On Monday, Nov. 4, student counter-protestors flocked to the designated free speech corner next to the student center to block signs purportedly visualizing the aftermath of abortions. An auxiliary sign near the Campanile intended to contextualize the signs read “Abortion victim photos ahead.” 

Created Equal, an anti-abortion advocacy organization from Columbus, Ohio, set up the signs early in the morning, along with an electronic marquee in front of the amphitheater. Passing students may have received Created Equal’s pamphlets, which are adorned with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the statement “Abortion is ageism.”

When asked, Created Equal’s onhand media liaison described the group as “a humans’ rights organization,” and stated their reasoning for coming on campus: “We believe that we need to show the truth of what abortion is doing. It is disgusting, and it is horrific. These images are very gruesome to look at. That’s because that’s what abortion is. It’s killing innocent human beings. And so we have to display it. We have to stand up for the victims and show what is actually being done behind closed doors thousands of times every single day.”

She added that Created Equal planned to bring their message to other Ga. universities, specifically Kennesaw State University and the University of Georgia. As of Nov. 6, these events have yet to occur.

Since the signs were set up on a busy campus thoroughfare, many students saw the signs and decided to launch an impromptu counter-protest. Posters with pro-abortion rights slogans abounded around the intersection. Many were written in marker on white poster, though some were printed and even mounted on salvaged cardboard. Some students gave vocal warnings to passersby about the upcoming photos.

Two students claimed to have left class early to hold signs near the Ferst Center parking lot.  “We saw them [the signs], we messaged each other, we made signs, we came out.”

Jacob Skovran, second-year ME, and Sawyer Flanagan, second-year AE, appeared shortly before 2 p.m. holding a sign reading, “OK Boomer.” Pictures of the sign, which the holders planned with Drake Witt, second-year CS, circulated over social media. The slogan has recently become a popular retort to espoused ideas associated with older generations, specifically Baby Boomers and occasionally Gen-Xers.

The Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA) also attended the counter-protests. One member commented on the nature of the counter-protests, saying, “A couple of our members saw that this was happening this morning, so we just rounded up a couple people to go out with signs. We just sort of got out here initially, and then a bunch of unaffiliated students just joined on in … There’s been an overwhelming student opposition to this because it’s clearly inappropriate, these are clearly fake photos, and [members of Created Equal] are not actual students at all … We’re
not engaging with them, we’re just vocally demonstrating that the students of Georgia Tech are overwhelmingly pro-choice, overwhelmingly in favor of womens’ right to abortion … We’re not here to confront them, we’re here to show the real student opinion.”

Another YDSA member said of Created Equal’s presence in the designated free speech area, “I respect that they have the right to say what they want to say, but this stuff, with the gore and the guts, this is clearly just to shock people, especially women who have had to deal with having an abortion for medical reasons or had a miscarriage… I think there are civilized ways to state your opinion.”

At their Nov. 5 meeting, SGA drafted a resolution regarding their opinion on the setup, which passed that same evening. On Nov. 6, they posted this statement on their Facebook page: “The imagery and graphic content display on campus this past Monday was distressful, and the effects which they may cause on students are insurmountable. As a campus, we must stand united in the face of physically and emotionally damaging content that disrupts our campus. Georgia Tech is strong, and it is because of our students that we will move forward stronger than before.” The full resolution and statement are accessible at facebook.com/GTSGA.

Robert Eggers burst onto the feature film scene in 2015 with “The Witch,” a period horror piece set in Puritan New England, notable for its commitment to realism with dialogue entirely in a reconstruction of Early Modern English as it would have been spoken in the 17th century. The film garnered accolades and critical acclaim, and Eggers immediately established himself as a visionary director of horror.

His new project, “The Lighthouse,” is another triumph for modern horror. Eggers has crafted a dark, harrowing descent into madness following two lighthouse keepers on an island battered by the rough North Atlantic that delivers on teeth-clenching suspense and a terrifying atmosphere.

Viewers of “The Witch” will immediately recognize the basic setup: isolated characters in a New England setting, subtextual exploration of gender politics, and reverence for folklore and superstition. However, these similar elements come together to earn Eggers the status of a genuine auteur with a vision of realistic historical simulation as a setting for exploring thematic traditions of those times.

