02/25/2014

February 25, 2014

News:

Solar energy for Greek houses

News:

Ram trucks battle the Keweenaw

Pulse:

91.9 The Ape

Opinion:

Detroit: why I love it and you should too

Sports:

Huskies stand in the top three of WCHA

4 5 6 10 13

Douglas Houghton may have brought the world to the Copper Country to mine its rich copper deposits in the 1840s, but he may have been thousands of years late to the party on bringing Michigan copper to the world.

This claim has come about since the discovery of a cryptic tablet discovered north of the town of Newberry in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The tablet was discovered by a couple of woodsmen in 1896 when they were clearing land for farming. The unsuspecting duo uprooted a tree to find three statues and a clay tablet underneath.

The Smithsonian and University of Michigan were both contacted concerning the find, especially the 19 by 26 inch tablet, which had 140 squares in the stone displaying a letter or character. Both groups received photographs but they had never seen those kinds of characters before so neither knew how to translate the mysterious tablet, so the tablet was forgotten for the time being.

Fast-forward to 1905, when archeologists discovered a previously unknown empire in modern day Turkey. One of the secrets of

the Hittite Empire as it would be called was an ancient script known as Cypriot Minoan Syllabary. Just take a guess where those symbols also turned up.

The tablet connection was not drawn immediately and in 1947 an unknown researcher who had heard about the stone took up the trail to see if he could decipher the code. Unfortunately the tablet which

had never been properly preserved had previously crumbled and was therefore destroyed. With the tablet no longer intact, he contacted the Smithsonian to see if he could get his hands on the photographs sent there almost 50 years earlier. The museum, for some reason, did not cooperate, as they tried to claim they lost the photos and that the stone never even existed.

The photographs would not let this mystery remain unsolved as they resurfaced in 1988 in the Michigan Archives. The

Michigan’s ancient miners?

EVAN MAYER

Lode Writer

“So one mystery was solved, but a bigger question remained. What was a tablet from the island of Crete doing in Yooper country?”

This ancient tablet, presumed to be an artifact of Minoan society, was found in Newberry, MI.

Photo courtesy of Jewell HistoriesContinued on page 4

NEWS Michigan Tech Lode2 Tuesday, February 25

Today =21.67ft

30 ft

25 ft

20 ft

15 ft

10 ft

5 ft

at TechSnowfall 2014 Graduate Research Colloquium:

exhibition of talents

The 2014 Graduate Research Colloquium (GRC), the biggest annual event sponsored by the Graduate Student Government (GSG) with over 120 presentations spanning 20 sessions, was held in a conference-style atmosphere in Memorial Union Building Ballroom on Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 19 and 20.

The GRC was divided into oral presentations and poster presentations. Wednesday covered topics such as drug synthesis and delivery, genetic engineering and stem cell research, ecological threats, and computing and signal processing. Thursday’s presentations discussed topics like power

and energy, new materials and transport phenomena, environmental studies and sustainability, among others.

The colloquium is a unique opportunity for graduate students at Michigan Tech to share their research work with the university community and to gain experience in presenting that research to colleagues. “These presentations will help our participants to gain valuable feedback from judges and other audience members that can benefit their research,” said Amber Haselhuhn, President of GSG. “The GRC is also a great way to network and learn about other research that is being done on campus.”

“Thanks to the colloquium, I have got a lot of inspirations for my own research by talking to people during the two days,” said Alexander Drake, a Mechanical Engineering student who just started his

research at Tech. “I came to know people who are working in the same fields and know whom I could turn to for help and advice in my own work.” Drake also said that he would like to have his research presented at the GRC next spring.

The event coincided with the University’s Career Fair, held on Tuesday, Feb. 18 and the timing was great, according to Dr. Jacqueline Huntoon, Associate Provost and Dean of the Graduate School.

“It will give prospective employers a chance to learn more about the types of research being conducted here,” Dr. Huntoon said. “Michigan Tech has long been known for conducting research that has direct benefit to society and is of interest to industry. In fact, 46 percent of our PhD students who have definite employment offers at the time of

SIMENG LI

Lode Writer

Photos by Pratik Joshi

NEWSMichigan Tech Lode 3

Dr. Robert Johnson, a professor of rhetoric, composition and technical communication in the department of Humanities at Michigan Tech, has been recognized for his new book, “Romancing the Atom: Nuclear Infatuation from the Radium Girls to Fukushima.” Johnson has been awarded the National Book Award by the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) in the Technical or Scientific Communication category. The CCCC is a constituent organization within the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).

The development of atomic energy and weapons plays a part in ongoing research for military, scientific and technological purposes. “Romancing the Atom” brings readers on a journey through an era of atomic development and common man’s ignorance to an important issue of today’s insecure and modern life.

In 1945, Albert Einstein said, “The release of atomic power has changed everything except our way of thinking. The solution to this problem lies in the heart of mankind.” This sentence makes us think about our thinking. Einstein was on the right track. “Romancing the Atom” elaborates the lack of good sense and shortsightedness of our “atomic mindset” and elucidates current issues of nuclear power, waste disposal and weapons development.

According to the website, “The book consists of 10 nonfiction historical vignettes, including the women radium dial painters of the 1920s, the expulsion of the Bikini Island residents to create a massive “Petri dish” for post-World

War II bomb and radiation testing, the government-subsidized uranium rush of the 1950s and its effects on Native American communities and the secret radioactive material development facilities in residential neighborhoods” (www.romancingtheatom.com). The book also includes real accounts from historians, writers and citizens who lived through the era.

Though Johnson started working upon this book four years ago, this project started much earlier. Johnson grew up in an atomic era. He was living in Ohio when it was discovered that there had been a uranium milling site in the middle of the town where he lived. The site was near a school yard, which caused concern in the community.

The book also sheds light on Sister Megan Rice’s anti-nuclear activism. On July 28, 2012, 82 year old Rice broke into

the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, spray-painted anti war slogans, and splashed blood on the outside of the heavily guarded Highly Enriched Uranium Materials Facility along with two fellow activists, Michael R. Walli and Gregory I. Boertje-Obed.

Johnson wants to educate people of all ages about current events regarding the atomic age. What was our part in all of this? What were we supposed to do then and what are our responsibilities now? “Romancing the Atom” will make people think about history, nuclear disasters and the development of the atom within the last 100 years.

Johnson mentioned two interesting facts pertaining to Michigan Tech, and atomic energy specifically, for students to ponder. For one, there was supposedly a nuclear reactor in the basement of Fisher Hall. Secondly, lot 18 is said to have radioactive elements buried underneath of it.

“I am simply honored and surprised; history is an unacceptable category for this type of award. What more I could say? I have this love affair with technology,” said Johnson, who will be announced as recipient of the Technical and Scientific Communication Award on March 21, during the 2014 CCCC Annual Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Johnson’s publications are targeted towards a wide audience and include a myriad of disciplines. In 1999, his book “User-Centered Technology: A Rhetorical Theory for Computers and other Mundane Artifacts” grabbed Best Book Award in Scientific and Technical Communication from the NCTE.

For more information about Dr. Johnson’s book, please visit (www.romancingtheatom.com).

Tuesday, February 25

Humanities professor receives National Book Award

NEELAM CHOPADE

Lode Writer

Get WISE

We all know that the ratio of male to female students at Michigan Tech is less than ideal, but the school is making efforts to decrease this gap in the future by reaching out to young female students now. In an effort to spark interest and increase female involvement in math and science fields, the Summer Youth Program is hosting a Get WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) event today,Tuesday, Feb. 25.

The SDC Wood gym will be packed full with 265 seventh and eighth grade girls, traveling from as far as Watersmeet and Ontonagon to compete in various science and engineering based activities. Students will be grouped with girls from other schools and teams will work to build popsicle stick bridges, marble-moving contraptions and flying objects meant to stay airborne for as long as possible.

Liz Fujita, a member of the Summer Youth Programs staff said, “I love seeing the students from different schools work together. In the beginning of the day, it’s kind of awkward -- they’ve just met their teammates, they aren’t sure if they’re good enough at ‘engineering’ these solutions. But as the day goes on, they open up a lot. They make new friends and find really creative, sometimes wild, solutions to the challenges. It’s a very crazy smart event!”

As the girls work diligently on their tasks, Michigan Tech students of both genders and various majors will mill about to ensure the girls have all of the supplies they need. They will also be available to offer minimal guidance if a group gets stumped, however the main purpose of the volunteers is simply to act as role models. Ideally, their presence will prompt the girls to realize that they too could be a college student one day!

In addition to these volunteers, a graduate and undergraduate student panel comprised of four or five university female students will join the festivities. A question and answer session with the panel will give the young girls an opportunity to inquire about engineering, science and college in general.

Events such as these give female students a chance to explore new areas of academia in a friendly, fun environment. With attendance increasing by about 30 students from last year’s total, it seems that Get WISE is succeeding in its goal of making science appeal to our younger female generation.

