March 17, 2015 by NC State Student Media

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TECHNICIAN

Melting in Antarctica expected to cause huge rises in sealevels

New rules governing hydraulic fracturing, also known as “fracking,” methods for drilling natural gas in North Carolina take effect today. With the new fracking rules in place, companies seeking to extract natural gas can begin applying for fracking permits, opening up the possibility for companies to begin drilling later in the year. The state Mining and Energy Commission developed the set of 120 rules over nearly two years. The rules govern well construction, water testing and buffer zones, among others. They were approved in December by a state panel separate from the commission. SOURCE: WRAL

Study shows Americans changed behaviors after NSA scandal

According to a study by the Pew Research Center, nearly one-third of Americans have taken steps to hide or shield information on the Internet after Edward Snowden’s account of the National Security Agency’s surveillance practices shocked the American public. The study found that while only about one-third of Americans have tried to hide information, more than 50 percent of people surveyed indicated they were concerned about massive government surveillance. Republicans and those who lean Republican were more likely than people who identify as Democrats (70 percent vs. 55 percent) to say they are losing confidence in the fact that government surveillance programs serve the public interest. SOURCE: NPR

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Sports Pack freshmen find early success See page 8.

2015

SG plans week to encourage traditions

IN BRIEF

Fracking laws go into effect today

Raleigh, North Carolina

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A team of researchers from the United States, Britain, France and Australia recently released a new paper in Nature Geoscience detailing the irreversible damage humans have done to destabilize ice in Antarctica, which is set to result in more than 20 feet of sea level rise. The study indicated that these effects could have the most devastating impacts on Northern Hemisphere residents and Americans in particular. Due to the laws of gravity, when vast amounts of ice melt at the bottom of the world, people living closer to the North will see more sea level rise than the rest of the planet. Scientists first found out that humans had destabilized the great sheet of ice in West Antarctica in 2014, which accounts for the first 10 feet of sea level rise the world can expect to see. But new findings have recently detailed the same effects that are melting the sun in the West have destabilized a giant glacier in the East, resulting in roughly the same amount of damage. SOURCE: The Washington Post

tuesday march

Deirdre An Staff Writer

Gavin Stone Staff Writer

is for spring, the spring harvest festival,” said Shaunak Turaga, co-president of Hindu Student Association and a junior studying electrical engineering. “It’s a story of good defeating evil and celebrates the commitment to better ourselves with a new year’s resolution.” Turaga said the changing of the seasons is traditionally celebrated with colors meant to represent the colors of spring. The event will take place from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday. About

Students painted the Free Expression Tunnel and listened to hiphop artists perform at the Cypher rap battle on Monday night to kick off this semester’s Traditions Week. Traditions week is an annual event hosted by Student Government to encourage students to keep NC State traditions while at the university. All week, the Student Government Traditions Department will be hosting a variety of events each day to bring together the NC State community. For many students, Traditions Week is an opportunity to complete traditions in The Brick and try new things. “I’m a freshman and I have never painted the tunnel so I just wanted to experience it,” said Aanchal Gadia, a freshman studying fashion and textile management. Other events set to take place this week include a tour of D.H Hill Library’s archives at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, and a Traditions PowerHour at Wolf Plaza at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. “We’re going to try to knock out a bunch of the traditions in The Brick in an hour so that way people that haven’t finished The Brick or are struggling to finish it can work

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Students play with color at last year’s Holi celebration on Harris Field on March, 21 2014. Holi, a festival with roots in Hinduism, was officially celebrated in India on March 6. The festival of colors welcomes sping and symbolises good triumphing over evil. This year’s NC State Holi celebration will take place Friday on Lee Field from noon to 4 p.m.

New seasons, friendships are cause for celebration at Holi Sasha Afanasyeva Staff Writer

In a celebration of the beginning of spring, the Hindu Student Association, the Maitri Indian Graduate Student Association, Ektaa South Asian Student Association and several other student organizations will be hosting the Holi festival this Saturday on Lee Field. Holi, the traditiona l Indian festival of color famous for the brightly colored powders people

throw on each other, officially took place in India on March 6. Avi Aggarwal, co-president of the Hindu Student Association and a junior study ing chemical engineering, said NC State’s South Asian community will be hosting a version of the event on campus to make the tradition more accessible to all students. The festival has origins in Hinduism but has become popular among much of the South Asian community. “Holi is a Hindu holiday that

MGC week promotes diversity at NC State Staff report

This week marks the NC State Multicultural Greek Council’s annual week of events dedicated to perpetuating the values and ideals the council represents. The MGC is a council of culturally-based Greek organizations at NC State. The council was created to help promote diversity within Greek Life and on NC State’s campus and ultimately help improve the campus climate, according to Megan Jones, the president of MGC. Twelve different Greek organizations belong to the MGC. Throughout the week, the Greek organizations will be split into three different teams. Each team will host a different event open to the public during the week to promote diversity a way significant to their respective cultural focus. The theme of this year’s week is “Throwback,” which challenged organizations to travel back in time to when they were founded and incorporate that time period into their events. Most of the organizations were

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Jason Hoover, a senior istudying English, has two EPs, an album called “Bedroom Tracks” and a second album to be released soon on iTunes. Hoover has played professionally for nearly seven years and has been writing songs for more than 15 years. Hoover’s favorite song from his new album is “Eleanor.” Hoover has also appeared live on stations such as NPR and WUNC.