Despite the loftiness of that previous statement, “The Lighthouse” is surprisingly approachable considering the demands placed on the audience to engage with “The Witch,” and the lead actors are entirely responsible for this. Robert Pattinson (“Twilight,” “Cosmopolis”) turns in a spectacular performance as a man coping with the demanding work of his new profession and its emotional toll on his personality. After being sorely misused in “High Life” earlier this year, Pattinson reasserts himself as a dynamic and captivating instrument under Eggers’ masterful direction.

The standout, naturally, is Willem Defoe (“The Florida Project,” “Aquaman”) as a veteran lighthouse keeper and Pattinson’s boss. His vibrant portrayal of a Melville-style seaman brings both levity and tension to the film, and his monologue halfway through will likely be a fan favorite.

For “The Lighthouse,” Eggers eschews the modern filmmaking techniques employed in “The Witch” in favor of a visual aesthetic somewhere between German Expressionism and European post-war directors like Bergman and Tarkovsky. The picture is entirely in black and white, shot on 35 mm film, and in a narrow aspect ratio mainstream audiences may know from Wes Anderson’s “Grand Budapest Hotel,” which also featured Defoe. Eggers uses the tight frames of each shot to capture a creeping atmosphere of claustrophobia, and the contrast between light and dark casts terrifying shadows around enclosed spaces, especially in the close-ups favored by the director that also lent “The Witch” its sense of psychological torment.

Audiences may be put off by the stylistic choices of the film, especially the aforementioned aesthetic and the usage of hallucinatory dream sequences. The pacing is also deliberate, only briefly allowing any relief from the immense tension before immediately returning to the oppressive atmosphere. However, the finished product is a haunting, fascinating experience that should not be missed.

After some delays, Netflix announced that everyone’s favorite show about a terrible, alcoholic horse would return for its final season. While the sudden news was certainly upsetting for fans, the timing makes some sense. 

Speculation is, at the end of the day, just guesswork based on limited information, but the “BoJack Horseman” crew has started moving on gradually. Production designer Lisa Hanawalt — the woman responsible much of the art and animation — created and helmed a show of her own, “Tuca & Bertie.” Kate Purdy, credited with writing some of the series’ best episodes such as season one’s “Downer Ending,” co-created Amazon’s “Undone” with Raphael Bob-Waksberg (the creator of “BoJack Horseman”).

In addition to the career progressions of cast and crew, the fifth-season finale sent the titular horse to rehab, which seemed like a show preparing for its conclusion. Thus, into the endgame goes “BoJack Horseman.” On Oct. 25, eight episodes dropped for part one of the final season; part two will release on Netflix on Jan. 31, 2020.

With the first half of season six, though, the animated series starts making its case as one of the best shows of the decade. Like the penultimate season before it, the new episodes prove about as funny, moving and insightful as the depression comedy has ever been.

For those new to “BoJack Horseman,” the show stems from the same form of vulgar, wacky comedy as that of Adult Swim animation. In a world where anthropomorphic animals live alongside, intermingle with and date human beings, the titular horse — voiced by Will Arnett (“Arrested Development”) — is a burnout 90s sitcom star, grappling with fame, alcoholism and depression. The show engages in satire of the entertainment industry, cultural commentary and an exploration of mental health and unhappiness via references, puns, gags and wacky misadventures.

Over the first five seasons, BoJack committed countless crimes and acts of inhumanity. In addition to an endless stream of rudeness, he drove drunk, sabotaged friends’ careers, attempted to break-up relationships, almost hooked-up with a teenage girl, ended a friend’s sobriety (which resulted in that friend’s death) and physically assaulted a woman during a drug-bender. The horse is, without even the faintest shadow of doubt, a horrible individual.

However, the sixth and final season is, at least the part released so far, a reckoning with that past — both for the eponymous character and the friends caught in
his orbit.

