MOVIE REVIEW

Is Identity Thief better than the reviews it has received? Read to find out.

IDENTITY THIEF
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Volume 87

BOOBS T ech T alk

DISCOVER LA TECH

Read more to find out whats underneath Techs latest Twitter sensation

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February 21, 2013

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The student voice of Louisiana Tech University

Number 16

Canes to compete with new Zaxbys

ADDIE MARTIN Staff Reporter Spreading their wings into the Ruston market, students will soon be able to buy zalads, wings, fingerz or sandwiches from the newest addition to the local fast-food empire, Zaxbys. Locally-owned by Randall McDonald and Ray Anding, Zaxbys will be coming to Ruston with the hopes of a June 2013 opening. Zaxbys will be located on the hill behind Starbucks on I-20, Louisiana Tech Exit 84. It is a great location, which we believe best serves all of Ruston, McDonald said. It will well accommodate all local area schools, such as Ruston High, and Tech and Grambling State University. Steele Moegle, an associate professor of music, said she does not feel the location is convenient even though it is in a central area. The traffic in that area is hard, and access there is not easy, she said. Starbucks is located there, and sometimes I avoid Starbucks simply because of the location. This property was purchased from the Braswell family of Ruston, and they are excited about the purchase, McDonald said. It is seen as an opportunity to bring another great locallyowned and operated restaurant to the northeast, he said. It is also a new place for students. The restaurant serves chicken cooked in a variety of ways on a platter picked from a variety of combinations. McDonald also said that WiFi will be available to all customers in the restaurant.

Hide-A-Way plans delayed

English professor completes fifth book

KAAMILYA SALAAM Staff Reporter

Photo by Derek J. Amaya

A view of the pond in Hide-A-Way Park where the plans of adding new biking trails, sunbathing docks and a new pavilion equipped with canoe rentals have been postponed due to new guidelines of the Federal Highway Administration.

Due to new guidelines, plans to add recreational amenities are postponed

KAAMILYA SALAAM Staff Reporter After a minor roadblock, the renovations at Garland Gregory Hide-A-Way Park are still under way. In a previous story, the Tech Talk published the proposal by the Division of Student Affairs and the Lambright Sports and Wellness Complex for new plans to make additions to Hide-A-Way Park. The plans to add new running and biking trails, sunbathing docks around the pond and a new pavilion with a canoe rental to the park fell through. Bobby Dowling, director of recreational activities, said the Federal Highway Administration grant did not get approved because they changed the requirements. Due to the new guidelines, the trails grant didnt go through, said Dowling. So were in the process of reapplying. The new grant application is due by April 1. Dowling and his staff are repackaging the documents to include HideA-Way Park and additional intramural fields. Dowling said the new intramural fields are to be placed where Caruthers and Hutchinson Halls currently sit; the two buildings are to be demolished. The state has plans for the demolition of Caruthers and Hutchinson to take place during the summer, when student enrollment is down to keep them out of harms way, Dowling said. Dowling added, the fees students pay to participate in intramural sports would cover most of the cost for the new fields.

As the sounds of James and Bobby Purifys Im Your Puppet plays, Rick Simmons reflects on how he became a fan of Carolina beach music. Simmons is a George K. Anding Endowed Professor of English and the director of the Honors Program. He is a published author of several books with his latest covering Carolina beach music. This is the for fun part of my life, Simmons said. Its very en- SIMMONS tertaining. Simmons has written five books with his latest release being the follow-up to Carolina Beach Music: The Classic Years. Beach music is not the Beach Boys and Jan and Deanthat was surf music, Simmons said. Beach music is a mixture of rhythm and blues, soul, Motown, even some doowop and 60s frat rock. Simmons first book Carolina Beach Music: The Classic Years, was so well received when it was published in 2011, he wrote a follow-up book. I considered that Id really only just started on the subject, so I decided to write Carolina Beach Music from the 60s to the 80s: The New Wave as a follow-up. Simmons said he became interested in Carolina beach music at a young age, but he did not consider writing about it until later in life.

> see ZAXBYS page 6

> see PLANS page 2

> see BOOK page 2

J.C. Love Field scores new additions

KELSY KERSHAW Staff Reporter
In December, construction and renovations began at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson and completion is intended for midMarch. Wade Simoneaux, head baseball coach, said the new additions will include a new locker room, ticket booth and new showers. Were also going to renovate the entire inside underneath the stadium, he said. Were going to create a team meeting room, a players lounge, an umpires dressing facility, an equipment room and a training room. Simoneaux said it is a lengthy process to complete these new facilities, but the renovations are overdue. This stadium was one of the first stadiums built in Louisiana back in the 70s, he said. Its long overdue. We have 38 guys that are dressing in 32 lockers. The player-to-locker ratio was a sign they needed a larger facility. He and the team worked to raise some money to assist in funding the construction, he added. We had some good donations, Simoneaux said. Gary Patterson was the main guy to start the project by donating a large sum. The project began at the beginning of winter quarter, but there were several steps to take before construction could actually begin, he said. Theres a lot of red tape to go through, he said. Starting with the fire marshal, then the aesthetics committee and campus had to approve the bricks before building started. Simoneaux said he and the team are hoping the facilities will be completed and ready to use by spring quarter. He said the ones who will benefit most from the new additions will be current and future baseball players. We really just added on to our baseball locker room to make it larger where we could fit everyone, he said. Itll also be a bigger, better recruiting tool when we bring in recruits to see a brand new facility under here instead of the old one weve been slopping around in for a while. With all the construction and activity going on around the field, Simoneaux said their practices have remained undisturbed and are continuing to go smoothly. They havent affected practice one minute, he said. We havent even been interrupted in our current locker room that were in right now. Lincoln Builders is working on the construction of the new facilities outside, and once that is completed, they will begin renovations on the inside, he said. When our home schedule starts we might have to move out of here, Simoneaux said. Well either have to dress at home or wherever until we can get in it, but it hasnt delayed anything as of now. Pierce Spangler, a freshman kinesiology major and a baseball team member, said the construction has only affected the parking lot. Any other activities involving the baseball field will not be disturbed he feels.. Everyone is just anxious and excited to move into the new locker room, he said. It will give us more space and we wont have to share lockers anymore. The new locker room and facilities will definitely enhance the field, Spangler added. I believe it is a great addi-

Photo by Derek J. Amaya

The parking lot outside the J.C. Love Field is currently closed due to construction for the new additions. Some of the additions include a new locker room, a training room and a players lounge.
tion to the field and I think because of the new locker room, players and coaches will look forward to coming to practice more, he said. It also gives players a place to relax and just hang out before practices or games. Overall, the new facilities and renovations will improve the function and aesthetics of the baseball field, Simoneaux said. Itll open it up a lot and ev-

erything will be right here, he said. It will be more accommodating to spectators, visitors and the team.

Email comments to kjk016@latech.edu.

