THE OREDIGGER

The student voice of the Colorado School of Mines

2
Volume 93, Issue 17 February 25, 2012
COURTESY COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES

News

NASCAR crash injures at least 28 fans

Features 3

Learn about restaurant week in Denver

Welcome Elm Hall USG shares news

Aaron Pfeifer Staff Writer
This spring, the Colorado School of Mines will start 15 months of construction on a new dining hall for at least 500 people as well as a new residence hall for roughly 200 students. The construction, currently dubbed Elm Hall, is part of the campus master plan which aims to create a residential campus. This includes providing housing and facilities for the entire freshman and sophomore class on campus some years down the road. The new building will be built in the current B parking lot, between Elm, 18th and Maple Street, across the street from the new health center. Parking in this lot will be closed starting April 15. The first steps of the project will require removing pavement and relocating communications fiber for the school. Slate Caf is designed currently for roughly 320 people, although it routinely serves over 600 people per meal. The new dining hall is expected to seat 500 people. The concept for the new dining hall is micro-restaurant. The goal is to have a greater variety of foods and to have food prepared more openly. Having food stations to cook food in front of students allows for fresher food and requires less kitchen space, therefore for more seating. Some ideas currently include a brick fired oven for a pizza and pasta station. Additionally, there would be an international station, salad bar, deli, classics, a grille, and desserts. The new space would also likely have a patio for outside seats and a private room that groups would be able to reserve. An important goal of the new residence hall is to house among other students about 85 freshmen who typically live in Mines park, as well as help relieve the overflow of students in the traditionals. When the new residence hall comes online, Mines Park will go back to being available to upperclassmen only. Student rooms will be located in the top three levels of the building. The new hall is being built with the opinions of students in mind. Surveys have shown that students prefer the community of the traditionals, and the amenities of Weaver. As such, the new hall will have a layout similar to the traditionals, but will have more amenities. These include two common rooms, laundry, kitchen and multiple small bathrooms, per floor. The designs are attempting to create a neighborhood community feel by placing community rooms in locations that most students will have to pass in order to reach exits, so that students can have more interaction. Additionally, each level will have two RAs who will each lead their individual communities. The floor layout could allow for coed or single sex levels, although that decision has yet to be made. Continued at Elm on page 3

Starting this spring, the Colorado School of Mines will begin construction on a new dining hall and residence hall.

Sports

Aaron Pfeifer Staff Writer

Wrestling takes on Chadron State

Opinion 8

Why wont action stars just go away?

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science students will be relieved to know that, courtesy of Tracy Gardner along with other faculty, they will be able to obtain a minor for other disciplines within their major department. Due to a reorganization, EE and CS students have had their departments merge. As a result, EEs working towards a minor in CS and CS students looking for a minor in EE would not be able to obtain the minors, as they fall within the same department. The Faculty Senate has now decided that those students will be able to obtain the minors they have already started, and are looking for alternative solutions for future students. Golden Bowl may shortly be a memory for Mines students. The lease for Golden Bowl and the local bike shop will be expiring this fall, and the landowner most likely will sell his property. Additionally, it is expected that Vitamin Cottage, which was founded in Golden in 1955, will buy the property and build a local natural grocery store. This could provide jobs for 20 people and increase tax revenue for Golden. Graduating Seniors this spring may have less time on stage to receive their degree. At the last Faculty Senate meeting, Provost Terence Parker announced that with the current expected graduating class size, the graduation ceremony would take between 30

and 45 minutes longer than usual. In an effort to offset the largest graduating class in Mines history, it has been proposed to change students time to walk across stage from 8 seconds to 5 seconds. The USG faculty senate representative shared that the faculty is not in favor of this proposal, and are looking into other options. It was previously proposed that graduation be split into three separate ceremonies for the three separate colleges of the School of Mines. This may happen in the future, but will not occur this year. Only 200 parking spots will be reserved next year for incoming freshmen. The latest decision on freshman parking is to allow 450 students to apply for a lottery, of which 200 spots will be awarded. These spots will be located off of the main campus allowing upperclassmen who use their cars daily to have the best spots on campus. These new freshman passes are also expected to be roughly $500 to further discourage freshman from having cars on campus. In new business, USG voted on fee increases, by inflation of 1.9%, for the Academic Construction Building Fee, the Associated Students Fee, and the Intermodal Transportation Fee. These fees can only be increased by the school after recommendations from USG. After deliberation, USG decided to leave the three fees at their current rates, and not account for inflation next year. Continued at News on page 3

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n e w s

february 25, 2013

Arnaud Filliat, Asst. Copy Editor

University of Pennsylvania- The reprogramming of alpha cells into beta cells could offer a novel approach for treating type 2 diabetes. Researchers at University of Pennsylvania found a way to modify cell nuclear material called chromatin to induce the expression of beta cell genes in alpha cells.

Johns Hopkins- Researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that a protein known for turning on genes to help them survive low oxygen conditions also slows down the copying of DNA strands. This effectively shuts down the growth of new cells.

Emory University- Biologists at Emory University found that when fruit flies sense parasitic wasps in their environment, they lay their eggs in an alcohol-soaked environment, essentially forcing their larvae to consume alcohol as a drug to combat the wasps.

Oredigger Staff
Katie Huckfeldt Editor-in-Chief Deborah Good Managing Editor Steven Wooldridge Webmaster Barbara Anderson Design Editor Lucy Orsi Business Manager Ian Mertz Copy Editor Taylor Polodna Asst. Design Editor Connor McDonald Asst. Web Master Arnaud Filliat Asst. Copy Editor Trevor Crane Content Manager Stephen Hejducek Content Manager Katerina Gonzales Content Manager Jared Reimer Content Manager Emily McNair Content Manager Karen Gilbert Faculty Advisor

Headlines from around the world

Arnaud Filliat, Asst. Copy Editor
Mothers went topless in Spain to raise money and save a school bus. The ten mothers from Montserrat, Spain, showed some skin in a calendar sold to raise money to restore a reduction in bus service for 600 elementary students. So far the calendar has raised enough money to pay for the monthly service charge for the bus. The mothers hope to sell all 3,000 copies for this year and start anew next year. North Korea warned the top American commander in South Korea that there would be destruction if the US military went ahead with military drills with South Korea. South Korea and the US regularly conduct joint drills but North Korea calls the drills proof of hostility and accuses the US of practicing for an invasion. Thousands of Spaniards went on strike Saturday to protest deep austerity, the privatization of public services, and political corruption. The students, doctors, unionists, young families, and pensioners staged non-violent demonstrations as there are no signs of recovery for the mass unemployment and no end in sight for the current five-year slump in the economy. According to protesters the government is cutting budget items it should not cut such as health, education, and basic services. Two bombs exploded in a crowded shopping area in Hyderabad, India killing at least 11 people and wounding 50 more in the worst bombing in the country in more than a year. The blasts occurred two minutes apart outside a movie theater and a bus station. The bombs were attached to two bicycles about 150 meters apart in the district of Dilsukh Nagar. Eight people died in one of the explosions and three at the other. The explosions were the first major bomb attack to hit India since September 2011 when 13 people were killed. Aalaya Walker, an 18 year old woman from Florida, was injured last week when she was shot by her friends oven. Craving some waffles, Walker preheated the oven unaware that her friend was storing a magazine from his 45-caliber Glock 21 in the oven. The magazine exploded sending fragments flying at high speeds and striking Walker. She took some pieces out of her leg and chest and then took the bus to the hospital where she was treated and released. At least 28 NASCAR fans were injured last week in a crash that sent debris flying into the grandstands. The final lap accident began as the racers closed in on the finish line and sent rookie Kyle Larsons car flying into the fence separating the track from the stands. Pieces of the car ended up in the stands, whereas the car itself had the entire front end sheared off, while the burning engine was wedged through a hole in the fence.

