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Week 5:  July 13-July 19

Week 5 Blurbs

Peggy Scranton: “Yoga and Meditation”
Beginning level yoga instruction and practice for all body types and levels of fitness.  Please bring a towel and/or yoga mat.  Everyone is invited.

Spencer Sutterfield and Chad Terrell: “Appetite for Destruction:  How Record Labels Imploded and Bands Survived”
Come hear a brief history of the demise of the traditional recording history.  This will be followed by an overview of the opportunities that today’s bands are successfully using.

Candide
Based on Voltaire, this is a wonderful performance with the New York Philharmonic and great vocalists.  It is a comic opera.

College Fair
Students are encouraged to visit booths from over 20 colleges and universities.  There are colleges from many different states, and each college will have a table with a representative available to answer any questions.

Ultimate Frisbee
Oh, you have a phobia of sports that use balls?  Well, you’re in luck, my friend.  This game uses a disk.

Matt Forester: “Hip Hop Workshop”
Talented student hip hop dancers are invited to choreograph the official AGS 2009 dance combination.  Bring your music!  Please wear loose fitting clothes and either socks or dance shoes, as street shoes are not allowed in the dance studio.

Cache Carter: “Separation of Church and State in the U.S.”
An overview of some of the historic Supreme Court cases on this issue followed by a discussion of its merits and demerits.

Lars Seme: “A Brief, Non-Expert Introduction to Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen”
Wagner’s Ring Cycle is a collection of four operas based on Norse and Germanic myth.  We will talk about the writing of the work and a bit of Wagner’s bio and listen to some of this work.

The Happening
Come support your fellow arts students in their venture into a wide range of traditional and experimental art in this progressive arts happening taking place across campus.  The performances begin in front of Staples.  You don’t want to miss this!

Concert: Dana Falconberry
You don’t want to miss this performance.  Dana Falconberry lights the senses of her listeners with desolate landscapes, tales of heartbreak, and signs of hope set to tune with a classical guitar and earthy voice. 

Jim Rush: “Meditation”
Come out in the morning to meditate with Jim Rush.

Evan Rogers: “Morning Running Group”
Hey all of you intermediate to advanced runners!  Looking for a more challenging morning fun?  Then throw on your running shoes and come take a longer tour through Mr. Roger’s neighborhood with Evan.  It’s running to go.

Pools of Fun:  Dive Off and Biggest Fun Splash
Ever seen And1 Mixtapes?  It’s like that, but in a pool.  I heard the winner gets an oh so delicious ring pop.

Jazz Band Rehearsal
Join Nick Seward to organize an impromptu jazz band.  Non-Instrumental Music students are welcome and encouraged to participate.  Bring your instruments.

Zac Harmon: “Language, Mind, and World: An Introduction to the Philosophies of Ludwig Wittgenstein”
Ludwig Wittgenstein has been called the most influential philosopher of the 20^th century.  After considering his groundbreaking theories of language and its relation to thought and human experience, we will conclude with a brief overview of his influence on the past 100 years of Anglophone philosophy.

Deborah Romes: “The Peace Corps Volunteer Experience”
For those interested in the daily life and work of a Peace Corps volunteer stationed in West Africa-- The Gambia.  A question and answer segment will follow.

Candide
Based on Voltaire, this is a wonderful performance with the New York Philharmonic and great vocalists.  It is a comic opera.  Part II.

Katie Pratt: “Spanish Podcast 101: Learning Spanish with Your iTunes"
Come listen to an intermediate-level Spanish conversation from Spanish podcast 101 to learn new vocabulary and phrases and to practice speaking with your classmates.

Matt Forester: “Hip Hop Workshop”
Talented student hip hop dancers are invited to choreograph the official AGS 2009 dance combination.  Bring your music!  Please wear loose fitting clothes and either socks or dance shoes, as street shoes are not allowed in the dance studio.

Alex Schroller: "A Just Society: Justice As Fairness"
An introduction to the major contemporary schools of political philosophy. Can we protect liberties while also ensuring equality? How would you structure society if you knew your enemy would decide your station in life? How should we treat society's disadvantaged?

Steve Nolan: “2001 A Space Odyssey: Art vs. Commercial Appeal in Films”
We will be analyzing the Stanley Kubrick film using historical context to find the reasons for this artistic film’s rare blockbuster success.  Clips included.