Princess Carolyn (Amy Sedaris, “Elf”), BoJack’s longtime agent who recently adopted a baby porcupine, finally strikes a happy and meaningful work-life balance after decades of struggles, even making amends with some former friends and enemies. Diane — BoJack’s human memoirist and best friend, voiced by Allison Brie (“Community”) — slips into another bout of depression, but finds the help, love and guidance she has always needed from BoJack and her new romantic partner (LaKeith Stanfield, “Atlanta”). The always chipper yellow lab Mr. Peanutbutter — voiced by comedic dynamo Paul F. Tompkins from “Comedy Bang! Bang!” — learns to listen, righting a problem that has plagued his multiple marriages. And even everyone’s favorite stoner couch-crasher Todd (Aaron Paul, “Breaking Bad”) has some of his backstory developed, as he takes his stepfather on surprisingly kooky capers to find his mother a new kidney.

In the midst of all this heaviness, two qualities of the new episodes stand out in particular.

First, “BoJack Horseman” is about as funny as ever before. Todd takes “Untitled Princess Carolyn Project” — the newly adopted and unnamed porcupine — to entertainment industry meetings, unwittingly getting the baby greenlit for a production. Meanwhile, BoJack keeps finding needs to break out of bedrooms with a makeshift rope of bedsheets, like they did on his 90s sitcom. And a strike among the “Hollywoo Guild of Assistants” causes literal mayhem in the streets.

Second, the animated series just keeps surprising, with each new turn offering insight or emotional resonance. For example, Princess Carolyn eventually names her baby Ruthie — a callback to a season-four episode. She also makes amends with her lifelong nemesis — a human named Vanessa Gecko — and with her former assistant Judah (Dedrich Bader, “Office Space”).

Moreover, the successes and experiences offer more elaborate stances on mental health. In a sense, it feels like the show spent five seasons examining depression and unhappiness, followed by eight episodes supplying solutions and insights.

Yet all of these developments are just extra perks to BoJack’s reckoning. After one encounter, the horse announces, “I remember everything. I’m sober now.” In a similar vein, even the opening credits have been amended to walk BoJack through all the terrible things that he has done, and the result is goosebump-inducing.

Just as BoJack finds peace and self-fulfillment with himself, though, the show prepares a plotline for part two — BoJack’s impending bout with justice. The eighth episode shows journalists and people from his past grappling with trauma and the truth. And as previously described, BoJack has long been overdue for accountability.

“BoJack Horseman,” in addition to exploring depression, has always lived adjacent to the “Me Too” movement. While the show never attempted to sidestep around the horse’s atrocities, the wait for justice has often felt too prolonged.

However, the show is just as much about relationships — public and private — with problematic celebrities as it has been about “Me Too.” In a 2018 interview with The Ringer, Bob-Waksberg talked about how figures like BoJack do indeed have close ones who love and care for them. For him, the distinction between private and public is worth considering. The creator said, “I don’t think they deserve the spotlight. I don’t think, as a society, it’s our job to love them and help them. I hope they get [care and help] from the people in their lives who care about them.” While friends and family often furiously express detestations of the committed crimes, that care does not always evaporate immediately upon scandalizing revelations. In “BoJack Horseman,” Diane represents just that — an individual torn between hating BoJack and helping him get better.

And the ways by which the show navigates these grey areas is nothing shy of remarkable. After following the main characters through seven episodes, the aptly titled eight episode, “A Quick One While He’s Away,” chronicles the devastation BoJack has left in his path with careers ruined, individuals traumatized, and a loved one deceased. Here, moments before BoJack’s crimes are publicly revealed, part one ends.

Although the conclusion is still uncertain to viewers, no show has embodied the decade better than this. But on the cusp of its finale, perhaps the time has finally come for the spotlight on BoJack and “BoJack Horseman” to come to an end.

This past week, singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka released his third studio album, the self-titled “Kiwanuka.” The soulful crooner transcends time with a voice and sound reminiscent of Jimi Hendrix. Over the course of the 14 track album, Kiwanuka’s incomparable vocals prove he is in a league of his own. Although it is easy to get lost in his hymnal-like sound, Kiwanuka’s music is easily recognizable as indie-folk. “Kiwanuka” is a well-rounded, versatile album, composed of many moving parts. Kiwanuka puts emphasis on creating a sound that feels like home.

