Technique Friday, October 29, 2010 • Volume 96, Issue 13 • nique.net
The South’s Liveliest College Newspaper
Taste of Atlanta
Foodies were treated to cuisine from over 80 different restaurants at Taste of Atlanta last weekend.415
Plans released for basketball pavilion
Regents postpone UGA decision By TJ Kaplan Contributing Writer
Camish Pavilion. The campus team in charge of the project, consisting of members from the Athletic Association, government relations, campus planning, facilities and administration recently hired the architectural firm Populus and contractor Whiting-Turner. “We’re incredibly excited about this opportunity to really reshape the home of Georgia Tech basketball,” Radakovich said. McCamish Pavilion’s design has a strong focus on how fans will take in Tech basketball games. It will look drastically different from AMC on both the inside and the outside, which is why the decision was made to completely rename the venue.
The University System of Georgia Board of Regents voted on Tuesday, Oct. 12 to postpone any action regarding a possible engineering school at UGA. The proposal in front of the board was to allow UGA to begin offering undergraduate degrees in civil, electrical and mechanical engineering. The vote followed Gov. Sonny Perdue’s address to the Board of Regents, in which he warned that the university system should not launch an engineering program at UGA without careful consideration of possible negative effects or an attempt to gain public approval. Perdue urged the board to slow down their considerations and build support first. “Take a deep breath, relax, slow down and work diligently to win support,” said Perdue to members of the university system of Georgia Board of Regents. Perdue accused the Board of Regents of running the proposal through quickly without consulting the governor’s office, and expressed concerns about how the current financial state of the system could be negatively affected by the installation of an engineering program at UGA. “Even if this new school at UGA did make sense, I would be hard pressed to believe this is the right timing. We are in an economically-constrained situation. When you see these new budgets – where stimulus has disappeared and where program enrollments continue to grow – you are going to see just how constrained things are,” Perdue said. Perdue told the regents to think with an “enterprise” mindset and represent the interests of the entire state of Georgia, not their respective areas or institutions. The first regent to express an opinion following Perdue’s address was Dink Nesmith,
See Pavilion, page 7
See UGA, page 5
Illustration courtesy of Athletic Association
This rendering shows the exterior of the proposed new basketball stadium where the Alexander Memorial Coliseum currently stands. Construction will begin following the end of the 2011 season and is scheduled to complete in fall 2012. By Matt Schrichte Assistant News Editor
In a press conference held last week, Athletic Director Dan Radakovich unveiled the renderings of Hank McCamish Pavilion, the future home of Bobby Cremins Court and Tech’s basketball teams. The new venue will replace Alexander Memorial Coliseum (AMC), which has housed Tech’s basketball programs since 1956. Plans to construct the replacement basketball facility began when Tech received a $15 million lead gift from the family of Henry F. “Hank” McCamish, Jr., IM ’50. The Board of Regents approved plans for the rest of the renovation and rebuilding project at their Oct. meeting. The total estimated cost for McCamish
Illustration courtesy of Athletic Association
The interior of the new basketball stadium will have 8900 seats, 300 fewer than the number currently in the Coliseum. Pavilion is $45 million. It was estimated that the current facility would require between $15 and $18 million in currently unfunded maintenance over the next seven to 10 years.
Radakovich noted favorable construction costs and interest rates as well as the significant donation from the McCamish family as key reasons to construct the new Mc-
Authorities identify suspicious package at Klaus By Yameen Huq Contributing Writer
On Oct. 15, Tech police discovered a suspicious package in the Klaus Advanced Computing Building. The recipient professor received the package under unusual circumstances and called the police to check for any potential dangers. While police found the package to be harmless and full of cookies, the circumstances that led to the package’s arrival remain bizarre. “These [investigation] processes are never completed in a quick time. It’s a very deliberate process for the safety of the community and the responders. We’re going to take any kind of threat seriously,” said Andy Altizer, Director of Emergency Preparedness at the Georgia Tech Police Department (GTPD). The professor who received the packaged had been in correspondence with a student from the University of Tehran for
about two years. He communicated with the student through email and Facebook. The student found him through his research and began sending him emails asking for feedback on his own work. “There was some communication between the professor and a student from another country,” Altizer said. When the professor failed to respond, the student sent more emails asking why the professor would not talk with him, and whether he still liked him. The emails became progressively stranger, and the student began writing about how he had discovered time travel and was currently researching with Albert Einstein. He also asked the professor if he would like to be a keynote speaker at the University of Tehran. The professor declined the invitation. At this point the professor ceased com-
See Package, page 7
Photo by Craig Cameron / Student Publications
GTPD, Atlanta Fire Department, FBI Bomb Squad, Atlanta SWAT and Homeland Security arrived on the scene at Klaus to investigate the report of a suspicious package which was identified to be harmless.
NEWS
2 • October 29, 2010 • Technique
Technique
The South’s Liveliest College Newspaper
Founded in 1911, the Technique is the student newspaper of the Georgia Institute of Technology, and is an official publication of the Georgia Tech Board of Student Publications. The Technique publishes on Fridays weekly during the fall and spring and biweekly during the summer. A dvertising: Information and rate cards can be found online at nique.net/ads. The deadline for reserving ad space is Friday at 5 p.m. one week before publication. To place a reservation, for billing information, or for any other questions please e-mail us at ads@nique.net. You may reach us by telephone at (404) 894-2830, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Coverage R equests: Requests for coverage and tips should be submitted to the Editor-in-Chief and/or the relevant section editor. Office: 353 Ferst Dr., Room 137 Atlanta, GA 30332-0290 Telephone: (404) 894-2830 Fax: (404) 894-1650
Editor-in-Chief: Hahnming Lee editor@nique.net Telephone: (404) 894-2831
News Editor: Vijai Narayanan / news@nique.net Opinions Editor: Matt Hoffman / opinions@nique.net Focus Editor: Kamna Bohra / focus@nique.net Entertainment Editor: Zheng Zheng / entertainment@nique.net Sports Editor: Alex Mitchell / sports@nique.net
Follow us online: http://nique.net Twitter: @the_nique Copyright © 2010, Hahnming Lee, Editor-in-Chief, and by the Georgia Tech Board of Student Publications. No part of this paper may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from the Editor-in-Chief or from the Board of Student Publications. The ideas expressed herein are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Board of Student Publications, the students, staff, or faculty of the Georgia Institute of Technology or the University System of Georgia. First copy free—for additional copies call (404) 894-2830
From the files of the GTPD...
Campus Crime By Matt Schrichte Assitant News Editor Folly on fourth
While on patrol in the early morning of Oct. 16, an officer noticed a white male urinating on the sidewalk and stumbling while walking along at the corner of Fourth Street and Fowler Street. The officer stated that it was apparent that the individual was intoxicated and that he was unable to walk on his own. The officer advised the individual to sit down and advised dispatch to notify Grady EMS. By the time an ambulance arrived, it had been determined that the individual was not a Tech student. He was issued a criminal trespass warning and was transported to Grady Hospital for medical treatment. Packed party
A little after midnight on Oct. 16, an officer was dispatched to the Undergraduate Living Center in response to a loud party. Upon arrival, the officer was led to the room. Shortly after knocking on the door, one of the room’s residents answered the door. The officer observed a total of 63 people in the common area of the room drinking alcoholic punch, listening to music and dancing. After the music was turned off, the officer was able to get the attention of the all of the party’s attendees and recorded each per-
son’s information. The hosts of the party were each issued student code of conduct violations for the party as well as for furnishing alcohol to persons under 21 years of age. Pocket picked-off
An officer was called to Bobby Dodd Stadium during Tech’s football game against Middle Tennessee State in response to a report of larceny. The complainant reported that a black male, about 5’10” in height with a black coat over his arm bumped into him while waiting in line at a concession stand. The complainant then felt for his wallet, which he noticed was missing. The officer advised the complainant to cancel any credit cards immediately. Fight sighted
Officers responded to a call of a fight in progress between a man and woman in front of the Woodruff Residence Hall on the night of Oct. 11. Officers arrived to find a couple matching the description between two cars in front of the Woodruff Residence Hall. The officer approached the female, a Tech student and took her aside to discuss the situation. She explained that the male was her boyfriend and the two had been fighting over allegations of each
other’s infidelity. She stated that the fight became physical when her boyfriend slapped her across the face. The officer checked for any signs of injury, but found none. The officer then spoke with the boyfriend who admitted to slapping his girlfriend after she had bitten him on the chest. He pulled down the collar of his shirt to reveal a large, red bite mark. The officer returned to the girlfriend, who admitted to biting her boyfriend after he had pushed her. Neither party wished to press criminal charges. The boyfriend, who is not a Tech student, was issued a criminal trespass warning and advised not to return to campus or he would be arrested. Mating calls
On Oct. 11, a Tech Ph.D candidate reported she has been receiving harassing phone calls for roughly the past year. She began receiving the calls from an unknown, blocked telephone number in Dec. 2009. Whenever the student answered, the caller did not speak and instead makes sexual noises like hard breathing and moaning. Whenever the student hangs up, the unknown caller repeatedly called back. On the night of Oct. 11, the student began receiving calls from the unknown number at 10:23 p.m. She answered the call and the caller began to make sexual sounds. She hung up the phone and the caller called back five or six more times. The student called GTPD because she has become increasingly concerned for safety.
NEWS
Technique • October 29, 2010 • 3
Council Clippings
This week in Student Government
that covered issues in academics and student life. Vice President By Mike Donohue, SGA Editor and Vijai Narayanan, News Editor of Communications Brooke McDaniel, representing the executive ach week, this section includes coverage of different aspects of Student branch of SGA, set the agenda Government, including the Undergraduate House of Representatives, and guided debate. Director of Graduate Student Senate and the Executive Branch of both governments. Academic Affairs Austen Edwards, the visitors and the student IAC Networking Night events across campus.” body through SGA’s sticky note During their Oct. 12 and Oct. The bill eventually passed 41- campaign provided the content 26 meetings, undergraduate rep- 8-3 in the House. and GSS 33-0- for the discussions. resentatives and graduate senators 0 with no debate. The forum opened with prepassed a bill funding advertising sentations by Edwards and the for the Ivan Allen Student AdviJoint Finance Committee four task forces which he oversees: sory Board Networking Night to Both houses took time during Service and Leadership, Underbe held on Nov. 16. Though the their Oct. 12 meetings to take graduate Academics, Student Facbill passed both houses with a final votes on several bills which ulty Development and Academic large majority, it generated debate had differences between the un- Support. Representatives used in the House over SGA’s funding dergraduate and graduate ver- this time to speak openly for the of major organizations. sions. first time about the impending As is required by JFC policy to The bill adding incentives for switch to a trimester system and be funded, the Networking Night collaboration between organiza- the development of a Studentis open to the entirety of campus, tions on large events had passed Faculty Expectations Agreement. but this did not head off criticism both houses, but differed in lan- The trimester switch in particular, in UHR. MGT Rep. Dan Man- guage governing the magnitude creating three equal trimesters of ning and BC Rep. Grace Stephens of the incentives. Representatives 14 weeks each, elicited some conboth noted that their own colleges and senators clarified language de- cern from representatives and visiran college specific career fairs fining collaboration and adjusted tors about its effect on workload, without SGA help. some of their limits on funding. graduation and co-ops. Visitors PUBP Rep. and Advisory The bill passed the House 52-2-0 then took the chance to speak, Board member Austen Edwards and the Senate 26-4-3. adressing topics ranging from sedefended the bill, emphasizing curity in architecture studio to the that anyone may come, underformat of the SGA website. Open forum graduate or graduate, from any The time with visitors ended The Undergraduate House of with a discussion on transparency. major. He also said that SGA support would enable the event to Representatives hosted a special Parul Kapur, third-year ME major open forum session on Oct. 27, and president of RHA, suggested grow in the future. “The networking night is open inviting members of the campus that debate on bills be extended to all students interested in in- community to discuss issues of for two weeks. Currently, bills are terdisciplinary careers,” Edwards importance to them. Although provided to representatives one said later. “SGA has a hole in its open forum is held every week week before voting, the majorpolicy in how to deal with and and non-SGA members are always ity of debate takes place the same fund organizations that straddle invited, representatives made an day. Kapur suggested organizathe difference between a depart- extra effort to advertise the event tional representatives come both mental and student organization. this week. the week before end of voting. SGA needs to look at the purpose Seven visitors engaged with Representatives expressed conand availability of these groups’ representatives in a discussion cern to requiring organizations
E
Attn: Student Organizations
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Bill Summary Bill
Amount
GSS
UHR
Resolution Reaffirming Commitment to Student Body IAC Networking Night Appt. of Freshman Rep JFC Amendments Sustainability
---
---
47-5-0
$858.88 ----$6058
33-0-0 --26-4-3 19-11-2
41-8-3 47-0-0 52-2-0 51-2-1
Current Account Totals Prior Year: $580,192 Capital Outlay: $273,180
You can follow Mike at the Nique’s blog, The Pulse. Check in at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday for updates from UHR sessions at nique.net/pulse.
present twice. MATH Rep. David Lowry suggested that organizations speak during normal open forum sessions. The open forum session concluded with a review of the sticky note campaign. McDaniel went through a selection of sticky notes posted to boards placed in the library rotunda and solicited comment. The notes concerned construction, sustainability and whether meetings of UHR could be broadcast live over GTCN. Commitment to students
UHR considered a resolution reaffirming the role of the body on campus and its relationship with students. The text of the resolution defined the role of UHR as the representative body for undergraduate students and the disbursement of the Student Activity Fee. The resolution also highlighted the fact that by authoring a bill
for a student organization, representatives should become advocates for the organization and help them through the bill process. It also noted that moving bills from old business to new business during a meeting undermined JFC policy and UHR’s commitment to the student body. During the discussion, ME Rep. Vickers referenced an opinions editorial in the Technique criticizing UHR practices and stated that there was room for improvement. A motion to postpone the bill indefinitely was put forth by Rep. Morgan, who said that he felt that the resolution only restated points from the SGA bylaws and would not be communicated to the student body. The motion was failed. Rep. Lowry voiced his support for the resolution, saying that it was important to detail SGA’s responsibilities and how it can help the student body.
