Technique
T-Pain Takeover
Friday, November 4, 2011• Volume 97, Issue 15 • nique.net
Read a fresh take on the popular performer's pipes at Homecoming.413
The South’s Liveliest College Newspaper
Debt burden on students reaches record high By Jordan Lockwood Contributing Writer
In the wake of President Obama’s announcement last week regarding new initiatives intended to ease the burden of student debt, the issue of rising student loan debt has gained significant attention in the national arena. The plan proposed by Obama is a two-pronged expansion of an existing program, the Federal Family Education Loan Program. One way Obama’s plan is intended to help debt-challenged college students is by accelerating a loan-repayment plan, originally approved by Congress in 2010, that is income based. The plan cuts student loan repayment to ten percent of discretionary annu-
al income, down from the original 15 percent. Congress originally intended for the measure to go into effect in 2014. Obama has hastened the changes, announcing that he intends to institute the changes beginning in 2012. The second way the measure is intended to assist in alleviating debt is by forgiving remaining student loan debt after 20 years instead of the original 25 years. The new proposal, coined as the “Pay as You Go” plan, would allow students to cap their debt repayment beginning in January, potentially affecting as many as 1.6 million borrowers. An approximate six million recent graduates will be able to consolidate certain federal loans under reduced interest rates, also
beginning in Jan. Additionally, anyone who takes out a student loan next year will be eligible to cap loan repayments. Tech students are not exempt from feeling the financial strain that is now common across many college campuses. “[The Financial Aid Office is] experiencing an increase in office visits, phone calls and emails from students, often seeking assistance with completing the application process and/or addressing a change in their own or their family’s financial situation,” said Jennifer Mullins, Associate Director of Counseling and Outreach for the Financial Aid Office. The number of students apSee Debt, page 2
30
Average debt per student at graduation, in thousands of dollars [bar]
25
Unemployment percent of graduates with bachelor degrees, aged 25 and up [line]
20
6%
5%
4% 15 3% 10 2%
5
1996
HOMECOMING 2011
Tzegaegbe, Blumer named Mr. & Ms. GT
2000
2004
2008
2010
1%
Infographic by Basheer Tome / Student Publications
Mundie discusses ‘Big Data’ and IT By Aakash Arun Contributing Writer
Photo by John Nakano / Student Publications
Photo by Sho Kitamura / Student Publications
Students celebrated Homecoming Week 2011 by taking part in Tech traditions including the Mini-500 (L), Wreck Parade and the Freshman Cake Race. During half time of the homecoming football game, Jacob Tzegaebe and Elizabeth Blumer were named Mr. and Ms. Georgia Tech, respectively (T). Students, alumni and faculty celebrated a landmark 31-17 victory against Clemson by rushing the field at the end of the game (R).
Photo by John Nakano / Student Publications
On Oct. 27, Craig Mundie, Chief Research and Strategy Officer of Microsoft Corporation held a presentation on the topic “Converging Worlds: The New Era in Computing” that focused on how new technologies can be utilized to solve some of the world’s most complex challenges. Mundie discussed the fundamental transformation in how humans interact with computers, the merging of the physical and digital worlds and the capabilities of the present era of computing powered by insights from “Big Data” and more natural user interfaces. He also talked about the reliance of science, engineering and all related fields on the advancement of information technology. He held demonstrations on the ability to use information to gain insight from very large amounts of data available to people. According to Mundie, the existence of “Big Data” is a result of the evolution of science and engineering over time that has led to increase in storage and computational capabilities that allows users to attain data through observation. He provided an example of an Excel spreadsheet that serves as a repository without any limitations to size and the amount of data collected. These capabilities are called data markets and large datasets can be put into these “cloud” facilities. They represent a place where computer systems that are bigger than what governments have built in the past are now accessible to everyone. Mundie explained how Microsoft has focused on building facilities that allow users to attain more information and help people perform tasks without numerical information. He provided an example of medical research activities where 3D models of torsos made it clear to laypeople where organs of the body were situated and allowed professionals to highlight certain organs with problems and manipulate them by examining them individually or in context. Mundie discussed the convergence of the physical and virtual world by explaining how it is not difficult for people to make the transition from the physical to the virtual world using devices that they normally use like the cell See Microsoft, page 5
NEWS
2 • November 4, 2011 • Technique
Technique
The South’s Liveliest College Newspaper
Founded in 1911, the Technique is the student newspaper of the Georgia Institute of Technology, and is an official publication of the Georgia Tech Board of Student Publications. The Technique publishes on Fridays weekly during the fall and spring and biweekly during the summer. A dvertising: Information and rate cards can be found online at nique.net/ads. The deadline for reserving ad space is Friday at 5 p.m. one week before publication. To place a reservation, for billing information, or for any other questions please e-mail us at ads@nique.net. You may reach us by telephone at (404) 894-2830, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Coverage R equests: Requests for coverage and tips should be submitted to the Editor-in-Chief and/or the relevant section editor. Office: 353 Ferst Dr., Room 137 Atlanta, GA 30332-0290 Telephone: (404) 894-2830 Fax: (404) 894-1650
Editor-in-Chief: Vijai Narayanan editor@nique.net Telephone: (404) 894-2831
News Editor: Emily Cardin / news@nique.net Opinions Editor: Chris Russell / opinions@nique.net Focus Editor: Siddharth Gurnani / focus@nique.net Entertainment Editor: Hank Whitson / entertainment@nique.net Sports Editor: Alex Sohani / sports@nique.net
Follow us online: http://nique.net Twitter: @the_nique Copyright © 2011, Vijai Narayanan, Editor-in-Chief, and by the Georgia Tech Board of Student Publications. No part of this paper may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from the Editor-in-Chief or from the Board of Student Publications. The ideas expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Board of Student Publications, the students, staff, or faculty of the Georgia Institute of Technology or the University System of Georgia. First copy free—for additional copies call (404) 894-2830
GT Athletics
Debt
from page 1
plying for aid has steadily risen in recent years. “From the fall of 2008 to present we have seen an 18 percent increase [in applicants],” Mullins said. Students have varying views on governmental and even Institutelevel involvement in addressing the debt issue. The proposed forgiveness of student debt after 20 years is particularly contentious. “I’m all for debt forgiveness. I think student debt ties young adults down and is an anchor on their futures,” said John Knoch, President of the College Democrats of Georgia and a fourth-year HTS major. “The costs of tuition have skyrocketed over the past generation, wildly beyond the level of inflation over the same period. While this is a systemic problem, I think that Tech could use more of substantial endowment to
help out. With HOPE gutted, the Institute should go further to aid those who need the help.” Obama’s debt forgiveness plan has not been popular among all students, however. “While [student loan forgiveness] sounds like a fabulous idea, this will go to even further our financial crisis,” said Andrés Celedón, Chairman of the Tech College Republicans and a thirdyear PUBP major. “If we were to say that we no longer have to pay [our debts], the financial institutions that handed out the loans would soon go bankrupt and we could very well see another 2008 meltdown occurring.” As the average cost of loans has steadily risen in recent years, the average number of students taking out those loans has risen proportionately. According to the College Board, approximately twothirds of graduates with bachelor degress have student loans.
The Institute for Access and Success’s Project on Student Debt found that, while average debt is about $24,000, ten percent of undergraduates have loans of $40,000 or more. The problem is then exacerbated by the fact that unemployment rates are still extremely high. “It’s certainly discouraging to know that there’s a relentless fivefigure monster eagerly waiting to wreak havoc upon you once you graduate,” said Shyan Zarrabi, a second-year PUBP major. The Office of Financial Aid offers financial counseling for students grappling with these complicated issues, and encourages students to seek assistance. “If borrowing is necessary, we focus on how to borrow wisely,” Mullins said. “The most important guidance that we can give is options exist, but opportunities are often missed through procrastination.”
POLL OF THE WEEK
Approximately how much student debt do you have? 15%
Over $15,000
81%
Under $5,000
4%
Between $5,000 and $10,000.
Next issue’s question:
What is your favorite genre of music? Tell us at nique.net
Based on 26 responses
NEWS
Technique • November 4, 2011 • 3
Council Clippings
This week in Student Government
E
By Jordan Lockwood and Sam Somani Contributing Writers
ach week, this section includes coverage of different aspects of Student Government, including the Undergraduate House of Representatives, Graduate Student Senate and the Executive Branch of both governments.
Bill Summary Bill
Amount
GSS
UHR
SPS Observatory SPS Paintball SGA Jacketpages Open House Taal Tadka Men’s Lacrosse Club Yellow Jacket Flying Club Hellenic Society NPHC Constitution Student Planning Association Night at Woodruff Arts Center
$1000 $1000 -$926.22 $12,375 $17,333 -----
24-0-0 4-18-2 23-0-0 21-1-0 20-0-0 18-2-1 19-1-0 22-0-1 23-0-0 20-0-1
53-0-0 43-6-1 47-3-0 47-2-1 48-2-0 46-2-1 47-3-0 43-2-3 45-1-0 --
Prior Year: $510,414 Capital Outlay: $846,994
SPS Paintball
The Society of Physics Students presented a bill requesting $1000 to fund a paintball social for undergraduate students, graduate students, and professors. Leaders of the organization are seeking to revive the club, which has been dead for some time, by organizing a unique social event to encourage greater club participation and increased membership. “I think the collaboration between faculty members and the
student body is encouraged at the institute level,” said Marius Balla, bill author and a fourth-year AE major. “This bill was supported by the chair of the physics department who sponsored $500 to show his encouragement. And who doesn’t want to shoot their physics professor in a paintball match?” The bill ultimately failed in GSS due to concerns that were raised regarding the fact that the paintball event would have no
measurable academic value, despite a rebuttal from Christopher Foy, President of the Society of Physics Students and a third-year PHYS major. “There did not seem to me to be a clear reasoning on why it didn’t meet policy,” Foy said. He further argued that the organization is not merely an academic club, but one that also works to foster social networking within the school. Similar debate was also raised during the UHR meeting, especially in regards to the lack of social interaction between students and professors provided by a paintball match. The bill had both staunch supporters and adversaries, but received an overwhelming 86 percent vote to pass the bill in UHR, which was significant enough to overturn the original failure of the bill in GSS. SPS also requested and received funding to sponsor a visit to the Livingston Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory located in southern LA. This bill passed without significant debate in either house. Night at the Woodruff
Because JFC was unable to give recommendation to the bill regarding GT Night at the Woodruff during the UHR meeting, SGA bylaws prohibited the bill from being brought to a vote. However, the GSS did vote on the bill earlier in the day, which
brought about a debate regarding the bylaws and JFC policy. The bill was ultimately postponed until further JFC action could be taken. Lacrosse Uniforms
The Men’s Lacrosse Club submitted a bill requesting $12,375 to replace the uniforms and helmets for its 45-member team. As helmet warranties were set to expire this season barring further action, as well as the fact that the letters on uniforms have reportedly begun to wear from the continuous violence of the sport, the team felt that it needed these items to be better prepared for next season. Both houses passed the bill without significant debate, though one UHR representative suggested the possible addition of SGA logos to team uniforms. The organizational representative explained that this was not possible due to conference regulations against such sponsorships.
Plane Refurbishment
The Yellow Jacket Flying Club (YJFC) secured funding to refurbish a training aircraft. One of four planes owned by the YJFC, the trainer aircraft had not been refurbished in over thirty years. Avionics failures were a primary safety concern, as well as corrosion from worn paint. “[This refurbishment] will substantially decrease the transition time of student pilots from one airplane to the other, not to mention standardize our fleet,” said Dustin Kilgore, president of the YJFC and fourth-year AE student. “These safety improvements are crucial for the YJFC to continue to operate two trainer aircraft and allow sufficient access for anyone in the Tech community to pilot training.” This will be the second trainer aircraft to be refurbished in the past year. The YJFC has also received additional outside funding for both refurbishments from the Krone Foundation.
OBITUARY
Ms. Bessie McDowell passed away the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 2, after a battle with cancer. McDowell was a dedicated GT Dining employee and worked until last week when she finally decided that it was time to consider retiring. She was admitted to a hospital Tuesday and passed away early Wednesday morning. McDowell has been a member of GT Dining since Aug. 17, 2006. She celebrated her five-year anniversary with the company just two months ago and was a valued member of the Food Court team. Known as “Ms. Bessie” by fellow employees, staff and students, she is survived by three daughters.
NEWS
Technique • November 4, 2011 • 5
Endowment surprises MN facilitates artistic creativity By Emily Cardin News Editor
Tech alumni, recent graduates and Institute officials gathered at an Atlantic Station law firm last Friday to present the former director of the President’s Scholarship Program (PSP), Randy McDow, with an endowment in his name. Friends and former students of McDow gathered at the Nelson, Mullins, Riley & Scarborough law firm to surprise McDow, who was kept in the dark about the endowment until the presentation. “[McDow] is responsible for so much of what the PSP is today, and we thought it would be wonderful if we could have a lasting legacy that is a true testament to his influence on the program and its participants,” said Suzanne McGill, endowment organizer. Over 140 people contributed $176,250 to create the Randolph McDow President’s Scholarship, which will be used for scholarships for future students at Tech. “I’m moved that so many young people are willing to donate to such a worthy cause,” said Philip D. Spessard, Associate Vice
President for Development. “I’ve never seen something like this come together so quickly.” Created originally to fill the need for a merit-based scholarship at Tech, the PSP was begun in 1980 by Dr. E. Jo Baker, who was seated in the Office of Associate Vice President. Approximately 1362 students had graduated from Tech under the PSP as of spring 2010, with 86 percent earning Honors or higher, and with over 90 percent finishing in five or fewer years. “Participants in the PSP elevate the entire Institute with their efforts, and [the endowment] represents a great effort to honor his legacy at Tech,” said Institute President G.P. “Bud” Peterson. McDow stepped down as Director of the PSP this May to become the Executive Director of the Stamps Family Charitable Foundation. “I’m overwhelmed and so touched by the generous funding and am glad that there is something to honor the many years that the program invested in me, as well as the years that I invested in many of you,” McDow said.
