11/17/2011

Skyrim exceeds expectations

The

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Waterboarding: The torture debate

Women’s basketball starts season

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Michigan Tech Lode

November 17, 2011

Serving the Michigan Tech Community Since 1921

Facebook under attack - “Fawkes Virus” to blame? mystery is why the worm was even targeted towards Facebook in the first place. Normally, online scams are motivated with the end goal Last Thursday, Nov. 10, many of achieving personal information Facebook users were surprised to later be used for identity fraud. when they logged on to their ac- However, Sophos and other online counts and found images of dead security firms have noted that this animals, pornography and other worm appears to be a completely offensive materials posted on malicious program with no goal their wall. Then, building on the of collecting user information. already shocking surprise, these Instead, it appears this program’s users also noticed that many new sole purpose was to deface the friends had been added onto their image Facebook promises its usfriends list and many more invites ers by ruining the family-friendly were being sent. Facebook has and safe environment provided. confirmed that their network’s So who is to blame for this atsecurity has been infiltrated by tack? Many are quick to assume a worm/virus that continues to that Anonymous, the notorious spread amongst their database. online ‘hacktivist’ group, is the IT security blog of the year, epicenter of this problem. There’s Sophos, commented after ana- plenty of information supportlyzing the security breach on Fa- ing this accusation too. On Aug. cebook by saying, “Considering 11, the group promised to attack that the flaw is not within Face- Facebook on Nov. 5 (Guy Fawkes book’s website it appears to have Day). This operation was broadcast been rather difficult for them to stating, “If you’re a willing activist respond to this threat.” The bigger or a guy who just wants to protect the freedom of information then join the cause and kill Facebook for the sake of your own privacy.

Facebook has been selling information to government agencies and giving clanThis flag represents Anonymous, the group suspected of creating the worm that’s attacking destine access Facebook. to information Photo courtesy of wikipedia.org security firms so they can

CAMERON SCHWACH News Editor

This group of people appear in public dressed as Anonymous by wearing Guy Fawkes masks.

Photo courtesy of wikipedia.org

spy on people from all around the world.”

Nov. 5 came and went with little interruption to Facebook’s daily routine, no known threat managed to break the social media sites security system. Then, on Nov. 10 (the day of the attack) a YouTube video was posted by the user AnonSecurity157 titled, “Anonymous #Operation ‘Fawkes Virus’ Released on Facebook.”

The video, although a bit hard to understand due to the computer-generated voice, was clear to state its purpose. “Hello, we are Anonymous. As you may have noticed, Facebook has been struck with another virus that sends out malicious links and gains access to your account...” From there, several details about the virus were given such as the claim that the virus is

self-replicating and can provide remote-connection abilities to the virus’s owner. The YouTube video concluded by saying, “Anonymous would like to welcome you to the Fawkes virus... After the worm is under control Anonymous will use this to its advantage against corruption... We are Anonymous.

We are Legion. We do not forgive.

We do not forget. Expect us.”

Although this appears to be an open admission from Anonymous claiming the Facebook worm, the organization’s own website and IRC boards are actively disputing that the worm and the video has nothing to do with them. At the moment however, no other suspects have been mentioned.

Facebook is currently throwing a large amount of its workforce into cleaning up their website as

well as updating their security system so any future breaches can be prevented. These measures include freezing the currently infected accounts until they can be safely released back to the account’s owner, rewriting their site’s security and actively searching for those responsible for the virus’s creation and implementation. The Lode will continue to follow this story as it develops.

Scan this QR code to go to the “Anonymous #Operation ‘Fawkes Virus’ Released on Facebook.” YouTube video.

Local History: The Orpheum SAWYER NEWMAN Lode Writer Built in 1910 by the Mason family, the Orpheum in Hancock started off as a vaudeville theater showing mostly live performances up until the late 1950s.

Though the space was originally designed to accommodate and enhance live sound, the theater began showing an increasing number of films. As one would probably guess, this transition was a response to the growing popularity of films as a form of entertainment, as well as the relatively low operational cost that comes with film features.

In the 1940s, Fox Wolverine Corporation operated the Orpheum Theater. As a subsidiary of Fox Theatres itself, the importance of movie playing as the common operations of the Orpheum increased considerably.

In 1959, a fire burnt the interior of the theater. After its remodeling, the venue was renamed the Pic Theater.

In the mid-1950s, the Mason family made Norbert and Jean Kahn (who were, at that time, owners of Gartner’s Department store) partners of the theater.

Time progressed, the Masons and the Kahns aged and film pro-

ceeded to become the dominant entertainment medium of the Pic Theater.

In June 2005 a new partnership, one containing Paul Rogers of Roger’s Cinema, bought the Theater. This was the same Roger’s Cinema that put the Lode Theater of Houghton up for sale in August 2010. Currently, the Wisconsin based Cinema Company has its last holdings in the Copper Country Mall.

Mike Shupe bought the Pic Theater in 2009 after Roger’s Cinema moved to the Copper Country Mall. Though originally focused on the pizza and local crafts sold by his establishment, Shupe also remodeled the theater and restored its original name.

Not too long after buying the space, the Orpheum saw it’s first live concert in several decades.

Since then, Michigan Tech’s studentrunradiostation,WMTU91.9 FM Houghton has been working with Shupe to attract live performances to the establishment.

This is important considering the money that comes in from these live shows is helping to pay off the remodeling costs and keep the venue maintained. Support from Tech students does not stop there though, students often run the soundboard and make up the majority of the audience at

shows.

Since featuring live performances, the venue has seen a wide array of artists. There have been musicians from places such as the Keweenaw, Marquette, Detroit, Kalamazoo, Philadelphia

and Chicago; genres ranging from accordion laden folk, to rock in sea-shanty chords, to electronica coming from laptops.

The acoustical design of the building though over 100 years old, continues to offer an amaz-

ing atmosphere for musical performance. Featuring shows with prices that range from free to $7, the Orpheum is a great place to have a drink and enjoy the pizza and music.

Currently, the Orpheum has Studio Pizza in the front part of the building and the theater in the back.

Photo courtesy of boardtreader.com

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NEWS

Michigan Tech Lode Thursday, November 17, 2011

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Students question Winter weather makes their economic future a comeback JESSICA KENNEDY Lode Writer Given the current state of and future predictions about the U.S. economy, many young Americans are left wondering about their economic futures. College students, many carrying significant financial debt at graduation, must be asking themselves, “was college worth it’?”

Even though the United States currently has an overall unemployment rate of 9.1 percent, some Tech students believe that they have promising futures.

Tech students majoring in engineering or biology reported that they felt optimistic about their occupational futures, where students majoring in the humanities didn’t share that same level of optimism.

A majority of students interviewed for this story said that in today’s tough economy, having a college degree increases the chance of gaining employment but won’t ensure a well-paying job to all graduates. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, another complicating factor is that nearly half of the available jobs don’t require a college degree.