Local News
During one of LifeLine Puppy Rescues , Brighton, CO, adoption events last Saturday a 9-week-old Australian Shepard disappeared representing a loss to the non-profit organization of $250. Winter Storm Rocky expected to blanket the foothills with 12-20 of new snow, especially south of I-70, by 11:00pm Sunday evening. In metro Denver, blanketed streets lead to an increase of traffic accidents and a slough flight closures at DIA. Luckily, DIA has over 250 pieces of snow removal equipment and approximately more than 500 trained snow removal employees ready to battle the biggest Denver storms and keep passengers moving. Professor Jan Leach of Colorado State University appointed to a national advisory board of biosecurity. Leach has worked for decades with bacterium to improve rice plants, when she was notified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that the strain has been declared a selective agent, meaning it could be used as biological weapon to threaten public, animals, or plants. The Colorado House passed bill HB 1224 after more than 6 hours of debate last week. The bill bans standard capacity ammunition magazines that hold more than 15 rounds. The law is aimed to limit the potential of future gun tragedies, without limiting the long-standing history of hunting and shooting sports of Colorado. The law strives to find a balance between both theories of gun control, according to House Democrats

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february 25, 2013

Welcome Elm Hall Figuring out what your

Continued from page 1 An additional goal of the new building is to create more common areas and office spaces. These areas would encourage socialization and studying. This would also be the new home to the blaster card, housing, and dining office. Housing these offices in one place would allow students to solve their problems all in one place. Once the new residence and dining hall is complete, renovations will occur in the Student Center. These changes include updating Slate Caf, and expanding the bookstore, as well as changing the overall floor plan.

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PS4 specs really mean

Erik Charrier Staff Writer
ing system and case. This will not break the slow console upgrade cycle, but it will likely make cross platform development easier than last time, especially since the rumor mill indicates that the new Xbox will be similarly speced. The Cell architecture was significantly different from both PCs and the Xbox 360, reportedly making cross platform development more difficult. Additionally, developing a custom architecture like Cell is harder and riskier than adapting existing hardware. Last time, Sony was not particularly well rewarded for the extra efforts and risks. This may have been a factor in Sony playing it safe in terms of system architecture. With regard to the hardware specs, the eight Jaguar cores are not going to be anything special. It is a new version of AMDs low voltage chips and is rumored to have a clockspeed around 1.6 GHz [3]. This is wonderful news. Game developers have been dragging their feet on multithreaded support since the first dual core CPUs. Having to develop games for a couple platforms (provided that rumors of similarly speced Xboxes turn out to be true) with poor single threaded performance will hopefully force them to get better at it. Better multithreaded performance would let PC gamers make better use of all those overclocked i7s out there. The slightly modified desktop GPU and extra ram are going to make things easier for developers. The extremely limited RAM in previous consoles was reported to be a nuisance to work with, so eight gigs should let developers spend time on things besides memory management (not that computing purists would call this a good thing). The video card is rumored to be similar to AMDs HD 7850. This is likely correct because the quoted performance of 1.84 TFLOPS is a little faster than the 1.76 TFLOPS of the stock 7850 and we would expect them to use the latest GPU line [4]. The HD 7850 is an upper midrange gaming card that will probably outperform a lot of the hardware PC gamers are using at present. This similarity in hardware will make cross platform development much easier for developers in the near future. In the long run, we should expect the PlayStation 4 to age more gracefully than comparable PC

USG shares news

Continued from page 1 The Academic Construction Building Fee pays for bonds used for academic construction on campus. The Associated Students Fee funds student organizations such as MAC. The Intermodal Transportation Fee funds RTD, which has recently said that they will not increase their fee for the next school year. Election packets for next school years Undergraduate Student Government Council will be available the Monday after spring break. Students interested in running for a position will have to obtain a petition and receive signatures from students in order to run. Voting will occur the week of E-days, and the new council members will be announced during E-days. A parking garage could soon be a reality, if students are willing to tax themselves for a $11 million structure. While more information

is being gathered, it is expected that in the near future a student survey hosted by USG will be presented to obtain student opinion on the idea. This will be discussed in the next USG meeting, which will be a joint meeting with the Graduate Student Government . Students interested in voicing their opinion are welcome to attend in the Ballrooms at 5 pm next Thursday. Additionally, a guest speaker will be presenting on the Campus Master Plan. Students with questions or concerns about the school should contact their class senators or visit them in office hours. Freshman and sophomore classes meet Wednesdays from 4 to 5 pm in the USG office, located in the student activities office. Juniors meet from 5 to 6 pm in the Digger Den on Wednesdays. The senior class meets from 11:10 am to 12:10 pm Thursdays at Coors Lab.

Continued from page 2 John Hopkins. Their discovery has wide-ranging implication due to DNA replication and new cell growth being key factors in diseases such as cancer. The protein HIF-1 can switch hundreds of genes on or off in response to low oxygen conditions. HIF-1 can also stop new cells from forming. The researchers looked at how the protein affects DNA replication by comparing cells in lowoxygen conditions to cells kept under normal conditions. The cells in the low oxygen conditions stopped dividing, but had as much DNA replication systems as the normal cells. The difference was that the nondividing cells were being affected by HIF1 which was binding to a protein and preventing the replication process from occurring. University of Pennsylvania. This method could lead to a way to treat diabetics by reactivating their insulin-producing beta cells. According to lead author Klaus H. Kastner, This would be a win-win situation for diabetics they would have more insulin-producing beta cells and there would be fewer glucagon-producing alpha cells. Type 2 and type 1 diabetics both lack insulin production, but type 2 diabetics also produces too much glucagon. Alpha cells are responsible for synthesizing and secreting glucagon, which elevates glucose levels in the blood. The team discovered that many genes in

alpha cells are marked by histone modifications. This included many genes important in betacell function. They found that in one state, when a certain gene is turned off, the gene can be activated by removing a modification that represses the histone. They then determined that they might use this method to reprogram alpha cells towards the beta cell phenotype to produce the necessary cells. Emory University. The adult flies anticipate an infection risk and thus lay their eggs in alcohol. This discovery adds to the evidence that using toxins in the environment to medicate offspring may be common across the animal kingdom. The biologists also determined that adult fruit flies detect wasps by sight and have better vision than was previously thought. The larvae, Drosophila melanogaster, eats the rot, or fungi and bacteria, that grows on overripe, fermenting fruit. The larvae have evolved resistance to toxic alcohol levels which can range to 15 percent. Small endoparasitoid wasps are major killers of fruit flies as they inject their eggs inside the larvae along with venom that suppresses their hosts cellular immune response. If the fly fails to kill the wasp egg, a wasp larvae hatches inside the fruit fly larvae and eats its host. The alcohol improves the survival rate of fruit flies due to their high tolerance of the toxic effects of alcohol compared to the wasps low tolerance.

