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tuesday february 24, 2009 blacksburg, va.
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sports BASEBALL HOME OPENER TODAY The Tech baseball team, fresh off four victories on the road to start 2009, will open their home slate today at 3 p.m. against East Tennessee State. Over the weekend, the Hokies scored 57 runs in its quartet of wins at the Courtyard by Marriott Classic in Spartansburg, S.C. Some of that offense came courtesy of catcher Anthony Sosnoskie, who Monday was named ACC Player of the Week. So far this year, the junior has hit .643 with three home runs and seven runs batted in.
news FINALISTS NAMED FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS VP Virginia Tech has announced the three finalists for the position of associate vice president for student affairs. Each of the candidates will visit Tech during March to participate in an open session presentation for the university community. The finalists are Jeff Doyle, the director of residence life at Appalachian State University, Winston Boyd Crisp, the assistant vice chancellor for student affairs at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Julie Sina, the college of letters and science chief of staff at UCLA.
BODY IMAGE WEEK GIVEAWAYS TODAY Personal trainers will be available to talk about healthy exercise and win giveaways tonight from 6-8p.m. in the Slusher Hall 1st floor classroom. The opportunity is a part of National Body Image Week Celebration.
SCHIFFERT OFFERS FREE HIV TESTING The Drop-In Center in Schiffert Health Center will offer free, confidential HIV testing today from 9 a.m – 4:30 p.m by appointment only. Using a rapid oral test, results can come in 20 minutes. Call 540-815-4668 to schedule an appointment.
Blacksburg Town Councilman Myers dies ZACH CRIZER
ct news reporter Blacksburg Town Councilman Derek Myers died Monday morning in Salem. Myers, a former Virginia Tech faculty member and recent addition to the town council, was 72. A resident of Blacksburg since 1973, he came to Virginia Tech as a professor with the department of art. He served as department head from 1984 until 1995, and continued as a studio art professor
until his retirement in 2003. Myers was elected to Blacksburg’s Town Council in May of 2008, citing a desire to better the town MYERS government. Blacksburg Mayor Ron Rordam said in a statement that Myer’s motives were pure and his service honorable. “Derek was a man with a big heart who served on council for all the
T. TREES SHAPIRO
ct news reporter One of the small pleasures Emily Dao misses sharing with her Delta Zeta sorority sisters is painting her nails. Since she started an aggressive chemotherapeutic regimen battling stage IV cancer, Emily can no longer enjoy the activity that helped take her mind off of a stressful 20-credit workload. Now Emily sleeps 23 hours a day. She is so weak that flipping her phone open to answer a call or text messaging a friend takes exorbitant energy. Even with Emily’s fatigue, painting her nails is still out of the question. Her nails are so brittle from chemotherapy that they have started to flake off her fingertips.
“I GUESS MOST PATIENTS THAT ARE IN MY SITUATION DON’T DO ANYTHING AT ALL” Emily is the victim of a cancer so rare in younger females that doctors she visited after concerns over abdominal pain didn’t even consider the possibility. The 20-year-old junior accounting and finance major had to pull out of her classes last semester in order to return home to Fairfax to begin treatment for colon cancer. On Nov. 7, Emily was diagnosed and almost immediately underwent surgery to remove a growth five inches in diameter that had been trapping toxins inside her lower intestine. The surgeons successfully removed almost all of her colon and the largest masses but an initial PET scan noticed smaller tumors beginning to pop up in other parts of her body as well. Emily’s team of oncologists offered her two suggestions. She could either be prescribed chemotherapeutic drugs that they assured her would devastate her body, or she could live the next 6-12 months peacefully. Emily chose to keep fighting. She started her treatments in December. Used as a strategy against cancerous growths, chemotherapy aims to inhibit the growth of fast developing cells, such as cancerous cells, according the National Cancer Institute. However, the drugs are largely indiscriminant. Treatments often dismantle proteins in skin cells, hair cells and nail cells. During her bi-weekly visits to the doctor’s office she receives drugs intravenously and then is sent home with a fanny pack that drips a melange of chemicals into her bloodstream over a two-day span. After these treatments, she sleeps without almost any interruption for five to seven days, depending upon the week.
COURTESY OF EMILY DAO
Emily Dao and boyfriend Steven Chiang enjoy a night in Washington, DC at the Muse Lounge for a friend’s birthday shortly after Dao began chemotherapy treatment for colon cancer. “Chemo was a completely different scenario,” Emily said in an interview a couple of weeks after her first treatments. “I did not think it was going to be that bad at all. It was really a lot worse than going through surgery. I thought that the surgery was bad, but chemo was a lot worse.” When she’s awake, she suffers from side effects that include extreme pain and nausea, an intense sensitivity to cold and debilitating weakness. She still uses a 50mg time-release patch of Fentanyl, a high-potency pain reducer, and also takes 10mg Percocets every three to four hours, but soon she’ll have to see a pain management specialist because the pain is becoming so intense. The pain medications help, but don’t help her throat, which is so raw from the treatments that it’s very difficult for her to talk on the phone or swallow water. The skin on her hands and feet is so dry it has started to slough off in layers, like after severe sunburn, and she’s also developed dark spots on her face. She shivers even in warm spaces, and bundles up in sweatshirts and has a space heater in her room. She’s lost 10 pounds off her thin frame because the nausea caused by her pain medications and chemotherapy makes her feel like vomiting at the thought of eating. “I can’t even hold a pencil or hold up food utensils to eat,” Emily wrote in an e-mail. “I can’t have anything that’s cold, or else it’ll feel like icicles forming down my throat and in my stomach.”
Jam Session
Yet Emily can’t be stopped. Ever the academic, she’s enrolled in 12 credits of upper level finance and accounting classes through a “distance” learning opportunity. Her professors are allowing her to take their classes’ exams and quizzes at times that accommodate her schedule and health. On top of her rigorous chemotherapy schedule, and a full load of classes, she’s taking part in a dream internship with Ernst &Young as a level one auditor. “I’m currently on a huge client that they have — Marriott International,” Emily wrote. “It’s a busy season right now, so I’ve been working overtime every week, but I love it.” Since beginning her internship in January, working in such a positive learning environment has helped Emily to keep her mind off cancer and more on her future career. But one February afternoon visit with her doctors would focus Emily’s future into a narrowing perspective and bring her to tears.
“I THOUGHT I WOULDN’T MAKE IT ANYMORE” Despite almost two months of chemotherapy, Emily’s doctors have recently described sobering news to her and her family. A full-body PET scan in early February revealed her colon cancer had indeed metastasized to multiple locations, and showed the original tumors had only gotten larger.
SAMANTHA HARLAN
ct news staff writer
high 54, low 36
coming up TOMORROW’S CT Find out about the 15-year-old basketball prodigy the Hokies have in their recruiting sights. Find links to each of the smart phone applications detailed in our feature on page 7.
index An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 106th year • issue 21
cil member will serve only until a new member is elected in November. Hager-Smith said the town council would likely hold a closed session after tomorrow’s meeting to discuss its options for filling the seat. She said the council might choose to advertise for people who are interested and qualified, as Roanoke recently did to fill a vacancy. Myers had been hospitalized since Jan. 19 at Lewis-Gale Medical Center. He is survived by his wife Rhoda, two adult children and two granddaughters.