Does this suggest that having a college degree isn’t that important? Tech student Jack Kelly said, “I think getting a college degree is the safest way to get a career that allows for a comfortable life.” There are exceptions, Kelly said, noting that some highly successful entrepreneurs, such as Bill Gates and Steve Jobs,

never finished their degree programs. Even though those exceptions occur, Kelly said taking that route is a risky path. Another Tech student Megan Heikkinen said, “I think that these days, it’s more important that you know the right people than the right things. You could have a stellar collegiate record, but if you don’t network with the right people you’ll get overlooked every time.”

For many students, their choice of major has also become a cause of concern. Several Tech students reported selecting a field of study based on the likelihood of landing a steady job after graduation. According to an analysis by Andrew M. Sum an economist at Northeastern University, it’s clear that graduates of some select majors will have better luck finding a job.

A survey conducted in 2010 by the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University concluded that only 56 percent of all college graduates currently hold a job related to their major, dropping from 90 percent between 2006 and 2007. Nearly half of the graduates answering the Heldrich survey said that their first job required a college degree, with the rest reporting that their first job out of college did not make use of the skills and knowledge associated with their major area of study.

These numbers suggest that college students are having, and will continue to have, difficulty finding jobs in the U.S. economy.

MICHAEL HILLIARD Lode Writer The snow is back, and this time, it looks like it might be back to stay. A week ago Wednesday, we had our first snowfall of the season, but warm days followed and the snow melted. Now, according to weather.com, there is a lake effect snow advisory in effect until 5 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 16, warning of a possible accumulation of 4-6 inches of snow.

Add to that the temperature is predicted to continue dropping (the predicted highs for Sunday are in the upper 20s), and continuing strong wind, it looks like winter weather is here to stay.

Many sources are predicting this winter will be one of the worst in a long time. The Farmer’s Almanac describes their prediction as “’clime and punishment,’ a season of unusually cold and stormy weather, including a “very active” storm track with snowfall considerably heavier than normal, coupled with extremely cold temperatures. Despite having relatively mild winters the last couple of years, the Houghton area is no stranger to snow. In fact, back in the winter of 1978-’79, Houghton achieved a record snowfall of 354.1 in., or about 30 ft. Last year’s snowfall came in at 215.5

in., and the average for the last five years is 228 in.

If you’re feeling lucky, you can even enter Michigan Tech’s annual Snowfall Contest and try to predict the total Keweenaw snowfall for the season. Grand Prize winners will receive two nights at the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge along with a Michigan Tech Winter Survival Kit (which includes a sweatshirt, gloves, hat, scarf blanket and snow brush), and there will be a smaller version of the survival kit given as a consolation prize awarded at random to one lucky entrant. Entries can be submitted online at http://apps.alumni.mtu.edu/snow/ until February 15, 2012 and the rules work like Blackjack: the guess closest to the actual total snowfall for the season (as recorded by the Keweenaw Research Center) without going over, wins.

While this is great news for all the snow-lovers out there who can’t wait to ski, snowboard, or play broomball, it also means that the roads are more dangerous to drive on, requiring much more caution and care from everyone who gets behind the wheel. As of 10 a.m. Wednesday morning, Michigan State Police had already reported four vehicles going off the road on State Highway 41 and State Highway 26, some with minor damage, due to the snowy conditions.

When I called back later in the evening, the officer I spoke with said he knew of at least five accidents in the Houghton and Hancock area and he estimated that there have probably been at least a dozen in the surrounding areas.

Fortunately, the Houghton road commission does an excellent job of keeping area roads plowed and salted, but driving in the winter can still be treacherous, especially for those who may not have had much experience with it in the past. Planning extra time for clearing the snow off your car, going slowly and driving defensively can make the difference between getting there safely and ending up in a ditch on the side of the road—or worse, a hospital. Anyone looking to become more confident and prepared for winter driving should consider a winter driving class.

According to the website of the Keweenaw Research Center, a winter driving class is available “for anyone wanting to improve their winter driving ability and confidence in snow,” where professional instructors teach the essentials of handling corners, braking, keeping control of the vehicle and much more. Visit their website (www.mtukrc. org/school) or call the KRC at 906.487.2750 for more information.

Behind the scenes at the SDC TYLER CATTELINO Guest Writer Every day hundreds of Michigan Tech students, faculty and staff enjoy the many amenities offered by the Student Development Complex (SDC). Whether it’s an early morning workout in the fitness center, an intramural basketball game in the multi-purpose room, swimming laps in the pool, playing pick-up hockey in the ice arena or attending a home game for one of our many varsity sports, the SDC is a great place for students and community members to escape their busy schedules and enjoy some recreation and fun. A select group of Michigan Tech students devote numerous hours each week to ensure that this large and dynamic building functions on a daily basis and is properly maintained. These students are better known as the SDC Crew.

Unknown to many, the SDC Crew plays a vital role in the dayto-day operations of the SDC. These are the people who do the dirty work that needs to get done in order for people to have an enjoyable experience at this building. Tasks range from removing and installing the ice surface every year; to waxing floors, cleaning bathrooms and windows, disinfecting locker rooms, picking up trash after hockey games; and working home sporting events.

SDCFacilitiesandSpecialEvents Manager Chris Roy supervise the student workers. Roy offered a detailed description of the crew’s responsibilities, “Our student crew supplements our regular custodial staff and covers all of the special events we handle, especially at nights and on weekends. The student managers are responsible for overseeing the operations of the building in the evening from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. and on weekends from 7 a.m. to midnight. The student custodians underneath them are responsible for cleaning the whole facility on a scheduled basis. For a lot of special events, like Career Day, we will do a big set-up in the multi-purpose room and a teardown after. The students are

basically for before and after the events.”

Student Manager Mike Stevens has been an employee of the SDC for four years. “It’s usually not too hard of a job,” Stevens said. “We put our time in and do some pretty disgusting things, but overall it’s fun and a good job to have.” As a student manager, one of Stevens’ responsibilities is to resurface the ice and operate the Zamboni.

“It’s a rush,” Stevens said, “nervewracking, and sort of scary considering all the things that could go wrong with the ice and driving into the boards, but it’s usually a pretty good pick-up line.”

Chad Larson, also student manager for four years, had good things to say about the job: “The best part is hanging out with all the coworkers and having a good time at work while doing work.

You can tackle jobs and get things done, work with the guys and be able to use teamwork and pull everyone together and get it done.”

Nathan Manderfield, a current Tech student and a well-known former member of the SDC Crew, reminisced about his experience with the crew, “The most

interesting part of the job would have to be when you work parking for games. It’s always interesting hearing people’s different excuses for not paying the two-, then three-, now five-dollar parking fees, whether they forgot their wallet at home, offered you a slice of ‘za [pizza] or acted like they didn’t understand you and just kept driving.” Manderfield also commented on the importance of the SDC Crew, “It’s important to have an SDC crew because we add some personality to an otherwise very boring building.