Its that time again. Rumors of the next cycle of console upgrades have been swirling around for some time and Sony has finally announced their specs. This marks the beginning of a new iteration in the game development cycle and, if these specs are any indication, it should be a good one. There is a seemingly unending cycle in video games. And no, I do not mean the Reapers. Over time, the usual incremental improvements that come with the new models of computer hardware add up. Every few hardware generations, PC gamers decide the improvements are enough to justify some new hardware on their student loans. However, our console brethren are not so lucky and have to go six or seven years between generations. At the start of a console cycle, their performance tends to be similar to a budget gaming computer. By the end, about any $100 video card thrown in an old Dell will put the consoles to shame. Thanks to cross platform development for most big titles, the rather lethargic upgrade cycle of the consoles has come to define game development for everyone. When the cycle has just started, the consoles are close enough to a high end GPU that it is relatively easy to make games scale nicely and utilize both platforms well enough. As progress marches past the static consoles, this performance gap approaches an order of magnitude or more and the consoles are missing new technologies and standards. Therefore, many cross platform games do not fully take advantage of PC hardware in the later part of the cycle. This is where we are at present. As most gamers now know from continuing rumors of the PlayStation 4 and Sonys recent press conference, the PlayStation 4 will be starting the next cycle with respectable specs. According to Engadget, it will be powered by an AMD APU with eight AMD Jaguar cores and 18 GPU compute units putting out a respectable 1.84 TFLOPS [1 & 2]. Additionally, it will sport eight gigs of ram [1]. The exotic Cell architecture of the PlayStation 3 is gone. In its place, there is a fairly traditional CPU and GPU. In other words, this is a basic gaming PC with a different operat-

hardware. This is because PlayStation games can be optimized for the specifics of one particular set of hardware. PC games will never be as efficient because they have to run on a wide variety of hardware, not to mention the inefficiencies associated with running a bloated operating system like Windows. It is commonly observed that all of the patches and updates for Windows and its associated software like anti-virus programs will slow down a computer compared to a fresh install. A dedicated console can minimize this bloat and will probably see a perceived performance gain as developers get better at optimizing for that architecture. The overall pattern of console development shows no signs of changing with this iteration. However, Sonys (and presumably Microsofts) decision to conform to the norms of computer hardware should have a positive impact on developers and game quality. A generation of consoles that are essentially specialized computers will likely benefit all involved. Developers should have an easier time and a few generations of games will not be technologically limited by cross development. Citations: [1] Engadget R Lawler. (2013, Feb 20th). Sony details PlayStation 4 specs: 8-core AMD Jaguar CPU, 6X Blu-ray [Online]. Available: http://www.engadget. com/2013/02/20/sony-detailsplaystation-4-specs-8-core-amdjaguar-cpu-8x-bl/ [2] Toms Hardware Dave James. (2013, Feb 21st). PC Gamer vs. PlayStation 4: How much does a comparable rig cost right now? [Online]. Available: http:// www.pcgamer.com/2013/02/21/ pc-gamer-vs-playstation-4-theresonly-ever-going-to-be-one-winnerright/ [3] PC Gamer Dave James. (2013, Feb 21st). PC Gamer vs. PlayStation 4: How much does a comparable rig cost right now? [Online]. Available: http://www. pcgamer.com/2013/02/21/pcgamer-vs-playstation-4-theresonly-ever-going-to-be-one-winnerright/ [4] AMD. (2013). AMD Radeon HD 7850 Graphics [Online]. Available: http://www.amd.com/ u s / p ro d u c t s / d e s k t o p / g r a p h ics/7000/7850/Pages/radeon-7850.aspx

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Geek Week
of the
(they cut me out before it collapsed), the Hanging Gardens, and surviving two years in Dwarf Fortress. What would you do if you suddenly found yourself face-toface with Batman? [I would be] half-tempted to ask how his parents are doing and the other half wants to ask if he has got any catnip in his utility belt. If you could be dropped into any fictional setting, what would it be and why? Pokmon would be fun. I mean, [you are a] ten year old with money told to go off and if you beat peopleyou get their money. Its essentially free money. Plus, it is Pokmon. I could have a team of muggersI mean companions. Whats your favorite thing about Mines? The fellow geeks. I mean, I have a table where I sit every day and were all geeking out. What more is there to love than people who actually click with and understand you? Assuming there was a semisilent protagonist tournament, who would win in a fight: Link or Gordon Freeman? Considering he can summon four giants that can stop the moon from crashing on Earth, I would have to say Link. If he brings Navi, Gordon Freeman will be too distracted trying to kill her to notice Link stabbing him. Whats your best nerd story?

f e a t u r e s

february 25, 2013

Jordan Francis Staff Writer

Geeks tend to be a different breed from the rest of society; many chose to not embrace popular culture and march to the beat of their own drum. Whether hes rapidly switching conversation topics from Magic to video games or planning out his next insane scheme in an RPG, Freshman Malachi McDonald is confined to his own realm of geekiness. [Oredigger]: Why did you go for that major? [McDonald]: I actually met the head of the department and he sold me on it. Whats been your favorite class? Probably NHV. I actually had a really good group where when we held a debate, we could hold it in an intellectual and interesting manner they actually knew what they were talking about! Are you a geek and why? Yes, Im a geek. I go to Mines, I play League of Legends, I play Skyrim, I play Dwarf Fortress, I play all the geek games, I play geek card games, Im in all the geek clubsI dont see how I could not be a geek. How do you occupy your spare moments? Games. Lots and lots of games. What have been your greatest accomplishments thus far? The Pyramids, the tower of Babel

...Malachi McDonald, Freshman: Mining Engineer

I was playing a crazy doctor in a Firefly RPG and I had spent the whole adventure with my lab coat on backwards. We got to the final encounter with the mayor and the sheriff of the town, the sheriff had a gun pointed at me, and I whipped off my lab coat. My character had two bandoliers with all these poison and gas grenades strapped to his chest. My character was immune to the grenade poisons and effects, but no one else was. The rest of my party was freaking out and I looked at the sheriff and tried to scare him into putting the gun down. The GM rolled to see what the sheriff would do and started laughing. Apparently, the sheriff had crit-ed his will check, so he kept the gun pointed at me. So, I pulled the pins on the grenades and things went insane. Two of our party members bolted out the door, the rest ran upstairs and jumped out the windows, the mayor and the sheriff start choking, and Im just calmly walking around in the chaos. It was awesome! Do you have any plans for the future? I would like to see Australia. Do you have a favorite quote? Losing is fun. Dwarf Fortress Do you have any advice for fellow geeks and Mines students? Dont play Dwarf Fortress. Its just a great way to lose your soul, so dont.

