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THE

Tennessee Tech University | Cookeville, TN | 38505

RACLE

Volume 94 | Issue 1 | Free in single copy | September 10, 2010

Constitution Day, debate approach TTU Creative Services

New campaign art emphasizes Awesome Eagle.

Tech to unleash awesomeness By ISSAC WRIGHT Staff Writer The image of Tech is about to change as the new “Unleash Your Awesomeness” marketing campaign launches in the coming months. The marketing department’s goal is to attract high school students to Tech, and doing this requires special campaigns. The most recent one, called “More Than Tech,” is being phased out for a new message about unleashing one’s inner potential. Full potential could include participating academically, athletically or socially. The new campaign, called “Unleash Your Awesomeness,” was conceived over the summer and tested favorably in two focus groups and a survey. Students are bombarded with college advertising throughout their entire high school careers, so the marketing department hopes to make Tech stand out among other universities. To help spread the word about Tech and how to “unleash awesomeness,” several billboards, a radio spot, a television commercial, and a Facebook campaign are planned. The radio commercial will be played in Cookeville, and the TV commercial will play on cable channels in the Nashville, Knoxville and Chattanooga markets. Billboards will be constructed in the same markets with the inclusion of Cookeville. The main target is high school students 19 and under. If successful, those students will apply to and attend Tech. Either way, Tech will have a new face in advertising with a new attitude: the attitude of busting out and unleashing something from within. This is a busy time for the Communications and Marketing Office. “We’re just really excited to start a new campaign. We hope it’s a good representation of the University,” Marketing Director Bobbie Maynard said.

Poll of the week

By BRITTANY RITZMAN Staff Writer

Tech’s sixth annual Constitution Day and the nonpartisan Highlands gubernatorial debate are scheduled to be held Tuesday on campus. Constitution Day is made possible through a $150,000 endowment left by former professor Nolan Fowler. Fowler’s endowment goal was for students to become more enlightened on the contents of the Constitution. “It isn’t every day that students have the opportunity to experience two events of this magnitude at their own campus,” said Lori Maxwell, event coordinator and political science professor. “I hope they are excited and will want to be a part of this.” Danna Young from the University of Delaware will headline Constitution Day. Young will be speaking at 5 p.m.

Photo Services

Derryberry Auditorium is decorated for Constitution Day.

Special Edition: Election Issue • How parking will be affected: page 2 • Students run for public office: page 3

Johnson Hall incident first of its kind at Tech Last week’s lockdown of Johnson Hall brought about a lot of concerns. According to Tech’s website, the evacuation of the academic building was around 12:30 p.m. Aug. 31. The lockdown occurred shortly after someone informed University police that a person with bullets was seen in a restroom in the building. Afterwards, a more thorough search of the building was conducted by police officers who were stationed there during the investigation. All classes in Johnson Hall were cancelled for the day and evening. Tech students were

also informed about the incidents by e-mail. An all-clear was issued around 2 p.m. James Jordan-Wagner, the College of Business dean, said that he had never witnessed such an incident at Tech. “It’s the first time since I’ve been here. I have been here for two years. It was reassuring to have the police be so responsive. They were here for our security.” Chas Hayes, a senior business major, was in the building when the lockdown was announced. “I was in this computer lab,” Hayes said. “I thought it was a drill. Next thing I knew, Tech police were patrolling the building. It was so sudden. I was skeptical until Cookeville police showed

up on the scene with assault rifles and guns. “I felt uncomfortable. Afterwards, a crowd started to form near the building. I’ve never been a part of a lockdown at Tech.” According Tech’s student handbook, carrying a gun on campus is prohibited. Such behavior may be regarded as a disciplinary offence. As stated in the student handbook, “State law prescribes a maximum penalty of six years imprisonment and a fine not to exceed $3,000 for having weapons on school property. Violation of this law is a felony. Even individuals with handgun permits may not bring handguns on property owned or operated by Tennessee Tech.”

IN THIS EDITION OPINION

Tech to play biggest game in OVC history - Page 5

in Derryberry Auditorium on political satire and the effect of programs such as “The Colbert Report” and “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.” Young has said of political satire, “Democratic governments are suitable homes for and even require political satire to function well. I’ll be talking about how satire works cognitively to expose hypocrisy and bring to light criticisms of people and institutions without explicitly criticizing them head-on. Most importantly, I’ll reveal how and why this mechanism can be particularly effective as a form of persuasion.” This is a free event. Following the speaker, everyone will be invited to stay in the auditorium to watch a live simulcast of the Highland’s Debate taking place in the Bryan Fine Arts Wattenbarger Auditorium.

• Highlands Debate FAQ: page 2

By PAVEL KOSHKIN Staff Writer

Donate a canned good at Constitution Day, vote in gubernatorial straw poll. Results will be announced in The Oracle on Sept. 17.

Booker questions naming of New Halls - Page 4

Tech prepares to host gubernatorial candidates following Constitution Day activities

Buckner reviews Tame Impala’s “Innerspeaker” - Page 8

SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT

TNTECHORACLE.COM FRIDAY FORECAST Scattered T-Storms HIGH 80, LOW 58 50% Chance Of Rain

NEWS

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Page 2 | September 10, 2010

FAQ about the debate Read this for information about tickets, student events and road closures By VALERI OLIVER

Q: What’s happening?

