Thursday, October 18, 2007 Print Edition

COLLEGIATETIMES

thursday october 18, 2007 blacksburg, va.

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news LOVE YOUR BODY DAY CANCELED According to an e-mail from Susan Anderson, an administrator for Womanspace, “Love Your Body Day” has been postponed because of unspecified circumstances.

Montgomery county NOW and Womanspace, the sponsors for the event, plan to reschedule for next week. “Love Your Body Day” is designed to encourage members of the Virginia Tech community to reject unrealistic body images in the media.

BLACKSBURG MAN SENTENCED FOR ROBBING STUDENT Christopher Younger, of Blacksburg, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for abducting and robbing a Virginia Tech student in April 2006. Younger broke into an apartment during the day, tied up a woman and robbed her.

Another woman hid in the back and called the police. Younger was arrested at the scene.

NOMINEE FACES FIRST ROUND OF QUESTIONING WASHINGTON — Attorney general nominee Michael Mukasey said Wednesday that he would chart an independent path for the Justice Department, testifying that he would not be afraid to disagree with the president and would resign rather than implement policies that he believed violated the Constitution.

Mukasey also said the president cannot use his powers as commander in chief to “override” prohibitions against using torture.

“Are you prepared to resign if the president were to violate your advice and in your view violate the Constitution?” asked Sen. Arlen Specter, (R-Pa.) Mukasey responded: “That would present me with a difficult but not a complex problem. I could either try to talk him out of it or leave.”

— The Washington Post

weather P.M. SHOWERS high 69, low 60

correction In yesterday’s “Coming up” (CT, Oct. 17), the date and location of the Kinsey Sicks performance last night. It was held last night in Burruss Auditorium.

The Collegiate Times regrets this error.

coming up TOMORROW’S CT The men’s soccer team takes on No. 5 UNC Friday night. Check out the CT’s game preview in tomorrow’s CT.

ON THE WEB Check out the CT’s video from the drag a pella show last night in Buruss Auditorium.

index News.....................2 Features................4 0pinions................5

Sports....................7 Classifieds..............9 Sudoku..................9

An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 104th year • issue 155

DRAG QUEENS DRAW ON POLITICS AND POP CULTURE, IN EFFORTS TO ENTERTAIN, EDUCATE AND ENCOURAGE DIVERSITY KATIE MCLAUGHLIN

ct news reporter The Kinsey Sicks, a drag a capella quartet, performed their show “Condoleezapalooza” in Burruss Hall on yesterday for the 2007 National Coming Out Day. The quartet performed numerous songs and dances and included the audience in many of their pieces.

The satirical dancing drag members performed everything from a pubic hair dance to a dance with a hand-picked audience member who they dressed up in drag. Using many pop-culture and political references, the quartet received roars of laughter from the audience.

“Two of (the members) were lawyers and one of them wrote the Clinton administration’s policy on how to deal with the AIDS epidemic,” said Curtis Dahn, president of Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Alliance at Virginia Tech. “They are very intelligent people.”

The event was co-sponsored by Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Alliance, Asian American Student Union, and Hillel, the Jewish student union at Virginia Tech.

“The show was co-sponsored by Hillel and AASU along with LGBTA to try and bring a different segment of the university population to the show,” said Alison Wood, LGBTA vice president of the interior.

Dahn said that the LGBTA brought the Kinsey Sicks in as part of our yearly event called National Coming Out Day after one of the LGBTA members saw them. National Coming Out Day was officially Oct.11 but due to scheduling conflicts, the sponsors were not able to obtain Burruss Hall until this past week.

After the show, the performers took off their drag and came back out to have a panel discussion with the audience.

The Kinsey Sicks have been performing across America for over a decade and came to Blacksburg on one of their many campus tours.

“I love the stone, the Hokie Stone took me by surprise. I was not expecting the campus to be quite this beautiful,” said Irwin Keller (“Winnie”), a member of Kinsey Sicks. “Once we came onto campus I was really bummed we had spent the day rehearsing at the Holiday Inn when we could have been here walking around the beautiful campus.”

LGBTA has done many different activities each year for Coming Out Day including a dodge ball

Dressed in drag THE KINSEY SICKS PERFORM FOR NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY

SHAOZHUO CUI/SPPS

see DRAG, page three The Kinsey Sicks, a drag a capella group, performed a humor and singing routine in Burruss Auditorium last night.

Norris Hall task force narrows options ANDREA WOODS

ct news reporter After reviewing seven pre-proposals regarding the future use of the space in Norris Hall currently under review, the Norris Hall Task Force has chosen three candidates to submit a full proposal by Nov. 9.

Two of the pre-proposal teams were recommended by the task force to combine their ideas into one proposal.

The Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics proposed to, according to a recent press release, “re-create community” by “consolidating department operations and create state-of-the-art video conferencing, research and laboratory space for students.”

A second pre-proposal came from the Center for Violence and Prevention and Peace Studies and aimed at a “student-led research program that engages faculty from numerous departments.” The Center for Student Engagement and Community Partnerships proposed a “collaborative meeting space for students and

members of community agencies.” The task force recommended that these two proposals should combine into one because they compliment each other well.

After they are submitted on Nov. 9, both teams’ full proposals will be reviewed and discussed in a meeting on Nov. 15. Each team will meet with the committee for presentations, questions and comments.

Provost Mark McNamee, who was appointed by President Steger after April 16, chairs the task force to discuss the future of Norris Hall.

McNamee said that as of right now, no budget has been set for renovations.

McNamee said that the renovations might have to be done in phases or through modest renovations.

Renovations are “challenging because of budget reductions,” McNamee said.

McNamee said that the office of the university architect will review the chosen proposal and help to develop an idea, the budget and a plan for how to handle the renovations.

Steve Harrison, dean of engineering, proposed several ideas that were not chosen for full

proposal, but the task force recommended that they be considered for integration into the other plans.

One of Harrison’s proposals was to create classrooms for team-based projects and convert windows into full doors with balconies, in which students “can bring the outdoors in.” He proposed to seal off the hallway affected by April 16 , making the “lived-in space more visible” and the “less-lived-in spaces invisible.”

“Norris Hall is clearly a presence and a powerful symbol on campus,” Harrison said.

The decision process on what is to be done with Norris Hall is a completely open one, allowing anyone with questions or comments the ability to contact the Norris Hall Task Force, McNamme said.

“We’re hoping that by being open, people will have the chance to think about it, and contact the task force,” McNamme said.

By Dec. 1, the task force will have submitted a proposal to President Charles Steger.

“The sooner we can use the space productively, the better,” McNamee said.

news in brief VICTIMS’ FAMILIES SPEAK TO CONGRESS Fifteen family members and survivors of the April 16 shooting gathered on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Oct. 16 to call upon Congress to pass a bill for tightening the Brady Background Check System, which screens potential gun buyers.

The legislation would give states financial incentive to forward their data on mental illness and criminal background to the National Instant Checks System (NICS) databank.

The legislation has passed the House of Representatives and is currently waiting on approval from the Senate. “America has a record keeping problem that allowed the shooter to get a gun — and my daughter lost her life,” said Joe Samaha, father of Reema Samaha, in the Congressional hearing.

Among those who traveled to Capitol Hill yesterday to speak in front of Congress was Lori Haas, mother of Emily Haas who was injured in the shootings.

Haas said that the group brought with them a letter with 57 signatures on it, all from family members of those injured or killed in the shootings or of those injured themselves. The letter states that “had our nation acted sooner to keep dangerous people from having guns, these murders need never have occurred.” The group met with many officials including Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.), the representative who sponsored the bill in the house.

Haas said that they were “pleading and promoting” the legislation all day and asking the Senate to pass the act. “We felt very good about the day; it was quite successful,” Haas said. “We felt like everyone listened to us and we were able to have an impact.”

-Meg Miller, CT news staff

Sales of ‘Vick ‘em’ T-shirts banned quickly at Texas Tech GORDON BLOCK

ct news reporter A T-shirt recently created by a Texas Tech student has sparked outrage and has been banned from the university.

The shirt, released last week, depicts on the back Virginia Tech alumnus Michael Vick holding a rope with an image of its rival school, Texas A&M’s mascot, a bulldog, tied on the end. The shirt, red with black writing, features “Vick ‘Em” prominently on the front, a spin on A&M’s slogan “Gig ‘Em.” The shirt, created by sophomore Geoffrey Candia, was to be sold through his fraternity. University officials were quick to denounce the shirt.

“Texas Tech University is an institution of higher learning where values such as respect for others and civility are both taught and practiced,” said Jon Whitmore, president of

New driving campaign unveiled to cut fatalities KERRY O’CONNOR

ct news reporter This fall, the Virginia State Police, the Virginia Department of Transportation, and the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles will be asking drivers to re-evaluate their driving behaviors. The three have teamed up to create a campaign in response to an increase in Virginia traffic fatalities.