JORDAN FRANCIS / OREDIGGER

Geek of the week, Malachi McDonald, enjoys all varieties of geeky games.

Introducing Denver Oakleys optimal optical option restaurant week

Evan Ford Staff Writer Melissa Ashwood Sydney Sullinger Staff Writers
each person over 21. The second outing featured one Denvers famous Brazilian steakhouses, Rodizio Grill, The Brazilian Denver is having its annual Res- Steakhouse. The exclusive Restautaurant Week. Through March 3, rant Week menu is one to be seen. there will be more than 350 restau- It includes plenty of appetizers, an rants in the Denver and surrounding unlimited salad bar, unlimited skewareas participating. Each restaurant ered meats served to the table via has prepared a special menu for a the Gauchos of the Grill, and an artwo week peray of desserts to riod in order to Through March 3, there choose from. showcase their These sorts cuisine speciwill be more than 350 of deals can also alities. All of the be found in the restaurants will restaurants in the Denver Golden area. provide at least The participatand surrounding areas ing restaurants a three course meal at the exparticipating. Each restau- include: clusive price 1. Briarwood of $52.80 for Inn rant has prepared a special two people or 2. Bridgewa$26.40 for one. ter Grill menu for a two week peWith such a 3. Cafe great deal and riod in order to showcase Prague so many restau4. Grappa rants to choose their cuisine specialities. Bistro from, the ques5. Hacienda tion is which restaurants have the Colorado - Lakewood best food, best deal, and best at6. Halu Sushi mosphere arise. Two promising res7. Indulge Bistro and Wine Bar taurants were visited and rated on 8. Table Mountain Grill & Cantina the food, service, atmosphere, and 9. The Fort quality of event deal. 10. The Keg Steakhouse & Bar The first outing featured Italian This event is a perfect opportucuisine. The best option was Car- nity to try out new restaurants, new rabbas Italian Grill in Westminster. cuisines, and take a break from The menu for the event consists studying. Have someone special? of an appetizer to share, a salad or Take them out for an enjoyable soup for each person, an entree for meal. each person, and a dessert for each For a full list of restaurants parperson. The price of the deal also ticipating and their menus go to: includes a glass of house wine for www.denver.org/denverrestaurant. foam on the interior of the goggle keeps the wearer dry and extremely comfortable. Maximizing comfort even further, the strap is easily adjusted and features gripping material to keep the goggles in place over helmets. The Splice model comes in about 10 different color variations, and this specific goggle is colored with Slant Jewel Blue. Lenses also present even more customization options, and Splice is compatible with over 10 different lens types. This goggle displays the fire iridium lens, one of the more costly options, other than polarized. Fire iridium presents certain disadvantages: low light levels become harder to see in, the cost is pretty steep (about $70 for a replacement), and the

Oakley is a revered brand when it comes to optics such as sunglasses and goggles, and offers many different models, styles, and options for their products. Although the brand is typically quite expensive, their products hold a high standard of quality. This is the case with Oakleys Splice snow goggle. This high tech goggle is durable and comfortable, and the interchangeable lenses allow use in a variety of conditions. Innovation is exemplified in the structure and features of these goggles. Unique construction allows the goggle to maintain supreme comfort throughout the EVAN FORD / OREDIGGER nasal area. Additionally, O Matter frame material is specifically designed to allow the goggle to remain flexible in the coldest conditions. To eliminate fogging, the goggles feature vented lenses and breathable material on the tops and bottoms of the frame. Outriggers, which are designed to allow the interchangeability of different straps, are oriented on the ends of the goggle to eliminate peripheral view interference. Even better, the lens is nearly flush with the frame, which maximizes downward visibility. Moisture wicking These Oakley goggles are perfect for advanced skiers and boarders.

lens is easily scratched. The advantages of the lens: high quality display and balanced light transmission, superb sun protection, and aesthetically pleasing appearance. With proper care and maintenance, the pros certainly outweigh the cons The price, $150, is somewhat steep, but finding a deal at a local Oakley outlet will alleviate the tension of such a purchase. A purchase of low and high light level lenses would be ideal, but again, expensive. If you are seeking a beginner level goggle, the costly Oakley Spice Goggle might not be for you. However, advanced skiers and snowboarders who recognize the importance of quality optics will find this model to be a perfect addition to their setup.