Set against a percussion-heavy backdrop, the album’s first track, “You Ain’t the Problem,” is composed of catchy, fast-paced vocals, making it an instant standout. “Rolling” lends its sound to the first track and single, “You Ain’t the Problem,” but is still masterful in its own right. Kiwanuka’s likeness to Hendrix is front and center on “Rolling” and the song evokes nostalgia. The track stays true to its name, imitating a rolling wave with prominent drums alongside gritty vocals.  

Though the song “Hero” is very repetitive on its first listen, it has great depth, blending bluegrass and soul sounds together. The lyrics are elementary but offer great profoundness. The chorus, “Am I a hero? / Am I a hero now? /To die a hero / Is all that we know now” speaks volumes and poses an insightful question to listeners.

The penultimate track, “Solid Ground,” hauntingly echoes and reverberates with each word. Kiwanuka’s vocals are breathtaking and are at their best on this song. His tone is crystal clear and the lyrics are articulated in a mild manner. His passionate vocals exude authenticity. “Solid Ground,” like much of the album, explores introspection and individuality. 

Although Michael Kiwanuka is not a household name, he is on his way to becoming one. This underdog album is hands-down one of the best albums released this year and is bound to make a splash this awards season. 

A few days before the start of fall classes, Andy Ogletree found himself watching Vanderbilt senior John Augenstein line up for a putt on the seventeenth hole at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. If Augenstein made it, earning a bogey, the match would continue. Instead, the putt sailed wide, and with that — the match was over. Andy Ogletree had won the 2019 U.S. Amateur Championship, joining the likes of Tiger Woods and Tech alumnus Matt Kuchar on a very exclusive list.

Ogletree is busy as of late, perhaps busier than ever. His U.S. Amateur win has attracted significant media attention already, and beyond that, Ogletree has a full schedule of classes to manage — not to mention his responsibilities to Tech’s golf team. But in some ways, this is the schedule that Ogletree always wanted.

His golf career started at three years old, in Orange Beach, Alabama. The Ogletrees were on vacation, and to kill time, his parents took him to a putt-putt course. “My dad thought, ‘There might be something to this.’ So he bought me a super short club. I started hitting balls in the backyard … and when I was four, he took me to our local country club,” giving birth to a life-long love of the fairway.

The success came early and often for Ogletree. At age six, he played at the U.S. Kids World Championship in Williamsburg, Va. There, children played par-three courses as par-fours and par-fives, accounting for their relatively low strength. Along the way, he began to imitate the mannerisms of his favorite golfer: Woods. “When I was a kid, I would love to wear the mock turtlenecks, the red shirts … every kid [did] the Tiger fist-pump,” he remembers. 

Golf was not always the only sport Ogletree played. He competed for his high school’s basketball and football teams for parts of high school. But as his focus on golf grew and recruiting visits piled up, the links took priority.

When it came to recruiting, Tech faced an uphill challenge to nab Ogletree. He had known Ole Miss’ coaches since he was a child, and for a while, he assumed he would spend his college days in Oxford, Miss. A visit to Atlanta changed that. “I came over to check it out and just fell in love … I cancelled my other visits and said that this is where I wanted to go to school,” he says. Two of the key factors drawing him to The Flats were the wealth of golf courses in the Atlanta area and Tech golf coach Bruce Heppler.

Under Heppler’s tutelage, Ogletree has made strides as a golfer. “In the last year, I’ve gotten a lot better at my short game,” he says, referring to the difficulty of making putts. “I’ve always hit it pretty good [but] I feel like I play smarter now.” And that extends beyond match play. “I know when my body feels good,” he says, referring to the way he assesses himself in practice. 

Leading up to Pinehurst, Ogletree’s body was not feeling good. His practice rounds went poorly. He did not feel locked in. But after sending a few videos to his coach and getting some feedback on his swing, the actual rounds were a different story. “I went out and did solid in stroke play, good enough to move onto match play.” 

That match play, of course, is history. Ogletree went through a series of opponents in short order to meet the equally impressive John Augenstein in the final round. And through the first five holes, Ogletree struggled to keep up, going down four strokes. But if there was anything Ogletree knew about the course, it was that he would be punished if he pressed. So he played his game, slowly chipping at Augenstein’s lead, and by the final hole, Ogletree had the upper hand. 

