02/03/2015

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Thank you for building ice sculptures

February 3, 2015

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E-cig ban: How it happened

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Men’s Basketball faces tough stretch at crucial time

Photo by Pratik Joshi

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NEWS

Tuesday, February 3

The world at a glance RAND SILVERS Editor in Chief

Pennsylvania

At 7:25 AM, Monday morning, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, forecasting six more weeks of winter for 2015. The shadow sighting was somewhat unexpected; this year’s event was held on the tail end of a winter storm, and overcast skies made shadows difficult to spot.

While Phil’s official site, groundhog. org, claims that his predictions are of course 100 percent accurate, the record shows that the actual figure is closer to 39 percent. An analysis done by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA] found that the groundhog has “no predictive skill.”

Last year, however, Phil was right on the money. Phil’s shadow on Feb 2 preceded one of the most drawn out winters in recent memory. On the other hand, this winter has so far been fairly gentle across the country, with temperatures staying at or slightly above average.

Contrary to the groundhog, the NOAA’s Three Month Outlook predicts warm temperatures for much of the country, especially along the west coast.

This year marks the prognosticating groundhog’s 129th annual prediction.

Phil’s handlers attribute Phil’s unnatural longevity to a beverage called “groundhog punch.” The expected lifespan for a groundhog is only six years.

While the first Groundhog Day featuring Phil was held in 1886, the tradition goes back much further. Feb 2 marks the day precisely between winter solstice and spring equinox, and religious traditions have ascribed great importance to the weather on this day, including the Catholic tradition of Candlemas Day. Punxsutawney Phil was the first groundhog to predict the weather, but he certainly isn’t the only one. Throughout the years, quite a number of competitors have sprung up, including General Beau Lee in Atlanta, Georgia, Wiarton Willie in Ontario, Canada, and Birmingham Bill in Birmingham, Alabama.

For more information about Groundhog Day and long-term weather forecasting, follow the link or QR code below. http:// www.ncdc.noaa.gov/ c u stomer- supp or t/ education-resources/ groundhog-day

Michigan Tech Lode

E-cig ban: How it happened ANDREA SPENCER Lode Writer Electronic cigarettes are getting more and more attention as the debate over who should be allowed to have them and if they can help people to stop smoking continues.

Of course, the companies that sell them say they can work wonders but many other sources say that they have no solid evidence.

The issue is far from being cleared up and is still a bit, well, smokey.

Michigan Tech has been a tobacco free campus since Sept 3, 2013. University Administration expanded the ban to include E-cigs as of this spring, as most students are aware. What they may not know about was the decision-making process that went into the expansion.

“We were directly asked by Glenn [Mroz] in an email, ‘So you support the ban?’,” said Les Cook VP of Student Affairs. The first comments from constituents indicated that more information was needed. Responses varied from calling e-cigarettes nasty, to the proposed ban being an overreach of the government and an encroachment of personal liberty.

“The issue was too complex to go immediately to a yes-no vote.”

-Craig Waddell, President of the University Senate One of the parties consulted was the University Senate, which is a body made up of faculty and staff representatives from the various academic and research departments

Michigan Tech has been tobaccor free since the Fall of 2013, but this spring have expanded the ban to include E-cigs.

Photo courtesy of ecoFriendly Properties

in the University.

“The Senate decided that the issue was too complex to go immediately to a yes-no vote,” said Dr. Craig Waddell, an Associate Professor of Rhetoric and President of the University Senate. “We provided time for the Senators and Senate constituents to inform themselves.” Senators listened to positive and negative aspects of the issue presented by an undergraduate student and a graduate student.

When the Senate did have its vote, only 45.7 percent of eligible voters voted. Of those, 56.7 percent supported the ban, meaning that it passed. However, 27 percent of voters also left comments, and these comments told an interesting story.

“Of those who commented, 17 percent of those who supported a ban and 20 percent of those who opposed the ban proposed a partial ban,” said Waddell. A partial ban

would have banned E-cigs inside buildings, but allowed their use on the grounds.

Undergraduate Student Government [USG] was also consulted. Members were told to ask around and get a general feel for the student opinion on the issue and then to provide their recommendation.

“The majority of students do not mind the use of e-cigarettes outside, but were opposed to their use indoors as it is distracting to the learning environment,” said Andrey Merzlyakov, President of USG. “Many people didn’t expect that the ban would go through, but there were many different groups that needed to be consulted,” said Nathan Peterson, the USG Secretary.

He also brought up the issue with IRHC, the Inter Residential House Council, and they were mostly in support of the partial ban as Continued on page 3

February- All about the heart ANDREA SPENCER Lode Writer February, the month widely known for Valentines day and cheesy pick-up lines, is all about the heart in other ways too.

February is American Heart month, in which healthcare providers across the country place special emphasis on different forms of cardiovascular disease, which is the number one killer of men and women in the United States.

To help deal with this problem in the local community, UP Health System-Portage

is hosting an event for free cholesterol screening Feb 19 and 20 from 7-10AM as well as a presentation about the results on Feb 23 at 5:30PM. Students are welcome to get a screening and learn more about heart health.

“Portage has been offering Heart Health by the Numbers for several years. It is always one of our most popular events,” said Joni Erkkila, the wellness coordinator at UP Health System – Portage. “This program is particularly helpful for those who may not have had a recent cholesterol and glucose screening, or those who may have other risk factors for heart disease.” Results from the screening will be given at the presentation

along with expert advice on how to interpret them.

What about heart problems in younger people? While not as prevalent, factors such as a family history of bad heart health, high-fat diets, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and lack of exercise puts people at a higher risk of heart issues. Studies show that binge drinking, a trend among young people, can cause major damage to the heart.

Furthermore, exhaustion is said to add a 36 percent increased risk of developing heart disease. Stress and fatigue signal the Continued on page 4

Michigan Tech Lode

NEWS

Tuesday, February 3

Career Fair tips

Q & A with Julie Way, Assistant Director for Career Development SYLVANA FINKBEINER Lode Writer While winter carnival is busy time for Michigan Tech community, the Career fair hosts hundreds of companies every year, and this is the time to raise hype about finally being able to apply all that classwork knowledge! I went to Career Services to retrieve great tips and advice from Julia Way, Assistant Director for Career Development Education about the Spring Career Fair coming up on Feb 17.

Is it possible to overdress for Career Fair?

Yes it is – Prom Dress [haha]. To look your very best, conservative business attire is expected and appreciated.

What is a good outline strategy to get connected with companies as well as possible?

I encourage every student to be on their potential employers’ website. Also, knowing who you want to see ahead of time is crucial.

And be flexible – there are recruiters who will come into the hallway and ask to speak to you. I have known many students who received a job from a company not originally on their radar, because of the great rapport they had with the representatives.

What are the characteristics a company looks for in a potential future employee?

One of the most important characteristic is hands-on experience. Industry is the most valuable, because the fact that you have done it before is awesome. A student might say, ‘I don’t have industry experience, so how am I going to get industry experience?”.

One of the hallmark qualities that MTU has is the hands on curriculum. Companies are not going to ask you to take a test or write a book, rather utilize those skills to solve problems and innovate. They want to know how you have thought and acted as a person in your field of study. An accountant, technical engineer, physiologist, it doesn’t matter. They like to see skills applied, and that is what MTU is renowned for doing Talk about hands-on projects you’ve worked on as part of a class, enterprise, research, etc.

What should you come prepared with?

Absolutely have a resume, for sure, but also a sixty second infomercial introducing yourself that tells a company who you are, what you’re studying, what you are involved in, if you’re looking for an internship or a co-op, experience you have had, and

leadership… Also bring a list of target companies and know the companies.

Do companies want to hear about personal hobbies?

Yes, communication, interpersonal, leadership, and teamwork skills are important. While grades are important, we encourage students to get involved in what they love to do whether being related to major or not because being a multidimensional person. Working while on campus, volunteer work, community service, as long as devoting hours to your Fraternity or Sorority, and juggling many things at the same time [is desired by companies].

How can students work on becoming more familiar with a realistic job setting?

Get involved beforehand. Companies’ sessions are early in the fall. Our campus becomes like a parking lot out there. There are many cars out from Ford, GM, Chrysler, and there are usually representatives standing out there talking to students about their cars and products. Oshkash brought up their ‘transformer truck’ and have representatives talking to students about their products and what it looks like to work for them.