“My doctor says that typically with younger patients, the cancer is much more aggressive and is less likely to respond to treatments.” Emily wrote. “I didn’t respond to my current chemotherapy at all. Instead, it’s continuing to spread aggressively. It has already spread to my abdomen and around my pelvis. It also worsened in my liver and my colon. It is continuing to spread to other organs in my body as well if we don’t get it under control as soon as possible.” Her doctors had originally scheduled further surgery to remove some of the masses, but, since her latest PET scan, have decided to postpone it until they develop a strategy to hinder her cancer’s progress. “I was extremely discouraged because the thought of these past two months of hell have been for nothing,” Emily wrote. “I cried a lot because I thought I wouldn’t make it anymore.” But her doctors have not run out of options. They have decided to adjust her chemotherapy treatments with a different mixture. New drugs mean new side effects, but perhaps also yet unseen success. Emily refuses to be distracted from her ultimate goal, though, even in front of the daunting repercussions she soon faces. “I’m going to lose my hair, for one,” Emily wrote. “My doctor is going to get me to go through a different kind of chemo treatment now. We’re not sure if it’s going to work, but we can only hope for the best.” And with the help of some very special people, Emily has kept her hopes up and spirits strong.
“I REALLY DO FEEL LIKE THE LUCKIEST GIRL IN THE WORLD” Steven Chiang believes everything happens for a reason. Which is why instead of heading into Washington, D.C., to celebrate New Year’s with some of his friends, he went over to the Dao family house with a bottle of sparkling apple cider, to clink glasses with the girl he calls “the bravest and most thoughtful” he’s ever met. “I just think things happen for a reason, like maybe the reason why I went through this,” Chiang said. “To spend this part of time with her, because it’s important to be there for her, so that she has a reason to live. I just see that as my purpose.” Chiang, 23, is Emily’s boyfriend of a few months. They met through friends of friends, and began talking a year ago. Chiang, who recently graduated from George Mason as a double major in accounting and finance, is Emily’s main caretaker. He drives her to the doctor’s office for chemotherapy, wakes her up in the middle of the night to remind her of
see DAO, page three
Looking back at Black History Month planning
MOSTLY SUNNY
Classifieds..............6 Sports....................4 Sudoku..................6
always kept an open mind; he gave each citizen, each issue a respectful hearing. His kindly influence will be missed.” Myers vacates the town council seat only eight months into his term. Town attorney Larry Spencer said the council would make a temporary appointment until the next election, which would be in November of 2009. Spencer said he is still exploring the matter, and must check state codes before setting an official course If the process in the town charter is carried out, the newly appointed coun-
For Dao, ‘just trying to live my life’
tomorrow’s weather
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right reasons,” Rordam said. “He was devoted to the community’s heritage and quality of life and exemplified Blacksburg’s identity as ‘a Special Place.’ We all will miss Derek’s insight, his intelligence and his wonderful sense of humor.” Blacksburg Vice-Mayor Leslie Hager-Smith, elected at the same time as Myers, said she enjoyed his presence on the council. “Derek and I were the council’s newest members, and I could not have hoped for a more congenial colleague,” Hager-Smith said. “He
KYLE MAXEY/SPPS
Business information Technology major Remy Brown throws down a dunk during the Slam Dunk competition held during a Foot Locker-sponsored basketball event last Friday afternoon in War Memorial Gym.
Virginia Tech’s campus and community hold over 30 various activities for Black History Month. Conferences, speakers, luncheons, artists, festivals, movie showings and concerts have all contributed to the Black History Month celebration. The Black Student Alliance holds events throughout the year but plans in particular around Black History Month. According to Lauren Purdie, BSA’s Vice President of Internal Affairs, the BSA tries to set dates for events a semester or a year in advance. “The BSA directors know about what they want,” Purdie said. The various directors brainstorm about what the student body wants and then consult with the members of BSA to see what will be popular. “The new executive board each year brings new objectives and goals for the school year,” said Destiny Jackson, BSA president. Jackson also said that BSA knows annually what programs are successful, so some things have become tradition. BSA does not specifically set aside a certain budget for Black History Month, but it does budget events all semester. “Between contract fees, production and catering fees, the events usually cost about $5,000 at a minimum,” Purdie said. Movie showings usually end up being a little cheaper. Throughout the last week of Black History Month, Tech will host three events. The first event, “Step Afrika,” sponsored by the Virginia Tech Union,
will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 7:30 p.m. in Burruss Hall. Students get in for $7. Step Afrika is a cross-cultural professional dance company whose motto is, “If we can dance together, then we can work together.” They traverse the country and worldwide, and their annual tour travels to 50 different cities and foreign countries. They plan to celebrate and raise awareness about the culture that created step dancing. According to Ben Wade, BSA’s director of lively arts, Step Afrika is an expose of different cultures mixed into modern dance. Gumboot and Sulu stepping styles as well as dancing from Appalachia to South Africa will be featured. Wade said that the VTU does its “best to represent everyone and go out and help because we have a lot of money to give away.” VTU booked the event a year in advance. VTU has already sold 1,000 tickets, and they predict selling 100 at the door, Wade said. The BSA will sponsor “USA Break Dancers” Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. Admission is free and will be held in the Haymarket Theatre of Squires Student Center. This group is known to do acrobatic stunts and perform a variety of different dance styles. The USA Break Dancers came to campus last semester and were well received. “Because of the high response last semester, they were just ‘that good,’ so we brought them back,” Purdie said. Jackson said they are anticipating a large turnout for the performance on
Wednesday. “So far the turnout to the speaker Chuck D has been the best,” Jackson said. In addition, “Black History Jeopardy” will take place Wednesday, Feb. 25, at 7 p.m. The location has yet to be announced. The Association of Black Psychologists and Multicultural Programs and Services is sponsoring the final event. According to Jordan Booker, member of MPS, the Black History Jeopardy Challenge plans to highlight black events spanning U.S. history throughout the centuries as well as current events. “We hope to bring awareness to some of the more discreet events that aren’t always recognized properly, as well as continue to showcase some of the more prominent accomplishments that have helped move our nation forward,” Booker said. Featured topics include sports, politics, comedy and inventions. In late January, BSA presented “The Express,” a film about the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy. In addition, BSA presented Chuck D, of the rap group Public Enemy, to speak. They also held the African American History Bowl earlier this month and the movie “The Secret Life of Bees.” Purdie said both movie showings were very successful as well as the African American History Bowl. Next year the Black Student Alliance hopes to plan a Homecoming Concert. Purdie said Lupe Fiasco is scheduled to appear in concert this spring.