When Augenstein missed his putt, giving Ogletree the win, he was at a loss for words. “I didn’t even know what to do. I remember that as soon as he gave me that last putt, it was surreal … [my caddy] was like, ‘Go shake John’s hand!’ So I shook his hand and his caddy’s hand, thanked all the course marshals, guys that were carrying the leaderboard and then the celebration began.”

What excites Andy Ogletree the most about the next chapter is how much control he will have. Sure, he’ll still have to lead Tech’s No. 6 ranked golf team. But he’ll have some “me” time. “My whole schedule will be what I want to do, not what I have to do,” he says. “I just can’t wait to … focus on golf and devote my time to trying to get better.” And Ogletree plans on leaning on the many Tech alumni who have turned professional golfers along the way. “They’ll all help me through this process,” he says.

This year’s HackGT was yet another success with students from across the country coming to participate in the exciting 36-hour event hosted in Klaus. This year’s theme of “Into the Rabbit Hole,” based on Alice in Wonderland, brought an atmosphere of whimsy and wonder to the sleep-deprived event. 

A variety of companies — from BlackRock to NCR to the Walt Disney Company — sponsored the event, which began on Oct. 25  with opening ceremonies, a sponsor expo, dinner and more. 

“We’re all here to learn, create and build a community,” said Co-Director of HackGT Ehsan Asdar, fourth-year CS, during the opening ceremonies. “HackGT is about so much more than just the projects you’ll build at the end of the event. 

“Our goal is to bring you outside of your day to day college life and to bring you into a space where you can explore new ideas, technologies, apply things you’ve learned in your classes and spend time creating something awesome,” Asdar continued. 

HackGT did not just focus on the competition and challenges raised by various sponsors, but also featured fun mini-events and workshops. From scavenger hunts to pride-based events, the weekend offered different opportunities to stay engaged or destress from the competition. An especially popular event included a cup stacking competition. 

In addition to spirited competition, free food and merch, HackGT also provided the opportunity for students to build connections. 

The competition facilitated networking through its badges: instead of carrying around multiple paper copies of a resume, students could simply scan their badge at a recruiter’s booth and upload a copy of their resume. Students were then able to interact with representatives and recruiters from the various companies in attendance. 

However, the presence of bigger companies sparked controversy among some participants.

“With Facebook and Amazon, I definitely was not a fan,” said fifth-year CS Josh Davis. “It made me kind of wary and I’m did not do their challenges because I do not support what they’re doing so I decided to go for my own route and do something creative.”

In addition to company representatives, HackGT also featured public figures, such as Stacy Abrahams and alumni Jeff Crouse. Jeff Crouse took the time to explain his unique career as a ‘creative technologist’ in which he works to integrate art, technology, and expression together. 

“Being the in the room and brainstorming is happening and then doing the actual coding is really important to me,” said Jeff Crouse. “On a lot of these projects, I get to work with other artists and musicians and performers and directors, and I get to obviously play with a lot of toys which is always fun. It can be a positive and a negative as the timeline for my projects is two to three months, so I really only get to focus on stuff for short periods.”

Every year HackGT draws a crowd of over 1000 students, providing both challenging projects for students to supplement their education as well as the opportunity to grow alongside their fellow members of the Tech community.  

Many have heard of the Georgia Tech Foundation, yet few know about the organization and what it does behind the scenes to support our campus and
community.

Established nearly a century ago in 1932, the Foundation was started in order to provide a separate entity for the Institute to receive funds, often in the form of gifts and donations. 

With its initial start of only $406, the Foundation has grown not only in numbers, but in significance as well. In order to learn more about its history and its vision, the Technique sat down with the Foundation’s current president Al Trujillo. 

Trujillo began the discussion by explaining the mission of the Foundation. 

“When distilled down to the essence our main mission comes down to three things: to efficiently receive, to prudently invest and to accurately distribute the funds consistent with donor wishes,” said Trujillo. 

