COLLEGIATETIMES
wednesday october 17, 2007 blacksburg, va.
www.collegiatetimes.com
Students get second chance at basketball tickets
news WORLD FOOD DAY CANCELED The 24th annual World Food Day teleconference was scheduled to take place yesterday at one of Virginia Tech’s International Affairs Offices; however, it was canceled due to technical difficulties. It was going to be hosted by Ray Suarez, a senior correspondent for the Jim Lehrer News Hour. Climatologists were going to attend and planned to discuss the teleconference’s theme, “Climate: Changes, Challenges and Consequences.” Whether the event will be rescheduled or not has yet to be determined.
T. REES SHAPIRO
ct sports reporter
CANDIDATES SPENT MORE THAN RAISED Three of the leading presidential contenders spent more than they raised over the past three months, according to fundraising disclosure reports released Monday. Democratic Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) spent $21.5 million between July and September, while among Republicans, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney spent $21 million — more than twice the amount he raised — and former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani spent $13 million. — The Washington Post
sports J.T. THOMPSON CLEARED TO PLAY Men’s basketball newcomer J.T. Thompson was cleared to play by NCAA. The true freshman from Monroe, N.C. was granted initial eligibility and full qualifier status. Thompson was the second member of head coach Seth Greenberg’s high profile freshman class awaiting an eligibility ruling from the NCAA. Darion Pellum was ruled ineligible last month.
weather PARTLY CLOUDY high 78, low 58
correction In yesterday’s story “Glennon could be the best option against Boston College” (CT, Oct. 16) the writer incorrectly stated Tyrod Taylor has yet to pass for 100 yards in a game, when he passed for 287 yards against Ohio. The Collegiate Times regrets this error.
coming up
SALLY BULL/SPPS
VT Engage volunteers ran booths on the Drillfield Tuesday, offering activities for students and community members to take part in.
VT Engage kicks off year of service PETER HURLEY
ct news reporter In a scene that resembled that of a state fair, complete with cotton candy stands, music, and games, VT Engage kicked off its community service initiative yesterday on the Drillfield. The initiative serves to honor the students and professors killed on April 16 and to show the university’s commitment to its motto, “Ut Prosim.” With a goal of 300,000 hours, VT Engage has challenged students, faculty, and staff to each serve ten hours of community service. The Virginia Tech Alumni Association has also agreed to match the goal of 300,000, for a total goal of 600,000 hours of community service. According to VT Engage coordinator Karen Gilbert, all 101 organizations present at the event are in need of volunteers. Thousands of members of the Tech community answered
that call, coming out to pledge their portion of hours. “It’s a great way to let people know what’s going on,” said Aynsley Renz, senior communications major and director of the Big Event. People had the option of pledging their hours on computers or pledge cards at the event. They also have the option of pledging online at www.engage.vt.edu. This Web site also gives volunteers the ability to track the amount of hours they have completed on the way to achieve their pledged number. By 7 p.m., over 30,000 hours had been pledged and more continued to pour in. In addition to taking pledges yesterday on the Drillfield and on the Web site, WSLS volunteered to host a phone bank in which people could call in their pledges. Renee Cloyd, mother of Austin Cloyd, who was killed on April 16, was a key contributor in the development of this program. Cloyd said that this initiative is the perfect way to honor
Contact info now required prior to class registration LIZA ROESCH
ct staff writer Beginning this week, the university will require students to submit emergency contact information on Hokie SPA before registering for classes for the next semester. The new policy was set up to ensure that Virginia Tech has correct information in case a student is hurt, dies or needs to contact someone but is unable to do it themselves. “It goes along with what we’re trying to do around campus to provide for more consistent and immediate communication,” said David Ford, Vice Provost for academic affairs. “After our April tragedy we didn’t have complete records of how to get a hold of everyone.” Ford, who came up with the idea for the policy, said after April 16, the university had a limited number of resources as to how to contact the victim’s families. “The only place we could go was into the student’s paper file, where we might’ve found a number they put down on an application for admission,” Ford said. “In some cases we had it, but in others we didn’t.” Now, students will have to provide one or two emergency contacts in order to access the course request screen after logging into Hokie SPA. The person can be anyone they choose, but Ford said he hopes students will take this new policy seriously and provide accurate records. “If the occasion arises, we truly want to be able to make the necessary contact,” Ford said. “So we hope students will take this new policy in the spirit in which it was put together.” Nick Delpopolo, a junior finance major, said
this policy is something Tech should’ve had before April 16, but that doing it through Hokie SPA is the best way. “Every student has to do course request so it’s probably the only way to make sure everyone does it,” Delpopolo said. Delpopolo also said that students should fill the screen out seriously because you can never anticipate what will happen. “The university is doing their part so the student should do theirs’,” Delpopolo said. “And it takes hardly any time at all to do.” In addition to university officials, this new policy will make the jobs of Virginia Tech Police officers much easier. Geoff Allen, community outreach officer, said police are always looking for ways to get information faster, and this is just one example. “In any situation, the quicker you can get the information you need, the better,” Allen said. “And with new technologies such as this, people are receiving messages they need much faster.” It’s also important to note that the information given will have the same safety and security as all other personal information stored with the university. “The information will be stored in each person’s individual student database,” Ford said. “It’s not available to anyone except those from the university who have the authority to view it.” Some students may have already submitted their emergency contact information, because the link is posted on the registration page on each student’s Hokie SPA account. In that case, a simple confirmation of the name already listed will allow students to register for classes. Course request for the spring semester began yesterday and will continue until Oct. 23.
