Technique 2011-02-25

Technique Friday, February 25, 2011 • Volume 96, Issue 24 • nique.net

The South’s Liveliest College Newspaper

Cirque mechanics

The Ferst Center hosts a familyfriendly circus set in the Wild West.413

state of hope

Gov. Deal releases new plan for scholarship

Photo courtesy of the Governor’s Office

Governor Nathan Deal addresses fellow legislators, students and school faculty in order to propose a new direction for the HOPE Scholarship. Under the new plan, full tuition at public schools would be available to students with a GPA of at least 3.7 and a minimum score of 1200 on the SAT, which will save an estimated $300 million.

By Emily Cardin Assistant News Editor

Photo by Victor Lee / Student Publications

Corey Boone addresses legislators in the House’s Higher Education Appropriations Committee on Wednesday.

Health Center to undergo renovations

Former Governor Zell Miller’s promise was straightforward: make passable grades as a high school student and enjoy a free college education in the state of Ga. Soon, however, this promise could be broken, as lawmakers move to vote on the HOPE scholarship.

This year, the state withdrew from reserve accounts to fund the portions of the scholarship that were not covered by the lottery revenue.

State officials knew the deficit would arise eventually, but historically have only toyed with the idea to make eligibility requirements stricter by including additional GPA

and standardized test requirements.

Lawmakers had warned cuts were coming, but many students thought the changes would only affect future recipients.

On Tuesday, Gov. Deal proposed an overhaul that would save some $300 million.

“We have crafted a plan that preserves HOPE for future generations of Georgians while maintaining one of the most generous scholarship programs in the United States,” Deal said.

Under the new plan, free public college tuition would be available to high school students with a GPA of at least 3.7 and a minimum score of 1200 on the SAT — the majority of current recipients at Tech would

meet those standards.

Other students would get some tuition help, an amount that could fluctuate annually. The revamped program, however, would no longer cover extras, like fees, books and remedial classes.

Students with at least a college GPA of 3.0 would qualify for an award that would pay 90 percent of public college tuition.

Those attending private colleges in Georgia would see their awards shrink from $4000 to $3600.

The proposed changes mean at least 200,000 students will see cuts to their HOPE awards, and most of the incoming freshmen this Fall See Deal, page 5

Fate of Crum & Forster to be determined

By Vijai Narayanan News Editor

The Stamps Health Center will undergo a series of renovations in the upcoming months to accommodate more patients and improve the quality of care. Among other things, the primary care clinics will be remodeled, the number of exam rooms will be increased and the pharmacy will be made larger to offer more products and services. Work on these projects will begin in as little as three weeks and will continue in phases until the beginning of the Fall semester.

As a result of the project, the front desk will be made smaller and more customer friendly, allowing the pharmacy to be relocated behind where it currently stands. A new elevator will be installed where the pharmacy is currently located. This will make it easier for patients to access any of the services located on the second floor of the Health Center.

“We’re going to change nearly every aspect of the Health Center,” said Dr. Gregory Moore, the director of Stamps Health Services.

One of the most significant changes that the Health Center will undergo will be the redesigning of the primary care clinics. Currently, the waiting area for the Health Center is located near the entrance, forcing nurses and patients to walk long distances to the examination room.

See Health, page 4

Photo by Sho Kitamura / Student Publications

The Crum & Forster building in Midtown Atlanta is the subject of a legal battle between the Georgia Tech Foundation and local preservationists. The Atlanta City Council voted unanimously in 2009 to give the building landmark status.

By TJ Kaplan Staff Writer

The Crum & Forster building, located at 771 Spring St. in Midtown Atlanta has long been the subject of debate between potential developers who want to use the prime real estate and preservationists intent on saving it. Recently, Tech purchased a property located near the Crum & Forster building that may lead to a resolution to this longstanding dispute.

The building is one of the few remaining examples of classically designed

architecture in Midtown Atlanta, and as such has been protected for many years by organizations such as the Atlanta Trust and other activist groups. In 2007, the Georgia Tech Foundation purchased the building to expand nearby Technology Square, and subsequently applied in May of 2008 for a Special Administrative Permit to demolish the building.

Later that year, Atlanta’s Bureau of Planning denied the Foundation’s request for a demolition permit. In 2009, shortly after the demolition permit request was denied, the building was nominated as a local landmark building. On Aug. 17 of

that year, the Atlanta City Council voted unanimously in favor of making the building a landmark, and Mayor Shirley Franklin signed the ordinance into law later that year.

The Georgia Tech Foundation, after unsuccessfully appealing the rejection of the permit to demolish the Crum & Forster building purchased the nearby branch of Sun Trust Banks Inc. The new property, which will bring the Institute closer to its collaborative research partner, Emory University, was See Forster, page 5

NEWS

2 • February 25, 2011 • Technique

Technique

The South’s Liveliest College Newspaper

Founded in 1911, the Technique is the student newspaper of the Georgia Institute of Technology, and is an official publication of the Georgia Tech Board of Student Publications. The Technique publishes on Fridays weekly during the fall and spring and biweekly during the summer.

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Copyright © 2011, 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...

door. The victim reported no injuries after being removed from the structure.

Campus Crime

MJ is my friend

By Emily Cardin Assistant News Editor Ninja novice

Shaft mishap

On Feb. 15, an officer was dispatched to the corner of North Ave. and Techwood Dr. in reponse to a suspicious person call.

Upon their arrival, the suspect refused to communicate with officers. Several attempts were made to communicate, with negative results. After being warned to leave campus and issued a criminal trespass warning, the subject removed his outer layers of clothing and assumed a fighting stance.

The subject was arrested and put in handcuffs, despite his continued attempts to struggle against the officers.

At 6:45 p.m. on Feb. 19, officers were called to the Health Sciences building in response to an Elevator Entrapment call. Contact was immediately made with the victim, who was trapped between the first and second floor.

After 15 minutes. the Atlanta Fire Department arrived, but was unable to open the elevator door.

The elevator repairman called to report that he was an hour away.

The victim was finally retrieved via a ladder lowered into the elevator shaft, through the top of the elevator at 8:30 p.m. because no one was able to open the elevator

A suspicious male was found wandering around Hopkins Residence Hall at 4:30 a.m. on the morning of Feb. 19. The male reported being at a party earlier in the evening, but did not appear to be with anyone during questioning and could provide no names of current students.

The subject then offered a small bag of what appeared to be marijuana to the officer, and identified himself by both name and date of birth. He was a resident of Chicago, Ill. and was visibily under the influence of alcohol and other substances.

The subject was arrested and charged with criminal trespass and possession of marijuana of less than an ounce.

POLL OF THE WEEK

What do you think about the Good Samaritan Provision?

11.9% Next issue’s 50.7%

It’s a good initiative, I will make use of it.

24%

It won’t help reduce irresponsible drinking behavior Based on 51 responses

More should be done to increase alcohol awareness

49%

What’s the Good Samaritan Provision?

question:

What is your reaction to Deal’s HOPE proposals?

Tell us at nique.net

NEWS

News Briefs

Council Clippings

Miss Anne retires from Junior’s Grill Anne Pamfilis, an employee at Junior’s Grill, has retired after 33 years of service. Members of the Tech community wished her well in her retirement.

Starting in the 1970s, Pamfilis took on the job after her nephew, Tommy Klemis, offered her one.

She has been working there since and was one of the regulars at the grill. Adjusting to her retirement, Pamfilis is reconnecting with friends and enjoying her time at home.

Princeton Review names Tech best value

The Princeton Review named Tech as one of its 2011 Best Value Colleges. Listed among the top 50 public universities, Tech was graded on its cost of attendance, the quality of its financial aid, and several academic factors. The list ranked 50 private universities.

Tech students receive Intel Grants

Eighteen undergraduate students from the schools of Electrical, Computer and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering received funds from the Intel Foundation and the Semiconductor Research Corporation Education Alliance.

The Intel Foundation is a philanthropic organization that provides funding for national and localized grants. According to the recent Tech newsroom release, Intel and the Semiconductor Research Corporation’s Education Alliance fuel innovation in classrooms and empowers women and underserved youth through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities program.

Technique • February 25, 2011 • 3

This week in Student Government

E

Bill Summary

By Mike Donohue, SGA Editor

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

JacketPages Replacement

SGA voted on Tuesday to fund a $5000 student competition to replace JacketPages, Tech’s student organization and bill submission portal. GSS approved the bill unanimously and UHR passed it with a vote of 31-4-0.

The competition aims to address many of the usability issues SGA has encountered while attempting to work with JacketPages and its developer, Collegiate Link.

According to a “Request for Proposal” developed by an SGA committee chaired by AE Senator Evan McClain, the competition will focus on replacing the bill submission aspect of JacketPages.

The judging committee will accept initial submissions through March 16, select three finalists, and then ask for prototypes by April 6 with a final implementation date of July 1.

The committee will award prizes of $500 to the three finalists, $1000 to the overall winner, and will use an additional $1000 to incentivize the development of additional features. SGA will use the final $1000 to find a replacement for the social networking aspects of JacketPages.

Several members of the Graduate Executive Cabinet spoke in strong support of the bill. Secretary of the Senate and AE Sen. James Black emphasized the money that would be saved through this competition, the improvement in usability and the fact that the new system could be modified more easily and quickly. Execu-

tive Vice President Kathy Schnure added that the Senate was no longer using JacketPages for bill submissions and instead was using a workaround involving Microsoft Excel.

Some Senators, including PSYCH Sen. Keith Bujak raised concerns over the long-term maintenance of the program. Bujak raised the point that student built systems typically are neglected.

He also expressed worries over the usability of the system.

McClain responded by saying that SGA would appoint a Joint IT Chair to maintain the new system. Adressing the usability issues, McClain suggested that Bujak and similarly minded Senators join the judging committee.

Debate in UHR was more contentious, with several representatives expressing concern over the short time table.

“This is throwing good money at bad ideas,” said MGT Rep. Mathias Rost.

He suggested that the competition be integrated into a senior design competition next year. He later explained in an email, “...the timeline is overly aggressive. We want to build an IT solution for the next few years in a few weeks?

That’s unnecessarily rushed and dangerous thinking. “ After the vote in the House, Graduate Student Body President Anthony Baldridge expressed his approval.

“I’m ecstatic at the outcome,” Baldridge said. “Today was a victory for every student organization at Georgia Tech.”

Bill

Amount

GSS

UHR

Women’s Awareness Month JacketPages Replacement Magicians Representative appointment

$1071.51 $5000 $500 ---

29-0-0 30-1-0 15-17-1 28-2-3

44-0-0 41-0-3 28-10-3 39-0-0

Prior Year: $112,196 Capital Outlay: $381,294

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.

Undergraduate Vice President of Student Organizations Matlock Rogers, the chief representative of Undergraduate SGA in this process agreed.

“I’m really excited. This looks good for any [Computer Science student] to put in his portfolio.

We’re expecting to have really good participation already,” Rogers said.

SGA began working on the concept of a student competition in the end of fall semester after complaints from Representatives and Senators. The problems with JacketPages were exacerbated after a Jan. upgrade which changed the way that bills were presentated to Representatives and Senators. After the upgrade, GSS and UHR began using the Excel workaround. JacketPages cost $20,000 to develop and costs $13,000 a year to maintain. CollegiateLink, an outside company, maintains the site and performs upgrades.

Magicians

Magicians at Georgia Tech successfully requested $500 in funds to bring an outside magician and lecturer to campus. GSS passed the bill 37-0-1 and UHR passed it 33-7-5.

As they did last time they re-

quested funds, representatives of the organization entertained both the Senate and the House with a short demonstration of their magic shows. Senators and Representatives reacted favorably to the organization’s exploits.

During debate in the House, several Representatives questioned whether SGA should allocate funds to an event which will occur in the summer. The organizational representatives confirmed that the event would be held in the time between the spring and summer semesters, but expressed confidence that attendance would be sufficient.

Women’s Awareness Month

The Graduate Student Senate considered and passed a bill funding Women’s Awareness Month with a vote of 34-0-1. The bill will allocate $1071.51 to run events such as Take Back the Night, Women’s Day of Service and the Vagina Monologues.

The House passed the bill last week after cutting the requested amount by 85 percent. Following a brief floor debate, the House chose to re-fund $231 in candles for Take Back the Night. The Senate passed an identical bill this week.

NEWS

4 • February 25, 2011 • Technique

Changes made to SGA elections

By Isaac Park Contributing Writer

Year-old changes to the undergraduate elections code and the SGA constitution will take effect this April, which means that the upcoming spring elections will feature joint tickets for President and Executive Vice President.

This will mark the first time in the history of the undergraduate SGA elections that presidential and vice-presidential candidates will run on the same ticket.