2 The T T ech alk February 21, 2013

Campus

The Proof is in the performance

ALICE ESSIEN Staff Reporter Directed by Paul B. Crook, associate professor of acting and directing, the cast and crew of Proof dazzled audiences. Proof is the tale of a woman struggling to come to terms with the possibly dangerous legacy of her late father. The award-winning stage play by David Auburn tells the story of Catherine (Sarah Flanagan), a woman in her late 20s who is strongly devoted to her father, and Robert (Jacob D. Guinn), a well-known mathematician. While Roberts talent in the world of numbers still appears to be strong, his grasp on reality begins to slip away, and as Robert descends into insanity, Catherine begins to wonder if she may have inherited her fathers mental illness along with his mathematical genius. After Roberts passing, Catherine is confronted by Hal Dobbs (Aaron Michael Anthon), a gifted but obsessive student of Roberts, who wants to look through the late mans notes in hopes of finding his last great work. While Catherine is hesitant to look too deeply into her fathers work from fear of what it might suggest about her own future, she allows Hal to do so. When one notebook reveals a mathematical proof of potentially historic proportions, it sets off shock waves in more ways than one. Flanagan gave a virtuous performance as Catherine. She embodied the role of a young adult struggling with the pressure of making life decisions while also suffering from the fear of being a Schizophrenic. Anthons performance as Hal Dobbs was witty and typical; but nothing less of entertaining. His portrayal gave the plot an interesting insight on the aspects of sexism in educational institutions. Proof also stars Molly Page as Catherines wellmeaning but superficial sister, who doubts Catherines ability to take care of herself. Pages stage persona as Claire was the dynamic that held the story together. She brought comedy and drama to the theatric performance by emphasizing her characters overbearing, sisterly duties. The most remarkable performance of the night was given by Guinn. From groans of bodily ailments to stiff motor skills, he embodied every aspect of an elderly, deranged mathematician. Guinns portrayal of Robert brings eerie mystic to each scene as he roams the stage hauntingly. Proof takes place in the windy city of Chicago in the early days of September. The production team did a marvelous job of making sure the set and characters illustrated aspects of Chicago autumns. The stage lighting reflected off the characterized backdrops to resemble the colors of fall leaves. Each scene took place on the back porch of the families old worn-out house, so the characters costumes and mannerisms depicted chilly autumn days and nights. The most intriguing element of the production may have been the freshman flutist Abigail Machowski. Her musical talent blossomed throughout the theater, setting the mood and tone of the production as well as provoking the emotions of the audience. Overall, the production team produced a magnificent show. Every aspect of production was superb from the trashy backyard set to the diligent ushers. The School of Performing Arts and theater department delivered another successful production sure to gain them critical acclaim.

Concert association brings Irish styles

The Louisiana Tech Concert Association will present the musical stylings of Danu from 7:30-9 p.m. on Monday, March 11, in the Howard Center for the Performing Arts. A high energy celebration of the Emerald Isle, the music of Danu offers an authentic Irish experience. Using traditional instrumentsflute, tin whistle, button accordion and bouzoukithe music is clever and fun. Danu mixes ancient Irish music with contemporary works to create an unforgettable evening. Danu has won the BBC Award twice and the Irish Music Magazine Award. In the United States, Danu has performed coast to coast including performances in Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit and Washington as well as at the University of Illinois Krannert Center and the University of Notre Dame. The concert is open to anyone who purchases a ticket. For ticket information, contact the Howard Center Box Office at 318-257-3942 on Monday-Friday from 1:30-4:45 p.m. For more information contact the School of the Performing Arts at 318-257-2711.

Top: First year theater graduate students Sarah Flanagan, as Catherine, and Aaron Michael Anthon, as Hal, discuss the proof and reconcile with each other after earlier events.

Skeeter run benefits malaria prevention

The United Methodist Church will have the Louisiana Skeeter Run on March 2 at the Trinity United Methodist Church. Check-in for the event is at 6:30 a.m. and free T-shirts will be provided while supplies last. The one-mile run begins at 7:30 a.m., and the 5K begins at 8:00 a.m. The event is dedicated to eradicating malaria worldwide and is benefitting Imagine No Malaria, an initiative supported by the United Methodist Church. Every 60 seconds, malaria claims a life in Africa and millions of lives are needlessly lost each year. The church urges all to ome out and support the event to fight to save lives. The cost of registration for the event is $25. For more information contact Amy Stegall at amys@trinityruston.org.

Bottom: Senior theater major Jake Guinn, as the father Robert, and first year theater graduate student Sarah Flanagan, as the daughter Catherine, share a sweet moment between each other as he reassures her that she will be alright despite her fears.
Submitted Photos

Email comments to eae008@latech.edu.

thinks the new plans will draw more students to the outdoor areas. I usually play indoor soccer, but with the new fields, I may have to try outdoor, Yonk said. Similar to Yonk, Kimberly Raner, a senior chemical engineering major, said she does not go to the park or intramural fields but she is glad to see the money students pay to participate in intramural sports being put to use. Im not big into the intramural sports, but I think its real, cool that the school is allowing students to see where their fees are going, Raner said.

>

PLANS from pg. 1

Purge date around the corner

The first purge for the Spring 2013 quarter will take place at 5 p.m. Wednesday Feb. 27. Students who have registered for the Spring 2013 quarter must pay all fees to the Cashiers Office before the purge deadline. All students must pay in full or confirm their registration by the purge deadlines to complete the registration process. Students who have a balance of zero or a negative credit balance because their tuition and fees are paid by TOPS, scholarships, federal financial aid, fee waivers, or other credits are required to confirm registration on their B.O.S.S account. Failure to complete tuition/ fee payment or failure to confirm your schedule by these deadlines will result in a purge For information on the purge deadline contact the Registrars Office at 318-257-2176 or by email at registrar@latech.edu

Although the renovations have been pushed back, students still discuss the idea. Liah Crowe, a senior kinesiology major, who frequents the intramural soccer fields, said she is glad to see the dorms go. Thats awesome; theyre tearing those dorms down because they havent used them in a long time, Crowe said. We need more fields. A lot of players are always spraining their ankles on the ones we have now. Students who do not participate in intramural sports or visit the park are also thrilled. Fab Yonk, a junior mechanical engineering major, said he

Email comments to kms042@latech.edu.

growing out of the 40s, 50s and early 60s. Though Carolina beach music was popular along the Carolina coast, it featured artists from different areas and genres. There are some Louisiana musicians who are important to the genreBenny Spellman, Ernie K. Doe, Jewel and the Rubies, Brenton Wood and others, Simmons said. Soul singer Marvin Gaye covered a few beach music songs with Too Busy Thinking About My Baby and Come Get to This. Simmons said he did not write the books for research but instead for anyone interested in reading a new book. I wrote the books for anybody, not just for beach music fans, Simmons said. I really never considered it to be a research project as much as a way to tell the stories behind the songs and artists, how and if they charted in mainstream America, the songs origin and the artists involvement with the song. Many of these songs made Top 40, so people everywhere will know them.

>

BOOK from pg. 1

NRA hosts pistol course

The National Rifle Association will host the NRA Pistol Course from 5:30-9 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, March 21 and 22 in Wyly Tower room 1109. Participants must pay a registration fee of $150. The twoday course will teach the basic knowledge, skills and attitude for safely owning and operating a pistol. Participants will also get range time to practice firing a revolver or semi-automatic pistols. Students will be awarded an NRA course completion certificate upon passing an exam over the course material. For more information, contact continuing education personnel at 318-257-4433 or by email at ce@latech.edu.

I grew up with this music, he said. I didnt really get into it until high school and my appreciation for the music developed more as I entered college. Simmons said his decision to write about this subject came from the lack of written material available on that particular genre of music. Over the years, I realized that almost nothing had been written about it, he said. So after doing a few books I decided it was time to write about the subject. Simmons said he chose to focus more on the 1960s through 1980s in the sequel because those eras were when this started to become popular in the area he grew up in. In the Carolinas, Georgia and Virginia, this type of music started to become popular in the 1960s and eventually became known as Carolina beach music to differentiate it from California beach/surf music, Simmons said. This book focuses on music from roughly 1966 through 1982, the newer beach music as opposed to those older songs

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February 21, 2013 The T T ech alk 3

Secular society speaks out

RANEY JOHNSON Staff Reporter In a typical meeting of the Secular Student Alliance, seven students sit with each other in Bogard Hall, Room 237 discussing everything from religion in politics to how atheist societies use billboards for awareness. Justin Keowen, vice president of SSA, said the organization is a nonreligious group that supports secularism. Keowen, a sophomore nanosystems engineering major, said anyone can join as long as they are not trying to convert anyone and are willing to question others beliefs. We support scientific advancement and education, Keowen said. If you cannot believe in it with scientific proof, then what is the point in believing in it? Keowen said the organization was originally called the Free Thought Society and members would talk about deep and controversial topics. Keowen said members decided to change the name because they wanted to be more active rather than sitting around and just talking. Last year, the organization did a canned food drive and we

