COLLEGIATETIMES
thursday february 12, 2009 blacksburg, va.
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news ADMISSIONS APPLICATIONS REACH NEW HIGH
Buzz killed: Hokies beat Hornets
Virginia Tech received 21,150 applications for admission this Spring, setting a university record for the fourth consecutive year for number of freshmen applicants. The university typically offers admission to around 12,000 prospective freshmen.
TOWN HALL MEETINGS TO BE HELD Virginia Tech President Charles Steger will hold two public meetings next week to address a budget shortfall that could exceed $30 million. Steger will hear suggestions from the public, but has told the House Appropriations Committee that he is considering a 9 percent tuition increase to accommodate the reductions. KYLE MOIR/SPPS
sports WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HOSTS HURRICANES The Tech women’s basketball team will try to earn its second ACC win against Miami — a club that also has just one league victory. The Hokies, at 11-13 overall, are on a two-game losing streak. However, in their last meeting with the ’Canes in Coral Gables, Fla., Tech notched an overtime win on Feb. 11, 2008. Miami will be led by senior guard Shenise Johnson, who averages 12.7 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.
tomorrow’s weather MOSTLY SUNNY high 57, low 36
corrections If you see something in today’s paper that needs to be corrected, please e-mail our public editor at publiceditor@collegiatetimes.com, or call 540.231.9865.
coming up TOMORROW’S CT See how the governor proposes Virginians solicit state funds for economy-boosting projects. Look for a photo gallery showcasing the Hokies’ win over Georgia Tech last night in Cassell.
index News.....................2 Features................4 0pinions................3
Classifieds..............5 Sports....................6 Sudoku..................5
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 105th year • issue 14
Behind the tough play of guard Malcolm Delaney, right, and gritty defense by forward J.T. Thompson, above and top, the Hokies climbed to 6-3 in the ACC at the beginning of a crucial stretch in their schedule. Burnishing their NCAA credentials will require a strong performance in the Hokies next three contests, each a match where the Hokies will be favored to win.
THOMAS EMERICK
ct sports editor After aiding Virginia Tech in overcoming an 18-point deficit on Sunday, the full court press turned into the team’s greatest enemy last night. The Hokies weathered Yellow Jacket runs with improved rebounding and timely free throw shooting to preserve their second-half lead and notch its second ACC home win this week, 76-71. Tech head coach Seth Greenberg switched his team to a 2-3 zone at the seven-minute mark, bolstering his team’s interior defense and holding ACC-leading rebounder Gani Lawal to only one rebound in the second half. “That’s not my personality,” Greenberg said. “But we were in severe foul trouble, we weren’t
doing a very good job defending the ball screen, they were getting the ball into the low post just too easily — which has been a problem recently — and I thought it could buy us some time ... And we did a good job rebounding the ball out of it.” The Hokies outrebounded a team ranked third in the ACC in total boards by a 43-40 tally. Sophomore forward Jeff Allen recorded a game-high nine on the night, while center Cheick Diakite and guard Terrell Bell each added seven. “In the first half I thought Virginia Tech was much more aggressive than us getting to the offensive boards,” Georgia Tech head coach Paul Hewitt, whose team attempted 16 fewer free throws, said. “We weren’t strong around the basket.”
Virginia Tech held a 50-37 lead and crucial momentum in front of a raucous home crowd. But the cushion, as it often has in Atlantic Coast Conference contests this year, proved tenuous. The Hokies saw Georgia Tech embark on a 12-2 run after it enacted the full court press. Tech repelled the run with a scoring surge by Malcolm Delaney, who scored all but three of his 23 points in the final 21:32. Delaney would nail 14 of his 15 free throws. “We threw over the top a couple times, we attacked a couple times, and we made free throws,” Greenberg said. “We made them foul us, and we got the right guy to the foul line.” Outside of Delaney, the Hokies hit only 10 of 21 free throws. The Hokies had difficulty inbounding the ball in the late going, once getting called for a
five-second violation and being forced to call back-to-back 30-second timeouts with under a minute left. Two Hank Thorns’ free throws put Virginia Tech up by a count of 76-71. If it was Thorns who closed the door, it was sophomore forward Jeff Alen who kept it open. “I thought in the first half Jeff Allen was just a monster rebounding the ball,” Greenberg said. Delaney commenced the contest on a cold streak, but fired up on the home crowd heading before heading into the locker room for intermission. He scored five in the final two minutes of the first half, including a buzzer-beating runner to push Tech’s halftime lead to 41-31. The Hokies next travel up to College Park to face the Maryland Terrapins Saturday at 4 p.m.
