The Tech Talk 4.12.18

Vanishing

SENIOR DAY

RUSTON Read about Peter Jones’ newest exhibition. | PAGE 4

Check out our coverage of the Lady Techsters’ Senior Day sweep. | PAGE 6

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APRIL 12, 2018

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VOLUME 92 • ISSUE 11

Waggonner Center continues lecture series BRYN YOUNG News Editor | bjy001@ latech.edu

S

Photo by Ashley Kober

The Makers Fair included over 100 vendors, and patrons were offered a variety of products, including honey, hand carved wood and bonsai trees.

Makers Fair, Railroad Fest returns STARLA GATSON Editor-in-Chief | sjg021@latech.edu

T

he first weekend of April brought not only an unexpected cold front to the area, but also a celebration of North Louisiana’s finest makers and musicians with the second annual Railroad Makers and Music Festival.

The event, held April 7, kicked off at 10 a.m. in Ruston’s historic downtown district with the Makers Fair featuring over 100 makers and artists, including Jennings Apiaries, Imperfect Dust and Rosalynne Love.

Joshua Mitchell, Railroad Festival’s founder, said the event was started to provide musicians and artists an avenue for expression.

“There’s not in this area a big platform for different artists to express themselves and bring their work to a bigger scale,” he said.

“So what this event is trying to do is bring it to a larger audience and spread the word throughout North

Louisiana of what’s going on in Ruston.”

He said the event benefits not only the makers and musicians, but also its attendees by allowing them to see the passion each artist has for his work.

“A lot of these artists and musicians are people that have been doing this for a long time and they really want to do this long term,” he said. “These artists here in smaller cities don’t have that avenue to bring it to a large scale and show what they do to everyone. I think it shows people that North Louisiana has a lot to offer as far as the arts go.”

In addition to the Makers Fair, the festival also included concerts in Railroad Park.

Performers included Corey Henry and the Treme Funktet, Dauzat St. Marie, Rella, The Good Paper of Reverend Robert Mortimer, The Golddust Mannequins and Caleb Elliott.

Mat Dauzat of Los Angeles-

based duo Dauzat St. Marie said performing at the festival was a fullcircle moment for them.

“Heather and I played our first show together as a duo when we were just kids at a coffee shop right across the street from Railroad Park,” he said. “We may be ‘Dauzat St. Marie from Los Angeles, California’ everywhere else in the world, but we are ‘Heather and Mat from Ruston’ when we are home. Now having played on the Railroad Park stage for the first time at Railroad Festival, we feel more connected to the Ruston community than ever.”

Ruston resident Nadine Johnston said she believes events like the Railroad Festival are important because they allow members of the community to fellowship with one another.

“I think it offers us the opportunity to come together and interact with other people in the community that you normally wouldn’t have had the opportunity to see,” she said.

tudents of Louisiana Tech were welcomed by the Waggonner Center on April 5 to join in the discussion of Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure” and its relation to the #MeToo movement.

The lecture took place in Wyly Auditorium as part of a series of lectures hosted by the Waggonner Center and the Tech theatre department in lead up to the department’s production of “King Lear.” Paul Crook, dean of theatre, said the lectures are a way to help get students interested in the politics of the show and how they relate to modern times.

“We have made a conscious decision with this production to try and involve people all over the campus,” Crook said. “Partnering with Dr. Mhire and the Waggonner Center was a great opportunity for us, and it fits in so well with this particular play. While there’s an element of the political in all of Shakespeare’s plays, ‘King Lear’ may have the most political relevance to us right now.

It is a picture of a country where the political class operates almost solely out of partisan interest, to the detriment of the country.”

Crook said the important takeaway is how Shakespeare’s work can be viewed today and how it compares to the politics of the time.

“Hopefully, students who attended the lectures were able to gain some insight into Shakespeare, his time and how his work connects to us today,” he said.

The speaker was Rick St.Peter, associate profes-

sor of theatre at Clemson University and an awardwinning director who is currently directing his own production of “Measure for Measure” at Clemson. He said he finds it necessary to have discussions like this given that he is not directly affected by sexual violence.

“I have a hard time with it because I recognize I come from a place of monstrous privilege,” St.Peter said. “So, I want to be an ally and I worry that this becomes mansplaining. I don’t want to do that at all.

I almost didn’t call it this for that reason because I do not want to be co opting something that does not belong to me.”

Freshman theatre major Nina Bergsdottir said she attended the lecture to hear a discussion on the #MeToo movement and its influence on her future field.

“I saw the poster and saw the hashtag Me Too,” Bergsdottir said. “I believe the #MeToo movement is very important, especially in the theatre and film industry. It’s very important that people know about it and something like this brings attention to it.”