“The three agencies started looking at traffic fatalities in Virginia this year, and unfortunately, we are up again,” said Melanie Stokes, DMV spokesperson.

Corinne Geller, public relations manager for the Virginia State Police, said that each agency brings something different to the campaign. The Virginia State Police department handles enforcement, VDOT handles engineering, and the DMV handles education. Through awareness efforts and enforcement, the campaign hopes to drastically reduce the number of fatalities that occur on Virginia highways.

One of the campaign goals is awareness.

The slogan “Are You Virginia’s Next Traffic Fatality,” which calls drivers to become more aware, is followed by five calls to action: buckle up, avoid distractions, share the road, drive drug and alcohol free and obey speed limits.

Texas Tech in an official statement. “We will not permit individual students or any student organization to profit from selling merchandise on campus that is derogatory, inflammatory, insensitive, or in such bad taste that it reflects negatively on this fine institution, its students, athletic teams, alumni or faculty.”

The university banned sales of the shirt Oct. 9 and suspended the fraternity temporarily for their part in selling the shirts. Texas A&M officials thanked Texas Tech administrators “for their response and action regarding this matter.”

Candia was quick to apologize for the shirt, and said that his fraternity was taking full responsibility in the matter. Candia also told The Battalion, Texas A&M’s newspaper that he planned on giving half of the profits to Texas Tech’s Student Animal Legal Defense

Over 900 people are killed annually on Virginia roads and highways. Last year, 961 people died, and as of Oct. 15, 2007, 790 fatalities had been recorded. As of Oct. 15 of last year, 737 had occurred.

In addition to fatalities, one in every 91 people in Virginia is injured each year.

Those statistics have prompted the three authorities to create a campaign to increase awareness and cut down on accidents.

“We need to bring that number down. It is a public health issue to have that many people dying,” said Laura Southard, a communications manager for the DMV. “Too many people and families are hurting because of this, and we as individuals can help.”

One of the campaign goals is awareness. The slogan “Are You Virginia’s Next Traffic Fatality,” which calls drivers to become more aware, is followed by five calls to action: buckle up, avoid distractions, share the road, drive drug and alcohol free and obey speed limits. Geller said that studies show

see PANEL, page two

see TRAFFIC, page three

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university editor: caroline black email: universitynews@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

october 19, 2007

new river valley editor: kevin anderson email: nrvnews@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 1 - 3 p.m.

Monetary incentive may inspire weight loss MICHELLE RIVERA

ct news reporter Virginia Tech recently received a grant from the National Institutes of Health to study the effectiveness of the incentaHEALTH program. Now in its fifth year, incentaHEALTH is an online, employer-based program that offers strategies as well as a monetary incentive to motivate employees to lose weight.

Paul Estabrooks, an associate professor of human nutrition, foods, and exercise, said the total award amount is approximately $2.5 million. Estabrooks leads a team of scientists who are researching how effective incentaHEALTH is in motivating participants to lose weight and maintain that weight over time.

“One-third of Americans are obese, and 65 percent of the population is overweight or obese,” said Davy Kevin, associate professor of HNFE. “From a public health standpoint, most Americans are affected by having excess fat. That’s a problem because ... obesity is associated with bad health outcomes.”

There are currently few studies that have shown that good weight management improves productivity in the workplace, but Estabrooks hopes that this study will be a new breakthrough in this front.

“Employers typically pay for these weight-loss programs for their employees,” said Jack Rule, CEO and co-founder of incentaHEALTH. “In order to justify spending this money, they need to know what the potential savings might be. That’s why this study is so important.”

The incentaHEALTH program is a two-part program: measurement and strategic coaching in exercise and nutrition. Employees simply need to log onto a Web site and they can be enrolled in the program within a couple of minutes.

After answering questions about their eating and exercise habits, responses are evaluated and strategies are offered back to the participants.

Every three months, employees weigh themselves in a “hot spot,” or a weigh-in kiosk located within a relatively private area. These hot spots include a place to log in, an accurate scale, and a camera, which is used for verification. This allows participants to see their progress visually over the year.

The main incentive with the program is a check that participants

may receive should they lose weight within the three-month quarter, and then also if they maintain that weight or lose more after the next quarter.

“They get a check of the amount of pounds lost in dollars over the next three months of the next quarter,” Estabrooks said.

The second part of the program is the behavioral change elicited from the offered coaching.

“IncentaHEALTH is not a diet because diets just don’t work,” Rule said. “After you come off a diet, you’re left with nothing but old habits. What we try to do is effect a behavioral change by sending daily e-mails, which coach on eating and exercise.”

Rule said that Estabrooks sought the grant because there is a lack of information that financially ties

weight loss to a company’s health care costs.

“We don’t know how much money will be saved by helping these people lose weight,” Rule said. “Intuitively, the employer, as well as the scientific community, knows there will be financial savings. Estabrooks is studying the significance of what the health care savings will be.”

The goal of the study is to examine what strategies participants find useful and to determine if similar programs should be encouraged.

“Our mission is to do the type of research that will ultimately lead to a strong public health impact,” Estabrooks said. “We’re really looking at this very technologically advanced intervention so we can disseminate it to the entire population.”

campus editor: meg miller email: campusnews@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Drag: LGBTA hosts troupe from page one

tournament two years ago and a coming out carnival another year.

“Part of our charter with the university is to raise awareness. A lot of what we do is simply bringing queer performers to Tech so that people get exposure,” Dahn said. “There are a whole lot of misconceptions of what a drag queen actually is versus what a transgender person, a transsexual or a transvestite is.”

The performance was open to all students as well as people outside the university. All events sponsored by LGBTA are geared toward general public in order to try and shed light on the whole community.

“Since it was a comedy show, hopefully it broke down some of the barriers where people think ‘Oh this is a gay thing and not for straight people,’ and hopefully it should make the community more accessible to everyone,” Wood said.

Computerizing clothing one stitch after another ASHLEY OLIVER

ct news reporter Sensors and wires woven into clothing are opening a world of possibilities as researchers have discovered through ongoing studies at Virginia Tech.

Tech professors Tom Martin and Mark Jones have been working in a Torgersen Hall laboratory to advance the studies of electronic textiles (e-textiles) for the past six years.

“If everything turns out the way I want, you’ll have this ability to put on a normal garment and do something you couldn’t do without it,” Martin said.

One of the primary pieces they have built, dubbed the Hokie Suit, can sense the gait of the person wearing it, and is then able to detect change in speed and direction of motion.

The wearer is able to move around naturally in the suit and the wires and sensors are woven in as part of the fabric. The sensors can then be removed and the suit with the wires can be washed. The steel used in the suit is so lightweight and fluid that it appears as fabric material rather than metal.

“We can tell whether you’re walking, running, standing, or sitting down,” Martin said. “One student could even figure out what dance you were doing.”

The Hokie Suit opens the door for an array of garments that can measure when a person is about to fall, a person’s location, heart rate, blood pressure, temperature and a variety of other statistics.

The data collected by the clothing will be transmitted to various computer devices, such as a monitor or screen, where the safety and well being of the person wearing the garment can be subsequently observed.

Martin and Jones are not currently working on garments that are sufficient for an individual to wear in public because they focus more on computer engineering of the e-textiles than the aesthetics.

“We’re trying to figure out what the

SALLY BULL/SPPS

Virginia Tech’s e-textile loom weaves together fashion and technology . hardware and software problems are,” Martin said.

He stressed his focus on the engineering aspect so that experts studying in the field of design can contribute to the advancement of e-textiles without any manufacturing problems.

“It’s a really good example of what I call working in the margins with computer engineering, textile design, and garment design,” Martin said.

“You really have to pay attention to all three of them.”

Multiple undergraduate and graduate students are also participating in the research. Justin Chong, a second year graduate student and computer engineering major, is one of five students who spend much of their time in the lab.

“Integrating censors and computers into cloth is a pretty interesting concept,” Chong said. “It’s not something you see every day.”

Within the lab, the developers have designed a rug that lights up in different patterns when stepped on. The rug was designed for Intel, the source of some of the lab’s funding. The National

Science Foundation also provides a large portion of the funds for the research.

Currently they are developing the next generation of pants for the Hokie Suit. They’re making a more tightly woven garment in the form of a jumpsuit so it can be worn more easily. The jumpsuit has more benefits than the pants and vest; for example, it can sense when a person is laying down. The pants in the Hokie Suit were unable to tell the difference between lying down and having legs propped up.

Meghan Quirk, another second year graduate student and computer science major, is responsible for operating the loom.

“I make all the fabrics and fabric simulations, and weave all the wires and everything directly into the fabric,” Quirk said.

She agreed with Martin in that the e-textiles needed several areas of study to produce results.

“The fact that it combines so many disciplines into one, and that we can help people … I think that’s really cool,” Quirk said.

Vick: University officials quick to respond from page one

Fund. Others were skeptical about his apology.

“They never contacted us about doing any kind of fundraiser,” said Robyn Katz, president of Texas Tech’s

Student Animal Legal Defense Fund.

