Technique Friday, October 7, 2011• Volume 97, Issue 12 • nique.net
The South’s Liveliest College Newspaper
Ciechanover talks future of medicine By Sam Somani Contributing Writer
The idea that most medical schools across the nation will one day shut down because all diseases will be cured is entirely possible, said Nobel Laureate of Chemistry Dr. Aaron Ciechanover in his lecture to Tech faculty and students on Tuesday, Oct. 4. “In only one single century, which is the 20th century, we expanded our lifespan by thirty more years,” Ciechanover said. Before the 1900s, “it took 4000 years for people to extend their lifespan by only 20 or so years,” attributing the rise of human’s life span in this century to advances in medicine. Ciechanover, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2004 for his discovery of how cells reduce unwanted proteins, went on to discuss the currently expanding life-span and the cure for malignant diseases, such as cancer. “We are entering a personalized medicine revolution,” Ciechanover said, one that began in the 1930s with an era of incidental discoveries such as penicillin and aspirin, expanded to experimental methods of finding chemical cures in the 1960s, and is now localizing medicine to a personal level. This personalized medicine revolution that began in the early 2000s will last until the four P’s are established: primarily the personalized medicine and the derived predictive medicine, preventive medicine and participatory medicine traits therein. “Personalized medicine is medicine that will be directed to each and every one of us in person,” Ciechanover said. “The idea is that the severity and cause of each disease will be determined on each and every one of us individually.” The current, “one-size-fits-all” type of
Swift at Philips
Taylor Swift impresses audience with soaring vocals.415
WREK expands broadcast range By Elizabeth Perreault Contributing Writer
WREK radio increased the wattage at which they broadcast earlier this week, completing a ten-year project to raise broadcasting strength from 40,000 to 100,000 watts. The new antenna now allows the station to broadcast at a much higher rate. As a result, the station is quickly gaining listeners from beyond Metro Atlanta. The project, which has been 10 years in the making according to WREK Radio General Manager and second-year AE grad student, Jonathan Walker, cost approximately $231,000. Apart from finances, the reason that it took so long for the station to achieve this increase in wattage was that listening restrictions did not make it possible for a perfectly round radius of listenership.
According to Chief Engineer Daniel Smith, a first-year EE Graduate Student, that is the only kind of range most antennas can broadcast. WREK Radio was forced to search for a design company that would make the kind of antenna that would be capable of broadcasting to such an irregularly shaped listening zone. “This lengthy initiative really began back when we began saving our money for the project,” Walker said. The first direct step towards the project was in 2007 when WREK got a new transmitter line. In 2008, the staff made inroads when a new transmitter was brought in. In the same year a manufacturer was found that did not deem the task of creating an antenna for an irregular broadcast range impossible. “SGA was instrumental to the sucSee WREK, page 6
Photo by Kate Godwin / Student Publications
The WREK Radio staff christened the new antenna, that can now broadcast to listeners who are located beyond Metro Atlanta area.
See Nobel, page 7
Attacks on campus lead to heightened security By Emily Cardin News Editor
Photo by Will Folsom / Student Publications
GTPD officers are seen much more frequently around campus as a result of increased security and a higher number of patrols.
Last Saturday, Oct. 1, students received the first in a series of Clery Safety Acts reporting various cases of assault and battery against female students around campus. Three separate attacks on female students were reported in the space of four days, and GTPD is taking increased measures to bolster security on campus. “The safety of our students and campus community remain our top priority and we are thankful that only minor injuries were reported. The GTPD continues to investigate these incidents and to remind students to be vigilant and keep aware of their surroundings,” said Tech spokesperson Matt Nagel. The first incident, officially named an assault with attempted sexual misconduct, was reported to have happened on Oct. 1 at
12:15 a.m. A female student reported that she was approached from behind by an unknown male while walking near the Wesley Foundation at the corner of Fourth Street and Fowler Street. The male pushed her up against a wall and undid the student’s pants. The student screamed, causing the male to flee on foot towards Tech Square. The female reportedly received minor injuries. On the same day at 8:15 p.m., another female student reported that an unknown male approached her from behind and grabbed her thigh in a bear hug while she was walking along Tech Walkway, near the Clough Commons. The female was able to pull away from the male when she screamed. The male reportedly fled on foot towards the outdoor seating area of Einstein’s Bros. Bagels located at the Student Center Commons. Students received another
Clery Safety Act on Oct. 4 about an incident that happened at approximately 12:50 a.m. A female student reported that as she was walking along McMillan Street, near Turner Place, when an unknown male approached her from behind and grabbed her around the waist. The female struck the male and ran, according to the release. The male fled on foot from McMillan Street towards Eighth Street. The student reportedly had no injuries. “For the first time in my three years at Tech, I was honestly afraid of making the short walk from the Flag Building to the CULC alone tonight,” said Chelsea Howell, a third-year HTS major. “No longer do I only have to worry about my test the next day, but I must worry about how I will make it home safely to my on campus dorm. At night, I feel almost alone on a See Safety, page 6
NEWS
2 • October 7, 2011 • Technique
Technique
Campus Crime
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
Every Day I’m Rummagin’
From the files of the GTPD...
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: Zheng Zheng / entertainment@nique.net Sports Editor: Alex Sohani / sports@nique.net
Follow us online: http://nique.net Twitter: @the_nique
By Nishant Prasadh Development Editor Foul Follower
Target Acquired
Around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 27, a female student was walking to the Clough Commons when a middle-aged man began following her. The man shouted several derogatory remarks at the student and threatened to harm her; she ignored him until the man stopped following her. The suspect was found intoxicated later and admitted that he had been walking across campus, but claimed he had not spoken to anyone. The student was unable to confirm that the suspect was the person who had harassed her, so the suspect was released.
Just before midnight on Thursday, Sept. 29, a GTPD officer found a woman asleep on a bench outside the Graduate Living Center. The woman said she was waiting until 1 a.m., when she would have funds put onto her debit card. She provided her name and date of birth, and a search indicated that the woman was listed as a missing person in Birmingham, Ala. The woman said she was staying with a friend in Decatur, Ga., and the friend was contacted and asked to pick her up at a nearby MARTA station.
POLL OF THE WEEK
Which of the following is the best way to get to class? 15% 70%
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
At around 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 28, an officer responded to a report of a possible bicycle theft at a fraternity house. A man was present in an alley by the house and said he had been collecting empty cans, but a search of the garbage bag he was carrying revealed a case of unopened beer. Shortly afterward, separate reports surfaced indicating that a person similar in appearance to the suspect had tried to leave the fraternity house with a stolen bicycle and had broken into the kitchen of another fraternity house and taken a case of beer. A student from each fraternity confirmed that the suspect was the man each of them had previously seen. The suspect was arrested on three charges and transported to Fulton County Jail.
I love cramming onto a Stinger.
7%
Just plain, old walking.
I’m pretty green, so I ride my bike.
8%
One word: carpool. Based on 27 responses
Interested in writing, photography, design or advertising? Join the Technique to get the chance to discover all aspects of campus! Weekly staff meetings Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in Flag Building Rm. 137
www.nique.net
Next issue’s question:
How safe do you feel on and around campus? Tell us at nique.net
NEWS
Technique • October 7, 2011 • 3
Council Clippings
This week in Student Government
E
By Kamna Bohra, Managing Editor
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
Team Buzz Biomedical Engineering Society Association of Computing Machinery Jorge Cham Chess Club Vietnamese Student Assn. Fencing
$2168.94 $734.40
N/A N/A
49-0-1 49-0-1
$1290 $2100 $347.95 $452 $1443
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
-48-0-1 47-0-1 48-0-0 48-0-1
Prior Year: $510,414 Capital Outlay: $846,994
JFC Stipend Policy
Following last week’s discussion of proposed JFC cuts to stipends and subsequent discussion of the level of communication involved in this decision-making process, the UHR version of the bill struck the stipend cut for the WREK Chief Engineer, whereas the GSS version maintained it. As a result of this difference, the bill entered conference committee, which included Undergraduate VP of Student Affairs Eran Mordel, Rep. Gregory Jones, Rep. Grace Stephens, Sen. Michael Kirka, Graduate Coordinator John Semmens and Graduate VP of Student Welfare Kathy
Schnure. Graduate Executive Vice President Mihir Pathak, who chaired the committee, and the committee members conducted business over email. The conference committee raised two major issues, including a lack of communication with the affected organization and a discontentment with the handling of conference committees in general via email. In the UHR meeting, Stephens supported keeping the 60 percent stipend rate and independently communicated with WREK General Manager Jonathan Walker and Director of Student Media Mac Pitts to determine whether
they had been contacted about the impending stipend cut. “There are multiple factors that should be considered when setting up stipend amounts . . . [The Chief Engineer] has the most responsibility among any of WREK Radio’s staff,” Stephens wrote in a conference committee email. “The position was determined by the prior Stipend Committee to necessitate a 60 percent maximum stipend due to its unique qualifications, level of responsibility and personal risk involved.” An attempt to pass the UHR version of the bill in conference committee failed. A motion to adopt the GSS version of the bill resulted in an unclear majority, and with Pathak’s additional vote, the bill was amended per GSS. “[JFC President Charley Crossson] buried this cut as a line item in a previously reviewed six-page bill and misrepresented the extent of his contact with us regarding the change,” Walker wrote in an email to Dean John Stein and Undergraduate Student Body President Elle Creel. “As the Financial Advisor to [UHR] and [GSS], and as the Chairman of the [JFC], I submitted JFC Policy amendments that, in my experience and in my opinion, better serve the student body and the student organizations at Tech. The Legislative Branches were presented with the [JFC] Policy amendments, as with any bill, a week prior to voting in order to contact their constituencies
that would be affected,” Crosson wrote in an email, indicating that communication with affected organizations should be handled by members of UHR and GSS. Creel and Graduate Student Body President James Black urged reconsideration of the conference committee’s results. Creel said that the lack of communication with WREK was an oversight. “Despite the fact that it is only a small change, we need to do our best to allow the affected organization to adequately represent [its] opinion,” Black wrote in an email. The conference committee agreed to this reconsideration. WREK Chief Engineer Daniel Smith submitted a statement to the conference committee, detailing the depth of his work and emphasizing his 80-hour monthly commitment in addition to being on call 24/7. The conference committee voted to leave the stipend at 60 percent of tuition. This process was conducted via email, resulting in an email from Jones to Speaker of the House Brooke McDaniel, Creel and Stein. Jones objected to holding conference committees via email, citing the practice as a violation of the Georgia Open Meetings Act and SGA bylaws that maintain open meetings for the undergraduate student body population. According to Jones, these emails serve as poor venues for discussing complicated issues.
“Representatives would make accusations, insult one another, suggest we take more time to investigate an issue [and] call to question all in the [same] fiveparagraph e-mail,” Jones said in the email. “…For those bills that are contentious, it would actually streamline the discussion and [ensure] that our constituents are adequately represented,” Jones said in reference to hosting face-to-face conference committees. “If we can’t take time out of our schedule to go into session, then we’re not doing our job right,” said Rep. Hunter Hammond of the email handlings of the conference committee, citing similar sentiments to Jones. “It’s hard to follow our procedure over email, [and] to be perfectly honest, I don’t think that’s an open way to have discussion.” Airsoft
A representative from the Airsoft Club appeared before SGA Tuesday evening to request a JFCamended amount of $1320.46. A UHR rep. brought up the potential dangers associated with airsoft activities, but the organizational representative indicated that the guns would not be brought onto campus and that members would sign a liability waiver. Some discussion ensued about the legality of SGA funding the purchase of guns for the club, but the bill ultimately passed in UHR at 47-0-1.
NEWS
Technique • October 7, 2011 • 5
Woodruff Nights offers artistic insight By Jordan Lockwood Contributing Writer
Students enjoyed art, music and theatrical performances on the evening of Thursday, Sept. 29, during GT Night at the Woodruff Arts Center. The GT-WAC initiative, now in its second year, is open to all students and provides an opportunity to engage in the arts off-campus by allowing free admission to the High Museum of Art, and free tickets to an evening production of the Alliance Theater or Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. The initiative is organized and funded by SGA, the Division of Student Affairs, the President’s Office and the Ferst Center for the Arts. “GT Night at Woodruff Arts struck all the right notes, rightly encouraging the scientists and engineers of GT to broaden their horizons with exposure to the arts,” said Allison Braden, a second-year IAML major. “I am excited to see GT partner with Woodruff to bring a greater degree of arts appreciation to Tech students.” The special exhibits open to student viewing at the High included a series of avian-themed sculptures by Grainger McKoy, feminist-inspired prints of Kiki Smith, and the Huber collection of twentieth-century American art. Students were able to explore all of these exhibits in addition to the museum’s permanent galleries. Members of the Tech Band performed on the piazza during the evening, allowing participants to enjoy classical music as they arrived at the event. “When I was approached with the invitation to play in a brass quintet for the Woodruff Arts night, I immediately accepted.
Photo by Sharad Gopal / Student Publications
Students could attend events at both the Alliance Theater and the Herst Stage, in addition to viewing the exhibits at the High. We ended up playing for about an hour and I absolutely loved it. What better way to spend a Thursday evening than at the museum?” said Joshua Porter, a firstyear BME major. The Alliance Theater presented Into the Woods, a musical fusion of classic Grimm fairytales. The symphony was not performing, but in its place the Hertz Stage featured Broke, a satire of Corporate America and the current economic crisis. Students were given first-come-first-serve access to free tickets for one performance of their choice after browsing the museum and enjoying refresh-
ments. As a part of the continued push for arts around campus, students also are currently able to access the High Museum, Alliance Theater and Atlanta Symphony Orchestra with the Woodruff Center All-Access Student Pass via further collaboration between The Woodruff Arts Center and Georgia Tech. For $20, student cardholders receive free admission to galleries and performances at the museum, theater and symphony. The pass can be purchased from the Ferst Center for the Arts box office located on the second floor of the Student Center, though students
were also able to purchase the passes at GT Night at the Woodruff. “It’s awesome that I can attend performances as much as I want for free with the Woodruff Arts Pass. I’ve spent upwards of $60 for tickets to the ASO in the pass and now for the $20 that I paid for the pass I can see as many shows as I want all year,” said Joe Boltri, a first-year BME major. “This exposure to the arts will really help to broaden my horizons and give me a sense of culture outside the GT bubble.” Free transportation was also provided by SGA in the form of Stinger buses to and from the event for students. “The financial support SGA provides to fund Stinger transportation to GT Nights at the Woodruff is fundamental to the success not only GT Nights at the Woodruff, but to maintaining the partnership with the Woodruff Arts Center so that future students may continue to enjoy the benefits of vastly discounted space rentals and affordable season passes. Cutting transportation funding would jeopardize this unique cultural opportunity that reaches many hundreds of students each year,” said Justin Keating, SGA community relations chair and a second-year BA major. Many of the students reported that the event was quickly becoming a welcomed Tech tradition. Several hundred students attended this year, and there are hopes for higher attendance in the future. “GT Nights at the Woodruff provide an opportunity for all students to experience some of the world-class cultural venues Atlanta has to offer while escaping the stress of midterms, exams, and projects,” Keating said.