Photo by Basheer Tome / Student Publications
Former President’s Scholarship Program Director Randy McDow was surprised by the gift of a $176,250 endowment in his name.
By Sam Somani Contributing Writer
Just beneath the Craft Center lies Under the Couch (UtC) a concert venue operated by Tech’s Musicians Network (MN). “From its start, MN has been expanding as an artistic outlet to Tech students,” said Nathan Rubright, President of MN and a fourth-year CHBE major. “As a concert venue, [UtC] has shows and events almost every week in addition to an Open Mic every week.” Having previously featured bands such as B.O.B., Weezer, Jimmy Eat World and The Ataris, MN also partners with the student magazine Erato to host coffee nights for poetry and short stories, as well as other local shows and charitable events. “Though [student] attendance can fluctuate from band to band, MN activities like shows are generally received with strong student response,” Rubright said.
Microsoft
from page 1
phone. He also introduced the concept of Microsoft Tag to those in attendance. These tags can be scanned to provide information or particular features of a product. When people scan them, tags can redirect them to a website, show a video, download an application or add a contact list to their address book. He explained a transition from graphical user interfaces of touching, clicking and pointing towards more natural user interfaces or NUI that can detect human senses with the help of computer abilities. “As you move more and more into natural user interfaces, the really high intensity computing and low latency can all be computed locally…Hold a button down and
Photo by Sho Kitamura / Student Publications
Musician’s Network, responsible for overseeing Under the Couch, sponsors numerous events to encourage student performance. From 1995 to 2009, MN housed its concert venue location in a small room located under the Couch building on West Campus —hence the name. “My favorite part of working at UtC is interacting with all the people that come in and learning about them,” said Lauren Jones, a fifth-year MGT major. “I love music and have a passion for people, so this job allows me to enjoy both. I feel really lucky.” MN, with its move, has been able to reach out further to the stu-
dent body, having been required to open its doors during the day for students to enter. However, the change has been met with some organizational restructuring, such as changes in officer roles to encompass more administrational duties. “The great thing about MN is that if you really want something to happen,” Rubright said. “You can make it happen, regardless if you are an officer or not. I have learned that MN is the place for creativity without limits.”
talk to [your phone]. You can dial, send text messages, get movies and perform web searches,” Mundie said. He explained how, in order to make it simpler for people to move into a phase of physical-virtual interaction, it was necessary to find a way to get the 3D environment into their environment. He talked about the concept of Avatar Kinect that contains an array of sensors that translate user’s physical gestures into on-screen actions. Two people can be present miles apart but can use their avatars to meet and mimic their actions and gestures in a virtual space. Mundie talked about an avatarbased interview with CNBC in which his avatar explained about the launch of the Avatar Kinect in
a virtual space, sensing his exact actions, gestures and words without Mundie being physically present at the interview. He explained that business applications of these technologies are on the rise across the globe. “We operate in a highly dynamic industry…I tell people that there’s three reasons for research, one is that we need to continue to improve [technologies] in dramatic ways…the second reason is that over the years we add new businesses and many times when you want to enter a new business you have to find something to distinguish yourself…The third is that I think of it[research] as a big shock absorber…Our research capacity has given us a buffering capability,” Mundie said.
Opinions
Opinions Editor: Chris Russell Anyone who has declared someone else to be an idiot, a bad apple, is annoyed when it turns out in the end that he isn’t. —Friedrich Nietzsche
“ ”
OUR VIEWS Consensus Opinion
Game day behavior reflects poorly on Tech, shows lack of class
Tech’s victory against Clemson started a lot of chatter around campus, not just about the victory, but also about fan behavior at the game. As the letter to the right indicates, many Tech fans crossed a line. Reports of students mistreating game staff, even knocking over a referee when storming the field, only reinforce this claim. The Clemson band reported thefts by Tech fans and asked security to stand between them and the student section. Some could argue that rivalry is in the spirit of football, and that such incidents are just harmless fun. Keep in mind, though, that Tech’s rivalry with Georgia began when Tech’s team was treated poorly by Georgia fans, and Tech fans’ attitude towards “Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate,” has always been based on the perception that Tech operates at a level of class above that of UGA. Fan behavior at Saturday’s game and, before, at the 2008 Georgia game and the 2007 Boston College game—where behavior was so bad that it sparked the
Gold Standard initiative — shatters any view that Tech is an institution with class. Fans should remember that, after the game is over, people will remember Tech fans’ behavior in the stadium. Football games are popular recruiting events, and it is hard to convince a parent that Tech is a welcoming, intellectual place for their child after they spend three hours next to a profanity-spewing drunk. Moreover, students should remember that if the stereotype of the Tech student becomes one of drunken aggression, the onus is on the students to prove to employers that Tech students can, in fact, be professional. A line has to be drawn between goodnatured heckling of a rival school and plain harassment of an individual from that school. By all means, make fun of their school, call into question their intelligence and imply things about their upbringing, but at the end of the day, only say things that you could joke about with their fans about over a beer at a tailgate.
The Consensus Opinion reflects the majority opinion of the Editorial Board of the Technique, but not necessarily the opinions of individual editors.
Technique Editorial Board Vijai Narayanan, Editor-in-Chief Kamna Bohra, Managing Editor Mike Donohue, Business Manager
Emily Cardin, News Editor Vivian Fan, Outreach Editor Siddharth Gurnani, Focus Editor Nishant Prasadh, Development Editor
Chris Russell, Opinions Editor Matt Schrichte, Advertising Manager Alex Sohani, Sports Editor Hank Whitson, Entertainment Editor
EDITORIAL CARTOON By Casey Tisdel
Technique
6
Friday, November 4, 2011
YOUR VIEWS Letters to the Editor
Fans’ attitudes reflect badly on all of Tech I love my Yellow Jackets. The school, the team and well, most of the time, the fans. But I must say that I have become increasingly disappointed in the fans over the past couple of football seasons, particularly in the student section. My brother is a Clemson student, and each year, we celebrate the big game by traveling to the site of the game and sitting together to root for our respective teams. Last year, I joined him in the Clemson student section, appreciating and respecting the traditions of another school. I touched Howard’s Rock, sat on the hill and watched their team come in just a few feet from me, all while still cheering on my Jackets. Sure, I was a bit out-cheered, but I did my best to keep up. This year, I was excited to have my brother here at Bobby Dodd Stadium, to show him the energy, fun and spirit of Tech football. But instead, from the second we settled into our spots in the student section to the moment we rushed the field, I was repeatedly shocked and disappointed at the behavior of my peers. Before the game, we had singing of “Clemson is a redneck school–do daa, do daa” and chanting of profanity toward him in unison. During the game, of course, the trash talk continued, with fans cursing directly at my brother. Finally, there was the guy sitting next to me who verbally harassed and physically pushed me, a fellow Yellow Jacket, off the bench repeatedly throughout the game, without any sort of provocation or reason. A lot of Tech students pride themselves on their southern hospitality and class–we are, after all, the Scion of the Southland–but on this night, Tech lacked both. Now don’t get me wrong: I still love Tech. But today, I am not proud to be a Yellow Jacket. I am personally embarrassed and humiliated to call the students leading this trashy cheering and repulsive behavior my classmates. My brother and I talked to my parents after the game, and they were appalled. Though they are proud to send their daughter to a great school, it saddens them to see me surrounded by students who would treat others, even if from a rival school, with such disrespect, dishonor and disdain; it saddens them to see that a school so progressive in the academic realm can lag so vastly in embedding basic and essential morals into its students. Tech, is this the image that you want to portray to all those who encounter a Yellow Jacket sports fan? Is this what you want future supervisors, co-workers, colleagues and neighbors to hear about your school from the thousands of fans who visit your school each year? Are you going to be the ambivalent fan that simply follows the crowd in this behavior? I certainly hope not. I
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am going to pledge to live up to a Gold Standard for the respect of other fans from whom I expect mutual respect, for the respect of the players on both teams who practice countless hours for your entertainment and for the respect of your university that deserves much more than the reputation it was given last Saturday night. Will you join me? Suzanne Clary 3rd year CHBE
Stingerette article uninformed, misguided I am a graduate student at Tech, and I use the Stingerette on an almost daily basis. This letter is regarding the article about Stingerette services in the Technique two weeks back. The news about the Stingerette wait times was startling as I have never had wait times of more than five to ten minutes during the weekdays. On Friday nights and Saturday nights, there have been delays due to the large number of people traveling to parties and restaurants. I have personally seen Stingerette drivers refusing service only to students who are extremely inebriated, unable to talk coherently and had to be supported by their friends. I do not see why refusing service to such students is not acceptable. I certainly do not want my fellow passengers to throw up in the van that I am traveling in. In my experience of the past six months, I have never seen a driver refuse a ride because the distance was too short. Also, there is no way to check if the person requesting a ride is a student at Tech. If you were concerned about this, you would have asked for a petition to implement a system where only Tech students can use this service. I have seen many students from other universities use the Stingerette to travel to and from parties at Tech. In the future, I would request you to gather sufficient evidence and news about such incidents before spouting information based on false claims, as it hurts the people who provide such services. Pavithra Chandramowlishwaran
PhD Student, BIO
OPINIONS
Technique • November 4, 2011 • 7
Consensus misses hypocrisy in argument Each week at the Technique, we form a consensus opinion on some issue and relate it to the Tech community as best we can, all in an effort to voice what we believe the student opinion on the matter should be. But sometimes we get it wrong. I think last week was one of those times. We have a pretty good variety of majors covered on the editorial board. We’re mostly engineering majors with a few Management and Liberal Arts majors in the mix. All in all, we make a pretty good representation of the campus at large, except the editorial board might have a slightly worse male-tofemale ratio. The board does its best to cover every issue from all of the angles and give praise or blame to its rightful recipients—be they students, faculty or administration. Every Wednesday night, the board comes together to create “The South’s Liveliest College Newspaper.” And every Wednesday night it gathers into a dimly lit room and cobbles together a joint opinion piece on what it believes to be an important issue on or off campus that is affecting student life. That is where the editorial board came off as a little hypocritical in last week’s consensus. Because most of the editorial board goes into a consensus meeting with just about as much information as any other Tech student, it’s patently un-
“But to say that Tech students are apathetic towards world events...was an unfair overstatement.” Matt Schrichte
Advertising Manager fair of us to say that we should all be more informed on the world’s big ticket issues. It can certainly be said that our campus is more apathetic politically than most of our peer institutions. Who cares? It’s pretty clear that we as a student body don’t. And we shouldn’t. Most of us care less about things going on in the outside world because we are working so hard inside of our own. But to say that Tech students are apathetic towards world events, as stated in the published consensus last week, was an unfair overstatement. While the board stated in last week’s opinion about how hypocritical it is for students to think they can make decisions about world events without taking the time to observe them in person, it failed to look at the consensus’ makeup and realize that the editorial board does, on a weekly basis, what it was railing against. The problem, and also the reason that the consensus does a pretty good job at representing the Tech student body
opinion, is that most of the people on the editorial board are normal Tech students. Most of the board trudges into consensus on a weekly basis without the slightest clue of what it is we might be discussing that night. And many times, once a topic is selected, only a handful of the staff knows anything about it. Each week there are dissents within the board and arguments are made, but most members only voice an opinion to expedite the process and get back to whatever it is they need to do. It isn’t because the editorial board members don’t care, or are uninformed, but because each member specializes in their own section that they have that to deal with on top of school and their personal life during any given week. Maybe students are too engrossed in school work here at Tech or in trying to escape it by relaxing when they are not. But students here have to be. During any given week, consensus is formed more or less by a few people. It makes
sense. Our Sports Editor knows more about NCAA violations and their repercussions than our Entertainment Editor will. It’s called specialization, and it’s what happens when someone is genuinely interested in a topic. Care about any campus, state, national or international issue can’t and shouldn’t be feigned or forced. When an event resonates closely enough to Tech’s student interests, you will see a stronger student response. The reason Tech students aren’t as actively involved in supporting or denouncing these other events is because they can’t relate. Thanks to the Internet, the world for protesting is a much smaller one than it used to be. Take the backlash against the banks that tried to institute a debit card fee recently. The public fired back at these fees with emails, tweets and posts, not marching. I’m sure Tech students took part in those. Tech’s biggest problem is not genuine apathy. It is apathy that stems from hard work in students’ particular areas of interest. It’s the education we as students chose and it is the one that will hopefully get us jobs out of college. That we students had little to do with recent protests in Woodruff Park or elsewhere says far more about the successes and achievements at Tech than it does about any failures.
