Thursday, November 20, 2008 Print Edition by Collegiate Times

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thursday november 20, 2008 blacksburg, va.

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news STUDENTS HAVE ARCHIVED APRIL 16 DOCUMENTS Justin Harrison, a computer engineering student at Virginia Tech, has worked with several other volunteers to post approximately 6,000 pages of documents relating to the campus shooting on April 16, 2007. The archive does not include documents relating to the police investigation because it is still open. The ﬁle in its entirety can be found at http:// www.prevailarchive.org/archive.

University names new research head RILEY PRENDERGAST

ct news reporter Don Leo, professor of mechanical engineering and associate dean of research and graduate studies, was recently named the special assistant to the vice president for research and energy initiatives and is looking to make some major changes at Virginia Tech. His work is being done through the dean’s task force for energy security and sustainability, whose mission statement calls to “coordinate, promote, and position Virginia Tech’s educational, research, and outreach efforts to achieve sustainable and secure energy systems,” according to its official Web site. This goal is congruent with the four areas of investment on which Leo hopes

to focus. The first of Leo’s areas of focus is to invest in “sustainable energy research;” he proposes this LEO could be done by promoting the construction of a pilot-plant facility in Blacksburg to help promote sustainable energy technologies in the construction process. His second area is to bring focus and increases to the nuclear science research at Tech. The plan will focus on the emerging need for nuclear power in the U.S. as a means of cleaner energy. The third area of investment will be going toward wind and

solar energy research. A working group will be merging the efforts of wind and solar technology, policy and planning to form a singular research effort. “I am hoping to build up the national prominence of research done here at Tech,” Leo said. These areas of research are a main focus of the dean’s task force, which is aiming to “position Virginia Tech as a leading resource for research and policy initiatives,” according to its official aims. The last area of investment will be going toward community engagement and the promotion of groups who will focus on both outreach and research. It will not only be research and working groups that Leo, along with the Dean’s Task Force, will be working with. “I am hoping to tap some ideas from

notoriety of the programs here and to increase visibility in areas that will increase our strengths,” Leo said. “One charge of our work groups will be to identify the top three leaders in areas that we want to promote, find people who will visit these facilities and bring their expertise to Virginia Tech.” The dean’s task force has already begun employing over a dozen energy research groups both outside and within the university, such as the tobacco commission and the center for energy systems research based within the mechanical engineering department. But delving into environmental sustainability research is no easy process. “I do want people to realize, however, that this is a long-term process,” Leo said. “We, as a university, need to look at this as a long-term process stretching over the next 3 to 5 years.”

university students through small initiatives and students within the community along with local efforts,” Leo said. “But we will need to wait until early next semester to hear how those initiatives will play out.” One problem that Leo is facing with his areas of investment is the glaring issue of the university budget. “There will be a small amount of money allocated, but part of the primary charge of the research groups … (is) that these groups look for external funding from funding streams such as federal or private grants” Leo said. Leo formerly served as a programs manager in the defense sciences office of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and is looking to hopefully bring some of his national experience to sustainability research at Tech. “The aim is to increase the national

sports MEN’S BASKETBALL OPEN TOURNAMENT IN PUERTO RICO After narrow home wins against Gardner-Webb and Mount Saint Mary’s, the Tech men’s basketball team will face Fairfield today in the first round of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Puerto Rico Tip-off. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU at 11 a.m.

On Obama: The hunt for a ‘Golden Ticket’ IN PREPARATION FOR OBAMA’S JAN. 20TH INAUGURATION, CITIZENS CLAMOR FOR ONE OF 240,000 TICKETS; WASHINGTON PREPARES FOR POPULATION INFLUX —story by Shannon Aud

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corrections In the article “46 years, 22 movies of 007,” (CT, Nov. 18) Halle Barry was incorrectly identiﬁed as the ﬁrst black Bond Girl; she was actually the third. The Collegiate Times regrets this error.

index News.....................1 Features................2 0pinions................3

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An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 105th year issue 106

39,300 are given to 100 senators, and 86,130 tickets will be allotted to 435 House members for distribution among their localities. This leaves many people’s requests unfulfilled. The increased involvement and interest in this past election may make this number even higher. “There just aren’t the accommodations for everyone who worked on the campaign. There will be lots of people disappointed, but I understand why it has to be this way,” said Janet Johnson, chair of the Montgomery County Democratic Committee for District A. “Barack Obama had about three million donors and many volunteers, and there are only 240,000 seats,” said Victoria Cochran, chair of the Montgomery County Democratic Committee’s Outreach program. “People can and will go and stand along the parade route. I know people who have been involved for decades who are happy to camp out. They are expecting a million in D.C. — I think it

he swearing-in of Presidentelect Barack Obama may still be months away, but the event that typically draws people from all over the country to Washington, D.C. will instead force many to view the historic ceremony on television. Tickets for the presidential inauguration on Jan. 20, 2009, are free and can be given to any American citizen. However, they are hard to come by. Tickets can be obtained by contacting a congressman. Members of Congress are designated a set number of tickets for distribution. There are about 240,000 tickets available, making them very hard to secure. Of those tickets,

will be more. I think it will be the biggest inauguration ever. America will be very proud of what it sees.” The results of the ticket requests will not be finalized until January. “I, along with thousands of other people, have called and hoped that I will be able to get a ticket. But I have no inside track,” Cochran said. The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies oversees, plans and executes all events for the inauguration. It is composed of both prominent Senate and House members, appointed by the vice president and the speaker of the House. The Presidential Inaugural Committee regulates participation in the ceremony. To be a performer in an inaugural parade, a request must be submitted to Armed Forces Inaugural Committee, which is reviewed by the PIC. This is another way that Americans can have a chance at being involved throughout the day. Currently the Capitol’s steps have been overtaken by construction of the Inaugural Platform, which is in the process of being completed. For every election, a new platform is constructed on which the new president is sworn into office. Inaugural activities and celebrations last around 10 days, from five days before the actual inauguration to about five days after. Judi Lynch,