Can a person be too professional?

Companies believe MTU students are technically sound. They travel to meet you as a person. Many have been past students, so they remember broomball or winter carnival, and sometimes the conversation leans that way. See it as a conversation. They are not trying to trick you. The conversation can be technical but no one needs to prove their technical ability at this Career Fair or even an interview. Behavioral type interviews tend to be the norm.

Advice to keep calm during communication with the company representatives?

Keep yourself calm by knowing they really want to meet you. Be confident in your talent and practice expressing that.

When you are nervous, sometimes you don’t realize you are not smiling, so smile.

Come up with the attitude that they are nice people like you.

Also, Career Services also frequently sends out mass emails to every student on this campus with weekly information about how to prepare for the career fair and how they can interact with visiting companies.

Actually open and READ THEM - pay attention to how we can help you with your job search.

What certain kinds of company information should a seeker already have background knowledge of?

Know the products, services, size, locations, and type of work. Know that the company reps who are here are looking for you to work at their location, not necessarily internationally, but you can work your way up to that placement while inside the company.

What can a job seeker express of themselves to catch the company’s attention?

Companies enjoy meeting students who are confidently and eloquently introducing themselves at the career fair. And enthusiasm is always recognized.

Are there any qualities that may be an automatic turn-off?

Someone who doesn’t look prepared, not dressed decently, has poor hygiene. I have had students who do not have the greatest resume, but are able to present themselves attractively. It’s a professional situation, and its common courtesy to thank them and show respect.

What are some physical tools students can use to that Career Services offer?

You can connect your Google Calendar with our calendar to see all Career Services events on your calendar. We connect with student organizations constantly attempting to let everyone know about not only specific job opportunities, but networking opportunities...that can turn into job opportunities.

When visiting booths at Career Fair, what is a reasonable goal number to hit?

Depends on how long you can stay. I suggest 10-15. Sometimes that can be ambitious [because some companies have] longer lines than others.

How do you suggest to not keep answers from company questions too cliché?

Being real and being yourself. You want to try to avoid saying exactly what they want to hear. Use career services as a practice tool. It’s not always the most skilled person, it can be the most skilled job searcher.

How long should you expect talking to a company at the booths?

Expect 3-5 minutes. If there is not a big long line, it could be longer. Don’t be disappointed if it’s not as long as expected.

Continued on page 5

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E-cig ban: How it happened

Continued from page 2

well.

GSG, Graduate Student Government, also voted on the issue but had a different outcome. “Our constituents held numerous conflicting opinions on the issue; remaining neutral was the best way to represent the entire graduate student population,” said Sasha Teymorian, President of GSG. The organization continues to support a welcoming and healthy campus.

After the period of consultation with these campus bodies, the administration made their decision to expand the ban to include e-cigarettes.

E-cigarettes use a rechargeable lithium battery-powered heating element, an atomizer, to heat a propylene glycol or glycerin-based liquid solution into an aerosol mist. The mist can contain nicotine and can be flavored with menthol or other flavors. The mist is then directed through a tube and inhaled. They are claimed to be healthier than traditional cigarettes because they eliminate the chemicals caused by combustion when a cigarette is burned.

As of Oct 1, 2014, there were at least 1,514 smoke free campuses around the country. Of these, 1,014 are 100 percent tobacco-free, and 587 prohibit the use of e-cigarettes anywhere on campus.

“Environmental tobacco smoke has been classified as a Class-A carcinogen and that there is no safe level of exposure,” said the American College Health Association in their position statement.

In addition, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has an initiative to reduce cigarette use by college students to below 14 percent and smokeless tobacco use to below 3 percent by the year 2020. The FDA has not yet approved or regulated all e-cigarettes, only those that are marketed for therapeutic purposes.

“There’s all this new information available,” said Cook, who is keeping up to date by reading recent articles about e-cigarettes. The Journal of the American Medical Association released an article which stated that the use of e-cigarettes is associated with, but not necessarily caused by, “higher odds of ever or current cigarette smoking, planning to quit among current smokers, and lower odds of abstinence from conventional cigarettes.”

As it is, the new ban is simply an extension of the tobacco-free campus in an effort to keep the campus of Michigan Tech a healthy and happy place. The ban extends to all areas of campus, including Daniel Heights and the SDC. Visitors as well as students and staff are expected to comply with the ban.

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NEWS

Tuesday, February 3

Tech top school for social mobility in Michigan EVAN MAYER Lode Writer “It’s not enough to train today’s workforce. We also have to prepare tomorrow’s workforce, by guaranteeing every child access to a world-class education,” said President Obama in his State of the Union Address last month. In the Address, the President shared his vision of giving low income, first-generation, and minority students the same opportunities as their more privileged peers. This vision has been in effect at Michigan Technological University for some time though, as can be seen in the university’s Social Mobility Index rating.

The Social Mobility Index [SMI] is a scale created last year is to address the United States slipping to the least

“This number was good enough to made Michigan Tech the number 42 ranked school in the country and the number one rated school in Michigan.” economic mobility among the developed nations. The ranking is meant to address five variables of a university; these being tuition, economic background of students, graduation rate, early career salary of graduates and university endowment.

The two variables that were of the highest consideration were the cost of tuition and economic background of students. The reason for this is because these two variables are the most critical front-end determinants for admission.

The chief goal of the SMI is to stimulate policy changes within the education system and these two variables are also ones that policy makers have control over.

When all of these numbers got crunched in the SMI formula, Michigan Tech received a SMI number of 33.45.

This number was good enough to made Continued on page 5

Michigan Tech Lode

Student Org Spotlight: Ducks Unlimited EVAN MAYER Lode Writer Student Organizations generally fall into two categories: those for people with common interests and those that help promote causes and solve problems. Few groups are able to merge these two. The newly formed Michigan Tech chapter of Ducks Unlimited is using its members’ passion for duck hunting to help preserve and protect the species they pursue.

Ducks Unlimited is a nationwide organization that began in 1937 to help save and recover the diminishing wetlands and other natural habitats that waterfowl frequent in the United States. Since its inception, the organization has rapidly grew across the United States and is now to the point where anyone in the country looking to join one of its chapters can easily find one relatively close.

In the past few years, these chapters have begun to quickly pop up at colleges and universities as students are beginning to brace the goals of the organization. This trend led Dylan Bender and a handful of other dedicated water fowlers on the path to bring Ducks Unlimited to Michigan Tech, a goal which they succeeded in last fall.

One of the club’s first goals is to hold their banquet, which will become an annual tradition. A major fundraiser like this is held by almost every one of the chapters in the United States. This year’s three-hour event is tentatively planned for March 28.

Tickets can be purchased beforehand and will be in the ballpark of 20 dollars.

The funds made from this banquet will go directly towards the Ducks Unlimited mission, which is to conserve, restore, and manage wetlands and associated habitats for North American waterfowl. One of the ways Michigan Tech’s chapter of the club will do this is by setting aside some of the

funds for wood duck houses. These houses will then be placed on public and private land around the area.

A future endeavor the organization is looking into is to partner with the Society of Wetland Scientists so that habitats can further benefit from both of the organizations’ efforts.

The club is not only looking to help fill the skies with waterfowl through their conservation and preservation efforts, this is also a meeting grounds for those looking to knock the birds out of the skies.

“When I decided I was going to start the Ducks Chapter at Tech, I knew that our first priority was to raise money for conservation,” said Dylan Bender, the club’s chairperson. “But I also wanted this chapter to be a resource for the many people who haven’t had the opportunity to hunt before college, help band waterfowl, build wood duck houses, or even get out into a marsh and realize how awesome a sunrise can actually be. To me Ducks Unlimited lets me

Dillman entrance closure RAND SILVERS Editor in Chief The south entrance to Dillman Hall will be closed on Thursday, Feb 5 and Friday, Feb 6 for repairs. The closure is timed to coincide with the cancellation of classes for Winter Carnival, so no classes will be disrupted.

The building will remain accessible through other entrances.

“There have been problems with the amount of snowmelt in the walk-off mat,” said Tim Griffin, the Director of Custodial and Maintenance Services. “We’re going to be installing a drain and making some internal ceiling repairs.”

