Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Global Warming and Climate Change: Fact versus Fiction


Dr. David Bush, Professor of Geology in UWG’s Department of Geosciences, will present “Global Warming and Climate Change: Fact versus Fiction” on Wednesday, February 1, 11:00 a.m., at the University of West Georgia’s Ingram Library. This program is sponsored by Ingram Library’s Penelope Melson Society.

The question of whether the climate is changing has expanded beyond scientific circles to become a primary topic of political debate and a major point of contention in U.S. international relations. It has even been the subject of Hollywood feature films. The public has been left to wonder which parts of this debate are fact and which are fiction.

At center stage is the question of whether the natural cycles of warming and cooling have been changed by human beings in the past one hundred years. Dr. Bush will seek to correct the misconceptions surrounding global warming and provide information that is useful in comprehending this major issue.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Concert Coming to Townsend

UWG Professor says more foreclosures are likely

BY WINSTON SKINNER

THE NEWNAN TIMES-HERALD

Cowetans can expect to see more foreclosures in coming months.

Dr. Joey Smith, associate professor of economics at the University of West Georgia, told the Newnan Rotary Club on Friday that the issues affecting the housing market are longterm and deep -- and that a new round of foreclosures is likely.

"Right now we still see real problems in the housing market, and that's not going to slow down anytime soon," Smith said during the luncheon meeting a Newnan Country Club.

Read more: http://www.times-herald.com/Local/UWG-prof----says-more-foreclosures----are-likely--2051024

Friday, January 27, 2012

Students Enjoy Snowpocalypse 2012


Tau Kappa Epsilon along with Stay West Weekends put on the "Snowpocalypse 2012" event on Friday, Jan. 27. Students were able to play in real snow, enjoy free hot cocoa, and receive free t-shirts. Below are a few other pictures from the event.


Students engaging in a snowball fight at Snowpocalypse
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Students were not the only ones to enjoy the snow at Snowpocalypse!
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Students defend themselves from incoming snowballs at Snowpocalypse
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Students have a snowball fight at Snowpocalypse

(Click on image to view a larger size)

Kovacs Announces 2012 Spring Clinic


Carrollton, GA - Head soccer coach Marisa Kovacs has announced the 2012 West Georgia Women's Soccer Clinic & Preview Day, scheduled for Sunday, April 15 at the UWG Athletic Complex.

The clinic is open to high school juniors and seniors, giving potential college soccer players a chance to receive two hours of quality instruction and training as well as giving them a chance to show their talents to collegiate coaches.

The clinic will be held at University Soccer Field at the UWG Athletic Complex. Sign-in begins at the Complex at 9 a.m. on Sunday, April 15, with the clinic to start at 10 a.m. and finishing at noon. Sign-in for Preview Day with the University begins at 12:30, giving participants a chance to see and explore the UWG campus with student guided tours and informational sessions.

The cost of the clinic is $50, which includes two hours of instruction and lunch immediately following the clinic. High school juniors and seniors who would like to attend, please fill out the waiver form and questionnaire located at the bottom of this article and mail both to the address listed below.

Forms Needed:
Soccer Clinic Waiver
UWG Soccer Questionnaire

Mailing Address
Head Coach Marisa Kovacs Make Check out to;
University of West Georgia UWG Soccer
Murphy Athletic Building
1601 Maple Street
Carrollton, GA, 30118

Players wishing to attend must sign up for the Preview day separately. For information about the University of West Georgia Preview day,
please visit the UWG Admissions page. To contact coach Kovacs, email soccer@westga.edu or call (678) 839-6545.

Sims named GSC Player of the Week


Carrollton, GA – UWG basketball star Da’Ron Sims has received weekly honors from the Gulf South Conference.

Sims was named Wednesday the GSC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week for his performance in last week’s victories over West Florida and Valdosta State. The honor is the second this season for the UWG standout.

Sims, a 6-6 senior from Oakland, Calif., was outstanding in both Wolves’ wins a week ago. Thursday he scored 29 points and pulled six rebounds in UWG’s home win over West Florida. Two days later, Sims poured in 34 points and had seven rebounds in a big, road win over rival Valdosta State.

