Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Heaven and Haiti

Understanding the immense suffering resulting from the Haitian earthquake through the perspective of one’s faith can be a struggle. Dr. Rami Shapiro, adjunct professor of religious studies, explains his views. “God is the universe, and the universe exists according to some unbreakable rules,” he writes. “On Earth, one of these rules has to do with plate tectonics: when plates shift, earthquakes and tsunamis happen. There is nothing conscious or deliberate about this. It is not a punishment, a precursor to some greater blessing, or a sign of just how awesome God can be. It is simply the only way God can manifest a planet such as ours. … To me, there is no greater meaning or message or promise in the Haitian tragedy. There is only suffering and people seeking to take advantage of that suffering and people seeking to alleviate that suffering.”

Read Shapiro’s blog at http://rabbirami.blogspot.com.
rabbirami@gmail.com

In unity, there is strength.

The annual Unity Luncheon, a traditional kickoff event for MTSU’s celebration of Black History Month, will be held Wed., Feb. 3, starting at 11 a.m. in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for MTSU students with university ID. The Unity Luncheon recognizes black citizens who have contributed their time and talent for the enrichment and welfare of the entire community and the state of Tennessee. This year’s honorees are Mary McKnight Wade, the first African-American woman to be elected to the Murfreesboro City School Board; Nora L. Clark Waters, a foster parent and member of the Rutherford County Foster Care Association for more than 20 years; and Eugene Ray, Bedford County Mayor.

Contact Brenda Wunder at 615-898-2591 for tickets or information.
bwunder@mtsu.edu

The People’s Republic of Cyberspace

Is making a buck more important than standing up for free speech? Google is threatening to pull out of China after an attack on its network. If the company cannot negotiate a legal unfiltered search engine, it will leave the market. But rival Microsoft is not leaving, despite documented government interference with the Internet. Dr. Larry Burriss, journalism, says, “Well, the answer to that problem is simply not to do business with countries that abuse human rights--or to say to the repressive government, ‘If you want our products, here’s what we want you to do.’ After all, software companies do that sort of thing to American consumers all the time. Just look at the licensing agreement. Just imagine what will happen if they catch you violating the agreement.”

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

TR EXTRA

CLASSICAL CLASS--John Hill, a professor in MTSU’s Department of Recording Industry, has a special interest in the outcome of the often overlooked Grammy Awards for classical records. Hill was one of the engineers who worked on “Ravel: L’Enfant et les sortileges,” which is nominated in the category of Best Classical Album. The work features the Nashville Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Alistair Willis, the Chattanooga Boys Choir, the Chicago Symphony Chorus, the Nashville Symphony Chorus and eight operatic soloists. “I really consider myself a musician who has a set of technical skills to draw on,” Hill explains. “For this type of work, you would definitely not want to have somebody who is just fiddling with knobs. … One really has to have some type of working knowledge of music.” The Grammy Awards telecast is slated for this Sunday, Jan. 31, on CBS. Contact Hill at 615-898-5868 or jphill@mtsu.edu. To hear excerpts of the CD and Gina Logue’s interview with Hill that aired on WMOT-FM’s “MTSU on the Record,” go to http://frank.mtsu.edu/~proffice/podcast2010.html and click on “January 10, 2010.”

HOME IS WHERE THE ART IS.--“Ramblings and Dwellings,” a joint exhibit of work by husband-and-wife artists Ken and Libby Rowe, is on display in MTSU’s Todd Art Gallery now through Tuesday, Feb. 9. An award-winning figurative sculptor, Ken’s “Ramblings” feature small-scale ceramic sculptures with a narrative bend and a whimsical nature. “His sculptures rely on a strong sense of humor and are often viewed as sardonic and quirky,” says Eric Snyder, gallery curator. In “Dwellings,” Libby’s current photographic work, she explores the emotional state of dwelling through the construction and photographing of small sculptural houses. The exhibit is free and open to the public. The Todd Gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Admission is free. Call Snyder at 615-898-5653 or esnyder@mtsu.edu.

HOME IS WHERE THE VOLUNTEERS ARE.--MTSU students will begin building a second Habitat for Humanity home for a Rutherford County resident today, Jan. 27. Building dates will include Wednesdays, Fridays and some Saturdays. There will be two shifts per day—in the morning from 8:30 a.m. to noon and in the afternoon from noon until 4 p.m. The home dedication is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, March 25. The Office of Leadership and Service is rounding up volunteers from student organizations for this humanitarian effort. The future resident’s family also will be helping to build their home, and Central Middle School and Jason’s Deli are pitching in. Media welcomed. Good photo opportunities throughout the construction process. For more information, contact Jackie Victory at 615-898-5812 or mtleader@mtsu.edu.