September 14, 2018•Volume 104, Issue 7•nique.
net
technique
News 2
EXPLORING THE PAST WITH RETROTECH p8
LIFE
Top L: Photo courtesy of USA Network; Top R: Photo by Jonathan Jeffrey Student Publications; Above: Photo by Tom Hightower Student Publications
Looking at Florida’s growing issue with algal blooms
CASEY GOMEZ
PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Toxic algae affecting coastlines
in Florida has forced authorities
to declare a state of emergency in
seven counties. Lee county has
been hit particularly hard with
thousands of tons of dead sea life
washing up on the shores of Fort
Myers Beach.
From the time I was six, I
would fly by myself from Hous-
ton to Fort Myers to visit my dad
and spend a weekend at the beach.
Those memories are some of my
ENTERTAINMENT
. .
‘Purge’ disappoints
Opinions 5
favorites, fostering my passion for
conservation and dedication to
the environment. Swimming has
always been my sport of choice
mostly because of my upbringing
in southwest Florida. Fort Myers
is at the corner of the Caloosa-
hatchee River, the Everglades and
the Gulf of Mexico. The sand is
powdery and white which means
sand castle building competitions
are frequently held there and tour-
ists flock to the area year round.
I loved the beach and all the
animals that lived there. There
were sand dollars littering the
ocean floor, sea turtles swim-
p12 Ivan Allen Jr. Prize
Life 8
OPINIONS
ming in the shallows, sandpipers
scuttling across the sand, fighting
conchs dragging themselves along
and manatees lumbering across
the canals.
Currently, clean up efforts are
underway to collect all of the dead
sea life littering the beach. Tour-
ism is down and even locals are
trying to get away from the area.
The algae polluting the water has
essentially suffocated and poi-
soned everything else living there
from the sea grass that manatees
eat to people in the area. The
CDC lists the possible sources
See ALGAE, page 6
NEWS
p3
Entertainment 12 Sports 20
SPORTS
B-back
Benson out
for season
JOHN EDWARDS
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
KirVonte Benson is finished for
the season, Tech football coach Paul
Johnson announced Tuesday. Benson
suffered an injury during Saturday’s
game against South Florida, a 49-38
loss, when Benson was struck in the
knee by a USF defender during a carry.
Johnson did not specify the nature of
the injury, only calling it a knee injury
and implying that it may not be related
to Benson’s ACL, which Benson previ-
ously tore in high school.
For the reeling Jackets, Benson’s
injury represents a crucial loss. Benson
had been named to the AP All-ACC
preseason team this summer, and the
season prior had finished No. 24 in
the country and first in the ACC in
yards per rush (minimum 200 rush
attempts.) Benson was an explosive
playmaker and a key part of the Jack-
ets’ offense, and at the all-important B-
back position, his loss hurts the Jackets
deeply.
Still, Tech is not without options.
Redshirt freshman Jordan Mason
stepped in and stepped up in Ben-
son’s absence during the South Florida
game and during Tech’s season opener
against Alcorn State (the first quarter
of which Benson was suspended for an
unspecified infraction of team rules.)
Mason has registered 180 rushing
yards and averaged 7.5 yards per car-
ry, 17th in the country among players
with at least 20 rush attempts.
If his words are to be believed, Ma-
son is at least mentally ready to replace
Benson. In an interview with the At-
lanta Journal-Constitution (AJC) We-
See BENSON, page 18
Photo by Casey Gomez Student Publications
A dolphin swims in a Fort Myers canal. Dolphins have been se-
verely impacted by the toxic algae on the west coast of Florida.
News
NEWS EDITOR:
More Path Forward Updates technique
Jonathan Jeffrey
Members of the Path Forward Advisory group
update the campus on their work to improve Friday,
2
academics and mental health on campus 44 September 14, 2018
news@nique.net

Georgia Chamber of Commerce reveals information

on a new, statewide Georgia InVenture Prize
MASON FAVRO
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The Georgia Chamber of Com-
merce (GCC) has announced the
creation of the new Georgia In-
Venture Prize competition, slated
to begin in the spring of 2019. It
will be open to teams from col-
leges and universities across the
state of Georgia, in order to “fos-
ter innovation, entrepreneurship
and start-up creation,” according
to the competition’s website. An
informational summit was held at
the GCC on Aug. 27, in order to
announce in more detail plans for
the competition.
“Entrepreneurial activity is ex-
pected to stimulate job creation
and play an increasingly impor-
tant role in Georgia’s growth,”
reads the Georgia InVenture Prize
website. “Georgia institutions
have responded to the demand for
entrepreneurial and innovation-
oriented graduates by providing
curriculum, degree offerings or
student programs throughout the
state.”
The GCC’s competition will
follow the formula of Tech’s origi-
nal InVenture Prize competition,
which began in 2009 to provide
a platform for entrepreneurship
on Tech’s campus. Hopeful en-
trepreneurs go through rounds of
presentations and judging to see
which inventions are marketable,
timely and truly unique.
Since its inception, the InVen-
ture Prize has garnered acclaim,
and has been nicknamed “Ameri-
can Idol for Nerds” according to
its website. Both the Georgia In-
Venture Prize and Tech’s InVen-
ture Prize culminate in a live tele-
vised event where finalists present
their ideas to a panel of judges as
well as to the audience, determin-
ing the winner of the competition.
In June of this year, the InVenture
Prize won a Southeast Emmy in
conjunction with Georgia Public
Broadcasting, in the category of
best live recording.
The original InVenture Prize
competition also has given rise to
the ACC InVenture Prize compe-
tition, which launched in 2016
and sees entrepreneurs from ACC
schools such as Tech, Clemson,
and FSU, among others, compete
against each other.
The winning invention of the
2018 ACC Inventure Prize was
a wound dressing that “meshes
the ABCs of chronic wound care:
Accelerating Healing, Blocking
Infections, and Comforting the
Wound, into one cost-effective
product.”
Previous winners of the Tech
InVenture Prize have included, “a
first of its kind aiming device for
competitive archery” and “a safer
electrocautery device [that elimi-
nates] any chance of injury.” First
place winners take home $20,000
with which to fund their inven-
tion, as well as a free provisional
patent filing courtesy of Tech’s
Office of Technology Licensing.
The success of the InVenture
Prize also led to the creation of
K-12 InVenture Prize competition
in 2012.
The competition, hosted by
Tech, also serves as a qualification
round for those students wishing
to represent the state of Georgia in
the National Invention Conven-
tion & Entrepreneurship Expo, a
national science fair competition
for K-12 students.
The 2019 InVenture Prize
kicked off this Wednesday, with
registration for the competition
opening on Oct. 1.
Detailed information about
the process and schedule of the
Georgia InVenture Prize has yet to
be released online.
HALEY PHILIPS
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
MARSY VOTE UPCOMING
On November 6, Marsy’s Law
Crime Victim Rights Amend-
ment, or Georgia Amendment
4, will be on the election ballot.
Five other states will also vote on
whether this law will be added to
their constitutions this year, as
well, and five other states have al-
ready incorporated the law.
Proponents argue that passing
Marsy’s Law would guarantees
rights to victims of crimes to be
treated with respect and dignity,

E
ach week , this sec tion of COMPETITIVE AIRSOFT
News will include coverage The Airsoft Club at Georgia
of different aspects of bills Tech, the organizational repre-
and resolutions that have passed sentative made clear near the be-
through Student Government. This ginning of his explanation of the
bill, is a competitive organization:
will include the Undergraduate
it competes in military simula-
House of Representatives, Graduate tions, also known as milsim, and
Student Senate and the Executive is looking to expand the number
Branch of both government bodies. of its members engaging in the
competitive side of airsoft.
JONATHAN JEFFREY Thus, the Airsoft Club request-
NEWS EDITOR ed a $500 stipend for a coach, an
amount to which all competitive
BILL SUMMARY organizations registered under the
Competitive Sports Office in the
BILL AMOUNT GSS UHR Campus Recreation Center are
Airsoft Club Spending Bill $4,514.49 13-2-1 26-1-2 entitled but had been erroneously
stripped from the Club’s budget.
Rowing Club Entry Fee and Travel $11,191.45 13-1-1 25-1-1 Because multiple club and per-
GPU Server Pt. 2 for GT Agency $1,054.35 12-2-1 28-0-0 sonal guns were stolen from the
club locker during a break-in, the
Scheller Marketing Association Dues - 15-0-0 0-28-0 Airsoft Club also requested money
Women’s Water Polo Registration $1,750 15-0-0 25-0-0 for field fees in order to be able to
rent airsoft guns for practice use.
SASE National Conference $1,138.20 15-1-0 25-0-0 After discussing whether rent-
ing the guns was the only feasible
option for the club, and question-
ing other line items such as face
masks to ensure they remained
within policy, representatives ulti-
mately passed the bill 26-1-2.
MARKETING...YOURSELF?
A review from the Joint Fi-
nance Committee found that the
Scheller Marketing Association’s
request for money to help pay for
dues to the American Marketing
Association would violate policy
because the dues did not serve the
purpose of letting students com-
pete in teams on Tech’s behalf.
The representative from Stu-
dent Organization Finance Office
was blunt, saying that funding the
bill would amount to opening the
floodgates for Greek and similar
organizations to request money to
help pay for national dues.
The bill’s sole line item was
struck unanimously in both GSS
and UHR, but UHR took the ex-
tra step of failing the bill entirely.
but critics claim that it would also
detrimentally provide victims of
crime with the same rights as of-
fenders or infringe on the rights of
the offenders.
Marsy’s Law was created by
Henry Nicholas, whose sister, the
namesake for the law, was mur-
dered by an ex-boyfriend in 1983.
Following her murder, Nicholas
and their mother were confronted
by the accused in a grocery store.
That event inspired Marsy’s Law
and the provision that protects
victims and their families by con-
sidering their safety in bail and
release of accused parties.
If this amendment passes,
it will alter the criminal justice
system in Georgia by offering
more protections to victims and
preventing events similar to that
which happened to Marsy’s fam-
ily. It aims to prevent victims and
their families from feeling victim-
ized by the law, as well, and to en-
sure they have the same rights as
the accused.

