TuesdayFebruary 5, 2013

Volume CXXXVIIssue 3

All ERAU photographers: To arms!Photographers of ERAU! We as

the Avion call upon you and your skills. With the recent acquisition of a professional grade photo stu-dio, our purpose and skill set are evolving.

Our capabilities are growing, but without the man (or woman) power we need, those capabilities can not be fulfilled.

Organizations around campus have taken great interest in utiliz-ing our infantile photo studio ser-vice. These requests have come in at such a rate that the Avion was not prepared for, and because of this, the Avion is creating a dedi-cated branch devoted to photog-raphy.

This new branch is looking for any and all members of the pho-tographic community, regardless of experience or personal equip-ment.

The introduction of this new ave-nue for the Avion opens opportuni-ties for photographers interested in artistic and portrait work as well as those interested in traditional photojournalism.

By joining our forces, you will

have the opportunity of working with experienced photographers, expanding your photographic abili-ties, and using professional level equipment on a daily basis.

The advantages of becoming a photographer for the Avion are endless. In addition to first hand experience doing something you love, photography for the Avion exposes you to amazing things the public does not typically see such as satellite clean rooms and spe-cial media flights at air shows.

Even more importantly, we intro-duce you to connections both in school and in the job market; previous photographers for our organization have even went on to make a living in aerospace pho-tography.

For those who are interested in joining our ranks either for the new division dedicated to the photo studio or for traditional photojour-nalism, please, contact me at hen-derg4@my.erau.edu.

We are also exploring the idea of having an open photog-raphy workshop for those inter-ested in sharpening their skills and possibly paying for cer-tain assignments. Keep a look out for fliers soon. photo courtesy wikipedia.org

TDRS-K first of its kind in 10 years

thursday, January 30, the 11th tracking and data relay satellite (tdrs), the first of its third generation, lifted off from cape canaveral Launch complex 41 aboard a uLa atlas V rocket in 401 configuration. it is the first of its kind to launch since 2002.

tdrs is designed to enhance the com-munications capabilities of the united states and act as part of a critical link for the international space station, the hubble space telescope, Landsat, and Nasa’s fleet of earth observation space-craft. outfitted with the latest technology featuring high bandwidth channels, the new tdrs-k’s s, ku, and ka bands offer bandwidth of up to 7 Mbps, 300 Mbps,

and 800 Mbps respectively. the rd-180 engine of the atlas V rock-

et roared to life at 8:48 thursday night carrying the tdrs-k to its geosynchro-nous orbit 22,236 miles above the earth.

the 191 foot tall, 14 foot diameter rocket lifted off slowly under the force of the russian-designed, liquid engine’s 860,000 pounds of thrust, streaking through the atmosphere as it gained speed

and altitude. Lasting an hour and 46 minutes, the

ascent went exactly as planned. currently the satellite has reached its destination orbit and is undergoing a month-long test cycle ensuring proper operation for use in the near future.

For more images, check out the avion’s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/theavion.

Trey HendersonPhoto Editor

Trey HendersonPhoto Editor

trey heNdersoN/aVioN

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A2 The Avion, February 5, 2013Campus

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Engineering Physics (EP) program at Embry-Riddle. A program that blends two of the most technical disciplines, and trains students to be both scientists and engineers.

The very first students enrolled in the EP program in the 1987-88 academic year, with 28 students signing up. The first graduates of which came four years later in 1991.

The program was extended to include 10 graduate students in 2002, also mak-ing it the 10th anniversary of that pro-gram. In 2010, the physical sciences department started one of only two doctoral programs on campus, with the first graduates expected within the next two years.

Since the new millennia, the EP program has conferred 243 bachelors’ degrees and 42 masters’ degrees, with a current enrolment of 90 undergrads, 20 masters, and nine Ph.D students.

Alumni such as Shandy Asturias, cite their experience in the EP as good grounding for her career in the Office of Space Transportation. “ERAU was great at helping me to develop my criti-cal thinking skills and many soft skills like leadership, teamwork and initiative. In terms of ‘book smarts’ I think ERAU students can compete with graduates from top universities.”

So what are the prospects for an EP graduate in the current economic cli-mate?

“EP graduates enjoy very good employ-ment prospects from the aerospace and broader engineering industry and excel-lent opportunities to continue their stud-ies in graduate school” explains Dr. John Hughes, the EP program coordinator.

“Recent graduates have been hired at

Boeing, NASA, SpaceX and Lockheed Martin while past graduates have entered graduate programs at MIT, Stanford, Cornell, and Notre Dame,” says Hughes.

There are also excellent opportunities for current students to get involved in cutting edge research through the EP program, which boasts five labs includ-ing a space physics and atmospheric research lab.

One such example is the work of Dr. Nykyri, who works on space plasma

physics research analyzing data from different space missions e.g. Cluster and Themis and developing numerical simu-lations of plasma processes.

She frequently hires ERAU engineer-ing physics undergraduate students to work in the Space Plasma Laboratory on National Science Foundation sponsored projects.

Other recent students have been involved in projects such as: model-

ling debris from re-entry explosions, creating autonomous vehicle systems, Infrared imaging of the atmospheric air-glow layers and quadcoptor design.

Throughout the years research involve-ment has taken the students all over the globe, from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia for a rocket launch to McMurdo Station in Antarctica for atmospheric sounding.

Broadly speaking, the departmental research topics include atmospheric modelling and imaging, control system

engineering, space physics and magneto-spheric research, astrophysics and nano materials/quantum systems. Students are encouraged to get involved and seek out the areas they are interested in.

The program has also included a large component of outreach, which includes the Astronomy open house at the Creekside Observatory, and student trips into local schools and clubs.