Last April, undergraduate voters overwhelmingly passed a referendum that amended the SGA Constitution. The referendum provided for the creation of a new position, Speaker of the House, that would assume nearly all of the legislative duties previously assumed by the Executive Vice President. Five months later, the UHR amended the elections code and merged the voting process for the President and Vice President.

“Now that we have a Speaker of the House position, the Vice President is free to take on many, many more executive branch initiatives and projects,” said Undergraduate Executive Vice President Brenda Morales. “It’s important that the President and Vice President run on the same ticket so that the President can essentially choose who he or she will work with.”

The changes were undertaken for other pragmatic reasons.

“We could run into a situation where a president runs, wanting to institute certain initiatives, and a vice president runs, wanting to institute a separate set of initiatives,” said Undergraduate Student Body President Corey Boone. “This would create gridlock among the executive cabinet.”

Last April’s referendum significantly expanded the executive focus of the Vice President, which made scenarios like this a potential concern. Under the old Constitution, however, the Vice President had much less executive clout.

“When I was running for Vice President, I was very hesitant to talk about executive matters— even though I operate within the executive branch,” Morales said.

“Even though there were certain projects and initiatives I could take on as Vice President, I left it to whoever was elected to set the agenda.”

Some of the rules and regulations governing the campaign will also change. Before, campaign finance regulations capped spending at $300 for both presidential and vice-presidential campaigns.

As amended, current regulations now cap spending at $500 for any joint ticket—effectively decreasing total possible spending.

According to Chibueze Ihenacho, chair of the undergraduate elections committee and a second-year ISyE, the format of the executive debate will also change.

Although it is traditionally held in front of the Campanile, ongoing construction on the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons and on the Campanile itself rules it out as an option. More importantly, this year’s debate will include both the presidential and vice-presidential candidates from each ticket.

“Two people can impact a broader audience,” Ihenacho said.

“I think you’ll see more focused campaigns. I think you’ll see more aggressive campaigns. It should make for really interesting strategy changes, and students will see that.”

Many believe that single tickets will improve the dialogue of the campaign.

“I didn’t publicly align myself with any of the candidates last year, so I really had to stick to things that, as Executive Vice President, were unique to my role,” Morales said. “But if the President and Vice President have the same platform and issues they want to address, the Vice President can take part in that creation of a vision.”

“It is a good, positive step forward,” Boone said. “I do hope that it will engage more students and allow them to feel more a part of the process because they will be able to elect a unified ticket.”

SGA application packets will be available on March 2nd, campaigning begins on March 27th and polls open on April 8th.

Health

from page 1

By renovating these facilities, each primary care center will have a waiting area near the exam room, making the experience much more similar to doctor’s offices at individual clinics.

The Health Center will expand its psychiatric services by adding more offices to the ward upstairs. The Women’s Clinic, which receives approximately 70 patients each week, will also be constructed on the second floor.

The Dental Clinic will be closed later this month due to financial reasons, but the space could be rented out to a private practice in order to generate more revenue in the future. The total cost of these renovation projects is expected to be around $2 million.

In addition to these renovation projects, the Health Center will

undertake a project to digitize its medical records and streamline patient care. By the end of the project, students will be able to provide a digital record of their symptoms and their medical history before making an appointment, making it easier for doctors to identify potential solutions and prescribe the proper medication.

Both of these projects will help serve the Health Center’s long term goal of becoming an accredited facility. Most large universities have accredited facilities.

“It’s important to know that you’ve done those things to stay up to date and for patients to know that they are getting the best care possible,” Moore said.

The project will be completed by the first week of the fall semester, when approximately 1000 students are expected to visit the Health Center.

Photo courtesy of Health Services

The primary care facilities will be redesigned to have waiting rooms. This will facilitate a more traditional patient experience.

NEWS

Faculty awarded Sloan fellowships

By Maddie Cook Staff Writer

Three Tech faculty members have been recently awarded the Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship, a $50,000 research grant that will enable recipients to further their research in the fields of science, economics, computer science and mathematics. Awardees from Tech were Christopher Peikert from the College of Computing, Shina Tan from the Physics Department and Silas Alben from the Mathematics Department.

The Sloan Fellowship awards young scholars who have received their doctorate within the past six years and who are working on innovative research. Established in 1934 by the then General Motors President and CEO Alfred Sloan, the foundation was created to recognize those scholars who are researching topics that could result in an important contribution to society. These three faculty chosen at Tech were selected among 118 other national scholars. They were also the only ones selected from the state of Georgia.

Ellen Zegura, the Chair of the College of Computing, recognized Christopher Peikert’s cryptology research as an important component for the future of computer science.

“One of the exciting things about his work is that he’s looking at systems to do with cryptology that still work even if we are able to build quantum computers… that’s a big deal,” Zegura said.

Although they have not yet been developed completely, quantum computers are predicted to play an important role in the future of computer science and cryptology, because they can break almost all of the cryptographic techniques used today.

Photo courtesy of Communications & Marketing

Peikert received a fellowship for his research in the area of quantum computers, an important tool in the field of cryptology.

“As far as we know, this lattice [cryptography] cannot be broken by quantum computers,” Peikert said.

With this fellowship, Peikert plans to continue his research by gathering a group of students to help him further tackle this challenge. He is also considering purchasing specific cryptographic equipment for this purpose.

One other recipient was Shina Tan, who was recognized for his research on the theory of dilute matter in extremely cold temperatures. He said this subject is increasing in popularity in the field.

“Cold matter is getting more and more diverse. People are now studying more and more of complex states [of matter], Tan said.

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Lastly, Silas Alben was also chosen to receive this award.

“It really is a great honor, I was very excited of course. It is a really big honor for people in my field of applied math. It was something I had hoped to get,” Alben said.

Alben is advancing the field of fluid dynamics by trying to discover a more efficient computation method. Currently, Alben is working with biologists in a study of how krill form their schools and move as a body.

Peikert, Tan and Albens will be able to use the grant this upcoming Sept. All three plan to apply the grant to purchasing equipment, paying for student stipends and for any additional travel to conferences or workshops.

Technique • February 25, 2011 • 5

Deal

from page 1

will not get the full tuition older students under the old plan once received.

Student leaders asked lawmakers Wednesday to delay implementation by a semester or year so current recipients can alter their financial or academic plans to accommodate for the change.

The state House Higher Education Appropriations Committee held a hearing Wednesday on the proposed changes to HOPE. During the public hearing, students, lottery retailers and others shared their concerns.

“The main issue that the freshman class has is the issue of there being absolutely no grandfather clause,” said Freshman Class President and MGT major McKenzie Delaney.

“Today, I ask that you all consider a...period that would allow an orderly transition, one that would give students adequate time to get their financial house in order so that they can make an investment in their education,” said Undergraduate Student Body President Corey Boone.

Republican legislative leaders and some minority Democrats are backing the plan and moving quickly to pass it.

House Democratic Minority Leader Stacey Abrams says that in the final version of the legislation, House Democrats want to see remedial courses for technical colleges and tuition equalization grants for, for-profit schools.

She also says that the Democrats hope to preserve the Pre-K portion of the lottery funds.

State Representative Ed Ryders (R-Albany) plans to introduce an amendment that would allow voters to decide if state college tuition should be capped by inflation, unless the State Legislature says otherwise. The amendment already has more than 100 signatures from fellow House members.

Forster

from page 1

acquired as a result of the relocation of the branch.

According to John Carter, president of the Georgia Tech Foundation, Tech continues to become involved with the surrounding Atlanta communities to accommodate the future needs of the Institute for academic, research and related functions and to further contribute to the enhancement of areas surrounding campus.

“Now that we purchased the Sun Trust property, we are doing our very best to come to a mutual agreement regarding the future of the Crum & Forster Building,” Carter said.

Although Tech’s expansion into the Midtown area has been the subject of controversy in this case, many developers in the Atlanta area are generally supportive of the Institute’s expansion efforts at this time.

“Any expansion of Georgia Tech east into Midtown and downtown is a great thing—If you look at Georgia State University, Emory and Tech, they are forming a triangle of development that is a huge boon for our central city,” said A.J. Robinson, president of Central Atlanta Progress.

According to Robinson, the prospect of having such highly respected institutions within such close proximity to one another in the Midtown area is one of the greatest strengths of the community.

When asked about why Tech is intent on maintaining a level of expansion even in such dismal economic times, Institute President G.P. “Bud” Peterson said, “When times are tough is when you really have a chance to make some changes and set a course for the future. While many institutions are pulling back and retrenching, we think this is a time to be aggressive.”

Opinions

Opinions Editor: Matt Hoffman

“ ”

I think that God in creating Man somewhat overestimated his ability..

OUR VIEWS Consensus Opinion

Gubernatorial glitch

Governor’s plan for HOPE detrimental to Tech

The new system for the HOPE scholarship proposed by Governor Deal will have adverse short-term and long-term effects on the Tech student body and the Institute as a whole. If the proposal goes through, students will see an immediate increase in out-of-pocket expenses. Since fees and books will no longer be covered, students will already be on the hook for hundreds of dollars more per semester, but the problem will be further exacerbated by the fact that most students on HOPE will be required to pay at least 10 percent of their tuition. A grandfather clause in the bill would help alleviate this possible predicament and help students adjust to the new system.

The long-term effects could be even more damaging on an Institutional level.

Tech has a well-established reputation throughout the state of having a very rigorous academic work load. This coupled with the recent decision of the Board of Regents to open up what used to

be Tech-only majors to more universities within Georgia will make Tech be at an even greater disadvantage when students are shopping for a college to attend. While Tech currently has a very strong brand, it can only be sustained by bringing in the best and the brightest.

Ultimately, the leadership on campus, both on the student level and the administrative level, needs to lobby for the best interests of Tech. Student leadership has sent mixed messages, but the two points often made by them have been that funding tuition at 100 percent is critical and that raising the college GPA requirements should not be on the table. Both of these demands were ignored in the proposal. SGA and the administration need to do what is in the best interest of current and future students; this proposal is not in the best interest of the Tech community. Both governing bodies should try to improve or block the proposal.

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 Patricia Uceda, Entertainment Editor

EDITORIAL CARTOON By Casey Tisdel

—Oscar Wilde

Technique

6

Friday, February 25, 2011

YOUR VIEWS Letters to the Editor

Deal’s proposal for HOPE falls short

On Tuesday, Governor Deal released his plan to fix the HOPE Scholarship program. The Governor’s proposal would decouple HOPE from tuition, keeping its funding at 2011 levels going into the future. As the University System will undoubtedly continue to raise tuition each year, this proposal will harm students in Georgia and slowly retract the promise of a good education for all who seek it here.

Also, the proposed plan would only give full funding to the best and the brightest in the new Zell Miller program, and if those students attended Tech, they would likely lose their scholarships due to the ridiculous 3.5 GPA requirement. Neither the Governor’s press release nor the AJC article detailing the plan show what happens to those students. Do they begin to receive regular HOPE funds, or are they punished for being intelligent and driven young men and women who happened to choose a more difficult school, when they are dropped out of the program entirely?

The plan contains no mechanisms to increase revenue. At least SGA’s White Paper leaned on casino gambling and the possibility of Sunday alcohol sales to boost HOPE revenue. While the prospect of Casino gambling in Georgia is bit far-fetched, projections show that Sunday alcohol sales would generate significant revenue for the program. There are other ideas out there as well, such as a proposal to levy a dedicated five cent increase in the cigarette tax or the legalization of firework sales in Georgia to collect the revenue that goes out of state to S.C. and Ala. In addition, the proposal would seek to thin the herd of potential HOPE recipients by requiring that the applicants take rigorous course loads in high school. This is patently unfair to students from rural or poor school districts, since many of these districts do not offer Advanced Placement courses.

Also, how would the HOPE administrators differentiate between students who took AP Art History to inflate their GPAs and students who took all rigorous AP classes and let their GPAs fall a little.

Yes, the Governor’s proposal would extend the expiration date on the HOPE Scholarship program, but it would do it on the backs of students who are all deserving. HOPE needs to be saved, but there has to be a better way.

John Koch Fourth-year AE

Research needed when discussing traditions If you are going to write a piece about Tech traditions, I suggest you learn that it is not, nor has it ever been, ‘RATS.’ It is RAT,

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.

standing for Recruit At Tech.

This is a part of Tech history that has been forgotten by many, and, thanks to ignorant articles such as your recent article about the TBook, is misremembered [sic] by many of those who do remember it.

