Lupe Fiasco and Girl Talk Come to Elon University

Pendulum Opinions Editor Morgan Little, DJ Girl Talk, and Kevin Clang before the performance on Friday, May 1st. Photo taken by Pendulum Online Editor Ashley Barnas.

by Kevin Clang

While most popular, critically acclaimed musicians like to isolate themselves onstage surrounded by expensive equipment and security, Greg Gillis, better known by his stage name Girl Talk, prefers something quite different.  At Elon University Gillis invited 200 lucky ticket holders to join him dancing onstage during his set.

Rapper Lupe Fiasco and Girl Talk made their way to North Carolina Friday to perform in what would be Elon University’s largest concert ever.  Despite the rain outside and the hot temperatures in the gym, over 2000 Elon students and locals attended the show, which lasted for over two and a half hours.  Students waited in long lines for hours just to be let into the venue.

It was not the first time the two had joined each other for a joint show at  a local college.  Most recently, Fiasco and Girl Talk both performed a free show at Duke University.

Lupe Fiasco performed for over an hour at Elon University on May 1. Photo by Pendulum Online Editor Ashley Barnas.

A Busy Day

Students were let into the gym at around 8 p.m.  Girl Talk was the first to perform, taking the stage at 8:30 and playing for close to an hour and a half.  During his set Girl Talk showered the crowd with minature candies and 99 rolls of toilet paper fired out of a leafblower.  Fiasco began his set around 10:15 and played for an hour, donning an Elon University basketball jersey for his final three songs to the crowd’s delight.

The show had been eagerly anticipated by the community since the two acts were announced at a special event earlier in the spring.  Ticket buyers were also entertained by a light show and giant video screen during the two performances.  By the time Fiasco’s performance ended just after 11 p.m., the crowd was visibly exhausted from dancing all night.

Looking Ahead

It marked a significant step forward for Elon’s Student Union Board, who set up and ran the show.  In the past, the student organization has brought smaller, lesser known bands to campus for big events like this one. Previous spring acts have included pop artists Sister Hazel and Jack’s Mannequin.

Most students hailed the show as a success when exiting.  By the time the show was over, students only had one question left: How does SUB top it  next year?

 

Over 2,000 students and locals waited in line to get into Koury Gym before the concert. Photo by Pendulum Online Editor Ashley Barnas.

Elon Students Supportive of Barack Obama’s First 100 Days

Since taking office in January, Barack Obama has faced an economic meltdown, several bailouts of major industries, a North Korea missile test, unfortunate handshakes with major enemies, an outbreak of Swine Flu, partisanship on Capitol Hill and the constant threat of a war on terror.

The good news is that although they admit he hasn’t had the easiest time since taking office, most Elon University faculty, staff, and students are supportive of the decisions made by the still new 44th president.  Younger students especially, one of Obama’s key demographics during the election, are favorable of the president’s many choices.

“I think he has done a good job overall,” said Elon Sophomore James Harrison, “We’ll see how the stimulus package turns out, the jury is still out on that.”  The stimulus package seemed to be the greatest concern among those surveyed.  “I’m worried about the national debt,” said freshman Emily Wilson, “the stimulus package is worth so much money, and nobody seems sure that it is going to work.”

Obama also maintains a healthy 65% approval rating nationally according to MSNBC.  Since Richard Nixon took office, only Ronald Reagan had a higher approval rating after the first 100 days (68% in 1981).

Survey: Elon University Students Conscious of Environment

by Kevin Clang

With Earth Day coming up next week, many Elon University students are contemplating the environment and the effect they have on it.  In an informal survey of over one hundred Elon students administered today by The Pendulum, 90 percent of students said they consider themselves to be environmentally aware.  

The official Earth Day symbol (Image from Wikipedia)

Students are also doing their part to help the environment.  In the poll, 64 precent responders think Elon has made a difference in their level of environmental awareness, and 67 percent are actively taking part in reducing global warming.  Most students listed recycling as one major way they personally are taking action.

“Elon has definitely made it easier to take action against global warming,” said sophomore  Kayla Brown, giving the school’s many recycling bins and environment-friendly dining halls as examples.  Several students also cite recycling, walking more and promoting alternative energy as steps they take to preserve the environment.  An estimated billion people around the world participated in Earth Day 2007.

