Thursday, February 28, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

The war of words

Did Tuesday night’s debate between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama give either candidate a boost going into the March 4 contests in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont? Dr. John Vile, chair of the Department of Political Science, says the latest war of words in Cleveland was “a bit like the basketball game between Vanderbilt and the University of Tennessee, albeit without an upset. The contest was well fought and both candidates made their share of scores, but by the end of the contest, the momentum does not appear to have shifted. There is of course, one big difference. We don't have an actual score. The audience has to keep track of the ‘baskets’ on its own, and partisans of both candidates are likely to think that their candidate won!” Vile adds, “The audience will have to judge whether one of the player's (Clinton's) charges of ‘foul play’ had any validity.”

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

Melody money

Should performing artists and/or their record labels be paid royalties for over-the-air broadcasts of music? At present, only composers get such royalties. Legislation pending in Congress would change all that. Ken Sanney, adjunct professor of recording industry and practicing attorney, says, “The proposed legislation seems to have two policy purposes at its core. First, it seems aimed at providing another source of revenue to the music industry at a time when the industry is struggling with illegal downloads and the new digital marketplace. Second, the legislation seems aimed at equalizing the disparate treatment over-the-air radio receives as compared to digital radio.”

Contact Sanney at 615-456-6502.
ksanney@mtsu.edu

No one can stop the air force.

Here’s a simple experiment you can perform at home to give you an idea of what atmospheric air force is like. (Please, wear eye protection, and make sure children are supervised by adults.) Dr. Preston MacDougall, chemistry, says, “Place a pan of cold water next to a stovetop heating element on high. Put a teaspoon of water in an empty Coke can, and place it on the pre-heated element. Let the water come to a boil, and wait until the steam is escaping rapidly. Then, using salad or BBQ tongs, quickly turn the can over, putting the top of the can just under the surface of the cold water. What you will witness is literally a crushing air hug at Mach speed. As surprising as it is, this 300-pound display is a tiny fraction of the awesome and ever-present air force.”

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

TR EXTRA

CHOOSE TO THRIVE—“Choosing to Thrive, No Matter What” is the theme of the 2008 Association of Non-Traditional Students in Higher Education (ANTSHE) Conference, which MTSU will host on the weekend of Feb. 29 and Mar. 1-2. A gathering of adult students who are striving to balance the responsibilities of work and family life while enriching their education and the career academics who serve them, the conference will give the students and the professionals a chance to come together and share strategies. Dr. Cara DiMarco, a licensed psychologist and counselor at the Lane Community College’s Transition for Success Program in Eugene, Ore., will deliver the keynote address. For more information, contact Dr. Carol Ann Baily at 615-898-5989. Specific conference information and a detailed itinerary are available at http://www.antshe/org/2008/Conference/index.htm.

THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF INVENTION—The Invention Convention, sponsored by elementary and special education and State Farm Insurance, is a special event held every year to provide young entrepreneurs with the opportunity to showcase their creativity and ingenuity. This year’s event will be today, Feb. 28, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building. The event will involve approximately 175 games and inventions. For more information, contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919.