Matthew Jackson Fourth-year MGT

Traditions lost on the student body As a fourth-year Tech student that has been in the Georgia Tech Marching Band every year, I’ve grown accustomed to the rest of the student body being confused about, doing horrendously wrong, or generally just ignoring many of the traditions that the Band upholds. Even the [Ramblin Reck Club], “an organization of students, committed to the education and promotion of Tech spirit, history and tradition,” failed in their attempt at a T-Night last year, with the Band correcting them essentially every 10 seconds (they did better this year, but only because they asked for help). One of the most common mistakes I see is RATS. The correct term is Recruit(s) At Tech, hence RATs. RATS, or recently acquired Tech student, is wrong. I understand that, in a way, nobody else is as crazy as we are—we’re an odd bunch, I admit. But when the Focus Editor does it wrong, that says something to me. Check your traditions before you print it wrong.

Nicholas Lai Fourth-year MGT

Meaning of RATs incorrect

Please proofread your articles more closely. In Friday’s Op-Ed [sic] piece on the T-book, you referred to the RAT Caps freshmen are given as RATS caps.

This is not the correct acronym as RAT=Recruit at Tech is the way it was in the past and how the Yellow Jacket Marching Band refers to it. I don’t think a 100 year old organization would get that wrong.

Daniel Ross Fourth-year EAS

OPINIONS

Technique • February 25, 2011 • 7

Gauntlet of Tech pays long-term dividends As my years at Tech have progressed, I’ve had vastly varying opinions of the school we all attend. A feeling I’m sure most are familiar with, I’ve had countless weeks that I curse the Institute and wonder why I chose to attend Tech over other schools.

The work-load is outrageous, and the stress of trying to find a balance studying for three tests, completing two homework assignments, writing a lab report, participating in extracurricular activities, working part-time and somehow still trying to maintain a social life is downright exhausting.

We have all had weeks like this. We have all had moments during a test where we stopped and thought “Did we ever even learn this?” Tech pushes us to our limits (and sometimes blows past them) and makes us wonder whether we have the capacity to press on.

While I cannot begin to count the days when I have felt as though I could no longer keep my head above water, as graduation nears, I find I have a deep sense of gratitude for the Institute.

I always remember my parents saying “the real world is going to be tough.” Now that I’ve nearly completed my Bachelors Degree at Tech, I have news for all of you claiming the “real world” is difficult: the real world feels like a cake

“I am certain that I will look back on my years at Tech with nothing but appreciation and fond memories.”

Jennifer Aldoretta

Layout Editor

walk compared to Tech. If you can make it through Thermodynamics, Def Bods, Systems and Fluid Mechanics in the same semester, you can make it through anything.

Those who are graduating with me in May will not for one second have to prove that they are worthy of a diploma.

Whether your GPA is a 3.9 as an EE or a 2.1 in IE because you had to work your way through school, we are all just as deserving of the diploma we will soon receive. At Tech, there is never a question of whether a student has worked hard enough. We have all sacrificed blood, sweat and tears (probably more often than we are willing to admit) to earn our degree.

Having performed under the expansive pressure at Tech, I am increasingly confident in my ability to go above and beyond expectations of future employers. Tech has instilled in me characteristics that will allow me to succeed beyond those students graduating

from peer institutions. Compare the average starting salary of a Tech student to other schools. The statistics speak for themselves.

The technology field is continuously growing and advancing. We are lucky, as there is no end in sight for engineers.

We will always have an impact in our society, which provides a job security like no other profession.

Though the economy is still weak and will likely not fully recover for several years, I am not graduating with the worry that I will not be able to find a job. Instead, I am graduating with the hope that the job I do accept will challenge me in such a way that I will continue to learn every day.

I can only hope that I will be challenged as much in the coming years as I have been throughout my time here. I have found that the extreme learning environment Tech provides has created within me a thirst for learning.

In my free time, I am learn-

ing a second language, teaching myself to use an animation program and researching innovative processes. I find that I enjoy learning on my own far more than I ever expected.

And while I am still struggling through my last few months before graduation, it is not nearly as painful as it once was now that there is an end in sight. There was a time when I never thought I would say it, but I would even like to advance my education further after a few years in the work force (and a few years of sleeping regular hours).

I am certain that I will look back on my years at Tech with nothing but appreciation and fond memories (with some anxiety sprinkled in). I can only hope that Tech will continue to burden its students with too much work and too little sleep. They will appreciate it (eventually).

Whether you are in the midst of your degree or are just starting out, hang in there. I promise there will come a day when you will sleep regular hours like the rest of the world.

Tech will be as hard as everyone says it is. But trust me when I say it will be worth it in the end. If Tech were easy, everyone would come here (and then you might as well call it U(sic)GA). And what good would that do?

Students should reject dating misbeliefs I’ve attended school here for quite some time and have been pretty interested in some of the social aspects of this campus and how they compare with others outside this world of Tech. The main topic of discussion I wanted to talk about is something I’ve heard again and again: the belief that GT females are especially stuck up compared to other school’s girls.

The generally accepted belief is that women at Tech feel superior to others and are unapproachable because of their minority status on campus.

This idea allows them to be obnoxiously choosy about men they date or talk to, almost to the point of being arrogant or mean. This shows an extremely misinterpreted point of view and needs to be looked at more in-depth to get a better understanding of our school’s situation.

The interesting part of this discussion might be hearing what side I will take as a guy at Tech. That answer is not a simple one. I will take a look at the points of views of both sides and come to a general conclusion from that.

Wherever guys go to school, Tech included, men get these expectations of what they think college life is like from popular culture references. They expect an education alongside new friends with drinking, partying and generally a great time with friendly

to you. Girls, go up and introduce yourself. Guys, who cares if a girl is actually acting “stuck-up,” you don’t need to talk to her. Find someone that you like to hang out with, and if you think the ratio really is Steven Cappetta a damper, go date off-campus or don’t date at all right now.

Advertising Manager Complaining about it isn’t going to make things better.

It is time to get over these manner about themselves, us- social dilemmas that people of ing this as a defense mecha- Tech have experienced in the past and start doing things for nism.

I have gone to several oth- yourself. Remember that you er schools and found a lot of will not always be able to date the people that I’ve met to be everyone you talk to. Rememnice, friendly and all around ber that you aren’t always gogenuine. I’ve thought about ing to get respect from everythe comparisons between this one. You could be shot down school and those other ones and embarrassed at anytime. and determined a conclusion: Using Tech or the ratio as an we do have genuine people excuse is nothing more than an excuse. here at Tech.

At this point in time, I Unfortunately, I feel that this lack of friendliness that want to remind you that a lot people experience is just due to of what I am saying is generalunhappiness. People here are izations. People at school here bitter due to grades, the ratio are all different and don’t necand general life stress. We are a essarily fall into the categories top drinking school and not a that I’ve pointed out. I have top party school, and we have seen students that love it here, an “I <3 GT” week to remind girls that are friendly and open us we like it here. Overall, it to everyone and articulate soreally is kind of a sad campus. cial speakers that are nice to be Beneath the social awkward- around.

There is a lot more that goes ness and unhappiness, we are into this school and its people all “real” people.

Another thing that I see than the generalizations that again and again, especially are made. Disappointment is when it comes to Slivers, is merely a part of life, and once complaining about the oppo- you figure that out, you’ll be site sex. Maybe the guys are able to respect and understand awkward and afraid to talk those around you.

“Find someone that you like to hang out with, and if you think the ratio really is a damper, go date off-campus.”

attractive females. They build up an idea of what college life is like and associate it to movies such as Van Wilder or Animal House where the women are available and “easy.”

Andy Peck wrote an article for Voice some time ago going into detail and said it best: “Given this expectation, one can see how the small numbers of women and perceived arrogance of those women could quickly become the focus for resentment and even hostility.”

People are thrown into this social network and finally have some sense of freedom when they come to school. Using a fairly loose generalization, people at Tech were fairly good students back in high school and maybe because of that, didn’t necessarily have the best social skills. This awkwardness in a social setting works for both males and females.

Without any prior knowledge of how to react in certain social situations, some may resort to this “arrogance” or can sometimes be very resentful and project an almost “cool”

BUZZ

Around Campus

What movie do you think will win the Oscar Best Picture?

Taurus Brackett Second-year ME

“Inception is a great film.

It kept me on my toes, and I want to watch it again.”

Dhruvak Talaviya First-year ISYE

“The King’s Speech. I’m a fan of British movies.”

Ian Kent Fourth-year CHBE

“Probably The Fighter or Inception. I hear a lot about them.”

Sahitya Jampane Fourth-year ECE

“Inception is my favorite.”

Photos by Sho Kitamura

OPINIONS

8 • February 25, 2011 • Technique

Initiatives begin to take form HOT– or –NOT from the new strategic plan OUR VIEWS Hot or Not

Ballin’ with Bill

T-Screwed 2.0

TV personality and childhood icon to many (if not all) on campus, Bill Nye kicked off the baseball game on Sunday, throwing out the first pitch at Russ Chandler Stadium. Unfortunately, the baseball team could have used a lesson from the Science Guy as the squad suffered its first loss of the season that day. The players were probably just distracted by the greatness of Bill Nye.

Normally, making the “Not” list twice in just a matter of a weeks takes some real screwing up, and this time is no exception. If the administration wants to continue to push for campus-wide adoption of T-Square, it must first be able to handle to the workload. The letter from T-Square administrators was nice, but it just illustrated the already well -known problems.

Choir challenge

Annoying vs. Weird

Often lost in the many complaints about math and physics, artistic challenges are often not given their due respect. The Chamber Choir deserves kudos for the production of Bach’s Mass. With midterms in full-step, a chance to decompress over some classical music could be beneficial, though many would argue a requiem would be more fitting.

Humans vs. Zombies made a return to campus much to the enjoyment of a few and the annoyance of the rest. Using people as barricades to block socks and marshmallows isn’t the best way to make friends with your fellow students. And spending countless hours making ‘ammo’ holders just shows that you need to develop a new hobby. This new Tech tradition needs a quick exit.

Eighteen months ago, the Tech community embarked on an ambitious journey to write a 25-year strategic plan that would differentiate us in the years to come, positioning Tech as the defining technological research university of the 21st century. It has only been six months since the plan was finalized, and I’m happy to report that we’re making progress.

The campus community has been busy engaging in the execution of our new strategic plan. In addition to the five main goals of the strategic plan, a number of initiatives emerged from the planning process. One of the initiatives we are already exploring is the concept of creating an “XCollege.”

The idea grew out of a recommendation from students and faculty that Tech must increase the level of student-faculty interaction and provide more flexibility in our curricula. We are moving forward with a plan that would to allow students, with faculty guidance, to compose programs of study that focus on what we call the “grand challenges”—global problems facing society today, using knowledge from a wide range of disciplines. In Jan., the provost announced the creation of a committee chaired by Professor Richard Barke from the School of Public Policy. This committee is reviewing options and will formulate strategies for implementation.

The creation of the Center for 21st Century Universities is another example of the strategic plan moving forward. The center will be based in the College of Computing, but will include faculty from Management, Public Policy and Industrial and Systems

“The creation of the Center for 21st Century Universities is another example of the Strategic Plan moving forward.”

G.P. “Bud” Peterson Institute President

Engineering. It will focus on the role and opportunities presented by disruptive technologies, such as social networking and innovations like open courseware, serving as a living laboratory for testing new educational ideas.

Tech is preparing the next generation of leaders in biomedical engineering thanks to another new program—our Graduate Leadership Program within the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering. This program teaches Tech graduate students to be strong leaders who can readily communicate their research agendas beyond the pragmatics of scientific techniques and experimental outcomes.

To support the plan’s focus on faculty-led, interdisciplinary and transformative research, Executive Vice President for Research Steve Cross has announced the launch of the Institute for People and Technology (IPaT).

Led by Executive Director, Professor Beth Mynatt from the College of Computing who previously served as the director of the GVU Center, IPaT will catalyze research activities, create new economic development opportunities and address important societal problems. It will support various college research centers that collectively pursue transformations

in healthcare, education, consumer media, and other complex human enterprises by integrating advances in human-centered computing, architectural and digital design, policy, and system science and engineering.

Expanding our global footprint and influence is another one of our goals. Earlier this month, Provost Rafael Bras announced the creation of the International Advisory Group, a faculty committee chaired by Steve McLaughlin, vice provost for International Initiatives, that will serve to support and advise on issues related to Tech’s strategy for global engagement.

Part of designing our future is to relentlessly pursue institutional effectiveness. The new eProcurement system, BuzzMart, is a part our effort to be more efficient in the way we do business. The new system is replacing Tech’s PeopleSoft campus requisition and has several benefits including 24/7 Internet-based access, a one-stop shopping experience, and student and affiliate access.

These are just a few of the examples of how our strategic plan is coming to life all around you. I encourage you to remain engaged in the process. Continue to look for new and innovative ways for Tech to Design the Future.

Advertise with us!

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Focus

By Chris Russell Online Editor

Over the course of two nights the week of Feb. 14, mankind may have met the first of its robotic overlords. While it is too early to worry about time-travelling assassin bots or robotic armies harvesting humanity for energy, it would appear that IBM’s Watson has brought mankind’s dominance of the world of television game shows to an end.