We also do some of the most random jobs like cleaning the pool mechanical room and stopping that place from disintegrating from all the water…. We are an awesome bunch, and we deserve everybody’s respect, so when you go to a hockey game, don’t leave your spitter in the stands, drink all of your pop and pick up your garbage after the game.”

If you would like to learn more about the SDC Crew, feel free to talk to one of the workers in the black track jackets down by the Zamboni doors at the next home ice hockey game.

Alek Rozich, SDC Student Manager, uses an edging machine to clear built-up ice from around the boards in the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena.

Photo by Mike Stevens

Michigan Tech Lode Thursday, November 17, 2011

NEWS

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Thinking law school?

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— Eric Berg, ’11 Undergraduate degree: University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

AIM HIGHER

go.wayne.edu/ law-michigan

Wayne Law offers students a strong and comprehensive legal education in Michigan’s historic, economic and cultural center – at a more affordable price than most law schools.

Plus, Detroit’s vibrant legal market provides students with direct access to internship and employment opportunities at state and federal courts, government offices, multinational corporations, unions and major law firms. law.wayne.edu • lawinquire@wayne.edu

What sort of activities would you like to see in the Lode? Let us know by e-mailing lodecomment@mtu.edu. This week’s puzzle will be an easy puzzle. We’re sorry that last week’s puzzle had multiple solutions.

This week’s puzzle should be back to normal—we don’t want you wasting too much of your brain power on this though! The answer to last week’s puzzle is below. Enjoy your Thanksgiving break!

Michigan Tech’s D-2 hockey team KRYSTEN COOPER Lode Writer The Wolf Pack Men’s Club Hockey Team at Michigan Tech was established in 2000 when a player responded to being cut from Tech’s varsity squad by starting his own team, which eventually became the Wolf Pack Club Hockey Team.

In the spring of 2000, after a disappointing four-win season, five hockey players were cut from Tech’s D-I hockey team. Among those players was junior defenseman Quinton Kreuger. Kreuger said that the five players were given the choice of either staying on the team and losing their hockey scholarships or leaving the team and keeping their scholarships. Since hockey careers are short-lived at best, Kreuger chose the latter. Although some of the players who were cut left the team with a sour attitude, Kreuger avoided this by starting the Wolf Pack with cofounder Geoff Roelant and other friends. Richard Nesbit acted as treasurer, and Ryan Detker publicized the team with flyers. Steven Trate, Nate Grayson and Josh Leonard

were also instrumental in the Wolf Pack’s first two years.

After much deliberation, in the fall of 2000, Tech’s Undergraduate Student Government (USG) approved the team as an official student organization. Since this approval came late, the Wolf Pack had to move quickly to make their 20002001 season a success. Initially, Tech’s varsity team donated a lot of gear to the Wolf Pack.

The Pack tried to get Michigan Tech to approve team jerseys in school colors, but Tech was slow to approve this request.

After playing their first few games in borrowed, intramural jerseys, the Pack decided to make jerseys without using school colors. The San Jose Sharks had just designed new, teal-and-black jerseys. The Wolf Pack liked the design and soon skated proudly onto the ice wearing teal and black.

During their first two seasons, the Wolf Pack gained a lot of interest and fans. They won many of their games and hosted promotional events during Winter Carnival and Spring Fling. Since that time, however, the team’s light has dimmed. The Wolf Pack is now considered an intermedi-

ate step between Intramural and D-1 hockey. In fact, the Wolf Pack is a D-2 team, which means they are in the same division as all the varsity sports at Tech except hockey. However, since they are in a lower division than the varsity team, many students prefer the varsity games, even though the Wolf Pack plays 15-25 games per year, traveling as far away as Minnesota to compete.

Current club President Kevin Jozefczak—or “Practice,” as the team likes to call him—said that the team is being run a little differently this year. The Wolf Pack is no longer part of the Minnesota-based league in which they used to play. This change allows the Wolf Pack to schedule their games closer to home. However, Jozefczak said that it is a challenge to get visiting teams to travel to Houghton.

In addition, Vice President David Weyland said that this year, the Wolf Pack has a coach for the first time (previously, they only had a player coach).

Weyland said that the Wolf Pack’s coach, Paul Hurst, has brought structure to the team and helps keep the team organized.

Hurst has a deal with the players that he will only stay if he likes them and they like him. Thus far, he thoroughly enjoys his job and is hoping to stay with the team for years to come. Hurst said that, like the players, he believes frequent practice is what makes a good team. Hence, he wants to be able to practice hockey often and not travel to games every weekend. Hurst said that, overall, the players are talented, disciplined young men. They want to play hockey, so he doesn’t have to worry about whether or not they will show up to practice.

Alex Mager, a second-year goalie for the Wolf Pack, has thoroughly enjoyed his time with the team and especially likes the team’s camaraderie.

“We enjoy playing hockey,” Mager said, “and that’s why we’re on the team.” Mager said that he also likes the team’s commitment level. Practices run all year, so there is more ice time than intramurals offer. However, playing with the Wolf Pack is not as big of a commitment as playing with the D-1 team.

“They [Tech’s varsity hockey players] are hockey players who go to school,” Mager said,

“we are students who play hockey.”

The Wolf Pack is always looking for new recruits. Official tryouts are held at the beginning of each semester, but unofficial tryouts are held at other times as well. Practices are held on Monday and Wednesday nights for the entire school year. Any player who tries out will be placed on the team; however, players who are on a lower skill level than the rest of the team may find the competition somewhat intimidating. Hence, the team is divided into two sub-teams: a practice team and a travel team. Players on the practice team practice with the team, but only the travel team gets to play games.

This allows players who are not ready for game-level competition to still practice and excel.

The Wolf Pack is looking for dedicated, skilled hockey players who want to play and will stick with the team. They also want players who want to have fun playing the sport they all enjoy. For further information, visit the Wolf Pack’s Web page at https://www.involvement. mtu.edu/.

Photo courtesy of Lisa Mager

Michigan Tech Lode Thursday, November 17, 2011

Pulse

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Skyrim exceeds expectations CAMERON SCHWACH News Editor Final Grade:

A+ 9.8/10

For those on campus who have not experienced the new Elder Scrolls game, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, you may want to brace yourself for this article. Bethesda has outdone themselves with this release and have promised gamers that they will have hoursupon-hours of content to explore, create and destroy while playing through this new title.

As many who have waited in anticipation for this game know, this new Elder Scrolls game has been packed with content from former games in the series, as well as tons of new content. Whether you are sneaking through the sea of hidden dungeons in the game, braving the quests of the local townfolk, or frantically running away from another camp of giants there will always be something for players to do. On top of all of this, Bethesda has finally finished and implemented a long term goal to add dragons within the Elder Scrolls universe. More on this later.