For the season, Sims leads the Wolves, and the Gulf South Conference in scoring at 18.6 points per game. He also ranks sixth in rebounds with an average of 7.0 per game.

West Georgia is 17-3 on the season, 4-2 in the GSC, and ranked 22
nd in the nation in this week’s NABC Top 25. The Wolves return to action Saturday afternoon at West Alabama.

Football Duo named All-American


Carrollton, GA – Two University of West Georgia football stars have received a prestigious national honor.

Wide receiver and return specialist
Denarius Appling and place kicker Davis Brackett were named Thursday as honorable mention members of the 2011 Don Hansen Division II All-America Team. Each had previously earned Don Hansen All-Super Region II honors.

Appling, a sophomore from Griffin was a dual All-Gulf South Conference honoree in 2011. He was named first team All-GSC as a return specialist, and was voted to second team honors as all-purpose back. After finishing second in the conference in all-purpose yards for the season.

Brackett, a senior from Marietta, was named second team All-GSC as a placement specialist in 2011. He led the Wolves in scoring with 66 points, and connected on a conference-best 14 field goals a year ago.

Appling and Brackett are the first West Georgia players to receive All-America notice since kicker
Jared Guberman earned the honor in 2007.

The
Don Hansen Division II All-America Team carries out the legacy of long-time small college football advocate Don Hansen, who passed away at age 75 in 2010. Hansen started and published Don Hansen’s National Weekly Football Gazette for three decades, selecting NCAA Division II All-America teams for the first time in 1988.

TV has helped create greater interest in forensic science

by Kelly Quimby/Times-Georgian

With the growing popularity of television crime shows like “CSI” and “Bones,” interest in occupations dealing with criminal investigations has also increased, creating a surge in the number of college applicants hoping to join the pathological and anthropological professions.

In a lecture at the University of West Georgia Thursday night, Dr. Michael Warren, director of the C.A. Pounds Forensic Anthropology Lab at the University of Florida, and one of a very small number of active forensic anthropologists in North America, set out to outline the true nature of a career in forensic anthropology, which he said is sometimes, but not normally, as nicely packaged as it is seen on television.

“It’s a growth industry,” Warren said. “It involves understanding human uniqueness. We always like to think that we work for the families of the victims. We also like to think that we prosecute the guilty and exonerate the innocent through science.”

Read more:Times-Georgian - TV has helped create greater interest in forensic science

Thursday, January 26, 2012

UWG Mourns Student's Death

UWG mourns the loss of Paul John "PJ" Ehrman, a senior student in the Newnan nursing program who died suddenly Monday of unknown circumstances. Ehrman's family shared viewing and funeral arrangements.

The viewing will be held on Thursday, January 26 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Carl Mowell Funeral Home, 200 Robinson Road, Peachtree City, Ga.

The funeral will be held Friday, January 27 at 10:00 a.m.at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 101 Walt Banks Road, Peachtree City, Ga.

The family has asked that no flowers be sent, and instead requests monetary donations for Ehrman's wife and children. An account has been set up at Chase Bank. Contact Jerrell Williams at 770-487-0452.

University of West Georgia ranked in online programs

According to the first ever ranking of online programs by U.S. News and World Report, the University of West Georgia placed 26th in the nation for Online Student Services and Technology and 27th in the nation for Online Faculty Credentials and Training in the category of Online Bachelor’s Programs. UWG also ranked 14th in the nation for Student Engagement and Accreditation in the Online Graduate Nursing category and 18th for Student Engagement and Accreditation in the Online Graduate Business category.

According to the first ever ranking of online programs by U.S. News and World Report, the University of West Georgia placed 26th in the nation for Online Student Services and Technology and 27th in the nation for Online Faculty Credentials and Training in the category of Online Bachelor’s Programs. "UWG has an established tradition of offering high-quality distance education programs," said UWG President Beheruz N. Sethna. "We are home to the University System of Georgia eCore program and offer many innovative online programs in education, nursing, computer science and the social sciences, including a new undergraduate degree in criminology, and the WebMBA program, as well as doctorates in school improvement and, soon, nursing education. This is well-deserved recognition, and I appreciate all the hard work that our faculty and staff have put into making UWG a premier online destination.”