After Watson’s victory over Jeopardy! All-Stars Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter on Wednesday, Feb. 16, Bill Murdock, a research team member at the Watson Research Center at IBM, gave a talk on IBM’s newest computational juggernaut on Tech’s campus the following day.

Murdock, Ph.D. CS ‘01, worked as a member of Ashok Goel’s Design and Intelligence Laboratory while at Tech.

Despite the high turnout, the talk was aimed at a specialized crowd, as much of the lecture focused on topics that would be unfamiliar to those without a background in machine learning and intelligence. However, the talk was at a high enough level that while an average Tech student would not understand everything Murdock discussed, they would still learn a great deal about how Watson worked.

One of the most important things to realize about Watson is that it is not simply a massive database. While it does have massive stores of knowledge (to the tune of 15 terabytes of RAM), the real power behind Watson lies in its ability to understand the question it is being asked, then using learning algorithms to evaluate what it knows and choose the best answer.

focus@nique.net Focus Editor: Kamna Bohra

Technique @GTCounseling: @therapynews: Is Facebook Making You Depressed? 3 Tips For Coping with Facebook Depression http://bit.ly/gG8Bw7

One of the biggest topics of discussion was, of course, how Watson chose these answers. While answering a Jeopardy! question requires dozens of complex algorithms and a massive bank of computers, it is a fairly straightforward process.

First, Watson breaks down the question into one or more possible interpretations. For each interpretation, it then generates a list of possible answers. For each answer in the list, it searches its databanks for evidence supporting or refuting that answer, and grades how likely that answer is.

After this, Watson merges the hypotheses together and chooses the answer it believes most likely to be correct.

Watson’s power becomes apparent here, as a single question can result in several interpretations, each of which has hundreds of possible answers. In turn, each answer is supported or refuted by thousands of pieces of evidence, all of which can be interpreted hundreds of thousands of ways.

The fact that Watson can find and process this amount of information in about three seconds shows how far computing has come since IBM’s other famous super computer, Deep Blue, defeated world champion Gary Kasparov in chess in 1997.

Here, though, Murdock believes that comparing Deep Blue and Watson is like comparing apples to oranges. While Watson obviously could not work its magic without a hefty supply of hardware, the real stars of the show are the learning, search and language-processing algorithms that Watson makes use of.

While Deep Blue represented what could be done with enough

9

Friday, February 25, 2011

welcome WATSON IBM’s trivia machine maker comes to Tech

See Watson, page 11

Photo Illustration by Vivian Fan and Kamna Bohra / Student Publications

King of Hearts pageant raises cardiac awareness

By Divya Varahabhatla Contributing Writer

Photo by Virginia Lin / Student Publications

This past Friday, Tech’s chapter of Alpha Phi hosted “King of Hearts,” a fundraiser event for Cardiac Week.

The event was a culmination of a week’s worth of activities which included selling Candygrams (in which one buys candy for another person) at the Student Center, a Sh a ke weig ht c o m p e t it i o n and cash wars.

The fundraisers were all focused on raising money for cardiac care research and in-

creasing awareness.

King of Hearts is a spin on a beauty pageant, showcasing male contestants with the theme of raising cardiac health awareness.

There were three rounds including talents; dancing and pick-up lines; and questions and answers relating to cardiac health.

While the pageant was free, Alpha Phi hosted a raffle ticket contest in order to raise money.

Local businesses also sponsored the event and supplied some of the raffle gifts.

The contestants were from different fraternities, and the judges were each from different sororities.

King of Hearts was a collaborative effort of both Alpha Phi alumni and businesses.

“This is not a one-man process,” said Christine Hang, a

second-year BMED major.

After a whole week of fundraising, the organization raised around $1000. Cardiac Care week began Feb. 14 with the goal to increase awareness about cardiac health in the general population. Events were also held for Alpha Phi chapters from universities across the country as well.

“It was fun,” said Caleb Wahl, a third-year CEE major and one of the 2011 participants from Kappa Sigma.

“It’s fun and a fundraiser,” said Megumi Takeda, a secondyear BMED major.

Hang believed that there were many things positive about the pageant, but singled out one thing in particular. “[It] brought together the Greek system, Athletic Association and Tech student members,” Hang said.

As head of campus events for

Alpha Phi, Hang oversaw the organization of Cardiac Care week events. Kurt Scheffrahn, a thirdyear ME major, was last year’s winner. “[It was] hilarious…Participating in King of Hearts was a great experience from practicing with a coach to getting on stage,” Scheffrahn said in a video message.

Some of the talents showcased in the competition include athleticism, sing-along, comedy and dancing.

Coaches were alumni who helped donate money and time to the cause. These coaches helped the contestants learn their dances and songs and helped them through the other competitions.

The winner of the competition was Radu Reit, a secondyear BMED major. The two See King, page 12

10 • February 25, 2011 • Technique

FOCUS

Neurobiologist diverges from dance to science

By Kamna Bohra Focus Editor

For many modern musical artists, moving from the production of songs to the art of dance is not too far of a stretch. But for one neurobiologist, the most logical path was to leave behind years of dance and to pursue scientific studies of songbirds.

Dr. Erich Jarvis, an associate professor at the Duke University Medical Center Department of Neurobiology, presented a lecture entitled “Brain Evolution: How Birds and Human Learn to Sing and Talk” at the Karlovitz Lecture on Wednesday, Feb. 23. The Honors Program and the College of Sciences co-sponsored this event.

Jarvis spent his elementary school years wanting to be a magician and his high school years hoping to pursue a career in dance in Harlem, N.Y. However, days before his high school graduation, he chose to go to college instead of joining the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

“I realized I would have a bigger impact on the world if I went to college,” Jarvis said of his decision to pursue what was otherwise his “Plan B.” After attending Hunter College and Rockefeller University for his undergraduate and postgraduate studies, Jarvis finally settled on Duke University to study vocal learning, particularly in song birds. This was because Jarvis was

intrigued by different organisms’ abilities to create complex forms of expression.

Vocal learning, which is the ability to learn to produce specific sounds, is rare, only known in five groups of mammals and three species of birds. Among primates alone, only humans have the trait of vocal learning.

As an example of the trait, Jarvis showed a video of an African gray parrot that could actively communicate with a human, eventually gaining the ability to count from zero to seven in the English language.

Jarvis noted that vocal learning is different from auditory learning. For example, through auditory learning, dogs can understand and obey the commands “sit” in English; “sientese” in Spanish and “osuwari” in Japanese. However, because they lack vocal learning skills, dogs cannot create these same sounds by any vocal means of their own.

Associated with vocal learning is motor learning, as Jarvis showed in a video of “Snowball,” a cockatoo who learned to dance to the song “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back),” by the Backstreet Boys. The cockatoo could tap out the beats of the song and moved his wings in a fashion similar to the movements of the teens he was raised by.

Jarvis has also studied the brain patterns of birds as they produce certain types of sounds. To

Photo by John Nakano / Student Publications

Jarvis chose to attend college and to not join a famous dance group because he felt he could make more of an impact on society through working and researching molecular biology and genetics. further explain the motor abilities, Jarvis noted that the regions of birds’ brains that control motor abilities surround the “song nuclei.”

“The more [the birds] sing, the more gene expression [there is] in ‘song nuclei,’” Jarvis said of observations of birds’ nervous systems, noting that specific regions of the brain are involved in vocal learning.

Vocal learning pathways, vocal production learning and auditory learning and three traits found in vocal learners only. Parrots have even more structures to enable

imitation.

To parallel these abilities to humans, Jarvis considers the pathways found in both groups of birds and mammals to be analogous, yet not homologous, structures.

Jarvis indicated that vocal learners have independently evolved repetitive gene sequences that allow for said ability.

“Vocal learners like to ‘talk’ a lot and thus need to protect neurons,” Jarvis said, noting that the human brain consumes 25 percent of one’s daily sugar intake just for vocal communication.

The “cultural” aspect of human and bird vocal learning is also similar. Just as humans pass on different styles of gesturing associated with communication, often based on cultures, birds do the same from generation to generation.

Beyond the molecular biology behind the research is Jarvis’s research team. Jarvis believes that his group at Duke is unique because it brings together multiple backgrounds in both science and cultural origin. Jarvis considers it important to come together to merge the multitude of ideas.

FOCUS

ROTC reinforces commitment, skills

By Divya Varahabhatla Contributing Writer

The Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program here at Tech is an option for students who wish to serve in the U.S. military.

Tech offers ROTC branches in the Navy, the Marines, the Army and the Air Force. The Army ROTC was established at the school in 1917.

In a statement on the Navy ROTC’s website, it was written that, “more than 7,000 lieutenants have received their commission from the Yellow Jacket Battalion, including two winners of the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Alumni have served in every campaign from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War, and more recent operations including Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom as well as Operation Iraqi Freedom.”

The NROTC division began in 1926 at Tech as the first of 6 similar university units.

The ROTC program rewards its students based on merits and requires the students to take basic calculus and physics courses.

There is also mandatory physical training which “helps [personnel] maintain a healthy lifestyle... Cadets are often responsible for not only executing their own PT, but planning and supervising the PT of their subordinates while constantly observing for safety and the well being of everyone in-

Photo by Michael Skinner / Student Publications

Many current members of the ROTC join the program at Tech as a sign of their commitment to protecting their nation in the future. volved.”

Some famous alumni from the ROTC include Lieutenant Colonel Boyd Parsons, ISyE ‘71; former Georgian Govenor, U.S. President and Nobel Prize winner Jimmy Carter and Captain John W. Young, USN (Retired) AE ’52 AE who became “the world’s most experienced space traveler with two Gemini missions, two Apollo missions and two Space Shuttle missions.”

ROTC Students have many opportunities for leadership, scholarship and training. The NROTC battalion Public Affairs officer Ben Wattam, a third-year

MGT major, mentioned that his military background influenced his decision to join. Most ROTC students indeed have a military background. Some of the benefits offered through the program include full health care, a scholarship for college and 50 percent pay after retirement.

However, more than monetary benefits, Wattam noted that most students join the ROTC because they want to serve.

“Someone has to do it,” Wattam said about the fear and thought process behind the deciSee ROTC, page 11

Technique • February 25, 2011 • 11

Watson

from page 9

computing power, Watson represents what can be done by using that power in conjunction with the newest, most powerful algorithms in learning.

According to Murdock, one of the biggest advances Watson represents is the ability to handle ambiguity. Again, the comparison to Deep Blue came up, this time in terms of how their challenges were different.

“Real language is real hard…

In chess, you had a finite, well-defined search space [with] explicit, unambiguous mathematical rules, but that’s not the case here,” Murdock said.

Murdock described how, compared to chess, natural language processing is an incredibly difficult computing problem, due (among other things) to the ambiguity inherent in human language.

As an example, Murdock gave two sentences, both of which contained the same fact: that someone named Jack Welch was once the head of G.E. However, each sentence reveals that knowledge differently.

While the information in this sentence can be stated simply as “Jack Welch ran G.E.,” the same information could be contained in a much more complex statement, such as, “If leadership is an art, then Jack Welch proved himself a master painter during his tenure at G.E.” While a person could easily extract the information from either sentence, writing a com-

puter program that can extract it from sentences like the second is a challenge that was only solved recently.

An overarching theme of the talk was how Watson struggled with concepts a human would find easy but excelled in other areas. Murdock discussed several incorrect answers Watson gave and the reasoning behind why Watson gave them.

For example, one of the questions on the show asked about a physical oddity of George Eyser, a gymnast in the 1904 Summer Olympics.

While most humans would have trouble quickly pulling together what information (if any) they knew about the topic at hand, according to Murdock, the logs showed that Watson almost immediately found a passage that said, “George Eyser’s left leg was made of wood.”

However, Watson was unable to understand what about this was an “oddity,” and, as a result, and chose “leg” as its answer, rather than the correct answer, “wooden leg.”

As for where Watson will go next, it’s no secret that IBM wants to see a Watson-like system put into place somewhere in the medical industry.

With the large number of variables that can go into diagnosing a disease, and the fact that it is impossible for a person to accurately keep track of the enormous base of medical knowledge available, Watson’s engineers feel that medicine is a field that Watson could flourish in.

FOCUS

12 • February 25, 2011 • Technique

King

from page 9

runner ups were Jon Willig, a fourth-year ME major, and Michael Robinson, BIO ‘10.

Even though the competition was a success, Hang hopes for future growth and development of

the event. “[I hope] that it can be more successful in future years, bringing people outside of the Greek/ Athletic Association as well as more diverse applicants (such as those from various academic departments),” Hang said.

Photos by Virginia Lin / Student Publications

Male Tech students participated in Alpha Phi’s King of Hearts Pageant to help raise awareness and money for cardiac research.

