Oct. 28, 2011

Technique Friday, October 28, 2011• Volume 97, Issue 14 • nique.net

The South’s Liveliest College Newspaper

Make your own costume Flip to Focus this week to read about creative Halloween costume ideas.49

HOMECOMING STEP-DOWN

Students take stage at Ferst Center for annual show

Roosevelt Inst. facilitates education talk

By Joe Boltri Contributing Writer

By Madison Lee Contributing Writer

The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) presented its fourth annual Homecoming Step Show to a full house in the Ferst Center last Friday night. The competition showcased the rhythmic talent of members from eight historically black fraternities and sororities on campus.

A time-honored percussive dance,

stepping is a complex combination of modern and traditional moves that range from stomping and clapping to the vocal chants unique to each fraternity and sorority.

After the students completed their performances, the judges announced that the winners of the competition this year were both the men of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and also the laSee Step, page 5

Photos by Ben Stewart / Student Publications

Students showcased a variety of different themes at this year’s show.

On the evening of Thursday, Oct. 20, members of the Tech community gathered in the Clary Theater in the Student Success Center to attend an education discussion hosted by the GT Roosevelt Institution. The evening consisted of a showing of the documentary Waiting for Superman followed by a panel discussion between those attending and several Atlanta leaders involved in the education field.

The three panelists that were invited to field questions from the students and faculty in attendance were David Jernigan, Executive Director for the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) of Metro Atlanta; Jerri Nims Rooker, Director of the Center for an Educated Georgia; and Kim Seoudy, Georgia Recruitment Manager for Teach for America. The goal of the program was to promote an awareness and understanding of the issues faced by the American education system.

“We wanted to get people engaged initially via the film and let the panelists bring it back to a more tangible level,” said Haley Gillett, Project Coordinator for the screening and discussion and a fourth-year PUBP major. “Having members of the community as speakers made it more real for us as students to get involved as advocates.”

GT Roosevelt Institution leadership also sought to begin a dialogue that could lead to tangible solutions to current problems in the education system. The panel first fielded several rounds of questioning from President of the GT Roosevelt Institution Chris Esposo and then engaged in a general discussion with all those attending.

“We need rigorous thinkers like the people here at Tech to form cross-collaborative partnerships to make meaningful change,” Esposo said.

“Tech’s students aren’t usually exposed to these social issues, but from them we can gain insight that is not found in our regular course work.”

Waiting for Superman, released last year, documents the many flaws that can be found See Roosevelt, page 2

TEAM Buzz celebrates 15th anniversary with service

By Katherine Mitchell Contributing Writer

Approximately 1,700 members of the Tech community gathered at the campanile in order to participate in TEAM Buzz, an annual day of service geared toward improving the Atlanta area this past weekend.

Initially founded with the idea of bringing the Tech community together while simultaneously providing service to the Atlanta community, TEAM Buzz organizers provided breakfast, a guest speaker, lunch, t-shirts and a postservice celebration to the hundreds of students that volunteered their Saturday morning.

“It’s nice to have a day devoted to getting off campus and doing some good,” said Nate Muller, the Outreach Chair for TEAM Buzz, who attributed the success of TEAM Buzz to the change in

scenery it provides Tech students.

“Existing in our little stressful bubble in the middle of Atlanta, [we like] to get that warm feeling of helping out someone else rather than having to think about your thermo homework.”

Attendees could choose from approximately 32 projects, including those that focused on the environment, education, animal rights and medical care, each of which lasted approximately three hours and required participants to venture out into different communities. Grant Park Conservancy, Discovery Program, Furkids, Inc. and MedShare were some examples of the projects available for students to choose.

Joseph Taylor, a first grader at Flat Shoals Elementary, was one of the students who received tutoring by volunteers via the Discovery Program, a student-led Saturday tutoring and enrichment

program.

“My favorite part was counting the strawberries,” Taylor said, who practiced his math skills during the tutoring session.

By the time TEAM Buzz had ended, he had answered fifty addition problems and one word problem and had won two rounds of a counting game.

Norquata Allen, a project coordinator and a second-year AE major, attributed her involvement with this year’s TEAM Buzz to past events by the organization.

“I really enjoyed [TEAM Buzz] last year and wanted to become more involved with it,” Allen said.

Despite its recent completion, plans to improve next year’s event have begun already, including serving better food options as an extra “thank you” to TEAM Buzz participants and pushing for more See Buzz, page 2

Photo by Sho Kitamura / Student Publications

Students gather at the campanile before breaking off into smaller groups. This year’s TEAM Buzz featured over 32 service projects.

NEWS

2 • October 28, 2011 • Technique

Buzz

Technique

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from page 1

student body involvement.

However, TEAM Buzz isn’t restricted solely to the Atlanta campus. Chan noted that the scope of the group has grown significantly, expanding across the nation to encompass various GT alumni clubs.

In addition, Muller anticipates similar TEAM Buzz events to occur at other universities across the nation. He adds that international TEAM Buzz participation has occurred in France and Amsterdam this year.

The ultimate goal in the end, announced by the the organizers during the morning’s organizational period, has been and will continue to be to get as many people as possible to embrace the idea of “The BUZZness of giving back.”

Roosevelt

from page 1

throughout the American educational system and explores both the efficacy and downfalls of potential solutions thereof.

“Either kids are getting stupider every year, or something is wrong in the education system,” said Geoffrey Canada, President of the Harlem Children’s Zone and prominent voice throughout the movie. “The problem is our schools haven’t changed, but the world around them has.”

Much to the surprise of the panelists, who admitted that they were initially expecting to be answering questions in front of a room full of PUBP and other non-engineering majors, members of the audience spanned the range of majors and areas of interest.

For example, Henning Blunck, a German exchange-student seek-

ing his Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering, said he was curious as to how the problems faced by the American system compared to those faced in Germany and throughout the rest of Europe.

“The correlation between where you come from and what you learn in school is striking, both here and back in Germany.

We must overcome the resistance to change that comes primarily from those who prefer the current system,” Blunck said.

Ultimately, the panelists stressed the idea that one of the easiest and most effective solutions to the system’s many problems is to find motivated and capable teachers.

“The challenge is to find people who could do anything, who would be at the front of their chosen field, and get them passionate about teaching,” Seoudy said.

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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.

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NEWS

Council Clippings

This week in Student Government

E

By Jordan Lockwood and Sam Somani Contributing Writers

ach week, this section includes coverage of different aspects of Student Government, including the Undergraduate House of Representatives, Graduate Student Senate and the Executive Branch of both governments.

business more efficiently and provide us with data that SGA was not able to collect in the past.”

The new clickers also increase voting facilitation by a countdown timer and the presentation of the breakdown of the votes on a large presentation screen, which is available for all members to see.

So You Think You Can Dance?

Photo by Sho Kitamura / Student Publications

GSS and UHR have been dealing with issues with their PRS system, which is used for voting procedures and tracking weekly attendance.

Student Death

PRS

James Black, Graduate Student Body President, introduced a Joint Resolution to Express Condolences last Tuesday in order to formally recognize the suicide of a PhD candidate last week. Nimrod Rooz was an AE PhD candidate who passed away on Monday, Oct. 17.

The bill was immediately moved to a vote and passed unanimously. The Senate is also in talks with Dr. Ruperto Perez, Director of the Counseling Center, to pursue new avenues to promote mental health among students.

In UHR, the bill was also motioned to a vote after its arrival to the floor and passed unanimously by the representative body present at the time.

Because of the continued problems with the old PRS system used for voting procedures and attendance, both houses have begun using a new PRS system for tallying votes.

The GSS aims to eventually allow constituents to view their senators’ voting records via an online database, made possible by the PRS software.

“Sharing this data with our constituents is critical to ensure that proper communication is taking place around campus and truly the best decisions are being made for the student body,” said Mihir Pathak, Graduate Executive Vice President and ME PhD student. “All things considered, these new systems help conduct

sliver

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anybody that has a tablet... doesn’t need a tablet brush it off jackets!! you’ve got better games to win! we get it, zombies are like scary or whatever, stop making movies now sliver guy: are you new this semester or in the past have you been remaining quiet, a silent guardian, a watchful protector, a dark knight? i really want to watch that movie without getting drunk and missing the good parts whoa, just got a math boner, i’m not proud of it, but it happened at least Buzz is still undefeated the best way to cleanse the gene pool is for girls to stop dating guys that wear backwards hats. take a break, natural selection, we got this come one, SGA. Course critique is a year old now. registration in two weeks. seriously? srsly SGA? fix course critique!!!

You’re in college now. It’s time to take off your letterman jacket. cold weather means layers Attention Wannabe Audiophiles: 2 tips: 1. Your Beats(tm) headphones do not improve the quality of your crappy .mp3s. 2. Modern vinyl means nothing since the music is still recorded digitally first. That is all. For now.

To hipster on the Stinger playing the ukelele: stop. what a gloriously wonderful opportunity i missed, sigh... i’m serious about that hat thing better late than never but never late is better Siri, you make my life complete starbucks green tea frapp everytime Some BME teachers are hypocrites; they are devoid of the very thing they study: life.

To the hott girl sitting next to me in the CULC... oh wait, you’re already my girlfriend I wish I could have nominated Sliverking for Mr. GT Nice job with the out-of-order safety poles. Those are REALLY effective.

Morgan Arnold, chair of Arts and Culture for the Student Center Programs Council, appeared to defend a bill introduced by John Semmens (ME) to fund the third annual “So You Think Tech Can Dance (SYTTCD)?” competition.

“SGA’s assistance is helping to cover the cost of the Ferst Center for our dress rehearsal and for the actual event,” said Arnold. Due to a recent change in the SGA’s policy where organizational discounts to rent Ferst were discontinued because of an end-of-theyear accumulation of a lump sum, SGA was forced to ask money for SYTTCD’s rental of the theatre for two days. The competition will be held on Feb. 8.

The Tower

Another bill that was passed in UHR was the approval of funding for six new magazine racks for The Tower, Tech’s undergraduate research journal, which would aid in the distribution of the publication to a wider audience.

There was contention in the GSS regarding this issue, however.

Some senators were concerned that the purchasing of additional racks was unnecessary to develop a wider circulation. They recommended that the existing racks simply be replaced. The organizational representative from The Tower explained that the existing racks were being effectively used and that new racks were indeed necessary to reach new readers.

Technique • October 28, 2011 • 3

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.

EU reveals plan to resolve Euro crisis

Banks have agreed to take a 50 percent loss on the Greek debt, the EU announced early Wednesday morning.

This agreement represents a significant step towards protecting and ensuring the longevity of the euro. The currency for the majority of EU members, the euro has been on shaky ground of late, especially in light of the incredible amount of Greek debt, as well as that from Italy and other countries.

Occupy Wall Street turns violent Several cities that have taken significant strides to shut down the Occupy Wall Street protesters in their respective areas.

Oakland, San Francisco and Atlanta have all taken action against the protesters.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed ordered 53 protesters arrested and their tents taken down, citing a lack of safety following an impromptu hip-hop concert over the weekend.

In Oakland, police used tear gas on protesters late Tuesday to prevent them from reclaiming an area that had been cleared

and fenced off. The crowd eventually removed the fencing and reclaimed the area after nearly 100 arrests and several injuries.

Officials in San Francisco made several statements to the protesters about the waste and unsanitary conditions generated by the protests. Other cities seem likely to follow suit, with hundreds of arrests being made in cities such as Chicago and Philadelphia over the past week.

Obama releases new student loan plan On Wednesday, the President announced that he would use an executive order to make new benefits available to student borrowers as early as 2012.

According to the original plan, which Congress approved in 2010, borrowers would be able to reduce their monthly payments from fifteen to ten percent of their discretionary income as of the year 2014.

The plan also says that borrowers’ balances of debt will be forgiven after 20 years of payments, rather than in 25 years. Theses anouncements come on the heels of USAToday’s report that student debt will reach over $1 trillion by the end of the year.

The purpose of the new plan, called “Pay As You Earn,” is intended to lower monthly federal student loan payments for Americans whose burden of debt is disproportionate to their earning abilities.

NEWS

SunTrust CEO defends banking

By Jordan Lockwood Contributing Writer

Bill Rogers, President and CEO of SunTrust Bank, addressed students and faculty at the IMPACT Speaker Series on Wednesday evening.

“It is truly a privilege to be able to hear and learn from notable business leaders such as Bill Rogers at the weekly IMPACT Speaker Series. Listening to successful leaders share their experiences and provide advice is very insightful,” says Kia Andrews, President of the Society of Women in Business Photo by Sho Kitamura / Student Publications and a third-year BA major.