Bergsdottir said it is hopeful to have talks like these, as they show how drastically the conversation around sexual assault and sexual violence have opened up.

“I took from it that the industry is changing, as in people are more open to talking about sexual violence within the community,” she said. “It’s great that we have someone like him that opens up conversation because it is such a delicate subject but it is such an important thing to talk about so we can change it.”

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2 • The Tech Talk • April 12, 2018

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Pi Kappa Alpha hits the gym for vets

DESTIN SHIMER Staff Reporter | dcs033@latech.edu

Photo by Hannah Roundtree

Challenge XXII helps raise awareness for veterans with PTSD and other mental illnesses. philanthropy events to support veterans stemmed from his personal connection to the cause.

“I chose veterans groups because I’m a veteran myself, and I’ve had many of my fellow Marine succumb to suicide,” he said. “So it was a subject I really hold dear to myself.”

Also represented at the event was Family Counseling Center’s USA ReBoot Resort Program, which is

under the umbrella of LA United Methodist Children and Family Services, Inc. Pam Cannon of ReBoot Resort said the program’s mission is to provide adventure-based events that offer new tools to combat stress, post-traumatic stress disorder and other invisible war wounds.

“The experiences gained by our programs are not only improving mental health and emotional

health, but also helping recharge and rediscover yourself,” she said.

The camps are week long and free to veterans, and their tactics are proven to treat symptoms of PTSD. “Helping veterans and their families are important to us,” Cannon said. “They represent the best of America and we are honored to give back to those willing to defend our country.”

Delta Sigma Pi hosts lecture on managing money, financial success DONOVAN ROBBINS Staff Reporter | djr029@latech.edu Delta Sigma Pi kicked off the month of April with a talk on perseverance and money management.

On April 3, Delta Sigma Pi hosted the It’s Your Money event at the College of Business building. The goal of the event was to provide awareness about money management and how to be financially successful. The guest speaker was Robert Pullis, a teacher in the College of Business. He provided students with information on how to manage their money, how to spend wisely and how to achieve financial success.

Several students at the event said they thought Pullis’ speech was both informative and entertaining.

Zack Brasen, a sophomore computer science major,

sponsor Tech’s Makers Month

ASHLEY LAMBERT Staff Reporter| apl007@latech.edu Many people workout to benefit themselves, but April 7, Louisiana Tech’s Pi Kappa Alpha chose to hit the gym with others in mind. The fraternity teamed up with Ruston Crossfit to host Challenge XXII and show their love and support for the country’s veterans.

Challenge XXII was started to raise awareness of veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder and the unusually high rate of suicides in the veteran community. The event’s title represents the 22 veterans lost to suicide each day.

Matthew Pagan, a member of Pi Kappa Alpha, said military personnel are important to all, and he hopes everybody shows them proper respect and gratitude by participating in philanthropic work that could assist in the betterment of their well-being.

“For the past two years I have been in charge of putting together our fraternity’s philanthropic activities, and both years we have participated in something related to our veterans,” he said. “Last year was with Heroes Sports and this year with Challenge 22.”

Pagan said the decision to use Pi Kappa Alpha’s

Thingery to

“Do not take a path of least resistance; there’s no reward there.

Do not give up; there’s no reward there.”

Robert Pullis College of Business Professor

said he learned a lot from the event. He said he felt everything Pullis talked about could relate to many students.

“The speaker had a good energy and made sure to keep us paying attention,” Brasen said. “Just about everything he talked about can apply to most people.”

Devin Chadwick, a member of Delta Sigma Pi, said he thought the event

was necessary for students since it was held to provide students with knowledge they need to be successful and handle their own money. Both he and Pullis felt every student should be made aware of this information.

“I actually took his class a couple of quarters ago and I talked to him about it and we both thought it was a great idea not just for the College of Business, but for the entire Tech campus,” Chadwick said.

During his speech, Pullis quoted 10 life lessons that William McCraven, retired U.S. Navy Seal Admiral, gave in his commencement speech and book, and he applied those 10 lessons into the area of personal finance. He said he wanted students to be able to utilize the 10 life lessons, so they could one day achieve fi-

nancial success.

“Tonight, I’m sharing 10 pieces of wisdom from a retired navy seal admiral and applying that in the area of personal finance, hoping to help inspire the students to always do their best, and if they do, then they’re going to get great results and they’re going to achieve excellence,” Pullis said.

According to Pullis, one of the best ways for people to achieve excellence is to do something they are passionate about. He says people should work in areas they find most fascinating and continue to further their knowledge in that particular area, no matter how difficult it may be.