In order to achieve the three tenets of the Foundation’s mission, the organization must invest the funds it receives, which is mostly given in the form of endowments. The Foundation invests these funds with the hopes of earning the highest possible return on their investment. 

“So essentially we invest the gifts given from various alumni and others in order to gain returns which can then be spent,” Trujillo explained. “Our goal is to be prudent investors so that we lower the risk of investing these funds and gather the highest returns.”

Trujillo also described some of the history of the Foundation, a history which dates back to 1920 with an idea for a class reunion gift leading to the beginnings of monthly meetings and
monthly review. 

Some of these early  meetings were even held off campus in the Coca-Cola building. It was not until the Foundation’s first big campaign — which is now known as the Centennial Campaign — that the organization grew in prominence. 

This campaign, which lasted from 1983 to 1988, created the first big push to raise funds for the Institute.

Although the modern realm of finance now includes complex institutions like investment banks and hedge funds, the early work of the Foundation stood as an anomaly to the more traditional form of money management that was practiced for the majority of the 20th century. 

“Throughout the 1940s and 50s, the whole idea of professional fundraising was not a very well known practice, particularly in the South,” said Trujillo. 

“Some of the old Ivy League schools had this concept of private gift-giving but elsewhere it was sort of a more unknown concept.”

Since its revolutionary beginnings, the Foundation has been involved in countless projects throughout the city. 

Its assistance in bringing the 1996 Olympics to Atlanta serves as one such example, as the Foundation funded the creation of a promotional video to highlight features of the city. 

Its part in adding Tech Square to the expanding campus is a more recent example. “The area [Tech Square] was in decline and was closed off from campus,” explained Trujillo. 

“And right at the turn of the millennium, the Georgia Tech Foundation had the vision to buy the land filled with empty lots and razor wire and create what is now an incredibly energetic, popular and attractive place.” 

Trujillo further emphasized the significant role of developing real estate for the overall economic development of the Institute. 

“We help Georgia Tech achieve its purpose through real estate. You need a place and we have aided in acquiring land for the Institute, not solely our doing of course but we still have played a significant role in giving Georgia Tech a place for the people.”

In keeping with the fostering of Tech as a “place for the people,” the Foundation also works to contribute to need-based scholarships. 

Trujillo discussed the significance of these contributions, as he highlighted the Tech Promise Program and the Val-Bud Peterson Scholarship Fund.

“We as a Foundation have had a strong commitment to scholarships, especially need based scholarships,” Trujillo said. 

“Many of our trustees came from modest backgrounds, but were then provided with the tools, the confidence and experience to be successful in the workforce because of our time here at Tech.”

Because of this we aim to use what we have gained from our time at Georgia Tech to give back to Georgia Tech. We hope that we can raise even more funds for the need-based scholarships so we could give out even more.”

The work of the Georgia Tech Foundation — from its economic promotion to scholarship contributions — could not occur with its  board of 45 elected trustees. But who are these trustees, and how do you become a member of the Foundation?

Although there are no explicit conditions for membership — other than an alum status to guarantee alliance to and understanding of the Institute, Trujillo shared what the Foundation looks for in its aspiring candidates or, as Trujillo stated, in its aspiring “models for support for Georgia Tech. 

“We ask them to be generous with their work and take active roles in their positions, share their wisdom and be as generous as they can be with their philanthropy,” said Trujillo. 

“One of our greatest strengths is a model of good governance which is important to the Foundation and the Institute. And because of that I think we have attracted a very good professional staff to carry out our business and be a role model in the community of higher education.”

Although current students cannot join the Foundation, Trujillo explained how important it is that the upcoming generations model the behavior of giving back whether it is through volunteering or taking on a leadership role. He also shared his vision of current scholarship recipients one day becoming future scholarship donors. 

“It is your turn to work hard so later on you can give back and sort of, pass the baton onto another student in an upcoming generation so they can have the same opportunities or even more than you yourself had,” said Trujillo. 

In order to gather some final insight, the Technique asked Mr. Trujillo about the Foundation’s hopes for the future. Trujillo expressed his desire for the Foundation to better reflect the increasing diversity that is present on campus. He also shared his promising vision of Tech’s future. 