Details in design add up to big differences It’s a phrase you hear often: The devil is in the details. Paying attention to small details—and in some cases, obsessively focusing on “what isn’t right”—can take help take a product from “nearly there” to “there” and beyond. We take things for granted. It’s hard to learn how to look and it’s even harder to learn how to see. And while at the granular level it becomes extremely hard to fully understand impact of even one, wellthought-out detail, it all adds up. Every minute diode placed at just the right spot. Every one-line clause in a contract that seemed to be implied. Every well-placed washer. The details don’t dictate the overall direction or look and feel of a product, but they matter. They are to a product as a personality is to a human being. They’re not the heart; they’re the soul. They’re what transform a “thing” into an “experience” and an “experience” into a “relationship”. For the companies and people who truly understand that, the competition that doesn’t has a hard time catching up. Prime example: Apple. The reason Apple products are popular isn’t because they’re “pretty,” or because of the “reality distortion field” or marketing or social pressure or word of mouth or really any excuse. There’s truckloads of pretty things, there’s tons of good competing market-
the notch prevented water from pooling in the base of the upturned cup. Sold. The Bobble water bottle is another example that’s been popular. People buy bottled water in huge numbers and Basheer Tome would use their own bottle if they had access to tasty, clean Photo Editor water easily. Industrial designer Karim Rashid attacked the problem in the simplest way tor lights on their devices have possible: by using a minimal, reached a new level of atten- clean bottle design and intion to detail: When they’re corporating the filter directly off, they’re invisible and when into the cap. That small design they’re on, they’re obviously change changed the act of filtering and/or obtaining clean visible. But this is not just an ode water from an active task into to Apple. This is an ode to the a passive task while drinking smart decisions and changes whatever water from the bottle that can be made to a product itself. So how do you take a prod(or really, anything) that can surprisingly take it from good uct to 100 percent? You need to great. They’re the simple to achieve polish, ridding the things. They’re what most consumer’s mind of any doubt people will shrug off as unim- that the product is unfinished. portant. But they add up and It’s all too common for makers to feel rushed: You’re under usually, not in cost. In 2006 IKEA released a deadline. But if you care about coffee mug called the “Trofe”. your craft and your ideas, It was priced at 50 cents a piece you’ll take the extra time, work and was almost your standard late into the night and add the ceramic mug except for the touches that you know will fact that it sold better than any make your work really shine. of their current mugs and was You know that feeling you get a huge hit in the news, socially, when you think, “Oh, I knew and tangibly. Why? A notch. I should have tried that”? Do it the first time it comes to mind. That’s all it took. Detail work isn’t easy. It That notch, in the bottom of the mug was utterly simple takes time, inspiration, and to manufacture, design, and imagination. It is however, add yet the functionality gain very good practice — in the was huge: When put through design sense, the physical the dishwasher upside down, sense, and the business sense.
“You need to achieve polish, ridding the consumer’s mind of any doubt that the product is unfinished.”
ing, and at the end of the day they sell consumer products. No one (for the most part) is making people buy into Apple. And yet, people do buy into Apple and they do so in droves and with fervor. Here’s the secret: From every single part of the process, Apple designs, engineers and worries about the details. Their products are of a very few that take an absolute holistic product approach to its logical extreme in order to create a deep experience that most people can’t really explain other than to call it “pretty.” Step into their stores and you’re greeted with a clean, minimalist room filled with helpful employees, tables of usable and fully testable products and one of the smoothest payment processes in the business. The journey from the doors, to handling, to questioning, to taking out the credit card, to walking back out the door with a purchase is so insanely pared down and painless it’s a bit scary. But it doesn’t stop there. Even the status indica-
BUZZ
Around Campus
How is registration this semester?
Susan Ali Fifth-year PTFE
“I registered three days after my time ticket and still got all my classes.”
Clarissa Chavarria Fourth-year ME
“Phase I is always kind of iffy, but things get better in Phase II.”
Chandler Price Third-year PSYCH
“It actually went okay, surprisingly.”
Taylor Walters Fifth-year ARCH
“Painful.” Photos by Chris Russell / Student Publications
OPINIONS
8 • November 4, 2011 • Technique
OUR VIEWS Hot or Not
HOT– or –NOT Waiting games
Imposter!
While getting waitlisted on an application might not qualify as a good thing, some students are singing the praises of the new wait list system on OSCAR. Students trying to get into full classes now have the option of joining the waiting list for the course. This gives students higher on the list priority for when new spots open up, either through new seats being added or students dropping the class.
Tech students might want to keep an eye open for Nigerian princes and male-enhancement pills on campus, as Internet spam seems to have come to Tech. The GTPD recently conducted a search in the residence hall of a student suspected of impersonating a Kennesaw State University official to collect personal information on students for the purpose of selling that information to third parties.
Hallow-win
Continued attacks
The Jackets got their groove back this weekends with their 31-17 defeat of the Clemson Tigers. The win comes after a two-loss streak (notably, their only two losses of the semester). Considering the Tigers were rated number five in the nation going into game and, thus, heavily favored, the win represented an extremely welcome surprise, particularly as it was Tech’s Homecoming.
Tech’s spate of campus crime continued this week with another pair of robberies, with the victims of these crimes both being assaulted. According the Clery notifications, the victim of the Oct. 27 robbery in Home Park suffered “minor abrasions” after a thief snatched her purse, and the victim of the Oct. 29 robbery near Tech Square was hit in the face.
Fighting student debt important to students, schools and economy Over the last few weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to get out of Washington and talk with folks across the country about how we can create jobs and get our economy growing faster. This is a tough time for a lot of Americans—especially young people. You’ve come of age at a time of profound change. The world has gotten more connected, but it’s also gotten more competitive. And for decades, too many of our institutions—from Washington to Wall Street—failed to adapt, culminating in the worst financial crisis and recession since the Great Depression. For the last three years, we’ve worked to stabilize the economy, and we’ve made some progress. But we still have a long way to go. And now, as you’re getting ready to head out into the world, many of you are watching your friends and classmates struggle to find work. You’re wondering what’s in store for your future, and I know that can be scary. The truth is, the economic problems we face today didn’t happen overnight, and they won’t be solved overnight. But the fact that you’re investing in your education right now tells me that you believe in the future of America. You want to be a part of it. And you know that there are steps we can take right now to put Americans back to work and give our economy a boost. And at the University of Colorado at Denver, I announced steps we’re taking to make college more affordable and to make it even easier for students like you to get out of debt faster. Michelle and I know what it feels like to leave school with
“...when a big chunk of every paycheck goes towards student loans, it isn’t just painful for you— it’s painful to our economy...” Barack Obama President of the United States
a mountain of debt. We didn’t come from wealthy families. By the time we both graduated from law school, we had about $120,000 worth of debt between us. And even though we were lucky enough to land good jobs with steady incomes, it still took us almost 10 years to finally pay it all off. It wasn’t easy. Living with that much debt forces you to make some tough choices. And when a big chunk of every paycheck goes towards student loans, it isn’t just painful for you—it’s painful to our economy and harmful to our recovery. That’s why we’re making changes that will give about 1.6 million students the ability to cap their loan payments at 10 percent of their income starting next year. We’re also going to take steps to help you consolidate your loans so that instead of making multiple payments to multiple lenders every month, you only have to make one payment a month at a better interest rate. And we want to start giving students a simple fact sheet called “Know Before You Owe” so you can have all the information you need to make your own decision about paying for college. That’s something Michelle and I wish we had. These changes will make a real
difference for millions of Americans. We’ll help more young people figure out how to afford college. We’ll put more money in your pocket after you graduate. We’ll make it easier to buy a house or save for retirement. And we’ll give our economy a boost at a time when it desperately needs it. That’s not just important for our country right now—it’s important for our future. Michelle and I are where we are today because our college education gave us a chance. Our parents and their generation worked and sacrificed to hand down the dream of opportunity to us. Now it’s our turn. That dream of opportunity is what I want for my daughters, and for all of you. And even in these tough times, we are going to make that dream real once again. In the weeks ahead, I’m going to keep doing everything in my power to make a difference for the American people—including young people like you. Because here in America, when we find a problem, we fix it. When we face a challenge, we meet it. We don’t wait. And I hope you’ll join me. Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States. Special to UWire.
sliver
www.nique.net
It’s too bad the Stingerette system is too wrapped up in it’s bureaucracy that I can’t get home safely l:( I wish the campus would care less about fixing Ts and more about fixing the women’s toilet in the IC and the women’s restroom lock in Howey! You can tell what year people are by how much of their conversation you can understand. Slivers get me through physics... POST MORE I’d rather have a bad romance with you I thought the 180 film being passed out would be about skateboarding. shirtless runners are welcome to stop my elevator anytime Hey, JT, you’ll always be MY Mr. GT no matter what. ;) I’m proud of GT Dining and ME, and I’mma let them finish, but the Chapin Building had the best door decorations of all time! To the angel leaving treats in the library for everyone, thank you :) First sliver ever... Can I get in? Stop using yellow cheese on the pizza, north ave I live my life coffee to coffee dear Hot TA, why must you be married? My anus was not prepared for that exam Props to the two guys who ran away from the armed man last week Sending slivers is addictive. Even for an alumni. So, there better be a Dilbert in this new edition. It’s one of the few things I look forward to every week. That and the slivers, which were also too few. We need ALL the slivers! Don’t worry, you’re not alone, guy who didn’t come out! PS - Just because it is not coming out week doesn’t mean you can’t. Sliver guy! It’s awesome to see your responses! And you should definitely be upgrade yourself to Sliver King! I really hope that I get a Sliver in before I graduate LSU 24 Bama 17 Girl in psych who sits in front of me... Marry me
Focus
focus@nique.net Focus Editor: Designer: Siddharth Gurnani Ian Baille Assistant Focus Editor: Alex Kessler
The
Business/Investing
Technique
Wall Street never sleeps. The gears of the economy churn, changing the future of the globe each day. Learn how to be a part of this financial force in this edition of Focus.
9
Friday, November 4, 2011
By Erin Sapp Contributing Writer
Inside some of Atlanta’s Fortune 500 companies
Coca Cola
Atlanta has always been a home to businesses of all kinds. In fact, many Fortune 500 companies are based in Atlanta. In this way, Tech offers a unique job opportunity for students, since the school is in a city packed with these top companies, a claim few other schools can make. As Tech seniors begin to graduate or look toward graduation, one big question resides in the minds of these older students: where am I going to work? Even for younger students, whose time has not yet come to get a full-time job in the real world, a big part of Tech’s success comes from the internships and co-ops it offers; it is never too early to look. All of these companies have job applications online. Adequate research and homework can help find the right fit for all majors, backgrounds and interests. With that in mind, here are some profiles of varying companies with big presences in Atlanta:
Turner
AT&T
Delta
Photo by Basheer Tome / Student Publications
Photo by Victor Lee / Student Publications
Photo by John Nakano / Student Publications
Photo by Basheer Tome / Student Publications
Coca-Cola’s structure has two sides— the corporate side and the bottling side. Coca-Cola can also be noted for its global influence, with Coca-Cola bottling companies operating in over 200 countries. Coca-Cola has an extremely successful and recognizable marketing campaign, so a job here for MGT majors is extremely reputable. For a small idea of the importance of advertising here, although Coca-Cola does not reveal its full budget for marketing, the amount of money allotted to marketing campaigns increased by forty million in 2010. Coca-Cola’s systems management may be the most impressive part of the company though. The Coca-Cola Company has an impressive and efficient supply chain function and encourages innovation. On the bottling side, Coca-Cola always needs bottled products finished and all cans recycled.
Turner Broadcasting, headquartered in the CNN Center, has been a profitable and successful business since its inception in the mid-70s. Founded by Ted Turner, the company is now owned by Time Warner Productions and consists of multiple cable TV channels such as CNN, TBS, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim. People searching for a job at Turner should be very familiar with media trends and have the ability to guess the needs of the consumers. Therefore, PSY majors and BA majors with a background in marketing are especially needed here. Of course, cable TV cannot run without the actual technology behind the media and communications. Engineers and especially CM majors, are all relevant to the company functioning. This would be an ideal place to work for anyone particularly interested in working in content development or production.
AT&T began as over 100 small companies which banded together to form Cingular Wireless. From there, the company continued to grow and buy companies, including the huge AT&T and Cingular Wireless merger in 2004 that eventually led to “The New AT&T” and now, just AT&T. The company offers a lot of jobs in all fields, especially engineering. AT&T has a huge infrastructure with many components, including cell towers, media channels, and high speed internet, that EE majors can maintain and operate. EnvE majors are also needed to work with the way structures are built and maintained in relation to the environment and specific regulations. Because AT&T is also extremely dependent upon information technology for its products to function properly, CS majors will always be needed and wanted.
Delta, founded in 1924, is headquartered at Hartsfield-Jackson, the busiest airport in the world. The airline operates a huge network of domestic and international flights to over 247 locations and is the official airline of Tech athletics. The airline maintains a large fleet of airplanes, including the largest fleet of Boeing 757 and 767s. Despite the hiring freeze in 2007 due to high fuel prices, the company is currently hiring many types of engineers and employees to take care of processes and systems. Delta currently has excellent opportunities for aerospace and mechanical engineers who are looking to maintain planes and update equipment, while management and industrial engineers control the 900 or so departing flights a day. All electrical hubs from the electronic flight control network to the online ticketing service require large IT manpower to function.
