03/04/2010

Mario meets the Wii

The

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Snowmobiling

Catch up on some Broomball!

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Michigan Tech Lode

March 4, 2010

Serving the Michigan Tech Community Since 1921

Huskies advance to GLIAC Semifinals

Photos by Ben Wittbrodt Left: Katie Wysocky launches one of her two successful three-point shots against Northwood on Tuesday. She scored a game-leading 22 points in the contest. Wysocky is now just 35 points shy of the school record in career points, 1,856, held by Jenny Postlewaite.

Middle: Danae Danen, Katie Wysocky and Sarah Stream defend Jodi Ostergren in the post on Tuesday. The Huskies held Northwood to just 52 points on 36 percent shooting.

Pam Wilson, who had scored 35 points on the Huskies in two games against them this year, was held to just four points.

Right: Sarah Stream converts a successful jumper as part of her 17-point effort on Tuesday against Northwood. Steam and Wysocky single-handedly outscored Northwood in the first half of the GLIAC Quarterfinal game, 26-23.

For a recap of Tuesday’s GLIAC quarterfinal game, visit mtulode.com, and for a full preview of this weekend’s games, check the Sports section on page 6A

*Teams were re-seeded after the quarterfinal round

Women’s Week

Parking! Parking!

Read all about it. 30th anniversary TARA SOTIRIN Lode Writer

While driving around Michigan Tech campus it’s not uncommon to see more than one vehicle pass by waving the telltale flash of neon pink, sometimes irreverently referred to as the “National Flag” of Michigan Tech, from under a wiper blade. Parking, and the repercussions of its many violations, is a significant question in the minds of students, staff, faculty, and administration that was addressed in part by the Parking Task Force forum this past Tuesday.

The Parking Task Force is a committee formed by President Glenn Mroz in November 2009 to address

nine, though one was split to create ten, tasks concerning parking. The Parking Task force members have worked to collect and review the following information: •The number of parkig lots and parking spaces available •The procedures for parking space assignments •The effectiveness of existing parking gates •The vehicle registration process including registration/parking fees •The methods for issuing visitor parking passes and handicap placards •The current parking ticket violations and associated fines Storied continued on The Lode Web site: www.mtulode.com/news

Online exclusives Check it all out at: www.mtulode.com PDF Archives of all issues this year

ZACHARY PAGE Lode Writer Beginning in 1980, President Carter proclaimed the first national non-profit Women’s Week on March 8th dedicated towards celebrating women’s achievements through art, science, philosophy, religion, and the humanities. In 1987, through much lobbying effort, this week was expanded to a month to focus on a much broader range of achievements and to gain further acceptance of women in society.

This year celebrates the 30th anniversary of the National Women’s History Project. The theme this year, Writing Women Back into History, is dedicated to promoting a greater inclusion

of women’s past achievements, from sports to politics and philosophy to science, in history and other textbooks.

At the time the project was established, only 3% of college and school textbooks made mention of such women. Moreover, the textbooks that included them were all but simple footnotes at the end of each page. Women of different race along with those involved with art, science and math were omitted.

Both men and women argued that this exclusion gave students a limited knowledge on the female’s role in history. They believed that it was important to gain a wider acceptance, understanding, and knowledge of such achievements.

During the proclamation of the project, President Carter

Sports Broomball coverage on page 6A All game recaps posted at mtulode.com/sports

stated, “Too often the women were unsung and sometime their contributions went unnoticed.

But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well.”

Michigan Tech will be celebrating this month in attempts to gain public acceptance of women enrolled and involved on campus. Women’s History Month begins this week with certain activities to promote their goal.

Later on in the month, there will be a woman’s financial planning day on the Mar. 15 which will be held in the MUB Alumni Lounge A from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Then on the Mar. 16, a special woman’s fitness session Continued on 2A

Editorial Column “The Editor-in-Chief reflects her thoughts on Spring Break” - 8A

Michigan Tech Lode Thursday, March 5, 2010

News

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African Night 2010 Review ZACHARY PAGE Lode Writer “The Story from Within,” was the theme of this year’s annual African Night. Hosted by the African Students Organization (ASO), the occasion brought out a sense of pride and understanding of African culture.

The event consisted of both a dinner and a performance. The dinner began at 5:00p.m. in the MUB Ballroom and ended at 7:00 p.m. with the start of the performance. A wide assortment of foods was prepared by the ASO highlighting countries from all over the continent. A special recipe book was given to guests at the dinner containing over 26 different African recipes.

Food that evening represented such countries as Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Ghana as well as others.

When asked about his favorite

food, Mark Waters said, “I really enjoyed the Couscous. All of the food, though, was fantastic this evening and I’m glad to see that they [the African Students Organization] did such a fantastic job preparing the food.” Native chicken and rice were also favorites amongst visitors.

The performance, which was located at the Rosza Center for Performing Arts, showcased a wide variety of African dance, music, and culture. The general purpose of the show was to put “light” on the negative stereotypes of African society. One correlation showed the erroneous perception that American people live in well-constructed homes and that Africans live in poorly-constructed huts. In fact, as the show presented, there are numerous well-developed cities located within every part of Africa. Other correlations dealt with religion, technology, cloth-

ing, and traditions.

A fashion show that displayed both traditional and modern African attire was showcased during the performance. A gospel choir included traditional African hymns such as “Soon and very soon” and “Tambira Jehovah.”

The last part of the performance, known as the Hayor Bibimma Performance, showcased the pulsating rhythms of native African drumming and dancing. The Hayor Bibimma Dance Company (HBDC) is a West African dance organization that seeks to teach and give access to other cultures willing to learn about the traditions of African society. “Our purpose is to tell the story of Africa through our music,” says Hayor Bibimma, founder of the organization.