The repairs are not expected to extend past Friday, and the entrance should be

February- All about the heart

body to release hormones that interfere with the immune system; prolonged periods of stress lead to many health concerns. For more information, check “Stress and Heart Health” at heart.org.

The appointments offered as part of Heart Health by the Numbers only take 5-10 minutes and involve a blood screening that will measure cholesterol , blood glucose, and blood pressure. To sign up for the free screening, contact Erkkila at 906-483-1562 or jerkkila@portagehealth.org.

show my passion to others and that is one thing that I want other people to find, that passion that keep our traditions going.”

Bender refers to the other function the club is looking to serve as, a school duck-hunting club. This function will allow individuals to have a common place to meet to talk about their love of duck hunting, help find new areas to hunt, and a new pool of candidates to choose from for hunting companions.

If Bender’s idea of the club’s direction applies to you, Ducks Unlimited is easy to join. All it takes is an email to Bender or check out the involvement link. Attending one of the bimonthly meetings is also a good way to join the club, the next one will be held Feb 12 at 7 pm in Fisher 133. There are no dues to join, but buying a ticket to the banquet is a requirement.

So whether you are looking to help preserve the environment or meet fellow waterfowl enthusiasts, look to join Michigan Tech’s chapter of Ducks Unlimited.

“The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends cholesterol screening for men and women age 20-45 if they are at increased risk for heart disease,” said Erkkila. Dr. John Pap will give an hour long follow up presentation at the Hancock High School Auditorium. Healthy snacks will be available

Photo by Rand Silvers

reopened before the weekend. “I would call a full two-day closure the worst case scenario,” said Griffin. “We’re doing our best to expedite things, and are hoping to complete the repairs ahead of schedule.”

Signs were posted announcing the closure on Monday morning.

Continued from page 2 and even those who did not participate in the screenings are welcome to come.

Other upcoming events sponsored by the UP Health System – Portage are a women’s health fair this spring, the Great Bear Chase ski marathon on March 8, and the Canal Run on July 18.

“This program is particularly helpful for those who may not have had a recent cholesterol and glucose screening.”

-Joni Erkkila

NEWS

Michigan Tech Lode

Tuesday, February 3

Is my lab partner going hungry?

SYLVANA FINKBEINER Lode Writer One in six Michigan residents struggle with hunger, according to Feeding America, a national hungerrelief organization. Michigan Tech’s Undergraduate Student Government, Graduate Student Government, faculty, and other student groups are taking action to ensure students enrolled are not in a state of food insecurity.

Leaders and administrators around campus recognized a small number of students enrolled at Tech were experiencing stresses obtaining food due to financial reasons during spring 2014.

Since then, USG decided to conduct research through the office of the Dean of Students, Bonnie Gorman. Actions to begin the research include the survey sent out to all Tech students in attempt to identify the availability each person has to make and prepare food.

“We are trying to get as much feedback as possible from the survey,” said Gorman.

“Within the first night we received about 950 responses.”

Once the results are processed, the

group plans to take action accordingly.

Approaches may include gifting dining swipes to those in need from students willing to donate their extra guest swipes.

The group has been inspired by other colleges around Michigan that have recently taken steps to fight hunger problems in their area. “We adopted some strategies from other colleges. Michigan State University has an extensive food pantry serving their students,” said Gorman.

Michigan State’s food pantry has been running since 1993, and serves over 4,000 people each year. The pantry is able to provide these goods by buying food averaging at $0.45 per pound through Greater Lansing Food Bank.

Finlandia University began a mobile food bank to Hancock residents in September 2014, serving around 1,100 community members the first distribution. MTU may do the same, depending on results.

One of the challenges in combating hunger issues is identifying need. “It is difficult to recognize specific students, because students want to keep their anonymity,” said Gorman.

The group plans to utilize Houghton community organizations, such as beginning a can collecting food drive to eventually reach students at risk.

Student tutoring facility The Canterbury House invites all for free meals every Wednesday at 6:00PM. Finlandia’s partnership with Feeding America also provides a kitchenette for people to use for preparation conflicts. Any student who is experiencing food scarcity at any time is encouraged to talk to counselors to find help.

The survey is open until Feb 13 through the Tech student email to best assist any and all hunger concerns.

“We’re at the beginning of a process to assess the need--we’ll determine next steps based on our findings,” said Gorman.

“It is difficult to recognize specific students, because students want to keep their anonymity.”

-Bonnie Gorman, Dean of Students

Tech top school for social mobility in Michigan Continued from page 2

Michigan Tech the number 42 ranked school in the country and the number one rated school in Michigan. Being ranked number 14 for median early career salary certainly helped with that rating.

For university President Glenn Mroz, the school’s favorable rating was of no surprise.

“Michigan Tech has been a place where talent meets opportunity for almost 130

years now. With that as perspective, we are all here for a relatively short time. But in that time, the basic promise we make to each other is that if students do their job, and faculty and staff do their job, students will be successful, and as a result Michigan Tech will be successful. The interesting thing that sets this apart from so many other types of rankings is that it focuses on the output of

Michigan Tech Lode

that promise - student success.”

In the future, the hope is that a school’s SMI rating will help to not only keep tuition prices lower to stay competitive, but also help lesser privileged individuals an opportunity to get the collegiate experience.

This is all in President Obama’s vision of shrinking the economic gap between the rich and the poor.

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Career Fair tips Continued from page 3

They will let you know when they are done talking to you, usually with a handshake and [an incentive] to apply online.

Is there anything in particular that students accidentally neglect?

If you do have commitment for your job, you need to hold that commitment.

Even if you believe another offer is better, integrity in your job search is incredibly important. I always ask student to look at it the opposite way. They have made a commitment to you, and students should do the same.

They will appreciate your character if you say, “I have already gotten an offer and I hold my integrity to them. I would sure like to talk to you about possible future opportunities,”. They would probably want that student even more.

What is one critical piece of advice students should keep in mind when career prepping?

We encourage companies to get involved in on campus events, and many of them do. Students can attend and meet company representatives at any time. We also encourage students to do networking before the Career Fair, not just to believe that the career fair is the end all to be all to their networking.

Please come and meet these folks early; that’s why they do information sessions early, sponsor and speak at events like the Etiquette Dinner.

Is it still beneficial to visit career services, even if you have in the past and gotten an internship?

Preparation is key to success. You can always update your resume and how you talk about what’s on it. New projects are always coming up. Everyone can always practice and polish their interview skills.

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

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The Lode is funded in part by the Michigan Tech Student Activity Fee. 1. lodeads@mtu.edu for submitting ads to the Lode.

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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.

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PULSE

Tuesday, February 3

Michigan Tech Lode

Hot tunes Getting smart about being healthy for cold days SARAH HARTTUNG Lode Writer For those who came to the Keweenaw thinking that we didn’t have a sweet music culture up here, think again. The Orpheum Theater (located in the back of Studio Pizza) in Hancock is hosting several local and not-so-local musicians this February.

Everyone is getting in on the Carnival spirit, including Keweenaw Brewgrass.

They are helping Tech students and natives alike celebrate our four-day party with a show fueled by craft brews on Saturday, February 7th at 8:30 p.m. The group emerged from a couple of civil engineering students right here at MTU picking their way through lunches. All members are multi-talented. Visit their Facebook page for more information.

The sky is the limit when it comes to how much bluegrass is enough. At 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 12th, Copper Country favorite Earthworks artist Fauxgrass will be playing a mix of old and new tunes. The group is a regular on the Michigan music scene, flowing between genres during performances.

Their website, www.fauxgrassmusic.com, has free songs to sample before the show.

Jack White-esque Brothers Burn Mountain will be taking the stage on Friday, February 20th at 8:30 p.m. This duo of real-life brothers from Minnesota will have their own special article in the Lode coming soon, so watch out for more information. Go to www. thebrothersburnmountain.com to check them out.

The Evergreen Grass Band will be in town on Friday, February 27th at 8:30 for more bluegrass. They are traveling from their birthplace in Wisconsin to locations all across the northern U.S. Come out to see the boys try to play a song so fast, they break the space-time continuum. http:// www.evergreengrassband.com/ for more information.