Tech strives to innovate Cassell hosts in engineering classes Special Olympics Saturday
RILEY PRENDERGAST
ct news reporter The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has released the findings of its study on engineering education in undergraduate programs in its January 2009 edition. The foundation noted that “engineering schools are heavily influenced by academic traditions that do not always support the profession’s needs” and called for a new model of engineering education. A survey of education conducted at 40 institutions offering undergraduate engineering programs found an emphasis on lectures and projects that were not applicable to the disciplines students would be working in. There are 1,740 institutions in the United States that offer undergraduate engineering programs, and most of them were found to be underwhelming in terms of engaging their students, according to the report. Virginia Tech, responding to pressures of the need to engage undergraduate engineers in all aspects of their education, has stepped up its teaching methods. Multiple professors in the College of Engineering have received awards for excellence in education. The recognized professors include Hayden Griffin, dean of the engineering education department, who recently received the Alumni Teaching Award. Janis Terpenny, associate professor of mechanical engineering, was awarded with the Edward S. Diggs Teaching Scholars Award. The recognition of professors in the Tech engineering program for their strides in teaching gives merit to the pace Tech is keeping with the education curve. Griffin explained that the undergraduate system is broken into two sections, a lecture and a more hands-on workshop. “We try and make sure that all of the material is worthwhile,” Griffin said. “We try and put everything in terms of something that they will actually encounter in engineering. There needs to be a clear worth to the material.”
SCOTT MASSELLI
ct news staff writer
MARK UMANSKY/SPPS
Chemical engineering major Bethany Lambright and civil engineering major Daniel Mariani work on their physics lab together. “The strategy is to keep the material from getting dry,” Terpenny said. “The reason why students may find it dry is that they are learning the material out of context.” Terpenny explained that the lack of relevance of the material to students hurts the chances of any learning happening. “People choose the engineering major to make a difference in the world, their education can be in the concept of solving real problems,” said Terpenny. “I always think realism is important, whether
I’m teaching seniors, juniors, sophomores or freshmen. I always try and incorporate realism.” There was also a dilemma of professors not engaging in material because of its lack of relevance. Professors could not put it across as something engaging to their students. “As a student myself, I can see if the instructor is really engaged in the material. Their enthusiasm makes it easier for me to
see INTERACT, page two
At first glimpse, it seems as though the day every Hokie fan dreads has finally come: “Enter Sandman” thunders out the speakers of Cassell Coliseum, and A.D. Vassallo and Malcolm Delaney do not sprint onto the floor. But for the players who do take to the court on Feb. 14, it will set off a day of celebration of perseverance for all fans to enjoy. Starting on Saturday at 9 a.m. in Cassell, the Virginia Special Olympics will continue its tradition with 200 basketball players and power-lifters competing for their shot at a state championship next month. Also, collaborating with the organization’s “Volunteer 2 Cheer” program, several Virginia Tech varsity student athletes will be on hand to show their support. Cassell Coliseum Facilities Manager Ken Sheets said that the opportunity to play on the hardwood is a wonderful opportunity for the athletes. “It’s really an eye-opening experience for them,” Sheets said, noting their excitement about getting the chance to “rock the
Cassell.” Without help, Sheets said the event would be impossible to hold. “That’s what puts the thing on; it’s all the volunteers,” he said. Tech students and student athletes will help in judging and organizing events for the day. Both Sheets and Southwest Region director Nancy Morehouse claim a long tradition of student involvement in coordinating the events. More than 15 student organizations are involved in volunteer efforts with the games; Tech’s women’s soccer team will direct the Opening Ceremonies, and the German Club will manage the scoreboard. As part of what Morehouse describes as “a really nice partnership with the athletic department,” the Virginia Special Olympics’ basketball program has been running since 1981, and it was originally housed in War Memorial Hall before it made the jump to Cassell. Other universities across the nation and the state have also reached out to the Olympians to do what they can to make their experience memorable.
see VOLUNTEER, page two
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editor: caleb fleming email: nrvnews@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: tth 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
february 12, 2009
editor: sara mitchell email: universitynews@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Interact: Faculty NSC proposes cell phone ban work to inject varietyintoclasses WILL THOMAS
ct news staff writer
from page one
become engaged,” Griffin said. Terpenny explained that it was her own passion for the subject that keeps her so enthralled in her lecture topics. She said that she finds it helpful to show YouTube clips to her classes, providing that they are relevant to the material being taught. “I feel like teaching this subject is tapping into my own passion. For instance, I have a few senior students that I’m advising while they work with the local animal shelter,” Terpenny said. “I have three dogs, and one of them was the last one adopted from that shelter, and he was the reason that I started working with it.”
