Sunday, September 30, 2012
Karaoke--Extremely Popular at Asia Cafe
According to Wikipedia, “There are disputes about who invented the name karaoke. Daisuke Inoue of Kobe, Japan is said to have been the first person to use a machine in which recorded music of popular tunes lacking the vocals was used in the “sing-along” style. However, in the USA from 1961–1966, the American TV network NBC carried a karaoke-like series, Sing Along with Mitch, featuring host Mitch Miller and a chorus. Viewers could sit at home in the comfort of their living rooms and sing along as the tunes played while the lyrics were superimposed near the bottom of the TV screen.”
Many families have fond memories of gathering around their TV screens for a weekly time of family fun. The primary difference between Karaoke and sing-along songs is the absence of the lead vocalist.
As newer and more high tech inventions followed, the ability for singers to sing-along to cassettes and now to cds has grown. DJs can now use machines on which thousands of tunes are stored, awaiting to be chosen by anyone who has a desire to sing karaoke style.
Karaoke became popular in the USA in the 1980s. Most recently, it has made a huge comeback. Several sites in Knoxville offer this fun style of musical performance weekly.
I dropped in one night at the Asia Café located on 6714 N. Central Pike and Callahan Road, to check out live performances of karaoke.
First, I had the preconceived notion that most karaoke singers were probably not that good. I expected to have to sit through lack-luster performances. Not the case.
On the night I attended Karaoke Night at Asia Café, DJ Darrell Wallace was deep in concentration as he prepared the loud speakers and computer equipment needed by the performers. Wallace began the night with a Travis Tritt hit, but said that his favorite singer is Bob Seger. Wallace does karaoke for fun, but also sings for weddings and performs at other special occasions.
Up next came Ralph, a retiree, who says he enjoys singing karaoke because it “gets me out of the house two times a week.” Ralph is a widower who says his daughter encouraged him to take up karaoke as a hobby. He said, “It makes me feel good and I meet nice people.”
Ralph has been singing since he attended Farragut High School where he won a talent contest. He sings mostly country songs, but will sing classic rock on occasion. He sang, “After the Lovin’” and “For the Good Times.” Ralph’s voice was smooth and he kept perfectly to the beat. He gave a great performance for which the audience clapped and cheered. He is obviously one of the Asia Café’s favorite performers.
Animal, a member of the band, “Listening Post,” sang a hard rock song, “You Give Love a Bad Name,” as Darrell Wallace joined in on the chorus.
Ken, another member of a local band, who has a beautiful voice sang “I’ll Wait for You.”
Lorida, a server at Asia Café, is also a popular singer. Members in the crowd called out to her, “Sing Whitney Houston’s song.” She sang, “I Will Always Love You,” to everyone’s delight.
Several other singers rounded out the night of fun.
Two other DJ s are hosts for karaoke at Asia Café, Big Daddy and Danny Smith. The three DJ s alternate weeks and cover both Fridays and Saturdays from 8 p.m. until around midnight. Big Daddy does more Oldies and Classic Rock, while Danny Smith uses more country tunes. But, each of the three will play the tunes that suit the customers. All karaoke performances are free to singers and audiences.
The night ended with a big bang of what else, “Rocky Top.”
Asia Café’s owner, Phillip Lim, says karaoke is extremely popular. He invites everyone to join in on the fun each Friday and Saturday night in his restaurant.
Karaoke Great Fun at Asia Cafe Phillip Lim, Owner
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Davis Limbaugh and I have become Twitter pals.
Martha Woodward @Sunspherebook 19 Sep
@DavidLimbaugh What was O doing on Letterman while the Mideast is in flames? Poor timing; disrespect to families of dead Americans.
David Limbaugh
@DavidLimbaugh @Sunspherebook Nothing shall interfere with his re-election myopia
08:22 AM - 19 Sep 12
@DavidLimbaugh What was O doing on Letterman while the Mideast is in flames? Poor timing; disrespect to families of dead Americans.
David Limbaugh
@DavidLimbaugh @Sunspherebook Nothing shall interfere with his re-election myopia
08:22 AM - 19 Sep 12
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Saturday, September 15, 2012
from David Limbaugh on Twitter this week :)
@DavidLimbaugh Love your comments. Did you see this? youtube.com/watch?v=sZZ7pp…
Friday, September 14, 2012
Michael Williams, writer/reporter
Michael Williams, editor for the Sevier County News and part-time writer for the Knoxville Journal Newspaper, was well-received as the guest speaker for the Northside Kiwanis Club’s noon meeting at the Foundry on September 12. William told the club members about his book, Stranger Than Fiction: the Lincoln Curse, a collection of 50 interesting, historical events that Williams says are “…the weird and bizarre twists of history.”.
Williams said that, “Studying the strange and unusual aspects of history is like taking a road less traveled and discovering facts seldom chronicled and often overlooked in the grand scheme of historical research.” He said that he had been interested in history since he was a young boy.