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Just outside of the heart of downtown Blacksburg, a new and unconventional construction project is set to begin. Unlike most other ongoing ventures that feature commercial construction, Blacksburg residents Jim and Heather Cowan have purchased 32 acres for a family horse farm. The land will remain at least 90 percent pasture, Jim Cowan said. The property, as well as being in close proximity to commercial Blacksburg, will neighbor the construction of a housing development. Karen Hoge, the previous owner of the property, put a conservation easement on the property in 1991. The conservation creates a legally enforceable land protection agreement between the landowner and town of Blacksburg, and also allows for the property to be used for endeavors such as the horse farm. The Blacksburg town council oversees the easement. “Mrs. Hoge loved this piece of land and restricted so it would always be a scenic enhancement of the town,” said Elizabeth Obenshain, executive director of the New River Land Trust. Obenshain said that the conservation easement was a voluntary legal agreement between Hoge and the town of Blacksburg to limit the land to agricultural uses. A conservation easement must comply with the town’s comprehensive plan. The easement on this piece of property is unusual simply because of its location in the middle of Blacksburg. Normally, these properties are large farms or wildlife habitats — not minutes away from downtown. Because of the easement, this land cannot be divided, subdivided or sold for commercial use. “The town was very excited about this because it is a special place. This property sits on a hill that can easily be seen from many places in Blacksburg. The easement is viewed very positively and was well-received when proposed by Mrs. Hoge,” Obenshain said. The Cowans plan on building an equestrian facility that will be home to their personal horses. They also plan to lease some property so that a few other horses may be boarded. Within the farm will be a migratory bird habitat located near a second pond the Cowans plan on constructing.

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the faculty adviser to the College Republicans at Virginia Tech, was able to attend President George W. Bush’s inauguration in 2005. She received her ticket through then-Virginia Senator George Allen. “It was very awe-inspiring; it was a wonderful way to celebrate what this country represents,” Lynch said. “There was excitement as well as energy, and there was an understanding of what we were involved in when it comes to security and the fact that we were at war. It was just a very exciting celebration.” When Obama is sworn in on Jan. 20, many of his supporters are hoping for a historic inaugural ceremony. That may mean being glued to a television set or braving traffic and crowds in Washington, D.C. “I was watching the people in Grant Park, who were just there — maybe they could not even see Obama. But it is still so fulfilling. ... Just to be there and to be that close to history being made would be a great honor and privilege,” Cochran said, who plans on traveling to witness the inauguration firsthand. Many American’s are looking to Obama’s inauguration to see the beginning of what this next presidency will bring. “I expect his speech to be one that is often quoted — the way Kennedy’s is. I know a lot of people are going to be listening very carefully to what he has to say and where the country will go from here,” Johnson said.

Study aims to identify why women in science, engineering are in short supply

New horse farm aims to help Blacksburg grow sustainably SHANNON AUD

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“There will be a mile training-loop around the perimeter of the pasture,” Jim Cowan said. “There will be typical outdoor training facilities. It will be all organic pasture and farm management practices, as well.” The barn will be made of Auz-Bloc bricks, an environmentally friendly alternative to typical constructions, manufactured out of Floyd, Va. These bricks are made of recycled wood pulp and waste products from salt and paper mills. As Blacksburg continues to grow rapidly, this transfer of land ownership helps guarantee a slice of natural farmland setting that many Blacksburg residents love. Assistant Mayor Leslie Hager-Smith understands that purchases like these help slow commercial growth somewhat. “This particular land transfer is important,” HagerSmith said. “Many people don’t understand the inevitability of Blacksburg growing and may misunderstand how quickly that can happen. We rely on people that can take on the responsibility of conserving the land. One thing everyone in Blacksburg cherishes is the natural setting.”

Tech interdisciplinary studies professor Carol J. Burger holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and a Ph.D in immunology. Yet she’s often wondered: “Why aren’t there more of me?” A new study, aiming to determine whether certain factors, such as co-ops and internships, keep women in science and engineering careers, may give Burger a bit of insight. Virginia Tech is the co-recipient of a National Science Foundation $499,990 three-year grant for this study. Burger is a co-investigator of this new study on female engineering students and how programs and other factors such as formal internships and co-ops affect selfefficacy — or the perception of ability to complete a task — and retention, which is the likelihood of completing a degree in a chosen field. Burger will work with principle investigator, Rachelle Reisberg, director of Women in Engineering at Northeastern University, as well as colleagues from the Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Wyoming. Northeastern and Rochester have very formalized and required cooperative education programs, while Tech and Wyoming have what are considered optional internship or co-op programs. These universities were chosen as study sites because of their program differences. Burger said that one theory is that when female engineering students gain practical, workplace experience in their field of study their confidence will increase and they’ll stick to a chosen career. Reisberg added that the study is looking to see whether such an experience will improve the likelihood that a female student will want to remain in engineering, or whether it will be seen as a reality check, an eye-opener to the fact that this was not the career path they actually had in mind. “We’re just trying to do a study to identify the factors that help or hinder women engineering students,”

Reisberg said. “When you enter into a study, you can’t have conclusions in mind, but at the end, we’re hoping to have guidelines to help universities across the country as well as our own to shape programs.” Burger also explained that the study will, in the end, not only benefit female students in engineering, but students overall. “There are so many positive things that come out of these co-ops for students. They bring expertise back to the classroom, and it helps the whole educational enterprise over time.”

