Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’s overturn has

the military in the spotlight. Turn to

Miss Tech Pageant
page 7 to find out all the details.
Want to know who’s the new Miss Tech?
Turn to page 7 to learn about the pageant.

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Volume 85 The student voice of Louisiana Tech University Number 11

Cable change creates confusion

Suddenlink Communications switches to all-digital lineup
Zach Beaird
STAFF REPORTER
Many students living on campus
returned from the holiday break to
find that none of their cable chan-
nels worked.
Due to a switch to an all-digital
lineup made by Suddenlink, students
with an analog television are now re-
quired to pick up a digital converter
box, or DigitaLink, in order to get
their cable back.
The boxes are free of charge and
can be picked up at Suddenlink
Communications in Ruston at 1001
Cooktown Road between 8–5 p.m.
Monday through Friday.
Gene Regan, director of corpo-
rate communications for Suddenlink,
said this switch is taking place to
provide better quality television for
the community.
“We're moving to a new, all-digital
TV lineup in Ruston and Grambling
that will bring sharper pictures and
better sound quality,” Regan said.
“This is part of a larger, three-year
companywide program that calls for
approximately $350 million of capi-
tal investments above and beyond
the company's traditional capital
spending levels. We call it Project
Imagine. As part of that program
we've already increased Internet
speeds and added more high-defini-
tion, or HD, TV channels in the
area.”
Regan said the switch is taking
place neighborhood by neighbor-
hood throughout the community and
the transition should be completed
by the end of March.
Sean Zhou, a senior industrial en-
gineering major, is an RA at the Uni-
versity Park apartments.
Zhou said he was not aware that
the switch was going to take place.
“The residential hall and apart-
ment RAs were not informed about
the changes,” Zhou said. “Housing
has received many calls from stu-
dents complaining that their TVs
weren’t working.”
Tyler Michaud, a freshman com-
munication design major, was one of
the many students affected by the
switch.
“When I first got back to school
and turned on my TV, I was con-
fused,” Michaud said. “The screen
was just static for four days, and I
thought my TV was broken until
someone told me about the switch.”
Regan said students were not
forewarned due to difficulties in dis-
tributing this information.
“We sent several mail-outs to
members of the community before
the switch was made, but we could
not do the same for students living
on campus,” Regan said. “However,
when students who need a converter
box turn on their TV they should see
a message telling them what they
need to do to fix the problem.”
Roland Miers, general manager
for Suddenlink, said students may
use the converter boxes for as long
as they are needed and can also get
as many boxes as needed.
“We made the switch, so we’re
providing the boxes,” Miers said.
“Students can keep the box until they
leave town and then they must bring
it back.”
He said students who fail to re-
turn the box after they no longer
need it will be charged with a $40
fee.
“All we’re asking is that students
be responsible and bring back the
converter boxes when they’re done
with them,” Miers said. “The box can
be reused for someone who needs it
so we don’t want people holding on
to them if they aren’t using them.”
E-mail comments to zcb001@latech.edu.

New Aramark
contract lets
Tech explore
more options
Sherelle Black
STAFF REPORTER
A new year is supposed to bring
about change, and that is certainly
what students and the Tech Express
Office hope to see in 2011.
The Tech Express Office is work-
ing to incorporate Tech Express into
local restaurants and stores favored by
students as early as this spring quarter
or the upcoming fall quarter.
Netta Norman, Tech Express/ID
systems manager, said nothing is def-
inite, but there will be some serious
discussions in January regarding the
expansion of Tech Express’ provi-
sions.
“We are working on it, and there
should be some progress seen some-
time this year,” Norman said.
She said for several years, Tech Ex-
press has only been available for use
outside of campus at nearby textbook
stores, such as Textbooks for Less.
Richard Dawson, manager of
Textbooks for Less, said Tech Express
helped him significantly in building up
the store’s traffic.
“Having Tech Express available to
students is great because it opens up
the availability for more students to
buy, and it gives us a larger customer
base,” Dawson said.
Norman said Tech has wanted to
take Tech Express off-campus for a
while now, but it was not a possibility
due to reasons out of the university’s
control.
“We recently renewed our contract
with Aramark, which previously had
exclusive rights on Tech Express,”
Norman said. “Also, our system would
not support us moving off campus,
> see TECH EXPRESS page 2
SHOOTING SHAKES NATION
Tucson community members attended a candlelight vigil Monday night outside Rep. Gabrielle Gif-
fords office to show their support for those who were injured and killed Saturday morning.
Editorial Staff
STAFF REPORT
A deadly weekend may cause Congress members to
re-evaluate safety after an Arizona Representative was
shot Saturday morning during a meet and greet with her
constituents in Tucson, Ariz.
Jared Loughner, 22 of Tucson, opened fire on a crowd
near a Safeway grocery store Saturday. Targeted was Rep.
Gabrielle Giffords, a Democrat who was meeting with cit-
izens for her “Congressman on Your Corner” event.
Giffords was shot through and through the temple
when her aide, David Hernandez, who was helping others
who were shot, rushed to her side to apply pressure to the
wound and keep her conscious. Though numerous news
organizations reported that Giffords was killed by the gun-
shot, it was later released that she had only been wounded
but was rushed to surgery. Six were killed in the shooting,
including U.S. District Judge John Roll and one of Gif-
fords' staffers. Others killed included a 9-year-old girl and
three retirees.
Students frequently cross the railroad
track near North Homer Street both to
and from campus.
Photo by Roxana Vasquez
Because of the deadly event, congressmen have been
making statements that have shown they will not be de-
terred from their objectives because of an unstable indi-
vidual. Democrat Rep. Lynn Woolsey and Mike
Thompson of California said they will not react in fear.
They plan to still hold public forums saying such incidents
should not be allowed to undermine the democratic
process. Louisiana Rep. David Vitter said he and his wife
will continue to send wishes of a quick recovery to Gif-
fords in an interview with ABC.
"Wendy and I join all other Louisianans in praying ur-
gently and fervently for Congresswoman Giffords and
those others who were shot at her town hall meeting,” Vit-
ter said. “This is a horrible, despicable attack on good
people and on our very democracy.”
As a result of the shooting, lawmakers have said the
fight for the repeal of the health care bill President Barack
Obama signed in 2010 has been pushed to an undisclosed
date.
E-mail comments to tds026@latech.edu and keb029@lat-
ech.edu.
Photos by Karthik Gotrala
Quiet zone
proposed
for Ruston
Hayden Haynes
STAFF REPORTER
Trains passing through the city, a common
classroom disturbance, may no longer be an
issue for flustered students and teachers.
The Ruston Board of Aldermen voted
Dec. 6 to begin the process of enacting a
quiet zone for trains in the city. The proposed
quiet zone would keep trains from blowing
their horns while passing through city limits.
Approximately 20 trains pass through the
community daily, and this number expected
to increase in the near future due to rising
economy, according to Kansas City Southern
Railway.
Don Kaczvinsky, director of the School of
Literature and Language, said he understands
and sympathizes with the city when it comes
to the aggravation of having so many trains
traveling through campus.
“The train horns are extremely loud and
often, with uncanny accuracy, blowing right
during important points in a lecture. I have to
stop, take a sip of tea or water, wait awkwardly
until the horn stops blowing, the building stops
shaking and the train passes,” Kaczvinksy said.
“It takes a few minutes and breaks up the
rhythm of the lecture or the class.”
If the trains are to be silenced throughout
the city, safety is the issue concerning students
and faculty.
“Though the horn is annoying, I worry that
having a quiet zone may cause a terrible ac-
cident,” Kaczvinsky said. “The horn is meant
to be loud and make you aware a train is near.
I worry about someone crossing the tracks
and getting hit, especially a child, student or a
driver, because they didn't hear the horn.
Sometimes, we must accept a minor annoy-
ance or inconvenience for the sake of safety.”