Williams said that he spent nine years of freelance writing for more than 30 magazines and newspapers, before he went to work for the Citizen Tribune newspaper in Morristown, Tennessee where his knowledge of history paid off well.
One of the aspects of his job that Williams enjoys is interviewing people who have experienced historical events first hand. One interview he conducted was with Frank Buckles, who, at the age of 107, was the last veteran of World War I. Williams said that he also interviewed Dutch Van Kirk, the navigator of the Enola Gay which dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. He interviewed veterans of Pearl Harbor, Iwo Jima, and D-Day as well as a survivor of the U.S.S. Indianapolis tragedy. He has interviewed numerous politicians, actors, country music stars, athletes, authors and comedians.
In 2008 he covered a funeral that would prove pivotal in his career as a writer. It was the funeral of a sailor killed in World War II whose body was discovered in 2007 and returned home in 2008, 65 years after he was killed. The funeral was in Sneedville, Tennessee, and Williams’ story was picked up by the Associated Press and ran in newspapers across the nation. He soon began stringing for the AP.
Williams said that his fascination with strange historical facts prompted him to write “Stranger than Fiction: The Lincoln Curse,” a collection of 50 stories that have to be true because no one could make them up.
Michael Williams lives in Sevierville, Tennessee with his wife of 29 years. He also works as a contributing writer for the Associated Press and the Civil War Courier. He can be contacted at www.seviercountynews.com.
Williams said that, “Studying the strange and unusual aspects of history is like taking a road less traveled and discovering facts seldom chronicled and often overlooked in the grand scheme of historical research.” He said that he had been interested in history since he was a young boy.
Williams said that he spent nine years of freelance writing for more than 30 magazines and newspapers, before he went to work for the Citizen Tribune newspaper in Morristown, Tennessee where his knowledge of history paid off well.
One of the aspects of his job that Williams enjoys is interviewing people who have experienced historical events first hand. One interview he conducted was with Frank Buckles, who, at the age of 107, was the last veteran of World War I. Williams said that he also interviewed Dutch Van Kirk, the navigator of the Enola Gay which dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. He interviewed veterans of Pearl Harbor, Iwo Jima, and D-Day as well as a survivor of the U.S.S. Indianapolis tragedy. He has interviewed numerous politicians, actors, country music stars, athletes, authors and comedians.
In 2008 he covered a funeral that would prove pivotal in his career as a writer. It was the funeral of a sailor killed in World War II whose body was discovered in 2007 and returned home in 2008, 65 years after he was killed. The funeral was in Sneedville, Tennessee, and Williams’ story was picked up by the Associated Press and ran in newspapers across the nation. He soon began stringing for the AP.
Williams said that his fascination with strange historical facts prompted him to write “Stranger than Fiction: The Lincoln Curse,” a collection of 50 stories that have to be true because no one could make them up.
Michael Williams lives in Sevierville, Tennessee with his wife of 29 years. He also works as a contributing writer for the Associated Press and the Civil War Courier. He can be contacted at www.seviercountynews.com.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Monday, September 10, 2012
TN Solar Energy Association Hosts D-I-Y Solar Workshop
Joyce Chao, programs director for the Tennessee Solar Energy Association, announces a conference to be held at the UT Conference Center, Thursday October 18th, 2012.
According to Chao, “The Tennessee Solar Energy Association (TSEA) in collaboration with the Tennessee Renewable Energy and Economic Development Council (TREEDC), is holding a workshop for those interested in installing solar for their homes, businesses and farms.”
The workshop will be held at the U.T. Conference Center in downtown Knoxville, also known as the former Miller‘s Building. The date for the workshop is the evening of October 18th beginning at 6 pm and ending at 9:30p.m. Details are available on TNSolarEnergy.org and a way to sign-up for the event is found under the Events heading of the website.
During this educational workshop, experts will give you all the information needed by parties that are interested in solar for their home or business and are looking to reduce the cost by doing some or all of the work themselves. You will receive a manual containing articles on each aspect of solar purchasing of equipment and how the equipment is assembled to produce electricity from sunlight. The manual will contain examples of home solar projects as published in Home Power magazine who has given permission to make copies of the most relevant material for you.
Stephen Levy, the organization’s technical director, said, “After all, if there is one source of power you can rely on, it is the sun. It has been doing its job for some millions of years so reliability is a non-issue. With all the current challenges and changes that have been happening in our country recently, we need to be active more than ever to make sure solar energy takes off in the near future.”
Registration may be completed using the convenience of PayPal or your credit card. The cost for the dinner buffet, the manual and the instruction is $30 for everyone except for TSEA and TREEDC members who will have a $5 discount. The cost is kept as low as possible; a confirmation will be sent by email. Space is limited to 40 persons, so sign-up today. Free parking will be available at the Locust Street garage across the street from the U.T. Conference Center.