Many attendees found the performance invigorating. “It expands the experience of dif-

African Night 2010: Mechanical Engineering major Perry Wilson (left) and Chemical Engineering major Wibel Brewer (right) speak about the views of Africa.

Photo courtesy of: Emil Rothe

ferent people unaware of such cultures,” says Janese Roberson on her opinion of the perfor-

Women’s month (cont.) will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the MUB Alumni Lounge which is dedicated to good health and well-being.

Another goal of the project on-campus is to reduce stereotypes and clichés amongst women matriculates. For example, people often say that it is a “great place for a woman to find a man.” The project’s mission is to show that every member involved on-campus is just as dedicated as others regardless of gender.

There have been small, al-

though often overlooked, indications of gender labels around campus as well. For example, small discrepancies such as which “floor” the bathroom will be on in a building based on gender. Another example would include couches and chairs in women’s restrooms. This would indicate that a woman spends most of her time in a restroom than most other places.

Other interesting indicators include women’s involvement in class. It has been argued by some that many “male” professors do

not engage or challenge females to complex questions in class.

“People often say to a man that if you’re good at math you should be an engineer,” says Robert White. “But if you are women, you are told that you should become a teacher or nurse. I think it’s wrong that people make such presumptions based on gender.”

The roots of the Women’s History Project extend beyond the signing of the proclamation under the Carter Administration, however. In the 1970s, a woman by the name of Gerda

Lerner began an organization at Sarah Lawrence College, known as the Women’s History Institute, dedicated to promotion of women’s achievements in various fields.

This organization quickly evolved into the project a year later when members of the group discovered the success of the Sonoma County’s Women’s History Week that same year.

The members decided to do a similar but more widespread project that led into the National Woman’s History Month.

mance. “The dances, I thought, were amazing and the food was great.”

Check our

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Michigan Tech Lode Thursday, March 4th, 2010

Pulse

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New Super Mario Bros. Wii reviewed

Popular game has left an indelible mark since its mid-November release NICHOLAS BLECHA Lode Writer

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n the history of video games, few franchises have been around as long as the Super Mario series. Few have been as influential. For a series that not only saved the American video game industry from extinction, but codified its genre twice (Super Mario Bros. for side-scrolling and Super Mario 64 for 3D platformers), any new game in the series will have a lot to live up to. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (NSMBW), Nintendo’s latest entry in the series seems to succeed in just that… mostly.

First things first: NSMBW is a sequel of sorts to New Super Mario Bros. on the DS. The older game was praised when it was released as a return to the classic Mario side-scrolling that made the series famous. NSMBW contains much of the same feel, but adds quite a few new elements to the gameplay. For example, in addition to the venerable Fire Flower, which allows Mario to shoot fireballs to instantly defeat most of his enemies, Mario can now find and use the Ice Flower, which he can use to freeze enemies, the Penguin Suit, which allows better control on ice and in water, and the Propeller Suit, which enables the player to send Mario spinning upwards by shaking the Wii remote. NSMBW also adds some new stage elements, like large spinning platforms and viewobstructing clouds, that weren’t present in the DS game.

Another much-talked-about feature is the introduction of cooperative multiplayer. For the first time, multiple players can complete a stage at the same

New Super Mario Brothers WII: Game is “a must have” for anyone intersted in Mario Brothers Games

Distributed by Nintendo

time. Player 2 takes control of Luigi, while Players 3 and 4 control blue and yellow Toads (little people wearing mushroom clothing). Although this can be fun for patient players, or for an experienced player to show another the ropes, the game is clearly designed as a single-player experience, and it shows.

Also, this game is hard. Even experienced players will likely have a tough time making it through a few of the stages, particularly the later ones. To help alleviate this, Nintendo included

the controversial “Super Guide” feature. After failing to complete a stage eight times, a green block will appear at the beginning of the stage. Hitting the block will show a video of Luigi playing through the stage. If the video is watched to the end, the player will have the option to skip the stage. Although this has been controversial, it should be noted that the feature is completely optional, and that a level “skipped” can be visually distinguished from a level properly cleared.

So, is this game worth the

$50 price tag? For the old Mario crowd, it is clearly a must-buy.

For others, it depends. While the game is sheer platforming gold, a lot of it is recycled. Much of the music and almost all of the graphics are simply the cleanedup DS New Super Mario Bros. music and graphics. The music that isn’t carried over from the DS is almost all remixes of older Mario tunes. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing–hearing the old airship music from Super Mario Bros. 3 is just plain awesome–it does result in a bit of

déja vu. A few other things could have been improved as well–the game allows the player to carry an inventory of power-ups to use on the world map, but the only mini-game to get those items gets old really fast. Mixing it up with a couple different minigames would have been a big improvement. Ultimately, though the game is good enough that it’s worth a try from anyone, it has enough flaws that for anyone besides a Nintendo fanboy, there is no reason to feel bad about missing it.

Facebook: The new face of advertising?

RAEANNE MADISON Lode Writer Facebook has become one of the most popular and influential mediums for social networking in the world. It is no doubt a powerful and convenient social tool, giving you easy access to friends all over, but can it be used for business purposes just as efficiently? Creating an advertisement or event on Facebook is easy - anyone can do it. All it takes is a date, a place, and a de-

scription of the event. You can invite anyone if you’re friends on Facebook. People who are invited can respond online with a “Will be attending,” “May be attending,” or “Not attending.” Many organizations on campus have turned to Facebook to advertise events. The question: is this new wave of advertising efficient?

And will student organizations continue to use it?

Marc Starnes says no. Marc is part of several groups on campus including Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity, USG, and Circle K

International. He has found that Facebook has neither helped nor hindered the attendance of advertised events. “We’ve advertised rushes and meetings on Facebook, and I have found that there is no increase of people there.” For an annual fraternity charity event, the pancake breakfast and Grundy Run, Marc set up a Facebook event and advertisements.