Researcher ranked in Ecofriend website top ten
Zach Beaird
STAFF REPORTER
Tech researcher Long Que’s unique energy-har-
vesting device has been named one of
www.Ecofriend.org’s top ten renewable energy
technology breakthroughs of 2010.
Que, along with graduate students Venu Kotipalli
and Zhongcheng Gong, who also worked on the de-
sign and production of the device, have also been
recognized in the September 2010 edition of “Ap-
plied Physics Letters” as well as “Virtual Journal of
NanoscaleScience&Technology” andwww.PhysOrg.com.
Que, an assistant professor of electrical engi-
neering, said he is excited to see this technology
gain attention from so many sources.
“I’m very proud and excited about this,” Que
said. “This is a Tech product from Tech students,
and they should be proud of it too.”
According to www.Ecofriend.org, the site “fo-
cuses on highlighting the latest green technologies
and lifestyle trends to help combat global warming
among a host of other environmental problems. It
also seeks to inform and educate consumers who
love to possess the latest gadgets and products
available on the market and
who are also concerned about
the environment around them.”
The widely-recognized tech-
nology created at Tech was de-
scribed in its paper, “Light and
thermal energy cell based on
carbon nanotube films” which
was co-authored by Pushparaj
Pathak, Tianhua Zhang, Yuan
He and Shashi Yadav.
The device, as explained in
QUE the paper, is a load cell made
of carbon nano-tube film
placed over an electrode and a piezoelectric mate-
rial called lead zirconate titanate, which creates
electricity from mechanical energy.
The carbon nano-tubes are used to absorb radi-
ation, which can be generated by light and thermal
energy. This energy causes the layer of piezoelectric
material, which produces electricity when de-
formed, to bend.
Que said the most important aspect of the de-
vice is its ability to “self-reciprocate,” or produce en-
ergy constantly without a need for an external
energy source.
However, Gong, a graduate engineering student,
said alternative-energy sources are also being in-
vestigated to power the device.
“The device does not have to be in direct contact
with thermal energy to work,” Gong said.
“We’ve learned that vibrations, wind power and
other alternatives can be used to power it.”
Que said this information makes the device
much more practical and makes it usable in several
different environments.
“If someone were using this device in a car, they
would, of course, be able to use the sun to power it
during the day, but at night the device could also run
off of the vibrations produced by the vehicle itself,”
Que said.
> see QUE’S DEVICE page 2
Courtney Meek, a junior political science
major, said students listening to iPods and
studying their notes can cause a safety risk
when they cannot hear the train coming while
walking near the tracks and this needs to be
addressed.
“Of course the train horns are an inter-
ruption in class, but the interruption is fine
when it comes to students’ safety,” Meek said.
“Students’ safety should always come first
when making decisions involving in and
around campus.”
Doniele Carlson, a Kansas City Southern
spokesperson, said after the City of Ruston
files a letter of intent to establish a quiet zone
with the KCSR company and the Federal Rail-
road Administration, KCSR will meet with the
diagnostic team, which includes officials from
the city, the FRA and the state’s Department
of Transportation to determine the public
safety requirements to qualify for a quiet zone.
Carlson said the FRA will then make the
final decision as to whether or not the area
can become a quiet zone.
“Pedestrian traffic, including those wearing
> see RAILWAY page 2
2 • The Tech Talk • January 14, 2011
Campus
Briefs
Tickets now available Ruston regenerates
for “The Winter Ball” community recycling
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity,
Inc. will bring “The Winter Ball”
to students at 8 p.m. Jan. 21 in
the Student Center, Second
Floor, Rooms 222-224.
This is Omega Psi Phi’s first
dress-to-impress event of the
year, with the dress code being
semi-formal to formal.
Single presale tickets are $12
and couple tickets are $20;
prices will increase at the door.
Presale tickets are available
now in the Student Center from
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. or anytime
through an Omega Psi Phi
member. There will also be a
photographer there to capture
the moment for free.
For more information con-
tact Bryan Recard, president of
Omega Psi Phi, at 318-715-
1018 or e-mail tav004@lat-
ech.edu.
AWS to grant two
scholarship awards
The Association of Women
Students Executive Board will
award scholarships to two fe-
male students worth $250 each.
Applications can be picked
up on the third floor of Keeny
Hall in the Student Affairs office.
The deadline to apply is Jan.
31, and the scholarships are
available to all female students.
According to the AWS web-
site, the scholarship is an annual
award that identifies outstanding
students of any academic clas-
sification.
For more information con-
tact AWS members Jessica
Archie at jra038@latech.edu or
Aisha Akilo at aka020@lat-
ech.edu.
> RAILWAY from page 1
music devices, at crossings is
one of the elements that the di-
agnostic team would consider,”
Carlson said.
The proposed quiet zone
will not take effect immedi-
ately.
According to Resolution
No. 720 of 2010, “the city has
received a preliminary down-
town railway traffic Quiet Zone
Study prepared by Hunt, Guil-
lot & Associates, LLC dated
> QUE’S DEVICE from page 1
In past experiments, Que
said the device has produced
enough power to operate some
low-power microsensors and in-
tegrated sensors. However, he
said work is still being done to
create a micro-scale device for
much higher efficiency.
“After full development we
hope the device will be able to
harvest much more energy on a
smaller device,” Que said.
APARTMENT
“Right now the material is too
thick. A micro-device would re-
rentals
1 & 2 BR/1 BA apts.
2br/2.5 ba Condos
W/D, wifi, sec. sys.
318-242-0003
Ruston will continue its
paper-recycling efforts in the
coming months.
The city will accept paper
items for recycling from 8:30-
11:30 a.m. the second Saturday
of each month at the Public
Works Complex, located at 701
E. Tennessee Ave.
Acceptable paper products
for the recycling project include
cardboard, newspapers, tele-
phone books, etc.
The paper-recycling day held
each month is in collaboration
with the monthly Household
Hazardous Materials Collection
Day, where fluorescent light
bulbs, batteries, appliances and
furniture are accepted for
disposal at the same location.
For more information
contact Ruston Public Works at
318- 251-8641 or 318-242-7703.
I S O di nn e r t o b e
held at month’s end
The International Student
Office will host its 11th annual
International Scholarship Din-
ner at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 29 in the
Student Center, Main Floor.
Dinner will begin at 6 p.m.
followed by entertainment from
around the world presented by
the International Student Asso-
ciation.
Tickets are now on sale and
can be purchased at the Inter-
national Student Office in Tol-
liver Hall, Room 229.
Tickets are $12 for students
and $18 for non-students.
For more information con-
tact the International Student
Office at 318-257-4321 or
iso@latech.edu.
October 2010. The study rec-
ommends, and the city desires
to pursue further development
of a Master Quiet Zone Analy-
sis and Report that will assist
the city in the implementation
of a railway quiet zone in ac-
cordance with FRA rules and
regulations.”
The vote consisted of all
five aldermen voting in favor of
the resolution.
E-mail comments to jhh015@lat-
ech.edu.
duce this thickness which would
reduce internal resistance, mak-
ing the device work much more
efficiently.”
He said he hopes the full
production of the micro-scale
device will make it ready to be
available to the public.
“We’re making progress al-
ready by trying to make this
micro-scale device,” Que said.
“We hope it will soon be devel-
oped enough to be put out for
consumers.”
E-mail comments to zcb001@lat-
ech.edu.
Unexpected award proves
best gift of all for Robbins
Sherelle Black Dunbar, Nikki Giovanni,
Langston Hughes and James
STAFF REPORTER Thurber.
Unlike most award recipi-
Most married couples spend ents, the Robbins were not no-
their spare time watching tified that they had received this
movies, eating at restaurants or award but rather stumbled
planning vacations, but Ken- across it.
neth and Dorothy Robbins are “I went to Kent State’s web-
the exception to this social site, where the book was fea-
norm. tured, to copy the cover of the
Dorothy Robbins, an associ- book for my desktop, and it in-
ate professor of English, and troduced our book as the
Kenneth Robbins, director of award-winning “Christmas Sto-
the School of Performing Arts, ries from Ohio,” and that’s how
spend their time editing an- we discovered we won,” Ken-
thologies, with their latest, neth Robbins said.
“Christmas Stories from Ohio,” Although there was no com-
winning an award. pensation or trophy for winning
USABookNews.com, an on- the award, Dorothy Robbins is
line magazine and review web- satisfied with knowing her work
site for mainstream and is appreciated.
independent publishing houses, “The honor of receiving the
announced Oct. 26, 2010 that award is enough for me,” she
“Christmas Stories from Ohio” said. “I enjoyed writing it, so it’s
won the “Best Book 2010: like the work of love.”
Award” in the category Fiction For the Robbins, one of the
and Literature: Anthology. more difficult parts of putting
Jeffrey Keen, president and the book together was collect-
CEO of USABookNews.com,
said in a press release for the
ing the stories that were not in
the public domain, which can
company that this year’s con- be quite costly.
test yielded an unprecedented Kenneth Robbins said it can
number of entries, which were cost as little as $75 or as much
then narrowed down to more as $10,000 to gain permission
than 500 winners and finalists. to use the stories.
The Best Book Awards, now “The press only gave us
in its eighth year, announced $1,000 to work with initially,
winners and finalists in more and the additional money we
than 140 categories covering spend comes out of our pocket,
print and audio books from ti- which most of it gets reim-
tles published in 2010 and late bursed but still doesn’t allow us
2009. to get all of the stories we
“The 2010 results represent want,” Dorothy Robbins said.
a phenomenal mix of books “It’s kind of like making a list for
from a wide array of publishers Santa, you get most of what Photo by Kyle Kight
throughout the United States,” you want and a couple of sur-
Editors Dorothy Dodge Robbins and Kenneth Robbins
Keen said. “With a full publicity prises.”
and marketing campaign pro- While the couple faced legal are both pictured with their award winning book "Christ-
moting the results of BBA, this struggles in gaining deceased mas Stories from Ohio."
year’s winners and finalists will writers’ works from publishers
gain additional media coverage they said they were honored to plans to write another one, but making their Christmas-themed
for the upcoming holiday retail be able to speak with people instead focus on individual book a well-deserved Christ-
season.” who were close to the writers. works. mas gift.
The Robbins’ fourth anthol- “One of the highlights from “We are a little fatigued on “Receiving the gift for best
ogy book was published in Au- working on this book was get- Christmas stories for now,” book for anthology was the
gust 2010 by the Kent State ting the chance to discuss Kay Dorothy Robbins said. “Since Christmas gift we had not ex-
University Press and features a Boyle, who I did my disserta-
we work on the book all year, pected,” Dorothy Robbins said.
collection of Christmas stories tion on, with her daughter,” it’s like Christmas all-year- “It just goes to show you those
from highly-regarded classic Dorothy Robbins said.
round. Perhaps we just need a are sometimes the best gifts.”
and contemporary authors who With four co-edited Christ- break for a while.”
have a connection to Ohio such mas anthologies under their
The Robbins discovered the E-mail comments to scb035@lat-
as Kay Boyle, Paul Laurence belt, the Robbins have no future award around the holidays, ech.edu.
interested in being able to have students needed to on the weekend.”
> TECH EXPRESS from page 1 use their Tech Express at their stores.” Norman said not only students, but
Stephen Linard, a junior mechanical Aramark would also benefit from the sys-
but we recently upgraded and are now able engineering major, said he would love to tem being available in other places be-
to accommodate the move.” see Tech Express accepted at local eater- sides textbook stores.
The amount of money the system ies. “Aramark will benefit too because stu-
costs does not outweigh the amount Daw- “I really want it at food places where dents will most likely put more money on
son brings in from having the system avail- they would offer us a discount on top of Tech Express, which will cause them to
able to students. accepting Tech Express,” he said. use it more often when they are on cam-
“When compared to other sales equip- When Tech Express does move off pus,” Norman said. “Students will appre-
ment, it is relatively cheap,” Dawson said. campus, Norman said she would like to ciate it because rather than just having the
“There is just an initial charge and a per- see some changes made when it comes to option of eating on campus with Tech Ex-
centage fee paid to the school for each putting money on students’ accounts. press, they can have more variety.”
sale.” “Although I love seeing students come Linard said he is one of those students