ROTC

from page 11

sion to serve.

He said that his biggest fear in his service is not the commitment to defending the country. “[My big fear is] going out to leave what you’re used to and also how things can change while you were away,” Wattam said.

Wattam hopes to become a pilot for the Navy.

Midshipman David Klotz, a third-year MGT major, began at the naval divison of the ROTC in 2008. Klotz also hopes to be a pilot once he graduates. “[The program] also lets you have a normal college experience that is more similar to what life will be like…ROTC classes are also way smaller than Naval Academy classes, so students get more opportunities to lead and learn by doing,” Klotz said.

Still, Klotz has had to make several adjustments since joining.

“I put on about 20 pounds of muscle. [I] have developed leadership skills and confidence that will be of great value to me for the rest of my life,” Klotz said.

Klotz believes there are other benefits to the program as well. “[My favorite part of NROTC was] getting sent around the world to go on training ‘cruises.’…I got to spend three weeks on it watching jets and learning about aviation from pilots,” Klotz said.

He has had the opportunity to go to a carrier which operated in the Arabian Sea. Wattam had a different favorite aspect of the group. “[My favorite part is] the peo-

Photo by Michael Skinner / Student Publications

Many students feel that their Tech education is supplemented with different types of life skills developed in the ROTC program. ple I meet, whether they are older lieutenants or classmates…[who] share your ideals and principles,” Wattam said.

Students on campus do not realize what ROTC students do.

“Whenever people see us, they don’t really know who or what we are or what to make of us. The bigger issue is that people have little to no idea why we’re here, what we do and what we’re training to do,” Klotz said.

Wattam and Klotz both noted the compatibility of the quality of education at Tech and the quality of the ROTC programs offered

here.

“I believe that it is also due to the reputation that Tech has for its rigorous academics... Many from Georgia Tech’s NROTC go very far in the Navy,” Klotz said.

Wattam attributed some of the skills he has developed from ROTC and Tech classes, such as time management and the ability to work under pressure, as abilities that have helped him in the past few years. “[The training emphasizes] attention to details and being on time push us towards excellence,” Wattam said.

Entertainment

entertainment@nique.net Entertainment Editor: Patricia Uceda Assistant Entertainment Editor: Zheng Zheng

CIRQUE

MECHANICS

BOOMTOWN Ferst Center hosts familyfriendly circus show SHOWS

Cirque Mechanics Boomtown

By Hank Whitson Staff Writer

If you have ever wondered what Cirque Du Soleil would be like with a conventional narrative about rowdy cowboys, Cirque Mechanics’ Boomtown is the antidote to your curiosity. The program informs audiences that the troupe was founded to bring family-friendly entertainment to circus audiences. In this case “family friendly” seems to be a euphemism for flashy and simple-minded.

Admittedly, Boomtown offers some very impressive acrobatics and balancing acts, but it is hampered by weak group choreography, dumb physical comedy and a broadly-pantomimed narrative about two feuding saloon owners.

The show is determined not to take itself seriously though, and in many respects, it is purposefully unrefined. Set changes are not only not hidden; they are the focal point of the show. Operating stage mechanics like pulleys and cranes become a performance art unto itself.

The corps of cowboys performs wall-runs up over-turned benches and takes turns launching one another off of two tilting telegraph poles connected by a pulley. The goofy mining prospector from the prologue surprises audiences with an impressive balancing act on jugs of moonshine.

Some of these tricks will seem familiar to those who have seen a Cirque du Soleil performance, and many of the acts go on for a few variations too long. In the case of the boozy balancing act, we watch the prospector work his way up from the flat of the crate, to the long side of the crate, to the short side of the crate, to many crates stacked on top of each other, to one crate sliding over many different bottles. They are all impressive feats of balance, but the arbitrary build-up will wear audiences down as opposed to psyching them up.

The performer’s technique is also self-consciously rough, deliberately blurring the lines between ballet, acrobatics, vaudeville and in one act, striptease. In many respects, this technical crudeness fits the rough-and-tumble sensibilities of the show’s Wild West setting. But on Friday night, the show’s technical roughness exceeded its metaphor in an ugly way. During the mining-cart trampoline scene near the beginning of the second act, one of the performers missed the foam landing pad and halfstaggered, half-fell off stage. He did not emerge again

PERFORMER: Cirque Mechanics LOCATION: Ferst Center DATE: Feb. 18 2011

OUR TAKE: «««««

13

Friday, February 25, 2011

Four thrills movie-goers FILM

I Am Number Four

By Patricia Uceda Entertianment Editor

D.J. Caruso’s latest thriller I Am Number STARRING: Alex Pettyfer and Four doesn’t waste any Dianna Agron time; the audience is immediately plunged DIRECTOR: D.J. Caruso into the action with RATING: PG-13 the chilling murder of RELEASE DATE: Feb. 18 2011 Number 3 in the middle of a tropical jungle.

OUR TAKE: ««««« From there we are introduced to our main character, Number 4, played by Alex Pettyfer, who is apparently one of nine children saved from the far away planet Lorien after an evil alien race called the Mogadorians destroys the planet.

These nine were specifically saved because they have special abilities that will enable them to one day defeat the Mogadorians; however, the Mogadorians have followed them to Earth and are now exterminating them one by one.

While there are a few plot holes and fairly predictable outcomes, I Am Number Four ultimately achieves its sole objective of being an electrifying action-packed sci-fi thriller.

Because they are relentlessly being hunted, the six surviving children are forced to live nomadic lifestyles, constantly moving and changing their names. As a result of Number 3’s death, Number 4 changes his name to John Smith and moves with his guardian to the remote, small town of Paradise, Ohio, leaving no trace behind. John’s guardian Henri is played by Timothy Olyphant, and while he portrays himself as John’s father to the humans around them, he is actually a warrior from Lorien chosen to protect John from the Mogadorians.

Henri is whole-heartedly committed to his appointed task, tirelessly scouring the internet for any photographic traces of John and instantly deleting them. He wants to keep John under the radar and safe at any cost, but John ultimately convinces him to let him attend high school.

Unfortunately, maintaining a low profile is not the easiest thing for John to do, especially considering Pettyfer’s ridiculously good looks. Right away head football player Mark, played by Jake Abel, feels threatened by him and publicly declares him enemy number one. However, John doesn’t seem to care, preferring to stay in the shadows and befriending the outcast of the school Sam, played by Callan GENRE: Sci-Fi Thriller

See Four, page 15

See Cirque, page 15 Image courtesy of Ferst Center

Technique

Image courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

ENTERTAINMENT

14 • February 25, 2011 • Technique

Chamber Choir Carapace inspires audiences revives Bach’s Mass SHOWS

Carapace

Director: Judith Ivey

LOCATION: Alliance Theatre DATE: Feb. 11 - Mar. 6

OUR TAKE: «««««

By Nick Reardon Contributing Writer

Image courtesy of Georgia Tech Chamber Choir

By Chris Ernst Senior Staff Writer

The Georgia Tech Chamber Choir will be performing J.S. Bach’s Mass in B Minor Friday March 4 and Saturday March 5 in cooperation with the New Trinity Baroque Orchestra, an Atlantabased baroque orchestra who perform in baroque pitch (A=415 Hz instead of A=440 Hz) using entirely baroque instruments.

These instruments are built and played differently and as a result have a more unrefined/crude sound overall compared to modern instruments. The performance will take advantage of the latest scholarly research; authentic baroque instruments will be used in the lower Baroque pitch.

The pronunciation differs from modern Latin and more closely resembles what Bach would have heard when he first composed the piece. This is the first performance in Atlanta of the newest edition of the score, restoring Bach’s original composition from posthumous edits made by his son.

The B-minor mass was completed shortly before Bach died

and is one of the most challenging choral works he composed, spanning 110 minutes. It is full of theological and numerological symbolism, one of Bach’s hallmarks.

The Chamber Choir has been rehearsing the piece since last Aug. and has already performed it in Sarasota, Fla. and Tampa, Fla. They are currently raising funds to travel to Italy this summer for additional performances.

Given the scale and difficulty of the work, this is the most challenging undertaking in 12-plus years of Chamber Choir at Tech and one of the most challenging in the history of music at Tech.

There will be two concerts: March 4 at St. John’s United Methodist Church and March 5, at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church. Saturday’s performance will be directed by the orchestra’s director.

Tickets are $9 for students and $29 for adults. They’re available online at gtchamberchoir.com.

They choir will also be tabling in the Student Center selling tickets every day from Friday, Feb. 25 to Frida, March 4.

In the simplest of terms, Carapace tells the story of a flawed Minneapolis father searching for redemption. Jeff, the father and antihero, pushes away his speech-impeded daughter, Margo, through tasteless attitudes and destructive habits. He fails in most ways to play the role of a supportive father: he forgets her birthdays, disregards her interests and acts out of self-indulgence. Carapace is a marvelous story that aims to define how we live and love, and how a poor balance of these qualities can be destructive to others. The acting is sublime, and the direction and writing are about as close to perfection as a play can get. It is a tragedy at its very core, and it is good drama.

The story follows a time-fractured narrative that jumps back and forth between past and present as Jeff recalls the critical points in his relationship with Margo.

Jeff, who speaks directly to the audience, tends to jump in and out of his memories seamlessly, as if they were vendors at a grocery market.

One moment he would be detached from the action and spilling his soul to the audience, and at the next, he would simply walk into the frame of action and resume the role of his past self. This is a remarkable method of storytelling that provides key opportu-

Image courtesy of Greg Mooney

nities to dissect our antihero, as well as the conflict.

The play opens with Jeff sitting in the driver seat of his car, in present time, roughly two years after the two broke all forms of contact with each other. He is apparently troubled. He begins a most delightful opening monologue that would summarize his relationship with his daughter. He would recall how, every day after school would let out, Margo would run up to her father’s car and say one of two things: “Today was a slam dunk, Daddy!” or, “Aaaiirr-ball.”

This was Margo’s one method of expressing herself to an outside source.

With this, Margo’s relationship with her father, all of a sudden, seems to have direct effect on her motor skills. Early in the play, Jeff analyzes the sources of her disability. He says that too many things begin “racing around her internal racetrack” that she is unable to provide a coherent selection of thoughts. She begins to stammer, which in turn feeds her anxiety. He describes it as a cyclic process that has been going on for as long as he can remember.

Little does Jeff realize that he, in fact, is the main source of her

anxiety. He does not make himself available to her as much as is needed, and more importantly, he does not open himself up to her.

Margo’s frustration towards this is not addressed properly, and therefore she cannot rid those stressors from her mind. This leads to heightened mental traffic, which just happens to be Margo’s kryptonite.

It is not until after Margo breaks her relationship with her father that she could finally be at peace. And, alas, here is where paths collide, for Jeff plans to seek out Margo in an ill-conceived attempt to make amends. What Jeff does not realize, however, is that he carries the weight of past misfortunes along with him. What will Jeff say? How will Margo react? The net result of this climactic interaction is nothing short of poetic.

Carapace is a profound work of theatre magic that moves us, and brings us to a whole other level of enlightened understanding. It challenges us to question our own motives, strategies and ideals in a way that might be inconceivable.

It is a knockout of a drama that will leave you speechless, defenseless and downright inspired.

ENTERTAINMENT

Unknown brings the suspense FILM

Unknown GENRE: Drama Mystery STARRING: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger and January Jones DIRECTOR: Jaume ColletSerra RATING: PG-13 RELEASE DATE: Feb. 18 2011

OUR TAKE: «««««

By Jessica Swafford Contributing Writer

Have you ever woken up and not known where you were or who you were? While ‘yes’ isn’t a common answer, these things have happened. Even more bizarre, though, what if you knew who you were, but no one else did? Coworkers, friends and even your own spouse don’t know you.

What would you do?

While we all hope none of these events ever happen to us, this is what happens to Dr. Martin Harris, played by Liam Neeson, when he awakens from a coma. He has vivid memories of his past, yet his wife, Liz, played by January Jones, doesn’t remember him. Is she married to a Dr. Martin Harris?

Yes, but the two men are entirely different people. His identity has been stolen… or has it?

Liam Neeson’s character recounts secret e-mails he sent to a scientist as proof of his identity.

The other Dr. Harris is able to finish the sentences as he apparently is the Dr. Harris who wrote the emails, leaving Neeson’s character without credibility. To top it all off, the other Dr. Harris, played

by Aidan Quinn, has a passport, driver’s license and a family photo

with his wife. Neeson’s character has no identification, yet he has a vivid account of being in the family photo. The other doctor is even wearing the same clothes that he remembers wearing.

While nothing makes sense, one thing keeps Harris going: the mission to free his wife. He is convinced that she is being forced to deny knowing him, and if he frees her, his life will go back to normal.

