03/24/2016 by Michigan Tech Lode

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The Keewenaw Underwater Preserve: the final frontier?

march 24, 2016

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USG’s new focus

Creative writing competition

Mt. Rupley’s easter event , the “slush pit” Photo by Davy McLeod

Thursday, March 24

NEWS

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Spotlight: InterVarsity

Local Speaker at Impact

Evan Mayer News Writer If a Friday night sitting in a dorm room or watching TV is starting to get old, then a trip to an InterVarsity Christian Fellowship may just be the ticket to liven up your nights and at the same time help your spiritual development. InterVarsity Christian Fellowship traces its history to England where a movement of British students started the organization in the 1870s. The organization stayed in the United Kingdom for quite sometime until 1938 when the University of Michigan brought the ideas of InterVarsity across the Atlantic. Since the organization was officially incorporated in the United States in 1941, InterVarsity groups have sprung up on campuses across the country. The main event each week for the organization takes place on Fridays at 6pm in the Mineral and Materials Engineering Building Room U115. This event is broken up into two phases,

beginning with Impact. During Impact, the group worships together and then has a guest speaker, typically a local pastor.. Recent topics that have been discussed include “Hypocrisy in the Church” and “Who Would Jesus Vote For?”

“People don’t have to be afraid to come check us out... Once I did it was life changing.” - Jonathan Drake

Following Impact, the Crater phase of the evening occurs. Crater is a time where members of the group can hang out, have fun and get to know one

another better. In addition to the large group meeting, there are Bible Studies that occur daily. The times and locations for these studies vary however, so if you are interested in attending one of them you should contact Jonathan Drake at jddrake@mtu.edu first or attend one of the large group meetings. The group also hosts several volunteer service events, including chopping wood and shoveling snow for members of the community who are unable to do these tasks by themselves. Another more fun event they held was a lock-in the week before Spring Break. The lock-in consists of food, music and games that allow members to interact with each other in a less structured, fun atmosphere. Intervarsity is a non-denominational organization, so it does not matter if members are Lutheran, Catholic, Baptist or any other form of Christianity. As long as an individual is looking for an opportunity to talk and grow in their Christian faith, then they are more than welcome to attend the large group

Courtesy of Jonathan Drake

meeting or a Bible Study. This also provided an opportunity for members to hear other denominations’ ideas and values on different biblical and religious topics. There are no dues to join and members are free to attend as many events as they wish. According to Drake, Intervarsity currently is made up of a lot of freshmen, so for people looking to get involved in a school organization early and make friends that will be here throughout the Michigan Tech experience, this is a great place to meet new people. Drake initially got invited to come to an Intervarsity event three years ago after playing with some of the members on a softball team. Through Intervarsity he was able to find a core group of friends to hang out with. “People don’t have to be afraid to come check us out,” Drake said, “Once I did it was life changing.” Come check out Intervarsity Christian Fellowships on Fridays at 6 p.m. in M&M U115 or email Drake to see if you too can get that life changing experience.

Current USG Executive Board.

NEWS

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Courtesy of USG

Thursday, March 24

USG’s new focus Primary update Rachel Belanger News Writer

Kyle McGurk, Jacob Cavins, Maximilian Sexauer and Joshua Davis – hopefully those names sound familiar, not because students may know them in some fashion, but because students took the time to vote for USG President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Students didn’t, then they still have time to nominate and vote for representatives. Nominations are open until March 29th at 11:59 PM at this link https://goo.gl/3lHoq2 . For the students thinking, “Why should I?” I’m asking those students, “why shouldn’t you?” If a student has an issue with a particular situation on campus, the student can go to a USG meeting or to a member and express their concerns, suggest ideas and ask questions. The student body government is the liaison between the student body and university decision makers, like Les P. Cook, Vice President for Student Affairs and Advancement. However, the student body refrains from taking advantage of USG’s main purpose – to serve the students. According to a previous e-board member, last semester, approximately 6 cases were presented to the

“What would it take [to develop an Ice-Skating rental program at the SDC] and why hasn’t it happened yet.” - Jacob Cavins

USG from the student body. Jacob Cavins, the current fourth year representative, believes that the problem exists in two spheres. Firstly, the student body’s preferred communication with the USG and secondly, the students’ comfortability with voicing their disquiet openly. Cavins has a number of solutions to the problems that he has identified. He hopes to explain how USG operates in the students’ favor, to communicate with the student body in as many ways as possible and to provide anonymous ways to present their worries. So what is USG doing for us now? Cavins divulges that they are focusing on the Student Development Complex’s currently

Jacob Cavins, 4th yr. rep.

Courtesy of USG

non-existent Ice-Skate rental program. Specifically, “...what it would take to do it [to rent skates at the SDC] and why it hasn’t happened yet,” he explains. USG locates the proper people to consult and then works with them to remedy a solution that works for the students’. At the end of their problem solving efforts, they will present solutions to the student body. Are any concerns coming to your mind? Do you know what USG is currently working on? Do you have an idea as to how the USG can improve their communication with the student body? There are plenty of ways to communicate your ideas to the USG. They have meetings every Wednesday at 7 pm in the MUB, where students can present their ideas to the board as well as listen-in on the University’s current events. On Friday’s from 2 pm to 4 pm on WMTU 91.9, students can call in to ask questions or to make suggestions to an actual USG member. If students prefer to do less talking, then USG also has a facebook and a twitter account. Their handle is @ usgmtu. Cavins says, “It’s not a bad thing to complain, but people are only comfortable doing it anonymously. Look at Yik-Yak. Unfortunately, we cannot have someone constantly monitoring it.” He continues to explain a system that if reelected he would like to implement, that he learned of this past weekend, where students could submit an index card with their complaint on it and three of their own solutions on the back. This would not only solve the anonymity problem, but also generate ideas for solutions that students may find more agreeable or simply something that USG had not thought of before. What is your opinion on skate rental at the SDC? Do you have any ideas as to how to make that happen? Do you have any ideas as to how create a more comfortable atmosphere? Contact your nearest USG member – or use Facebook or Twitter.

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks to supporters at his primary election night event in Palm Beach, Florida. Courtesy of Associated Press

Amanda Charboneau News Writer Right now it seems that Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump will be on the ballot for the 2016 presidential election. That is if they can keep their lead. Clinton is ahead of sanders by 317 delegates (not including superdelegates who can change their pledge at any time). Donald Trump is currently ahead of Ted Cruz by 255 delegates. This week Democratic primaries are being held for Idaho, Hawaii, Utah, Alaska and Washington. Utah is also holding it’s Republican primary this week. There are 198 democratic delegates up for grabs with 23 in Idaho, 25 in Hawaii, 16 in Alaska, 33 in Utah and a whopping 101 in Washington. Utah will have a total of 40 for the Republicans to delegate. Regardless of the results, Clinton and Trump will still be in the lead after this week. However, they are not out of the woods yet. In order to secure the nomination a Republican candidate will need 1,237 total delegates out of the 2,472 total. There are still 1,049 available. On the democratic side 2,383 are needed for

the nomination and 2,295 are available. That means regardless of the current count, it is still too early to declare a winner. The trailing Republican candidate, John Kasich can’t win under these conditions being the winner of only 143 pledged delegates, but what if the election doesn’t have a candidate that reaches the required amount? Even if a candidate has the majority, unless they reach their party’s magic number then they aren’t guaranteed the nomination. When the convention to choose a candidate arises, the nomination goes through a process called a contested election. In a contested election, the delegates vote again and again until a candidate reaches their magic number. This can be used to take a trailing candidate and make them the nominee instead of the actual leader. In a contested election, it’s anybody’s game well ,anyone who the party supports. So Trump may be beaten by Kasich if it goes into a contested election. That being said, if your state still hasn’t held its primary, you or a family member can still register for an absentee ballot. Check out longdistancevoter.org to find out when the cut off dates are. This election is currently too close to call. Your vote may be the deciding one.

Thursday, March 24

NEWS

Michigan Tech Lode

American held in North Korea World Report Jon Jaenig News Writer An American college student traveling abroad was arrested at the airport on his way back to China, having been supposedly found with a propaganda poster from a restricted area of the hotel that he was staying at in the North Korean Capital of Pyongyang. While the actual arrest for what North Korea calls a “Hostile anti-state act” took place on Jan. 2, America did not become aware that 21 year old Ohio native and undergraduate student at the University of Virginia, Otto Warmbier, had been arrested until a statement was made by the North Korean Government at the end of January. The statement received little attention from the American public until Warmbier was shown in a North Korean Media release in late February. The media release featured the shackled and distraught Warmbier admitting to attempting to take the poster, saying that he wanted to bring it home for a leader of a semi-secret campus religious organisation at his college. Details in the confession, including a large cash reward for returning with the poster and a larger cash reward to be paid to the student’s

family in the case that he was caught and detained, make many suspicious of the confession. Many U.S citizens arrested in similar trials have explained that their confessions were forced upon returning to the U.S. The club that Warmbier cited as wanting the flag claimed that Warmbier was not even a member, although the nature of the organization makes their claim only one more aspect of the story which can not be interpreted with certainty. It is unlikely that a college organization would lie in so severe a matter, but it is also unlikely that a semisecret and obscure college organization would be mentioned in a potentially scripted confession if not actually involved, especially since North Korea usually blames U.S tourists who break their laws as being agents of the C.I.A. in “attempts to disrupt the united view” of the country. Since the release of the footage of Warmbier’s confession, a number of politicians, most notably Ohio Governor and Presidential hopeful John Kasich, have been urging North Korea to release Warmbier. Government entities including the State Department, who strongly discourage Americans from entering North Korea, have said that they have no plans to attempt to retrieve

Warmbier, but it was speculated that there may have been security concerns associated with publicizing any intended actions. On Mar. 9, North Korea announced that Warmbier had been sentenced, in a trial lasting one hour, to fifteen years of hard labor. An hour later the White House announced additional sanctions against North Korea. The sanctions were most likely in response to possible Nuclear tests held in North Korea in the end of 2015, but the timing of the address with relation to Warmbier’s sentencing may well have been deliberate, as President Obama has officially denounced the sentencing as being unnecessarily severe. White House Press Secretary John Hurst and Deputy Asia Director for Human Rights Phil Robertson (who met with North Korean Officials to discuss the Warmbier case at the request of Governor Kasich) believe that North Korea is likely to use Warmbier in some kind of negotiation in the near future. This theory is based both on the severity of the sentence, which is extreme even by harsh North Korean standards, and the fact that similar scenarios have gone that way in the past, including a missionary who was arrested for leaving a Bible in a hotel room.