“What we are most excited about when looking towards the future is our hope for the next generation’s success,” said Trujillo. Your generation is quicker, you have more technology and I think that is why the future is going to be so terrific overall. 

“We are at an amazing place filled with amazing students. Companies want to be located here, research exceeded a billion dollars this past year and we are in a city that is just terrific. Georgia Tech is a tremendous place with a tremendous future and I am confident that the GT Foundation will, in its own quiet little way, continue to support the Institute in the years to come.”

On Saturday, Oct. 26, Stacey Abrams visited Tech’s campus for HackGT6 to discuss the organization she chairs, Fair Fight 2020, as well as to answer questions from HackGT participants about political participation and the role of students and technology in politics. Abrams opened her discussion by highlighting the issue of voter suppression during  her run for governor of Georgia in 2018 and how Fair Fight is working to solve these issues before the upcoming 2020 election. 

Abrams explained, “20% percent of Georgia has no access to the internet … and the ability to register to vote is tied to access to the internet.” 

Furthermore, she noted that the Georgia election systems were hacked twice leading up to the 2018 gubernatorial race, resulting in the deletion of many registered voters from polls. Fair Fight is working to prevent these events from recurring. They also hope to ensure under-privileged communities see shorter lines at polling stations and properly-working voting machines, another widely-publicized issue during the 2018 elections.

After explaining her goals and vision for Fair Fight, Abrams answered questions from the audience. Many of the questions from HackGT participants pertained to the relationship between politics and technology and the lack of understanding about technological advancements among members of national and state governing bodies. Abrams encouraged students to get involved in politics in order to either explain technological concepts to representatives or be representatives themselves. 

“I do not see a divide between technology and politics,” she explained. “If you want to see a difference, be a candidate, help a campaign or vote.”

Abrams continued to emphasize the importance of technology in election fairness and security. She described the spread of misinformation on the internet, especially on social media sites frequently used by students, as a challenge to election security. In her words, “misinformation is still information.” 

Discussing the role of social media and technology companies in elections, Abrams noted that as Tech students seek jobs at well-known technology companies, they need to be mindful of their morals in these roles. She said that as employees, a person can have a greater impact on how their company handles key issues such as misinformation.

“I believe social media companies need to be held accountable for their behavior … and they need to be challenged in their decision-making,” Abrams said.

Overall, Abrams highlighted the ability of Tech students to have an influence on politics. She pointed out that with high starting-salaries, a quality education and knowledge of technology, Tech students can have large impacts in their communities and across the country. 

“Unprofessional.” “Misogynistic.” “Sexist.” “Disrespectful.” These are all words that have been used to describe Barstool Sports. A quick look of their website will explain why Barstool Sports has been charged with promoting a toxic culture by numerous professional news organizations. 

Explicative article titles such as “Ohio Colleges Are Trying to Ban Gambling on Ohio Sports Because They Are All Dumb as Shit” and “Kentucky’s Punter Called His Own Fake Punt Against Missouri — Got The First Down And All He Wanted Was A Goddamn Beer” exhibit the publication’s fearlessness when it comes to being highly critical of various topics. Many of their writers frequently throw in cuss words to get their point across in their articles. Whether this literary tactic shows off their passion for what they’re writing about is undetermined, but it does come off as distasteful and sometimes discredits the good points the authors actually make. 

If you were to further look around their website you may stumble onto one of their “Smokeshow of the Day” articles where they provide multiple photographs of whatever Instagram baddie they find attractive that day. If you don’t think that’s bad, they also have an entire separate tab dedicated to the content their female writers that’s simply labeled “Chicks.” The fact that they even segregate the content provided by their female staff from the front page work of the male writers is alarming in itself. By clicking on the chicks tab you would be confronted with their slogan: “One of the boys, all for the girls.” Without completely deciphering what this cryptic message means, it seems as though that Barstool’s culture of extreme masculinity permeates through even the female staff member’s content. 