With new friends and a book from his father, he begins his search at the start of his crisis: a car crash in Berlin. There is nothing to be found until he receives help from his cab driver, Gina, played by Diane Kruger, and new friend and former Communist spy, Ernst Jurgen, played by Bruno Ganz.

With their help some things become clearer, but most things still don’t add up.

Why, for instance, would anyone want to steal his identity? Dr. Martin Harris is a normal man. A normal man, that is, with access to sensitive bimolecular research and parties that controversial dignitaries attend. Things escalate, and Harris becomes even more focused on saving his wife. He fails to add up loose ends and puts himself and others in danger in order to accomplish this goal.

While many movies today that seem to have predictable endings, it’s hard to make a mystery thriller that keeps the audience interested. While it definitely isn’t 100 percent original (it still has the stereotypical car chases, guns and fights), Unknown keeps the questions coming. As credibility to it, the stereotypical scenes are important. Each one culminates to make the ending, an ending which Harris (and the audience) likely won’t see coming.

Good scenery shots and great cinematography add to the movie

sliver

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twiddlee dee twiddlee dum. i could use a coke and rum whoever came up with silvering is awesome. lets get married Have you ever felt like a plastic bag?

So every other college has a 3.5 for Dean’s List... we have a 3.0.

The professors go too hard on the students. That’s what she said Remember when you blocked me on Ustream? lol the FBI still hasn’t given my roommate his computer back...

OJ a waffle hashbrowns scattered and covered make the fact that it’s five in the morning just a little bit better. technique guy at all the bball games youre cute We’re out of bread, milk, eggs, and pasta. But it’s ok, we still have ramen.

Awkward-elevator -ride girl, sorry I was so awkward... I think I love you Why do multiple midterms always fall on the same darn week? the stapler by the entrance to the library is a POS Congrats Atl, 2nd most dangerous city in the US To the guy who played guitar in the courtyard on Thursday: the girls of third floor Brown creeped on you, and you are amazing. is there even caffeine in this coffee?

Nikita R. knows who wrote that. Sorry, still won’t go out with you. you have every right to hang out in your boyfriend’s room, you have no right to hang out in your ex-boyfriend’s room, the problem is when those are the same place.

People having fun: stop, we are trying to work.

People who mock Brittain don’t understand its purpose: time saver Integra{ fun, dtime} = happiness Why does the Harris fireescape always smell like pee?

I dont care if you smoke, just stop spitting so much.

My professor said she had zero bandwidth in her voice. She proceeded to give 2 weeks of silent lectures.

Stop creeping in physics. I can see you starring. chocolate waffles, please. no, not pancakes. WAFFLES. any chicks into dudes that crossdress? jw

Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

to make it even better. If you have ever seen a Jason Bourne movie, the filming is very similar. For those who suspect that Unknown and Taken are basically the same, know that they aren’t. While there are some similarities, they aren’t big enough to make Unknown a bore or a copy.

Be warned, Dr. Harris gets followed around a lot, and it takes a little while for the story to tell what really happened. Similar to Leonardo DiCaprio in Inception, Liam Neeson is on a roller coaster ride to the finish. Neeson and the rest of the cast keep the audience turning from one guess to the next. If you’re anything like me, you won’t guess the true ending until the credits role.

To quote Dr. Martin Harris, “Do you know what it feels like to become insane? It’s a war between being told who you are and knowing who you are... Which do you think wins?”

The answer you give doesn’t matter, but the events along the way shape the ending. Was Dr. Harris’s identity stolen or is he someone else entirely? You’ll have to watch to find out.

Technique • February 25, 2011 • 15

Cirque

from page 13

even for the final curtain call.

The remaining performers did an admirable job of covering his absence, though a couple of botched musical cues and an abrupt ending suggest that a routine or two had to be trimmed.

The troupe’s weakest link is the character actress who portrays the town’s lively kleptomaniac.

Lacking the high flying skills or muscular discipline of her colleagues, she flits across the stage, squeaking and snatching things and cements both of the show’s weakest performances. The first is a tedious act of ‘magic’ where she appears to extract objects from her skirt and bodice, but no actual sleight-of-hand is required since the entire sequence takes place behind a silhouette screen. Her

Four

from page 13

McAuliffe.

He also attracts the attention of the school’s prettiest girl Sarah, played by Diana Agron of Glee fame. Of course, Mark is her exboyfriend, so that only deepens Mark’s hatred for John.

John’s powers are also developing, and he suddenly begins to have crazy symptoms such as glowing hands and telekinesis.

At first this is very hard for him to control, but with Henri’s help, John is able to rein in his powers.

This is just in time, because as expected, John does not do a good job of blending in, and the Mogadorians begin to close in on him.

These villainous aliens are very creepy and menacing looking, with messed up teeth and gill-like slits on their faces. It’s up to John to survive and protect his new friends Sarah and Sam, but luckily, he is helped out by the arrival of a few friends.

There are undeniably many plot holes in this movies’ plot line.

It couldn’t have hurt the film’s producers to put in a little more

second contribution is an excruciating pantomime where she walks an audience member through an invisible jail cell routine. Both acts are accompanied by obnoxious sound effects that a Saturday morning cartoon would blush to use.

Compared to the surreal, bizarre, and occasionally disturbing dreamscapes of that other, more famous Cirque, one cannot help but wonder what Boomtown might have been if it ditched its dumbed-down comedy routines and simple-minded story-telling to focus squarely on elaborate mechanical apparatus and rope-assisted acrobatics. Families hoping for a fun, unpretentious take on modern circuses’ elaborate acrobatics will find something to like in Boomtown, but most other audiences can afford to give it a pass. background information about the battle between the Lorians and the Mogadorians, but because they fail to do so, it all seems a little random.

They also never fully explain why the Mogadorians are hunting them in chronological order, or why the surviving Lorians never teamed up to fight back instead of being picked off one by one.

Suspension of disbelief is to be expected in films, but it seemed a little much in this case.

The ending leaves much to be desired in terms of tying all the loose strings up, and one can only assume that the writers planned on making a sequel. While this is a smart commercial move on their part, it seems highly presumptuous to assume that a sequel is inevitable. They should have focused on making this more of a stand alone movie first.

Despite the plot holes and annoying presumptuousness, this movie succeeded at entertaining.

If you are a sci-fi thriller fan, this movie is definitely worth checking out.

16 • February 25, 2011 • Technique

ENTERTAINMENT

Cho fills Ferst Center with uproarious laughter SHOWS

Margaret Cho PERFORMER: Margaret Cho LOCATION: Ferst Center DATE: Feb. 19 2011

OUR TAKE: «««««

By Patricia Uceda Entertainment Editor

This Saturday night Margaret Cho came to the Ferst Center in a hilarious whirlwind of standup comedy and live music. While there were a few jokes the audience could have done without, overall, the show was hilarious, and the atmosphere was jovial and good-humored.

Margaret Cho first got her start in the 1994 sitcom All American Girl. Unfortunately, the bad reviews and subsequent cancellation of this short-lived show led her to a downward spiral of drugs and alcohol. However, Margaret was able to turn things around, and now uses her bad experiences as material for her stand up comedy shows; she’s been entertaining audiences ever since.

Opening for Cho was John Roberts, a young comedian from New York. He had a huge table of wigs, and he used all of them with a frenetic energy. With each wig Roberts became everyone from a ditzy airhead to a lesbian poetry circle speaker to a stoner pot head.

His imitations were spot on and had the audience cracking up. A weak point for him was his comedy song about getting high that seemed to go on forever. However, his hilarious dance moves made it bearable.

Once Roberts was done warming the crowd up, Cho took the stage. She is known for her crass, unapologetic style, and her show this weekend was no exception.

To say that she spoke about sex a lot would be an understatement.

She went into each excruciating detail of a few of her encounters with southern men. She also sang a full ballad about a certain appendage of the male anatomy. It was pretty awkward considering there were plenty of families in the audience, but no one stormed out or appeared upset; it was all in good fun.

There were certain points where she did veer a bit too far in the gross category, such as one segment where she was discussing her four-day stay at an outdoor concert and how she didn’t get to use the restroom the whole time because she is opposed to port-apotties. She then went on to describe every detail of her bowel movements when she finally found a decent restroom. It was a bit unnecessary. The audience appeared very grossed out and relieved when she finally moved on to something else, but that’s Margaret Cho for you.

Cho also spoke about her expe-

riences on Dancing with the Stars.

Apparently she was the one that leaked the story that Sarah Palin was forcing Bristol Palin to do the show in an ill-conceived plan to win back the favor of America.

Sarah told Bristol that it was her fault they had lost in 2008 because she became pregnant, which is completely ridiculous. Cho claimed that the show was rigged, and that the reason she was voted off was because ABC was mad at her for not retracting her statements about the Palins. It was an insightful experience to hear about what went on behind the scenes.

Cho sang several songs as part of her burgeoning foray into comedy music. She has a pretty good voice, which was surprising.

However, the subject matter was questionable at best. The aforementioned penis song was cringeworthy to say the least.

Another song she sang was about a TV screenwriter she used to be in love with while she worked on All American Girl. She never told him of her secret crush, and twenty years later, she decided to look him up in order to reconnect, only to find out that he was serving prison time for bludgeoning his wife to death and hiding her in the attic.

His wife was partially mummified before they found her. It was a very disconcerting and disturbing story, so it was a little hard to enjoy her humorous song about

Image courtesy of Ferst Center

murdering people.

Cho is known for making fun of her own ethnicity, and she did so numerous times. She also poked fun at her mother, mimicking her strong accent and demeanor. It was hilarious to watch and one of the high points of the show, although a little racist.

Overall Cho’s show was a fun

and humorous experience. In order to enjoy one of her shows you should have an open, liberal mind or else you would be highly offended the whole time. If you think you can stomach her crass humor and in-depth details of her sexual encounters, be sure to check her out next time she performs in Atlanta.

ENTERTAINMENT

Technique • February 25, 2011 • 17

Theme Crossword: On Solid Ground

By Robert Zimmerman United Features Syndicate ACROSS 1. -- contendere 5. Hill of a kind 10. Earmark 15. Irk 19. Before too long 20. -- Leslie Flynn 21. Cogs 22. Inter -23. Moviedom 25. Remote area 27. Roman municipal officer 28. Firearm 30. Sum 31. Vitality 33. Offenses 35. -- qua non 36. Moriarty, Lord Voldemort, etc.

40. Ordeal 42. Pilfered 46. -- Marie Saint 47. On the double, medically

48. Waterway 50. American wine region 51. Fogelberg and others 53. Famed police force: 2 wds.

58. Cal. abbr.

59. To have -- -- hold 61. Salver 62. Transition smoothly 63. JFK’s predecessor 64. Watering hole 66. Corpsman 69. Backslides 71. Subject to 73. Tellers of tales 75. Artifact 76. French writer 79. In the company of 81. Recount 84. Globe 85. Kett and James 87. Pathway 89. Did a rodeo trick 90. Gormandized 91. Smallish equine: 2 wds.

95. Bell sound 96. Desperate 98. Defunct alliance 99. Quite some time 101. A dir.

102. Til 105. Town in Alaska 107. Refereed 109. -- Shankar 111. Dortmunder’s denial 112. Transport vehicle 113. Minimal 117. One of the Judds 120. Accesses:2 wds.

124. Dreamworld 126. Anaheim attraction 128. Pisa’s river 129. Laconic 130. “-- Gantry” 131. Gas burner 132. Abound 133. Place 134. Bird-feeder fodder 135. Stole

DOWN 1. Skylab’s org.

2. As soon as 3. Master 4. “Iceman Cometh” playwright 5. Advantages 6. Web address 7. Snare 8. -- Michelle Braxton 9. Firstborn 10. Certain Greek 11. Necklace 12. Pre-Easter period

13. Klemperer and namesakes 14. Mother of Achilles 15. Old ship 16. Jai -17. Yarn fuzz 18. “-- and the Tramp” 24. Aisle anagram 26. Bombastic speech 29. About 32. Make into law 34. Granular materials 36. Hindu scriptures 37. The former Mrs. Trump 38. Novices at sea

39. Rage 41. Veneer 43. Certain painter 44. Lyric poem 45. Hubs of wheels 49. Bock or pilsner 52. Jewel 54. Asian weight 55. Girl in “Pride and Prejudice” 56. Chieftain 57. Casino worker 60. Rafts 65. Poetic preposition

67. “-- -- a Camera” 68. Pack tightly 70. Prototype show 72. Traditional acts 74. Speak in anger 76. Drives 77. Lange or Shaw 78. Fills 80. Twilight, archaically 82. Rigid 83. Proceeded with caution 86. Murdered

88. Places for patches 92. Sat in on 93. Telecom giant 94. Alpine singers 97. Certain noble’s territory 100. He was Spock 103. Masculine 104. Turns inside out 106. Battery terminals 108. Decorative tag 110. Key

113. Sultan of -114. Encore!

115. English queen 116. Counterweight 118. Distance 119. “Woe -- --!”

121. Thai rice wine 122. -- -- uncertain terms 123. A state: abbr.

125. CIA cousin 127. Flanders of “The Simpsons”

18 • February 25, 2011 • Technique

Piled Higher & Deeper by Jorge Cham

Crossword Solution from page 17

COMICS

Non Sequitur by Wiley

COMICS

Non Sequitur by Wiley

DILBERT ® by Scott Adams

Technique • February 25, 2011 • 19

20 • February 25, 2011 • Technique

SPORTS

Golf finishes in second place in Puerto Rico

By Kyle Gifford Staff Writer

The men’s golf team traveled to Rio Grande, Puerto Rico to compete in the Puerto Rico Classic against a host of teams from around the country. The Jackets looked to continue their streak of top five finishes going back to Oct. of last year.

