01/14/2016 by Michigan Tech Lode

PAGE 10

Nuclear weapons: have we gone too far?

Janurary 14, 2016

PAGE 12

PAGE 3

Obama Takes Action on Guns

Free Ski Day!

Tech wins against Michigan State over break. Photo by Devin Miller

Thursday, January 14

NEWS

Michigan Tech Lode

Supreme Court in 2015

Crowd reacts to Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage on Friday, June 26, 2015 (Left). Gay marriage plaintiff James Obergefell waves during the Cincinnati Pride parade Saturday, June 27, 2015.

Photo courtesy of The Associated Press

Evan Mayer News Writer The past year, the Supreme Court saw many key cases get resolved. These cases also corresponded with major social issues that the United States as a whole is trying to figure out. Two cases that have the most impact on the average American’s day to day life were Obergefell v. Hodges and King v. Burwell. In Obergefell, the court ruled that laws prohibiting same sex marriage violate the right to marry and deny equal protection to gays and lesbians. This landmark case allows gays and lesbians the ability to marry in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and all territories of the United States. The decision in this case shows the rapid cultural acceptance that has gone towards samesex marriage, as 2003 was the year when Massachusetts was the first state to pass a law recognizing same-sex marriage. King v. Burwell dealt with Obamacare’s ability to expand access to health insurance across the country. The issue of the case was whether the law’s language allows the government to help middleincome people buy insurance everywhere in the country or only in states that have set up their own insurance marketplaces. Only 16 states have set up an exchange,

while the other 34 states rely on the federal government. The court held that all who qualify economically may receive tax credits from the federal government if they purchase from a health care exchange. Additionally it does not matter if a state or federal government created the exchange. Currently there are between 6.5 and 10 million people have obtained their health insurance through these tax credits so if the decision had gone the opposite way all these people

Obergefell v. Hodges... allows gays and lesbians the ability to marry in all 50 states.

would have lost their insurance. Another major case that will have a significant impact on the federal courts was Johnson v. United States. This case dealt with the federal Armed Career Criminal Act. The Armed Career Criminal Act states that if a person is convicted of a crime involving the use of

a firearm, and the individual has three or more earlier convictions for a “serious drug offense” or a “violent felony,” the prison term is a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of life. In order for the Act to apply to a person’s crime, the crime must fit into one of its several clauses. The last clause—“or otherwise involves conduct that presents a serious potential risk of physical injury to another”—is known as the residual clause. This clause was the main issue in Johnson and it was determined to be unconstitutionally vague. This has opened up several other law’s wording to questioning due to the similar language that is used. Litigation is currently going on in several different levels of the judiciary branch to settle the language issue. Finally there is the most surprising case of 2015, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. The Inclusive Communities Project, Inc., involving low-income housing programs. The Supreme Court dealt with the issue of clarifying whether the Fair Housing Act requires intent to discriminate, or whether a claim can be established based merely on the unequal impact of an action. The Court ended up deciding that just having an unequal impact was enough for the Fair Housing Act to be violated. This is an important decision, because rarely will an individual directly

show a discriminatory motive. This decision now gives individuals the power to pursue instances of racism without having to cite an instance where a person was explicitly racist.

The most surprising case... gives individuals the power to pursue instances of racism that aren’t explicitly racist. This year will bring equally controversial cases that will shape the future of the country. Some of the issues that will be heard this year in the Supreme Court include affirmative action by colleges and universities, the First Amendment rights of non-union members, the proper method of voting redistricting, and the ability of states to enact laws resulting in the closure of facilities where abortions are performed.

Michigan Tech Lode

NEWS

Thursday, January 14

Obama Takes Action on Guns

President Barack Obama wipes tears from his eyes as he speaks in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016, about steps his administration will take to reduce gun violence. Photo Courtesy of Assoicated Press

Daniel Stockard News Writer President Obama introduced new executive actions on gun control to kick off the New Year. No new regulations have been enacted; the president instructed

the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to enforce existing regulations on any entity “engaged in the business” of selling firearms. This includes internet and gun show dealers, who will now be required to obtain a license and conduct background checks on potential buyers. The penalty for violations is up

to five years in prison and fines up to $250,000, according to the White House. At first glance this seems redundant, as all licensed gun dealers (on the internet or not) are already required to conduct background checks. What the move does is give law enforcement a better ability to crack down on dealers posing as private sellers. Under current gun control policy, private individuals can conduct occasional transactions for personal collections or as a hobby. This opened the door for people who should be considered dealers to pose as private sellers and evade having to conduct background checks on their clients. This move will establish an Internet Investigations Center that will identify and charge those people abusing the law. The president also announced that his 2017 budget proposal will include $500 million to be allocated towards mental health care, and funding for 200 ATF investigators and 230 FBI members. Predictably, the move was met with a mixed reaction. Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio contended during an interview on ABC news that “he is trying to keep guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens by continuing to put new restrictions on our guns”. During an interview with Katie Couric, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan argued that the orders were merely intended as “distractions” from what he sees as Obama’s failed policies. On the flip side, Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders applauded the efforts and said that “I think he’s doing what the American people would like him to do”, while expressing that he wished there had been bipartisan support on the measure. One thing is for sure though: nobody is coming to take away your guns.

North Korea Nuclear Test Jon Jaehnig News Writer On Jan. 6, North Korean media announced the successful testing of a miniaturized hydrogen bomb. Many individuals and news agencies believe that North Korea may have made the statement as a propaganda maneuver without having carried out the test at all. While North Korea is known for falsified news reports and unsuccessful weapons testing in 2006, 2009, and 2012, government agencies are in a position that demands acting as though the report was accurate. The significance of North Korea’s claim

is great. North Korea’s current weapons have not been a direct threat to the United States in the past, because while North Korea is known to have the capability to make nuclear weapons, those weapons do not have the range required for North Korea to use them against the United States. If North Korea has successfully tested a miniaturized hydrogen bomb, they may have the ability to put it on a missile which would have a greater range than North Korea’s previous nuclear weapons technology. That North Korea does have missile capabilities advanced enough to reach the United States was confirmed in the summer of 2006 when North Korea used a missile to launch a satellite into space.

Even if North Korea’s claim was not accurate, North Korea is under strict United Nations sanctions, regarding both the refinement of nuclear technologies, and weapons testing, which have been in effect since North Korean announcements of successful atomic weapons testing were first confirmed in October of 2010. Most immediate concern about North Korea’s statement involve possible reactions by countries closer to North Korea, including South Korea and China. So far actions by South Korea have been less than violent, and have only involved using giant speaker systems to blast South Korean Pop Music and criticism of North Continued on page 4

Holidays in World Events Peter Nouhan News Editor

El Chapo Captured Last Friday the Mexican government revealed that they had caught the drug kingpin Joaquin Guzman Loera, otherwise known as El Chapo, after his second escape from prison six months ago. His dramatic escape from prison involved a mile-long tunnel equipped with a modified motorcycle on rails that allowed Guzman to escape through his shower. Mexican authorities said that Guzman had been caught partly because he had been planning a movie about his life, and had contacted actors and producers, which helped the authorities track him down. One of these actors happened to be Sean Penn who met with the fugitive in October to interview Guzman. The interview with Penn was published online on Saturday by the Rolling Stone and includes a video portion.

Winter Flooding Record rainfall in the month of December caused some rivers in northern England to rise more than a meter higher than previous records. Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said that flood defenses managed to protect more than 20,000 homes but more than 16,000 properties were still damaged. The Association of British Insurers estimates that the damage will cost more than $1.87 billion. Emergency payments have already been paid to families and businesses. Similar flooding has occurred in the Midwest of the United States, already accounting for more than 50 deaths and $15 billion in damages. Most of the flooding is occurring near major tributaries that meet the Mississippi River in Illinois, Missouri, and Arkansas.

Microbeads Banned Soaps/Detergents

from

In December, a bill backed by a bipartisan committee was approved by the House of Representatives that is set to phase out products containing microbeads. The Microbead Free Waters Act would phase out the tiny pieces of plastic found in soap, toothpaste and body washes beginning in July 2017. Microbeads can flow into rivers, lakes and streams where they can be mistaken for food by fish and other aquatic animals. This inevitably leads to pollutants traveling through the food chain, including to humans.

Thursday, January 14

NEWS

Michigan Tech Lode

Technological Advances 2015 Evan Mayer News Writer Year after year technological advances never fail to amaze consumers. There’s no end in sight for the advances mankind can make in the tech arena. What follows is a broad overview of the popular technology advances in 2015. Drones never failed to make news headlines, usually not in a positive way. Because of the misuse of drones by some individuals, the integration of drones into the public sector is being delayed. While some companies bring new advances in drones to hopefully take over the market, DJI has remained the world leader in drone sales. The Inspire 1 and Phantom models are their best sellers; crisp, stable video pairs with impressive built-in technology to create a popular platform. Across the board, entry level drones for the serious enthusiast cost around $1,000. In the gaming world, virtual reality (VR) tech made significant advances. The new tech allows an immersive experience for users to feel as if they are actually in the game they are playing by wearing goggles that display what would be on a TV. The

commonly known device Oculus Rift was a hot topic of 2015 with several competitors scrambling to claim their share of the market. Other players in the field are Sony, HTC, Samsung, and Microsoft. 2016 is expected to be the year where VR becomes much more popular.

