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Check in with Miss Tech to see how she is preparing for the Miss Louisiana pageant MORE TALK

BLACKFISH
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WE DIVE INTO THE CONTROVERSIAL DOCUMENTARY

DOMINATING DEFENSE

Bulldogs continued success due to their

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T ech T alk
THE STUDENT VOICE OF LOUISIANA TECH UNIVERSITY
WWW.THETECHTALK.ORG JANUARY 30, 2014 VOLUME 88 ISSUE 13

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Obama: Give America a raise

Obama hopes to fight poverty and income inequality

Student dead after single car crash

STAFF REPORT A Louisiana Tech student was killed after he walked into the path of a car Jan. 23 near campus. Terrell Daniel Stafford, a 32-year-old senior mechanical engineering major, was killed while walking west along West California Avenue shortly after 1 a.m., said Sgt. Clint Williams, public information ofcer for the Ruston Police Department. No charges have been led. Police said the car was driven by Autumn Hamilton of Ruston. While Hamilton is not suspected of being impaired, results of routine tests for alcohol and drugs are pending. Lincoln Parish Coroners Ofce pronounced Stafford dead at the scene. Police said Stafford was wearing dark clothing at the time of the crash. Williams offered this bit of caution to pedestrians: You want to use a sidewalk when available. If sidewalks are not available, then be extra cautious of your surroundings and at night, be sure to wear light colored clothing that can be seen and possibly reect light. Information compiled by Lacy Camp.

AUSTIN VINING Contributing Editor umerous policy changes lie on the table in Washington as politicians vet different strategies to help the American

people. President Barack Obama said making sure the economy works for every working American is the dening challenge of this generation. Its why I ran for president, he said in a statement last month. It drives everything I do in this ofce. In the State of the Union address on Tuesday night, Obama said even the health care policies underlying the Affordable Care Act is rooted in expanding the middle class and cutting Americas increasing income inequality. Upward mobility has stalled, he said. The cold, hard fact is that even in the midst of recovery, too many Americans are working more than ever just to get by let alone get ahead. And too many still arent working at all. According to the United States Census Bureau, the number of people living below the poverty line during 2008-2012 was more than 15 percent higher in Ruston (34.6 percent) compared to the rest of Louisiana (18.7 percent). Tech economics and nance department head Otis Gilley said mobility is not an issue like it has been historically with most people in the top 1 percent being there because of their families wealth. If you look into the top 1 percent now, most of those people arent there because of their families, he said. Think of all the people who are

Photo courtesy of Associated Press

President Barack Obama addressed members of Congress at the 2014 State of the Union on Tuesday night.

Number of Ruston citizens living below the poverty line.

34.6% 18.7% $18,046 $24,264

Number of Louisiana citizens living below the poverty line. Income per capita of Ruston citizens. Income per capita of Louisiana citizens.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Womens issues organization started on campus

PAUL DAUTERIVE Staff Reporter A new chapter of the American Association of University Women has ofcially been established at Louisiana Tech. Tech history professor Laurie Stoff spearheaded the effort to form AAUW, a national organization that advocates for many womens issues. The organization addresses issues like pay equity, sexual harassment and promotes post-graduate education for women, Stoff said. Staff members could apply to AAUW for post-graduate study grants. Stoff said Louisiana has one of the widest pay gaps in the country between women and men. If you look around our campus, men are over-represented, Stoff said. We have more male faculty and administration. Stoff said she was forwarded an email by another Tech professor that contained an invitation from the president of AAUW in Louisiana. I have been a member since grad school, Stoff said. I got in touch with the president, and I recruited four students to

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2 The T ech T alk January 30, 2014

NEWS

Campus
Career day set for Thursday, Feb. 13
Spring Career Day 2014 is set for Thursday, Feb. 13, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. in the Student Center. Career Day provides an opportunity for students to interact with potential employers and seek internships and jobs. For more information about Career Day call 318-257-4336 or email rcathey@latech.edu.

Blacksh only shows dark side of Sea World

HANNAH SCHILLING Managing Editor

Deadline to drop classes is Feb. 7

The nal day to resign from classes with a W (withdrawn) grade for the winter quarter is Friday, Feb. 7 at 5 p.m. To drop a class, visit the Registrars Ofce on the second oor of Keeny Hall, obtain an ofcial sheet from the desk, have your adviser sign it and then return it to the front desk of the Registrars Ofce. For more information, contact the Registrars Ofce by phone at 318-2572176 or by email at registrar@latech.edu.

International student dinner this Saturday

The international student ofce will host a dinner to raise money for international student scholarships. The dinner starts at 5 p.m. Saturday in the TONK. It will be a buffet style dinner featuring a variety of foods from different parts of the world. There will also be performances from international students that relate to their respective countries. Anyone is welcome to attend the dinner. Student tickets are $10 and non-student tickets are $15. Tickets can be purchased at the international student ofce in Tolliver 229. For more information please call 318-257-4321 or email iso@latech.edu.

Sea World trainer being attacked by a whale is the shocking image shown in the opening credits of the 2013 documentary lm Blacksh. The sites shown and the stories told by the former Orca trainers only get more shocking. The documentary, which has been a talking point amongst students, Sea World atendees and even the media, is coming out of Sundance Film Festival traces a 39-year history of Orcas in captivity, leading up to the 2010 killing of trainer Dawn Brancheau by Tilikum, a whale also associated with the deaths of two other people. Viewers are shown multiple instances of Orca aggression toward the trainers, such as Orcas lunging at trainers and, in the most severe cases, killing them. The former trainers tell viewers that whale-on-whale aggression is common and show bloody wounds to prove it. Scientists explain that Orcas have an extra brain part that processes emotion, and the documentary shows baby Orcas being taken away from their mother while their mother makes noises never before heard to humans out of grief. Viewers are told that the whales are kept in dark, shallow pools during the night, where they spend 1/3 of their life deprived of their senses. Sea World workers are shown in the movie spouting off inaccurate facts to patrons make it seem like the whales are better off in captivity. Blacksh has led artists and bands like Willie Nelson and Pat