NEWS
4 • October 29, 2010 • Technique
OIT releases new updates for My GaTech suite By Emily Cardin Contributing Writer
The Office of Information Technology (OIT) announced on Tuesday, Oct. 19 that My GaTech, the official campus email and calendar service, was being upgraded. Institute students and faculty were made aware of the upgrade via a campus wide email. The update added many new features to My GaTech including the ability to color code emails, execute filters on mail that has already been received and select thousands of messages at once. The upgrade has been in the planning stages since early Jan. of this year. According to Pam Buffington, department manager II for Enterprise Applications and Services, significant emphasis was put upon the ease of transition for users due to the significant effect that problems with the software could create campus-wide. Cooperation between OIT and many other departments was paramount to a successful upgrade. “Scheduling an upgrade this large is a challenge in itself with only a few windows that work for everyone. The hardest part was insuring a smooth upgrade with as little pain to the end user as possible,” Buffington said. An influx in Help and Support requests was seen in the first seven to ten days after the upgrade, though some were to express favor for new features, according to Buffington. Some users did request assistance with some of the new features. Many of these newly implemented features within the
Screenshot by Vijai Narayanan / Student Publications
Among the upgrades to the My GaTech suite include the ability to filter incoming email, color code them, the abilitiy to compose multiple emails simultaneously and an overall increase in the system performance. New features include documents and a briefcase. upgrade were actually suggestions of Tech’s students and faculty. One of the major additions was tabs, which allow students to compose multiple emails. “[OIT] did a survey in May which identified Briefcase, Documents, mail filters for existing mail and color coded emails as the top four requested features,” Buffington said. According to the survey of 2609 respondents, seven out of the top ten feature requests were resolved in this upgrade. In addition, a majority of 83% respondents were “Satisfied, Somewhat
Satisfied, or Very Satisfied” with My GaTech overall. However, many students have found the upgraded My GaTech even more favorable. According to Buffington, much of the response from the students has been extremely positive. “Our new and improved email system is wonderful. I find it easy to navigate and use. My favorite part is that I can view several emails at once,” said Maziar Adloo, second-year BCHM major. One main aspect of the upgrade that many users noticed immediately was the speed at which
the My GaTech service now operates. An increase in operating swiftness is considered by Buffington and others to be the most significant and needed aspect of the upgrade. “We continuously strive to provide the best possible services to Georgia Tech. This upgrade not only provided requested features, but an increase in performance as well. Users are seeing a significantly faster My GaTech,” Buffington said. Many students agree that an increase in performance is one of the best and most noticable as-
pects of the upgrade. “You can definitely tell that things have changed. I noticed right off the bat that it was running faster. I didn’t have to wait as long for emails to open, things to save. Things like that really did happen more quickly after the upgrade,” said Kate Nickerson, firstyear IE major. Students and faculty who wish to know more about the new features in the updated My GaTech and how to use them should consult the “What’s New in My GaTech?” link on the OIT FAQ website.
NEWS
SGA Week links students, reps. By Vijai Narayanan News Editor
As part of SGA week, members from Tech’s Student Government Association participated in a series of events in an effort to reach out to constituents. The purpose of these was to make students aware of their representatives and to receive ideas from the student body. “SGA week is a time that we concentrate our efforts to show what we are doing for students and make them feel more welcome to approach us,” said Brooke McDaniel, Vice President for Communications and third-year MGT major. As part of the events held during the week, SGA organized a carnival on Skiles Walkway on Monday where students could meet and interact with representatives and members of the Executive Cabinet. Students were also invited to participate in a moderated open forum during the meeting of the Undergraduate House of Representatives. “We held an open forum event last year, but it wasn’t moderated so students that attended didn’t speak up as much. This year we had people speak, share their concerns and get a chance to see how we work,” McDaniel said. Among the topics brought up by students during the discussion were increased security for studios in the College of Architecture, a switch to a trimester system and
Photo courtesy of Student Government Association
Members of SGA Executive Cabinet met with students at Brittain and Woodruff dining hall on Wednesday to discuss their concerns. the possibility of inviting organizational representatives to answer questions regarding their request the week prior to the when the bill is discussed. Students also participated in a sticky-note campaign at the library and in the Student Center, through which they could share their input on campus issues. The content of the sticky notes was posted online on SGA’s Facebook page. “We got a lot of responses out of the sticky-note campaign. Almost every major issue on campus was hit: the issue of more green space, construction [and] dining hall issues,” said Hunter Hammond, the Public Relations Chair and second-year MGT major. Members of the executive cabinet also met with students at the
dining halls on Wednesday evening. SGA also hosted an event called “Communicate with Corey” on Thursday, during which students could meet with Undergraduate Student Body President Corey Boone. According to Hammond, SGA will take steps to use the information gathered during SGA Week to act on different campus issues. “We want to make sure that [for] each issue that was addressed that we have people who are discussing it and we have action taken on it,” Hammond said. “Once we reach consensus on those issues we will communicate that out to the student body.” SGA Week concluded on Friday with an event to increase breast cancer awareness.
Technique • October 29, 2010 • 5
UGA
from page 1
who spoke in favor of the UGA Engineering proposal. “Let us put on our asbestos boots and walk over the hot coals to vote yes,” Nesmith said. He also said any further study would simply be “paralysis by analysis.” Following Nesmith’s comments, regent Larry Walker motioned to table the proposal until November. Regent Fred Cooper seconded Walker’s motion. “It would not be good for the board to fly in the face of the sitting governor,” said Cooper. Regent Ben Tarbutton spoke out against the proposal with a list of concerns including a lack of thorough investigation to determine the timeliness of the proposal. Finally, regent Richard Tucker spoke out against the postponement, accusing one unnamed institution of getting “outside consultants to fight UGA.” At the final vote, only two regents voted against tabling the issue, regent Tucker and regent Tarbutton. When asked his opinion on the issue, Institute President G. P. “Bud” Peterson said, “We certainly take a great deal of pride in our engineering programs here at Georgia Tech. Whatever the outcome, we will respect the decision of the Board of Regents. We will continue to work with all institutions in the state as well as our state leaders to ensure that we are able to serve the people of Georgia while providing the best possible education for our students.”
News Briefs Stamps hosts Trick-orTreat health week Events for Go T.E.C.H.’s (Teams Encouraging Campus Health) Trick-or-Treat Health Week took place across campus throughout the week. The week’s goal was to increase awareness of health and wellness activities on campus. Trick-or-Treat Health Week promoted on-campus health in a number of various ways. Stamps Health Services offered free HPV vaccines to all students, faculty, and staff under the age of 26. The CRC also hosted a step-by-step class teaching Michael Jackson’s Thriller dance on the front lawn Thursday evening. Trick-or-Treat Health Week ended Friday with the Halloween Holla Walk/Run around the Tyler Brown Pi Mile.
Stolen Buzz A small public liberal arts college in Vt., Lyndon State College, reportedly received a letter from lawyers representing Tech demanding that they cease using their current hornet logo. The logo strongly resembles the image of Buzz, which is a copyrighted image of Tech and the University System of Georgia. Tech is reportedly working with the school to phase out the logo as they search for a new one. According to a report by The Critic, the college thought the hornet was a clip art piece.
NEWS
Pavilion
Photo by Craig Cameron / Student Publications
Members from the FBI Bomb Squad are dressed in gear before entering the building to inspect the suspicious package in Klaus.
Package
from page 1
munication with the student. The professor received a package on Oct. 12. He placed it in his office and went on an outof-town trip, before returning to Tech on Oct. 15. Upon returning, he discovered that it was sent by the Iranian student and called the police. Since the package had cleared U.S. Customs, the U.S. Postal Service and was somewhat crushed, the police decided that there was no explosive threat. However, the envelope inside had a white powder coating, fueling suspicions of a threat. The Atlanta Fire Department, FBI Bomb Squad, Atlanta SWAT and Homeland Security among others arrived at the scene. After evacuating the building and securing the hallways, they analyzed the package with a portable X-ray machine only to discover that it actually contained cook-
ies and that the white powder was merely sugar. Students were allowed to return to the building at around 12:25 p.m. “These things take a long time to resolve. The first responders’ safety is a priority as well. Every now and then someone will call in about an unattended bag or a backpack in an unusual place. We’ll periodically get those. One that warrants a full response from Hazmat or the bomb squad is rare, but they do happen,” Altizer said. There was a previous incident at the end of this past summer where a suspicious device was found in a common room that was later discovered to be a rust cleaning tool. “What warrants calling the police is if [students] get any kind of package and if it has a threat associated with it. If there’s something that says the package is going to harm them, they need to call us,” Altizer said.
sliver
www.nique.net
girl i offered my computer to at the library. date? Heard o sexy time? Well this is sliver time! Make em say uuuhhhhhhhh! Nananana Built Tech Tough! TBS, not just a turner thing, it’s a lifestyle I’m getting too old for this s... My mind on my money and my money on my mind Thomas, this one is dedicated to you. Anthony Allen smiled at me on his way to practice on Monday!!. waved at cute girl while in back of a pick up truck, first time a girl waved back at me :D why don’t we go to Sublime Doughnuts more often?!!??! DELICIOUS. Any Minecrafters out there? chikfila needs the spicy chicken sandwich. i can’t believe they don’t have it. they are so dumb. for real. the rubber blunts and absorbs crack.. my mse prof gots deals in nonacademic materials I just saw 12 people sleeping in 3057 Rowers know how to stroke it! I love that someone at tech is doing a study on vuvuzelas haha Yes, if there’s one thing Tech needs more of, it’s kids spouting off internet memes boy with speakers at ULC, i want you lol i love how my chinese teacher can’t tell 2 chinese kids apart... I just used Rent to solve a Relativistic Physics problem. How many seconds in a year? Tag: #KBS - Smash face on keyboard, sliver results: retfgghk, to whoever blew their tire at the corner of Techwood and Bobby Dodd, great job scaring everyone waiting for the bus U(sic)ga gets Luda free cuz they spent all their money on an engineering progam went to the preachers and said “YOU AIN’T GOT NO PANCAKE MIX” If you run away, they can’t legally chase you. Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned
Technique • October 29, 2010 • 7
from page 1
“This is a basketball building. And we’re going to use it for men’s and women’s basketball. It is not being redone to be a concert facility or other venue,” Radakovich said. He estimated that transferring the current building into a venue that could support concerts could have doubled the $45 million construction cost. With the availability of other venues for those types of events throughout Atlanta, it was decided to forgo those extra costs and focus on the basketball fan’s experience. AMC has been commonly referred to as the “Thrillerdome” by students and fans ever since Tech radio broadcaster Brad Nessler coined the term during the 19831984 Men’s Basketball season. As a tribute to its nickname, the decision was made to keep the actual dome of AMC intact. It will remain in place at the new McCamish Pavilion. McCamish Pavilion’s capacity will be set to 8,900 seats, roughly 300 seats fewer than AMC. In
contrast to the current arrangement, all of the seating—chairs and benches—will be offered with backs. Other than the introduction of a new student entrance on Fowler Street, the in-game experience for students will remain largely unchanged. Student seating will still be located behind the baskets, close to the court. The concourse will be wider, and its design will give fans a better sense of court orientation by offering a 270-degree open view. The design of the new facility will still recognize the current building’s nameholder, William Alexander, who was Tech’s third athletic director and was football coach from 1920-1944. “We are creating, just outside the student entrance, the Alexander Courtyard, where we’ll have a bust of Coach Alexander, his name, along with significant achievements and events that occurred inside the coliseum. So that will be a very nice gathering spot for students or alums coming to our basketball events,” Radakovich said.
Construction will break ground in the spring of 2011 and is expected to be completed by fall 2012. In the interim, the men’s and women’s basketball teams will be without an on-campus site for their home games during the 2011-12 season. The campus team in charge of the project is still in the process of finding a temporary venue for Tech’s home games for that season. Phillips Arena and Gwinnett Arena have both been mentioned and are both being considered as possible interim facilities. Tech would like to keep the teams as close to campus as possible. Availability will be the key component in that decision. Radakovich expects a decision to be made and announced in the first quarter of next year. AMC was dedicated on Nov. 30, 1956, with the men’s basketball team losing the inaugural game 71-61 to Duke. The last game at AMC is scheduled for March 6, 2011, when the men’s basketball team closes its season against Miami.
Illustration courtesy of Athletic Association
The overall cost of the construction project is estimated to be approximately $45 million. The new court will have a wider concourse and offer fans a 270-degree view and offer seasts with backs.
Opinions
“ ”
Arena ramifications
New facility welcomed, but issues still remain
impacted by this major renovation. Every effort must be made to keep the games within a decent travel distance to campus. Shipping the team over thirty miles north to Gwinnett Arena will damage the basketball product and put it out of reach to many students. If no other venue proves plausible, then the Athletic Association (AA) needs to make transportations for students a top priority. While busing may seem too expensive to pursue in order to accommodate students, such expenses should be calculated in the total cost of using Gwinnett Arena, not as an unneeded extravagance that can be done without. If the AA fails to find some sort accommodation to allow students to attend the games, especially for underclassmen, a greater disconnect between the team and the student body may form, which can already be seen through the depleting student attendance at games. The AA should also not expect students to balance their budget with increases in the Athletic Fee as result of the cost occurred from this project. The AA has made it a habit of charging students more over the recent years through previous increase in the fee and charging for season tickets for football, but that trend must be ebbed. Only five percent of the student body can attend a basketball game, and it should not be expected for the whole student body to fork over more money for a product so few students can use at the same time. If the AA does try to pursue an increase in the athletic fee, they must lay out their justification to student leadership so that its position can be made well understood by the entire student body. The student leadership must also ensure that there is broad support for any increase to the fee, from undergraduates and graduates alike. Any attempts to increase the fee without an open dialogue with the student body will be seen as underhanded and will strain relations between students and the AA.
