Basic HTML Version
Campus Review
October 10, 2013
Page 16
Boroson Jumps 43 places in
Heritage Health Prize Competition
by Samantha Watson, University Relations
Trivia Time
“The Persecution and
Assassination of
Jean-Paul Marat as
Performed by the Inmates of
the Asylum of Charenton
Under the Direction of the
Marquis de Sade”
by John Shiffert, University Relations
Now if that mouthful isn’t worth a bonus…
nothing is.
In case you haven’t been following the plot line,
the last question asked how Jean-Paul Marat met
his untimely end. As everyone surely knows, the
renowned Jacobin was stabbed to death in his
bathtub by one Charlotte Corday. Well, maybe
everyone doesn’t know that, but Rob Taylor,
Kurt-Alexander Zeller, David Ludley, Lou
Brackett and Jill Ellington certainly recall one of
the oddest assassinations in history. And, in case
you were wondering, Marat was in the bathtub
because he needed to soak in medicinal fluids
for hours at a time due to a skin condition, “he
had contracted while hiding out in the sewers of
Paris during the French Revolution.”
This last piece of information comes from
Professor Ludley, who also becomes the first
person in Trivia Time history to garner 10 Bonus
Points at one fell swoop. Though not a history
professor, Ludley notes that, “every year I have
taught my (art) students about the painting enti-
tled The Death of Marat by Jacques Louis
David” and his subsequent demise at the hands
of Mme. Corday. That was good for five points.
Back to our headline… “The Persecution and
Assassination of Jean-Paul Marat as Performed
by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton
Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade” is,
among other things, the longest movie title in
captivity. Better known as “Marat/Sade,” this
bizarre affair is not be missed by either aficiona-
dos of the outré, budding film critics, or high
school English students (namely yours truly,
many years ago.) Yes, Ludley knew about
Marat/Sade (and even the fact that the execu-
tioner picked up Corday head and slapped it
after the guillotine), which is surely good for
another five points.
Let us also throw a sabot into the works for
Zeller and Ellington, who also recalled
Marat/Sade, although neither was impressed
with the work, Ellington pointing out that it’s
not historically accurate and Zeller labeling it
“dreadful.” In both cases, good for five Bonus
Points.
And speaking of revolutions and assassina-
tions… just what all did it take to put the quietus
on Rasputin? Send your answers, not to
Anastasia, but to johnshiffert@clayton.edu.
“My goal was to bring out the opinions of
the Clayton State community, and to help
the community understand the issues,”
says Adams of his intent for the
Constitution Week presentation. “As is
the case with the Second Amendment, it is
important to know what the law actually
says and how it is applied before deter-
mining whether it needs to be changed.”
Clayton State junior Political Science
major Donna Harley, a resident of
Riverdale, was one of
the participants in the
New York Times Talk
who learned some-
thing about Stand
Your Ground and who
subsequently felt, in
conjunction
with
Adams’ third ques-
tion, that Georgia’s
law
should
be
changed.
“I think (Georgia’s law) encourages vio-
lence,” she says. “I think it gives people a
false sense of bravado, a false sense they
On Apr. 4, 2011, Assistant Professor of
Physics Dr. Bram Boroson began solo
participation in a two-year competition
held by Heritage Provider Network in
California entitled the Heritage Health
Prize. In April of this year, Boroson was
notified that he had placed 82nd out of
1659 teams. Now he stands at 39th place
after a large number of participants were
disqualified for cheating.
“It was an unexpected boost, jumping 43
places. I haven’t really won anything but
bragging rights, but I’d like to share some
of my contest experiences with students at
Clayton State sometime,” states Boroson.
On the Heritage Health Prize competition
site it was declared that non-compliance
with the competition rules sparked an
update of the competition leaderboard,
which eliminated a hefty amount of par-
ticipants. The site also alluded that those
who had not followed the rules for the
first competition would not be allowed to
participate in the second.
“The cheaters used extra feedback from
the preliminary rankings to try to
improve. It was like looking up the
answers in the back of the book, but that
didn’t help their methods solve other
problems,” comments Boroson.
When asked if he would participate in the
second contest, Boroson admitted that he
is, “a little split! There is the lure of the
prize and having already put effort into
learning the techniques. On the other
hand, I wonder if insurance companies
could become too intrusive if they use too
much information.”
wouldn’t have otherwise. It’s not a deter-
rent, it provides a loophole.
“I’d like (Georgia’s Stand Your Ground
law) taken away, given what’s already in
place with the self-defense and castle
laws.”
Adams also points out that, if individuals
feel “stand your ground” laws should be
changed, there’s a way to do it.
“Who sets the laws?” he asked of his
audience. “The legislators. Who elects the
legislators? You do. If you don’t like a
law, vote to change it.
“If you’re going to replace a law, though, be
careful what you’re replacing it with.”
Junior Political
Science major
Donna Harley
“New York Times” Talk, cont’d. from p. 2