Although the EP program has had

a successful first 25 years, there are also big plans for the future as Dr. Robert Fleck, interim department chair explains.

“The push for the future is to increase our research portfolio at all levels, from undergraduates in connection with the university’s Ignite initiative, all the way through the PhD program with our new Chair and other new hires. Also, of course, moving into our new building at the end of the year, and soon thereafter, bringing the largest telescope in Florida

online. “The EP program hopes to go from

strength to strength in the coming years and, with the help of its industrial advi-sory board, keep the program tailored to the current need of employers.

In addition, the physical sciences department hopes to add an astrono-my program and continually improve the quality and quantity of cutting edge research.

Engineering Physics program turns 25Christopher Heale

Staff Reporter

Ian Bryan/Physical Sciences Department

The human mind is susceptible to manipulation. This is the reason why smooth-talking scammers are deceiving intelligent, well-meaning people all over the world. The process, called social engi-neering, is where predators exploit human interaction to illicit access to sensitive information. This practice can be done over the phone, in person, or online.

Victims of social engineering often-times find themselves being persuaded into letting down their guards – deviating from normal security procedures, or even common sense. Targets are tricked into freely giving scammers money, access to confidential information, or even their hearts.

Social engineering relies heavily on exploiting human interaction to illicit a multitude of sensitive information, includ-ing credit card or bank account numbers, social security numbers, log-in creden-tials, remote access to computers, or even physical access to buildings.

This process usually involves a confi-dent smooth talker with a smooth story, and it always relies on the manipulation of the human psyche. Victims of social engi-neering rarely know they are being taken advantage of until after the fact, if ever.

Some of the most common social

engineering scams occur through social media. First, there is the “distress scam.” This occurs when a person posing as a rel-ative or friend sends you a message on F a c e b o o k , telling you that he is out of town (usually out of the coun-try) and has lost his wallet.

H e a s k s you to w i r e him a sum of money for a s s i s - tance with a request “not to tell anyone in the family because he feels stupid.”

He may even tell you that he is being held by a kidnapper and needs you to send money, but admonishes you against telling the police. The victim of the scam unwittingly wires money to a thief, which becomes virtually untraceable.

Another social media scam is known

as “catfishing.” This is where a scam-mer creates a false online persona and

tricks new “friends” into giving their hearts away. Catfish usually keep aspects of the relationship limited

to emailing and messaging, but they are sometimes so brazen that they expand the contact to include phone

calls. Some catfish are so skill-

ful at their manipula-tion that they can

keep “relation-ships” going

for months or years. They often trick their targets into giving

away money or expensive

gifts, in addition to their undying love.

Are you too savvy in social media to fall for such outrageous scams? Keep read-ing to see if you could outsmart these social engi-

neering scams…The “Vishus”

Banker: A scammer leaves a voicemail message for a

would-be victim stating to call his bank regarding some suspicious activity on an account. The scammer leaves a toll-free number for a return call.

As you may know, vishing is a term used to describe a phishing scam that adds a voice or telephone component. In this scenario, the victim calls back the number and is prompted by a series of voice com-mands to enter sensitive information.

The victim could then be connected with a live operator who tricks the account holder into giving even more personal or confidential information.

Piggyback Rides: A scammer shows up at the front door of a restricted facility on a rainy day, early in the morning, with his hands full of boxes. He asks a target to hold the door for him, and is promptly obliged. Oftentimes, the scammer does not even have to ask for assistance, the kindness of a stranger is usually granted without question.

Whether a social engineer is using one of the common schemes that were highlighted in this article, or is trying to initiate a scam of a different sort, it is important to be cognizant of anyone who is asking for personal information or access to restricted spaces.

A good rule of thumb is not to be afraid to ask questions, and to follow your instincts on situations that you deem questionable.

Hacking the Human MindBarba Chearney

Information Technology

Photo Courtesy blogspot.com

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A3The Avion, February 5, 2013 City News

On December 11, 2012, an emergency order was issued by Florida Attorney General banning the sale of a class of herbal products that have come to be known as synthetic marijuana sub-stitutes. They have been sold legally at local head shops, smoke shops and gas stations under names like “herbal incense” and “potpourri.”

In spite of warn- ings displayed on the packages stating “not for human con- s u m p t i o n , ” these products are o f t e n smoked recreation-ally to

a c h i e v e what is allegedly a m a r - i -juana-like high; although, according to an anonymous source that has had sig-nificant experience with both substances, there are many key differences between natural reefer and her synthetic coun-terpart. “Synthetic marijuana is usually much stronger than the regular stuff: it really affects your perception of what’s happening to you.”

When asked if he considered the sub-stance dangerous, our source stated that the drug makes you believe you’re in danger even when you’re not, I’ve felt like my heart was stopping many times

or I’d believe I was being per-manently psychologically scarred.”

John W. H u f f m a n ,

Chemis t ry p r o f e s -sor emeri-tus at Clemson University synthe-sized over 450 of the synthetic cannabinoids now commonly included in the

“herbal blends.” He was quoted as say-ing that “People who use it are idiots. You just don’t know what it’s going to do to you.”

Part of the problem that the legisla-tive body is having with the blends is that whenever any individual constituent of the blend is banned, it can be easily replaced by a wide array of chemical variations. Manufacturers of herbal pot-pourris just need to stay one molecule ahead of current legislature to stay in business, effectively forcing the attor-ney general to take such questionably unconstitutional actions with the above-

mentioned emergency order. As is common with such designer drugs, this leads to the situation

where one batch may even be composed of an entirely dif-

ferent set of chemicals than the previous one, most not

having been previously tested on humans.