Do not be discouraged if the Orpheum Theater is difficult to find at first. Take the bridge to Hancock (be aware of closings http://www.michigan.gov/ mdot/0,4616,7-151-9621_11008325131--,00.html) and go through town until the Studio Pizza appears on the lefthand side of the road. Park, go in, order some pizza, and enjoy the show!

Seven minute workout (top), sleepbot (middle) and fitocracy (directly above) are all ways to help make a healthy lifestyle more of a priority.

Photos courtesy of play.google.com

ARIC RHODES Lode Writer Whether you’re working off those holiday pounds, fulfilling a resolution, or just trying to maintain, the first quarter of the year is among the best times to start working out and getting in shape.

It’s true that many students don’t stay as active as is healthy, often thanks to scheduling and time commitment. With the help of a smartphone, and a few clever apps, almost anyone can take the first steps toward a healthier life.

As with any journey, it’s starting out that is the hardest part. For newcomers to the fitness scene, or those trying to get back on the horse, a short workout is better than nothing. 7 Minute Workout is an app with just these kinds of users in mind. With a simple interface, and even simpler workouts, it only asks for

seven minutes out of each day. The app gives twelve exercises, each taking thirty seconds to do, with ten seconds between each for rests. This is not a workout program that will change your life necessarily, but it’s plenty to start getting into shape.

There are, of course, some who need a gentle nudge to start such a change as a workout regimen. Fitocracy provides that nudge with peer pressure, and a gamist dynamic that makes getting in shape like a roleplaying game. Users can track their nutrition, workouts, and general fitness. All of this is placed in a social network of other users, and quantified with statistics like levels in a game. This is a fantastic way to get in shape for those that need a better track of their progress, and the game dynamic has been proven quite effective clinically.

Working out, though, is only one part of fitness. Any fitness regimen requires that you maintain your body as you do

it, and one often neglected aspect of this maintenance is sleep. Without sleep, your body simply can’t function, yet sleep deprivation is a rampant problem on college campuses across the country.

This is where SleepBot can help. SleepBot is a sleep tracking system, combined with a smart alarm. You tell the app when you are going to sleep and give a general zone that you want to wake up. SleepBot then wakes you between natural sleep cycles, so that you feel refreshed and awakened, rather than drowsy. If you want to start sleeping like you were supposed to, SleepBot can show the way.

Fitness is a difficult concept, encompassing your physical state and beyond. While the more intangible concepts are harder, physical health can be earned with just a few simple workouts a week. Even if it’s only for seven minutes each day, getting your blood pumping is healthy. To paraphrase a wise man, sound mind in sound body.

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Michigan Tech Lode

Photos courtesy of caartists.org

Local artist finds adventure in her art

Fredi Taddeucci’s artwork will be on display at the Portage Lake District Library throughout February.

Her art is considered “experimental” because “I don’t have a plan or idea in mind when I begin a painting. I begin applying colors and shapes at random, sometimes using watercolor but most often acrylic. I use a brush to apply paint and sometimes create texture while it’s still wet with plastic food wrap or waxed paper,” sayd Taddeucci on her page at ccaartists.org.

Photos courtesy of caartists.org

JANE KIRBY Pulse Editor Local artist Fredi Taddeucci has her art on display this week through the 28th at the Portage Lake District Library. The exhibit features five of her works of art, abstract paintings, which consist of collages of colors, textures and movement alike.

Taddeucci describes her paintings as an important part of her well-being.

They display her take on “opposing elements of nature; structure versus flow, and energy versus charm.”

Her featured collages are created with materials like tissue paper, handmade stamps, torn pieces of existing paintings, handmade paper, rice paper, and whatever else she feels should be incorporated into the art.

Calling her work “experimental,” Taddeucci admits that she never has a

true plan for her art. She goes with the flow, so the speak, and just begins to add color, texture and life to the paintings.

“When the journey is begun, the destination is unknown; thus the arrival is a surprise,” she says. This makes painting and creating art an adventure for her.

A collaboration between the Copper Country Community Arts Center and Portage Lake District Library, Taddeucci’s display will be available at the Library on 58 Huron Street in Houghton through the end of February.

For more information, contact the CCCAC at 906-482-2333.

“Taddeucci describes her paintings as an important part of her well-being.“

Tuesday, February 3

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Super Bowl Sunday ALEXANDRIA VAN DUZER Lode Writer On Super Bowl Sunday, in the traditional fashion, my friends and I gathered around the TV with wings, chips and dip, pizza, sandwiches, and a couple cold ones. Besides myself and a couple others there was not much hype for the Super Bowl this year. Even though the Seahawks beat out the Packers for their spot in the game, the controversy surrounding the Patriots and their deflated footballs, had more rooting for the Patriots to lose. I, myself am a New England girl and was on the edge of my seat most of the night.

In the final minutes, the Seahawks, down by four, their ball on the 1-yard line made the beautifully erroneous decision to try and throw at the goal line which resulted in a remarkable interception by Malcolm Butler!

And then 18 seconds left, a fight breaks out!

What are we watching, hockey?!? Seahawk Bruce Irvin gets himself ejected right before the Patriots last play kneeling on the ball to seal their victory! Final score 28 - 24 Patriots!

Whew that was close.

Of course while watching the game is entertaining, everyone knows that it’s the commercials that are really important. In my opinion, the top 10 commercials this year went like this: Number 1: “Invisible Mindy” add by Nationwide. Poor Mindy is treated like she’s invisible and she gets to thinking that maybe she really is. Mindy then proceeds to steal, sunbathe nude, and attempt to kiss Matt Damon before discovering that she is in fact not invisible.

Number 2: “Pill” by Fiat. Who knew that a little blue pill had so much performance enhancing capabilities?

Number 3-6: #LikeAGirl by Always, #MakeItHappy by Coca-Cola, “Lost Dog”

by Budweiser, and “Calls For Dad” by Dove were all feel good commercials. The “Feel-Good”/”Hope-Filled” advertisement seemed to be the main theme of most of the commercials this year. I really enjoyed all of these commercials but I always thought that the Super Bowl was supposed to focus more on fun and laughter not tears.

Number 7: “All-Powerless” by Mophie was clever. What happens when an all powerful being phone dies? Nothing short of Armageddon for sure.

Number 8-10: #FirstDraftEver by Avacados from Mexico, “Goat Scream” by Discover Card and “Middle Seat” by Doritos offered a laugh and lightened up the mood after those feel good commercials made me tear up.

All in all that game was fantastic and the commercials catered to a variety of themes that clearly got the attention of the viewer.

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Tuesday, February 3 Ohm

COMICS Juicer

Michigan Tech Lode Loop

Comic courtesy of XKCD

‘More generally, with great power comes great dEnergy/dt.’

CLASSIFIEDS CLOSEST APARTMENTS TO CAMPUS! BLANCHE APARTMENTS Located Directly Across from MTU Library Apartments for 3 and 4 students for 2015-2016 School Year.

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Call: 906-482-7744 GAZETTE APARTMENTS. Large apartments located within walking distance to MTU and downtown Houghton. Plowed parking, on-site laundry and garbage pick-up. Heat and water included. $650/month.

Call Cheryl: 906-231-4385 MINI FRIDGE FOR SALE. Wishing that you had purchased a fridge before coming to college? Now is your chance to purchase a fully functional fridge for only $50. Please contact The Michigan Tech Lode at lodesubmit@mtu.edu or by calling 906-487-2404.

E-mail lodeads@mtu.edu for information about placing a classified ad.

Comic courtesy of XKCD Comic courtesy of XKCD

‘But the rind is where all the vitamins are!’

‘Ugh, today’s kids are forgetting the old-fashioned art of absentmindedly reading the same half page of a book over and over and then letting your attention wander and picking up another book.’

Metamaterials

Comic courtesy of XKCD

‘If I developed a hue-shifting metamaterial, I would photobomb people’s Instagram pics with a sheet of material that precisely undid the filter they were using.’

Game Theory

Comic courtesy of XKCD

‘Wait, no, that one also loses. How about a nice game of chess?’

PUZZLES

Michigan Tech Lode Puzzle 1 (Hard, difficulty rating 0.61)

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PuzzleWeek’s 1 (Very hard, difficulty rating 0.80) 5

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Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Sun Feb 1 23:25:39 2015 GMT. Enjoy!