those who were lost. “They were all very passionate about serving other people,” he said. Six months after students congregated on the Drillfield in mourning, this event brought a newfound feeling of excitement the memory of the victims. “We believe this is an appropriate way to remember those lost on April 16,” said President Charles Steger. The mayor of Blacksburg also stepped in and praised the event. “This type of excitement is the kind of positive reflection that will honor their spirit,” said Blacksburg Mayor Ron Rordam. The Drillfield was not the only place hosting a kick-off event yesterday. Ten other Tech campuses across Virginia and at the Center for European Studies and Architecture in Switzerland held similar events to promote the cause. “I think it will be much higher than 600,000 hours,” Gilbert said.
Amid buzzing Blackberries and jingling iPhones, it seems hard to believe much information can slip past today’s college students. Yet even the most benignly intended improvements in technology sometimes catches the wrong news in its net. Such is the case for scores of disappointed Virginia Tech men’s basketball fans who missed the student season ticket registration deadline because of an error in the newlyadded Junk Mail Manager feature used by the Tech e-mail system. On October 4, hokietix@vt.edu sent a school-wide e-mail reminding students of the opportunity to purchase season tickets from Oct. 8 at 12:01 a.m. until Oct. 12 at 5 p.m. However, many students never received this message because the new spam filtering software incorrectly marked it as illegitimate. “It was a mistake and a mishap,” said men’s basketball head coach Seth Greenberg. “But we’re handling it, and obviously working very hard to make sure that we take care of our students.” Because of concentrated efforts by the athletic ticket office and the basketball marketing team, the deadline on to purchase tickets has been extended to Thursday, Oct.18 at 3 p.m. “We’re going to address the issue, and make sure our loyal season ticket holders are put in position to once again have ownership in support of our team,” said Greenberg. Randy Butt, the associate director of financial affairs for the athletic department, also recognized students’ dismay at missing the deadline. He helped make sure that efforts were put in place to remedy the situation on the athletics department’s end. “We’re making every effort for the students to have the opportunity to apply (for the tickets),” said Butt. “ We have extended the deadline, recognizing students have had a problem with the Junk Mail Manager.” The lapse was reported to the basketball office through several e-mail complaints
see TICKETS, page six
Perfect pumpkin picking
SHAOZHUO CUI/SPPS
Sinkland Farms in Christiansburg held its annual Pumpkin Festival last weekend. Visitors can take a hayride and scour the patch to select the perfect pumpkin. Activities such as pony rides and fake cow milking are provided for children. The festival will be held for the next two weekends.
TOMORROW’S CT The LGBTA is hosting a drag queen competition tomorrow night at the Lyric Theatre. Read the whole story Thursday.
ON THE WEB Check out the CT’s video from the Great Debate held in Squires at www.collegiatetimes.com.
index News.....................1 Features................2 0pinions................3
Classifieds..............5 Sports....................4 Sudoku..................5
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 104th year • issue 155
Egyptian author speaks against intolerance JESSICA DANIEL
ct staff writer The Virginia Tech Friends of Israel brought Arab-American author and activist Nonie Darwish to campus to speak about her views on Islamic fundamentalism. As a child, Darwish was raised Muslim and was taught to hate Jews in Israel as well as having contempt towards many other countries. After moving to the U.S. in 1978, she stopped attending mosques because she felt they shared a radical, anti-American message. “We Arabs are fighting an imaginary Jew of our own imagination,” Darwish said. “”No soci-
ety is perfect but the way Jews are treated by my culture is a disgrace.” Darwish shared with the audience her thoughts on 9/11 and the war on terror. She experienced 9/11 firsthand, which led to her increased activism today. “Before 9/11, I took my children to visit Egypt,” Darwish said. “They had so many economical problems and yet, all I saw in the newspapers was their conflicts with America. Our plane arrived back in the U.S. late on Sept. 10, and in the morning I saw the first plane crash into the World Trade Center. After that, I knew it was my culture.” After living 30 years in Egypt and witnessing attacks from her own heritage, Darwish
began speaking publicly about oppression in the Middle East and its wrongful treatment of women. “I love my culture and that’s why I speak, but it’s in desperate need of reformation,” Darwish said. “The more the United States tries to help stabilize the Middle East, the more they are despised by my people. America wants to leave and they can’t because they have a moral obligation.” After Darwish made her final statements, she took questions from the audience. Many questioned her religion and how she can speak against her culture. She supported each answer and related each topic to the substantial need for peace in the Middle East.
SALLY BULL/SPPS
Nonie Darwish spoke last night at the GLC about her experience with rascism.
