Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Popcorn politics

In an infotainment media culture, political motion pictures can gain more traction with the public than one might think. Dr. Mark Byrnes, associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and political science professor, says, “I would argue … that film is actually a pretty important means of communication, and, in some respects, is going to reach a whole lot more people, certainly, than most political science books.” Byrnes’ two caveats are movies that are released just before an election in an apparent attempt to influence the outcome, like “Fahrenheit 9/11,” or attempts to understand how politics and government work in the real world on the basis of fictional feature films—for example, “JFK.”

Contact Byrnes at 615-898-2351.
mbyrnes@mtsu.edu

Get your kicks on Route 66.

Noted photographer Tom Mallonee’s exhibit, “Evidence of Passing: Vanishing Points along an American Road,” opened recently and will be displayed until Dec. 4 in the Baldwin Photographic Gallery in MTSU’s McWherter Learning Resources Center. Tom Jimison, electronic media communication professor and gallery director, says Mallonee “has pursued large-format black-and-white work since 1979 and often has chosen subjects which stray from conventional notions of western landscape, yet still embrace decisive composition and meticulous printing techniques such as this 14-year project of bypassed sections of Route 66.” Exhibitions are free and open to the public. The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and from 6 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. on Sundays. The gallery will be closed Nov. 27-29.

For information, call 615-898-2085.

A boot in the butt

Matt Williams, the young man who was plucked mid-season out of a publicity stunt to shore up Texas Tech’s kicking game, has a mixed record under game pressure so far. In the Red Raiders’ thrilling, last-minute victory over then-top-ranked Texas, he made a 29-yard field goal, but his 42-yard attempt was blocked. One of the two regular kickers, Donnie Carona, made a 42-yarder. Dr. Mark Anshel, health and human performance, feels for Carona and Teddy Karcasinas, who made the team the regular way and, essentially, have been benched for the sake of a feel-good feature story. “It would seem to me that these kickers have a history of success and that their problem is mental, not mechanical,” Anshel says. “That means they need a coach who can teach them mental skills that deal with performing under pressure.”

Contact Anshel at 615-898-2812.
manshel@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

A WORD IS WORTH A THOUSAND PICTURES--“4 Women 4 Views with Text,” a new art exhibition in MTSU’s James E. Walker Library, features the creativity of three MTSU professors and an MTSU graduate in combining visual and verbal elements, treating visitors to an experience that is at once visceral and intellectual. The works of Assistant Professors Noel Lorson and Kim Dummons, Professor Janet Higgins and alumna Nance Cooley will remain on display through Thursday, Nov. 13, in the Special Collections area on the fourth floor of the library. Viewing is free and open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Susan Hanson, a specialist with the library, says the works on display are individual entities that emerged from the creative spark of the collaborative experience. “It starts with a word, and it begins to take on a life of its own,” Hanson says. Contact Hanson at 615-904-8503 or shanson@mtsu.edu.