The two tech giants Apple and Samsung put forth the best of what technology can offer in 2015. The two tech giants Apple and Samsung put forth the best of what technology can offer in 2015. Apple got into the market of wearable technology with the release of Apple Watch and added a new dimension to navigating iPhone and Mac with 3D Touch. This feature allows users to perform different commands by the amount of

DJI Inspire 1 Professional Drone

pressure one applies. Samsung introduced a phenomenal line of 4K TVs which provide a life-like picture for the viewer. 4K or ultra high definition media is four times the resolution of full HD media and became a prominent item of 2015. Additionally, Samsung added the Galaxy S6 to its flagship smartphone line up, boasting a top of the

“North Korea” Continued from page 3 Korea’s nuclear program and their political leader Kim Jong-Un over the Demilitarised Zone between the two countries. While this may seem like a joke to many in America, it is considered a propagandist move, and a declaration of war in North Korea. The same action was taken in August of 2015, and its cessation was included in formal peace talks at that time. Since the broadcast started on Friday, Kim Jong-Un’s birthday, the government of Britain has formally asked South Korea

Photo Courtesy of Aaron Kostrzewa

line camera and processor as well as one of the best screens in the market. Though 2015 didn’t disappoint in the area of tech, but 2016 is sure to be even better with the advent of autonomous cars, artificial intelligence, and wearable technology advances looming on the horizon. to stop the broadcast. The government of China, North Korea’s largest and closest political ally, has encouraged all countries to remain calm, and has joined other countries in condemning North Korea’s nuclear program. Negative depictions of Kim Jong-Un also appeared both in Chinese print, and social media since the reports of the weapons test. What makes this more remarkable is the lack of expected censorship of these cartoons by the Chinese government. Future actions currently being pursued by the United States include further economic sanctions, this time not against North Korea itself, but against other countries doing business with North Korea, including China.

South Korea detects an “artificial earthquake” near North Korea’s main nuclear test site on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016. Photo Courtesy of Assoicated Press

NEWS

Michigan Tech Lode

Thursday, january 14

Obamacare Under Attack some to get help on out-of-pocket costs. This marketplace allows for people without health coverage to find income-based insurance. Though it seems there are countless benefits to ACA, there are a few drawbacks that come with it. There is a new employer mandate that says businesses with more than 50 full-time employees must provide health coverage. However, in order to avoid having so many full-time employees, businesses have cut employee hours. Lower wage employees will therefore find

Americans have higher healthcare costs than other countries. President Barack Obama signs the Affordable Care Act into law on March 23, 2010. Photo Courtesy of Assoicated Press

Samantha Stein News Writer Ever since its first appearance, Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been under attack and review. Recently, a bill was delivered to Obama trying to repeal the health care reform law and to defund Planned Parenthood. President Obama vetoed the bill. In his veto message, Obama stated that the nation’s current uninsured rate stands at its lowest level. However, Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., claims that the president’s veto shows that he only cares about the legacy of the legislation and not the American people.

Key features of the ACA include improving quality and lowering healthcare costs such as protection against fraud, prescription discounts for senior citizens, and free preventive care. There are also new protections for those with preexisting conditions, women, and young adults. These protections ensure that you cannot be dropped from coverage or charged more when you get sick. Women can’t be charged more than men for health insurance. Children may stay on their parents plan until the age of 26, allowing for them to get through school and find a job or their own health insurance. The ACA also introduced a health insurance marketplace that allows for

Michigan Tech Lode

Editor in Chief ....................Kassia Prystalski Business Manager......................James Wood Distribution Manager...........Madison Paris Design Editor..........................Dan Schudlich News Editor...............................Peter Nouhan Opinion Editor.....................Shan Amarnani Pulse Editor..................................Aric Rhodes Sports Editor ............Kendall Belopavlovich Advisor ........................................Mark Wilcox Financial Advisor...............Maryann Wilcox

health insurance unaffordable. Lower wage employees could find better value through the marketplace. The drawback is that if you have job-based insurance, even if you choose to purchase a plan through the marketplace, you will pay full price unless you can prove that your employer’s insurance does not meet certain requirements. ACA also expanded Medicaid coverage, but not all states have opted to expand it. This leaves people in those states without coverage options. ACA also maintains a free market, allowing the $3 trillion healthcare industry to thrive. Despite economic benefits of a for-profit system, Americans have higher healthcare costs than other countries. This is due to the fact that every aspect of our system requires profit. However, the White House reports that ACA has slowed the growth of

106 Memorial Union Building, Houghton, MI 49931 (906) 487-2404 • www.mtulode.com

Advertising - James Wood, Peter Nouhan, Nischal Yajnik Staff Writers - Joseph Pietrzyk, Shan Amarnani, Davy McLeod, Evan Mayer, Daniel Stockard, Amy Joy Patterson, Libbi Rogan, Johnathan Jaehnig, Mike Jarasz, Shelby Sebring, Utkarsh Mishra, Aaron Kostrzewa, Sumit Bongir, Shveta Dhamankar, Libbi Rogan, Michael Rader, Samantha Stein Circulation - Minjun Wang, Madison Paris Visuals Staff - Maxwell Curtis, Devin Miller, Aaron Kostrzewa, Davy McLeod, Mike Jarasz, Dan Schudlich Copy Editors - Liz Bergh, Morgan Charbonneau, Josh Williams, Daniel LaCroix

spending on health care. In regards to other countries, participants from both the Republican and Democratic parties admitted in a survey conducted in 2008 by Harvard School of Public Health, that the United States is particularly weak in factors such as affordable health care and controlling health care costs. French citizens, for example, have universal health coverage. Their funds come from required contributions from citizens, which is income-based. The country also reimburses about 70 percent of most medical bills. However, the criticism of this system is that the program is frequently over budget. Britain has socialized medicine, meaning that in addition to paying for all citizens to have health insurance, the government pays the doctors and runs the hospitals. When a citizen shows up for an appointment, all services are paid for, excluding prescription drugs. Canadians have a similar system to Britain but the distinguishing feature is that doctors and hospitals are private entities. Canadian health care providers bill the government and only require copays for prescriptions, dentistry, and optometry. Countries such as Cuba practice preventative care. This allows for their country to only spend $260 per person on healthcare each year, compared to America’s more than $6,000 per person. The ACA offers numerous benefits that have lead to an increase in quality of health care. Approximately 8 million people were able sign up for insurance through the healthcare.gov marketplace. More than 3 million young adults have gained insurance coverage. Since some states didn’t expand Medicaid, 5.7 million have not been able to gain health coverage. There are also some hidden drawbacks, such as the qualifications for cost assistance in the healthcare.gov marketplace.

Opinions expressed in the Lode are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty, staff or administration of Michigan Technological University or the Michigan Tech Lode. The Lode is designed, written and edited by Michigan Tech students. The paper is printed every Tuesday during fall and spring semesters. The Lode is available free of charge at drop-off sites around campus and in the surrounding community. To the best of its ability, The Lode subscribes to the Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional

Journalists. The Lode is funded in part by the Michigan Tech Student Activity Fee. 1. lodeads@mtu.edu for submitting ads to the Lode. 2. lodesubmit@mtu.edu for submitting articles and letters to the editor. Work submitted to the Lode should be submitted with the understanding that it may be printed by the Lode and/or posted to the Online Lode, www. mtulode.com. The Lode reserves the right to edit submissions for length, clarity and potentially libelous material. Submissions should not exceed 500 words.