No. 0201 THIS N’ THAT

BY DAVID STEINBERG / EDITED BY WILL SHORTZ A CR O S S

RELEASE DATE: 2/8/2015

1 Filling entrees?

9 Imperfect 15 Laugh-track content 20 Former Diet Pepsi spokesmodel 21 Nymph jilted

by Paris 22 ‘‘The Vampire Diaries’’ protagonist 23 Content of a demand to attend?

25 Cry of frustration 26 ___ flakes 27 Hullabaloo 28 Square meal?

30 Gas-station adjunct 32 Freaky funeral noise?

37 Tornado Alley state: Abbr.

38 Smirnoff Ice, e.g.

40 Red-faced 41 View from Big Ben 43 Patriots’ and Seahawks’ org.

44 ‘‘Castaway’’ director, 1986 46 Points of view 48 W.W. II rationing agcy.

49 Dive from a fire-breathing creature?

53 Al Qaeda stronghold 55 Vegetable that’s often fried 58 Place first, second or third, say 59 Man of letters?

Online subscriptions: Today’s puzzle and more than 4,000 past puzzles, nytimes.com/crosswords ($39.95 a year).

61 ‘‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’’ director 63 Certain embedded Internet video 65 ___ lupus (gray wolf) 67 Not there yet 68 Company that introduced Saran Wrap 71 Venti, vingt or zwanzig?

75 Missal storage site 76 Coffee-bean variety 78 Went on a run?

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81 Lake ___, biggest lake in South America 84 Holdups 86 Perfumery measure 90 Workers’ rights org.

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95 Northern California’s ___ River 97 Burn 99 Make hot 100 ___-Magnon 101 Uses mouthwash, e.g.

104 Like a dutiful sentry 107 Faux pas 109 Symbol on a sarcophagus 110 Intel products used at a nuclear facility?

113 Hit with a charge 114 Seiji Ozawa, e.g.

116 ‘‘Argo’’ setting 117 Roman guardian spirit 118 Diminish in strength 119 Overseeing a work crew, e.g.?

127 Cause of radioactivity 128 Beggar’s receptacle 129 Attorney’s presentation 130 Coeur d’___ 131 Part of a con tract 132 Mess

18 ‘‘Life of Pi’’ director 19 Old colonial masters 24 Aficionado 29 AIDS-fighting drug 30 One with a colorful coat?

31 Woodard of ‘‘Primal Fear’’ 32 Garbage collector, informally?

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X E R S I L L Y C R I S S T R U E D

OPINION

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Michigan Tech Lode

ROUND 3

ROUND 2

ROUND 1

Debate:

The death penalty is a highly contested topic among American voters. Some argue that the death penalty is warranted in certain circumstances while others insist that the death penalty is both unethical and costly. Should Americans support the death penalty as a form of punishment?

Pro: ADAM ROMANKO Opinion Editor

?

Con: JOE ANDRES Lode Writer

Yes. One of the largest questions that we have to tackle is whether or not the death penalty violates the 8th Amendment- is it a cruel or unusual punishment? The answer, of course, is no, for the majority of crimes.

However, there are a select few crimes where killing the offender is not cruel or unusual at all. If the offender is a serial killer, serial rapist or a child predator, it can be easily shown that putting them to death is not cruel at all. But most importantly, it can also provide emotional support to the victims that are suffering so terribly. By putting these people to death, we are guaranteeing to the victims that they cannot ever be hurt by society’s menaces any longer.

Without turning this debate into a religiously charged issue, Jesus said, “Let he who is without sin, throw the first stone,” John 8:7. The eighth amendment protects us from cruel and unusual punishment. Can someone commit an act so horrible that we as a society say that life is now condemned and worthy only of execution? We like to think of the United States as a moral nation. However, our stance on capital punishment puts us in the company of China, North Korea and Iran. Most people would say those are immoral nations, but somehow we keep their company. If an argument cannot be made for cruel, can one be made for the unusual qualifier in the eighth amendment?

All of the developed world, and most of the undeveloped world, have abolished the death penalty. Even Mexico thought the practice was no longer applicable. The global trend, and even here at home, is moving away from the death penalty. This shift should certainly warrant capital punishment as unusual and therefore unconstitutional.

When we send someone to prison, we are attempting to accomplish two different tasks- taking criminals off the streets so they cannot continue to harm others and rehabilitate them so that when they leave, they can become productive members of society. It is no secret that American prisons are one of the worst at rehabilitating prisoners- the number of criminals who end up going back to prison is incredibly high in this country. But when someone is such a menace to society that they physically cannot be rehabilitated, there is no longer a reason to keep them alive. Serving a life sentence, they can continue to have contact with the outside world, sometimes inspiring others to act as they had. The death penalty allows society to forget those who caused widespread damage and suffering to others and also helps to prevent people from idolizing the criminally insane.

Using our prison system’s ineffectiveness to rehabilitate prisoners as a justification for capital punishment is despicable. Our system’s incompetence should not be a justification for the execution of criminals. A study conducted by Forbes concluded: when you factor in all the additional court costs for capital punishment cases, compared to imprisoning someone for life, it is actually cheaper to imprison someone for life. From that you can conclude executing criminals is more costly and takes more out of the system then attempting to reform them. Does this cost justify the effectiveness? NO! If you look at murder rates on a state-by-state basis, you will find that murder rates are higher across the board in states that have the death penalty compared to those that do not. Not only that, but if you look at Europe, violent crimes dropped as countries abolished the death penalty. It may seem counter intuitive, but executing criminals actually raises the occurrence of violent crime.

Finally, one of the worst thoughts anyone can stomach is the fear that we may one day execute an innocent man or woman. And this has happened before- we have accidentally administered the death penalty to the wrong person. As sad as this is, it is important to remember one thing- every day, scientific evidence becomes more and more reliable, to the point where it can be very easy to exonerate people who did not commit a crime. And it can also help to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that an individual was responsible for a crime. Ultimately, this claim was a serious problem, but as science and technology advance, we can almost certainly eliminate it as a potential concern.

How many criminals do you have to execute before it is justifiable to execute an innocent person? It would appear that DNA solves this, but the reality is DNA evidence exists in only 5-10 percent of murder trials. Additionally, DNA evidence is routinely blocked in trial, on the grounds it is prejudicial. Furthermore, appeals courts that are commonly thought to exonerate the wrongfully convicted primarily look for clerical errors in the trial and almost never consider new evidence. In states like Texas, appeals for capital offenses are not allowed to enter new evidence. The system is stacked against those up on capital charges. Maybe science has made wrongful conviction less likely.

Since 1973, over 140 people have been exonerated from death row. Our system got it wrong over 140 times but asks us to believe they got it right every other time? The system didn’t work for those cases, how can we be sure it does for the others. How many more innocent people do we have to execute before we admit the system is broken?

Michigan Tech Lode

OPINION

11

Thank you for building LODE ice sculptures ing Un

Opinion Editor Winter Carnival is one of the most unique things that Michigan Tech students get to experience, and it is definitely worth it. Of course, there is one truth that many people, especially those in administration, are not very comfortable accepting- alcohol and Winter Carnival are inseparable.

Regardless of how you feel about this reality, it is critical that you understand what it means.

Regardless of any university policy or law, alcohol is going to be consumed in massive quantities. But that does not give you the right to be reckless, and it also means that there are potential consequences to your actions if you are. If

you are going to drink, do so responsibly, and if possible, have someone around who can prevent you from making incredibly stupid choices. It should also be pointed out that underage drinking is illegal.

Irresponsible drinking is not just an issue that affects the person consuming alcohol. It also can affect those around the person. In order to maintain a safe and pleasant experience for everyone, it is critical that people maintain safe drinking habits.

However, alcohol is not a bad thing- it is only bad when it is used irresponsibly.

Making the appropriate decisions during this break will lead to both an enjoyable and safe experience.

The best way to determine whether or not you were being responsible with alcohol is to determine whether or not you have the potential to harm other

people or yourself. This also includes other people’s property. So long as you are not harming anyone, and so long as you’re not breaking any laws, there is no reason that you cannot consume alcohol and have a good time.