sliver // your thoughts

Sliver? I hardly know her

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we miss taco bell OPINIONS EDITOR
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Polly Ouellette
protest why dont you burn your nikes because of the company’s
employment of slave labor across the world ENTERTAINMENT
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is there a point in SAA membership Georgia Institute of Technology, and is an official publication of
EDITOR
why doesnt the IAC have a career fair :/ the Georgia Tech Board of Student Publications. The Technique
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bada bing bada boom publishes on Fridays, weekly in the fall and spring and biweekly in SPORTS EDITOR
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LOTTA DAMAGE!”
// NEWS
Andrew J. Young receives 2018 Ivan Allen Jr. Prize
JONATHAN JEFFREY
NEWS EDITOR
On Thursday, Sept. 13, An-
drew J. Young, a former United
Nations (UN) ambassador, mayor
of Atlanta and US. congressman,
was awarded the 2018 Ivan Allen
Jr. Prize for Social Courage for his
lifelong social activism and cham-
pionship of human rights.
Before entering politics and di-
plomacy, Young became a leader
in the Civil Rights Movement,
becoming the executive director
of the Southern Christian Lead-
ership Conference and working
alongside figures such as Dr. Mar-
tin Luther King Jr.
During the luncheon recep-
tion, Young expressed that the
prize was special to him due to
his understanding of what drove
Ivan Allen Jr., former mayor of
Atlanta, to become a civil rights
leader himself. Young reminded
the audience that as the son of a
wealthy white businessman, Allen
“could have [done] anything in
the world he wanted to do ... but
he wanted to be mayor,” and that
Allen was the only mayor in the
United States to testify on behalf
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
During his own stint of mayor
of Atlanta, Young focused on im-
proving the city’s connections to
business, the airport and, after the
opportunity arose, pushed Atlan-
ta to win the bid to host the 1996
Summer Olympics.
Young attributes much of his
ability to lead to his diverse up-
bringing in 1930s New Orleans.
“Growing up in my neighbor-
hood — like I said, an Irish gro-
cery store one corner, an Italian
bar and the Nazi Party on the
third corner, and I’m right in the
middle — well I had to learn to
deal with diversity in Kindergar-
technique • September 14, 2018• 3
ten,” Young explained. “That’s the ziest jokes, but that was the way Years later, after Young held a “You find that almost every-
best upbringing possible.” that group of men related with speech in Maine, a “tall skinny where, leaders are human beings,”
First as a civil rights activist and each other,” Young said. “Nowa- guy in a green jacket ... and white Young said. “And if we quit treat-
then as a politician and diplomat, days, you’d lose your job for say- flannel pants and white buckskin ing them like something to fear,
Young demonstrated a penchant ing some of the things we said.” shoes,” approached Young. and try to get to their basic hu-
for caring less about who exactly “Social media is not tolerant “And [Sgt. Hamilton] came manity, you can get along with
did the important work and more enough,” Young said. up to me and shook my hand, and almost everybody.”
about inspiring the right people to Being wary of social media’s said, ‘You don’t remember me, do “On the way out, speak to
do the job to ensure that the im- ability to strip context from con- you,’” Young recounted. somebody you don’t know, and
portant work got done. versations, Young instead encour- Young’s conversations with make a friend that’s a little differ-
“I’ve spent more time trying aged students to be able to talk to Sgt. Hamilton had opened his ence from you,” Young challenged
to get out of responsibility than each other, face-to-face. Young mind, and, in order for his chil- student attendees, spurring on
trying to get into responsibility,” shared a touching story about re- dren not to grow up the way he conversations in the audience.
Young said. sults of his friendly conversations did, he had moved to Maine. Previous winners of the Ivan
Young’s ability to see in other with Sgt. Hamilton, an Albany Young encouraged young peo- Allen Jr. Prize include former
people their potential for positive police officer who first greeted ple in the audience make connec- senator Sam Nunn, Congressman
change allowed him to see the Young with the n-word during his tions with people who might not John Lewis and Jimmy and Ro-
bright side in even his failed run jailhouse visit to Dr. King. share their same background. salynn Carter, among others.
for governor of Georgia in 1990.
After finding out Zell Miller
was committed to the HOPE
scholarship program for Georgia
students, “I was happy to lose [to
him],” Young said.
During the student town hall,
students were allowed to pitch
Young pre-prepared questions on
a variety of issues.
Young never gave easy answers,
steering the conversation as he saw
fit in winding answers. But his re-
sponses invariably were peppered
with words of wisdom from hard-
earned, lifelong experience.
When asked by a student about
how to bridge the differences
between the polarized sides of
America, Young said “the genius
of democracy” is that “you don’t
want to,” and instead encouraged
the audience to not let insecurities
get in the way of understanding
others’ diverse opinions.
“The world is always look-
ing for some way to reinforce the
things that they are insecure about
or the things that they are differ-
ent about,” Young cautioned.
However, Young seemed reti-
cent to embrace social media. Photo by Jonathan Jeffrey Student Publications
“There were certainly people Former UN Ambassador and Atlanta Mayor Andrew J. Young answers student town hall questions
that would come up with the cra- on topics ranging from sports in social activism to whether he is willing to embrace social media.
4 • September 14, 2018• technique
Path Forward group holds last two town halls
JEFFREY LUO
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
On Thursday, Sept. 6, and
Tuesday, Sept. 11, the last two of
three town halls were held by ad-
ministrative staff to share progress
on the A Path Forward initiative.
The forums, titled Health and
Well-being and Academics respec-
tively, were coordinated to present
updates on the effort to improve
student life and enhance mental
health resources and academic
programs across campus.
Some changes completed in-
clude new offerings by the recent-
ly expanded LGBTQIA Resource
Center and Tech Health Initia-
tives.
“We will be offering HIV test-
ing, pet therapy and our VOICE
advocate Jennifer Gagen will be
on hand to meet with students
who [have] experienced sexual vi-
olence, partner violence and stalk-
ing,” said Aby Parsons, director of
LGBTQIA Resource Center. “We
are also having our episcopal cam-
pus missioner come in providing
spiritual counsel for [those] who
want more faith-based support.”
Starting this fall, Health Ini-
tiatives will start offering group
wellness coaching. The program
is largely student-oriented as
students are grouped with peers
with similar aspirations and work
alongside a coach to progress to-
wards a determined goal.
“We will be offering six differ-
ent groups this fall as a pilot,” said
Tiffany Hughes-Trotman, direc-
tor of Health Behavior at Health
Initiatives. “Students who are in-
terested need to preregister and
talk about their goals for group
coaching. Students come in with
some idea of what to focus on.”
The construction of the Intake
Center is a longer-term goal the
// NEWS
administration has pursued. The Nate Knauf, third-year CS findings in Nov. 2017, and all of aims to simplify the GT1000 cur-
center, which is estimated to be and SGA CoC representative, was them have been published online. riculum to emphasize the diversity
completed in 2022, will focus on keen to point out the issue of per- Currently, there are ten full- of individual strengths. To address
streamlining the process of plan- manent staffing and hiring during time certified clinical staff, a the graduate student population,
ning and scheduling counseling the open discussion. In 2017, the number significantly smaller than a graduate student equivalent of
and psychiatry sessions. A tem- Mental Health Action Team Re- the 30 recommended to account GT 1000 was created, called Grad
porary center will be opened at port recommended the student to for the entire student body. Group, with the intent of promot-
the Smithgall Building starting counselor ratio be lowered to the “One of the first blocks to that ing resilience and reviewing stu-
Spring 2019 and will run until the nationally recommended ratio of is having sufficient space. I do not dent stress. Administrative staff
permanent center is opened. 1000 to one—it stood at 1578 to have thirty offices in the counsel- will also review institute health
“This is a very new initiative one in last year’s report. ing center,” said Dr. Carla Brad- requirements impacting first-year
and I think one that has great The Mental Health Action ley, who became the new director physiology courses.
potential for us,” said Dean John Team was one of three teams as- of the Counseling Center in July. On Friday, Sept. 14, a memo-
Stein, vice president for Student sembled by President G.P. “Bud” As for changes in academic rial will be held for Scout Schultz
Life. “We don’t have all the an- Peterson in Oct. 2017 to gather course offerings, certain core and at the Smithgall Center in Room
swers. Right now, we are still recommendations and iden- elective courses will now incorpo- 117. Schultz’s death a year ago
working out the logistics, but we tify key issues regarding mental rate LGBTQIA-relevant course prompted administration to begin
have months to do that.” health and community support. material. Within the upcoming to prioritize mental health and ac-
One new permanent source These action teams reported their year, the Office of the Provost ademic resources across campus.
of funding for mental heath pro-
grams is the Brandt-Fritz Endow-
ment for the Dean of Students.
The endowment, totaling $2.5
million, is expected to generate
$100,000 per year.
The allocation of funding is
at the discretion of the Dean of
Students, currently held by Stein,
though it can only be used for
specific purposes per endowment
restrictions.
“[Brandt and Fritz] wanted it
for students and student support
services. [It] cannot be used for
salaries or to hire new therapists,”
said Stein. “What it can be used
for is any initiative around mental
health, around sober living and
recovery.”
In the upcoming semesters, the
administration also plans to es-
tablish a Mental Health and Well-
Being advisory board composed
of both students and faculty.
“[The board] will meet a few
times each semester and look at
the whole health and well-being
piece at Georgia Tech and the
progress we’re making and find
ways to stay in communication Photo by Isabela Hadula Student Publications
with students, faculty, and staff,” Joyce Weinsheimer, Ed.D., director of the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), discusses how
said Stein. CTL will work with the LGBTQIA Center to make teaching on campus better and more inclusive.
Opinions
OUR VIEWS | Consensus Opinion
Does Tech really care about the arts?
New student center moving backwards
According to an announcement from
Musician’s Network, plans for Tech’s new
Student Center do not include a new itera-
tion of Under the Couch (UTC). This new
development compounds an ongoing bat-
tle between the Musician’s Network and
an administration eager to take control of
UTC away from them. By eliminating the
space completely, Tech would strike a ma-
jor blow against the development of an art
culture on campus and take a step back on
their ‘commitment’ to mental health.
The music facilities in West Village have
slowly morphed from dedicated practice
rooms to rentable all-purpose spaces; al-
lowing students to freely utilize a cam-
pus resource is not profitable. The Couch
Building boasts a whopping three outdat-
ed practice spaces, barely worth the mon-
ey they cost to rent. Outside of lugging a
piano into their dorms and serenading ev-
eryone on their floor, students are left with
very few options.
The Consensus Opinion reflects the majority opinion of the Editorial Board of the
Technique, but not necessarily the opinions of individual editors.
technique editorial board
Samira Bandaru EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Casey Miles MANAGING EDITOR
Lauren Douglas DESIGN EDITOR
Jonathan Jeffrey NEWS EDITOR
Polly Ouellette LIFE EDITOR
Harsha Sridhar SPORTS EDITOR
Zoie Konneker ONLINE EDITOR
HURRICANE INSURANCE BY LAUREN DOUGLAS
OPINIONS EDITOR: Jon Long
“
”
Today I do what other’s won’t, so
tomorrow I can do what others
can’t. — Jerry Rice
The Musician’s Network has had a large
impact on campus, both on the members
themselves and the scores of people that
utilize UTC, enjoy events put on by the
group and benefit from their many re-
sources. These resources, ranging from
all-important practices spaces and record-
ing equipment to lessons and networking,
are all invaluable to musicians on a college
campus. If Tech is willing to axe these,
what does that say about their attitudes to-
wards the arts as a whole?
Tech has a reputation as an “all work
no play” institution, and simply bringing
puppies to campus during exam week will
not change that. As long as Tech continues
pussyfooting around the mental health
crisis on campus and provides “solutions”
that solve things in name only, that repu-
tation will not go away. Puppies once a se-
mester do not change campus culture, but
taking steps to support the arts on campus
could be an effective way to start.
Jon Long OPINIONS EDITOR
Josh Trebuchon ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Casey Gomez PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Tristen Allen WEB DEVELOPER
technique
September 14, 2018
5
Friday,
Finding a light in
the darkness
It has been two years since here, the vibrancy being nowhere
I began my collegiate career at to be found. I no longer had the
Georgia Tech. In those two years, desire to explore because, for the
I have experienced the highest first time ever, I would have to ex-
highs and the lowest lows—and perience these things without my
above all, I have been reminded dad.
that pain is inevitable, but it is not But I did. I came back to Tech
forever. for the Spring 2017 semester, just
Freshman year is an excit- days after losing him. It was dif-
ing time. We are all exploring an ficult, and the winter dragged
unfamiliar city, navigating a new on; the chill lingered and I often
life and meeting life-long friends found myself wondering if the
for the first time. I could not wait warmth of summer would return.
to begin this new season of life in Almost as quickly as summer
a brand new place, one that is so turned to winter, spring appeared.
vibrant. It was through that experience
I was happier in those first few that I learned that, even though
months of my first I loved my dad, I
year than I have didn’t need him
ever been. The “No matter the to push me—I
sweltering heat of obstacle you are facing, could push myself;
August in Atlanta I could find my
brought a radiant you have the ability to strength in other
joy which often turn on the light, too.” things.
accompanies new In the spring,
beginnings. I met one of the
Then winter
BAYLEE FRIEDMAN best friends that I
came. It was un- ASSISTANT ONLINE EDITOR have ever had, one
expected and sud- that guided me
den, the warmth of summer being through the loss and comforted
traded in for the alarmingly cold me when I most needed it. I found
season that follows. I remember a home on Tech’s campus, a warm
feeling as though we had missed refuge from the cold outside. And
fall and I found myself longing for eventually, the warmth returned,
the transitional period, for a way all I had to do was be patient and
to prepare myself for the change hold on to those moments of joy
in the weather. when they came.
It was during winter break of There is a quote from Harry
my first year at Georgia Tech that Potter and the Prisoner of Az-
I unexpectedly lost my best friend: kaban that reads, “Happiness can
my dad. be found in even the darkest of
It was January 2017, and that times, if one only remembers to
month was darker and colder than turn on the light.”
any other January I have ever ex- These words by J.K. Rowling
perienced. I once again found my- seemed so simple and insignifi-
self longing for a way to make that cant when I first skimmed over
change easier. them as a 12-year-old. But now,
It was jarring to experience nearly a decade later, I have recog-
such a dramatic change in my life, nized the weight of them.
one that is reminiscent of the sud- My dad was a tremendous
den jump from summer to win- source of light in my life, but he
ter when you are expecting the was not the only one. There have
smooth transition of the fall. always been other sources of light,
My dad was the best person it just took that long and dark Jan-
I have ever known; he brought uary to realize how brightly they
a light that was even brighter shone.
than the summer in Atlanta. He Tech is a place of great oppor-
pushed me to be my best, sup- tunities and loving communities,
ported me even when I was not but life can be hard. I want to re-
my best, cried when I cried and mind whoever is reading this that
loved me more than anyone. no matter the obstacle you are fac-
When I lost him, I thought ing and no matter what adversity
that I lost that light. lies before you, you have the abil-
I no longer wanted to return ity to turn on the light, too.
to Tech. The thought of seeing No matter how cold the winter
my new friends was daunting and is, the change of the weather is the
Atlanta seemed more unfamiliar one constant and we always have
than it did when I first moved the promise of warmth again.
Write to us: are responses to or commentaries on
content found within the pages of the
opinions@nique.net Technique. Along with these letters,
we are open to receiving letters that
Got something to say? Then let focus on relevant issues that currently
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We also welcome your letters in written and in good taste. We reserve
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Each week we look for letters that opinions@nique.net.
6 • September 14, 2018• technique // OPINIONS