Last year the event was not advertised via Facebook. The difference: none. “There was no difference in attendance between

this year and last year. Part of the problem is that there is no personality involved, and a lot of people don’t have Facebook and those who do might not even check it very often.”

Brittany Ondraka agrees with Marc. Brittany is a member of Mu Beta Psi music fraternity, pep band, and Superior Winds.

“We’ve advertised events on Facebook, and I don’t feel like too many people actually look very closely at the events they get invited to. I know that sometimes I see one and just reply to it with-

out really reading through it.”

Brittany says that she still likes to have the events on Facebook as a reference for people regarding dates and times, but that face-toface communication is the best recruitment tool. “You really just have to get out there and talk to people, and put up posters. People like it when you invite them personally.”

It seems that Facebook has the advantage of being a quick reference, but when it comes to increasing attendance, word of mouth is the best method.

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Submit resume to Christian Fitzgerald (cdfitzge@mtu.)edu).

Part time market researcher.

Must have excellent computer skills (Word, Publisher, Frontpage), strong research and organizational skills in a demanding, fast-paced office environment. Email resume to om@sigmacapital.net.

Bookkeeper, onsite, part time.

Excellent bookkeeping/ GL, Quickbooks and organizational skills required in a fast paced environment.

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Michigan Tech Lode Thursday, March 4, 2010

Feature

Ask Sassy Dear Sassy, I care for my boyfriend very much, but he has some issues. He gets very upset over miniscule things. He’ll get ridiculously jealous one moment and then he’ll suddenly get depressed. Every time I call him out on his out-of-control mood changes and anger issues, he blames his depression that, he says, runs in his family. He’ll then get impatient with me for not understanding his “condition”. I care for him, but I’m getting tired of riding his emotional roller coaster. What do I do?

Sincerely,

Languished lover

Dear Languished Don’t spend another minute with him. It’s true that relationships take work and there will always be some rough patches, but your boyfriend’s issues are beyond the normal bumps in the road. If you aren’t enjoying being with him, get rid of him (by ending the relationship of course, not his life).

Far too many people in this world are attracted to lost causes; I assume this is what initially attracted you to your boyfriend. His anger and moodiness was, at the beginning of your doomed relationship, mysterious and attractive. But time has given you the wisdom to see beyond naïve, idealistic first impressions. There is nothing mysterious or attractive about your boyfriend. He’s just a sad, angry manipulative egomaniac who you need to get away from as soon as possible.

Dear Sassy, My cousin recently joined a religious organization at their school. It appears to be nothing more than a cult aimed at scamming the $50 membership fee from ignorant freshmen.

He has started wearing a strange necklace and talks of nothing but “the Way”. I don’t want to offend his religious beliefs, but I also want to get him out of the cult. Help!

Sincerely, Cultivating concern Dear Cultivating Personal religious beliefs are always trick to address. Admittedly, my first impulse for your predicament was to suggest bursting into a meeting, throwing your cousin in a van and telling the cult members, as they disappear in a cloud of exhaust, to shove “the Way” you know where.

However, upon reconsideration, if your cousin had joined any major religious group I doubt you would have the same concern. I feel that you should have the same level of concern whether your cousin is worshipping a bearded man in the sky or a dancing toaster in the sea. If you would be content with your cousin reading the Bible. I do not see how you can be concerned with this particular cult, however bizarre and soul-sucking it may be.

Unless your cousin tries to sacrifice your dog, I’d let him live his life.

Dear Sassy, I recently became engaged. During the thrill of imagining my wedding, it dawned on me that I still had to meet my girlfriend’s parents. From what I’ve heard, they seem like perfectly nice people, but I am still pretty nervous. Do you have any tips to help me dazzle my future in-laws?

Sincerely,

Frazzled fiancé Dear Frazzled

Pleasing in-laws is a simple matter. By following a simple formula, you are sure to push all their buttons and convince them that their daughter is in good hands.

First, impress them with your knowledge of the world.

During dinner, spout off names of influential heads of state, obscure country’s capitals and quotes from classic literature.

Second, you must reassure them that your fiancé will be financially secure in her life with you. Tell them all about how great your portfolio is looking (whether it exists or not) and drop hints about the custom Escalade parked in your fivecar garage.

These two factors are what your in-laws really with to know. Not under any circumstances should you reveal personal details that could disturb your tender relationship with your in-laws.

Beat the blues KAYLA HERRERA Editor-in-Chief

You stare out the window and all you see is gray. The trees are desolate, frail arms reaching towards an empty sky. Faces are pale, wanting, yearning, hoping.

And still the winter loves to tease us with its bouts of sunshine when you just know another snowstorm is around the corner.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is not as serious as it sounds. It is commonly known as the Winter Blues or a time during the winter when depression is a direct effect of the environmental surroundings. It is common in Upper Michigan where sunshine is rarely seen during the midportion of winter.

Are you a victim of SAD? Common symptoms of the mild wintry disorder include difficulty waking up in the morning, oversleeping or overeating, craving for carbohydrates (weight gain), lack of energy, difficulty concentrating which in turn leads to depression and pessimism.

Behold! There are treatments for SAD that can prevent the weight gain and “sad” emotions.

One such treatment is light therapy, which uses a light box that emits full spectrum light at

10,000 lux.

Some people turn to tanning beds to get their sunlight fix, which can also be effective in the treatment of SAD, though not always healthy.

Of course, there is always the choice of turning to drugs to help lift your mild winter depression, though personally not recommended. I don’t mean like marijuana, I mean official pharmaceutical drugs like anti-depressants.

Come on, get your head out of the gutter.

The last and final treatment for SAD is negative air ionization.

There is a release of charged particles into the subject’s sleeping environment. It is usually used with another sort of treatment for SAD to make the lasting effect stronger.