“We’re just trying to do a study to identify the factors that help or hinder women engineering students.” - RACHELLE REISBERG STUDY INVESTIGATOR Fleur Gooden, director and camp imagination and data manager of the Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Diversity at Tech, said that 15.8 percent, or 923 out of 5,830 undergraduate engineering students are female. According to the College of Engineering’s Web site, 163 of 1,111 bachelor’s degrees conferred between summer 2006 and spring 2007 — 14.7 percent — were awarded to women. An NSF report titled “Employed scientists and engineers, by occupation, highest degree level, race/ethnicity and sex: 2003” showed that of the 1 million-plus people recorded as employed engineers, 10.6 percent were women. Burger said that the study will soon begin and surveys will be sent out shortly to all sophomore male and female students in the College of Engineering. Eight $50 incentive prizes will be awarded for participation, and the surveys will be distributed once each year over the next three years. Both male and female students are encouraged to participate, and the survey is geared toward sophomores because students generally go into internships and coops in their second year.

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editor: bethany buchanan email: features@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: w 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., f 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.

november 20, 2008

Users employ creativity in game ‘LittleBigPlanet’ Finally, somebody has leveled the playing field. Well, in a miniature, yet larger-than-life fashion, of course. LittleBigPlanet is JONATHAN a traditional platYI former that runs simply on the ct features Playstation 3. At reporter first glance, these really charming and basic games, as many others in the platGAME REVIEW form genre,

are before their time. LittleBigPlanet changes that entirely when you are introduced to game’s ever-loveable hero, SackBoy. The game revolves around the player’s control of small avatars (SackBoys owing to their appearance) in a variety of platforming scenarios. Though the game features a set of pre-built levels for players to explore, of equal importance is the game’s customizable nature: Altering the player’s character and personal space as well as building entirely new objects and levels and then sharing and playing them online as part of the LittleBigPlanet community is a large part of the game’s draw. LittleBigPlanet examines the very nature of games and generates a dialogue between creators and players and the relationships possible between them. In LittleBigPlanet, players meet on a blue and green planet scattered with individual plots — and use their character’s amazing abilities to play, create and share what they build with other gamers throughout the world via the Playstation Network. It lifts the curtain of design as we know it, allowing the beautiful brains of everyone involved to spill out in a two-way conduit of creativity. It’s amiable, but more importantly enjoyable. But the real beauty of LittleBigPlanet is even less tangible: creative empowerment and an unparalleled motivator

to want to create. Developed by Media Molecule, a game development studio based in Guilford, Surrey, England, LittleBigPlanet has all the facets you could ask for: graphics, physics, music, online features and all the future potential based on user-generated content. Since first impressions are everything, with LittleBigPlanet know that you’re dealing with something special. While you can’t miss SackBoy’s darling visage printed right on the box art, the simple act of making him run around for the first time will warm your heart and make you smile. He’s one of the most adorably iconic characters in recent memory, with the perfect stitching, two shiny black eyes, some stubby limbs and a zipper up the front. As with many other aspects of LittleBigPlanet’s austere design, Sack people never lose their charm, no matter how you dress or decorate them. And decor is unlimited. Players are able to dress up and fully customize their

SackBoy with an array of items and clothing. You can customize everything, from his hair to his eyes and mouth, and even his expressions. This is done through use of an in-game tool called the Pop-It. The Pop-It doesn’t just allow you to make fashion choices for SackBoy; it’s also your main interface to the game and the community of LittleBigPlanet. Actor Stephen Fry offers his British wit for narration to help you get through the levels of the game — cheeky and all. One of the game’s strongest points is its soundtrack. Every level has some great jams that anybody can appreciate. It surely complements the whimsical elements that make up the crafted environments you’re working in. LittleBigPlanet has a few hindrances. Some pesky camera issues tend to foul up multiplayer games, which can result in unanticipated deaths of teammates. Although the ability to dance and create expressions may be appealing at first

instance, keeping any sort of sabotage at bay can be quite a task. The ability to pull and smack each other can get rather irritating in all its hilarity. Although the controls aren’t flawless (sometimes the precision required will annoy and jumps could be a tighter), LittleBigPlanet is an audiovisual triumph; the hip patchwork aesthetic, inexplicably funky soundtrack and instantly lovable Sack people all come together into one of the most universally likable presentations. Players can make their world as open or as secretive to exploration as they like. When it’s ready, one can invite anyone within the LittleBigPlanet community to come and explore their patch — or can go and explore everyone else’s. Overall, the level design of the original game content add to the replay value of the game and will lead to hours of game play with our little hero, SackBoy. Play, create and share is the motto for the game, and it’s one the LittleBigPlanet does an unbelievable job of for everyone, regardless of your gaming cup of tea.

LITTLE BIG PLANET PUBLISHER: Sony Computer Entertainment DEVELOPER: Media Molecule GENRE(S): Action PLAYERS: 4 GRADE: A ESRB RATHING: E (Everyone)

T-Pain’s latest album shines with famous collaborations PATRICK FITZGERALD regular columnist T-Pain recently released his third solo album on Nov. 11, titled “Thr33 Ringz.” In typical rap, R&B and hiphop fashion, the album was released under five separate record labels — including his own Nappy Boy Entertainment. In any case, T-Pain sticks to his typical style of music with some CD REVIEW great synth lines, hooks, a long list of guest appearances and, of course, his voice-box vocals. The song “Ringleader” sets the tone of the album, with statements referring to his domination of the producing, singing and rapping “circus.” (He wrote and produced every song, which is rare for an artist in this industry.) It has catchy vocals and gets the job done to hype up the listening experience for the rest of the album. The first single from the album is “Can’t