“Even if they had, we would have never accepted that money. Supporting a shirt about animal cruelty doesn’t fit our ideology.”

Katz questioned Candia’s remorse for his actions.

“When he still has a Facebook group supporting his shirt, it makes his apology seem very insincere,” Katz said.

Candia wrote on his Facebook group page early last Tuesday “a little T-shirt got Aggies all worked up... it’s a T-shirt people!”

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thursday, october 18, 2007

New Facebook application offers Q & A withNonie Darwish easier way to meet potential dates KEVIN ANDERSON

ct new river valley editor

KATIE MCLAUGHLIN

ct news reporter A new Facebook application recently developed allows users to potentially meet people online who they are interested in dating. The new application has the unique feature of anonymously clicking on someone’s profile, letting them know you are interested in them, without having the person know unless they click on your profile as well. The application was developed by IamFreeTonight.com, and is currently the most-used dating application on Facebook.

Cliff Lerner, CEO of IamFreeTonight.com, said the application is simple and easy to use.

“All you do is type in your information such as your country and state, and basically we’ll just show you pictures of people and where they are located,” Lerner said. “You can just click whether you like them or you don’t and you can do that anonymously or you can tell the person. If you click it anonymously, then they will not know unless they click you too.”

The application has been out for two months, has over two mil-

Go

lion people signed up and has over 200,000 people logging in every day to actively use it. The application stemmed from the popularity of the full-fledged dating Web site. The Web site is much more in-depth versus the Facebook application.

“On the Web site, you can put more information on your profile than you can on the Facebook application,” Lerner said. “It’s better advanced searching and you can search down within your zip code, college, ethnicity, religion, interest and all of that.”

In addition to the Web site enabling users to have more information on each other, the Web site also has two features that no other dating Web site has.

“One concept is called Date Now. This is for people who are not so into e-mailing back and forth for days or weeks and they would rather just post when they are free to go out and then other people can just contact them when they are free to go out that night, too,” Lerner said. “It’s kind of like a calendar. You can check off the date you are free and then you fill in the activity you want. Then you can go to a separate part of the site where

Traffic: Initiative aims to make Virginia’s roadways safer from page one

Place an ad in the classifieds section

you can search for the day of the week that other people want to go out, too.”

Jennifer Litt, public relations representative for IamFreeTonight.com, says the other feature, called Wing man, is especially useful for college students. The Wing man feature allows users to ask friends online to be a wing man. You can then search for people who want to go out on double or group dates.

“I think the number one reason the Wing Man feature is so beneficial to college students is because you are able to meet people through groups on the Web site, which other Web sites do not have,” Litt said. “There is always safety in numbers” Jenna Nichols, sophomore communication major, thinks the application is a good idea.

“Facebook is used to socialize anyway, so this is a good feature because it just gives people easier ways to do it,” Nichols said.

Students can find the Facebook application by going to the directory of applications on Facebook and searching for the “Are you Interested?” feature, as well as by typing http:// apps.facebook.com/yesnomaybe into their browser.

that these five behaviors are the most prominent factors leading to traffic fatalities.

“The roads themselves are not unsafe,” Southard said. “It’s up to every one of us to take every precaution we can. That means buckling up, that means not causing distractions and falling prey to distractions. That will help make our driving and riding experiences much safer.”

The slogan will be broadcast through various media throughout Virginia.

Each authority will do various commercial spots between now and Jan. 1 of next year on radio stations throughout the commonwealth, and have asked stations to broadcast the slogan after traffic reports. Also, VDOT will be broadcasting the slogan on electronic boards used on the sides of highways.

In all 73 DMV locations in the state, brochures will be offered outlining techniques to improve driving. Stickers will also be placed on the mirrors in

DMV bathrooms asking people to question if they are the next Virginia traffic fatality.

These marketing techniques will be backed by enforcement provided by Virginia State Police.

“We’re consistently doing different safety enforcement efforts,” Geller said.

“We do our part every day through presence, patrols, and checkpoints.”

In addition to surveillance, the Virginia State Police have initiated programs to reduce fatalities. One such program, “Operation Air, Land, and Speed,” periodically steps up the presence of police cars on various highways. One of these initiatives took place last Friday and Saturday during national “Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day” along Interstates 81 and 95.

“We’re hoping the public will take up the challenge,” Geller said. “Especially our college students.”

While the ultimate goal of the campaign is to make Virginia highways safer, authorities have set a more specific goal of saving 100 lives by the year 2010.

Nonie Darwish, an Egyptian Muslim who spoke at Virginia Tech on Tuesday, is the daughter of highranking leader of Egypt’s Fedayeen operations against Israel in Gaza.

He was assassinated by Israelis when Nonie was eight years old.

As she grew up in Egypt, she was taught to hate Jews, Israel and America; she was taught they were all monsters. However, once she immigrated to U.S. in 1978 and became a U.S. citizen, Darwish began to question these thoughts and realize that she needed to speak out against terrorism and Israel’s poor treatment.

Darwish, the founder of www.arabsforisrael.com, has authored several articles and has been published worldwide. She frequently speaks at college campuses and conferences all over the world.

CT: Why do you feel you need to speak out against terrorism?

ND: It started with a strong urge after 9/11. I wanted to speak years before that, but I was in America.

After 9/11, I felt that the danger was right here and we need to start speaking out. I started speaking out of respect for the 3,000 fellow Americans who died that day.

And I also speak out of empathy for Israel because after 9/11 I called a lot of people in Egypt, friends; I wanted them to comfort me and to tell me that this has crossed the line; especially since the leader of the 9/11 terrorists was from Egypt. I was really shocked to hear that every person I talked to was telling me, “How dare you, don’t you know this is a Jewish conspiracy?” Then I hung up the phone and was very disappointed because they were in such denial, and I felt deep empathy for Israel because it took the blunt. It’s taking the blunt of all the propaganda against everything that goes wrong.

I felt deep empathy. I felt that Israel is a country that deserves our respect, not our hatred. And then I speak for love of my culture of origin because I feel that this has gone too far, and that Islamic terrorism has gone too far. It has become like a sort of cancer all over the world, not just in the United States.

CT: What were some of the first types of things you talked about?

ND: It started right after 9/11. I was a journalist when I graduated college, so I went to the computer and wrote an article out of anger and frustration, and I published it in a small newsletter in Los Angeles. My friends kept sending it

back and forth to each other, and lo and behold, I started getting e-mails from everywhere like, “this is great,” and I got people asking me to speak. I never planned to do what I’m doing now. It just developed. I think there is a need for new ideas in the Middle East, and the status quo needs to be challenged because it is bringing constant war.

There are people in the Middle East who want to speak, but are afraid. They kill people immediately who say anything that say, “Let’s have peace in Israel.” They put them in jail and torture them.

CT: Your father died when you were eight. Did his death or position have any affect on your childhood?

ND: Absolutely. He was not a hate-monger; he was just a soldier and was like all Egyptians. But he actually wrote a letter that I read last year. He was actually asking, “Do you want to continue the tension along the border?” And they said, “Yes.” He was just doing his job. Then I was told after he was assassinated, the president of Egypt came to our house to pay condolences and I remember my siblings and I were lined up and the whole neighborhood was looking at our house. The president came in with a lot of top officials. We stood in a line to greet them, and he asked us, “Which one of you kids will avenge your father’s death by killing Jews?” I remember feeling uncomfortable, I was mourning my father’s death; I didn’t want to kill anyone. I remember we started looking at each other and none of us said “me.” We were all silent. But I felt like it was my duty to avenge my father and kill Jews. I felt that if I were to be a good person, I would have to kill Jews. That gives you an idea of what Arab children had to deal with.

CT: So, how did you sift through this and realize that there were different ways to view opposing cultures?

ND: At an early age I was under the same doctrine. I hated Jews: I thought they were monsters. I thought they wanted to kill Arab babies like they told us. When you fill the heart of a child with fear, it makes it very easy to hate, because you hate someone who wants to kill you. So I fell under the propaganda. It took me a very long time to change.

CT: What made you change?

ND: After I moved to the States and I began befriending Jewish people, and saw that the culture is portrayed completely differently.

I still didn’t say anything though.

Then 10 years ago, my brother was in Gaza and he had a stroke and all the family was not around him. All the Arabs around my brother were saying if you want him to live take him to Hadasa hospital. It made me think, “Oh my God, we Arabs don’t even listen to the same propaganda.” I wanted to write something to acknowledge that Israel does something good.

I felt like I would be hated by my community and be ostracized, so I yielded to my fears. I didn’t write it.

But I felt change happening inside me. When 9/11 happened, that was it. The culture of the Arab world was brought here. They weren’t bringing any new ideas here.

Change has to happen.

CT: What was some of the propaganda?

ND: I attended Gaza elementary school and we had to recite Jihad’s poetry every morning, wishing upon ourselves to die as a (martyr).