YOUR VIEWS | Online Comments

ALGAE FROM PAGE 1
CDC lists the possible sources of Predatory Housing
exposure as eating contaminated “Tourism is down, and even
fish or shellfish, drinking the wa- locals are trying to get away
ter, swimming or breathing in sea Not just the corporations, but also I’ve seen many Home Park
spray. Local fishing has come to a from the area.” landlords take advantage of student tenants who don’t know or
stand still and people are avoid-
ing “locally-sourced” seafood in CASEY GOMEZ stand up for their rights.
stores, with good reason. PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
The most common method of
infection is through contaminat- Andrew Shumway
ed food. Many dogs have also fall-
en ill from drinking water from
lakes and from trying to eat dead In the distant past, the water environment that drew people to
animals on the beach. Symptoms from north of Lake Okeechobee the area in the first place. Humans On-campus housing is just too expensive...
of Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB)- would pass through the lake and have taken their toll on Florida by
Associated Illness include vomit- overflow to the south in the Ev- overfishing, developing and dry-
ing, abdominal pain, dizziness, erglades; but, because people live ing the Everglades with invasive HanBin Yoon
weakness, low blood pressure and in the area, the government built tree species, building on the natu-
numbness. levees and eventually the Herbert ral habitats of sea turtles, destroy-
Fertilizer used on lawns and Hoover Dike to contain the flood- ing reefs with anchors and just by
farms in the area around Lake ing runoff, which is now diverted messing with the coral too much. *Unofficially a rant about The Standard*
Okeechobee cause these algae through lakes into the ocean on Even twenty years ago my dad
blooms. Fertilizer runs off into the either coast. would reminisce about how much
lake or canals and then follows the Funding and resources have healthier the reefs and wildlife Austin Blaire Milton
Caloosahatchee River out to the now been diverted to help fight were in his childhood. Now, I get
Gulf of Mexico on the west side the algae spread, but the efforts the opportunity to do the same. A
of Florida. seem to be too little too late. Wait- plastic straw ban went into effect
Hard Truths
The algae blooms in the lake ing to fix a problem until it has on Fort Myers Beach in Febru-
and freshwater been declared an ary and boating speed limits have Poignant and powerful. Well said.
areas and then emergency can long existed to protect manatees
continues out and will be det- but little has been done to combat
into salt water. “Change has to be on a rimental to the the growing industrial chemical
Algae flour- large scale ... Changes ecosystem. pollution. Bob Clyburn
ishes in warm Both the state Keeping plastic out of our
freshwater, so to the culture and laws and federal gov- oceans is a great effort to make, Reassessing Privilege
increasing the will of more to stop ernment need but so much more needs to be
salinity of wa- to implement done. Billboards all over Florida
terways in South the monster.” regulations to state “Don’t feed the monster” to
We get it, y’all. You’ve never interacted with a single black
Florida poses a prevent fertilizer remind us to use caution when
viable solution. from being used fertilizing, but change has to be person in your life. It’s cool. F*ck you.
Lake runoff has caused problems unless absolutely necessary. We on a large scale. Small individual
for years, causing cloudy brown cannot let the agricultural indus- efforts are great, but changes to
water in the water and along the try in Florida destroy the tourism the culture and laws will do more
beach. industry as well as the beautiful to stop the monster. Michael Leon
// OPINIONS
Hygge and the lost art of
seeking well-being
“For many, it can seem
unnatural to make time for
your own well-being, and
that is a harmful mindset.”
ROSEMARY PITRONE
ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR
Last month, I discovered the isn’t hyggeligt outside, it certainly
concept of “hygge.” Pronounced is on the inside.
“hoo-ga,” hygge is a Danish word Because such a large part of
that can be loosely translated to Danish life revolves around find-
“coziness of the soul.” For the ing and creating hygge, it is easy
Danes, it is about creating a hom- to see why the Danes are some of
ey atmosphere with the things the happiest people in the world.
you love most. Hygge is directly Wiking’s “Hygge Manifesto” lists
related to happiness. gratitude, togetherness, comfort
I know all of this because my and pleasure as key components of
sister loaned me “The Little Book hygge that are sure to bring light
of Hygge” by Meik Wiking. It’s to otherwise dreary days.
a short book filled with rustic il- Here at Tech, many students
lustrations and nuggets of wisdom are familiar with doom and
from an author who is dedicated gloom. Throughout the year it is
to studying the role of hygge in common to see students stress-
Danish life. Most importantly, ing out in the library or lining up
the book seeks to explain why the for coffee late at night to fend off
Danish people consistently rank sleep. While few statistics about
among the world’s happiest, de- the state of student mental health
spite the fact that it rains nearly at Tech are readily available, the
half the year in Denmark. Student Mental Health Action
I was pleased to learn that many Team reported that attempted
things I already enjoy are consid- suicide rates at Tech have been
ered “hyggeligt” — the adjective steadily rising since 2014.
form of hygge. Among them are Students often feel crushed by
cozy sweaters, warm cups of coffee the weight of homework, projects
or tea, the soft glow of candles and and tests. Add to that the stress of
the presence of good company. finding employment and main-
Smells, tastes and even sounds can taining a social life, and many
be hyggeligt. Wiking evokes im- forget to prioritize their physical
ages of sitting by the window dur- and mental well-being. Students
ing a thunderstorm and listening are plagued by the social pressure
to the raindrops fall. Although it to be busy all the time. While
productivity is great, relaxation is
important too.
That is where hygge can be
helpful. Being mindful of hygge
helps me whenever I feel over-
worked or upset. I recommend
having a “hygge box” on hand for
your most urgent “hygge-mergen-
cies.” Wiking suggests filling the
box with things that comfort you
— like your favorite books, snacks
or a journal so you can get your
thoughts on paper. When things
become stressful or overwhelm-
ing, the box is filled with things to
improve your mood.
It’s possible that you already
practice hygge. Many people set
time aside each day for activities
that make them feel happy and
safe, such as meditation or hang-
ing out with friends.
But it is also important to ad-
dress the culture of high stress
that we live in. For many, it can
seem unnatural to make time for
your own well-being, and that is
a harmful mindset. I believe that
everyone can set aside one hour
for relaxation and the pursuit
of hygge each day. If that seems
daunting, try planning an hour of
hygge a few times a week to start
out. Think about the time when
you are most productive. If it’s in
the morning, you might want to
plan hyggeligt moments for the
evening, and vice versa.
So, grab some battery-operated
candles and your fuzziest blanket.
Dedicate at least one hour of your
day to hygge. Whether that means
catching up on your favorite show,
taking a bubble bath or cooking a
meal with friends, it is important
to have moments to look forward
to — no matter how small.
technique • September 14, 2018• 7
More Flags, More Fun
Tech is putting on its yearly
Six Flags night at Atlanta’s
most prominent theme park
this Friday, the 14th. The
event allows students to access
the park at a discounted rate as
well as interact with fellow Yel-
low Jackets in a fun environ-
ment. With a hurricane on the
way, it may have been a better
choice to choose Six Flag’s sis-
ter park, White Water, but the
event should be fun either way.
Seven Bridges
On the 14th, Tech hosted
an event celebrating their new
promenade off of Atlantic
drive, modeled after the iconic
Seven Bridges of Königsberg
puzzle. The event, put on by
the College of Sciences and
the School of Music, featured
“music, dance, and storytell-
ing in celebration of the puzzle
that made our modern, con-
nected world possible.” Any-
one who has not seen the space
should stop by.
State of Emergency
As Hurricane Florence
makes it way to the east coast,
several states — including
Georgia — have declared a
state of emergency. The storm
appears set to ravage the coast
of the Carolinas before mak-
ing its way south, leaving peo-
ple wondering if Atlanta will
be effected. It may be wise to
invest in an umbrella; it would
be wiser to invest a few min-
utes to ensure that friends and
family are safe.
The Skiles Stench
The Skiles building has a
lot going for it: outdoor bath-
room access, state-of-the-art
blackboards and a nice ‘high
school’ atmosphere. Thanks to
some of the building’s plants,
it can now add ‘horrendous
smell’ to the list. The offend-
ing trees produce pods that,
in turn, produce the odor the
spreads to the surrounding
area. Although this happens
every year, the smell doesn’t
get any easier to deal with.
Life
A look into the past to inspire the future
JAIMEE FRANCIS
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Plastic molded chairs, chip-
tuned synthesized arcade music,
black and white propaganda post-
ers. Although these are not the
kinds of items you would expect
to see in a lab space at an insti-
tute that prides itself on looking
towards the future, it is items like
these that adorn the retroTECH
lab.
The Technique chatted with the
lab’s manager Wendy Hagenmai-
er to gain insight into this initia-
tive that preserves artifacts in its
aim to not only archive the past,
but to build the future.
The different workstations that
comprise the retroTECH lab in-
clude different vintage technolo-
gies. One such station showcases
a timeline of different models of
Apple computers, beginning with
a clunky 1992 Apple Macintosh
LC II and tracking the company’s
progress through the years.
Another exhibit includes a col-
lection of older games and gam-
ing devices, such as 1994 Myst
and 1996 Sims Classic. Former
Brittain Fellows from the Insti-
tute even designed what they like
to refer to as a time machine: a
custom-built arcade cabinet, com-
plete with its bright yellow arcade
shift knob, which offers students
a unique user experience for gam-
ing.
The experience the lab has cre-
ated has attracted students who
want to come in and see the arti-
LIFE EDITOR:
Polly Ouellette
ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR:
Rosemary Pitrone
life@nique.net
Inside RetroTECH:
facts and play the games, creating
present-day interactions with the
past that have left their marks on
the narrative.
One such interaction occurs
between students and an early
prototype of speech recognition
named Connie, which dates back
to the 1990s. Connie not only
shocks students who had previ-
ously assumed the technology be-
hind Siri and Alexa to be new, but
she can even annoy some students
when she interrupts their game
to try and chat. This interaction
has led some students to name
their saved games as “Connie, Go
Away.”
It is personal touches such as
these that reveal the ability of
people to leave their trace on what
they encounter from the past.
The exhibits at the retroTECH
lab do not just uncover various
layers of history, but also dig up
and inspire new stories.
The idea for the lab originated
from a former Tech student and
faculty member, Dr. Jason Ellis.
Ellis organized a temporary pop-
up display of vintage technology
on campus in which all of the
items were donated by members
of the Tech community. Donors
were also asked to submit a label
describing the significance of the
donated item in their personal
lives.
This small initiative inspired
the retroTECH lab to be what it is
today. Hagenmaier explained the
idea behind the pop-up display
and current lab in terms of digital
heritage.
Using Technology to Inspire Design
The Center for Biologically Inspired Design does research
on biological systems in order to design products that are
sustainable and functional. 410
“Artifacts are our evidence
of the cultures that we emerged
from,” Hagenmaier said. “They’re
evidence of what was saved, and
what wasn’t and what we valued
at the time.”
“They’re conversation-starters,
these pieces of hardware and soft-
ware, for thinking about who the
people were, who used them and
the culture of the time and the
assumptions of the time, as well
as the assumptions that we make
now. It helps us be a little more
critical and analytical about our
own culture and our own innova-
tive practices,” she said.
The push to preserve artifacts
can be attributed to the tendency
for people feel an emotional con-
nection to the items of their past,
a nostalgia for that which is gone.
Hagenmaier explained the goal of
the collection is not to be compre-
hensive and vast, but particular
and unique to the campus iden-
tity.
“Our first criteria for how we
value things ... is what is the sig-
nificance of the item to Georgia
Tech? Does it have a connection
to the students here, the people
here?” said Hagenmaier. “Cer-
tainly computer history museums
exist ... but that’s not our goal, to
be comprehensive. We want to be
locally relevant and to have things
that are unique to our context ...
to have a solid program of encour-
aging people on campus to have
this long-term thinking mindset
about past, present and future.”
The retroTECH collection
does not aim to acquire physi-