Believe It,” featuring Lil Wayne, and provides listeners with the second official T-Wayne collaboration (industry clarification: T-Pain + Lil Wayne = T-Wayne). To say that this track is soothing is a serious understatement. If Lil Wayne had not imposed his will at the end of the song, then you could put it on repeat for more than an hour and still not tire of the deep bass line, melodic synth line, beat-carrying snaps and catchy chorus. This is hands down the best song of the album (possibly the best song off of any T-Pain album), but is flawed by Lil Wayne’s end-of-song addition, which completely breaks up the flow. “Chopped and Screwed,” the second single from the album, is somewhat of a conceptual song for T-Pain. What at first may sound like a bad download turns out to be a part of the production concept that T-Pain was going for. The song is, at the least, initially very rough to listen to, but after a few spins

is actually a fun track. And Ludacris adds a lyrical-boasting verse and more natural flow to the song with his guest appearance. On “Freeze,” a track that is sure to spark some YouTube dance battle, T-Pain provides multiple verses between the Chris Brown-featured chorus, while the break down after each utterance of “freeze” adds a beat-box element to the song, a feature typically unexpected of such an artist. The track with T-Pain alone is mediocre, but the addition of Chris Brown elevates it to a club banger, ensuring that listeners make their way to the dance floor. The catchiest lyrics of the entire album are found in the chorus of “Freeze,” when T-Pain and Chris Brown trade off singing, “Girl, I’ve been waitin’ all night to see you dance like me, and you gonna sweat your outfit out, trying to dance like me, (Now let me see), Ah, ah, ah, now freeze, like me, oooh.” The rest of “Thr33 Ringz” includes

more guest appearances that give an overall boost to the album. Most notable is Kanye West’s addition to “Therapy,” which is a track worth purchasing if only for Kanye’s verse. T-Pain obviously understands that his best songs are created in collaboration with featured artists, and he does well creating tracks that feed off of each featured artist’s style. The solo tracks are also enjoyable, but none come close to touching his previous solo hits, “I’m N Luv (Wit A Stripper)” and “I’m Sprung.” One aspect of the album that may reduce your desire to purchase it as a whole instead of each track individually is the presence of numerous skits. I do not understand why an artist puts skits on an album; it kills any progression that the album may have, and they are no longer humorous after two listens. The album runs for fewer than 60 minutes if you subtract its skits, which leaves the listener desiring more from an artist

with such a reputation of hits. Even the deluxe edition includes just four additional solo tracks, upholding the listener’s hunger for more. “Thr33 Ringz” is T-Pain’s best album to date, maintaining his style while also demonstrating apparent improvements in his rapping and lyrics. All of the common themes for this brand of music — sex, lap dances, making money, dancing, hating others, being hated and being a boss (aka the “Ringleader”) — are present. If listeners are expecting the album to meet the same level of R&B notoriety as one from Usher, Ne-Yo or Raheem DeVaughn, then they are wasting their time. T-Pain will always be limited by his narrow vocal range, forcing him to resort to his skills as a producer and rapper for the remainder of his career. For those who like T-Pain, however, “Thr33 Ringz” will simply add depth to their collection of his produced hits and solo work. I recommend this album only to those who enjoy T-Pain’s style, or to those

who are fans of most artists featured on this album.

Grade: BYou might also like... T-PAIN “Pr33 Ringz” (pre-release)

R. KELLY “Double Up”

THE DREAM “Love Hate”

J. HOLIDAY “BACK OF MY LAC”

KANYE WEST “808’s and Heartbreak”

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

november 20, 2007

EDITORIAL

Support the Hokies at the Green Eﬀect game this Saturday This Saturday during the football game against Duke University, the Virginia Tech community will be given the opportunity to participate in the “Green Effect Game,” which promotes environmental awareness and sustainability on our campus. This initiative is being promoted by SGA, RHF and the Environmental Coalition. Two hours before kick off, volunteers from these organizations will distribute green trash bags to tailgaters in lots one through five, in order to encourage fans to recycle with the green bags. Volunteers will collect the bags at the end of the game. This is a great initiative taken on by SGA in order to promote recycling on campus. With so much attention in recent months being paid to taking better care of our planet, it’s nice to see SGA using its influence on campus to organize positive events of this nature. Football games are huge social gatherings here at Tech. Thousands of people pack the stands of Lane Stadium, to cheer on the Hokies. When you’ve managed to get some many people in one place at one time, it makes sense to take advantage of the situation and use all of these people to achieve a greater good. In the past, organized events of this nature have taken place, such as “Hokies for the Hungry,” a massive canned food drive sponsored by the Marching Virginians. In its

12th year, the most recent drive took place on Nov. 6 at the Maryland game, with contributions being distributed through the Montgomery County Christmas Store. In honor of “Hokies Thank the World,” last November, students, faculty, staff and community members gathered together on the Drillfield to spell out a message of thanks and appreciation to everyone who supported us on April 16. The department of geography sponsored the event, while aerial photographers captured the image and posted it online at hokiesthanktheworld.com. All of these initiatives are important in that they show support for our local community. It is too bad, however, that just as “Hokies Thank the World,” the “Green Effect Game,” is being held on a weekend when so many students will be going out of town for Thanksgiving break. Just as “Hokies Thank the World,” the turnout for the game this Saturday will probably be lower than the usual attendance at games, given the timing. Perhaps, in the future, SGA and other campus leaders will consider having these events on days more conducive to attracting a larger turnout of students to support these initiatives. The editorial board is composed of David Grant, Laurel Colella, David McIlroy, Sally Bull, Alex Kaufmann, Jackie Peters and Jenna Marson.

