Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Name-calling

One stereotype of intellectually gifted people presented in movies such as “Revenge of the Nerds” and “Sixteen Candles” is that of the “geek” or “nerd,” the physically unattractive, socially awkward genius. How did these words come to characterize so many people? Dr. Scott Carnicom, associate dean of the University Honors College, says, “The word ‘geek,’ which can be found in Shakespeare, was originally used to describe simpletons or sideshow circus folk. But in the 1960s it began to be used interchangeably with ‘freak’ and, eventually, ‘nerd.’ The first literary reference to the word ‘nerd’ is from the 1950 Dr. Seuss book If I Ran the Zoo, in which it is a word made up by guys to name an imaginary or fantastical creature. In 1951, the term ‘nerd’ showed up in a Newsweek article as a synonym for ‘drip’ or ‘square.’” (Anderegg, 2008, "Nerds.")

Contact Carnicom at 615-494-7611.
carnicom@mtsu.edu

Stacks of wax and pounds of sound

This year, the Memphis Music and Heritage Festival will feature Martin Fisher, director of Recorded Music Collections at MTSU’s Center for Popular Music, demonstrating his talent for recording sound the old-fashioned way. He will enable festivalgoers to record their own voices with genuine original Edison phonograph equipment on modern cylinders that have a chemical composition similar to those used by Edison. Participants also will be able to listen to themselves through Fisher’s old-fashioned horn. The Memphis Music and Heritage Festival is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 5, and Sunday, Sept. 6, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day. Admission is free.

Contact Fisher at 615-898-5509.
wmfisher@mtsu.edu

Follow the yellow BRIC road.

Brazil, Russia, India and China are four of the most dynamic nations in global trade today. A Goldman Sachs analyst coined the acronym BRIC to describe them collectively in 2001. Dr. Steven Livingston, editor of Global Commerce, says, “The BRIC is important because many assert the lion’s share of global growth over future years will be in these four markets. In the case of international trade, the four already account for 14 percent of world imports outside of the U.S. Projections are that this figure will become much greater in future years. These nations will of necessity become much bigger targets for U.S. and Tennessee exporters.”

Contact Livingston at 615-898-2720.
slivings@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

GETTING TO KNOW US--Week of Welcome activities continue today, Sept. 1, and tomorrow, Sept. 2, with “Meet Murfreesboro” in the Keathley University Center courtyard and a performance by stand-up comic Ralphie May at 8 p.m. tonight in Murphy Center. On Thursday, Sept. 3, it’s the MTSU Department Fair from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the courtyard, where free cookies and lemonade also will be available. The Blue Raider Bash will start at 5 o’clock Thursday night. On Tuesday, Sept. 8, the courtyard will be the venue for the Volunteer Fair from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The Student Organization Fair is slated for 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9. From 8 p.m.-midnight on Friday, Sept. 11, it’s “Dance the Night Away” in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. Contact Randy Weiler in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919 or jweiler@mtsu.edu.

YOUKOSO! (WELCOME!) -- Dignitaries from Fukushima University, led by Vice President Shuji Shimizu, will visit MTSU through Thursday, Sept. 3, to explore expanding the universities’ existing relationship through student exchange. In addition, the educators will discuss ideas for the long-term planning of Fukushima’s Faculty of Economics and Business and Administration (FEBA). MTSU’s comprehensive partnership with the Japanese institution formally began with the signing of an agreement in 1996. “Fukushima University is one of the oldest international partners of MTSU with much collaborative faculty research in the past, but there has been little student exchange,” says Dr. Kiyoshi Kawahito, Advisor to the President and the Provost on Asian Affairs and professor emeritus of economics and finance. Contact Gina Logue in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.

WHEN YOU YEARN TO LEARN--MTSU professors, past and present, will serve as some of the tour guides for the 19th annual “Adventures in Learning,” an interesting educational experience for persons age 50 and older, on four successive Mondays, Sept. 14, 21, and 28, and Oct. 5, at First United Methodist Church, 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. Topics to be explored include recreation, literature, country music, genealogy, technology, ethnicity and history. Classes will last from 9:30-10:30 a.m. and 10:45-11:45 a.m. “Adventures in Learning” is made possible by a local interfaith coalition. The cost for all four weeks is $8 in advance or $10 after Sept. 2. Lunch reservations and payments must be made in advance of the classes. Lunch will be catered by Carolyn’s Creations, followed by forums on various items of civic interest. Contact Mary Belle Ginanni at 615-895-6072.

SOLID AS A ROCK BLOK—Registration is open now for this fall’s Rock Blok workshop at MTSU. Young musicians ages 10-17 can learn music, make friends and form a band at the workshop, which is slated to begin this Saturday, September 5. “When a student signs up, he or she is assigned to a band with other students,” says Ryan York, executive leader of Youth Empowerment through Arts and Humanities (YEAH!) and workshop leader. “Each band has two professional musicians as volunteer teachers. The students then spend two hours each Saturday learning music, working up a set list, making merchandise for their band, recording an album and writing music.” At the conclusion of the workshop, the bands will perform in concert. The fee is $40 a month ($120 total). For more information, go to http://www.yeahintheboro.org/, send an e-mail to info@YEAHintheBoro.org, or call 615-849-8140.

PRESSING ON--The legacy of MTSU’s working replica of an 18th century printing press will be explained through photos and prints as part of an exhibit at the main branch of the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church St., through Sept. 27. The exhibit is titled “Telling the Story: Letterpress Printing and Community.” The university’s segment will include the story of letterpress printing at MTSU. The works of current MTSU art students; alumni; visiting artists; faculty; elementary, middle- and high-school teachers and students who printed on the James E. Walker Library’s unique device will be highlighted. A reproduction of the English common press used by Benjamin Franklin in the early 1700s, the printing press was handcrafted in 2004 and 2005 out of chestnut and white oak wood from a 100-year-old house in Virginia. Contact Kristen Keene at 615-898-5376 or kkeene@mtsu.edu.

ART FROM THE HEART--The Todd Art Gallery at MTSU will present the art department’s 2009 biennial Faculty Art Exhibition through Sept. 17. “This exhibit will feature works of art by faculty members as a way to introduce their work to art majors, the broader campus population and the community,” says Eric Snyder, gallery curator, who adds that the artworks represented will vary in media and styles—from representational, abstract and non-objective to traditional media in a straightforward manner and mixed media with a “twist.” The gallery, which is located in the Todd Building on the MTSU campus, is open from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. each Monday-Friday and is closed on state and university holidays. Admission is always free. Contact Snyder at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.