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Nicole Johnson Staff Writer

The Knight, the Seer, and the Child Miranda

against the darkness, the shadows seemed to form the shape of a man. Whowhohow My name does not matter. Mirandas eyes darted to the door. All she had to do was scream, but the sound remained locked in her throat. Slowly she realized the strange feeling of cloudiness in her head preceded many of her nightmares. What are you? An angel, one of the first children. Feeling a bit of strength coming into her legs, she stumbled towards the shape. Why are you hiding from me? The shape darted from her vision. He is weak, so very weak. Who is? Your Uncle Caldon. Uncle Caldon. Miranda could hardly breathe. Where is he? Trapped with us. So many hurt. Captured in the night. Captured by who? Those who call themselves the Trinity Knights. They are responsible for the death of the Goddesses. And now they seek to kill their direct descendants. Because the goddesses denied them power over the temples. The goddesses never had direct descendants. They crafted life from the elements. If you would not listenthen you will never learnit may already be too late for your uncle All around her the words too late were whispered and echoed within her mind. She placed her hands over her ears just when she remembered her uncles screams as he was pulled into the darkness. Look, I A sharp pain flared in her stomach. Youre not making sense. Where is he? She thought about her mother and decided she needed to get out of there. Except where would she go. Her mother was working with the Trinity Knights. Could she trust anyone? A knock came at the door. Princess, are you alright? Who are you talking to? Miranda rushed to the door before they could open it. She put on her best smile. Its nothing. Nervous for tomorrow, I guess. The guards smiled. Do not worry, princess. The queen knows you will play your part well. It might be best for you to get some sleep. Yes, of course. Miranda tried not to roll her eyes. Im simply practicing the words the High Priestess would have me say. Before the guards could say anything more, she shut the door and turned the latch so it locked. You are wise But not stupid. Tell me who you are and where my uncle is. He said you were smart. He is safe for now but will not survive long in this forgotten realm. Our connectionso weakit fades fading What can I do? A dim red light circled over her bed, spreading into the shape of a thick book. The object solidified, sinking into the mattress. Written in the forgotten languageread and remember Miranda touched the leather cover, tracing the stitched symbols with her fingertips. Trust no one, Miranda That time it was Uncle Caldons voice, crystal clear in her mind. Wait, she called out. What do I call you? How can I find you? Call me Naonet. I will find you, child of the darkand remember, trust no one That last phrase sent shivers down her spine. The nausea in her stomach vanished as soon as it had come, making her head spin. She splashed more water on her face, slowing her breathing to a normal rate. She looked back at the book, walking over to the bed and sitting beside it. She lifted the cover and flipped to a random page. The writing was all in black ink and the pages were crumply from age. She took an uneasy breath as she began to read. Just as the voice had said, the language was old. Still the letters made sense and soon the words formed sentences that depicted the goddesses death. The more she read, the more she willed herself to disbelieve. The firsthand accounts were gruesome and depicted a war between the goddesses and an army of men. In their last hour the goddesses sacrificed themselves to destroy the evil force controlling their people. In their last moments, they left behind a stone which contained their power. Split into pieces, lost in time The writing deteriorated to the point where Miranda could no longer make out the symbols. She shut the cover and hid the tome under her bed. Shivering under the cold, she pulled her robe snug against her. Although cold, the room felt stuffy to the point that Miranda felt she would start choking any minute. A walk to the gardens would do her well. She took in a deep breath and opened the door to her room. The guards outside jumped to attention. My apologies for startling you. Can one of you please take me to the patron statue in the gardens? The guards exchanged an uncertain look. You can stay with me if youd like. I cant stay in this room for another minute. Princess, were under orders to That wont be necessary, gentlemen. We will escort her. Please keep watch over the princess room. Miranda felt herself jump when she looked over to see the Queen and Vanar appear from around the corner. Mother. A corner of Queen Cassandras mouth turned up into a smile. It appears sleeplessness runs in the blood. As it happens, I was on my way to the gardens if you would care to accompany me. Miranda fell in beside the queen as she started off down the hallway. They walked in silence with only the sound of the torches to break the tense silence. Occasionally Miranda would steal a glance towards the queen and the scars on her face. Even with her scarred appearance, and the message from Naonet, Miranda felt she could trust this woman. Perhaps the Trinity Knights forced her to act the way she did. That could explain why the queen accepted her as her daughter so readily. She closed her eyes. Maybe she shouldnt have left her room after Hey Seniors, Hike up your pants, turn on your hearing aids, put in your dentures, and mosey over to join us for Senior Bingo Night to kick off fundraising for your Senior Class Gift! Dare to stay up past bedtime and come to Ballrooms D & E on Thursday, February 28th from 5-7pm for sandwiches and BEER while you blackout* (thats a bingo term people) and learn how you can give back to the campus and community that has made those 65K+ starting salaries possible! Dont forget your ID; the bartender will card each and every one of you in an effort to make you feel young and spry. Stick around longer than it takes to down a pint for a chance to win some dandy prizes for your bingo prowess. Round up your friends from playing Scrabble and shuffleboard for some free cold ones and a grand ole time next Thursday! Your Friendly Neighborhood Senior Class Gift Committee *Disclaimer: Neither Colorado School of Mines nor its representatives have ever, are presently, or will ever promote or condone consumption of alcoholic beverages in a manner that is dangerous to health in any way, shape, or form. DRINK RESPONSIBLY! For answers to any questions, please call your Senator. all. So many questions plagued her already sleepless mind. Queen Cassandra cleared her throat, Tell me, why does sleep elude you tonight, my child? Miranda quickly looked away, deciding on a half-truth. Nightmares, my queen. The queens smile was sad. It appears we share that in common. What is troubling you? Miranda laughed. There were many answers to that question. Where to even start. Im not meant for this life. I miss my village and the slow days. I miss sleeping under the stars, even though Uncle Caldon told me I shouldnt. More than anything I miss him. In my dreams he is lost or dead and She stopped just before she could mention the voice. Trust no one, Miranda And? They had reached the gardens, finding a seat in front of Solacias statue. Miranda remembered as a child going to the temples in Aldana. The statues were always the most beautiful. Zurlas statues were commonly made from wood but Solacias clothing was formed from flowing water that collected in a natural hot spring. The steam brought a calming warmth to the cool night air. Theyre just nightmares. The queen shifted her gaze to Miranda. She opened her mouth to say something but stopped and looked at the fountain instead. I dreamt about Sir Caldon a lot after I sent him away with you. If you care for it, there is a tea that makes it easier to forget. Miranda stood, feeling a surge of anger in her blood. I dont want to forget. You dont understand. I want him back. Do not make the mistake of assuming I do not wish the same. However, there are wishes that can never be. Sir Caldons fate cannot be changed no matter how hard we wish or how long we wait. You would be wise to accept that. A tense silence enveloped the two women. There is to be a change for the ceremonies today. Miranda furrowed her brow. What kind of change?

Previous chapters can be found online at oredigger.net Mirandas legs locked as she jerked herself awake from the cloudy dream. Rubbing away the last remnants of sleep from her eyes, she turned her gaze to her bedroom window. Outside the sun still slept somewhere beneath the horizon. Soft moonlight spilled through the window, casting shadows throughout the room. She kicked at the blankets tangled around her legs, swung them off the bed and sat with her face in her hands. Sweat blanketed her brow. She stood and walked over to the basin of water, splashing cold water in her face. Three weeks of nightmares. Each horrifying enough to make her sick, waking with a pounding heart and shivering from the cold sweat that broke over her body. She took in a deep breath, staring at her hands gripping the edge of the vanity table. If only she could remember what she dreamed, then maybe she could figure out why. Her mother said dreams were the gateway to the spirit world. Miranda straightened and pulled her hair into low ponytail on her right side. As she ran her fingers through her hair, she felt nausea bubble in her stomach. She placed a hand on her stomach and another on the table to steady herself. Mirandachildmy child Miranda lifted her gaze to her reflection in the mirror. Turn around As she turned around, feeling the nausea surge through her, Miranda saw nothing but her bedroom. She released the breath shed been holding. Not real, she said to herself. Oh, child, I am very real. Who are you? Miranda shivered when she realized the strangers voice sounded like hers except slightly deeper and hoarser. Look harder and you will see Miranda took several breaths and once again searched the room. Something caught the edge of her vision. When she squinted

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february 25, 2013

Mines takes on Chadron State for Senior Night

Jared Riemer Staff Writer
Senior night for the Mines wrestling team did not go quite as planned as the visiting team, Chadron State, played the villain taking seven of the ten bouts en route to a 23-9 victory. Chadron ran off three straight decisions at 125, 133, and 141 pounds to take a 9-0 lead to start the dual off. At 125 pounds Luis Gurule lost a tough 7-6 decision followed by close losses at 133
ALL PHOTOS MICHAEL RODGERS / OREDIGGER

and 141 pounds. Down 9-0, Austin Cordova gave the Orediggers a quick spark defeating his opponent 7-4 at 149 pounds to capture 3 points for Mines. Team leader in wins, John Crowley defeated his opponent 10-3 at 157 pounds to bring the dual to 9-6. Chadron however, proved too much to handle by capturing four of the last five bouts on the night, only losing the 197 pound weight class where Mines Paul Wilson scored a 10-4 victory.

Freshman John Crowley became the first wrestler to qualify for the NCAA Championships since the 2010-11 season when he captured fourth place at the RMAC/Super Region IV Tournament on Saturday, February 22nd (Not shown above).