Thursday, January 14

PULSE

Looking Forward 2016 Sumit Bongir Lode Writer

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is a superhero movie adapted from the characters appearing in DC Comics, and is produced by the Warner Bros. franchise. Directed by Zack Snyder, it brings together the Superman and Batman saga kept separately so far by the same franchise holders. The epic Batman trilogy starring Christian Bale had the distinguished director Christopher Nolan finishing his version of Batman through the “The Dark Knight Rises” in 2012. The upcoming Batman v Superman will be a fresh start for the caped crusader with Ben Affleck as Gotham’s vigilante superhero. Henry Cavill, who played the role of Superman in the 2013 blockbuster “Man of Steel”, will be reprising his role along with Amy Adams in the upcoming movie. Man of Steel was also directed by Snyder, showing audiences a slew of thrilling action sequences combined with crisp and intense graphics. Hal Hattis, a second year Computer Science engineering student exclaims his expectations and concerns for the movie, “I think it will be a good movie overall; I am quite excited for it honestly. But I feel like they will end up packing far too much into the movie, with so many key characters appearing that it will just get too complex. I feel like it will suffer from the sheer volume of the story that they will put into the

Michigan Tech Lode

movie.” The upcoming movie doesn’t just show Batman and Superman, but also introduces some other superheroes from the DC Comics brand, such as Wonder Woman, Aquaman and the Flash. There are currently three official trailers released on YouTube, and these give an insight into the surreal graphics incorporated into this movie, supplemented by befitting and well choreographed action sequences. A surprise factor in this movie is Jesse Eisenberg who seems to be fuelling the war between the superheroes; at least going by what can be seen in the trailers. Hans Zimmer, the music composer for the Batman trilogy and Man of Steel, provides the score for this film as well. It would be foolhardy to expect anything less than an electrifying soundtrack playing an inseparable part of the screenplay for this movie too, as he has in previous creations. Audiences who have never seen any of Nolan’s Batman trilogy need not fear, as it should not affect the experience much as this will be a revamped version of the Bat; nonetheless, it helps to know certain aspects of the dark knight. The Internet has gone abuzz with leaked plots and other conspiracies, anticipating the premiere. The release date has already been rescheduled more than twice, and whether the producers are able to get the movie out into the theatres on the promised date of March 25 is a mystery.

The Importance of Martin Luther King Jr. Amy Joy Patterson Lode Writer This year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day, falling on January 18th, may be the most important of Michigan Tech’s history. In the wake of the recent Yik Yak threats made against our b9lack community, the significance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day is stronger than ever. No matter what color your skin may be, this Monday’s celebration is an opportunity to give thanks for the progress our society has made in these last few trying decades. Many people think of Martin Luther King Jr. Day as an “African-American only” holiday, but this is a simply misinformed line of reasoning. While Dr. King’s humanitarian efforts were specifically directed at improving the lives of black citizens, the lives of all Americans were enhanced as a result of his work. As Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “No one is free until we are all free.” The Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1968 did not just set free African-Americans, but all Americans.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s achievements include winning Time’s Person of the Year in 1963, winning the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize, and winning the 1977 Presidential Medal of Freedom, among countless other things. His acumen for persuasive speech was undeniable. He blessed the world with such speeches as “I Have a Dream,” “The Quest for Peace and Justice,” and “Don’t Sleep Through the Revolution,” all of which can be found online.

If you believe in freedom, this is your holiday, for Dr. King fought for you. If you believe in non-violent protests, this is your holiday, for Dr. King used your methods.

To highlight the importance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Center for Diversity and Inclusion is sponsoring the 27th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Banquet on Monday, January 18th, from 6 - 8 PM in the MUB Ballroom, where Dr. William Jones will be serving as keynote speaker. Dr. Jones, who hails from University of Wisconsin, Madison, focuses his studies on 20th century American history, with a particular emphasis on race, class, and work. Tickets to attend Dr. Jones’ lecture and the 27th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Banquet are available online. This event is free to attend. Students, faculty, staff, and community members are all invited. Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights activist whose work continues to be felt even today. There are groups around the country and even the world who still hold to practices began or popularized by the late doctor. In spite of this influental body of work, it was not until several years after his assassination in 1968 that Martin Luther King Jr. day would first be observed. Signed into law by Reagan in 1983, the holiday

wouldn’t be officially observed in all fifty states until the year 2000, over 30 years after the assassination. Dedicated in 2011, on the 48th anniversary of his “I Have a Dream” speech, a Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial now stands in Washington D.C., making it only the fourth such memorial dedicated to a non-president on or near the national mall. If you believe in freedom, this is your holiday, for Dr. King fought for you. If you believe in non-violent protests, this is your holiday, for Dr. King used your methods. If you are Christian, this holiday is for you, for Dr. King shared your beliefs. If you are any other religion, this holiday is for you, for Dr. King fought the same oppression that your people have faced. If you are Black, this holiday is for you, for Dr. King was a champion of your people. If you are White, this holiday is for you, for Dr. King exposed your wrongdoing. And, if you are none of these things, this holiday is still for you, for Dr. King left behind a plethora of wisdom applicable to any person, from any place, believing anything at all.

Michigan Tech Lode

PULSE

Thursday, January 14

Feature Film: The Shawshank Redemption Sumit Bongir Lode Writer

A successful banker, who discovers his wife cheating on him decides to scare her and her lover with a gun. Fortune plays a strange game on him when he decides to back off at the last minute, but a thief instead murders the sinful lovers. Andy Dufresne, the banker, pleads not guilty of the crime, but the lack of evidence substantiating his story results in two life sentences at the Shawshank State Penitentiary. Prison life makes him suffer physically and emotionally, but he proves to be a tough nut, which surprises Red, a good hearted and experienced man among the sensible lot of prisoners. Over a period of time, these two bond with each other and cement a special relation, even in the despicable conditions of the prison. The morning after serving an excruciating two months in solitary confinement, Andy hints to Red about his desire of living on a beach against the Pacific Ocean in Mexico. Red takes this as an emotional breakdown of Andy, and when Andy doesn’t show up

for the morning count one day, Red thinks that he has committed suicide. However, it doesn’t take long for everyone to realize that Andy has in fact escaped the prison. The redemption in the title arises from the concluding scene where Red finds Andy working on a boat at the beach hinted by him, which signifies that the Shawshank prisoners have eventually found solace outside the prison through hard and righteous work. The central theme of the movie is hope, which is beautifully conveyed through a series of events and articulate dialogues.

day he will get out of the prison and meet Red in Mexico.” Tim Robbins plays the role of Andy, while Morgan Freeman plays the role of Red. The 142 minute motion picture has a smooth screenplay, with certain events portraying high significance in the lives of the characters.

This movie has been ranked number one for the top rated movies category on IMDb for many years, and has received extraordinarily high critical acclaim elsewhere too. This movie is definitely a must watch for people with a liking for philosophical and emotional movies.

“Remember Red, hope is a good thing. Maybe the best of things; and no good thing ever dies.”

Zach Solka, a fifth year Mechanical Engineering Technology student, exclaims his fondness for the movie, “I really like the movie; it’s one of my favorite movies actually. Andy knows that he is innocent and just accepts his fate, but he also hopes that one Photo courtesy of Associated Press

Trump Cards and You Amy Joy Patterson Lode Writer Everybody needs a trump card. When Tech students interview for jobs, they often rely on their cross-disciplinary skill, tenacious attitudes, and brilliant innovation to be their trump cards, and, more often than not, this strategy succeeds. However, when it comes to Career Fair these trump cards fall flat. These strengths, valuable as they may be, are a dime a dozen among Huskies. A more forceful trump card is required for those who wish to acquire the most valuable positions. Fortunately, anyone attending Tech can learn how to apply a better trump card, regardless of initial skill, thanks to the HuskyLEAD (Leadership Education Accelerating Development) Leadership Series. Starting on January 19th, Student Activities will be initiating a sequence of sessions focused on developing a trump card of your very own. These sessions will include such topics as academic strategies, organizational finance and budgeting, how to impress industry representatives, the utilization of technology for success, how to be an inclusive leader, and how to articulate your leadership skills. The dates of the sessions are January 19, January 29, February 9, February 23, March 15, and

March 29. Sessions will occur from 6 - 7 PM in the MUB Alumni Lounge. In order to create a well-balanced program, the HuskyLEAD Leadership Series incorporates presenters from the Waino Wahtera Center for Student Success, the Undergraduate Student Government, Housing & Residential Life, Center for Diversity and Inclusion, and International Programs and Services. Whether you lack self-awareness, teamwork ability, communication skills, ethical practices, or social responsibility, HuskyLEAD aims to correct your deficit to give you the greatest chances of success. Even if you have already developed all of these abilities, a fresh perspective can shine up your savvy. Students seeking help regarding issues other than employability would also benefit from HuskyLEAD sessions. At the beginning of a new semester, it is always prudent to review learning strategies, and that is precisely what HuskyLEAD offers in its initial session on January 19th. So, go ahead and invest an hour in your future next Tuesday with Susan Liebau and Heather Simpson of the Waino Wahtera Center for Student Success. Maybe you will pick up a new trump card, or maybe you will improve the one you already have. Either way, you come out a winner.

Thursday, January 14

COMICS

Michigan Tech Lode

In the latest round, 9-year-old Muhammad Ali beat 10-year-old JFK at air hockey, while Secretariat lost the hot-dog-eating crown to 12-yearold Ken Jennings. Meanwhile, in a huge upset, 11-year-old Martha Stewart knocked out the adult Ronda Rousey. Comic courtesy of XKCD

CLASSIFIEDS NEWS WRITERS WANTED: Currently we are hiring writers for the news section of the Lode, covering current topics in domestic, international, and local affairs. Please contact The Michigan Tech Lode at lodesubmit-l@mtu.edu or by calling 906-487-2404.

AD DESIGNERS WANTED: Currently we are hiring Ad Designers for the Lode. See your work in the newspaper! Please contact The Michigan Tech Lode at lodesubmit-l@mtu.edu or by calling 906-487-2404.