Photo by Tyler Brown

The Secular Student Alliance meets in Bogard Hall to discuss issues from religion to politics and issues facing athiests today. are trying to do more things this year, he said. Andrew Touche, public relations director of SSA, said every week the group talks about random topics. We welcome anyone interested in speaking their mind, Touche said. Last week we discussed conspiracy theories. Keowen said last year at meetings members discussed more religious topics, but negative debates would ensue. Touche said this year they try to balance it out with more reasonable topics. The discussion for the Feb. 6 meeting was on whether atheist groups should use billboards such as the one put up in Times Square that has Santa Clause over a crucified Jesus with the words Keep the MERRY! under the Clause picture and the words Dump the MYTH! under the picture of Jesus. I find billboards like this harmful to our cause, Touche said. It is poking a bear with a stick. Touche said the message makes it seems like there is a war against Christmas. William Stockton, a member and freshman biology major, said he agrees the billboards like the Christmas one should be used because it is for closeted atheists who are too afraid to come out. It is for those atheists who do not feel they should celebrate Christmas, Stockton said. Be happy about Christmas and forget the whole crucifixion thing. Stockton said the signs bring the issue of not believing in God to the forward ground. If you go back to any injustice in the world, there has to be opposition against the injustice, he said. Keowen said he does not agree with the use of the signs when they target religious groups. There is a difference between promoting good atheist views and targeting those people who are against it, he said. The members of the group said they all agreed there is a

need to make atheism acceptable today because there is a lot of hostility toward atheists. Keowen said at last years food drive, no one donated to the group when they saw atheists were putting it on. As soon as we took the word atheist off of the table, people donated to us, Keowen said. Touche said even though the signs are for not believing in a god to become more acceptable, he still does not want the radical billboards to become accepted, but instead wants atheism to be accepted. Stockton said he agreed atheist groups should not target religious groups. Saying, Hey you are wrong, is obviously not the right way to go, but we should say, Why do you believe in this?, Stockton said. Keowen said atheist groups like SSA should be used to make atheism more acceptable not the use of billboards. We should give people a place where they are trying to come out, instead of going out and trying to get people to convert, Keowen said.

Email comments to rcj008@latech.edu.

Pros, cons weighed with quarter system

ALICE ESSIEN Staff Reporter Doing anything in 10-12 weeks that would take others 16-19 weeks to complete is considered challenging, but that is exactly what is done at Tech. Since 1967, Tech has operated on a quarter academic calendar but awards the same credit hours as a semester school and is the only university in Louisiana that does so. When working on a quarter calendar, three quarters would equal two semesters at most universities operating on a semester calendar. The quarter calendar allows students to take on more material in a shorter amount of time, thus lessening the time it takes to get a degree. With quarters being shorter than semesters, the quarter calendar allows students to take lighter class loads. For example, on a semester calendar, the full-time undergrad class load would consist of 12 credit hours, while on a quarter calendar eight credit hours would be considered full time. The quarter calendar keeps Bob Vento, University Registrar, and other faculty members on their toes year round. As an administrator, its a tough thing to do because youre doing things more rapidly, Vento said. As record keeper for the institution, we handle all registration, procreation of schedules, grading and transcriptions and that has to be done more times a year on a quarter calendar. We produce four full graduations a year. Most schools dont do that and others barely produce two. Vento believes the quarter calendar aids students more in preparation for the future. The quarter calendar forces students to learn and work at a faster pace. You have no time to procrastinate. You have to stay in tune with your work, Vento said. This prepares our students better for life, the job world, graduate school and professional school especially. Jeremy Mhire, a political science professor, favors the quarter calendar because it allows students to traverse more in an academic year. Substantially over time youre able to study more subjects than you would on a semester calendar, Mhire said. In order to explore more subject you are forced to move through things more quickly. The drawback is that sometimes you cant explore them as thoroughly, but we compensate for that by narrowing the items of focus to add that depth. The quarter calendar is favorable amongst some students. Breanna Jones, a senior accounting major, transferred from a semester school to Tech and enjoys the lighter class load. When I was at my semester school, I was taking anywhere between five and eight classes each semester and it was a lot to keep up with. Jones said. Here at Tech, I take three or four classes a quarter. Others oppose the quarter calendar because of its rapid pace. Jonathan Whitehurst, a freshman civil engineering major, finds the quarter system crippling. Although there is a smaller class load, the fast pace teaching can easily get the best of you, Whitehurst said. Its very important, more so with the quarter calendar, that you limit your procrastination and keep up with the pace. Once you get behind its very hard to catch back up and 10 weeks have gone by before you know it.

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Insight
MOLLY BOWMAN Editor-In-Chief

4 The T T ech alk February 21, 2013

FROM THE EDITOR

Weighing the options
s a woman, there is a significant amount of pressure to be attractive at all times. We spend extra time in the morning to apply that additional layer of mascara or try to straighten out that one wave in our hair. Some women even go to the extent of waking up hours before it is necessary to primp themselves for the day. We dress for ourselves, school, work and even other people. We should initially be dressing for ourselves, but theres always that thought running through the back of our minds to where we have to look better than others, especially if we plan on bumping into someone we want to impress. When I dress well for myself, I usually feel more confident and I am in a better mood knowing that I made an effort while getting ready that morning. But, sometimes it has the opposite affect. This happens when I receive compliments from other people. Yes, its all fun and games when someone compliments you on looking nice. But, when you take a step back and evaluate who is giving the compliment, it can be a different story. If you see someone every day and they compliment you on looking nice, you can bet it is a backhanded compliment most of the time. I will still accept the compliment and give my thanks for the acknowledgement but it is still a little disconcerting. So wait, youre really telling me when I dont dress like this every other day I dont look appealing? How sweet of you to notice. Then there are those girls you secretly dislike because they look cute and groomed every day. Either appearances are a priority for them and they lose a lot of sleep to look good, or, they have no lives. I always tell myself its the latter. I kind of smile to myself hoping that I got at least 45 minutes more of sleep than they did. Appearances have become an important part of how we are individually viewed by society and by our peers. It has the potential to make us or break us in some aspects of life. But at what costs occasionally our schoolwork. There are opportunity costs when it comes to appearances. Sometimes you might have to sacrifice your grade a little bit for some self-confidence. There are those days when looking good trumps all, when you know that boy you like is in your class or there is a girl you have to one-up. You have to look good and there is that looming fear of being seen with no makeup at all and the bags under your eyes are big enough to pack for Europe. This fear alone will make me get up five minutes earlier to at least apply some mascara, even if it means five minutes less of studying. I mean, have you seen Kim Kardashian without makeup? She looks like the walking dead when the rare photos of her with no makeup surface. No one should have to be in that situation. Then there are those dayswhere you would rather sleep 10 more minutes than look presentable in class or you need those extra 15 minutes to go over one more page of notes. Are you really going to regret looking a little disheveled one day in class rather than getting that A on a test? An extra 15 minutes of studying can be a game changer if you are looking at the material for the first time in weeks. Its clearly best to allocate your time to where you can look decent and do well in class every day but we all know some times things dont go as planned. There comes a time when we all must choose. May the odds be ever in your favor. Molly Bowman is a junior journalism major from Shreveport who serves as editor for The Tech Talk. Email comments to mmb041@latech.edu.