Q: What’s happening

A: Tech hosts the High-

around campus that day?

lands Debate 2010 on Sept. 14. This is a gubernatorial debate between candidates Bill Haslam and Mike McWherter that will be broadcast statewide on CBS television affiliates at 7 p.m. central time.

Q: Can I get a ticket to the debate? A: Seating in Wattenbarger Auditorium is limited, and tickets are not available to the public. However, SGA does have a limited number of student tickets to distribute and will be deciding how that process will work. (Watch the “Tech Times” for more information about student tickets.) But there are still ways to be involved on campus and watch the debate.

Q: Can I wear a political Q: What else should I T-shirt and cheer for my candidate?

A: The bulk of student activity during the debate will take place in Derryberry Auditorium. Sept. 14 is also Constitution Day at Tech. A presentation about political satire begins at 5 p.m. and a live feed of the debate begins at 7 p.m. Immediately following the debate, join others at a “Dancin’ on Dixie” concert at the corner of 12th and Dixie. Cookeville-based bluegrass band The Ballingers and country music cover band Barefoot Renegades will perform. Free music, popcorn and drinks will be available at this street celebration.

A: Absolutely – anywhere EXCEPT in the debate hall in Bryan Fine Arts building. Derryberry Hall Auditorium is the place to be on the evening of Sept. 14 to express your political opinions. You’re free to cheer (or jeer) the candidates and their answers. Several student organizations will set up tables outside the auditorium to provide information, distribute literature and register new voters. However, if you’re one of the lucky few who will be watching the live debate in the Bryan Fine Arts building, you cannot wear or bring any campaignthemed or politically-related shirts, signs, banners, etc. into the venue.

expect?

A: Expect to see supporters of both campaigns – and even some protests – on campus that day. The campaigns are likely to set up tents and hand out literature along Dixie Avenue, and some protesters may even be present. During the day, several student organizations are sponsoring activities in the Tech Pride Room in the RUC.

Q: Can I ask a question? A: Deadline for questions was Sept. 7.

Haslam

Q: What’s the campus

traffic and parking situation on Sept. 14?

A: Because of the volume of activity on campus that day, some streets will be closed to traffic beginning about 9 a.m. Closures include Dixie Avenue in front of the Bryan Fine Arts Building, B Street beside Bryan Fine Arts and Peachtree Street behind Bryan Fine Arts. Parking will be limited. The open lots across from Bryan Fine Arts and Pennebaker Hall will be reserved the entire day for debate parking. Areas along B Street and Peachtree will also be reserved for those persons with disabilities who are attending the debate and for police and debate-related parking.

McWherter

Palmer Maphet August 2, 1990 June 16, 2010

A metaphysical store

Solstice Winds

A stepping stone along the path of enlightenment

Brandon Goodwin

Above: Tech vans occupy student parking spots in the lot across the road from Pennebaker Hall. Right: Tech police guards the entrance to the faculty and staff parking lot.

New school year prods usual parking problems Oracle Sports Editor Brandon Goodwin attempts to seek answers to parking woes Q: How long will an officer be guarding the Faculty/Staff lot behind Henderson Hall? A: It’s just a pilot program. We’re going to see how it works out. – Gay Shepard, chief of police Q: Where does the money go that is brought in from parking tickets? A: The General Fund. – Shepard

THE

11 am-7 pm

A: Basically, we talked with Tech. There weren’t enough people riding the bus. This year, we have a lot more Tech students riding than we had last year. - Norm Dukes, transportation planning coordinator with UCHRA

1 pm-5 pm

Q: Why are Tech vans taking up student parking spaces in the lot in front of Pennebaker Hall?

47 N. Cedar

Q: Why does Tech not have a dedicated CATS route A: We don’t know who those belong to. - Facilities Office this year?

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NEWS Page 3 | September 10, 2010

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Carter elected to commission chair, Iwanyszyn falls short By BAILEY MORGAN Staff Writer

They have campaigned for other candidates, helped fellow students register to vote, and most recently, knocked on doors in their respective districts to secure the vote for their own political campaigns. Junior history major Jackson Carter, of Livingston, was elected to the position as Overton County commissioner. Senior business major Jordan Iwanyszyn narrowly lost his race for Putnam County School Board by 33 votes. “I have always enjoyed learning about politics and helping political parties,” Carter said. “So when I finally became old enough to run in an election, I decided to go ahead and put my name in the arena.” Carter’s self-described grassroots campaign incorporated low budget means to attract voters, including postcards and a Facebook page for the younger demographic. Carter beat out two incumbents for the third county commissioner seat. One incumbent had recently moved to the district while the other had served for 30 years. “A lot of the people in Overton County were tired of the same people running the businesses,” Carter said. “They did not see much accomplished, so they voted in

Mac Mcleod

Judge Amy Hollars swears in Jackson Carter (left) and Bruce Ledford. a new face.” As one of three commissioners for Overton County, Carter will vote monthly on spending and policies. He will also serve on various committees and work with the mayor on increasing jobs in the county, which is a top priority for Carter.