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editor: sharon pritz email: features@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.
october 17, 2007
Money WhizDom: Weak U.S. dollar impacts your impact A vacation in Toronto, Paris, London or Rome will drain your wallet more than you can even imagine, and ADHVITH it’s all thanks to a weak DHUDDU United States regular currency. A columnist holiday across the Atlantic or north of the border in Canada is considerably more expensive compared to a few years ago. The last few months have been harsh times for the U.S. dollar. The value of the dollar has been constantly declining, leaving it worth less than European, Canadian and other currencies. Unfortunately, the severity of the dollar’s decline hasn’t been fully realized. Politicians don’t raise this issue during debates, and no conscious efforts are being made COMMENT to stop or reverse this trend, which has been in existence for a few years now. The suppressed purchasing power of the U.S. dollar is a troubling issue, and it undoubtedly affects you and me. Besides costlier European getaways, there are several other negative ramifications of a weak greenback. Just five years ago, the dollar and Euro were equal in value, making your stay in Paris relatively reasonable. Five years ago, $100 was equivalent to £65, but now you’d get about
£50 for your $100. Sadly, the same is true if you head up north to Canada, where $100 used to be worth close to $130 Canadian ; now they are equal in value. Similarly, many other foreign currencies have strengthened against the U.S. dollar. Many U.S. businesses buy goods (both raw materials and final goods) from abroad, and because of the weak U.S. dollar, the cost of these goods has automatically gone up. As the dollar loses value, it can buy less and less from abroad for the same amount of money. Almost all businesses pass on this extra cost to the consumers; we end up paying more for these products and don’t often even realize it. The same is true for various services that are outsourced and off shored to South Asian countries. As the local currency strengthens, U.S. businesses who earn their revenues here in U.S. dollars will have to charge consumers more to keep up with a weak U.S. currency. A dollar is not worth a dollar; it’s worth the amount of goods and services it can buy. So, if the same dollar buys fewer goods today compared to five years ago, its value has clearly decreased. The best (and the most universal) benchmark is measuring the strength of the dollar against gold. And even here, the dollar’s weakness is clearly seen. Many countries have their foreign exchange reserves in U.S. dollars, and because of the dollar’s continued weakness, the value of these reserves is constantly decreasing. So when foreign governments realize this
and start to get rid of U.S. dollars, the weakness of the currency will persist. Soon new foreign names will appear on the list of the world’s wealthiest people, another consequence of the weak dollar. Bill Gates
Take a Hike Cascades
Directions: Follow US-460 West to Pembroke and turn onto Cascades Drive. Follow this road four miles to the parking lot where you will pay a $3 fee.
Pandapas Pond Directions: Take US-460 West for three miles and turn left when you come to the pond entrance.
Angels Rest Directions: Take the US-460 West to Pearisburg and turn right onto Johnston Avenue. Take the next right onto Morris Avenue and in about a half mile the Appalachian trail crosses the VA-634. Here you will find limited roadside parking.
Dragons Tooth Directions: From I-81 take exit 141 to SR-419 north to SR-311 North for 10 miles. Pass the Catawba grocery store and you will find parking on the left.
BEN MACDONALD/COLLEGIATE TIMES
A dollar is not worth a dollar; it’s worth the amount of goods and services it can buy. and Warren Buffet will be dethroned by successful industrialists from India and Mexico. The weakening dollar is a result of poor fiscal and monetary policy, and people can hedge themselves against this in a few ways. Buying precious metals like gold, silver and uranium, or having a small percentage of your savings in another currency, will help ward off some of the dollar’s weakness. You could also buy a bearish dollar Exchange Traded Fund, which increases in value if the dollar weakens. An ETF is just like a stock that you can buy and sell, so owning this ETF will offset the decrease in the dollar’s value. It’s important to learn about these vital issues at a young age. Knowing how to navigate the seas of a complicated financial ocean early will greatly help in honing money management skills. For further reading, the books, “Hot Commodities,” by Jim Rogers and “Cash Proof,” by Peter Schiff, explore this issue in more detail.
Local hiking: Don’t trail behind REBECCA TAYLOR
ct staff writer Tailgating is fun; everyone knows that. But what if it’s also contributing to the fact that those jeans are becoming harder to zip? With autumn now upon us, what better way to experience the natural beauty of the New River Valley and get active at the same time than with a hike on one of the many trails surrounding Blacksburg? Some avid hikers might be looking for a new trail, others might be looking to get out of town and have fun with friends. “Fall is one of the best times to hike in this area because of the beautiful colors of foliage,” said Cass Hancock, a representative from the Eastern Divide Ranger District. “The Jefferson National forest contains some of the most beautiful scenery in Virginia,” Hancock said. “It’s important to take water and a snack, but please keep the forest free from trash. It’s best to take a friend or let someone know where you are going in case you get into trouble; cell phones can be good but can lose service on these hikes.” The NRV has trails that range from a laid-back pace to a challenging hike. The guide below should help you determine which trail best suits you.