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
Hahnming Lee, Editor-in-Chief Vivian Fan, Managing Editor Kate Comstock, Business Manager Jennifer Aldoretta, Layout Editor Alex Mitchell, Sports Editor Kamna Bohra, Focus Editor Vijai Narayanan, News Editor Steven Cappetta, Advertising Manager Nishant Prasadh, Online Sports Editor Mike Donohue, SGA Editor Chris Russell, Online Editor Matt Hoffman, Opinions Editor Jarrett Skov, Photo Editor Reem Mansoura, Outreach Editor Zheng Zheng, Entertainment Editor
8
Work is the curse of the drinking classes.
OUR VIEWS Consensus Opinion
The recently announced renovation that will transform Alexander Memorial Coliseum into the McCamish Pavilion is a welcomed physical upgrade for the dilapidated facility, but the change raises some historical and logistical concerns in the present and future. Overall, the design should allow fans to have better experience when going to watch Tech basketball and, along with strong on-court performance, could increase attendance to basketball games. The facility is also more representative of the historically strong basketball programs Tech has come to enjoy. This facility should also serve as a more welcoming venue for visitors to campus. While athletics is not the primary concern for the Institute, many outsiders’ dealings with Tech come solely through attendance of games or through watching the Jackets play on television. A world-class facility should only enhance Tech’s reputation with people who have limited knowledge of the Institute. The new Pavilion should act as a front door of sorts for Tech to the outside and surrounding community. Unfortunately, the name change comes as a sad necessity. While the McCamish should be honored for their overly generous donations, losing the name of the legendary coach and athletic director William Alexander will be strange and a tough transition. Tech must never forget its history and embrace those who helped to build it. Something more substantial than a courtyard next to a major facility that once bore the man’s name is needed, and hopefully, in time, a more appropriate replacement will be found. In many situations, it seems money, not tradition wins out on campus, and while people who cherish Tech enough to make multimillion dollar donations are a vital part to making the Institute great, forgetting the legacy of the past will only undermine the greater good. The 2011 basketball season will also be greatly, and potentially negatively,
Technique
Opinions Editor: Matt Hoffman —Oscar Wilde
Friday, October 29, 2010
YOUR VIEWS Letters to the Editor
Counseling center offers support
The recent Consensus Opinion appearing in the Technique (“Time of Contemplation” [printed Oct. 8]) sheds light on the tragic reality of suicide, the difficulty that others face in seeking counseling, and the need to provide additional information and services. For over 30 years, the Georgia Tech Counseling Center has been dedicated to enhancing the academic experience and personal success of all students by providing a variety of short-term counseling and psychological services to students and the campus community. Our services include individual, group and couples counseling that address a wide range of concerns. Services include emergency and after-hours counseling and consultation, educational programming, testing and assessment, and referral services. Counseling services are available at no charge to currently enrolled students and testing and assessment services are available to our clients for a modest fee. The majority of the Center’s service is dedicated to individual counseling (75.7 percent); group counseling and couples counseling comprise a smaller proportion (22.9 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively). The counseling staff gives thoughtful and intentional consideration to the type of services we recommend to each student who comes to the Center. In general, students report that counseling (whether through individual, group or couples modality) helps them to make significant gains in alleviating the overall distress of their concerns. Since 2005, the Counseling Center has experienced significant increases in the number of students seeking counseling, resulting in an average increase of 13.48 percent between 2005-2009. During this year alone, the Center has experienced a 12 percent increase from last year in the number of new students seeking services. From 2005-2009, the Center’s Outreach Program averaged a total of 191 outreach/educational programs, including our Stress Management Series. The Center has also been responsive to academic departments, student groups and organizations in times of crisis. The Center has also made available three videos on how to assist students in distress that are available on the Counseling Center’s website at www.counseling. gatech.edu. However, the impact of our services is only as effective as those who are knowledgeable and ready to take part in counseling. The stigma of counseling continues to be a real concern that prevents some from seeking help. This stigma rests in perceived social misconceptions and in cultural and gender differences regarding help-seeking. A deleterious effect of this stigma is the way in which individuals with mental health concerns internalize the socialized
Write to us:
letters@nique.net We welcome your letters in response to Technique content as well as topics relevant to campus. We will print letters on a timely and space-available basis. Letters should not exceed 400 words and should be submitted by Tuesday at 7 p.m. in order to be printed in the following Friday’s issue. Include your full name, year (1st, 2nd, etc.) and major. We reserve the right to edit for style and length. Only one submission per person will be printed per term.
stigma that can result in a reluctance to seek help, or even worse. The Counseling Center needs everyone’s help to inform others of the Center’s services and to dispel the stigma of counseling. It is important that we all take part in creating a campus culture of caring and support; that we promote a spirit of encouragement rather than discouragement; that we recognize the strength in the diversity of our campus and celebrate and affirm our differences. A campus climate of caring and support goes a long way to ease the stresses, to manage the conflicts, and to help others in need. Ruperto M. Perez Director, Counseling Center
UHR serves the students of Tech In the Oct. 8 edition of the Technique, an article in the opinions section [“Changes Warrented”] made a number of suggestions regarding SGA’s policies and practices with regards to the allocation of the Student Activity Fee (SAF). While this letter does not attempt to invalidate some of the concerns that have been raised, it does intend to address some of the concerns about the nature of the Undergraduate House of Representatives (UHR). Each year, the SGA is entrusted with the funds from the Student Activity Fee, which amounts to nearly $5 million. At the end of the spring semester, the majority of those funds are allocated through the budget process to the Student Center, Campus Recreation Center, and over 100 student organizations. The remaining funds are allocated the following academic year through the bill process. This year, after the budget approval process, SGA was left with $247,038 in its Prior Year Account and $580,192 in its Capital Outlay Account. Thus although $5 million is allocated by the UHR annually, only $827,230 can be spent from August 2010 through May 2011 through the bill process. This money can go quickly, and to avoid emptying any accounts, representatives strive to be fiscally responsible. See letters, page 10
OPINIONS
Technique • October 29, 2010 • 9
New York Times online fees a necessity Next year, The New York Times will begin charging users for content after reaching a certain number of read articles. All viewers will have a set number of articles for a given period, and then will be charged either a flat rate or perarticle cost. My first reaction was apathy. I assumed that this was just another attempt at putting certain content behind a wall, like the New York Times had tried to do with their archives and their opinions section in past years. Feeling this, I was surprised by the reaction on the internet to the story. The strategy was ripped apart by bloggers, readers and commentators. Many said it would be a filter to the rich, denying the news to those who cannot afford it. Others said that it would cripple the Times as the pay wall will drive away the viewers they currently have and the advertisers who pay for those coveted page views. These opinions are not entirely incorrect, but it does highlight one of the inherent conflicts of the internet: what should people have to pay for? If you ask 99.9 percent of the internet population, that answer is nothing. A culture has been created on the web where people expect a robust, free option with alternatives that are also free. The pay applications are for power users. This has worked fairly well because people have differing needs; while some people may
“Unlike applications like browsers and games...news is a benefit to the general population.”
Hahnming Lee Editor-in-Chief only need to do some simple editing of an image in Paint, others need more advanced applications like Photoshop. Unfortunately, this view is not something that should be applied to news institutions and their sites. The free option is not always the best option; you have to pay for quality. Unlike applications like browsers and games, being more advanced and thorough in the news is a benefit to the general population. Sure, you may never need Photoshop, but digging up and analyzing secret Pentagon documents is something that has benefits to the community like government transparency. Furthermore, the option will remain largely free to the majority of readers. The casual consumers of news that like to only read the headlines and the first paragraph will likely still be able to do so. Those that want to read those stories and then other specific sections like the magazine, weekin-review, and in-depth science articles, the ones that are more specific to the Times and likely more expensive to report
and write, would be the ones the pay wall is targeting. Many users assume that there is no cost to the news. News stories appear on so many sites and in press releases, it sometimes may seem difficult to figure out the value of independent reporting. People on the internet can easily start a blog, report on a broken street lamp and completely and accurately say that they are doing investigative citizen journalism. Still, there are large costs to running a news organization that are not easily seen by the average reader of the news, and while the average citizen can aid an institution like a newspaper in becoming a better paper, groups of citizens cannot easily replace it. For years, advertisers have been able to shoulder the burden of the media and pay or heavily subsidize these hidden costs. This is why the newspaper that many pick up at newsstands or subscribe to can cost as little as a quarter. Yet print advertising has continued to decline over the years, and many companies have decided
to invest and explore new and cheaper avenues for getting their messages to the people. Print media companies have done all they can to survive, usually by cutting newsroom staff, decreasing printing sizes and circulations and moving more and more content to websites. Those websites have become increasingly popular, but everyone consumes almost all the content for free. They are 100 percent subsidized by advertisers. What is wrong with making the online model more in line with the print model? This decision is well thought-out and not without precedent. The Wall Street Journal has a pay wall that is embraced by many for the specific reason that The New York Times thinks it can try this: users believe that the content on there is specific, unique and worth paying for to read. I know that as a college student, money is tight and that in our evaluation, most stuff that is free should remain free and stuff that is not free should become free. The internet is still developing a model that will make sites profitable and sustainable (just ask Facebook), and by rejecting any model that costs money, people are conceding that information really is not that important. The assumption that a free alternative will always catch up to a pay alternative can only impede needed progress.
Newton deserves Heisman-leading status On Sept. 7, 2006 Cameron Newton announced that he would play for the U. of Florida for the upcoming 2007 season. As a freshman, Newton earned the job as Tim Tebow’s backup, but on Nov. 21, 2008 Newton was charged with burglary, larceny and obstruction of justice. The charges coupled with lack of playing time led to Newton’s decision to transfer to off-the-radar Blinn College and completely away from major college football. After a season at Blinn, where Newton led his team to a championship, SEC suitors came knocking on Newton’s door again. This time it was Auburn and Mississippi State. Fast-forward to Saturday, Oct. 23. Now Auburn quarterback Newton screamed in excitement as Auburn won their eighth straight game of the season. These days, Newton has a lot to scream about. Newton, almost singlehandedly, has led Auburn to and 8-0 record and a No. 1 ranking in the BCS standings. With Auburn’s 24-17 win over LSU, Newton’s team controls its own destiny in the SEC, and they are in the race for the national championship. Based on his play so far this season, Newton is determined that he will be the one to hold up the crystal ball come season’s end. However, that should not be the only trophy Newton takes home. With his 217 rushing yards against
Pryor has not put up Heismantype numbers in the latter part of this season and Colin Kaepernick’s Nevada team will most likely lose twice. In a league that has included the likes of Tee Martin and Alex Mitchell Tim Tebow, Newton has broken the record for most rushSports Editor ing yards by a quarterback. In a sense, Newton has outton’s memorable moments Tebowed Tebow, and Newwill help him as well. He led ton’s play is breaking the negaa game-winning 19-play drive tive chains that once held these over Kentucky, helped in a two quarterbacks together. Watching Newton play in come-back win over South Carolina and ran for a flying person, I can honestly say that rushing touchdown over Ar- I have never seen a more domikansas is one of the season’s nant college player in my life. more memorable moments. Against Louisiana Monroe, With games against Georgia Newton did not run the ball a and Alabama, Newton is all single time, but he did not need but guaranteed more memo- to. He threw for 245 yards and rable moments to help sway three touchdowns as Auburn routed the War Hawks 52-3. Heisman voters. Another aspect that will Against Arkansas, Newton help Newton be named col- and Arkansas’ offense traded lege football’s best player is blows but Newton outlasted how much he sticks out in the the Razorbacks thanks to his crowd. Running quarterbacks 188 rushing yards and three are “in” right now, but no touchdowns. LSU had held one plays the part like New- opponents to 84 yards rushing ton does. At 6-foot-6 and 260 per game, and Newton alone pounds, Newton looks more had 217 against the Tigers. Newton’s ceiling is seemlike a defensive end than he does quarterback, so his body ingly limit-less and his play is more capable of taking hits makes me wonder what he than other running quarter- could have done had he stayed backs. Newton’s competitors at Florida. No one will ever have already shown signs of know what he could have done slowing down. Michigan’s there, but if he stays healthy Dennard Robinson has twice and Auburn keeps winning, gotten injured, Nebraska’s then Newton should win the Taylor Martinez has gotten Heisman Trophy in a landbenched, Ohio State’s Terrelle slide.
“After watching Newton play in person, I can honestly say that I have never seen a more dominant player.”
LSU, Newton should have cemented his status as this year’s Heisman Trophy winner. Statistically, no player has been more dominant than Newton this season. Newton is second in the nation in rushing with 1077 yards. He leads the nation in rushing touchdowns with 14, and he averages seven yards per carry. He has more rushing yards than fellow Heisman candidates LaMichael James of Oregon and Wisconsin’s John Clay. Did I mention that he plays quarterback? Newton is also a more than capable passer when he is called upon. He only completed 10 passes for 86 yards against LSU, but he is third in the nation with a 172.1 passer rating. Newton’s rating is higher than “more traditional quarterbacks” such as Arkansas’ Ryan Mallet and Stanford’s Andrew Luck. Newton has also never completed less than 50 percent in any game this season. Auburn’s undefeated record thus far will benefit Newton’s Heisman campaign, but New-
BUZZ
Around Campus
What are you going to be for Halloween?
Annie McIntyre Third-year ME
“I am going to be Katy Perry.”
Tristen Rice Fifth-year PTFE
“Stan Marsh from South Park.”
Katie Horn Fourth-year CHEM
“I’m going as Quinn Fabray from Glee.”
Dustin Ingram Second-year ME
“I don’t know.” Photos by Will Folsom
OPINIONS
10 • October 29, 2010 • Technique
OUR VIEWS Hot or Not
HOT– or –NOT Free HPV Vaccine
Student Health Services is giving free HPV vaccines to all students, and everyone needs to take advantage of this opportunity. While the virus might not cause symptoms in men, the male population must realize its responsibility. A sexually healthy campus can only be achieved if everyone takes the initiative to get vaccinated to help prevent cervical cancer.
Over the hill
The Student Center celebrated its 40th birthday last Thursday with free food, events and tons of balloons. The Student Center used the event to get feedback from students about what direction the Center should take in the future. The balloons, however, were a little over the top. When a person can’t get ketchup without dodging balloons, it’s a bit much.