“The strategy is to keep the material from getting dry. The reason why students may find it dry is that they are learning the material out of context.” - JANIS TERPENNY MECHANICAL ENGINEERING PROFESSOR Another issue demanding attention from the College of Engineering is disparity between the generations of engineers and the influences that play a part in the newest generation. “Most of the people I went to college with grew up on farms, or working on cars, or spent time in the military at one point. We all had a much different level of hands-on experience,” said Griffin. Engineering undergraduates, due to a different level
of experience, are requiring a much different program of teaching than was offered in years past. “We try to make the lectures as interactive as we can,” Griffin said. “The great thing is that you can always redirect the lecture if you feel that the students aren’t understanding the point that you’re trying to get across.” Terpenny brings a level of interaction to her lectures, requiring students to bring computers and link into a network that is shared throughout the whole class anonymously, but still allows the students to be hands-on and connected to the lecture. “Old talking lectures just aren’t the way that students learn anymore,” Terpenny said. A second generational disconnect sits with increasing numbers of female undergraduates, forcing programs to reevaluate teaching methods to cater to both sexes. “We needed to address the difference in learning styles of the genders,” Griffin said. “Just because a girl doesn’t jump into a project as quickly as a boy doesn’t mean that she is not interested, it just means that she has a different approach to the situation.” One of the co-authors of the study at the Carnegie Foundation was Sheri Sheppard, whose interest in the material spans back to the early 1990s, Griffin said. “We have been watching Dr. Sheppard’s work since the mid ’90s,” Griffin said. “She will even be here sometime in April for a lecture, and I hope to ask her a few more questions about her findings. It’s all very interesting.”
The National Safety Council has issued a statement urging motorists to stop the use of cell phones while driving, whether handheld or through the use of a hands-free device. The council also implored state governments to pass laws banning such conduct. Though not as strict as other states, the Virginia General Assembly is no stranger to bills regarding cell phone use while driving. Most recently, a bill regulating the use of handheld cell phones was passed by the Senate’s Transportation Committee, but it has since been redirected by the full Senate because of concerns about its enforceability. This proposition comes after the conclusion of multiple studies by leading institutions throughout the country that the leading factor in automobile crashes is distracted
drivers. “It is the NSC’s belief that a handsfree device is no safer than a handheld device,” said Meredith Morris, the National Safety Council spokeswoman. A 2003 study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that nearly 80 percent of car accidents are due to driver inattention.
“Phone use makes it hard to concentrate while you’re driving.” - SGT. ROBERT CARPENTIERI VIRGINIA STATE POLICE “We did not study cell phone usage specifically,” said Sherri Box, VTTI spokeswoman. Mobile phone usage was instead included in the study labeled as driver inattention, alongside involvement in secondary tasks, such as eating.
The NSC also references studies by the University of Utah concluding that cell phone use while driving is equally dangerous, whether handheld or hands-free. One study concluded that “inattention blindness” might occur while talking on the phone. The risks involved with driving and talking have been found to be similar to drunken driving. Motorists may be looking directly at the road, but they are distracted by the conversation and do not fully process what they see. “Phone use makes it hard to concentrate while you’re driving,” said Sgt. Robert Carpentieri of the Virginia State Police. Current laws involving the use of cell phones while driving vary from state to state. No state currently prohibits the use of cell phones while driving altogether, except for new drivers and school bus operators. However, five states and the District of Columbia ban
the use of handheld cellular devices while driving, including California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Washington. In all of these areas, handheld cell phone usage is a primary enforcement law, meaning that tickets can be issued independently of any other traffic offense. The bill, proposed by state Sen. Patricia Ticer (D-30th), would make it illegal to talk on a cellular device while driving unless a hands-free accessory is used. There is no correlation between Ticer’s bill and the NSC’s proposition, however. Numerous states have recently contacted the NSC, said Morris. “They all called us for support on bills they have on the books or may be proposing related to cell phone use while driving.” States that have enlisted the NSC’s support so far include Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Iowa, Maryland and Texas.
Volunteer: Tech joins sister schools WANTED from page one
George Mason University and James Madison University will both sponsor Special Olympics events; George Mason will hold the swimming competition while James Madison hosts its own “Day with the Dukes” program.
