TECH

BOUND

Seth Rogen and James Francos controversial

movie finds new life online

PAGE 5

Former Flordia quarterback Jeff Driskel

joins the Bulldogs

PAGE 8

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JANUARY 15, 2015

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VOLUME 89 ISSUE 10

Miss Tech crowned

CATHERINE BURKE
Staff Reporter

Miss Tech 2015, Eva Edinger, has a

special tie to her new title.
My mother was crowned Miss Tech
om 1975, said Edinger, a junior biology
and pre-med major.
Edinger said she is eager to carry on
the legacy of her mother, Joan Burt Edinger, the current director of admissions,
who provided constant encouragement
that made her more determined and inspired.
Fourteen women competed for the
title held Jan. 8 in Howard Auditorium
before an audience that included other
pageant queens, including Miss Louisiana.
In addition to Edinger, the judging
panel selected the following finalists:
Jordan Ward, fourth runner-up; Anna
Blake, third runner-up; Molly Humphries,
second runner-up; and Rachel Vizza, first
runner up.
Vizza said it was absolutely wonderful being in the top two.
I wouldnt have wanted to share that
moment with anyone else, said Vizza, a
junior studio art major. Eva absolutely
deserved that, hands down. Im so proud
of her.
Vizza said this pageant was all about
the journey and she walked away from
the it completely satisfied with herself.
I have accomplished goals that
seemed impossible in the beginning,
she said. With the encouragement of
family and friends, I have accomplished
more than I thought I would.
Miranda McDonald, Miss Tech contestant and senior biology major, said
she would encourage anyone to be in the
pageant.
I had an absolute blast throughout
the entire process, she said. I made so
many wonderful new friendships and for
that, I wish I could do it over and over
again.
Edinger said she is honored and humbled to have been crowned.
Jan. 8 will forever be engrained in
my mind, she said. I couldnt believe it
when they announced I had won the title
of Miss Tech. It was a riveting moment.
Edinger said it still does not seem real.
Im still letting it sink in, she said.
Im so excited that Ive been given this
opportunity to represent my university.
Edinger said she looks forward to
what the future holds for her as Miss
Tech.
This upcoming year is going to be
incredible, she said. Im going to definitely make the most of every day as
Miss Tech.

Email comments to
cjb066@latech.edu.

Photo by Brian Blakely

Photo by Colin Fontenot

TOP Eva Edinger is crowned Miss Tech by James King, the vice president for student advancement, and Meagan Lee, Miss Tech 2014.
BOTTOM: The winners of the pagent pose together while Lacey Sanchez, the current Miss Louisiana, looks on.

RIGHT: Miranda McDonald, a senior biology major, does a clogging routine as part of the talent
competition.

Photo by Brian Blakely

NEWS

2 The Tech Talk January 15, 2015

www.thetechtalk.org

Tech alum pens first sci-fi thriller

MICHAEL HOGE
Staff Reporter

tion orbiting a yellow star, the other being Earth.

Travel is a big part of the series, and Mitchell enjoys
travel himself.
A Tech alumnus has recently published a sciIve been there, Mitchell said, I love England.
ence fiction novel as the first book in a series.
His love for England is one of the reasons it appears
Jason Mitchell, a 2001 graduate who majored in Computer in his novel, though he has not been to the exact locaInformation Systems, wrote From Here to
tions in it.
Nearly There.
Even though he graduated 14 years
I always wanted to write a book since
ago and moved out of state to Georgia,
the eighth grade, Mitchell said.
Mitchell is still fond of his alma mater.
Mitchells novel, written under the pen
I love the school, I love the area, said
name Alec Merta, is a sci-fi thriller about an
Mitchell. Some of my happiest memoEnglish mapmaker and surveyor who must
ries were at Tech.
race across England and escape the police
The next step for Mitchell is releasing
and aliens who are after him.
an audiobook edition of his novel.
I attempted a couple novels over the
I decided to reach out to some proyears, Mitchell said.
ducers, Mitchell said, It took two secHe decided to change his style when
onds to decide on the guy.
writing From Here to Nearly There a few
He decided on Alex Hyde-White, an
months ago, which is the first book in his seactor who has appeared in movies and
ries called A Voyage in the Near Distance.
on television shows such as Indiana
Science fiction allows the most creativJones and the Last Crusade and Dexity, Mitchell said.
ter.
Mitchell thinks that with other genres
He is a very talented guy and Im
you are bound to writing to the rules of the
thrilled, Mitchell said.
universe.
Mitchell said that it has never been
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
You get to ask what if questions,
easier to get a book out to an audience.
Mitchell said, So it offers a great degree of creativity to
There is no excuse but to take a stab at it, Mitchell
the writers.
said, You may not write the great American novel, but
An example of this is that his novel is a tale of two youll have written your novel.
worlds, very similar, that are connected by an ancient mystery. One is a world full of human civiliza- Email comments to mph027@latech.edu

Submitted Photo

Jason Mitchell, a 2001 Tech graduate, is working to release

an audiobook edition of his novel.

SPEAK

MAGAZINE

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and more!

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Go to issuu.com/speakmagazinemedia
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UPCOMING EVENTS
FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

The Career Center

will hold resume
walk-ins from 11
a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Bulldogs
will host Middle
Tennessee in a
basketball game at
3 p.m.

No calendar

University closed
for Martin Luther
King, Jr. birthday
observance

Classes resume at
8 a.m.