Tiger mauling
The loss to Kansas was shocking; the loss to N.C. State was disheartening; the loss to Clemson just seemed like the next step. The Jackets’ weakness on special teams and defense and holes in offense were all exploited by a physical Clemson team, that dominated both sides of the ball up front. The Jackets next get a trip to Blacksburg to play a hot Hokies team.
Fall flooding
Top IE school. Top five AE, CE, ME, ECE and BME schools. But somehow, the sidewalks on campus still flood when it rains. Hopefully the next multi-million dollar donation can go to proper drain of pedestrian thoroughfares, something that everyone on campus would love. After all, how can someone enjoy brand new facilities and all they have to offer with wet feet.
Letters from page 8 There is an underlying assumption that only bills requesting large sums of money are discussed at length, but it is not unusual for the House to spend 45 minutes or more on bills requesting fewer than $1000. Regardless of the amount of funding requested in a bill, representatives strive to focus on certain pertinent factors during its consideration. These factors include the number of members in the club, the potential for the bill to improve student life at Georgia Tech and most importantly, whether or not our constituents would agree with the allocation of an amount of the SAF for the proposed purpose. The Technique article voices a concern about the discussion on a bill requesting nearly $27,000 in SAF funds. The House debated the bill for over 45 minutes. Many questions were asked of the organizational representatives about which line items were more crucial and time dependent. Time was given to the club to explain their request and which line items took priority. In the end, after a week of speaking to constituents and 45 minutes of discussion on the bill, a portion of the requested amount was approved in an effort to be fiscally responsible and to allocate the students’ money in the best way possible. SGA strives to help every student organization meet its mission and goals through the responsible allocation of the SAF, but organizations should be mindful of SGA’s limitations and attempt to find alternative sources of revenue when possible. Submitting a bill to SGA should be an organization’s last resort. Clubs should try to obtain corporate sponsorship, host fundraising events, increase membership dues or seek out donations, especially for large events or items. SGA works hard to help you
and your organization in any way possible, so please do not hesitate to contact your representatives with any questions or concerns that you have about any campus issue or financial request. Like all other forms of government SGA is not perfect; however what sets us apart is that we make an active effort to make life better for our fellow students. Our priorities are to represent the student body and responsibly allocate your Student Activity Fees, so we want to hear from you, our fellow students. Travis Wagner UHR Secretary
Extremist hurt their own religion I understand that there is a reasoning for allowing extremist preachers to present their offensive views at Tech. The thinking is that if students dislike people who are threatened by diversity, then the students themselves will become more accepting of diversity. The reasoning seems fine until one actually attends these events. For every offensive claim the preacher makes, the students become more extreme and aggressive in their response. So by the end, the students are forced to conclude that Christianity is dumb and illogical. Instead of resulting in all students being more receptive to diversity, the students find themselves not being accepting of religion. However, I do not understand how the administration is unable to notice this problem. Imagine if an extremist Muslim group asked for permission to present their views at Tech. This would obviously not be allowed because the administration would not want the students to believe the stereotype that all Muslims are extremists. Rather, Tech would invite Islamic scholars who emphasize the humanity in Islam. The current issue is similar, although less severe. Because certain extremist
Christian groups have rejected science based on little to no fact, the stereotype of the “dumb intolerant Christian” is readily available. Unfortunately, these extremist preachers conform to this stereotype, pushing the students to believe that the preachers represent all of Christianity. I hope that the students reading this understand that if we conclude that all Christians are bigots, then we are being bigots ourselves. And I hope that the administration notices the issue and considers inviting preachers who emphasize the humanity and philanthropy in Christianity. Azeem Bande-Alii Second-year PHYS
Mass transit offers more options than mentioned While I completely agree with the premise of Kate Comstock’s article [“Public Transportation” printed Oct. 8] about how public transportation in Atlanta is for the most part disjointed and ineffective, there are some gaps in how she addressed the issues. Contrary to her claim that in order to get to Cobb County, you must take MARTA out of the city and transfer to CCT, CCT commuter buses actually operate all the way to downtown weekday mornings and afternoons, and CCT routes 10, 30 and 35 operate well into Atlanta. 10 comes all the way to Arts Center MARTA station, one stop north of Tech Square. I would also like to point out that the State of Georgia contributes no money to the MARTA system, making it the largest public transit agency in the nation to receive no operational funding from the state, so the downturn in state tax revenue should not have had a significant effect on MARTA. Brian Pogioli First-year AE
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Technique
11
Friday, October 29, 2010
Candidates present views, backgrounds ROY BARNES
Photo by Will Folsom /Student Publications
Roy Barnes, the Democratic nominee for governor, is the former governor of Georgia. Barnes grew up in Cobb County and earned his undergraduate and law degree of the University of Georgia in six years. Returning to Cobb County after college, he opened a law firm until his election to the Georgia State Senate in 1974 at the age of 26–the youngest state senator at the time. After 16 years serving in this capacity, he was elected to the Georgia State House of Representative in 1992, serving for six years as member of the Rules and the Banks and Banking Committees, Vice Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and Chairman of the Subcommittee on General Law. In 1999, he was elected governor of Georgia, but he returned to a law career after a failed reelection bid. He now practices at his specialty litigation firm Barnes Law Group with his family in Marietta. He is also a member of the Teaching Commission, the Chair of the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards and Chair of the Institute of Education Leadership. Barnes’ plans include rural and agricultural development, high-tech education and research and investment in renewable and efficient energy sources. He would reduce the property tax, develop economic activities in rural areas and reduce long-term energy costs by retrofitting state-controlled buildings for energy efficiency. Barnes is strongly in favor of maintaining heterosexual-only marriages. He has supported funding to intensify anti-drug trafficking operations and to provide drug education and prevention programs. Education, especially educators, is another hot point for Barnes, who would not support teacher furloughs or renege salary obligations and would reduce school days dedicated to standardized testing. He also believes in bridge high schools and post-secondary education via access to college classes and increasing vocational education options in high schools.
By Andrew Nelson Staff Writer
Along with other local, state and federal elections, the ballot for the next Governor of the State of Georgia will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 2. Due to term limits, the current governor Sonny Perdue (R) is ineligible for reelection. Candidates in this year’s election include Roy Barnes (D), Nathan Deal (R) and John Monds (L). This guide includes a brief description of each candidate and highlights the major points of each their campaign platform. In association with Student Government Associations across the state, Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) hosted the first ever student-led gubernatorial debate on Oct. 3, in which candidates addressed student issues. Among the topics discussed were the HOPE scholarship and the focus on technical education in Georgia. The debate can still be viewed online at http://www.gastudentvote.com. As candidates head into the final weekend of campaigning for the 2010 Georgia gubernatorial election, Republican Nathan Deal has a nine-point lead over Democrat Roy Barnes, according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports. Students who live on campus and are registered to vote may do so at the Student Center on the day of the election.
JOHN MONDS
Photo by Will Folsom /Student Publications
John Monds, the Libertarian nominee for governor, is the president of the Grady County NAACP branch and member of public service boards. Monds hails from Grady County and earned his undergraduate degree in banking and finance at Morehouse College in Atlanta in 1987. Before graduating, he had a job with Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc. and continued working as a finance officer. He is also a 20-year member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity and has held various positions with the fraternity as well as winning the Man of the Year and Superior Service awards in 2003. As president of the Grady County NAACP branch, he has held financial literacy classes for a local summer program, and he is a member of the Grady County Planning Commission, Grady County Habitat for Humanity chapter, Grady County Fine Arts Project and Executive Committee of the Libertarian Party of Georgia. The Georgia Libertarian Party unanimously nominated him as their gubernatorial candidate earlier
this year, and he thus became the first African-American candidate for Georgia governor appearing on the general election ballot. Monds’ campaign basis is relieving government power, lowering taxes and focusing on individual rights. He would use his office to reduce taxes and eliminate the state income and property tax in favor of a consumption tax. His administration would push zero-based budgeting and veto any funding measures past basic governmental functions. He also recently made headlines supporting marriage equality; as a libertarian, he believes in government intervention only for legal matters. He would also ask the General Assembly to rescind minimum laws for drug offenders and reexamine currently incarcerated offenders’ cases. For education, he would encourage charter schools and a tax credit for those attending private schools or homeschool. He would shift control of education systems to local communities and oppose federal mandates like the No Child Left Behind Act.
NATHAN DEAL
Photo by Will Folsom /Student Publications
Nathan Deal, the Republican nominee for governor, is a former thirteen-year representative from Georgia. Hailing from east-central Georgia, Deal earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Mercer University in six years. After college, he served as a captain in the Army and JAG Corps for two years; while in service, he could not serve in combat operations due to insufficient eyesight, so he taught law to military police. He then went on to a ten-year law career as private practice lawyer in Gainesville, Ga. assistant district attorney of the northeastern judicial circuit and juvenile court judge of Hall County. In 1981, he was elected to the Georgia State Senate as a Democrat until 1995, including time as speaker pro tempore, when he was elected to Congress as a representative and then affiliated with the Republican party. In Congress, he was a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and chaired the Subcommittee on Health. After declaring intentions to resign, he decided to postpone that to vote against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act–the health reform bill making headlines this year. He resigned his representative seat this March and has been working on his gubernatorial campaign since. Deal’s major campaign push is via his five-point plan focused on job creation and growth and restructuring the tax code. He is a strong proponent of the fair tax system and intends to implement it at the federal level, and he would reduce taxes for families and small businesses and eliminate the corporate tax. Deal has come out against homosexual marriages and civil unions, and he opposes all federal support for LGBT programs. He is a strong proponent of family values and has received endorsements from the National and Georgia Right to Life Committees. His family’s teaching history makes education a major subject for Deal, who would strengthen the Teachers’ Retirement System, fund universal pre-kindergarten education, and strengthen math and science education.
recognition Hackers cure their hunger for code Fellow earns in poetry By Kamna Bohra Focus Editor
By Andrew Nelson Staff Writer
While Hungry, Hungry Hippos fight for small marbles, several Hungry, Hungry Hackers (H3) fought for a $750 prize and an interview opportunity with the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) in a 14-hour coding competition held on Saturday, Oct. 23. Hosted by the GTRI Cyber Technology Group, Georgia Tech Information Security Center (GTISC) and the Georgia Tech Association for Computing Machinery (GTACM), the
A new face is making a big name in the School of Literature, Communication and Culture. Andy Frazee, recently awarded with the Brittain Postdoctoral Fellowship, has won the 2011 Subito Press Book Competition for his poetry manuscript The Book of I. The competition is hosted by the Subito Press, a nonprofit publisher with the Cre-
See Hackers, page 12
Photo by Basheer Tome /Student Publications
Student coders voluntarily participated in a day long coding and hacking competition for $750 in cash prizes.
ative Writing Department at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Contestants submit their poetry or fictional work, up to 70 pages and 100 pages, respectively. Generally wellknown poets and writers determine the winning poetry and fiction submission, publish it and then invite the winners to give a reading at the University of Colorado in the Spring. “One of the main ways to See Fellow, page 13
FOCUS
12 • October 29, 2010 • Technique
Student center celebrates 40 years as campus hub Some Tech buildings have been around since the late 1800’s; others have only come into existence in the past decade. On Thursday, Oct. 21, 2010, the Fred B. Wenn Student Center hosted a celebration for its 40th year at Tech with free food, music and giveaways. Throughout the day of the event, the Student Center hosted DJ’s, random giveaways and free T-shirts. Students could also take advantage of the Tech Rec for forty cents to play games and to go bowling. The reception toward the birthday bash was large, with over 700 students in participation in events, contests and giveaways. “The food, the music, free shirts and giveaways created the perfect setting for Student Center’s 40th birthday. Not that Student Center is not lively on regular days, but the event had its own charm and it was all superb,” said Sarthak Jaiswal, a first-year CE
major. Beyond promoting the Student Center’s decades of success, one of the major goals of the Birthday Bash was to assess the needs of students. “It’s time to start thinking about a new Student Center. I mean, the Student Center is 40 years old, and it was built for the population 40 years ago, which was half of what it is today. We need more places to eat, and more places to meet with groups,” said Shawn Stinson, Events Coordinator for the Academy of Medicine. The Student Center Directors and Coordinators seek student response and feedback for their present and future plans. The Birthday Bash hosted a design contest where students could decide and present what they would want to see in a new or expanded Student Center. “A lot of them did include expanding upwards,” Stinson said. The future may hold a fourth or even fifth floor to the Student Center.
The Student Center, usually seen as the central building on campus, has offered numerous student services during its time at Tech. When it first opened its doors to Tech in 1970, it had a cafeteria, a Music Browsing Room, the Craft Center, the ballroom, a movie theatre, meeting rooms, full‐service Post Office, an art gallery, a chapel, a table‐service dining area and several lounges. Additionally, the Student Center hosted a recreation area with twelve bowling lanes, a billiards room, table games, a video arcade and cards for use in the area. During the 1996 Centennial Summer Olympic Games, the Student Center was used as a center of athlete services during the games. During this time, the Food Court became the VIP dining area, serving Heads of States and other distinguished guests. The Student Center is ever changing to cater to the needs of
the end of my undergraduate career...about 1997. I worked in marketing for a few years after that and would read and write poetry in the evenings and weekends. I started grad. school in 2002, so that’s about when I decided to really devote my life to poetry and to writing,” Frazee said. Frazee also writes book reviews and critiques for several literary magazines and is the author of a published chapbook of poetry, That the World Should Never Again Be Destroyed by Flood, which he read from at the Erato Series event in Sept. He will read his winning manuscript at the University of Colorado next year, and after
that, he intends to set up readings around Atlanta and elsewhere. “As a poet, I hope to continue surprising myself in my writing-for me, that’s the real joy of it,” Frazee said. “I hope to contribute something to poetry in the general sense, and I hope to help other people enjoy and love poetry as much as I do.” The Brittain Fellowship he recently earned since completing his Ph.D. in English and Creative Writing from the University of Georgia has allowed him to teach at Tech in language fields often related to technology. His interests as a fellow include creative writing, poetry and business commu-
nication, as he received a B.S. in Advertising and a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Frazee also worked as an editorial assistant and a book critic. “As a Brittain Fellow, I really want to do my best to help my students prepare for the kinds of situations they’ll face in the workplace,” Frazee said, as he teaches LCC 3403: Technical Communication for Management Students. “As someone with a business background, I remember how much I used what I learned in my business communication classes, and I hope I’ll be able to pass on those skills to my students.”