News Briefs Tech wins $2 million in NSF grants Two separate NSF grants totalling $2 million, are being designated to the College of Computing and the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts. The EarSketch project, designed to encourage AfricanAmerican students to pursue computer science in college, is the project receiving funding in Ivan Allen. The College of Computing’s grant will address the opposite side of the same coin. Their $1 million grant will go to solving the problem of a significant shortage of computer science teachers in high schools. Both of the projects are a part of the NSF’s larger push for increased interest in majoring in computing, known as the Computing Ed. for 21st Century program.
Research Center celebrates 20th anniversary The Fuller E. Callaway Jr. Manufacturing Research Center (MaRC) celebrated its 20th anniversary on Oct. 6. The center, a multidisciplinary facility that focuses on developing next-generation manufacturing technologies, has been recognized nationally for its Manufacturing Education Program. The 120,000 square foot facility has served as the incubator for numerous start-up companies, including viaCycle, Radatec, QCept, CaMotion and others. These are the direct results of the numerous major research initiatives that have been led at the facility.
NEWS
6 • October 7, 2011 • Technique
WREK
from page 1
cess of this initiative. We really could not have done it without them,” said Walker. SGA allocated a total of $97,000 to the project. As a result of the increase in wattage, listeners as far north as the Tennessee boarder can listen to WREK Radio. According to both Walker and Silver, WREK Radio has received correspondence from listeners as far as 70 miles away that reports listeners’ enjoyment of the new programming. “WREK Radio is unique in that it does all of its own engi-
neering and technical work, tasks that many other college stations typically hire people from outside of the school to manage,” Smith said. To commemorate this landmark, the WREK Radio crew is hosting a celebration that will include free food, an open house and a chance to get to tour around the antenna. This event will be open and free to anyone in the Tech community who wishes to share in a part of WREK history. WREK’s latest investment will ensure that the quality and the pride of its long-running station can be accessed by a much larger audience.
Photo by Kate Godwin / Student Publications
WREK Radio staff gather around the antenna to celebrate the wattage increase that has expanded their broadcast capabilities.
Safety
from page 1
campus of over 20,000.” According to the Dept. of Education’s Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting, college institutions are required to report all criminal offenses, hate crimes and arrests or referrals for disciplinary action. Institutions are required to disclose all reported offenses that fall under the above-mentioned definitions. Students and parents both report concerns about campus safety, especially after CBS Atlanta reported the three attacks on the evening news. “My parents heard about the attacks and sent me an email making sure my friend and I had acknowledged them,” said Sarah Tuell, a first-year UEC major. “I’ve always felt safe and campus and still do, but I am slightly more hesitant to go off by myself.” According to crime statistics released by the administration, all crime rates, with the exception of liquor law violations, have decreased since 2008. Between 2008 and 2010, the rates of burglary dropped by 63 percent while the rates of robbery dropped 69 percent. The rates of aggravated assault have also dropped by 33 percent. GTPD also released a statement to students about the newly instituted increased safety precautions. As well as partnering with the Atlanta Police Department, the Georgia State Patrol and other law enforcement agencies, GTPD will be increasing and enhancing
safety patrols. “Campus safety is of the highest importance at Georgia Tech. For this reason, we are taking extra precautions due to the three incidents that have occurred on campus since October 1, 2011,” said the statement released to students on Oct. 4. GTPD Officers were also available along Tech Walkway between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Oct. 5, 6 and 7 to answer questions from students about these particular issues. Administration reports that significant changes have been made and will continue to be made to combat crime on campus
across the board. “We’ve gone from 61 to 78 public safety officers in two years. We’re coordinating with APD, with Midtown Blue, we’ve bought a couple Segways, a Harley Davidson motorcycle [for patrols], so we’ve made a tremendous number of changes to try to address public safety,” said Institutte President G.P. “Bud” Peterson. “A lot of students I talk to say they feel there’s a much stronger police presence which I view as a good thing,” Peterson said. Students are encouraged to immediately notify GTPD of suspicious activity, travel in groups and utilize the blue light phones.
Photo by Will Folsom / Student Publications
Students are encouraged to take extra precautions when walking on campus. They should report suspicious acts to GTPD officers.
NEWS
Nobel
from page 1
medicine is much like a pajama, uniform and supposedly applicable to everyone. However, personalized medicine will be more like a tailored suit, “sitting right on the shoulders, button down, and look like it’s tailored for us.” Until now, Ciechanover suggested, doctors had misdiagnosed all patients by grouping them under one pajama when each needed a tailored suit, meaning that individual patients responded differently to treatments because their diseases were molecularly different. “We are going to profile patients initially based on their DNA,” Ciechanover said. He reasoned that the investment in the Human Genome Project, which was the sequencing of all the 13 billion combinations of bases in one human, could be lowered for individuals. In other words, people in this
era of personalized medicine will be able to sequence their DNA in one day for about $1000, as opposed to the seven years and $700 million it took for the Human Genome Project. Plans are underway to understand DNA sequences, primarily through a comparative method in which 500 cancer patients will undergo a sequencing of their DNAs from both the cancer tissue and a nearby healthy tissue. Comparisons made between the two tissues, reasoned Ciechanover, will show what genes cause the disease. Bioethical problems, however, may arise from this solution. “The issue of ethics is really going to blow up,” Ciechanover said during his speech. “Diseases are going to lose their definition. For now, a disease is something that inactivates us, a social definition. In the future, diseases will have more quantitative qualities.” IQ, obesity, and susceptibility to dis-
eases will be known from DNA, and may become the “diseases” of the future. The impact of this will be widespread, even affecting spouse selection between human beings. “Before we marry, let’s have a CAT scan or MRI, or in the future, a DNA scan,” Ciechanover said, imitating a possible criteria for choosing a mate. “DNA will penetrate into our lives.” “It was inspiring in some sense, but also brought to attention the problematic point he was trying to bring out,” said Sepura Dosetareh, a third-year BME major. “What I found interesting is that technology is coming to a point where it conflicts with philosophy and morality. How much do you prevent, when do you stop.” Ciechanover referred to a Jewish adage to sum up the risks arising from finding this solution. “The one who increases his knowledge increases his troubles,” he said.
ON CAMPUS On Thursday, Oct. 1, students gathered in the Student Center ballroom to dance and learn Garba, or Dandiya Raas, a traditional dance of western India performed during the Hindu festival of Navratri. Sponsored by the GT India Club, the event drew many students who learned steps from Tech’s very own Raas Team, the Ramblin’ Raas.
4 4 4
Photos by Virginia Lin / Student Publications
sliver
www.nique.net
That was totally unexpected yet awesome. Well played G’s ;-) What do you guys think about a sliver mobile site? - Sliver guy Socially Awkward Penguin: Sees cute girl, slivers about her rather than talk to her i’d bang that gavel too, cc. POWER COUPLE Tech: where self-esteem comes to die That kid who wrote that article about passion is a genius To the girl on NAE9 carrying flowers today: Thanks, you have no idea how much I needed a smile. Fruit Ninja Fight for honor, fight for your children, fight for your future, FIGHT FOR IMMORTALITY! My better is better than your better. You miss 100% shots you dont take. Remember that ladies Aces High, do or die. Semi-formals (Sorority girl’s second chance at Prom) #fixed Tick Tock Goes The Clock Ron Paul cured my apathy Scumbag SGA: Say’s they’re going to steal the T, only turns the lights out. Since stealing T’s so bad all of a sudden. Start a new tradition by adding additional T’s. Just imagine how much worse overcrowding in Asia would be if it weren’t for Georgia Tech. The asian guy who stretches shirtless in NA quad is hot wikipedia: i know everything google: i have everything! facebook: i know everyone! internet: you’re all nothing without me English classes at Georgia Tech is so high quality... Am I the only one who’s using their freshman forgiveness??? PINEAPPLES! The whiteboards are useless without markers. Do we not have enough or are too many people stealing them? Slivers aren’t funny anymore Sorry to hear that. You should sliver more! - Sliver guy
Technique • October 7, 2011 • 7
Breaking
Bubble the
A
lot of things went on outside the bubble of Tech in the past week. Here are a few important events taking place throughout the nation and the world.
Steve Jobs passes away at age of 56 The renowned Silicon Valley entrepreneur Steve Jobs lost a years-long battle to pancreatic cancer on Wednesday. Jobs left a lasting impression on the world of technology and communication. Many supporters across the world gathered to celebrate the life of creativity and creation that Jobs led. Outside one store in New York City, mourners laid candles, bouquets of flowers, an apple and an iPod Touch in a makeshift memorial. In San Francisco, they held up blackand-white portraits of Jobs on their iPads. Many websites, including Apple’s own, changed their homepages to homages of Jobs and the work he created. Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2004, Jobs took two separate temporary leaves of absence before stepping down as CEO of Apple and giving control to long-time operations chief Tim Cook. Jobs’ death came one day after the presentation of the new iPhone to the public. The iPhone, Jobs crowning achievement, was first put on the market in 2007.
Russia and China use rare double veto In an attempt to protect their allies, China and Russia vetoed a Western resolution aimed at punishing Syria. The resolution strongly condemned the continued grave and systematic human-rights violations by Syrian authorities. It drew positive votes from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, France, Gabon, Germany, Nigeria, Portugal, the UK and the US, while India, Brazil, South Africa and Lebanon abstained from voting. The resolution, which had been co-sponsored by France, Germany, Portugal and the UK, also called on Syria to immediately cease the use of force against civilians. An estimated 2,700 people have been killed in Syria since this past March, according to the United Nations. This is because of the continued protests that are Syria’s growing protest movement is part of a wider uprising across North Africa and the Middle East this year. Though China and Russia have employed the double veto several times in the past couple of years, the US and UK hold the monopoly on uses of the double veto, often including France to increase their vetoing numbers. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed regret about the failing of the resolution.
Opinions
Opinions Editor: Chris Russell Science is a wonderful thing if one does not have to earn one’s living at it.
“ ”
OUR VIEWS Consensus Opinion
Safety requires campus wide response GTPD not solely responsible for campus safety
Recent crimes both near and on campus—beginning with the robbery at gunpoint in Home Park a few weeks ago and the recent attacks on women— have started a conversation about campus safety. While GTPD is undeniably the organization most responsible for student safety, they deserve praise for their rapid response to the events and making efforts to communicate with the student body. Shortly after the attack on Tuesday, an email was sent to students informing them about increased efforts to protect campus, including more safety patrols and collaboration with other Atlanta safety officials. The GTPD has always had students’ safety at heart, and their quick reaction demonstrates their dedication to keeping campus safe. However, it’s important to note that the GTPD isn’t the only organization that should attempt to create a culture of safety. The Women’s Resource Center (WRC)
should make it a part of their mission to provide programming to encourage student safety on campus. This could take the form of a safety ad campaign. Housing should encourage RA’s and PL’s to be resources for their residents’s safety by actively encouraging safe practices. These are just two examples of groups who can create this safety culture —everyone has their own part to play. Lastly, students should be made to feel as though they will be able to use the Stingerette to get home, regardless of the reason. Students should not be denied service due to the proximity to their destination. A student that needs a ride should always be able to get a ride from the service unless they are providing an immediate threat to the driver. In the event that does occur, the GTPD must be alerted to the situation. Lastly, it is incumbent on students to look out for their follow peers to ensure that they are taking steps to be as safe as possible.
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 Zheng Zheng, Entertainment Editor
EDITORIAL CARTOON By Casey Tisdel
—Albert Einstein
Technique
8
Friday, October 7, 2011
YOUR VIEWS Letters to the Editor
‘T’ thefts lack innovation, challenge As a recent graduate of Tech, I’m dismayed that we haven’t properly explained our traditions to the incoming classes. There is only one T worth stealing: the one on Tech Tower facing east. That’s why the tradition is named “Stealing THE ‘T’.” But a complaint is not helpful without a suggestion. I propose that we remind the incoming classes that if they don’t know which direction is east, then they need to ask themselves the following questions: Have I assembled a team from around the world to undertake this mission? Did I disable the pressure-sensitive roof tiling, the trace from the fiber optic cabling and the alarm? And last but not least, did everybody else die during the mission, forcing me to avenge their deaths before returning the T?
Write to us:
letters@nique.net We welcome your letters in response to Technique content as well as topics relevant to campus. We will print letters on a timely and space-available basis. Letters should not exceed 400 words and should be submitted by Tuesday at 7 p.m. in order to be printed in the following Friday’s issue. Include your full name, year (1st, 2nd, etc.) and major. We reserve the right to edit for style and length. Only one submission per person will be printed per term.
If the answer is “no” to any of the above, then you didn’t steal THE ‘T.’ Alex Young MGT 2010
School reform needs work at state level
By Elena Kadvany Daily Trojan, U. Southern CA
President Barack Obama visited the students of Benjamin Banneker Academic High School in Washington D.C. last Wednesday to deliver his annual back-toschool speech, with one definitive message: Keep going to school. Don’t just finish high school; go to college. And once you’re there, graduate and get a college degree. This speech closely paralleled the goal of the controversial No Child Left Behind Act. In theory, by enacting federal academic requirements that states must meet annually—all of which are based on teachingto-the-test type standards—the government will help high school students become college and career ready. But is this really the right message to send to schools? Measuring educational growth and success based on standardized test scores is antiquated and has set a very harmful standard for what is considered valuable in education. Though No Child Left Behind doesn’t directly impact university-level education, its focus on tests and statistics does. According to No Child Left Behind, 4,000 California schools are currently “failing.” Luckily, Obama has recognized No Child Left Behind might be what’s really failing. Last week Obama lifted the 2014 proficiency deadline—a provision that called every state to set standards in reading and math to be met by 2014—for states that agree to adopt his administration’s new standards. States can now apply for waivers from some of the law’s provisions and replace them with stan-
dards of their own design. These changes allow for much more flexibility when it comes to measuring student progress and creating teacher evaluation systems. Most importantly, they open a door for states to shift away from data-driven achievement and toward genuine reform. According to No Child Left Behind, standardized test scores are expected to rise every year. Schools that don’t meet that standards are branded as “failing” and face even more federally imposed requirements and sanctions. Student progress and teacher evaluations shouldn’t be about numbers or meeting requirements. Neither should the idea of a good school. A good school is about people, interaction, stimulation and creativity. There is an admitted strength in the reliability of statistics and data, but it cannot define schools. Some states have already applied for waivers, but California’s decision remains to be seen. The state should avoid jumping through more hoops to meet the waiver’s conditions and keep following NCLB. There is no requirement or money lost if California doesn’t apply. What the state would lose, however, is a crucial opportunity for it to take its schools in the right direction. It also demands a level of flexibility that schools will only get closer to achieving through the waiver. Hopefully it is the beginning of the end of test-driven reform. The changes to No Child Left Behind have brought a necessary spotlight to education reform in California. It is now up to the state to address its own flaws, take advantage of the waiver system and move forward.
