Friday, February 9, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

His eye is on the sparrow

Thanks to your generous contributions, the 7th annual Gospel Music Extravaganza at MTSU raised more than $3,147 for a study abroad scholarship and for 13-year-old Jamise Marable. So far, the scholarship program has benefitted Jose Becton, who traveled to Mexico in 2005, and Ruben Hunter, who traveled to London in 2006. Jamise, who sang with her mother at the Feb. 3 concert at Tucker Theatre, lost her hands and feet last year due to complications from pneumonia and kidney failure. Since Jamise was born with a blood disease and is learning to use prosthetic legs and hands, she has a continuing need for help with her medical bills. Further donations are welcome for both the scholarship and Jamise. Please make your checks payable to “MTSU Gospel Extravaganza.”

Contact Mary Glass at 615-898-5145.
mglass@mtsu.edu

Ka-ching!

All three components of MTSU’s Consumer Confidence Index show improvement over December. “Consumers perceive that the current economy is healthy and believe that now is a good time to make large purchases, such as cars, homes, and large items for the house,” Dr. Tim Graeff, director of the Office of Consumer Research, says. “Increases in consumers’ expectations regarding the future of the economy were driven largely by their positive views of the future job market here in Middle Tennessee, as well as positive expectations for their own financial situation.” The report is based on phone interviews with 459 randomly selected adult residents, ages 18 and older, from Davidson, Rutherford and Williamson counties between 4:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. on Jan. 30 and Feb. 1.

Contact Graeff at 615-898-5124.
tgraeff@mtsu.edu

Give peace a chance

Following talks in the Saudi city of Mecca, rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah yesterday signed an agreement to create a unity government. Their respective supporters in Gaza have been responsible for weeks of violence leading up to the negotiations. Dr. Sean Foley, history, says the emerging regional political role of Saudi Arabia is the larger issue. Foley says, “Every Arab state has now formally accepted Saudi King Abdullah’s 2002 Arab-Israeli peace plan. According to the plan, the Arab states would extend full diplomatic recognition to Israel after it withdrew to its pre-June 1967 boundaries and a Palestinian state had come into existence. It has been said for many years that the road to peace in the Middle East runs through Jerusalem. In the future, the road may run through the Saudi capital, Riyadh.”

Contact Foley at 615-904-8294.
sfoley@mtsu.edu


TR EXTRA

THE HEART OF THE BUSINESS MATTER--The Heart of Tennessee Business and Professional Women will present an individual development workshop from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. TOMORROW in Room 314 of Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building. Topics to be tackled include “I’m Not Confused. I Understand You!,” “Recruiting the Right Person for the Right Job,” and “You Have the Right to Write (Legislative Lobbying).” The fee is $35 for BPW members, $40 for non-members, and $20 for all students. Continental breakfast, lunch and handouts are included in the fee. For more information, contact Dr. Janet McCormick, speech and theatre, at 615-904-8208 or jmccormi@mtsu.edu.

VAUDEVILLE ISN’T DEAD!--Five current or former MTSU faculty members will help create an evening of frivolity in An Evening of Chekhov’s Vaudevilles, a presentation of the Murfreesboro Ensemble Theatre (MET) THROUGH FEB. 18 at the Murfreesboro/Rutherford County Center for the Arts. The entertainment will consist of three one-act farces—The Bear, The Proposal, and Swan Song—with short performances by jugglers, magicians, acrobats and singers as interludes. Times are 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 9, 10, 16, and 17 and at 2:00 p.m. on Feb. 11 and 18. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for children and seniors. The Center for the Arts, a non-profit organization, is located at 110 West College Street. For ticket information, call 615-904-ARTS. To interview director Ayne Cantrell, call 615-893-1786 or write to acantrell@comcast.net. To interview MET founder and artistic director Tom Harris, call 615-895-0755 or write to millermn@comcast.net.

SOUTH OF THE BORDER--“Landscapes of Mexico,” a photography exhibit featuring the works of Hector Montes de Oca, is on display through February 28 at Baldwin Photographic Gallery in the Learning Resources Center. The exhibit is made up of 40 silver gelatine black-and-white prints. He is considered to be one of the most prominent Mexican photographers of his generation. He is especially distinguished for his black-and-white landscapes, which reveal his native country in a most striking and intimate manner. The exhibit will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Mr. de Oca will present a slide show/lecture on his work at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 28, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of the Business Aerospace Building. Exhibitions and lectures are free and open to the public. Contact Tom Jimison at 615-898-2085 or tjimison@mtsu.edu.

ROCK, ROLL, AND RUN THE MIXING BOARD--If you missed the first Youth Culture and Arts Center recording workshop series of the year, you still have plenty of chances to learn cassette four-track, digital eight-track, computer recording and electronic music. It’s the hippest, smartest extracurricular activity your kids will ever enjoy. Children ages 12-17 are invited to participate under the tutelage of Ryan York, teacher of guitar, bass and drums at Chambers Guitars and Musical Instruments in Murfreesboro for a fee of $125. Classes are taught in Room 149 of the John Bragg Mass Communication Building each Thursday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and each Sunday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Registration is open now for the next session, which will last from Feb. 15 through Mar. 11. For more information, contact York at bororecording@gmail.com.