Photo courtesy of Associated Press

People have criticized Sea World after the documentary Blackfish came out, and artists such as Pat Benatar and Willie Nelson have gone so far as to cancel shows at the theme parks. Benatar to cancel shows at Sea recent years on habitats, which it the best of way, and if you are a forWorld and has even led schools to calls among the largest in the world mer employee, and are angry with cancel eld trips to the park. today. your former employer, you would Sea World refused to comment But according to the lm, and agree to do the documentary. during the making of the lm but has the audience who now stands with As for putting the whales in an since broken their silence, along with it, even the largest Sea World habi- open-water pen, Kittleson said it several other former trainers. tat cannot compare to the ocean the would be very detrimental and Sea World ran an ad in several na- whales are meant to dwell in. stressful to the Orcas because they tional newspapers and also posted Though the movie shows the dark are used to the perfect amount of the information on its website, say- side of Sea World, the more positive food, the perfect water quality at the ing it has not captured Orcas from side has gone unseen. perfect temperature, and in an open the wild for 35 years due to their sciKyle Kittleson, a Sea World train- ocean pen that all changes and they entic advancement. er who left his job this month, made are put at risk. The ad also claimed that Sea a video in response to Blacksh, People need to stop and think World does not separate babies from claiming that the whales have incred- about what is best for the animals, mothers except for the rare occa- ible care and have amazing relation- not what would make them feel sion that a mother killer whale can- ships with their trainers. He said he good and help them sleep at night, not care for the calf herself, and that would never have described a whale he said. Blacksh is meant to make their whales do not suffer shortened he has worked with as sad or angry. you feel, not to make you think. lifespans. Sea World claims its work A lot of those trainers worked Eighty-ve percent of it is false. has helped advance scientic under- decades ago, so their experience standing of killer whales in the wild, was different than mine, he said. Email comments to and said it has spent $70 million in Some trainers parted ways in not hms017@latech.edu.

Guices survey to shape the future of Tech

KELSY KERSHAW Future Editor President Les Guice is looking for input from Louisiana Tech students, faculty and staff on the future of the universitys physical campus. Recently, Guice sent out an email titled My Campus Survey to anyone with a Louisiana Tech web account. This survey is one part of a master plan study that will help construct a roadmap for the future of this campus. The survey is intended to help our campus master planning team learn more about the paths and connections that students and faculty have between different programs and facilities on campus, Guice said. He said it will provide the team with key information that they need to determine pathways, landscaping, facilities, etc. for the future. Sasaki Associates of Boston is the lead architect of Louisiana Techs master planning team, and they have created the survey with some input from various Louisiana Tech staff, Guice said. Tyler Patrick, the principal and project manager for Sasaki, said they are completing a master plan for Tech. Our practice comprises architecture, interior design, planning, urban design, landscape architecture, graphic design, and civil engineering, as well as nancial planning and software development, he said. We nd that interactive surveys are a great way to gain input. He said the surveys allow more stakeholders to be reached than a conventional presentation or campus forum would allow. The survey allows us to understand mobility patterns on campus, favorite hang-out spots, preferred classroom locations, and opportunity zones for future investment, Patrick said. We

can also lter responses by user type, for example students by year, to understand how use patterns differ among populations. Sasaki has worked with other campuses before and they have experienced much success, he said. We typically see participation rates of 25 percent of the total student body, or higher, he said. Often the results have driven major decisions and recommendations for improvements to the campus. Guice said he thinks the data can be used for various things in the future. It might help us know where we should offer certain classes to have maximum participation, he said. Seeing where collaborations are naturally occurring may help us to develop better facilities or programs to support that.

Email comments to kjk016@latech.edu.

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drive down to a conference with me. I could support the group by helping Stoff said the group of students at with whatever I could and maybe be the AAUW conference decided that there when Laurie could not. their next conference in February Toaddy said his research is in orshould be held at Tech. ganizational justice and his expertise Stoff said this chapter could be benecial to has institutional afliaAAUW. tion, which means that the At the last AAUW inuniversity pays a annual terest meeting, ofcers fee to AAUW to cover unwere elected for the new dergraduate membership. organization. This allows Tech students Caroline Hymel, a seto join for free. nior history major, was We want this to beelected president of come a stable organizaAAUW at Tech. tion at Tech and be part Hymel said she thinks of the Ruston commuit is great that Tech has nity, she said. established a chapter Stoff said AAUW does in a national organizanot have any preference tion. We really need it, for gender and the only Hymel said. requirements for memHymel said that she STOFF bership are to be an unhopes the efforts of the dergraduate or a graduate organization can draw of a four-year university. more women to Tech by Dr. Steven Toaddy, a psychology showing the pride Tech has for its proprofessor, is assisting Stoff as another fessional women. faculty adviser for AAUW. I saw the email and came to the Email comments to rst meeting, Toaddy said. I thought pdd010@latech.edu.

NEWS

January 30, 2014 The T ech T alk 3

Beards grow money for mission trips

ALLISON EAST News Editor

Nethken to receive landscaping

WILL TRAHAN Staff Reporter ing for the Nethken building. Smith said that they Nethken Hall is an agreed on planting everold school building in a green trees by the buildnew school era an old ing so it would always big building with a blank have color. landscape outside. Nethken Hall faces a Marsha Smith, ad- problem in that they had ministrative assistant for to budget for in the irrigaNethken Hall, contacted tion of the new plants. the Student Government Smith said since the Association about trans- building is so old, they forming the building into did not have undersomething students like ground irrigation and had to see. to budget for hoses and The guy who took sprinklers in addition to our (landscaping) bid was the landscaping cost. very interested in helping The building was us out with ideas for what constructed in 1967 for to put in, Smith said. He electrical engineering, actually helped us out by computer science and cutting us a deal. technical services. She conThe guy tacted us doing the landabout the scape plans on work that putting in six needed to crape myrtle be done to trees and plant the building some owand gave us ers around the all the details trees, Smith we needed said. to write up Smith said a bill, said more than 500 Anil Oberoi, students and 20 the author of faculty use the SWAFFORD the bill that building daily, and approved the funding for the building that is more this project. than 50 years old is shadImproving the land- owed by the newly conscape of the building will structed Tech Pointe. leave a better impression With all the busion the people that go in nesses that come through the building, Oberoi, a Tech Pointe, we would senior biomedical engi- like them to look across neering major said. the road and see someThe goal of the stu- thing other than an old dents is to make the building, Smith said. building more appealing Smith said the stuto the alumni who are dents who come through very inuential in the her ofce would love to College of Engineering see more things in front and Science. of the building. Christa Swafford, a juSmith also said that funior electrical engineer- ture plans for the building ing major and senator for include possible benches the honors program, was in front of the building one of the cosigners for and a bike rack for the the bill. students. The Student Government Association funded Email comments to $3,300 to the landscap- bwt008@latech.edu.