“Whether one is in the next county or another country, our focus on quality, affordability, and student service has made our online programs the ideal choice for many learners,” said Melanie Clay, executive director of extended learning and dean of USG eCore.

With an exhaustive student support system and high course completion rates, UWG’s online programs “have time and time again served as a model for other institutions,” she said.

This new ranking system illustrates that "greater national scrutiny is going to be focused on online programs," said Jason Huett, associate dean of online development and USG eCore.

The rankings by U.S. News & World Report confirm "how fast things are changing, how important this is and that we are on the right track," Huett said.

For more information on the rankings, visit http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education.

Stay West Weekends Busy

Stay West Weekends is packed with several events this weekend.

Friday, January 27, will be "Snowpocalypse" presented by Tau Kappa Epsilon. The event will take place in Love Valley from 12-4pm and students can receive free t-shirts, free hot chocolate, and of course, real snow!

Saturday, January 28, will be "Dinner, Movie, and a Blanket" presented by the Students Activities Council. The event will be held in the Campus Center Ballroom and starts at 4pm. Come out and watch "Contagion" and receive a FREE blanket!

For more information on either event or any Stay West Weekends event, contact Melissa Hewitt at 678-839-6526 or mhewitt@westga.edu.

Snowpocalypse with TKE


This Friday Jan. 27th Stay West Weekends and Tau Kappa Epsilon will be hosting "Snowpocalypse," a snow day outside the HPE Gym. There will be a snow machine covering the area in snow and all students and faculty are invited to have a snowball fight build snowmen, or just enjoy the weather with a warm cup of hot cocoa.The event starts at noon and ends at 4 p.m.. There will be free hot chocolate and t-shirts.

UWG Winter Preview Day


Preview Days are your chance to see the UWG campus on your own terms. Meet professors, learn about campus life, and see our residence halls. The choice is yours!

Preview Day Activities begin at 1:30 pm at the UWG Coliseum. However, we recommend you arrive at 1:00 pm for parking and check-in.

For more information, visit the Admissions website.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

2012 Oscar Nominations Offer Usual Surprises and Snubs

By Josh Sewell
Researcher of Film and Television Trends


This year's Oscar nominations were announced on Jan. 24 and, as always, there were a few surprising snubs and inclusions. Here are the nominees in some of the top categories, along with my gut reactions.


Best Supporting Actor:

Kenneth Branagh, “My Week with Marilyn”

Jonah Hill, “Moneyball”

Nick Nolte, “Warrior”

Christopher Plummer, “Beginners”
Max Von Sydow, “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”


The biggest surprise here is Von Sydow’s inclusion, which should’ve given pundits a big heads-up about the Best Picture shocker we’ll discuss later. I’m glad Nolte got a nod, since his work in the little-seen “Warrior” is the best part of a phenomenal movie. I think the winner here will be Plummer, who has already racked up some other awards for his terrific performance in an otherwise insufferable flick.



Best Supporting Actress:

Berenice Bejo, “The Artist”

Jessica Chastain, “The Help”

Melissa McCarthy, “Bridesmaids”
Janet McTeer, “Albert Nobbs”

Octavia Spencer, “The Help”


Snubs aren’t exactly stunning when the talent pool in this category is so vast. Still, I was surprised that Shailene Woodley wasn’t nominated for her strong work in “The Descendants.” It appears that McTeer got her spot, since everyone else was pretty much a lock. Chastain being nominated for “The Help” instead of “The Tree of Life” probably hurts hers and Spencer’s chances, since they’ll probably split the vote. If that happens, look for Bejo to take home the trophy for her adorable breakthrough performance. Although I’d be totally fine with a surprise win for the hilarious McCarthy.