News Writer Russian president Vladimir Putin, in an announcement on Mar. 14, 2016, ordered his country’s forces to withdraw from Syria starting Tuesday, Mar. 22, 2016. The Russian premier further elaborated that the five-month aerial bombardment campaign against Syrian rebels will end since the military operation has largely achieved its objective. This came as a huge surprise to the international community as the union of Bashar al-Assad and Putin have been fighting against Syrian rebels for almost six months. Russia, which joined hands with Assad largely after the downing of a Russian Passenger jet over Egypt last November by the rebels, seemed satisfied with its campaign which has irrevocably changed the contours of the five-year-old conflict and its surrounding geopolitics. “With the participation of the Russian military, the Syrian armed forces and patriotic Syrian forces have been able to achieve a fundamental turnaround in the fight against international terrorism and have taken the initiative in almost all respects,” Mr. Putin said Monday in a

meeting in the Kremlin with his Defense and Foreign ministers. With the help of several dozen Russian aircrafts and an undisclosed number of ground troops, the Syrian army has been able to regain control of much of what’s left of the heavily populated center of the country, including the city of Aleppo, and to push back rebels that were threatening the homeland of Mr. Al-Assad. Canadian immigration minister welcomed Russian premier’s decision stating, “looks like a new and potentially positive development.” German Foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that “if the announcement of a Russian troop withdrawal materializes, this will increase the pressure on the regime to finally and seriously negotiate a peaceful political transition.” Western world military analysts were caught off guard by this announcement as Russia’s dramatic entry into the Syrian affair was considered a harbinger of a major conflict between NATO and Russia. This exit has led many to question the real motive behind it and the ground reality of the exit. The Russian premier did announce the exit but hasn’t said anything regarding the end date for the pullout. Moreover, Russian Hmeymin airbase

News Writer Obama Visits Cuba President Obama continues to make historic foreign policy strides by becoming the first sitting President to visit Cuba since Calvin Coolidge in 1928. By doing so, he hopes to open lines of dialogue towards normalizing relations with the long-isolated country while also challenging political repression. In 2014, his administration decided to normalize relations with the country for the first time since the late 1950s. Since that time, the US imposed a trade embargo on Cuba that caused severe damage to their economy. It is likely that Obama is trying to restore American credibility on an issue that is almost universally condemned by the international community.

Australia Abandons Logging Plans Australian authorities have come to the conclusion not to log the Tasmanian Wilderness following a UNESCO report that recommended a complete ban on logging in the region. The area covers about 20 percent of the island and is one of the world’s largest remaining temperate forests. The former government of Tony Abbott had advocated logging the area in a bid to improve the region’s economy, which suffers from high unemployment. However, the UNESCO report highlighted the rare flowering plants and endangered species that are found nowhere else in the world, and the Australian government agreed that the risk of outside the city of Latakia will remain be endangering them further is not worth it. operational. Wesley Clark, a retired four-star general Tensions over LGBT Festival in Ukraine A planned LGBT festival in the Ukrainian and former NATO supreme commander deduced the reason for Russia exit is, of Lviv was cancelled after 200 members “Russia’s economy is short on funds and of far-right groups surrounded attendees maybe wants the defense money to go shouting “Kill, kill, kill” this past Saturday. somewhere else. Another reason to do it is The mayor and police authorities of the city maybe this pleases the Europeans and he’s had remained silent on endorsing the festival making an effort to get sanctions relieved.” beforehand. Venues where events had been Saurabh Kothari, an electrical scheduled started to pull out. On Friday, a engineering grad student at Michigan judge ruled late in the day that all public events Tech said, “This is good news considering would be cancelled for the weekend. Several the havocs of the political intervention far-right people showed up to the hearing to in the Middle East that the superpowers intimidate festival organizers. The equality have done compared to the rebels and festival participants were later evacuated by a militants. I wish the superpowers would bus, and the mayor broke his silence by saying work towards ensuring a ceasefire in the that both parties were equally to blame. region, ensuring humanitarian aid and trying to bring the rebels and Al-Assad to a Terror Strikes Brussels Two bombings struck Brussels Airport and conclusion.” Syrian rebel groups who were the main target of the Russian military one struck the Maalbeek Metro Station this operation seemed baffled by the Russian Tuesday morning, leaving at least 31 dead premier’s announcement. Fadi Ahmad, and 187 injured. The attack on the airport is the spokesman for the First Coastal believed to have been the work of a suicide Division, a free Syria army group fighting bomber, as Arabic shouting was heard in the country’s northwest, said, “I don’t before the explosion. The cause of the other understand the Russian announcement. explosions remains unclear, and the city is on It’s a surprise; like the way they entered a virtual lockdown as authorities gather more information. the war. God protect us.”

Russia exit from Syria Sumit Pant

Daniel Stockard

NEWS

Michigan Tech Lode

Thursday, March 24 5

Obama nominates Garland senators. Most Senate Republicans are refusing to consider Judge Garland for the nomination, making his trip a wasted effort. After meeting with Senator Leahy, Judge Garland did not take questions. Senator Leahy told reporters, “How can you say we’re being fair if we don’t even give him a hearing?” Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, who met with Garland on Thursday, criticized the way that the Republicans are stalling. Some GOP Senators are willing to meet with Garland. Other Senators spoke with Garland on the phone, including McConnell, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK). Sen. Susan Collins (RME) has said that she is “...pleased to see that many more…Republican colleagues are now indicating a willingness to sit down and meet with Judge Garland.”

Merrick Garland is introduced as Obama’s nominee for the Supreme Court during an announcement in the Rose Garden of the White House, Wednesday, Mar. 16, 2016. Courtesy of Associated Press

Samantha Stein News Writer Since the death of Antonin Scalia in February, there has been much speculation on who President Obama would choose to take Scalia’s place in the Supreme Court. On Wednesday Mar. 16, President Obama announced that Chief Judge Merrick Garland as his nominee. Democrats are pleased with the Judge Garland receiving the nomination. The nomination is not without struggle though. Republicans and liberals have both expressed discontent with the President’s choice. Judge Merrick Garland is known for his time as chief judge of the United States

Court of Appeals for DC, on which he has served since 1997. His rulings tend to be methodically reasoned and attentive to precedents and statutes. President Obama considered nominating Garland for Supreme Court during his first term in office. Rather than nominating him, he choose to keep him in consideration in the event that a vacancy opened up. With Scalia’s death, that time has come. Despite this, Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell took to the Senate floor to try to end Judge Garland’s chances. Senator McConnell also told Judge Garland that he would not be taking any action on his nomination or receiving Judge Garland in his Capitol office. Senator McConnell is not the only one to reject Garland’s nomination. Many

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liberals urged President Obama to use this nomination as an opportunity to add a strong, progressive woman voice or a racial minority to the Supreme Court. Charles Chamberlain went on record to say, “deeply disappointing that President Obama failed to use this opportunity to add the voice of another progressive woman of color to the Supreme Court, and instead put forward a nominee seemingly designed to appease intransigent Republicans.” White House Officials say that President Obama made his decision based on Garland’s qualifications. Officials have also said that the timing of Garland’s nomination would expose the politics of the Republican opposition. On Mar. 17, Judge Garland made his way to Capitol Hill to meet with willing

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“I am pleased to see that many of my Republican colleages are now indicating a willingness to meet with... Garland.” - Susan Collins (R-ME) Reid predicts that the GOP will eventually give in due to the political pressure they are receiving. He is also confident that Garland will get the approval and become a member of the Supreme Court.

Opinions expressed in the Lode are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty, staff or administration of Michigan Technological University or the Michigan Tech Lode. The Lode is designed, written and edited by Michigan Tech students. The paper is printed every Tuesday during fall and spring semesters. The Lode is available free of charge at drop-off sites around campus and in the surrounding community. To the best of its ability, The Lode subscribes to the Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional

Journalists. The Lode is funded in part by the Michigan Tech Student Activity Fee. 1. lodeads@mtu.edu for submitting ads to the Lode. 2. lodesubmit@mtu.edu for submitting articles and letters to the editor. Work submitted to the Lode should be submitted with the understanding that it may be printed by the Lode and/or posted to the Online Lode, www. mtulode.com. The Lode reserves the right to edit submissions for length, clarity and potentially libelous material. Submissions should not exceed 500 words.

Thursday, March 24

NEWS

Apple vs. FBI

Michigan Tech Lode

VR Available Aaron Kostrzewa News Writer

Shveta Dhamankar News Writer FBI Director James B. Comey told Congress that the bureau has not been able to open and investigate the encrypted data on the iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters. Soon enough, a magistrate in California ordered the tech giant to assist the American government and the FBI in its investigations. Apple, however, vociferously declined. In an open letter addressed to its customers, Apple CEO Tim Cook says that the FBI is asking Apple and its engineers to circumvent several safety features and encryption code. The government is asking Apple to build a software - a single crack in the wall that will, given enough time, soon spread all over the network and bring the entire system down - that “in the wrong hands, would have the potential to unlock any iPhone in someone’s physical possession.” Several people and of course, the FBI, has argued that such a backdoor can be built for just one iPhone. A simple, clean-cut solution according to several exponents of this argument. The one major flaw here, that most technically ignorant and yet ‘ethically sound’ people, such as the FBI, forget is that such a program is equivalent to a master key in today’s world. Once made, it can be used for any iPhone in use. Tim Cook is of the opinion that his company is being asked,

VR gaming headset.

Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks in Milan, Italy

or rather coerced, to hack its own users by bypassing years of security advancement. Apple is being asked to get rid of the singular security feature that deletes all data once the password has been entered incorrectly 10 consecutive times. Once that is done, the government, or any casual hacker could use brute force to blaze through millions of combinations using a super-fast computer. Given a few days and voila, some beer-chugging, pizza-eating fat loser will have access to your dirtiest, darkest secrets.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows Tashfeen Malik, left, and Syed Farook, as they passed through O’Hare International Airport in Chicago. These were the San Bernardino shooters. Courtesy of Associated Press

Courtesy of Associated Press

Apple’s promise of safety and personal security is how it pitches its products. The security features that the FBI wants to override are extremely important to securing an iPhone. Without it, it is protected with just a perfunctory 4- or 6-digit passcode. Another line of argument has heated things up on the technical front. This mobile security debate has inadvertently revealed that a backdoor, in fact, does exist. It is not a hacker’s paradise, but it is a small peephole all the same. This minor flaw is precisely what it makes it possible for Apple to update the operating system on the tons of devices, several of which it does not have the passcode for. Apple did recognize this security weakness and installed Secure Enclave on the iPhone 5S and newer. Fortunately the iPhone at the center of the storm here is an iPhone 5C, which works on an older model. The fireworks will soon begin in a courthouse in California. Tim Cook states vehemently in his open customer letter that “we fear that this demand would undermine the very freedoms and liberty our government is meant to protect.” The FBI has, more or less, the same intentions. Will they find a middle ground? Or is there even a middle ground? Both parties are conceiving the same set of facts and instances with stark contrast and yet, are claiming to work towards the same ideal: A safe, free America. There are more shades of gray here that both parties are prepared to handle.