CEO of SunTrust Bank Bill Rogers fielded questions about new Rodgers spoke about SunTrust’s ongoing positive relation- charges for debit card use and the Occupy Wall Street movement. ship with Tech, including its acRodgers assumed his role at tive recruitment of student talent have a place in the dialogue, and in all academic areas and a recent after asking what they wanted, we SunTrust in June 2011, after hold$200,000 charitable pledge to heard concerns about flexibility,” ing various positions within the company for more than three the Institute. He strongly high- Rodgers said.

He explained that the debit decades. He has worked in the arlighted the parallels between the SunTrust and Tech “brands,” and card fee allows additional choice eas of corporate and commercial how these brands are each built for customers about which ser- banking, corporate finance, revices they receive and thus more tail banking and mortgage bankupon reputation and trust. ing. He spoke at Tech as part of Trust among banks is at an all- control over how they are billed.

Another question came from his efforts to reach the public in time low, with more than half of troubled borrowers declining to George Chidi, a journalist, ana- town-hall style forums such as negotiate with their bank prior to lyst and Tech MBA alumnus. IMPACT. The IMPACT Series is Atforeclosure or bankruptcy. Rodg- Chidi asked about the Occupy ers stressed that SunTrust is work- Wall Street movement, and lanta’s largest university-based ing to restore public confidence whether Rodgers felt that any of speaker series, with weekly prein the company, through both its demands were valid. Rodgers sentations that are free and open continued lending and commu- replied by emphasizing the neces- to the public. Topics include ennity service programs. SunTrust sity of considering the opinions of trepreneurship (both social and employees volunteered more everyone and by quoting a pro- commercial), innovation, leadership, and sustainability. than 100,000 hours last year and tester from Toronto.

The program is designed to Chidi said this response did facilitated financial education programs in the Atlanta Public not address the problems within widen students’ horizons and Schools in efforts to support the the financial services industry that understanding regarding these important issues, as well as to encommunities in which SunTrust inspired the movement.

“It’s instructive to note that, gage the Tech community in the does business.

After his address, Rodgers was while dismissing Occupy Wall important debates that are often asked by a student about Sun- Street with an incoherent, cherry- discussed in national and internaTrust’s implementation of a $5 fee picked quote, he ignored a very tional arenas.

IMPACT is run by the Instifor debit card users, a controver- specific, well-informed question sial decision that prompted some about the role weak accounting tute for Leadership and Entreprerules plays in America’s distrust of neurship at the College of Mancustomers to leave the bank. agement.

“We wanted our customers to banks” Chidi said.

Technique • October 28, 2011 • 5

Step

from page 1

dies of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Hosted by Honey B and DJ Outta Space from V-103, “The People’s Station,” the show was fastpaced and attracted an energetic crowd.

A number of people in the audience were student and alumni of the competing organizations, who showed their support between performances by strolling—executing a choreographed series of dance steps—and identifying themselves with their unique hand signs while simultaniously performing the calls of their affiliations.

During their performances, the members of each organization stepped to a chosen theme intended to capture the spirit of the organization.

The first team to the stage were the men of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., who initiated the show with a jailbreak routine. The ladies of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. followed with a salon theme, and the men of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. were the next to perform with an act inspired by Harry Potter. Then, the ladies of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. showed how the West was won with a cowgirl theme.

“We wanted our theme to reflect our personality, entertain the audience and be original, while developing steps that were different and challenged our organization…it took a lot of practice to make sure everyone was precise and every movement was executed the same way,” said Khrystyan Edens, member of the Xi Alpha chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and a fourth-year CHBE major.

After intermission, the ladies of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. performed as the natives of a planet preparing for battle against invaders. Next, the men of Kappa

Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. took the stage with a mafia theme before the ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. put on a firefighting routine. Finally, the men of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. explored old school dance styles in their performance.

“The story telling in each performance made the show even more interesting…from the Deltas’ western theme, to the Alphas’ law and order based theme…the show was dynamic because of the different costumes and plot lines.

The lighting this year was also phenomenal,” said Jasmine Burton, a second-year ID major who participated in advertising for the event.

While the judges deliberated, NPHC alumni showed off their skills and synchronicity in a Unity Step. The performance highlighted their dedication, precision and pride for their respective organizations.

“It was great to see how older members still could show off their moves and represent their letters with style and grace…at the end of the day, the Alumni Step represented how people of all ages and letters come together as one to influence their community. It was a powerful message,” Burton said.

The Step Show was sponsored

by Auxiliary Services and the Student Government Association. It recognized the 50th anniversary of the matriculation of black students at Tech and ultimately gave the Tech community an opportunity to witness the talents of these historically black fraternities and sororities.

“Stepping is an important tradition for NPHC organizations because it gives us an opportunity to showcase our culture and have fun at the same time. [It] symbolizes our unity…as a sisterhood or brotherhood,” said Erin Wilson, member of the Xi Alpha chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and a third-year IE major.

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Opinions

Opinions Editor: Chris Russell A purpose of human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be loved.

—Kurt Vonnegut

“ ”

OUR VIEWS Consensus Opinion

‘Occupy’ highlights students’ apathy for world events

Despite mixed reactions from the press, the Occupy movement has spread from Wall Street to major cities all over the country—including Atlanta. For several days, protestors have occupied prominent parts of the city, with Woodruff Park playing home to most of them.

However, despite being members of one of the most prominent universities in the city, Tech students have had little to do with the protests, either in terms of joining them or taking a stance against them, continuing Tech students’ famed pattern of apathy towards world events.

Some would argue that they are too engrossed in their studies of science and technology to keep up with or participate in current events. However, this argument is flawed. How can a student expect to end hunger without tracking patterns of famine, or use technology to alleviate poverty if they don’t even bother to learn about poverty around the world?

The only way Tech students will become

more knowledgeable about current events is if they both are given the opportunity and themselves take the initiative required to keep abreast of such events. Students should be given access to more major news sources on campus. Despite the growing trend of online news, nothing beats having newspapers lying around for students to read between classes or while having a meal.

That said, all the opportunities in the world won’t mean anything if students don’t take advantage of them. Students should make an effort to at least read the major headlines of world news every day if they want to have any hope of keeping track of what is happening around the world. Moreover, they should make an effort to step outside their bubbles and see the problems firsthand.

It is hypocritical for students to think they can make educated judgments of events surrounding them if they do not take the time to observe them in person.

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

Technique

6

Friday, October 28, 2011

YOUR VIEWS Letters to the Editor

‘T’ thefts strengthen skills, community

Many are concerned this semester by some students’ attitude that a ‘T’ still in possession of its sign must be in want of a new home in a student’s room. They inveigh against the debasement of the venerable tradition of daring Tech Tower ‘T’ thefts into petty acts of vandalism. Others have seen little merit in these freshly purloined letters beyond their maintenance of tradition. Still unspoken is the chief virtue of these disappearances, which greatly succor students and redound to our institution’s lasting benefit.

This salutary consequence is that this expansion of ‘T’ removal improves our students’ technical, risk management and organizational skills. Consider what students must leverage under pressure to pull off a heist of a ‘T.’ They must design an appropriate mechanism for removal of the targeted ‘T,’ coordinate their procedures, and proceed safely and discretely, all through teamwork. Students at this excellent educational institution seek opportunities to apply skills and demonstrate abilities in real-world situations. Removing T’s undoubtedly fulfills both.

Additionally, ‘T’ removal confers lasting benefits on the very institution whose signs are temporarily defaced. Out of love for it and regard for its traditions students steal T’s, and being able to forever carry a ‘T’ with them may very well foster that extra bond

and fond memory that will cause them to lavishly support their alma mater as professionals, more than compensating for the cost and confusion caused by a missing T. Even if no money is forthcoming, alumni will be more inclined to speak fondly of their college days, which can only improve this school’s reputation.

If the administration and SGA do not accept the above arguments, they may instead co-opt the nascent movement with the following technique: host an annual “True T-Theft Night,” for which student teams scrupulously prepare to heist the T from Tech Tower. This should refocus students’ aspirations on the true T, provide skills currently practiced through illegitimate venues and create a more aesthetic campus.

Participating students, having overcome the roof-sensors, cameras, fences, and other unannounced obstacles emplaced by the administration, will have one more practicum in their portfolios.

Moreover, they will have the experience necessary to abscond with scarlet letters from that campus in Athens. Ultimately, they will enter the workforce stronger and more prepared than ever before, and may it be to our institution’s greatness!

David Gibbs BIO PhD student

New BoA practices justify right to protest

By Jacob Oller Oklahoma Daily, U. Oklahoma

Well, Bank of America, I think it’s time we had a little chat.

You posted $6.2 billion in profit this quarter. And that’s good. Glad to see you back on your feet. Now it’s easy to see that you’re really not hard up for cash, so this would be an excellent opportunity for you to stop screwing over Americans. I mean, with Occupy Wall Street, people are actually calling out banks, investment firms and ratings agencies on their terrible business practices.

Bank of America, your profits are great, but this means that the new fees you’ve decided to push onto people with your debit cards are completely unnecessary. For those readers who aren’t aware, there will be a monthly $5 fee to have a debit card with Bank of America. This new way to charge for a previously free service comes as a response to reforms brought to Wall Street by the Dodd-Frank Act which reduced how much banks can charge retailers due to debit card swipes.

And as college students, banks are constantly after our money anyway. If you’re like me, you

probably don’t have the $20,000 or so in the bank that exempts you from these fees, so you may think about switching out.

With $6.2 billion in profits this quarter, it’s not like we should feel upset for them. There’s absolutely no reason to stand for these fees. Never mind that Bank of America also plans to cut ten percent (or 30,000) of its employees and close ten percent of its branches. Nah, don’t worry about it guys, America didn’t need those jobs anyway. Oh, wait. And you say the 2,000 people you fired in this wave of layoffs didn’t show up on your $6.2 billion profits, huh?

Seems like you didn’t even need to fire those people. But I’m sure you know what you’re doing.

Bank of America’s CEO Brian Moynihan defended his bank’s new $5 fee on debit cards and the firings, saying that customers understand the bank has a “right to make a profit.” Well, I suppose we understand that profits are the point of a business. But we can also understand that you made a profit separate from the institution of this fee and the firing of 2,000 hardworking Americans.

So I hope you’ll understand when we say we have a right to protest.

OPINIONS

Technique • October 28, 2011 • 7

Sidelined music as valid as mainstream A section of strings play a baroque fugue over the booming voice of a choir. For seven minutes, the listener is taken through a highway of shifting minor keys, irregular time signatures and highly technical solos comparable in speed and skill to the virtuosos of the classical era like Beethoven and Chopin. The awe-inspiring, sweeping passages travel through two thematic movements and last over seven minutes. No, this is not the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

This is a death metal band, Haggard.

Metal today is distinguished by harsh, coarse vocals, often screaming or yelling, accompanied by heavily distorted and detuned guitars.

The music is brutish, aggressive and abrasive to most people’s ears. Its darker tone and lyrical content regarding violence and the occult has made people shy away from the genre.

I argue that despite the “culture shock” of metal, it provides one of the most encouraging outlets for musical development and instrumental skill. Yes, the music is intentionally vicious and aggressive, making it appear childish and simple. Screaming and yelling is a practice associated with immaturity and does not mark professionalism in music.

But the whole act is intentional, of course, not for reasons of degrading the image

“Despite the fact that its heritage is in rock and jazz, metal borrows heavily from baroque techniques...”

Alex Kessler Assistant Focus Editor

and quality of the band, but to convey a different idea than most genres. If we were to simply divide music into overarching genres like pop, rock, jazz etc., then we can say a majority of those center around the idea of tonal aestheticism and emotional development. I’m not going to say a majority of songs in that genre are hedonistic or are love ballads; however, jazz was founded on the idea of improvisation and individuality, where the structured orchestra was replaced by the single guitarist and his solo, and most popular genres today build off the values of jazz.

Metal is not a tonal type of music. It is percussive and rhythmic, meaning the quality of each note is not as important as the rhythm and the beat, hence the excessive distortion and screaming.

As for themes on the occult and violence, many songs concern death, hatred and other seemingly simple and undeveloped thoughts. Some bands really are that simple; there are

just as many Justin Beiber and Jonas Brother band equivalents in metal. What’s a shame is that it gives metal a bad reputation and distracts from the Opeth albums that conceptualize the life of a man struggling against an oppressive theocracy while searching for his lost true love or the Protest the Hero album that discusses the circular nature of history and pagan religions. Metal often speaks of death because it boldly addresses a taboo, it makes you face your mortality and think about what your life means in perspective.