Industry: Beverages CEO: Muhtar Kent 3rd Quarter Revenue: $12.2 Billion Employees: 139,600 Top Majors: ECON, ISyE, CHBE
Industry: Entertainment CEO: Jeffery L. Bewkes 3rd Quarter Revenue: $4.9 Billion Employees: 9000+ Top Majors: MGT, STAC, CM
Industry: Telecom CEO: Randall L. Stephenson 3rd Quarter Revenue: $31.5 Billion Employees: 40,000 Top Majors: ENVE, BA, EE, CS
Industry: Airlines CEO: Richard H. Anderson 3rd Quarter Revenue: $8.4 Billion Employees: 80,000 Top Majors: ME, MGT, ISyE, PHYS
Financial center of the world shifting eastward By Emily Moran Contributing Writer
Since the stock market crashed in 2008, the globe set its eyes (and spent its money) on East Asia. This transition sparked fear amongst Americans who feared a loss of American money to Asia. Willie Belton, an Associate Professor in the School of Economics knows a thing or two about this trend. Belton pointed to a stagnation in US markets in the past several decades as the cause of New York failures. “New York was overvalued for a long time; it was coming. A shift to a growing market with more money to invest was inevitable,” Belton said. While the West grappled with deficits, crashes, political intervention in development and economies not performing very well, a new Asia developed. “[Shanghai, Hong Kong and
Singapore] have the opportunity; they’re hungry for new investment,” Belton said. “The ‘Four Tigers’ [Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea] are simply more attractive to investors, because of lower tax rates, fewer environmental regulations and the ability to pay lower wages,” Belton said. Shanghai is in the process of joining the ranks of the other Asian financial hubs with an announcement from China that it would be a financial center by 2020. With the incentive and drive to catch up with Western markets, Asian markets are creating efficient practices (a counter to the bureaucracy investors must fight in the West) and keeping taxes low to draw as many investors as possible. Asian markets seem to have no problem attracting investors. Known as the Disneyland for
Bankers, these emerging financial centers attract a fairly constant stream of investors. So many emerging hubs in East Asia have created a gold rush and everyone is jumping on the wagon to get their share. An important example of how the Asian markets have expanded so rapidly in the past decade or so exists in the trends of the retail giant, Wal-Mart. Investors in America expect profit and dividends, and customers demand the lowest prices possible. In order to keep both investors and customers happy, Wal-Mart moved to Asia, where cheaper methods of production and wages abounded. “Their factories don’t have to worry about meeting EPA regulations and they can pay their workers significantly lower than American workers,” Belton said. See Eastward, page 10
Photo by Jon Drews / Student Publications
Asian countries like China and Singapore attract investors from around the world because of efficient practices and lower taxes
FOCUS
10 • November 4, 2011 • Technique
Stock market simplified, explained for starters By Lorelyn Kilby Contributing Writer
The stock market plays an essential role in the global economy, creating a financial mecca of investing and making money from the companies that run the world. For most people, this is basically the entire extent of their knowledge about the stock market. Sure, people know what a stock is and that it is constantly fluctuating based on the current economy, but how would you start investing if you wanted to get involved with the affair yourself? In pursuit of financial discovery, I’ve researched the basic facts that will help any market dummy privy to the basics that make up the system that builds just about everything. A stock is a chunk of a company. It is basically the funding they use to make their product or conduct some service. The more money this company makes, the more valuable that chunk of the company becomes. In essence, when you buy a stock, share or equity, you are buying into the company as one of the many owners. You have a say in how the company is run and operated by voting on who is on the board of directors for that company.
Eastward
The board of directors oversee the company and make sure the business is making a profit for both themselves as well as the other shareholders from their stock. If not, they may choose to change the management or make radical alterations to the business. In order to maximize the money that can be made from this trading process, stocks are exchanged and swapped, based on whether that company has potential to make money or is at a low selling point. People make money because, for every share you acquire, someone else has sold that share at (usually) a profit. The place where these buyers and sellers come together to settle on a price is called an exchange. There are several types of exchanges. There are those that are actual places you may go to as well as places that are built from a network of computers and web interactions. You have probably seen video clips and pictures of the New York Stock Exchange, where traders stand a mass of outstretched arms, fistfuls of paper and a thick layer of shouts and yells. Despite appearances, the NYSE is the worlds most prestigious stock exchange. Orders come in through brokerage firms which then send a floor broker to
from page 9
It is a win-win scenario for Wal-Mart. Through this example, the transition to Asia is easier to understand. Americans, through their desire for cheaper goods while gaining in their investments, have aided in the move themselves. Though this should be a wake up call to Americans, it’s not all doom and gloom for our economy. “We need to find the next big initiative,” Belton said. “...we just need to grow rather than arguing in Congress the moral implications of certain developments. “Asian markets can take those developments because they [Asian markets] can invest and reinvest, though Americans tend to see the world in a zero-sum game, it doesn’t have to be that way,” Belton said. We need not see gains in other places around the world as an automatic loss to our markets. Rather than fighting over limited resources, we need to simply expand the capabilities of investors, through economic growth. So we find America at a crossroads. Two options exist: To allow this trend to occur, and do nothing to fight it, or to aggressively invest and learn to work and play nice with the new players in the economy. However, America still has time. While the East Asian financial centers are currently beacons from the crashing economies of the West, the countries housing these hubs continue to develop. They’ll soon face pressures from outside sources concerning their human rights and environmental policies. America must learn to work with these countries, or risk falling back from the global spotlight and losing its status as an economic power.
Let’s face it: the thought of investing is overwhelming. Luckily the Technique has some simple steps to help you invest wisely. Buy low, sell high
This is the most basic advice, yet so many people seem to ignore it. Don’t buy impulsively because stocks are on the rise. Similarly, don’t allow greed to prevent you from selling a highly-priced stock. Do your research Photo by Sho Kitamura / Student Publications
Investing can seem daunting to those who have no experience, but learning the fundamentals will make it simpler to understand. a specific area where a specialist matches buyers and sellers, then auctions to stock off. Once a trade is made they are sent back to the brokerage firms. From there, the company will notify the specific investor. Other virtual stock markets, like NASDAQ, are called over the
counter markets in which trading is done through telecommunications and networks of dealers. Virtual stock markets have become widely popular particularly with the technology boom, for they can bring the stock market to See Simplified , page 11
Look at the company’s annual report, and see what the Wall Street Journal has to say about them. Make sure you pay special attention to their earnings (which should be 10 percent higher than the previous year), sales and equity (both of which should be higher). Make a plan
Make a plan. Without a longterm goal for your investments, you’re more likely to fall victim to acting irrationally at the slightest downturn in the market. Know your options
Each week, the Focus section seeks student opinion on some of the most important and pertinent questions related to the theme of the week. Here’s what they said about...
Pursuing an MBA after a degree from Tech It is already 2011 and the new year is approaching fast. Tuition rates are climbing and Tech seniors are graduating (well, some are, anyway). In this uncertain environment, there is a growing concern as to whether colleges and grad schools are worth the investment. In particular, is business school worth attending, or are you just paying $100,000 to network? “Business school is worth going to, yes. It’s more than just networking….because you learn different things. If you’re an accounting student, you learn the basic accounting practices. If you’re an operations student, then you learn about information and techniques and strategies about ways to optimize things. The business degree is a legitimate learning of a subject”, said David Lyle, a second-year BA major. A masters in Business and Administration is a graduate degree targeted to company executives and students interested in business. The program has specific tracks that emphasize skills in finance, logistics, management and other narrow fields of business. But the graduate degree is not limited to MGT and BA majors at Tech. Many engineering students interested in working for or starting a business also highly value the MBA degree. “The MBA degree is vital to a successful career in business and industry. A Bachelors’ degree essentially gives me the background
Learn how to invest By Emily Moran Contributing Writer
STUDENTS SPEAK
By Manav Kothari Contributing Writer
TIPS & TRICKS
knowledge of how industries func- first-year AE major. tion. It also hones my analytical “Many CEO’s have made it skills. But it cannot be a substitute without the MBA mark. From for an MBA,” said Anubhav Jain, Tech itself, we have Michael a first-year ISyE major. Duke, CEO of Wal-Mart, John Companies value MBAs to Kent, ex-CEO of Coca-Cola…I such a degree that they send exec- would rather get real life work exutives to school part time to com- perience rather than spend more plete the degree while working. time furthering my academic “There are companies that qualifications,” said Dhruv Saksewon’t let you advance beyond a na, a first-year CS major. certain point unless you have the For most, the choice to attend MBA qualification. It is definitely business school is just a personal significant,” said Meryl Rosundi, choice but for those wanting a a fourth-year ME major. corporate career, it is essential. However, some students think Be patient “It really depends on what your differently. strengths are, how much business “I think the time could be bet- acumen you have and how and ter invested in a job. In my opin- where you plan to start work,” ion, experience would pay higher said Francisco Coma, a first-year dividends,” said David Shelton, a ME major.
There are several way to invest: stocks, bonds, mutual funds etc. Bonds are considered the safest, but have the lowest return. Stocks are risky, but have the highest potential return. If you’re interested in stocks, but new to the game, try a mutual fund. They have a professional pool money together and decide where to invest for you. Assume responsibility
When you buy stock in a company, you’re actually buying part of that company. Care about the company, analyze their movements, read their financial statements; think like an owner. Put your eggs in several baskets
Diversify your portfolio or spread your money out over several kinds of stocks and several companies in various industries. Keep track
Investing is not gambling. Unless you throw your money at every company you hear is “hot” you’ll be okay. Keep in mind that you should invest in companies that are making a profit, and whose debt is half (or less) of their assets to ensure a safe investment. Think things through
Make sure you leave money aside for predictable emergency expenses. If you don’t, you could set yourself up for selling at a loss to get your money back quickly. Keep track
Watch your stocks closely, and place stop-loss or limit orders if needed. However, refrain from selling your stocks unless it’s absolutely necessary. Be patient Photo by Basheer Tome / Student Publications
An MBA can add great value to a degree from tech. Tech’s business school has been steadily climbing the rankings the last few years.
Investing is not a get quick rich scheme. It takes a lot of time and effort.
FOCUS
Technique • November 4, 2011 • 11
Organization profile: Investment Committee Preparing for business school By Ben Goldberg Contributing Writer
The complex world of investing may seem like nothing but a convoluted mess of numbers and percentages to many people, but the Georgia Tech Student Foundation Investments Committee offers a student-led education in investment matters and a chance to get real-world practice. Founded in 1986 with a $100,000 contribution by Tech graduate J. Erskine Love Jr., GTSF has increased its monetary funds base to $775,000 and has become one of the few collegiate foundations completely run by students, even being recognized as the best overall student foundation organization for the 2010-11 academic year. The Investments Committee, or IC, consists of sector analysts who investigate particular holdings in the portfolio and are required to keep track of their company’s weekly progress. The analysts report their company’s weekly summary to their respective sector analysts who in turn report to the committee’s
directors. There are nine sectors including technology, consumer staples and healthcare among others. Through the five dollar “rollcall” student donations collected annually and the profits gained by the IC, the GTSF gives back to Tech through monetary donations to clubs starting up on campus. “The Investments Committee is a great way to get real-world practice or just learn about finance and investing,” said Trippe Buis, IC Senior Managing Director and fourth-year MGT major. “You will need to know about 401Ks, planning your retirement and financial terminology later in your life, so [the IC] will prepare you for this. We also have a huge alumni network that you can take advantage of,” Buis said. Each semester, the IC invites interested students to enroll in their mentorship program, a fourto six-week course that provides a crash course in how to excel both in the IC and the financial world. Upon completion of the course and a basic quiz, the new members are assigned to be analysts in a certain sector. This position
tends to require a half-hour to two-hour commitment per week, but as a member climbs to higher positions, the weekly commitment increases. For those interested in finance
and investing, the GTSF Investments Committee offers knowledge as well as practice in these areas all while connecting with fellow students and alumni who share this passion.
By Alex Kessler Assistant Focus Editor
Photo by Basheer Tome / Student Publications
The investments committee is part of Georgia Tech Student Foundation. It meets Tuesday’s and Thursday’s 7-8 p.m., MGT 203
Diversifying portfolio, spreading risk By Akshat Bhatnagar, Contributing Writer
When people think of investment portfolios, they think of stocks in big companies such as Microsoft and CocaCola. In reality, portfolios are made up of much more than stocks in large companies. A healthy portfolio will have a variety of assets to minimize risk to the various investments. The technique provides you with options to consider:
Futures
Lesser known stocks
A future is a contract between two parties to purchase or sell assets at a future specific date for a set price. The assets agreed upon can vary from cash to physical commodities to stocks. Futures are high risk, because investors are speculating on the price of an asset but also add the certainty that assets will be exchanged in the future. Example: If an investor predicts the price of apples in the spring of 2012, he can make a futures contract with farmers for the price of their apples in the spring. If the investor speculates the price of wheat correctly, he will be buying the wheat at a lower price than market value. Futures contracts are very risky, as they rely heavily on speculation, but can also result in high returns.