When the Tech Express system does fi- in and out of the office, I think it’s too who would put more on his Tech Express
nally become available at other Ruston small to accommodate the amount of account if it were offered at more places.
businesses, it may be difficult for the uni- traffic we would probably receive once we “Since I live off campus, I only put
versity to decide which places to begin. offer Tech Express off campus,” she said. money on my Tech Express account to
“Hopefully in the spring, we will start “So, I think we should find a way to im- use it at the bookstore,” Linard said. “I
off small with a couple of vendors and plement putting money on Tech Express would put more money on it if I knew I
then work our way into contracts with a online. We are closed on the weekends, so could use it at places off campus.”
larger amount of vendors,” Norman said. there would be no way a student could put
“We definitely have a lot of places that are more money on their account if they E-mail comments to scb035@latech.edu
4 • The Tech Talk • January 14, 2011
Insight
FROM THE EDITOR
State issue: fake salts, plant food
Danielle Cintron
uring my time at home for
D the winter break, I did all
of the normal things one
does after not being around for a
while met and caught up with
friends and then discussed what
everyone else was doing.
One of the most interesting
stories told was about a friend
from high school who discovered
a legal form of cocaine in a gas
station. She said it was the wildest
thing she’d ever seen, and that it
was something she’d never even
consider trying.
“The back of the package said
it was made with plant food,” she
said.
This immediately triggered im-
ages of teens and kids digging
into their parents’ Miracle-Gro,
picking out the white specks for
crushing, and using a playing card
to snort lines.
This is a far cry from the candy
cigarettes people my age used to
pretend to smoke when we were
children. Those had no effect
other than a possible sugar high.
In retrospect, this was bound
to happen. There is already a
legal form of marijuana on the
THE TRUTH AS I SEE IT
Etewaf now
Taylor Stephens
e’re living in the world
W of Etewaf, a world that
is defined by a genera-
tion that is willing to give up all of
their personal information for a
few minutes of social networking
a day.
Patton Oswalt, author of
“Zombie Spaceship Wasteland,”
wrote in this month’s Wired that
our society was on the brink of
Everything That Ever Was –
Available Forever (Etewaf) based
on the fact that anyone can see
anything from any culture by a
simple Google search, whereas in
the past, to become familiar with
a certain culture, one needed to
do extensive research or immerse
him or herself in the culture.
I would go a step further to
say that we are already living in
Etewaf.
However, where Oswalt fo-
cuses on cultures that are avail-
able for everyone, I would
caution on the amount of per-
sonal information available – for
everyone.
This weekend, a colleague and
DON’T PANIC
I traveled to the Campus Cover-
Get off the cross; make a bridge
Robert Wilson
hen the Pilgrims
W founded Plymouth
Colony in 1620, they
envisioned a world where they
could govern themselves in free-
dom from religious persecution.
In 1802, Thomas Jefferson de-
scribed his concept of the sepa-
ration of church and state in a
letter to the Danbury Baptist As-
sociation, which complained of
legal insecurity regarding their
practices. Now, over two centuries
later, the essence of Jefferson’s
idea is being argued by Ameri-
cans seeking freedom from reli-
gion.
A Jan. 4 article on CNN.com
reported the 9th Circuit Court of
Appeals declaration of a 43-foot
tall cross in California being un-
constitutional because of its loca-
tion on public property. Standing
atop Mount Soledad in San Diego
since 1913, the cross acts as a
centerpiece to a Korean War me-
morial and has been the subject
of some lawsuits since 1989 after
a couple of Vietnam War veter-
ans filed a lawsuit against the city,
citing the state constitution’s “No
Preference” clause. In 2006, after
a series of struggles to secure the
memorial, three unnamed Repub-
lican congressmen managed to
WRITE TO US!
The Tech Talk welcomes letters to the editor. However, we reserve the right not to print anonymous letters. We
also ask that each letter be accompanied by a telephone number, address, classification or title. We will not
print the telephone number. Viewpoints should be mailed or brought to The Tech Talk office, 146 Keeny Hall, by
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www.thetechtalk.org/home/lettertotheeditor/.
market. There are several brands,
but it basically boils down to
being a synthetic form of the
herbal drug likened to give a high
similar to marijuana.
The product started showing
up around July 2010 and multiple
poison control centers across the
nation began receiving calls re-
lated to it. Six states Alabama,
Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky,
Louisiana and Missouri have al-
ready banned the product, and
Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey and
New York are still considering
bans.
Once again, Louisiana is taking
on another synthetic drug, Ivory
Wave. The product has several
names, Ivory Wave being the
most popular.
According to Foxnews.com,
more than 165 calls concerning
the drug were placed to the
Louisiana Poison Control Center
since September 2010.
The drug contains a chemical
called Mephadrone and Methyl-
enedioxypyrovalerone, or MDPV.
It is known to be a stimulant but
also causes paranoia and hostility.
The Drug Enforcement Adminis-
tration said MDPV is not ap-
proved for medical use in the U.S.,
age Project hosted by the Inves-
tigative Reporters and Editors or-
ganization where we learned
more than just how to investigate
the administration; we learned
how to investigate everyone.
Can you imagine how unnerv-
ing it would feel to know that any
amount of personal information
you’ve ever given anyone is avail-
able for any other person to see
with a simple search using your
first and last name?
Stop imagining, and start feel-
ing unnerved.
We passed the brink of Ete-
waf when Google created Gog-
gles, an iPhone app that allows
the user to take a picture of
something and find similar pic-
tures through an online search; or
when Pipl.com was created,
which allows anyone to type in
the first and last name of a per-
son and find out every address,
phone number and family mem-
ber he or she has ever had, as
well as e-mail accounts that have
been owned by the searchee.
Remember that awesome dis-
count card to Best Buy and
American Eagle you signed up
for and the phone number and
take the site in the name of the
federal government. After two
more lawsuits, a ruling in favor of
the government and an appeal,
this current ruling was declared.
The article said the court re-
jected claims of the cross being
“solely a memorial” due to the
site being labeled as the Mount
Soledad Easter Cross for years
and was decorated with a plaque
declaring it a war memorial after
the lawsuits were filed. The court
said the “distinctively Christian
symbol” was “alienating” to non-
Christian veterans.
One man, on an accompany-
ing video, stated the cross is not
representative of any given reli-
gion, but it is instead seen as “a
symbol for the military.” This is an
argument I cannot believe.
I must clarify that I do not sup-
port the ruling solely out of anti-
Christian animosity. Rather, I see
it as an opportunity to embrace a
common ground between Amer-
icans of different religious back-
grounds by, for example,
replacing the cross with the
American flag, a symbol I believe
is more fitting for a war memorial.
For the big picture, though, this
article reminded me of a larger
overall problem between secular
and religious factions. Over the
years, when cases debating prayer
but its use is increasing. Gov.
Bobby Jindal has made it his mis-
sion to end the use of the drug
within the state. He announced
Jan. 6 an “emergency rule to
crack down on distribution and
possession of fake bath salts.”
The ruling to outlaw the prod-
uct was based upon the synthetic
drugs containing fake bath salts as
well as plant food.
According to wwltv.com, the
packages have a warning that the
drug is “not for human consump-
tion.”
Jindal said on the state web-
site, “These drugs have crept into
our communities and they are
hurting our kids. We have to do
everything in our power to protect
our children and to make sure our
streets are safe for our families.
The reality is that the chemicals
used to make these dangerous
substances have no legitimate use
other than to provide a high for
the user. Make no mistake – these
are very dangerous drugs and we
must get them off our streets.”
My question is why we are tak-
ing such swift action with these
synthetic drugs?
I have no recollection of this
kind of enforcement with actual
address the sweet lady behind the
counter asked for?
That information is sold to
other companies.
In turn, the information be-
comes public, and it becomes ac-
cessible for everyone.
Oswalt also mentions the
phrase otaku, which is Japanese
for an intense obsession usually
involving electronics.
He says Etewaf creates a
weak sense of otaku since the
people who do quick research on
other cultures generally just
scrape the surface of what the
culture is really about.
He also says the only way to
end Etewaf is to incite an “a-pop-
alypse” and overload the public
with so much pop culture that
pop culture no longer becomes a
group following.
In the same way, inciting an in-
formation overload could also
end the Etewaf of personal infor-
mation going completely public.
When enough people realize
how much of one’s life is avail-
able for everyone to see, maybe
then the amount of personal in-
formation required to subscribe
to a forum or discount card or to
in schools or saying “God bless
you” in government-sponsored
situations arise, I’ve heard and
read comments asking why, with
all the other problems our coun-
try is facing, we are worried about
such trivial matters. The truth is,
however, that in America religion,
and thus every aspect of it, is far
from being insignificant. Former
President John F. Kennedy caused
an uproar when he became the
first Catholic to hold the presi-
dency and, last year, an atheist-
sponsored billboard reading “One
Nation, Indivisible” was dese-
crated so it resembled the current
Pledge of Allegiance with “Under
God” in spray paint.
I feel there has been a kind of
war over the past few decades be-
tween the believers and the faith-
less fighting to determine who
will control the country. Granted,
atheists, agnostics and many oth-
ers outside the Christian faith are
at a disadvantage given the theory
many of our founding fathers,
while Deists, were God-fearing
men. Many people have taken it
upon themselves to act as sol-
diers to defend what are inter-
preted to be Christian beliefs
lining the foundation of America,
and in this struggle, religion is
both a shield and a sword.
I only need to point to the
illegal drugs, but yet these syn-
thetic drugs are receiving so
much press. Is it because
Louisiana has the majority of the
users or is this just a public rela-
tions issue to show our state gov-
ernment in a pro-active light?
It is almost tragic that our state
is spending the amount of energy
it is on fake bath salts. I cannot
help but think that this one goes
up there with kids licking pennies
to get high. If we outlaw fake bath
salts, does that not mean high-
seekers will just attain another
form of drug?
Getting drugs off the streets is
wonderful but having potentially
poisonous drugs available for
consumption is really not that
highly ranked on my list of state
related topics.
It’s in my opinion that the state
government get over bath salts
and get back to work. Sniff
around higher education prob-
lems not getting high issues.
Danielle Cintron is a senior jour-
nalism and English major from La
Place who ser ves as editor and online
editor for T he Tech Talk. E-mail
comments to dnc005@latech.edu.
watch that funny video your
friend posted on Facebook will fi-
nally dissipate.
From Oswalt’s view, I foresee
a future filled with a new otaku.
New obsessions are already
starting now with today’s so-
cially-awkward teens and pre-
teens.
Obsessions that he can’t see
since his otaku of yesterday is
today’s Etewaf, much like the
otaku of today will be the future’s
Etewaf.
From a personal information
point, there will be a time when
security is increased to the point
where people are no longer John
Smith who lives at 123 Merry St.
He will be known as John, Citizen
No. 456.
We are already living in Ete-
waf. The question is whether or
not we will do something about it.
I guess we’ll just have to find
out tomorrow.
Taylor Stephens is a junior jour-
nalism major from Bossier City who
ser ves as features editor fo r T he
Tech Talk. E-mail comm ents to
tds026@latech.edu.
2008 presidential election for an
example; many opponents of
Obama labeled him a Muslim or
a-religious as a tactic to repulse
Christian voters and sway opin-
ions, a strategy reminiscent of
McCarthyism and the second
Red Scare of the 1950s.
As far as the cross on Mount
Soledad is concerned, though, the
debate is not yet over. The case is
expected to go to the Supreme
Court and the current court’s rul-
ing does not mandate the cross
be taken down; the memorial can
be rearranged so it is legal, al-
though it is as yet unclear how
that could happen.
In the long run, where it is un-
clear, I would like to see more def-
inition in the separation of church
and state on a national level, a
concept I believe can do modern
society a lot of good. It will un-
doubtedly take time and bitter
clashes, but in the end, along with
more cooperation between our
ruling political parties, I believe
we can become the nation our
founding fathers intended.