 

90% of polled Elon University students consider themselves environmentally aware.

 

Not every student views global warming as an immediate threat, however.  About 32 precent of those surveyed say they are not concerned by global warming.  ”On my list of things I worry about, global warming is very low,” admitted freshman Julie Pedro, though she confessed to recycling whenever she could anyways.

 

67% of polled Elon University students say they're actively trying to prevent global warming

 

Earth Day is held annually on April 22.  The holiday was first recognized in 1970, when nearly 20 million people demonstrated in major cities across the United States.  Since it has become a global phenomenon.  In recent years the holiday has been used as a method to publicize the effects of global warming and counteract them.  Full results of the survey can be found in this weeks Pendulum or on the Pendulum Online.

Don Bolden Witnesses and Documents Burlington’s Evolution for the Times-News

by Kevin Clang

Don Bolden covered Alamance County for the Burlington Times-News for over fifty years (Photo from Times-News)

One month before the Berlin Wall fell, Don Bolden was traveling through Gagra, Georgia, with strict orders from the government not to photograph anything.  Bolden was traveling with a local Burlington school group under the guise of an “education consultant,” having been refused a visa as a reporter.  Gagra was still being controlled by the Soviet Union.  In response to recent uprisings, martial law had been enacted and soldiers roamed the streets.

It was just too good a story for the journalist in Bolden to ignore.  As soon as he was sure that none of the locals were looking, Bolden quickly snapped a few pictures of three martial law troops.  When they saw what he was doing, the troops quickly turned, confronting Bolden and assaulting him with their bayonets.  “Eventually I was able to convince them that I was photographing the swans nearby,” said Bolden.

A Half-Century in the Community

In over fifty years as a photographer, writer and editor at the Burlington Times-News and as a member of Elon University’s School of Communications‘ advisory board, Don Bolden has seen and done it all.  One can sense this almost immediately when they sit down with him.  As a student journalist it would have been easy to get intimidated, but Bolden’s soothing voice and genial attitude instantly puts you at ease.  Despite the lure of cushier jobs at bigger papers in larger cities, Bolden never felt the need to leave his hometown.  “I had opportunities to go elsewhere, but I enjoy small towns,” he said, “I knew the community so well.”

Bolden’s first love was photography, which was introduced to him by his father.  “I processed film for the school paper and yearbook,” he said.  Ultimately Bolden’s student work made it into the Times-News.  ‘I was able to travel to their headquarters and meet the staff,” Bolden said.  He joined the Times-News first in 1948, starting at the circulation desk and working his way up to photography and writing jobs.  He became editor in 1982, a job he held for eleven years.

Bolden in Burlington

The town of Burlington has changed significantly in Bolden’s many years working in it.  “In the 1940s there were 25,000 people, mostly working the textile and hosiery businesses,” said Bolden, “we were the beginning of the Bible Belt.”  Today the population of Burlington has almost doubled, despite the textile industry disappearing in 1969.  “We are much more diverse now,” he said.  Bolden has published two books on the history Alamance County, one detailing the city during World War Two and one collection of photographs from the twentieth century.

Bolden views this type of connection to one’s neighborhood as an important part of any reporter’s job.  “Know the community you write in, have a working relationship with them,” he says, “Be a leader.”  In doing so, the paper and the reporter have closer relationships to the reader, which gives them more incentive to read the newspaper.  “Support local community activities . . . always try to change things for the better.”

How to Fix Newspapers

“Newspapers are struggling to find their role in society,” says Bolden, who thinks the emergence of cable and internet news as popular resources have transformed journalism forever, and not necessarily for the better.  Bolden believes that the only way newspapers can survive is to stick local, devoting most of their attention to things like local obituaries, sports and news.  “Go deeper, ask questions.  ‘Why’ is much more important than ‘what,’” he Bolden believes. “It’s a scary time for papers,” he said, adding “when the economy rebounds, papers will be back.”

For aspiring journalists, Bolden has clear advice: “Make sure this is what you want to do.”  Since the job can be very stressful and has no definitive hours, students have to be sure that they like it before committing.  At times he found the constant work to be taxing, but according to Bolden “I have a very understanding wife, and that helps.”  In the end, Don Bolden would not trade his experiences for anything.  “It’s a real kick,” he said, adding to students “enjoy the ride.”