Despite the fact that its heritage is in rock and jazz, metal borrows heavily from baroque techniques and romantic themes. Tchaikovsky and Wagner took grand ideas like classical epics and patriotism to create powerful, bass-driven songs like Overture 1812 and Flight of the Valkyries. The songs were about great battles and awe-inspiring victories, metal is the same way. Bass is heavily emphasized and fast

guitar playing is a staple of any metal band. Bands not only play in the common major and minor keys, but also augmented, diminished and any other odd tunings to create unique atmospheres, but, more importantly, implant powerful undertones into the music.

Techniques like sweep picking and tapping facilitate the study of moving arpeggios over shifting tonal centers.

Virtuoso bands like Dream Theater have members who are highly educated in music theory from schools like UC Berkely. The study of classical music lays the foundation for a lot of musicians in metal, and they implement those complex ideas to continually develop the genre. Playing fast does not always mean better, but metal musicians spend gross amounts of time training to play at those speeds.

Though metal music alienates itself from and appears impenetrable to the average listener, there are simply different ideas and music styles that express the same feelings as all music: love, pain, anger, happiness, sadness, elation and confusion. Music is still all about what you prefer, as some would rather take one path than another but they have the same destination, an emotional catharsis.

All I am saying is, give metal a chance.

Graduation delay opens new opportunities I came to Tech in the fall of 2007. I turned 18 on my plane journey of some 7,500 miles from New Delhi, India, somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean. Young, excited and impressionable, I started in a foreign land, what has turned out to be a memorable journey through college. A journey that is in its fifth year and one that still doesn’t cease to surprise me. Over the course of my time here at Tech, I have had a plethora of experiences that have molded me into a young adult who is eager, excited and confident at the prospect of life after college even in these uncertain times.

This fall marked the beginning of my fifth year at Tech.

It was another autumn, another football season, another set of young giddy freshman, another hectic schedule of rigorous classes and fewer and fewer familiar faces. What was I getting into, I thought to myself.

Should I have tried to graduate in four years? Was the five-year plan a mistake? To add to the apprehension was the fact that I was coming back to school after an eight-month hiatus on account of a co-op job. As I put on my backpack and merged into a stream of students walking on the newly named Tech walkway, I smiled. At once, it felt good to be back.

One of the major differences between the American higher education system and other higher education sys-

finding the paths to success.

Finally, the connections and friendships that we foster by mingling with one another in an academic environment will be those that we will remember forever.

Though I fully endorse the Siddharth Gurnani five-year plan, I do understand Focus Editor that there are some drawbacks to being in school longer. As many classmates and friends ties on offer like international graduate and move on to real research, study abroad pro- world jobs, one begins to feel grams and the highly-coveted old, costs stack up, loan payco-op program, participation ments are put off for later, and in which makes that four year graduate degrees are delayed. graduation a rather faint possi- Though these are legitimate bility. We all have our individ- concerns, in the long run, the ual reasons for choosing Tech, benefits of availing oneself of but it is these unique offer- all that college has to offer will ings that made it the winning outweigh the costs in both obchoice. To not take advantage vious and subtle ways.

I have in my time here, of these opportunities would gone on a faculty led study be unwise.

Additionally, college is full abroad program, cooped with of young, bright and exciting a Fortune 500 company, takminds. Unlike the lucky few en up many leadership roles, students who know exactly worked part time jobs on camwhat they want to do in life, pus, volunteered in the commost of us are trying to fig- munity, pursued my hobbies, ure out our true calling after travelled a lot, fostered sucwe escape the boundaries of a cessful romantic and platonic four-year education. In a situ- relationships, all while pursuation like this, it makes even ing a world-class engineering more sense to ease into college degree. As I near graduation, by taking fewer classes every I feel well equipped to face semester and pushing that any challenges the real world graduation date back. This is might throw my way. So for all an even more sensible choice those who have apprehensions at a school like Tech where about staying at college longer, most classes require a lot of the five-year plan is a great time commitment and hard plan if you take the initiative work, and spending that extra and embrace all that Tech has semester here can only aid in to offer.

BUZZ

Around Campus

What is your favorite part of Homecoming Week?

Patrick Creagh Second-year ID

“The Homecoming concert, of course!”

Jeff Landau Second-year ME

“The Homecoming concert.”

“As I see it, there are many pros to spending that extra semester or two at school that far outweigh the costs...”

tems is that undergraduate degrees are more flexible than equivalent degrees in other parts of the world like England and India. The programs are longer so that students get time to acclimatize to college and have more freedom and flexibility to take the courses and classes they are interested in, allowing them to discover their true passion. Extending one’s degree by yet another year can at times seem wasteful and pointless but as I see it, there are many pros to spending that extra semester or two at school that far outweigh the costs of not being able to get started on that real world job.

When I first began college, I was thinking about graduating early. However, as I began to take classes and understand the nuances of college life and Tech in particular, I started to realize why many students take that extra year to graduate. As we all know, Tech is an academically demanding school. Being the world class institution that Tech is, it has many wonderful opportuni-

Ian Heinrich Third-year BCHM

“Definitely the football game.”

Audrey Shlapak Second-year IE

“The Homecoming concert.”

Photos by Virginia Lin / Student Publications

OPINIONS

8 • October 28, 2011 • Technique

OUR VIEWS Hot or Not

HOT– or –NOT Buzzing about

This past Saturday, Tech students went out in droves for the annual TeamBuzz service event, where students go into the streets of Atlanta to volunteer at service projects around the city. This year, over 1,700 students volunteered for the service project’s 15th anniversary. This just proves that, if the cause is worthy enough, it is indeed possible to get a Tech student out of bed in the morning.

Halloween

After a week of Homecoming events and parties, the T-Pain concert on Thursday and the Homecoming game against Clemson this weekend, Tech students still have the year’s scariest candy-filled holiday to look forward to.

Without a doubt, Tech’s population of movie, game and TV buffs will provide a plethora of amusing costumes to continue the party into next week.

Tug dug

The wallets of many of the Greek organizations may feel a lot lighter this year, as the costs of one of Greek Week’s traditional events—Tug—just went through the roof. Facilities will no longer be able to provide the deeply discounted rates for digging the Tug pit that they have in years past, meaning that the event will have to either move above ground or find a new source of funding.

Gridiron grads

According to a report released by the ACC this week, the graduation rates for football and men’s basketball players at Tech aren’t exactly inspiring. Tech’s football and men’s basketball players suffer from graduation rates of 55 percent and 27 percent, respectively, the lowest in the conference. For comparison, Georgia players rank near the middle of the SEC.

Tech students capable of leading charge in fight against cancer For those who have never heard of it, Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature fundraising activity. It is a way for the members in the community to give back by raising funds to enable the ACS to continue its worldwide movement to end cancer. It is an all night event where teams come together to celebrate the survivors, remember those who lost their battle with cancer and fight back against this disease.

The ACS not only hosts events in communities and cities, but is also present on college campuses.

Relay is hosted annually at our university and Relay For Life at Georgia Tech could not be possible without support from our campus.

But what is discouraging is the low numbers of participants from the Tech community. Our neighbors up the road in Athens have earned their spot as the number one Relay in the United States by consistently performing impressively, raising more than $420,000 last year alone. Why are we allowing them that title?

They continuously raise funds and come together as a campus to unite and fight this fight. Relay is one of their campus’ number one organizations. We need to follow their example. Participation from both the students and the faculty is crucial and it is only possible with each person’s help.

It starts with one person and the creation of a team. One person can make a difference. This is evident with the story of Dr. Gordy Klatt, a Tacoma colorectal surgeon and the person who envisioned Relay back in May of 1985 when he spent 24 hours cir-

tech n iq e u all we’re missing is

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pizza meetings on tuesdays 7 p.m., flag building, room137

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“It is time for us to step up and raise the bar. I am sure that this would make a huge impact on our school and our community.”

Anna Elliott Marketing Director, Relay For Life GT

cling the track at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. The first year nearly 300 of Klatt’s close friends, family and patients witnessed his walk. Throughout the 24-hour period friends donated $25 apiece to run or walk with him for 30 minutes and his efforts raised $27,000.

How fitting this story is that it began on a college campus and how encouraging this should be to us, the students of the Tech to come together as a community to support this fund. I know that the students of Tech possess passion, motivation and effort. You are here, at a top university recognized all over the world. I believe that if some of that effort could be made to support a campus movement like Relay that we would witness a positive change in numbers, support and success for this event.

It is time for us to step up and raise the bar. I am sure that this would make a huge impact on our school and our community.

Everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer. If it is not your immediate family member, it is a friend or a friend’s friend or family member. This disease has caused enough devastation, and now it is time to find a cure. It is time for us to fight back.

If our country has the capability

of going to the moon, surely we can find a cure for cancer.

Many of you do not believe that you can make a difference, but suppose each person at Tech gave a dollar to fund research.

Now take a minute to think about how much money that would generate. Imagine the difference we would make to the cause as a unified body.

Cancer does not discriminate.

It has touched the lives of everyone around us; let us come together to touch the lives of those who have survived, are currently fighting and who will soon receive the news that they are a cancer patient. Let us bring about change on Tech’s campus participation in this event and let us come together to fight for a cause we all hold dear to our hearts.

As Erin Sentell, the overall director for this year’s Relay for Life stated, “We all know someone who has battled cancer. Because cancer is indiscriminate and could affect any one of us, it is important for everyone to work together to fight back by raising money for a cure.”

Who is on board?

Anna Elliott is a MGT student at Tech and the Marketing Director for Relay for Life GT, an organization on campus dedicated to fundraising for cancer research.

sliver

www.nique.net

Tech guys make the best boyfriends :) Thank you for sudoku Sliver King CULC needs better floor outlets To my INTA 2030 prof... no one cares!

Some people rub me the wrong way but you can rub me however you want sliver guy, no one cares who you are, seriously. no excuse for you to be a jerk hot post office girl, are you single?

WHY IS EVERYONE TAKEN EXCEPT FOR ME if you asked me out, i’d say yes, i would, i really would come to the post office. we have free candy. and single women. on campus after dark, i travel with chuck norris. why couldn’t the backstreet boys have performed for homecoming? ive never been drunk. sliver twitter facebook myspace cupcakes slivers shouldn’t be filtered. anxiety attack hey guyz schools over in like 2 months if our hands go up in class, should they stay there? sleep > productivity reddit > sleep i have conversations with myself in my head #isthisnormal youd think with the guy/girl ratio up in this place thered be more men going after the ladies, but this is not the case. EXPLAIN. 1. I’ve never said Pluto was a planet. 2. I never have any dishes cause of my meal plan the Sliver Surfer will rise and shine. He will wake up and realize he was only a dream I hope you all are enjoying your day.

You know what’s awesome? Me, slivering, alone in my room.

THAT’S WHAT. If I read my sliver in the paper next week, I’ll jump for joy!

Why do people wear headphones around their necks? I don’t get the appeal.

Focus

Technique

focus@nique.net Focus Editor: Designer: Siddharth Gurnani Lauren Townsend Asst. Focus Editor: Alex Kessler

@thedailybeast: NATO Postpones Libya Withdrawal: Air patrols still in place to protect civilians. #cheatsheet

e d a m e m semi-ho

ith a ome up w ney to c ’t n e v a ch mo u still h es are, yo don’t have too mu umes that c n a h C r. tive cost probably the corne t around chances are, you ome ideas for crea s ju is n e has s allowe bigger Technique yet. Even costume tume anyway. The t. a cos walle spend on urn a hole in your b

By Georgia Wang wouldn’t

H

Contributing Writer

Werewolf

Go back to the roots of Halloween and be scary instead of sexy. Buy rubber ears, nose and claws. Adhere on with latex glue and paint your face and arms with Halloween makeup.

Tropical Tourist

Find the tackiest Hawaiian shirt from Salvation Army and wear with a pair of cargo shorts and flip-flops. Accessorize with a sun hat and don’t forget your camera.

Katy Perry

Wear the tightest, shortest dress you have with brightly-colored stilettos. Bold, bright colors and glitter are a must when it comes to Mrs. Russell Brand. Accessorize with a blue wig. Now you’re ready for a great night, and you’ll bring a little California girl charm to this Southern school for under $25.

Big Bucket

Cut the bottom out of a bucket and use the handles as straps to keep the bucket up. Decorate the bucket with your favorite drink mixer, or even go big by using a bright red trash can to create a Solo cup.

Troll Face

Make a mask of your favorite face by printing out a picture and taping it to a piece of cardboard. Wear all black, since you are a floating face. Don’t be afraid to voice your displeasure throughout the night.

Spongebob SquarePants

Wear a white button-up shirt with a tie, brown shorts, and high socks. Better yet, go all out and create a 3D, over-the-body, cardboard costume.