Some reported effects common

to most blends i n c l u d e

l a r g e s c a l e

s p a -tial and

t e m -p o r a l

d i s t o r t i o n , euphoria, hallu-

cinations, increased heart rate and with large

doses, nausea, headache, heart palpitations and seizures.

When asked what he thought of the emergency action, our source said

“it’s probably for the best, they’re psy-chologically addictive and horrible for you.”

Fake drugs, real problemSynthetic marijuana is

usually much stronger than the regular stuff: it really affects your per-

ception of what’s happen-ing to you-ANONYMOUS

”

“

On January 17, American Airlines released their new logo and aircraft livery. This is the first time their logo has changed since 1968.

American Airlines is attempt-ing to instill the general public with a sense of national pride. “I am American, so I will fly American…” It’s a very simple, yet effective strategy. But is it just a façade? Only time will tell.

In September 2011, AMR announced that they held 24.7 billion dol-lars in assets, 4.1 billion in cash and short-term investments, and 29.6 billion in debt. American Airlines parent company, AMR Corporation, consequently filed for bank-ruptcy in November 2011.

However, one must give credit where credit is due. American Airlines was able to avoid bankruptcy longer than any other major US carrier.

Delta merged with Northwest in April 2008. United merged with Continental in October 2010. American is currently look-

ing to merge with US Airways. However, American has remained independent lon-ger than any other legacy carrier.

In 2011, American placed orders with Boeing and Airbus for a combined

total of 460 narrow-bodied air-craft totaling 38 billion

dollars. This was a bold, yet

nec-

essary investment. American Airlines has acquired a reputation for flying aircraft that are way past their prime.

These new planes from the A320 family and 737 series will be delivered starting in

2013 and continuing through 2022.American also has 42 Boeing 787 air-

craft on order, with the first delivery scheduled for late 2014. Boeing has not released any information on the status of 787 deliveries in response to the FAA grounding last month.

Meanwhile, American is also in the pro-cess of designing new employee uniforms. Many other amenities and services are

in the works to provide the flying public with a more current gold

standard for airline travel. Some of these ideas include

business class seats that lay completely flat, as well as more leg room for all passengers.

Many European airlines already have

these amenities in place, making custom-

er comfort a true priority. American realizes this, and

is making the appropriate decisions to stay aloft.

What does the future hold for American Airlines? A new brand that is distinctly American. New, more fuel-efficient aircraft are on the way. And profits may just become a reality in the not-to-distant future.

PHOTO COURTESY/JOURNEYCENTERS.COM

Jonathan NutzatiGuest Reporter

American Airlines: is it just marketing or something bigger?

Andrew Lichtenstein Staff Reporter

$$ $

$$$PHOTO COURTESY/MASHABLE.COM

Executive BoardEditor-in-Chief

Peter TanManaging EditorAlena Thompson

News EditorElizabeth WorshamBusiness Manager

Austin CoffeyPhotography Editor

Trey HendersonAdvertising Manager

Abby Diekmann Editorial StaffFront Editor

Peter TanCampus EditorJonathan Nutzati

SGA EditorCassie Jameson

City News EditorAlena Thompson

Study Abroad EditorElizabeth Worsham

Sports EditorsAustin Coffey

Trey HendersonComics Editors

Josh NutzatiFloyd Perkinson

Staff Members Senior Photographers

Antoine DaugnyRichard WeakleyStaff Reporters

Andy LichtensteinStaff Photographers

Jayaraj SomarajanKhaled Saeed

Guest Photographers Ryan Clarke

Guest ReportersAlex Pearce

Derek WaltersPage EditorsJosh Nutzati

Jonathan Nutzati

The Avion is produced weekly during the fall and spring term, and bi-weekly during summer terms. The Avion is produced by a volunteer student staff. Student editors make all content, business and edi-torial decisions. The editorial opinions expressed in The Avion are solely the opinion of the under-signed writer(s), and not those of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the Student Government Association, the staff of The Avion, or the student body. Letters appearing in The Avion are those of the writer, identified at the end of the letter. Opinions expressed in the “Student Government” and “Student Life” sections are those of the identified writer. Letters may be submitted to The Avion for publica-tion, provided they are not lewd, obscene or libelous. Letter writers must confine themselves to less than 800 words. Letters may be edited for brevity and formatted to newspaper guidelines. All letters must be signed. Names may be withheld at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief. The Avion is an open forum for student expression. The Avion is a division of the Student Government Association. The Avion is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press. The costs of this publication are paid by the Student Government Association and through advertising fees. The Avion distributes one free copy per person. Additional copies are $0.75. Theft of newspapers is a crime, and is subject to prosecution and Embry-Riddle judicial action. This newspaper and its con-tents are protected by United States copyright law. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, in print or electronically, without the expressed writ-ten consent of The Avion. Correspondence may be addressed to: The Avion Newspaper, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 600 S. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach, Florida 32114. Physical office: John Paul Riddle Student Center, Room 110. Phone: (386) 226-6049. Fax: (386) 226-6727. E-mail: theavion@gmail.com.

Staff AdvisorWesley Lewis, Assistant Director,

Media and Marketing

Contact InformationMain Phone: (386) 226-6049Ad Manager: (386) 226-7697Fax Number: (386) 226-6727E-mail: theavion@gmail.com

Website: theavion.com

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A4 The Avion, February 5, 2013Student Government

Student Center upcoming seatingAs everyone has seen, there is a new

look to the student center. The old “high school cafeteria” persona is now gone. Our student center has been given a facelift with modern furniture that gives the space a lounge atmosphere.

Students are able to seat themselves in traditional seating with a simple table and chair, or they can take a load off and eat at a high-top booth. Aside from those options, there are round couches and tables for stu-dents to gather around, as well as booths along the West Lawn windows.