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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 24, 2009
editor: sara mitchell email: universitynews@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Hokie hockey conquers playoff tourney ED LUPIEN
ct sports reporter The Virginia Tech men’s hockey team led comfortably for most of a 5-2 finals victory in the Atlantic Coast Collegiate Hockey League tournament Sunday afternoon at the Roanoke Civic Center. The win avenges Tech’s overtime loss to Duke in last season’s ACCHL tourney. “This is the best team Virginia Tech has had by far,” said head coach Mike Spradlin. “It all really started with these seniors four years ago when they were freshmen, and each year our team has gotten better and better.” The Hokies entered the tournament with a 17-7 record on the season including a 9-1 conference record, good enough to win the league’s regular season title. Because they finished first in the standings, the Hokies earned the top seed in the tournament, therefore receiving a bye in Friday’s first round. Tech skated ahead to Saturday’s semifinals, in which it handily beat North Carolina by a count of 9-3, advancing to Sunday’s championship game against the Blue Devils. Duke was the only ACCHL team to defeat the Hokies this season, winning 2-1 in a shootout in the regular season’s final contest. “We’ve been waiting for this for a while,” said senior defenseman Michael Hultberg. The first eight minutes of the opening period was all Tech. The Hokies took the first six shots and drew first blood on a goal by sophomore forward Joshua Bennett — just 1:50 into the game. But Duke was able to jumpstart its offense on a pair of shots before finally tying the game up with a goal at the 10: 49 mark of the first period. The Hokies broke out of the gate early after the initial intermission. At the 17: 36 mark of the second period, junior forward Todd Minetree capitalized on a power play by finding the back of the net — giving Tech its second goal of the afternoon. They then began to pull away from the Devils with two more goals in the period. The first came courtesy of senior forward Jimmy Pope and sophomore forward Rick Onorato contributed the second. After the damage was done, the Hokies held a 4-1 advantage. The Blue Devils made a minor comeback in the third, scoring their second goal with 17:08 to go. Still, they could not inch any closer to their opponent because of the goaltending of Tech senior Jon Allen, who saved 12 shots total. Allen was one of five Tech players selected for the ACCHL’s all-star team and was first in the conference with a goals against average of 2.11 per game. The Hokies capped the victory over Duke with a goal by senior forward Matthew Harrison on a Blue Devil open
LUKE MASON/SPPS
Above: UNC upsets rival NC State with physical play in the first round. Top: Forward Rick Onorato fires a shot toward the Duke goal. Right: Tech takes to the ice to the sound of Enter Sandman and a roaring audience. Bottom right: The Hokies celebrate their ACCHL tourney title. net with nine seconds left. Harrison, another of Tech’s all-stars, was the leading goal scorer in the ACCHL regular season with 19 and is one of eight seniors on this year’s squad. With the conference tournament win, the Hokies still have a chance to play more this season if they are selected to compete in the American Collegiate Hockey Association Southeast Regional Tournament, which begins on Friday. However, Spradlin is not very optimistic. “Chances are we’re probably going to
be on the outside looking in,” Spradlin said. To the Hokies, however, the goal all season was winning the ACCHL tournament for the first time in school history. They were able to accomplish it. To the seniors on the team, in particular, it is the perfect way to end a collegiate career. “We’ve lost to Duke every year in the playoffs and since I’ve been here, so I can’t really ask for anything more than this,” Hultberg said. “This is fine — this is a great way to go out.”
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tuesday, february 24, 2009
Dao: Through therapy, Emily holds out for hope from page one
medication times, and supports her, “so that she’s not alone and feeling like she’s going through this by herself.” Chiang said his favorite way to keep a smile on Emily’s face is to joke around and keep her laughing. “You know how some people when they are sick they are just like, ‘Oh, you know I’m sick, how could this happen to me, what’s the point in living like a real person,’ you know, just depressed all day,” Chiang said. “But she’s not. She’s actually really positive. She has a really strong will.” Along with caring for Emily, he is currently working full time as an accountant for a friend’s father’s international grocery chain. He’s also studying for the LSAT he plans to take in June. But his own efforts hardly match Emily’s, he said. He’s most impressed by her ability to take on cancer, an internship and 12 credits of classes. “Honestly, it does hurt me because she had so much going for her, her school, her career, and she had all these dreams of going to law school, going to b-school to get her MBA,” Chiang said. “It’s like she’s top of the class and then all this happens and it’s preventing her from doing a lot.”
ON THE WEB Check out the Collegiate Times online to learn how to donate to the “Down for Dao” Delta Zeta Relay for Life Team. Between Chiang and her sorority sisters, Emily’s supporters are many. “They told me that this is just another hurdle that I have to get through but that I’m strong and I’m going to get through this no matter what, and that they would be there for me, 110 percent,” Emily wrote of her Delta Zeta sister’s dedication to her situation. “That’s really what is giving me the courage and hope to get through all of this. The day I heard about the bad news, I feel like all of my friends got in touch with me and gave me words of encouragement. I’m truly really thankful for all the friends I have in my life, and I really do feel like the luckiest girl in the world despite my illness.” She’s also met a new acquaintance who has pumped an invigorating perspective in to her battle against cancer.
“IT’S TOUGH. IT’S NEVER EASY.” Erica Paul is a 2004 graduate of Northwood University in Michigan, a Delta Zeta sorority sister and about two years into chemotherapy treatments for stage IV colon cancer that has also mestastisized to multiple locations in her body. Paul first heard about Emily’s situation by reading the Collegiate Times online. She and Emily met up a couple weeks ago while they both went in for similar chemotherapy sessions at their doctor’s office in Fairfax. Emily felt encouraged seeing a cancer patient so similar to herself doing so well. “She looks great though, and you probably wouldn’t be able to tell that she’s sick,” Emily wrote. “I really hope that I end up like her.” Paul thinks it’s inevitable. She and Emily keep in touch through e-mail and whenever they run in to each other at the clinic. “From talking to her, she just exudes hope, and she seems really strong, and even though she’s a little thing, she seems really strong and has a strong will,” Paul said. But, Paul admitted, stage IV cancer is not easily eradicated. “It’s tough. It’s never easy.” Paul described her own situation as that of a person with diabetes. She treats her cancer like a chronic disease that can be sustained, and lived with, so long as it’s kept under control. “Even though it’s a late-stage cancer, people beat it,” Paul said. “They go into remission and they live long lives without having to be on treatment or have evidence of cancer. And they come back, and that’s just the reality of the disease.” Chiang said some days are better than others for Emily. While her condition has not necessarily gotten better, he knows anything can happen. He believes this new treatment may lead her to brighter horizons. He stands resolutely by Emily despite not knowing where Emily’s cancer may take her. “Maybe a miracle could happen and this new treatment could turn it around and her body would react to it and reduce all the tumors and stop the spreading,” Chiang said. “But, honestly, you can’t help but to think what could happen.” And Emily occasionally can’t help it, either. Chiang said when they do discuss the future, it’s a future together. Sometimes they talk about taking the
LSAT together and maybe both heading to law school in a few years. “I’m actually interviewing for a job out in San Francisco, but it actually won’t start until January,” Chiang said. “But she’s like, ‘Oh, my god, you’re going to leave me; if you leave, I’m going to be sad,’ but then sometimes she’ll be like, ‘Honestly, maybe it’s better that you leave in case anything happens to me, at least you won’t be as sad because you’ll be in a different place, living your life.’” But Chiang steadfastly focuses on keeping Emily’s occasionally fragile outlook at bay: For Valentine’s Day they spent the night in Atlantic City, letting the dice, and the chips, fall where they may.