“Get the degrees in things that are challenging and interesting to you,” Pullis said. “Do not take a path of least resistance; there’s no reward there.”

The Thingery and the Innovation Enterprise believe in Louisiana Tech’s students’ artistic abilities. Both April and May have been dubbed “Makers Month” by these two organizations in effort to spark creativity on campus and garner attention for Tech’s local student artists.

By holding a campus-wide competition, The Great Maker Show, they seek to involve students from all majors, backgrounds and classifications in a grand celebration of human creativity.

“We believe everyone is a maker, whether or not you see yourself as a creative person,” said Kyle Botts, a University Innovation Fellow who volunteers at The Thingery. “Maybe you’re a business or kinesiology major, and you may not see yourself as particularly artistic––we want you to enter whatever you make in your free time.”

Boasting a $1,000 grand prize, both associations hope to stir up enough excitement for a hearty contest. Innovation Enterprise desires to see diversity in their submissions, and in order to moderate the competition fairly, The Thingery has selected judges that represent all major facets of the student body.

According to Cecile Jennings, director of communications at The Thingery, entries will be judged by a panel of around 10 people, a group comprised of a few Ruston-based artists and a handful of Tech design, architecture and engineering professors.

“The local makers, our panel of artists and Tech faculty and staff, those will be the ones judging the entries,” Jennings said.

This array of people whose interests and skills differ so vastly is necessary to ensure a fair and open-minded panel of judges, all scouring the entries for a winner showcasing three key components:

“It’s encouraging to see a collection of creation and innovation in such a small town like Ruston. “The Great Maker Show allows for the university to display the type of talent it attracts, which I believe has a long-term benefit for the Tech community.”

Nik Durman junior history major

craft, quirk and concept.

“This is a very expansive contest,” Jennings said. “We want many departments involved because every profession and major demands some sort of artistic or creative talent.”

The judging of the entries will take place May 8, but the organizations’ deadline is set for April 13. While many students have already submitted their work, there are a few still applying the final touches to their pieces before the deadline rolls around.

Nik Durman, a junior history major who intends to submit an essay in The Great Maker Show, said if the organizations’ effort to attract artists from all corners of campus is successful, the bout for the cash will be pretty steep. He said he hopes to win, but his only focus is creating a work in which he is proud.

“I just want to present a solid piece,” Durman said. “Hopefully it’s received well, but I just want to do my best.”

He also made remarks on his appreciation of Tech’s attempts to nourish the expressive culture on campus.

“It’s encouraging to see a collection of creation and innovation in such a small town like Ruston,”he said. “The Great Maker Show allows for the university to display the type of talent it attracts, which I believe has a long-term benefit for the Tech community.”

UPCOMING EVENTS FRIDAY

SATURDAY

• Baseball vs. Charlotte 6 p.m.

• Football Spring Game 12 p.m.

• Softball vs. UTSA 2 p.m.

•Baseball vs. Charlotte 2 p.m.

SUNDAY • LTFC Kickball Tournament Intramural Softball Field 10 a.m.

•ACS “An Inconvenient Sequel” Dixie Center for the Arts 2-4 p.m.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

• No Calendar Events

• Softball vs.

Arkansas Pine Bluff 6 p.m.

•Softball at Grambling St. 5 p.m.

•No Calendar Events

•Baseball at ULL 6 p.m.

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April 12, 2018 • The Tech Talk • 3

The

TechTalk

MORGAN’S MUSINGS

MANAGEMENT

Appreciating what is here

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Starla Gatson

MANAGING EDITOR Morgan Bernard

MORGAN BERNARD Managing Editor | mrb056@latech.edu

NEWS EDITOR Bryn Young

SPORTS EDITOR Andrew Bell

PHOTO EDITOR

Colin Fontenot

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Ashley Kober Wesley Wilkerson Hannah Roundtree Autumn Manry Jenna Carrier Precious Brown Jonathan Shaul Brian Blakely

ADVISERS

Michael LeBlanc Dr. Judith Roberts Megan Smith

ADVERTISING ADVISER Michael LeBlanc

PRODUCTION MANAGER Michael LeBlanc

ADVERTISING PRODUCTION Michael LeBlanc

I

n my time spent at Louisiana Tech so far, I cannot count the number of times I have heard someone say “there is nothing to do on this campus” or “there is nothing to do in Ruston.” I myself have even said this in times of boredom.

However, working on The Tech Talk these three years has made me realize these statements are not true.

If there was truly nothing to do in this community, we would have nothing to report on. Yet, here we are every week with a full newspaper.

On campus, there are events every week that range from medieval combat to volleyball tournaments.