“We are trying to expand the tax base by bringing more jobs into the county,” Carter said. “Right now a lot of residents are going outside the county to work, and we want to change that.” If you went to bed early on election night, you may have fallen asleep thinking

Iwanyszyn was sure to win his seat on the Putnam County School Board. “I was actually up by 90 percent on election day,” Iwanyszyn said. “Unfortunately, early voting numbers brought me down.” Iwanyszyn remains optimistic about his first run for

public office, which concluded with a mere three percent margin in favor of his opponent. An active member of SGA and College Republicans president, Iwanyszyn is also the county republican vicechairman and the candidate recruitment chairman. “Our elders are looking back to us to see any hint of if we are ready to step forward and take up the responsibility of leadership,” Iwanyszyn said. “Even though I didn’t win, I wanted to show symbolically that young people are ready to take up the reigns.” Iwanyszyn’s platform included merits of early childhood reading, fitness education, and a push for more social studies. “As we become a more globalized society, we need students to know more about American History and geography,” Iwanyszyn said. Iwanyszyn cited his faith as a motivator for public service, but he also suggested other ways students can get involved politically. “Stay informed,” Iwanyszyn said. “You can blog, call into radio shows, or, since this is an election year, find a candidate you like and support them through volunteering time at a phone bank or fund raising.” For more information about political involvement, contact the College Republicans or College Democrats on campus.

New features, design arrive to Tech’s website today By CASSIE TESAURO Staff Writer

The Tech website is getting a makeover, with a fresh look and new features for a more user-friendly feel. The site changes’ unveiling is tentatively set for today. The content on the website will stay where it is now in order to make the change less confusing. “The data is the same. The navigation is the same,” said Matthew Gann, web and digital media director. “It just looks better and runs better. It’s just a lot more user-focused. “It’s more streamlined. We looked at a lot of code, made a lot of corrections. We’re on a brand new server this year with a lot more processing power.

And overall, the network at Tech is getting better.” In addition to more speed, the new site will also include a campus cameras feature, which will allow students take a live look at several places on campus, including South Patio and the parking lot behind Tucker Stadium. Every three to five years, the marketing concept for Tech changes to stay relevant. This spurs change in print materials as well as the website, with both transforming to match the look of the new concept. “It looks completely different,” Gann said. “We’ve listened to feedback about making it easier, and we’ve implemented changes. The big thing is it’s going to be a lot faster.” Another new feature to keep an eye out for is

a more precise search engine. This change, however, will not go into effect right away because of the complicated nature of the operation but might occur sometime in the next six months. Many of the changes are the results of students thinking of new and improved ways the website could function. Students who have suggestions on how to improve the Tech website can go to www. tntech.edu/web to contact the web and digital media staff. “I definitely take feedback or suggestions on how we can do something better into consideration,” Gann said. “And a good thing about this system that we’ve put in place is that if a suggestion is something that makes sense, I can implement it immediately.”

events @ tech September

10 Until Saturday Cookeville Fun Fest All day Last day to drop a class without a grade All day Unveiling of new Tech website All day Last day for 75% refund

14 8 a.m. Patient Safety Seminar 11 a.m. TAB Tuesdays FREE Snowcones South Patio 5 p.m. Consitution Day Derryberry Auditorium 7 p.m. Gubernatorial Debate Wattenbarger Auditorium

15 4 p.m. Soccer vs. Lousiana Tech All day Disaster Drill

16 10 a.m. Engineering Orientation Fair 7 p.m. Football vs. Lane College

17 Will Housley

4 p.m. Soccer vs. Alabama State

Screen capture of Tech’s new website just after it’s release Thursday evening.

tntech.edu/calendar

online edition

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OPINION

Send letters to the editor to oracle@tntech.edu. Include your name, e-mail address and limit letters to 300 words. Anonymous letters are not accepted. Deadline for letters is 4 p.m. Tuesday. We reserve the right to edit grammar, length and content. www.tntechoracle.com

Page 4 | September 10, 2010

Out with older books, in with new learning styles SARAH TOWNSEND Asst. Editorial Editor

The Volpe Library is undergoing an extensive renovation project, which involves tossing about a seventh of the books present now and adding a new section. Did I mention it costs roughly $2 million? The plan is to put in a learning commons for studying and sustaining student learning outside of the classroom. The library is also in the process of thinning its collection of books that are no longer relevant or considered useful to students to make room for new, more relevant titles. Doug Bates, Library and Learning Assistance dean, said he is unsure of exactly how many books will be removed. Books more than 30 years old that haven’t been checked out in the past 20 years are eligible to go to other Tennessee Board of Regents universities, if they have the need for them. The removal of several thousand books sounds really bad without a clear explanation, but it is not all negative. For example, a book detail-

ing accounting practices that was published in 1986 is a waste of shelf space when the library needs to buy updated accounting books. The extra space will make room for the learning commons, but the purge would have to happen regardless of the project, according to Bates. Professors at Tech may review the titles to be removed to salvage anything they feel are still beneficial to students. My question: What happens to all of the books that aren’t saved by professors or given to other libraries? Bates said, “That’s a good question, I am not sure yet myself.” Updates on this project and what happens to the leftover books will be posted on the library blog as soon as the information is available. You can find the blog via the library’s website. The learning commons project is not a new concept for Tennessee universities. The University of Tennessee at Knoxville has a similar facility. But according to Bates, Tech’s renovation will be

Emily Booker

Student Candice Goodman reads a book in a section of Volpe Library where a large number of books have small red dots, meaning they are set to be purged from the shelves. unique. Projects like the commons and learning communities say a lot about how the modern college student learns and how much learning has changed over the years. Despite the fact that I am a book person, I realize many college students these days rely more on the Internet for information when writing a paper or doing research. In fact, when uninterested in the subject, I do the same thing. I personally could not use

a Kindle or electronic version of a book to read for pleasure. Sure, it’s interesting and convenient, but the tangible book is far more appealing to me. Books, actual concrete objects with pages bound together and text printed inside, are slipping away from us. It’s a shame because books in their traditional form somehow mean more to the reader. Do you see yourself in 10 or so years teaching your kids

to read from a computer screen? This isn’t to say that the commons is a bad idea. I actually think it is a great way to get students who are not bookish like I am to do some active learning outside of class. There will be tutoring and workshops available and access to other learning resources, such as a section for media unlike what is currently in the Media Center