Cascades The Cascades, located in the Jefferson National Forest, are something of a rite of passage for any Virginia Tech student. This is a moderate hike that takes you on a four-mile loop alongside Little Stony Creek. The hike will have you crossing bridges, climbing stone stairs and passing cataracts on the way to the breath-
taking falls. “The cascades have some of the highest elevation points that provide amazing views of the area,” Hancock said. Once you arrive at the Cascade Falls, your conversation about who Brett Michaels finally chose to be his rock of love will hopefully be drowned out by the water crashing 69 feet into the pool below. Wooden stands have been constructed at one side of the pool to allow for a good vantage point. If you wait until summer finally decides to move on, you can see ice formations hanging from the cliffs that surround the falls. “(The hike) was very good because the landscape is really beautiful out here,” junior business information technology major Aaron Stonestreet said. “I’ve been to some waterfalls in D.C. where you just drive up to the waterfall and look at it; this is much better because you get to enjoy the walk on the way up there. It’s a good way to fill up a day.” Directions: Follow US-460 to Pembroke and turn onto Cascades Drive. Follow this road four miles to the parking lot where you will pay a $3 fee.
Pandapas Pond For those looking for something that doesn’t require too much physical strain, give Pandapas Pond a try. A 500-acre haven on the north side of Brush Mountain just outside of Blacksburg, this place has been referred to as Blacksburg’s answer to Central Park. Of course, this park is central to natural wilderness and not a thriving metropolitan city. Not solely reserved for hiking, Pandapas Pond offers mountain biking, equestrian trails, trout fishing and all the amenities for a family picnic. The hike is an easy one-mile loop
that is also wheelchair and stroller accessible. Directions: Take US-460 west for three miles and turn left when you come to the pond entrance.
Angel’s Rest Looking to tone those legs? Angels Rest will have you ascend 1,500 feet in just 1.5 miles. Burning sensation in the calves? But the view from the top is worth it. Once you reach Angel’s Rest you can don your halo and take in the surrounding countryside. You’ll be rewarded by views of the NRV, Pearisburg and Peters Mountain to the left, Butt Mountain in right center and Bald Knob to the far right. Directions: Take the US-460 west to Pearisburg and turn right onto Johnston Ave. Take the next right onto Morris Avenue, and in about half a mile the Appalachian trail crosses the VA-634. Here you will find limited roadside parking.
Dragon’s Tooth Dragon’s Tooth is a hardcore name for a hardcore hike. This hike is difficult and 2.6 miles in length, so be prepared to push yourself. The trail will have you climbing Cove Mountain until you reach Dragon’s Tooth, a rock formation that apparently resembles a fictitious creature’s incisor. Once you reach the Dragon’s Tooth, your efforts will be rewarded with views of the mountain peaks surrounding the area, even more stunning when draped in the Tech colors of fall foliage. Directions: From I-81 North, take exit 141 to SR-419 North to SR-311 north for 10 miles. Pass the Catawba grocery store and you will find parking on the left.
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opinions 3
editor: laurel colella email: opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.
october 17, 2007
Letter to the Editor NTC legal monopoly As those of you who live offcampus are already aware, many, if not most, apartment complexes in Blacksburg are restricted to NTC as their Internet and cable service provider. While as a cable provider, their service is satisfactory. Meanwhile, the Internet service is not only substandard, it is also overly expensive. Let us face a fact: they exercise a monopoly in our town. I do not personally know of anyone who would recommend NTC as an Internet service provider to his or her friends or family (without a vengeful plan in mind at least). Why do most students revert to NTC then? The answer is simple: due to the lack of other options, and the fact that they are the default Internet providers in most apartment complexes. When you plug in your Ethernet cable into the wall, the NTC Web site pops up and an easy sign-up form is available. Most of us need Internet as soon as we move into our new apartments and are practically forced to sign-up for this service as a result, rather than look at more economically viable and customer-friendly options. Despite the excruciatingly slow download speeds and frequent down times, NTC’s prices remained competitive and so all of this was acceptable. That was until a couple of years ago, when NTC decided to use its strong hands to further press students and squeeze more money out of them. It was
decided that wireless routers could no longer be used and that every room in an apartment would have to have its own account with NTC and pay for separate accounts. Instead of the reasonable $25 per apartment per month, this move hiked the prices to $25 per room, implying a $100 bill every month for a 4-bedroom apartment. Given the poor service, this was extraordinarily high when other ISPs offer significantly cheaper options with much better service. Again, when they abruptly cut off your Internet for using a wireless router, you would still not have many options. It was either: pay a lump sum as a cancellation fee and switch to a better wireless provider, or pay two, three or four times the money and continue with NTC. I have little or no legal knowledge and do not know how to go about ending this monopoly NTC has over the town of Blacksburg. The reason I am writing this letter is that my roommates and I had our Internet cut off the day course request opened (probably so we would be cramped for time and unable to look at other options). Our only alternative was to throw some light on this issue and help spread some word, and perhaps dissuade some prospective offcampus residents from making the same mistake hundreds of unsuspecting students have made before them. Stay away from NTC. Ullas Unnikrishnan senior, industrial systems engineering
Bringing up past issues for modern day manipulation The democrats are at it again. In another attempt to undermine our effort in Iraq, they most recently brought up an issue that is almost DAN a century old in HEMP order to sever our regular ties with one of our most valued columnist allies in the war on terror. Because they cannot get a resolution passed in Congress that would set a concrete date for the withdrawal of our troops, they have now resorted to a more indirect approach to weaken our position in the war. Throughout the war, Turkey has been a reluctant but eventually vital ally in terms of American success. Huge portions of our military supplies go through Incirlik Air Base, near Adana, Turkey. Apparently, democrats in Congress would rather not see our troops receive their supplies through Turkey.