Best Actor:

Demian Bechir, “A Better Life”

George Clooney, “The Descendants”
Juan Dujardin, “The Artist”
Gary Oldman, “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”

Brad Pitt, “Moneyball”

Bechir is the surprise nominee here, edging out a superb performance by Michael Fassbender in “Shame.” In hindsight, that flick was likely too extreme for Oscar’s more conservative voting bloc. The other big news is Oldman getting his first(!) nomination in a career worthy of many more. A win for him would be welcome, but it’s likely a toss-up between Clooney and Dujardin.



Best Actress:

Glenn Close, “Albert Nobbs”

Viola Davis, “The Help”
Rooney Mara, “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”

Meryl Streep, “The Iron Lady”

Michelle Williams, “My Week with Marilyn”


Mara (deservedly) snuck into a crowded field, but I doubt she has a path to the win. This one has been a face off between Streep and Davis since the beginning. Honestly, it could go either way, but my gut tells me that Davis will come out on top because she has the better-reviewed movie.



Best Animated Feature:

"A Cat in Paris"

"Chico & Rita"

"Kung Fu Panda 2"

"Puss in Boots"

"Rango"


This marks the first time Pixar hasn’t had an entry in this category, thanks to the critically lambasted “Cars 2” (which I didn’t think it was that bad). I’ve never heard of “A Cat in Paris” or “Chico & Rita,” which seemed to be the general consensus after the nominations were announced. My first impression is that “Rango” will emerge victorious, though I wouldn’t mind a “Puss in Boots” surprise.



Best Director:

Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris”

Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist”
Terrence Malick, “The Tree of Life”

Alexander Payne, “The Descendants”

Martin Scorsese, “Hugo”

If you want to know the films with a real shot at Best Picture, just match these directors with their work. It’s not scientifically binding or anything, but it lets you know what probably would’ve made the cut if it the big prize remained a five-flick category. If we judge by current momentum, I’d say Hazanavicius gets the win because of all the love “The Artist” is getting. However, sometimes the Academy considers this a consolation prize; in that case, I’d give the edge to Scorsese, who tackles similar Hollywood-friendly material on a grander scale.



Best Picture:

"The Artist"

"The Descendants"

"Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close"

"The Help"

"Hugo"

"Midnight in Paris"

"Moneyball"

"The Tree of Life"

"War Horse"


And we’ve come to the biggest shocker of this year’s nominations. Because of the new rules placed on the field by the Academy, most pundits were expecting six or seven films to be in contention for the top prize. Instead, Jan. 24’s announcement revealed nine nominees, including the completely unexpected recognition of Sept. 11 drama “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.” That says more about the campaigning skills of producer Scott Rudin and director Stephen Daldry than it does about the quality of the movie, which is passable but nowhere near the quality of its competitors. No matter, as “The Artist” has had this thing in the bag for months now. Pending any changing tides in the next few weeks (which is always possible), it’s your winner.


Be sure to watch ABC on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. to see the winners. Host Billy Crystal returns after a long absence, a safe choice after last year’s debacle with James Franco and Anne Hathaway.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

President Sethna Honored as Distinguished Alumnus of IIMA

University of West Georgia President Dr. Beheruz N. Sethna, a graduate of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, was recently honored by the institution as it celebrated its 50th anniversary. IIMA, as part of marking its milestone, awarded the designation of distinguished alumnus to 40 alumni recipients, including Sethna. Founded with active collaboration from Harvard Business School, the Indian Institute of Management is considered to be the best business school in India and is also considered to be one of the most respected schools in the Asia-Pacific region. His fellow award recipients include Ashok Alexander, India Country Director of the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation and Ajay Banga, president and CEO of MasterCard Worldwide.

While this honor is historic it is not the first of its kind bestowed upon Sethna. Prior to this award, Sethna has also been honored with the title of distinguished alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. IITB is India’s premier engineering school. This places Sethna as being a distinguished alumnus from both of the best undergraduate and graduate institutions in India.

Best Picture Nod for Sept. 11 Drama Stuns Oscar Pundits


This year’s Oscar nominations revealed the usual snubs and surprises, but perhaps the biggest deviations from the pundits’ predictions were found in the Best Picture category.