Rightfully so, there has been some criticism surrounding the new additions. Student concerns ranged from the fact there is minimal seating, to the thought that there is no access to outlets to plug-in laptops.

In order to resolve those concerns, vari-ous members of the student government met with staff representatives from depart-ments on campus. Some individuals who were in the meetings include John Christian (SGA Vice President), Dean Glenn, Dean Downes, Amy Deahl from Student

Activities and Campus Events, Jarrett Bruckner and Mark Millimet of Touch-N-Go Productions, Artie from Sodexo, Ward Mead of facilities, and myself.

In the meetings, facilities educated the group that prior to the changes being made there were 340 seats in the Student Center. After the new furniture and seating was installed, the total available seating went down to 180 seats. Upon completion of the first round of meetings, facilities quickly brought 38 tables to the flight deck to bring the total seating up to 260.

The second meeting focused on placing even more seating in order to bring the total as close to the original number. The picture illustrates the floor plan configuration that will be used. Notice there are more chev-ron tables in the center of the floor, while four person tables fill in the voids.

Facilities expects the new furniture to be in no later than 3-4 weeks. Once the new furniture has arrived, the total seating will jump up to 380. That’s an additional 40 more than the old set-up.

In response to minimal access to outlets, facilities will be installing outlets every 30 inches on the bottom of the high-top booth seating. This will allow students to plug-in

their laptops, or allow organizations like Touch-N-Go Productions to continue using the student center for their events.

We all want what is best for our student body and campus and that proved itself

this past week. As Dean Glenn says, “It’s all about the students.” Your SGA is here for you, your university faculty, staff, and administration are here for you as well. Let us know how we can help. We Are One.

Upcoming UC seating

THE PROJECTED NEW STUDENT center seating arrangements will allow for 40 additional seats in comparison to the previous set up.

STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION

‘Tis the allocation seasonAfter last semester’s allocations, the

Student Finance Board (SFB) evaluated the entire allocation process. After hours of pensive discussion, I am excited to intro-duce significant changes that will improve the efficiency, consistency, and fairness of the process.

One of the first changes is that each orga-nization will have an allotted ten minute presentation time; this will include a three minute presentation from the organization, a three minute Q&A period, and a four min-ute deliberation period for the SFB.

In the past, organizations were only allowed five total minutes which included a two minute presentation, two minute Q&A period, and a one minute deliberation period for the SFB.

Another exciting adjustment is that the SFB has created two rubrics that are uti-lized both before and during an organiza-tion’s budget presentation. The rubrics are an easy way for organizations to see how budget packets and presentations are evalu-ated.

The rubrics help focus SFB’s discussion as well as keep decisions fair and consis-tent. These rubrics have been e-mailed to

all student organizations – stop by the SGA Office or e-mail me for a copy.

Starting this weekend, the SFB will begin reviewing budget requests from student organization treasurers. The SFB will hear budget presentations from over 110 student organizations over the next three weeks. We will start with a record high amount to allo-cate -- $116,000! To put it into perspective, we usually start with $95,000 (see chart).

The Finance Board is expected to ensure that SGA funds are spent only on: programs of cultural and educational enrichment, tutorial programs, club athletics, student led programs, transportation costs, student ser-vices, safety precautions, and recreational

and social activities. This is an obviously vast list that could

include a plethora of possibilities for stu-dent organization requests. However, the Finance Board traditionally reserves the right to deny funding for: gift certificates, airfare, food, gifts, shirts and uniforms, salaries and scholarships, gas other than regular grade, and politically associated costs.

Ultimately, for each funding request that we review, we will ask ourselves two ques-tions:

1) Is this a feasible and valid request? In other words, has the organization given enough details to prove that the request is

actually possible if allocated the requested funds?

2) Is this the most fair and appropriate use of our classmate’s money? The alloca-tion process is only possible because of the SGA Fee that we all contribute to. Would our classmates agree with this allocation?

I encourage all organization treasurers to follow this rationale throughout their term. We should all be good stewards of the funds we are granted. This year, student organiza-tions that utilize the SGA budget process effectively will be rewarded with the pos-sibility to request extra funding.

Last but certainly not least, please join me in congratulating Virat Parikh and Morgan Damiecki. Virat and Morgan are the Finance Board’s two newest members. Virat works for IT and is a general member of Touch-n-Go Productions. Morgan works for the Volunteer Network and is also a gen-eral member of Touch-n-Go Productions.

To review the comprehensive guidelines, download SGA Budget Guidelines from the Governing Documents section of the SGA Website: http://sga.db.erau.edu. As always, if you have any questions or con-cerns, please do not hesitate to call (386-226-7699), text (386-334-3939), e-mail (sgatres@erau.edu), or see me in the SGA Office (SC 104).

James ScottSGA President

Joe AndersonSGA Treasurer

COA gets new full-motion simOn January 31, Dr.

Johnson signed a contract for a full-motion simula-tor that will be delivered and ready for use by the beginning of the fall semes-ter. This new addition to the Flight Sim Building is more than just an expensive toy; it’s the newest piece of equipment that Embry-Riddle uses to stay ahead of the industry, and other aviation-

focused university programs.On August 1 of this year, Public Law

111-216, most commonly known as the “1500 hour rule” will take effect.

This rule requires all air-line pilots, even first offi-cers, to have an ATP license. The new ATP requires 1500 hours of flight time, which includes 500 cross coun-try hours, 50 multiengine hours, 100 night hours, and

75 instrument hours. The proposed restricted ATP, which will be available to students who

graduate with aerospace-related degrees, only requires 1000 hours. Of those hours 325 must be cross country, 100 must be night, 75 must be instrument, and 50 must be multiengine.