By Malvika Kapoor Contributing Writer
Photos courtesy of Georgia Tech Archives
The Fred B. Wenn Student Center was constructed in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s to accommodate a growing population.
Fellow
See Birthday, page 13
from page 11
have a book of poetry published is through competitions like the Subito Press competition; this is true especially for first books of poetry, as mine is,” Frazee said. “So the short answer is I entered the competition to win it and to have my poetry published and distributed as a book.” What makes Subito’s competition special is its mission to publish innovative works that challenge the norm and capture the contemporary human condition, according to the website. After sending his manuscript to such contests over a couple of years, Frazee was excited that he won
at Subito, as many of his publications are cutting-edge. “Some of the poems are more content to experiment with language, not really trying to ‘say’ anything necessarily, but trying to do something different and new,” Frazee said. The Book of I covers a wide amount of content and time range. One long poem explores the sudden death of his father in 2001, and another uses newspaper article clips to describe and comment on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The oldest poem in his book is from 2003, and the most recent ones are from 2008. “I’ve been writing poetry since
sliver
www.nique.net
i burned my whiteout shirt Animal Husbandry major anyone? Dude with the stroller in the library. You gotta do what you gotta do, huh? OMG what happened to FX??? I can’t watch I’ts Always Sunny!!! Im gonna flipadelphia out! cuz all we do is WIN GT Honors Program isn’t the only one seeking eager, open and willing freshmen... Dear girl screaming “MARIAAAA” at midnight, you can not sing. Please stop. What do you walk to every Thursday night at 7:30, dear? I just want to play Final Fantasy!! if you’re happy and you know it....then you’re not studying hard enough Oh mighty Grilled Cheesus... fairly sure those Jedis are my roommates disclaimer: regardless of what my white board says, i am not part of a booty call service. Does anybody have any icing?! I need to stop swearing in front of small children. Why don’t the clocks work in the library Guy who clotheslined the d-bag riding the bike at mini 500, you’re a bad ass. Hey barefoot girl, did you ever find that hat you were looking for? DO A BARREL ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!! I almost had a psychic girlfriend back in high school, but she broke up with me before we met. so bored i actually feel like working on mastering physics Bobby Dodd has security cameras now... take caution when sneaking in. So. Street sweepers shouldn’t be allowed until ater 9 am. I want sleep. Undershaven caucasian, you emit B.O. like a positive electric field. people always told me I had a face for radio
FOCUS
Hackers
Photos by Basheer Tome /Student Publications
The H3 competition is a collaborative effort by GTRI, GTISC and GTACM, that seeks to channel hackers’ skills into cyber security.
Technique • October 29, 2010 • 13
from page 11
hacking competition ultimately seeks to find coders who can break the system and then recruit them to cyber security. “In cyber security research, the key to developing effective defenses is in understanding the threat. This event will provide an opportunity for students to apply their knowledge of computers and networks and to build cyberspace exploitation techniques,” said Fred Wright, an Electronic Systems Lab Chief Engineer at GTRI, in a press release published by GTRI. In designing and hosting this competition, the applied research security community, consisting of GTRI, GTISC and GTACM, wanted to inspire “ethical hacking,” according to the H3 website. “Beyond the increased value of education to the community, both the GTISC and GTRI believe that observing how someone goes through the actual art of hacking…provides invaluable perspective to the potential threats that we face as a society,” said a description on the H3 website. The H3 competition is loosely based on the US Cyber Challenge, which similarly seeks to harness the talents of coders. The competition itself was split into two phases, with only the top performers of the morning proceeding to the second phase; the entire competition extended over the course of the day.
Birthday
from page 12
Tech students and faculty. Examples include the enclosing of the outdoor patio of the Food Court in 1986 to create a 4000 square foot, 350‐seat Greenhouse dining room; the expansion of the Post Office in 1987 to accommodate 15,020 mailboxes; and the expansion of the Student Center Ballroom in 1997 by 1,500 square feet of adjacent storage and patio
space to accommodate larger campus events. During this past year, the Student Center closed Pandini’s to add the first floor food court, which includes Chick-Fil-A, Taco Bell and Subway. In the main food court, Café Spice and Zaya Mediterranean are the newest notable additions. Future plans include expansion of facilities to accommodate the growing Tech population.
Photo by Ben Lipford /Student Publications
Students have many meal options throughout the day and into late hours, ranging from American food to Mediterranean cuisine.
Know of something (or somebody) interesting on campus?
Tell us at focus@nique.net
FOCUS
14 • October 29, 2010 • Technique
NOV. 1 Monday
CAMPUS CALENDAR Nov. 1 - 11
NOV. 2 Tuesday
NOV. 3 Wednesday
So You Think Tech Can Dance Competition
Launch Showcase of Burdell’s Black Book
NOV. 8
World Town Planning Day 2010
Monday
NOV. 9 Tuesday
Take-a-Professor Cafe Style
NOV. 10 Wednesday
NOV. 4
Erato Open Mic Coffeehouse
NOV. 11
NOV. 5
SCPC showing of Inception
NOV. 12
Thursday
Photo by Blake Israel /Student Publications
Phase I Registration Opens
Friday
Thursday
Friday
Orchestra and Jazz Concert
Technique Photography Meeting at 6 p.m.
Lily Cai Chinese Dance Company
technique the south’s liveliest college newspaper.
Entertainment
entertainment@nique.net Entertainment Editor: Zheng Zheng Assistant Entertainment Editor: Patricia Uceda
Technique
15
Friday, October 29, 2010
Taste of Atlanta highlights local cuisine EVENTS
Taste of Atlanta FEATURES: Atlanta Restuarants LOCATION: Tech Square DATE: Oct. 23 - Oct. 24, 2010
OUR TAKE: ««««« By Chris Ernst Staff Writer
Taste of Atlanta, hosted in Tech Square on Oct. 23 and 24, is an outdoor food and wine festival which showcases the various restaurants around Atlanta, both popular and up-and-com-
ing. Over 70 eateries from the greater Atlanta area provided sample single servings of their best culinary work. The diversity on display of Atlanta’s food scene attracts food lovers from Atlanta, the Southeast and beyond. Taste of Atlanta encompasses more than just food from vendors. In addition to good eats from local restaurants, foodies enjoyed celebrity chef demonstrations, music entertainment from regional artists and a variety of spirits. The Farm to Festival Village, an area off to the side of the main festival, showed visitors Atlanta’
local sustainable movement, featuring restaurants committed to using locally grown and produced products in their daily operations. Visitors could sample the wares of these earth-conscience vendors and taste for themselves how delicious and economicallybeneficial these places are. Adjacent was the Go Green Village, which showed visitors a variety of ideas of how to live an earthfriendly life. This may sound like a childunfriendly place, but The Family Food Zone offered fun, foodfocused arts and crafts, including decorating egg carton caterpillars, making macaroni jewelry, creating a chef hat, decorating sugar cookies and making a selfportrait out of candy. Aside from these activi-
ties, cooking demos and lessons taught and entertained little ones. In addition to these cookingrelated events, there were numerous other happenings. Atlanta’s top bartenders competed for the title of Taste of Atlanta’s Best Bartender. Many of those who competed are members of the newly formed Atlanta chapter of the United States Bartenders Guild. Everyone enjoyed the strangely warm late Oct. weekend; it was perfect for an outdoor festival. As various smells and smoke propagated through the air, flocks of people moved around the many booths of delicious delicacies. Local area restaurants were on the same plane as the big names, giving the small fish just as much room to hook a customer as the
big fish. Visitors to the festival could find their favorites as well as discover some new places they had never heard of. Taste of Atlanta was a great weekend. It had lots to do for everyone, including kids and bartenders. Nearly every aspect of food was represented, from farming to preparation to presentation and everything in between. Foodies came from all over the Atlanta area and the United States to sample some of the greatest food around the Southeast. Tech Square was one of the best-smelling places this weekend with tasty treats to match. When the annual festival returns in the autumn of 2011, make sure to grab a ticket as this event is both delicious and fun.
Ribs N Blues
Crepe Revolution
Photos by Chris Ernst (Left), Dean Liao (Middle), Basheer Tome (Right) / Student Publications
Ludacris pumps up Tech crowd for Homecoming EVENTS
Homecoming Concert PERFORMER: Ludacris LOCATION: Alexander Memorial Coliseum Parking Lot DATE: Oct. 7, 2010
OUR TAKE: ««««« By Chris Ernst Staff Writer
Every year, the Student Center Programs Council brings a musical artist to celebrate homecoming. This year, the powers that be decided Ludacris would perform, to the delight of most of Tech. Thursday, Oct. 7 was the date
everyone was looking forward to. Fresh after Homecoming 2009’s Third Eye Blind and 2010 Sting Break’s OAR, many students were disappointed a more current and relevant artist was not chosen. However, Homecoming 2010 saw campus talking with the prospect of seeing an artist with several songs currently on the radio. As many students are from the Atlanta area, an A-Town native performing at home was exciting for them. The only problem was that the concert was on a Thursday night, nixing the prospect of finishing homework or getting enough sleep. But that did not stop the crowds from showing up an hour early. Those that showed up right at 8 p.m. could not get within a
thousand feet of the stage without skillful elbows nor a conscience. By the scheduled time the concert was supposed to start, the crowd was restless. Luda did not take the stage immediately. Unbeknownst to the students, there apparently were going to be opening acts. The first opening act, 4ize, only performed one song. They made the audience giggle on occasion, but there is a reason they have not blown up yet. After an interlude, Rudy Currence, the second opening act, performed a few of his songs, but mostly he sang and played covers of other songs with a little twist to include Tech or an audience member. He interacted with the audience frequently and encouraged them to do the same. He even
Photo by Basheer Tome / Student Publications
sang a whole song to a girl in the audience, Maya, using her name as a majority of the lyrics. Currence definitely has some piano skills, which exceeded his tired, smokey voice. After Rudy Currence bowed off the stage, the audience restlessly sat through another waiting
period, anxious to get to the main course. An hour after the scheduled start, Ludacris finally appeared. And the crowd went wild. Ludacris performed many of his hit songs, both old and new, including “What’s Your Fantasy,” See Ludacris, page 17
ENTERTAINMENT
16 • October 29, 2010 • Technique
Rock Band 3 redefines music simulation genre GAMES
Rock band 3 CONSOLE: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii GENRE: Rhythm Game DEVELOPER: Harmonix RATING: T RELEASED: Oct. 26, 2010
OUR TAKE: ««««« By Robert Solomon Staff Writer
Since the introduction of Rock Band three years ago, there has been little innovation in the plastic band genre. Guitarists still play instruments with five buttons, and drums still have a limited number of pads compared to a real kit. Rock Band developer Harmonix seemed to recognize this when they took an extra year off since the release of Rock Band 2, but has the game evolved? With the hardware, there is an obvious change. With full band bundles now a thing of the past, the only instrument one can purchase Rock Band 3 with is a two octave keyboard. Past plastic instruments came in pieces that were assembled, and by and large felt flimsy and cheap, particularly the drum hardware. Not so with this keyboard instrument. It arrives in one solid piece, with a plastic window proudly displaying it before you even open the box. With this new instrument comes a new option. While the standard five note highway remains if you select regular Keys, a whole new system emerges when you select Pro Keys. In the Pro Keys mode, the lanes change into representations of the notes on the
Image courtesy of Harmonix
keyboard. If an F# note comes down the lane, you have to hit F#. It also contains the four difficult modes of the standard modes, scaling up the difficulty from single notes at Easy to full chords at Expert. This is, quite simply, a revelation. While one could feel that their plastic instrument skills were wasted time, the muscle memory you develop playing the advanced Keyboard modes directly translates to a real keyboard. If you play the chords you learn from “Sister Christian” on a piano, they will sound almost exactly the same, only being simplified somewhat to accommodate the two octave keyboard. Along with this new mode come Pro Modes for the guitar,
bass and drums. The new guitar was not available at press time, but like the keyboard, it will directly map the notes of the guitar to the appropriate frets of the guitar controller. For those wanting the real tactile feel of strings instead of buttons, an actual Fender guitar that is compatible with the game will be available earlier next year, if you are willing to drop more than $300 on it. For thrifty players, the Pro Drum option is both the cheapest and deepest option available. By adding three cymbals to the existing kit, the note highway will differentiate between toms and cymbals. The difficulty scales well compared to the original drum set, and there is something very satisfying about hitting two cym-
bals to create a tremendous crash instead of the dull thud of the drums. In addition, every song in the Rock Band back catalog supports Pro Drums out of the box. Songs that may have become stale on the drums feel brand new again with this mode. For those who are not interested in these advanced modes, there are still significant improvements throughout the interface, particularly if you get a large group together to play Rock Band. The greatest improvement is that you no longer have to back out of the song selection screen to add or subtract members from your band. Each player now has their own menu that can be opened with the start menu,
which allows for a player to drop out or join in. Going further than this, if you are in the middle of a song and someone wants to join on drums in the middle, all they have to do is press start and select a difficulty, and within moments they will be in the song. In a move that may seem strange for a video game, the overall difficulty within the Career mode has also been eased up. If you want to play and beat the game with No Fail Mode on, the game will not penalize you for this, though the traditional option remains for purists. Rather than difficult set lists that you have to soldier through, you are given a choice of three different options at each stage of the Road Challenges. These replace the traditional World Tour mode largely for the better. It is difficult to convey just how much easier it is to pick up and play with these new modes. If you are playing with a friend and you want to change instruments on every single song, a once tedious process has now been streamlined with a few button presses. It makes the game play experience a lot more fluid as opposed to previous iterations. Aesthetically, many of the visual improvements will seem familiar to those who have played the band-centric games Harmonix has released in the past year, including The Beatles and Green Day: Rock Band. Three part harmonies are also finally supported, and while earlier downloadable content does not support this mode (nor do old songs support the keyboard), Harmonix has stated that they will be bringing these functions to older songs in the future. See Band, page 18
ENTERTAINMENT
Technique • October 29, 2010 • 17
J. R. Crickets beats out competition RESTARUANTS
J. R. Crickets LOCATION: 631 Spring Street NW CUISINE: Wings, Wraps, Sandwiches COST: $5 - $20 HOURS: 11 a.m. ~ 1 a.m. PHONE: (404) 389-9464
OUR TAKE: ««««« By Andrew Nelson Staff Writer
Most food styles immediately surrounding Tech are the typical city fare: standard American dishes, often greasy and cheaper than most. Among the better of the dozen or so in sight of campus is J.R. Crickets, self-described as “Atlanta’s wing tradition.” The closest of their 12 locations, just over the North Avenue bridge on Spring Street, happens to be the original that opened in 1982. Wings are their specialty, but the menu also includes sandwiches, wraps, chicken fingers, ribs, shrimp and salad. In fact, the steak and cheese sandwich ($8.29) has been their best selling sandwich since they opened. The reason most go to J.R. Crickets, however, is for a basket of wings, somewhere between a single order of 10 bone-in wings ($7.89) and the giant party platter of 150
Image courtesy of J.R. Crickets
($99.99). The wings come out from the deep fryer wrapped in aluminum foil and steaming hot with a nice crispy skin, and just enough sauce pools beneath the pile for extra dipping. If you prefer, they offer all drums or all flats and the option to serve your chicken “swimming” in sauce, both for a little extra. Baskets come with a choice of celery or fries, or a fruit cup could be substituted for $1.59. The celery is usually fresh and crunchy, but the fries are nothing special, so have a ketchup bottle nearby. Don’t even bother with the onion rings. Covering that crispy fried skin on the wings are your choice of
regular sauces (mild, medium and hot), free with your order, or specialty sauces (lemony pepper, buffalo BBQ, buffalo teriyaki, three mile island meltdown, sanchez and fester) for a few more quarters. The best sauce to get, though, is the regular hot, thanks to the comfortably sizzling heat and truly nice flavor without the overwhelming vinegary taste that often finds its way into other hot wing sauces. For those who like reducing their tongue’s lifespan, the fester sauce is the way to go, though it’s not the hottest out there and does have more of a vinegary taste. If wings’ are not on your plate, it better be either the Buffalo Style
Chicken Sandwich or the Buffalo Philly, both $8.39. The seafood is fine for fast-food restaurants, but they are not on par with the quality of the wings. Combine seafood and sandwich to get the Grilled Tilapia sandwich for $6.99, which is probably the healthiest option by far and tastes fine. All sandwiches are served with fries or cole slaw, and a tasty supplement of five wings costs only $3.29. Stepping into the dining area is stepping into a healthy slice of the ‘80s, with Sirius Satellite Radio stations playing on the speakers, a row of arcade games on one wall and various Atlantan and beer signs covering the others. The doors open at 11 a.m. for lunch, but the crowd shows up at night, often close to packing the two-story restaurant. There are only two waitresses working the floor, and they are always friendly. Expect to see more college students on Mondays to take advantage of the student-only deal of half off wings with a college ID. Wings cost a little over the average compared to most places, but the meat yield and quality is above average as well. The best value by cost per wing is the 30 piece ($19.49), and you could save a dime per wing by upgrading from the single order to the double order. For the rest of the menu, prices are a little high for their worth, with most dishes falling between $7 and $9.