Personally, I do not turn to any of these treatments as a means of a cure for my Seasonal Affective Disorder. I look to physical activities to do outside such as snowboarding or sledding. I have found that being outside and participating in an active lifestyle during the winter has helped with the SAD. I also turn to music for help. Rhythms and beats have a powerful effect on my mood. I have found that while in the palm of my music, I am very vulnerable.

It is very important to choose uplifting music for this kind of situation.

You will know SAD when you see it. It is like the swine flu, always on the prowl, looking for its next victim. Usually in mid-December it begins to shine its ugly face down upon the campus of Michigan Tech. Students begin yearning for Christmas break and it always seems too far away due to the large amount of end-of-the-semester exams standing in the way like fat bouncers in leather jumpsuits. They cackle maniacally bearing their silver teeth.

There is always no hope until that final exam is finished.

If you see a friend or a loved one showing symptoms of this disorder, steer clear.

If you are stuck at home, snowed in most likely, and need a means of escape away from the depression, I highly HIGHLY recommend video games. There is nothing like a good round of Call of Duty to cure my mood. Or if I become consumed by a horror survival game, there is no thought of this SAD. Suddenly I am thinking, what depression?

SUMMER FINANICAL AID DUE BY MARCH 31 The Summer Financial Aid Application for this coming Summer 2010 is now available online.If you have questions regarding the form, please email the Financial Aid Office or call 906-487-2622.

Michigan Tech Lode Thursday, March 4, 2010

A close call DANNY MESSINGER Lode Writer

On Feb. 24, the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) voted on a proposal that would give USG members a stipend for each semester that they participated in the organization beginning in Fall 2010. The amount each member would receive was based on his or her level of participation within the organization (ranging from $100 for representatives to $500 for executive-board members) and would have been funded by the Student Activity Fee. The proposal was voted down by USG members, however the reasoning given by proponents of the stipend and the very fact that USG members are able to control their own pay is alarming.

USG held the vote for their potential pay raise the night before their executive-board elections opened perhaps in an attempt to avoid accusations of voting themselves a pay raise. Potential executive-board members are the biggest stakeholders in the proposed stipend; they had the potential to earn up to $500 per semester for their work. Since

five of the six people running for executive-board positions are current voting members of USG, one has to wonder if they are acting in their best interest or if they are actually voting in a way that corresponds to the students they represent. Of the five candidates who participated in the vote, two voted for the stipend, two voted against it and one abstained from voting.

One candidate for next year’s executive-board who voted in favor of the stipend was Keshon Moorehead, senior USG representative. Moorehead said, “The student body at other schools didn’t like [having a stipend] at first but got used to it.”

Another candidate for next year’s executive-board, Justin Mendenhall, voted against the stipend. He said that he spoke to many students before voting and received a mixed reaction. “It is hard to justify a stipend for representatives,” Mendenhall said.

“I would like to get paid,” said Paul Valencia, junior USG representative. “But, I think it’s not our place to decide [on a stipend].”

After the proposal was voted down, USG members discussed including a question about the stipend on the ballot for USG

opinion

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Should Undergraduate Student Government members be paid?

representatives.

Mendenhall said he hopes “that the student body would take more interest in what USG does in order to make a [popular vote] a viable option.”

When asked about the possibility of a separate organization outside USG deciding on the stipend, Mendenhall said, “I would only like that option if we get to determine what their compensation is.”

Cara Hanson, USG president, has also stated that she wishes that the president of USG not only receive a stipend, but actually has their tuition paid in full.

“Anyone who disagrees has probably not been in a position like mine,” Hanson said. “It is not uncommon for an e-board member’s GPA to suffer because of all of the work…On average I would say that I spend 12 hours a week doing USG work and that doesn’t count the weekends I spend away from campus attending [conferences].”

It is absolutely ludicrous for the USG president to argue that the president’s tuition should be paid in full because of an average weekly time commitment of 12 hours. Assuming a 12-hour workweek, a tuition rate of $350 per credit and an average course

load of 15 credits, the president is asking to be paid over $30 per hour. Members of USG’s executive-board (including the president) are already able to earn up to $500 per semester. According to Hanson, “This number is up to the voting body’s discretion, based loosely on officer evaluations that are completed each semester.” It seems a bit contradictory to accept a leadership position on campus and then, once in office, ask for your tuition to be paid in full all while claiming that “none of us are in it for the money” as Hanson stated.

It seems to me that many USG members need to evaluate the reasons why they are part of the organization. If members are truly not in it for the money, why was so much time and energy expended on a stipend proposal? If it is okay for USG to decide the budget for student organizations from an outside perspective, why

is it not okay for an outside organization to decide on a stipend for USG members? If executiveboard candidates feel that the student body is not interested in what USG does, why do we have the organization to begin with?

Although USG members voted down the stipend proposal, it is unlikely that the concept will disappear. As long as USG members are able to vote for their own pay increase, there is likely to be a minority of members who are more interested in their own agenda than in representing the student body. I urge you to voice your opinion on whether USG members should be paid. Attend a USG meeting. E-mail your class representative. Participate in USG elections. Tell USG that the poor decision-making demonstrated by some of its members is simply not acceptable and surely does not merit being rewarded with a stipend.

Michigan Tech Lode

Snowmobiling the perfect winter pastime JACK AMMERMAN Opinion Writer Just about every student in the world awaits the end of classes on a Friday with anxious anticipation. After a long week full of work and stress most students look forward to a relaxing weekend.

Here at Michigan Tech, one of the best ways to relax is to get out and enjoy one of the many activities the Keweenaw Peninsula offers, such as skiing, camping, hiking, or my personal favorite, snowmobiling.

The Upper Peninsula is renowned for its extensive network of snowmobile trails and quality of riding.

Avid snowmobilers come from all over the Midwest to ride across the UP. Local snowmobile clubs receive money from the state government to maintain and groom the trails in their areas, which keep them in excellent condition. As long as there is snow on the ground there will be numerous snowmobiles out and about across the UP and in the Keweenaw.