Pebbles

This cute costume is easy to make and easy to do.

Wear a green shirt and pair with shorts. Cut out and tape black triangles onto the shirt. Make a bone for your hair by using four sheets of white paper and packing tape. Cut two of the four sheets in half widthwise and crumple up into four balls. Take the remaining two sheets

Photos by Ian Bailie, Siddarth Gurnani, Vijai Narayanan, Basheer Tome / Student Publications

of paper and crumple them up length-wise. Wrap all the pieces in packing tape and tape them together. Put your hair up in a high ponytail and insert the bone inbetween.

Buzz

Why not be the most loveable character around this Halloween? Buy a Buzz hat from the campus Barnes and Noble bookstore and pair with a Georgia Tech shirt, black tights, and hi-top Converses. Get all your friends pumped up and ready for a great night, and be full of energy wherever you go. You’re the life of the party.

To Hell With Georgia

Everyone loves some good old fashioned hate. Show your school spirit in this funny and creative costume.

Wear a jersey or any other UGA(sic) shirt and pair with a devil horns headband.

Decades outfit

Hit up thrift stores like Salvation Army and Goodwill to find an outfit from your favorite decade for only $5 to $15. Wear a flowing floral dress for the 70s, legwarmers and neon colors for the 80s or denim and shoulder pads for the 90s.

Jedi Master

Have a sand-colored tunic lying around?

Wear some neutral-colored pants and a brown felt robe. Tie it all together with a brown leather belt, and don’t forget your light saber. The only big expense would be some extra facial hair or even a Star Wars mask, and you’re on your way to making George Lucas proud.

Swamp Thing

Start with an old hoodie sweater and purchase a lot of thick, cotton yarn, green cloth and mesh. This may be one of the most time intensive costumes, but after a few bottles of adhesive and sewing needles you can look just like the creature from the black lagoon.

9

Friday, October 28, 2011

FOCUS

10 • October 28, 2011 • Technique

STUDENTS SPEAK Each week, the Focus section seeks student opinion on some of the most important and pertinent questions related to the theme of the week.

Costumes to wear on Halloween

By Madison Lee Contributing Writer

Whether you start planning months in advance or scramble to put something together at the last minute, choosing a costume for Halloween is serious business for students who want to stand out from the crowd and earn their treats.

“Some of the best costumes these days are classic ones with a modern twist or just about anything creative that a lot of people wouldn’t really expect,” said William King, a second-year CE major. “I know a girl who’s dressing up as a zombie Amy Winehouse and I’m thinking about going as Leslie Chow from The Hangover.”

“The coolest costumes are the most unique…of course, seeing the same costume everywhere can be really boring, so the more interesting and unexpected the better” said Blair Park, a first-year MGT major.

In addition to being creative, for some students Halloween is all about finding the perfect character costume. “I think that going as a character gives you a greater range of originality…especially if someone can find an obscure movie character or an older TV show like Invader Zim to reference for their costume,” said Christopher Foy, a third-year PHYS major.

“Character costumes are great, I went as Batman once. But I say if you can pull it off, then you can basically wear whatever you

want,” said Diya Radha Krishna, a second-year PHYS major.

For other students, avoiding an outdated or generic costume idea at all costs is the most important part of making the decision.

“I’d have to say that the sexy cop, sexy nurse, sexy-whatever costumes are really out of date.

You can’t really be unique when you’re wearing something like that, and I think you should want to put more effort into it,” said Sapphire Liu, a third-year IAML major.

While many students love putting together couple’s costumes with their significant others, not everyone feels that matching outfits are inevitably brilliant.

“When it comes to a non-typical theme like pirates vs. ninjas for a couple’s costume, I’m totally for that. But some ideas, like the really corny ones where you have a donkey, and someone’s the head and someone else is the butt… that’s not cool,” Liu said.

In the end, if you’re a college student on a budget or simply running out of time to decide on a costume, sometimes keeping it simple is just the best option.

“I like to wear something different every year…if I can afford it” said Maddie Becker, a thirdyear IAML major. “I originally wanted to go as Rapunzel from Tangled, but it was hard to find the right dress and everything, so I’ll probably wear an 80’s costume with brightly colored tights instead.”

Halloween Tech traditions

By Allyn Woodward Contributing Writer

Halloween is here and with it come the traditions we’ve grown up loving: dressing up, trick or treating and bobbing for apples.

Most of these traditions come from superstition and Celtic origins, but what about Tech traditions? With all the Homecoming events, how is Tech keeping the Halloween spirit alive?

Though many All Hallow’s Eve traditions have continued over the years, most Tech Halloween traditions have been maintained through the Residence Hall Association (RHA).

Other organizations such as the Freshmen Activities Board (FAB) and the Campus Recreation Center (CRC) have held events on campus in the past, but RHA has continued to annually host successful events such as the Towers Haunted House and the Harrison Trick or Treat.

Current RHA President and a fourth-year BA major, Mathias Rost, said these Halloween traditions continue because RHA makes it a main event. “The organizational structure and the popularity of the events has helped to keep RHA’s Halloween tradition alive. We have a permanent space and we make sure to budget for these events. We make it a focus,” Rost said.

As a joint project between RHA and the Towers Haunted House committee, RHA’s internal programs committee and four Towers peer leaders are in charge of planning, staffing, and marketing the event.

As an event that began 15 years ago, its success can be measured

through the donations it has received.

For their entrance fee RHA and the Towers student staff collects canned food items or two dollar donations which are then donated to the Atlanta Food Bank. Generally, RHA and Towers Residence Hall receive about four hundred food cans and nearly 250 dollars.

For the last four years, entrance has been limited to individuals who are 18 years of age and older and are Tech students, alumni or friends of students.

As another RHA-sponsored event, the Harrison Trick or Treat program is a free event where residents and Peer Leaders hand out

See Traditions , page 11

Photo by Michael James / Student Publications

The Towers Haunted house and Harrison trick or treat are two Halloween traditions that students eagerly await every year.

A holiday for both kids, adults History and evolution

By Lorelyn Kilby Contributing Writer

Think back to when you were a young child: Halloween was the definition of everything wonderful. You got to play dress up, be handed candy by the fistful, and then stuff yourself silly with the bounty of the night.

It seemed the month of October existed only to host this special holiday, but how has this holiday changed as we get older?

The first couple years of trickor-treating are marked by the accompaniment of older siblings or parents, trooping around in caravans of Red Wheel Wagons ready for when the youngsters would pass out from the taxing collection process.

Parents can only handle this for so many years, however, and once their children get older, they allow them to trick or treat with their friends, while the parents retire to candy distribution.

As soon as the later middle school years hit, you suddenly feel gawky and awkward, roaming the streets amidst children seven years younger than you, realizing that the jelly bean costume you have on looked far more adorable when you were eight.

The parents distributing candy are far less enthusiastic to “treat” you, since they find far more gratification in giving candy to the littler ones.

After asking several Tech student at what age they stopped trick-or-treating, the majority admitted they were either 14 or 15, a freshman in high school.

Many also admitted that they did not want to stop, they just felt it socially unacceptable. “Trick or treating in high school can be seen as a stigma associating with the lower grades,” said David Hendon, a first-year CS major.

Now think about the latest Halloween you have had, or the one you are planning to have this coming Monday. Not quite the same, is it? It is an accepted postulate perpetuated by both reality and media projections that Halloween at a college means men and women dressed in provocative “costumes” attending wild parties and getting more than slightly See Kids , page 11

Photo by Andrew Saulters / Student Publications

Though trick or treating is mostly for young children, dressing up in costumes remains popular amongst people of all age groups

of the holiday

By Lauren Townsend Contributing Writer

As the cold weather begins to bring in the colorful array of leaves and pumpkin carving, it also brings a holiday of sinister spookiness: Halloween. From small children trick-or-treating to adults just dressing up for fun, Halloween has been a celebrated tradition in Western culture for about 2000 years.

But the pop culture tradition of Halloween has not always been merely a secular, just-for-funevent. In fact, the origins of Halloween come from a much deeper meaning rooted in spiritual and religious beliefs. About 2,000 years ago, the Celts celebrated what is called “Samhain” on Oct. 31. This festival celebrated the end of the year and is the very earliest origin of what we now call Halloween.

During this day, it was said that the veil separating the living and the dead was opened, and spirits freely roamed the Earth.

The popular tradition of Halloween costumes came from the Celtic tradition of wearing masks and other such sinister clothing to scare away evil spirits.

The Celts also believed that fairies freely wandered on Samhain. Although the Celts did not believe fairies to be evil, they did

believe them to be creatures of mischief. The earliest “trick-ortreaters” were said to be the fairies, dressed in beggar garb. If the household the fairies approached did not give them food or a “treat,” the fairies were believed to punish the household with mischievous tricks.

Along with the traditions of costumes and trick-or-treating the tradition of pumpkin carving also started in Celtic legend. Celtics told the story of a man named “Stingy Jack”, and, according to legend, Jack trapped the devil in the high branches of a tree by cutting crosses into its trunk. The devil made a deal with Jack that if he let him down then Jack would not be allowed in to hell. But because of Jack’s long life of treachery, he was also denied entrance into heaven.

Therefore, Jack was left to roam the earth for eternity with a carved turnip lantern to guide the way. Because of this legend, the Celts carved turnips (which soon became pumpkins) and placed candles in the turnips to make lanterns. During the first century, after the Romans conquered the Celts, Roman culture began to integrate itself into Celtic traditions. The tradition of bobbing for apples, for example, may have See History , page 11

FOCUS

Technique • October 28, 2011 • 11

Halloween commercialized, oversold

By Rachit Kansal Contributing Writer

A group of little children eagerly wait outside a large wooden door knock impatiently for an answer; a band of cheery, squeaky voices burst forth asking the allimportant question “Trick or Treat?”

The uniqueness of Halloween lies in the fact that it celebrates the supernatural and glorifies imagination and dressing up to inherit a new personality and identity. Because of the emphasis on fantasy and play, costumes and impersonations become central to the holiday.

This aspect of the holiday came into prominence within the last decade, and has catapulted Halloween onto the global stage and made it a worldwide phenomenon.

It has helped to broaden the festival’s horizons into markets that were initially infertile for it.

This is the commercial aspect of Halloween.

Halloween is one of the most profitable holidays in the world.

The last decade has seen a surge in the sales of elaborate costumes, which coupled with intricately -crafted masks and extensive handiwork became the rage in most cities.

Americans spent over $5.07 billion in the year 2009 alone, with an average of $64.82 per person. The majority of the $5.07 billion comes from costumes, decorations, candy, and pumpkins.

The driving force behind this drastic change has been the changing tastes of adults. The days of Halloween being a young child’s holiday alone are long gone as more and more adults are hosting extravagant parties featuring people dressed in creative and expensive costumes.

What is even more surprising is that leading this trend are young adults between the ages from 18-24 years of age.

So what is the reason behind this development?

“Halloween allows an escape like no other festival. With a packed schedule, it’s sometimes difficult to find an outlet. This day is one where I can feel like a child again and go out and have some fun,” said John Smith, a fourthyear IE Major.

John’s opinion seems to echo what others feel as well; over $1.75 Billion was spent solely on Halloween costumes in the year 2009.

However, in comparison to other holidays, it still has a long way to go. Father’s Day, Halloween’s closest competitor, generates

$3 billion more every year.

Moreover, as compared to Christmas, which generates over $460 billion, it is still commercially very small.

“Christmas is something different altogether, it’s a much big-

Photo by Victor Lee / Student Publications

Candy sales are a big money generator during Halloween. Stores like Walmart and Target flood their shelves months in advance.

Pumpkin carving for beginners

By Lorelyn Kilby Contributing Writer

There’s nothing that silently screams Halloween more than the shadow of a candle flickering through the goofy gap-toothed grin of a Jack O’Lantern sitting on the front porch.

As the folklore goes, a blacksmith named Stingy Jack tricked the devil and made a bargain that when Jack died, the devil could not claim his soul. His ghostly presence was referred to as “Jack of the Lantern” but in time simplified to “Jack O’Lantern.”

The Irish began carving scary faces into turnips to ward of Stingy Jack and other evil spirits, but

once the tradition was brought to the Americas, it was discovered that a pumpkin made the perfect Jack O’Lantern.

These days Jack O’Lantern’s have taken on a more diverse role than dismissing dark forces.

Walking down any suburban street around Halloween, it is hard to miss the plethora of silly, goofy and often artistically impressive faces flickering in the darkness.