Jeremy Lusk: “Automotive Maintenance for the Mechanically Challenged”
Are you the person who turns up the radio to ignore those funny sounds your car is making?  If so, you should probably come to this presentation.

Ballroom Dance
Ever wanted to learn one of those fancy dances?  Come to Hulen ballroom to learn the basics of swing dancing and maybe a neat trick or two.

Talent Show Rehearsal
If you were accepted to the Talent Show, you are REQUIRED to be at the rehearsal.  Get ready to be talented.

Open Mic Night
Share your writing, music, stand-up comedy, or random thoughts in a comfortable setting.  Material MUST be appropriate.

Grave of the Fireflies
Named Best Animated Feature at the 1994 Chicago International Children's Film Festival, this film proves that not all anime tales are pixie-dust fantasies or brutal sci-fi standoffs. Orphans Seita and Setsuko fight for survival in post-World War II Japan, but society is harsh. Soon, they come to the somber conclusion that they can neither escape the hardships of war nor find enough food to survive.

Peggy Scranton: “Yoga and Meditation”
Beginning level yoga instruction and practice for all body types and levels of fitness.  Please bring a towel and/or yoga mat.  Everyone is invited.

Lip Sync Contest Sign Up before 4:30 pm
Come by and sign up for the Lip Sync Contest with Steve in Trieschmann.  Have your song ideas ready!

Richard Gobble: “The Case of the West Memphis Three”
Was justice served in the case of the West Memphis Three?  Or did we sacrifice three young men to our own fear and paranoia?

Lyle Rupert: “Ask the Director”
Ask the AGS Director anything you want to ask him.

Rick Dimond: “Musical Improvisation”
This week, we’ll try improvising on “Little Sunflower” and “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy!”  All instrumentalists, vocalists, and observers are welcome.

Outdoor Soccer
It’s like lacrosse, but without pads and sticks and with much bigger balls and goals.  I heard that the Europeans play it, too.

Wesley Beal: “Art and Propaganda: Wartime Narratives in Disney Shorts and Iron Man”
What is art?  What is propaganda?  Close readings of wartime Disney shorts and contemporary wartime films like Iron Man offer some entry points to the conventions and semiotics of propaganda.

Student Recital
Music students will perform solos and small ensembles.

Video Game Night Part Deux
Come back for a rematch on your favorite video games (or at least the ones we have for you)!

Lyle Rupert: “Flatland Book Discussion”
Edwin A. Abbott’s 125 year-old novel, Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions, will be discussed.  Is it Victorian satire?  Mathematical treatise?  Science fiction?  Yes, yes, and yes!  We’ll get a basic understanding of the fourth dimension by looking at A. Square’s adventures with one, two, and three dimensions.  Cultural, social, and gender issues raised in the book will also be discussed.  Special graphics will be shown – can you identify a square, hexagon, or circle by their edges?  There are a limited number of copies of the book in the AGS Office to be checked-out if you want to read it in advance.  It is a quick read.  But the discussion will still be interesting and worthwhile even if you haven’t read it.

Jim Rush: “Meditation”
Come out in the morning to meditate with Jim Rush.

Jazz Band Rehearsal
Join Nick Seward to organize an impromptu jazz band.  Non-Instrumental Music students are welcome and encouraged to participate.  Bring your instruments.

Great Area II Debate
Area II faculty will debate whether or not racism is a permanent part of American society.

Water Balloon Battleship
How do you make the most boring board game of all time fun?  That’s easy: take away the board and add water
balloons, a touch of mayhem, and Matt Bradsher.

Hotel Rwanda
This film is about a family’s and a nation’s effort to survive and about the political indifference of the international community with regards to the systematic extermination of 500,000 Tutsis by Hutu Interhamwe militia in Rwanda in 1994.

Evan Rogers: “Morning Running Group”
Hey all of you intermediate to advanced runners!  Looking for a more challenging morning fun?  Then throw on your running shoes and come take a longer tour through Mr. Roger’s neighborhood with Evan.  It’s running to go.

Rachel Schrag: “Piano Spectacular”
Come enjoy a variety of piano music performed by AGS students and faculty, including solo classical works, jazz, and piano duets.