OPINIONS
Technique • October 7, 2011 • 9
Married life in school a challenge, gift I am currently in my second year of grad school, and I’ve been in a monogamous relationship since my senior year in high school. I am not trying to brag or bemoan the values of today’s youth. On the contrary, I think being single in college generally makes more sense than attempting a committed relationship. Don’t get me wrong, my relationship with my wife is the best thing that has happened to me, and I would not trade it for the world, but I realize that we have been incredibly lucky to find each other, and that, going by numbers, young love usually doesn’t pan out. If you are one of those crazy kids who are determined to make it work though, I have learned some things that may help in the long haul. First of all, consider partying. While we are all here to learn, college is undoubtedly one of the best opportunities for partying in your life and you would be remiss to squander it. There is some truth to the sitcom stereotype that people who have “settled down,” party less. Especially when you live with your significant other, there is a temptation to turn down invitations to parties and other adventures in favor of a quiet night inside. Sometimes it is a good trade, but you do miss out on the opportunity to meet new people and the stories that come with them.
“It may sound trite , but communication is essential for any long-term relationship, and especially so in college.” Hank Whitson Asst. Entertainment Editor
My wife and I combatted this creeping domestic complacency by regularly throwing parties and get-togethers with our groups of friends. In addition to being a lot of fun, you learn a lot about the college social scene that you might miss. One thing you want to avoid is being excessively adorable together. Symptoms of excessive adorableness include taking all your electives together, using pet names in public and constantly referring to yourself as ‘we’ in conversation when only one of you is present. In a young relationship, a little of this is inevitable and even important. But too much sweetness can be toxic. In addition to depriving you both of dignity and being an ungodly annoyance to your friends, it makes it easy to bury difficult-but-important conversations beneath exchanges of empty affection. It may sound trite and pithy, but communication is essential for any long-term relationship, and especially so in college when people are exper-
imenting and reinventing their identity. If Tech does its job and introduces you to exciting new ways to look at the world, odds are good you will not be the same person as a senior that you were as a freshman, and the same is true of your significant other. Keeping track of each other’s personal epiphanies takes a lot of long, personal conversations in addition to. Often times, staying together in such circumstances will simply not make sense. One of the biggest challenges collegiate monogamy presents is maintaining your independence and individuality. The extra support and encouragement you receive in a serious relationship is invaluable, but when it is gladly and freely given it can also easily be taken for granted. If it is routinely relied upon, it can prevent you from fully maturing as a responsible adult. The converse is also true of course, and when you are so eager to see somebody succeed, it’s not always obvious when you stop being merely helpful and be-
come a crutch. There will be times when you have to prioritize between your relationship and your school work, and those are tough choices to make. The hardest choice I ever made was to come to Georgia a month after marrying my wife, as she continued to study in California. But we have managed to make it work through Skype, texts, many frequent flyer miles and two drives across the county. It was the right choice, too. If either of us compromised our education or career paths, we would always wonder what could have been, and maybe even grow to resent each other over it. In the end, we agreed that the best thing for our future together would be spend our present apart. That said, I would advise you to avoid long distance relationships if at all possible, because it will strain your relationship regardless of how strong it is. On top of all this, you have to contend with regular longterm relationship issues, like winning over your significant other’s friends and families, learning to sustain romance as routine sets in and getting acquainted with all the skeletons in each other’s closets. These are not challenges for the faint or half-hearted, but they are not insurmountable and the rewards are invaluable.
Jobs’ passing marks death of a true genius Before Steve Jobs, the most recognizable thing an apple has ever done was to be eaten by some woman in a garden or to fall on a mathematicians head. All of these things lent the apple a tremendous name, but, none of these things did for the fruit what Jobs was able to do. Jobs did more than resurrect his own company when he retook the helm as Apple’s CEO in 1997. He took the wheel and reinvented it. More aptly, he simplified it. First, he took this big heaping machine that some of our parents had in our houses, called the “computer.” In my home, our family computer sat up in our spare bedroom, idle most of the day. I only remember playing some basic games on it and watching the thing struggle to connect to what the Internet was at that time—which was a mess. Then, in 1998, when Jobs and Apple released the colorful, visually aesthetic iMac line, he transformed computing into two things it had never been before—sexy and simple. Now fast-forward to my first experience with a Mac, more specifically a 15-inch MacBook Pro when I was coming into my first year at Tech. Before my MacBook, I had always been proficient in operating whatever program on my PC. In fact, I didn’t
ence with his products, Apple will always have improvements to make and will always have a direction forward. People from all over the world have been touched by Jobs’s influence on technology Matt Schrichte in some way. He even touched on the fact that some of his Advertising Manager decisions he made as a young man at Reed College led to some of the more important (or, perhaps, despise) for the computer innovations of his way the world consumes me- early career in his commencedia today at 100 miles per ment address at Stanford Unihour. He gave us the ability to versity in 2005. get the information we want Countless pieces on Jobs from anywhere. will be posted in the coming When someone as influ- days and weeks, but there is ential as Jobs passes away, the none more fulfilling than his enormity of it is felt almost commencement address at immediately. For many rea- Stanford. It is humble and full sons, he has himself to thank of depth and shows a man who for that. Ripples of the news was at ease with his daily life quickly compounded into because he loved what he was waves of tweets, updates and doing so much. articles all across in the InterHe keeps his speech simple, net. yet elegant and infused with a It’s hard to classify Jobs’s lot of subtle knowledge, much passing. With over 300 patents like the products he was so at Apple alone, he should cer- keen on creating. tainly be considered in the anHis speech that day and nals of American history with his products by and large, are the like of Edison or Franklin. extensions of the man we all I’m sure if he had asked, he yearned to hear from every 6 could have had his portrait put months. He made a fortune on some form of money, espe- off of us for sure. I don’t think cially since his company holds there are many people who more cash than the US govern- don’t feel that the opposite ment. isn’t true as well. Apple appears to be in good I’ll end this piece with the hands in his passing. Because same advice that Jobs ended Jobs established such a strong his graduation speech with foundation based on continu- over six years ago: ally improving the user experiStay young. Stay foolish.
“People from all over the world have been touched by Jobs’ influence on technology in some way.”
even mind using a PC for my daily tasks. That all changed when I tried out a Mac for the first time. It was almost like biting into that proverbial apple in the Garden of Eden. Except, instead of realizing I was naked, the simplicity behind my new laptop showed me what I didn’t even know I was missing before. And even before my first Mac, I had bought two versions of iPods. While my dad tried to convince me that I was overpaying for a product that was going to operate like any other MP3 player on the market at the time, I decided to spend the extra money to see what made these iPods so special. And while my younger brother struggled to find and download music using his MP3 player’s software, I had no trouble in syncing my digital library with what would be my favorite toy until my first iPhone. Jobs was no less than one of the greatest visionaries of our time. We have him to thank
BUZZ
Around Campus
What did you think about Keep the T in Tech Week?
Nahla Osman Third-year ID
“I think it’s a good start but I don’t think it’s going to get very far with the students.”
Jung Min Lee Fourth-year ID
“I think it’ll make it more fun for students to steal T’s, now they’re enforcing it.”
Rohit Ammanananchi First-year CivE
“[The] speeches...all sounded like they were all written by the administration.”
Preston Mayo Second-year BA
“I think that it was a great thing...” Photos by Basheer Tome / Student Publications
OPINIONS
10 • October 7, 2011 • Technique
OUR VIEWS Hot or Not
HOT– or –NOT Golden Tickets
This season, the Athletic Association has been struggling with unusually low ticket sales, despite Tech’s currently undefeated status. It looks like things have taken a change for the better, though, as ticket sales for the homecoming game are doing particularly well. Despite the fact that the homecoming game is three weeks away, at the time of press, less than 2,500 tickets remain unsold.
Buying Happiness
As part of an advertising campaign this week, CocaCola proved that you can, in fact, buy happiness, and from a machine no less. On the second floor of the Student Center on Wednesday, the company set up a “Happiness Machine,” which doled out Nerf guns, bouquets of flowers, twister mats and T-shirts, in addition to a bottle of the typical iconic beverage.
Campus Assaults
The past week, three women were assaulted on campus, with two of the assaults including attempted sexual violence. While the three incidents appear unrelated, it is still disturbing to see students’ safety threatened this much. The Georgia Tech Police Department has responded by increasing campus patrols and partnering with the Atlanta Police Department and the Georgia State Patrol.
Volleyball
Not all aspects of Tech athletics are having as stellar of a season as Jackets are having on the gridiron. Tech’s volleyball team lost two back-to-back home games this week. The first loss to N.C. State was particularly painful, as the Jackets were up two sets to zero, then lost the last three. The second loss was just as painful, as the Jackets were swept by UNC three sets to zero.
Student, alumni philanthropy define campus despite economy With more than 2,600 participants, our 2011 Family Weekend celebration two weeks ago was an impressive affair. It was a wonderful opportunity to mix with parents and students and to share in their enthusiasm about this institution, capped off with a great win by our football team. Given the celebratory environment, it seemed appropriate to hold events dedicating two of our newest campus facilities— the John and Mary Brock Football Facility and the G. Wayne Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons—both of which stand as a testament to the generosity of those who not only believe in, but also are willing to make an investment in support of Tech. Neither of these marvelous projects would have been possible without the generosity and private philanthropy of the alumni and friends of Tech. John Brock, a chemical engineering alumnus and current chairman of CocaCola Enterprises, tells a moving story about how he could not have attended Tech from his home in rural Mississippi without the benefit of a scholarship. When the final accounting is done, support for the Clough Commons will exceed $25 million in external support. You can see the names of dozens of donors whose leadership gifts are recognized on a plaque in the lower level lobby. The names of the principal donors are recognized throughout the facility – from the AT&T Auditorium, to the Tennenbaum Atrium, to the McElroy Physics Laboratories, to the Class of 1970 Rooftop Garden, to the Georgia Power Solar Array. Together, these individuals, corpora-
“Despite the uncertain economic climate, it is gratifying to be part of a community that understands the role of philanthropy.” George P. “Bud” Peterson Institute President
tions, and reunion classes turned a big vision—reimagining the undergraduate educational experience—into a reality. Philanthropic activity is a hallmark of Tech. While large individual commitments frequently get the attention, it’s important to highlight the impact a focused group can have as well. One of our newer traditions is the Georgia Tech Student Alumni Association (GTSAA), founded on the principles of lifelong participation in, and philanthropic support of, our alma mater. One particularly notable aspect of this student organization is its $10 annual membership donation, half of which goes to the GTSAA’s Gift to Tech. Members vote on how they want this money allocated, choosing from among several worthy campus projects that improve the quality of the student experience at Tech. For its inaugural gift last spring, the organization presented the Office of Solid Waste Management and Recycling with more than $20,000 in funding for the expansion of recycling initiatives on campus. The other half of the donation goes to the Georgia Tech Student Foundation, a student organization whose motto is “Moving Forward by Giving Back.” Operating in the same fashion as the Georgia
Tech Foundation, these students manage a nearly $1 million portfolio, using the profits derived from their investments to provide an average of $30,000 annually to students and student organizations for projects that enhance the educational experience. This kind of support, students helping other students, sends a powerful message. Our annual fund, known as Roll Call, recently completed its 64th year, collecting more than $8.3 million from 26,000 donors. As encouraging as this is, I find another statistic particularly compelling: the 1,680 individuals who qualify as the Alumni Association’s Golden Givers, in recognition of 50 or more consecutive years of financial support to Tech. Just as the football practice facility is a powerful statement about our commitment to our athletics program, so too do our academic facilities demonstrate a similar commitment to educating and preparing the leaders of tomorrow. Despite an uncertain economic climate, it is gratifying to be a member of a community that understands the role of philanthropy, is willing to step up and provide the resources that allow us to excel, and recognizes the difference their support can make.
The economy sucks.
Free pizza rations on Tuesdays.
7 p.m., Flag 137, Technique
Focus
focus@nique.net Focus Editor: Siddharth Gurnani Assistant Focus Editor: Alex Kessler
Technique @learntech “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose.” Steve Jobs RIP
ATLANTA
By Rachit Kansal Contributing Writer
FOR UNDER $20
The typical life of a college student often does not offer the extent of financial freedom one enjoys under the shelter of our home. A college student can, however, wheedle out similar services for cheaper prices and in no other area is this more evident than travel. Here are some novel ways you can make the long journeys and still end up saving substantial money.