New Halls need new names

12 Reasons Why Books are More Useful than Technology

EMILY BOOKER 1. Books don’t have to be charged to work. 2. Books don’t break when you drop them. 3. Books don’t cost an arm and leg. 4. Books don’t have to be compatable with your software. 5. Books don’t have to be updated every few months. 6. You can’t fan yourself with a laptop. 7. You can’t read online when the power goes out. 8. You can’t press flowers in an iPod. 9. You can’t annotate an E-book. 10. You can’t prop a door open with an iPad. 11. You can’t smash spiders with a Kindle. 12. You can’t write your name on the inside of a website.

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downstairs. Though I find the renovation plans to be a positive thing for Tech, the project makes me wonder how soon it will be until colleges no longer use books in their curriculums. I think that many of us value books in their tactile state, and we should preserve that as much as possible. However the technological age is upon us and I think the general population will not read as frequently because of these advances in technology. If students always have calculators, why would they ever do the math in their head? The library is still keeping approximately 85% (I was the kid with the calculator, so that may not be entirely accurate) of the books in its collection. And, of course, the most used titles will still be there to check out. Overall, the renovation will be beneficial to students because of the new learning resources available. It’s an expensive operation, but it is worth the money if it supplies students with better resources to learn. And the book removal will make room for relevant reading material for the rare students like me, who hold books dear.

Editorial Editor On move-in day, excited, nervous, sweaty freshmen moved onto campus with cars packed with items from home to make the drab dorm room livable. I still remember driving onto the packed campus that day three years ago to be surrounded by overly-eager upperclassmen ready to help me move in. This year, I was glad to avoid the chaos of adjusting to a roommate I didn’t know and the communal bathroom. For those moving onto campus, I was glad to see the newest residence hall was finally ready for the hordes of plastic storage containers and mini-fridges, but there was a slight nagging problem in my mind: which New Hall is the new hall? Both New Halls are east of South Patio, which is actually north of Derryberry Hall. If you left your compass at home or didn’t know about North Patio on the other side

THE

of the RUC as a comparison point, that could start to get confusing. New Hall South is a good four buildings north of South Hall. Without a clear distinction of what we’re considering the central point of campus, what’s with the fixation on directional names for buildings? New Hall South is actually the new name for what used to be just New Hall. I always thought New Hall was sort of a silly name for it to begin with, as if no one alerted the administration that construction was done, and they could name it now. And it really shouldn’t be called New Hall at all anymore, since it’s been in use longer than most students have been at Tech. It’s now old New Hall. Just as the new New Hall (New Hall North) will be the old New Hall whenever Tech gets around to tearing down Murphy/ Jobe and building what I can

only assume will be named North New Hall North or Newer New Hall North. Why can’t the residence halls have names? What was wrong with naming them after former University presidents and state governors? There are certain rules for naming buildings at Tech. Certain donation amounts into certain accounts determine whether a patron’s name gets attached to a building. It makes sense. I’m not suggesting we throw out the rules just to slap a name on a residence hall or two. But why can’t we use a temporary name that doesn’t require comparing the building’s age and location to another’s? What’s wrong with Eagle Hall? Gold Hall and Purple Hall? Dixie Hall? I’m sure we could think of plenty of names for a residence hall that celebrate Tech and distinguish one building from another. Or maybe in the near future, the halls will recieve real names like the rest of the residence halls on campus, making the confusion of the old/ new/north/south names null and void. Until then, I’m still calling New Hall South the old New Hall.

ORACLE

Weekly. Student operated. | P.O. Box 5072 Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville, TN 38505

CHRISTINE SEIBER Managing Editor

SARAH TOWNSEND Asst. Editorial Editor

WILL HOUSLEY Asst. Managing Editor

BRANDON GOODWIN Sports Editor

SAMANTHA KINDALL Ad Manager

ROSS HARVEY Asst. Sports Editor

DAKOTA WEATHERFORD Ad Assistant

CHUCK ACHESON Entertainment Editor

EMILY BOOKER Editorial Editor

TALLULAH GILLIAM Copy Editor

Tennessee Technological University--nondiscriminatory on the basis of sex in its educational programs and activities including employment and admission of students to the University as required by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and regulations based therein and published in CFR, part 86. Tennessee Technological University is an Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer.