No calendar
events

The Lady Techsters will host

North Texas in a
game at 6:30 p.m.

events

NEWS

www.thetechtalk.org

January 15, 2015 The Tech Talk 3

Tech begins construction on sidewalk

FREDEDREIA WILLIS
Staff Reporter
Along with finishing up construction of the South End
Zone Project for the football stadium, Louisiana Tech has
broken more ground close by for another project, a sidewalk near Thomas Assembly Center.
Triad Builders Construction Company has applied work
zone lane closure on West Alabama Avenue due to installation of a new sidewalk.
The sidewalk is going to provide good access to Hideaway Park, said Samuel Wallace, assistant vice president
of administration and facilities. The project is expected to
be complete by the end of the month.
Wallace said there have been some efforts through
Techs department of recreation to make improvements in
Hideaway Park for recreation and tailgating events in the
athletic complex.
Once this sidewalk is completed, there will be a sidewalk from Hideaway Park all the way to downtown, Wallace said.
The lack of sidewalk on West Alabama Avenue meant
students and the community had to walk on the grass,
the uneven hill or around
Athletes often
the Thomas Assembly Cenuse the road to
ter and onto the road.
Until the sidewalk is
get from campus finished,
you do not have a
to practice, so
complete path to get to the
corner of the football stait is going to be
dium and the new sidewalk
nice to have a
will change that, Wallace
said.
safer route.
The sidewalk will be the
safest path connecting the
VICTORIA
campus apartments to main
CHARTERS
campus and to downtown
Sophomore secondary
all the way from Hideaway
education major
Park.
Students who walk to
main campus from West
Alabama Avenue are happy about the new sidewalk being
installed.
Victoria Charters, a sophomore secondary education
major, said the new sidewalk would definitely benefit the
students.
Athletes often use the road to get from campus to practice, so it is going to be nice to have safer route, she said.

Photos by Brian Blakely

Construction of the new sidewalk near the TAC. The sidewalk will begin at Hideaway Park and
extend to the downtown area on West Alabama Avenue.
Charters said she cant wait until the sidewalk is officially
done and she is glad the project is not going to take longer
than a month.
John Knoh, an electrical worker, with Triad, was busy
doing electrical work for the sidewalk this week and said
workers will come out and begin to pour concrete when the
weather permits.
The electrical part of the job should be done before the
week is out, he said. The new sidewalk will stretch about
1,600 feet.
Knoh said they have a lot of work built up and the proj-

ect does not look like much to a bystander, but it is coming

along well and they have not faced any problems so far.
The total cost of the construction is $109,950, Wallace said. This new sidewalk would have been complete
faster, but the rain and cold weather has been a prevention,
He said as Tech moves into the home schedule of conference play for basketball, the construction work will pass
around the assembly center and the team is not very far
away from having the lane closure opened.

Email comments to flw005@latech.edu.

Community of Ruston
prepares for flu season
MICHAEL HOGE
Staff Reporter
The flu epidemic which
has been hitting the nation, has not resulted in
an increase of flu cases
around Ruston, said local
health professionals.
Truthfully, I havent
seen much of the flu
around here, said Dr. Allen Herbert, family physician at the Northern Louisiana Medical Center.
There was not a large
increase of vaccinations
compared to other years,
said Paige Pickett, head
nurse at Louisiana Tech
student health center.
We have given approximately 130 flu shots this
school year, Pickett said,
This is about average for
what we give per year.
Tiffany Rutland, a pharmacist with Walgreens,
said compared to other
years, locally it has been
about the same.
I think its pretty high,
but its about the same
prescription-wise, Rutland
said.
Nationwide the flu has
been hitting just as hard
and early like the previous
two years, according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
According to a CDC
definition, the flu is an epidemic when a certain percentage of deaths in a given week are due to flu and
pneumonia. Flu epidemics
occurred in nine of the last

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Photo by Brian Blakely

A Tech Talk student receives a flu shot from a Tech nurse

dozen winters, including

this one.
Pickett said to prevent
getting the flu, people
should get the flu shot,
wash hands and avoid
close contact with sick
people.
Herbert said if people
catch the flu, treatment is
systematic, according to
the symptoms of flu.
The most important
thing is to isolate yourself
from other people, Herbert said.
Pickett said students
who catch the flu should go
home, and not risk spreading it to their classmates.
Students should see a
doctor, get anti-viral medications, avoid close contact, stay home at least
24 hours after the fever is
gone and clean any contaminated surfaces.
Pickett said there have

been no reported cases of

students being hospitalized
in Ruston.
Flu hospitalization rates
nationwide are similar to
the harsh season two years
ago, which was dominated
by a similar flu virus.
Health officials this year
are urging doctors to treat
flu patients promptly with
antiviral medications.
The government decided that all of us should
take a flu shot, Herbert
said. Theyre trying to
promote herd immunity.
He said they promote a
new strain of the vaccine
every year.
You can cut down the
chance of a big epidemic,
Herbert said.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Email comments to
mph027@latech.edu.