TESSA MAUER

Lode Writer

graduation are going to work in industry.”This two-day event benefited not only

the graduate students but also many undergraduate students who walked in during the exhibitions.

“It’s amazing to see that there are so many cool researches going on at Michigan Tech. Many of them are really thinking outside the box brilliantly,” Ethan Caulder, a junior student in

major of Chemical Engineering, said on Thursday. “The GRC offers undergraduate students a great chance to learn beyond the textbooks. Also, it’s especially helpful for us to get more insights and make a better plan for our senior designs.”

An annual GRC banquet was held in the evening of Thursday, Feb. 20. The purpose of this annual banquet was to

celebrate the achievements of graduate students and graduate faculties at Michigan Tech. During the banquet, awards were given to the graduate students who had the best posters and gave the most popular presentations at the colloquium.

Congratulations to all students who presented their research at this year’s 2014 GSC.

“Johnson wants to educate people of all ages about current events regarding the atomic age. What was our part in all of this? What were we supposed to do then and what are our responsibilities now? “Romancing the Atom” will make people think about history, nuclear disasters and the development of the atom within the last 100 years.”

Graduate Colloquium Continued from page 2

NEWS Michigan Tech Lode4

Are you interested in solar energy? Want to start making a difference in the world, but you don’t want to actually buy anything? Dr. Chelsea Schelly is launching a new project in the next month that will give college students in the Houghton-Hancock area the opportunity to test out a small solar generator paired up with a large solar panel mounted directly to their house.

“Last fall we got some funding from an internal grant from Tech to get some solar panels here and some solar charging stations,” Schelly said. “So what we have are two bigger generators that actually look like gas generators that have several outlets on them. Those are meant for a shared housing environment. You couldn’t plug in a refrigerator or a high definition TV, but you could charge your laptop and cellphone and those sorts of basic things.They could also cover the basic necessities in a power outage.”

Schelly believes the Greek houses on campus are perfect for testing this technology.

“There are about 20 Greek houses here on campus and we are hoping to recruit as many of them as we can to participate,” Schelly said. “Obviously you need access to the sunshine.”

Once the panel is secure to the house, the students will be given the solar generator.

“We ask that the students put the generator in some common room, maybe a living room, and ask that they commit to using it,” Schelly said.

As a sociologist, Schelly is studying the way students think about solar energy once they have exposure to this solar technology.

“Do they think more about their energy usage because they have this sort of intentional way of using electricity?” Shelly said. “Do they think it’s really inconvenient to have to plug in their computer in the living room instead of in their bedroom? Does it mean that more people are congregating in the living room because they have this piece of equipment?”

The plan is to leave the solar equipment at a house for a month to six weeks and then come back and talk to people about using it.

“We have the two large generator systems that we will cycle through different Greek houses and then we have a bunch of smaller, more individual systems that hopefully we will get into university housing like Daniel Heights or Hillside,” Schelly said.

The smaller systems come with a small solar panel that is mobile. These systems will be given to individuals so that they can take them outside and charge things easily over the summer. One of the small charging units paired with two of the mobile panels can

generate 60 watts of power, which is more than enough to charge mobile electronics.

“With the Greek houses, we would like be able to then look at the electricity bills and say ‘Does it make a difference?’” Schelly said. “If you have half a dozen people living in a house dedicated to using this technology, does it lower electricity bills?”

Schelly believes that the panels will be an asset to any house and if nothing else, a great conversation piece for a Greek organization. She has done research on solar energy adoption in the past and there has been a common theme.

“A lot of people have told me that conservation wasn’t sexy, until they had their solar panels and could watch their electricity meter go backwards,” Schelly said. “Once they could read their inverter’s input and output generation, that’s when they said, ‘What else can I do to reduce my energy consumption,’ and ‘What can I do to make these solar panels work harder for me?’”

The project is completely free of cost and will start some time in the next month. If you live in a Greek house or even just a regular house with a few other people in the area and are interested in participating in this study, please contact Chelsea Schelly at [email protected]. For more information about the solar equipment discussed in this article, visit the manufacturer’s website at (www.goalzero.com).


The fact is, even American flags are made overseas. A congressman in California has written legislation requiring any of the red, white and blue purchased by the Department of Defense to be 10 percent American-made.

According to a CBS report, the legislation is now law. It was signed as part of the 2014 omnibus appropriations bill, which partially documents the department’s budget for the year.

Representative Mike Thompson of California wrote the legislation for both economic and symbolic reasons. It was signed into law last Wednesday.

Attempts have been made in the past to require all government-purchased flags to be “Made in America,” but this change is an expensive one. Like many other things, the flags made, for example, in China, are cheaper than those made on our soil.

The most recent blanket attempt fell short, allowing flags flying outside of government buildings to be produced elsewhere. Flags bought by the government need to be made of at least 50 percent U.S. materials, per a prior law. The main reason this type of legislation is so difficult to pass is partially due to trade agreements.

China is the nation’s largest importer of America flags. According to a Fox News report, an estimated $3.3 million of the stars and stripes are imported from Beijing every year. The International Business Times also confirms this number from the Flag Manufacturers Association of America.

A 1941 amendment, known as the Berry Amendment, was passed by Congress to promote the purchase of American-made products. The Berry Amendment limits the DoD to purchasing only American-made items, such as clothing or food.

Imported American Flags

The world at a

glance

Check out the story from the Interna-tional Business Times by scanning the QR code.

Solar energy for Greek houses

President of the Epigraphic Society Dr. Berry Fell took about the task of deciphering the tablet and was able to compare it to the Phaistos Disk that was found on the island of Crete. The message had to be read both vertically and horizontally, but it was discovered to be instructions for obtaining favorable omens from the gods for good luck.

So one mystery was solved, but a bigger question remained. What was a tablet from the island of Crete doing in Yooper country? It may have to do with having to meet the huge demands for copper that accompanied the Bronze Age in Europe since bronze can be made by combining copper and tin.

The Minoan people who just happened to inhabit Crete from 3000 BC to 1200 BC had a monopoly, historians believe, on the eastern Mediterranean copper trade as remnants of their civilization have been found throughout this region wherever copper was traded. Although there were copper reserves on Crete, the amount of copper that has been found throughout Europe from this time had to have contributions from other places.

If the Newberry Tablet is actually an artifact of Minoan society, this would support a theory that the Atlantic Ocean was not a boundary for ancient people, but a highway.

Believing that almost 5000 years ago people sailed across the Atlantic Ocean may need some more evidence to sound convincing though.

The Ancient Mines of the Lake Superior region have been carbon dated to be much older than expected. Ten dates show mine production to have occurred between 2470 BC and 1050 BC. No developed cultures were present in the region at that time to use the copper and not to mention the copper is missing. There has been Native American copper artifacts found that were traceable back to these mines, but not in any quantity approaching the volume mined. It is estimated that it would have taken 1,000 years of 10,000 men working to mine the amount of copper that is reported missing.

Copper was not the only commodity believed to be crossing the Atlantic at this time. A Cross-Continental drug trade may have also been taking place at this time as

nicotine and cocaine, which are only native to the Americas, have been found in the mummies from this time period of one of the Minoan’s top trade partners, Egypt.

Another significant piece of evidence that supports this theory is the Algonquian-speaking people, who lived around the St. Lawrence Waterway and the Great Lakes, have an X-marker gene that is not found in their ancestral Asian populations. But the X-marker can be found in the eastern Mediterranean. This would imply that some contact must have existed between the two groups thousands of years ago, but had occurred after the Land Bridge had been crossed.

The Newberry Tablet and Minoan theory have received their fair share of criticism and hoax claims over the years. The whole idea of an ancient Cross-Atlantic trade may in fact just be a whole set of coincidences or have simpler explanations. But if the theory is actually true, wow! Talk about some globalization!

Ancient miners Continued from front page

LUCAS WILDER

Lode Writer

NEWSMichigan Tech Lode 5

Editor in Chief .....................Krysten CooperBusiness Manager.......................Alex MagerDistribution Manager.................Neil NoackDesign Editor............................Kaila PietilaMedia Editor..................................Pratik Joshi News Editor..........................Katelyn Waara Opinion Editor...................Adam Romanko Pulse Editor.................................Rand Silvers Sports Editor .........................Ellie Furmanski Advisor .............................................Kara Sokol

Michigan Tech Lode Opinions expressed in the Lode are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty, staff or administration of Michigan Technological University or the Michigan Tech Lode.The Lode is designed, written and edited by Michigan

Tech students and is printed every Tuesday during fall and spring semesters. The Lode is available free of charge at drop-off sites

around campus and in the surrounding community. To the best of its ability, The Lode subscribes to the

Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists.The Lode is funded in part by the Michigan Tech Stu-

dent Activity Fee. 1. [email protected] for submitting ads to the Lode. 2. [email protected] for submitting articles and let-

ters to the editor. Work submitted to the Lode should be submitted with

the understanding that it may be printed by the Lode and/or posted to the Online Lode, www.mtulode.com. The Lode reserves the right to edit submissions for

length, clarity and potentially libelous material. Submis-sions should not exceed 500 words.