You sure you got this, Mikey? I thought we were going to go dutch

PULSE WRITERS WANTED: Currently we are hiring writers for the pulse section of the Lode. See your work in the newspaper! The pulse section covers arts, entertainment, and cultural events. Please contact The Michigan Tech Lode at lodesubmit-l@mtu.edu or by calling 906-487-2404. E-mail lodeads@mtu.edu for information about placing a classified ad.

look, all i’m saying is: if there’s one thing that t-rex definitely is, it’s a mythological concept, mineral, place or country, property, or a scientist

PUZZLES

Michigan Tech Lode Puzzles Edited by Will Shortz

POLITICAL PROMISES

foursome

93 “I’ll slow this

country’s spread of drugs!” 100 Next in line 101 Breathing disorder 102 Not much at all 103 Pleasures 105 A Musketeer 108 L.A. gang member 109 Place with expensive mud 112 Tiny tunneler 113 “Education will be my top priority!” 117 It’s found in sheets or, in softer form, blankets 118 Thermometer, e.g. 119 Consolidated 120 89-Across, in France 121 Some 35mm cameras 122 Rogen and Meyers 123 They may be measured by the pound

42 46 54 58 61

77 83 87 93

103 112 117 120

DOWN

7 8

1 Shine up 2 Words before

“before”

3 Common prefix

with phobia 4 ____-com 5 Thought (up) 6 One who’s always getting a pass?

9 10 11 12 13

KenKen

Rules: A) You must fill in the boxes in each row and column with the numbers 1 to 6. Do not repeat a number in any row or column. B) The areas of the grid with dark outlines around them are called cages. At the top left of each cage is a target number and operation. This means that the numbers in the cage must 1use that operation to total that number. Hint: Look for cages that are around just one box. The target number will have no operation symbol.

Rules: Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 block contains 1-9 exactly once.

With Drawl

1 3

7 9

evening?

68 Lackey 69 Some witches like

7 1 2

8 9 6

5 3 4

6 5 8

3 4 2

9 7 1

5 7

5 8

9 4 8

Monopoly board

104 Start of a

reminiscence

106 Raise 107 Operatives: Abbr. 108 Some med.

facilities

109 Story with many

chapters

110 Sparrow, to a

sparrow hawk

111 Common

connectors 113 Monogram on Christian crosses 114 Amphibious W.W. II vessel 115 “Wonderful!” 116 Go wrong

1 5 7

9 7 1

2 6 5

8 2 4

7 1 3

3 6 5

9 8 4

1 4 6

5 3 8

2 8 3

6 7 9

4 2 1

8 2 6

4 8 3

2 1 7

6 5 9

7 9 2

3 6 8

1 4 5

5 2 9

7 1 8

3 4 6

8 7 4

3 6 9

5 2 1

6 3 1

http://www.nytimes.com/crosswords/game/sudoku/medium

5 2 4

1 6 8

4 5 2

7 9 2

6 8 3

3 4 5

2 1 7

9 5 6

4 8 3

1 9 7

9 8 7

7 9 3

8 6 2

4 1 5

9 4 5

6 3 8

2 7 6

1 5 9

8 3 1

1/1

2 7 4

Sudoku - Puzzles and Games - NYTimes.com

Sudoku — Hard

Patrick Berry / Edited by Will Shortz

5 9 7

1/12/2016

Last week’s solutions:

4 3 9

January 12, 2016

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 ACROSS 89 Bass organs R A M C O M A T R I P S S P H E R E 25 "Iliad"? 1 Butter? 91 Troy, in the 19 20 21 22 I D O V E E R O H A R E H E A P E D 4 Out patient's state 95 Cold shower? 23 24 25 26 F I N J U S T O N E M O W E R T H I N G 8 Three of a kind, to a 96 Word 27 28 29 in a New Year's 27 28 29 30 poker player Eve song F E A R O F H Y A T T S S V E N C O Y 31 32 33 34 13 Earth, e.g. 30 31 32 33 97 34 Never closed, as a resort S U S H I T O T A D A G E 19 Marriage agreement? 98 "We won" gesture 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 T E N S I L E U P O N M O N D O 20 Take a turn 38 39 100 Nonprofit network 35 36 37 40 41 45 46 47 48 49 C R E A T I V E R I O T E R S E L T O N 21 American hub 102 One who gets no credit? 50 51 52 53 54 22 Stacked messily 105 Historical chapter H E R P I A S P E A K T O D E L L 43 44 45 55 56 57 58 59 60 23 Half a sawbuck 107 "Preparation meeting O T I S P E S T L E S O R D E R L Y 24 How you might classify a opportunity," it's said 61 62 63 64 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 P R E T T Y S H O E R G E N O A N 109 Smallest possible aspirin 65 blade, a gas tank cap or 66 67 68 69 70 71 S Y S C O E M T R O T N E C C O a starter handle? dose? 72 73 74 75 76 77 55 57 Normandy's coat of 27 Reason56 113 to stay only at H O A R S E N I G H T M A Y O R S 78 79 80 81 82 Hiltons or Marriotts? arms, basically? D E P A L M A T O S H I B A E M U S 59 60 116 Punk subgenre 29 "Frozen" reindeer's 83 84 85 86 87 88 I V O R I M P L O R E C A T P S I 117 D-Day invaders name 89 90 91 92 93 94 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 G I L L S P R I A M R E A L E S T A T E 30 Giving evasive 118 Green stuff answers 95 96 97 31 Roll served at a bar 119 Wildly enthusiastic S L E E T A U L D A L L Y E A R 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 32 Little 120 Jimmy 70 71 72 73 74 one 75 76 Fallon's employer V S I G N P B S E X T R A 33 Timeworn words 121 Moves quickly, informally 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 E R A L U C K B A Y E R M I N I M U M 35 Kind of 81 122 Big Easy lunch strength 78 79 80 82 113 114 115 116 D O U B L E Y E L L O W L I O N S E M O 39 "___ the Housetop" 123 Hang around 117 118 119 120 124 "I Ching" (Christmas song) concept A L L I E S M O O L A G A G A N B C 84 85 86 121 122 123 124 42 Extremely, in dated 12/8/2015 Games - NYTimes.com M O T O R S P OSudokuB- Puzzles O andY S T A Y T A O DOWN slang 88 89 90 91 92 1 Repeated musical 45 Mob that disturbs the Sudoku — Medium December 8, 2015 86 41 TV alien's home "___ Darlin'" (Count phrases peace in new and 43 Occupant of a small Basie number) 2 Leave-taking 94 95 96 97 98 99 interesting ways? 90 Ben of "Zoolander" house 3 Brothers' keepers 49 John of England 44 92 Place for visual aids No more than 4 Front-wheel-drive 100 101 50 2013 Spike Jonze 102 45 Musician's virtuosity 93 Talking toy since 1965 coupling, for short dramedy 46 94 Have another go at City dweller's yell 5 French ingredient 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 in111 51 ___ mater (spinal 47 Castaway's site 99 Suppose French toast membrane) 100 48 Phone button abbr. Renaissance painter 6 Interlock 113 114 in115 116 52 Affect a personal way 53 Treasure from una mina Uccello 7 Like many student films 54 Small, secluded, wooded 56 Missouri's original capital 101 Road less traveled 8 Fictional Potawatomi valley 118 119 58 Large volume 103 Dance from Cuba tribesman 55 Maker of indoor cars 104 Bygone gas station 60 Mike's "Wayne's World" 9 Butler on a plantation 121 122 57 Druggists' implements 123 10 Maker of Healthy name co-star 59 Hospital worker 62 Easily manipulated sort 105 Dutch export Naturals food 61 Attractive blacksmith at a 63 Van ___, "Lane in 106 Nestlé candy brand 11 Supporting stable? 108 Dole's 1996 running Autumn" painter 12 Wraps (up) Certain game point 14 First name among63 Like 50 Abbr. forbythose Paganini, birth not 82 Prop for Popeye or 64 Principled mate 13 Least bit celebrity chefs mentioned Santa 65 Food service giant based One piece of a 67 Stair's face 109 Lava lamp lump 14 Honey or pumpkin in Houston 15 Acid 52 Seine-____, 88"Serves Fi preceder 69 Bedroom on a train, e.g. 110 Oil field sights two-piece 15 you right!" expert 111 Defensive ring 70 Piece of pizza? 16 Present day figure66 CPRdepartment 90Seismological John of Fox’s 16 focus Archery asset 67 Corruption 112 Personal assistant in 71 Actor/activist Davis bordering Paris 17 Ned’s bride on 17 City near Lake Tahoe “Grandfathered” Whole lotta 68 Candy brand since 1901 73 "___ right?" "Young Frankenstein" 18 Pushing the envelope 55 Need (to) “The Simpsons” in72 Rough 94 Hit the road 114 Book jacket info 74 Unchecked growth “Billy ____,” 2000 film 25 Many a 1950s B-movie 2012 56 Coll. leaders fraternity 75 Municipal who 115 75 John of England Expected amount 95Chicago Treatssuburb vengefully 26 Abbr. on a stadium 18 They’re handled in work 57 “What the late ____!” shift? 76 Kids' outdoor game 28 96Mother Wild of Zeus ticket of "Carlito's Asian restaurants 78 Director (“Bummer!”) 77 Chum at sea 3497First Pierce Brosnan What eyes and 007 12/8/201578 Does an investigation Sudoku - Puzzles and Games - NYTimes.com Way," 1993 Give zero stars, say 21 Tithing amounts 63 Question of film 81 rival pedestrians may 79 Maleficent surprise to a 24 Burkina ____ (Niger Panasonic 36 ___ cup (spillproof — Hard December 8, 2015 82 Outback runners 80Sudoku do Attempt to pass the bar? container) volunteer neighbor) 83 Songwriter Novello 81 Mr. ___ of "The Wind in 37 98Northeast Blue-collar octet and 64 Totalon bended 29 What a rabble- 84 Beseech the Willows" 38 Dogfight preventers pink-slip rouser might be 66 Object of a hunt in knee 85 Boston skyscraper, with 39 College team named for 87 Gaggle : goose :: Flies” 99 Pill type read “Lord of the "the" a tribe clowder 30 Needs no further 103Blowtube One corner of a 67 Tool: ___ used in the 40 projectile 88 Trident-shaped letter