If Barstool’s own employees and hierarchy weren’t sexist enough, Barstool also associates themselves with equally problematic content creators. “To Sophia.You’re like a girl, but kind of slutty. It’s okay though.” That is an excerpt from a “poem” that Logan Paul, the YouTuber who filmed dead bodies and posted it for all his young, impressionable viewers to see, wrote and performed on a segment of Stool Scenes, one of Barstool Sports’ vlog styled YouTube shows. Just last year, the site hired Michael McCarthy, former of TakeAReport.com and writer of such drivel as, “Although I’m pretty sure you don’t condone the drugging and subsequent raping of female bar inhabitants, haven’t you at one time or another considered what would happen with the right girl and the right mix of vodka and chloroform?” Only the best and brightest for the site.

There is no denying that there’s a subsection of sports fans that enjoy partaking in what can be considered “locker-room talk.” These fans are the ones that can usually be found shouting expletives at the players on the sidelines. These are the guys that can be found banging on the walls of the ice hockey rink trying to egg on fights. These are the fathers, uncles and sons that fully, truly believe that Saturdays are for the boys and Sundays are for sitting in the Lay-Z-Boy while their wives hand-deliver ice cold Natty Lights to them as they can not bare to look away from the television screen in case they miss a chance to insult a team member for missing a catch. This is Barstool Sports’ main demographic, along with the thousands of college students that follow their school’s respective accounts for personalized sports commentary and embarrassing videos of classmates. 

Our first mistake is assuming that Barstool Sports is posing as a professional sports outlet. Much like Buzzfeed, Barstool Sports does not follow the traditional rules of journalism, and tends to write toward more clickbait titles and subjects that will attract their readers. This is how Barstool continues to thrive as a politically incorrect publication during the rise of more politically correct media. The downside of this is that Barstool Sports massively adds to the already dangerously misogynistic world of sports. They add onto a narrative that makes it nearly impossible for female sports reporters to do their jobs without receiving harassment and degrading comments. Furthermore, the women who contribute to this publication perpetuate the same rhetoric that puts women down. The second that Barstool is accused of being misogynistic they immediately point to their female staff members, yet they barely allow their stories to hit the front page. So if they were not sexist, Saturdays would be for the boys and everyday would be for respecting women through their coverage. 

Cigarettes After Sex does not disappoint with the release of their second studio album, “Cry.” Despite having a limited discography released over a decade, the band has amassed a cult following. Cigarettes After Sex proves to be a real artist’s artist, as they put quality over quantity. 

Long-anticipated album “Cry” proves to be worth the wait and makes even the most cynical of listeners yearn to fall in love. “Cry” does not romanticize love, but its sound translates to the rawness and vulnerability that is involved with relationships new and old. The band stays true to its slowcore, dream-pop sound throughout the album while also putting lead vocalist Greg Gonzalez’s androgynous and siren-like voice front and center. 

“Cry” begins with tune “Don’t Let Me Go” an ode to a lost first love and the aches of the desperation and longing for someone that can still be felt years after the relationship is over. It is a song with which every listener can relate, whether it is a friend or lover that has become estranged.

The next song, “Kiss It Off Me,” has a more sensual sound that sings of the balance between love and lust. This song is a prime example of how Cigarettes After Sex can make heartbreak sound so sweet. This song like many of their others speak about the beauty of not just the beginnings and endings of relationships, but also the middle and mundane.

Another standout track, “You’re the Only Good Thing in My Life,” focuses on the passion felt for someone you are in a relationship with or would like to be in a relationship with. This song folds in intimacy with romance in an effortless way. Track “Hentai” unsurprisingly begins with vulgar lyrics, but takes a dark turn after the first verse with, “Told you I wanted to die in an airplane crash / Over the ocean, thought it was romantic.” This song’s bleak lyrics are juxtaposed with the vocalist’s enchanting and gentle voice.

Top standout track “Falling in Love” was the second single released off the album and is extremely reminiscent of their first self-titled album. The vocals are disciplined and airy, mimicking the feeling of flying or being high off love. Gonzalez uses an androgynous tone to amplify the ambient, but mellow backing band.

This album paints a strikingly accurate representation of love with broad strokes that anyone can relate to. “Cry” will make the listener want to light his or her favorite candle, use that bath bomb that he or she has been saving, and open a cheap bottle of wine. The album’s sound drags on in the best way. It slows down time and makes listeners hang on to every word.