Is Radio Dead? A Look at the State of Traditional Radio

The PDF version of this article can be viewed here.

by Kevin Clang

Their homes had been absolutely devastated by weather. One day everything was fine, the next torrential rain and winds had completely ripped apart everything they knew. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina forever changed the lives of the citizens of New Orleans. For three days they were left completely in the dark with no way to get information. Newspapers certainly were not being delivered to the affected regions and with no electricity, televisions and computers were rendered useless.

Elon Students Broadcast from WSOE's Radio Booth Seven Days a Week

On Sep. 1, 72 hours after Louisiana levees had been breached, United Radio Broadcasters was able to go on air using resources donated by competing companies who joined together for the tragic occasion. For the people of New Orleans this meant the world; anyone with a receiver and batteries could listen to the important broadcasts to receive information that could save their lives.

Radio had saved the Gulf Coast, giving people not only the vital information they required to survive but also providing music as a reprieve from their hardships. For traditional radio, the URB Katrina transmission marked a resounding triumph in an otherwise bleak quarter-century.

Investigating New Orleans

Connie Book, assistant professor and associate dean of communications at Elon University, has spent years researching this event. In January of 2008 she and 10 Elon communications students traveled to New Orleans to interview victims and document just how large a role traditional radio played for hurricane survivors in the days immediately following Hurricane Katrina. Throughout the trip students kept their own personal journals and an online blog documenting their findings, which will eventually be published in a book on the subject.

Since she began teaching broadcasting nearly 20 years ago, Book says “each year I talk about broadcasting radio less and less.” Competition for the attention of listeners is fierce. “Every year I ask my students the same question, how many of you listen to local radio? Fewer each year raise their hand.”

In an informal survey of over 40 student DJs at Elon University’s student-run station, WSOE, only 25 percent of respondents said they listened to traditional radio daily.

Recently people have had a hard time deciding just what exactly radio’s place is in the world of media. With Hurricane Katrina, Book says that “Radio was taking the lead, recognizing the role it serves as an industry, a role that includes significant investment in the communities it serves.”  Despite the obvious tragedy of the natural disaster, Book was amazed and excited when she heard the news of United Radio Broadcaster’s achievement.

Radio’s Role in America

Each day when Americans all across the country enter their cars to set off on their morning commute, they have a decision to make: what do I want to listen to? What used to be a clear-cut choice has evolved significantly since the emergence of the Internet. As a result, the number of people listening to traditional terrestrial radio has declined in recent years. What used to be a powerful medium for both journalism and entertainment is now often looked upon as a joke; a mere shell of the powerful force that it once was.

This fact has many pundits asking themselves how much time terrestrial radio has left.

To be fair, people have been calling the “death” of terrestrial radio for years now. First with the introduction television, then the debut of cassette players in cars, and again when CDs were invented. Things have never looked as dreary as they do now, however, with satellite stations, iPods, and Internet radio outlets such as Pandora always siphoning away precious listeners. Audiences are down, and thus advertising revenue has also suffered. Since selling advertising is what radio has always done for profit, it is not inappropriate to start asking “what if?” Is a world without traditional radio a possibility in the near future?

Results from an Informal Survey of Over 40 WSOE DJs

Elon University broadcasting professor Rich Landesberg does not think that it is all doom and gloom for terrestrial radio. Through his 20-plus-year career in the medium, he has heard people say that radio is “dead” more times than he can count.

“Terrestrial radio is still the most portable and useable medium available,” he says, adding that terrestrial radio still secures millions of daily listeners for pundits such as Rush Limbaugh, Clark Howard and Rachel Maddow, and for content on specific topics such as sports, weather and traffic. And as opposed to things like television or computers, which are ineffective without power, all one needs to operate a radio is a battery in times of emergency.

The Satellite Scare

Terrestrial radio had a huge scare with the initial launch of satellite radio, a fear that has subsided recently. Satellite radio was popularized by two companies: XM, which debuted in 2001, and Sirius, which launched in 2002. Both were introduced offering music, sports and news programming for a monthly subscription.

Over time the two companies were able to attract personalities such as Playboy Radio, Bob Edwards, Martha Stewart and most notably Howard Stern, who accepted a $100 million contract from Sirius in 2006 after being frustrated by the limitations of FCC-regulated terrestrial syndication.