“I’M STILL HANGING IN THERE” Emily is continuing with her chemotherapy treatments. She’s found inspiration through Erica Paul’s success story and her boyfriend Steven Chiang’s unselfish dedication. Though her doctor’s plan of attack is evolving, she’s still as game as ever, especially with the prospect of warmer weather and springtime in Blacksburg in her sights. “Nothing makes me happier than being at Virginia Tech, and it’s really the greatest school on Earth,” Emily wrote. “No where else would I meet such great people that are so supportive and helpful.” Emily hopes to make it back to Tech for a benefit concert her sorority sisters are sponsoring in her honor scheduled for Friday, March 20, at the Lyric Theater featuring The Shack Band. A group of girls in her sorority have also formed a Relay for Life team, “Down for Dao,” and are already fundraising in Emily’s name. The co-payments for Emily’s chemotherapy treatments “are in the thousands, which is more than surgery,” Emily wrote. She said working has helped make a dent in the cost and also said she is so proud of her sisters for helping to support her financially. “I have so many people that care for me, and that is truly the most important thing to me,” Emily wrote. “I wouldn’t be able to get through all of this without my sisters, friends, faculty and all the other good-hearted people (random people that contact me because they’ve heard about my situation even though I don’t know them; they do it just because they care so much) that have been giving me such strength and encouragement.”
Tech dining services pushes for sustainable dining DEBRA HOUCHINS
ct news staff writer When Andy Sarjahani started his position as the sustainability coordinator for Housing and Dining Services in August, he already had big plans for Virginia Tech. His goal was to raise awareness in students about how the food they consume affects the environment. To make that a reality, Sarjahani has launched two projects at Tech: the Farms and Fields Project and the Sustainability Food Corps. The Sustainability Food Corps is a grassroots project that focuses on student involvement in sustainable DANIEL LIN/SPPS farm practices. Currently, there are 12 members of the Food Corps, each one dedicating five hours of his or her Lead Cook Mark Weaver marks destroy-by dates on pasta sauce in week to the group. The purpose of Dietrick Dining Hall after a day’s production. the SFC is education through projects and events such as screening films water pipes run through their fields, food is more expensive than other and instead depend on well water, venues, but said, “It’s more than the and circulating literature. food that you’re paying for,” since The organization intends to start a Hood said. The SFC also hopes to highlight sustainable practices, fair labor and small, student-run garden at Kentland Farm in Montgomery County where superficial, aesthetic regulations detri- good stewardship to the land and it will learn about and practice sus- mental to small farmers. These rules water also figure into the costs. The inspiration for Farms and tainable farming techniques, such as prevent produce from being sold in grocery markets if it’s malformed, Fields came to Sarjahani during a crop rotation and composting. even if it’s otherwise wholesome. 28-hour car trip from New York to This means a pepper with three lobes Arkansas as an opportunity to demON THE WEB rather than four wouldn’t make it to onstrate the importance of local and the shelves of a supermarket. As a sustainable farming to students. To learn more about the Farms and “You can’t create new soil or farmresult, farmers suffer. Fields project, visit its blog at: The SFC advocates serving local land,” Sarjahani said in the message farmsandfieldsproject.wordpress.com. he wanted to convey to students. foods at Tech. Meats served at Farms and Fields “We’d like to say this much money The SFC also plans to buy a share went from dining services to the local are mainly from free-roaming livestock. of community-supported agriculture, community,” Hood said. “I don’t think animals are meant to She also emphasized the imporin which locals invest in a farmer and get a share of his crop yield in return. tance of agricultural studies at Tech, be confined,” Sarjahani said. He said The weekly share will be donated to and the responsibility it has to the that animals such as cattle and chicklocal homeless shelters or other field because of the school’s agrarian ens were meant to be in pastures and have always been, until recently, programs to combat hunger in the roots. The Farms and Fields shop industrial farming practices. community. “Fresh foods are the best foods,” Furthermore, SFC will be involved in Owens Dining Hall does just in the political aspect of sustainable this. While the SFC is not yet an said Elena Serrano, an assistant profarming. Sara Grace Hood, a gradu- official school-affiliated group and is fessor of human nutrition, foods and ate student in science and technol- just getting off the ground, the launch exercise, who aids Sarjahani with the ogy studies and co-director of the of Farms and Fields has brought project. She said that the longer the Sustainable Food Corps, said smarter sustainable, farmed foods to campus. food sits on the shelf, the less nutriThe venue serves mostly organic tional quality it has. She also recogregulations are needed in order to not just encourage sustainable farming and hormone-free food. It will nizes the importance the venue has in practices but also to support small be predominately serving locally supporting local economy and raising produced food once the grow- green awareness around campus. farmers. As these two projects develop, A law that hampers small farmers’ ing season takes off. This ensures efforts is a requirement that crops that the money stays in the area. Sarjahani encourages student feedmust be watered with municipal Today’s menu is chicken jambalaya back. “Comments are very important; supplies in order to be eligible for and an organic field greens salad. sale. Many small farmers do not have The venue’s main purpose is educa- it’s the only way for us to get better,” the income necessary to have county tion. Sarjahani acknowledges the he said.
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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 24, 2009
sports in brief WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SNAPS FIVE-GAME SKID After an extremely physical first half, Tech (12-16, 2-11 ACC) walked into halftime with a 29-18 lead. The team opened up that advantage to 28 after a 13-0 run in the second half. Both the Hokies and the Demon Deacons (18-8, 5-7) were plagued with turnovers during the first half of play, combining for 24. Guards Laura Haskins and Lindsay Biggs rewrote the record books. Haskins tied Carrie Mason for sixth in total career steals during the first 20 minutes of play, putting Haskins' total at 173 steals in 121 games. In the second half, Biggs passed Jeni Garber to take the third position in career three-point field goals with 130 in 90 games. Five Hokies were in double figures in points. Utahya Drye led the Hokies with 17 points and four rebounds. Biggs had 14, freshman Shanel Harrison posted 13, while Brittany Gordon and Nikki Davis each had 12. The Hokies shot a season-high 65.2 percent from the field, while the Demon Deacons were held to 33.3 percent. Tech will host Georgia Tech on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the regular season finale. – Hattie Francis
SWIMMING AND DIVING SNAGS THIRD IN ACC TOURNAMENT On the final day of the ACC Championships, the H2Okie women (6-1, 3-1) secured a third-place finish at College Park with a score of 451 points. Only Virginia and North Carolina posted better scores with 848 and 602.5, respectively. Senior Sara Smith led a squad that broke 13 team records throughout the three-day event. After posting an ACC record of 48.10 in the preliminary round, Smith brought home the 100meter freestyle title. She also won the 50 free as well as grabbing third place in the 100 butterfly. Freshman Erika Hajnal didn’t disappoint in her first appearance at the ACC Championships. In addition to three third place finishes, Hajnal swam the 1650 free in a team record time of 16: 00.16.
