following link from the Atco page offering more information about Mr. McClain and life in Atco: http://www.atcogeorgia.com/search/label/E.L.%20McClain THE DAVE CLARK FIVE
I wanted to watch the PBS documentary on the Dave Clark Five but missed the scheduled broadcast Tuesday on Channel 16. However, a visit to pbs.com revealed that the show can be watched online, at least for a few more days until the link expires. As one who initially felt that the Dave Clark Five were as good as that other upstart English import, the Beatles, I enjoyed learning more about this excellent pop music group! It’s also interesting to learn what icons like Elton John, Paul McCartney, Gene Simmons, Bruce Springsteen, Whoopi Goldberg, Stevie Wonder and Ozzy Osbourne have to say about the influence of the DC5 on them. http://video.pbs.org/video/2365217224/ BURNING CALORIES IN FRANCE Sole Blog Reader found this interesting and clever video -- really a commercial for a bottled water company -- and sent me the link. The email reads, “This is way cute… and it’s short, so take 90 seconds for this smile -- How Women Burn Calories in France!” Thanks Sole! https://www.youtube.com/embed/yEH4Yum4nN4 REMEMBERING THE KILLER TORNADOES OF 1974 Remember April 3 and 4, 1974? A “Super Outbreak” of storm activity affected 13 states from the eastern U.S. to the Deep South. Most notable in our part of the world was the tragic Xenia tornado, which resulted in 34 deaths and millions of dollars in property damage. I was working at the Greenfield Times then, and Jeff Pollard and I visited Xenia a few days after the storm had hit to deliver a truckload of foodstuffs and other items to help out the victims. The goods had been donated by Greenfield area residents. It was quite a memorable experience for me, and those memories were revived when I watched a 14-minute documentary, "Day of the Killer Tornadoes" that examines the unusual storm activity that took place 40 years ago. You can see it too, or read some area newspaper accounts, at the National Weather Service website link below: http://www.erh.noaa.gov/iln/events/19740403/ NICHOLAS CAGE INTERNET FUN
For some reason, Nicholas Cage is beloved or dissed as an actor, but is a darling of the people who come up with all sorts of fun with PhotoShop. And thus, Nick ends up crossing the finish line ahead of Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt, or appears in a takeoff of the Oscar selfie with Nick’s face on the neck of each celebrity. You get the idea. Here are links to a few sites that enjoy Mr. Cage: http://xaxor.com/funny-pics/funny-nicolas-cage-can-be-anyone.html/attachment/nicolas-cage-can-be-anyone9 http://www.complex.com/art-design/2013/07/the-30-funniest-nicolas-cage-memes/ http://elitedaily.com/humor/king-memes-50-best-nicholas-cage-memes-50th-birthday/ MARK HAMILL SHARES MEMORIES OF MAKING ‘STAR WARS’ Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, is good at keeping secrets. Recently he opened up on a number of subjects that fans of the films should enjoy, like how his white pants were just bleached-out Levis and the fact that he was one of a select few to know that the evil Darth Vader was his father. Here’s a link: http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-news/safeguarding-that-darth-vader-spoiler-and-9-more-mark-hamill--star-wars--revelations-010001742.html STAR WARS EPISODE VII It’s rumored that Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) will return in the new “Star Wars Episode VII” scheduled to be released in late 2015. Here’s what is known -- or alleged -- so far: http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Star-Wars-Episode-7-What-We-Know-So-Far-36488.html REMBRANDT’S ‘NIGHT WATCH’ BROUGHT TO LIFE! Sole Blog Reader sent me this information about a reenactment of a Rembrandt painting in a Holland mall. Here’s what his email said: “The Rijksmuseum museum in Holland had an idea: Let's bring the art to the people and then, hopefully, they will come to see more --- at the museum. They took one Rembrandt painting from 1642, Night Watch and brought to life the characters in it, placed them in a busy mall and the rest you can see for yourself!" Thanks Sole! http://www.youtube.com/embed/a6W2ZMpsxhg?feature=player_embedded%C2%A0%3b GARY MOORE
The late guitarist performs “The Messiah Will Come Again” and gets extra credit for some excellent “guitar face”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7k07j7LcLqw GREENFIELD GUITARIST IS TALENTED SHREDDER