XM and Sirius have since merged into one company, a union that was finally approved in 2008 after much fervent debate on Capitol Hill. Since the merger, the company has run into trouble. In tough economic times, many see satellite radio as a luxury they can no longer afford. Because of this, Landesberg says that the Sirius XM stock is worth “pennies.” Today most new satellite subscribers are car buyers who opt for a satellite radio upgrade installation from car companies that are partnered with Sirius XM. The only problem is that with the current economic crises, most people are not buying cars and thus, no satellite radio.

When he first heard the idea of satellite radio, Landesberg says he thought to himself “Who would pay $10 a month for radio?” A few years later, when he began commuting an hour to Elon every day, Landesberg began to see the usefulness of a satellite radio provider.

“There was no news on terrestrial radio in the morning,” he said, adding that “satellite also has a better market for music,” with its many specific-genre-oriented stations. Since satellite is not hindered by a limited bandwidth, companies have the luxury of offering specialized stations. While these stations must find listeners, there is more freedom for niche markets; stations don’t have to conform to a corporate playlist.

More Survey Results

In the survey of WSOE DJs, 62 percent said they do not subscribe to satellite. Those who said they do subscribe to a satellite company listed this attention to specialized music as the reason.

One student said, “The best advantage I would say is that (satellite stations) are more specialized niches of music that appeal better to whatever your specific taste is at the moment.” Another noted that “less commercials, wider variety and the ability to pinpoint a music interest,” was the main reason to pay the monthly subscription fee.

While this appeal is intriguing, in the end Landesberg does not think that satellite radio is traditional radio’s main competitor.

What is Radio’s Competition?

Ryan Sweeney, the current general manager of Elon’s WSOE, has a similar viewpoint on terrestrial radio’s main rivalries. “Pandora and the iPod are radio’s main competitors,” he says. An avid supporter of the value of terrestrial radio, Sweeney has worked at WSOE since early in his freshman year at Elon. He says he does not understand the appeal of satellite radio, adding that subscribing to satellite is stupid when it offers nothing more to listeners than free Internet services such as Pandora or Last FM.

“Satellite tries to appeal to too many people at once,” he says. “Now everyone wants instant gratification.”

Ryan Sweeney is WSOE's Current General Manager

Since the corporatization of many radio stations’ playlists in the 1980s and 1990s, the Internet has taken up the mantle of introducing people to new bands. Pandora and Last FM are free Internet music sources that attempt to link fans of one band to other similar bands they may not have heard of.

This wave of Web music will probably kill satellite radio first, however. The Pandora iPhone application is among the most popular, and this summer Apple plans to launch an application that will allow users to transmit music on their phones over the radio wirelessly.

“The problem with Pandora is that it has no personality,” says Sweeney. WSOE’s former general manager Erin Fox agrees. “People listen to terrestrial radio for personality,” she says. “With iPods, anyone is a DJ . . . people need a reason to listen.”

An Elon senior, Fox has interned at two major radio stations, including Chicago’s famous WXRT. “All across the country we’re experiencing a flattening culture,” she says, in reference to corporatization. “Spreadsheet programming is not enough, people like variety.” Fox said she believes that this trend to make every station sound the same, started by big companies such as Clear Channel (which owns over 900 radio stations across the United States) helped bring about radio’s recent downfall. “Corporate ownership and programming doesn’t work anymore,” she says.  Sweeney agrees, saying that with Clear Channel “stations have no cultural identity – DJs stick to formats.”

More Survey Results

The Key to Success: Hyper-Locality

Most experts agree that radio can only remain relevant if it stays true to its roots and remain local.

“In its early days, radio was hyper-local,” says Landesberg, “it needs to return to that.” Fox lists locality as one of traditional radio’s main strengths, saying “stations need to have pride in the community and give listeners a taste of the city.” At WXRT for example, DJs are given the option of playing what they want and encouraged to dig deep into their collections, playing both popular songs and forgotten ones.