106 Memorial Union Building Houghton, MI

49931 (906) 487-2404

www.mtulode.com

Visuals Staff - Morgan Crocker, Maxwell Curtis, Kevin Madson

Copy Editors - Erin Norton

Circulation - Neil Noack, Inmelda Rangel

Staff Writers - Joe Andres, Kather-ine Baeckeroot, Sasha Burnett, Au-

tumn Channey, Neelam Chopade, Ryan Grainger, Sarah Harttung, Ian Hatzilias, Gage Heeringa, Nicole Iutzi, Simeng Li, Tessa Mauer, Evan Mayer, Aric Rhodes,

Lucas Wilder, James Wood

Advertising - Michael Groess, Teresa Mc-Cann, Trevyn Payne

Everyone knows that Michigan Tech attracts big companies with its engineering students and their talent, but did you know that Ram tests their vehicles, not on the students, but out in the harsh conditions of the Copper Country winter?

Chrysler is working with their Ram Heavy Duty and the Keweenaw Research Center to test Ram’s 2500 through 5500 truck series at the KRC vehicle testing site. The tests are mainly done to gain more insight into the logistical details of how the trucks handle the uncooperative weather.

The KRC testing site is an affordable resource for applied research and testing. Being fairly close to campus, the site is convenient for the second part of Chrysler’s research.

Rob Palmer Lee, an integrated design technician working with the project, went over all of the specifics during a phone interview.

Lee described how Chrysler uses the KRC facilities’ 900-foot circle to test the snow ingestion and air handling. The test drivers do 35 laps around this circle, driving approximately one mile total to ensure that the engine is not ingesting snow into its internal systems, which could cause damage.

Lee also described the ice course, which includes a cold soak shed at the end. The shed has a frigid temperature of negative 20 degrees. The ice course is used to test

the electronic stability control as well as ensure brake and throttle control are safe without any defects. The Ram trucks are run through the slushy mess, similar to what was on many Copper Country roads this past weekend, and then put into the shed to freeze overnight.

When Chrysler is not using the KRC to test their vehicles, the facility is used to test plows for BOSS, Western and Meyers. This connection also allows Chrysler to make sure that the trucks can handle the plows without overheating and making the proper shifts.

Lee said that it “gives us a chance to experience what the customer experiences as well as get the data that we need.”

By utilizing the various characteristics of the Copper Country for research purposes, Ram and other companies will continue to come to Michigan Tech, both for the harsh weather and the talented students the university produces.


Senator candidate visits Tech’s GLRC

Gary Peters, current U.S. Congressman running for Carl Evans’ senator position, made a visit to Michigan Tech and the surrounding areas last weekend. This was a visit that Peters felt was necessary in campaigning since the UP is blessed with so many resources, yet has a high unemployment rate.

“I take my campaign seriously. It is important to be out in every area of the state to learn as much about every aspect. I wanted to see how the government could help the UP because it is a key part of Michigan,” Peters said.

Peters has been working on his campaign since May 1, 2013 and his main focus has been on the middle class of Michigan.

“The most important things to listen to are conversations at kitchen tables. Conversations about everyday life, the economy, income, health care, whether or not the children are going to a good school, if people feel that they can retire with dignity. I aspire to have the latter of these in the middle class of Michigan,” Peters said.

Last weekend was Peter’s second visit to the UP during the time of his campaign. During this visit, Peters went to the GLRC, Smartzone and Calumet.

Peters made a visit to Michigan Tech because he feels that people care about the Great Lakes and the work being done at the Tech GLRC is something that he wanted to see hands on.

“Michigan Tech is the leader in cutting edge technology. The students are talented,

engaged and serve as a model for Michigan,” Peters said.

In addition to the GLRC, Peters was impressed by his visit to the Smartzone.

“I am the co-chair of the Innovation caucus of the U.S. Congress and I believe that the Smartzone in the Houghton/Hancock

area provides innovation for the future and products for tomorrow,” Peters said.

Although Peters was impressed by his visit, he wishes that he would have had the opportunity to speak with some students.

“I was impressed that the students can learn hands on. During my next visit I want to talk to some students. It was a Saturday so the interns working through the internship program were not there,” Peters said.

While in Calumet, Peters visited the National Park service to listen to ways that the government can help to strengthen and preserve the Keweenaw.

“The Upper Peninsula is an exciting place with incredible resources including mining and technology. I look forward to being an active advocate of the Upper Peninsula,” Peters said.

SASHA BURNETT

Lode Writer

Ram trucks battle the Keweenaw

AUTUMN CHANNEY

Lode Writer

“Chrysler is working with their Ram Heavy Duty and the Keweenaw Research Center to test Ram’s 2500 through 5500 truck series at the KRC vehicle testing site...The facility is also used to test plows for BOSS, Western and Meyers.”

“Michigan Tech is the leader in cutting edge technology. The students are talented, engaged and serve as a model for Michigan,” Peters said.”

-Gary Peter, U.S. Congressman

PULSE Michigan Tech Lode6 Tuesday, February 25

Does an organization run with professional etiquette and political correctness sound appealing? Or does an org with attitude, an irreverent sense of humor and dedication when needed sound more appealing? Either way, no one can

deny that WMTU is a student organization worth talking about.

WMTU, “The Ape,” has been entertaining students and community members alike for decades; they mostly play music, but they also have done talk segments and other miscellaneous things that DJ’s do while on the air.

Unlike most broadcast stations who play the same songs three times a day, WMTU’s choice of music isn’t refined to a certain genre because each DJ brings his or her own flavor to the broadcast. Listening to WMTU is a great way to learn about new songs or artists that would otherwise remain forever unknown to audiences.

On top of playing lesser known music

from every genre, the station is run by students from Michigan Tech and it’s always fun to hear friends on the air. There are a lot of interesting characters in WMTU, and they make for entertaining shows and even more entertaining meetings. I went to one meeting in which elections for WMTU management positions were held.

The candidates were competitive and gave entertaining and thoughtful, or at least unique, speeches while the other members asked questions. The questions they asked were not always relevant, and out of respect for this paper no irrelevant examples can be given, but all the messing around which takes place adds to what makes WMTU such a fun organization to be a part of. The relevant questions were insightful and showed that despite their unprofessional mannerisms, they really cared about the station’s future.

Lately, they have been making a switch from CDs and records to digital copies and they have thousands of extra CDs. What they will do with all these is to be determined, but they will probably end up giving them to members since they can’t sell them legally. This transition should make everything work more efficiently in the studio and keep messes from occurring.

The station is also a little short on DJs so feel free to join them if this paper has piqued any interest. Before heading to a meeting however, check out their website for a taste of the attitude which you’ll be

exposed to so that you aren’t offended or anything.

WMTU may have loud members with large personalities, but by no means are all

of them like this. If you just want to host a radio show, but are worried about fitting in with the group don’t worry about it, they accept new people with open arms.

Perceived body image affects all members of a society. The desired look present in a culture determines how others will view themselves. In Western cultures, women who are considered beautiful are tall, skinny, have facial symmetry and light skin. Not every member of our society looks like this ideal and it creates problems across the sexes socioeconomic backgrounds.

Darryl Roberts examines our “obsession with beauty” in his documentary “America the Beautiful,” which was screened on Feb. 20 on campus. The film intermittently follows a young girl who started in the modeling business at the age of 12, wearing fashions meant for

women twice her age. He also conducted interviews with

students, medical health professionals, psychologists and women’s magazine editors, all on the topic of beauty.

Three of the men Roberts interviewed began with their image of the “perfect” woman, and they all said the same thing: hot.

What’s the problem, though? Is it bad that all society wants from women is to look sexually appealing? The obvious answer is yes. Not everyone’s looks equal to those of someone society considers beautiful, leading women and girls to undergo drastic changes to their bodies to fit the image. Dieting is becoming more prevalent in younger girls. Often, this process leads dieters to develop eating disorders and can kill those afflicted.

Instead of turning to restrictive eating habits (or in conjunction with them), women unhappy with the way their faces look may apply makeup. Most makeups contain toxic chemicals not present on the label, as they are considered “trade secrets,” but these secrets can cause diseases such as cancer and lead to birth defects.

The most extreme form of body modification is plastic surgery. Unless one was in a terrible accident, born with a debilitating physical condition or has a similar reason, undergoing the knife in favor of (possibly) a better facial or body structure is unnecessary and usually dangerous.