Student works to make new EP Zoe Phinazee Correspondent

Having a successful career in music is not easy for most aspiring performers, especially for those also trying to pursue a college degree. However, a lucky few manage to make it past the obstacles and produce a meaningful career, and one of those students is Jason Hoover, a senior at NC State, who is currently working on producing his next EP when

he isn’t busy studying to finish his English degree. Hoover decided to take a break from NC State to pursue music as a career, finding success along the way. “I took time off from State for six years working on my music, and now I’m back finishing my degree,” he said. Hoover, who is currently working on a new EP, released his first f ull-leng th a lbum, “Bedroom Tracks and EPs,” in 2012. The album is available in CD form and

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on iTunes. Hoover has also performed on live on stations such as NPR and WUNC. Hoover describes his sound as having a lot of jazz and funk influence, with some rock as well, as he likes to draw from different genres. In regards to the EP, which is set to be released in the next couple of months, Hoover said listeners can expect a much more mature style. Hoover got his start performing at bars near NC State’s campus, such as Churchill’s in Five Points. The young musician said playing

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News

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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS

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THROUGH SUGANDHA’S LENS

POLICE BLOTTER March 15 1:18 AM | Drug Violation McKimmon Center Non-student was cited for Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Trespass was issued.

Send all clarifications and corrections to Editor-in-Chief Ravi K. Chittilla at technician-editor@ ncsu.edu

WEATHER WISE

3:02 PM | Suspicious Person DH Hill Library Report of subject with pants down around ankles. Officers were unable to locate subject.

Today:

3:03 PM | Skateboard Complaint Bostian Hall Non-student was advised of university policy

79/40

3:08 PM | Suspicious Person Sullivan Dr/Varsity Dr Report of suspicious subject. Officers located subject. All file checks were negative and no action was taken.

Mostly Sunny

Wednesday:

59 42

Working it out

Sunny

Thursday:

BY SUGANDHA SINGH

53 42

PM Rain

Friday:

60 42 Rain

Saturday:

5:03 PM | Traffic Accident Morrill Drive Student and non-student were involved in traffic accident.

68 49

Partly Cloudy SOURCE: WWW.WEATHER.COM

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founded in the 70s, 80s and 90s, Jones said. Events on the agenda include a scavenger hunt tonight at 6 p.m. in Wolf Plaza, a MGC potluck at 7 p.m. in 301 Man Hall on Wednesday and a MGC showcase at 7 p.m. in the Witherspoon Cinema on Thursday. Alpha Pi Omega, Lambda Pi Chi and Pi Alpha Phi hosted a Zumba night on Monday. Tonight’s scavenger hunt will include items related to the history and found-

ofia Feng, graduate student studying food science and an instructor for Zumba Step, a daily fitness program at University Recreation centre, leads the various participants. “The most important thing for me is that participants leave the class feeling happy and smiling. Without knowing, they are releasing endorphins that helps them feel better later.” Zumba is an intense dance fitness program which incorporates various forms of dance as well as routine exercises that every individual should do daily to stay fit. University recreation centre is taking various steps to promote fitness amongst the students by providing various such classes almost everyday. “I come to Zumba step to dance away my stresses, it’s such an energetic atmosphere,” said Suzanne Phillips, a sophomore studying buisness administration.

CAMPUS CALENDAR Today FIDELITY INVESTMENTS SPEAKERS SERIES PRESENTS JOHN O’NEILL 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM CENTENNIAL CAMPUS Wednesday ENROLLMENT (REGISTRATION) BEGINS FOR 2015 SUMMER SESSIONS AND FALL SEMESTER ALL DAY Thursday READ SMART BOOK DISCUSSION – FACTORY MAN

ing of each of the organizations involved in the MGC. Wednesday’s potluck will feature foods unique to each culture. The annual MGC showcase, Thursday’s event, is the largest event the MGC puts on each year. The event gives chapters a chance to show off culture and talent in a performance of their choice. The event is open to the public and tickets cost $2. “I’m definitely most excited about the showcase,” Jones said. “We’ve been preparing since November of last year.” Although the organizations are culturally-fo-

BY BETH MACY 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM CAMERON VILLAGE REGIONAL LIBRARY Friday COFFEE & VIZ - GARY LACKMANN, MARINE, EARTH AND ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES 9:15 AM - 10:30 AM HUNT LIBRARY - TEACHING AND VISUALIZATION LAB IBC-INSTITUTIONAL BIOSAFETY COMMITTEEE 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM THOMAS HALL, ROOM 4508 REGINA CARTER 8:00 PM THOMPSON HALL HEXAPOD HAIKU CHALLENGE 11:59 PM

cused, they are not culturally exclusive, so people of any race, ethnicity or culture is able to join any of the groups within the council. These focuses include Native American, Latino and Latina, Pan Asian, Southeast Indian and multicultural groups. Jones said the council focuses on promoting diversity and preparing its members for society in the future. “We really want people to see what our council is about, and we want to recruit more people to join in the future,” Jones said.

Saturday 5TH ANNUAL BREAK THE SILENCE 5K RUN/WALK 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM CENTENNIAL CAMPUS COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING OPEN HOUSE 9:30 AM - 1:30 PM FREE INCOME TAX RETURN ASSISTANCE 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM NELSON HALL LABS BASEMENT REGINA CARTER 5:00 PM THOMPSON HALL KAPPA DELTA’S SHAMROCK ‘N SHAG 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM KAPPA DELTA HOUSE

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on it,” said Gavin Harrison, a junior studying biological engineering and director of the Traditions Department in Student Government. NC State will play Louisiana State University at 9:20 p.m. on Thursday, and leading up to the event, the Traditions Department has planned a day’s worth of traditions for students to take part in. Beginning with the Feed the Pack donation in the Brickyard at lunchtime, the day will also include a Bell Tower tour at 6:30 p.m. and the screening of “30 for 30 : Survive and Advance” at Talley Student Union. The film recounts former NC State Men’s Basketball coach Jim Valvano’s leadership, centering on the time he led the Wolfpack

REGINA CARTER 8:00 PM THOMPSON HALL Sunday ALPHA KAPPA PSI 5K 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM MRC PLAZA ON CENTENNIAL CAMPUS FACULTY CHAMBER MUSIC RECITAL 4:00 PM

8:08 PM | Larceny Sullivan Hall Student reported rear wheel of bicycle was stolen. 10:33 PM | Suspicious Person DH Hill Library Report of subject with pants down around ankles. Officers were unable to locate subject. March 14 2:57 PM | B&E - Vehicle North Hall Staff member reported vehicle had been broken into and attempted to steal vehicle. Nothing was missing. 8:28 PM | Drug Violation Innovation Hall Student was cited and referred for Possession of Marijuana 3:19 PM | Traffic Accident Ligon St/Dearstyne Non-student on moped lost control and crashed. EMS transported for treatment.