Ludacris
from page 15
“Number One Spot” and “My Chick Bad.” Conspicuously absent was “Welcome to Atlanta,” but maybe that is asking for too much. Diehard fans were satiated with some deeper cuts while casual fans were also entertained with the radio-friendly singles. Ludacris has fewer singles than features right now, which he performed, but only his own verse. He performed about one minute from many of the songs that feature a verse from him, which really just teased the audience. While definitely a part of Ludacris’ fame, these features just do not perform very well because they are so short and part of another artist’s song. However, for every time the show dragged, a hit single would energize the crowd and reinvigorate their passion. Overall, the show was a huge success for both the performers and the audience. There was some pent-up desire for a hip-hop artist that this concert hopefully helped fulfill. It has been a while since an artist like Ludacris has come to Tech, and Tech totally showed it is ready for more. The performers (both announced and unannounced) entertained the crowd for over two and a half hours and seemed to enjoy every minute. The opening acts were not exactly a welcome surprise, but the main show definitely pushed any foul memories away to leave the students and their guests elated and excited for other Homecoming activities.
ENTERTAINMENT
18 • October 29, 2010 • Technique
Unremarkable Undercovers fails to impress TELEVISION
Undercovers NETWORK: NBC WHEN: Wednesday 8 p.m. STARRING: Boris Kodjoe, Mekia Cox
OUR TAKE: ««««« By Daniel Fuller Contributing Writer
NBC’s latest show Undercovers delivers new spy action-adventure to the television world. This particular take on the spy thriller genre focuses on husband-and-wife pair Steven and Samantha Bloom, played by Boris Kodjoe and Gugu Mbatha-Raw, respectively. Despite their attempts at a happy retired life as caterers, the arrival of a grumpy CIA agent, played by Gerald McRaney, manages to convince the couple to come back to the service for one last case. As the trope often goes, “one last case” is not the last case, developing into the premise of the rest of the show. Undercovers is fast-paced and fun but feels a bit formulaic. The premise certainly isn’t new (Mr. and Mrs. Smith, for example) and the execution feels like most other generic spy stories. There is a missing agent, a mysterious crime lord hiding in the shadows, secret data hidden on a
flash drive, etc. There is even the obligatory “you have failed me” moment when the villain kills one of his own minions. It seems that the creators J. J. Abrams and Josh Reims intended the heart of the show to be in the characters, not the originality or the story. The most amusing aspect of the show so far is the interactions between husband and wife. Both are fast-talking and sarcastic which leads to several silly moments of bickering in the middle of a mission. Neither knows each other’s history as secret agents, so there is an additional dynamic in which husband and wife suddenly discover surprising aspects of each other’s past. Another interesting characteristic is the couple’s attempts to hang on to their ordinary lives, going so far as to interrupt an operation to answer a phone call to discuss dog food and the catering business. The rest of the characters are hit or miss. Billy Hoyt, played by Ben Schwartz, for instance, provides tactical support to the husband-wife team, but his sycophantic, fanboyish obsession with Steven Bloom is more annoying than funny. Leo Nash, played by Carter MacIntrye, on the other hand plays a witty and rouge-like spy who is much more endearing. Unfortunately, Nash had a very minor appearance in the pilot, so it
Image courtesy of NBC
is unclear how his character will play out for the rest of the series. There are already hints of a love triangle developing, but hopefully those themes will not develop any further into painful, forced melodrama. Undercovers might be a fun show to tune in to every week for a daily dose of gunshots and explosions, but so far, it doesn’t deliver anything that has not been seen before. The production values are good
and everything looks shiny, but the heart of the show lacks polish. The attempts at clever writing are amusing enough, but they still seem to lack much flavor or style. The rest of show will have to raise the standard if it hopes to be consistently entertaining. There is potential for script and story to grow into something much grander and more complex than the show is at present, but based on the pilot alone, Undercovers is mostly unremarkable.
Band
from page 16
If you have made an earlier investment in Rock Band at any stage, any songs you have exported carry over seamlessly into Rock Band 3. If you own Rock Band 2, you can permanently export the vast majority of the songs for $10, which doubles your available songs alone. To aid in swelling song sizes, there have also been significant improvements in sorting them. If you want to only see songs with keyboard parts from the 1990’s that have three-part harmony, you can easily do this. On top of these technical achievements, this latest and greatest iteration of Rock Band remains as fun to play as past versions, with all of their strengths and none of their weaknesses. The experience scales beautifully from beginner to expert, even for the vocalists, who can now turn on pitch correction for a little aid in sounding better. If you have tone deaf friends like mine, you will be happy for this option. Harmonix is a company founded by musicians, and it shows in the instruments they have produced as well as the song selection they have chosen. In short, if you appreciate the beauty of good or bad karaoke, or have enjoyed Rock Band in the past, this is the definitive version, with the added bonus of learning new instruments (and how to play the real ones) being the icing on this cake. With the depth offered by this iteration, there are few better values in gaming today.
ENTERTAINMENT
Technique • October 29, 2010 • 19
Jackass induces strong reactions through 3D FILM
Jackass 3D GENRE: Documentary Action Comedy STARRING: Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O DIRECTOR: Jeff Tremaine RATING: R RELEASE DATE: Oct. 15
OUR TAKE: ««««« By Robert Solomon Staff Writer
Towards the end of 2010, 3D movies have largely been a failed gimmick at the box office, largely due to the fact that this special effect has been crudely applied to movies that gained nothing from the process, such as the latest Resident Evil movie. Jackass 3D does not have this problem. Something is indeed gained from the added dimension that 3D applies. Put another way, I almost threw up. For those who are not acquainted with the Jackass series, think of a group of men who have chosen not to grow up, playing juvenile pranks on one another and on themselves involving dangerous, painful and often sickening stunts. You may wonder why this movie made $50 million dollars last weekend, and why I went to
the trouble of seeing it. The secret lies in the equal way in which the pain is distributed among all of the cast members. Ringleader Johnny Knoxville may laugh devilishly at a donkey kicking Chris Pontius in the leg as he plays a real game of “Pin the Tail on the Donkey”, but in the next skit, he is the one on the receiving end of the punishment. As the cast members laugh uproariously at their turns of horrid fate, we in the audience are given permission to laugh with them. However, this is not a new aspect to the Jackass series. This time, four years since the second
installment, 3D cameras were utilized to film the majority of the stunts. With most of the laughter coming before the stunt is pulled off, the anticipation of the impending blow is much greater when a giant ball is pulled back against a rubber band towards the camera. As a result, the depth of field makes the impact that much greater. I’ll also add that there are things shown here in 3D that I may have never wanted to. There is a lot of vomiting. There is a bit of blood. And there is more male nudity than you will see in the rest of this year’s major releases com-
bined. There are also no heroes in this film. Few would see what goes on in this film and want to duplicate it in any way, particularly as the stakes have gotten higher and the potential for serious injury has risen. On more than one occasion someone nearly breaks their neck, which we then get to see again, in slow motion. Rather than feeling distanced from the action as one might normally experience in a movie theatre, the sense of danger is enhanced by the third dimension. If there were going to be any
Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures
identifiable heroes, it would be the animals that are repeatedly featured in the movie. A buffalo, bull and most notably a ram exact nature’s revenge upon these jerks who dare to mess with them. The clang of the ram’s horns against a tuba played in the ram’s face holds a sort of terrible justice. These sequences are among the most memorable because while we are able to predict how a bystander might react to a grandfather kissing his granddaughter, we have absolutely no idea how a ram will react to off-color music. The unpredictability of the animals helps to keep the movie interesting in between the more straightforward pranks. Even at brief eighty minutes, there is still significant fatigue on the viewer. It is very nearly too much. When Steve-O is shaken upside down in a porta-potty connected to bungee cords, there is not much more the movie can do to top it. Yet, despite the repetition of the film, the 3D does add something significant to the movie. As mentioned earlier, I nearly threw up at one stunt. I decided that this had to be worth four stars for managing this feat alone, so there you go. I probably would have given it five if I had actually thrown up. With this in mind, let that be your guide to whether or not you should see this film.
sliver
www.nique.net
Take a class on yourself. Go to route 66. The new Linkin Park album can’t be outfoght, can’t be outdone, can’t out matched, can’t be outrun. How about a more interesting poll-- like easiest major on campus? INTA? HTS? BP Editors are SMOKING! He has bigger breasts than me. And I’m a C cup. “This article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.” Oh Damn! Take-home Exam FAIL!! Our gt athletic fee goes toward turning on the stadium lights during a daytime game. If your man drinks Deer Park, he could look like Johnnyboy! Every time the whistle goes off, I always imagine going into Silent Hill’s otherworld... The ratio is a lie, I’m a freshman and most of the good friends I met here are girls... ...cause I’m a homosexual To the nerd playing Starcraft 2 on the forth floor of the library, stop talking out loud about your pylons. The Elvis Burger at the Vortex has my heart...literally. This heartburn is killing me. jorts ftw Urgent notice: Need boyfriend immediately!! I just found the resonant frequency of my bathroom while singing hotel room service by pitbull. what’s up with the uga coolers stored on top of the aisle shelves in publix? Has anyone ever thought of signing their Slivers? It’d be neat to regularly see little nuggets of wisdom from the same person... -TPS The only As I’ve gotten since coming to Tech have been in Guitar Hero :/ Nothing really Mattress. wait, it rains here? since when? McCluster for MVP WHY IS THE TACO BELL LINE SO LONG I COULDA GRADUATED BY THIS TIME Rocky Horror Glee was the worst episode ever Photoshop this I <3 jackass eight months of no football, and they wait until august to start construction on the south end zone gate did you know there is significant overlap between the Torah, AlQur’an and the Bible? i didnt.. Harry Potter 7 Part I!!!!!