The beards of No Shave November may raise awareness, but at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry, those overgrown beards also raise dollars. The BCM held its annual beard auction Jan. 21 to raise money for missions. Dawson Shannon, a sophomore political science major, said he started growing out his beard Dec. 14, 2012, in preparation for the event. The rst two months was normally how long Id grow, and after that I was like, Wow, Im really doing this, he said. Really it was just people telling me I wouldnt do it or I couldnt do it, so I was like, ne then. Shannons one year, one month and one week of beard growth turned into a $1,000 prot. I didnt know what to expect going into it, he said. I was hoping for at least $800. It got to about $700, and I said if it got to $1,000 Id shave my whole head. Shannons money contributed to the nights earnings, which BCM mission team leader and junior math major Emily Hinton said totaled $10,500, a great improvement from last year. Last years raised, I think, $4,500, she said. The three fundraisers we have each year are dinner auction, pie auction and beard auction, and I think last year with pie auction and beard auction, we totaled about $10,000, so with the beard auction being over $10,000 itself, its kind of crazy. Hinton said the money earned goes toward a state missions fund which is distributed to students going on missions overseas for more than two weeks, and Shannon said he has been a beneciary of the funds. Over the summer I went to Kazakhstan, and $1,000 of that was paid for through stuff like this, he said. Over Christmas break I went to China, and $1,000 of that was paid for. It all adds up. Hinton said a great turnout was part of the events success. I dont think weve had that many participants before, she said. I thought it was a really good turnout.

Submitted Photo

Robert Billeauds beard raised $450 for missions last week.

Seong Park, a sophomore accounting major, came with a group of friends to bid on one of the 22 beards up for auction. We collected money to buy my friend Evan, he said. We were kind of nervous we wouldnt win, but someone else donated money at the last second. Winners had the chance to shave the beards they won into any shape they wanted, and participants were required to keep the style for 24 hours. We shaved my friends beard into a mutton chop/mustache combo and gave him wing tips, Park said. It was really funny.

Email comments to ace007@latech.edu.

Women engineers host seminar

IAN EDWARDS Staff Reporter
The Society of Women Engineers sponsored a brief seminar last Wednesday night on the dangers of gender bias and general stereotypes and how to overcome them. Jenna Carpenter, associate dean of undergraduate studies and speaker for the night, said the aim was to educate the attendees. This is an event the Society of Women Engineers hosts once every year, Carpenter said. One of the reasons we do this workshop is to help people understand whats going on, and subsequently, people who are educated about it tend to do less of it. In her speech, Carpenter said female students are prone to gauge their successes in typically male subjects such as math and science on how many As they make and have a higher likelihood of dropping a math or science class even if they have a B. To say boys are better in math in front of a little girl for a prolonged period of time will have an effect similar to that of rival football teams who trash talk each other before a big game, she said. Eventually, their self-condence will break down. Karly Hooper, a freshman biomedical engineering major said she had experienced the inequalities Carpenter addressed in the seminar. Ever since I can remember, Ive been in various gifted programs, Hooper said. In high school, I was the only girl in the program, and when I tried to invite some of my friends, who are very smart, one specically told me No, I dont think Id be good enough. Hooper said she learned many different tips about the professional world while attending the seminar. Ive had involvement with different leadership positions in the past, she said. Back then, I sort of had this feeling like I did not fulll my positions to the best of my abilities, but thanks to Dr. Carpenter informing me about the things that go on in the back of your co-workers minds, I feel a little better about the job I did.

Email comments to ije001@latech.edu.

>

INEQUALITYfrom pg. 1
people who earn minimum wage who are actually poor, he said. Most of the people who earn minimum wage are young individuals that are going to school, that are living with their parents, and theyre not poor. Raising the minimum wage is not a good way to attack poverty if thats what were after, but its a popular idea because its something that if you dont think through you dont see the unintended consequences of it. Gilley said there is not a question of income inequality, and many policies on the table in Washington are not the solution. Is (income inequality) a result of some inherent unfairness in our system or is it the result of a whole bunch of other things, he said. I would argue that theres really nothing inherently unfair about our system.

wealthy because of the dot-coms or think of all the people who are in that bracket because of technology. There are a lot of people in the top 1 percent who didnt come from wealth. Obama said the current way of life is being threatened by the culmination of issues caused by increased inequality and decreased mobility. Im not arguing that we have an equal distribution of income, Gilley said. Im arguing that we wouldnt want it. That would be foolish. Gilley said his argument stems from the fact the policies to reduce income inequality are essentially an attempt to redistribute wealth. All those things are just different ways to justify taking money from one group of people and giving it to someone else, he said Gilley gave an example of one such potential policy change that has garnered much media attention recently: increasing minimum wage. Theres only a tiny percentage

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Insight
Obama calls for a year of action
KALEB CAUSEY Editor-in-Chief

4 The T ech T alk January 30, 2014

FROMTHEEDITOR

Guest Column

he State of the Union address is a tradition that I have enjoyed for years. To get the opportunity to hear directly from the president about his plans for the upcoming year is something that is undervalued in our country. President Barack Obama had all eyes on him for his fth State of the Union address Tuesday night, and he did not disappoint. In what I rate as his best speech yet, he called for a year of action and asserted that he will use his full executive authority to make sure the American people have the opportunity for success. He also called out congressional Republicans for their more than 40 attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and urged members of Congress to do everything they could to help the American people.

He spoke a lot about income inequality, a subject that appears to be the topic of the year for the Democrats. Today, after four years of economic growth, corporate prots and stock prices have rarely been higher, and those at the top have never done better, he said. But average wages have barely budged. Inequality has deepened. Upward mobility has stalled. The cold, hard fact is that even in the midst of recovery, too many Americans are working more than ever just to get by let alone get ahead. And too many still arent working at all. While Obama touched on many issues he plans to pursue in the coming year, one that stood out was immigration reform, which has been a talking point for a few years now. The president urged Congress to take up the issue and to try to reach a compromise. Overall, Obamas speech was very strong. He dictated the accomplishments of his ad-

ministration and followed up with calls for action. He is not a president of complacency. Instead, he is always looking for the next great thing that Americans can do and the next possibility for the government to improve the lives of its citizens through equality, immigration reform and healthcare. He knows that the only way to be successful in his last three years in ofce is to make Americans lives better. In the coming months, lets see where else we can make progress together, he said. Lets make this a year of action. Thats what most Americans want for all of us in this chamber to focus on their lives, their hopes, their aspirations. Kaleb Causey is a senior political science and journalism major from Jonesboro who serves as editor-in-chief for The Tech Talk. Email comments to ktc013@latech.edu.