Many people invest in large companies such as Apple and Wal-Mart because these stocks have a low chance of fluctuating or losing value; they are stable. Investors also invest in smaller businesses to diversify their portfolios. These investments are riskier than investing in Pepsi or General Electric, but can yield higher returns. Picking correct stocks takes research and careful consideration. Some great stocks to start with are Priceline, a dot-com company dealing with flight and hotel prices, and Aceto, a corporation which produces chemical used in agriculture and pharmaceuticals. Investing in lesserknown stocks from smaller companies can diversify a portfolio. These stocks must be watched closely, however, because of the high risk involved.
Mutual Funds Investors with a limited investment budget can have trouble diversifying their portfolios and a good place to turn is to mutual funds. A mutual fund is a collection of funds from multiple investors which is collectively invested in stocks, bonds, and other assets. Mutual funds can diversify an investor’s portfolio with only a small amount of capital. These funds are controlled by managers who decide how to allocate funds. Mutual fund operators such as Edward Jones and Waddell & Reed, in addition to many others, have offices in the Atlanta area and are a great place to begin looking at mutual funds.
Foreign Market Investing in the foreign market is another great way to diversify. In the United States, Dow Jones and NASDAQ are the most closely watched stock markets. Other countries have their own exchange markets with different stocks. By investing internationally, investors lower risk to their portfolio. If an investor’s domestic investments suffer, his or her foreign investments are safe because the two are not closely linked. The Swiss Exchange (SIX), containing twenty of Switzerland’s largest stocks, is a good market to look at. New Zealand’s market, the New Zealand Exchange (NZX), is another option; its combined market value is approximately $50 billion. Investments in foreign companies can have positive yields as nations around the world grow.
Real Estate Another option is to invest in real estate. Real estate usually involves a high up front cost but has multiple methods of returning the investment. Investors can expect the value of their property to increase over time. In addition, the property can generate rent income from tenants. Many people are electing to remain in apartment-complexes instead of purchasing houses, resulting in a high demand for apartments. Population in the US is shifting towards the South; therefore, a great place to invest is the Sun Belt. States such as Arizona and Mississippi are a good place to consider due to their large populations of blue collar workers. This is the time to buy if you have the money.
Bonds Bonds represent a loan to a financial entity which will be returned to the investor, plus interest, after a set time period. Bonds are a very low-risk investment option for investors looking for long-term profit. However, bonds, unlike stocks, cannot be liquidated quickly; instead, they provide a smaller, steady income until the bond matures. Many corporations and countries offer opportunities to buy bonds. A popular bond is a U.S. Treasury Bond. Investors also consider foreign bonds, which have different rates and are also Foreign bonds can change in value as the currency’s exchange rate with the dollar changes.
Thinking about business school to get the competitive edge in today’s job market? Stop waiting and take action today on things that could put you at the top of the admissions list in years to come. While in college, it is important to not only do well in classes and maintain a high GPA but also get involved in extracurriculars. Business schools like to see leadership and initiative above all, so work your way into the upper echelons of your organization and learn to work with large groups of people. Get work experience. This is perhaps the strongest selling point on an application, the more experience in the business world, the more dedication and affinity you show for a career in business. Strongly consider getting a co-op or internship. From your job, develop a goodstanding connection with your superiors, as their recommendations will reflect the most on your knowledge, work ethic and initiative. Lastly, show schools that you are serious by taking finance and business electives, even if not required for your major. The fact that you express a strong interest for the subject later in your college career can offset a lower-than-desired GPA. Finally, start practicing for the GMAT.
Simplified
from page 10
any computer. You can lose tremendous money in the stock market if money is not invested wisely, yet at the same time a few good decisions can land you an immense amount of money. This element of risk and chance is similar to trying to beat a game of poker. There are certainly methods and strategies to better your chances, but in the end it is very unpredictable. Before becoming involved with the stock market and investing, be sure to do your research on the actions you plan to take. There are several simulation websites, such as Investopedia and Wall Street Survivor, that create a life-like investing scenario to help familiarize users with the industry as well as the do’s and don’ts. Simulations like these are probably the best way to familiarize yourself with the world of stock markets, particularly since virtual practice does not require you to risk real funds, yet still gives you the experience you need to make an informed decision. There is an inconceivable amount of literature, journals, instructions and other ways to help with the worlds economy. Be sure to check them all out thoroughly before putting down cash on a whim. It’s an amazingly fast industry that can drain your wallet overnight, after all; money never sleeps.
Entertainment
entertainment@nique.net Entertainment Editor: Hank Whitson
Technique
13
Friday, November 4, 2011
Isaacson paints complex portrait of Jobs’ genius BOOKS
Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography Walter Isaacson GENRE: Biography PUBLISHER: Simon & Schuster RELEASE DATE: Oct. 24
OUR TAKE: «««««
falls short of premise’s promise By Patricia Uceda Staff Writer
FILM
In Time GENRE: Sci-fi, Thriller STARRING: Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried DIRECTOR: Andrew Niccol RATING: PG-13 RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28
OUR TAKE: «««««
Photos courtesy of New Regency Pictures
Justin Timberlake ventured once again into the world of movies with In Time, a futuristic sci-fi thriller co-starring Amanda Seyfried. Built on the interesting and novel premise of a world where time is literally money, In Time is a wholly entertaining film but falls short of being a memorable sci-fi thriller because of its simplistic plot and one-dimensional characters. In this dystopian world, everyone stops physically aging at 25 years old, retaining their youthful appearance for the rest of their natural lives. In order to control overpopulation, the government has implemented a system where after each person turns 25, they are given only one year of time to either earn more time and keep living or run out of time and die. Because of this, the rich can live forever while the poor live day to day. In order to keep the classes separated, the world is divided into time zones which are drastically different from the temporal time zones we have today. In director Andrew Niccol’s dystopian world, time zones are
divided based on wealth. Because it literally costs years to travel from the poor time zones to the wealthy zones, upward class mobility is nonexistent. Timberlake plays Mark Salas, a factory worker from one of the poorest time zones, Dayton. He lives with his mother Rachel, played by Olivia Wilde. They are constantly struggling to make ends meet, counting minutes and seconds and working long shifts every day. It is all they know, because everyone else in their time zone is in the exact same situation. The streets are littered with the bodies of unfortunate people who ran out of time. One day Salas is unwinding at a bar after work when he encounters a wealthy man named Henry Hamilton, played by Matt Bomer. He is 105 years old and has 116 years on his clock, something that is virtually unheard of in Dayton. After Salas helps him escape from “minute-men,” thugs who steal other people’s time, Hamilton repays him by opening Salas’s eyes to his futile condition and the real reason why there are such strict time zones, which has a lot See Time, page 15
By Yameen Huq Contributing Writer
The story of a person’s life is more about that person’s place in the grand narrative of history than a simple timeline of the events in their life. Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography, is the portrait of an entrepreneur from beginning to end, examining the nuances and contradictions that made up his character, and an atlas of the counter-cultural West Coast. A period and intersection of the figures that would lead a revolution in technology and human interaction. The biography doesn’t generally feature any startling revelations that haven’t already been revealed on general news sources, but it does provide an intimate portrait of a larger-than-life figure through the his eyes and those around him. Isaacson’s style is conversational and almost anecdotal. It is a pastiche of the various viewpoints and commentary of the characters Jobs had surrounded himself with throughout his lifetime. The story perfectly balances the points and counterpoints of Steve Jobs, his friends and his family without taking sides. The author himself almost disappears within the narratives, giving precedence to the multiple figures in Jobs’ life. One of the more interesting themes that pervades the book is the importance of spirituality. From dropping acid and listening to jam band music to Zen Buddhism and Yoga, the importance of intuition and centered-thinking is what differentiates the people who started Apple, Inc. from other entrepreneurs and businesspeople. The anti-analytical, humanistic approach to business seems to have been a goal of Jobs and See Jobs, page 16
T-Pain blazes through homecoming performance CONCERT
Tech Homecoming PERFORMER: T-Pain LOCATION: The Burger Bowl DATE: Oct. 27
OUR TAKE: ««««« By Basheer Tome Photo Editor
If a Bugatti Veyron rolls to a stop next to the Burger Bowl and the door opens, does it make a sound? A few hundred screaming fans roared “Yes,” at Tech’s homecoming concert this past Oct. 27, where the main act, T-Pain, entered the scene. The fans were expecting a lot; after being blown away by the
two openers by W.L Bishop and Seven Handle Circus, the crowd’s excitement was palpable, crackling in the air like electricity. The lights, atmosphere and overall show T-Pain put on was a little slow at first, but then ramped up quickly to get the crowd on their feet with essentially all the songs he has ever been featured in. Going from hits to a pop dance breakdown, T-Pain showed off his vocal abilities sans auto-tune. His vocals were admirable and his dance skills were in rare form. But just as the performer brought the audience to a fever pitch, the show was over. T-Pain bowed out after only
an hour without coming back for an encore, leaving some students bewildered and disappointed. Before departing, the “hard & B” superstar announced that he had finished recording his album that day and proceeded to give the crowd a couple tastes from it. The album includes the Chris Brown collaboration “Best Love Song” and new single “5 O’Clock,” featuring Wiz Khalifa and Lily Allen. T-Pain himself is currently on tour with Brown. Overall, the show was a solid performance, but ultimately came up short. Hopefully, T-Pain will spend a little more time with Tech next time he visits.
Photo by Basheer Tome / Student Publications
T-Pain dazzled fans with his dance moves, virtuoso stage-presence and dazzling light show. However, it was a shame the show did not last longer.
14 • November 4, 2011 • Technique
ENTERTAINMENT
Thompson’s enigma eludes Diary Coldplay shines with FILM
The Rum Diary GENRE: Comedy STARRING: Johnny Depp DIRECTOR: Bruce Robinson RATING: R RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28
OUR TAKE: ««««« By Lauren Payne Contributing Writer
The tagline of Bruce Robinson’s The Rum Diary boasts, “Absolutely nothing in moderation.” While this philosophy would naturally befit a film adaptation of the semi-autobiographical novella of the same title penned by gonzo journalist and professional nihilist Hunter S. Thompson, the film crew responsible for its production delivers a surprisingly lowkey homage to Thompson’s years as a budding anti-authoritarian. The film leaves the viewer mildly amused with little thematic substance to chew on. The picture opens on an ebullient, 1960s San Juan, Puerto Rico, where protagonist Paul Kemp (Johnny Depp) is slated to work for an English-language newspaper that is doomed to fold. As Kemp catches wind of the lavish scenery and political tumult of the U.S. territory, he also falls prey to the likes of the unctuous and influential Sanderson (Aaron Eckhart), who seeks a skilled writer to promote the sale of virgin Puerto Rican soil to American investors and developers. Thompson’s alter ego experiences a few unpleasant brushes with the law and locals, who are well weary of inebriated Americans driven to excess, and he also becomes pain-
fully enamored of Sanderson’s fiancée, Chenault (Amber Heard). Although the film’s heart is in the right place—Depp himself, a close friend of the late Thompson, pressed for its production with the intent of paying tribute to the novelist—the episodic format of the picture largely amounts to a series of dead ends. The film keeps the audience more or less entertained as it follows Kemp through seaside joy rides, Puerto Rican cockfights, clumsily rendered interplay with the willful Chenault, along with a gratuitous acid trip sequence, yet the period piece never quite captures the essence of the political upheaval—the fear and loathing—of the time and place that drove Thompson to serve as a journalistic voice for the weak and the socially damned. The film’s resolution is also somewhat murky. As Kemp claims to have discovered “the connection between children scavenging for food and shiny brass plates on the front doors of banks,” and declares, “I will try to speak for my reader. That is my promise,” one gets the feeling that the filmmakers are as unsure of this self-realization as the audience. The closing scene keeps the viewer guessing as Thompson’s alter ego sails off into an uncertain sunset, never having revealed what exactly he has gained or lost from his stint as a journalist in San Juan. Robinson’s production is lacking in thematic foundation, but the film demonstrates a few golden flashes of light in the proverbial pan. The stark contrast between shots of schoolchildren living in squalor and the extravagant lifestyle of American expatriates brings attention to the financially -polarized class system of an industrializing Puerto Rico—not to mention the former parasitic
new, innovative style MUSIC
Coldplay Mylo Xyloto LABEL: Parlophone GENRE: Alternative Rock TRACK PICKS: “Paradise,” “Charlie Brown” “MMIX”
OUR TAKE: ««««« By Amanda Florentine Contributing Writer
Photo courtesy of FilmDistrict
relationship between the United States and the economic output of its Caribbean territory. Kemp and his oddly charming cohort of drunken, misfit journalists also serve to keep the film afloat. Sala’s (Michael Rispoli’s) grinning nihilism and the antics of Moberg (Giovanni Ribisi), an alcoholic reminiscent of the drunken mouse found in Disney’s Alice in Wonderland, deliver laughs and good humor in the form of slapstick comedy and booze-addled camaraderie in spite of the film’s darker undertones. Depp and Robinson mean well, but The Rum Diary ultimately fails to realize Thompson’s unorthodox lifestyle and the political unrest of the early 1960s. While the central thesis of the film remains unclear, these glimpses into the drunken diversions of Thompson’s younger years carry hints of the “restless idealism…and…sense of impending doom” that came to define his career.