We’d like to hear from you. Write us a letter. letters@nique.net
ENTERTAINMENT
20 • October 29, 2010 • Technique
Unleashed II short on replay value, originality GAMES
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II CONSOLE: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC GENRE: Action DEVELOPER: LucasArts RATING: T RELEASED: Oct. 26, 2010
OUR TAKE: «« « «« By Andrew Akker Contributing Writer
The Star Wars franchise has brought us many different titles that have both wowed us and disappointed us. In 2008, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed wowed most and disappointed few. Its familiar style of gameplay, storyline and characters in the game gave it generally favorable reviews. Now in 2010, LucasArts has released the next game in the series entitled Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II. The Force Unleashed II features a story that has only somewhat to do with the first game. The “Starkiller” you play as is revealed by Darth Vader to be a clone of the original. Haunted by dreams and visions of the original Starkiller, you end up betraying Darth Vader
and going on a quest to find help from the Alliance and your former lover, Juno Eclipse. The gameplay has much of the same style as the first game. Throughout the first level, the clone remembers most of the special moves and techniques the original had in the first game. This gives you access to about ninetyfive percent of the moves right away which is a nice touch. The game is mostly about the fighting. The first game had it down pretty well, so slight touchups without massive changes is perfect enough for this game. One of the biggest changes in the game is the addition of a second lightsaber for battle. The lightsaber upgrade system has also changed, as well as the technique upgrade system. The lightsabers now have effects associated with them instead of just changing color. The system from the first game that used color crystals and power crystals has been combined into one single lightsaber upgrade system. When you find a lightsaber upgrade, it will show up as a certain color and will have an effect that goes well with the color. For example, the green lightsaber crystal will increase health regeneration. There are other effects, such as an orange crystal
that lets you set enemies on fire or a red crystal that increases your damage. The health and force meter upgrades have been taken out of the upgrade system and have been moved to actual gameplay elements where you collect the upgrades which happen instantly. The technique upgrade system has also been slightly changed. Instead of having three types of orbs to use for upgrades, it has been combined into one set of orbs for all upgrades. Techniques like force push and force lightning can be upgraded as well as other skills like lightsaber damage. There are slight changes in the fighting from the first to the second game. For example, the force push technique takes much longer to charge up to its full power. Also, there isn’t any automatic deflection of lasers shot from the stormtroopers without blocking like in the first game. Another change is the addition of Jedi mind tricks. The player can use a Jedi mind trick on an enemy to either make him attack his allies or run away for a short time. It is very useful in many situations. The graphics have also been slightly touched up. The game is a bit prettier than the first one and handles physics a lot better. Rather than having a “training room” like in the first game,
Image courtesy of LucasArts
there’s a more straightforward challenge mode in the second game. The player must complete certain objectives to earn a medal. Completing the challenge in under certain times gets the player better medals. A ranking system is also included to compare to the community or friends. That being said, there’s a major problem with the game: it is very short. I was able to sit down after class and finish the game in about five hours. Granted, I was playing on the easiest difficulty to get through as much of the game as I could, but I could probably get through it on medium or even hard in not more than one or two more hours. There also aren’t very many challenges to do once com-
pleting the main story. The fact that the game is very short and doesn’t include many challenges gives it virtually no replay value, making it not worth the sixty dollars it costs. Renting the game is a better decision than buying it. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II is a valiant attempt to continue the good reputation the Star Wars franchise had with the Force Unleashed series. However, the major flaw with the length of the game tarnishes its name. If you are a big fan of the series, it’s a very fun fighting game for the time that you’re playing it. Hopefully, if LucasArts decides to make a third installment, they will make the game a bit longer.
CLASSIFIEDS REAL ESTATE
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MISCELLANEOUS
Save a tree! Read us online!
nique.net
COOKOUT FOR THE KIDS! Please join us on Friday, Oct 29th, at the Phi Mu House for a cookout in support of Children’s Miracle Netwoork. Food, drinks, friends, and fun, only $5!!! 5-7:00 240 Ferst Drive, call for more info 479-970-2668 HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAM HAMMOND on Saturday, October 30th !
MISCELLANEOUS WANTED Vuvuzela players and instruments for acoustics study. Contact: Dr. Cunefare at ken.cunefare@me.gatech.edu
ENTERTAINMENT
Technique • October 29, 2010 • 21
Theme Crossword: Easy Enlightenment By Robert Zimmerman United Features Syndicate ACROSS 1. “Along -- a spider ...” 5. Jump 10. Baby’s “wheels” 14. Cowsheds 19. Spread for bread 20. Misstep 21. Italia’s capital 22. Of an intestinal part 23. Repair 24. Potato state 25. Popular online destination 26. Largo, presto, etc. 27. Start of a quip by anonymous: 2 wds. 29. Lotion 31. Matisse or Derain, e.g. 33. Costa del -34. Chooses 36. Aforementioned 37. Hollow space in an artery 38. Poet’s preposition 39. Treasure --
41. Encore! 42. Doctrine 45. Part 2 of quip: 5 wds. 49. Troubles 51. Table scrap 52. An Olympian 53. Famed symbol 54. -- de coeur 55. Fishnets 58. At any time 59. Command for a pooch 60. Temporary replacements 62. “Ad -- per aspera” 64. Plan 65. Part 3 of quip: 3 wds. 72. The same old thing 73. Union demand 74. Feeling 75. Shot in billiards 78. Actress -- Blanchett 79. Inferior 82. Back muscle, for short 83. River in Russia 84. Seaweed 85. Qty.
86. Start for space or stat 87. Part 4 of quip: 6 wds. 94. Parisian pal 95. Annoying one 96. Believer in a natural religion 97. Earlier 98. Some exams 100. In a huff 101. British peer 103. Fish eggs 106. Taj Mahal structure 108. Fanciful being 110. End of the quip 112. Maguey genus 113. “-- Almighty” 115. Raison -117. Electrical unit 118. Parts of pumps 119. Ceremony 120. Spooky 121. To -- -- (precisely) 122. Nottingham’s river 123. Germ 124. Training by repetition 125. Serotines
DOWN 1. Musical sections 2. Famed mission 3. Actress -- Streep 4. Quite a long time 5. Like some athletes 6. Lot 7. Gold of “Entourage” 8. Paul and Howard 9. Perfidy 10. Trailer 11. Like a judge, sometimes 12. Prof. org. 13. Famed ship of 1620
14. Asphalt ingredient 15. Tylenol rival 16. Look back 17. Sleeps 18. Cut 28. Digits 30. Wash against 32. Unseen emanations 35. Like a martinet 38. CIA predecessor 40. Memorization 41. “The Island of Dr. --” 43. Greek colonnade 44. Rasputin was one
45. Epic poem 46. Dewy 47. Le --, Normandy 48. Fur stole 49. Rights org. 50. Branding implement 55. Antitoxin 56. Formerly, of old 57. Hawkins of Dogpatch 58. Lucy’s pal 59. Delight in 61. Oil of oranges 63. Main and others: abbr. 64. Street performer
66. Medieval Iberian kingdom 67. Brazilian port 68. Aeries 69. “Life of --” 70. Rise dramatically 71. Within: prefix 75. Part of the West Indies 76. Cuckoopint 77. Grounds 78. Monastery part 80. Sign on a roadside
81. Struck 84. “And thereby hangs -- -- ...” 86. Fuss 88. Leanest 89. Bedecked 90. Roulette bet 91. Knuckled under 92. North Carolina native 93. Hideous 99. Glossy creature
100. Part of OSU or LSU 102. 30 days in spring 103. Lasso 104. Eight-person ensemble 105. -- Park, Colorado 106. Spar 107. Horror-film regular 109. Cast a sidelong glance 111. Q-tip 114. Contend 116. Numerical prefix
22 • October 29, 2010 • Technique
Piled Higher & Deeper by Jorge Cham
Crossword Solution from page 21
COMICS
Non Sequitur by Wiley
COMICS
Non Sequitur by Wiley
DILBERT ® by Scott Adams
Technique • October 29, 2010 • 23
24 • October 29, 2010 • Technique
SPORTS
Staff Picks
Week of October 29th, 2010 Lee Hoffman Cappetta Mitchell Prasadh (47-36) (45-38) (43-40) (45-38) (49-34)
Staff (50-33)
#1 Auburn (-7.5) @ Ole Miss.
AU
AU
AU
AU
AU
AU
#2 Oregon (-7) @ USC
USC
USC
Ore.
Ore.
USC
Ore.
#4 TCU (-35) @ UNLV
TCU
TCU
TCU
TCU
TCU
TCU
Iowa
Iowa
MSU
Iowa
MSU
MSU
#6 Missouri @ #14 Nebraska (-6)
Neb.
Neb.
Neb.
Mizzou
Mizzou
Neb.
#8 Utah (-5) @ Air Force
Utah
AF
Utah
Utah
AF
AF
OK
OK
OK
OK
OK
OK
#11 Ohio State (-26) @ Minnesota
tOSU
Minn.
Minn.
tOSU
tOSU
Minn.
#13 Stanford (-7) @ Washington
Stan.
Stan.
Stan.
Stan.
Stan.
Stan.
#15 Arizona (-8.5) @ UCLA
Zona
Zona
Zona
Zona
Zona
Zona
#5 Michigan State @ # 18 Iowa (-4.5)
#9 Oklahoma (-24) v. Colorado
USC
MIZZOU
air force
The Trojans have little to play for but pride at this point with no bowl on the horizon and little chance of winning the Pac-10. They must embrace a new role: spoiler. They are looking for revenge against the newly anointed No. 1 team in the country, and Kiffin is likely hyping this as their most important game of the year. Expect an outright win.
Missouri is the higher ranked team in this game. Even though they play at Nebraska, the Tigers should still be favored. Missouri has not lost a game all year and Nebraska has lost to an absolutely awful Texas team. Nebraska has a great offense, but so did Oklahoma and Missouri beat the Sooners.
Everyone is hyping the potential matchup of undefeated TCU and Utah later this season. That will not happen because the Falcons will play spoilers and beat the Utes this weekend. Air Force is at home and has the nation’s best rushing attack. Utah’s best win is against Pittsburgh, and they needed overtime to win.
Volleyball loses two of three By Alex Mitchell Sports Editor
After winning their previous six matches, the Tech volleyball team took on the Boston College Eagles on Friday, Oct 23, and won 3-0. However, Tech lost two more matches, one to Maryland and one to Middle Tennessee State to end their seven game winning streak. Against the Eagles, Tech hit .404 as a team and won the match in straight sets. Junior outside hitter Bailey Hunter led the Jackets with 12 kills, and sophomore middle blocker Alexis Woodson
contributed with nine kills. The next match saw the Jackets lose their first ACC game since Sept. 26. Maryland defeated Tech 3-0 as the Jackets only hit .182. Sophomore Monique Mead had a team-high 13 kills for Tech and Hunter chipped in nine kills and five digs. The Jackets next took on the Blue Raiders in a Tuesday night match. Tech came out flat, losing their first two sets of the match. Hunter and Mead combined for 25 kills, but the team only hit .161 for the match. Tech’s next opponent is against Wake Forest on Oct. 29.
Photo by John Nakano / Student Publications
Nicki Meyer digs out a ball in Friday’s game against Boston College. Meyer had four digs in Tech’s 3-0 victory over the Eagles.
Technique • October 29, 2010 • 25
SPORTS
Struggles against Clemson microcosm of season By Nishant Prasadh Online Sports Editor
Clemson’s 27-13 victory over Tech on Saturday saw the Jackets struggle in a number of areas, but the Tigers did not completely hold the Jackets in check from start to finish. Tech had a handful of opportunities to start a comeback, particularly toward the middle of the contest, but mistakes in all facets of the game allowed Clemson to maintain their double-digit lead and roll to victory. “It was frustrating. We would move the ball, and then we’d kill ourselves. We would pitch it on the ground or turn somebody loose—it was a myriad of things,” said Head Coach Paul Johnson. The main source of trouble on
Saturday was on special teams, where the Jackets set themselves back repeatedly in the first half with penalties and other issues. The special teams unit committed four penalties in the opening half for a total of 50 yards, and the first two of these directly led to Clemson scoring opportunities. Aside from penalties, the kick and punt coverage units frequently struggled to bring down Clemson’s return men; on three kickoff returns, Clemson’s Andre Ellington averaged 26.3 yards per kick return. The performance of redshirt senior B-back Lucas Cox was a plus, as he ran for 22 yards and a first down on a fake punt play and later forced a fumble on a kickoff following a Tech field
Photo by Doug Kim / Student Publications
Lucas Cox runs for a few yards against Jacksonville State. Cox made two big plays on special teams in Saturday’s 14 point loss.
goal. The latter play, though, provided a moment when Tech made a good play only to be victimized by bad luck. Although it appeared that freshman cornerback Louis Young recovered that fumble, which would have given Tech the ball deep in Clemson territory, the referees ruled that Ellington had recovered and that it was Clemson ball. “It was a momentum swing. That was the name of the game… whoever had the most momentum [would] have the edge,” said junior outside linebacker Steven Sylvester. Beyond the struggles of the special teams unit, though, the Jackets continued to encounter various issues that have plagued them throughout the season. They have been able to overcome such problems in the past, but against an athletic Clemson squad looking to end a four-game losing streak against Tech, every issue proved costly. Just about every time the Jackets sustained a drive that covered a significant portion of the field, they ended up stalling deep in Clemson territory. Tech’s four drives in the second and third quarters all lasted for 11 or more plays, more than 50 yards and an average of 5:32. However, the Jackets were unable to reach the end zone on three of the four; the first ended with a failed fourthdown conversion when a Nesbitt pass on fourth-and-12 fell incom-
plete, and the next two saw Tech move the ball inside the Clemson 10-yard line, only to settle for short field goals both times. Johnson noted that Clemson’s constant advantage at the line of scrimmage was a factor. Against a strong Clemson front four led by defensive end and ACC Player of the Year candidate Da’Quan Bowers, the Jackets’ relatively inexperienced offensive line—which features first-year starters at both guard positions—was unable to clear the way to the end zone. “We would have had to execute at a way higher level than they did to stay in the game. We got down in the red zone a couple times and we couldn’t get it in, but when you get down there and the field closes off…you’ve got to block somebody. You’ve got to be able to put your hand down and come off and knock somebody backward to get in,” Johnson said. The problems up front occurred on both sides of the ball. Entering the season, Tech’s defensive line was collectively confident that it would hold up against strong opposing offensive lines, but a line that features no starters who weigh more than 300 pounds has had mixed results. Defensive Coordinator Al Groh’s 3-4 defense relies on the ability of each defensive lineman to occupy multiple blockers and free up the linebackers and secondary to make plays. The Tech linemen have generally shown
the ability to play their respective positions, but against bigger foes they have often been neutralized at the line of scrimmage by single blockers, preventing the other defenders from breaking free. This was the case this weekend, as four of the Tigers’ five starting offensive linemen were over 310 pounds and were frequently able to open up holes in the run game. Ellington had 166 yards and two touchdowns, and Clemson as a team averaged 6.2 yards per carry. Johnson noted that Clemson’s success in the run game stemmed from a number of sources. “They ran the ball better on us than they have on anybody else…I’m sure on some [plays] they blocked us and on some we got the wrong gaps, and I know we missed some tackles,” Johnson said. Despite the recurring issues, the fact remains that the Jackets are 5-3 and still have a winning record in conference play. They remain in position to challenge for the Coastal Division title, but they no longer control their own destiny. Even if the Jackets win out, they will need Virginia Tech to lose at least one more game to have a chance at winning the division. “Until we’re mathematically eliminated, we’re always going to have hope. If we go and beat Virginia Tech and they [lose] again, who knows?...We just have to take care of what we can control, which is winning out,” Jones said.