Courtesy of AP

The next generation in gaming is here. Virtual reality has been greatly anticipated for a market release since the Oculus Rift Kickstarter campaign began in 2012. Now, the company that started it all is releasing their official VR headset set to hit stores March 28. A starting price of $600.00 buys the headset with built-in headphones and OLED screen, Xbox controller, headset sensor and headset remote. Virtual reality allows one to step inside a make-believe world and pretend to be someone else. Once you put on the VR goggles, you see a new world through the eyes of your character. If you look to the right, your character looks to the right. Playing VR is a totally immersive experience that will alter the course of gaming. As praised on Oculus Rift’s website, “Rift uses state of the art displays and optics designed specifically for VR. Its high refresh rate and low-persistence display work together with its custom optics system to provide incredible visual fidelity and an immersive, wide field of view.” In conjunction with the headset, Oculus is releasing a special controller called Touch where the VR experience is enhanced even more by giving the user the ability to interact with the environment with his or her hands. Artists will be able to create media in a new way by crafting virtual art by interacting with it. Alternatively, VR may be used in the future to allow doctors to practice surgery, or for the military to create life-like missions. Since $600.00 isn’t in everyone’s price range, Oculus developed a headset compatible with newer generation Samsung smartphones. The user snaps a Samsung phone into the VR goggles and is able to play games using a hand-held controller. Although it doesn’t have all the capabilities of the Rift, Samsung Gear VR is a great option for those looking to give VR a try. With Oculus being the first to release a VR headset, competitors are likely to follow suit. Other tech giants have announced their version of VR to launch in the future, but for now Oculus commands the market.

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PULSE

Thursday, March 24

2017 movie releases Kendall Belopavlovich Lode Writer

We’re only three months into the year 2016, so it’s highly unlikely that anyone is actively anticipating a movie release in 2017, but I’m sure there are a few fandom fanatics shaking their head “no.” For those of you who aren’t aware of the epic overload of sequels, newcomers and remakes that will be hitting the box offices next year, this article is something to check out. First, we must give credit where credit is due, as 2016 isn’t devoid of anticipation-worthy flicks. Tomorrow, “Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice” will be released and Rogers Cinema in the Copper Country Mall will be screening the movie. “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” will also be released and screened at Rogers Cinema tomorrow. A live action remake of “The Jungle Book” will come out April 15, which, if anything like “Cinderella” and “Maleficent,” will be worth the watch. The “Cinderella” story was remade into a more realistic story with fantastical elements that stirred reminiscent childhood memories in the many adults who saw the movie, and presented the story anew to children who had yet to see it. “Cinderella” grossed over 200 million dollars, as did “Maleficent,” according to boxofficemojo.com. The Captain America and X-Men sagas come back to us in May, as well as “Alice Through the Looking Glass,” a continuation of the 2010 release “Alice

in Wonderland.” Other notable releases throughout the year include “The Legend of Tarzan,” “Ghostbusters,” Suicide Squad,” “Patient Zero” and “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” For more information about this year’s upcoming releases, check out http://goo.gl/InrE4E. Movie Insider’s most popular movies of 2017, which is voted on daily by website users, are “Fast 8,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales,” “The Divergent Series: Ascendant,” and “Beauty and the Beast.” For each month, a “you oughta’ see” movie will be picked for your consideration.

March madness ensues with big titles, including “Ghost in the Shell.”

January kicks off with a list of exciting releases, but “Friday the 13th Reboot” stands out. Many horror flicks come out around October, in celebration of Halloween, but “Friday the 13th Reboot” starts the year out by answering an important question left out of previous storylines, that is, why can’t Jason be killed? February boasts an equal amount of exciting new releases, but for Fifty Shades fans, this is your month. “Fifty Shades Darker” will be released, and anticipating fans and critics alike are wondering whether this continuation in the trilogy will live up to their expectations. March madness ensues with big titles, including “Ghost in the Shell.” Originally

a manga-turned anime series, this live action treat is casting Scarlett Johansson as the lead female cyborg cop. April is a quiet month for cinema, though the “Smurfs: The Lost Village” animated movie is sure to turn to up the volume. Continuing into May, spring fever is brought to fruition with the release of “Baywatch.” If the title doesn’t bring anything to mind, all you need to know is that there will be tons of swimwearclad actors, including Zac Efron, running gracefully on the beach. Brad Pitt will make you fall in love with a good zombie-plot once again in June, when the sequel to “World War Z” comes to the box office. July offers up “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets,” a futuristic storyline that promises a romantic undertone. Pop superstar Rihanna stars in the movie next to supermodel Cara Delevingne, who plays the leading female protagonist. August winds down summer with an interesting take on pop culture, “The Emoji Movie.” Will angry faces take over the world? September brings another sequel, “The Equalizer 2.” Denzel Washington, the star of the first, is sure to bring back the action and energy, but fans wonder if the sequel can top the original. October promises more than horror, with the release of “Jungle Book: Origins,” a live action remake of Disney’s “The Jungle Book.” The year caps off with more big titles, including “Justice League: Part 1” in November and “Star Wars: Episode VIII” in December. Throughout the year, there are untitled projects coming from Disney, Blumhouse, Fox/Marvel and Sony.

Creative writing competition Rachel Belanger Lode Writer

Once upon a time, there was an awkward student whose stockings were worn a little too high, his shirt a little too tight, and his over-sized glasses a little too askew. However, this did not bother Drew — he’s a Husky just like you. He ties his shoe ‘one, two’. He dreams of fast moving cars racing on his own stewed fuel. Drew dreams about adventuring in deep jungles of the world on the back of a mule. He’s a young man one day and a superhero the next. But please don’t worry, he is not vexed. For he is more than just numbers; he writes too. That is how Drew “do.” You see, Drew is really an engineer by day, and writer by night. Drew loves to write about wizards and dragons; utopias

and apocalypses; love and hate, but his favorites are inspired by the Keweenaw and his friends at MTU. He saves damsels in distress from places called Brockway and the Dredge. He tumbles through the Cheese Factory to fight an Orc with his enchanted knife edge. This Orc has a disease, you see, a disease Drew created and destroyed himself with his pen. Maybe this is you. You are Drew! Maybe you are not, but you do, indeed, know a Drew — therefore you should ask him this, too! Submit your story or poem to The Lode, did you? However, you had to have followed these rules two: If a story you write it is to be, then 1000 words no more must it be. If a poem is what you feel is right, then 450 words it must not exceed. Drew sent a copy to Lodesubmit@mtu.

edu on the 23rd – it was due! It was pretty cool. At Michigan Tech there are a lot of technical fellows who enjoy and excel at more than just changing figures. They are good at it, too. There are also students here who are wonderfully talented at many a thing not technical, like writing, drawing, sculpting, music and more. There is a lot of pride and focus on excelling at math and science, but there is beauty and respect deserved to the arts. It is worth excelling in the arts because that makes up our culture and our society. It makes us who we are; it makes us well-rounded citizens. It leads to creative solutions in a plethora of science fields. That’s why we had a writing competition at our little technical school!

What’s Hot

Box Office Disney’s “Zootopia” maintains its place at number one for a third weekend in a row, bringing in over $37 million. The domestic total of the film has now surpassed the $200 million mark, with a worldwide total surpassing $600 million as of press time. This means that it has now passed “Tangled” and is on track to beat out “Big Hero 6” as the number two modern Disney Animation. The premiere of “The Divergent Series: Allegiant” came to the tune of a nearly $30 million weekend. This type of revenue isn’t unexpected from the next iteration of a popular young adult franchise. Not able to overcome “Zootopia” at the box office, though, this film is starting to look like it might be a disappointing end of the franchise. Looking to take advantage of the buildup to Easter, TriStar’s “Miracles from Heaven” brings with it the touching based on truth story of a girl dealing with a rare disorder and overcoming it through the power of faith. The film opened to a cool $19 million, claiming the third place. This weekend was not without its losers. Sony Classics’ “Bronze” reminded the world that an R rating isn’t enough to make a good comedy. With a total gross of just $386 thousand, and a per-theater gross of a pathetic $361, this film is one of the worst box office flops in years. Combined Fiction Best Sellers This week, the New York Times has given the gold to Patricia Briggs’ “Fire Touched”. The ninth entry in the author’s Mercy Thompson series, this novel released on March eighth to significant excitement from fans. A well-written series, they come highly recommended, though the ninth volume is rarely a good place to start admittedly. “Off the Grid” is C.J. Box’s latest Joe Pickett Novel, and provides a suspenseful and page turning thriller that can be hard to put down. While it is the sixteenth Joe Pickett Novel, the series follows very loosely from each other, much like the great Sherlock Holmes, so reading the previous entrants is not as necessary as it might otherwise be. Of course, the biggest problem with reading a Joe Pickett novel is that it has to end. Jeffery Deaver brings his best for a far better bronze with “The Steel Kiss”. Coming as a new entry in the Lincoln Rhyme set of novels, this novel brings a well made mystery that keeps the excitement coming. Following the forensic detective Lincoln Rhyme, a murder investigation leads into ever deeper problems in this fantastic book. HOW do you think we did? WHAT did we miss? ANYTHING you think we need to cover? Know that you could do it better? E-mail: ajpatter@mtu.edu

Thursday, March 24

PULSE

Michigan Tech Lode

Batman vs Superman:

Dawn of Justice Amanda McCuistion Lode Writer “It’s been nearly two years since Superman’s colossal battle with Zod devastated the city of Metropolis. The loss of life and collateral damage left many feeling angry and helpless, including crime-fighting billionaire Bruce Wayne. Convinced that Superman is now a threat to humanity, Batman embarks on a personal vendetta to end his reign on Earth, while the conniving Lex Luthor launches his own crusade against the Man of Steel.” If this synopsis sounds familiar, that’s because you’re aware of what’s happening this week on March 25: that day, in fact, is the premiere date of “Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice”. Directed by Zack Snyder, this film is the follow-up to 2013’s “Man of Steel” and also the first theatrical film to feature live-action portrayals of Wonder Woman, Aquaman, the Flash and Cyborg. It’s been a very hyped-up movie, and although there were a couple of scheduling changes that resulted in its release date jumping up from early May to mid-March, it is not expected that this jump will have any major effect on the quality of the film itself. Advertising for this film began a couple of years ago, most notably in 2014 when Snyder introduced exclusive footage from the film at the San Diego Comic-Con International. Another teaser, this time a trailer, was intended to be released the following April; however, it was leaked online via Twitter only four days prior to its official release. This trailer, however, was met with mixed responses, which caused many fans to develop some doubts. This was later rectified by the film’s official trailer, thankfully, as it was revealed at the following Comic-Con in 2015 and received a standing ovation from its many lucky viewers. Between this trailer and now, many other

Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice

advertisements have been released for this film, although notably it did not have any commercials featured during Super Bowl 50 this year. Despite this, anticipation for the film still manages to stay high, due to perhaps an interesting combination of their unique choices in advertising partners such as Turkish Airlines and Doritos, and of their latest trailer -- which was described, in a word, as “intense” by one reviewer from The Verge. It’s also worth mention that an extended edition of this film, which will be referred to as its “Ultimate Edition” and will feature 30 extra minutes of content, apparently has been given an R-rating from the Motion Picture Association of America. The theatrical cut, however, will be dodging this family-unfriendly rating and instead pass as a PG-13 film. With a combined budget of over $400 million counting both production and advertising, “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice” is going to have to make some impressive profits in the box office if it’s to be worth all the investment. One media analyst, quoted in the Variety magazine, went as far as to suggest that “anything under $1 billion in worldwide box office will be a disappointment.” While Warner Bros. has been modestly predicting an opening weekend box office of about $110 million, which would still barely put the film on track to live up to its high expectations, other analysts expect that it may achieve up to $180 million given that it’s meant to match the pace of “The Dark Knight Rises.” Either way, given that sequels to popular movies tend to either outshine or underperform their respective prequels, this film is expected to be very hit-or-miss, and while everyone’s hopes are high, we can only wait until the 25th to find out for sure whether or not the film will be as big a hit as it’s expected to be.

Photo courtesy of YouTube.

R&D Big Band Aric Rhodes

Business Manager There are few sounds that can quite replicate that of a good old-fashioned big band. Their signature swinging music has lasted since the 1930s, and they’ve changed and evolved with the times. Michigan Tech’s own R&D Big Band is by no means an exception. Consisting of 26 members, each bringing a massive amount of talent to the stage, the band even mixes in different genres of music along with the traditional swing. Seeing them perform is a surefire way to have a great night, and an opportunity is coming to see the R&D Band at one of the best stages in the entire Upper Peninsula, the Calumet Theatre. The Calumet Theatre is a historical remnant of a long gone time, when the copper companies poured money into the Keweenaw, and it shows. From the ornate and refined interior to the copper used in the roof itself, it is obvious that no expense was spared in the time of its construction at the turn of the 20th century. Since then, the theatre has had its up and downs through its history, having been hit hard by the changes of medium that occur over a century.

In spite of these changes, the theatre is now owned and run by the non-profit Calumet Theatre Company. They’ve had the reigns since 1983, and now manage the theatre with only a handful of staff and volunteers from the community. Shows such as this one have an annual attendance nearing twenty thousand. While not necessarily quite as historically significant, the R&D Big Band has its own story. It was established in 1973 by the late Professor of Music Don Keranen. The band was originally made in response to student requests for a freeform group to gain more practice in public performance. This band’s stated mission is to explore and perform a variety of classic and contemporary jazz. Currently under the direction of Mike Irish, Director of Jazz Studies, the band has a fantastically broad repertoire, having something for everyone. It can be hard to justify finding new music in person these days, since the Internet provides access to so many easily found songs. Attending a concert in person can be very rewarding as a social experience. The modest five dollar ticket costs going toward maintaining the theatre don’t hurt matters. The show starts on Thursday, March 24 at 7 pm. If you can make it, you won’t be disappointed.

Michigan Tech Lode

PULSE

Thursday, March 24

Nowruz: The Iranian New Year Saurabh Phatak Lode Writer Nowruz (pronounced as No-rooz) in Persian means the beginning of a new year. It marks the end of the old year and the beginning of the new one and occurs on the day of the vernal equinox. The vernal equinox usually happens between March 19 and March 21. It’s also the beginning of spring. So, Nowruz comes at a time when the weather is getting better and warmer after a cold winter. Nowruz has its origin in old Persia which had extents from almost the present day Mediterranean Sea to India. It was celebrated in the Balkans, the Caucasus and Central and West Asia. The history of Nowruz dates back to around 3000 years. As per a legend, there was a Persian king, Jamshid, who was very popular amongst his subjects for his fair and generous rule. Ancient Persians were hunters and gatherers and were living an unsettled lifestyle. He went on to transform the then nomadic society into an agrarian society. The people settled down with occupations like agriculture, animal husbandry and trading and thus were transformed into a more civilized society. It was a new phase in the Persian civilization. Zoroastrian texts also cite that Jamshid saved mankind from a killer winter destined to kill every living creature on earth. The famous Persian poetry epic Shahnameh credits Jamshid to be the founder of Nowruz. Nowruz is a festival of joy associated with novelty. Although it originated in Persia, Its boundaries are beyond religion and politics. People of different communities,

Nowruz Festival 2015.

different backgrounds and ethnic groups come together and celebrate it. Everyone unites on this occasion in spite of cultural diversities and linguistic differences. Nowruz brings everyone together. Nowruz is a new beginning. It sends out a strong message to start afresh and get rid of the old negativity. The preparation for Nowruz starts about a month ahead. People clean their houses. They buy new clothes, goods, start new business ventures and try to come up with novel ideas. Most of the things are symbolic. Cleaning the house, removing dirt and preparing it for a fresh year is like decluttering your mind and soul of the old negative thoughts and rejuvenating them with a new zeal of enthusiasm. It’s associated with positive energy. So the essence of Nowruz celebrations is to let go of the old things and start with a renewed vigor. It also signifies the victory of good over evil, light over darkness. Spring is that time of the year when you see a good agricultural harvest. In earlier days in rural Persia, people got to celebrate the Nowruz at around the same time when they had a good crop output. A good crop was a sign of prosperity which in itself was a reason to celebrate. As it coincided with the beginning of the new year, the celebration was bigger. However, with changing lifestyles, the celebrations have adopted a modern outlook. The event remains the same, but is celebrated in an urbanized manner. The Persians associate a lot of importance with the actual day of Nowruz. They wear new clothes, meet their friends and relatives and have meals together. People go over to visit the elderly in the family, which also reflects a

Photo courtesy of Mehdi Jafari.

mark of love and respect. A typical Nowruz celebration involves families inviting their friends and relatives for lunch or dinner. The last Wednesday of the year is celebrated by making bonfires on the streets which is called Chaharshanbe-soori. The last day of the festival is called Sizdah-bedar which is the 13th day after Nowruz. Families go for picnics to celebrate the last day of the festival. Any festival is connected with food. Food has to be a priority, else the festival stands incomplete. And Nowruz is no exception. Many delicacies are associated with Nowruz. One popular cuisine is rice with fish and herbs. Sweets are another important part of the diet. Aujil (pronounced as Aw-jeel) is one of them. It consists of mixed nuts, dry fruits and melon seeds. Then there is tuth (pronounced as tooth) which is prepared in an almond base. Other sweets include preparations from rice, chickpeas and other dry fruits. As mentioned, Nowruz is celebrated beyond political boundaries. International Nowruz Day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, in a resolution of 2010, at the initiative of several countries that share this holiday (Afghanistan, Albania, Azerbaijan, Former Yugoslavia, Republic of Macedonia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey and Turkmenistan). The Iranian Community at Michigan Tech is organizing an event for Nowruz celebrations on Saturday March 26. It’s their 3rd year of celebrating this annual event. The organizing committee is expecting around 200 members with university president, department chairs, faculty members, students and other invitees. There are

Nowruz display with festive items.

several other guests from Houghton and Hancock. The main highlights of the event is food, dance and many other entertainment programs. The members of the community are already practicing their best to pull out some superb dance performances. The Iranian cuisine is definitely something to look out for. The event starts at 6 pm in the MUB ballroom. It will stage various dance performances like the traditional dance with a live traditional Iranian music. It will be followed by an entertaining show by a multicultural comedian. The members of the Iranian Community at Michigan Tech are really excited to host this event. “The Multicultural comedian is something which we are going to have for the first time here in the Nowruz Celebrations. I hope it will be a hit. Also, I am excited for the live music. Rarely can we find traditional musicians playing live music for us. Nowruz is a time when you can enjoy such a live traditional music,” says Mehdi Jafari, the e-board member of the Iranian Community at Michigan Tech. Another member of the board, Sara Alian, says, “Nowruz celebrations are always exciting. I am looking forward for the food, dance and some good live music performance.” This is a priced event and the sale of tickets is already underway. Student tickets cost $10 and non-student tickets cost $12. The event is open for everyone and the Iranian Community at Michigan Tech welcomes all students across the campus. This surely will be an exciting one and definitely not worth a miss.

Photo courtesy of Mehdi Jafari.

Thursday, March 24

COMICS

Corollary to Hofstadter’s Law: Every minute you spend thinking about Hofstadter’s Law ia a minute you’re NOT WORKING AND WILL NEVER FINISH! PAAAAAANIIIIIIC! Comic courtesy of XKCD

CLASSIFIEDS HOUGHTON VERY NICE 3 BEDROOM DUPLEX, 17867 CANAL ROAD, 1 MILE FROM M-26, SPACIOUS ROOMS. BEAUTIFUL CANAL VIEW, APPLIANCES & CARPET, ONSITE PARKING. WATER, SEWER INCLUDED. NO PETS. NONSMOKING. 2-3 PERSONS $650/mo. CALL: (906)-482-1437 WRITERS WANTED! THE MICHIGAN TECH LODE IS CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR WRITERS FOR EVERY SECTION OF THE NEWSPAPER: NEWS, PULSE, SPORTS AND OPINION. NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE NEEEDED. A GREAT RESUME BUILDER!

You’re right, I misspoke. I should have said Bingus EVISCERATED Trump

EMAIL US: lodesubmit@mtu.edu CALL US: (906)-487-2404 GAZETTE APARTMENTS Very nice 2 BDRM APARTMENTS located across the street from the Library Bar within walking distance to MTU and downtown Houghton. Secure building, on site manager, laundry facilities, plowed parking and garbage pick-up. Heat and water included. Rent $520-670 Call: (906) 231-4385. Email lodeads@mtu.edu for information about placing a classified ad.