Little girls! It scared the hell out of us. Things like Jewish soldiers like to make bets like when they see a pregnant woman, they want to kill her to see if it is a boy or a girl. So I grew up with the cursing of Jews from the pulpits of Mosques every day. I’m saying facts.

CT: All of this propaganda happens today?

ND: Oh yes, and it’s getting worse. It’s not just directed at the West, but it’s also directed against any Muslim who deviates from that. To them, no government is Muslim enough. It’s only Sharia Muslim law. No Muslim leader is even to deviate from that. In this climate, only tyrannical governments can survive. The ones who want to promote peace, the ones who want to sign peace treaties with Israel, the ones who liberalize the country and speak for Muslim women’s rights get assassinated.

CT: Pertaining to Arab women’s rights and coming from a world where women are discriminated against, how do you feel being a woman and speaking out?

ND: I’m very proud I’m an American citizen because, in America, I have my freedom of speech. In the Middle East I did not feel that. But the problem with the oppression of women is not something imposed by men. There is a major problem standing against the respect for women and this is Sharia law. Islamic law allows wife beating; it discriminates against women. There is so much in the way. And you don’t see many Arab women going against it because they see it as Allah’s law. And if you want to be a good Muslim, you have to accept Allah’s law.

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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 18, 2007

Bored of beer and liquor?

Check out other alcoholic beverages There hasn’t really been a trip to the store for alcohol where I haven’t spotted something bizarre among the Yuengling, KATELYN Budweiser and LAU Blue Moon and wondered what regular in the world it was columnist and sometimes, who in the world drinks it?

Drinks like hard cider, alcoholic energy drinks and non-alcoholic beer are just a few examples of what, for lack of a better all-inclusive category, I’ll call “non-traditional” alcoholic beverages.

And since CHEERS beer is e s s e nt i a l ly the norm, it’s easy to look at these drinks and wonder whether they’re supposed to be eccentric or gimmicks.

Before the turn of the 19th century, hard cider held the place of esteem that beer holds today; but today, most people don’t even know what it is.

Though there’s still a market for ciders, one George Mason University article referred to ciders taking the back burner to beer by noting that “remnants of old habits persist, just as some people continue to favor peculiar regional foods or to use hula hoops.”

However, cider isn’t completely disconnected from beer. The brewing

processes are similar, the differences lie mostly in the ingredients.

Hard ciders are the result of fermenting fresh apple juice and have an alcohol content of roughly 5 percent, depending on the sweetness of the apples. (More sugar, either from the apples or added sugar, like from molasses, honey or maple syrup, makes a cider more alcoholic.)

Hard ciders are made with champagne yeast, which gives it a slight carbonation, similar to beer.

One common brand of hard cider is Woodchuck Draft Cider, which uses caramelized sugar, granny smith apples, pears and even raspberries to flavor some of its varieties.

“I recommended the pear Woodchuck,” senior biology major Cherise La Guardia said. “It’s not quite as sweet as the other varieties, so it’s probably the one most people would like.”

With a higher alcohol content than most people realize, hard cider really isn’t all that dissimilar to beer; instead it’s actually a somewhat comparable alternative as far as alcohol content is concerned.

But most cider drinkers imbibe it for a sweeter taste than beer.

“I don’t like the bitter taste of beer, but I love Woodchuck,” La Guardia said.

“Woodchuck tastes like apple juice; you can hardly taste the alcohol. Most of them are really sweet, but I definitely have a sweet tooth, so I think they all taste good.”

Another alternative to typical

alcoholic drinks looks so similar to its non-alcoholic counterparts that it has even been mistakenly sold to minors.

Alcoholic energy drinks are relatively new and include beverages like Sparks, Tilt and B to the E. They’re the new take on Red Bull and vodka, which has been popular since the 1990s.

Sparks is 6 percent alcohol by volume and contains caffeine, taurine (the same amino acid found in Red Bull), ginseng, malt and water.

Sparks Light and Sparks Plus appear to contain the same ingredients, but the light variety, of course, contains fewer calories and carbs, while the plus variety has a slightly higher alcohol content, at 7 percent.

Rolling Stone even gave Sparks a good review, at one point calling it the “hot drink of the year” and raving its superiority over Red Bull and vodka.

“I’d rather have Sparks than beer,” senior political science and history major Jen Crook said. “It tastes like orange soda, so if there’s a choice between Sparks and beer, it’s not hard to figure out.”

Tilt has an even higher alcohol content than Sparks at 6.6 percent for Bold Berry and eight percent for Lemon Lime.

Tilt is brewed with malt, grains, hops, yeast and water, with flavors, caffeine, ginseng and guarana (an herbal stimulant with more caffeine than coffee beans) added later.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY KARL FALCONER/SPPS

It’s extremely sweet and syrupy with an unexpected beer taste, and one review said it was like “someone left an open can of Budweiser out in the sun for a few days, then stirred in a packet of Kool-Aid.” Just like traditional energy drinks, these alcoholic varieties contain more caffeine than soda drinks such as Mountain Dew, which is part of the apparent appeal — the buzz without getting tired.

And finally, the “alternative” alcoholic beverage that defies convention: non-alcoholic beer.

Most brands contain less than 0.5 percent alcohol by volume, but its still enough that grocers have to ask to see an ID when you buy it. So the argument, “But it’s non-alcoholic!” isn’t going to work for this one.

So, then I have to wonder, it’s not really as if a pregnant woman who loves the taste of beer can kick back with an O’Doul’s and enjoy, can she?

Barley malt, domestic and imported whole cane hops, brewer’s yeast, grains and water all go into making

non-alcoholic beers, they just come out on the other end without the alcohol.

According to O’Doul’s, the alcohol is “gently and naturally” removed after the maturing process is complete. The beer is fermented and matured like other malt beverages, but the final product is minus the alcohol.

As for the taste, of O’Douls it’s a little bit like drinking diet, caffeine-free soda if you ask me. Though the taste is a bit off, plenty of people still enjoy it regularly.

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opinions 5

editor: laurel colella email: opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

october 18, 2007

Offering unique student perspective on random topics Today is a slow day, and the spirits of inspiration have not graced me with 800 words worth of material on any one topic. So instead I offer a collection of JONATHAN random thoughts.

MCGLUMPHY First off, why is marijuana still illeregular gal? Don’t we have columnist better things to do with our tax dollars than to eradicate a weed that makes people happy?

Along the same lines, why is the drinking age 21? If you are responsible enough vote, go to jail, and die in Iraq (or wherever else we’re sticking our noses), then aren’t you responsible enough to have a cold beer? Maybe we should lower the drinking age to 18 and raise the driving age to 21. Give people a chance to learn how to handle their liquor before we let them operate dangerous machines.

I don’t see what the argument is over global warming. If we’re the cause, then we ought to alter our personal habits to be less wasteful of limited resources. If we’re not the cause, then it’s still a good idea to be less wasteful because then we all save money. It’s a win-win situation.

I saw a great T-shirt the other day. It showed a mother talking to her young son before sending him off to school.

The caption read, “Now remember Johnny, only retards wear their collars up.”

Speaking of fashion, why do women continue to put up with things like high heels? Yes, they look good, but every woman I’ve dated couldn’t walk more

than 500 feet in them before developing quarter-sized blisters.

Diamonds don’t say, “I love you.”

What diamonds do say is, “I’m a sucker who paid way too much money for a rock that probably cost someone a few fingers to dig out of the ground in South Africa.”

We desperately need illegal aliens if we want our fruit picked, toilets cleaned, and asbestos removed.

Until the divorce rate in this country drops significantly, the phrase “sanctity of marriage” should hereby be banned.

I saw a bumper sticker that read, “Plants and animals die to make room for your fat a--.” This bumper sticker was, of course, on an automobile.

Anyone see the irony?

We desperately need illegal aliens if we want our fruit picked, toilets cleaned, and asbestos removed. And Spanish isn’t a particularly difficult language to learn.

Here’s the formula for success in America: Do well in high school. Go to college. Get that dream job right after college. Work the next 40 years to make sure you can buy plenty of toys upon retirement. Do all this and you’ll be happy. Honestly.

Can we all agree that political dynasties are a bad idea that lend to cronyism?

Democrats point at the Bush family as case-in-point. So why on earth are they so gung-ho about Hillary Clinton? I miss Bill, too, but not that badly.

Blacksburg is a little slice of heaven. It’s a small town full of life located in one of

the most beautiful parts of the country.

Yet so many people say they can’t wait to get away. I have no idea why.

I really do get a kick out of telling my friends and family from Tennessee that Virginia’s two biggest universities call themselves Hokies and Wahoos.

Stephen Colbert recently announced that he is running for president as a favorite son candidate in his native South Carolina. While that is awesome, I’d still vote for Ron Paul.

The entire state of Illinois is one big coal field. I’d much rather strip mine Illinois for coal than blow up West Virginia. Yes, that includes Chicago too. Mountains are much prettier than cornfields and skyscrapers.