cal objects, but to cultivate a
new mindset: a mindset that will
awaken people to the connection
that is created as a result of their
shared digital heritage. It is with
this new, unifying mindset that
members of a community are then
able to join forces and build the
future.
“Hack the past, design the fu-
ture.” This slogan of retroTECH
captures the lab’s philosophy and
vision: that by exploring the past,
visitors may be better equipped to
tackle the future.
As of now, the lab is quietly
tucked away inside the Price Gil-
bert Library. It goes unnoticed by
most passers-by, who are usually
too busy rushing to check things
off of an ever-growing to-do list
to investigate the space. At the
completion of the library renova-
tions in January, the retroTECH
lab will move inside the brand-
new Crossland Tower. It will exist
side-by-side with the cutting-edge
future.
The lab’s coexistence in the
Library Next project, a project
which aims to design for the fu-
ture, is not in contradiction to the
labs’s philosophy of preserving to
the past. The past is not static and
unchanging, but fluid and experi-
mental.
The doors of the exhibit are
open to anyone, from alums fa-
miliar with the technology hosted
there to freshmen who have never
seen anything like it.
To learn more about ret-
roTECH and its work, visit
retrotech.library.gatech.edu.
Photos by Tom Hightower Student Publications
technique
8
Friday,
September 14, 2018
How to get out
of a rut
LILY STEELE
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Feel like your days are repeat-
ing themselves? Between class,
recitation, studying and — if you
really have your life together —
working out, life at college can
get repetitive. It can be hard to get
out of a rut once you fall into one,
so here are some tips for the next
time you need to switch things up.
TRY SOMETHING NEW
If you feel like every day is the
same, step outside of your comfort
zone: try out a new hobby that you
normally might not. Go to that
club meeting you see advertised
everywhere, visit Paper & Clay to
exercise your creative side or stop
by the CRC for one of the many
specialized classes they offer.
Dipping your toes into a few
new groups and activities could
help you find a new passion, and
it will still let you spice up your
old routine.
SET GOALS
When it seems like nothing
you do in your day-to-day life has
any effect, it can get pretty bor-
ing and disheartening. To counter
this, take some time to set specific,
attainable goals that you can real-
istically work toward every day.
Whether you want to finally
read a book in your free time,
learn how to cook something
other than pasta or apply for a few
internships, having goals will give
your days a little extra purpose —
and make you feel great when you
actually accomplish them.
TREAT YOURSELF
If you find yourself feeling
overworked and bored with it all,
try exercising a little self-care.
Letting yourself recharge will
help you approach things from a
new perspective, so take a mental
health day, slap on a face mask, eat
a slice of cake and have some well-
deserved you time for a change.
MINDFULNESS
Exercising mindfulness is an
important step toward under-
standing what exactly makes you
feel stuck. Journaling can help
you put your thoughts into words
and figure out how you’re spend-
ing — and wasting — your time.
Focusing on your actions like
this can help you hone in on what
makes you unhappy and what
makes your days drag. Meditation
is another way to become more
conscious of your attitude and
world-view.
// LIFE
Sympathetic Vibrations hits all the right notes
LANE ELDER
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
“On three. One … two …
three … Don’t suck!”
The group of college guys hud-
dle up before their performance
to hype each other up, and that is
their mantra.
Caleb Wikle, music director
for Sympathetic Vibrations and
fourth-year PHYS, described the
cheer as one of the all-male a cap-
pella group’s traditions.
“We set the bar low, because
everyone at Georgia Tech is such
a perfectionist. So even if we don’t
do as well as we wanted to, well,
we didn’t suck that much,” said
Wikle.
The Sympathetic Vibrations
group, sometimes colloquially re-
ferred to as SympVibes, exceeds
their own expectations on a reg-
ular basis, performing modern
arrangements of songs with just
their voices at international com-
petitions, concerts, weddings and
events across campus.
Sympathetic Vibrations started
21 years ago in 1997 and is the
oldest a cappella group on cam-
pus. Its name comes from a phys-
ics phenomenon: when two tun-
ing forks are placed close to one
another and one is struck, the
other will sound as well, picking
up on the vibrations. The ten to
15 guys who are part of the group
each year aim to use the same
phenomenon to blend their own
voices.
Not the traditional choral
group, the guys in Sympathetic
Vibrations cover popular songs,
singing both the lyrics and in-
strumental parts with their voic-
es. Recent examples include the
trumpet-y sound of Fall Out Boy’s
“Irresistible” and “Marilyn Mon-
roe” by Pharrell Williams with its
violin-like background.
“It’s not like I’m standing in
the front telling everyone what
to do. It’s an interactive, dynamic
performance as opposed to just
reading off sheet music,” said
Wikle.
Recently, the group changed
leadership after the three-and-a-
half year music director Richard
Huckaby graduated last May.
“Losing our long-time music
director helps you reset and re-
evaluate what you want to do with
the group,” said Wikle.
After being a part of the group
since his freshman year in 2015,
he was chosen to lead the group.
His role includes running rehears-
als, communicating with group
members and making sure their
music is the best it can be.
“It’s a little bit more responsi-
bility, and sometimes I think ‘am
I really the most qualified?’ But
we have so many talented guys in
there. It’s just a blast,” Wikle said.
Members of Sympathetic Vibrations sing at a Tech graduation ceremony in 2018.
The all-male a cappella group performs at a variety of events on and around campus.
One way the group is evolv-
ing this year is through their
song choices. The songs change
almost every year, and by the end
of the semester, the group has up
to 15 songs learned and ready to
perform. While in the past the
group has tended towards popular
or alt-rock music, they seek to be
constantly evolving over time as
different members and influences
come and go.
“Right now we’re transitioning
more to hip-hop and R&B, while
still keeping some good songs ev-
eryone knows in our back pocket,”
said Wikle. “We’re just expanding
our horizons a little bit.”
Song selection is a democratic
group effort for Sympathetic Vi-
technique • September 14, 2018• 9
brations. The members arrange
their songs themselves, with over
half of the members able to write
the music. This lends the group’s
performance diversity. Singing in
front of audiences can be a stress-
ful process, so the goal is to make
everyone as comfortable as possi-
ble. After all, according to Wikle,
“It’s not my group. It’s everyone’s
group.”
This year the group may also
be reevaluating the choice to
compete. In the past, Sympathetic
Vibrations has competed in the
ICCAs, the International Cham-
pionship of Collegiate A Cappel-
la. This international competition
hosts hundreds of college groups
every year.
Photo by Maria Furukawa Student Publications
Going beyond what blockbust-
ers like Pitch Perfect may show,
judging considers not only cho-
reography and song choices, but
soloist vocal quality, professional-
ism, diction and blending of the
members’ voices.
Sympathetic Vibrations placed
first place in ICCA quarterfinals
two years in a row in 2017 and
2018 after only one prior competi-
tion experience.
“It’s a lot of stiff competition
… but I think we did so well
those past couple years because
we brought something to the table
that not a lot of groups are will-
ing to do, especially guys groups,
which was giving it our all, bring-
ing a lot of energy, having fun on
the stage,” said Wikle. “That’s
what people want to see. They
want to see people having fun to-
gether, and then transmitting that
emotion to the audience.”
One song they sang at the
ICCAs was a 12-part harmony
rendition of Justin Timberlake’s
“My Love.” Every group member
had a different part to sing, all
while performing choreography
on stage with a microphone in
hand. This commitment to try-
ing the difficult and unexpected
is one of Sympathetic Vibrations
hallmarks.
“We just like doing cool ar-
rangements that other groups
might not be willing to do, be-
cause they’re afraid of failing
or not sounding professional,”
Wikle said. “But we’re all just a
bunch of engineers and computer
scientists who are just like ‘Why
not? Let’s try it out and see how
it goes?’ Even if we’re struggling a
lot, we’re always there to help each
other out.”
There are many on-campus
opportunities to witness these
computer scientists and engineers
singing, dancing and beatboxing.
Sympathetic Vibrations holds
concerts the last week of every se-
mester, right before exams. They
also perform at various other
events on and around campus,
such as greek events, so keep an
ear out for their melodies.
10 • September 14, 2018• technique
CBID: an alliance between tech and nature
HENRY SUN
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Technological advances often
involve exploiting nature for the
benefit of humanity. While these
advances certainly improve the
quality of life for people around
the world, there can be devastat-
ing environmental consequences
that come with warring against
nature in favor of technology.
With future sustainability on
the line, researchers from Tech’s
Center for Biologically Inspired
Design (CBID) ask an important
question: “Can nature and tech-
nology become allies instead of
enemies?”
With this question in mind,
these researchers work diligently
to ensure that the answer to this
question is “Yes.”
CBID is an interdisciplinary
network of researchers who pro-
mote the practice of learning from
nature and work with industrial-
ist, students and other academic
experts to develop new, useful and
environmentally harmless tech-
nology.
“While scientific research and
design is important, we also want
to take this knowledge and cre-
ate more benign technology that
would improve our society and
promote sustainable practices,”
said Marc Weissburg, co-director
of CBID and professor of biologi-
cal sciences.
There are five major areas of
research that CBID participates
in: biomechanics and robotics,
biomaterials, sensing systems,
complex organized systems and
biologically inspired design meth-
odology and innovation. Re-
searchers working in each area
have produced many new meth-
ods and technologies that are
both sustainable and biologically
inspired.
// LIFE
One example of new biologi- Every fall semester Jeannette Members of the CBID also from 16 countries and will com-
cally inspired invention comes Yen, director of the CBID and mentored a team of Tech students pete for the Ray of Hope Prize.
from the biomechanics and robot- professor of biological sciences, who competed in the Biomim- In developing and promoting
ics research sector. teaches a course titled Biologi- icry Global Challenge earlier this the idea of incorporating natu-
These researchers have de- cally Inspired Design. This course summer. This challenge is an in- ral processes in engineer designs
signed a robotic fish built from covers a multitude of subjects, in- ternational design contest held by across academia and industry,
very flexible materials. Its software cluding incorporating biological the Ray C. Anderson Foundation CBID hopes to make a positive
and hardware design allow it to process into a wide societal con- to fight climate change using na- impact in terms of sustainable
mimic the thrust that real fish ex- text and taking inspiration from ture-inspired inventions. practices on both local and inter-
hibit while swimming. This helps nature to create more options for The Tech student team even- national society.
the robotic fish integrate with un- designs when solving various real tually took home one of the eight To learn more, visit cbid.gat-
derwater life, which in turn allows world engineering problems. finalist spots out of over 60 teams ech.edu.
researchers study underwater life
in their natural habitat without
disturbance.
Biologically inspired design
can also be utilized to tackle more
difficult challenges such as creat-
ing sturdier materials and build-
ing stronger structures.
“The way biology addresses
how to build strong and unique
structures is very different from
how we as human scientists and
engineers would address it,”
Weissburg said. “For example, in-
stead of adding more energy and
other foreign particles to change
material properties as we do, biol-
ogy will simply reconfigure basic
molecules to create these different
properties.
“Let’s say we crush chalk, a
very brittle substance, and put it
in one hand then crush a seashell,
a very resilient substance, and
put it in another hand. If we ask
someone to differentiate the two,
that person will find no difference
because they are both made from
the same basic substance,” Weiss-
burg said.
In addition to promoting
biologically inspired design on a
large-scale industrial and research
level, the CBID also promotes vis-
ibility of this principle in the local
student and faculty community
on Tech campus.
They accomplish this by teach-
ing both classroom courses and Photo courtesy of David Hu
mentoring Tech students in de- As part of the process to create a robotic water strider, researchers at CBID studied the behaviors
sign competitions. of real water striders. Above, one is shown making patterns in paint on the surface of the water.
// LIFE technique • September 14, 2018• 11