freshman Michael Hammond. In the hammer throw, Doretea Habazin and Matej Muza both won their events. Habazin, a sophomore, bested her career best distance with a toss of 62-08 on Friday. Another sophomore, Ryan Witt, was first in the men’s 600-meter run. He recorded a final time of 1:20.16. In all, four Hokies placed in the top five. The Hokies finished first and second in the men’s 200-meter dash. Freshman Keith Ricks won it with fellow freshman Nick Vaughn following close behind. Next up are the ACC Track and Field Championships starting this Thursday, which will be held all weekend at Retor Field House – Brian Wright
Senior Megan Newell swam the preliminary 200 fly event in a schoolrecord time of 1:58.40 and posted a seventh place finish in the event’s finals to give the H2Okies 12 points in her final meet. The women’s relay teams shredded the school record books, setting five new marks. In the final event of the evening, the quartet of senior Jordan McHorney, Smith, Newell and Drechsel registered second place in the 400 free relay, setting a new school record of 3:16.33. In diving, the women combined for 19 points in the platform events. Freshman Cara Murnan led the way with a score of 247.65, good enough for a fifth-place finish. For the men, junior Mikey McDonald scored a third place finish in the platform dive with a score of 357.40, just one of his two third-place finishes. Sophomore Daniel Martin qualified for the diving finals after an eighth-place finish. The H2Okie men (7-1, 4-1) compete in the ACC Championships in College Park, Md., from Feb. 25 to Feb. 28. – Ryan Trapp
LACROSSE OUTDUKED BY JMU
BASEBALL SWEEPS TOURNEY SLATE The Hokies opened their 2009 season by winning all four games this weekend in the Courtyard by Marriott Classic, held in Spartanburg, S.C. The team scored 10 or more runs in each game, outscoring its opponents 57-19. The first game, against UNC Asheville, ended in a 21-4 blowout. After allowing a run, Tech plowed through the Bulldogs’ pitching staff, which used six pitchers. Junior college transfer Steve Domecus was hit by three pitches during the game and still went 2-for-4, driving in three and hitting a home run. Senior standout Rhett Ballard pitched five solid innings where he struck out nine batters. The second day of the Classic was a double-header against Wofford. Tech won 14-10 in the first game and 10-2 the second. Junior catcher Anthony Sosnoskie hit two home runs and junior outfielder Steve Bumbry hit one in the first game. Sosnoskie wasn’t done, belting another home run in the second game. The final game was a 12-3 win over USC Upstate. Sean Ryan went 4-for-5 with three runs in the finale. Sosnoskie won most valuable player
CHRIS STACK/SPPS
Jared Jodon pole vaults his way into a fourth place finish with a height of 5.12 meters. The Hokies would notch three records at the VT Challenge. honors for the event, batting .643, with three homers, two doubles and seven runs batted in. The Hokies’ home opener comes against East Tennessee State, Tuesday at 3 p.m., on English Field. –Ray Nimmo
THREE SET TRACK RECORDS FOR TECH Tech track and field set a trio of records at the VT Challenge, held over the weekend at Rector Field House. All three occurred on Saturday, the final day of an event that included schools such as Penn State, George Mason, James Madison, Duke and Marshall.
In the pole vault, freshman Abby Shaffer recorded a height of 13-07.75, breaking a school mark set two years prior. Senior Natalie Sherback ran the mile in a Tech-best of 4:40.31, while on the men’s side, senior Billy Berlin checked in with a record-setting time of 4:02.47 in the provisional qualifying round. Overall, the Hokies were strong in the mile run. Senior James Scheniner was in third place, while sophomore Eddie Judge and freshman Will Mulherin crossed the finish line fourth and sixth, respectively. One day earlier, Tech had its share of winners. Sherback captured the 1,000-meter event by nearly seven seconds. Mulherin did the same in the men’s division, beating teammate and fellow
Tech (0-3, 0-1 ACC) fell to James Madison in its home opener, 14-9, on Saturday afternoon at Thompson Field. The Dukes scored first and never trailed, but the Hokies retaliated early and managed to keep it close before four consecutive JMU goals. One of Tech's main problems was getting the ball out of the defense. The Dukes controlled the tempo and kept the ball on the attack for the majority of the game. Hokie freshman Ryan Rotan scored with less than 15 seconds left to close out the first half down 7-4 Rachel Culp, one of Tech's two seniors, came out strong, scoring just 41 seconds into the second half and cutting the deficit to two. The goal continued her streak of 12 consecutive matches with a score, dating back to the previous season. Unfortunately for the Hokies, momentum quickly swung back to JMU, which subsequently went on a 7-1 run. With the Dukes comfortably ahead, Tech closed out the game with a 3-0 run of its own. Hokie goalie Kari Morrison started and made 11 saves, while the Dukes’ Alex Menghetti countered with 11 of her own. The two clubs were nearly even in the shot department. James Madison bested the Hokies by a slim 29-28 margin. In terms of fouls, Tech committed 16, while JMU was guilty of 10. The Hokies next play at William & Mary on Wednesday at 6 p.m – Melanie Wadden
SOFTBALL ENDS SEVEN-GAME SLUMP The Tech softball team snapped a seven-game losing streak this weekend in Conway, S.C., at the Kickin' Chicken Classic. The Hokies (5-9) amassed a 3-2 mark against a field consisting of Maine, Coastal Carolina, Western Carolina and Appalachian State. Tech handily defeated Coastal Carolina 7-1 in the first game of the weekend, which also marked the 800th contest in program history. Jessica Everhart and Jenna Rhodes led the way for the Hokies, whose hot bats collected 11 hits as a team. Everhart had two hits and three runs batted in — including a two-run homer, while Rhodes had three hits and two stolen bases. Abbie Rexrode hurled six-plus innings, allowing only one run on four hits while striking out four. In the second contest on Friday, Tech was handed a tough 4-1 extra inning loss to Maine. Although Maine recorded only two hits, those hits proved to be clutch with one being a three-run walk-off homer in the ninth to seal the victory. Kenzie Roark threw a gem of a game despite the loss, tossing 8.2 innings while allowing four runs with five strikeouts. Rhodes had two more hits and another stolen base. On Saturday Tech was able to create a little late game magic itself against Appalachian State as Everhart smashed a walk-off, three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth en route to a 5-4 extra inning victory. Trailing 4-2 entering the bottom of the eighth, the Hokies were able to muster two of their five hits when they needed it the most, with a single from Mariconda preceding Everhart’s game-winner. Earlier on Saturday, the Hokies succumbed to Western Carolina, 4-3. After playing from behind most of the game, Tech was able to tie the score late, but a Hokie error led to defeat. Tech had 10 hits, led by Rhodes’ three, as well as a run batted in and two stolen bases. Mariconda also contributed with two hits. In Sunday’s finale, Tech was again able to top Coastal Carolina, this time by a score of 6-0. Mariconda had a huge day, blasting two homers. She accounted for three hits, four runs batted in and two runs scored. Everhart had another multi-hit day with two doubles. The Hokies will travel to Columbus, Ga., to compete in the NFCA Leadoff Classic against Michigan, Alabama, Southern Illinois, DePaul and Illinois State from Feb. 27 to March 1. – Chad Mosesso