Ro ber t Wilso n is a junior jour-
nalism major from Alexandria who
ser ves as associate managing editor
for The Tec h Talk. E-mail co m-
ments to rww0@latech.edu.
In Our Opinion
In response to the Arizona shooting
In the wake of the tragic shooting in Tucson, Ariz. Satur-
day, a multitude of issues have surfaced running the gamut
from the potential dangers of political rhetoric to public safety
and gun control. Just after Jared Loughner, suspect in the
shooting, was taken into custody, political pundits and news
outlets began a flurry of debate about whether the shooter
was influenced by the heated political language that seems so
common in American society. Others have looked into gun
restrictions by state and questioned the effectiveness of gun
laws.
But regardless of what caused the tragedy, how the gun
was obtained or what sort of protection Congressmen may
call for in the future, the fact remains that six Americans lost
their lives, and a community lost what each of those individ-
uals had to offer society. A 9-year-old girl, who had recently
been elected to her school student council, will never have
the opportunity to lead her peers. A 30-year-old staffer will
not get to marry his fiancée of his dreams, to whom he re-
cently proposed. A federal judge, who had just entered his
twentieth year of service, will longer be able to serve his
country through his judicial capacities. Several senior citizens
will no longer vote or contribute otherwise to the future of
our nation.
The families of these victims have lost loved ones and our
country has lost valuable members of society. However, in a
larger scope, this is another incident in a series of tragic at-
tacks, showing that not only has no resolution come out of
the countless debates over gun control or probes questioning
the primary factors in leading violent actions, but also that it
invariably requires death to convince people to put aside their
differences and come together as a national community.
Technology poses the unknown
Computers and technology continue advancing to
higher levels. The possibilities make one wonder what the
future of the electronic age will bring to the world. Do we
really know what they are capable of ? Will it do more
harm than good?
A recent article in the Jan.1 edition of The New York
Times released information about “smart computers” that
are being tested in prisons and hospitals. For the equip-
ment installed in the prison, the article states that the ar-
tificial intelligence software analyzes images to recognize
faces, gestures and patterns of group behavior, and when
two groups of trouble-causing inmates (portrayed by cor-
rectional officers for the experiment) moved toward each
other, the system sent a text message alert to a correc-
tions officer who was warned of a potential incident and
given its origin. Though the computers cannot do more
than the officers who constantly watch surveillance mon-
itors, they are especially useful when the work shifts
change because “an observation that is worth passing
along may be forgotten, but machines do not blink or for-
get. They are tireless assistants,” according to the article.
Google already introduced a software application
called Goggles that allows people to take pictures with
smartphones and search the Internet for matching images,
but the company’s executives chose to exclude a facial-
recognition feature because they feared it might be used
as a tool to find personal information about people un-
aware they were being photographed. In the past two
years, online photo-sharing services, such as Picasa by
Google, Windows Live Photo Gallery by Microsoft, Flickr
by Yahoo and iPhoto by Apple, have all begun using facial
recognition software. It is used to find and organize pic-
tures.
The Tech Talk editorial staff believes that while tech-
nology is both beneficial and unpredictable, it needs re-
strictions as to who has access to these capabilities and
should be used for the benefit of humankind, not abused
as an invasion of privacy. The technology revolution has
already begun. We can either embrace it or complain
about it, but “with every technology, there is a dark side,”
said Hany Farid, a computer scientist at Dartmouth Uni-
versity. “Sometimes you can predict it, but often you can’t.”
The
TechTalk
The student voice of Louisiana Tech University
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Arts & Entertainment
Whitford crowned Miss Tech 2011
Cage The Elephant newest CD celebrates more than birthdays
Robert Wilson
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Kentucky’s most unusual
quintet returned to the record-
ing studio last year with fresh
lessons of road life and scars of
personal struggle, emerging
with “Thank You, Happy Birth-
day,” a 12-track showcase of
musical and personal growth
released Jan. 11.
Since the release of their
self-titled debut album on Jive
Records in 2009, Cage the
Elephant has scored a few
successful singles, garnered
growing fan bases domestically
and overseas, and even had
their hit “Ain’t No Rest for the
Wicked” featured as the open-
ing song for 2K Games’ “Bor-
derlands.”
Still, the band is something
MOVIE REVIEW
Movie anticipation falls short
Haley Kraemer
COPY EDITOR
Nicholas Cage’s “Season of
the Witch” is marketed as an
eerie tale of two 14th century-
Crusaders tasked with transport-
ing an accused witch to a remote
abbey during the Black Plague,
but the rising action throughout
the journey proves uneventful
and dull.
A local church is convinced
witchcraft is the cause of the
widespread disease. Behmen
(Cage) and fellow knight Felson
(Ron Perlman) are offered a par-
don by the church for their de-
sertion of the Crusade to
transport an accused witch to a
distant abbey, where monks will
perform a ritual hoping to end
the deadly epidemic.
There is a surprising and hor-
rific discovery as the group
reaches the abbey, jeopardizing
all plans of a fair trial for the girl
and an overall cure for the afflic-
tion. Until this point, however, the
group is merely marching
through the countryside of Eu-
rope, failing to provoke excite-
ment for the viewers.
The dark, gloomy lighting of
the film set the uncanny mood
successfully from the beginning
to the end, causing a crippling
fear in the audience’s bones.
There were even two instances
where audience members
Photos top and left by Jessica Wethington.
Elizabeth Whitford was crowned as
the new Miss Tech Tuesday night. For-
mer Miss Tech Jenny Russell pre-
sented Whitford with the crown.
Tuesday’s Miss Tech pageant featured
the talents of 16 contestants.
MUSIC REVIEW
of an enigma. Their sound
blends together a range of mu-
sical influences, from alterna-
tive and punk to classic rock
and blues, making the task of
applying a fitting description
difficult as audiences are drawn
to their convention-defying
style. From the first few sec-
onds of the opening track “Al-
ways Something,” it is evident
that despite signing with a
major label and losing the raw
feel of their independently-
recorded debut, the band still
has ways of producing a gritty,
manic sound.
The song utilizes creepy,
echoing guitar effects alongside
Relativity Media
Season of the Witch
�����
jumped in their seat. Although
the mysterious mood was con-
sistent from scene to scene, I felt
a lack of terror during the
group’s grueling journey to the
abbey.
The strength of the movie lay
in actress Claire Foy’s perform-
ance as the accused witch. The
contrast between her innocent
stage and her transformation into
a demented witch is spotless and
unpredictable. According to
MTV News, Dominic Sena and
Cage intended for the movie to
be a great tale of adventure, ded-
ication and friendship after being
Photo below by Ben Corda
percussion seemingly inspired
by electronic beats while Matt
Shultz darkly muses on how
every good plan can go awry.
The entire album is solid,
with bassist Daniel Tiechnor
and drummer Jared Champion
forming unflinching rhythms
with which guitarists Brad
Shultz and Lincoln Parish are
able to create atmosphere and
driving riffs. Meanwhile, a gift
for close attention-paying lis-
teners are vocalist Matt Shultz’
deeply-personal and univer-
sally-reaching lyrics. The album
is full of energy as well as heart.
In “Indy Kidz,” Shultz viciously
rejects mainstream culture and
inspired by B-movies like the
Roger Corman classic, “Attack of
the Crab Monsters,” a horror, sci-
fi thriller released in 1957.
“I think at some point I
wanted to make movies that cel-
ebrated actors like Christopher
Lee and Vincent Price, and the
great Roger Corman classics that
are unafraid to explore the para-
normal and supernatural,” Cage
told MTV News. “These are the
kind of movies that I personally
watch, so it’s a very honest ex-
pression for me.”
For the most part, Cage’s in-
tentions were met through his de-
tailed account of witchery and
disease, although the film fo-
cused more on the historical
ideals and concepts rather than
narrowing in on action. It is pos-
sible Cage took this approach so
the viewers would understand
the witchcraft paranoia, which
lasted throughout most of the
era. This means while the film is
not B-movie material, it is enter-
taining enough for at least one
viewing.
“The Season of the Witch”
does not compare to the inten-
sity and terrifying suspense
“Knowing,” which hit theaters in
2009. I did not have the same
feeling of amazement in this film,
as I had when I left the theater
after viewing, “Knowing.”
E-mail comments to hek002@lat-
ech.edu.
Zach Beaird
STAFF REPORTER
Elizabeth Whitford took the crown at the 54th an-
nual Miss Tech pageant held Jan.11 at the Howard
Center for the Performing Arts.
The Union Board event boasted 16 contestants
from all areas of the university competing in the
Mardi Gras-themed spectacle.
The contestants tried their best to impress the
judges with their interview, onstage question, swim-
suit, talent and evening wear in hopes of claiming
the title.
Whitford, a junior psychology major, said she was
stunned when her name was called as Miss Tech.
“I’m a pageant rookie so I was shocked when I
won,” Whitford said. “I had no idea I would win and
I’m so proud of myself and all the other girls who
competed.”
Jessica Smith, who was one of the five judges for
the pageant, said she was pleased with the final de-
cision.
“Whitford was all-around good,” Smith said. “She
had a good interview, a great dance for her talent
and a gorgeous dress.”
However, Smith said the decision of who would
be Miss Tech was not an easy one.
“Deciding the winner was tough,” Smith said.
“Each contestant had different strengths, making it
hard to choose.”
In the end five finalists were chosen as well as a
People’s Choice award, Miss Congeniality and two
scholarships from the Association of Women Stu-
dents.
With Whitford taking the crown, the top five also
what popular opinion is sup-
posed to be, screaming into the
microphone to create a kind of
static nightmare as the music
slowly spirals downward.
Immediately after, the band
slows down the tempo with the
single “Shake Me Down,” a
song surely destined to stand
the test of time with its dy-
namic rhythms and catchy,
hopeful chorus of how “even
on a cloudy day, I keep my eyes
fixed on the sun.”
Two other standout tracks
include “Rubber Ball” and
“Rights Before My Eyes,”
emotional yet mellow songs
ready for crowd sing-alongs on
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January 14, 2011 • The Tech Talk • 5
included first runner-up Mallory Cox, second run-
ner-up Tori Close, third runner-up Megan Lee and
fourth runner-up Jessica Hill.
Amy Olita was voted as the winner of the Peo-
ple’s Choice award decided by the audience, and
Angela Cassels was chosen by her fellow contest-
ants as Miss Congeniality.
The AWS scholarships were awarded to two
non-finalists based on academics and community
service. Meredith Harris was awarded the academic
award, and Bailey Terrebone won the community
service award.
With so many worthy contestants fighting for the
crown, Whitford said a lot of work went in to prepar-
ing for the big night.
“It took a solid two months of working out and
not eating pizza to get ready for the pageant,” Whit-
ford said. “I’m glad it’s over now so I can pig out.”
She said most of the work went in to preparing
for the swimsuit portion of the competition, which
she described as the most fun and most difficult part
of the night.
Overall, Whitford said she is excited to represent
Tech for the next year.
“I’m proud to go to Tech and I want to represent
the university as it should be represented,” Whitford
said. “I want to give back as much as Tech has given
to me.”
She said she is also excited to begin working on
her platform of domestic abuse prevention by rais-
ing awareness in the college community.
As Miss Tech, Whitford will compete in the Miss
Louisiana pageant in Monroe, which will be held
June 23 – 25.
E-mail comments to zcb001@latech.edu.
like it’s a little too far pushed
back.
Those criticisms aside, the
album sounds well-balanced
and does a good job of captur-
ing the group’s unbound,
in-your-face live-performance
style.
The album ends with the
swaying “Japanese Buffalo”
and “Flow,” a laid-back, rainy-
day song that draws the album
to a close with Shultz’s voice
Relentless
simply repeating “hold on” as
Thank You, Happy Birthday the music fades away. Arguably
more diverse and ambitious
�����
than their preceding effort,
Cage the Elephant’s “Thank
tour. You, Happy Birthday” already
The band’s enthusiasm how- stands as an accomplished
ever gets the best of them at work, setting the ground for the
times. Shultz’s vocal style recognition they deserve.
sometimes renders lyrics
unintelligible and on the drum- E-mail comments to rww015@lat-
driven “2024,” the guitar sounds ech.edu.
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6 • The Tech Talk • January 14, 2011