Sudoku - Puzzles and Games - NYTimes.com

Sudoku — Medium

their eyes 70 Great Plains after Moses Indians 36 Still in the outbox 72 Oven cleaner ingredient 37 San ____, Italy 73 Org. for Duke 38 Prepare for the afterlife 74 Like the ocean 39 Boot 76 Forensic facility 40 Low-grade?: Abbr. 77 Hill’s partner 41 Eye inflammation 78 First gemstone mentioned in the 42 Greet respectfully Bible 47 Not just theoretical 79 Novices 48 Lhasa ____ (dog 80 It might be patted breed) on the back 49 Upstream on the 81 Bambino’s first Mississippi River, along Miss. word

cooking

Sunday, December 6, 2015 21

31 Take root 32 Air-conditioned 34 H.M.O. figures 35 Israelites’ leader

1/12/2016

Sudoku

45 Circus prop 87 Film critic Jeffrey 89 120-Across, in Spain 46 ____ buco 47 Author whose most 91 Hellion famous character 92 Bridge table

Puzzles Online: Today’s puzzle and more than 9,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year). For the daily puzzle commentary: nytimes.com/wordplay. Mobile crosswords: nytimes.com/mxword

is introduced as Edward Bear 51 Some four-year degs. 53 ____-deucey (card game) 54 “I will maintain a strong defense!” 58 Basic car maintenance 59 Car decoration 60 “Silent Spring” spray 61 Muffin variety 62 Gives off light, as a 65-Across 65 See 62-Across 67 Bank acct. info 70 One of five rhyming Greek letters 71 Dances accompanied by gourd drums 75 Sitting together at the movies, say 77 “Deficit spending must stop!” 83 Another time 84 When a vampire sleeps 85 Oblong desserts 86 “Poke-____!” (kids’ book series)

1/10/16

wrote “A Boy Named Sue” 16 Put on a nonpolitical button, say 19 Crack open, in a way 20 Some parade performers 22 Clamor 23 “Unemployment will be a thing of the past!” 25 Publicity, in Variety-speak 26 Back 27 Impose ____ on 28 High season in Hawaii 29 Coding molecules 30 “____ in the Morning” 31 Skedaddle 33 “You’re looking at the whole department” 35 “No new taxes!” 42 Ornithologist James of whom Ian Fleming was a fan 43 W.W. II arena: Abbr. 44 Dallas sch.

By Patrick Merrell

ACROSS 1 Advisory panels 7 Take down a notch 12 Silverstein who

Thursday, January 14

January 12, 2016

9 1

9 1 4

8 5

9 3

http://www.nytimes.com/crosswords/game/sudoku/hard

2 7 6

Check us out on: Facebook Twitter

1/1

Thursday, January 14

ROUND 3

ROUND 2

ROUND 1

Debate:

OPINION

Michigan Tech Lode

Nuclear weapons: have we gone too far?

Pro: Aric Rhodes Pulse Editor

A nuclear detonation causes a blast and releases thermal and initial ionizing radiation causing third degree burns and other fatal injuries. A 550 kiloton bomb is so powerful that third degree burns occur in a radius up to 6 miles. These are just the consequences within a minute of a nuclear bomb detonation. Radioactive fallout is one of the many long term effects of a nuclear bomb detonation. Radioactive fallout is basically residual radiation which is caused by the decay of radioactive isotopes. This affects all forms of life. Survivors of the blast still suffer the effects of radiation to this day. Reactive chemicals released by ionization cause damage to DNA and disrupt cells by producing immediate effects on metabolic and replication processes. Yes, cells repair themselves but more often than not, radiation levels are too high that cells are no longer able to replace damaged cells. These are just some of the effects of a nuclear bomb detonation.

It was mentioned earlier that the power of nuclear weapons lies in the threat of their use rather than their actual use. What happens when a majority of nations get their hands on nuclear weapons? It will no longer be leverage for nations because almost every nation would have one. This, of course, would be devastating because an all out nuclear war would be a very likely outcome. If this were ever to occur, the environment will be destroyed. Already stressed ecosystems would collapse. Deadly climate change, radioactive fallout and toxic pollution would cause a mass extinction event, eliminating humans and most complex forms of life on Earth.

Obviously, it is not possible to predict what will happen in the future. In an event of a conflict between nuclear states, it would be best if nukes were no longer an option. The reason for this being that the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disposition can not be determined at any given time. What if one of the states decided that launching a nuclear missile would be the best possible option given their circumstances? There is just no way of predicting what will happen. To make matters worse, the U.S. and Russia keep hundreds of missiles armed with thousands of nuclear warheads on high-alert, 24 hours a day. They can be launched with only a few minutes warning and reach their targets in less than 30 minutes. Although the likeliness of a war is relatively low, it is still a possibility and having nuclear warheads ready to launch at any given moment in time is a thought that is hard to live with.

Con: Shan Amarnani Opinion Editor

Nuclear weapons were invented during the late days of World War II, and ever since have become a staple of the military arsenal for many countries. Even their first use, the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August of 1945, saved lives in comparison to the alternative of an invasion accompanied by massive conventional bombing. Nuclear weapons, while powerful, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t actually cause many more immediate casualties than conventional tactics, they simply cause these necessary casualties faster and with less threat of being stopped or eluded by defenses. Their power, therefore, lies in the threat of their use rather than their actual use.

The destructive potential of nuclear weapons is a well known point, and it is the very reason that they are unlikely to ever be detonated. There are a sufficient number of readied nuclear weapons to destabilize, if not destroy, much of civilization as it is currently known. This creates a standstill wherein no state can use these weapons without the nuclear provocation of another, as any exchange will escalate into the aforementioned final conflict. Thus, paradoxically, nuclear weapons are the first type of weapon ever made which is too powerful to be used. The addition of more nuclear states, which is unlikely as most non-nuclear states are not pursuing nuclear status, would be unlikely to break this status quo.

As was stated previously, the threat of nuclear warfare is a deterrent to the use of nuclear weapons. More than this, however, the Mutually Assured Destruction of nuclear weapons also prevents conventional warfare when a state is nuclear. Since the dawn of the nuclear age, there has been no open military conflict between two nuclear states. This is, in part, because any such confrontation would have the chance of escalating to an extent that nuclear exchange could ensue. In order to prevent the Mutually Assured Destruction, invasion of a nuclear state becomes an option which is off the table. An analogy for this situation would be several individuals carrying an egg with spoons. None of them will risk faltering, lest they break the egg.

Michigan Tech Lode

OPINION

Thursday, January 14

Lessons from Tim: LODE transporting today’s students ing Lode Writer

Moving off campus was one of the most exciting, terrifying, and challenging things I have ever had to do. My complaints are nothing new -- the harsh, hilled Houghton landscape makes walking or biking a tedious pain, and options for motor travel are few and far between. Without a car, off-campus living can be a drag. If you happen to live somewhere between Michigan Tech and Walmart, as I do, there is one point of brilliant positivity in this dreary existence. His name is Tim. Tim is a man of many hats, but here at Tech, he is a bus driver. He also happens to be the kindest, friendliest and most humble person I have ever had the pleasure to meet. One thing I’ve learned from Tim during my trips on the Walmart shuttle is that public transportation is invaluable. It saves time, cost and energy. While driving one’s own car allows for more autonomy, there is simply no denying the detriments that accompany the process of cleaning off snow, finding a parking

spot, and paying for regular maintenance and fueling. Truly, the only downfall to Michigan Tech’s public transportation is the lack of a morning route and a lack of stops in residential areas. Currently, the off-campus stops include the MUB, City Center, Lakeshore Center, Powerhouse, Econofoods and Shopko, Walmart, the Razorback bus stop, and Heritage Manor. While these stops are largely necessary, without any residential stops, the bus is unlikely to be utilized by off campus students, who account for 58 percent of the student body.