By Lauren Townsend Contributing Writer
Photo by Thien Huynh / Student Publications
C
ity living can get expensive. For college students, especially, one of the biggest dissuading factors against exploring the city of Atlanta is money. Everything is pricey, from food down to the last drop of gas. But what if someone told you that you could enjoy a day in the city of Atlanta for fewer than twenty dollars? In this article, I am going to tell you how I spent a day enjoying the diverse city of Atlanta without straining my wallet. going to Tin Lizzy’s for lunch on a nice day because their outside seating has a very beach-like feel. Total spent at Tin Lizzy’s: $3.35 after tax. 1:30 p.m.: Little Five Points. If you want to experience the eclectic culture of Atlanta, visit Little Five. Known for its great restaurants and unusual shops, this section of Atlanta is great if you want to go window shop or if you can spare the change buy a few things. The stores are all very brightly colored in expressively decorated in artistic décor. For an artistic person looking for inspiration, this is the place to go because not only are the shops loud in their aesthetics, the people walking in the streets of Little Five are also very unusual. It’s definitely a great place to sit and people watch because you never know what you might see. Total spent: $0 (although it is a great place to spend money if you have it). 4:30 p.m.: Zesto. After hanging out in Little Five Points for a
Friday, October 7, 2011
Tips and Tricks
E XPLORING
9:00 am: Piedmont Park. Entrance into the park is free, and sometimes if you get lucky you can find a free place to park along the street within walking distance (which I did, and therefore a parking fee was not accounted for in my total). If anyone has ever been to the park I’m sure they would vouch for me when I say that it is a beautiful place to sit under the shade of a tree and sketch or paint. Piedmont Park also has a variety of different things to offer such as areas to play sports, picnic or just take a walk. Total spent at Piedmont Park: $0. 12:30 p.m.: Lunch at Tin Lizzy’s. After spending an enjoyable morning in the park, I walked a few blocks over to a restaurant called Tin Lizzy’s on 13th street. Tin Lizzy’s serves specialty tacos, including buffalo chicken tacos, Philly cheese steak and BBQ Asian pork, for less than four dollars and they are always delicious. The atmosphere is very relaxed, and I would recommend
11
while, I decided to walk over to Zesto and get some ice cream. A small cup of ice cream was only $2 and it was big enough for two people. Zesto’s ice cream is soft serve and very sweet. After purchasing my ice cream, I decided to walk around and browse more shops. For a delectable and cheap afternoon treat, Zesto’s ice cream will do the trick. Total spent at Zesto: $2 6:00 p.m.: Ru San’s. For dinner, I headed over to a sushi restaurant called Ru San’s. Located in Midtown, Ru San’s is one of my favorite places to grab a good sushi dinner. They serve rolls of maki sushi for one dollar apiece; I tried two different rolls (salmon and shrimp) and the dish was savory and filling for only two dollars. Food aside, the restaurant itself makes for a great place to go on a date, with an upbeat and urban atmosphere. Total spent at Ru San’s: $2 8:30 p.m.: Starlight Six Drive-In Theater. Just down the
road from Little Five Points is a theater called Starlight Six DriveIn. Unlike the rest of the day, you must have a car to attend this theater and it is not within walking or busing distance of Tech’s campus. The payoff, however, is that the movies are extremely cheap. A double feature is only $7 a person, and unlike some drive-in theaters, the movies are relatively new. I went and saw “Bad Teacher” and “What’s Your Number” to end the day, and I very much enjoyed the setting of an outdoor movie theater. It’s cheap and fun for anyone and I highly recommend it. Total spent at Starlight Six Drive-In: $7. So, if you’re looking for something to do for very little money, try taking a day to explore Atlanta. Even just searching for new things to do is always fun and you can always make it cheap. The total I spent for the day was only $14.35 and I had a day full of enjoyable activities.
Use a Discount Website
Kayak (www.kayak.com) will compile fares from over 140 sources into a neat search engine and is a great resource for finding cheap hotel and airfares. STA Travel (www.statravel.com) is tailormade for college students, offering very cheap airfares, inexpensive accommodations and packages for study and work abroad programs. Be Smart While Flying
Travelling during the off-season is one of the best ways to save as tickets are cheaper, people are fewer and travel is easier. Avoid overweight baggage; that will just accrue to your travelling costs. One of the uncommon but effective ways to reduce travelling expenses is choosing alternate, lesser-known transit airports. Airlines pay less to park here and this leads to cheaper routes. Be Smart With Room & Board
Besides looking for cheap accommodation online, get to know the locals as they can tell you which places are the best valuefor-money. Take a break from hotels and give hostels a try; the right ones are as good as hotels but come with a smaller price tag. Also, communicating with friends through Skype is a much cheaper alternative to expensive phone calls.
BUD Peterson Couch Surfing
Imagine having a close relative in every major city in the world that will take you out to a local restaurant, give you a personal tour of the city and let you sleep at their own home. On CouchSurfing (couchsurfing.com) you can connect with hosts around the world and plan a culture-filled vacation, learning a new language and cuisine style firsthand. Dining on a budget
Photo by Basheer Tome/ Student Publications
College is expensive, so learning how to have fun on a budget is a necessity for students. Ru San’s and Zesto’s offer cheap yet top-quality meals for a day on the town.
Sometimes the college student traveling abroad can not afford to dine at every cafe and bistro. Even McDonalds and fast food is more expensive in Europe, so save by purchasing food from grocery stores and cooking. Ask people what their favorite dishes are and how to cook them at home. Learn a new recipe while saving cash.
FOCUS
12 • October 7, 2011 • Technique
Travel provides fresh perspectives Study Abroad programs By Dize Dinckol Contributing Writer
Travelling is as old as the history of humanity. People have always been travelling for the purpose of wars, commerce and discovery. As time went by and technology improved, people traveled farther and explored new lands and civilizations. New worlds were discovered and cultures interacted with one another for the first time. In modern times, travelling has become pretty widespread. The
reasons are generally the same: business, wars and discovery. However, people also travel for leisure to discover new places that they have never seen before. Nowadays it does not take months to travel to the far end of the world. Hence, travelling for pleasure is one of the top reasons individuals and families choose to travel. Most people have every means to travel around the world or at least within their own country. “When you travel to other places and befriend the people there, you come to understand them and
it becomes harder to hold stereotypes about them. In that way, travel expands your mind beyond your old views to hold new experiences and new views,” said Emily Webb, a third-year INTA major. Travelling helps people to learn about new and unfamiliar subjects and makes them aware of the different aspects of people who have different lifestyles with them. However, travel companions matter as well and, to some degree, can define the characterisSee Travel, page 14
Photo by Virginia Lin / Student Publications
Travelling exposes people to cultures and ideas foreign to their own. Visiting new countries, eating new cuisines, listening to new languages and becoming exposed to new cultures expands horizons.
STUDENTS SPEAK >>>>> Each week, the Focus section seeks the opinions of the student population on some of the burning and pertinent questions related to the theme.
What are students doing this fall break? Where are they traveling? By Ben Goldberg Contributing Writer
Next Friday, Tech students will receive a much needed respite from class and work. How are students going to spend the few precious days at their disposal? “[I’m not] studying one bit over break,” says Nick Beyer, second-year ME. “I’ll probably take a trip out to the golf course and hit some balls with my dad.” The gentle influx of the beautiful autumn weather over the past week makes the upcoming break an ideal time for outdoor activities. “I plan on hiking up in the north Georgia mountains with my friends. This is really the only good time for me to do something like that until spring,” said Thomas Benson, a first-year MGT major. Tyme Dutzer, fourth-year PFE, is also driving up to north Georgia. “I’ll be hanging out with friends,” Dutzer said. While many students are staying in the state or the southeastern region of the U.S., others are traveling abroad. “I’m actually going to the Himalayan mountains,” says Nick Hobbs, a second-year NRE major. “I’ll be skiing, rappelling, maybe even some base jumping. I’ll spend my free time watching Breaking Bad and eating.” Marlie Creed, a third-year ECON major, is heading up to
Washington, D.C. after finishing the three midterms she has next week. “I’m just going up to see the sights, and the rest of the time I’ll be catching up on sleep,” Creed said. Other students plan on simply relaxing and catching up on sleep after a grueling week. “I’m just going to rest and sleep as much as I can,” said Tay Mai, a second-year EE major. Phillip Kisembo, a second-year ChBE major, will be staying on campus for some of the break, but not necessarily to study.
“I will be volunteering with the Catholic Center,” Kisembo said. “I want to spend some of my break helping out the community.” Rafik Khalid, a fourth-year BME major, is also looking to benefit the community over break. “I’m hoping to get involved with Habitat for Humanity in the Atlanta area over the weekend and then fundraising with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta on Monday or Tuesday,” Khalid said. While students’ plans for the break vary between staying on campus and leaving, all should find the days off to be welcomed.
vary in cost, opportunities
Over 40 percent of the students at Tech participate in the ever-growing Study Abroad program. With over 100 total exchanges and programs offered and the exciting stories of friends and family many people hear, there is little mystery about why the numbers of Tech students participating only grows each semester. Study Abroad’s most popular programs help to demonstrate how the monetary figures work. Four study abroad options are compared with a semester at Georgia Tech: the Oxford Summer Program, the GT Lorraine Undergraduate Program in France, History of Art and Architecture in Greece and Italy, and an exchange program at the University of Grenada in Spain. The Oxford program, a tenweek program that consists of city-hopping the first few weeks and a stint at Oxford University in the U.K. for the second half, has a hefty total cost of $17,017. This represents a decreased cost for outof-state students but is an increase in tuition for in-state students, who must pay $16,767. However,
it is also one of the most popular summer programs available. GT Lorraine, on the other hand, can be done during the fall, spring or summer semesters. The sixteen-week program comes out to a total cost of $14,733 for outof-state students and $12,733 for in-state students, which saves even more for out-of-state students and comes closer to the normal instate tuition for Tech students. The History of Art and Architecture program shows a better example of one of the cheaper and popular Study Abroad options. At $11,437 total for in-state students, it technically only costs $30 more than in-state tuition. Exchange programs tend to fall in the middle cost-wise; for instance, the University of Grenada exchange program comes to a total of $13,976 for in-state students and 14,226 for out-of- state students. Despite the increasing interest, some 60 percent of Tech students still choose to remain at home. There are as many reasons to skip studying abroad as there are to join the program, and each student has to make that decision based on money, time, a low GPA or a general disinterest in leaving the US.
Pacific Spring Study Abroad Program
Brazil MGT Exchange Program
Weeks: 12 Faculty-led program Field projects, on-site visits and overseas courses Destination: Australia, New Zealand Courses Available: Aerospace Engineering, Biology, College of Engineering, History, Technology, and Society, and LCC Cost: $16,363
Weeks: 16 Exchange program Study at the leading Business school in South America Destination: São Paulo, Brazil Open to seniors in the School of Management or MBA students Courses available: Accounting, Economics, Management Cost: $9,076
TU Munich Study/Work Abroad Program
LCC Summer Program in Italian and Film Studies
Weeks: 16 Most courses taught in German Destination: Munich, Germany Work or take courses, participate in internships with corporations such as Siemens Courses available: Almost any discipline Cost: $15,026
Weeks: 4 Faculty-led program Destination: Italy Can combine with the second half of Oxford program Study Film and documentaries Courses available: Computational Media, LCC Cost: $10,973
By Erin Sapp Contributing Writer
Photo by Basheer Tome / Student Publications
Photo courtesy of the Office of International Education
Whether heading home or adventuring abroad, Tech students are already making their travel plans for the upcoming Fall Break.
The benefit of studying abroad is being able to travel to cities and countries that are otherwise difficulty and expensive to get to.
FOCUS
Technique • October 7, 2011 • 13
Destination Profile: Places to visit in the Southeast By Allyn Woodward, Contributing Writer
Fall Break begins in just one week and most students’ bank accounts may not be ready to cover the expenses associated with airplane tickets to faraway warm climates. However, the break does not need to be a long, boring extended weekend at home. Grab friends and plan out a road trip to one of these five destinations, all of which are relatively close to Atlanta.
Helen, GA Distance from Atlanta: 86 miles Time to destination: 1.5 hours Part of White County in Ga., Helen is home to two major Georgia landmarks and numerous outdoor adventures. Snuggled near the Blue Ridge Mountains, this quaint town was modeled after an Alpine Village and encompasses many village traditions such as the Miss Oktoberfest Pageant and Indian Cultural Festival. Helen houses Anna Ruby Falls, a 150-foot waterfall. These landmarks provide abundant landscape for hiking, biking and rock climbing. In addition, many tourists visit for water rafting, hot air balloons, creek mines, and horseback riding. Full of thrills, the charming town also offers calming bed and breakfast accommodations, old-fashioned cafes, candy shops and bakeries. Among the other attractions available in the town are tubing down the Chattahoochee River and dining options ranging from the Hofbrauhaus Restaurant & Lounge, one of several locations that feature German cuisine, to a number of coffee shops.
Asheville, NC Distance from Atlanta: 208 miles Time to destination: 3.5 hours Asheville is home to the Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smokey Mountains National Park, nationally-known music venues and numerous shopping spots. In addition to the numerous Smokey Mountain and Blue Ridge Parkway’s trails, biking is a key sport in Asheville. The Blue Ride Parkway alone offers over seventy different bike routes. In the daytime, travelers can enjoy the diverse shopping outlets such as Lexington Avenue, Wall Street and Grove Arcade that are home to Asheville’s independent and eclectic owners. Sightseers can even explore one of America’s most popular properties, the Biltmore Estate. At night, downtown Asheville awakens its love for music. Asheville hosts numerous reggae, jazz and hip hop venues and garnered fame due to The Orange Peel which was voted one of the Top Five Rock Clubs in the Country by Rolling Stone.
Myrtle Beach, SC Distance from Atlanta: 358 miles Time to destination: 6.5 hours
Photo by Basheer Tome / Student Publications
Savannah, GA Distance from Atlanta: 250 miles Time to destination: 4 hours Known for its Civil War stories, haunted mansions and historic architecture, Savannah, Ga. is home to Southern food, history and goose bumps. Savannah is home to a wide-range of tourist activities. Upholding the tradition of hearty Southern meals, River Street offers restaurants with American, Cajun, Caribbean and Atlantic seafood. Aligning with Southern tradition, Paula Deen’s The Lady and Sons is one famous restaurant where visitors can enjoy fried green tomatoes, fried chicken, collard greens and peach cobbler. For a scare, visit Moon River Brewery, voted as one of the most haunted places in the United States by the Travel Channel. Constructed in 1821, the brewery is one of the oldest places in town. Previously a hotel with a history of murder and violence, the brewery declares that guests have been pushed and struck by unseen forces. For more daring activities, Savannah offers a three mile beach, Tybee Island, only 18 miles away with surfing, kayaking and jet skis.
Myrtle Beach is one of the top golf destinations in the world. Numerous golf resorts, such as Bay View on the Boardwalk and the Prince Resort at the Cherry Pier, provide waterfront hotel and course views. This coastline, called the “Grand Strand,” is 60 miles of coastline comprised of water sports, shopping and live theatre. Other than jet skis, surfing and kayaking, Myrtle Beach also offers dolphin tours. On the coastline, one shopping hot-spot is the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and Promenade. The 1.2 mile long boardwalk is a miniature downtown consisting of hotels, outlets, restaurants and water slides. For visual entertainment, Myrtle Beach offers the Carolina Opry. Founded in 1986 with immediate success, it holds 2,200 seats for live entertainment and televised shows.
Alternate trips offer unique, interesting experiences By Alex Kessler Assistant Focus Editor
Sometimes the bread-and-butter holiday vacation to a relative’s house just does not cut it. Inside every Tech student is a young thrill-seeker yearning for adventure. This fall break consider some alternative vacations to spice up life. Not every vacation is necessarily rest and relaxation. For adrenaline junkies trying skydiving for the first time may just be the fix they need. Either through commercial flying businesses around Atlanta’s perimeter or even GT Sport Parachute Club, do not let price or availability shy you away from one of the greatest life experiences out there. If falling through the sky does not fit your fancy, try flying through it with the Yellow Jacket Flying Club or the Atlanta Flight School at Peachtree-DeKalb airport.