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15. Bleat of a sheep
LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION 16. ___lift?
17. Marriage
19. Hauls
20. Green shade
21. Tibetan oxen
22. Adlai's running mate
23. Legal wrong
25. Squeeze
26. Killick
29. Brought up
31. Angel of the highest order
32. Terse
36. Sharp
37. Soft food for infants
38. Well-behaved
40. Small loudspeaker
43. Tin alloy
45. Ballet leap
46. Stable
WEEKLYHOROSCOPE www.horoscopes.com 47. Sleep disorder
50. How you used to be?
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Aries Leo Sagittarius 13. Soviet news service 51. Pro or con
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March 21 – April 19 Jul 23 - Aug 22 Nov 22 - Dec 21 54. Digit of the foot 18. Incense gum 52. Zwei cubed
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Virgo Down 34. Bit
Capricorn 1. Repair 35. Like some dorms
Taurus Aug 23 - Sep 22
Dec 22 - Jan 19 2. Dies ___ 37. Domestic animal
Apr 20 - May 20 A prominent male author whose work you enjoy might 3. Bristle 39. Boring
You might feel overworked today. Your energy could be
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you're likely to get a little frazzled,but this will pass.Get evening. again.
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movies,and poetry about love will be appealing.If you're
7 Day FORECAST www.accuweather.com
jump at unexpected noises or think you see or hear things currently romantically involved,consider planning a spe-
with life and suddenly have the urge to get away for a
that aren't there.You aren't going crazy.This is caused by
the current planetary configuration. The best way to re-
while.This isn't a bad idea,Libra.Make a few phone calls.
Invite a friend over and discuss it with him or her.You've
cial evening with your partner.If you aren't involved,you
might want to attend a sporting event. Plan an enjoyable F S Su M T W Th
lieve the jumpiness is to get some exercise - at least take evening,Aquarius.Who knows?You could meet someone
been working hard and a little break is probably in order.
a walk. In the evening, read an engrossing book. new and exciting!