The new ATP also requires applicants to take a training course before taking the FAA written exam. Previously, applicants only needed to take the written. Embry-Riddle is currently building a course that focuses on this requirement, which will replace the cur-rent Aeronautical Science capstone course.

The course will require 40 hours of ground school, 12 hours in the full motion simulator, 8 hours in a level 6 simulator (which is the

CRJ simulator currently housed in the Sim Building), and will cost about $5000.

The 50 hour multiengine requirement allows the applicant to build 12 of these hours in a full-motion simulator to train in low energy states such as icing, stalls, and slow flight, as well as high altitude training.

The course will be provided to Embry-Riddle students once the rule goes into effect in August. ERAU will be the first university to offer the prerequisites for the new ATP rat-ing. The university takes whatever measures necessary to ensure that students receive the intricate and up-to-date training that is always sought out by the industry.

Gabbie HoekstraCOA Representative

GABBIE HOEKSTRA/SGA

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A6 The Avion, February 5, 2013Study Abroad

CHRISTINE DAILEY SPENT TIME in Brazil for two study abroad sessions. LEFT: Christine flies over the Brazillian coast. MIDDLE: Christine built this machine at PURCS for travelers in zero-gravity conditions. RIGHT: Christine in front of the Christ Redeemer statue in Rio de Janerio.

Provided Photos

Let the journey begin...Study abroad immersion:

“Don’t second guess it [studying abroad]. We have one life to live and this will probably be your only chance to live in a foreign place. Your studies can take you to new places where you will meet new people and try new things all while teaching you to look at problems in an innovative way.” Christine Dailey, ERAU Mechanical Engineering exchange student to Brazil (Fall 2012, Spring 2012)

In 2011, Christine Dailey decided to go on a semester ERAU sponsored Study Abroad program at the Pontificia Universidade do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS) in Porto Alegre, Brazil. While there she would work in their laboratory where she was able to build and test a machine she designed prior to her arrival. Additionally, she was able to utilize a machine that was already available in the PUCRS lab to support her design. In her words, “Having the opportunity to study in a foreign envi-ronment, where the approach taken in the education system and in society are dif-ferent and sometimes contradictory, can only benefit a person by strengthening their reasoning and problem solving skills.

I saw this as a chance to strengthen and challenge myself…” She called this chal-lenge a “rewarding decision”.

Deciding to be an exchange student didn’t come without apprehension, Christine said her biggest fear about going abroad was the language. For this particular Study Abroad program, her ability to live in a dif-ferent culture relied on her ability to speak the language. It is important to note that many exchange programs do not require foreign language knowledge but a few do to include the Brazil program. To over-come her lack of language skills she took a class in Portuguese, prior to her departure, to learn some basics. She also chose to live with a Brazilian family to more fully sub-merge and learn the language faster which turned out to be “the best decision I could have made.”

During the whole process of studying abroad Christine found herself open to see-ing things in a different was and opening up to new experiences. She says of this self-awareness, “It opened my eyes in a way only foreign travel can and kept them open even when I returned home. With this new outlook, I tried all kinds of new foods, met all sorts of people, traveled to places that took my breath away, and somehow found

a little piece of home in the oddest places. I can’t possibly name only one event in which I encountered to be the funniest of a process that stood out the most because every day was an adventure.”

She says she misses the places she vis-ited and will hold the people she met in her heart. The adventure changed her life and anyone embarking on an exchange program needs to be flexible and open to bumps in the exchange experience. Christine notes, “Not everything was great but that’s the best part about travelling . You get to take home the good and leave the bad. You get to continue the traditions that made you a better you and leave the ones you didn’t like. When you are there you really need to participate in everything with an open heart and clear mind but when you leave, you get to choose what you take back with you.”

When asked if she felt studying abroad helped her schooling or future career, Christine responded with a clear “Absolutely.” She continues “It taught me to look through the eyes of others, to solve a problem based not only on knowledge but with what you have in your reach, and to stand your ground when you are the “new girl” and your peers don’t trust you

yet. It taught me that strength comes from knowledge and patience.”

Christine is back from this incredible experience and in the process of patenting the device she built and tested while at PURCS. The machine she designed and built is an exercise machine that concen-trates on the lower extremities providing resistance exercises for travelers in zero gravity conditions. This machine provides a way to counteract the problems of bone loss, muscle atrophy, and poor cardio-vascular responses while in zero gravity conditions.

Regardless of what your major is or what year of study you are in at ERAU, come find out what we have to offer. If you are interested in studying abroad, for a semester or a year, through one of our exchange partners, we will be holding a Study Abroad Immersion: Let the Journey Begin Information Session at 6pm, on Wednesday, February 20th in COB 114. Please contact the Study Abroad Office at 226-6215, e-mail: dbstudy@erau.edu, or stop by the office in room 263, 2nd floor of the Student Center Annex (within the International and Graduate Admissions area). One World, One Chance, Go Explore!

Sue MacchiarellaAsst. Director, Study Abroad

Opinions: Leave... NASA... Alone!Elizabeth Worsham

News Editor

NASA is constantly being criticized for its “frivolous” multi-million dollar space missions, but this time, taxpayers are angry about NASA’s spending in another category: games and apps.

Recently, NASA has invested $500,000 on video game production, both mobile and online.

What I don’t understand is why people think that this is such a waste of money. NASA asserts that these games are a way to get kids excited about space and STEM careers, and I can’t help but agree. Just as Bill Nye the Science Guy got our generation into science, tablet and inter-net games are the wave of the future.

For decades, NASA had been a house-hold name. The space shuttle was the universal sign for astronautics, and every kid dreamed of putting on a spacesuit and riding a rocket ship to the moon.

