Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Rev. Jerry Falwell (1933-2007)

The founder of the Moral Majority, Rev. Jerry Falwell, died yesterday after being found unconscious at his desk at Liberty University. Of the Falwell legacy, Dr. John Vile, chair of the Department of Political Science, says, “Falwell helped evangelical Christians, many of whom had largely abandoned the political scene after the Scopes ‘Monkey Trial’ of 1925, re-engage and become politically involved. Although critics continue to question his own applications of Christian principles of politics, there is little doubt that he has increased political participation and that his efforts have had an effect. The university that he founded has recently established a law school, which could further increase participation in the profession by evangelical Christians.”

Contact Vile at 615-898-2596.
jvile@mtsu.edu

Back in the day

Are you old enough to remember a time when computers were not yet a way of life? Dr. Preston MacDougall, chemistry, tells a story of a woman who had been removed from her office when managers voted to bring in new IBM machines. “I don’t doubt that when she and her co-workers were forced into retirement they were told of the promise that computers held for revolutionizing scientific research,” MacDougall says. “Young iPod-toting kids today wouldn’t be too impressed by a refrigerator-sized computer that only has 16 megabytes of memory (enough for only 4 songs!) and a disk drive the size of a dishwasher that held another 80 megabytes, but only if the air conditioner was working.”

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

Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be

In a recent discussion, a friend of Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, said that the media were better just a few years ago than they are now. Burriss responds with a look at history. “As far back as the 1700s, people were complaining about the harmful effects of music,” he says. “And the complaints haven’t stopped yet, as every generation has found something new to worry about. In the late ‘50s, audiences got all upset about ‘Elvis the Pelvis,’ and some of his television appearances were filmed by the police for possible court action. After The Beatles came along, some radio stations sponsored what they called ‘Record Breaking Days,’ in which listeners were urged to bring their records and other Beatle paraphernalia to collection points where they would be broken and burned. And I bet no one was concerned about all of the carcinogens being released from the burning vinyl records.”

Contact Burriss at 615-898-2983.
lburriss@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

ROCK ON!--Registration will run through May 31 for the fifth annual Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp (SGRRC), a week-long music day camp for girls ages 10-17 slated for July 16-21 on the campus of MTSU. Volunteers will tutor the campers in vocals, keyboards, drums, guitar, and electronic music. The girls will learn about other aspects of the music industry through workshops in subjects such as photography, music journalism, recording, DIY arts and crafts, and songwriting, as well as panel discussions with industry insiders. Throughout the week, campers will form their own bands, write songs, and practice two hours each day with volunteer band managers. At the end of the week, the girls will show off their talents in a Saturday night showcase in Tucker Theatre. For more information, visit http://www.sgrrc.org, call 615-849-8140, or send an e-mail to sgrrc05@gmail.com.

ACCORDING TO CUSTOMS--CUSTOMS, the summer orientation for new MTSU students and family members, will begin a two-month run May 30-31 and will continue until July 31. CUSTOMS is a two-day session to aid the transition of new undergraduate students to the university, prepare them for educational opportunities, and to initiate the integration of new students into the intellectual, cultural and social climate of MTSU. College of Basic and Applied Sciences and College of Mass Communication majors may attend CUSTOMS May 30-31, June 8-9, June 19-20, July 10-11, July 24-25, and July 30-31. College of Business, College of Education and Behavioral Science and College of Liberal Arts majors may attend June 5-6, June 12-13, June 22-23, July 19-20, and July 30-31. For more information, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/~customs, e-mail customs@mtsu.edu or call 615-898-5533. For questions about admission status, call 615-898-2111.

THE GRIDIRON GIRLS, WHOSE THEME SONG IS “THANK YOU FOR BEING AN END”--MTSU Head Football Coach Rick Stockstill and the MTSU football staff invite you to join them for the 2007 Ladies Football Clinic on Saturday, July 14 in Murphy Center. The clinic, which will feature seminars on strategy, equipment, training and rules, will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with registration slated to start at 8 a.m. Ladies will be encouraged to take part in coaches’ drills and demonstrations. The goal is to provide a fun learning experience. Participants will receive commemorative T-shirts and lunch will be provided. The cost of the clinic is $25 dollars. For the children, the Rick Stockstill Youth Camp for rising 1st through 8th graders will be held June 4-7. For more information, contact Danny Lewis at 615-898-2311.

FROM POLE TO POLE--The National Pole Bending Association will hold its second annual national pole bending championship May 19 and 20 at MTSU’s Tennessee Miller Coliseum. Pole bending is a timed event in which a horse and mounted rider weave their way around poles arranged in a line. More than 250 members from across the country have qualified so far. NPBA founding member Ross Carnahan says, “The first NPBA National Championship was a great success. It was the largest pole bending ever held and we paid out over $35,000. The exhibitors really enjoyed the Tennessee Miller Coliseum and we are really happy we have the opportunity to return there in 2007. The NPBA Web site hails the Miller Coliseum as “a first class facility. It hosts many barrel races and pole bendings and thanks to a tireless crew has a reputation for outstanding ground.” Contact the Tennessee Miler Coliseum at 615-494-8961 or tmc@mtsu.edu.

HOLLYWOOD PLAYS DEAD--Kids will be able to see for themselves how Hollywood creates the blood and gore of severed limbs and other gross stuff in a Special Effects Makeup Workshop from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 19, in Room 120 of the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building at MTSU. Lori Gann-Smith, an assistant professor of speech and theatre at MTSU, will teach youngsters ages 10-18 how to cast and mold body parts and how to decorate them to indicate bruises, abrasions and other injuries for the most realistic possible look. The cost of the workshop is $50 per person with all proceeds benefiting the Youth Culture and Arts Center, which is dedicated to providing “a safe and positive atmosphere for young people to create and experience the arts.” To register, send an e-mail to youthculturecenter@gmail.com or call 615-849-8140.

SPRING FLING--Spring Fling, the postseason competitions of the Tennessee Secondary Schools Athletic Association’s member schools, will take place May 21-26 at various Rutherford County venues. Track and field events, some tennis matches, and Class AAA and all championship baseball games are slated to be held at MTSU, according to the organization’s Web site (http://www.tssaa.org). A study on the local impact of Spring Fling 2006, completed by Dr. David Penn of the MTSU Business and Economic Research Center, found that Spring Fling created a total effect of approximately $3.4 million on the local economy. For more information, contact the Business and Economic Research Center at 615-898-2610 or Mona Herring, vice president, Rutherford County Convention & Visitors Bureau, at 615-278-2014.