There is also an endless number of student organizations on campus that all host forums and other activities all the time. So, campus wise,

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Ruston also has a ton to offer to Tech students. There is always some sort of shindig happening downtown at Railroad Park.

All in all, Tech and Ruston both have plenty of opportunities for everyone to enjoy themselves and be involved so there is no excuse of there being “nothing to do.”

Whatever you are into, I promise there is something here that will interest you. Whether it is joining a biking club, competing in video game championships or reciting poetry, it is all available at our fingertips. You just have to put yourself out there a little, maybe even do a little searching, and something interesting will come to you.

Morgan Bernard is a junior communication major from Echo who serves as managing editor for The Tech Talk.

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there is always something you can participate in.

When I go to some of these events to report for The Tech Talk, it is honestly kind of saddening to see how much effort is put into them by these organizations hosting, and only 12 people show up.

Where is the school spirit and support? Where is the interest in being a part of the Tech community?

Now, before someone feels personally attacked, I will say that this is somewhat aimed toward myself. I usually do not attend many events on campus unless I am required to.

If you are someone who does not really enjoy big events and crowds, I get that 100 percent.

However, there are times when I have been sitting in my apartment for so long that it is just plain ridiculous. We all need to experience the outside world a little bit at some point and give Netflix a break.

What is a Finsta?

DESTIN SHIMER Staff Reporter | dcs003@latech.edu

D

oes your mom follow you on Instagram? Cool, great, she seems like a nice lady. Do you ever want to post something without her seeing? Something more permanent than a Snap, less fleeting than a story, an image or video that steadfastly endures until you say it shan’t anymore? Post it on your Finsta.“My what?” you ask. “I don’t have an aquatic appendage.”

Dear reader, a Finsta is a separate, private Instagram account created in effort to express oneself more earnestly. This is where one’s posts can more aptly represent the true, unfiltered versions of oneself, free from the haughty eyes of those followers from middle school you have not spoken a word to in at least five years, but who occasionally still acknowledge your existence with a double-tap.

Reader, you are probably already aware of these fake-instas, or spam, accounts; you probably administrate one yourself. The number of millennials and Gen Zers who operate

these pages is vast and ever-growing as more and more of our parents and grandparents migrate from Zuckerberg territory into another Zuckerberg territory. Yeah, he owns Instagram too.

I, like many, am an owner of a Finsta page. My username is the title of a delicious fruit and dairy beverage and pretty foolproof in terms of pixelated covertness. On this account, I basically lay out a virtual welcome mat, the words “in this house we recognize the immense talent of Yodeling Walmart Boy” emblazoned across whatever that straw-like material it is of which doormats are made.

This page is full of reposted memes and peculiar yet poignant photos that only my very closest pals and some cool-looking strangers are capable of viewing. It is a space that I curate to reflect the person I am when I am not attempting to please anyone, a space in which I have complete and utter control over the witnesses to the content I create.

Of course, I could attain this same power by simply modifying my public Instagram account to a private one

and sorting out the unwanted observers, but in a culture that is progressively web-minded, I think our generation collectively feels a responsibility to manage mild, level-headed social media personas available for the viewing of our cousins and for those people in our group projects.

If you do not run one of these pages, you may be thinking, “Why can’t you just be yourself all of the time? You’re a poser.”

Reader, I understand this. It is odd, but think of it like this if you will: it is fourth grade, and you show up to recess with your Lisa Frank journal so you can show your bffs Zoe and Jessica the beautiful poem you wrote about your collective classmate crush last night. They love it. A Finsta is just the same, but we are grown-ups, and instead of a handwritten, heartfelt piece of literature, it is a customized Patrick Star meme.

Destin Shimer is a sophomore theatre and political science major from Shreveport who serves as a staff reporter for The Tech Talk.

NERD TALK

The beauty of a virtual world DONOVAN ROBBINS Staff Reporter | djr029@latech.edu

V

irtual reality, in general, is an incredible breakthrough in technology. It has so many uses and so much good can be done with it.

Just imagine being able to go anywhere you want, experience anything you want and even be able to do whatever you want. Virtual reality can let you do all of that and more.

There are a lot of uses for virtual reality. One thing virtual reality is used for is entertainment. Have you ever been to someplace like Walmart and seen the virtual reality headsets they have on sale? Or have you ever been to Gamestop and seen the Playstation VR headsets they have on sale? Well, those are good examples of how virtual reality technology is being used today; for our entertainment and enjoyment.

I personally really enjoy being able to use VR headsets. It is the

kind of thing that I think everyone should experience at least once in their lives.