Sherlock Holmes and the case of he only cares about crimes

Michigan Tech Lode

PUZZLES

Puzzles Edited by Will Shortz

DOUBLE-CROSSED

5 19

Note: When this puzzle is completed, take the 73 *Makes wedding answer to each starred clue and cross out all the plans letters used twice. The leftover letters will spell 75 Geometry an appropriate word, reading top to bottom. textbook symbols 76 Big fund-raising ACROSS 42 *Manhattan effort Project site 1 Joke’s target 77 One-stanza poem 44 Cook in charge of 5 Own (up) 78 Green day? 110-Across 9 One of the Five 80 Expression in a 45 Engine part, briefly Pillars of Islam toothpaste ad 13 French film award 46 “____ Tag!” 83 Shade of blue or 18 Phlegmatic 47 Drink served in a green flute 20 Prefix with distant 85 “Feliz ____ Nuevo!” 50 Razz 21 Black-and-white, 86 *County that in sneaker lingo 53 Popular tech includes much review site 22 More than enough of Everglades 55 Money of Peru 23 Folded food National Park 56 *Lawyer 24 111-Across’s 90 *Tidy sum partner 58 *Event with 94 Relative of ibid. rainbow flags 25 They “don’t lie,” in 95 Newspaper unit: a #1 Shakira hit 62 Went on to say Abbr. 26 Not be able to sleep 63 Caribbean area, 96 What they say once: Abbr. 27 *Doctor’s orders? about you, 64 ____ jacet (phrase on 30 ____ fraîche informally tombstones) 31 Regenerist brand 97 Ectomorphic 65 Often-torchlit 32 Capital of 98 Car collector? events Kazakhstan 100 “That’s just ____ roll” 66 Requirement for 33 Streaming video 101 “Same here” one going into giant 103 *Hides out labor? 35 “Fareed Zakaria 107 Arrive 67 Impudence GPS” airer 108 South side? 68 “Speaking 36 Up in years personally …,” in 109 Portend 37 ____ pull (sports 110 See 44-Across texts injury) 111 See 24-Across 69 Supporting the 38 *1999 rom-com 112 Face with numbers idea based on Shaw’s 113 Skin So Soft maker 70 *Pressured “Pygmalion” 114 Sadness 115 Cultural values Puzzles Online: Today’s puzzle and more 116 Kind of prof. than 9,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords 117 Agent Scully on ($39.95 a year). For the daily puzzle commentary: “The X-Files” nytimes.com/wordplay. Mobile crosswords: nytimes.com/mxword 118 “____ to me”

31 36 42

58 64 68 73 77

90 96 101 107 111 115

1 2

3 4

Sunday, February 28, 2016 21

ACROSS 125Make less dangerous, in a way 28 29 7 Sleep lab study 12 Some school edicts 16 Small invention 32 33 34 19 Eagle constellation Michael 37 38 2039Signature 40 Jackson wear 21 Runway model? 43 44 45 23 Fly swatter? 25 "It seems to me ..." 46 47 48 49 26 Attack order 27 Rationale 53 54 55 56 57 28 Trickle 30 "The Good Wife" figures: 59 60 61 62 Abbr. 31 Confer 34 Drool from both sides of 65 66 the mouth? 38 Screams bloody murder 69 70 40 Brought up 41 Narrow lead in baseball 74 75 42 Quaker of note? 45 In base 8 78 79 80 a spittoon 81 82 47 Sound near 50 Brooding music genre 83 84 85 51 Tip 86 of an épée? 53 Sci-fi film with a 2010 sequel 91 92 93 94 54 Brings in 97 98 5699Palindromic girl 57 " 58 Busted timer? 102 103 104 105 60 Illicit sum 62 Anderson of "WKRP" 108 64109 Historic siege site 65 Legendary siege site 112 66113Desi Arnaz? 70 Unsteady gait 74117Cutting edge 116 76 Karaoke bar sight 77 Key of Brahms's Symphony No. 4 79 an Oscar for DOWN 5 Scary 40 Winning My Chemical "Norma Rae"? Romance and Wharton, e.g., 6 Math term that 81 One of the Gabor sisters others informally uses all five vowels 84 Prompt 41 Actress Mine transport exactly once 85 Thomas Maurice who 87 43 Reclined Up in years 7 Things taken painted Parisian 88 Acrophobe's term for a home from the street scenes 47 Chat room route through the beach? policers, Grippers for mountains? informallyword 8 Protest type 90 Encouraging geckos 91 place? 48 Fire ____ Hawkins dance At risk of capsizing 9 Deep laugh 92 Attended 49 Spirit 10 Lavish Vegas 93 Soothes casino opened in 51 One Fairly recent 94 of the Furies 97 Risk 2009 52 Asian Someterritory gameinshow 99 Round after 11 Lowest part prizes the quarters 101 Lament from an unlucky 12 Book before 53 shrimper? Peninsula in 2014

Judges

headlines

54 Quitting aid, of

ruler 15 Certain balloons 16 Smith graduate, e.g. 17 Start on a righteous path 19 CNBC interviewee, maybe 28 Ring figure? 29 Old Spanish kingdom 34 Cousin of inc. 37 Muscle strengthened by a StairMaster, informally 39 “That guy?” Sudoku - Puzzles and Games - NYTimes.com

3/22/2016

Sudoku — Medium

March 22, 2016

Sudoku

8 5

9 2

8 3

1 2

9 8 9

Court Jesters

13 Deliberate 14 Robe-wearing

3/22/2016

KenKen

Rules: A) You must fill in the boxes in each row and column with the numbers 1 to 6. Do not repeat a number in any row or column. B) The areas of the grid with dark outlines around them are called cages. At the top left of each cage is a target number and operation. This means that the numbers in the cage must use that operation 1 to total that number. Hint: Look for cages that are around just one box. The target number will have no operation symbol.

By Joel Fagliano

Rules: Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 block contains 1-9 exactly once.

Thursday, March 24 11 16

105 Devotee

26 108 Fallout from the 2000 30 109

110 112 114 116

120 121 50 122 123 124 125 126

election? "My bad!" Put off Short 35 flight Nougaty treats Writing "30 and single" 41 when it's really "50 and married," e.g.? Reduces to smithereens Cropped up 51 52 Canadian smacker Morning condensate Chichi Cantina appetizers 63 Go through

23 26

79 85

G O

D 49

E 48

D E

L D

A I

25 29

D 87

O O E

O M L

O W

O W W O W 44

A W

A 36

16 22

B E

A R

O O

R I

M A K

E Y 37

M O

M O 78

DOWN O L E H E L L W A S A T E A S E S 67gingerly Applies 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 A L E C T O S I A M S E M I S Outfit 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 72 N O T H I N G B U T N E T V O T A R Y World Heritage Site in 108 109 110 111 112 113 the Andes C H A D O O P S D E F E R H O P 114 115 116 117 118 119 76 4 Oft-married Taylor M A R S B A R S P E R S O N A L F O U L 5 Keg contents 120 121 122 A T O M I Z E S A R O S E L O O N I E 6 Archer's battle weapon 123 124 125 126 D E W T O N Y T A P A S E X P E N D 7 Forever 3/15/2016 Sudoku - Puzzles and Games - NYTimes.com 8 Like lumberjack jackets 87 88 89 55 Ground beef 98 1994 bomb based on an 9 O.K. Sudoku — Medium contaminant "S.N.L." character March 15, 2016 10 Time for last-minute 95 58 100 Mobile home resident? Something to boost planning 59 Rio Grande city 102 Bridge whiz 11 Oxygen-dependent 61 "Downton Abbey" 103 Domineering 100 bacterium 104 Actress Thompson of daughter 12 Card table cloth 63 "Jeez!" "Creed" 13 Not fully independent 106 67 Flummox 106 River along Avignon 14 Piece corps, briefly? 68 De jure 107 "Wanna play?" 11015 Almost dislocate 69 Showroom models 111 Anti bodies? 16 Violation of Yom Kippur? 71 113 Petitioned Residents of 3-Down 17 Batting .200, maybe 114 72 Trackpad alternative 114 Whacked 18 Queen ___ (pop music 73 115 Kind of dye Lean on nickname) 118 75 117 The Depression, for one Astral lion 22 Don't bother 78 Achieve success 118 Smoked deli purchase 24 Give a tongue-lashing 79 Rug dealer's special? 119 Popinjay 29 Veteran 80 Prepares for a Mr. 32 A question of time 72 Kicked oneself Universe competition, 33 Is unacceptable say 35over Virtual address 82 "___ the day!" (cry 36“S.N.L.” Père d'unbit prince 74 repeated in 37 1961 space chimp 79 Country singer Shakespeare) 39 Improvise, in a way Lee ____ Womack 83 Settled the score 42 Isolated 85 Ghostly sound 80 43Nursed Echolocator 86 Apportion 441990s Softly craze 81 88 Say "When I met the 46 "Three Billy Goats Gruff" 82 Chatting online Dalai Lama last year," villain 3/15/2016 Sudoku - Puzzles and Games - NYTimes.com say for 48with, Smash upshort 89 "Qué ___?" 49Bedroom "You win!" shutter? 84 Sudoku — Hard March 15, 2016 91 Sugar 52 Stabilizer of a ship's 86 Ukraine neighbor 92 Goth-looking, in a way compass 95 It's hard to get across 87 53Some "Use your head!" 96 Morsel 54 CD-___ 90

1 2 71 3

7 5 2

1 6 3

8 9 4

3 4 6

9 8 5

2 1 7

8 1 9

1 2 4

6 9 3

5 8 7

2 3 8

9 7 5

4 6 1

88 Secrecy, with “the” 89 Those saying

“somethin’,” say

90 Capital that’s home

sorts

Last week’s solutions:

7 4 2

5 3 6

8 7 1

2 9 4

6 1 7

4 2 8

3 5 9

6 5 3

9 7 8

4 2 5

3 6 1

5 4 9

1 3 6

7 8 2

9 6 4

2 8 5

7 3 1

2 7 1

9 3 4

6 5 8

5 8 3

to the world’s largest castle, per http://www.nytimes.com/crosswords/game/sudoku/medium Guinness 91 Take umbrage at & Jerry’s flavor 92 Multistory temple named for it 93 Small-capped 59 Trudge mushrooms 60 Glows 99 Out of favor 61 “Something to 100 Motorcyclist’s Talk About” invitation singer, 1991 102 Hero of kid-lit’s 66 Sports teams wear “The Phantom them, informally Tollbooth” 69 Dangerous rifts 104 Ballpark figs. 70 “I could go with 105 Part of the whatever” “everything” in an everything bagel 71 Like Mount Rushmore at night 106 “Super cool!”