Many people who claim to be plastic surgeons aren’t board-certified, putting patients at risk of developing complications and suffering after the

surgery has been completed. Also, Americans spend almost as much or more on these procedures as the developing world spends on basic health care.

Who really benefits from people’s insecurities? That’s what Darryl Roberts is trying to find out.

Tonight, there will be a showing of his newest installation of the series, “America the Beautiful 3,” in Fisher 135 at 7 p.m., as a part of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week.

This film focuses on “the sexualization of our youth,” and is having its first showing ever here. On Thursday, there will be free and confidential eating disorder screenings in the MUB Peninsula room from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. conducted by MTU Counseling Services, supported by the Association of Psychology Students.

91.9 The Ape

“WMTU’s choice of music isn’t refined to a certain genre because each DJ brings his or her own flavor to the broad-cast.”

JAMES WOOD

Lode Writer

“America the Beautiful”SARAH HARTTUNG

Lode Writer

i t oper ates on the most advanced nav igat ion system

in the world: you. As a Combat System Officer in the United States Air Force, your main duty is to direct the aircraft and your crew to fulfill their mission, whether it’s airlifting supplies, deploying weapons or doing reconnaissance. So tell us one thing: Are you good with directions?

©2009 Paid for by the U.S. Air Force. All rights reserved.

PULSEMichigan Tech Lode 7Tuesday, February 25

As February comes to a close, so does the nationally recognized Black History month-long event.

Highlights from the month among Tech’s campus includes an informative library display illustrating the accolades and contributions of African-Americans throughout history and historical trivia being held by the Society of African-American Men (SAAM) organization posted on campus flyers throughout the campus with opportunities to win fun prizes as well .

This trivia contest will also continue throughout March so be sure to seek out campus flyers to enter. On Thursday, Feb. 27th in Fisher Hall at 8 p.m., there will be a free movie presentation sharing

the life and great works of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

One of the most popular events to share African culture with the community

is the African Student Organization African Night which will be held on Saturday, Mar. 1st at the MUB from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. The night will also include a tribute to philanthropist and past South African president, Nelson Mandela, who passed away in December last year.

In continual efforts to promote cultural and diversity awareness throughout the community, there is an on-campus

resource center known as the Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CDI). CDI, located next to Fisher Hall, is committed to fostering an inclusive environment that promotes identity development, intercultural connections, academic excellence, leadership and professional development specifically for, but not limited to students of color, GLBTQ students and women.

Central to the mission of CDI is developing programs that educate Michigan Tech and the broader community about diversity, social justice, equity and cultural competency through interesting programs such as the Social Justice Lecture Series launched in 2012.

This series introduces a broad range of topics to the campus community that encourage critical thinking, provoke healthy debate and challenge assumptions. In fact, CDI sponsored

Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Region H Conference speaker, Dr. Amy Freeman, Assistant Dean of Engineering Diversity at Pennsylvania State University, as part of the Social Justice Lecture Series earlier this month.

Dr. Freeman’s presentation(s) highlighted her experiences as a woman of color pursuing a career in engineering and those experiences that contributed to her decision to shift gears to work on breaking down barriers for future generations of women and people of color in traditionally underrepresented fields.

There will be continued social justice series presentations this semester in addition to Women’s Month program events throughout March including the kickoff professional dress fashion show event held this Saturday from 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. in the Forestry Building Atrium.

It is simply amazing, the amount of talent which is contained in the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra. The latest concert consisted of two pieces which utterly evolved classical music history. Both were played to near perfection. Errors were few and minor, the balance was brilliant and even the most subtle of details seemed to be given their time in the spot light.

The first piece played was “Symphony Number 88,” by Haydn. It is truly a shame that the great Haydn is not remembered alongside such household names as Beethoven and Mozart, especially considering that he invented the formula of the symphony.

It was Haydn who began writing pieces for the consistent four part pattern which would later become the standard for music. Throughout his career, Haydn would compose 104 symphonies, far more than any of the household names who he inspired and taught.

Haydn’s Symphony Number 88 is a rather light piece, as symphonic pieces

go. This is because of Haydn’s approach to music as a means of expression, an approach which shows. Every measure seems to simply drip with exuberance and sheer effort on the part of the composer, let alone that of the orchestra which is playing the piece.

The four part symphonic form truly does the piece utmost justice, allowing great contrast between the sections in the tempo and feel. The third section in particular, the menuetto, was written to be a dance. Suffice it to say that, had there been a space, there would likely have been participants even in this day and age. This symphony is truly the paragon of the style which Haydn had created, and exemplified exactly why the symphony would become king of the musical forms.

The second piece was Beethoven’s Symphony Number Three, “Eroica.” This was a piece which redefined music at least as much as Haydn’s “Symphony Number 88,” if not more. Shortly before the time that Beethoven was working on his “Eroica,” he went through a terrible bout of depression. He had written that he had been noticing a worsening hearing loss and had even contemplated

suicide. The art and Beethoven’s ego were too

strong to let him follow through with such things before he had composed a

great work. Interestingly, the “Eroica” was

originally to be named after, and dedicated to, Napoleon Bonaparte. Beethoven was an ardent supporter of Napoleon in the dictator’s early years, supporting his fight against the political tyranny which had taken over in France. When he heard of Napoleon declaring himself Emperor of France, it is said that Beethoven tore up the title page in an angry fit. Instead, the title “Sinfonia Eroica” was chosen, heroic symphony.

The piece itself is absolutely mind numbingly sublime and it is no wonder that it caused confusion among crowds who listened to it when it was new. The piece ascends beyond the idea of music as mere entertainment, instead achieving a

status among the great pieces of history. The piece is extremely technically challenging, requiring utmost rigor amongst those who would play it.

The challenge is not only in the technical difficulty, however, for the piece is long enough, over twice the length of Haydn’s “Symphony Number 88,” that it demands endurance as well. The piece goes from a slow, funeral march like dirge to an uplifting scherzo in the transition of a single part. In all, the piece is simply beyond mere description, it is as if this one piece encompasses the greatness of the entire symphonic movement which came before it.

As was stated, the performance of the pieces was practically flawless. Only minor errors were even there to be heard, and even then only if they were searched for. The unfathomable quality of the pieces themselves, when played by as brilliant an orchestra as the KSO, was beyond compare. The pieces were truly some of the highlights of their era and it was simply an indescribable pleasure to hear them played.

The entire performance was simply fantastic. As ever, the KSO does not disappoint.

Promoting on-campus diversity awareness

“Fostering an environment promoting identity development, intercultural c o n n e c t i o n s . . . a n d professional development.”

RENEE OATS

Lode Writer

Beethoven’s “Eroica” symphonyARIC RHODES

Lode Writer

“It is simply amazing, the amount of talent which is contained in the Keweenaw Symphony Orchesta.”

COMICS Michigan Tech Lode8

C L A S S I F I E D S

FOR RENT: VERY NICE, SPACIOUS 2 & 3 BEDROOM APARTMENTS HOUGHTON $600 -675 MONTH. ALSO 4 BEDROOM HOUSE. PHONE: (906)482-1437

TAX FREE SALE at Northwoods - downtown Hancock, Thursday, February 26 through Sunday, March 2. Northwoods will pay the 6% tax and take off another 5%. Stop in for DEALS.

E-mail [email protected] for information about placing a

classified ad.


Comic courtesy of XKCD

Let me just scroll don and check behind that rock Annnnd.... nope, page copyright year starts with ‘19.’ Oh God is this a WEBRING?

Second

PUZZLESMichigan Tech Lode 9

REEL-LIFE ANNIVERSARY By A NAMESAKE OF 119-ACROSS / Edited by Will Shortz

No. 0223

RE

LE

AS

E D

AT

E: 3/2/20

14

ACROSS1 Bush judicial

appointee8 Quarterbacks, often15 Bush judicial

appointee20 Professional tennis

since 196821 Rank22 Singer with the

album “Live at the Polynesian Palace”

23 Time for the best deals, maybe, in a going-out-of-business sale

24 *1939 Judy Garland film

26 There was a great one in Genesis

27 One-named designer

28 Lava comes out of it

29 Kind of car or tee32 Appear suddenly36 Slaughter in the

1946 World Series37 *1933 Jean Harlow

film40 “Nuts!”41 Gator’s tail?43 D-backs, on

scoreboards44 Daily riser45 How things may be

brought47 Pass51 Restful places53 Each

54 *1943 Spencer Tracy/Irene Dunne film

56 Is threatening, in a way

58 Colorist60 Self-absorbed sort61 Hit63 Some kitchenware66 Call from a curb67 Sprint competitor,

once68 *1939 Vivien Leigh/

Clark Gable film73 ___ king76 Sprint77 Word of agreement78 2000s events

in North Korea, for short

82 Provider of music on the go?

85 Court grp.88 Footnote abbr.89 *1942 Spencer

Tracy/Hedy Lamarr film

92 Odist’s preposition94 When repeated, a

Polynesian capital95 Publish96 Drinkers’ toasts97 Brother of George

W. and Jeb99 Award for Miss

Hawaii, in addition to a tiara

100 Summer hrs.102 Snow queen in

Disney’s “Frozen”103 *1948 Ingrid

Bergman film105 Elegance108 eBay user110 Certain

newspaper advertisement

111 Like Christiane Amanpour, by upbringing

113 Pub containers115 Perfect, as a home119 Director of the

eight starred films in this puzzle, who was born on 2/23/1889

123 Torrey Pines Golf Course locale

125 Suffer humiliation, in slang

126 Comeback127 Brooks Robinson’s

team128 Sitcom with a 1974

wedding129 Foreign traveler’s

purchase, maybe130 Source of the line

“What’s past is prologue,” with “The”

DOWN1 Massage

therapeutically2 ___-blue3 “I should ___

lucky”4 Put into

a sepulcher5 *1932 Clark Gable/

Jean Harlow film6 La-la lead-in7 Perhaps8 Migratory seabird9 Vier + vier10 What Babe wants to

be in “Babe”11 Finish (up)12 New Haven reuner13 “Frasier” role14 Major glitch

15 Puts together16 Things that should

be tied up by the curtain?