It was absolutely mind blowing the first time I used a VR headset. It is a pretty weird experience at first, at least for me, but as I started to get used to it, it became more and more enjoyable. It felt like I was in another world. It is such a fun and interesting experience, except when you are playing horror games with a VR headset. Then it literally turns into one of the worst experiences ever, especially when your friend suddenly decides to grab you from behind while you are playing a horror game.

Imagine how fun that is.

While virtual reality is mainly thought to just be used for entertainment and occasionally messing with your unsuspecting friends, there are so many more uses for it.

Right now, virtual reality is being used by medical schools to help train students in many different areas. It is even being used by the mili-

tary to help train soldiers so they can be prepared for various situations.

Some schools are even starting to use virtual reality technology to better students.

I certainly would be all for Louisiana Tech offering virtual reality classes. I feel like it would make learning a lot more fun and students could even gain more hands on experience using virtual reality, since it is capable of simulating many types of work environments. Of course, it might be pretty expensive to implement, but I still think it is something to at least think about.

Virtual reality is becoming more and more widespread as time goes on and I think it is going to become a much bigger thing a few years from now.

Donovan Robbins is a sophomore graphic design major from Vicksburg, Mississippi who serves as a staff reporter for The Tech Talk.

Trump and the border: which needs patrolling?

P

resident Donald Trump has not yet fulfilled his promise of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, but in the meantime, he is having his administration send almost 500 troops from the National Guard to secure the border from illegal immigrants’ entry, with up to 4,000 troops available through September of 2018.

This may not be as big of a deal as some are making it out to be, considering Trump is not the first president to attempt to send troops to the border. Former presidents George Bush and Barack Obama both sent a combined 7,600 National Guard troops to the same borders to prevent illegal immigration. The only difference is those two did not make the promise of a wall one of the building blocks of their campaign.

So other than to speculate whether or not Trump is just attempting to buy time until he can follow through and meet his supporters’ expectations of a wall on the border, one may wonder; what else is behind this sudden act of defense?

Trump was reportedly motivated to act on this so quickly after learning a caravan of immigrants from Central America (around 1,200 people) had entered Mexico on their way to the U.S. According to NPR host Kelly McEvers, the caravan is led by activists of El Salvador and Honduras who are fleeing Central America to escape violence and terrorization from gangs. She also noted that most of the people fleeing are women and children.

With all of these facts out in the open, people have to be wondering where Trump’s motives lie in this situation. Is he merely sending these troops to eliminate doubts from Republican supporters to strengthen his handle on the public’s opinion of him, or does he truly believe these actions are in the best interests of the safety of American people?

Some may argue that question is irrelevant because every president does things to sway the general public’s view of them. Others may say that arbitrary nature of presidency is the root of a good portion of America’s issues today. Both are legit arguments.

However, with Trump’s recent obsession with immigration, the bigger argument is whether or not this extra border patrol is worth the trouble.

We believe that while immigration is a prominent issue, the sending of troops to the border may just be a type of ruse to comfort Trump’s base and make them think he is taking action after his spending bill for the border wall was shut down a while back. It is safe to say, with the history of his regime so far, he has not earned the benefit of the doubt.

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4 • The Tech Talk • April 12, 2018

Ruston’s past brought to life in photography series MIA HESTER Staff Reporter | msh061@latech.edu Places of Ruston’s past were brought back to life through the photographs of Peter Jones’ art exhibition titled “Vanishing Ruston.”

Jones, a local artist and art professor at Louisiana Tech, debuted the exhibition at Ruston Artisans, 203 W. Alabama Avenue, on April 5.

Todd Maggio, creative director at Ruston Artisans, said Jones was inspired by the developmental changes that were happening in Ruston.

“He’s been taking pictures of Ruston for a long time,” Maggio said. “When we started talking to Peter about doing a show, his thoughts were a lot of the buildings that he had taken pictures of were no longer in Ruston.”

Mandy Allen, a sophomore interior design major, said the exhibition gave her a new perspective of Ruston she did not have before.

“I wasn’t here when some parts of Ruston looked like that, so it’s interesting to see how it’s changed over time,”

Photo by Morgan Bernard

Peter Jones (right) speaks about his ‘Vanishing Ruston’ art exhibition. she said.

The art exhibition was created so Jones could pay homage to his love for Ruston and its changes throughout the years.

“This exhibit is based on a Facebook album I posted

titled ‘Vanishing Ruston,’” Jones said.

This gave Jones the idea for the name of the exhibit as well as the main theme.

Jones took pictures of The Depot, old Victorian houses, the bus station, the

old Bonner bridge and more places that have since been replaced or torn down.

“These are all things that were and are no longer,” Jones said.

The exhibit also showcased Jones’ color theory,

which came about through digital cameras.