That said, it is also critical to mention that you don’t have to drink in order to have a good time. Spending time with others, running around campus, and even helping with the ice sculptures are all great things you can do to celebrate the bitter-cold winters that we have up here. And all of them will keep you sober, if that’s what you are hoping to accomplish.

On an unrelated point- please build ice sculptures. The rest of us really enjoy taking photos of them and posting them to social media. It also makes our school look inviting, even if the winters are repulsive to some.

The 2016 election DAVE MOREHOUSE Lode Writer Romney has said he will not be running in 2016, but who knows- he has flipped flopped before. It is now down to Christie, Walker, and Bush. No, not the father or the son but Jeb, the third potential president to screw it all up. But wait, the two other choices are just as bad.

Walker, a man hated by his on state, and Christie, a man who cheered for the Cowboys all for Jerry Jones’ money.

Maybe Christie should have supported the Patriots after all, or he can be like Romney and just say he supported them all along.

Even with the GOP in such disarray the Democrats don’t have much to be hopeful for either. With Biden being almost as old as Reagan and almost as forgetful, most don’t think he will run. But the shining beacon for the Democrats is now a Clinton, sadly it isn’t Bill Clinton but his wife, Hillary.

After Obama won both his campaigns Republicans and Hillary will be glad about one thing, not having to face Obama, who won the Democratic nominee against Hillary and beating both McCain and Romney to the Oval Office.

Photo courtesy of Scientific American ksj.mit.edu

In all seriousness, the choices are bleak and not looking like they will improve.

With the choice of a third Bush, Christie, who even New Jersey doesn’t want, or Walker who almost got impeached (a feat only beat by Clinton), the Republican side doesn’t look strong, or even electable.

On the Democrat side, it isn’t any better.

While Clinton has no one to compete against (accept maybe a long shot Biden) her previous run against Obama didn’t look good.

Many were put off by her liberal feminist agenda and having to run against the right may magnify that even more. And if Hillary gets elected, Bill Clinton will be back in the White House and that is a scary thought.

Maybe the last hope for everyone is Rand Paul. And if that isn’t the case you can always write in Ron Paul’s name, you and the five other crazy libertarians.

ZONE

ADAM ROMANKO

Adam Romanko

Is it really bad to want material things? Many people believe that American consumerism has led to the decline of society. We live in a world where we all want a new car, a new computer, and even new phone. We increasingly want to replace everything that we have with the next best thing.

And once we have had it for a few months, it bores us, and we move on.

This is the true state of society, and it definitely has caused problems. Many people, trying to keep up with those around them, plunge themselves into debt just so that they can temporarily enjoy material things. This selfdestructive lifestyle ultimately leads to the inability to keep up, and results in a less- than desired lifestyle of being stuck with what you already have. While this irony happens every day, consumers promise themselves that “I will never let that happen to me.” They say this to themselves repeatedly, even as they are replacing their 9 month old iPhone with the latest generation.

In some aspects greed and consumerism is good. It forces us to be competitive and work towards goals- if we want to own a new car, we have to work hard to get it. And this honest way of looking at things, and setting realistic goals, is a powerful way of supporting yourself. But when it gets out of hand, it can truly be damaging.

Philosophers, politicians, and the average person have all tried to come up with a way of solving this issue. Goals are good, they help us to focus our energy on being productive, which drives us forward into the future. But when consumerism becomes a drug, as it so often does, it can be very hard to break the addiction. So hard, that it ruins lives and costs people their freedom.

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SPORTS

Tuesday, February 3

# the By

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Goals scored by Tech Hockey in Saturday’s win against Alabama

2 72.2 Michigan Tech skiers (Flanders and Hjelstuen) who earned a first place finish last week at the Twin Cities Championships

Percent of conference games won by the Men’s Basketball team, who own a GLIAC record of 10-4

Michigan Tech Lode

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Danielle Blake

ELLIE FURMANSKI Sports Editor Junior forward Danielle Blake of the Michigan Tech Women’s Basketball team was a key player last weekend as Tech hosted Northwood and Lake Superior State on Jan. 29 and 31.

The starter helped the Huskies earn two more wins, which extended their win streak to eight games and advanced the team’s record to 13-1 in the conference.

Currently the Huskies sit in first place in the GLIAC, just one win ahead of the South Division’s leader, Wayne State.

Despite Tech’s 13-point lead in the second half, Thursday’s game against Northwood ended up becoming a close battle in the end which was ultimately decided by a five-point margin. In close games, it’s the little things that count, and Blake managed to capitalize when needed.

On the offensive side, Blake led the team in points with 15 total. She earned

10 points in the first half and finished out the game with five more, including the final point of the game on a successful free throw. All in all, Blake made seven out of her eight free throw attempts. The Midland, Mich., native also had six assists on the night and three offensive rebounds.

Defensively, Blake came up big for the Huskies with seven blocks and seven defensive rebounds, bringing her rebound total to 10. Tech’s strong defensive effort at the end got them the stop they needed for a 68-63 win.

On Saturday, Blake was the game leader in scoring once again. She earned 19 points, including seven from free throws out of nine attempts. Blake also tacked on nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks in Tech’s 74-61 victory.

Blake currently leads the Huskies in points per game, averaging 12.4, and field goal percent. Her 54.3 field goal percentage ranks fourth among all GLIAC players.

Hopefully you didn’t miss the Northern Michigan matchup on Feb. 2, as that

Photo courtesy of Michigan Tech Athletics

was one of Tech’s final home games of the season. Blake and the rest of the Women’s Basketball team will head down to Ferris State and Grand Valley State this Thursday and Friday, Feb. 5 and 7, before returning home for their final regular season stand in the Varsity Gym on Feb. 12 and 14.

Annual Polar Plunge held during Heikkinpaiva MACKENZIE PLETCHER Lode Writer This past Saturday marked the 14th consecutive year of the festival Heikkinpaiva, an old Finnish tradition that is celebrated every late January in Hancock, Mich. The Heikkinpaiva celebrates the first half of winter passing, otherwise known as “Karhu kaantaa kylkea”, which translates to “the bear rolls over to the other side.”

One of the biggest events at Heikkinpaiva, other than the annual wife-carrying contest, is the Polar Plunge, which saw some of the warmest weather this year than ever before. The plunge was held at Porvoo Park at a balmy temperature of eighteen degrees Fahrenheit.

The Polar Plunge this year consisted of at least two dozen people facing the frigid waters. The participants were split into two separate groups, the competitive

and the non-competitive divisions.

Admission for the non-competitive division was $1 whereas everyone in the competitive group paid $5.

The competition was judged by a panel of officials to see who could come up with the most creative splash into the water. The local police force was present at the plunge with scuba divers in the water in case of any emergencies during the event.

“The walk out to the water was enjoyable,” stated jumper Jacob Robinson, “but the walk back out of the water was extremely cold.”

When prompted to tell him what drove him to dive, Robinson explained, “The thrill of the experience got me to dive in the ice water, and our hall janitor Cindy Kela told me about the event.”

After jumpers concluded their frozen flop into the water, they found shelter at a heated tent that allowed them to change into warmer clothes.

The grand prize at the event was a $50 check. MTU sophomore Matthew Moreman won the competition with an amazing stunt that sent him into the chilly depths.

“I stripped down, and it was really cold to be outside,” stated Moreman when asked about the competition. “I bellyflopped into the water, which the judges apparently really liked.”

Moreman took home first place in the competition against at least six others competitors. “All in all, it was an extremely enjoyable experience that made me question my intelligence for jumping in ice water.”

“All in all, it was an extremely enjoyable experience that made me question my intelligence for jumping in ice water.”

-Mathew Moreman

Michigan Tech Lode

SPORTS

Tuesday, February 3

13

Women’s Basketball poised Sidelines for top GLIAC seed Events with Nordic Ski Club

With winter in full swing, the Michigan Tech Nordic Ski Club is back at it, hitting those beautifully groomed Tech Trails for another ski season. The club has many events planned for members, including free lessons for skiers of all skill levels and various trips. For new skiers wanting to learn how to skate and/or classic, there are four instructors available for lessons four days a week. For more advanced skiers, the club brings in elite skier Joanie Rundman to provide instruction and training once a week for both techniques.