For more terrestrially inclined adventures, Atlanta is only a few hours away from the start of the Appalachian Trail. Individual paths can range from a couple hours to a couple months, if you take the whole route up to Maine. Closer mountains are Kennesaw up I-75 and Stone Mountain on I-20 East, which are more mild hikes to take the family on. Lakes Lanier and Raburn are only an hour or so from Tech, and facilitate a number of extreme water sports like wakeboarding ramps and jet ski courses. Interested in community service? Love the fresh air? Join GT Trailblazers on their fall break trips to the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and the Santa Fe River in Florida to hike and restore trails or canoe and clean up the riverbed. Tech’s Engineers Without Borders also hosts several international trips during the year to
impoverished countries to build access to clean water. Lastly, the Christian Campus Fellowship has a relief effort in Joplin, Mo. Tired of all that the United States has to offer? Travel abroad to remote and exotic regions of the world to discover hidden cultures and untouched experiences. Find a standby ticket to Berlin and hitchhike across the plains of Europe, sleeping in hostels and stopping at biergartens (beer gardens) along the way. Make your way to Greece and see the Athens acropolis, the remnants of a great Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy. On the other side of the world, visit Tokyo and walk through the world’s largest city, visiting the Japanese Imperial Palace amongst the daunting walls of skyscrapers. In short, the ultimate alternative vacation is nothing that is out of the reach of a Tech student. With a few resources from the
school and a little courage anything is possible, next week you could be falling out of the sky
or driving through Europe with nothing more than a backpack and a sense of adventure.
Photo courtesy of the Office of International Education
Although vacations to the beach are always enjoyable, doing something out of the box on your next vacation may be fulfilling.
FOCUS
14 • October 7, 2011 • Technique
Organization Profile: GT Trailblazers By Ben Goldberg Contributing Writer
Imagine sea-kayaking in the waters of beautiful Cumberland Island, spending a few days hiking the Pacific Crest Trail and surfing in California. What about exploring the wildness of Nicaragua, all the while working to maintain trails with fellow students? The steady travail of classes can take a toll on a student’s mind and body, but the GT Trailblazers, a club dedicated to “Outdoor Adventure and Environmental Ser-
vice”, exists to provide students with a sense of adventure, social invigoration and the chance to literally get their hands dirty. “When I signed up for my first trip, I didn’t know anyone,” said Lee Bouldin, a fourth-year ME major and president of GT Trailblazers, “In four days I was best friends with everyone. [Trailblazers] is a great way to meet people and bond as a group.” The Trailblazers host both alternative breaks as well as short local projects around Atlanta every month or two.
The alternative breaks involve working with park services and trail clubs for the first half followed by recreational activities, such as hiking, for the second half of the trip. Past trips were located in such places as Shenandoah National Park, Cumberland Island, Boat Rock and many others. “I think our club is unique in the fact that we combine both fun and service,” Bouldin said. “No skills are required for our trips, so we have a variety of people who go on them.” Mammoth Caves, Ky. and Ni-
caragua are the two trips coming up for the club in the spring. In Nicaragua, GT Trailblazers will be teaming up with Engineers Without Borders on a reforestation project. “Nicaragua is going to be really cool. We’re hoping to do some volcano boarding while we’re down there, too,” Bouldin said. “And with fundraising and subsidies, the trips shouldn’t cost too much.” Anyone interested in going on one of these trips or otherwise becoming involved with the club can visit the GT Trailblazers’ website or check out the club’s upcoming weekly meeting.
Quick Look
Website: http://georgiatechtrailblazers. com/
Photo courtesy of GT Trailblazers
The GT Trailblazers club routinely ventures to scenic locations around the southeastern U.S. and beyond to engage in various community service projects such as river cleanups and trail rebuilding.
- Founded Spring 2007 - Meet Tuesdays @8pm, Clough Commons lobby - Approximately 35 current members - $30 yearly membership fee - About 1:1 guy-girl ratio - Alternate Fall Break: Smoky Mountains, TN
Travel
from page 12
tics of the trip. “I think there is a different degree of liberation of the mind when it comes to travelling with people as opposed to by yourself,” said Leigh Nash, a fourth-year ISYE major. “For me, the liberation mostly comes after securing travel plans. Therefore, I don’t have to waste time worrying about little logistical details when arriving, but for others it comes from knowing you have the power to do whatever you want when you want during your travel plans. Either way, travelling, especially in a foreign country, encourages you to be social which allows you to meet many interesting people who offer a variety of new experiences.” Another idea is that the effects of travelling on the mind depend on the mind itself. If the mind is not open to development and acceptance of new ideas, travelling cannot do much to help promote these ideals. “It really depends on if the person is open-minded. A university student has the potential to be open-minded. Therefore, when you travel you will be able to see the norms you have been raised in breaking across different places and cultures, and you can liberate your mind to see the world with a different perspective. If you are not open to new cultures, all you will be seeing is different and maybe beautiful places with odd people doing things differently, and wrongly, living there,” said Dicle Agdas, an exchange student at Tech.
Entertainment
entertainment@nique.net
Technique
15
Entertainment Editor: Zheng Zheng
Friday, October 7, 2011
Assistant Entertainment Editor: Hank Whitson
E S U O H N W O D S E K A T R TAYLOIFT LIGHTS UP PHILLIPOS W SH SW D E K C A P R TA AR E N A I N S
By Chris Ernst Contributing Writer
Originally scheduled for July 9 and 10, the Taylor Swift concerts packed Philips Arena this past weekend on Oct. 1 and 2. While the songstress proves popular on the charts and with fans, her musical abilities do not quite match up with her popularity. Her stage presence seemed lacking, but her appreciation for the crowd was genuine. Especially with surprise guest, T.I., the energy and excitement at sold-out concert at the 21,000 person capacity venue was palatable. The popularity of Taylor Swift is undeniable. She has won Grammy awards, sold over 4 million albums and broken Guinness World Records. And not without reason. Her songs speak to the everyman in America, well, the every-girl, anyway. She is country enough to be different than every other pop act and mainstream enough to win the hearts of millions of fans. For others, however, she is neither here nor there and therefore nowhere at all. She is not country enough to be country and she’s not a soulless pop princess either; she has just enough flavor to be adored by the mainstream and mainstream enough to be popular in the country sector. And on top of all of this, she even has a modicum of talent. There are better instrumentalists than Swift. There are certainly better singers. There are better writers, but none of them
are probably as good-looking (or young). What Swift does is win the hearts and minds of her audience through an honest, relatable style that young people will identify with and older people will reminisce about. She typically uses real names to yearn for love lost or love found. While it seems kind of silly, it is an effective method which her album sales prove. While Swift can crafts songs masterfully, she cannot sing them. Her voice is sweet enough and does not sound shrill or raspy, but it is no wonder she got sick and had to reschedule her July concerts. She struggles with notes outside her comfortable speaking range and pushes so hard to hit them that if she is not careful, she may damage her voice. This is not a problem in the studio where black magic abounds to put even Rihanna in tune, but live performances may surprise some people who are familiar with her unchallenging songs. But really, this can even make her more endearing to her fans, who probably do not know much about singing either. But what Swift lacks in vocal ability (and dance moves) she makes up for in authenticity. The show has theatrical moments with elaborate sets and a little story telling, but the backup professionals were much better at hitting their marks than Swift. Amazing wire-ballet and fireworks were exciting and frame Swift well, who herself es-
CONCERT
Speak Now World Tour 2011
chewed the more cha llenging theatrics. Instead, she connects with the audience and brings them into her world. This sells the tickets and the albums and generates millions of fans
PERFORMER: Taylor Swift LOCATION: Philips Arena DATE: Oct. 1 - 2
OUR TAKE: «««««
See Swift, page 17
Photo illustration by Ian Bailie
Innovations allow Fifa 12 to dominate sports genre GAMES
FIFA 12 CONSOLE: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Windows. GENRE: Sports DEVELOPER: Electronic Arts RATING: E RELEASED: Sept. 27
OUR TAKE: «««« By Sam Somani Contributing Writer
The dominant franchise of its class, FIFA 12 has returned this Oct., guns blazing with a trium-
virate of new features: a massive overhaul of the defensive style of play, a state-of-the-art precision dribbling system and a new player impact engine. The impact of these revolutions must be noted — for each previous iteration of the game resulted in minor tweaks to the actual gameplay. Through this installment, however, EA Sports, the creator of FIFA 12, has established a new standard of gaming for the most popular sport in the world — soccer. Long gone are the days of passive defending, where merely mashing one button would enable a defender to follow an attacker and steal the ball. Now, defending poses a real challenge—one that
will especially challenge veteran players. Tactical defending is key, as a new arsenal of moves is available: containing, shoulder tugging and standing tackle, in addition to jockeying, run jockeying and team pressure. Chaining these up with engaging strategies can give teams a clean sheet—yet a lack thereof will not stop opponents from seeing the back of the net. On the bright side, however, there is a new dribbling system. Entitled “Precision Dribbling,” it offers a solution to the tight quarters with three or four defenders where, in FIFA 11, escape has been very difficult. Paired with the challenging defensive system, striking goal after goal may seem just far too easy.
The final innovative addition has been two years in the making. It’s the player impact engine: a more realistic display of the inevitable collisions in soccer that takes into account momentum, velocity and angle of impact for the players. This opens up a new dimension to gameplay, with tackles and 50/50s now representative of the real-life player interactions. With the UI modified into a horizontal menu as opposed to the previously vertical, even the startup of FIFA 12 demonstrates the game’s revolutionary aspects. An invention for the virtual soccer realm, it’s no wonder that US players Hope Solo and Landon Donovan have endorsed the product. The United States of FIFA,
after much gameplay, seems all too appropriate.
Photo courtesy of Electronic Arts
ENTERTAINMENT
16 • October 7, 2011 • Technique
Parks continues to impress Opeth reinvents style, wildly entertains
TELEVISION
Parks & Recreation NETWORK: NBC
CONCERT
Opeth
WHEN: Thursdays, 8:30 p.m. STARRING: Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Aziz Ansari
PERFORMER: Opeth, Katatonia LOCATION: Center Stage
OUR TAKE: «««««
DATE: Sept. 30
By Lauren Payne Contributing Writer
Fans of NBC’s Parks and Recreation know and love the comedy series for its weekly dose of localgovernment mayhem, small-town tomfoolery and uplifting theme music. Amy Poehler’s Leslie Knope and her crew of bureaucrat cronies burned brightly as ever on Sept. 22’s season four premiere, almost as though they’d only returned from a long weekend off, and the results are both thematically promising and comically lucrative. Staff writers turn a promising page as they tie loose ends left over from season three—yes, Leslie is running for city council of Pawnee—and introduce an allnew barrage of political, financial and interpersonal hurdles for the main characters to take on. Episode 401 presents Leslie’s internal tug-of-war between her dream of running for public office and her scandal-bait relationship with government official Ben Wyatt (Adam Scott), while mustached
OUR TAKE: ««««« By Alex Kessler Assistant Focus Editor Photo courtesy of NBC
libertarian Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) anticipates a harrowing face-off with clinical shedemon and ex-wife, “Tammy I.” The second episode also raises the issue of Tom Haverford’s (Aziz Ansari) ballsy, though fruitless, business venture, Entertainment 720, which teeters on the brink of financial disaster. The opening episodes of season four set the stage for the full realization of Deputy Knope’s transition from a ditzy, onedimensional spinoff of The Office’s Michael Scott to a beacon of feminine altruism in a town whose male-dominated government is plagued with deplorable sex scandals, misuse of tax revenue and general disinterest in the quality of its citizens’ lives. In addition, writers Troy Miller and
Norm Hiscock conduct an exemplary job of developing new and ongoing relationships between the series’ characters: As April and Andy settle into their charming, albeit slipshod, version of married adult life, the audience also comes to know and understand the enigmatic Ron Swanson on a more profound level as he succumbs to and breaks free from the simultaneously motherly and wicked spell of Tammy I. While the masterminds behind the series and their characters strive for new and once-unfathomable heights, laughs and gags are not scarce. Offerman’s portrayal of Ron Swanson, whose coarse dialogue would likely fall flat from the mouth of any othSee Parks, page 18
Opeth does not retire. Instead, they invent a genre and continue touring as status quo. Opeth front man Akerfeldt and lead guitarist Fredrik Akesson were the driving forces behind Heritage, the band’s tenth studio album which features an original mix of progressive metal, jazz fusion and Swedish folk. The band was ready to momentarily depart the death metal scene and brave the crowds of their die-hard metal fans. The Center Stage was an interesting venue choice for Opeth, as normally their popularity normally allows them to sell out at venues like Gwinnett Arena. In front of an audience of only one thousand, they played their first death-growl free set list. First on stage was Katatonia, a Swedish doom metal band, whose powerful sound and melancholy chords captivated the audience.