“That’s what puts the thing on; it’s all the volunteers.” - KEN SHEETS CASSELL FACILITIES MANAGER The “Day with the Dukes” is similar to Tech’s schedule; the Olympians get to tour the facilities, meet players, and participate in the coin toss before a football game. Daniel Leake, who is an organizer for the Northwest Region, said the day is a wonderful occasion for all involved. “The JMU athletes are genuine and open to our
guys,” Leake said. “They treat them like equals,” as opposed to people with special needs. Beth Frank, coordinator of the Northwest branch of the Special Olympics said the Northwest branch maintains three soccer teams, two basketball teams and track and field in addition to the swim meets. While her branch works with the George Mason Athletics Department to put on the events, she acknowledges how strong a partnership exists between Special Olympics coordinators and Tech. Frank notes that her branch and George Mason do not have as “established a relationship as Nancy Morehouse has with Virginia Tech.” Joining the universities, several communities across the state have volunteered their time and businesses to give the athletes a place to compete. In Central Virginia, Charlottesville
High School will lend the organization its soccer field, and Kegler’s Bowling Alley will hold the regional bowling tournament. The statewide enthusiasm has helped bring the total events this year to over 2,300. When the players take the floor, it will mark the 32nd anniversary of the Special Olympics Winter Games. Organized by Eunice Kennedy Shriver in 1962, the Games began as a simple backyard sporting event. Just a few decades later, with over a million athletes having benefited from the program, the formal Summer Games celebrated its 40th anniversary last year. The games’ evolution from sports camp to an international beacon of human potential was recognized by former-President Bush at the White House last July.
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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.
february 12, 2009
EDITORIAL
Hand-held cell phone ban would not solve problems on road A bill sponsored by Sen. Patricia Ticer (D – Alexandria) to ban talking on a hand-held cell phone while driving was passed by the Senate’s Transportation Committee. Instead of voting on SB874, the Senate sent the legislation to the Courts of Justice Committee to undergo more changes. The bill was redirected due to questions regarding its enforceability. Ticer’s bill would have allowed hands-free cell phone devices or allowed drivers to use hand-held cell phones in instances of emergencies. Emergency personnel and law enforcement officials would not have been subject to the ban. A study conducted by the University of Utah shows that drivers are four times more likely to crash while talking on a cell phone and six times more likely to crash while texting. Ticer felt this bill would eliminate the distraction of having to hold a cell phone while driving. Laws restricting cell phone use and texting in Virginia currently prohibit drivers younger than eighteen and school bus drivers from talking on cell phones and texting while driving. It’s no surprise that talking on cell phones is the cause of so many accidents on the road. Anything that distracts your attention completely from the road can’t be the safest way to travel. However, it is our belief that texting is the greater of the two problems. According to the Washington
Post, while many people admitted to texting while driving, an even larger number of people think that text messaging while driving should be outlawed. One problem with Ticer’s bill is that hands-free cell phones are unaddressed – and have been found to be at least as problematic. In a 2001 study, three psychologists from the University of Utah found hands-free cell phones to be just as distracting as handheld cell phones. A 2003 study found the reason for this to be “inattentive blindness,” when motorists are looking at the road but aren’t aware of road conditions because they are so distracted by their cell phone conversations. At this point, it is up to each of us as individuals to take responsibility for our cell-phone usage while driving. The main problem with Ticer’s bill is that banning hand-held cell phones is basically unenforceable. There are always going to be situations where people are going to find themselves needing to use a cell phone while driving. A bill to regulate cell phone usage while driving is not necessarily a bad thing, but the wording in the bill needs to be fine-tuned, in order to make the law enforceable and applicable to all cell-phone behavior. The editorial is composed of David Grant, David Harries, Laurel Colella, Alexandra Kaufmann and Jenna Marson.