Last Saturday after a particularly stressful week I went out riding with some friends. We left around noon from Michigan Tech’s own snowmobile parking lot, which is located right next to Lot 10. We hit the trail through Houghton, went under the bridge, and began what was to be a wonderful ride. A few hours later we ended up in Copper Harbor and watched the Vintage Snowmobile Drag Races that were taking place.

After we ate lunch we headed back to

campus, arriving shortly after dark.

Snowmobiling in the Keweenaw allows you to visit some spectacular places that otherwise you would not be able to reach in the winter. Roads that are not plowed are pretty much off limits to those with regular vehicles, whereas an unplowed road with two feet of snow is perfect for a snowmobile. For example Brockway Mountain, with its view of Copper Harbor and Lake Superior, is closed during the winter but you can reach the top with a snowmobile! As long as you dress warm Snowmobiling is a fun and entertaining way to relax.

Long rides clear your mind and allow you to see the Keweenaw in its winter state. Even if you are not up to a long ride, a quick twenty-mile loop can still be a good way to escape the college life for a while. The one thing about snowmobiling is that it can get to be an expensive sport. New sleds can cost up to $8,000 nowadays and a lot of college students cannot afford one! Luckily, sleds that are taken care of can last a long time, like the vintage sleds raced in Copper Harbor last weekend, and many students can buy used snowmobiles that are still in good condition.

If school is hitting you hard and you need one sure way to relax on a weekend, try to get out snowmobiling before the snow melts! It is a great way to relax and have fun with your friends. If you do not know anyone that owns a sled ask around, somebody will surely let you go with them.

Who knows, you might even pass me on the trail!

If school is hitting you hard

and you need one sure way to relax on a weekend, try to get out snowmobiling before the snow melts!

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Sports

Women prepare to host GLIAC Tournament Semifinal and Final STEPHEN ANDERSON Sports Editor After coasting past Northwood on Tuesday, the Huskies will have to take down Lake Superior State on Thursday and then either Northern Michigan or Findlay in the final (full bracket on front page).

The Huskies defeated LSSU 7267 in the Soo before rolling past

them 84-68 just one week ago, but the Lakers will surely pose a difficult test on Friday. The No. 6 Lakers are coming off a 10-point victory over the No. 3 Grand Valley State Lakers in Allendale.

Lake Superior State won four of their last six regular season games, with the only losses coming to No. 1 Michigan Tech and No. 2 Northern Michigan.

Of course, one of the Huskies’ two losses this season came

against Northern Michigan, and it could be a Tech/Northern GLIAC final on Saturday.

Findlay would be a scary opponent for Michigan Tech as well, as the Oilers took Tech to double overtime just a couple weeks ago before Tech miraculously pulled out the victory.

Stay tuned to mtulode.com for full coverage throughout the GLIAC, regional and national tournaments.

Photo by Ben Wittbrodt

Michigan Tech Lode Thursday, March 4, 2010

By # the er nu m b

5

wins by the Michigan Tech Huskies hockey team this season. The lowest win total during Jamie Russell’s seven-year tenure so far is six wins.

6

Driving the lane: Katie Wysocky takes the ball hard to the hoop in last Thursday’s 84-68 victory over Lake Superior State. The Huskies host the Lakers again in Friday’s GLIAC Tournament Semifinal game.

Robert Haynes, former Husky, signs with CFL’s Calgary Stampeders Robert Haynes, who was a defensive back and kick returner for the Huskies’ football team from 200508, signed a two-year contract with the Calgary Stampeders of the Ca-

nadian Football League.

Haynes was offered a contract after a tryout that, according to his agency’s website, included a 4.30 40-yard dash, 38-inch vertical jump

and 26 bench press repetitions at 225 pounds.

For more info on Haynes’ signing, visit mtulode.com/ sports/football.

more assists by Sarah Stream will make her the alltime career assist leader. Catherine Rottier and Dawn Zarling are tied for the lead with 439 .

18.5

points per game

by Michigan Tech’s Mike Hojnacki over the final eight regular season games, earning him GLIAC player of the week honors last week.

Huskies travel to North Dakota to conclude regular season 22 Visit mtulode.com/sports for recaps and a playoff preview during Spring Break

DAVER KARNOSKY Lode Writer

North Dakota

The Huskies

After dropping back-to-back 5-2 losses to the No. 3 Wisconsin Badgers to end the home portion of their schedule, the Huskies head back out on the road for their final WCHA series of the season against the No. 7 North Dakota Fighting Sioux.

The Sioux (18-11-5 overall, 1310-3 WCHA) are fresh off a sweep of the Colorado College Tigers, and currently hold the final home playoff spot with 29 points.

Senior Chris VandeVelde (1318=31) leads head coach Dave Hakstol’s squad in points. Sophomore Jason Gregoire (15-12=27) leads the team in goals and gamewinning goals (5). Freshman Danny Kristo (12-15=27) is tops on the team in power play tallies with eight.

Juniors Derrick LaPoint (212=14) and Jake Marto (5-8=13) lead a blue line corps that became awfully young with the loss of captain Chay Genoway to injury back in late November.

Sophomore Brad Eidsness (178-4 overall, 2.20 goals against average, .910 save percentage) continues to provide the Sioux with tremendous play in the crease, giving his team a chance to win every night.

One other positive for the Sioux has been the return of junior forward Matt Frattin, who had been suspended during the offseason.

Frattin has five goals and 11 points in 16 games since being reinstated.

The Huskies (5-26-1 overall, 4-22-0 WCHA) are marred in a five-game losing streak dating back to a 3-2 loss to the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs on Feb. 6.

