by Erin Franklin | Jun 8, 2016 | News Slider
This week at Lipscomb, an Air Evac helicopter landed and students lay strewn across campus with gruesome-looking injuries. Despite the emergency scene, students were all smiles; they were getting first-hand simulated medical experience at this year’s Lipscomb-HCA/TriStar Health Care Academy. The academy drew 26 high-schoolers from across Tennessee — and even one from Honduras. The academy’s activities on Tuesday included first-aid training and even a live simulation, featuring Journalism Campers as “victims.” “I think this is a wonderful experience for high-schoolers to come and dabble in health care if that’s going to be their profession later in life,” said Sarah Neller, assistant professor of nursing. In the training, there were different stations set up for different types of medical treatment, and the students rotated from station to station. The training involved bandaging, cold liquid appliances and the removal of possible infectious materials such as dirt or grass in the wound. While this was going on, teachers were prepping the “victims” outside the Burton Health Sciences Center. Tamara Baird, an IT Nurse, was in charge of creating the victim’s “injuries.” Baird used tools such as Vaseline, costume blood, make-up and hydrogen peroxide. “I create accidents to make them look realistic for the medical trainees,” Baird said. Then, the students were given first-aid kits and instructed to go outside and examine their patients’ condition and properly treat them. Each victim was given a specific injury and role to play during the simulation; injuries ranged from minor sprains to serious lacerations and heat stroke. Baird said that the benefits extend beyond textbook knowledge. “If you get used to the wounds in this environment,...
by Erin Franklin | Jun 4, 2016 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider, Opinion
A live-action remake of the classic Rudyard Kipling tale, The Jungle Book is the rare family film that engages viewers of all ages, providing timeless storytelling and forgoing typical crude humor. Most of us have seen the original lighthearted Disney cartoon (1967) directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, who also brought us the beloved Disney films Robin Hood (1973) and 101 Dalmatians (1961). I naturally wondered how Disney would stay true to this original film and the Kipling story, while still putting an original twist on its reboot. This sounds like a daunting task, but director Jon Favreau accomplished this with creative skill. One of the film’s biggest assets is its visual beauty. Set deep in the jungle, the film is uniquely and solely portrayed (other than Mowgli) through impressively realistic computer-generated imagery (CGI). It stays true to its Disney roots, too, incorporating beloved songs and characters from the cartoon, such as Baloo’s number “The Bare Necessities” and chief monkey, King Louie (both not in Kipling’s original story), yet, overall, it is loyal to Kipling’s coming-of-age tale about a boy finding his place in his jungle home. The film stars newcomer Neel Sethi as Mowgli, who got the part after auditioning with over 1,000 other children. Sethi is the only non-computer-generated character in the film (other than a brief flashback with baby Mowgli and his father in the jungle), with all other characters portrayed as magnificent CGI animals. The Jungle Book does bring in well-known names as voices for the jungle creatures, such as Bill Murray (Baloo), Ben Kingsley (Bagheera), Idris Elba (Shere Khan), Lupita Nyong’o (Raksha) and Scarlett Johansson (Kaa) to draw viewers. However, much of the film’s success must be given to Kipling since he is the author...
by Erin Franklin | Jun 2, 2016 | News Slider
The name of the relatively unknown David French, a Lipscomb alum, has exploded across the Twitter universe after Bill Kristol’s Twitter announcement that there will be an “impressive” Independent candidate in the upcoming 2016 presidential election. Kristol, a political figure, journalist and one of the biggest advocates to stop presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, has been searching for a candidate to run as an Independent to put an end to Trump’s campaign. French is not Kristol’s first attempt at trying to help mount a conservative in the effort to keep Trump and Hillary Clinton from making it into the Oval Office. Kristol also courted Mitt Romney, but to no avail. Romney, however, applauded French’s character on Twitter on Tuesday. “I know David French to be an honorable, intelligent and patriotic person. I look forward to following what he has to say,” Romney tweeted. Lipscomb’s Provost, Dr. Craig Bledsoe, knows French personally. Bledsoe spoke highly of his friend, praising his character. “The thing I think people should know about David is that he is a high-quality individual who not only talks the talk but also walks the walk,” Bledsoe said, as he thought about the one thing he thinks the American people should know about French. “He is a person who truly believes his convictions and lives out those convictions. He’s not just somebody who says what he thinks; he actually lives what he thinks.” French was one of Bledsoe’s first students when he started his career as a political science professor at Lipscomb. “He was a great student — extraordinarily smart. He was one of those students that faculty like because when he walked into...