Shift toward police state not welcome downtown CHAD VAN ALSTIN regular columnist Think back for a second to all the toys you had as a child. Some of you probably will recall your teddy bear, Fluffy, or that little device that, when pushed across the floor, magically pops little balls into a dome. Some of you may have been little heathen children (as myself), and you had action figures or toy guns. I am not one of those people who believe that action figures or toy guns somehow make your kid violent. However, there is officially a toy on the market that upsets even a carefree libertarian like myself: Playmobil Police Playsets. It’s an entire police state at your child’s fingertips. I laughed so hard when I first discovered these toys. I spread them around to everyone I knew so that they, too, could enjoy a good laugh at just how stupid this product really is. It only took a moment for all of us to stop laughing and to start becoming a little ill. As my mouse scrolled through all the products, the Roadblock Checkpoint Playset caught my eye the most. The toy featured two tiny policemen, armed with weapons and barricades, staring at a smiling man in a car who is waiting to pass through. I can only imagine a child grabbing the cop figure and, after a harsh racial profile, asking why the driver smells of alcohol — truly this is more disturbing than toy guns. The anecdote of the toys aside, I find this trend that everyone is becoming so passive and accepting of the growing police state to be very disturbing. For a moment, think of what Blacksburg looks like downtown on a Friday night. This is a very small quiet town, but you wouldn’t know it looking at the
number of law enforcement officers. In a town with such little violent crime, I really am having a difficult time understanding why on a Friday night it’s impossible to even walk down the street without seeing a police officer. Why is it a necessity to have a cop wherever people happen to be having fun? How many of you feel so unsafe downtown on the weekend that you feel glad to a see a police officer at every corner? If you’re anything like me, you probably hate seeing them. It’s a pain to have to avoid eye contact in hopes they won’t see you stagger across the street to the next bar. For every rare drunk fight the police may have to break up, I am sure there are a lot more victimless underage or harmless publicly intoxicated offenses occurring. The constant police presence is just unnecessary. This is the growing trend even in places that don’t involve alcohol. It’s impossible to see any type of public gathering — even a protest — that doesn’t have a bunch of police officers gathered nearby. The police state is all around us, and the police departments all across the country are constantly reminding us of that fact by deploying units wherever the public is massing in groups. I really hope that someone local organizes a massive drum circle — I’d love to see whether the police show up to that. It’s my understanding that the police are supposed to be servants of the public. The power of the police is literally granted to them by the community. If this truly is the case, I have trouble understanding how the surge in police presence has been tolerated. Unless we are to believe that most people truly love road checks and public intoxication fines, then what the police are doing here locally is just absolutely an abuse of the power. Please do not think that I mean to
critique each police officer individually. I’ve had some very amusing conversations with local law enforcement, and some of those Blacksburg cops seem like pretty decent guys. My problem is with the policy of the police department as a whole. I am willing to admit that if the police didn’t use their best judgment, there would be a much larger percentage of the college population in handcuffs or receiving tickets. Just think of how many asinine laws there really are — if police enforced them all like robots, we’d all be having a difficult time doing much of anything. I do hope that law enforcement officers are aware of just how damaging any type of legal punishment can be to college students. In addition to the fees of the legal system, we, as Hokies, have the unfortunate pleasure of being students at a college with an extremely conservative judicial policy. A single offense involving drugs could result in a student being suspended from Virginia Tech. This sets back students thousands of dollars, and could potentially ruin their college careers. Playmobil Playsets are just the tip of the iceberg in this growing acceptance of the police state. Why this is a value that toy companies or parents would like to teach their kids is beyond me. It’s as if road checks and constant watch from the state are just becoming a part of everyone’s accepted daily reality. Although these police playsets are so ridiculously awesome that I really wished I could write this entire column on them alone, the idea of teaching a new generation to be passive about police power isn’t something that I would seriously consider fun. I’m not sure America can afford to have another generation that views a police officer as a superior authority figure.