Most freshman dorms have Halloween programs this week which give people a golden opportunity to both observe other pumpkin carvers as well as give it a whirl themselves. Carving a pumpkin is not a difficult task to learn, but it requires patience and

Photo by Lorelyn Kilby / Student Publications

Pumpkin carving is an integral part of Halloween celebrations everywhere. It’s a great way to have fun and showcase creativity.

ger deal, it’s being going on for longer and it is closer to a lot of people’s hearts,” said Matt Jacobs, a third-year CS major.

However, the sharp increase in Halloween’s popularity is a clear indication that it is here to stay.

persistence to make something great. It had been about five years since I last carved a pumpkin and I’ll admit I was fairly anxious about how things would go, but with the advice of other carvers and some other tips, everything turned out swell. Here is the list of tips I followed: 1. Choose your design Choose a plan for the pattern you want to go in with or you could end up with a very abstract face or just a mess.

2. Pick a pumpkin The heavier the pumpkin, the thicker the rind, which is useful for complex patterns or faces. I was fairly ambitious in my pattern choice, so I opted for a pretty thick pumpkin.

3. Gut the pumpkin Cut a circle in the top and scrap out the insides. This process usually get messy so a drop cloth is recommended.

4. Trace/draw your design onto the pumpkin This will keep you on the right track and hold together the proportions of your design.

5. Start sculpting like Michelangelo This is the tricky part, but with the right tools (a pumpkin carving kit), steady hands and a heaping portion of patience, your design should come out splendidly.

6. Final touches Just like any masterpiece, your carving will need refinement.

Make sure cuts are clean and concise. This will ensure sharpness in you shadow.

So there you have it. Just wipe the pumpkin off with a paper towel to clear off any remaining pumpkin guts, throw a tea candle in the center and voila! Even if you haven’t carved a pumpkin in years, try it, not only will it look sharp on the front stoop, but the process will bring back memories.

Traditions

from page 10

candy on Halloween weekend.

Started in 2006 by former Residence Hall Director Christina Hardcastle, the Harrison Trick or Treat program began in the Harrison and Cloudman dorms as a way to keep the Halloween tradition alive within the dorms.

The Harrison Trick or Treat takes place on Friday night and is open to all Tech students as well as kids in the Greater Atlanta area.

Due to its success, other residence halls have started their own traditions. Graduate and Family Housing has begun their own Trick or Treat on Friday afternoon. On West Campus, residence halls Folk and Caldwell will be also be handing out candy this Halloween weekend.

In addition, the Student Cen-

Kids

from page 10

inebriated.

What constraints has society inflicted that switch Halloween from an innocent night of fun and frights to a not-so-innocent night of scandals and debauchery?

Should there be an age limit on trick-or-treating? As we mature through our middle years, adults are more wary of our actions and find teenagers roaming around amongst youngsters very unsettling.

This combined with the extended freedom you get as a high school student and the need to, “fit in,” is all it takes to sever ties with the trick-or-treating practice.

Now, since most of us are still children at heart, the fun of dress -up is undeniable, only now it is layered with several other factors that are elements of growing up.

Women are expected to dress up in a way that is parallel to the outfits they wear to any party. “I think when you get to college it is a common norm that all girls wear promiscuous costumes, and if we don’t its considered weird.

History

from page 10

evolved from the Roman holiday celebrating the goddess Pomona, who was the goddess of fruit and trees and whose symbol was an apple. Later, once the Roman Catholic Church was established, the church tried to do away with the pagan holiday of Samhain and replace it with the religious holiday of “All Saint’s Day” on Nov. 1. The tradition of All Hallow’s Eve however still lasted and leads to what is known today as “Halloween.”

During the early colonization of America, many settlers brought the traditions of Halloween with them. The early Puritan Church, however, did not agree with the celebration of this holiday, and therefore the popularity of the holiday was scarce. During this time though, many of the legends of the Native Americans and early colonists combined, and it is believed this is where we get many of our traditions such as witches and other superstitions associated with Halloween.

Finally, the modern tradition of Halloween became popular after the influx of immigrants from the Irish famine. And finally in the 1920s, the cultural tradition of Halloween, as we know it today, became the norm. In the 50s, Halloween exploded into a multimillion dollar holiday to the pleasure of adults and kids alike. ters Program Council will be hosting the Fifth Street Fright Festival. Starting Thursday at 4:30 p.m., there will be Halloween activity booths and a showing of Final Destination 5.

RHA Advisor and Assistant Director for Staff and Community Development Alex Becking believes the success of the RHA sponsored Halloween events can be attributed to the students and their involvement.

“These events were always successful. They view it as an expectation of the organization to continue it,” Becking said.

Though Tech has a limited number of Halloween traditions, the interest and success in these new events may lead to other residence halls and organizations creating their own traditions.

“There is a social pressure to conform,” said Zary Peretz, a firstyear IE and BA double major. “I believe this norm extends past Halloween costumes. You don’t usually see girls at parties wearing their cookie pants and baggy sweatshirts.”

Granted, scandalous costumes are not appropriate in certain situations, the same way a sparkly cocktail dress is not appropriate at a child’s day care. Sure, costumes may get a little ridiculous, but so do some outfits we see people wearing every day.

Halloween itself is unique in that it is neither a religious or political holiday. It is a holiday created by society and thus ruled by what society deems as acceptable or customary. It is also a holiday that is subject to the age group enjoying it, not exclusive to either one.

Everyone enjoys the mystique and fun in adopting another identity for a night, just children celebrate by eating candy while young adults celebrate by drinking their own “treats.”

www.development.gatech.edu

The Impact of Philanthropy at Georgia Tech

October 28, 2011

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

Marcus Nanotechnology Building The largest nanotechnology research facility in the Southeast, with one of the largest cleanroom spaces in the country, is right here at Georgia Tech. In early 2006, one of Atlanta’s best-known businessmen, civic leaders, and philanthropists, Bernie Marcus, made it possible. On behalf of the Marcus Foundation, the co-founder of The Home Depot made an extraordinary commitment of $15 million to complement $45 million state funding that transformed a vision into a reality.

That reality is the Marcus Nanotechnology Building, which opened in the spring of 2009. The facility that bears his name provides significant space for multidisciplinary organic and non-organic research in nanoscience, nanotechnology, and biotechnology.

With 190,000 square feet of research space, including 30,000 square feet of cleanroom space, it is integral to Georgia Tech’s aspirations to define the technological research university of the twenty-first century.

It is a place where Georgia Tech faculty can collaborate with researchers from universities and industries throughout the state and region, serving as a vital center for the cutting-edge research that will change lives. “This is a new world,” said Marcus. “This is a field that has great potential in so many areas. If the building was going to be anywhere, it was going to be here.” n

Campaign Georgia Tech is a $1.5 billion effort to enable Georgia Tech to define the technological research university of the twenty-first century.

Ravi Bellamkonda Professor and Carol Ann and David D. Flanagan Chair in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University Pending approval of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, Professor Ravi Bellamkonda (above, right) will be the first to hold the Carol Ann and David D. Flanagan Chair. Bellamkonda directs the Neurological Biomaterials and Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, and his research on targeted drug delivery for brain tumor therapy is playing a crucial role in advancing treatments and improving the lives of those dealing with cancer.

David Flanagan, IE 1976, is the president of Elm Street Development in McLean, Virginia, a privately-owned real estate development firm with communities throughout Washington, Baltimore, and the Eastern Shore regions. As a volunteer at his alma mater, David is a former chair of the prestigious Georgia Tech Advisory Board, and is now a member of the Georgia Tech Foundation Board of Trustees and the Campaign Georgia Tech Steering Committee. In 2004, he was named a College of Engineering Distinguished Alumnus. In the same year, the Flanagans funded a GRA Eminent Scholar’s Chair in Systems Biology, currently held

by Professor Eberhard Voit. With their most recent gift to establish their latest faculty chair, the Flanagans are not only giving back to Tech, but also helping to expand the frontiers of knowledge in the areas of biomedical engineering and cancer research. n

Godbold Scholarship Fund Grows A decade ago, Betsy and Francis S. “Bo” Godbold, IE 1965, initiated a scholarship program for academically qualified undergraduates who lacked the financial resources to attend Georgia Tech.

In 2010, the Godbold Foundation made an additional $1.5 million commitment to the Godbold Scholarship Fund at Georgia Tech, greatly enhancing the capacity to open doors of opportunity to deserving students.

Godbold understands the enormous impact that scholarship support can have, because it happened to him. Having lost both of his parents by the age of thirteen, he was a gifted high school student in a small South Carolina town whose financial circumstances made attending Georgia Tech an impossible dream. An unexpected offer of a full academic scholarship brought him to Tech, and earning a degree here changed his life.

Godbold is past president and current vice chairman of Raymond James Financial in St. Petersburg, Florida. “Given what Georgia Tech did for me at an educational crossroads in my life,” he said, “I felt a moral obligation to repay that generosity.” n

Godbold Scholar Weston Jefferson (center) talks with Betsy and Bo Godbold at a campus reception for Godbold Scholars. Jefferson credits the Godbolds’ generosity with making his Georgia Tech education possible.

Entertainment

entertainment@nique.net Entertainment Editor: Zheng Zheng Assistant Entertainment Editor: Hank Whitson

Technique

13

Friday, October 28, 2011

Photo courtesy of Rocksteady Studios

New Arkham installment impresses GAMES

Batman: Arkham City CONSOLE: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, Wii GENRE: Action-Adventure DEVELOPER: Rocksteady Studios RATING: T RELEASED: Oct. 18

OUR TAKE: «««««

By Brent Hornilla Contributing Writer

In 2009, Rocksteady Studios brought us Batman: Arkham Asylum, easily the best superhero game of all time; that same year, they announced the development of Batman: Arkham City. The highly-anticipated sequel hit the shelves last week, and it was well worth the wait.

The story picks up a year after the events of its prequel. Mayor Sharp has partitioned half of Gotham

to serve as the new home for the residents of Arkham Asylum and Blackgate Penitentiary, dubbing it Arkham City.

While protesting the new facility, Bruce Wayne is apprehended mid-speech and thrown into Arkham as well.

A brief conversation with Professor Hugo Strange reveals that not only does he know about Bruce’s alter ego, but also that he plans to execute “Protocol 10” by the end of the night.

After you complete a disguised tutorial, Alfred airdrops your costume and gadgets so you can begin prowling the place as the Batman to find out what “Protocol 10” actually is.

In spite of a few minor kinks, the overall graphics are stunning, but while the cut scenes allow you to experience the more minute details and textures put into the characters, the real beauty is in the environment.

From the oppressive buildings to the littered streets, the game’s cityscape provides a dark, gothic feel that simply fits, making it almost impossible to grow tired of exploring all of Arkham’s nooks and crannies.

You’ll need to, of course, be-

cause among the game’s massive amount of content are the Riddler Challenges, more than 400 of which are scattered across the city, as well as 24 challenge maps through which you can hone your skills and compare your performance to others’.

From Azrael to Zsasz, Arkham City includes just about every villain you can think of, and most of the ones you don’t find in the main storyline have a set of side missions dedicated to them instead.

While all the characters are excellently voiced, Batman and Joker especially, the sound effects and score are nothing to scoff at either, meshing nicely with the visuals.

The game play itself is superb, providing us with a seamless combat system that never dulls and a detective mode that grants you perks ranging from tracking conversations to deducing bullet trajectories.

True to the Batman moniker, you have an arsenal of stealth tactics, martial arts moves and hightech gadgets at your disposal, all easily accessible via hotkey. Most impressively, the game allows you See Arkham, page 14

Battlefield 3 stresses team work in multiplayer GAMES

Battlefield 3 CONSOLE: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC GENRE: First person Shooter DEVELOPER: Electronic Arts RATING: M RELEASED: Oct. 25

OUR TAKE: «««««

By Travis Gasque Contributing Writer

On Tuesday, Oct. 25, Dice released Battlefield 3 (BF3), one of the season’s most hotly-anticipated first-person-shooters. The environments are vivid, the weapons sound crisp and the buildings shatter from rockets just as a civil engineer would imagine. Although there are some flaws, the game is definitely worth a look.

The main campaign frames a story similar to a military thriller.

The main character is being interrogated in some unnamed city about his knowledge involving a terrorist plot set to strike New York. Though the story is stereotypical, the real excitement comes from the gameplay. Missions range from ground fighting in an Iraqi city to sitting in the gunner seat of a F-18 in the middle of an aerial dogfight over the Iran-Iraq border. Every mission is different, and every mission will have you exited to continue the story to see what is going to happen next.

But in the age of internet, the real question is: How is the multiplayer? If you are expecting a Call of Duty style one-man army gaming experience, you will be sorely disappointed. Battlefield 3 is designed for squad-based tactics.

One of the games in online is “Rush,” where teams work either to defend or attack two stations.