by Erin Franklin | Jun 1, 2016 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider, Opinion
Although it wasn’t quite “grizzling or horrigust,” The BFG just might be categorized as a “grunicous” (as BFG would say) film to sit through for anyone who’s graduated from elementary school. Moviegoers can’t help but to expect an E.T.-like film upon hearing Steven Spielberg was directing another story about a child developing a friendship with a fantastical being, but The BFG (The Big-Friendly Giant) falls short of the storytelling magic E.T. possesses that we’ve come to expect from Spielberg. The film focuses on Sophie, an orphan, who is snatched by a giant from her bed. The tale continues with an unlikely, yet lovable friendship between Sophie and the giant, whom she dubs “BFG.” BFG isn’t the only giant in the world, though; there are several other giants, who have terrifying names, “Bloodbottler” and “Maidmasher,” for example, who eat children such as Sophie. The rest of the story tells Sophie’s and BFG’s quest to end the terror the other giants inflict upon “human beans,” and even BFG himself. BFG is not entirely without merit. The budding young star, Ruby Barnhill, delivers an admirable performance as Sophie, the orphan who travels to Giant Country. Mark Rylance also provides a wonderful voice performance as the title character. The CGI in the film is striking as well; however, this year’s The Jungle Book’s imagery is much more so. With today’s CGI possibilities, it seems that the scenery could have so much more depth — “Giant Country” is dull and lacking compared to the intricate and detailed jungle in The Jungle Book. Despite Barnhill and Rylance’s performances, older filmgoers may begin to suffer from boredom...
by Jade Spilka | May 31, 2016 | Arts and Entertainment, News Slider, Opinion
Filled with adventure and creativity, Director James Bobin’s Alice Through the Looking Glass captivates a creative-minded viewer and allows one to visit the enchanting land of Wonderland for a second delightful time. I was skeptical when I first heard Producer Tim Burton, who directed the 2010 Oscar-winning film Alice in Wonderland, would be bringing Wonderland to life once again. However, within the first ten minutes of the film, my fears were instantly put to rest. There are many positive messages portrayed throughout the fantasy film. Alice Kingsleigh (Mia Wasikowska) is the perfect role model for young girls. She is a tough go-getter who believes that nothing is impossible. She is not dependent on a man and knows that a woman can do any job a man can do. The Mad Hatter’s (Johnny Depp) storyline focuses on family and rekindling lost relationships. The Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) and White Queen (Anne Hathaway) demonstrate repentance, forgiveness and the power of sisterhood. The film’s main focus, however, is time. Alice hates time and believes it is a thief, but as the story progresses, she learns time is a gift. After several attempts to change the past, she learns the past cannot be changed, but it can be a lesson applied to the future. The lessons were beautifully portrayed, and I left the theater feeling happy and surprised at the sequel’s fresh and imaginative ideas. Alice Through the Looking Glass is a must-see for any creative individual. Photo courtesy of Walt Disney...
by Patrick Carpenter | May 31, 2016 | News Slider, Sports
Lipscomb’s Madi Talbert made school and Atlantic Sun Conference history when she qualified for the Nationals in the 3,000 meter steeplechase for the fourth straight year. That record-setting performance highlighted Lipscomb athletes’ performances during last weekend’s Division I East Region Preliminaries in Jacksonville, Florida. Talbert — one of five Lipscomb participants in the Region prelims — finished 11th out of 48 runners, posting a time of 10:04.48 in the steeplechase. Head coach Bill Taylor said it has been a joy to watch Talbert’s progress as an athlete. “It’s pretty amazing how she has developed from a high schooler with a 3,200m PR of 11:31 to a four-time NCAA Division I National Finals qualifier, two-time All-American so far, Olympic Trials qualifier and a runner with a (personal record) of 9:50 for the 3,000m Steeplechase,” Taylor said. “That’s quite a journey and should be an inspiration for our athletes that it doesn’t matter where you come from; big things can happen if you believe in yourself.” Talbert has twice earned All-American honors in her previous National Championship appearances. She looks to add to that in her appearance at Nationals June 8-11 in Eugene, Oregon. Senior Gemikal Prude also completed his Lipscomb career in style at the preliminaries in his home state of Florida. Even though he didn’t advance, he gave thanks to the university for his experiences and the education he’s received. “Never would I have imagined having the opportunities, traveling to places and meeting the people that I have,” said Prude of his growth as a Lipscomb student athlete. “High jump hasn’t necessarily been part of my life for too long, but I am so...