I can remember my love for baseball began when I was only four years old playing tee-ball. My fellow tee-ballers and I idolized the greats of the game. We all wanted to hit home runs like Ken Griffey Jr. We all wanted to make great diving plays at shortstop like Ozzie Smith. We all wanted to run around in the outfield making amazing catches like Kirby Puckett with no regard for our own safety. Baseball earned its moniker as America’s pastime through so many ways other than just playing a game. The game was an escape from reality that exuded an atmosphere full of energy, excitement and wonder. Baseball was not just a sport but an idea; an idea that men in the position of fame and fortune could work hard for their successes, remain humble in the spotlight, and live as a positive example for
young fans around the world. Players were giants among men. They broke down racial barriers, got involved in philanthropy, and gave thousands of kids someone to model themselves after. They donated their time and money to those who needed it most. They set and broke records through blood, sweat, tears, determination, camaraderie, sacrifice and humility. They became heroes for so many. They understood the privilege they had been given. Regardless of its tainted reputation, I continue to thank baseball for its heroes such as Griffey Jr., Smith and Puckett. Although I am now approaching 23, I have never lost that part of me that fell in love with baseball and the idols of the game at such a young age. I can only hope that when I am a father, my children will be able to look at baseball the way I did as a child. Jacob King Senior, Marketing/Management
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR Baseball stars are models for young fans
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Citizens, government should go green for stronger economy KEVIN KNOBLOCH wire columnist President Obama’s stimulus package is a solid down payment toward creating a cleaner, stronger economy. The government has a major role to play, but we can’t succeed in building a new economic future unless America’s citizens also step up in a major way. The Obama administration seeks to quadruple investment in energy efficiency and aims to double our capacity to generate electricity from renewable sources. Several proposals would significantly boost mass transit funding, too. Obama also has directed the Department of Transportation to set new fuel economy standards. And soon, states may be able to implement California’s tighter clean car standards. Automakers can produce better cars. They have the technology today to make new cars and trucks that average 35 miles per gallon in 2015, 10 mpg more than today’s average vehicle. Additional improvements can deliver 42 mpg in 2020, saving Americans tens of billions of dollars a year, even after paying for fuel-saving technology. That would reduce global warming pollution in 2020 by 350 million
metric tons and oil consumption by 2.1 million barrels a day. Later this year, Congress is expected to debate an economy-wide program to reduce global warming pollution. A strong program would keep the economy growing as it grows greener. But beyond what the government can do, each one of us also has a responsibility to go green. Using less gasoline is the No. 1 way most of us can cut pollution. According to the Federal Highway Administration, the typical driver uses 683 gallons of fuel each year. Each driver burning that gas creates 13,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, the chief heat-trapping gas that causes global warming. Refraining from speeding — and driving in the fuel-economy sweet spot of 55 miles per hour on the highway — can boost fuel economy as much as 23 percent. That’s equivalent to a 30-cent discount at the pump at today’s prices. When it’s time to buy a new car, we should choose the most fuel-efficient model that meets our needs. And new standards for automakers will mean more fuel-efficient options. Meanwhile, the typical household spends about $2,000 a year on electricity and heating fuel. Replacing energy-hungry appliances — air conditioners, furnaces, water heaters
and refrigerators — with Energy Starcertified efficient models can pay for itself and more over time. Finally, we can save money and cut pollution at the dinner table by eating less meat. Meat generally costs more per pound and more per calorie than other food. Likewise, raising livestock and poultry generates more pollution than growing fruits and vegetables. We can have meatless meals more often. And when we do eat meat, we can reduce portion size. Federal health guidelines say a serving of beef or chicken should be 3 ounces — about the size of a deck of playing cards. For too long, our government has subsidized huge feedlots and neglected more efficient, greener food producers. This must change, too. Fixing our economy and fixing our planet will require citizens and government working together. It’s a big job, but with many hands we can get it done. Kevin Knobloch is president of the Union of Concerned Scientists (www.ucsusa.org ) in Cambridge, Mass. He wrote this for Progressive Media Project, a source of liberal commentary on domestic and international issues; it is affiliated with The Progressive magazine.
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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.
february 12, 2009
Classic animation enhances family-friendly ‘Coraline’ It is unfortunate that animation is considered a genre synonymous with a “kid’s film” as animated movies occasionally PETER display complexVELZ ity and originality not found in multimedia live-action films. reporter Offbeat and dark, “Coraline” breathes new life into family-friendly entertainment as an alternative to their sickly-sweet stories of witty talking animals that have dominated the market in recent years. “Coraline,” based on the popular children’s book by Neil Gaiman, follows the mold of “Alice in Wonderland.” The story unfolds like a fable about a young girl, Coraline, who stumbles into a parallel world she discovers behind a small door in the house her family has recently moved into. Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher and John Hodgeman (“PC” from the famed Apple commercials) lend their voices well to the family. Occupying different sections of the house is an eclectic, and helpful, group of neighbors. Upstairs is the Russian circus ringleader named Mr. Bobinsky who
has a fondness for mice and beets, while downstairs resides the female performing duo “Spink and Forcible” and their dozens of taxidermic dogs.
... Henry Selick employs an ominous and eerie tone akin to his popular movie “A Nightmare Before Christmas” and Tim Burton’s “A Corpse Bride.” Compounded by her utter boredom, Coraline becomes disenchanted with her seemingly apathetic parents who are too preoccupied with their own affairs to express genuine interest in her. Luckily, the other realm supplies her with all the things she strives for in the real world: an attentive family to love, a lush garden to nourish and an edible dinner on which to subsist. The potential for a new life is shortlived, however, as cracks start to appear in the foundation of this inviting realm. Coraline doesn’t immediately comply with the wishes of her “other” mother, revealing a desperation and frustration seemingly out of place in the pristine facade of the alternate existence. It takes a while for the story to kick
You might also like. . . “Wallace & Gromit “Hellboy II: The Series” Golden Army” Directed by Nick Park. Skip the full-length feature and cherish these three classic short films about an omniscient dog and his oblivious owner. Remains the “grand” pinnacle of stopmotion animation.