IN OUR OPINION

Men suffer from sexism per domestic violence act

A NEWS PAINTING
A shortage of creativity
REBECCA ALVAREZ News Editor e have finally done it. Apparently, there is no more room for genuine creativity. Someone else has already thought of everything and sucked up all creativity. There is no way we will ever be able to come up with something and call ourselves creative or clever. It seems originality is extinct. The fads started by Gangnam Style, Call Me Maybe, the latest Harlem Shake and every viral video and meme in between have only confirmed my conclusion that todays society lacks originality. It all starts with one video. Take the Harvard baseball teams Call Me Maybe parody, for example. I am not going to lie, it was hilarious I even started to pump and cross my arms every time I heard the song after watching the video but within a few weeks there were parodies for that song for almost anything you could think of. From horrible referee calls in the NFL to Sesame Streets lessons on sharing, every event, organization and stereotypical group had its own rendition of the song. Eventually, everyone got bored of Call Me Maybe and that chapter of obnoxiousness was closed. Enter galloping South Korean pop star PSY with Gangnam Style. The video was a worldwide sensation everybody was busting out the pendulum gallop no matter where they were. University mascots and student bodies lunged at the opportunity to copy the video, and clever political junkies created altered lyrics and content of the video to make stabs at the 2012 presidential candidates, Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. The list of parodies goes on for pages and pages. To this day it has not been thrown into the filing cabinet with Call Me Maybe. Every now and then a new parody hits the web and the song is still very popular, but now theres a new bandwagon hundreds of people are jumping on the Harlem Shake. Of all of the memes and viral videos to fall under the cyber spotlight, this dance video has to be the one that baffles me the most. Somebody please explain to me how a 30-second video of a group of people gyrating their bodies and thrusting their hips can be so amusing that it inspires others to do exactly the same thing. I dont know, Becca. Its just funny. Its not all the same some of them dress up in funny costumes. Sorry guys, its really not that funny. Its not clever. More importantly, its already been done 500 times. I can put aside the lack of originality and overkill with Gangnam Style and Call Me Maybe parodies because at least there is enough change in the stock of the video to draw a good chuckle. But the Harlem Shake never changes. Is there really nothing else that can make a good video? Every time I get on Facebook, my friends who attend different universities always seem to be posting about that pointless video. Many university student bodies have already made their own Harlem Shake video. For a short time I was proud because I thought no organization or group of students here at Tech had posted a video yet, only to be told it had already been done by Union Board and that there were other organizations ready to post Shake videos, too. Well, there goes my pride. Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought this was the age of the hipster? Thats another discussion for another column, but you would think originality would be a bigger deal with how big this hipster is. Rebecca Alvarez is a junior journalism major from El Paso who serves as news editor for The Tech Talk. Email comments to rha014@latech.edu.

hough some provisions have changed, Feb. 12 marked the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Just so readers are clear, it is 2013. The fact something this sexist has just been reapproved is outrageous. According to a British tabloid as well as some other online news sources, businessman Ian McNicholl is one of the many men who has suffered from domestic violence. His then fiance, Michelle Williamson, punched him in the face several times, stubbed out cigarettes on his body, lashed him with a vacuum cleaner tube, hit him with a metal bar and a hammer and even poured boiling water onto his lap. That at 6 he was nearly a foot taller than her made no difference. He still has burn marks on his left shoulder from when she used steam from an iron to attack him. Williamson is now serving a seven-year jail sentence for causing both actual and grievous bodily harm. During the trial last year, McNicholl told the court that, during more than a year of attacks and intimidation he has lost his job, home and self-respect. He had been too scared to go to the police and had considered suicide. She was only arrested after two neighbors saw her punch him. The fact of the matter is about two in five of all victims of domestic violence are men; thats 40 percent. These figures are equivalent to an estimate 4.5 million female victims of domestic abuse and 2.6 million male victims. Males are victims. However the Violence Against Women Act defines victims as female. As one result, tax-funded domestic violence shelters and services assist women and routinely turn away men, often including older male children, according to Fox News. The Violence Against Women Act does do good; it has been successful in the past. It is not overall a bad thing. What the Violence Against Women Act does do, however, is perpetuate the sexist notion that women are the only victims. Gender bias continues to solidify the mindset that women are helpless and men are always the enemies, when that is just not the truth. Society has to get educated on the facts and call for a change. Many men feel embarrassed to come out as victims of domestic abuse. Maybe if the issues were publicized that instances of female victimization things would be different. Maybe men would not sit back and suffer in silence. Until something is done and men are treated in the arena of domestic violence, there can be no true equality.

T T ech alk
The student voice of Louisiana Tech University

The

GRIN AND MERRITT

Legacy of a legend
CHAD MERRITT Multimedia Editor onships. More than anything, Buss proved himself to be a superb boss. The most successful owners in sports have similar qualities as Buss. Robert Kraft turned the New England Patriots into a dynasty after purchasing the team. Nolan Ryan bought the Texas Rangers, and in his first two years as owner brought the team to its first two World Series appearances. The one thing these three men have in common: They are great leaders. They built teams which players wanted to play for. They hired the best coaches, built the best facilities and created the best sports environments. The atmosphere these men create make their teams ideal for coaches, players and fans. This formula for success works the same in other fields also. The late Steve Jobs made Apple into the empire it is today. Richard Branson created a conglomerate, Virgin Group, which is known worldwide. Jeff Bezos developed Amazon.com into the worlds largest online retailer. The common theme among this elite group of CEOs: They are great leaders. All of these CEOs and sports team owners have the same characteristics; they are all self-driven, motivated and easy to work with/ work for. They took the initiative to get themselves to the esteem they have reached now. Jerry Buss didnt buy the Lakers and then wait for results. He was involved. And his investment paid off in the form of 10 championhips. In the process of his success, he changed the very face of basketball. Without Buss, the NBA would not be where it is today. What the New York Yankees are to baseball, Buss Lakers are to basketball. Instead of waiting for your big break, in whatever form it may be, take the initiative. Dont be a sheep. Sheep will stick together in flocks and avoid straying away. Instead, one should be a goat. Goats are independent animals which will diverge from the group. Dont be afraid to break the norm and try something new. Todd Graves was told his business idea would fail. His company, Raising Canes, now makes over $100 million a year. Think about how much better it is to go to school when you like your teacher. Think about how much you appreciate going to work when you like your boss. Having great leadership can help someone aspire to take initiative of his or her own. But first, you need a leader. Jerry Buss was the leader the Los Angeles Lakers needed. His legacy will continue to live on long after his passing. Who will follow in his footsteps and become the next game-changer in life? It could very well be you, as long as you try. Chad Merritt is a junior journalism major from Livingston who serves as multimedia editor for The Tech Talk. Email comments to cam059@latech.edu.

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ASSOCIATE EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR ASSOCIATE MANAGING EDITOR NEWS EDITORS ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR MULTIMEDIA EDITOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS ADVERTISING MANAGER ADVISERS ADVERTISING ADVISER PRODUCTION MANAGER ADVERTISING PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT HEAD Molly Bowman Austin Vining Hannah Schilling Derek J. Amaya Rebecca Alvarez Natalie McElwee Grace Moore Reina Kempt Chad Merritt Jessica Van Alstyne Deepanjan Mukhopadhyay Tyler Brown Rod Waynick Judith Roberts T. Scott Boatright Dr. Reginald Owens Michael LeBlanc Michael LeBlanc Dr. Reginald Owens

erry Buss was more than an owner of a sports team. He was a visionary, an inspiration and an innovator; and these traits extended further than basketball. The sporting world held many moments of silence on Monday when Dr. Jerry Buss passed away. Buss was born and raised in poverty, but he earned a Ph.D. in chemistry by 24. He turned a $1,000 investment in a Los Angeles apartment building into the foundation for his fortune. He changed a mediocre sports team into the premier example of a sports franchise. He built all of this himself. He is the example of a self-made man. Buss bought the Los Angeles Lakers, along with other assets, for $67 million in 1979. The Lakers alone are now worth $1 billion. During his 34-year tenure as the Lakers owner, his team went to 16 NBA Finals and won 10 champi-

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The Tech Talk (USPS 535-540) is published Thursdays of the regular school year, except in vacation and examination periods, by the Journalism Department of Louisiana Tech University. Publication office is in Keeny Hall, Room 146.