“This show is about the growth of digital cameras which allows you to do incredible things that you couldn’t do before,” he said.

Most of the food served

at the exhibition was from restaurants that have closed down as well.

Jones grew up in Woodstock, New York, when the famous festival was still going on. The location he was in influenced his love for art.

“My father was a painter and photographer, so I’ve done art really all my life,” he said. “And of course photography and painting — two sides of the board.

I remember as a little kid, standing in the dark room watching print come up from the tray; it was like magic.”

Jones got his first camera at the age of 14 from his father while vacationing in Europe. He said since he grew up with many artistic influences around him, he had trouble deciding what he wanted to pursue and could not decide between painting and photography.

“I remember staying up late one night, I was in graduate school in Iowa and I was trying to decide which one I wanted to be,” he said.

“Well I put this much into painting, so I’m going to do painting, but I’m always going to have my camera.”

‘Ready Player One’ overuses culture NCLAC hosting independent film references and downplays characters tour and lawn party in Ruston Ready Player One HIIII

NORTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA ARTS COUNCIL

IAN GONZALES Staff Reporter | iqg001@latech.edu

Ruston, LA – North Central Louisiana Arts Council presents Look & See: A Portrait of Wendell Berry as part of the South Arts Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers at the Dixie Center for the Arts in Ruston, Louisiana on April 19, 2018 at 7pm.

Tickets are available at the door: $5 general admission, $3 students, NCLAC members free. Doors open at 6:30.

Look & See is a cinematic portrait of the changing landscapes and shifting values of rural America seen through the mind’s eye of writer, farmer and activist Wendell Berry. It was filmed in Kentucky’s Henry County, where Berry, one of America’s most significant living writers, has lived and farmed since the mid-1960s.

A prolific author, Berry’s novels, short stories, poems and essays chronicle decades of industrial and economic changes to this community’s agrarian way of life.

Filmmakers Laura Dunn and Jef Sewell skillfully weave Berry’s poetic and prescient words with gorgeous cinematography and the testimonies of his family and neighbors in the first documentary about Berry’s life and career.

Often called “a prophet for rural America,” Berry has long been a voice for the communities that are

On the surface, “Ready Player One” is a love letter to pop culture. The entire film is brimming with references to other cultural gems that we love so much.

Some references, such as “The Iron Giant” and “The Shining” take the spotlight; while others, such as “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” and “Star Wars,” take a more subtle spot in the film. And that is not to mention the hundreds of cameos of characters.

Beloved characters Sonic the Hedgehog, Doomguy, Commander Shepard and Samus Aran are all at one point present in the film.

Despite all the wonderful references to all of our favorite movies and video games, by removing the nostalgic tinted glasses, the film completely falls apart.

“Ready Player One” takes place in an alternate timeline where pop culture has seemingly not progressed since the 1980s.

The year is 2045, and the entire world is absolutely addicted to the advanced VRChat clone known as the OASIS. The creator of the OASIS, James Halliday, dies and leaves behind a hidden Easter egg containing the rights to his company. The egg is locked behind three cryptic challenges.

At least that is what the

AMC Theatres

film tells you. Five years later, our heroic protagonist, Wade Watts, must assemble a team of trusted friends and a forced romantic partner in order to discover the location of the Easter egg before the evil IOI corporation and its army of drones.

The film spends too much time trying to shove pop culture references in the audience’s face, it barely has time to establish any kind of emotional link. Because of this, you get certain scenes that are meant to convey relatable feelings but feel completely out of place because they appear without any sort of link.

There is no pay off. No sense of reward when the protagonist saves the day.

This overabundance of cameos and references also hold back the characters from growth. The writers prioritizes how many Easter eggs they can cram into a single frame, they neglect to write in any form of character development.

As a result, the only way the plot can progress are through acts of God. By the film’s climax, the writers overuse deus ex machina drains any feeling of satisfaction the audience might get when the good guys save the day. This also contributes to the lack of pay off already established by the films lack of emotional attachment.

When it comes down to it, the film is nothing more than a cinematic Easter egg hunt. And while it is satisfying seeing all of our favorite characters on screen, it does not excuse a poorly made film.

I find it hard to believe, in a world where the internet is able to track down a flagpole with no indications other than the sky behind it in only 38 hours, can not seem to solve Halliday’s simple trials in five years.

What I do not find hard to believe is for Hollywood to throw out a mess of a film littered with fanservice and expect us to pay for it.

Lakeshore Records

so often overlooked by the media. Look & See subverts biopic conventions and immerses audiences into Berry’s world, providing a space for talking about the land and those who sustain it. It is a conversation that is more urgent now than ever, as so many Americans are disconnected from the farmers who feed them.

