COLLEGIATETIMES Gift ❄ giftsBEST under $20 Guide ❄
friday november 30, 2007 blacksburg, va.
www.collegiatetimes.com
news
BRUSH FIRE BURNS ON CATAWBA MOUNTAIN
At about 6 a.m. last night, a small brush fire was reported on Catawba Mountain not far from the popular hiking spot McAfee Knob. The fire in Roanoke County was mostly contained to a one-acre area of land on the ridge directly above Duck Pond Road off Bradshaw Road, on the western side of Virginia 311. Firefighters from Roanoke County Fire and Rescue are still keeping an eye on a few high-risk areas. Teams hiked a mile along the Appalachian Trail to find the brush fire site and contained the blaze by digging a trench around it. A helicopter and all-terrain vehicle with a 50-gallon water tank were also used to drop water on the fire.
sports ACC TICKETS STILL UP FOR GRABS The Atlantic Coast Conference Championship game is currently far from sold out. It has been estimated by the Gator Bowl Association that approximately 55,000 tickets will be sold for Saturday’s game between Virginia Tech and Boston College, which will leave more than 20,000 seats available. Furthermore, there could be additional seat vacancies depending upon how many people who purchased game tickets take the initiative to show up. What could compound the no-show situation is the distance involved in traveling from Boston College and Virginia Tech to Jacksonville. Some fear that many empty seats could embarrass the league if noticed by those watching on television.
corrections The story “Tech recognized for community outreach” (CT, Nov. 28) listed Mark McNamee as the university spokesman. McNamee is the university provost. “Gift guide: gifts for siblings” (CT, Nov. 29) was incorrect. Under “Books,” Easy Chair Bookstore’s location was put as N. Main St. It is now located in the University Mall. The Collegiate Times regrets these errors.
weather PARTLY CLOUDY high 51, low 27
CLOTHING
by drew jackson ct associate features editor
gift for around $20 can be the easiest or the hardest to buy. This is the broadest range of gift giving because it encompasses everyone you’re not attached at the hip with. New friends, old friends, first impressions and reminders are all here. Everyone knows the trick to gift giving is picking up on the little details about someone and forming your present around that, but this rule becomes even more important in this category. For $20 you’re probably only going to find one item, so it better be memorable. Gifts like these can have the most significant impact, and the goal is for the gifter to be as remembered as the gift. Everyone loves the iPod or flat panel TV they got, but rarely does one remember where it came from when scrolling through songs or channels. We do, however, always remember that someone was thoughtful enough to buy us a pair of gloves in our favorite color because they once heard us complaining of cold hands. Simplicity, not extravagance; that’s the key for the under-20 shopper.
A
There’s probably nothing more personal than clothes. Clothes allow us to showcase our personality without even opening our mouths. On the other side, clothes as a gift can also show how much you know about a person. There’s a reason Aunt Mildred from Sacramento never gets you a sweater you like. For under $20, though, clothes shopping can be hard, so it might be a good idea to stick with something seasonal. Right now, gloves, caps and scarves can make great gifts and are typically things people don’t buy for themselves. For the really adventurous and/or cheap shoppers, thrift stores serve as a literal workshop for one’s gift-giving imagination. There is something, somewhere, amidst all those ’80s clothes that your friends need, they just don’t know it.
THE GIFT OF LIFE Pets in college are never a good idea. That puppy is going to poop twice as much as it is going to be cute, so just hold off on the Mastiff until grad school. And cats are just a waste of everyone’s time. Instead, a simple fish should satisfy that animal lover on your list. Consider it a dog on training wheels. A Beta fish can be purchased at virtually any pet store, along with a bowl, food, and chlorine neutralizer (most important part) for around $20. Betas are the easiest fish to take care of, and with the aid of a mirror, they can also be the most entertaining. If the person you’re shopping for isn’t into fauna, perhaps some flora. Plants, as boring as
they may seem, can be interesting, and make any college-inhabited space look less like a prison cell. Bamboo is practically grass in a jar, but it really is a great gift. Anyone can take care of it. Plants are also an area where personality can be added to the gift. What is your friend’s favorite flower? Well, why not get him that potted whatever, or better yet, seeds and an interesting pot so they can grow it themselves? Some plants can be purchased at the Farmers’ market in downtown Blacksburg, or at Crow’s Nest Greenhouse off Prices Fork Rd.