Directed by Guillermo del Toro. While a minor entry into the canon of comic book films, this sequel displays unparalleled attention and impressive art direction and creature design.
in as Coraline’s dissatisfactions with the real world bog down the first 40 minutes of the film. The narrative seems to wander aimlessly before finally gaining its footing with the menacing aspects of the other realm. Once the film starts to show its sinister side, however, it really comes into its own. With “Coraline,” screenwriterdirector Henry Selick employs an
“Spirited Away” Directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Similar in theme to “Coraline,” this 2001 Japanese fantasy about a girl lost in a mysterious world remains one of the single, most beautiful animated films ever.
ominous and eerie tone akin to his popular movie “A Nightmare Before Christmas” and Tim Burton’s “A Corpse Bride.” While darker than most other family films, “Coraline” shares similar cautionary themes found in classic European fairytales such as “Hansel and Gretel.” The film utilizes the same stop-motion animation tech-
nique used for decades that so famously brought 1933’s “King Kong” to life, along with all those campy Christmas specials such as “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” The process hasn’t changed much since then: Still photos are taken of malleable puppets as animators make minute adjustments. To produce one second of film, 24 photos need to be taken. On a good day of work, stopmotion animation typically results in about two or three seconds of film. The film is 100 minutes long. Simple arithmetic reveals the arduous undertaking of making a movie using this process. Although daunting, the technique offers a great deal of opportunities for the animators to treat every frame like a work of art. Technology has improved greatly in recent years, so it should come as no surprise that digital special effects inject life into this aging method of animation. The new and old technologies work seamlessly together to create a visually beautiful and distinctive world worth the price of admission. If possible, see this film in 3D. No longer a hokey gimmick, those silly glasses actually work exceedingly well at immersing the viewer into the film. This style of animation in particular benefits from the added dimension as
CORALINE DIRECTED BY: Henry Selick STARRING: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, John Hodgman, Ian McShane RATED: PG PLOT: An adventurous girl, Coraline, stumbles upon a door to an alternate realm within her own house. Initially inviting, suspicious actions of the inhabitants of this other world suggest something more sinister. GRADE: B SHOWTIMES:1:20, 4, 6:50, 9:20 p.m. at Regal New River Valley Stadium 14
the experience feels like being inside a living diorama. Aside from the narrative stumbles, the film is a refreshing addition to the animated film genre. Subversively dealing with themes of kidnapping and imprisonment, “Coraline” acts beyond the confines of a “family film.” It is a film that should appeal to anyone who places a unique emphasis on the artistry and innovation involved in film making.
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february 12, 2009
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editor: thomas emerick, brian wright email: sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: w 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.; t 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
february 12, 2009
Picking the president’s brain on BCS’ future THOMAS EMERICK
ct sports editor With Virginia Tech emanating the identity of a football school for ages — and having advanced to consecutive Orange Bowls — it should come as little shock that President Charles Steger monitors the controversial Bowl Championship Series. Though, the heavy hand Steger has wielded in shaping the BCS’ future may come as some surprise. Appointed by Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford, Steger had represented the ACC in BCS television contract negotiations for nearly a year, working on the $500 million deal that was completed with ESPN in November. The agreement grants BCS games to ESPN from January 2011 through January 2014. Following another meeting over school budgetary issues, Steger sat down to briefly chat about the lighter things in life — the college football postseason.
Collegiate Times: I’m assuming you probably saw (Barack) Obama’s (negative take on the BCS and urge for a college football Division I-A postseason tournament) during the Nov. 3 Monday night football halftime show... Do you think he was onto something? Charles Steger: It all depends on your point of view. For the schools that are in the BCS, obviously, it’s a lucrative deal. … From the point of view of a fan watching football on television, I can see how they would like to have a playoff and whatever else, like they do in basketball. Except when you go to the basketball things, they’re on the weekend (and) there are 10, 12, I don’t know how many games going on. Whereas, going to a football bowl is a very expensive proposition for the average family. They can’t go to the quarterfinals and then semifinals. They’re going to be able to go to only one. And then (there’s) the logistics of moving
the football team around. It’s not like a basketball team. (When the) football team goes, we have truckloads of equipment and 140 people, not to mention all the other fans and everything else. And I think the logistics would have to be changed pretty dramatically so that the playoffs would occur at stadiums of the institutions, and not in the cities where the current bowls go. And then you .... change the economic equations for the cities, you know, Tampa or Miami. Having us come for a bowl pumps millions of dollars into the local economy. So, if you’re from the point of view of a city that hosts the bowl, it’s not a good idea. If it’s from the point of view of a fan who’s just going to watch it on TV, it probably isn’t an appealing thing. But the bottom line is, we’ve just signed a four-year contract, and nothing’s going to happen until that’s played out.