BRENDA WILSON, Faculty Adviser BEAT REPORTERS: Brittany Anderson, Kyle Buckner, Brandi Campbell, Courtney Clifford, Matthew Davis, Sarah DeRossett, Katrina Dvorken, Lee Ferris, Lindsey Gore, Julie Graham, Candice Griggs, Hannah Harris, Brandon Jelson, Pavel Koshkin, Jodi Lawrence, Leasa McCall, Bailey Morgan, Justin O’Dell, Ariel Perry, Aleksandr Peterson, Jonathan Pierce, Ashlee Polk, Christine Riddle, Brittany Ritzman, Kaitlin Salyer, Ashley Smith, Dustin Smith, Rachel Stine, Evan Taylor, Catherine Tesauro, Isaac Wright

SPORTS

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Page 5 | September 10, 2010

Golden Eagles take on 4th ranked TCU Tech faces highest-ranked opponent in Ohio Valley Conference history in Fort Worth this week By BRANDON GOODWIN Sports Editor

The Tech football team faces the biggest challenge in its history on Saturday: taking on the 4th ranked Horned Frogs of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. The Golden Eagles (0-1, 0-0 OVC) start off their season with the second most difficult schedule in the nation. After falling to the 17th ranked Arkansas Razorbacks on Sept. 4 by a score of 44-3, Tech now has its sights set on a foe that has not lost to an unranked team since November 2007. “We have nothing to lose,” quarterback Tre Lamb said. “You never know what could happen.” Lamb, a sophomore from Calhoun, Ga., knows that the Golden Eagles will have to play their best to have a shot at the upset. “We’re going to go have fun and play smart,” he said. “If they play bad, and we play good, we’ve got a serious chance.” TCU rides a 14game home winning streak into this week and has won eight consecutive home openers. In its last four home games, TCU has allowed just five touchdowns and has outscored opponents 191-44 in those contests. “I look at it like I did last week,” head coach Watson Brown said. “We’re going to play against the best players

we’ll play all year.” Brown also acknowledged the skill level of both Arkansas and TCU. “I told our players before we started that these two teams could be playing each other for the national championship at the end of the year,” he said. “I think if TCU and Arkansas played each other tomorrow, it would be a tossup game at best,” he added. Both Arkansas and TCU moved up in the AP Poll from last week, with the Razorbacks climbing three spots after topping Tech. The Horned Frogs leaping from sixth to fourth after their win over Oklahoma State. The Horned Frogs are led by Gary Patterson, a former Tech assistant whoearned his Master’s degree from Tech in 1984. Patterson holds an 8628 record in his 10 seasons at TCU and is 45-6 at home in that span. TCU Defensive Coordinator Dick Bumpas also coached at Tech alongside Patterson 1983-1984. Leading TCU on the field is quarterback Andy Dalton. The senior passed for a touchLamb down and rushed for two more over the Beavers last week. With Dalton being considered for numerous season awards, this marks the second-straight week the Golden Eagles will have to find a way to shut down a Heisman candidate quarterback (Mallett,

Amon G. Carter Stadium, home of the TCU Horned Frogs

Arkansas). Lamb, on the other hand, shares time with senior Cass Barnes in a two-quarterback system set in place by Brown and his staff. Last week, Lamb went 6-13 for 99 yards through the air while Barnes rushed for 31 yards on eight attempts. Tech’s best statistic of the season thus far is its +3 turnover margin. The Golden Eagles recovered a fumble and intercepted two Razorback passes while not turning the ball over a single time. Lamb believes that turnovers could be the biggest opportunity for the Golden Eagles to pull off the biggest upset in collegiate football history. “They’ve got to lay it on the ground a few times,” he said.

Aware of Jacksonville State’s upset over Mississippi last week, Patterson said TCU does not want to be “the next Ole Miss losing to another Ohio Valley school.” Brown, however, focuses on the impact of this game on his players. “The players get to leave these with confidence saying ‘I lined up in a hostile place against the best player I can possibly play against, and I still have a heartbeat. I’m still alive, and I’m a better player than I was before I went on this trip,’” he said. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on the Golden Eagle Sports Network via Magic 98.5 and Free Teamline. For more information, visit www. TTUSports.com.

Courtesy of TCU Sports Information

2010 Tech Football Schedule Sep. 4 Sep. 11 Sep. 16 Sep. 25 Sep. 30 Oct. 9 Oct. 16 Oct. 23 Nov. 6 Nov. 13 Nov. 20

at Arkansas at TCU Lane at SEMO* Tenn.-Martin * at Austin Peay * Eastern Ill. * at Tennessee St. * at Murray St. * Eastern Ky. *& Jacksonville St. *%

L, 44-3 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 4:00 PM 7:00 PM 6:00 PM 1:00 PM 1:30 PM 6:00 PM

* OVC Game & Homecoming % Senior Day All times Central

Volleyball heads to WKU By ASHLEY SMITH Staff Writer

ON BRAND NAME APPAREL, ATHLETICS AND FOOTWEAR.

GOING ON NOW!

The Tech volleyball team travels to Bowling Green, Ky. this weekend to compete in the Western Kentucky Invitational. The tournament kicks off with the Golden Eagles playing the University of Missouri this morning at 11:30. Tech will then play Central Arkansas at 4:30 p.m. and will finish up the tournament tomorrow afternoon against host Western Kentucky. Senior, and newly-named captain, Melanie Culp is excited about the tournament games. “This is the hardest tournament we will have played in so far, but I expect to do well in it,” Culp said. “We never play weak teams,” said Culp, “If we practice like we are going to play, we have every chance of beating all three teams.” With eight games completed so far, the team’s record stands at 2-6, but they have high hopes in placing well in the tournament.

“Our season has started off better than it has for a while,” Culp said. “We have five freshmen, so it has been a learning experience. We all learn from each other and get along great.” Being the sole captain of the team, Culp knows that it is her responsibility to keep the team playing well. “You have to be a leader on and off the court, be an example for the team, and be the mediator between the coaches and the players,” she said. “I’m not really a pushy person, so I’ve had to work on that and also on being more vocal for my team.” The Golden Eagles are projected to finish fifth in the Ohio Valley Conference this season, but Culp said that the team has higher goals set for the season. Culp “We really hope to win the OVC. We have the talent, we have the determination, so it’s a very good possibility that we will win it,” Culp said. The next home volleyball match will be Sept. 24. As with all regular-season games, admission is free to the public.