Monday UNIVERSITY GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP NETWORK (UGPN) CONFERENCE STARTS Ends Tuesday HUNT LIBRARY

5:55 PM | Damage to Property Varsity Drive Non-student reported rear bumper had been damaged while parked at Doak Field.

through a series of nine overtime and one-point games to eventually win the NCAA Championship in 1983. Colin Beamer, a sophomore studying political science and associate director of the Traditions Department, said the film screening will be his favorite event of the week. “I’ve seen ‘30 for 30’ countless times, and every time I just love that film,” Beamer said. “If the weather holds up, it will be outside on the mesh screen. If the weather doesn’t hold out, it will be inside Talley.” Traditions Week will end Friday with Wear Red Friday and an ice cream party in Wolf Plaza from noon to 2 p.m. This year, the Traditions Department is encouraging more people to complete The Brick. The department is trying to get more attention and graduate student involvement with completing The Brick by making

sure people know about the Traditions at NC State and having more events in the Brickyard. “We a lways encourage students to complete The Brick,” Beamer said. “They receive a medal at graduation if they complete 40 traditions in The Brick, and we have almost 100 people who have completed it so far, so that’s really exciting.” The Traditions Department already has plans for next year’s Traditions Week. “In years past Traditions Week hasn’t been that big of a deal, but we’re trying to make it more of a deal this year,” Harrison said. “Originally we wanted to have a concert to benefit the Jimmy V Foundation, but unfortunately the planning for that didn’t work out so we had to cut that last minute.” Harrison said he hopes the department will be able to plan a concert for next year. “I think this is something that we’ll see really grow in the future,” Harrison said.

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HOOVER

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in the Triangle comes with both struggles and triumphs – the biggest challenge being getting his name out there. “If you start playing bars enough, people don’t really want to hear original stuff most of the time,” Hoover said. “Then you play bigger venues a lot of the time, sometimes playing for 30 or 300 people. So sometimes it’s great, sometimes it’s not

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400 color packets will be handed out to attendees to throw and celebrate with. “At its core, Holi is about good triumphing over evil and renewal and retaining purity and devotion,” Turaga said. “W hen you wash off the colors after

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015 • PAGE 3

so great.” Hoover said that it can be discouraging in a saturated market where there are so many ways for artists to get music out to people, as well as a lot of ways for people to get music for free. Making money is a continuing struggle that all upcoming musicians have to face, Hoover said. Once he graduates, Hoover hopes to sustain himself doing what he loves. Hoover said his love for music began at the age of 12

when he started listening to roots blues artists like Robert Johnson and 60s and 70s music like Led Zeppelin. His goal is to dedicate himself to playing full-time for a while. When a singer-songwriter friend of his had an open mike night, he tried it out and then decided to start doing gigs himself. Songwriting for Hoover is all feeling. He said that for him it’s not a systematic process, but an organic one. “I just kind of sit down and start playing guitar, come

up with a melody or a few chords,” he said. “Then I’ll try to match the lyrics and melody accordingly to the overall feel. Sometimes I like to match it up in a way the sound will be happy but has sad lyrics.” Hoover said one of his favorite songs is the title track of his new EP called “Eleanor.” The overall sound has progressed from his older material to his current work in this song, which adds a level of sentimentality to the song.

“I think now that I know my limitations as far as a musician what I can do and what I can’t, my songwriting has really progressed to a new level with these songs,” Hoover said. His friends and mentors agree with his talent as a musician. Alex Granados, a writer and friend of Hoover, has a strong admiration for his work. “He has a really unique sound, not really what you would hear listening to the radio,” Granados said. “He

has become much better at songwriting, a better musician.” Hoover said he has also expanded himself to working with other artists in the Triangle area. He said he is partnering with one of the members of Windsor Oaks, a Raleigh band, on the new EP. Ultimately, Hoover wants his music to say something about the human spirit. “I guess that we’re all flawed, we’re all human, and that’s alright,” Hoover said.

Holi, you retain the colors of your devotion and your purity. Holi is based off of the ancient legend of Holika, which signifies good over evil.” Holi also is a day of forgiveness, forgetting and disregarding social norms, according to a video created by Ektaa South Asian Student Association. “Onc e t he c olors a re washed away, they repre-

sent that the color is still within us throughout the year,” Turaga said. “It’s a celebration of life, things that are positive, and it’s a celebration of spring. It’s just a joy ful time to welcome the new season. While it is a Hindu holiday, it is something that is celebrated in the South Asian community, so it’s not something that’s just celebrated in India.”

The event is open to all students to attend. “The spirit of Holi is that you can play with anyone, with strangers, in the spirit of happiness of merriment and the joy that spring has arrived and you let go of social norms,” Aggarwal said. “Even people you d o n ’t k n o w, you can throw color at them and

that’s OK. We will be playing Holi throughout the afternoon.” The Hindu my t holog y behind the event, according to Turaga, represents a fight between good and evil. “The story goes is that there is a king and his sister is a demon Holika,” Turaga said. “He has the commit-

ment to the lord Vishnu. They go to kill his son because he is committed to the lord and not the king, and in the processes kill Holika. That defeat of the demoness represents the defeat of evil and welcome of the new season.”