7 9 2

3 5 6

1 4 8

8 2 9

4 1 5

6 3 7

6 1 7

3 6 8

4 7 1

5 2 9

1 4 3

7 9 6

8 5 2

2 4 9

4 1 5

1/1

9 8 2

3 6 7

5 7 6

8 2 3

1 9 4

Sudoku - Puzzles and Games - NYTimes.com

March 22, 2016

Timothy Polin / Edited by Will Shortz

55 Relative of a skillet 57 Fix 58 Band with a Ben

Sudoku — Hard

3/20/16

Michigan Tech Lode

5 8

1 1 8 3

http://www.nytimes.com/crosswords/game/sudoku/hard

1 6 7

6 2

4 8

Check us out on: Facebook & Twitter

1/1

Thursday, March 24

OPINION

Michigan Tech Lode

Debate:

Should NASCAR be classified as a sport?

Pro: Phillip Bourgeois Lode Writer

Con: Alexander Crawford Lode Writer

OPENING STATEMENT

ROUND 1

NASCAR has been considered a sport since its creation just after Prohibition. More recently however, its legitimacy as a sport has come into question. There are many arguments on both sides of the NASCAR controversy. The most controversial one being whether NASCAR should be considered a sport.

Yes; debate over. Instead of looking at what the competitor does during NASCAR, let us examine what a sport is. A “sport” according to Dictionary.com is : “an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc. a particular form of this, especially in the out of doors.” So not only is racing in the definition, and the first example, but it does require skill and is competitive. Even though the event is driving, something which most of us here in the United States start at 16, not everyone can drive such a powerful machine at top speeds. The mental strain on the driver, the effort needed by the whole team, physical conditions, these are all terms that are used in sports.

ROUND 3

It is the final round of the debate, the arguments are fierce, but you’ve only proven my point in round two: “An event that can be watched for enjoyment by spectators.” But if that isn’t enough to convince you, this will: a sport is not something that can be achieved by one person. “There is no ‘I’ in team” is something that holds true. NASCAR is not just about the driver, it’s about the team. The manager, the sponsors, the pit crew, and of course, the driver. Without all of them working together it would be like street racing. Adding up the three statements that revolve around a sport, NASCAR fits them, therefore setting it above regular driving.

A separate definition of sports reads as follows: “An event that can be watched for enjoyment by spectators.” Now, spectators can certainly show up to a NASCAR race, but the only way any enjoyment could be derived from it is when there’s a major wreck. This places NASCAR in the same category as boxing and MMA fighting. The only issue with that is the fact that NASCAR is not intended to be deadly. Half of the point of NASCAR is the safety of the drivers, crew-members and spectators. The other separation between NASCAR and fighting, is that boxing lasts at most an hour. And that’s with several minute breaks in between every round, which last approximately five minutes. With these main points of separation from a real sport, it’s clear that NASCAR is not one.

ROUND 2

While yes, every NASCAR fan loves a good accident, and I certainly loved to cause them when playing the video game, that is most definitely not the only way for entertainment. For me, seeing my main man, Jeff Gordon, cruise through other competitors like a hot knife through butter was exhilarating. Watching the checkered flag come out and he is in second neck and neck for first, I get excited! I wouldn’t expect a non-fan to understand, just like I don’t like football, I couldn’t care less what happens. So even though there may not be as huge of a fan base as one of those sports, us NASCAR fans can not let haters deteriorate means of our enjoyment.

NASCAR, if it is a sport, is the least demanding sport ever created. The main purpose of NASCAR is to go around a big track, many, many times. For context, the average NASCAR race lasts about three hours. Me going home from college takes nine hours. The dictionary may reference racing as a sport, but that does not lend legitimacy to it. It merely represents the biased nature of the dictionary author. And what makes a racecar driver better qualified to drive faster? Experience? If that’s so, then by the time everyone turns 40, we could all be racecar drivers.While there is mental straining by a driver, and effort by the team, that qualifies nothing. I get mental strain from working on Calculus, especially when I put in huge amounts of effort.

If what defines NASCAR as a sport is it being a team effort, then that means that anything that has a team can be a sport. Heck, there’s team driving just to travel from one place to another. Being a team is not defined as only being a sport. You say a sport is not something that can be achieved by just one person, then what do you call golf? The arguments have been fierce, and all you’ve proven with your arguments is that NASCAR is no more than another activity that takes three hours. This includes me working on my engineering homework. Its obvious from both of our arguments that NASCAR is clearly not a sport.

Michigan Tech Lode

OPINION

Thursday, March 24 13

The tip of the iceberg Cis Might Whale Guest Writer

One: we’re better at killing ourselves, which is just one more thing we boys can do better than you, ladies. Two: we don’t have access to support groups that are otherwise forced down a woman’s throat, if she were in the same position. She’s also more likely to be open about her mental discontent because women are considered “weak and emotional.” This isn’t fair, and it’s a part of the same problem that “Women v. Apple” brings to light. Stop expecting that I’m going to be a mentally hearty lumberjack, and stop expecting that my girlfriend wants to become a stripper. It’s absolutely asinine to write this off as “feminists complaining” because it’s inherently sexist, and you can’t be “all about equal pay and diminishing the glass ceiling” without acknowledging the small changes required for equality, though I wouldn’t call this small. Women should be accurately represented in the media if we want to make progress toward true equality. Thus, emojis should reflect the scope of possibilities that are available to women today. These issues mean something for all genders: men, women, and every shade in between, and to think otherwise is disrespectful to yourself, and your fellow humans.

Are name-brands worth it? Samantha Stein Lode Writer A large amount of society is based around what material goods someone has. This puts quite an emphasis on making sure we buy name-brand products. Due to their reputation of being higher quality, name-brand products carry more significance than off-brands. Of course, brands are sometimes irrelevant to our choice in products. Other times it plays a bigger role. Name-brands also have the tendency to be more expensive because of the branding that is involved as well as their quality. Most generic products are identical to name-brands. Tylenol is the same as Wal-Mart’s brand of acetaminophen, yet Tylenol has a higher price tag. Most foods are similar in flavor regardless of the brand. Personal preference determines whether people find the brand name or the off-brand version better. Things like shampoo and soap are even indecipherable when you compare them. The biggest difference with items like

medicine, food and hygienic products is generally how they’re marketed. Brand names can afford better marketing to convince us that their product is the best. Some products are different though. More unique products can be drastically different from product to product. Clothing and makeup tend to be more unique products. Each clothing line and makeup line is just slightly different from each other, whether it is in the pattern of the fabric of a shirt, the material of the clothing is made of or the ingredients in the makeup. Any of those things can cause an item to have a higher quality, meaning it is going to cost more. However, that higher quality will be worth it in the end when the product lasts longer than something of lower quality would. Of course there is also a materialistic aspect to it. People want things, especially things that carry cultural significance. One of the biggest things that determined how ‘cool’ someone in middle and high school was where you got your clothes. Buying clothes from Wal-Mart or similar stores was deemed

less cool than getting your clothes at Abercrombie or Hollister. Brands carry a big weight. Even today, brands like Nike are incredibly sought after due to their cultural significance in certain groups of people. Thanks to Nike’s branding, they have been able to create new products with sometimes ridiculous prices that consumers willingly pay. For these consumers, they see Nike’s brand as something worth paying for. Some other consumers believe that the spectacle is unnecessary. Really, whether someone chooses to buy name-brands or off-brands is entirely personal preference. Most of the time name-brands are higher quality and will last longer, taste better, smell better or fulfill their purpose better than lower quality, off-brand products. Some people buy only name-brands because their quality is unmatched by generic products. Others buy off-brand because either they are trying to save money, or they just prefer the off-brand to the brand name. Ultimately, it is up to the buyer to decide what they want, however, brands are expensive and reputable for reasons.

Aric Rhodes

LODE

ing

ZONE

In response to the “Women V. Apple” article that was published last week, I’d like to throw my hat into the ring as a male feminist. Instead of blowing this emoji thing off as a minor issue and saying “it could be worse,” why not make it better now? With that logic, female genital mutilation in Africa will never end, because it “could” be worse. Those women having their clitorises cut off “could” be dead, or raped. (Actually, I think both of those happen as a result of the mutilation.) Frankly, no, this issue doesn’t matter as much as female genital mutilation in Africa, or women in Saudi Arabia being forced to wear hijabs, but that doesn’t mean that it’s inconsequential. These small infractions in equality for women compound over time. Two issues with feminism have been written in this paper recently. The first was an article regarding the “pink tax” and the second being the more recent article regarding emojis. I think these issues matter more than they seem to at first glance, and together they can help break a trend for everyone that’s been ingrained in our society for too long.

An illusion has surrounded social freedoms since the dawn of civilization, controlling those blind to it without their knowledge. And, now that society has become aware of this illusion, people are fighting to change it. Gender roles are a relic of a bygone, archaic era in which they were necessary for survival. Frankly, these roles have not been needed since the advent of modern medicine, meaning they’re about a century past their “sell by” date. This obsoletism is why issues like the “pink tax” and these professional emojis matter. They are cracks in the glass, ripples in the mirage, proof that this is not how society ought to be structured. Some believe that these issues relate to only women, but those who think so are sadly mistaken. Instead of ignoring these ripples, saying those noticing them are complaining too much, why not actually use this knowledge to fight against the illusion, to show more cracks, more proof that you can be whatever you want, regardless of your gender, sexual preference or skin color? For more proof regarding gender roles and how they affect everyone, let’s take a look at men and their suicide rates. It’s statistically true that men are more likely to be successful with their suicide attempts. This can mean a couple things.

Have you ever gone back to watch a classic film that you love with a friend, only for them to find it uninteresting? The acceptances and assumptions of media has changed massively over the years, and this is shown in few formats better than film. From the obvious changes of effects to the more subtle tone shifts, movies made today are very different from what they once were. The effects of movies are often one of the first things to show their age. The simple limits of technology can often get in the way. Early films of the CG era will fall victim to the inevitable march of progress. Practical effects get away better, but many of the great tricks that were used can now be entirely unimpressive compared to what can be done today. Cinematography has advanced as well, with entirely new ways of taking shots coming into use. Modern films are more likely to use cinematographic techniques that immerse the viewer into the movie compared to the more observational techniques of older movies. In addition, technology has affected our cameras, allowing for clearer and more impressive shots to be had. Certainly, technology has made a difference in films between now and the past. Does that mean that classic movies like Hitchcock’s “Psycho” or Kubrick’s “2001: a Space Odyssey” aren’t worth watching? Of course not. While these films have been thoroughly copied and technology has moved past them, they are still landmarks for a reason. “Psycho” is still genuinely thrilling from a psychological perspective, and “2001” is a work of art in motion. If for no other reason, these kinds of movies should be watched for an idea of how far we’ve come in film as a medium.