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editor: laurel colella email: opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
february 24, 2009
EDITORIAL
Embrace sustainable farming practices close to home Since Andy Sarjahani began his position as the sustainability coordinator for Housing and Dining Services in August, a number of positive programs have been implemented, mainly making sure students know how the food they consume affects the environment. The Sustainability Food Corps and the Farms and Fields Projects — available in Owens Dining Hall — have already started making changes on campus. The main purpose of the Sustainability Food Corps is raising awareness. The 12 members promote education through projects such as screening films and circulating information about sustainable farm practices. Living in Blacksburg, each of us has an opportunity to learn about and benefit from sustainable farming techniques. The organization plans to start a small garden in Montgomery County to practice sustainable practices. Perhaps most notable, though, is the SFC’s plan to purchase a share of community-supported agriculture where locals invest in farms and are given a share of their crops in return. This share is donated to local homeless shelters to help fight hunger in our community. This plan is a step in the right direction for as it helps both farmers and local community members. This symbiotic relationship will continue to strengthen the Blacksburg community and provide the resources that we need. The SFC hopes to raise
awareness about the current regulations that keep small farmers from making the most of their farming. All nutritional value equal, there is absolutely no difference between peppers with three lobes and four, aside from aesthetic value. Unfortunately, however, vegetables deemed less than perfect never make it to grocery shelves, causing local farmers to suffer. We should support serving local foods at Virginia Tech. Given that Tech is rooted in agricultural studies, this is especially important. The Farms and Fields shop in Owens helps local farmers and also promotes the nutritional value of organic food. More locally produced food will be offered once we get into growing season. The main benefit of this system is educating and helping local farmers, the drawback being the increased cost compared to other foods you can purchase. However, even though we’re paying more for better food, the money also goes back into the community. While the monetary cost might seem high, it is actually a small price to pay for fair labor and sustainable practices. Even though it’s not something we probably regularly think about, hopefully through this initiative we can better see the importance of local and sustainable farming.
Volunteerism at Tech is now as popular as ever I wake up every morning around 9:30 a.m., brew a fresh pot of coffee, jump in the shower and sit in front of my computer for about an hour. I BEN jump in my car in time to reach my WOODY late morning classregular es and fight my columnist fellow undergrads for parking spots on Perry Street and book it to class. As I slide into my seat as class begins, I make a wonderful realization. Just about everyone at Virginia Tech volunteers. There are service organizations, sororities, fraternities, student government and philanthropic collectives galore here. It seems nearly impossible to get involved in something that does not volunteer. I reflected on my time at Tech so far, realizing that I have a disappointingly sparse volunteer resume. Sure, I’ve pitched in with the Relay for Life and got super-lazy on Halloween and “Witch Watched,” but otherwise, nothing good. These days, in momentary fits of Jack Kerouac’s go-out-and-do-somethingness, I have been researching different ways to get out into the world and give back to the world that’s been so good to us. Here is what I have found so far. My Facebook page — as every other user’s page — features a news feed of all the nonsense friends are getting into. Some friends write on one other’s walls, some comment on their photos and some RSVP to
events. One such event that a bunch of my friends are getting involved in is The Big Event. According to its Web page, The Big Event is a service project that gives back to the community members of the New River Valley. Last year’s event enlisted the help of 3,500 Virginia Tech students, faculty and staff to complete 453 volunteer jobs. This year’s turnout on April 18 is expected to be the largest to date. The Big Event is a nice one-day project for the Virginia Tech family to dive into, but if you’re looking for something a little more, another service organization that I have discovered is the Virginia Tech chapter of the U.S. Junior Chamber. The Jaycees, as they are more commonly referred, is a leadership and civic organization for all individuals ages 18 to 40, focusing on the development of business, management, leadership skills and community service. Since its inception in 1920, the Jaycees have raised millions of dollars for charity organizations including the Muscular Dystrophy Association, volunteered their time for building parks and established AirMail services. Notable former members include U.S. Presidents Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, as well as business tycoons Bill Gates and Domino’s Pizza founder Tom Monaghan. My good friend, David Arthur, is the first president of the U.S. Junior Chamber chapter at Virginia Tech. The new chapter is roughly 20 members strong, and they are encouraging everyone who is interested to come out. Contact David at david8@vt.edu.
Volunteerism and philanthropy are the best ways to demonstrate your worth. I never really believed in karma, but a lot of my friends swear by it. It only makes sense to give back to the community that raised you and helped shape your personality. Humbling yourself for a Saturday morning and existing within the larger world is the best pick me up. Legendary former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said of volunteerism, “You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.” His words ring true today, as we see a smorgasbord of selfrighteous banking industry CEOs rewarding one other with bailout money and dismissing the problems for which the money was prescribed. The media does a number to professional athletes who have broken the law, but it does not focus enough on the positive these men contribute. Through the United Way’s partnership with the National Football League, the Play-60 initiative hopes to reduce the percentage of inadequately healthy American children by 33 percent over the next year. Through 30second commercials, we see the likes of Santana Moss, Bob Sanders and Reggie Bush running fitness camps and the like for the local youths. The world smiles favorably upon these men. Take note, Michael Vick. You have a new opportunity in July to rebuild your image. I admit that I need to get out and give back rather than freeloading. Spring break is coming, and I’m going to try an alternative spring break. Get out, get involved. Give back to your community — for your sake.
The editorial board is composed of David Grant, David Harries, Laurel Colella, Alexandra Kaufmann and Jenna Marson.