CT: (Oregon President) David Frohnmayer, the current chair of the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee, returned an e-mail to ESPN.com saying that he thinks Obama really enjoys the sport in part because of its compelling regular season. Do you think the Division I-A college football postseason is as compelling as college basketball’s? CS:
Well, I think a couple things. One is the precedent of the postseason playoff for basketball has been established for a long time. Secondly, it can be implemented much more easily and quickly … And then you’re off one day if you win and the next day you play and all that. So, for football, to me, I guess I don’t have the same desire as to, quote, see who is the national champion. I’m really much more interested in who wins the ACC. And I don’t have a great interest in professional football except for when Virginia Tech players are on the team, then I’ll watch them but I’m really interested in the teams we play on a regular basis, and who comes out ahead on that, and after that the interest kind of drops off for me. And the bowl games are kind of fun; they’re good for our players to get national visibility if they’re candidates for the NFL and all that. But I think it kind of drags out too long. And then you got the other issues of player welfare … How many games is it good for the players to have to play? Is one more postseason game and the risk of injury, which could jeopardize
MICHAEL SHROYER/SPPS
Tech President Charles Steger helps Coach Frank Beamer and Tech football players celebrate their 20-7 win over Cincinnati in the Orange Bowl. somebody’s pro career, is it really worth it? How much time are they away from the classroom? Only 1.5 percent of the college players go on to the NFL, so the other 98.5 percent need to walk away with a very good education … So you’ve got to balance all those things … It’s not just the welfare of the TV fans, it’s the welfare of the fans that travel to the games, it’s the welfare of the players and it’s also important for our students. All the student fees that go into athletics — you guys are entitled to benefit from that. You’re not subsidizing the national TV networks.
CT: Did you notice, working in collaboration with the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee, any dissenting opinions about the postseason system? CS:
There are a lot of different views having to do with the history of a lot of the conferences … You’ve got Notre Dame who’s independent, and then you’ve got
the PAC 10 and the Big 10 who still want to preserve their right to play in the Rose Bowl. So it’s a pretty complicated thing, and we are respectful of all those sorts of things, but at the same time … you have the different tiers of the bowls and the payouts. Some of the bowls now, it costs more to go than the bowl pays, which is an expensive proposition … And also, playing out four years from now what the sequence will be: is that Rose Bowl contention still going to be viable? Probably will be. Is Notre Dame signing another contract with NBC, which is separate because they’re not in a conference, how long is that going to go on? …
CT: Where do you all meet and how often?
CS: The last big meeting was in Chicago, but we would meet most of the time on a telephone conference call … and Frohnmayer was the chairman on that group. Then, for two years, starting this year,
John Swofford … is the chairman of the BCS commissioners committee. So you’ve got the presidents committee, you’ve got the commissioners committee, and then you’ve got the athletic directors and they all kind of feed it all up to work together on this stuff. A lot of committees. I didn’t realize until I got involved in this a few years ago how complicated it was. And of course the financial stakes are very high, and the impact on the schools is quite significant.
CT: Had you been involved with BCS planning at all before that in any capacity? CS: Only as any other president would have been involved — and it was discussed at each of our presidents’ meetings — but no more or no less than any of the other presidents … For whatever reason, Commissioner Swofford asked me to do it, and I thought it was a good thing to do, and I agreed.
CT: I read that there’s some rumbling in Congress about the BCS, especially from representatives who happen to be from Texas. What are your thoughts on that in trying to enact changes through the U.S. government? CS: I think they should be focusing on revitalizing the economy. I think that the economics of college football and the complexity of, as I said: from one point of view it’s great for the fans, from the point of view of the cities that work years and years hosting these bowls, it’s a big economic development thing. From the point of view of the colleges, you want to travel to cities where your fans can go and where you have visibility and everything else … I really don’t think it’s the business of Congress to be interfering in this … As with many things, its much more complicated than you realize when you get into it.