For starters, let’s begin with the graphic and mechanical content of the game. As many fans of the series know, each time Bethesda releases a new game to the series it’s a sign that all gamers should begin upgrading their computer.

These games have never been easy on any graphic-processor unit (GPU), and are always designed to utilize the latest and greatest in GPU technology. That is still absolutely true with this game.

The graphics are far superior than any previous release in the series, and the engine behind the game (known as the Creation engine) is far more complex than the modified Havok engine used

to create the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion title.

The minimum requirements for the game are rated at 2GB of RAM, 6 GB of HDD memory, a GPU with 512 MB of dedicated graphics memory, a Dual Core 2.0GHz CPU and a operating system of Windows XP or higher (or an OS of equivalent standards).

The recommended system requirements are 4GB of RAM, 6GB of HDD memory, a GPU with 1GB Graphics Memory, a Quadcore Intel or AMD CPU, and a 64-bit capable Windows OS. There is no standardized list of supported GPU cards yet, but it is advised that your graphic card be higher, or equivalent to, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 260. This reviewer used the Nvidia GeForce GTX 550 Ti graphic card and has nothing but phenomenal results while playing.

For those who have never played a game in the series, the Elder Scrolls offer large and expansive terrains where players not only create their own character, but their own play-style as they begin to explore the new world before them. Some may become powerful fighters that utilize a large array of weapons and quest for the betterment of society. Others may delve into the arcane (magic) arts within the game and quest across the land to further expand their powers.

Or, if neither of those styles suite you, you may choose to embrace the shadows of the world and sneakily creep by guards, trolls, elves and other dangers in the land to fill your bag of loot and continually grow your reputation (and pockets) within the game. If none of those suite you, why not try combining two, or even all

Fuddy Meers ZACHARY PAGE Lode Writer Michigan Tech hosted David Lindsay-Abaire’s famous dark humor play “Fuddy Meers” Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the McArdle Theater with an exceptional turnout. The audience was highly receptive to the creative whims of both the actors and director.

“Fuddy Meers” is centered on a woman suffering from amnesia.

Claire, the protagonist in the story, attempts to regain her dwindling memory by acquainting herself with different characters within the story. She also has a husband, Richard, and troubled teenage son, Kenny, who also try to help her regain her memory by showing her artifacts of her past life.

The play featured many quirky moments and characters such as a limping, lisping man who abducts Claire and tells her that “your husband wants to kill you.” The performance used colorful imagery and abstract music as a way to represent the cacophony and confusion that built as the story unfolded.

The director of the play, Patricia

Helsel, was very pleased with the way the play turned out. “It was a wonderful performance; the audience enjoyed it very much,” said Helsel. “We’ve been rehearsing for six weeks so it was wonderful to see the play turned out so well.”

Laura Larsen, who played Claire, remarked, “I thought playing the role of Claire would be very unique, and I was incredibly eager to fill her role. Claire is a very endearing character. She’s almost childlike in some ways because she’s very naïve about some things because there are so many aspects of her life she can’t recall.

Overall, I though the performance turned out very well.”

Much of the media today has mirrored stories like this. One example would be “50 First Dates” starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore that centers on a similar character portrayed by Barrymore. Other screwball comedy films such as “My Man Godfrey” and “Twentieth Century” have served as particularly important influences to this play.

For more information on upcoming events, shows and plays, visit the Rozsa website at www. rozsa.mtu.edu.

three styles into a new and unique style. You can do whatever you want within these games, which is why so many have come to love this series.

For those who have played the series, especially the Oblivion edition, many old features will be quickly recognized. The enemies within Skyrim still level-up and increase in challenge as you develop your character. A feature that allows for grand adventures in any area of the Elder Scrolls map no matter how high-level or low-level you may be. Many old enemies are back for players to conquer yet again, but there are entirely new foes added to the game that will test the player’s ability to recognize and react to each situation as if it were a brand new encounter. Then, the cherry on top, the dragons that have long been promised by Bethesda have finally been added to the game.

These are not trivial encounters either. Every dragon within the game will fight according to what will give it the best chance of winning. There is no set means of defeating them, as each fight will be different no matter how many times you play the game. Each victory against a dragon will be a

Synthetic Symphony presented by the Keweena Symphony Orchestra NICK BLECHA Pulse Editor The first weekend after Thanksgiving Break will feature a performance by one of Michigan Tech’s musical ensembles. On Saturday, Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra will perform their second concert of the 2011-2012 season.

Titled “Synthetic Symphony,” the concert will feature four movements from four different symphonies by four different composers creating, in effect, a “synthetic” symphony.

The first movement of the synthetic symphony is the first movement from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Symphony No. 38”, also known as the “Prague Symphony”. Mozart, though varying in popularity in his native Vienna, was consistently liked by the Bohemians, and as such the “Prague Symphony” was and is widely viewed as something of a gift to the people of Bohemia. The movement is also known for its slow start, which is atypical

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truly rewarding experience for the player.

Moving on to the story-line and gaming-experience aspects of Skyrim, gamers should be ready for quite the adventure as they begin to play. Within the first ten minutes of the game the chaos erupts and your hero (or villain) is caught amongst the opening assault of the dragon scourge who was assumed to have been long extinct. Also going on during this outbreak, there is a large civil war between the eight Jarls (lords) of Syrim, the grand revival of the Thieves Guild and the Dark Brotherhood Guild of assassins, and the discovery of lost and highly dangerous dwarven ruins. There is even a college for those who wish to learn the art of the bard. As mentioned before, the game is also packed with dungeons, farms, small towns and hours of smaller quests to quell even the most skilled gamer’s appetite.

So how does anyone expect their character to conquer all of these adventures? Have no fear, because no matter who you decide to become within the game, you are a dragonborn.

A powerful blood-line thought

Blood Drive MUB Ballroom B 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

of Mozart symphonies.

The second movement is the second movement of Franz Liszt’s “Faust Symphony”, which interprets Johann van Goethe’s drama “Faust” by dedicating each movement to a character from the drama; the second movement is featured in the synthetic symphony; it is about the character of Gretchen, the lover of the title character.

The third movement is the third movement of Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 4”. This movement features an orchestration that joins in over time: the strings start out playing pizzicato (plucking the strings instead of using the bow) throughout the movement, they are then joined by the woodwinds and later the brass comes in very quietly.

The movement features no percussion except for the timpani.

The synthetic symphony will end with the fourth movement from Antinín Dvořák’s “Symphony No. 9”, better known as the “New World Symphony”. One of the mostperformed symphonies in the modern repertoire, it is notable for having been significantly influenced by AfricanAmerican spirituals and Native American music.