to convince people to be on their pretty politically-centric but op- college. But to this, he does note Though many students in the
side,” she said. posed to high government regula- the power that young, informed Ivan Allen School of Liberal Arts
Though Turner strays away tion, and liberal arts is ... inher- voters hold. see politics as a fluid, everyday dis-
from political dialogue in part ently ... liberal.” “If [students] don’t want to be cussion, it can sometimes be hard
because of the awkward, height- Asher Stadler, first-year ECON involved, then that’s their choice,” for students of other disciplines to
ened debates, Chandler Woods, and INTA, agrees with Woods in he said. “But usually students are agree.
second-year PUBP, sees these ar- that college students as a whole the ones to spur national political Lilly Viau, first-year BA, agrees
guments as key components to should be vocal and informed. change.” with Turner in that political de-
strengthening political literacy. “College students should stay “I think that we hold a lot of bates can make some students un-
“Political tensions will contin- up to date with the news and responsibility because we’re so comfortable, thus excluding them
ue to rise, as Democrats continue begin to formulate independent young and we have so much ener- from discussions.
to forecast a blue wave and Re- opinions from their parents, fig- gy, and we also have a lot of influ- “I’m scared to talk about na-
publicans discount certain polling uring out what they really believe ence over how politics in America tional politics on campus because
models as inaccurate and unreli- about the current political envi- can change,” said Anika Gouhl, I don’t want political stances to
able,” Woods said. “It’s important ronment and acting on it,” Stadler first-year HTS. get in between me and potential
Politics on to understand important issues said. Gouhl views political action friendships,” she said.
at hand, as well as the candidates Like Turner, Stadler is aware as a vital component to the atmo- Though Gouhl understands
Tech’s campus who supposedly take certain that through opinion sharing, sphere of campuses, allowing stu- others’ worries about voicing their
stances on those issues, to make some students can feel attacked dents to exchange differing opin- opinions, she hopes that Tech stu-
MOLLY WESTON an informed decision on who to or unheard. To mitigate this, he ions and strengthen their own. dents do not stop being politically
CONTRIBUTING WRITER support.” tries to engage in dialogue about “Colleges are centers of learn- active, especially around the mid-
While studying policy at Tech, current issues with a wide range ing and where ideas come togeth- term elections. Students have the
As the country gears up for the Woods has noticed the trends in of peers and hopes to become in- er and influence each other with power to vote in elections which
2018 midterm elections, political overarching political leanings of volved in a range of clubs. politics being a huge part of the have results that affect them.
debates extend further than cable certain majors across campus. Stadler also realizes that politi- dialogue,” she said. “This is the “I hope that we’re not apathet-
broadcast smear ads and brightly From what he sees, “business cal activism is not for everyone, perfect place for politics to be dis- ic,” she said. “Because political
colored signs and buttons. Since is highly conservative, STEM is especially in the public stage of cussed.” apathy kills democracy.”
the waves of societal revolution
in the 1950s and the antiwar cries
of the 60s and 70s, college cam-
puses have been at the forefront of
protests, providing students with
stages and platforms to share their
political opinions and call for
change.
But along Freshman Hill and
Tech Green, student’s opinions on
what their political involvement
should be are as divided as the
country.
For Emma Turner, third-year
NEURO, political debate does
not belong on Tech’s campus.
“College campuses aren’t the
place to make a hostile political
environment,” Turner said. “In-
stead of focusing on actual school
work, people are just making
themselves upset.”
The widening divide between
liberals and conservatives in the
country at large makes it hard for
Turner, and others, to be comfort-
able discussing politics at Tech. Photo by Maria Furukawa Student Publications
“[Tech students] don’t argue to Members of the Progressive Student Alliance march from campus to the Capitol in 2017, protesting House Bill 51, which made
learn,” she said. “They just argue changes to rules regarding reporting sexual assault. This is one of the groups on campus most involved in political activism.