SALLY ROSE HOLLIS Guest Columnist

In memory of Wiley

Stop telling women to smile

HANNAH SCHILLING Managing Editor was sitting in class, listening intently to the lecture, when I was called out for the way my face was arranged. What did I ever do to you? the professor said, mid-lecture, looking in my direction. I turned to look behind me, confused, but he claried, Yeah, Im talking to you. You always look at me like I killed your cat or something. Little did he know, if he did kill my cat, he would get a lot more than a look from me, but I composed myself and said, Im listening to you. Would you rather me grin at you for your whole lecture? He laughed it off and moved on with class. It was embarrassing, to say the least, and detrimental to my education in that class. Now I had to think about the way my face looked instead of what he was teaching me. I thought I was the only one who suffered from the condition playfully named Chronic Bitch Face, but it turns out women are told all the time how their faces should be arranged. There is even an art project by an artist named Tatyana Fazlalizadeh called Stop Telling Women to Smile that attempts to address gender-based harassment by placing drawn portraits of women, composed with captions that speak directly to offenders, outside in public spaces. And that is just what it is, isnt it? Harassment. I have been told things like You should smile more; its good for you, or You are so pretty, but you would be much prettier if you would just smile more by people who do not even know my name. I am at a loss as to why the way I arrange my face is a concern for anyone, or why women are expected to grin 24/7. Maybe it is because smiles are less threatening than an intense, neutral stare, and these face dictators think women should appear in the least threatening way possible. We all know a strong woman is a detriment to our society, right? This sexist mindset, and the sexist comments that come along with it, is unacceptable. You do not know what this person has been through in their life. Who knows, their mother could have died this morning, but here you are, telling them that they should smile more. Who are you to tell them how to arrange their face? All women, regardless of what face they are making, are unique, intelligent and beautiful beyond what their facial expressions can show you. With that in mind, I implore you to stop making comments such as these. Stop telling women to smile. Start giving them reasons to. Hannah Schilling is a senior journalism and political science major from Bossier City who serves as managing editor for The Tech Talk. Email comments to hms017@latech.edu.

YOURE WELCOME

iley W. Hilburn Jr. was a giver of gifts. But not necessarily the kind received on birthdays or Christmas. He believed if you treat the people you care about well every day, you dont need to create a big fuss one or two days a year. No, Wileys gifts were usually of a different nature. One gift was appreciating lifes everyday moments: a red leaf in the wind, iced tea sweetened in the pitcher, holding a dying fathers hand. In turn, he taught us to do that in his classes. What did you eat for supper? he wanted to know. Then, he seemed truly elated to nd out it was pork chops, turnip greens and hot water corn bread. Signicant details, he called those things. Observations that bring an event into focus for the reader. A lone tennis shoe at the scene where a Tech student died. Wrinkled pants of a Louisiana politician. Of course, that wasnt all he taught us. As one graduate wrote recently, Wiley also lived for the story and that made us do the same. Dont back down. Ask the tough questions. Live life passionately. And no one no one lived life more

> see WILEYpage 6

T echT alk
MANAGEMENT
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Kaleb Causey MANAGING EDITOR Hannah Schilling SENIOR EDITOR Austin Vining NEWS EDITOR Allison East ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Cody Sexton FEATURE EDITOR John Sadler SPORTS EDITORS Chad Merritt Raney Johnson PHOTO EDITOR Deepanjan Mukhopadhyay PHOTOGRAPHERS Devin Dronett Derek J. Amaya ADVERTISING MANAGER Derek J. Amaya ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Kaitlyn Gallegos ADVISERS Dr. Judith Roberts T. Scott Boatright ADVERTISING ADVISER Dr. Reginald Owens PRODUCTION MANAGER Michael LeBlanc ADVERTISING PRODUCTION Michael LeBlanc DEPARTMENT HEAD Dr. Reginald Owens

The

Why do you even care?

CODY SEXTON Entertainment Editor

LETS GET ONE THING STRAIGHT

omosexuality is so frequently discussed these days I am beginning to think of myself as something of a celebrity. As a gay man, I feel like I am part of a club everyone is talking about. The other day I overheard two men discussing the matter, saying just because it is found in over 200 other species, homosexuality is still not natural for humans. For the record, they took that argument out of context. It is only used whenever someone says homosexuality is not natural. While I did not say anything to them, I was bothered. I was not offended. I am used to the southern mentality. I was bothered that two straight men would take the time to discuss something that has nothing to do with them. Often the reason has something

to do with religion and some people see themselves as warriors for Christ when really all they do is give me a headache. I am not religious, but I am certain gossiping and judging is against the rules. I never did understand the thought process of the religious who focus on the supposed sins of others to distract themselves from their own sins. One would also think a group of people who came to America searching for religious freedom and to escape persecution in Europe would have more sympathy for others who are being persecuted and not turn it into a witch hunt. I am not comparing gays to witches (though after this season of American Horror Story: Coven I would not hate it.) If for no other reason, people should at least think about the children. Gay teens are four times more likely to commit suicide. ing of support was amazing. Louisiana Tech students and staff, the many campus ministries, the Ruston community through churches and individual gifts, Barnes and Noble Bookstore through lending textbooks that had been destroyed, and The Hutch through donating mattresses were just a few of the many who helped to make this experience a little less painful for the students who are now ready to move forward with their lives. The international students, as well as the two American students who also received assistance, have stated that they felt overwhelmed by

Over the summer, I had the opportunity to go home to Seattle: a utopian society, where pot is legal, Starbucks ows in abundance and people do not care about who loves whom. Gay rights are a non-issue up there, and that is how I was always raised to see it. Why do straight people even care? There is no gay agenda. We are not in cahoots with the Illuminati to bring about a fabulous new world order. And we certainly do not recruit people to join the gay community. We leave recruitment to the religious. The only way to x the problem is to treat it like the non-issue it is. If the people opposed to gay rights are tired of hearing about them, they can only imagine how we feel about it.
Cody Sexton is a senior journalism major from Bossier City who serves as entertainment editor for The Tech Talk. Email comments to cls068@latech.edu.

The need for unity in politics

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.