In this game the concept of squads shines. In order to arm, defend and destroy the stations, one man might be up for the herculean feat,

but when three or more people work together, the task is becomes much more bearable.

For those who are familiar with the Battlefield series, there are a few minor changes to get accustomed to. Some of the more noticeable ones include a rearrangement of the various gadgets each class possesses. The assault class has switched gear with the support class. Support used to give med-packs and revive downed players with a defibrillator. Support now gives ammo instead of med-packs, while the assault class does all the doctoring.

Another change is the inclusion of jet fighters in the game. Fans of the Battlefield series will know that vehicle combat is a big part of the game. Tanks, boats, jets and helicopters now fill the arena and give people ample opportunities to help their teammates.

All that glitters is not gold, however. There are some glaring problems with current build of BF3.

For consoles, connection issues seem to be a common occurrence. On average, about six out of ten attempts actually connect.

Another prevalent issue is common to all massively multiplayer games: lag. If there is any sort of lag, your character moves as if stuck in thick gumbo, plodding along only to pop back few meters.

BF3 is a good game, the campaign mode is a decent military thriller and the multiplayer is fun. But the few problems that rear their ugly heads seriously impair the overall perception for the game. The beautiful destructive environments, fun multiplayer and exciting challenge make for a satisfying experience, which is unfortunately marred by connectivity problems.

Photo courtesy of Electronic Arts

ENTERTAINMENT

14 • October 28, 2011 • Technique

Activity 3 follows familiar horror formula FILM

Paranormal Activity 3 GENRE: Horror STARRING: Lauren Bittner, Christopher Nicholas Smith DIRECTOR: Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman RATING: R RELEASE DATE: Oct. 21

OUR TAKE: «««««

By Patricia Uceda Staff Writer

Paranormal Activity 3 had a record-breaking weekend with the best opening day of all time for a horror film.

A prequel to Paranormal Activity 1 and 2, this latest installment in the faux-documentary series focuses on the childhood of the unlucky pair of sisters, Katie and Kristi.

It reveals their mysterious past and the reason why they are haunted in the first place. While this film provides plenty of thrills and is definitely more exciting than the slower-paced Paranormal Activity 2, it leaves much to be desired in terms of story line and continuity.

The setup of this film is one we have come to recognize from the first two films: in over-eager husband/boyfriend wants to investigate spooky sounds and occurrences, starts setting up cameras obsessively and ends up capturing a lot more than he bargained for. Lauren Bittner plays Julie, the young girls’ mother, and Christopher Nicholas Smith plays Dennis, her boyfriend who is determined to find out what is going on.

This set of tapes is cleverly ex-

Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures

plained as being among the storage boxes Katie inherited from her grandmother after her death.

Unsure what to do with them, she stores them in Kristi’s basement in Paranormal Activity 2. Now we find out that when Kristi’s home was seemingly burglarized in Paranormal Activity 2, the tapes were among the few things taken.

Since these tapes were supposedly filmed in 1988, the audience is treated to a few authentic grainy images at first, complete with pixelated dates in the corner.

However, once the story starts, it somehow immediately shifts back to high-quality digital imaging, thankfully.

The younger versions of the ill-fated pair of sisters Katie and Kristi are played by Chloe Csengery and Jessica Tyler Brown respectively, two adorable little girls who become creepier and creepier as the movie progresses.

It all starts with Kristi and her imaginary friend Toby. She insists on talking to him at all times, and Julie indulges her imagination and refuses to listen to Dennis when he finds it disturbing, insisting that this type of behavior is normal for children. However, Dennis starts noticing that strange things have been happening around the house since Toby appeared, and already being a camera lover, he decides

to set up some cameras to investigate.

Spurred on by some creepy visuals, Dennis enlists his friend Randy, played by Dustin Ingram, to help him review the footage and set up more cameras. How they are able to review 24 hours of footage everyday with just the two of them is a mystery, but somehow they manage. As in the other two films, the camera only seems to make the demon angrier as the strange occurrences continue to happen and increase at an alarming rate.

Soon things start to get so bad that you wonder why the adults aren’t doing anything to remove the girls from the situation, as they are dragged all over their bedroom like dolls and hoisted up by their hair. Julie continues to be in denial of any supernatural happenings, and it gets a bit frustrating because presumably Dennis has all these incidences on camera and could easily show her to convince her. Finally, they retreat to Grandma’s house, but it turns out to be anything but the safe haven they were hoping for.

This film is definitely as scary as Paranormal Activity 1 and 2; there’s just something about the faux-documentary style of filming a horror film that adds a level of realism and authenticity to a sto-

ry. Every creepy sound or object movement is ten times creepier because it looks so realistic, as if it could be your own house haunted by an invisible demon.

Directors Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost did get a little carried away at some points though, especially with several scenes where the audience was scared by the characters themselves seeking to play a practical joke on other characters. Normally every horror movie has at least one of these types of scenes, but this film had a couple, including one with a babysitter that definitely felt a little played out.

The origin of these tapes was cleverly explained, although as they continue to churn out sequels it is inevitable that the found footage premise is going to get old. It was already a stretch that these tapes just happened to conveniently exist, and with the next one suspension of disbelief will be stretched even further.

Additionally, this film had some undeniable continuity errors that may or may not have been intentional. In Paranormal Activity, Katie made it sound as if it was her who was haunted by the demon the most as a child. However, in this film Kristi is the one who spends the most time interacting with Toby, or the demon.

Katie also mentioned that their house burned down as a child and it seemed like a pretty pivotal moment, however, there is no fire in this film; perhaps that will be in the next one.

Overall, this film was a successful addition to the Paranormal Activity series, with plenty of scares to keep audiences coming back for more. Those seeking more clarity on the backstory may be disappointed, as the film’s ending is ambiguous to say the least.

Arkham

from page 13

to truly experience what it means to be Batman: gliding and grappling your way through the city and quickly having to assess and dispose of threats as you encounter them. Nothing was quite as satisfying as taking down a dozen or so thugs with just about everything in my Wayne-Tech repertoire.

All the gadgets in Asylum are with you from the get-go, albeit improved, but there are new ones to master as well, like the Remote Electrical Charge. My personal favorite was the Batclaw, which can combine pinpoint disarmament into some brutal combos.

Best of all, Arkham City includes a feature called New Game Plus, which allows players to run through the game again while preserving all their gadgets, upgrades, and Riddler Challenge progress.

Not only are the baddies’ loads tougher, but the counter indicator is also removed, allowing hardcore gamers the challenge I know they’ll be craving for after cruising through their first run.

Having already beaten the game, I have nothing but praise for it, and I am well into my second play through.

Everything that made Arkham Asylum so great has been tweaked and fine-tuned to perfection in Arkham City, and there are plenty of nods for comic book fans to appreciate.

Those who have played Asylum will find the combat system familiar, but filled with plenty of new features to spice it up. I would suggest buying sooner rather than later, but make sure to buy a new copy if you can afford to, as it comes with the Catwoman DLC. Of course, even without it, there’s more than 40 hours of game play to vouch for the boat loads of content you’ll be able to enjoy.

www.nique.net

ENTERTAINMENT

Technique • October 28, 2011 • 15

Life prepares fans for future album MUSIC

Mac Miller I Love Life, Thank You LABEL: Independent GENRE: Mixtape

OUR TAKE: «««««

CITY SCENE

By Brian Edmonds Contributing Writer

By Chris Ernst Contributing Writer

Mac Miller’s sixth mix tape, and second in 2011, I Love Life, Thank You, follows the familiar Mac Miller formula: girls, weed, alcohol and money. That’s not to say the Life is not a successful effort, as it boasts some of Miller’s most enjoyable work, but fans of the teenage Pittsburg rapper should not expect anything ground breaking.

Labeled by some as a poor man’s Wiz Khalifa, Miller burst on to the rap scene with K.I.D.S. in 2010. K.I.D.S. felt new and fresh and grabbed your attention.

It featured “Senior Skip Day,” which possessed surprising pop radio playability for a song about smoking and skipping school. He followed with “Best Day Ever,” released earlier this year, which featured the huge YouTube hit “Donald Trump.”

At only 19, Miller appears to have a very bright future and he will be the first to let you know.

His lyrics boast himself to be the best thing since sliced bread. Also if you didn’t know, he’s probably with your girl right now. If this attitude rubs you the wrong way, then Mac Miller probably isn’t for you.

Despite the inflated ego, Miller does know how to pick relaxed

MidCity Scare

TRACK PICKS: “People Under the Stairs,” “All That” and “Love Lost”

Photo by Chris Gooley / Student Publications

Photo courtesy of Mac Miller

beats that work well with his laidback flow. He is witty and does not take himself too seriously.

Aside from all these elements, Life features cameos from Talib Kweli and other rappers that keep the mix tape interesting through multiple listens. Above all else, listeners can take pleasure in Miller’s attitude toward life. He seems to be living a teenage male’s dream and his rhymes cleverly express his view on life.

Highlights of the tape include “People Under the Stairs,” a remix of the rap group People Under the Stairs’ San Francisco Knights, “All That” a joint effort with Bun B that hits all the right spots and “Love Lost” which features a heart -aching Miller.

As a collective unit, the mix tape lacks a major theme besides advertising the Mac Miller lifestyle, which should be enough for most casual listeners. But the brevity of Life, which clocks in at

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only 37 minutes, leaves something to be desired. Fans can treat Life as an appetizer to Miller’s first commercial album, Blue Slide Park, which drops Nov. 8. Miller will release the album under Rostrum Records, who ironically also signed Wiz Khalifa.

The joy of Life is the easy listening that it provides, rather than its artistic value. This is more of a supplement to Miller’s larger body of work.

It lacks the originality that K.I.D.S. provided, but has its impressive moments. In the age of iTunes, this mix tape will fit nicely in your collection and a few handpicked songs will flesh out your Mac Miller playlist.

I Love Life, Thank You is worth a listen or two but was definitely released free for a reason. Stay tuned for Blue Slide Park, which should prove to be the deciding factor as to whether or not Miller is here to stay.

Want a spooktacular time, but don’t want to go far?

Look no further than MidCity Cafe’s Annual Halloween Party, which this year falls on Saturday, Oct. 29.

At the corner of 6th and West Peachtree, the cafe is just a block and a half from Tech Square, so the Trolley can get you most of the way there. MidCity will be having a costume contest with excellent prizes including a $100 MidCity Cafe gift card and a bottle of Grey Goose. MidCity Cafe was unavailable to comment on the chances of a “Sexy Hobo” winning, but good luck.

To keep the party going, Rob Dowell and Warm Art will be spinning 80s and “Haunted House” music starting at 10 p.m. till closing time.

Quad Halloween Need something that will keep you partying from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.? Well, good thing QUAD at Spring4th Complex is throwing their first huge Halloween party this weekend on Saturday, Oct. 29. Just around the corner from Tech Square by Arby’s is where it’s all going down. There will be seven stages with DJs mixing all kinds of music from house and electro to hip hop and top 40. Two VJs have even made Halloween shows just for the party. There will also be live bands (Starbolt 9, The Unsatisfied, The Sexual Side Effects), vendors, costume contests and even a zombie fashion show.

ENTERTAINMENT

16 • October 28, 2011 • Technique

ASO features Coucheron in Rachmaninov & Scriabin CONCERT

Rachmaninov & Scriabin PERFORMER: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra LOCATION: Atlanta Symphony Hall DATE: Oct. 29

OUR TAKE: «««««

By Jonathan Peak Contributing Writer

As the holiday season approaches, one expects the average orchestra to begin winding down in preparation for holiday concerts and shows. However. the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) is not like other orchestras. In the past week alone they have released a new recording and performed a U.S. premiere of a new piece led

by David Coucheron, who joined as concertmaster last year.

From Oslo, Norway, the then 26-year-old was the youngest concertmaster in any major U.S. orchestra. In the year since, he has proven himself not just as a concert violinist, but also as a leader of the whole orchestra.

Having trained at the Curtis Institute of Music, The Julliard School and Guildhall School, earning separate degrees at each, and touring the world playing violin, Coucheron was already an experienced soloist before coming to Atlanta.

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Taylor / Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

“A lot smoother than expected or hoped,” Coucheron said his transition to concertmaster, citing his colleagues’ friendliness and professionalism as key factors, “It is more about what we’re playing.”

He acknowledges the importance of collaboration with those both below and above you – regarding conductor Robert Spano, Coucheron says he has learned a lot and claims that a positive conductorconcertmaster partnership is “instrumental” to the success of an orchestra. He does, however, recognize the pressures on a leader, saying sometime you just “got to man up.”