Entertainment
‘Raise Vibration’ offers fresh message, old sound
MUSIC
Raise Vibration
Lenny Kravitz
LABEL: Roxie Records
GENRE: Rock/Funk
TRACK PICKS: “Raise
Vibration,” “Here to Love”
and “Who Really Are the
Monsters?”
«
OUR TAKE: «««««
IZABELA HADULA
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Lenny Kravitz’s new album, re-
leased September 7, 2018, marks
his long-awaited 11th studio al-
bum release. “Raise Vibration” is
a high-spirited mobilization that
marks somewhat of a new direc-
tion for Kravitz, departing from
the sultry, sexy funk of its prede-
cessor, “Strut.”
Even the song titles themselves
suggest a different atmosphere,
with previous titles drawing from
images of flamboyance and a
tough “stick it out” attitude now
being replaced with an optimistic,
global change-oriented attitude
and social commentary, as evident
in titles like “Who Really Are the
Monsters?”, “Here to Love” and
“We Can Get It All Together.”
This album is not likely to en-
gage Kravitz’s casual fans as much
as his older music from the “Are
You Gonna Go My Way” and “It
Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over” era. For
those who respect him as a musi-
cian and for his unique personal
style — there are few others out
there who can pull off vests, high
heeled boots and mesh tops —
‘Purge’ series brings nothing new to tired franchise
TELEVISION
The Purge
NETWORK: USA
WHEN: Tuesdays
STARRING: Gabriel
Chavarria, Hannah Anderson
and Jessica Garza
OUR TAKE: «««««
MAYA FLORES
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
USA’s new series “The Purge”
asks the question of what would
happen if all crime were legal for
one night of each year. The idea
seemed thought provoking in
2013, and creator James DeMo-
naco’s original film, “The Purge,”
was certainly controversial, but
five years and four identical se-
quels later, viewers are bored.
USA’s new installment in this
franchise could have brought a
new perspective to the table, but
instead rehashes the same content.
All installments of the fran-
chise are set in an alternate
United States where a political
party dubbed the New Founding
Fathers of America (NFFA) has
control of the government. Part
technique
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR:
Josh Trebuchon
Friday,
12
entertainment@nique.net August 31, 2018
Photo courtesy of Roxie Records
American singer-songwriter Lenny Kravitz recently released the 11th studio album in his 37-year career. Kravitz is known for
his unique musical style which incorporates sounds from a variety of genres, most prominently funk, rock, jazz and reggae.
this album will not impress more light the call to action on which with the chanting and singing of working in a tobacco factory in
than Kravitz’s other recent music. Kravitz bases all of his new music. what sounds like a group of men. Seville, Spain.
That being said, fans will ap- The melody is quite mellow “Raise Vibration” evokes Car- The easygoing folk sound in-
preciate the crowd-gathering, with a nice, smooth guitar playing los Saura’s 1983 film “Carmen” serted into the song proves to be
unifying optimism that shines in the background, however the in that the harmonious folk-style similar to the Andalusian folk mu-
through in “Raise Vibration.” The coolest part of the song is definite- singing featured in “Raise Vibra- sic being sung during the film in
song under the same namesake is, ly the final minute or so. Kravitz tion” creates an interesting jux- the scene appropriately titled, “La
without a doubt, the best offering and the guitar fade away into a taposition to the cinematic ren- Tabacalera.” The reason this film
on the album. It really brings to distant drum beat accompanied dition of the women singing and See KRAVITZ, page 14
of NFFA policy is an annual na-
tional ‘holiday,’ the Purge, where
for 12 hours all crime is legal. As
expected during this holiday, the
United States is in turmoil. Citi-
zens have the option to purge, and
wreak havoc, murder, steal, com-
mit arson, or to barricade their
homes and hope that their fami-
lies make it through the night.
The franchise was created with
the intention of providing social
commentary on America, and
while hints of criticism of politics,
violence, and human nature are
evident, none of the movies have
succeeded in making any great
points.
Airing Tuesdays at 10pm on
USA Network, this television se-
ries further explores the world
created by its predecessors. Epi-
sode one, “What is America?”, in-
troduces viewers to the five main
characters and sets up the grue-
some events that are sure to come
in later episodes. Miguel (Gabriel
Chavarria, “East Los High”) is
a recently returned Marine on a
mission to locate his estranged
sister. Penelope (Jessica Garza,
“Six”), Miguel’s sister, is a mem-
ber of a religious cult who worship
the Purge and sacrifice themselves Photo courtesy of USA Network
to help purgers vent. Hannah Emily Anderson stars in USA’s new contribution to the “Purge” franchise. Anderson’s
See PURGE, page 15 character is an entrepreneur who uses a purge party as an opportunity to secure investment.
// ENTERTAINMENT technique • August 31, 2018• 13

‘Egypt Station’ supplies fans with classic McCartney sound

MUSIC
Egypt Station
Paul McCartney
LABEL: Capitol Records
GENRE: Pop-Rock
TRACK PICKS: “I Don’t
Know,” “Come on to Me” and
“Hand in Hand”
OUR TAKE: «««««

MAX JARCK
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Following a busy summer full

of cryptic Instagram posts, a car-
pool karaoke appearance with
James Corden and an intimate
surprise concert at Grand Central
Station, Paul McCartney released
his newest album, “Egypt Sta-
tion,” this past Friday.
McCartney describes “Egypt
Station” as a concept album, as
was The Beatles’ revolutionary
“Sgt. Pepper’s” which came out
of McCartney’s idea for the band
to assume an alter-ego. Each song
on the new album represents a dif-
ferent station on this musical jour-
ney. McCartney also said the title
“Egypt Station” reminded him
of the albums he and The Beatles
used to make. The resulting album
stays true to its nostalgic inspira-
tions. McCartney experiments
with new sounds in some places
but overall this is a McCartney Photo courtesy of Capitol Records
listeners are familiar with. Paul McCartney released his latest studio album, titled ‘Egypt Station,’ on Sept. 7. The record is a concept album much like
“Egypt Station” begins with The Beatles’ landmark release ‘Sgt. Pepper’s,’ with each track representing a different stop on the journey of McCartney’s life.
sounds of a train station over a
choir which transitions smoothly “Come on to Me” snaps the som- “Hello,” vary the pace masterfully who gives the track a more con- tions connected through classic
into the melancholy piano ballad ber tone with its rocking guitar throughout the album. “Happy temporary pop sound. McCartney transitions. Some
“I Don’t Know”. When asked and suggestive lyrics about Mc- With You,” a slower acoustic “Hand in Hand” and “Back in of McCartney’s top tracks such
what his favorite song on the al- Cartney deciding how to respond number, is followed by the biting Brazil” stand out on the B side and as “Band on the Run” and “Live
bum was, McCartney cheekily to a woman’s seductive look. guitar riffs of “Who Cares”. “Fuh carry the album along towards and Let Die” were made using the
replied, “I don’t know!” His taste McCartney and Greg Kurst- You” is the lone track not pro- the end of the journey. At nearly same approach. McCartney con-
is spot on- “I Don’t Know” is per- en, a producer well known for duced by Kursten. Instead Mc- seven minutes, “Despite Repeated firmed on the “Sodajerker” pod-
haps the best song on the album. his work on Adele’s 2015 single Cartney works with Ryan Tedder, Warnings” contains several sec- See EGYPT, page 14
14 • August 31, 2018• technique
KRAVITZ FROM PAGE 12
seems especially relevant is that
this Andalusian folk-style singing
brings unity among the women of
the tobacco factory, even when in-
ternal disputes arise, which could
be said to be the very purpose of
folk music and definitely clari-
fies Kravitz’ inclusion of a similar
style to unite his listeners.
Kravitz’s new album, titled ‘Raise Vibration,’ does not stray far
from his traditional style but updates his music thematically.
Interestingly, Kravitz even
mentions working in a factory at
the very beginning of “5 More
Days ‘Til Summer.” This refer-
ence is probably a coincidence,
but it does nicely lend itself to the
universal love theme that seems to
dominate this album.
“Here to Love” and “Who Re-
ally Are the Monsters?” follow a
similar theme of wanting to paint
Photo courtesy of Roxie Records
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH JOURNAL
Showcase, Present, and Inspire
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH @ GT
gttower.org
// ENTERTAINMENT
a picture of a better, more unified EGYPT “Egypt Station” is an album
world. The slower ballads draw in
FROM PAGE 13
full of unique and fresh songs, eas-
the message of love, evoking unity cast that the stubborn captain in ily McCartney’s best effort since
in a more emotional and person- “Despite Repeated Warnings” is a 2005’s “Chaos and Creation in
al sense, painted on the canvas jab at President Trump. the Backyard.” While McCartney
of smooth guitar sequences and To reinforce the whole concept might not know where he keeps
soothing mellow vocals. of the album the station noises going wrong in “I Don’t Know,’”
While maybe a bit cliche, lis- and choir appear again. The final one thing is for sure: as long as he
teners cannot help but respect the stop on the metaphorical journey, keeps putting out music, millions
message, especially with songs a medley of several songs, wraps of fans will keep gobbling it up
like “It’s Enough” that bring to up the album. while they still can.
light important racial issues and
injustice. Spoken like a true so-
cial commentary, Kravitz infuses
powerful messages like “Pushing
all your drugs just to keep us high,
while the media propagates the
lie,” with high-powered rhythms
and jazz elements in a very 1960s
counterculture-esque way.
Overall, a very sonically agree-
able album with strong messages,
yet the listener almost gets the
impression that had Kravitz been
a bit more rebellious in his musi-
cal style it could be an even better
addition to his catalogue. When
placed beside his perfect mélange
of themes of distrust of the “sys-
tem,” displays of important cur-
rent issues and optimism for love
and peace, Kravitz’s style feels a
little plain and becomes the weak-
est aspect of the album.
The music itself is very fluid
and smooth, reflective of his at-
titude that the world can change
for the better, but the album could
be much stronger if Kravitz had
dipped into the territory of harder
rock or at least graced listeners’
ears with some more audio clips of
cool drum beats and folksy sing-
ing. The album is not musically
bad, but feels less sonically strik-
ing than some of Kravitz’s earlier
releases.
Still, the album communicates
its themes with beauty and clar-
ity, and the listener gets the im- Photo courtesy of Capitol Records
pression that that is largely what McCartney has promoted the album aggressively, making media
Kravitz wants it to do. appearances and playing a show in Grand Central Station.
// ENTERTAINMENT technique • August 31, 2018• 15