Differences in opinion promote intelligent dialogue KEVIN GILLISPIE regular columnist Have you ever wondered what transpired in people’s lives to bring them to believe what they do? What events can be credited for what side of the political fence they pitch their lawn chair? Probably not. Who cares where some pinko-commie or neocon-fascist comes from? Strike them from the face of the earth and be done with it. Chopping the ends off the political bell-curve might relieve many a headache, but without the bookends of militant partisanship of those opposite us, we’d have very dull anecdotes from which to hang our arguments. Many will read this column looking for a launch pad for righteous indignation, others for affirmation. I have said once before that I am a conservative — the minority opinion in academia. Frankly, neither of these classes of readership serve the purpose I want to achieve with this column. I take no sadistic joy in watching my ideological opponents squirm. I’m not interested in blind affirmation of my beliefs. I want dialogue. But before the volley of a meaningful discourse can be achieved, we need to know each other. (For those English majors keeping score at home, this is exactly what the New Critics did not want.) We need to know the whys and hows of our fellow conversationalists. So here is why I’m a conservative. Have you ever been taken to court? Were you convicted of the crime? Have you ever been convicted of a crime that would otherwise have put you before a firing squad? I have. Many years ago, I was standing watch around 3 a.m. aboard a U.S. Navy Frigate in the Sea of Japan. Never had a blackness befallen the sea as it did that night. No stars, no moon, no lights of other ships sailing on in diligent silence. Nothing. I’ll dispense with the poesy and say

that a rumor regarding the captain’s alleged abuse of power had taken hold of the sailors. For some adolescent reason, I took it personally. I was losing sleep, but it really had nothing to do with me. Nevertheless, the only recourse I saw fit was a dangerous act of civil disobedience. I sat down and went to sleep — on watch. Very soon, I found myself facing a court martial. I was tried, convicted, sentenced. I was not put to death. The captain only wanted to make an example of me. And for years, I held his name in contempt — the contempt of an ignorant brat. Even thinking about speaking his name aloud brought rage to my throat. It took even more years for me outgrow this puerility. And when I did, I came to understand that everything that has happened to me could be credited to an adopted sense of victimization — or at least my response to them. The wrongs I had committed, the bitterness I had harbored, the injustice I had perceived in my life, everything, in fact, was my own fault. I had manufactured and sold myself all the failings I “didn’t” deserve. It wasn’t long until I discovered that personal responsibility was a cornerstone of American conservatism. The appeal was quick and satiating. Those more ambitious of my ideological opponents have Hokie-stalked me and found that I live in Monteith. My involvement in the Corps serves as a living example that I have taken this vow of personal responsibility seriously and that I hold no grudge against anyone for the recklessness of my less-informed days. It is also a celebration of the men and women who are on their way into harm’s way. They work to ensure that I will continue to have the liberties that allow for personal responsibility. I cannot follow them to the front lines — I was built for another service — so it is imperative that they know that we know who they are and that we hold them in the highest esteem for what

they are about to enter into. There are times in our lives when we don’t deserve the life we enjoy in this country. When I slept on watch, I did not deserve the freedoms I have always enjoyed. But one of the great blessings our nation offers is membership in its citizenry, even when we don’t necessarily deserve it. This affords us the opportunity to learn why what we have is so rare and precious —they may be rights, but they’re still exceptions. Which brings up another cornerstone of conservatism: gratitude. It is the antidote to the majority of aggravations our charmed American lives present us. But I haven’t the room herein for that conversation. To cement this dialogue, I ask about who you are. What happened to you that brought you to believe what you do? I ask you to write a letter to the editor or leave a comment on this column’s Web page. Not because I will benefit from it, but because you will. Putting your beliefs into words forces you to understand yourself. If this sounds too touchy-feely, allow me to rephrase: Go do something with your life that doesn’t begin with “advanced placement” before accusing me of party-line bigotry or thoughtless jingoism. Because the dander raised over my opinions have nothing to do with me. It is ire projected onto a complete stranger. It is the product of insecurity and misinformation, and impetuous adolescence. Write your beliefs out in plain English, study them, and test them by living them. It has benefited me to no end. I am prone to the same insecurity and misinformation as my ideological opponents, but I take consolation in my incessant need to know when I’m wrong. In the meantime, let’s discourse — without the conversation-halting epithets. I’m not so self-important to think a discussion must involve me, but discussions fail without those who differ.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Majoring in college sports is unrealistic I am writing in response to the letter “Allow college athletes to major in their sport of choice” (CT, Nov 19). First off, Matt Leinart returned to USC for his senior season of football. As a fifth-year senior, he came back to school to finish his degree, taking a ballroom dancing course to complete a requirement for his sociology degree. Granted, it was an easy course, but he passed up millions as a possible first or second pick to complete his degree. And all this occurred after he won the Heisman Trophy his junior year. As for Tebow, he uses his major almost every week, talking about his faith and its role in football to children, families and even prisoners, and attends mission trips throughout most of the summer. So, before you bash these athletes, check up on their motives. Yes, the NBA policy is just asking for “one-and-done” players because they aren’t necessarily required to attend any classes. They will be placed on probation after the first semester then kicked out of school after the spring semester, but they will have already declared for the draft and left school. The NFL policy is more proactive, requiring an athlete to be at least three years removed from high school to declare for the draft. This gives a student-athlete ample time to make significant progress toward his or her degree. Now, for your argument about letting student-athletes major in their respective sports, it is far-fetched and unrealistic. You say only the best of the best can get in. What happens with the five-star recruit who has a career-ending knee or neck injury? What good would a major in football or basketball do for them then? What about the freshman walk-on who becomes a first-round draft pick during his collegiate career? So, since he wasn’t the “best of the best” and couldn’t get into that major, he is not as prepared as the rest of the athletes? Let the student major in any program currently offered, and if you’re worried about how they will spend their money, require or strongly suggest them to minor in business or at least take a few business courses. This lets them major in something they might want to pursue after their playing days, yet still gives them a beneficial background on how to handle the money if it comes. By offering a football or basketball major that only lasts two to three years, aren’t schools just asking the player to leave early? I agree with trying everything pos-

sible to get an athlete to graduate, but optimistic views and realistic views are not the same here. Most of the athletes who decide to leave early do it in order to better the life of their family or because they have nothing left to prove in collegiate sports, as in the case of Kevin Durant and Reggie Bush. Why would they want to turn down $10 million per year and risk injury? While it is very beneficial to stay in school, receive the diploma, and further their skills in the sport, it is tough to ask a player to risk injury and give up years of professional sports. Plus, they could still come back after retirement to finish their degree — it’s difficult to do this the other way around.