Tickets can be purchased at rozsa.tickets.mtu.edu or by calling 906-487-2073. Prices are $15 for general admission and free for Michigan Tech students. Audiences are advised that while the concert is appropriate for all ages, it is also recorded, and very young children may interfere with the recording.

to have been lost when the last dragon-emperor died 200 years before this game takes place that allows your character to harness the power of the dragons. From flaming breath to slowing down time, all of the power harnessed by your winged-foes will slowly become available to you too. This literally allows you to fight fire with fire in the game, and will quickly become your best friend as you trek across the land of Skyrim.

There is far more waiting for players to discover when they begin to play too. The Bethesda team made sure to include special treats for those both new and old to the game, but you’ll have to play the game to find out what they are! Though some experienced a few initial-release problems with the game, the release was almost completely bug free. Immediately players could join their game and begin experiencing all that Skyrim has to offer. It has been a long time since gamers have seen a game that lives up to the hype generated before it’s release, and even longer since a game has not only met it’s initial hype, but exceeded it.

Adam Ritz MANDY BARBUL-COUCH Lode Writer Adam Ritz graduated with a BS degree in Communication at Purdue University. For the past two decades he has been a TV media personality, as well as a keynote speaker. “The Adam Ritz Show” is presented to college audiences, athletic departments and professional athletes across America. In this Alcohol Awareness presentation, Adam shares recent stories from the news about real people and their poor decisions that have had negative consequences.

Ritz proposes the question, “Are you invincible?” While at Purdue he played football and was a part of a fraternity. He also says, “One poor decision can change your life forever”. Ritz encourages students to actively participate, often having them come up to the front of the audience and read news briefs about college students who made poor choices while drinking and the consequences they faced. He has personally faced the consequences associated with the misuse of alcohol. In 2003, he was accused of date rape and was convicted of sexual battery in 2004 and spent six months in prison.

Ritz shares his own experiences and chooses to educate others before they change their lives forever.

His speech is a powerful reminder that alcohol may make you feel invincible, but you will have to face the consequences of your actions once you sober up.

The Inter-Fraternity council will host Ritz Nov. 30 at 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in MUB Ballroom A. All students are encouraged to attend.

Michigan Tech Lode Thursday, November 17, 2011

OPINION

5

“Enhanced Interrogation” = Torture MICHAEL HILLIARD Lode Writer

“…Using those techniques that we know will extract the information to save young American lives …I will be for it until the day I die.” “I don’t see it as torture, I see it as an enhanced interrogation technique.” “If I were president, I would be willing to use waterboarding. I think it was very effective, it gained information for our country.” So said Republican presidential hopefuls Rick Perry, Herman Cain, and Michelle Bachmann in a recent debate on foreign policy; not to be left out, campaign aides have confirmed that Mitt Romney does not consider waterboarding torture.

Senator John McCain (Republican, Arizona) was quick to condemn his fellow party members support for the practice, however. “Ask any military lawyer, ask any person who knows about the Geneva Conventions that we’re signatories to. We actually prosecuted Japanese war

criminals specifically for the act of waterboarding against Americans,” said the senator in an interview with CNN. He continued, saying “…it doesn’t work.

If you put enough physical pain on somebody, they will tell you whatever they think you want to hear in order for the pain to stop,” concluding that the practice of waterboarding and other such techniques go against what we stand for as a nation. McCain is uniquely qualified to speak on the subjects of torture and how prisoners of war should be treated, as he himself spent five and a half years as a POW in Vietnam and suffered repeated torture at the hands of his captors; to this day, McCain is unable to raise his arms above his shoulders as a result of the beatings he endured.

As McCain referenced in his comments above, the United States once had a reputation as a leader of human rights, supporting the fair and humane treatment of prisoners of war.

Prior to the actions of the Bush

administration, which approved the use of waterboarding, the United States had adhered to international standards, including several Geneva Conventions and others, such as the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. A core component of these conventions is the idea that there is a basic level of human dignity which should always be respected and never sacrificed.

What proponents of waterboarding seem to argue, however, is that the ends justify the means; that American lives are somehow inherently more valuable and worth saving than the lives of any other nationality; and, that prisoners of war deserve to be considered guilty before they have had the opportunity to be fairly tried in a court of law. To them, it seems that notions central to our democracy, like “Innocent until proven guilty,” can be violated if it suits their purpose. Then, there are

Sex at Tech: Ups and Downs This column is aimed at helping MTU students with sex related questions. Written by two MTU students, Peaches & Cream, the column will address your questions from both the male and female perspective. We will discuss sex safety, health issues, and advice in this column. Feel free to email us questions or comments at peaches.cream.mtu@gmail.com.

also those who simply think that these “enhanced interrogation techniques” aren’t that bad.

Recently, a study was published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association of Psychological Science, which attempted to make sense of the different ways people construe what constitutes torture. The researchers identified what they refer to as an “empathy gap,” where “People who are experiencing even a mild version of the specific pain produced by an interrogation tactic are [significantly] more likely to classify that tactic as torture or as unethical than those who are not experiencing pain.” In an article related to the study, one of the researchers referenced the fact that many vocal advocates of waterboarding who have chosen to experience the tactic themselves have changed their perspective after the experience.

If you agree that waterboarding and other such “enhanced interrogation techniques” are wrong and should be considered

illegal as torture, make your voice heard. First and foremost, talk to your family and friends, make sure they know what you believe and why. Also, you can consider supporting groups such as the National Religious Campaign Against Torture (www.nrcat.org), which is organizing events to protest torture.

Check out the QR code below to watch a video of a radio personality try waterboarding for himself in an effort to prove that it’s ‘no so bad.’

Michigan Tech Lode

“My partner and I have an amazing sex life right now. How can we keep the heat up while we’re apart during break?”

Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed in this section are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Michigan Tech Lode staff.

Peach’s perspective PEACHES Current Tech Student Congratulations on being satisfied with your sex life! The key to keeping up all those passionate feelings when you can’t act them out is communication. Since you can’t be together to communicate your feelings physically, you have to rely on mediums other than your bodies. These mediums include the written and spoken word, pictures and video chat. I don’t advise the last two, generally.

While images help keep the fire roaring, they always seem much more crude than words, especially for ladies. You may trust your partner to not share nudie pics with his pals or put them online right now, but who knows how your relationship could end? Hard feelings sometimes push people to do things

you wouldn’t expect them to. It’s a lot more important to protect your future than to maintain what shouldn’t be difficult to rekindle.

With that said, I feel that written and spoken words are much less risky and can be more exciting. Words allow you to paint an entire portrait of a sexual scenario; a picture is just a snapshot. If you’re not that confident in your ability to write, Google “sex stories” for some inspiration. Find something that you like and you think would turn your partner on, then imitate the basic plot and diction. Mix in personal details to keep it from being generic. Sexting and dirty emails can easily do the trick, but they can lack the surprise factor. Spice it up. My favorite would be to write a very detailed letter about what you want to do to them, and have them do

to you, when you get back to school. Slip it into their luggage before you both leave for home.