ARCHIVE/TECHNICIAN

Last year’s Holi celebration at NC State took place at Harris Field on March, 21 2014. The festival of colors stems from the ancient legend of Holika and signifies good triumphing over evil.

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Opinion

PAGE 4 • TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015

TECHNICIAN

The U.S. should actively engage in the China-led investment bank W

hen the British government decided to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), a new China-led development bank, l a s t we e k , t he move sent ripples through the global banking system, especially Ziyi Mai Staff Columnist for the United States and other nations that have strong economic ties with China, including Australia and South Korea. In a statement, Britain’s Chancellor of Exchequer George Osborne said, “Joining the AIIB at the founding stage will create an unrivaled opportunity for the U.K. and Asia to invest and grow together.” The Treasury will hold talks with the founding members of AIIB later this month, according to the U.K. China invited 21 nations, including India, Vietnam, Singapore and Thailand, to sign a memorandum in October for the creation of the $50 billion Asian regional bank. The initiation of the bank has been viewed as a deliberate challenge to the current financial state of the Asian Pacific region, where Japan initialized the Asian Development Bank with the support from the U.S. The ADB has been the major bank to give loans on infrastructure. The United States has expressed concerns and skepticism of the new institution, largely on the grounds that it might not meet the same standards established by the World Bank and the ADB,

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IN YOUR WORDS

which are the major banks currently making loans to developing countries for infrastructure projects. The Obama Administration is pressuring its allies not to participate, in the fear that China is using the bank as a means to expand its political power in the region rather than merely expanding its business ties. Washington’s conjecture concerning Beijing’s intention might be true, given the fact that China’s foreign policy continues to be driven by Cold War ideology. Thus it shows inconsistency to the outside world. For example, China’s foreign aid policy toward developing countries stipulates fewer conditions, major Western countries would stipulate, such as protecting human rights, in the name of “no interference of internal affairs.” For some authoritarian countries, China’s conditions may become more attractive than the Western countries. Regardless of political motives, the creation of the regional bank would nevertheless boost competition and efficiency in the load market in the Asia region. Developing countries no longer have to stick with the only choice for funds building infrastructures. As the world’s largest open economy, the U.S. should welcome China’s engagement of the regional financial market. Risks of the new bank’s governance should be left to the founding members of countries and those who receive loans from it. Internal risks are strongly connected to the governance

structure of a bank. Perhaps it is unrealistic to force the new development bank to follow rules established by the World Bank and International Monetary Funds. It isn’t practical because China sees the two institutions as tools of the U.S.’ dominance of the post-World War II order and China would deliberately challenge this status quo. The new bank will soon reveal its performance and potential risks if it does not stress enough on the governance and standards. In the meantime, the United States shouldn’t pressure its allies not to join nor simply ignore China’s move. Instead, it must actively welcome and engage in the creation of the bank, with the possibility that taking leadership to forge the bank is the direction that the U.S. wants to go. Both the U.S. and U.K. are the world’s most powerful and sophisticated players in the global financial stage and they would keep and strengthen ties to the Asian Pacific region by exerting their advantages in financial market for the sake of AIIB. With the U.K. embracing the move, it is expected that other American allies such as France, Australia and South Korea will follow. The Australians and Koreans have been China’s biggest trading partners in recent years and they are certainly not willing to let go of the potential opportunities of reaping economic growth from investing in developing countries, nor is the U.S.

Erin Holloway, senior studying anthropology and English

Culture cannot excuse human rights violations A

bout a month ago in my anthropology class, we discussed the Yanomami, a tribe of people in South America who have been heavily studied by anthropologists for several decades. Worldfamous anEstefania thropologist, CastroNapoleon Vazquez Chagnon , Assistant my profesOpinion Editor sor said, has made a number of enemies as a result of his writings regarding the Yanomami. Chagnon refers to the Yanomami as primitive and says they have not undergone the evolution of cultures he deems modern. He has been accused of using gruesome methods to attain data and his assertion that the Yanomami people are fierce and war-ready has been questioned by many. Yet, through this discussion, my classmates and I were, at best, lukewarmly interested. When my professor brought up Kenneth Good , however, the class discussion took a heated turn. Good had worked with Chagnon among the Yanomami and had eventually married a Yanomami woman. Well, woman may be the wrong term. The Yanomami don’t keep track of age, but it is estimated that Yarima, Good’s wife, was

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“How far do you think NCSU will progress in the NCAA Tournament?”

“I think that we will get to round three. We will definitely beat LSU. With Villanova, we have a chance. I’m going to make several brackets; in one they’ll beat Villanova and in the other the won’t.”

by Kristin Bradford

Kiara Wilson polymer and color chemistry, sophomore

not any older than 12. Good, at the time, was 36. “That’s just wrong,” some classmates said. “It’s a different culture,” others argued. “We shouldn’t be ethnocentric.” And they are right, it is a different culture. Human rights, however, are not unique to individual cultures. Culture does not exist in a vacuum. Geographic distance and language barriers can surely divide people, but there is no defined divide in culture. It is not only inevitable, but necessary, that cultures develop together in order to survive. And it’s not that there is a better culture that holds all the answers. This is not a declaration of Western ideology having uncovered the ultimate truths of morality, but rather an invitation to open the discussion (which, by the way, means the challenging of Western ideals) of where the line of tradition and civil rights violation should be drawn. The answer is not as simple as conversion because one group cannot simply change another. That does not only cause tension, but has no hope of being long-lasting. This, however, does not mean one simply stands back and allows time to tick in hopes something will occur to catalyze change. To stand back and pretend that blatant violations of human rights are justifiable

through culture is to cower in fear. We are afraid of being ethnocentric and that it’ll lead to the destruction of a culture different from our own, but to make the assumption that culture relies only on a numbered list of traditions is to fail to recognize that culture is derived from people. Culture is not simply tradition. Culture is people. And as people wrestle with ideas, their culture morphs with them. To treat it as something etched in stone once and forever is to fail to see culture as living, growing, changing and adapting, and to say that is to say people do not have the capabilities to grow, change and adapt. Protecting human rights is not to superimpose one culture over another; it is to understand and make relevant the importance of protecting the rights of every human in the world. It is not a call to shame those who do not agree with us, but to recognize the differences and similarities between us in order to better inform a universal thought process. To do this we must make protecting human rights culturally appropriate but not allow culture to excuse abuses. Ultimately, if we prefer to protect culture over people, we fail to fulfill our responsibilities as citizens of a world culture.