They travel to Grand Forks, ND, this weekend with assistant captain Brett Olson’s (18-12=30) health in question, along with that of several other players. Captain Malcolm Gwilliam (12-14=26) will need to continue his strong finish to his senior campaign for the Huskies to remain competitive.

Junior Bennett Royer (46=10) notched another goal last weekend against the Badgers and now has notched all 10 of his points in the last 13 games.

Freshman defenseman Steven Seigo (4-14=18) had his streak of scoring at least a point a weekend snapped on Saturday night. He still ranks among the leaders nationally for pointsper-game by a rookie defenseman, sitting in a tie for fourth with .56 points per game.

Head coach Jamie Russell will likely start both freshman Kevin Genoe (4-17-1 overall, 3.48 goals against average, .904 saves percentage) and sophomore Josh Robinson (1-9-0 overall, 5.16 goals against average, .885 saves percentage) again this weekend. Both saw considerable action against the Badgers.

Photo by Ben Wittbrodt

Shutting the door: Michigan Tech Husky freshman netminder Kevin Genoe makes one of 58 saves in Friday night’s 5-2 loss against the Wisconsin Badgers. His 58 saves is the most since Robby Nolan made 59 saves in 5-0 loss to Wisconsin on Feb. 17, 2006. Genoe has a season save percentage of .904, compared to Josh Robinson’s .860. Their goals against average are 3.48 and 5.16, respectively.

Future Huskies Watch

Upcoming

Hancock, MI, native Tanner Kero, the 5’11” forward from the Marquette Rangers, continues to lead the North American Hockey League in goals with 29. Of those 29 goals, 12 have come on the man advantage and four have been gamewinners. His 44 points put him in a tie for 19th in the overall scoring race.

In other Huskies’ news, while the team isn’t looking beyond this weekend, they will face the top-ranked Denver Pioneers in the opening round of the playoffs. The Pioneers are currently in the midst of a 10-game winning streak and facing their instate rivals, the Tigers this weekend.

straight winning

seasons by the

Michigan Tech

women’s basketball team, dating back to the 198889 season. The Huskies have won 20 games 14 times during that span, including a school record 25 wins this year.

35

points away from the all-time scoring record in Michigan Tech women’s basketball history for Katie Wysocky.

She only trails Jenny Postlewaite, who has 1,856 career points.

Schedules/Results

Hockey (5-26-1, 4-22-0 WCHA) Wisconsin 5-2 MTU Wisconsin 5-2 MTU Fri. @ North Dakota, 8:37 p.m.

Sat. @ North Dakota, 8:07 p.m.

Visit uscho.com for full standings

W. Basketball (26-2, 20-2 GLIAC) MTU 84-68 Lake Superior State MTU 85-73 Saginaw Valley State MTU 78-52 Northwood Fri. vs. Lake Superior State, 6 p.m.

TBD Sat. vs. Findlay/NMU, 7 p.m.

M. Basketball (9-18, 8-14 GLIAC) MTU 61-58 Lake Superior State Saginaw Valley State 70-64 MTU End of season Visit gliac.org for full standings

Nordic Skiing Amer. Birkebeiner results online US. Junior & Nation. Champ. soon

Tennis

W MTU 6-3 Southern Indiana W Bellarmine 5-4 MTU Full Spring Break schedule online

Editor’s Shootout

The Editor’s Shootout is a competition of knowledge, luck and wits between sports editor Stephen Anderson, business manager Richard Goodell, pulse editor Luke Gublo and online editor Jeremiah Baumann. Stephen won two years ago with former opinion editor Rob Devaun winning last year. This will be a weekly feature where each editor picks his winners of the three biggest games/series of the week and backs up his decisions with a short rant. THIS WEEK: Detroit Red Wings at Chicago Blackhawks, Los Angeles Lakers at Orlando Magic, Vancouver Canucks at Colorado Avalanche

LUKE GUBLO Pulse Editor 2-1 Last Week, 36-24 Overall

STEPHEN ANDERSON Sports Editor 1-2 Last Week, 33-27 Overall

JACOB VEHRING Business Manager 2-1 Last Week, 32-28 Overall

JEREMIAH BAUMANN Online Editor 1-2 Last Week, 28-32 Overall

The NHL is back in full force after two weeks in Vancouver, and the Wings will look to improve on a disappointing first half. Unfortunately, it’s probably not going to happen in Chicago this weekend. The NBA provides a rematch of last year’s NBA Finals. I’ll go with the Lakers to top the Magic. Expect the Canucks and Avs game to be close, but I’ll break with the Vancouver Canucks to beat the Avs in Denver.

Blackhawks 2-1 Lakers 102-94 Canucks 4-2

Picking the Red Wings has backfired more than a few times this season, but I think they will come on really strong following the Olympic break, getting themselves back in playoff positioning. The Lakers beat Orlando in LA in January, but home-cooking is just the recipe for a different result. Expect Dwight Howard to outshine Kobe. The Avs started off their post-Olympic schedule with a tough loss to Detroit, and it will not get much better for them when Vancouver comes to town.

Red Wings 4-3

Going 2-1 in my first time around is not a bad way to start, but this will be the week I take the No. 2 spot from Stephen. Look for the Wings to come out of the Olympic break strong pulling out a big win against Chicago whose two stars Towes and Kane tired from playing through the Gold medal game. The Magic will upset Kobe and the Lakers with a close win. Look for the Canucks to ride Luongo’s momentum he gained leading Canada to 4 straight wins and Olympic gold.

Red Wings 3-2

Well the NHL is back which means its time for me to try to catch up. I’m going with Chicago as they are coming off with some Olympic medals and are trying to push Detroit back down from the playoff hotspot. Orlando will be able to use their home court advantage and fly past the Lakers in the end. Colorado just doesn’t look very strong since the Olympic break but they can come back in the third period. A close game but I have to give it to Vancouver.