Tech jumped out to an early lead in the tournament over talented teams from Alabama and Oklahoma State, who sat second and third, respectively, after the first round.

Individually the Jackets performed especially well, with junior James White and freshman Richard Werenski each carding three-under-par 69s. Seniors Kyle Scott and John-Tyler Griffin also turned in impressive under-par rounds of 70. Senior Paul Haley also scored under-par for the first round, posting a 71.

At the end of the day, Tech sat atop the leader board with a healthy three-stroke lead over the Crimson Tide. White and Werenski finished the day tied for first in the individual competition, with Griffin and Scott tied for second place.

Despite some bad conditions, the second round of the tournament continued Tech’s strong showing in the tournament,

Photo by Joey Cerone / Student Publications

John-Tyler Griffin tees off in a match last season. Griffin finished tied for eighth at four-under, his fifth top-10 finish this season. though top-five opponent Alabama fought hard to take a share of the lead with the Jackets. White and Scott turned in impressive rounds of 69 in the second round to pad the Tech lead. Although White posted one of the low rounds of the day, he lost his individual lead to junior Bud Cauley of Alabama, though only by one stroke.

Tech also ended the second round holding an 18-stroke lead over archrival Georgia and a 19-stroke lead over Clemson.

The final round proved to be

the Jacket’s downfall, even as they posted a nine under par round of 279 as a team. This was the team’s second best round of the tournament, but it came against a stellar round from the Crimson Tide. Alabama posted the low team round of the tournament with a 274, four strokes better than Tech’s best round of 278.

Despite losing to Alabama, the Jackets did finish six strokes ahead of No. 1 ranked Oklahoma State and 17 strokes in front of the fourth-place rival Bulldogs.

Tech played well on the final

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day, with White posting his third round in the 60s of the tournament, carding an impressive 68 to end the final round. Scott posted another 69 to help the Jacket’s stay in contention. Griffin also scored below par, shooting a two under par 70 in the last day. Though the team finished second to Alabama, the Jackets placed significantly better than most teams in the individual standings.

White won the overall title, as he bested All-American Cauley by one stroke, at 10 under. Scott finished in third at eight under. The top five finish comes as Scott’s third this season. Finally, Griffin finished tied for eighth, at four under, marking his fifth top 10 finish this year.

The Jackets will look to improve on their second place finish in next month’s Southern Highlands Classic, which will be held in Las Vegas the weekend of March 11.

The team finished in disappointing fashion in the same tournament last year, placing No. 14.

Tech is also looking toward this year’s ACC Championship, where they will try to successfully defend their conference title for a second time. This season would mark Tech’s third consecutive ACC title, which no other ACC team has done in more than 30 years.

Play of the

WEEK

By Alex Sohani Assistant Sports Editor

Tech was down nine points with less than two minutes left facing Virginia. After a jumper by senior guard Maurice Miller to cut the lead to seven, sophomore guard Glen Rice Jr. got a quick steal on the following inbounds, immediately passing the ball to Miller who got an easy lay-in and was fouled. After completing the three-point play, the Jackets had a legitimate chance to get back into the game. Down four after exchanging two possessions, sophomore guard Mfon Udofia heaved up a shot attempt behind the arc and drew a foul and the opportunity to shoot three foul shots.

Head Coach Paul Hewitt quickly addressed his players, planning on Udofia making at least one of his two first free throws in order to miss the third to have the opportunity to get a shot off. Udofia stepped up to the line and proceeded to miss both of his first two free throw attempts.

After this, Tech’s only opportunity was for Udofia to make the third free throw and hope for a steal on the inbounds play. Udofia, however, missed his third consecutive free throw, sealing the game. Virginia went on to win the game 62-56.

SPORTS

Freshmen

Technique • February 25, 2011 • 21

Devils

from page 24

in doing so.

“Just being in the lineup is great enough. It is a privilege, but I would like to be first, second, or ninth… whatever the coaches need me to be, I will be happy,” Thomas said.

It is Thomas’ versatility that makes her so attractive as a player, and that is an attribute shared by the rest of her fellow freshman, especially third baseman Ashley Rudnik.

Although primarily used at third base, Rudnik has also seen time at catcher this season as well, having played the position in high school.

“I feel like catching is my more natural position just because I have played there the last three years, but I really do like switching between [catcher and third base] because third gives me a break on my legs and it is a nice change… Both positions are reaction positions,” Rudnik said.

As if playing two key positions was not valuable enough, Rudnik also showed she could produce at the plate with her .387 average and six extra base hits. One of those extra base hits included a home run in her first collegiate game. “[Hitting the home run] was not something that I have thought about, but it is a cool feeling…

I never think of [hitting a home run], and if I ever do, it never works out that way,” Rudnik said.

Freshman outfielder Hayley Downs was yet another freshman that earned a starting job in the team’s first game of the season, playing left field. Like Rudnik, Downs can play more than one position, and she expects to move around between the outfield spots this season.

Downs has also shown versatility at the plate after hitting eighth, ninth and sixth so far this season, and she also has a pinch-hit ap-

Photos courtesy of Tech Athletics Department

Left: Ashley Thomas fields a ground ball at second base in practice. Thomas has started every game at second for Tech. Right: Alysha Rudnik gets ready to play catcher in a game at Kennesaw State. pearance. Although she only has seven at bats this season, Downs leads the team with her .429 batting average. Her “slapper” style of hitting makes her unique on Tech’s roster, and her speed helps her get on base.

“We are such a power hitting team, and I knew with [fellow slapper, senior center fielder Christy Jones], in the lineup… that I would not get that much time in the lineup, but when I get my opportunity I just play… and playing different positions gives me more opportunities,” Downs said.

Tech also has another freshman outfielder on its roster, but Kaitlin Kates has not played so far this season because of a broken left hand. Kates is eager to return to the field in the coming weeks, but she too can play multiple positions as she played the infield in

high school before becoming a member of Tech’s outfield.

“I prefer right field, but it is a totally new position for me…

I will just play wherever coach wants me to,” Kates said.

However, Tech does not only have freshmen position players that have been playing a big role in the team’s success, the team also has freshman pitcher Lindsey Anderson who has injected some youth into Tech’s pitching staff.

Anderson came in for a relief appearance in Tech’s second game of the season and pitched a scoreless inning. Anderson followed up that performance with her first win of her career, which came on the following day, as the young right-hander threw seven strikeouts in five innings.

The freedom to use Anderson in a variety of situations is a plus for Perkins as Anderson feels com-

fortable in either role.

“If I come out of the bullpen it is more of an attack-mode mentality. I want to prove that I am equally as good as the pitcher that was in before me. Whereas starting a game, you just want to show [the opponent] that you can get them out, three-up and threedown. It is an intimidation factor,” Anderson said.

Each freshman brings something different to the table, but each freshman feels comfortable doing whatever their coaches’ ask of them whether its catching pitches from behind the plate, moving down to the bottom of the batting order or moving to the other side of the field. That freedom will allow Perkins to configure the lineup card exactly the way she wants it and give the team a great shot at repeating as ACC Champions.

from page 22

Jackets 14-8 to end the half. Tech went into the locker room up two at the half, 28-26.

Both teams came out scoring in the second half to keep the game close through the first seven minutes. Shumpert hit a pair of three-pointers, and freshman guard Jason Morris hit a pair of jump shots to keep Tech in the game.

The game then kicked into a defensive state, with neither team scoring a point through the next four minutes. Both teams were frequently taking heavily contested shots.

Virginia, down 39-38, then hit a pair of free throws with just under 11 minutes left to begin a series of lead changes through the remainder of the half. Tech responded quickly with a pass

by Shumpert that was quickly grabbed and dunked by freshman center Daniel Miller.

Both teams scored back-andforth until Virginia hit a threepointer with 6:06 left to tie the game.

The Jackets then struggled to defend any of the Cavaliers offense, as Virginia went on a 9-0 run through the next four minutes to put Tech in a nine-point hole with just over two minutes in the half.

In a thrilling finish, the Jackets then rattled off a 7-1 run to bring the game within one possession with 55 seconds left in the game.

Both teams quickly exchanged three-point shots, before Virginia made a foul shot with 15 seconds left to bring their lead to four.

Sophomore guard Mfon Udofia quickly drove the ball up the court, and threw up a shot from beyond the arc while getting fouled and had an opportunity to make three free throw attempts.

However, Udofia would miss all three attempts, giving the Cavaliers a 62-55 win.

22 • February 25, 2011 • Technique

SPORTS

Men’s hoops falls to 11-16

By Alex Sohani Assistant Sports Editor

The Jackets were looking to build off of their home win against Chattanooga when they travelled to Durham, N.C. on Sunday, Feb. 20 to face off against Duke. After their tough road trip, the Jackets then came home on Wednesday, Feb. 23 to face the Virginia Cavaliers. The Jackets’ road woes continued, however, with a rout by the Blue Devils, before coming home to lose a close game to Virginia 62-56.

Tech began the game quickly against Duke, with senior guard Maurice Miller scoring a quick three pointer on the team’s first possession.

The Jackets would temporarily lose their lead when the Blue Devils went up 4-3 early, but after a jumper by sophomore guard Glen Rice Jr., the Jackets would hold a lead through the first 15 minutes of the first half.

Maurice Miller played through a large chunk of the first half, scoring seven of the Jackets first 24 points.

Through the first half, the Jackets defensively forced the Blue Devils to take difficult jump shots. Tech had an 18-13 lead after a technical foul was called on Duke Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski. The foul would motivate Duke to go on a run through the remainder of the half, outscoring the Jackets 24-10.

Photo by Josh Sandler / Student Publications

Nolan Smith drives by Mfon Udofia en route to 28 points.

After missing several jump shots, the Blue Devils drove the ball into the paint, making easy layups or kicking the ball out for open three-point jumpers. The game was tied at 28-28 with 3:05 in the half until a deep three-point shot was made by Duke.

The Blue Devils would never look back, maintaining their lead through the rest of the game and capping off the half with a 9-0 run. The Jackets went into the locker room with the Jackets trailing, 37-28.

The second half began as the first half ended: with Duke going on a 9-3 run from their first possession. The Jackets struggled to shoot through the game, as junior guard Iman Shumpert went

four-of-16 from the field, missing all four of his attempts beyond the arc. Tech finished the game shooting 33.3 percent from the field on the way to losing their sixth straight conference game.

Three Jackets finished scoring in double figures. Shumpert had 13 points and six rebounds for the game, Rice finished with 12 points and Maurice Miller finished with 13 points on five-ofeight shooting with five assists.

Tech struggled to contain Duke’s gurad Nolan Smith, allowing him to break loose for a 28 point day on 50 percent shooting. After breaking open the lead to 27 with 9:11 left in the game, the Blue Devils coasted through the rest of the game, winning by 22, 79-57.

The Jackets returned home three days later to face UVA, hoping to earn their first conference victory since Jan. 25.

The first half started with the Jackets moving the ball well. Both teams shot back and forth, keeping the game within one possession through the first five minutes. Virginia hit a three-pointer with 15:50 left to take a three point lead early, but Tech would respond with a 13-2 run through the next eight minutes.

The Jackets would hold their lead through the half, but the Cavaliers would chip away at their deficit, quietly outscoring the See Devils, page 21

Baseball

from page 24

plate, Wren and Hyde combined for three runs, three RBI and four walks. Esch was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. In the final game of the weekend set, the Golden Flashes were able to reverse their fortunes with a 6-1 victory.

After TV personality Bill Nye threw out the first pitch, sophomore right-hander Buck Farmer took the mound for Tech, and for five innings he did not allow a run. Farmer left the game after throwing 85 pitches in those five innings; he gave up four hits and three walks and struck out six.

Farmer left the game with a 1-0 lead, courtesy of a Skole RBI single, and the lefty Wood entered the game for Tech. After allowing a single, Wood retired the next two hitters, but an error by Hyde extended the inning. The Golden Flashes capitalized, scoring four runs to take a 4-1 lead.