You know what the best thing is about being near the end of a Ph.D. program in engineering? It’s not the money, the fame, or the satisfaction of never having to sit through classes again. It’s the swarms of hot chicks who can’t keep their hands off me.

Virginia Tech is an extremely diverse environment. I have interacted with people from Switzerland, England, Mexico, Iran, India and China, just to name a few countries. These were people both in and outside my field of study, and they’ve all enriched my experience here. So what’s all the fuss about a lack of diversity?

Here’s a tip for those of you who are about to turn 21 and are planning a barcrawl: Do not tell the bartender, “Make me your favorite shot.” You will most likely get a shot of straight rail whiskey.

If you want some froo-froo drink, ask for it by name. There are my random thoughts. Comments, criticisms and hate mail are welcome.

Editorial local issue

Debating the future of Norris Hall

The Norris Hall task force recently narrowed down the original seven pre-proposals regarding the future of Norris Hall, to three. The first pre-proposal, brought forth by the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, retains a focus on “re-creating community” through the implementation of videoconferencing and research.

The second, sponsored by the Center for Violence Prevention and Peace Studies, focuses on studentled research with service-learning programs. Lastly, the third preproposal, suggested by the Center for Student Engagement and Community Partnerships, focuses on creating a meeting space for students and members of community agencies.

The second two pre-proposals have been recommended to combine their ideas into one enhanced proposal.

Our question is, what’s the difference? While all proposals show thoughtful planning, they also show little variety and are idealistic in their expectations of student acceptance of being anywhere near Norris Hall.

While we are grateful to those who contributed to the development of the pre-proposals, they’re all merely decent ideas. In fact, they all sound very similar.

When considering the pre-proposals, at first glance they do not present any notable differences.

Last April’s events affected us all, and we should all be given the opportunity to voice our opinions,

problems or concerns.

Mark McNamee, chair of the Norris Hall Task Force, told the Collegiate Times that those with comments or concerns are encouraged to contact the task force with their issues.

“The sooner we can use the space productively, the better,” McNamee said.

While we cannot continue to dwell on the events of April 16, Norris Hall is still a sensitive sight for many students.

“Using the building productively” should not be the most important thing on the task force’s agenda only six months after the worst school shooting in United States’ history occurred on our campus.

While the building does have the potential for implementing student labs, research facilities and meetings with community agencies, many students are not yet ready to “take full advantage” of the building, and they should not have to. April 16 affected us all, and all of our opinions matter. Hopefully in time, the implementation of one of these proposals will bring something positive and influential from sadness. All of the pre-proposals are acceptable in theory, but students scarred by the events of last April will need more than fancy computers and conference rooms, to feel comfortable in Norris again.

The editorial board is composed of Amie Steele, Joe Kendall, Saira Haider, Laurel Colella and Sara Mitchell.

Armenian genocide should be least of Congress’ worries DAN SHEEHAN guest columnist Modern America faces many hardships. We have an illegal immigration problem that awaits solution. The value of our currency is plummeting on the global market, prompting investors to question the immediate stability of the dollar.

We have an estimated nine million children without health care in this country, while we spend $500 million each day in Iraq. So, with all of these pressing issues immediately affecting the health and well-being of Americans, why does the 110th Congress spend its time discussing and crafting House Resolution 106, a non-binding statement condemning the murder of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians by Turkish soldiers between 1915 and 1917.

The fearless 110th Congress, surrounded by all of our enemies (foreign and domestic), has chosen to take on the one foe it knows it can defeat: The Ottoman Empire, which ceased to exist in 1922. In case you slept through World History, the Ottomans ruled much of what is now Eastern Europe and the Middle East, with the central government being located in modernday Turkey. The Turkish government denies having any involvement in the massacre, which is said to have planted the idea of the final solution in the mind of Hitler.

Resolution 106, sponsored by the House Committee on Foreign Relations (chaired by Rep. Tom Lantos

(D- Calif.)), condemns the 90 year-old atrocity, and formally labels the incident as genocide.

There’s just one problem: the Turkish government rejects the notion that the Armenian deaths were genocide (genocide implies attempt to extinguish an entire race), instead saying that many Armenians and Turks died as a result of WWI and cultural fighting, but it was not an edict from the Ottoman government to extinguish the Armenian people. This resolution threatens to strain diplomatic relations with the U.S. if it passes.

Turkey shares a northwestern border with Iraq. CNN estimates that 75 percent of the supplies we send to Iraq travel through Turkey. Turkey is an ally in our seemingly endless war; the country is a member of NATO and a candidate for membership in the European Union.

The country is also becoming more anti-American with each passing day.

Once again, we are sticking our nose in an age-old ethnic conflict that we have no business being a part of and instead of presenting a solution, we are simply taking sides, and alienating a nation whose friendship we cannot currently afford to lose. Today, Turkey’s papers ran headlines including “27 Foolish Americans” (referring to the committee) and “Bill of Hatred.”

My hat’s off to the 110th, which has decided to make another nation of Muslims extremely irritated with us. While many nations make empty threats, Turkey seems to walk the walk.

France, which passed a similar resolution last year, lost its privilege to fly over Turkish airspace. What if Turkey decides to close its airspace, and evict us from our military bases? Maybe Iran will let us run supplies through its borders so we can get them to our troops.

Or maybe Turkey decides to attack the Kurds in Northern Iraq more overtly. Any scenario involving our eviction from Turkey spells disaster for an already downtrodden war.

The President, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense and have called the Turkish Prime Minister to apologize and express their deep concern over the resolution. Dubyah doesn’t make house calls unless the situation is dire. In a rare role reversal, the President is apologizing on behalf of the American people. Usually, it’s the other way around.

Anyway, there you have it: An American position on the death of those Armenians will solve nothing.

The dead remain so, and posthumously labeling them victims of genocide won’t bring them back or vindicate their struggle for justice.

I think we should be focused on preserving the peace of today (if there is any left) and leave the past in the past. If we are evicted from Turkey, the people who will suffer are our men and women in uniform as well as the people of Iraq. By all means, let’s subject these people to further suffering by throwing our diplomatic fork at a 90 year-old beef.

We have a hard enough time try-

ing to solve all the world’s current problems. Must we be retroactive, as well? Shouldn’t we be focused on the future rather than working to right past injustices? Will Congress next censure Ramses II for his enslavement of the Jews?

Or, perhaps censure our friends, the English, in defense of my Irish ancestors who were occupied and oppressed for hundreds of years by the Crown.

I also find it morbidly ironic that this government, deeply concerned with genocide past, reacts so pitifully in

History is full of injustices, not the least of which is the death of these Amenians at the begining of the 20th century. Was it truly genocide acted out by the Young Turks? Perhaps. But I don’t see the logic in creating the potential for new hatred, and new violence on account of conflict past. places like the Darfur region of Sudan, where genocide occurs today.

The counterargument is strong.

Opponents will say if we fail to label the Armenian Massacre as genocide, we are no different than Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s Iran denouncing the Holocaust.

Wrong. First off, the German government acknowledges the Holocaust, has formally apologized, and has

taken great steps to memorialize the many victims. So, by labeling the Nazi Holocaust as genocide, we are not actually taking sides, since the Germans admit guilt.

Second, the Turkish government is not directly ascended from the Young Turks, who ruled during the period in question. We don’t hold Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi responsible for the transgressions of the Romans.

We don’t hold Hosni Mubarak’s Egypt responsible for its historical transgressions, so why are we trying to do it to Turkey? The logic is flawed and the timing is atrocious.

History is full of injustices, not the least of which is the death of these Armenians at the beginning of the 20th century. Was it truly genocide acted out by the Young Turks? Perhaps.

But I don’t see the logic in creating the potential for new hatred, and new violence on account of conflict past.

And I see even less logic in the idea of alienating an ally over a crime whose perpetrators have long since died.

For Congress to involve us in another foreign ethnic dispute, of which we had no part, is irresponsible and dangerous.

The resolution passed through the Committee on Foreign Affairs by a vote of 27 to 21 and meets a full session this Friday. Of all the pressing issues that face this nation, our noble representatives decide it’s best to debate the historical classification of an atrocity 90 years passed; their diligence is awe-inspiring, and their negligence is frightening.

Letters to the Editor Professional sports coverage lacking in CT Before I begin my rant, allow me to clarify two truths about this newspaper. Firstly, this is a college paper geared toward students. Secondly, these students, including myself, want to be up to date with any and all news surrounding the campus and the neighboring areas. These truths, however, should not stop the sports writing staff from reporting about professional sports.

Like any other student at Virginia Tech, I am interested in our football team, but I am not sure that the entire sports page needs to be devoted to the Hokies’ every move. Articles directly before and after games are obviously a necessity, but much more than that is too much when other events go without notice.