17 Playfully18 Complete,

informally19 Transudes25 Beatles title girl27 Queen of literature30 Send off31 Gave up33 Birthplace of

22-Across34 Hunts, with “on”35 Lacking variety37 Gives up, in slang38 “Then again, I could

be wrong”39 Adult’s counterpart42 Obsessed with45 Fortunetelling aids46 1980s-’90s series

based on the fictional firm McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney & Kuzak

48 Doing ___ (dancing springily)

49 Basis in accounting

50 Head to Paris?52 Overly confident55 Recipe instruction57 Wiry-coated

terriers59 Lead-in to Pen,

commercially62 Genuflect64 Night that

“Friends” aired: Abbr.

65 Swashbuckles, say69 Some London lords

70 Effected, in a bad way

71 “___ ba-a- ack!”72 “Ed Wood” star73 When the story

begins, perhaps74 1960s U.S. bombing

target75 Flight board info:

Abbr.79 Milan’s La ___80 Go-getter81 Unemotive

83 Means of access to a cafeteria, maybe

84 In past centuries86 Joint parts87 Specialties90 Give off coherent

light91 Overreacting sort93 Essen article98 *1925 Percy

Marmont film101 One way to the

top

103 Pub measure104 1960s western

sitcom105 Chopped ___106 ___ Heep

(Dickens character)

107 Blade brand109 Red opening?112 Bit114 “Render ___

Caesar …”

116 Shelfmate of Vogue

117 Tavern stock118 Place for a

topgallant120 Lash holder121 Green monitor, for

short?122 Finish (up)123 Fate124 “___ we done?”

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

20 21 22

23 24 25

26 27 28

29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

37 38 39 40 41 42

43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

51 52 53 54 55

56 57 58 59 60

61 62 63 64 65 66 67

68 69 70 71 72

73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81

82 83 84 85 86 87 88

89 90 91 92 93 94

95 96 97 98 99

100 101 102 103 104

105 106 107 108 109 110

111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118

119 120 121 122 123 124

125 126 127

128 129 130

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

SudokuRules: Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 block contains 1-9 exactly once.

Last Week’s Solution...


OPINION Michigan Tech Lode10 Tuesday, February 25

America is land of the free, and part of that includes economic freedom. At our country’s birth, we explored and implemented the principles of capitalism, the idea that a free market will produce the maximum amount of prosperity for a maximum amount of people. Since this idea has remained for such a long period of time, we know that it works, and that it creates innovation and well-being. However, many people are unaware as to how capitalism can work for them. Put very simply, there are two essential things that I would encourage everyone to do: use your individual skills and talent to help you find a job you are both good at and enjoy doing, and invest the money that you earn.

The first step to understanding how to thrive in a capitalist society is one that everyone understands- you need a job. However, there is something that very few people are willing to admit- not only does your job need to provide you with a source of income, but it also needs to provide you with a source of fulfillment and happiness. Remember, do what you love to do, the money will come as a result.

The second step is worth it in the long run. Invest your money. Where you invest your money and how much money you choose to invest is completely up to you, but the returns that can be made from the stock market are tremendous. That is not to say that there aren’t risks, but most times, the risks are worth the reward. The main key, though, when it comes to investing is time. Investment is a long-term situation, and the sooner you start, the better off you will be. It does not matter how much money you put aside into the stock market, just try to start investing as early on in your lifetime as you possibly can.

LODE ingZONE

Adam RomankoUn

So it’s Thursday night and you just finished slurping down your second bowl of ramen, beef flavored, when the thought pops in your head that maybe the 1750 mg of sodium you just consumed was probably a tad much. It’s probably time that you change your late night snack from 72 percent of your daily sodium intake to something healthier. Your health-nut friend has recently been trying to get you to eat some more soy products. There’s just one problem: you don’t even know what soy is!

After extensive research I discovered that, contrary to popular belief, soy isn’t just that nasty tofu that you heard about from watching cartoons as a kid. Soy is a type of bean from which all sorts of different products are made, such as: soy milk, soy sauce, a soy paste called miso, soy cake called tempeh, tofu, soy burgers and even soy hot dogs. This versatile little bean can be thrown into all sorts of different foods like bread and cereal, or substitute meat for you vegetarians out there.

It’s fairly easy to incorporate some soy product into any meal you make, even if it’s as little as replacing your drink with some soy milk.

So what is it about soybeans that makes them so healthy for us? Well, soybeans are considered by many to supply what’s called “complete protein.” This is protein that contains all the necessary amino acids that are required by the human body because the body can’t produce them itself. Soybeans produce 13 grams of protein per 100 gram serving, which is the leading amount of protein in major staple foods, such as corn and wheat. Soybeans also lead in Calcium, Vitamin C, Thiamin and Folate.

So the next time it’s late, and you’re trying to think of some food to eat, take a moment to consider some soy crackers or something similar.

GARRET PATTERSON

Lode Writer

A humorous take on soy

When most of us think of Detroit, different images come to mind. Whether it is the Red Wings, Tigers or Greektown there is one perception that Michigan and the rest of the country is unable to get rid of- the representation of Detroit as a rundown city with empty homes and buildings falling apart at their very foundations.

It brings me much pleasure to write and talk about Detroit, primarily because these are misconceptions that I can attest to. This past summer I discovered a newfound love and passion for the city of Detroit. I worked directly downtown for three months, and I am now filled with a sense of pride that I hold proud and dear to my heart. There are a few catalysts for the improvements Detroit has been experiencing: the improvement of the downtown district as a direct result of successful business practices, volunteerism and assistance from young students and entrepreneurs, and ultimately pride.

Detroit is currently in the process of gentrification or “renovation.” On June 3, I began my first day of orientation at Quicken Loans. Quicken Loans is a mortgage company, owned by Dan Gilbert that operates from the Compuware building in downtown Detroit. Compuware is located next to Woodward Avenue directly behind Campus Martius Park.

For many of those unfamiliar with Dan Gilbert or the effort he has put into the city of Detroit- Gilbert currently

owns more than 40 buildings in the downtown area. As he has begun these renovations he has also brought into the city numerous job opportunities to accompany the vacant space. Over the summer 1,000 internship positions were created by Quicken Loans and the family of companies owned by Dan Gilbert, the vast majority of these interns were

students our age, however, they ranged from high school to mid 40’s, all localized in downtown Detroit.

This is important information because it is what Dan Gilbert and other leaders are trying to accomplish that is so vital for improvement. Through business agreements the city of Detroit is being revitalized from city block to city block, the areas in between are being restored by the owners of places such as Comerica and businesses like Ford.

Jobs in and of themselves bring people. Such a large amount of individuals coming into the city also increases money being spent within the city, whether it be for food or for evenings on the town. Overall this will improve the economic state of the city over time, as there are many local businesses and

markets that would keep the money circulating through.

One of the primary components for the gentrification of Detroit will be derived from the assistance of these young individuals such as ourselves. As young leaders, recent or soon to be graduates, we have innovative ideas and can contribute much towards the improvement of not only the city but the lives of those living in the surrounding areas. As a team member at Quicken Loans, I had numerous opportunities to volunteer and give back to the community.

The amount of pride and trust we place in the growth of Detroit will ultimately determine how well the situation will progress. When images such as the blighted communities represent Detroit,

we must remember and continually advocate for the images of Campus Martius in the winter with the ice skating arena, the concerts in the park during the summer, the volunteerism and activism for the members of the community and the hope we all have for a revitalized and better core of Michigan.

Detroit: why I love it and you should tooKATHERINE BAECKEROOT

Lode Writer

“As young leaders, recent or soon to be graduates, we have innovative ideas and can contribute much towards the improvement of not only the city but the lives of those living in the surrounding areas.”