Thursday, March 24

NEW ADVICE COLUMN Dear Readers, The Michigan Tech Lode will be starting an advice column. Students, faculty and staff are welcome to email us about anything personal, work or school-related at take-a-lodeoff-l@mtu.edu. A panel of selected staff will respond with measured input or advice. The identities of everyone involved will be kept confidential. A pen name and an anonymous email may be used to communicate with us. However, a personal email or your Michigan Tech email may also be used. Rest assured, everything will be kept confidential. Write to us with the following format: Subject line: Anything related to the subject matter Dear Husky,

[Letter Body]

-Pen name/alias

OPINION

Michigan Tech Lode

The issues of Lent Alexander Crawford Lode Writer

Easter is just around the corner, so stores have been gearing up for the last month or so. Nationwide, millions of dollars are being spent to get candy, plastic eggs, and of course, Easter decorations. While it may not be the largest holiday in the U.S., it still carries great meaning to at least one religion. Easter Sunday was the day that Jesus rose from the tomb, and then for 40 days he walked and preached further before ascending to Heaven. The 40 days before Lent are known as the Christian season of Lent. This length of time has two Biblical parallels: the first is the 40 days in the wilderness, getting tempted by Satan, and the second is the 40 days that Jesus spent on earth after his resurrection. For some, Lent means the resurrection of their long forgotten New Year’s resolutions. During this time, Christians are encouraged to give up one item, or foodstuff. The idea is to strengthen the will, as is the case with fasting. If people can abstain from eating, then they should likewise be able to restrain themselves from sin. Christians are also encouraged

to spend more time in prayer, and to give of their time and money to those in need. To me, this seems dumb. I understand wanting to please God, and trying to be a better person, all at the same time. The issue I have is that most people then use this as an excuse to make themselves sound better, and to justify them being non-Christians the rest of the year. No religion was created to give their followers license to do whatever they want. Lent began in 325 A.D., starting with the council of Nicea. It began as a precondition for baptism, but soon encompassed the entire Church. Even after the split initiated by Martin Luther, the whole of Christianity kept Lent under their purview. In the times when the church was above all, and even had political influence over kingdoms, Lent was considered holy, and to be observed just as high as the Easter dinner that happened on Easter Sunday. Progress to modern times, and Lent is still considered holy. Catholic churches still preach to observe Lent, but of course can’t force people to. Because of this, it has become a badge of something it never was before. Back when everyone did it, it just showed you followed God and the Church. Now,

people who have never even identified as Christians are doing it. This is not to say that they are doing it for credit, as I hinted earlier. No, in this case, I suspect they are doing it so that they themselves feel better. While this is good and all, I personally cannot fathom doing something, just to make myself feel better. Most everything I do, is to make my future better, along with those around me. For myself, I see no reason to participate in an 1700 year old tradition. I am disillusioned with my faith at the moment. I have nothing I’d be willing to part with, that I don’t already give up on a regular basis. And I don’t have enough faith currently to believe that giving anything up would actually make a difference. My last issue is not with Lent itself, but society. As a people, we have perpetuated that the largest holidays in our lives should be celebrated by specialized candy and décor, that for Christmas to be perfect, you have to buy a bunch of gifts for your loved ones. With Lent, that just isn’t possible. You can’t buy things for a holiday in which you forsake buying things. My point is this: Lent is not a holiday that can be bought. It has to be earned.

Trump and the first ammendment Michael Rader Lode Writer On Friday, March 11, Donald Trump’s presidential campaign canceled a rally scheduled to take place in Chicago on the downtown UIC campus due to safety concerns about hundreds of protesters who gathered to picket The Donald’s campaign. After the cancellation of the event, fights broke out across the campus; even police presence was not entirely helpful, as two Chicago officers were injured in the fighting, and only four arrests were made. Since then, uproar has engulfed the Internet, with many of Trump’s supporters claiming that the protesters were prohibiting Mr. Trump, and indeed all of his supporters, from exercising their freedom of speech. “This mob illegally tried to silence our first amendment right to the freedom of speech,” said a Trump attendee on CNN’s Facebook post about the protests. It may seem logical, as the speech was canceled because of the assembly, that the protesters took away the first amendment rights of Trump’s supporters. But did they really violate the Constitution?

The first amendment to the U.S. Constitution reads: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” Clearly, freedom of religion is not at stake here, nor is the freedom to petition the government. However, taking those parts out, the clause would still only prohibit the U.S. Congress from passing laws abridging speech and peaceful assembly. So, how does this apply to the protests in Chicago? The Constitution only protects the people from Congressional prohibition of speech. If a candidate is protested, shouted at, insulted or has an event shut down by other civilians, their first amendment rights are not being violated. In fact, the first amendment guarantees the candidate’s opponents the right to free speech as well, which means the protest was perfectly legal. A political rally was being held without government interference, and a protest was staged without government interference. When Trump’s campaign canceled the event, they were not forced to do so by

the government and had not yet conferred with local law enforcement. Those who pled to the Bill of Rights to defend Trump had a misunderstanding of the protections offered thereby. Frankly, they were simply upset that they were silenced for a night. After violence erupted in the crowds and police officers started their attempts to diffuse the fighting, jeers and taunts were thrown back and forth across party lines; it seemed that everyone, protesters and Trump supporters included, maintained their right to yell obscenities at one another. In total, five people were arrested, including a CBS reported and one Trump supporter who had punched a protester in the face, claiming “We’re going to have to kill you,” as the two were pulled apart. Though the point is up to speculation, many of Trump’s supporters have had no problem blaming the protesters for inciting violence. As it stands, nobody is really sure who threw the first punch or where the fighting started. But we can guess. Whose constituency is the most abrasive? The most divisive? The most objectively racist against Latinos, Muslims and African-Americans? All fingers point to Mr. Donald Trump. CNN interviewed a Trump supporter at

a rally in North Carolina who said “Back in the old days, you could punch [protesters] right in the nose and they’d be carried out on a stretcher. [Laughs] That’s fine with me.” At the same rally, the Republican frontrunner said of picketers, “I’d like to punch them in the face.” He has also urged supporters to “Knock the crap out of ” opposing advocates, claiming that he would “pay your legal fees.” One advocate took his advice, punching protester Rakeem Jones in the face as he was escorted from a rally in North Carolina. Trump celebrated the incident: “He should have been roughed up because [of ] what he was doing,” the candidate said. Maybe the flaxen-haired business tycoon is not to blame. Maybe it’s the riotous liberals. Perhaps Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have been inspiring their voting base to violence, but I’m not convinced. Donald Trump’s violent and divisive rhetoric is convincing a frightening portion of America to blame our problems on the “other,” be they immigrants, Muslims or even the poor and homeless. His right to free speech was not impugned upon in Chicago, but I’m glad that someone was there to shut him up.

SPORTS

Michigan Tech Lode

Thursday, March 24 15

#Petan4Hobey: # the ers Another honor numb 100 for the co-captain By

Undiscovered shipwrecks in the Keweenaw Underwater Preserve.

Sports Editor

Number of physical education credits required for graduation.

Number of records Tech track and field broke during thier meet in South Caroline two weks ago.

Rand Silvers

Number of ton-ten finalists for the Hobey Baker award Tech has had in its history.

Michigan Tech senior and hockey cocaptain Alex Petan has been honored once again, this time being named as a top-10 finalist for the prestigious 2016 Hobey Baker Award, which is given to the best NCAA men’s hockey player in the estimation of a representative committee of coaches, scouts, media and expert volunteers. Anyone who follows Tech hockey is familiar with Petan’s career. A star both on and off the field, he’s certainly deserving of it. You can vote for Petan at HobeyBaker.com, and show your support on social media using the #Petan4Hobey. But why? Who is this Hobey guy anyway? Hobart Amory Hare Baker was born in January of 1892, and is recognized as one of the most successful American amateur athletes of the twentieth century. Baker’s career began when he enrolled at Princeton University in 1910, joining the football and hockey teams.

His football career was especially flashy; declining to wear a helmet, Baker’s golden hair earned him the moniker “the blond Adonis of the gridiron” among sportswriters. After four years of highly successful athletics at Princeton, Baker went abroad as a celebrity correspondent for a summer, before returning to New York. While working at various banks, he kept himself busy playing amateur sports with the St. Nicholas club. Baker at one point turned down an offer to play for the Montreal Canadiens of the new National Hockey Association, because his social standing prohibited him from playing sports for money. When World War I began, Baker joined the US Army Air Service, where he spent his first several months learning and then teaching French. He first saw combat in the spring of 1918, which he described as the “biggest thrill I ever had in my life.” Eventually made commander of the 141st Aero Squadron, Baker served out the rest of the war and was about to return to the United States before dying in

a tragic accident involving a test flight of a damaged aircraft. When the Hockey Hall of Fame was founded in 1973, Hobey was one of the original nine inductees, and the only American among them. He is the only person to be in both the Football and Hockey Halls of Fame. The award didn’t come until much later. Discussion began among hockey coaches and officials in Minnesota in 1979, and the first Hobey award was given out in 1981 to a small crowd. Today the Hobey is a much more celebrated, with the committee’s choice being at least marginally informed by the voting choices of people on Facebook. Interested parties can go to hobeybaker.com and vote once every 24 hours. Petan is Tech’s third top-ten finalist, three also being the number of finalists that Michigan has this year alone. This year’s Hobey will be given out on Friday, April 8. At hobeybaker.com, there is a live timer counting down the seconds until the award is announced. The 2015 winner of the award was Boston University’s Jack Eichel.

3 9 9 . 9 7 3

Number of top-ten finalists for the Hobey Baker award University of Michigan has this year

The price of an adult bouncy house with free shipping after a casual search. Could probably get it cheaper if you looked.

Alex Petan posed across from the Hobey Baker award logo Photo courtesy of Michigan Tech Athletics

Thursday, March 24

SPORTS

The Keweenaw Underwater Preserve: The final frontier? Rand Silvers Sports Editor

Ideally, ships float. Unfortunately, sometimes they don’t. When this happens, it’s a major source of distress for everyone onboard. In fact, there’s only one good thing about a ship sinking, and that’s the shipwreck afterwards. As it turns out, the geography of the Keweenaw peninsula turns it into a “catcher’s mitt” for these shipwrecks. Winter storms blow ships to the southern side of the lake where the Keweenaw sticks out, and since 1844 there have been at least 140 vessels lost in the vicinity. These wrecks present a major source of interest for a certain kind of diver, that being the kind that are willing to fully submerge themselves in frigid Lake Superior water for hours at a time. To support the habits of these highly ad-

A map of Michigan’s Underwater Preserves.