Cancer Scorpio
H
48 H
55 H
57 H
65 H
53 H
47 H
54
Pisces
Oct 23 - Nov 21
Jun 21 - Jul 22
You may wonder if you're losing your memory today.You Paperwork regarding a bonus, settlement, or dividend of
Feb 19 - Mar 20
A rush of activity at home is probably going to involve
L
29 L
38 L
47 L
45 L
28 L
29 L
27
might have the strange feeling that there was something some kind might need to be executed today. It will prob- preparations for a journey or event. More than one visi-
you had to do but can't quite remember what.Don't worry ably be boring.You will get it done. Sudden insights, rev- tor could arrive during the course of the day. Your mind
about it, Cancer. If you push yourself too hard, you will elations, or flights of fancy might provide fodder for may be going in several different directions,and this could
drive yourself crazy.Your imagination could come up with creative activities,particularly writing or speaking.Write prove a bit disconcerting. Try to take breaks and remain
ideas for stories and poems. Write them down. You will these ideas down.You have a good memory, Scorpio, but centered, Pisces. You won't accomplish anything if you 40% 40% 31%
want to remember them. you will want to recall every detail. work yourself into a panic.

Daily U

THE TECH TALK ONLINE

www.thetechtalk.org

The Hutch
New Furniture • New Appliances

Living Room Sets at Bargain Prices

Mattress Sets $104 and up
B&B make stock trends trendy Come in today and check out our large selection of new and used items!
Hours: Mon - Fri 9am-5pm • Sat 9 a.m. -noon
Haley Kraemer score. SMIF. According to freeman.tulane.edu/fen-
“Even if you are not investing in stocks, I ner/, Tulane is managing more than $2 mil- 1101 West California • Ruston, LA 318-251-1300
COPY EDITOR want you to come learn how to check your lion in two separate stock portfolios. Stan & Mary Stiglets (Owners)
credit score, learn why it is important and “We would need a mentor or professor to
Three members of the Financial Manage- how to save extra bucks,” he said. oversee it, and it may even be incorporated
ment Association co-founded Bulldogs and Acosta described the general meetings as into a class,” Acosta said.
Bears, which began as an FMA project last a stock discussion and advice session. Walker said one of the biggest obstacles in
year to create a common interest group de- “We teach the metrics of why you should the formation of the SMIF is the money.
signed to educate students about stocks. or should not invest in a stock,” he said. “We He also said, “We have a lot of engineer-
The organization is committed to provid- want students to become familiar with the ing students participating in Bulldogs and
ing insight into stocks and meets at 7 p.m. process.” Bears. There is a diverse background, and
Tuesdays in the College of Business, Room Acosta said Tech’s B&B ranked 15th this there is even a demand for non-business ma-
217. The co-founders are Jaren Glover, school year in the Stock Portfolio Challenge jors.”
Manuel Acosta, a post baccalaureate math hosted by the National FMA where students Walker said it is important that we have
student and Stephen Walker, a business ad- have $1 million in virtual money to invest and many different perspectives when reviewing
ministration graduate student. trade on www.wallstreetsurvivor.com the stocks and that they have about 12-15
Glover, a senior computer science major, He said B&B is also planning to start a new faces every week. Daniel Shaw, a senior
said he and a fellow student, now alumnus, Student Managed Investment Fund. The ma- accounting major, expressed interest in B&B
used to discuss stocks. Since his departure, jority of the money raised will go to the fall quarter 2009 when the mass e-mails were
he has wanted to find others with interests in Louisiana Tech Athletic Club because he said sent out to all students.
stocks. He thought this would be a good op- he believes sports are prominent in the image “I think stocks are very important to learn
portunity to get more people interested in the of the university. about, but people don’t have the opportunity.
stock-exchange process. “This will increase the visibility of the fi- They find them intimidating,” he said. “I
“It is not all about the stocks,” he said. “It nance department at Tech,” Acosta said. learned more about real-world applications
is about financial literacy.” “National recognition will help the College of and finances. It has opened my eyes to the
Glover said some students may graduate Business.” importance of this aspect of life.”
from college not knowing what a credit score He said Louisiana State University and Tu-
is, and they may be unaware of their own

Canterbury Association
lane University already have a significant E-mail comments to hek002@latech.edu.

EVERYONE
IS W EL C O M
THE EPISCOPAL MINISTRY AT LOUISIANA TECH WELCOMES YOU!


E!

Canterbury meets every Wednesday evening at 6 P.M. • All Canterbury services followed by Fun, Food & Fellowship
Where: Church of the Redeemer, 504 Tech Drive • PH 318.255.3925
The Rt. Rev. D. Bruce MacPherson, Bishop • Rev. James G. Benbrook, Rector • Dr. Bill Patterson, Forestry, Faculty Advisor
-www.latech.edu/tech/orgy/canterbury-
 January 14, 2011 • The Tech Talk • 7

More Talk
Don’t

Ask,
Tell
Don’t

Sexual orientation no longer a contentious point for active duty soldiers

Mary Timmons ality, it has an effect on others as well.

Cates said DADT affects everyone in the military, not
STAFF REPORTER just homosexuals and lesbians.

Total “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Discharges 1994-2003

“
“When one of your fellow service members is dis-
For years, the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell law raised questions charged for nothing more than being who they are, to me,
of whether homosexuals and lesbians should be allowed it feels like you're losing a brother simply because they

1273
to serve openly in the military. With a repeal of the policy have brown hair instead of blonde or because they're too
1241
currently in the works, spotlight remains on the contro- tall or some other less-than-feasible reason,” Cates said.
1163
versial subject. “It can destroy morale, easily.”

