Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

They were just so proud to be there.

In the 1920s, ‘30s, and ‘40s, barn dance radio spread country-and-western music nationwide. Its comforting, authentic sounds soothed the soul of a nation first down on its luck and later fighting overseas. The origins of the country music industry can be traced to the barn dance radio shows on WLS (Chicago), WSM (Nashville) and other stations, and women played a major role in both the style and substance of those programs. Dr. Kris McCusker, associate professor of history at MTSU, tells the stories of some of these women, including the legendary Minnie Pearl, in her book Lonesome Cowgirls and Honky Tonk Angels: The Women of Barn Dance Radio. In addition to Minnie Pearl, McCusker profiles Linda Parker, Lily May Ledford, Rose Lee Maphis, and Milly and Dolly Good (The Girls of the Golden West).

Contact McCusker at 615-898-2544.
mccusker@mtsu.edu

The story you’re about to see is true?

CQ Press’ rankings of the “most dangerous cities” according to the latest FBI crime statistics are “meaningless, damaging and irresponsible,” says Richard Rosenfeld of the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Are these figures really meaningful to the average citizen? Carter F. Smith, criminal justice administration, says, “Ultimately, CQ used a proprietary weighting system to rank these cities—they publish the numbers annually expecting controversy. I suggest that citizens use these numbers to determine the potential for crime victimization as they consider doing business, driving and relocating. I personally have no interest in living anywhere near any of the Top Ten. There are no monetary awards for reaching Number One, though more federal dollars may be sent to the local politicians.”

Contact Smith at carterfsmith@gmail.com.

When they begin the benzene …

What does an over-the-counter medication have in common with an instrument of destruction? Dr. Preston MacDougall, chemistry, says, “A staple of the petrochemical industry, benzene is the starting point in the industrial syntheses of compounds ranging from aspirin to high explosives like tetryl.” MacDougall explains, “Benzene is a toxic, naturally occurring hydrocarbon that, along with its name, was originally derived from a resin called gum benzoin. Benzoin is also known as frankincense of Java, even though it is not chemically similar to the Middle Eastern frankincense of the first Christmas. They are only related aromatically, and since the 19th century, whenever a chemist talks about an ‘aromatic compound,’ the reference is not to its aroma, but rather to its chemical, and often structural, similarity to benzene.”

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

TR EXTRA

BRINGING IT UP TO PAR--The National Advisory Board for the Scholars Academy at MTSU presents the first annual Diversity and Multicultural Golf Outing on Wednesday, May 28, at Gaylord Springs Golf Course in Nashville. Founded in 2005, the Scholars Academy was developed to support bright and talented college students who may be underachieving. The Academy generally serves minority and other underserved students who benefit from a culturally rich learning environment. Throughout their collegiate careers, students are mentored and their development enhanced in the following areas: academics, psychological, social, bio-physical, and careers. All students remain in the program until college graduation. For sponsorship, golfer packages, or more information, contact Jerry M. Whitmore, Jr., in the Office of Institutional Diversity at 615-898-5975 or whitmore@mtsu.edu.

“LANGUAGE IS THE DRESS OF THOUGHT.”—SAMUEL JOHNSON--MTSU’s annual Summer Language Institute will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 16-20, June 23-27 and July 28-August 1 at the University School of Nashville. Languages to be taught will include Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Scottish Gaelic, Arabic and Spanish Levels 1 and 2. The innovative teaching methods used at the institute, are designed to teach students a second language the same way they learned their first—by relating vocabulary to movement and learning grammar through storytelling. Students are completely immersed in the language from the first day of instruction in a fun environment. “I can now tell people who regret never having studied a language or who had a bad experience that it is not too late,” says Dr. Shelley Thomas, MTSU associate professor and institute founder. Tuition includes instruction and course materials and must be paid in full by tomorrow, May 15. Contact Thomas at 615-898-5757 or
shthomas@mtsu.edu.

“ENGLAND SWINGS LIKE A PENDULUM DO.”—ROGER MILLER--The Fab Four, miniskirts and go-go boots, the “mods” versus the “rockers”—If you’re looking for a fun and informative course to take this summer, MTSU is offering British Popular Culture from 10:10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday July 7-August 7. This English course, taught by Dr. Jill Hague, will look at the development of popular culture in the United Kingdom after World War II, focusing on innovations in music, film and drama. Students will examine the cultural, historical and political contexts of the 1950s, the phenomenon of “Swinging London” and the Beatles in the 1960s and the rise of punk culture in the 1970s. Contact Hague at 615-904-8123 or ahague@mtsu.edu.

“THE WAITING IS THE HARDEST PART.”—TOM PETTY--With antiwar sentiment stronger than ever in this presidential election year, MTSU’s independent filmmakers await word from some 40 film festivals on how critics (and viewers of YouTube) will receive their latest effort. In fact, the movie is titled “Wait…,” an emotionally powerful examination of an American’s reaction to the news that his son has died in Iraq. Dr. Bob Pondillo, professor of electronic media communication, wrote the screenplay and directed the 9:25 short subject in November 2007 in Murfreesboro with a crew of students and alumni. Pondillo says he suspects the anti-war sentiment expressed in the film might have had a role in its rejection by at least one film festival, The Cinema Society of San Diego, a city with an economy heavily dependent upon seven military bases in the area. To view the film and for more information on “Wait…,” go to http://www.waitfilm.com. Contact Pondillo at 615-904-8465 or pondillo@mtsu.edu.