Shipwrecks in the Keweenaw Underwater Preserve Photo courtesy of MDEQ

venturous lunatics, the State of Michigan established the Keweenaw Underwater Preserve as a 103 square mile protected area. Along with the 12 other Underwater Pre-

Photo courtesy of MDEQ

serves across the state, Michigan has set aside 7,200 square miles, more area than Connecticut, for the purpose of sports diving and underwater exploration. And exploration it is. Of the 140 known wrecks in the Keweenaw, only around 40 have been located. The Preserve, from this angle, becomes an unexplored frontier full of exciting things to find. But before any ideas of pirate treasure start forming, keep in mind: it is a felony to remove or disturb artifacts on the Great Lakes bottomlands. This rule applies even to shipwrecks not found inside of an Underwater Preserve. It does not, however, prevent diving, exploration and photography of these sites, which are encouraged. To that end, the Keweenaw has several dive shops and charters which will take customers out to the wrecks themselves. One of the most popular sites is the wreck of the US Coast Guard vessel The Mesquite. The Mesquite was launched in November of 1942, a Coast Guard Cutter 180 ft. x 37 ft. x 14 ft., and had 47 years of active service, including ocean duty during WWII. Then, in the winter of 1989, the Mesquite was filling in for her sister ship, the Sundew, finishing up the end-of-season pickup of navigational markers. Continued on page 17

Michigan Tech Lode

Sidelines

Of children and bounce castles For those who didn’t know, the Michigan Tech Student-Athlete Advisory Council is hosting a BounceO-Rama on April 10. This event, which from noon to 5 p.m. will feature a bounce castle inflatable playground in the Wood Gym, will use its $10 admission fee to raise funding for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a wonderful charity. This is great right? “The event is geared toward children 2-12.” Gah! I’ll admit, I got really excited about this. I mean, what well-adjusted college student doesn’t want to spend five hours playing on a bounce castle? Of course I know bounce castles are for little kids. That’s why we want to play in them; because we can’t. And was it really such an unrealistic expectation? When a college campus hosts an event, it’s usually for college students. I could totally see something like a bounce castle being a very effective stress reliever, and with finals right around the corner.... But alas. It was not to be. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still going to be a fantastic event. Kids love bounce castles, it’ll be a great way for Tech to continue a positive relationship with the community, and they’re raising money for a great cause. But I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a part of me that’s disappointed in all this. And there’s something we can do about that. A bouncy house really isn’t that expensive. For the low low price of $379.99, you can buy an adult bouncy house with free shipping and a one year warranty. That’s only 38 admissions for the Bounce-O-Rama event. If you’re interested in going in for $10 on a bouncy house, email me at rasilver@mtu.edu. If we get 38 people, we’ll figure out where to put it, and then do this for real. We could start a student organization, have email lists, put up posters, but even more and larger bounce castles. This could be the start of a hilariously real thing. Don’t let me down now.

SPORTS

Michigan Tech Lode

Shipwrecks in the Keweenaw Continued from page 16 While the captain was below deck, the ship drifted close to a reef, and then the December weather firmly lodged it on top. While analysts believe the ship might have been saved by quick action on the part of the crew, the general confusion and lack of order prevented effective intervention. A distress call was put out, and several hours later the crew was picked up by a passing freighter. The ship was initially determined to be salvageable, but the weather was not agreeable, and strong storms forced the ship to spend the winter on the reef. By the time spring came back around and conditions had improved enough that she could be effectively removed, she was too badly damaged to be salvaged. Instead, in July of 1990, she was removed from the reef and sunk in 110 ft of water as the centerpiece of the newly christened Keweenaw Underwater Preserve. Today the Mesquite is a popular dive site, often bouyed in the summer. She rests upright just south of Keweenaw point, with an almost completely intact hull. The superstructure of the ship and much of the original equipment were removed, and the site has been subject to significant illegal looting, but the remaining ship structure has quite a bit to offer the prospective explorer. The water temperature at the wreck is usually around 40 degrees, and visibility ranges between 40 and 60 ft. The wreck can be reached by an hour’s trip out of Lac La Belle marina, and a local charter service provides

tours. A wonderful dive video exploring the Mesquite is available on Youtube at: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=v4WTEyKXGrE. Of course, the beaten trail isn’t the only one. Perhaps the Mendota Dredge is more appealing. One of the Keweenaw’s most promising undiscovered wrecks, the 70 ft x 20 ft x 5 ft vessel sank in 1866 around three miles south of Traverse Island.

To support the habits of these highly adventurous lunatics, the State of Michigan etablished the Keweenaw Underwater Preserve Or the 229.3 ft x 36.8 ft x 14.5 ft Schooner John Hutchinson, which foundered off 14 Mile Point in 1905? A great deal of information about both discovered and undiscovered shipwrecks in the Keweenaw can be found on Brendon Baillod’s website: http://www.ship-wrecks. net/shipwreck/keweenaw/. A Keweenaw native, Baillod has become one of the region’s foremost marine historians and shipwreck activists, participating in, directing or co-founding more than a dozen different organizations.

A haunting photo of the wreckage of the Mesquite.

Photo courtesy of John Janzen

Thursday, March 24 17

Co-Curriculars: Beginning Weight Lifting Hannah Weeks Lode Writer

A weight room can be incredibly intimidating to those who wish to increase their physical fitness but have had little to no experience in a gym before. Fortunately, of the many physical education courses that Michigan Tech offers, one of them is beginning weight training. Beginning weight training uses both stationary and free weights, and goes over the general training methods for physical development and fitness. Beginning weight training is for novice and experienced weight lifters alike. The class covers the basics of weight training including safety precautions such as proper form, adequately warming up and cooling down, as well as being sure to always lift with a spotter. This class allows a student to multitask, not only blocking out an hour of the day to focus on weight lifting and physical fitness but also receiving half of a physical education credit for doing so. “This class is great for people new to weightlifting to get comfortable in a weight room as well as provides the freedom for more experienced people to follow their own routine,” third year mechanical engineering major Matt Anderson said regarding the class. “Weightlifting was a great experience. It

taught me the correct way to weightlift in a safe manner as well as kept me in shape during the semester,” third year software engineering major Neil Culbertson said. “The class was very rewarding. The first two weeks are rough and then after that it gets a lot easier. It also helps that you are personally accountable for attending the class. It only takes three weeks to form a habit and even though my class is over I am

“The class is great for people new to weightlifting to get comfortable in a weight room, and also provides the freedom for more experienced people to follow their own routine.” -Matt Anderson still working out regularly at the gym,” second year geological engineering major Rebekka Guyon said regarding her experience. This class is worth 0.5 credits and will be offered in the fall at various times in room 206 of the Student Development Complex. A continuation of this class, intermediate weight training, is also available to be taken as a physical education course. Intermediate weight training covers techniques of weight lifting on a more advanced level.

Thursday, March 24

SPORTS

Michigan Tech Lode

Sporting events schedule: March 4-9 Sunday, March 27

Monday, March 28

Track and Field

Saturday, April 2

@ Viking Olympics

@ Raleigh Relays

vs Findlay 10 a.m.

Tennis

Nordic Skiing

Friday, April 1

@ UP College Spring Series @ UP College Spring Series

Sunday, April 3

vs Hillsdale 10 a.m.

Michigan Tech Lode

SPORTS

Thursday, March 24 19

Mt. Ripley Easter event Davy McLeod Lode Writer On Saturday, March 19, Mont Ripley hosted its sixteenth annual slush pit and Easter egg hunt event. Sunshine, snow and slush mixed to make a beautiful day. Thousands of dollars in prizes were up for grabs—from T-shirts and toys to a high-end mountain bike—and participants of all ages enjoyed the festivities. Easter eggs with prizes inside were hidden all over the ski hill. Skiers and snowboarders searched far and wide for their reward, and those lucky enough to find one of the few coveted golden eggs were entered into a raffle for the mountain bike. At around 1 p.m., a crowd gathered at either side of the slush pit outside the main chalet at the base of the hill. Riders who entered the competition got in order under a tree uphill from the pit. The pit was filled using a firehose, and the three judges sat up on a scaffolding beside it for a better view of the splashes. Mont Ripley’s general manager Nick Sirdenis organized the event, quipping and commentating humorously over a megaphone the whole time. “The wetter the crowd gets the higher your score will be,” Sirdenis called up to

the eager competitors. They were sent down one by one; some of them tried to skim across the surface and stay as dry as possible, while others went for big splashes/scores. It takes a ton of speed on the approach to cross the pit dry. It’s more likely a skier makes it than a boarder, but riders from both categories proved it could be done. There were various contestants: young ones and older ones, male and female, all either in outrageous outfits or performing some crazy stunt off the small jump right before the pit. US Coast Guards were at the ready in the 36 degree water to help riders exit and fish out skis that may have come undone in the chaos. Then, the riders could warm up in the newly added sauna just down the slope. The event has always been a bit of a bittersweet ski-season finale. It’s a wonderful time for all those involved, but one of the last chances of the year. Now that Ripley’s started to pull the curtains closed, people can take the cue and start looking for signs of spring. Songbirds heard in the early hours of the day, buds beginning to show and the sweet scents rising from the earth. Keep watch for warm weather, it should be on the way.

Above: A snowboarder successfully skims the slush pit. Left: A skier makes a splash in the slush pit. Below: Coast Guard helps a young skier out of the slush pit.

Photos by Davy McLeod

Upcoming

Events march 24 - March 30 Tipping Points

Feb. 20 - April 25

Rosza Center

Artist Rachel Kauff presents her exhibition, “Tipping Points,” in the Rozsa Gallery A-Space, from Feb. 20 - April 25.

GSG PhD Movie Night

Friday, March 25 6-10 p.m. Fisher 139

Are you familiar with PhD Comics? We will be screening the PhD movies 1 & 2 and serving snacks, bring your friends and have a relaxing evening! Join us in Fisher 139 beginning at 6 p.m.

The Intergalactic Nemesis: Target Earth, A Live-Action Graphic Novel

Saturday, March 26 7:30 p.m. Rosza Center

Three actors voice dozens of characters, a Foley artist creates all the sound effects, and a pianist plays a cinematic score, whilst more than 1,250 individual full-colour hires comic book panels tell a hilarious sci-fi adventure story from an enormous movie screen. And it’s all done live in front of your eyes.

Mel Pearson Show on Mix 93.5FM

Monday, March 28

Mix 93.5FM Studio

Coach Pearson & Dirk Hembroff will cover Huskies hockey each week on the Mel Pearson show. Have a question for Coach Pearson, email dj@themix93.com and be sure to tune in every Monday morning at 10 a.m. on Mix 93.5FM or around the world on pasty.net

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(906) 487-2404.