Because of the new rules placed on the field by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, most experts were speculating six or seven films to be in contention for the top prize. Instead, Tuesday morning’s announcement revealed nine nominees, including the completely unexpected inclusion of Sept. 11 drama “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.”

“That particular nomination says more about the studio’s marketing campaign than it does about the quality of the film,” said Josh Sewell, researcher of film and television trends at the University of West Georgia. “Critical reception has been wildly mixed, and the film has far lower scores at Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic than any other Best Picture nominee.”

Sewell went on to say that it’s clearly a situation where just getting a nomination is the win for “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close,” as “The Artist” has strong momentum at this point in the race.

The 84th Academy Awards airs Sunday, February 26 on ABC.

"Mr. 1,000" Gavin Field


Nicknames come and go, but 'Mr. 1,000' might stick with Gavin Field for a while.

The University of West Georgia shooting guard from South Lake, Western Australia is just three points shy of becoming the ninth 1,000-point scorer in school history and the first since 1991.

"It's awesome. Everyone knows about it, especially [fellow senior] Da'Ron [Sims]. People have started calling me 'Mr. 1,000' just as a joke to get on me. Just with the guys, everyone wants me to get it," Field said.

Field's biggest fan might just be men's coach Michael Cooney who recruited the 6-foot-7 Australian as part of his first recruiting class as the UWG head coach. At that time Field was a tall, skinny, raw talent that has become one of the top players in school history.


Read more:Times-Georgian - Field closing on scoring milestone

Rx Committee event Cancelled

The Rx Committee event on the Consensual Project, scheduled for tonight at the Campus Center, has been canceled because of the illness of the speaker. Apologies for any inconvenience.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Rx Committee Empowers UWG Students

The Responsible Sexuality Committee (RxCom) of the University of West Georgia was formed to encourage students to protect themselves and others from harm with regard to sexually-related behavior.
The committee will host Ben Privot at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 24 at the Campus Center.

Be sure to like the committee on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rx-Responsible-Sexuality-at-UWG/350839738277751Rx: Responsible Sexuality at UWG

Free Concerts in February at UWG

he UWG Music Department will feature a series of recitals in February that are free and open to the public.

On Feb. 8, internationally renowned pianist, Dorian Leljak, will be the guest artist. Leljak is a professor of piano at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad and a teacher at the Royal College of Music in London. The concert will be at 8:15 p.m. in Kathy Cashen Recital Hall.On Feb. 8, internationally renowned pianist, Dorian Leljak, will be the guest artist. Leljak is a professor of piano at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad and a teacher at the Royal College of Music in London. The concert will be at 8:15 p.m. in Kathy Cashen Recital Hall.

On Feb. 13 UWG’s Wind Ensemble will perform under the direction of Josh Byrd. The performance will be at 8:15 p.m. in the Townsend Center for the Performing Arts.

On Feb. 16, Kevin Hibbard, the chairman of the Department of Music will conduct the Winter Choral Concert. The concert will be at 8:15 p.m. in the Townsend Center for the Performing Arts.

On Feb. 20, UWG’s award-winning music students will perform during the Wright Scholars Concert. The concert will be at 8:15 p.m. in Kathy Cashen Recital Hall.

On Feb. 21, Cale Self will conduct the Symphonic Band and Brass Ensemble. The concert will be at 8:15 p.m. in the Townsend Center for the Performing Arts.

For more information contact Bobbie Emmons at 678-839-6262 or bemmons@westga.edu.

UWG Ranked Highly by U.S. News and World Report for Online Programs



The University of West Georgia was ranked 26th in the nation in the area of Online Student Services and Technology and 27th in the nation in the area of Online Faculty Credentials and Training, according to U.S. News and World Report’s first-ever national ranking of online educational programs. The University of West Georgia was ranked 26th in the nation in the area of Online Student Services and Technology and 27th in the nation in the area of Online Faculty Credentials and Training, according to U.S. News and World Report’s first-ever national ranking of online educational programs. These rankings were also the highest of any institution in Georgia.

UWG's online degree programs offer students the convenience of attending class on their own time and work well for working students and other non-traditional students.