Sweeney strives for localization at WSOE. He and musician Jason Kutchma are the co-founders of Choose Local Music, an organization dedicated to aiding local bands. “Choose Local Music is a movement to inspire people to go to local shows,” says Kutchma. “Radio used to break bands, but now it doesn’t do that anymore.  Blogs started to, but now there are just too many to keep track of.” A little less than half of polled Elon DJs use traditional radio to find bands, while 85 percent use the Internet. Choose Local Music is attempting to get independently owned radio stations to publicize, promote and play music from local artists and bring radio back to its original roots.

More Survey Results

Using the Web to Help, Not to Hurt

Stations also need to use the Internet more effectively. Fox says that convergence is the key to future radio success, and a simple Web site and streaming Webcast aren’t enough. “Stations need to use Web 2.0 tools to their advantage and offer complete packages with many entrance points.” While a station may not make any money on the Web yet, it can be an effective way to attract people to listen to a specific station. Elon professor Ken Calhoun is a big proponent of Web 2.0 tools, saying they can offer a station’s listeners “choice and control, two-way communication, and extend (their) reach).”

Since graduating from Elon University in 2005, Travis Lusk has done just that. As the new media director at New York’s WCBS, Lusk’s job is to stay on top of the Internet and make sure he is using it effectively to boost his station’s presence. In the past year alone, WCBS has completely overhauled its Web site, adding a news archive.  It has also implemented a blog and a Twitter account, which are used to connect and appeal to the station’s listeners through updates and contests.

Natasha Vukelic has seen similar growth working as the news director for North Carolina’s WCHL. National Public Radio has also experienced a large increase in listeners due to using the Internet effectively, offering its most popular programs as free podcasts on iTunes.

Is radio dying? It all depends. A cynic who has not done a complete amount of research would say yes; across the country audiences are down, and many stations are struggling to make ends meet. Times are tough but there is hope on the horizon.

If stations stay true to their roots and try once again to reflect the communities in which they are based, telling local stories and breaking local bands, people may be more inclined to listen again. But only if they know about the change, and radio stations also need to use the Internet effectively to make sure this happens. If traditional radio does these two things and does them well, it may once again rise to the effectiveness that it is capable of.

“Mediums don’t die, they change,” says Fox. Radio has a lot of changing to do, but the foundation has been laid for the future.

Anderson Cooper Takes Elon University for a 360 Degree Ride

 by Kevin Clang

Even though he often questions whether or not his work will actually change things, CNN’s Anderson Cooper does see the value in reporting the news, and bringing attention to stories that would otherwise recieve none.  So he told over 2,000 students at Elon University’s Alumni Gym in a speech delievered this Tuesday.

Anderson Cooper stresses the importance of fact-checking and objectivity in journalism at Elon University's Alumni Gym (picture from E-Net)

In a whirlwind of a day, Cooper arrived on Elon’s campus via jet just after noon, taking a tour of the School of Communications and making a surprise appearence in a few afternoon classes.  After a quick brown bag lunch, Cooper fielded student queries in an hour-long question and answer session in Whitley Auditorium.

In Whitley several students were given the oppertunity to ask Cooper direct questions mostly focused on the media and his own journalistic opinions and experiences.  At 4 p.m. Cooper spoke at Alumni Gym, a speech titled “A 360 Degree look at World Events.”

As it’s title suggests, Cooper’s speech was mostly serious look into the issues facing America today.  Cooper described his own experiences as a war correspondent for ABC, with whom he visited countries such as Somalia, Iran, Israel and Rwanda.  There were also some lighthearted moments peppered throughout the speech, especially when Cooper discussed the uselessness of his Yale degree in political science.

Throughout the day Cooper stressed the need for objectivity in journalism, saying he believes in “facts, not opinions . . . people are smart and can figure it out for themselves.”  He came down hard on the ideological reporting of some of his competitors, asking whether they were “pundits or reporters.”  With regards to papers, he stated that the possible disappearence of the newspaper was “scary,” but recognized that “the cost of printing and distributing paper is prohibitive (to the industry).”

A Yale graduate, Cooper was initially rejected for an entry level job at ABC News.  He accepted a job as a fact-checker at Channel One, a news program seen in middle and high schools across the country.  Eager to do more, he decided to leave the job to shoot his own stories overseas in Burma and Vietnam.

Eventually he was hired as a correspondent for ABC News, being appointed as anchor of their World News Now in 1999.  In 2001, Cooper joined CNN first as a correspondent and then as their weekend primetime anchor.  Cooper has hosted his own show on CNN, Anderson Cooper 360, since 2003.