Their sound quality left something to be desired, the lead guitars being drowned out by the drums and bass. Following Katatonia’s departure and a 45-minute intermission the lights dimmed and the crowd roared. The pit was alive with energy when Akerfeldt took the stage with constant screams and shouting. Wasting no time at all, the band kicked off into “The Devil’s Orchard,” their single from Heritage. The next two songs were also off the most recent album. In between songs, Akerfeldt, like a true showman, entertained the audience with jokes and casual conversation. He recanted stories of his children and playing badminton; a very unusual onstage personality for the proclaimed “master” of progressive death metal. The set flowed smoothly as the band’s new, warmer and “folksy” sound with less guitar distortion generated a more subtle and laid back atmosphere than previous concerts. It was Akerfeldt’s idea to play all the slow and non-growl songs on this tour as reflected by the new direction the band took since their album Damnation. Most of the songs were calm and reflective like “Hex Omega” and “Face of Melinda,” while some were comSee Barrel, page 19
ENTERTAINMENT
Technique • October 7, 2011 • 17
Centipede 2 contains few redeeming qualities FILM
Human Centipede 2 GENRE: Horror
Color
STARRING: Laurence R. Harvey, Ashlynn Yennie DIRECTOR: Tom Six RATING: R RELEASE DATE: Oct. 7
OUR TAKE: ««««« By Brent Hornilla Contributing Writer
Two weeks ago at Fantastic Fest, I had the pleasure of previewing The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence). Today being its official theatrical release, it seemed fitting to revisit it. That’s right: a followup to the movie whose very mention spurs a gag reflex. While its critical merit is debatable to say the least, there’s no denying the viral popularity of Tom Six’s 2009 film. However, Centipede 2 manages to make your innards curl in ways you simply did not know were possible. The few redeeming qualities of The Human Centipede (First Sequence) are abandoned entirely for the sequel, and in doing so Six succeeds in making the most grotesque and shocking film possible. The film takes a meta-narrative approach, picking up from the credits of the first Centipede and zooming out to reveal Martin
(Laurence R. Harvey), a parking garage security guard who we can safely assume has viewed this film dozens of times over. We are shown in a flashback that he was abused by his father as a child, only to be continually torn down by his overbearing mother as an adult, which supposedly justifies the mess of a movie that follows. Hoping to recreate the human centipede from his favorite film, Martin rents an all-too-convenient warehouse and begins abducting seemingly random people to make his twelve-part masterpiece. His ambition far overleaps Dr. Heiter’s of the original Centipede, made disgustingly apparent by Martin’s complete lack of medical precision. While the good doctor had a certain finesse to his procedures, Martin’s are conducted with rusty tools, a staple gun and some good old-fashioned duct tape. From start to finish, we find ourselves in shock; not because we can’t predict what happens next, but because our better judgment protests “He wouldn’t”—until he does, and without even the slightest trace of hesitation or remorse. It seems quite possible that Six made this film in response to the critical reception of his first endeavor. I imagine him quipping “Is that a challenge?” to reviews that claimed Centipede as amoral and disgusting. This time around he refused to hold back, drowning his fans with what they claim to
Photo courtesy of IFC Midnight
have craved. No detail is left to the imagination, no image is too vivid to be portrayed on film, and no thought is too horrifying to be realized. In fact, Centipede 2 has already been banned in the UK on the grounds that its content was too extreme to be classified; chances are, you’ll have trouble finding it in theaters around the U.S., too. That’s not to say that this movie is completely without merit. It is meant to disturb its audience, and it does so brilliantly. Between hammered teeth and severed tendons, you’ll learn to guffaw at the gore of Chanwook and Tarantino
alike. The metanarrative coupled with the black and white filter allows for optimal discomfort. All the while, Martin’s lack of any dialogue whatsoever makes Harvey’s performance exceptionally chilling. The fact of the matter is that this film is not meant to be enjoyed but appreciated, and even that can be too difficult to stomach. To describe Centipede 2 as dark would be an understatement; it is best described as pitch black. I would suggest this film to no one but the most die-hard of horror film fans if for no other reason than to be able to say “Yes, I saw it, but most days I wish I hadn’t.”
Swift
from page 15
across the world. The singing can be faked and the dancing left the to professionals, but this ability to send her emotions and thoughts to the audience is real. And her fans definitely were receiving them. When Swift took the stage, a scream rattled the foundations of Philips Arena which resonated far above the treble clef. Dogs in a three-mile radius howled, and bats fled for their lives. Surprise guest T.I. did nothing to quiet the audience. The shrieks of delight only let down during the songs, when every member of the audience was singing along, including the older people/chauffeurs (parents). Swift brought out tens of thousands of different people two nights in a row. This kind of popularity has at least a kernel of verisimilitude in it. Swift is immensely popular, with good reason. She has a loyal fan-base of a surprisingly diverse people who do not really mind that Swift is not a skilled singer. Instead, fans love Swift for her blend of honesty and approachability, which carries her far. She connects with the audience and doesn’t let go. And while she may not be a natural-born stage queen, she loves her audience and that love is reciprocated in spades. The Swift machine is just getting revved up and at this rate, Swift will be blending country and pop for years to come.
ENTERTAINMENT
18 • October 7, 2011 • Technique
Big Bang stays strong through Parsons TELEVISION
Big Bang Theory NETWORK: CBS WHEN: Thursdays, 8 p.m. STARRING: Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Jim Parsons
OUR TAKE: ««««« By Siddarth Sreeram Contributing Writer
The Big Bang Theory has returned with its newest season, and it is just as good as ever with Raj’s Indian accent, Howard’s failures in his love life, Leonard’s troubles with Penny and Sheldon’s everobnoxious attitude. The story resumes with Priya, Leonard’s girlfriend, moving back to India for further studies, leaving Leonard alone and disheartened in Pasadena, Calif. The Big Bang Theory has earned its fame for complicated, scientific names of episodes, and this season opens with “The Skank Reflex Analysis.” Producers Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady have cleverly decided to maximize the usage of their biggest advantage as an audience-entertainer: the obnoxious character, Sheldon Cooper. The episode begins with Sheldon pondering over a possible relationship between Raj and Penny, and Sheldon continues to hilariously annoy Leonard with his ingenious pick-up lines. We see a definite change in the relationship between Raj and Leonard that is only worsened by Sheldon’s insufferable attitude and ignorance to sensitivity for the situation. Howard is also not on the best of terms with Raj after he learns that Raj has been writing poems
Photo courtesy of CBS
about Bernadette, Howard’s fiancée. The general bad mood of the characters is wonderfully lightened by Sheldon’s intermittent remarks that are guaranteed to make you laugh out loud. The episode goes on to reveal, much to Raj’s dismay, that Penny deeply regrets her one-night-stand with him and does not want a serious relationship. We also see some brilliant acting by the innocent Bernadette, who displays her angry side toward Raj when she hears of his love poems about her. The sarcasm in the dialogue is alive and well and Sheldon continues to struggle to distinguish between serious talk and sarcasm—an attribute that viewers truly enjoy. In my opinion, his confusion is what brings the show to the stage and makes the audience sit up and watch. The title of the episode, however, is derived from a dialogue by Amy Ferrah Fowler, Sheldon’s “girlfriend.” Amy explains to Penny how microbiologists describe Penny’s pro-
miscuous behavior as “The Skank Reflex.” A fact that distinguishes this episode from others is a potential lack of legitimately scientific jokes or remarks. The humor is more in Sheldon’s ignorance or in general punch-lines. Episode two is entitled “The Infestation Hypothesis” and continues the dilemma between the protagonists. Leonard has a Skype date with his girlfriend Priya who is now in Mumbai, India; and Sheldon cannot help but be his usual self and poke into Leonard’s affairs yet again. The episode is centered around Sheldon and Leonard, with Sheldon showing his obsessive compulsive side when Penny takes a chair home from the side of the road. He believes that it is infested with lice and germs and tries to manipulate Amy Ferrah Fowler to talk Penny out of keeping the chair when he does not succeed in doing so. The humor is further heightened when it is revealed at the end of the episode that there are, in fact, rats in the chair.
Meanwhile, Leonard tries even harder to spice up his long-distance relationship with Priya. We see that Sheldon actually tries to help Leonard cope with his long-distance relationship by taking up a hobby, an idea that Leonard does not approve of. Howard and Raj also help with the technological side of things by trying to create some hilarious gadgets that enable long-distance relationships to work. In a nutshell, Season Five of The Big Bang Theory seems to be a giant success so far. The characters have, if anything, improved their dialogue delivery and acting. Johnny Galecki, who plays Leonard has sharpened his skills significantly and makes a substantial change to the show. Jim Parsons, playing the role of Sheldon, is just as impeccable as ever, and Raj, Howard and Penny continue to entertain on the sidelines. The new season of The Big Bang Theory is a must-watch for both math and science and comedy lovers.
Parks
from page 16
er esteemed actor, continues to charm audiences with his deadpan demeanor. When Ron and Leslie duck their troubles in a secluded cabin and decide between an afternoon of hunting, fishing or drinking, Leslie admits, “I’d really love to shoot a gun right now,” to which Ron replies, “Fishing, it is.” Patricia Clarkson, who plays the delectably callous Tammy I, also dominates the set as she lays claim to Ron’s financial assets and personal freedoms with the force of a corporate CEO, private-school headmaster and nun wrapped into a formidable package. Her transformation of Mr. Swanson into a clean-shaven, “neutered wimp” who exclaims, “Cool beans!” serves as yet another source of unmitigated hilarity and absurdity. Season four introduces a number of novel and exciting ambitions for the leading characters and their interpersonal relationships; however, the intermingling of Leslie’s bid for candidacy, Ron’s conflicts with previous wives, Tom’s dream of owning his own nightclub and Ann Perkins’ desire for more meaningful relationships that characterizes each episode run the risk of becoming a tiresome juggling act. The series’ writers also beat a dead horse as they endeavor to resurrect humor from the somewhat stale interplay between Ann and her perfectionist ex-boyfriend, Chris. As the creative team behind The Office jumps shark after shark in a futile attempt to dodge the drain it circles, Parks and Recreation stands as a genuine and inviting slice of Thursday-night comedy that offers endearing and well-developed characters and manages to entertain without resorting to overblown marriages, pregnancies or drug busts.
sliver
www.nique.net
my mom thinks lol means “lots of love”. she texted me “our dog died LOL.” Why can’t we get someone GOOD to perform at the homecoming concert? I personally like the missing T’s. It makes me feel at home. If I wanted a stale, cookie-cutter engineering school, I would leave the T’s up. “It will look good when the construction is done”.......hah ahahaha If it cost’s so much to replace thr T’s, what do you think you should stop doing? The word “sliver” sounds erotic steal the expensive Ts. don’t scratch off the cheap ones. It looks stupid love the new online layout technique thanks! I try to keep you happy. - Sliver guy in soviet russia, test takes you! in soviet russia, T steals you! suspension over stealing a T = draconian Is it bad to hook up with your FASET kids? #FASETleaderprob lems Man, those girls at Under the Couch are all pretty. Of course the hardest question on the exam is 20% of the grade. Freshman girls Dear girl sitting next to me in Orgo: I know you’re sick and it’s cold outside, but your tea smells awful. Please keep the lid on your cup. I think all the good “sliverers” graduated last year, step it up underclassmen! GT football has already exceeded my expectations for the season How does one become Sliver King? You must find the golden sliver in the Nique sliver chest. - Sliver guy I wish Al Groh would blitz more Two on campus sexual incidents, and no official response from the school? That’s really encouraging women to attend here. espn announcer called the Ramblin Wreck a model t, i lol’d
ENTERTAINMENT
Technique • October 7, 2011 • 19
Deschanel captivates as New Girl TELEVISION
New Girl
NETWORK: FOX WHEN: Tuesdays, 9 p.m. STARRING: Zoey Deschanel
OUR TAKE: ««««« By Amanda Florentine Contributing Writer
It is apparent from the moment New Girl begins that its main character was made for Zoey Deschanel. With the inclusion of her unique sense of humor through goofy and creative songs about the peculiar situations her character faces and her sporadic witty comments, the show promises to be quite a hit. Deschanel’s character, Jess, kicks off the premiere with her comical and dramatic recount of the discovery of her boyfriend cheating. When she returns to the present it is revealed that she is being interviewed by three unassuming guys who are looking for a new roommate for their apartment. Jess may not be the most likely choice as she is quite hurt and clueless, but once she reveals that her best friend is a model and is always bringing her other model friends around the guys reconsider and it is settled. Jess is the new girl. In the pilot episode Jess moves into the apartment and begins her period of post-breakup depression where she watches Dirty Dancing on a loop, much to her new roommates’ dismay. Once they realize they can only bear to see her with brokenhearted attitude for so long, they devise a plan to take her out in
Photo courtesy of FOX
hopes of her landing a date. Jess is thrilled with the prospect of getting over her ex-boyfriend, but the boys quickly realize that she needs a lot more help then they thought. After quite a bit of preparation, singing and comical advice, Jess heads out with her roommates, determined to get a rebound. The characters go to a bar and, after a terrible but humorous first attempt, Jess uses the advice her roommates gave her and gets a date, much to her and her roommates’ surprise and excitement. It is a great moment for the characters until Jess starts dancing, complete with her flashing her “granny panties” for everyone to see, in the middle of the bar. Jess is once again assisted with getting ready since her traumatic breakup left her scattered and confused about what to do, but she cleans up and heads out with high spirits. Meanwhile, the guys go to a “Wild Wild West” party where they see Jess’ date and immediately are faced with the decision of staying at the party or leaving to save Jess. The guys ultimately feel sorry
CLASSIFIEDS Real Estate Six Bedroom Townhouse Perfect for four, five, or six friends! Lease available starting end of Fall Semester. 6BR/ 5 full bath, W/ D, private parking. Large rooms, wet bar, safe neighborhood, close to campus, and very nice! Two miles from GaTech. Near Howell Mill Kroger. Email gthousing@yahoo.com
Announcements Super Discounts and Free Stuff! Everyone on Campus is getting cheap eats, movie tickets, 2 for 1 and FREE stuff! TEXT “YELLOWJACKETS” to 99000 to sign-up!
Employment/Jobs !!!Bartending!!! $250/Day Potential. No Experience Necessary. Age 18+ OK Training Available. CALL 800-965-6520 EXT 216
Advertise with us! Visit nique.net/ads
for their sweet and innocent new roommate and head over to prevent her from facing any more upset together. Jess realizes what has happened once her roommates appear and she begins to cry, but the characters successfully cheer her up by performing an amusing rendition of “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” in the middle of the restaurant. The premiere concludes with the cast in their apartment watching Dirty Dancing together, a cute and goofy ending to what promises to be a great rest of the season. The second episode of New Girl reintroduces Jess’ quirky humor and her roommates’ comical personas, but ultimately falls just a little short of the first episode. The episode centers around Jess standing up to her ex-boyfriend to get her possessions back from his house. At first she is settled on not returning as she knows it will only upset her, but once she breaks her roommates’ TV they basically force her to make a trip. Jess meets up with her ex-boyfriend, Spencer, in the park where it is revealed that he is completely
unaware of how odd their situation is to her. Their meeting leads to Spencer and his new bike-loving girlfriend getting a ride to the airport, an attempt to steal a TV from a pawn shop, and an even more distraught Jess. Once she returns to the apartment with no TV in hand, Nick decides to inspire Jess to stand up to Spencer, as he is her “kryptonite.” Jess gets angry and riled up before throwing in the catch: they are all going to Spencer’s house with her. The crew packs into Jess’ car and drives over to where he lives, which Jess drives by at least five times before building up the courage to stop. She walks to the door and Spencer hugs her while the carload shake their heads in disapproval. It seems as though their meeting is going to be just as big of a disaster as the first until Jess notices that Spencer has not been watering their plants and she goes a little crazy, throwing the plant on the ground and storming into his house to grab all of her things. Jess makes her grand exit from Spencer’s life with a soliloquy about how her life is much better without him and how her new roommates are the best thing that has happened to her. The show concludes with the group sitting on the couch once again trying to figure out what to watch on Jess’ mangled TV when she provides an array of chick flicks, effectively causing the guys to leave, except for one who eagerly returns a second later. Overall, New Girl has the potential to be one of the best comedies on TV thanks to its lovable cast and humorous approach to what could potentially be an emotional and upsetting situation, definitely making it a show to watch.