Letter to the Editor

On behalf of the International Student Ofce at Louisiana Tech, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the many people and organizations that stepped forward to help after some of our international students were displaced by a re in their apartment complex two weeks ago. After hearing the news, numerous people stepped up and contacted the International Student Ofce to offer help. The outpour-

the gifts and sympathy from people they had never met before. We also want to express our appreciation to the re stations of Ruston, Lincoln Parish, Choudrant, and Grambling for their quick response and the sensitive way in which they assisted the students that day. Altogether, these students experienced rsthand the passionate spirit of Louisiana Tech and the compassion of the people of north Louisiana. Dan Erickson, international student and scholar services

ecently, it was discovered that staff members from the ofce of New Jersey governor Chris Christie were involved in a retaliation scheme that resulted in the closing of the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee, N.J., for four days. It is suspected the lanes were blocked as retaliation for Fort Lees mayor, Mark Sokolich, refusing to endorse Christie for his last election. While there is no evidence that Christie was directly involved with the extortion scheme, his staff is a reection on him. The extortion scheme is a reection on a philosophy that is all too prevalent in American politics today: If people dont agree with you, force them to. Blackmail and extortion policies are bastardizing the American political system. The use of negative policies can never result in a positive outcome. It will create an atmosphere of distrust between politicians. The practices will hurt the reputation of the politicians in the long run. All parties must work together in order to advance any political system, whether it be local or national. Christie was recently re-inaugurated in a ceremony which was placed rmly in the shadow of his scandal. While Christie was recently seen as a front-runner for the 2016 Republican nomination, some of Christies most

> see UNITYpage 6

Arts Entertainment

January 30, 2014 The T ech T alk 5

Tech goes on a magic carpet ride

Submitted photo

The cast of Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp, performed by Tech students and children from the community, dance on the stage of Howard Auditorium designed as the streets of Baghdad.
ALLISON EAST News Editor The Louisiana Tech theater department brought a whole new world to the stage of Howard Auditorium in its play Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp. The play tells a different story than the wellknown movie, but still focuses on Aladdins love for the princess and a genie from a magic lamp. The set, props and costumes take the audience on a magic carpet ride into Baghdad. As someone with previous theater experience, however, I saw some things I would have done differently. Thomas Comb as Aladdin shone through as the casts biggest star. He was animated and excited, helping pull me into the play. Trey Clark as the Sultan did the same. I laughed at nearly everything he did and said, and he was, by far, my favorite character. As entertaining as Comb and Clark were, however, some of their costars failed to captivate me in the same way. The princess, played by Hannah Miglicco, fell at in comparison. Her character seemed fairly static, but Miglicco does not appear to add many dimensions. The princess serves her purpose, but I did not see many little Aladdins in the audience dying to save her. Carolyn Smith as Zarita, Aladdins mother, added comedic relief to the play, but there were times when her heavy New Jersey-style accent seemed out of place in Baghdad. Magrahbi, played by Orlando Shelly, adds to the play through his entrances into the audience, making a speech from the balcony and turning the play into an all-around experience. The play cast children from the local community as background characters, and they were precious. They marched on stage and danced with the older cast members, adding to the feelgood nature of the play. Acting as minor characters, the children and the princess court added a lot to the play. The princess court, played by Courtney VanEaton, Madison Gilcrease and Emily Lancon, provided more comedic relief and helped the ow of the play. VanEaton and Gilcrease looked extremely comfortable on stage, with VanEaton making the audience laugh over and over. The groups dances were wellrehearsed and entertained the audience as much as the princess and her court. The genie, played by Meihan Gou, was a little creepy. It may have been the nature of the character and not Gous acting, but the way she eagerly and sporadically popped out was weird. Gou was not the friendly genie we have come to love from

Disneys Aladdin. The plays plot is mildly entertaining. It is a classic love story with an extra unrequited love involved. Magrabi wants to steal the princess love and will go to any extreme, even stealing a kingdom, to do so. The special performance Sunday with added audience components will hopefully up the tempo and make Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp the awesome performance it has the potential to be.

Email comments to ace007@latech.edu.

From the city of Ruston to the city of angels

PAUL HARRIS Staff Reporter Tiptoe steps usually do not yield extreme gains. Louisiana Tech graduates Mat Dauzat and Heather St. Marie took a leap of faith landing them in Los Angeles, the city of angels, chasing a dream rooted in Ruston. Dauzat said he and St. Marie started playing acoustic shows at a coffee shop on open-mic night. We would play as a duo before we tried to assemble our band together, Dauzat said. He said the band was one of the reasons a stage was built at Rabbs (now Revelry). The stage was built and we were able to put on some really enjoyable shows while we were here at Tech, Dauzat said. St. Marie said they wanted to start performing elsewhere and expand their fan base. We would spontaneously drive out to Los Angeles to go perform at the Whiskey and then have to drive back, St. Marie said. It was worth it though because we began to make connections out there. The connections made there changed their lives, St. Marie said. On one of those spontaneous trips to L.A., members from Limp Bizkit were present and really dug Mat so when Wes Borland left the band they specically asked Mat to come audition to replace him, St. Marie said. Unfortunately, due to scheduling conicts, Dauzat was unable to meet with them, but they remained in contact. Following graduation, their local band separated and he and St. Marie had to make a choice. We werent ready to give up on this thing so we decided to take that leap, drop everything to move out to California to give it a full shot, Dauzat said. They got back in touch with their Limp Bizkit contact and an opportunity presented itself. We arrived in L.A. on a Tuesday and Mat got hooked up with an audition on Thursday, St. Marie said. The audition just happened to be an opening for a bass player for Kelly Osborne. St. Marie said Kelly and Sharon Osborne fell in love with Dauzats playing and his look and he was chosen. So within two days of us getting there Mat is on with Kelly Osborne and left on a world tour three weeks later, St. Marie said. She said after Dauzats world tour more connections were made in the music industry. We were at a party with the Osbornes and Robert Trujillo (bass player for Metallica) was there, and he introduced us to Shawnee Smith; she was looking for someone that could play guitar and mandolin, St. Marie said. We told her that Mat could play both, so she came to check us out. St. Marie said Smith loved what she heard and took their music

Photo by Devin Dronett

St. Marie and Dauzet enjoy returning to perform at bars in Ruston where their journey to success began.
to a friend of hers who was producing an independent lm at the time. The movie turned out to be Saw, St. Marie said. They loved our music and asked us to write a song that would be a part of the movie. Their song, Killer Inside, was featured on the movie Saw III. Sometimes I ask myself is this really happening to us, St. Marie said. Kelly and I played acoustic guitar together at the Playboy Mansion for its 50th birthday, and after that I am sitting with Sharon Osborne and Anna Nicole Smith thinking how surreal it is. Dauzat and St. Marie recently came back to Ruston to perform at Sundown. Its probably our favorite thing to do to come back to Ruston and play for this town, Dauzat said. It keeps us grounded because its really cool to come back and play for your friends. Weve been all over the world, but shows like this

are some of our favorites. Both musicians received graphic design degrees while studying at Tech. We both have a fall-back plan because of our degrees, but no one has ever really done anything big by taking tiptoe steps, so I say dive in fully to anything you have passion for and pursue it all out, St. Marie said.