Because we are seeing signs of victory in Iraq, the democratic leadership has to do everything it can to circumvent our achievements. For reasons that can only be explained by a clear lack of support for the military, House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), brought a non-binding resolution to the floor earlier this month that would label the massacre of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire between 1915 and 1923 as genocide. For years, the Turkish government has been sensitive of the issue and has had nothing but remorse for what happened almost a century ago. In fact, resolutions similar to Pelosi’s were passed in 1975 and 1984, and President Ronald Reagan publicly labeled the incident as genocide. Nevertheless, Pelosi and the democrats have brought this issue to the table now for other reasons. Unfortunately, the timing of this couldn’t be worse. Besides being our main supply line into Iraq, Turkey is also engaged in a struggle with Kurdish terrorist forces in Northern Iraq and Southern Turkey. And right now, our
government is trying to convince the Turkish parliament to refrain from attacking them. But with these recent developments, their government may begin to mobilize against the terrorists. In fact, Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has insinuated that he might take action to disallow our forces from using Turkey’s military bases in the future. To any unbiased observer, this effort by the democrats to agitate one of our most essential allies in the war is nothing more than an indirect way to accomplish what they can’t achieve directly. Undeniably, they do not want us to succeed in Iraq, and our presence there has to be ended quickly in order for them to satisfy their extreme leftwing base. Because we are seeing signs of victory in Iraq, the democratic leadership has to do everything it can to circumvent our achievements. In the past, it has verbally demoralized our troops time and again. They have even resorted to rejecting the report on progress in Iraq submitted by Gen. David Petraeus before he even had the chance to speak to Congress about it. But never have they lowered themselves to the level of digging up this 100-year-old issue in order to weaken our relationship with an ally. Clearly, it is inconceivable how anyone in his or her right mind could see these politicians as anything but disloyal and absolutely ungrateful toward our military. Not surprisingly, most of the media has gone along with the plan by reporting that it makes sense to bring the issue up now because of the recent events in Darfur and Myanmar. But undoubtedly, there are other motivating factors as to why this is the most important business facing Congress right now. Instead of condemning the current happenings in those countries, they are denouncing actions that took place in the 1920s. Without question, this shows just exactly where the democrats’ priorities lie. Once again, this is nothing new coming from democrats in Congress. There have been countless incidents where they continue to prove just how incompetent and misguided they are. Without question, this most recent occurrence just adds to the list. Hopefully when historians look back at this point in our history, they will receive the harsh criticism that they most certainly deserve.
Finally coming to terms with America’s failed foreign policy JACOB CAPORALETTI regular columnist In nearly all the republican debates this year, the candidates have followed a relatively simple formula. democrats focus on health care, education, and how much they dislike President Bush, and the republicans focus on moral issues, the war, and how weak the democrats are. One of their best tactics has been appealing to fear. Nearly every candidate spends at least part of his speech going on about the evils of terrorists and how they’re all coming to our shores to kill us. Their dichotomy is simple. They’re evil and we’re good. It’s a ridiculously flawed premise; yet people fall for it. It’s how Bush got re-elected and it is only serving to make the so-called war on terror worse. But one candidate, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), did question this assumption. And ironically, he’s a candidate who has virtually no chance of winning. During the June 5 debates, he made the bold statement that America’s foreign policy of the past 50 years was the reason America was attacked. He proclaimed, “They don’t attack us because we’re rich and prosperous. They attack us because we’re over there.” This, of course, enraged the other candidates. Mayor Rudy Giuliani actually called him out and asked Paul to withdraw his statement. He didn’t, but his remarks were disregarded anyway. Since then he’s been attacked on all sides for daring to speculate that we ‘invited’ the attacks on New York and Washington, D.C. None of them stop to think that there might be some truth to it. History appears to be on Paul’s side. In 1953, America helped overthrow Iran’s elected Prime Minister, Mohammad Mossadegh, with the help
of the CIA. Why was he overthrown? It had to do with money and politics. The prime minister nationalized Iranian oil fields, effectively kicking out British and American companies that were profiting from lucrative deals they enforced largely through military and political intimidation. It was also feared that without a regime friendly to the West, the U.S. wouldn’t have an ally in the Middle East to counter the Soviet Union. So the elected prime minister had to go. And in his place came a tyrant. While very loyal to the west, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was not good at taking care of his people. He was known for his extravagant spending and renegade paranoia of
“They don’t attack us because we’re rich and prosperous. They attack us because we’re over there.” - RON PAUL REPUBLICAN CANIDATE dissidents, real and imagined. He organized a secret police that brutalized the people, and his economic policies caused runaway inflation and a huge gap between the rich and poor. And to add insult to injury, the American government funneled huge amounts of aid, including money and weapons, to arm the Shah against a Soviet invasion. More often than not, however, those weapons were used against his people. Is it any wonder why the people of Iran burn American flags regularly? Is it any wonder people like the Ayatollah Khomeini were able to come to power? Our government turned a blind eye to a man who was routinely abusing his
country and his people for the sake of oil and a puppet they could use against the Soviets. And they haven’t forgiven us yet and one shouldn’t expect them to. Not once has anyone in the government even apologized for such reckless actions that led to countless deaths. Worst of all, this is just one case. And we’re still doing it today. America is a major supporter of the royal family in Saudi Arabia, which routinely abuses its citizens with repression under the guise of religious fundamentalism. We also support Perez Musharraf, a military dictator who seized power in a coup. If what happened in Iran is any indication, we’re not doing ourselves any favors in the so-called war on terror. America’s foreign policy has done a lot to complicate our image around the world. By meddling in the affairs of others, our country isn’t seen as a beacon of freedom, but as an agent of tyranny. America was founded on the principle of escaping tyranny and by recklessly attacking other countries with our military, political, economic and diplomatic clout, we create all the necessary conditions for people like Osama Bin Laden and the Ayatollah Khomeini to come to power. Ron Paul may or may not be right about many things, but his criticism of our foreign policy is valid. We have to look beyond the tired, old cliché of labeling our enemies as pure evil and look closer at the conditions that brought us to this point. When we exert force around the world, we should stop and think about how we would feel if another country did that to us. That’s not being weak on terrorism, that’s being empathic to other people. And at this point, that’s what this country needs more than anything.