Blackhawks 4-2

Lakers 104-100 Canucks 3-1

Magic 101-99 Canucks 3-1

Magic 92-87 Canucks 4-2

7A Celebrating the seniors Michigan Tech Lode Thursday, March 4, 2010

Sports

Photos by Gowtham

Left: The Huskies’ eight basketball seniors stand with their families at the halftime of Saturday’s final regular season games against Saginaw Valley State. From left to right: Chris Baugh, Danae Danen, Katie Zimmerman, Tara Ferris, Maria Kacza, Sarah Stream, Katie Wysocky and Georgio Holt.

Right: The Huskies’ six hockey seniors stand for the final time at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena following Saturday night’s game against Wisconsin. From left to right: Eli Vlaisavljevich, John Kivisto, Ryan Bunger, Drew Dobson, Mike VanWagner and Malcolm Gwilliam.

Husky tennis teams prepare for busy spring “break” DAVER KARNOSKY Lode Writer While most students at Michigan Tech look forward to their Spring Break vacations in warmer climates than Houghton, MI, both the women’s and men’s tennis Huskies will be travelling to Florida, but neither team is going for pleasure.

The women’s tennis Huskies are set to play five matches in five days. They will face Puerto RicoMayaguez, St. Leo, Olivet Nazarene, Dallas Baptist, and Martin Methodist.

The Huskies faced the St. Leo Lions in 2007, winning 5-4. This season, the Lions are just 2-7 on the season, and they feature a squad with three seniors in Hannah Beard, Shaena Keefe, and Gina Schifano.

The Olivet Nazarene Tigers have a record of 5-7 on the season and are battling with a young squad led by three juniors in Alicia Cullen, Caitlin Dodge, and Erica Engelbrecht and no seniors.

Leading the Dallas Baptist Patriots is senior Jeanelle Stines along with juniors Natalie Holmes and Lisa Olian. The Patriots are 3-0 thus far this season.

The Martin Methodist Redhawks have a veteran squad this season with three seniors in Fidelina Diaz, Camilla Hovden, and Allison Winters. The Redhawks have only played one match this season.

The Huskies’ matches will take place between Saturday, Mar. 6, and Wednesday, Mar. 10.

The men’s tennis Huskies will also play five matches in five days, facing St. Leo, LeMoyne, Dallas Baptist, Indianapolis, and Martin Methodist.

The Huskies faced the St. Leo Lions in 2007, falling 8-1. This year, the Lions have compiled a

2-7 record. The Lions are a young squad, with no seniors and just two juniors in Pablo Chavez and Richard Maclachlan.

The LeMoyne Dolphins are just 1-5 on the season so far. The Dolphins boast an extremely young squad with no upperclassmen and eight sophomores on roster.

The roster is made up almost entirely of New York-born players, with the exception being Andrew Gleason, who is from Gorham, Maine.

A veteran Dallas Baptist Patriots squad comes into their match against the Huskies with a 4-2 record. Three seniors, Nick French,

A quick look back at the Huskies’ 2009-10 men’s basketball season Visit mtulode.com/sports next Thursday for a complete season recap

STEPHEN ANDERSON Sports Editor Unlike the senior-laden Huskies’ women’s basketball team, the men entered the season with unquestioned amounts of potential but unproven levels of performance.

In hindsight, the season went how many may have expected; a rough start with a solid finish.

The Huskies were 4-15 through the end of January but won five of their last eight games to wind down a tough season, showing a great deal of promise for the 2010-11 campaign.

A full season recap will be posted online next Thursday.

Voting still open for Vlaisavljevich in Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award race STEPHEN ANDERSON Sports Editor Eli Vlaisavljevich has been named as one of 10 finalists for the Lowe’s senior CLASS (Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School) Award in the 2009-10 hockey division.

The award considers excellence in four areas: classroom, character, community and competition. Fan voting is one third of the overall voting. The winner will be announced at the NCAA Frozen Four in Detroit.

To vote for Eli, fill out the ballot at http://www.seniorCLASSaward.com or text HOCKEY to 74567.

For three!: Mike Hojnacki knocks down a three-point shot in a game earlier this year.

The Husky sophomore led the team in scoring (12.7 points per game), rebounding (6.1 per game), minutes played (30 per game) and blocked shots (11).

He earned GLIAC player of the week honors for his 44 points and 23 rebounds last week.

Josh King, and Bronson Vaughan, lead the way.

Regional-rival Indianapolis is 5-3 on the season so far despite fielding a young team. The Greyhounds have just one senior in Werner Henning and one junior in Christian Nikou.

Seniors Matthew Dyer and Melvin Prada lead an experienced Martin Methodist Redhawks squad against the Huskies. The Redhawks have only played two matches thus far, however, going 1-1 in those matches.

The Huskies’ matches will take place between Sunday, Mar. 7, and Thursday, Mar. 11.

Lode March Madness Check back to mtulode.com/sports for our bracket challenge shortly after the field of 64 is chosen!

This week on www.mtulode.com:

Photo by Ben Wittbrodt

Women’s soccer team to host open tryouts MARC SANKO Lode Writer Michigan Tech Women’s Varsity Soccer team will be having a Showcase on March 17th from 8-10 p.m. in the Multi-purpose gym.

All current Tech female students are invited to participate in the open tryouts. Please arrive in the gym by 7:40 in order to fill out the proper paperwork. Individual meetings will be scheduled for the following day between the coaches and each individual to discuss the tryouts and improvement opportunities.

Running shoes and/or indoor soccer shoes and shin guards are required to play in the Showcase. No shin guards, no play! The tentative schedule is as follows: 7:40 – 8:00 Paperwork and Coaches introduction 8:00 – 8:10 Warm-up 8:10 – 8:30 Beep Test 8:30 – 9:15 Skills 9:15 – 10:00 Small sided games If you plan on participating in the event, or have any questions about the event, please RSVP with Coach Jacob at mmjacob@mtu. edu or (906)487-2887 Office, (906)231-3656 Cell.