PURGE FROM PAGE 12

Realistically, most Americans secured behind huge metal doors, sage of the rich versus the masses, action devoid of emotional, visual
would self-prep for the Purge and locked with the touch of a finger the show is tone deaf as to who re- or plot substance, but the new
Jenna (Hannah Anderson, “Jig- hope that it was enough to pro- through an app. Had the show ally makes up the masses. As in its installment offers nothing which
saw”) and Rick (Colin Woodell, tect their families. The fact that been focused on everyday Ameri- predecessors, the series seems to the movies did not.
“Unsane”), a couple introduced this series only glazes over this cans coping with the holiday, any attempt to comment on politics, There is no doubt that this TV
as anti-Purge, are entrepreneurs struggle is a real missed opportu- social commentary would have american society, violence, and series is not the last viewers will
attending an elite NFFA party nity. Instead we focus on the bor- been a lot more poignant. human nature. see of this franchise, however. If
to secure funding for their busi- ing story of a rich, young couple It is this disconnect where The end product, however, “The Purge” manages to convey
ness. Lastly, Jane (Amanda War- as they attend a safe and lavish “The Purge” loses meaning most. misses the mark. The franchise any message, it is that violence al-
ren, “The Leftovers”) is a finance party. All the while their home is Despite touting a supposed mes- remains a solid source of violent ways ensures profit.
professional who is securing a deal
with Japanese clients who must
work through the overnight holi-
day from her office.
Technically, the show is
clunky. Viewers are thrown from
plot to plot, switching character
point of view far too many times.
The script is the embodiment of
telling instead of showing. The
dialogue is awkward, and all the
interactions seem forced.
The acting is not bad, but it
certainly does not draw the viewer
to the characters. For a thriller to
have dramatic weight, the audi-
ence has to actually care about
the survival and welfare of the
characters, a feat this show makes
difficult. “The Purge” does not
achieve that kind of connection,
the characters seem shallow and
so the viewer feels indifferent.
Another issue with the show is
that four stories are packed into an
hour of television and cover only
the 97 minutes prior to the Purge.
The episode is simultaneously
bloated and boring. So much hap-
pens during that hour and a half,
and yet it seems nearly nothing is
of note. Future episodes may be
more engaging- time will tell- but
an entire series of television cover-
ing only 12 hours of story seems
disproportionate.
One positive is that the show
throws in news clips and radio
broadcasts that make this version
of America seem more realistic.
These touches of realism are one
of the best features in the pilot.
The most jarring of these clips fea-
ture average Americans boarding Photo courtesy of USA Network
up their own homes with flimsy Jessica Garza (center) plays Penelope in the new Purge series. Penelope is a new member of an unusual religious cult where
sheets of plywood and drills. members worship the Purge and seek to sacrifice themselves to purgers to help other citizens vent their criminal urges.
16 • August 31, 2018• technique // COMICS