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 Collegiate Times Editorial Staff Editor in Chief David Grant Managing Editors David Harries, Sara Spangler Public Editor Cate Summers Special Sections Editor Meg Miller News Editors Caleb Fleming, Sara Mitchell News Reporters Gordon Block, Zach Crizer, Justin Graves, Riley Prendergast, T. Rees Shapiro, Rebecca Thomas News Staff Writers Shannon Aud, Will Thomas, Ryan Trapp, Gabe McVey Features Editor Bethany Buchanan Features Reporters Topher Forhecz, Teresa Tobat, Jonathan Yi Opinions Editors Laurel Colella, David McIlroy Opinions Staff Sally Bull, Jackie Peters Sports Editors Thomas Emerick, Brian Wright Sports Reporters Joe Crandley, Justin Long, Ed Lupien, Melanie Wadden Sports Staff Writers Garrett Busic, Matt Collette, Lindsay Faulkner, Hattie Francis, Alex Jackson, Mike Littier Copy Editors Erin Corbey, Thandiwe Ogbonna, Kristen Walker, Michelle Rivera Layout Designers Go-Eun Choi, Velechia Hardnett, Kelly Harrigan, Rachel McGiboney, Mina Noorbakhsh, Josh Son Illustrator Mina Noorbakhsh Multimedia Editor Phillip Murillas Multimedia Producer Candice Chu Multimedia Reporters Kevin Anderson, Bryce Stucki, Peter Velz Online Director Sam Eberspacher Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager Ryan McConnell College Media Solutions Staff Advertising Director Patrick Fitzgerald Asst Advertising Directors Tyler Ervin Jenna Given, Katelynn Reilly Ads Production Manager Anika Stickles Asst Production Manager Allison Bhatta Ads Production/Creation Breanna Benz, Jennifer DiMarco, Lisa Hoang, Rebecca Smeenk, Lindsay Smith, Lara Treadwell National Account Executive Account Executives Libbey Arner, Aaron Brock, Maggie Crosby, Brandon Collins, Oran Duncan, Judi Glass, Alex Iskounen, Kendall Kapetanakis, Marcello Sandoval, Amanda Sparks, Jennifer Vaughn Assistant Account Executives Carissa Nichols, Diane Revalski, Tyler Terhune Marketing Manager Sayali Shirgaonkar Office Manager Kaelynn Kurtz Student Publication Photo Staff Director of Photography Sally Bull Business Manager Paul Platz
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Evolution is backed by science and common sense After reading the all-toofamiliar misconceptions about evolution that Travis S. Anderson essentially copied and pasted from answersingenesis.com (“Explaining the reasoning behind refuting the theory of evolution,” Feb. 20), I felt both morally and intellectually compelled to rebut his puerile strike at science and common sense. Regardless of Anderson’s logical fallacy of appealing to incredulity when it comes to DNA and its formation, what really hurts my brain was reading about radiometric dating and Mt. St. Helens. The reason that “few have heard that current carbon dating puts that eruption… at thousands of years” is because it never did. Creationists can’t even standardize their own myths anymore. The lava domes were not “carbon-dated.” The geologist who dated them used potassium-argon dating, resulting in a reading of 350,000 years. Why did he get this exponentially exaggerated date? Because, one, he failed to remove the contamination (xenoliths) that he admitted was in the sample (as an analogy, xenoliths can interfere with K-Ar dating in much the same way that radio interference
can mess up police radar’s calculations), and, two, the institute that he sent his samples to in order to date actually said on its Web site that it can’t date things younger than 2 million years old. This “geologist” knew this (as well as that K-Ar dating was the inappropriate method to use here — he should have used Ar-Ar dating, a much simpler method), yet he still sent them his samples. If I tell you that cell phones don’t work in tunnels, and your phone doesn’t work when you’re in a tunnel, will you claim that cell phones don’t work at all? No, you just used it improperly. As far as the earth’s age, uranium-dating goes back to billions of years (thus, rock-dating proves the earth’s age is billions of years old). There are various and sundry ways to date objects, and they all corroborate one other (when their dating ranges actually overlap). A creationist talking about radiometric dating is akin to using a thermometer to measure a book’s obesity. If you don’t know how a tool works, stop acting as you do. Andrew Shutterly junior, accounting and information systems
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Columnist’s ‘pompous’ concerns, ‘subtle loathing’ are not appreciated KEVIN GILLISPIE regular columnist Shameless self-promotion is curiously irritating, isn’t it? I can sit and endure anyone’s spontaneous recitation of his personal checklist of atta-boys despite the repulsion that grows from listening to the pompous. I mention this because of a column published (Feb. 3, “Work on cultivating campus climate,”) at the beginning of this month that I found curiously irritating. A now regular columnist writing about the state of art here at Virginia Tech felt it necessary to fill the second half of his column with a litany of his extra-curricular activities. And while I wouldn’t call him pompous — he is a complete stranger and I know nothing about him — his column framed himself as such. Moreover, it defeated his argument about the need for Virginia Tech “to cultivate the true talents and gifts of this Hokie Nation.” If his curriculum vitae are accurate, then it is obvious that he was able to express himself just fine without the university holding his hand along the way. But this argumentative fallacy is eclipsed by the subtle loathing that emerges in his word choice. He evokes the word “true.” That is, all talents and gifts not conforming to the troika of art, literature and music are lesser or, worse yet, false talents. How dare you! How dare you diminish the value of accomplishments made by those who express their humanity outside the salons of Catulle Mendès’s “charming aristocracy.” It is this sort of elitism that sullies the meaning of Ut Prosim. It is this sort of elitism that is antithetical to the meaning of “That I May Serve.” This university has been blessed with unparalleled athleticism, world-class innovation and an embarrassment of
alumni with the moral talent to put themselves in harm’s way and stare down the ultimate sacrifice so that both the grateful and the ungrateful — such as yourself — can develop and pursue whatever talents they may possess. You used yourself as an example (of what, I can not fathom) in your column. In mine, I will use others. The good that Hokie athletes inspire in spectators far outweighs whatever “good” modern art inspires with its incessant examination of the dark side of the human experience. And while such examinations are necessary, athletic achievement is consistently more beautiful and more hope-giving than any modern artistic movement. Athletic achievement does this through its natural spontaneity. Sports happen “in the moment” and because of this they transcend the arrested behavior — cynicism, even — thoughtful meditation often leads to when a mind pours over modern creative pieces. (Music improvisation is the closest analog, but even that is tainted by all the emotional gravitas garnered from practicing the carefully wrought compositions by emotionally burdened geniuses.) And the good that Hokie researchers and technicians — innovators — produce contributes more directly to a higher standard of living than any sonnet, sonata or sculpture. One specific talent in this arena is that of elegance. These individuals need an eye for elegant design and elegant function, otherwise what they produce will be made obsolete by the ever-increasing sophistication of the problems confronting them. You and I do agree that the liberal arts here at Virginia Tech are relatively marginalized by the massive technical endeavors in which this university is engaged. (Though it is probably better to say overshadowed, as we have
the largest prize given for undergraduate poetry in the nation. That’s hardly marginalization.) You would probably agree with me that this imbalance is detrimental to maximizing innovation. Without the right hemisphere examining the darker crevasses of the human experience, the left hemisphere will never come to fully understand what it is humans lament and in what direction development should go to minimize suffering. But, so help me, don’t you dare elevate one sort of talent above another. And if the campus atmosphere is creatively “stale,” then reexamine the university’s motto: “That I May Serve.” I, the individual. Don’t tell us how we should fix a problem you perceive. Take a proactive lead and model solutions for us. Universities are training facilities. They do so in classrooms. The professors instruct students in those classrooms. But none of these elements are meant to take the lead. That is what they are trying to teach us to do for ourselves. This university maintains an environment where students take what they’ve learned in the classrooms from the professors out, first, to the campus and then into society. The university is not meant to tell you how or what to create. It is only incumbent upon them to support our own creative endeavors, with knowledgeable counsel and instruction. I won’t alienate anyone with a self-congratulatory recapitulation of my professional accolades, but I will hint at some with this piece of advice: One thing that I was taught while working in show biz is that you are only as good as your last work. And if your last work doesn’t speak for itself, if you must surround it with an entourage of desperate deeds, then you need more knowledgeable counsel and instruction.