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www.thetechtalk.org

4 The Tech Talk January 15, 2015

Insight
The

TechTalk

Islam is not a race

MANAGEMENT
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
John Sadler

MANAGING EDITOR
Cody Sexton

NEWS EDITOR

Ray Patterson

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Cody Sexton

FEATURE EDITOR

Kelsy Kershaw

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Wynnifred Sanders

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR

Anna Whitaker

PHOTO EDITOR

Deepanjan Mukhopadhyay

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jaclyn Perry
Colin Fontenot
Devin Dronett
Carter Carroll
Brian Blakely

ADVERTISING MANAGER
Taylor Loftin

ADVISERS

Dr. Judith Roberts

T. Scott Boatright

ADVERTISING ADVISER

Dr. Reginald Owens

ADVISER/PRODUCTION MANAGER
Michael LeBlanc

ADVERTISING PRODUCTION
Michael LeBlanc

DEPARTMENT HEAD

Dr. Reginald Owens

JOHN SADLER
Editor-In-Chief

y now, you have all heard of the

vicious and bloody attacks on
the French satirical newspaper
Charlie Hebdo by Islamic fundamentalist terrorists.
The attack, which left 12 dead
and 11 wounded, was a disgusting
assault on freedom of speech and
civilization as a whole by cowardly
swine who distort the teachings of a
religion to further their violent goals.
Publications around the world
published cartoons and articles condemning the horrid attacks.
However, another section of the
population spoke up, their main argument being that while we might
support Charlie Hebdos use of free
speech, we do not have to agree with
its message. The cartoons published
by Charlie Hebdo were frequently
and unabashedly disrespectful of Islam, Christianity, Judaism and other
religions.
Some of the cartoons depicting
the Islamic prophet Mohammed in
various states of undress (and one
showing him kissing a man) were
claimed by a few to be racist.
The claim of racism ignores one
thing, however: Islam is not a race.
Race is something you are born

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

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, clas
sification 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.

with. It is something you cannot

shed. It is also something that differentiates you in no way from your fellow man (or, at least, in an ideal world
it wouldnt).
Islam is something else entirely.
It is a belief system. If they wished,
they could wake up one day and say,
I am not a Muslim.
Coming on the heels of European continent-wide anti-Islamic
protests, a few commentators argued
Charlie Hebdos satirical attacks on
Islam was doing nothing but kicking
European Muslims while they were
down. One more insult added to the
growing consensus that they do not
belong.
My opinion on the anti-Islamic
protests can best be summed up by
the famous Cologne Cathedrals decision to extinguish their lights during
the rally. Not in our light, they told
the gathered.
The protests against Islam, especially the ones demanding Muslims
leave, are a cruel and xenophobic
action that helps nobody and hurts
many. They show many people are
still stuck in the mindset that all Muslims must be radical fundamentalists,
a fact that is wrong both morally and
factually.
But I do not think we can put
Charlie Hebdos cartoons in the

same boat.
Do I think they had any respect
for Islam? Hell, no. But staging protests against a religious group and
poking fun at its prophet are two entirely different things.
Respect for a religion belongs in
many places. If I go into a mosque, a
church or a synagogue, I am not going to do anything that would be disrespectful to the beliefs of whatever
house of worship I am in.
In the public dialogue, however,
and especially in comedy, putting religion off limits opens up dangers of
censorship.
Do I think Charlie Hebdo was a
noble publication? No. Its comedic
writers very much intended to piss
people off, possibly more than they
intended to make people laugh. But
the very fact that these comedians
died for doing what they did shows
what they did was important.
If someone threatens you with
violence for saying something, you
should say it louder.
Je Suis Charlie. Vie de la libert
dexpression.
John Sadler is a junior journalism major from Extension who serves as editor
for The Tech Talk. Email comments to
jts040@latech.edu.

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71272.
The Tech Talk (USPS 535-540) is
published Thursdays of the regular
school year, except in vacation and
examination periods, by the Jour
nalism Department of Louisiana
Tech University. Publication office
is in Keeny Hall, Room 139.

The Bottom Line

FROMTHEEDITOR

My New Years resolution isnext year

ELLIE MOSLANDER
Associate Multimedia Editor

t is already the third week of the

new year and Im sure we are all
keeping up with our New Years
resolutions. Or are we? The resolutions range from eating better, getting better grades, exercising more
to quitting bad habits among others.
Just a few weeks go a hot topic
of discussion was what New Years
resolution were we making and now
most have already forgotten.
Some resolutions are more difficult to keep then others, but by the
time spring comes, most are out the
window. By now most likely half of
us are already at the point where we
are slowly letting it slide or maybe
have already given up on them completely.
More than 22 percent of adults
already fail their resolutions after the
first week, according to pyschologytoday.com. People tend to go into the
new year with an enthusiastic spirit
for progress, but in the back of their
minds know the resolution will not
last very long. By now, some of us

may be already thinking of resolutions for next year.

As each year approaches, it seems
as if everyone gets into a last minute
productive mindset where they want
to change something about him or
herself or a habit of theirs.
The world seems to have this
mindset of New Year, new you! but
this never seems to last very long.
Numerous websites, online blogs
and other sources post helpful tips
on how to stick to New Years resolutions.
While this is great, it seems as if
this only helps to an extent. After a
while, we all get pretty tired of it and
move on to something else. This is
not always the case, and I applaud
those who have stuck to them for
longer than two months.
Presonally, I do not really know
why society as a whole seems to
give up on them, but the statistics are
almost humorous. It is most likely
people will not even fulfill them and
we all know it.
A resolution to change or improve for the better is not a bad thing
at all. I dont agree with the concept

or tradition of doing it because of

the New Years fad though. Make a
resolution when it is really necessary
and then there may be more motivation to fulfill it.
Of course, resolutions are not
restricted for a new year; they can
definitely be effective at anytime of
the year. At this point, we have gotten over the spirit a new year and are
slowly adjusting to being in 2015.
The resolutions are pretty much
forgotten. They are not just a recent
American tradition, but have actually
been going on for a very long time.
Traditionally, New Years is a way to
purify from the bad things of the
past year and begin again. I guess
we have taken the first few weeks to
change a bit and then we have moved
on.
So heres to the New Year and unfulfilled resolutions.
Ellie Moslander is a junior journalism
major from Albuquerque, New Mexico,
and serves as associate multimedia editor for the Tech Talk. Email comments to
emo012@latech.edu.