Joe Davies Open draws Chadron State edges out Mines large crowd at Steinhauer
Jared Riemer Staff Writer
After making 11 threes on Friday night, the Lady Orediggers made eight on Saturday, but simply could not find their groove against Chadron State losing 76-62 to fall to 1312 overall and 10-9 in the RMAC. Neither team could take control of the game in the opening minutes, as missed shots and turnovers plagued both squads. Five minutes in the score was 7-7 and with 12:30 to go, Mines led 13-12. That would be the last time the Lady Orediggers found themselves in the lead and Chadron closed the second half outscoring Mines 28-14 to lead 13 at halftime, 40-27. Mines closed that lead to four points at 40-44 outscoring Chadron 16-7 in the opening minutes of the half. Down 43-47 the Lady Orediggers had come back from down 16 but simply ran out of gas, never getting closer than eight points behind. When it was all over, Chadron had won 76-62. On the night, the Lady Orediggers shot 34.9% overall, 42.1% from three and 55.6% from the charity stripe. Chadron shot almost 42% and simply outmuscled Mines. A 44-33 rebounding disadvantage, eight more fouls (21-13) for the Lady Orediggers, and the fact that four Chadron state players scored in double digits simply added to their woes. Angie Charchalis led the Orediggers with 23 points on 9-16 shooting and Taylor Helbig chipped in 20 points and three steals. Angie Grazulis recorded a team high 10 rebounds and center Tory Langas led the team with three assists and added seven rebounds of her own.

Jared Riemer Staff Writer

One of the largest crowds at Steinhauer Field house cheered on the home team as they finished the Joe Davies Open with a great showing. The Colorado School of Mines Indoor Track and Field teams did well in their final competition before the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference meet. In Friday nights distance medley relays, the mens and womens teams finished second. The mens team of junior Frank Socha, freshman Austin Shaffer, sophomore Garrett Hoch, and senior Russell Drummond earned a provisional with a time of 9:49.37, the third fastest time in D-II this year. The womens team of redshirt-freshman Chloe Gustafson, and seniors Erin Beach, Hannah Cooling, and Hannah Schuster ran a provisional

time of 11:54.09. Saturdays track events were highlighted by provisional times by Drummond and Hoch in the mile and 800m, respectively. Drummond finished first with a time of 4:08.55 and Hoch finished with a time of 1:51.63. On the womens side, freshman Margarita Schvachko and McKenzie Zeman finished third and fourth, respectively, in the 400m with times of 1:01.63 and 1:01.77. In the womens mile, Gustafson and Cooling finished with times of 5:21.19 and 5:23.18 to finish third and fourth, respectively. The Mens 4x400 team of Derek Alcorn, Neal Anderson, Adam Bodnar, and Marty Andrie finished first with a time of 3:36.42 to beat Colorado Mesa by almost 13 seconds. Rick Davey finished fifth in the 3k with a time of 8:58.13 and Josef Bourgeois finished seventh in 8:58.54. Ann Miller finished sixth

in the womens 3k with a time of 10:58.60. In the field events, Seun Ogunmodede was the star of the show winning the triple jump and high jump events. In the triple jump Ogunmodede recorded a provisional with a jump of 14.91m (4811.00) and in high jump, he cleared 2.07m (6-9.50) on his second try in thrilling fashion in what was the final event of the day. In pole-vault, sophomore Ben Timmer and senior Cody Walega provisionaled when each cleared 4.63m (15-2.25) to finish tied for fifth in the event. In the womens weight throw, juniors Casie Ratzlaff, Kristina Gallmeyer, and Bailey Hoover finished fifth through seventh, respectively and in the shot put finished 12th. For the men, Austin Roup and Ryan Ewen finished fifth and sixth with respective throws of 17.33m and 16.56m.

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Mines defeats Mines bats cold in West Texas opener, lose series 3-1 Black Hills State
Jared Riemer Staff Writer
The Colorado School of Mines Mens Basketball team used defense and balanced scoring to run the home team out of the gym. Black Hills State was simply outmatched in the first half, outscored 40-27 en route to a 69-56 victory by the Orediggers. The win brings them to 1210 overall and 9-9 in RMAC play. Mines came out of the gates shooting, making their first three shots of the half to take a quick 16-2 lead just five minutes in. Mines shot 57.7% in the first half on 15-of-26 shooting and made 7-of-9 threes for almost 78%. Halfway through the first half, Mines led 25-9 and Black Hills simply could not overcome the early offensive barrage by the Orediggers. Six different players made a three in the first half and the Orediggers bench out-scored Black Hills by a margin of 17 to 2. The second half was more closely contested than the first, but the 13 point halftime lead proved to be enough for Mines. Shooting only 42.1% in the second half, the game was slower paced and Black Hills even managed to cut the lead to eight points (55-47) with just under seven minutes remaining, but Mines pulled away to keep the 13 point lead intact at the end, winning by a score of 69-56. Luke Meisch led the Orediggers with 15 points on 3-of-6 shooting, making 8-of-10 free throws to go along with three rebounds and two assists. Four Orediggers scored in the double digits on the night and the Mines bench outscored Black Hills by 14 points. Trevor Wages recorded a double double, his ninth on the season, grabbing 15 rebounds to go along with his 14 points and two assists. Brian Muller added 11 points and three assists, and Ruben Jackson came off the bench to score 12. For the game, Mines shot 51.1% from the field on 23-of-45 shooting, 60% from three and 70% from the line. Mines recorded a 31-26 rebounding advantage and recorded three more assists while holding Black Hills to 39.6% from the field.

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Katerina Gonzales Content Manager

Men clinch overtime win over Chadron State

Jared Riemer Staff Writer
A night after running Black Hills out of their gym, the Orediggers squared off against Chadron State looking to hold their spot in the conference standings. The second of games on back-to-back nights proved to be tougher than the first as the Orediggers needed overtime to dispatch their foe. The Orediggers sit sixth in the conference at 13-10 overall and 10-9 in the RMAC. The Orediggers opened the game with a 9-2 run and led by as many as 12 with four minutes remaining in the half. Chadron responded to the early intensity of the Orediggers and closed that 12 point lead to just one by the time the first half ended. At the break Mines led 32-31. Chadrons David Downey buried a three to give Chadron their first lead of the game just 12 seconds into the second half. It was obvious the game was going to be a dogfight. Mines led 47-39 with less than 14 minutes remaining, but could never stretch that lead to double digits and just like in the first half, Chadron ended the half with a run to tie the game at 60 each.