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The Tech Talk welcomes letters to the editor. However, we reserve the right not to print anonymous letters. We also ask that each letter be accompanied by a telephone number, address, classification or title. We will not print the telephone number. Viewpoints should be mailed or brought to The Tech Talk office, 146 Keeny Hall, by 4 p.m. the Friday prior to a Thursday publication. Letters should be mailed to The Tech Talk, P.O. Box 10258, Ruston, LA 71272. Emails should be sent to techtalk@latech.edu. You can also submit letters online at www.thetechtalk.org/home/lettertotheeditor/. Louisiana Tech University is committed to the principle of providing the opportunity for learning and development of all qualified citizens without regard to race, sex, religion, color, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or veteran status for admission to, participation in, or employment in the programs and activities which the University sponsors or operates. For Title IX information, see University Policy #1445 at http://www.latech.edu/administration/policies-and-procedures/1445.shtml.

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Arts&Entertainment
ALICE ESSIEN Staff Reporter Of the many qualities I admire about Melissa McCarthy as a comedian and as a dramatic actor, the best is how fully she gives herself to every character she plays. She has the courage and will to go all out, whether its putting the moves on an air marshal in Bridesmaids, downing a bottle of salad dressing on Saturday Night Live or boldly scamming her way through life in Identity Thief. After its first few scenes, Identity Thief becomes a predictable, mildly amusing road-trip comedy. As her first starring role in a feature comedy, McCarthy plays Diana, a resourceful, big-haired Florida drifter who leads the good life while running up a huge tab under a false identity. She hits a jackpot with the assets of one Sandy Bigelow Patterson, a sober-minded Colorado family man played by Jason Bateman. Diana ruins Sandys life with her scheme, affecting his credit, career and his personal reputation. Her schemes could not come at a worst time for Sandy, because he and his wife (Amanda Peet) are soon expecting their third child. The police are portrayed as powerless, so Sandy decides to take matters into his own hands to restore his life by tracing the destruction to her door. Sandy heads south to drag Diana to justice. The pairs adventures include eluding gangsters played by Genesis Rodriguez and rapper T.I. T.I.s role in the film must have been solely to appear in trailers because his dialogue and character, in general, were both irrelevant to the overall plot. To add to the chaos, a

February 21, 2013 The T T ech alk 5

Identity Thief tries to steal the show

Its comedic how Batemans character cant seem to catch a break, especially having a name like Sandy, which he is reminded of frequently. McCarthy, to her credit, throws herself into more than her fair share of physical gags. Several jokes are made at the expense of her characters weight and appearance. Ill admit that shes easily the best part about this movie, even if she does often resort to insensitive clichs. She saves the film from being another mediocre comedy. At best, Identity Thief is slightly above a mediocre comedy; at worst its an instruction manual for future identity thieves. I give the film three stars, because although the plot was interesting and exciting, miscasting, like T.I., left many scenes without comic relief.

Universal Pictures

Identity Thief HHHII bounty hunter played by Robert Patrick is also trailing the duo. Multiple fights, car crashes and even a snake attack, plague the travelers on their journey from Florida to Colorado. The humor in the film definitely meets the standard R-rating; profanity and sexual references are thrown around throughout the film.

MOVIE REVIEW

Email comments to eae008@latech.edu.

Website warfare intensifies as social media outlets expand

ADDIE MARTIN Staff Reporter
Social media includes forms of electronic communication through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages and other content. This includes Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Scott Levin, an assistant professor of English, said social media was originally a device used to promote businesses, as well as a means to communicate for friends, but it has been grossly criticized in recent years. I primarily created a Facebook because my colleagues use it and initially used it for rhetorical purposes, he said. It was an opportunity to create a persona that I knew future employers would potentially look at; hence, it was a tool to create an appealing facade. Internet users can tell anothers interests, hobbies, activities, location and company just by looking at a Facebook page. Taylor Mack, an associate professor of geography, said if individuals want to hold social media accounts, then they have to be smart with their privacy settings, as well as emotionally mature enough to use an account. Students need to realize Facebook does not care about anyones privacy, he said. However, social media has become more than just a place to share funny videos and pictures; many have begun to use their social networking sites as more of a place to rant or insult. Lauren Connor, a junior kineeasy access to bullying but it also serves as a direct line to cutting down celebrities. Nicole Polizzi, originally from Jersey Shore, commonly known as Snooki, is a victim of cyber bullying quite often, but she replies to all ugly tweets with positive and encouraging responses. For example, @snooki tweeted, Getting my workout in so I can look good in my dress for @JLaValle later. Once reading the tweet, @Joeyl666 tweeted to @snooki are u workin out ur face? and @snooki replied, Can I borrow ur pretty 1? Mack said people need to learn to be polite, and celebrities arent exempt. If you do not like certain people, then just leave them alone, he said.

siology major, said she has begun to see more people using Twitter and Facebook as a place to complain, but when rants get annoying, she just unfollows that person. Social media meanness is a

NICOLE SNOOKI POLIZZI

real issue, she said. We need to be more cautious because it could lead to bullying and more serious issues. Social media is not just an

Levin said there will always be bullies, and they probably view social media as a way to be passive aggressive about what they do. For instance, because they are doing the bullying via social media, they probably dont think they will be doing as much harm, he said. They are wrong. Connor said our culture is so rooted with social media that she thinks online negativity will never disappear completely, but face-to-face interaction should be encouraged. A simple decrease of the problem is better than nothing, she said. So if you do not like someone or something, just unfollow and be nice.

Email comments to alm085@latech.edu.

Before Rates Increase on Feb. 26th

Distractions
WEEKLYHOROSCOPE
www.horoscopes.com.net
Aries March 21 April 19 You usually place a lot of importance on self-control, Aries. Today this will come in handy when you receive some wonderful news that might otherwise move you to tears. Dont carry it too far. Under these circumstances, its OK to let it out a little. Your hard work and dedication are finally paying off. News about possible advancement could come your way. Its a very eventful day. Taurus Apr 20 - May 20 Expect some great news regarding money, possibly involving professional advancement. You may have to control the urge to cry tears of joy, Taurus. In a different vein, a close friend could be going through some changes and might want your support. Your best course of action would be to listen rather than give advice. You may have to control yourself if the situation defies all reason. Gemini May 21 - Jun 20 Happy events involving your mother or another close female relative might have you feeling emotional, Gemini. It could involve a marriage or birth. Your own projects, particularly those done with other people, could be going well in spite of having to overcome some difficulties. The results could move you to tears, and you may feel the need to control yourself. Dont be afraid to show how you feel. Cancer Jun 21 - Jul 22 Your intuitive abilities are at an all-time high today, Cancer. You should find it easier to tune into others thoughts and feelings. It might be a good idea to control your reactions to them. Dont tell others what youre picking up unless you know for sure theyll want to hear it. Your imagination and creative abilities are also operating at a very high level. Make the most of them. Leo Jul 23 - Aug 22 Today a deep concern for others feelings could have you lending a sympathetic ear to those in need of some understanding. Its more important to listen than talk, Leo, even though your practicality might want to express itself. Your affairs should go smoothly, bringing you and those around you a lot of satisfaction. Dont be surprised if you shed a few tears of joy at some point. Virgo Aug 23 - Sep 22 Today you might complete a project that was difficult but important to your career. Acknowledgement of your dedication and hard work could find you more emotionally overwhelmed than makes you comfortable. You may have to make a special effort to control your feelings. Youve moved mountains to get where you are and its nice to be recognized. In the evening, celebrate. You deserve it. Libra Sep 23 - Oct 22 A long-awaited social event, perhaps a wedding or christening, could move you to tears, Libra. As youre naturally a person who doesnt like showing your feelings, you might feel the need to get away until the urge to cry has passed. This should be a very happy day for you as well. Your own contentment could seem almost too good to be true. Its real. Relax and enjoy it. Scorpio Oct 23 - Nov 21 An intense, emotional dream could move you so powerfully that you wake with the odd sense that the dream was real. Write it down, Scorpio. Maybe it is. Efforts to overcome obstacles and advance yourself in your career could finally be paying off. You might be walking around in a daze asking if its really happened. It has. Make the most of it. And dont be afraid to reveal your feelings to others. Sagittarius Nov 22 - Dec 21 Thanks to your shooter natural optimism, you are always ready to change and new ideas. You have the chance to be a leader this month, while the less you to benefit from a new concept convinced. Emotional grow in sensitivity and understanding of this month. Capricorn Dec 22 - Jan 19 Today you may feel the need to do a lot of work around the house, Capricorn. Perhaps you expect visitors or you simply want to get the place spruced up for your own enjoyment. You need to take it easy and not try to do everything at once. You could run into difficulties that require help from others who may be out. Pace yourself and control the urge to run through your chores like a steamroller. Aquarius Jan 20 - Feb 18 Some intense, revealing communications with a close friend or lover could reveal wonderful new things about your relationship. Perhaps you have more in common than you thought. Perhaps fears prove groundless. As a result, Aquarius, the two of you could grow closer and discover a new mutual sense of purpose. Enjoy the positive feelings, and have a great day together. Pisces Feb 19 - Mar 20 Ancient social traditions could be a powerful part of your day, Pisces. An emotional event concerning your family - wedding, christening, or other milestone - could especially move you. In the rush of social interactions, you will probably keep a tight rein on the expression of your feelings. Keeping up appearances could be more important to you than usual. Do it, but be yourself.