Editoral national issue
Al Gore wins Nobel Peace Prize Well, not only did Al Gore invent the Internet, but he has also managed to add global peace activism to his impressive repertoire of service to humanity. Last Friday, former United States vice-president turned global warming specialist Al Gore received the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize along with the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Despite being the target of many jokes, in the past few years Gore has been a relentless force in raising global warming awareness. In the wake of his documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth,” the administration changed their stance and is now moving toward utilizing more renewable energy. The Nobel Peace Prize, annually awarded in Norway, is supposed to be given to “the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses,” as written in the will of Alfred Nobel, the
founder of the prize. When considering candidates, people and organizations working for peace are supposed to be considered on an international spectrum. While we certainly are not arguing that Gore’s efforts for raising awareness regarding global warming were in vain, somehow they just don’t seem good enough; certainly not worthy of one of the most prestigious awards that can be received worldwide. Gore has worked relentlessly, raising awareness for a cause he believes in, but at the same time, given his cushy lifestyle, gaining public attention and recognition is all the easier. The Buddhist monks’ nonviolent protest against the Burmese government in the wake of skyrocketing diesel prices, resulting in civil unrest and thousands of deaths under the reign of Than Shwe, is courageous. The resilience of the people of Iraq, rebuilding their homeland after decades of ongoing conflict, is something to be respected as a
step toward peaceful resolution. Or, the collaboration of Britain’s Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and Bertie Ahern, an Irish politician, to establish joint CatholicProtestant rule in Northern Ireland after decades of hatred and conflict, is remarkable. All of these people have worked tirelessly to bring peace and justice in the face of strife. Gore’s contributions are noteworthy, but not on a worldwide scale. While the term “global warming” does imply worldwide awareness, Gore’s efforts have been focused primarily in the United States. He has done good work, but so have so many others, on such a larger scale. At the rate we’re going, Michael Moore and Leonardo DiCaprio will soon be receiving their prizes for “raising global awareness.” Better luck next year to the other qualified individuals battling for peace. The editorial board is composed of Amie Steele, Joe Kendall, Saira Haider, Laurel Colella and Sara Mitchell.
Have an opinion? write a letter to the editor at opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 Collegiate Times Editorial Staff Editor in Chief Amie Steele Managing Editors Joe Kendall, Saira Haider Production Manager Claire Craft Public Editor Colleen Webster News Editors Kevin Anderson, Meg Miller, Caroline Black Associate News Editor Ashley Oliver News Reporters Rosanna Brown, Michelle Rivera, Peter Hurley, Andrea Woods Features Editor Sharon Pritz Associate Features Editor Drew Jackson, Katelyn Lau Opinions Editor Laurel Colella Sports Editor Ryan McConnell Associate Sports Editor Charles Barrineau Sports Reporters T. Rees Shapiro, Torrey Smith, Bryan Wright Head Copy Editor David Harries Copy Editors Mary Hardbarger, Kati Ann Leonburger, Cate Summers, Alexandra Mandzak Photo Editors Sally Bull, Kyle Swanson Layout Designers Josh Son, Krystal Stevens, Melanie Welzel, Jenna Wolfe Graphic Designer Ben MacDonald Online Director Christopher Ritter Multimedia Editor Colin Smith Multimedia Producer Christina Pfeifer Senior Web Producer Tim Tutt Web Producers Jon Boblitt, John Edstrom, Gabreil Martinez Community Content Editor Sean O’Mara Web Staff Timothy Lee Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager Robert Bowman Marketing Manager Whitney Ludvik College Media Solutions Staff Advertising Director Xavier L. Herrera Ads Production Manager Anika Stickles Asst Production Manager Ashley Shoemaker Ads Production/Creation Kristin Claeys, Sarah Ford, Kaiesha Morgan, Alyssa Peltier, Catherine Worsham Assistant Advertising Directors Ashley Culbreth, Patrick Fitzgerald, Katelynn Reilly National Account Executive Robbie Zayas Account Executives Tara Darby, Jenna Given, Don Janocha, Beau King, Katy McCall, David Ross, Suzanne Watkins, John Welch Assistant Account Executives Kayla Clements, Blythe Dalton, Amy Guzewicz, Ashlee Goodwin, Jennifer Himlich, Kelli Lyman, Mike Walsh Marketing Manager Devin Armstrong Student Publication Photo Staff Director of Photography Shaozhuo Cui
Voice your opinion. Readers are encouraged to send letters and comments to the Collegiate Times. 365 Squires Student Center Blacksburg, Va. 24061 Fax: (540) 231-9151 opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com Students must include name, year, major and phone number. Faculty and staff must include name, position and department. All other submissions must include name, residence, and if applicable, relationship to Virginia Tech (i.e. alumni, parent, etc.). Letters should not exceed 300 words, and should be in MS Word (.doc) format if possible. Letters, commentaries and editorial cartoons do not reflect the views of the Collegiate Times. Editorials are written by the Collegiate Times editorial board. Letters to the editor are submissions from Collegiate Times readers. We reserve the right to edit for any reason. Anonymous letters will not be printed. To order a reprint of a photograph printed in the Collegiate Times, e-mail spps@vt.edu. Have a news tip? Call 231-9865 or e-mail: tips@collegiatetimes.com Collegiate Times Phone Numbers News/Features 231-9865 Sports/Opinions 231-9870 Editor-in-Chief 231-9867 College Media Solutions Phone Number Advertising 961-9860 The Collegiate