Overtime would be needed to decide this game. Two minutes into overtime, the game was still tied at 66-66, and with 1:13 remaining, Mines and Chadron were still deadlocked at 70 apiece. Mines would hold Chadron scoreless in the last minute and score five of their own thanks to a Brian Muller three and a couple made free throws to escape overtime with a 75-70 victory. As a team, Mines shot 43.3% from the field but only 23.1% from behind the arc and 74.1% on a 20of-27 effort from the stripe. Chadron shot 39.2% from the field and was outrebounded 35-31. For the second night in a row, the Oredigger bench outscored their opponent, 20-12 and Mines won the battle in the paint scoring 12 more points. Brian Muller led Mines with 23 points on 10-of-20 shooting and added six rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Trevor Wages recorded his tenth double-double with a 12 point 11 rebound game and also tallied a game high seven blocks and three assists. Luke Meisch scored 19, 6-6 from the line, and had seven boards and Garrett Loew led all bench players with 13 points.
COURTESY CSM ATHLETICS

Mines did not have better luck with offense or pitching in the second game, which proved to be a The cold weather that post- 9-inning affair. Freshman lefty Nick Vitulli poned the start of The Colorado School of Mines Baseball teams made his first college appearseason opener at West Texas A&M ance, throwing 4.2 innings. All seemed to freeze CSMs bats as seven runs for West A&M came well. Mines lost both games of while Vitulli was pitching, although Saturdays double header 4-1 only five runs were earned. Vitulli walked three and 7-0 and split Sundays games The extent of Mines of- and struck out two. The bull5-1 and 4-2. Sophomore fense came in the fifth pen was solid after the fourth righty Matt Brown took the inning. After back-to-back inning with junior Peter Hermound for the singles by sophomore rin coming in opener and threw the game dursix solid innings. Zach Bothwell and senior ing the to relieve In picking up the complete game, catcher Jordan Williams, Vitulli after West Texas scored he allowed four straight runs, nine hits, Bothwell advanced to sec- five runs. Freshman and walked only one. Brown also ond on Williams single, righties Michael Tanner and fanned three, inbut was tagged out at Clark Martin cluding two back were great out to back swinging in the sixth in- third on Derek Skrdlants of the bullpen as well, and the ning. The 3-run bunt attempt. bullpen combottom of the bined for no hits third ended up being the deciding factor, though, and no walks in the remaining five as the West Texas Buffs laced to- innings. The Orediggers failed to score gether four singles and a stolen any runs in the second game, albase to take the lead for good. The extent of Mines offense though freshman Nate Olinger came in the fifth inning. After went 2 for 4, freshman shortstop back-to-back singles by sopho- Travis Ramos and senior Charlie more Zach Bothwell and senior Basil went 1 for 3, and Zach Bothcatcher Jordan Williams, Bothwell well extended his hitting streak to advanced to second on Williams two games, going 1 for 3. The 4-1 and 7-0 losses were single, but was tagged out at third on Derek Skrdlants bunt attempt. an improvement to the 16-0 and Senior outfielder Bobby Egeberg, 10-4 losses against West Texas who had the other hit of the game A&M in last seasons opener, yet in the third inning, then reached Mines would take 1 out of 4 just on a fielders choice. Williams as in last seasons opening series. Mines bats remained quiet advanced to third on the fielders choice and then scored on a wild for Sundays first game, resulting pitch, scoring CSMs lone run of in the Buffs clinching the series victory. Although Mines hitters the afternoon. Both teams played errorless picked up six hits, they left 10 on base, resulting in the 5-1 final baseball for the 7-inning opener.

Lady Orediggers crush New-Mexico Highlands

Jared Riemer Staff Writer
Down three points 10 seconds into the second half, Taylor Helbig nailed a three to tie the game at 37, and a Courtney Gallo three, just two minutes in gave Mines a three point lead. The Lady Orediggers never lost the lead, but could never quite pull away. NMH kept the game close forcing some costly turnovers and never found themselves down by more than 10 points. A Grazulis layup with five to play would prove to be the last field goal the Orediggers would make in the game. With Mines up 66-60 with just under four to play, the Cowgirls used their full court press to full advantage in the closing minutes of the game forcing bad shots and a few turnovers. However, the Lady Orediggers made 12 of their 16 free throws in the final minutes to close out the game and come home victorious. The final score was Colorado School of Mines 78, New Mexico Highlands 70. Mines recorded 16 turnovers

score. Nate Olinger led the offense, going 2 for 3 with a walk and sophomore designated hitter Shane Johnson held the only RBI of the game, driving in Bothwell in the fifth, and went 1 for 3 with a walk in the cleanup spot. Christian Rooney put forth a stellar college debut, as the righty pitcher threw 4.2 innings of onerun baseball on three hits with one strikeout. Rooney ended up taking a no-decision, as closer Eric Shannon gave up four runs in the final 1.1 innings. The Orediggers avoided the sweep in the last game, as the bullpen remained strong and the offense woke up just enough to give Mines a 4-2 victory. During the top of the innings, the CSM offense was at work, raking up 12 hits, two of which were for extra bases. Travis Ramos, who had one of the doubles, drove in senior Kyle Wallace from first in the second inning. In the fourth, walks by Johnson and Wallace brought junior Evan Brown to the plate, and Brown laced a single to right field scoring Johnson. Brown also drove Charlie Basil in with a sacrifice bunt in the sixth. Johnson continued his successful Sunday and added another RBI on his double to right that sent Bothwell home. The RBI double in the seventh gave the bullpen a small cushion, one they ended up not needing. West Texas was held to two runs behind sophomore righty Ben Gilman. Gilman struck out five batters and only walked one on the way to his first victory of the season. Senior righty Blake Dunham followed Gilman with two and a third innings of shutout, one-hit ball, and Olinger put down the bat for the inning, picked up a ball, and promptly shut the Buffs down the final two-thirds of the seventh inning.

Garrett Loew pulls up for the jumper.

Sitting at sixth place in the Conference standings, Mines needed a win to stay in contention to make the eight team conference tourney field. Visiting New Mexico Highlands gave the Lady Orediggers a scare, but in the end Mines eeked out an eight point victory to sit at 14-12 overall and 11-9 in the conference. Looking to avenge an earlier defeat at the hand of the Cowgirls, Mines did not get off to the best start. Down early 8-2, the Cowgirls looked to be in control. The Cowgirls held the lead for most of the first half leading by six multiple times. Mines led 22-19 with just under ten to play thanks to an Allie Grazulis jumper. The Orediggers and Cowgirls exchanged the lead four times in the remaining minutes of the first half and at the break, New Mexico Highlands led by the slimmest of margins, 35-34.

but forced the Cowgirls into 17 of their own and held the Cowgirls to 34.2% shooting. The Cowgirls outrebounded the Lady Orediggers 47-45 but Mines shot 40.3% overall on 27-of-67 shooting and 18-26 from 69.2% from the free throw line including 12-of-16 down the stretch to secure the victory. Taylor Helbig scored 25 points including 4-of-9 shooting from behind the arc and recorded five rebounds, two assists, and three steals to go along with her team high in points. Four of the five starters recorded double digit points and the fifth, Allie Grazulis scored 8 points to go along with her 15 boards. Tory Langas scored 14 and tallied eight rebounds and two blocks. Courtney Gallo led the team with three assists and scored 11 of her own and Angie Charchalis added 16 points in the win. The win kept Mines in the drivers seat to make the RMAC shootout quarters.