It’ll be a great surprise for them, and it’ll bring a sense of urgency to how much you want them, which is just hot. An even more exciting way to use your words is with your voice. Talking dirty can definitely be awkward, but if your sex life is on fire right now I’ll assume you and your partner are comfortable enough with each other to do it. A brief word of caution: only do it when you have confidence in your privacy.

The last thing either of you want while you are home is for your family to overhear you. Have fun with all kinds of sexual expression. Being apart makes you expand your repertoire of sexual skills. Employ these suggestions, and by the time you get back from break, you’ll both be on fire with anticipation.

Cream’s commentary CREAM Current Tech Student If we were living in a time period before 1970, I would have said good luck and left it at that.

Luckily for you, some genius invented the computer, and the world has never been the same since. Technology has opened up a new world for relationships.

It’s no longer “What did you do last week?” but “What did you do in the last two hours?” We could argue whether this increased presence is good or bad, but that’s not the point of this column.

When it comes to relationships and sex, technology helps us indefinitely. We go to a school where most people travel long distances to go back home.

For break I’m assuming you and your partner will be quite a ways apart. But honestly, it’s just

Thanksgiving Break, and if you can’t wait a week then you have another issue on your hands.

However, for a longer holiday, like Christmas or Summer Break, you have quite a few options available to you. Anything that I recommend here depends on your level of comfort with your partner and how confident you are in yourself. You need to know that if you are not willing or unsure about these options, it is completely fine! Everyone has their own comfort zone, wherever yours lies is completely acceptable.

For those interested in keeping their sex life going when they are physically separated, just turn to the computer. I, for one, absolutely love web-camming with friends back home.

Programs like Skype or IM that allow video chat (I even think Facebook has that option now) can be great things. Other great

inventions like the cameraphone and text messaging may also be fun options. As I said before though, it all depends on how comfortable you are when it comes to entertaining thoughts of such activities with your partner. These are all options that I definitely recommend to keep things interesting and fun.

However, you also have to be very careful at the same time.

It is very easy to record Skype video chats and messages on the phone don’t delete themselves.

Always make sure that you trust your partner completely before making the decision to send these types of things. We have all heard about people who have done so and ended up getting burnt. In a scenario where you and your partner are completely confidential though, absolutely go for it, it will keep things going when you are apart.

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Editor in Chief ...................................Erika Peabody Business Manager............................Abhishek Gupta Online Editor.................................Priyanka Anand Design Editor.................................Michael Hilliard News Editor......................................Cameron Schwach Opinion Editor...........................................Luke Gublo Sports Editor ......................................Jordan Erickson Pulse Editor...................................................Nick Blecha Advisor ........................................................Kara Sokol

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Michigan Tech Lode Thursday, November 17, 2011

Sports

Huskies hit the road: By # he t Mankato and UW-Parkside numbers JACOB SHULER Lode Writer

With a free throw by the Bulldogs in the final seconds of the game, the University of Minnesota - Duluth Bulldogs edged out the Huskies during Saturday’s game by a score of 80-81.

A close game throughout, the first quarter closed with the Huskies trailing the Bulldogs by one point with a score of 48-49.

The second half brought more close play, with Husky Alex Culy scoring the last point for Black and Gold to tie the game 80-80 with a little over two minutes to play. The Bulldogs scored the final point with a free throw from Jake Hottenstine to end the game 80-81.

Husky point leaders include junior forward Ali Haidar (21 pts), and sophomore Culy (18 pts), and senior forward Mike Hojnacki (14 pts).

Still in search of their first win, the Huskies take on the Minnesota State Mavericks at home this Saturday. The Mavericks lead the overall series with the Huskies, with the 22-8 alltime record.

The Mavericks will not prove to be pushovers; the team is coming off a 28-5 record last season, finishing at the top of their league and going 5-2 in postseason play. The roster boasts several top returning players such as senior Stephen Kirschbaum. The guard finished the 2010-11 season with a .957

free throw percentage, the highest in Maverick history.

The Mavericks, with their solid background and depth, look to have a very mobile team who strive to dominate the offensive zone. The Huskies look to contain this speed with a strong defense to slow down the pace of the game.

Following the game against the Mavericks, the Huskies take on the University of WisconsinParkside Rangers on Tuesday.

The Rangers travel to Houghton after posting a big win last weekend where they put up 125 points in their first home game against the Indiana University Redhawks. Five players

scored in the double digits for the Rangers. The Huskies look to slow down this explosive offense.

Major scorers for the Rangers this season are Jarvis Lawson (15 points per game), Colt Grandstaff (16 points per game) and Ziggy Riauk (18 points per game).

In the season opener, the Rangers achieved 48 rebounds and forced six steals. This is the area where the Huskies struggled in their game against the Bulldogs last weekend. “Our defensive rebounding and Duluth’s offensive rebounding killed us,” commented Coach Luke.

The Huskies came close to

earning a win last weekend.

Head Coach Kevin Luke looks to build on the mistakes made in that game. “We’re close if we can shore up some of the little things,” commented Coach Luke. “We’ve got to be tough defensively.” The Huskies are strong in most aspects of the game. A strong defense will help slow down two offensively heavy teams and force the game to the Huskies’ favor.

Come to the Wood Gym at the SDC this Saturday to watch the Huskies take on the Mavericks at 2 p.m. and return on Tuesday as they host the Rangers at 7 p.m.

After a successful preseason where they walked past Madonna and Finlandia, the Husky women’s basketball team heads to Indianapolis where they will face off against University of Indianapolis Greyhounds in their first regular season game of the year.

The Huskies enter the regular season as the 2011 NCAA Midwest Regional Champions and finished as runner-up in the NCAA Division II tournament last season. However, they aren’t letting this achievement distract them. “This is a new year, and we have to compete every night in a really competitive league,” said head coach Kim Cameron earlier this season.

The Huskies yet to have any regular season play, but are 2-1 in games played this preseason.

For their first game of the new season, the Huskies traveled to Green Bay, Wisc. where they took on Division I competitor Green Bay. The game ended in a 39-59 loss, but the Huskies

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The Husky Basketball Team prepares for their game against Minnesota-Duluth last Saturday.

Photo by Ben Wittbrodt

rebounded in their first home game Nov. 12 when they defeated Madonna 64-52.

In their latest contest, the Huskies took on their rival from across the bridge, defeating Finlandia University Lions 62-26 on November 15. The game against the Division III opponent allowed an opportunity for Husky defense to shine.

At the end of the first half, Husky defense had only allowed 12 points by the Lions.

Offense was also strong for the Huskies who shot at 50 percent in the second half with senior Lynn Giesler leaving as the leading scorer for the second game in a row.

Indianapolis will not be a pushover as they’re still looking for their first win of the season.

Two games into their regular season, the Greyhounds have yet to find the winning formula, with their latest loss coming against GLIAC competitor Ashland last week in Pennsylvania. Greyhound senior Megan Gardner and junior Sydney Weinert each left the court having scored in the double digits for their team.