Jason McCann: “Historical Painting: How Did Washington Cross the Delaware?”
Mr. McCann and students will discuss historical events depicted in artwork, as well as how they’ve responded to this in their own work.

Chad Terrell: “Film Noir: Watching the Detectives”
What inspired this uniquely American film genre?  Come and discuss fedoras, femme fatales, and the morally ambiguous world of dames and tough guys.

Katie Pratt: “Spanish Podcast 101: Learning Spanish with Your iTunes"
Come listen to an intermediate-level Spanish conversation from Spanish podcast 101 to learn new vocabulary and phrases and to practice speaking with your classmates.

Bryan Cwik: “Philosophy Reading Group”
Come join us to discuss an essay by the great Roman Stoic philosopher Seneca: "On the Shortness of Life." Copies will be available on the Hulen Sun Porch (right outside the cafeteria entrance) starting on Tuesday or Wednesday.  Feel free to come to the discussion even if you can't finish the reading (faculty/staff are welcome to attend, but discussion is student only).

Faculty/Staff Softball Game
The epic annual showdown between faculty and students, and the greatest battle between good and evil since the last Lord of the Rings movie came out. Yeah.

Jim Rush: “Stress Reduction Experience”
Continued overview of the physiology of stress with an application of ways to reduce stress experience.

Talent Show
Come cheer your friends on as they showcase their various talents.

Clinton Library Field Trip
This trip is for people who signed up to visit the Clinton Library U.S. Space and Rocket Exhibit.  If your name is on the roster, you are required to attend.

AGS Basketball Tournament
The basketball tournament that will decide who the kings and queens of the court really are.  Oh, and the winners take on the faculty/staff team.

Quiz Bowl Tournament
Come join Quiz Bowl superstar Mark Elrod of Area II fame in the Burrow for a trivia-filled, intense, XTREME experience.

AGS Film Festival: Post-Production
Teams send their representatives to come edit their films and get them ready for screening!

Foreign Film Series: Solaris
Experience a Russian film rooted in traditions very different from those of traditional Western cinema.  Director Andrei Tarkovsky's 1972 science fiction classic presents an uncompromisingly unique and poetic meditation on space travel and its physical and existential ramifications. Scientist Kris Kelvin travels to the mysterious planet Solaris to investigate the failure of an earlier mission.

Peggy Scranton: “Yoga and Meditation”
Beginning level yoga instruction and practice for all body types and levels of fitness.  Please bring a towel and/or yoga mat.  Everyone is invited.

Jazz Band Rehearsal
Join Nick Seward to organize an impromptu jazz band.  Non-Instrumental Music students are welcome and encouraged to participate.  Bring your instruments.

Powaqqatsi
Whereas Koyaanisqatsi dealt with the imbalance between nature and modern society, Powaqqatsi, the second installment in director Godrey Reggio's Qatsi trilogy, is a celebration of the human-scale endeavor -- the craftsmanship, spiritual worship, labor and creativity that defines a particular culture. It's a celebration of rareness but also an observation of how these societies move to a universal drumbeat.

Casino Night
Try your hand at some casino games, buy snacks with your winnings, and make some new friends at the AGS Casino.  AGS “playmoney” will be provided.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Come out for the fifth movie of the series to celebrate the newest Harry Potter movie coming to theaters this summer.

Board Games
Come out and play classic board games in the Burrow!  Feel free to bring your own.  The more, the merrier.

Blood Drive
The American Red Cross will be hosting a blood drive which will last from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm.  Students 17 years of age or older who weigh at least 110 pounds and are in good health are encouraged to donate blood.  Be sure to bring your driver’s license or state issued ID.

Jazz Band Concert
Come see the musical talent of your fellow students in an exciting jazz concert.

Powderpuff Football
It’s powderpuff football, ladies and gentleman- let the deconstruction of gender roles begin.  Girls, help your male counterparts get ready by providing them with appropriate attire.

Lip Sync Contest
Come watch some imaginative performances intended to energize the crowd.  In the end, you will select the winner with your applause.

Week 6: July 20-July 25

Week 6 Blurbs

Peggy Scranton: "Yoga and Meditation"
Beg0inning level yoga instruction and practice for all body types and levels of fitness.  Please bring a towel and/or yoga mat.  Everyone is invited.