In fact, the shuttle was so prominent, that when the program ended in 2011,

much of the general public thought that NASA itself was dissolved.

So, what was NASA to do to keep the public from for-getting years of aero and astronautic inno-vation? How were they going to keep the space dreams alive?

The answer was simple: advertise.

That’s really all they’re doing, isn’t it? They’re stamp-ing their name on a product and teaching kids and adults alike about aerospace. They’re rekindling that fire under the shuttle boosters and keep-ing the dream alive.

Yet it’s not only about the dream; NASA is just doing its job. In 1958, NASA was created by the National Aeronautics and Space Act. In this document, it states

that NASA is for “the preservation of the United States preeminent position in

aeronautics and space…” How are they to do this without an influx of scientists and engineers into the field?

NASA’s spending is not unethical. Not in the slightest. And as for the com-plaining taxpayers, let’s take a moment to look at how much $500,000 really

is. According to the whitehouse.gov, in Fiscal Year 2011, government spending totaled over 5 trillion dollars. That’s $5,000,000,000,000. 12 zeros! To put that in perspective, NASA’s FY13 bud-get is only $17.7 billion, a $59 million decrease from 2012, and of that, educa-tion spending is only allotted $100 mil-lion. That mean’s NASA’s spending is approximately 0.0035% percent of total government spending, and that $500,000 is only 0.0000001% of what was spent in 2011.

Aren’t there more prominent, more wasteful examples of spending in our government to complain about?

Every year, NASA reaches thousands, maybe millions of people through their educational outreach, and as a veteran of several NASA education programs, I know how it hurts when the money is cut.

Leave NASA alone. Instead, put your brain and your tax dollars to good use and download a NASA game from the App Store.

Image from gisetc.com

ADEDOLAPO AWOFIRANYE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Page

B2 The Avion, February 5, 2013Sports

MEN’S GOLF Tuesday February 5th @ TBA vs Titan Invitational

MEN’S TENNIS Wednesday February 6th @ 3:30pm vs Florida Southern

Saturday February 9th @ 1:00pm vs Valdosta State

WOMEN’S TENNIS Wednesday February 6th @ 1:00pm vs Florida Southern

Saturday February 9th @ 1:00pm vs Valdosta State

MEN’S BASKETBALL Wednesday February 6th @ 7:00pm at Southeastern

Saturday February 9th @ 7:00pm at St. Thomas

BASEBALL Friday February 8th @ 6:00pm at Southeastern

Saturday February 9th @ 1:00pm vs Southeastern (DH)

MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD Friday February 8th-9th @ TBA at Tiger Paw Invitational

WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD Friday February 8th-9th @ TBA at Tiger Paw Invitational

Upcoming Sporting Events

No. 7 Eagles Open 2013 with Pair of One-Run Victories Over No. 20 Georgetown

GEORGETOWN 4 1EMBRY-RIDDLE 5 2

Ryan MosherERAU Athletics

The seventh-ranked Embry-Riddle Eagles escaped in one game and came back in another in their season open-ing doubleheader against No. 20 Georgetown (Ky.) on Friday evening. The Eagles outlasted the Tigers 5-4 in the first game as Kevin Maloney improved to 20-0 in his three-year Blue and Gold career before coming from behind to post a 2-1 victory in the day’s final game. The Eagles open up 2013 at 2-0 while the Tigers fall to 0-2. The Eagles posted their seventh consecutive win in their home opener.

Game 1Embry-Riddle scored four runs in

the first and one in the second to take a 5-0 lead, but needed all five runs as the Eagles escaped with the 5-4 win after Georgetown posted two runs in the sev-enth and final inning before Eric Green earned his first save of the year.

Maloney, a 2013 NAIA Preseason All-American, struck out two Tigers in the first frame, setting the table for the Eagles’ offense in the bottom of the frame in which they plated four runs on just two hits.

Tyler Robbins began the inning with a hit-by-pitch, moving to second on a sacrifice bunt from Liam Goodall. Jeff Lemon drew a walk to put runners on first and second with just one out and Kevin Lindheim deliverd a single to right that scored Robbins and moved Lemon to second.

After a Kyle Chastain walk Matt Jacobs stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. Georgetown’s own pre-season All-American Tyler Arthur man-aged to strike Jacobs out, but when the ball popped out of the catcher’s glove Lemon scored from third and Lindheim and Chastain both advanced a base.

Mike Gragilla collected a clutch, two-out, two-RBI single up the middle that extended the Eagle lead to 4-0 before Arthur finally got out of the frame with a groundout.

Maloney stranded a Tiger on second in the second and the Eagles tacked on another run in the bottom-half of the frame on a Lemon sacrifice fly to left, scoring Jordan Romero from third after Romero was hit by a pitch to start the inning.

Arthur and Maloney each tossed scoreless third innings, but the Tigers finally reached the scoreboard in the top of the fourth after a triple and a ground-out cut the lead to 5-1.

Georgetown added another run in the fifth on a Tanner Baldwin single that chased home TC Oneal.

Maloney got the first two outs in the sixth before giving way to redshirt freshman Dylan Demarest who recorded the final out of the inning on a 6-3

groundout.The Eagles were unable to add any

insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth and the Tigers quickly got to Green in the top of the seventh on a leadoff single and infield error that put two runners on with no outs.

A walk loaded the bags before Green struck out Baldwin for the first out of the seventh. EJ Murray singled in a run before Green walked Ryan Serrato with the bases loaded to bring the Tigers to within one at 5-4.

Green threw three pitches to Kyle Rosen and the designated hitter struck out looking for the second out of the frame before the final Tiger batter lifted a ball down the right foul line that the first baseman Jacobs ranged over and put away to preserve the one-run win for the Blue and Gold.