Email comments to phh007@latech.edu.

Distractions
WEEKLYHOROSCOPE
www.horoscopes.com.net
Aries March 21 April 19 Make your time spent with others much richer by contrasting it with time spent absolutely alone, Aries. Youll find that the more energy you can focus on yourself and your own thoughts for a while, the more you will have stored up in your emotional battery to share with others when youre with them. Be more selfish with your energy in terms of making sure that your inner sanctuary is being tended to regularly. Taurus Apr 20 - May 20 Attend a lecture or some sort of intellectual discussion in which people are actively expressing their ideas and strong opinions, Taurus. Its important for you to feel the passion of another who is incredibly focused on his or her dream. Get inspired today by those who speak with passion even though you might not necessarily agree with what theyre saying. If you dont, feel free to respond with an equally passionate retort. Gemini May 21 - Jun 20 Your imagination is in all likelihood drawing you to faraway places, Gemini, and you may find yourself daydreaming constantly. At times, these dreams may seem to get in the way of your usual rational, linear way of dealing with everyday life. Remember that these dreams have been sent to you for a reason and that you should try to comprehend and consciously integrate their messages into your everyday waking life. Cancer Jun 21 - Jul 22 Remember that there is a spirit in everything around you, Cancer. Just because we cant perceive something with our eyes, ears, nose, mouth, or fingers doesnt mean that it doesnt exist. Pay respect to the force field that surrounds us, and to the animate and inanimate forms that exist in our everyday life. You are apt to perceive life as if it were a prayer today. Leo Jul 23 - Aug 22 Share more of your passion, love, and happiness with the people around you, Leo. Put your energy toward a group project and work to co-create something much more magical and meaningful than anything you could create on your own. You arent alone in this world, and you will find that you have a great deal to learn from working in close relationship with other people who share similar ideals. Virgo Aug 23 - Sep 22 Drastic shifts in your emotions might be causing you to doubt certain instincts or feelings you have, Virgo. Instead of getting frustrated by your inability to make rational sense of these emotions, enjoy the ride that theyre offering you. Having these emotions and being able to express them freely is a great gift. Dont try to hide or suppress anything you feel. If it seems like youre on a roller coaster today, dont try to jump off halfway through the ride. Youll be much safer if you stay seated until the end. Libra Sep 23 - Oct 22 Today is one of those days in which you just want to lie on your back on the ground and look up at the clouds, Libra. Your artistic mind can easily spot one that looks like a dragon, one that is a chair, and one that looks just like your mother. Pull someone down onto the grass with you and show that person what you see. There is a reason why your brain draws attention to certain shapes and not others. Find important clues in this information. Scorpio Oct 23 - Nov 21 Youre most likely going to be very drawn to the things that you cant have, Scorpio. Instead of getting upset and frustrated by the fact that you arent getting what you want, look for the lesson in the situation and the reason why you really dont need those things at all. Things with extremely high sentimental value may seem very important to you right now, but maybe there is an important reason why you need to let go and move on from that particular sentiment. Sagittarius Nov 22 - Dec 21 You may find yourself staring at a blank page for what seems like hours on end while you try to get down on paper what you really want to say, Sagittarius. Perhaps your motivation is flagging. Your mind is soaring in the clouds today and it may be hard for it to keep on task. However, once you start the act of writing or whatever job you need to finish, things seem to flow to completion on their own. Capricorn Dec 22 - Jan 19 If you find yourself needing to do something in order to escape your life for a while, Capricorn, then maybe you need to examine your life more closely. Instead of trying to figure out the best means of escape, try to figure out the best means for making your life more enjoyable. Make sure youre happy with yourself and the things that youre doing. If you arent, its time for a change. Aquarius Jan 20 - Feb 18 Keep your fun-loving spirit pure, Aquarius. Be careful that you arent making witty conversation or entertaining jokes at someone elses expense. This type of behavior is likely to come back around and haunt you later. Keep things positive at all times, especially when youre tempted to spread information about someone that isnt exactly flattering. Today is one of those days in which you could easily slip and get your foot stuck in your mouth. Pisces Feb 19 - Mar 20 Your emotions are likely to deceive you today, so be careful about making a judgment about something, Pisces. Make sure that you take your time and gather all the necessary facts or else you may end up making an impulsive decision that you regret later on. The situations and people you encounter today are apt to be stubborn, emotional, or unreliable. If this is so, simply back away and address these things at some other time.

6 The T ech T alk January 30, 2014

CROSSWORDPUZZLE
Across 1. Pequod captain 5. Trades 10. Nevada senator Harry 14. Wise trio 15. Movie critic Roger 16. ___ quam videri (North Carolinas motto) 17. Patrol wagon 19. Bridge 20. Author Leonard 21. Skullcap 23. Down-to-earth type 25. Funny Anne 26. Port of old Rome 28. Sigil 31. E.g., e.g. 34. Some Ivy Leaguers 36. Peachy! 37. Lady of Sp. 38. Incinerate 40. Deserved 41. Keep an ___ the ground 43. Agitate 44. Hula hoops? 45. Breakfast food 47. Martini garnish 49. Playground retort 51. Public disgrace 55. Aura of mystery 58. Recorded 59. Small amount 60. Smaller than normal size 62. Russian no 63. ___ the hole 64. Frobe who played Goldfinger 65. Clotted blood 66. Uptight 67. ___ buco (veal dish) Down 1. The color of honey 2. Actress Berry 3. Brightly colored lizard 4. Like a half-moon cookie or a magpie 5. Academic session 6. Ring org. 7. Ethereal 8. King of Troy 9. Gazes fixedly 10. Rise again 11. Seashore drive 12. Writer Dinesen 13. Sandy tract 18. Actor Kristofferson 22. Lobster state 24. Roofing items 27. We ___ please 29. Decorative case 30. Some digits 31. Just ___! 32. Highland hillside 33. Lawyer 35. Leaves port 38. Raccoon relative 39. Three-cornered cocked hat 42. Having a valid will 44. Freckle 46. Yellow plumlike fruit 48. Moving vehicles 50. Pound part 52. Stuns 53. Copycats 54. Resulted in 55. Chinese dynasty 56. Spoollike toy 57. Steinbeck: East of _____ 61. Frozen Wasser