After nearly two decades of making music, Coldplay has experimented with numerous styles and succeeded at basically every attempt. The band had not released an album in three years and, after the incredible success of Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, fans were eager to get a hold of their newest work. On Oct. 24, they released their fifth studio album, Mylo Xyloto. Throughout the album Coldplay shows off their incredible talent of mixing genres like pop, rhythm and blues and electronic. The use of club beats and synth proves they can successful channel their unique style into everything they touch. The inclusion of graffiti only adds to the colorful and fun effect of their latest work. The album is somewhat divided due to the preview of singles and live concert performances prior to the album’s release. The first half of Mylo Xyloto begins with a brief, light introduction that easily flows into the second song, “Hurts Like Heaven,” a catchy opening track with a fun dance beat. The third track, “Paradise,” follows, which is by far the greatest song on the album. Complete with practically
every effect imaginable, the song is absolutely incredible. The song then transitions into “Charlie Brown,” another great work due to its anthem sound, dance beat, and hint of “Viva la Vida.” The fifth track is a relaxed song with acoustic guitar, great lyrics and a ballad feeling that easily fits into the overall flow of the album. The album takes an electronic break with “MMIX” and suddenly changes to the popular and upbeat “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall.” The second half of Mylo Xyloto starts off with a grounded track with a haunted feeling, especially with its edgy music and repetition of the phrase “watching you.” The song features Rihanna and contains a mix of Coldplay’s trademark features that makes Martin’s part pretty fantastic and Rihanna’s sound, or lack thereof, not even close to as powerful. The song is great, thanks to its catchy beat, music, and Martin’s voice, but Rihanna fails to add to the song at all. The big and positive “Don’t Let it Break Your Heart” reinforces the prospect of a happy ending, and the album wraps up with “Up With the Birds;” a simple, piano-filled conclusion to an incredible album. It is easy to see why Coldplay’s newest album has fans divided: The sound is quite different in relation to production and direction. The band still includes hints of their trademark style while moving forward. Ultimately, the production is a little much, but the album is a great mix of old and new. Their previous work may have seemed impossible to surpass, but Coldplay has thrown more positive, and powerful music at the world.
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ENTERTAINMENT
Technique • November 4, 2011 • 15
Puss will please charitable audiences FILM
Puss in Boots GENRE: Comedy STARRING: Antonio Banderas DIRECTOR: Chris Miller RATING: PG RELEASE DATE: Oct. 28
OUR TAKE: ««« «« By Lila Kate Cooley Contributing Writer
After sitting through only a few minutes of Puss in Boots, anyone expecting it to be a recycled, and therefore, lack-luster, version of Shrek will find themselves mistaken. With the exception of borrowing a character, Puss in Boots stands on its own feet and does not waste time leaning on its cash cow of a cousin. Puss in Boots is a sufficiently entertaining romp through the nursery rhymes of childhood, with a little more adventure thrown in for excitement’s sake. The title character is a mischievous, womanizing bandit—a Cat-sanova, if you will—who reunites with an old friend, Humpty Dumpty, to chase a childhood dream: capturing a goose that lays golden eggs. Of course, the goose is locked away in a giant’s skycastle that can only be reached by climbing a beanstalk grown from
magical beans, currently in the hands of a more terrifying than anticipated twosome, Jack and Jill. One of the few things Puss in Boots shares with the Shrek franchise is its stylistically quick and constant references to culture; in the latter the references are to pop culture, while in the former, the little details are taken from classic nursery rhymes and fairy tales. At one point, Jill says to Jack, “Ever since you fell down that hill and broke your crown, you been talking crazy.” The frequent allusions are easy to pick up on and indicate that the movie was intended for younger audiences. A solid cast greatly contributes to the movie: Antonio Banderas sounds as if he was born to play a swashbuckling cat, Zach Galifinakis is wonderfully believable as the conniving Humpty Dumpty and Salma Hayek naturally voices the role of Kitty Softpaws, the alluring feline who can steal anything. Billy Bob Thorton and Amy Sedaris also contribute the most entertaining vocals in their respective roles of Jack and Jill, whose portrayal as murderous, glorified bumpkins is unexpected, but definitely welcome. Visually, Puss in Boots is breathtaking. The characters spend a significant amount of time traipsing through the Spanish desert and at one point venture into the cloudfilled sky. Both settings give the animators a chance to show off—
Photo courtesy of DreamWorks
the sceneries are nothing short of beautiful. Perhaps the best animated character is Humpty Dumpty, who is convincingly personable in a very human way, right down to the wrinkles that appear between his eyes when he contracts his forehead. Stunning animation and good voice-overs aside, Puss in Boots is indistinguishable from other children’s movies. There are predictable plot twists and cat jokes galore (the movie could not ignore
the phrase “Who let the cat out of the bag?”). All in all, there is not a whole lot that serves to challenge or inspire the viewer, but since when are those qualities expected of adolescent entertainment? There’s no shame in enjoying something frivolous, so if you can allow yourself to ignore a thin plot and corny jokes, you should go for it. Puss in Boots will be worth your time if you make a conscious decision not to hate it right off the bat.
Time
from page 13
to do with the wealthy class being greedy. He then commits suicide, but not before giving all of his time to Salas. Enraged by the revelations and further spurred by the untimely death of his mother, Salas decides to put his newfound time to good use and journey to New Greenwich, the richest time zone, in order to enact his revenge. Things don’t go according to plan because the society’s policemen, or “time keepers,” are onto Salas’ trail. Their leader, played by Cillian Murphy, is tracking what happened to the wealthy Hamilton and he believes that Salas stole his time and murdered him. Salas escapes by kidnapping Sylvia Weis (played by Seyfried), the daughter of a billionaire time lender. Bored with her pampered lifestyle, Weis readily embarks on a Bonnie and Clyde-esque adventure with Salas, along with some Robin Hood antics thrown in. Despite some strong performances, the film suffers from underdeveloped characters and a simplistic plot. The story has the potential to comment on modern society, being extremely relevant to current financial protests. If they had further developed this allegory it could have been an interesting social commentary. Instead we are given black and white morality with a simple solution that has little bearing on real life. Unfortunately, the film falls just short of sci-fi classics. Regardless, it is an entertaining film that sci-fi lovers should be sure to check out.
16 • November 4, 2011 • Technique
ENTERTAINMENT
All 4 One offers simple fun GAMES
Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One CONSOLE: PS3 GENRE: Platformer DEVELOPER: Insomniac RATING: E10 RELEASED: Oct. 18
OUR TAKE: ««««« By Brent Hornilla Contributing Writer
Insomniac Games has returned with another installment in its much-loved shooting platformer franchise: Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One. Two years after A Crack in Time, Dr. Nefarious is executing yet another a diabolical plot to put Ratchet and Clank out of commission for good, but when the plan backfires, our dynamic duo find themselves stranded on an alien planet with Captain Qwark and Dr. Nefarious in tow. And herein lies the premise of the game: four-player co-op. With so many players on screen, play can become a bit hectic, but it’s far more satisfying than gunning it alone. Teamwork is made necessary but enjoyable, through various puzzles and combo attacks, the most prominent being the Overload mechanic which basically causes extra damage and explosions when players target the same enemy with the
Photo courtesy of Insomniac Games
same weapon. My favorite gadget was the Vacuu-4000, serving as a high-powered vacuum that can suck in bolts (in-game currency) enemies and explosives, and even your allies, who can then be launched to other platforms, (or off the edge entirely if you’re feeling spiteful). However, All 4 One has all the problems you would expect of a third-person, co-op oriented shooter: fixed camera angles, a frustrating lock-on system, and a number of online glitches. That said, these cons are overshadowed by a well-paced story and an engaging experience. As far as number of players is concerned, two allows you to enjoy the finer points of the game without being overwhelmed with everything that’s going on, but if you don’t mind the chaos, then play with however many people can fit into your living room.
Single player exists, but it is not recommended. The AI partners pale in comparison to a human companion. Although it’s to be expected, the drop-in/drop-out co-op comes at the price of extremely linear game play. What’s more, in order for a player to actually drop in or drop out, the entire group is forced to restart from the last check point so the level can readjust to the new party size. Even though the co-op experience is a foreign concept for Insomniac Games, they do a good job of incorporating it into their already tried-and-true formula, albeit at the cost of watering it down some. At times, All 4 One plays almost like a party game so veterans of the series may find themselves wanting, but younger gamers will feel right at home. Older players may find more to enjoy in Arkham City or Skyrim.
Jobs
from page 13
Apple from its beginning years to present day. The first half of the book drives home the point that the inception of many tech companies came about at a unique point in history: the moment when the radicalism and optimism of the early sixties blended with free enterprise and technology. This system and the individuals within it were what allowed technological progress of society while encouraging creativity and radical individualism in product development. By allowing perspectives from all ends of the story, Isaacson crafts an experience that almost forces the reader to evaluate the morality and character of certain people and decisions. No one, Jobs especially, is portrayed as either an angel or a demon. The stories provide several instances where Jobs’ actions seem idiosyncratic and almost incomprehensible. Jobs’ childhood is filled with these moments, such as his near-overbearing sense of selfentitlement. There isn’t a single moment in the book where Jobs doesn’t take or do what he wants. There’s a brief scene when he enlists the help of the genial Steve Wozniak and then proceeds to pocket the resulting bonus without telling him. It’s a moment that Jobs will deny decades later, yet seems to have occurred based on eyewitness accounts. Wozniak’s predicament in this is made particularly upsetting since he was more than willing to work for Jobs for free and just wanted openness
and honesty between them. One of the book’s most noteworthy lessons is the importance of failure and experimentation. Given the image Apple has today, most people would expect that its success was fated in the stars; yet the early years of Apple were plagued with conflict and clash. Without the luxury of hindsight, Jobs and his co-workers seem as though they were wandering aimlessly and pursuing passions they could only hope to see connected into a coherent vision. Then there’s the forced exit of Jobs by John Scully and the Apple board of directors, a prime case of learning from defeat when Jobs moves on to start Next Computer and Pixar. Creativity and innovation are revealed to be less enlightened moments and more driven stochastic processes. Jobs’ primary method of discovering new ideas is to survey or research new fields saturated with mediocrity, such as the early music player industry. In doing so, the end result is not so much about originality as it is superiority. This biography is at its best when it moves beyond the business realm and into the psychological one. It provides the highly subjective stories and tales that lie behind the birth of one of the world’s most famous organizations. The book ensures its lead character isn’t spared from his long list of shortcomings and provides a raw and honest look at an unorthodox life lived fully and passionately.
ENTERTAINMENT
Technique • November 4, 2011 • 17
Theme Crossword: Make Room for Daddy By James Barrick United Features Syndicate ACROSS
1. Ottava -5. Port city in Israel 10. Epicarp 14. Compartment 18. On the summit of 19. Handle of a kind 20. Arm bones 21. Song 22. Bread roll topping: 2 wds. 24. Causing astonishment: hyph. 26. Turncoat’s crime 27. Hardly ever 29. Sounds 30. Magritte or Russo 31. Presently 32. Wen 33. Autocrat 36. Not very bad, not very good: hyph. 38. Defoe’s Crusoe, e.g. 42. “It’s -- -- to Tell a Lie” DOWN
1. Engrossed 2. Believe -- -- not! 3. Brood 4. Manifest 5. Argonaut’s leader 6. Coeur d’-7. Old cry of disapproval 8. Manias 9. Valuator 10. Silky fabric 11. Same as above 12. Pinch
43. River horse 47. Hasten 48. Mil. rank 49. Willow tree 50. Sacraments 51. -- Katherine Sorvino 52. Conscious mind 53. Green Mountain Boys leader 54. Tower site 55. Check-in areas 56. Relied 58. Judge 59. Occasional confessor 60. Storms 61. Brought about 62. Swimmer’s problem 63. Relief pitcher in baseball 65. Divide 66. A mixer: 2 wds. 69. Unit of volume 70. Bookplate 71. Means of restraint 72. -- se 73. Fratricide’s victim 74. Cerise or cerulean, e.g.
75. Barrel part 76. Small 77. -- Lanka 78. Internet clutter solution: 2 wds. 80. Speed 81. Not barefoot 83. Yearn 84. Pumped up 85. Means’ justifier 86. Recipe word 88. Sing like Ella 90. Type of whale 93. Staircase shape 95. Art supplies 99. Furious 101. Fear of a certain place 103. Woe -- --! 104. Shoe part 105. Summon 106. Mining yields 107. Nonsense writer 108. Father 109. Ceremonial dinner 110. Eat a little
13. God also called Bacchus 14. Per -15. Discord personified 16. Wrinkle 17. Falls behind 20. Change the decor 23. River in France 25. Mails 28. Air show maneuver 32. Cud-chewing creature 33. Tore 34. Concern of a linguist 35. A biomolecule 36. Caught sight of
37. Exposed 38. Trace anagram 39. Abele: 2 wds. 40. Buenos -41. Brewing need 43. One with ownership 44. Skerries 45. Persuasive speaker 46. Famous Buddhist country 51. Cripples 53. Tee off 54. Something donut-
shaped 55. Up for -57. Atelier item 58. Echo chamber effect 59. Edge tool 61. Form of jazz 62. Bit of garlic 63. Reunion group 64. Sign of the zodiac 65. Toledo toast 66. A rail 67. Make frost-free
68. One- -- bandit 70. Runs 71. Urge 74. Gelidity 75. Teacher of Plato 76. Cuspidor 78. Solar-cell array 79. Hideout 82. Farther down 84. Household chore 86. Quill 87. Metronome sound
88. Support for a felly 89. Gambol 90. Curved handle 91. Church section 92. -- Linda 93. Get top billing 94. “-- Actually” 96. River in Spain 97. Misinformation 98. Cummerbund 100. Letter after phi 102. Seedcase
18 • November 4, 2011 • Technique
COMICS
Piled Higher & Deeper by Jorge Cham
Non Sequitur by Wiley
Ad Nauseam by Lauren Payne
SUDOKU PUZZLE by sudokucollection.com
Lauren Payne is a first-year psychology major who enjoys making silly drawings to combat collegiate ennui and to make people laugh.