The Tennessee Solar Energy Association is a non-profit charter- member of the American Solar Energy Society (ASES). TSEA is dedicated to educating Tennesseans about the many unique benefits of using solar energy. TSEA invites all solar energy professionals, educators, policy makers, business people, and environmentally conscious citizens to join in teaching others to view our sun’s energy output as the extremely valuable resource it is.
TSEA believes that widespread adoption of solar technology in the state of Tennessee will help create energy independence, lessen harmful environmental impacts, and result in cost savings for consumers.
For more information about the workshop on solar energy, Thursday, October 18th, 2012 at the UT Conference Center - 413C. Contact Steve Levy, the organization’s technical director, at: steve@tnsolarenergy.org (865) 974-1838 (office), 311Conference Center, Street. B3 Knoxville, TN 37996. Contact: Joyce Chao, programs director
Joyce@tnsolarenergy.org; (865) 974-1838 (office); (404) 543-2709 (cell)
Friday, September 7, 2012
My purpose in writing this invitation is to offer the community an opportunity to attend and participate in talks by outstanding individuals during lunch held at the Orangery on the third Thursday of most months.
I am president of the Knoxville Torch Cub and we have a luncheon once a month during the school calendar. Most of our members are retired professionals as well as former professors at the University as well as those wanting stimulating learning experiences and stimulating discussions.
We invite guests to join us for our September 20th meeting where Sam Venable will be speaking. Below is our publicity for the meeting.
There will be no charge for attending other than the cost of your meal. We meet at noon and order our meals first. While the meals are being prepared, the speaker will present his'/her talk. During the meal we can ask questions of the speaker. So join us this September 20th.
Sam Veneable will be speaking at the Orangery on September 20th during lunch and the public is invited. Plan to enjoy Sam’s stories that few people can tell as well as he can.
Bring a friend and share this special opportunity to have a delicious lunch and the best humor this side of the Mississippi.
No reservations are needed but we request that you RSVP Mr. Levy at steve@esper.com or call him at the number below.
Time: noon until 1 pm
Place: Orangery Restaurant, Kingston Pike
Date: September 20th
This is the September meeting of the Torch Club International, Knoxville Chapter.
For more information on the meeting contact Stephen Levy, President, at 865-805-2313 or email him at steve@esper.com
TN Solar Energy Association Hosts D-I-Y Solar Workshop
Joyce Chao, programs director for the Tennessee Solar Energy Association, announces a conference to be held at the UT Conference Center, Thursday October 18th, 2012.
According to Chao, “The Tennessee Solar Energy Association (TSEA) in collaboration with the Tennessee Renewable Energy and Economic Development Council (TREEDC), is holding a workshop for those interested in installing solar for their homes, businesses and farms.”
The workshop will be held at the U.T. Conference Center in downtown Knoxville, also known as the former Miller‘s Building. The date for the workshop is the evening of October 18th beginning at 6 pm and ending at 9:30p.m. Details are available on TNSolarEnergy.org and a way to sign-up for the event is found under the Events heading of the website.
During this educational workshop, experts will give you all the information needed by parties that are interested in solar for their home or business and are looking to reduce the cost by doing some or all of the work themselves. You will receive a manual containing articles on each aspect of solar purchasing of equipment and how the equipment is assembled to produce electricity from sunlight. The manual will contain examples of home solar projects as published in Home Power magazine who has given permission to make copies of the most relevant material for you.
Stephen Levy, the organization’s technical director, said, “After all, if there is one source of power you can rely on, it is the sun. It has been doing its job for some millions of years so reliability is a non-issue. With all the current challenges and changes that have been happening in our country recently, we need to be active more than ever to make sure solar energy takes off in the near future.”
Registration may be completed using the convenience of PayPal or your credit card. The cost for the dinner buffet, the manual and the instruction is $30 for everyone except for TSEA and TREEDC members who will have a $5 discount. The cost is kept as low as possible; a confirmation will be sent by email. Space is limited to 40 persons, so sign-up today. Free parking will be available at the Locust Street garage across the street from the U.T. Conference Center.
The Tennessee Solar Energy Association is a non-profit charter- member of the American Solar Energy Society (ASES). TSEA is dedicated to educating Tennesseans about the many unique benefits of using solar energy. TSEA invites all solar energy professionals, educators, policy makers, business people, and environmentally conscious citizens to join in teaching others to view our sun’s energy output as the extremely valuable resource it is.
TSEA believes that widespread adoption of solar technology in the state of Tennessee will help create energy independence, lessen harmful environmental impacts, and result in cost savings for consumers.
For more information about the workshop on solar energy, Thursday, October 18th, 2012 at the UT Conference Center - 413C. Contact Steve Levy, the organization’s technical director, at: steve@tnsolarenergy.org (865) 974-1838 (office), 311Conference Center, Street. B3 Knoxville, TN 37996. Contact: Joyce Chao, programs director
Joyce@tnsolarenergy.org; (865) 974-1838 (office); (404) 543-2709 (cell)
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