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LASTISSUESSOLUTION

DAILY U

Have any ideas for future comics or feedback? Email dwyer@latech.edu

WEEKLYWEATHER
TODAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY

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TUESDAY WEDNESDAY

SUDOKUPUZZLE
Difficulty EASY Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 grid contains the digits 1 through 9.
Sudoku Puzzle - Easy

www.sudoku-puzzles.net LASTISSUESSOLUTION
Sudoku Solution - Medium

HIGH 53 LOW 41

HIGH 63 LOW 53

HIGH 67 LOW 47

HIGH 52 LOW 35

HIGH 46 LOW 40

HIGH 48 LOW 37

HIGH 48 LOW 24

www.sudoku-puzzles.net

www.sudoku-puzzles.net

>

WILEYfrom pg. 4

passionately than Wiley. As a nurse wheeled him away for heart surgery 20 years ago, he told his wife, Kate, Ive had a wonderful life. Ive done everything I ever wanted to do. Whatever happens, itll be all right. In mid-January, as Wiley lay in ICU the day before he died, Kate told me, I thought that was so kind. Indeed, it was, and he was, even though he might shove you a little during a meeting if he disagreed with you. But, oh, my, how hed have your back and then push you out front where you could shine. He knew how to prime us to reach our potential, how to make us believe in ourselves, how to nd the best in each of us, how to see beyond the commas. Along the journey, never going gentle into that good night (appropriately, because Wiley loved that Dylan Thomas poem), Wiley got away with critiques that might have cost others their jobs. Warning one student, he promised, If

you ever put something like that in my this once more. Many former students paper again, Im going to cut off all your now say they wish they had told him hair in some kind of weird punishment. how much of an imprint he made on Did the students rant and rave and their lives. I understand. I was waiting hate him for it? No, instead they to arrange our next luncheon swore to do better. They promdate. We had already agreed to ised never to submit anything meet as soon as the holiday less than their best partly behustle and bustle died down. It cause Wiley usually followed up never happened. with an arm around the shoulBut, as Wiley said, Its all der. I just want you to underright. Wiley knew how much stand, he would say. we loved him. All over North So not only was Wiley a Louisiana his loyal readers, View thoughts gift-giver; he was also gifted. his friends, his journalism famon Wiley People skills. Decades of colily we gave him more than 50 Hilburn by umns. North Louisiana. Nature. years of superb everyday moRon White at History. Humor. Politics. People ments that he relished as no www.the from governors to the Huddle one else could. techtalk.org House gang. Nothing escaped Wiley, even after your passWiley except his car keys or ing, youre still teaching. Dylan his car or his glasses. Thomas would be proud. Maybe, though, his greatest gift had nothing to do with his beloved journal- Sallie Rose Hollis met Wiley Hilburn in 1969 ism. Maybe it just had to do with life: at a high school career day. She graduated He knew how to love and to be loved. from Tech in journalism in 1974 and subHow to let people know he loved them. sequently taught with Hilburn for 34 years, His nal act death underscored retiring in 2008.

>

UNITYfrom pg. 4
More Puzzles: www.sudoku-puzzles.net

ardent supporters have begun to question his ability to govern. Thomas Kean, the former governor of New Jersey, has criticized the governor in an interview with the Washington Post. On the one hand, I think hes got a lot to offer. I think hes the most able politician since Bill Clinton, Kean said. On the other hand, you look at these other qualities and ask, do you really want that in your president? If a politician cannot gain party unity without threats and extortion, then they are not what America needs.

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More Talk

January 30, 2014 The T ech T alk 7

Meagan Lee talks about her road to royalty.

PAUL DAUTERIVE Staff Reporter As Miss Tech my biggest responsibility is to be an ambassador for the school, Lee said. I represent the Meagan Lee was crowned Miss university with everything I do. Tech Nov. 6, 2013, and her victory Lee said she would compare beshould be remembered by her per- ing Miss Tech to taking on a full-time sistence through her struggles and job. adversity. Lee said some of her duties have Lee spent the year before the included visiting local elementary event away from pageant competi- schools and giving the invocation at tion and dancing while she struggled a Tech basketball game. with health issues and two major surI am really excited for next fall geries. during homecoming week, Lee said. Everything I had always known There is so much going on. was gone, Lee said. I knew I had to Lee said one of her responsibilitake control or let it ruin me. ties is to plan some of the aspects of Before the Miss Tech pageant in the Mr. Tech competition. November, Lee was She said the compediagnosed with stage Everything I had tition is used as a fundfour endometriosis, a raiser for the Childrens disease in which uter- always known was Miracle Network hosine cells grow outside gone. I knew I had pital that helps children of the uterus. with life threatening Lee, who has com- to take control or diseases. peted in pageants let it ruin me. It is all part of besince she was 14, said ing Miss Tech, Lee taking time off was MEAGAN LEE said. Im excited to be hard, especially since Ms. Louisiana Tech involved. she could not pracFormer Miss Tech, tice dancing. Julianne Tippen, said She said after she recovered she she wished Lee the best of luck had to work hard to retrain herself. as she represents Tech this Taking time off prepared me for year. taking this job, Lee said. It allowed I look forward to competme to reect on if this was what I re- ing at Miss Louisiana this year ally wanted to do. with her again, Tippen said. Lee said she does not want to stop at Miss Tech and now has her Email comments to sights on Miss Louisiana. pdd010@latech.edu. Lee said it is a requirement for the Miss Tech winners to compete in Miss Louisiana. Winning Miss Louisiana would validate the work I put into getting back where I was, Lee said. That would be the ultimate way to give back to the university that I love so much. Lee said she has taken on many new responsibilities for her new job.
Submitted photos

Lee competed in and won the 2014 Miss Louisiana Tech pageant.

