Monday, August 28, 2006

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Cameras in the courtroom

Tennessee Supreme Court Justice Riley Anderson has been quoted as saying, “It has been my hope since the adoption of Rule 30 (allowing cameras in the courtroom) that cable television will provide gavel-to-gavel coverage of everyday trials on a daily basis.” Dr. Bob Pondillo, electronic media communication, says that would be a good thing as long as coverage is handled the way C-SPAN handles coverage of the Congress. “Clearly, the presiding judge would (and should) have control over any TV transmission from his or her courtroom,” Pondillo says. “A judge may not wish to present, say, children who are asked to take the stand or any transmission that, in the court’s opinion, would compromise justice or a fair trial.”

Contact Pondillo at 615-904-8465.
pondillo@mtsu.edu

Sweat addiction

Even in a nation where obesity is an epidemic, some women suffer from what is known as “compulsive exercising” or “exercise abuse.” Dr. Rebecca Johns-Wommack, health and human performance, says, “Women are getting pressure from every angle in their lives: from the media, clothes manaufacturers, family, men and other women. It is an epidemic that is getting worse and worse and at younger and younger ages.” Johns-Wommack says some women exercise more than two hours a day while consuming only 1,000 calories a day. Still, they don’t understand why their bodies are under enormous stress.

Contact Johns-Wommack at 615-898-2904.
rjohns@mtsu.edu

Pluto is still Mickey Mouse’s dog.

Does it matter that the International Astronomical Union has lowered Pluto’s status from that of the ninth planet in our solar system to that of a “dwarf planet?” Dr. Preston MacDougall, chemistry, says, “… most, if not all, scientists would agree that it is important to classify planet-like objects in some way. It is only through measurement and classification that regularities (or irregularities) in the natural world become apparent. … Systematic and agreed-upon methods of classifying such objects may one day lead to an understanding of the requirements for Earth-sized planets. This would focus the scanning for Earth-like planets themselves, which is currently like searching for a needle … in a haystack.”

Contact MacDougall at 615-898-5265.
pmacdoug@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

RUN FOR THE VETERANS--Pay tribute to the MTSU faculty, staff, alumni and students who lost their lives while serving in the armed forces by taking part in the MTSU Veterans Memorial Run/Walk at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17. There will be individual and team awards for top finishers in all age and gender divisions. Each pre-registered entrant will receive a race T-shirt. Early registration is $15, and online registration will close at 8 p.m. Central time Friday, Sept. 15. All proceeds will go towards construction of an on-campus memorial to military personnel. Media welcomed. For more information, contact Maj. Chuck Giles at 1-888-682-7682 or cgiles@mtsu.edu

BAKE IT AND TAKE IT--The Blue Raider Bake Off and Blue Raider Bash are slated for 5:45 p.m. TOMORROW next to Cummings Hall. Members of the campus community will enter delicious desserts for a chance to win a tailgate party to feed 15 people. There are two categories—one for students and one for staff, faculty and administration. There will be a winner in each of the two categories. The applications are available at http://www.mtsu.edu/~nsfp.Click on Welcome Week, then Big Fat Blue Raider Bake Off, then application. Fill it out and turn it in to Keathley University Center, Room 326. MTSU student athletes will be on hand and there will be plenty of barbecue. All the eats are FREE, and the event is OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Media welcomed. Contact Rob Patterson, coordinator, New Student and Family Programs at 615-898-2454 or rpatters@mtsu.edu

AGRARIAN ART—“The Upper Cumberland Collection: The Plateau Years” is on display at the Baldwin Photographic Gallery in the McWherter Learning Resources Center through Sept. 8. These photos are by Jack Stoddart, who began his career photographing a disappearing culture between 1971 and 1974. The gelatin silver images became a mainstay of future exhibits chronicling the last vestiges of an agrarian lifestyle that still existed in rural north central Tennessee. There will be a lecture by Stoddart at 7:30 p.m. on Wed., Sept. 6 in Room 104 of the John Bragg Mass Communication Building. A reception will follow in the gallery. Exhibitions are free and open to the public Mon.-Fri. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Sat. Noon-4 p.m. For more information contact Tom Jimison, curator, at 651-898-2085 or tjimison@mtsu.edu

DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE, DOUBLE YOUR FUN—Enjoy Japanese hospitality and learn more about the Asia-related courses offered at MTSU as the Japan-U.S. Program welcomes new Japanese students, their friends and all students enrolled in Japan-related courses at TWO parties THIS FRIDAY. The first event will take place from 5-6:30 p.m. in the SunTrust Room of the Business Aerospace Building. The follow-up party, or niji-kai, will take place at the home of Dr. Kiyoshi Kawahito, 202 Eventide Drive in Murfreesboro, at 7 p.m. Guests will include exchange students from partner institutions in Japan, Korea and the Philippines. But Kawahito says, “ … many returning Japanese students take this as a ‘welcome back party’ for them and as a great occasion to eat good foods—as much as they want. During the second party, I keep cooking, cooking and cooking.” For further information, especially about directions and parking, call the Japan-U.S. Program at 615-898-2229 or send an e-mail to japan@mtsu.edu

BLOOD SPORT--MTSU vs. Tennessee Tech: It’s the Thursday, Sept. 14 football game and Sept. 12-13 blood drive. MT athletics and the Student Government Association arefully behind the Red Cross blood drive that will be held from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. both days. Anyone 17-and-over with a valid ID can participate. MTSU will compete against its longtime Ohio Valley Conference rival to see which school can “pump up” the most blood. For more information, call Jennifer Kirk, KUC event coordinator, at 615-898-2590.