Under Coucheron’s leadership, the ASO debuted composer Esa-Pekka Salonen’s latest work “Nyx.” Though the Finnish Salonen is perhaps better known for his conducting, he is also quickly

gaining fame for his modernist compositions. Salonen himself describes the piece as “very delicate and light”—the name “Nyx” comes from the Greek goddess of the night. As with most modern works, expect the unexpected; rather than clear, united melodies, listen for complex layers between the sections.

For the premiere of “Nyx,” Coucheron is excited to see the orchestra’s work come together. As a new piece, it is unfamiliar to both audiences and musicians which makes it harder to get together.

However, whether new or old, pieces are “always a challenge” and “you play the best you can,” whether creating or fulfilling audience expectations, according to Coucheron.

From a preview rehearsal all this and more can be anticipated

from the ASO’s debut led by conductors Robert Spano and Coucheron. The piece features extensive and complex pizzicato from the entire string section which come together with the winds and brass in huge crescendos.

Also, not seeming satisfied with the already numerous sections, Salonen’s piece will occasionally split sections within themselves, adding even more layers of complexity. At 17 minutes, the piece is short, but it is not to be missed.

Though first played last, the night the orchestra will reprise their performance tomorrow evening (Oct. 29).

Alongside “Nyx,” the ASO will also play Rachmaninov’s symphony “The Bells” and Scriabin’s “Poem of Ecstasy.” “The Bells,” as a choral symphony, features vocal soloists and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus and should prove quite impressive. Rachmaninov based his work off of a Russian translation of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Bells.”

So expect some darkness and mystery in addition to the grandeur. This will precede the “Nyx,” while Scriabin’s piece, also a more modern piece, will follow the premiere.

ASO’s schedule is not slowing down anytime soon. On Nov. 5, ASO will be traveling to New York City to perform at Carnegie Hall, where they will show off their own premiere soloists. The program will be the same as the

above, though “The Bells” will be replaced with Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 3 featuring pianist Garrick Ohlsson.

Ohlsson is featured on the Atlanta Symphony’s latest recording, released this past Tuesday, Oct. 25, through the orchestra’s new label, ASO Media. The recording consists of the aforementioned Piano Concerto and Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances.

In the coming weeks, the orchestra will continue to play weekly concerts, each unique and spectacular. Of particular note is the Brahms’ Double Concerto playing Nov. 10, 12 and 13. The concerto will feature concertmaster David Coucheron and principal cellist Christopher Rex. The symphony continues to prove their quality and dexterity and can be relied upon to provide a great evening for anyone, whether musically inclined or not.

The symphony continues to prove their quality and dexterity and can be relied upon to provide a great evening for anyone, whether musically inclined or not.

To the college student who thinks they would rather not listen to classical music, “it’s awesome,” said Coucheron, but more seriously, “They should experience it more. It’s easy to underestimate the importance [of classical music].”

If students choose to attend more ASO events and concerts, they will be sure to agree.

ENTERTAINMENT

Technique • October 28, 2011 • 17

Theme Crossword: No Trouble at All

By James Barrick United Features Syndicate ACROSS

1. Wine region 5. Sea bird 10. Study 14. Toothsome 19. College subj.

20. French dispatch boat 21. Charts 22. Early TV puppet 23. Start of a quip by Fran Lebowitz: 4 wds.

26. Bow or Schumann 27. Conferences 28. -- Dame 29. Corset anagram 30. Acid 31. Wharton’s Frome 32. Pelage 33. Pontiff’s office 36. Charged particle 37. Sealed 38. Something meant to placate 41. -- provocateur DOWN

1. Catches 2. Yearn 3. Anthology item 4. Kind of combat weaponry: hyph.

5. Pay 6. Manifest 7. “The -- that touch liquor...”

8. A hardwood 9. Midday 10. “Bartered Bride” composer 11. Stone marker

42. Part 2 of quip: 5 wds.

45. Closet organizer 46. Comedy 47. Every 48. “Hawaii Five-O” setting 49. Found in beta, zeta, theta 50. Belief 51. Shoe part 53. -- -cousin 54. Madrid miss 56. Love personified 57. Certain trees 58. Cyst 59. Part 3 of quip 62. -- Dawn Chong 63. Alps dwelling 66. Bombard 67. Backup of a kind: 2 wds.

72. Maniacal 73. Nottingham’s river 75. Hanging fabric 76. Gain 77. Vigoda and Burrows

78. Tetrad 79. Europe-Asia boundary 80. Worker 81. Part 4 of quip: 3 wds.

85. Fabricate 86. Wall, Fleet, etc.

87. Back 88. Code word for “I” 89. Obeyed 90. Solicitation 91. Convention venue 92. Like a university 93. Newsreels 96. Cargo vessel 97. Marine creatures 101. Batali or Puzo 102. End of the quip: 4 wds.

104. Church officer 105. Fruitless 106. Western 107. Word at sea 108. Arboraceous 109. Research org.

110. -- done is done 111. Lobscouse

12. Altar’s place 13. CIA cousin 14. Composition for organ 15. Budget 16. Spline 17. Weary 18. Twelvemonth 24. Make into law 25. In no way 29. Bridge position 31. Son of Cain 32. Under-wheel wedge 33. Reduces 34. Marble 35. Species of hickory

36. Arteries 37. Baseball’s -- the Man 38. Rollerblade 39. Different 40. Decants 42. Canter or gallop, e.g.

43. Long 44. In the money 46. Hard to hear 50. Manumitted 51. Refine, as ore 52. Raucous sound 53. Septs 55. Seemingly wise 56. Expression of agreement

technique

57. Songs 60. Cultural field 61. Corrigenda 63. Birds’ crops 64. Clothes for riding 65. Furthers 68. Guthrie the singer 69. Bestow 70. Little bit 71. Reached a conclusion 73. Absolute 74. Rhine tributary

75. Potter’s clay 78. Concern of environmentalists 79. Sea-purse 80. Guatemala neighbor 82. Declamation 83. Berserk 84. Primus -- pares 85. Meadow 89. Wisdom teeth 90. Bellowed 91. Vintage sound systems:

hyph.

92. Halley’s -93. Duck 94. Nimbus 95. Church calendar 96. Blink -- -- eye 97. Start for physics 98. Alluvium 99. Patch location 100. Distort 102. Egg: prefix, var.

103. Triumphant cry

the south’s liveliest college newspaper.

18 • October 28, 2011 • Technique

COMICS

Piled Higher & Deeper by Jorge Cham

Non Sequitur by Wiley

Ad Nauseum by Lauren Payne

SUDOKU PUZZLE by sudokucollection.com

Lauren Payne is a first-year psychology major who enjoys making silly drawings to combat collegiate ennui and to make people laugh.

Crossword Solution from page 17

COMICS

Non Sequitur by Wiley

DILBERT ® by Scott Adams

Technique • October 28, 2011 • 19

SPORTS

Technique • October 28, 2011 • 21

CLEMSON AT TECH - OCT. 29 (8:00 p.m.)

By Alex Sohani, Sports Editor

TIGERS

Color

Photo by Josh Sandler / Student Publications

The Jackets are coming off of a two-game road stretch in which the Jackets went 0-2. Tech was held to its lowest points and yardage totals of the 2011 season last week against the Miami Hurricanes. Despite their recent shortcomings, the Jackets still remain among the nation’s leaders in points per game and rushing yards per game. If the Jackets want to get back to winning form and remain undefeated at home, they will have to do the following.

First, the Jackets will have to expose one-on-one matchups. If the Jackets can correctly execute their option plays and put their specialty players in space on the field, the defense will be forced to make a play in the form of an open-field tackle. If all of the correct blocks are hit against the Clemson defenders, there will be less pressure on Washington to have to make a big play on every down. If Washington can hit a big run or two, the Tigers will have to put more emphasis on stopping the quarterback run and the perimeter game will open up.

Secondly, Tech will have to effectively cover Clemson’s receivers in one-on-one matchups. Sophomore cornerback Louis Young and junior cornerback Rod Sweeting will be facing off against Clemson’s Watkins and Hopkins. If the Jackets put too much emphasis on covering a specific receiver like UNC tried against the Tigers, another one will be wide open and Clemson will take advantage. If Sweeting and Young can limit the big plays by the receivers, the Jackets should be able to keep the game within striking distance.

Finally, the Jackets will have to sustain drives with strong play on first and second down. In the two recent road contests against Virginia and Miami, the Jackets often found themselves in third-and-long situations that forced them to predictably throw the ball. Head Coach Paul Johnson will have to find some individual matchups during the game that the Jackets can exploit on first and second down in order to prevent throwing situations If Tech can create manageable third down scenarios, they will be able to stick to their option game.

PREDICTION: Tech 38, Clemson 35

JACKETS

VS.

Photo by Jarrett Skov / Student Publications

The No. 5 Clemson Tigers are 8-0 and bring their highest-ranked squad since 1959 to Bobby Dodd Stadium to face off against the Jackets on Oct. 29. The Tigers are coming off of an explosive 59-38 performance against UNC in which they scored 35 points in the third quarter.

The Tigers face off against the Jackets as favorites on the road in a primetime game that will be broadcast nationwide. In order for the Tigers to continue their success and remain undefeated, they will have to do the following.

First, the Tigers will have to maintain balance on offense and spread the ball around evenly. Quarterback Tahj Boyd is completing 61.9 percent of his passes with 24 touchdowns and only three interceptions. Boyd has a balanced wide receiving corps with seven receivers averaging over 13 yards per reception. The receivers are led by true freshman Sammy Watkins, who has 819 yards and is leading the ACC in receptions with 54. If the Tigers can spread the ball to other receivers such as DeAndre Hopkins and Dwayne Allen, Tech defenders will have to evenly allocate their pass coverage and Watkins could possibly be more open for big plays.

Secondly, the Tigers will have to establish a strong run game. Running back Andre Ellington has had a productive season with 745 yards and seven touchdowns on 146 carries. Ellington has been nursing a nagging injury, but if he can produce some strong runs, the Tigers will have an advantage over the Jackets. Tech has allowed four 100-yard rushers this season and Ellington was productive in the previous matchup in 2010 with 166 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. If he has another big day against the Jackets, he will be able to control the clock and keep the Jackets’ offense off the field.

Finally, the Clemson defense will have to step up and force the redshirt junior quarterback Tevin Washington to run the ball.

The Tigers have struggled at times on defense, but if they can stick to their assignments, they could force the Jackets to be one dimensional and make Washington to have to make plays with his feet. If the Tigers can force third and long situations, the Jackets will be forced to throw the ball, an area of the game they have struggled with during conference play.

22 • October 28, 2011 • Technique

SPORTS

Photo courtesy of Danny Karnik / Georgia Tech Sports Information

Roddy Jones tries to stiff-arm a defender. The Jackets struggled to find success in the running game with only 134 rushing yards.

Hurricanes

from page 24

a 12-play drive that took 5:24 off the clock and gave Miami a 7-0 lead midway through the opening period.

The Jackets had two more possessions in the first quarter, but they were unable to move the ball very far on either one due to a failed conversion attempt on a fake punt and a 34-yard run by redshirt senior A-back Roddy Jones that was called back due to offsetting penalties. Tech stayed within a touchdown, though, as Miami’s last two possessions of the first quarter were fruitless as well even though the Hurricanes reached Tech territory on both.

A sequence early in the second quarter showcased Tech’s fortunes in all three phases of the game.

The Jackets had the ball to open the second quarter, but for the fourth straight possession they were unable to cross midfield and had to punt. The Tech defense stifled Miami’s offense once more and forced the Hurricanes to punt

near midfield, but freshman punt returner Zach Laskey lost the ball while attempting to pick up the bouncing punt and Miami safety JoJo Nicolas recovered in Tech’s end zone for a Miami touchdown.

The score gave the Hurricanes a 14-0 advantage with 10:17 left in the opening half.

“Clearly today was the worst that has happened to [Laskey],” Johnson said.

Tech responded with its best drive of the day. Starting from its own eight-yard line after a poor kickoff return, the Jackets took more than nine minutes off the clock on a 20-play, 92-yard touchdown drive. Washington carried the ball nine times and punched the ball in from a yard out for a touchdown, and Tech cut Miami’s lead to 14-7.

Following the score, only 1:02 remained in the first half, but that turned out to be enough time for the Hurricanes to score. After a 48-yard kick return and a 32-yard reception, Miller ran up the middle for 14 yards to reach the end

zone, capping a 37-second drive and giving Miami a 21-7 lead that lasted into halftime.

The Jackets had the ball first in the second half and crafted a lengthy drive, advancing from their own 20 to the Miami 32, but they ended up turning the ball over on downs on a failed fourthdown conversion.