Barrel
from page 16
pletely acoustic like “Credence.” Despite the lack of aggressive metal songs the performance electrified the air and saturated the concert hall with pungent progressive rock grooves. The sound quality and mixing exceeded expectation to produce one of the most technically flawless concerts. Opeth’s musical ability and proficiency gave the crowd a top notch musical performance, nearly identical to studio album quality. However, there were some hecklers and disappointed metal fans who expected guitar shredding, mosh pits and heavy distortion, intense and aggressive pieces for which Opeth is famous. In between each song they yelled for more popular songs like “Ghosts of Perdition” and the concert staple “Deliverance,” to which Akerfeldt responded, “yes, but the set list is the only security I have.” Most of concert attendees had expected an Opeth show similar to their experience on the Blackwater tour, but the band’s direction led elsewhere. Conflicting accounts from band members give no clear indication of what the future will be, and there has been no announcement yet of another album. Regardless of the style of music, Opeth gave a masterful performance. Any music they play, they play well, extremely well. Perhaps the pinnacle of the concert was during “Porcelain Heart,” the single from the last album. The entire floor jumped in unison and screamed wildly during the guitar solo; it was a song both new and old listeners could appreciate. Much to the chagrin of the die-hard conservative metal fans, Opeth will continue to reinvent themselves over every album and concert tour. Beginning from their first album they have never stopped redefining what death metal can be, and they probably never will.
ENTERTAINMENT
20 • October 7, 2011 • Technique
Number prevails with chemistry FILM
What’s Your Number? GENRE: Comedy, Romance STARRING: Anna Faris, Chris Evans DIRECTOR: Mark Mylod RATING: R RELEASE DATE: Sept. 20
OUR TAKE: ««««« By Patricia Uceda Staff Writer
Anna Faris’s latest comedy What’s Your Number? has been panned by the critics. However, those critics might be expecting a little too much. For the romantic comedy genre What’s Your Number? is a wholly acceptable addition that puts a fun new spin on the generic romantic comedy plot line. Faris plays Ally Darling, a young 20-something who just can’t get the dating game right. Her unceremonious firing from her job as well as her younger sister’s impending marriage forces Ally to reevaluate her life, which she does in a hilarious way. The premise of this movie is based on all the superficial advice and statistics women’s magazines constantly pound into our heads. In this case, Ally falls prey to a ridiculous and sexist article that boldly claims that the average number of sexual partners a woman has in a lifetime is ten, and that if a woman has more than 20, they will be deemed unmarriageable by decent men. This news sends Ally into a tailspin since she has slept with 19 men so far, so she firmly resolves that the next man she sleeps with will be the man she marries.
Unfortunately, a one-night stand with her creepy boss completely ruins that plan, so Ally resolves to track down her 19 ex-boyfriends and to marry one of them. To help her with this mission Ally enlists her gorgeous neighbor Colin, played by Chris Evans, who is a playboy and also conveniently happens to specialize in tracking people down. Hilarious antics ensue as Ally dons everything from costumes to fake accents in her quest to find true love. Farris is hilarious as the clueless but determined Ally. Her comedic timing is spot-on, and her quirky delivery makes every situation even funnier. Chris Evans also delivers the laughs as the charming playboy with a heart of gold; be prepared to fall in love with him if you haven’t already. This movie excels in its strong supporting cast, featuring hilarious cameos by Andy Samberg and Joel McHale. Ari Graynor plays Daisy Darling, Ally’s classy and
slightly uptight younger sister who doesn’t necessarily agree with Ally’s outlandish antics but supports and loves her none the less. The ex-boyfriends are played nicely by a variety of talented actors including Thomas Lennon, Dave Annable, Anthony Mackie and Martin Freeman. Anna Faris’s husband Chris Pratt plays Disgusting Steve, one of her more memorable ex-boyfriends, and his appearances are a running joke throughout the movie. What really makes this film work is the undeniable chemistry between its leads Anna Faris and Chris Evans. It is completely natural and entertaining to watch them plan lazy days or banter back and forth. You really feel as if you are watching a real relationship develop, unbeknownst to the characters themselves. Overall, this film provides an enjoyable and entertaining experience for any romantic comedy lover.
CITY SCENE
Photo by Chris Gooley / Student Publications
By Brian Edmonds Contributing Writer
Hip Pop Festival Fans of underground and up close in person hip hop will get a kick out of the seventh A3C Hip Hop festival, the southeast’s largest hip hop festival. The festival takes place Thursday, Friday and Saturday and is being held at the Masquerade. A3C features mainly non-mainstream artists including BIG K.R.I.T., Murs and Dead Prez. In addition to the musical performances, the festival will host a variety of different samples of the underground hip hop culture. This includes album listening sessions, after parties and artist autograph signing opportunities. This is must for anyone who likes bumping beats and good times. Go to www.a3cfestival.com for information on tickets and much more.
Vegetarian Taste of Atlanta Healthy-minded people will enjoy the vegan and vegetarian taste of Atlanta food fair. Toss in free admission and most have no excuse not to journey down to the Castleberry Hill Art District on Oct. 8. Keep in mind that free admission does not mean free food. The city’s best vegan and vegetarian chefs will do their best to overwhelm your pallets with their healthiest and tastiest culinary creations. The fair also includes live DJs, giveaways and Tofu cookoffs. This is a can’t-miss for anyone looking to avoid the dreaded freshman fifteen. Photo courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Save a tree! Read us online!
nique.net
ENTERTAINMENT
Technique • October 7, 2011 • 21
Theme Crossword: What’s My Line By James Barrick United Features Syndicate ACROSS 1. Lame 5. Overwhelm 10. Tribal emblem 15. Branch 19. Roman god 20. Discernment 21. Teacher of Stradivari 22. Amerindian tribe 23. Concert pianist 25. Expert on whales 27. Awards 28. Arrange in rows: var. 30. Cancels 31. Loupe 32. Some shoes 33. Young oyster 34. Judges 37. Floating device 38. Time of pre-history: 2 wds. 42. Act DOWN
1. Stag 2. Part of CSA: abbr. 3. In -- parentis 4. Three of a kind 5. Spots 6. Cambria, presently 7. Final-sale words 8. Green or Rocky: abbr. 9. Like a flower part 10. Implied 11. Portents 12. London gallery 13. WWII acronym
43. Coin collector 46. A state: abbr. 47. Pen points 48. Howled 49. Big, in a way 50. Old Greek porch 51. Santa -52. Encrusted 53. Company of lions 54. Sap-sucking creature 55. Docent 57. Toad-like 58. Marched 59. Prepared apples 60. Scheherazade’s offerings 61. Elan -62. Like some salmon 64. Like a superhero 65. Of swimming 68. Lambasted 69. Old Celtic priest 70. Grinder 71. Oakland A’s pitcher -- Gonzalez 72. Cognate
73. Signified 74. Kitchen knife 75. Settle 76. Matter, in law 77. Certain painter 79. Body-armor piece 80. Alienate 82. Big cat’s thatch 83. Horizontal beam 84. Soon 85. Kicks 87. Homophone for seize 88. Fate 91. From head -- -92. Coruscates 96. Philosopher of being 98. Gem cutter 100. Deck items 101. Amah 102. Fill with gladness 103. “-- -- boy!” 104. Specify 105. Arab chieftain 106. Trained, in a way 107. Adolescent
14. Distance marker 15. Papal emissary 16. Blue flag 17. -- -en-scene 18. Bookie’s specialty 24. And voila! 26. Praying figure 29. Places 32. Ranted and raved 33. Islet anagram 34. Nephritic 35. Organic compound 36. Dealer in panatelas
37. Vendee 38. Contemplate 39. Book editor 40. Earth’s surface 41. Sidestep 43. Leafless 44. Spoiled 45. Underground passages 48. Made public 50. Jack in a rhyme 52. Preserved 53. Grew wan 54. Essential oil
56. Merely for show 57. Red deer 58. Plucked instrument 60. Put-down 61. Gentleman’s gentleman 62. Spook 63. Brands 64. Wetlands bird 65. Scandinavian 66. Salon preparation 67. Bumpkin
69. Condescend 70. Mammoth pipes 73. Quality of tiresome speech 74. Thrombocyte 75. Vedic language 77. Dashboard 78. K-P link 79. Glittering headband 81. Having branches 83. Kind of gas 85. -- comitatus
86. Sheer 87. Malevolence 88. Riddle in Zen 89. Quechua 90. Check 91. Tricycle part 92. Inbox clogger 93. Less sugar, less fat 94. -- quam videri 95. Getz or Laurel 97. Xanthan 99. -- -- carte
22 • October 7, 2011 • Technique
Piled Higher & Deeper by Jorge Cham
Crossword Solution from page 21
COMICS
Non Sequitur by Wiley
COMICS
Non Sequitur by Wiley
DILBERT ® by Scott Adams
Technique • October 7, 2011 • 23
technique
making friday lectures more interesting
Technique • October 7, 2011 • 25
SPORTS
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. Greetings from Raleigh, N.C., where Tech just downed N.C. State, despite the team’s worst offensive game of the young season. With nothing sparking my interest after this sloppy game, I have decided to talk about a subject that I am sure some of my more athletic classmates will take some interest in. That is the issue of paying student athletes for playing their respective sports. It is easy to see why some people would be in favor of college athletes getting paid what with the billions of television dollars that get tossed around, increasing corruption in athletics and the sad picture that the media portrays of poor college athletes. But I am not one of those people. While it may seem that college players are struggling while men in suits count their money, the fact is that only about a dozen of athletic programs make a profit. So if this is true, then where will athletic programs get the money
to pay the players? Some programs could get plenty of money from boosters to pay the players, but other schools do not have donors with deep pockets that care about athletics. The sad truth is that most schools could not even come up with the money to pay the players, so if the NCAA were to allow schools to pay players, it would lead to even more inequality in college athletics. Would you rather get paid to play for Alabama or get nothing to play for Auburn? The level competition in the Iron Bowl would become obsolete almost instantly. Colleges could raise the money to pay players by raising the mandatory athletic fee on students. How would you like to start paying your classmates to compete against you in class? Or they could try to raise capitol by increasing ticket prices. Then Bobby Dodd would be even more of a ghost town than it has been so far this season.
Photo by John Nakano / Student Publications
Many people think that players who play in high revenue sports should be paid. Would it be fair to pay men’s football and basketball athletes, but not those playing women’s volleyball and basketball? There is not an easy solution to the problem of raising money to pay the players, or at least I am not smart enough to think of one. Where is an ECON major when you need one? Should schools find a way to get enough cash to pay athletes, another problem I have is the issue of who gets paid what. Everybody knows that football makes the most money for the athletic department, but the folks that wrote Title IX might have an issue with football players getting paid more than the members of the softball team. If schools still want to pay athletes, they would have to cut the programs that make the least amount of money. If that sport were a women’s sport, then the school would have to cut a men’s sport because of Title IX. Why
would a school stop at one or two sports when only two make money? Schools could end up cutting baseball or volleyball and I cannot speak for all of my peers, but I like the idea of going to a Tech sporting event on any given night. I would go insane if I had to wait a whole week to see a Tech sporting event. Also, one thing that I love about college athletics is the motivation that the student athletes have for their respective games. College athletes play because they generally love the sport and the competition. Sure, some of them will become professionals, at which point their motivation will be about fame and money, but while they are in college, they play for the right reasons. College athletics are the purest forms of
the sports and money would do what it does to most things in life: ruin it. Instead of focusing on the lack of pocket change in college athlete’s gym shorts, focus on what they do have. Athletes get a free education, and in the case of Tech, the athletes get a great education. They get a free place to stay, free tutoring and free books. How many of you Tech students can claim that? College sports is great for marketing and campus morale, so do athletes get the short end of the stick considering all they do for the school? Absolutely, but they still get an honor that money cannot buy and something that not a lot of us can claim: the right to say that they were once a college athlete. Today, they will have to settle for that.
26 • October 7, 2011 • Technique
Wolfpack
SPORTS
Volleyball
from page 28
touchdown of the day. After another quick three-andout for the Wolfpack ending in a sack, the Jackets received the ball at the NC State 48. The Jackets quickly drove the ball to a goal line situation but were pushed back to the nine yard line and faced a third-and-long situation. Washington hit redshirt sophomore B-back David Sims on an out route for a touchdown and a 21-0 lead for the Jackets. NC State took over for the remainder of the first half, with a 19 play, 81-yard drive that resulted in a turnover on downs and took 9:50 off of the clock. They then forced the Jackets into a threeand-out and capitalized with a nine play, 49-yard touchdown drive to bring the score to 21-7 at halftime and take 11:29 off of the clock in the second quarter. The Jackets received the ball to start the second half but faced another three-and-out situation before giving the ball back to the Wolfpack 46 yards away from the endzone. The Wolfpack capitalized on the field position with a one-play 46 yard rush to cut the score to 21-14 and bring NC State within one score. Both teams exchanged possessions through the remainder of the third quarter, and the Jackets went into the fourth quarter driving with the score still at 21-14. The Jackets drove to the NC State five yard line before facing a fourth down situation. The Jackets lined up and forced the Wolfpack offsides on the play to gain a fresh set of downs. Two plays later, Smith found the endzone on a two-yard run and his final touchdown of the day. The Wolfpack received the ensuing kick and returned the ball to their own 17-yard line. NC State quarterback Mike Glennon felt some heavy pressure on first down and threw a deep pass that was
Photo by Josh Sandler / Student Publications
Orwin Smith catches a 30-yard pass over the head of a Wolfpack defender on third down. The catch was Smith’s only one of the day.
intercepted by sophomore safety Isaiah Johnson and returned 34 yards for a touchdown. The Jackets had scored two touchdowns in a six second span and had a comfortable 35-14 lead with 12:29 left in the game. The Jackets then forced a quick turnover on downs at the Wolfpack’s 38 yard line, and Washington hit senior A-back Roddy Jones on the next play for a touchdown and a 42-14 lead with 10:07 left to play. The Wolfpack would not give up though, with Glennon hitting all four of his pass attempts on the next drive and scoring a quick touchdown with a one yard completion and 7:47 left on the clock. NC State elected to kick an onside kick, but the kick was re-
covered by Thomas and returned to the NC State 24. The Jackets were forced to kick a field goal and brought the score to 45-21 before a late surge by the Wolfpack. The Wolfpack scored with 0:34 left in the game on a touchdown by Tyler Brosius to Tyler Purvis. Then on the ensuing play by the Jackets, redshirt freshman quarterback Synjyn Days fumbled the ball and the Wolfpack returned it 33 yards for a touchdown cutting their deficit to ten points in a 14 second span. NC State did not recover the ensuing onside kick after an illegal touching penalty, and the Jackets ended the game with the final score set at 45-35. The Jackets will face Maryland at Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday at 12:00 p.m.