Times, a division of the Educational Media Company at Virginia Tech, was established in 1903 by and for the students of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The Collegiate Times is published every Tuesday through Friday of the academic year except during exams and vacations. The Collegiate Times receives no funding from the university. The Collegiate Times can be found online at www.collegiatetimes.com. Except where noted, all photographs were taken by the Student Publications Photo Staff.The Collegiate Times is located in 365 Squires Student Center, Blacksburg, Va. 24061. (540) 231-9865. Fax (540) 231-9151. Subscription rates: $65 semester; $90 academic year; $105 full year. The first copy is free, any copy of the paper after that is 50 cents per issue. © Collegiate Times, October 17, 2007. All rights reserved. Material published in the Collegiate Times is the property thereof, and may not be reprinted without the express written consent of the Collegiate Times.
BEN COBLE/COLLEGIATE TIMES
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october 17, 2007
The Rockies? Who would have thought? The Colorado Rockies don’t want you to wake them from this dream. However, this is not fictional. Although many BRIAN baseball fans canWRIGHT not believe what they are seeing. ct sports Whether it has reporter been through smoke and mirrors or just solid performance on the field, the Rockies are amazing us all. A team that was once a mere blip on the postseason radar is now the National League champions and the focus of the sports world. One month ago, naming five players on the Colorado roster was about as daunting a task as trying to keep O.J. Simpson out of legal trouble. Now, you can’t help but marvel at this story. The Rockies were nine games below
.500 in May and six games behind in the wild card race in September. On the sixteenth day of that month, manager Clint Hurdle’s club embarked on a remarkable run. As of Monday night, Colorado has won 21 of their last 22 ball games. The latest, a pennantclinching victory and a four-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League Championship Series gave them their first World Series trip in their brief 15 year history. Their road to the World Series has seen many highlights, including their dramatic come-from-behind win in a one-game playoff with the San Diego Padres. In a contest that typified their late-season surge, the Rockies came back from a 2-run deficit in the bottom of the thirteenth inning off the Padres seemingly unbreakable closer Trevor Hoffman (with his 500-plus saves) to earn a 9-8 victory and a wild card playoff berth. Colorado then steamrolled the
and helped make Holliday the series MVP. Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki would be the sure-fire Rookie of the Year if not for a sensational freshmen campaign by Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun. Tulowitzki has a bigger body type than the typical shortstop, but much like Derek Jeter, he has great defensive range and a solid arm. The Rockies’ youthful pitching staff had the National League’s best earned run average since the All-Star break. Starter Jeff Francis earned a franchisebest 17 wins in 2006, while Ubaldo Jimenez threw a six-plus inning gem in their NLDS-clinching victory on Oct. 6. The lone exception to obscurity and youth is first baseman Todd Helton. Since 1997, Helton has spent his entire career with the same team and is in the midst of his first postseason appearance. Although his stats have been
Philadelphia Phillies in three straight games to win the Division Series. They followed that by going undefeated against the D-Backs, owners of the National League’s best regular season record. It’s hard to put their recent success in perspective, but here is some. The Rockies are just the fifth team in the last 70 years to go on a 21-1 stretch at any point in the season. Arizona’s motto all year was “Anybody … Anytime.” For Colorado, it should be “Everybody … Every time.” The top contributor is outfielder Matt Holliday. The regular season MVP-candidate led the National League in batting average (.340) RBIs (137). He also hit 36 home runs over the course of the regular season. Of his eight hits this postseason, half of them have left the ballpark. His most recent homer came in the sixth inning of Oct. 15’s night game. The three-run home run to centerfield off Arizona starting pitcher Micah Owings broke a 1-1 tie
see ROCKIES, page six
THE BEAT TAKESHI BROKEN FALL THE FRAT PACK
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Rockies: Surprise pennant winners from page four
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somewhat diminished, Helton has been one of the most consistent, steady players of this decade and is finally getting his rightful place on the big stage. This group of players was waiting to burst on to the scene. Holliday had been ready to break out. Tulowitzki was expected to be an outstanding rookie. The defense had the best single-season fielding percentage in Major League history. Many felt that these young players would soon come of age. However, no one thought it would be this sudden and with so much on the line. Talk about perfect timing. These are a collection of bright stars growing up together at precisely the right moment and creating a super-
nova of excitement in Denver. The Rockies now have to wait … and wait … and wait until next Wednesday before playing the winner of the American League Championship Series between the Cleveland Indians and the Boston Red Sox. These two clubs tied for the top record in baseball. Both of Colorado’s potential Fall Classic opponents were part of an American League that, according to most experts, was vastly superior to its counterpart. Still, neither the lengthy layoff, nor the team with the major’s best record may be able to stop this runaway locomotive. To be sure, this baseball team is on a magic carpet ride with a story worthy of a red carpet premiere. Let’s just call it “Mile High Miracle.”