Tech’s defense forced another three-and-out and a punt, but the offense failed to move the ball past Tech’s own 30-yard line before being forced to punt. Miami quickly moved downfield and picked up a 39-yard field goal that gave them a 24-7 lead and a three-score advantage with 13:55 left in the game.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Synjyn Days replaced Washington for Tech’s next series, but after picking up one first down, he lost six yards on a run and a fumble on the next play. Harris threw a quick interception to sophomore outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu, but Tech—with Washington back in at quarterback—only gained two yards on its next series before punting.

Miami took over with 10:34 left in the game and rode running

backs Miller and James to a 14play drive that took 7:31 off the clock. The drive ended with an incomplete pass on fourth down, but it effectively eliminated any chance that Tech had of coming back. Miami went on to win 24-7.

The loss came despite a strong overall effort from Tech’s defense.

Because of a strong performance from Miller, who had 93 rushing yards and a touchdown, Miami managed 263 total yards. Harris completed just eight of 23 pass attempts in the game for 140 yards.

In many regards, the play of Tech’s special teams unit was the deciding factor. Laskey fumbled the punt that was returned for a touchdown, and poor blocking on kickoff returns forced the Jackets to start from inside their own 20yard line twice.

“We couldn’t overcome the special teams that we had today, and that is a reflection on me,” Johnson said.

The Jackets will face a challenge as they look to reverse their fortunes. Tech will return home from the two-game road trip to face undefeated No. 5 Clemson on Saturday, Oct. 29.

Photo courtesy of Danny Karnik / Georgia Tech Sports Information

Jeremiah Attaochu attempts a sack of Miami’s Jacory Harris.

Attaochu helped the defense hold Miami to 262 yards of offense.

Volleyball

from page 24

the Virginia Cavaliers on Oct. 22.

The Jackets rebounded off of the loss the previous night with a 3-1 victory, their fifth ACC win of the season. Mead posted 19 kills in the 25-21, 25-20, 19-25, 25-17 win.

The first set went to the Jackets on four kills by sophomore outside hitter Jennifer Percy and 12 assists by Colson. The Jackets then followed up with a 25-20 second set win with six kills from Mead and kills from three other teammates. The Jackets then stumbled in the third set, with the Cavaliers taking a 25-19 victory and bringing the match score to 2-1. The loss would not affect the Jackets, however, as Tech won the fourth set and the match with a solid 2517 win led by six more kills from Mead.

After the win against the Cavaliers, the Jackets travelled to Murfreesboro, Tenn. to face the Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee State in their only midweek match of the season. The Jackets stumbled despite winning the first set and MTSU earned the 17-25, 25-18, 25-15, 25-22 win.

The Jackets began the first set quickly with seven blocks and five players netting at least two kills in the 25-17 set win. The Blue Raiders responded quickly in the second set, holding a 16-15 lead over the Jackets before winning nine of the last 12 points to even the match. MTSU continued their success in the third set, easily taking the 25-15 victory.

The final set of the match saw a back-and-forth exchange as the Jackets continued to rally from being down against the Blue Raiders. Tech could not make the comeback from down 24-20, eventually falling 25-22 and losing the match 3-1.

The Jackets return home on Oct. 28 to face Wake Forest during Homecoming weekend.

sliver

www.nique.net

Big Bang Theory is funny because it’s like watching my friends on TV. You’d think in the time it takes to login to GT computers they’d log you into i still believe in you yellow jackets!!!!!!!

There should be a whole page in the Technique dedicated to slivers I forgot everything I learned at Tech since graduating Whoa dear sliver guy, i just want ONE of my slivers to be published.

PLEASE?! switching from being a sci major to a management major... thank god.

2011 homecoming step show was awesome! damn i need me a nphc frat boy failing all my classes. this can’t be good. i think i’ll apply to state... hey everyone! stealing t’s defeats Tech traditions... it has to be a capital T. duh are they protesting being poor?

Cheerwine!!!!! if i sliver enough, something might get in freshmen, learn to sliver this is what i do when i’m bored at work: spill my thoughts onto sliver you’re welcome for slivering. why couldn’t the backstreet boys have performed for homecoming? #cantgetoverthe9 0s i to go gay bars to get free drinks #nohomo can we get an options class that teaches shuffling???

Why doesn’t the band play Pokemon songs? I wanna be the very best!

Who remember when Hoffman wrote for the Technique.....I miss him...PSYCH! the weekly polls have interesting questions, it’s just.. nobody ever answers it.

To the person who slivered a Tobias quote: you made my day.

Technique • October 28, 2011 • 23

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.

Hello, sports fans and welcome to another edition of Time Out. For this edition, I have decided to give my opinion on something other than how disappointed I am with the Tech football team’s second loss of the season. With basketball season right around the corner, it is a perfect time to give you my thoughts on Tech’s upcoming basketball season.

For those of you that keep up with college basketball, you may have seen a number of publications that predicted that Tech would finish tenth in the ACC this season.

With only 12 teams in the conference, a tenth place finish would, needless to say, be a rough way for Head Coach Brian Gregory to start his Tech career.

As much as I would love to pick against the experts, they may have this one right, but it has nothing to do with a lack of talent.

A lot of people thought that this would be a tough year for the Jackets when Tech announced

that it would renovate Alexander Memorial Coliseum. The Jackets will now be forced to play five of their first six “home” games 27 miles away from campus at the Gwinnett Arena. The team’s other home games will be played at the 18,000-seat Philips Arena.

These displacements will definitely be an extra burden on the team this season for a couple of reasons.

First, in the case of Gwinnett, the team will have to make travel arrangements to games that it would normally be able to walk to. In essence, the games will be treated as road games, especially considering that only a handful of regular Tech fans will be there to watch the games. Most of the students will not travel to the games and the alumni in the Atlanta area will not want to drive 30 minutes on a Monday night to see Tech play an opponent like Delaware State.

Second, in the case of Philips, neither the Hawks nor the Dream

can sell out at home, so how is a team that went 13-18 last season supposed to sell 18,000 tickets? It will be demoralizing for the players to play in front of an empty stadium where fans could hold conversations from other ends of the stadium.

After learning that they will not be having a home game this season, the Jackets got some more bad news when guards Iman Shumpert and Brian Oliver left the program. Shumpert left Tech for the NBA, but will probably suffer from not playing basketball at all this season. Meanwhile, Oliver chose to leave Tech and transfer to Seton Hall. Add those losses to the loss of guard Moe Miller due to graduation, and you get a recipe for disaster.

Miller, Shumpert and Oliver combined to average 33.6 points per game last season. The other 11 players on the team combined to average 34.2. Replacing these three players will require a rebuilding effort for the Jackets this season, which poses another problem for this year’s squad.

The Jackets, as mentioned above, play in the ACC. In case you do not know, the ACC is one of, if not the best, conference in all of college basketball. The league boasts powerhouses like North Carolina and Duke who are ranked No. 1 and 5 in the preseason coaches poll, respectively.

Both are on Tech’s schedule this season. So is Florida State, which should be a ranked team. It will be hard for the rebuilding Jackets to compete with these teams when these teams get better every

season.

In the ACC, you either reload or you implode. UNC and Duke are great at reloading, and Tech, with its one incoming freshman and 11 scholarship players, does not appear to be in the business of reloading.

Along with the problems mentioned above, Tech also will be breaking in a new coach with Gregory. Gregory did not recruit any of the players who are on Tech’s roster, so none of the players envisioned playing for Gregory

and none of the players were recruited to play in Gregory’s system. It remains to be seen if Gregory is the coach that Tech needs, but he cannot be worse than the last one, right?

This year’s Tech squad has athletic ability in Glen Rice Jr. and Brandon Reed. It also has size in Nate Hicks and Daniel Miller, who are both over six-foot-ten. I sincerely hope that I am wrong, but it looks to be a long season for the Jackets because of factors that none of these players can control.

Photo by Will Folsom / Student Publications

Jason Morris playing in his final game of the 2010-11 season. He averaged 6 points per game on 41.4 percent shooting last season.

Sports

sports@nique.net Sports Editor: Alex Sohani

Tiger Blood

Technique

Look ahead to Tech’s Homecoming matchup against its ACC cross-division rival, No. 5 Clemson.421

Friday, October 28, 2011

24

Jackets’ offense shut down in 24-7 loss to Miami

Photo courtesy of Zach Beeker / The Miami Hurricane

Tevin Washington gets up after being tackled by Miami defenders. Washington led the Jackets in rushing with 20 carries for 36 yards as Tech posted only 211 total yards.

By Nishant Prasadh Development Editor

Coming off its first loss of the season, the Tech football team failed to rebound against Miami in last weekend on the road.

The Jackets recorded their lowest yardage total of the season against an aggressive Miami defense, accumulating just 211 yards on offense, and the special teams unit struggled as well en route to a 24-7 loss.

With the loss, Tech dropped to 6-2 on the season with a 3-2 mark in conference play. After reaching

a ranking as high as No. 12 in the AP Top 25 after the Maryland game, the Jackets are no longer ranked in the Top 25 of any major polls following the loss to Miami, which was their third straight loss against the Hurricanes.

“Anytime you lose, it’s frustrating…We just have to let it go and move on,” said redshirt junior quarterback Tevin Washington.

The defeat was, to a large degree, due to Tech’s worst statistical rushing effort of the season. Tech managed just 134 yards on the ground, averaging 2.8 yards per carry, and the team’s longest run

of the day went for just 11 yards.

Only one game in Johnson’s tenure as head coach—Tech’s 33-17 loss to Miami in 2009—saw the Jackets rush for fewer yards.

The team’s leading ballcarrier was Washington, who picked up just 36 yards on 20 carries. Washington’s struggles stemmed from the fact that Miami shut down redshirt sophomore B-back David Sims and contained the A-backs on option plays to the edges; Sims and the A-backs combined for 22 carries to Washington’s 20.

Because Miami had success shutting down Tech’s run game

across the board, the Hurricanes rarely had to play eight defenders in the box and Tech had few openings in the passing game.

Washington completed six of 12 passes for just 63 yards with an interception; after averaging 12.7 yards per attempt going into the game, his mark was just 5.3 yards per attempt.

“It’s not fair to put all of this on Tevin, because there are a lot of us that have to do better…We can’t get to the perimeter,” Johnson said.

The misfortunes started quickly for Tech. After forcing a three-

and-out after two incomplete passes by Miami quarterback Jacory Harris, the Jackets gave the ball right back as Washington was intercepted on a deep pass to senior receiver Tyler Melton.

The interception gave Miami the ball at Tech’s 46-yard line, and the Hurricanes took advantage of the short field. Running back Lamar Miller carried five times for 29 yards to power the Miami offense down the field, and fellow running back Mike James scored from two yards out to cap See Hurricanes, page 22

Tech splits two conference matches, loses to MTSU

By Alex Sohani Sports Editor

Photo by John Nakano / Student Publications

Nicki Meyer posts a dig in a match earlier this season against NC State.

Meyer had a strong weekend with a combined 40 digs in conference play.

After two games on the road in Fla. against Miami and Florida State from Oct. 14-16, the Jackets’ volleyball team finished their five-game road stretch from Oct. 21-26 with matches against Virginia Tech, Virginia and Middle Tennessee State.

The Jackets split two conference matches between Virginia Tech and Virginia before travelling to Murfreesboro, Tenn. and dropping their last non-conference matchup of the season against the Blue Raiders.

The Jackets began their stretch with a trip to Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Va., where they dropped a close

five-set match to the Hokies on Oct. 21. The Jackets started strong, taking the first set, but the Hokies finally won 23-25, 25-20, 25-17, 11-25, 15-8 in a match that had 13 lead changes and took over two hours.

In the first set against Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech scraped by with a 25-23 victory on seven kills by junior rightside hitter Monique Mead.

The second set went to Virginia Tech despite the Jackets being within reach for the majority of the set. The Hokies led 22-19 before the Jackets scored on Mead’s sixth kill of the set to bring the score to 2220. Virginia Tech then rattled off three straight points to take the set and even the match score at 1-1.

The third set went to Vir-

ginia Tech in a 25-17 decision before the Jackets responded and brought momentum to their side. The fourth set easily went to the Jackets in a 25-11 victory in which Virginia Tech committed four errors and allowed the match to be tied at 2-2. The fifth set remained close, with the Hokies leading 9-8 before hitting six consecutive points to take the final set 15-8.

Mead finished the night with 24 kills and 15 digs, her seventh double-double of the season. Sophomore setter Kaleigh Colson aided the effort with 41 assists along with her seven kills and five blocks.

The Jackets then travelled to Charlottesville, Va. to face See Volleyball, page 22