Millennials are not sheep L

azy, entitled, self-obsessed narcissists—this is the label Time magazine has given to the current generation of young adults in its 2013 cover story, “The Me Katherine Me Me genWaller eration.” As Staff Columnist a society, we have turned time and time again to this generation-bashing slander in order to explain why young adults are not being socially active and aware. My mom often criticizes that I don’t go to downtown Raleigh and picket and protest in front

of the capital building when I have something I believe in and want to change. There is a special type of bravery in this act, but I argue that picketing and protesting in this way is not as effective as it was in the past. Many more people are logged onto the Internet than are strolling past protests or rallies. We use different methods than our parents’ and grandparents’ generations. Our methods do take a lot less effort. However, though some might view this as lazy, these strategies are more of an innovation of minimizing effort that simultaneously increases effectiveness. The word “lazy” gets a bad rap by our elders, but “laziness” as they describe it is

a sign that we have evolved to thrive in a generation of plenty, and have consequently learned to be savvy and efficient to this end. Whether it’s blogging, YouTube-ing or tweeting, Generation Y is more fearlessly vocal than previous generations. The Internet has democratized information, and this has helped me in an era in which young people actualize important values rather than outwardly protest for social change. An online, and often anonymous, community of social activists or idealists has the power to affect social justice through individual behavior. Social media should not be scoffed at and devalued; after all, a 2012 study by the Pew

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Research Center indicated that 66 percent of social media users engage in political discussion. Andrew Swinand, the cofounder and managing director of Frequency540, claimed in a 2014 column that social activism is the “new religion” of the millennials. Furthermore, 7 in 10 young adults consider themselves social activists, according to a study by TBWA\Worldwide and TakePart. This is nearly double the number from the previous year. Young adults were politically active, and a primary example of this was young adults claiming they would boycott or reward businesses based on a company’s values.

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With that said, the minimal effort that we now have to use to be socially active indicates that we can do so much more. If every college student skipped one Netflix series, maybe the collective could lower the drinking age, get an unfit politician out of office, decriminalize marijuana or come up with innovative solutions for economic problems. We have an easy wealth of information. It’s so easy to put news and politics in your everyday line of sight. Follow news organizations, politicians and socially active groups on Instagram, Twitter or Tumblr. Have news alerts installed on your search engine of choice. Finally, the critique that

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young people are rude and “don’t respect” those who came before them is encouraging. It shows that fundamentally, millennials and Generation Z are not sheep. Over the past few months I have felt the social climate changing from apathy to action. After Ferguson, the Chapel Hill shooting, ISIS attacks and so much debate about gender equality, racial and sexual orientation bias and discrimination in general, I have witnessed more and more people standing up to injustice. Hopefully this is not just some mirage of my imagination, because I’m very excited for the change I feel we are on the brink of.

The Technician (USPS 455-050) is the official student newspaper of N.C. State University and is published every Monday through Thursday throughout the academic year from August through May except during holidays and examination periods. Opinions expressed in the columns, cartoons, photo illustrations and letters that appear on Technician’s pages are the views of the individual writers and cartoonists. As a public forum for student expression, the students determine the content of the publication without prior review. To receive permission for reproduction, please write the editor. Subscription cost is $100 per year. A single copy is free to all students, faculty, staff and visitors to campus. Additional copies are $0.25 each. Printed by The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C., Copyright 2011 by North Carolina State Student Media. All rights reserved.

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TECHNICIAN

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015 • PAGE 5

Parkour:

more than just jumping STORY BY JONATHAN SCIANDRA | CORRESPONDENT

KAI MCNEIL/TECHNICIAN

Thomas Podbesek, a senior studying material science and engineering, leaps toward a wall on March 4 so he can cat hang. Podbesek is a member of the Parkour and Freerunning Club at NC State. “I enjoy the movement the most,” Podbesek said as he described his passion for free-running.

As the warm weather returns to NC State, so does the Parkour and Freerunning Club. Established in the fall semester of 2009, the members of this organization meet every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday outside D.H. Hill Library to train and practice Parkour. Parkour itself came into the spotlight several years ago when it experienced an explosion in popularity, according to Thomas Podbesek, a senior studying materials science and engineering and a member of the club. But Podbesek said that as time went on and shows such as “The Office” parodied the activity, public perception of Parkour changed. Although some may look at it as a joke, the members of the NC State Parkour and Freerunning Club say

it’s an intense and fulfilling activity. The term Parkour was coined by David Belle, a French actor and stunt coordinator, according to Nick McLamb, former president of the club and an NC State alumnus. “It’s a natural, fun, challenging and relaxing activity that breaks the mold and can be whatever anyone wants,” McLamb said. Podbesek said that to him, Parkour is “a strict, martial discipline.” Parkour activities existed before it became an official term, according to Podbesek, but members of the club try not to get bogged down in definitions and semantics and instead focus on honing their skills. After meeting in the Brickyard, Parkour Club members go to different places on campus to practice moves and improve their abilities.