Friday, January 20, 2012

"The Real Bones": Leading Anthropologist to Lecture at UWG

Leading anthropologist Dr. Michael Warren visits the University of West Georgia to speak about the reality of forensic anthropology.

His lecture, “The Real Bones: Forensic Anthropology Comes to Carrollton,” will be on Thursday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. in Kathy Cashen Recital Hall. The Department of Anthropology and the Antonio J. Waring Endowment are the sponsors.

Leading anthropologist Dr. Michael Warren visits the University of West Georgia to speak about the reality of forensic anthropology.The lecture is free and open to the public.

Warren is a physical anthropologist specializing in forensic anthropology. He has authored or co-authored several hundred forensic osteological reports over the last 20 years, including the skeletal analysis in the recent, widely publicized murder of Caylee Anthony.

Warren assisted the federal government in the recovery and identification of victims of the World Trade Center terrorist attack. He also assisted with the identification of victims of Hurricane Katrina. He was a consultant in the excavation and analysis of human remains from mass gravesites in Kosovo, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

He is a fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Warren’s research interests include forensic identification, trauma analysis, forensic analysis of human cremated remains, human osteology, victim identification in mass disasters and genocide, and human variation.

He is one of only 88 board certified forensic anthropologists in the world and currently serves as the vice president of the American Board of Forensic Anthropology.

Warren is an associate professor of anthropology and director of the C.A. Pound Human Identification Laboratory at the University of Florida. He also serves as assistant director of the university’s William R. Maples Center for Forensic Medicine.

He has presented lectures on the importance of forensic anthropology to the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, the Ministry of Justice of Thailand and the University of Bradford in England.

For more information, please contact Dr. Kerriann Marden in the Anthropology Department at 839-678-6450 or kmarden@westga.edu.

Wolves outrace Argos in Carrollton


Wins never come easy in the Gulf South Conference. The UWG men's basketball team continued to learn that season-long lesson Thursday night at the Coliseum, holding off a furious rally in the second half to beat West Florida 94-86.

It took five players scoring in double-figures and a 53 percent shooting night for the Wolves to take this one, as West Florida's high-powered offense shot 73 percent from the floor in the second half to erase a 15-point UWG lead at the half.

The game started out as a see-saw battle, as there were seven lead changes in the first five minutes of the contest alone. With 15:05 left in the opening period, UWF's Martell Buie tied the game at 11 with a layup on an Argo fastbreak.

That was as close as West Florida would get in this game.

Read More at:UWGsports.com

Will HOPE survive? Concerns persist about scholarship's future

Despite some hopeful oratory from Gov. Nathan Deal in his State of the State speech earlier this month, concerns continue over whether funding will be available to support the HOPE scholarship for Georgia students in the future.

In his speech to the Georgia Legislature on Jan. 10, Deal heralded last year’s HOPE overhaul, which he signed last March and which brought about several changes in the amount of tuition assistance HOPE recipients can receive, as a move “that preserves HOPE for future generations.”

“One year ago, HOPE — arguably the nation’s most generous merit-based, higher education scholarship and grant program — was on an unsustainable course and faced a complete depletion of reserves as early as FY 2013,” Deal said.

But in a recent presentation to state lawmakers, the Georgia Student Finance Commission, the state body that administers the scholarship, told legislators that as enrollment and tuition continue to rise at Georgia colleges, and despite efforts of the Legislature to stop the program’s fund hemorrhaging, the amount of financial aid a student would earn from the HOPE scholarship could drop below half of the actual cost of college tuition within the next three years, leaving students to pay the difference.


Read more:Times-Georgian - Will HOPE survive Concerns persist about scholarship s future

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Black Inventors Exhibit Comes to UWG



The University of West Georgia presents the exhibit “What’s The Big Idea? How Black Inventors Past and Present Have Changed Your Life.” It opens on Wednesday, Feb. 8, at the Ingram Library. There will be a reception on opening day at 1 p.m., followed by a talk and tour by Dan Moore, curator of the exhibit and director of the Apex Museum in Atlanta. Refreshments will be served.