“Public transportation is invaluable.”

Additionally, if a morning route were added to the schedule, students could use public transportation to go to and from campus. This would reduce emissions, save time, foster road safety, and free up desperately needed parking spaces. While riding the bus may not be as glamorous as rolling onto campus in your

own shiny vehicle, it is certainly more practical. It also may make Tech a more attractive school to students who are not accustomed to cold weather, as it would offer an alternative to walking to class. International students, in my personal observation, are the most frequent riders on the Walmart shuttle, which may be due to cultural differences in transportation methods. They, too, may find the idea of a morning shuttle appealing. Unfortunately, as lovely as this idea sounds, crossing our fingers will only lead to disappointment. The bus schedule is determined by ridership, which is why drivers like Tim are required to record the number of students on the bus during each cycle. Currently, there are talks of cutting bus hours rather than extending them. If we truly want to boost the usability of our public transportation amenities, the first step is to actually use them. So, next time you need some snacks for your dorm, consider taking the bus instead of your car. You can save your time, keep your money, and maybe, if you’re extra lucky, you can even find yourself having a chat with the inimitable Tim.

Season of giving or wanting? Samantha Stein Lode Writer

There is a term to describe holidays with a focus on making money. Such holidays are known as Hallmark holidays. These holidays generally have no historically or traditionally significant event. Although Christmas is not a Hallmark holiday, as it does still celebrate a historical, religious event, it has aspects and characteristics that are distinct to Hallmark holidays, such as generating profits for corporations. Everyone has heard of Black Friday and holiday sales. However, America is becoming so consumed with spending and receiving material goods that traditional holiday values have been fading out of popularity. Spending on holiday presents has only increased since 2009. In 2014, the average person spends over $800 on Christmas shopping alone. The average person expects 13 presents a year for Christmas. Over $1.5 billion is spent on Christmas cards compared to $145 million spent on the next leading holiday, Valentine’s Day. One of the most telling signs of how our values have changed is the “war on

Christmas” that arose with the change in Starbucks cups. With the change to solid red cups, people on social media claimed that Starbucks was waging war on Christmas. The holidays are meant for thankfulness and charity. However, with the rise of spending, gift expectations, and anger over a simple cup, there’s a trend away from the charity and thankfulness. In recent years, I have seen friends on social media say that Christmas and the holidays don’t quite feel right to them anymore. Though there may be any reasons for this, one of the factors may be the change in atmosphere and values during the holiday season. Christmas hasn’t entirely lost the traditional values. Many families still travel long distances to see each other and spend time together. Unfortunately, with the trend of having fast food and family style restaurants open for holidays, more and more people are finding themselves working long hours during the holiday season, including on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. For some, this can mean that they don’t get to spend nearly as much time with loved ones, and for others, this could mean having no time to celebrate the holidays at all. Holidays are still that magical time of the

A photo showing gifts and presents Photo taken from torange.us

year with time with loved ones, good food, and exchanging of gifts. However, as time progresses, they are becoming more focused on the shopping and capital gain than they are on celebrating traditional significances of the holiday. There is a place for presents, shopping, and commercial goods, however it should not be a top priority during the holiday season.

Shan Amarnani

ZONE

Amy Joy Patterson

Another year has passed in this marvelous home we call Earth. A blanket of white powder coats much of the northern area of this beautiful country. The UP bustling with students excited to start the semester. Aspirations are anew and the smell of motivation clouds the air. New beginnings is what this new year and new semester are all about. Some, if not many, may have regretted decisions that were made in the past which may have yielded some unfavorable results but this is what is so great about the new year and the new semester. I’m sure many of you have heard the saying: “to err is human; to forgive, divine”. We constantly make mistakes, that’s no secret but forgiving oneself is the first step to self-improvement. It is always possible to change. Anyone can do it. The reason behind the failures of some can be attributed to one characteristic: the willingness to succeed. Some have it more than others. Distractions will always be present and ready to tempt any passerby. Some of us think we can get the best of both worlds and the truth of the matter is that some of us might be able to get away with it but it is the disciplined man that truly triumphs. Everyone’s time is valuable. Yes, this includes even us inexperienced lads. The disappointing part of this all is that sometimes we have so much time that most of us aren’t sure what to do with it. Anytime now, someone has the opportunity to learn something new that could potentially change the future. This is why time management is key. All this takes is determination. I know, easier said than done. But honestly, what needs to be done? Creating a schedule and sticking to it is all there is to it, plain and simple. Now, creating a schedule is the easy part. Sticking to it is where determination comes in. You could read a thousand self-help books but if there is no willingness to change, then it is guaranteed that no change will happen. Funny how this is strikingly similar to Newton’s first law. If there’s anything to take away from this article it is this: just simply do it, whatever it may be and remember, when the going gets tough, the tough get going!

SPORTS

Thursday, January 14

# the By

s r e b m nu

Points were scored by the men’s basketball team during a victorious game on Jan. 2, while playing Ohio Dominican on the Huskies’ home turf.

Basketball games have been won by the women’s team in succession, crushing Finlandia, Ohio Dominican, Tiffin and Lake Erie.

Saves made by hockey goalie Jamie Phillips during the Desert Hockey Classic final round against Yale.

Point separated the hockey team in a close-call victory while facing Michigan State on Dec. 29, advancing them to the GLI finals.

Points scored by the men’s basketball team in a victorious game against Lake Erie, Jan. 7.

Place was taken by Didrik Fjeld Elset in the US Nationals classic sprint, Jan. 9.

Free Ski Day

Michigan Tech Lode

The Nordic Ski Club invites everyone to join them this Sunday, Jan. 17 for their exciting Free Ski Day. From 1 - 5 p.m. on Sunday anyone will be able to rent nordic ski equipment or snowshoes for free, as they will waive their $10 annual membership fee (normally only members are allowed to rent equipment) to allow anyone to experience the fun that is the nordic ski trails and try out their ski rentals. Coaches will be available throughout the event, which takes place at the Tech Trailhead in the Wax Building from 1-5 p.m. Snacks will be provided. There are many other events and opportunities to take in during the snow season with this club. They offer a one-time-only free beginner lesson every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday for members as well as club team practices every Monday with ski coach Joanie Rundman. The club takes weekend trips to local trail sysems such as Swedetown. There are even scheduled races for those interested in competing such as Book Across the Bay, The Birkie, Glide’n’Gorge and Great Bear Chase which start in February . For more information, please visit ski. mtu.edu or contact mrbaskin@mtu.edu or brklinte@mtu.edu.

Broomball season starts Davy McLeod Lode Writer

Breath steams from inside the hand-medown helmets, and the slick ice beneath the players offers no sure footholds. They tighten their grip watching the referee’s hand between them; the moment that ball is dropped the small rink will be completely consumed by chaos. This is Broomball. Most students at Tech enjoy the winter tradition of Broomball. It’s a chance for friendly competition between residence halls, fraternities, sororities and other student organizations. The sport is very similar to hockey, except instead of hockey sticks, players use brooms with tape around the straw, and a small ball instead of a puck. There are six players per team on the rink, including the goalie. The object is simply to score more points than the opponents by putting the ball into their goal. If the score is tied at the end there is an overtime in which the first goal wins. Broomball originated even farther north, in Canada around the early 1900s, and

IRHC Broomball started in the 1990s. The pioneers of the sport used regular brooms and normal shoes. Tech keeps this standard of plain tennis shoes but still wraps the brooms with tape.

“This year we are planning to do live broadcasts of our biggest games.” - Patrick Wolfer Usually, players make their own brooms, tailoring to a specific position’s needs. There is a fairly helpful guide on the IRHC Broomball site. Shorter broom heads might be preferable for offensive style of play, while longer ones are better suited for defending in most cases. Before each game the referees do a thorough check that brooms and footwear meet the IRHC Broomball regulations. More safety precautions have been taken since Broomball’s beginnings, too. For a while, goaltenders were not required

to wear helmets. Now every player is expected to wear a helmet while on the ice, otherwise they will receive a fine. Waivers have become a requirement, too, after lawsuits were filed in 1999. In recent years, the cocoa shack trailer has been added, allowing spectators and players alike to keep warm. Also, the quality of streaming video is improving, with the three webcams that are managed by IT. “This year we are planning to do live broadcasts of our biggest games,” said IRHC Broomball Chair Patrick Wolfer. “Like the ball drop and the championship.” Another welcome addition is an electronic scoreboard, which will help keep track of the contests. Wolfer said that the scoreboard is “...still in the works with help from Wireless Systems Enterprise.” Teams compete within their division, for a spot in the playoffs against the top contenders. Then, game by game, a champion is chosen out of the entire university. “Great progress has been made,” Wolfer said. “I hope to implement them in the coming months.”