Elon School of Communications Board Members Discuss the Future with Students

Debora Wilson and Graham Woodlief addressing students

Journalism is currently stuck in a constant state of change.  Every other week there seems to be some major change in the way reporting is either done or published.  Nobody can really be sure what is coming next, a fact that has been particularly troubling to the Elon University journalism students who will be entering the job market in the coming years.

Luckily, School of Communications board members Debora Wilson and Graham Woodlief were able to take time to talk to eager students about the state of media and what changes we can expect in the future.  Wilson, former president and chief executive of The Weather Channel and Weather.com, and Woodlief, the vice president of communications company Media General, took time to discuss their experiences in media and answer student’s questions.

Wilson Weighs In

A recurring topic was exactly what media companies need to do in order to remain viable in the future, especially with a struggling economy and the strength of the Internet.  According to Wilson, media providers always need to be asking themselves “where are people going to be, and what do they want?”

As an example she used her own experiences with The Weather Channel, who were among the first major companies to move to the Internet fifteen years ago.  She claimed that when the usefullness of the Internet was still unproven, her company did a good job in anticipating the needs of its customers.  As a result, weather.com is one of the top 15 web properties on the Internet.

“Every media company is going through economic struggle in this economy,” she said.  “Most will be fine, some will evolve.  Leaders must know where to go.”

Woodlief’s Words

Woodlief had a similar opinion.  After 44 years in the media business, he said he had seen “quite a bit of transformation.”  While things look bleak for some newspaper companies at the moment, Woodlief believed that they would not be disappearing completely any time soon.

“Information is very important to people,” he explained, adding that the job of any newspaper is to gather and provide information to its consumers.  Woodlief explained that recently his company has overseen the convergence of six markets and major restructuring in five markets, decisions that were reached after asking the question “How do we produce information that is better for our customers?”

Advice for Students

For graduates entering the job market, both Wilson and Woodlief were clear in their advice.  “Don’t own the word ‘entitlement,’ ask what you can do to add value to your organization,” said Wilson, adding ”Step up and lead.”

Woodlief encouraged students to view “obstructions as oppertunities.”  Students should be “glad to work, and always want to work harder.”  Reporters these days need to know how to do anything, so students should also be eager to learn during their time at school.

Mac DeMere Races Towards Journalism’s Future at Elon University

by Kevin Clang

When it comes to picking what field of study one wants to major in, some students spent months agonizing over the important decision.  For Mac DeMere, it was easy.  “There was no degree in race-car driver,” he said.

Mac DeMere Visits COM 310

DeMere, a freelance auto-journalist who has spent his career working in newspapers, magazines, public relations and the automotive industry itself, visited Elon University today to discuss the changing face of journalism.  DeMere discussed his career, offering stories and advice, and finally asking students their opinions.

“You must be an expert in your field,” DeMere explained, adding that an expert should be able to “spot fudges and lies, and hear what they’re not saying.”  When you don’t know something, DeMere stressed that you “always find and expert that does.”  The auto-journalist also detailed with the class some of the ways in which journalism is changing.

“I did not take a variety of classes,” he said, mentioning television classes specifically.  “These days, you have to do everything; journalism is in flux.”  Print journalists are now expected to write for the web and television as well, and the three media could not be more different from one another.

DeMere talked about his first experiences in front of a television camera, something the company he was working for sprung on him with little to no warning.  “My first efforts on-camera were terrible,” he said, “Print journalism on air doesn’t work.”  Despite initial setbacks, DeMere admitted that television writing did become easier the more he did it.

The most important advice DeMere dispeled on the class was what he viewed as a journalist’s number one priority: accuracy.  “Give up on completeness for accuracy,” he explained, adding he would rather turn in a story late than turn one in that was not facutally sound.  “One error could lose you your audience for your career . . . not being wrong is all you can hope for.”

As most newspapers and magazines move on-line, DeMere questioned the future of quality journalism.  Although video often obtains ten times the number of on-line hits that print receives, “Written word is still important, powerful, and necessary,” he said, adding that the Internet was best for quick news and fast hits.