JUST DO IT

The BCS busted again

JARED KING
Sports Editor

lright, so I know there is no

longer a Bowl Championship
Series commonly referred to
as the BCS throughout its existence
from 1998 until 2013 but, even after
its demise, the BCS was busted this
week.
No, the BCS was not busted when
the Ohio State Buckeyes soundly
defeated the No. 2 ranked Oregon
Ducks in the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship
game Monday night. And no, the
BCS was not busted 11 days prior to
the Buckeyes National Championship Game victory when Ohio State,
led by the backup quarterback to the
backup quarterback Cardale Jones,
defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide
42-35.
The BCS was busted when the
CFP selection committee, chaired by
the director of athletics at the Univer-

sity of Arkansas Jeff Long, decided

to allow Ohio State to leapfrog the
Texas Christian University Horned
Frogs into the fourth and final playoff
spot.
The committee got it right. Under
the old BCS system, the final rankings would have paired No. 1 Alabama against No. 2 Florida State in
the National Championship game.
Both of those teams lost in the semifinal round of the CFP.
And that is where the BCS was
busted. The BCS always had its share
of naysayers and critics but the CFP
selection committee was criticized
all season for its sometimes inexplicable ranking and re-ranking of the
top four teams.
Had the CFP simply resulted in
Alabama playing Florida State for the
National Championship, the NCAA
and the selection committee would
have had to deal with tremendous
backlash from analysts and fans because of the lack of parity.

Thankfully, for Long and the committee, they got it right and presented
college football fans with something
they have been pining for since the
inception of the BCS a true playoff,
winner-take-all format.
Next fans will be asking for the
playoff to be expanded from four
teams to eight teams to provide
even more parity, but for now the
four-team playoff is exactly what
the sport needed. America loves a
Cinderella story, and previously only
the NCAA Basketball Tournament in
March could provide that, but with
the playoff, college football provided
the country a true underdog story
that will be difficult to top.
Farewell, BCS. No one will miss
you.
Jared King is a senior journalism major
from Jena who serves as sports editor
for The Tech Talk. Email comments to
jki008@latech.edu.

RAY PATTERSON
News Editor

Its a
college
free-for-all

ven a sixth grader knows there is no

such thing as a free lunch right?
Most of us were undoubtedly
taught as much in elementary school. This
is where we learned (maybe) that nothing
is free; that someone somewhere is footing
the bill.
So, armed with nothing more than a
sixth graders education, one could immediately see the inherent financial hurdle the
nation would face in President Obamas
proposal to offer free community college to
everyone.
How do you plan to pay for it Mr. President?
Let me first remind you we, as a country,
are currently more than $18 trillion in debt.
If the principle of the proposal is to invest in our nations youth (which we absolutely should), then this is a most noble and
prudent intention.
And, its not as if college is cheap, either.
As it stands, some institutions of higher education (University of Phoenix-type
schools) seem to increasingly consider
students as for-profit centers in America. I
certainly stand ready to combat that kind of
thinking.
I am not arguing the idea of a free education; I accept this premise. But, I will
question the true intention of this seemingly commendable idea of free higher education.
Our nations debt cannot be overstated,
as it will most likely become an insurmountable burden that will fall on our future generations shoulders.
If the presidents goal is to arm this generation with the know-how to overcome our
ever-increasing national debt, great. But
here is the thing it isnt logical.
History will show you the last time the
national debt was at $0 was in 1835.
The seventh president of the United
States Andrew Jackson cleared the
country of its $75 million debt.
To think we might reduce the debt by
more than 20 percent in the next 40 to 50
years is laughable considering the rate at
which our country spends money (it does
not have).
So lets scratch that option it isnt
happening.
Does the idea of free higher education
encourage those who might not otherwise
consider it? Sure, it very well may, but it
doesnt guarantee a future college graduate
any career he or she might be qualified for
without a two-year certification.
In fact, for every 10 students who enter
community college, only three graduate
within three years, according to Forbes.
There is no evidence to suggest the increased interest and subsequent attendance
in a two-year program will lead to a bettereducated society.
So, if we are not gaining intelligence as
a country and we arent decreasing the national debt, what are we accomplishing by
supplying higher education at no cost to our
citizens?
We dont know. Would we like for the
burden of expense to fall elsewhere? Absolutely, but it just doesnt work that way.
Unless youre a sixth grader, am I right?
Ray Patterson is a senior journalism major from
New Orleans who serves as editor for the Tech
Talk. Email comments to rcp022@latech.edu.

www.thetechtalk.org

Arts Entertainment

January 15, 2015 The Tech Talk 5

What to look forward to in

2015

Information provided by Kailee Courts

Photo courtesy of estacionk2.com

Red Hot Chili Peppers

The Red Hot Chili Peppers plan on releasing their 11th

studio album, which has yet to be named.
Their last studio album was released in 2011.
Flea, the bassist for the band, told Rolling Stone the new
album is super danceable and introspective.
There is no set release date for the album, but drummer
Chad Smith said they are looking to release it early this
year.
Photo courtesy of Summit Entertainment

Photo courtesy of Universal Studios

Insurgent

Fifty Shades of Grey

One of the movies hitting the big screen is the
highly anticipated Fifty Shades of Grey.
Fifty Shades is the first book in a trilogy by E.L.
James.
The series topped best-seller lists around the
world, including the United Stated and United Kingdom.
It has sold over 100 million copies worldwide and
has been translated into 52 languages.
The role of Anastasia Steele is played by Dakota
Johnson and the role of Christian Grey is played by
Jamie Dornan.
The movie traces the deepening relationship between a college graduate and a young business magnate.
Anastasia and Christian have a very sexual BDSM
(bondage, domination, and sado-masoschism) relationship until problems emerge in their relationship
when Anastasia starts to question if her relationship
with Christian and his controlling behavior is worth it.
Anastasia has to choose between what is best for
her and her longing to be with Christian.
Fifty Shades of Grey is set to open in theaters
on Feb13.