6 The T T ech alk February 21, 2013

CROSSWORDPUZZLE
Across 1. Ancient Athenss Temple of ___ 5. Ballad ending 8. Distinctive quality 12. Astas mistress 13. Cary of The Princess Bride 15. Break, card game 16. Babe in the woods 17. ___ evil... 18. Golfer Ballesteros 19. Confine 22. Blend 23. Encouraging word 24. Pack down 26. Spoiled beer 29. Very much 31. Menu words 32. Twixts partner 34. Introduction 36. Sneaky guy? 38. Pry 40. Dissolve, as cells 41. Musical drama 43. Night noise 45. Med. specialty 46. Sibeliuss Valse ___ 48. Dinner jacket 50. Dagger of yore 51. Bear lair 52. Pouch 54. Laundry rope 61. ___ even keel 63. Stratum 64. Latin love

Go back | Print | Help

www.bestcrosswords.com
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BestCrosswords.com - Puzzle #1 for July 30, 2012 Across 66. Wander 1- Ancient Athens's Temple of 67. James of The Godfather ___; 5- Ballad ending; 868. Draft quality; 12- Asta's Distinctiveclassification 69. Bounce Cary of "The mistress; 13-on one foot Princess Bride"; 15- Break, card 70. Bounce back game; 16- Babe in the woods; 17- ___ evil...; 18- Golfer Down Ballesteros; 19- Confine; 221. Years in old Rome Blend; 23- Encouraging word; 2. Pack of mixed Spoiled 24-Horse down; 26-color beer; 29- Stoltzmuch; 31- Menu 3. Actor Very words; 32- Twixt's partner; 344. Adventurous expedition Introduction; 36- Sneaky guy?; 5. Pry; 40- Dissolve, 38-Gen. Robert ___ as cells; 6. Musical drama; 4341-Decorative pitcher Night noise; 45- Med. specialty; 467. Actress Sofer Sibelius's "Valse ___"; 488. Donkey Dinner jacket; 50- Dagger of 9. Without a job yore; 51- Bear lair; 52- Pouch; 10. Sitarist rope; 6154- Laundry Shankar ___ even keel; 63- Stratum; 64- Latin love; 11. Acme 65- Easy stride; 66- Wander; 6713. Shuns James of "The Godfather"; 6814. ___ voce (softly) Draft classification; 69- Bounce 20. All foot; on one ears 70- Bounce back;

65. Easy stride

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Go back | Print | Help

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Across 1- Queens stadium; 5- Slovenly person; 9- Prehistoric sepulchral tomb; 13- 365 days; 14- Prongs; 16- Carpeting calculation; 17American space agency; 18Narrow mountain ridge; 19Boxer Max; 20- Musical staff sign; 21- ___ Tafari (Haile Selassie); 22- "Hotel ___"; 24Employs, consumes; 26Copycat; 27- Meanies; 29- False show; 33- That is to say...; 34Spahn teammate; 35- London art gallery; 36- Posed; 37- Little hooter; 38- Cambodia's Lon ___; 39- No way; 41- Drum sound; 42- Religious recluses; 44Newsboy; 46- Color anew; 47Bit attachment; 48- Bandleader Puente; 49- Purpose; 52- Curve; 53- Badgers; 57- Flesh; 58- The Merciful; 60- Durable wood; 61Ethereal: Prefix; 62- Sarge's superior; 63- "The Joy of Cooking" author Rombauer; 64Gator's cousin; 65- Cpls.' superiors; 66- Cover;

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WEEKLYWEATHER
TODAY
HIGH 60 LOW 43

Down 1- Harmony; 2- Get better; 3- Facilitate; 4- Sea north of Australia; 5- Gazes fixedly; 6- Turkish money; 7- Till bills; 8- You ____! Sure!; 9- Nightclub; 10- Ayatollah's land; 11- Highly ranked competitor in sporting events; 12- Skater Lipinski; 15- Snake; 23- Rainy, say; 25- D.C. VIP; 26Disney mermaid; 27- City in Nebraska; 28- Costume; 29- Friendly; 30- Nursemaid; 31- Tend a fire; 32- Slippery swimmers; 33- The jig ___!; 34- Faint; 37- Describing the path of a satellite; 40Miscreant; 42- Got together; 43- Dental; 45- Cartoon Chihuahua; 46- Wealth; 48- Distinguishing characteristic; 49- Apple product; 50- Not e'en once; 51- Edible corm; 52- Sleep like ___; 54Dynamic start?; 55- Explorer Vasco da ___; 56- Three-player card game; 59- ___ Lobos;

www.accuweather.com
WEDNESDAY

FRIDAY
HIGH 63 LOW 35

SATURDAY
HIGH 60 LOW 38

SUNDAY
HIGH 67 LOW 43

MONDAY HIGH 60 LOW 34

TUESDAY HIGH 62 LOW 34

HIGH 56 LOW 29

DAILY U

Email feedback to dwyer@latech.edu

SUDOKUPUZZLE Sudoku-Puzzles
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Sudoku, Kakuro & Futoshiki Puzzles

Sudoku 9x9 - Hard (134245910)

2 7 2 3 9 6

LAST WEEKS SOLUTION

1 8 5

2 9

4 2

9 9 5 3
www.sudoku-puzzles.net

7 1

>

ZAXBYS from pg. 1

This will help us to accommodate our local high school young adults, college students and all who wish to enjoy this amenity, he said. We hope to offer a great environment for anyone who wishes to dine in. Tina Stuckey, a junior family child studies major, said she thinks Zaxbys is a lot like Raising Canes, so Zaxbys will definitely have some competition. Raising Canes is popular in Ruston because it provides a good environment to hang out even when it is late, and their sauce is pretty good, too, she said. Zaxbys will have to offer some really great sauce to get me to switch. One thing Zaxbys will bring to Ruston is more jobs. McDonald said he hopes to hire a team of ap-

proximately 50 people in order to keep the new restaurant running smoothly. If it is anything like Canes, it is hard work, Stuckey said. You have to be on your feet all day, constantly wash your hands and clean, clean, clean. Zaxbys also offers online ordering and the new Zaxbys app provides the menu for people at all times. The restaurant will feature a beautiful store that will provide a big menu with quality food and product at a great price, McDonald said. Moegle said more eating options as well as more job opportunities will benefit the Ruston community. Having a Zaxbys will be great, she said. Ruston can always use all the new restaurants that it can get.