26 • October 29, 2010 • Technique
Clemson
from page 28
ecute at way higher level to stay in the game. We got down in the red zone a couple of times and we couldn’t get it in. When the field closes off you have to block somebody,” Johnson said. Ellington started the second quarter with 42-yard touchdown giving Clemson an insurmountable 17-point lead. Senior B-back Lucas Cox was the one shining spot for the special teams. Cox was able to force a fumble on a kick return by Clemson, but Tech was unable to recover. In the second quarter, Cox rushed for 22 yards off of a fake punt which extended a drive that ultimately came up short. “[Ellington] may have been one of the best kick returners we have faced all year. We were just trying to make them move laterally [on the fumbled kickoff], and [we] just got lucky and swung,” Cox said. While Tech was able to get a field goal on the initial series of the second half, Clemson responded with a touchdown and the Jackets remained a two-possession deficit
SPORTS
from the remainder of the game. On Tech’s next possession, Nesbitt orchestrated a 14 play drive that ended with Allen catching a nine yard touchdown pass, cutting the lead to 24-13. Tech’s defense forced a threeand-out on Clemson’s first drive of the second quarter. However, Tech’s offense was unable to capitalize on the stop as senior kicker Scott Blair missed a 49-yard field goal. Clemson got the ball on its own 32-yard line and chewed up almost nine minutes of the clock en route to a 21-yard field goal. Tech’s offense could not answer the score as Nesbitt threw an interception, and Clemson won 27-13. With the loss, the Jackets no longer control their own destiny in the ACC Coastal division. The Jackets will have the weekend off as they prepare for Virginia Tech on Thursday. The Hokies are currently leading the Coastal Division. “[Virginia Tech] is going to be a very good football team too, just as physical [as Clemson],” Johnson said.
Photo by Jarrett Skov / Student Publications
Clemson running back Jaime Harper runs by the Tech defense. Harper had 56 yards on 11 carries. Harper also caught two passes.
Ramblin’ With
Maurice Miller
Photo courtesy of the Tech Athletic Department
Member of the basketball team senior point guard Maurice Miller.
Nique: Do you have any athlete role models? Miller: LeBron James. It just amazes me what he does. He does it all. He can play five positions and pretty much do anything on the floor. Nique: What’s your favorite junk food? Miller: Scooby snacks, but as a child my favorite were gummy bears. Nique: What’s your favorite school subject? Miller: Math. In college it’s a little tough, but I’ve always enjoyed math since I was in preschool. Nique: Do you have any hobbies outside of school and basketball? Miller: Play video games and spend time with my family. Nique: Do you have a favorite band? Miller: Not really, I’m the kind of guy who listens to a variety of music. Nique: What’s your favorite TV show?
Miller: Jamie Foxx, CSI, Law and Order. Those are pretty much my go to’s. When I get my spare time, Law and Order and CSI are always on. Nique: If you could play any other sport at college level, what would it be? Miller: I guess it’d have to be baseball. Nique: What is your dream car? Miller: I want so many, but Lamborghini would be first on the list Nique: If you could play one musical instrument, what would it be and why? Miller: Drums. I like the rhythm and the beat. Nique: What are your top three favorite candies? Miller: I love Kit-Kat, Scooby snacks of course, and Fruit Roll Ups. Nique: What’s your favorite month of the year? Miller: March, it’s my birth-
by Wayne Bishop Contributing Writer
day. Nique: Do you have any nicknames? Miller: Mo, of course, Mo Mills, Big Dog. Those are pretty much the core nicknames that I have. Nique: What’s your favorite NBA team? Miller: Miami because LeBron went there. I was with Cleveland ‘till the end, but then they lost LeBron. Now I’m with the Miami Heat. Nique: If you could have any pet, what would it be? Miller: Nothing too outrageous, I’m not really a pet guy. I’d rather have a nice aquarium with a variety of fish. Nique: Who’s your favorite comic book hero? Miller: I don’t have a favorite, but I have a bunch of [comic books]. My dad sends them to me. I keep them put up, so can’t really say what all I have, but I have pretty much everything.
Photo by Colin Ake / Student Publications
Maurice Miller looks for an open teammate in a game last year. Miller has seen playing time at guard for three straight seasons.
SPORTS
Technique • October 29, 2010 • 27
Football preview: Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech By Kyle Gifford, Contributing Writer
Photo by Kelvin Kuo / Student Publications
JACKETS
Coach Paul Johnson and the Yellow Jackets travel to Blacksburg, Va. to take on the Virginia Tech Hokies. Georgia Tech looks to rebound against the No. 23 ranked Hokies after a disappointing trip to Clemson where the Jackets fell 27-13 to the unranked Tigers. This week the Jackets must execute in three specific areas if they hope to come out of Thursday’s game with a win. These three things are keeping containment on Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor, working senior B-back Anthony Allen into the game and shutting down Virginia Tech’s running back Darren Evans near the goal line. Tech’s most pressing issue on Thursday will be shutting down the Hokie’s superstar Taylor. Taylor is not only is the leading passer on the team, with 1602 yards and 15 touchdowns, he also leads the team in rushing, with 527 yards and three touchdowns. Taylor is a sparkplug on offense for Virginia Tech, accounting for 18 of the team’s 34 touchdown’s this season. Tech’s outside linebackers, senior Anthony Egbuniwe and junior Stephen Sylvester, will have to keep Taylor between the hashes and funnel Taylor into the defensive line so he will not have the chance to hurt the Jackets on the ground once he decides to run with the ball. The second key to the game will be for the Jackets and Head Coach Paul Johnson to pound Allen between the tackles to wear down the Hokies’ defense. This will also open up the running game for the stable of A-backs that Johnson employs each game. The final key to the game for the Jackets will be to keep Virginia Tech from scoring in the red zone where Evans excels, racking up nine touchdowns this season. This job falls to the defensive line trio of juniors Jason Peters and Logan Walls and sophomore Izaan Cross. The three big men will have to get off the ball quickly and push the Virginia Tech’s offensive linemen into the backfield and stop Evans short of the goal line.
VS.
HOKIES
Prediction: GT 28- VT 24
The economy sucks.
Free pizza rations on Tuesdays.
7 p.m., Flag 137, Technique
Photo by Blake Israel / Student Publications
For the Hokies to win their seventh straight game and stay ranked, the Hokies will have to take advantage of Georgia Tech’s thin secondary, keep their offense on the field and take advantage of Taylor’s many skills. Taylor will have to pick and choose his spots early and often against a thin Georgia Tech defense. Taylor could have more success than his 200.2 yards per game through the air would show against the Jackets. The Tech defensive backfield tends to play back off their receivers when the linebackers pinch in toward the defensive line, especially starting senior corners Mario Butler and Dominique Reese. Taylor could also use that tendency to sprint toward the sideline should he get good blocks downfield from his receivers. Ball control will be another important factor if the Hokies are to be successful. Virginia Tech will try to control the ball and keep the recently quiet Jackets offense on the bench. Once again, Evans will play a factor in Virginia Tech’s success as he will get carry after carry to set up Taylor’s unique talents. Evans has rushed for 447 yards and nine touchdowns. Evans has not fumbled the ball all season, so expect the Hokies to give him the ball in short-yardage situations. The final factor for the Hokies will be to let Taylor use his explosive skill set to hurt the Jackets, who tend to get hurt late in plays against mobile quarterbacks. Along with his legs, Taylor has a strong arm that he uses to throw the ball all around the field, completing passes to 15 different receivers, including two who have over 300 yards this season and one who has over 500. Taylor’s decision making will be key as Georgia Tech’s defense will give him opportunities to give Virginia Tech the edge on offense. Taylor did not have a great game last time he visited Atlanta, but this time, he gets the benefit of playing at home.
Sports shorts
sports@nique.net Sports Editor: Alex Mitchell
Not so special
Technique
Check out our take on the football team’s struggling special teams unit.425
Friday, October 29, 2010
Clemson shuts down Tech, 27-13
Golf team sets school record
The Jackets hosted the United States Collegiate Championship in Alpharetta, Ga. and won the event by a record 27 strokes. The win was the first team win for the Jackets this season after winning the ACC Championship last year. Junior James White led the Jackets with a course-record 62 in the tournament’s first round. Finishing the tournament with a 72, White shot a 12-under-par 204, breaking the old tournament record by four strokes. Freshman Richard Werenski and senior Kyle Scott performed well for the Jackets as both players tied for fourth in the individual portion of the tournament.
Ngo wins Regional Consolation Title On Oct. 25, women’s tennis player sophomore Christina Ngo won five straight matches to win the consolation title in the USTA/ITA Southeast Regional Championship at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga. Ngo only dropped one set in her final five matches and in her final match, Ngo defeated teammate junior Caroline Lilley 6-2. 7-6 (1) to take home the title. Ngo overcame uncertainty to win the match as rain delayed the start time and the match was later moved indoors.
Tech duo wins championship The No. 43 ranked doubles team of junior Kevin King and sophomore Juan Spir won the USTA/ITA Southeast Regional at the University of Florida. The team defeated another Jacket team that consisted of seniors Eliot Potvin and Ryan Smith, 8-6 in the final match. King and Spir reached the finals on Oct. 24 by defeating Georgia’s Sadio Doumbia and Ignacio Tabaoda, 8-5, and Potvin and Smith beat Roman Deridder and Wael Kilani of South Florida by the same score. The win gives King and Spir a spot in the USTA/ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships, on Nov. 4-7, at the USTA-Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
28
Photo by Joey Cerone / Student Publications
Anthony Allen tries to run up the middle against Clemson in Saturday’s game. Clemson was able to contain Tech’s running backs but Allen led the team with 120 total yards. By Matt Hoffman Opinions Editor
The football team suffered its third loss of the season on Saturday Oct. 23, 27-13. The loss to the Clemson Tigers snaps the Jackets four game winning streak against their in-conference rivals, which saw three regular season wins and one in the ACC Championship last year. Tech moves to 5-3 overall
and 3-2 in conference. “You have to give them some credit, they came after us up front. They were very physical on both sides of the ball. We just didn’t make enough plays to win the game,” said Head Coach Paul Johnson. Senior quarterback Joshua Nesbitt had his lowest rushing total of the season, netting only two yards on the day. Nesbitt also struggled in the passing game, only hitting six of 19 passes for 83 yards.
No member of the running-back corps picked up 100 yards rushing. Senior B-back Anthony Allen led the team with 92 yards on the ground and 38 yards in the air. Sophomore A-back Orwin Smith was the most efficient of the ground for the Jackets, picking up 54 yards on four attempts, averaging 13.5 per carry. “We knew coming into the game that it was going to be a physical game. That’s Clemson; they are a physical team,”
Nesbitt said. The first quarter started rough for the Jackets. Tech did not complete a single pass in the first 15 minutes in the game and saw two bobbled pitches on the offensive side of the ball. All three Tech punts occurred in the first quarter. “It was definitely frustrating. We would drive and then would get stopped just short of field goal range. Or get a thirdand-long and not be able to convert. And that stuff kills us. When we get third-and-long it’s not good for our offense. We are an offense that thrives on third-and-short to keep the chains moving,” said junior Aback Roddy Jones. The first quarter also kicked off the special team woes for the Jackets. Tech picked up 40 yards in penalties in the first period, which came as a result of roughing the kicker, a late hit and holding. “On special teams we have to do a better job coaching them and they have to make plays. If you get them unblock someone has to make a play. On a punt you have to catch the ball,” Johnson said. The Jackets struggles on the offense and special teams spilled over onto the defensive side of the ball, as Tech gave up 10 points to the Tigers off of 174 yards. Clemson running Andre Ellington back also accumulated the first 78 of his 166 yards for the game. He had a 55-yard touchdown run on Clemson’s first drive of the game. While the Jackets were able to win the time of possession battle nearly two-to-one in the second quarter, Tech’s offense stagnated on both drives with a turnover on downs on the Clemson 35-yard line for the first drive a field goal from inside the Clemson redzone with less than a minute to go in the half. “We would have had to exSee Clemson, page 26
Swimming and diving teams split opening matches By Alex Mitchell Sports Editor
On Oct. 23, the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams opened play this season with a weekend meet with Florida Atlantic and Western Kentucky on Tech’s campus. The men beat the Owls 195-97 and the women beat them 214-74, but WKU beat the men’s team 151-149 and the women’s team 152.5-147.5. For the women, junior Sarah Broadley led the Jackets by coming in first place in the 100free, 200-free, and she took part in the 200-free relay that won first place. Broadley managed to come in second in the 500-free, but teammate freshman Taylor Sostarecz won the event, earning points for the Jackets. Sostarecz also won the 1000-free. “The coaches pulled me aside a couple of days ago and told me what I would be swimming in and to be ready for it. At that point, you
can’t really argue. You just have to go out there and do what they tell you to do, and it turned out pretty good,” Broadley said. For the men, the three top finishers in the 50free were all Jackets, and junior Nigel Plummer won the event. Senior Garrett Robberson came in second in the 100-free. Junior Zach Tillman finished in second in the 500-free by one onehundredths of a second. Tillman improved on his 500-free and showed his enduance by winning the longer 1000-free race. “The most important part of those races is definitely the back half, and that’s when I took charge of both of the races and I came out on top,” said Tillman. Freshman Anton Lagerqvist won the first match of his career in the 200-breast, and he finished second in the 200-breast. The Tech divers hosted the match at Emory and freshman Ashley Hardy was the highlight of the match. Hardy won both the one and three meter dives in her first match of her career.
Photo by Maya Braxton / Student Publications
Tech swimmers got off to a good start in Saturday’s opening meet. The Jackets beat FAU by a combined 409-175, but fell to WKU by a total of 7.5.