“This past summer I dis-covered a newfound love and passion for the city of Detroit. I worked di-rectly downtown for three months, and I am now filled with a sense of pride that I hold proud and dear to my heart.”

OPINIONMichigan Tech Lode 11Tuesday, February 25

For most people, thinking of your first time going to Career Fair can be intimidating. It is, but a nerve-wrecking experience can often be an opportunity in disguise. It is easy to come up with excuses to not go like “my GPA isn’t high enough” or “I’m only a first-year,” but I think it’s easier to come up with reasons to go. Here are five reasons why most people should go to Career Fair:

1. Go for the social experience. This is your chance to get the social experience

you’ll need to effectively present your skills and attributes to a company. The earlier you start, the better. It may pay off to have a couple practice rounds when you actually need that internship or co-op. I know I feel more relaxed when I approach someone at an empty booth. Something about waiting in those lines and gazing at the people ahead of me in line gets my adrenaline going, so it’s going to take practice to become more comfortable.

2. Build a relationship with a company representative. Just the fact that you’re at the career fair shows initiative and employers like to see a lot of that. I spoke

with a recruiter who told me they’ve hired people because they come back to talk to them each career fair. If they see you’re reasonably skilled and targeting their company because you want to work for them, recruiters probably think “why not give this person a chance?” Remember, sometimes the recruiters are current Michigan Tech students on co-op!

3. Cop a feel. This is your chance to see how you click with some people at a certain company. I went to the career fair and discovered companies I’d never heard of before that I’m now interested in. You can also find out more about the company by talking to the recruiter,

taking a hand out or asking what they look for in students they hire.

4. You have access to an awesome resource. Career Services knows how to help you prepare for the career fair. They can help you build your resume, teach you interview skills and direct you to other valuable resources. Haven’t stopped by their office in the Admin Building? Everyone in their office is friendly and willing to help you out!

5. “Free swag,” as a recruiter I talked to called it. Many companies hand out free water bottles, pens and pencils, magnets and even flash drives. Get some cool things if nothing else.

Organic foods are one of the up and coming trends in healthy eating. There is currently a heated debate as to whether or not they’re healthier than non-organic foods, and their absurd prices certainly aren’t helping their cause. Even their proposed health benefits do not outweigh their hefty price tags. But exactly what are organic foods, and why are they so expensive?

Organic foods are products that have been grown or raised without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, irradiation or genetic modification. Due to the lack of the aforementioned additives accelerating the growth of the food, the foods are usually grown in a more natural environment as well. For example, cows are allowed to graze on grass as opposed to being fed corn, which is a common practice for non-organic foods.

Compare this to non-organic foods, which make up the majority of foods

sold in America. Non-organic foods are in the majority for a good reason. The use of chemical fertilizers can increase crop yield dramatically, pesticides protect crops from nasty pests and genetically modified organisms can create meatier chickens or larger vegetables. All of these factors make non-organic foods much easier to produce, and are therefore able to be sold at a fraction of the cost of organic foods.

Since non-organic foods are significantly easier to produce, what’s the

selling point of organic foods? There’s actually little evidence to suggest that organic foods are all that much healthier than non-organic foods. In reality, the proposed health benefits of organic foods are mostly scare tactics of the possible dangers of non-organic foods. The most commonly cited pro-organic food “health benefits” are that there’s no Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in organic foods and that it’s not safe to consume large quantities of chemical pesticides.

Pro-organic food fanatics often argue that the full effect of GMOs is not understood. In reality, GMOs have been around since the mid 1990’s, so unless your parents or legal guardians were health-nuts, you’ve been eating food that comes from GMOs for a large part of your life. That’s about twenty years that GMOs have been in circulation in our food supply, and there’s still no definitive evidence that it’s harmful to eat them. As for the pesticides, the U.S. Department of Agriculture would not allow food to go on the market if large amounts of harmful chemicals were still present in the food.

While it certainly wouldn’t hurt to switch to organic foods, there’s little concrete evidence saying that they’re healthier and the price of organic foods frequently doubles the price of non-organic foods. If you can afford to pay double for food that might be a little healthier, then by all means, go ahead and buy organic.

For the average person though, sticking to normal foods is probably your best bet.

JOSEPH PIETRZYK

Lode Writer

Organic foods: are they worth the price?

Next time, go to Career Fair!GAGE HERRINGA

Lode Writer

What is Bitcoin? If you don’t know, it is a digital currency (there are other clones of it such as Litecoin, Dogecoin, etc. but you can think of them all as Bitcoin). Bitcoin is distinct from most currencies which are fiat currencies (not the car company but the latin phrase for “let it be”).

Fiat money gets its value by a government (take the U.S. government for example) saying it has value. These currencies use to be backed by gold, however, are usually no longer (for various political and economic reasons) and instead just backed, by well… the government.

Bitcoin on the other hand is not backed by a government, mineral or rare metal, it is instead simply given value through several things. Bitcoin’s value comes from two main forces, speculation (people thinking it is valuable and investing in it hoping the price will go up and they can make money off of it) and goods you can buy with it.

Speculation was the main driving force for much of Bitcoin’s growth, this and simple curiosity got people to mine Bitcoin (like printing money, but with a computer and instead of ink and anti-counterfeit technology, it uses math to limit inflation and growth).

Bitcoin was easy to mine in the beginning, (when you mine, you are competing against everyone else to get the next 50 bitcoins, with few people it isn’t hard, with lots it is really really

hard) but with the spike in popularity mining is economically infeasible for most (you will pay much more in power and wear on your computer then actual money you make).

With Bitcoin being much harder to mine the best way to get it is, just like most currency, exchange it for U.S. dollars. Once you have your Bitcoins you have two choices: try to invest it (basically hope Bitcoin becomes worth more) or buy things with it. Investing is risky and not worth it because of several issues (trouble converting Bitcoin back to U.S. currency, fluctuations in the market, an unregulated market, which is one of the foundations of Bitcoin and insider trading).

Your other option with Bitcoin is to buy goods with it. You have several options: small shops, seedy places online (most aren’t worth it and will rip you off ), a few reputable online businesses which are usually focused on technology, donate it to certain causes (EFF) or buy or sell drugs and guns. From weed, to cocaine, to heroin and meth, the primary use of Bitcoins was illegal drugs (enough to be your own Heisenberg).

Sadly with most illegal enterprises, the U.S. Federal government got in the way and shut down the previous seedy underbelly. So what can you do now with your Bitcoins?

Not much and what you can do, you can do with U.S. currency as well. Bitcoin, like a gift card, is limited and currently not worth it. At least in the past it allowed easy access for drugs, but not anymore. Will it survive? Maybe. As of now it is a curious hobby.

DAVID MOREHOUSE

Lode Writer

Bitcoin: what is it and is it worth it?

SPORTS Michigan Tech Lode12 Tuesday, February 25

Bythe#

3Weeks until track

season kicks off in Myrtle

Beach, South Carolina

Where Women’s Basketball stands

tied with Wayne State in the GLIAC

rankings with one match to go in the

season

10

3

Goals racked up by

the Hockey Huskies against

rival Northern Michigan in a

2-game sweep

Match wins by

Men’s Tennis in their first three

conference matches of the season

16Average points per game by Mackenzie Perttu, who leads the Women’s Basketball team in scoring

29Point

margin by which Men’s

Basketball defeated

Northwood on Feb. 20 – their largest

point margin of any GLIAC match this

season

1stnumbers

Mackenzie Perttu of the Michigan Tech Women’s Basketball team helped the Huskies to a 72-60 win at Lake Superior State last Saturday, Feb. 22.

The win puts the Huskies back into first place in the GLIAC standings, although they are tied with Wayne State. Both teams are 16-5 with one conference game left each in the regular season.

Perttu scored a game-high 22 points in 29 minutes of play, including a seven-point streak in the last two minutes of the first half to put the Huskies up 36-24. The sophomore guard made 8-of-15 shots from the field and was solid in her free throw shooting, making

all six of six attempts. Perttu added four rebounds, three assists and two steals against the Lakers as well.

Last year, Perttu averaged 6.8 points per game. As a sophomore, she is now seventh in the GLIAC and leads the Huskies with 16 points per game.

Perttu and the rest of the Huskies will battle it out against the Wildcats of Northern Michigan on Thursday, Feb. 27 in Marquette. Northern sits just one game back in a close third place behind Wayne State and Michigan Tech in the GLIAC standings. The last time these two teams hit the court was Feb. 3 in Houghton, where Tech earned a 71-65 victory. The Huskies will look to team leaders like Perttu to carry the Huskies to another victory come Thursday as the team wraps up their regular season.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEKMackenzie Perttu

ELLIE FURMANSKI

Sports Editor

Photo courtesy of Michigan Tech Athletics

Tech Fishing Club getting bigger each

year

The Michigan Tech Fishing Club is active and fishing despite the cold weather. The Club heads out many weekends to ice fish on the Keweenaw Bay, or other areas in the region. Bass and northern pike are frequently the targets of this club, but there are plenty of other excellent fishing options in the Keweenaw.

