Thursday, October 5, 2006

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

The Bredesen bandwagon

Gov. Phil Bredesen holds a nearly three-to-one lead over his Republican opponent, Jim Bryson, in the latest MT Poll. The telephone survey of 549 Tennesseans conducted Sept. 19-30 finds Bredesen with 59 percent to Bryson’s 21 percent among the state’s likeliest voters. About a fifth of the likeliest voters are still undecided. Among Tennesseans in general, Bredesen leads Bryson 52 percent to 19 percent with 29 percent undecided. The governor even has a strong showing among Republicans. The survey finds 37 percent of Republicans support Bryson, but 34 percent back Bredesen with 28 percent undecided.
The poll has a margin of error or plus or minus four percentage points.

Contact Dr. Ken Blake, acting director, MT Poll, at 615-210-6187.
kblake@mtsu.edu
For total poll results, go to http://www.mtsusurveygroup.org.

The Bush beleaguerment

President Bush’s approval rating isn’t much better with Tennesseans than it is nationwide, according to the latest MT Poll. The survey finds 40 percent of respondents still back Bush, compared to 42 percent last spring. But the statewide approval ratings are divided along partisan lines. Seventy-seven percent of Tennessee Republicans and those who refuse identification approve of Bush’s handling of the presidency, compared with 31 percent of independents and those with other affiliations. Only 10 percent of Democrats and those listing no political affiliation approve of Bush. Overall, 43 percent agree with the way Bush is handling terrorism, and 35 percent approve of his handling of the war in Iraq.

Contact Dr. Bob Wyatt, founding director, MT Poll, at 615-477-8389.
rwyatt@mtsu.edu
For total poll results, go to http://www.mtsusurveygroup.org.

Real men don’t hit women.

Author and educator Rus Funk (spelling is correct) will deliver an address titled “What’s a Guy to Do?” from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10, in the Keathley University Center (KUC) Theatre. Funk will talk about the effects of domestic violence, prevention strategies and educating men to be allies in this Domestic Violence Awareness Month event sponsored by the June Anderson Women’s Center and the student organization Women 4 Women. In addition, Funk will provide specific training for various groups in the campus community in a workshop from 4 p.m to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11 in the KUC Theatre. The author of Reaching Men: Strategies for Preventing Sexist Attitudes, Behaviors and Violence, Funk is on the faculty of the Kent School of Social Work at the University of Louisville and the Spalding University School of Social Work.

Contact the Women’s Center at 615-898-2193.
jawc@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

THE SPIN CYCLE--Where does the news leave off and propaganda from special interest groups begin? Dr. Jay Black, Poynter Jamison Chair in Media Ethics, emeritus, at the University of South Florida, will address that question in a guest lecture at 6 p.m. TONIGHT in Room 104 of the John Bragg Mass Communication Building. “He will initially describe and analyze the new and often-deceptive media mosaic, making note of relevant semantic and ethical dilemmas, and then outline possible remedies for media consumers and practitioners,” Dr. Thomas Cooper, ethicist-in-residence at MTSU, says. Black says, “My fundamental argument is that propaganda is inevitable, that it is not just what the ‘bad guys’ do, that contemporary society relishes propaganda [and] that media cater to our closed-mindedness as willing recipients of propaganda.” Contact Cooper at twcooper@comcast.net

THE SWEET SMELL OF SCIENCE--Registration is open for the 2006 Expanding Your Horizons in Math and Science. The conference for girls in grades 5-8 will be held from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, across the MTSU campus. Open to the first 300 girls who register, EYH will be celebrating its 10th anniversary on campus. To register, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/~EYH. Look for the registration button on the left side. Complete, print out, and mail the form to: Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, c/o MTSU EYH, P.O. Box 161, Murfreesboro, Tenn. 37132. REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS TOMORROW. For more information, contact Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross at 615-904-8253 or eyh@mtsu.edu or jiriarte@mtsu.edu

ALUMNI ART--The art works of 24 MTSU alumni are on display at the Todd Gallery through TOMORROW. Paintings, prints, clay work, sculpture and graphic design imagery are among the featured media. The artists represent alumni from 1960 through 2004. Dr. Lon Nuell, art, says, “Their works are seen across the country and internationally in galleries and museums, are found in private collections, and seen in regional and national publications.” The Todd Gallery is open 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. each Monday-Friday and closed on all state holidays. Admission is always free. Contact Nuell at 615-898-2505 or lrnuell@mtsu.edu

FOUR CONCERTS FOR FREE--The four-event Presidential Concert Series at MTSU will open with Requiem by Frigyes Hidas and will feature the MTSU Wind Ensemble, MTSU Concert Chorale and soloists beginning at 7:30 p.m. THIS SATURDAY in the Hinton Music Hall of the Wright Music Building. Requiem has been noted for its groundbreaking scoring. Written in memory of the deceased from every war in history, it is the first work of its kind composed for winds rather than full orchestra, although it follows the traditional form of a requiem. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Tim Musselman at 615-898-2493 or visit the calendar of events at http://www.mtsumusic.com.

ABLE IN THE ARTS--Internationally renowned actress/writer/teacher Estelle Condra will deliver the keynote address for Arts Talk, a two-day conference and career forum for artists with disabilities, TOMORROW AND SATURDAY at MTSU. Condra, who is blind due to retinitis pigmentosa, will speak at 12:45 p.m. in the Business Aerospace Building. Another feature of the conference will be the Tennessee premiere of “The Goal,” an award-winning film by Darla Rae that stars MTSU alumna Laura Dodd, from 4-6 p.m. Oct. 6 in Tucker Theatre. In addition, “we will have people on campus discussing Social Security issues, legal issues, portfolio development and more,” says Lori Kissinger, MTSU speech and theatre instructor. Contact Kissinger at 615-826-5252 or userk7706@aol.com