Photo courtesy of The Independent

One Direction

British pop group One Direction is also planning to

release a new album this year.
It has not even been a year since they released their
fourth album, FOUR, and already the popular boy band
has their fifth album in the works.
The group announced they are working on a new album at the BBC Music Awards.
There is no set release date for the album, but fans
still have their On the Road Again world tour to hold themover until then.

The second installment in Veronica Roths dystopian society young adult Divergent series will be
premiering this year.
Shailene Woodly and Theo James return as the
storys main protagonists, Beatrice Prior and Four,
and tell how their society came to be divided into
the five factions that separate them as teenagers.
Picking up right after the events of the previous
film, Divergent, Tris and Four face new problems
while also continuing the fight against the alliance
threatening their society.
As she attempts to gain more support and
struggles with the consequences of the choices
she has made Tris will also learn more about what
it means to be Divergent and why her society is so
threatened by her and others like her.
The two will face new problems in their society
and in their relationship with each other as they
try to find a way to stay together when everything
seems to be pulling them apart.
Insurgent is set to premiere in theaters on
March 20.

Americans do what it takes to watch The Interview

KAILEE COURTS
Staff Reporter

Goldberg.
It stars James Franco as Dave Skylark,
a nighttime talk show host, and Seth Rogen
as Aaron Rapoport, Skylarks friend and the
Despite much controversy over the reshows producer.
lease of the movie, The Interview, Sony
The two land an interview with North
announced that it is their most successful
Korean
dictator, Kim Jong-un and are reonline movie.
cruited by the CIA to make their trip an asIn November, Sony was
sassination mission.
hacked by an anonymous
The movie essentially makes the probgroup who identified themlems
in North Korea a joke, but also has a
selves as the Guardians of
way of showing viewers a glimpse of what
Peace.
is happening.
After threats of war
Rotten Tomatoes, a popular movie reSony Pictures
from North Korea and maview
website, gave The Interview two and
The
Interview
jor cinema chains refusing to show it, Sony
a half stars.
HHHHI
pulled The Interview from theaters.
They said the movie was overshadowed
However, by mid-December after widewith controversy and it offered muddling
spread criticism from the public for bowing
laugh bolstered by its two likeable leads.
to the hackers, Sony decided to make the
Other movie review sites such as Metacritic and Commovie available online and at theaters who were willing to
mon Sense gave The Interview low ratings.
show the controversial movie.
Stephen Boone of the RobertEbert.com movie review
It was shown in select theaters on Christmas Day and
website
gave the film a two-star rating. Ebert was a internamade $5 million at the box office.
The Interview was rented or purchased online more tionally-renowned film critic who died in 2013.
Boone said he did not laugh once, but there were a few
than 4.3 million times and made over $31 million.
The movie was illegally downloaded more than 750,000 lines in the movie that made him grin.
Franco and Rogen took a very serious topic and made
times on Christmas Day alone.
The Interview was directed by Seth Rogen and Evan it into a comedy because that is what people want to see.
There was a lot of controversy on popular social media

Photo courtesy of Sony Entertainment.

James Franco and Seth Rogan play a talk show host and
producer in the controversial comedy, The Interview.

sites such as Twitter and Tumblr.

Many people did not think the movie should be released
because it did nothing but harm Americas view of the conditions in North Korea.
The movie did make jokes about the country, but at
points it showed how things really are.
The Interview is available to rent or purchase on Google
Play, VUDU, Amazon, Youtube, Movies, Xbox video and
iTunes.

Email comments to kec029@latech.edu.

www.thetechtalk.org

6 The Tech Talk January 15, 2015

Distractions
WEEKLYHOROSCOPE
www.horoscopes.com.net

Aries
March 21 April 19
You may have a hard time getting started today, Aries.
This might be a better time to plan. Be realistic and
thoughtful in your actions. Be conscious of the steps
you need to take to reach a certain goal. When in
doubt, take the more conservative route. You will find
that there is a great deal of support for that path. Dont
get distracted along the way. Stay on target.
Taurus
Apr 20 - May 20
Unexpected economic developments might make
a sudden and positive difference in your situation,
Taurus. Perhaps your field becomes more competitive,
and people with your skills are more in demand.
Whatever it is, you can expect more money to come
your way in the future. Legal papers could be involved,
as could some interesting people you havent met
before. Your mind is likely to be buzzing.
Gemini
May 21 - Jun 20
Your social life might suddenly be busier than you
expected, Gemini, perhaps because of the appearance
of some interesting new people. This could involve a
group with which youre affiliated, perhaps one with
a humanitarian focus. Expect to be busy over the next
few weeks, as this trend isnt likely to slow down
soon. Stimulating conversations could set your mind
going a mile a minute.
Cancer
Jun 21 - Jul 22
Books and conversations with friends could take up
most of your day, Cancer. The intellectual stimulation
could have positive and negative effects on your
health. Positive because it raises your enthusiasm and
puts you in an enthusiastic state of mind, and negative
because it might get you so excited that you forget to
eat or rest. Enjoy all the excitement but dont forget
to take a break.
Leo
Jul 23 - Aug 22
If youre currently romantically involved, expect your
relationship to reach a new understanding and sense
of unity, Leo. If you arent involved, you could meet
someone special today, and it might be like love at
first sight. An instant bond could form between you
because of mutual intellectual interests. You might
have a lot to talk about, as your own projects are
going better than youd hoped.
Virgo
Aug 23 - Sep 22
An old friend you havent seen in a long time could
turn up. This should be a pleasant surprise, Virgo, as
you will have a lot of catching up to do. You might have
good news, as youve been busy and could have come
across some very exciting information. Take a walk at

the end of the day or you might not be able to sleep.