They can be found all over campus, ascending brick walls, balancing on railings, jumping gaps and performing wall runs by the Free Expression Tunnel. Members of the Parkour Club don’t just throw caution to the wind and risk personal injury, however. Safety is the club’s first priority, and they always practice moves on solid ground in safe conditions before taking a jump or climbing to higher heights. Still, those who practice Parkour admit there is a certain amount of fear to overcome. “Getting over that fear comes from the way we work up to it,” said Cailean Pritchard, a junior studying chemical engineering and co-president of the club. “Everything we do comes from progression.” Pritchard stressed that Parkour is

open to anybody who is willing to put in the effort, as it focuses on personal development of skills instead of competition with others. “All you have to do is show up and want to learn,” Pritchard said. “That’s what’s unique about Parkour— it’s about you doing your own thing, not trying to be better than someone else.” Since the club’s inception, attendance has fluctuated with each semester, but current members say its membership has decreased in recent years. Podbesek attributes this to the fact that Parkour itself is a difficult and sometimes risky activity. Still, the risk involved doesn’t stop those who do attend from enjoying themselves. As the weather continues to improve, members of the club intend to get back into a

regular schedule. When they’re not on campus, the club members train elsewhere at places such as Enso Movement, a Parkour and free-running gym founded two years ago by several of the original members and founders of the NC State Parkour Club. McLamb said the Parkour club is not an exclusive group, and they welcome anyone who wants to try, even if only for a moment. “There are no rules or requirements,” McLamb said. With winter coming to a close and spring arriving, expect to see the members of the NC State Parkour Club out on campus, ascending to greater heights one jump at a time.

Despite talented cast, ‘Chappie’ fails as a whole Chappie

Media Rights Capital Columbia Pictures

 Mary Anna Rice Assistant Opinion Editor

“Chappie” is as tasteless and tone-deaf as it is technologically proficient. The androids in the movie are lovely to look at, but anything past that is so bloated and confused that it’s painful to stick around. Its extended runtime does not help. “Chappie,” a movie about a robot gaining consciousness, hardly maintains an original premise. To this extent, the film earns its claim to originality through its perverseness. Imagine if a fast-learning, extremely childish android were initiated into a gang! Then imag ine ever y t hing devolves into self-immolation. U lt i mately, “Chappie” plays like a Michael Bay film, if Bay tried to have a heart or an emotional center. However, in its attempts to balance edge with emotion, it staggers and faceplants. It plays as exploitative nonsense, forcing in emotional manipulation at every turn. We are reminded constantly that Chappie is a child, yet the horrific things that happen to this child are treated so f lippantly that it reveals how empty the movie is inside. A day after Chappie first learns

to speak, Ninja (one of the protagonists with which we’re supposed to sympathize with) drives him out into gang territory to be hazed, abused and set on fire. All the while, Chappie, a child, screams that he wants to go home. Minutes later, he has his arm sawed off. “Chappie” is insulting. It expects its viewers to play along as it endeavors to wring emotions out of them with the subtlety of a recent Nicolas Cage performance. It is ham-fisted and tired in its plodding emotional malaise. Every protagonist confronts the threat of death, yet every single one of our “heroes” miraculously evades it. Director Neil Blomkamp coddles his creations in a way not dissimilar to Stephenie Meyer. The film pretends to be a high-thinking, evolved movie, what with its dry, stilted dialogue contemplating death and touted mora l a mbiva lence, but it reads as though it were w ritten by a sophomore studying philosophy who watched “Lucy” and “The Iron Giant” consecutively. In this movie, good is good and bad is bad. The good guys live and the bad guys die. End of story. T houg h “Chappie” i s stocked full of talented, well-known actors, it cannot get past all of the trappings of the film. Dev Patel is initially charming as Deon Wilson, the awkward

scientist who grants Chappie his consciousness and subsequently deems himself the android’s “maker.” Later on, this act becomes irritating as Deon’s God complex intensifies. I a m a l mo s t c e r t a i n Sigou r ne y We ave r w a s tricked into this. She has around 10 lines and seems to f ill no other purpose other than telling our protagonists “no.” Hugh Jackman relishes his role as the one-note lead villain. He is as Australian in “Chappie” as he has been his entire life (perhaps even more so), with cargo shorts, boots, a thick accent and a terrible haircut. It would be wrong to blame the actors for their performances; they could only do so much with the material given. A trademark of a good movie is a sense of being grounded, a sense of reality. This is not to say that a movie must be realistic in comparison to the real world. Rather, a movie must be able to navigate soundly within its own established limits. “Chappie” never finds its anchor. It wants to make us sad, angry, excited and happy, but provides no basis for why these feelings should be evoked in us. It is a shallow movie, and while its creators may want you to overlook the mechanisms they utilize to try and twist our guts, these devices dwell too close to the surface to remain unrecognizable. By the climax of the mov-

SOURCE: WIKIMEDIA

ie, I could not find it in myself to care about anything that was happening. As everyone turns to robots and what is essentially a child

kills multiple adults without repercussion, I gave up. I gave up hoping “Chappie” was about somet hing— anything—and I gave up

hoping that it would rise above its moral and narrative failings.