Chris Lautenschlager junior, HNFE

This Thanksgiving, quit cold turkey Dear smokers, Two years ago my mom received a death sentence. No, she didn’t go to prison. Seven days before I left home for my sophomore year in college, my mom was diagnosed with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer. She was given 3 to 4 months to live. And yes, she was a smoker and now she continues to fight to stay alive with the guilt of causing harm to herself and potentially others. However, you should live with this guilt, too. Each year, 15,000 non-smokers die from lung cancer because of secondhand smoke. This year, 1.3 million people will die from lung cancer. Today, Nov. 20, is the Great American Smoke Out, the day that our nation decides to put down its cigarettes and end the habit. So, what makes you still smoke? Is it because it eases your stress? Or do you get a buzz? Or do you just really want cancer? 1,500 Americans die each day from cancer. That’s one person per minute. As we pursue our undergraduate or graduate degrees, are we not learning anything? Sixty percent of cancers are preventable. Please do yourself and your peers a favor. Put down that cigarette. Save your life. Save the lives around you. Think about your kids. Don’t put them through the heartache my family and I know too well. Let’s celebrate the Great American Smoke Out and Thanksgiving; quit cold turkey.

Alice Wagner senior, psychology

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Students should be pro-active given the current job market LIZA ROESCH regular columnist People always remind us that we’re the privileged ones. We’re privileged because we’ve earned the chance to better ourselves through higher education. But the value of our precious bachelor’s degree is declining, and the number of opportunities we have with such a degree is following suit. For example, in 1953, 26 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 24 had earned a high school diploma. In 2008, the same number of people have bachelor’s degrees. Therefore, from a purely statistical comparison, the bachelor’s could arguably be called the new high school diploma. To be fair, I understand that there are more careers today that require college degrees than there were in the 1950s. Any job dealing with computers or environmental issues are obviously more in demand now than they were 50 years ago. But those statistics are still alarming. Jobs that used to be filled by people holding just a high school degree are now attracting college graduates. Cops, teacher’s aides, hairdressers, bank employees and many other jobs traditionally held by people who probably didn’t have any college experience are now requiring at least an associate’s degree in some cases. While this may be alarming to us because it means the quality of the jobs we’re qualified for is declining, it’s also alarming that the number of decent jobs available to high school graduates is decreasing as well. How bad will the situation get for those with just a 12th

grade education? Will it become impossible for someone to support a family on the salaries they’ll receive? It’s also important to note that not all college graduates will suffer from this problem. And not all bachelor’s degrees are created equal. A degree in computer science or finance will probably yield more money and jobs than one in English. If you can have your dream career with a bachelor’s degree in English, that’s great. If we look at a degree as a tool for making us a competitive force in the job market, however, we may want to take a closer look at how much return we’re making on our investment. For example, an economist who studies the value of college degrees for the College Board was quoted in a recent article by “U.S. News and World Report” after making several interesting findings. She found that a person with an undergraduate degree makes an average of $51,000 a year, around $20,000 more than someone who only has a high school diploma. To take it a step further, those who continue their education with a professional degree earn an average of $100,000 per year. But equally as significant, the number of jobs available to them increases significantly as well. While it’s not a surprise that those with higher degrees make more money and have more job opportunities, I fear the gap between bachelor’s-degree earners and those with higher degrees will become even greater. Since so many jobs are requiring a bachelor’s degree, it will be even more important to get the specialization that graduate degrees bring in order to get the jobs we want.

Getting more thorough training for our ideal job isn’t a bad thing. It’s a great thing. But until the cost of attending college goes down, fewer people will have such chances, and more people will be forced to settle for jobs for which they may feel overqualified. And there’s a good chance they probably are. So what should we do? Sit back and pout and demand better jobs? Unfortunately that probably won’t get us anywhere. And unfortunately, graduate school isn’t a viable option for a lot of students. We already face heavy student loans and the pressure to start working in order to pay them off. Therefore, as we enter the bleak job market ahead of us, we can’t simply hope for the best. With all these factors in mind, we need to seize every opportunity while we’re in school and when we leave. We need to plan early, set ourselves apart from others and do our best to display what we’re capable of to potential employers. Internships, externships, meaningful volunteer work and extracurriculars as well as solid references are things we shouldn’t put-off worrying about until our junior or senior year. In the end, any kind of degree is ultimately what we make of it. We’re not doomed to make less money than those who came before us with the same degree. And it’s not necessarily impossible to get our dream job because we couldn’t afford another two years of school. But we need to be proactive. It is not just because we want an education that will bring us a big income. It is because we want to be properly qualified for the job that allows us to do what we love.