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february 25, 2013

Study Break Morals to your story

Brian Zaharatos Staff Writer
Career Choice: Ethical Considerations In light of the recent CSM Career Day, it may be worth considering what ethical obligations we have when choosing a career. To facilitate the discussion, consider the following, fairly recent, projects that people have dedicated their time to: 1. MIT Mechanical Engineer Amy Smith has worked on a number of solutions to reduce the rate of infections from breathing smoke from indoor cooking fires (the number one cause of death worldwide). For example, in India, cow dung is used as cooking fuel; but, it produces a lot of smoke. Amy Smith has worked on a several different types of cleaner, healthier, cooking charcoals, each made from locally available, environmentally sustainable sources.[1] 2. Astonished by the inability of the richest nation in the world to provide clean water to Hurricane Katrina victims, Michael Pritchard developed a water filter that purifies water of all entities 15 nm or less. It is estimated that $20 billion dollars (less than the yearly cost of the 2003 Iraq War) could provide clean drinking water for the entire world. Surely, this would have a serious impact on those suffering and dying from diarrhea (the number two cause of death worldwide).[2] With these projects in mind, consider the following argument: Premise 1: We have an ethical obligation to minimize the suffering of humans and other sentient animals (i.e., animals that can feel pleasure and pain, and thus, have preferences). Premise 2: Some projects are more likely than others to contribute to the minimization of suffering. Conclusion: Thus, we have an ethical obligation to take on projects that have the greatest chance of minimizing suffering. I think that the structure of this argument is strong (if not valid). So, the best way to attack it is by attacking the truthfulness of the premises. Now, consider the following support for Premise 1: 1. One ethical theory claims that we ought to act in a way that makes things go better in the future (Consequentialism). According to this theory, things go better when suffering is minimized. 2. Another ethical theory claims that we ought to act in accordance with certain duties (Deontology). Plausibly, one of those duties might be to, as far as possible, not cause undue suffering. 3. Finally, a third ethical theory claims that we ought to act out of virtue (Virtue Ethics). Plausibly, allowing others to suffer is not virtuous. Thus, on most accounts, it seems plausible that we have an ethical obligation to minimize suffering (i.e., Premise 1 seems plausible). Now, lets look at the following support for Premise 2: Consider (1) finding a cure for male pattern baldness and (2) further developing the water filter mentioned above (e.g., making it more affordable, more widely available, etc.). Though (1) might reduce some suffering for some individuals, (2) is much more likely to reduce real suffering. Thus, there is an ordering on projects with respect to suffering and Premise 2 seems plausible. So, since Premise 1 and Premise 2 are well supported, it is not unreasonable to believe that they are true. But, if they are true, and the argument above is strong, then the Conclusion is probably true. So, are we doing something immoral by not taking on projects that we know would be most beneficial to humans and sentient beings? ________________
[1] Heres one of her TED Talks: http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_smith_ shares_simple_lifesaving_design.html [2] Heres Pritchards TED Talk: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/michael_pritchard_invents_a_water_filter. html

Grinds my gears
Jarrod Sparks Staff Writer
Across 1 Japanese port city on island of Honshu (8) 5 Boy band consisting of Matt, Luke and Craig (4) 9 Treat unfairly (5) 10 Agreement to honesty (4,3) 11 Industrial town northeast of Liverpool (12) 13 Anxious (6) 15 Suspension, respite (6) 17 Mens clothing store (12) 20 Partly enclosed porch (7) 21 Mythical, often moral story (5) 22 Chess piece which cannot be moved diagonally (4) 23 Good spirit, liveliness (8) Down 1 Visible expression of bore dom (4) 2 Stall, booth (5) 3 Restive, tense (6,6) 4 Slightly annoyed (6) 6 Glowingly magnificent (7) 7 State of uncertain expectation (8) 8 No way! (4,5,3) 12 Piece of cake (4-4) 14 Trade barrier (7) 16 Chinese city metaphorically associated with opulence (6) 18 Yuletide songbird (5) 19 Challenge, resist (4) You know what really grinds my gears? Action stars that simply will not go away. Many of us who have turned on the television over the past month have no doubt seen the commercials for A Good Day to Die Hard. This is the most recent movie of the Die Hard series which began all the way back in 1988. Nearly 25 years later, Bruce Willis is still at it. Except he is no longer the semi-fit cop in his 30s, but rather a man in his late 50s trying to save the world one last time. If I wanted to see an old guy jumping around and trying to save the world, I would tune in to see Si Robertson from Duck Dynasty, not pay $10 or more to see Bruce Willis try to come up with more cheesy catch phrases before he shoots someone. Bruce Willis, however, is not an isolated case. In 2010 Sylvester Stallone along with a couple of other old guys were in an action flick titled The Expendables. Evidently it was weird enough to warrant a second that came out in 2012. This movie had everybody from Chuck Norris to Arnold Schwarzenegger to Dolph Lundgren (the huge Russian from Rocky IV). Though the cast was somewhat impressive during the 70s and 80s, we are now numerous decades later, but I guess there are enough people trying to relive yesteryear to pay for the movie. Ultimately, these people just need to know when to give up. Jersey Shore knew when to give up when it got cancelled this past year, and if Deena and Snooki can figure out when their time is up, I fail to understand why these old people cannot. It is kind of weird to see Sylves-

ter Stallone just as big and defined at age 66 as he was in his Rocky days. He has probably been sharing some workout tips with Lance Armstrong or something. Ultimately, I have only the highest respect for these individuals. At their age, to run around in an action flick has to take a toll on their body that is only surpassed by their arthritis. I simply want to see them maintain their high reputation. When Michael Jordan came back from retirement and he was not as good as his Bull days, the aura surrounding him kind of faded in a way. He had initially left the league as the best, but ultimately retired only average. These action movie stars, like Jordan, need to retire to their Florida beach houses, and let some new people fill in their void. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what grinds my gears.

Letter to Jarrod
Dear Jarrod Sparks, Last weekend my son Adam and I flew from Boston to attend a Discover Mines day. After enjoying a morning full of opportunities to look through people, not smile, and not hold doors, we decided to get something to eat at the Slate Caf. We were scanning The Oredigger (2/11/13), munching ore-burgers, and lamenting our fast-fading fake tans when we came across your Grinds My Gears article about how much people from the Northeast annoy you. After reading it we have decided to change our lives. From now on we will say hello to everyone, everywhere, all the time. This will probably get us killed on the subway back home, but hey, attempting to change social norms is not without risk. Now I have some advice for you. Come on, Jarrod, you knew it was coming. In future writing you may want to steer away from a term like concrete jungle that hasnt been used seriously in about 5 decades. Also, referencing the animated characters from a Disney Movie to make a point may not be a guys best move. Lastly, I dont deny that idiots like DJ Pauly D exist in real life, but in your broad-brush world he speaks for everyone in the Northeast. Wow! And Im sorry, but, which one of the ZZ Top-looking morons on Duck Dynasty is it that you identify with? All in fun, Paul Penner Hamilton MA

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