1046
According to the CNN website, former President Bill He said allowing homosexuals to serve openly is not
1007
Clinton first announced the policy at a press conference going to deter the

906
Jan. 29, 1993, to ensure that all citizens would be allowed military from its pri-
870
to serve in the military despite their sexual preferences. mary objective.

722 787
The law dictated that military applicants were not to be “The main prior-
asked about their sexual orientation. ity of the military is

617
"The issue is whether men and women who can and to protect the con-
have served with real distinction should be excluded from stitution and Amer-
military service solely on the basis of their status," Clinton “Having the freedom to love icans,” Cates said.
said, “I believe they should not." “Having the free-
The issue of an enlisted person’s sexual preference and whoever you want to is some- dom to love who-
DADT has affected the military careers of many mem- ever you want to is
bers since the policy surfaced 18 years ago. thing that military protects, in something that the
According to Report of the Comprehensive Review of military protects, in
the Issues Associated with a Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t my opinion. It’s one of the last my opinion. It's one
Tell, since 1980, more than 32,000 active duty service of the last profes-
professions that instills a great sions that instills a
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
members have been separated on the basis of homosex-
uality or homosexual conduct under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell great sense of
and its predecessor policies; of these more than 13,000 sense of honor and honor and cama-
occurred since the law was enacted.
Taylor Cates, a junior biology major, said he partici-
camaraderie.”” raderie.”
Christopher
pated in ROTC for two years but is no longer a member. Bivens, a sopho-
“At the time it was created it seemed like a decent so- more kinesiology
lution, but that was years ago,” Cates said. “Now it seems Ta y lor Ca tes major, said he
like just a way to brush the whole ‘gays in the military' junior biology major thinks the law is

Costs of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” 1994-2003

issue underneath the rug and out of sight instead of di- outdated, and even
rectly addressing it. Sort of like a 'if I don't see it, then it's if it had not been
not happening' type of thing.” repealed, some-
DADT may have ensured that military members are thing would have
not to be questioned about their sexual preference, but it needed to be done.
7,0 0

6 ,6 7 5
0 ,8 1

3,1 5
9
1,2 6

3 ,7 8

6 ,8 8
9 ,3 3
5 ,0 4

did not prevent them from being discharged if it became “I feel that every American should have the right to
$3 2,67
$ 3 9 ,9 2

$2 7,26
,2 6
$2 1,90

$3 8,77

$3 0,77
$2 47,10
$ 2 5 ,3 0

$ 2 3 3 ,9

02

known. serve their country and defend freedom,” Bivens said. “I

2

9
9

1
7
7
7,5

Cates said one of his close friends was dismissed from believe that DADT is a form of discrimination.”
$1

ROTC when it was exposed that he was a homosexual.
“I have friends who are in the military and are not al-
lowed to be open about their sexuality,” Cates said. “In-
stead of actually being able to say
'this is who I am' they are sim-
ply not allowed to say any-
thing about it or be asked
about it.”
When a member of
the military is dis-
charged for ex-
posing his or
her homo-
sexu-
Bivens said he looks past the surface of a service mem-
ber’s sexual preference and sees the importance of the
job he or she does.
“I haven’t personally seen anyone affected, and I don’t
feel that DADT affects me because the people in my unit
including myself see soldiers for the duty they are called
for and not their sexual orientation,” Bivens said.
Jonathan Brown, a former Tech student and member
of the U.S. Navy for 2 1/2 years, said DADT does not af-
fect him directly, but it does affect the people above him,
which will eventually make it his business.
“It doesn’t affect me directly, but when there are major
issues within the Department of Defense it trickles down
the 500 links above me in my chain of command in the
form of a survey or online training,” Brown said.
Like Cates, Brown said he believes serving in the mili-
tary is an honor as well as an American right.
“I personally believe that homosexuals have just as
much a right to serve in the military as anyone else,” 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

TOTAL: $281,499,971
Brown said. “African Americans don't have to pretend to
be white; girls don't have to pretend to be boys; and ho-
mosexuals shouldn't have to pretend to be straight.”
According to the Fox News website, Dec. 28, Obama
signed for the repeal of the long-standing policy at the
U.S. Department of Interior.
With the promise of “change” during his 2008 cam-

Disproportionate Impact on Women

paign, President Barack Obama has done just that by put-
ting an end to DADT.
“No longer will tens of thousands of Americans in uni-
form be asked to live a lie or look over their shoulder in
order to serve the country that they love," Obama said. Women discharged under “DADT” Women in the Military
“Our people sacrificed a lot for their
33%
country, including their lives. None of
31% 30% 31%
them should have to sacrifice their in-
29%
tegrity as well."
28%
E-mail comments to mnt005@latech.edu. 26%
24%
22%
21%