Sports Talk
Dogs dominate defensively
WILL TRAHAN Staff Reporter Louisiana Techs Dunkin Dogs are known for putting the ball in the hoop with the best of teams, but it is their defense that has become the bread and butter of the squad. The defense of the Dogs has been formidable for opponents they have faced. Tech has scored nearly 400 more points than their opponents this year. The stats for this year include a plus-5.4 turnover margin, a plus-4.3 rebounding margin, a plus-18.7 rebounding edge and a plus2.4 blocks per game margin. The player who charges this defense with his thunderous blocks is Michale Kyser, a 6-9 junior forward from Lancaster, Texas. Kyser has blocked 71 shots so far this season with no signs of slowing down. I focus on my interior defense and blocking shots and when I get the chance, turning that into offensive opportunities, Kyser said when asked about his game. The defense of Kyser in the paint and blocking shots has helped the wide scoring ratio against other teams. My team knows that I am going to try my hardest every time I go out there to get every block that I can and every block I make should lead to the next fast

8 The T ech T alk January 30, 2014

FROMTHESPORTS DESK
with Chad Merritt

Silence is not gold at the TAC

W
Photos by Donny Crowe

Kenneth Speedy Smith waits to make a play on the ball. break, Kyser said. Another key part to the defense is the polar opposite of Kysers inside the paint physicality-Kenneth Speedy Smiths ability to cause the turnover and contest shots. Smith is a 6-3 junior guard from St. Petersburg, Fla. He is phenomenal, he is one of the best passers in the country, but he has become a oor general for us on defense, head coach Mike White said. Smith leads the team with 50 steals on the season, which is a key part to the positive turnover margin on the season. He has always been a leader for our team, he gets people where they need to be to make plays and is always a pest on defense even if he is not stealing the ball, White said. He throws his body around on the glass and leads by example, almost becoming a coach for us.

Michale Kyser jumps to block the shot of an opponent. Along with his 50 steals on the year, he is averaging 7.4 assists per game, which benets directly from the defensive play of this team. I worry about defense rst when going into a game because if I do that, the offense will follow, Smith said. Smith has denitely earned his nickname by being all over the court and in every players face contesting shots. I try to think about what I would do in the same situation and look at the guy I am defending and gure it out, Smith said. I also just hustle all the time on the court and sometimes I just get lucky. The Bulldogs are enjoying an eight-game win streak when playing in the Thomas Assembly Center and look to keep up the defensive effort while going through conference play.

Email comments to bwt008@latech.edu.

7.4
Smith is 3rd in the nation with 7.4 assists per game.

2.5
Smith is 14th in the nation with 2.5 steals per game.

3.6
Kyser is 5th in the nation with 3.6 blocks per game.

Dominating Defense

4 th 11 th 26 th

in the nation in steals. in the nation in rebounds. in the nation in blocks.

Young money helps bring fans

RANEY JOHNSON Sports Editor whether it is in Natchitoches, Hattiesburg, Miss. or Houston, he said Summerall, who lives in Pineville, said it is This is the second entry of a series about the do- important for students to continue to support nors who help fund Tech athletics. their university even after they graduate despite moving somewhere else. The thought of distinguished graduates long Some people will graduate and go off and gone from Tech usually comes to mind when support some other school, he said. thinking of donors to the athletic program, but Summerall said although recent graduates recent graduates can throw just as much money may not have the money after graduating, they at the university. should still try to nd a way to support their uniOne of those recent graduates is Dustin Sum- versity. merall, a 2006 graduate with a I think it is important to stay bachelors degree in computer involved in some manner, he information systems. I dont think it is all about D Y N A M I C said. I think it is important to giving back money. It is about give back to the university, said giving back time to the univerSummerall, a member of the sity. alumni board. He said young alumni could Summerall said one of his start off by donating a little favorite aspects about attending Tech was going money to the university. to sporting events. When you do make lots of money down the One thing I liked the most were athletic road, you have the opportunity to give more, events and going to other events on campus, he Summerall said. said. I really liked going to basketball games. Richard Crise, another young alumnus, gradSummerall said he enjoyed the basketball uated from Tech in 2010 with a bachelors degames because the games were the most fun gree in kinesiology and in 2012 with a masters and there were so many of them. He said he degree in sports performance. He said he startcontinues to support the basketball team and at- ed donating to the athletic program last year. tend their games with his family. Donating to the athletic program will conWe try to go to any games that are near by, tribute to our facilities, he said. Crise said recent graduates should try to give back as much as they can. He said one of the facilities he looks forward to from donating is the new weight room in the south end of the eld. I think that it will be a great addition to the university, he said. Crise said the small donations by recent graduates help to bring in the athletes the athletic programs need through scholarships. The university starts making more money when it starts winning, he said. Summerall said he thinks it is important for alumni to not only give back nancially to programs such as Tech athletics, but also academically. I am vice president of the information systems advisory council, he said. Summerall said the council helps bring real life experience to the students in the College of Business. It keeps what they are learning in the classroom connected with what is happening in the real world, Summerall said. They can add those types of things to the curriculum. Summerall said donating money to the athletic program brings recognition and attention to Tech. The value of my degree is as good as the current university, he said.

DONORS

alking around campus at Tech, you see many signs saying Be Loyal Blue, or logging into your social media, youll see people posting their love for Tech with the occasional HBTD (How Bout Them Dogs.) All this love for Tech is great, but why cant we enact this love further by attending our athletic events? The Operation Sellout game last Saturday had an attendance of 7,355, the fourth largest crowd ever at the Thomas Assembly Center and the largest crowd since the early 80s. Attendance for that one game was spectacular, but Tech fans need to make an effort like that for all the games of every sport. The Tech-Southern Miss football game last November had an ofcial attendance of 18,571, but I can say from a rsthand account that it sure didnt look or sound like that many people. You could make an argument that we are in the golden age of Tech athletics. Many of our teams have had winning records and played beyond the regular season in the past few years. Tech is one of 15 schools, and the only non automatic qualifying/non BCS school, to have been voted in the top 25 in both football and basketball during the 2012-13 season. Tech basketball currently has two players, Michale Kyser and Kenneth Speedy Smith, in the top-ve in two major categories for mens basketball. The 17-4 team is also in the top 12 in the nation in points, rebounds, assists and steals. The Bulldogs even received a vote in the Top 25 this week. All of these stats are amazing. Whats even more amazing is that we cant get high attendance for games. The games feature every appeal to the stereotypical college student, theyre free, theyre fun and they offer free food. What more do they need to do to draw more fans in? We always talk about how much we despise LSU and ULM. Well, lets hop on our own bandwagon. The players, coaches and athletic department do their best to give a quality product, and they have succeeded. The least we can do as proud Tech fans is to go out for a few hours and cheer them on.

Email comments to rcj008@latech.edu.

Chad Merritt is a senior journalism major from Livingston. Email comments to cam059@latech.edu.