SARAH’S SCRIBBLES BY SARAH ANDERSEN SMBC BY ZACH WEINERSMITH

IN THE BLEACHERS BY STEVE MOORE

XKCD BY RANDALL MUNROE

// COMICS technique • August 31, 2018• 17

LUNARBABOON BY CHRISTOPHER GRADY PEARLS BEFORE SWINE BY STEPHEN PASTIS

LIO BY MARK TATULLI

CUL DE SAC BY RICHARD THOMPSON

CHANNELATE BY RYAN HUDSON

SUDOKU PUZZLE
18 • September 14, 2018• technique
Defense, special teams regress in Tampa
HARSHA SRIDHAR
SPORTS EDITOR
After Tech’s week one shutout
win over Alcorn State, Paul John-
son proclaimed his disappoint-
ment with the offense that had
just scored 34 points.
“I just didn’t like the way we
played, considering who we were
playing,” he said. “We didn’t
throw the ball well, we didn’t
block well ... there was too much
pressure when we tried to throw.”
Imagine then, what Johnson
must be feeling about his defense
and special teams a week later.
The two units combined to yield a
ghastly 49 points to a South Flor-
ida team with brand new starters
across the board, including jour-
neyman quarterback and former
top recruit Blake Barnett.
Barnett, in particular, had his
way with the Tech defense after
an early interception by Christian
Carpenter. The once-Alabama —
and once-Arizona State — signal-
caller threw for 200 yards and a
pair of touchdowns, while adding
another 86 yards and a score on
the ground. To be clear, Barnett
is no TaQuon Marshall or Jalen
Hurts. He rushed for more yards
against Tech than he had in his
entire college career prior to step-
ping on the field last Saturday.
As for the special teams unit,
the issue this week was allowing
receiver Terrence Horne to return
two kickoffs for touchdowns in
the first quarter. The Tech offense
would march down the field and
watch helplessly as their lead was
immediately erased by the speedy
Horne, helped by miscues on the
part of the kick coverage team.
That is not to say that either
of these units played irredeem-
ably poorly against the Bulls.
Brenton King was perfect on ex-
Requiem for the Dream: WNBA team falls just short
ALLIE GHISSON
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
When it comes to events, there
is not a category of entertainment
that has a more dedicated fan base
than sports. Atlanta offers a par-
ticularly robust variety of teams.
With Atlanta United FC domi-
nating in soccer, the Falcons just
beginning their season, and the
Braves at the top of their division,
it is hard to think of Atlanta as
less than a powerhouse sporting
city. Yet flying relatively under the
radar is a team that played in its
league’s conference semifinals at
McCamish Pavilion: the WNBA’s
Atlanta Dream.
Founded in 2008, the Dream,
owned by two female business
partners, has managed to become
a strong presence in the league
without an NBA pairing. The
ability for the stand-alone expan-
sion team to self-sustain proves
the strength of the team as a
whole. However, the first season
was far from perfect. The Dream
set a record for most consecutive
losses in the league at 18 and fin-
ished the year at the bottom of
their conference, with a miserable
4-30 mark. Dreading this repeat,
coach Marynell Meadors acquired
veterans in free agency to bolster
her young squad with experience.
Tech defenders struggle to catch Alcorn State receiver Juan Anthony, Jr. While the
Jackets held Alcorn State scoreless, the defense collapsed down the stretch against USF.
tra point attempts and tacked on
a field goal. As for the defense,
Kyle Cerge-Henderson, a Tampa
native, lived in the South Florida
backfield, notching a pair of sacks
and another tackle for loss.
But for anyone looking at the
Jackets’ dominant season-open-
ing win as proof positive that the
team’s lingering problems from
the 2017 campaign were solved
should look again. Nate Woody
has had the chance to install his
scheme, but not to pick his play-
ers; defenders have moved around
from their previous roles to fit po-
sitions in his system. Only when
he has the chance to handpick and
Perhaps most importantly, the
team drafted guard-forward An-
gel McCoughtry from Louisville
with the first overall pick in the
draft. Until her season-ending
knee injury suffered this August,
McCoughtry was consistently the
Dream’s centerpiece.
Coming with a vengeance, At-
lanta Dream was looking to make
it back into the WNBA finals as
they played Game Five against the
Washington Mystics. The Seattle
Storm yet again found their way
into the other semifinal matchup;
if both Atlanta and Seattle ad-
vanced, it would be a rematch of
the 2010 finals in which the Mys-
tics edged the Dream.
The Dream came into the se-
ries a drastically different team
than the one that struggled to
string a pair of wins together the
year before. They averaged 81.8
points per game, which is above
the league median by almost two
points. The dominance continued
on defense, where the team aver-
aged an impressive 7.6 steals per
contest. Winning 23 of their 34
games, the Dream found them-
selves at the top of the Eastern
Conference and played for a
championship berth for the sec-
ond time in three years.
Star player of the Mystics,
the towering Elene Delle Donne,
faced a knee injury in game two
recruit his own talent will fans re-
ally be able to determine whether
his approach is the right one.
Special teams is another case
altogether; the team did not stop
kicking to Horne after his pair
of scores, instead letting him re-
turn another three kicks. Horne
finished with 298 return yards as
the first player since Cal’s Trevor
Davis to return a pair of kicks for
touchdowns in a game. Whether
it is putting more veteran players
in the special teams lineup, prac-
ticing kick coverage and tackling
more in practice, or just squib
kicking the ball more often, the
Jackets need to find a way to ensure
of the semifinals. Although re-
turning to the court for a few
minutes of playing time, adorned
by a large knee brace, she was not
able to find the back of the net.
But with the series tied, Delle
Donne put up 14 points in a gutty
winner-take-all Game Five per-
formance, giving her team an ad-
Veteran guard Renee Montgomery elevates for a jump shot at McCamish Pavilion.
Montgomery, who honed her craft with Geno Auriemma at UConn, now plays for the Dream.
Photo by Casey Gomez Student Publications
that conference opponents cannot
abuse Tech on special teams the
way South Florida did; after all,
nearly every team remaining on
the Jackets’ schedule has an explo-
sive playmaker who could be use-
ful in the return game.
No, the offense was not fault-
less — Qua Searcy had a crucial
fumble, as J.J. Green did in the
season opener against Tennessee
last season, and the passing attack
was worthless late in the game —
but there is enough there to sug-
gest that unit will be sufficient to
propel the team to bowl eligibility
if the defense and special teams
improve. That remains a large ‘if’.
vantage at the end and leaving the
Dream and their fans wondering
what might have been.
This shortcoming should not at
all diminish the Dream’s accom-
plishment; the team was six points
in Game Five away from advanc-
ing to the Finals for what would
have been the fourth time in nine
// SPORTS
BENSON FROM PAGE 1
dnesday, Mason said that while he
had “a big spot to fill,” he realizes
that he has “got to step up.” Ma-
son, who graduated from Gallatin
High School in Gallatin, Tenn.
in 2017, recorded a jaw-dropping
2,048 yards in his high-school
senior season while racking up
23 touchdowns. Mason profiles
differently from Benson signifi-
cantly; whereas Benson tends to
use his size and speed to elude
tacklers, Mason (who is larger
than Benson) has shown a prefer-
ence to using his strength to bar-
rel through defenders.
Mason also displayed a break-
away gear during a long touch-
down against the Braves in the
season opener, though it is unclear
if he will be able to outrun confer-
ence opponents, which have much
faster defenses. It is not uncom-
mon for a player to look dominant
against an FCS opponent and
find himself unable to replicate
that performance against more
talented competition.
There is supplemental depth at
B-back behind Mason in the form
of sophomore Jerry Howard, but
Mason has proved himself as a
capable starter at the position in
a short time frame. It is unclear
whether he can make himself
valuable in the passing game and
is somewhat of an unknown as a
pass blocker, but in the Tech of-
fense, neither of those characteris-
tics ultimately matters very much.
If Mason can protect the ball,
move the chains in short-yardage
situations and score in the red-
zone, he will be a perfectly work-
able replacement for Benson.
The biggest question is, how
quickly can QB TaQuon Marshall
and Mason get in sync at the posi-
tion? Marshall and Benson syner-
gized well and entered the season
as the driving forces behind the
offense; now Marshall will have
to adjust with his partner in crime
out for the season.
years, and if not for the injury to
McCoughtry, they could have
gone even further. And win or
lose, the team played its best bas-
ketball right on Tech’s campus.
Players will come and go, spon-
sorships will change and coaches
will retire, but the Dream will re-
main a fixture in Atlanta.
Photo courtesy of Atlanta Dream
// SPORTS
JOSH FORBES
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Virtually every Tech fan has at
least one friend who’s staunchly
anti-triple option, and said friend
is generally quite vocal about their
cause. You’ve heard it all before:
for years, Paul Johnson was able to
prey upon a relatively weak ACC,
racking up free wins and numer-
ous bowl appearances with a gim-
mick offense that just cannot keep
up given the level of talent in to-
day’s ACC play.
Granted, there’s something to
be said for building an offensive
system around the players as op-
posed to forcing athletes to play
out of their talent zone. And yes,
Clemson did win a national title
two seasons ago. But just in case
anyone needed a reminder that
this conference is still top-to-
bottom weaker than any other
Power Five conference in CFB,
just know that not only was Tech
one of two ACC teams to take it
on the chin from an American
Athletic Conference program this
week, the Jackets’ loss wasn’t even
on the same order of magnitude of
humiliation as UNC’s 41-19 rout
at the hands of East Carolina Uni-
versity.
1: VIRGINIA TECH
One of the few teams on this
list that has any shot of ending
this season ranked in the AP Top
25, No. 13 Virginia Tech built
upon its Week 1 lockdown of
Taggart’s new FSU squad with a
Quarterback TaQuon Marshall dives for yardage during a 35-17 win over the Pittsburgh
Panthers. Tech and Pitt find themselves in the middle of a wide-open ACC Coastal division.
62-17 dismantling of William &
Mary. Since ECU cancelled their
game with VT this Saturday over
concerns about Hurricane Flor-
ence, the Hokies will have an ex-
tra week to prepare for the illustri-
ous Old Dominion on their road
to 3-0. In all seriousness, QB Josh
Jackson looks like the real deal
this year with a significantly im-
proved completion rate to go with
better than ten yards per attempt
and no interceptions. The loss of
Tremaine and Terrell Edmunds to
the NFL Draft hasn’t hurt yet, and
with Duke losing Daniel Jones for
an indefinite amount of time with
a clavicle injury, the Hokies look
to run away with the conference.
2: MIAMI
Being the second best team in
the 2018 ACC Coastal is kind of
like being the second tallest per-
son in Snow White’s woodland
cottage: sure, the difference is
technically nonzero, but the mar-
gin of separation between you and
the next six guys is virtually neg-
ligible. Given how No. 21 Miami
closed out their 2017 with losses
to Clemson, Pitt, and Wisconsin
— not to mention near losses to
Tech and UNC — I am still not
convinced that Miami is actually
good at football.
Fortunately for the ‘Canes the
early schedule is not tough, so af-
ter a 77-0 Week 2 rout of Savan-
nah State, Miami will likely cruise
to 4-1 going into Week 6 vs. FSU
with wins over Toledo, FIU, and
North Carolina.
3: DUKE
As much as I may have been
drinking the Kool-Aid on Duke
through the first two weeks, los-
ing the quarterback hurts signifi-
cantly. Cornerback Mark Gilbert’s
season-ending injury does little
to ease the pain, as his veteran
presence contributed in both the
quantifiable, his team-leading
picks in 2017, and the intangible,
his numerous pre-play formation
shift calls to his companions in
the secondary. Fortunately, back-
technique • September 14, 2018• 19
Photo by Himanshu Dedge Student Publications
up passer Quentin Harris is more
than capable of running the show
until Jones’ ultimate return, and
with a pair of workhorse RBs to
complement what was once an
electric pass game, while Duke’s
offense may become slightly more
one-dimensional moving forward,
they’re still in a position to make
a late-season push for the division.
4: GEORGIA TECH
Yes, losing Benson is hor-
rible. Yes, giving up back to back
kickoff return touchdowns is less
than ideal. Yes, the defense still
has some things that need to be
fixed — tackling — and a few
weaknesses on the edge — tack-
ling — that should be tackled
in the next few weeks. But when
all is said and done, Tech put up
over 600 yards of offense against
USF. Searcy, despite his costly
fumble, is a capable speedster that
has been keeping defenses honest
and opening up the dive for who-
ever ends up as B-Back No. 1 next
week. Backup QB Tobias Oliver
showed flashes of brilliance, and
if TaQuon Marshall has any more
weak first quarters moving for-
ward, is at the very least a known
quantity to be used in emergency
situations. A bowl game is still not
out of the question!
5: PITT
For the record: the No. 11
Penn State that manhandled Pitt
to the tune of 51-6 is in fact the
same Penn State that got taken to
overtime by App State in Week 1.
Pitt’s defense looked porous both
up front and in the secondary, 44
unanswered points is never a good
look, and if there’s one special
teams unit in the ACC that could
challenge Tech’s in terms of total-
ly botching it at all the wrong mo-
ments, the placeholder who bob-
bled the extra point snap after the
lone touchdown and the game’s
single field goal attempt certainly
puts Pitt into contention. This
week’s matchup between the Jack-
ets and Panthers will settle once
and for all which team the top-
tier Coastal programs should use
as a baseline for “bare minimum”
teams to have better records than
as the 2018 season progresses.
6: VIRGINIA
Quarterback Bryce Perkins’
106 passing and 123 rushing
yards against Indiana in Week 2
set a school record for first back-
to-back 100 yard rushing perfor-
mances to start off the season from
a QB. Unfortunately, the Cava-
liers took a loss in the matchup
between universities best known
for their basketball programs. It is
hard to see the Cavs making much
noise as the season goes on.
7: NORTH CAROLINA
Losing by a touchdown to Cal
was not good for the Tar Heels,
but it was not indefensible either;
both are Power Five programs,
and the final margin was only a
touchdown. Losing to the East
Carolina Pirates 41-19, including
a 20-0 ECU second half, might
mark this Tar Heels season as over
before it really begins. Basketball
season is not far.
Sports
SPORTS EDITOR:
Harsha Sridhar
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR:
John Edwards
sports@nique.net
For Tech, the special teams dropped the
ball last Saturday as the Bulls’ freshman re-
turner Terrence Horne took two consecu-
tive kicks to the end zone in the first quar-
ter. Coach Paul Johnson mentioned in a
post-game interview that going forwards,
Tech will be using less freshmen on spe-
cial teams. Explosive Pitt returner Maurice
Ffrench has averaged 30 yards per return
and already has a touchdown to his name
this season.
The sole positive takeaway from Satur-
day was the Jackets’ ability to move the
ball, as Tech racked up 600+ yards on the
Bulls. Against a mediocre Panthers de-
fense left reeling from a 51-6 blowout by
Penn State, Tech should run the ball suc-
cessfully, even without KirVonte Benson.
The Coastal Craze technique
Tech football’s division is up for grabs
in the early goings. Josh Forbes ranks
20
Friday,
the contenders for the top spot.419 September 14, 2018
While Pitt is still reeling from being
blown out by Penn State, the Panthers
have a chance to wipe the slate clean and
win their first ACC game.
The Panthers’ run offense features mul-
tiple running backs to keep their run game
fresh. Qadree Ollison is the bellcow, but
running backs A.J. Davis and Darrin Hall
will likely receive some carries as well. All
three players have similar styles, so Tech
can prepare for them similarly.
If the Jackets defense is able to stop
the run, the secondary will have to focus
on leading receiver Rafael Araujo-Lopes.
Araujo-Lopes fits the New England Patri-
ots’ mold for a wide receiver: nimble and
capable of breaking away. Tech must keep
him in check to stop the Pitt offense.