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More Talk

February 21, 2013 The T T ech alk 7

#BOOB
KELSY KERSHAW Staff Reporter

MENT
I

Twitters newest craze arrives at Tech

Photo by Deepanjan Mukhopadhyay

en but others may see it as a form of motivation to change their lives for the better, he said. This is a to each her own kind of situation. The name of the administrator of @LaTechMitchell said he thinks the account exudes a Boobs has been omitted from this article to positive aspect about Tech. protect him from any future professional ramifiI think it says that Tech lets people be who cations. they are, he said. It does not try to steer them one way or the other. n July 2012, @TotalTechMove became part Kentucky University and University of Misof the twitterverse, but now it has evolved souri both have really popular boob Twitter acinto an account known as @LaTechBoobs. counts, he added. A multitude of university boob accounts @LaTechBoobs is just a byproduct of large have been surfacing on Twitter. They appear universities which is what Tech strives to be, he to share the common theme of incorporating said. I think the account will eventually catch breast in photos to show their school spirit. on. The @LaTechBoobs account is purely for Guy said if a student disagreed with the acfun, Guy, (an alias for) the administrator of the count that his suggestion is not to follow it. @LaTechBoobs account, said. I would like to I aim to avoid being viewed as a negative think it is something the stuaccount, he said. @LaTechdent body at Tech can find huBoobs means no harm toward mor in with a touch of creative anyone or their beliefs. school spirit. He said the account is there Guy, a junior biology major, to support the students and said Twitter has replaced Face- Some girls may see it promote school spirit in a crebook and students should be on ative way. it if they are not. Tech may be a small as degrading to womI think that trying to rouse school, but we have a fun stuup some student participation en but others may see dent body that should enjoy a in any way is a positive thing, it as a form of motiva- humorous account such as @ he said. Combining those two LaTechBoobs, Guy said. ideas with the recent explosion tion to change their Sam Speed, assistant dean of the #boobment, started by of student life, said social @KUboobs, created a perfect lives for the better. media such as Twitter have place for @LaTechBoobs to changed the way students enter our newsfeeds here at RYAN MITCHELL communicate and interact Tech. with one another. Senior accounting major The #boobment is not all Its like a lot of other about boobs thoughit is things, it just depends on the about school pride, he said. context of it and how it is beBeing able to show some spirit by doing ing used, he said. There are the positives, as something outside of the box sounds like some- far as connecting with individuals and enhancing thing people at this school can get behind, Guy communication in some ways but then the negasaid. tive is it is degrading communication in other Not all students feel the same way as Guy, ways. however. Catherine Dale, a junior geographic inSpeed said he hopes students are cognizant formation science major, said the account makes of the ramifications of the things they are posther feel uncomfortable. ing on these social media sites. I think it is dumb for someone to have thought I think accounts such as @LaTechBoobs are to make such an account in the first place, she slightly humorous, he said. Those who create said. Its annoying for us girls because for the them just have to know how far is too far. most part that is not something we want to put His hope is that students do not actually post focus on, especially on social media. to the account and keep their body parts private, Dale said she is aware that it is just for fun, he added. but it could get taken too far if people are not Guy said @LaTechBoobs as far as he is aware careful. has received zero public complaints on Twitter I followed the account that it was before they since it evolved. changed it, she said. If I cared enough I probIt has gotten a bunch of mentions and a ably would have noticed it before now. whole lot of new followers, he said. It is perGuy said the account is in no way meant to fectly legal and adheres to Twitters policies. be offensive. He said he discourages any inappropriate acIt is clearly stated that it is not for promoting tivity and supports the closure of accounts that nudity nor intended to degrade women, he said. partake in the activities or break the policies. Honestly, I think it is something women should Currently, @LaTechBoobs has 566 followers. appreciate because @LaTechBoobs doesnt disLadies and gentlemen, embrace the #boobcriminate, whether youre short, tall, big or small, ment, love the #boobment, and spread the you can show a little school spirit. #boobment, he said. Follow and tweet us at @ Ryan Mitchell, a senior accounting major, LaTechBoobs. said he thinks the account could create mixed emotions among women. Email comments to Some girls may see it as degrading to wom- kjk016@latech.edu.

Sports Talk
REINA KEMPT Sports Editor
It looked like another loss last Saturday for the Techsters against longtime conference mate Idaho. Tech was down 62-61 with just 8.4 seconds remaining in what looked to be the Techsters fourth down-to-the-wire loss in conference this season. The ladies couldnt afford another loss; even though it is too late to claim first place in the conference regular season, another tough loss after last Thursdays defeat to Seattle would have kicked the Techsters while they were down. But head coach Teresa Weatherspoon called a timeout after Idahos goahead bank shot and drew up a play, not giving up hope on her struggling players. Tech inbounded the ball with junior guard Janay Borum pushing it ahead the distance of the floor. She fell immediately after crossing half court which seemed to be the deal breaker for Tech, but Borum kept her dribble alive and made a pass to freshman guard Lulu Perry. Perry dribbled across court to the left wing and passed it to sophomore forward Whitney Frazier, who threw up a prayer from 3-point range. Her prayer was answered as the high shot ball banked the side of the backboard and swished in with .2 seconds remaining. The Lady Techsters celebrated in triumph as they came out victorious in a thrilling fashion. Weatherspoon later said the last play was not run as planned but her players still played with confidence and pulled out the win. We were trying to get Janay to push the ball up the floor and give it to Kelia but Janay fell, she said. Frazier knew the timing and took it confidently. Before the game she said she didnt feel like she could miss. Fraziers buzzer beater performance gave the Techsters lifemuch needed life. With losing four of the last six conference matchups, this victory gave the girls a lot of momentum going into the last four games before the Western Athletic Conference tournament. This is big for those kids to see something go their way, Weatherspoon said. Especially when you tell them to play hard and great things will happen. And this could be the best momentum builder that could come their way. You feel good about yourself to win some-

8 The T T ech alk February 21, 2013

Techsterswinning 3-pointer give Techsters hope become clutch Whitney Fraziers game
with REINA KEMPT

FROM THE SPORTS DESK

Forever bleed Tech blue

Photos by Donny Crowe

Top: Whitney Frazier shoots the game winning 3-pointer over Idahos Ali Forde with .2 second remaining. Bottom: The Techster bench reacts to the vicotry.
thing like this down the stretch. Despite Fraziers last second shot, Weatherspoon said her post players and ball handlers were a critical part of their win Saturday night. The Techsters only turned the ball over nine times during the course of the game. They were working hard, she said. Our bigs were productive. They were setting good screens and finishing at the rims. We took care of the ball as well. A lot of players are stepping up for the Techsters, but redshirt sophomore guard Kelia Shelton has the highlight of the season. Shelton scored 45 points in the victory against University of Texas at San Antonio on the road. She also made a season high 16 field goals, shot 72 percent from field and made 10 free throws in this career high game. The Techsters will have to play some tough games against the likes of Utah State University and New Mexico State Unviersity, both teams that Tech fell short to earlier in the season. Shelton must have another spurt of energy to give the Techsters some wins. These next four games are crucial in preparing for the tourney as higher seeds play lower seeds and Tech would definitely rather play Texas State University in the first round than have another nail biter with Idaho or Utah State. The WAC tournament is devastatingly vital to the extension of the Techsters season being it is the only way they can become eligible for the NCAA tournament. The WAC tournament is from March 13-16 in Las Vegas. Its either win or go home.

Email comments to rjk007@latech.edu.