Libra
Sep 23 - Oct 22
Some great news could come today that turns your
life upside down momentarily. Libra, you will find it
very exciting. New neighbors could move in and you
might spend some time getting acquainted. Much of
your day could be spent seeking information in a field
that interests you. Expect a busy day, but remember
to rest now and then. A walk in the evening might be
a good idea.
Scorpio
Oct 23 - Nov 21
News might bring exciting opportunities for increasing
your income, Scorpio. Perhaps you will learn of ways
to start your own business. Maybe the demand for
people with your skills has increased. You might
discover the efficiency some new technology for
managing your finances. Discussions with others
should bring many new ideas your way. Make the
most of them.
Sagittarius
Nov 22 - Dec 21
Discussions could bring some exciting information
your way that alters your thinking slightly. You tend to
be oriented toward social, political, or humanitarian
issues, Sagittarius. Today you might have the chance
to put your talents to work. Someone could ask you for
assistance. You have the mental and physical energy
to go for it, so its likely that you will, though perhaps
not right away.
Capricorn
Dec 22 - Jan 19
Today you may take up the study of astrology,
numerology, alchemy, or other occult discipline. Your
intellectual abilities are particularly sharp, Capricorn,
so you may want to combine them with your tendency
toward mysticism. This should keep you busy for much
of the day, but you need to watch out for intellectual
overload. You dont want to forget what youve learned.
Take notes.
Aquarius
Jan 20 - Feb 18
New friends, new goals, and new attitudes could all
appear on the scene, Aquarius. Unexpected developments within a group are likely to require reevaluating
a course of action. This is probably a positive development, and it could be exciting, but its going to mean
some immediate adjustments. As your mental energy
is still sharp, this shouldnt be too difficult.

CROSSWORDPUZZLE
Across
1. Jeopardy
6. Away from port
10. Nicholas II was the
last Russian one
14. Eat away
15. Traditional passeddown knowledge
16. Tear apart
17. Whoopis role in
The Color Purple
18. Big do
19. ___ Three Lives
20. Unit of power
22. ___ public
24. Boy or man
25. Skill
26. Spreads out
29. I smell ___!
30. Artist Mondrian
31. Arrangement
37. Diarist Nin
39. Lyric work
40. Pet ___
41. House of the
owner of a ranch
44. Manitoba native
45. Freeway access
46. Be present
48. Bow and arrow skill
52. Switch ending
53. Protects
54. Specialist in religious law
58. Sacramentos ___ Arena
59. Sentrys shout
61. Fungal infection
62. Makes lace
63. Fencing sword
64. In base 8
65. New Haven students

www.bestcrosswords.com
66. Midday
67. ___ Mio
Down
1. Quarter bushel
2. ...___ saw Elba
3. Drum sound
4. Like phrase book entries
5. Extra time
6. Having wings
7. Like a pillow
8. Drift, make a mistake
9. Eternal
10. Hackneyed
11. Eliots Marner
12. States
13. Color anew
21. Furthermore
23. Available
25. Cooks in fat
26. Box
27. ___ colada
28. The Tower of Pisa
does this
29. Make sense
32. Spacious
33. Constructive arts
34. Able was ___...
35. Cooking appliance
36. Cant do without
38. Cut into small pieces
42. Increase in
unpleasantness
43. Deserve
47. Tastelessly affected
48. Playing marble
49. Countrified
50. Desert bloomers
51. ___ Perot
52. Consumed

DAILY U

54. 1963 role for Liz

55. A big fan of
56. Marine mammal,
secure something
57. Account
60. Mil. address

LASTISSUESSOLUTION

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

Pisces
Feb 19 - Mar 20
Feel free to move forward with your plans, Pisces.
This is a great day to take action. Youve done a great
deal of data collecting and analyzing lately. Now is the
time to put that information to good use. Youre helped
by an extra boost of inner confidence and emotional
strength. Your grounded, conservative approach
will be richly rewarded. You couldnt ask for a more
productive day!

WEEKLYWEATHER

www.accuweather.com

TODAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

HIGH 51
LOW 29

HIGH 56
LOW 34

HIGH 61
LOW 40

HIGH 60
LOW 34

HIGH 61
LOW 39

HIGH 62
LOW 41

HIGH 60
LOW 25

SUDOKUPUZZLE
Difficulty HARD
Fill in the grid
so that every
row, every
column and
every 3x3
grid contains
the digits 1
through 9.

