public static boolean initConnection() {

        int i = 0;
        boolean isConnected = false;

        System.out.println("Attempting to establish database connection...");

        //sanity check- make sure the connection object is isn't already initialized
        if(conn != null){
            System.out.println("ERROR: cannot open database connection; connection object already initialized");
            System.out.println("\tClose the connection first");
        }//end if
        //by this point we know the database connection hasn't already been initialized
        else{
            //try to connect for the specified number of times
            for(i = 0; i < MAX_CONN_OPEN_ATTEMPTS; i++){
                System.out.print("[" + (i+1) + "/" + MAX_CONN_OPEN_ATTEMPTS + "]: ");
                try {
                    //create new DB connection instance
                    Class.forName("com.mysql.jdbc.Driver").newInstance();
                    conn = DriverManager.getConnection("jdbc:mysql://"
                            + "academic-mysql.cc.gatech.edu/cs4400_Group_16",
                            username, pword);
                    //we got a good connection.  We need to set the return flag
                    //  and stop trying to connect
                    if (conn != null && !conn.isClosed()) {
                        isConnected = true;
                        break;
                    }
                }//end try
                //oh God no...
                catch (Exception ex) {
                    System.out.println("ERROR: cannot open connection");
                    System.out.println("\t" + ex.getMessage());
                }//end catch
            }//end for
        }//end else

        //connection was opened successfully
        if(isConnected){
            System.out.println("Connection opened successfully.");
        }//end if
        //we didn't make it...
        else{
            System.out.println("FAILED to open connection after [" + MAX_CONN_OPEN_ATTEMPTS + "] attempts; timed out.");
        }//end else

        return isConnected;

    }//end method initConnection