Recently Earlene Scott told me about a guy known as Izzy Batio, who is not only quite an amazing guitarist but also a resident of Greenfield! I did find some of the man’s music online, and it’s way above my head! Fans of Steve Vai, Joe Satriani or Yngwie Malmsteen will appreciate the fact that a neoclassical shredder lives in our Greene Countrie Towne. Below are links to a nice article Earlene wrote about Izzy, and links where some of his music can be heard. It’s obvious he has some serious chops! http://www.timesgazette.com/news/home_top-news/3661117/Greenfield-guitarist-a-rocker-at-heart Izzy Batio links: http://www.last.fm/music/Izzy+Batio/Over+The+Rainbow/Over+the+Rainbow http://www.last.fm/music/Izzy+Batio/Shield+Us+All/Run+To+The+Light MICHAEL ANGELO BATIO Izzy Batio’s hero, Michael Angelo Batio, is an amazing guitarist who can play right- or left-handed -- or play two guitars simultaneously! When I first heard about Michael Angelo from my guitarist son Colin, that’s when I decided I’d better stick with classic rock... Below is a link to Michael Angelo playing a medley of songs as only he can perform them. Please stick with it, as the video starts a little slowly and looks a bit hokey, like he might be doing the guitar equivalent of lip synching. At about 3 minutes in, he plays some “Pipeline” that guys like me can appreciate before moving on to a host of other segments from classic rock, hard rock and shred. Did I mention that at one point he flips his two guitars over and plays them in upside down position? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQ8ml7eENuI Michael's tribute to Randy Rhoads (played conventionally -- still amazing): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFfj-em-hJo WIT & WISDOM Everybody can be great ... because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need to have a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love. - Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do. - Potter Stewart A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. - Winston Churchill When we are born we get a ticket to the freak show. When we are born in America, we get a front row seat. - George Carlin A LOVE AFFAIR WITH CHOCOLATE Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Gary Abernathy has written a truly inspiring column about a longtime love. As he so eloquently puts it, “Chocolate loves me. And I love chocolate back.” Read all about it: http://www.timesgazette.com/news/opinion-opinion_columns/3608847/Celebrating-a-long-lasting-relationship ‘PAUL IS DEAD’ THEORY REVISITED All the Beatles coverage re: their 50th anniversary since appearing on “The Ed Sullivan Show” has sparked some commemoration of the “Paul is Dead” rumors from many years ago. While Paul looks great for a guy in his 70s (if that really is Paul), it's more likely that the Beatles were the best in the business at planting little seeds in their songs and album covers that led to even greater sales for their records! So, for the sake of fun, or to learn more about this amazing hoax or coincidence or whatever, visit the “Paul is Dead” gallery at the link below: http://www.trutv.com/conspiracy/celebs/paul-is-dead/gallery.all.html BEATLES TRIBUTE My wife and I gave up the Olympics and “Downtown Abbey” to join the 50-year celebration of the Beatles’ appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in 1964. While the main draws were Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, I enjoyed the other performers and the house band. Among the latter were guitarists Steve Lukather of Toto fame and Peter Frampton, who long ago lost his long locks but as a player has just kept getting better since “Frampton Comes Alive” dominated the charts in 1976. I caught a glimpse of a bearded bass player wearing a hat and for a moment thought it was Hank Williams Jr., which would have been a most unlikely sighting at such an event, so I had to surf the ‘net to discover the bassman was really Don Was, a musician and producer of some note (no one made it to this gig without being very accomplished!). While I recognized and enjoyed most of the performers, and especially enjoyed the guitar pyrotechnics of Joe Walsh, Gary Clark Jr., Keith Urban and John Mayer, I had never heard of acoustic guitarist/singer Ed Sheeran, who rendered a wonderful version of “In My Life” as Sir Paul and Ringo and millions looked on, and Imagine Dragons’ creative version of “Revolution”. If you missed the show, here’s a nice recap: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/11/arts/television/cbs-grammy-salute-belongs-to-mccartney-and-starr.html?