from page 28
Set four was plagued by errors from both teams, but the Wolfpack took more care during their possessions and the Jackets fell to NC State 25-22. In the fifth set, the Wolfpack finished off Tech in a 20-18 upset. In this set, three of the 12 Tech service errors in the match were committed, including one that led to a tie in the set at 16-16. After two lead changes, NC State tied the set at 18-18, and a block and kill by NC’s senior middle blocker Margaret Salata ended the match. “We didn’t realize that NC State wasn’t going to lay down. They came back hard, and they came back fighting. It was just a couple small errors that sent them over the edge. We just [have] to be able to put the ball away, to finish and close,” Mead said. At the end of the upset match, Mead had nine digs, six block assists, and 27 kills, leading all players in kills. Percy had 13 kills, while Stawicka and sophomore middle blocker Quinn Evans logged 12 apiece. Stawicka, falling shy of a double-double, had a match-best nine block assists. Freshman middle blocker/outside hitter Courtney Felinski added four kills. On the defensive end, Meyer notched 25 digs. The Jackets faced North Carolina on Saturday, Oct. 1 while hosting the Dig for the Cure night for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. The Tar Heels, who are 12-3 and undefeated in ACC play, swept Tech in three sets. The first set was back-and-forth to eventually go in favor of North Carolina in a 28-26 victory. Both teams had multiple chances to take the set, but the Tar Heels were more effective on blocking and kills to gain points. UNC’s Cora Harms and Cameron Von Noy had a key block to set up the set win and a 1-0 lead. For Tech, Stawicka amassed four kills and a
block to keep set one close. Stawicka finished the match with 11 kills on 17 attempts for a .647 hitting percentage. Setting the tone early with blocks in set two, the Tar Heels quickly gained point advantage. This set was similar to set one with points going back-and-forth, but North Carolina notched seven straight points from the service line to bring the score to 19-11. Attempting to keep Tech within striking opportunity, Mead and Stawicka both had four kills in the set. Errors were problematic for both teams, but a Tar Heel kill ended in the set at 25-18 and put North Carolina up 2-0 for the match. In the third set, Tech changed its lineup, substituting in sophomore setter Kaleigh Colson and junior middle blocker Alexis Woodson. Leading most of set three, the Jackets used the change to their benefit. But, a late run by the Tar Heels gave North Carolina the win with a close 27-25 set win and the overall victory. “We errored ourselves out. We played for ourselves and them too; we did the work for them… you can’t win games working for the opponent. At the end of the day, we need people to step up and we didn’t have that neither tonight nor last night. We started off strong and lost our confidence in the end, and you just can’t win matches that way,” said Head Coach Tonya Johnson. With a .647 hitting percentage, Stawicka had four blocks and a team-high 11 kills on 17 attempts for the match against North Carolina, while Mead amassed 10 kills. Offensive execution was an issue for the Jackets during both matches against NC State and North Carolina. Tech will face Maryland Friday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m. to continue ACC play and Boston College the following Sunday at 1 p.m., both in O’Keefe Gym.
sliver
www.nique.net
We’d like to hear from you. Write us a letter. letters@nique.net
As much as I loathe most women at Tech because you all have TBS, ladies, please take the stingerette or walk home with a guy late at night so you’re safe. Sliver king, reveal yourself. Never! Thou art not worthy. Sliver more and perhaps I shall Sliver guy My roommate loves to wake me up with his laughing every night people complainin bout lack of student support for our mediocre football team playin an even worse team and tellin students to stop studin and to come to the game= 2.0gpa mgt majors Let’s Go Jackets! This year Clemson vs GaTech for the ACC Championship! Sliver Queen? No, definitely Sliver King. I prefer Sliver guy. - Sliver guy Why do people wear polos with basketball shorts? Wow you must be really good at singing and playing the banjo if you’re playing out in the 8th street courtyard at 3 a.m. Get to tha CHOPPA!!!! -Arnold Go Dale Jr.! wombology i wombo you wombo he she it wombos i will punch anyone who says “tech walk”. skiles4life. Why is it suddenly cool again to wear cheap plastic 80’s-style sunglasses? arch students- yall were cute! come back anytime <3 Chorale its INventory not inVENTory Bobby Dodd would be proud of this year’s football team. GO JACKETS! If You Went To See Coldplay Instead of Tech’s Football Game... Coach Johnson WILL find You. Coach Paul Johnson: I Love You...For Real on reddit? subscribe to /r/gatech! oh hey trolley driver, thanks for closing the door when i was about to get in the bus English Prof asks me, “Characterize The Great Gatsby.” I respond, “He was GREAT!” Development Arrested
SPORTS
Technique • October 7, 2011 • 27
MARYLAND AT TECH - OCT. 8 (12:00 p.m.)
VS. The Jackets return home from a 45-35 road win in Raleigh, NC to face off against the Maryland Terrapins. The Jackets are undefeated with a 5-0 record and are using their high powered option offense to collectively outscore their opponents 258-129 throughout the season. The Jackets lead the all time series 13-6, and Saturday’s matchup will be the first time since 2007 that the two teams have faced off. Tech will be looking to bring their conference record to 3-0, along with remaining undefeated at home. In order for the Jackets to avoid the upset, they will have to execute the following. The Jackets’ front seven will have to force Maryland quarterback Danny O’Brien into mistakes. O’Brien is in his second year at Maryland after earning ACC Rookie of the Year award in 2010. Despite his strong play, he is still mistake prone when the pocket is collapsing. In Maryland’s contest against West Virginia, O’Brien threw three interceptions and could not overcome the turnovers in the end. If the Jackets’ front line can move O’Brien out of his comfort zone, they should be able to force some turnovers. Second, the Jackets’ backups will have to play well in the possible absence of starters at linebacker. Sophomore outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu and redshirt sophomore inside linebacker Daniel Drummond both suffered injuries against NC State, and may not play during the game against the Terps. Redshirt junior Malcolm Monroe and redshirt freshman Quayshawn Nealy will have to step up their performance in the case that both players are absent and be able to aid in run support and pass coverage. Finally, the Jackets will have to reestablish an efficient passing game. Redshirt junior quarterback Tevin Washington struggled against NC State, only hitting four passing for a 33 percent completion percentage. Washington missed several wide open throws in Raleigh and will have to hook up with junior wide receiver Stephen Hill among his other receivers in order to make the running game more effective.
PREDICTION: Tech 49, Maryland 24
JACKETS
Photo by Josh Sandler / Student Publications
After starting their season with a conference win against Miami, the Maryland Terrapins have lost two of their last three contests to West Virginia and Temple. Despite their shortcomings, the Terrapins are still undefeated in conference play and head on the road for the first time to face the Jackets. The Terrapins rank in the bottom half of the ACC in almost every major statistic. If the Terrapins want to earn their first road win of the season, they will have to do the following. Maryland will have to establish a running game in order to free up some pressure off of quarterback Danny O’Brien. Senior running back Davin Meggett has been averaging 81.75 yards per contest and five yards per carry. If Meggett can force the Tech defense to respect the running game, the play-action will open up and allow O’Brien to have more time in the pocket. Meggett should have an advantage with two of Tech’s linebackers listed as playing in the game. If he can expose the mismatch, he can help Maryland’s attack and help win the time-of-possession battle. With a run game established, the second task that Maryland will have to accomplish is to build up O’Brien’s confidence. Maryland should kick off the game with some easy throws and play-action passes in order to make sure their quarterback is comfortable throwing the ball so that he is less likely to be error prone. O’Brien is averaging 37.5 pass attempts per game, the highest average in the ACC. If he hits some short passes early, he will feel more comfortable looking down the field and throwing deeper routes to some of his speedy receivers. Finally, Maryland will need to slow down Tech’s run game by allocating extra defenders to stack the box. If the Terrapins can rely on their cornerbacks to defend senior receiver Tyler Melton and junior receiver Stephen Hill one-on-one, they can stack the box with nine defenders and more effectively stop the run game. However, if they allow big plays in the passing game early, the Terps will have to back off the line of scrimmage and more honestly defend the pass. If Tech is allowed to get it’s run game going, Maryland will have to score on almost every possession to keep up.
Photo courtesy of Greg Fiume, Maryland Athletics
TERRAPINS
By Alex Sohani, Sports Editor
Sports
sports@nique.net Sports Editor: Alex Sohani
Pay for Play
Technique
Alex Mitchell dives into the debate regarding whether or not student athletes should be paid.424
Friday, October 7, 2011
UNDEFEATED Tech pushes past N.C. State, 45-35
Photo by Josh Sandler / Student Publications
Orwin Smith tiptoes down the sideline after receiving a pitch from Tevin Washington on the perimeter. Smith finished the day with three touchdowns on the ground and 104 yards of total offense, averaging 8.2 yards per carry on nine attempts. By Alex Sohani Sports Editor
After notching their first conference win at home against North Carolina, the Jackets went on the road to Raleigh, NC to face off against the NC State Wolfpack on Oct. 1. The Jackets opened up to an early lead and, despite struggling through the middle of the game, they closed the game strong in a 45-35 victory. Tech amassed their lowest yardage total of the season
with 413 yards of offense and also allowed the NC State offense to gain 387 yards. Redshirt junior quarterback Tevin Washington had his worst passing game of the season, only completing four of his 12 passes for 117 yards. Tech won the toss and elected to defer until the second half. The Jackets defense forced a quick three-and-out and only allowed the Wolfpack to gain one yard. Tech then drove 11 yards after the punt before missing three consecu-
tive pass attempts. The Jackets appeared to line up in punt formation on fourth down, but the ball was snapped directly to sophomore defensive back Jemea Thomas and run for 27 yards and the first down. The Jackets used the momentum swing and scored four plays later on a 13-yard run by junior A-back Orwin Smith. The Wolfpack began their next drive at their own 32 yard line and drove the ball 37 yards downfield to the Tech 31. NC State’s James Washington ac-
but NC State fought to trade a series of points through the rest of the set. Though the first set was close, saves from junior libero Nicki Meyer and kills from junior rightside hitter Monique Mead gave the Jackets some breathing room. Ultimately, Tech relied on Wolfpack errors and a nice play by sophomore outside hitter Jennifer Percy to get a 25-20 first-set win. NC State’s .133 hitting percentage kept the Wolfpack from staying in the set, compared to Tech’s .412 hitting percentage. The second set was nearly identical to the first. Senior middle blocker Asia Stawicka and Mead combined for three blocks and 13 total kills. It appeared that Tech would easily go up 2-0 early on in the set, but a persistent NC State fought back to lead the Jackets
by a point. In a response to the Wolfpack’s run, Tech scored seven straight points to take a 24-19 lead. Four of the seven were kills from Mead, and one was from a Stawicka-Mead block. With her eighth kill of the set, Mead led the Jackets to a 25-20 victory over NC State in the second set and a 2-0 lead. In set three, the Wolfpack found some success and halted the Jacket offense to get a 2523 victory to avoid the sweep by Tech. NC State had six blocks and ten digs to limit Tech to hitting .171, a great increase from the Jackets’ .312 of the first two sets. The Wolfpack took advantage of the seven Tech errors in the set in order to earn key points to maintain their lead.
counted for 27 of the total yards, but could not convert on a third down attempt. The Wolfpack elected to attempt a field goal, but missed the 48yard attempt, giving the ball back to the Jackets. The Jackets responded with a 40-yard completion to junior wide receiver Stephen Hill on the first play of the drive. Five plays later, the Jackets brought the score to 14-0 on a nineyard run by Smith, his second See Wolfpack, page 26
28
Men’s tennis hosts GT Invitational By Nishant Prasadh Development Editor
Four players from Tech’s men’s tennis team took part in tournament play over the weekend and saw mixed success. Freshmen Eduardo Segura and Vikram Hundal played in the Georgia Tech Fall Invitational from Oct. 1-3, while senior Dusan Miljevic, senior Kevin King and junior Juan Melian competed in the qualifying rounds of the 2011 ITA Men’s All-American Championships from Oct. 3-5. The tournament featured 58 players from around the country in both singles and doubles draws, with Segura, Hundal and Colin Edwards slated to represent the Jackets. Injuries, however, derailed the plan. Hundal and Segura were forced to retire from their match in the A draw of the doubles bracket against Louisville’s Adan McDonald and Chris Simich after Hundal suffered an injury. As a result, Hundal also had to withdraw from his singles match against MTSU’s Marlon Brand. Segura remained active and won his opening match in the A draw of the singles bracket, defeating Louisville’s Simich 6-3, 6-4. He did not advance further, though, as Matus Mydla of Armstrong Atlantic defeated Segura 6-4, 6-1 in the Round of 16. Miljevic was an entrant in the pre-qualifying round of the ITA tournament in Tulsa, Okla. The senior faced Andrew Butz of Florida in the second round; the match was close, but Butz held off Miljevic to win in straight sets 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (8-6). In the qualifying singles draw, both King and Melian advanced to the third round and faced off against foes from Vanderbilt on Wednesday, Oct. 5. King won in straight sets over Gonzales Austin 6-4, 6-1 to advance to the main draw, while Melian pulled ahead early but dropped a three-set contest to Charlie Jones 0-6, 7-5, 6-1. Melian was eliminated with the loss, but King advanced and will compete in the singles main draw, which began on Thursday, Oct. 6. Junior Juan Spir will also be in the singles main draw; additionally, King and Spir are the top-seeded pair in the doubles main draw, which also began on Thursday.
Volleyball loses two straight conference matches By Danielle Sharpe Contributing Writer
Coming off of a 3-1 victory against Wake Forest, the Tech volleyball team picked up two straight ACC losses, one from NC State and the other from North Carolina. The Jackets fell to the NC State Wolfpack on Sept. 30 at O’Keefe Gym after winning the first two sets. Tech was also handed a loss in three sets by the North Carolina Tar Heels on Oct. 1 at home, ending the weekend with an 8-7 overall, 1-4 ACC record on the season. Against the Wolfpack on Friday night, Tech won the first two sets 25-20, 25-20, but was swept by NC State in the last three sets 23-25, 22-25, and 18-20. In the first set, the Jackets used a 6-1 run to take the lead in the first set 9-4,
See Volleyball, page 26
Photo by John Nakano / Student Publications
Zoey Morton prepares to serve the ball against the Wolfpack. Morton played in every set and finished the day with four digs in the five set loss.