The Eagles only managed three hits, one each for Lemon, Lindheim and Gragilla, while Maloney held the Tigers to one earned run over 5.2 innings and Green recorded his third career save.

Game 2While the Eagles led for almost all the

opener, they trailed for nearly the entire second contest, getting a run in the bot-tom of the sixth to win 2-1.

Georgetown staked their starter Matt Smith to a 1-0 lead by manufacturing a run after Murray singled to begin the contest before stealing second, mov-ing to third on a groundout and scor-ing on a sac fly. Eagle starter Chad Modomo ended the frame with his first of seven strikeouts when Serrato swung and missed at strike three.

Smith and Modomo matched each other pitch-for-pitch until the bottom of the third when Lindheim got his second RBI of the season with a double to right-center that scored Jordan Johnson from second after the Daytona Beach native beat out an infield single before moving to second on a passed ball.

Modomo got a nifty 6-4 double-play to end the fourth and went 1-2-3 in both the fifth and sixth innings, setting things up for Embry-Riddle to take the lead in the bottom of the sixth.

With one out, Lindheim walked before Chastain singled to left to put runners on first and second. Preseason All-American Chad Richie replaced Smith on the mound and got Gragilla to lineout on one pitch for the second out of the inning.

Adam Cellini worked a full count against Richie, and on the payoff pitch singled to second base which would have loaded the bases. However, the ball got away from the Tiger infielder and Lindheim raced home to give the Eagles their first lead of the contest, 2-1.

Modomo went out for his seventh inning of work and got a pair of ground-outs and a flyout to end the game and earn his first win of 2013.

The Eagles collected six hits while Modomo only surrendered three to the Tigers.

The sweep gave Stegall his 300th career victory, and he now stands at 300-124-2 in eight seasons as a head coach, including six at Embry-Riddle.

The Eagles will take on Webber International in a non-conference game tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. before wrapping up their series with Georgetown at 12:30 p.m.

Adedolapo Awofiranye/Avion

Page

B3The Avion, February 5, 2013 SportsMen’s Basketball tame Wildcats

Powered by a game-high 17 points from Jason Powell , a career-best 15 rebounds by Cesar Pastrana and a career-high 10 assists from DeForest Carter, the 23rd-ranked Embry-Riddle (19-6, 6-5) men's basketball team coasted to a 76-47 vic-tory over Johnson & Wales (10-14, 2-10) in Sun Conference action on Friday at the ICI Center. Friday was the Eagles' Hall of Fame Night and the inductees in ERAU Athletics' 2013 Hall of Fame Class, who will formally be inducted in a ceremony tomorrow evening, were recognized prior to tip-off and helped cheer the Eagles to their 19th win of the season.

The Eagles earned their first four points of the contest from the free throw line and went on to shoot a 92.9 percent clip from the charity stripe in the first half, con-necting on 13 of 14 free throw attempts. Their prowess at the free throw line, led by 4-of-4 first half performances by both Daniel Kiesling and Jason Powell, helped the Eagles make up for a 13 turnovers and a 37.5 percent (9-24) performance from the field in the first frame. ERAU held the Wildcats to just 28 percent shooting from the field in the first 20 minutes of action

and bested the visitors 24-10 on the boards to take a 37-24 lead in the locker room at the half.

Daniel Kiesling drove to the basket to score the first points of the second frame and that score keyed a 16-6 run that helped ERAU extend its lead to 25 points (55-30) with 12:36 left in the half. The Eagles best-ed the 21-15 over the final eight minutes of play to seal the win and move into fifth place in the conference standings.

The Eagles' free throw shooting cooled slightly in the second half as the team made 22 of their 27 (81.5 percent) free throw attempts for the game. Kiesling and Cesar Pastrana were both perfect from the charity stripe going 6-for-6 and 4-for-4, respectively.

The Eagle defense effectively shut down the Wildcats' outside game, holding the visitors to just 15 percent (3-20) from beyond the arc. The Eagles' dominance on the boards extended to the second half as they finished the game with a 51-23 rebounding advantage and did not allow JWU a single second-chance point. Additionally, ERAU held Myles Smith, currently second in the league's scoring race at 19.6 points per game, to just nine points, eight of which came late in the second half.

Kiesling joined Powell in double-digit scoring with 14, while Pastrana recorded his sixth double-double of the season with 10 points to go with his 15 boards.

Quentin Tate led the Wildcat effort with 10 points, followed closely by Smith and Luke Walters (8).

The Eagles will return to the court at 7 p.m. on Wednesday when they travel to Lakeland to take on Southeastern in another Sun Conference fixture.

JOHNSON & WALES 47EMBRY-RIDDLE 76

Alison SmallingERAU ATHLETICS

ADEDOLAPO AWOFIRANYE/THE AVION

Embry-Riddle Men’s Tennis ranked No. 1 nationally for first time

For the first time in program history, the Embry-Riddle men's tennis team has received the No. 1 ranking in the NAIA Coaches Top 25 poll. The preseason poll was released by the NAIA on Tuesday, with ERAU claiming eight of the 11 first-place

votes, totaling 279 points to sit atop the poll, moving up two spots from the final 2012 poll. Auburn Montgomery ranks second with 271 points.

The Blue and Gold reached the semifinal round of the NAIA National Championship last year before falling to Oklahoma Christian in a heartbreaking 5-4 decision. The Eagles closed out the season with a 20-4 record and

won an unprecedented eighth consecutive Sun Conference regular season title.

This year's squad is filled with individu-als that are already receiving national atten-tion, as five Eagles are listed on the ITA preseason rankings, led by Patrick Besch who is ranked as the No. 1 singles player in the NAIA.