Take the Songer Whitewater Splash Challenge Jump in the Rec Sports pools and keep track of your time spent exercising in the pools to be eligible for GREAT prizes!† Swimming, water aerobics, water jogging, and any other physical water activity completed in the pool counts.† To be eligible for the Dec 7th grand prize drawing for an “Overnight on the New” Songer Whitewater Rafting trip for two, participants must spend at least 15 hours “splashing” in the pool.† Four runner-up winners will be chosen this semester from the eligible participants, each will win a $25 Dick’s Sporting Goods gift card. Program is free and open to Virginia Tech students, faculty, and staff. Registration forms available online. Start splashing today!
Carlson Wagonlit Travel Fall Fitness Challenge Attend McComas Hall fitness classes and accumulate points to win prizes. Grand prize awarded on 11/13 is a 4-Night Marriott Stay, PLUS a $50 Exxon gas card & a $50 Red Lobster gift card. Free for valid fitness pass holders.
Special Events Oct 23, Tues: TurboKick, McComas Gym, 6:00pm: Kick your way into the next Jackie Chan movie, but this time you are your own stunt double. Join in the kicking event of the year that will have calories burnin’ off your body. First 100 participants get a FREE t-shirt and Subway coupon. Free and open to VT patrons. Sponsored by Subway and Sayre Promotional Products.
Oct 28, Sun: VTcrew 5K, VT Duck Pond, 9:00am: This fundraising race is open to all runners and walkers of any age and experience. Reg forms available at www.crew.org.vt.edu .
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10/18, Thur: Men's Club Lacrosse vs. BYU, Upper SRA Fields, Time TBD. 10/20, Sat: Women's Club Volleyball Tourney, War Memorial Hall, Time TBD. 10/20, Sat: Ice Hockey vs. Duke, Roanoke Civic Center, 7:30pm. 10/21, Sun: Fencing Club Tourney, War Memorial Hall, Time TBD. 10/21, Sun: Club Tennis vs. JMU/VCU, Washington St. Tennis Courts, Time TBD. Dates and times subject to change, check recsports.vt.edu.
For more information visit recsports.vt.edu or call (540) 231-6856.
Tickets: Back on sale from page one
to Greenberg himself, and to the athletic director’s office. The mix-up stems from the Junk Mail Manager software, which was created by Mirapoint, a messaging software company. Mirapoint also produces WebMail, the e-mail system Tech uses, and according to their Web Site, is also utilized by other companies and universities such as The Ford Motor Company and the University of Georgia. The company boasts 100 million mailboxes hosted, and their products enable “bullet proof security.” The company describes the Junk Mail Manager System capabilities as including managing ‘false-positives’ by keeping spam out of users’ inboxes and quarantining unwanted traffic at the network edge. According to the Mirapoint Web site, “false-positives” are e-mails that spam filtering declares as invalid, but are actually pertinent to the user. The ticket e-mail was labeled as spam by the sophisticated Junk Mail Manager system, and therefore was a ‘false-positive,’ by the company’s standards. Tech only recently began using the Junk Mail Manager, and several students have noted the systems lack of reliability in identifying proper emails. Kristin Loveless, a junior finance
major, successfully purchased her basketball season tickets, but only because of Junk Mail Manager’s mistakes in the past.
BASKETBALL TICKETS Tickets will now be on sale again until Oct. 18. You can visit www.hokietickets.com to purchase student tickets. “Earlier this year an e-mail from my aunt was filtered out by the Junk Mail Manager,” Loveless said. “Because it did that, I have checked it more regularly since, but not all the time. I only saw the basketball e-mail by chance, it was one of the ones I actually checked.” As Greenberg has expressed time and again, a full Cassell Coliseum, along with an exuberant student section, are instrumental for his team’s success on the home court. “I was concerned because everyone knows how important students are to me and the possibility of our program,” Greenberg said. “Our students, and their ownership, their loyalty to our program, it really means a lot to me, and I hate to think someone might be slighted by technical error … But we’re resolving the issue.”