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february 24, 2009
An appl(ication) a day Here’s a sample of smart phone applications to satisfy our inner artist. This weeklong feature will focus on different themes. Tomorrow’s theme: music lovers.
Flickr Apps by Various developers Description: Flickr’s mobile site is capable, but native apps offer easier and enhanced access to the photo-sharing purveyor. Flickr, Darkslide and Photostream for the BlackBerry, iPhone and Android, respectively, make it simple to upload and save pictures directly from and to your phone. Additionally, GPS-enabled smart phones can incorporate the location data of where the photo was taken. This makes cataloging and searching for photos easy. Price: Free Device: iPhone, Blackberry, Android Collaborative Drawing Apps by Various developers Description: Sometimes, all you want to do is doodle. In that case, check out Whiteboard by Elliot Lee and Bluebrush by Rob Mickle for the iPhone and Android, respectively. Both are Wi-Fi-enabled drawing apps that connect you and other users on a network for some collaborative creativity. And, who knows, maybe you’ll be able to resist the urge of showing off a poorly drawn neon phallic symbol and create something truly artistic. Price: Free Device: iPhone, Android
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SARA SPANGLER AND GO-EUN CHOI
Brushes by Steve Sprang Description: If you managed to cram a full painter’s workshop into an iPhone, you might have something like Brushes. This app moves beyond the simple, solid colors and brush strokes of other apps to mimic the imperfection and unpredictability of real paints and brushes. With its power and your patience, you can create some surprisingly realistic and beautiful drawings. Price: $4.99 Device: iPhone Photocalc by Adair Systems Description: Got a fancy camera and need to make the most of it? This app might prove useful. Optimize your shots with a depth of field and flash calculator that locks in known variables (aperture, ISO, subject distance, etc.) and computes the rest. Additionally, it contains a handy reference guide that includes the sunrise and sunset based on your location given by the device’s GPS. Annie Leibovitz better watch her back. Price: $2.99 Device: iPhone
PETER VELZ
ct multimedia reporter
Killzone 2: First-person shooter shows off the PS3’s capabilities The debate is endless. Video game oligarchies have ignited discussions over the best game console since the first system’s inception. JONATHAN After my Sega Genesis broke YI after two days features of ownership, I reporter replaced it with a Super Nintendo at what was then Funcoland and haven’t looked back since. And the dispute has no end in sight. While the contemporary Playstation 3 or Xbox 360 debate is a tad more complicated, it’s not hard to find someone who will stick to his guns. I’m assuming we can all agree that the Nintendo Wii offers a unique video game experience that is clearly intended for a different market. The Xbox 360 dominates in game sales with Halo and Gears of War titans, but Sony has made it plain it aspires to have its baby around much longer. The new Call of Duty wasn’t that impressive, anyway. Regardless, Sony needs a genuine title to stimulate its humdrum sales figures. The upcoming Killzone 2 by Guerilla Games has been under a tremendous amount of pressure as Playstation owners have been praying for a game to showcase the true computing and rendering power of the PS3. Killzone 2 hits shelves this Friday and the wait has been well worth it. It is proof that a franchise can progress into a visual masterpiece that presents itself as one of the most concrete first-person shooters made thus far. The beta access recently shut down, and Friday can’t come soon enough. As its name may imply, note that this is a very mature game, and if you’re letting your nine-year-old play it, you might want to reconsider your parental standpoint. Heck, if you purchased a PS3 for your nine-yearold to begin with, you’re suspect in the first place. The game follows the events of Killzone and Killzone: Liberation, and will take place entirely on the planet Helghan, the home world of the Helghast, who invaded an
Interplanetary Strategic Alliance colony. Two years after the Helghast assault on Vekta, the ISA has launched an assault on the enemy’s home world of Helghan. The ISA goal is to capture the Helghast leader, Emperor Scolar Visari, and bring the Helghast war machine to a halt. Players assume the role of Sergeant Tomas “Sev” Sevchenko, a battle-hardened veteran of Special Forces unit Alpha Team, who goes on a mission to take out the Helghast threat. It must be noted that Guerilla Games has provided a solid shooter experience that really tests the capabilities of the PS3. First and foremost, the atmosphere in Killzone 2 feels unreservedly genuine. The PS3’s physics engine creates a believably dynamic environment that we’ve never seen before. Better yet, the surroundings allow players to really feel as if they’re changing their environment. As your squad falls around you, debris blurs your vision and blood is splattered on your helmet, there is without a doubt a moment of serenity where players can appreciate the paramount beauty of the game’s visual sensations. Killzone 2 vastly depends on timed sequential events that lead to another set of objectives, be it blowing up a bridge or releasing a platform. The movements are fluid and the controls are smooth unlike the analog sensation we’ve seen in Halo and Resistance. The engines used are so intricate that only one player can play on the multi-player and there is no coop campaign. This may be hard to swallow for those who seek a shared gamer experience. But do not fear: The jaw-dropping, visual flair will have your friends waiting their turn. Aside from the diversity of the large-scale environment, the details are what will have so many impressed. The physics engine has the presentation of the battlefield, as the shadows and particle effects have striking and immense realism. Fabric and dust blowing in the wind, various items set on fire, and the destructible rubble that lies around instill a true sense of havoc. On a side note, it seems having different objects out of focus makes everything seem so much more realistic. Guerilla has it all figured out.
KILLZONE 2 DEVELOPER: Guerilla Games PLATFORM: Playstation 3 GENRE: First Person Shooter GRADE: A RELEASE DATE: Friday, Feb. 27, 2009
Guerilla has definitely taken advantage of 7.1 surround sound that provides bona fide echoes of explosions, bullets whizzing past your head and the eternal plea of the doomed that lie along the battlefield. Killzone 2 has an excellent — and classy — soundtrack that plays as you navigate the game. Guerilla has also taken advantage of Sony’s motion features, which can be experienced when having to hold your controller steady to increase sniping accuracy or having to tilt the controller to set off an explosive or turn a valve. The shooting system is quite smart and the A.I. of the enemy compliments the improvements. The enemy will focus and flank, shoot and throw grenades at you if you’re not covered. I have never seen drag doll effects so precisely done before, either — when an enemy is shot in the knees or shoulder, trust me, he’ll fall that way. Truly it is the online multiplayer that supplies the primary facet of Killzone 2. You can take up to 15 bots in skirmish modes or enjoy a team death match, capture the flag and a capture and hold available in a Warzone option. The hill has been moved! Killzone 2 is a purchase that will not leave players unsatisfied. In a fiercely competitive genre, it provides a sneak peak at the immense power of next-gen first-person shooters. The fluidity of the game play blew all my expectations out of the water — stubborn PC gamers will turn their heads. Even as a Halo addict, I have finally come to appreciate the innovative notions of the PS3. Killzone 2 absolutely makes Gears of War 2 look like child’s play.
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tuesday, february 24, 2009