School fat machines

There's been a lot of controversy over the "ban-school-vending-machines bill" introduced by Sen. Larry Trail (D-Murfreesboro) and Rep. Joe Fowlkes (D-Cornersville), points out Dr. Janet Colson, professor of human sciences, registered dietitian and mother of two. Colson is quick to say that she favors school vending machines. "They're great moneymakers. At Oakland High School the machines net over $60,000 per year." However, she's opposed to what's in them--and she adds that the Trail-Fowlkes bill doesn't actually ban machines--it's simply trying to set nutrition standards for foods that are dispensed. "For this I applaud the two congressmen." Tennessee has one of the highest rates of childhood obesity and Type II diabetes in the nation, she adds.

Contact Colson at 615-898-2884.
jcolson@mtsu.edu

Planting a legacy

"The planning and development of this garden has been a collaboration of residents with decades of gardening experience, the staff at Community Care of Rutherford County, and students and faculty at MTSU," says Dr. Catherine Stogner, associate professor of human sciences and proponent of "service learning." This Saturday and Sunday, the community is invited to help build a garden at CCRC, the long-term care facility, located at 901 County Farm Rd. in Murfreesboro. Activity on both days will be from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; formal remarks will be at 11 a.m. Saturday. Media welcomed.

Contact Stogner at 615-898-5522 or graduate student Shelly Selchow at 615-904-8436 or the NPA office at 615-898-2919.

Movie flickers

A Canadian company has developed an encryption system that prevents movie pirates from being able to secretly record movies onto a tape or DVD in theaters, explains Dr. Larry Burriss, professor of journalism and First Amendment expert. "[The new technology] creates a flicker or other patterns that is picked up by recording devices, making the images unwatchable. The disruptive flickers cannot be seen by the naked eye," he says. Copying a movie, song or book is stealing, pure and simple, he adds.

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

TODAY'S MTSU UPLINK AT 10 A.M.
SEGMENT 1: MTSU students and faculty are celebrating Earth Week with forums, cleanups and other projects. Dr. Cliff Ricketts, professor, agribusiness and agriscience, discusses his research on alternative fuel vehicles, with images of the hydrogen car built by Ricketts and his students.
SEGMENT 2: Dr. Richard Hannah, professor, economics and finance, a frequent traveler to Hong Kong and China, talks about SARS and the cancellation of his upcoming trip because of the health threat.

TR EXTRA: EARTH DAY EVENTS THIS WEEK: TOMORROW, April 24, 5 p.m., Students for Environmental Action Symposium, KUC Theater; FRIDAY, April 25, Earth Day Festival, starting at noon, featuring several bands, KUC knoll; all free and open. Call Tomi Winfree at 615-898-5184. Media welcomed.
TODAY, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., MTSU Alumni Center, Extrude Hone/MTSU Seminar, for those interested in the latest technology related to nontraditional manufacturing processes. Free and open. Call Dr. Walter Boles at 615-898-2098. Media welcomed.
TONIGHT, 7 p.m., Business/Aerospace Building S102, artist and author Audrey Flack will lecture on "Art Under Attack"--physical and verbal attacks on great works of art and their removal from public view. Free and open. Call Dr. Lon Nuell at 615-898-2505. Media welcomed.
FRIDAY, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., April 25, MTSU Floyd Stadium, Special Olympics Spring Games, including schools from Rutherford and Trousdale counties as well as participants from the Adult Activity Center and Stones River Center. Free and open. Call John Harris at 615-898-2783. Media welcomed.