Crossword Solution from page 17
COMICS
Non Sequitur by Wiley
DILBERT ® by Scott Adams
Technique • November 4, 2011 • 19
20 • November 4, 2011 • Technique
SPORTS
Turnovers, attacking style fuel strong defensive effort By Nishant Prasadh Development Editor
Entering Saturday’s game, Tech’s defense faced what seemed to be a monumental task. Behind the creative schemes of new offensive coordinator Chad Morris, Clemson’s offense had averaged 482.5 yards and 41.9 points per game during their 8-0 start, only scoring fewer than 35 points once in those first eight games. Even with top running back Andre Ellington out, Clemson had a top-10 receiver in freshman Sammy Watkins and a variety of other weapons on hand. As it turned out, the Jackets were up to the task. The visiting Tigers put up respectable yardage totals for the day, but the Tech defense forced four turnovers to help the team pull ahead and brought pressure effectively, especially late in the game, to secure the victory. “We knocked the ball loose. We took a little bit of time. We played the way we needed to play,” said Head Coach Paul Johnson. Facing a Clemson offense that relied on spread tactics and used three or four receivers in most formations, the Jackets started the game in a 3-3-5 front to get an extra defensive back on the field. Tech ended up using the 3-3-5 as its base formation for the game, breaking from the usual formation by substituting a third cornerback in place of a second outside linebacker. For most of the game, redshirt sophomore Jemea Thomas was on the field as that third cornerback. In Tech’s first eight games, Thomas had seen playing time as a nickel corner on passing downs and had been effective in that role, recording 28 tackles and four pass breakups. Given the opportunity to make
Photo by Thien Huynh / Student Publications
Burnett and Attaochu take down Jaron Brown early in the game. The Jackets held Clemson to their lowest point total of the year. his first start and play the entire game, Thomas had the best game of his career in terms of both run support and pass coverage, coming through with several key plays at important times in the game. On the first play of Clemson’s second possession in the first quarter, the Tigers called for a screen pass to Watkins. During Clemson’s first drive, Tech was caught overpursuing on a similar play and Watkins gained 17 yards. This time, Thomas identified the play and brought Watkins down for a five-yard loss. Early in the second half, Thomas stripped running back Mike Bellamy and Tech junior linebacker Julian Burnett recovered to end a long Clemson drive that had crossed midfield.
In coverage, Thomas made two key interceptions. The second came in the final minutes as he picked off a sideline pass, ending Clemson’s final drive. The first was more critical. In the fourth quarter, redshirt junior quarterback Tevin Washington threw an interception, giving Clemson the ball at the Tech nine-yard line with a chance to cut the lead to seven points. On Clemson’s first play, though, Thomas intercepted Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd’s pass to Watkins in the end zone, setting Tech up for a nine-minute drive that sealed the game. “We’ve got to get [Thomas] on the field because he makes plays. I think tonight was a great example of that,” Johnson said.
An indirect advantage of Thomas’s strong play was the effect it had on the rest of the secondary. With three able cover corners on the field at any given time, defensive coordinator Al Groh had more freedom to send his defensive backs on blitzes. He took advantage of this often, sending one of his hard-hitting defensive backs—junior cornerback Rod Sweeting, sophomore cornerback Louis Young or sophomore safety Isaiah Johnson—to attack Boyd. “That’s the way we practiced all week,” Young said. “[Groh] said we were going to bring the house on [Clemson] to bring pressure and disrupt them.” While Young never managed to sack Boyd, he did record a critical forced fumble in the first quarter, stripping running back D.J. Howard deep in Clemson territory to set up Tech for its first touchdown. “It was a momentum change and gave us great field position for the offense…I was just trying to knock the ball loose… and from there we just took off,” Young said. Tech typically blitzed its defensive backs as part of larger blitz schemes. As usual, sophomore outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu frequently served as an edge rusher; the flexibility of the 3-3-5 and the 2-3-6 allowed him to rush off both edges often, and he was frequently joined on the blitz by an inside linebacker, junior Julian Burnett or redshirt freshman Quayshawn Nealy, or one of the defensive backs. Indeed, on 17 of the 41 passing plays that Clemson ran, Tech brought five or more rushers. In some cases, the aggressive approach backfired; in one example from the third quarter, Burnett and Nealy were slow to reach the backfield on an inside cross blitz,
and Boyd connected with Watkins for a 48-yard touchdown. The frequency of Tech’s blitzes increased toward the end, with the Jackets bringing pressure from both the 3-3-5 and the 2-3-6 to force Boyd into mistakes. Both of Thomas’s interceptions came on blitzes, and in general Boyd’s throws were increasingly erratic in the final stages of the game. Aiding Tech’s ability to win at the line of scrimmage was the fact that the Jackets were constantly able to receive strong play from their first and second-string defensive linemen. Ends Jason Peters and Izaan Cross and tackle Logan Walls were the starters, as usual, but the reserves—redshirt sophomore ends Euclid Cummings and Emmanuel Dieke and redshirt junior tackle T.J. Barnes—saw an equal amount of playing time and were just as effective. When Tech went with a threeman front, Groh was able to mix the two units, and for the most part every combination held up against Clemson’s offensive line. The 342-pound Barnes broke through on multiple plays to flush Boyd out of the pocket. The Jackets will move on to face No. 12 Virginia Tech, which leads the ACC’s Coastal Division but has struggled to score in recent games against Boston College and Duke. Where Clemson’s main threat was Watkins in the passing game, Virginia Tech relies on the nation’s leading rusher, running back David Wilson; as the Jackets have had issues defending the run in recent weeks and did not have to face Clemson’s running back, the Nov. 10 game will be a key test to see if the Jackets, who relied on strong play from the secondary on Saturday, can adapt to stop a team that relies on the ground game for success.
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Why bother planting so much nice grass, just to dig it all up again? If SAE has a band party and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Fun Fact: half of all slivers are about slivering This is where I go to vicariously ask girls out, right? Fun Fact: CULC is just unused parts of campus buildings pasted together Sliver man is the one percent Who won the Mini 500? All I saw was losers. alex mitchell is a sports major who has been watching management. his whole life Options shuffling class? I’m on it!t! as someone who spent the majority of their life in prison, what happened to LEGOs? they used to be so simple. Apparently this needed to be said: don’t try to pick up girls by talking about the side effects of your antipsychotics. Best Halloween Quote: Hey, Hey Jesus, JESUS, do you have a lighter? Absolutely awesome win!!! GO TECH! football is 7-2 overall, but 1-0 vs opponents ranked no. 5 Has more slivers published in two papers than I do in my 5 years of slivering? Slivers to the people! i feel like in football all of the big people are trying to run towards someone and all of the little people are trying to run away. jazz flute is for little fairy boys. THE MAN PUNTED BAXTER Halloween is not an excuse to look like a street-walker. I love pineapples! Yo 1 2 1 2 wait... Am I doing this right? Chicken & Waffles I AM WONDERMAN! Asians chicks... y you no talk to black guys? Why is “Shots” my favorite song, and I don’t even drink? Hold up, hold up, WHOA THERE!
SPORTS
Technique • November 4, 2011 • 21
VA. TECH AT GA. TECH - NOV. 10 (8 p.m.) By Ian Braden, Contributing Writer
HOKIES Photo by Victor Lee / Student Publications
The Jackets are coming off of a thrilling upset victory over No. 5 ranked Clemson in their homecoming game. Despite two conference losses on the road in which the Jackets performed poorly, Georgia Tech was able to put together its best performance of the season and triumph over the visiting Tigers. If the Jackets want to earn another conference victory over a visiting ranked opponent, they will have to do the following. First, the Jackets must do what they do best: run the ball often and run it well. They dominated Clemson in the trenches, with the offensive line blocking well and opening running lanes that Washington was able to exploit. Junior A-back Orwin Smith, an explosive perimeter threat that has averaged 11.3 yards per rush, must be an integral part of the rushing attack as well. If the Jackets can dominate the line of scrimmage and consistently move the ball on the ground, they will be able to generate lengthy drives and control the pace of the game. Second, Georgia Tech must make stopping Hokies running back David Wilson a defensive priority. Although the Hokies have a relatively balanced offensive attack, they rely heavily on Wilson for production, losing only the game in which he failed to reach 100 yards rushing. The Hokies enter this matchup with the No. 24 ranked rushing attack in the country, an area of defense that Georgia Tech had struggled with before the Miami game. If the Jackets can limit Wilson’s success, their defense can force Hokies quarterback Logan Thomas to lead a one-dimensional passing attack. Finally, the Jackets must continue to dominate the game’s time of possession. In the victory over Clemson, Georgia Tech had the ball for 39 minutes—well over half of the game. In Tech’s previous two losses against Virginia and Miami, the time of possession was nearly an even split. In order to maintain control, the Jackets must have positive yardage on early downs so that they can avoid the third-and-longs that plagued them against the Cavaliers and Hurricanes. If the Jackets are able to sustain long drives and dictate the pace of the game, the Hokies defense will be hard pressed to stop the triple option.
PREDICTION: Georgia Tech 35, Virginia Tech 28
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JACKETS
VS.
Photo courtesy of the Virginia Tech Athletics Department
The No. 12 Virginia Tech Hokies are 8-1 and set to enter Bobby Dodd Stadium on Nov. 10 to take on the Yellow Jackets. The Hokies are coming off a narrow 14-10 victory over unranked Duke, a game in which they were favored by 15. They are now in line to face off against a reinvigorated Georgia Tech team in a primetime Thursday night game. In order for the Hokies to continue winning conference games and experience success on the road against the Jackets, they must execute the following. First, a priority must be to establish the run with junior running back David Wilson, who leads the Hokies as well as the entire nation in rushing yards with 1,185. Wilson has eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark in all but one game this season and has averaged 6.3 yards per carry. The Jackets have struggled at times in the run game, allowing four 100 yard rushers on the season. If Virginia Tech is able to open some gaps with their offensive line and get Wilson rolling, the Hokies will be able to stick to their game plan and expose the Jackets’ defense with the play-action game. Second, the Hokies’ defense must focus on stopping Georgia Tech’s potent rushing attack, which is spearheaded by redshirt junior quarterback Tevin Washington. Washington has amassed 636 yards on the ground with 10 rushing touchdowns so far this season and is a dual threat to the Hokies defense. If Virginia Tech can force Washington to rely on his arm in third and long situations to make plays, they are likely to rattle him. Washington had success running the ball on quarterback draws, a play the Hokies will need to watch out for on third down. Finally, Virginia Tech must limit their mistakes in every facet of play. They moved the ball effortlessly against Duke last week, but turned the ball over twice, missed a 29-yard chip-shot field goal, and allowed Duke’s only touchdown drive of the day to continue by committing three 15-yard penalties. If the Hokies can simply keep from hindering themselves and execute their game plan, they will be a difficult force for the Jackets to stop.