Even other Tech sports teams barely get any space in the sports section, and for the most part are squeezed into small blurbs. Any and all news on the professional sports level has somehow escaped the Collegiate Times altogether. The New England Patriots have recently been involved in a cheating scandal. Buffalo Bills

tight end Kevin Everett suffered a life-threatening spinal cord injury, yet has made miraculous steps toward recovery. The MLB playoffs have begun, with the Colorado Rockies winning 21 out of 22 and sweeping their way to the World Series for the first time in franchise history. The NHL season is underway, and still not a word in the CT. Perhaps what is so frustrating is the fact that the CT did once report on these events in years past. And while I understand and respect the need for Tech sports news, this is a newspaper that should be reporting on more than just that. The average student cares more about Tech football, but our hearts follow other Tech sports and professional sports as well.

Brian Swann senior, English

Columnist is misguided The column “Finally Coming to Terms with America’s Failed Foreign Policy” (CT, Oct. 16) sorely misses the point when it blames the problem of anti-Americanism on the foreign policy of the United States.

The primary issue seems to be with

the classification of the conflict as “good versus evil” by certain political leaders. I can agree that it’s not quite that simple, but then again, it’s not quite false, either.

The fact that the author can even stand on his soapbox and rant about foreign policy is proof that at the very least, this country has the moral high ground in comparison to the countries we label as “evil.”

As of late, I’ve seen a great deal in the news about Ron Paul, who is declared as something of a “people’s hero.”

His explanation at the June 5 debate of why America is the target of so much hatred, particularly in the Middle East, though, was just plain wrong.

Our presence around the world has only a correlated effect on antiAmericanism. Islamic theocracies and dictatorships around the world hate America because it is convenient. It provides them with a diversion for the citizens, to distract them from the fact that the country they live in is an economic, political, social and religious disaster.

The U.S. and its allies are the most powerful force on the planet. Who better to make the scapegoat, if you

are a small, slowly failing Islamic theocracy? Read Machiavelli, or any other famous political theorist, and they will tell you that there is no better way to distract your citizens and work them harder than to blame all of your problems on some external foe. As an economics professor of mine once explained: Have you ever wondered how so many people living in these countries can go out and protest in hundreds of thousands when a tiny Danish newspaper prints a picture of Mohammed? Why aren’t they working? Because they have no jobs, and the government organizes them to protest the West as a way of keeping them from thinking about the fact that they have not, are not, and probably will not be able to find employment.

The article also brings up examples of American meddling in other countries’ internal affairs and cites them as major reasons for the falling image of America around the world.

I won’t try to defend the leaders who the mentioned in the article because, truth be told, I wouldn’t mind seeing some of them dragged out of their palaces by the citizenry.

However, one has to look at the U.S. choice of leaders in a historical con-

text. In the times when most of these leaders came to power, the U.S. was facing off against the Soviet Union, a foe as technologically developed as we were, with a totally opposing doctrine. At the time, the prime minister of Iran was cooling relations with the U.S. and beginning to look to the Soviet Union for aid and direction.

Instead of losing an ally and a major source of oil, we replaced the government of Iran with the Shah. In hindsight, maybe he wasn’t the best choice, but at the time, it seemed like the only option short of invasion (and given the prevailing theme of “better dead than red,” the Shah was certainly a better choice).

Until Americans themselves realize that by empathizing with our enemies (and yes, that is what they are, pure and simple), we are giving them power and claim to moral rectitude. Until, through whatever methods, the governments of these countries are removed from power, there will continue to be incredible animosity toward the U.S, and all that it stands for.

Sam Barrett sophomore, finance

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page 6

thursday, october 18, 2007

Creative writing department reaches out with visiting writers TERESA TOBAT

ct features reporter At 7 p.m. on Thursday Oct. 18 poet and fiction writer Richard McCann will give a reading at the Volume II Bookstore. He just doesn’t know what he’ll be reading.

“Often I decide 30 minutes beforehand. Like most people, I just want to go with the mood. I try to pick one work. I want to make it feel like a short story, have a beginning, middle and an end,” McCann said.

McCann has taught at American University for 19 years and currently serves as the co-director of the Master

of Fine Arts program in creative writing. He started writing when he was a college student, took a hiatus and then returned to writing in his mid-thirties. He turned to teaching because many of his peers were part of the profession.

“Teaching creative writing is emotionally draining. You have to be very engaged in other’s work. You have to teach people how to reach down into their deepest material,” McCann said.

McCann has won numerous awards including the 2005 John C. Zacharis First Book Award for his first work of fiction, “Mother of Sorrows.” His book was also placed

on the Amazon Editors’ Picks: Top 50 Books of 2005 list. Awards from the Guggenheim Fellowship and the Fine Arts Work Center were the McCann most meaningful to him, he said.

“Nothing really changes (when you receive an award). It certifies you as a writer and can make you feel terrific.”

Despite his success, McCann encounters many challenges when writing, the chief one being, “Fear … fear of not having emotion. Fear

of subject matter. Fear of having too much emotion … I don’t see myself as overcoming these fears. I see them as part of the job.”

He gives about a dozen readings a year, and has given hundreds in his lifetime.

“Like all writers I want to produce emotion. So I hope that with my reading I produce emotion. I’m a good reader,” said McCann.

Thursday’s reading is the third writer in a series of nine visiting writers that the creative writing program sponsors. This series is in its fifth year.

Aileen Murphy, assistant director of creative writing, believes that it never hurts to hear another voice or

Kids pedal their way to healthier lifestyles with the help of Trip for Kids HOWARD SCHNEIDER

the washington post The kids ranged across ages and neighborhoods and experience levels — from the already veteran 5-yearold rider who stands on his pedals for extra power up the hills (his parents own a bike shop), to much older kids who are still getting comfortable with the gear and the idea that you can push a bike across rocks and roots and through water without a catastrophe.

What they had in common was this: On a balmy Saturday in October, they were outside on mountain bikes to tackle a few miles of trail around Lake Accotink Park in Fairfax County, Va. Hardly a revolution. But consider that alongside the regular riders and budding competitive racers who had gathered for National Take a Kid

Mountain Biking Day were kids who knew more about navigating traffic on urban streets than crossing suburban streams.

This was only 12-year-old Tiffany Jackson’s second time on a trail, where the occasional fox can be seen scampering ahead under the tree canopy, but she pedaled along steadily in the middle of the pack. It’s a far cry from her Washington neighborhood, but she’d clearly taken to the thrill of it.

“I like it, and then sometimes it is a bit scary” when the trail gets steep or obstacles emerge, Tiffany said of the bike outings she has begun taking with Trips for Kids.

The nonprofit group, which originated in California but now has affiliates nationwide, has chapters in Washington, Prince George’s County, Md., and Northern Virginia that sponsor 70 or more mountain bike rides a year for disadvantaged

youngsters.

Underwritten by financial support (not to mention bikes) from companies such as REI, Trek and Clif Bar, the effort addresses what I think is one of the more under-publicized aspects of the nation’s rising rates of childhood obesity.

While the problem is increasing across the entire population — with roughly 15 percent of 6 to 19 year olds now considered overweight or obese, twice the proportion two decades ago — the numbers are higher and rising faster for children of lower-income families.

The American Academy of Pediatrics includes in its policy statement on the issue a “numerous and complicated” list of reasons for why this is the case, including subtle arguments about food insecurity and whether uncertainty about the future might prompt people to overeat today.

Poorer families are less likely to eat enough fresh fruit and vegetables, and the lack of family dinners in time-strapped households (hardly limited to the poor) makes kids more likely to consume fried foods and sodas.

Those types of dynamics might be hard to change. But both the academy and the American College of Sports Medicine have pinpointed one reason that’s a little more direct, and perhaps a little easier to influence at the volunteer level: access to recreation space, equipment and

expertise.

If the local park is off-limits because of crime, that keeps kids indoors. If the local ball league can’t raise the money or find enough volunteers, that keeps kids indoors.

For someone like Tiffany to feel the thrill of a bumpy bike ride, there’s gotta be a bike.

“You go over a creek crossing or a log, and they start beaming,” said Pat Childers, an Environmental Protection Agency official, who along with his wife started the local group about five years ago. Participants are referred by schools, churches and local charities.

As a fitness issue, it’s a two-for-one deal. Not only are the kids getting outside but the adult volunteers are, too — a good argument for getting involved at some level with neighborhood youth sports, or an organization like Trips for Kids or the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington.

That’s the attitude Jasmine Bull took as she suited up to help lead Saturday’s ride.

Now 18, she had gone on some rides with the group a few years ago, got hooked on mountain biking and now is volunteering while she attends Northern Virginia Community College.

It helped her when she was growing up in Woodbridge, Va, and she wants to see it keep going, she says.

“It’s like being in the big leagues.”

perspective.

The group looks to bring in a diversity of voices. This year that includes McCann, who is a gay author.

“We try to get a diverse group.

We mean racial diversity, gender diversity, anything that makes that writer a voice that students don’t normally hear,” Murphy said. This year, I know that Richard McCann is a good writer; whether he is gay or not, we look at him as a diverse writer.”