_r=0 CREATION VS. EVOLUTION Ken Ham of Creation Museum Fame and Bill Nye "the Science Guy" made news recently with a debate over how we came to be here. I haven’t had a chance to watch yet, but I found the debate online. Here’s the link: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/02/04/271648691/watch-the-creationism-vs-evolution-debate-bill-nye-and-ken-ham ‘THE JESUS GUY’ SUBJECT OF DOCUMENTARY Carl Joseph, probably better known as “the Jesus Guy,” has been trekking the globe for years, physically resembling the popular image of Jesus Christ and dressing in a “what would Jesus wear?” style. Many will remember him from a late 1990s tangle with the local constabulary in Greenfield as he attracted quite a following of listeners and curiosity seekers. I have googled Mr. Joseph from time to time, but only recently did I become aware that there is a documentary about the man. It’s about an hour in length, and if you would like to tune in, click on the link below: http://video.answers.com/the-jesus-guy-517355797 |
CALENDAREach Thursday until mid-October: Greenfield Farmers Market at AGMC parking lot across from Shopko, 4-7 p.m.
August 17: Greenfield Historical Society's Cemetery Walk, 1-4 p.m. at Greenfield Cemetery in recognition of the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War. |
AMISH/MENNONITE TRAIL
Larry Chapman has been busy, as always. His latest project is a map of Amish and Mennonite business locations in greater Highland County. By visiting the Google map below and clicking on one of the business names, you will activate a pointer showing just where the business is located. Pretty cool! Good work Larry!
http://mapalist.com/Public/pm.aspx?mapid=378317
ABBEY ROAD: THE HISTORY OF AN ICONIC ALBUM COVER
Even if you are a not a Beatles fan, you are probably familiar with the iconic cover photo of their final studio album, “Abbey Road,” considered one of their best albums. The cover photo has sparked countless parodies, but considering all the rumors and buzz from back in the day about Paul McCartney being dead, probably the best is his use of the same background for his “live” album decades later. Here’s the link to an interesting article for trivia buffs, Beatles fans and curiosity seekers:
http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/stop-the-presses/abbey-road-cover-art-strolling-back-rock-most-190720943.html
WIT & WISDOM
To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible. - Thomas Aquinas
We hope that, when the insects take over the world, they will remember with gratitude how we took them along on all our picnics. - Bill Vaughan
An army of deer led by a lion is more feared than an army of lions led by a deer. - Philip of Macedonia
Larry Chapman has been busy, as always. His latest project is a map of Amish and Mennonite business locations in greater Highland County. By visiting the Google map below and clicking on one of the business names, you will activate a pointer showing just where the business is located. Pretty cool! Good work Larry!
http://mapalist.com/Public/pm.aspx?mapid=378317
ABBEY ROAD: THE HISTORY OF AN ICONIC ALBUM COVER
Even if you are a not a Beatles fan, you are probably familiar with the iconic cover photo of their final studio album, “Abbey Road,” considered one of their best albums. The cover photo has sparked countless parodies, but considering all the rumors and buzz from back in the day about Paul McCartney being dead, probably the best is his use of the same background for his “live” album decades later. Here’s the link to an interesting article for trivia buffs, Beatles fans and curiosity seekers:
http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/stop-the-presses/abbey-road-cover-art-strolling-back-rock-most-190720943.html
WIT & WISDOM
To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible. - Thomas Aquinas
We hope that, when the insects take over the world, they will remember with gratitude how we took them along on all our picnics. - Bill Vaughan
An army of deer led by a lion is more feared than an army of lions led by a deer. - Philip of Macedonia