ALCOHOL-RELATED An unfortunate majority of college students are unaware that the glorious world of beer extends beyond Keystone and Natural Light — way beyond. This is where the legally capable gifter can shine. For six of your friends, the ones you actually care about, buy six six-packs of different significant beers. For this, a trip to Blacksburg’s Vintage Cellar should do the trick. It will probably run around $60 for everything, but once you divide it out it becomes six gifts for $10 each. Might I suggest for your six packs, Guinness Draught, any Dogfish Head, a nice winter seasonal, any German (you can’t go wrong with Hofbrau), Starr Hill Jomo Lager (if you happen to be in the Charlottesville area), and Milwaukee’s Best Light to put everything in perspective. Another interesting idea for your beer drinker is a set of pint glasses with his or her favorite beer printed on the side because all good beer should be poured. For the wine fans, Target carries an electric bottle opener right at $20. I have no idea how this thing works, but it certainly sounds interesting.
ct news reporter Virginia Tech’s security has been under scrutiny lately, receiving commendations and criticisms alike. After a letter to the Collegiate Times stated that “Tech doesn’t want to expend finances toward improving its campus security until it is forced to,” complaints about the state of Tech’s campus watch and security guards’ equipment have surfaced. Campus watch members and security guards work under the Virginia Tech Police Department and are meant to complement the campus’ sworn police officers. “Campus watch is designed to be a few extra eyes and ears around the campus for the police department as an overall program, and their intent is to provide security for residence hall areas,” said Deborah Morgan, lieutenant with the VTPD. Campus watch is sponsored by residential and dining programs; however, the security guards are employed and paid by the VTPD, Morgan said. Campus watch includes the lock up guards, the building guards, and the safe ride van. Campus watch is responsible for walking around residence halls to make sure doors aren’t propped open, reporting anything that happens around that area to the police department, checking the emergency call boxes to make sure they work properly, manning some of the buildings they have on campus, and more. “They’re issued the same equipment, like radios, as the police officers,” Morgan said. “Their uniforms are different because you have to differentiate between the police and
see SECURITY, page two
ASHLEY OLIVER
ct associate news editor The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice and Services created a plan to enhance Virginia’s campus security system in August 2006; however, some associated with the security system at Virginia Tech feel that the system has not improved and that some security workers have been unfairly reprimanded. An employee of the campus watch organization at Tech who has chosen to remain anonymous said he believes three walking security guards at Tech were unreasonably and “conveniently” fired over Thanksgiving break. “Walkers are cheaper than sworn officers, basically the three people the student body relied on,” the source said. “It was the walkers who would report (suspicious activity), but you don’t have them right now because they’ve been fired.” All the security guards on campus work for, and are funded by, the Virginia Tech Police Department, and the walking security guards are specifically designed to protect students at night. “The walking patrol goes around and they are kind of extra eyes and ears to the police department,” said Lt. Deborah Morgan, VTPD. “They also look for any suspicious activity around (campus).” While the VTPD refused to discuss the employment status of the individuals, a second anonymous source also alleged that three walking units, David Cox, Steve Hutchins, and Peter Montgomery were let go over the break. While the sources believe the men were
released for taking a break to get coffee at 711 during their late hours (10 p.m. to 6 a.m.), Morgan strongly denied the claim. “We’ve never fired anyone for taking a coffee break. (Coffee breaks) have nothing to do with anything,” Morgan said. “Not one bit of any of that has any truth to it.” However, Steven Miller, a concerned Blacksburg citizen who had addressed the issue of seeing “little change” with the support for Campus Watch and security guards in a Collegiate Times letter to the editor on Nov. 14, believes that the three guards were fired. “I know of them, they have very good reputations; they were viewed as three of their best guys,” Miller said. “I just think they got a real raw deal. There’s just no question about it.” Miller also agreed with the reason for the guards allegedly being released, adding that he feels they aren’t supplied with proper clothing to stay warm during the winter nights. He said that other members of campus watch at Tech, which include the guards who are responsible for locking the campus, the building guards, and the safe ride drivers, aren’t always able to perform their job properly because of the lack of clothing. “The building guards are supposed to walk around their post at least once a night, some of them don’t do it at all,” Miller said. “Some of them don’t do it because they’re lazy, but some of them don’t do it because they’re cold.” However, Morgan disputed that claim and described campus watch’s supplied attire as “heavy winter parkas.”