All the writers for next year’s series have been selected. In an effort to increase interest in the program, they’re suggesting that creative writing teachers use books in their classes

authored by the visiting writers. That doesn’t mean that some of their work isn’t already being taught.

“He’s really adept at poetry. I used to teach some of his stories when I taught Gay and Lesbian Literature.

He’s very respected in the creative writing world,” said Jeff Mann, associate professor of English. Mann and McCann are acquaintances and have encountered each other at various writers’ conferences.

The readings are free and typically last for one hour with a questionand-answer session and signing following the reading. Writers are given complete freedom to decide what they read and do after a reading.

Great deals on designer duds Last year around this very same time, I witnessed on Oprah the clothing line Bitten by Sarah Jessica Parker, sold at Steve and Barry’s stores. With each piece in the collection priced at under $20, I couldn’t help but gush with excitement.

I then learned about Starbury. NBA players Stephon Marbury and Ben Wallace teamed up with Steve and Barry’s as well, and they created a line of performance-quality basketball sneakers all at the amazing price of just $14.98. I was overjoyed by the consideration these people have despite their multi-million dollar fortunes. Fashion should be accessible, and their endeavors have helped tremendously.

This year, it’s happening again: more fabulous and affordable clothing. This November, the edgy Italian (and favorite designer of mine) Roberto Cavalli is releasing a limited-edition clothing line to be sold at H&M stores. I loved H&M’s history of stylish, reasonably-priced clothing before, but now I admire it even more. The fashion industry is growing by leaps and bounds, and we all have a lot to look forward to.

None of us can afford to spend thousands of dollars on a single outfit, nor should we have to. Big names are creating big opportunities to make great style affordable. It’s indeed a beautiful thing. october 18, 2007

- Posted by Rebecca Dam

Lit & Movies To begin: “28 Days Later” is good. Really good. I won’t go so far as to say that you’ll like it even if survival/horror isn’t your thing, but it might just change your mind if you’re wavering somewhere in the middle. The movie starts off with a flashback of the events that caused Britain to become a post-apocalyptic wasteland. A group of animal rights activists break into a facility that is working on animals, specifically chimpanzees. They have infected the chimps with a virus that they’ve dubbed “Rage.” Rage in turn makes any primate mindlessly violent, basically turning them into a living zombie who hungers for flesh, and has superhuman strength. The virus can be transmitted via blood and saliva, so if anybody is bitten, gets blood in their eyes, or whatever, from something infected with Rage, you have around 10-20 seconds before they turn, becoming an “infected.” The activists breaking into the facility accidentally come into contact with the chimps, and are in turn infected with the Rage virus, leading to its outbreak across Britain.

-Posted by Will Jackson october 18, 2007

The Collegiate Times now has blogs online. Read the entire blog entry, and others, at www.collegiatetimes.com/blogs.

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sports 7

editor: ryan mcconnell email: sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw noon - 2 p.m.

october 18, 2007

Trying to make some sense of this college football season Every weekend it just seems to get crazier. Just when you think it’s safe to be a Top 10 team, the rug gets pulled out again and the subseRYAN quent rankings MCCONNELL are completely altered. Because ct sports they’re so volatile, editor it seems pointless to just attach a ranking based on record. My version of the Top 10 is based on who I think would be the toughest opponent to prepare for and play against if I was an opposing coach. Next week’s games will probably render this obsolete, but here it goes anyways.

1.) LSU- Any other year, losing would warrant a drop in the rankings. But in this crazy year, the Tigers are still the fastest and strongest team out there. Their loss was to another ranked team in the SEC on the road in triple overtime. An upset, sure, but about as an excusable loss as you can have. If the Tigers run the table from here on out, they deserve to be in the national championship.

2.) Ohio State- Guess who has the No. 1 defense in the country?

Not LSU anymore, it’s the Buckeyes.

While Jim Tressel’s squad might not be the most fun to watch, they get the job done. Chris “Beanie” Wells pounds the ball for the offense, and James Laurinaitis spearheads a staunch defense. If they don’t sleep on any Big Ten foes and close the deal against Michigan, they could find themselves in New Orleans on Jan. 7. If they get shellacked again in the championship, then we’ll open up discussion for revocation of title game eligibility, but for now consider them strong contenders for the title.

3.) Oklahoma- Was it the thin Boulder air that spelled doom for the Sooners? This team looked like it was set to roll through its schedule until Colorado intervened with a last-second upset. Oklahoma didn’t allow it to derail them though, and they’ve since posted wins over Texas and Missouri, their main challengers for Big 12 supremacy. Bob Stoop’s balanced offense will be a force to be reckoned with the rest of the way.

4.) Florida- The loss to LSU was a hard-fought battle that could have very well been a match up between

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Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan, seen here playing against Virginia Tech last season, is leading the Eagles to new heights, and has played himself into Heisman contention. the nation’s two top teams. Had LSU not converted on that final fourth down, LSU would be an afterthought and Florida would be considered the SEC’s contender for the national title. Outside of that game, the only team to beat Florida during Urban Meyer’s tenure has been Auburn, and despite their youth, the Gators are still immensely talented.

5.) Oregon- Oregon is just a fumble on the one-yard line through the back of the end zone away from being undefeated and being either No. 1 or No. 2. The Ducks produce an average of 532.5 yards of offense per game, far

and away the best in the Pac-10, and sixth in the country. Back-to-back games against USC and Arizona State, the top two defenses in the Pac-10, will make or break Oregon’s season.

6.) South Florida- South Florida is on a mission to quiet the doubters, and Matt Grothe is one of the most fun players to watch in the country.

Without question, they’re one of the elite teams this year and would fare well in a major conference, but if I was an opposing coach, I would rather face the Bulls than the previous five teams on this list. Despite the lofty

BCS ranking, South Florida doesn’t lead the Big East in any offensive category and is third in total defense.

7.) Boston College- BC’s hopes ride on the shoulders of Matt Ryan, and the preseason ACC player of the year hasn’t faltered under that weight. He’s seventh in the country in passing, and the best passer among QBs on title contenders. The debate is whether or not the undefeated Eagles are the real deal, or have just enjoyed an easy slate so far. The country will find out when BC comes to Virginia Tech on Oct. 25, a Thursday night game. The Hokies

celebrated depth at running back has been whittled down by injuries.

They’re lucky to be in the Top 10, but would you want to have to prepare to play USC? Didn’t make the cut: Auburn- Tommy Tuberville has a defense that gives opponents nightmares, and the loss against South Florida isn’t looking like an upset anymore. Their game at LSU this week will be a defensive struggle, but Auburn faces one very big obstacle: LSU hasn’t lost a Saturday night home game since 2002.

West Virginia- If Pat White has trouble staying healthy and on the field, it’s hard to have complete faith in the Mountaineers. Steve Slaton needs to learn to hold on to the ball in big games (he had crucial fumbles against South Florida this year and Louisville last season) as well.

Virginia Tech- A staunch defense and explosive special teams are probably Top 5 worthy, but they’re working with a struggling offense (ranking No. 112 out of 119 teams). If they face a great defense (like LSU), they would be shut down completely. The defense and special teams can score only so many points.

Arizona State- BCS has them at No. 8, but I’m reserving judgment until they play the Pac-10 heavyweights. They finish out with Cal, Oregon, UCLA, and USC. We’ll see how legit they are after that stretch.

Kansas- Lou Holtz declared them to be the second best team in the country. Thus they are automatically disqualified from the Top 10. Case closed.

are 13-2 in Thursday night games on ESPN, but both losses are to Boston College.

8.) South Carolina- Steve Spurrier may finally have the horses to give his old squad, Florida, a run for its money in the SEC East. Riding a stifling defense, led by a secondary that ranks third in the country in pass defense, they could get a shot at revenge against LSU in the SEC championship. That is, if they can thwart the Gators on Nov. 10.

9.) California- Another one of those “if only that one play had gone our way we would be No. 1” teams.

When backup QB Kevin Riley, a redshirt freshman, failed to stop the clock and allow time for the field goal unit to get onto the field, the Bears watched the No. 1 ranking slip away.

With starter Nate Longshore expected back soon from his ankle sprain, Cal should rebound quickly enough, especially if the talented receiving corps led by DeSean Jackson has anything to do with it.

T10.) Kentucky- I’ll come clean. I strongly believed Kentucky was overrated and felt validated when South Carolina trumped them pretty easily a couple weeks ago. Then they beat LSU and regained their credibility.

Andre Woodson simply has stepped up for the Wildcats when they need it most. Despite the great season, Kentucky could still finish just third in their division, the SEC East, behind South Carolina and Florida.

T10.) USC- The Trojans have played too many close games against fringe opponents and have suffered a devastating loss to a bottom-feeder (Stanford) to be considered elite. That

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thursday, october 18, 2007

Parker quarterbacks Tech defense BRIAN WRIGHT

ct sports reporter If you look at the Hokies’ depth chart, senior D.J. Parker is listed as the team’s starting free safety. But Parker also has an unwritten role as the leader of the secondary and a coach on the playing field.