Saturday’s game will be the

Greyhound’s first home game of the season, with tip-off at 1 p.m. The Huskies will spend Thanksgiving in St.Paul, Minn. where they are set to com-

nesota State-Mankato (1-0,36), the Huskies retain a United States College Hockey Online (USCHO) ranking for the third straight week, sitting at No. 15.

Black and Gold has now also made a berth into the USA Today/USA College Hockey Mag-

azine poll, tying for the No. 14 spot with Ohio State.

The Huskies first appeared in the USCHO poll the week of Oct. 31 when they were placed at No. 16 after sweeping then No. 2 Denver University. This ranking marked the squad’s first since Oct. 2007.

pete in the Concordia-St.Paul Tournament. The Huskies return home Dec. 3 where they kick-off a three game home streak.

Even after taking a week’s hiatus from play, the hockey Huskies have appeared in both national polls. After splitting the last weekend’s series with Min-

Weeks until Husky nordic skiing returns to the Tech trails for the Husky Challenge.

The teams host the invitational Sunday, December 4 for their first of two home meets.

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Sports that will be home Dec. 2-4. Every Husky team will be hosting an event that weekend so put on your black and gold, get tickets and support your Huskies!

Karkos named honorable mention Photo courtesy of Michigan Tech

JORDAN ERICKSON Sports Editor

Kelcey Traynoff looks for an opening against Madonna Photo by Ben Wittbrodt

Husky Hockey highly rated after bye JORDAN ERICKSON Sports Editor

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Weeks the hockey Huskies will be on the road for.

The Huskies head to Alaska for WCHA play this weekend then head to New York to take on St. Lawrence for nonconference play.

Home games for women’s basketball this season. They return home December 3 for a three game homestreak lasting until December 10.

Women’s basketball to face Indianapolis in first game JORDAN ERICKSON Sports Editor

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Points junior Ali Haidar had for the team high against Minnesota - Duluth last Saturday . The Huskies fell 80-81 but are back at home this Saturday to take back their home court.

This season has been a turnaround for the Huskies, who, only two months in, already surpassed their total wins from last season. The Huskies are currently 6-3-1 overall and 4-31 in Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) play.

The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) honored volleyball Husky Jenna Karkos this week for her efforts in the 2011 season by granting the senior All-GLIAC honorable mention.

Karkos transferred to Michigan Tech after playing two years for Kishwaukee Junior College where she also earned honors for her play.

After transferring to Michigan Tech in 2010, Karkos racked up 64 kills and 30 digs for her junior season.

During her final season as a Husky, Karkos led the team in attack percentage at 0.229 and finished second on the team in kills with 143. The outside hitter posted 10 or more kills in seven matches of the 2011 season, and tallied a season-high of 16 kills twice.

The volleyball Huskies finished 2-25 overall and 0-19 in GLIAC play. After the third straight disappointing season, head coach Orlando Gonzalez and assistant volleyball coach Carrie Gonzalez resigned from their positions and the team is still searching for their replacements.

Michigan Tech Lode Thursday, November 17, 2011

QUICK LOOK

Sports

Huskies invade Anchorage in search of first road win JORDAN ERICKSON Sports Editor

HOCKEY

Nov. 4-5 vs. MN State 1-0 W, 3-6 L Nov. 18-19 at Alaska 11:07 p.m.

Nov. 25-26 at St.Lawrence 7:07 p.m.

Dec. 2-3 vs. MN Duluth 7:07 p.m.

Had first weekend off of the season • 6-3-1 overall • Retained the No. 15 rank • Ranked for third week straight • Have yet to find a win on the road • Ranked in the USA Today poll for first time of the season at No. 14 • On two-week road trip •

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Nov. 12 vs. Madonna 64-52 W Nov. 19 vs. Finlandia 62-26 W Nov. 19 at Indianapolis 1 p.m.

Nov. 25-26 at Concordia Tourny.

• First time hosting Madonna • Ranked 3 in nation by USA Today and ESPN polls • Ranked No. 1 in GLIAC at preseason poll • Two game home streak before heading to Indianapolis and Concordia-St. Paul •

NORDIC SKIING

Nov. 23-26 at West Yellowstone Dec. 3 at Wildcat Challenge TBA Dec. 4 Huskies Challenge TBA Dec. 10-11 Ironwood Opener TBA • Finished 17 of 21 teams at the NCAA Championships last March • Will host two home meets this season• First meet of season in Montana• Home opener Dec. 4 •

MEN’S BASKETBALL Nov. 12 vs. MN Duluth 80-81 L Nov. 19 vs. MN State 2 p.m.

Nov. 22 vs. Wis.-Parkside 7p.m.

Nov. 25-26 at Bemidji Inv. • Host rival Northern Michigan for first GLAC play of season Dec. 3 • 0-1 overall this season • to start off season • 13 remaining home games • Visit gliac.org for full standings

The Big Picture: The hockey Huskies are on the road at the University of Alaska-Anchorage this week as they search for their first road win of the season against the Seawolves.

The Huskies had their first break of the season last weekend, using the time to gear up for their second road trip of the season. The Seawolves look for a home-ice win, the squad is having their worst start of their time in WCHA, with a 0-6-0 record so far this season.

Season Series: This weekend will be the first of two meetings between the teams this year.

The Seawolves have a seven game win streak going against the Huskies, with the Huskies last win over the Seawolves Halloween 2008. Overall the Seawolves lead the series with the Huskies 27-24-10.

Team Scope: The Huskies: The No. 15 Huskies split their last weekend series Nov. 4 and 5 in 1-0, 3-6 decisions, with the loss being the Huskies first at home. The Huskies have been strong on home ice, with a 6-1-1 record at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena, but have yet to be successful on the road. Defensive strength has been crucial for the squad this season and Husky defense is currently ranked fourth in the nation, allowing an average of 2.75 goals per game. Senior Josh Robinson, who has started eight of 10 games this season, has led the Huskies in net so far this sea-

Josh Robinson blocks a shot against then No. 2 Denver.

Photo by Ben Wittbrodt

son. Robinson was responsible for the 1-0 shutout Nov. 4, the shutout marked Robinson and the Huskies first since 2008.

Senior captain Brett Olson currently leads his team in points with 12. The center also has had a point in all 10 games so far this season.

The Seawolves: On a six game losing streak that started Oct. 28, the Seawolves are hurting to find a win. The Seawolves haven’t been able to summon the offensive strength needed to win games, averaging only 25 shots per game.

The offensive line sits at last in the nation for goals with an average of 0.67 goals per game.

Nordic Skiing teams travel to Montana JACOB SHULER Lode Writer Opening the winter season, the Nordic skiing Huskies travel to West Yellowstone, Montana for their first race of the season. The race will include teams from several different schools.

It serves as an excellent introduction of the Husky teams to outside competition, which will add to the much-needed experience towards the end of the season.