Features

PAGE 6 • TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015

TECHNICIAN

‘Better Call Saul’ delivers quality spinoff series Better Call Saul AMC

 Kevin Schaefer Associate Features Editor

E v e r y o n e ’s f a v o r i t e crooked lawyer is back on television in AMC’s “Better Call Saul.” Now seven episodes in, this spinoff of the hit series “Breaking Bad” is off to a great start as it explores the origins of the title character. The show opens with a rather depressing introduction, featuring an aged Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) following the collapse of his career and key relationships. From there, creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould transition into his younger days, where we learn that Saul’s birth name is James “Jimmy” McGill. Jimmy lives in a cheap apartment, has his office in the back of a nail salon, cares for his mentally troubled brother Chuck (Michael McKean), all the while furthering his practice as the town’s go-to lawyer. In these first few episodes, viewers see elements of both black comedy and drama inf used into t he show’s overarching narrative. So far we’ve seen Jimmy work with a pair of hoodlums to con an old woman and end up getting captured by “Breaking Bad” villain Tuco Salamanca (Raymond

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Cruz), follow a family with stolen cash into a campground and rescue a construction worker hanging on the side of a billboard as a publicity stunt. These more humorous moments are then juxtaposed with murders, rivalries within Chuck’s firm, glimpses into the character’s past as a criminal and drama involving his brother. So far the writers have been able to find an appropriate balance between Jimmy’s antics and the darker storylines encapsulating the series. For fa ns of “Brea k ing Bad,” this show isn’t a matter of where Jimmy will end up, but how he gets there. Gi l l ig a n a nd c ompa ny

provide a number of other teases to the original series, such as chronicling the first encounter between Jimmy a nd M i ke Eh r ma nt raut (Jonathan Banks). While we first see Mike here as a toll operator irritated with Jimmy’s inability to follow the rules, we then learn more about his past as a cop and father. Last week’s episode was very Mike-centered as it showcased the beginnings of his life as an assassin. Odenkirk no doubt shines as both the lead role and as a producer of the series. He displays great chemistry with his coworker and potential love interest Kim Wex ler (R hea Seehorn), along w ith a number of

other supporting cast members. McKean steps right in as Jimmy’s brother and mentor, though his character’s condition has prevented him from continuing his law practice for some time. Believing he’s allergic to all forms of electricity, Chuck spends his days cooped up in his house with an aluminum foil blanket to shield himself from the outside world. It’s pretty remarkable the amount of depth the writers give him, which is all the more complemented by McKean’s outstanding performance. If anything, the pacing of the series as a whole is a bit slow. “Breaking Bad” also exhibited this somewhat

in the beginning in order to lay out important exposition but picked up by the time season two rolled around. I doubt “Better Call Saul” will last as long as its predecessor did. Though I’m sure Gilligan and Gould have plenty more to do with the character. A lt hou g h t h i s s e r ie s doesn’t seem to have found its Gus-like villain yet, Jimmy’s nemesis and Chuck’s old partner Howard Hamlin (Patrick Fabian) is shaping up to be a formidable antagonist. His conniving tactics and willingness to backstab his associates makes him a great addition to the series. Perhaps the best part of the show is its more episodic format. W hi le a n

overarching narrative exists, the writers focus on Jimmy’s trials and tribulations, allowing them to tell complete stories each week. It’s a refreshing approach given the binge-watch culture we live in. A lt houg h “Bet ter Ca l l Saul” may not be as groundbreaking as “Breaking Bad” (is that even possible?), Gilligan and company deliver a fresh and exciting series featuring cha racters we already love. With a stellar ensemble cast, dynamic writing and a Tarantinolike tone, this is a show every TV enthusiast should be tuning into.

COMMENTARY

Why I did not attend Wizard World Con If you know me or have read any of my previous work, you might be surprised to learn that I p a s s e d on a chance to me e t Wi ll ia m Shatner a long Kevin with a number of other Schaefer sci-fi celebAssociate Features Editor r it ie s t h i s past weekend. While I had the time and money to attend the Wizard World Comic Con in Raleigh, I do not support this convention. I have been a fan of science fiction and comic book culture since my childhood. As someone who goes to conventions, knows a number of writers and artists, writes

about pop culture and loves comics, I don’t believe that Wizard World is a ref lection of the culture that I am proud to be a part of. WRAL, The News & Obser ver and a number of other Raleigh-based media outlets devoted a significant amount of attention to Wizard World this weekend, highlighting the big name celebrities like Shatner and David Tennant who attended. Even the headline for the Time Warner Cable News report was “Many Celebrities Expected in Raleigh for Wizard World Comic Con.” This is my main problem w ith Wizard World : it’s entirely celebrity driven. I have no problem with celebrities at conventions. Just last November I was at NC ComiCon in which ac-

tor John Barrowman was a featured guest. I also met “Star Trek: Enterprise” star Anthony Montgomer y at ConCarolinas last summer. But the dif ference between these conventions and Wizard World is that they put more emphasis on the culture itself rather than just on celebrity guests. At these cons I attended panels about writing, filmmaking, podcasting, diversity in comics and a wide range of other topics. Furthermore, the organizers of these cons highlighted creator guests in their advertisements. If you go on the Wizard World website, you have to scroll past dozens of ads for celebrity guests and photo ops to find any information about panels or other events. This kind of pro-

motion only benefits the corporate ow ners of the convention and does little for the industry as a whole. Beyond this, the prices for admission to Wizard World and for photo ops are significantly higher than most other conventions. They charge $75 for advanced tickets and $85 for at the door, and it’s only a three-day convention. Plus attendees have to pay extra for celebrity photo ops and autographs, which as previously stated is the con’s main attraction. W hen I at tended t he aforementioned NC ComiCon last fall, it was only $35 for a three-day pass and $20 for a day pass. Not to mention the experience of this convention far surpassed the limited number of ac-

tivities featured at Wizard World. Alan Gill, the owner of Ultimate Comics in Chapel Hill and a friend of mine, talked about the misconceptions regarding Wizard World and the ways in which they steal the spotlight from other cons in the area. “Most people are looking at it like sour grapes since they are in a bigger venue and had more people come to their event and got more press than me,” Gill said. “At the end of the day they are a celebrity signature show.” Gill also said people often mistake Wizard World as being related to NC ComiCon, which it is not. Because Wizard World travels around the nation,

they end up hurting independently produced cons in order to boost their profits. These kinds of corporate tactics are, to me, counterproductive to the goals of geek culture. Boasting about celebrity guests over actual comic book-related events does little more than draw in mainstream audiences. True fans should be every con’s target audience. I would have felt hypocritical if I had attended Wizard World. The ideals and tactics of Wizard World contradict my views of what a convention should be, which is why I didn’t attend and why you shouldn’t either the next time it rolls into Raleigh.