“He’s the quarterback of the defense,” said defensive backfield coach Torrian Gray. “He does an outstanding job making all the calls, getting guys lined up and making them aware of what might be coming next.”

A good leader Parker also needs to be vocal and communicate with his teammates when necessary. At first, the responsibility was difficult for Parker, who is normally a quiet and reserved guy.

“I don’t talk too much,” Parker said.

“Coach Gray challenged me to be more vocal. He said if I’m going to be the free safety of this team, I’m going to have to speak up more.”

Parker faced other challenges on his way to success at Virginia Tech. As a star at Hampton's Phoebus High School, he played cornerback, quarterback and wide receiver. Upon graduation in 2003, Parker failed to receive a single Division I scholarship.

“I thought I could play,” he said. “I believed that I could play Division I football. When no one gave me any offers, it kind of hurt me.”

Parker went to Hargrave Military Academy for the fall 2003 semester before enrolling at Tech. As a freshman, Parker was a backup cornerback. Prior to the 2005 season, Parker was forced to adapt to a new position. Coaches moved him to free safety in an effort to give him more playing time.

“It was tough,” Parker said of the switch. “At free safety, you have to observe the whole field and know what the opposing offenses are doing. I had to look at film more. I had to be a student of the game.”

He has certainly learned the position well. Coaches and teammates point to Parker’s intelligence as one of his best skills.

“He’s real smart,” said cornerback Brandon Flowers, who was Parker’s

KYLE SWANSON/SPPS

NFL Power Rankings 1. New England Patriots (6-0): As they showed in their highly touted match-up against Dallas, this team is close to perfect. While the recent scandal around illegally videotaping opponents’ signals slightly tarnishes their three Super Bowl wins, what Bill Belichick and Tom Brady continue to do in Foxborough and on the road is simply masterful.

They continue to win and do so in style. The perfect pairing of Brady with flashy receiver Randy Moss has had great results and revived Moss’ lethargic career.

2. Indianapolis Colts (6-0): What can you say against the Colts? They have played well against every team they have played (although Tennessee gave them a scare) and the well-oiled machine that they are continues to power onward. The only reason why they are not number one is because they have not been tested like New England was against Dallas, and they have shown that while win-less, they have vulnerabilities, such as their secondary which is capable of giving up big yardage plays. Also, I like the draft choice of Anthony Gonzalez, the TE from Ohio State whose playing against the Titans may have proved the difference in winning that game.

3. Dallas Cowboys (5-1): Yes, they lost, and lost quite visibly. In what was considered the biggest match-up of the year so far, the Dallas Cowboys, coming off of an emotionally draining Monday night win and the resulting short week, stayed competitive with the best team in the nation … october 18, 2007

In 45 games for the Hokies, free safety D.J. Parker has registered 123 tackles and three interceptions while patrolling the secondary. Parker returned his latest interception for a 32 yard TD against Clemson on Oct. 6. roommate and teammate at Hargrave.

“He’s got instincts. He knows the play the other team is going to do before it happens. Our defense wouldn’t be as good as it is without him at free safety.”

Parker has let that knowledge transition into quality performance on the field. A consistent member of the defense, Parker has played in 45 games in his three and a half years in Blacksburg.

He saw action in all 13 games in 2005 at both free safety and on special teams.

One of his biggest plays came against Georgia Tech, when he took a blocked field goal 78 yards for a touchdown against the Yellow Jackets.

Last year, Parker started every game and made his first collegiate interception in the Hokies’ opener against Northeastern. He finished the season

with two picks and a pair of forced fumbles.

Parker has already recorded 38 total tackles in 2007, just three behind his single-season best, set last year. Parker notched 11 of those tackles in Tech’s game against LSU on Sept. 8.

Despite his leadership and his success, Parker is not one of the most recognized names on the Hokies’ defense.

But he doesn’t mind not being mentioned in the same category as other secondary standouts such as Flowers and Victor Harris.

“I’m happy for those guys.” Parker said. “They deserve everything they get.

They’re two of the best corners in the country. My job is to do what I do and everything else will take care of itself.”

What he did in the first quarter of Tech’s Oct. 6 game at Clemson gave

his club early momentum. On the game’s third play from scrimmage, Parker intercepted a pass from Tigers’ quarterback Cullen Harper, and ran 32 yards into the endzone. The Hokies never looked back and came out of Death Valley with a 41-23 win over the Tigers.

“To make a play like that in a hostile environment and give us an early lead was huge,” Gray said. “That’s a big lift for your team and sets the other team back.”

Parker may not be making many headlines, but he would like to see his name on an NFL team’s draft board next year.

“I think I put myself in a good position to do that,” he said. “My goal is to go on to the next level. That’s what I’m trying to work for.”

through three quarters. Although the Dallas defense fell apart in the 4th, that was in no small part thanks to the skill of the Patriots (see above) rather than the fault of the Cowboys.

While Dallas deserves to be number three right now, I am eager to see how they play against division rivals Washington and New York.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1): Mike Tomlin’s head coaching career in Pittsburgh has begun and although it is strange to look at the sideline and not see Bill Cowher, who for me has come to embody the Steelers, Tomlin has brought the team success so far this season. While Ben Roethlisberger is not an amazing quarterback like Peyton, Tom Brady, or even Tony Romo, he is a “good enough” quarterback for a team that has all the right tools in most other departments.

These tools include the sometimes inconsistent, yet nevertheless talented, RB Willie Parker.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1): Quarterback David Garrard leads this improbable team with no interceptions and six touchdowns. This solid offensive team is also blessed with the RB tandem of Maurice JonesDrew and Fred Taylor, and despite a mediocre defense and the continued absence of injured kicker Josh Scobee, if the offense continues to perform well with a minimal number of mistakes, they can expect more success in the future. …toseetherestofMatt’sNFLPower rankings and other blog entries, visit wwwcollegiatetimes.com/blogs.

- Posted by Matt Eldridge

Sports Briefs This will be a neardaily summation of what’s going on in sports from my perspective, complete with links, funny videos and whatever else I feel like doing. No further explanation will be given on any of the Sports Briefs.

It’s honestly sad that baseball has fallen to where it is today. I say this because the Colorado Rockies are putting together a truly ridiculous season. Led by … no one in particular, the whole team has stepped up to win 21 games in its last 22! That’s a winning percentage of 95.4 percent.

This is absurd. Watch them now that they’ve made their first World Series and won their first NL pennant. In the NFL, the Patriots can’t stop winning.

The Rams and Dolphins remain winless. And speaking of the Patriots, the october 18, 2007

AFC East’s remaining teams, minus the Patriots 6-0 record, stands at a combined 2-15.

As for the AFC West, nobody seems to want to win the division. Kansas City and San Diego are both at 3-3 with Denver and Oakland at 2-3.

How about the NBA?! Kobe is being a diva again and I can promise that you’ll hear all about it this year.

Kevin Durant (#2 pick last draft out of Texas) is looking like way more than the real deal for the Sonics.

Greg Oden (#1 pick last draft out of Ohio State) is out for the year for the Blazers. The NBA still means something right? Yeah, probably not. … to see the rest of Matt’s blog entry, visit wwwcollegiatetimes.com/ blogs.

- Posted by Matt De Lima

The Collegiate Times now has blogs online. Read the entire blog entry, and others, at www.collegiatetimes.com/blogs.

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page 10

While Woods takes a break, other golfers keep putting away RANDALL MELL

south florida sun-sentinel FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Two-and-half months without Tiger Woods. That’s what golf is faced with this fall.

Woods won’t play the PGA Grand

Slam of Golf this week in Bermuda, skipping the showdown of major championship winners to take a long break with his family.

Woods made his last appearance at the Presidents Cup on Sept. 30, and he won’t tee it up again until he plays in his Target World Challenge on Dec. 13.

That’s 73 days without the best golfer on the planet, a pretty good clue that nothing of monumental consequence is likely to unfold on the men’s tour the rest of the year. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be some good stories to be told in these final four events.

The PGA Tour Fall Series, continuing with this weekend’s Fry’s.com

Open in Las Vegas, is about more than the rank and file’s bid to secure fully exempt status. There are important invitations and championship berths to be won.

The top 30 on the PGA Tour’s final official money list earn Masters and U.S. Open invites. Players who finish among the top 50 in the final world

rankings list also earn Masters invites.

There also are world rankings points to be won to build momentum for eligibility standards to be met during next season’s competition.

“The reason I’m playing is I’m trying to get into The Masters,” PGA Tour pro Charley Hoffman said in the media room this week at the Frys.com

Open. “I’ve never played, and that’s my goal playing in the fall as much as I have.”

Unfortunately for the Fall Series fellows, The Masters’ reinstatement of its winner’s rule doesn’t apply in these events. Only winners of FedEx Cup schedule events earn an automatic Masters’ invite.

look down.

pick up.