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november 20, 2008

Quan dynasty reigns supreme in Tech intramurals MELANIE WADDEN

ct sports reporter Quan domination began back in the fall of 2003 when Ty Biagas, Adam Abramson and Rob Colley founded this intramural super team. That fall, they won their first intramural championship at the USOA Flag Football tournament. Since then, the team has expanded to participate in men’s, women’s and coed advanced-division flag football, basketball, volleyball and even a dodgeball tournament. “My brother and his friends had the name “Quan” before I came to Tech, and when I came I joined on and got some of my friends over the years,” said senior marketing major and current captain Jacob Colley. “In that way we’ve sort of accumulated people.” The rumor around intramural sports is that the Quan dynasty not only scouts out players and recruits, but also holds frequent practices to perfect its game. Fellow teammate and frequent standout player Elisabeth Ferrell — a senior human nutrition, food and exercise major — followed up on the subject. “It’s too cold to do any of that,” she said. “People think we’re so hyped up, but it just happens to be that we play so well together and we have so much fun doing it. It’s like so many people think that we practice, and we don’t even have plays. We don’t have plays — Jacob literally lines us up on the football field and is like, ‘Liz, you do this. Alicia, you do this. Waddle, you do this.’ And we take the ball and run.” As far as recruiting goes, the team denies any part of it. “We definitely don’t recruit; it’s mostly just a friends-of-friends kind of thing — like when people graduate and we need more people to play, we’ll just ask around to people on the team to see if they know someone who’s good at the sport we’re going to play,” Colley said. “Then we kind of ask them to play, and if they want to play and they’re not on another team … it’s worked out for us, I guess.” Another part of the rumors involved frequent, intense practices throughout the year. “Never have I ever attended a Quan practice,” Ferrell said. “I mean, we joke around in our e-mails — we have a Quan listserv — we write them to each other on a weekly basis. I sent one out like, ‘See you at team run, 6 a.m!’ We pretend to take it seriously, and I think

that’s the best part.” One underlying question with the team surrounds the meaning of “Quan.” According to Colley, the name originated from the movie “Jerry Maguire.” “Cuba Gooding Jr.’s character uses the word ‘quan’ instead of money,” he said. “He wants ‘the quan,’ which is like the ultimate thing, kind of like a holy grail.” In the popular 1996 film, Gooding’s character, an up-and-coming NFL player, tells his agent, “Some players have coin, but I have the quan. I risk all for the quan.” The members of Quan speak in a similar fashion. “One funny thing is at the end of all our e-mails,” Ferrell said. “We’ll say, ‘We live for Quan,’ ‘We die for Quan,’ ‘We love Quan,’ ‘We live Quan,’ or something stupid like that.” As far as championships go, the Quan count is currently at 21 and growing, with three teams still in the current flag football playoffs — men’s, women’s and coed. But many wonder what makes this team so good if it doesn’t practice, recruit or plan plays. How do all of these players mesh together so well? “We’re really team oriented, and that’s the biggest thing we have with Quan — everyone contributes and everyone has fun with it,” Colley said. “Everyone plays as much as they can so that we can win; we go out to win, and we have fun with it. We’re a really cohesive team, and we get along really well together. We go out there to win or lose and to have fun, and it’s worked out pretty well for us so far.” Ferrell agrees, citing continuity mixed with longevity. “I think what makes us good is the fact that we have so much fun together and we’ve been together for so long,” Ferrell said. “We’re in my fourth year on the team; a lot of us are seniors and grad students. We’re just out there having fun and joking with each other, always high-fiving over the stupidest things. … There’s great team chemistry.” Granted, Quan has proved its domination time and time again in a handful of different intramural sports and tournaments; basketball and flag football have been the main two for the group — mostly in the advanced men’s and coed divisions. “We won every game last year by mercy rule in football except for one,” Ferrell said. “For basketball, I’d say we usually win over half of our games by mercy rule. For girls’ basketball, how-

ever, usually have a pretty tight game.” As far as the women’s teams go, their name may vary, but their success never changes. “There have been all-girls’ teams,” Colley said. “But they don’t usually call themselves Quan for whatever reason. Volleyball had an all-girls team called Ace in Your Face. The girls that play on that team are a lot of graduate students who work here now, though. They were my brother’s friends when he was still in college and they played then.” “Girls’ basketball is called the Golden Oldies, and we won last year,” Ferrell said. “This is the first year that I’ve played on the all-girls football team; it started out as a bunch of other girls, and they just happened to ask a bunch of us Quan girls to play, so it’s like all of the Quan girls playing on this team, but it’s called Kryptonite. We’ve won every game by mercy rule.” Margin of victory plays an interesting role in the intramural world at Tech. Where in most competitive sports the lower-string players go in when the scoring margin gets large enough, in intramurals here that is seldom the case. The margin of victory is taken into account, along with overall record for playoff seeding. This being the case, running up the score can often be confused with bad sportsmanship. “I could not even tell you an average margin of victory for basketball or football,” Colley said. “We don’t go out to run the score up; we just kind of go out and have fun and play the game like we normally would. It’s not an intentional ‘we try to score as many points as we can’ to get a large margin thing; it just kind of happens.” Another reason why Quan’s totals are so scoreboard-breaking is because of the number of people they carry on each team. “We generally have a small group of people — like in my freshman year in 5-on-5 basketball, we only had five players,” Colley said. Combined with the fact that there are no weak players on the team, everyone associated with Quan plays so well together because they have played with each other for so long. This has, however, been a problem in the past — mainly in the CoRec 5-on-5 basketball championship in the spring of 2006. “It was two years ago,” Ferrell said. “We only had two girls, and I ended up fouling out, so they took a guy out of the game too — less than five minutes left to go, we had three players on their five