REINA KEMPT Sports Editor

Hadnot leads track to WAC meet

was to run 20-point, Hadnot said. Because I know if I ran 20-point I would make it to nationals. Now that Ive already ran 20-point, Im not going to try to run faster in the 200, Im going to try to run 46 in the 400. That will get me to nationals in that event and my ultimate goal is to try to place in nationals. Hadnot is not the only one shining bright, Micara Vassell has been doing great things as she threw for the fourthbest throwing mark in school history back in January at the Howie Ryan Invitational in Houston. Head coach Gary Stanley is confident with his athletes going into the conference tournament. He said this meet is not just about individual athletes, but how well they can do together as a team. I appeal to their sense of pride, and their sense of belonging to a university and their coach who is preaching that message to them thats saying, Hey, lets represent. Hadnot has had a lot of individual success in his young career but he said his competitive edge is what keeps him motivated to do all he can for a team win. Im trying to do everything it takes,

The men and womens track team are preparing to perform in the Western Athletic Conference meet tonight in Albuquerque, N.M. This three-day event will give Techs runners, jumpers and throwers a chance to qualify for the March NCAA indoor tournament, where elite runners like Techs own Trey Hadnot had success in last season. So far this season, Hadnot, who is just a junior, has got back on track to his usual line of success after being plagued with a series of injuries during his sophomore season. In the Tyson Invitational in Arkansas, Hadnot set a school record of 20.81 seconds in the 200 meter dash. Not only did he break school records with that time, but it was good enough to be tied fourth in the nation. Hadnot said reaching the 20-point mark in the 200-meter dash was his goal for this season, but since he has already reached it, his new goal is hitting the 46-point mark in the 400-meter dash. Coming in to this season my goal

Junior Trey Hadnot sprints as the last leg in the relay race at the Howie Ryan Invitational. he said. I remember a month ago I asked him Do you honestly feel we have a chance to win conference? If you think we can win the meet I want to run the 60 (meter), the 200 (meter), 400 (meter)

Photo by Media Relations

and the relay. Ill be tired afterward but if thats what it takes to win then Ill do it. Last year left a bad taste in Stanleys mouth as the womens side lost in the WAC meet for the first time in four seasons making them three out of four in championships since 2009. One thing Stanley said was that this team is entirely new and he tries not to think about last year but what they can get accomplished this year. Stanley said he is looking for Hadnot, junior Kendall Hayes (who also plays football) and Dennis Richardson to do well in New Mexico on the mens side and Kim Francis, Micara Vassell and Kimberly Smith to do well for the women. I want to see as many individual medals around (Hadnots) neck as he can get, Stanley said. I think Dennis Richardson is ready to go and Hayes, who is a football player, is doing well in the hurdles. Our seniors on the womens side, Micara Vassell and Kimberly Smith are doing well, and we need big performances out of them.

Email comments to rjk007@latech.edu.

Softball and baseball step to the plate

DEVIN KING Sports Reporter
The Lady Techsters softball team started its season out with two south Louisiana tournaments at Southeastern Louisiana University and McNeese State University. They start the 2013 season 5-4. New head coach Mark Montgomery said the team had a great offseason and the players are buying into the new system. We understand we want to get better each month of the season, Montgomery said. We expect to win the Western Athletic Conference. Montgomery is the third head coach at Tech in three decades. Montgomery was highly successful at Centenary and Northern Colorado. He has more than 12 years of head coaching experience and some 330 victories on the collegiate level. He said preparation for this season was great and his women are ready. Offseason went great; we started in September, Montgomery said. The kids have really been working hard and I believe things will look great out on the field. Where there is adversity, seniors like Michelle Jones, Janna Frandrup and Melanie Goff are the ones coaches expect to step up, and Montgomery said he is expecting these women to do just that. I hope that all the players have impact moments, but I expect to rely on some senior pitching this season, Montgomery said. We are going to really rely on them. The Lady Techsters look to make a statement in the Southern Miss tournament this weekend. They are excited to play against somebody besides themselves, Montgomery said. For the last month and a half, they have been hitting, pitching and fielding. They are excited to get out and see how they do against other teams. The Techsters get ready for the Southern Miss tournament this weekend with their opening game against Northwestern State University at noon Saturday followed by Southern Miss Unversity at 5 p.m.

REINA KEMPT Sports Editor The Bulldogs baseball team started their season just last week against University of Texas-Arlington and University of Arkansas at Little Rock. The Bulldogs are 1-3 at the start of their seaon. They look to play Oral Roberts in a three-game series starting at 6 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at the J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park. Head coach Wade Simoneaux said he and his team have been practicing and looking forward to the start of the season all fall. We took 27-30 days in the fall, then we had about two and a half to three weeks of practice, he said. I wish we had a little longer but I think all coaches think that way. Our guys worked hard and theyre ready to compete. One thing Simoneaux said he is sure about is that he has a team full of experienced veterans, and he plans to use that to their advantage when it comes to mentoring new players and succeeding in pressure situations.

Weve got a veteran ball team, Simoneaux said. Its nice to have that veteran leadership not only on the field but the bench. Theyve been through the ups and downs of the season and they understand what it takes to win. Early on in the season Simoneaux said he will use a variety of different lineups to test the waters. We will be using a host of guys (pitchers), so guys are going to get opportunities to put their nose in the lineup, get on the mound and show us what they can do because we have to figure out who can do what in different situations, he said. Simoneaux said losing games early in the season does not concern him. You cant worry about losing a ball game early on because you have to try to develop guys along the way, he said. Simoneaux said he is preparing for a steep conference schedule, he said new conference teams like Dallas Baptist have done big things in the past and he does not overlook their talents.

ve been a part of the Tech family since 2009. I first stepped on to this campus as a Lady Techster under head coach Teresa Weatherspoon, but somewhere down the line I had to do what was best for me, which was to pursue my journalism career head-on. Making that decision was nerve-wracking for me. My whole life was about basketball, and to make a drastic change that seemingly made all those countless hours I spent in the gym useless, was devastating. It seemed more so for my friends, fans and family, as still to this day some rag me about quitting basketball. Some friends dont even talk to me any more because of it. And I use the term friend loosely. I started to wonder if I made the right choice to come to Tech, to play basketball at this level and to pursue a degree in something that isnt guaranteed money. As time went on, God opened doors for me to let me know I couldnt have made a better choice here at Tech. If youre not a fan of Tech, you can hear a lot of things about the school that would make it unappealing, especially for a young black woman like me. My choice to not attend a Historically Black College or University can lead to some salty looks from my peers. Either Im lucky or nave, but I have never had a problem beyond the usual here at this university. Sure, some teachers will give you a hard time and the parking is horrendous, but thats on any campus in America. My personality has never been one to get overly offensive over my school. School spirit was never really my thing in high school. But about Tech, I will argue anybody down to why our football team could give the nations best a run for their money and how our sports like basketball and track could surprise anybody at any given time. I will argue that our education is top notch and superior to the flagship university down in south Louisiana. In my four years at Tech, I have met some amazing people, some inspiring mentors and I have put my foot in the door to where I want to be in my sports journalism career. As this is my last Sports Talk page as sports editor, I wish to thank everyone in the journalism department for their knowledge and support because I know I gave them hell with all of the special layout designs I wanted during my tenure. I also want to thank my readers; its not about how many are out there reading the Tech Talk but about those who do read it and enjoy it. I will take quality over quantity any day. Editors spend so much time down in the lab to make a great newspaper, even nights and weekends. Ask any of our friends where we are right now and their best guess is, were in the lab working on the paper. Though this duty can be stressful, I take it as a test of my mental toughness. As I walk away from my position as sports editor, I take with me a lot of priceless knowledge and experience, from witnessing the wild Tech vs. Texas A&M game in Shreveport, to going to the Super Bowl Media Day in New Orleans. Tech has given me ample opportunities to better myself as a journalist, to find myself as a human being and to be prepared for the real world that I am set to be released into. I know I can always say one thing for the rest of my life. I will forever bleed Tech blue and red.

Email comments to dki008@latech.edu.

Email comments to rjk007@latech.edu.

Reina Kempt is a senior journalism major from Baton Rouge. Email comments to rjk007@latech.edu.