Robert Redford, Terrence Malick and Nick Offerman served as producers on the film, which premiered in 2016 at the SXSW Film Festival.

NCLAC also invites the public to a Lawn Party in Intermission Park beside the Dixie Center from 5:30-6:45 p.m. The Lawn Party will include music from Rickety Crickets and a dinner popup from Grown & Grazed.

Admission to the Lawn Party is free; food and drink will be available for purchase.

For more information visit www.nclac.org NCLAC thanks Hampton

Inn of Ruston and Louisiana Tech’s College of Liberal Arts for their sponsorship of the Southern Circuit series, as well as film sponsor First National Bank.

The Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers is a program of South Arts. Southern Circuit screenings are funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

South Arts, founded in 1975, is a nonprofit regional arts organization building on the South’s unique heritage and enhancing the public value of the arts. Their work responds to the arts environment and cultural trends with a regional perspective, through an annual portfolio of activities designed to address the role of the arts in impacting the issues important to our region, and linking the South with the nation and the world through the arts.

www.thetechtalk.org

April 12, 2018 • The Tech Talk • 5

More Talk

Union Board and Counseling Center host suicide awareness event MORGAN BERNARD Managing Editor | mrb056@latech.edu Rainy weather did not stop Louisiana Tech students from going to Howard Auditorium April 3 to show their support in promoting suicide awareness on campus.

The suicide awareness event, hosted by Union Board and Tech’s counseling center, consisted of guest speakers offering advice about dealing with suicide, acted out scenarios of how to offer help to someone else who is struggling and a musical performance by music artist Krigare’.

Ron Cathey, director of the career and counseling center, spoke about how bringing suicide awareness to Tech is important, as suicide is something that affects the university personally.

“In our experience at the counseling center this year, Tech’s campus has experience more suicidal ideation than we have ever seen in our history,” Cathey said.

He said he was grateful for the event’s turnout and hoped everyone who attended learned something new from the speakers and performances.

“One of our purposes was to engage in a time like this where we can build hope,” Cathey said. “We want to encourage every person here. We wanted to show how you talk to somebody whose life might be falling apart, what to say and how you make that happen.”

Cathey, along with other speakers from the counseling center, offered information on services available at Tech’s counseling center, tips on how to identify someone who is suicidal and tips on how to talk to that person and understand them.

“Most people know what CPR is,” Cathey said.

“We want people to know QPR: ask questions, persuade someone to stay alive and then refer them to get the proper help.”

Robert Burt, associate director of the career and counseling center, explained there is no one reason-

ing or one type of loss that brings up depression or suicidal thoughts.

“Loss comes in many shapes and sizes,” he said.

“There is loss of a relationship, freedom, self respect and loss of a loved one, just to name a few. All losses can take a colossal toll on who we are and what we are.”

Burt said when being confronted by a hard loss, everyone has a decision to make in how they react to it.

“In the grieving process we have two choices,” he said. “We can select the dark choice where you get caught up in the sadness and darkness, or you can choose the side of inside revelation and understanding.”

Musical artist Krigare’ travelled from Nashville, Tennessee to perform at the suicide awareness event.

She said being a part of this event was important to her, as she has experienced her own battles in life with suicide and depression. Between performing songs, Krigare’ told the audience her personal story.

“I’m a two-time cancer survivor, and these last three years have been a crazy journey,” she said. “It was obviously a journey I did not choose, but I would not be who I am right now today without it.”

Krigare’ said that while suicide is a serious topic and is usually something people tend to avoid talking about, the awareness event was also meant as a time for celebration.

“My story is about overcoming battles and bringing empowerment to people,” she said. “Choosing life is something to celebrate, and in my story I chose life, so I am also here to celebrate life and share that.”

Krigare’ also talked about her harder times during her battle with cancer and how she overcame them.

“The hardest part for me was not only was my life being devastated, but my entire community around me was falling apart,” she said. “I had those thoughts of ‘if only this could be over’ and ‘if I would just die already everything would be fine,’ and that’s not true.

The people around me loved me so much that that would have made it worse for them. Going through cancer is recoverable; losing someone forever is pretty hard to recover from.”

Krigare’ explained how she still personally works with mental issues from her time with cancer even though the physical part of it is over.

“I still don’t have everything together,” she said.

“I still have panic attacks; I still wake up feeling depressed sometimes and feeling those things, but I’m finding things that work for me and help me find my new normal.”

The suicide statistical data in America can be staggering: Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among 20 to 24-year-olds More teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from all medical illnessess combined.

The suicide rate peaks among young adults (ages 20-24).

One in 12 U.S. college students make suicide plans.