The trail system at Yellowstone offers 35 kilometers of available training. The race takes place at the Rendezvous Ski Trails, offering several challenges to the racers, the most significant being the altitude.

At just over 6,800 feet in altitude, the Rendezvous Ski Trails challenges teams to strengthen their racing early in the season.

Another factor that the area’s altitude causes is early snowfall, allowing the Huskies an early introduction to the competition. For snow sports, the team that’s on the snow first has an advantage. The change in altitude results in less dense air which heavily challenges aerobic exercise. Air at 6,800 feet is about 50 percent less dense than air at sea level. This makes the distances seem much further for racers who are acclimated to an altitude closer to that of Houghton, which is only 650 feet above sea level.

Well below Photo courtesy freezing, tem- of Lode peratures of Archives 24 degrees on Friday, Nov. 25 and 16 degrees on Saturday, Nov. 26 should provide hard packed snow conditions for skiing, allowing for a fast race for all competitors.

Another difficulty offered by the trail system is the elevation changes.

The elevation change on skis makes a big difference. It will force the Huskies to know where the hills are and account for that in their plan for the race.

Yellowstone will give the Huskies a lot of experience to open the season. Many competitors from all over the country will be at the race, giving the Huskies a lot of talent on which to gauge themselves.

This year, the Huskies bring back some familiar names from last season’s women’s team. A lot of the names from the cross country team also compete in Nordic skiing. This includes Malin Eriksson, who represented the Huskies at the NCAA tour-

However, the Seawolves have managed to stay out of the penalty box, averaging only 9.6 penalty minutes per game.

Who’s Hot: Sophomore Ryan Furne had the only goal in the 1-0 shutout against Minnesota State. The forward currently has two game-winning goals to his name this season.

Injury Report: Tommy Brown continues to recover after surgery a month ago, but the junior defenseman hopes to be back on the ice in time for the Minnesota-Duluth series Dec. 2 and 3.

Puck Drop: The Huskies have been strong this season, but have yet to be successful on the road. The teams seem to be meeting at opposite ends, with the Huskies strong defense and the Seawolves weak offense.

Home ice advantage will surely serve as a blessing for the Seawolves, who haven’t seen home ice since Oct. 28 and 29. Even with the Seawolves’ weak record, the Huskies will need to bring their all to the ice this weekend if they hope to continue to move up in the national polls.

Athlete of the Week: Ali Haidar Photo courtesy of Michigan Tech

nament last semester and crosscountry star Deedra Irwin..

On the men’s side, a very young team competes this year.

Sophomore Mikko Harju represented the men’s team at the NCAA Tournament last year as well where the Huskies finished 17 out of 21 teams. Also joining the team is cross country leader Jani Lane.

Both teams will use the Yellowstone competition to prepare for the first race in Michigan. This will occur on Saturday, Dec. 3 in Marquette at the Wildcat Challenge.

After a big showing in the men’s basketball game this past Saturday, basketball Husky Ali Haidar has been named this week’s Athlete of the Week.

Haidar contributed a team high of 21 points in the Husky’s 80-81 loss against Minnesota Duluth this past weekend.

The Windsor, Ontario native was also awarded First-Team All-GLIAC pre-season honors from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) for his outstanding play in the 2010-2011 season.

Last season Haidar averaged a team-high of 16.1 points per game, putting him at fifth overall in the GLIAC. The junior

also averaged 6.7 rebounds and led the GLIAC with 187 total rebounds.

The 6’7“, 240 pound forward’s achievements in the 2010-2011 season cumulated into All-GLIAC North Division First-Team honors. Haidar was also awarded with All-GLIAC academic honors last season.

So far the Huskies are 0-1-0 in their 2011 efforts, after the close loss against MinnesotaDuluth. However, Haidar and the Huskies return to the Wood Gym at the Student Development Complex this Saturday at 2 p.m. as they host the Minnesota State-Mankato Mavericks.

We’re here because of you.

Check it all out at: www.mtulode.com PDF archives of all issues this year and last

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Write a letter to the editor and tell us what we are doing well, what we can do better or just send us a letter.

We love to hear what you think.

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Husky Hodgepodge

Michigan Tech Lode Thursday, November 17, 2011

WordSmart is new regular feature here in the Lode, written and compiled by Michael Hilliard, a voracious verbivore. In this section you can find words that are commonly found on graduate exams, such as the GRE, along with their definitions and examples of their use. Anything you’d like to see featured in Word Smart? Send an e-mail to mchillia@mtu.edu.

ersatz:

[pronounced like: er-sats]

\’er-,säts, -,zäts, er-’; ‘ər-,sats\

adjective

1. being a usually artificial and inferior substitute or imitation Examples: They played football on an ersatz turf.

I’m allowed to eat ersatz chocolate made from carob beans, but it’s a poor substitute for the real thing.”

frisson: [pronounced like: free-sun (with a French accent)] \frē-,sōn\

noun

1. a brief moment of emotional excitement : shudder, thrill Examples: Those two are still caught up in the giddy frisson of a new romance.

As the music stopped, a frisson of excitement ran through the crowd.

Definitions and examples are often based on material provided by www.Merriam-Webster.com

For all you shoppers out there....

Black Friday Tales of Horror

Most people have heard the stories about shoppers getting trampled by other zealous consumers and other crazy things that happen on the busiest shopping day of the year. However, sometimes they can be hard to believe. Here are some very real examples of crazy shoppers from Black Friday 2010.

• A Wisconsin woman attempted to cut in front of several hundred shoppers lined up outside of a Toys ‘R Us. When she was confronted by numerous people, the woman threatened to retrieve a gun and shoot the other shoppers. She was arrested for disorderly conduct. She later stated that she was not a violent person; she just wanted to get her daughter the toy she wanted.

• At a Wal-Mart in Florida, shoppers noticed another man in line was carrying a handgun in his belt and notified the police. When the man was taken aside police not only found the .40 cal Glock loaded with a 30-round magazine on his hip, but also two concealed knives and a pepper spray grenade on his person. The man also had several different schedule II and schedule IV prescription medications, none of which were labeled or prescribed.

He was charged with two counts of carrying a concealed firearm, three counts of carrying a prohibited weapon openly and three counts of possession of prescription medication without a prescription.

• In North Buffalo, New York a man was trampled at Target. When the store doors opened the crowd all tried to press into the store at the same time. One unlucky man was pressed up against the metal door support by the mob and then fell to the ground under their feet. He was quickly pulled free by other shoppers and Target staff.

However, not before he suffered a herniated disk. The frenzy was recorded on Target security cameras, and it was unclear whether anyone else suffered injuries during the mad rush to buy discounted goods.

So here’s hoping you stay light on your feet and violence-free this Black Friday.

Take a friend with you to guard the cart, things can get crazy out there.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Everyone here at the Lode wishes you a fun, safe holiday.