Fishing team angles for championship By JODI LAWERENCE Staff Writer

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Cookeville - South Willow

Members of the Tech Fishing Team will attend the Forrest L. Wood College Fishing Tournament on Sept. 18 at Lake Chickamauga. The team will fish several trails at this tournament, such as the Tennessee Collegiate Trail and the Southern Collegiate Trail. It will be fishing against an assortment of schools, including Middle Tennessee State University, the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Auburn University, and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. The grand prize for its upcoming tournament is $10,000, a goal not out of its reach, according to President Seth Davis, and the team is allowed to use that money for

scholarships. However, Vice President Ryan Maddux said that the possible scholarship money is not the only reason people should join the team. “Being a member of the fishing team offers all its members a great overall experience,” Maddux said. “I have met tons of friends through this club and formed friendships that will last past my college years. Also, the opportunity to travel is great. Who knows where we will end up next? Right now, a trip to Texas for a tournament is a big possibility for us.” The club has about 15 active members and is growing all the time. The team has earned many awards, such as second place at the Southern Collegiate Championship at Wheeler Lake, third place in the Lake Chickamauga Championship and third place in the Angler of the Year competition against 73 other teams.

The team’s goals for this upcoming year are to win the Angler of the Year competition and the FLW National College Championship. This year, the team is expecting to attend about 15 tournaments, but Davis wants to make it clear that you can be a member of the club and not attend those tournaments. “We have members of this club who fish one tournament or never fish in a tournament at all,” Davis said. “They just want to better their knowledge of the sport. Likewise, we have members who fish every weekend of the year and will attend many tournaments with the team this upcoming year. We even have an official sandwich maker.”

ENTERTAINMENT

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Page 6 | March 5, 2010

15th annual Fall FunFest opens tonight on city square By CHUCK ACHESON Entertainment Editor It’s that time of year again when the air starts to get cooler and the leaves on the trees begin changing colors. And, just as synonymous with the time of year, the Cookeville Fall FunFest is set to kick off tonight on the square. Entering its 15th year, the annual event hosts a variety of entertainment venues and nationally renowned Bar-B-Q joints. Kroger’s center stage is the main venue for music this year, featuring performances from Tony Drake, Roy Roberts, Legacy, Phlatt Earth, Carissa & Company, The Vegabonds, and the Kadillacs. But the music doesn’t stop there. Just off the square, the AUI Teen Stage offers musical choices geared towards a younger crowd. The acts performing on the AUI Teen Stage this year include Above, Bright Grey, Star City Meltdown, Wake the Light, IT, Victims of Circumstance, Buzzards Bluff, Workers, Details Details, Behove the Brave, Perfect Mess, and AJ Carter will be performing dur-

ing set changes. In addition to the music, the fest promises to whet your appetite with the 21st Annual Cookeville Cook Off, which draws competitors from all over the country. Visitors can enjoy a large variety of meats and all the trimmings. The Cook Off vendors are open both days with the announcement of the winner, taking place Saturday afternoon. There are plenty of family-oriented activities, especially on Saturday as the WCTE Stations of Imagination takes over the square with a plethora of activities and wacky characters. In addition, don’t miss the arts and crafts section, featuring jewelry, pottery, hand blown glass, woodworking and much more, which will be at the FunFest. The Fall Fun Fest is a great event here in Cookeville and should not be missed. When traveling on the square this weekend be aware that several detours will be present and parking is generally hard to come by near the square. For more information, go to the Fall FunFest Web site at FallFunFest.com.

Top Left: The Kroger Stage features the main musical attractions on both days of the fest including Tony Drake and Roy Roberts. Top Right: The Fall FunFest features a famous cookout competition that attracts people from around the country to both present their dishes and try others. Lower Right: On Saturday, when Stations of Imagination takes over the fest, the place comes alive with colorful characters. Photos courtesy of Cityscape.

Tame Impala’s “Innerspeaker”

Spin Dat Record With KYLE BUCKNER

Standing at the crest of a hill, watching clouds explode and rays of sunlight burst from every direction on a canvas of pink and orange sky. When I drop the stylus on Innerspeaker, the first full-length album from Australian quartet Tame Impala, this is a variation of what I see when I close my eyes. Tame Impala, seemingly, came from out of nowhere. I had heard some buzz about the Aussie gents on a number of blogs, praising the band for their unique, original take on psychedelic rock. I’m a huge psych-rock fan, so I was immediately intrigued. I looked them up and the first thing that I came across was the music video for the album’s first single, “Solitude is Bliss.” The song addresses lead vocalist Kevin Parker’s preference of being by himself rather than in large crowds. Lilting above swirling guitars, his voice exclaims “Company’s okay, solitude is bliss.” I can totally relate. The video was a perfect complement to the song, as well. It features a very confused man in a juxtaposition between being happy and dancing around when he’s by himself, and