Nearly 4,000 people are 15-24 die by suicide each year in the United States.

Everyday, approxomately 80 Americans take their own life and 1,500 more attempt to do so.

There are more than four male suicides for every female suicide, but twice as many females than males attempt suicide.

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, 2016

www.thetechtalk.org

6 • The Tech Talk • April 12, 2018

Lorenzo shines on Senior Day

Photo by Donny Crowe

LA Tech Athletic Director Tommy McClelland (left) and head women’s tennis coach Amanda Stone (right) with Angela Lorenzo (middle), LA Tech women’s tennis team’s lone senior.

ANDREW BELL Sports Editor | agb022@latech.edu There was only one way for the Louisiana Tech women’s tennis team to go out on Senior Day, their last home match of the season: utter dominance.

The Lady Techsters did just that April 5, sweeping Grambling State in doubles (6-2, 6-0, 6-1) and singles with little resistance.

This impressive performance occurred on the Senior Day of Tech’s lone senior Angela Lorenzo, who finished the day with a 6-1, 6-1 victory in singles and teamed up with sophomore Nadja Manjon in doubles to shut out their opponent 6-0.

“When I woke up this morning, I knew this was a little different,” Lorenzo said. “Because this is the last game and everyone kind of has their eyes on you and everything, so it was really important to come out strong and get the job done.”

Lorenzo has battled a gruesome ankle injury all season and has trained to come back and be effective on a young team that could use her leadership. Head coach Amanda Stone said Lorenzo has fought through adversity all season.

“She’s had a rough year,” Stone said. “Even though she’s (medically) cleared to play, she’s not at 100 percent, so every match is an added challenge for her and the recovery time and rehab is really important with her. She has to do all of these extra things just so she can come back and compete on

the courts every week. It’s been a tough road for her senior year, so I’m just happy for her, any time she feels like she’s able to give all she’s got.”

A broken ankle, however, has not stopped Lorenzo from having the second best winning percentage in overall record on the team at 10-7 on the season, including a 6-2 record in her last eight matches.

Stone said she believes Lorenzo’s gritty performances have helped spark the team’s play at times this season.

“When she got back in the lineup, it made a big difference for our girls,” Stone said. “She kind of acted like the catalyst. It was good timing because we had started doing things a little better as a team anyway, and then to get her back on the court was huge. She has great energy and she has played with really competitive teams, so to see her compete and practice just gave us another extra push in this end part of the season.”

Lorenzo said she hopes to keep the momentum going for the rest of the season and have more postseason success than last season.

“I feel like doubles is a very strong point for us right now,” Lorenzo said. “We have a lot of tight matches so doubles points are really crucial. So that’s something that we should come out strong in. We need to just focus on each score, don’t look to the sides and trust your teammates and know they are doing the best they can.”

Photo by Autumn Manry

Senior Angela Lorenzo swept her opponents in doubles and singles in her final home match.

Montgomery reaches milestone in Sunday sweep LA TECH ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

Photo by Donny Crowe

LA Tech softball head coach Mark Montgomery (middle) has 500 career wins after a 9-4 victory Sunday.

Morgan Turkoly hit two home runs and drove in seven runs to lead Louisiana Tech to an 11-2 win over Charlotte in the first game of a doubleheader sweep by the Lady Techsters Sunday afternoon at Sue M. Daughtridge Stadium.

Tech (23-17, 10-5 C-USA) won the second game 9-4 to complete the three-game sweep and extend its season long winning streak to seven games. The final win of the weekend was a milestone for head coach Mark Montgomery who picked up his 500th career win on the collegiate level, the 170th during his six years in Ruston.

“It’s certainly an honor and I’ve been blessed to have that much success but it comes on the shoulders of a lot of assistant coaches and a lot of amazing players, and the support of some wonderful University Presidents and Athletic Directors,” said Montgomery. “And of course I couldn’t have done any of this with-

out the support of my amazing family. They have been with me this entire journey.”

After winning its 14th Conference USA series in its last 18, the Lady Techsters moved into a first place tie in the league standings with North Texas. It also marked the third straight season that Tech has swept a three-game road series against the host team for the Conference USA Tournament (North Texas – 2016, Southern Miss – 2017, Charlotte – 2018).

The 33 runs scored set a new program record for most runs in a threegame conference series, snapping the old mark of 30 set against Utah State in 2011.

“I think this was one of our best weekends of the year,” said Montgomery. “We played well in all three facets of the game. It was certainly nice to see our hitting continue to get better this weekend.”

Tech returns to action Wednesday at Stephen F. Austin before returning home to host UTSA in a three-game C-USA series Saturday and Sunday.