Ballyhoo cast lineup announced

NEWS SERVICES

The Stone Theatre at Louisiana Tech has announced

the seven-member cast for its upcoming production of
The Last Night of Ballyhoo.
The play will be directed by associate professor of
Theatre Paul B. Crook.
Performance dates for The Last Night of Ballyhoo
are scheduled for Jan. 28-31 and Feb. 4-7, 2015. Curtain
times will be announced at a later date.
The cast includes Trey Clark, a graduate student, as
Adolph Freitag; Kaitlin Fouquet, a freshman, as Beulah
Levy; Maggie McAdams, freshman, as Reba Freitag; Ashley Davis, a sophomore, as Lala Levy; Courtney VanEaton, a junior, as Sunny Freitag; Johnny Marley, a senior,
as Joe Farkas; and Kevin Keeler, a senior, as Sylvan Weil.
Winner of the 1997 Tony Award for Best Play, Alfred
Uhrys The Last Night of Ballyhoo takes place in Atlanta in December of 1939.
During the plays setting, Gone with the Wind just
had its world premiere and Hitler had invaded Poland.
However, Atlantas elitist German Jews are much more
concerned with who is going to Ballyhoo, the social event

www.sudoku-puzzles.net

of the season.
Especially concerned is the Freitag family bachelor
Adolph, his widowed sister, Beulah (Boo) Levy, and their
also widowed sister-in-law, Reba.
Boo is determined to have her dreamy, unpopular
daughter, Lala, attend Ballyhoo, believing it will be Lalas
last chance to find a socially acceptable husband.
The family gets pulled apart and then mended together
with plenty of comedy, romance and revelations along the
way.
Events take several unexpected turns as the characters face where they come from and are forced to deal
with who they really are.
For more information, contact the Louisiana Tech department of theatre at 318- 257-2930, or visit www.latechuniversitytheatre.com.
Follow the department on social media on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/latechtheatre.
Follow them on Twitter and Instagram at @LaTechTheatre.
To learn more about upcoming events from the School
of Performing Arts, visit http://www.latech.edu/performingarts/calendar.shtml.

LASTISSUESSOLUTION

Sudoku Puzzle - Hard

Sudoku Solution - Hard

www.sudoku-puzzles.net

www.sudoku-puzzles.net

More Puzzles:

More Puzzles:

www.sudoku-puzzles.net

www.sudoku-puzzles.net

RS
E
T
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&

MORE TALK

www.thetechtalk.org

band.
RUN
GAME
they

the

January 15 , 2015 The Tech Talk 7

Rain or shine,
basketball or football,
win or lose, the Band
of Pride inspires
school spirit.

LACY CAMP
Staff Reporter

TOP: The Band of Pride performed during the parade before the Tech vs. UTSA game.
LEFT: Aaron Begay, a sophomore nanosystems engineering major, provided musical
entertainment on the tenor
drums during halftime.
Photos by Brian Blakely

DESIGN BY KELSY KERSHAW

Louisiana Techs marching band, the

Band of Pride, creates an unforgettable
atmosphere that spectators at sporting
events enjoy, particularly at basketball
games.
That why Corey Green, a senior sociology major and former band member, goes to Tech games.
I dislike sports, but hearing the
band play and their hilarious chants
during basketball games makes sporting events enjoyable, he said.
The Band of Pride, also referred to
the Hoop Troop during basketball
season, is under the direction of Jim
Robken and has a reputation of being
energetic.
The band always creates a lively,
pumped up atmosphere for football and
basketball games, said Kewaynethian
Riser, a 2014 Tech alumnus who graduated with a masters degree. Their energy is always electric, especially with
basketball games. I could always see
the band getting the fans to come alive
after almost every play.
During basketball season, the Hoop
Troop can be heard playing music, entertaining fans and screaming at the
game officials.
They always keep the crowd in the
games, said Taylor Tuggle, a junior
civil engineering major. Even when
the crowd is getting lazy, theyre not

ashamed to start dancing like maniacs.

With the atmosphere the Hoop
Troop creates, the band makes its presence known at basketball games.
Its an obvious difference in the
game atmosphere, Tuggle said. I
dont really notice how much I appreciate them (Hoop Troop) until theyre
not there.
Fan agree that What makes the
Hoop Troop so special lies with the
bands characteristics.
I love the fact that they dont just
stand there and elegantly play each
instrument like a robot, Tuggle said.
They get down and boogie with it. You
dont really see that too often in other
bands.
One of the main things I enjoy
about the band is that they have a very
wacky, crazy and fun personality, Riser
said. You definitely notice them and it
looks like theyre having fun doing what
they do. They truly add to the experience of going to Techs games.
However, the characteristics are not
the only thing that makes this group
special.
Just like the Tech family, the band is
one huge family with traditions, rules,
wise veterans and most importantly
- love, Green said. To sum it up, the
band creates an atmosphere of excitement, anxiousness, love and pride.

Email comments to
lmc074@latech.edu.

Camella Card, a senior chemistry major and the

drum major, celebratedDESIGN
Tech during
the alma
mater.
BY KELSY
KERSHAW

www.thetechtalk.org

8 The Tech Talk January 15, 2015

Sports Talk
Former UF quarterback set to join Tech
WILL TRAHAN
Sports Reporter
Former University of Florida
quarterback Jeff Driskel has decided to come to Louisiana Tech
to play out his final year of eligibility.
There were a lot of schools
contacting me, and people trying to pull me in every direction, Driskel said. I just felt like
Louisiana Tech was the right
choice for me.
The former Gatorade High
School Player of the Year said
he left Florida on good terms
but felt things did not go right for
him there.
There were several factors
that went into Driskel choosing Louisiana Tech over other
schools.
I have known Coach (Skip)
Holtz all the way back since recruiting, Driskel said. A lot of
people spoke very highly of him,
those that know him very well. I
really wanted to go somewhere
with a quality head coach, not
just as a coach but as a person
as well.
Driskel said he believes Holtz
is moving the program in the
right direction.
He really sold me on the fact
that they will have good players
around me, Driskel said. I am
going into an opportunity where
there will be people who can
help me make plays, as well as
me helping the team.
Driskels decision seems eerily similar to Cody Sokols last
year when Sokol decided to
transfer from the University of
Iowa.
Driskel had an opportunity to
speak with the quarterback who
led the Bulldogs to a win in the