15% 15% 15%

13% 13% 14% 14% 14% 14%
Page designed by Taylor Stephens

12%

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

Source: Servicemembers Legal Defense Network

8 • The Tech Talk • January 14, 2010
Sports Talk
BULLDOG
T h i s
we e k ’s
Bulldog
Watch fea-
tures junior
guard Olu
Ashaolu.
He aver-
ages
points per
15 Olu Ashaolu
game, with a season high
of 24 (against the Univer-
sity of Louisiana-Monroe
Dec. 4) and a low of 6
(against Southern
Methodist Dec. 1).
His phenenomenal
stats have
Ashaolu played 34 of
35 games last season and
has started every game
thus far this season.
As he plans to lead the
Bulldogs into a hopeful
victory against Hawaii
Saturday night, fans need
to keep a close watch on
No. 5.
Ashaolu was named
the Western Athletic Con-
ference Player of the
Week for the week of
Dec. 13-19.
The title was second in
his career, as he led Tech
into an 80-57 win at
Houston Baptist Dec. 14.
The following game - a
62-61 win at UT Artling-
ton, he recorded 10 re-
bounds and 12 points.
Ashaolu has recorded
260 points this season-
115 shy of last season’s
375. Both are strong im-
provements from his first
season - just 176 points.
Keep your eyes peeled
for an outstanding game
Saturday night against the
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
in the Thomas Assembly
Center before playing
Quote
Utah State Jan. 20.
“ Hawaii Rainbow Warriors.
“ Tech entered into confer-
of the week
“We played with good en-
ergy and focus and really
competed. We can't get down
by that much, we have to
come out and play hard from
the beginning.”
HEAD COACH
KERRY RUPP
ON THE JAN. 6 GAME AGAINST
FRESNO STATE
TECHSTER
Senior for-
ward Adri-
e n n e
Johnson re-
ceives this
week’s Tech-
ster watch,
due to her Adrienne
phenomenal
scoring sea- Johnson
son. She
recorded a season-high 34
points in the game against
Southern Miss Jan. 2.
Johnson is ranked No.
13 on ESPN’s Top 50
Qualified in women’s bas-
ketball. She has recorded
118 field goals this season
alone and has averages
21.5 points per game.
Johnson has scored
311 points this season.
She is in ESPN’s top 50 list
for highest points as well,
ranking in the top 20.
Last season, Johnson
was named the Western
Athletic Conference
Player of the Week three
times.
She is helping the Tech-
sters have one of their
best seasons in the pro-
gram’s 36-year history.
Head coach Teresa
Weatherspoon described
Johnson as an unusual
kind.
“Adrienne is a great
athlete who can play any
position on the floor,” she
said. “She is rare.”
Weatherspoon said
Johnson really wants a
challenge - and she does
a phenomenal job over-
coming it.
Her points per game
average ranks as the fourth
best single season in Tech
history.
Utah State should be
on the lookout for a sharp,
fast and potent Johnson,
who will give fans some-
thing to talk about Jan. 20.
Techsters look to advance winning streak
Anna Claire Thomas
SPORTS REPORTER
The Lady Techsters’ basket-
ball team is looking to remain on
fire in conference play when
they host Utah State Jan. 20.
The Techsters have started
the new year with a three-game
winning streak. Two of the three
wins came after defeating San
Jose State and Hawaii on the
road.
The third win came at home,
as they hosted the University of
Southern Mississippi and won
83-61.
The Lady Techsters had a
thrilling overtime victory in
Hawaii Jan. 8, as they knocked
off the Rainbow Wahine 74-69.
Head coach Teresa Weather-
spoon said despite her team’s
success early in WAC play, they
still have their work cut out for
them.
“We are a long way from
being a team,” Weatherspoon
said. “When we needed to make
plays down the stretch, we found
a way to make them.”
Weatherspoon said she gives
Hawaii a lot of credit for creat-
ing an exciting game.
“I take nothing away from
their effort,” she said. “I do find a
lot of fault in [our effort] across
the board.”
The Techsters are led on the
court by a dynamic duo, featur-
Bulldogs hungry for win against Spartans
Sarah Brown
SPORTS EDITOR
After coming off a tough
loss at home against Fresno
State, the Bulldogs will move
on as they prepare to host the
ence play over the break, as
they fell by 30 to Idaho.
They tacked on another
loss after falling 63-59 at home
against the Fresno State Bull-
dogs.
Tech is hungry for a win
against Hawaii.
Thursday night’s match
against the Bulldogs was a
brutal loss, as senior guard De-
Andre Brown – the Western
Athletic Conference’s second-
leading scorer, was held to just
16 points. He scored 10 in the
first half.
Head coach Kerry Rupp
said his team did a superb ef-
fort in the last 10 minutes to
salvage the game, but his team
has to play both halves.
“The last 10 minutes, we
did a good job of speeding
them up,” Rupp said. “We
played with good energy and
focus and really competed. We
can't get down by that much,
we have to come out and play
hard from the beginning.”
Rupp said his team must do
better next game.
“We’re missing a lot of
shots early, and we can’t get
ADVERTISMENT
ing senior forward Adrienne
Johnson and senior guard Whit-
ney Jones.
Johnson continues to im-
press Techster fans this season
by averaging over 20 points per
game and almost nine rebounds
early on this season.
She leads the Techsters in
both categories.
Behind Johnson, Jones has
had a standout season for the
Lady Techsters.
Jones is the 40th player in
Tech history to record 1,000
points in her college career. She
is looking to rack up several
points the remainder of her final
season at Tech.
After facing off against Utah
State, the Techsters will face a
grueling conference schedule
for the second half of the sea-
son.
The Techsters are preaparing
for an intense battle against the
Utah State Aggies Jan. 20 and
Nevada Jan. 22 in the Thomas
Assembly Center.
The Lady Techsters will host
Utah State at 7 p.m. Jan. 20 in
the TAC.
The game can be heard 97.7
FM, LA Tech Sports’ Network.
E-mail comments to act013@lat-
ech.edu.
Sophomore point guard Tevin Hall makes a play during work hard and everyone stays
the Jan. 6 game against Fresno State. The Bulldogs will together, we’ll give ourselves
host WAC foe Hawaii Jan. 15 in the Thomas Assembly an opportunity,” he said.
Center.
ourselves into a hole.”
Rupp plans on having his from the free-throw line prior works hard, especially over the
team committed to excellence to the game, but instead they powerful Rainbow Warriors.
every game, starting in prac- shot a season-low 47.1 per-
tice. cent. Fresno State, on the Hawaii at 7 p.m. Jan. 15 in the
“We’re going to have to be other hand, shot 61.1 percent, TAC.
a team that commits to come although the Bulldogs were
in every day and work hard shooting an average of 59.3 E-mail comments to sdb035@lat-
and work hard in practice,” he percent before the game.
said.
Photo by Ben Corda
Senior forward Adrienne Johnson shoots a free throw
at a home game. Johnson has averaged more than 20
points per game this season after leading the Techsters
into many victories at home and on the road.
the Bulldogs outscored Fresno
State 35-28 in the second half.
Despite sophomore guard
Brandon Gibson’s injury and
sophomore forward Darius
Redding’s absence, newcom-
ers are obtaining valuable
playtime.
“We've got to get in better
shape because our young guys
have to play a lot of minutes,”
Rupp said. “What I like about
them is that they didn't quit;
they kept playing.
He said they have got to get
better as the season goes
along.
“We can't drop our heads
and feel sorry,” Rupp said.
“We've got to work hard and
continue to improve and get
better."
Though the Bulldogs will
not let this loss get to them,
Rupp said his team is holding
their heads high as they press
on to future games.
Photo by Ben Corda “We got to trust that if we
As the Bulldogs prepare to
face off in future conference
Tech averaged 66.4 percent play, Rupp will ensure his team
The Bulldogs will host
ech.edu
Trailing 35-21 at the half,
Baseball pitcher will
miss 2011 season
starts in his career at Tech and
Anna Claire Thomas enjoyed his most successful
season in 2009, when he led the
ASSOCIATE SPORTS EDITOR Bulldogs pitching staff with
seven wins and two saves.
Tech senior pitcher John An- He has appeared in 36
derson will miss the 2011 base- games in just two seasons for
ball season due to a 2009 Tech since joining the Bulldogs
shoulder injury. rotation.
Following off-season shoul- Anderson is a senior from
der surgery following the 2009 Shreveport and joined the Bull-
season, Anderson took a med- dogs from Bossier Parish Com-
ical redshirt last season to re- munity College in 2008.
habilitate his shoulder. He is a two-time letterman
After a full season of reha- at Tech and earned his under-
bilitation in 2009, Anderson graduate degree in marketing
was never fully able to recover this past May.
following the injury to his
throwing shoulder. E-mail comments to act013@lat-
Anderson has made 11 ech.edu.
UPCOMING TECH ATHLETICS
TECHSTER BULLDOG
BASKETBALL BASKETBALL
vs. Utah State vs.Hawaii
TAC TAC
Jan. 20 - 7 p.m. Jan. 15 - 7 p.m.
BOWLING TRACK
Mid Winter Classic Leonard Hilton
Cabot, Ark. Invitational
Jan. 14-16 Houston, Texas
Jan. 14
SARAH BROWN
FROM THE SPORTS DESK
calling all
true tech fans
S
ince covering sports,
I’ve noticed a lack of
enthusiasm in the Tech
crowd. While the stu-
dent section is rocking
at football games, it sadly is
lacking in other sports – prima-
rily basketball.
As I watch college hoops al-
most every night, I deeply wish
Tech students would turn into
some of those intense fans.
At other colleges, students
who sit down during games are
often referred to as “freshmen.”
It’s the norm at Tech.
The band is the main group
that keeps the game loud with
their various calls directed at
refs and the opposing team.
While observing the crowd
at basketball games, most stu-
dents look bored, are seated
and often chat with their friends.
Why can’t Ruston have
pumped up fans like those seen
on the ESPN commercials?
I started covering sports last
year, and the game that showed
phenomenal fan support was
against the University of
Louisiana-Monroe.
If we can pack out the
Thomas Assembly Center with
just over 4,00 fans, why can’t we
strive to go above and beyond
that attendance record every
game?
After all, the TAC comfort-
ably seats 8,000 people.
The second-highest atten-
dance at the TAC this year has
been when the Bulldogs hosted
Southern Methodist Dec. 1.
Over 2,000 fans showed up,
meaning three-fourths of the
TAC was free space.
As far as the Techsters go,
over 1,700 showed up to see
them host Southern.
I truly believe that Tech
would get more airtime on na-
tional television if they did have
a more outgoing fan base.
I love watching how fired up
students at other universities
get over bad calls.
While the band is the pri-
mary voice for Tech by sharing
their opinion of a foul, I’d like to
encourage students to step it
up.
Watch other college hoops
and see how stoked their stu-
dents get.
It’s beyond phenomenal.
Just think – Tech could be-
come known for its sports fans.
Imagining the TAC packed with
diehard fans is something I
would love to see before I grad-
uate.
I would highly encourage
more fans come out to more
basketball games, especially the
Techsters’ games - a good rea-
son being that they are having a
stellar season.
Coaches and players notice
when fans really pick up the
pace and come out to games.
It motivates the team and
encourages them to fight harder
and stronger.
It would thrill men’s head
coach Kerry Rupp and women’s
head coach Teresa Weather-
spoon to see the TAC packed
out for one night.
Fairwell Fresno State is com-
ing up Feb. 5 as part of the
NCAA’s Pack the House Chal-
lenge.
I’d like to challenge all stu-
dents to stop making excuses
for missing games and to come
out to the TAC and watch the
Techsters host Fresno State.
I’m not saying put off pa-
pers, tests, homework and other
assignments - - those are im-
portant.
The point I’m trying to make
is everyone’s busy, but we cut
out time to do certain things.
For instance, I cut out time
to watch SportsCenter, do
homework and go to things im-
portant to me - like sporting
events, movies and outings with
friends.
Even if I wasn’t a reporter,
I’d be there.
The bottom line is students
need to come out to more bas-
ketball games.
And for the cheap college
kids - your games are already
free, so money should be the
last of your worries.
So, Tech fans, get loud.
Sarah is a junior journalism major
from Madisonville. E-mail com-
ments to sdb035@latech.edu.