Sports

TECHNICIAN

RANKINGS

continued from page 8

UNC. 5. Louisville (24-9, 12-6 ACC) With so much talent, Louisville was expected to be better than it has in 2015. Still, the Cardinals earn a 4-seed in the NCAA Tournament and will play 13-seed UC-Irvine in the first round. 6. NC State (20-14, 10-8 ACC) The Wolfpack will go dancing for the fourth-straight year under Mark Gottfried. NC State earned an 8-seed and will play 9-seed LSU in the second round. Good news for NC State fans? The 1-seed in the East Region is not Kentucky. The only time the Pack could play Kentucky is in the National Championship and at that point, bring on the Cats! 7. Miami (21-12, 10-8 ACC) The Hurricanes were one of the teams on the outside looking in for the NCAA Tournament. Their win over Duke could only carry them so far. They earned a 2-seed in the NIT and have an incredibly intriguing matchup in the first round against 7-seed NC Central. 8. Pittsburgh (19-14, 8-10 ACC)

Pittsburgh’s another team that just did not do enough to make the NCAA Tournament, missing too many golden opportunities while accruing too many bad losses. They are a 4-seed in the NIT and host 5-seed George Washington tonight. 9. Clemson (16-15, 8-10 ACC) The Tigers miss out on the postseason after a lackluster year. Clemson’s defense was solid, but the offense usually couldn’t get out of its own way. 10. Florida State (17-16, 8-10 ACC) The Seminoles also will be sitting at home watching all of the postseason action. The ‘Noles have a really exciting player in guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes who will only improve with experience. 11. Boston College (13-19, 4-14 ACC) The Eagles were at the bottom of our rankings for almost every week of the season…so why are they suddenly No. 11? Well for starters the Eagles won four of their last five, including a win against NC State and one win each against every team below them on the rankings. Another reason is guard Olivier Hanlan, who earned All-ACC First-Team honors. 12. Wake Forest (13-19, 5-13 ACC)

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Another lackluster sports performance for Wake Forest. If only every sport could perform like their women’s field hockey team (they went 14-7 last year, which for Wake Forest sports is like a national championship). In other news, if you don’t know who the Greek Deac is yet, you are sorely missing out. 13. Georgia Tech (12-19, 3-15 ACC) The Yellow Jackets had a couple nice wins in Georgia and Miami (Florida) but not much else this season. Unlike the team below them, Georgia Tech doesn’t look like a team that will be getting better anytime soon. 14. Virginia Tech (11-22, 2-16 ACC) Yes they had an awful season, but hear me out here: The Virginia Tech Hokies will be in the NCAA Tournament by the time I graduate (I am a sophomore). Buzz Williams brought toughness and grit to this rag tag bunch of guards. Once he gets some ACC-level talent in Blacksburg, the Hokies are going to dance. (OMITTED)- Syracuse The Orange’s self-imposed ban applies to our power rankings as well.

NCAAS

continued from page 8

by senior 125-pounder Joe DeAngelo and sophomore 165-pounder Max Rohskopf. This will mark DeAngelo’s second appearance in the NCAA championships, while it is Rohskopf’s first appearance in the tournament. The Wolfpack had plenty of experience this year, wrestling against some of the top teams in the country including the No. 1 Missouri Tigers, the third-ranked Cornell Big Red, the sixth-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys and many more teams ranked in the top 25 nationally. Despite the team’s disappointing finish in the ACC cha mpionships, Gw ia zdowski said he feels the Pack’s tough schedule prepared him well individually for the NCAA Tournament. “I feel confident in the peo-

SOCCER

continued from page 8

by getting a result,” Findley said. “We defended really well, and some guys had some good performances.”

Classifieds

TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015 • PAGE 7

ple that I have wrestled this season,” Gwiazdowski said. “I wrestled 16 ranked guys this season, and there are 16 guys in the tournament, and if I go through the tournament there is probably only one or two guys that I haven’t wrestled before in my life.” Despite being the defending national champion and boasting a perfect 30-0 record heading into the tournament, Gwiazdowski said he still feels there are a few people out there who doubt his ability to repeat as national champion. This doesn’t seem to bother head coach Pat Popolizio, as he said he believes when the time comes, Gwiazdowski will prove he still has what it takes to be champion. “Anytime that you have to repeat as defending national champ, you got guys that are targeting in on you and have been scouting you all year,” Popolizio said. “I think that the bigger the stage the bet-

ter he performs. We saw that last year and I think we will continue to see that.” Popolizio also feels that Gwiazdowski has been getting everyone’s best performance this year due to the fact they know he is the defending champ. “He has been getting everyone’s best match all season,” Popolizio said. “So going into the tournament, he is going to be ready for that, there is not going to be many surprises for him and everybody knows what he is capable of doing so he has to use those advantages.” Matches begin early Thursday morning for the Pack as DeAngelo and Jack start things off. These two will be followed by Renda and Rohskopf who will wrestle their first matches closer to Thursday afternoon followed by Gwiazdowski on Thursday night.

Elias was the standout offensive player in the match, recording both assists on the night after showing his devastating pace and balance. Roberts again impressed with his work rate, while Locke continued his displays of intelligence in

the middle of the park, according to Findley. Wit h more presea son matches to come, Roberts, Elias and Locke will continue to make their cases for playing time in the fall.

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