One of the club’s upcoming trips will be the Book Across the Bay 10km race on Feb. 14, which takes skiers across Chaquamegon Bay in Ashland, Wis. Club members must notify Nathan Jackels (njjackel@mtu. edu) by Feb. 3 to attend. The cost to join Nordic Club is just $10. For further information, contact Melissa Mack at mamack@mtu.edu.

JOHN REYNOLDS Lode Writer Tech’s team is in the midst of another great season behind the coaching of Kim Cameron, who is in route to the best winning percentage in program history.

Tech is sitting 17-1 overall at the moment and was ranked No. 15 in the nation last week.

Tech’s success this year has come from playing strong, balanced basketball. There are many competitors on this team, and there is a different contributor every night with five different players averaging at least 10 points per game.

Danielle Blake is currently leading the team at 12.4 points per game. Morgan Anderson, Kelli Guy, Jillian Ritchie and Brenna Heise round out the other players in double digits, and between them they have started all but five games.

Blake has also brought prestige to Tech in the form of a GLIAC Player of the Week award. She earned this on Nov. 21 with a 23-point performance against then No. 10 ranked Concordia St. Paul. With 23 points, three steals and two blocks, this may have been Blake’s best performance of the year. Blake is in the midst of a hot streak now, scoring 10 points or more in five consecutive games, so she might beat it in the last handful of games this year.

The one bump in the road this year was a

Intramural deadlines The deadline for intramural floor hockey is steadfast approaching.

Teams can sign up online at imleagues. com, and the registration period will expire at 5 p.m. this Wednesday, Feb. 4.

There are men’s class A, B and C leagues available for teams to join, as well as a women’s league. The floor hockey season will kick off on Feb. 10.

“In their next two victories following Tiffin, they kept their opponents to less than 40 points and haven’t given up more than 63 in a game since.” tough loss at Tiffin. The Dragons had their best game of the year, scoring 46 points in the first half to take an 18 point lead. It proved to be insurmountable for the Huskies, but the loss lit a fire under them that could carry them through the NCAA playoffs.

In their next two victories following Tiffin, they kept their opponents to less than 40 points and haven’t given up more than 63 in a game since. This impressive defensive play has meant Tech has only allowed 57.5 points per game, good enough for first in the GLIAC and 17th in DII basketball.

The Huskies have a good mix of GLIAC opponents left to round out the year. On Feb. 5, the Huskies will hit the road and head to

Huskies Scoreboard Men’s Basketball: The men split the weekend at home with a 66-54 win over Northwood on Jan. 29 and a 6657 loss to Lake Superior State on Jan. 31. Results of the Northern game on Feb. 2 could not be reported.

Sophomore Kelli Guy makes a move around a Lake State defender in Saturday’s match up. The Huskies beat LSSU at home by the score of 74-61.

Photo by Pratik Joshi

Ferris State. The Bulldogs are currently tied for ninth in the conference with a record of 7-7. Then on Feb. 7, Tech will tackle Grand Valley State, who is currently sitting two spots behind the Huskies. Following play this week, the Huskies will have one final week at home and one on the road, capped off with senior night on Feb. 6 at Northern Michigan.

The Huskies are poised to make a strong run in the final tournament. Besides one

hiccup, the team has been unstoppable behind a balanced attack and strong coaching.

It is hard to match up against a team with so much depth, and any of the Tech players could cover any player in the country.

They already beat Shareta Brown, who is averaging the fourth most points per game in the NCAA. The teams they face will need to come up with something great to top Tech.

Women’s Basketball: Women’s Basketball picked up two more wins in the Varsity Gym, snagging a 68-63 win over Northwood and 74-61 win over Lake Superior State on Jan. 29 and 31, respectively. Results of the Northern game on Feb. 2 could not be reported.

Hockey: The Hockey Huskies earned their second consecutive series sweep last weekend, pulling a 5-0 and 11-1 victory over the Alabama Huntsville Chargers on Jan. 30 and 31, respectively.

14

SPORTS

Tuesday, February 3

Michigan Tech Lode

Skiers head into CCSA Championships ELLIE FURMANSKI Sports Editor

The Huskies swept the Chargers during last weekend’s homestand.

Photo by Pratik Joshi

Sixteen goals lead Huskies past Huntsville, clinch WCHA playoff berth IAN HATZILIAS Lode Writer Tanner Kero (two goals on the weekend), Blake Pietila (one goal), Alex Petan (two), Malcolm Gould (two), Max Vallis (two), Brent Baltus (two), Joel L’Esperance (three), Cliff Watson (one) and Dylan Steman (one) all found the back of the net over the course of two games in a WCHA home series against the perennially struggling Chargers of Alabama Huntsville.

These sixteen goals tally from individual games, including a 5-0 shutout on Friday, giving Jamie Phillips his third shutout of the season, and an 11-1 blowout on Saturday night.

This could only lead one to assume that Domino’s Pizza has surely seen its busiest weekend in a long time, especially with the Super Bowl falling on a half-off pizza day.

Friday’s game saw Tech with possession the vast majority of the game minus a stretch in the second period where Huntsville developed a bit of momentum. Even though the Huskies left the first period scoreless, a trend as of late, they still managed the 5-0 shutout. The Chargers were outshot 37-20 with netminder Carmine Guerriero making 32 saves.

Tech completed the sweep in a vicious onslaught of offense on Saturday night. Mel Pearson’s skaters took full ownership of the game and dominated puck possession, forcing Guerriero to attempt 54 saves; he successfully completed 43 of them. The Huskies forced the puck to the net more than four times as much as Huntsville did; the Chargers only registered 12 shots on Phillips, with one of them finding twine, giving the Continued on page 15

This year’s Nordic squad features some of the best talent Tech has seen in some time, and the teams’ weekly results speak to that claim. As the season begins to wind down, it will be interesting to see which skiers make it to the NCAA Championships come March. The final stretch includes four more weekends of racing, and it kicks off with the CCSA Championships Feb. 7 and 8.

Both the men’s and women’s teams have an extremely talented core of skiers which have proven themselves week after week. The women’s team is led by seniors Deedra Irwin and Alice Flanders as well as sophomore Ulrika Axelsson.

Irwin most recently took first place in the women’s 5-km classic race at the Telemark Chase back on Jan. 17. Prior to that, her performance at US Nationals earned her a spot on Team USA and the chance to race at the World Junior Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Her performance at nationals, which included the top finish among CCSA women in both sprint races, a 33rd place finish in the 20-km classic and 36th in the 10-km freestyle, also led to her to be named CCSA Skier of the Week on Jan. 15.

Irwin will be competing this week in Kazakhstan starting today, Feb. 3, in the women’s classic sprint, and she will wrap up her Team USA debut on Feb. 7 in the skiathalon. Irwin has already prequalified for the NCAA Championships.

Varsity Events Schedule: February 3 - 9 Tuesday, 3 Women’s Basketball Men’s Basketball Hockey

Nordic Skiing

Wednesday, 4

Thursday, 5

Friday, 6

Saturday, 7

@ Ferris State, 6:00 p.m.** @ Ferris State, 8:00 p.m.**

@ Grand Valley State, 1:00 p.m.** @ Grand Valley State, 3:00 p.m.** Winter Carnival Winter Carnival Game Vs. Game Vs. Bemidji State, Bemidji State, 7:07 p.m.** 7:07 p.m.** @ CCSA Sprint & Relay Championships -Duluth, Minn.

Flanders, a 2013-14 NCAA All American, has consistently finished as a top competitor for the Huskies. She has been Tech’s first skier to cross the line on the women’s side in six races, which includes two first place finishes. She won the first place title in the women’s 5-km freestyle at both the UP Dual and Twin Cities Championships. Currently Flanders is in qualifying position for the NCAA Championships. Her results at the CCSA Championships and NCAA Central Regional Championships in the coming weeks will determine her fate.

“Prior to that, her [Irwin] performance at US Nationals earned her a spot on Team USA and the chance to race at the World Junior Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan.”

Axelsson, too, is currently in qualifying position for the NCAA Championships.

She has been Tech’s top finisher for the women in five different races. Her top finish was second place in the women’s senior 10-km classic at the JNQ/Pre-U.S. Nationals hosted by Tech on Dec. 21.