Michigan Tech Lode

SPORTS

Thursday, January 14

Men’s basketball fires up Sidelines Tasauf Torzo Lode Writer The Huskies fell short to UW-Parkside in a non-conference men’s basketball game on Dec. 19, at Michigan Tech’s SDC Gym. The fight was neck and neck between the teams. The Rangers took a lead of 34-30 at halftime, but the Huskies knotted the game at 37-all with less than three minutes into the third quarter. Tech then missed three layups, which allowed the Rangers to bounce forward with a nine-point lead, turning the game back in their favor. Freshman player Bryan Heath’s back to back three pointers helped the huskies to pull the score to 67-63, with only 1:06 showing on the clock. The game ended with a final score of 70-64 in favor of the UW-Parkside. Tech player Kyle Monroe scored 22 points, leading the team’s scorers, and was followed by Luke Heller, who scored 11 points. Heath came in third, throwing up 10 points for the team, despite going 2 of 14 from the floor. The Tech team faced off with Ohio Dominican on Jan. 2, at home, where

the Huskies finished the game on a 6-0 run to defeat Ohio, 62-59, in a GLIAC conference game. Ohio took a lead on the first half of the match with a score of 25-24 but the Huskies executed a strong comeback, defeating Ohio by 3 points. After the match, Tech coach Kevin Luke said, “It’s nice for the guys to make the crucial plays to get the win. We made free throws down the stretch, we got the ball inside and made the shots. The confidence this match will instill in us will help us moving forward.” The Huskies then took on Tiffin on Jan. 3, achieving a 76-59 victory over them in GLIAC conference game. Tech had a good start, with a score of 14-4 in the first seven minutes of play. The Black and Gold led the score to 34-25, but the Dragons fought back and managed to take the lead, 42-36. Jeff Gregory and Dillon Gordon shot three consecutive three pointers, sealed the door of victory for Tech. Gordon scored a career high of 21 points, having scored 15 of 21 points in the second half of the game. Heath followed behind Gordon, scoring 17 points. Kyle Monroe came in third, not only scoring 12 points, adding six re-

bounds and four assists to the game. On Jan. 7, the Huskies went head to head with Lake Erie. The Michigan Tech men saw a 19 point lead, which was later trimmed to four with 1:53 to play, but held on to earn a 65-57 victory over Lake Erie in another GLIAC conference game. This was the third consecutive win for the Huskies, preceded by games played against Ohio and Tiffin. Monroe played a phenomenal game in the first half, scoring 17 points and taking seven rebounds. He helped to lead the Huskies domination of the first half, which ended in a score of 34-25. In the second half, with seven minutes to play, Lake Erie made a rally effort, scoring four three-pointers and three lay ups. It helped them pull the score to 57-53, in favor of their team. Despite their rallying efforts, Lake Erie could not raise the victory. The Huskies shot 52.4 percent from the floor while the Storm checked in at just 39 percent. The Huskies also utilized a 34-26 rebounding edge. Monroe ended up with a game-high score of 23 points followed by Heath (15 points) and Heller (12 points).

Holm won’t wait for Rousey Kendall Belopavlovich Sports Editor In Nov. 2015, undefeated bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey was scheduled to fight Holly Holm, an up and coming fighter on the scene. Everyone was expecting a clean win from Rousey, who expected the quick win herself. Up to that point, Rousey had fought in eight title fights, winning and securing her champion status for three years. Holm, who had fought in just two UFC fights previous to the scheduled bout with Rousey, was not a popular choice for the win. On Nov. 13, both fighters came to the scheduled pre-fight weigh airing confidence. Both women made weight as expected, but what came next was not. Holm put her fist up to Rousey’s face, which the champion didn’t take to very kindly. It ended in a scuffle, which left Rousey heated and unfocused for the fight the following night. The main event ended in a knockout win for the novice Holm, who delivered a painful head kick to Rousey. Holm happily took her newly won title while Rousey slithered away, refusing to congratulate the new champion. Immediately after the fight, fans of both fighters and the general voice of the Internet chimed in, ruthlessly

attacking the fallen fighter and praising Holm for her underdog style victory. All the while, Rousey stayed quiet. Then finally, after a month of silence, Rousey spoke up about the fight and her feelings surrounding Holm’s new status, her take on the fight, and her own feelings regarding her first-ever professional loss.

If anything, Tate is back with a vengeance, seeking out her old title. The bout between Holm and Tate will take place in the near future. Rousey revealed that she would need three to six more months to heal from the fight, just a day after being spotted leaving a laser treatment facility in Santa Monica, Calif. Rousey also noted the she was “really f---ing sad” about the fight, but also followed up with a hopeful statement to ESPN. “‘Maybe I can’t do it all before my prime, before my body is done. But f--- it,

maybe I can.” ESPN later commented that “She lost. But she brilliantly conquered 2015.” Speed up to present day, where word is abuzz that Holm will be defending her title against an opponent who isn’t Rousey in the near future. Miesha Tate, a 29-yearold former titleholder previous to Rousey will square off with Holm. Tate, a seasoned fighter, has 17 wins and only five losses under her belt. While her nickname is “cupcake”, Holm understands that this fight is no joke. Tate was dethroned from her bantamweight title after an armbar submission back in March of 2012 while taking on Rousey. The two faced off again in a rematch event in December of 2013, but Tate again lost to Rousey in armbar submission. If anything, Tate is back with a vengeance, seeking out her old title. The bout between Holm and Tate will take place in the near future. As for the rematch between Holm and Rousey, it’s scheduled to take place during the UFC 200. Currently, Rousey is busy tending to her flourishing acting career, scheduling to host SNL and taking racy pictures in body paint for photo shoots. Holm, on the other hand, has her work cut out for her as the new bantamweight title holder, preparing to defend her new title against two former titleholders.

Welcome back Welcome back fellow Huskies! While most of us have been catching up on sleep and preparing for the new semester, our sports teams have been hard at work, making us proud. The four active teams: hockey, men and women’s basketball, and nordic skiing, have all been put to the test against some tough opponents, playing in down-to-the-wire championship games. The hockey team, for example, battled Michigan State and University of Michigan in the Great Lakes Invitational, which ended short for the Huskies after a loss to Michigan University in the championship game. Soon after, the team shipped off to Arizona to face off with UConn and Yale in the Desert Hockey Classic. The team returned home after snatching the win. At the same time the hockey team was throwing down in Arizona, the nordic ski team was dashing for victory in the US Nationals, based right here at the Tech Trails. Our own Didrik Fjeld Elset stood on the podium on Jan. 9, placing third in the classic sprint. The men’s basketball team won three out of five games during break and the women’s team won four out of five games.

Weekend hockey game promotions This weekend’s hockey games are sure to be exciting. Fans of all ages will be able to participate in the fun promotions set in place for Friday and Saturday. The double-header kicks off on Friday with Blackout the Mac Night. The Huskies will be wearing their black jerseys, and the first 500 fans to enter the arena will receive a free black t-shirt, courtesy of Autopro, the Country Inn and Suites and the Michigan Tech Federal Credit Union. Fans are asked to wear black to Friday’s game. Friday is also UP Health Systems Game Day. All kids will receive a free Tech hockey poster. Saturday night is Junior Hockey Night, a celebration to all youth hockey players in the area. Each youth player will get a free box of popcorn and be entered into a raffle that includes prizes such as a week of hockey school.

Thursday, January 14

SPORTS

Michigan Tech Lode

Women’s hoops Hockey recap dominate Kendall Belopavlovich

Utkarsh Mishra Lode Writer

Michigan Tech’s women’s basketball team played really well in the holiday season winning five out of seven matches played. Tech played against Findlay University on Dec. 10, Wayne State University on Dec. 13, Finlandia University on Dec. 19, Ohio Dominican University on Jan. 2, Tiffin University on Jan. 3 and Ashland University on Jan. 9. The Huskies were able to defeat all the teams except Findlay University and Ashland University. The match against Findlay was the closest encounter of the season in which Findlay defeated Tech by 73-72 and the scoreboard kept record of the back and forth affair (15-15, 14-24, 21-23, 22-11). Findlay (6-1, 3-0 GLIAC) led 39-29 at halftime, but the Huskies battled back within two (47-45) as Lindsay Winter scored seven points in a two-minute span. An 11-0 Oiler run pushed the gap back to as many as 13 points and eventually stopped at 62-50 at the end of the third quarter. Tech climbed all the way back from a 12-point deficit to start the fourth quarter into a one-point lead before Findlay made a 10-foot jumper as time expired for a 73-72 victory. Huskies started their five match winning streak by defeating Wayne State University by 71-65. Tech turned the ball over 11 times in the opening 20 minutes and trailed 39-29 at halftime. The Black and Gold responded with 12 points in the first 3:30 of the third quarter to pull within four. Tech outscored Wayne State 28-12 in the third quarter to take control of an eventual 71-65 victory at the Matthaei Center on Dec. 13, in GLIAC women’s basketball. The exhibition match against Finlandia was a one-sided contest in which Tech thrashed their opponent by a massive margin of 96-34. Tech shot 52 percent from the field including 53 percent on 21-of-40 3-point shooting. The Black and Gold also held a 44-30 rebounding advantage. Huskies made nine 3-pointers in the opening quarter and 21 for the game in a 96-34 exhibition victory over cross-canal rival Finlandia. The scoreboard ended as (27-4, 25-8, 2214, 22-8). The first match of the new year was played against Ohio Dominican and Tech started the year with a good victory defeating the guest team by 63-44. Tech