Today (March 2): Ultimate Spring Break Husky sports guide Friday: Basketball game recaps, Hockey game recap, Women’s tennis recap Saturday: Basketball game recap, Hockey game recap, Women’s and Men’s tennis recaps, Nordic skiing preview Sunday: Blog posts, Tennis recaps Monday: Start of senior student-athlete spotlight Tuesday: Blog posts, Tennis recaps Wednesday: Tennis recaps, Basketball preview/review Every week on www.mtulode.com:

• • • • • •

Article continuations All game recaps posted online the same day Interactive reader/fan polls (see below) Regular blog posts by sports staff Digital PDF archive of print editions Become a Facebook fan of the “Michigan Tech Lode”

Look for our special “Reader Interaction” section at www.mtulode.com/sports Vote online in this week’s polls: How will you follow the Huskies women’s basketball team over Spring Break?

Will Katie Wysocky break the school record in career points?

How many games will the hockey team win in its best-of-three playoff series against Denver?

We want to better serve you. Answer our short sports readership survey online now!

8A Husky Hodgepodge

Spring

Break!

KAYLA HERRERA Editor-in-Chief Sometimes I look back and I cannot believe that I am already on the edge of Spring Break during my sophomore year. Time flies extremely fast. It seems I am always looking forward to something whether it be an event happening over the weekend or a period of break during the school year. I wait. And I wait. And before I know it, that break is over and I am back in the mix with schoolwork and exams and the like.

Why does time have to work in such a way that when we want to enjoy a specific moment, it is over before we know it? Yet when we are grinding through a period of time that is undesirable, it seems it will never end.

A good friend once explained to me that time is like a bar of soap. We squeeze it so hard to try and hold on to the good moments, but the harder we squeeze, the quicker they slip away from the palm of our hands. If we do not hold on long enough, the moment drags and is forgotten.

I think it’d be best if we do not talk about how fast Spring Break is going to fly by. Instead, we can discuss the contents of break and all it has to offer.

Last year as a freshman, it was always hard to separate from my hall, even if it was for a week. We were lucky enough to share such a relationship with each other. Not all halls have this advantage. Spring Break was typical last year. I rode home with a couple friends and spent the week at home. I guess I was not comfortable enough with anyone to spend break with them yet. I always have this weird voice in the back of mind, usually the voice of my mother, scolding me for choosing to spend break with someone else other than my family.

Spring Break in high school was never as adventurous though. I attended two high schools; I spent three years in one and a year and a half in the other.

My first high school was part of a hick town in Missouri where Spring Break typically entailed decent weather and sunshine. No one went anywhere except the two rich kids who flew to Mexico, Jamaica or Los Angeles. In my second high school, everyone went everywhere.

Granted, the majority of our students drove Hummers and new Mustangs to school, you know the type.

I liked Spring Break, even in high school. I used to own a LeBaron convertible in high school, my old white beater with a leaky roof and squeaky brakes. There is nothing like flying down main street with the top down and the cool, Spring breeze tangling your hair—for those of you who have hair and can relate. Spring comes at the right time in Southern Wisconsin. By Spring Break, leaves are budding on the trees and the sun makes a regular appearance.

The snow cowers away like a frightened vampire avoiding dawn and shrinks into the ground, feeding the imminent green grass. One can truly feel the world awakening from a long sleep with sprouting flowers and vibrantly vocal birds.

Thinking of Spring Break makes me miss summer. But as I discussed earlier, before I know it, the school year will be ending and I would have finished my last exam and then summer is here. It happens. Too fast.

My senior year of high school over Spring Break, I went to a field away from the city and watched the stars till dawn, pointing out shooting stars and listening to the coyotes howl in the distance. In the morning, we saw a family of deer wander into the meadow for an early bite to eat. Eventually, watching them made me hungry for breakfast. I like to do activities such as this to make every moment of my life memorable.

As you depart on your adventurous trip towards Spring Break, whatever destination you have planned, I hope you make memories. Do something crazy.

Even if you aren’t going anywhere for Spring Break and are just going home, it’s okay. That is exactly what I am doing. I am staying in areas nontropical and in the Midwest. You’d be surprised at how many students don’t actually go away anywhere for Spring Break. I mean, think about it. We’re college students signing over our lives to debt. But you can still go crazy.

Michigan Tech Lode Thursday February 25th, 2010

Event reminders WOMENS MONTH Financial Planning When: March 1 Where: MUB Lounge A 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

LANSING BLITZ Where: 100 North Capitol Avenue, Lansing, MI 48933

When: March 25 12:00 - 2:00 p.m.

A rally for higher education is being held on the capitol steps, sponsored by the Student Association of Michigan.

SACS Comedian Show Off Show Where: MUB Ballroom When: March 26 10:00p.m.-11:00 p.m.

Student poll Are you going anywhere for Spring Break?

36% answered that they are moving out of state

1 2 3

64 % answered that they sticking arround in Michigan

Student responses are based on our weekly online poll. Please vote on next week’s question: Do you have Spring Break plans?

Vote at: www.mtulode.com

On this day

1750

The first Shakespearean play in America was presented at the Nassau Street theatre in New York City.

1970

A nuclear non-proliferation treaty went into effect after 43 nations ratified it.

1955

Penn Jillette, magician and comedian, born in Greenfield, Massachusetts

1953

Joseph Stalin, Soviet dictator died.

23rd March

PAKSITAN RESOLUTION WAS PASSED Courtesy of www.reference.com and www.statesymbolsusa.org

Weather Outlook

Friday: Clear

40° F / 22° F

Saturday: Partly Cloudy

380F / 270F

Sunday: Mostly Cloudy

330F / 220F Weather Courtesy of www.wunderground.com