Student-Faculty Basketball Game
There ain’t room in this AGS for the both of us…The final showdown of basketball skills between the students and the faculty.

AGS Ultimate Day
Tossing the discus in ancient Greece was taken very seriously, and it is here, too.

Chad Terrell: "What It Is! An Argument for Redefining Jazz"
An argument for redefining jazz.  Come and hear a jazz lover’s redefinition of what the term “jazz” means.  It will include DJ scratching, literature, and theology.  Oh, there will be traditional jazz, too.  Help Chad make this a stronger argument!

Kondwani Phwandaphwanda and Rapheal Lewis: “African/Reggae Music Jam Session”
Bring your guitar/drums and other musical instruments to play some original African/Reggae music.  Chord progressions will be provided.

Chris Rupert and Jessica Courtway: "Study Abroad"
Let’s talk about all the wonderful opportunities awaiting you beyond the boundaries of the United States.

Erin Nixon: "Ramallah Calling"
The field of conflict resolution and peace studies is relatively new and spreading across universities and schools across the country. Ever wanted to know how people learn to stop conflict and promote non-violence? Join us for a lecture and discussion all the way from the West Bank on the field of Conflict Resolution/ Peace Studies, the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, and the current situation on the ground in Israel and the occupied territories.

Art Show Reception
Come experience the exciting creations of Area I Fine Arts students!

Choral and Instrumental Performance
Choral and Instrumental Music will be putting on a performance for AGS.

Music Jam 2009 Remix
Since the last one got rained out, let’s try it again!  Bring your instruments to the Brick Pit to jam or just come and relax to some improv music after the choral and instrumental  music performances.

Evan Rogers: “Morning Running Group”
Hey, all of you intermediate to advanced runners!  Looking for a more challenging morning fun?  Then throw on your running shoes and come take a longer tour through Mr. Roger’s neighborhood with Evan.  It’s running to go.

Jim Rush: “Meditation”
Come out in the morning to meditate with Jim Rush.

AGS Dodgeball Tournament
Make your teams and come challenge the current title-holder, Veasey Voracity, for eternal glory and preeminence in the area of Dodgeballery.  Always remember the 5 D’s of Dodgeball.

Joe Guy: "Beyond Our Boundaries"
An area coordinator will be discussing the benefits of study abroad programs.

April Gentry-Sutterfield: "Human Trafficking"
UALR Sociology professor Shannon Avra discusses the modern slave trade and some ways you can help put an end to this practice.

Gerry Gipson: "The Firebird"
Come watch the Royal Ballet’s spectacular production of Stravinsky’s ballet.

Jennifer Seward: "Road Trippin' Without Going Broke (and Taking Awesome Pictures Along the Way)"
8 weeks and 8,000 miles on a budget. Jenn and Nick Seward share their summer 2008 US road trip experience. Plus, you will also learn helpful tips for taking better photographs.

AGS Gospel Choir Concert
We’ve been working hard, and this is the final product.  Come worship with the choir for our last concert!

Martial Arts Workout
Come out for a robust martial arts workout.  At the end of the night, there will be sparring for anyone who wants to stick around.

Revis Edmonds: "Gaffes, Blunders, Slick Ads, Faux Pas, and Turning Points
What turns modern presidential elections from the presidential elections of 1960, 1964, 1976, 1980, 1988, and 1992?  We will examine how various events, large and small, have turned both close elections and great landslides.  News clips and vintage television ads will be featured.

Alex Schroller: Race and Just Desserts: The Debate Over Affirmative Action"
Is affirmative action fair?  How has the Supreme Court changed the legal landscape in regards to race and achievement?  Should a "post-racial" society advantage "historically discriminated" groups?  We'll examine the facts and the history in an effort to determine the fairness and effectiveness of affirmative action programs.

 Rabbit Proof Fence (Discussion to Follow)
This film recounts the true story of three Australian aborigine girls who were forcibly separated from their mothers as part of Australia’s aboriginal protection policy in the 1930s.  The three girls set out on a 1,500 mile trek to find their way home via the “rabbit-proof fence” that crosses Western Australia, hunted by trackers led by the infamous “Chief Protector of Aborigines” A.O. Neville.

Peggy Scranton: "Yoga and Meditation"
Beginning level yoga instruction and practice for all body types and levels of fitness.  Please bring a towel and/or yoga mat.  Everyone is invited.