being sent into panic mode when crowds surround him. It’s a must-see. After I had watched it probably three or four times, I knew it was time to hop over to iTunes to snag the whole album. I listened to Innerspeaker non-stop for at least a week, and it quickly became the soundtrack to the rest of my summer. The first track on the album, “Desire Be Desire Go,” is just a fuzzed out, harmony-laced, feelgood song. Try not to bob your head to it. I implore you. This is the first song that I heard that showcased the band’s tendency to trail off into an almost totally different song within a song. I was really taken aback by this. I would later notice that this is one of Tame Impala’s trademarks. It’s a little perplexing at some points because you’ll think the track has changed, but then a familiar chorus will return from out of nowhere, and the song will continue. One of my favorite songs on “Innerspeaker” would definitely have to be “Lucidity.” Reminiscent of an early Zeppelin song, it’s groovy, spacey, and will have you picking up the old air guitar within the first few seconds. This song is a perfect example of their perpetual use of fuzz guitar. This effect is employed in almost every song, and it sounds so tasty. There’s nothing quite like a pair of garbled guitars wailing on

some psychedelic riffs. ing a sound like this, but they don’t just like those artists. I highly recomA couple other favorites of mine quite nail it, and they end up being mend purchasing “Innerspeaker.” are “The Bold Arrow of Time” and grouped together with all of the psy- I’d be willing to bet that you won’t “Why Don’t You Make Up Your chedelic rock bands that sound the be able to stop listening to it, either. Mind?” These two songs are prob- same. Tame Impala has taken notes Next week I’m going to talk ably the best examples of how ver- from artists like the Beatles, the about all of the upcoming concerts satile the band can be. “The Bold 13th Floor Elevators, Cream, Jeffer- that are going to be happening in Arrow of Time” is heavy, nasty, son Airplane, Pink Floyd, July, Led Nashville and Knoxville this fall. and overall pretty brutal sounding, Zeppelin, and others, but they don’t There are some great acts coming apart from letting the fluttering vo- blatantly rip off any of these bands through, so I’ll be suggesting some cals on the verses swoop in and out as thousands of other groups have. shows to add to your concert calenfrom time-to-time. This song also As I always say, it’s nice to be able dar, along with some mini profiles has probably the most intense gui- to hear what artists have influenced of some of the artists. Until then, tar thrashing and the most abrupt a band without the band sounding have a good weekend, ya’ll. layout change on the album, too. “Why Don’t You Make Up Your Mind?” is dreamy, distant, and mellow. The synthesizer line drifts back and forth perfectly alongside soft wah-wah guitar, which creates a totally different aesthetic when compared to the previously mentioned song. This album could very well be my favorite album of While recording, Tame Impala is Kevin Parker, Jay Watson and Dominic Simper. But, 2010. There are a when the band tours, Nick Allbrook is added to the lineup. host of bands that Photo Courtesy of Tame Impala attempt mak-

Tallest Trees’ “The Ostrich or The Lark” Local Honey with KASSI THOMAS The first time I saw Tallest Trees, they were a folkrock outfit playing in support of local acts like Danger and the Steel Cut Oats and Elephant Gun. Oh, how things can change over the course of four years. Once a nine-piece,

Tallest Trees has been whittled down to two bearded bards who grew weary of playing the same old run-of-the-mill rock songs in their same old run-of-the-mill rock bands. In truth, I enjoyed their previous musical endeavors, but these human trees claim to have reached boredom with those projects. So they chased off a few band members with threats of making veganism mandatory and added a little synth. Wait. Scratch that. They added a ton of synth. Then they threw in a theremin-esque contraption and

a plethora of quirky sound bytes to boot. The remaining drummer moved out of the back corner of the dive bar stage and into the forefront -mixing, twisting, distorting, and thrashing about with more responsibilities than he once had cymbals. The final result landed somewhere between Nashville’s own version of Animal Collective and Mew. At first listen, it could be mistaken for danceable electro-indie-pop. But, this would be a dire mistake. The release show for “The Ostrich or the Lark,” Tallest Trees first ever full-length album, was a complete production, which materialized at the 5 spot in East Nashville on Aug. 20. The performers

donned paint splattered blazers, which matched the sheets worn by the rafters that tickled the heads of the tallest among the audience. An impeccably timed array of vintage video clips was projected across the stage throughout the show, because traditional lighting is only for the unimaginative. The album itself is a 45minute full-circle journey from being told in a slow, crooning, contemplative intro that you are just an echo which never makes a sound, to celebrating with dance in the end the fact that you are indeed a simple acoustical repercussion, doomed to never create anything original yourself. But, somehow, in between all of this talk about an

Photo Courtesy of Tallest Trees inherent lack of originality, we find something incredibly

unique. A forest of flavor not yet savored by Nashvillians.

ENTERTAINMENT Page 7 | September 10, 2010

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Inception: it wasn’t all just a dream By CHUCK ACHESON Entertainment Editor

Courtesy of Legendary Pictures and Syncopy Films

Inception was the breakout hit of the summer and continues to stir up Oscar buzz primarily for Leonardo DiCaprio, who along with his role in Shutter Island, is making a strong case for Best Actor.