Top competitors throughout the season on the men’s side have been juniors Kyle Hanson and Haakon Hjelstuen and Continued on page 15

Home Game ** Conference Match Sunday, 8

@ CCSA Spring & Relay Championships -Duluth, Min..

Monday, 9

Michigan Tech Lode

SPORTS

Tuesday, February 3

15

Skiers head into CCSA Championships

Continued from page 14

Sophomore Jason Hawke looks for an open passing lane during the contest against Lake Superior State. The Huskies fell to the Lakers by a difference of nine on Saturday.

Photo by Pratik Joshi

Men’s Basketball faces tough stretch at crucial time JOHN REYNOLDS Lode Writer Tech is currently sitting at fourth place in the GLIAC after posting a 10-4 record.

They are 13-5 overall and are in a good spot to make the final tournament, but they will face a tough ending to the season. Their last game was a losing effort against Lake Superior State University, but they have a lot of potential for the remaining year.

One bright spot for the Huskies has been the phenomenal play of senior guard Ben Stelzer, who has earned the GLIAC player of the Week title three times this season.

Stelzer is fifth in the country in 3-point field goals made with an impressive 46.6 shooting percentage from behind the arc, good enough to lead the GLIAC. His 21.2 points per game also leads the GLIAC, but the Huskies feature much

more talent than that. Jordan Chartier for instance has emerged as a great long-range shooter. His 23 points against Northwood on 6-11 three-point shooting was his best game of the year, and his points per game has been trending upwards all season.

Kyle Stankowski has also performed well after getting the starting job against UWParkside.

Tech has seen some problems this year, but their biggest issue happened during their third weekend of play against Malone and Walsh. Tech visited both of these teams and fell, largely due to offensive struggles.

In wins they are averaging 73.9 points per game while in losses they average just 58.4 points.

If they can turn their game around following their loss to Lake Superior State on Jan. 31, there is a lot of room for the team to improve. They have the chance to avenge wins against Ferris State and Lake Superior State, who beat the Huskies to stay

ahead of them in the standings. Tech will also have the opportunity to sweep Saginaw Valley State with a win on Valentine’s Day, and what could be a greater gift?

These final games are important because Tech will need some of these wins to get a good seeding in the GLIAC Tournament.

They are four games ahead of what would be the eighth seed if the season ended today, but they could easily fall to that position if they don’t get back on the ball.

Five of their final eight fall on the road, which could also make their final games challenging. Their game against LSSU will be during the Lakers’ Basketball Alumni Weekend, so Tech can expect some tough play.

The Huskies are a strong team that is seeing different players contribute regularly. Behind Tech’s winningest coach Kevin Luke, they should make a good run regardless of their seeding in the final tournament.

Sixteen goals lead Huskies past Huntsville, clinch WCHA playoff berth Continued from page 14

Winnipeg Jets prospect his 19th win of the season.

The program’s 20 wins this season are good for clinching a spot in the WCHA playoffs, and it is the first time they’ve reached that milestone in 27 years. This has truly been a historic season for the

Huskies, who hold second place in the nation for season wins.

This past weekend held an even more special meaning to seniors Pietila and Kero, who each hit the 100 point mark in their careers as Huskies. The team also hit the 100 goal tally, which is currently

the third best in the country.

Tech will end their home stand next weekend during Winter Carnival when Bemidji State visits the red hot Huskies.

Puck drop is set to take place at the Mighty Mac at 7:07 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 6 and 5:07 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7.

freshman Tom Bye. Hanson started the season off earning Tech’s top finish in four of the squad’s first six races. Since then, he has consistently been a top finisher, including most recently a ninth place finish overall, second on the team, in the men’s 10-km freestyle on Jan. 25 at the Twin Cities Championships. In the CCSA standings, Hanson currently sits one spot behind qualifying position.

Hjelstuen has been gaining momentum as the season has progressed, and in the past four races has been Tech’s top finisher on the men’s side. For his efforts at the Twin Cities Championships, Hjelstuen earned CCSA Skier of the Week honors on Jan. 29. He led the men’s team with a fourth place finish in the 15-km classic and first place finish in the 10km freestyle, his first CCSA victory.

Finally, Tom Bye has taken the CCSA community by surprise and has been an excellent addition to the Tech Nordic Skiing program. The freshman started the season out strong with the men’s top finish in the 10-km freestyle at the Wildcat Open back on Dec. 13.

At nationals he earned 32nd overall, third amongst junior skiers, in the men’s 15-km freestyle and 10th in the junior men’s 10-km classic. As a result, he became the first Michigan Tech junior skier to make Team USA’s U20 squad. Bye will be racing this week in Kazakhstan along with Irwin. He will start off the week in the 10-km freestyle on Feb. 4 and then compete in the skiathalon on Feb. 6 as well. Bye is already prequalified for the NCAA Championships.

Clearly the talent and depth on this Michigan Tech Nordic Skiing team has made for one very successful season, and there’s still a month to go!

While Tech has two prequalified skiers, those on the brink of qualifying for the NCAA’s will need to perform well in the coming weeks. This Saturday and Sunday, skiers will compete in St. Paul, Minn., in the CCSA Sprint and Relay Championships.

The CCSA Distance Championships will be held in Minneapolis, Minn., the following week spread over Feb. 13 through the 15th. The final tally, which will decide who qualifies, will take place on Feb. 28 and March 1 at the NCAA Central Regional Championships in Ishpeming, Mich.

Upcoming

Events February 3 - 9 Tuesday, February 3 Ice Bowling

WINTER CARNIVAL 2015

Dee Stadium, 9:30 p.m.

Wednesday, February 4 All-Nighter Statue-Building All-Star Broomball Game Parade of Flags

Campus, 4 p.m.

Broomball Rinks, 9 p.m.

Walker, 10 p.m.

Thursday, February 5 Statue Judging Broomball Beards Competition

Campus, 9:30 a.m.

Broomball Rinks, 11 a.m.

Fisher 135, 1 p.m.

Dog Sled Rides In front of DHH, 3 p.m.

Stage Revue Final Performance Rozsa, 7 p.m.

Mu Beta Psi Scholarship Concert Orpheum Theater, 8 p.m.

Softball Diamonds, 10 a.m.

Admissions Office (MUB), 10 a.m.

Softball Diamonds, 11 a.m.

Softball Diamonds, 11 a.m.

Mont Ripley Ski Hill, 12:30 p.m.

Dog Sled Rides Snowboarding Broomball Alumni Invitational Winter Carnival Hockey Game Justin Willman

In front of DHH, 3 p.m.

Mont Ripely Ski Hill, 3 p.m.

Broomball Rinks, 4:15 p.m.

MacInnes Ice Arena, 7:07 p.m.

Rosza, 9 p.m.

Alumni-Student Broomball Final Torchlight Parade Carnival Fireworks Display Awards Ceremony Snow-Ball

Broomball Rinks, 8:15 p.m.

Mont Ripley Ski Hill, 8:15 p.m.

Mont Ripley Ski Hill, 8:30 p.m.

MUB Ballroom, 9 p.m.

MUB Ballroom. 9:15 p.m.

Friday, February 6 Snow Volleyball Campus Tour Tug-o-War Human Dog Sled Race Downhill Skiing

Saturday, February 7 Broomball Alumni Invitational Bigfoot Snowshoe Yooper Sprint FVPL Hot Coco & Book Sale Dog Sled Rides Winter Carnival Hockey Game

Broomball Rinks, 8 a.m.

Boss Waxing Shed, Tech Trail Head, 8 a.m.

Softball Diamonds, 11 a.m.

Van Pelt and Opie Library, 11 a.m.

In front of DHH, 3 p.m.

MacInnes Ice Arena, 5:07 p.m.

ASK TECH Anindya Majumdar “I am looking forward to show the winter spirit and snow statues to my friends who are visiting from the South.”

Jash Karani “For my first Winter Carnival, I am looking forward to seeing all the snow statues and may be helping out in making one.”

What are you looking forward to over Winter Carnival?

-Pratik Joshi

Nithin Teja “I just want to feel the thrill of dancing all night in the snow, which is impossible in normal days other than all nighter.”

Saumitra Verma “I want to enjoy watching all winter sports for Winter Carnival and enjoy Winter Carnival overall.”