The club has 109 members, growing rapidly following the creation of the club a few years ago by Mitchell Murphy and Jordan Pontoni. “It is nice always having someone to go fishing with,” said Trent Dawson, who joined the club earlier this year.

Members have access to a lot of fishing equipment for anglers of any level. You can get the typical stuff like rods and tackle, and there are also ice shanties, heaters, augers and tip ups for use by the

JOHN REYNOLDS

Lode Writer

Every spring semester, the Michigan Tech Blizzard Baja SAE Enterprise hosts an annual Blizzard Baja race. This year, over 20 teams were registered with over 38 cars set to compete.

The event was scheduled for Saturday, February 22, with a tech inspection scheduled to begin at 7:00 a.m. and the first dynamic event at 8:00 a.m. Mother Nature and all her fury, however, decided to really put the blizzard in Blizzard Baja, which put a slight dent in the plan of events.

The Blizzard Baja adviser Dr. Brett Hamlin made the final call to cancel the event on Thursday, February 20, knowing that a major snow storm was set to hit Houghton Thursday night and into Friday.

When the cancellation notice was sent out to all the competing teams, however, Virginia Tech was already in route and north of Chicago, so they decided to press on despite the blizzard conditions up in the Keweenaw. UW-Milwaukee and UW-Stout were planning to make the trip despite the cancellation as well, but they found that their trucks and trailers were unable to operate under the harsh weather conditions.

After Virginia Tech’s team made it to Houghton, a makeshift Baja race was

scheduled for Saturday morning. All in all, four cars competed, two from Virginia Tech and two from Michigan Tech.

The cars raced on a snow track, complete with big turns and jumps, which wound throughout the fields behind the SDC. Baja team members, along with the help from Michigan Tech Facilities employees, began construction of the snow track began back in January.

The teams raced in five lap heats from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. By the time the racing was done, the vehicles had taken quite a beating.

Senior Jon Knutson, a Michigan Tech Blizzard Baja member, noted, “All four cars had their own set of ailments from large jumps and obstacles the course had to offer.”

The main purpose of the event was for the teams to test new components on their cars. This trial run will help both teams assess what work needs to be done before competing at the national competition in Illinois this summer.

Knutson commented, “Despite the cancellation, Winter Baja was still somewhat a success. It allowed for us and Virginia Tech to test our vehicles under race-like simulation for several hours on a pristine track.”

The 2014 Blizzard Baja event may not have been everything the team was hoping for, but the fact that the cars still got out to race counts for something.Continued on page 15

Winter Baja event take two

ELLIE FURMANSKI

Sports Editor

SPORTSMichigan Tech Lode 13Tuesday, February 25

The deadline for soccer-tennis is rapidly approaching. Make sure to sign your team up for the soccer-tennis tournament by Feb. 26 at 5 p.m. Men’s, women’s and co-rec divisions are available. The tournament is scheduled to begin on Feb. 28. The next intramural deadline is March 5 at 5 p.m. for men’s and women’s volleyball. Sign up today for some fun intramural action!

Nordic ski lessons are offered weekly at the Tech Trails on behalf of the Nordic Ski Club. While these sessions are available for members only, the cost for membership is only $10. This fee includes free equipment use at the Tech Trails for the academic year, which makes learning how to cross country ski a bargain. Lessons for beginners are available four days a week. There are also training sessions for intermediate to more advanced skiers led by elite skier Joanie Rundman. Both skate and classic techniques will be taught for all levels. Visit (forest.mtu.edu/ski/) for more information about the Nordic Ski Club as well as a complete lesson schedule.

Last week, leading scorer of the Michigan Tech Men’s Basketball team Austin Armga was named to the Capital One Academic All-American First Team. Members, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America, are honored for their hard work both as athletes and students. Currently, Armga leads the GLIAC as the leading scorer and is ranked eighth in the nation for averaging 23.3 points per game. His 1,376 career points make him 13th in Michigan Tech Men’s Basketball history for all-time scoring. Armga holds one school record—most points scored in a debut game—and will end his career in the top-ten in school history for field goal, three-point and free throw percentages. The senior guard owns a 3.78 GPA in Exercise Science.

SidelinesIntramural Deadlines

Nordic Ski Club Lessons

Armga Earns Academic All-AmericanThe women’s basketball team is

approaching their final regular season game against the Northern Michigan Wildcats this Thursday, February 27.

This game could end up deciding the GLIAC champion, as the Huskies moved into a tie with 21st-ranked Wayne State after a win against Lake Superior State this past Saturday.

Mackenzie Perttu and Danielle Blake led the team in scoring with 22 and 19 points, respectively, in the 12-point win over the Lakers. The Huskies faced some difficulties getting to the game and ended up stranded in Mackinaw City, which delayed the game by five hours. Despite the tough ride, Tech managed to get the win against a young Lake Superior State team.

The win could be the kick start the team needs to head into the GLIAC Tournament, especially considering they dropped three of their previous four games.

Tech struggled defensively over the rough streak. The team allowed nearly 79 points a

game, which is over 12 points worse than their season average.

The Huskies have clinched a home game in the quarterfinals of the GLIAC Tournament and will need to win this week at Northern to have a chance at being the top seed in the tournament. Wayne State, who holds the tiebreaker over the Huskies, will face Lake Superior State in their last game of the regular season.

Tech will visit a tougher team than Wayne State will host, so it might be tough to overtake them, but the Warriors are struggling. They have dropped four of their last five matches. Their only win in the streak came against Tech.

The men’s team is coming off of a loss against the 18th-ranked Lake Superior State. Austin Armga led the Huskies with 23 points in the loss. Armga was recently overtaken as the leader of the GLIAC in points per game by Findlay’s Greg Kahlig, who has scored an astounding 121 points in the last three games.

All the teams in the men’s tournament have already clinched their berths, with the distance between the eighth and ninth place teams too great to overcome.

Michigan Tech is more than likely going to play against Grand Valley State in the first round barring two losses by Walsh and a Tech win at Northern.

Tech has clinched a home game in the quarterfinals of the men’s tournament as well. They hold the tiebreaker over Grand Valley State, who could potentially end up tied with the Huskies with a win and a Husky loss. The Huskies swept the season series over Grand Valley, which bodes well going into the tournament.

The tournament has a different look this year, losing the number one seed Wayne State from last year and fifth seed Hillsdale. Malone and Walsh are more than happy to pick up the mantle and are both in their first year of eligibility for the GLIAC Tournament.

Both Tech teams have a lot to work to do in these upcoming weeks with a lot on the line. They each have the defensive capability and the offensive firepower to win it all, but the GLIAC is a tough division.

Both teams should not be surprised to be challenged this year, but with a good start on home field advantage, these teams could go far.

Tech basketball heads into GLIAC tournamentBoth Men’s and Women’s Basketball are preparing for their final season matchup against rival Northern Michigan University.

Photos by Maxwell Curtis

JOHN REYNOLDS

Lode Writer

SPORTS Michigan Tech Lode14 Tuesday, February 25

Tuesday, 25 Wednesday, 26 Thursday, 27 Friday, 28 Saturday, 1 Sunday, 2 Monday, 3

Men’s Basketball **@ Northern Michigan 7:30 p.m.

Women’s Basketball

**@ Northern Michigan 5:30 p.m.

Hockey

Nordic Skiing @ U.S. Junior National Cham-pionships in Stowe, Vt.

Men’s Tennis

Varsity Events Schedule: February 25 - March 3 Home Game ** Conference Match

Sonja Hedblom, a freshman Nordic skier and cross country runner, was recently selected for the Midwest Junior National ski team and will be attending the 2014 Junior National Championships in Stowe, Vermont. The four-race competition starts on March 3.

Throughout the ski season, Sonja attended six of eight Midwest Junior National Qualifier races and posted impressive results. She won two sprints and three distance races in the U20 Women’s division.

On Feb. 17, Sonja received the news that she had been selected for the Midwest

Junior National team. Sonja is no stranger to this honor, as she has qualified for the team the last four years.

“The Midwest team is always so strong. It’s an incredible team to be a part of,” said Sonja. “They’re some of the coolest people I know and are highly motivated.”

Although Nordic skiing typically begins to wind down after the NCAA Central Region Championships, which Michigan Tech hosted this year, Sonja is excited to be racing in Vermont.

“Being able to go to Junior Nationals is

the highlight of my year because I get to train and compete along with some of the best skiers in the nation,” Sonja said.

Sonja has high hopes for this year’s event.