(6-3, 4-1 GLIAC) jumped out to a 22-7 advantage after just one quarter and saw the 15-point margin grow to 20 at halftime. The point differential was never less than 17 the rest of the game. Morgan Anderson and Danielle Blake had a combined total of 31 of the Huskies’ 63 points. The score line was (22-7, 19-14, 16-9, 6-14). Another home match for Huskies added one more win to their stats when they defeated Tiffin University by 74-56. The scoreboard for this match ended as (24-10, 17-11, 20-12, 13-23). Tech made 9-of-14 field goals in the opening quarter and finished the game with a 50 percent shooting average. Tiffin was held to 33 percent from the floor. Tech also used a 38-34 rebounding edge and 44-28 advantage in points in the paint. Kylie Moxley added five rebounds to her 14-point total. Kelliher made 5-of6 field goal attempts and added four boards. The Huskies team jumped out to a 41-21 halftime lead and cruised to a GLIAC conference victory at home. Tech experienced one more single-sided contest at Lake Erie University when they defeated the host team by a decent margin of 65-29. Tech (8-3, 6-1 GLIAC) used a 44-29 rebounding edge and shot 43 percent for the game. Lake Erie (4-9, 1-6 GLIAC) made just 9-of-45 field goals (20 percent). Tech outscored Lake Erie 44-10 in the second half and jumped out to a 22-7 advantage after just one quarter and saw the 15-point margin grow to 20 at halftime. The point differential was never less than 17 the rest of the game and the scoreboard ended as (17-9, 4-10, 26-4, 18-6). Tech’s winning streak ended when they faced a 69-63 loss from Ashland University on Senior Citizen’s Day in Ashland. The teams battled to a draw after two quarters of play. Neither team led by more than four points while the lead changed hands nine times. Ashland made 11-of-15 field goals to outscore the Huskies 26-14 in the third quarter. Tech put up 21 points in the fourth quarter which unfortunately was not enough and Tech lost with the final score line as (16-15, 12-13, 14-26, 21-15). On the match against Ashland University coach Kim Cameroon said, “We had a bad third quarter, and that’s where we lost the game, we made a great comeback. If we had kept it to a six- or eightpoint game, we were fine. Fourteen was too many.”

Lode Writer

The hockey team has been on the run over winter break, battling it out in Sault Ste Marie, then heading over to Detroit for a chance at the GLI champion title, and finally hitting the desert, where they played (teams) in the Desert Hockey Classic, station in Glendale, Ariz. Before heading to the Soo to face off against Lake Superior State, assistant coach Gary Shuchuk commented “We’re winning games and playing pretty well but I don’t think we’ve been playing to the expectation of what we’re capable of doing...” The assistant coach went on to explain just how important it was that the team continue to play with full strength and win their next games.

“We got better as the game went on. I’m extremely proud of our players for staying with it and that’s one thing about this team - they’ll play until the end.” -Mel Pearson On Dec. 11, the Huskies came out strong, as did Lake Superior State. The Friday night game opened with a goal scored by the Lakers at 5:54 in the first period. The Black and Gold answered, though, 45 seconds later with the combined efforts of Malcolm Gould, Shane Hanna, and Alex Petan who finally drove the puck in the net. Both teams continued to try and push the tide of the game, but ended with a tie of 1-1. Head coach Mel Pearson said “It was a tough game tonight. We have to be a little more patient around the net and take advantage of our scoring chances, but we got a big point on the road and did a good job of limiting them offensively. Our defensive core did a really good job tonight with getting pucks up the ice and not turning the puck over.” On Saturday, the Huskies closed out the game with a vengeance, leaving the final score at 6-2, in favor of Tech. Four players, Joel L’Esperance, Alex Petan, Jake Lucchini and Mark Auk all scored that night. In the first period alone, Tech players scored four times without an answering goal from the Lakers. Then in the second period, it was a tug of war in which the Lakers scored, answered by a goal from Tech.

The Lakers and Huskies each racked up two points during this period. Tech closed out the weekend without a break in their awaygame winning streak. The Huskies took some much deserved time off after their successful weekend in the Soo before moving on to the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Mich. Tech paired with Michigan State in the Great Lakes Invitational semifinals in a hair-raising game. Michigan State started off strong, scoring a goal in the first and second period, entering the third period with a 2-0 lead. At 8:44 into the third, Alex Gillies scored a goal and fired up the Huskies comeback fever. Lucchini scored a game-tying goal at 18:34, sending the game into overtime. Tech sewed up the game at 3:58 in overtime with a successful shot from Brent Baltus. Pearson said, “I thought it was an even game and a good game. We’ve been off two weeks since our last game so you never know what you’re going to get. We got better as the game went on and their goalie was great for two periods. I’m extremely proud of our players for staying with it and that’s one thing about this team – they’ll play until the end.” The next night, Tech played University of Michigan in the GLI final round. In a game that Pearson called three games in one, Tech lost the best two out of three. They started off strong in the first period with Jake Jackson and Baltus both scoring, but fell short in the second and third periods. The Wolverines scored three goals in the second and a final closing shot in the third. The title game match-up was the 10th time Michigan Tech and University of Michigan have met. The Huskies finished up winter break playing in the annual Desert Hockey Classic, hosted in the Gila River Arena, Glendale, Ariz. The team played Connecticut, who opened the game with a goal at 9:59 in the first. Tech answered with four consecutive goals. Baltus scored at 14:14 in the first, followed by Dylan Steman and Gillies in the second and a final goal was scored by Hanna at 5:27 in the third. Connecticut followed up with the final goal of the game, scored by Spencer Naas. The game ended 4-2, in favor of Tech. On Jan. 10, Tech was matched up with Yale, who had beat out Arizona State the previous night for a chance at final round win. The first and second periods of the game ended in a 0-0 score. The third period 0-0 score was broken when Yale player Frankie DiChiara sunk a goal at 1:10. Tech answered with the final goal of the game, made by Steman at 2:24. The game officially ended as tie, but Tech came home with the win after Petan landed a shot in a shootout, while Jamie Phillips denied all three Bulldogs. Tech plays Minnesota State this weekend at home. The first puck drops Friday, at 7:07 p.m.

Michigan Tech Lode

SPORTS

Michigan Tech went to Detroit Dec. 29 and 30 for the Great Lakes Invitational, facing MSU and U of M.

Thursday, January 14

Photos by Devin Miller

Upcoming

Events Janurary 14 - Janurary 20 Jazz Cabaret: Backstage at the Rozsa

Friday, Jan. 15 7:30 - 10 p.m. Rozsa Stage

Watch the stage transform into an intimate New York nightclub atmosphere with Jazz Cabaret: Backstage at the Rozsa. The evening showcases dynamic music featuring a variety of Michigan Tech Jazz ensembles with special guests. Jazz, Funk, Swing, Latin – you name it, we’ve got it!

MTU Dance Team Youth Dance Clinic

Sunday, Jan. 17 12 p.m. SDC, Wood Gym

Participants of all skill levels from Pre-K to 8th grade will feel like a member of the Michigan Tech Dance team! At the clinic, participants will stretch, learn across the floor routines, and learn an entire dance routine to perform with the Dance Team at halftime of the Michigan Tech Women’s Basketball Game on Saturday, January 23!

HuskyLEAD: A Husky’s Guide to a Winning Semester

Tuesday, Jan. 19 6 - 7 p.m. MUB Alumni Lounge

Start your semester right! Revisit time-tested strategies and learn new approaches to getting and staying on track academically, setting and achieving goals, and maximizing effectiveness with the time you have available. Presenters: Susan Liebau & Heather Simpson, Waino Wahtera Center for Student Success.

REAC - January General Business Meeting

Tuesday, Jan.19 7 - 8 p.m. Fisher

Join REAC for our January GBM. Free food and drinks! All majors are welcome to join and we hope to see you there!

Graduating this Spring? Let’s Get Started Getting You a Job!

Wednesday, Jan.20 6:30 - 7:15 p.m. Fisher 139

If you’re graduating this spring, start your career fair prep and job search now with help from Career Services. Learn effective strategies that can help you land more interviews and offers for great jobs you’ll be ready to start right after graduation.