The Curious Case of Art Kramer – Professor Dicusses Age and Memory at Elon University

by Kevin Clang

George Bernard Shaw once said that youth is wasted on the young.  According to Art Kramer, that might not be the only thing.  The professor of psychology at the University of Illinois believes that memory may also be something that the young may not be taking advantage of.

Art Kramer comes to Elon University

Kramer stopped by Elon University for the Science Department’s “Voices in Discovery” lecture series to give a talk titled “The Aging Mind and Brain: Use It or Lose It.”  The lecture, which was originally scheduled to be held at McCrary Theater, took place Monday night in Moseley Center room 215.

The Efforts of the Young

Despite the falling snow, which caused the cancellation of all the day’s classes, hundreds of students and faculty squeezed into the meeting room for Kramer’s talk.  Once chairs in the room ran out, students lined the walls and even sat on the floor to hear the lecture.

“Many changes, some not positive, happen (to the brain) through aging,” said Kramer, who throughout the night compared scans of the brains from seventy-year olds to those from eighteen-year olds.  “You guys are at the peak of your fluid intelligence,” Kramer explained, referring to the many students.

“Fluid intelligence” refers to how quickly a person can learn new information or how to perform a new task, and it reaches it’s peak sometime during college.  Conversely when one gets older, their “crystallized knowledge,” anything they would use everyday in a job or hobby, becomes more concrete.

Improving Your Memory

Kramer addressed the effectiveness of new video games such as Ninendo’s “Brain Age,” which claimes to increase one’s memory.  Do they actually work?  Kramer says no.  For this million dollar industry, Kramer says that “there is little science to back up these claims.”

One thing that does work, however, is education.  “Educating yourself is the most important thing you can do to help prevent a brain disease,” stressed Kramer.  He explained how in an enriched environment, the brain can learn tasks more quickly.  Good nutrition, social interaction, and other positive lifestyle choices also help.

With education, “the brain can maintain cognition at high levels of pathology and function well with diseases.”  Diseases such as Alzheimer’sand other forms of dementia ravage the minds of those who don’t take care of their brains.

Old Dogs, New Tricks

Kramer says that statistically there is a high risk for age-associated brain diseases for those with no education and bad nutrition.  Kramer stated that 50 percent of people over 85 who do not read have Altzheimer’s disease.  That number is reduced by 44 percent when reading is factored in.

Even though “Brain Age” showed little improvement, strategy based video games such as “Rise of Nations” or “SimCity” may help one retain memory.  Kramer says that some patients over 70 showed “some improvement” after playing the games for sixteen hours over the course of a month.  “It is very promising data, but very early data,” stressed Kramer.

Games such as these are famous for their micromanaging systems.  Kramer used this example as proof that “you can teach old people new things,” and added that some patients “got quite good” and even enjoyed playing the games.

Scientists use MRI machines to test the effectiveness of these and many other strategies to change brain structure and increase memory.  With each experiment, they employ a “control” group who is not administered the variable as well as a group that is.

Class Canceled Due to Snowfall at Elon University After Some Speculation

by Kevin Clang

After a flurry of text messages, e-mails and yes, snow, classes were officially canceled at Elon University on Monday, March 2.  The news was welcomed as both a relief and a headache to students and faculty.

For most students, the day off was a much needed break to relax and catch up on homework.  For teachers, especially those who meticulously plan their curriculum for each specific day of the semester, the cancellation caused some frustration.

At around 7 p.m. Sunday night, several students around Elon’s campus received a text message saying that class the next day had been canceled due to impending snow, despite no now having fallen yet.  A little less than an hour later, Smith Jackson sent a response e-mail saying that no decision had been made regarding the cancellation or delay of classes.

By 9:45 p.m. snow was starting to accumulate on and around the roads.  Smith Jackson sent a second e-mail informing students and faculty that the University would assume a delayed schedule the next day, with abbreviated classes set to start at noon.

Elon lost power at sometime during the night, which caused school officials to rethink their decision on Monday classes.  By 11 a.m. Monday morning power had been restored and students were able to switch on their computers and see that classes at Elon and Elon Law had indeed been canceled.

Belk Library opened at noon and the scheduled Science Department’s “Voices of Discovery” lecture took place, albeit in a different location than once advertised.  Most campus dining areas were able to open by noon as well.  The men’s Basketball game versus Davidson was held in Alumni Gym as scheduled.