The Jackets were unable to accomplish much at the plate over the final few innings. Kent State added two more runs before the end of the game, and the final score was 6-1 as Tech suffered its first loss of the season.

After a day off, the Jackets traveled to Statesboro to face Georgia Southern in a two-game set on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Tuesday game was close throughout, and though Tech pulled ahead in the top of the ninth, Southern rallied in the bottom half for a walk-off 6-5 victory.

Neither starting pitcher lasted very deep into the game. Eagles

lefty Jarret Leverett left after three innings, and Bard was forced out of the game after pitching 3.2 innings and allowing four runs.

Freshman right-hander Dusty Isaacs replaced Bard, and for 4.1 innings he silenced the Eagles’ bats, allowing one hit and striking out three. Tech added a run in the seventh to tie the game at 4-4.

In the top of the ninth, doubles

by Thomas and Wren gave the Jackets a slim lead.

Junior Jacob Esch entered to close the bottom of the ninth, but Southern mounted a rally. With two on and two out, Jacob intentionally walked shortstop Eric Phillips to load the bases and set up an out at any base. However, the senior proceeded to then walk the next two hitters, forcing in the tying and winning runs.

In the second game against Southern, the Jackets rebounded with a 7-4 victory on the strength of the lineup.

Tech jumped ahead in the third inning as freshman first baseman Daniel Palka hit Tech’s first home run of the season, a three-run shot that gave the Jackets a 3-0 lead. It was part of a breakout game for Palka, who went three-for-four with a double, the homer and four RBI. Wren went three-for-five and freshman left fielder DeAndre Smelter notched his first two career hits to contribute to the strong offensive effort.

Freshman right-hander Matthew Grimes made his first start and was sharp. Grimes allowed four runs over 5.1 innings, permitting just six baserunners and striking out three.

SPORTS

Technique • February 25, 2011 • 23

Men’s tennis duo form unlikely yet formidable team

By Wayne Bishop Contributing Writer

Junior Kevin King and sophomore Juan Spir have successfully made a name for themselves by playing for Tech’s men’s tennis team. The magic of the two athletes, however, is not to be found in a match-deciding single’s point but rather in the all too forgotten, but vital, doubles point. Since their beginnings in Spring 2010, they have risen in the rankings and are now No. 43 in the nation in doubles and have a 15-4 record in Fall 2010.

Upon first inspection it seems strange that the duo should create such a formidable team. The two are different years and come from different backgrounds. King comes from Peachtree City, Ga. while Spir hails from the town of Medellin, Colombia. They quickly found out that the two were more different than they had previously thought.

“Kevin and I are very different guys off the court. He’s a really disciplined guy, he studies a lot.

I’m more relaxed with studies…

We have very different personalities,” Spir said.

It also seemed that the two would never play together because neither player immediately chose the other to be their partner.

“When Juan came in as a freshman our coach Kenny [Thorne] told us that he was going to have us playing together. At first I was

Photo by Sho Kitamura / Student Publications

Juan Spir and Kevin King switch sides in a recent team victory against Georgia. They lost the match, but they have a 15-4 record. injured, so we didn’t play together until the second semester of [Juan’s] freshman year. So yeah, Kenny just put us together,” King said.

In fact, the duo probably did not foresee having any doubles partner as both players had little experience upon coming to Tech.

“I played a little bit [of doubles] in Juniors, but they don’t focus on doubles too much before coming into college,” King said.

It is a surprising fact that Spir

echoed.

“Before coming to college I had some doubles tournaments, but nothing that serious. At practices we focus on some doubles drills and I have definitely improved in doubles since being at Tech,” Spir said.

However, King and Spir do share one odd thing other than being doubles partners: they are the two tallest players on the men’s team. This can give the pair both a physical and psychological

advantage over their opponents.

“In double’s it’s a big factor, being on top of the net, covering some space, and making you opponent feel like the court is small.

If you’re a big guy and moving well, and you have your energy, you can get into their mind. But you still have to play. It’s not just intimidating factors, you still have to make the shots,” Spir said.

Their success and time spent together have brought the duo closer, and they are now roommates.

Spir and King are starting to get past the cultural barriers that they immediately faced and are now sharing some of the same interests.

“We just started playing guitar together, but that’s what we pretty much have in common besides studying,” said Spir.

Both King and Spir are excellent singles players as well, as King is the highest ranked American recruit to ever come to Tech and Spir finished Fall 2010 with a record of 11-4.

Though both have earned their respect on the singles court, they both agree that being successful at doubles is completely different than playing in a singles match.

“There are good things to [singles and doubles], but they’re very different, so they’re kind of hard to compare. There’s definitely more energy in doubles on the court and with the fans. It’s a lot quicker paced,” King said.

“Doubles can be more entertaining for the players and for the crowd. I would say doubles is a little more enjoyable,” Spir added.

In the men’s tennis matches, the doubles teams are the first to play. The three doubles matches also only count for one cumulative point out of seven with the other six coming from singles. Though this may seem disappointing for the doubles teams, King finds the one point to be crucial.

“The one point plays a big role just to get an early lead. It gives a lot of momentum. [Doubles] definitely gets you into the match.

You have to work hard in doubles, and it gets you into the match atmosphere. Your intensity is up and you’re ready to play,” King said.

After finishing the fall season ranked No. 43 in the nation as a doubles team and having a record of 7-3 in the last ten games, the duo look to the future with high goals.

“We’d like to definitely finish in the top 10 at the end of the year. If it’s possible, it’d be nice to be No. 1. But our main goal is to be in the NCAA tournament and try to get a national title for the school. I think the most important of all is to get as many wins for the team as possible,” said Spir.

The duo will play next on March 6 at home against Florida State.

“Whoever wants to support us in our matches come on our, the season’s just starting,” Spir said.

Sports

sports@nique.net Sports Editor: Alex Mitchell Assistant Sports Editor: Alex Sohani

Dynamic Duo One of our writers sits down with the men’s tennis number one doubles team.423

easier victory the following afternoon. Tech received solid offensive contributions from the entire lineup, and a strong pitching performance by junior left-hander Jed Bradley paved the way for an 8-1 triumph.

Bradley was sharp from the very beginning. He recorded four strikeouts in the first two innings and did not allow a baserunner until the fourth.

Tech’s lineup was quiet as well, but in the bottom half of the fourth freshman designated hitter Paul Kronenfeld drove in a run on an RBI single to center, and the Jackets led 1-0.

The Jackets ended up scoring five runs in the sixth inning to take a 6-1 lead and went on to win 8-1.

Bradley starred on the mound; though he only pitched 5.2 innings, he was solid over that stretch, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out 10. At the

Coming into the 2011 season, the Tech softball team had few uncertainties following an ACC Championship the year before.

Among those uncertainties was replacing Jen Yee’s offensive production at second base and finding a back-end starter to replace the departed Jessica Coan.

However, having only played 10 games so far this season, the Jackets have already seemed to fill those holes and added unforeseen value through their new freshmen players.

It did not take long for Head Coach Sharon Perkins to show off one of her freshman weapons, doing so in the team’s first at bat of the season. Perkins elected to pencil in freshman second baseman Ashley Thomas in the lead off spot in the batting order.

Although Thomas did not get a hit in the at bat, it showed that Perkins would not hesitate to use one of her young players at a pivotal moment in the game.

Tech relied heavily on the leadoff spot to produce base runners and get hits last season, and Yee was the primary leadoff hitter for the Jackets. The team will need to find someone who can replicate Yee’s numbers, but Thomas does not feel any pressure to carry the heavy load alone.

“I believe that there is no pressure, except for the pressure that you put on yourself.

My mindset is just be the best second baseman you can be and that is all that matters,” Thomas said.

Thomas showed she could carry some of the load in a recent game versus Chattanooga. Perkins elected to move Thomas down to the eighth spot in the order and Thomas responded with a triple and an RBI. “[The hit] felt great. I was obviously struggling at first with those being our first two games, but it felt really good that I could go out there and get a hit,” Thomas said.

Thomas was relieved to get her first collegiate hits, but she did not feel bad that she had been moved down in the batting order

See Baseball, page 22

See Freshmen, page 21

Photo by Tiara Winata / Student Publications

The start of the season was far from perfect for the Tech baseball team, but the Jackets still finished off the first week of play with a winning record.

Tech won two of three in the season-opening home weekend series against Kent State and split a midweek series at Georgia Southern to open the year with a 3-2 record.

Friday afternoon’s season opener saw the Jackets ride strong play by several freshman hitters and right-handed junior starting pitcher Mark Pope to a 6-3 victory.

The Tech lineup featured plenty of unfamiliar names, as junior Matt Skole’s absence meant six freshmen were in the lineup. The man on the mound was a junior, though, and Pope set down the Golden Flashes in the top of the first.

The Jackets promptly jumped on Kent State starter Kyle Hallock in the bottom

Friday, February 25, 2011

By Alex Mitchell Sports Editor

Jed Bradley throws a pitch in a game against Kent State. Bradley performed well as he did not allow a baserunner until the fourth inning. Bradley finished the game with 5.2 innings pitched, four hits allowed and 10 strikeouts in a Tech win. of the first. The leadoff man, freshman center fielder Kyle Wren, knocked a base hit to left center and used his speed to turn it into a double for his first career hit.

“Getting the first hit out of the way is the biggest thing… it allowed me to relax and concentrate more,” Wren said.

Through four innings, Pope had recorded four strikeouts and had not allowed a Kent State player to get past first base. The Golden Flashes rallied for two runs in the top of the fifth, but Tech added a run in the bottom half on an RBI single by sophomore right fielder Brandon Thomas.

The Jackets scored again in the sixth as freshman catcher Zane Evans drove in junior second baseman Jacob Esch to give Tech a 6-2 lead, and the Jackets went on to win 6-3.

Pope pitched into the seventh inning before being removed. He finished the day having thrown 93 pitches over 6.2 innings, allowing one

24

Freshmen versatility give softball options

Baseball wins three of five to start season

By Nishant Prasadh Online Sports Editor

Technique

earned run on five hits and a walk while striking out six.

Leading the way were Tech’s top-of-the-order hitters, Wren and Hyde. The duo combined to go five-for-9 at the plate with two runs apiece; Wren had a walk and a stolen base, and Hyde had two RBIs. “[Wren] had a great day setting the table for everybody, and [Hyde] had some big hits early and made some great plays at shortstop…All told, I thought all the freshmen did a great job,” said Head Coach Danny Hall.

Wren, who had three hits and fell a home run shy of the cycle, was satisfied with his debut.

“If I dreamed of how I would do in my first career game, it would probably not be as good as I did,” Wren said.

“Being at the front of the order for the first game is more comfortable because you know that the coaches have confidence in you.”

The Jackets took home an

Men’s lacrosse team defeats West Virginia, 5-3

By Kyle Gifford Staff Writer

The men’s club lacrosse team played West Virginia on Feb. 19 at the SAC fields in front of a home crowd. Tech came into the game at 3-2, having lost their last game to Alabama in Tuscaloosa, 7-5.

Despite coming from off a road loss, the Jackets played stout defense en route to a 5-3 win against the visiting West Virginia Mountaineers.

The Jackets jumped out to an early lead in the first two quarters with aggressive attack play to complement the strong goaltending. Tech outscored West Virginia 3-2, with goals coming from seniors Greg Horton and Casey Timmerman and freshman Colin Granger.

“Our midfielders played well both ways and our attack men were just able to find the back of the net several times when we really needed it,” Horton said.

Timmerman leads the team in points, scoring 11 goals to go with four assists, and Horton and Granger both notched their second goals of this young season. Both are tied for fourth on the team in scoring.

Senior goal keeper Sam Karpowicz played an impressive game in the net, allowing just three goals, good for a .833 save percentage. The defense in front of Karpowicz was equally as stout, allowing just 15 shots against.

“I thought our defense played really well.

Sam Karpowicz was like Stonewall Jackson in the goal, West Virginia couldn’t get by him and they peppered him a lot”, Horton said.

The Jackets continued their strong play in the final two quarters, with goals from junior Chris Roden and freshman Scott Schorer.

Tech was selective in their shots and picked their spots to make every offensive possession count to advancing their game plan. Though Tech took 24 shots in the game, they capitalized on five of those scoring opportunities, each time, pulling further ahead of the Mountaineers.

The Jackets also played a disciplined game and didn’t commit a single penalty.

The Jackets look to extend their win streak when they play the Kentucky Wildcats at the SAC fields Sunday Feb. 27. The game will be the team’s last home game until next month when State University of New York-Buffalo travels to Atlanta to face Tech.

Photo by Tim Nowack / Student Publications

Blake Gleaves looks for an open teammate against West Virginia. Gleaves has three goals and five points this year playing from the midfield position.