Inception is movie unlike we’ve seen in a long time. And, it is a movie worth taking an analytical and critical look at Christopher Nolan’s marvel of a film Without a doubt, Inception is a movie that will have lasting appeal long after it finally leaves theaters and becomes available for home purchase. But, questions will always linger about the meaning of the movie and how much of the movie is actually a dream. Several distinct schools of thought about the movie have developed, varying on how much of the movie was a dream. In my opinion, the movie, except for the parts clearly named as dreams, took place in the real world. One popular argument that the whole movie was a dream stemmed from Nolan’s vagueness of several parts of the movie, most notably the dream-sharing machine. Arguing that Nolan wanted a surreal

Let ’s Talk About CHUCK ACHESON Movies By Entertainment Editor

Machete is a movie full of surprises. Robert Rodriguez weaves together a movie that is surprisingly deep and funny. And, most shocking of all, by the end of the film, Lindsey Lohan finds God. The story follows Machete (Danny Trejo), a Mexican Federale whose wife is murdered by Torrez (Steven Seagal). After the slaying of his family, Machete illegally entered the United States, working as a day laborer. Following a chance meeting with Booth (Jeff Fahey), Texas state senator McLaughlin’s

(Robert de Niro) aide and an apparently failed assassination attempt of McLaughlin, Machete finds himself on the run from the American legal system and drug lords he thought he left behind in Mexico. The earliest and most dominant theme of Machete is the role of illegal immigrants in the United States. Although Rodriguez’ message is heavyhanded at times, he makes a clear statement about the controversy surrounding illegal immigrants, fringe American reactions and a border fence.

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feeling, he didn’t elaborate on how the machine worked. But, did he need to? When you saw the movie, the purpose of the machine was apparent. Had Nolan taken the time to explain the hardware, he would have wasted time in an already long movie. The role of Cobb’s totem is often cited as proof that the whole movie occurs within Cobb’s dreams. Primarily, people argue that Cobb took his totem from Mal, thus not being the only person to have touched the top. But, logically, we have to assume that all the totems had been touched by other people at some point, in some form. The metal used to make the top had to be mined and thus touched by the miner. So, just because the characters had a rule about not touching the totems of others, doesn’t mean there are special rules surrounding them. We can see that even after other people touch the top, it behaves accordingly to the state of Cobb. When he is dreaming with Mal and successfully commits Inception the first time, the

Another positive piece of the movie was the humor. While often relying on very dark-natured jokes, the movie does successfully employ some light-hearted moments of humor for example, Lohan, dressed as a nun, blowing away guys with a revolver. Seriously, I’m not making that up. In sequences like Lohan’s, we see Rodriguez strike a distinct balance in the movie. He balanced the message of Machete without letting the movie take itself too seriously. And, by doing so, Rodriguez allows the message to hit home harder because he never crosses a line and becomes preachy. On the whole, the cast did well and played their parts convincingly with many of the casting selections aiding the overall humor of the film by allowing the stigmas of the actors to bleed into the characters. Lohan played the drugged up, spoiled daughter of Booth, a stretch for her, I’m sure. In addition, Cheech Marin made jokes about pot despite his role as a Catholic priest. But, none hold a candle to the force of nature that was Seagal, playing a Mexican drug lord who knows some martial arts and wields

Also in theaters this week

top spins flawlessly unending. But, at the finale of the movie, the top has a clearly flawed spin. The next argument for the total dream theory is stated best in a question: Why didn’t Cobb have Miles travel to America and bring his children to France? It sounds simple, but as shown in the film there is tension between the grandmother and Cobb. Not to mention, Cobb is a man on the run, if his children came to another country, someone from the American legal system would not be too far behind. More importantly, if we look into our own history, we find another strong argument for the reality theory. As humans we must rely on our experiences of the past for learning in the future. As a child, you touch the stove and you quickly learn that fire is hot. We need to take our past experiences with movies and use them when looking at Inception. So, without Nolan coming forward and saying that the movie was a dream we must assume that it takes place in the

real world. As such, in my opinion, for the reasons I laid out, I think Inception occurs in reality. We have to look at Inception through the lens of our own experiences. No one would say Platoon or The Hurt Locker takes place in a dream, so why this movie? We can’t assume it was all a dream because of the subject matter of Inception. The best counter-argument I have heard thus far is that the movie takes place in neither dreams nor the real world. This notion stems from the theoretical experiement of Erwin Schrödinger. He displayed a paradox by postulating if you put a cat in a box with a device that should release a poison, you cannot assume the cat is dead until you open the box. The poison mechanism could have failed and you wouldn’t know until you opened the box. This applies to the movie because we lack hard evidence from Nolan upholding the dream or reality theory. I still believe the movie is not a dream but either way, my head hurts now.

Danny Trejo takes on the role of Machete, a machete wielding ex-Federale looking for revenge.

a katana. The acting was solid, but at times was too overly dramatic, and some actors, mostly lesser ones, delivered some of their lines awkwardly. However, these occasions were by no means the norm. The action was excitingly over-the-top and utterly ridiculous throughout the movie. This is Robert Rodriguez, so what can you expect? Packing enough flying limbs and

heads, some of the sequences in Machete would make hardened fans of 300 and Kill Bill blush. Add in a good dose of sexuality and this movie earns it’s R rating in spades. But, again, what would you expect from Rodriguez? The production style is quintessential Rodriguez, dirty and gritty. I have to say I was surprised by this movie I ended

really enjoying myself. The social commentary isn’t going to win any awards but it’s nice to see action movies adding some depth. It’s not a movie for everyone, definitely, but with the other options at the box office, it’s worth a look.

Rating: R Final Grade: B

• Going the Distance - This movie has some high points but lacks the on-screen chemistry needed for a successful romantic comedy. Grade: C • The American - A solid story and great visuals can’t overcome a laskluster performance by George Clooney in a movie that should have been Oscar bait. Grade: C+ • Takers - T.I. should have asked for a few more days in the clink to avoid being part of this flick, which I will generously call subpar. Grade: D

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