Along with Besch, Chris Freeman is

ranked No. 5, Simon Felix is listed 13th and David Spennare is ranked No. 31. In addition, Besch and Felix are listed as the No. 2 doubles tandem in the country while Freeman and J.R. Leonik are ranked ninth in doubles.

Embry-Riddle opened the 2013 spring season on Tuesday afternoon with a 9-0 win at Southeastern.

Michael PierceERAU ATHLETICS

Women Tennis recieve No. 2 Ranking in Coaches Preseason

The Embry-Riddle women's tennis team was tabbed as the No. 2 team in the nation according to the Coaches' Preseason Top 25 poll released by the NAIA on Tuesday. The Eagles received 302 points in the poll to maintain the same position they held in the final poll of 2012. Auburn Montgomery garnered the top spot with 312 points.

The Blue and Gold reached the title match of the 2012 NAIA Women's Tennis National Championship before falling to top-seeded Auburn Montgomery. ERAU finished the season with a 23-4 record, establishing a

program record for single-season wins. A pair of Eagles are also listed in the ITA

national rankings. Redshirt freshman Hui-I Huang is ranked seventh nationally after finishing the fall season as the USTA/ITA Florida Regional runner-up. Junior Kristina Marova is ranked 17th and finished the 2011-12 season ranked 42nd in the nation after compiling a 21-8 overall record. Huang and Marova are also listed in the doubles rank-ings, coming in fourth in the nation.

The Eagles kicked off the 2013 spring season with a convincing 9-0 victory over Southeastern on Tuesday afternoon. Embry-Riddle's next match is slated for Feb. 6 at home against NCAA II No. 17 Florida Southern at 3:30 p.m.

Michael PierceERAU Athletics

ERAU Athletics

from the Flight Department to the following students for receiving their:

Congratulations

PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE:Faha Faig A Metwalli

Zachary Wayne MooreCurtis James Sandage

Thomas Michael Zu HoneHenrique Alejandro Sosa Rodriguez

INSTRUMENT RATING CERTIFICATE:Sang Do Lee

Oscar Daniel Pimentel Imbert SoneMicah William DenmanAndrew Thomas Smith

Lyle John Richard PicklesSuzanne Jennifer Fernades

Rene Heins

COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE:Siu Ting Cheung

Lewis Corelle Houston

COMMERCIAL SINGLE ENGINE ADD-ON RATING:Justin Payce Marcus

COMMERCIAL MULTI-ENGINE ADD-ON RATING:Carl James Sorg

Marc Emiliano GonzalezConner Thomas McCauley

Alain Mazatan Trevino

FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AIRPLANE CERTIFICATE:Jo Daniel Daloso Relucio

FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR INSTRUMENT CERTIFICATE:Jerad Patrick Kennedy

FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR MULTI-ENGINE CERTIFICATE:Andre Rudolf Zimmermann

DAYTONA-ORLANDO AIRPORT SERVICE

Page

C2 The Avion, February 5, 2013Comics

By Wes Oleszewski

Dilbert

Crossword

XKCDxkcd.com

Today’s life quote

It’s only after we’ve lost

evrything that we’re free to do

anything-CHUCK PALAHNIKU

”

“

Last week’s solutions

Congratulations to Beket Tulegenov for

submitting a correctly com-pleted crossword puzzle!

Please stop by The Avion office to collect your prize!Before Next Issue:

Enter The Avion crossword con-test!

Submit your completed cross-word to The Avion office in SC

110 before Friday, February 8, at 5 p.m. to be considered.

Only students can enter, please bring the completed crossword

and your Student ID.

ACROSS1. Off-center 6. ___ best friend (dog)10. Put words to music on stage14. Enjoy to the fullest15. Mounted on16. Humpbacked helper17. Close-fittinghat18. Iranian currency19. Arts and craft purchase20. Buckeye’ school letter21. Baseball game stretch time in Old Rome?24. Tolerate26. One of the little piggies27. Spanishsheepwithfinewool29. Skilled boater34. Opening bars35. Breakfast roll36. CSI lab stuff37. Sought damages38. More dishonorable39. Good or bad sign40. Commit a faux pas41. “Beau ___”42. Powerful chess piece43. Strike a chord45. In an abrupt and discourteous manner46. Forty-niner’s accessory?47. Coolness under pressure48. Jan. 26, 1986, event53. Some rds.56. Prince William’s school57. Word with “disaster” or “dining”58. The “O” of O Magazine 60. Auto race Yarborough61. Baltic native62. Brownish gray63. Norse thunder god64. Finish second or last65. Flyingfish-catchers

DOWN1. Regarding, in memos2. Arts community near Santa Fe3. Roman football game divisions4. Mary’s Mr. Grant5. Golfer Lee 6. Donny’s sister7. “Look ___ this way . . .”8. Ark builder9. It’s in some pitchers’ repertoires10. John Hancock, notably11. Tangerine-grapefruit hybrid12. It may be proper

13. Diver Louganis22. Oft-broken promise23. December ditty25. Audubon subject27. Tight-fistedone28. Habituate (Var.)29. Be uneconomical30. “A Death in the Family” Pulitzer winner James31. Roman Summer Olympics event?32. Slippery as ___33. Tot watcher35. Strong,woodyfiber38. High-impact pitch?

39. Couple’s pronoun41. Angry dog sound42. Cervantes’ hero44. Corkscrew, for wine45. “Cougar Town” co-star Courteney47. Word with “fashion” or “dinner”48. Religious offshoot49. Its state bird is the seagull50. Land or water sport51. Two-tone dunker52. Throws water on54. 3M product55. “___ a Lady”54. Good golf score

Sudoku