see GUARDS, page two
Sizzlin’ on stage
ON THE WEB Watch the CT’s new video featuring a local jam session in front of D2 at www.collegiatetimes.com
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 104th year • issue 175
Xanadu, the shop on the corner of Roanoke and Main, can only be described as eclectic. Here one is sure to find a great gift for under $20. They have wine and martini glasses in every conceivable design, even stainless steel. I also found (and I’m still not sure if it was a hallucination or not) Andy Warhol lips. I don’t know what they are, but I feel like everyone should own a pair. This last idea is really simple, perhaps the simplest, but it just might yield the best results. No one ever subscribes to magazines, so why not order your friend a year’s worth of whatever you think they would enjoy the most? Rolling Stone offers 22 issues for $15. This way, your friend is practically forced to think about you the entire year, or at least once a month for an entire year. For your friends who don’t attend Virginia Tech, a subscription to the Collegiate Times is sure to warm their hearts.
FOLLOWING FIRINGS OF WALKING SECURITY GUARDS, CONCERNS ARISE ABOUT SAFETY OF VIRGINIA TECH CAMPUS COMMUNITY
MICHELLE RIVERA
Check out the CT’s coverage of the ACC Championship from Jacksonville, Fla. You can check updates over the weekend at www.collegiatetimes.com/blogs
Sports....................7 Classifieds..............7 Puzzles..................7
MISCELLANEOUS
Campus security in question
TUESDAY’S CT
News.....................2 Features................3 0pinions................5
It’s almost shocking to find a person who dislikes chocolate, so the sweet, rich, year-round favorite is usually a safe bet. The Chocolate Spike, next to the Café at Champs, has a counter full of different truffles, and who wouldn’t want a nice assortment? This can give you the chance to play on all the different flavors your lucky friend might like, as well as showcase your knowledge of his or her favorite kind of chocolate. Basically, there are the big three: milk, dark, and white. It’s possible to like all three, or only like one, but everyone has a favorite. If your friends aren’t chocolate fiends, they might still enjoy a variety of cookies from Crumb and Get It, or you could always cook them their favorite meal.
CAMPUS SECURITY CALLS FOR BETTER EQUIPMENT TO KEEP TECH SAFE
coming up
index
FOOD
JEFF SLOYER/SPPS
Brand New performed for students last night in Squires Commonwealth Ballroom. Log on to www.collegiatetimes.com to check out a photo gallery from last night’s concert.
SHAOZHUO CUI/SPPS
As a part of Aids Awareness Week, a screening at the lyric discussed homosexuality and Christianity.
Film screening sheds light on homosexuality ROSANNA BROWN
ct news reporter Without a spare seat in the house, ‘For the Bible Tells Me So,’ the movie that aired at the Lyric last night, ended in loud applause and a standing ovation from the audience. Scott Russell, a member of the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Association (LGBTA) caucus, said that the series of events this week at Tech is intended to coincide with AIDS Awareness week. The film “discusses looking at sexuality in the context of fate,” Russell said. In viewing the movie, the audience was able to hear the stories of families and put a little bit of personal faith on the issue of homosexuality, Russell said. The movie specifically targeted the Christian faith and how it has impacted the livelihood of homosexuals. In the movie, The Reverend and Professor Peter Gomes from Harvard University said that “they are failing to read the Bible in its context” in regards to Christians who believe that homosexuality is an abomination. Gomes stated that an abomination is a ritual wrong within the context of the Bible, and it does not intend to mean innately immoral. Laurence C. Keene, another reverend featured in the movie, said, “when someone says to me this is what the Bible says, I say, ‘no this is what the Bible reads.’” During testimony given by Joan Brown Campbell, the woman featured in the film, she said that certain parts of the Bible literally told you to take all you have and give it to the poor. Campbell asserted that no one really does this and that should be considered the same type of out dated belief as the one that classifies homosexuality as an abomination. Keene also shed some light on the story of Sodom and Gomorra in the Bible, which many readers believe to have been destroyed because of the sexual practices of the city. He said this assertion is “part of our secular wisdom or lack of wisdom.” Keene said she believes Sodom and Gomorra in context of the Bible is showing what happens to a city when they do not take the proper steps to provide hospitality to traveling visitors. Dick Gephardt, a politician who promoted the end of homophobia in his campaign and father to Chrissy Gephardt, experienced firsthand being surprised by his daughter’s profession of her homosexuality. Gephardt said in response that he and his wife showed
have a news tip? want to see something in the CT? e-mail tips@collegiatetimes.com
see FILM, page two