Ask the Governor
AETN (Arkansas Public Television) will be taping an episode of “Arkansans Ask: Governor Beebe” at 3:30 pm.  You are encouraged to ask Governor Beebe questions.  Be sure to come prepared with questions about burning topics and issues regarding our state.  Area I will dismiss at 3:15 pm.

Riff-Fest:  Mystery Science Theater 3000
Come and see a rare short, Last Clear Chance, and the awful Italian sci-fi Escape 2000.  Remember, "Leave the Bronx!"

The AGS Cup: Outdoor Soccer
One last day of soccer for all of those who are compelled to kick things all of the time.  After this, all you will have left to kick is Steve.

Steve Nolan: "2001 A Space Odyssey: Art vs. Entertainment"
We will be analyzing the Stanley Kubrick film using historical context to find the reasons for this artistic film’s rare blockbuster success.  Clips included.

Christine Faubel: "Antoni Gaudi: Public Servant or Modern Michaelangelo"
For those interested in architecture, Spain, or simply in piecing together history, this discussion will give you a broader understanding of the public efforts of one of the most renowned Spanish artists.

Bill Higgins: "Singing with Mr. Bill"
We’ll talk about good vocal production for both singing and speaking.

Katie Rose: "Dylan for Everybody: Finding the Dylan That's Right for You"
Bob Dylan’s career has spanned many musical genres.  Come hear samples from these genres and find the Dylan that’s right for you.

AGS Idol Finale
Who will be the next AGS Idol?  You will decide.  Make sure you bring a pen or pencil so you can make your vote count!  Don’t miss the grand finale!

Jim Rush: "Meditation"
Come out in the morning to meditate with Jim Rush.

AGS Volleyball Tournament
Sign your teams up for this extreme exhibition of volleying and balling.

Norma Hargraves: "Poetry Café II"
Come listen to some poetry by Lily Peter and some other Arkansas poets.  Bring your favorite poem, too.  We love to listen.

April Gentry-Sutterfield: "Women and Science"
Muriel Lederman, former professor of biology at Virginia Tech University, discusses  issues around women and science.

Jeremy Lusk: "The Case Against Music Piracy"
Digital music revolutionized the way we listen to our albums, but it also revolutionized how we steal music.  Record companies are taking extreme measures to combat it, but some bands are showing that there is another way.  Come see what the future of digital music might look like.

Matt Forester: "Breaking into Print for Money"
Learn how to publish your written work and get money for it.

Summer Scene Showcase
The AGS Drama Students will showcase work from this summer’s course by sharing scenes and monologues from contemporary plays.

Evan Rogers: "Morning Running Group"
Hey, all of you intermediate to advanced runners!  Looking for a more challenging morning fun?  Then throw on your running shoes and come take a longer tour through Mr. Roger’s neighborhood with Evan.  It’s running to go.

Water Wars: Water Balloon Capture the Flag Strikes Back
For my last event, I figured I’d combine two of the things y’all love most: water balloons and capture the flag.  Come out to play, rain or shine.

Lars Seme: "Infinity: How Big Is It?"
What do we mean by infinity, and how big is it?  Can we do meaningful mathematics with infinity?

Bryan Cwik: "Philosophy Reading Group"
Come join us to discuss the famous short section “The Ring of Gygas” from Plato’s Republic.  Copies will be available in the Sun Porch (right outside the cafeteria entrance) starting on Tuesday or Wednesday.  Feel free to come to the discussion even if you can't finish the reading (faculty/staff are welcome to attend, but discussion is student only).

Denis Winter: "German Brass Plays Bach"
Virtuoso brass musicians from Germany play arrangements of Bach.

AGS Film Festival
Come out and see what your fellow students have been working on the past couple of weeks!  You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you might even explode.  Who knows?

Final Mixer
Bring your yearbooks, your cameras, and your dancing shoes.  The songs you suggested for “create your own playlist” will be used for an AGS countdown of your favorite songs.  The mixer is required.  To leave, you must be escorted by an RA, and, once escorted back to your Residence Hall, you will not be able to return to the mixer.

Closing Convocation
This is the final assembly at AGS 2009.  It is for students, faculty, and staff only.  Afterward, meet your parents and check out of your dorms. Goodbye, and thanks for a great summer!