22 • November 4, 2011 • Technique
Clemson
SPORTS
from page 24
the Tigers into a 31-yard third down conversion when a hit by sophomore cornerback Louis Young forced a fumble by Clemson receiver D.J. Howard. After a recovery by Tech at the Clemson 19, Washington led the charge pitching the ball to junior A-back Orwin Smith on fourth-and-one at the goal line to give the Jackets a 7-3 advantage. After forcing a punt by the Tigers, the Jackets found themselves driving in the second quarter still up by the same margin. A 71-yard drive to start the second quarter ended at the Clemson five yard line and forced a field goal by sophomore kicker Justin Moore. The drive was highlighted by a 46-yard run by Washington to break his career record for his longest run and put the Jackets up 10-3. The Tech defense responded to the offensive success with a strong defensive series, ending with a hard tackle on Clemson tight end Dwayne Allen on third down to force a three-and-out. Thomas stepped in for the first time this season at punt returner and returned a 54-yard punt by Clemson seven yards to start the ensuing drive at the Tech 20. The Jackets’ offense fed off of the defensive success, and punched the ball into the endzone to cap off a ten play, 80-yard drive that ate 4:19 off the clock. The charge was led by sophomore B-back David Sims and Smith who accounted for 43 yards on the drive combined. The Jackets
Photo by Austin Foote / Student Publications
Tevin Washington escapes from four defenders on a quarterback draw in the third quarter. Washington finished the day, breaking the Tech record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 176. also drew the Clemson defensive line offsides twice on the drive to keep the drive going and eventually went up 17-3. The Tigers refused to quit though, with Clemson freshman wide receiver Sammy Watkins taking the ensuing Jackets’ kickoff 38 yards to midfield. After five plays and a 28-yard drive, Clemson kicker Chandler Catanzaro could not connect on the 40-yard field goal attempt, keeping the score at 17-3. The Jackets got the ball back with 4:22 remaining in the half and were looking to go up by three scores before the second half. After two first down conversions, Washington dropped back to pass
from the Tech 46 yard line. Washington threw a deep pass to junior wide receiver Stephen Hill who dove for the 44-yard completion setting up another scoring opportunity at the Clemson ten. Two plays later, Washington punched in the Jackets’ third touchdown of the game putting them up 24-3 at the half. The Tigers came out in the second half needing a score and got just that with a quick touchdown drive that took only 1:26. The drive ended with a 48-yard touchdown pass to Watkins who snagged the pass in full stride and cut the Jackets’ lead to 24-10. Tech would not allow the Tigers to close the gap though, re-
sponding with a five play, 77-yard drive. The scoring drive was highlighted by a 56-yard run by Washington on a draw play, setting a career long rushing play for the second time in the game and putting the Jackets on the Clemson 17. Two plays later, Sims punched the ball in with a dive towards the endzone and put the score at 3110. The Tigers began driving again from their own 11 yard line, and found themselves in Tech territory before Thomas stripped Clemson freshman running back Mike Bellamy, forcing him to fumble the ball. Junior linebacker Julian Burnett immediately jumped on the ball, giving the Jackets possession
again at their own 39. Washington led the Jackets’ offense all the way to the goal line, before a controversial fumble was forced by the Tigers to regain possession at the Tigers’ 3-yard line. Clemson defensive tackle Rennie Moore appeared to be offsides on the play, but the penalty was not called, allowing the Tigers to survive. Clemson responded quickly with a 97-yard drive that took 3:39 and brought the game to 3117. Neither team would score for the remainder of the game, with three interceptions being thrown between the two teams in the fourth quarter. Immediately after intercepting Washington, the Tigers had a chance to bring the game within one score at the goal line. Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd immediately threw an interception in the endzone to Thomas, allowing the Jackets to milk the rest of the clock and set the final score at 31-17. “We knew we had a bunch of doubters and whatnot because of the last two games, we just pulled together. We knew we had to use each other to get through it and get done. With adversity, you’ve either got to stand up or lay down. I think we’ve got the type of team where we’re going to stand up and come back and just fight no matter how hard the situation is,” Thomas said. The Jackets have a bye week following the Homecoming win and will face the No. 11 ranked Virginia Tech Hokies on Thursday, Nov. 10.
SPORTS
Technique • November 4, 2011 • 23
TIME-OUT with Alex Mitchell
Alex Mitchell is a MGT major in his fourth year at Tech. He has watched sports his entire life and takes a critical view towards many of the trending topics in the sporting world. To contact Alex with your opinions about Time Out, email him at timeout@nique.net. I hope you enjoyed Homecoming week as much as I did, and after a few weeks of not discussing the football team, Saturday’s performance needs to be put into perspective. Last Friday, I interviewed Head Coach Paul Johnson in the Student Center Theater for the Technique’s first-ever “Ramblin’ With.” I asked Johnson about what this year’s homecoming game means to him, and he said that the game against No. 5 ranked Clemson would be one of the biggest games in his tenure at Tech. He was quick to hype the game and touted Clemson’s ability. After the game on Saturday, Johnson was asked in the press conference if the win against Clemson was the biggest of his Tech career. Johnson was quick to downplay his most recent résumé builder and replied with a simple “I don’t know.” Without going too much into what this sudden difference in opinion means about the coach, I will echo Johnson’s Friday opinion with a slight variation. Tech’s win against Clemson was the biggest win in Johnson’s Tech career. Saturday’s win was so great because of the way that Tech won. Down early, the team fought back, and took a commanding halftime lead. The Jackets did not
find a way to lose the game, as they did so often in the Chan Gailey era, but kept their foot on the pedal. They forced turnovers, the defense swarmed the ball carriers and Tevin Washington looked like he did the first three games of the season. The team did all of those things against what was the best team in the ACC. Clemson came into the game undefeated and while Virginia Tech in 2009 was ranked higher, the Clemson squad was the most complete team that Johnson has ever beaten at Tech. Clemson has playmakers all over the offensive side of the ball and a handful of future NFL players on defense. Clemson had freshman phenomenon Sammy Watkins at receiver, a hard to contain quarterback in Tajh Boyd and a great slot receiver in DeAndre Hopkins. Virginia Tech in 2009 was Tyrod Taylor and an above-average defense. The 2008 Florida State game was significant solely because it was the first win by Tech over Bobby Bowden, and not because of the Seminoles’ players. The Clemson offense had not been stopped this season before it came to Atlanta. It rolled over defending national champion Auburn. It made a mockery of ACC-favorite Florida State. The Clemson offense made North Carolina’s defense look like a high
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BEST. WEEKEND. EVER! To the dude dressed up as LMFAO with the afro...marry me? I can’t believe its not butter Hey LMFAO robot, you lost your eyes! Just say hi... cuz it’s ADVENTURE TIME! Booo GTPD for Saturday night Clemson is a redneck school doo-dah, doo-dah No Shave November THE 5TH OF NOVEMBER I don’t buy paper clips. I just print large amounts from Central PS dont tell the ukelele player to stop! play on, my friend!! HEY! a**hole bus driver, it’s not fair for you to sit in front of 8th street apartments for 5 minutes and then completely skip our stop. RAGE Tech has a Crew Team?!?! and they are really good?!?!? Why didn’t I know this? finally a froyo place on campus...and they choose to have their grand opening on the coldest day of the year thus far... Doing little, out of the ordinary things every once in a while is a good thing. Halloween is just a great excuse. To the person who picked up my hoodie at the campanile last week: monetary reward. just found out how much my prof makes to “teach” slivering... from NASA!!!! time ticket: 5 min. Seats left in class needed: 3...Registration : the adrenaline RUSHHHH! please stop emailing me about PST classes changing to PHIL classes. no one takes those classes. Oh no, how did this get here, I am not goo with computers I have eliminated all the juice! Seeing PacMan around campus today made my year. Seriously. dear boy who dressed up like russell from the animated movie up, you looked SO cute in your costume. :) I put my hand on a dollar bill, but the dollar bill flew away. I need to get a sliver published before I graduate!!! im swaggin, im surfin, im clean like dish detergent
Photo by John Nakano / Student Publications
The Ramblin’ Reck leads a motivated team onto the field at the end of pregame ceremonies. The win over Clemson was Johnson’s second over a top-five team and brings his Homecoming record to 3-1. school defense just a week prior. Yet somehow, the same Tech defense that allowed 272 rushing yards to lowly Virginia two weeks ago, managed to hold Clemson to 95 yards on the ground. A lot of credit has to be given to defensive tackle T.J. Barnes as well as the rest of the Tech defensive line, but the Tech defense just made more big plays than the explosive Clemson offense. Saturday’s win was also important because it gave hope to the season again. After two losses in a row to average competition, doubters flocked around the program and questioned whether the team would win another game all season. Washington and company silenced all doubters and gave this season meaning once again. Anything can happen in the ACC, but had the Jackets lost their third conference game, they would have needed tons of help
to reach the ACC title game. Miami’s loss on last Thursday night to Virginia cracked the door for Tech and Saturday’s victory left it wide open. Sure, Tech will have to win against Virginia Tech, but the Hokies got destroyed against Clemson earlier this season and barely beat Duke last weekend. Tech also need Virginia to lose, but the Cavaliers still have to play Florida State and Virginia Tech, who they have not beaten since 2003. In reality, the Virginia Tech game will once again decide who goes to the ACC title game, but Tech has to like its chances against one of the weakest Virginia Tech teams in recent years. The win over Clemson was also significant because of what Tech did not have. There was no Jonathan Dwyer, Anthony Allen, Josh Nesbitt, Demaryius Thomas or Derrick Morgan in Saturday’s game. There is not a lot of NFL
talent on Tech’s roster, or at least not NFL-ready talent. This team is a bunch of young players who came together and executed better than its opponent. It did not listen to the hype that surrounded Clemson’s quarterback or its bevy of long-haired receivers. They did not listen to the media who wrote them off after two sloppy games on the road. The team came out on Saturday and proved that the first six games of the season were no fluke; this team is good. Tech’s win over Clemson might have been the biggest game of Johnson’s career, but do not expect him to celebrate. I am sure he is already hyping Virginia Tech, while also giving no thought as to what a win over the Hokies might mean to him. All Johnson seems to care about is winning, and if that mindset produces performances like Saturday’s, then that is okay with me.
Sports
sports@nique.net Sports Editor: Alex Sohani
Cage the beast Break down how the Tech defense kept the high-powered Clemson offense in check.420
Technique
24
Friday, November 4, 2011
Volleyball splits two ACC contests By Adam West Contributing Writer
The Jackets split games against Wake Forest and Duke this past weekend. The Jackets swept Wake Forest 3-0 on Friday, Oct. 28, but didn’t have the momentum to beat Duke on Oct. 30, losing 3-1. Tech now stands 13-11 on the season and 6-7 in the ACC. Tech scored on 54 kills by six different players against Wake Forest and held the Demon Deacons to only 40 kills during the match. The first set was a back and forth shootout between the teams until the Jackets scored five straight to win the set. The second set was another close game, with the lead changing hands multiple times, but Tech came out on top 2523. Tech scored four straight from a 7-9 deficit to take the lead and held on to win the set 2520. Against the Blue Devils, the Jackets scored on 63 kills in four sets, three more than Duke, but were unable to capitalize on the advantage. Duke took an early lead in the first set, but Tech was able to tie the score at 21-21 until a streak of points by the Deacons placed them at set point. Tech was able to interrupt the streak, but was unable to prevent Duke from scoring the last point. The second set was back and forth until the teams were tied 20-20, and the Devils again pulled ahead in the final points of the match. The Jackets were able to turn around from two set losses to win the third set. Tech took an early lead and dominated the rest of the set. Duke managed to score only 15 points. The fourth set began in a manner similar to the first two sets. The score was tied 17-17, before the Jackets took a 20-18 lead going into the final stretch. The Devils then began a seven point rally to close out the match, which ended on an attack error by Tech. Freshman rightside hitter Monique Mead continued her productive season in both games. These games marked the tenth and 11th games of the season in which Mead has scored 20 or more kills. Mead notched 21 against the Deacons and 27 against the Devils. Sophomore setter Kaleigh Colson registered 41 assists in the game against Wake Forrest and 46 against Duke. Colson has made more than 40 assists in four of the past five games. Tech will next take on Boston College and Maryland in away games this weekend. The Jackets will play in Boston on Friday, Nov. 4, and in Maryland on Sunday, Nov. 6.
BRUSHED ASIDE
jackets SHOOT DOWN tigers’ title hopes
Photo by Austin Foote/ Student Publications
Orwin Smith stiff arms a Clemson defender when he hits the perimeter on a toss play. Smith finished the day with 37 yards on seven carries and punched in two touchdowns. By Alex Sohani Sports Editor
Coming off of a two road game losing streak, the Jackets returned home to face off against the No. 5 ranked Clemson Tigers for Homecoming. The Jackets put together a complete game on offense and defense, holding the Tigers to their lowest point total of the season on the way to a 31-17 upset win. Tech rushed for 383 yards in the victory, the most it had rushed for in any ACC contest this season. As a result, the Jackets controlled the pace of the game, holding onto the ball for 39 minutes and only allowing the quick paced Clemson offense 12 possessions and three scores. A large part of the victory can be credited to the improved performance of the defense, led by two interceptions by redshirt sophomore cornerback Jemea Thomas. The defense had four turnovers for the night. The Jackets moved up to 7-2 on the
Photo by Austin Foote / Student Publications
176
Photo by Victor Lee / Student Publications
Zoey Morton sets up a kill. Morton posted five digs against Duke through all four sets.
The number of rushing yards by Washington, breaking a school record for most rushing yards by a Tech quarterback.
4
season with a 4-2 conference record, ensuring the Jackets at least a .500 record in ACC play for the 17th consecutive season. The Jackets moved back into the polls after the win, coming in at No. 23 in the BCS rankings. “It was a great win. I know a lot of people are disappointed that wrote us off, but we have a chance to play again next week. Like I said earlier, let us finish the season before you do our tombstone. I am really proud of our guys; I could not be prouder,” said Head Coach Paul Johnson. Redshirt junior quarterback Tevin Washington led the Jackets with 176 yards rushing on 27 carries, breaking a Tech record for rushing yards by a quarterback. However, the Jackets’ offense did not start strong, being forced into three three-and-out situations and allowing a field goal before a defensive spark gave them a chance to score. Finding themselves down 3-0 midway through the first quarter, the Jackets forced See Clemson, page 22
BY THE NUMBERS
The number of turnovers Tech forced on the night. The Jackets forced two fumbles and two interceptions.
6-0
Head Coach Paul Johnson’s career record against top 25 teams at home in Bobby Dodd Stadium.