MATT BOONE/SPPS

Quan junior Jen Slater runs near the sideline before she’s met by senior Madeline Nestor during an intramural flag football tournament game on Monday evening. Currently, Quan has won 21 intramural championships. players and we were still winning.” Quan ended up narrowly losing that championship, and Ferrell, for one, was devastated.Intramural rules say that ratio of men-to-women can only be off by one in CoRec basketball. This means that since Quan only had two girls, the ratio for the majority of the game was three men to two girls. When one girl fouled out, the ratio was three men to one girl, and thus, they made a male player come out of the game to keep the ratio intact, which left only three Quan players remaining on the court. At the end of the day, it is always hard to lose — especially in a championship game — but the Quan dynasty is vast and intense, as is the amount of closet

space needed to store coveted intramural championship T-shirts. “I’ll give some to my best friend or, like my roommate missed the USOA flag football tournament this fall and he plays during the season with us, so we got an extra shirt and gave it to him,” Colley said of his full closet of championship shirts. “We just give them to friends and anybody who really wants one, I guess. I try to keep a couple per year.” Ferrell, on the other hand, has hers ready for wearing. “I have … 8,” she counted. “They are all hanging in my closet right next to each other, and I wear them regularly.” For those players thinking of challenging Quan, the team says, come

prepared to play it out. “I feel like in intramurals, everyone’s pretty chill about playing and stuff — I guess we’ll come out and play and see what happens,” Colley said. “I don’t like being cocky with it or anything, but if they want to talk some smack to us, we’ll play them. It’s like if we get a bad draw and play a good team in an early round or something — you have to beat the best to be the best, so it doesn’t really matter.” This dynasty’s reign may be wrapping up, however; most of Quan’s members will be graduating in the spring. “We’re scared that Quan isn’t going to continue after this year,” Ferrell said. “Three girls and a few guys aren’t graduating, but we’re mostly seniors.”

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thursday, november 20, 2008

THE TOPSY-TURVY ACC FOOTBALL CONFERENCE HAS DEFIED AND BAFFLED EXPERTS FOR THREE SOLID MONTHS. WHILE NOVEMBER CLOSES IT COMES AS LITTLE SURPRISE THAT TWO ACC CHAMPIONSHIP BIDS REMAIN SWIRLING IN THE AIR. WITH FOUR SQUADS IN THE ATLANTIC DIVISION AND FIVE IN THE COASTAL STILL HOLDING A SHOT AT THE BCS, THE FINAL TWO WEEKS WILL DECIDE WHO HEADS TO DUKE IT OUT IN TAMPA. — COMPILED BY BRIAN WRIGHT MARYLAND (7-3 OVERALL, 4-2 ACC, 3-0 ATLANTIC): One scenario for the Terps to go to Tampa would be for them to win their final two games — Florida State at h o m e this Saturday as well as a potential showdown at Boston College on Nov. 29. Also, Maryland can lose to Florida State, beat BC and have Wake Forest top the Eagles this weekend. If this were to occur, Maryland, the Noles and Wake would all have 5-3 conference marks. However, the Terrapins’ 4-1 division record would give them the Atlantic.

BOSTON COLLEGE (7-3 OVERALL, 3-3 ACC, 2-1 ATLANTIC): The Eagles are another team that controls its own destiny. BC wins the division with victories over Wake Forest and Maryland.

FLORIDA STATE (7-3 OVERALL, 4-3 ACC, 2-2 ATLANTIC): With their loss to the Eagles last weekend, the Seminoles have to top Maryland in College Park and get plenty of help. First, BC needs to beat Wake F o r e s t and then Maryland needs to beat the Eagles. With that, FSU and Maryland

l a t s a c o i Atlant C n o i s i v i n Divisio D

VIRGINIA TECH (6-4 OVERALL, 3-3 ACC, 2-1 COASTAL):

would be knotted at 5-3. But the Noles’ win over the Terps would give the garnet and gold a head-to-head tiebreaker edge.

WAKE FOREST (6-4 OVERALL, 4-3 ACC, 2-2 ATLANTIC): The Deacons hope that Maryland has a couple of bad games left in it — that’s because Wake needs the Terrapins to lose to both Florida State and Boston College. Not to mention the fact that Wake Forest must win against the Eagles this coming Saturday.

Although many in Blacksburg called the season a lost cause after the disappointment in Miami last Thursday, Tech still has a legitimate chance to claim the conference title. The maroon and orange will become the biggest Georgia Tech fans tonightwhen

Georgia plays host to the ’Canes. If the Yellow Jackets top Miami and if the Hokies beat Duke and Virginia at Lane Stadium, Virginia Tech will be Tampa-bound. Based on a 4-1 divisional record compared to Georgia Tech and Miami’s 3-2 mark, the Hokies would hold the tiebreaker and win the Coastal title. Those close, three-point victories against the Yellow Jackets and North Carolina look huge right now.

MIAMI (7-3 OVERALL, 4-2 ACC, 3-1 COASTAL):

T h e Hurricanes can erase the Hokies’ championship hopes by simply beating Georgia Tech tonight in Atlanta. Add in a loss by UNC this weekend and Miami would clinch the division. Wins over the Yellow Jackets and NC State would give them a 6-2 record in the ACC — one that can’t be matched by any other Coastal rival.

NORTH CAROLINA (7-3 OVERALL, 3-3 ACC, 1-2 COASTAL): For the Heels to have a

chance, they need to beat in-state rivals Duke and NC State as well as have Miami, Virginia and Virginia Tech lose.

GEORGIA TECH (7-3 OVERALL, 4-3 ACC, 1-3 COASTAL): Most import a n t l y, t h e R amblin’ Wreck must beat Miami in its final conference game — this would help the Hokies and, more importantly, itself. Then, Tech needs some help. The Jackets would need North Carolina, Virginia and Virginia Tech to lose.

VIRGINIA (5-5 OVERALL, 3-3 ACC, 2-2 COASTAL): T h e Cavaliers need a whirlwind of events to occur. First, they have to win their remaining contests. Secondly, they would need Miami to lose its final two. Virginia is also focusing on just getting to postseason play. It still needs one victory to obtain bowl eligibility.

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