“My ultimate goal would be to get All American in one of my races. It’s been my goal ever since I started JO [Junior Olympic] skiing. I’ve gotten really close a couple of times,” Sonja said.

Best of luck to Sonja Hedblom as she represents the Midwest and Michigan Tech next week in Vermont.

Broomball may be nearing the end of its season, but intramural floor hockey is just beginning. With 38 teams spread throughout four leagues, floor hockey is by far a popular student activity here at Michigan Tech.

While some students play intramural floor hockey to win, others are there just for the fun. Joe Goudzwaard, a freshman from Wisconsin, joined a floor hockey team with other members of his hall.

“I have never played hockey before.

After playing broomball, we enjoyed it so much we made a floor hockey team,” commented Joe.

When his team arrived at the SDC ready to play their first game, there was a slight problem; the other team didn’t have enough people to compete. Instead of heading back, the two teams played anyways.

Jason Rutkowski, captain of Joe’s team, switched sides to even up the teams. Eventually the referees, who were no longer needed since the game was technically forfeited, grabbed sticks and started playing, too.

New to the sport, Joe enjoyed learning how to play as a goalie.

“We were all attacking and my defense gave a breakaway. I had no idea what to do, so I started running to half field and tried to slide and take the ball away,” stated Joe.

The two teams ran back and forth across the gym floor until the next game was scheduled to begin. In the end, Joe’s team, minus their captain and plus a referee, lost 7-1, but everyone still had a good time playing against each other.

“Even though we weren’t in an actual

game, it was still a really fun time playing,” said Joe.

This is part of what makes intramural sports great; everybody is there to compete, but also to have fun. The two teams could have easily gone back to their rooms to relax with friends or study, but they instead chose to play for the fun of it.

Even the referees couldn’t resist joining in. Maybe next year, you won’t be able to resist joining in the fun of intramural floor hockey, too.

The fun of intramural floor hockey

Sonja Hedblom to attend Nordic Junior Nationals

PARKER MCCOLL

Lode Writer

“This is part of what makes intramural sports great; everybody’s there to compete, but also to have fun.”

Photo courtesy of Michigan Tech Athletics

PARKER MCCOLL

Lode Writer

“Junior Nationals is the highlight of my year because I get to train and compete along with some of the best skiers in the nation.”

-Sonja Hedblom

SPORTSMichigan Tech Lode 15Tuesday, February 25

A successful weekend for Michigan Tech hockey against long-time rival Northern Michigan brought the Huskies back to being ranked third in the ever so competitive WCHA. The Huskies still stand behind powerhouses Ferris State and Minnesota State, who stand in first and second in the conference, respectively.

With a break from play this weekend, the Huskies have only one more series in the regular season. Their final series will be against the team right above them in the rankings, the Mavericks from Minnesota State.

The Mavericks hold second place with 34 points, a solid six-point differential from Tech’s 28. Unfortunately for the Huskies, this means that even if they sweep Minnesota, they will remain in third place. On the other side, any loss in the series will jeopardize Tech’s ranking to the likes of Alaska Anchorage, Fairbanks, Bowling Green or LSSU.

As the Hockey Huskies move toward saying goodbye to this season, the team gets to reflect on their performance through the last five months.

The team holds an overall record of 14-16-6 with a .472 win percentage and a slightly better conference record of 12-10-4, giving them a .538 WCHA win percentage. Tech put on a good home showing this season, keeping the MacInnes Student Ice Arena loud and energetic through an 8-5-3 record when in Houghton.

The road showed to be more challenging for Tech, as they have a 6-10-2 away record. The Huskies hope to increase that to 8-10-2 when they close the season against the Mavericks.

Ten Huskies have accumulated at least ten points at this point in the 2013-2014 season, and five of those ten earned themselves over 20 points while on the ice.

Captain Blake Pietila has filled his role well, leading the team in points with 27 in 35 games played. Right behind him is one of the many young stars on the team Alex Petan, who has earned 26 points.

Junior Tanner Kero has 25 points, freshman Shane Hanna has 21 and freshman Reid Sturos has 20. Of the top ten point leaders on the Tech squad, half of them are underclassmen while the rest are juniors and seniors.

Tech hockey has made great improvement this season, showing the collegiate hockey world that they have a

strong and fast offense which can pummel the net with shots all game long. The Huskies have averaged 34.6 shots per game.

As long as the offensive and defensive corps continues to develop in the

departments of awareness and chemistry, this team will be very strong very soon. With the work ethic and drive they’ve shown to perform well, the team knows they can get to where they want to be.

The huskies celebrate a goal against Ferris State earlier this season. The team swept long-time rival Northern Michigan this past weekend and look forward to their series against Minnesota State.

Photo by Maxwell Curtis

Huskies stand in the top three of WCHA

IAN HATZILIAS

Lode Writer

Tech Fishing Club getting bigger each year Continued from page 12

members looking to brave the elements. With all the equipment available it is little wonder the club is so active year-round.

“We go to a few tournaments a year, but we are trying to attend a few more,” said Kevin Kyle, Treasurer of the club. There is even potential for Tech to host a tournament in the future. Houghton doesn’t currently host any cold weather tournaments, so the Club could potentially have a unique tournament on

their hands. Recently they attended a Splake

Tournament in Copper Harbor. Splake are a hybrid fish born of a male brook trout and a female lake trout, and are used as a game fish due to their low success rate at spawning. The Great Lakes have had a lot introduced because of declining trout populations, so the Tech Club has many opportunities to go after this interesting fish.

There are a few benefits to joining the Michigan Tech Fishing Club. Some area businesses offer discounts to members, and the club may even reimburse you for supplies that you buy. This organization is dedicated to spreading the sport of fishing, and their exponential growth is a testament to the Club’s success.

Trout Unlimited currently sponsors the club, and they were the first sponsor for the club. They set up an informative meeting about canoeing the Upper Peninsula on Feb. 19, led by a member of the Copper Country Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Trout Unlimited works with conservation efforts for freshwater fishing.

The Fishing Club is constantly growing and wants members of all levels. “Fishing it a great stress relief,” commented Kyle. It seems like a lot of people are agreeing with that. With all the opportunities the club provides there is no reason to believe the club will stop growing anytime soon.

“The club has 109 members, growing rapidly following the creation of the club a few years ago by Mitchell Murphy and Jordan Pontoni.”

Upcoming

Events

ASK TECH

“I like butter pecan. It is better than vanilla because it is not plain

and I don’t like chocolate.”

“Mackinac Island Fudge. I like chocolate ice cream with things in

it.”

“Moose tracks because it mixes chocolate and peanut butter.”

“Mint chocolate chip because it mixes mint and chocolate.”

Ben Pletcher Jeffrey Belkl Zoe Sutton Morgan Grammatico

-Sasha Burnett

What is your favorite ice cream flavor and why?

February 25 - March 3

Snowshoeing Adventure Visit-OAP

Meet Nick Baumgartner-Finlandia

Blood Drive

Friday, Feb. 28. 1:30 p.m. Hungarian Falls

Wednesday, Feb. 26. 7 p.m. Paavo Nurmi Center (Finlandia)

Tuesday, Wednesday Feb. 24, 25. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Library

The OAP will be taking a snowshoe trip to Hungarian Falls on Friday February 28 at 1:30 p.m. The trip is expected to last until 5 p.m. Join them in this unique opportunity to see the beautiful Hungarian Falls while they are frozen.

Come meet Olympic snowboarder Nick Baumgartner. This event, taking place at Finlandia University, is free and open to the public.

Give blood this week at the blood drive that is organized by the Student Activities Community Service Program along with the American Red Cross. It takes place at the Library on Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 am to 4 pm. Participants may schedule an appointment by calling 1-800RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), visiting (http://www.redcrossblood.org/) or by coming in person the day of the drive and signing up for a time that fits your schedule. Walk-ins will also be accepted.

“Gravity”-Film Board Friday, Feb. 28 and Saturday, March 1. 6 p.m., 8:30 p.m., 11 p.m. $3 Fisher 135

Join Film Board in their showing of “Gravity.” Starring George Clooney as an astronaut and Sandra Bullock as a medical engineer that are left adrift in space after their shuttle gets destroyed. “Gravity” received rave reviews from film critics and casual movie goers alike, and is $3 for a ticket. Beverages and snacks will be sold at the door before the show.

Flights of Fantasy-Superior Wind SymphonyThe Superior Wind Symphony presents Flights of Fantasy free for Michigan Tech students, $13 for community members and $5 for children. Guest conductor William L. Berz will be welcomed from Rutgers for this performance.

Saturday, March 1. 7:30 p.m. Rozsa

Special rates on events page advertising. Contact us at [email protected] or for more information call (906) 487-2404.

Place your ad here!

02/25/2014

Documents

ancient tablet

cryptic tablet

clay tablet

inch tablet

mysterious tablet

tablet connection

michigan copper

university of michigan