The exhibit is on the main floor of the library and continues through Wednesday, Feb. 29. It is free and open to the public. The library is on a 24/5 schedule, opening at 2 p.m. on Sundays and closing at 11 p.m. on Fridays. Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The exhibit features inventions that are part of everyday American life: Garrett A. Morgan’s traffic light; Alfred L. Cralle's ice cream scooper; and the infamous Super Soaker patented by Lonnie Johnson.

Guided tours for groups are available through advanced reservation. The exhibit is sponsored by UWG’s Office of Institutional Diversity and the Ingram Library.

The Apex Museum, founded in 1978, accurately presents and interprets history from an African American perspective. It seeks to help the public better understand and appreciate the contributions made by African-Americans to the United States and the world.

For more information or to arrange a guided tour, please call 678-839-5400 or 678-839-5337.

UWG men look to get back on track


With its next home contest following tonight’s tilt three weeks and four games away, the University of West Georgia men’s basketball team wants to make the most of this evening’s Gulf South Conference showdown with West Florida — and you better believe coach Michael Cooney certainly realizes the value to it.

So when the ball tips at 7:30 p.m. in The Coliseum, it ultimately becomes the most important 40 minutes — to date — for the Wolves (15-3, 2-2 GSC) all season.

“It’s a huge game for us. We can’t afford to drop home games. Losing the North Alabama game really put us behind the 8-ball. We recovered by getting the split on this last road trip, but we’ve got to get back on the home serve. The only way we can do that is beat this West Florida team,” Cooney said.

Read more:Times-Georgian - UWG men look to get back on track

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

When Choosing a Movie, Google is Your Friend


A recent article in the British newspaper The Telegraph reports that some moviegoers apparently make their viewing decisions by playing "Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Mo." Several audience members at a recent Liverpool screening of "The Artist", the hit silent film about the death of silent film, demanded a refund after discovering that the movie contained no dialogue.

This isn't the first time that an easily-Googled bit of information has caused a stir in the movie business. Last fall, a woman sued FilmDistrict because the indie crime drama "Drive" wasn't more like "The Fast and the Furious."

While humorous on the surface, these examples lead to a larger question: should theaters and studios be held responsible when ticket buyers clearly haven't done the homework on their purchases? Weigh in on the discussion in the comments section.

(Photo credit: The Weinstein Company)

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Founder of Innovative Products Company to Speak at UWG


The University of West Georgia's Richards College of Business will present an address by Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of TerraCycle, on Friday, Feb. 10 at 6 p.m. in the Townsend Center for the Performing Arts. The presentation, part of the BB&T Lectures in Free Enterprise series, is free and open to the public.

Learn how TerraCycle, an innovative company, is reducing waste, raising money for charity and beautifying the world by converting traditionally non-recyclable waste into fun, funky and functional products. Win TerraCycle products and other door prizes.

Free tickets are available at the Townsend Center box office starting Jan. 30.

For more information, contact Beth Chandler at (678) 839-5261 or email bchandler@westga.edu, or call the Townsend Center at (678) 839-4722.

Empty Bowls, Bowl-Making Workshop


Carroll County Empty Bowls is an event that raises money for the Carroll County Soup kitchen. Because economic problems have affected so many, the Carroll County Soup kitchen has a greater need than ever.

Ingram Library will host a bowl-making party to contribute bowls for the Carroll County Empty Bowls event in February. We'll provide the clay and instructor, you get to make a bowl to donate to Empty Bowls. Or, if you want to keep your bowl, you're welcome to purchase it for a $10 minimum donation.

The main Carroll County Empty Bowls event will be held on Sunday, February 26, 2012, 11a.m. to 2p.m. at the Carroll County Ag Center.

About Empty Bowls:
Empty Bowls is an international grassroots effort to fight hunger. The basic premise is simple: Potters and other craftspeople, educators and others work with the community to create handcrafted bowls. Guests are invited to a simple meal of soup and bread. In exchange for a cash donation, guests are asked to keep a bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. The money raised is donated to an organization working to end hunger and food insecurity.