Heart of Dallas Bowl prior to his

choosing to transfer to Tech.
He spoke highly of the program and highly of the people
around him, Driskel said. He
said he really enjoyed it, and that
was a big factor for me.
Driskel said what he got out
of the conversation was that his
new teammates would welcome
him into the locker room, provided he works hard.
Driskel was highly recruited
out of Paul J. Hagerty High
School in Oviedo, Florida, and
had to go through a similar process when looking for a school
to transfer to.
It was not as crazy as it
was in high school, I know how
things are now, Driskel said.
I have been at a big time college football program for four
years, so I can kind of understand where people are coming
from. I know what questions to
ask, rather than be blown away
by someones locker room or
weight room. It is a little bit different this time around.
The former Florida Gator
is not focused on expectations
from people outside of the program, only those in it.
Right now what I am worried
about is going in and earning the
coaches respect, as well as the
players respect, Driskel said. I
am not going to let expectations
alter what I am doing. I am just
going to go in and work hard. It
will pay off.

MATT VALCHO
Staff Reporter

For more on Tech athletics, follow the Tech Talk Sports Desks
Twitter page at twitter.com/techtalksports.

Email comments to
bwt008@latech.edu.

Photo by Jeff Brissett

Driskel played three seasons at Florida before transferring to Louisiana Tech.

Lady Techsters start hot in C-USA play

CATHERINE BURKE
Staff Reporter
Head coach Tyler Summit and his Lady
Techsters have begun their first conference
season together with a lot of home action. The
Lady Techsters had three consecutive home
games to start Conference USA play, falling
to Southern Mississippi University in overtime
before speeding past the University of Texas
at El Paso and the University of Texas at San
Antonio.
Were excited to be in conference play,

Tennis
prepping
for action

Summit said. With conference theres an extra

motivation and extra expectation.
Summit said the team is still working on a
few things.
Its just consistency, he said. Were really
trying to figure out what we can be consistent
at.
Senior forward Whitney Frazier said she
thinks the team is on its way to its peak.
We are very close to getting over the hump,
she said. Were working on little things and will
get better.
Frazier said its the little things that are key.

Photo by Donny J. Crowe

Senior guard Kelia Shelton was named Conference USA player of the week for the second time this season.

Its little things like knowing the scout report, boxing out, and for me personally its free
throws, she said. Were learning how to finish games off as a team and will get better in
conference.
Frazier said she has high expectations for the
rest of the season.
My expectations for this season are winning
conference, taking it all home and going to the
NCAA tournament for my first time.
Sophomore guard Ruby Richie said the Lady
Techsters will have to work hard this conference
season.
Conference is always tough, she said.
There will never be an easy game, home or
away. We will have to fight to earn what we are
chasing.
Richie said the team is more than ready for
conference play.
Every game we have to come out with a
championship mentality, no matter who we
play, she said. We were picked toward the
middle of our conference in pre-season polls
and we know that is not where we belong.
Richie said she feels the team is ready for
what is ahead.
We are hungry for revenge from last year,
she said. Were ready to show everyone in our
conference what we are really made of.
Senior guard Kelia Shelton was named CUSA Womens Basketball Player of the Week
for the second time this season after averaging
25.5 points and 7 rebounds in the Lady Techsters wins over UTEP and UTSA.
The Lady Techsters will play at home next
Jan. 22 against North Texas.
For more on Tech athletics, follow the Tech Talk
Sports Desks Twitter page at twitter.com/techtalksports.

Email comments to cjb066@latech.edu.

The Louisiana Tech

womens tennis team will
kick off its spring season
Friday, against nationallyranked opponents.
The Lady Techsters will
start at No. 55 Wichita State
in Wichita, Kansas, before
heading to Stillwater, Oklahoma, to face No. 19 Oklahoma State.
Chad Camper, head
coach since spring of 2014,
is excited to see how his
Lady Techsters will handle their tough upcoming
schedule.
I think were ready,
Camper said. We had a
good fall. We played in some
tournaments and did well.
Now were going to pick up
where we left off.
The Lady Techsters competed in a number of tournaments in the fall, including
the Ragin Cajuns Fall Classic in Lafayette and went
undefeated in the Jasons
Deli Collegiate Invitational
in Houston.
Marta Sramkova, a sophomore business major from
Bratislava, Slovakia, was 7-0
in the Jasons Deli Collegiate Invitational. Sramkova
won four singles matches
and three doubles matches.
Were prepared for the
spring, Sramkova said.
During the fall we were able
to work on the little things
with Coach (Camper). That
was good because he wasnt
here last year. Now were
ready for our tough schedule.
Camper was introduced
as the head tennis coach a
few weeks before the team
was set to begin the 2014
spring season.
A full fall of preparation
with Camper this season
has hopefully led to some
improvements over last season.
Our doubles is unbelievably better than last year.
Camper said. Historically
in my coaching career, my
teams have had good doubles. Last year we struggled,
but we played great in the
fall and Im ready to see
what we can do.
Heading into a tough
schedule this spring, Camper is happy to have a core
group of players returning
to take on strong opposition.
We have three juniors
and no seniors this year, but
I think everyone is a leader,
he said. Were a young
team on paper but we have
a lot of wisdom and a lot of
experience.
We have to come together, Sramkova said. We
need to be focused on our
goal if we want to succeed.
The Lady Techsters have
12 home matches scheduled
for the spring, the most ever
that will be played in Ruston.
The Lady Techsters home
opener is Jan. 25 at the Louisiana Tech Tennis Complex.

Email comments to
mvv002@latech.edu.